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Anyone got into Glitch Beta yet?
By Scrobbs, September 27, 2011 in Video Gaming
Scrobbs
Sunnyvale Supervisor
Care to tell me what it is like? It looks frankly crackers.
glitch.com
Forbin
Location: Toronto, ON
Yeah my co-worker's in it, it's a bit weird.
Played for an hour or so. Didn't really grab my interest, although I'm not a huge fan of MMOs/social games. Neat art style, it's just that everything seemed rather ordinary gameplay-wise: do quests, develop skills, buy stuff, plant seeds, feed animals, harvest things. There were also hints of weird endorsement of trolling behavior - you can buy some potion to kill other people's plants.
There was an interesting quest I got early on to
eat a clove of garlic and then kiss ten players with a teddy bear used for interacting with other players physically. Felt a bit uncomfortable and decided not to do the quest, since that's the kind of thing that would make me seem like a total creep to random players.
Not sure if that's indicative of the kind of stuff they're going for, since that was literally the only interesting thing that happened in my first hour.
There were also some platforming sections in a visually interesting Macro-zone style dining room, but the controls were nothing to write home about.
It's out of beta now, although I was in the beta (I missed this thread earlier). I'm kind of deep into it. I wouldn't sweat the
kissing people thing
as everybody gets the same quest, so people should understand. And as for the endorsement of trolling...while the tree poison can be used to grief, it's also a way to let players alter the world since once you kill off a tree, you can plant a different type of tree in its place.
Okay, so it's more of a "reshape the world" deal. Cool.
Started playing again. Found my stats reset, but with a nifty weird beta-tester only item in my inventory. Fooled around with it and started
hiccuping beans for a solid minute
. Neat!
I must have been in a bad mood when I first played it, because this feels really charming. Seems like a lot more thought has been put into making this an actual game, rather than a psychological trap.
Justin Leego
Yep, it's really very good, and seems quite happy to let you pootle about as little or as much as you like.
I'm probably only saying that because it's properly got its claws into me though.
what're your glitch usernames, Noyb/Justin Leego?
Can never have too many in-game buddies. If for nothing else, there's achievement for reaching a certain number of buddies.
Glitch is the king of the gratification loop.
Early on, you can't spend 10 minutes doing anything in it without inadvertently completing a quest or gaining a level or hitting an achievement milestone. It tones down later, but even as someone who generally doesn't care about achievements, they do this so right: the achievements aren't just vanity status thingies, they give you xp -> levelling up gives you money->there's achievements for having a certain amounts of money.
In more cynical hands it would be just about the worst thing ever, but Glitch doesn't really lock much away from you if you don't pay.
I've added your Glitchee to my newb character's buddy list, juv3.
So many Green Thumb skills to learn!
I'm Sir Troggle.
Gwardinen
Is Cheese Yonts one of us?
Edit: Damnit, this is sucking me in. Starting to remind me of the time I had to quit cold turkey and forcibly stop myself from playing WoW just two weeks into a free trial.
Edited September 30, 2011 by Noyb
I believe that's Justin Leego
Orv
A Lethal Dose Of Cynicism
What is this, and what am I doing.
It's kinda like farmville, except you have a dude(tte?) that walks around in 2d. There's no fighting or puzzle solving, but there's crafting, quests, resource gathering, that kind of stuff. Also the art & lore is neat. Paying gets you extra avatar clothing options and teleports but nothing essential to playing.
There's a new player tutorial video:
HzclVdVBQDQ
also a new player guide (but beware, there's lots of spoilers on that site and a lot of the fun IMO is figuring out how stuff works for yourself)
Drath
Horse Bag, Dive In!
It's definitely quirky and weird. That's kind of what it is banking on. It does seem limiting in some ways from what I've played so far... limiting gameplay wise I mean. Obviously not a direct "cow clicker" game, but in the same school of thought.
I'm glad it's not forcibly tied into Facebook directly.
Here's me: http://www.glitch.com/profiles/PHFVG1UTQ2D2GCS/
I played it a bit more, as in, a lot more and discovered that my main points were pretty much spot on. That doesn't stop me from playing it though. The gameplay is so rewarding. Every minute you are getting a weird quest, a randomized rare item, getting resources, an auction that you started has sold (auctions are amazing by the way), getting an achievement, finishing a quest. It's like a sensory overload, but I guess that's what they need to do to get players from realizing that it's just a clicky-click-click game.
That may not be a bad thing, because overall, this feels more enjoyable than a lot of full-scale MMOs that I have tried recently. The quirkiness and oddness of it is definitely playing in it's favour as well. I doubt it will be anything other than fleeting come a week or two, but the aspect of skills keeps you coming back for more even when inactive (strategic email notifications).
Good review over at RPS: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/10/04/review-glitch/
That's good as in making valid points about the grind, not good as in glowing with praise.
I'm surprised they didn't mention that in the bureaucracy quest
you had the option to skip the bureaucratic hassle and just outright buy your papers from someone else at the auction house. And at the city hall, you can clearly see one of the bureaucrats playing Farmville in the background. Nice touch.
Nachimir
PJYxCSXjhLI#t=2m31s
I feel ambivalent about it. It's fairly charming, and the controls didn't get to me, but it didn't take very long at all to sense the grind underneath then instantly exhale any remaining motivation to play.
Precisely my experience. Nothing about it bothered me but I lost interest in it almost immediately.
shammack
Privileged Skank
Location: Petaluma, California
Same here. I played it in one of the pre-beta windows where they had it opened for a few days and quite enjoyed it, but then they closed it off again, and by the time it re-opened I found I had virtually no desire to play it again. It might be interesting if they keep adding enough new things to the world, but as it was I felt like the grinding was becoming pretty transparent and there wasn't really much else to it.
This is the impression that I have got from reading everyone's posts above.
That is my feeling towards every MMO I've ever played since maybe before I knew what a grind was.
:tup:
I think, probably, that some children somewhere will really enjoy this game for a while. Then move onto something else.
I like Adam's writing on RPS, but his comments about the controls and unchallenging platforming have been niggling at me. It might just be me, but they seem to be written as if he thought the game was aimed at him, not kids.
If it's aimed at kids, then why is there a quest that asks you to chug a twelve-pack of beer? Someone alert Fox News!
Gone are the days of the booming caterpillar market on the auction house. It costs either ~120 energy or 400 credits to get a butterfly egg. When less people knew animal husbandry, caterpillars could go for up to 800 credits. They've dropped down to under 500. Barely a profit in terms of credits or energy. Now I don't know how to efficiently make money anymore. #firstworldproblems
I also don't know what's best to donate to shrines. Been doing caterpillars, too, but they've been giving around 70 favor points per donation, which has been a bit of a grind.
Edit: Shops give more money for caterpillars than players. Interesting. Guess there's a large contingent of players who undervalue their time and intentionally lowball prices on the auction house just to get their goods sold.


I'd really love to do this… I'm thinking once the weather turns and I'm spending more time inside on the weekends, I'm in a desperate need of purging my wardrobe!
Why wait until the weather turns?
These pieces are so classic, I love them all! You chose such great staples. I bet narrowing things down was tough, but totally worth it. I hope you will do some outfit photos in the future. I'd love to see them.
I'm nervous about outfit posts. I'm awkward in front of the camera.
It can be a little nerve racking and I understand bring awkward in front of the camera. I have those moments too. But you are so cute you should give it a go. Try three poses: one head on, one to the side, one with your hand on your hip. Done. Good luck.
Girl, if you included underwear in the mix, we would have to talk LOL. But I knew this challenge would go well. We normally gravitate towards certain pieces in out wardrobe as is, so getting rid of everything that doesn't work, is a smart idea. And that black skirt… I love it.
After I read your first post about capsule wardrobes, I took my first step at closet downsizing and decided to start by narrowing down how many tops I had to 30, which was tough in itself! I also notice that I gravitate towards the same pieces often, but it's hard to rip the bandaid. Maybe I'll give round 2 of closet cleansing a try now!
That's awesome Sully! Looking forward to seeing you (and your tops) more often.
I love that your capsule is bringing you serenity and making the morning routine easier. It's so true that most of us wear just a small portion of what's in our closets because we clutter our closets up with garments that aren't quite right for us.
I think that the more we streamline our closets, pairing it down to just those items that fit great and make us happy, the easier it is to mix and match the gems that remain. I truly believe most women dress better with LESS clothes!


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Stephen Curry Returns with a Vengeance in New &... Stephen Curry Returns with a Vengeance in New "Make That Old" Ad
Stephen Curry Returns with a Vengeance in New "Make That Old" Ad
Tags: basketball, commercial, curry 3, nba, stephen curry, under armour
Hoping to erase the heartbreak from last season, Stephen Curry and Under Armour create a new ad to "Make That Old" and bring home the gold.
The upcoming NBA season is Stephen Curry's chance at redemption, and he's enlisted his fans to drive home that point.
Curry and a squad of kids are shown brushing aside his shortfalls, such as the Golden State Warriors narrowly missing out on championship gold despite their 73-win tally.
There's also mention of his past accomplishments, such as his back-to-back MVP awards and maxed-out player stats in the NBA 2K16 video game. Interspersed throughout the ad are shots of Curry training in a neon-lit gym with the tenacity that he's known for.
Of course, the ad wouldn't be complete without a glimpse at the new Curry 3 signature shoe, which will be released in different colorways throughout the season.
How will Stephen Curry and his team fare in the new NBA season? Sound off in the comments below.
Read More: James Harden Hears Weird Voices in this Footlocker Ad

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


"MAD MAX (Georges Miller) – Rerelease 1980″ 4×6 FT FRENCH GRANDE FOLD Folded posters are all coming from some old cinema and they're all in good general condition except maybe some pin' hole in corners that haven't been seen during the stock sorting. This is a guaranteed ORIGINAL FRENCH POSTER from the period of print/creation, this is NOT a reproduction or copy. Solid extra-strong Unbreakable/unfoldable Plastic UPVC tube as shown on pictures. There's probably something more for you if you clic here. You love art and photography? You look for the next artist to bet on? It's write just on my profile : French, Artist and Photographer.. CLIC HERE TO FOLLOW MY ART ON FACEBOOK : CLIC HERE TO VISIT MY WEBSITE : CLIC HERE TO FOLLOW MY ART ON TWITTER. Track Page Views With. Auctiva's FREE Counter. The item "MAD MAX Georges Miller 4×6 ft Vintage French Grande Movie Poster Rerelease 1980″ is in sale since Thursday, December 6, 2018. This item is in the category "Entertainment Memorabilia\Movie Memorabilia\Posters\Originals-United States\1980-89″. The seller is "freddymietofficiel" and is located in Montpellier. This item can be shipped worldwide.


