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OLD FOE, NEW FRIEND: TB PREVENTION AND THE ADVENT OF DNA VACCINES
by azadeharjmandi
"Ay, thou art for the grave; thy glances shine
Too brightly to shine long; another Spring
Shall deck her for men's eyes—but not for thine—
Sealed in a sleep which knows no wakening.
The fields for thee have no medicinal leaf,
And the vexed ore no mineral of power;
And they who love thee wait in anxious grief
Till the slow plague shall bring the final hour…"
From Consumption by William Cullen Bryant
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease of global concern, and one of the oldest enemies of the human race: the records of its presence date back as far as 2400 years BC[1]. The deadly plague has claimed many lives throughout the ages, and it is still claiming more. In 1993, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared TB a "global emergency"[2]. It is estimated that one third of the world population is currently infected with TB, and the numbers are increasing by approximately 8 million annually[2, 3]. TB is the second leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of infectious disease mortality, contributing to more than 3 million deaths annually [3, 4, 5]. Co-infection with HIV greatly complicates matters, as it weakens the immune system and increases the susceptibility to TB infection[3]. Of those who are encounter TB each year, 0.9 million are also infected with HIV[3,6]. This co-infection is associated with an increase in the quantity and severity of TB symptoms and a faster progression to death[3]. In addition to the problem of HIV co-infection, the ongoing generation of multidrug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis (the bacterium causing TB) which are resistant to most conventional therapies is adding to the problem. Simultaneous infection with an MDR TB strain and HIV has a very poor prognosis with an average life expectancy of only two months[3]. It is believed that TB will kill approximately 90 million people over the next three decades, and the depletion of the human resources that is a direct result of this in turn poses major economic threats to those countries with a TB epidemic[3, 5]. This calls for immediate action to develop more effective prevention strategies and therapies.
What TB does to the human body
Figure 1. Electron Micrograph of M. tuberculosis
(Image courtesy of the Institut Pasteur Image Library)
Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (or M. tuberculosis, see Figure 1), a slow growing bacillus which is an obligate human pathogen (i.e. it cannot survive outside the human body)[7, 8, 9]. Infection with M. tuberculosis causes latent disease in the majority of cases, which may develop into active pulmonary TB[10]. The body's reaction against M. tuberculosis infection typically consists of strong cell-mediated immunity (involving T lymphocytes) [10, 11]. One class of T lymphocytes known as Th1 cells or CD4+ T cells release cytokines (cellular hormones) such as interleukin-12 or interferon g, which in turn enable the infected cells to engulf mycobacteria and prevent their proliferation[12, 13]. Another line of defence is provided by cytotoxic T cells (a.k.a. CD8+ T cells), which could directly target the infected cells and kill them by creating a pore in the cell wall and secreting toxic molecules into the cell[10, 13]. In addition, mechanisms exist to prevent an excessive immune response[13]. Once these mechanisms of host defense against M. tuberculosis are weakened (which could be due to a variety of environmental factors), the latent infection transforms into active disease[14]. The clinical symptoms of active pulmonary TB could be non-specific, such as fever, wasting, ill appearance, headache, and back and abdominal pain[15]. Active TB could also lead to lung abnormalities, such as cavitation, necrosis (cell death within the lungs), fibrosis and scarring, which could eventually lead to death[4]. TB can spread through the aerosol, vascular, and lymphatic routes, and therapy generally requires six to twelve months of antibiotic treatment[4, 15].
Currently, the only available preventative measure against TB is vaccination with an attenuated form of Mycobacterium bovis (a relative of M. tuberculosis which affects cattle)[6]. This vaccine was developed by Calmette and Guerin during the first two decades of the twentieth century, and having yielded positive results in animal studies, it was given to humans in the early 1920s [12]. The bacillus Calmette Guerin, as it came to be called (or BCG in short) remains one of the most widely prescribed vaccines in the world[3]. It is recommended by the World Health Organization for all infants under 1 year of age, and every year 100 million newborns are vaccinated[6]. More than 3 billion people are estimated to be vaccinated with BCG so far, giving BCG the status of the vaccine with the highest global coverage (80%) [6]. Despite its widespread application for over 80 years, BCG remains the most controversial vaccine in current use[3]. The amount of protection offered by BCG against pulmonary TB has varied greatly in different studies, ranging from zero to 80% [3, 6]. Despite this variation in different populations, there is general consensus that BCG offers good protection against childhood TB, and also against leprosy (another disease caused by a mycobacterial species) [3, 6, 12]. However, the protective efficacy of BCG wanes over a period of 10-12 years, which is illustrated by an increase in active TB cases in adolescents previously vaccinated with BCG [6]. Another disadvantage of BCG is that the vaccination leads to the development of a delayed type hypersensitivity response which cannot be distinguished from infection with M. tuberculosis, creating difficulty in the diagnosis of TB[3]. Furthermore, since BCG is a live vaccine, it is capable of causing disease in immuno-suppressed individuals, such as those infected with HIV[3].
WHY have we failed?
The great variation in the efficacy of BCG may be due to several factors. It is important to note that not all BCG vaccines are identical in their composition. There are several strain variations between the vaccines developed in different laboratories and environments and the storage and treatment of BCG may also vary in the different local laboratories[6, 12]. Furthermore, there are genetic and nutritional differences in the populations that were studied in various experiments, which could affect the vaccination outcome[6]. The role of environmental factors which contribute to vaccine efficacy should also be taken into account. For example, exposure to other environmental mycobacteria (which are more abundant in tropical climates) prior to vaccination with BCG may reduce the efficacy of the BCG vaccine[6]. A recent study has also found that chronic infection with some other parasites (such as roundworms) changes the immune response in such a way that Th1 cytokines are not produced, lowering the protection offered by BCG [6]. Moreover, factors such as the route of administration and optimal vaccine delivery must be considered when evaluating the failures of BCG [6].
In addition to these general "experimental variations", BCG itself has several shortcomings which may lead to its low efficacy. For instance, during the process of attenuation which leads to the production of BCG, M. bovis is robbed of many of its important antigens[6, 12]. Antigens are a cell's surface molecules which are recognized by the host's body as potential pathogens and elicit an immune response. Several of these antigens (such as ESAT-6 and MPT64) which have been shown to elicit a strong host immune reaction are missing in BCG [6, 12]. In one experiment, a recombinant BCG vaccine was created which expressed the immunodominant antigen of M. tuberculosis, known as Ag85B. This modified BCG was found to yield greater protection against TB than conventional BCG [12]. Another problem associated with this vaccine is the type of immune response it elicits in the host organism. BCG's ability to induce a response in CD8+ T cells has been questioned. In comparison, M. tuberculosis has been found to gain access to the cytoplasmic compartment of infected cells and thus facilitate a response in CD8+ T cells [12]. Finally, while BCG does not immunize the vaccinated individual for life, repeated BCG vaccination also fails to "boost" the protection offered by the primary vaccination[6]. It is clear that these limitations need to be overcome in any new vaccine candidate against TB.
And DNA walks in …
Thus the novel approaches for developing a TB vaccine have been targeted at eliminating the shortcomings of BCG. One method known as DNA vaccination utilizes plasmid DNA (which is a circular, double-stranded DNA often isolated from bacteria) to encode the protein of interest (which is usually a potent antigen from M. tuberculosis or a related species) to elicit an immune response in the host organism[13]. Of the 200 candidate vaccines which have been studied over the past two decades, DNA vaccines are of special interest for a variety of reasons. First, they are safe and do not have the problem of inherent pathogenicity associated with live vaccines such as BCG [3]. That means that they could probably be used on immuno-suppressed individuals without making them sick. Second, the stability of the DNA molecule may eliminate the problem of transportation associated with BCG and the necessity to develop the vaccines at local hospitals and laboratories[13]. Third, DNA vaccines have been shown to generate long-lasting immunity in several animal models[3, 13]. One of the remarkable and rather rare abilities of DNA vaccines is their strong activation of CD8+ T cells, which serves to eliminate the pathogens by directly killing the infected cells[6, 12]. Finally, plasmid DNA can be used to deliver multiple antigens by cloning different genes in the plasmid vector[3]. Studies have shown that the DNA vaccines encoding multiple antigens have a greater protective efficacy than those encoding a single protein[16]. Thus, mixing various vaccine components, which may be difficult in other vaccination techniques, appears to be feasible using DNA vaccines[16]. One strategy which has led to a longer-lasting immune response in some animal models is the use of DNA vaccines to prime the immune system, and then boosting the vaccine efficacy by using another vaccination technique[6, 12]. This "prime-boost" method has been found to offer greater protection compared to the use of repeated administration of a DNA vaccine alone[6, 12].
Towards a brighter future
Despite the recent advances in biotechnology and the successful results of DNA vaccination in animal models, the above findings must be taken with a note of caution. BCG itself has in fact been quite efficient in animal models, whereas this efficiency was not replicated in human trials[12]. Thus our first step must be to evaluate the efficacy of these different types of vaccine in a model in which BCG fails[12]. Furthermore, no single DNA vaccine has been found to offer great protection against TB. However, as we enhance the available DNA vaccines, there are many reasons for optimism. Some ways in which the potency of DNA vaccines could be increased are to modify the DNA vector to allow a greater expression of the desired antigen or more specific targeting of the antigen, to use adjuvants (i.e. molecules that elicit a strong immune response in the host) for boosting the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines, and to facilitate plasmid DNA uptake by the cells[16]. Many potent M. tuberculosis antigens have already been shown to be compatible with the DNA vaccine technology, and although the single DNA vaccine has not been shown to be much more effective than BCG, evidence suggests that multiple DNA vaccinations or delivery of multiple antigens by a single vaccine could be useful alternatives [6, 12, 16]. Since the recent biotechnological advances seem capable of implementing the necessary modifications, the strengths of the DNA vaccine may provide a reasonable hope for its successful human testing in the future[3, 16]. And maybe, maybe one day, William Bryant's poem could be changed to something like this:
" 'Though the fields for thee have no medicinal leaf,
The double helix comes forth with mighty power;
And they who love thee watch in disbelief
The plague's dismal doom in its final hour."
1. Brewer, T.F., and Heymann, S.J. Arch Med Res. 2005; 36(6): 617-621.
2. Kremer, L., and Besra, G.S. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2002; 11(2): 153-7.
3. Mustafa, A.S. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2001; 2(2): 157-173.
4. Dheda, K., Booth, H., Huggett, J.F., Johnson, M.A., Zumla, A., and Rook, G.A.W. The J Infect Dis. 2005; 192:1201-1210.
5. Sacksteder, K.A. and Nacy, C.A. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2002; 2(7): 741-9.
6. Haile, M. and Kallenius, G. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2005; 18(3): 211-215.
7. http://www.sanger.ac.uk/Projects/M_tuberculosis/gfx/mtb_medium.gif
8. Murry, J.P., and Rubin E.J. Trends Microbiol. 2005; 13(8): 366-372.
9. Vaerewijck, M.J.M., Huys, G., Palomino, J.C., Swings, J. and Portaels, F. FEMS Microbiology Rev. 2005; 29(5): 911-934
10. Aliberti, J., and Bafica, A. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2005; 73(3-4): 283-288.
11. McKenzie, B.S., Corbett, A.J., Brady, J.L., Dyer, C.M., Strugnell, R.A., Kent, S.J., Kramer, D.R., Boyle, J.S., and Lew, A.M. Immunol Res. 2001; 24(3): 225-44.
12. Agger, E.M., and Andersen, P. Vaccine. 2002; 21: 7-14.
13. Sbai, H., Mehta, A., and DeGroot, A.S. Curr Drug Targets Infect Disord. 2001;1: 303-313.
14. Frothingham, R. Stout, J.E., Hamilton, C.D. Int J Infect Dis. 2005; 9(6): 297-311
15. Potter, B., Rindfleisch, K., and Kraus, C.K. Am Fam Physician. 2005; 72(11): 2225-32.
16. Ulmer, J.B. Scand J Infect Dis. 2001; 33: 246-248.


