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Horned Almighty
Unorthodox bass-work and humanoid eradication – Guitar player Hellpig and vocalist S of Danish veterans Horned Almighty discuss the musical and conceptual essence of their new album, To Fathom the Master's Grand Design.
To Fathom The Master's Grand Design by Horned Almighty
– We spent about four and a half years writing for this album, says Hellpig. Something that became apparent at an early stage was the need to mix things up this time around, to keep it interesting for ourselves. This was extremely liberating but also difficult, as we had a rather conservative preconception of what this band is supposed to sound like. So, we expanded the narrow confines of our soundscape and tried out things we'd never done before; the result is longer pieces with more complex and non-traditional arrangements, as well as an influx of sounds we wouldn't have touched with a ten-foot pole a decade ago. Another thing we've been messing around with, most noticeable in the song "Swallowed by the Earth", is using the same ostinato – a recurring melodic phrase – for various purposes, performed on different instruments and with contrasting themes on top or underneath which adds a lot of flavour to the dynamic.
Hellpig mentions that after surveying the first batch of reviews for "To Fathom the Master's Grand Design", it's become apparent that what feels like a significant leap in style progression to the band is more akin to baby steps in the ears of the younger generation.
– Look, our style is so firmly rooted in 'old' metal that no matter how much we try to evolve, we're always gonna come across like a mixture of late-80s to mid-90s black and death metal; and we're perfectly fine with this. At the end of the day, it all comes down to great and memorable riffs, vocal lines, and drum patterns – and, as I personally see it, we have all that. The recording process was approached with our usual modus operandi of 'let's get this over with'; the actual tracking was done in a total of twenty hours, I think. The first day was spent setting up and then recording all drums and bass lines, and on day two we recorded guitars and then vocals in two separate four-hour sessions. No click tracks, no triggers, no amp-sims – just loud drums, loud amps, and full takes – engineered, mixed, and mastered by our long-time friend and former guitarist, Quentin Nicollet. Quentin has engineered all our albums since the 2006 "The Devil's Music", but this was his debut of also mixing and mastering for us and the result is outstanding. This is how we've always strived to do things, making our records sound like live-albums, and it really makes for an end result that's very honest, spontaneous, and, in our case, violent and full of urgency. Is it flawless? Hell no. Is it phrenetic? You bet.
I noticed that the promo sheet mentions HORNED ALMIGHTY as 'extreme metal', which set off immediate alarm bells. I was under the impression that they were a black metal band with influences from other genres. As everyone knows, veteran bands changing their genre affiliation is often a strong warning sign that something is amiss – much like the dreaded logo change.
– Ah, yes, the logo change; IMMORTAL springs to mind as a prime example of this. As for the genre definition in the promo sheet… I suppose the label came up with that, because we sure as hell didn't. We always considered our music deeply rooted in black metal, or proto-black metal, both in terms of musical output and visual aesthetic but with a lot of other elements thrown in for good measure. We've been at this for so long by now – almost two decades as HORNED ALMIGHTY, and before that five years with S and my previous band, MARERIDT – so it would be strange if the flavour of the music we write hadn't changed over the course of time. However, I think we've stayed pretty true to what this band was all about since the very beginning. In my opinion, changing things around too much under the same moniker rarely works; people have a certain set of expectations when they pick up an album with MARDUK, AC/DC, or perhaps even HORNED ALMIGHTY, but throwing the occasional curveball or two keeps things interesting for both musician and listener.
Further inspecting said promo sheet, the 'For fans of CELTIC FROST, MOTÖRHEAD, MAYHEM, AUTOPSY" guidelines were actually rather apt. The drums have a punkish feel and much of the bass sounds like a blend between Lemmy and old-school death metal. Also, that bass-work towards the end of "Punishment Divine" is pretty neat.
– Those references are to a large extent a summary of the things we hear in our own music, meant to give the prospective listener an idea about what kind of barrage they're getting themselves into. The bass has always been prominent in our sound, delivering this tractor-like low-end growl, highly inspired by MOTÖRHEAD but also the clunky bass found on the likes of "Severed Survival" by AUTOPSY, "Black Shining Leather" by CARPATHIAN FOREST, and even the unorthodox bass playing on old NECROMANTIA. However, the role of this instrument in our music changed around 2009 when we found ourselves without a bass player for a while. We were determined to continue as a four-piece, so I switched to bass for several years. On the early albums, harmonies and layers were primarily done using dual guitars – a lot of that wasn't possible anymore so we transferred quite a few guitar riffs to the bass. This way, we were able to pull the old songs off live while still retaining the harmonic layers. This approach also influenced the song-writing on the next album, "Necro Spirituals" (2010) quite a bit. Listen closely and you'll note how the guitar and bass are doing very different things a lot of the time – resulting in a way denser soundscape compared to if everything was just in unison. Consequently, for the last decade or so, we've shared the lead parts between bass and guitar, and the part you reference is a good example of the bass taking the lead. We use the tools at hand and make the most of them.
To aid my preparations for this conversation, Hellpig sent me a number of past HORNED ALMIGHTY interviews – one of them stemming from a 2010 issue of Norwegian black metal magazine Nordic Vision. I actually had not the slightest clue the publication survived that long; I loved those mid-90s issues but stopped buying it around the time they began featuring metal models.
– Nordic Vision was on hiatus from somewhere around 2000ish, but then resurfaced in 2009 and released another four or five issues. Nordic Vision was one of the few magazines I picked up on a regular basis in the mid-to-late 90s, before the internet really caught on. They featured a lot of the bands I was personally interested in at the time, and the editor was just ruthless – slaughtering eighty percent of all demos and albums in his reviews. So, it was with some trepidation we sent them the MARERIDT demo in late 1996… and, sure enough, we got the full Nordic Vision treatment, being completely run over by the editor. That was somewhat expected but not everyone had the backbone to accept his harsh reviews and sarcastic tone, leading to several funny confrontations between the editor and a few different bands; a certain unnamed Israeli act comes to mind. Anyway, when Nordic Vision got in touch between the release of our 2009 album, "Contaminating the Divine", and "Necro Spirituals", it was a really nice blast from the past and they actually showed genuine interest in the band and our music.
What do you think of the current state of affairs in underground media?
– I think laziness is the keyword here, unfortunately. More often than not, the standard interview – especially with webzines – consists of a template of ten to twelve generic questions in random order which don't seem to address any band in particular. When the interviewer is lazy, the interviewee also gets lazy and the end result is just horrible, boring crap. If the 'journalist' doesn't give a shit, then why should I? The same goes for reviews… if you're not willing to put in the effort and really delve into the album you're supposed to review, and at least try to formulate a cohesive block of text, how the hell can you expect anyone to spend even a minute of their time reading your randomised rambling? Fortunately, there are exceptions to the rule in both cases. But most of the printed magazines that were worth anything are long gone anyway: Nordic Vision, Terrorizer, Slayer Mag, Iron Fist, and so on. Zero Tolerance seems to be one of the only ones still alive and kicking.
– Social media has increased the amount of available news platforms, adds vocalist S, which means that practically anyone can be a reporter or reviewer nowadays. This is, by definition, true underground press but it also incites wannabee-journalists to inflict upon the world their lack of both experience and capabilities – not unlike all these 'Instagram models'. When diving into an interview, it doesn't take long to see whether there's an actual interest in your art and how you wish to portray it. Most often we receive the standardised versions, which includes questions answered a million times before. But it's a part of the game and we accept these terms, since it lies in our own interest as well.
I read in another interview that the new material was written over a period of several years, 'sometimes to the point of existential doubt' – is that to say you were ever at the point of giving up?
– No, says Hellpig, I never considered quitting, but the process just dragged on for so long that we wondered if we were ever going to be able to finish it. Ultimately, what helped was actually setting a deadline and picking a date for when to start recording. The last song to be completed, "Violent Cosmology", ended up the album opener; I finished the demo for that one at 4:30 in the morning on the day of our last rehearsal, four days prior to entering the studio. Pressure obviously has its advantages, 'cause that track came out angry as hell. With the exception of two songs, for the past eighteen years we've always created and arranged our music as a unit in the rehearsal room. But once life catches up with you and you face the responsibilities of grown-up life, with all that this entails, it becomes increasingly difficult to meet up as often as when you were twenty or even thirty. So, that naturally prolonged the actual writing process quite a bit but, in the end, through perseverance and good old stubbornness, we prevailed.
– One of our primary strengths is that we have no obligations besides those to each other, adds S. Three of us have been a part of the cult since its conception nearly twenty years ago and there's more than just music between us. Although frustrating at times, it was the acceptance of reality which essentially cleared us through the obstacles. A lot of things happened in our personal lives during the course of the last five years – much of which required full attention – but, unfortunately, not at the same time, resulting in many breaks during the writing of the album. We'd begin working on an idea but then, suddenly, several months had passed before we could continue; and, by then, the essential inspiration had been lost. A lot of material was discarded over the years. The process of finishing the songs was excruciating and it took a long time before we could actually envision the album in its entirety. The feeling of just simply quitting occurred more than once for my part, but this would've been a huge personal mistake since I'd already spent a lot of time researching the album concept. Discarding this was simply not an option.
The theme of "To Fathom the Master's Grand Design" is the annihilation of the human race, documented throughout various historical cataclysmic events which brought about the death of millions.
– Through the violent and unrelenting powers of nature, or the mere will of man himself, history has repeatedly shown that evil exists on many levels and manifests through many, seemingly unrelated, occurrences The thesis is to prove through historical documentation the existence of a higher force pursuing the death of man, and to offer insight to such tremendous events of cruelty and demise. This grand design is the unavoidable fate of mankind and consolidates deities, nature, and death itself into one multifaceted Master – one who's been given many names throughout the existence of man, as all ancient religions had one or several death deities. Adapted to a larger objective, it's all combined into that very goal. From the single personal human decision to commit murder to the vast magnitudes of an earthquake, both events are cruel and evil in human terms; hard to grasp and comprehend. The grand design is inevitable for all of us, no matter which codes or beliefs you follow.
What initially set off the chain of thought which landed S in the album's thematic content was reading about the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora on an island outside Indonesia. After about a week of rumbling, April 10 saw the volcano vomit forth three fiery columns into the sky and heaving vast amounts of dust, rocks, and gas into the atmosphere. Fire-spawned winds levelled forests to the ground and pyroclastic flows – clouds of volcanic matter and hot gas – came rushing down the mountain at almost two hundred kilometres per hour, instantly vaporising somewhere in the range of 10,000 islanders. However, this is nothing compared to what followed in its wake.
– The eruption resulted in worldwide weather disasters due to contents shot into the atmosphere. Ash-clouds circled the planet and sabotaged the global climate system, leading to a series of catastrophic events. Famine, floods and drought caused millions to succumb. It inspired me to delve deeper into the matter of natural disasters, both as single events but also in general. The death tolls were spectacular – not only in the past but also to this present day. Just the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami claimed the lives of an estimated 228,000 people and the Haiti earthquake in 2010 about 230.000. Not quite in the same range of casualties as Tambora, but the scale is still as massive as it is incomprehensible. Each such event also changes the livelihoods for thousands of people, resulting in additional casualties on a long-term basis. Right now, as this conversation takes place, the Taal volcano in the Philippines is spewing ash and warns of an explosive eruption, followed by the possibility of tsunamis. Close to a million people are being evacuated. The violent forces of nature are constant, and I can only imagine they will be increasing with the escalating climate changes. After reading about the eruption of Tambora and the vast effects which followed, the theory of similar intertwined events emerged. Not unlike chaos theory, where seemingly separate and independent incidents are connected.
Mount Tambora is explored in "Apocalyptic Wrath", what other events did you write about?
– The first major event that came to mind was the Black Death, which lasted from 1346 to 1353 and resulted in deaths estimated up to two-hundred million, about sixty percent of Europe's population. At the time, such a vast pandemic must've seemed like judgement day and has since become an important part of especially European history. This became the foundation for "The Great Death", which describes the plague spreading from its epicentre in the Gobi Desert to the rest of the world. Along with the change of many social structures after the plague, an interesting fact is that the event also birthed some of the earliest known incarnations of biological warfare.
This might actually be how the bubonic plague first ended up in mainland Europe. In 1347, the Mongol army had besieged Kaffa, a city in contemporary Crimea, and begun catapulting expired plague victims over the walls. Not only did they spread the Black Death amongst the city's residents, Genoese traders fleeing the town by sea brought it along with them to Sicily. Two years later, it had travelled all the way across the continent and reached Scandinavia.
– In its aftermath, the clergy explained the pandemic as the wrath of God. Consequently, all sins capable of inciting divine anger were to be rooted out; homosexuals, prostitutes, and people of other beliefs than Christianity became scapegoats and were persecuted and killed. Especially the Jewish communities were targeted, and a series of pogroms and massacres followed. Whilst not intentionally part of the concept, these historical mass-persecutions inspired "Punishment Divine". Not all inspiration came from single events though, for example, the struggle between men is an unavoidable factor in the history of humanity. Unable to settle for a single event, "Antagonism Eternal" is a general description of war and the carnage that follows. Natural disasters return as a theme in "Swallowed by the Earth", which explores the mass-scale destruction of earthquakes whereas "Devouring Armageddon" describes the immense and ravaging tsunamis. Nature often proves to be mankind's worst enemy…
It's interesting to ponder that no matter how scientifically advanced, powerful, and militarily capable an empire grows, nature can easily administer a full civilisational reset by the smallest shrug. Consider a comparably small solar flare like the 1859 Carrington Event – which was powerful enough to super-charge telegraph machines, shooting sparks which lit houses on fire and electrocuted operators unfortunate enough to be using them – imagine something like that in a contemporary society, where electricity is literally built into our infrastructure.
– It is indeed ironic how frail and fragile humanity has become with the progress of technology. Some of the most ancient drawings of man depict hunters charging large beasts with spears – contemporary art would instead see man wielding an iPhone, battling strangers on social media. We depend on modern technology to a point of false security, which leaves us content and ignorant. Natural disasters like those witnessed in the past still bring chaos and destruction to this day, despite technological advancements. For example, Atlantic hurricanes and large-scale forest fires appear to increase in numbers and create more damage than ever, due to the ever-growing expansion of mankind. Although modern medicine has long invented cures for diseases which caused worldwide pandemics in the past, novel multi-resistant bacteria develops every day. A new disease, called the corona virus, is spreading from China as we speak. Believed by WHO to be from the same viral string as SARS and MERS, casualties have already occurred. There is a fundamental and consistent will within the powers of nature to destroy man and there are no definitive solutions in the long run, because death is inevitable for all. With a population now nearing eight billion, there are many chapters yet to be written…