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From Hip hop
Timbaland Leaks "UFO" The New Single From Tink Featuring André 3000
Timbaland Decided to play Tink's New Single Featuring André 3000 "UFO" (FULL SONG)
for More Visit the Timbaland Official Fan Site Textbook Timbo
André 3000
RUN DMC REMIXED LIVE by KARL DENSON'S TINY UNIVERSE ON NEW YEARS
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe will ring in the new year with Run DMC Remixed, a tribute to the hip-hop pioneers, at Park West in Chicago on December 31.
Karl Denson
KDTU
André 3000 shares his jumpsuits and his thoughts on Outkast's 2014 Reunion Tour
Yesterday, Savannah College of Art and Design and André 3000 Benjamin opened the co-produced exhibition i feel ya, a collection 47 jump suits 3000 wore for Outkast's reunion tour.
André 3000 jumpsuits at SCAD
In an interview with Nicolas Jaar, reporting for The FADER, Andre 3000 shared his thoughts on Outkast's 2014 Reunion Tour:
"Honestly, just, you know—I didn't wanna do the tour. We hadn't performed in 10 years. It was old songs," he said. "I'm like, How am I gonna present these songs? I don't have nothing new to say. So I was like, maybe I can start saying new stuff while doing these old songs. It became a theme where I was more excited about this than the actual show. This is fun, running out in these."
Sing Happy Birthday to the Blueprint & Read our fav Jay Z quotes
Watch Jay-Z (Ft. Eminem) perform Renegade Live
A wise man told me don't argue with fools
'Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who
They giveth and they taketh, life is cool that way
But even a broken clock is right at least two times a day
Remind yourself. Nobody built like you, you design yourself
I'm not afraid of dying. I'm afraid of not trying
I'm not a businessman, I'm a business man ~
So far ahead of my time, about to start another life, look behind you I'm about to pass you twice
Live Concerts
live music video
Feel Connected – 2014 Top Albums Spotify Playlist
Brainfeeder
doc wildman
feel connected
Hundred Wat
todd terje
Gorillaz reactivating for a 2016 release plus a new Retrospective Art Book
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Blur frontman Damon Albarn has revealed that he's been "in the process of reactivating Gorillaz for a 2016 release." The virtual band has not released an album since 2011's The Fall.
In other news, Gorillaz co-founder Jamie Hewlett recently shared his future plans on Instagram. The UK artist and co-creator of Tank Girl, intends to publish a retrospective collection of his artwork in the form of a 518-page book. The book will feature drawings from Hewlett's prolific 25-year career. The book's release date is still unknown, but it ultimately could fill the void left by the inactivated Gorillaz, and provide some interesting material for fans who have been awaiting their next release.
See some of Hewlett's artwork below:
In 2012, ABSOLUT launched their limited edition bottle in collaboration with artist Jamie Hewlett.
Big Sponge Finger by Jamie Hewlett (2003 – 2004)
Kid by Jamie Hewlett
The Lords of Flatbush by Jamie Hewlett
See more of Jamie Hewlett's artwork here
James Blake AKA Harmonix Remixes "Feel Good, Inc."
Watch the music video for "Kids With Guns" by Gorillaz.
Demon Days
dope shit
Retrospective art book
[New Music] Kenneth Jones – Winter Winds
Check some fresh new hip-hop music from Kenneth Jones, a 16 year old Artist from the Metro Atlanta area. With his track Winter Winds, Jones lays down a nice flow, introspective lyrics, and a fresh production. In our correspondence, Jones mentioned that he's putting out a new mixtape in early 2015.
Kenneth Jones
Flying Lotus – Live at the Tower Theater (Upper Darby, Philadelphia PA) (10/14/2014) – Video
Watch Flying Lotus perform live
Flying Lotus-Live at the Tower Theater (Upper Darby, Philadelphia PA) (10/14/2014)
flylo
flylo fm
JMSN – "Addicted" from Blue out 12/9
Check out the fresh new single "Addicted" from JMSN's new soul album Blue Album, to be released December 9th on all major digital distributors. "Addicted" has an infectious bass line, dope backbeat, carefully crafted voice samples, and soulful vocals. If you are really digging JMSN you can pre-order Blue from JMSN for less than $7 here.
JMSM on the corner as a Jesus look-a-like.


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Will Q2 Results Drive Tesla's Share Price Even Higher?
To say there's been a lot of movement in the Tesla share price in the last quarter is something of an understatement. The electric car manufacturer's share price dropped to all-time lows of $350 in March, before recovering to a high just shy of $1,800 in early July. In May, even CEO Elon Musk claimed that the Tesla share price was too high. In terms of market capitalisation, the company is valued higher than well-established car manufacturers such as Toyota and Volkswagen, and the Tesla share price is up over 200% year to date.
Tesla share price: rising against the odds
The continued rise of Tesla's share price is mind-boggling. Despite having a global auto market share of just 0.8% and having never made a profit, Tesla is currently the highest-valued car company in the world. Last year the company posted a loss of $862m with turnover of over $24.6bn, though its last two quarters were profitable. It's not been the easiest start to 2020 either. The Covid-19 pandemic had an impact on Tesla, as the company had to temporarily close its car plants in China and California.
Having missed out on its target for 2019, expectations were high that the company would be able to meet its target for 2020. Original guidance was for a target of over 500,000 cars, however this is likely to be difficult to achieve given the amount of production time lost.
How did Covid-19 impact Tesla production?
The business appeared to have avoided the worst effects of the shutdown in Q1, delivering 88,400 cars and posting a $16m profit. At the time, management said they had the capacity to produce over 100,000 vehicles a quarter, before the California plant halted work on 23 March. The closure was met with outrage by the ever-outspoken Musk, but steps were taken to cut costs by furloughing staff and cutting production, with operations eventually restarting in May as restrictions were loosened.
Despite all these hurdles, Tesla have announced that it produced 82,272 new cars during Q2, with its popular Model 3 and new Model Y SUV accounting for a high percentage of those numbers.
Q2 results: how will Tesla's share price react?
Elon Musk will be hoping for a repeat of 2019, where a poor first half was followed by a bumper second half of the year. However, the Covid-19 pandemic may have other ideas. Expectations are for a quarterly loss of $0.57 a share, bringing to an end a run of three successive profitable quarters, denting Tesla's chance of entering the S&P 500 for the time being.
Tesla will announce its Q2 results on Wednesday 22 July. What impact will the latest numbers have on the Tesla share price?


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E is for energy transition
Real estate, with one of the highest carbon footprints of any industry, arguably has a greater responsibility to embrace energy transition than most, writes Amy Carroll.
In December 2015, history was made in Paris when 195 countries agreed to work together to substantially reduce global warming to a maximum of 2C and to phase out fossil fuels by the end of the 21st century. More than ever, governments around the world are determined to find cost-effective ways to transition to clean energy – and no sector, or economic actor, is immune to public scrutiny.
"In order to meet the commitments in the Paris Climate Agreement to keep global average temperature increase to below 2C, the world needs to transition to a low carbon economy based on low carbon power sources," says Rik Recourt, associate, real estate, at GRESB. "With buildings and building construction responsible for 36 percent of global energy consumption and nearly 40 percent of total direct and indirect CO2 emissions, the real estate sector has a critical role to play."
Rethinking energy use
Sarah Ratcliffe, chief executive at Better Buildings Partnership, adds: "If we are to have a chance of meeting the scientific imperative to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees by 2050, it will be absolutely essential to transition from fossil fuel-based economies to decarbonized forms of energy production.
"For this to happen, major systemic changes in energy policy, infrastructure and technology are required," Ratcliffe says. "For the property sector, this has three important strands: firstly, reducing the demand for energy by improving the design and energy efficiency of buildings; secondly, moving towards more localized energy production; and thirdly, decarbonizing heat and investing in low or zero forms of energy production, both on and off site."
Real estate investors are increasingly partnering with smart building technology providers in order to improve the efficiency of their assets and to support energy transition. Another area of focus is renewable energy. The cost of onsite solar PV has reduced dramatically in recent years, for example, and is frequently installed at suitable properties.
In California, solar panels have even been mandated on new homes and apartment buildings built from next year, as the state pursues its target of increasing renewable sources to 50 percent of electricity consumption by 2030 and reducing emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
Indeed, distributed energy systems are an important component of real estate's energy transition journey, encompassing not only renewable energy generation technology, but storage and monitoring solutions as well.
"The real estate industry has a real responsibility to rise to these challenges, as it will likely be one of the biggest financial and societal risks we face," says Guy Grainger, chief executive at real estate advisory firm JLL. "Energy use needs to become smarter. Business practices need to become more sustainable. Waste and water are also critical. In the future, the value of a property will be linked more directly to its operational efficiency in use."