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Home Archive by category "General Meetings"
JOIN US! MONDAY, APRIL 15 A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING!
Campaign Against Human Trafficking-SouthShore, a 501(c)(3) organization.
Members of Sun City Center Chamber of Commerce and South Shore Chamber of Commerce.


People with disability, and our organisations, welcome the upcoming Royal Commission into the epidemic of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect against people with disability.
You can read the draft Terms of Reference here. We are now waiting for the Government to establish the Royal Commission and publish the final Terms of Reference.
DPO Australia has published its Submission on the draft terms, making a number of recommendations to highlight crucial missing issues and add or amend terms to strengthen the Commission.
In 2015, a Senate inquiry found widespread rates of violence and abuse against people with disability, and strongly recommended holding a Royal Commission.
In 2017, over 160 civil society groups and over 100 academics joined the call for a Royal Commission into violence against people with disability. The Australian Labor Party and the Australian Greens also supported our call to ensure that people with disability get a chance to speak out and get justice.


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Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
Children of the Sea by way of Pixar. It's nice to see them finally switching things up a little. Director Enrico Casarosa goes for a more subdued, calmer atmosphere, citing directors like Miyazaki as a direct influence. The characters and themes are still very much Pixar, but at least it's progress.
Luca is a young sea creature who lives his life away from humans. He dreams of exploring the world, but his parents are very protective of him and fear the fishermen. Luca's life changes when one day he meets Roberto, another sea creature who lives his life on land. The two set off to the nearest village.
The characters, themes and comedy are still very typical (read not for me), the voice actors too are subpar, but it's nice to see a different setting and more toned down mood. The slightly more cartoonish art style is a plus (but they could've pushed it a lot further) and the summery rural Italian countryside is appropriately appealing. A real improvement over their other films.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home From The Holidays
Trolling the Super Bowl
Paul Krugman: Trump the Intimidator Fails Again
Because he's just a bully with delusions of grandeur.
International crises often lead, at least initially, to surging support for a country's leadership. And that's clearly happening now. Just weeks ago the nation's leader faced public discontent so intense that his grip on power seemed at risk. Now the assassination of Qassim Suleimani has transformed the situation, generating a wave of patriotism that has greatly bolstered the people in charge.
Unfortunately, this patriotic rallying around the flag is happening not in America, where many are (with good reason) deeply suspicious of Donald Trump's motives, but in Iran.
In other words, Trump's latest attempt to bully another country has backfired — just like all his previous attempts.
From his first days in office, Trump has acted on the apparent belief that he could easily intimidate foreign governments — that they would quickly fold and allow themselves to be humiliated. That is, he imagined that he faced a world of Lindsey Grahams, willing to abandon all dignity at the first hint of a challenge.
But this strategy keeps failing; the regimes he threatens are strengthened rather than weakened, and Trump is the one who ends up making humiliating concessions.
Michelle Goldberg: The Nightmare Stage of Trump's Rule Is Here
Unstable and impeached, the president pushes the U.S. toward war with Iran.
After three harrowing years, we've reached the point many of us feared from the moment Donald Trump was elected. His decision to kill Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran's second most important official, made at Mar-a-Lago with little discernible deliberation, has brought the United States to the brink of a devastating new conflict in the Middle East.
We don't yet know how Iran will retaliate, or whether all-out war will be averted. But already, NATO has suspended its mission training Iraqi forces to fight ISIS. Iraq's Parliament has voted to expel American troops — a longtime Iranian objective. (On Monday, U.S. forces sent a letter saying they were withdrawing from Iraq in response, only to then claim that it was a draft released in error.) On Sunday, Iran said it will no longer be bound by the remaining restrictions on its nuclear program in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the deal that Trump abandoned in 2018. Trump has been threatening to commit war crimes by destroying Iran's cultural sites and tried to use Twitter to notify Congress of his intention to respond to any Iranian reprisals with military escalation. [..]
Unlike with North Korea, it's difficult to imagine any photo op or exchange of love letters defusing the crisis the president has created. Most of this country has never accepted Trump, but over the past three years, many have gotten used to him, lulled into uneasy complacency by an establishment that has too often failed to treat him as a walking national emergency. Now the nightmare phase of the Trump presidency is here. The biggest surprise is that it took so long.
Kate Aronoff:Republicans preach fiscal conservatism, yet they always find money for war
Costs only become an issue when it comes to programs that run counter to Republican policy priorities
If you know who Sean Hannity is, you probably know that he is no fan of the Green New Deal. The proposal has blanketed Fox News since it debuted in November 2018, with Hannity and fellow hosts on the network narrowing in a particular line of attack, summarized during a radio spot he did last year: "What they are proposing is so outrageously expensive and cost prohibitive even they acknowledge that if we confiscated all the billionaires' wealth, it still wouldn't be able to pay for this mess of theirs." Along similar lines, Republicans circulated a bogus study from the industry-funded American Action Forum claiming a Green New Deal would cost $93tn, elevating the number into something of a meme among rightwing talking heads and politicians. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell told his colleagues it would be more than enough to "buy every American a Ferrari".
Hannity and McConnell, along with most of the rest of the Republican party, have more recently been heaping praise onto Trump for assassinating Iranian Gen Qassem Suleimani. "This is a huge victory for American intelligence, a huge victory for our military, a huge victory for the state department, and a huge victory and total leadership by the president," Hannity boasted after the killing. Without consulting Congress, the president kicked long-simmering US-Iran tensions up to a boil that now threatens to spill over into another full-blown war in the Middle East. His threats to bomb cultural sites throughout the country – in violation of international law – make that even more likely. So why aren't Republicans asking how the government would pay for it?
Eugene Robinson: Welcome to Trump's war
This is what we feared, what we warned about. An erratic, petulant, clueless president, manifestly unfit to serve as commander in chief, has sparked a high-stakes international crisis. Welcome to Donald Trump's war.
Trump's decision to authorize the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani was typically rash and shortsighted. Blowing to smithereens a high-ranking official of a sovereign nation is, by any standard, an act of war. Doing so without any discernible plan for what to do next is an act of stupidity, one for which I fear we will pay dearly with American blood and treasure.
Think about it: The president of the United States has threatened to bomb Iran's priceless cultural sites, for no reason except spite and a desire to look "tough." How would that differ from what the Taliban did in Afghanistan? Is this the kind of foreign policy we're supposed to be proud of?
Trump campaigned on a promise to end our involvement in Middle East wars. Despite all his tough talk, he is so conflict-averse that he won't even fire aides who displease him in person, instead using emissaries and tweets. His instinct now will probably be to back off. But I worry that the events he has set in motion will have a logic and momentum of their own.
Helaine Olen: Trump claims he wants to protect seniors. He's actually their worst enemy.
One reason Donald Trump is president and Hillary Clinton is not is because of the support of seniors. He received a majority of the vote from people over the age of 65 in 2016. He presented himself as their ally, vowing to protect Social Security and Medicare.
But Trump is not the best friend of senior voters. He's actually just about their worst enemy. If he's elected to a second term, older Americans — and all those who care about them — will likely learn that the hard way.
Nowhere is this more clear than health care in general and Medicare in particular. Last fall, Trump told a group of seniors at one of Florida's largest retirement communities that Medicare is "under siege" from Democrats. Medicare-for-all, he said, "would totally obliterate Medicare." What he didn't tell the audience was that same day he signed an executive order that likely will weaken Medicare. As Michael Hiltzik pointed out at the Los Angeles Times, the order, which demanded the government investigate raising Medicare reimbursement rates, could raise the cost of the program, undermining its finances, not to mention potentially increasing the amounts seniors need to pay over time. At the same time, Trump's plan — also contained in the executive order — encourages more use of Medicare Advantage, which could ultimately push seniors toward narrow medical networks, cutting access to doctors and restricting choice. Finally, according to The Center for American Progress, the Trump policy could also make it more likely that seniors are subjected to surprise medical bills, something current law mostly protects them from.
In other words, under the guise of protecting seniors, Trump is laying the groundwork to weaken Medicare. "It's actually a plan to reshape the program in favor of further enriching the health care industry at the expense of the sick," says Emily Gee, a health economist with the Center for American Progress.


