Journal Uni Place is a great place to live in Melbourne with easy access to the city centre and universities. This location is right next to the Queen Victoria Market which is the most popular market in Melbourne. You can always go there to grab fresh fish and vegetables, and shop owners are very nice and friendly. You will be living in Melbourne's vibrant, and it is always a joy to explore.
The University of Melbourne is only 10 minutes on foot. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Southern Cross University (Melbourne Campus) are only 5-minute away. You can relax and catch up an early lecture in the morning without hurries.
Our accommodation features a range of studio rooms well-furnished with comfortable beds, study desks, equipped kitchen area, private bathrooms and plenty of storage space. No matter what fitting of room you choose, you are safe and secure with around the clock CCTV and security staff. There are social spaces including a cinema for you and your friends to spend time on weekends. Quiet study area, library and computer room are available for you to catch up some student work without leaving the building. There is also an on-site gym available for you and the fee is already included in your rent. Utility bills are all included. Besides, a maintenance team is 24-hour on call for any niggles or emergencies.
Wir haben leider keine Unterkunft gefunden, die deinen Wünschen entspricht.Alle Ganze Wohnung in Journal Uni Place ansehen.


text:
Q: iterating over a list of dictionary I am using pyton 3.2
I have the following dictionary:
a = {"fruits":["apple","mangoes","grapes"],"colour":["apple","orange","grapes"],"number":["1","2","3"]}

I need to iterate over this list of dictionary and I want to create a new dictionary b in which values in fruits is the same value in colours:
 b = {"fruits":["apple","grapes"],"colour":["apple", "grapes"],"number":["1","3"]}

i was thinking this could work but am lost from then on:
b = {}
for item in a:
   if x in a[item]:

...... dont know what to do now?
How can i do this without using itertools at all?
Is there a general function that i can use for any dictionary besides the one that i have listed?

A: In this case, you're better off using a set:
b = {"fruits": list(set(a['fruits']).intersection(a['colour'])}
b['colour'] = b['fruits']  # or maybe make a copy here...

A: Something like this?
a = {"fruits":["apple","mangoes","grapes"],"colour":["apple","orange","grapes"]}
b = {}

b['fruits'], b['colour'] = [], []

for fruit in a['fruits']:
    if fruit in a['colour']:
        b['fruits'].append(fruit)
        b['colour'].append(fruit)

A: If you dont want numbers in the result dictionary, you can do it this way...
Code:
a = {"fruits":["apple","mangoes","grapes"],"colour":["apple","orange","grapes"],"number":["1","2","3"]}

b = dict()
b['fruits'] = b['colour'] = [x for x in a['fruits'] if x in a['colour']]

print b

Output:
{'colour': ['apple', 'grapes'], 'fruits': ['apple', 'grapes']}

Hope this helps :)

A: b = {}
for fruit in a['fruits']:
    if fruit in a['colour']:
        b.setdefault('fruits', [])   # set if key is not present
        b.setdefault('colour', [])
        b.setdefault('number', [])
        b['fruits'].append(fruit)
        b['colour'].append(fruit)
        b['number'].append(a['number'][a['fruits'].index(fruit)])

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
'Devastated' Victoria Derbyshire releases full and frank statement over BBC axing show
The director of BBC News and current affairs Fran Unsworth said it had "not been an easy decision"
Victoria Derbyshire
Victoria Derbyshire has said she is "absolutely devastated" to learn that her BBC Two programme is being cancelled by the BBC, tweeting that she "first learned about (it) in yesterday Times".
She wrote: "I'm unbelievably proud of what our team and our show have achieved in under 5 years, breaking tonnes of original stories (which we were asked to do); attracting a working class, young, diverse audience that BBC radio & TV news progs just don't reach (which we were asked to do); & smashing the digital figures (which we were asked to do).
"I'm gutted particularly for our brilliant, young, ambitious, talented team - love 'em. And for all those people we gave a voice to. Love them too."
The director of BBC News and current affairs Fran Unsworth said it had "not been an easy decision" to cancel Derbyshire's programme, blaming changing audience behaviours for the move.
In an email to staff on Thursday, Ms Unsworth wrote: "Over the last five years, the programme has delivered award-winning, distinctive journalism, exploring topics which the BBC has not traditionally covered.
The show will be axed (Image: BBC)
"From its ground-breaking interviews on abuse in football to uncovering the complications caused by mesh implants and revealing failures in the tax credit system which affected working-class women, the programme has championed important stories and fresh reporting talent.
"This is exactly the type of journalism we need to continue, reaching audiences who are often under-served by the BBC, and we will be retaining some of the programme's journalism roles to enable us to continue this work. We will outline further details of this next week."
Downing Street statement over John Bercow bullying allegations as peerage thrown into doubt
Gwyneth Paltrow reveals reason behind 'vagina scented candle' and it's pretty shocking
She said: "Victoria is a hugely talented and engaging presenter and will continue to be a central part of the BBC News team.
"She will be taking a wider role across our broadcast and digital output and will continue to lead on some of the high-profile audience events and original stories she has championed so effectively in recent years."
Ms Unsworth added: "I would like to pay tribute to Victoria and her whole team who've worked so hard, and achieved such great results, over the past few years.
"However, audience behaviours are changing. Linear television viewing is declining, and as we progress with our £80 million savings target, it is no longer cost-effective to continue producing the programme on television.
"The show's journalism makes a huge impact online, and we remain committed to building on that and giving those stories the widest possible audience across our outlets.
"The people affected directly by this change have been informed of this proposal. This is part of a wider series of changes which we will be announcing next week. I know times of change are never easy and I want to thank you all for your professionalism throughout."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Crossword clues
B.A. or Ph.D. (Abbr.)
Search for crossword answers and clues
Letter count Letter count 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Answer for the clue "B.A. or Ph.D. (Abbr.) ", 3 letters:
Alternative clues for the word deg
Ph.D., e.g.: Abbr.
M.D., e.g.
M.Sc. or Ph.D.
MFA, for one
B.S. or Ph.D
Acad. award
B.S., for some
Temple offering: Abbr
Graduate reward: Abbr.
Univ. offering
Usage examples of deg.
These had presumably been used before to create by means of the jets one vast oxyhydrogen flame to give the intensest heat known, a heat computed by scientists at the enormous temperature of 2,400 deg.
Oi ded hear as et was them as got that poor Poachy Leng to deg up that poor Mester Ward.
Hoyt leaped from his seat onto the table, scattering food and tableware as he went, and jumped down between Ambassador Wellington-Humphreys and Degs Momyer.
I was afraid to try the effect of more liberal watering, the more so that already the congelation of moisture upon the glasses from the internal air, dry as the latter had been kept, was a sensible annoyance--an annoyance which would have become an insuperable trouble had I not taken so much pains, by directing the thermic currents upon the walls, to keep the internal temperature, in so far as comfort would permit--it had now fallen to 4 deg.
Thus the thermometric readings of the Signal Service Bureau for 1873, show that the average temperature for July and August was 74 deg.
Bowles Cabot, the newly appointed Confederation Ambassador to Diamunde, who stood next to Degs Momyer, who would be Minister of Finance in the new government the Confederation was assembling to replace the directorial boards of the conglomerates.
Hajj-road from Damascus to Mekka, the position of which is in about 28 deg.
If the plan of union shall only be accepted in regard to the north-western territory and the Pacific Provinces, the United States will aid the construction, on the terms named, of a railway from the western extremity of Lake Superior, in the State of Minnesota, by way of Pembina, Fort Garry and the Valley of the Saskatchewan, to the Pacific Coast, north of latitude 49 deg.
The climate in these latitudes is exceedingly variable, ranging all the way from 110 deg.
Go to the nearest chemist and ask him to show you some of the dark-red phosphorus which will not burn without fierce heating, but at 500 deg. Fahrenheit, changes back again to the inflammable substance we know so well.
They had a pleasant time,--private theatricals and other amusements till they got to latitude 26 deg. S.
The road over Cut Laurel Gap was very steep and stony, the thermometer mounted up to 80 deg., and, notwithstanding the beauty of the way, the ride became tedious before we reached the summit.
Notwithstanding the elevation of Boone, which insured a pure air, the thermometer that afternoon stood at from 85 to 89 deg. The flies enjoyed it.
A couple of rainy days, with the thermometer rising to 80 deg., combined with natural laziness to detain the travelers in this cottage of ease.
In the southern hemisphere, if we compare large tracts of land in Australia, South Africa, and western South America, between latitudes 25 deg and 35 deg, we shall find parts extremely similar in all their conditions, yet it would not be possible to point out three faunas and floras more utterly dissimilar.


text:
Environmental group sues to drain Hetch Hetchy…
Environmental group sues to drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
By Mercurynews Com, Paul Rogers and Mercurynews Coms |
PUBLISHED: April 24, 2015 at 6:16 a.m. | UPDATED: April 21, 2018 at 6:05 a.m.
Spurned at the ballot box three years ago and facing an even more uphill battle now because of California's historic drought, an environmental group has filed a lawsuit attempting to drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a linchpin of the water supply for 2.6 million Bay Area residents from San Francisco to San Jose to southern Alameda County.
The reservoir in Yosemite National Park, built in 1923, violates California's constitution, according to the suit from the nonprofit Restore Hetch Hetchy, based in Oakland.
Water that flows from the Sierra Nevada, through the Tuolumne River and into the reservoir can be stored in other reservoirs in the Sierra and downstream, the group argues. As a result, it contends, San Francisco, which owns the system, is not following a key provision of the state constitution requiring that water in California "be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent possible" and be used in "reasonable" ways.
"Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park was once one of our nation's most treasured landscapes. Its destruction, allowed a hundred years ago, is widely regarded as a mistake," said Spreck Rosekrans, executive director of Restore Hetch Hetchy. "The time has come to have a conversation about the merits of restoration in a court of law."
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Tuolumne County Superior Court, was blasted by business and city leaders in San Francisco.
"Who needs a historic drought when there's a group that wants to tear down one of California's critical water storage and clean energy systems?" said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, which represents 275 of the Bay Area's largest companies.
"The court should quickly dismiss this."
Hetch Hetchy Valley is a spectacular landscape that rivaled nearby Yosemite Valley before Congress approved construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam in 1913, submerging the valley under 300 feet of water.
The fight to save the valley was the final battle of Sierra Club founder John Muir's life. And the valley's submersion has haunted many environmentalists ever since.
For years, supporters of restoring the valley have said the water could be stored in Don Pedro Reservoir, Cherry Reservoir and other lakes. But Wunderman and other opponents say the issue is far more complex, involving technical problems and controversies with other water agencies that also have rights to the reservoirs.
In 2012, Restore Hetch Hetchy placed a measure on the San Francisco ballot which would have required the city to conduct an $8 million study of draining the reservoir. It was endorsed by three former Yosemite superintendents. But it was opposed by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Silicon Valley business leaders. It failed in a landslide, 77-23 percent.
"This new lawsuit, like the 2012 initiative, is an unfortunate distraction from our core mission of delivering reliable drinking water to 2.6 million people in the Bay Area," said Tyrone Jue, a spokesman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN
Mercurynews Com
Paul Rogers
Mercurynews Coms
Chico school board to discuss maps, employment position


