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This beautiful electric carriage is tearing New York City apart
Custom-built electric car hopes to take on Central Park's horse-carriage industry
By Dante D'Orazio Apr 17, 2014, 1:55pm EDT
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Here in New York City, politicians, activists, and celebrities are renewing a hundred-year-old battle between automobiles and horse-drawn carriages. This time, however, the war isn't over the future of personal transportation: it's about the 68 horse-drawn carriages that offer tourists meandering rides around Central Park.
The rides are a New York mainstay, but opponents argue that the long days on busy city streets are dangerous and inhumane. To fight this battle, activists are turning to the same weapon that was used a hundred years ago: an electric, brass-era horseless carriage. And after a year of work, the vehicle has been unveiled for the first time at the New York International Auto Show on Manhattan's west side — just blocks from the stables that the Central Park horses call home.
At first glance, the so-called "Horseless eCarriage" looks like it might belong in a kitschy Disneyland ride. But step up close, and it's clear that this is no tacky, turn-of-the-century facade on a modern vehicle. "It's a labor of love," says Jason Wenig, the passionate, straight-talking Brooklyn native behind the vehicle. His Florida-based classic car restoration shop, The Creative Workshop, was commissioned to build the vehicle by NYCLASS (New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets), an animal rights group that's leading the charge against the Central Park horse-carriage industry.
Wenig's words don't come across as a cliche. Polished brass fittings are sprinkled across the car. The bench seats have an old-school, diamond-tufted pattern — though Wenig tells me with a hearty laugh that the upholstery is made of vinyl, not leather. There's even a cute (if obnoxious) "ahooga" horn, and the dashboard's made of wood.
"I took my favorite things from that era and combined them into the ultimate homage."
Upon an even closer look, other details stand out, like the electric charging connector, which is located just below the radiator — right where you'd expect to find the hand crank. Perhaps most impressive is the custom-made, period-authentic chassis and traditional leaf-spring suspension that really makes it look like a brass-era car.
The horseless carriage might look like cars from the period, but it's not a replica — it's a custom-made creation designed by Wenig. "I took my favorite things from that era and combined them into the ultimate homage," he tells me in a telephone interview. He borrowed bits and pieces from period touring cars made by Pierce-Arrow, Rolls Royce, and Maxwell.
Once he drew up his dream car, the struggle was to turn it into a reality. That meant passing federal regulations. To make it, Wenig had to add modern touches not found on vehicles from 1909, like a windshield, electric headlamps, and seat belts.
NYCLASS wanted an electric vehicle from a start, so he brought in an EV expert from Canada who could deliver a "rock-solid, basic, straight-forward, and highly-technologically advanced" drivetrain. The result is an electric vehicle with 100 miles of range that can last the 16-hour shifts that carriage drivers work. But this is no Tesla. Wenig is the first to admit that "they're in a different world." The Horseless eCarriage can go a maximum of 30 miles per hour, and GPS sensors automatically lock it down to 5 miles per hour in Central Park. "Basically, it's a really, really sexy, sophisticated golf cart."
"Basically, it's a really, really sexy, sophisticated golf cart."
But that golf cart is rolling into what's become a heated politicized battle ever since New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on the campaign trail that he'd ban horse carriages during his first week in office. NYCLASS contributed over $1.3 million to that campaign, and it put up the $450,000 for the electric carriage revealed today.
Allie Feldman, a representative for the group, says that they decided to go for the vehicle after attempts to outright ban the horse-carriage industry failed because of concerns about the 150 drivers employed by the rides. So they're taking a different approach: "We see this as upgrading the industry … not banning the industry," Feldman tells The Verge. If a horse ban can pass through the City Council, NYCLASS plans to open a shop in Brooklyn or Queens to construct more of the electric carriages. They'd sell for roughly $150,000 to $200,000.
De Blasio supports that plan, but as the horse ban blossomed into a national news story, the mayor figured out that passing such a law might not be so easy. He recently announced that while the ban's been delayed, "we expect action on it this year." In the meantime, celebrities have hopped on board to assist in the fight, with Alec Baldwin, Miley Cyrus, and more throwing their weight behind the ban. Others, like Liam Neeson, are working to build support for the horse-carriage industry. He's discussed the horse ban on multiple late-night talk shows, and he wrote an op-ed on the matter that was published this week in The New York Times.
Opponents of the ban point out that only four horses have died in the past 30 years, and experts say that inspections ensure proper conditions for the animals. And they suspect that the horse ban is motivated not by animals' rights, but the business that leads to so many decisions in New York City: real estate. Two of the horse stables lie on valuable plots on Manhattan's far west side — land that's prime for redevelopment. NYCLASS representatives have denied such claims.
Whatever the result of the battle, it's given birth to an impressive machine. The electric car might not have quite the charm of a horse and buggy, but it's sure to get any car fanatic in a tizzy.
The brass-era car is dubbed the "Horseless eCarriage," and it's designed to seat the driver and eight passengers.
It's not a replica — the car was custom-made and the designer borrowed much of the look from 1909 touring cars.
The horseless carriage maxes out at 30 miles per hour, and a GPS sensor automatically locks it to 5 miles per hour in Central Park.
Designer Jason Wenig (seated here), says they choose the distinctive green color to highlight the "eco-friendly" theme of the car.
Dials and knobs allow the driver to monitor battery charge, turn on the heat, and use a PA system built into the vehicle.
The car's massive lithium ion battery pack gives it 100 miles of range and enough stamina to last a 16 hour shift. That comes at a price, however: the entire vehicle weighs 7,500 pounds.
Peel back the hood, and the retro look and feel washes away. This is the thoroughly modern, 84-horsepower electric motor that drives the car.
The back storage compartment is designed to hold a removable convertible top for the car, which will come in handy during foul weather.
Jason Wenig designed the carriage for NYCLASS, an activist group pushing to ban the horse carriage industry in New York. Wenig is the owner of The Creative Workshop, a Florida-based independent restoration shop that built the car.
As a nice touch, The Creative Workshop spun up a new name and logo just for the carriage.
Mayor Bill de Blasio hopes to pass a ban on horses sometime this year, paving the way for more of these electric carriages, which would cost drivers $150,000 to $200,000 each.
Roku outage leads to frozen TVs and unresponsive devices


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10th Social Science Civics Unit 3 Book Back Answer
Samacheer Kalvi 10th Social Science – Civics – Unit 3 Book Back Questions with Answers:
Samacheer Kalvi 10th Std Social Science Book Back 1 Mark and 2 Mark Questions with Answers PDF in Social Science uploaded and available below. 10th Standard New Social Science Syllabus 2022 – Civics 3 State Government Social Science Book Back Answers available for both English and Tamil mediums. Tamil Nadu Samacheer Kalvi 10th Social Science Book Portion consists of 27 Units. Social Science Book Contain History 10 units, Geography 07 units, Civics 05 units and Economics 05 units. Check Unit-wise and Full Class 10th Social Science Book Back Answers/ Guide 2022 PDF format for Free Download for both English and Tamil Medium. Samacheer Kalvi 10th Social Science Book back Solutions/Answers below:
10th Social Science Book Back Answers
3 – State Government
I. Choose the Correct Answer:
1. The Governor of the State is appointed by the
(a) Prime Minister (b) Chief Minister
(c) President (d) Chief Justice
Ans: c) President
2. The Speaker of a State is a
(a) Head of State (b) Head of government
(c) President"s agent (d) None of these
Ans: d) None of these
3. Which among the following is not one of the powers of the Governor?
(a) Legislative (b) Executive
(c) Judicial (d) Diplomatic
Ans: d) Diplomatic
4. Who can nominate one representative of the Anglo-Indian Community to the State Legislative Assembly?
(a) The President (b) The Governor
(c) The Chief Minister (d) The Speaker of State legislature
Ans: b) The Governor
5. The Governor does not appoint
(a) Chief Minister
(b) Chairman of the State Public Service Commission
(c) Advocate General of the State
(d) Judges of the High Court
Ans: d) Judges of the High Court
6. The State Council of Ministers is headed by
(a) Chief Minister (b) The Governor
(c) The Speaker (d) The Prime Minister
Ans: a) The Chief Minister
7. Which one of the following States does not possess a bicameral legislature?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Telangana
(c) Tamil Nadu (d) Uttar Pradesh
Ans: c) Tamil Nadu
8. The High Courts in India were first started at
(a) Calcutta, Bombay, Madras (b) Delhi and Calcutta
(c) Delhi, Calcutta, Madras (d) Calcutta, Madras, Delhi
Ans: a) Calcutta, Bombay, Madras
9. Which of the following States have a common High Court?
(a) Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
(b) Kerala and Telangana
(c) Punjab and Haryana
(d) Maharashtra and Gujarat
Ans: c) Punjab and Haryana
II. Fill in the blanks:
1. Governor of the state government surrenders his resignation to.
Ans: President
2. Members of the Legislative assembly (MLAs) elected by the.
Ans: People
3. Acts as the chancellor of universities in the state.
Ans: Governor
4. The Chairman and Members of the State Public Service Commission can be removed only by the.
III. Match the following:
1. Governor – a) Head of the government
2. Chief Minister – b) Head of state
3. Council of Ministers – c) Tribunals
4. MLC – d) Responsible for theAssembly
5. Armed forces – e) cannot vote for grants
Ans: 1. b, 2. a, 3. d, 4. e, 5. c
IV. Choose the Correct Statement:
1. Assertion (A): There are limitations on the Legislative authority of the State Legislature.
Reason (R): Certain bills on the State List can be introduced in the State Legislature only with the President"s approval.
a) (A) is false but R is true
b) (A) is true but (R) is false
c) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct reason for (A)
d) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is not the correct reason for (A)
Ans: b) (A) is true but (R) is false
Click Here for the complete Samacheer Kalvi 10th Social Science Book Back Answers in English – Samacheer Kalvi 10th Social Science Book Back Questions with Answers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Colored and filter glass selectively absorb light in the visible wavelength range.
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KG3 and KG5, which stand out because of their high transmission of visible light and effective absorption in the infra-red range (especially 1064 nm for Nd:YAG-Laser) are used as components in protective glasses and windows for lasers.
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Filter glass production is subjected to continuous quality control with continuous documentation of the respective production steps. As far as is permitted by the transparency of the glass, the interior quality of our glass is checked for bubbles, smears etc. Powerful measuring devices are then used to perform a final check on the filters.