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Joseph Loconte
Books & Scholarship
Joseph Loconte » Commentary, Featured » Weekly Standard: In Praise of Folly
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Weekly Standard: In Praise of Folly
This article was originally posted at The Weekly Standard.
The presidency of Donald Trump, nearly a year old, has revived a political debate that began in earnest in sixteenth-century Europe: does a nation require leaders of good moral character in order to flourish?
Niccolo Machiavelli, who witnessed the violent collapse of the Florentine Republic, famously answered the question in the negative: Politicians must often commit acts of evil to maintain public order and unity—and they shouldn't be troubled by this reality. "How praiseworthy it is for a prince to keep his word and to live with integrity and not by cunning, everyone knows," he wrote in The Prince (1513). "Nevertheless, one sees from experience in our times that the princes who have accomplished great deeds are those who have thought little about keeping faith and who have known how cunningly to manipulate men's minds."
Trump is hardly the first president to put Machiavelli's thesis to the test. What is stunning, though, is how he so easily has persuaded social and religious conservatives—the self-styled guardians of American virtue—that Machiavelli was right. How else to explain the enthusiasm among evangelicals for Trump, despite his unscrupulousness? They transformed Alabama's Roy Moore, credibly accused of making sexual advances on teenage girls, into "God's vessel" to advance Trump's political agenda. They compare Trump, a conniving business mogul and reality television host, to Winston Churchill, the soldier-statesman who helped to rescue Western Civilization from Nazi barbarism.
Perhaps it's time to recirculate a sixteenth-century blockbuster, In Praise of Folly (1511), the most trenchant rebuttal to the Machiavellian outlook ever written. Composed by the Christian humanist Desiderius Erasmus, it exposed the debased morality of the political and religious authorities of his day.
The work is narrated by Folly, wearing the costume of a fool and standing before an eager crowd to extol her own virtues. "I follow that well known proverb," she explains, "which says that a person may very well praise himself if there happens to be no one else to praise him." A leader can surround himself with flatterers and sycophants, she says, yet remain "a man ignorant of the law, almost an enemy to the common good, intent on advancing his own private interests, addicted to pleasure, a man who hates learning, who hates liberty and truth…"
In Praise of Folly skewers the idea that a perverse man could be a good governor: his corruption would spread "like a deadly plague" and infect the commonwealth. Public office imposed upon rulers a high standard of conduct, "so that he may either promote the welfare of his people by his spotless character, like a beneficent star, or he may, like a baleful comet, bring disaster upon them." The just prince—rejecting the clamor of factions, the politics of tribalism, and his own private whims—must "give no thought to anything except the common good."
In Renaissance Europe, where popes still functioned as kingmakers, political reform was nearly impossible without reform in the churches. Although a lifelong Catholic, Erasmus singled out the church establishment for its hypocrisy and spiritual pride. Folly chides clerics for "looking down from high above on all other mortals as if they were earth-creeping vermin almost worthy of their pity." She upbraids believers for being "far more taken with appearances than reality." She mocks theologians who wear close-fitting caps to distinguish themselves in public. "Therefore, don't be surprised when you see them at public disputations with their heads so carefully wrapped up in swaths of cloth," she explains, "for otherwise they would clearly explode."
In Praise of Folly was condemned by the Catholic Church, excoriated by church authorities, and placed on the Index of Prohibited Books. It didn't matter. The book's subversive appeal could hardly be contained. During Erasmus's lifetime, thirty-six editions appeared from the presses of twenty-one printers in eleven cities. His withering assessment of church and state touched a nerve, and arguably laid the groundwork for the Protestant Reformation.
Machiavelli effectively produced a how-to guide for cynically preserving the status quo. To maintain order, he wrote, a ruler "must often act against his faith, against charity, against humanity, and against religion." To Erasmus, these were the tactics of Folly: the path to political ruin, social unrest, and cultural rot. There is truth in Machiavelli's dictum that it is better to be feared than loved. But Erasmus believed that this brand of political realism, detached from religious conscience, would end in futility. As he warned elsewhere: "He who is feared by all must himself be in fear of many, and he whom the majority of people want dead cannot be safe."
A man of letters and a counselor to princes, Erasmus was not naïve about the will to power. But, unlike Machiavelli, he was devoted to a program of social reform based on "the philosophy of Christ"—the teachings and example of Jesus—and rejected cynicism in all its forms. Against Machiavelli's duplicitous secular prince, Erasmus wanted rulers trained in Christian ethics and morality. As Folly sardonically boasts: "I consider that I am being worshiped with the truest devotion when men everywhere do precisely what they now do: embrace me in their hearts, express me in their conduct, represent me in their lives."
In the age of Trump, many have built a temple to Folly, burned incense, and bowed the knee at her altar. She has a habit, though, of betraying her worshippers and turning devotion into disillusionment.
Joseph Loconte is an associate professor of history at the King's College in New York City and the author of A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-1918.
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I designed this bold neckpiece at the start of 2012, beginning with a tightly woven chainmaille base structure in an asymmetrical zig-zag pattern. Next, chain fringe was added to mimic the bottom shape of the chainmaille. Then, different textures of chain were draped and hung very carefully for an interesting visual balance. I also attached diagonal sections of chain at the top structure of the necklace to bring some alternate texture to that area and to create interesting negative space. Last, the piece was finished with a hand-braided chain that goes to the back of the neck. Length is adjustable by a couple inches, with a large lobster clasp closure.
This is the most monumental jewelry piece I have ever created, my absolute favorite, and the one I am most proud of.


