text:
#include "config.h"
#include "FEMorphology.h"

#include "ColorUtilities.h"
#include "Filter.h"
#include <runtime/Uint8ClampedArray.h>
#include <wtf/ParallelJobs.h>
#include <wtf/Vector.h>
#include <wtf/text/TextStream.h>

namespace WebCore {

FEMorphology::FEMorphology(Filter& filter, MorphologyOperatorType type, float radiusX, float radiusY)
    : FilterEffect(filter)
    , m_type(type)
    , m_radiusX(radiusX)
    , m_radiusY(radiusY)
{
}

Ref<FEMorphology> FEMorphology::create(Filter& filter, MorphologyOperatorType type, float radiusX, float radiusY)
{
    return adoptRef(*new FEMorphology(filter, type, radiusX, radiusY));
}

bool FEMorphology::setMorphologyOperator(MorphologyOperatorType type)
{
    if (m_type == type)
        return false;
    m_type = type;
    return true;
}

bool FEMorphology::setRadiusX(float radiusX)
{
    if (m_radiusX == radiusX)
        return false;
    m_radiusX = radiusX;
    return true;
}

bool FEMorphology::setRadiusY(float radiusY)
{
    if (m_radiusY == radiusY)
        return false;
    m_radiusY = radiusY;
    return true;
}

void FEMorphology::determineAbsolutePaintRect()
{
    FloatRect paintRect = inputEffect(0)->absolutePaintRect();
    Filter& filter = this->filter();
    paintRect.inflateX(filter.applyHorizontalScale(m_radiusX));
    paintRect.inflateY(filter.applyVerticalScale(m_radiusY));
    if (clipsToBounds())
        paintRect.intersect(maxEffectRect());
    else
        paintRect.unite(maxEffectRect());
    setAbsolutePaintRect(enclosingIntRect(paintRect));
}

static inline int pixelArrayIndex(int x, int y, int width)
{
    return (y * width + x) * 4;
}

template<MorphologyOperatorType type>
ALWAYS_INLINE ColorComponents minOrMax(const ColorComponents& a, const ColorComponents& b)
{
    if (type == FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_ERODE)
        return perComponentMin(a, b);

    return perComponentMax(a, b);
}

template<MorphologyOperatorType type>
ALWAYS_INLINE ColorComponents columnExtremum(const Uint8ClampedArray& srcPixelArray, int x, int yStart, int yEnd, int width)
{
    auto extremum = ColorComponents::fromRGBA(*reinterpret_cast<const unsigned*>(srcPixelArray.data() + pixelArrayIndex(x, yStart, width)));

    for (int y = yStart + 1; y < yEnd; ++y) {
        auto pixel = ColorComponents::fromRGBA(*reinterpret_cast<const unsigned*>(srcPixelArray.data() + pixelArrayIndex(x, y, width)));
        extremum = minOrMax<type>(extremum, pixel);
    }
    return extremum;
}

ALWAYS_INLINE ColorComponents columnExtremum(const Uint8ClampedArray& srcPixelArray, int x, int yStart, int yEnd, int width, MorphologyOperatorType type)
{
    if (type == FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_ERODE)
        return columnExtremum<FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_ERODE>(srcPixelArray, x, yStart, yEnd, width);

    return columnExtremum<FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_DILATE>(srcPixelArray, x, yStart, yEnd, width);
}

using ColumnExtrema = Vector<ColorComponents, 16>;

template<MorphologyOperatorType type>
ALWAYS_INLINE ColorComponents kernelExtremum(const ColumnExtrema& kernel)
{
    auto extremum = kernel[0];
    for (size_t i = 1; i < kernel.size(); ++i)
        extremum = minOrMax<type>(extremum, kernel[i]);

    return extremum;
}

ALWAYS_INLINE ColorComponents kernelExtremum(const ColumnExtrema& kernel, MorphologyOperatorType type)
{
    if (type == FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_ERODE)
        return kernelExtremum<FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_ERODE>(kernel);

    return kernelExtremum<FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_DILATE>(kernel);
}

void FEMorphology::platformApplyGeneric(const PaintingData& paintingData, int startY, int endY)
{
    const auto& srcPixelArray = *paintingData.srcPixelArray;
    auto& dstPixelArray = *paintingData.dstPixelArray;

    const int radiusX = paintingData.radiusX;
    const int radiusY = paintingData.radiusY;
    const int width = paintingData.width;
    const int height = paintingData.height;

    ASSERT(radiusX <= width || radiusY <= height);
    ASSERT(startY >= 0 && endY <= height && startY < endY);

    ColumnExtrema extrema;
    extrema.reserveInitialCapacity(2 * radiusX + 1);

    for (int y = startY; y < endY; ++y) {
        int yRadiusStart = std::max(0, y - radiusY);
        int yRadiusEnd = std::min(height, y + radiusY + 1);

        extrema.shrink(0);

        // We start at the left edge, so compute extreme for the radiusX columns.
        for (int x = 0; x < radiusX; ++x)
            extrema.append(columnExtremum(srcPixelArray, x, yRadiusStart, yRadiusEnd, width, m_type));

        // Kernel is filled, get extrema of next column
        for (int x = 0; x < width; ++x) {
            if (x < width - radiusX)
                extrema.append(columnExtremum(srcPixelArray, x + radiusX, yRadiusStart, yRadiusEnd, width, m_type));

            if (x > radiusX)
                extrema.remove(0);

            unsigned* destPixel = reinterpret_cast<unsigned*>(dstPixelArray.data() + pixelArrayIndex(x, y, width));
            *destPixel = kernelExtremum(extrema, m_type).toRGBA();
        }
    }
}

void FEMorphology::platformApplyWorker(PlatformApplyParameters* param)
{
    param->filter->platformApplyGeneric(*param->paintingData, param->startY, param->endY);
}

void FEMorphology::platformApply(const PaintingData& paintingData)
{
    // Empirically, runtime is approximately linear over reasonable kernel sizes with a slope of about 0.65.
    float kernelFactor = sqrt(paintingData.radiusX * paintingData.radiusY) * 0.65;

    static const int minimalArea = (160 * 160); // Empirical data limit for parallel jobs
    int optimalThreadNumber = (paintingData.width * paintingData.height * kernelFactor) / minimalArea;

    if (optimalThreadNumber > 1) {
        ParallelJobs<PlatformApplyParameters> parallelJobs(&WebCore::FEMorphology::platformApplyWorker, optimalThreadNumber);
        int numOfThreads = parallelJobs.numberOfJobs();
        if (numOfThreads > 1) {
            // Split the job into "jobSize"-sized jobs but there a few jobs that need to be slightly larger since
            // jobSize * jobs < total size. These extras are handled by the remainder "jobsWithExtra".
            const int jobSize = paintingData.height / numOfThreads;
            const int jobsWithExtra = paintingData.height % numOfThreads;
            int currentY = 0;
            for (int job = numOfThreads - 1; job >= 0; --job) {
                PlatformApplyParameters& param = parallelJobs.parameter(job);
                param.filter = this;
                param.startY = currentY;
                currentY += job < jobsWithExtra ? jobSize + 1 : jobSize;
                param.endY = currentY;
                param.paintingData = &paintingData;
            }
            parallelJobs.execute();
            return;
        }
        // Fallback to single thread model
    }

    platformApplyGeneric(paintingData, 0, paintingData.height);
}

bool FEMorphology::platformApplyDegenerate(Uint8ClampedArray& dstPixelArray, const IntRect& imageRect, int radiusX, int radiusY)
{
    // Input radius is less than zero or an overflow happens when scaling it.
    if (radiusX < 0 || radiusY < 0) {
        dstPixelArray.zeroFill();
        return true;
    }