Home of a Computer Science Student.
My Notebook has a 945 GM Graphics Card, which support AIGLX.
hardware acceleration. So I switched to AIGLX.
Identifier  "** Intel i810 (generic)               [i810]"
export AWT_TOOLKIT=MToolkit to avoid gray window.


text:
Dawabshe relatives view what remains of the family home in the northern West Bank village of Duma following the July 31, 2015, arson attack that left both parents and their 18-month-old child dead, and another of their children seriously burned. (Oren Ziv/Getty Images)
Dawabshe
Israeli settler
plea deal
Plea Bargain Gives Israeli Lighter Sentence in Fatal West Bank Arson Attack
Dima Abumaria
Lawyer for members of Dawabshe family demands harsher punishment, relative says sentence encourages extremist settlers
The Israeli Justice Ministry has confirmed that a Jewish settler accused of involvement in a fire that killed members of a Palestinian family in the West Bank village of Duma in July 2015 admitted to culpability in a "racist crime" as part of a plea deal with the prosecution.
According to the agreement, which was endorsed by the District Court in the Israeli city of Lod, the prosecutor will seek a maximum sentence of five and a half years' imprisonment for the defendant, whose identity has not been revealed because he was a minor at the time of the crime.
A lawyer for the Dawabshe family, Omar Khmayse, stated that his clients opposed the agreement and demanded a more severe punishment.
"We refuse the mentioned agreement completely," said Nasr Dawabshe, a brother of Saed Dawabshe, the father of the family who, along with his wife and 18-month-old child, died in the attack. Another Dawabshe child survived, although with serious burns.
Khmayse told The Media Line that he wasn't surprised by the agreement.
"We are dealing with a radical government that protects and pleases only the settlers," he said.
Nasr Dawabshe said that such "unfair" agreements encouraged extremist settler groups to attack Palestinians on a daily basis.
"It gives them the green light to cut the trees and shoot our kids and people," he said.
Dawabshe called the Israeli judiciary system a partner in achieving the goals of the settlers and the Israeli occupation in general, adding that different groups of settlers attack his village and other Palestinian areas with the support of the Israeli government, being given the freedom to "commit their crimes" and steal lands.
"There's absolutely no deterrent, but if the attacker was a Palestinian, the scenario would be completely different," he continued. "If the Israeli government had stopped these groups from attacking us from the beginning, my brother and his family would be alive today."
As part of the agreement with the prosecution, the suspect admitted to helping prepare for the crime and other "racist" violations against Palestinians. The Ministry of Justice said that since he hadn't been present on the night of the arson attack, he was not prosecuted for murder.
Right-wing Israelis say the suspect had been subjected to coercion and torture at the hands of Israeli investigators.
Ziad Abu Ziad, international media spokesperson for the Fatah movement, told The Media Line that the plea deal encouraged more "racist, extreme and fanatic" Israelis to continue killing Palestinians while knowing that they won't be held accountable.
"The Israeli legal system proves again to be part of the apartheid Israeli machine that is racist in its actions," Abu Ziad said.
He said that while the defendant had not been present at the time of the arson, the court failed to "mention facts about his history of ongoing terrorist attacks against Palestinians, including the burning of a holy church in Jerusalem."
Even Israeli activists accuse the authorities of dragging their feet in cases where the attacker is an Israeli citizen.
Yariv Oppenheimer, former director of Peace Now, stressed to The Media Line that there was discrimination in the investigations and how the Israeli system addresses cases involving attacks between Israelis and Palestinians.
"The Israeli security forces definitely have more and wider tools when investigating a Palestinian attacker," he said, though when the attacker is Israeli, they have less tools and intelligence.
"Let's not forget that even if the security people try, the right-wing pressures them enormously," Oppenheimer claimed.
He also pointed out that Israeli courts treat Palestinian attackers as terrorists, while not doing so with Israelis.
"The system classifies Arabs and Muslims as terrorists automatically," he said.
In a separate case heard by the court in Lod, an Israeli minor was released to house arrest after being accused of killing Aisha al-Rabi, a mother of eight, who died when hit by a 2-kilogram rock that penetrated the windshield of the car she was in last October.
The court said the minor had intended only to injure the occupants of the vehicle.
MORE FROM By Region
Erbil Isn't Safe for Turks After All


text:
Isaar is a small unincorporated community in the Town of Seymour in Outagamie County, the United States, about 10 miles from Green Bay. Isaar has the same zip code as the City of Seymour and its schools are part of the Seymour Community School District.

Isaar was founded in 1867 by immigrants from Bavaria who settled there as part of the Homestead Act. The town was named by the new settlers after the Isar River in their homeland. Isaar became known for its St. Sebastian Catholic Church, although in September 2007 the last resident priest left Isaar.

The community is home to a number of clubs, such as the snowmobile club, called the Isaar Trail Riders, and the Isaar Booster Club. The downtown area of Isaar is located at the intersection of County Hwy VV and Isaar Road. Isaar has always been known as a small farming community and continues this tradition today. Today the community has a tavern/restaurant, a construction company, a food processing plant, and a nursery, as well as few other businesses within its business district.

Transportation
County Highway VV, running east-west, is the main road that connects Isaar to other larger state highways. There are also snowmobile trails that run through the community.

Geography
Isaar is located at  (44.57167, -88.28444), at an elevation of .

The land around Isaar is flat and very fertile. This makes it an excellent choice for growing cabbage and corn in the area. There are multiple creeks that run through the area, often man-made creeks to prevent flooding and to keep the run-off from damaging the fields.

History of Isaar
Isaar is located in the northeastern corner of the Town of Seymour. Named after the Isar River, in Germany, the community was founded in the late 1860s by Bavarian immigrants. The town's founding families included Kroner, Hackl, Ebert, Liebhabers, Krause, Wirth, Schmidt, Brugger, Hartl, and Noll.

In 1893, the Isaar community's request for a church was granted by the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay, Sebastian Gebhard Messmer. St. Sebastian Church, named in honour of Bishop Messmer's patron saint, was a wooden building constructed by Isaar citizens on John Kroner's land, which is believed to have been donated. This church was completed in 1893 at a cost of $100. A cemetery was established north of the church two years later. The rectory was constructed in 1916 and the Isaar church was no longer a mission. In late December 1929, a fire destroyed the original church. The brick church that stands today was built shortly after the wooden church burned down. It was built by the Eisenreich Construction Company of Isaar.

Ebert's Store, which was the general store, grocery store, saloon and dance hall, was constructed in 1900 and is today the Isaar Inn. South of Ebert's store was the blacksmith shop, built in the 1890s. Isaar's First School was built one mile north of Isaar in 1898, now known as Seymour School District No.7. In 1902 a tavern was opened by John Kroner to the north of the church cemetery. A sawmill was opened, by John Schmidt and Henry Wirth, 200 feet east of Kroner's Tavern in 1908. The first cheese factory was built in 1890 by Jacob Noll just a mile north of Isaar. In 1918 a cooperative cheese factory was begun by Isaar farmers. This factory, which is just north of the Isaar Inn, was operational until 1993.

History of Church and Community Events
St. Sebastian church had at one time an annual church picnic where all parish members could spend the day playing baseball and other games. St. Sebastian was also known for its locally famous "Annual Porky and Pancake Supper". This event was run by community volunteers and brought in revenue for the church youth organization. It was known for its potato pancakes, a favourite meal of the Isaar community. In 2002 St. Sebastian Church hosted the 50th anniversary of this event, which was the last Porky and Pancake Supper Isaar hosted. Low volunteer turnout has been attributed to the collapse of this event.

References

External links
Isaar Wisconsin
Isaar Booster Club

Unincorporated communities in Outagamie County, Wisconsin
Unincorporated communities in Wisconsin

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


How many more names would be on that wall?
Your eyes tell me always, "I've got your back"
Catch a Frisbee and swim – for a dog, a good day.
No matter how clever an arsonist's M. O.
No honor for me if there is none for you.
They gave and give all for the Red White and Blue.


History student Ethan Harding gained valuable work experiences at the University of Hull during the Hull UK City of Culture year: firstly as a Gallery Assistant on a National Portrait Gallery exhibition and secondly as Curatorial Assistant on the Larkin: New Eyes Each Year exhibition.
New Eyes Each Year offered a fresh perspective on the life of the man described as Britain's best-loved poet with a collection of personal artefacts in the library where he served as Librarian for 30 years.
Ethan said: "I was already a fan of Larkin's work and when I heard there was going to be an exhibition I was really looking forward to seeing it. So when an opportunity to work on the exhibition arose I applied straight away.
I initially became involved with the on-campus City of Culture programme by being a Gallery Assistant during the National Portrait Gallery's BP Portrait Award exhibition. This gave me some really valuable experience such as leading group tours, assisting visitors and providing guidance.
When I got the position of Curatorial Assistant on Larkin: New Eyes Each Year, I made a start on brushing up on my knowledge of his works and listening to his desert island discs to find out more about his character.
It was a great feeling to take part in this project. I've been responsible for a full range of curatorial tasks such as photographing, cataloguing and preparing items for exhibition. It's given me the chance to gain further experience in areas I'm interested in: I have a passion for textiles and tailoring and I've been involved with assisting the curation of some of the clothing that formed part of the exhibition.
For example there are 119 of Larkin's ties in the exhibition – I was responsible for cataloguing, preparing and organising those and they ultimately became a 'tree of ties' for display in the show.
Working on the exhibition I've gained a greater understanding of the person behind the poetry: who he was, what he did in his life, the people that influenced him and what he was into. It's been enlightening and a lot of makes sense in the context of his poetry.
It's been absolutely fascinating and has given me new ideas of what I might want to do when I finish my degree. I'm interested in pursuing curatorial work and this would be a career I could incorporate my historical interests with.
I can't describe how much I have enjoyed every minute, the opportunity has been incredible. I've seen how an exhibition is put together, how much is involved in the process and it has encouraged me to explore a career in the same sort of field.


