When Prime Minister Turnbull meets with President Trump in New York on Friday morning AEST, the two men will undoubtedly speak of the many bonds linking the US and Australia. They will make important, if familiar, statements about our security alliance, shared cultural values, and the length of our friendship, particularly given that the meeting will occur on the USS Intrepid on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Trump will also likely go out of his way to smooth over lingering tensions resulting from his infamous "phone call" with Turnbull by speaking on the resolute and steadfast nature of his support for Australia.
As important as all those issues are, the two leaders should also dwell on something that most Australians take for granted: the massive Australian-US economic relationship that has shaped Australia in more ways than many realise.
The importance and value of the US-Australia economic relationship is not necessarily obvious. Most Australians view China as our most important economic partner. To be sure, annual trade with China amounted to nearly $150 billion in 2015, over twice the amount of trade with the US ($70 billion). There also is no doubt that China's thirst for our country's natural resources helped Australia successfully avoid the worst of the global financial crisis.
Yet Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is spot on when she repeatedly refers to the US as "Australia's most important economic partner". Trade is only one component of a broader economic picture. Cumulatively, two-way investment between the US and Australia totals $1.45 trillion, dwarfing Australia's other bilateral economic relationships.
Deep economic relationships between liberal, market-based societies like Australia and the United States are not merely about trade flows. Secure property rights and procedural fairness – backed by the rule of law and democratic political institutions in both countries – mean that Australia's economic relationship with the US spans access to capital, technological diffusion, and knowledge transfers. In each of these domains, the United States is Australia's most valuable partner.
What does it mean to invest in Australia?
The total value of all US investments in Australia is currently estimated to be $860 billion, $360 billion more than the UK, the second largest investor in Australia. While China has rapidly increased its levels of investment in Australia, it is only the seventh largest investor in Australia, with total investments amounting to 8 per cent of that from the US. The $80 billion that Australia received in new US investment in 2015 is larger than the total value of China's cumulative investments in Australia.
But what about the form and impact of these investments?
Foreign investment in Australia takes four different forms: direct investment, portfolio investment, financial derivatives, and other investments. Foreign direct investment (FDI), defined as foreign ownership of 10 per cent or more of a company, makes up 24 per cent of total foreign investment in Australia. Foreign portfolio investment, generally defined as foreign ownership of less than 10 per cent of a company, makes up 54 per cent of all foreign investment in Australia. Six per cent of foreign investment in Australia comprises financial derivatives, largely foreign currency hedging and the like, while the remaining 16 per cent is defined as other investments, a residual category that covers any items, such as trade credits, that are not defined elsewhere.
Given its more enduring nature, FDI is often seen as being the most valuable form of foreign investment. Having been the largest single foreign direct investor into Australia for many years, the US now accounts for nearly a quarter of all inbound FDI, totalling $173.5 billion. From aerospace to agriculture, US direct investment in Australia takes place in practically every sector of the country's economy.
A well-known example of this sort of US investment is Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company. Boeing has made Australia its largest base outside of the US, having invested about $1 billion in its Australian operations over the 90 years it has been in the country. With more than 3000 employees across 27 locations throughout Australia, Boeing is engaged in a wide variety of sectors, from the manufacturing of complex airplane components to supply-chain management and defence platform support. The multiplier effects of such investments are enormous: In 2015 alone, Boeing spent about $400 million at more than 1000 Australian suppliers.
Even smaller US companies, such as yoghurt maker Chobani, are proving valuable for Australia's economy. Established in Australia in 2011, Chobani invested over $30 million and hired 200 staff in securing its first manufacturing facility outside of the US, located in Dandenong. Having already added 3000 square metres of wet processing and cool room facilities to its existing operations, it is now exporting products sourced from Victorian dairy farmers to markets throughout Asia.
While the stock and bond transactions that make up foreign portfolio investment are not perceived to have the "bricks and mortar" nation-building effect of FDI, their unique importance to Australia should not be underestimated.
For almost its entire post-1788 history, economic observers classify Australia as being relatively resource rich but capital poor. As the leading source of foreign portfolio investment – representing over a third of all foreign portfolio investment in Australia – the US has been indispensable in helping Australia address these structural features of our economy, geography, and history. Exploiting Australia's mining resources requires massive capital expenditures, underscoring the importance of US-sourced portfolio investment.
Australia's big four banks – the four largest companies on the ASX and crucial liquidity providers for the real economy – are profoundly dependent on access to US capital markets. Australian banks have a foreign funding ratio of 24 per cent, with 11.8 per cent of capital being foreign short term and "rolled over" on a regular basis. The one quarter of the big four's funding coming from offshore sources is largely sourced from the US and is more than triple the amount that comes from shareholders.
Australians' home mortgages, our bridges, tunnels, dams, and roads depend on access to US capital and markets. US financial markets – and access to them – drive liquidity in Australia's economy.
While trade is ultimately an exchange of money for goods or services, foreign investment – particularly direct investment – often goes beyond a simple transaction. Although both trade and investment involve the transferring of funds, it is investment that habitually includes transfers of business strategies, technologies and resources.
The diversity of US investments in Australia across essentially all sectors of the economy – ranging from energy production and manufacturing to financial services and IT – has been integral to Australia's national development, often through the diffusion of US innovation and knowledge transfers. While it is not easy to determine just how much a host country benefits from foreign investment – economists continue to debate various measurements – there is no doubt that investment goes beyond simple infusions of money and has spillover effects.
Our discussions with Australian business leaders frequently highlight this point: US business leadership and expertise, whether through corporate boards or executive leadership, are critical catalysts for growth by Australian businesses.
Though the impact of foreign investment remains intangible by many measures, no statistic demonstrates the deep value of US investment in Australia better than the $1 billion and more that US companies in Australia have annually spent on research and development (R&D) since 2009. To put that into perspective, US companies in Australia spent over $1.5 billion on R&D in 2014 while the Australian government pledged $9.5 billion for R&D in 2013-2014.
Kimberly-Clark, the world's largest tissue manufacturer with more than 1300 employees across Australia, is but one example of this. Through a collaboration with the government's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and family-owned manufacturing company Textor Technologies, the Australian arm of Kimberly-Clark made a more absorbent nappy. The technology was later rolled out into Kimberly-Clark products across Australia, the US, and Europe. Collaborative innovations such as this, sustained by the more than $450 million that Kimberly-Clark has invested in Australia since 2002, have made this US firm integral to Australia's economy.
This substantial economic relationship ultimately results not only in more jobs for Australians but also higher quality jobs. The most recent US government data estimates that US firms account for 335,400 jobs in Australia, with wages totalling $38.8 billion – meaning that, on average, an Australian employee of a US firm earns over $115,000 a year. The US benefits from being the single largest destination of Australian investment. Australians have invested $594 billion in the US, over eight times the $70 billion that Australia invests in China. Major Australian firms, ranging from biotechnology giants like CSL to innovative tech firms such as Atlassian, see the US not just as a large market but as a springboard to the world.
Despite the clear importance of the US-Australian economic relationship, there is a significant dearth of research on the topic. While a handful of analyses of the consequences of foreign investment in Australia exist, no robust work has ever sought to specifically analyse the impact of US investment in Australia. To help remedy this, the United States Studies Centre is undertaking a multifaceted research project to deepen our understanding of the extent and value of this essential economic relationship. Macroeconomic analysis will be a core component of the study, but our work includes detailed case studies of US firms in Australia and a first-of-its-kind survey of Australian business leaders, assessing the often intangible role of US investment on their firms and the markets in which they operate.
The data, case studies and anecdotes from the early stages of our research make it abundantly clear that US investments, knowledge transfers and technology have helped fuel Australia's trade surpluses with Asia.
No shortage of commentary insists that Australia faces a choice between a long-time ally in the US and an economic behemoth in China. This is naïve at best, intellectually lazy at worst, a false dilemma that ignores much about the trajectory of Australia's economic development. Both China and the US are integral economic partners that have fuelled Australia's remarkable, recession-free quarter century.
Australia's security alliance with the United States will feature prominently in Turnbull's visit, with talk of shared values and sacrifice dating back a century. Amid increasing tensions in the Asia region, the security alliance should not be undervalued. But Trump and Turnbull would do well to point to Australia's economic relationship with the United States, a dynamic and vital cornerstone of our national prosperity – its relevance resting not on any appeal to values, but on a clear-eyed appreciation of our material interests.
Richard Holden is professor of economics at UNSW Business School and a visiting fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Simon Jackman is the chief executive officer of the United States Studies Centre, and Jared Mondschein is a research associate at the United States Studies Centre.


As much as I love a great tv show, I like a good advert too. The best ones make you laugh or cry or just think a bit more about whatever it is they are advertising. I have a particular soft spot for M&S ones and definitely the John Lewis Christmas ones. The title of this week's post is taken from a series of 1980 BT adverts, fronted by Bob Hoskins. For those of you who know me well, you know I love a good talk or 2 or 3 or 4 even! You might even say that as a coach I have found my true calling- talking to a captive audience (more about that later!) This week I'd like to share 3 reasons why I think it's good to talk. Many thanks to Tara Mohr for this week's inspiration.
Firstly, talking can help us to clarify an issue that we are struggling with. I don't know about you, but sometimes I have to talk, just to stop the thoughts running round in my head, with nowhere to go. I know it's an odd image, but when I talk in those circumstances, it feels like I'm hanging laundry outside to dry. There's something about seeing my thoughts as laundry being aired that just helps me to see things more clearly. What I'm thinking, what I'm feeling, seem that much sharper after talking about them.
Secondly, talking about a challenging situation can help us to resolve it. Sometimes the act of talking brings a fresh perspective. Other times it helps you to crystallise the situation and the solution in your mind. At other times, talking helps you to put the situation into context. Whatever it does, the important point is that vocalising a problem is often the first step in dealing with it.
Lastly, talking, especially to someone else can help you learn valuable life lessons from challenging situations. The truth is that we never grow in our comfort zones. However, I don't know many people who venture out of their comfort zone looking for a problem to help them grow. That's where challenging situations come in handy. They come along, kick us out of our comfy armchair and if we let them, they teach us some really important things. Instead of fretting about the challenging circumstances in our lives, how about purposefully talking to someone about them- with a view to seeing what they have come to teach us? I'm convinced that there's a little bit of alchemy involved in turning something that you thought was going to ruin you, into a life lesson that moves you to another level in your life.
So, back to me and my captive audience...just kidding. Talking is just one part of coaching. The other important components are listening, asking the right questions and giving useful feedback are the other parts. All of these things work together to help you identify the solutions you already have on the inside of you.
As I end, I ask you a couple of questions: do you have an issue you need to get clarity on? Are you trying to deal with a challenging situation? Or are you struggling to see the life lesson in a trying situation? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then why not schedule a coaching session with us? The first session is complimentary and there's no obligation to buy. Contact us on 0706 335 0864 or through the website and book your session.
Thank you for taking time to stop by. Your comments are appreciated.


