text:
Why You Shouldn't Use Email For File Transfer
By Tony Yang
LeapFILE, Inc. – Countless email messages are fired off worldwide everyday, and while the emails containing just text usually find their destination, things aren't so certain for emails carrying attachments. File-size caps, server hiccups, spam filters – all of these can derail an email as it tries to reach its destination.
The need to transfer business files will never go away; in fact, it will only become more critical. If a company wants to ensure safe and timely delivery of critical files, email isn't the answer. Here are the top five reasons why email shouldn't be used for file transfer.
#1: Email can't support large file attachments
#2: Updating email infrastructure can wreck IT budgets
#3: Large files mean slow systems
#4: Email systems aren't secure enough
#5: Email transfer is unreliable, untraceable, and can't be guaranteed
Reason #1: Email can't support large file attachments
The following scenario has played out in offices around the world countless times. At the end of the day, a dedicated employee finishes a large document or presentation, attaches the file in an email, and hits send. The file whisks away into cyberspace and the relieved employee goes home for the day -- only to see a bounce-back email in his inbox the next morning, along with frenetic messages asking where the file is. One company's email server might have a different attachment size limit from the destination server; thus, even though an internal email server will accept a file, it could still bounce back due to target restrictions. That unknown variable can be a great risk to business, especially during crunch time.
Even if they make it through, large files suck up significant storage space in several ways: in the recipient's inbox, in the sender's Sent folder, and in Trash/Deleted folders. This leads to over-quota problems, creating a chain reaction of logistical problems:
* Once an inbox is over quota, it will bounce back any messages sent to it, thus preventing critical communication.
* During this time, frantic IT support calls spike.
* The removal of old messages to free up storage space can result in the deletion of messages/files needed later on. When that happens, more calls are made to IT support.
From bounced-back emails to storage issues, just about everyone in the company is affected when large files are emailed. In the end, this winds up hurting the bottom line and costing staff productivity – something no business can afford to lose.
Reason #2: Updating email infrastructure can wreck IT budgets
When email becomes the default method for large file transfer, the problems in Reason #1 become inevitable. In order to keep email as the preferred file-transfer method, IT departments can pursue one (or both) of two options:
1. The IT department increases its active monitoring of the mail storage server, addressing issues and contacting appropriate employees when problems arise. Because business is a 24/7 global environment today, this requires continuous observation and analysis, pulling valuable resources away from other core tasks for troubleshooting, problem solving, and monitoring.
2. The IT department can spend more to upgrade hardware for increased mail storage requirements. However, a complete restructuring of email infrastructure comes with its own budget-busting price tag. The following table is a typical breakdown of hardware/software costs to support a Microsoft Exchange mailbox system:
Server Hardware: $4,000.00
Backup Domain Controller: $2,000.00
Exchange 2007 Server License: $699.00
Windows 2003 Server (5 Licenses): $999.00
Exchange 2007 Server Standard User Licenses: $67/user
Windows 2003 Server User Licenses: $40/user
Outlook 2007: $129/user
Anti-Virus: $15/user
BACKUP HARDWARE/SOFTWARE
Backup Server: $2,000.00
Backup Exec Software: $1,000.00
YEAR-ONE HARDWARE/SOFTWARE TOTAL: $10,698
YEAR-ONE LICENSING TOTAL: $251/user
That cost doesn't include other additional security options, such as encryption and notification/tracking.
Any way you look at the numbers, there's no getting around the fact that an entire infrastructure upgrade will be costly. Even when it gets up and running, the problems from Reason #1 will continue to accumulate over time.
Reason #3: Large files mean slow systems
Picture a three-lane highway with cars and trucks moving along at a fast pace. Now imagine what happens if an oversized truck barrels down the highway, taking up two lanes while flashing emergency lights. The whole freeway slows down; in some areas, traffic will totally stop until the truck passes by. Why? Because the infrastructure can't support something that large without disrupting the regular flow of traffic.
In that scenario, cars and trucks are regular emails and that oversized truck is a large attachment being sent through the email server. Email servers aren't designed to handle large file transfers, and the process of delivering those files slows down network traffic. In a best-case scenario, things temporarily slow down while the large file moves from Inbox A to Inbox B. In a worst-case scenario, the infrastructure can't handle the overload and the email server crashes. Imagine the likelihood and the risk of this happening in medium or large corporations with hundreds if not thousands of users, where mail servers are handling numerous message transactions at any given point in time.
There's a reason why email systems have a cap on file sizes. Simply put, email servers weren't meant to be file-transfer conduits. File-size limits are meant to ensure that the infrastructure never encounters anything it can't handle. These limits can be one of the most frustrating issues facing end users. With files increasing in size as applications become more advanced and complicated, the file-size safeguard becomes a hindrance to day-to-day business users, slowing down communication – or even grinding it to a halt.
Reason #4: Email systems aren't secure enough for today's business needs
Emails are routed over the public internet in clear text without any encryption. It's similar to carrying confidential papers in a see-through briefcase; if the wrong people look hard enough, they'll see exactly what you don't want them to see. With online security becoming more critical every day, company risk and employee liability are very real factors when dealing with private data.
Beyond encryption, other issues demonstrate the need for further security features not provided by standard email systems. With confidential information, it's imperative that the right person gets the file. Using an email application, this is performed simply by entering in an email address - and when programs auto-fill the wrong sender from an address book, one careless mistake can be devastating to a company's and its client's proprietary data.
In a situation like that, how can you actually tell that the email was sent to the wrong person? You could call the intended recipient to check to see if they got it or you could check your Sent folder to verify the address. In other words, no automated tracking and notification process exists for the end-user to control this.
From an IT perspective, how can the IT department centrally control and manage corporate communication when it comes to sending proprietary information? With email, this remains in the hand of the end-user, leaving critical files to the whim of hurried employees under deadline pressure.
Taking a further step back, the needs for encryption and security are starting to come from the rapid increase in government-sanctioned encryption/security and data privacy requirements...such as HIPAA, SOX, GLBA and various state-level data privacy breach notification laws. Legislation such as these acknowledge the growing reliance on online communication to expedite business and information sharing; yet at the same time, these acts create rigid standards that must be met by IT departments in their respective industries.
Reason #5: Email transfer is unreliable, untraceable, and can't be guaranteed
How many times does the question "Did you get my email?" get asked every day? When emails fail to arrive quickly, there could be any number of reasons - files sent as email attachments can be delayed or blocked due to server issues, the files could mistakenly be considered as a security threat or spam and thus sent into the junk folder, or the email may have been simply overlooked by the receiver because of the numerous emails bombarding us every day.
There's simply no way to tell when or if a file was downloaded, whether the download was successful, or when that download occurred. In addition, because email attachments have no tracking system to verify who receives them, proprietary information can be inadvertently exposed.
Each year, the size of application files grows bigger and bigger. At the same time, size and security restrictions increase due to a growing focus on confidentiality and protection. Ultimately, every passing day further antiquates the use of email for large file transfer.
Get this article in a downloadable e-book at http://www.leapfile.com/files/Resources/Top5ReasonsEmail.pdf.
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Popular Creative Collection plugin enhanced and available for all VST, AU, and AAX users.
developer of premium virtual instruments, announces availability of XPand!2 in VST, AU, and AAX formats. AIR Music Technology produced the original XPand! Instrument as part of the Creative Collection plugin package included with Avid™ Pro Tools™. Now, the latest version, XPand!2, is available on its own, providing a powerful music creation tool for any musician, sound designer, composer, or producer.
AIR Music Technology designed XPand!2 to operate as multitimbral music workstation. Each patch may contain up to four stereo parts. Each individual part is provided with its own MIDI channel, Note Range (Zone), Mix, Arpeggiation, Modulation, and Effects settings. The Voice Mode for each part can be set to polyphonic or monophonic. Polyphonic parts can have up to 64 voices; monophonic parts offer First, Last, Highest, or Lowest priority making it easy to designate a bass, lead, or solo instrument. As remarkable as each part may be on its own, fusing the four parts together to build one incredible Patch is where XPand!2 reveals its true power.
XPand!2 relies on a variety of sound creation technologies—everything from wavetables and FM synthesis to sample playback—to deliver thousands of patches created by the Air Music Technology sound design group. Sounds are conveniently sorted into categories for quick access. Editing a sound or creating new ones from scratch is simple. Six smart knobs deliver hands-on control of major parameters relating to the selected sound. In the Easy Mode, each of the six knobs now controls common parameters of all parts in a patch for rapid, on demand editing.
audio effects. The processors can be routed individually, or combined together in a "cascade mode" to create exciting new results.


Sir, its really nice !!
@ Aasiyah- Thanks for liking!
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@ Chintan- Treasure your remarks!
The promise of the unknown is always exciting.
Unknown is always exciting- agree with you, Purba!
waah :) the new look :D way to go...i love it.
Eyes ! The most intoxicating indeed ..
@Chintan-Thank you! You continue to inspire..
@ Crystal- Sincere thanks for nice words!
@Rahul- Thank you for liking this!
@ Lady Fiona-Thanks for your kind words!
@Kunal- Thanks you for liking this!


