Getting diagnosed with HIV will affect your dating life and is something that must be acknowledged and discussed with your partner. However, not everyone you meet will be able to deal with your condition. After meeting several people who are not willing to step up to the plate, you will probably start to wonder whether having a partner is even possible for you. Well, keep in mind that you need to work on yourself and your own attitude toward relationships before you step into the dating world as a member of the HIV dating community.
Therefore, you need to be comfortable with yourself and find a way to be happy on your own. We're not saying that you won't find a partner, but it is important to know you can have a quality life even if that means being single. If you are willing to get back on the market, there are several steps you should take beforehand.
People are social creatures, and we need other people in our lives who will care about us and be there for us in the time of need. Once you build a strong friendship network and surround yourself with amazing individuals, dating will become a lot easier. After all, you won't be desperately seeking a partner who will make you complete because you will already be complete. This will take a huge pressure off your future relationships and help you present yourself in a better light.
If you are convinced that you are unlovable, you will start dating just to prove yourself right. Even if someone gives you a chance, you won't be able to take them for real. Stop being your own worst enemy and treating yourself like you are not worthy of love. Although living with HIV presents some challenges, you are still that funny, caring, and lovable person you have always been, and no virus can change that.
If you are focusing too hard on finding a partner, you will send your dates running for the hills. Trust us; people can smell desperation on you. Therefore, instead of focusing too hard on your search for love, make it your mission to have a quality life, with or without someone by your side.


Level 2 Mark Hayes is known for his dazzling piano artistry. However, many of the players who love his arrangements wish that they didn't have quite so many notes or require such large reaches. Mark's third book of "intermediate" solos designed specifically for these players includes spirituals and Gospel songs with all of the brilliant Hayes trademark jazz chords and "licks" but in settings that can be mastered more easily. You'll feel the joy the first time you open the book at home; then you'll want to share it with your congregation.


The Pac-12 hasn't had a team ranked in the AP Top 25 in more than a month, while 10 of its schools have at least eight losses.
RALEIGH, N.C. — It's already been a rough season for the Pac-12. It won't get any easier as many league teams try to find their way into the NCAA Tournament.
As of Friday afternoon, the Pac-12 ranks seventh in KenPom's conference rankings. Mike Hopkins' league-leading Huskies (19-4, 10-0) stand at only No. 25 in the NCAA's new NET rankings, a more analytical formulareplacing the RPI this year. So that leaves few league wins ahead capable of punching up a shaky postseason resume.
AP Writer John Marshall in Phoenix contributed to this report.


text:
Q: Plot a curve of data frame df1 <- read.csv("C:\\Users\\Unique\\Desktop\\Data Science\\
                 R Scripts\\LimeBison_ch1.csv")

df2 <-  df1[df1[,3] ==  73.608125,]

plot(df2[,1],df2[,2], xlab = "Milliseconds", ylab = "Amplitude",
  main = "Amplitude vs Time Graph",type = "p", pch =16, col = "red",
    xlim = c(-200,1200), ylim = c(-1.5,1.5))

x <- tapply(df2$Amplitude, df2$Time, mean)

df3 <- data.frame(Time = names(x), Average_Amplitude = x)

How can I plot a curve of the data frame df3 over the scatter plot of df2?

A: I'm not sure about your data, but if you are using base plotting, then you can plot a line on top of a scatter plot by using the lines function
df <- data.frame(x = 1:40, y = c(1:20, 20: 1))
plot(df$x, df$y, cex = 2)
lines(df$x, df$y)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Join us for Detox + Retox at Mazama Brewing. This Yoga + Beer event will begin with a 60 minute all-levels, flow yoga class, taught by beer yogi and yoga instructor, Cait Gill. After class, yogis are invited to stay and enjoy a post-class pint.
Registration includes yoga + your first pint of beer.
Advance registration encouraged. 21+ only.


Fashion Week isn't for another few days, but Rickie Fowler, golf's celebrated stylist, was headlining with his white high tops and a low score at Bethpage Black, 30 miles east of Manhattan's runways, Saturday afternoon.
"It was a fun day," he said. "The putter's starting to show up a bit."
The mustachioed American looked understated in grays for the third round of The Barclays, shooting birdies at the state park and dropping his score to 9-under. He seized the lead on No. 18 after going putt for putt with Texan Patrick Reed, the leader heading into the day, down the back nine. He has one bogey through 54 holes.
"Hopefully I'll be in it to celebrate late tomorrow," Fowler said.
two shots ahead of Australian Adam Scott, who finished a shot off the course record of 64.
Fowler, who shot 3-under in Round 3, picked up two strokes early on, and he needed them. By then, the scoreboard informed all onlookers that Scott had set the pace when he holed his wedge shot on the first hole for an eagle and shot 6-under for the round. Scott, who made a par save on No. 11 and hit a bomb on 12, allowed that he was optimistic moving forward.
"It's what I needed," Scott said. "It had kind of been a frustrating two days playing well and not being able to get anything going. And then you're given that start and two good shots on the next and four feet and you're flying. With two par 5s coming up, that's how you want to play the front nine, take advantage of the front and hold on on the back because it's a tough nine."
It was the front nine that frustrated the leader heading into the weekend. Patrick Reed, who shot 8-under through the first 36 holes, returned to the field quickly in Round 3, bogeying three of his first six holes after holding a one shot lead over Argentina's Emiliano Grillo. He regained form, dropping a few birdies and findings pars along the back nine to tie Fowler, who was playing in the group ahead of Reed.
Fowler knows the meaning of a win in the first FedEx Cup playoff event. Not only would he earn the attached points to position himself for a championship, but it would also strengthen his chances of making the Ryder Cup team. He currently sits 12th in Ryder Cup points after qualifying as a member of the U.S. squad that lost to the Europeans in Scotland in 2014.
Jason Day, the defending champion, continued to struggle at the turn, bogeying No. 9 and No. 11.
"If I can find my golf ball, I might have a good chance at winning the tournament," Day said. "Today I just had no clue where it was going. Was missing both left and right."
Scott hasn't won a title since March, but he held out hope that Saturday's scoring could continue. He was aware that a course record was in reach if he had birdied any of the last three holes, acknowledging that it was a mark he wouldn't mind reaching. Instead, he shook off his bogey on No. 16 and welcomed the pars on the last two. Having come close to the record, he allowed that it could be a target.
"Hopefully I'm within a shout tomorrow," he said.


