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The Long Tail: The Internet and the Business of Niche
digitalnative.substack.com
The Long Tail Investing Framework: 2005 vs. 2022
Rex Woodbury
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Let's play a game. Take a look at the two companies below and tell me which is the better business:
Company A: Company A is a content platform founded in 1997. Last year, it did $30 billion in revenue, +18% year-over-year. It has 225 million users and spent $19 billion on content in 2021.
Company B: Company B is also a content platform. It was founded in 2005. Company B also did $30 billion in revenue last year, +46% year-over-year, and has 2.6 billion users—but unlike Company A, Company B didn't spend money making that content. Instead, users produce content for the platform.
Which is the better business model? You probably answered Company B, which crowdsources content production instead of shelling out $19 billion a year.
Company B is YouTube and Company A is Netflix. They are the two leading content platforms in the world, and both companies did about $30 billion in revenue last year. But they did so with dramatically different business models.
Netflix content spend has ballooned over the years (Source)
This isn't a perfect exercise, of course. YouTube pays creators 55% of advertising revenue, which is effectively its cost of content. The 225 million figure for Netflix, meanwhile, is its paying subscriber count, while the 2.6 billion figure for YouTube is monthly active users. If you assume the average Netflix account is used by ~3 people, that means there are 775 million Netflix users. Still, ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) differs greatly: for YouTube, it's about $11.50; for Netflix, it's about $38.70.
But directionally, this exercise is helpful and interesting. The basic principle stands: Netflix pours billions into expensive content, while YouTube taps the world's creativity. Netflix is a business built on heavy-hitters (expensive productions like Stranger Things, The Witcher, and Squid Game), while YouTube is built on volume—500 hours of video are added every minute. YouTube is built on the long tail.
The Origins of the Long Tail
The concept of the long tail was popularized by Chris Anderson in an October 2004 article in WIRED. Anderson's opening lines read like a prophecy of YouTube, which would be founded the following year:
"Forget squeezing millions from a few megahits at the top of the charts. The future of entertainment is in the millions of niche markets at the shallow end of the bitstream."
I've written in the past about another quote in WIRED, one that didn't age quite so well. In 2005, the media mogul Barry Diller declared:
"There is not that much talent in the world. There are very few people in very few closets in very few rooms that are really talented and can't get out.
People with talent and expertise at making entertainment products are not going to be displaced by 1,800 people coming up with their videos that they think are going to have an appeal."
Yikes. It turned out that there was a lot of talent in the world—many people in many closets in many rooms. The same year that Barry Diller uttered those words, YouTube was born in a small room above a pizzeria in San Mateo. On April 23, 2005, the first YouTube video was posted. The video is titled "Me at the zoo" and features YouTube cofounder Jawed Karim…at the zoo. In the 18-second clip, he talks about elephants and their trunks 🐘
The concept of the long tail remains one of the best investing frameworks for internet companies. Many of the most successful technology companies in history have been built on the long tail. Google and Facebook turn to small businesses for the lion's share of their advertising revenue. Ebay grew by tapping into a variety of niche interests and markets. Some of our most successful investments at Index have harnessed the power of niche: Etsy showed that a lot of people are interested in buying (and making) artisanal products; GOAT showed that sneakers are a deceptively large market; Discord has 19 million (!) weekly active servers.
One of the powers of the long tail is its ability to expand selection. Amazon might be the best example. As Anderson put it in 2004:
What's really amazing about the Long Tail is the sheer size of it. Combine enough non-hits on the Long Tail and you've got a market bigger than the hits. Take books: The average Barnes & Noble carries 130,000 titles. Yet more than half of Amazon's book sales come from outside its top 130,000 titles.
The same held true for movies: the average Blockbuster in 2004 carried fewer than 3,000 DVDs, but Netflix was getting 20% of its revenue from rentals outside its top 3,000 titles. And the same held in music too: Spotify, founded in 2006, built its business on expanding music to effectively infinite selection.
With the long tail, all of a sudden you could venture beyond the bestseller lists, instead discovering that little-known gem of a book with only a few dozen copies in print. But for long tail companies to succeed, they need to ensure that niche products are in stock when you need them; if you went to order that little-known gem of a book on Amazon and could never get it, your customer experience would degrade rapidly. This is why companies like Amazon have best-in-class inventory management systems.
In many ways, long tail platforms are more egalitarian than their hits-focused counterparts; in Anderson's words in WIRED:
As egalitarian as Wal-Mart may seem, it is actually extraordinarily elitist. Wal-Mart must sell at least 100,000 copies of a CD to cover its retail overhead and make a sufficient profit; less than 1 percent of CDs do that kind of volume. What about the 60,000 people who would like to buy the latest Fountains of Wayne or Crystal Method album, or any other non-mainstream fare? They have to go somewhere else.
We've seen this play out on the internet. When the crowd gets to vote with dollars and eyeballs, new forms of content and commerce suddenly become popular. When more selection is available, customer preferences and interests become much more readily apparent than when tastes are curated by a handful of executives. Would K-pop be as big as it is today if tastes were still defined by radio stations? BTS dominates the charts despite getting almost no radio play.
Another facet of the long tail—paired with this greater selection—is that the long tail helps customers discover new products. Here's a very 2004 graphic from WIRED:
Over the past two decades, "Data is the new oil" has become an oft-used refrain in tech. If you know a customer likes Britney, it becomes easier to surface similar songs from Pink and No Doubt.
Recommendations have become a massive part of the successful long-tail companies. Recommendations (and paid placement) on Amazon dictate the flows of billions of dollars spent on commerce; Netflix and YouTube algorithms shape culture; and Spotify's recommendation-based playlists move music.
Refreshing the Framework
The two major categories for the long tail framework are content and commerce.
Let's start with content. TikTok is the best modern extension of this framework. Building on the concept of recommendations, TikTok's For You Page is entirely algorithmically-generated, tailor-made to the user's tastes and preferences. And TikTok's built-in creation tools make producing content easier, enabling the long tail to be even longer than it is on YouTube.
TikTok relies heavily on remix culture, allowing people to build on each other's sounds and trends; this removes the friction to create that exists even with robust creation tools ("What video should I make?") and leads to a stunning amount of creativity. My favorite example is this hilarious video:
Essentially, a man posted a video with his girlfriend and TikTok decided that the girlfriend looked…less than willing to be in the video. So, naturally, TikTok assumed she was being held hostage. Thousands of people began to duet the video to build on the premise—we see her hands tied in rope, then we see a SWAT team at the door ready to break it down, then we see a news crew outside reporting on the scene, then we see her mother crying and pleading for her daughter's safety. It's brilliant, and a great example of what happens when you crowdsource the entire world's creativity.
As creation gets even easier, the long tail will continue to lengthen. Innovations like Midjourney, DALL-E, and StableDiffusion—which provide text to image AI generation—may unlock new levels of creativity and expression. This will shift content even more away from the handful of big-budget hits, and more to the long tail of creators.
Comparable images from Midjourney, DALL-E 2, and Stable Diffusion on the image created using the above text prompt; Source
The concept of the long tail also extends to commerce. We've come a long way from Amazon in 2004. Take Shopify: the vast majority of Shopify merchants—about 97%—have annual sales under $1M.
And about 99% of Shopify stores have fewer than 100,000 unique visitors per month.
Shopify is built on the long tail—on serving the many, many small merchants out there that comprise the lion's share of global retail.
The fact that Shopify is built on the long tail drives other new business models. Openstore, for instance, is a company that acquires Shopify stores in cash. As a merchant, you get a nice payday; Openstore then streamlines your operations and grows your brand. Openstore's ultimate vision is to roll up all acquired brands into one cohesive brand.
There are dozens of Amazon roll-up companies with a similar concept (Thrasio is the largest).
We also see the long tail in businesses like Pietra that enable creators (or any marketing-savvy entrepreneur) to launch a product line. Pietra expands who can start a product line—you no longer have to be Kylie Jenner or Rihanna to start a beauty empire—thereby crowding in new business creation that otherwise wouldn't exist.
Just as Shopify made it easier to launch an online storefront, Pietra makes it easier to launch a digitally-native product line, abstracting away the complexities of manufacturing, inventory management, and fulfillment.
Another example of a modern startup building for the long tail is Faire. Faire is a B2B marketplace that connects brands and wholesale retailers. Think of all the cute local shops you see around—those retailers need to source their products from somewhere. Merchants used to need to go to in-person trade shows, which were inefficient and expensive. Now, they can source products on Faire's marketplace.
Faire hits on the key components of long tail businesses: Faire improves selection by giving retailers a much greater variety of potential brands to choose from, and vice versa. And Faire takes a data-driven approach to improve the experience: Faire can tell you that a similar retailer in Milwaukee had a lot of success with a sustainable candle brand, so you should give it a try too.
When you add up the long tail—the more than 1 billion videos viewed on TikTok every day; the more than 1,000,000 storefronts on Shopify; the 250,000 retailers and 30,000 brands on Faire—the long tail businesses often dwarf the businesses built only for the Goliaths.
There's one characteristic that many of the most successful internet businesses share: they create more jobs through their platform than the company could ever directly employ. For instance, Shopify has 10,000 employees—but Shopify likely provides the foundation for 10 million jobs by enabling merchants to run and operate a storefront. (There are over 1,000,000 Shopify stores, many with multiple employees.) Or take YouTube, which employs 2,800 people. There are over 306,000 YouTube channels with over 100,000 subscribers (!), meaning there are hundreds of thousands—maybe millions—of creators making a living on YouTube.
My friend Chris Paik calls this "off-balance sheet operating leverage." Can a company enable an entire ecosystem to form on top of it? Companies that have off-balance sheet operating leverage are often the companies that rely on the long tail.
Nearly two decades after Chris Anderson wrote that piece in WIRED—nearly 20 years after YouTube, Spotify, and Shopify came to life—the long tail framework remains one of the best frameworks through which to evaluate technology businesses. Two decades into the modern consumer internet, we're still learning just how extensive and vibrant the long tail can be—and chances are, it will continue to surprise us.
Sources & Additional Reading
The Long Tail | Chris Anderson, WIRED (2004)
Understanding the Long Tail Theory of Media Fragmentation | Scott Baradell
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© 2023 Rex Woodbury


