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by Trudy Sable and Julia Sable
Like many groups, the Mikma'q had their own special way of dancing that identified them. You can see this today in the Koju'a, ancient dances that the Mi'kmaq have revitalized (see section below). The dances could be formal or informal. Nskawaqn are formal, ordered dances, while informal dances are Amalkay, which means "any old way to dance, just move your body" (Bernie Francis, personal communication, October 11, 1991).
Some dances imitate animal movements. In the Snake Dance, dancers move in a line that weaves around, coiling and uncoiling just like snakes do. Other dances swoop like birds and mimic their calls. This could have been a way for people to connect both with the animal spirit and nature. Also, the dances could have helped hunters perfect animal calls so they could more easily attract game. Pierre Maillard, an 18th century missionary, said this could be amazingly realistic:
"He was particularly admirable for decoying of bustards by his artificial imitations. . . He had, besides, a particular way of motion with his body that at a distance might be taken for the clapping of their wings, insomuch that he has often deceived ourselves and put up to confusion, as he started out of his hiding place" (1758: 11).
Other dances uphold Mi'kmaq beliefs, worldviews, social structure and values.
Songs and Instruments
The Mi'kmaq have songs and dances for hunting, trade, love, divorce, medicine, war, teasing, courtship, marriage, death and feasts. They also recount historical events, such as the coming of Europeans (Sable 1996b: 11). Sometimes songs and dances are spontaneous, but they are family heirlooms, passed along like other Canadians inherit gold or silver.
Traditionally, only men have chanted. Women would sing, too, but usually only at home to teach their children. But this has been changing: women now sing publicly in their communities to help preserve Mi'kmaw culture.
Ben Christmas, a Mi'kmaw elder who lived on the Membertou Reserve in Cape Breton, spoke about a special courting song. His account also describes in detail the way Mi'kmaq prior to Catholicism used to marry. A young man would tell his parents and the chief of his community that he was ready. The community would gather, including the girls who were interested in marrying the young man.
"When the girls are all seated, the young man begins to sing. He sings the hunting song, because he is hunting; and dances close to the girl that he likes. The third time he dances near a particular girl, then that is the one who is liked and chosen to marry the young man. Then, the Chief joins them in marriage. After the wedding, there is a big feast. They sing, they eat and they dance. Sometimes, two days or three days it lasts, what we call today a wedding" (Ben Christmas, as cited in Cape Breton's Magazine 25 1968: 9).
Bernie Francis, a Mi'kmaw linguist, translated the hunting song roughly as, "I can see thirty miles/I can see our food is drifting our way /'My friends, push for me,' he implored them/I believe our birthplace has been left" (ibid.).
Hear the Ji'kmaqn
However, chants and songs did not always have meanings that words could describe. Sometimes they were more about feeling and communication with a spiritual power. For example, Bernie Francis wrote that he could not translate the I'ko chant, or the Feast Song. This accompanies a Neskawet, a ceremonial dance that honours a new chief or, in the old days, prepared for war (see section below).
Francis said, "It's next to impossible for me to try to explain to someone what this chant means "unless it was I who chanted and had the feeling at the moment when I was chanting" (Bernie Francis, as cited in Cape Breton's Magazine 25 1968: 11)
Chanters usually beat time with a ji'kmaqn. This special musical instrument is a piece of ash approximately a foot long split into many thin strips with one end unsplit for a handle. The ji'kmaqn makes a clacking sound when a chanter hits the ji'kmaqn against the thigh or palm.
Sometimes, in the Snake Dance, chanters use a rattle made of a horn or wooden frame covered with fish skin, and filled with pebbles, or even buckshot after guns were introduced (Whitehead & McGee 1983: 26).
As far as we know, the Mi'kmaq never used what we generally think of as a "drum" until the latter part of the 20th century. The Mi'kmaq did have percussive instruments, but not any that used a wooden or metal cylinder covered with a membrane or skin that musicians would beat with a drumstick.
Clothing, or regalia, has always been so important that a Mi'kmaw dancer and teacher, Beverly Jeddore, said: "You are not just a dancer. Your regalia is also a dancer. You have to make sure that your regalia dances" (Beverly Jeddore, personal communication, Jan. 21, 2006). Before the French first settled in Nova Scotia in 1604, everything the Mi'kmaq used and wore came from the land. Their clothes and robes were made from animal skins, such as moose (tia'm), caribou (qalipu), beaver (kopit) and bear (muin).
Although the men hunt the animals, the women make the regalia, painted with beautiful designs in mineral paints such as red and yellow ochre. The women sew on little copper cones called "tinkler cones" that in olden time they would craft from native copper. Also, women attach animal teeth or deer claws. These add to the sound and movement of the dance.
Mi'kmaw regalia has changed since Europeans arrived. Women started to add ribbons, wool piping, and glass and metal beads. Designs still reflect traditional Mi'kmaw patterns, such as the double curved motif, but also began to incorporate European floral patterns (Whitehead 1980: 22).
Traditionally, men and women used unique headdresses. The men wore a "dog-eared" beaded headdress, at least for ceremonial occasions, and the women wore a beaded "peaked" cap. The earliest one that still exists comes from 1780 (R. Whitehead, personal communication, Oct. 1996; Sable 1996b: 26). Mi'kmaq women still make these peaked caps and wear them for special occasions.
Another change came during the previous centuries when the Mi'kmaq adopted specialty regalia for tourists and dignitaries to see during "Indian displays," cultural events, and medicine shows. One such occasion was when the Prince of Wales visited Nova Scotia in 1869.
Elders such as Ellen Robinson, who was in her 80s when the interview took place, remembered performing traditional dances at carnivals. Robinson grew up on the Bear River Reserve in southern Nova Scotia. She had pictures of carnivals where she and other reserve members worked appliqué (Ellen Robinson, personal communication, Dec. 14, 2005). The women wore their peaked hats as well as "bolero" style jackets and long skirts adorned with ribbons (Whitehead 1980: 20-23).
Some Elders can still describe some traditional dances, including the ones that few Mi'kmaq practice today. Anthropologists and missionaries in the 19th and early 20th centuries described other dances as well.
Dances and Ceremonies: Koju'a
The Koju'a is the most unique social dance that has survived to this day. Jeddore said she danced the Koju'a at celebrations such as weddings or other community gatherings. The dance would complete each celebration, Jeddore said, and provides the "icing on the cake" (Personal communication, Jan. 21, 2006).
We know the Koju'a dates back at least into the 1800s because elders today have said they learned it from their parents and grandparents. Keptin Frank Nevin of the Mi'kmaw Grand Council said:
"In 1947 we moved to Indian Brook, Shubenacadie and my grandmother came later on. When I was a 10 or 11-year-old boy, she taught me how to dance and the first thing she said, and we put on old time fiddling music, she said, 'I'm going to show you how to dance.' Then after a while she said, 'Why don't you learn to do the Koju'a and I said, 'The Koju'a, what's that?' So she showed me the Koju'a and talked about how our people used to dance this dance" (Frank Nevin, personal communication, Dec 20, 2005).
People dance to at least 16 Koju'a songs today. Jeddore has described one song's words: "Bring your little sister, bring your loved one and let us dance together" (Personal communication, Jan. 21, 2006). The energetic movements test the dancers' strength and endurance, especially during a competition. Men and women dance in a circle, and sometimes the men leave the inner circle and dance outside in a livelier manner. The direction of the circle traditionally for Mi'kmaq dances was counter-clockwise according to Joel Denny, but today it is usually done clockwise.
According to Joel, there are also two different koju'a dance steps. One is for dancing around in a circle; the other is a side step, and there is a special song that goes with it.
At social gatherings, especially the annual St. Anne's Day Mission, people would compete to see which community could come up with a dancer who could last the longest. These competitions have continued beyond the 20th century, and occasionally still take place at cultural events. Joey Gould, originally from the Wycocomagh Reserve (now Waycobah) in Cape Breton, said his father, Andrew Gould, and a family friend, Newell Stevens, taught the family how to win the dance. Gould said:
"Sunday evening, or Sunday afternoon, we'd have Koju'a dancing. It would be sort of like competition: "who's going to take the Koju'a home" sort of like a champion. . . Now Newell would start off and somebody would follow him or I would follow him or stand in the crowd and try not to be noticed. But as soon as I heard people hollering at the dancers, 'It's going to Eskasoni; it's going to Membertou; it's going to Nyanza,' nobody would mention Wycocomagh "then that would give me a feeling to get up there. I'm going to beat them all."
As soon as I started dancing my style, I could hear my people from my reserve and even from Eskasoni where I have relatives. They start calling, "It's going to Wycocomagh". You'd dance the Koju'a until you just tired out and couldn't dance anymore" (as cited in Sable 1990: 4).
Joey Gould says the last competition took place around 1965. He said, Margaret Johnson, a Mi'kmaw elder in her 90s living in Eskasoni at the time of the interview, was an excellent dancer at that time. Johnson won a competition in 1973, but instead of the Koju'a, the award was for step dancing (Johnson, personal communication, May 1, 2006). To learn more about the Gould family and dancing at St. Anne's follow this link.
Today, Koju'a competitions might be part of a special cultural event, or they might be danced at powwows as a Mi'kmaw dance.
Neskawet
One person called the Neskawet a "war dance," but it was far more than that. This formal dance graced many ceremonial occasions.
In 1758, Pierre Maillard, a missionary living among the Mi'kmaq, detailed a Neskawet that honoured a visiting envoy at a farewell dinner. The village's men gathered in a wikuom (wigwam). After dinner the villagers smoked a pipe. The guest of honour then presented a long speech that commended his host's ancestors and hunting skills. After a younger man presented a second speech, the guest of honour began to dance a Neskawet. Maillard continues:
"Then quitting his place, and advancing in cadence, he takes the master of the treat by the hand, saying, 'All the praises my tongue is about to utter, have thee for their object. All the steps I am going to take, as I dance lengthwise and breadthwise in thy cabin are to prove to thee the gaiety of my heart, and my gratitude. Courage my friends, keep time with your motions and voice to my song and dance.'
"With this he begins, and proceeds in his Netchkawet, that is, advancing with his body strait erect, in measured steps, with his arms a-kimbo. Then he delivers his words, singing and trembling with his whole body, looking before and on each side of him with a steady countenance, sometimes moving with a slow grave pace, and then again with a quick and brisk one.
"The syllables he articulates the most distinctly are, Ywhannah, Owanna, Haywanna, yo! ha! yo! ha! and when he makes a pause he looks full at the company, as much as to demand their chorus to the word Heh! which he pronounces with great emphasis. As he is singing and dancing they often repeat the word Heh! fetched up from the depth of their throat; and when he makes his pause, they cry aloud in chorus, Hah! . . .
"This ceremony of thanksgiving being over by the men, the girls and women come in, with the oldest at the head of them, who carries in her left hand a great piece of birch bark of the hardest, upon which she strikes as it were a drum; and to that dull sound which the bark returns, they all dance, spinning round on their heels, quivering, with one hand lifted, the other down: other notes they have none, but a guttural loud aspiration of the word Heh! Heh! as often as the old [woman] strikes her bark-drum. As soon as she ceases striking, they set up a general cry, expressed by Yah! Then, if their dance is approved they begin it again" (Maillard 1758: 12-15).
Silas Rand also documented a Neskawet:
"Part of the ceremonies of their great annual religious festival of St. Anne's Day consists of the wigubaltimk, and the neskouwadijik, the "feast" and the "mystic dance" of the sakawachkik, "the Indians of old times". At the proper time, a chief comes out of a camp and sings a singular tune, and dances a singular step, and is responded to by a singular grunt from the assembled. And they assert that during the ceremony the body of the dancer is impervious to a musket ball" (1850: 14).
Some Mi'kmaw elders remember seeing a Neskawet on St. Anne's Day, the major annual Mi'kmaq tribal and religious festival on Cape Breton's Chapel Island. The chiefs or keptins performed the dance when they gathered to discuss tribal matters (Sable 1991: 7). Dr. Margaret Johnson, who grew up on the island, said the Grand Council would meet in the great wikuom. She said each chief or keptin came out one at a time, danced around, then sat in a circle outside the great wikuom. The other ones came out and did the same thing. The men would shout Ahey! Ahey! during the dance at a certain point. After the dance, the Grand Council members had a feast (Margaret Johnson, personal communication, March 2, 2006).
Another elder told a similar story. During the Neskawet, each keptin took a turn dancing and chanting, doing a step with their hands behind their backs and bodies leaning forward. They danced around the circle, accented their movement when they passed another chief and said "Neh". At the end, everyone shouted "Eh" (Sable 1996b: 8).
Johnson said the chant that went with the Neskewet was the I'ko, the Feast Song (Wi'kupaltimkewey). Mi'kmaw linguist Bernie Francis said the syllables in this song had no English equivalent, but would have meaning and feeling for the person chanting. This chant might also have partially come from the Mohawks at a time when they and the Mi'kmaq interacted regularly (Bernie Francis, as cited in Cape Breton's Magazine 25 1968: 11).
Johnson said the Grand Council stopped performing the Neskawet possibly around 1925. But Susie Denny, an elder who was born in 1925, said she remembered seeing the dance when she was a little girl, so it might have continued somewhat past that date (Susie Denny, personal communication, March 2, 2006). The Mi'kmaq have continued to chant the I'ko portion during what some people call the Welcoming Dance, a spiritual event performed at important occasions (Beverly Jeddore, personal communication, 1986).
Snake or Serpent Dance
Some Mi'kmaq believe they gave the Snake dance as a gift to the Mohawk Nation at a Grand Council meeting in 1749. In 1835, Captain J. Campbell sketched what appears to be Maliseet or Mi'kmaq doing the Snake Dance at Government House in Fredericton, New Brunswick. In 1895, anthropologist Stansbury Hagar described the dance:
"The circle of dancers moved first to the right three times around the head man. The dancers then turned their backs to the head man and repeated the revolution three times; next the two sets turned their backs to one another and again moved thrice around the circle; finally, in the same position, they reversed the direction of the motion and move backward around the circle three times. This figure was thus completed in four positions and 12 revolutions, and, according to Newell Glode, signified the rattlesnake waking from his winter sleep
"The head man now left the circle through the space made for him, simulating a serpent coming from its hole; he led the dancers around the field, making many snake-like twistings and turnings. In one hand he held a horn filled with shot or small pebbles; with this he rattled the time for the step and the song of the other dancers. After they had advanced some distance, the last dancer remained stationary and the others moved around the leader in a constantly narrowing circle until all were closely coiled around him. The head man then reversed the direction of the motion and the dancers came out of the circle in line as before. This represented the coiling and uncoiling of the rattlesnake" (1895: 37).
The head dancer then led the line back to the centre of the circle. The dancers dropped away one by one until the leader chanted and danced alone in the centre. Click here for a video clip of a Snake Dance.
Medicine Dances
Mi'kmaw Jerry Lonecloud lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He described some medicine dances and many legends about gathering medicines. Other sources have associated the Snake Dance with medicine gathering (as cited in Sable, 1998).
According to Lonecloud, the medicine man, or puoin, had a special dance where he thanked Kluskap for providing medicine during the winter. The puoin danced as long as seven hours to make the medicine "good".
Another account said people would perform a special dance to receive medicine from the medicine man. Lonecloud said every Mi'kmaq took a certain medicine twice a year, in the spring and fall, to keep negative spirits away. The medicine's formula has remained secret, but some sources have said people would dance around the medicine itself to ward off the bad spirits (Dennis 1923; Sable 1996: 253-254).
Pestie' wa'taqtimk – The Naming Ceremony or The Celebration of Names
The Mi'kmaq have sometimes integrated their own dances into new forms adopted from other cultures. For example, Roman Catholicism has dominated the Mi'kmaq since the 17th century, but the people have created their own ways to celebrate some Catholic holidays. The Twelve Days of Christmas included the Pestie'wa'taqtimk, "The Celebration of Names" or naming ceremony. This festival honoured people with Christian names and included gift giving, dancing, food, and a unique carved wooden cross the Mi'kmaq called a "flower".
On each of the 12 days, the people would honour a different name, such as Noel, Mary, John, and so forth.
Caroline Gould described how Pestie'wa'taqtimk used to take place. On Christmas Eve, the whole reserve went to the schoolhouse to pray at midnight. Everyone brought food and stayed until dawn. In the morning, they decided where to start the Pestie'wa'taqtimk. That evening, they began moving from house to house celebrating each person who had the designated name. They would give the resident a cross the celebrants had wrapped in cloth or a scarf and say, "We brought you this flower, and your guardian angel sent it to you". Afterwards, everyone would dance the Koju'a to fiddle music before they received the food the host had prepared.
Epiphany, or the King's Day, was the thirteenth and last day marking the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The community would gather again to pray and draw slips from a hat to select a king and queen. Some community members dressed as priests, devils, monkeys and other characters. The dance would commence, but Gould says that it would be square and step dancing rather than Koju'a.
Gould said that she last saw a Pestie' wa'taqtimk about 70 years ago. The ceremony died after the government set up the reserves, but Mi'kmaq have continued to feast and visit between reserves on the days following Christmas (Johnson and Gould, personal communication, Dec. 19, 2005). It was performed at least once in the 1990s as a special cultural event at the gym, organized by Marie Battiste.
Other Dances and Instruments
The Mi'kmaq have also adopted European dances, such as Scottish and Irish highland jigging and step dancing, the polka, square dancing and, in recent times, ballet. This took place while families continued traditional dances like the Koju'a. The Mi'kmaq separated "dancing like an Indian," l'nu'pesin, and "dancing like a white man," aklastie'wtesin.' Some Mi'kmaw elders alive today grew up without ever seeing a Mi'kmaw dance (Sable 1996: 226).
The Mi'kmaq devised ways to keep the dances alive. The celebrations and ceremonies went underground or, as we saw with the Pestie' wa'taqtimk became part of Catholic rituals. The Mi'kmaq also took up other instruments, like the hand drum, fiddle and, more recently, the guitar. Musicians have used some Koju'a songs, too, but usually chanters have chosen a hand drum.