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Why SaaS Start-Ups Should Prioritize SOC 2 Compliance
In Pennsylvania, The Dismantling Of A Public School System
Wheaton College Faculty And Staff Condemn Capitol Violence And Rebuke Donald Trump
Universities Should Refund Fees If Teaching Has Fallen Short, Says Watchdog
Comparing the Current New York City School Shutdown To 1968
What Is Budget Reconciliation Anyway?
John Eastman Retires From Chapman University
What's The EdTech Vaccine? 10 Design Principles
Happy? New Year: Five Resolutions For Higher Ed
Nov 6, 2020, 01:54pm EST |
Celebrating First-Generation College Day And Beyond
Marvin KrislovContributor
I write on issues in higher ed including access and economic mobility.
Nicole Ojeda is the president of our Student Government Association on Pace University's New York City campus. In fact, she's a born leader. She has been executive secretary of our Latin American student organization and the founding executive vice president of our hip hop dance team, Urban Sound.
Nicole is also a first-generation college student, the first in her family to attend college.
Nicole Ojeda, President of Pace University's NYC Student Government Association
Sunday, November 8, is National First-Generation College Celebration Day. Scheduled for the anniversary of the day President Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark Higher Education Act in 1965, National First-Generation Celebration Day is an opportunity to honor first-generation students on our campuses, celebrate their successes, and work together toward better ways to support them. At Pace, it's a chance to honor students like Nicole. And it is a time to recognize that helping first-generation students — a community most impacted by the pandemic — to succeed and thrive in college and beyond is critical for American economic strength and for American families.
There are differing definitions for what constitutes a first-generation student. But however you slice it, there are a lot of them. The Center for First-Generation Student Success reports that 56 percent of American colleges have parents who did not earn a bachelor's degree. Some 24 percent have parents with no post-secondary education at all.
And the evidence shows that these first-gen students often need extra support. They're likely to need more financial aid. They're less likely to have mentors. Perhaps most important, they simply don't have parents at home who have been through the college experience and can help guide them. Through no fault of their own or their families, first-gen kids can't lean on parents who know how to build a resume for college, how to navigate the sometimes grueling application process, how to apply for financial aid, or how to transition into college life, or how to network for jobs after they graduate. The data shows that the pandemic is hitting first-gen and minority students hardest, creating roadblocks to success and discouraging some of them from applying to school or continuing work toward their degrees.
That's where the rest of us come in. We have an obligation to make sure that all qualified students, regardless of their economic or cultural background, have the opportunity to apply for and succeed in college, which is a key driver of professional success in life. First-gen students are no less smart, ambitious, or dedicated than other students, but they need our help. We must do the work to help first-gen students navigate the tough transition into college, and we must help them build the networks they will need to thrive through school and after they graduate.
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2021 College Admission Predictions
21 Stats For 2021 That All Higher Ed Leaders Should Know
College access programs are a great start. At Pace, we work closely with Latino U College Access, a group doing great work in Westchester County, New York. College access programs provide training and support, in a culturally sensitive way, for high-achieving, first-generation, low-income high school students. The National College Access Network has hundreds of member organizations across the country. They offer information sessions on how to prepare for college, how to apply for college, and how to pay for college. They offer boot camps on SAT and ACT prep, on essay writing, on completing the FAFSA. They help expose students to options and opportunities that they might never have known about, and help them start building their networks..
Colleges and universities have a role to play, too. Partnering with college access groups is a great way for higher education institutions to ensure that the student pipeline is diverse and robust. Latino U was born on our Westchester campus at Pace, developed from a Master of Public Administration project completed by founder Shirley Acevedo Buontempo, a two-time Pace alum.
We also need to do local outreach, and we need to partner with institutions in our communities to make sure college is accessible to all. In New York City, we work directly with high school students, like those at the Pace University High School in Lower Manhattan, a New York City Department of Education empowerment school, with a focus on college preparedness and a curriculum customized for its low-income community. And just this fall we've started working with our neighbors at Trinity Church Wall Street to offer free online college prep workshops to high school students in our area.
Corporations and communities can play a role, too, by supporting college access programs, partnering with local institutions to provide mentorship or tutoring, and doing whatever we can to make sure all students get the support they need to get to — and successfully through — college.
Nicole Ojeda will graduate from Pace in the spring with a bachelor's degree in business management and minors in finance and economics. She's one of thousands of first-generation students on our campus — and millions across the country — who will achieve their dreams and receive their diplomas. Like so many of them, Nicole is hard-working, she's charismatic, and she'll be ready to take on the world. It's our job to make sure all first-gen students can succeed like she will.
Marvin Krislov
As president of Pace University, I'm deeply committed to our traditional mission of Opportunitas—providing all students, regardless of economic background, access to the
As president of Pace University, I'm deeply committed to our traditional mission of Opportunitas—providing all students, regardless of economic background, access to the transformative power of education. I'm proud that Opportunity Insights at Harvard University ranked us the nation's top four-year, private college for driving economic mobility. Before coming to Pace, I served for 10 years as the president of Oberlin College, where I led efforts to make the college more rigorous, diverse, inclusive and accessible to students from every socioeconomic background. Before that, I was vice president and general counsel at the University of Michigan, where I led the legal defense of the university's admission policies that resulted in the 2003 Supreme Court decision recognizing the importance of student body diversity. I earned a bachelor's degree at Yale University in 1982, and I was named a Rhodes Scholar. I earned my juris doctor degree at Yale Law School in 1988.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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One Tool to Schedule School Bells for the Entire Year
School bells
An Easy-to-Use Solution
For K12 administrators, scheduling school bells can be a hassle. Systems are either outdated or are not flexible enough to meet a school's needs. Take this to the district level, and the complications only compound. Schools and districts need a tool that is easy to use and lets them set the school bell schedule once, without needing to go back in and make constant adjustments.
While we often tout our InformaCast software for its emergency notification capabilities, it's also a robust mass communication tool. It can connect to a school's existing overhead paging system, playing a wide variety of audio tones, bells or music over the speakers. With a simple browser-based interface, an administrator can easily schedule school bells for an entire school year. This offers cost savings benefits, and enhanced flexibility should regular bell schedules need to change for special circumstances. For example, in areas that frequently experience severe weather, a two hour late start to the school day is common. With a click of the mouse in the InformaCast administrative console, a bell schedule with shortened class periods can be put in effect. It also brings a school's communication systems under one roof, eliminating the need to log in and out of different tools.
Get tips for school bell set up
Proven in Practice
One school district in Wisconsin is using this functionality to manage the bells of three different schools that all reside in the same building. Necedah Area School District needed a better way to reach students and staff, but was facing issues with its outdated analog paging system. Using Advanced Network Devices, the district installed IP speakers throughout the building to provide clear audio and scrolling announcements. With the help of InformaCast, the district has been able to drastically improve how it schedules bells, configure zones and send messages.
Download the full case study
More than Just School Bells
Schools and districts using InformaCast for bells can also use it for so much more. InformaCast is a powerful emergency notification system that can connect with systems and devices schools already have in place such as desk phones, mobile phones, IP speakers, digital signage and computer desktops. It can help initiate lockdowns in the event of an intruder, evacuations in case of a fire, and alert officials when 911 is called in a school building. InformaCast helps schools and districts achieve the speed and reach they need to ensure everyone receives critical safety information.
Learn more about InformaCast for K12


As far as cocktail ingredients go, soy sauce isn't the most common thing you reach for when making a drink. Yet that was what we found ourselves doing when meeting a challenge issued to us on Instagram. The aim? To make a drink with the first nearly empty item in our fridge/pantry. And that item happened to be a bottle of soy sauce.
Savoury cocktails are not really our thing, but boy, it definitely will be now. If you're looking to add some umami in your drink, soy sauce has that in spades. So what to pair it with? On that, we looked for savoury and spice-driven ingredients, such as the Adelaide Hills Distillery Green Ant gin, distilled in collaboration with Something Wild Australia with the latter harvesting the ants that go into the distillation. The gin itself is quite savoury and spicy, with distinct coriander-ish notes coming through which we think is from a combination of the ants and strawberry gum used. It's not your conventional juniper-led gin and is definitely distinctly Australian through its use of the native botanicals such as finger lime, lemon myrtle, pepperberry, the said strawberry gum and boobiala, a native species of juniper. We were lucky enough to score some fresh strawberry gum from the guys at Something Wild, which on their recommendation, we steeped in some simple sugar syrup for a few hours to give the syrup that herbaceous flavour.
Working with all those profiles, we decided to make a twist on a Red Snapper, itself a twist on a Bloody Mary, which is quite an umami-rich cocktail through the use of tomato juice. We pureed and strained about 4 roma tomatoes, which was more than enough to make 2 of these cocktails, but you could quite easily use store bought tomato juice.
Muddle the lemongrass. Combine all the other ingredients and shake all over ice and pour into a tumbler with one large cube of ice.