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Diabetes Self-Management > News and Research > Type 1 Diabetes > New Type 1 Diabetes Cases Increase During Pandemic
New Type 1 Diabetes Cases Increase During Pandemic
By Quinn Phillips | September 15, 2020
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Since almost the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been known or suspected that people with diabetes are at greater risk for poor outcomes if they develop the infection. We've learned more, though, about specific risks as researchers have studied data from the past few months. As we've reported here at Diabetes Self-Management, we now know that people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at greater risk for poor outcomes, including death, if they're hospitalized for COVID-19.
But until recently, we didn't know much about what effect, if any, COVID-19 has on new cases of type 1 diabetes. A new study marks a step toward understanding that connection.
To get cutting-edge diabetes news, strategies for blood glucose management, nutrition tips, healthy recipes, and more delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter!
Type 1 cases rise at some locations
Published in the journal Diabetes Care, the study looked at new cases of type 1 diabetes at five different healthcare locations in North West London, England. These inpatient locations — located in hospitals — comprise the area's Pediatric Diabetes Network, focusing on care for children and teenagers up to 16 years old.
The study looked at the period between March 23 and June 4, 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height in the region. Overall, during this period, 30 children between the ages of 23 months and 16.8 years developed type 1 diabetes within the network. Out of the five locations, two experienced a higher number of new cases than is typical during April and May — 10 new cases each, compared with an average of 2 cases at one location and 4 cases at the other during the previous 5 years.
In the children who developed type 1 diabetes, the clinical picture was concerning. Out of the 30 children, 21 developed diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a severe complication of high blood glucose. More than half of these cases, 11, were considered severe. Clinical shock (a sudden, severe lack of blood flow) was present in 12 children when they were admitted, and four had to be treated in pediatric intensive care.
Reasons for increase in type 1 unclear
While the increase in type 1 speaks for itself, it's not immediately clear why this happened at the two healthcare locations. Tests for the COVID-19 virus were performed on 21 of the children who were admitted and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Out of these, only 2 tested positive.
However, antibody tests for the virus — indicating prior exposure to the virus, and possibly a prior infection — were also performed at two of the locations. Out of the 16 children tested for antibodies, three tested positive. This result suggests that more children may have had prior exposure to the virus than just the two with a current infection.
The researchers estimated that overall, the data suggest an 80% increase in new cases of type 1 diabetes during the study period, compared with a typical year. This study did not demonstrate a direct link to a similar increase in COVID-19 or exposure to the virus. However, previous studies have shown that the virus may enter pancreatic islet cells, leading to or increasing beta cell damage and potentially contributing to the onset of type 1 diabetes.
The researchers note that there are other, similar reports from other countries — China and Italy — showing an increase in new type 1 diabetes during the pandemic, but apparently unrelated to infection with the virus. Some of these reports also suggest small, localized increases in type 1, as the current study found to be the case with only two of its five locations seeing an increase.
Further studies are needed, the researchers emphasize, to establish a clear link between the virus and type 1 or a more severe presentation of new-onset type 1 that requires hospitalization or intensive care.
Want to learn more about coronavirus and diabetes? Read "Coronavirus and Diabetes: A COVID-19 Update," "Healthy Eating During Hard Times" and "COVID-19: Staying Safe at Work."
Quinn Phillips
Quinn Phillips on social media
A freelance health writer and editor based in Wisconsin, Phillips has a degree from Harvard University. He is a former Editorial Assistant for Diabetes Self-Management and has years of experience covering diabetes and related health conditions. Phillips writes on a variety of topics, but is especially interested in the intersection of health and public policy.
Disclaimer of Medical Advice: Statements and opinions expressed on this Web site are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publishers or advertisers. The information, which comes from qualified medical writers, does not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind, and you should not rely on any information contained in such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs.
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Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive substance that comes from the cannabis plant.
CBD is present in many marijuana strains; however, this oil is derived from organic industrial hemp, which contains very low amounts of THC. Because it is non-psychoactive, CBD oil is legal in many areas, including more than half of the United States, parts of Europe and Japan. It is known to be of help with various medical conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and ADD/ADHD. CBD oil is a great addition to marijuana usage because it also may reduce the high associated with weed consumption.
Each dose is 1.2mg, which is suitable for everyday non-therapeutic use. Take a daily regimen of CBD oil for overall good health. Those using CBD oil to treat specific conditions can also easily dose based on their needs. The small, discrete bottle is also easy to carry with you when away from home.
The Cbd Oil is Extracted using Cold Pressed C02 Extract and it's only filtered once to preserve the cannabinoids and terpenes within the plant oil! All our hemp is grown naturally without the use of pesticides or chemicals!
Each 10ml (0.34 FL oz) bottle of ILGM (Full Spectrum) 6% CBD Oil contains 600mg of CBD which is about 220 drops per bottle.
Recommended: 1 to 10 drops per day.
CBD Oil dosage can vary based on what it is being used for.
There is no known lethal dose of CBD.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural constituent of hemp and is a dietary supplement.
All products advertised herein by Naturally CBD are not in any shape or form advertised for sale as medicinal products. We are not medical practitioners, so for legal purposes, we are unable to give out advice on CBD or any particular condition.
It is for this reason that we advise all customers to research CBD and always consult your health advisers and medical practitioners before taking any of these products.
Naturally Soothing CBD does not manufacture, distribute or sell any product that violates the United Kingdom 'Misuse of Drugs Act 1971'.
It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that they are in compliance with local legislation. The content of this website has not been evaluated by the FSA / MHRA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.


1965 Pontiac GTOs. Lot 4 of 85.
CLICK-> 1965 GTO convertible red #1 front-end view from Robert Betancourt (rwbrlb@home.com) Gr-RRR!
CLICK-> 1965 GTO convertible red #3 right-rear view owned by Robert Betancourt.
CLICK-> 1965 GTO convertible red #4 left-front view from Robert Betancourt (rwbrlb@home.com) with Rally I wheels.
CLICK-> 1965 GTO convertible red #5 white interior view from Robert Betancourt (rwbrlb@home.com). Manual transmission and console vacuum gauge.
CLICK-> 1965 GTO hardtop red #1 with a white interior in front of a plumbing place from Bill.
CLICK-> 1965 GTO convertible black with redline tires and Hurst wheels in a wedding procession, blurry motion. It's from Lee & Amy Filbert.
CLICK-> 1965 GTO red post coupe left-rear view #1 from Robert Zimmerman of Wisconsin. This one has redline tires mounted on Rally I wheels.


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All Good Tales
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Storyteller's Manifesto
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Storytelling traditions across the world: Trinidad
Storytelling strikes chords of memory, curiosity, intrigue: a whole world of wonderment. It is the most ancient art, as old as mankind.
Storytellers and their audiences come in all shapes and ages, in all languages and techniques. The stories they tell reinforce traditions, explode myths, explain our lives and our history, celebrate the living and the dead, provide enjoyment and laughter.
In this series, we explore the importance of traditional storytelling across various cultures.
Within the diversity that exists in the Caribbean, oral traditions are a common element in cultures throughout the region. They have survived for hundreds of years, changing, adapting and evolving.
Oral traditions persist because of their sensitivity to social change and their ability to express some of the most pressing concerns of each era. They are also examples of the survival techniques that developed under colonial rule and slavery to ensure the preservation of those cultures and their future existence.
There are many and varied oral storytelling traditions in the Caribbean. One of the most obvious, without doubt, is music. The stories told with the drums (from the bata drums to the steel drums) and the lyrics of the songs, are narrations of the past. This can be seen in calypso.
The art of calypso
Calypso emerged on the island of Trinidad, possibly from 19th century slaves as a voice for the people. They used calypso to mock the slave masters and to communicate with each other. With African and European influences, calypso was sung in French Creole and later in English with touches of patois—a mix of English, Spanish and French. Between 1920 and 1930, this musical form broke down geographic borders and drew attention to Trinidadians.
The rhythms of calypso can be traced back to West African kaiso and the arrival of French planters and their slaves was characterised by highly rhythmic and harmonic vocals and was most often sung in a French creole and led by a griot (storyteller).
As calypso developed, the role of the griot became known as a calypsonian. As English became the dominant language, calypso migrated into English.
The lyrics described local life and neighbourhood dramas. They were used as a tool to share news and shine a light on everything from the challenges of a banana farmer to local political corruption. As a political tool, calypso was often subject to censorship by the government.
This allowed the masses to challenge the doings of the unelected Governor and Legislative Council. Calypso continues to play an important role in political expression, and also served to document the history of Trinidad and other Caribbean countries
A calypsonian traditionally sang about their homeland, social relationships on the plantations and the lives of community members, including plantation managers, overseers and owners.
They would sing of contemporary and mythical figures and preserve complex oral traditions of their West African origins with songs of derision, praise, satire and lament. At first they were most commonly women because men were targeted for destruction on the plantation.
Upon emancipation, the tradition continued and developed. The calypsonian would sing call-and-response chants called lavways. This form of music gradually evolved into the modern calypso. As the country became urbanised, calypsonians became more and more a male function.
Trinidad became the mecca of calypso in part because it was the most prosperous territory in the region and consequently many migrants headed to the island during the 20th century, including performers.
Traditionalists see calypso as social commentary because in earlier years it served the purpose of telling stories, relaying news events and giving criticisms of persons and policy.
Calypso was therefore divided into two classes: the social commentaries which had songs dealing with politics and community issues; and the humorous calypso, which told stories of events, real or imagined, with the intent of making the audience laugh.
The major difference between a calypsonian and a calypso singer is that a true calypsonian writes his/her own material, and sings topical music that reflects the reality of the community, whereas a calypso singer will tend to sing standards. Some calypsonians both compose and sing their calypsos while many calypsonians in more recent decades have turned to professional composers, some being fellow calypsonians for songs that they in turn sing.
Here at All Good Tales, we believe every brand has a story to tell. Unsure of how to tell yours? We'd love to arrange a consultation. You can call Gaye on (01) 254 1845 to organise yours today. We also run one day courses that give you practical information on connecting with customers. For more information or to book a place, click here.
Every few weeks we'll be focusing in on one of the novels from our Story Studio. This week we're looking at 'Sleepwalk and Other Stories' by Adrian Tomine.
Inside our Story Studio–Sleepwalk and Other Stories
Every few weeks we focus in on one of the novels from our Story Studio. 'In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way: A Graphic Novel' by Stéphane Heuet is next.
Inside our Story Studio–In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way: A Graphic Novel
Every few weeks we'll be focusing in on one of the novels from our Story Studio. This week we're looking at 'The Complete Maus' by Art Spiegelman.
Inside our Story Studio–The Complete Maus
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Title: Low-Tidal Volume Ventilation in the ED - Does it Make a Difference?
Posted: 4/19/2022 by Mike Winters, MD (Updated: 1/27/2023)
Click here to contact Mike Winters, MD
ED Low-Tidal Volume Ventilation
Low-tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) reduces mortality in patients with ARDS and may reduce mortality in patients without ARDS.
Recent literature has highlighted the importance of initial ED ventilator settings, as these often persist for many hours after ICU admission.
But..does the use of LTVV in the ED really make a difference?
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis sought to evaluate the use of LTVV in the ED and the impact upon clinical outcomes.
In short, the use of LTVV in the ED was associated with an increase in the use of LTVV in the ICU, decreased occurrence of ARDS after admission, shorter ICU and hospital lengths of stay, decreased duration of mechanical ventilation, and decreased mortality.
Take Home Point: The use of LTVV in the ED makes a difference!
Monnin KE, et al. Low tidal volume ventilation for emergency department patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis on practice patterns and clinical impact. Crit Care Med. 2022; published online Feb 7, 2022.