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Q: How to transform a number (1,2,3, etc) into an ordinal number (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) using xslt Pretty simple question, how can I transform a number (1, 2, 3, etc) into a print friendly ordinal number (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) using xslt?
Currently the following works for 1-20 but we may be seeing larger sets of entities getting ranked soon:
<xsl:template name="FormatRanking">
    <xsl:param name="Value"></xsl:param>

    <xsl:choose>
        <xsl:when test="$Value = '1'">
            <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>st
        </xsl:when>
        <xsl:when test="$Value = '2'">
            <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>nd
        </xsl:when>
        <xsl:when test="$Value = '3'">
            <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>rd
        </xsl:when>
        <xsl:otherwise>
            <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>th
        </xsl:otherwise>
    </xsl:choose>

</xsl:template>

The only way I would know how to do this would be to change the xsl:when's:
<xsl:when test="$Value = '1'">
<xsl:when test="$Value = '2'">
<xsl:when test="$Value = '3'">

to (not even sure if this is correct):
<xsl:when test="$Value = '1' or $Value = '21' or $Value = '31' ...">
<xsl:when test="$Value = '2' or $Value = '22' or $Value = '33' ...">
<xsl:when test="$Value = '3' or $Value = '22' or $Value = '33' ...">

I'd like to do something similar to this Is there an easy way to create ordinals in C#? but I'm not sure if it's possible in Xslt.
At this point we only need an English solution.