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Low-Fat vs Full-Fat Dairy
Which is better for health and body composition?
Are low-fat dairy products healthier? In the case of low-fat products, the fat must be separated from proteins and sugar during preparation and therefore, low-fat dairy is more processed than whole milk. Based on that some might assume that lof-fat dairy is worse for health than whole, full-fat dairy.
Recently, the benefits of low-fat products for health and body composition have been demonstrated in tightly controlled studies.
Why have low-fat products been recommended so far?
1. They contain fewer calories
2. Low-fat dairy is nutritionally denser fat does not contain many nutrients
3. Lower fat means lower intake of saturated fat
However, the evidence was not strong for any of these claims, mostly based on observational studies. For example, one of the problems in studies comparing populations was that they did not examine the intake of low-fat and full-fat products separately. It can easily happen that people who consume the most dairy products consume the most full-fat and low-fat dairy products at the same time.
To date, most studies of dairy products have shown their health benefits, especially yogurts and fermented products. (Thorning, T. et. Al., 2017)
However, there have been several high-quality controlled studies comparing the intake of low-fat and full-fat dairy products and their effect on health and body composition.
Effect of dairy on glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profile
Studies by Kelsey A. Schmidt give us a better insight into the issue.
In these controlled studies, they used 3.3 servings (One serving equals the amount of a 1-cup serving of milk.) of dairy products per day, which based on their research would reflect the common preference of people.
72 people completed the studies. They ate ad-libidum (however much food they wanted) with the only condition being to consume the required amount of dairy products that was assigned to them.
Before the diet protocol, they completed 4 weeks with a limited intake of dairy products to skimmed milk at a maximum of three portions per week.
Subsequently, they follow their assigned diet for 12 weeks. One group was assigned a limited intake of dairy products, the second group was assigned to eat only low-fat products, and the third group was assigned to eat only full-fat dairy products.
Limited Dairy Intake Group
Low-Fat Dairy Group
Full-Fat Dairy Group
Glucose tolerance
no change no change no change
no change low negative impact low negative impact
Lipid profile (HDL,LDL,..)
Groups two and three consumed 3.3 portions of low-fat or full-fat dairy products a day. One serving equals the amount of a 1-cup serving of milk.
Based on teh studies of Schmidt et. al. 2021; Schmidt et. al 2020,
Higher milk consumption was associated with a 10% higher risk of total cancer mortality in women, but higher fermented milk intake was associated with a 15% lower risk. Also, an increase in consumption of whole-fat milk, but not low-fat milk, was associated with an increased risk of total cancer mortality. [5]
Included studies, however, did not account for total energy intake and physical activity levels!
Effects of dairy on body composition
no change 166+167kcal higher intake 384+175kcal higher intake
Based on the studies of Schmidt et. al. 2021; Schmidt et. al 2020, Trichia et. al 2019
According to the study by Trichia et.al. 2019, in which they evaluated a sample of 12,065 people, found that the daily intake of one serving of milk was associated with 0.33 kg higher lean body weight (fat-free weight).
When we combine these observational studies with controlled more accurate studies, we can see that the consumption of dairy products, especially low-fat ones, has a positive effect on body composition.
Nonfat Greek Yogurt
Full-Fat Milk
Heavy Whipping Cream
Chedar Cheese
Energy (kcal)
Protein (g)
10 3.4 3.2 2.8 22.9
Fat (g)
0.1 1 3.1 36.1 33.3
Nutrition per 100g
Dairy products have a positive association with health and body composition., especially fermented dairy products.
Low-fat dairy products are proving to be a better choice for weight-loss and muscle mass than high-fat products.
Slightly reduced insulin sensitivity and blood glucose tolerance cannot yet be associated with adverse health effects. This is a common short-term fluctuation.
There is an association between an increase in consumption of whole-fat milk and total cancer mortality.
Kelsey A Schmidt, Gail Cromer, Maggie S Burhans, Jessica N Kuzma, Derek K Hagman, Imashi Fernando, Merideth Murray, Kristina M Utzschneider, Sarah Holte, Jana Kraft, Mario Kratz, The impact of diets rich in low-fat or full-fat dairy on glucose tolerance and its determinants: a randomized controlled trial, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 113, Issue 3, March 2021, Pages 534–547, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa301
Schmidt KA, Cromer G, Burhans MS, Kuzma JN, Hagman DK, Fernando I, Murray M, Utzschneider KM, Holte S, Kraft J, Kratz M. Impact of low-fat and full-fat dairy foods on fasting lipid profile and blood pressure: exploratory endpoints of a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Sep 1;114(3):882-892. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab131. PMID: 34258627; PMCID: PMC8408839.
Trichia, E., Imamura, F., Brage, S., De Lucia Rolfe, E., Griffin, S., Wareham, N., & Forouhi, N. (2019). Associations of types of dairy consumption with adiposity: Cross-sectional findings from over 12 000 adults in the Fenland Study, UK. British Journal of Nutrition, 122(8), 928-935. doi:10.1017/S0007114519001776
Tanja Kongerslev Thorning, Hanne Christine Bertram, Jean-Philippe Bonjour, Lisette de Groot, Didier Dupont, Emma Feeney, Richard Ipsen, Jean Michel Lecerf, Alan Mackie, Michelle C McKinley, Marie-Caroline Michalski, Didier Rémond, Ulf Risérus, Sabita S Soedamah-Muthu, Tine Tholstrup, Connie Weaver, Arne Astrup, Ian Givens, Whole dairy matrix or single nutrients in assessment of health effects: current evidence and knowledge gaps, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 105, Issue 5, May 2017, Pages 1033–1045, https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.151548
Ferlay J, Ervik M, Lam F, Colombet M, Mery L, Piñeros M, Znaor A, Soerjomataram I, Bray F (2020). Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer. Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/today, accessed [09 January 2022].