Dave wrote to me online. He mentioned that he was going to a concert, the same one that I was planning to hit up with some friends. I asked him if he wanted to meet up there, hang out, and possibly do a proper first date sometime over the following days. He went for the idea.
As an added detail, he told me, "You'll know me when you see me." I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I soon found out.
Clown wig guy looked up. It was Dave. He shoved through the crowd and came up to us. Over the din, I yelled, "Hi, Dave! What's with the hair?"
In reply, he head-banged headlong into us. We shouted at him and moved out of the way, but he was like a bucking bronco, and definitely high on something.
I yelled his name a few times, and he barreled into a bouncer, nearly knocking him over. Another bouncer jumped over and the two of them threw Dave out of the club. There was scattered applause from some folks nearby.
One of my friends asked me, "That was the guy you were meeting here?" I shrugged and we absorbed ourselves into the crowd and enjoyed the show.
The next day, in the afternoon, Dave called. "Hey," he said, "Did you ever come to the show last night?"
I replied, "You don't remember? You were a crazy man in a clown wig."
"I wore the clown wig? Well, that explains it," he said, "It makes me crazy. That clown wig, I swear, is cursed."
"That's great, Dave. I have to go, so—"
"You put it on and it turns you into a raving lunatic. Here, I'll put it on now."
A shriek came from his end of the conversation. I heard loud thumps and shattering glass. Dave screamed, "Get it off! It's on my head! It's in my brain! It's in my braaaaaaaaaiiiinnn!"
I hung up. He called back and I let it go to voicemail. All told, he left me three screamy messages over the next day and a half. He stopped after it must have become apparent that I wasn't going to call him back.
If you're going to pretend like you're not in control, next time don't tip her off with "You'll know me when you see me."


After several cruises with Celebrity including some in Aqua class on Solstice class ships and the Millennium class Constellation the back to back cruises of 14 days in Aqua on the Infinity were only average and did not rise to the level of our other trips. Dining- Blu was only average for food quality and our service time was very long until we found a really good waiter (Armando). Dining room seemed undersized for the # of cabins and had to wait much more often than Solstice ships. Ate at Qsine twice, once each for lunch and dinner, and it was outstanding. The Oceanview Cafe buffet was quite limited and offered the same choices virtually every day. Some of the serving pans were very hard to reach and the staff seemed in no rush to keep them fresh. The poached egg station was good with the eggs cooked to order well. Cabin 9106- All Aqua 2 cabins are under the Lido deck so noise can be a problem. This particular cabin was under a prep area so there was a lot of after hours noise. Location was good. Cabin had good storage and size was adequate. Could have used a shower head with a stronger stream. Entertainment- Theater acts were all good with a couple of very good production shows. Lounge music was not to our liking with no string groups as other Celebrity ships and the bands were more of the " party" variety than dance bands. Piano and guitar vocalists were poor to average. Almost no afternoon musical entertainment except on pool deck. Spa- Persian Garden was a disappointment compared to Solstice class. It was in the middle of the ship, small and dark. No lounges, only a kind of "sofa" which we both found uncomfortable. The Thessalotherapy pool in the solarium was very relaxing (it is open to all guests). Bars- Bar service was mostly slow usually from under staffing as was the Cafe al Bacio. Table service was slow to nonexistent. On the whole an adequate experience, but would not rush to sail the Infinity again soon and certainly not pay extra for Aqua class. One thing I have noticed on all Celebrity ships in the past is that the officers were very visible throughout the cruise and interacted a lot with the guests about their experience. I saw very little or none of that aboard the Infinity. As a whole the crew was polite, but not particularly friendly. Training seemed to be lacking and communication was sometimes a problem.
Good, but did not meet our expectations.
After several cruises with Celebrity including some in Aqua class on Solstice class ships and the Millennium class Constellation the back to back cruises of 14 days in Aqua on the Infinity were only average and did not rise to the level of our other trips.
Dining- Blu was only average for food quality and our service time was very long until we found a really good waiter (Armando). Dining room seemed undersized for the # of cabins and had to wait much more often than Solstice ships.
Ate at Qsine twice, once each for lunch and dinner, and it was outstanding.
The Oceanview Cafe buffet was quite limited and offered the same choices virtually every day. Some of the serving pans were very hard to reach and the staff seemed in no rush to keep them fresh. The poached egg station was good with the eggs cooked to order well.
Cabin 9106- All Aqua 2 cabins are under the Lido deck so noise can be a problem. This particular cabin was under a prep area so there was a lot of after hours noise. Location was good. Cabin had good storage and size was adequate. Could have used a shower head with a stronger stream.
Entertainment- Theater acts were all good with a couple of very good production shows. Lounge music was not to our liking with no string groups as other Celebrity ships and the bands were more of the " party" variety than dance bands. Piano and guitar vocalists were poor to average. Almost no afternoon musical entertainment except on pool deck.
Spa- Persian Garden was a disappointment compared to Solstice class. It was in the middle of the ship, small and dark. No lounges, only a kind of "sofa" which we both found uncomfortable. The Thessalotherapy pool in the solarium was very relaxing (it is open to all guests).
Bars- Bar service was mostly slow usually from under staffing as was the Cafe al Bacio. Table service was slow to nonexistent.
On the whole an adequate experience, but would not rush to sail the Infinity again soon and certainly not pay extra for Aqua class.
One thing I have noticed on all Celebrity ships in the past is that the officers were very visible throughout the cruise and interacted a lot with the guests about their experience. I saw very little or none of that aboard the Infinity. As a whole the crew was polite, but not particularly friendly. Training seemed to be lacking and communication was sometimes a problem.
Cabin 9106- All Aqua 2 cabins are under the Lido deck so noise can be a problem. This particular cabin was under a prep area so there was a lot of after hours noise. Location was good. Cabin had good storage and size was adequate. Could have used a shower head with a stronger stream. Average size balcony with good visibility due to supports being further apart and less overhang.
Nice weather and beautiful sunset. Boat was a little crowded. Good drinks.
Walked around downtown;not big, but interesting with nice shops.
City tour was short and only the route to the beach. Mambo beach was OK; we got there early enough to get good lounges near the water.


Mariane Sauzet is an interior designer who graduated from the famous Parisian school called Boulle. 16 years ago, she decided to create her own universe in order to expose and sell her creations in a first show room in Lyon Bellecour : MS MIS EN SCENE Interior Design. This place is somewhere special : it looks like a smart and plush flat where you can find, Ceiling lights, Chairs, Sofas, Carpets designed by C.Mariane.S and prestigious textile designers such as : Designers Guild, Lelièvre, Elitis, Casamance… The specificity of the show room is to exhibit and sell custom made pieces. This 'Arty' concept makes it more different, unusual and unique. Being a stylist, who has emerged far from standardized trands and concepts allow her to propose unique spaces, sticked to the need and values of her clients. She always defends that Lighting &Color are kay parameters to give energy and substance to an interior.