Stuck about breaking down your Amazon Seller Rating? You're not alone! Plenty of merchants don't know the finer points of it, and therefore don't know how to make them work to their advantage. In this post, FeedbackExpress is going to deconstruct all the complex bits so you can hit the ground running.


text:
The Tracey Ullman Show was a weekly American television variety show, hosted by British comedian and onetime pop singer Tracey Ullman. It debuted on April 5, 1987 as the FOX network's second primetime series (after Married... with Children), and ran until May 26, 1990. Re-runs of all the episodes appeared on the Lifetime TV cable channel as well as Comedy Central during the middle and late 1990s. The show featured sketch comedy along with many musical numbers, featuring choreography by Paula Abdul. It also produced the animated series The Simpsons. This is the first show produced by Gracie Films and also produced by 20th Century Fox Television.
By the 1980s, acclaimed television producer, James L. Brooks, (producer of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, and Rhoda), had left the television industry for the big screen. At the time that he won the Oscar for his film, Terms of Endearment, Brooks began receiving videotapes from Ullman's Los Angeles agent, hoping to get his attention. Ullman, who was already famous in her homeland, England, was already landing a variety of television deals and proposals in America, but none had panned out. These projects didn't suit Ullman's interests. "[They were] shows with morals, where everyone learns something at the end of the show," related Ullman to a television critic for TV Guide in 1989, describing the television show ideas that were offered to her. Brooks was so taken by what he saw in Ullman, that he decided to take the young Brit under his wing and return to television. Brooks was determined to develop the right vehicle to showcase Ullman's talents: acting, dancing, and singing and decided upon creating a sketch comedy show. Ullman had already had a successful music career in the early 1980s, in the UK, and had a top 10 hit on the American charts with a cover of Kristy MacColl's "They Don't Know" and her You Broke My Heart in 17 Places.
A typical episode would begin with Ullman giving a brief introduction, ostensibly from her dressing room, leading into the opening titles (the show's theme, "You're Thinking Right", was written by George Clinton). Then two or three comedy sketches would be presented in each episode, most designed to showcase Ullman's ability to skillfully mimic various accents. One popular recurring character was timid, slow-talking Kay ("Iiit's... Kaaaaaaaayyy...")
Typically, the final sketch of the night would include a musical and/or dance number featuring Ullman solo or other members of the cast. The final segment saw Ullman, clad in a robe, deliver a closing monologue to the studio audience before ending the show with her catchphrase "Go Home! Go Home!" and dancing as the credits rolled. Ullman often talked about her husband, Allan McKeown, and her daughter, Mabel. Ullman chose the phrase, "Go home," during the show's pilot episode because she couldn't think of anything clever to end with. "Oh, you got sore bums... go home!"
The show won three Emmy Awards: for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program in 1989 and 1990, for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program in 1990. Also in 1989, choreographer Paula Abdul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for her work. [1] Abdul was noted for putting Ullman through strenuous choreographed routines. Ullman had been a trained dancer.
* Tracey Ullman (Seasons 1-4)
* Dan Castellaneta (Seasons 1-4)
* Julie Kavner (Seasons 1-4)
* Sam McMurray (Seasons 2-4)
* Joseph Malone (Seasons 2-4)
* Anna Levine (Season 3)
James L. Brooks on the development of The Tracey Ullman Show and the genesis of The Simpsons
James L. Brooks on the format of The Tracey Ullman Show
Nancy Cartwright on coming in to audition for "Lisa Simpson" of The Simpsons, then part of The Tracey Ullman Show, and leaving with the role of "Bart Simpson"
Nancy Cartwright on auditioning for The Simpsons, originally part of the Tracey Ullman Show
Dan Castellaneta on how he got discovered for The Tracey Ullman Show while performing at Chicago's Second City
On the sketch featuring a gay couple (Castellaneta and Sam McMurray) and their daughter, Francesca, on The Tracey Ullman Show ; risks the show took on FOX
Leonard Goldberg on the development of The Tracey Ullman Show
Sam Simon on producing and directing The Tracey Ullman Show
Sam Simon on the process of writing The Tracy Ullman Show
Sam Simon on working with Tracey Ullman on The Tracey Ullman Show
Sam Simon on The Tracey Ullman Show sketches
Sam Simon on the beginning of The Simpsons
Yeardley Smith on how she got the audition for "Lisa Simpson" (when The Simpsons was a feature on The Tracey Ullman Show)
Yeardley Smith on her audition for "Lisa Simpson" and how she originally was brought in to read for "Bart Simpson"
Yeardley Smith on the original incarnation of The Simpsons, which were bumpers before commercials of The Tracey Ullman Show
Yeardley Smith on The Simpsons spinning off from The Tracey Ullman Show, and its immediate success
Yeardley Smith on how The Simpsons has changed since it started as part of The Tracey Ullman Show


text:
Q: Where do I place str_replace(' ', '-', to remove spaces from url and load proper sql data I am able to add dashes to the url with the help from previous post  but, I can not get the proper page to load once i complete this task.
A portion of the php code:
$query_getDisplay = sprintf("SELECT blog.title, blog.description, blog.keywords,
blog.blog_entry,  DATE_FORMAT(blog.updated, '%%M %%e, %%Y') AS formatted,
blog.blogphoto FROM blog WHERE blog.category = 'videos'
AND DATE_FORMAT(blog.updated, '%%Y-%%m') = %s
ORDER BY blog.updated DESC", GetSQLValueString($var1_getDisplay2, "text"));

} elseif (isset($_GET['title'])) {
  $var2_getDisplay3 = $_GET['title'];

$query_getDisplay = sprintf("SELECT blog.title,blog.description, blog.keywords,
blog.blog_entry,  DATE_FORMAT(blog.updated, '%%M %%e, %%Y') AS formatted,
blog.blogphoto FROM blog WHERE blog.title = %s",
GetSQLValueString($var2_getDisplay3, "text"));

} else {

$query_getDisplay = "SELECT blog.title, blog.blog_entry, blog.description,
blog.keywords,  DATE_FORMAT(blog.updated, '%M %e, %Y') AS formatted,
blog.blogphoto FROM blog WHERE blog.category = 'videos' ORDER BY blog.updated DESC
LIMIT 2";

}

$getDisplay = mysql_query($query_getDisplay, $check_mag) or die(mysql_error());
$row_getDisplay = mysql_fetch_assoc($getDisplay);
$totalRows_getDisplay = mysql_num_rows($getDisplay);
?>

URL works properly code shown below

Recent Post

        <?php do { ?>

<a href="videos.php?title=<?php echo str_replace(' ',
             '-',$row_getRecent['title']); ?>"
             ><?php echo $row_getRecent['title']; ?>

          <?php } while ($row_getRecent = mysql_fetch_assoc($getRecent)); ?>

A: Am not sure why you want to run str_replace on URL but i guess you want proper Url encoding .. you should try urlencode http://php.net/manual/en/function.urlencode.php instead
urlencode($row_getRecent['title']);


text:
Biz Advice from Experts
BOSS Survey
CHANGE Reports
Community & Economy
Government & Civics
CEO of the Year
CHANGE Series
Family Business Forum
Need to Know Event Series
Tourism Awards
Wahine Forum
Community Resiliency
Top Performers in Real Estate
Lists & Awards
20 For the Next 20
HLTA
Most Charitable Companies
Best of Small Business Awards
Hawaii Business Magazine
Interest Rates are Up, So Number of New Mortgages is Down
The total of home loans issued in Hawai'i through the end of October dropped 38% from the same period last year.
Janis Magin Meierdiercks,
The monthly total of mortgage loans in Hawai'i peaked in December 2020 at 7,063 loans. In October 2022, there were only 2,491. | Photo: Getty Images
The impact of soaring interest rates on Hawaiʻi real estate is already evident in the double-digit-percentage drops in home sales this year. The rates are also impacting lenders, with the number of residential mortgages originating in Hawaiʻi dropping by more than half last month compared to October 2021.
The number of statewide residential mortgage loans from banks, mortgage companies, credit unions, finance companies and government sources totaled 2,491 in October, a drop of 55.6% from 5,616 mortgages in October 2021, according to the monthly Mortgage Barometer report from Title Guaranty Hawaii. The numbers include new and refinanced first and second mortgages.
The number of mortgage loans issued through the end of October dropped 38% from the same period in 2021. The total dollar volume for those mortgages, through the first 10 months of the year, was $30.87 billion, which was down 16.2% from $36.84 billion for the same period last year.
The drop in the number of mortgage loans in October was greater than the drop in home sales last month. On Oʻahu alone, the number of single-family homes and condominiums sold totaled 657 – 34% fewer than the 992 homes and condos that sold in October 2021, according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors.
The number of mortgage loans was also 63% fewer than in October 2020, when the pandemic's effect on Hawaiʻi real estate sales was in full swing, and it was 44% fewer loans than in October 2019, before anyone had even heard of Covid.
The monthly total of mortgages has actually been falling since December 2020, when Hawaiʻi reached a statewide high of 7,063 loans. Back then, 30-year fixed-rate loans averaged about 2.7%, according to the Title Guaranty data and historical interest rate data from Freddie Mac. Last week the average for a 30-year loan was 7.08%, the highest since 2002.
The number of mortgages varied in 2021 — when interest rates were around 3% — from a high of 6,804 loans in March 2021 to a low of 5,093 loans in August, but the monthly total never dipped below 5,000.
Then the number of loans fell to 4,202 in January of this year, a 24.5% drop from January 2021. After rebounding briefly to 4,584 in March, the number of loans has dropped each month as interest rates ticked up over 5%, then 6% and now 7%.
Impact on Mortgage Companies
The higher rates have been hard on homebuyers, especially first-time buyers, who must now come up with larger down payments or pay hundreds, or thousands, more each month on their mortgages. It's also pushed many would-be buyers to the sidelines, as evidenced by the drop in sales, and the corresponding drop in mortgage loans
The drop in mortgage volume is also impacting the mortgage industry, which is undergoing a shift that includes changes to staffing.
Pete Castillejos, area region manager for USA Mortgage and past president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Hawaii, says that while his team has remained steady this year, other companies have started responding to the drop in loan volume.
"How is everyone adjusting to this new normal? That answer is cutbacks and layoffs," he says. "There are layoffs and cutbacks and there is a lot of movement in the industry – people are hoping the grass is greener elsewhere or they have been laid off and are looking for something."
Categories: Finance, Real Estate
Here's What Happens When Workers Become Employee-Owners
Ryann Coules,
Hawai'i's Most Profitable Companies 2022
Cynthia Wessendorf,
Homeowners' Omissions Provide More than $30 Million to Honolulu Treasury
Region by Region: Most Sales and Biggest Price Gains on O'ahu
This 12-Acre Campus for Abandoned Pets Is Getting a New Hospital
What Happens When Private Equity Is Your Landlord in Hawai'i
How Rail Got to $12.45 Billion and 11 Years Late
Only in Hawai'i: You Own the Home But Not the Land
Hawai'i and U.S. housing markets to slow further in first half of 2023, economists say
After two years of rapid growth, Hawai'i can expect to see a gradual reduction in interest rates, a slowdown in dropping sales, and a leveling off — or maybe even a decline — in prices.
The Downtown Honolulu Parking Guide is Back
Chavonnie Ramos,
Need a parking space in the city for a month or just a day? Check our online guide, which includes locations, daily and monthly prices, and more information to find the right place at the right price.
This Big Island Startup Turns Degraded Land into Thriving Ecosystems
Cynthia Sweeney,
Terraformation started by planting 7,200 trees and plants. The ultimate goal: restoring 3 billion acres across the globe.
Frolic Hawaiʻi
Hawaii Home & Remodeling
© 2023 Hawaii Business Magazine.