Another Dry Week ahead for California…….However some Light Snow showers possible later this week……Long Range Outlook still shows well below normal precipitation for California…….
I just had a look at the 360 hour ECMWF Ensembles and Control Ensembles. They are Baaaad to the Bone. I mention this as I have had a lot of my blog followers sending me copies of both the Canadian and GFS ensembles and control ensembles as of late. As a comment…. I do not know why but the ECMWF model is far superior in their Long Range forecast so what ever the Europeans are putting in their modeling they do it better than both the Canadians and the Yanks! And I consider myself a patriot! Just ask O'Reilly! 😉 Did I spell that right. I thought that it was I before E except after C.
The Good news I hear from a reliable source is that NCEP is about to get some money left over from the grant money for Hurricane Sandy. It has been touted that a major upgrade to the GFS is coming later this year. So hang in their Dweebs and Weather Weenies, help and salvation is on the way! It's probably not a cure for this ugly drought, but at least when the EC says there's no hope for two weeks, the GFS will be in agreement!
Lots of high clouds are streaming in from a subtropical upper low NE of the Big Island of Hawaii. This upper low is kinda like a Kona Low. However, it is displaced about 15 degrees to the east along 150W. It is tapping deep tropical moisture from the ITCZ, south to 8 degree north. The plume, should it make it to the west coast would bring a bonanza of rain to Ca. However, that is not going to happen. Instead, it is effectively being blocked by a subtropical ridge, anchored well west of Southern Baja.
So what we have going on now…..is a weakening of the west coast ridge in response to the excessive wave length caused by the exit of the east coast trof moving out over the Atlantic. This is allowing high level moisture to move into our region as well as some weak short waves with some light precipitation possibilities Thursday and over the weekend.
The west coast ridge this winter thus far has been extremely effective in keeping CA dry. During many drought patterns/years, we at the least get trofs splitting as they move on shore over California, which may be a nuisance for forecasters as their forecast credibility tends to diminish. However this year so far, WX forecasters have probably had one of their best forecast years percentage wise, simply because it has been a fair weather forecast for weeks!
Over the past month, the upper ridge has been shifting east and west between about 140W and 120W. If it were to occasionally shift a bit further east….The west coast would be teleconnected into a positive PNA pattern. As a result, we would probably have more of a central West Coast splitting pattern as well. But at the least we would get some snowfall.
On an optimistic note, there is some suggestion in the CFS and GFS that out in time, called (fantasy land), there may be a change that will affect the eastern pacific ridge and allow a branch of the westerly's into California, beginning about the 20th of January. Remember, this is only a chance as the ECMWF (EURO) does not show that. On another optimistic note, we are now getting to a point in time that on a statistical basis, that some thing should break through and give us a storm that would give us a few inches of water over a couple of days. As even in the driest years, we can get a day or two of a good shot of snowfall……then go dry again.
Lots of high clouds the next 5 days…. Some snow showers possible Thursday AM and again Late Saturday. Both of these waves will bring a cooler air mass to the area and that is a good thing as Mammoth Mt can continue to make snow. Each one of these short waves may bring anywhere from nothing to as much as a couple of inches.
This mornings guidance still shows the same sad story for precipitation possibilities….. As although the Eastern Pacific ridge will weaken…..systems coming through the ridge will weaken as well keeping them moisture starved. I counted 5 weak short wave that will come though this week. Only two of them have the possibly of bringing some snow showers or a short period of light snowfall over the upper elevation's. At the moment, only a few hundreds of an inch is forecasted this week over the high country through Sunday.
Temperatures will be a bit cooler this week and there will be periods of winds over the Sierra Crest. Expect high temps in the 40s and lows in the teens and 20s this week. There will be two periods of some very light precipitation. It looks to be Thursday and Saturday night. Week two is also looking dry. Climate models show a chance of a change in the pattern about the end of the month. However, it is only a chance…..
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways, sidewalks, gutters and decks.
• Install automatic shut-off nozzles on all hoses.
• Turn off water at the sink while brushing teeth, shaving and washing up. Take shorter showers.
• Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes.
• Install water-wise appliances, like low-flow toilets and shower-head and faucet aerators.
• Replace your lawn with native plants and a drip irrigation system.


In the British Isles, there is a magical and very powerful charm made from two pieces of rowan wood.
Tying two small twigs of rowan together wih red thread in the form of an equal armed cross is an age old protective amulet.
This ancient little charm has been used for centuries for protection and good luck for both people and animals. These beautiful rowan charms are designed to be placed above any opening in your home...above a door, a window, or even your hearth.
A rowan charm may be hung above your infant's cradle for the protection against faeries that may cause harm.
Place a rowan cross above your pet's bed for protection and good luck.
A bride will sew a tiny rowan cross into the hem of her wedding dress to bring fortune and good luck to her marriage.
If you plan to travel, be sure to carry a rowan cross for a safe journey.
Each of the rowan crosses I create include a circle of rowan berries strung with a thin thread of copper, a very powerful metal that directs energy, both electrical and physical and acts as an aide in the body's healing process.
Every September and October, we hand pick the rowan berries from wild trees found in the woods around the Glastonbury area.


Compressor Water Washing Skid is used for compressor washing or compressor & turbine washing of gas turbine. The water wash unit is operated in conjunction with certain operating modes of the Gas Turbine. When water or detergent solution is required at the turbine, the water pump is started by the operator, and by valve operation on the water wash unit, either plain water or water detergent / solution is pumped from the water wash unit to the turbine.
The water flow rates are governed by spray nozzles and orifices installed on the Gas Turbine (not part of the water wash unit). The water wash centrifugal pump reacts on its curve to satisfy the nozzles employed. The detergent flow rates into the water stream are controlled by the stroke setting of the detergent metering pump. The detergent/water solution flow rates are then governed by the turbine spray nozzles in the same manner as the water flow rates.
Online & Offline water wash system for compressors and gas turbine blades self contained with water & detergent tanks, heaters, control switches for temperature, volume, level and pressure. Our Compressor Water Washing skids are highly reliable, sophisticated and durable commissioned at more than 120 destinations all over the world.


I have a CD in the car called "Hamilton". Hamilton was a founding father. The CD has different songs about his life, and that's how I know about him. The story of Hamilton makes me feel happy at the part where him and his friends get along. And it makes me feel sad when he got shot by an enemy. What also makes me feel sad about him is his son got shot, too, in the same place as Hamilton.
A kid's chapter book about Hamilton.
If Hamilton could be a hero, then we all could be heroes, too.
I wrote a book about Hamilton, and there are about seventeen chapters. I wrote it because Hamilton is real, and there are not enough books about him (that I know), and I feel like Hamilton should be honored, because of how he made things happen and why he made things happen. Also, in my life I feel that Hamilton was something more than just a founding father. And I think Hamilton would be great in our world today (if he was alive).
Listening to the music makes me want to see the play, which is exciting to me. Because I love Hamilton. If Hamilton could be a hero, then we could be heroes, too.


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NEON to launch live studio broadcast
CHASE WRIGHTHour Staff Writer
May 5, 2012 Updated: June 15, 2016 11:02 p.m.
Hour photo / Alex von Kleydorff
NEON Interim Executive Director Pat Wilson Pheanious gets training on using a Teleprompter from Envision Stream owner Gregory Wigfall.
NORWALK -- Live from South Norwalk, it's Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now!
Beginning this month, the anti-poverty agency will produce a weekly studio broadcast, streamed live from Ben Franklin Center and delivered free via the Internet.
Chiquita Stephenson, NEON's director of development and public relations, said the initiative -- a sort of newsletter for the digital age -- will better connect the agency with its clients and the greater-Norwalk community.
"We want to tell the story of NEON," Stephenson said. "We want people to know about the services available for individuals in order to help people and also to improve those services, and the only way we can be a help to one another is if we communicate."
The initiative marks a turning point for NEON, as the agency seeks to shake a public perception of being exclusive and withdrawn.
Programming on the show will include a weekly check-in with Interium CEO Patricia Wilson Pheanious, followed by a news segment highlighting the various services offered through NEON and CTE, Inc., a community action agency serving Stamford, Greenwich and Darien. The two agencies are in the midst of a merger.
In addition to real-life testimonials from NEON clients and program directors, there will be interactive roundtable discussions about issues affecting low-income residents. Viewers will also have the ability to ask questions and comment through Facebook or Twitter.
The broadcast will be streamed live on NEON's website on Friday afternoons, with unlimited replays available on-demand after 6:30 p.m.
Connecticut nonprofits are making good use of the Internet and social media to reach clients and funders, but a live studio broadcast is groundbreaking for a community action agency, said Edith Karsky, executive director of the Connecticut Association for Community Action, which oversees 12 community-based agencies, including NEON.
"This is definitely a first," Karsky said. "I applaud Pat for trying to initiate community involvement like this. I will be following it closely, as will our entire network. Maybe it will become a best practice we all adopt."
Stephenson said the idea for a live broadcast was developed four years ago but resurfaced during a recent staff meeting led by Pheanious.
"We the staff have been sharing our thoughts and tabled ideas with our new leader," Stephenson said. "This is what Pat is doing to uncover and help blossom those ideas and opportunities that would best fit the mission of NEON."
According to Pheanious, the initiative was made possible through a partnership with Envision Stream, a Bridgeport-based video production company, which will provide NEON with the recording equipment and training. It will cost NEON about $500 per week to run the program, she said.
Pheanious, who joined NEON in February following the resignation of former President and CEO Joseph E. Mann, called the $25,900 annual contract with Envision Stream "a worthy expenditure" to help link the agency with clients, while highlighting vital services for low-income residents.
"This is a good way to share with people who we are and what we're doing," she said. "That kind of exposure and interaction between the staff and the public will count in terms of how people feel about the agency."
NEON has never budgeted for marketing and communications. However, the agency scoured its roughly $14 million budget, and identified enough funding to support the project, Pheanious said.
"It seems to me that NEON needs a new face," she said. "This is an opportunity to bring some new light and life to what really are some fine people and programs in this agency."
CHASE WRIGHT
Hour Staff Writer