Designing the Future shows that investment in place-based textiles ("fibersheds") regenerate economies, ecologies, and human relationships. Investment in fibersheds—as an exemplar for other economic development strategies—empowers real change in three areas simultaneously: labor and regional economic development; environmental repair, especially climate restoration; and healing across human divides.
You may ask: what capacity do we have within the US to meet consumer demand for clothing? "Designing the Future" shows that all our clothing could be soil-to-soil produced within the United States using wool alone—to say nothing of cotton, flax, and other sources of natural fiber touched on in the paper.
The paper's point is not that "anything is possible." Our point is that much more is possible than we realize. Economic development of the past has encouraged our consumer appetite for cheap, low-quality goods by veiling the ecological and social cost of creating such goods. Investments in regional production chains like fibersheds support people creating jobs for their communities, rebuilds a market for regionally produced items, and provide decent livelihoods.
One key is removing barriers that privilege large-scale production and work against smallholders. Lest we think "small" means insignificant, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization reminds us that 80% of the world's agriculture is produced by smallholders.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the fashion economy in a way that makes it clear it is ripe for change in just these ways: "The industry is characterized by short product life cycles, erratic consumer demand, an abundance of product variety, and complex supply chains." It thus becomes not so much visionary as obvious that investing in fibersheds makes sound economic sense.
Harvesting the solutions that come when we refuse to pit environment against economics.
Economic interests are often positioned oppositionally to environmental ones, so the first half of the paper addresses those directly. Part I finds that integrative economic development is environmentalism. Part II shows that environmentalism is also economic development.
All Earthly economics start in soil. Meeting basic human needs through a soil-centered approach roots economic sustainability right into the solution. Environmental health can be a creative, lucrative guiding principle for fibershed businesses all the way from "sheep to shawl." This is a "multi-system wide" approach that uses ecosystem management to care for a landscape, create jobs and make a profit.
If communities keep their production processes regional, they not only build wealth, but demonstrate that there is long-term value in preserving land by working it. We learn many useful lessons as investors in fibersheds from the sustainable food movement. In particular, the economic development of regional fibersheds as natural resource management does not close off but opens doorways for new ideas, allies, and investment to increase the pace of change. For one provocative example, we could sequester (more than) all our CO2 emissions if we switch to practices of regenerative organic agriculture.
Thinking regionally helps ensure that climate resiliency has economic strategies that actually work by linking structurally to regional supply chains and deeply better regional livelihoods.
In Part III, we start from the premise that all people want to be acknowledged, and see real opportunities for futures they genuinely desire. We can invest in people who want to make things for a living with dignity and pride to enable them and us to cultivate the lifestyles we imagine. When we think multi-system-wide about ways to create blue-collar jobs and job training, especially for vulnerable populations, we see that we must take as much care designing power, ecology, and regenerated relationship into these structures as are included in the design of white-collar jobs and job "training." Economic divides and racialized policy will greatly impact the accessibility of that future for all. And whether or not we are working directly on rural issues, we must understand them.
businesses to their workers, customers and soil.
The people profiled and interviewed in this paper are thinking about how to benefit people and ecosystems far beyond their regions. If we observe the examples and listen to these visionary farmers, writers, nonprofit and for-profit entrepreneurs, what's not just possible but already being done is inspiring. It obviously deserves our support.
What are the most strategic ways to direct that support? Our Conclusion touches on several we have thought of. We invite you to add your own, and tell us about them.
Everything we point to as possible in this paper already exists. Those who are able to support this new future now will make it possible for many more to do so in the near future—not only as investors but as consumers, producers, promoters.
Suggested citation for this publication: Silvestri, Nikki, Rebecca Burgess and Beth Raps, with Osayi Endolyn, "Designing the Future, Executive Summary." San Geronimo, CA: Fibershed, in partnership with Soil and Shadow.
Youth Passageway's Confluence Journal - Resist. Insist. Love.


This campaign has exceeded my expectations, and is encroaching on exceeding my hopes. I never really thought we'd be this close! But Hall of Judgment brought in over $2,000 in the final day . . . so who knows!
There are still 339 followers who haven't pledged: If 102 of those come in at the PDF level, we get offset print.
If 3 people join the Shield Guard, we get offset print.
There's enough latent demand out there, still - over $13,000 - to take us past the "no, really, that's the last goal" level for reprinting Hall of Judgment as well.
So jump on board! Share this campaign with your friends, drop by your Favorite Local Game Store with this handy Nordvorn Sell Sheetand see if they'll back the campaign. It won't take many!
Jason W, Ewan Spence, and 8 more people like this update.


text:
Hide Me Always
About SCL Health
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Elizabeth "Buffy" Fisher thought she had heartburn. When the burning didn't go away, however, she sought help. Her "heartburn," it turned out, was a serious heart condition many women don't survive.
"Initially, I tried taking heartburn medicine, but that didn't clear it up," she said. "I had a gut feeling that something wasn't right."
Heart disease affects 43 million women a year in the U.S. and is the leading cause of death. Yet the symptoms of heart attacks and other cardiac events are often more subtle for women than in men, leaving women at risk of overlooking serious conditions when they occur.
"Often times, it's very difficult to distinguish the symptoms of a heart attack, or other serious event, from heartburn," says Dr. Darlene Eyster, a cardiologist at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette, Colorado. "That is why, if a woman thinks what she's experiencing might be a heart attack, immediately take an aspirin and call 9-1-1."
Elizabeth did not have a heart attack, but she had an equally serious aortic dissection. Her visit to the Emergency Room at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver resulted in a six-hour open heart surgery that saved her life. "I was told that, after the surgery, my doctor looked like he'd been through war," says Elizabeth. "I'm just so thankful he went to war for me and that I made it through."
In the case of an acute heart attack, symptoms in women may also differ slightly from those in men.
"Nearly all men and women experiencing a heart attack have chest pain — a pressure or squeezing sensation," says Dr. Eyster. "However, women often also have nausea, vomiting, dizziness, arm and shoulder pain, or shortness of breath. Fatigue is also a complaint in women, not with an acute heart attack, but with angina, which frequently precedes a heart attack."
For a busy mom or woman on-the-go, fatigue could easily be mistaken for just another day, but symptoms should not be taken lightly.
"Getting to the hospital as quickly as possible is the top priority," says Dr. Eyster. "If you are having a heart attack, as time passes, the heart muscle weakens and can result in heart failure or even death."
If you think you're having a heart attack or other serious heart event, immediately call an ambulance and take an aspirin if available.
Are you at risk for developing heart disease? Take our Heart Quiz for Women »
How to Choose a Heart Hospital
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Six things to look for in the event you or a loved one need heart care
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Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse (PlayStation 2) review
"It's a strange old world we live in when someone can look down on you for playing a game like Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse. Explaining that it's the latest in Playmore's line-up of rejuvenated, Neo Geo classics does nothing for your cause, such mega street cred soon lost on a dozen incredulous looks and a patronizing pat on the back."
It's a strange old world we live in when someone can look down on you for playing a game like Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse. Explaining that it's the latest in Playmore's line-up of rejuvenated, Neo Geo classics does nothing for your cause, such mega street cred soon lost on a dozen incredulous looks and a patronizing pat on the back. You'll try to elaborate, but even that won't shake your audience once they've discovered the truth behind Twinkle Star Sprites' leading heroine: a pastel shaded pre-teen with a penchant for riding her broomstick over a candy coated world of sugary goodness. Yeah, put like that, I'd be ripping shit on my mates as well...
But anyway, let's start this review with a claim you're probably not expecting...
Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse - Quite the manly shooter
WTF?! ZOMG?!!?! The veterans know what I'm talking about, this beast'll separate the men from the little girly girls in no time flat. What makes Twinkle Star Sprites so special however, isn't its gender confused challenge, though admittedly its characters are really quite charming. No, in this case at least, the magic is worked by SNK's willingness to take a hefty crap on virtually every genre preconception you've ever had. It looks like a vertically scrolling shooter, but plays like a one-on-one fighter. It feels like a random blast of shoot'em up insanity, but has all the carefully placed technique of the world's best puzzler. Twinkle Star Sprites is something only the Japanese could dream of, and therein we find its appeal.
Yet as complicated as all that may sound, the hook is relatively easy to grasp. Like any good one-on-one puzzler, I mean versus shooter, the playfield has been divided in two: player one on the left, your soon to be crushed opponent on the right. Twinkle Star Sprites then begins in a fairly atypical fashion as players move up the screen shooting down a random assortment of cute, Japanese craziness. Clouds gently waft in from above, as do a number of faster moving bubbles, kittens, an assortment of smiley faces, and virtually an entire smorgasbord of steaming hot pastries. And each of which it should be noted, is looking to splatter your broomstick riding girly-ness all over the countryside.
Watch out La Petite Princesse, we're going in hot.
Now, if all that sounds simple enough, think again. Shooting down a single enemy causes them to erupt in a shattering display of pyrotechnics, which in turn sets off a chain reaction destroying anything else nearby. Fireballs then erupt from these explosions, shooting across the screen and into the path of your opponent who's no doubt using some very colorful language. Don't count them out just yet however, as they still have the opportunity to reverse those fireballs with a few well placed shots, returning the volley which has exponentially grown in size. Back and forth the action goes, players shooting down enemies, creating fireballs, and reversing attacks until someone takes a hit.
To say that this exotic blend of the genres is enticing proves to be an understatement along the lines of claiming the Neo Geo had only a few good games. Twinkle Star Sprites' real depth of play only begins to show itself once players have had a chance to plan their attacks, strategizing the number of enemies they shoot down and when. It'll do you no good what-so-ever to peck away at waves of 3-4 attackers, yet waiting until your side of the screen is swarming with activity may be a fool's decision. You see, further adding fuel to this bonfire of cross-genre love is the ability to launch boss encounters at your opponents when they least expect them. And with the screen already abuzz, the last thing they'll want to see is a giant, stuffed dog looking to make them its bitch.
So yeah, as far as the action goes, Twinkle Star Sprites is every bit a winner. The KDDI matching service for online play works a treat, but that of course is only available in Japan. Importers have to make do with a limited number of game play options, a story mode, versus tournament, and a 2 player one-on-one battle being pretty much it. The story mode doesn't really offer much of anything, a mere six rounds of frenzied action being all it takes to wrap up the plot and return players to the main menu with nary an unlockable extra for their troubles. Luckily enough however, it's the versus tournament that picks up this slack, providing a healthy number of characters to choose from and a far more difficult learning curve to climb.
I guess though, the underlying problem with Twinkle Star Sprites lays with its lack of true, long term appeal. Those that remember the 1996 Neo-Geo original will have a ball, drooling over the freshly rendered backgrounds before putting the game on a pedestal and saving it for posterity. Nostalgia however, isn't going to work for everyone, and once the abundant technique has been mastered, there's very little left for new comers to do. You've got nothing to unlock, and only the tournament modes to keep you going. Say, how about another round or three hundred? Still, if you're willing to take a chance, you're at least guaranteed to find Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse to be one of the most original and unique shooters around. With the technique of Streetfighter and the depth to spare, it's most certainly here for a good time, albeit not a long one.
Even if your friends still want to mock it...
* You've never played anything quite like this before
* 2 player versus shoot'em up action
* Tight controls make dodging a breeze
* Believe it or not, there's more technique here than most shooters can dream of
* Veteran players will still find the challenge impressive
* The charming character designs will warm your heart
* Visually speaking, Twinkle Star Sprites is a pastel colored treat
* KDDI online play has been fully supported
* Twinkle Star Spites' story mode is little more than filler
* With only 3 gameplay modes, players may be left wanting more
* The KDDI online matching service is only available in Japan
Staff review by Michael Scott (August 21, 2005)
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More Reviews by Michael Scott [+]
Saishuu Heiki Kanojo (PlayStation 2)
Originally released as a manga back in 2000, Saishuu Heiki Kanojo tells the story of 2 young lovers, Shuuji and Chise against the bleak backdrop of World War 3. Living and attending highschool in the remote Japanese countryside of Hokkaido, the story begins with Chise confessing her feelings to Shuji. Though he doesn't...
Astro Boy (PlayStation 2)
Tezuka Osamu (aka the godfather of modern manga) was to Japanese popular culture what Walt Disney was to America. In a country devastated by World War 2, Tezuka inspired hope for the future with a string of classic tales that gave even the lowliest of people something to believe in. From the radical genius of the surge...
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Game Boy Advance)
If you grew up during the 1990's then chances are you were exposed to the Ninja Turtle phenomenon in one form or another. Originally debuting in 1984 as a series of black & white comics by indie creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles quickly grew in popularity culminating with the 1990...
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None of the material contained within this site may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors. Staff and freelance reviews are typically written based on time spent with a retail review copy or review key for the game that is provided by its publisher.