A: Here's the solution from "Is there an easy way to create ordinals in C#?", translated to XSLT:
<xsl:template name="FormatRanking">
  <xsl:param name="Value" select="0" />

  <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>

  <!-- a little parameter sanity check (integer > 0) -->
  <xsl:if test="
    translate($Value, '0123456789', '') = ''
    and
    $Value > 0
  ">
    <xsl:variable name="mod100" select="$Value mod 100" />
    <xsl:variable name="mod10"  select="$Value mod 10" />

    <xsl:choose>
      <xsl:when test="$mod100 = 11 or $mod100 = 12 or $mod100 = 13">th</xsl:when>
      <xsl:when test="$mod10 = 1">st</xsl:when>
      <xsl:when test="$mod10 = 2">nd</xsl:when>
      <xsl:when test="$mod10 = 3">rd</xsl:when>
      <xsl:otherwise>th</xsl:otherwise>
    </xsl:choose>
  </xsl:if>
</xsl:template>

A: I'm not saying it's a good idea to do this in xslt, but...
  <xsl:template name="FormatRanking">
    <xsl:param name="Value"></xsl:param>

    <xsl:choose>
            <xsl:when test="substring($Value,string-length($Value)-1) = '11'">
                    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>th
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="substring($Value,string-length($Value)-1)  = '12'">
                    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>th
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="substring($Value,string-length($Value)-1)  = '13'">
                    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>th
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="substring($Value,string-length($Value)) = '1'">
                    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>st
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="substring($Value,string-length($Value))  = '2'">
                    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>nd
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="substring($Value,string-length($Value))  = '3'">
                    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>rd
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:otherwise>
                    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>th
            </xsl:otherwise>
    </xsl:choose>
  </xsl:template>

Edit: or a bit neater solution:
  <xsl:template name="FormatRanking">
    <xsl:param name="Value"></xsl:param>

    <xsl:variable name="penultimateChar" select="substring($Value,string-length($Value)-1, 1)"/>
    <xsl:variable name="lastChar" select="substring($Value,string-length($Value))"/>

    <xsl:value-of select="$Value"/>
    <xsl:choose>
            <xsl:when test="$penultimateChar= '1'">
                    <xsl:text>th </xsl:text>
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="$lastChar = '1'">
                    <xsl:text>st </xsl:text>
             </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="$lastChar = '2'">
                    <xsl:text>nd </xsl:text>
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:when test="$lastChar = '3'">
                    <xsl:text>rd </xsl:text>
            </xsl:when>
            <xsl:otherwise>
                    <xsl:text>th </xsl:text>
            </xsl:otherwise>
    </xsl:choose>

A: IMO, by using regular expressions (XSLT 2.0), this can be done more concisely:
<xsl:template name="FormatRanking">
  <xsl:param name="Value"/>
  <xsl:choose>
    <xsl:when test="matches(string($Value), '.+[^1][123]$')">
      <xsl:value-of select="replace(replace(replace(string($Value), '1$', '1st'), '2$', '2nd'), '3$', '3rd')" />
    </xsl:when>
    <xsl:otherwise>
      <xsl:value-of select="concat(string($Value), 'th')" />
    </xsl:otherwise>
  </xsl:choose>
</xsl:template>

This checks for applicability of the special rule before using a regular expression which recognises number strings ending on 1/2/3, excluding 11/12/13. Only then special handling is applied. Otherwise the "th" is just appended.
Please note that the $Value is converted explicitly to a string datatype before applying string operations to avoid potentially funny situations. The return value is anyway implicitly a string.
However, just as a side comment, this only works for the English language. I'd be interested in a true multilingual approach....

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Masterclass was much more than I expected it would be on both an academic and personal level.
Thanks to you for the remarkable organization. The group, the mentors, the lectures, the guided visits and the food were incredible.
About "up to expectations" – the 2017 Murcutt Master Class exceeded expectations! One of the most profound experiences of my life in fact.
I want to take this opportunity to thank each and all of you for being an inspiration to me and helping me achieve my goal of finishing my Master of Architecture course with first class honours.
I just returned from the Australian visit and would like to express my very special thanks for the great time that I had with you all during the Master Class.
As an architect, seeking professional mentorship becomes more and more difficult as one moves beyond one's own academic training.
I want to thank you for one of the best experiences of my life and for your efforts in getting the whole thing together.
I cannot tell you what a great experience this has been – people say it is life altering, etc., etc., and you kind of do not believe them – I mean how much can a 2-week architecture course really change your life? But it is true, completely true!
Since I arrived back home from Australia more than a month ago, I have been working like crazy.


The overall goal of this component project is to identify and reverse engineer the cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) that direct the activation, maintenance and repression of gene expression in human pluripotent cells. The project innovates by applying high-throughput and quantitative genomic technologies to dissect key components of the pluripotency gene regulatory network (CRMs) at unprecedented resolution and scale. First, we will generate a genome-wide map of putative CRMs with specific activity in pluripotent cells, using computational analysis of new and existing TF localization and chromatin profiling data. We will then select genomic loci that harbor genes which correct regulation have previously been shown to be important for maintenance of pluripotency and self-renewal for in-depth validation and functional analysis. Second, we will select representative CRMs from these loci for systematic dissection of the relationship between their sequences and regulatory activities at single-nucleotide resolution. Third, we will classify pluripotency CRMs according to whether they are activated eariy or late in the reprogramming process, and then explore the mechanistic basis for these differences using systematic perturbation experiments. Finally, we will then use data from all of our experiments to construct quantitative models of pluripotency CRMs that integrate interactions between their DNA sequences, local chromatin structure and trans-regulatory factors.
(See Instructions): The goal of this project is to uncover how the rules that govern gene expression in stem cells are encoded in human DNA. Insights into this question will help us understand the genetic basis for human development and disease.


text:
Birmingham VOTT Choir
Coventry VOTT Choir
Edinburgh VOTT Choir
Glasgow VOTT Choir
Newcastle VOTT Choir
Birmingham VOTT Also To Appear In Rock Musical, Godspell!
When we thought that we couldn't get any better news, well…we did! Our Birmingham choir, which is only 8 months old, will also perform in the legendary rock musical, Godspell!!
Last Saturday, in Warwick, our Birmingham singers took to the stage with only 2 weeks notice to prepare for the big day, and yet the group went on to ROCK the show's producers and Warwick's Art Centre!
So much so that our Birmingham vocal group have been selected to perform on June 1st & 2nd at the city's New Alexandra Theatre, commonly known as The Alex and which has a capacity in excess of 1,300!
Ruairi Edwards, Birmingham VOTT's Musical Director, told us that our West Midlands choir received some great feedback from the producers, saying that "the male section were brilliant and in terms of tone and projection, we were up there with the best of the choirs they'd seen auditioning up and down the country. And this for a choir which didn't even exist a year ago!"
Starting the audition with an extract from Coldplay's Fix You, the group then launched straight into an all-time VOTT classic, Joyful Joyful. However, the highlight of the day for Ruairi was when every single member of the choir pointed directly to the producers, looking them square in the eyes, singing "What have you done for him lately?" It was brilliant."
Ruairi couldn't be more proud of his vocalists, highlighting that "a choir which is only 8 months old – featuring people who have never performed in public before – was able to go into an audition in front of West End big-hitters and blow them away, was an exceptional achievement."
Everyone at VOTT is very proud of our Birmingham choir and massive congratulations to all the members! Roll on June 1st & 2nd and you can get more info as well as links to tickets here.
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Last December marked a major anniversary in Great Britain's roadbuilding history - 60 years have now passed since the country's first motorway, the Preston Bypass, was formally opened by prime minister Harold Macmillan, heralding the dawn of a new era for motoring.
With construction of the more celebrated M1 having begun earlier in the same year, few outside of our industry – and indeed few within it – are aware that this eight-mile section of road that now forms part of the M6 and M55 was the UK's original high-speed route.
Described at the time by the minister of transport, Harold Watkinson, as a 'guinea pig' for all future projects, the Preston Bypass provided an initial blueprint for motorway design and construction.
The carriageway consisted of two lanes running in each direction, sliproads at every junction and a hard shoulder incorporated as a 'principle feature of the layout of the motorway, as distinct from almost any all-purpose road built in this country to date', according to a booklet published to accompany the opening ceremony.
In an era that was somewhat less health and safety conscious and pre-dated the development of the modern crash barrier, the road's central reservation was planted with a hedge to help lessen glare from the headlights of vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.
While the bypass claimed to be 'designed to enable traffic to travel safely at high speeds and minimise the chance of accidents arising from bad driving', it opened without any legal speed limits. Nevertheless, the average speed of vehicles using the motorway during its first month was recorded at a little under 40mph.
Tarmac was appointed as the project's main contractor to construct the motorway and 19 bridges across the carriageways, being awarded a princely £2.4m which, adjusted for inflation, would be worth around £53m today.
Perhaps inevitably, the scheme suffered programme delays as a result of the poor British weather, with the project 'destined to be thrown completely out of gear by the rains, which continued almost uninterruptedly right from the commencement'.
Despite these sustained downpours making the project more difficult, by the time of its completion approximately 3.4 million tonnes of earth had been excavated, 35,000 cubic yards of concrete poured, and 220 miles of high tensile wire incorporated into the build.
A five-month contract extension resulted in the opening ceremony being postponed from the summer to 5 December 1958, with crowds of local people attending to witness the occasion. Hundreds queued in their vehicles to become among the first to drive the new landmark.
This first motorway was designed not only to accommodate the growth in traffic volumes, but equally as a symbol of the country's post-war economic recovery. Becoming the first link in a chain of a new network of motorways that would grow and connect the nation, there was also a genuine belief at the time that its opening would provide a boost for the health of the community and a shot in the arm for the national economy.
Lessons learned from that pioneering scheme have continued to shape our nation's asphalt arteries, and the ongoing development of the strategic road network plays a vital role in keeping our country moving.
We undoubtedly owe the groundbreaking Preston Bypass much, but modern highway construction has changed unrecognisably in the decades that have followed – and the drive to work more safely, more productively and more sustainably has dramatically changed the way we operate. For example, at the beginning of my own career, outputs from quality control material testing were calculated by hand with a calculator and entered on a standard trend sheet – and placed a high dependence on a technician's diligence to spot trends and take action. Now computers not only do the calculations, but also automatically raise alerts based on statistical analysis.
Similarly, the ability and skill of the asphalt plant operator was historically the key factor in assuring quality, whereas now the asphalt production process has advanced significantly, with automated systems able to flag any potential issues immediately to guarantee accuracy and consistency.
British standards for materials have also improved exponentially in the decades that have passed since the first motorway was constructed. Then, coal tar was regularly used as a binder for surfacing materials, before it was identified and subsequently classified as hazardous.
Today, modern polymer modified binders can create tougher, more flexible bitumens, while additive technology means that asphalts can now be produced at cooler temperatures.
Tarmac's low temperature asphalt, UltiLow, has contributed to reducing resurfacing timescales and cutting carbon on many projects. Mixed at around 40°C lower than its equivalent hot mix, cooling times are significantly reduced, thereby bringing forward completion times and allowing roads to be opened sooner, resulting in less public disruption.
The concept of recycling would have been entirely unfamiliar to the teams working in Preston in the 1950s, where all of the materials would have been produced using virgin aggregates. Now our national specifications allow up to 50% recycled use in lower layer materials and 10% in surface courses, with both numbers predicted to rise as technology improves.
Despite the remarkable changes our industry has witnessed, the most exciting changes undoubtedly lie ahead of us. Coincidentally, one month before the Preston Bypass opened, the world's first computer exhibition was hosted at Earl's Court in London. Nobody at the time could have predicted the impact that digital technology would have on our society, including our roads.
The National Infrastructure Commission's Roads for the Future programme has begun to offer us a glimpse of how autonomous vehicles and digitisation will change infrastructure requirements in the coming decades.
Analysing data from connected cars to improve traffic light systems, considering how autonomous vehicles can be used to beat congestion and examining how driverless cars could be allocated dedicated routes were all among ideas put forward in anticipation of how our roads will soon need to evolve.
These changes are not likely to be far from the horizon. But we are already seeing the beginnings of a digital revolution in highways and the delivery of critical infrastructure.
The software that Tarmac has already adopted on highways projects, BPO ASPHALT, allows us to plan schemes in meticulous detail before starting on site, producing detailed work schedules to enable efficient project delivery.
Elsewhere, our automated paving technology uses thermometers, sensors, and GPS tracking location systems to create a permanent and accurate digital record of a road installation, including the type, temperature and quality of the materials through to the ambient weather conditions.
Not only does this help asset managers to facilitate evidence-based spending decisions on their networks, but analysis can potentially identify why and when a road might fail in the future.
It's right to look back on our roadbuilding history and celebrate the major milestones and projects that have helped to shape Britain's infrastructure as we know it today.
More important still is that these reflections provide a window to look towards the future and focus on what we can do to improve highways construction in the near term.
With the chancellor recently confirming that £25bn will be allocated to Highways England as part of its post-2020 investment strategy, transformative projects such as the A66 Trans-Pennine, the Oxford Cambridge Expressway, and the Lower Thames Crossing will soon provide high profile opportunities to showcase our industry's cutting-edge innovation.
Sixty years ago, the pioneering Preston Bypass provided people with a first look at the future of road building. By continuing to evolve and embracing new technology, now we are already catching a glimpse of what highways may look like sixty years from now.