The clarinet dominated at the Somerville Armory Café Friday night during Ensemble 451's "Postcards from Europe." More unified by mood and theme than the ensemble's previous eclectic offerings, the strands of melancholy in this nostalgic program still took some unpicking, and the concert ended with probably the most enigmatic piece of all: Brahms's Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, from the composer's late glow after he had come out of retirement to write for the clarinetist Richard Mühlfield.
The opener, Prokofiev's Overture on Hebrew Themes, was a hard act to follow: it aimed right at the center of the whirlpool of time, space and tastes that visitors to the Armory Café have come to expect from their resident chamber players, E-451—a group unabashedly fond of classical mashups. Prokofiev was the enfant terrible middle child between late Brahms and 1990s Penderecki.
In one of its many guises of the night, the clarinet took the stage for the very first few bars of the Hebrew Overture, introducing the gypsy folk hop of the piece, before gliding through phases of sorrow and immortality and acceptance—and back again. Orlando Cela, the flutist of E-451, had a lot to say on the wistful nature of these backward glances. Prokofiev composed the overture during a visit to New York, using melodic material from Jewish émigrés. The result was a Jewish marriage of lively and melancholy moods. As well as occupying the middle of the concert's compositional timeline, the piece also represented a happy/sad medium between the slippery lushness of Brahms and the dry, cocked-chin skepticism of Penderecki's Quartet.
Ensemble 451 moved steadily through the demands of the program, playing the Prokofiev with a slow luster, without allowing drastic license to reset the tempo or wring out an emotional slush-round from any of the (equally beautiful) phases. The setting was so informal that E-451's pianist Yukiko Shimazaki jumped up from her seat to chime in and take a bow with the musicians before sitting back down to enjoy the music. This informality has always added to E-451's café appearances, and it's a strong streak in the group's manifesto.
The Brahms had a subtle coloring, very unlike the Prokofiev's progressive, joyful melancholy, or the plucked, conversational Prokofiev, and it served as a very long programmatic fadeout, perhaps in fulfillment of the "Abschied" (departure) that the Penderecki's final movement announced. But 35 minutes of fading was occasionally hard to endure. Somehow the acoustics in the cafe didn't quite allow a full flowering. Or perhaps the quintet was just enigmatic by nature—sounding like a beautiful landscape viewed from a vehicle. Scenes slipped by and the free nostalgia for every moment had the potential to obscure the beautiful tone colors in the piece, like moist stones on the beach—gems until they dry and start to look alike.
Both somber closing statements suited a program that led with Hebrew themes, and which poised counterpoints of happy and sad. But the unacknowledged pleasure of these conclusions was not their bleakness, but their decisiveness. At the intermission, an audience member dropped his phone, which struck the floor, sounding its own tragic note. "Mazel Tov!" exclaimed Orlando Cela, without missing a beat. Congratulations were the last thing you'd expect, but sometimes a decisive toast to fortune is better than any extended commiserations, as the night's melancholy, dignified compositions suggested.
Jessica Monk is an artist, writer and the editor of the Somerville Cafe Blog. She grew up in Cork City Ireland, and moved to Boston in 2011. She holds a degree in English (BA) and Medieval Studies (MA) from Trinity College Dublin.


Sean has extensive experience in the finance sector, including over 20 years working for one of Australia's leading financial institutions. His skills and experience within the banking industry is as diverse as it is substantial, having worked across both residential and commercial finances. Sean has led teams within sales and customer service departments, has delivered change management and product support and has worked with people to build sustainable, high performing businesses, as well as successfully manage their personal finances via investments.
Motivated and energetic, Sean is particularly skilled at anticipating customers' needs and proposing compelling solutions, and has a strong commitment to monitoring and managing risk to ensure both sustainable business and customer outcomes. He loves working with people and has a passion for helping people conquer their personal and business finances. Sean's approach is simple – listen, understand and help.


The cloudy skies that persisted over Crandon Park on Sunday didn't dispel the sunny mood created by two weeks of American junior success in major tournaments, capped by wins in three of the four titles contested on Sunday at the Dunlop Orange Bowl. In total, six of the eight championships won here went to U.S. players, after the previous week had seen Americans take four of the eight singles titles at the Eddie Herr International.
Sixteen-year-old Yuki Bhambri of India prevented a U.S. singles sweep, handing unseeded Jarmere Jenkins of College Park, Ga. a 6-1, 6-3 defeat. Bhambri, the No. 2 seed, displayed his stylish game from the outset, and Jenkins struggled with his backhand throughout the match.
"Jarmere is an attacking player, he likes to come to the net a lot, get on you very quickly," the Bollettieri-trained Bhambri said. "He was missing at the start, he was a bit nervous, and started to lose confidence."
Jenkins gave Bhambri credit for directing his attack to his backhand, and for his poise.
"He's younger than me, but he handled it better," Jenkins said. "A lot of things didn't go my way. I tried to do (backhand) slices down the line, but my slice wasn't going today. It was good for him, he saw that weakness and kept hammering it."
Bhambri said that it wasn't so much the weakness of the Jenkins backhand as the strength of his forehand that had him searching for errors from that side.
"Every time I went to the forehand I would get passed, he'd hit a winner, so that was the only option I had," Bhambri said.
Not known for his strong serving, Bhambri wasn't broken throughout the match, and rarely faced a break point. He often played behind the ultra-quick Jenkins, who seldom anticipated the Bhambri patterns and found himself regularly on the defensive. Jenkins's first serve percentage was undoubtedly quite low too, and in the match's final game, when he was broken for the fourth time, he could be heard saying "one first serve would help."
With the Orange Bowl championship, Bhambri earned not only a wild card into the qualifying of the Sony Ericsson tournament next spring, but the distinction of being the first Indian player to win a 16s or 18s Orange Bowl singles championship.
"It's a big achievement," said Bhambri, who also won the Grade A Osaka Cup in October. "It's the biggest tournament in the states after the U.S. Open, so I feel very proud of myself."
Back on Friday, it was already a foregone conclusion that a U.S. girl would win the title; on Sunday wild cards Julia Boserup and Christina McHale battled for that honor, with Boserup coming out on top 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
Boserup and McHale train together often at the USTA's High Performance Center at Boca Raton, so there wasn't much to be figured out in the early stages of match. Instead, both girls, who showed no signs of nervousness, went right to their strengths, and in the opening set, it was Boserup's ground strokes that gave her the edge.
Hitting a extremely deep and penetrating ball, Boserup hit winner after winner, which is difficult to do against a defender as able as McHale. Serving for the first set at 5-3, Boserup was broken after holding three set points, but there was no evidence of any frustration, nor did she get tentative in the next game, when she forced a couple of errors from McHale on her way to securing the set.
Even though McHale won the second set with relative ease, the 16-year-old from New Jersey wasn't happy with her approach.
"I wasn't executing my game plan very well," said McHale, who had beaten Boserup handily in their last meeting, in a July Pro Circuit event. "She loves the ball right in her strike zone, so I was going to try to mix it up, but I wasn't able to do that."
Boserup opened the final set with more controlled aggression, standing near the baseline and ripping forehands and backhands with equal force. Down 3-0, McHale had a chance to get the break back when Boserup committed three errors to open her third service game, but five points later, the lead was 4-1, and McHale's chance was gone.
Knowing McHale's reputation for tenacity, the 17-year-old Boserup didn't let up.
"I knew after I won the first set I just had to throw that away, because it all starts in the second set," said Boserup, who grew up in Los Angeles. "Christina does a great job of fighting back; she does that in all her matches, even if she loses the first set, so I knew I had to buckle down for the third and find a way to win it."
Boserup's body language was positive as she closed out the first ITF win of her junior career, and the celebration was no more than a couple of fist pumps, the racquet staying in her hand.
"I don't think it's even sunk in yet that I've won," Boserup said. "I tried to think every round was the same, preparing for it with my game plan and sticking to my routines. I just tried to think of it as any other match and not get too worked up about it."
One thing Boserup was adamant about was the positive direction of U.S. tennis.
"They've been giving Americans a very hard time about not having up-and-comers, but I think we've all been working very hard and we've proven ourselves this tournament--almost all Americans in the final rounds," said Boserup, who disposed of four of her compatriots in her last four matches. "It's something we should all be very proud of."
The girls doubles final featured four of the U.S. contingent that made such an impression during this Florida junior swing, and it was Lauren Embree and Asia Muhammad that won the battle of unseeded American teams, 6-3, 6-2 over Brooke Bolender and Beatrice Capra.
"I think we played the best we played all tournament," said Embree. "It was pretty windy, so we didn't want to make too many errors, we just wanted to be really aggressive today," said Muhammad, adding, "we play our best when we're really aggressive and not making mistakes."
Bolender and Capra, who are frequent partners and have won an ITF junior event and a Pro Circuit event this year, weren't happy with their play.
"We didn't play as consistent as we have been," said Bolender, 16. "We were more up and down where they were very consistent and at a high level. We weren't able to keep up today."
Embree and Muhammad haven't played together recently but they dominated the Orange Bowl this week, needing only one match tiebreaker to advance in the no-ad, match-tiebreaker-in-lieu-of-a-third-set format played now in ITF Grade A and Grade 1 tournaments.
The boys doubles champions are Devin Britton his partner Jenkins, who avoided a second loss to the singles winner on Sunday when the Americans beat top seeds Bhambri and Ohio's Chase Buchanan 7-6(7), 6-2.
With Buchanan serving for the first set at 5-4, Britton and Jenkins, who also won the Eddie Herr last Sunday, picked up their return games.
"At 30-all Jarmere hit a pretty big backhand return and I followed it up with a big forehand return and we broke back. We picked up a lot of momentum from that," said Britton.
"In the first set I was kind of depressed that I lost to this guy," said Jenkins, gesturing toward Bhambri. "In the second set, I just kind of forgot about it, but I didn't want to lose to another American in the final."
"We couldn't let Yuki take both titles," Britton chimed in.
For complete results, see the Dunlop Orange Bowl page at usta.com.
Any reason why Sachia Vickery is not seeded in the G14 Jr. Orange Bowl? Her 18's ITF ranking is quite high compared to some of the seeded player's. Also, Kozlov and/or Kerznerman are not seeded in the B12's.
There has been a lot of chatter recently about Kudla switching to LeCoste/IZOD for his clothing deal from what the USTA high performance wears.
Does anyone know if Kudla has accepted an endorsement contract with LeCoste which would mean that he has turned pro?
There is no USTA High Performance clothing sponsor.
Kudla did switch from Reebok to Lacoste. It is not an endorsement contract that would affect his amateur status.
I am shocked that Vickery isn't seeded, but from what I understand, there is no formal Friend at Court procedures that apply to the Junior Orange Bowl. Last year if you recall, Christian Harrison wasn't seeded, drew the top seed in the first round, and ended up winning the back draw. When I inquired about not seeding Vickery, I was told that since she doesn't play 14s, they have nothing to go on, but she won the Easter Bowl 14s this spring. Also, I would think that an ITF ranking of 106 says something about her ability.
The probable Vickery - Bouchard round of 16 match is already on my "don't miss" list for Saturday.
As for Kerznerman and Kozlov, they only seed one player per country, and Toshiki Matsuya of Washington is at the top of the USTA rankings.
Can someone tell me whether Bhambri is a professional?
Also, I am told that Nicoloz Bashiavilli (sp?) is now professional and that he accpets the cash (not just for expenses) at satellite tournaments. Can anyone confirm this?
Bhambri is definitely a professional. He is an IMG client.
I don't have any knowledge of Basilashvili's status.