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In Review: Groo: Play of the Gods #3
Groo switches allegiances, foes continue to squabble, and the gods watch the follies of man.
by Patrick Hayes September 18, 2017
The cover: Groo pulls one of his swords to do battle with the many men of Mexahuapan who are dressed for war. The foes looks fantastic wearing garb similar to those of the ancient people of South America. Each man is of a unique build and each wears a unique type of clothing and sports a unique weapon. Often on comic book covers, when the hero is battling an army, the antagonists are dressed in the same clothes. Sergio Aragonés doesn't do that — each character is visually different from the other, making this cover epic. One also has to admire the title character's dog, Rufferto, who looks as though he's trying to communicate to his master that he's about to make yet another mistake in his long list of errors. Overall grade: A
The story: To keep Groo distracted, his foes have posted signs on the beach that lead to cheese dip, so the wanderer is circling the island, with Rufferto in tow, out of everyone's way. After Groo and his dotty dog pass, Taranto is seen speaking with one of his mercenaries, expressing his disbelief that Captain Ahax would steal the island's gold and leave him stranded. "That is a deed so foul that I would have done it!" The men pause as Groo passes them again; he gets around for a mendicant. Meanwhile, the clergymen of Iberza decide that they need to begin to convert the natives and they will use their army, headed by Taranto and his men, to "torture and slay those who do not convert!" As this is occurring, the realm of the gods continues to become more crowded as more of the native people's gods appear, which causes some of the older gods to lament their arrivals. Complicating things further still is Captain Ahax's return from the sea. He knows he needs a ship so that he can flee the land…with more gold. Cue Groo and Rufferto continuing to make another loop of the island. Just when a reader thinks Groo has done every possible stupid thing there is for someone as clueless as him to do, wait until one sees what he does on Page 7 — I've been reading Groo since the Pacific Comics days and this is a new one to me! Sergio Aragonés's story, wordsmithed by Mark Evanier, continues to heat up tensions on the island, with the clergymen pushing their beliefs onto the natives, the natives trying to resist, the gods blaming Megatheos for the Iberzans' behavior, and Groo fraying and slaying. This issue has more laughs than the previous issue, with Groo getting a new job and things going horribly wrong, naturally. One especially funny element of the story is the twisted logic of the clergymen in converting the locales. One has to laugh, because their justifications are historically true. There's also a sweet turn in this story with Page 22. This has also never occurred in a Groo comic and the barbarian's response is truly touching. Of course, this couldn't last long, with the fifth panel on 23 being laugh out loud funny. This series concludes next issue, but I have no idea how this could possible wrap up all the plot lines. Overall grade: A
The art: The details in Sergio Aragonés's artwork are impressive. On the first page note how the surf crashes on a rock in the first panel, and that rock has a trio of crabs scuttling over it. The comrade that Taranto speaks with has a delightful collection of tiny skulls for a necklace, with one of the skulls ending a long, slim ponytail. The final panel on the page has the surf rolling in the distance, a cute lizard in the foreground. The second page returns to the clergymen whose robes are incredibly detailed. Taranto's crew is shown in the bottom panel and motley isn't a disturbing enough word to describe this collection of rogues. The first panel on Page 3 is a tremendous collection of deities, with familiar ones reacting to the new ones. They are humorous, sexy, and lavish in their accoutrements. I think I spy one based on Edie McClurg in the upper left corner. The variety of characters on display in this book is amazing, from Taranto's crew, to the forced laborers on 6, and the natives on 21. The building of the temple on 9 is terrific for the details in the illustration. Plus, look in the upper right corner of that first panel — there's a distant hut complete with family and animals watching the construction. Pages 20 and 21 is a double-paged spread with Groo in battle. Besides the men he's commencing to fray, the clergymen are watching, their troops are being beaten back, the setting shows the ruined temple, the Mexahuapan army is attacking, and the gods are shown watching the sad display. This is an epic illustration. Often this series has humorous illustrations, but this has an incredibly serious moment that made me gasp, but then left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. The action on 22 contains these serious and sweet illustrations. The final page is a full-paged splash showing the gods watching the chaos continue and it's just as lavish as the double-page splash. Aragonés continues to create visual wonders. Overall grade: A
The colors: John Ercek and Tom Luth color this book and it's beautiful work. The sky on the first page has dark blues high up, while the colors go much softer the closer they get to the ocean, mirroring the actual colors of the beach. The waters are a beautiful shade of blue that would be the envy of any coastal city. The gold on the clergymen's clothing instantly identify them as men of wealth. The gods are resplendent in every color imaginable. Their bright colors truly have them set apart from those on Earth. When the panels are populated with so many different characters the colors explode off the page, such as on 7, 18 and 19, and 22. The colors on this book make the artwork bright and bold. Overall grade: A
The letters: Scene settings and dialogue (the same font) and yells are crafted by Stan Sakai. His lettering skills have won him several deserved Eisner Awards. These hand lettered pages are done in a joyful style to make the comedic adventures of Groo fun, while the yells are so massive as to increase their humorous impact. These yells often occur when someone is trying to get the title character to stop doing something. Overall grade: A
The final line: Groo switches allegiances, foes continue to squabble, and the gods watch the follies of man. Oh, and mistakes are made. Again, again, and again. Fun reading with some nice commentary on faith. All ages accessible. Overall grade: A
To purchase a print copy go to http://www.tfaw.com/Comics/Profile/Groo-Play-of-the-Gods-3___545854?utm_source=darkhorse&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=darkhorse_buy&utm_term=buy+Groo%3A+Play+of+the+Gods+%233
To purchase a digital copy go to https://digital.darkhorse.com/books/01e97f0f36424e38b576214cdea062ff/groo-play-of-the-gods-3
Captain AhaxFeatureGrooGroo: Play of the GodsGroo: Play of the Gods 3IberzaJohn ErcekMark EvanierMegatheosMexahuapanPlay of the GodsRuffertoSergio AragonesStan SakaiTarantoTom Luth
In Review: Action Comics #987
by Patrick Hayes - Sep 17, 2017
In Review: Star Wars #36