Botanical artist Mali Moir, writing all-rounder Ray Mooney, journalist Frith Kennedy and more from SWWV members. WriteAway August 2015 web Featured image: Mali Moir in her studio. Photo courtesy of the artist.


LANCASTER -- Mr. Jason Michael Flynn, 33, of 3024 J. B. Denton Road, died Saturday, October 18, 2008.
The funeral is at 3 p.m. Wednesday, October 22, 2008, at the Chapel of Lancaster Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Lancaster Memorial Park.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 21, 2008, at Lancaster Funeral Home.


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Patients & Advocacy
Devoted to meet our commitment
Our journey continues to evolve thanks to our diverse team of experts sharing mutual commitment and dedication, to addressing the immense clinical unmet need for mitochondrial diseases
We strive to be the global leader in developing novel Mitochondrial Cell Therapies to treat people stricken with mitochondrial diseases.
Every day, together with the world's leading scientists, clinicians and patients' groups we are translating our mitochondrial science into meaningful therapies for mitochondrial diseases – anywhere from ultra-rare to more common ones.
Global Development Plan
Making our therapy available to patients around the world as fast as responsible:
Strategically-located operations enable a global, multi-site trial approach (ILS, US, EU)
Collaboration with top clinical sites, investigators and Patient Advocacy Groups to develop clinical endpoints and enhance disease understanding
Minovia Mitochondria Research & Development Center
Haifa, Israel
Minovia GMP Processing Plant
Minovia Clinical Site
Minovia EU Operations
Clinical Site
United States (coming soon)
Minovia US Operations
Kendall Square, Cambridge
Clinical site Europe
Key Accomplishments to-Date
Our ability to execute is driven by our highly experienced executive team, comprehensive regulatory strategy and clinical development plan in partnerships with key physicians and advisors.
Natalie Yivgi-Ohana, PhD
Natalie Yivgi-Ohana, PhDCo-founder & CEO
Natalie is a life science entrepreneur; led the company since incorporation in 2012. Natalie has twenty years' experience in mitochondrial research and received her PhD in Biochemistry at The Hebrew University in 2007, after which she performed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Weizmann Institute of Science until 2010. Natalie founded Minovia with a passion to help children and adults with mitochondrial diseases worldwide.
Noa Sher, PhD
Noa Sher, PhDChief Scientist
Noa is highly experienced research leader in the cell therapy space and a molecular and cellular biologist by training. Noa received her PhD in Biochemistry at The Hebrew University in 2007, after which she performed her postdoctoral studies at the Whitehead Institute, MIT, Cambridge, MA and at the Technion Institute of Technology in Israel. She joined Minovia after several years as head of a research team heading preclinical development and characterization of all clinical-stage products at Pluristem, an Israeli-based cell therapy company.
Bethany Sensenig, MBA, CMA
CFO & Head of US Operations
Bethany Sensenig, MBA, CMACFO & Head of US Operations
Bethany brings over 15 years' experience in Life Sciences finance and operations, with a deep background in public-company financial operations, strategy, and commercial operations. Most recently Bethany was a VP of Finance and Commercial Operations at Biogen, leading the Biosimilars business in Europe and responsible for commercial launch of rare disease drugs in multiple countries. Bethany holds a Bachelor's in Accounting and a Master's in Business from Western Carolina University and is a Certified Management Accountant.
Shay Bukshpan, MSc, MBA
Head of EU Operations
Shay Bukshpan, MSc, MBAHead of EU Operations
Shay is a highly experienced leader in commercialization of rare disease and biosimilar products. Former Regional Director at Biogen, Shay led commercial operation across multiple countries in EU and non-EU countries. Shay holds an MSc. from The Weizmann Institute of Science and an MBA from INSEAD.
Yael Wilnai, MD
Yael Wilnai, MDMedical Director
Yael is a mitochondrial disease expert and treating physician. She is a pediatrician, medical geneticist and clinical biochemical geneticist trained at Stanford University Medical Center. Specializes in rare genetic disorders, inborn errors of metabolism and mitochondrial disease. In her clinic in one of the leading hospitals in Israel, she cares for patients, both pediatric and adult, who have a broad range of genetic and metabolic conditions. She has specific interest in the diagnosis and management of mitochondrial diseases.
Head of US Clinical Development
John CampbellHead of US Clinical Development
John brings over 20 years of clinical drug development experience within the pharmaceutical industry with a recent focus on rare disease clinical trial design and regulatory strategy. John has worked within large global pharmaceutical companies (GlaxoSmithKline) and small biotech start-up companies across several therapeutic areas. He is active within the rare disease community and serves on the Board of Directors of the non-profit patient group Rare New England (RNE).
Eyal Shoshani, MBA
Head of Clinical Operations
Eyal Shoshani, MBAHead of Clinical Operations
Eyal brings the breadth and depth of 15 years of Clinical Operations expertise, alongside strong hands-on experience in managing ClinOps in pharma companies, innovative startups, and global CROs. Eyal holds a BSc in Biotechnology Engineering, an MBA degree. Eyal joined Minovia after few years as the Director of Clinical Operations at Pluristem, a cell therapy company, in which he led a variety of studies in various stages including 2 pivotal phase III multi-center, multi-national studies.
Efi Zaritzky, MBA
Head of Communications & Patients' Advocacy
Efi Zaritzky, MBAHead of Communications & Patients' Advocacy
Efi is a seasoned marketeer with over 15 years of experience in the global healthcare marketplace. Prior to joining Minovia, Efi held leading positions where she was responsible for overseeing product business lines, go-to market strategy, commercial activities and managing communities of various stakeholders in start-ups and corporate environments. She holds an MBA from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
John Cox, MBA
John Cox, MBAChairman of the Board
John joined Minovia Therapeutics in February 2019 and brings over 25 years of experience in biopharmaceuticals. Mr. Cox is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Repertoire Immune Medicines, and was formerly the CEO of Bioverativ, which he built and grew from a new venture with two drugs, Eloctate® and Alprolix® for the treatment of hemophilia A and B. In February 2018 Mr. Cox led Bioverativ to a successful acquisition by Sanofi for $11.6B.
Natalie Yivgi-Ohana PhD
Co-founder, CEO & Board member
Natalie Yivgi-Ohana PhDCo-founder, CEO & Board member
Natalie is a life science entrepreneur; led the company since incorporation in 2012. Natalie has twenty years' experience in mitochondrial research and received her PhD in Biochemistry at The Hebrew University in 2007, after which she performed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Weizmann Institute of Science until 2010. Natalie founded Minovia with passion to help children ans adults with mitochondrial diseases worldwide.
Uriel Halavee, PhD
Co-founder & Board Member
Uriel Halavee, PhDCo-founder & Board Member
Uri is a serial entrepreneur and inventor. He is the former General Manager of Soreq Nuclear Center, Israel. Uri successfully co-founded 6 hi-tech companies: Opal, X-Technologies, Kailight, Radiancy, Sonotron and Oplon.
Ephraim Aharonson, PhD
Ephraim Aharonson, PhDCo-founder & Board Member
Efraim is an Ex-Deputy Head, Israel Institute for Biological Research. He is a former executive at Siemens Israel and a serial angel investor in Israeli start-up companies.
Zeev Milbauer
Zeev MilbauerBoard Member
Zeev is an Angel investor and member of the board of several companies. Zeev is the former Chief Executive Officer and Partner at I.B.I. Investment Banking and brings years of vast experience in brokerage and investment banking.
© 2020 minovia | All rights reserved |