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High school boys basketball: Bingham feeds off crowd to run away from rival Copper Hills for 5th straight win
By James Edward@DNewsPreps Feb 2, 2021, 10:12pm MST
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Bingham's Kam Dupaix looks for help after he comes up with a loose ball during a game against the Grizzlies at Copper Hills High School in West Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.
Steve Griffin, Deseret News
The UHSAA's recent decision to allow a limited number of student fans into home games has certainly brought increased intensity to the gyms each night, which can pay off for home and visiting teams.
Visiting Bingham fed off the energy and heckling from Copper Hills' social-distanced student section along the baseline, early intensity that helped it play the type of lockdown defense necessary against Copper Hills on its way to the 59-39 win.
"I think our guys were excited for that, and I think honestly we fed off that a little bit. That helped us with our energy early, even though it was their crowd, just having a crowd there helped us with our energy." — Bingham coach Kyle Straatman.
"I think our guys were excited for that, and I think honestly we fed off that a little bit. That helped us with our energy early, even though it was their crowd, just having a crowd there helped us with our energy," said Bingham coach Kyle Straatman.
Only a limited number of family members have been allowed to attend games until last week, and Straatman said his team has certainly missed playing in front of their peers.
Bingham and Copper Hills both came into the game with 4-0 records in Region 3, but the Miners now have the inside track on the region title midway through league play. A year ago, the teams shared the region title with 8-2 records.
Defense was the catalyst for Bingham as it held Copper Hills to a season-low 39 points on just 33% shooting.
"Our guys were locked in right off the bat with just a little bit of a scheme we were doing, which wasn't anything fancy, but we were just switching everything and our bigs did a great job of moving their feet and not fouling," said Straatman.
Copper Hills rarely got a clean look at the basket, as every shot whether at the rim or along the 3-point line was hotly contested.
"A good team like that if you let them have a little window right off the bat then you're in for a long night. If we would've made a few mistakes defensively right off the bat their shooters would've got hot and we would've been in for a really long night," said Straatman.
Players battle for a loose ball during the Bingham at Copper Hills boys basketball game in West Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Dressed in beachwear, the Copper Hills student section makes some noise as Bingham's Devin Carlson shoots a free throw during a boy's basketball game at Copper Hills High School in West Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Bingham's Kam Dupaix looks for help after he comes up with a loose ball during a game against the Grizzlies at Copper Hills High School in West Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Copper Hills guard Carson Butler sticks out his tongue as he drives past Bingham's Justis Reiser during a game at Copper Hills High School in West Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Copper Hills forward Cobe Marlor tries to drive past Bingham's Tyler Newbold during a game at Copper Hills High School in West Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Action in the Bingham at Copper Hills boys basketball game in West Jordan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Copper Hills only made 4 of 19 shots in the first half as Bingham jumped out to a 29-16 halftime lead. The lead swelled to 46-23 by the third quarter as Copper Hills only made three buckets in the third.
Copper Hills caught fire early in the fourth quarter scoring on five of its first six possession, including four 3-pointers, but by then the outcome was never in doubt as the lead never dipped by 16 points.
Straatman admits his team wasn't that great offensively, particularly early in the game, but the defense forced numerous early turnovers that led to easy transition buckets to seize the early lead.
Jordan Toscano and Kam Dupaix scored 10 each to lead Bingham, with Copper Hills' McCoy Langston leading all scorers with 16 points.
Bingham now sits at 10-5 on the season after its five-game region winning streak. With a 15.8 point average margin of victory in those five wins, Straatman likes the way his team is trending with the regular season winding down.
"I think we've been getting better every day which is the real goal here, and I know a lot of coaches say that, but I think we've slowly progressed every single day. Some of our younger, more inexperienced guys are gaining some experience which always helps," said Straatman.


Being a market leader in one of the fastest growing categories, our client was continuously extending its retail footprint and wanted to ensure that their distribution network supported the growing business volume. They wanted meticulous selection of channel partners who were capable enough to support the desired brand experience for their customers.
They partnered with Channelplay, relying on our network of experienced auditors, which provided them the required flexibility of need based evaluation of potential channel partners.
While evaluating potential partners for the brand various aspects like nature of existing business, store location, financial capability of retailer and store features were taken under consideration.


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lauxmont
Sunken Garden History
Industrialist S. Forry Laucks established LAUXMONT FARMS as his country estate in 1918. Over time, Laucks pieced together his estate with existing farm lands, which included the Sunken Garden. Eventually he acquired more than 2,000 acres.
The Sunken Garden, which features a swimming pool fenced in by wrought iron gates, became the crowned jewel of Laucks' country estate. Laucks used the pool area to wine-and-dine politicians, entertainers and celebrities of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and singer Kate Smith were among the many celebrities to have visited Lauxmont's Sunken Garden. Roses, iris, azaleas and hydrangeas surround the pool area.
The Sunken Garden was built by Charles Downing Lay in 1923. The New York-based landscape architect is famous for designing Battery Park, Bryant Park and Madison Square Park in New York City as well as the National Academy of Sciences in the District of Columbia.
Lay made water the central theme of the Sunken Garden. The multi-tiered garden includes the swimming pool on the top level, followed by a large fountain on the second level and, finally, breath-taking views of the Susquehanna River in the valley.
In1973, the Kohr family purchased LAUXMONT FARMS and they began restoring the garden to its 1920s grandeur. After years of work, Ron Kohr, Jr. completed the restoration of the pool, fountain and bathhouse area in the 2000s.
Since opening the Sunken Garden for private events, dozens of couples from around the country have been married at the unique location. Couples take their vows around the restored fountain before having their outdoor cocktail hour by the pool area.
Laucks' original stone cottage offers a unique backdrop to the cocktail hour. The cottage, which was built in 1928, was designed by Delano & Aldririch Architects. The New York architectural firm is famous for designing the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the American Embassy in Parris.
Following the ceremony and cocktail hour, couples are only a short distance away from their reception site. The large tented area offers all the conveniences of an indoor wedding, including a solid floor and bathrooms. The tented area has spectacular views of the Susquehanna River and surrounding areas.
#sunkengarden #history
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Working with an Architect for your Home.
The TV programmes only show you 'the good bits', very rarely is the cost of the time taken up spent DIY building, 'monitoring' the build, or managing the sub-contractors etc accounted for. It is usually less costly and quicker to employ the professionals.
No 'project manager' is ever needed for a house. All home-building projects are managed in three stages. There is the 'client' manager, that is you. There is the 'design' manager, that is the architect. There is the 'construction' manager, that is the builder. The architect can monitor the site, certify payments and certify completion to the satisfaction of any Building Society or funding body, it is a normal part of our work.
From my experience, the figures quoted in the magazines are wildly 'optimistic' and usually exclude important aspects of a project.
'Architectural designer' and 'architectural consultant' are, oddly, job titles for which no qualifications whatsoever are required!
If you need an architect, why not employ one? Only an architect can offer the services of an architect. 'Architectural services' are just a legal way of getting round the law and are most definitely not the services of an architect!


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FOIA/PA-2007-0126 - Resp 3 - Final.
Date Released: Friday, July 13, 2007
ML071920264 - FOIA/PA-2007-0126 - Resp 3 - Final. (6 page(s), 7/2/2007)
ML071920273 - Fax Sheet from Chris Patterson to Brian Horn regarding IAEA Inspection. (1 page(s), 11/4/2002)
ML071920280 - E-mail from William Cutchins to Bruce Moran regarding mailing confidential - NSI. (1 page(s), 7/27/2005)
ML071920288 - E-mail from William Cutchins regarding IAEA Inspection Dec 7-9. (2 page(s), 11/30/2005)
ML071920327 - E-mail from William Cutchins regarding Inspection Schedule Change. (1 page(s), 6/8/2006)
ML071920331 - Summary of IAEA activities conducted from November 8 - December 16, 1999. (7 page(s), 1/3/2000)
ML071920332 - February 2000 IAEA inspection summary (revised). (9 page(s), 3/3/2000)
ML071920334 - Revised March 2000 Inspection Summary. (6 page(s), 5/2/2000)
ML071920338 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: April 10-14, 2000. (7 page(s), 5/1/2000)
ML071920339 - May 2000 IAEA inspection summary. (8 page(s), 5/25/2000)
ML071920357 - IAEA Inspection Summary - July 2000. (5 page(s), 8/10/2000)
ML071920342 - UZOO Talking Ponts: IAEA Inspection: September 18-20, 2000. (3 page(s), 9/18/2000)
ML071920346 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: August 28 - September 1, 2000. (8 page(s), 10/9/2000)
ML071920356 - IAEA Activities at the BWXT down blending facility: December 4 - 8, 2000. (1 page(s), 7/2/2007)
ML071920359 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: January 15-19, 2001. (7 page(s), 1/29/2001)
ML071920361 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: February 19-23, 2001. (2 page(s), 7/2/2007)
ML071920362 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: March 19-23, 2001. (4 page(s), 4/2/2001)
ML071920370 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: June 18-22, 2001. (3 page(s), 7/2/2007)
ML071920375 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: July 5-11, 2001. (2 page(s), 7/2/2007)
ML071920386 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: April 9-11, 2003. (3 page(s), 4/8/2003)
ML071920388 - Patterson to distribution e-mail: October IAEA closeout meeting. (1 page(s), 10/15/2003)
ML071920391 - IAEA activities at BWXT down blending facility: November 5-16, 2003. (4 page(s), 7/2/2007)
ML071920393 - State of Health Lights: February 2004. (2 page(s), 2/16/2004)
ML071920397 - IAEA Activities at BWXT down blending facility: March 14-18, 2004. (3 page(s), 5/13/2004)
ML071920401 - Cutchins to Horn and Moran e-mail: December IAEA inspection. (3 page(s), 11/16/2004)
ML071920404 - Cutchins to Moran e-mail: April IAEA inspection. (1 page(s), 4/19/2005)
ML071920408 - Cutchins to Horn and Moran e-mail: Restart of equipment at UZOO. (1 page(s), 7/4/2005)
ML071920410 - Cutchins to Moran e-mail: May IAEA inspection Update. (2 page(s), 5/22/2006)
ML071920413 - Cutchins to Vones e-mail: UZOO Work Plan for inspection June 15/16. (1 page(s), 6/5/2006)


