AZoM conducted a series of interviews at the MS&T 07 trade exhibition in Detroit between September 17 and 18. Here's what one of the exhibitors had to say when asked about their latest developments, products and technologies.
AZoM: It's Cameron Chai here from azom.com reporting from the MS&T Trade Show. And today I've got with me Audrey Bresler, John Alexander and Tom Augustin from Element Climax Research Services and Element Technimet. And just quickly, before we get into too much depth, what does Element do exactly?
Element Materials (A): Well Element is a large parent company. My facility, Element Climax Research specialises in metals, whether it be elemental classification, failure analysis testing and tension, hardness. Tams facility, Element Technimet specialises in polymeric science, whether it's inorganic, or to do organic testing as well.
AZoM: So you do a broad range of testing service for all industries really, I suppose?
Element Materials (A): Correct. If our two facilities can't do it, we have 14 other sister labs across the country that maybe able to perform testing.
AZoM: So you basically just do work in the US?
Element Materials (A): No. We are abroad as well. Our parent company, Element Materials Technology, is based out of Holland. It's a Dutch owned company. We do have facilities across the sea as well.
AZoM: Very good. So you cover a very large global area then?
Element Materials (A): Correct, world wide.
AZoM: And what is it that your division does that sets you apart from the rest, the other testing companies?
Element Materials (A): My division, Element Climax Research, specialises in metals. We do failure analysis, fatigue analysis, mechanicals testing, full chemistry as well as corrosion and wear types of testing.
AZoM: Okay. Just before you were telling me about hot hardness testing. That's something interesting that not a lot of other people do. Can you tell me a bit about that?
Element Materials (A): Correct. We do perform hot hardness testing. I believe we're one of the facilities out of two in the United States that can perform this type of testing up to 800 degrees Celsius.
AZoM: And what sort of applications does that type of testing have?
Element Materials (A): It tests the hardness under extreme heat conditions, whether it be metals used for automobiles, any type of metal that would be heated up significantly and we see the properties that result from that.
AZoM: So it would have application like brake testing and things like that, engine components, that type of thing?
AZoM: So you've got lots of customers taking up that service at the moment?
Element Materials (A): Not a lot of customers know that there's any facilities in the country that perform this testing. I have a specific customer that right now sends his materials to Germany for hot hardness testing and he just found out that he can have this done within the States.
AZoM: Very good. Good to hear that you're brining more stuff, keeping it onshore rather than sending it overseas.
Element Materials (A): Absolutely. Anything we can do to help.
AZoM: Very good. Alright, now John. What does your division do, or your area of testing do that you'd like to speak about?
Element Materials (J): As with Audrey, I'm with Element Climax Research Services and another part of our company is our corrosion wear lab. We have a salt spray, fog testing, humidity testing, like a lot of labs, but we also have some unique testings like rubber wheel abrasion, and pin abrasion testing to determine the wear of products and see how long they'll last under high wear conditions.
AZoM: So before you were telling me about a wear testing type technique that you guys have pioneered. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
Element Materials (J): We call it our pin abrasion testing. It's about a quarter inch pin, maybe a half inch deep, it could be as deep as necessary. Well basically it's a rotating pin across a piece of sandpaper, going back and forth across, we'll say 12 x 10 piece of sandpaper. I don't know the size off the top of my head. And what it's done, the amount of weight loss will determine how well the wear is. And if there's not a lot of weight loss, it means it had a high wear resistance. If there's a lot of material's gone by the time it's done, it means it wears a lot as it goes along.
AZoM: So is that technique similar at all to pin on disc type testing techniques or anything like that?
Element Materials (J): I'm not sure how it would compare. The test is pretty specific to the style. You have the advantage of having a specific surface area on a pin abrasion, being that it's only a quarter of an inch in diameter, you're very specific about how much surface is being worn away. That's the great advantage of the pin abrasion. Where some tests, for instance like the rubber wheel abrasion, you know, you're testing at a maybe a one inch wide section, but your depth and your height changes as the wear goes on. With the pin abrasion, your surface is always a quarter of an inch in diameter. It's never changing. The height of the pin keeps dissipating, but it's always got full contact with the sandpaper.
AZoM: Now what sort of applications and who … what sort of companies use this type of testing service?
Element Materials (J): A lot of companies who have a need for high wear resistance. So they have a lot of exposure to sand or silicon particles that would cause the metal to wear away over time. They need something that can have a high wear resistance. So they test their metal and they find out, or a new material and they find out that it's not holding up the way another material would, they know to make adjustments in the processes.
AZoM: So things like minerals processing, materials handling, that type of thing would be interested in that type of procedure?
Element Materials (J): Absolutely. Anybody who can make a change to their material and want to know how the change is going to affect their wear and abrasion, then they would want to test this and find out. And one way or another, the advantage of the pin abrasion is that it's very specific to the area of the sample. A quarter of an inch doesn't change across the height of the pin.
AZoM: Sounds great. Well, best of luck with that one. I hope you get lots of customers for that one.
Element Materials (J): Thank you.
AZoM: Now Tom, you deal with more polymeric type testing. What sort of areas do you specialise in and what area does Element Technimet specialise in that area?
Element Materials (T): In the areas of polymerics, its primarily either plastics or rubber materials. And we offer a wide range of services. Kind of unique within the Element family. We are the main facility to do polymeric materials. Areas such as chemical compatibility we do a lot of work in, environmental ageing studies for materials. Probably one of the biggest areas is in the area of failure analysis. There's a fair amount of information out there and available on failure analysis of metal parts. A lot less theoretical information available on failure analysis of polymer parts. So we have a wide range of techniques, some very similar to what would be used in the metal side to do both material verification of polymeric parts as well as fractography type studies, mounting, polishing, using stereomicroscopes, scanning electron microscopes to look at fractured surfaces, to determine how and why a part failed with an ultimate goal being to help a customer solve the failure problem. How do they stop it from happening again.
AZoM: So what sort of application do these type of testing procedures have? Are you getting lots of work from the automotive industry that's probably using more and more polymeric parts?
Element Materials (T): Yeah, it's very wide ranging. Automotive is certainly one of our big clients, appliance industry. A lot of consumer products in general. Just as you mentioned, there's a lot of people are switching from metal components to polymeric components. They're finding that they have to do different design, they have different design issues, different ways of designing and building parts. And there's not quite as broad an understanding of polymeric materials as there is of metal parts. So that's where a lab like us comes in to help them both in the upfront design work as well as in solving problems that might come up later in the field.
AZoM: That's good to hear you're hopefully solving the problems before they happen then.
Element Materials (T): That's our goal. I mean the closer we can tie ourselves in with our clients, the better we understand what they're trying to achieve, you know, the sooner we can help them in both design and development part of the process.
AZoM: Excellent. Alright Tom, John and Audrey, thanks very much for your time and I hope the MS&T show goes well for you.
Element Materials (A): Thanks again.
Element Materials (T): Thank you very much.