Love researching house footage or daydreaming about residence concepts? Think of Zillow Digs as a home-design-solely model of Pinterest. You may personalize the decor and renovation inspiration that seems upon opening the app by indicating your fashion preferences. You can then browse images organized by space, color, model, and project estimate, and save your favorites to in-app imaginative and prescient boards. The app additionally features a price estimator on all kitchen and bathtub photos.
I find myself picking this e book up time and again and use it as a supply of inspiration for decorating and arranging my house. I enjoyed the design tips from professionals including Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler and Nate Berkus. An excel Fantastic guide loaded with design ideas. The layout and sections are grouped around house measurement, fashion, rooms and extras with wonderful pictures. I particularly love the glimpse into actual homes and the combination of classic and trendy items with personal artwork and items.
The home next door blocked loads of mild to the room, so the designers embraced the darkness in the den with a deep mossy green wall color. A lightweight flooring and white ceiling preserve the room from feeling somber. For extra interior design ideas, tips and inspiration – take a look at the really useful posts below.
Cross-Section Slider with A number of Slicing Planes.
Hit refresh on all your condominium necessities by shopping our house decor sale part. The easiest way to steadiness out glossy lines and modern furniture is by adding just a few unique natural elements , from drift wood to greenery. "I do not like to go searching a house and never see touches from the outdoors," interior designer Tamara Magel says.
Flick thru our kitchen design, toilet design, bedroom design, and extra dwelling spaces to create a sanctuary no matter the room. By entering your e-mail deal with, you agree to receive Urban Outfitters presents, promotions, other commercial messages. You may view our Privacy Coverage here and chances are you'll unsubscribe at any time. To make creating your ground plan as easy as attainable, HomeByMe lets you import a scanned plan. Choose the scale and draw over it to obtain a precise reproduction of your residence or future dwelling.
That will put you out of enterprise pretty quick.
Browse through our kitchen design, lavatory design, bedroom design, and extra dwelling areas to create a sanctuary no matter the room. No reproductions or different use of those dwelling plans may be made without the categorical written consent of Richmond American Houses. A very good rug also can help to zone a dwelling space, making it really feel more intimate. Place the entrance legs of sofas and chairs on the rug, leaving the back legs off, to offer mismatched furnishings a more unified feel.
Hit refresh on all of your residence necessities by buying our dwelling decor sale section. Home house owners require wi-fi connectivity in their properties and builders are beginning to pre-set up Wi-Fi into new houses. Wi-Fi Alliance worked with the house building neighborhood to create a program that ensures their installations provide new properties with dependable, consistent coverage and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED tools to provide a turnkey, high efficiency Wi-Fi experience in the home.
An 18th-century Portuguese tile mural put in above the vary draws the eye, whereas a terra-cotta tile ground peppered with blue diamond-shaped tiles defines the space. IKEA furniture we love. A captivating ruffled valance of crimson-and-yellow checked cotton softens the curve of the big kitchen window.


text:
export { Position } from "source-map";
import { Position } from "source-map";
export { RawSourceMap } from "source-map";
import { JsonPath } from "../ref/jsonpath";
export interface PositionEnhancements {
    path?: JsonPath;
    length?: number;
    valueOffset?: number;
    valueLength?: number;
}
export declare type EnhancedPosition = Position & PositionEnhancements;
export declare type SmartPosition = Position | {
    path: JsonPath;
};
export interface Mapping {
    generated: SmartPosition;
    original: SmartPosition;
    source: string;
    name?: string;
}
export declare type Mappings = Array<Mapping>;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This was perhaps the most lopsided victory for Dartmouth against a team, which traditionally has been on equal footing with Dartmouth in terms of quality and intensity of the games between them. Taking nothing away from either of the teams, Dartmouth was able to perform both with the bat and ball, and the collective team performance ultimately shone through, and Amitavo had one more win under his belt as the captain of the Dartmouth College Cricket Club.
The last game of the 2008 season was anticipated for a long time for a number of reasons. Due to prevailing weather conditions in New England and team availability it was close to a month since we had played competitively. Also, Middlebury College has been the favorite hunting ground for the Dartmouth College Cricket Club. With facilities very similar to that of Dartmouth�s own, Dartmouth has strung together some impressive victories in recent times playing at Middlebury.
The game started auspiciously with Dartmouth winning the toss, and Amitavo promptly elected to bat first given the nature of the track and the form of the batsmen in the team. The Dartmouth team knew that if they could survive the opening bowlers, the lack of depth of Middlebury in the bowling department will be exposed, and it will be a run fest.
Govind was promoted to the spot of opening batsman based on his continued improvement in practices and previous games where he has showed constant application and improvement. Joining him for his first game of the season was Warren. Things didn�t start off smoothly for Dartmouth as Warren fell cheaply in one figure playing on a ball onto his stumps when he failed to anticipate the bounce as the ball skidded and hurried onto him. Next in was Prince, known for his raw explosive hitting power who can taking any frontline bowler to the cleaners with disdain. After a couple of lusty shots, Prince got out to a full toss, trying to flick it to leg side. The next batsman in was the captain himself Amitavo. While Amitavo sought to settle down while punishing the loose balls, Govind who was well settled by now was keeping the scoreboard ticking with some intelligent shots and highlight reel worthy shots. Govind would go onto score 97 odd runs, narrowly missing a well-deserved century, what would have been his first while his tenure at Dartmouth. Amitavo, continuing with his consistent run production throughout the season, went on to score 125 with a strike rate well above 100, and effectively put Dartmouth in a commanding position. He finally fell to fatigue and a tired shot when he holed out to the fielder in the long off, but by then the damage was done, and the foundation set to take full advantage of the slog overs. Between Omar, Yash, and Apurva, Dartmouth amassed it highest ever 30 over total, a grand total of 345.
Middlebury came in knowing they had to score at more than 10 an over to have any chance of hopes of a victory. It was always going to be a tall order, and Dartmouth wasn�t going to make it any easier for them. Dartmouth bowling was spearheaded by Omar and Apurva, couple of the finest proponents of new ball bowling in the recent history of Dartmouth. While they were unlucky to take any wickets early on, they were for most part unplayable. Apurva�s balls were begging to be edged, but it was perhaps the bowling gods or the luck of the bastmen that he went wicketless. Omar kept up the pressure on the other side, and was rewarded with the wicket by one of their most dangerous batsman when a skier was caught by Amitavo at long off.
After a great first spell, Amitavo brought in Warren and himself to bowl the middle overs, before Prince was introduced. Bowling Warren and Amitavo yielded unexpected dividends. Warren (3 wickets) with his slow spin, and Amitavo (4 wickets) with his off cutters picked up 7 wickets between them, which effectively nullified any chances Middlebury had of pulling out a win. Dartmouth fielding was above par for most of the game, with Govind doing a stellar job behind the wickets worthy of attention.


text:
Skilled through alternative routes (STAR) is a term to describe adults in the United States without bachelor's degrees who have work experience and skills that position them for transitions to higher-wage jobs. First identified in a 2020 research paper in the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), STARs made up approximately 70 million workers in the U.S. economy as of 2021.

Description

The majority of American workers (approximately 64% as of 2020) do not have a four-year bachelor's degree, including 68 percent of Black workers and 79 percent of Hispanic workers.

STARs have gained skills through a variety of routes other than the four-year college degree, often including community college, workforce training, bootcamps, certificate programs, military service or on-the-job learning. Research from December 2020 indicates that 30 million STARs have the skills to earn 70 percent more than their current wages. However, 60 percent of STARs who changed jobs over the past decade transitioned to new positions with the same or lower wages than their previous position.

Proponents of supporting STARs argue that a more intentional approach to hiring, training, and recruiting STARs can help to increase the representation of non-white individuals in the workforce.

References

Further reading

Labour economics

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: How to check and change an image in ImageButton public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    ImageButton[] ib;
    int i = 0;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        ib = new ImageButton[10];

        for (int i = 0; i < ib.length; i++) {
            {
                String buttonID = "imageButton" + (i + 1);
                int resID = getResources().getIdentifier(buttonID, "id", getPackageName());
                ib[i] = ((ImageButton) findViewById(resID));
                ib[i].setOnClickListener(this);

            }
        }
    }

    public void onClick(View v) {

        for (int i = 0; i < ib.length; i++) {
            if (ib[i].getId() == v.getId()) {
                ib[i].setImageResource(R.drawable.img_b);
            }
            if (ib[2].getDrawable().getConstantState() == getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.img_b).getConstantState()) {
                ib[1].setImageResource(R.drawable.img_c);
            }

        }

    }
}

There are 10 ImageButtons with 'img_a.' If I click one of ImageButtons, img_a changes to img_b.
Now I want to add that if I click ib[2] or imagebutton2, ib[1] changes to img_c.
I used getDrawable().getConstantState(). It has no error, but it is not working.
Can someone please help me?

A: If you just need to apply the change when clicking on imagebutton2 do this
public void onClick(View v) {

    for (int i = 0; i < ib.length; i++) {
        if (ib[i].getId() == v.getId()) {
            ib[i].setImageResource(R.drawable.img_b);
        }
    }
    if (v.getId() = R.id.imageButton2) {
        ib[1].setImageResource(R.drawable.img_c);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


While the World Anti-Doping Agency permits its use, the Union Cycliste Internationale is afraid of the side effects of the medication. Tramadol is an opioid-based painkiller that can cause nausea, drowsiness, and loss of concentration. A very risky combination in any peloton. And as the study carried out by WADA in 2017 shows, tramadol use by cyclists is more common than one might think. 68 per cent of urine samples that contained the drug, taken from athletes across 35 Olympic sports, were from pro riders.
Tramadol has been in the talks for almost a decade and many called for a ban by WADA. A recent study showed that it can, under certain conditions, improve cyclists' power. However, it is very dangerous as regular users face, apart from the side effects, also a possibility of addiction.
"In light of the risks associated with its use in competitive cycling, and in accordance with the UCI Management Committee decision of June 2018, the UCI Medical Regulations will ban in-competition use of tramadol," the UCI statement reads.
Tramadol acts on opioid receptors and is primarily used for pain relief and anesthesia.
The preventive measures will come into effect on March 1 of this year. The testing will be carried out during competitions, but not as a part of the classic post-race anti-doping procedure. A small amount of blood shall be taken from the rider's fingertip. The results will be then sent to the UCI's medical director in less than a week.
Both the riders and the teams will be punished in the case of a positive test. The first offence will be 'only' met with disqualification from the race and a CHF 5,000 fine. A third offence will result in a 9-month ban. If three riders from a team test positive within one year of each other, the whole squad will be banned for anywhere between one to twelve months.
Sounds harsh? Let us know what you think!


text:
Q: starting a new thread and calling a method with arguments C#
Possible Duplicate:
delaying the sending of email messages without using Thread.Sleep c#

so i am trying to start a new thread inside a for loop of my application. Im not familiar with threading at all so I need some info.
im sending emails through outlook using this method:
public void sendEMailThroughOUTLOOK(string recipient, string subject, string body)
    {

        try
        {

            // Create the Outlook application.
            Outlook.Application oApp = new Outlook.Application();
            // Create a new mail item.
            Outlook.MailItem oMsg = (Outlook.MailItem)oApp.CreateItem(Outlook.OlItemType.olMailItem);
            // Set HTMLBody.
            //add the body of the email
            oMsg.Body = body;

            oMsg.Subject = subject;
            // Add a recipient.
            Outlook.Recipients oRecips = (Outlook.Recipients)oMsg.Recipients;
            // Change the recipient in the next line if necessary.
            Outlook.Recipient oRecip = (Outlook.Recipient)oRecips.Add(recipient);
            oRecip.Resolve();
            // Send.
            oMsg.Send();
            // Clean up.
            oRecip = null;
            oRecips = null;
            oMsg = null;
            oApp = null;
        }//end of try block
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
        }//end of catch

        //end of Email Method
    }

and in a foreach loop i send an email each iteration.
However i need those emails delayed, but I dont want to sleep the UI thread.
I asked a few hours ago and got some answers but wasnt able to check my question frequently.
I tried some of their suggestions such as using this:
Thread oThread = new Thread(new ThreadStart((sendEMailThroughOUTLOOK(recipient, subjectLine, finalbody)));

But im getting an error. Its saying its expecting a method name...and i do have a method name in there. Is it because of the arguments of my method?