Recconaissance photograph of Munich. Some buildings have been marked and annotated with numbers. The Frauenkirche is visible in the bottom right corner. Captioned '3139 106W.216 3-5-44 F/36" // 540SQDN'.
Reconnaissance photograph of Heligoland after bombing, with most buildings and port facilities destroyed and large plumes of smoke from fires.
Additional information about these items was kindly provided by the donor.
Vertical aerial photograph of an area showing severely destroyed buildings and large craters appearing throughout. A road is going through the middle of the buildings and the area is surrounded by fields, also covered with craters.
Reconnaissance photograph of Helgoland with port facilities visible.
Vertical aerial photograph annotated 'Munich Report No K2091 Neg No 3090' and with a North arrow. Individual buildings are outlined in black.
Oblique aerial of bomb damage to the Krupps workshops. Captioned 'Krupps Armament Works Essen 11-3-1945'.
Aerial oblique of Cologne with the cathedral in the centre. Behind is the Rhine and a destroyed bridge. Many of the buildings are damaged. Captioned 'Cologne "The Rhine Crossing" 1945'.
Oblique aerial of a damaged city. In the centre is a river and a low hill. In the distance are undamaged buildings. Captioned 'The city of Kleve in February 1945'.
Vertical aerial photograph of bombed workshops. Most of the buildings are damaged.It is captioned 'Essen (Krupps)'.
Oblique aerial photograph of a square dock area with several naval vessels. There are dry docks at the top. The majority of the workshop are undamaged. It is captioned 'Wilhemshaven' [sic].
Vertical aerial photograph of a bombed harbour area near the the Visserhaven. The majority is damaged buildings.
Oblique aerial photograph of Hamburg showing bombing damage. In the foreground are patches of trees and buildings that are not damaged. In the middle is the river and behind are the docks. Captioned 'Hamburg'.


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Branchville redone: Resolutions passed again support renovation plans
News // Connecticut
Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi, in his office at Town Hall, discusses improvements to the Branchville area.
To advance plans for a new bridge and traffic light and a variety of street amenities in Branchville, a special town meeting voted to re-approve some $6 million in previously-passed bond resolutions related to the Branchville Transit Oriented Development or "Branchville TOD" project.
The June 19 town meeting, consisting of the five-member Board of Selectmen and about eight other townspeople, approved two resolutions totaling about $6.8 million, with the anticipation that state and federal grants will cover most of the cost and that the town's share will be about $717,000.
One resolution authorized $2 million in bonding, with $1,591,000 to be covered by state and federal grants under the Transportation Alternative Program, and the town's share amounting to $409,000.
And the other resolution authorized $4,817,000 in bonding, with $4,509,000 to be covered by state and federal grants from the Federal Local Bridge Program and the town's share $308,000.
First Selectman Rudy Marconi gave a brief overview of the plans, which include: replacing the Portland Avenue bridge over the Norwalk River, with a new traffic light at Route 7 and Portland Avenue; the probable closing of the bridge over Depot Road, or possibly just making it one-way out of the train station; a pedestrian bridge and the addition of sidewalks and amenities such as street lamps from Route 102 south to the Wilton line.
In response to a question from Teresa Ancona, Marconi said the future of the Depot Road bridge wasn't entirely worked out, but the bridge would be preserved.
"If Depot Road bridge is closed, we use it for a pedestrian walkway, and [if the bridge remains open], we put in the pedestrian bridge," he said.
If, as some planners have recommended, the bridge remains as a one-way out access road from the train station, then there would be a new pedestrian bridge taking people across the Norwalk River.
"We would not want it to be removed because it has historic significance," Marconi said of the Depot Road bridge.
Marconi said that crosswalks would continue to allow people to get across Route 7 between the train station and the commercial development on the other side of the highway.
"It's a very awkward crossing for pedestrians," Ancona said.
Marconi said one of the project's goals is to improve that.
"The idea is to make a walking environment that is feasible," Marconi said.
Ancona also questioned the addition of a second light stopping traffic on Route 7 in Branchville.
"If you put a traffic light by Portland Avenue, the traffic would be horrible," she said.
Marconi said the state felt the second light wouldn't add that much to the existing traffic problems. In the morning, southbound traffic already "backs up one mile to Florida Hill Road," Marconi said.
He added that another source of concern is people using Florida Hill Road, Florida Road, and Branchville Road as a route around the line of cars that backs up behind the light.
The two resolutions relating to the project were originally passed by a town meeting in November 2017, Marconi said, but the town's bonding attorneys weren't comfortable with the records the town has of the vote and wanted new approvals from the selectmen and Board of Finance, which were already passed, and then another town meeting — which passed them again June 19.
Ed Tyrrell moderated the town meeting.


text:
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'use strict';

(function(angular) {
  angular.module('videoServersApp.filters', [])
    .filter('versionFilter', function createVersionFilter() {
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Dozdak or Dezdak or Dazdak () may refer to:
 Dozdak-e Olya, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province
 Dozdak-e Sofla, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province
 Dozdak-e Kuchek, Fars Province
 Dazdak, Gilan
 Dozdak, Lahijan, Gilan Province
 Dezdak, Kohgiluyeh, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province
 Dozdak, Dana, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province
 Dozdak, Nowshahr, Mazandaran Province
 Dozdak, Sari, Mazandaran Province

See also
 Dezg (disambiguation)
 Dozak (disambiguation)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Posted on September 12, 2020 by John Hinderaker in Racial Preferences
Antiracism at Cornell
Legal Insurrection documents Cornell University's swing to the left over the issue of race.
Cornell University has joined a growing list of universities embracing "antiracist" activism, a euphemism for race-based advocacy.
Antiracism does not mean non-racist. It is a term of art used, most famously, in the book How to Be An Antiracist, which is being used as a teaching tool at universities throughout the country, including Cornell, and forms the ideological framework upon which the university is moving forward.
The President of Cornell has announced that "antiracism" is a top university priority, meaning, among other things, mandatory "training" for all Cornell staff. And a "Faculty Coalition" has published a list of demands that would, in Bill Jacobson's words, "implement race-based requirements in almost all aspects of the university hiring, promotion, and curriculum, and the elimination of race-neutral policies."
The Faculty Coalition denounces colorblind policies:
[E]very "colorblind" event, mechanism, and process at the university — from new faculty orientations to selection of endowed positions — perpetuates racial disparities and reinforces an unjust status quo.
Thus overt race discrimination is demanded as essential.
There is much that one could say about this, but for now, one wonders: when was Cornell last colorblind? Virtually every educational institution, and every major business, has engaged in "affirmative action" since the early 1970s. Affirmative action is race discrimination on behalf of favored groups, most notably blacks, and it often has amounted to quotas, as, for example, in my law school class. Cornell has never, in its modern history, treated applicants equally. It has consistently favored minorities, especially blacks, both in admissions and in faculty hiring. This has been a near-universal practice among American institutions for around 50 years.
Anyone who has lived in the business world of the last 50 years has observed affirmative action at work. One day in the late 1970s, when I was still young enough to be interviewing job applicants at my law firm, I was scheduled to meet with a law student who was interviewing with us. I got his resume ahead of the interview. It wasn't bad, but it was nowhere near as good as we were used to seeing. I called the associate who was supervising this interviewee's schedule and asked, "Why am I seeing this guy? There is no way we would hire him." The answer: "He's black." "Oh, I see. Well in that case, we'll never get him." My prophecy proved correct: that applicant took a more lucrative job somewhere else.
Evidently this 50-year history of preferential treatment has gone down the memory hole, even though it continues to the present day. Today's radicals denounce a "colorblind" regime that, unfortunately, never was, at least not for many years. And what do they demand? More affirmative action! Because it worked so well the first time, apparently. Everything old is new again.


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Lanfranchi ist der Familienname folgender Personen:

 Antonio Lanfranchi (1946–2015), Erzbischof von Modena-Nonantola
 Denise Perrier Lanfranchi (* 1935), französisches Model und Schauspielerin
 Gaetano Lanfranchi (1901–1983), italienischer Bobfahrer
 Jean Lanfranchi (1923–2012), französischer Fußballspieler und -trainer

 Marcel Lanfranchi (1921–2013), französischer Fußballspieler und -trainer
 Mario Lanfranchi (1927–2022), italienischer Opern- und Filmregisseur
 Paolo Lanfranchi (* 1968), italienischer Radrennfahrer
 Pierre Lanfranchi (* 1959), französischer Historiker
 Uberto Lanfranchi († 1137), Erzbischof von Pisa

Siehe auch:
 Lanfrank
 Laffranchi


Are your Presents Under a Real or Fake Tree this Christmas?
Not everyone prefers a live Christmas tree. In fact, any real estate agent can tell you, some prefer to skip the Christmas tree altogether and decorate a tumbleweed instead! However, the majority of people like the familiarity of a traditional tree, even if they don't live close enough to a tree farm to go cut their own.
The first fake Christmas trees were created by a toilet bowl scrub brush manufacturer called Addis in the 1930s. Artificial trees were ideal for people living in the plains where pines and junipers weren't available. By 2007, 18 million fake Christmas trees were sold in the US alone, and you can buy them in varying sizes, made to look like various tree species, flocked to look like they are covered in snow, or even fully decorated with lights, balls, and tinsel.
Artificial Christmas trees are cheaper than real ones, especially when you factor in the ability to use them over and over for years. They don't need watering, won't cause allergies, don't leave messy needles strewn around, and can be conveniently put up and taken down without hassle. If you buy a fully decorated Christmas tree, you don't have to worry about accessorizing, and with fiber optic options, you can create a low-cost solution that eliminates multiple wires and cords and a high electricity bill.
However, they obviously don't give your home quite the feel that a real Christmas tree can; artificial trees just don't have the same vibe. You won't get that Christmassy smell, you may spend hours fussing with the branches to fluff them just right, and the PVC plastics they are made off have multiple disadvantages, such as releasing dioxins (which are toxic to animals and humans) and increasing fire hazards (fake trees burn faster and more fiercely than real trees according to tests run by fire departments.
When you buy a Christmas tree in the U.S., you are helping U.S. farmers! Almost every real Christmas tree sold in the U.S. is grown in the U.S, with approximately 25-30 million trees sold each year. That means jobs for over 100,000 workers! The approximately 350 million real Christmas trees growing right now in the U.S. help keep air clean, provide sheltered habitats for various kinds of native wildlife, and are replanted at a ratio of 3 saplings for every tree harvested. Real trees make choosing your Christmas tree a family fun event, they smell fantastic, and you can even take your old tree to be recycled in January at any one of over 4,000 Christmas Tree recycling programs around the U.S.
The only real cons to having a real Christmas tree are the costs – which can be high if you live in an area far away from where real Christmas trees are grown, and the maintenance and mess, as real trees must be watered and can shed needles while they are up in your home.
Which Christmas tree did you choose?
Whether you chose the convenience and low-cost option of an artificial tree, or the smell, look, and experience of a live one, the important thing is enjoying your Christmas tree with your family during the holidays.
Follow The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory® for home living, home decor, and lifestyle tips.
Can you use Feng Shui to Sell your Home?
One Response to " Are your Presents Under a Real or Fake Tree this Christmas? "
I only put empty wrapped boxes at work under the tree.