text:
Brief Elemental Things
A conversation with essayist, editor, and translator Eliot Weinberger
by Wen Zhuang
Illustration by Eve O'Shea
Robert Atwan likened the essay form to a solitary, restless individual; Montaigne believed essays could only be written in paces; Hilton Als considered the essay as concentrated life. Defining the essay has proved a more elusive task than the essay itself. And few have stretched its limits as wide as Eliot Weinberger. He has often attributed his preference for essays, for fact over fiction, to his lack of imagination. But Weinberger, knowingly or not, has pushed the essay genre to unimagined ends.
His stories cover nearly every corner of the world, and render even familiar places surreal, as if we're hearing them described for the first time. In Weinberger's 2016 essay collection, The Ghost of Birds, the first story begins quite literally with creation, titled "The Story of Adam and Eve." By the middle few essays, we're asked to consider George Bush Jr. as a "postmodernist" as Weinberger feeds readers details as granular as the "hot coat hanger" he used to "brand the buttocks of pledges to the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity." We end the collection of essays somewhere in Albania, walking the Great Wall with presidents past.
Weinberger's approach to translation is equally as brazen and sweeping: "One can translate Moby-Dick even if one has never hunted whales," he asserts. Shortly after finding a book of poems by Octavio Paz in his high school library, Weinberger started translating from the Spanish. By 19, he'd become friends with Paz and worked for years as a primary translator of his work. Along with his essays, he's gone on to translate from Chinese, working closely with poet Bei Dao.
"Weinberger tracks cycles of human violence and dreaming, like huge vortical whirlwinds," writes poet Forrest Gander, "they stalk each other across the widening desert tracts of human history." Weinberger, Bei Dao, New Directions—Gander and Weinberger's publisher—gathered with others at Brown University last week as part of a two-day celebration of Forrest Gander, who retired from his post as Adele Kellenberg Seaver Professor of Literary Arts & Comparative Literature this Fall. In the weeks leading up to the event, the Independent spoke with Weinberger sporadically over email, discussing his voracious approach to the world.
The College Hill Independent: Reading your stories has offered me, among other feelings: solace, humor, unease, hope, and I am looking forward to experiencing it all in person at your reading and through our exchange.
Eliot Weinberger: Well thank you—but they're not really "my stories." I sometimes have stories in my writing, but they're other people's stories, which I retell.
The Indy: Can you share your relationship with the poet and professor Forrest Gander and to his work? The title of the event, A Restless Melancholy—how does it resonate with you personally?
EW: I don't feel particularly restless or melancholic. I can sit for many hours in a chair just happily and blankly staring. Forrest has been my friend forever. I read everything he publishes, and he's one of the very few writers whose next book I'm eager to read. Among many other things, he is a master—in both the poetry and the fiction—of landscape and the invocation of place. I wish I knew how he does it.
The Indy: Every interviewer you've sat with has begun their introduction with hesitation—finding your work unclassifiable. There is a sense of responsibility in your work. Not for an audience nor reportage, but a desire to feel as if you've communicated a story across in as genuine a manner as possible. Have you thought about yourself as a messenger? Have you ever had any desire to classify your work?
EW: I'm certainly not a journalist, in that I rarely deal with the present and I do not go somewhere to report on what I have seen. Messengers convey someone else's words, which they are supposed to do verbatim. In my writing, all the words, or almost all the words, are mine—what is not mine is the information. I don't make anything up or blur the line between fiction and non-fiction. And I'm afraid I always associate messengers with angels: the Biblical word for angel in Hebrew (ma'lak) and Greek (angelos) means "messenger." Needless to say, I don't qualify.
I consider myself an essayist, though some of my essays are more like stories and some are more like poems. I try to write them as one writes a poem: listening to the sounds and trying to present exact and concrete images. But their lack of imagination means that they are neither fiction nor poetry.
The Indy: You've often mentioned that you were first drawn to the essay because it'd been "collecting dust, untouched since 18th century English."
EW: Yes, with a few exceptions, it still follows the 18th (or earlier) century format of the narrative of a first-person investigation. In English, at least, it largely hasn't had the wild range of open possibilities that poetry and fiction have had for a hundred years. So it struck me as unexplored territory.
The Indy: Reading essays on the internet have become common practice. You were booed off stage at St. Mark's Poetry Project for voicing your support for the internet and digitized text. Most recently, you've revealed that the internet has "kind of ruined [my] life." How has the "essay" changed in the 21st century with the rise of the internet? You've talked often about what the internet makes possible in terms of access in the Third World. Has it rendered anything impossible?
EW: To clarify: very early on I thought the internet was the best thing to have happened to literature, in that interested readers far from urban centers—and particularly readers in the Third World, without decent libraries—would suddenly have access to so much of the world's writing. In 1994, on a panel at St Mark's on "poetry and revolution," I was widely ridiculed for saying that the internet was about to be a powerful political force. (Amiri Baraka, for one, responded, "The revolution is not going to come from a bunch of yuppies with laptops.") As Fidel Castro used to say, history has absolved me.
My recent joke in an interview that the internet has ruined my life was referring to email, the information overload, and current life in Trump USA, where there are three or four unbelievable new developments daily. (Unlike, say, the Bush era, when the news was depressing, but was basically more of the same every day.) It's become, as we all know, difficult to concentrate on anything else.
The internet has, of course, changed nearly everything, but the consolation of literature is that it hasn't changed fiction, poetry, or essays at all. They remain what they are—the only difference is that more people can find them.
The Indy: You are no stranger to the current political climate, having laid it out meticulously in "Ten Days in Trump's America" for this past October's London Review of Books. It seems that the ideas you've built your writing career on—reaching past American literature, immediate cultures, and imminent borders—are antithetical to the current US agenda.
EW: My writing always comes out of either curiosity or indignation. Curiosity for the literary essays, indignation for the political. The literary essays are almost entirely located in other cultures; the political essays—and there were many more during the Iraq War—are about the USA. The little bit I have done my whole life has been completely opposed and contrary to the current xenophobic and racist agenda of Trump and, more important, the entire Republican party.
The Indy: As an essayist, you always mention your desire for truth; I'd like to get your thoughts on something I read recently. American psychologist Jon Haidt, published an essay this past October where he positions Karl Marx against John Stuart Mill, one as the patron of "Social Justice," another as "Truth" respectively. Can you speak about truth and its nuances, if you believe there are any?
EW: I can't talk about universities, having never had any academic affiliations. Of course, I believe in absolute freedom of speech. Nevertheless, there is a difference between the freedom to say what you like and the institutional validation of what you say. Academic articles like Haidt's imagine a Platonic dialogue between enlightened and reasonable conservatives and liberals, which is simply not the current reality. Steve Bannon is not John Stuart Mill. The so-called conservatives these days are not conservative at all, but mongers of hate, and you can hear their opinions easily enough on Fox News and on the internet. So no, I don't believe in giving racists a platform (and a speaking fee!) at a university in the name of "open debate."
The Indy: On the topic of academia, you haven't always been on the periphery of institutions, hailing from rather prestigious academic settings, from The Putney School to your brief stint at Yale. And in some ways, poetry, the literary arts, have always felt antagonistic to the academic setting. How do you think poetry ought to be taught?
EW: I went to a wonderful progressive high school, Putney, on a farm in Vermont, and then barely made it through a year at Yale, which at the time was still a boys' school full of Brett Kavanaugh types. Having had no academic connections since, I naturally have a reactionary idea of what a university should be. I'm afraid I think that anyone who wants to be a writer should study anything—biology, anthropology, astronomy, history, religion—except "creative writing." It helps to know something. And I'm afraid I think that, in literature, students should study what they otherwise wouldn't read. That means no living writers. After all, there are thousands of years of literature to catch up on.
The Indy: So many things are happening and at an egregious speed, how do you deal with overconsumption? What do you do to combat feeling overwhelmed?
EW: Happily. I travel quite a bit and when I travel I don't read. I just look around.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Till The End by The Truth Tale
The Truth Tale, an alternative rock band, has created a legendary piece of Alt-Rock music titled "Till The End," which is forceful, familiar yet unusual, and full of a clear artistic identity with lasting appeal.
In 2011, singer-songwriter John Allen Mitchell formed the Indy / Alternative Rock Band Project The Truth Tale. The musical journey of The Truth Tale has been influenced by a broad spectrum of inspirations and life situations. The voyage continues with the release of a new album and single in the near future.
"Till The End" is a simple yet enjoyable retro riff warped with metal-style drums and a modest, live-style vocal delivered near-spoken. The verses are very straightforward. It's a thrilling scene, a definite high point that raises the bar.
Fantastic, an addictively happy and equally emotive getaway from a band who impresses both lyrically and musically throughout this breathtakingly contemporary and tremendous environment.
As previously stated, the words weave in poetry and personal reflection across a surprise new yet effective tune — unique writing at its best, working its magic in the midst of an equally innovative arrangement.
As we march towards an epic hook portion for "Till The End," short lines form an instrumental back and forth. However, another aspect of the band's voice and stylings remain consistent with their identity. The talent is unwavering, as is the songwriting, attractiveness, and interest.


Porthminster Beach Café is right on the beautiful golden beach of Porthminster – one of the cleanest bays in the South West and bestowed with the prestigious Blue Flag award. You can taste scrumptious and award-winning dishes whilst enjoying uninterrupted views across St Ives bay.
Serving delicious food all-day long, Porthminster Beach café is the ideal spot to relax after swimming in the ocean or building sandcastles in the afternoon. The café prides itself on using local and fresh produce and in its seafood restaurant it uses the best ingredients out of the Cornish ocean. Boasting a warm and relaxing atmosphere, you can sample the cafes unique twist on seafood cuisine taking influences from Mediterranean and Asian dishes. The chefs are also evolving the menu, perfecting their trade and using the best seasonal produce, but you can always guarantee the taste of the sea at this gorgeous establishment.
What is a luxury stay in St Ives without breakfast on the beach? The Porthminster Café serves breakfast from 9am and is very popular with its stunning sea views so be sure to book in advance. You can enjoy a traditional Cornish fry-up or a Grilled Whole Kipper which will set you off for the day or you wanted to try something out of the ordinary take a bite of the Beef Brisket Hash served with two poaches eggs and hollandaise sauce – absolutely divine! There is also a children's menu for breakfast as well as gluten free and vegetarian options meaning there's something for everyone before spending the day at the beach.
There are also light bites to enjoy at lunch – the chef's using fresh produce from their very own adjacent garden plot and coastal path every day to create their delicious dishes. Indulge in a three-course dinner in the evening made up of ocean delicacies such as Cornish oysters, steamed mussels, crispy fried squid and meaty crab. Not to worry my non-seafood lovers – there is also a lovely choice of steaks, duck, sticky ribs and much more.
Being right on the beach and by the ocean, Porthminster Beach Café is the perfect restaurant to dine in whether you're looking for an easy meal after a day at the beach or want to celebrate a special occasion whilst watching the waves. With outdoor space, a beach bar and open for coffee and cake too – come and meet the welcoming friendly staff and have a gorgeous day by the ocean in St Ives.
Feeling inspired? Have a look through our gorgeous coastal retreats in St Ives here.