Happy New Year everyone 🍾😊 We rang in the New Year at Disney's California Adventure this year.
It was a great experience and we'd definitely do it again. We enjoyed going on the rides some more than once.
We had lots of yummy snacks and even though it got cold and windy we had a blast. Firework show got cancelled due to high winds. But we enjoyed a Countdown dance party at Hollywood Studios in California Adventure Park.
My parents graciously watched the kids at our home and they had a great NYE together.
We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen this morning and got to get some good character pictures.
Then headed home to be with our kids. We got home Sunday night December 30th from our trip to June Lake. We had lots of fun in the snow and bowling when my husband was t working. We enjoyed time with our family there and brought our nephew back to the desert with us.
Kids soaked Jeff up today as he is headed back to June Lake with our nephew tomorrow. He's always hard at work lots to do between the motel and real estate office.
Savannah has been so into pretend play of Doctor and also dressing up in all her costumes. So we did a lot of that today and watched Little Einsteins before bed.
We all enjoyed some delicious pasta and sauce my husband made for us. Tomorrow I have lots to do. Have dry cleaning to pick up some to drop off. Lots of laundry and cleaning to do.
Make our grocery list and get those too. My friend has a package for me do pick up. Also we're having coffee with my bestie and her kids in the morning.
I'm gonna get in a workout and plan our weekly dinner menu. Kids and I will figure out some fun activities to keep us busy.
I hope everyone had a fantastic NYE and New Years Day!


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NADG > September 2020
NADG Co-Founder Ken Cooper Recognized as One of the Nation's Highest Rated CEOs For Leadership During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Posted on September 16, 2020 by North American Dental Group
Pittsburgh, PA (September 16, 2020) – North American Dental Group (NADG) co-founder Kenneth Cooper today was named one of the best Chief Executive Officers in the nation for his steadfast commitment to ensuring the health and safety of NADG team members and fostering a caring workplace environment during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. NADG is a dental service organization (DSO) that provides non-clinical administrative services to over 230 supported dental practices across 15 states.
Glassdoor, the worldwide leader on insights about jobs and companies, highlighted Cooper in its latest report, 25 Highest Rated CEOs During the COVID-19 Crisis. To compile its list, Glassdoor analyzed employee reviews from current and former workers at U.S.-based companies with a workforce of at least 1,000 employees between March 1 and July 31. In addition, Glassdoor rated CEOs on several leadership characteristics and traits, including how employees rated their overall effectiveness during the pandemic.
"I am truly humbled by this recognition. The fact that this honor comes solely as a result of NADG team members sharing their personal thoughts, beliefs and experiences makes this acknowledgement truly special for me. I have tremendous gratitude for the men and women who make NADG a wonderful place to work," said Cooper.
Cooper credited the company's culture and familiar maxim: 'Caring people, caring for people.'
"There is no question that this pandemic has created deep challenges for our company. But we never wavered from our servant leadership mindset, our culture, and our values. We genuinely care for our patients and teammates. That has been our North Star as we navigate this current crisis," Cooper said. "From the start of the pandemic, we took measures to protect our teammates. We assisted those who suffered economic hardships. We served our communities by providing emergency dental care and donated protective masks to first responders. In addition, we also established new safety measures to make our work environments safe for our patients and team members."
NADG is led by a board of dentists known as the Professional Dental Alliance, which provides the clinical guidance needed for NADG to function under new safety protocols and partnered with the business-side to shift operations during the pandemic. Glassdoor analyzed employee reviews from a variety of sectors including tech, manufacturing, insurance, defense, healthcare, and other industries. Common themes from employees who work with the highest-rated CEOs included respect for work-life balance, showing genuine care for workers, and allowing for flexible hours and working remotely during the pandemic.
"A common trend from the feedback of employees of these leaders is that they are prioritizing their employees and making sure they are taken care of," Glassdoor said in a statement. "As many of these employees are navigating major changes during the pandemic, between making the shift to working from home or adding additional health and safety precautions for work that requires face-to-face interaction, it's clear that frequent and transparent communication, as well as making the effort to listen to employees' needs, is more important than ever."
North American Dental Group (NADG), based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was cofounded by Ken Cooper and Dr. Andrew Matta in 2008. NADG was created to transform the dental experience for its patients, clinicians, and its support teams and today consists of a network of over 230 dental practices in 15 states. The values of maintaining an emotionally intelligent approach, being thoughtful educators, and displaying a healthy bravado fuel our day-to-day patient care and operations. These founding values are alive and well as NADG celebrates its pioneer spirit by solidifying its partnership with Jacobs Holding AG.


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What happened at the end of the last issue? Find out now as the whole ship is turned upside down, some of the crew is lost to the water, and the rest of the crew are under attack from the violent forces of Raven's brothers. Can we save those who are lost and, once this fight is over, will it even matter?


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Uson steht für:

 Uson (Masbate), philippinische Stadtgemeinde
 Uson (Vulkan), Vulkan auf Kamtschatka

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The apparent slip in bi-partisan support for the basin plan should cause concern to those interested in achieving environmental reform.
The danger to the plan comes, unfortunately, from Labor and its plan to move a motion to remove the cap on buybacks.
This seems to be a knee jerk and unnecessary response to publicity.
It's unnecessary because the cap has not been reached and it is, in the longer term, not permanent.
There is room in the current cap for the next government to continue to undertake targeted buybacks and there is capacity to ensure the 605GL of supply measures are delivered.
Labor's commitment should be to speed up the wheels of government on these projects, not push the blame, and the cost, on to people who have no control.


The astronauts aboard the International Space Station have a lot to do 400 kilometers above our heads, whether it's growing flowers, playing pong with water, or doing more serious genetics research and experiments. They've got plenty of high-tech tools to do their science, and now they've added another impressive (and super cute) one to their arsenal: a spherical camera drone known as the "Int-Ball" (via Engadget).
Created by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Int-Ball is 15 centimeters in diameter and transfers images back to Earth in (almost) real-time, so JAXA staff can respond to problems quickly. Int-Ball can also move either autonomously or under the control of operators back on Earth, which could end up being a big time-saver for astronauts aboard the ISS. JAXA says that astronauts spend about ten percent of their time up there with a camera in their hand, so having a floating camera around that can do a lot of that work by itself could be huge.
Int-Ball moves around in zero gravity thanks to its three-axis control unit, which works with 12 fans on the robot's surface to adjust its position as necessary. It has a navigation camera that looks for pink "3D target makers" reference points on the ship, and the recording camera is between its big, adorable "eyes" so it's easy to tell what Int-Ball is actually looking at.
Int-Ball has been on the ISS since June 4, and while JAXA is working on making the ball more effective as an autonomous unit, it seems like it's off to a pretty solid start. Check out the videos throughout this post, and let us know in the comments below what other potential benefits Int-Ball could provide.


Before walking away from the field this morning, I turned around to see the tops of coffee trees dancing and shaking while the women invisibly picked the beans. It made me think of a harvest dance and even the trees could join in. I'm sure if I was a tree, I would dance a little myself at the thought of being free of all those beans. I could look forward to a period of rest. After all, this was a hard year with the early rains and hurricane Ida. (Read more).
You are now able to order coffee grown Finca de Angeles online. Get it here. I ordered mine and I can't wait to try it.