Let's face it. People hate the Patriots. There's talk of the evil empire, polls showing the vast majority don't want the Patriots to win. To most of America, the New England Patriots are The Army Of The Dead of the NFL.
But America's got it wrong. Tom Brady isn't evil, he's Jon Snow, AKA Aegon Targaryen, reborn anew and here to save the pantheon of NFL greatness from the evil decay of mediocrity and one hit wonders. If you don't believe me then check out these Patriots t shirts mashup collections which prove my point.
Brady was dead and buried after Super Bowl 52. Sure, he threw for a Super Bowl record 505 yards, but it was in a losing effort. Under the weight of Qyburn Wickersham's story of intrigue and discord between Brady and Belichick from a few weeks before the big game, things weren't looking good.
And then the 2018 NFL season happened, and Brady wasn't looking himself. It seemed that at 41 that unnameable undefeated specter, time, was defeating Brady: His lowest yards passing in a full season since 2014, his fewest touchdowns since 2013.
But then the playoffs started, and Brady breathed deep and emerged as only a hero can.
Q: Anyone you've met that you were surprised was just as happy to meet you?
Young Brady had barely said his Night's Watch vows when he was hobnobbing with NFL royalty. He was as humble and reverent as Jon was to the Halfhand as he was embarking on his legendary journey.
But just as Jon took his mantle of leadership in meteoric fashion, Brady rose to stand shoulder to shoulder with NFL Kings as he beat back the Rams, Eagles and Panthers from The Wall. You know, The NFL GOAT Wall, where only legends belong.
It's a two stage fall really. First, there was Alliser Thorn and Janos Slynt, Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning. They managed to take down the young Champion multiple times. They tried to tell you it was for The Watch, good for business, to protect The Wall.
But now Eli Manning is a two time Super Bowl winning QB. Who's that good for?
The second was the 2017 season. That was the Ollie blow. Boom, right to the heart. They thought they had beaten Brady for good.
But then Azor Belichick stepped in, and resurrected Brady, and put him on the path. The Patriots are one game away from eternal glory. One game away from victory over the true Night King, Roger Goodell.
The most balanced and dangerous team in the AFC Chargers? Pretenders. The NFL MVP and Number 1 Seed KC Chiefs? Just another Ramsay Bolton.
You know the Knights of Summer right? Youthful smiles, roses on the armor, always listening to Sugar Ray? Pretenders who try to usurp the thrown before their time?
#Rams coach Sean McVay turns 33 today. That makes him older than all but 4 of the 53 on the #Patriots active roster. Brady, Gostkowski, Slater & Hoyer.
Brady is heading out to meet the Night King, the Knights of Summer, and the true Army of the Dead: those who would defame, reject, and refuse Brady's claim to being Aegon Targaryen, the Prince who was promised, the one and only six time Super Bowl Champion player.
NextIs this the final dance for Tom Brady? Absolutely not.
Who will replace Flores and McDaniels if they leave?


BBC News have released almost 80 iconic and memorable news clips from their archive, under the BBC's Creative Archive licence.
Hopefully this is only the start!
Check out the full list or browse the the topics.
Unfortunately the page looks broken and you need a proxy based in the UK if you want to access the clips from the rest of the world.
The source clips available for download from the BBC's site are only available to UK IP addresses, but as the license allows redistribution, the clips could presumably be made available on a mirror that didn't have 'Geo-IP filtering' (copies must be shared under the same license agreement, but as the IP-filtering technology isn't exactly widely available, I don't see how they can claim that it's obligitary for redistribution on the internet).
I dont use search engine optimization services to get my site ranked well in search engines.
Just try to optimize myself. I guess getting good content is the key. Can anyone help me to write good content?
The best soft to PC-where to buy, join site & other tipe to do a home online business.
I download online video using RipTiger. It?s powerful and easy to use. Once you start watching the video on the web, RipTiger will pick it up and do the recording for you.


Tyra Banks and America's Top Model are taking hits for having the models portrayed as bi-racial and using blackface.
I thought it was one of the best episodes of the season. The models looked exotic and beautiful, and I took it as a celebration of the ethnic heritages they were representing.
I also think both Brittany and Erin deserved to go home. I hope Nicole wins it.


The Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Celiac Support Association recently broke bread at Paese Mio in Allentown (6561 Tilghman St., 610-481-0400), where the menu includes gluten-free pizza and pasta.
Nearby, Hellertown's Sagra Bistro (620 Main St., 484-851-3220) also has gluten-free pizza and pasta, along with desserts. Many of the meat and seafood dishes are not made with gluten-containing ingredients. The kitchen staff uses clean saute pans for each dish and utensils are sanitized after each use.
I was saddened to hear that the all-gluten-free Little Bakery in Blue Bell will be closing next Saturday, March 14. The bakery's mint brownies and lemon bars were sinful.
If you missed my Tuesday feature, you can catch up on campus-wide gluten-free options at more than a dozen area colleges and universities.
Passover foods are starting to appear on supermarket shelves. You can find many new gluten-free items, including matzo ball mix and brownie mix from Manischewitz. Earlier in the week, I sampled Entenmann's-like gluten-free chocolate covered donuts from Kedem Foods' Rebecca & Rose brand and can report that they are definitely worth the splurge. Rebecca & Rose items will be sold at Whole Foods and other stores with large Passover sections.
Target stores have expanded their selection of Udi's products. Available items now include burritos, pizzas, breads and rolls, cookies and frozen meals.
The Toufayan Bakeries gluten-free pita chips that I sampled last fall at the Expo East gourmet food show are now making their way to stores. The snacks come in Sea Salt, Salted Caramel and Chili Lime varieties and are all natural, non-GMO, vegan and OU Parve.
Expo East's sister showcase, Expo West, is being held this week and many new gluten-free products have been announced. In addition to the Cape Cod Dipping Shells and Pretzel Crisps Minis I wrote about in recent weeks, Snyder's-Lance is introducing three other items: Lance's gluten-free Peanut Butter and Cheddar Cheese Sandwich Crackers, and Eatsmart Naturals' Sea Salt and Lime Dipping Chips.
are non-GMO. Pirate's Booty Crunchy Treasures are baked rice and corn puffs in four pirate-themed shapes—X marks the spots, anchors, ship wheels and parrots—and blended with aged white cheddar cheese.
Lucy's unveiled a new product, Triple Chocolate Brownie Crisp, featuring a mix of chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, cocoa and Madagascar vanilla.
HomeFree announced Lemon Burst Mini Cookies and Chocolate Chip Mini Cookies Snack Multipack as the newest additions to its line of nationally distributed gluten-free, allergy-friendly cookies.
Gratify Foods' newest products include Original Baked Bites, Cinnamon Baked Bites, Sea Salt Pretzel Crackers and Everything Thins.


text:
The Senate Refills the SEC
The asset management industry's oversees have a full leadership complement once again.
Allison Herren Lee
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Incoming Commissioner
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate voted (by voice) to confirm Allison Lee as a commissioner at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bloomberg (twice), InvestmentNews, Pensions & Investments, and Reuters all reported on the news.
Lee will take the second Democrat spot on the commission, filling the shoes of her old boss, Kara Stein. (Even before President Trump nominated her, Lee was long rumored to be a favorite to succeed Stein.) Among the other current commissioners, the term of the other Democrat, Robert Jackson, expired earlier this month, yet he can serve for up to about 18 months if no replacement is named, so Trump may not need to worry about naming any more new SEC commissioners until late 2020. The other commissioners' terms expire in 2020, 2021, and 2023.
Paul Schott Stevens, president and CEO of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), lauds Lee as "a highly experienced professional" and states that the mutual fund industry trade group "welcomes her confirmation." Lee's soon-to-be-fellow commissioners also welcomed her back.
An alumna of the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law, Lee currently works with Congress Park Consulting. Prior to that she spent 13 years at the SEC, where she served as an enforcement attorney and as counsel to then-Commissioner Stein. Earlier in her career she worked at Sherman & Howard and clerked for a judge on the Colorado Supreme Court.
Edited by: Neil Anderson, Managing Editor