text:
These Editor-Approved Vacuum Sealers Will Help You Prep and Preserve Food Like a Pro in 2023 — and They're on Sale
Kristin Montemarano
Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
Score options on sale for up to 42% off.
Food & Wine / Pamela Jew
With 2023 officially making its way onto our calendars, many of us have resolutions this year to reduce our food waste and preserve our ingredients more efficiently, but it can be tough to find easy ways to do it. But what if I told you one simple little appliance can preserve your food, all while saving you precious time and money? Enter the vacuum sealer.
These nifty tools use their air-tight pressure to keep your favorite foods, like steaks, fruits, greens, and even dry goods from being exposed to bacteria, mold, or freezer burn, helping them stay fresher for longer. Food & Wine testers swear by them, and luckily we've stumbled upon two of our favorites on sale just in time for 2023.
You can score our overall favorite, the Nesco VS-12 Vacuum Sealer, for 35% off, as well as our favorite affordable option, the Geryon Food Vacuum Sealer, for just $40 right now at Amazon.
To buy: Nesco VS-12 Vacuum Sealer, $88 (originally $135) at amazon.com
Although you'd be set regardless of which machine you choose, the Nesco version won our top seal of approval thanks to how easy it is to use. Since vacuum sealers tend to be a new machine for many, it pays to have a version that's easy-to-use with various control options for more customization.
Testers found this machine to be the simplest to maneuver, since it comes with different power and preservation settings that help control the pressure and seal depending on what you're preserving. That means you can save delicate, finer foods like fruit with less suction to help preserve their whole shape. We specifically tested raspberries to compare each machine, and this was the only machine that could keep the shape of the raspberries intact, and keep them fresh.
RELATED: Le Creuset's Classic Round Dutch Oven Is $130 Off for a Limited Time
Testers also loved how powerful this machine was, and found it held a very sturdy seal. It comes with two rolls of bags, a locked lid, and a storage compartment with a cutter to help organize and separate the bags. While Food & Wine testers noted that it can be loud when it's in use, it didn't inhibit the functionality of the machine in any way.
If you're new to vacuum sealing, you might be looking for an affordable option. The Geryon vacuum sealer is our top affordable option, and it's also on sale right now. This machine shocked testers thanks to its low price, but powerful seal.
To buy: Geryon Food Vacuum Sealer Machine, $40 with coupon (originally $70) at amazon.com
Testers did note that its seal is so powerful that this machine struggled to seal delicate foods like raspberries and cereal. However, it worked perfectly on proteins like meat and fish, as well as vegetables. You'll also get a customizable experience like the Nesco version, since you can choose different settings for dry and wet goods.
This machine is also easy to assemble and clean, since the lid comes right off. You'll get one bag roll, plus five heat seal bags, and an air suction hose that can be used to remove air in other containers too.
Whether you're looking for an all-in-one tool that can vacuum seal anything from delicate produce to thick cuts of protein, or an affordable option for your favorite bulk-buying ingredients, there's an option for you. Snap up the Nesco VS-12 vacuum sealer for 35% off or the Geryon vacuum sealer for over 40% off now at Amazon.
More Fresh Finds from Food & Wine:
These Are the Best Kitchen Items Our Shopping Editors Bought All Year
7 Must-Have Tools to Make Baking Easier, According to a Michelin-Starred Pastry Chef
Dyson's Best Cordless Vacuum Is $150 Off Right Now
Shop the Dyson sale for up to $150 off top cordless vacuums. Plus Dyson owners can take 20 percent off full price items during Dyson owner rewards sale 2023.
Get a Huge $150 Discount on Dyson's Best Cordless Vacuum
Psst: Get a Coveted Dyson Vacuum for Only $350 During the Brand's Deals Event
Shop Dyson's Owner Rewards Sale for up to $200 off Dyson cordless vacuums, air purifiers and hair devices. Dyson owners can save 20 percent off Dyson devices. Whether you're shopping for vacuums, air purifiers or even hair tools, Dyson has you covered with top-of-the-line devices that tackle just about anything.
Calling All Dyson Owners: You Can Get 20% Off a Vacuum, Hair Dryer, or Air Purifier Right Now
If you own a Dyson product of any kind, we don't need to tell you what a good investment these machines are. From their lightweight, super-powerful cordless vacuums to their whisper-quiet air purifiers and untouchable hair care appliances, Dysons are the best of the best — and they just made it way easier to grow […]
Thousands of Amazon shoppers swear by these fashion cult faves — and they're all under $30
A wallet with nearly 50,000 five-star reviews for $16, a top-rated blouse for $19 (50% off), cute wool socks and more.
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Save an incredible $400 but act fast: The stock is sure to get vacuumed right up.


Ticket sales for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Second World Nomad Games has started. The World Nomad Games will take place from September 3-8, 2016 at Lake Issyk-Kul.
Tickets can be bought at official sales points in Bishkek and Osh, as well as through the official app of the World Nomad Games 2016.
The price of the tickets will depend on the location of the place chosen and on the event: for the Opening Ceremony, tickets will range from 300 to 3800 soms, and for the Closing Ceremony, from 300 to 2000 soms.
At sales points, official documents confirming the buyer's identity will be required to buy tickets. The sales person will enter this personal information into a database and will photograph the person buying the ticket with special equipment. The ticket will be issued with a QR code, in which the personal information will be encoded (including name, photograph, and passport information).
Purchasing tickets through the mobile app will require information to be entered into a special form, and will also require personal information and a photograph. Buyers will pick their place and pay for it, and afterwards will receive a QR code, which will serve as their official ticket.
This ticket is strictly individual. Selling or giving this ticket to another person will result in its cancellation without return of money.
Tickets are required for the Official Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the World Nomad Games. The sporting and cultural events at the Hippodrome (from September 4th through 7th) and Kyrchyn Gorge are absolutely free.


I am suicidal and I cannot keep myself safe. Can I come to CHAT?
• Call 999 or the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) at 1800-221-4444 (Both operate 24/7). Stay on the phone with them until someone comes to you.
• Or, head down to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department of the nearest hospital for someone to attend to you.
What is this mental health check about?
It is a confidential face-to-face consultation with our qualified mental health professionals, available for young people aged 16-30 currently residing in Singapore. Through this session, you could gain an understanding of your mental wellbeing and get the help you need. We can also link you up to the appropriate support if you are agreeable.
Where is the mental health check done?
In CHAT Hub, located at *Scape #05-05.
When is the mental health check done?
Tuesday to Friday afternoons. Each session takes about an hour.
If you cannot make it at these times, let us know your schedule and we will try to work something out.
There is an online form for you to fill up. We may contact you within 3 working days to clarify your responses. Most people will complete their face-to-face mental health check within two weeks of contacting CHAT.
I am not ready to make an appointment but I am concerned about my mental health. Is there an alternative?
We admire this step that you are taking to look out for resources for your mental wellbeing. Yet, going for a face-to-face mental health check may seem daunting to some. You may consider calling us at 6493 6500/01 or clicking on the webCHAT icon to speak to us. Our webCHAT operates from Tuesday to Friday, 1-8pm.


Treasure Island Beach Resort is one of my favorite places to stay when I visit the Philippines.
Located in Baloy Beach, Olongapo City, Subic, Zambales Province, the resort provides excellent value in accommodations and facilities, and offers a wonderful pool, beach front access, a great restaurant and a fully-stocked bar.
I actually moved to Baloy Beach in January of this year. I've rented a house not 100 meters away from Treasure Island, and I go there often for breakfast and special events. It's awesome to eat breakfast next to the ocean, while sitting by the pool, using their very fast and free Wi-fi to work on web sites. I'm able to use their pool and beach facilities free of charge, so when I need a break, I'll go hang out in the pool and chat with the many expats who live around here.
Treasure Island has pool parties roughly every two months. The latest was yesterday, April 3rd, 2011. Over 80 girls were in attendance, sponsored by 8 clubs from Barrio Barretto. The event drew a large, very well-behaved crowd of expats and tourists alike. The girls were having a great time, which ensured we all had a good time as well!
The party included all the local drinks you could handle, including my favorite, San Miguel Light beer, and all you could eat. They provided an excellent buffet that included Lumpia Shanghai with a spicy sweet and sour sauce, mini-burgers, pasta salad, meatballs in sauce and other foods. Lumpia is like a spring roll with pork, and it's deep fried.
There were numerous events during the party, including bobbing for balls (plastic balls are tossed in the water, and the girls have to retrieve them without using their hands), a beer drinking/swimming/basketball competition. The girls drink a beer, swim across the pool, and hand off the empty beer can to their partner. The partner now has to drink two beers, and then swim back across, and toss the empty beer cans through a basketball hoop. Another one involved girls sitting on guy's shoulders, eating an apple that hangs from a rope in the middle of the pool (suspended above), without using their hands. It's a ton of fun!
Here are a few pics to get you started. Don't forget to visit the entire gallery of over 235 photos!
Treasure Island Beach Resort in Barrio Barretto, Subic, had a pool party on February 14th, 2010. Luckily, I was staying at Treasure Island, and I was able to particpate in the fun.
They had girls representing all of the Dryden Group bars, including Mosquito Bar, Rum Jungle, The Wet Spot, Angelwitch and the Voodoo Floating Bar.
Everyone had a blast. The music was great, the food was plentiful and well prepared (Dryden Restaurant standards were met) and the filipina girls were gorgeous and fun.
Check out the pics! Next time I'll get more.
The drive from Angeles City to Subic Bay used to take four and a half hours. The roads were terrible, full of holes, covered in mudslides, and there always seemed to be cars and trucks breaking down, slowing traffic and generally ruining your day.
The drive on the SCTEX (Subic, Clark, Tarlac Expressway) was fantastic! I think the entire trip only took about one hour and 45 minutes, and only that long because we stopped for gas and to refill the tire with air.
I didn't plan this, so all I grabbed were some quick snapshots of the scenes along the SCTEX, and a few signs that said Subic.
Also included in this photo gallery are a few pictures of the drive from Olongapo to Barrio Barretto.