A: You can do this or also look into ParameterizedThreadStart:
Thread oThread = new Thread(new ThreadStart(() => { sendEMailThroughOUTLOOK(recipient, subjectLine, finalbody); }));


I love the look of the big Classics, though I suspect my wife would be less thrilled. Big, burled, robust – and Classic Audio's $25k T-3.4 Project practically screams 'upscale' and 'vintage' to me. However they hit you, what they are is serious furniture, most definitely. If I had a (much) larger room, I could see these speakers being tremendous conversation pieces and capable of great entertainment, but I can also imagine that my significant other wouldn't be thrilled by their sheer size. Oh well. Maybe when we inherit that English manor house.
With a 16ohm tap, these monsters beg for tubes. In fact, in the last several shows, I've never seen them driven by anything other than Atma-Sphere OTLs and preamp. I'm guessing someone at Classic finds the synergy appealing. Anyway, I'm a fan! The sound was fast, rich and warm with great air and presence.
Fronting the system was some superlative digital gear Made in the USA from Stahl-Tek. Though (very) pricey, the top-loading $37k "Opus CDT" CD transport and matching $35k "Opus D/A" DAC were as oversized and robust as the speakers that they played with, even if their modern all-aluminum finish put them on the other side of the fashion spectrum.
For the computer nerds, the Opus D/A sports a host of interesting digital inputs, including I2S over HDMI, S/PDIF over coax, BNC and AES/EBU … and yes, async USB. All interfaces support 24bit/192kHz resolution. The Opus CDT also sports an I2S over HDMI output and S/PDIF over AES, BNC and coax.
All in all, a very enjoyable first stop.
Mr. Stahl getting grilled by Stephen Marsh.


Dr. Karls provides Urgent Care Medicine services for Primary Health Network. He joined PHN in June 2014. Dr. Karls earned his medical degree from Midwestern University, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Downers Grove, Illinois, and completed his internship and Family Practice Residency training at Clarion Hospital, Clarion, PA. He is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians.


In Java, it is straightforward to sort objects of the predefined class such as Integer, Double, Float and String. This is because these classes have been implemented the Comparable interface. Comparable defines a natural ordering, as when you're defining it, you specify which one is considered "less than" or "greater than" the another.
How can you sort custom Objects? For example, suppose you have a list of objects of Student class, which has name, age, and score attributes. You may want to sort the students by their scores. Another example is to sort a list strings by their length.


This almost done blue bag crochet is for my suppppeeer little sister. She never asked me so I offer her a crochet bag for her self. so, weeeeks ago I took her for yarn-shopping. she picks the yarn herself. it's obvious that she will take the blue one. She likes blue. my crocheting activity has been suspended for weeks due to Mr. A's Birthday preparation. and start over when it's done.
[crochet] bag Project No. 2 is Done.


Last night I posted the code for the next blog installment which is using the Ruby on Rails web framework for building your blog application. You can find this demo code in the new GitHub repository at http://github.com/deanpearce/MyBlogRails. And please do look at it, play with it, and tell me what I've done wrong as usual :). I have spent time over the past few weeks familiarizing myself with Ruby and how its gems, such as Rails, extend the functionality of the language. For those of you who are new to Ruby on Rails, it's important to understand that Rails is a Ruby gem, meaning that the gem extends the language to make Ruby a friendly language for web development. As per usual, I am assuming that you are caught up in at least the fundamentals of the Ruby programming language, and have followed the installation guide (for Linux as usual :)) at http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/getting-started/installation/linux. The process is rather straightforward, and even easier on Ubuntu as most (if not all) the packages can be installed using Aptitude to get the development process going without needing to wait for builds.


I've slowly become aware of how little people know about what goes on after a photoshoot is complete. Why I haven't blogged about this before now is maybe due to the fact that I was not aware that many clients and other people who do not take photos on a professional scale realize just how much goes into editing images after they have been taken. Now of course, this does not apply to every client's photos or every style of image. There have been many images I have taken that are just exactly how I want them coming straight off of the camera. We call these images SOOC. I have had many that I simply slap a watermark on and upload to my website or facebook page. The image below had no post-processing. This is what the image looked like exactly as I took it, the only addition was my watermark.
However, these are typically not pictures of people, and if it is, they are rare. Most times, one image takes as long as half an hour to an hour just to get the quality and look of what I want in the final image.
You have to understand though, most photographers do not like sharing their SOOC images for a multitude of reasons: their images are low to bad quality and they rely on an editing software maybe more than they should, the product they offer is one that is more prone to editing (which is okay if that is what the client wants or likes), they do not want to give away their editing techniques and secrets, or to dissuade unprofessionals from trying to copy or imitate their work. I'm sure there are other reasons, but that's really not the point of my blog today.
This image is of a newborn, which fyi- takes a TON of editing just because a newborn's skin is typically so rough, pink, or transparent. You'll notice the lighting has changed, as well as the baby's skin. Also, it seems the photographer has edited out part of the top right image, which can also be time-consuming if done properly.
To illustrate this better (and since this IS a photography website and most of you like to see photos) I have recreated some of the steps I go through to show you just how I get to this process. I'd upload a video, but alas... my new computer does not have the software yet required to record all my steps. So screenshots will have to suffice. For my purpose, I'm going to go through and edit one of the images that I feel needs a much bigger change. The end result will be more dramatic so that you can tell what I am doing; however, this does not necessarily mean that it takes more or less time. It just means I am exaggerating my steps a bit more so that they are more noticeable.
My first step is to decide how I want the image to look... black and white or a more blueish hue? I don't have to decide yet, just have a goal to work towards. I want something that will pull the eye to the model, particularly his eyes (or maybe his senior ring since this was a senior portrait). I have cropped the image so that you can see the timestamp on each. That gives you a general idea of how long it takes me between each step. You can click on each image to enlarge it.
I noticed that he had a lot of acne (as teenagers tend to have) and so I went through and blended them into his natural skin tone. This is the kind of thing I mean when I say post-processing. I typically don't cover up moles or freckles unless specifically asked to simply because they make a person unique. I also happened to notice that he had a bad sore on his left hand. I went ahead and edited that as well.
I went ahead and checked the rest of his skin for any noticeable blemishes. I have to stay zoomed in so that I don't miss it, so this takes time.
After that I wanted to sharpen the image because it looked a little fuzzy on my screen.
My next step is to go through and touch up his eyes. This is before I adjusted the opacity so that you can really tell what I'm doing. The whites of his eyes will not be quite as red as they were and you will be able to see the color of his eyes a little better. Many times I don't have to do this step, but for this image, I felt it needed it.
Next I need to even out his skin color a little better, getting rid of the dark circles below his eyes and any other blemishes I may have missed. Yes, I know he looks plastic, this is after-all, before I have adjusted the opacity.
As you can see, he now has his skin looking a little more realistic and a little less plastic.
Remember I mentioned his senior ring? I want to make that pop a little more and be noticeable to the eye as well, so I'm going to pull out the color just a little. It seems intense here, but when I scroll back out, it won't be as extreme.
I also want to pull the red out of this image some. It's not the color tone that I like for this overall look.
I wanted to play with the shadows some as well and really pull the focus towards the center of the image. I haven't exaggerated it here just because it looks so dark and with low quality images, it's hard to depict.
Now for the experimental part. Some images I can look at instantly and tell you what would look best. Others, I have to basically "try-on" different looks to see which I like best. I went with a sepia look first. However, with all the light and shadow behind him, I'm not sure if this is the best way to go with this photo. Let's try something different.
This may be the way to go, but if it is then I'm going to need to dial down some of the hues in this photo.
Yes, I like this look much better. However, there is still the problem of focusing the image in some more. After editing the hue, I realize I still need to add a little more shadow around the edges to help pull the eye towards the middle again. I don't want to overdo it though, or it will look too edited. I like my photos to have a much more natural look and not have black frames.
And then the final step, the watermark.
Now that image alone took nearly fifty minutes! Did you know that that is how much goes into an image?!
Next time you think, gosh that photographer is charging a lot of money for just one hour of pictures, think about how much work goes into those pictures behind-the-scenes. That was one image and many clients expect anywhere from 20 to 100! I'm not going to do the math but if I did a bridal session for $100 and gave that bride 40 images, can you imagine the amount I got paid per hour?! So do your photographer a favor, don't request her/him to go back and re-edit, un-crop, or change their final work. It took them a long time to get there, and it comes off as rude or unappreciative.
Well, I hope this blog post, helps to explain a little of what I and other photographers do after they see you from behind the lens. I've enjoyed giving you a little behind-the-scenes look at my post-processing.