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Brendan Smith
Brendan Smith (ice hockey) FAQs: Facts, Rumors, Birthdate, Net Worth, Sexual Orientation and much more!
Who is Brendan Smith? Biography, gossip, facts?
Brendan Smith (born February 8 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently plays with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Smith was a first-round draft pick (27th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and was previously a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. Smith made his NHL debut on November 17 2011 against the San Jose Sharks.
When is Brendan Smith's birthday?
Brendan Smith was born on the 8th of February 1989 , which was a Wednesday. Brendan Smith will be turning 31 in only 206 days from today.
How old is Brendan Smith?
Brendan Smith is 30 years old. To be more precise (and nerdy), the current age as of right now is 10959 days or (even more geeky) 263016 hours. That's a lot of hours!
Are there any books, DVDs or other memorabilia of Brendan Smith? Is there a Brendan Smith action figure?
We would think so. You can find a collection of items related to Brendan Smith right here.
What is Brendan Smith's zodiac sign and horoscope?
Brendan Smith's zodiac sign is Aquarius.
♒
The ruling planets of Aquarius are Saturn and Uranus. Therefore, Brendan Smith's lucky days are Sundays and Saturdays and lucky numbers are: 4, 8, 13, 17, 22 and 26. Blue, Blue-green, Grey and Black are Brendan Smith's lucky colors. Typical positive character traits of Aquarius include: Legitimacy, Investigative spirit and Pleasing personality. Negative character traits could be: Inconsistency, Disinclination and Detachment.
Is Brendan Smith gay or straight?
Many people enjoy sharing rumors about the sexuality and sexual orientation of celebrities. We don't know for a fact whether Brendan Smith is gay, bisexual or straight. However, feel free to tell us what you think! Vote by clicking below.
100% of all voters think that Brendan Smith is gay (homosexual), 0% voted for straight (heterosexual), and 0% like to think that Brendan Smith is actually bisexual.
Is Brendan Smith still alive? Are there any death rumors?
Yes, as far as we know, Brendan Smith is still alive. We don't have any current information about Brendan Smith's health. However, being younger than 50, we hope that everything is ok.
Where was Brendan Smith born?
Brendan Smith was born in Canada, Mimico, Ontario.
Is Brendan Smith hot or not?
Well, that is up to you to decide! Click the "HOT"-Button if you think that Brendan Smith is hot, or click "NOT" if you don't think so.
50% of all voters think that Brendan Smith is hot, 50% voted for "Not Hot".
Which team(s) did Brendan Smith play for?
Brendan Smith played for Detroit Red Wings.
How tall is Brendan Smith?
Brendan Smith is 1.85m tall, which is equivalent to 6feet and 1inches.
Does Brendan Smith do drugs? Does Brendan Smith smoke cigarettes or weed?
It is no secret that many celebrities have been caught with illegal drugs in the past. Some even openly admit their drug usuage. Do you think that Brendan Smith does smoke cigarettes, weed or marijuhana? Or does Brendan Smith do steroids, coke or even stronger drugs such as heroin? Tell us your opinion below.
0% of the voters think that Brendan Smith does do drugs regularly, 0% assume that Brendan Smith does take drugs recreationally and 0% are convinced that Brendan Smith has never tried drugs before.
How heavy is Brendan Smith? What is Brendan Smith's weight?
Brendan Smith does weigh 89.8kg, which is equivalent to 198lbs.
Which position does Brendan Smith play?
Brendan Smith plays as a Defence.
When did Brendan Smith's career start? How long ago was that?
Brendan Smith's career started in 2010. That is more than 9 years ago.
Who are similar ice hockey players to Brendan Smith?
Andrei Spiridonov, Albert Morel, Art Boyce, Nikolai Kazakovtsev and Petteri Lindbohm are ice hockey players that are similar to Brendan Smith. Click on their names to check out their FAQs.
What is Brendan Smith doing now?
Supposedly, 2019 has been a busy year for Brendan Smith (ice hockey). However, we do not have any detailed information on what Brendan Smith is doing these days. Maybe you know more. Feel free to add the latest news, gossip, official contact information such as mangement phone number, cell phone number or email address, and your questions below.
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According to various sources, Brendan Smith's net worth has grown significantly in 2019. However, the numbers vary depending on the source. If you have current knowledge about Brendan Smith's net worth, please feel free to share the information below.
Brendan Smith's net worth is estimated to be in the range of approximately $1258925 in 2019, according to the users of vipfaq. The estimated net worth includes stocks, properties, and luxury goods such as yachts and private airplanes.