    // Input radius is equal to zero or the scaled radius is less than one.
    if (!m_radiusX || !m_radiusY) {
        FilterEffect* in = inputEffect(0);
        in->copyPremultipliedResult(dstPixelArray, imageRect);
        return true;
    }

    return false;
}

void FEMorphology::platformApplySoftware()
{
    FilterEffect* in = inputEffect(0);

    Uint8ClampedArray* dstPixelArray = createPremultipliedImageResult();
    if (!dstPixelArray)
        return;

    setIsAlphaImage(in->isAlphaImage());

    IntRect effectDrawingRect = requestedRegionOfInputImageData(in->absolutePaintRect());
    if (platformApplyDegenerate(*dstPixelArray, effectDrawingRect, m_radiusX, m_radiusY))
        return;

    Filter& filter = this->filter();
    auto srcPixelArray = in->premultipliedResult(effectDrawingRect);
    if (!srcPixelArray)
        return;

    int radiusX = static_cast<int>(floorf(filter.applyHorizontalScale(m_radiusX)));
    int radiusY = static_cast<int>(floorf(filter.applyVerticalScale(m_radiusY)));
    radiusX = std::min(effectDrawingRect.width() - 1, radiusX);
    radiusY = std::min(effectDrawingRect.height() - 1, radiusY);

    if (platformApplyDegenerate(*dstPixelArray, effectDrawingRect, radiusX, radiusY))
        return;

    PaintingData paintingData;
    paintingData.srcPixelArray = srcPixelArray.get();
    paintingData.dstPixelArray = dstPixelArray;
    paintingData.width = ceilf(effectDrawingRect.width() * filter.filterScale());
    paintingData.height = ceilf(effectDrawingRect.height() * filter.filterScale());
    paintingData.radiusX = ceilf(radiusX * filter.filterScale());
    paintingData.radiusY = ceilf(radiusY * filter.filterScale());

    platformApply(paintingData);
}

static TextStream& operator<<(TextStream& ts, const MorphologyOperatorType& type)
{
    switch (type) {
    case FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_UNKNOWN:
        ts << "UNKNOWN";
        break;
    case FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_ERODE:
        ts << "ERODE";
        break;
    case FEMORPHOLOGY_OPERATOR_DILATE:
        ts << "DILATE";
        break;
    }
    return ts;
}

TextStream& FEMorphology::externalRepresentation(TextStream& ts) const
{
    ts << indent << "[feMorphology";
    FilterEffect::externalRepresentation(ts);
    ts << " operator=\"" << morphologyOperator() << "\" "
       << "radius=\"" << radiusX() << ", " << radiusY() << "\"]\n";

    TextStream::IndentScope indentScope(ts);
    inputEffect(0)->externalRepresentation(ts);
    return ts;
}

} // namespace WebCore


text:
Q: Unable to find the Python module execute_manager in django.core.management Problem: to find the Python module execute_manager in the class django.core.management.
The question is related to another question of mine.
I am trying to start my server by
python manage.py runserver

The command is dependent on manage.py.
The file imports the module execute_manager from the class django.core.management as follows
from django.core.management import execute_manager

I have tried to find the source code of the module unsuccessfully in the django installation folder by
$find . | grep exe
./django/core/management/commands/sqlindexes.py

Similarly, I get the following results by ack.
django/conf/project_template/manage.py
2:from django.core.management import execute_manager
11:    execute_manager(settings)

django/core/management/__init__.py
333:def execute_manager(settings_mod, argv=None):

examples/manage.py
2:from django.core.management import execute_manager
11:    execute_manager(settings)

How can you find the source code of the module execute_manager in the class django.core.management?

A: execute_manager is a function, not a module, defined in the __init__.py file in the django.core.management package.  That is why your grep failed to find it.
Your ack found it with this result that you pasted:
django/core/management/__init__.py
333:def execute_manager(settings_mod, argv=None):

A: It's in the file $PYTHON_SITE_PACKAGES/django/core/management/__init__.py. execute_manager is a function, not a module, and the code for the django.core.management module is found in django/core/management/__init__.py, since django.core.management is also a package.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


To meet the market's demand for large-diameter capacity in parting operations, these five-edged inserts are designed for depth of cut up to 0.787 inch.
Dovetail insert clamping and side elevations ensure solid face contact between the insert and the body.
Part of the beauty of manufacturing and the science behind it will always be the way smart ideas are built upon. Further steps are constantly being taken to get more out of equipment and accessories to increase productivity or accomplish operations that previously were not practical. While 5-edged grooving and parting inserts have been in use for several years, there have been certain limitations that many shops have been counting on suppliers to work past.
Two new inserts from Iscar Metals Inc. are the company's solution for the standard circlip-type grooving system, offering five cutting edges with fast indexing from either side. One size (Penta 24) is capable of parting off about a half inch diameter, and the larger (Penta 34) can part off a 20-mm diameter (about 3/4"). These inserts are designed for environments where catastrophic failure is common and where cost is a major concern. Limited depth-of-cut applications such as tubing or other thin-walled parts, as well as grooving operations, also fit well into their capabilities.
The insert is held by a dovetail clamping structure that ensures a face contact of the insert, which means that the insert is very rigid in the pocket and, therefore, capable of recessing and holding side forces. Other parting lines, such as Iscar's original single-ended style SelfGrip, use a steel insert support with a mechanical or self-gripping mechanism to hold the insert in place. In these cases, straightness is largely dependent on the flex of the steel. However, with the PentaIQGrip line, the carbide insert is secured directly onto a large steel shank, reinforcing the rigidity. Now, the flex that occurs is limited by the rigidity of that carbide disk or wafer and, therefore, provides excellent straightness and surface finish for parting applications.
Although the insert may initially appear weak due to the reduced amount of material, it is proving to meet tough demands. Mr. Schmitz claims that he has performed tests that have exceeded the recommended parameters by four times, and because of the way the insert seats into the pocket, the rigidity holds up with a dead straight cut. Although he likes to push the limits, he has not yet broken an insert while making test cuts in Iscar's test center.
A high production automotive account recently was using a 4-mm wide partoff. As much as the company wanted to move to 3 mm, tests with other products could never achieve the straightness that was required for the part. The PentaIQGrip, however, now allows this customer to do a 3-mm partoff with the straightness and finish necessary. The move has saved about $360,000 per year in material savings for that part.
Although Iscar has long supplied tools for Swiss machining, the company has not heavily marketed these products. However, the company is now beginning to address this initiative. The company's SwissCut line offers a variety of inserts for turning, grooving, parting and threading, with integral holder shanks for 8, 10, 12 and 16 mm.
Although the PentaIQGrip product is currently only available in the 40-mm size, which is too large for the most common Swiss applications, products are currently in development to fit these machines.


text:
Q: ios: Html parsing iframe tag issue I am using the default html parser to parse the html text:
NSData *data = [receivedText dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
     NSMutableAttributedString *text = [[NSMutableAttributedString alloc] initWithData:data
                                                                                options:@{
                                                                                NSDocumentTypeDocumentAttribute: NSHTMLTextDocumentType,
                                                                                NSCharacterEncodingDocumentAttribute: @(NSUTF8StringEncoding)}
                                                                       documentAttributes:nil error:nil];

But when the received html text contains a iframe tag, my app crashes. It gives a bad access code issue.
My html text is

iFrame tag test

Is there something wrong in the code? App works fine when I replace NSHTMLTextDocumentType with any other type, but I need to use this type only.
I am using UITextView to display it.