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Nigeria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria) is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean.
Nigeria is roughly divided in half between Christians, who live mostly in the South and central parts of the country, and Muslims, concentrated mostly in the north. A minority of the population practice traditional and local religions.
Sisters Home Visitors of Mary are blessed to serve ministries in Abudja, Gwagwalada and Ichana in central and south central Nigeria, along with more remote outlying areas.
Three cities: Abuja, Gwagwalada, Ichama
Abuja to Gwagwalada: 45 minutes drive time. About the same as driving from Detroit to Ann Arbor
Abuja to Ichama: 6 hours drive time. About the same as driving from Detroit to Louisville, KY
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous in the world with 175 million souls – about 18 times as many men, women and children as the entire population of Michigan in a land area about the size of Texas and New Mexico combined.
Approximately 50% of Nigerians are urban dwellers, while the remaining 87 million people live in more rural areas. At least 24 cities have populations of more than 100,000.
The variety of customs, languages, and traditions among Nigeria's hundreds of ethnic groups gives the country a broad cultural diversity. The country has over 50 languages and over 250 dialects and ethnic groups. The Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba are the largest such ethnic groups. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Nigeria
Nigeria's oil reserves have brought great revenues to the country in recent years and it is considered to be an emerging economy and major influence within its region. But violence, corruption and inequality continuously test the lives of its residents. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/nigeria
You will see reference to and pictures of Fula, or Fulani, people on this web site. The Fulani comprise different subgroups that are scattered across West Africa, from Senegal and Guinea on the western edge of the continent all the way east to Cameroon, as seen in this map.
Area populated by Fulani in west Africa
Fulani woman with headwear
There are more than 40 million Fulani across this wide area. The different subgroups range from being sedentary, semi-nomadic, to fully nomadic. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fula_people

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Anticipation for baseball beams at Twins Caravan
On a cold Wednesday morning in January when the baseball season seems as far off as the likelihood of a Minnesota Twins pennant, the Minnesota Twins Caravan came to town.
CALEB NELSON/DAILY GLOBE Minnesota Twins mascot "T.C. Bear" greets fans and poses for a photo opportunity Wednesday morning at the Twins Caravan stop at the Worthington Area YMCA.
Listening to the Twins assembled at the Worthington Area YMCA, however, it was appetizing to think that maybe - just maybe - better times might be just around the corner. Fox Sports North baseball play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer and pitchers Brian Duensing and Ryan Pressly struck predictably optimistic tones for the 25-or-so fans who appeared at the 8:30 a.m. event, but Bremer especially made the optimism seem palatable.
"Rather than think of it as three consecutive losing seasons," he began, warming up his audience with a little humor, "I prefer to think of it as just one long, long season. It doesn't seem so bad that way."
He went on to state that the Twins really do have prospects stocked in the minor leagues with bona-fide major league credentials. Today's Twins team is young, bound to improve with experience. And the organization has -as serious fans already know -invested earnestly in pitching since going 66-96 in 2013.
"Without starting pitching, you really don't have a chance," Bremer said.
Two of the Twins' young pitchers, Duensing and Pressly, were along for the bus ride into Worthington on Wednesday.
The left-handed Duensing, who made his Twins debut in 2009, went 6-2 last year with a 3.98 earned run average in 61 innings of work. He is 34-33 lifetime over his five years of major league experience, being used as a reliever in 2013. The right-handed Pressly, originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox as a starter, began his major league career in 2013 and posted a 3-3 record with a 3.87 ERA in 76.2 innings of relief work.
In Worthington on Wednesday, Duensing admitted he was initially surprised by his major league success, explaining that all his life he had held major league hitters to "a higher standard." He has since learned that pitching in the majors is "like a chess game."
When Pressly was asked to reflect on his biggest revelation since going from the minors to the majors, he remarked about the selectiveness of the hitters. He was often taken aback, he said, when major leaguers were able to lay off some of his best pitches.
He was also asked if he preferred starting.
"Whatever I can help the team with. If Gardy (Twins manager Ron Gardenhire) asks me to jump, I'll say 'How high?'" he told the appreciative crowd.
As for Duensing, it was clear on Wednesday that after five years in the majors, he is well aware of Minnesota Twins history. In the past - in better seasons - the Twins have managed to win divisions while ranking in the bottom of the big leagues in payroll. Solid coaching and sound fundamentals have been the avenue to success.
"We need some consistency. We need to get back to the roots of the way the Twins play baseball," Duensing said.
With the day's program done - after the microphones were laid down and the autograph sessions were accomplished - Bremer courteously allowed a one-on-one interview with a local reporter. Much of his appeal for Twins fans (he has worked regularly in the broadcast booth since 1987) has been his rich and authoritative voice, but also the fact that fans see him as one of their own - a regular guy who enjoys his work so much that it can't help but carry through from the television to the viewer.
"From the time when I was a little kid, I was a devoted Twins fan. And if someone would have told me then that they would pay me to go to Twins games … I'm tremendously blessed," he said.
Bremer, who has family ties in Ocheyedan, Iowa, has avoided formulating a signature home run call throughout his broadcast tenure. Many other play-by-play announcers have devised their own catchphrase, but Bremer long ago decided to go against the grain to play it straight. The way he saw it then, and still sees it now, he said, is that every home run he witnesses is different than the one before - different hitters, different pitchers, different counts, different situations - and he wasn't about to pretend otherwise.
"Why would I try to make them (the calls) all sound the same when they're all different - like a snowflake?" he said Wednesday.
Bremer left the interview session with one final prediction, coming straight from a lifelong Twins fan who sees the inside of the game better than the average fan.
Are good times REALLY coming soon for the Twins?
"I think everybody would be surprised and stunned if it's not right around the corner," he said.
1/3: CALEB NELSON/DAILY GLOBE Dick Bremer (left), play-by-play voice of the Minnesota Twins on Fox Sports North, interviews pitcher Ryan Pressley in front of the Twins Caravan crowd Wednesday at the YMCA.
2/3: CALEB NELSON/DAILY GLOBE Dick Bremer, play-by-play voice for the Minnesota Twins on Fox Sports North, shares a laugh with Brian Duensing (right) at the Twins Caravan event Wednesday morning in Worthington.
3/3: CALEB NELSON/DAILY GLOBE Minnesota Twins mascot "T.C. Bear" greets fans, and distributes calendars for the upcoming season during the Twins Caravan event Wednesday at the Worthington Area YMCA.
Related Topics: MINNESOTA TWINSBASEBALL


A local radio station is auctioning a guitar made of wood from a dock destroyed by Hurricane Harvey.
Out of the destruction of Hurricane Harvey, a combination of art and music was born with the Hope Guitar.
My Country 107.3, an FM radio station in Corpus Christi, decided shortly after Harvey that it wanted to help relief efforts and to make a piece of art.
The station is auctioning the one-of-a-kind guitar to help raise money for rebuilding relief.
Gathering wood from a destroyed dock, management from My Country 107.3 reached out to guitar makers in West Texas, who quickly jumped on the project for free.
The radio station's owner, John Bushman, has already donated $1 million. The station previously raffled a donated Harley Davidson motorcycle for more than $30,000. All the proceeds went to local relief efforts.


From design to fabrication in five days… This yearly workshop mixes third year engineering and architecture students in order to design and build a 6m span cardboard footbridge which must carry one pedestrian. They investigate corrugated and honeycomb cardboard strength and versatility as construction materials. Moreover, such a span requires detailed structural analysis and design. In the end, students not only get familiar with all the steps of the design process but make the physical experiment with their own body of the full scale realization.
Designing and building a 6m span bridge which can support one person walking. The bridge is made of corrugated cardboard and honeycomb cardboard which may be glued. Students are first in groups of five for the preliminary design. Then they are gathered in groups of ten for the construction.
The cross section of this footbridge is a "H". In conventional design of such bridge, it is necessary to add transverse struts to ensure lateral stability of the primary beams. In the present case, this is not necessary thanks to the out-of-plane curvature of the deck and the in-plane curvature of the beams. Indeed their inserction is a non-planar curve which prevent the global rotation of the beams with respect to the deck.
This footbridge is foldable in a single piece of 2mx2mx40cm. It may be tranported an deployed onsite. Detailed analysis and design was required for the hinges as you may notice in the report below.
In this footbridge the deck is replaced by alternate steps exactly as in japanese stairs. In order to keep the minimalism of the idea, special care was needed to ensure that the steps would really ensure the lateral stabilization of the bridge.
Foldable Footbridge: Capucine Madelaine, Victor Bontemps, Constance Bartoli, Quentin Jézégou, Camillia Zaninetti, Antoine François, Baptiste Lafoux, Côme de la Fouchardière, Léa Feid.
Doubly Curved Footbridge: Nils Bailly, Richard Caron, Louis Fréhel, Lucas Gauthier, Pierre Gilibert, Quentin Glévarec, Flore Gustin, Sarah Kirsch, Yanis Maacha, Thomas Nantier.
Japanese Stairs Footbridge: Alexandre Aheto, Thomas Bessard, Romain Durand, Sylvain Huchet, Katia Makhlouf, Gabriel Mayoud, Marion Okunowski, Olivier Rigal, Jessica Vatonne, Laury Zhou.


Kokum Butter, Originating in India, this exotic skin care butter is rich in essential fatty acids, which aid in cell oxygenation and make nutrient more readily available for use by skin tissues. It supports skin elasticity and general flexibility of skin wall. It also softens skin and helps prevent wrinkles and dry skin as well as help regenerate skin cells.


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Антология выстаивания и преображения. Век XX — издаваемая в России с 2000 года серия книг, содержащих произведения мировой литературы, авторы которых (представители разных стран мира, национальностей, вероисповеданий) в XX веке прошли опыт противостояния государственному насилию и борьбы за свободу.

Основной целью проекта является просвещение молодёжи, стремление передать ей опыт выстаивания и преображения, сохранения человеческого достоинства, внушить молодёжи идеалы толерантности, свободы и демократии. По замыслу организаторов проекта, книги серии «Антология» должны быть в каждой школьной библиотеке.