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Dec 23, 2021 12 days of Christmas, Christmas, Christmas lists
Photo by Olena Sergienko on Unsplash
At the beginning of December I asked all the Critical Mass writers to think about the 12 days of Christmas and to compile a list of things that people could do, be it reading, listening, playing or thinking. Some did. Most ignored me but, to be honest, I'm used to that.
But first after extensive research, okay I googled it, I thought I'd share the origins of the ubiquitous 'On the first day of Christmas' song of which most of us know only the first line or two.
The idea of 12 days is based in Christian mythology. The first day represents the birth of Jesus, and the twelfth the visit by the 'Magi', the three wise men. The first is the 25th December and the 12th day is the 6th of January. The song 12 Days of Christmas has its origins in France in the sixth century, although the first printed version was in English in a children's book called Mirth without Mischief around 1780. In this special Christmas edition of Critical Mass Fiat Knox has reworked the words into a satirical drubbing of Boris Johnson. Meanwhile Sixty Second Scribe gave us 12 cover versions which have nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas, and Mike Stanton told us 12 bands that had played in Barrow upon Furness, information every socialist should know I'm sure you will agree.
But most of those who responded did so literally and just provided a list. Now I quite like lists and if you do you might look at these and think why that and not this? The thing about lists is that they invite disagreement and amendment so please feel free to do what many of our writers failed to do and give me your list of 12 things for Christmas. I'd love to see them.
So, first up is Susie Granic who, never one to do things by halves, provided not one but two lists. First is Susie's twelve books for Christmas, which she chose as making good gifts rather than them carrying any Christmas message:
Andrea Levy – Small Island
Bruce Chatwin – Songlines
Paul Foot – Words as Weapons
Keri Hulme – The Bone People
Gloria Naylor – The Women of Brewster Place
Oriana Fallaci – A Man
Pat Barker – Union Street
Marge Piercy – Woman on the Edge of Time
Gloria Steinem – Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions
Valerie Miner – Blood Sisters
Virginia Woolf – Orlando
Margaret Atwood – The Edible Woman
Second are her twelve tracks for Christmas. Again, not Christmassy at all, but songs she grew up with, for the most part, and which she still loves:
Next up is Mike Coulson who sent a YouTube playlist entitled '12 videos for Christmas' which contains 21 tracks. Worth a listen though to get you in the mood.
Harvey John took time away from his X-Box just long enough to compile 12 games you might want to play over Christmas. Here they are:
Splinter Cell Conviction
Fable 2
Fall Out New Vegas
The Witcher 3 The Wild Hunt
KOTOR 2 The Sith Lords
And, if games aren't your thing, Red Terror has 12 books for you:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Shardlake series by CJ Sansom
The Road by Cormack McCarthy
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Che: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson
Of course, Christmas is also a time for reflection and our Critical Mass lists should reflect that. And, after a short conversation about lists Luke Andreski offered twelve ethical principles:
1. Nurture those around you and seek their fulfilment.
2. Within your capacity and the opportunities given you, seek the fulfilment of all humans everywhere.
3. Within your capacity and the opportunities given you, nurture the biological world and protect it from harm.
4. Do not cause humans or other lifeforms to suffer.
5. Do not seek power – seek only your fulfilment and the flourishing of others.
6. Do not seek wealth – seek only your fulfilment and the flourishing of others.
7. Do not idolise individuals – idolise only their good actions.
8. Do not idolise possessions – possessions must serve humanity and the thriving of all life.
9. Do not idolise artefacts: organisations, traditions, constitutions or nations. These artefacts must serve humans and humanity, not the reverse.
10. Nurture, exercise and make use of your body – it is life made manifest.
11. Nurture, exercise and make use of your brain – it sustains your identity and the flourishing of your mind.
12. Do not wait to do good until others do good also. Take the first moral step, the second moral step, and the third.
But, remember, an ethical commitment is not just for Christmas it needs nurturing all year round.
Finally, the force of nature that is Jo Buchanan was equivocal about the whole idea but did it anyway. You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you how many times Jo and I had these kinds of conversations.
This is very rushed, Dave. I could think more deeply and make more of it I'm sure. I thought I had better do something though in response to your directive.
Karl Ove Knausgaard's 6 long volumes of 'My Struggle' were brilliant for lockdown, long and detailed. Sometimes readers find him infuriating because Knausgaard can go from describing making coffee in some detail to pages and pages about Hitler after he moved to Vienna. He really lays himself bare in these volumes, so human and vulnerable.
I once described Robert MacFarlane as my favourite living writer. His powers of description are amazing, and so are his concern and love for our planet. One of my favourites is his relatively recent gripping book, 'Underland'. He explains in one section how trees cooperate underground, based on the information he gained from a discussion in Epping Forest, and how they create a kind of socialism, supporting each other.
I also like Horatio Clare and love the variety in his work and his command of language. After I went travelling on cargo ships, I was fascinated by his book 'Down to the Sea in Ships'. I had seen first hand the racist nature of the cargo business when I travelled. There are very different terms of employment and conditions for exploited Filipino workers compared to those of the French, and Clare reveals a great deal about the skulduggery and unfairness that is endemic.
Caroline Playne was a little known pacifist who lived during the First World War and contemplated with horror the approaching Second World War. I am sad and frustrated that some heroic figures from the past are simply forgotten. Three of her books are 'The Neurosis of Nations', 'The Pre War Mind in Britain' and 'Society at War'. It's hard to find these books nowadays.
One of Julius Nyerere's books was 'Essays on Socialism'. The title speaks for itself. Nyerere convinced me!
'The Paper Dolls' by Julia Donaldson is a children's book which makes me cry every single time I read it.
I loved the historical detail in 'Citizen Clem' by John Bew, another good lockdown read.
I do like detective stories and particularly enjoy PD James partly because of the quality of her prose. All her books are good reads, 'Death in Holy Orders' being one. I rather think she was a Tory though.
With a nod to Christmas, there was a sweet book I read years ago called 'A Redbird Christmas' by Fannie Flagg. It is the easiest escapist feel-good reading ever.
I've only ever watched one boxed set over a short space of time, and that was 'The West Wing '. I've no idea if that is still as watchable after all this time has passed, but I was fixated then.
When it comes to music, it's easy to be seduced by some of the jollity at Christmas. I am more drawn to songs which have a message I feel is is of relevance and I include three examples.
Phil Ochs, 'No Christmas in Kentucky'.
Lennon, 'And So This is Christmas'.
Jona Lewie 'Stop the Cavalry'.
I can't be doing with all this cheerful jingling music, although I can see that some of it is quite festive and fun."
And, that is what happens when you ask a bunch of socialists to think about Christmas! But I suppose as I'm writing this I should get the last word. So, I'm not sure if I can stretch this to twelve but here's some reasons to be hopeful:
There are still people in the world who believe in fighting for a better future.
For all their bluster and sense of entitlement most people don't actually like the Tories.
Or the Labour right-wing for that matter.
The virus won't last forever. It just feels like it at the moment.
Science. I know scientists are not uniformly on the left, and sometimes they appear to be in the pocket of the government, but progress occurs because people are prepared to dedicate their lives to investigating the world. Without that understanding, all we have left is superstition and prejudice.
Friendship. It's an odd thing but I've made more friends this year than in a long time. And, I've never met a single one of them other than through Zoom.
Love really does conquer hate. I'm not saying we should all become hippies but hate can only flourish where compassion and empathy are missing. And the socialist left have both of those in abundance.
Capitalism is not indestructible. Indeed, its ability to keep reinventing itself gets weaker. The contradictions at its heart will be its death knell. Maybe not next year. Or the one after. But eventually.
The world is getting more peaceful. No seriously, that's an empirical fact. There are fewer and fewer deaths on the battlefield year by year. Steven Pinker has argued that more than this, over the past 10,000 years of recorded human history, the trend has been towards a more and more peaceful world when considering all forms of violence rather than just war – a claim supported by other researchers.
A majority of people (around 56% in a 2018 YouGov survey) favour a more equal distribution of income. Okay, let's be honest, most people don't want to give up any of their own income but this is something to work for and to be hopeful about.
Critical Mass. This time last year Critical Mass did not exist. It literally grew out of the frustration of the 2019 General Election. It has now produced 310 posts, including a news post every weekday since August 26th. This is Issue 10 of the magazine. It shows what can be achieved by a small group of people determined to counter the bias of the mainstream media with only their words. We still have no financial backing whatsoever, do not put advertising on our site and have no full-time workers. We intend to continue.
You. If you are reading this, and have managed to get this far, you are undoubtedly a socialist who wants to see a better world, who believes that such a world is possible and is prepared to take action to bring that world about. How can we possibly lose? Have a restful and safe Christmas and New Year, and together we will work for peace, justice and a world worth living in.
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Director Cora Bissett tells a true tale of protest in her latest play
HER energy shines in Glasgow Girls which is inspired by a group of city teens who campaigned against dawn raids on asylum seekers.
Paul English
Multi-talented Cora Bissett
CORA Bissett calls one of the real-life characters in her new show "a firehouse of activity".
It's a description that could just as easily be applied to herself.
The Fife-born director exudes an infectious energy when she takes time out to talk about Glasgow Girls at the city's Citizens Theatre, inspired by the story of a group of city teenagers who campaigned against dawn raids on asylum seekers in 2005.
Her enthusiasm isn't just for the next gig on the horizon, though.
Not only is she putting the finishing touches to Glasgow Girls, she's also looking ahead to a planned 2013 revival of Whatever Gets You Through The Night, the offbeat musical described as "a visual and aural banquet blending circus, cabaret and a host of stories" across Scotland between midnight and 4am.
Celebrated by critics, it ran for a week at The Arches in Glasgow, with a film spin-off being shown at the Edinburgh Festival featuring some musicians, artists and writers who contributed. The play is under consideration for a Creative Scotland Award.
Her Olivier-winning play Roadkill – a powerful piece about sex trafficking in the UK – will transfer to New York next year, hosted by St Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn and performed, there as it was here, in an apartment.
She's also working on a TV adaptation of the harrowing work for the BBC and will be in New York when David Greig's play Midsummer is staged off-Broadway in January.
It was while touring Roadkill in Australia this year that she struck upon another idea – "an aboriginal visual artist I encountered in Australia. It's still kind of under wraps for now".
Cora was signed to Phonogram records in the 1990s, and her band Darlingheart toured with Radiohead and Blur before the momentum of a career in acting and directing took over.
Her best-remembered TV role was as a barmaid in Rab C Nesbitt, and she was also in gritty award-winning film Red Road in 2006. Now she's most at home directing.
She said: "Even though I started out in a band, I see myself more and more as a director. Acting can be very insular, and you get hung up on why you didn't get a part or whatever. I don't enjoy the headspace of battling with your ego in that way. I like where directing puts me mentally and emotionally."
Especially so where her latest play is concerned.
Cora loves the theatre
The Glasgow Girls were a group of teenagers from Drumchapel High School driven by a sense of injustice to protest (successfully) against the detention of a classmate.
Agnesa Murselaj, then 15, had fled with her family from war-torn Kosovo. Five years after arriving in the country, they were eventually subjected to the terror of a dawn raid on their high-rise in the city's west end.
The girls took their protest from the Drumchapel High classroom to the Scottish Parliament, winning a major campaigning award and publicly accusing then First Minister Jack McConnell of telling lies when he pledged to change protocol on asylum legislation – something which turned out to be beyond his devolved powers.
Cora said: "It's a story about a group of teenage girls, a rights-of-passage story, an awakening. In the middle of the night, one of their friends was taken away.
"They were just mates in a school, they didn't see the divisions of colour, creed, background. It's something incredibly positive about youth.
"I found it really exciting that this was a group of girls with something more on their minds than trying to be Cheryl Cole.
"I was excited and inspired by the awareness that Roadkill was able to raise and the direct practical result it could have.
"People were then phoning up the Scottish Refugee Council afterwards and asking how they could help."
The Glasgow Girls sees Cora reunite with playwright David Greig featuring music from Sumati Bhardwaj (Soom T), Patricia Panther and John Kielty. It opens at the end of the month at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre.
A brief overview of the work-in-progress was performed as part of Refugee Week at Glasgow's Tron Theatre in June this year, whetting appetites of both theatre goers and campaigners.
Cora's mother also played a helping hand.
The director said: "She loves musicals and told me that this story should be a musical.
"Glasgow Girls isn't just a story about asylum seekers, because the last thing I want to do is preach to anybody. That's not my job. I just wanted to get into the world of those characters."
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The feasting season is upon us. And we are so glad, because there is lots of delicious food to look forward to.
However, it also means a lot more temptation on the eating front (the parties, the fantastic meals, the toasts, the sweets, the eggnog), and for many of us, less time in December to take care of ourselves (eat well, workout, relax and rest).
Overeating is part of December, period. But you can counter balance that, easy peasy. Here are 3 easy recipes and a snack tip for keeping your potato cooking light, but delicious and healthy this holiday season.
Pop a PotatOH into the microwave at work for a fast, healthy lunch. Or stop off at home on a busy Saturday to power up for hours more of shopping fun. In less than three minutes, you'll have a healthy, satisfying meal that will help keep your hunger at bay. Just keep the toppings trim. Go for veggie chili, low-fat yogurt or a dash of olive oil (a healthy fat) and some salt and pepper.
Bonus tip: to keep the naughty noshing to a minimum, try a PotatOH with salsa as a pre-soiree snack. If you don't go to the party starving, you'll be less likely to eat the whole dang cheese platter.
An important part of Jewish holidays, latkes are cooked in oil to remind folks of the oil that gave light in the temple for eight days.
Try this lightened up Latkes recipe that lets you enjoy tradition and taste without without extra calories. You can use any potato you like, but for crispiest results, use the starchiest (Russets.) Enjoy.
This buttermilk mashed potatoes recipe is a family favorite at our house. The garlic cloves make it super special, because they give the potato puree extra body and lots of flavor. We also like to add some chopped chives to the top because it looks great and adds even more taste.
Richly cheesy sauce coats perfectly cooked potatoes in this classic holiday casserole we dream of all year long. Our go-to recipe for Au Gratin potatoes is healthy and omits butter, keeps the milk and low fat, and backs off a bit on the cheese. You won't miss it.
What are your favorite holiday potato recipes? Let us know in the comments!
After a hot, dry summer and a wonderful growing season, this week finds us about half way through the potato harvest. Fall is here!
While the first "official" day of fall is Saturday, September 22, the nighttime temps around here have been down in the low 40s.
We're wearing sweaters and jackets at night.
The aspen trees are just starting to turn vibrant gold.
Our high school football team is three games in to the season and still undefeated. Go Pirates!
And our taste buds have turned to the flavors of fall. We're eating crisp apples. We're thinking about stews. We can smell the Hatch chiles roasting at the farmers market.
So how could you not be craving scalloped potatoes? Or potato soup?
Here are a handful of great fall potato recipes that celebrate the taste of the season. Stay tuned for more to come, as fall has just kicked off!
An easy way to get potatoes on the table with great fall flavors is to roast them. They don't take a lot of prep time, and should cook in less than 40 minutes. You can season them with about anything—including plain salt and pepper. But this recipe calls for lemon and oregano. It's so nice next to a roast chicken—very Greek inspired. But again, would go well with just about any protein.
Sometimes, we make these with tarragon. Sometimes we make them with herbs de Provence. Sometimes, we just use salt and pepper.
When you talk about all-time favorite potato dishes around here, especially with the folks who grow our spuds, scalloped or au gratin potatoes are always mentioned with a happy smile. The cooler temperatures make it ok to turn the oven on again and the hard work of harvest has us ready for heartier meals. So we're planning on making this dish this week, for sure.
Our recipe calls for fingerlings, but you could use the classic Yukon gold or any other waxy potato. A delicious surprise here is the inclusion of chicken. We often make this dish when we have a leftover roast. We serve it as a side, next to ham or more chicken, but the flavors could go with pork chops or beef, too. We think it would make great leftovers, but we've never been lucky enough to find out!
Another great sign of fall is the return of soup to the dinner table. This recipe is a cheesy, creamy dream come true for kids. And it's great for a fast weeknight meal, because it can be ready in less than 30 minutes. If you have chicken stock, skip the bullion and water. If you have fresh broccoli, you can use that instead of frozen. If you have leftover broccoli (is it just us?) you could use that instead, too. Sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika for a stunning presentation. Also, if you happened to pick up any of those roasted Hatch chiles, like we did, you could cut some up and slip them in.
Do you have any favorite fall potato recipes? Let us know in the comments!
Potatoes were introduced in Mexico by Spaniards in the 16th century, and today they are the best amigos of other favorite Mexican foods, including chili peppers, beans, rice and tortillas. If you're looking for quick and easy Mexican recipes that are big on flavor and easy on the calories, we've got you covered! Here are three potato recipes that will add color, spice and sabor to your Cinco de Mayo party!
Add spice to your Cinco de Mayo party with these smashers that mix potatoes with sweet peppers, cilantro, sour cream or greek yogurt, and a hint of chili powder. You can use any potatoes you like, and you can get creative with yellow and red potatoes, or Express Bake russets, sweets or fingerling Jubileez. They're easy to make (smash the potatoes together for added fun!), low on calories (only 50), and big on flavor.
Enjoy great Mexican taste with fewer calories. Make them with chicken, vegetarian, and even gluten free! It's easy to adapt the basic recipe to your liking with the variations on our recipe page.The chili and lime flavors taste truly authentic and with all four recipes at less than 250 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving, they're perfect for a low-calorie diet.