A: Use UIWebView. iframe tags may not work with UITextView


He didn't know that she was a virgin, but the thought of her wanting him to be her first excited him. Oh hell no she didn't. Thump, thump … The stands that held the ecstatic red superfans were divided, straight down the middle. She had gotten insanely good at lying since she was a freshman. He found that he loved his name coming from her lips. At that moment, when his lips touched hers, Gabriella felt a part of her come alive.


text:
The (Un)Fairness Doctrine
Rebecca Hagelin
Posted: Nov 29, 2007 12:01 AM
Who should decide what you hear over the radio and on TV? You? Or policymakers in Washington?
If freedom of speech appeals to you -- if you think we need robust debate to keep democracy alive and well -- the answer should be clear.
Unfortunately, it's not so clear to certain liberal lawmakers. The rest of us hear, say, Rush Limbaugh on our lunch hours and tune into Bill O'Reilly in the evening and enjoy the lively give-and-take that erupts over the issues of the day. But those liberals aren't so happy. They don't like it when Rush or Bill (or Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and other noteworthy and entertaining pundits) shines a spotlight on our elected leaders and all their foibles.
That's why liberals are dusting off the so-called "Fairness Doctrine."
The Fairness Doctrine, despite its name, gives Americans a raw deal. The Federal Communications Commission created it in 1949 to require broadcasters to present both sides of any controversial issue that they touched on. Sounds … well, fair, right? Except for two major problems.
One is practical -- it makes for boring radio and TV. Why? Because broadcasters responded to the Fairness Doctrine predictably: Realizing that it would be extraordinarily difficult to ensure that each issue was treated in perfect balance, they opted in large measure to steer clear of controversial topics. After all, there's only one way to guarantee that no one is offended by what you say … and that's to say nothing.
The other problem is a little something known as the First Amendment. Where, pray tell, is it written in the Constitution that we must exercise our free speech in a "balanced" way? Sorry, but the kind of robust debate that our Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote the Constitution -- indeed, the kind of debate that led to the founding of this nation -- can't be hemmed in with parliamentary demands that we carefully include "the other side" every time we speak. Like it or not, democracy's messy.
So the FCC, in 1985, finally began to overturn the Fairness Doctrine, and President Reagan vetoed every attempt to bring it back. It didn't take long for the phenomenon of talk radio -- as we know it today -- to arise. "When Rush Limbaugh began his career," writes Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., in the latest issue of American Legion magazine, "there were 125 talk-radio stations. Today there are 2,000." And no, they're not all conservative. "While Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and other conservative giants dominate the national syndicated market," Pence adds, "many moderate and liberal programs succeed admirably at the local level."
Regardless, many politicians don't like talk radio and its televised equivalent. After all, Americans who listen to pundits with strong opinions tend to become, gee, informed about the issues of the day. Instead of minding their own business, they learn things. Then they call and write their representatives in Washington, demanding action. We can't have that!
Of course, the case against an unregulated marketplace of ideas is so flimsy, it requires deception. Consider the liberal attack on Rush Limbaugh over his "phony soldiers" remark. Rush, in fact, had made a perfectly legitimate argument. If a soldier who had been kicked out of boot camp, then claimed to have witnessed fellow soldiers committing atrocities in Iraq isn't a "phony," who is? But the truth didn't matter to many liberals. They tried to accuse Rush, of all people, of being anti-patriotic! It was so absurd, the charge didn't stick. But that didn't stop liberal lawmakers from threatening to revive the Fairness Doctrine.
That's why Pence has introduced the "Broadcaster Freedom Act" -- to ensure that no future president can regulate the airwaves of America without an act of Congress. "America is a nation of freedom and strong opinion," he says. "Our government must not be afraid to entrust our good people with all the facts and opinions necessary to make choices as an informed electorate. That is what democracy is all about."
It's not just Republicans who think so. As President John F. Kennedy once said, "We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."
So let's ask those who champion the Fairness Doctrine: What are you afraid of?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The joint venture is striving to identify West Africa's next large gold mine.
Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX:PDI) is set to commence a 20,000-metre drilling program in early November at its joint venture projects in Burkina Faso.
Notably, the reverse circulation (RC) drilling will be funded by joint venture partner Progress Minerals.
Drilling will start with a 5,000-metre program at the Tambiri permit and be followed by a 15,000-metre program testing 10 targets within the Bira, Kalinga and Tantiabongou permits.
Predictive's managing director Paul Roberts said: "We believe that there is potential for more than 2 million ounces in resources within the AOI, building on Predictive's Bongou discovery, excellent recent JV drill results at Bira, and good gold discoveries elsewhere (e.g. Dave and Tambiri prospects).
Roberts added: "In recent months, Predictive has also completed several rounds of data analysis and field visits in several West African countries, including Burkina Faso, resulting in numerous tenement applications.


text:
Q: Deploying Java Web Application on WebsitePanel platform I have created a web application using primefaces, spring, hibernate, mySQL (as database) and  I used Tomcat7 as development server.
Now my client wants to deploy the app on a server which has "WebsitePanel" installed.
Is this even possible ?
Could someone give me a link to a tutorial on how to do that ?
Should I install a specific "extension" on this platform before starting deploying  java webApps ?
P.S. Because I see that WebsitePanel is not even defined as tag here I will post a link to they website http://www.websitepanel.net/

A:      The powerful, flexible open source WebsitePanel platform gives users simple point-and-
click control over Windows Server applications including IIS, SQL Server, Exchange 2010, Sharepoint 2010, OCS, Lync and Hyper-V Deployments.

Please explain your client, that it has nothing to do with your app! The panel is for Windows Server Applications and I don't see you're using any. But if you'd still like, here's what can be easily done.
Get a windows server and install websitepanel. Configure java using http://tomcatiis.riaforge.org/ or http://tomcat.apache.org/connectors-doc-archive/jk2/jk/iishowto.html
may be you can have something like mydomain.com having website-panel or another domain or subdomain like app.mydomain.com for java.

A: Quick answer on that is YES!
The problem whose with their hosting service technical support  and also a lack from my knowledge. Because I did not know what is  IIS  or WebsitePanel
So what are those:
IIS more or less is the same as Tomcat, Jboss, Jetty etc ( but
   specific for web application developed in .Net)
WebsitePanel more or less is the same as Cpanel a platform for managing server used for web application.
What could you do from this platform:
   -  manage one or more instance of IIS, Tomcat etc
   -  configure FTP account ( install, add account  and configure rights for them )
   -  manage a lot other functionality regarding a server as port access, DNS configuration, permission on that machine  etc etc.


Ok so as promised, here is the information regarding Aluminium Gutter Poles as sold by a number of suppliers.
Do not be mistaken, these poles are the very identical product and I have previously sold them myself and have used them for a number of years.
A 20ft set is currently selling for £35.
If you need to go higher simply by more sets.
So they killer question, what are they and where do I get them.... [emoji16][emoji16].
20ft Aluminium Flag [emoji626] Poles. [emoji106].
When you receive them you can throw away all the related flag parts and keep the poles.
Then go on auto silicone hoses website and buy yourself a 135 degree silicone bend. 51mm o.d.
Some 47-51mm T bolt host clamps.
If you want to connect to standard vacuum hose then buy a silicone reducer.
£114.90 including VAT for a 40ft set!
Thank you very much for this information. Very helpful for all of those trying to justify the cost of a gutter vac!
have you a vac recommend too?
Hi, the vacuum I use, I used to sell to car washes. We used to import them from China and to be fair are one of the better quality ones. Visited factory and had very little problems or come back.
There are plenty on eBay, if your willing to take a punt, best advice would be to get a guarantee.
Numatic are a good industrial vacuum.
I always use mine with the filter in and wash it out afterwards.
So to extend on this I assume these carbon poles would work for anyone who doesn't want aluminium?
Have you link to £35 ones cannot find them also are these 51mm ?
Just to confirm, search eBay for gutter poles etc and all the aluminium poles for sale are aluminium flag poles, I have the exact same, they are 51mm diameter.
Gutter vacuum systems and Kiam more than likely buy from same suppliers or of eBay themselves.
Don't be fooled... Or Ripped Off.
I notice there's a Silicone bend for sale from Kiam for £29.95.
I've put a link in at start of post to auto silicone hoses, £12.42 for a 51mm 135 degree bend they also sell on eBay.
Hi@tjtopcat I browsed flag poles on eBay. I messaged these guys selling item 253744828491 what's the diameter of their poles. They replied 3 inches [emoji12].
THL4KEL - a cheap or secondhand fishing holdall would be my first point of call?
Cheers mate, Yeah will have a look on eBay. I just got a few bungees holding them together and they keep coming apart.
Just ordered everything I need for a 40ft set. £392.70.
Also have £300 of gutter work lined up next month with another quote to go. So should have paid itself in the first month!
Hi[mention=413]tjtopcat[/mention] I browsed flag poles on eBay. I messaged these guys selling item 253744828491 what's the diameter of their poles. They replied 3 inches [emoji12].
I think there mistaken, they'll be 51mm.
Just a few pictures of my set up.
You can make your own nozzles from one length of aluminium flag pole.