There was a King who ruled a court and knew that he would die. He knew that everyone would die, but he did not care about them; he only possessed the capacity to care about himself. His mortality preoccupied his every waking hour. He would sit on his throne and he would think about death; he would wander through his palace halls and death would follow him; he would eat death and he would drink death when he ate food, when he drank wine; and at night, death would visit him in dreams, too, and he would start awake in cold sweats and stare through his window and see death reflected in the full moon's face. He employed an alchemist, and his alchemist, after prescribing many ineffectual concoctions and decoctions, finally prescribed him a potion. But what was it made from? inquired the King. From a flower, a rare flower, said the alchemist. From the rarest flower in the world, a flower that grows beyond the land, beyond the sea, beyond any kingdom's boundary; beyond minutes, beyond hours, even beyond time itself. The King was doubtful, but he drank the potion. His fears, his worries all dissolved. It was a miracle, but for one day, the first day in his life, he was happy. It was to be the day that he would die.
KING: There must be some mistake. You must have the wrong monarch.
DEATH: There are no mistakes. It's a pity people can't grasp that.
KING: But there must be a mistake, you see, because I can't die. I've taken a potion.
DEATH: Oh, is that a fact?
KING: Yes, I drank it just this afternoon. It was guaranteed to work.
DEATH: And what did your alchemist say that it was made from?
KING: From a flower, the rarest flower in the world, that grows beyond the land and beyond the sea, and beyond any kingdom, and beyond even time itself. That's how I know it's guaranteed.
DEATH: Well, that explains things. The only place that such a flower grows is in a poem. And it's a rather bad poem, at that. Hasn't got a metrical structure or a consistent rhyme scheme or anything. I suppose that your alchemist must have read about it and then just lied to you.
DEATH: Nothing is impossible. Some things are just more probable than others. Now get your coat. It's chilly where you're headed.
The eons passed, and the landscape changed. Snows fell and snows melted. Frosts encroached and frosts receded. Flowers bloomed and flowers died. More trees grew across the plain, beginning as mere saplings and maturing into monolithic specimens. And then two beavers with impressive work ethic came along and gnawed down all the trees to dam a nearby river.
The beavers weren't picky. They didn't care that one particular tree might be cursed, or sentient, or whatever. It was timber and that was enough.
The tree didn't care, either, because although it might have been cursed, or sentient, or whatever, it was still just a tree. Besides, it wasn't averse to a change after all those centuries.
Mr. and Mrs. Beaver were decent plainspoken folk, and their lives were uneventful but not unpleasant. Once their dam was built, they had a family, and once the children had gone to school and moved away and joined the workforce, they retired. Their days were spent drinking tea and reading newspapers and reminiscing about the past, especially about their youthful courtship, when Mrs. Beaver had been so charming and Mr. Beaver so gallant. Not that she was less charming and he less gallant now.
When surveyors were mapping the area for a hydroelectric plant, decades later, it was determined that no better spot could be found than that old beaver dam. Those beavers had certainly known how to scout a location. But the dam would have to go, of course. Luckily there was an interested logging company.
Mikio, a very punctual student at the university, was watching cherry blossoms on a park bench before work, and eating his bento with wooden chopsticks, when the time managed to slip away from him somehow.
Moriko, another very punctual student at the university, was walking to class wearing her new geta (like the chopsticks, also wooden), when the time managed to slip away from her somehow, and she decided to take the scenic route.
So Moriko met Mikio at a place she shouldn't have been, at a time she shouldn't have been there; and Mikio met Moriko at a place he shouldn't have been, at a time he shouldn't have been there.
A bench in the park.
Ah, how fleeting – time!
Needless to say, they were married.


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Rapid visible progress is being made on the construction of Stadtbahn Glattal. A visit to the Hallenstadion area yesterday revealed that rails have been installed alongside this building. The connecting points to the city tram system have also been installed but are not yet connected to the other new track. At the other end of the new track, the rails stop just short of the railway bridge, but resume on the other side ending short of the Hagenholzstr junction. At least one of the overhead masts has already been planted (and has a working streetlight). At Hallenstadion the inbound platform and shelter have already been built. The shelter is larger than those in the city and is built to a high standard with architectural accents that will be repeated throughout the Stadtbahn Glattal project. Advertising posters are already installed in the shelter and are lit up!
Stadtbahn Glattal is a project to bring trams to an area to the North of Zürich. The first phase (now under construction) will see tram route 11 extended from Messe/Hallenstadion to Auzelg using 2.7km of new track and serving five new stops. This section will open in December 2006. Further phases will see lines to the airport and Stettbach.
This news item is from the 2005 newslog.


Vigan oh lala! Seeing pictures while writing this blog during our trip to Vigan makes me want to drool! That sultry and juicy Vigan empanada while walking at Calle Crisologo- one of the best memories I had in locos.
Calle Crisologo at night. Just perfect!
I've had doubts in pushing through with this trip. But since I am writing about it now, I've decided to take a go. This was supposed to be our pre anniversary vacation, we booked it November of last year with Cebu Pacific's piso fare but since my ex and I broke up before the trip, the possibility of this trip pushing through was quite a haze. Yet, we managed. We were civil enough to be friends the entire trip.
We took the Cebu Pacific flight from Cebu at 11:40 am and reached Iloilo International Airport by 12:20 pm. Their airport is a bit far from downtown Iloilo. For commuters like us, we rode a van for hire located at the front of the airport. This van would take us to SM City Iloilo. Fare is 50php and travel time is 30 minutes. From there, one could ride a jeepney to reach downtown Iloilo. We passed by Jaro Cathedral en route to Sm City Iloilo. Old churches and buildings are a common attraction in Iloilo.


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text:
package io.joshworks.restclient;

/**
 * Created by Josh Gontijo on 5/4/17.
 */
public class Constants {

    public static final String UTF_8 = "UTF-8";
    public static final String QUESTION_MARK = "?";
    public static final String AMPERSAND = "&";
    public static final String EQUALS = "=";
    public static final String GZIP = "gzip";
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Using premium peanuts and an unique process, the flavor is put directly on the nut. Not too spicy, but plenty of great Cajun taste for a delicious "bon temps" (good time) Louisiana flavor.
Enjoy and let some "joie de vivre" (joy of life) of Bayou Country spice up your snack time.


text:
Home / netflix / Netflix Pick of the Week: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Netflix Pick of the Week: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ran from 1988 to 1999 while airing on Comedy Central and Sci-fi channel. Now it airs on Netflix thanks to one of the most successful kickstarters in the company's history.
When Joel Robinson (played by show creator Joel Hodgson) is shot into space and forced to watch bad movies while mad scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester (Trace Beaulieau) and his crony, TV's Frank (Frank Conniff), monitor his mind, Joel builds a cast of lovable robot sidekicks to help keep his sanity: Crow, Tom Servo, Gypsy and Cambot. It's only through their wisecracks, quips and friendships that they make it through a barrage of increasingly terrible cinema--and the audience in turn gets a veritable treasure trove of gut-busting hilarity.
The new MST3K, Produced by original creator Joel Hodgson, features a litany of geek all-stars like Felicia Day as Kinga Forrester and Patton Oswalt as TV's Son of TV's Frank, the show's 11th season has the look and feel of classic MST3K. Jonah Ray as Jonah Heston, the latest kidnapped bad movie victim, along with returning "bot" companions — Baron Vaughn as Tom Servo and Hampton Yount as Crow.


text:
Q: Does there exist a real number a given distance from each rational number?
Let $r_n$ be an enumeration of the rational numbers and let $a_n$ be a sequence of positive real numbers that converges to zero. Does there exist $x\in \mathbb{R}$ such that $|x-r_n|>a_n$ for all $n$?

This problem was inspired by an easier version of the problem where we assume the stronger condition that $\displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n$ converges. I have a simple solution in this particular case but I will spoiler it in case anyone would like to try this too.

 Let $\Omega$ denote the set of $x\in \mathbb{R}$ that do not satisfy the   given property; we claim that $\Omega \neq \mathbb{R}$ and so an   $x\in \mathbb{R}$ with given property exists. Indeed, $\Omega=\{x\in\mathbb{R} \ | \ \exists \ n\in \mathbb{N} \ \mathrm{such \ that} \ |x-r_n| \leq a_n\}=\displaystyle\bigcup_{n=1}^\infty \ [r_n-a_n,r_n+a_n]$
 whose Lebesgue measure $\lambda(\Omega)\leq \displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^\infty \lambda([r_n-a_n,r_n+a_n])=\displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^\infty 2a_n < \infty$, so $\Omega \neq \mathbb{R}$.

Unfortunately it is very specific to this particular case so I doubt it helps with the general case, which I have no idea how to solve. I assume that, unless I'm missing something obvious, it uses some deeper theory (irrationality measure?) that I have not learned. Ideas for the general case or alternative (more elementary) solutions to the easier case would be appreciated.

A: No, this is not the case, and in fact is never the case: any enumeration of rationals whatsoever has an "unsatisfiable sequence" (that is, a sequence of reals tending to zero - indeed, strictly decreasing! - such that no real satisfies the corresponding requirement on distances from rationals).
(At the same time, given a sequence $(a_i)_{i\in\mathbb{N}}$ it's easy to construct an enumeration of the rationals with respect to which that sequence is satisfiable - just play "keep away from $\pi$," and make sure every rational gets tossed in eventually - so this is the strongest negative result we can hope for.)
For simplicity, let's look at $[0,\infty)$ rather than $\mathbb{R}$ (this doesn't make a substantive difference).

The key point is the following picture: we chop $[0,\infty)$ into blocks $B_i$ such that the size of block $B_i$ goes to zero as $i$ goes to $\infty$. One way to do this is to define the $B_i$s inductively by $B_0=[0,1)$ and $B_{i+1}=[\sum_{0<j\le i}{1\over j}, (\sum_{0<j\le i}{1\over j})+{1\over i+1})$. Note that each $B_k$ has "diameter" ${1\over k+1}$, and hence if $q\in B_k$ then the ball around $q$ with radius ${2\over k+1}$ covers $B_k$.
Now fix any enumeration of rationals $E=(r_i)_{i\in\mathbb{N}}$, and pick a sequence $n_i$ ($i\in\mathbb{N}$) of naturals such that:

*

*$n_i<n_{i+1}$, and

*$r_{n_i}\in B_i$.
Such a sequence must exist since $B_i\cap\mathbb{Q}$ is always infinite.
Finally, let $A=(a_i)_{i\in\mathbb{N}}$ be any strictly descending sequence of rationals such that $a_{n_i}={2\over i+1}$ for all $i$. The set $$\{(r_{n_i}-a_i, r_{n_i}+a_i): i\in\mathbb{N}\}$$ covers $[0,\infty)$ since each $(r_{n_i}-a_i, r_{n_i}+a_i)$ covers the corresponding $B_i$. So the sequence $A$ is unsatisfiable for the enumeration $E$.