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Mavis Staples is happy to take on Napa music…
Mavis Staples is happy to take on Napa music festival
Grudgingly, Mavis Staples may need a cane at the final day of the BottleRock Music Festival in Napa
on May12.
Apparently, "another year older" and a long Australian flight left an arthritic knee aching.
No matter. As one of the chart-topping "Staples Singers" in the 1970s, Mavis will be ready.
"I"m in good shape as long as my pipes are OK," she said. "I just hope I don"t have to take the cane on stage."
She thought for a second.
"Maybe I"ll cover it with red velvet and rhinestones. It"s gotta have some style," Staples laughed.
It"s almost summer, and that means blues festival season. Which means that even at 72, the Chicago native
is active.
Cane or no cane.
Even at the White House, Staples managed to leave what she calls "my third leg" at the table as two staff members assisted her on stage to sing "The Staples Singers" big tune, "I"ll Take You There."
Staples seemed just as excited meeting Justin Bieber as President Obama.
"I like him. Nice kid," she said. "He"s so young. I asked him to let me be in his next movie. I can be
the grandma."
Not too hard for Staples to remember when she was Bieber"s age.
"I had so much fun," she said. "Everything was just exciting. You couldn"t wait to get to the next place. Ordering room service at the hotel. Running into old friends, meeting new friends."
Basically, it hasn"t changed, Staples said.
"I"m still doing that, even at my age," she said. "I"m happy to be leaving home and going to work and meeting new people."
Never, said Staples, has she ever been on the road too long.
"I"m always happy," she said. "I can stay
home too long."
Staples looks forward to the first BottleRock Festival because she knows she"ll run into old friends like Charlie Musselwhite.
"At some of these festivals, you meet people you"ve wanted to meet for a long time," she said.
Festivals tend to be shorter sets than her own concert — or a recent tour opening for Bonnie Raitt — but Staples doesn"t mind.
"Keep it short and spicy and leaving them wanting more," she said.
Staples said singing to people after a tragedy such as the Boston bombing is important.
"First, acknowledge the fact we are with you and have sent prayers for you," she said. "Then we try and sing songs that will inspire people to keep moving on, songs like "You"re Not Alone," which is very comforting. You sing songs you feel will keep them uplifted and bring them
some joy."
It was difficult for Mavis when her father, Pops Staples, died in 2000 at 86.
"You sing with your father over 50 years and, all of a sudden, there was no Pops," she said.
"I fought getting back on stage," Mavis said. "I couldn"t get up. My sister Yvonne came by one day and looked at me, "Mavis, you know Pops would have wanted you to continue singing. Your voice is a God-given gift. You"ve got to use it." She told me off good. She was exactly right. I saw Pops smiling face with gleam in his eye."
It was Pops who brought Mavis and her sisters back to Earth when "I"ll Take You There" didn"t win a Grammy after it spent months at No.1 in 1972.
"We pouted," Staples aid. "And my father told us, "Listen, I don"t want you all hanging your heads like this. That Grammy is just an award. You are singing for your reward that you"ll get some day." "
He was right, Mavis said. But it didn"t prevent her from doing cartwheels when she finally won that Grammy in 2011 for "You Are Not Alone."
"I was up against some giants," Staples said.
When host Bobby McFerrin said, "The Grammy goes to … "You"re Not Alone," Mavis Staples,"" the singer was thrilled.
"I stood up and my knees were wobbly," she said. "I got to the podium and I couldn"t talk. I couldn"t stop crying. I had stuff I wanted to say in case I would but couldn"t say any of it."
Staples said she turned around and saw herself on a
huge screen.
"Oh," she said. "They"ve been telling me I look gorgeous and I do look pretty good." "
Horoscopes Jan. 17, 2022: Zooey Deschanel, dismiss trivial matters

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Luke Combs Covers Little-Known Chris Stapleton Song for #DeepCutsChallenge
Chris Stapleton's "What Are You Listening To?" was released to radio, but very few people ever heard it. The 2013 non-hit peaked at No. 46 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart. Luke Combs was paying attention, though.
Combs picked the song as his "deep cut" when Morgan Wallen named him for the #DeepCutsChallenge, a relay of performances taking place on YouTube and social media.
"This may not technically be a deep cut but it's a song that didn't get as much credit as I think it deserved," Combs writes in the description of a video he uploaded. I
He says he used to cover the song in bars and clubs before moving to Nashville. Learn more about the song's history above, and watch the "Does to Me" singer's version below.
Watch Luke Combs Cover "What Are You Listening To?"
Tim McGraw was first to issue a challenge when he played John Schnieder's "Take the Long Way Home" on social media and targeted Brad Paisley to do a deep cut of his own. Paisley answered with a Steve Wariner song before challenging Darius Rucker. From there the #DeepCutsChallenge worked its way to Charles Kelley, Russell Dickerson, Thomas Rhett and then Wallen, who covered a Jason Aldean song.
Combs challenged Vince Gill, who went on to challenge Faith Hill, who has been rarely seen in recent years.
The social media trend is just one more way artists are filling time while forced off the road due to the coronavirus. All tours, festivals and events have been postponed or canceled since mid-March, and the ban doesn't figure to let up soon.
In addition to the social challenge, artists like Paisley and Combs have done at-home concerts on their respective Facebook and Instagram pages.
What's the Best Luke Combs Song? Here Is our Top 10 List:
Source: Luke Combs Covers Little-Known Chris Stapleton Song for #DeepCutsChallenge
Filed Under: Chris Stapleton, luke combs