Sophomore outside hitter Maggie Wallenberger led Jacobs' attack with 13 kills in a 19-25, 25-21, 25-10 Fox Valley Conference volleyball win against Cary-Grove on Thursday in Algonquin.
Jordyn Kelly led the Golden Eagles (4-8, 3-4 FVC) on defense with 25 digs, Jaclyn Poirier had six kills, Rachel Kaczorowski added 26 assists, Tai Ramirez had 11 digs, and Katie Lodi had nine digs. Kaczorowski and Andie Voss had eight digs apiece.
C-G is 6-8 overall, 3-4 in the FVC.
Crystal Lake Central 2, Dundee-Crown 0: At Crystal Lake, the Tigers extended their winning streak to 10 with a 25-10, 25-11 FVC win over the Chargers. Madeline Timmerman led Central (11-1, 6-1) with eight kills and four blocks. Olivia Anderson had five blocks, and Madde Blake had eight digs.
Makena Wesol, Olivia Miller and Claire Muhvic had two kills apiece for D-C (1-12, 0-7).
Huntley 2, Hampshire 0: At Hampshire, the Red Raiders swept the Whip-Purs, 25-19, 25-10, in FVC action. Huntley improved to 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the FVC. Hampshire fell to 9-7-1 and 2-5.
Johnsburg 2, Marengo 0: At Johnsburg, the Skyhawks beat the Indians, 25-23, 25-18, in Kishwaukee River Conference action. Hayley Schmidt led Johnsburg (6-5, 3-0) with seven kills, Adisyn Illg had 16 assists and an ace, Leah Kottke had 15 digs, and Abbey Bratek added four kills. Morgan Madsen had three aces.
Lillie Simons had six kills and four blocks for Marengo (12-5, 2-2), Hannah Ritter had four kills and two blocks, and Hannah Faber added three kills.
Burlington Central 2, Harvard 0: At Harvard, the Hornets lost to the Rockets, 25-18, 25-13, in KRC action. Haley Tittle, Desiree Brady and Aylia Lemus each had two kills for Harvard (0-13, 0-3), and Dianayeli Plata had six digs. Brady added two aces.
Jacobs 2, McHenry 0: At McHenry, Sam Rainer gave the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead with a first-half goal assisted by Alex Nicastro en route to an FVC win. Nicastro added a second-half goal for Jacobs (4-4-2, 1-0). Preston Krahl made two saves in the shutout.
Austin Lichtenstein made nine saves for McHenry (4-3-2, 1-1).
Dundee-Crown 2, Prairie Ridge 1 (2OT): At Carpentersville, Roland Dearborn scored in the 91st minute to lead the Chargers (7-1-1, 2-0) to an FVC win over the Wolves. Samuel Lopez scored the first goal for D-C, and Calvin Carlos and Arnol Batres had assists. Damian Smiech made five saves in the win.
Noah Smeja scored for the Wolves, assisted by Owen Erickson.
Crystal Lake South 1, Wheaton North 0: At the PepsiCo Showdown in Wheaton, Nick Langdon scored the only goal for the Gators (9-1-1). Alex Canfield had an assist, and Oscar Estrada made four saves for South.
Huntley 1, West Chicago 0 (PKs): At the PepsiCo Showdown in Huntley, the Red Raiders (1-8) picked up their first victory of the season, defeating the Wildcats, 2-1, in a penalty kick shootout. Huntley goalkeeper Lucas Clemetsen made three saves in the shootout and five in regulation.
Harvard 2, Marian Central 0: At Harvard, Adrian Gorostieta scored both goals for the Hornets in a nonconference win.
Crystal Lake Central 7, Hampshire 0: At Crystal Lake, the Tigers swept an FVC dual against the Whips to move to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. Winning at singles for Central were Giselle Lemke (No. 1), Ellie McGinnis (No. 2) and Julia Fier (No. 3).
Kyleigh Kessler and Kenna Kessler (No. 1), Katie Haviland and Cassie Preshlock (No. 2), Kylah Parrish and Emma Grindstaff (No. 3), and Delaney Jenkins and Hannah Pipitone (No. 4) won in doubles.
Woodstock 6, Marengo 1: At Marengo, Ashley Peralta (No. 1), Irene Vasquez (No. 2) and Emma Colby (No. 3) swept their singles matches for the Blue Streaks in a KRC win. Kamryn Bogott and Kelsey Perkins (No. 2), Emma Martin and Sarah Caspari (No. 3), and Grace Cochrane and Sarah Cornell (No. 4) added straight-set wins in doubles.
Maddy Haas and Jacqueline Snyderat No. 1 doubles had the only win for the Indians.
Huntley 5, Crystal Lake South 2: At Crystal Lake, Riley Conradt and Michelle Barnvos earned a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles to lead the Red Raiders to an FVC win. Also adding wins for Huntley (13-5, 4-1) were Kylie Phommasack and Gabby Kosowski (No. 3 doubles), Raegan Hilbrant and Hannah Hyslop (No. 4 doubles), Carina Bowman (No. 2 singles), and Samia Desai (No. 3 singles).
Skylar Olsen won, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 1 singles for the Gators. Anna Chang and Evelyn Smith added a win at No. 2 doubles.
Cary-Grove 7, Dundee-Crown 0: At Cary, the Trojans swept the Chargers in an FVC dual. Bethany Marshall (No. 1 singles), Kaitlin Warner (No. 2 singles) and Karina Los and Alina Krembuszewski (No. 1 doubles) all won without dropping a game.
Also picking up wins for the Trojans were Lori Begun (No. 3 singles), Jazzy Flashing and Elizabeth LaLond (No. 2 doubles), Julia Pietrzyk and Jenna Briggs (No. 3 doubles), and Grace O'Malley and Olivia Schladt (No. 4 doubles).
Woodstock North 5, Johnsburg 2: At Johnsburg, Lydia Dunker won, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, at No. 3 singles to help lead the Thunder in the KRC victory. Winning in two sets for North were Aly Cullotta (No. 1 singles), Cassandra Howell and Kirsten Morey (No. 2 doubles), Mariela Perez and Jasmin Carbajal (No. 3 doubles), and Kaitlyn Mauck and Maggie Thomas (No. 4 doubles).
Abbie Cittadino and Kamile Aleksaite won, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1 doubles for Johnsburg. Lauren Hendrixson won, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 2 singles.
Prairie Ridge 164, Cary-Grove 168: At Chalet Hills in Cary, Prairie Ridge's Hunter Fredrick and Grant Klepitsch and C-G's Trevor Brandon and Nate Jablonski each carded 40s to share medalist honors. Eddie Winkelmann added a 41 for the Wolves, and Dominic Leli and Connor Hamilton both had 43s.
Trevor Beaugureau. Patrick Tobin, Cole Seeger and Michael Greenhill had 44s for C-G.
Richmond-Burton 183, Harvard 213: At Abbey Springs in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Jackson Bolman had a 43 to earn medalist honors for the Rockets in a KRC win. Connor Lindley and Ryan Eskuri added 46s, and Adam Harr had a 48 for R-B (6-4, 4-0).
McHenry 167, Crystal Lake Central 181: At McHenry Country Club, Eric Klutke shot even-par 35 for the Tigers in an FVC loss to the Warriors. McHenry was led by Truman Keppy (41), Spencer Rudd (41), Liam Nielsen (42) and Ryan Peters (43).
Kolbe Wallin (45), Bayden Hubacher (50) and Ethan Bass (51) rounded out the scoring for Central.
Hampshire 158, Dundee-Crown 161: At Bonnie Dundee in Carpentersville, the Whips pulled out a three-shot FVC victory. D-C's Matt McQuillen was medalist with an even-par 34. Mark Spitzer, Craig Bracke and Justin Heusmann all had 39s for Hampshire, and C.J. Lindquist added a 41.
Alex Matsas had a 38 for the Chargers, Caiden Lukan had a 44, and Jake Zirlin, Joey Knapp and Jaxon Field had 45s.
Crystal Lake South 167, Woodstock North co-op 177: At Bull Valley Golf Club, the Gators picked up a nonconference win. Woodstock's Evan Bridges was medalist with a 36.
Marian Central 169, Richmond-Burton 177: At Twin Lakes in Wisconsin, Quinton Urban earned medalist honors with a 38 in a nonconference boys golf win for Marian. Andrew Lydon added a 41, Daniel Stumpf had a 44, and Bennett Arza had a 46.
Lindley led R-B with a 39, followed by Bolman (43), Hunter Volkmar (47) and Eskuri (48).
Harvard 187, Richmond-Burton 202: At Beaver Creek in Capron, the Hornets improved to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the KRC with a 13-shot victory. Jennah Brookner led Harvard with a 44, followed by Joelle McMillan (46), Julia Chupich (47) and Pieper Fiegel (50).
R-B's Lauryn Davis earned medalist honors with a 39. Alaina Robinson had a 50, Darci Retherford had a 56, and Sierra Simecek had a 57.
Hampshire 195, Huntley 203: At Randall Oaks in West Dundee, Gianna Farinella shot a 44 to take medalist honors and lead the Whips (6-3, 3-2) to an FVC win over the Red Raiders. Delaney Marcuccilli added a 47, and Grace Fuller and Jessica Dumoulin had 52s.
Taylor Stephenson led Huntley with a 48, followed by Lorelei Oomens (49), Nina Shaffer (50) and Kelsey Ryan (56).
Grayslake co-op 214, Dundee-Crown 224: At Bonnie Dundee in Carpentersville, Alyssa Trebat led the Chargers with a 43 in a nonconference loss. Hannah Gestrich added a 47, Arly Perez had a 65, and Sonora Rodriguez had a 69.
Prairie Ridge 169, McHenry 198: At Boone Creek in Bull Valley, Morgan Taylor posted a 39 to earn medalist honors for the Wolves in an FVC victory. Grace VanHyfte added a 40, Sophia Pascente had a 43, and Elizabeth Tucker had a 47.
McHenry was led by Sarah Fergus and Carly Wolf with 47s. Jocelyn Currie added a 49, and Sydney Shea had a 55.
Huntley 86, Cary-Grove 84: At Sage YMCA in Crystal Lake, Ella Young won the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke for the Red Raiders in an FVC win. Young also was a part of Huntley's winning 200 medley relay team, along with Katelyn Carlson, Caitlyn Gooden and Abigail DeVries. Alyssa Tramuta, Carlson, DeVries and Young also won the 400 free relay.
Emma Bolas, Sophia Silkaitis, Caitlyn Gooden and Tramuta won the 200 free relay for Huntley, while Tramuta won the 100 free, DeVries won the 500 free and Carlson won the 100 backstroke. For the Trojans, Payton Walsh won the 200 IM, Emily Marks won the 50 free, and Ayden Donfris won the 100 butterfly.
Jacobs co-op defeats Crystal Lake co-op: At the Randall Oaks Recreation Center in West Dundee, the Jacobs co-op girls swimming team opened the year with an FVC victory. Kate Trembly won the 200 freestyle, Megan Herrera won the 200 individual medley, Olivia Johnson won the 400 free, and Makaylin Monasterio won the 100 backstroke.
Jacobs won the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay. Crystal Lake co-op's Jamie Gindorf earned two wins in the 50 free and 100 breaststroke, Sarah Niemann won the 100 free, and Makayla Nietzel won the 100 butterfly.