A: The answer is no. Consider the following open cover of $\Bbb R$:
$$\mathcal U=\{ (H_{2n} , H_{2n+4})  \ | n \in \Bbb N_{\ge 1}\} \cup \{ (-H_{2n+4} , -H_{2n})  \ | n \in \Bbb N_{\ge 1}\} \cup \{ (-3, 3) \}$$
where $$H_n = \sum_{j=1}^n \frac 1j$$
is the $n$-th harmonic number. Note that for all $\varepsilon >0$ only finitely many elements $U \in \mathcal U$ satisfy $\lambda (U) >  \varepsilon$.
Let $\{ U_{n} \}_{n \ge 1}$ be an enumeration of it indexed by positive natural numbers. This means that $a_n= \lambda (U_n)$ converges to $0$.
Let $\{ r_n \}_{n \ge 1}$ be an enumeration of rational numbers such that for all $n$
$$r_{n} \in U_n$$
holds. Recall that $a_n$ is rational, and it converges to $0$.
Now, for all $x \in \Bbb R$ there exists $n \ge 1$ such that $x \in U_n$: thus $|x-r_n| < a_n$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Show support appreciated: 35iDYDYqRdN2x6KGcpdV2W1Hy3AjGje9oL Category: Markets & political Author: Eric Sammons Originally published: 17-May-2016 Published at: Brave New Coin Source: http://bravenewcoin.com/news/decentralized-transparent-blockchain-based-governance/ Narrator: Crypto Voices https://cryptovoices.com/ Production: Mama Studios http://www.mamastudios.eu/ Music: New Friend Music http://newfriendmusic.com/ Thanks for listening! This recording is a reproduction of author Eric Sammons's piece 'Decentralized, Transparent, Blockchain-Based Governance'. Crypto Voices did receive express permission from the author to reproduce this content in audio. However, the author does not necessarily endorse the manner of reproduction, nor has verified its recorded accuracy as it relates to the author's original material. Crypto Voices is grateful to work with such authors in this exciting industry.
Listen to Chapter VIII: Eric Sammons - Decentralized, Transparent, Blockchain-Based Governance (May - 2016) now.


text:
Профільні труби — вид металопрокату, труби переріз (профіль) яких, має не круглу форму. Переріз труб як правило квадратний чи прямокутний, інші профілі (овал, еліпс та інші) трапляються зрідка і становлять лише незначну частку загального виробництва та споживання профільних труб.

Використання
Профільні труби використовуються головним чином для зведення конструкцій, що несуть серйозні механічні та вібраційні навантаження: промислових металоконструкцій, каркасів будівель, опор, щогл, складних перекриттів, прольотів тощо.

На відміну від інших труб, що застосовуються перш за все для транспортування рідин та газів, профільні труби використовуються як конструкційний матеріал для зведення металоконструкцій різного призначення. Труби великих розмірів застосовуються як порожнисті балки в будівництві, малих та середніх перерізів — у будівництві та машинобудуванні. Невеликі профільні труби з заокругленими краями, овальні тощо, широко використовуються в сучасній меблевій промисловості (прикладом є ті ж самі металеві стільці).

Використання профільних труб забезпечує економію металу до 20-25% порівняно із застосуванням двотаврового прокату, за подібній міцності конструкції.

Виробництво
Виготовляється за допомогою гарячого або холодного формування з електрозварних прямо-шовних круглих труб. Утворення труб виконується спеціальними валками для надання необхідного перерізу. Після формування, труби обробляються термічно для зняття внутрішніх механічних напружень.

Профільні труби виготовляють майже усі спеціалізовані трубні заводи та інші виробники труб, а труби великих розмірів також часто виробляють заводи металоконструкцій.

Загалом, профільні труби бувають електрозварні, гаряче чи холодно-деформовані. Сировиною для виготовлення електрозварних профільних труб є гарячекатаний чи значно рідше холодно-катаний штрипс. Гарячекатані чи холоднотягнуті труби, роблять із трубної заготовки. Перерізи поширених профільних труб лежать в межах від 10×10 мм до 500x400 мм. Товщина стінки варіюється від 1 до 22 мм. Будівельна довжина труб — від 6,0 до 18,0 м.

Переважно, профільні труби роблять із рядових сталей, таких як вуглецеві сталі звичайної якості Ст2сп, Ст2пс, Ст2кп, Ст4сп, Ст4пс, Ст4кп чи зрідка, сталей підвищеної міцності — низьколегованих (09Г2С) чи якісних вуглецевих марок сталей, таких як 10, 10 пс, 20, 35, 45, 08кп.

Ціни
Сортамент профільних труб — розміри, переріз, товщина стінок — не справляють самі по собі, у тій чи іншій мірі, помітного впливу на ціну. Однак внаслідок різного співвідношення попиту та пропозиції на різний сортамент, ціна може помітно коливатися. Наприклад, зараз (2020-і) в Україні завдяки будівельному буму, профільні труби великих перерізів помітно дорожчі.

Див. також

 Екструзія
 Гідравлічний прес

Посилання
 Труби сталеві прямокутні

Металопрокат
Труби
Металеві профілі

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
David Mellor 5pm - 7pm
Overture on 3 Russian Themes Mili Balakirev
Laura Bretan's singing technique 'raises deep concerns' says singing teacher
14 September 2016, 14:08 | Updated: 28 June 2017, 09:32
A 14-year-old singer has wowed America's Got Talent with performances of 'O Mio Babbino Caro' and 'Nessun Dorma' – but some in the classical world have a very different view. Opera singers and music specialists have voiced concerns over a promising young singer forcing herself to mimic much older voices.
Since the clip of Laura Bretan performing Puccini's Nessun Dorma in the early rounds of America's Got Talent appeared online earlier this year, it has been viewed millions of times.
Bretan, now aged 14, followed up in later rounds of the talent show with performances of 'Pie Jesu' and 'The Prayer' – made famous by Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. These performances also drew gushing praise from the judges.
A professional soprano's view of Laura Bretan's operatic technique >
In last night's grand final, Bretan sang 'O Mio Babbino Caro', the soprano's aria from Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi. Once again, the judges were impressed. Cowell said: "This is ridiculous, how old are you? You perform with such passion and you pace yourself and you always hit that big moment, and I'm sitting here thinking you can't really be 14." Watch the performances below:
Laura Bretan sings 'O Mio Babbino Caro'
Laura Bretan sings 'Pie Jesu'
Laura Bretan sings 'The Prayer'
Laura has already won Romania's Got Talent and is now through to the final rounds of America's Got Talent. But it's fair to say Laura has divided the classical music world.
Here's the Puccini clip that kicked off the controversy:
While some cheered to see classical music reaching a mass audience – and to see millions of people sharing and enjoying Puccini's music, others raised concerns over Laura's technique and her choice of repertoire.
An open letter from an opera singer
Opera singer Heidi Moss wrote an open letter to the young singer on Facebook saying: "There are things I heard in your sound that concern me. True classical training takes years of hard work, and forcing a sound that isn't truly your own is dangerous.
"Over time, the irritation of singing that way can cause swelling or even worse, nodes or popped vessels."
A singing teacher's point of view on Laura Bretan
Claudia Friedlander, a voice teacher from New York, took a more positive approach in an article on her blog and published in Classical Singer Magazine. She said: "Bretan delivered an earnest, authentic outpouring of passion, and she allowed it to flow through her voice with steadfast courage and commitment…
"But a young singer's instrument is not yet even a fair facsimile of the voice they will late access as an adult. Thus there can be no true operatic prodigies. The young voice simply has not physiologically matured to the point that it is capable of projecting a healthy, balanced sound over an orchestra.
"This is why Bretan's performance raises such deep concerns for experienced opera singers and voice teachers. She possesses both a promising voice and strong musical instincts, but most of the sounds she is producing are the result of effortful, unsustainable manipulations of a body that is not yet mature enough."
Are they just jealous?
But Claudia goes on to say that jealousy may partly account for the classical world's knee-jerk negative reaction to Laura's performance – after all, this clip has made the news around the world precisely because it's rare to see an audience react so enthusiastically to a performance of an opera aria.
She asks: "Does our desire to correct Bretan's fans about the nature of opera make us snobs?"
Meanwhile, one opera fan has started a crowd-funding campaign to raise money to 'Send Simon Cowell to the Met'…
Whatever issues her voice raises, we wish nothing but success and excellent singing experiences for Ms Bretan - we will be watching her career with interest!