text:
US to give 87 million pesos after grounded minesweeper damaged reef
February 18, 2015 By Timothy Walker
PH Receives 87 Million Peso From US Government for USS Guardian Damage at Tubbataha Reef – www.philippineslifestyle.com
The Philippine government confirmed Wednesday receiving over 87 million pesos from the US government as compensation for the damage caused to Tubbataha Reef by the grounding of the USS Guardian.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the full requested amount of P87,033,570.71 ($2.2 million) will be utilized for the protection and rehabilitation of Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"Portions of the fund will also be used to further enhance capability to monitor the area and prevent similar incidents in the future," the DFA said.
The compensation was given to the Philippine government on January 20, 2015.
In a separate statement, the US embassy in Manila said the nation "deeply regrets the incident at the Tubbataha Reef and the damage caused to the reef…"
"We are grateful for the assistance of the Philippines in coordinating with the United States to address this accident, reflecting the deep and enduring alliance between our two nations," the embassy said.
The US government is also helping to upgrade the Philippine Coast Guard substation in Tubbataha.
The USS Guardian minesweeper ran aground on Tubbataha in a remote part of the Sulu Sea on January 17, 2013, damaging a section of the reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its rich marine life.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation across the Philippines, a former US colony.
Timothy Walker
Latest posts by Timothy Walker (see all)
Fil-Am and American turn themselves in on drug run in US - November 7, 2017
Philippines suspends Uber, Grab vehicle registrations as backlog mounts - November 7, 2017
Mad, bad or misunderstood? What is Kim Jong Un really thinking? - August 28, 2017
ALSO READ: How to enjoy the stunning Banaue rice terraces on a budget
Filed Under: Environment, News Tagged With: Tubbataha Reef national park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, USS Guardian
About Timothy Walker
Inspirational stories: Former housemaid graduates from military academy
Vietnam waives visa requirements for five European countries
Majority of Filipinos don't believe police accounts of anti-drug killings
Bacolod City identified as hotspot for online sex abuse of children
Police deny Islamic State claim that they carried out Manila bombings


When you are looking for a small, easy to set-up inflatable tent, look no further than the Kampa Brean 4 Air. This compact tent is great for long or stays and is ideal for touring, couples and family use. One of the best value for money tent that comes complete with a built-in front canopy, to create a wet weather entrance and protect the front of the tent from inclement weather.
Looking from the outside, a side entrance can be found on the right hand side panel. This side door can be zipped back to a secondary large mesh panel to allow a breeze through the tent, whilst keeping out those pesky insects! Other ventilation can be found on the left hand side panel above the window, above the front door, at the rear of the tent and each side of the bedroom. All of the ventilation can be closed, with the exclusion of the front vent which is covered by the front canopy.
This package comes with Brean 4 Carpet and Brean 4 Footprint.Be ready for anything with this complete package for your camping holiday.
Materials: Weathershield™ 75D – Offering a high quality 75D polyester flysheet with a massive 6000mm hydrostatic head. The material is specially treated to offer advanced protection against UV degradation and is fire retardant.
The Outdoor Revolution Cruiz 6 TXL tent is a 6 person that features a large living area and includes a soft carpet making it the perfect family tent.
Looking for a large inflatable family tent, the Vango Amalfi Air 500 provides you with a bedroom to sleep up to five people, a spacious living area.


text:
Brumbies lock in Wallabies hopeful for another season
The Brumbies have re-signed young gun Tom Wright on a one-year extension, keeping him in the capital until at least the end of the 2021 season.
The 23-year-old outside back has had an excellent 2020 season so far, crossing the line six times in his nine appearances for the Brumbies in Super Rugby and Super Rugby AU.
It's led to calls for him to feature in the gold jersey and new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is reportedly a fan, although there's likely only one winger's jersey up for grabs with reigning John Eales medallist Marika Koroibete set to take a starting spot later in the year should Test rugby be played.
Had it not been for the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and what it means for Super Rugby's future structure, a longer deal to keep Wright in Australian rugby long-term – potentially up until the next World Cup – may have been on the cards. However, the league convert said he has no plans to leave the 15-man code.
"I'm really happy to be staying at the Brumbies and in Canberra next season," Wright said.
"I've loved every minute with the club so far and I've formed some special relationships with my teammates, so to know I'll be here next season is awesome.
"Beyond next year will take care of itself, but I certainly plan to be in Canberra for a long time."
Rugby Australia director of rugby Scott Johnson had praise for the winger but tempered his Wallabies potential.
"Tom is part of a very exciting and young group of talent and his commitment is just another sign of a bright future for Australian Rugby.
"Tom has been in terrific form for the Brumbies in the last 18 months and it certainly hasn't gone unnoticed by Wallaby selectors.
"Nothing is guaranteed around future honours, though, and Tom is fully aware he has to continue to knuckle down and work hard to earn that gold jersey."
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar was unsurprisingly pleased to have the young winger on his squad for at least one more year.
"He's a genuine game-changer, someone who can cut open a defence at any time and, for a young man, his communication on the field and just how he conducts himself in our environment is a real positive," McKellar said.
"Off the field, he's a really popular member of the squad and we hope to see him in a Brumbies jersey and even potentially Wallaby gold for years to come."
Read More: Brumbies lock in Wallabies hopeful for another season
Post tags: Rugby
« Previous Michelle Obama Goes After Donald Trump in Democratic Convention Speech	Next » C-Murder Says Kim Kardashian Gives Him Hope In Fight For Freedom


Let's Play Two: Mat-Su Concert Band Doubles Holiday Concert — The People's Paper & Make A Scene!
The band will play concerts Friday, Dec. 16th and Saturday, Dec. 17th at the Glenn Massay Theater at Mat-Su College. Both concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The program features a variety of traditional Christmas and holiday songs and carols, as well as a range of festive pieces that highlight the sounds of the season. The concert will also include a special performance from the band's virtuoso trumpet section: "Bugler's Holiday" by Leroy Anderson, a perennial favorite with a bright, fast-paced cornet trio perfect for the season.
The audience is invited to join in a sing-along of familiar tunes.
The concerts have an intermission. There will be a small admission fee at the door. Tickets are $10 each, but $5 for students and children under five get in free. Tickets can be purchased online at www.matsuconcertband.org.
Holiday classics on the program include "Russian Christmas Music" by Alfred Reed, a piece commissioned in 1944 for a concert to improve Soviet-American relations that's become a staple of the symphonic band holiday repertoire for good reason: The 15-minute composition is a lovely yet haunting piece of music that evokes the northern forest and the strength of its people.
"March of the Toys" from the 1903 operetta "Babes in Toyland" by Victor Herbert is a fun, seasonal classic based on a musical comedy about two children who escape a miserly uncle to the splendor of Toyland, where Mother Goose holds sway. The music evokes the stiff-legged movements of the dolls and the joy of a fairytale Christmas.
The audience can try to guess the holiday classics embedded in a mournful cloak in "Minor Alterations: Christmas Through the Looking Glass" by David Lovrien, a medley of traditional tunes transposed from major to minor keys and further disguised to create a musical game of holiday hide-and-seek.
The band will perform several more contemporary holiday works. Among them is "Primavera: Beautiful Mountain Winds", a 2008 work by Japanese composer, Satoshi Yagisawa, that evokes the wintry breezes of the season with brilliant arpeggios interspersed with expressive passages.
"Festival Fanfare for Christmas" by John Wasson is a modern take on a number of well-known Christmas melodies including "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "Joy to the World" that once again highlights the trumpet section.
Current director, Gleo Huyck, is a retired music educator and private instructor. Under Huyck's baton, the band performs a wide-ranging selection of challenging music. The band this season numbers about seventy amateur musicians who assemble every Monday night for rehearsals at Teeland Middle School.