In the new Fast & Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has a new buddy—and it's not Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw. Frenemies Hobbs and Shaw will be teaming up at some point, but Johnson's character also will have a relationship with another key character played by actress Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible—Fallout).
Johnson introduced Idris Elba's villain character with an Instagram post as well, revealing that his name is Brixton and that Hobbs will have the "showdown of all showdowns" with the antagonist. The plot of Hobbs & Shaw has been kept under wraps thus far, although it's likely at some point Hobbs and Shaw will come together to take on Elba's villainous character.
Along with Johnson, Statham, Elba, and Kirby, the film has Eddie Marsan in the cast in an undisclosed role, which reunites the actor with his Deadpool 2 director David Leitch. Longtime Furious series scribe Chris Morgan wrote the script for the spinoff, the first side movie of the Fast & Furious franchise.


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Arturo Vittori, an Italian designer, has designed an innovative water-harvesting tower that could help provide clean water for villagers in the remote area of Ethiopia and other parts of Africa. This water-harvesting tower is able to harvest water from atmospheric water vapour using nylon and polypropylene fibres as the medium to condense water. The designer named his invention the 'WarkaWater Tower', inspired by the local Warka tree, a large native fig tree commonly used as a community gathering space. Vittori claims that the tower is designed to ensure long-term environmental, financial and social sustainability and estimates approximately 25 gallons of water can be collected from it per day.
Researchers have successfully designed genetically-engineered trees that require less energy and chemicals to break down and at the same time, produce fewer pollutants during paper production. The paper industry usually uses significant chemicals and energy to remove lignin, which is a polymer found in wood. By modifying the lignin using ester bonds, genetically-modified trees could clean up paper industry and also recover more wood carbohydrate than before. However, as with all genetically modified organisms, measures must be taken to prevent genes from spreading to natural forests. Prevention of cross-pollination, sterilizing of the plants and harvesting before maturity are techniques used as preventive measures.
A group of students from Technological University of Mexico (UNITEC) has recently introduced 'The Pluvia', a microturbine that is able to purify rainwater and generate electricity at the same time. This device collects rainwater via a gutter on rooftop or sheeting. During the process, the collected rainwater passes through a primary filter, small turbine and a charcoal filter. An electrical pump is used to help water flow past a small turbine to generate electricity. The down side is that the pump inside the device demands more energy than the turbine can generate. However, more research is being conducted to increase generation and storage capacity. In addition, the rainwater produced at the end of the process is cleaner than Mexico City's network supply water – where the device was originally tested.
BMW subsidiary, Designworks USA, has recently designed a new subway system with 58 luxury trains for Kuala Lumpur. The new metro system is expected to operate and serve citizens by 2017. The subway trains have been designed to include recyclable stainless steel cars, installed with blue LED lighting under the seats to create a feeling of spaciousness. It will also be equipped with a guiding light and beeping system in order to warn special needs passengers of opening and closing of the doors. By upgrading the subway system to be more visually pleasing and environmentally friendly, the local government hopes to increase public transit use amongst its citizens in the future.
Using Sugar to Produce Your Clothes in the Future!
Researchers from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore have recently disclosed their new finding to produce adipic acid from sugar through a new catalytic process technology. Adipic acid is employed as an important chemical in the production of nylon and apparel, carpets and various consumer products. However, the current commercial production of adipic acid from petroleum-based chemicals releases nitrous oxides, a major greenhouse gas, as by-product. The newly developed green technology can convert mucic acid from fruit peels' sugar into bio-based adipic acid with higher efficiency than existing processes.
The Food Cycler: Get Your Compost In Just 3 Hours!
Tired of turning your compost? Or can't stand the odours of rotting food waste? Here is a quick solution to your problems. Food Cycle Science has recently introduced their small residential version of a food waste composter, called The Food Cycler Home. It claims to handle any type of food scraps and convert them into odourless compost without the use of drains, vents or additives, all in a 3‑hour cycle. The device uses a grinding and dehydrating process to produce nutrient-rich soil amendments from food waste. This invention has great potential and could replace traditional composting processes which take several months to complete.
The release of the latest report from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has drawn global attention with its conclusion claiming that climate change is already on its way and poses threats to food and human security. Climate change could result in various catastrophic consequences such as significant reductions in crop yields and fish stocks, extreme weather events as well as political instability. The report also highlights that southern and eastern Asia will face problems related to sea level rise, while the rest of Asia will lack water to produce crops.
An Edible and Biodegradable Water Bottle!
Design students from London have introduced a new edible and biodegradable water bottle, named Ooho, which is made from a gelatinous membrane. This award-winning edible bottle, made from brown algae and calcium chloride, might help with humanity's waste problem. The Ooho, which is inspired by egg yolks, is designed to hold water using a double-layered membrane that is created through a culinary technique known as spherification. The designers are now looking to produce the Ooho commercially as it could be a low-cost alternative to plastic packaging.
Using Slime Mold to Build Computing Devices?
A group of researchers have revealed their findings on using living slime molds to build logic units that could function as building blocks for computing devices and sensors. Study suggests that the growing pattern of the slime mold's tube network can be exploited to transport dyes with magnetic nanoparticles and tiny fluorescent beads to produce a biological 'lab-on-a-chip' device. This could open up a new method to build microfluidic devices to test and analyse environmental or medical samples on small scale.
Designers from NLE have designed and built a flood-resistant floating school in a former fishing village of Makoko, Nigeria. The building, which is unaffected during flooding events that regularly occurs, provides a learning place for local students. The 3 storeys building is triangular in shape and is built with 16 wooden modules containing 16 recycled empty plastic barrels and locally-grown bamboo. It copes with tidal changes and varying water levels and remains stable and undamaged during frequent floods and storm surges. In addition, the design also incorporates the use of renewable energy, recycling of organic waste and harvesting of rainwater.
A Battery Which Biodegrades and Disappears After 3 Weeks?


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Joseph Tassé (23 October 1848 – 17 January 1895) was a Canadian writer, translator, and parliamentarian.

Born in  Lower Canada (now part of modern Laval Quebec), Tassé as a young man studied the Classics at the Collège Bourget.  Upon graduation he articled in law offices in Montreal, Plattsburgh, New York, and Ottawa. However, he never practised law, and instead pursued a career in journalism. From the 1860s, he was employed by newspapers such as Ottawa's Le Canada, and Montreal's La Minerve in 1868.  Though he would eventually rise to become its editor, he was initially employed by La Minerve as a translator, a role he would revisit in 1872, when he became the official translator for the House of Commons of Canada.  During this period, Tassé also became interested in the history of the Canadian West, and began to publish a series of articles on French-Canadian explorers of the west. This culminated in the 1878 publication of his two-volume work Les Canadiens de l'Ouest.

After six years as translator for the house, he resolved to himself enter politics. A Conservative, Tassé served was twice elected to serve as a member of parliament in the House of Commons of Canada, representing the Ontario electoral district of City of Ottawa. He was first elected in the Canadian federal election of 1878, and successfully defended this seat in 1882.  However, in 1887 he stood for the Quebec riding of Laprairie and was defeated by only 23 votes, ending his career in the House.  The loss undoubtedly arose from his support of the Conservative government's handling of the Red River Rebellion and the subsequent hanging of Louis Riel.  On 9 February 1891 he was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the recommendation of Sir John A. Macdonald, and he served in the capacity representing the senatorial division of De Salaberry, Quebec until his death.