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Summer's here and I'm so excited that it's the first summer where I can actually take Benjamin different places. Last summer he was still fresh out the box and I was adjusting to being a new mommy.
This time around, I've been trying my best to take him somewhere every day, and somewhere new at least twice a month. Hopefully, we can squeeze in some flights out of the state too. This mama gets restless when she does not see different scenery every few months.
With all of this outdoor time and running around, I've come across some natural, summer baby items that I currently use or have just ordered.
1. Baby Bum mineral sunscreen– this plant-based, hypoallergenic product line for babies is one of my top three right now. The mineral sunscreen is what I use on Benjamin and I love it!
I plan on trying some of their other products but, for now this sunscreen is a part of the daily morning routine before we leave the house. This super cute packaging is what caught my attention in Target!
2. Do Terra TerraShield– finding a natural bug repellant that actually works took me forever! Now that Benjamin is here, I've been paranoid about him getting bit by mosquitoes and other summer critters. I've been hearing about Do Terra for a while and figured this would be a great time to see if this product could keep the bugs away without all of the chemicals and toxins.
2. Once Upon a Farm baby food pouches– finally, organic baby food with fresh ingredients and no preservatives! I love the fact that these pouches are not sitting on a store shelf for God only knows how long. After blending, they are cold-pressed and refrigerated.
I found them in Target recently and had to stop myself from buying too many at once. They are pricier than the other brands of baby food pouches but, you get what you pay for. These are great for those summer outings when baby needs a quick snack!
What are some natural baby products that you can't do without this summer?
As Benjamin is about to turn a year old (next week Saturday, June 2 to be exact), I am constantly thinking about all of the decisions my husband and I have to make. Ever since he was born, it seems like there is always something that threatens to really stress me out. First, it was what formula to give him as a supplement to breastfeeding, then it was to sleep train or not, what to do about daycare and me returning work (by far the MOST stressful of them all!).
Now that he is eating more food and drinking less milk, I am faced with the question, Do we raise him vegan/ vegetarian?
I know firsthand the benefits that living a plant-based lifestyle has given me (conceiving naturally despite having PCOS) so, I felt like I would be doing my child a disservice by feeding him foods that, in my opinion, would not give him the best health. We're raising a future leader with a great future and his health needs to be the last thing to get in his way!
After talking to my husband (who is a meat-eater) and doing some research, we decided to allow him to eat meat when the time comes but, only certain types of meat. This means antibiotic-free, free-range meats only and even then he will probably only eat meat sparingly. I knew for a fact that I did not want him drinking cow's mil so, we decided to transition him to Ripple milk (made from pea protein) after getting off of the Earth's Best Organic formula. Can I add that Ripple tastes so good I've been drinking it myself instead of my usual almond milk.
I asked other plant-based moms for suggestions and scoured the internet for any credible information that would help. My concern was him getting enough protein with the transition to dairy-free milk and no meat/little meat but, so far, so good! The Ripple milk is 8 grams of protein per serving and I feed him lots of the same non-meat protein-packed foods that I eat. He has been eating chickpeas, tofu, and avocado very well, which I am glad about.
I'm going to see what his pediatrician says at his 12-month check-up but, my mind is pretty made up. We won't restrict him from eating meat if he chooses to do so but, his diet will be primarily plant-based.
Are you raising vegan, vegetarian or plant-based kiddos? If so, what obstacles did you come across?
Along with all of the unbelievably joyful moments that being a new parent brings, also comes the worrisome, guilt-filled ones. As someone who knows firsthand the benefits that eating the right foods can bring, I get consumed with what I am feeding Benjamin. With all that's out here, I know I should be but it can be seriously overwhelming.
A recent dilemma I had was choosing a baby formula. It really should not bring this much anxiety to pick one, should it?
I have been giving Benjamin formula since birth, at the suggestion of the nurses at the hospital, and also breastfeeding. He had digestive issues along with some constipation that was painful to even watch. We tried lots of different ones and finally settled on a Soy formula by Gerber Good Start. After a few months though, I did not feel comfortable keeping him on the soy.
Then the hunt for a regular formula began.
Although very exhausting, breastfeeding was going pretty well so, I began to pump more hoping that I could have enough milk for him during the day while I'm at work. Between working, nursing, and pumping I was getting really burned out, and I just wasn't making enough milk.
I did some online research and reached out to family and friends who worked in the pediatric nursing field for some help. Can I say I'm really surprised that there are no formulas without soy or dairy– ZERO. ZILCH. NADA.
I used Plum Organics organic formula for the past few weeks and I have no complaints! Benjamin drank it without frowning or spitting up (an issue he had when on soy sometimes). The price point though ($42 for 32 oz), was hitting our pockets pretty hard especially since we were buying it every week. I can definitely vouch for the great reviews though.
This week, I picked up Earth's Best Organic instead. It's a little less expensive (about $41 for 35 oz) and has the same ingredients. We're just a few days in but so far, so good.
I never expected this to give me so much angst but, I'm glad there are great options out there for moms like me who are very particular about what their babies put in their bodies.
I also make all of Benjamin's pureed foods at home but, I have supplemented a few times with the Plum Organics and Earth's Best baby foods. They are the only two brands of baby foods I trust to give my baby outside of what I make at home.
Which brands of organic baby formula and foods are your favorites?


So let's ignore the Greek experts who know what words mean and just take your word for it!
I think I will stay with the real meanings and let you keep your made up ideas.
Today we only think of the 'twilight time of the evening', but there is also the reverse that is true of the 'twilight time of the morning '.
In Mat 28:1 when it dawn to the first day of the week the Greek word says it is the "twilight" in the morning, because the day in Greek begins in the morning. My point is that Matthew is a Jew and according to Jewish tradition the day begins at twilight in the evening. The end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the new day are the "twilight" Saturday evening and not Sunday morning. To translate after the Sabbaths means in the Greek also in the end of the Sabbath. The problem is, every one reads into the scriptures what he believes. I would take the translation for Mark 19:9 from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (2009) "Early on the first day of the week, after He had risen (after He arose NET Bible), He appeared first to Mary Magdalene,.." The first day of the week belongs to the appearence to Mary Magdalene and not to the Resurrection. Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb it was still dark (Jn) and the stone was already rolled away, that means Christ was risen before sunrise. From Good Friday to Saturday even night (I believe in Wednesday 3pm till Saturday 3pm = 72 hours) are Friday afternoon = day 1; Friday night 1; Saturday= day 2; Saturday night 2, that means even by inclusive reckoning the third day is missing. The events in Mat 28: 1-7 are different from Sunday morning, Sunday morning the stone was already rolled away and on Saturday evening the stone was rolled away by the angel, this are different events.
In Mat 28:1 when it dawn to the first day of the week the Greek word says it is the "twilight" in the morning, because the day in Greek begins in the morning. My point is that Matthew is a Jew and according to Jewish tradition the day begins at twilight in the evening. The end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the new day are the "twilight" Saturday evening and not Sunday morning. To translate after the Sabbaths means in the Greek also in the end of the Sabbath. The problem is, every one reads into the scriptures what he believes. I would take the translation for Mark 19:9 from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (2009) "Early on the first day of the week, after He had risen (after He arose NET Bible), He appeared first to Mary Magdalene,.." The first day of the week belongs to the appearence to Mary Magdalene and not to the Resurrection. Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb it was still dark (Jn) and the stone was already rolled away, that means Christ was risen before sunrise. From Good Friday to Saturday even/night (I believe in Wednesday 3pm till Saturday 3pm = 72 hours) are Friday afternoon = day 1; Friday night 1; Saturday= day 2; Saturday night 2, that means even by inclusive reckoning the third day is missing. The events in Mat 28: 1-7 are different from Sunday morning, Sunday morning the stone was already rolled away and on Saturday evening the stone was rolled away by the angel, this are different events.
Excuse me; example of the usage of the term sabbath to indicate a period of 7 days. I think it would be hard to fast twice on one day.
I think I included that reference to Richard before to show him the proper translation based on the construction is "week".


Testing out different colors on different papers. This is blueberry. Endless play time. If you were ever on the fence about trying something bold and new I just want you to know that you are brave and can do it my friend! Also, if that something happens to be more in tune with the earth and use less waste then I adore you. Give it a go. You've got this!


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Q: В чем разница asp.net core на .NET Framework и на .NET Core? Я могу создать проект asp.net Core используя .NET Core или .NET Framework.
Архитектура кода остается одинаковой в обоих случаях.
Но в чем-то будет принципиальная разница, кроме того, что один проект будет использовать .NET Framework плюс библиотеки .NET Core ?
Используя .NET Framework я могу что-то потерять и есть ли большие приемущества в использовании того или инного варианта?

A: .NET Core - мультиплатформенный среда исполнения для консольных и Web приложений, программы сделанные на ней можно запускать на Winows, Linux, MacOs
Плюсы: кроссплатформенность, opensource.
.NET Framework - среда исполнения под Windows.
Создание классических Windows-приложений и веб-приложений ASP.NET для IIS.
Плюсы: большое количество уже написанных библиотек кода, более широкие возможности по сравнению с .NET Core.
На данный момент Microsoft очень активно развивает Core ветку, и быстрыми темпами наращивает функционал.
Лично для себя сейчас выбираю .Net Core, как более перспективную в будущем, при этом мне её функциональности хватает.
Многие NuGet модули, библиотеки постепенно адаптируются для .NET Standart, а тем самым и для Core.
Почитать можно тут.