text:
My childhood dreams have come true: Lewa
By TDG Network
Robert Lewandowski said he had finally fulfilled his childhood dream after scoring a goal at the ongoing FIFA World Cup for the first time on Saturday.
Goals from Piotr Zielinski and Robert Lewandowski and a penalty save from Wojciech Szczesny gave Poland a 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia in a Group C match of the ongoing FIFA World Cup here at Education City Stadium. The Barcelona forward scored his first World Cup goal in his fifth appearance, doubling Poland's advantage 82 minutes against Saudi Arabia.
"I'm aware that this may be my last World Cup. Already during the anthem, singing of the national anthem, I felt the emotions inside me. I wanted not only to be remembered for being at the World Cup but for scoring goals there too. I always fought hard for a goal at the World Cup and today, I managed it," Goal.com quoted Lewandowski as saying after the match.
"During the game after we scored, everything that I had inside, the dreams and the importance of the goal and how I scored it, all those dreams from my early childhood were just fulfilled, they came true and it was so significant," he added.
Coming to the match, coming from the back of a famous win against Argentina, Saudi Arabia started off aggressively as Salem Al Dawsari's assist helped Mohammed Al Burayk make a right-footed attempt from outside the box which was blocked.
In the 13th minute, Saud Abdulhamid assisted Mohammed Kanno to take a right-footed shot from the right side of the box to be saved in the top right corner.
Two minutes later Jakub Kiwior of Poland was shown a yellow card for a bad foul. Matty Cash got the yellow card for a foul in the next minute. In the 39th minute, an assist from Robert Lewandowski Piotr Zielinski's right-footed shot from the centre of the box went on to the top right corner.
Poland's Krystian Bielik conceded a penalty after a foul in the 43rd minute. But Salem Al Dawsari failed to capitalise on this great opportunity as his right-footed shot was saved in the bottom left corner. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made a brilliant save and also blocked the rebound to keep his team's lead intact.
In the second half, Saud Abdulhamid's right-footed shot from outside the box was blocked. Mohammed Kanno's shot also went wide. Numerous attempts by Saudi went in vain and in the 82nd minute Robert Lewandowski scored a goal with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box. Poland went on to register a 2-0 win. They now have one win and one draw in two matches.
Saudi Arabia had more possession in comparison to Poland enjoying 64 per cent of it while the European side had only 36. Poland though had only three shots on target in comparison to Saudi who had five.
TDG Network
Australia sweat over fitness ahead of Border-Gavaskar Cup
Shaily Rathour -
India lift U-19 Women's T20 WC title after beating England
SURYAKUMAR, PANDYA GUIDE INDIA TO 6-WICKET WIN OVER NZ
Barbora Krejcikova-Katerina Siniakova win women's doubles title


text:
Combining the capabilites of talented individuals. Dedicated to making your equipment the best it can be. Making your satisfaction our highest priority.
Amps and Electronics
Custom Guitar Work
About TOP GEAR
Instrument Restorations
Example of a Repair
Authorized Warranty Service
Shipping to Us
TOP GEAR Home
Left to right: Tim Pinnell, electronics design engineer; Mike Boone, master guitar technician; Dan Altilio Jr, owner, luthier
Dan Altilio Jr
Dan's parents each had guitar-playing younger brothers. Thus he was influenced at an early age by the sounds of guitars, especially electric guitars. Growing up in New York City exposed him to an incredible diversity of music and musicians. As he went from singing in a vocal group with his buddies to amateur rhythm guitarist playing for after-school dances in the 1960s, Dan pursued a formal education (thanks, Mom & Dad!) and eventually graduated from the New York Institute of Technology second in his class. After school he gained invaluable experience in automotive and mechanical technology at his day jobs, and spent time "in the woodshed" learning to play lead guitar during the explosion of rock music following the British invasion.
New York afforded Dan the opportunity to attend many legendary concerts by such artists as The Who, Jethro Tull, Chicago Transit Authority, Blood Sweat and Tears, Mountain, Yes, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention, Jeff Beck, Johnny & EdgarWinter and many more. By the time he began working part time as a guitar tech in the early 70's, Dan was a full-time professional lead guitarist playing with several well-known artists and had formed bands with Tico Torres (drummer, Bon Jovi) and with Steve Van Zandt (Bruce Springsteen). Dan and Steve toured as co-lead guitarists in a show band for several months on the road. Dan has also performed on the 1998 album, "Pieces of the Past" by singer/songwriter Tim Flannery. Flannery's friends Bruce Hornsby and Steve Poltz guested on those tracks.
In 1975 Dan was a founding member of the board of directors of Di Marzio ® Pickups and served as vice-president until 1985. During that time the company became known for innovation and excellence in design and manufacturing, and Dan was a critical team member in advancing the art and science of guitar technology.
During the years prior to founding TOP GEAR Dan had the opportunity to do custom work or build instruments for several famous players including Pete Townshend, Rick Derringer, Steve Morse, Billy Sheehan, Earl Slick (David Bowie, John Lennon), Vinnie Zummo (Joe Jackson) Kasim Sultan (The New Cars) and more.
Now in business for over twenty-five years, TOP GEAR has acquired the highest reputation for service and excellence, and Dan is proud that he was able to make his dream of "The Best of Everything For The Professional Guitarist" come true.
Tim Pinnell
A native San Diegan, Tim had already established a reputation among local musicians as a tube amp whiz when he brought his considerable talents to TOP GEAR. As Dan recalls, "He brought in his modified Fender Bassman head and it sounded better than my own amp which had been done by a famous New York amp shop! I said, 'And you want to work here? Sounds good to me!'"
You don't learn how to build, modify and repair vacuum tube amplifiers by going to school. Tim learned his craft through a unique combination of basic electronics courses in high school, working for a man who himself was an expert in the field and who had written a book on the subject, and good old fashioned do-it-yourself experimentation. Plus, he owns a pretty good set of ears, without which you can't hope to be any good at what Tim does.
In the process of becoming an expert himself, Tim acquired the uncanny ability to look at a circuit board and by understanding circuit theory, to draw out a schematic himself if one wasn't available! This has proven invaluable in his chosen profession, since schematics are often unavailable for many older amps and other gear.
Tim is also an accomplished guitarist and singer, and founded his own group, "The Bedbreakers" and produced the band's CD in the 1990's.
In his twenty five years at TOP GEAR Tim has contributed invaluable assets to our position in the field of providing state-of-the-art technology to our customers. He also feels an obligation to treat all our clients with the highest respect and accommodate their wishes to the best of his ability. His commitment to high standards of performance and reliability in his work are a perfect complement to the goals embodied in TOP GEAR's mission statement.
Mike was first a customer of ours back in the early days when our reputation was young. He brought his guitars in to have custom work done and in the process we got to know him. As the years began to roll by, Mike continued to shop at TOP GEAR and expressed a desire to work here. When the opportunity to set up a production line came along, Mike's previous experience proved invaluable and we asked him onboard to be our guitar builder. Over the course of the run, Mike built hundreds of guitars from raw parts, hand wiring pickguards and jig drilling and mounting bridges and tremolo systems.
By the time the manufacturing job had run its course, Mike had not only obtained vast experience setting up guitars, he had acquired the TOP GEAR attitude of uncompromising quality. As he put it, he learned to "use The Force." Now with us almost twenty years, "the new guy" is a Fender GOLD Certified electric guitar service technician and has become an essential part of our team.
7293 University Avenue La Mesa, California 91942 (619) 464-4969
Copyright 2012 Top Gear Guitar Pro Shop
Fender®, Gibson®, Les Paul®, Tonepros® and other brand names are trademarks of their respective owners.