References

1848 births
1895 deaths
Canadian male journalists
Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario
Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs
Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) senators
Canadian senators from Quebec
Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
Journalists from Quebec
Politicians from Laval, Quebec
Writers from Quebec
19th-century Canadian journalists
19th-century Canadian male writers

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Fintechs grapple with bitcoin's role in the future of money
Even if bitcoin ends up closer to digital gold than digital cash, other cryptocurrencies will replace it as a method of payment.
Tom RichardsonMarkets reporter and commentator
Mar 10, 2021 – 5.22pm
Cryptocurrencies and new mobile payment systems could meet to reshape the future of money as fintech innovation moves closer to cutting the umbilical cord of payments, according to one of Australia's industry experts.
The race to innovate is being led by blue-chip tech giants including PayPal, Stripe and Square in the US, with China's Alipay and Tencent creating whole new payment markets that could dominate Asia Pacific.
Jonathon Miller of Kraken: "Broadening out from bitcoin, cryptocurrency in general is going to provide us utility in internet money."
In time, all threaten to disrupt the monopolies of old economy banks on the supply of money, and as enablers of daily payment methods like Visa and Mastercard which support sticky relationships with customers.
Jack Ma's Alibaba spin-off Alipay grew so strong disrupting China's $US7.6 trillion payments market that he's largely disappeared from public view in China since October 2020, with Alipay and Tencent pioneering QR codes as the now dominant mobile payment method in Asia.
PayPal has a direct relationship to consumers and already allows them to trade and hold cryptocurrencies in its digital wallets. "I think they [PayPal] acknowledged the [crypto and blockchain] technology's useful and they need to provide services otherwise they'll be disrupted," said Jonathon Miller, the head of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken in Australia.
"You can use third-party providers to allow for bitcoin payments on your website, but PayPal already has an integration with many merchants. They're in a fantastic position to expand on the methods of payment that are available within their network."
Mr Miller said bitcoin's primary utility was as a store of value akin to digital gold, but other cryptocurrencies could reach payment networks sooner than expected. "Broadening out from bitcoin, cryptocurrency in general is going to provide us utility in internet money. There's no way to deny that," he said.
The widespread and dramatically accelerated adoption of QR codes in Australia as a result of COVID-19 is an example of how the future of payments and money could change rapidly, according to Mr Miller.
A QR code on a user's mobile phone transmits information to instruct an app like Alipay how much money to send where as payment.
"That's how a lot of these payment tools work in the bitcoin world – it's QR codes, which is a super-modern way of making payments," said Mr Miller.
"In Australia businesses like Livenpay have QR code payment with some merchants at restaurants. They even have a cryptocurrency payments service as well. So they've got their own crypto which you can use to pay for meals at participating merchants.
"Everyone's more familiar with a QR code than ever before. I would be surprised if we don't see more QR code payment options in Australia."
In 2018 privately held US payments disrupter Stripe publicly quit supporting bitcoin as a payment method. The fintech tipped to launch a near $US100 billion ($130 billion) IPO in 2021 complained bitcoin's transaction confirmation times had risen substantially and become too long, with fees rising to levels equivalent to bank wires.
If a transaction from money to bitcoin is much longer than an instant, the volatile bitcoin price means it will end up transmitting for the "wrong" amount.
"Bitcoin is open-source technology. There are solutions being proposed to provide faster settlement and micro-transaction layers," said Mr Miller.
"Blockchain and cryptocurrencies have been built to be a powerful alternative to micro payments and for native internet digital transactions, rather than relying on third-party payment processors."
This meant in the future consumers and merchants could transact directly without the need for a payment processor if the merchant was willing to hold a cryptocurrency directly, alongside the consumer, he said.
Stripe has appointed former Bank of England and Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to its board and said it would look at Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin as alternative cryptos to support on its payments processing platform.
Tom writes and comments on markets including tech, crypto, software, small caps, banking, payments, and regulation. He worked in asset management at Bank of New York Mellon and is a member of the CFA Society of the UK as an IMC graduate. Connect with Tom on Twitter. Email Tom at tom.richardson@afr.com
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#EpicFail: Jay-Z's TIDAL, Misguided Millionaires & Cocky Consumers
Music streaming service TIDAL launched March 30th
Somewhere between Sunday night (March 29) and early Monday afternoon, thousands of social media users changed their profile pictures to splashes of turquoise blue and trending #TIDALforALL simply because their music faves (like Beyonce`, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West) did it and/or told them to. People were literally talking of revolutions, movements and change, knowing nothing more than Jay-Z purchased a music streaming service from a Swedish company called Aspiro (which technically was underway back in January). Some didn't even know that much. That was the first eye-roll I had for this news; people are so quick to bandwagon. They knew nothing, but were on board. Groupthink, blind allegiance and stupid human behavior aside, I looked forward to hearing more because given the acquisition and who was involved, I assumed TIDAL would be an awesome, artist-friendly answer to similar services like Spotify, that have been criticized for giving a severely small financial return to the artists they feature (I was partially right, but more on that in a moment). Heightening the hype was this dramatic, star-studded trailer (a freaking trailer; one that seemed ridiculous after the so-called roll-out), building up to the March 30th press conference where all would be revealed and all questions would be answered. We were on the cusp of "turning the tide and making music history;" it was "the beginning of the new world," as West touted on Twitter. We all know how Yeezy can exaggerate.
Then, a funny thing happened on the way to innovation. Funny as in weird, not funny haha. Jay-Z and his Justice League of recording artists (including Madonna and Rihanna) signed a declaration (that no one saw the text of), said little and then dipped. The conference was short and horribly bereft of information. The central additional thing we learned was that TIDAL is artist-owned (equity stake was offered) and "combines the best high fidelity sound quality, high definition music videos and expertly curated editorial" for $9.99 and $19.99 (for uncompressed CD quality sound) a month. So...does every subscription dime go to the artists? Is there a significant difference in audio between the subscription options? How large is TIDAL's catalog? Who shot J.R.? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a lollipop? Hardly anything was answered and based on what was told, TIDAL was a shockingly unremarkable, more expensive (a negative consumer buzz word) service. "The new world" was a duplicate of the old one, except artists (who so happened to be wealthy) benefitted more this time and consumers (who aren't wealthy) would have less money in their wallet should they break away from pirating and free streaming. Finance and technology blogs pointed out the unoriginal interface and what seemed to be a flawed business model (using the word 'seemed' because, again, few details) where audience gains would be few and the company's bottom line is just as weak as its competitor's (Jay-Z's response to this is interesting; I'll be getting to it). Just as critical, but far more cutting was the reaction from consumers. Due to the piss-poor presentation of the conference, Jay-Z and crew came off like a bunch of elitist, arrogant, greedy millionaires begging for more money at the expense of fans. #TidalForAll quickly became #TidalForNoOne on social media; people were throwing tomatoes and the well-intentioned "movement" where artists get the income they deserve from their own work in the streaming world versus industry executives and suits, was massively misperceived.
Rock&Rant: Hip-Hop Killed R&B
"Hoes Ain't Loyal" is R&B?
Rock & Rant-When I need to quickly rant about music.
In November 2012, I did a "Rock&Rant" marking my observation that the genre of R&B as we knew it had fallen into a dangerous, uninspired extinction ozone, merely hinting at potential causes. I left the article open because I wanted to hear everyone else's thoughts, but after reading "Why Has R&B Become So Misogynistic?" by Vibe's Michael Arceneaux and listening to the R&B farce that was Trey Songz's new album, Trigga (see my review here), I'm ready to name the culprit: hip-hop. Hip-hop music (inadvertently) killed R&B.
In the late 1990's and early 2000's, hip-hop was establishing itself as the pop music of America and began to leave its mark with other genres. Even country music had to get a taste (ex. Trace Adkins "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"). Once hip-hop emerged (originating in the 1980's), it wasn't long before R&B was synonymous with it, mainly because of color-coding and racism. In spite of this, R&B long maintained its own distinction, but on the way to Oz, it got lost. Other genres that trendily attached hip-hop sustained their genesis and foundation, but mainstream R&B eventually allowed theirs to nearly collapse. These days, you almost can't tell the difference between an R&B and hip-hop hit: every other song has a rap verse and, increasingly, the harder-driven rhythms, abrasive language and content, misogyny and incensed detachment often heard in hip-hop are becoming common threads in R&B; a genre once characterized by seductively smooth, bluesy and soulful sensuality. The shift I'm describing is lucidly exemplified on the aforementioned Trey Songz record. By the end of it, I yelled "This is not R&B!!" The definitive "I love you more than life itself," "haven't been able to sleep since you left" and "close the door and let's revel in our passion" statements were replaced with "These hoes going to do what they want…F*** them all the time, but you know I never wife them…I swear these hoes trifling (that's not an affronting double standard at all)," "If you ain't the type of b**** talking about relationships, hit me up on that late night s***," "All we do is f***, drink and sleep" and violent sexual analogies. I thought R&B was supposed to be enticing. I thought R&B was the home of baby-makers, begging pleas, broken moments and wedding playlist jams.
R&B has died and its fan support is wavering because it has isolated its audience and forfeited its personality, charm and quality and become a watered down sub-genus of hip-hop. It's unrecognizable. It doesn't know what it is anymore. How can you speak when you have no voice? Some might argue that like any other genre, R&B has various stylistic periods and this is just another phase. The concerning difference, however, is that this phase has too much likeness to an already existing base. Strip it down and the only thing that makes it R&B is that it's sung. As a fan, it bothers (and surprises) me that I can't get through even a Kelly Rowland album without hearing multiple expletives, and it's not even from a featured rapper! Charting top 5 songs have f*** right in the chorus. The sexual representations are tacky, impulsive and lack craft and wit. Sex is now a means to an individually hedonistic end. Further signifying the identity crisis is that even the modern break-offs are fairly bereft of R&B. The burgeoning "Alternative R&B" (AKA PBR&B and Futuristic R&B; ex. Frank Ocean) has thoughtful and tender lyrics, but no musical traits of "rhythm and blues," and computerized and electronic effects. It's arguably only branded as R&B because the artists are predominately black, which goes back to color-coding.
Don't get me wrong, hip-hop has its value and I'm all for genre-mixing: it brings communities together and exposes people to styles they may not have listened to before. This outcome is most likely to occur though when there's a balance and each side stays true to its defining basis. These "Hoes Ain't Loyal."