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You are here: Home Centers
University Sports Center
The University Sports Center develops and promotes the sport activities of the students and employees. The University Sports Center comprises teams of different sports. At the moment there are university basketball clubs, table-tennis, volleyball and chess. All students that have affinity towards the sport can realize it through games on tournaments and other competitions on university level in the Republic of Macedonia.
The University Cultural Center
The University Cultural Center organizes events, promotes different artistic activities performed through series of art exhibitions, stage production, film production, music concerts, book promotions, magazines and other publications, discussions, workshops and art performances. The University's Cultural Center Team goal is not only to preserve the classical forms of art, but continuously follow and explore modern movements in the field of world culture and art, and in that way provide the students and all interested citizens with ultimate cultural and artistic experiences.
Interuniversity Cooperation Center
The Interuniversity Cooperation Center promotes cooperation between Goce Delcev University and other universities in Macedonia and abroad. The ICC takes part in preparing, signing and implementing cooperation contracts, preparing and implementing exchange programmes for staff and students with other universities. It also provides the University units with information about opportunities for international, scientific and technical cooperation. The Center issues forms and samples on how to fill a successful application form for international projects; it also takes care of the overseas travel arrangements for University employees, as well as ensure residence of foreigners coming to Goce Delcev University.
Public Relation Center
The public relation center regularly informs the public and meaningfully presents information and contents about the functioning of Goce Delcev University structures. The center ensures continuous presentation of accurate and truthful information that refer to students and wider public.
In order to establish and maintain systematic, efficient and responsible communication with the wider public the Center organizes press-conferences, forums, cultural events, plans and realizes granting awards and diplomas, the University Patron Day, the beginning of the new academic year and other activities.
The Public Relation Center at Goce Delcev University in Stip establishes communication with the wider public in the country and with other subjects connected to the University abroad.
Within the framework of the University, the radio "UGD FM" successfully operates and its programme can be followed on the frequency of 91,0 megahertz in Stip and the nearby area. What is more, all users of Internet are able to follow the programme online. All interested students, not only the students from the study programme of Journalism at the Faculty of Law, participate in the realization of the programme that has informative, entertaining and educational purpose.
The TV Department, as separate one, is responsible for production and realization of the internal IP television within the framework of Goce Delcev University in Stip, which is broadcasted in all campuses of the University. The sophisticated technology enables different contents to be produced for every campus, as well as on every TV set. There are more than 20 TV sets on the premises of the University, all of them broadcasting the programme created by the University and broadcasted from the IT Center.
About the Lifelong Learning Center
The Lifelong Learning Programme (continuous education) aims to prepare, realize, coordinate and organize activities related to lifelong learning in order to improve the knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as improve competencies, obtain new skills, qualifications and opportunities for professional development.
The Electronic Learning Center is responsible for promotion and implementation of modern tools for learning at the University, new technologies (interactive whiteboards, graphic whiteboards, multimedia software and hardware, audio-visual equipment, etc.), as well as training for teachers and students from universities and schools in Macedonia and abroad.
Quality Assurance Center
The Quality Assurance Center collects, analyses and uses relevant information for effective management of the study programmes and other activities of the University. It strives to improve and refine the education that the University offers to its students.
The Quality Assurance Center, in cooperation with the Rector's office, elaborates and implements forms and procedures, which assure that the teaching staff included in the training of students is qualified and competent for the work it performs.
IT – Center
The mission of the IT Center is to provide fast and efficient work, communication of the staff involved at Goce Delcev University, Stip. The vision of the Center is to create one integrated University, where the technology and information will be on a highest level. The IT Center at Goce Delcev University, plans, implements and maintains the information system and the computer network of the University, e-mail and the login system, the system for registration of the staff and students, web portal and also they work on protection and storage of data.
Several departments are established within this center:
Department for software maintenance;
Department for hardware and network maintenance;
Department for IT maintenance for employees and students
The main objective of this center is to connect the graduates and employers, and thus develop the awareness among them about the current conditions on labour market, which means that employers are demanding something more than diploma. The club is available to students in order to help them develop skills and acquire knowledge that is extremely important for their future jobs and employment, to acquire working experience during their studies and to be introduced to the community of employers and their rules, as well as to learn to think constructively for the given opportunities.


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William Roland Sheehan (né le 19 mars 1953 à Buffalo (New York)) est un bassiste américain connu pour son travail avec Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, Niacin et The Winery Dogs.

Sheehan a été sacré 5 fois "Meilleur bassiste rock" par les lecteurs de Guitar Player Magazine pour son jeu de "bassiste solo". Le magazine a comparé son jeu à celui de Eddie Van Halen à la guitare. Bien qu'un maître incontesté du tapping à deux mains entre autres, il est aussi reconnu comme un vrai bon bassiste rock, remplissant parfaitement le rôle traditionnel de support au sein d'un groupe.

Il est membre de la scientologie depuis 35 ans.

Biographie

Débuts

Billy Sheehan naît à Buffalo (New York) aux États-Unis. Il emprunte la guitare de sa sœur. C'est en fréquentant un de ses amis bassistes qu'il développe l'envie d'apprendre la basse.

Quand Sheehan voit Tim Bogert du groupe Vanilla Fudge utiliser une Fender Precision Bass, il se convertit à la basse.

Les années Talas

Le premier groupe à plein temps de Billy Sheehan est Talas, un trio composé de Dave Constantino à la guitare et Paul Varga à la batterie. Le groupe joue un mélange de reprises et de compositions, et alternent tous les trois au chant. Ils jouent très régulièrement en concert (jusqu'à six jours par semaine).

Talas est un des groupes les plus populaires de Buffalo pendant plus d'une décennie, se répandant dans tout le nord-est américain, et même au Canada. En 1978, Talas sort leur premier album éponyme, qui comprend le hit régional "See Saw". C'est pendant cette période que Sheehan compose ses titres les plus connus, comme "Shy Boy" (plus tard réenregistré avec David Lee Roth), et le complexe et frénétique "Addicted to that Rush" (plus tard réenregistré avec Mr. Big).

La première scène nationale de Talas arrive en 1980, quand ils font la première partie de 30 concerts de Van Halen. Cependant, le succès est limité, et bien que leur marque de fabrique soit à l'origine du "glam metal" et gagne en popularité les années suivantes, Talas reste inconnu, à cause principalement d'un management pauvre.Cherchant à mener Talas plus loin que les scènes régionales, Billy reforme le groupe avec un autre batteur (Mark Miller), un autre guitariste (Mitch Perry), et un chanteur, Phil Naro, avec qui Billy a déjà travaillé à la fin des années 1980 pour son side-project le "Billy Sheehan Band". Talas ne sort qu'un seul nouvel album, Live Speed on Ice. Après que Mitch Perry quitte le groupe, il est remplacé par Johnny Angel, qui est leur guitariste sur la tournée de 1985/1986 pour la première partie des concerts de Yngwie Malmsteen. Il y eut un quatrième enregistrement, appelé "Lights, Camera, Action", mais il ne dépassa jamais le stade de démo à cause du départ de Sheehan pour retrouver le groupe de David Lee Roth. Talas continue quelque temps sans Sheehan, engageant Jimmy Degrasso à la batterie, Al Pitrelli à la guitare et Bruno Ravel à la basse, mais le groupe est déjà mort.

Billy Sheehan a réuni en 1998 le trio original pour quelques concerts, ainsi que pour un CD live, "If We Only Knew Then what we know now".

David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth engage Sheehan, le guitariste Steve Vai, et le batteur Gregg Bissonette pour l'album Eat 'Em and Smile, son premier après avoir quitté Van Halen (bien qu'ayant sorti un mini LP de 4 reprises avant). L'enregistrement comporte le classique "Yankee Rose", et démontre les qualités rythmiques de Sheehan. Après l'album Skyscraper, Sheehan quitte le groupe pour poursuivre d'autres opportunités. Steve Vai le suit peu après.

Mr. Big (1988-2002 - 2009-présent)
En 1988, Billy Sheehan crée le groupe Mr. Big avec Eric Martin au chant, Paul Gilbert à la guitare, et Pat Torpey à la batterie. Mr. Big sort d'énormes hits aux États-Unis, comme "Addicted to That Rush", de leur premier album éponyme, et la ballade "To Be With You", sur leur second album Lean Into It, mais sont incapables de renouveler l'exploit plus tard. Cependant, le groupe connait un immense succès au Japon. Les tensions internes conduisent au départ de Gilbert en 1997. Il est remplacé par Richie Kotzen, qui reste jusqu'à la séparation du groupe en 2002. Mr. Big se reforme en 2009, effectue plusieurs tournées et enregistre trois nouveaux albums en 2011, 2014 et 2017.

Avec Steve Vai
Billy Sheehan part ensuite en tournée avec le groupe UFO, et rejoint Steve Vai pour la tournée du groupe G3. C'est un membre régulier du groupe des tournées de Steve Vai, et il joue également dans beaucoup de ses albums solo.

The Winery Dogs (2012-2017)
En 2012, Billy Sheehan forme le groupe The Winery Dogs avec Richie Kotzen à la guitare et Mike Portnoy à la batterie. Ce power trio rock enregistre quatre albums entre 2012 et 2017, puis prend une pause.

Carrière solo
En 1999, il participe à l'enregistrement de l'album largement reconnu "Brotherhood" du groupe japonais B'z, et joue avec eux sur la tournée de 2002 "Green", devant un public total de  personnes.

En 2001, Billy sort un album solo, Compression, puis un deuxième en 2005, Cosmic Troubadour. Il y chante et joue de la guitare, en plus de la basse.

En 2002, Sheehan est invité par le groupe Planet X pour l'album MoonBabies, ce qui le mène à participer à l'album solo Black Utopia du claviériste du groupe, Derek Sherinian en 2003.

Un des autres projets de Sheehan est le trio jazz-rock-fusion Niacin, avec Dennis Chambers et John Novello.

Sheehan est aussi l'auteur de livres et de vidéos éducatives populaires, et donne des cours et des séminaires à la célèbre Berklee College of Music.

Il donne 3 concerts en 2006 pour Amazing Journey: A Tribute to The Who avec Mike Portnoy, Gary Cherone et Paul Gilbert.

Sheehan a également rejoint les bassistes Jeff Berlin et Stu Hamm, ainsi que le guitariste Jude Gold et le batteur John Mader pour la tournée du BX3, un dérivé du G3 (groupe) qui se concentre sur la basse plutôt que sur la guitare.

Influences musicales

Sheehan a des influences variées, de Bogert et Cliff Burton à Bach, mais aussi Jimi Hendrix comme influence première, peut-être parce que le premier concert auquel il a assisté était un concert de Hendrix. Il dit aussi avoir eu l'idée du tapping à deux mains après avoir vu Billy Gibbons de ZZ Top jouer une note avec son index droit à un concert.