A: Разная среда выполнения - для быстроты разработки можно отлаживать программы на классическом IIS сервере, при этом со штатным дебагом в Visual Studio и накопленным с 2007 года ПО, но не факт, что программа потом заработает после запуска через
dotnet run

Плюсы:

*

*Скорость запуска

*Выбор как и в обычном ASP.Net в виде запуска на IIS Express или его эмуляторе

*Расширения для браузера, помогающие Visual Studio отлаживать код
Минусы:

*

*Запуск не на той же виртуальной машине, что работает на Mac и Linux, соответственно может не заработать

Вывод:
Если необходимо найти конкретный баг, то можно использовать. Но лучше переходить на Visual Studio Code и консоль

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The latest version of iOS gives you the ability to sync your entire photo library with iCloud. All you photos will be uploaded and stored in iCloud and they can be accessed from your other devices (PC, Mac,...).
Toggle the iCloud Photo Library switch to On.
Published by deri58. Latest update on January 26, 2015 at 03:39 AM by deri58.
This document, titled "iPhone 6 - Upload and store your photo library in iCloud," is available under the Creative Commons license. Any copy, reuse, or modification of the content should be sufficiently credited to CCM (https://ccm.net/).


Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) today announced HPE Right Mix Advisor, an industry-first offering that helps businesses develop their hybrid cloud strategies with confidence. HPE Right Mix Advisor recommends which workloads and applications are ideal to move to public clouds, or keep in private clouds, and how to migrate those workloads to achieve the right mix of hybrid cloud according to each business's specific need.
"IT executives have noted to us that identifying the optimal fit for their individual workloads is one of their top challenges today," said Jed Scaramella, IDC (News - Alert) Program Director, Infrastructure Services. "Past approaches that relied on best practices and manual analysis are now too costly and time consuming."
HPE Right Mix Advisor is built upon experience from over one thousand hybrid cloud engagements, best practices from Cloud Technology Partners and RedPixie, and automated discovery capabilities from iQuate. Millions of data points are quickly collected from the customer's IT landscape, from CMDBs such as ServiceNow (News - Alert), and from external sources such as cloud vendor pricing models. In a recent engagement, for example, nine million IP addresses across six data centers were examined.
HPE Pointnext experts work with the client's IT teams to analyze the data using proprietary tooling and placement algorithms. The resul is an objective, data-driven recommendation of the right workload placement strategy, a phased plan to get there, and the expertise to make it happen.
"I like to tell customers there are a thousand things they could be doing - but they need to find the 10 most impactful things they should start on tomorrow morning," said Erik Vogel, Global Vice President for Hybrid Cloud at HPE Pointnext. "HPE Right Mix Advisor helps organizations get the insight and methodology that they need to drive innovation, deliver predictable optimized customer experiences and remain competitive."
In a typical engagement, HPE delivers a concrete action plan within weeks, where previously businesses may have struggled for months with manual processes. HPE has found migrating the right workloads to the right mix of hybrid cloud can typically result in 40 percent total cost of ownership savings2. HPE Pointnext experts often find more than half the applications can be moved to a cloud model - public or private - and the remainder can be made more cloud-like using intelligent automation and as-a-service models.
HPE Right Mix Advisor is an integral component of HPE's Composable Cloud strategy, which enables CIOs to deliver the speed, scale and economics of cloud across their entire business and IT landscape, using the blend of technologies that deliver the outcomes they need now and in the future.


Select members of the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, in the year 1998.
The original Fleetwood Mac was led by guitarist Peter Green, who is widely considered to be one of the best English blues guitarists of all time. Green is said to have left the band in the year 1970 after developing an LSD habit.
Jeremy Spencer reportedly left the group abruptly before a gig at the Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles, and wasn't found for days. He went on to refuse to rejoin the band, but later joined the Children of God cult.
Christine's maiden name was actually Christine Perfect, and she has also released her first solo album in the year 1970 under that name.
It was said that initially, the band wanted to hire only Buckingham, being blown away by his playing, but he had refused to join the ban, unless Nicks was also accepted.
The most successful line-up of the band featuring - Fleetwood, Nicks, Buckingham, Christine and John McVie, was reportedly the 10th lineup of the band. The version has been mostly intact, though Christine has retired from music.
It was reported that Christine was initially not impressed with the first draft of Nicks' "Dreams," from the band's eleventh studio album "Rumours." However, the song went on to become the biggest hit of the band.
The most popular single "The Chain," which is the only song that is credited to all the five members of the band, was reportedly created by merging three distinct songs - "Lola (My Love)," a Buckingham Nicks outtake, an unfinished track called "Keep Me There," by Christine McVie, and an early acoustic version of "The Chain" by Stevie Nicks.
Band member Danny Kirwan left the band after a bizarre episode in which he went flipped out while the band was tuning up, ran into a bathroom, and smashed his head against a wall before destroying his guitar.
The group were banned from London's Marquee Club after original guitarist Jeremy Spencer wore a giant phallus on stage.
It was during the band's 1968 tour, founder Peter Green took his first tab of LSD in San Francisco. He quit the band on May 20, 1970 after a breakdown which was linked to his LSD usage.
In the year 1998, Stevie Nicks was stalked by Ronald Anacelteo, who was arrested and sent to Denver psychiatric facility. Anacelteo, after leaving the facility, claimed that planned to kidnap and impregnate her, since he believed her witchcraft would cure his homosexuality.
The famous single "You Make Loving Fun," written by Christine, is said to be all about her affair with the band's lighting director, Curry Grant, while she was still married to John McVie.
It was reported that Nicks' ballad "Silver Springs" was cut at the last minute from the "Rumours" album because there was not enough space on the LP. The rest of the band didn't think it fit with the rest of the songs, and decided to use it as the b-side for "Go Your Own Way."
Nicks was not supposedly happy with this plan, and was upset when the band did not allow her to release it on her solo album. However, the re-recording of the ballad for the 1997 "The Dance," became a massive hit.
When the "Silver Springs" song was decided to be dropped, the band had to replace it with another Nicks number, and it was Buckingham who chose "I Don't Want To Know," which they had performed as a duo. This was a surprise to Nicks who was happy about the song, but was still bitter about removing "Silver Springs."
The "Rumours" follow-up album "Tusk," is said to have flopped in the marketplace, as it was priced much higher than other albums at the time – $15.99 for the double vinyl set.
In the year 1979, Nicks was sued for plagiarism by Carol Hinton, claiming the song "Sara" written for her best friend Sara Recor, to be very similar to a song that she had submitted to Warner Bros. However, Hinton backed out of the case, when Nicks proved that she had demoed the song months earlier.
The most popular song "Gypsy," written by Nicks, is reportedly about the initial days of career, when she and Buckingham were totally broke and slept on a single mattress on the floor decorated with lace and a flower vase at its side.
In the 70s and 80s, Nicks was so addicted to cocaine that she burned a hole in the cartilage of her nose. However, she managed to quit cocaine after a stint in rehab, which led to psychiatric treatment, which in turn led to the powerful prescription tranquilizer Klonopin.
Their best-selling album "Rumours," which has spent more than 680 weeks in the UK's Official Albums Chart Top 100, is said to have spent more time in the UK chart than the rest of the band's studio albums put together.
During the re-purposing of "Tango in the Night," the sessions were said to be quiet tense and Buckingham quit the band just after the record was released. This led to the drafting of Rick Vito and Billy Burnette as a replace to him, for the tour.
In the year 2018, the 1977 single 'Dreams' re-entered the US Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, peaking at No. 16, following a meme posted on Twitter captioned "Fleetwood Mac's music is so boring you can't even dance to it."
The chain balls hanging from Mick's belt on the "Rumours" album cover, which later became his fashion signature, is actually toilet chains that he stole from the bathroom at a club that the band was performing at for good luck.
Their 1979 album "Tusk" was lengthy to be fit onto the original CD pressings, and the band had to trim Nicks' song "Sara" from 6.22 down to 4.39. This is the second instance Nicks' contributions had been unceremoniously lopped, with the first being her track "Silver Springs" removed from "Rumours."
In the 1970s, the band was known for their cocaine addiction. They were also known for the illegal affairs among the band members and crew. Nicks was with Buckingham, but was also involved in an affair with Fleetwood, who was already married. In the meantime, Fleetwood was also having an affair with Nicks best friend Sara.
It was reported that the rhythm of the most popular "Rumours" album's opening track "Second Hand News" was influenced by the 1975 single "Jive Talkin'" from The Bee Gees', which was a favorite of Lindsey Buckingham.
In the year 1977, Lauper recorded a version of the Fleetwood Mac track "You Make Loving Fun," while working as a session singer. It was reported that she was asked to mimic Christine's vocal so the song could be included on re-recorded hits compilations.
The acoustic guitar line from the band's most popular 1982 track "Eyes Of The World" was actually recycled from the "Buckingham Nicks" album's instrumental track "Stephanie".
It was reported that the masters of their self-titled album containing the hits "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me" and "Over My Head" were lost during studio sessions. However, it was later found in a discarded pile of tapes marked for destruction.