Sports Then and Now | Fantography: Every Baseball Picture Tells A Story, Don't It?
Fantography: Every Baseball Picture Tells A Story, Don't It?
Strasberg's vision is to rescue these personal photographs along with the stories and memories that accompanied them from the shoe boxes, attics and scrap books of fans before they are lost, damaged or destroyed.
Strasberg added that since the advent of digital cameras most fan photographers do not print out their photographs, but either keep them on their camera or download them to their personal computers, never to be seen by the masses.
When Strasberg went to college, he took a photography class taught by noted American photographer, Arthur Leipzig, perhaps best known for his photo essays on New York life in the 1940's and 50's.
The long range goal of Fantography™ is to collect enough snapshots and stories to create a coffee table size book encompassing 500-700 photographs to preserve for eternity the professional baseball experience of the fan from their perspective.
He sees Fantography™ as a photographic version of the Chicken Soup series.
"They are the personal photos and stories, for those people, but other people truly love to hear them. This will truly be an American story, with the focus on our National Pastime" he explains.
Strasberg reiterates that photos should be taken by fans who are not professional photographers and are not game action photos.
To participate in this baseball experience go to www.fantography.net and upload your photos. Each person submitting a photo should include a caption that describes the date, people in the photo and the story behind the photo.
Strasberg shared the video creation below which captures a sampling of the many photos submitted to the Fantography site.
Bob Friend, Mickey Mantle & Roger Maris, Phil Masi, Rudy Regalado, Stan Lopata, Al Lindquist, Roy McMillian, Carl Furillo, Andy Strasberg (age 14) & Ted Williams, Gus Bell, Red Kress, Joe Medwick, Tommy Holmes, Gene Conley, Roger Maris, Frank Robinson, mmie Wallace, Bill Donavan and Warren Spahn, Mrs. Max West, Max West and Tony Cuccinello, Max West, Jim Tobin, Stew Hofferth, Bobby Thomson, Billy Bruton, Sibby Sissti, Rocky Colavito, Hank Aaron, Eddie Miller & Jim Tobin, Joe Pepitone, Gary Baker (Strasberg's best friend), Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Al Downing, Casey Stengel, Brooklyn Dodger PA Announcer, Tony Conigliaro, Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, Players walking across Comiskey Park outfield, Andy Strasberg, Jerry Casale.
Todd Civin is a freelance writer who writes for Bleacher Report, Sports, Then and Now, and Seamheads. He is also a supporter of, A Glove of Their Own, the award-winning children's story that teaches paying it forward through baseball. The Joe Niekro Foundation is the most recent non-profit organization to join the A Glove of Their Own team and will earn $3.00 from each sale of the book purchased using the donor code JNF636 Joe Niekro Foundation.
Find great deals on the best baseball bats and equipment at HomeRunMonkey.


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GIVEBACKS
Rachael Russell
Style Saves x Reformation
Reformation x Style Saves Brunch & Shopping Event.
This past Sunday, March 3rd Reformation partnered with Style Saves for an eventful day dedicated to shopping for a cause.
Our Sunday morning kicked off with a dreamy & delicious brunch at SWAN Miami. Having the opportunity to talk the latest at Style Saves and Reformation and propose a toast to this collaboration.
Reformation is one of the leading fashion brands optimizing for a sustainable solution in the industry. They stand by their mission in crating effortless silhouettes that celebrate the feminine figure.
Afterwards, we headed to Reformation's store located in MDD. We spent an afternoon styling and shopping their latest collection which entailed of distinct prints and patterns ideal for spring and summer!
20% of the proceeds went towards helping our kids at Style Saves.
Thank you Reformation, SWAN, friends & Style Saves family for all of you're support!
Style Saves x Sam Edelman
Style Saves x Sam Edelman Collaboration
On November 6th 2018 Sam Edelman joined Style Saves and Miami Magazine at the gardens in The Standard Spa, Miami Beach to host an afternoon honoring fashion and philanthropy as well as celebrating art, culture and design.
Sam Edelman revealed a sneak peak of it's Spring/Summer 2019 collection "Botanical Passion" to their guests which highlighted feminine florals and pastels.
During the event, the girls enjoyed activities such as DIY Sam Edelman denim jacket's directed by New York artist DENIMRUSH and then brunch and cocktails followed.
Art supplies such as paint, brushes and stencils were donated to Style Saves as well as a denim jacket painted by DENIMRUSH.
The next day, Sam Edelman opened the doors at their store in Aventura Mall for customers to shop their latest collection. During the night, the one of a kind denim jacket was auctioned off to one lucky shopper and 20% of the sales benefited Style Saves.
Our collaboration with Sam Edelman was a total success, it was a great Pre-Art Basel celebration. Thank you to all who took part of this partnership!
Chrome Hearts Collaboration Featuring Artist Matt Digiacomo
Style Saves' mission is to unite fashion with philanthropy, so we are very excited about our latest partnership with fashion brand Chrome Hearts. On December 6th, 2018, at the Chrome Hearts' Store in Miami's Design District during Art Basel, we released our exclusively design t-shirts by artist, Matt Digiacomo.
Founded in 1988, in Los Angeles by Richard Stark, Chrome Hearts is a California based brand of high end jewelry, accessories, eyewear, clothing and other lifestyle items. This Made in USA family business, has had collaborations which included Supermodel Bella Hadid, the Rolling Stones, Off-White, Comme des Garcons, the famous adidas Stan Smith and many others.
LA based artist Matt Digiacomo's, role in Chrome Hearts and collaboration with us is exciting as he brings his free will creativity and exactly what we thrive to achieve here at Style Saves as we aim to inspire a fresh generation of movers and shakers while we maintain philanthropy as our main focus.
100% of the proceeds from this collection will help to support students in the community.
Style Saves Back to School 2018
On August 18th and 19th, 2018, Style Saves teamed up with the community and hosted its' 8th annual Back-To-School event at Mana Wynwood Convention Center, in the heart of Wynwood, Florida. The organization served over 5,000 Florida students with brand new uniforms, outfits and school supplies for the new school year, along with fun filled days of activities.
The goal is to alleviate the pressure of going back to school as a problem many financially low-income families face. By providing these necessary items, Style Saves helps turn the start of a new school year into a fun event instead of a stressful time.
Students from over 60 organizations including Miami-Dade Public Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Voices For Children, His House,The Lodge Miami, Irie Foundation, Mentor Network, Lotus House, The Guatemalan-Maya Center, and many more, attended the event. Students were invited to shop our pop-up shop and stay for an afternoon of fun including arts & crafts, dance classes, a photo booth, face painting, and several more.
A huge thank you to our sponsors Jordache and Cayre Group LTD. Students also received haircuts from Junior & Hatter, IGK, The Barber Job Inc. along with beauty from GEE Beauty and Glamsquad and enjoyed food and beverage from Pizza Bar, The Melted Scoop, Health-Ade Kombucha, Red Bull, Bunniecakes, Amazonica, Pepsi, OTL, Spris Pizza, Pueblito Viejo, and Los Bobos Cafeteria, and sports by C2C Sports and The Miami Heat.
With over 700 volunteers from Groot Hospitality, Miansai, Miami Dade Police Department, Bank of America, Soho Beach House, Eberjey, 1Hotels, and Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart assisting to organize and produce the giveback event, Style Saves consistently makes an incredible impact on the community together.
Style Saves Swim 2018
For the 8th year in a row, philanthropy and fashion join forces at The Setai Hotel in Miami Beach.
Style Saves Swim, our annual fashion show fundraiser, took place during Miami Swim Week on Friday, July 13th. The fundraiser, which has grown to be one of the highlights of the week, expertly combines fashion and philanthropy into one unforgettable evening.
With The Setai, Miami Beach lending their support, Style Saves Swim welcomed 500 guests in attendance who enjoyed a chic atmosphere hosted by local influencer and blogger, Jenny Lopez, with music by DJ YSL, an open bar featuring Tito's Vodka, The Palm by Whispering Angel and Health-Ade Kombucha and a fun Photo Booth by SocialBox. The consistently sold-out event showcased styles from local favorite Eberjey, showing for the very first time, and Onia, along with accessories from Miansai new collection, Guadalupe Designs and Artesano.
"This year was our absolute best show yet. It couldn't have been more reflective about everything we're about. I'm so happy to say this year we'll be able to send 5,000 students back to school." said Rachael Russell, President & Founder of Style Saves.
All funds raised during Style Saves Swim go towards supporting our Back-to-School event, taking place on August 19th and 20th, offering students the opportunity to "shop" uniforms, accessories, and school supplies in a department store-style environment before heading back to school this Fall. It benefits more than 3,000 students from organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami, Miami Children's Hospital Foundation, Educate Tomorrow, Hope For Miami, Miami-Dade Public Schools, and many more.
Style Saves is a nonprofit corporation, a tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.