Matériel, jeu et techniques

La première basse de Billy Sheehan est une Hagström FB, qui est rapidement accompagnée d'une Precision Bass similaire à celle de Tim Bogert. Après l'avoir acquise, il défrette sa Hagström. Au fil des ans, il modifie lourdement sa Precision Bass, ajoutant un micro près du manche, ainsi qu'un support additionnel à la fixation du manche, ce que Sheehan considère comme leur plus grande faiblesse. Le micro additionnel et le micro original ont deux sorties jack séparées sur la basse, ce qui permet d'utiliser deux amplis différents, l'un avec de la distorsion et l'autre au son clair pour le micro manche, pour conserver les graves. Il ne se sert plus de cette basse, mais il l'appelle affectueusement "L'épouse".

Billy Sheehan joue dessus régulièrement jusqu'à la fin des années 1980, puis utilise des basses Yamaha Attitude qu'il a créées lui-même. Elles sont basées sur sa Precision Bass, mais comportent selon lui une quantité d'améliorations, comme les multi-fixations du manche, ou l'accessoire appelé Hipshot D-tuner, qui s'adapte sur la corde de mi et permet de réaccorder rapidement la corde en ré, puis de la rehausser.

Discographie
 1986 : Eat 'Em and Smile avec David Lee Roth
 1989 : Mr. Big avec Mr. Big
 1989 : The Talas Years, solo
 1991 : Lean Into It avec Mr. Big
 1993 : Bump Ahead avec Mr. Big
 1996 : Hey Man avec Mr. Big
 1996 : Niacin avec Niacin
 1997 : Live avec Niacin
 1998 : High Bias avec Niacin
 1998 : Age of Impact avec Explorer's Club
 2000 : Get Over It avec Mr. Big
 2000 : Live! Blood, Sweat & Beers avec Niacin
 2000 : Deep avec Niacin
 2001 : Time Crunch avec Niacin
 2001 : Actual Size avec Mr. Big
 2001 : Compression, solo
 2002 : Nine Short Films avec Terry Bozzio
 2005 : Organik avec Niacin
 2005 : Live in Tokyo avec Niacin (DVD)
 2005 : Cosmic Troubadour', solo
 2006 : Prime Cuts, solo
 2009 : Holy Cow, solo
 2011 : What If... avec Mr. Big
 2013 : The Winery Dogs avec The Winery Dogs (Mike Portnoy et Richie Kotzen)
 2013 : Krush avec Niacin
 2014 : ...The Stories We Could Tell'' (2014) avec Mr. Big

Notes et références

Liens externes

  Site officiel
  Site d'un fan
  Interview de référence de Billy Sheehan

Bassiste américain de heavy metal
Hollywood's RockWalk of Fame
Naissance en mars 1953
Naissance à Buffalo (New York)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


There's been a long history of air and water pollution in the United States The first federal legislation to "control" air pollution was the Clean Air Act passed in 1963. But water pollution continued. In the late 1960's the fishing industry in the Chesapeake Bay was losing $3 million annually due to water pollution, while bacteria levels in the Hudson River were 170 times above safe limits. By 1972, nearly 2/3 of the nation's lakes, rivers and waterways were unsafe for swimming and fishing. The Clean Water Act passed that year in an attempt to stop billions of pounds of pollutants from continuing to foul U.S. waterways. But local, state and federal government agencies are often not monitoring, regulating and enforcing the regulations everywhere and equally, and that's where citizen science can help fill the gaps. In this episode, compelling stories from people who took positive action to ensure that the air they're breathing and the water they're drinking were safe.
In a city with a population of a million and a half people, it's estimated that 50,000 or more service lines (connecting water mains to homes) are made from lead. What was concerning Philadelphians was how the authorities in Flint, Michigan misled the public and the possibility that their own water department might not be presenting them with the whole truth about lead in Philadelphia's drinking water. A couple of concerned fathers, Jonathan King and Tony Spagnoli, decided to act, and set up Philly Unleaded, a project that would enable residents to collect water samples that would then be tested by one of the country's leading laboratories at Virginia Tech. This is the same lab that uncovered the lead problem in Flint with the help of water quality expert, Marc Edwards. The Philly Unleaded project also includes Witnesses to Hunger, an NGO focusing on combatting the effects of poverty and activating citizens from low-income communities. This sequence follows the project from its early days, through the scientifically-rigorous testing process, to first results—safe levels for many, but high levels for Jonathan, showing the value of testing. It's about commitment, empowerment and how a diverse group of people cooperated to meet a common goal.
Deb Thomas' family has been on the Beartooth Front that stretches across Wyoming and Montana for four generations. She and her husband bought a piece of property surrounded by public lands where they thought they could retire and spend their days riding horses across peaceful hills. Then, with no notice or warning, a couple of pits were dug and fracking operations began. Deb said, "Traffic went from maybe 3-4 cars a day to 50. They'd light the flare and the whole creek bottom would shake… lots of noise… spills and leaks and nobody cleans it up… all the wildlife took off." Neither the fracking company nor the State responded to Deb's questions or complaints about strange smells and unknown fluids seeping into the ground and water. Undeterred, Deb set about trying to protect her family and her rights. This is the story of one woman, an environmental action group called the "Bucket Brigade" and their efforts in search of environmental justice. When their community-generated data was written up for a peer-reviewed journal, this citizen science initiative had national impact.
North Central Pennsylvania has hills with dense hemlock forests that feed pristine coldwater streams that provide some of the state's best trout fishing. It's also home to the Marcellus Shale which accounts for roughly 40% of U.S. shale gas production. Trout Unlimited started as a conservation organization over 50 years ago, with 16 fishermen who wanted to protect and preserve the waters they used. Now it's a national organization with some one hundred and fifty thousand members in almost every state. In North Central Pennsylvania, where volunteers are concerned about the impacts of oil and gas development, TU's "Angler Science" initiative is capturing high quality baseline water quality data that is robust enough to be trusted by state agencies and academic researchers. The local volunteers participate enthusiastically so they will be immediately aware of any pollution events, so that they can then push any polluters to clean up.
China is a country with some of the most extreme examples of environmental damage. The Chinese people have had enough and the Central Government knows it must respond in order to maintain social stability. Armed with smartphones and an app that uses real-time government-required emissions data, regular people are now using social media to report industrial pollution to the authorities, shaming cities and polluting factories into remedial action. The maps and a "Black and Smelly Rivers" app have been developed by longtime environmental activist, Ma Jun, head of the Institute for Public and Environmental Affairs, IPE. Peggy Liu, chair of the Joint US-China Collaboration on Clean Energy (JUCCCE) says, "All of these social media platforms have really revolutionized environmental enforcement and monitoring." Maintaining a tricky balance between government, public, and industry, Ma Jun and his organization continue to work towards accountability and transparency, with the goal of ending China's pollution problem and bringing back blue skies and clean water.
In each of these stories, it's the interaction of citizens and scientists, the community and researchers, the public and government agencies, that are having a positive impact on the environment.


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Blues for a Cure to benefit pancreatic cancer research at UVA
Published Saturday, Jun. 28, 2014, 7:35 pm
Front Page » Events » Blues for a Cure to benefit pancreatic cancer research at UVA
The Sedalia Blues Society and Central Virginia Blues Society are hosting an evening of blues and roots music Sunday to support pancreatic cancer research at the UVA School of Medicine. The acoustic blues review will feature jump blues, country blues, Piedmont blues, Delta blues, North Mississippi blues and other varieties. Performers include Lisa Miller and the Juke Joint Junkies, Proffitt and Sandidge, Eli Cook, Dom Turner from Australia and special guest Phil Wiggins.
Jack Roy, head of the Sedalia Blues Society and a Health Care Technologist at the School of Medicine, organized the concert. Roy works with UVA's Todd Bauer, MD, doing imaging for pancreatic cancer research. By organizing this event, Roy hopes to call much-needed attention to pancreatic cancer and the work that is being done to fight it.
Bauer is doing cutting-edge research in the field, aiming to develop treatments that are customized for each patient. In collaboration with UVA bioengineer Kim Kelly, PhD, Bauer has developed a molecular early detection scan that seeks to reduce mortality by catching the disease earlier.
Tickets for Blues for a Cure are on sale now at the Sedalia Blues Society website, www.sedaliablues.org, and will be available at the door. General admission tickets are $25, and VIP tickets are $75, including preferred seating, hors d'oeuvres, drinks and meet-and-greets with the musicians. The concert begins at 6 p.m.; doors open at 5:30.
6-9 p.m.; doors open at 5:30
UVA Chemistry Auditorium, Room 402, McCormick Road
Available at the door and at www.sedaliablues.org


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Correbidia fanum är en fjärilsart som beskrevs av Druce 1900. Correbidia fanum ingår i släktet Correbidia och familjen björnspinnare. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Björnspinnare
fanum


Tanya Findlater is a Willowbank loving, third year Media Film and Communications student here at Otago. Aside from her studies, Tanya is also the head of Thursdays In Black at Otago, as well as a board member for Dunedin Pride.
You can contact Thursdays In Black at tibotago@gmail.com, or Dunedin Pride through their Facebook page.
Posted 6:06pm Thursday 11th April 2019 by Henessey Griffiths.


© 2013 Smile For You. All rights reserved.
7 Feb Filed under Europe, Sweden. Tagged Europe, Sweden.	Bookmark the permalink.	Post a comment. Leave a Trackback (URL).
Hmm, I don't know what to say, can I eat it? It smells very good! I haven't really figured out what to do with it yet? Don't get me wrong, I was really happy over the present, sure I get a bone every now and then. But a piece of art, just for myself!!!! Wow thank you so much!!!!!!
I received a cube from you, it was AMAZING!!


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Download our whitepaper on The Business Case for Flex to assist you in re-thinking workplace flexibility within your organisation. We're here to hep you get up to speed with how flex today will inevitably lead to the Future of Work tomorrow.