text:
Home/General Interest/Here's how a new type of X-ray could save a 500-year-old ship
Here's how a new type of X-ray could save a 500-year-old ship
PAGE November 29, 2021	General Interest Leave a comment 27 Views
The Mary Rose was the crown jewel of Henry VIII's 16th century fleet, and remains a cultural treasure. - Image: Wikicommons/Mary Rose Trust
This article is published in collaboration with Futurity
University of Copenhagen,
A new X-ray method has allowed researchers to identify zinc-sulfide nanoparticles in the timbers of the Mary Rose.
The Mary Rose was the crown jewel of Henry VIII's 16th century fleet, and remains a cultural treasure.
It sank in 1543 during a battle with France and lay underwater until 1982, when it was salvaged in the world's most expensive salvaging operation.
The X-rays gives conservationists information about what is contributing to the ship's decay, so that it can be better preserved.
A new X-ray method has allowed researchers to identify zinc-sulfide nanoparticles in the timbers of the Mary Rose, the crown jewel of Henry VIII's 16th century fleet, which are contributing to the ship's decay.
Until now, this information was impossible to learn from the wood.
Though she ploughed the Atlantic and battled with her heavy cannons for 34 years—and laid buried beneath the turbulent English Channel for 437 more—bacteria and chemicals have begun eating away at her remnants, on display at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, England.
More than 500 years after its launch, the vessel remains a precious cultural treasure.
Among those involved in the project is Kirsten Marie Ørnsbjerg Jensen, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, who leads the Nanostructure Group, where her research focuses on the internal structures of materials, right down to the nanolevel. Here, she scans materials using advanced X-ray technology, among other techniques. This puts her on home turf for this atypical research project.
"We have analyzed timber from the Mary Rose by way of a new technique that is somewhat comparable to how a hospital's CT scanner works. The difference is that our scanning method combines CT scanning with what's known as X-ray scattering," Ørnsbjerg Jensen says.
"It lets us analyze the structure of materials at an atomic level, which makes it possible to find and map substances within the ship's wood. It gives us information about what is contributing to the wood's decay, so that it can be better preserved in the future."
The Mary Rose sank during a naval battle with France in 1543 and was excavated in 1982, in what remains the world's most expensive salvaging operation. At the time, 19,000 objects from the Tudor period were fished from the sea along with the shipwreck.
Today, the remains of the ship are on display at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth. But after more than 400 years at the bottom of the English Channel, the wooden ship's hull is vulnerable to decomposition. The threat includes deposits from metal parts on the ship and bacteria which trigger acid attacks on the timbers. The same threat applies to other cultural artifacts around the world that degrade after being found.
Thanks to the new technique, known as "X-ray computed tomography with pair distribution function analysis" (ctPDF), hope remains for the legendary vessel as well as other cultural artifacts and archaeological relics around the world.
The method helped the researchers identify a number of destructive substances that decompose wood when it resurfaces and is exposed to oxygen once again. These include zinc sulfides.
"To find a way to stop these decomposition processes, it is important to know what the sulfides are composed of and where they are. This technique allows us to do just that," says Ørnsbjerg Jensen.
The Mary Rose Trust, which is the foundation behind the purpose-built museum for the old warship, is excited about the new X-ray technique.
"Being able to peer into the timbers of the Mary Rose and decode not only the wood's structure, but also, the degree of degradation, how the wood was treated in the past, and the impact of the marine environment, provides fascinating insight.
"It presents us with a wealth of knowledge that we can use to understand how materials respond to specific treatments and environments, and to devise strategies to keep our cultural heritage intact for future generations," says Eleanor Schofield, professor and deputy chief executive officer of the Mary Rose Trust.
The study appears in the journal Matter. Additional coauthors are from the University of Sheffield, Columbia University, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the Mary Rose Trust, and the University of Copenhagen.
License and Republishing
World Economic Forum Type may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.
University of Copenhagen , ,
This article is published in collaboration with Futurity.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.
Tags heritage Shipping x-ray
Previous Which emerging economies have the best universities?
Next Solar panels: we need to recycle parts of them to use again and avoid a mountain of waste
What's next for bitcoin and crypto? The trends to watch in 2022
The debate on cryptocurrency is still raging, as countries decide whether to embrace, regulate or …


text:
Chula Vista house fire displaces four residents, two dogs
KUSI Newsroom,
KUSI Newsroom
CHULA VISTA (KUSI) – A blaze tore through a Chula Vista home this morning, but a family of four and their two dogs were able to escape unharmed, authorities said.
The fire was reported around 4:45 a.m. at a single-story house in the 500 block of Del Mar Avenue, just east of Third Avenue, Chula Vista Fire Capt. Jeff Ewert said.
Four adults and two dogs inside the home were able to escape and no injuries were reported, Ewert said.
The American Red Cross was called in to help the displaced residents arrange for temporary shelter.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.


While a mild case of acne isn't necessarily a serious problem, it's still a good idea to see a dermatologist. They can give you helpful information about what could be causing your acne as well as the best treatments. Plus, there is another skin condition called keratosis pilaris that is sometimes mistaken for acne and a dermatologist can tell you if that is what you're dealing with, saving you the time and hassles of using the wrong treatment. It's a good idea to prepare for your visit with the dermatologist by making notes about your acne - as much as possible. They will ask you about your background - things like how long you've had acne, how you've treated it and what form it has taken (lesions, whiteheads, blackheads, etc.) They might also ask if there is a history of acne problems in your family.
Be sure to tell the doctor if you are allergic to any medications. Females might be asked about their menstrual cycle and males might need to tell the doctor how often they shave. You might be given a choice of treatments so it helps to know a little about the options before you make your choice. Antibiotics are one treatment - they're used to kill the bacteria that leads to acne. They can be taken orally or as a lotion or ointment that gets applied directly to the skin.
In severe cases, it may be necessary to use both forms. Topical treatments include things like benzoyl peroxide and retinoic acid. They usually come in the form of a gel and can sometimes cause redness and dry skin. In more severe cases of acne, the dermatologist may recommend a physical treatment. This could include removal of whiteheads and blackheads and possibly drainage of cysts. Whatever type of treatment you end up choosing, it's critical that you follow the doctor's directions. Take the recommended dosage - no more or no less. And even if your acne clears up, you need to continue to take the medication for as long as the doctor tells you to or the acne may reappear. Some of the questions you should keep in mind to ask the doctor include: - What kind of treatment would work best for my acne? - How long will it take before I see results? - What is the best way to care for my skin? - What can I do to prevent scarring? - Is it okay for me to use makeup? - Does this treatment have any side effects? - How long will I need to take this medication? As acne treatments can go on for some time, make sure you ask any questions you have each time to see your doctor. Being as informed as possible will make your treatment much easier to deal with.