Главный редактор и автор проекта — Евгений Ямбург. Редакционная коллегия: Сергей Аверинцев, Александр Асмолов, Вардван Варжапетян, Александр Зорин, Александр Мелихов, Александр Нежный, Петр Положевец, Григорий Померанц, Анатолий Приставкин, Алексей Семёнов, Сергей Филатов.

Программу издания и распространения книжной серии реализуют Фонд социально-экономических и интеллектуальных программ, Конгресс российской интеллигенции, Центр образования № 109 города Москвы при поддержке Министерства Российской Федерации по делам печати, телерадиовещания и средств массовых коммуникаций, «Альфа-Банк», «Акрон».

Перечень книг
 «Благая весть» (2000) — Григорий Померанц «В поисках живого следа», Эли Визель «Ночь», протоиерей Сергий Гаккель «Мать Мария», Антоний Блум, митрополит Сурожский «Духовные встречи XX века. Из бесед с верующими»
 «Жизнь во тьме» (2001) — воспоминания о лагерях ГУЛАГа
 «Похороны колоколов» (2001) — произведения о геноциде армян, Холокосте, депортациях народов в СССР
 «Жизнь — сапожок непарный» (2001) — отрывки из романа В. Гроссмана «Жизнь и судьба», воспоминания Тамары Петкевич, Петра Григоренко, Елеазара Мелетинского, Евгения Эминова, статья Г. Померанца «Цена победы».
 «Жизнь и житие Войно-Ясенецкого, Архиепископа и хирурга» (2001)
 «Музей человека» (2002) — произведения о Движении Сопротивления.
 «Мученики веры» (2002) — воспоминания религиозных деятелей — жертв коммунистических режимов
 «Вегетарианская эпоха» (2003) — воспоминания советских диссидентов
 «Блокадная книга» (2004)
 «Капля за каплей» (2004) — повести Бориса Васильева
 «Неуслышанные голоса. (Книга 1)» (2004) — публицистика об Октябрьской революции
 «Неуслышанные голоса. (Книга 2)» (2004) — публицистика об Октябрьской революции, статьи из сборника «Вехи»
 «Пока свободою горим…» (2004) — воспоминания о молодёжном антисталинском движении конца 1940-х—начала 1950-х годов
 «Следствие ведет каторжанка» (2004) — об О. Г. Шатуновской
 «Сколько стоит человек» (2004) — воспоминания Е. А. Керсновской
 «Невидимый противовес» (2004) — лекции и эссе Г. Померанца и З. Миркиной

Перечень авторов произведений

 Юрий Айхенвальд
 Низаметдин Ахметов
 Алесь Адамович
 Даниил Гранин
 Сергей Аскольдов
 Николай Аржак
 Генрих Алтунян
 Владыка Антоний Блум, митрополит Сурожский
 Василь Быков
 Дитрих Бонхеффер
 Иван Бунин
 Сергий Булгаков
 Николай Бердяев
 Татьяна Бочарова
 Михаил Булгаков
 Аркадий Белинков
 Виктор Белкин
 Анатолий Бахтырев (Кузьма)
 Эли Визель
 Олег Волков
 Иржи Вайль
 Франц Верфель
 Рихард Вурмбрандт
 Николай Вавилов
 Вардван Варжапетян
 Борис Васильев
 Юлия Вишневская
 Максимилиан Волошин
 Протоиерей Сергий Гаккель
 Евгения Гинзбург
 Василий Гроссман
 Веслав Гурницкий
 Петр Григоренко
 Максим Горький
 Махатма Ганди
 Иосиф Гессен
 Михаил Гершензон
 Григорий Померанц
 Зинаида Миркина
 Георгий Демидов
 Священник Анатолий Жураковский
 Анатолий Жигулин
 Иван Шмелев
 Борис Зайцев
 Иван Ильин
 Федор Степун
 Николай Трубецкой
 Альбер Коэн
 Альбер Камю
 Артур Кестлер
 Ефросинья Керсновская
 Виктор Клемперер
 Януш Корчак
 Владимир Короленко
 Мартин Лютер Кинг
 Марлен Кораллов
 Владимир Козлов
 Богдан Кистяковский
 Екатерина Колышкина
 де Гук Дохерти
 В. Лесников
 Анатолий Луначарский
 В. Лордкипанидзе
 Израиль Мазус
 Бернард Маламуд
 Елеазар Мелетинский
 Анатолий Марченко
 Александр Мень
 Владимир Мельников
 Зинаида Миркина
 Рейнхольд Нибур
 Питер Наджарян
 Александр Нежный
 Анатолий Приставкин
 Тамара Петкевич
 Григорий Померанц
 Марк Поповский
 Михаил Пришвин
 Станислав Подольский
 Патриах Тихон
 Эдвин Поляновский
 Цви Прейгерзон
 Николай Рыбалкин
 Федор Раскольников
 Василий Розанов
 Ирина Ратушинская
 Алла Туманова
 Уильям Сароян
 Андрей Сахаров
 Петр Струве
 Абрам Терц (Андрей Синявский)
 Ален Тольц
 Пауль Тиллих
 Александр Тарасов
 Майя Улановская
 Исаак Фильштинский
 Юлий Фучик
 Семен Франк
 Георгий Федотов
 Сергей Филатов
 Евгений Федоров
 Борис Хазанов
 Николай Храпов
 Михаил Хейфец
 Константин Циолковский
 Георгий Целмс
 Михаил Чельцов
 Николай Черкашин
 Варлам Шаламов
 Леонид Шорохов
 Ольга Шатуновская
 Евгений Эминов
 Карл Ясперс
 Евгений Ямбург

Ссылки
 Сайт проекта

Книжные серии
Антологии


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Terms and conditions for GGPoker
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Erik Seidel's biography
Prize money in the live tournaments:
over $37 600 000
Prize money in online:
exact amount is unknown
Read a biography
Home Materials Erik Seidel steals blinds from Max Kruse at WSOP Online
Erik Seidel steals blinds from Max Kruse at WSOP Online
Nameless Editor
Erik Seidel is a true poker legend. Throughout his entire career, the player he has earned over $34 000 000 in live tournaments, as well as bagged 8 WSOP gold bracelets. Only five people in the world have gained the biggest number of WSOP awards, including Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu.
Seidel can be called a poker veteran, as he has started playing 32 years ago. Erik often takes part in poker battles on an equal footing with other players, and the WSOP Online 2020 has been no exception.
Seidel is among the most respected players in the entire poker community who rarely gets caught up in scandals. But, last week, the poker player became a party to a contentious situation.
Stealing blinds at the WSOP
The holder of eight WSOP bracelets played in the WSOP 2020 Heads-Up Championship worth $10 000. In the second round of the game, Erik's opponent was a German professional footballer Max Kruse, who can be hardly called a strong poker player.
It's unknown what the footballer was so busy with, but Max was sitting out during the game for a long time. Erik Seidel decided to take advantage of that: he began stealing his opponent's blinds.
Did Seidel do the right thing? It is difficult to answer this question since it is very controversial. On the one hand, Erik is an experienced poker player who had a big advantage over Kruse's poker skills. Seidel could wait for his opponent, folding cards as a gesture of solidarity.
On the other hand, it was the $10 000 WSOP tournament with a gold bracelet and hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake. But, in all honesty, what would you do in his place? Most likely, many would want to benefit from the situation and do exactly what Seidel did desiring to move on to the next round of the prestigious poker tournament.
Read also: An incredible hand with a $140K pot happened at GGPoker
Patrick Leonard's poll on Twitter
Many representatives of the poker community condemn Erik's act. As a matter of interest, two years ago, a PartyPoker brand ambassador Patrick Leonard conducted a poll on this very subject, and 83% of users thought differently.
Following the results of the poll, 83.1% of people would actively start stealing the blinds. In the comments, Patrick's subscribers considered such a situation not as stealing the blinds, but as maximizing hourly win rate. They also noted that it was a part of the online poker game.
What has changed since then that Erik Seidel is condemned for his actions? It may well be that most of those players who criticize Seidel would take the blinds from their opponent if a similar situation occurred.
Erik Seidel's response
Erik Seidel's reaction to the criticism that fell upon him after the tournament was not long in coming. The poker player tweeted that he considered that incident to be a mistake.
Erik didn't know that he was playing against a footballer and didn't want to get an advantage. The player thought that if Kruse didn't come back, he would get his buy-in back. As it turned out, a similar situation has happened twice in Seidel's life (in offline poker): at WSOP and WSOPE.
How do you feel about this situation? What was the right thing to do: take the blinds while Max Kruse was sitting out or wait for him to return and fold cards?
Cardmates journalist, news editor and translator since 2018. Specialization: poker news and review of events.
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Maroonfish
Oh come one whoeve you are, we all would do the same thing as Seidel here! Poker is a competitive game and we are playing to win by ANY means. Free money is free money :)