Why MTV Doesn't Play Videos Anymore
My brother showed this to me and I HAD to post it; it's ridiculous the amount of truth that lies within it, despite it being satire. For those of you born before 1995: I warn you....you WILL feel ancient and slightly ashamed after watching this. You'll also realize that even if MTV were to indeed be a music video station again, they wouldn't play the stuff we want to hear or see anyhow. I read a while back that part of the reason for the lack of video play on MTV is because research indicates people are more likely to watch commercials during reality programming than videos. Reality programming that everyone complains about, but still watches somehow. The commentary on budgets is also interesting. Music piracy has more of a murdering effect than I think most realize. Just check the clip out.
What it Costs to Make a Hit
Hit Team: T. Stewart, Rihanna & The Dream
Many recording artists like Kelly Clarkson, Robin Thicke and Beyonce` have complained about record label executives dictating album material and emphasizing the importance of "making a hit" for their financial gain. This isn't a new or unheard of concept, but what's surprising is how much labels spend to increase their chances of having a "hit smash." According to a report by NPR.org, record labels design "writing camps," where the hottest writers and producers are recruited to gather and crank out songs over a given period. Producers show up with their arsenal of pre-made tracks, and the summoned writers either pen lyrics based on what they've heard right then or fit already-written material to the track. After the music and lyrics are married (in some cases via demo), record executives/or the recording artist choose what songs they like best. Once the songs are selected for studio recording, a vocal producer (or the song's producer) meets with the artist to execute. Fast forward through a couple of board meetings, listening meetings, legalities, final mastering and album photo-shoots, and you have a finished product ready to go on shelves (that's the abridged, nutshell version of the remaining process). Pulling from NPR's estimates, a label is liable to shell out $35,000 per song to pay both writers and producers and then another $15,000 for a vocal producer. Studio costs per day can be up to $25,000 and final mixing and mastering costs around $10,000.
The next major step in "manufacturing a hit" is promotion and radio/music-video play, which can vary in cost. In regards to radio, payola, the illegal practice of offering payment for broadcasting, is still an active part of airwave promotion. To avoid getting busted by the law, money may not blatantly exchange direct hands, but insiders take advantage of having acquaintances in radio, if not for making some new "friends." Most stations purport that playlists are now based on audience market research results, but some still question broadcast practices. Promotional costs (which can include the artist's air fare, advertisement spots, etc.) can reach up to 1 million. With this type of expensive bill, I imagine record labels get testy when singles like Rihanna's "Man Down," which is anticipated to be a smash, under-perform. Artists generally don't see a dime from their own record sales until the label has recouped all of their expenditures. In the event that the finances are not returned, an artist may be indebted to the record label, get released from their contract or dropped. Sometimes artists get bogusly blamed for under-performance, particularly if they've had artistic input. On one season of MTV's "Making the Band," P. Diddy implied to Donny Klang that his single at the time wasn't taking off because he wasn't promoting it enough himself.
My beef with these camp systems is that they kill the existence of custom-made quality songs. The tracks aren't built around the lyrics and the lyrics aren't built around the artist. That sucks all the heart and soul out of the music. How can you expect for an artist to perform a song with feeling when all they did was come in and record what someone else molded together? Artists who gain more creative control and input can add a personal touch, but even those with producing or writing prowess like Robin Thicke, get their neck stepped on by label associates who are only concerned with the financial end; as if quality music won't bring in quality dollars (some make the argument that only shallow music garners the big bucks, but those who make quality music have longevity and generate dollars more consistently). Thicke stated in a magazine interview that exec Jimmy Iovine told him that they would have to hand out narcolepsy pills with "The Evolution of Robin Thicke" and wanted the singer to "make Billie Jean" and reshape the project. As it was, "The Evolution" ended up making Thicke a household name, despite Iovine's predictions.
Camp systems also allow room for producers and writers to be lazy and not give their best. Heavily requested because they're "the hottest producer (or writer) out there," they try to meet the high demand, which can lead to the same tracks and lyrics being rearranged, matched and reused to save time. If two songs sound similar, it's likely that the same person produced it. The record label just paid $35,000 for a song that's essentially recycled. Hmph. Song recycling and recruitment of the same 5 popular hit-makers ultimately leads to redundancy in mainstream music and fatigued listeners, who feel that much less inspired to legally purchase music. If listeners don't feel like a song or album is worth their dime and they don't pull out their wallet, record label income reduces and the artists make even less. Writing camps are designed to make bank for record labels and save time, but one could argue they do anything but.
Beat an Album Leak--Jay-z Style
Yearly CD purchases have decreased steadily over the last decade, due in part to internet piracy. Music piracy is now so rampant, albums are leaking online long before their official release dates, ultimately affecting sales. Jay-z & Kanye West's collaborative record, "Watch the Throne," successfully hit the market on the planned date of August 8th without any mishaps, however. How did they avoid the leak? Well, according to RollingStone Magazine, having an exclusive release deal with ITunes and department store Best Buy was the key. Industry insiders have concluded that leaks tend to happen because copies of the finished product are stolen from manufacturing plants during shipping. "Throne" was released on Itunes August 8th and will be available at Best Buy on August 12th. By making the album initially available on Itunes only, no shipping is involved. If sales improve as result of this type of release plan, record labels are likely to mass implement it. While this plan seems like a dream come true for the industry, some fans and independent retailers oppose the design. Fans are concerned they may not be able to purchase physical copies if a specific store isn't available to them and independent retailers won't be able to sell and profit from anticipated albums. As a consumer, what do you think of exclusive release deals?
Divas Copying Divas
My latest Videoblog.
I said I would have an example of lazy music production, so here it is. The production team, StarGate, produced "With You" (Chris Brown) and "Irreplaceable" (Beyonce`). As you should be able to see in the following video, the tracks are VERY similar. Producers tweak a track JUST ENOUGH (i.e. speeding or slowing tempo, changing a chord, or adding an effect) to avoid complete duplication, but it's still obvious it's the same track. Also below is a comparison of the StarGate produced "Firework" (Katy Perry) and "Good Girl" (Alexis Jordan). SHAME.
Professionals Sounding Like Newbies
So, I'm listening to the new Usher record, "Raymond vs. Raymond" and I get really irritated because almost every song sounds like a Chris Brown, Trey Songz, or Omarion throw away. It was like whatever songs didn't make the cut for their albums made it on Usher's. Instead of sounding like the artist that influenced Chris Brown & etc, he's sounding just like them. After 16 years in the industry, he's sounding like someone who's been in it for 6.
I saw Christina Aguilera's video for "Not Myself Tonight." While the sexual antics in the video were not surprising, the sound of the song was. "Futuristic" techno dance pop (ex. Lady Gaga) is currently popular, and "Not Myself Tonight" fits that mold. In Christina's 12 years an artist, I've never seen her be such a conformist. Her albums (in their entirety) are always vastly different in some way from her counterparts' projects. If "Tonight" is a reflection of how the "Bionic" album will sound, I will be disappointed; as it will be falling in line with not only Aguilera's counterparts, but the newer generation of pop artists as well. "Rolling Stone" magazine hinted at this idea, saying that the "Tonight" single sounded like it could be from Gaga's "The Fame Monster" or an outtake from Britney Spears' "Blackout."
Destiny's Child's Kelly Rowland has out new material (her next album will be her first under a new record label/management) that also has a techno-pop feel to it. In Kelly's case, it's not so much that she's doing dance music that's the issue. The problem is that the songs "Smooches" and "Commander" (the officially released single) completely lack substance; the lyrics have no point. Again, if the singles are indicative of what the completed album will sound like, we won't have an artistic or masterful product. The music is catchy and will probably get her some attention, but that's what new artists do. Put out catchy, pointless songs to get attention and sell a couple of records. An artist who has been in the industry for 13 years shouldn't sound like a new artist.
I'm seeing a pattern in music where older, more established artists are musically conforming to whatever is currently popular, resembling the sound of newer artists. This is a problem to me.
You can't become an icon going backwards. As you progress as an artist and have some years under your belt, you set the standard and the tone for those who come behind you. I'm not sure what the industry horizon is going to look like if artists keep regressing.
I also see this pattern as a problem because the fans who have been following the established artists are going to feel abandoned/or frustrated. They listen to these specific artists because they relate to and identify with them. They are the artists that they have matured with. If the artists have a regressive sound, the fans now have to go elsewhere to find music they can enjoy (if they can find it). If fans have to go elsewhere, the artist loses their primary fan base, and that can be detrimental to the artist's future success.
Who's to blame for this and why is this happening?
Well, this typically happens because an artist is trying to stay relevant or popular. As far as blame is concerned, it could be both the recording artist and their record label. The artist may feel it necessary to sound like a newer artist to stay afloat, or their record label may be requiring that of them. Either way, if this is about staying relevant, regressing is NOT the answer. Like I mentioned before, you run the risk of losing your primary fan base when you do that. Furthermore, it sometimes comes off desperate, gimmicky or like a cheap trick and the new sound or persona is just not believable.
A lot of these artists who came out during the 90's are in an interesting position. They're at a crossroads point in their careers. They'll either take the path to greatness and become full-grown icons, or they'll just be fairly relevant or dissipate. They've now been around long enough to where they have SOME respect and control of their careers, but they're still young enough to have to play by the current industry rules and meet certain expectations. Cards have to be played right, and steps have to be taken carefully. All I know is that regression is definitely not the answer. Take the case of Madonna. In my opinion, it's not a coincidence that in comparison to her previous, platinum albums, her latest album "Hard Candy" only went gold. "Hard Candy" featured the production stylings of Justin Timberlake and Timbaland; artists the generation BENEATH Madonna's. The material on "Hard Candy" could have easily been on a Nelly Furtado or a Britney Spears record. Moral to the story, sounding like the kids under you doesn't work.
The State of The Music: Gimmicks, Aging, Marketing & Consumers
Yet another blog were I talk about multiple semi-related things and hope it makes sense LOL.
I was reading a XXL magazine (hip-hop music) feature on Jay-Z (if you don't like him, don't stop reading- this post is about the music industry in general), and he said several things during his interview in relation to hip-hop that I thought could be applied to the music industry in general.