With the economy forcing developers to pursue less expensive methods of Oracle application development, many are evaluating Web development tools, including those for Rapid Application Development.
Moving your Oracle applications to the Web? Here are four Web development tools that can make a DBA's life easier.
Developers putting off Web development projects because they lack the proper development tools may be running out of excuses. Over the past few years, a plethora of such tools have emerged to help developers either Web-enable existing applications for Oracle databases or create new ones. The arrival of these tools is well timed. The tough economy has forced many organizations to seek less expensive methods of building applications but has not diminished their need to move critical applications to the Web. Several excellent tools are available that can accomplish both.
In this review we take a look at four such tools from four leading vendors, including Quest Software (Toad V10), Alpha Software (Alpha Five V10), Oracle (Application Express), and Embarcadero (RAD Studio 2010). We examine each product's most important and/or unique capabilities, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in helping developers transition critical applications to the Web.
An overview discussing some of the trends pushing Oracle developers toward Web-based development tools.
Technical evaluations of four Web development tools, including chapters dedicated to Toad V10, Alpha Five V10, Oracle Application Express and RAD Studio 2010.
The value of Rapid Application Development (RAD) tools.
A summary of each development tool's comparative strengths and weaknesses.
Corporate and third-party developers have been building applications and front ends for Oracle databases for decades. Those applications have anchored many critical businesses processes, but they must constantly evolve to meet business needs. The good thing about this constant evolution is that it has kept developers gainfully employed -- until recently.
Economic forces and budget concerns have forced many organizations to cut back on Oracle application development projects or seek less expensive ways to build applications. On top of that, add the need to move applications to the Web and you are faced with a conundrum: How do you reduce costs yet build and deploy new applications?
Fortunately for Oracle developers, evolution has proven to be a powerful force. Just as Oracle has evolved to meet the needs of large organizations, so have the tools to build applications. Most notable among those application development tools are those for Rapid Application Development (RAD), which are responsible for reducing the need to develop new applications.
RAD brings a new set of tools and processes to the Oracle application development table that changes the fundamentals of building applications. RAD tools replace the tedious hand-design and coding processes associated with automated design and coding. That automation delivers a multitude of benefits, ranging from expediting application development to improving the agility of change management. Automation further speeds application development and delivery by eliminating archaic Waterfall methodologies, which are dependent on the skills of isolated individuals.
What's more, modern RAD tools embrace the Spiral method of application development, which, unlike the Waterfall method, emphasizes an iterative approach and can involve the end user in the development process. Spiral development allows a project to be broken up into smaller pieces, which can be developed concurrently and prototyped in manageable pieces. Each part of the solution can then be tested independently and wrapped together to complete the project. Spiral development methodology goes hand in hand with RAD to reduce the time needed to develop applications while also increasing flexibility.
AJAX and Oracle complement each other very well. AJAX allows developers to create Web applications that are available to an unlimited audience, while Oracle provides the horsepower to store and serve the data needed by large-audience applications. These factors, combined with a RAD approach, create a new methodology for producing more affordable applications for enterprises as well as fueling new development projects. These factors help keep application development in house or create new opportunities for solution providers offering custom application development services.
For developers, choosing a development suite that incorporates RAD capabilities is the first step for moving applications to the Web cost effectively. A suitable RAD environment should incorporate methodologies for creating Web-enabled applications and interaction with Oracle databases and should feature an Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
While not unique, this combination of features helps to narrow the choice down to a few development suites and products. Developers looking to delve into the world of Web application development can turn to products such as Alpha Five V10 from Alpha Software, TOAD 10 from Quest Software, RAD Studio 2010 from Embarcadero, and Oracle Application Express from Oracle. Each of those products offers the tools needed to create Web applications with Oracle databases.


text:
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Funding For Community-Centered Clean Energy Programs Across the U.S. And $9 Billion For Home Rebates
Funding For Local Governments, States, Territories, Tribes, and Households Reduce Energy Costs and Meet National Net-Zero Goals
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced guidance so that state, local, and Tribal governments can begin applying for funding through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, and issued a Request for Information (RFI) for new Home Energy Rebate Programs. The EECBG Program opened applications for $430 million in formula grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for clean energy projects and programs in local communities, reaching more than 250 million Americans across the country. DOE also released an RFI seeking input on nearly $9 billion for the Home Energy Rebate Program, funded by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act that will provide record breaking funding to help Americans cut energy costs in their homes through energy efficiency and electrification of home appliances and equipment. Together these programs will provide funding to states, Tribes, and other entities to support households and communities in the nation's clean energy transition and to meet the U.S.'s goal of a net-zero economy by 2050.
"Our states and communities are at the forefront of the clean energy revolution and are critical touchpoints with our nation's consumers and businesses," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "With historic funding thanks to President Biden's clean energy laws, more Americans will have easier access to realize cost savings through state-administered home energy rebates and community-centered, energy efficiency and electrification programs."
Through the EECBG Program, DOE is providing $430 million to support community based clean energy programming in all 50 states, five U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, 774 Tribes, and 1,878 local governments. DOE today opened applications and provided guidance for the funding application process, and information on how communities can maximize program investments to best serve each community's specific needs. Communities can use this flexible source of EECBG Program funding for a variety of projects, such as developing a clean energy strategy with measurable goals, making buildings and streetlights more energy-efficient, creating bike lanes, installing renewable energy on government buildings, funding a community solar campaign, or developing zero emissions building codes.
To learn more about the EECBG Program, DOE is hosting a series of webinars starting January 25, 2023, that will cover technical guidance on the application process, tips for making the most of EECBG Program funding, and strategies for building a clean and equitable energy economy that prioritizes disadvantaged communities. State applications are due by July 31, 2023. Local government and Tribal government applications are due by January 31, 2024.
Additionally, DOE issued a RFI for the Home Energy Rebate Program a new set of programs funded through the Inflation Reduction Act totaling nearly $9 billion. These programs will provide funding for states, territories, and Tribes to develop, implement, and enhance residential energy efficiency and electrification projects in U.S. households, saving consumers an estimated $1 billion annually in energy costs. The deadline to submit responses to the RFI is March 3, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET.
Through the Office of State and Community Energy Programs, DOE is overseeing the administration of these programs, and working to ensure that no communities are left behind in the transition to a clean energy future. These programs align with President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, ensuring that 40 percent of the overall benefits of clean energy investments make a difference in communities that are energy burdened and historically underserved. For more information, visit the EECBG Program or the Home Energy Rebate Programs websites.
(202) 586-4940 or DOENews@hq.doe.gov
Read more at the
energy.gov Newsroom