To effectively classify infrared spectrum (IRS) fingerprints of Chinese herbs, this paper presents a new radial basis function (RBF) network namely, Locally Gaussian Mixture Based RBF (LGM-RBF) Network. Unlike the traditional RBF network, the LGM-RBF has a mix layer between the hidden layer and the output layer. The hidden nodes with spherical Gaussian are initially grouped so that each group is corresponding to a class. The outputs of hidden nodes in a group are linearly weighted and mixed by a node in the mix layer. All outputs of the mix layer are nonlinearly weighted and then transferred to the output layer. In order to reduce the number of hidden nodes and further improve the system performance, a strategy is proposed to optimize the distribution of the training data in the feature space. The LGM-RBF features the fast learning speed and robust performance on high-dimensional data with a small sample size. Experimental results show the efficacy of the LGM-RBF to the IRS fingerprint classification of Chinese herbs. © 2009 IEEE.


Since the introduction of the lion symbolism from Indian culture especially through Buddhist symbolism, statues of guardian lions have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and were believed to have powerful mythic protective benefits. They are also used in other artistic contexts, for example on door-knockers, and in pottery. Pairs of guardian lion statues are still common decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other structures, with one sitting on each side of the entrance, in China and in other places around the world where the Chinese people have immigrated and settled, especially in local Chinatowns.
Buddha's or Buddhist lion: referring in a religious context to the lion as protector of Buddha.
The lions are traditionally carved from decorative stone, such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron. Because of the high cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, private use of guardian lions was traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, a traditional symbol of a family's wealth or social status was the placement of guardian lions in front of the family home. However, in modern times less expensive lions, mass-produced in concrete and resin, have become available and their use is therefore no longer restricted to the elite.
The lions are always presented in pairs, a manifestation of yin and yang, the female representing yin and the male yang. The male lion has its right front paw on a type of cloth ball simply called an "embroidered ball" (xiù qiú, 绣球), which is sometimes carved with a geometric pattern (coincidentally, resembling the figure called "Flower of Life" in the New Age movement). The female is essentially identical, but has a cub under the closer (left) paw to the male, representing the cycle of life. Symbolically, the female fu lion protects those dwelling inside (the living soul within ), while the male guards the structure ( the external material elements ) . Sometimes the female has her mouth closed, and the male open. This symbolizes the enunciation of the sacred word "om". However, Japanese adaptations state that the male is inhaling, representing life, while the female exhales, representing death. Other styles have both lions with a single large pearl in each of their partially opened mouths. The pearl is carved so that it can roll about in the lion's mouth but sized just large enough so that it can never be removed.
Chinese lions are intended to reflect the emotion of the animal as opposed to the reality of the lion. This is in distinct opposition to the traditional English lion which is a lifelike depiction of the animal. The claws, teeth and eyes of the Chinese lion represent power. Few if any muscles are visible in the Chinese lion whereas the English lion shows its power through its life like characteristics rather than through stylized representation.
Lioness and cubs from the Yuan Dynasty discovered inside Beijing's city walls.
Asiatic lions were once quite common throughout their historic range in Southwest, South and Central Asia and are believed to be the ones depicted by the guardian lions in Chinese culture.
In India where the Asiatic lion also lived it is know by its ancient Sanskrit name "Sinh" or "Simha" (सिंह) and due to travels of Buddhist monks many East Asian languages have borrowed from this Sanskrit word for lion. Since ancient times Lion statues adorned palaces and temples and other important buildings in India and in Buddhist culture Lion was depicted as the protector of Dharma. In Hinduism lions are associated with Gods and Goddesses.
With increased trade during the Han dynasty and cultural exchanges through the Silk road, lions were introduced into China from the ancient states of Central Asia by peoples of Sogdiana, Samarkand, and the Yuezhi (月氏) in the form of pelts and live tribute, along with stories about them from Buddhist priests and travelers of the time. This exchange can be seen in that the Chinese word for lion is "Shi" (師, later 獅/狮), which shares the same etymological roots as "Shiar" (شیر), the Persian language name for the animal.
Several instances of lions as imperial tributes from Central Asia were recorded in the document Book of the Later Han (後漢書) written from 25-220 CE. On one particular event, on the eleventh lunar month of 87 CE, "… an envoy from Parthia offered as tribute a lion and an ostrich" to the Han court. Indeed, the lion was associated by the Han Chinese to earlier venerated creatures of the ancient Chinese, most notably by the monk Huilin (慧琳) who stated that "the mythic suan-ni (狻猊) is actually the lion, coming from the Western Regions" (狻猊即狮子也,出西域).
The Buddhist version of the Lion was originally introduced to Han China as the protector of dharma and these lions have been found in religious art as early as 208 BC. Gradually they were incorporated as guardians of the Chinese Imperial dharm. Lions seemed appropriately regal beasts to guard the emperor's gates and have been used as such since. There are various styles of guardian lions reflecting influences from different time periods, imperial dynasties, and regions of China. These styles vary in their artistic detail and adornment as well as in the depiction of the lions from fierce to serene.


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Trump again goes after Warren as 'Pocahontas'
By Chris Mills Rodrigo - 09/29/18 08:28 PM EDT
President Trump Donald John TrumpVeteran, state lawmaker launches bid against Democratic NC governor Pentagon sending 500 more troops to Saudi Arabia: reports Dozens of British lawmakers stand behind minority lawmakers amid Trump attacks MORE repeated his use of a racial slur for native Americans when criticizing Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann WarrenDemocratic Houston councilwoman announces Senate bid Biden's health care gaffe shows he's not ready for prime time The Hill's Morning Report - Trump seizes House impeachment vote to rally GOP MORE (D-Mass.) in West Virginia Saturday night.
Trump made the remarks at a rally for Senate candidate and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) in West Virginia.
He also used the opportunity to criticize the "Democrat party" as having been radicalized.
"Pocahontas is now considered a conservative in the Democrat party ... Pocahontas, Elizabeth Warren, she's considered like a conservative person," he said.
"They've gone crazy. They've gone loco."
Within 60 seconds, Trump calls the media "the enemy of the people" and uses a racist slur against Elizabeth Warren, calling her "Pocahontas" pic.twitter.com/XpnDDrBgSr
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 29, 2018
Trump has frequently used the term "Pocahontas" as a criticism of Warren to reference to her disputed claims that she is of Native-American descent.
The National Congress of American Indians has previously called out Trump for the usage of the term in a statement.
"We honor the contributions of Pocahontas, a hero to her people, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe in Virginia, who reached across uncertain boundaries and brought people together. Once again, we call upon the President to refrain from using her name in a way that denigrates her legacy."
Tags Elizabeth Warren Donald Trump