The stars of US sitcom The Golden Girls have paid tribute to actress Estelle Getty, who has died at the age of 84.
Bea Arthur, who played her on-screen daughter Dorothy Zbornak, called their partnership "one of the greatest comic duos", adding: "I will miss her."
Rue McClanahan, Blanche in the series, said: "She'll always be with us in her crowning achievement, Sophia Petrillo."
Getty, whose role as the sarcastic pensioner won her an Emmy award, had been suffering from advanced dementia.
Her son, Carl Gettleman, said she was "one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived".
Apart from the Golden Girls, Getty's credits included films like Mannequin and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.
According to her official website, the actress was born Estelle Scher in the Lower East Side of New York City after her parents emigrated to the US from Poland.
But the actress faced a long struggle for success, working in poorly-paid office jobs to help support her family while she tried to make her big break.
"I knew I could be seduced by success in another field, so I'd say, 'don't promote me, please,"' she later recalled.
After trying her hand at stand-up comedy - later calling it "her biggest mistake" - she began to land a smattering of films and TV roles, including parts in Tootsie and Deadly Force.
But it was The Golden Girls which made her a household name and saw her nominated for an Emmy seven times.
The sitcom, which focused on the lives of four older women living in a shared home in Miami, Florida, was developed by US TV network NBC after its programming chief Brandon Tartikoff decided that older viewers were being ignored.
Getty was the last actress to be cast for the series - having failed two auditions because producers thought she did not look old enough to play an 80-year-old.
But the wisecracking Sophia Petrillo proved so popular that she was brought back for two spin-off shows - Empty Nest and The Golden Palace - in the 1990s.
Audiences particularly loved the verbal zingers Getty would hurl at her co-stars.
When Rue McClanahan's libidinous character Blanche once complained that her life was an open book, Sophia shot back: "Your life's an open blouse."
Nonetheless, Getty said she was only "a teensy-weensy bit" like her most famous creation.
"I think people have me mixed up with my character," she said, while admitting: "I would like to be as sure and magnanimous and feisty and strong and indomitable as she is."
She married Arthur Gettleman at the age of 23, from whom she adapted her stage name.
After The Golden Girls, Getty secured several memorable film roles - in particular her grotesque comic turn as Sylvester Stallone's mother in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot - and launched a successful exercise video for older women.
But she was unable to join a Golden Girls reunion in 2004 due to her failing health.
The star's husband passed away that same year.
Getty died at her home three days short of her 85th birthday and is survived by her two sons, Carl and Barry.
"She was loved throughout the world in six continents," said Carl in a statement, "and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents."


Late to the spring party they might be, but tulips more than make up for it by distributing the best fizz, excitement and noise among your more demure garden guests. Diminutive crocus, scillas and fritillaries have their place on the plot, of course, but position a few attention-seeking tulips around your front door and no visitor will be in doubt of the seasons. There are over a dozen different botanical divisions of tulips, from the classically shaped Darwin hybrids like 'Oxford' to the fanciful fringed, parrot and peony-flowered varieties. The goblet-shaped blooms of lily-flowered varieties such as 'Mariette' and 'Queen of Sheba' add elegance and style to any cut flower arrangement.
Let's not forget that tulips can be pocket-sized, too, though. Species such as Tulipa sprengeri, T. sylvestris and T. tarda are slightly more compact and their more perennial character makes them excellent for naturalising in gravel gardens or in swathes among short turf. All tulips resent excessive wet and prefer to push their faces into the spring and summer sun. Plant them in October or November, with around 15cm of soil or compost above their heads (smaller species can be planted less deeply). Ideal spring conditions at flowering time are dry and cool, which holds the blooms in suspension longer than that of balmy, or blustery, May days.
This entry was posted in Plant focus on November 30, 2015 by gapadmin.
As the temperatures cool in autumn, a transformation begins in your garden. The green chlorophyll in tree's leaves begins to degrade, revealing hues of red, yellow, orange and purple otherwise not seen. Cold nights and still, warm days tend to bring out the best autumn leaf colours, so what plants will put on the best displays?
Not many of us have room for a towering Nyssa sylvatica or Parrotia persica, so which compact tree and shrub species give spectacular leaf colour? Many smaller maple species, such as Acer palmatum and A. japonicum go out in a blaze in autumn. Snakebark maples such as A. capillipes and A. davidii share the same approach. Native field maples, A. campestre, turn golden yellow among the other hedgerow plants. The dramatic toothed leaves of the stag's horn sumach, Rhus typhina, turn fiery red in November, along with the more delicate foliage of Amelanchier lamarckii. Cercis canadensis, and related Cercidiphyllum japonicum produce heart-shaped leaves which turn shades of purple and yellow before falling. The spindle tree, Euonymus europaeus, with its unusual winged branches, will transform into brilliant scarlet, as will the blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum. Ornamental and edible cherries develop beautiful dusky pink and orange hues, while the guelder rose, Viburnum opulus, turns orange-red. The subtle differences between these trees and shrubs allows you to create a tapestry of fire to warm visitors on brisk November days.
This entry was posted in Style notebook on November 26, 2015 by gapadmin.
Plants such as alpines are hardy but dislike cold, wet leaves in their crowns. A simple way to prevent this is by using a clear plastic or glass cover. Prop it up so that air can freely move underneath.
This gunnera also dislikes wet, soggy crowns during winter. An incredibly simple way to protect them from damage is to cloak the mounds using the old leaves.
Covers don't need to look an eyesore. Here, potted tender plants have been packed with dry leaves, the whole lot then being enveloped with a dense cover of fir tree stems.
Another attractive method, this time to protect larger plants, is to lag them with dry leaves or straw which is encased by a bamboo screen. Tied securely, this can remain in place till late spring if needed.
This entry was posted in Expert advice, Seasonal, Winter on November 23, 2015 by gapadmin.


On September 9, TMBC will begin our "Wholeheart" emphasis with a covered-dish breakfast beginning at 9:30 in the Fellowship Hall. "Wholeheart" is a 10-week emphasis focusing on the pillars or foundations of commitment within the church. During these weeks TMBC will make wholehearted efforts in the areas of Attendance, Participation and Generosity as we seek to elevate our wholehearted commitment to Christ by refreshing our hearts, renewing our minds and reframing our stories to become ONE in Christ (Galatians 3:28).


This talk explores the role of the body in the practice of awakening.
You'll learn how awareness of your body helps you to be present, to heal, to access intuition and to see clearly into the nature of reality.
This talk explores the importance of having clear intentions.
This talk explores four things to remember when deep in practice.
You'll learn about these powerful and inter-related inquiries: What am I feeling right now? How more fully present can I be right now? What am I noticing right now? Can I be with this … right now?


text:
Tit Atili Ticià () va ser un senador romà del  que va desenvolupar la seva carrera política sota els imperis de Trajà, Adrià i Antoní Pius

El seu primer càrrec conegut va ser el de consul ordinarius en 127, sota Adrià juntament amb Marc Esquil·la Gal·licà. Ja en època d'Antoní Pius, va conspirar contra aquest emperador per ocupar el tron; però fou descobert, va ser jutjat pel Senat i condemnat a mort. També va ser sotmès a la damnatio memoriae

Referències

Bibliografia
 P. von Rhoden, "T. Atilus Rufus Titianus (55)", RE, vol. II-2, Stuttgart, 1896, col. 2094.
 Der Neue Pauly, vol. II, Stuttgart 1999, col . 514.