text:
Home » Spotlight » Spotlight: C:. Patrick Moore and The Professional School of Practical Stereotomy
Spotlight: C:. Patrick Moore and The Professional School of Practical Stereotomy
By Katrina Williams / Spotlight / 4 Comments / Craftsmanship
Patrick Moore at the Museum in Quebec of the permanent exhibition
Patrick Moore is a Compagnon Passant Charpentier Canadien L'Ami du Trait Bon Drill de Tour de France, and is the first and currently only person from both American continents to claim that title, having completed the extensive and intense Tour-de-France as well as the completion of his master piece which is currently on permanent exhibition at the Musée des maîtres et artisans du Québec, in Montreal, Canada.
Patrick's master piece
Have you ever heard of L'Art du Trait? It is defined as the ability to lay out, cut, and assemble individual pieces of wood or stone into a more complex whole structure. In more concrete terms, the trait encompasses a set of graphic techniques facilitating the production - at a reduced scale or full scale, on paper, on parchment, or even on the ground - of working drawings needed to complete structures in wood or stone. Patrick says that "The best example, using stone, is a vault or arch; in timber, a hip or valley. But these are very simple and limited examples. Though L'Art du Trait is much more than simply laying out hips and valleys."
We asked Patrick how he became interested in timber framing and L'Art du Trait and he told us "I initially started off in the trades by obtaining a two year diploma in heritage and traditional masonry. Once I had completed my Masonry Diploma and worked in the field for a bit, I enrolled in another two year diploma; The Heritage Carpentry course. Upon completion of this is when it all started. I worked for several Timber Framing companies in Ontario before going to work for a company in Quebec where I met a Carpenter from France who introduced me to the notion of Les Compagnons. I then began my research. To North Americans, Le Compagnonnage is completely foreign, so this was an extremely difficult task. In France you begin your training as an adolescent (usually by 13-14 years of age). I was 22 and from Canada. After many, many email conversations back and forth, VISA applications and proof that I was dedicated to the process, I was finally accepted! When I got to France is when I began learning the fascinating concept of L'art du Trait.
The reconstruction of a tower on the 14th century fortification in the town of Bergheim, France
When we asked Patrick to describe the difference between the French and North American processes of timber framing, he replied, "There is a massive difference, perhaps subtle to the untrained eye, in the process and mindset of timber framing in France (Europe in general) and in North America. In my opinion, the biggest and most influential is the history, culture, attitude, and mindset of the society at large towards the craft and the people who work in the industry. This in turn, influences how timber frames and construction in general, are processed. In order to better understand these differences, I would suggest first to do a comparative study in the history and culture of carpentry, and society at large, through the ages in Europe and in North America.
In general, French carpenters receive much more formal education, and in fact, are required to do so to operate a legitimate business. There are obviously pros and cons, but one of the upsides is they have a much deeper and better understanding of timber framing and process."
Ringing of the bell tower - at the reconstructed 14th century belfry . Church Sainte-Marie de Saint-Hymetière, Jura, France
Patrick Moore is also founder of The Professional School of Practical Stereotomy. He describes the school as "a professional school unique in the English speaking world, where students are given experience in the application of the historic, time-tested techniques of practical stereotomy – L'Art du Trait. Stereotomy employs working drawings to design and construct structures both simple and complex. It has been used for millennia in the design and construction of European cathedrals, fortresses, castles, including historically classified UNESCO world heritage monuments such as the cathedral of Chartres. Students, therefore, become knowledgeable through hands-on experience of a process which makes the most complex designs very manageable. In truth, the experience of this approach develops in students the capacity to see differently, expanding their horizon and enhancing skills they already possess. Consequently, students will become able to undertake projects they previously found intimidating or too complex to attempt."
2017 - Making a French Trestle Workshop
The models produced by Patricks' students look very intricate. We asked Patrick how he leads his students to accomplish the end result. He told us that he teaches them "Literally, step-by-step. The projects may look very complex and challenging, but in fact, are quite simple. We walk our students through each task project using previously learned information. By constantly and consistently adding new information to each task, the student always learns and grows to the point where they can do it themselves. The end result, students become autonomous free-creative thinkers with the ability to design and conceive ideas crystal clear in their own mind first. They are not limited to any preconceived notions or systems that limit thought and creation. The student becomes a master of their own visual-spatial mind."
Patrick says that currently the most challenging hurdle for his school to overcome is "simply awareness. For people to know that this knowledge exists. It's a daily and constant challenge that requires a lot of time and energy." But as the only professional school in the English speaking world that offer Stereotomy – Art du Trait courses, the school offers a "full-fledged program and curriculum, where students can obtain two professional certificates and up to a master's certificate."
The reconstruction of the timber frame on the Saint-Étienne Church of Coldre chapel built in the 12th century
Along with establishing the school, Patrick has been involved in many diverse projects, such as works done on Classified Historical Monuments, UNESCO World Heritage sites, non-classified historical monuments and new building projects. We asked him if he incorporates L'art du trait into his designs for contemporary structures. He answered, "Stereotomy – Art du Trait is not something that can or can't be incorporated into a design or structure. Anyone designing, constructing, or thinking in 3D, uses notions of Stereotomy. More precisely, stereotomy is a way of obtaining real lengths and angles for lay out. Mastering the ability to think, draw, and lay out in 3D, helps the individual to understand 3D space in order for a design to be clear in your own mind. Simply put, the ability to envision and lay out joinery (mortise and tenon) is using Stereotomy – Art du Trait. More complex, having mastered the understanding of Stereotomy allows the individual to have a clear and concise understanding of voluminous 3D pieces intersecting with one another in space. Going back to the question, anyone who designs uses notions of Stereotomy. So yes, Stereotomy is naturally always incorporated into our designs, but so too is everyone else's without them necessarily knowing."
The Sainte-Marie de Saint-Hymetière a Romanesque church built in the 14th century in Jura, France
When we asked Patrick what are the accomplishments he is proudest of, he replied "-First and by far the most, becoming the first and currently only person from both American continents to become a Compagnon Passant Charpentier.
- Second, having worked on all the Classified Historical Monuments across North America and France and having restored two Classified UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- Thirdly, the creation of the Professional School of Practical Stereotomy, on ongoing growth and process of teaching and spreading the knowledge and empowerment of Stereotomy – Art du Trait."
To reach Patrick Moore and find out more about the fascinating skill of L'Art du Trait, see below:
Facebook – School of Practical Stereotomy
Website – www.historicalcarpentry.com
Address – 1 Langholm Crescent, Nepean, Ontario, Canada
4 thoughts on "Spotlight: C:. Patrick Moore and The Professional School of Practical Stereotomy"
Mark Hennebury
Beautiful work, beautiful trade,Congratulations.
David Kirwin
I believe that Stereotomy is called descriptive geometry in the United States
Georgina Wigley
Congratulations on your accomplishments and your dedication to this beautiful field of work.


Since 1996, VERTEX's California office has been staffed with experienced technical professionals. No matter if you are in LA, San Francisco, Sacramento or Eureka, VERTEX's California office can assist. If you'd like to speak with a VERTEX expert in California, please contact us today.


About two weeks after the core had been installed, I had gotten around and managed to install most of the other 45 switches, I then came across another issue. The biggest issue I could find is that I was getting bad network performance, and I was seeing that every now and then an EdgeSwitch would go 'down' for about thirty seconds or more.
Though to be honest I am writing about issues I was experiencing in January, now were in May, and I was working 15-20 hour days during January to get all the work done so I am a little foggy about what issue caused what. So I am sorry about that, I'll do my best though.
I tried at first to figure out the cause of the issue myself, I thought it might be one switch or another causing the issue, but I wasn't really able to figure out the exact cause. At first, I had read about some issues relating to the then current firmware of 1.7.3, an issue that effected uplink performances. I had been installing switches and upgrading them to 1.7.3 as step 1 of installing them, so I spent one night downgrading all my switches to 1.7.1 (online recommended as most stable current firmware). It did fix the issue slightly but didn't get rid of it completely.
This lead me to contact the Leader Support Team, I mentioned them in my why we choose Ubiquiti post. They are a great bunch of Australian based support personnel that have undertaken a range of the Ubiquiti Certificates (I couldn't tell you exactly which ones) but they are very knowledgeable, and while they could find some issues they also reached out to Ubiquiti themselves to get some guidance on how best to proceed. So after some chatting, I was put in touch with a Ubiquiti Engineer, UBNT-Jordan (https://community.ubnt.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/312298). Jordan connected to my network via Team Viewer and started going through all the switches and reviewing config and checking logs.
His first thought was plan was to change the ARP Timeout to 50, as he saw that the ARP table was filling up. An example of what he found was this entry *Total Entry Count Current / Peak ………….. 481 / 493*. And while this did help, again the issue was fully resolved.
At the time we had an EdgeSwitch ES-48-500W acting as the core (we also tried the ES-XG-16), and there was the problem. As good as these switches are, our network and its VLAN routing were just too much for them. So a decision as made, I really needed something more powerful, like an EdgeMax Router. I suggested let's just get the EdgeRouter Infinity… I'll be honest I was getting a little frustrated at this point as I had made that suggestion a few days earlier and been ignored. I believe they were worried about the cost of adding another device to our order, though even adding an EdgeRouter Infinity to my order I was still well under the next vendor. The next issue though was getting our hands on an EdgeRouter Infinity.
At this point, it was 9 am Thursday the 25th of January, in Australia that was the day before Australia Day and a public holiday. Then on Monday, all staff would be back onsite. I really needed to get everything done before that. It was at this point I looped Ben Klason from Leader back into the chat telling him I needed an EdgeRouter Infinity onsite ASAP, and off he went doing his best to find me one. About half an hour later I got a call back saying he had one and would get it to me as soon as he could, I even offered to jump in my car and go get it.
At this point, I feel it is worth reminding people that the school I work for, Central Coast Grammar School is located on the Central Coast of NSW. That is around 80 kilometres from the Sydney CBD, and it was the day before a public holiday. It was now 9:30 am and I was curious what our next step would be. At this point I then got a text saying it would be here soon, Ben had not only found one but got one of his Sydney resellers to Uber it up to us on the Central Coast.
By 11 am the EdgeRouter was onsite and in my hands. I organised with Jordan at UBNT to work with him at 6 am the next morning for the EdgeRouter to be installed. We decided against causing an outage at 11 am in the morning to install it as we did have users on site and we weren't sure if the outage would be less than half an hour. That afternoon I racked it up and connected it to our network. I upgraded its firmware and gave it an IP address ready for it to become the centre of our network.
The next morning, bright and early I was on site again and ready to work with Jordan. He connected in and then started loading our VLAN's and default gates on the EdgeRouter, I didn't even attempt this myself as I had never worked on the EdgeRouter's before, their CLI not the same as EdgeMax switches, I wanted to know it was configured and working correctly. By 8:30 am everything was done and my network was now running with the EdgeRouter Infinity as my core.
I spent another half hour doing checks and reviewing the Routing Tables, and everything looked fine. Even my network had settled down and was running smoothly.
I'm still navigating my way around some more complex routing situations. What does the config look like for your EdgeRouter?
Taylor, my apologies for not replying for some long… I am not the best to answer it but here is the best place I have found to give you some of the info.
For example here is the main set of commands.
Would you be able elaborate more what exactly means performance issue on EdgeSwitch ES-48, please ? I was planning to use it as a core switch with inter vlan routing enabled in small villa (approx 10 user/server vlans ) and your post rises some concerns.
It was as I mentioned above. Our route table was filling up causing it to then drop the table and then fill it up again. This caused a never ending loop that effected response times for the switch.
The fix was to use an Edge Router Infinity. Though we are running 60+ switches, so if your environment is smaller you may be fine!


London based Luxury wedding cakes designers Sweet Hollywood present Alluring Grace Wedding Cake. Like all Sweet Hollywood wedding Cakes, the colours and design can be customised to match your theme or outfit. Furthermore this and other cakes can be made as an Egg Free Wedding Cake / Eggless Wedding Cake to suit your dietary requirements. Furthermore as part of of service we can deliver anywhere in London and surrounding counties.
Like Hollywood our Luxury wedding cakes are larger than life, with each edible work of art directed by you the client and then beautifully crafted by our team of artists.
The sweet recipe of perfection stems from a combination of stunning design, delicious flavours and our meticulous attention to detail. Each cake that you view in the gallery is a bespoke piece of work and can be tailored to your requirements.
Copyright 2013 Sweet Hollywood. All Rights Reserved.