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Filmmaker. Photographer. Sound Designer.
2015 A Year in Pictures
December 24, 2015 / Chris Prescott
I can't quite believe 2015 is already coming to a close, it's definitely been a bit of a whirlwind year with some great trips over the last 12 months. It's also the end of a chapter as i'll be leaving Hot Aches at the end of December after two years working with them. Hopefully 2016 will bring bigger and better things and i'm excited to see what the 2016 Year in Pictures will look like. As with last year's 'Year in Pictures' i've selected one photo from each month of the year.
January - Chamonix Snowstorm
I spent most of January in the French Alps, particularly around Chamonix and La Plagne. Although I ended up with a lot of ski photos there's something about this one of Chamonix Sud that I particularly like. I think it's the almost Pixar 'chocolate box' like nature of the trees and snow. Taken with a Speedlite to pick out the snowflakes.
February - 'Transition', Beinn Udlaidh
February was spent shooting winter sequences for Hot Aches latest film 'Transition'. The Southern Highlands experienced some particularly cold weather in February and the area around the Bridge of Orchy came into good condition. This day at Beinn Udlaidh was particularly memorable with Dave MacLeod on the first ascent of 'Transition' (VI 7). The day became increasingly warm and the ice was melting rapidly, it was so hot I ended up filming in a t-shirt, although perhaps flippers and a snorkel would have been better!
March - Dave MacLeod, Pink Panther
The final winter shoot for 'Transition' took us to the Upper Cascade area of Ben Nevis and a rarely climbed ice route 'Pink Panther' (VI 6). After the poor weather of the previous winter shoots we were treated to bright sunshine and light winds, which made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. After spending an hour excavating a ledge on the steep upper section of Number Three Gully I had a perfect camera position from which to shoot the route. The photo shows Dave MacLeod towards the top of the first pitch.
April - Forgotten Twin, AONACH MOR
April brought some of the best snow conditions of the winter to the Scottish Highlands and I spent a lot of time backcountry skiing. The huge amount of snowfall also lead to some monster sized cornices and this one was no exception. Peter MacKenzie making the 8 metre drop from the cornice on the second descent of 'Forgotten Twin' on Aonach Mor. This definitely felt like one of the more sketchy photos of the year, especially as the cornice was grossly overhanging and I only had a rope around the waist attached to a buried ski for safety!
May - Finale Ligure
At the end of April I headed out to Finale Ligure in Northern Italy with the staff from UKClimbing.com. I'd visited the area 8 years ago and it was great to be back again. Much less popular than a lot of the other European sport destinations it still has a wide variety of climbing styles on great rock. Martin Mckenna climbing 'La Cengia Allegra' at Bric Scimarco.
June - Fort WilliaM World Cup
Most definitely the muddiest shoot of 2015 with three days of almost never ending rain at the Fort William Downhill World Cup. With mud up to your waist in places it was a pretty challenging environment to take photos in. Fortunately the rain stopped for five minutes and I was able to get a couple of useable shots.
July - Tom Randall, The Kraken
Agreeing to make a film about a hard boulder project in Devon when based in Edinburgh is always going to be a big commitment especially as it's a 16 hour round trip with no guarantee of success. It was worth it though to shoot Tom Randall of 'Wide Boyz' fame on the first ascent of 'The Kraken' (V13), the hardest crack boulder problem in the world. It was a pretty challenging route to shoot with the combination of a dark gloomy cave and brightly lit beach but after a lot of playing around it worked out pretty well using a couple of Speedlite flashes. The photo was used in the October issue of Climb magazine.
August - Hazel Findlay, Horizons
The Lofoten Islands has been top of places i've wanted to visit for a number of years after reading an old tatty 1902 Alpine Club journal about one of the first trips there. Fortunately in August I was asked by Cut Media to be involved with a project they were shooting for Sky 1 to support a new series 'You, Me and the Apocalypse'. We spent a week shooting there with Hazel Findlay, with the main part of the shoot taking pace on the upper sections of 'Presten', one of the most iconic mountains in the islands. This day was by far the most challenging with a lot of logistics involved to get the portaledge into position. Despite it being the middle of summer it was absolutely freezing out of the sun! Watch the film 'Horizons' here.
September - God's Own Country
It's hard to beat a chilled out evening of warm sunny bouldering on the gritstone edges of Yorkshire and the Peak District. This day was no exception. Natalie Berry bouldering at Almscliffe in 'God's Own Country'.
October - Natalie Berry, Dalriada
'Dalriada' on the north peak of the Cobbler was one of the reasons I first moved to Scotland. Seeing Dave Cuthbertson's photo of Dave MacLeod on the upper section of the route made me really want to move North and check out the climbing. We were lucky enough to get to shoot it for Hot Aches film 'Transition' with Natalie Berry making the first female ascent. Amazingly we also got unseasonably warm and settled weather for Scotland in October and it was the perfect day to shoot photos of the route.
November - Autumn Colours, DUNKELD
November is always the quietest time of the year photo-wise, usually due to being locked for hours on end in the edit cave trying to get the year's feature length film finished in time for the Kendal Mountain Festival at the end of the month. This was a rare day of escape from the dark confines of the studio, climbing on the sport wall at Dunkeld. I've not seen such intense autumnal colours in a long time!
December - Sunset Soloing, Isle of man
A last minute addition to the Year in Pictures. Having grown up on the Isle of Man it'll always be a special place for me. Although the climbing there is far from world class it's great to get out every now and again and do some soloing at the Chasms in the south of the island. Although the gale force wind was pretty intense at times the incredible sunset more than made up for it.
June 01, 2015 / Chris Prescott
I've had quite a few people get in touch recently with various questions about the camera equipment I use. Rather than reply to individual questions I thought I'd write a blog about what's in my bag. Although this seems to change constantly as I switch things in and out this is pretty much my standard setup. Having said that this is for an average shoot and excludes things like winter or alpine shooting where i'd most likely drop the majority of the kit and go for a DSLR, a couple of lenses and maybe a few filters. This is also my photography kit rather than for video, which is a whole other post in itself and usually involves a vast amount of extra (knee and shoulder crippling) kit to carry up the hills.
I've been using F-Stop ICU's and bags for a couple of years now and they definitely appeal to my OCD nature by letting you compartmentalise all your kit and giving quick and easy access to it in the mountains through a back opening system. Depending on the shoot i'll usually take along the 'Large Slope' ICU, which gives me enough space for my full setup (see full list below). The unit can also be removed from a bag and carried as a standalone case, which is useful if you want to dump most of your kit and go shoot something nearby.
F-Stop Large Slope ICU with all the camera equipment used on an average shoot. See full list at the bottom of the blog.
I've spent a lot of time playing with different lenses and camera setups but i'm pretty happy with my current line up. The 3 lenses I use give me coverage at f/2.8 from 14mm to 200mm (and f/5.6 to 400mm using the extender). Although the 70-200mm is a particularly heavy beast the quality of photos it produces makes it hard to leave behind. The only other lens I use is the Canon 100mm Macro but mostly for video work as the 70-200mm covers most of my photo needs.
I often get funny looks from other photographers when they see me shooting with a Canon 6D rather than the industry standard 5D MkIII but having shot with both I found the two cameras to be very similar in terms of features and image quality but with the 6D being smaller and considerably lighter (200g), which is a big bonus when you're already laden down with all the other gear.
As you can probably tell i'm also a big fan of my filters and they're a key part of my setup. Rather than going into too much detail here I wrote a blog a couple of months ago that goes into a lot of detail on the filters and what I use them for here.
One of my gear top tips has to be the use of round screw top food containers to keep lenses in. The cases specifically marketed for lenses can cost a small fortune, add loads of bulk and generally only protect the lens a bit anyway. The food containers can be picked up for £1 each in a lot of bargain stores, are totally crush proof and waterproof as well. By adding a small length of sling with heavy duty duct tape I can clip the cases to my harness gear loops and access them while shooting from a rope without always needing a bag.
I spent a lot of time getting annoyed with various camera straps that never seemed to work quite how I wanted them or were massively uncomfortable until I was sent some gear to try out from Peak Design. One of the best pieces of kit they make for shooting from a rope is the 'Capture Pro Clip', which is basically a tripod plate attachment that you can fix to a belt or harness and I have one that lives permanently on my shooting harness (Black Diamond BIg Gun). The pad conveniently fits over the front gear loop of the harness and is held in place with a couple of cable ties to keep it from moving. The clip allows you to fix your DSLR out of the way whilst ascending ropes, moving positions, changing lens etc. When combined with the beefy 'Slide' strap it gives lots of different options for attaching your camera as they are fixed with quick release buckles, which allow you to quickly switch the camera from being round your neck to attaching it to the harness gear loop and back again.
That's pretty much everything I have in my bag. I generally try and keep my DSLR out and ready to shoot as much as possible and rarely put it away or use lens caps (you're not going to get good photos if it's buried in a case inside your bag!). If I do need to get rid of it i'll shove it under the rucksack lid so it's quick to get at.
The key thing to remember is that kit is secondary to everything else and learning how to take a good photo is far more important than the gear that you're carrying. Although it's tempting to think that by buying more gear you'll be able to take better photos (something i've definitely been guilt of in the past!) learning to use what you already have is far more important and your bank balance will definitely appreciate it. Spend some of the money you were going to blow on a new piece of gear on a trip somewhere to shoot something special, I guarantee it'll be more memorable and give you better results than being broke at home with a £2,000 lens.
The final thing to note is that the gear mentioned in this blog is a comprehensive list of what I use but certainly isn't what I take on every shoot. I spend time in pre-production considering what i'm going to take on each shoot depending on the scope and purpose of the shooting and tailor my kit accordingly. Something I was definitely guilty of when I first started out, and probably still am to some extent, is taking way more gear than is really needed. Although this might cover you for every possible shooting scenario what is more likely to happen is you cursing your extra heavy rucksack as you sweat to keep up with your shooting subject who has a tiny rucksack full of lightweight gear and has just pissed off over the horizon never to be seen again.
Here is the full list of kit I use for all the gear nerds out there:
DSLR and Lenses -
Canon 14mm f/2.8 Mk2
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS Mk2
Canon 24-70 f/2.8 Mk2
Canon 100mm Macro f/2.8 IS
Canon 2x Extender Mk3
3x Canon Batteries
Filters -
LEE Filters Soft Grad Set
LEE Filters Hard Grad Set
LEE Filters Big Stopper
LEE Filters Little Stopper
LEE Landscape Polariser
LEE Pro Glass ND
LEE Filter Holder
LEE Lens Adaptors
Extras -
Gitzo GT2542L Tripod
Gitzo GH2780QR Tripod Head
2x Canon 600EX-RT Flashes
Canon ST-E3-RT Flash Trigger
Lastolite Ezybox Softbox
2x Lightstands (for flashes)
Peak Design Slide Strap
Peak Design Capture Pro Camera Clip
Peak Design Pro Pad
Canon TC-80N3 Intervalometer
F-Stop Large Slope ICU
F-Stop Loka
F-Stop Tilopa BC
F-Stop CF Wallet
Apple iPad (for remote image reviewing with clients)
May 06, 2015 / Chris Prescott
I've just arrived back from a weeks climbing in Finale Ligure in north west Italy with the people from UKClimbing and Rockfax. It definitely provided a contrast to the shooting and climbing over the winter months (lots of sunshine, short walk-ins, cafes, good food, no numb fingers etc) and it was great to properly explore an area i've only been to briefly before.
We were lucky enough to be staying in Colletta di Castelbianco, a tiny 13th century village in the Val Pennavaire of Oltre Finale, which gave great access to the surrounding climbing. As one of the aims of the trip was to explore the area for the new Rockfax guidebook to Finale we visited a different crag and area every day and this gave a good opportunity to take photos in lots of contrasting locations. It's often difficult to get the balance right between shooting and getting a chance to climb but it worked out really well on this trip, where i'd usually just climb an adjacent route and shoot across, something that sport climbing on bolts allows you to do with ease (and is much less hassle than rigging ropes!).
Although I probably took a lot more camera gear than was needed I ended up using most of the kit I brought. The LEE grad ND filters especially came in handy as a lot of the crags we climbed on faced north (to avoid the sun) and so often had brightly lit backgrounds and dark shaded foregrounds.
I've only begun to process the images from the trip (I shot around 8,000 in total!) but below are a few of my favourites so far.
Martin Mckenna climbing La Cengia Allegra (7a) at Bric Scimarco. Shot on Canon 6D + Canon 24-70 f/2.8 + LEE Filters .6 Soft Grad ND.
Natalie Berry climbing Pudong (6c+) at Terminal crag, Oltre Finale. Shot on Canon 6D + Canon 14mm f/2.8
Natalie Berry climbing Orly (6c+) at Terminal crag, Oltre Finale. Shot on Canon 6D + Canon 14mm f/2.8
Finale Sunset. Shot on Canon 6D + Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS + LEE Filters Landscape Polariser + LEE Filters .9 Soft Grad ND.
A Month of Contrasts
April 06, 2015 / Chris Prescott
The last month or so has felt pretty hectic with a variety of different shoots going on. Spring always seems to be a funny transition period between summer and winter activities where you can be freezing cold trying to shoot winter climbing one day and then be sweating your way up a fixed rope the next in blazing sunshine. Below is a brief summary of some of the contrasting shoots i've been on recently.
Pink Panther - Ben Nevis
The first shoot of the month was a trip to the North face of Ben Nevis for the final winter shoot for Hot Aches latest film 'Transition' with Natalie Berry and Dave MacLeod. We were lucky enough to get brilliant ice conditions with a number of rarely formed routes in perfect condition. We headed to 'Pink Panther', a grade VI 6 first climbed by Godefroy Perroux. We were also blessed with perfect weather (a rare occurrence for winter climbing in Scotland!), which made the day much more manageable. Everything went smoothly and we'd bagged some great footage and were walking back to the van by 4pm.
Dave MacLeod on the first pitch of 'Pink Panther' on the Upper Cascade area of Ben Nevis. Shot with Canon 6D + Canon 70-200mm + 2x Extender + LEE Filters Landscape Polariser.
Paper Doll Militia
The next shoot of the month was something entirely out of the ordinary as we'd arranged a shoot with Sarah from Paper Doll Militia, an aerial theatre company based in Edinburgh. The main aim of the day was to put Hot Aches new Sony FS7 through its paces but also gave the chance to get some great stills in the theatre's black box space. The image below was shot using a couple of Canon Speedlites positioned off camera.
Sarah from Paper Doll Militia. Shot with Canon 6D + Canon 70-200 + 2x Canon 600EX-RT Speedlites + 2x LEE Filters 0.6 Soft Grad NDs.
Hamish Teddy's - Dunkeld
I also headed to Dunkeld in Perthshire over the Easter weekend to check out the sport routes. They have a long and rich history, being some of the first bolted routes put up in Scotland. The rock is generally very good with lots of features, allowing lots of different possible sequences for each of the routes there. It's also a great place for photography with the surrounding woods having a mythical feel to them with hidden grottos and ancient trees. It was one of the first opportunities for me to try out my new Canon 14mm, which turned out to be really great for shooting in quite a confined spot between the trees and the crag and provided a more interesting perspective on the routes. I have a feeling it's going to end up being an essential part of my camera setup in the future.
Natalie Berry on the classic 'Hamish Teddy's Excellent Adventure' at Dunkeld. Shot with Canon 6D + Canon 14mm f2.8 + LEE Filters 0.6 Soft Grad ND (held over lens!).
Forgotten Twin - Aonach Mor
Scotland was lucky enough to get 40cm of fresh snow over the last week of March, which resulted in brilliant Spring skiing conditions in Lochaber. I headed to Aonach Mor (which is conveniently serviced by the Nevis Range ski area) with the hope of shooting some of the steep lines there. The day certainly provided with a lot of steep skiing going on, including the 3rd descent of Forgotten Twin, a grade II gully route, which included a 20ft drop from the massive cornice (camera safety was supplied by a rope around the waist attached to a buried ski).
Peter Mackenzie dropping off the cornice into Forgotten Twin on Aonach Mor. Shot with Canon 6D + Canon 24-70 + LEE Filters Landscape Polariser.
With things now turning warmer i'm looking forward to getting out and shooting more summer time activities with MTB and climbing shoots in the calendar over the next month or so. We also head off to Chamonix and Finale Ligure in 3 weeks time for ski touring and sport climbing respectively.
February 25, 2015 / Chris Prescott
I've been using Lee Filters in a number of different ways since the early days of my photography career. They're one of my 'go to' items in a lot of different situations and have become an invaluable part of my setup, which i'm rarely without. Although they're most frequently used by landscape photographers, and therefore are perhaps perceived by photographers specialising in other areas as not being of much use, they are in fact extremely useful for many different applications.
I thought it might be of interest to briefly explore some of the ways in which I use the filters and the results they achieve. Lee recently added some of my images to their website and usefully provided a break down of the way in which the filters were used (see images below).
Lee ND Grads
The Neutral Density (ND) graduated filters are the filters I use mostly frequently, in fact for the majority of my outdoor photography i'll be using at least one. They help balance the exposure of bright skies and dark foregrounds with the 'soft' graduation being the set I most frequently use.
Although they're commonly used when the camera is mounted to a tripod I use the soft grads handheld a lot as well. This gives me greater flexibility in movement and allows them to be used in situations where using a tripod isn't an option, such as when hanging from a rope. They are particularly useful when shooting in high contrast situations such as with a climber on a North facing aspect where they might be in shade with a brightly sunlit backdrop. It's often not possible in these situations to expose all areas of an image correctly (even when shooting in RAW) and i've found the soft grad filters to be the only way of achieving the correct exposure without having to heavily process images in post-production.
Although I often use the 0.3 (1 stop), 0.6 (2 stop) and 0.9 (3 stop) soft grads I find the 0.6 is the one I mostly frequently have on the camera as it provides a good middle ground and is often about right for most daytime situations. The way the filters mount to the lens allow you to rotate the grad to any position you need it such as in the image of James Pearson below.
James Pearson on the 4th ascent of Rhapsody (E11) at Dumbarton Rock. The Lee soft grad 0.6 helped achieve the right exposure between the shaded rock face and brightly lit sea in the background.
Lee Big Stopper
The Big Stopper, a 10 stop ND filter is something that adventure photographers maybe wouldn't consider has a place in their toolkit, especially when shooting human subjects. It can however be used to achieve some more abstract results and can add energy and movement to images.
The way I use it most frequently is to compose a shot with the camera locked off on a tripod and to then take two images both with and without the Big Stopper. The image with the Big Stopper uses a slow shutter speed (usually around 30 seconds) to add motion blur to anything with movement in the image (clouds, rivers etc) and the second image without the filter has a much faster shutter speed that freezes the subject in motion. The two images are then brought into Photoshop with the long exposure image layered on top of the normal shot. I then briefly drop the opacity of the Big Stopper layer and selectively erase the layer to reveal the subject from the image underneath. Once this is done I switch the opacity back to 100%, merge the layers and then apply any processing. It's important to make sure you correct the temperature of the two images first so that they match before merging them as the Big Stopper has a slight blue colour cast.
I used a Big Stopper during shooting for 'The Ridge' at Loch Coruisk to help frame Danny as he rode along a tree trunk. The clouds were coming straight towards us and by adding motion blur through long exposure it helped to draw the eye to the centre of the image, which was further reinforced by the movement in the river bottom right. This framing was further helped by the light on the mountains behind Danny, which helped lift him from the background.
Danny MacAskill during shooting for 'The Ridge' on the Isle of Skye. The Big Stopper helped add movement to the clouds and river and frame Danny as he rode along the tree trunk.
Lee Polariser
The polariser is also something I use frequently and is something that perhaps more photographers can imagine using. It helps remove glare from reflective surfaces and boosts contrast between blue skies and white clouds (such as in the image of Danny on the In Pinn below). The new Lee Landscape polariser is another great addition as its slim profile allows it to be used on lenses as wide as 16mm. Furthermore, the slight warm bias of the filter helps enhance certain colours in outdoor shots.
Hopefully that gives some food for thought for photographers who might be looking for ways to mix things up a little with their images. I highly recommend trying some of the filters out if you get a chance with a set of soft grad NDs and a Big Stopper being a good place to start.
Going 'Lightweight'
January 24, 2015 / Chris Prescott
The term lightweight can often be a bit of misnomer when it comes to photography and filmmaking gear. Unfortunately it's not often at the front of the manufacturers mind when designing a new camera or lens (aside from the GoPro and other 'action' specific gear). In fact it seems the better the gear the heavier it is, especially where lenses are concerned.
Natalie Berry skinning up the slopes above Montchavin with Mont Blanc buried in cloud behind. Shot on a Canon 6D with a 24-70 and Lee .6 Soft Grad.
I've spent January out in the French Alps to ski and shoot stills but unfortunately it's turned out to be one of the worst seasons for snow in years, which has led to a lot of touring and searching around for better conditions. This has given me the opportunity to try out some different camera setups when out in the mountains. Although I spend a lot of time trimming down technical climbing gear and clothing, going lightweight in terms of camera kit has always been a challenge for me, mostly due to the fear of missing out on a shot due to not having the right gear. It was definitely a shock when I first got into the filmmaking side of things as the amount of gear required seemed to triple when compared to shooting stills. Although every piece of gear I carry on an average shoot is important to the end results it can also be pretty appealing to just throw a DSLR with a single lens into your bag and feel the benefits of a lighter pack on the uphills. Although I chop and change my gear a lot i've found for me I can get by using the following kit for a standard climbing or skiing day for photos only -
Canon 6D (almost the same as the 5D Mark III but more compact and lighter).
Canon 24-70 f/2.8
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS
Although the 70-200 is a heavy monster weighing in the same as my carbon fibre touring skis I still can't bare to part with it due to the amazing images it produces. Although it's an ever changing thing, and hopefully with the advent of compact mirrorless cameras the gear will continue to get lighter, for now it's a case of knuckling down and slogging out the uphills with a big pack on feeling reassured i'll be able to get the results I want.
If only all filming days were as easy as this one. This is the camera and tripod setup we usually carry into the mountains on a standard shoot.
2014 has been a pretty crazy year and I can't quite believe it's almost over already. Looking back through the images i've shot over the last 12 months i'd actually forgotten about half the shoots i've been on. I managed to take about 30,000 photos since January, which isn't bad going really! I thought it would be interesting to post up a photo from each month of 2014 to summarise what some of my most memorable shoots of the year have been. Merry Christmas everyone and here's to 2015.
Redemption: The James Pearson Story
November 03, 2014 / Chris Prescott
We've been hard at work over the last couple of months shooting and editing for our next major Hot Aches production 'Redemption: The James Pearson Story' following James's rise and fall from grace as one of the world's best trad climbers. We're almost at the picture lock stage with another two weeks of sound design, dubbing and colour grading to go.
The film is set to premiere at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival on the 21st November 2014.
Thanks to The North Face and Wild Country for supporting the project.
James Pearson at the start of crux of Rhapsody (E11) at Dumbarton. Image: Chris Prescott/ Hot Aches Productions
© Chris Prescott 2016. All rights reserved.