Gimmicks, Patterns, Formulas and Trends.
Jay was making the point that hip-hop has taken over mainstream music and culture and it runs the risk of losing its position to other genres as things have been become rather predictable and generic in terms of style and sound. "When a trend becomes a gimmick, it's time to get rid of it…I saw everyone, because it was successful, following one path…We're going to open the door for another genre of music. Same way when rock was doing hair metal, it opened the door even wider for hip-hop to come through and put rock in trouble for 10 years or more. Right now, a lot of indie bands are coming out, making rock more interesting...You keep messing around, making generic music, people are going to start turning off one at a time."
This idea can be applied to the whole industry. In the music industry, it has long been a practice to massively reproduce any one thing that's a success (i.e. a particular sound or trend like extreme auto-tune or blonde hair). It's considered a smart business practice, but in regards to art, it makes things redundant. Over the last ten years, the "practice" has turned into religion: EVERYTHING is being recycled and reproduced. This is the reason why so many new artists aren't lasting; they're designed to deliver a recycled gimmick, make some quick money for the recording label, then disappear. This is reason why the same "heavyweight" artists don't have any competition and continue to dominate. We as consumers have to get smarter to improve music. The record labels count on us being stupid enough to buy the same thing over and over, and unfortunately, we often are. For example, we already know that everything with auto-tune sold like hotcake. Or take the songs "Irreplaceable" (Beyonce`), "With You" (Chris Brown) and "Tattoo" (Jordin Sparks). All 3 have a very similar drum and acoustic guitar pattern (It's no coincidence; they were all produced by Stargate. They changed the same track just enough for them to not be identical). All 3 songs sold like hotcake. We bought the same song THREE times. This "smart" business practice to recycle/reproduce will no longer be smart if we stop buying into it.
Aging in the Industry and Marketing.
In regards to marketing and being criticized for being a nearly 40 year old rapper Jay said: "I think people should make music as long as their heart is in it….If the target market is 15 to 25, that's too narrow. What am I going to listen to at 26 and beyond? That's a quarter of my life…We have to expand the genre. I would love to listen to hip-hop all day...everyone is speaking to the kids, thinking that's the key to success…it's the lack of growth that will keep us in certain place…you have those guys who are 35 years old trying to make "LOL smiley face", competing with Soulja Boy."
Again, his ideas are relevant to the entire music industry. Whatever the genre, once you turn 40, people treat you like you should disappear and stop putting out music. Music is an art and a form of expression. So, what, if you're 40, you're too old to express yourself? And if music is who you are, I guess you should stop being who you are. It's disgusting how we discard artists after years of great music just because we think they're too old to love music. A couple of different crappy things happen to you when you get older in the industry. If the record label keeps you around, they try to "update" your sound and make you "current" to compete with Soulja Boy (which just makes you look stupid). OR, if they let you keep your old sound, they barely promote you. You lose either way, because the audience ends up not buying your record.
Furthermore, in regards to the target market ALWAYS being 15 to 25, Jay is so right. What do you listen to at 26 when nothing relates to you? Why focus on one target audience? Focusing on one target audience is another practice that's considered "smart", but to me, it's really stupid. Why milk one cow, when you can milk two (In this case getting money from more than one fan base)? Is the music industry A.D.D.? It seems as if currently, there is a pattern of doing one thing at a time. An artist will explore one genre at a time, target one fan base type at a time, either have an "artistic" album or a "commercial" album, or be JUST a great dancer or JUST a great singer. Yet, ironically, in order to have longevity, an artist must be multifaceted, multitalented and multitask.
The "one at a time" approach to marketing may make QUICK dollars for music execs, but it does nothing for the artist. It cuts their longevity short. For example, with focusing on just one fan base at a time, you alienate whoever you're not focusing on. This will keep an artist from building a fan base that follows them long term. An artist will NEVER have the complete package doing one thing at a time, and therefore will get lost in the dust. But the record execs don't care whether the artist lasts or not, even though the longer an artist lasts (and is successful), the longer they'll make money for them. And yet, the execs are supposed to be the smart ones….
Consumers.
MUSIC SUCKS RIGHT NOW. What the hell can we do about it? We can be smarter consumers. It may SEEM like the execs run everything, but the truth is, we DRIVE the industry. We DICTATE the market. We ARE the market. What we buy helps them decide what products to create. For example, if we all bought ONLY oranges, fruit sellers would stop selling apples and only oranges. In music, if we ONLY bought Mariah Carey albums, then they would fashion all artists after her to try to get us to buy it. When it comes to purchasing music, only buy what you want to see more of.
#2, stop falling for the record execs' games and gimmicks. Don't be so shallow as to fall for someone with great looks, but doesn't have a great voice. Don't play into publicity stunts, gossip and hype. Stop listening to music that you feel is "just ok." Don't tolerate "just ok." Raise the bar. Only buy what you think is "amazing." Own your power as a consumer.
The State of Music Today and The 2009 BET Awards
The 2009 BET Awards dedicated their entire show to the memory of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, with tribute performances, special segments and a closing statement by Michael's youngest sister, Janet. The next morning, many in media and forum were criticizing the show, saying that the tribute was lackluster and insufficient, among other things. I thought that any criticism of their tribute was unwarranted and ridiculous, considering they had to REFORMAT an ENTIRE show in 3 days. Some stations might have cancelled their award show, or just "sprinkled" mentions of Michael in. Brava, BET for of course caring enough to try your hardest and working with what you had to try to do him justice. Not to mention that they showed more tribute programming than MTV did in these last several days following Michael's untimely death.
Surprisingly enough, the show was not somber. Channeling New Orleans memorial tradition, the mood was upbeat and a tender celebration of the memories Michael left us with. Host Jamie Foxx did an AMAZING job of showing respect to the legacy of Michael, having enough comedic twist that was not satirical of Jackson, but kept people laughing. The mood swiftly changed, however, when Janet Jackson appeared. Seemingly holding back tears, taking breath by breath, Janet gave a brief statement: "My entire family wanted to be here tonight…but it was just too painful, so they elected me to speak with all of you and I'm going to keep it very short. I'd just like to say that to you, Michael is an icon. To us, Michael is family, and he will forever live in all of our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love. Thank you for all of your support. We miss him so much. Thank you so much." With her father in the audience and a childhood photo of herself and Michael in the background, Janet bravely addressed the audience and the fans watching across the country. When I heard that Michael was gone, one of the 1st things that I thought was "God help this family. Everyone else is in their own grief right now, but nothing we feel compares to what this family is feeling. We lost our star, but there are children without a father, siblings without a brother, and a mother without her baby right now. Who cares what I feel…" I was glad to see Janet somewhat echo that sentiment and reminds us all that Michael, amidst all the magic, was indeed human, with a human family who was really grieving and we all just needed to take a step back for a second and acknowledge that. Following Janet's speech, and thus closing the show was a piano performance of "I'll Be There" by Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo.
There were performances by…..let me see if I can remember…. Ciara, Jay-z, Ne-Yo, Keri Hilson, Maxwell, Beyonce`….Jamie Foxx (of course) …and……..yeah, I'm going to have to check out the performers list to remember the rest, which is telling. I watched this award show with several of my friends and family, and the talent, or lack thereof, started a really interesting conversation about the state of the music industry today. I was making the argument that in current mainstream pop and R&B there are TOO MANY MEDIOCRE artists. Artists that are "just ok", lack versatility, lack substance, and are talented in only one or two areas instead of many. One of the women in the room said that today's artists are not "masters of their craft" and you don't get a sense from them that they are "striving for excellence or growth." One of the people my age responded to that by saying "well, this person isn't supposed to be a "singer", they're just a dancer." They're not supposed to be a GREAT performer." I sat back in awe of that comment. When in the heck did we just start ACCEPTING this ish?
Throughout the night, they defended poor live performances with statements like "His song DOES lack substance, but it's not supposed to be deep. I mean, sure, it would be nice if her voice was stronger and his song had a real meaning. I would definitely like it better if we had more strong performers in music, but that's just how it is right now."
WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?? This is the music of OUR generation- the music they will DEFINE US by when we're older. This is the stuff that will go on compilation albums in future decades. If you don't really like it, and you know it could be better (hence the "better if we had more strong performers") why are you buying it? The music industry is oversaturated with mediocrity because YOU (the consumer) keep supporting and buying it. Yes, the industry bigwigs and execs are the ones puttin' the music out, but they're only putting b.s. music out because people keep buying it.
With statements like "that's just how it is", my friends left me with the impression that they feel the market is something they have no influence over. We have more control as consumers than we think. With the recording industry, the power is split down the middle between the consumers and the bigwigs. If we stop buying this B.S. they'll stop selling it. If we buy only from the Robin Thicke's, the Alicia Keys' , the Common's, The Pink's, the Paramore's, the John Mayer's, or whoever you like, the b.s. will reduce. B.S. will ALWAYS exist, but the key is to REDUCE it. It's okay to have a Britney Spears type artist here and there, but there are way too many in the room right now. During our parents' generation, EVERY OTHER artist was a consummate performer. It kinda went something like this: Beatles, then mediocre artist, The Jackson 5, then mediocre artist, Rolling Stones, mediocre artist, Tina Turner, mediocre artist, so forth and so on. Now, it's like Alicia Keys, 7 mediocre artists, Coldplay, 7 mediocre artists, etc. NOT ACCEPTABLE. I'm encouraging and challenging you guys to care about the art of music (which you claim to care about) long enough to stop supporting the ringtone rap, the fruitless pop, and the soul-less R&B, so we can take back OUR music. I want something to pass on to my children, like my parents passed on Sam Cooke to me.
I'm tired of the b.s.
And don't tell me to dig up neo-soul, Christian contemporary, or some other alternative genre. I've had people suggest that and say "well, you must not want to hear "real" music bad enough then, if you don't want to get in to neo-soul." BULL CRAP! Why should I have to change genres? I don't like neo-soul (at least not all of it). I like pop and R&B (I'm pretty eclectic, but those are the genres I listen to the most) and I want good pop and R&B to listen to! I am determined to have the big wigs listen to me because after all, they don't have an industry without money and they don't have money without me (the consumer). It's time you start catering to me, Clive Davis. TAKE BACK YOUR MUSIC CONSUMERS!