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In the past, Syria had one of the most storied Christian communities in the world. St. Paul was even baptized there. Today, Christians suffer from the Syrian civil war like everyone else, but they are also persecuted simply for their baptism.
Syria once had the third highest rate of Christianity in the Middle East; about 10 percent of its population identified as Christian. Now, the community lives in permanent exile.
The documentary "Syria's Christians Exodus" tells the story of how this happened.
The documentary features interviews with patriarchs and bishops of the Christian Churches in Syria. It also includes testimony from everyday Christians who have been forced to leave—along with those who have stayed.
The humanitarian crisis in Syria is considered one of the worst in decades. Millions of people have fled their homes and more than 210,000 have died. This documentary helps keep the catastrophe from being forgotten.


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Posted in | News | Composites
Wear and Corrosion of Mg/Eggshell Composites
Many industries increasingly require materials that possess high specific strength and low density. To this end, various advanced materials have been explored and developed by researchers in recent years, with magnesium/eggshell composites proving particularly attractive.
A study published in the journal Materials Chemistry and Physics has investigated the influence of eggshells on low-density composite Mg materials during production.
Study: The influence of low-cost eggshell on the wear and electrochemical corrosion behaviour of novel pure Mg matrix composites. Image Credit: Ausra Barysiene/Shutterstock.com
The Need for Low-Density Materials
Human activity is producing increasing levels of carbon emissions and environmental pollution. For this reason, the need for low-density materials in the industry has gained prominence in recent years for their energy and resource-saving advantages.
The automotive and aerospace industries make significant use of magnesium alloys due to the material's high specific strength and superior damping capacity. Whilst these properties make magnesium alloys useful for a variety of industrial applications, they are limited by other factors such as low wear resistance and mechanical strength. To this end, magnesium alloys are reinforced with elements such as SiC, TiC, and Al2O3.
Reinforcement elements improve the composite Mg alloy's wear and mechanical properties, but there is still a challenge with their use. Currently used reinforcement elements significantly increase the cost of products that use these composite alloys. For this reason, attention has shifted to low-cost, sustainable waste material alternatives.
Exploring Low-Cost, Sustainable Waste Materials for Mg Alloy Composite Reinforcement
Research Focuses on Mg as Source of Secondary Batteries
Titanium - Corrosion by Water
Specifications for InnerArmor Wear Resistant Coatings
Some waste-derived alternatives that have been investigated as composite components include fly ash, CRT glass, fly ash cenosphere, red mud, and eggshell. There have been numerous studies in recent years on waste-derived composite Mg alloys that show some interesting results.
A study authored by Nguyenm et al. presented the fabrication of magnesium/fly ash cenosphere composites of differing fly ash cenosphere content. The composite material demonstrated improved compressive yield strength and micro-hardness. The team used a disintegrated melt deposition technique to manufacture the composite. CRT glass composite Mg alloys manufactured by Gopal et al. via powder metallurgy methods improved the magnesium matrix's wear resistance and hardness.
Food-Derived Paint: The Sustainable Future of Color?
In 2020, Anandajothi et al. fabricated composite materials reported an Az91 (the most popular commercial-grade magnesium alloy) hybrid material using hydroxyapatite obtained from eggshell waste and SiO3 obtained from rice husk ash. The hybrid composite Mg alloy was manufactured with powder metallurgy.
Eggshell Waste as a Composite Material
Amongst waste-derived composite materials, eggshell is one of the most attractive targets. This waste material has a low density, contains elevated levels of Ca2O3, is readily available, sustainable, and cheap. Currently, there is limited literature on its use as an Mg alloy composite material.
Amongst the literature, it has been reported that eggshell additives increase the mechanical properties, damping properties, thermal stability, and microhardness of Mg alloys. Studies have also demonstrated enhanced corrosion performance of eggshell composites over Mg/Zn composites.
However, there is a lack of information on how eggshell composites affect the pure magnesium corrosion and wear properties. For this reason, there needs to be increased focus on pure Mg/eggshell composites.
Investigating Pure Mg/Eggshell Composites
The aim of the research paper in Materials Chemistry and Physics is to investigate pure magnesium/eggshell composite materials and their enhanced properties. Powder metallurgy techniques were used to manufacture the materials. The composite material's electrochemical corrosion behavior, density, microstructure, wear, and hardness were investigated thoroughly. The surfaces of the materials were examined using scanning electron microscopy.
Results of the study demonstrated that eggshell composites significantly improved the mechanical properties of pure magnesium alloys. Different samples were prepared, with the Mg/10ES composite's resistance to wear being the best out of all samples.
The pure magnesium's wear rate decreased from 0.034 mm3/m to 0.014 mm3/m. Additionally, at high loads, the wear mechanism was delamination, compared to low loads where abrasion was the wear mechanism.
However, due to micro-galvanic corrosion, the corrosion performance of the pure magnesium was negatively affected when eggshell particles were added to them. It was observed in the study that one reason corrosion performance was impaired was the presence of Cl- ions that infiltrated through cracks in the corrosive layer, accelerating the process.
The results of the research provide a deeper understanding of the manufacturability of low-cost Mg/eggshell composites. The eggshell component reinforces the pure magnesium in the material, and the enhanced wear resistance properties of the material facilitate its potential for use in applications where this is desirable.
Eggshell waste is a readily available, low-cost, and sustainable material that imbues magnesium alloys with superior properties such as enhanced wear resistance. By providing significant knowledge and understanding of pure magnesium/eggshell reinforced composites, the authors behind the study have paved the way for future research in this field.
Demirdal, S & Aydin, F (2021) The influence of low-cost eggshell on the wear and electrochemical corrosion behaviour of novel pure Mg matrix composites [online] Materials Chemistry and Physis 277 | sciencedirect.com. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0254058421013031
Davey, Reginald. (2021, December 12). Wear and Corrosion of Mg/Eggshell Composites. AZoM. Retrieved on January 20, 2022 from https://www.azom.com/news.aspx?newsID=57650.
Davey, Reginald. "Wear and Corrosion of Mg/Eggshell Composites". AZoM. 20 January 2022. <https://www.azom.com/news.aspx?newsID=57650>.
Davey, Reginald. "Wear and Corrosion of Mg/Eggshell Composites". AZoM. https://www.azom.com/news.aspx?newsID=57650. (accessed January 20, 2022).
Davey, Reginald. 2021. Wear and Corrosion of Mg/Eggshell Composites. AZoM, viewed 20 January 2022, https://www.azom.com/news.aspx?newsID=57650.