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On the Frontline: Marilyn Minter Rebells Against Trump in Pop-Up Shop
Minter's "Anger Management" pop-up is hosted by the Brooklyn Museum and features works from over 70 artists to raise money for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.
Text: Christina Cacouris
Following last year's tour-de-force retrospective Pretty/Dirty, Marilyn Minter is reuniting with the Brooklyn Museum to present a pop-up shop entitled "Anger Management," with over 70 artists coming together to create pieces to raise money for Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and other charities in an act of rebellion and resistance against the current administration. From Jenny Holzer and Barbara Kruger to Andrew Kuo and Jordan Wolfson (and even an addition from Jerry Saltz!), the pop-up comprises buttons, tattoos, thongs, hats, t-shirts—and even a large-scale rainbow LED cross.
Proceeds go to Planned Parenthood and ACLU
A post shared by Marilyn Minter (@marilynminter) on Sep 20, 2017 at 7:09am PDT
Artists have long been proponents of political activism, notes co-curator Andrianna Campbell, citing a 1968 exhibition and benefit at the Museum of Modern Art which saw a host of artists including Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Mark Rothko donating works after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. to benefit the civil rights organization he founded, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. "So there's been this precedent of artists being really involved politically. It's very difficult now; how can you stay involved when there's so much going on?"
"We don't want people to get complacent," says Minter. "This is not the new normal."
Minter, who has been an activist since her teenage years, has been especially outspoken throughout the Trump campaign and subsequent presidency, having helped found the Dear Ivanka Halt Action Group. I ask her: what would you say to the youth who feel discouraged, who feel that their marching hasn't yielded any results? "I'd say Graham-Cassidy, or all the other Trumpcare bills," she replies. "The resistance made that not happen. And in the '60s, you have to remember people were dying in Vietnam—but they're also dying in Flint, Michigan and in Puerto Rico. Because of the consequences of this administration, people are going to start dying more, especially as they get rid of ACA. So we're just starting, we're getting organized. We've got four more years. "
"Organizing, in terms of marching, is really important," agrees Campbell. "But what do you do between then? This is why we came up with this idea to make these products to benefit these organizations but also to remind people that they can have hope in the everyday."
Neon Cross by Jonathan Horowitz
"Now is the time that we have to hear from each other," says Jerry Saltz, who contributed a "This is not America" t-shirt to the cause (a reference, of course, to the David Bowie song, though he reports many "geezers" have been outraged by the sentiment). "I believe that we've come to a shift in the resistance. I think we have to get over the word 'resistance.' On one level it's an insult to the people that really fought the Nazi's in the Second World War, they call themselves the resistance and gave their lives for it. Also, to me, 'resistance' is a reactive word. I want to change the word to 'rebellion,' and even to 'revolt.' In the art world, rebellion and revolt are our middle names, and that should come easily and naturally to us."
Running until November 12, the pop-up was done without a budget and without a team larger than Minter, Campbell, and Chad Phillips, the Museum's Director of Merchandising. Most of the artists involved had to produce their contributions themselves, including Minter: "We did everything on a wing and a prayer," she says. "My kids [assistants Adam Porter, Johann Olander, and Phil Ashley] are all activists in their spare time."
"It only takes, in this instance, three people," adds Campbell. "If you have spirit, and you're willing, you can do it."
Dior Doubles Down At The Guggenheim
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I like my corner of London
Image July 15, 2012 Jay 2 Comments
Royal Victoria Docks, in London's Silvertown
I like my corner of London.
It might not be very exciting, and sometimes I feel like it lacks character of other places in the east end — and it is like a foreign country compared to west and south west London. Just the same, I like it here.
I live in London's Docklands — the more recent incarnation of the docklands. It was one of the world's most thriving docks at one time, and probably important for a very long time given the right combination of tides and places to unload.
Due to its importance, the area was heavily bombed during the second world war — while wealthier parts of the city in places like Kensington were left almost untouched by the war. The inevitable march of technology all but killed the docks — bigger ships could no longer reach this part of the river, and the rise of shipping containers meant that fewer people were necessary to unload ships; the job could be done by cranes instead.
Docks closed and the area all but died out, until it became a new financial district in the later decades of the twentieth century. But this isn't intended to be a history lesson: to learn about the Wapping dispute (newspapers moving from Fleet Street to Wapping) and the Docklands Light Railway, you can visit the excellent Museum of London Docklands.
Some say that multiculturalism in Britain has failed. I expect the people that say this are the people that want it to fail, the people that say that "immigrants" will never successfully integrate into the society's where they settle, and everything is a powder keg of unrest and distrust.
I don't see that here.
While you don't exactly have large multicultural groups all holding hands in a circle and singing "Kumbaya" like Joan Baez, it is also one of the most diverse places I have ever known. On a sunny day in Thames Barrier Park, you will see people of all creed, colours, races and religions sharing the space in friendship — and there's no clear line where any one group of people starts and another ends. Sunny and warm evenings around here encourage everyone to open their windows and doors, and what you get is a fantastic combination of cultures — music, televisions, even calls to prayer — all mixing together in the air. You might call it noise pollution, but we reserve that term for the nearby airport.
Romantic visions of cultural melting pots where everyone mixes together to form a whole greater than the sum of its parts may not have ever quite proved true — after all, most people tend to stay close to friends and family and the things they know — it does happen.
I'd like to see Docklands mature, beyond what is currently either big media companies and large financial institutions or islands of housing. They're trying — whoever they are. London Pleasure Gardens has recently opened in Silvertown — an area that has been largely forgotten since the decline of the docks, but still has so much of the history that I love, including old cranes by the water, vast warehouses and monolithic grain silos. I'd like to see more community though, the things I like in other parts of the east end — where every third or fourth shop is a local grocer, old theatres (even if they are now cinemas), reminders of what places once were written in the brickwork above the buildings.
You can't manufacture something like that, it has to come on its own. While you can't just make a place's history or character (and it looks terrible when new buildings try to copy the style of older existing ones), maybe you can sometimes do something to encourage one.
characterDocklandsDockshistoryhomeLondonmulticulturalismSilvertownwar