The local National Weather Service forecast for the Beaufort area this weekend indicates sustained winds of approximately 20 miles an hour (gusts up to 30 miles an hour) and rainfall less than 2 inches. Based on these conditions, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort will resume normal working hours for all active duty and civilian personnel on Monday, September 17. Deviations from this may be considered on a case-by-case basis by your chain of command or direct supervisor. Please communicate with them directly on this matter. If you are traveling this weekend remain vigilant and aware of traffic and road conditions. We here at MCAS Beaufort need you ready to continue the mission come Monday morning.
The mission of the MCAS Beaufort Safety Department is to provide a safe and healthy working environment, which supports the war fighter, improves combat readiness and effectiveness, and improves morale and well being for all. The ultimate goal for the department is to achieve, through rigorous hazard identification and risk assessment practices, a sustainable operational readiness posture, where safety and Operational Risk Management (ORM) are embedded in all day to day operations, tactical planning, and on and off duty recreational activities. Our risk management policy is designed to promote "shared ownership" of the safety program by all, instead of "forced accountability" by a few. Because our Safety Program is founded upon shared values and not imposed rules, all Marines, Sailors, civilian employees and contractor staff, who make up the whole of MCAS Beaufort, must accept the responsibility for incorporating safety into each and every operation.


Emergency management officials still dealing with the after-effects of hurricane season's wrath on Puerto Rico six months after the storms emphasized Friday that resiliency conversations need to be happening from community households to the federal level.
Jose Sanchez, deputy director of research and development at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and former director of the Puerto Rico Power Grid Restoration Program, said about 90 percent of the island's power has been restored since Hurricane Maria's brutal September wallop.
Some of the challenges in helping Puerto Rico recover, he said, have included the island's complex topography, depletion of materials and inventory due to multiple hurricanes as well as wildfires in California and the earthquake in Mexico that meant manufacturers could not keep up with the demand, politics surrounding fiscal constraint on the island, and the condition of infrastructure before the hurricane. "The power was never reliable; there's always been issues in that system," said Sanchez.
And whereas states usually bear the initial disaster response burden and call on the federal government for help, the feds were needed as a first step in Puerto Rico, he added.
One example is the net benefit, he argued, from making permanent repairs to people's homes versus relying on manufactured housing to shelter the displaced.
"Building resiliency is not just rebuilding to what was; it's rebuilding better," Serino said.
Kellie Bentz, head of global disaster response and relief for Airbnb, talked about her company's programs to activate available housing with waived fees in a disaster-struck region like Puerto Rico, as well as helping disseminate disaster information to the public and helping promote a devastated region as it gets back on its feet.
Kieserman was asked if he was surprised by the past year's onslaught of crises, and he quickly replied that he was not.
"The fact that I don't think that we should be surprised by it is not a criticism of readiness or anything else; it's more of a global issue that we're seeing this unending, relentless pace of natural disasters," the Red Cross official elaborated.
"It's not just natural disasters, either; we're seeing more and more human-caused disasters," he added, noting October's Las Vegas mass shooting as an example.
On the natural disaster front, mudslides and nor'easters have joined the hurricanes and wildfires, and last month Cyclone Gita in American Samoa left more than 15 percent of homes destroyed.
"I think the fact that there's a more aggressive pattern here, I think the evidence presents that," Kieserman said.
A year ago, residents around the Oroville Dam in California were hastily evacuated when it was at imminent risk of collapse due to the failure of a spillway during inundating rainfall.
As infrastructure ages, "that creates risk" in an "intersection between natural risk and aging infrastructure," Kieserman said.
"Catastrophes destroy the very resources you need to response to them. That's what happened in Puerto Rico. That's what happened in Harvey," Kieserman noted. He stressed the importance of private and government entities being informed, planning ahead, and taking action to be ready for what's coming.
"Even though we're seeing an extreme increase in natural hazards, we're not necessarily seeing a commensurate increase in public infrastructure damage or home damage where there were levies that were built in areas that were flood zones, where there was mitigation that the Corps took," said Kieserman.


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Nicola Mira
French retailer Gémo tests new rental and resale service
Coming to terms with fashion's new business models requires testing and making adjustments. French family fashion retailer Gémo has ventured in this direction, launching new tests on clothes rental and resale opportunities.
At the end of October, the chain owned by the Eram group introduced a rental service for maternity and breastfeeding clothes, in partnership with French specialist Lizee. Gémo had first experimented with this type of service in 2016, renting out evening and party wear. The new initiative is targeted at pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers, who can rent up to eight items for a €40 monthly fee.
Customers can sign up for the service on a dedicated website called Gémo Location. Products are shipped to their homes or to pick-up points. After being rented a number of times, the clothes are donated to the Emmaüs charity store in Wambrechies, near Lille in the north of France, next door to the Lizee warehouse.
Gémo is keen to tap this emerging approach to apparel consumption, as the global clothes rental market is expected to be worth €1.907 billion by 2023, having recorded an average annual growth rate of 10.6% since 2017, according to a study by Data Bridge Market Research. Gémo's competitor Kiabi had tested maternity wear rental in the past, before extending the service to clothes for the whole family at three of its French stores.
Gémo's resale corner managed by Once Again - Gémo
Operating in the resale segment isn't a novelty for Gémo. The chain collaborated with Rediv (formerly Patatam) from 2020 to early 2022, collecting and selling pre-owned clothes in 10 branches, in dedicated sections called "seconde vie [second life] by Gémo". The partnership was halted "because the results were not as expected," said Gémo, which has now teamed up with resale specialist Once Again.
At the end of October, Gémo deployed a 120 square metre section dedicated to second-hand clothes at its store in Compiègne. The retail area is managed independently by Once Again, and showcases over 2,500 pre-owned items by third-party brands, priced €14 on average. Notably, customers bringing in clothes they no longer wear are paid directly in cash, and not with shopping vouchers as was the case previously.
Once Again's business model is "more attractive, and it enables us to sell quality second-hand products by major labels to our customers," said Renaud Montin, Gémo's head of marketing and digital. "These two new services are consumption alternatives designed to extend the life cycle of clothes, adopting a functional economy approach that favours use rather than purchase," he added.
Gémo was founded in France in 1991 and operates over 440 stores, employing 4,000 people. In 2021, the chain generated a revenue of €845 million.
Texworld Evolution Paris 2023 to become fashion sourcing destination
Who's Next show confirms the return of international visitors
BabyKid Spain+Fimi closes an edition marked by internationalisation
Maison & Objet show to launch wellness section in September
Pitti Filati 92 returns to Florence with numbers close to its pre-pandemic level
Fashion fairs on the rise again this season
Five winter 2023-24 trends spotted at Who's Next show
Istanbul Fashion Connection: a third edition from February 8 to 11
30th edition of Playtime Paris show to start on January 28


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FILE – Katherine Schwarzenegger, left, and Chris Pratt arrive at the premiere of "Avengers: Endgame" in Los Angeles on April 22, 2019. Pratt and Schwarzenegger say they are "beyond thrilled" and "extremely blessed after she gave birth to their first child together. The "Avengers" actor and the children's book author announced the birth of daughter Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt in a joint post on their Instagram accounts Monday. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger say they are "beyond thrilled" and "extremely blessed" after she gave birth to their first child together.
The 41-year-old "Avengers" actor and the 30-year-old children's book author announced the birth of daughter Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt in a joint post on their Instagram accounts Monday.
The post included a photo of the hands of both parents and child and a pair of Bible verses; including Psalms 126:3: "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."
Pratt also has a 7-year-old son with his first wife, Anna Faris.
The baby is the granddaughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.
by LINDSEY BAHR, Associated Press / Jan 15, 2021
"Parasite" director Bong Joon Ho has been selected as jury president of the 78th Venice International Film Festival, organizers said Friday. The Oscar-winner will preside over seven jurors to hand out the festival's top awards, including the prestigious Golden Lion. He'll be the first South Korean to hold the post.
In a statement, the director said he is, "Honored to be woven into its beautiful cinematic tradition. As president of the jury — and more importantly as a perpetual cinephile — I'm ready to admire and applaud all the great films selected by the festival. I'm filled with genuine hope and excitement."
by COLLEEN BARRY , Associated Press / Jan 15, 2021
MILAN (AP) — Italy's fashion chamber is opening on Friday the first Milan Fashion Week that won't have VIPS populating runway front rows, as the reality of Italy's persistent resurgence of the coronavirus has forced an all-virtual format for presenting menswear previews.
The National Fashion Chamber maintained a live element during the July and September fashion weeks in Milan. But after planning to stage live shows with guests during this round, Fendi, Etro and outdoor brand Kway announced their events will be livestreamed from behind closed doors.