text:
Q: How to populate in 3 collection in mongoDB with Mongoose I have three collections such as User, Program, and `Agenda. Those models as follows.
User Model
const mongoose = require('mongoose');

const UserSchema = mongoose.Schema({
    name: {type:String},
    email: {type:String}
},{timestamps:true
}
);

module.exports = mongoose.model('User', UserSchema);

Program Model
const mongoose = require('mongoose');

const NoteSchema = mongoose.Schema({
    name: {type:String},
    timefrom: {type:Date},
    timeto: {type:Date},
    status: {type:String},
    venue: {type:String},
    timetype: {type:Number},
    userid:{type:mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,ref : 'User', required: true},
    logo :{type:String,default: 'programe'}
},{timestamps:true
});

module.exports = mongoose.model('Program', NoteSchema);

Agenda Model
const mongoose = require('mongoose');

const AgendaSchema = mongoose.Schema({
    name: {type:String},
    timefrom: {type:Date},
    timeto: {type:Date},
    status: {type:String},
    proorder: {type:String},
    proid:{type:mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId,ref : 'Program', required: true}
},
{timestamps:true}
);

module.exports = mongoose.model('Agenda', AgendaSchema);

Now I only get agenda and program data only.
Agenda Controller
// Retrieve and return all agenda from the database.
exports.findAll = (req, res) => {

    Agenda.find()
    .populate('proid')
    //.populate('userid')

    .then(agendas => {
        res.send(agendas);
    }).catch(err => {
        res.status(500).send({
            message: err.message || "Some error occurred while retrieving agenda."
        });
    });
};

When I go to this URL and GET method I want to populate agenda document(done), related program document(done) and related user document(this I want)?
The wanted query as like this
SELECT *
FROM users, programs, agendas
WHERE agendas.proid = programs.id AND programs.userid = users.id

A: You can either use $lookup aggregation
Agenda.aggregate([
  { "$lookup": {
    "from": Program.collection.name,
    "let": { "proid": "$proid" },
    "pipeline": [
      { "$match": { "$expr": { "$eq": [ "$_id", "$$proid" ] } } },
      { "$lookup": {
        "from": User.collection.name,
        "let": { "userid": "$userid" },
        "pipeline": [
          { "$match": { "$expr": { "$eq": [ "$_id", "$$userid" ] } } },
        ],
        "as": "userid"
      }},
      { "$unwind": "$userid" }
    ],
    "as": "proid"
  }},
  { "$unwind": "$proid" }
])

Or with populate
Agenda.find()
  .populate([{ path: 'proid', populate: { path: 'userid' }}])

Both will give you the same result

A: You can use .populate() and { populate : { path : 'field' } }.
Example:
Agenda.find().                    //Collection 1
        populate({path:'proid',   //Collection 2
        populate:{path:'userid'   //Collection 3
        }})
    .exec();

After the 4 collection, you need to identify the model, if it can't be wrong
Example:
    Agenda.find().                                    //Collection 1
        populate({path:'proid',                       //Collection 2
        populate:{path:'userid',                      //Collection 3
        populate:{path:'otherFiel', model: Collection //Collection 4 and more
        }}})
    .exec();

And to finish, if you want get only some fields of some Collection, you can use the propiertie select
Example:
Agenda.find().
        populate({path:'proid', select:'name status venue'
        populate:{path:'userid'
        }})
    .exec();


text:
Catalyntje MartenseAge: 34 years1614–1648
Catalyntje Martense
Catalyntje
Martense
Marriage Cornelis Maasen Van Buren — View this family
#1 Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren
Note: On Ship "Renesslearwick"
Death of a husband Cornelis Maasen Van Buren
Papsknee, New York, USA
Family with Cornelis Maasen Van Buren - View this family
Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren
Cornelis Maasen Van Buren
Birth: about 1612 — Buren, Gelderland, NETHERLANDS
Death: April 1, 1648 — Papsknee, New York, USA
Birth: about 1614 — NETHERLANDS
Marriage: about 1635 — NETHERLANDS
Elizabeth Van Slyck
Gerritie Henderickse Van Buren
Maritje Hendrickse Van Buren
Birth: January 30, 1637 25 23
Death: Albany, New York, USA
Catalyntje Martense was born about 1614 in NETHERLANDS and died on April 8, 1648 in Papsknee, New York, USA. She married Cornelis Maasen Van Buren about 1635 in NETHERLANDS. He was born about 1612 in Buren, Gelderland, NETHERLANDS and died on April 1, 1648 in Papsknee, New York, USA.
Children of Catalyntje Martense and Cornelis Maasen Van Buren:
Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren (1637–)
Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren, son of Cornelis Maasen Van Buren and Catalyntje Martense, was born on January 30, 1637 and died in Albany, New York, USA. He married Elizabeth Van Slyck about 1664 in New York, USA. She was born about 1639 and died in New York, USA.
Children of Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren and Elizabeth Van Slyck:
Gerritie Henderickse Van Buren (1665–)
Maritje Hendrickse Van Buren (1667–1712)
Gerritie Henderickse Van Buren, daughter of Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren and Elizabeth Van Slyck, was born about 1665 in Albany, New York, USA and died in New York, USA. She married Jacob Jacobse Schermerhorn, son of Jacob Janse Schermerhorn and Jannetje Segers Van Voorhoudt, about 1684 in Albany, , New York. He was born about 1662 in Albany, New York, USA and died on June 10, 1740 in Schodack, New York, USA.
Maritje Hendrickse Van Buren, daughter of Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren and Elizabeth Van Slyck, was born about 1667 in New York, USA and died about 1712 in Albany, New York, USA. She married Cornelis Jacobse Schermerhorn, son of Jacob Janse Schermerhorn and Jannetje Segers Van Voorhoudt, on January 21, 1695 in Albany, , New York. He was born about 1668 in Beverwyck, New York, USA and died after 1722 in New York, USA.
Children of Maritje Hendrickse Van Buren and Cornelis Jacobse Schermerhorn:
Jacob Cornelis Schermerhorn (1696–1761)
Hendrick Schermerhorn (1699–1700)
Hendrick Schermerhorn (1701–)
Cornelius C. Schermerhorn (1705–1766)
Lysbeth Schermerhorn (1707–)
Jannetje Schermerhorn (1710–)
Family with Cornelis Maasen Van Buren
Catalyntje Martense(1614–1648)
Cornelis Maasen Van Buren1635
Hendrick Cornelis Van Buren(1637–)


text:
Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924
Ministers to be corporations sole and to have certain powers.
2.—(1) Each of the Ministers, heads of the respective Departments of State mentioned in Section 1 of this Act, shall be a corporation sole under his style or name aforesaid (which may be lawfully expressed with equal validity and effect whether in the Irish Language or in its English equivalent as set out in the preceding section), and shall have perpetual succession and an official seal (which shall be officially and judicially noticed), and may sue and (subject to the fiat of the Attorney-General having been in each case first granted) be sued under his style or name aforesaid, and may acquire, hold and dispose of land for the purposes of the functions, powers or duties of the Department of State of which he is head or of any branch thereof.
(2) The Executive Council shall on the recommendation of the Minister appoint the principal officer of each of the said Departments and each of the said Ministers may appoint such other officers and servants to serve in the Department of which he is the head, as such Minister may, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, determine, but every appointment made under this sub-section shall be subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1923 (No. 35 of 1923) or of any Act for the time being in force replacing or amending that Act.
(3) The terms and conditions of appointment of all officers and servants appointed by any Minister shall be prescribed by the Minister for Finance and there shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, or if there be any fund properly applicable by law to such payment, then out of such fund to such officers and servants such salaries or remunerations as the Minister for Finance may from time to time determine.
(4) The expenses of each of the Departments of State established under this Act, to such amount as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.


I know I know, this outfit doesn't seem very statement to some, but in my opinion when it comes to my own personal style a few of these items on their own would be a statement piece for me, so throwing it into the mix and putting them together is a big one! Plus, we took these images on christmas day so I was feeling extra sparkly and nice, hence why I've brought out this amazing silver skirt of dreams.
I have featured this skirt before on my Ace Of Spades outfit post (oh god I am thankful for hair growth, that awkward length) but I couldn't resist it again. The reason I love it so much is mainly because I'm a sucker for pleated midi skirts, and because my inner magpie thought this was perfect for the festivities. I love wearing it with a baggy band tee tucked in, for this outfit I am wearing my all time favourite AC/DC top but you can't tell too much, and it was unfortunately too cold to take the jacket off.
If you don't follow me on social media you may have missed me low key freaking out that my boyfriend Daniel got me a pair of platform Vans which I was eyeing up for ages, but was waiting for my Christmas wage to come through so I could buy them. I love how they give a relaxed feel to the outfit but still look really nice with it! I apologise in advance for these slightly taking over my outfit posts, lets see if they take over my beloved Dr Martens Jadon boots which have featured in the vast majority of my posts since I bought them, not even sorry.
Lets get on to what I am calling the main feature of the outfit, this a-m-a-z-i-n-g faux leather jacket. I only own one and it has floral patterns embroidered on it so I wanted something a little different, which then came to this bad boy going into the sale! It has small metal ring holes dotted all over it and little heart shaped studs which are so cute. I was willing to buy this jacket solely based off of this, and then I saw the back detailing. Which is an embroidered/embellished bird design, it sort of gives off a 'biker jacket with a massive twist' feel to it, and I am digging it.
I must say, I feel so sassy in this outfit, finished off with a pair of fishnets and a baker boy cap means that this is 'me' all over but with added sparkle.