On K.O.'s first day working at Gar's Hero Supply & Bodega, he runs directly again Enid's gigantic customer service apathy. He decides to devote himself to helping everyone so much that Enid can't help but see how good it feels. Enid (whispering): "You'll never melt my icy heart!"
Supervising Animation Director Kimson Albert has a joke nickname in the credits to each episode. In episode one, it was "Transformation Sequence." In episode two it was "Lord Butthead." Here, it's "Icy Heart."
Joe Cuppa, Rad's favorite stand-up comedian and subject of an episode a bit down the line, has a cameo at the start of this one.
We get our first solid look at Enid's customer service style, which is: close the line if it gets busy, and ninja-out if someone asks to pay in pennies. How does Gar's make a profit like this?
K.O.: "Enid, I am going to help you!"
K.O.: "As an official helper of Gar's Bodega, I am going to help you see how great it is to help people!"
Enid: (pause, then, whispered:) "You'll never melt my icy heart!"
Enid's voice is Ashley Burch!
Nick Army & Joff the Shaolin Monk show up again. They're frequent cameos, and go to the plaza prom together later.
This is the first appearance of Mr. Logic, the only robot business-owner in the plaza. He has a history with Lord Boxmore that we'll discover later.
We get a more solid introduction to frame store workers Brandon and A Real Magic Skeleton, who also get an episode to themselves later. Brandon's voice sounds a bit like "Gary" 21 from Venture Bros, who was voiced by Doc Hammer, but the voice credit here is David Herman, who also voices Mr. Gar. While we're talking about voices, K.O.'s mom Carol is voiced by Kate Flannery, who does Sadie's mom Barbera Miller on Steven Universe.
The three teens hanging out in back are Drupe, Red Action and Gregg. Drupe is the strawberry girl. Red Action gets an episode later, and also shows up to race Rad's Van.
Something is... living in Red Action's hair. She seems angry when K.O. notices it.... It turns out to be a component of her bad haircut, somehow? Mr. Logic's re-do somehow gives her hair back that was shaved off before.
The Facebook clone in K.O.'s world is explicitly called "socialMedia." Red Action's handle is "R3D_4CT10N", and her status is "Stuff is dumb."


The Charleston Photo of the Day feature to highlight one photo a day that we think does a great job of capturing Lowcountry life or a current event.
Sometimes that photo will be by Digitel staff, but more often than not we'll be highlighting work by someone in the community. Each day a photo will be showcased at the front of our homepage slideshow along with information about the photo and a link to the photographer's Web site.
While these photos will often be recent, we don't want to limit the work by date, especially as we're in a region with so many great photographers.
If you'd like to have your work featured, drop us an e-mail at photoftheday@thedigitel.com or add it the Flickr photo group.
To keep up with the latest featured photos, check the home page each morning. In fact, if you go to the homepage right now you'll see one.