The increase in customer/citizen demand for faster and better quality services has increased the need and focus on digital governance. Digital transformation is a very critical aspect of digital governance; they are inter-related. Digital governance refers to effective management and control of digital assets, such as social media, cloud, analytics, wearable computing, etc. Thus, a digital business strategy is extremely important for successful and seamless corporate governance.
This Zoe training course will empower you with a complete overview of the importance of digital governance and the urgent need and criticality of a good digital business strategy for successful corporate governance. Through this course, you will not only gain an understanding about digital governance and a digital business strategy but also acquire the necessary experience, knowledge and skills to build a digital business strategy for your organisation. This in turn will provide you with prime and frequent opportunities to demonstrate your talent and capability to handle the digital business aspect of your organisation, providing you a secured and successful career progression within your organisation.
Fill out your details to find out more about Digital Business Strategy for Corporate Governance Program.


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Q: Extend the attach() method? I've trying to add an attribute to the attach() method in a belongsTo relation, but it has no affect:
// User Model
class User extends Eloquent {
  public function roles(){
    return $this->belongsToMany(`App\Role`);
  }
}

// Role Model
class Role extends Eloquent {
  public function users(){
    return $this->belongsToMany(`App\User`);
  }

  public function attach($id, array $attributes = [], $touch = true){
    $attributes['foo'] = 'bar';
    parent::attach($id, $attributes, $touch);
  }
}

When I do $user->roles()->attach($id, ['key' => 'value']); - the ['key' => 'value'] is there but it doesn't have the ['foo' => 'bar'] that I've set in the extended attach method (which I believe isn't being called).

A: First of all, you have to use the attach method only if you're working with a many-to-many relationship.
More info here: http://laravel.com/docs/5.1/eloquent-relationships#inserting-many-to-many-relationships
So, you have two different choices:

*

*you want to work on the one-to-many relationship. In this case, you'll have to extend the save() method or saveMany method. And you will have to work on the HasMany class;

*you want to work on the many-to-many relationship. In this case yes, you'll have to work on attach(), but in the BelongsToMany class;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We are a team of designers, helping you solve your Bespoke wardrobe worries. Got a fabric or looking for an end-to-end solution? We visit your home for design & measurement and fabrics swatches.
We deliver Women's Ethnic & Bridal wear, Men's Suits, Shirts, Tuxedos & Sherwanis and Corporate dresses.
Book your appointment and our designers will help design your perfect look, get ideas and inspiration from our Handbook which contains ideas for Silhouttes, Neck Styles, Sleeves and various other parts of the garment. Watch a glimpse of the handbook in the below video.
Get an experience of how the service works, we do everyday suits as well, try us out.
Thank you Get Stitched for customising my wardrobe for the wedding in a very short duration. All the dresses came out perfectly and exactly the same way I imagined.
When in doubt, Believe only on Get Stitched. A proficient boutique service organisation with best in class designers, Delivery Boys, seamless payment services and alteration services.
Thank you Get Stitched! You have a fantastic sense of customer focus and your designers are brilliant.Thank you for turning around this blouse in such a short time and exceeding all expectations when it comes to customer service.
Thank you for the lovely dress, the stitching and finish was very fine and it fits perfectly. The delivery was made in perfect time as per commitment, I love the time commitment. The service is good & value for money.
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North Queensland Toyota Cowboys head coach Paul Green has named Lachlan Coote to make his 2018 NRL season debut on Saturday evening against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at 1300SMILES Stadium.
The premiership-winning fullback missed the first three weeks of the season courtesy of a hamstring injury before making his return through the Queensland Cup with the Mackay Cutters in Round 4.
Coote's inclusion at fullback sees Ben Hampton move to the centres, with Javid Bowen dropping to the extended bench.
Green's forward pack remains unchanged with Scott Bolton retaining his starting front-row spot in the absence of the injured Jordan McLean.
Utility Te Maire Martin joins John Asiata, Corey Jensen and Ethan Lowe on the interchange bench.
Exciting playmaking prospect Jake Clifford also comes into the 21-man squad for the first time in 2018 after a strong start to the season with the Northern Pride.
Saturday's game kicks off at 5.30pm.
BULLDOGS: 1 Moses Mbye, 2 Brett Morris, 3 Josh Morris, 4 Will Hopoate, 5 Marcelo Montoya, 6 Jeremy Marshall-King, 7 Kieran Foran, 8 Aaron Woods, 9 Michael Lichaa, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Josh Jackson (c), 12 Raymond Faitala-Mariner, 13 Adam Elliott. Interchange: 14 Asipeli Fine, 15 Danny Fualalo, 16 Greg Eastwood, 17 Kerrod Holland. Reserves: 18 John Olive, 19 Rhyse Martin, 20 Renouf Toomaga, 21 Reimis Smith.