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Q: What does "it was all publicity" mean in this context?
"He was pleased," said Fred.
"Didn't you hear him as we were leaving?
He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to
  work the fight into his report — said it was all publicity."

I'm not sure what the word publicity truly mean in this context. I got a list(see below) from the dictionary, but I don't know which one is fit for the context.
What does the whole sentence (it was all publicity) convey?

publicity (pʌˈblɪsɪtɪ)  n

*

*(Marketing)
a. the technique or process of attracting public attention to
  people, products, etc, as by the use of the mass media
b. (as modifier): a publicity agent.

*(Marketing) public interest resulting from information supplied by such a technique or process

*(Marketing) information used to draw public attention to people, products, etc

*the state of being public

A: To say that something "was all publicity" usually means that the thing was done solely with the intention of obtaining publicity, that it was only an attempt to get into the public eye.
P.S. There's a saying that describes how it is for those whose success depends on their always being before the public eye:  There's no such thing as bad publicity.  For example, a "reality TV" mogul might make no distinction between fame and infamy; where there's notoriety, there's propriety.

A: We need more context when you ask these questions about Harry Potter. It seems to me that apparently there was some fight. One might expect a fight to carry some negative consequences for whatever institution this happened at. However, apparently "he" wasn't concerned about that at all; he thinks that the fight will simply be good publicity and nothing else.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The April Volunteers of the Month are James and Sarah Shaneyfelt. They both have been attending Farmington Heights for six years (and were married nearly three years ago). The Shaneyfelts currently serve in a variety of ways throughout Farmington Heights Church on a weekly basis. On Sunday mornings, they serve on a rotation for two different teams: as Greeters and Nursery workers. On Wednesday nights, they can be found at Surge serving as Pod leaders (small group leaders) for high school students. James and Sarah enjoy hiking, bike riding, playing various musical instruments, and building things for their house.
Farmington Heights is extremely blessed to have such quality individuals like James and Sarah to serve on our leadership teams and serve God through serving people.