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September 1, 2017 https://www.instagram.com/p/BYfykdfAc11/Calgary Social Media Agency, Calgary Social Media Management, viralinnatureviralinnature Leave a comment
Photojournalist Smita Sharma (@smitashrm) has her #EyesOn the women of India. Her two recent projects document the experience of rape survivors across the country and the trafficking of women, primarily in West Bengal. "This phenomenon is not just about a single country like India or Bangladesh; the survivors are there struggling all over the world, just with different circumstances," says Smita, 36, who splits her time between New Delhi and New York City. "Sharing their story is the first step to understanding and ultimately eradicating such madness from our world."
Growing up in northeast India, Smita saw firsthand the racial violence and discrimination among the tribal and non-tribal communities. "I felt that we were neglected, and the story of our communities wasn't being told," says Smita, who studied mass communication and then journalism. "Photography matters — there is so much out there about beauty, nature, happiness, art and so many other positive and visually appealing situations in our world, but there is also darkness and sadness and evil and destruction and these stories cannot be ignored."
Photo by @smitashrm
#Regram @Instagram http://vnat.ca/1pSvANW


Discriminatory usefulness of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and sequence-based typing in Legionella outbreaks.
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ProfIC Vario 8 Cation is a Professional IC Vario system for the determination of cations and anions with the aid of conductivity detection without suppression and with inline sample preconcentration and matrix elimination. It safely masters all routine tasks in ion chromatography. It is simple to use and extremely reliable.


Apache Cassandra is fast, distributed Database which is built for high availability and Linear Scalability with the Predictable Performance, No SPOF, Multi-DC & easy to manage. Cassandra does not follow the master-slave architecture. It uses Peer to Peer technology. Cassandra follows the features of Availability and Partitioning from the CAP theorem.
We can provide the Replication Factor for the fault tolerance and we set it while creating the KeySpace. When we set the replication factor then data automatically replicated into each and every replica and it works asynchronously. If any node goes down, it saves the hins and in Cassandra, we say this Hinted Handoff then it replays all the writes when node come back and join the cluster.
Cassandra is really fast to read and write operations. We will discuss the working of Cassandra's Write and Read.
It connected to any node in the cluster which is called Coordinator.
It Logging data into commit log.
Now every data write into the MemTable which is created in memory with the TimeStamp.
Now we don't have the infinite memory so we flushed all data from Memtables to disk and store into the SSTables.
It does not do any update and delete in place because SSTables and Logs are immutables. So it provides TombStone which provides the information that now, there is no data for this timestamp.
Now as we know MemTables flush data to the SSTables and we have lots of SSTables in the system.
What will we do with the SSTables?
How will we merge them?
SSTable is an immutable file for the row storage and every write includes the Timestamp when we wrote SSTables. Its partition can be spread across the multiple SSTables and Same data or column can be in multiple SSTables.
We will merge all the SSTables into one SSTables but then we will face issues regarding multiple Columns and Partitions.
For removing the above problems, we will use Compaction to merge the data which kept only latest timestamp & discard the others and only for compaction, we are keeping the Timestamp.
Now we can easily create the backup the data when once it writes on the disk.
It provides the query any node of the cluster and that node is called Coordinator & it talked with the rest of the nodes in the cluster.
It goes through the disk and checks the multiple SSTables which can contain the data.
As we know Compaction is a background process and it could be that some data in that SSTables on which compaction has not run. So we pull all the data from multiple SSTables and fetch them into memory where could be some unflushed data in MemTables.
Now we merge all them (SSTables and MemTables) together using Timestamp as we have discussed in the write.
It provides read_repair_change. It could be that some nodes don't have updated data or those are not in sync.
This is the working of Cassandra's Write and Read. As we can see that Compaction plays an important role in both operations and utilize disk space in the best way. The performance of Cassandra is also depended on the disk size, consistency level. So when we create the tables and perform the read or write operations we should take care of these things.


For our second podcast episode of the week, we have Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, whose new film, "Most Likely to Murder" is currently available on demand. The two men wrote the film together, with Gregor directing and Mand appearing on screen alongside Adam Pally, Vincent Kartheiser, Rachel Bloom, and more.
The film is heavily steeped in '90s nostalgia and focuses on the idea of putting one's past behind them. It is a comedy-mystery affair and Gregor and Mand are here to give us the scoop.
Click play below and don't forget to subscribe to "Lass is More" in iTunes.


Preview of Geena Matuson's (@geenamatuson) multimedia installation 'Liar Liar,' 2013.
I have just launched into a new project, one I call 'Liar Liar (Pants on Fire)'. The name truly says it all, and if the image didn't help you to figure this one out - yes, I am setting pants on fire.
Geena Matuson's (@geenamatuson) shoot for multimedia installation 'Liar Liar,' 2013.
A few years ago, I broke-up with a guy. He left his pants at my house, because I had worn them and liked them. Aside from the fact we were the same size and liked similar music, we didn't have much else in common. The break-up was bad, and I continued to see his pants hanging in my closet for the remainder of the year. I just...left them sitting there.
Then, I thought, why not burn them. Then, I thought, I should film it, because this should be a whole production - burning pants should be perceived and executed as something cathartic. But instead, the pants disappeared, and I carried the idea with me for the next three years. It was in the back of my mind, one of those fleeting 'that would be cool if...' thoughts we so often find flitting in and out of our minds.
By this time I was at Massachusetts College of Art & Design for my BFA, and I switched from the Illustration program to the Film/Video program. I made a list of projects I wanted to complete before graduation. I went through my backlog of ideas, and thought this one, this pants-burning thing, is only something I could do now.
Conveniently, being at MassArt exposed me to some interesting performers and craftman, such as my friend, fire spinner Jeremy Day who had also assisted with the fire effects for my thesis film 'My Big Bad Wolf.' Well, I asked if he'd be up for this project, and he was totally on board. He told me about an area near his house in Maine where we could make this project come alive, and made it happen. Initially, I had pictured the pants burning over grass, but the snow not only worked well, but was much safer - no brush fires here! Plus, the snow seemed to act as a bounce board of sorts, bouncing the sun off the ground and onto my subject.
The footage was better than I had imagined, though admittedly I hadn't 'imagined' much in the way of visuals, as I had no idea how we would execute this until we got out onto the snow. I brought a few other things with me in case we felt like burning other materials - an old chair made in Yugoslavia, some cherry-print curtains I got on sale.
I've started to sort through the footage and make some interesting changes in the way of color. Overall, the footage will be presented in the form of looping videos accompanied by soundscapes to match the movement of the flames, in addition to a series of large prints. I'm awaiting news on a gallery show proposal, and hope to give this multimedia installation a home for showcasing.


text:
Adrian Marian Apostol (n. 11 martie 1990 în Constanța) este un jucător român de rugby în XV. Evoluează pe postul de aripă de treisferturi (wing).

Carieră
S-a apucat de rugby la LPS "Nicolae Rotaru" din Constanța, orașul său natal, apoi s-a alăturat lui RCJ Farul. A fost și ales în echipa de dezvoltare Lupii București, fiind numit "jucătorul meciului" la o partidă de Challenge Cup cu Parma în 2011, după ce a marcat trei eseuri. În martie 2015 a semnat cu CSM Știința Baia Mare

Și-a făcut debutul la echipa națională a României într-o partidă de Cupa Națiunilor IRB împotriva Namibiei în iunie 2011. A fost convocat la Cupa Mondială de Rugby din 2011 pentru a-l înlocui pe Cătălin Fercu, care a refuzat să plece din cauza temei de zbor. A fost și inclus în selecția pentru Cupa Mondială din 2015, de astă dată pe lângă lui Fercu. A jucat toate cele patru meciuri de grupa fazelor, inclusiv ultimul meciu cu Italia, unde a marcat două eseuri. Până în octombrie 2015, a strâns 22 de selecții în națională și a marcat 30 de puncte, înscriind șase eseuri.