TLC4Environment: Renewable Energy: A Tool in Combating Climate Change.
Renewable Energy: A Tool in Combating Climate Change.
Kenya aims to transform into a newly industrializing middle income country providing a high quality of life to its citizens by the year 2030. The Kenya Vision 2030 has outlined considerations in meeting goals for medium term plans as well as meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the year 2015, however this has not come into fruition.
The energy sector is one of the main drivers listed in the development plan of the Vision 2030 to focus on reforms and development in the social, economic and political strategies for the country. The energy sector remains to be a challenge in securing a clean and secure environment. Security can simply be described as being free from danger and fear. Food and environmental security in Kenya and also globally are crucial among others for human well-being to be achieved with both insecurities posing serious danger. Security is a key dimension which is largely affected by external factors such as the supply, efficiency and consumption of energy. Energy is a driver of all processes of production, therefore its demand is far and wide. The main sources of energy in Kenya have been highlighted as a pre-dominant mix of biomass, petroleum and hydro-power according to a report on a market study of the Kenyan energy sector in October 2014 by Triple E Consulting, in Netherlands. The Draft Energy Policy by the Government of Kenya highlights that traditional biomass accounts for 70%, while petroleum and hydro-power electricity account for 21% and 9%. Hydro-power is a climate vulnerable source, meaning that it depends on climatic factors such as rainfall patterns for constant supply and efficiency, explaining why the country is prone to power shortages which in turn affects functioning of industrial and manufacturing processes in the long run impacting the economy. Petroleum on the other hand is considered as an expensive and dirty source as well as a major contributor to emissions in the atmosphere as a result of combustion of the fuel. Biomass has been observed to be very common in both rural and urban settings in Kenya, as source of energy either in form of firewood, charcoal and agricultural wastes. The Energy Regulatory Commission states that biomass-based energy sources account for 90% of total rural house hold energy suspected to be due to high average generation cost of current energy sources. Compared to other countries such as Tanzania and Ethiopia, Kenya has high energy tariffs which is not adequate and affordable to all citizens resulting in application of alternative sources of energy which are not necessarily sustainable. In a study reported by the Africa ECO NEWS in March 2015, Kenya loses 5.6 million trees daily. Illegal deforestation in search of firewood is common in many parts of the country. Studies done by the World Bank show that clearing of forests for wood fuel contributes in the depletion of tree stocks as much as clearing them for other land use activities such as agriculture.
There is a growing concern on climate change, which results from emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon into the atmosphere from various sources including the use of charcoal and burning of petroleum in industrial processes, leading to the destruction of the ozone layer which causes the global warming effect. Other than that, change in land use activities such as clearing of forests for resettlement and agricultural activities for example in the Mau, has reduced the tree cover and hence increased levels of carbon (IV) oxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Kenya is already experiencing the harsh effects of global climate change such as the recent floods and droughts and also unpredictable weather patterns affecting normal day to day activities such as farming- which is a major source of livelihoods for several families. The effects are grappling, with food insecurity being heightened as well as environmental degradation taking place. Citizens are becoming more concerned and aware, as the harsh reality of climate change hits them.
According to The Kenya Population Data Sheet of 2011, the population of Kenyans during the census in 2009 increased to 38.6 million from 28.7 million during the 1999 census. Projections estimate further increase in population and economic growth due to factors such as urbanization. Due to this increase, Kenya's contribution to global greenhouse emissions will also increase significantly with the largest emissions resulting from energy and transport sector. Kenya also has the largest economy in the East African community market, and is therefore a major attraction to foreign investors in various sectors resulting in various business ventures increasing production and also the demand for energy.
Exploring options in renewable energy is crucial in ensuring sustainable development. The Kenya Vision 2030 aims at building a strong regulatory framework, encouraging more private generators of power, separating generation from distribution and promoting new sources of energy especially renewables such as solar, wind, geothermal and biogas. Therefore it can be concluded that the Vision 2030 requires a big transformation to a renewable energy mix. Considerations have identified low-carbon options for electricity generation set to be realized by The Energy Act of 2006 and being backed up by regulations such as The Solar Energy Photovoltaic Regulation, 2012 and The Solar Water Heating Regulations, 2012. The introduction of solar PV, wind power and geothermal energy are being regulated by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Renewable energy will support sustainable generation, exploitation, production, distribution and utilization of energy. Energy efficiency requires both industrial and household energy audits to be performed periodically. Household energy audits could also be a measure towards knowledge management to the local communities, by increasing awareness on energy and its link to climate change hence educating inspiring and moving masses to climate change action. Science technology and innovation is mentioned in the Kenya Vision 2030 as a driver towards prosperity and posterity. Scientific cooperation should be enhanced to test for new technology in the market as well as to fill the gap between knowledge and practice. Also, increasing awareness on multilateral development programmes on climate and energy such as the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) will attract investing in funds allocated towards climate projects therefore promoting sustainable development. The Government of Kenya intends to support exploration in renewable energy through existing legal, regulatory and institutional framework. The Government should also build the capacity of institutions to increase support and implement energy policies especially in diversification of renewable energy mix. However, the battle cannot be left only through reforms in the energy sector by the Government in creating adaptation and mitigation measures towards climate change and its effects. Climate change is a global phenomenon making every single person vulnerable to it. Maximum benefits in the fight against climate change are expected if everyone takes action through individual actions which when combined make a big impact epitomizing sustainable development and environmental resources conservation- a gift to future generations!
Market Study to Strengthen Economic Cooperation in the Energy Sector: Final Report. Triple E Consulting – Energy, Environment & Economics, October 2014.


Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet did not benefit by them).
" بُعِثْتُ بِجَوَامِعِ الْكَلِمِ، وَنُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا نَائِمٌ أُتِيتُ بِمَفَاتِيحِ خَزَائِنِ الأَرْضِ، فَوُضِعَتْ فِي يَدِي "


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This package is all about the written word and how you show up in your resume, cover letters and LinkedIn profile. We work with you to help you stand out from the crowd. You'll end up with both a Master resume and one tailored to a particular job and a cover letter template that you can easily tweak for each job as well as a stronger LinkedIn profile including a great summary that is as individual as you are.
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Whether you are in the midst of a job offer and want to ensure that you get the best salary and benefit package and don't leave anything on the table or simply know that it's long past time for a raise but you're unsure how to approach your boss ~ this package is worth its weight in gold.
Do you have a dilemma or a problem that you need some help with? Not sure if you should enter a business partnership, accept a job offer, or even a marriage proposal? If you need a sounding board or a brainstorming partner, Coach Chris is an expert at helping clients sift through their options, gain clarity and make a decision.


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NJ teacher busted for sexting with undercover cop he thought was 14-year-old boy: officials
SEE IT: Man shot in stomach during Independence Day fight in Harlem
By Thomas Tracy
Man shot in stomach during Independence Day fight in Harlem (DCPI)
A 30-year-old man was shot in the stomach at point blank range on a crowded Harlem street as Independence Day celebrations across the city came to a close, a harrowing video shows.
Police released the video on Saturday in the hopes that someone recognizes the gunman, who appeared to have sparked the fight with his victim then, after a brief struggle, ended it by sticking a gun against the the man's belly and firing.
As several people stood nearby, the gunman confronted his victim at about 4 a.m. Friday on W. 123rd St. near Seventh Ave. He forced him against a low brick wall and they grappled with each other for a few moments before the shooting. The video shows the victim running off.
When police and medics caught up with him, he refused to help them, sources with knowledge of the case said. He was ultimately rushed to Harlem Hospital, where he was in stable condition. He was one of nine people shot in six separate incidents between midnight and 5 a.m. Friday as the city wound down its Fourth of July celebrations.
Police described the Harlem shooter as black, wearing a baseball hat, white T-shirt and track pants.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.


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Q: IIS 10 & IIS Express - MVC app - 403 - Forbidden: Access is denied So I feel like this has been asked lots, but none of the answers I have found solve my issue.
I have an old MVC 5 project, .NET Framework 4.5 that I am trying to run for the 1st time in ages.  Whether I run through Visual Studio 2017 or through IIS 10 - I get the same error:
403 - Forbidden: Access is denied.
You do not have permission to view this directory or page using the credentials that you supplied.
Things that have been suggested and that I have tried

*

*Anonymous auth enabled, Windows Disabled (it uses forms authentication)

*IIS_IUSRS has full access to the directory (I have even added everyone just to be sure)

*It can serve static content from images

*I have tried adding the following to the web.config

<modules runAllManagedModulesForAllRequests="true"/>

*The machine I am running it on can run other .NET MVC applications totally fine

*I tried to run it on a different server and I get the same error

I am pretty sure there is something funky in the web.config but I am at a loss.
Help please

A: Thanks for the follow up questions.  I have ended up reverting to an earlier commit, re-doing all the Nuget packages and now its working, I cant spend any more time playing with the broken build.  Obviously some Nuget package updated and messed things up.

A: I had the exact same Access Denied error trying to run a new .NET Core or .NET 5.0 website created from Visual Studio templates. My local hosting environment was not configured for either.
Once I created the template using the same .NET version as my environment, the site launched without issue.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


BLAST Pro Series Sao Paulo was sold out in less than 4 hours!
BLAST Pro Series Sao Paulo will be the biggest esports event in Brazil in 2019 and the tournament is expected to break the boundaries for live esports entertainment.
On 22nd and 23rd March 2019 the biggest stars of Counter-Strike will battle it out live on the iconic BLAST stage in front of a completely packed Ibirapuera arena with more than 6,000 fans!