Cònsols romans del segle II
Ticia, Tit Atili

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Print, electric, digital, TV channels must display Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav logo: I&B ministry
Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry's advisory states that this logo should be used during the period of celebrations so that Indians are apprised of "India's rich history and commitment to a bright future.
Updated Oct 27, 2021, 3:07 PM IST
Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav logo
The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has issued an advisory to all print, electronic media, digital media and private TV channels to display the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav logo during news programmes, reports and bulletins. This is a mandate especially when reporting on matters relating to 75 years of India's independence so that "viewers may be informed about the campaign and they take forward the spirit of 'Jan Bhagidari' envisaged under the Mahotsav," as per the Ministry's notification.
.@MIB_India issues advisory to all print, electronic media, digital media, and private TV channels to display the #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav logo during news programmes, reports, and bulletins pic.twitter.com/pvW6ovwliC
— PIB India (@PIB_India) October 27, 2021
It also states that this logo should be used during the period of celebrations so that Indians are apprised of "India's rich history and commitment to a bright future." It added, "Private media has consistently taken the lead in celebrating India's patriotic spirit and national achievements." The Amrit Mahotsav logo can be downloaded from the official website – amritmahotsav.nic.in in JPG, PNG and PDF formats.
The Amrit Mahotsav began on March 12, 2021, which began a 75 week countdown to the 75th anniversary, and will end on August 15, 2023. The Amrit Mahotsav celebrations started from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat's Ahmedabad from March 12.
As per the press release, this event celebrates the glorious history of our freedom struggle and journey of socio-cultural, political and economic progress over the last 75 years. Various activities and events are being undertaken by the Central and state governments, civil society and other organisations under the five pillars of this Mahotsav– The Freedom Struggle, Ideas @75, Achievements@75, Actions@75, and Resolve@75.
Also read: Maruti Suzuki Q2 results: Net profit plummets 65% to Rs 475.3 cr, net sales up 9%
Also read: 'Girl power': Bhavish Aggarwal gives a sneak peek into Ola e-scooter production
Published on: Oct 27, 2021, 3:07 PM IST
Posted by: Mehak Agarwal, Oct 27, 2021, 3:02 PM IST
#Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
#Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav logo