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The Undiscovered Home of the Samurai, Aichi Prefecture Tour
Aichi Prefecture is the home of the samurai! Samurai hailing from Aichi Prefecture made some of the biggest, most important contributions to Japanese history, time and again, starting from the Three National Unifiers, the warlords Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, right down to the low-ranking ashigaru foot-soldiers who filled their needs. In fact, 70% of the early Edo period (1603-1868) ruling daimyo warlords nationwide were originally from Aichi and the surrounding areas.
So, why did Aichi's samurai become so successful?
Well, much of the centrally located Aichi is comprised of the Nobi Plains, a large tract of flat land ideal for growing rice. In those times, money didn't grow on trees, it grew in rice paddies! The area was serviced by large rivers, a water source perfect for irrigating rice crops as well as for the transportation of trade goods and services. Aichi has many mountains, another good source for food and resources, such as timber and the rich clays that were dug for the area's traditional ceramics industry. Aichi Prefecture has the sea to its south, again a rich source of foods and salt, as well as a major transportation route for trade. For these reasons, Aichi was a strategically important location, greatly desired by many other powerful warlords, and so it became the contested center of the Sengoku, or Warring States period. Toughened by the continuous fighting, Aichi's innovative samurai expanded as they succeeded, spreading out across the country, forging the strong, resilient Japan we know to this day.
Here are a few ideas to help you see, feel and experience Aichi's unique samurai culture and history in a two-day, one-night tour.
The Samurai Symbol of Authority
Start at Nagoya Castle, built in 1609 by the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) on top of the ruins of the former Oda clan castle of the same name. Nagoya Castle boasts Japan's biggest keep and features 2-meter-high pure gold iconic shachihoko tiger-fish statues on top! The castle's palace is regarded as the most magnificent, and the castle's entire layout is considered one of the finest defensive designs.
The first Japanese castle to be designated a National Treasure, Nagoya Castle and its palace were reduced to ashes by firebombing air raids three months before the end of WWII. The huge keep was hurriedly reconstructed in concrete in 1959, while the Honmaru Goten Palace re-opened in June of 2018 having undergone a completely authentic rebuild.
The keep was closed in mid 2018 with plans to authentically reconstruct it in the traditional manner. While the keep is closed, three of the remaining original condition yagura watchtowers are being opened to the public on a rotational basis. Incidentally, Nagoya Castle's corner turret watchtowers are among the biggest of all turrets in Japan. The keep is so big, these extra-large turrets look small in comparison. In fact, Nagoya Castle's turrets are actually bigger than the keeps of many other castles across Japan! If the chance arises, definitely see the northwestern turret, also known as the Kiyosu Turret, from when the timbers of nearby Kiyosu Castle's keep were recycled over 400 years ago to become this huge three-story watchtower.
The current main focus of attention is Nagoya's magnificent Honmaru Goten Palace, recently authentically restored to its original condition using traditional craftsmen, tools and materials. Considered the masterpiece of samurai castle architecture, it features 13 structures housing over 30 rooms and covers an area of 3,100 meters squared. All of it is exceedingly gorgeous, richly decorated with gold-covered walls and sliding doors displaying traditional artworks of intimidating tigers and leopards, relaxing scenes of nature with birds, flowers and trees, and scenes of everyday life. The elegant structure, fine artworks, gold, lacquer work, and decorative fittings visually flaunt the power, wealth and authority of the mighty Tokugawa clan. It is simply breathtaking!
There's more to see around Nagoya Castle than just the keep and the Honmaru Goten Palace! The castle was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu using a system known as Tenka Bushin, whereby the Shogun Ieyasu called in 20 warlords, all former enemies, and had them build the castle for him - at their expense! They had to hire workers to dig the extensive moats, to seek and transport the huge rocks to be used in the castle walls, and to find tradesmen to build them. Timber had to be sourced and carpenters brought in to build the defensive structures. It allowed the wily Shogun to keep an eye on his former enemies. Keeping them close, keeping them busy, and keeping them financially strapped so they could not afford to wage war or insurrection, all while having his most magnificent castle completed at next to no cost to himself. It was the ideal way to maintain peace!
Like an artist signs his work, the various warlords tasked to build Nagoya Castle also left their marks carved on the rocks along the sections they built. These markings are often overlooked or barely noticed, so do take the time to view the walls up close. See how many of these carved marks you can find, while marveling at the size and craftsmanship involved in construction of the sturdy walls. Incidentally, the moats, and all the stonework was done without the use of machinery, cranes, trucks or earthmovers, and was completed within 6 months. Yes, 6 months!
Nagoya Castle and Nagoya Castle Hommaru Palace
Heirlooms of the Ruling Tokugawa Clan
From Nagoya Castle, the next stop is the Tokugawa Art Museum, built in 1935 on the grounds of the former retirement villa of the Lords of Nagoya. The Tokugawa Art Museum is the world's finest collection of daimyo items, over 110,000 heirlooms of the Tokugawa clan, including swords, weapons, armor, ceramics, lacquer-works, furniture, paintings, calligraphy, Noh costumes and masks, and daily life items. The quality collection boasts 9 designated National Treasure items, 59 Important Cultural Properties, and 46 Important Art Objects. The Permanent exhibition is enhanced by the regular themed exhibitions held in the museum's National Cultural Property listed building. Take the time to stroll around the adjoining gardens, too.
The Tokugawa Art Museum & Tokugawaen Garden
Osu Area Temples, Antiques and Shopping Arcades
Having had your fill of traditional culture, try some modern culture next in Nagoya's lively Osu region. Amongst the many fashion, food and hobby shops along the multiple arcades is the Banshoji Temple. The Banshoji was the Oda clan's family temple, and the site of the famous scene where the young Oda Nobunaga turned up late and dressed inappropriately to his father's funeral, only to upset the alter and throw handfuls of incense, shocking the family and clan retainers. Don't expect a historical, traditional temple when you visit the Banshoji. The temple recently underwent a complete rebuild and is now a garish, gaudy parody of its former self, surrounded by LED screens and steam-breathing dragon statues with light-up eyes. Oda Nobunaga's father, Nobuhide's grave is now displayed atop a plastic Disney-esque dungeon to the side of the building. He is probably turning in his grave!
Behind the Banshoji is the Osu areas' namesake and much more picturesque Osu Kannon Temple. Home to the oldest extant copy of the Kojiki, the traditional history of Japan, it was moved to this site in 1610 on the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu during construction of Nagoya Castle, and has been a focal point of Nagoya ever since. Incidentally, on the 18th and 28th of every month, the Osu Kannon Temple's grounds are transformed into an antiques market, selling everything from old kimono, pottery and tansu chests, to antique household items, toys, collectables and 45 records. Enjoy your souvenir hunting!
Osu Kannon Temple, Bansho-ji and the Osu Shopping Arcade Area
Beyond the Cityscape, Inuyama's National Treasure
Having seen the scale and majesty of Nagoya Castle the previous day, get an early start and travel the 27 kilometers to the National Treasure Listed Inuyama Castle. If you don't have access to a rental car, then take the Meitetsu train line to Inuyama and catch a taxi or take a 15-minute stroll through the picturesque city streets to the castle.
Dating back to 1537, Inuyama is one of just 12 castle keeps across Japan in original condition, and the oldest of the five of those original castles designated as National Treasures. Cleverly built on top of a wedge-shaped hill with the wide Kiso River acting as a natural moat, Inuyama Castle has seen its fair share of action over the years.
You'll have to remove your shoes on entry, but you'll be supplied with a plastic carry bag as you make your way through the wonderful old timber interiors with steep wooden steps. Inuyama provides you with a first-hand look at an actual Warring States castle keep. There are suits of samurai armor, weapons, various historical records and other items on display inside the keep, but the main focal point is the remarkable architecture.
On a fine day from the upper balcony, you can see clear across the Nobi Plains northwest to Gifu Castle, directly south to Komaki Castle and behind that the skyline of sprawling Nagoya City.
Below the castle is the old castle town, currently one of the must-see areas among the general public. Although quieter on weekdays, on weekends the castle town becomes a lively tourist destination!
(Please note, Inuyama Castle will be undergoing restorative maintenance between mid-July and December 2019, and the keep will be shrouded in protective cladding. Between August 1 and September 30, 2019, the upper floors will be temporarily closed.)
National Treasure Inuyama Castle
Step into the Meiji Period
Inuyama is also home to Meiji Mura, an open-air architectural museum and Meiji period (1868-1912) theme park on the banks of Lake Iruka. The start of the Meiji period signified the end of both Japan's feudal period and 260-year self-isolation policy and saw the nation's western influenced rapid recovery towards a modern, industrialized state.
Meiji Mura consists of around 70 old buildings from around Japan preserved in a wide, forested setting. Amongst them is the 1923 Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built masterpiece, the old Imperial Hotel entrance and lobby which once stood in Tokyo until 1967 when it was superseded by the current Imperial hotel. There are preserved banks, station buildings, schoolhouses, the private residences of writers Mori Ogai, Natsume Soseki, and Lafcadio Hearn, the German Baroque influenced Kitasato Institute building and so many more.
Other notable buildings include the old Kureha-za theatre dating from 1868, Kyoto's former 1890 built St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral and St. John's Church, from 1907. Many of the structures are open for inspection, complete with period furniture and fittings, or are used as shops and cafes. Ridable working steam engines, streetcar trams, buses and horse drawn carriages add to the atmosphere and to the fun. You can even rent period costume for the day or have old style photos taken of your unique time tripping experience.
Nine of the buildings within the wide park are designated as Important Cultural Assets, while most of the remaining structures are Tangible Cultural Assets.
The Museum Meiji-Mura
Aichi, the Undiscovered Destination
There you go, a number of little seen, relatively unknown but historically and culturally important travel destinations within Japan's easily accessed, centrally located Aichi Prefecture. While many opt for Kyoto as a destination for Japanese history and culture, Aichi Prefecture offers a wider range of samurai related, historical and cultural attractions, and for now, without the crowds of the old capital. Be adventurous; see Aichi, home of the samurai!
Chris Glenn is a bilingual radio DJ, TV presenter, producer, narrator, MC, copywriter, author and columnist, and Japanese historian, specializing in samurai castles, battles, armor and weapons. He is an inbound tourism advisor, and is often called upon as a lecturer and speaker on Japanese history and topics. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1968, and has spent over half his life in Japan, most of that time in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Chris is dedicated to promoting and preserving Japans' long history, deep culture, traditions, arts and crafts.


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Hassack ist der Familienname folgender Personen:

 August Hassack (1803–1859), österreichischer Politiker, Bürgermeister von St. Pölten
 Karl Hassack (1861–1922), österreichischer Warenkundler und Autor

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Anyone who's ever had a massage or been comforted by an embrace knows what a powerful force touch can be. "Strong families show a lot of physical affection," says Stinnett. "Touch communicates — and nurtures — connection. Even a simple pat on the back at a difficult moment can strengthen the bond." And don't underestimate the power of silly displays of affection, like rubbing noses or trading butterfly kisses.
You don't have to learn new knock-knock jokes. "Humor isn't about consciously trying to be funny," says Eyre. "It's really about creating a light, 'life is good' atmosphere at home." Some of the most irritating moments — three cups of spilled juice in a row, crayons melted on car upholstery — can become your family's funniest, most cherished stories in years to come.


Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the many messages, comments and calls I received after my last blog post. It touched my heart to hear from so many of you about your own experiences and stories. Thank YOU for sharing with me. Knowing you're not alone as you go through something difficult is sometimes the best thing to bring you through.
Little girls who love their daddies.
Since my wedding, I've been asked several times if I plan to keep blogging and what I will be blogging about. I do plan to keep blogging, but what about is still yet to be worked out completely.
I really enjoyed finding adorable gifts, decorations, dresses ect. as they related to weddings, but now I feel like my scope needs to broaden.
So in addition to writing about my day-to-day life and adventures in cooking, I plan to continue to share some of my favorite party finds. For example, I came across this "Vintage Toy" child's birthday party theme on www.thoughtfullysimple.com and had to share.


text:
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The entrance to the courtyard at Palazzo Daniele in Gagliano del Capo.Photo: Serena Eller
How to Plan the Perfect Road Trip in Southern Italy
Puglia has been a beloved vacation spot among Italians for decades, but now savvy international travelers are basking in its innumerable charms
By Laura Itzkowitz
Rolling hills dotted by olive trees, gorgeous beaches with turquoise water, poppy fields, vineyards, and charming villages—if you think this is Tuscany, think again. Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, is all this and more, and now it's coming onto the radar of American travelers in a big way. And since the area isn't very well connected by public transit, a road trip is the way to go. Here's how to do it.
Fly into Bari—one of Puglia's two international airports—and rent a premium car from Hertz Italy in the arrivals hall. Kick off the trip by checking into Borgo Egnazia, a member of Leading Hotels of the World that was a pioneer of luxury travel in the region. Run by Aldo Melpignano, whose family owns four luxury hotels in the area and one in London, it was designed by Pino Brescia to look like the platonic ideal of a traditional Puglian village, complete with a piazza surrounded by casette (little houses), three restaurants, three outdoor pools, and a golf course. Head to Borgo Egnazia's beach club, Cala Masciola, for a fresh seafood lunch overlooking the sea, and don't miss dinner at Due Camini, which earned a Michelin star last fall for its innovative take on Puglian cuisine. If you're lucky enough to be in house while they host one of their summer parties, be sure to go.
Entrance to Borgo Egnazia.
Photo: Borgo Egnazia
This spring, Masseria Torre Maizza, a Rocco Forte Hotel, opened minutes away from Borgo Egnazia, bringing a new luxury option to the area. With just 40 rooms and suites, it's much smaller than its neighbor, so it's a good option for travelers who like the intimacy of a boutique hotel. Like Masseria San Domenico—another member of Leading Hotels of the World run by the Melpignano family—it's housed in a renovated masseria, one of the traditional Puglian farmhouses that dot the region.
While you're in the area, head to Ostuni, known as la città bianca (the white city). With narrow lanes leading up a hill surrounded by whitewashed buildings, it looks like a village in the Greek islands. Borgo Egnazia can arrange a guided tour of the town with a stop at Masseria Brancati, an ancient olive oil mill, where you can admire 2,000-year-old olive trees and taste the golden liquid they produce.
A guest room at Trullo Melograno.
Photo: The Thinking Traveller
The northern part of Puglia—known as the Valle d'Itria—is dotted by trulli, centuries-old dwellings topped by conical roofs. Legend has it the area's inhabitants would dismantle the homes when the tax collectors showed up and rebuild as soon as they left. The town of Alberobello boasts the largest concentration of trulli and is protected by UNESCO, but some of the trulli in the surrounding countryside have been converted into B&Bs or villas. Villa rental company the Thinking Traveller has a few of these ancient buildings in its portfolio, and one of the most charming is Trullo Melograno. Book a stay there to see what it's like to live in one of these rustic homes and you can have a local chef prepare a home-cooked meal. As part of its Think Experiences program, the Thinking Traveller also offers an exclusive tour of Alberobello, paired with a cheesemaking experience at a nearby farm, where you can see how mozzarella and burrata are made.
Monopoli.
Photo: Melissa Itzkowitz
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Two more must-visit towns in the area are Monopoli and Polignano a Mare, both of which you can see in a day. Head to Monopoli for pizza at La Dolce Vita and stroll the picturesque streets of the historic center and the seafront promenade. Then go to Polignano a Mare, which is built on a series of cliffs overlooking the sea and a small but beautiful beach. Stop for an Aperol Spritz at one of the little cafés on the piazza or overlooking the water, or splurge on a meal at the famous Grotta Palazzese, built into the side of a cliff. Design lovers who want to bring home some ceramics should make a detour to the town of Grottaglie. There are many studios and shops to peruse, but the best is Enza Fasano Ceramiche, a family-run shop that makes gorgeous tableware, plant holders, and decorative objects.
Enza Fasano Ceramiche.
Photo: Dario Miale
A bit farther away but worth the trip is Matera, this year's European Capital of Culture and one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. It's technically in Basilicata, but it only takes about 90 minutes to get there. To really understand this fascinating city known for its sassi (cave dwellings), it's best to hire an expert guide like Fabio Congedo of Imago Artis, who can explain its complicated history and show you the best spots in town. "Matera needs to be visited, since the reasons why it has been included in UNESCO's World Heritage list are still standing," Congedo, a former archaeologist, says.
Il Tabacchificio.
After a few days exploring the lush Valle d'Itria, make your way south to Salento. The Thinking Traveller has a variety of villas in this area too, but the most jaw-dropping one is Il Tabacchificio. This spacious villa occupies a former tobacco factory and is filled with furniture by Gaetano Pesce, Eero Saarinen, and Verner Panton, as well as objects the owners—the Italian ambassador to Ghana and his wife—picked up on their travels.
The villa is so gorgeous it'll be hard to tear yourself away, but there's a lot to explore in this part of Puglia. To try some of the region's best wines, book a tasting at Duca Carlo Guarini, in the tiny village of Scorrano. The duke's noble family has been making wine here for 900 years, and you can taste their expertise in the glass. His wife, Lucia Mancini, is also an accomplished ceramist, with her own studio housed in the family palazzo nearby. For dinner that evening, book a table at Masseria Le Stanzíe, which serves traditional Puglian specialties made with vegetables and herbs from the gardens inside a centuries-old farmhouse. It doesn't get more authentically farm-to-table than that.
A guest suite at Palazzo Daniele.
Photo: Serena Eller
When in the Salento peninsula, spending time on the beach is a must. The farther south you go, the shorter the distance between the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Drive down to Santa Maria di Leuca, the village where the two seas meet. In summer there are beach clubs and you can take a boat ride to explore the grottos. A few minutes away is Gagliano del Capo, where Palazzo Daniele, a new member of Design Hotels, just opened in the family palazzo of art collector Francesco Petrucci. He and Gabriele Salini of G-Rough in Rome teamed up to transform the aristocratic residence into an intimate hotel, restoring the original frescoes and tiles and adding art by contemporary artists.
Another new hotel in the Salento is the Palazzo Maritati e Muci, a passion project of Michelin-starred French chef Guy Martin. Guests can stay in one of the 10 rooms spread over two palazzi in Nardò that have been lovingly restored and filled with art and design pieces by Gio Ponti, Charles Garnier, Alvar Aalto, and Ettore Sottsass, among others.
The Lecce waterfront at dusk.
Photo: Alessandro Boschi / Getty Images
Otranto is another lovely seaside town with a charming historic center and a port. On hot summer days, everyone goes to one of the beach clubs along the coast, like Lido Gold, which is located in the area known as the Maldives of Salento.
Architecture lovers should also spend a day in Lecce with Imago Artis guide Fabio Congedo, who grew up there. The city is famous for its ornate Baroque architecture, and Congedo will point out all the most beautiful buildings. "I was born in Lecce in 1972, so I've had the opportunity to notice several changes in its historic center," he says. "After being nearly abandoned in the '70s and early '80s, it slowly made a comeback thanks to specific restoration designs and European funds." In a full-day tour organized by Imago Artis, you can also do a pasta-making class and get a peek inside a privately owned aristocratic palazzo—just one of the hidden charms of this incredible region.
See How a 430-Square-Foot Former Benedictine Monk Convent Became a Colorful Puglian Escape
The tiny space is now a bright and modern gem
By Andrew Wasserstein
8 Design Collabs We're Loving Right Now–From Giancarlo Valle, Young Huh, and More
A look at the latest collection drops in furniture, rugs, and more
Are All White Fridges Cursed?
Investigating how a classic commercial appliance got such a bad rep
By Kelsey Lawrence