Referințe

Legături externe
  Rezultate internaționale pe ESPN Scrum
  Statistice europene pe EPC Rugby

Rugbiști români
Constănțeni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Doster was selected as the general contractor for The Grove Apartments situated in one of Nashville's most sought after locations. This 196,662-square foot development houses 186 units in 12 buildings consisting of four apartment buildings and eight townhome buildings with private attached garages. The spacious, upscale apartments create a comfortable and maintenance-free lifestyle.


text:
The Tuesday Night Big Band
The Tuesday Night Big Band's Likes
The Tuesday Night Big Band's Friends
The Tuesday Night Big Band's Groups
EMPLOYMENT & PERFORMANCE…
THE DESTINY OF LIVE MUSI…
SHOULD THERE BE A PITTSB…
The Tuesday Night Big Band has not received any gifts yet
Tuesday Night Big Band/Pittsburgh Doo Wop Big Band
http://www.audibleimages.net
Pittsburgh based Big Band
The Burg' Big Band, Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra
Favorite Jazz Radio or media station
WDUQ 90.5 fm
Favorite Pittsburgh Jazz Venue
Pittsburgh Jazz Society, Rhythm House Cafe (Bridgeville, PA), Manchester Craftsmans Guild
"The Tuesday Night Big Band" (TNB) was formed about 2003 by Dr. Tom Yost (who has provided the band with hundreds of charts, state of the art sound equipment and everything necessary to supply the band), Dick Smith (trombone) and Deb Weible (drums). TNB repretoire consists of jazz arrangements by such arrangers as Tom Kubis, Gordon Goodwin and Sammy Nestico, to name a few. Many of the band's jazz arrangements have been specially arranged and/or composed by the band's directors Richard Mansfield and Joe Campus. TNB delivers these fresh original arrangements at every performance!!!
In 2006, the band grew and evolved into a second band called 'The Pittsburgh Doo Wop Big Band" (PDWB). The PDWB repretoire consists of all original Doo Wop style charts written by Richard Mansfield. The band also performs a show called "Memories Are made with Music - A Tribute to the 50's, 60's & 70's" that includes tunes from the favorite artists of that era. This show was entirely written and arranged by Rich Mansfield. Many will recognize Rich as the arranger and orchestra conductor for the nationally acclaimed PBS "American Soundtrack Series" shows "Doo Wop 50", "Doo Wop 51" & R&B 40". This is Doo Wop in a BIG way!!
The Band Members Are:
Alto I - Dave Langett
Alto II - Rick Matt
Tenor I - Jim "Iceman" Emminger
Tenor II - Todd Bushyager
Bari Sax - Dr. Tom Yost
Trombone I - Dick Smith
Trombone II - Joe Schulties
Trombone III - Howard Hartmann
Bass Trombone - Phil Vanouse
Trumpet I - Devon Smeal
Trumpet II - Skip McAuliffe
Trumpet III - Wes Ward
Trumpet IV- Vince DiAntonio
Trumpet V & Director - Joe Campus
Drums - Deb Weible
Bass - Vince Gorman
Keyboard - Brian Pappal
Vocals- Lori Russo
Doo Wop Vocals - Will Manker
Director - Rich Mansfield
Composers/Arrangers - Rich Mansfield & Joe Campus
The Band rehearses almost every Tuesday evening at RCAC in Oakmont, PA.
The band recorded it's first CD "In The Swing Of Things" in February of 2008 at Audible Images Studios (North Hills) with recording engineer and Grammy Award winner Jay Dudt!!
To obtain a copy of the CD or to contact the band please send an e-mail with your request to GEODAW@aol.com.
artist, industry professional
Our Upcoming Public Gigs Are As Follows (Private gigs are not listed):
* The Pittsburgh Doo Wop Big Band - Friday, March 4th, 2011 - RCAC Benefit at The Harmar House, Cheswick, Pa, 6:30 pm until 10:30 pm. $30 per person. Call RCAC at (412) 828-1062 for reservations (includes appetizers, dinner, dessert, coffee, tea, dancing!)
* The Tuesday Night Big Band - Sunday, May 29th, 2011 - Pittsburgh Jazz Society @ The Rivers Casino, 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Grandview Buffet
The Tuesday Night Big Band's Photos
At 4:19pm on June 24, 2010, Stephen Alexander Sekeli said…
Hi Moe remember when we worked together for years Steve Sekelik Drummer, with Corsairs Jimmy Sturr, Oldies Marcels etc. You guys sound great my music. Will you be playing at the Rivers Casino on July 4 2010 do you have my number give me a call a am deal with film productions. Take care see you soon Steve.
At 11:15pm on April 30, 2010, JOHN PAPI said…
SOUNDS SOOD, RICK YOU ARE DOING ONE GREAT JOB, KEEP
IT UP BROTHER, HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON... JOHN PAPI
At 5:16am on November 2, 2009, Francis Bruce Marion, DC said…
The variety and excitement of this big band's performance for the Pittsburgh Jazz Society at The Rhythm House on November 1, 2009 was superb! Lori Russo's vocal ease hypnotized the audience to verify how great and vibrant this band creates their Jazz/Pop/DooWop vibrations. Sincerely, Dr Bruce
At 4:25am on May 28, 2009, John A. California said…
I am a parent of one of the students at the Vandergrift Elementary School that you played on Wed Mar 27th. I want to say that first of all the concert was fantastic. You really put on a great show! Second you really made that night a night to remember for my daughter, who was fortunate enough to get to play with you on stage. I really appreciate you taking the time to come to the school to perform, but to go that extra mile and do what you did at the end was unbelievable and that is her last impression of that night. She is as we speak floating on cloud nine. Thanks again to all of the musicians that were at Vandergrift Elementary tonight.
At 10:39pm on April 10, 2009, Dr. Nelson Harrison said…
You have a great page and a great band. Hope I get to hear you live soon. Keep up the good work.
At 4:10pm on March 2, 2009, Michele Bensen said…
Thanks for adding me as a friend.
I started my career singing with big bands in Pittsburgh.
1. The Frank Jarema Band
2. The Bunny Castrodale Band
3. The Hal Curtis Band
4. The Joey Sims Band
5 The Jimmy Dorsey Band w/ Lee castle
6. The Balcony Big Band
7. The Roger Humphries Big Band
7.The Stan Kenton Alumi Band w/ Mike Vax
Kloman Schmitt wrote my first big band charts when I was 17 and I still have them, plus a few more!
Keep on swingin,
Michele Bensen
At 4:30am on July 2, 2008, Angela Abadilla said…
Wow!! Some of my all time favorite musicians are in this band!! Best of luck to you all and I can't wait to catch you on a gig. Thanks for making PIttsburgh Proud!!
At 6:17am on June 30, 2008, Dr. Nelson Harrison said…
This is a fabulous organization of outstanding artists. I look forward to you making your presence felt here and your using the network to amplify and announce your activities.
The Tuesday Night Big Band's SmallWorlds
The Tuesday Night Big Band's Ustream.tv


text:
Introducing.... Maldito - with 'I'm Yours Tonight' single
We're hoping to cover a really wide variety of musical styles this weekend, from Finnish Accordion composition to some softer indie pop, and in Maldito, we're delighted to cover a band who, to an extent, write in a fairly orthodox blues rock style, but do so with an intensity and an edge that makes them really interesting to listen to. Their new single 'I'm Yours Tonight' is a great example.
Maldito are from Norway, but in the tradition of some our favourite Norwegian artists, have been studying at LIPA in Liverpool, following Kalandra whom we again featured last week, and of course I See Rivers, whom we'll be featuring in the next week or so.
They have 2 tracks you can find on streaming services, both are pretty hard hitting guitar driven tracks which have a 'tight' feel to them, and I love the guitar playing by Bendik Brevik in each of them. The new release 'I'm Yours Tonight' is really well written, with some clever subtleties thrown in, and Vegard Ring's vocals are particularly convincing, as they suit the style of music so well.
Take a listen here:
Anyway with a really good musical background and some solid tracks, Maldito have an interesting future ahead, and for our German readers (and I think we have a few...) they're amount to head off on a German tour so keep an eye on their Facebook page for more details.
https://www.facebook.com/bandmaldito/
#norway