This week, Chevrolet released information about the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, including engine and performance specs.
Generating 460 horsepower and capable of acceleration from 0 to 60 MPG in under 4 seconds, the Stingray's new LT1 6.2-liter V-8 engine is the most powerful engine ever to come standard in a Corvette. The new LT1 engine also features the latest technological advancements, including Active Fuel Management and direct injection, allowing the Stingray to achieve top performance while maintaining a highway fuel economy of 26 miles per gallon.
These highlights and more craft the 2014 Corvette Stingray into a top-performance vehicle that continues to push toward the future of the automobile industry.
"The 2014 Corvette Stingray's LT1 engine is a triumph of advanced technology, delivering more power and torque than ever before with greater efficiency," said Jordan Lee, Chief Engineer of the LT1 engine.
To learn more about the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray, visit Chevrolet's website.
Bradshaw Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac of Greer, SC looks forward to the release of the 2014 Corvette Stingray later this fall, along with the rest of the 2014 Chevrolet vehicle line later this year. For more information on our wide inventory of new Chevrolet vehicles, including the 2014 Impala and 2013 Corvette, visit us online at www.BradshawGreer.com. Bradshaw Automotive also maintains and excellent service department and collision center to help you stay safe and comfortable on the road!
2014 Impala Now Available at Bradshaw!
The redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Impala is now available at Bradshaw Buick GMC Cadillac in Greer SC!
The Impala, an iconic American car for over 50 years, has been completely redesigned for 2014 with a modern style and the latest safety and technology features. The large sedan gets a sleek new exterior with smooth contours and an aerodynamic design. The new Impala also comes with a choice between three different engines: a powerful V6, a lighter 4-cylinder and a 4-cylinder engine with E-Assist that allows for an estimated 35 highway MPG.
The Impala's spacious interior has also been updated with convenient new technologies like Chevrolet MyLink and an 8-inch color infotainment screen. Safety-wise, the new Impala features 10 standard air bags and a host of innovative technologies like Forward Collision Alert and a Rear View Camera.
To learn more about specs and available features for the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala, visit http://bit.ly/O6e82I.
For more information on the 2014 Chevrolet Impala, contact Bradshaw Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac or visit us online at www.BradshawGreer.com. In addition to the new Impala, we also offer a great selection of new 2013 GM cars, plus a wide inventory of used cars in various makes and models. To stay up-to-date on new vehicle reveals and other Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac news, follow Bradshaw on Facebook and Google+!
Last week, Bradshaw Buick GMC Cadillac was recognized for its 25-year anniversary as a Buick dealership. Buick representatives stopped by our dealership to commemorate the occasion and to present Wes Bradshaw with a memorial plaque.
This 25-year anniversary is very exciting and flattering to Bradshaw Automotive, a dealership with a humble beginning and a hard-working mentality that ultimately led us to success.
Bradshaw Automotive was founded in 1979 in Greer, South Carolina by William Bradshaw, who purchased an Oldsmobile and Cadillac dealership with his wife, Annette. Initially putting their home and life's savings on the line, the Bradshaws worked hard to develop the dealership, eventually adding a Buick store in 1987, with Chevrolet, Acura, Honda, GMC and more following soon after.
Today, Bradshaw Automotive has grown to employ over 300 people, quite an improvement over the mere 15 employees that worked at the dealership in 1979. Bradshaw Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac has earned numerous awards as one of the five dealerships that make up Bradshaw Automotive, including being named South Carolina Dealer of the Year by DealerRater for each of its four makes.
Bradshaw Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac is extremely honored to have spent 25 years as a dealer of new and used Buick vehicles. To learn more about our great selection of Buick cars, be sure to stop by our website, www.BradshawGreer.com! Also, don't forget to check our dealership's Facebook and Google+ pages!
The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel will offer drivers an expected 46 highway miles per gallon, making it the most efficient non-hybrid car currently on the market.
Driven by the cleanest diesel engine available from GM, the 2014 Cruze Diesel is estimated to travel an average of 700 highway miles on one tank of diesel fuel. Performance-wise, the four-door passenger car will boast 148 hp and up to 280 lb.-ft. of torque, allowing the car to reach 60 mph in just under 9 seconds. The new Cruze will also feature the latest convenience technologies, including the Chevrolet MyLink audio display system.
The 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel is expected for nationwide release in the fall of 2013. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/12w8CBg.
Bradshaw Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac is excited to announce Chevrolet's innovations in the automobile industry. Bradshaw currently carries a great selection of new 2013 Chevrolet vehicles, including the 2013 Cruze, as well as new Buick, GMC and Cadillac cars. We also maintain an expert service team that will help you with everything from routine maintenance to detailed repairs. For more information, stop by our website at www.BradshawGreer.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter!


text:
Soběslav Slavníkovec († 1004) byl libický vévoda v letech 981–996. Byl synem Slavníka a Střezislavy a bratrem svatého Vojtěcha.

Po otcově smrti v roce 981 se stal vládcem slavníkovského panství. V letech 981–995 na slavníkovském hradišti Malín byla mincovna, kde Soběslav nechal razit denáry s opisem Malin Civitas (město Malín). Jeho mincí byly dva typy, na starším byla vyobrazena kaple s nápisem Lubic. Druhým typem byla mince s obrazem orla útočícího na kořist, na druhé straně byla vyobrazena ruka s dýkou, pod kterou byl umístěn nápis Zobezlav. Roku 995 byl odvolán do boje proti pohanským Slovanům. Zde si stěžoval na Boleslava II., že se považuje za jemu nadřízeného. Za tažení na Slovany ho zastihla zpráva, že bylo jeho sídelní hradiště Libice dobyto. Jelikož byl zrovna na výpravě, unikl spolu se sv. Vojtěchem smrti. Azyl našel na dalších osm let ve Hnězdně u svého nevlastního bratra svatého Radima.

V březnu 1003 vtáhl do Prahy se svým vojskem polský Boleslav Chrabrý a byl zde vítán jako osvoboditel od krutovlády svého přemyslovského bratrance Boleslava III. Polského knížete na jeho tažení doprovázel i Soběslav, který snad doufal, že bude Boleslavem Chrabrým dosazen na knížecí stolec, ale ten se vlády v Čechách (a na Moravě, kterou obsadil již o několik let dříve) ujal sám. Obsazením Čech značně vzrostla rozloha a moc polského knížectví, což nehodlal tolerovat římský král Jindřich II., a po Boleslavu Chrabrém požadoval, aby Čechy přijal jako říšské léno. Ten to odmítl, proto Jindřich v srpnu 1004 vtrhl ze severu do Čech se svým pretendentem na český knížecí stolec Jaromírem. Říšské vojsko se rychlým pochodem zmocnilo Žatce a doplněno českými oddíly nočním útokem z 6. na 7. září 1004 i Pražského hradu. Jeho polská posádka s Boleslavem Chrabrým z něj ve zmatku ustupovala zadní brankou směrem k vltavskému brodu. Ústup polských oddílů kryl na opyši Pražského hradu Soběslav se svojí družinou bojovníků. V úzkém prostoru došlo k řeži, ve které byl Soběslav zabit, a tím definitivně vymřel rod Slavníkovců.

Reference

Slavníkovci
Narození v 10. století
Osoby s nejistým datem narození
Úmrtí v roce 1004
Muži


text:
La Douche du colonel je francouzský němý film z roku 1902. Režisérem je Georges Méliès (1861–1938). Film trvá zhruba jednu minutu a natočen byl možná už v roce 1901.

Děj
Zatímco dva malíří natírají na lešení oblouk městské brány, dole pod nimi je skupina vojáků, která se seřadí před přicházejícím velícím důstojníkem. Když si důstojník sedne na stoličku, aby si mohl přečíst dokumentaci o jednom z vojáků, jeden z malířů na něj vylije kbelík plný bílé barvy, čímž ho donutí opustit stanoviště.

Externí odkazy

Francouzské černobílé filmy
Francouzské němé filmy
Filmy z roku 1902
Krátké filmy


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text:
Medha Patkar refuses any out-of-court settlement in the infamous attack on her at Sabarmati Ashram in 2002
Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has refused any compromise with Ahmedabad-based businessman-cum-activist VK Saxena of the National Council for Civil Liberties in the Sabarmati Ashram case, in which she and other activists were attacked during participation in a protest meeting against the Gujarat riots in 2002. The refusal came in the wake of a suggestion from the judicial magistrate at Saket Court, New Delhi, who was hearing defamation case filed by her against Saxena, and vice versa.
The issue came up when the judge suggested a compromise be reached between the two parties on defamation cases against each other. According to sources, Saxena appeared ready for compromise if Patkar withdrew the case filed by her in 2002 on the attack against her, being heard in an Ahmedabad court. In the 2002 case, Saxena is one of the accused along with other three others from the BJP and the Congress. Patkar refused on the ground that the attack at the sadbhavna meeting, post-2002 riots, in Sabarmati Ashram, was "brutal and fatal" and was witnessed by 40 eminent persons.
At the commencement of hearing, Patkar's advocate VK Ohri filed an application on behalf of Patkar to reduce the cost for her absence last time when she was on indefinite fast in Golibar, Mumbai. The plea on her behalf was the context of eviction and demolition of houses in Golibar in order to implement the slum rehabilitation project. As the fast continued for nine days and ended with concrete assurances to stop eviction and enquiry into alleged fraud in slum rehabilitation project, she could not attend the hearing in the defamation cases on April 6 in New Delhi.
"Ohri pleaded that since the fast was for a serious public cause and Patkar belongs to peoples' movements with financial crunch, the cost may be waived", sources close to Patkar said, adding, "The judicial magistrate reduced the cost from Rs.15000 to Rs.9000, i.e. Rs.3000 in each of the cases. He expressed his inability to waive the cost as it was passed by another magistrate."
The defamation case filed by Patkar is regarding the allegations in a fake advertisement published in the several dailies in November 2000 wherein NBA and Patkar were accused of receiving funds through hawala transaction. Patkar filed a defamation case, saying the so-called transaction involved a fake cheque from a fake account, yet Saxena published it by siting a letter given by Lok Samiti, Malegaon, a supporter organization of the NBA.
Justice People


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AC/DC Get Their Own Channel On Sirius Radio
Posted on September 10, 2008 by Skid in Needs Reviewed, Uncategorized // 0 Comments
AC/DC GET THEIR OWN CHANNEL ON SIRIUS RADIO:
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK … AC/DC RADIO
That's right, starting September 15 at 6 pm AC/DC will be getting their own SIRIUS channel. AC/DC Radio will celebrate the band's awesome career and also preview their upcoming album Black Ice, their first studio album in eight years. You'll hear AC/DC's music 24/7, plus band members Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams, Brian Johnson and Phil Rudd talking about their incredible career. Listeners will also have the chance to vote for their favorite AC/DC song — the votes will be tallied and played back during the "Ultimate AC/DC Countdown."
AC/DC ARE RICH AS HELL
Angus Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC stopped by the Howard Stern Show on September 9th to promote their new album and, when asked about the previous guests, Brian remarked that "Every man who gets married pays for sex, man." Howard wondered if the pair hangs out together when they're not on tour, but they said they live too far apart. Brian told the crew that he hangs out around his home in Sarasota most of the time and races vintage cars: "I don't like fishin' and I don't like golf." Angus said he lives in Holland, London and New York.
Howard asked the guys how their deal with Wal-Mart came together, so Angus explained: "We're not snobs. Wal-Mart's are everywhere, man." Howard marveled at the deal – especially Wal-Mart agreeing to pre-purchase three million copies of the band's new album – and asked just how rich they were. Angus said they were rich enough for Brian's "beater" (vintage) race cars. Howard also wondered why Angus married his wife without a pre-nup, so he claimed that he only had "the boots on my feet" at the time.
Courtesy of www.sirius.com/acdcradio


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