Times have changed and "my parents don't understand me" is the cry of many teens.
Nick brings a new perspective on how to understand our children, and share unique solutions to eliminate the cause of the top three challenges parents and their teens are facing in today's society: Depression and mental health issues, Drugs and gangs and Social media negative side effects. Parents are challenged to reflect and change their relationship with their teen child and teens are given the tools they need to step into adulthood trouble free, equipped with awareness and unconditional support.
Nick is a qualified Leadership, Business and Youth coach, whose mission is to empower people to maximise their potential and fulfil their purpose. A sought after Youth Conference Speaker & Coach, he made it his life mission to mentor young people to deal with modern life's challenges , discover their purpose, maximise their potential and become the best they can be, despite their race, culture, backgrounds or any setbacks of life.
Nick holds postgraduate qualifications in Business and Executive Coaching and in Leadership Coaching and Mentoring.
Married to his lovely wife Non and blessed with 2 boys Ethan & Zane.
Tell us what were you doing before you started to write the book?
I have been developing my coaching and speaking business and started in 2014 as a Leadership and team coach and speaker and the past 3 years have been focused on young people, seeing the many challenges they are faced with, have spoken and youth meetings and conferences.
What were your biggest challenges when writing the book?
Initially it was overcoming any self-doubts of whether I was going to be able to do it and also will people want to read my book, after that it was finding coaching and guidance help to bring out the message in a way that will connect with readers and lastly navigating the ins and outs of publishing.
It wasn't easy to make the decision to become an author. In my heart I knew that I do have a message and should not doubt my ability to influence and change at least one life.
What would you do different if you did this again?
I would get the support and help I need as early as possible instead of struggling and doing things by myself. Promoting your book is as important as writing your book. I learned that more promotion and marketing before publishing a book is key to reaching out to more readers.
Are you planning on writing another book? What would you write about this time?
Yes, have already started on my second installment for teenagers and young people, this time talking about How to raise Resilient Teens.
How has the book changed the way you perceive yourself?
It has made me believe in myself more, holding a book with my name on it has been a great boost in confidence.
What other books or authors inspired your writing style?
My Leadership Mentor John C Maxwell has been a great inspiration and reading his many books have helped me connect with my own purpose.
What is the main message you hope readers will take from your book?
The challenges young people face are real and stand as the greatest threat to their future. Parents, adults, schools, churches must get together and help young people not only to succeed academically but know how to overcome life's challenges.
What advice would you give to anyone wishing to become an author?
Believe in yourself and your message or story, you don't have to be well known or know it all to write; what you know or have experienced is a great start and get some help and guidance to avoid setbacks.
What would you do when you became rich and famous?
My dream is to change and impact as many lives as possible, spread a message of hope, allowing people to believe in themselves and their dreams despite their backgrounds or limitations. All things are possible to each one of us as long as we believe in ourselves.