text:
Professor LatinX and Ilan Stavans in Conversation with Jaime Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez, the Latinx comic book co-creator (with his bros Gilbert and Mario) of Love & Rockets fame, grew up in rural, agricultural Oxnard, California, where he and his brothers inherited their mother's love of comics; they also listened to and were influenced by the DIY worldview of Punk and Lowrider culture. In the early '80s, they all became pioneers of Latinx comic book art. As the story goes, in 1981 he and his brothers Gilbert and Mario had the courage to send their first issue out to Gary Groth at the Comics Journal. History was made at that moment. In fact, many people say that Fantagraphics, the main publisher of alternative independent comics in the US, owes its existence to Los Bros Hernandez. Jaime (and his brother Gilbert) went on to have an incredible career as a Latino comic book. In addition to his Love & Rockets fame, Jaime has created the ongoing serial narrative, Locas, along with many other titles, including recently The Love Bunglers and his return to the serialized print mode with his publishing (with Gilbert) of the all-new Love & Rockets: The Magazine (2016- ). It is without a doubt that Jaime Hernandez is one of the most significant forces behind the Latinx and alternative comics scene in the US.
Professor LatinX: I know you get this question a lot, but can you speak to your influences, including perhaps most importantly the influence of your mom?
Jaime Hernandez: Mom allowed us to read comics, which was kind of a rare thing. She collected comics back in the '40s when she was a little girl in El Paso. She loved comics, but she had to hide them from her mom because, if found, she'd throw them away. My grandma thought they were trash. So my mom grew up on all the Golden Age great comics: Captain Marvel, The Spirit, Superman, all that stuff. By the time our oldest brother, Mario, was old enough, our mom told him: "Why don't you buy some comics. They're fun. You should buy them." In the late '50s Mario started buying comics. So by the time I was old enough, comics were so much a part of my everyday life at home I thought reading comics and having them at home was something all people did.
Mom also encouraged us to listen to pop music and rock 'n roll. In 1959, when she was pregnant with me in the hospital, she had a roommate who blasted rock music from the radio. She loved what she heard. So, at home we always had the radio on—and comics in the house. Dad didn't really understand it, but was okay as long as we were quiet. They would give us comics as well as paper, pencil, and crayons to draw and keep quiet.
ProfLatX: You liked reading comics—and drawing comics from an early age.
JH: I came fourth in a line of six kids, so I just copied what ever the older siblings did. Mario could draw best, then Beto, then Richie, then me. It was just something to do. While we all started out as a family of drawers, as my siblings grew interests in other areas like sports, they dropped off. Mario, Beto, and I were the only ones who drew all the way through our teenage years. And Mario stopped drawing when he got married and started having a family in the '70s. Beto and I kept at it, drawing comics into adulthood and still today.
Ilan Stavans: Jaime, collaborating with someone is not easy. You have to bring together two sensibilities. Doing it with a colleague is challenging, but doing it with a sibling might either be less challenging or more challenging. I wonder if you could talk about what does collaboration mean with your bro's at different points in your life? Who did what? Who came up with ideas? Who did drawings? Were there tensions?
JH: Mario did his comic. Beto did his comic. Richie did his comic. Ismael did his. Lucinda did hers. And I did my comic. We didn't so much collaborate as inspire one another. If I saw one of my siblings drawing, I'd jump in and work on my own comic. This was especially the case with Beto. He had this talent of getting me excited to draw comics. He was always had this energy of wanting to create a new series of comics and in different genres. Even if the comics were typing paper folded over so you had the cover and then the two pages inside. To learn how to become a better storytelling I read Beto's comics. He was always had the cool story. I always wanted to be part of whatever Beto was into.
ProfLatX: We all have our strengths and weaknesses in whatever we decide to do. At the Latino Comics Expo in San Jose you mentioned to me and the audience how you don't draw horses well, and that you would never do a Western as a comic book.
JH: I'm just too lazy to learn to draw horses. [laughter]
ProfLatX: So maybe you can speak to how you deal with constraints like that, either not do a Western or etc.
JH: You do what you're good at. I hate drawing cars, too, but I'm such a product of Southern California with its car culture that all my characters are always in cars, yet I hate drawing cars. My characters are always driving somewhere. I could learn to draw a horse in a day, but I'm lazy.
IS: My question is about aging: aging as a cartoonist and the aging of your characters?
JH: I mostly try to relate how I'm aging with that of the chronology of my characters. If I'm aging, then so is Maggie. With this I ask myself what's important to a character like in her 30s or 40s that wasn't so important to her when she was 19. Aging is hard to draw, though. If you're not careful, when drawing a character who has aged from 19 to 30 or 40, using too many lines can make them look like they're 60. When Maggie was getting to that age, I didn't know whether to put lines on her face or not.
IS: What's your process for creating and developing your characters?
JH: Yes, in many ways the characters write themselves. I might start the story with wanting to draw Maggie wearing a, say, a hat and then I ask: where is she with this hat and why is she wearing this hat? Once I answer these questions, the story starts rolling as guided by her personality that determines what path the story will take. Sometimes I don't like that path, so I change the character. I think how the story would be better if, say, Hopey, were the main character personality and temperament.
IS: Is it easier, harder, or the same for you to draw male or female characters?
JH: I like drawing women. I like every aspect of women. They are in my comics. It's simple as that. When the Love & Rockets started, there were not a lot of strong women characters in comics; women that did appear were stereotypes of the worst kind. Beto and I made it our mission to correct stereotypes that we were seeing in comics—and TV and movies. There were a lot of women in my life—and continue to be—and I knew they had nothing to do with represenations of women in comics, TV, and movies.
In my comics, the male characters are far fewer and they come and go. There's no real reason for that, other than that maybe I know my female characters better and their personalities are stronger so they write more stories.
ProfLatX: Did you have a light bulb moment when you said I am going to become a professional comic book storyteller?
JH: Just out of high school I printed then mailed off my first comic book story—a barbarian story with sword fights and etc. I didn't care if it made money I just wanted to see it in print. I knew then that's what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to draw comics. I didn't know where I could do this because in 1977 you moved to New York and drew the Marvel way: Spider-Man spinning webs across the Manhattan skyline. I didn't want to do that. Gilbert and I kept drawing stories hoping they would be printed and maybe enough money so we could survive off the comics; Gilbert was working sweeping a mall at the time. In 1981 we self-published our own comic (we had to borrow money from our younger brother) but had not idea how to sell it. There was no Alternative comics market at the time, so we would drive a bunch of them from Oxnard to LA for local conventions. It was during this time when Gilbert sent the copy to the Comics Journal. We heard back from Gary Groth a month later. He wanted to publish it immediately. He told us that if we published with him that we'd make more money than working for Marvel or DC. What he meant was that this wouldn't be work for hire and we would ultimately own our work. So we took the leap with what was at the time a small start-up publishing company.
IS: You have had tremendous career as a comic book creator that many might envy. This is a lot of work in isolation. Is there anything you think you might miss from, say, a regular 9-5 job?
JH: Sometimes I wish I had a weekly paycheck and that I actually worked with people. I've always been alone in my bedroom or my little studio. Sometimes I wish I could interact with people. But then I think I've got the luckiest job in the world.
IS: To what extent do your fans shape your characters and stories?
JH: I have a lot of fans who like the punk elements when Maggie and Hopey were younger so I'll create a flashback for that particular audience. And there are fans who get into the magical realism of the stories so I'll create a magical realist story for them. And, there are those who really love my sci-fi fantasy stories so I'll create one for them.
ProfLatX: How has the comics scene changed from when you started 30 years ago to today?
JH: Since the alternative movement in the early '80s, there are a lot of creators telling stories in many different ways and about all aspects of life. I try to keep an interest in all of them.
ProfLatX: There remains a certain prejudice against reading comics; that somehow this is not serious literature. In 2006 you smashed this misconception when you published La Maggie La Loca strip in the high-brow newspaper, The New York Times.
JH: That was a learning experience. I was following Chris Ware who was at the top of his game. I was working under the constraint of a weekly, needing to fill the page once a week. And, I was worried about speaking to a much larger audience than I was used to. I started to think more like this is serious literature, and it was killing me. And then one day, I told myself not to worry; that they hired me for what I do best. So I gave them a self-contained (22 weeks or so) Maggie story.
I wasn't sure if people were getting it or simply passing over the Maggie story. Then The New York Times published a letter from a woman that made it all worth it. She said something like how "I'm not usually a comic reader, but every time I get my Sunday New York Times, I go straight to this Maggie story. And that's the first thing I read." This person wasn't a comic reader or anything and yet she looked forward to my story. I was so touched.
ProfLatX: Over the years, technologies for creating comics has changed radically yet you still use ink, pencil, and paper.
JH: I still do it the old fashioned way. I pencil it and then I ink it and have it printed. I still do it that way. The only way I use a computer is when I scan the pages to send to the publisher to be published. I'm old and too set in my ways to learn how to draw on a computer. I like sitting at the drawing board, opening the drawer and pulling out the latest page and then just start working, just drawing. It's just more intimate to me. It's more personal. And it makes great original art. I still do it the old way because they haven't invented a way of me making comics better than that. Put another way, I'm a control freak. The whole page has to be me one hundred percent.


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taco shells, meat, cheese, salsa, guac., sour cream, lettuce, sauteed onions and green peppers.
in addition to forks, napkins and plates, we provide our own disposable chafing stand and warmers.
in addition to forks napkins and plates, we provide our own disposable chafing stand and warmers.
in addition to forks napkins and plates , we provide our own disposable chafing stand and warmers.