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The most expensive
Cars & More
Gadgets March 11, 2015 March 11, 2015
Apple Watch fails to impress the haute couture crowd
by Shayne Rana
The Apple Watch has finally made it to the big stage in a more formal light. The first new product to make it out under Apple CEO, Tim Cook, was destined to be the fashion statement in technology of the season… or so we thought. With its luxury variants ranging in the $17,000 price bracket, and it's more affordable (and I say that with a little sarcasm) $350 edition for those that can't afford to walk around with 18K Rose Gold watches all the time, the company failed to make a major impact on the fashionistas.
Even with supermodel Christy Turlington Burns on stage showing off the new Apple wrist gear tech, the haut couture crowd who, to be fair, are not easy to impress, were not overwhelmed by Apple's latest offering, even in its more audacious editions. There's no denying that the higher-end Apple Watch is truly a masterpiece in terms of design and form, but – is it really fashion, or just some luxury-ised technology? – was the question that needed to be answered. Apparently, the big-wigs in fashion world thought it not.
READ: 18K Gold Apple Watch could utilize 30% of world's gold production to sustain demand
With devices like the LG Watch Urbane, the Samsung Diesel Black & Gold or the Intel MICA to name a few already making headway into the fashion domain, Apple has plenty competition. It's good looks just didn't seem enough to make the fashionistas sit up and take notice, then again, it could simply be because of all the pre-launch announcements, rumors, leaks and variants that were around for so long that the industry already moved on and simply said – ho hum, what's next?
The big names like Chanel, Givenchy and Hermes seemed to think that its forte lay in the Apple Watch remaining a gadget as opposed to it being a fashion statement made for the season, some reports seemed to indicate. Others who spoke to fashion based individuals like models and salespeople all seemed to think that the fashion world was not altogether interested in the Apple Watch, but somewhat acknowledged its presence nonetheless. Some French newspapers buried the launch of the device on their finance pages without it showing up in their fashion segments. That's saying something.
READ: Gresso iPad crafted in 200-Year-Old wood and 18 ct Gold Apple Logo to celebrate 2011
The only way Apple is going to push this product into that world is by proving, once and for all, that it is not merely a smartwatch but that it also opens up a new gateway into communication and does so by delivering it to consumers in a chic, slick looking product. So yes, apps will take precedence over the device's looks and will be the driving force behind its sales.
Personally, it's a great looking device, but even the base models seem to look rather delicate, even if they feature a solid build quality and sapphire crystal glass. I think the word I would use, without an ounce of sexism, is 'dainty'. But all said and done, for Apple's core audience and geeks across the globe, the lines outside their stores may have already commenced… of this, I have no doubt. I'm sure Apple already knows, there's just no pleasing everyone. You can't win 'em all Apple.
[Via – Economic-Times]
Inspired by the delicacy caviar this diamond studded Apple Watch costs $40,000
Now control all of your B&O home entertainment equipment with the Apple Watch
Costing $1 million, this is not a rare Patek Philippe but an Apple Watch
A diamond studded Apple Watch is selling for $30,000
Only 53 stores across the globe will be privileged to sell the Gold Edition Apple Watch
18K Gold Apple Watch could utilize 30% of world's gold production to sustain demand
Hermès introduces exclusive new Apple watch bands
Could Apple be preparing a Platinum flavored Watch?
The mighty Bentley Bentayga can now be controlled with the Apple Watch
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Gil with The River and The Wind
The River - left
The River - right angle
The River - front
The River - left view
The River - detail
About The River
The River continues Gil Bruvel's Flow Series by building on the idea of water, expressed in Rain, and "ribbons of energy," expressed in Dichotomy. Here the figure is comprised of the dynamic action of water as it flows in riverbeds from an unknown source toward a terminus, which is the ocean. Thus, water represents not only energy and the inherent interconnectedness of human experience in the modern world, but also the ever-shifting movement of our lives. Like the river, we are in flux, constantly changing and "re-patterning" in response to myriad stimuli – the give and take of living, thinking, feeling and being – moment to moment and day to day. Unpredictable, powerful, but also creatively and spontaneously moving, The River expresses the dynamism of the human experience which is essentially ephemeral: an ever-changing and changeable thing of beauty.
Medium: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 24"H x 15"D x 22"W
In an edition of 35
Russell Collection Fine Art Gallery
1009 West 6th Street | Austin, TX 78703 | 512.478.4440 | Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm |
Gil Bruvel is proud to announce his association with the Russell Collection Fine Art Gallery in Austin, Texas. Russell Collection is a world-class gallery filled with museum quality art who set out to offer something different to the serious art collector in central Texas.
Russell Collection Fine Art has assembled a permanent collection that includes approximately 100 original works spanning the history of art from 1600 to the present, making it the premier visual arts gallery in central Texas. Located in the heart of one of the most unique and diverse cities in the world, the gallery uses its collection and resources to provide educational and cultural experiences for the people who live in, work in, and visit Austin. Russell Collection Fine Art offers an outstanding schedule of special exhibitions and lectures for patrons.
Gil Bruvel - Sculptures & Mixed Media
For the price of an App ($1.99) you can download this eBook about Gil Bruvel's stainless steel sculptures and mixed media, including his Flow Series, new Chess Set as well as his new Cubist Series.
Visionary Art by Gil Bruvel
World of Designers, Posted by Danny in Art
During his more than thirty-year career, Gil Bruvel has passionately followed an ever-changing, organic flow of artistic expression as it has moved through a series of mediums and forms. Each one is a reflection of the artist's aesthetic sensibility and thoughtful perspective at the time, while continuously remaining open to the inner nudges inherent in a truly creative life. And in each approach—from surrealist-inspired and fantastical imagery to three-dimensional functional and sculptural art, to the current Flow series—he has drawn on threads of creative stimulus and artistic mastery that began very early on.
As the son of a renowned cabinetmaker in southern France, Gil absorbed precision of hand and an eye for design. Studies in the fundamentals of drawing and sculpture began when he was nine. Later, apprenticeship in an art restoration workshop provided an excellent art history education with intimate, hands-on insight into techniques of the Old Masters as well as a fluency in 20th-century art. By the time the young artist set up his own studio, he was combining these and other creative sources with a finely honed eye for recurring patterns and motifs in the natural world. In 1990 he settled in the United States and now lives near Austin, Texas.
Flowing Sculptures of Gil Bruvel, By Jennifer Gori
Beautiful Bizarre
Gil Bruvel is a "Jack of all Trades" of the art world. Born in 1959 in Australia, he soon moved back to his roots in the South of France. The influences of the iconic landscapes and light of Provence soon led him to art studies, encouraged by his father who introduced him to wood craft. Gil spent years restoring French monuments, concurrently with his own art experiments. He tried his hand at bronze sculpture, mixed media and functional art, creating incredible pieces of design such as chandeliers and chess sets. Gil also mastered painting, playing with 3D effects that reminds of great names such as Dali and Bosch. His weakness for imaginary worlds can also be found in his sculptural work, clearly marked by surrealism and fantasy. Now based in Texas and exhibiting his work all over the world, Gil Bruvel has dedicated himself to pushing the boundaries of contemporary art and beauty even further.
His latest series called The Flow features intricate masterpieces. Using sinuous ribbons of cast stainless steel, he has created dynamic and graceful portraits of women and couples. His "ribbons of energy" express the fluidity of life and discuss the relationship between the physical plane, atomic constitution and metaphoric realms. Beautiful and moving, his creations induce a reflection on the ephemeral nature of our lives, their connections with others and nature.
Figurative Sculptures Made of Stainless Steel Ribbons
Texas-based sculptor Gil Bruvel manipulates ribbons of cast stainless steel to create spectacular figurative sculptures for his Flow series. Each form is energized with fluid, flowing lines of metal that appear all-at-once sturdy and fragile. Each metallic strand serves as a piece of Bruvel's captivating puzzle, all of which work in unison to depict "the natural strength and quiet majesty inherent in integrating the various levels of existence."
Bruvel's collection often features a sense of duality. In his piece titled Dichotomy, the artist presents the bust of his figure constructed in two patterns. One half of the sculpture consists of vertical lines, while the other half is composed of horizontal ribbons. Each half incorporates his signature style of fluidity, making it seem as though the malleable material is forcibly windswept, causing ripples in its shape. The artist's statement reads: "Bruvel's ribbons of energy may flow in parallel streams, yet they convey the subtle and complex human intersections of beauty and pain, inner and outer, the ephemeral and the eternal now."
Bruvel will be exhibiting a selection of his work at Chloe Gallery in San Francisco, starting June 30th
Perceiving the Flow: Human Figures Composed of Unraveling Stainless Steel Ribbons by Gil Bruvel
Colossal, By Christopher Jobson
Though cast from bands of stainless steel ribbons, these figurative sculptures by Texas-based artist Gil Bruvel seem more fluid than solid, as if the wind could simply blow them apart. The works above are all part of the artist's Flow series that he says are meant to reveal "an essential underlying fluidity that exists simultaneously within the physical, quantum, and metaphoric realms." Bruvel was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1959 and he began learning the basics of sculpting at the age of nine before embarking on an artist career that now spans nearly 40 years. If you're in San Francisco next month you can catch Bruvel's work at Chloe Gallery starting June 30th.
Flow Series - Monumental / Gil Bruvel
Imagine a moment where breath, focus, movement, and being are so exquisitely
synchronized there is no need for thought. The quintessence of true power and
incomparable beauty are held in that glimmering instant, which paradoxically contains all
the unfolding time required for each split-second decision, every perfect turn and move.
An athlete performs, a driver surges to the front of the pack, an artist creates—and the
mundane, complex world disappears. Nothing exists but the pure intensely of this
shimmering moment outside of time. Then the spell is broken: The flag goes down and
spectators resume their chatter; the artist rinses his brushes and puts them away. But
the ephemeral, unforgettable glimpse of brilliance remains. We caught its shine. We felt
its magic. We were momentarily part of its magnificent flow.
© BRUVEL INC. gilbruvel@yahoo.com