text:
Quantifying Geologic and Temporal Controls on Water and Chemical Exchange between Groundwater and Surface Water in Coastal Estuarine Systems
Conceptual models for submarine groundwater discharge
Project Contact(s)
A. Scott Andres
H. Michael (UD Dept. of Geological Sciences), J. Bratton (U.S. Geological Survey), D. Krantz (Univ. of Toledo), L. Konikow (U.S. Geological Survey), K. Kroger (U.S. Geological Survey), and A.S. Andres Student investigators: C. Russoniello, C. Fernandez, K. Myers, A. Musetto Funded by National Science Foundation Eutrophication is one of the most common and most severe problems facing coastal bays in populated and agricultural areas. Unnaturally high quantities of nutrients enter fresh groundwater and surface water as a result of human activities. These nutrients contribute to the overpopulation of phytoplankton and macroalgae in coastal surface waters, which results in deterioration of water quality and animal habitat. This is a particular problem in the Delmarva region, where poultry farms, agricultural activity, and growing human populations have contributed to rapidly declining populations of blue crabs, striped bass, and many other species which live and breed in estuarine waters. The economic value of these species has, in part, prompted political action and efforts to manage nutrient inputs to groundwater and surface water, the primary pathways for nutrient loading to coastal waters. Despite significant reductions, coastal water quality has largely remained poor. A better understanding of the processes that moderate nutrient loading to coastal waters, particularly via groundwater, which is much more difficult to monitor than surface water inputs, is essential for improved management methods that will result in healthy coastal ecosystems. This project will improve understanding of where nutrients are coming from and how loading may be reduced, and may aid in identification of activities that exacerbate negative impacts. To test our hypotheses, we will study the geology, hydrology, and geochemistry of the coastal groundwater flow system at Indian River Bay, Delaware. The overarching aim of the project is to characterize the controls of geologic heterogeneity and temporally variable hydraulic forcing on groundwater flow and fluid and chemical fluxes between aquifers and coastal surface water bodies. We seek to connect these controls to physical flow processes, to connect physical processes (flow rates, patterns, heterogeneity, and mixing) to geochemical transformations, and to combine these in order to better estimate fluxes of fluid and individual chemical species. The information obtained, though focused on a specific site, will improve the general understanding of freshwater-saltwater interaction and geochemistry of the subsurface, with implications for coastal systems worldwide. Project staff have now drilled, logged, installed, and sampled 4 standard and 8 7-channel wells to depths of nearly 20 m below bottom in water depths up to 1.3 m and distances up to 225 m from the shore of Indian River Bay. CTD loggers have been installed in 2 standard wells.
Downhole geophysical logs and well samples have documented the presence of a vertical salinity profile that crosses two salinity interfaces: saline (30-45 mS) to fresh (1-3 mS) at depths of 2-6 m below bottom and fresh to saline at depths of 9 to 13 m below bottom (see log at right).
Physical and chemical monitoring in an additional 14 wells installed onshore are being used to characterize the flow field and geochemistry of the freshwater system. This work is integrated with broader project efforts to characterize SGD that include experiments using marine and land-based geophysics, seepage meters, pore water samplers, geochemical analysis, and numerical simulation. Lithologic, geophysical, and water quality data were interpreted to develop a conceptual model of the fresh water-salt water interface. Fresh water flow is confined beneath low-permeability sediments offshore, creating a plume of fresh water below the bay bottom.
Two publications from the project have been released:
Russoniello, C.J., C. Fernandez, J.F. Bratton, J.F. Banaszak, D.E. Krantz, A.S. Andres, L.F. Konikow, and H.A. Michael, 2013, Geologic effects on groundwater salinity and discharge into an estuary: Journal of Hydrology, v. 498, p. 1-12.
Russoniello, C.J., L.F. Konikow, K.D. Kroeger, C.F. Fernandez, A.S. Andres, H.A. Michael, 2016, Hydrogeologic controls on groundwater discharge and nitrogen loads in a coastal watershed: Journal of Hydrology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hydro.2016.05.013.
A DGS publication was released in May 2017
Andres, A. S., Michael, H. A., Russoniello, C.J., Fernandez, C., He, C., and Madsen, J. A., 2017, Investigation of submarine groundwater discharge at Holts Landing State Park, Delaware: Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater level and salinity observations: Delaware Geological Survey Report of Investigations No. 80.
http://www.dgs.udel.edu/publications/ri80-investigation-submarine-groun…
This page tagged with:
Indian River Bay
Inland Bays
Related Topical Content
David R. Wunsch appointed DGS Director
RI41 Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of the Unconfined Aquifer, West-Central and Southwestern Delaware
Selected Content from Research for DGS Open File Report No. 52
Groundwater Resources of Sussex County (with an update for Kent County)
National Ground Water Monitoring Network – Delaware
Monitoring our water - Delaware Geological Survey improving groundwater monitoring efforts with new wells, sampling
Related Geographic Content
DGS Geologic Map No. 16 (Fairmont Rehoboth Beach Quadrangles) Dataset
OFR44 Storm-Water and Base-Flow Sampling and Analysis in the Delaware Inland Bays Preliminary Report of Findings 1998-2000
Position opening at The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays: Estuary Science & Restoration Coordinator
RI79 Simulation of Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport in Eastern Sussex County, Delaware With Emphasis on Impacts of Spray Irrigation of Treated Wastewater
Scott Andres participated in the 2011 NGWA Summit in Baltimore, MD
RI73 Analysis and Summary of Water-Table Maps for the Delaware Coastal Plain