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Syria warned as daily death toll hits 100
Syria won't be able to deceive the world about compliance with a ceasefire that is just days away, the United States warned as regime forces pounded more opposition strongholds.
'The regime cannot hide the truth,' U.S. ambassador says
The Associated Press · Posted: Apr 07, 2012 11:43 AM ET | Last Updated: April 7, 2012
A mass burial of people allegedly killed in recent shelling in Taftanaz, Syria, in an image taken by a citizen. (Associated Press)
Syria won't be able to deceive the world about compliance with a ceasefire that is just days away, the United States warned Saturday as regime forces pounded more opposition strongholds in an apparent rush to crush resistance before troops must withdraw.
Activists said more than 100 people were killed, including at least 87 civilians.
Almost half died in a Syrian army raid on the central village of al-Latamneh, activists said. Amateur video from the village showed the body of a baby with bloodied clothes and an apparent bullet wound in the chest. On another video, a barrage of shells is heard hitting a neighbourhood of Homs as the restive city's skyline is engulfed in white smoke.
Syrian President Bashar Assad last week accepted a ceasefire agreement brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan calling for government forces to withdraw from towns and villages by Tuesday, and for the regime and rebels to lay down their arms by 6 a.m. Thursday. The truce is meant to pave the way for negotiations between the government and the opposition over Syria's political future.
However, Western leaders are skeptical about Assad's intentions because of broken promises of the past and the recent escalation in attacks on opposition strongholds, including arrest sweeps and shelling of civilian areas. The U.S. ambassador to Syria posted online satellite images late Friday that he said cast doubt on the regime's readiness to pull out.
"This is not the reduction in offensive Syrian government security operations that all agree must be the first step for the Annan initiative to succeed," Ambassador Robert Ford wrote on the embassy's Facebook page.
Ford posted photos he said show the government has pulled back some forces, but kept others in place or simply shifted around troops and armoured vehicles. Earlier this week, the government claimed it had withdrawn from several areas.
"The regime and the Syrian people should know that we are watching," Ford wrote, citing satellite surveillance. "The regime cannot hide the truth."
Free Syrian Army fighters try to spot a sniper during fighting with Syrian troops in a suburb of Damascus. (Associated Press)
The ambassador, who left Syria in February amid security concerns, said the Syrian government must give UN monitors access to confirm its compliance with the ceasefire. A UN advance team arrived in Damascus earlier this week; Annan's spokesman has said the UN-Arab league envoy hopes to put together a team of 200 to 250 observers.
Syria says the details of the mission have not been worked out.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed alarm about escalating violence, saying Tuesday's deadline for a troop pullback "is not an excuse for continued killing." On Friday, he urged the regime to cease all military action immediately and unconditionally.
The international community has been deadlocked over how to end the violence in Syria. Assad allies Russia and China blocked resolutions condemning Syria. The West, in turn, opposes military intervention or arming the opposition fighters. Russia, increasingly critical of the Syrian regime, supports Annan's plan, but it's not clear if that's enough to make a truce stick.
Humanitarian relief fund
A major Islamic organization says it will raise $70 million US for humanitarian relief in Syria, estimating that about 1 million people there are in need of aid.
The Organization of Islamic Co-operation, comprising 57 Muslim-majority nations, says the aid will include food and medical supplies. Some of the help will go to Syrian farmers and those displaced by violence, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said Saturday.
– Associated Press
Street protests against Assad erupted 13 months ago, inspired by the Arab Spring's pro-democracy uprisings in the region, but eventually turned violent under a brutal regime crackdown. More than 9,000 people have been killed since then, the UN says.
Ill-equipped, poorly funded civilians-turned-fighters and army defectors have been no match for the regime, backed by a loyal army. On Friday, in a typical street battle, fighters in ski masks took cover behind walls and tried to spot army snipers in a Damascus suburb.
The capital itself has been relatively calm, and on Saturday, thousands attended a rally marking the 65th anniversary of the founding of Syria's ruling Baath party. A large poster of Assad hung from a facade facing a city square and supporters waved Syrian flags.
Saturday's deadliest fighting was reported in al-Latamneh in the central Hama province. Regime troops stormed the village after shelling it, killing at least 40 people, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
A boy flashes a victory sign during a protest in Kafranbel, northwestern Syria, where more than 100 civilians have reportedly died in the past few days. ((Raad Al Fares/Shaam News Network/Reuters)
Amateur video posted by activists showed al-Latamneh residents crying "Allahu Akbar" as they held up the body of the dead baby. Another video showed the bodies of several men covered in white sheets lined up on the ground.
In the nearby province of Homs, activists reported shelling of the city as well as the rebel-held areas of Rastan, Deir Baalabeh and Qusair.
In all, at least 87 civilians and 16 opposition fighters were killed Saturday, the group said, while 13 unidentified bodies were found in the Deir Baalabeh neighbourhood of Homs and 10 in Hreitan, in the northern province of Idlib. The Observatory said two dozen Syrian troops were also killed.
The grassroots Local Co-ordination Committees put the day's death toll on the opposition side at 121, including 59 in the Hama area.
The Syrian government restricts access of foreign journalists, and the activists' accounts could not be independently verified.
Syria in crisis: News, photos and video about the conflict
Crackdown in Syria map
U.S. Embassy Facebook page: Syria satellite images


Today's #makeovermonday features our latest home renovation – my mom and dad's old house on Kiddle Lane!
Mom and dad moved into this home across the street from us 12 years ago. At that time, we painted the entire house a tan/gold color. This was indeed such a great home for our family and it fit them well.
This photo was our last Christmas dinner on Kiddle with mom, dad, and Joy. As you can tell, they have a few Christmas trees!!
We have lots of family pics at the table over holidays.
After they moved out a few weeks ago, we started renovating to be closer to the styles today's buyers are seeking out.
Honestly – the painters started painting before I could even get in and get photos!!
Yes, that's the kitchen as they started painting primer on the cabinets. For the first time in the HISTORY OF FOREVER, Brian agreed to paint nice quality dark wood cabinets. Yes. Yes. YES PEOPLE.
We simply painted the cabinets and walls, then added the marble backsplash. Everything else remained exactly the same! Colors and selections are listed at the bottom of this post.
We used this marble tile and darker grout color to pull in the existing dark granite countertops. It worked so well and really brought the kitchen together.
Changing the wall paint color was TRANSFORMATIONAL in this home.
Next, we changed out the wall paint and countertops in both of the full baths.
This is where I admit that I forgot to take before photos…I know, sooo disappointing.
And here is the master bath after the renovation.
Kiddle Lane, you were so good for us. We're forever grateful for the memories here.
Ps – this home just went on the market today! You can view the listing here and feel free to pass along to any of your friends in the market for a home in St. John's Forest.
All I can say is WOW!!! It doesn't even looked like the same house.


ASTONCAIN is on a mission to create timepieces with a subtle well-considered design that appeal to a large demographic. The ASTONCAIN | 002 combines Swiss quality components with British engineering to create a design that will stand the test of time. In the current economic climate where companies cut corners on product quality to increase profit margins - we strive to be different, as making profit should always come second to great design.


For every company, data matters a lot, regardless of its size, sector or type. The main and the biggest asset of the business is data, including the products, services and the property which is intellectual. but you should have a data strategy to get more of the data.
Technology is developing so fast these days, many businesses particularly smaller and midsized companies feel like they're struggling to keep up. Sometimes, this leads the company to dive eagerly into new data opportunities, investing in new technologies and fancy analytics that aren't right for their business. And sometimes, it leads to inaction, or a compulsion to bury heads in the sand and ignore the data revolution. Either way, these businesses don't fully realize the possibilities of data.
That's why you need a data strategy, to set out how you want to use data in practice, clarify your top data priorities, and chart a course for reaching your goals including what kind of data you need, where you'll source that data, how you'll store and analyze the data, and so on. The data strategy helps you drill down to your core business needs and create an achievable plan for the future.
Creating a data strategy isn't a standalone activity, it must be driven by your overarching business strategy. Therefore, a critical starting point for any data strategy is business strategic objectives. To put it another way, what is your business trying to achieve and how can data help you get there?
After all, what's the point of a data strategy indeed, what's the point of data in general if it doesn't help you achieve your organizational goals? So before you charge ahead to your data strategy, review your business strategy first and then develop your data strategy (here is how you develop a data strategy, including a data strategy template).
Let's look at each area in turn.
Improving decision making is one of the top priorities for most of the clients I work with. And with good reason from developing new products to increase revenue to hiring the right talent, its all about making the best decisions for your business. And what fuels is better decision making? Data.
Heres a really simple example of data-driven decision making in action. Thanks to data, US restaurant chain Arby's discovered that its renovated restaurants made more money than its unrenovated restaurants. As a result, the chain decided to drastically ramp up its remodeling programme.
Identifying market trends and understanding customers needs is a key driving factor of most sales and marketing activity. After all, the more you understand your customers, the better you can serve them.
In the past, this activity used to be based on which customers previously bought which products or services, but now companies are increasingly becoming more predictive anticipating what customers will want in the future. One classic example of this is Netflix recommending what you should binge-watch next, based on your viewing preferences.
One of the big benefits of knowing more about your customers and markets is being able to give them exactly what they want: specifically, smarter products and services that react to each user's unique needs and habits.
The ability to optimize business processes, streamline operations and run the company in a more efficient, cost-effective manner is an attractive prospect for any business. Thanks to data, its easier than ever to make improvements and generate efficiencies.
For example, in manufacturing or industrial businesses, production line machines, vehicles, and tools can be made smart, meaning they can be connected to each other and continue reporting on their status. This, in turn, means every aspect of the manufacturing process can be monitored and tweaked for optimal performance. It can also help to reduce costly machine downtime, by anticipating when parts need replacing before they break down. This is known as predictive maintenance.
This monetization may take many forms. For example, it may involve bringing new, data-driven products or services to market. Or it may involve selling data to customers through optimized services (think of Facebooks data-driven advertising offering). And sometimes, data can even increase the value of the company.