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Pitch Fest: a celebration of soccer culture
ArtsFestivalsFilmVisual Arts
By Bianca David Dec 5, 2013
While Montreal may not come close to rivaling the level of fanaticism many European and Latin American cities display toward their soccer teams, there are definitely many devoted enthusiasts of the beautiful game among us. For the first time in North America, an effort is being made to bring them all together. Pitch Fest, Montreal's newest festival, aims to connect hardcore and casual fans alike through film, visual arts, and music all in celebration of the game of soccer.
Paul Desbaillets, one of the founders of the festival and an avid soccer fan, said the time is ripe for this kind of festival to exist here and he hopes the idea of a soccer-themed festival will spread to other North American cities. Soccer as a cultural phenomenon is becoming very prevalent here, he said, but we don't really have as much of an outlet for it as other parts of the world.
In a way, the cultural aspect of the game is the true focus of Pitch. It seems as though Desbaillets and his fellow founders really sought to make this a celebration of the fans rather than of the players of the sport. Soccer players are idolized the world over so it's refreshing to see the focus shifted to soccer's legions of supporters.
Desbaillets said it was important to not make this just a film festival, but to include other forms of art as well. Photography by Jeremy Patterson, art installation by Alan Ganev, painting by Ruben Ramonda, and visual art by street artist Stikki Peaches, as well as DJ showcases presented by MEG are some of the non-film components of the festival. Desbaillets said all the artwork presented in the festival (all of which are for sale) were specially created for this year's edition of Pitch.
Additionally, organizers have made a great effort to showcase the cultural phenomenon of soccer from as many viewpoints as possible. Ladies' Turn, which premiered in North America at the festival, tells of the difficulties Senegalese female soccer players face; Casuals explores the development of a youth fashion movement among UK soccer fans in the 80s. 11 Metri is the story of Agostino Di Bartolomei, legendary captain of Italy's Roma team who took his own life with a gunshot to the heart.
TRAILER "LADIES' TURN" – Un film d'Hélène Harder from WENDIGO FILMS on Vimeo.
In a city with as much multicultural diversity as Montreal, it can be difficult to unite soccer fans whose loyalties are fragmented and lie with so many different teams. This festival may prove the one occasion per year when every soccer fan, no matter their allegiance, can share the love of their favourite sport under one banner.
Pitch Fest runs from December 5 to December 7. For a full schedule, see their website.
FestivalsFilmFootballInterviewMusicPaul DesbailletsPitch Festsoccersoccer festivalVisual Arts
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Bianca David
Music editor and writer with a background in Print & Broadcast Journalism. Follow me on twitter @biancanyon and look me up on Facebook.
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There's something very fitting about a Jeep event in Butler, Pennsylvania. After all, it's where the Jeep began. Yes, Willys-Overland, of Toledo, Ohio, is most famous for mass producing the standardized World War II jeep and turning it into an American icon. Still, we shouldn't forget that the Bantam Car Company of Butler, Pennsylvania, created the jeep template and was the first to turn a vague idea into reality. That's just one reason Butler is such an awesome place for a big Jeep event.
It started in 2011 when the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau had an idea to do a big Jeep event. They had a five-year plan, and every event they did exceeded the previous. For 2016, the event was handed off to the Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association and this organization will run the event from now on. Most of the same people who had been doing the event previously transferred over, including a base of loyal volunteers that come in year after year to work and play at Butler. They include members of the Heritage Region Jeep Alliance, Muddy Buddys, Big Rubbers, Ohio Valley Jeep Alliance, PA Jeeps, Boy Scouts Troops 53 and 806, Masonic Lodge 272, American Legion Riders, Civil Air Patrol, CB Rangers, and Rodfathers of Butler. That isn't a complete list and there are many smaller groups and individuals that help out. A tip of the Four Wheeler hat to all of you!
The event takes place at the Cooper's Lake Campground, a few miles northwest of Butler, near the intersection of Interstate 79 and State Route 422. Cooper's Lake Campground is a great venue because it has all the facilities needed to host the owners and friends of the 2,151 Jeeps registered for the event. They had 135 vendors offering everything from vintage used parts to the newest and most trick aftermarket stuff, the Jeep History Exhibit, a big show 'n' shine field, and plenty of good food.
The event isn't static. Rausch Creek Off-Road Park, a well-known Pennsylvania destination for off-roaders, set up a great playground for Jeepers near the vendors area, but across the road were trails through the woods, some easy, some more difficult but all were muddy! Some 1,500 Jeepers signed up to run the various trails. Scenic tours were offered that offered attendees the chance to explore the natural and historic sites that abound in the area, and 824 folks signed up for those. Event Coordinator Patti Jo Lambert reports registration included folks from 30 states, as far west as Missouri, as far south as Florida, and as far north as Maine and Canada.
The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival has become one of the premier Jeep events in the country and is certainly one of the largest in the East. If what you like to do revolves around Jeeps, mark June 9-11, 2017, on your calendars.
There are always plenty of deliciously strange Jeeps at the Bantam Festival. We didn't get to talk to the owners or builders of this 6x6 CJ, but it looks like it's been around for a while. Nothing cooler than vintage upgrades!
The Festival holds the record for the world's longest Jeep parade. The parade doesn't happen every year, and didn't for 2016, but Jeeps "invade" downtown Butler one evening. With all the food, liquid refreshment, and entertainment available, it made for a great evening of Jeep camaraderie.
If you walked past this '63 J-300 Gladiator without looking close, you missed a treat. It was built in January of that year and was the fourth DRW Jeep Gladiator of only 266 built in 1963. And it is one of the earliest Gladiators of any type built as well. Sold out of Sacramento, California, the dealer installed a Thriftside bed with extended fenders. DRWs were sold without beds and normally only a flatbed was available from Jeep. According to the original owner, the local Jeep dealer fabbed the bed. The truck still wears the original Amber Poly paint and has a vintage Ramsey, OEM-approved PTO winch.
You could learn a few things at the Bantam Jeep Festival! One of the possible activities was called the Glacial Tour. It wasn't gnarly, except for the mind, which was blown when you found out the place was once under a mile of ice. The tour took the group to several spectacular geological formations in the area, stopping for some short hikes and interpretation from staff who work at the nearby Moraine and McConnells Mill state parks.
A very special display was unveiled at the Jeep History Exhibit: The Many Faces of Jeep. From the first Bantam Pilot Model of 1940 into the '60s, this is round one for the display that will eventually cover every Jeep. Many of the earliest grilles had to be reproduced from scratch. The project was the brainchild of Bill Ringeison who took a vague request for a Jeep history display to new heights. A talented group of fabricators, including Tom Flank, did the work to refurbish or fabricate the grilles and make the display. An equally illustrious group of sponsors footed the bill. The display was set up in the Jeep history display building.
Well, you don't see this every day. While looking for a place to shoot some of the historic WWII vehicles, we obtained permission from the Rausch Creek instructors to pose Richard Harkins' '43 M-16 White Halftrack on the Quadratec Jeep playground course. Richard ran the old warhorse over parts of the course instructors deemed it wouldn't totally destroy. In full armor, it weighs in the realm of 8 tons. This M-16 originally mounted quad .50 caliber anti-aircraft guns in a turret. Work pretty much stopped while the White literally crushed the course.
There are many uses for old Jeep parts, including wall art. One vendor had turned an old Tornado OHC valve cover into a coat rack and the grilles were wired so they could make great behind-the-bar wall art.
The Black Diamond course at Coopers Lake had a lot of climbs and descents, mixed in with the usual Pennsylvania rocks. This one was greasy and drivers had to take a little extra care to "thread the needle" between some trees at the bottom.
For the first time since 2011, the event ran without major rain. That didn't mean the trails were dry. So much rain had fallen in previous weeks that there was some worry that they might not be dry enough for prime time. They were plenty greasy, and those with street tires or mild all-terrains often struggled or took straps. Plenty of volunteers were on hand to help out.
There were a few rocky sections on the trail rides, and they were made a bit more exciting by the coating of mud. More than a few times, a thunk, crunch, boing, and crash echoed through the woods.
Without Spicer Corporation, the jeep would not have come together in the rapid way it did. Now known as Dana Spicer, it is still in the Jeep game, both as an OEM supplier and selling parts and crate axles. The company's display included a number of axle crates, and they had a retro look to them. Garage art, perhaps?
It wasn't all TJ and JKs! A nicely built WJ straps on the harder of the rockcrawl lanes in the playground. Sure, the word "Jeep" most often brings to mind a bobtail, but Grand Cherokees from all eras were represented in the dirt, along with Liberty and Patriot.
You are never too old to reenact military life in the fullest, as these members of the First Frontier Volunteer Cavalry demonstrate. Soldiers had a name for what has been placed on these trays. The initials were SOS, and the laws of propriety don't allow us to explain it more here. A wise soldier didn't spell it out in earshot of the Mess Sergeant if he ever wants to eat again.
Still ready to serve! Bill Engeman's '57 Willys truck with a Valley Industries fire conversion was a knockout at the show. Originally fielded by PPG in one of their many factories, it was designed as a first response vehicle. Get there quick and try to knock a fire down or hold it down until bigger help arrives. Engeman is a retired firefighter/paramedic who collects and restores vintage fire equipment. This truck is showing only 5,888 original miles. It's a 4x4 with the 226ci Super Hurricane flathead six. Built on a standard 115-inch wheelbase, 1-ton Willys cab and chassis, Valley called this conversion the Champion. It used a Darley 500-gpm, 150-psi front-mounted pump driven directly off the engine crankshaft. It also mounted a 150-gallon booster tank with a 150-foot, 1-inch-diameter hose reel. The chassis was modified with extra heavy-duty springs, split ring wheels with 10-ply tires and a heat exchanger on the engine to keep it cool during stationary pumping operations. Engeman restored the paint but the interior and most of the rest is still original. Dave Logan of the Omix-Ada Jeep Collection learned this truck was going up for sale and arranged to buy it for the collection.
One of the old Jeep sales slogans was, "Go anywhere, do anything!" Well, here is the poster child for that slogan! One of the foundational elements to the Omix-Ada Jeep Collection is this '46 Harvest Tan CJ-2A column shift to which a dazzling array of period go-to-work accessories have been added. Yes, it's a fanciful display that would never have happened in the real world but it illustrates the wide variety of uses to which the early Jeeps were put. The accessories include front and rear dual wheels, Novi governor, Ramsey MX-200R PTO winch, rear PTO with drum-type angle drive, Newgren three-point hydraulic lift, Canfield wrecker attachment, Farnsworth and Middlekauff PTO-driven GE WD3200B welder conversion, Westinghouse T-1 underhood compressor, K&K sicklebar mower, and Newgren buzz saw.
The First Frontier Volunteer Cavalry set up a kid's basic training obstacle course near their encampment. They earned stripes by successfully completing the course.
You can't have a story from Butler without paying homage to the Bantam. Here is a '41 BRC (Bantam Reconnaissance Car) from the Omix-Ada Jeep Collection. Restored some years back by Ken Hake, it shows the final evolution of Bantam's take on the jeep. Considered a prestandardized test model, 1,500 of these were ordered from Bantam for operational testing. In the end, more than 2,600 were built, many of them going to American allies under the Lend-Lease program. This is the 1,211th one built and was delivered in April 1941. They only had 45 hp, but Bantam knew how to build light and these rigs only weighed about 2,000 pounds.


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Free Stuff: Death Rally full game
April 13, 2010 January 2, 2014 Honorabili 0 Comments apogee games, Burnout, Death Rally, download Death Rally, free games, Free Stuff, fun game, honorabili, max payne, Max Payne 2, obsolete gamer, obsoletegamer.com, old game, racing game, remedy entertainment, Remedy Games, retro game, upgrade car, Vangers, Vista game, windows 7 game, windows version, Windows XP game
Free car combat racing game from 1996. Fully compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.
March 19, 2010 February 26, 2014 Honorabili 1 Comment action adventure game, action game, adventure game, amiga 600, amiga longplay playthrough for another world, amiga longplay playthrough for out of this world, another world, c64, cheap game, classic game, classic video game, commodore 64, cubex55, drm-free game, Eric Chahi, games by Eric Chahi, games like abe's oddysee, games like prince of persia, gog.com, good old games, having to think, honorabili, music by Jean-François Freitas, NES hard, no DRM game, noob-friendly game, obsolete gamer, old game, original game soundtrack, original prince of persion, out of this world, overheating Amiga 600, PC Game Reviews, platformer game, Rambo movie, realistic death in game, retro game, review by honorabili, Ronin movie, suspenseful atmosphere
Music is absent from most of the game except during the intro and ending. Although we are used to having most games playing music most of the time, in real life we don't go around hearing a theme song in the background all the time, which makes the game have a suspenseful atmosphere. The intro music is tenseful. The ending theme nice and very soothing. Overall the music in this game gets a score of 7 out of 10.
Gyruss
March 11, 2010 March 12, 2014 Honorabili 1 Comment 80s video games, arcade game, c64 game, commodore 64 game, Console Reviews, emulated game, emulator, free game, game released in 1983, gameboy advanced, gameboy advanced review, gyruss, honorabili, Konami, mame, obsolete gamer, old game, playstation, playstation game review, retro arcade, retro game, review by honorabili, ROM, space invaders, the last starfighter, xbox live arcade, xbox live arcade game review
I've been playing Gyruss since the early 80s and I visit it often when I'm in a retro arcade/c64 gaming mood. The mix of the music, retro sounds, non-stop gameplay keeps me having fun even though it's been many years that I've been playing this gem. It's hard for me to get tired of the gameplay. Replayability get a score of 9 out of 10.