Senior Seminar is here to help!
I am writing to you today because tomorrow is our very first Senior Seminar. Seniors will be meeting as small groups all year long during a-lab for this course. At our open house we had an opportunity to share the goals of the course. In a nutshell, the course is designed to support students getting from here, the start of their senior year, to their diploma at graduation.
Some seniors know they are going to college next year, some know they are doing some other specific post secondary option (vocation, trade school, apprenticeship…), and some have no idea what is next. Our goal with this course is to support all of them.
Senior projects, community service hours, academic requirements for graduation, college applications, job applications, interview skills… the list goes on and on. Our seniors are about to go out into the world and we want to make sure we have done everything we can to help them prepare for it. It was with this in mind that the course was created.
For the students that are attending the Greene County Career center and participating in College Credit Plus, our support will be offered online through a Google Classroom. This will require every student to have their Acceptable Use Policy turned in to the office.
Attached here is a copy of the course description and a copy of the Acceptable Use Policy form.
This week we will go over the revisions to the senior project, now called the senior capstone event, and we will also start a transcript audit with each student so everyone knows where they are on the path to graduation.
If you have any questions, please reach out to any of us.


text:
Jaroslaw
Hepel
Director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Pratt Radiation Oncology Associates
593 Eddy St
Jaroslaw T. Hepel, MD, serves as director of stereotactic radiosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital and as an assistant professor at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. He also serves as associate director of the Tufts-Affiliated Hospitals Residency Training Program in Radiation Oncology. He is board certified in radiation oncology by the American Board of Radiology. Hepel received his undergraduate degree at Cornell University and earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester. He completed internal medicine residency at the University of California Irvine Medical Center, and then went on to complete residency in the specialty of radiation oncology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA.
Hepel has broad experience and knowledge, and is active in caring for patients with a wide range of malignant diseases. However, he holds a particular interest and clinical expertise in the treatment of breast cancer and in stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy for diseases involving the lung, brain, spine, liver and other sites. He is not only very active in the clinic but also has a keen academic interest in these areas. He has published several book chapters and multiple scientific papers, and has regularly presented his work at national meetings. Through his academic work, he strives to improve treatment outcomes for patients not only in regard to achieving higher cure rates but also to minimizing treatment side effects.
Medical School:University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Residency:University of California at Irvine Medical Center
Residency:New England Medical Center/Tufts University


Great news for the frequent flyer!
The Department of Transportation has expanded Airline Passenger Protections effective January 24th. It is about time that passengers have more rights. Until now, airlines have been able to get away with way too much. I'm glad to see that something is being done about it.
1- If your baggage is lost, the airline must reimburse the passenger for baggage fees.
2- There is an increase on the amount airlines must pay for involuntary bumps. For a 1-2 hour domestic delay and 1-4 hour international delay they have doubled the amount the airlines must pay, to a maximum of $800. For longer delays the amount has increased up to 4 times, to a maximum of $1,300.
3- They have limited the amount of time an airplane is permitted to wait on the tarmac and the things they must provide for passengers during the waiting period.
4- Passengers must be allowed to make a reservation and/or cancel a reservation for 24 hours without having to pay a fee as long as the flight is at least 1 week prior to the time of the reservation.
5- Airlines must disclose baggage fees at the time of booking the flight and on e-ticket confirmations.
6- Baggage allowances and fees must be for the passengers entire journey.
7- Airlines are required to promptly notify passengers of delays, cancellations and diversions that are greater than 30 minutes.
4- Advertised airfares must clearly be displayed and include taxes and fees. I have noticed this one on different airlines websites. This is a great change and will make passenger's lives much easier!


text:
Q: Trajectory Design Matrix I've been tasked with creating a small demonstration for educational purposes of the Morris Screening Method but am having trouble implementing the trajectory design matrix in Mathematica. It's a small example of 6 levels in 2 variables. The matrix should return a series of $k+1$ perturbed ${x_1, x_2}$ to use in the function of interest.

I feel like I'm close at the moment but after struggling yesterday I feel like I should now raise my hand and ask for Matrix help. I'm having trouble interpreting 1. $x^*$ the matrix of random start points and 2. what the factorial increment diagonal matrix is. I can't seem to get the dimensions right so it threads over the equation smoothly.
ClearAll[RandDstar, TrajectoryMatrix]

RandDstar := RandomChoice[{-1, 1}]

TrajectoryMatrix[grid_] :=
 Module[{r, b, x, JK, d, p, diff, \[CapitalDelta]},
  b = LowerTriangularize[ConstantArray[1, {k + 1, k}]];
  x = ConstantArray[RandomChoice[grid], k + 1];
  d = LowerTriangularize[ConstantArray[RandDstar, {k + 1, k}]];
  p = {{1, 0}, {0, 1}};
  JK = ConstantArray[1, {k + 1, k}];
  diff = First[Differences[grid[[;; 2, 2]]]];
  \[CapitalDelta] = DiagonalMatrix[Table[diff, k + 1]];
  (* Apply equation to matrixes to return b* *)
  (x + (\[CapitalDelta]/2 * (((2*b) - JK)*d) + JK))*p
  ]

Block[{gridWorld, k = 2},
 (*6 level Grid World with 2 variables *)
 gridWorld = Flatten[Table[{x, y}, {x, 0, 1, 0.2}, {y, 0, 1, 0.2}], 1];
 TrajectoryMatrix[gridWorld]
 ]


text:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--
**
** Copyright 2011, The Android Open Source Project
**
** Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
** you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
** You may obtain a copy of the License at
**
**     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
**
** Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
** distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
** WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
** See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
** limitations under the License.
*/
-->
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text:
Post Your Game ReMixes!
StarTropics - Cave Action/Dungeon Theme Electro Remix
finished StarTropics - Cave Action/Dungeon Theme Electro Remix
By Doni,
September 27, 2010 in Post Your Game ReMixes!
Cooked up something you may like. It's a remix of one of my favorite tracks ever. It comes from StarTropics on the NES. I did a symphonic intro and melted that into something a bit more bumpin'.
Have a listen and tell me what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-tpozUpzcs
If needed, here is the source:
Rukunetsu
Nice job here. Simple but effective.
Thanks Ruku
Mirby
As a fan of all things StarTropics, this intrigued me. And I loved it.
Only gripes are that it took a bit too long to get to the main melody, and the end seemed drawn out. You easily could've ended it at 5:17 or so.
Gario
Love Startropics. Glad to see it get a bit more love, here.
The symphonic opening needs some humanization. It's very, very stale, when it comes to production quality. The arrangement of it is neat, though.
The electronic is mellow, but not bad at all. Be careful with the Vibes in there, though - the highs make them distort and hurt the ears. Some of the synths (like the lead at 2:19) also use too much high-end, so take it down a little bit.
Check into some of the production issues. Otherwise, it's pretty neat and catchy. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Mirby and Gario,
The intro is a bit longish, but I've designed it to fit between something a bit more banging in a DJ set. A bit of a breather of sorts...
Gario, what are you listening on? I respect your opinion... but I hardly think it's "very, very stale". At any rate, it sounds how I would like it, but I just never thought it would be labeled as stale.
The track is meant for a flat eq, so depending on what you are listening on the highs might come through more sharply. I listened on a pair of rather "tinny" (super high frequency) headphones and it didn't sound that bad. But I think I could take down the high end pretty safely on that lead because it's centered around more of a high-mid range frequency
Stale... I'm talking about the strings, for the most part. They don't have any variation in dynamics, attack or timbre, so they sound mechanical and 'stale'. Bring them up to par, production-wise.
My EQ is normally 'flat', so the piercing that I'm hearing periodically is either Youtube or the highs. Because of how strong it is on my headphones I suspect it's the latter. It's not a general 'high' that's on the master track, it's more focused on a few instruments, so you could conceivably just fix the EQ on the offending instruments.
I hope that helps a little bit.
This is SO catchy O_O On my iPod, but there's just one thing that bothers me. The section starting at 2:30 drops the pads you were using, and it feels a bit naked but they slowly come back in. That may have been what you wanted, though! I dunno! On my iPod! Catchy!
Glad you like it ExoByte.. yea the drop off was how I wanted it! A hard bridge going into electro territory
Gario, perhaps the strings aren't to your liking, but it's not my goal to make them sound completely human. When I do a final master of the track, I'll probably cut the highs a bit. Actually, I'm thinking my hearing might be damaged because to me it doesn't hurt my ears at all!
So were you planning on submitting this or would this be considered too conservative? I listened to the source and what you did to it was just awesome in my opinion. That pan flute-y synth is just perfect.
well, I dunno.
I have no idea what OCR is looking for. They are big on changing the melody whilst keeping it "sameish"... but many times the changes that people make sound forced. What I do is try to build little pieces of songs that weren't there but fit into the original theme and then try to awesomize the rest.
Maybe I'll submit something if it gets a bit more attention. I just want people to enjoy my music, so I don't think being OCR sanctioned will change anything
evktalo
The intro didn't feel remotely as good as what followed. Once the beat comes in and pan flutes and the tuned percs are added this sounds really nice, the piece has its own character. Sound quality doesn't feel awesome, but that could be Youtube.
On the intro, I hear you that you don't want to make it realistic (I think that's cool) but it wasn't up to the same standard as the rest of this track (which is pretty great, really enjoyable).. The timing and dynamics of the instrument doesn't feel satisfying, they don't have to be realistic but they do need to sound good! There's also a string part around the 2/3 point of the track which has the same problem - no need to sound real, but the timing and dynamic feels kind of, well, I think Gario put it correctly by saying they feel "stale". I feel they're undercooked, and a bit lumped on. I mean, they definitely fit in in the idea level, but need more work! I probably sound really negative going on and on about them, but that's only because (a) this is a really, really good track that I'm enjoying and ( the string parts don't seem to have quite the same quality as the rest of the track, and are bringing it down a bit, while they really didn't need to!
But overall, really great work - I enjoyed this track a lot (after not expecting to after the intro) so kudos! Source-usage wise I thought you definitely put your own spin on it with the sound, structure and feel of the track. Can't say what judges would say, but I do think this is worth (1) taking a look at making the strings sound awesomer, (2) posting an MP3 version so people can hear the real sound quality, (3) getting a moderator review and (4) submitting to OCR.
Good stuff, thanks for sharing!
--Eino
Thanks evktalo,
Well, right now the strings do have a bit of juice on them... I really must stress it sounds how I would like it to sound.
However, if I was to change it, what would you suggest? What, specifically, feels stale about the sounds? I guess I just don't know how to change them to make them sound less stale... but I don't feel they are, so I need help!
Oh, and here's an mp3:
http://www.donimusic.com/soundfiles/Startropics_-_Dungeon-Theme_-_Doni-Electrolyte-remix.mp3
BlackPanther
Dude where the hell you've been at haha? Anyways this track is sweet hell, but yeah the strings maan. I know you want to stress that you did you want wanted to do to them but try to think objectively about it as well especially if you want others to enjoy your music.
But anyways I think if you added a chorus to it or somethin, to give the strings more vibrato that's one suggestion, I won't say anything about timing and dynamics as I'm learnin that stuff myself but as I hear it now, there's really no movement in the strings. The chorus one of many effects that would help with the movement of the instruments without doing much to the the samples themselves.
It has almost a similar sound to that chrono trigger remix of yours which was also sweet it's a shame you didn't resub that one. Look forward to hearin more from you Doni.
DoctorDisaster
To give the strings more life, I would probably fiddle with the ADSR. Granted, you want them to sound synthy -- the issue (I think) is that they're dynamically flat. A nice long decay, a reduced sustain, and perhaps a slightly longer attack will give them something to do over the course of those whole notes. Dropping the sustain could also put them a little more behind the pizzicato and the flutes, making it less of an issue -- if not, I might pull back on the level a bit as those staccato elements come in.
On another note, this is probably me being a little too "harder better faster stronger" but I want to hear you leaning even harder on the downbeat bass farts after the break. If you've maxed out the velocity, maybe mix in some distortion or push the levels. They set up a call/response with the treble that is very danceable and I'm greedy for more of that.
Where have I been? Stuck in a hole with only my beats and time... haha
Ok guys, I'll try to do something with the strings, but I'm truly going for robot synthonic with that who intro bit. I'll mess with the ASDR and try to add some chorus or something to spice it up a bit.
BP: I'm still a bit butthurt about my CT remix being denied for sampling the original game music.. so I think I'll just leave that one alone
Doctor D: About your harder, faster, stronger tip - maybe. I'm going for slight cheese effect in the production. So I'm not trying to fully grease up every detail. I'd maybe add another section to the song that had a bit more dirtiness to it
I'll upload an mp3 when I get a chance to... thanks all
The mp3 sounds much better than the youtube stream (naturally). The bassier part after the intro sounds a bit heavily compressed to my ears. Really enjoyable sound overall.
"Robot synthonic" sounds like an awesome idea, and now I feel I get what you're going for. You have an idea you're going for, and you should definitely keep it. The fact that people giving feedback (me included!) didn't quite get the idea at first does mean it needs a bit work!
You certainly shouldn't make it more realistic, as that goes against your own original idea. I think the robot synthonic idea isn't obvious enough for the listener, and I'm thinking the problem is that the sound is actually too good! It's too full, and has this nice reverb and panning. So instead of making it "better", you could try making it "worse", filter it to make it more flat and noisy - give an impression that the sound is coming from a cheap TV used to play 16-bit console games.
The fact that people giving feedback (me included!) didn't quite get the idea at first does mean it needs a bit work!
There's a lot of truth in that statement. I mean, a lot of truth in that statement.
Robotic synth 'strings' is a good idea. Let me give you some advice on it - balance the mix for those sections so the volume difference isn't so great. Right now, those parts stick out like crazy because the strings in those sections sound louder than in the rest of the track. They are not, but since they're alone it gives the illusion that they are. Tone them down dynamically so they fit with the soundscape better when they're alone.
When they're used as an accompaniment pad with the rest of the music they sound great, so just make them fit the background better when they're exposed and you'll probably be fine.
dam, I meant to update this post earlier
I'm going to do an update of this track for sure. I'm doing an album at the moment so I'm burning through many tracks...
So I'll update this when I go back and do a final master of all the tracks. Thanks for all the input
Looking forwards to it!


AS the February elections draw closer, the South-East political atmosphere has become even more intriguing. Out of the five states in the geo- political zone, only one, Anambra, currently governed by All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA- led government, would not hold governorship election this February.
In the remaining four; Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, where governorship elections would be held, political calculations have understandably become much more complex and interesting.
While Imo State, currently governed by All Progressives Congress (APC) – led government may offer a different scenario entirely, The Nation's investigation shows that the three remaining states in the zone; Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu, whose governments are still under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the current heated political situations there can be traced primarily to the implosion in the ruling party.
The case in Ebonyi State best demonstrates this development as the sudden implosion in PDP had not only thrown up Labour Party and All Progressives Congress (APC) as serious rivals in the state, but has also made them real albatross to the ruling PDP.
Considering that Ebonyi is one of the three states in the zone that have remained traditional PDP states since 1999, bookmakers easily gave the state to the ruling PDP. That was before the last governorship primaries, when some top PDP chieftains with the right connections in Abuja staged a very successful political coup and hijacked the party machinery from Governor Martin Elechi in a very humbling circumstances .
Since then, the game has changed radically as Elechi and his supporters have decided to take their fate in their hands, thus breaking the PDP stronghold there and further opening up the state for other enterprising political parties to also feast in.
Although in some varied circumstances, such complexities have been recorded in the four South-East states, there seems to be no doubt that the developments will colour this year's governorship elections there and influence the results, that is, if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Federal Government of Nigeria allow the votes to count.
If this happens, it will only amount to idle guesswork to continue to describe any of the South-East states as a traditional stronghold of any party. Instead, informed opinion today agree that given the realities on the ground, in most of the states, it would be to close to call.
Three horse race in Abia?