Overseeing a portfolio of non-performing accounts presents a unique challenge for utility companies. Limited operational resources, strict compliance requirements, and minimal IT support make it difficult for recovery managers in the utilities market to streamline business processes and maximize revenue from bad debt.
Utility companies across the country trust AIS data and analytics, software applications, and account services to bring maximum operating efficiency and improved profitability to their organization.
In this business vertical, it's not uncommon to find breaks or challenges in existing processes that create quality and costs issues. Our experts work alongside your team to effectively address critical business problems, mapping out processes, identifying breaks and areas of risk, and proposing potential solutions.


text:
July 7, 2022, 7:37 PM ET
Ahead of 'The Way of Water,' James Cameron says he may not direct the final two 'Avatar' movies
The first Avatar sequel hits the big screen Friday, Dec. 16.
A still from James Cameron's AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER. Photo: 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS
For over a decade, James Cameron has restlessly toiled away on his blossoming Avatar film franchise, which should stretch across five epic movies once all is said and done. With the first sequel — officially titled The Way of Water — scheduled to open on the big screen this December and the third installment already finished, the writer-director has started to contemplate the possibility of handing off the final two movies to another filmmaker, especially since the Pandora mythos is now firmly in place.
"The Avatar films themselves are kind of all-consuming," Cameron admitted to Empire for a lengthy feature in the magazine's August 2022 issue (now on sale). "I've got some other things I'm developing as well that are exciting. I think eventually over time — I don't know if that's after three or after four — I'll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over, so I can go do some other stuff that I'm also interested in. Or may not. I don't know."
When he first pitched the idea to 20th Century Fox (renamed 20th Century Studios under Disney's reign), Cameron insisted on making an entire saga. "I said, 'Imagine a series of novels like The Lord of the Rings existed, and we're adapting them.' Now, that was great in theory, but then I had to go create the frickin' novels from which to adapt it."
The studio's risky gamble paid off big-time when Avatar went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time — a title it still holds to this day after a brief dethroning by Avengers: Endgame. The big question is this: can any of the sequels match or surpass that gangbusters success at the worldwide box office? For his part, Cameron isn't too bothered about the lengthy gap between the first and second chapters. "The trolls will have it that nobody gives a sh** and they can't remember the characters' names or one damn thing that happened in the movie," he added. "Then they see the movie again and go, 'Oh, okay, excuse me, let me just shut the f*** up right now.' So I'm not worried."
Set a decade after the 2009 original, The Way of Water follows the continued adventures of Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and the family they've built together. This unit includes: Spider (Jack Champion), an orphaned human boy; Kiri, a Na'vi teenager (Sigourney Weaver); and the Sullys' biological kids Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Lo'ak (Britain Dalton), and Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss).
The family's peaceful existence is suddenly threatened when the Resources Development Administration shows up to once again ravage Pandora for its natural resources. Hunted by Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang, now rocking an Avatar body of his own), Jake, Neytiri, and their children flee to the picturesque coast, where they're taken in by the maritime Metkayina tribe led by Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and Ronal (Kate Winslet in her first James Cameron joint since Titanic).
"Everything I need to say about family, about sustainability, about climate, about the natural world, the themes that are important to me in real life and in my cinematic life, I can say on this canvas," the director explained. "In the writing across these four films, I got more excited as I went along. Movie four is a corker. It's a motherf***er. I actually hope I get to make it. But it depends on market forces. Three is in the can, so it's coming out regardless. I really hope that we get to make four and five because it's one big story, ultimately."
He also promised "a big time-jump" in the fourth installment and a steady incline of narrative stakes. "It has magnificent scope. It gets very f***ing dark and tragic, and there are serious consequences. You're asked to invest in an idea of hope for everybody, hope for the Na'avi and hope for the humans. That, to me, is the big ethical and moral shift. It's a story about hope."
Avatar: The Way of Water arrives in theaters Friday, Dec. 16 and apparently clocks in at a whopping three hours (20 minutes longer than its predecessor). "I don't want anybody whining about length when they sit and binge-watch [television] for eight hours," Cameron said. "I can almost write this part of the review, 'The agonizingly long, three-hour movie...' It's like, give me a f***ing break. I've watched my kids sit and do five, one-hour episodes in a row."
Fans can reacquaint themselves with Pandora when Avatar is re-released into theaters Friday, Sep. 23.
In the meantime, you can take the plunge into the watery depths of Earth's oceans with James Cameron's Deepsea Challenge — now streaming on Peacock.
Download SYFY's free app to watch full episodes, highlights, interviews and more!
Watch Astrid & Lilly Save the World
Trailer for James Cameron's 'Avatar 2' debuts online
James Cameron on Avatar and Star Wars differences


The 2018 Tecmo Bowl World Championship Sat. March 31st in Omaha Nebraska.
Tournament consists of a 16 player double elimination tournament.
The equipment will be provided by the tournament organizer.
The entry fee is $113 per player.
All fees collected go towards cash prizes.
Payouts go to players placing in the top 4.
First place will additionally win a trophy.
The Payout scale is shown to the right.
Additional $50 prize eligible to group of 2 or more players with best winning percentage.
Each contest begins with a coin toss. The coin toss winner decides which 2 teams will be used in the game.
-or they can choose to be Player 1, and deferring the 1st choice of team to the other player.
Registered players will be required to pay entry fee by Wednesday, November 1st in order to reserve their spot.
Once the 16 spots are filled, additional entry fees will be collected for those wanting to join the reserve list.
Payment can be made via paypal, or by mail with a check.
Before you submit payment, a email will be required to discuss all details of the tournament.
- A preliminary set of games will be played to determine seeding for the actual double elimination bracket.
In the prelim round, each person plays 2 games. Losses in the preliminary round do not count towards elimination.
The preliminary round is designed to help separate players by seeds once the actual tournament begins.
The offense is not allowed to gain yards when the defense chooses the same play.
A running play for more than 2 yards results in loss of down & yardage on next play.
Passing completion will result in turning ball over on next down (throwing an INT).
> Should that occur, the Touchdown will not be reflected in the final score of the game.
Contact us for more info on entering.


text:
TV reviewTelevision
The Hijacker Who Vanished: The Mystery of DB Cooper review – a real-life Twin Peaks
This highly entertaining Storyville documentary sifts the evidence on the only unsolved case of air piracy in US history, to ask who the mysterious DB Cooper really was
Scene of the crime ... the hijacked Northwest Airlines 727 refuels at Tacoma international airport, Seattle, while the cash demanded was being collected, on 25 November 1971. Photograph: AP Images/BBC/Minnow Films
Rebecca Nicholson
Mon 23 Nov 2020 17.25 EST
Last modified on Tue 24 Nov 2020 06.05 EST
Fans of modern American folklore may be familiar with the story of The Hijacker Who Vanished: The Mystery of DB Cooper (BBC Four), but even those who are not should relish this authoritative opportunity to pull up a seat and get out the popcorn. In November 1971, a passenger plane took off from Portland airport for a short flight to nearby Seattle. However, it was hijacked by a man who claimed to have a bomb in his suitcase. He quietly demanded $200,000 in ransom money. The plane landed, his unsuspecting fellow passengers disembarked, the cash was handed over, the flight took off again, and then DB Cooper parachuted out, at night and in bad weather, over difficult Oregon terrain. No trace of him was ever found. It remains the only unsolved case of air piracy in US history.
This wonderfully entertaining Storyville film goes some way towards finding a convincing account of who DB Cooper might have been. Writer/director John Dower talks to friends, family and acquaintances of different people who may have been the culprit. His interviewees claim to have known plans, heard confessions or seen documents that point the finger at the person they knew.
Jo Weber, the biggest character in a documentary filled with them, believes her late husband Duane was DB Cooper. "'I'm Dan Cooper.' Those were his last words. Except, 'I love you,'" she tells Dower, as she leans back on her sofa, feet up, sipping from a coffee flask. Her husband died in the 1990s, and she has since attempted to piece together the puzzles of the complex life he left behind. She discovered fake IDs, a spell in prison, a tax return that suggests a windfall from around the time of the hijacking and a magazine in a secure lockbox featuring an article about Cooper. He seemed to know Oregon, where the hijacker left the plane, and offers a plausible solution to the mystery of how $3,000 of the ransom money ended up being discovered buried on the banks of the Columbia River, some distance from the assumed landing area.
The problem is that there are a lot of plausible explanations here, and not all can be true. Jerry Thomas, an amateur sleuth who has been gripped by the story since 1988, when he began searching the wilderness for a parachute, is convinced that DB Cooper didn't make it alive. Marla Cooper believes her uncle, LD was the culprit. There is a theory that Richard Floyd McCoy Jr, who hijacked a plane for ransom a year later, was repeating his earlier crime, having somehow dropped the money on the way down the first time around. Most intriguingly, there is a theory that might have been ripped straight from a pulp fiction novel, such is its drama and intrigue. A likable couple called Pat and Ron Forman recall befriending a woman they met on an airfield, Barbara Dayton, who eventually told them she was transgender. Ron describes her as "a great pilot, very daring". Eventually, the pair started to suspect that Barb bore some similarity to the mysterious Cooper.
The FBI lost a lot of crucial evidence in the early days, and eventually closed the case in 2016, but it lives on in the public imagination. As well as spending time with the characters involved in the main story – interviews with Tina Mucklow, the stewardess who sat with Cooper as he revealed the bomb in his case, and co-pilot William Rataczak, still moved by their own survival, are oddly touching – and the offshoot myths, Dower does a great job of exploring why this narrative is so fascinating. Obviously, it's the mystery, which everyone is desperate to solve. But it is also the daring and the gumption, the sense of great adventure and defiance. Against a bleak economic backdrop in the region during the early 1970s, Cooper symbolised someone who stuck it to the man. Vox pop interview footage from the time shows that people were rooting for him to have succeeded, despite the criminality.
The Hijacker Who Vanished has a Twin Peaks feel, from the music to the scenery and quirks of character. When Dower notes that Marla Cooper's home is Twin Peaks-esque, it is not accidental. As much as this gripping documentary is about the mysterious DB Cooper, it is about human nature, too. These brilliant characters, some deeply entangled in the story, some distant from it but connected, are believers. This film asks what keeps them believing, and it is a far bigger question than the mystery itself.
• This article was amended on 24 November 2020 to correct a single erroneous reference to "Weber" when Dower was meant.
US crime