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Letters for March 21
Opinion | March 22, 2009
This is insane. How long do the residents of South Lake Tahoe have to put up with mismanagement and apparent disregard for the residents of this community? The stalled convention center project? Who are we kidding? Do you mean the boarded-up eyesore that greets new arrivals to California? It has become a symbol of all that is wrong with this state, and more specifically, this town. Bail out the developer with Mello-Roos bonds to pay off old debt? Where is the guarantee the project will be finished in a timely manner? Now, we are supposed to trust this guy and his company to follow through on this vision " a vision that will benefit the few at the expense of the many?
I know these are a lot of questions, but really, enough is enough. Finish the thing. I don't care who does it. I wouldn't touch one of these bonds with a fend-off pole loaded with mussels. This is a continuing embarrassment to a city whose residents are harassed by TRPA; a city or agency controlled sideshow that demands that residents contain their own runoff water, but can't find the wherewithal to install safe pedestrian/bike lanes, can't install curbs and gutters, can't build drainage ponds. We are, however, good at speed traps.
Give us all a break and focus on the infrastructure and the eyesores that habitually pop up along Highway 50 like shooting targets on the midway of a run-down county fair.
This is one of the most beautiful locations in the world, with some of the most creative people I have ever met. Make us proud to live among the civilized.
Terry Easley
I read the council members' comments attempting to justify their voting to cancel previously approved funds for the LTVA (Tribune Opinion page, Feb. 28). There was not much new. Crawford has a reputation on anti-LTVA positions. Lovell has always been opposed to city funding for the chamber and LTVA. Birdwell, as the owner of a tourist property, recognized the need for promotion.
The surprise was Cole and Grego. Grego because all of his campaign money came from time share properties. Cole, because with all his experience, would announce that he came to the meeting with his mind made up. Any legislator knows that while you may have an opinion, you are supposed to be open to public input and be willing to be persuaded.
The real issue is that funding for the LTVA was not on the agenda. The Brown Act clearly states for a legislative body to discuss a matter, let alone vote on it, there has to be public notice. The purpose is to prevent the very thing that happened; the council brings up a matter when no one is present to argue.
The point is to be able to argue, to discuss and wash it out in public, with a council that has an open mind. I know there are many that would support funding, and they were not given an opportunity to be heard. What was on the agenda was the contract, not the money. The money was already authorized by resolution signed by the mayor; it was a done deal.
There are specific rules for reconsidering a prior vote; the council went through this issue last year. For a matter to be reconsidered, it must be done by someone who voted for it and no later than the next meeting. The council violated the Brown Act as well as its own policy.
Mr. Cole is an experienced council member, and the city attorney should have stopped him. The rescission was good news to some, however the integrity of the process is far more important. The proper time to reconsider LTVA funding is in the next budget cycle. Put it on the agenda and give us all a chance to express ourselves, then majority rules.
Ted Long
Letters should be no longer than 350 words. Send them to editor@tahoedailytribune.com; or write 3079 Harrison Ave., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150; or fax (530) 541-0373. E-mail is preferred.
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Manhasset Mom Launches Kid-tracking App
By Timothy Bolger Posted on February 28, 2018
Left: The app can track multiple "monkeys" at once. Right: The circular Monkey KID Sensor beacon snaps on to a child's shoe.
After Kim Gavin lost track of one of her daughters at a party, the Manhasset mother used her fear as inspiration to launch a new product that helps parents avoid similar scares.
The Monkey KID Sensor is a disposable beacon that can be fastened to a child's clothing. It pairs with a smartphone app that alerts parents when their children wander outside of a perimeter, using geo-fencing technology. It's proven popular with parents planning trips to Disney World.
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"It's a tool that I think a lot of parents would benefit from and there's no judgement from having something like this, it's just a simple extra layer of protection," says Gavin. "We knew…people would appreciate this very simple, easy-to- use, wearable accessory that would help kids from wandering."
The device, which launched Dec. 19, is already getting attention for its unique ability to put to rest a parent's worst nightmare of losing a child at the park or mall and the ensuing fear that they've been kidnapped or worse.
She's already in talks with ABC's Shark Tank, has been featured on the Today show, had thousands of downloads and sold hundreds of beacons. Gavin also exhibited the device at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month, where she was one of only 50 women founders out of 800 exhibitors.
The 44-year-old married mother of two says she's always been entrepreneurial and credits experience at her day job at Boston Scientific, an implantable medical device innovator, with helping her overcome the odds as a tech startup.
The device, which is not to be confused with The Monkey App — a chat roulette-like app recently launched by Australian teens — sells for $39 each, $69 for two or $99 for three. Each beacon lasts about four months. Parents can set the virtual fence up to 170 feet wide before their wandering children will signal a cell phone alert.
"Kids are like monkeys," she says of her inspiration for the name. "They're just hard to catch."
Timothy Bolger
Timothy Bolger is the Editor in Chief of the Long Island Press who's been working to uncover unreported stories since shortly after it launched in 2003. When he's not editing, getting hassled by The Man or fielding cold calls to the newsroom, he covers crime, general interest and political news in addition to reporting longer, sometimes investigative features. He won't be happy until everyone is as pissed off as he is about how screwed up Lawn Guyland is.
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The Meet-and-Greet meeting with Mr. John Carlson will be held at Redmond library this Saturday (March 17th) at 12 noon. It is a great opportunity to learn from the man who led a successful campaign that passed Initiative 200, Washington Civil Rights Initiative, in 1998.
We'll first hear Mr. Carlson give us a talk, followed by a Q&A session. Please send your questions to us via our contact form .
To register for the meeting, please visit our Eventbrite site : Meet-and-Greet with Mr. John Carlson.


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What is the Focused Growth Fund?
Performance data for the Lipper Category Average and for the Index is shown as soon as it becomes available.
The Fund changed its investment strategy on 01/31/2019. Performance is calculated from this date.
The portfolio is overweight in the information technology sector, specifically internet service and software providers, as we anticipate continued innovation in e-commerce and cloud computing, while maintaining an underweight position to particular FANG stocks.
Within the health care sector, we are focused on smaller capitalization biotechnology companies, as they generally tend to be more innovative than their large cap peers, which we believe have large amounts of cash but inferior product pipelines. The portfolio maintains exposure to innovative minimally-invasive medical device companies.
The portfolio is underweight in certain bond proxy sectors, such as consumer staples and real estate, as we continue to believe these sectors are overvalued.
During the first quarter as the equity market showed signs of stabilization, we added to secular growth companies exhibiting technical support while trimming select defensive and stable growth companies. We believe that many high growth companies are now more attractive as the sell-off of high growth stocks was overdone. We have rebuilt positions in select secular growth stocks as we believe that improving fundamentals and moderate inflation levels will continue to support higher equity prices.
The net expense ratio is based on estimates for the current fiscal year and takes into account contractual fee waivers/expense reimbursements that currently are scheduled to remain in place through 02/29/2020. For periods when fees and expenses were waived and/or reimbursed, the Fund benefited by not bearing such expenses. Without such fee waivers/reimbursements, performance would have been lower.
A Note about Risk: The value of investments in equity securities will fluctuate in response to general economic conditions and to changes in the prospects of particular companies, including market, liquidity, currency, and political risks. Mid and small cap company stocks tend to be more volatile and may be less liquid than large cap company stocks. Mid and small cap companies also may have more limited product lines, markets, or financial resources and typically experience a higher risk of failure than large companies. However, larger companies may have slower rates of growth than smaller successful companies. Investments in growth companies can be more sensitive to the company's earnings and more volatile than the stock market in general. The Fund engages in active and frequent trading of its securities, which may result in increased transaction fees, reduced investment performance, and higher taxes. These factors can adversely affect Fund performance. The fund performance history at this time is very limited; therefore, performance achieved during its initial period of investment operation may not be replicated over longer periods and may not be indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
New Fund Risk: The Fund is newly organized. There can be no assurance that the Fund will reach or maintain a sufficient asset size to effectively implement its investment strategy.
Class R5 - The inception date for Class R5 shares is June 30, 2015. The performance quotations for Class R5 are based on the following methods of calculation: (a) for periods prior to June 30, 2015, a restated figure is used based on the historical performance of the Fund's portfolio since inception to reflect all charges and fees applicable to Class R5 shares; and (b) for periods after June 30, 2015, actual Class R5 performance is used, which reflects all charges and fees applicable to Class R5 shares.
Class R5 shares are only offered to certain eligible investors. For additional information, see the Fund's current prospectus.