In my twenty years of living, I think this year is the year I truly am thankful for the Thanksgiving holiday and for my family. I went home for the weekend to get some family time in before basketball season really starts to pick up. Sunday is a tradition for our family to come together and prepare a nice, home-cooked meal together. This Sunday was extra special because we had three extra guests added to our dining room table. My older sister had her fiancé, my boyfriend drove up from St. Louis to Springfield to join us, and my baby sister had her football star boyfriend attend as well. Dinner lasted over an hour, full of good times and reminiscing about our childhood years. Unfortunately I had to drive back home after dinner, but the whole time, I was thanking the Lord for blessing me with good people to surround myself with. How nice of a dinner it was didn't matter; the fact that all of us were in good spirits, healthy, and our loved ones could join us, meant the world to me. I am extremely thankful for the unforgettable night. College students would fight for more hours in a day. Sunday I was not going to stress; I put all my homework aside, phone in my purse, and concerns/worries out the door to soak up all the good times. In my eyes, this was totally worth it.


While rumors of Mara Jade appearing in Star Wars 9 have generated attention in recent months, it's unlikely the fan-favorite character will appear in the upcoming film.
The approach of J.J. Abrams' Star Wars 9, which recently announced its full cast as production is primed to begin, has once again sparked chatter that Mara Jade-Skywalker will find her way into the new canon. Despite months of speculation, however, it has become increasingly clear that there is little-to-no proof to support the theory that Mara Jade will appear in Episode IX.
Mara Jade's inclusion in Star Wars 9 was first rumored after Lucasfilm reportedly put out a casting call for a female lead, age 40-50, named Mara - seemingly a reference to Mara Jade.
Reports that Keri Russell had been cast in Star Wars 9 helped to fuel the fire. She fits the Mara casting, so while some have suggested that Russell will play Rey's mother, others have speculated that she could play the new version of Mara Jade (some have even proposed that Russell will play Mara Jade and Rey's mother). Because Keri Russell is a high-profile actress, fans have assumed that she would have a major role in Star Wars 9, which lines up with Mara expectations.
Mara Jade's popularity within the Star Wars fandom, of course, also played a major role in encouraging conjecture. She wouldn't be the first Legends character to be reinstated into Star Wars canon. Grand Admiral Thrawn, who like Mara Jade was created by author Timothy Zahn, became the most notable Legends character to return to Star Wars canon after he appeared as a major antagonist in Star Wars Rebels seasons 3 and 4. Like Thrawn, Mara Jade is popular enough among fans to motivate Lucasfilm to bring her back to Star Wars.
Despite the buzz around the possibility of Mara Jade appearing in Star Wars 9, it seems unlikely at best that the Legends character will make it to the big screen. While Lucasfilm seems to have acknowledged the character with an audition name, audition names are rarely the actual names of characters - especially with secretive projects like Star Wars 9. Similarly, while Keri Russell's casting promises the introduction of a new major female character, her involvement does not remotely signal that the character of Mara Jade will appear in Star Wars 9.
Even if a character named "Mara Jade" was included in Episode IX, she would be so far removed from her Star Wars Legends persona that she would be a different character entirely. The timeline would be wrong for her to be the Emperor's Hand, and she couldn't be Luke's wife. Even if the character shared her name with the Jedi Master, she wouldn't be the Mara Jade that fans have come to love over the years.
Timothy Zahn, the creator of Mara Jade, has stated that he was not consulted about the use of the character of Mara Jade in Star Wars 9. Zahn is open to Mara Jade returning to Star Wars, but he wants her role to be organic and meaningful, rather than a fan-service cameo. There are plenty of opportunities for the character of Mara Jade to be re-introduced to the Star Wars canon — but Episode IX isn't the right time or place.


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Home › News › News › South Carolina Federal Court issues $275,000 penalty to head of fraudulent commodity pool
South Carolina Federal Court issues $275,000 penalty to head of fraudulent commodity pool
Mike Fox
A recent flurry of releases by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) continues as today it was announced that Magistrate Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina entered a Consent Order for Permanent Injunction resolving charges against Robert Stanley Harrison of Easley, South Carolina, for operating a fraudulent futures and off-exchange foreign currency pool scheme called Investors Choice Advisors LLC (ICA).
The Order stems from a CFTC Enforcement complaint filed on February 6, 2013 (see CFTC Press Release 6513-13). The Order finds that Harrison, individually and while acting as an unregistered Commodity Pool Operator (CPO), fraudulently solicited, issued false statements, and misappropriated funds in connection with the operation of ICA from June 2011 to February 2013. According to the Order, Harrison guaranteed pool participants' principal investment against risk of loss and further guaranteed 100 percent profits on those investments within 60 or 90 days. To perpetuate the fraud, Harrison and his agent issued false investment contracts to pool participants that represented the purported profits. Harrison also improperly operated the commodity pool and failed to register himself as a CPO and his agent as an Associated Person with the CFTC.
On May 14, 2013, Harrison was indicted on criminal charges arising from the same fraudulent conduct that was the subject of the CFTC's action (see United States v. Harrison, 8:13-cr-00354-MGL (D.S.C.)). Harrison pleaded guilty to these charges and, on September 22, 2014, was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in prison and ordered to pay restitution to victims of his fraud.
According to the Court's Order in the CFTC's action, "Defendant's violations of the CEA [Commodity Exchange Act] merit the award of significant restitution. However, the Court recognizes that the court in a related criminal action … has ordered that the Defendant pay restitution … to the defrauded investors of the Defendant in connection with the same conduct at issue in this action. Accordingly, restitution is not ordered in this action."
The Order includes a civil monetary penalty of $275,000 and resolves the case in its entirety but for the imposition of permanent trading and registration bans. A motion by the CFTC to permanently ban Harrison from the industry is currently pending with the Court.
The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina.
CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this action are Amanda Harding, Daniel Jordan, Michael Loconte, and Rick Glaser.
To see the official CFTC press release, click here.
Commodity Pool Operator
Investors Choice Advisors LLC
Robert Stanley Harrison
James Sherwin's contretemps with US regulator comes back to haunt him after 25 years as British firm 80Plus denied NFA membership
The long arm of US law extends across the pond to Bradford-On-Avon, Wiltshire, with 80Plus LLP and its principal Jame...


Do you need or offer host?
- You can offer host or search for a place to stay at our Facebook event.
- If you have received confirmation and have paid your registration fee, then, by notifying us that you will not be participating before 23 June 2019, we will refund 100% of your participation fee. If you cancel before 19 July 2019, we will refund 50%. Cancellations after that date unfortunately cannot be refunded.
- Bank details are included in the confirmation letter of registration. Please pay by bank transfer.
How quickly do I need to pay?
- Once you have received your confirmation of registration, you need to pay within 7 days. If you have signed up as a couple, both participants need to make payment within 7 days.
I haven't received my registration confirmation by email yet. What must I do?
- When registering, please check to ensure that your email address is correct. If you think that you have not correctly received your registration confirmation, please contact swingtartu@gmail.com.
What happens if I'm on the waiting list?
- Upon registering, you will automatically be added to the waiting list. We will check your choice of group, and if there are available places, we will register you and send you a confirmation email. The first confirmation emails will be sent out in the first weeks after the start of registration. NB! Based on our experience from previous years, it is likely that there will be waiting lists for individual registrants (we will take in a maximum of one extra participant per six couples registered). So ask around in your social circles to find a partner with whom you can register so that your place is more secure.
For which levels are you running classes?
- No, definitely not. However, registering with a partner for one level will better ensure your place.
- Yes, at the Saturday party, there will be competitions: Jack & Jill, and Jack & Jill Invitational. Registration for competitions is on Friday from 20.00 to 22.00 (Erinevate Tegelaste Tuba, registration table) or on Saturday from 10.00 to 11.00 (HTG, registration desk). If there are still free places, you can also register on Saturday just before the party starts.
- Lindy Trip is an exciting adventure with Jimbino and the band through the centre of Tartu, or in other words, a small procession together with dancing to discover Tartu. NB! If it is raining heavily at 18.00 and it looks like it will not stop, the Lindy Trip will unfortunately be cancelled.
When can I get my wristband and other essential things?
- The registration table will be open in the Erinevate Tubade Klubi (Kastani 42) on Friday from 20.00–22.00 and on Saturday at HTG (Hugo Treffner Gynmanium, Munga 12) 10.00–11.00.
What else is happening in Tartu at the same time?
- From 2–4 August, there is the food and wine festival. The streets will be full of food vendors and there will be a range of small events.
What else is there to see in Tartu?