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Category Archives: Reading
Hapless Heroes cover reveal
Posted by louisecusack in Reading, Uncategorized
contemporary romance, cover reveal, Goddess and the Geek, hapless heroes, hunky heroes, Marriage and the Mermaid, romantically challenged, Sex and the Stand In
I've got shiny new covers for my Hapless Heroes ebook series, and I'm excited to share them:
If you love contemporary romance with hunky heroes who are romantically challenged, these stories will make you laugh, sigh and swoon. All the details and purchase links are on my Hapless Heroes webpage. Enjoy!
Thirty-seven years ago, in a galaxy far, far, away…
Posted by louisecusack in Inspiration, Reading, Uncategorized
carrie fisher, fangirl, happy, harrison ford, mark hamill, movie, news, sci fi, star wars, star wars VII
Yesterday I heard some news that made me happy – not in a passing Hey, that's cool kind of way, but a deep down bone-and-sinew kind of happy, the sort of happy that's so strong and exuberant I went to sleep thinking about it and woke up this morning still thinking about it, still smiling. The sort of happy that confirms irrevocably that inside my chest beats an unabashedly geeky, sci-fi fangirl heart.
Disney (who now own the Star Wars franchise) announced that it has brought Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill back together to create Star Wars VII. I was out when I heard, having coffee with my writer pal Helen Lacey when she got news of it on her phone, and we were both stunned and thrilled, having shared a passion for sci-fi for twenty years. But as I went home to write and the day wore on, I became more and more happy, and couldn't stop the snippets of memory that came to me from the distant past – thirty-seven years ago when I bought the first Star Wars novel, read it eleven times, then months later saw the very first Star Wars movie.
I remember that opening night so well. A lot of the dialogue from the paperback I'd read was replicated in the screenplay, so scenes I'd visualized as a reader were coming alive in front of me and I was mouthing the words along with the characters – fabulous lines like Leia saying to Luke on their first meeting, "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" And Han, "I've got a bad feeling about this." That movie came along at a time when I was young and impressionable and it touched me in some deep place that has been lying dormant and is now happily awoken.
I've lived and breathed the Star Wars Universe for decades, feeling breathless excitement every time I heard the fabulous John Williams opening music and saw the crawl rising up the screen:
I adored the developing romance between Han and Leia, and in the second movie when he said "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life," I was hooked. And when she said "I love you," and his reply was only "I know," I loved him even more. So much adventure, so much romance, such real relationships. Then when the prequel series came out years later I grieved for the lack of believable romance, the lack of relationships, and the kiddification of it all. I remember distinctly going to the cinema and watching the last movie of that prequel series, Revenge of the Sith and thinking as the opening credits rolled, "This is the last time I'll ever see a Star Wars movie for the first time." I'm not ashamed to admit I teared up. George Lucas had said he wasn't doing any more. The movie franchise was closing, and I grieved for that too.
Then yesterday came something I'd never imagined might happen, something so wonderful I could scarcely believe it: Ford, Fisher and Hamill back together with writer Lawrence Kasdan who created the screenplays for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. And so, so important to me, John Williams composing. The integrity these guys will bring to the project just makes my heart sing, in a teary kind of way.
Storytelling has been so formative in my life, but some stories and some characters mean more than others. I can tell from my bliss that these characters – Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker – are part of the fabric of my life, and to see them as characters thirty years on will be like meeting beloved old friends. I'm sure I'm not the only geek girl out there who's blissing over this news. I'd love to hear if it touched you too.
Fantasy, inspired by da Vinci
Posted by louisecusack in About Writing, Inspiration, Reading
da vinci, Isaac Assimov, reading, robot, Silk, Will Herondale, writing, young adult
Who doesn't love Leonardo da Vinci? There's so much to admire, from his curiosity about the world around him to the exquisite beauty of his paintings and the meticulous detail of his mechanical inventions. In 2009 a traveling exhibition of his machines came to Brisbane and I was so fascinated by his mind, they had to throw me out at closing time. His accurate sketches of the construction of the human body (courtesy of illegal autopsies) and his insights into how blood pumped and lungs work worked, were centuries before their time. And his observations about the movement of wind, water and animals continue to be awe-inspiring, even 500 years after his death.
Leonardo was awake to life, looking at the mundane through eyes that were so fresh, people have since speculated that he was either an alien or a time traveler. But assuming he was a man of his time, he clearly believed that he could make advances in knowledge, despite his lack of education, and he did. In spades. One of his inventions that really inspired me was his robot knight (my brain loved the science and my romantic heart loved the chivalry). I'd grown up reading Camelot and all the sci-fi classics, including Isaac Asimov's many robot stories (I, Robot and Bicentennial Man are two of his better known). So I loved the idea of robots that could think and feel. I was also obsessed with space travel and followed NASA avidly, becoming thrilled all over again when space engineers studied Leonardo's sketches to help them design "anthrobots", complex robotic space explorers they planned to use on the International Space Station and on future Mars missions. In comments to the media, the NASA engineers said Leonardo's "…anatomical drawings are unique and they gave the information needed to emulate the complex joints and muscles of the human body." Amazing to think that 500 years later, people are still seriously referencing his work.
Personally, I've always wanted to write about robots, but because my first love is fantasy, I've not considered writing sci-fi myself. A few years ago, however, I was thrilled by the release of YA author Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices trilogy: Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess. Her automatons were powered by magic…
What a revelation! And what an awesome thrill ride that series was. Reading Young Adult novels makes me feel like I'm seventeen again, and I couldn't help myself falling hard for the hero William Herondale. He is so very flawed! The poor heroine doesn't know whether to kiss him or slap him. Then his secret is revealed and as a reader you ache for him. Truly beautiful writing. And inspiring. It made me wonder if the things I'd always wanted to write about — ideas inspired by Leonardo's speculations — were possible within the realms of fantasy writing.
Much to my delight, I find that they are! My Young Adult fantasy novel Silk is based on the fact that Leonardo had such acute eyesight, he could sketch the movement of bird wings in flight centuries before slow motion film confirmed his accuracy. So if he could see birds wings in flight, could he also see other things that were only visible for a portion of a second? I don't want to give away the plot (so I won't) but suffice to say that my obsession with Leonardo and the research trip I took to Italy three years ago to uncover details about the society and landscape he inhabited, have now come to fruition in a Young Adult fantasy novel. I can't wait for it to be published, but want it to be the best it can be, so I'm editing, editing, and dreaming about how exciting it will be to see it sitting on bookshelves.
I wonder what other fantasies my obsession with Leonardo da Vinci will create?
The guilty pleasure of solitary writing
book promotion, books, characters, fantasy, Italian Renaissance, literature, lost world, Medici, promotion, reading, solitary, world building, write, writer, writing
I work with writers a lot, helping them hone their stories, find agents and publishers, then guiding them as they launch their books, physically and across social media. So I'm well acquainted with the tasks most authors undertake during various parts of the publication process, and I wonder if readers realize how much 'work' away from the actual writing itself, is necessary to produce a successful novel.
This year so far I've assessed manuscripts, conducted writing workshops, mentored clients, judged a major writing competition, and completed two computer game company residencies developing fantasy world-building. I've also restructured my two websites and spent approx 120 hours on social networking promoting my own work and that of fellow authors.
So… not as much time for writing as I'd like. However, this week things are different.
I've just embarked on a month dedicated to completing my Lost World fantasy Silk and I'm reveling in the deliciousness of having carved out a slab of time simply to write. No manuscripts to assess, no workshops to present, the babbling stream of Facebook and Twitter have been replaced by the silent sweep of imagination, and I'm in nirvana.
Really. I dream of this being my whole life (perhaps with some therapeutic gardening and obsessive clothes washing tossed in). And when I discuss this idea with other writers they get a glazed look, coupled with an almost-smile as they imagine what life would be like if they could simply write their stories and do nothing more. It's like dreaming of winning the lotto. I mean it! Most writers I know spend far more time than they want to on promotion. And if they have to do something other than writing, I'm sure they'd rather be nosing around a bazaar in Istanbul, the bright lights of Vegas, or exploring the Medici Chapel in Florence for research.
Although that might be just me.
Still, no matter what we cram into our lives, the reality is that good books need time to incubate, time to be lovingly drafted, carefully edited and painstakingly proofed. Yet there are SO many books on the market, with thousands more being added each day. The sheer volume of novels in cyber bookstores like Amazon overwhelm readers who are looking for quality, and that volume also bludgeons the hopes of writers who become ever more desperate to find an audience for their work amid the bustle and confusion of the Internet. Writers are told to be a brand, and promote that brand relentlessly, often at the expense of time and energy. But little time and low energy equals crappy output, so it's not an optimal situation for writers who want to build a readership.
I don't have definitive answers, but when the question of what to do becomes loud in my mind I remember NY agent Donald Maass visiting Australia several years ago and telling the audience at the Romance Writers of Australia conference that "The best form of promotion an author can do is to write a good book. And the next best form of promotion is to write another good book."
So that's what I'm doing. I'm writing a good book. Luckily for me, every second with the characters is thrilling me. It's like a clandestine affair where the real world is on hold while I pander to my desire for excitement, emotion and drama. I adore that, and it's my intention that readers will too. So if you don't see a lot of me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads or Google+, it will simply be because I'm not in this world. I'm on a Lost World based on Renaissance Italy helping a young ambassador choose between the prince she despises who can save her world, and the engineer she loves who can destroy it. Nirvana, pure and simple.
Why do we read Romance?
books, fantastical, fantasy, Han and Leia, hermoine, john carter, katniss, kyle reese, love story, movies, peeta, readers, reading, romance, ron, Sarah Connor, sci fi, terminator
I'm happy to admit I'm a sucker for romance, and in the same way that chocolate should be a part of every meal (it is one of the important food groups after all) I'd love to see romance having a place in every story.
Because whether I'm deep into reading sci fi, fantasy or a zombie apocalypse, I still want a hint of a sniff of a love story. Star Wars – where would it be without Han and Leia, not to mention Buttercup and Westley, John Carter and Dejah Thoris, Katniss and Peeta, hell, even Ron and Hermione. I love the fantastical elements of speculative fiction worlds, but unless there's a romance in there, the story isn't enough for me. I adore the attraction, the pursuit (no matter how clumsy or unlikely to succeed) the tender awkward moments, then there's the surety and confidence that characters experience when they know their love is returned.
But why is romance such an important element for so many women? Not to mention the men who have a soft spot for love stories and who don't mind a bit of schmaltz mixed in with their blood and guts. Terminator is full of hide-behind-the-hands violence, but when Kyle Reese says to Sarah Connor "I came across time for you, Sarah. I love you. I always have," I just melt.
BTW, if you're a sucker for the Kyle/Sarah love story, here's a tissue-worthy recap:
So why do we love a good love story?
The easy answer would be that we're love starved, but statistically that doesn't hold up. In fact, romance writers as a group have one of the highest levels of happy relationships, which may have something to do with writing love scenes on a regular basis. Many's the time I've heard of a romance writer phoning their partner for a little "romance" after having written a scene that's gotten them all hot and bothered. And surely that makes for happier marriages. But does the same thing happen for readers? Do women call their husbands after devouring a bit of Fifty Shades and tell them to come home for lunch?
Sex aside (I know, you got a visual there, but I was saying aside not astride) what is it about romance that makes a story feel complete? Do we have any philosophers out there? I'd love to hear your thoughts…
Grateful for books: a blog inspired by the Telstra call centre
Posted by louisecusack in Reading
#thanks4theread, books, call centre, grateful, gratitude, reading, Rhonda Byrne, Telstra, The Magic
I had an odd experience last night. It started with a Telstra problem (which admittedly isn't odd at all) but it developed after I rang their 24hr helpline at 10pm.
By midnight I was onto my 9th Telstra employee – Ahmed in the Adelaide call centre – who also wanted to transfer me to someone else to sort my problem. Again, nothing unusual there. It seems to be the thing with call centres. If your problem is at all challenging, the easy road seems to be redirection: "Oh you're a business customer. This is residential," or "Sorry, they've transferred you to IT support, you want IP support." Etc. Etc.
Anyway, by the time I'd reached Ahmed I was low on reserves. I'd spent two hours being shunted from one unhelpful person to the next, and while listening to piped music I'd been stressing about how I could run a business when I couldn't email my customers. Only certain customers, admittedly, but you know how situations always seem more dire after midnight. I think there's some Universal Law at work with that.
So when Ahmed wanted to transfer me back to the 125111 helpline I'd been sent to three times already, I just couldn't take it anymore. I'm ashamed to admit that I begged. I told him I knew call centre staff had time restrictions on calls, and that it wasn't his fault that someone had transferred me to the wrong place, but could he please, please, please take the time to find the right person for me before he transferred me through. Ahmed was clearly an intelligent guy and he'd understood my problem, so I was counting on him also knowing the sections of Telstra (sprawled across several continents) and being able to find the needle in a haystack that I wanted.
And God help me he did.
I sat quietly listening to piped music for fifteen minutes while he burned off his call average for the night searching for someone to help me. Then he came back on and apologised for making me wait. I swear, I wanted to reach through the phone and kiss him! He transferred me to Dimple in the Philippines who understood exactly what I was talking about, and through a process of elimination over the next two hours she found my problem and fixed it. I feel like an idiot, but I'm crying now as I write this because I was so happy, and so relieved. I didn't want to be one of those people who complains about call centres all the time. I wanted to be someone who gets looked after well and feels grateful for that. And I was. At 2:30am when I went to bed, everything was right with my world.
This morning (after a good sleep in) I did my usual routine of spending time with my gratitude journal. I'm currently working my way through the new book by Rhonda Byrne (of The Secret fame) called The Magic. Part of that program is writing ten things you're grateful for, and adding why they make you feel good. Ahmed and Dimple were top of my list, and having a working email system (which I'd previously taken for granted) came in close second. Last night I'd gone to the Telstra 'positive feedback' website and detailed how much I'd appreciated Ahmed and Dimple, and in the light of a new day today (and a more awake brain) it occurred to me that there are lots of things I appreciate as passionately as I did their help last night, which I never take the time to acknowledge.
And high on the list is books.
Admittedly I'd done the odd review when I happened to be online, but only when it was convenient to me. I'd never gone out of my way to show my appreciation for reading, which is crazy because my love of books is one of my big passions in life. And how hard would it be to pop into Amazon and leave a review under the book I'd just read, and to add a review in Goodreads? Saying Thank you makes me feel good, and because I wasn't in the habit of saying Thank you to other authors for the time and effort they'd put into their stories, I was missing out on precious feel-good emotions.
But now, thanks to Ahmed and his inspiration, I won't miss out. I'm going to make sure that when I finish reading a book I Tweet, Facebook, Amazon Review and Goodreads review the book, because that's the least I can do to show how grateful I am for the pleasure of reading someone else's carefully chosen words.
If you love books too, think about getting onboard with #thanks4theread and let's see if we can trend it! There really can't be enough gratitude in the world, so let's start with something we all love.


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