Amit Shah's speech clearly indicates that emergence of Prasad Harichandan as PCC Chief has unnerved the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The national President of BJP in his speech at Bhubaneswar on January 6 blatantly failed to elaborate, even define, the 'Mahasangram' he had come to launch.
State leadership of BJP had drawn up the scheme of Mahasangram (The Great War) against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who, to them, epitomizes all dishonesty and corruption, scams and scandals from chit fund to mines and had invited Shah to give impetus to its scheme. But Shah failed to stand up to their expectation.
BJP State leaders seem to have failed to read their national leadership.
Modi had not uttered a single effective word against Naveen Patnaik in his "Vijay Sankalpa" speech at Bhubaneswar in February 2014 when pledging himself to fulfillment of Biju's dreams – what dream, though, he had not revealed – he had, in fact given elixir to Naveen's party named after Biju.
Now Shah has repeated the same approach by keeping mum on Naveen despite his State leaders having bared him layer by layer in matter of every wrong happening to Orissa.
BJP rank and file in Orissa is confused. They were expecting Shah to add force to their campaign against Naveen. They are discernibly frustrated.
But, in fact, Shah has indicated that the BJP central leadership is frustrated over its inability to keep the Congress party starved of leadership in Orissa.
He was very clear in his speech. He was absolutely emphatic in saying that the circle of his party's victory could be complete only when Orissa comes to its fold. But for BJP's central leadership, grabbing Orissa would not be possible by criticizing Naveen; it is possible if Congress does not get back its strength.
This soft thread of tactics is not easy for the State leadership of BJP to understand.
They have not yet understood that there is no difference except the name and banner between BJP and BJD.
Both of the parties have a common master – the rich; and in their top leadership level, there is no rivalry between them exactly as there was no rivalry between Chanura and Mustika, because both of them were stooges of their common master – Kamsa.
Even BJP was never seen attacking Dr. Manmohan Singh in real political term, because Singh was working for the rich.
When Singh was exposed threadbare in the Loksabha in matter of BCCI, the initiator of the debate Sri Jaswant Singh of BJP had rendered the entire debate inconsequential by withdrawing his notice in the last moment. He had acted thus certainly under direction of the BJP leadership, because, there was no action against him for having come to the rescue of Manmohan Singh.
The BJP was seen making campaigns against Congress, but was never seen exposing Manmohan Singh.
Singh had played treachery against the country by signing the nuke deal with USA behind back of the Parliament and declaring it "sealed, signed and non-negotiable" when, in fact, it was a "must" for the Indian Parliament to "agree to the text" of the Hyde Act on the basis of which 123 agreement was to be signed.
Manmohan Singh had not placed the Hyde Act before the Parliament and the Parliament had not been given the opportunity to "agree to the text" thereof or to disagree.
BJP was well aware of this.
But when the left parties' objection to the nuke deal had terminated their alliance with the Congress and the issue of "agreeing to the text" of the Hyde Act or disagreeing was going to come up, the BJP had diverted the attention of the Parliament from Singh's offense of suppression of vital facts from it to a 'notes for vote' scandal. Its members – Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora – were used to display currency notes in the House while alleging that the bundles were paid to them in advance for votes of confidence in the PM.
Why did BJP, arch rival of Congress, rushed to the rescue of Singh in the Parliament time and again?
This was because; Singh was working for the rich.
Similar attitude of BJP central leadership is seen in case of Naveen Patnaik, the obstinate facilitator of POSCO and such likes.
BJP knows that exactly as Congress has suffered the worst ever setback because of Manmohan Singh, the BJD is to suffer the same fate because of Naveen Patnaik whose dubious role in matters of chit fund and other scams is getting unveiled by watchdogs of people's interest. If it so happens, the resultant benefit will be derived by BJP in absence of well defined leadership of Congress in the State.
To BJP perception in the top level, Naveen would bring in his own fall because treating Orissa as fee simple for all time to come would be impossible. In that case, BJP will have the victory in absence of a united and strong Pradesh Congress.
But,with emergence of Prasad Harichandan as President of the Pradesh Congress, this comfortable feeling of BJP in its top level has vanished.
It would be very difficult for BJP to denigrate the new chief of the Congress in the state of Orissa. Prasad has nothing to be criticized for adversely. He has no distance from any provincial leader of the Congress. He is honest and a man of prudence who has made splendid mark as a minister and legislator. He is strong in his views and humble in his expression. So, he has all the ability to unite and activate the grand old party that has given us our freedom and except the nefarious period of Manmohan's regime, has all along accommodated left views in leading the country in the progressive line.
BJP national President knows that with emergence of Prasad as PCC Chief, it would be impossible for his provincial followers to match the Congress.
Therefore the hallucination one marked in his public speech in the capital city of Orissa on January 6. His entire speech was unqualified diatribe on Rahul Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi alone, when his provincial unit had been crying for his guidance against Naveen.
Clearly, Prasad's emergence as PCC President has unnerved the BJP.
Should we say, " Dirty Politics " .


Have you ever noticed that when you go to web design sites there are no prices anywhere and you have to spend hours of time just to try to get an estimate? In some respects there is a good reason for this, because every project is unique and requires review before a price can be given.
With that being said, we operate on a per project fee (consultation required) or an hourly rate.
If your free consultation determines a set project fee is your best bet, we will require 1/2 down to start. When we present our progress at an agreed upon phase, another 1/4 will be due. Final payment due when we release the entire project as complete.
If you are current member of the A2Z Family, meaning we built your site or have agreed upon a long-term relationship solution, you can opt for an hourly retainer. That means that no matter what we do for you, even complicated scripting, it is only $50.00/hr. The retainer is only in action when you need us, there is no ongoing monthly fee.
$2.00/pg for document restoration. Please note this is a starting price. If we receive the document, photograph or book restoration project and there is a lot of pixel rebuilding to do, we will immediately notify you to discuss.
Contact us and share your situation. If we can find a more affordable option for you, we will. We can also help you develop a multi-phase plan that will work for you — meaning we build it in stages, as your budget allows.


At City Gateway we are focussed on supporting students with their professional and personal development. Professionally, we are seeking to build resilience, self-awareness and confidence to equip young people for the workplace. We use a range of coaching techniques to do this.
We also appreciate that there might be a number of challenges outside of the classroom that can impact an individual's ability to train and progress. My role is to support them in overcoming these obstacles and to direct them to the right support network if needed.
What does this look like each week?
Practically this looks like meeting learners when they start training with us, and meeting them weekly for coaching sessions until they progress into their Apprenticeship. From here, we continue to meet with each young person until they complete their Apprenticeship.
Our personalised career development plan, tailored to a learner's unique skills, aspirations and experience provides the tools for them to grow each week- equipping them for interviews and preparing them as they enter into the workplace.
What impact have you seen through the support you have provided?
It ranges from students being able to stay in a classroom, which can be a difficult environment for them, to seeing individuals progress into their amazing apprenticeships, full of confidence in their abilities. I've walked through a number of disappointments and challenges with learners, to see them get to a position when they are thriving.
What has been one of your highlights?
Seeing one learner with low-confidence in her abilities and a sense of hopelessness to where she can go, progressing into an Apprenticeship and adding real value to the workforce. Seeing her become aware of just how capable she is.


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;

namespace Charlotte.Tools
{
	public class FilingCase3 : IDisposable
	{
		private string Domain;
		private int PortNo;
		private string BasePath;

		private Thread Th;
		private NamedEventPair EvStop = new NamedEventPair();
		private object SYNCROOT = new object();
		private FilingCase3Client Client = null;
		private int ClientAliveCount = -1;

		public FilingCase3(string domain = "localhost", int portNo = 65123, string basePath = "Common")
		{
			this.Domain = domain;
			this.PortNo = portNo;
			this.BasePath = basePath;

			this.Th = new Thread(() =>
			{
				while (!this.EvStop.WaitForMillis(3000))
				{
					lock (SYNCROOT)
					{
						if (this.Client != null)
						{
							if (6 / 3 < ++this.ClientAliveCount) // 6 sec
							{
								this.Client.Dispose();
								this.Client = null;
							}
						}
					}
				}
			});

			this.Th.Start();
		}

		private T Perform<T>(Func<T> rtn)
		{
			lock (SYNCROOT)
			{
				try
				{
					if (this.Client == null)
						this.Client = new FilingCase3Client(this.Domain, this.PortNo, this.BasePath);

					this.ClientAliveCount = 0;

					return rtn();
				}
				catch
				{
					if (this.Client != null)
					{
						this.Client.Dispose();
						this.Client = null;
					}
					throw;
				}
			}
		}

		public byte[] Get(string path)
		{
			return this.Perform(() => this.Client.Get(path));
		}

		public int Post(string path, byte[] data)
		{
			return this.Perform(() => this.Client.Post(path, data));
		}

		public byte[] GetPost(string path, byte[] data)
		{
			return this.Perform(() => this.Client.GetPost(path, data));
		}

		public string[] List(string path)
		{
			return this.Perform(() => this.Client.List(path));
		}

		public int Delete(string path)
		{
			return this.Perform(() => this.Client.Delete(path));
		}

		public void Dispose()
		{
			if (this.Th != null)
			{
				this.EvStop.Set();

				this.Th.Join();
				this.Th = null;

				this.EvStop.Dispose();

				if (this.Client != null)
					this.Client.Dispose();
			}
		}
	}
}


In order to operate a two-way radio system, you need to obtain your FCC license for radios. In addition to providing clearance for legal usage, your two-way radios license helps to keep your signal free of interference caused by surrounding radios in use.
Two Way Direct has the knowledge, experience, and resources to help you get your license fast with no hassle and no fuss. Beyond just assisting you with the application process, we also sell world-class communications systems at the lowest prices in the industry—guaranteed.
The application process requires that you provide some basic information about your organization, including your business name, physical address, and email address, as well as its federal tax ID (if applicable).
When applying for your FCC license for radios, the FCC also needs to know how many radios are going to be used in your network and their longitude and latitude coordinates.
If you're using a large-scale communications system, you will also need to provide information about any repeaters, towers, antennas, base stations, and other components. There may be other required details that are easy to overlook on your own, but a coordinator can help to streamline the process for you.
Providing this information is important because it allows the coordinator to compare your data with other local two-way radio users, ensuring that they select the cleanest frequencies so you don't cause or experience interference.
For example, if your golf course is next to a casino, you don't want your signals to get crossed. A coordinator uses this data to eliminate avoidable conflicts so everyone can enjoy the cleanest frequencies possible. That's why an FCC license for radios is so vital—it keeps shared airwaves organized so you can rely on your communications system at all times.
There are three fees associated with obtaining your two-way radios license. These fees go to the FCC, the coordinator, and the dealer, respectively. The costs vary depending on the size of your communications system. For example, a system with six radios will probably cost a few hundred dollars. Licenses last for ten years, so the reasonable cost is well worth it.
In order to speed up processing times, your two-way radio dealer should have detailed records of every component in your configuration on hand and ready to submit to your coordinator in their preferred format. You can always count on Two Way Direct to keep your data on file and ready to batch and send.
The amount of time it takes to obtain your FCC license for radios varies depending on many factors. Most applicants are cleared to start using their radio systems within 10 business days after the certification date while awaiting the final approval.
However, in some cases, it may take as long as six months for the FCC to process applications. The coordinator will provide detailed information on when you can expect your network to be up and running.
After you receive your confirmation of approval, you're required to send a construction letter that states that the system in question has been installed, according to the specifications listed on the application. Your coordinator can assist you with this final step. Once you've sent that letter, your only obligation is to renew your FCC license for radios when it expires in ten years.
Getting your FCC license may seem like a bit of a hassle, but when you think about it, it makes sense. This shared communications format only works when everyone follows the rules. After all, if anyone was able to broadcast on the same frequencies, it would be virtually impossible to rely on your system.
Two Way Direct is proud to offer an in-house department dedicated specifically to assisting our customers with getting their FCC two way radios license. We work closely with qualified coordinators who can streamline the process for you every step of the way. We also keep detailed records of your system on file so you can apply for your FCC license for radios as quickly and easily as possible.
We encourage you to get in touch if you have questions about obtaining your FCC license. While the application process may seem daunting on paper, our friendly experts can guide you and provide the resources you need, as well as the lowest prices on quality communications products shipped fast and free.
Working with the right dealer streamlines all aspects of setting up a new communications system. Call us at 1-888-742-5893 or contact us online now, and take advantage of our unparalleled industry expertise as you start the process of obtaining your FCC license for radios.