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Toronto Liberal MPs reaffirm $2.6B federal commitment for transit
The promise of billions of dollars in federal funding for Mayor John Tory's SmartTrack plan is still on the rails, 14 Toronto Liberal MPs pledged Thursday at city hall.
'We are not going pull the rug out from council,' MP Adam Vaughan said.
CBC News · Posted: Jan 07, 2016 10:29 PM ET | Last Updated: January 8, 2016
"I'd like to reiterate the word 'partnership,'" MP Adam Vaughan said Thursday, "not just between the city of Toronto and the federal government but between the federal government and cities right across this country."
The MPs showed up partly to reassure Tory about the fate of some $2.6 billion promised by the former Conservative government to help relieve Toronto's traffic congestion.
"Everyone around the table from the two levels of government gets it," Tory said.
Spadina-Fort York MP Adam Vaughan spelled out the Liberals' support for Mayor Tory's plans.
"The commitment already put in place around SmartTrack, around the Scarborough subway ... those commitments were already made," Vaughan said. "We are not going pull the rug out from council; that's happened too many times before.
"I'd like to reiterate the word 'partnership,'" the former city councillor said, "not just between the city of Toronto and the federal government but between the federal government and cities right across this country."
Vaughan said his government will work in partnership with cities on the key issues including transit, housing, social equity, immigration, in addition to others which are part of the federal government's responsibilities.
But, he added, the specific plans will be up to the cities, and Ottawa won't interfere.
Ottawa's job 'not to draw lines on maps'
Asked if the federal Liberals will specifically support Mayor Tory's SmartTrack plan or if they'll be open to the decisions city council makes, Vaughan said, "Our job in Ottawa is not to draw lines on maps."
In June, then-prime minister Stephen Harper pledged to put $2.6 billion toward SmartTrack. At the time, Tory expressed confidence the city could come up with its share.
Under Harper's plan the city would have to apply for the funding — a billion dollars per year starting in 2019 — just like other cities in Canada.
How the city will come up with its portion of the $8 billion price tag remains an open question.
Campaigning during the federal election in October, Justin Trudeau said the Liberals were "fully committed to the federal share" of SmartTrack.
"We know the federal government has been missing in action for the last decade. This government is back to have a conversation," Vaughan said Thursday.
Stephen Harper promises funding for Toronto's SmartTrack transit plan
Trudeau commits to 'federal share' of SmartTrack plan


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Tango Pasion Broadway
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BWW Reviews: DANCE/DANCE - Passion Plays Out on Two Very Different Dance Floors
by Erin Gell - Oct 25, 2010
It was George Bernard Shaw who famously defined dancing as 'the vertical expression of a horizontal desire.' And indeed everything from classical ballet to hip-hop has presented humanity's most passionate (and most tragic) yearnings more artfully than real life ever could. This week that terpsichorean ardor was displayed in two very different productions on Dublin's south side; Tango Pasión at the Grand Canal Theatre and Ballet Ireland's Romeo and Juliet at the Gaiety Theatre.
Grand Canal Theatre Presents Tango Pasion, 10/18 - 10/23
by BWW News Desk - Oct 18, 2010
Welcome to Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin. This brand new 2,111 capacity purpose built theatre was designed by world renowned architect Daniel Libeskind and is an outstanding addition to Ireland's Theatre World. The Grand Canal Theatre presents the best of National and InterNational Theatre, Musicals, Drama, Opera, Ballet, Family Shows & Classical Concerts and has the facility to accommodate world class West End and Broadway productions for the first time in Ireland.
Find Your Light Design Panel Will Be Held 10/23 in Norwalk
by Lauren Yarger - Oct 13, 2017
Dawn Chiang, Elizabeth Williamson, Tilly Grimes and Jessica Parks talk theater design Oct. 23 in Connecticut to kick of the CT Chapter of LPTW's season.
Sony Centre Presents TANGO PASION 2/18/12
by BWW News Desk - Feb 18, 2012
Twenty-one years ago, Tango Argentino revitalized tango with its triumph on Broadway, and now the same producers, with choreographer Hector Zaraspe, current faculty member of The Juilliard School, proudly present their international tango spectacle, TANGO PASIÓN, on stage for one night only Saturday, February 18, 2012 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
by BWW News Desk - Dec 13, 2011