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Roger Morier
Consulting Associate
As a Consulting Associate, Roger works with BFA to position itself best in its conversations and engagements with stakeholders and key audiences. Roger believes in co-creating communications strategies that enable organizations to achieve their goals, thrive in complex and competitive environments, and contribute meaningfully to society. He is a seasoned communications professional with substantive experience in journalism, corporate communications, independent consulting, and university-level teaching. Prior to joining BFA, Roger served as a Senior Communications Manager at Mastercard Foundation in Toronto. Before that, he held senior communications positions over a 13-year career at the World Bank. Previously, he had worked for 15 years in Paris as a communications officer with organisations in the public and private sectors, leveraging a broadcast journalism career in Canada and France. He holds a Master of International Policy and Practice from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and a BA in Political Economy from the University of Toronto.
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Africa. We spent the day in Africa, and sadly it was only one day. The Phoenicians were here, almost every European power has been here, Jews, Muslims and Christians live here, and even the Beat poets made their home here - here is Tangier, Morocco.
In Europe, it seems to me, the past is largely fictitious; to be aware of it one must have previous knowledge of it. In Tangier the past is a physical reality as perceptible as the sunlight.
We had attached ourselves to a tour group so we wouldn't get lost, led by a witty Moroccan named Rashid. He effortlessly switched his comical monologues between English, German and Spanish, which was impressive to watch. It felt like we were experiencing a whimsical live version of Frommer's Guide to Tangier, but in three languages.
Tangier's location brings with it a host of complication and intrigue as it sits at the strategically important point where the Strait of Gibraltar meets the Atlantic Ocean. Only 17 kms from mainland Europe, it also lies at the entrance to all of the ancient civilizations along the Mediterranean. It has been fought over more viciously than that all important seat in the White House. Design influences, such as ornate balustrades looking like neglected theatre sets, bring touches of forgotten elegance to buildings housing innumerable families trying to eke out a living here. I was mesmerized.
Every square inch of 'real estate' in the city's ancient medina is used to display wares for tourists, neighbours and families to buy. The air is musty and hot, alternating smells greeting or assaulting us as we meander through the crowded passages. Like literally walking into a time machine, Tangier's old city grabs hold of you and pulls you in.
We inhale the aroma of sweet dates, cheap leather, pungent cumin, fresh baked rounds of flatbread, sweat, and tobacco. The market creeps along the street, in the hallways and onto doorsteps while the noise of children and the loud calls to prayer intermingle with the sellers persuading us to buy.
Olives, oils, perfumes, textiles, goat cheese, fruit, bread, bulgar, couscous, nuts, and seeds tempt us in the medina as friendly, but tired-looking men and women sit and wait. There is a lot of hard work behind the picture we see.
We make our way to the highest point of the old city, to the Kasbah, and tour the Sultan's palace built at the time of concubines and harems in the 17th century . We walk through low wooden doors into rooms covered floor to ceiling with intricately coloured tiles.
Mosaic arches, benches, and floors in turquoise, rose, and lilac grace each frame of my camera lens. The palace was empty but for us, and two thoroughly bored-looking security guards. Ghosts of seductive dancers to the taps of tambourines and drums floated through each room.We whispered, not sure why.
After the Kasbah, we went in search of refreshment. I had heard about the local specialty: mint tea, and knew that I had to try it. We walked into a disorganized café and immediately noticed that every man was looking at me (and not in a 'hey, she's cute' way). We had been told that this area is not separated along gender lines anymore, though it is still predominantly Muslim. Even so, I could feel the weight of long-held traditions, and suggested to great guy that we sit outside.
I can't pretend that it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, but the people were all friendly and the mint tea was the most delicious sweetness I'd ever tasted.
Before we left the medina, Rashid brought us to his friend's fabric store. Deep inside, two employees were busy creating colourful, silky, cottony, scarves, rugs and bags on volkswagen-sized looms. The pressure to buy was friendly but intense, and so great guy and I gently made our exit and went exploring on our own.
Tangier has always had quite the full dance card - whether it wanted to dance or not. It was already a thriving Phoenician trading center when in 81 B.C. the Romans captured it. The Byzantine Empire took control in the 6th century, the Arabs in the 7th, and in the 9th it came under Muslim Spanish rule. Then the Moroccans moved in, followed by the Portuguese, until it was transferred to Britain in 1662 as part of Catherine De Braganza's dowry. The party was just getting started.
At the beginning of the 20th century things really became a mash-up for Tangier when the French and Spanish agreed to share the city. This preceded an even more interesting time, when in 1923 Great Britain, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden and Italy made Tangier an international zone.
After WWII, the United States came in on this deal, thus resulting in a wave of hip American writers and socialites to occupy Tangier in a smoky haze of freedom and debauchery (if the stories are all true). In 1956 Morocco finally gained independence and took back control of its northern-most hot spot.
The African, European and Arabic footprints that have been left behind in Tangier are evident in the architecture and the street names; but most noticeably in the peaceful intersection of cultures, traditions and religions here. The largest communities, Muslims, Jews and Christians, live together in this city seemingly without major conflict.
Rashid tells us that the older women here wear various types of headdress based on their religious tradition, unless they have come to Tangier from another place. While some younger locals are pushing the boundaries and experimenting with looser forms of attire. We turn a corner and are met with the fullest aroma of orchids standing at attention on the far side of a beautiful, but ramshackle door.
There is an eclectic, exotic purée of charm here bearing the facade of a grimy opera production. I'm aware of my romantic, rose-coloured glasses and long for more time to get to know this place and its people. But the ferry back to Spain is waiting for us.
On our way down to the port, we walk through the historic Hotel Continental. This has been the location of countless films due to its unique design inside and out, and home to many prominent figures. The American writer, William S. Burroughs, wrote his masterpiece, Naked Lunch in room 9.
There is an explosion of pattern on almost every interior surface of the hotel; the most intricate mosaic designs I've ever seen. It is an overwhelming amount of colour - an ode to incredible craftsmanship.
For a time Tangier was a weird writers workshop, with the likes of Tennessee Williams, Gertrude Stein, Samuel Beckett, Ian Flemming, Allan Ginsburg, Truman Capote, Jack Kerouac, Paul Bowles, Peter Orlovsky spending time here. Inspired by the raw, lawless, but magical colour of Tangier great novels have been written here, including Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist and Paul Bowles' The Sheltering Sky.
For much of our time we were followed by a super sweet boy, who I would've taken home if I had been able to ask his parents' permission. He was pure, annoying charm, even winking at me when I said goodbye. I didn't take his picture, instead I took this one...a baby camel who was just as cute.
Did you cover your head and wear long sleeves while you were there?
Thanks Moni! No I didn't cover my head, but I wore a shawl over my shoulders out of respect. There are many foreigners in Tangier and so the locals are used to different traditions and it seems to work very nicely. I just thought it would be respectful to cover up a little bit - though it was 30 degrees!


MEPs of the Legal Affairs Committee recently approved a new Copyright Directive. The entire European Parliament will now hold a vote on 4 July or 5 July on whether to approve the committee's result.
The Directive contains some provisions which have sparked much controversy.
Article 11 of the Directive requires the payment of a licence fee when including snippets of news stories in link previews. This is designed to protect the rights of news publishers.
However, it is Article 13 of the Directive that is proving to be the most controversial. It states that "Information Society Service Providers" (ISSPs – for example, Youtube or Facebook) should "take measures to ensure the functioning of agreements concluded with rights-holders for the use of their works".
The tech community and digital rights campaigners are concerned that the law will result in censorship of materials that are uploaded to the internet. Also, the types of "measures" that are needed to filter content are actually very expensive, so while YouTube and the like may be able to afford such tools, smaller companies cannot. Even if the legislators try to exempt SMEs from these onerous requirements, there would still be a chilling effect from the legal uncertainty and the risk of broad interpretation of the terms in the legislation.
An opponent of the reforms is the MEP Julia Reda. As another example of the concerns which have been raised, the campaign Copyright 4 Creativity alleges that the proposals could "destroy the internet as we know it". They say that Article 13 threatens blogging platforms, discussion platforms, meme sharing, livestream gaming, parody sharing and even the ability to link.
This is a genuinely complex area and there are subtleties on each side. It is proper for rights holders to be fairly protected against piracy and to make a fair living from their work. However, it is important for society that the internet remains an open platform to enable creativity and innovation.
In this writer's opinion, some of the more alarming concerns that are being raised are unlikely to come to pass. It is surely an exaggeration to say that this will be the "end of all that's good and pure about the internet".
However, at the same time it is clear that the legislation will certainly have unintended consequences. Copyright law always struggles to catch up with technology, and there are sure to be many loopholes that could catch out smaller companies or enable the large platforms to wriggle out of making fair payments to musicians and other rights holders. The legal uncertainty could also hinder innovation and create an environment which will make it hard for new startup social media companies to establish themselves.
If you feel strongly that the existing reforms are dangerous, you can take action. Or maybe the reforms are a good idea which are giving justice to rights holders, so they can close the value gap? What do you think? Please feel free to comment below, or get in touch and let us know your opinion!