text:
Joyce Manor: Million Dollars To Kill Me
Mia Hughes gets to grips with the fifth record from Joyce Manor
by Mia Hughes
Joyce Manor make it seem easy. As if their spot-on combination of heart-panging emotion, dry wit and instantly gratifying melody tumbles onto record without a second thought. In the same vein as forefathers like Jawbreaker and Weezer, they're the kind of band that wrap themselves tight around a person's heart easily and without making much of a fuss of it; their songs open, straightforward, inviting. And while for a good few years now they've increasingly eschewed the rough-and-tumble punk of earlier days in favour of more nuanced indie rock, they've never fallen into traps of over-complication or over-intricacy, nor have they ever bored. It's a balance that only a band comfortable in their own skin could strike.
It doesn't come as a surprise then that Million Dollars To Kill Me – the band's fifth offering – is just as solid a Joyce Manor album as any that has come before. Rather, it's a satisfying confirmation of what we've come to expect from them; that much is obvious from the first track. 'Fighting Kangaroo' comes out swinging with every move in the Joyce Manor playbook: sharp melodies moulded to a sharp beat, sweet harmonies and bittersweet lyrics. "Of all these broken promises that found me in the end / You're the one that I pretend was enough," goes the chorus – there are those heart pangs. Elsewhere, frontman Barry Johnson sings, "By the time that I found you / There was nothing that I could do / Became a fighting kangaroo / But it was never your fault." That's an addition to a discography-wide catalogue of Barryisms: charmingly abstract, yet direct in their abstraction. I don't, for example, know what the fuck an 'ashtray petting zoo' is (from their first-album cut of the same name), but that's not the point; the picture is painted all the same.
The band called on a colourful cast of collaborators for Million Dollars, each lending a distinct touch that still blends seamlessly into the record as a whole. Rory Allen Phillips of The Impossibles co-wrote with Johnson on three songs ('Wildflowers', 'Silly Games' and 'Friends We Met Online'), a partnership that brought about some of the strongest songwriting on the record. Meanwhile, it was mixed by Andrew Scheps, a man who's worked with Green Day, Beyoncé, Adele, and pretty much anyone else who's ever headlined an arena. The result is a mix that sounds huge, yet intimate – like if you transposed a sweaty basement show into Madison Square Garden. At the helm of it all was Kurt Ballou, the guitarist of metalcore legends Converge who is easily as well known for his work as producer for bands such as Orchid, American Nightmare, Code Orange, Nails – the list is long and very, very heavy. On paper, he's an odd choice for this record, which at times sees Joyce Manor's songwriting the furthest from heavy that it's ever been. But upon closer listening, his involvement seems to be a stroke of genius. His production adds weight to the heavier tracks ('Million Dollars to Kill Me', 'Up the Punks') while injecting a subtle yet compelling grit into the softer ones.
Take, for example, 'Silly Games' – unquestionably an album highlight for anyone who's not counting on the traditional high-octane Joyce Manor sound. It's a track that could have slotted in easily on Pet Sounds (if Pet Sounds had been produced by a member of Converge, that is). The dynamics remain reserved throughout, the tempo leisurely – it moves at more of a drift than a charge. Johnson's vocals are soft, gentle. The graceful melody is guided by piano plinks. But there's a hard edge lurking in the form of omnipresent distorted guitar, at times breaking into an agitated solo melody before the vocals return to smooth it over. Ballou manages the whole thing excellently, each part of the recording perfectly comfortable where it needs to be and perfectly jarring where it needs to be. The interplay between songwriting and production is at full strength here, each element amplifying the other's brilliance.
The most stripped-back moment of the album comes with 'I'm Not The One'. It's not the first time Johnson has proven himself adept at acoustic songwriting: 'Drainage' from 2012's Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired and 'Do You Really Want To Not Get Better?' from 2016's Cody, each just Barry and an acoustic guitar, are two of the most affecting moments of the band's discography. But neither one of those songs stretches far past a minute in length. At two and a half minutes, this is the longest acoustic Joyce Manor song yet, and it doesn't outstay its welcome. Backed by a gorgeous guitar melody, Johnson takes a witty look at the wealthy ("Check out the knife on the millionaire's wife, getting all unhinged / Trying to decide who's good and who's just rich / Took all of his money and she burned it in a ditch"), before turning to indict members of his own scene ("Dog at the door who's the king of hardcore 'cause he's always been / Booking the shows where they sell the most clothes 'cause they're so limited"). It's a new kind of subject matter for Johnson, more often found writing abstract musings on relationships and friendships, yet it doesn't feel out of place – he takes it in his stride without a stumble.
Again evoking the ever-convenient Weezer and Jawbreaker comparisons, it has always been Johnson's lyricism that elevates a good Joyce Manor song to a great one. Million Dollars, as with each preceding album, only sees him grow in his lyrical versatility and accuracy; every emotional punch lands exactly where he was aiming, whether metaphor ("She's the only one who could take you to a pawn shop and sell you for twice what you're worth") or bluntly literal ("Don't you ever feel lonely? Baby, I've been lonely my whole life"). He never loses control as he deftly flits between feelings and moods – from the wistful 'Fighting Kangaroo', to the scathing title track, to the despondent 'Wildflowers' – each one delivered with his trademark angular sense of humour, while still retaining complete earnestness.
It's not often that a band reaches their fifth album without either becoming mechanical and cheapening the things that once made them loved, or remodelling their sound completely. But five albums in, Joyce Manor are still comfortable in their own skin – and so Million Dollars To Kill Me is no remodel, but a natural extension of the path the band have been laying album-by-album. It's familiar but never formulaic, fresh but never disorientating. They expand their boundaries, but the centre point remains the same – open, straightforward, inviting and fucking brilliant songwriting. And they make it all seem so damn easy.
Posted on September 19, 2018 By jadecurson	Albums Posted in Albums
jadecurson
Chatting about nice stuff, shouting about bad stuff.
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text:
https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Amy-McGrath-to-run-for-Mitch-McConnell-s-US-14081304.php
Amy McGrath announces bid for Mitch McConnell's Senate seat
Michael Tackett, Associated Press
Updated 7:27 pm CDT, Tuesday, July 9, 2019
FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2018, file photo, Amy McGrath speaks to supporters in Richmond, Ky. McGrath, a Marine combat aviator who narrowly lost a House race to an incumbent Republican in Kentucky, has set her sights on an even more formidable target: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. less
FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2018, file photo, Amy McGrath speaks to supporters in Richmond, Ky. McGrath, a Marine combat aviator who narrowly lost a House race to an incumbent Republican in Kentucky, has set her ... more
Photo: Bryan Woolston, AP
The contest also will test the power of incumbency against a call for generational change along with a measure of whether Trump's popularity is transferable.
Democrat Amy McGrath, the former combat pilot who ran in KY-06 and lost last year, will challenge Sen. Mitch McConnell #KYSEN https://t.co/DpZaXlgDsh
— Rebecca Buck (@RebeccaBuck) July 9, 2019
"I've been always somebody who stepped up to the plate when asked, when I felt like my country needed me, and this is one of those times," McGrath said in an interview.
"I felt like somebody needs to stand up to him," McGrath said.
But her attacks on McConnell and his record carry risks because Trump remains highly popular in Kentucky, and McConnell has pushed through much of the president's agenda and, perhaps more importantly, his nominees to federal courts, including Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
She said that Kentucky voters are not fans of either political party and they supported Trump in part because of his promise to "drain the swamp" in Washington, lower drug prices and deliver a more effective alternative to the Affordable Care Act.
"Those things haven't happened because of guys like Senator McConnell," she said.
McConnell campaign manager Kevin Golden said McGrath lost in 2018 "in a Democratic wave election because she is an extreme liberal who is far out of touch with Kentuckians."
The Senate majority leader's tone was more sanguine. "It'll be a spirited race," he said Tuesday at the Capitol. He says unlike others, "I actually enjoy campaigns."
Since becoming party leader, McConnell said he notices he gets "more attention than I used to. I look forward to the contest and laying out our differences to the people of Kentucky."
Trump wasted little time weighing in on the race, tweeting Tuesday night, "Why would Kentucky ever think of giving up the most powerful position in Congress, the Senate Majority Leader, for a freshman Senator with little power in what will hopefully be the minority party."
In the 2018 race, McGrath, a Naval Academy graduate, foreswore negative attack ads against Barr while he and several outside groups supporting him spent millions of dollars labeling her as "too liberal" for Kentucky. McGrath, who must first win the Democratic nomination, would not show similar restraint against McConnell.
Schumer worked hard to persuade McGrath to run against McConnell. Several other would-be recruits, including former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, declined his overtures, and others, like former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, passed on Senate races to run for the Democratic presidential nomination.