I was recently at a dinner party of a friend's and sat next to someone I had only briefly interacted with before, but was excited to talk to.
That's until I realized she only talked about herself.
As soon as I came to this realization, I tried to engage others as soon as naturally possible. In these conversations, we shared our thoughts on shared interests and recommended books, TV shows, and films to one another.
It was then that I realized how much more engaging and informative conversations that provided value were than those in which people only talked about themselves. I had never really thought about how this concept, which I understood applied to content creation, also applied to everyday conversations.
This led me to reflect on discussions I'd had with friends and clients in the past, and how this rule of "always creating value" can and should be applied to all conversations with both prospects and clients.
Your best bet is to talk about what you know. It's highly likely you know more about something than the person (or people) you're talking to, especially when it comes to prospects just learning about your industry and/or what you offer.
Instead of talking about yourself which, in this scenario, would entail only talking about your product or service, impart your knowledge of the industry and inform the prospect.
In the content world we always talk about thought leadership and industry expertise, but content isn't the only way we can share these things with the world. In fact, we should use every conversation we have with prospects to demonstrate how knowledgeable we are in the field, further underscoring why they should partner with us. With clients, we should continue to impart our wisdom every opportunity we get, thereby reinforcing their decision to hire us was a smart one.
A friend of mine was launching a website for his small startup. He asked if I could look at the site after the launch to point out if there were any huge flaws or stuff he could improve.
I made a few recommendations and gave my reasoning behind them, explaining that he didn't want to partake in black hat SEO techniques (like keyword stuffing and buying links) and instead wanted to focus on white hat tactics, like including keywords naturally and earning backlinks.
These are the kinds of conversations you need to be having with both prospects and clients. By asserting your expertise in the field, you'll prove you know your stuff while generating and fostering trust. Ultimately, your clients deserve a knowledgeable partner, so if you don't relay your competence in the field, they might start looking for it elsewhere.


A Mexican clown holds a statuette of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, in Mexico City on December 16, 2009. Hundreds of clowns arrived at the Guadalupe Basilica as part of the clowns' annual pilgrimage to the sanctuary. By Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images.


Video Teachings to Encourage your Walk.
Our new Web page has been launched and I would ask you to keep an eye on it as I have made it more user friendly so I can bring updates, photos and testimonies of what God is doing in our various meetings.
Karen and I have been predominantly back on the road the last 20 months with a fresh zeal and excitement. It was hard to be 'Empty Nesters' as we have loved our life of travel with our kids. I had no idea how wonderful it would be to be just Karen and me. We have grown as one in our vision and purpose and love what we do and are more in love than ever with each other!
I am so glad the Gospel we preach to others has worked favorably for us. We are grandparents now two times over and Karen stayed home from this trip to Australia to be with our daughter Sharna Pedersen as she becomes mum to two.
I had the privilege of flying to Phuket, Thailand to perform the marriage of my nephew on Coconut Island. This proved to be a valuable time with many of my family and all seemed to be touched and most appreciative of the way I took the ceremony, with God being the center of my presentation and instruction. This part of my family are not church going folk and it seemed very precious to me to have them so open and appreciative.
I have started my Australian ministry trip starting in Brisbane, Queensland, then down into New South Wales to Newcastle, The Entrance and Umina Beach.
This will be about 31 meetings and then I head to see my parents in Bega where I will have about 7 days before flying back to USA. Two days at home and off to New York State to start again.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support as we keep pushing our capacity to take the Gospel to our world. Please keep and eye on our website and this Blog.
Click here for more Please look through our web site for information and teaching that will change your life and ministry.


Bridge construction projects utilise many of the core skills of civil construction and the many different bridges successfully completed by Ronayne Construction are a good illustration of our skills.
Ronayne Construction has successfully completed bridge construction projects for a variety of public and private customers using several different contractual formats. Commonly bridge construction projects completed by Ronayne Construction founded on piled foundations. Ronayne Construction has experience in a variety of piling systems including bottom driven tubes, precast concrete, steel H beams and excavated piles.


ONE can't help comparing lately the performance of Presidents Trump and Duterte. The US economy in the second quarter is doing great with its 4.1 percent growth and 3.9 percent employment rate. And some manufacturing jobs benefiting Trump's political base have been coming back.
On the other hand, Philippine economic growth projected for 2018 is relatively steady at 6.7 percent and employment rates have gone down to 5.4 percent in the second quarter. Inflation, though high, is manageable. According to Cielito Habito (PDI, September 11, 2018) these are solid numbers that should give relief.
But Trump and DU30 have been fixated by matters that distract both from what are important and could have been passed on as "feel-good" narratives, driving positive news cycles in the two countries.
Trump, besieged by the investigation into the collusion between his presidential campaign and Russia that undermined the 2016 election and his legitimacy, can't seem to extract himself from his daily tweets on the subject. And lately an op-ed article in the New York Times written by an anonymous top government official, possibly within his coterie, claiming a "resistance group" in the White House, has driven him to paranoia. His state of mind has impelled him to make careless decisions on government policies.
Meanwhile in Manila, a series of episodes has triggered a media firestorm displacing both dire and good economic news from the headlines. Senator Trillanes baited the President by calling for a Senate investigation into two of his ardent and loyal functionaries: the alleged unethical anomalous government contracts of a security company owned by Solicitor General Calida; and the alleged preferential treatment of the family of Davao billionaire Bong Go with government construction contracts. Both reek of possible corruption. The President, who puts a premium on loyalty, responded in character and took the bait.
SolGen Calida, perhaps to pre-empt the Senate investigations, dug some dirt on the senator and found evidence alleging that the senator, who was imprisoned for years for fomenting a failed coup d'état, was anomalously absolved and freed by his patron, former president PNoy. Amnesty Proclamation 75 in 2010 was defective ab initio, the SolGen claimed. It will be recalled that the same strategy was successfully used by Calida to boot out Chief Justice Sereno, on somewhat similar grounds.
Subsequently, DU30's Proclamation 572 revoking PNoy's Proclamation 75 was signed. Trillanes was to be arrested while the President was conveniently abroad, confident perhaps that the execution would be flawless without the proverbial "s**t hitting the fan." But as it turned out, indeed, it did!
The Deegong was singularly impulsive in confronting his bete noire, Trillanes, in a zero-sum game, when the prudent strategy would have been to emulate President Cory's class act against her VP Doy Laurel in 1987 — brush him off like an irritant fly. Instead, the Deegong had to indulge Trillanes who was more than happy to regain the limelight, revitalized the yellow army and newly gained adherents. In trying to reverse an amnesty on a whim, a precedent was established that could produce a chilling effect on ex-military coup plotters and rebels who came back to the fold of the law.
Both the Donald and the Deegong are faced with mid-term elections that are traditionally a referendum on their watch and could alter the power dynamics that could be noxious for both. In the US, the Democrats could capture the majority in Congress, endangering the Republicans' hold on the Senate. This could lead to the impeachment of Trump.
Ordinary citizens can't help but wonder, why President Duterte had to act impetuously. He needs to refocus on the challenges confronting the country today in a more circumspect and sensible manner. And problems are piling up. For one, it is not too late for the President to mitigate the high inflation rates with the help of Congress and the recalibration of his economic policies. We also have a dangerously depleted rice buffer to feed the population during anticipated destructive typhoons that could wipe out our palay granaries in the north, not to mention the displacement of large segments of population along the path of these recurring disasters. These are immediate problems demanding immediate solutions.
There is however one single issue to be addressed before the mid-term elections that could change the profile of the second half of his administration.
His cherished agenda to revise the 1987 Cory Constitution rests on the whims of a recalcitrant Senate to dance to his Cha-cha tune. A two-thirds vote of the Senate is needed to reconstitute Congress into a constituent assembly to revise the Constitution. This mid-term election presents an opportunity for him to alter the incoming Senate profile. The usual method which DU30 is wont to do is to put up his own candidates to do his bidding. However, those in his initial stable of candidates for the Senate, while true loyalists, are mostly dull personalities, in contrast to what the Filipino voters have been used to — traditional politicians with branded names, actors, comedians and celebrities.
He may have to rely on the experienced, winnable, second-termer senators brazenly allied with PDP Laban, his party that he allowed to fragment. But this could turn out to be a pact with the devil. These traditional politicians are not that dependable, and the President may find himself and his agenda hostage to their whims.
But applying his vaunted powers now and the billions of pork at his disposable, he may yet creatively buy his way to Charter revisions by changing drastically the profile of the incoming Senate. He may have to apply the old Marcosian formula: "…use persuasion as the default mode, buy them off, if the first approach is ineffective, add intimidation as a clencher. If all fails, terminate…." The last alternative of course is totally unacceptable in a democratic and morally driven society.
Often, the second step is enough. Under this dysfunctional unitary presidential system and traditional political practices, these people are cheap before election. And expensive after they sit in office.
Charter revisions and the shift to a federal-parliamentary system inexorably dislodged from the priority of importance by the myopic exigencies of the election cycle should now be relegated as long-term targets, awaiting the second half of DU30's term and beyond.


This book is the first of its kind that focuses on the chemistry and biology of ellagitannins, a special class of naturally occurring polyphenols which have so far not received the attention they deserve. These polyphenolic substances are found in many plants, including numerous food sources. They not only exhibit unique structural features that fascinate most chemists who are aware of their existence, but also express remarkable biological activities that have yet to attract the interest of the pharmaceutical industry. This is surprising because ellagitannins have been identified as active principles in traditional Chinese medicines.
The principal aim of this book is to set the record straight. Most, if not all, worldwide experts in each aspect of the chemistry and biology of this underestimated class of natural products have contributed to this book. It covers topics such as their structural determination and natural occurrence; the most up-to-date knowledge of their biosynthesis; the current state of the art of their total chemical synthesis; their main physicochemical properties and principal biological activities; their presence in food and beverages; and their related health effects. All together, nine chapters compose this book whose content is placed into historical perspective in a yet inspiring preface written by one of the pioneers in modern polyphenol research, Professor Edwin Haslam. This book will be useful not only to scientists involved in natural product research, but also to lecturers and their students as a source of key references and/or a textbook.


Welcome to the new site. I'm still working on it, but get cozy and explore.
Chances are, you are no stranger to Instagram.¹ When you've been diving head first down your IG rabbit hole you've no doubt stumbled upon a few flat lays in your feed. Flat what? Right…see my featured image up there? That's an example of a flat lay. Placing objects on a (mostly) flat surface and shooting a photo from directly above. It's far more impactful than most other random angles. I've been known to race through my feed at times and I will almost always stop on a beautifully styled flat lay over any other images…and I'm not the only one. How do you achieve the perfect flat lay? I'm glad you asked.
Show Off Those Styling Skills.
Choose a flat surface that isn't too distracting. Something simple. Wood grain is my personal favorite, but white is fantastic especially if the true colors of your objects/product are important to convey. Is there a background that matches your brand or service? Pavement, concrete, grass, topsoil/earth? Mostly, stay away from anything that your pieces will get lost on. Your background should either add something significant to your story or hardly be noticed at all.
It probably goes without saying, but please make sure your chosen surface is clean. Of all the things your audience can learn about you through your photos, you probably don't want one of those things to be that you haven't dusted in recent months. It's kind of like when someone sends you the obligatory bathroom selfie and all you can focus on is how disgusting their mirror is. An absolute exception would be sprinkled ingredients that lend themselves to the story you are trying to tell (i.e., potting soil, flour, spices, pencil shavings).
Be thoughtful in how you lay things out. Is your brand and your message best conveyed in perfectly aligned pieces and perpendicular lines or things strewn about more haphazardly? Regardless of which layout is more your jam, still pay attention to harmony, balance, scale…all those words that make geeks like me a touch swoony (and don't worry, I'll explain more on that in a sec).
Pick a couple items that are the main focus (anchors) of your image, but then show a little additional depth and personality with accessories. Why? It creates more interest and opportunity for engagement. If you take a photo of your latest project, but strategically place extras in the shot that give the viewer more insight into you or your photo, they are more likely to reach out in your comments. We are all voyeurs wanting a peek into your world. Give your viewers little nuggets to explore in your photos. It can be supplies you used in the main piece or completely random (and, hello, don't overlook this opportunity for product placement hashtags). Let your style shine through. Be a storyteller.
Harmony, Balance, and Scale…Oh My!
Even when your collected goods aren't all matchy matchy in subject, they can be in other ways. One big way to bring harmony back to your shot is color. Pick 2-3 unifying colors or even different shades of the same color for a monochromatic vibe. Pastels? Earth tones? 50 shades of grey? Go crazy.
Mmmm…balance. Avoid placing the most similar items together. Don't put all the red on the left, big items on the top, square bits on the right.² When you do, it makes things seem more heavily weighted in one direction and makes your viewer's attention likely go exactly where you don't want it. Spread things out more evenly.
Create interest by varying the sizes of your featured objects. The bigger the difference in scale, the more attention grabbing and appealing.
And while we're at it, let's add contrast to the mix. Play with variety in those accessories. Try mixing the old with the new and place a vintage typewriter and an iPad in the same shot to spark those nostalgia feels. Play with different textures. Hard, soft, rough, smooth, glass, stone. Add in a plant to shake up all those inanimate objects.
I mean in relation to your photos, obviously. If you can't quite get all you want into the shot, use a small step stool and get a little height in there. This definitely beats raising your camera or phone above your head and hoping that you've gotten the shot you wanted.
Now, go wow those followers with some epic flat lay.
¹ Because living under rocks is so 2016.
² Unless off-balance is exactly what you like in a viewer. In that case, do all those things.
³ Which also means stop. using. flash.
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