text:
Wiwi Jury
Wiwi Jury: Moldova's Lidia Isac with "Falling Stars"
Yesterday the Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — travelled to Moldova where we paid a visit to Stefan cel Mare Park in Chisinau. We found a shady area where we could discuss Lidia Isac's song "Falling Stars". Did we fall in love? Or did it make us fall apart? Read on to find out!
Lidia Isac – "Falling Stars"
"Falling Stars" reviews
Chris: "Falling Stars" feels very underrated to me – it's got a good beat, Lidia's English diction is good and the chorus is remarkably memorable. My fear is with Lidia; whilst she's shown that she can perform well on occasion, I'd worry that she wouldn't be able to do that consistently in Stockholm. If she can keep it together for all three minutes – particularly where the song starts to lull slightly by the end – I'd almost be happy with this qualifying.
Score: 5.5/10
Angus: This is a falling star that rapidly turns supernova. Lidia has a beautiful voice but an ugly song. "Falling Stars" is way behind the musical curve and the performance is something straight out of Eurovision 2006. Back then, Lidia would have cruised to the top 10. Today? She'll be lucky to make it into the top 15 in her semi-final.
Anthony: I loved both entries equally from Doinita Gherman and Lidia Isac at this year's national final. So I was glad Moldova chose one of my two front-runner favourites in the end. Having seen her official video for "Falling Stars", I can understand Lidia's decision to lower those higher notes slightly. As she demonstrated on Romania's national final, when she's on form, she can deliver it confidently when it comes to live performances.
Bogdan: Lidia's song has grown on me a lot since the live audition. The pitch of the song was lowered so the delivery is not strained and shouty anymore, and so "Falling Stars" becomes hella catchy. I found myself humming the chorus for days after the national final, which is a good sign. Of course, the song remains generic pop, but at least not all hope is lost that Moldova can qualify from a very difficult semi-final.
Robyn: Lidia's presentation of "Falling Stars" has improved with every public performance she's given. So it's reasonable to expect that with Team Moldova's history of strong staging, Lidia will bring a decent performance to Stockholm. But yet it still doesn't quite feel good enough. She still does the that weird yelp on "didn't mean to leeeout you go", like she doesn't have the technical ability to sing it. The song needs a power diva to lift it beyond being a generic dance track, but Moldova isn't delivering.
Deban: The much needed revamp is a good effort, particularly the chorus which has been remastered to maximum effect. "Falling Stars" is a dance number which will keep you stomping the floor, and shaking your tail feather. I have journeyed with this entry, and I'm pleased with its progress.
Edd: Being the only EDM number in the whole contest, the sounds of synths are a breath of fresh air. That said, the song is really quite dated and lacks personality, so she should take her outer-space theme and run with it. Instead of the 2005 rock-chick sound, the song needs modern, synth-infused verses (a la "Paradisio"). And the chorus needs far more layers for full power. But with the right pyro and an expensive stage show (astronaut backing dancers, please), I can really see this coming to life.
Kristin: Oh Moldova. You've done it again. Honestly, when Belarusians withdraw because of corruption, there has to be something wrong with the whole set-up! With that said, Falling Stars is by no means a bad song. It just portrays a singer that has zero feelings for it and a dull stage presence. Lidia needs to loosen up, and let herself go. At the moment she looks like she's doing her laundry and regretting her choices in life.
Luis: "Falling Stars" is probably the most generic song this year. This is late 2000s electro pop, without a single identity mark that can make it stand out. As for Lidia, she needs to work her facial expressions (and a bit of her vocals). She is suffering from the same fate Boggie suffered last year: she keeps the same facial expression during the whole performance, and this, plus the song itself, that doesn't manage to transmit any feeling. It's making her chances of qualifying fall faster than her stars.
Mario: "Falling Stars" is a slight step forward from previous attempts and the only sensical effort from O melodie pentru Europa, yet the singer's shaky vocals in some parts turn everything into dust. Since it's in semi-final one, with no Romania in it for some buddy help, I'm afraid the Moldovans can only wish for better luck next year.
Padraig: On paper, "Falling Stars" is a decent entry. But in reality it falls short on so many levels. The production is lacklustre and uninspired, while a dated air hangs over the whole arrangement. However, the biggest crime is the mismatch of song and artist. Lidia is a fine singer, but her vocals simply don't suit the song. Even with the pitch lowered, her voice still sounds strained. It's looking like Moldova will be sitting out the final once again.
William: Slightly dated and totally disposable, this is the kind of music I love. Lidia has upped her vocal game in recent months and gives this Euroclub banger a degree of class. I love how her voice warbles like a mad woman on "let you down". Sadly, the song loses its momentum about halfway through and rather than shaking my thing, I'm shaking my head in disappointment. Even so, this could get Moldova back to the final.
In the Wiwi Jury we have 40 jurors but only have room for 12 reviews. The remaining 28 scores are below.
Antranig: 6/10
Bernardo: 6/10
Cristian: 4/10
David: 7/10
Dayana: 6/10
Denise: 6/10
Diego: 7/10
Forrest: 3.5/10
George: 7/10
Gökhan: 5/10
Jason: 4/10
Josh: 3.5/10
Judit: 4/10
Liam: 9/10
Marek: 2/10
Maria: 4/10
Max: 7/10
Mike: 4/10
Mikhail: 3.5/10
Patrick: 4/10
Renske: 6/10
Rezo: 1/10
Sami: 7/10
Sinan: 5.5/10
Steinunn: 2.5/10
Tobias: 3/10
William C: 5.5/10
Zakaria: 4/10
The highest and lowest scores are dropped prior to calculating the average score. This is to remove outliers and reduce potential bias. We have removed a low of 1 and a high of 9.
WIWI JURY SCORE: 5.01/10
SEE OUR CURRENT EUROVISION 2016 REVIEWS AND RANKINGS
Lidia Isac
Mike is one of the Dutch correspondents for wiwibloggs. He likes to call himself one of the biggest Markus Riva fans of the world. In 2014 Mike and Denise only decided to go to Eurovision in Copenhagen only three weeks before the final. And since Mike has been very proud of how well his country does at Eurovisison. You can follow Mike on Instagram MikeBossy7!
Australia: EBU clears Dami Im's "Sound of Silence" lyrics
Posted on April 5, 2016 October 9, 2016
Dis oui, oui, oui! Amir covers Barei's "Say Yay!"
byLuis Fuster
Latvia: Samanta Tina and Edgars Kreilis among nine finalists of Supernova 2020… but Markus Riva and Madara are out
byEdgars Balins
Latvia: Do YouTube views predict the finalists of Supernova 2020?
Confirmed! Macedonian singer Vasil Garvanliev will represent North Macedonia at Eurovision 2020
This is song is great. It is really worth for top 10. Hopefully, Lidia will work hard on the show performance and her voice.
georgekirkas
This is seriously the most underrated entry this year! It's really catchy and judging from Lidia's live performance in the romanian national selection, she really can sing! I just can't stop listening to it!
NoScopped
Neither the song nor the singer. Bottom entry. 4/10
Nicky91
@Pollaski
me too, i feel sorry for her too 🙂
Pollaski
I kinda feel sorry for Lidia here, because that preview video makes her look like a completely smashed 40-year old Malibu housewife who just had plastic surgery, and she actually is a very lovely young woman. That said, this song is what I'd like to call a checklist song- it checks off all the necessary qualities the song needs to have, but it really doesn't bring anything to the table other than that. Pretty bland overall, and she'll likely be watching the final from… wherever people who don't qualify go to watch the final.
RANK: 37th
kewl
probably suffer the same fate as Estonia in 2014- the end of the dance era has come :'(
This was Ibiza's sound, back in 2005.
She can't hit the high notes.
Briekimchi
Probably the worst song in this year's contest. How countries are still sending songs like this in 2016 is beyond me. Surely it would be better simply to not enter the contest? The singer is not able to perform well and it seems almost cruel to put her up there to sing to people with ears.
JonathanUK
Really like this. Lidia is amazing live! Easily an 8/10.
This is nice to listen to… when it's the studio version. I cannot withstand the atrocities that are the live performances of the national selection. I'm going to create an acronym to describe the many "nice" songs in this contest, including this one. NNM: Nice & Nothing More.
I can't even…. NEXT
@Racal
Horrible AND mediocre?? How does that work? The two have mutually exclusive meaning.
I just can't erase the feeling that if this was sent from the likes of Sweden, Norway or Denmark, would have been propelled into the top10 easily. From both you Wiwi and the fans.
How hypocritical.
I LOVE this song <3333333 My 3rd of the whole contest! 😀 <3
This song has a small chance of qualifying… since it's Moldova, don't be surprised if it does. Moldova has dropped the ball the last two years, but this year they should be back at nearly full strength.
FallenDragon
Okay song. Not risking anything. It doesn't have a powerful meaning.
The singer, let's say, has the same charisma as a stone. Sorry, that was harsh.
If this qualifies to the final, definitely shows this is a weak year in terms of overall quality.
The song is nothing original and as stated above, lacks originality and depth, it just seems like a song that was made in a hurry. I think Moldova will be a non-qualification for the third year in a row. Maybe they should bring back Aliona Moon or Pasha Parfeny in order to take them back to the final. Sorry Moldova, not this year. 3/10
Horrible and mediocre, one of the reasons I consider this year's line up to be one of the worst.
Haters gonna hate. Meanwhile they will give Sergey's outdated piece of crap 9s and 10s. If this was Swedish, Norwegian or Russian entries everyone would love it…
@Patrick: Never underestimate the typical eurofan taste, or lack thereof! This is easily one of the worst entries this year, and Moldova seems to have really lost the plot, judging by their most recent efforts…
Can't wait for your review of Lazarev's song!!
Ben Rafter
A good song and an average voice. I'm worried that this could be a borderline non-qualifier like last year.
@Antfrers
I get you about the 'dated' issue. I have noticed that majority of this year's songs have been called 'dated' in comments. Either dated has became a meaningless expression or… yeah, that's it. Anyway, good songs cannot be dated, only old-fashioned or retro. Weather this is a good song… that's debatable. It's okay if you ask me. It's a typical ESC entry, but so are Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, even Russia to name a few. Nothing wrong with that if you know how to make a performance out of it.
Anfrers
I LOVE this song, also, I'm getting so bored of reading dated everywhere, why does it have to matter if the song itself is good?
How this can get an average of 5/10 is beyond me. It's the trashiest of trashy europop and music like this deserves to be thrown into the rubbish bin. The production quality is terrible, voice is mediocre at best and the song is completely uninspired.
William has given ESTONIA and NETHERLANDS lower scores than this. Not sure how you could ever justify that.
At least San Marino has the benefit of being so bad its good. This is just BAD!
Laburnum
Ok, before the live performances in the Moldovan selection, this was the huge favourite. And now everyone seems to hate it… I still like it and I usually despise this sort of music.
irish esc
nice song but it is boring and won't qualify
william b – slaped for giving this 5.5 and serbia only 5 wtf??????? like.
Lidia, just give up already
our Douwe is gonna win this year 110% sure of it
"Falling stars" was written by the same songwriter as "Icebreaker" and I think both songs are boring and dated. However, Icebreaker got a lot of praise. My guess would be, Norway would receive the same praise with "Falling stars", while Moldova would be dismissed with "Icebreaker"
@Lucci
well Slow Down a 2.5, Douwe Bob is a world-class superstar, definitely gonna qualify 🙂
Lucci Ricevo
My ratings:
Falling Stars: 9,5/10
Goodbye: 8,5/10
Say Yay: 7,5/10
What's The Pressure: 7,5/10
Icebreaker: 7/10
Ghost: 5/10
Play: 4/10
Pioneer: 3/10
Slow Down: 2,5/10
Digital Style
And yes, I know I made a grammar mistake with the apostrophe.
This song is terrible. It's the typical Europop we see in ESC. She cannot sing live at all. Her studio vocals are a lot better but not great. It is much, much better than last year's, I'll give her that, but it's a horribly average song that does not possess any special qualities that almost every other entry has.
MarioMario
This song is not that bad.
It is quite catchy. Certainly a typical Eurovision song and nothing extraordinary, but enjoyable nonetheless.
definitely not gonna qualify, it's just not good enough
very dated and boring 🙁
Bhrister Cjorkman
It is an okay song but I am pretty sure I have heard almost identical songs many times before. Besides, she can't sing. Horribly off note and screaming.
Amdiron
How could anyone give this more than 4/10? Did you guys hear live version? OMG, my ears were bleeding when I heard it.
So far, this is my least favourite ESC song that you reviewed. The song really sounds dated to me and not in a good way. It is just very generic and I also don't find it very catchy or memorable. I also think it won't have a chance to make it to the finals. The jury won't appreciate it and televoters won't save it.
My votes:
Play / Say Yay: 9/10
Ghost / Pioneer / Slow Down: 8/10
What's the pressure?: 7,5/10
Goodbye: 7/10
Icebreaker: 6,5/10
Falling Star: 4/10
Hanner McSinny/Calvin
Rather naff but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the heck out of it. 8/10
Better than this score but without Romania unfortunately her qualification is hopeless imo.
I still don't understand why people describe some ESC songs as "outdated". The contest is not exactly the right place for new tendencies in pop music. If it were like that songs like Divine by Sebastian Teiller or Siren by Malcolm Lincoln should have placed higher in the final score. I don't mind if the song sounds like 1967, 1990 or 2005, and most of the voters neither, as long it has a good pop vibe, people can sing along and has that extra ingredient that makes a Eurovision song timeless (as chessy as it can sound) Personally, I like… Read more »
#MadeOfStars
This is too underrated. It's nice song with a beautiful-voiced singer. I hope she can give us a good performence.
It's the 3 minutes I will use to make drinks for my friends while we watch the first semi final.
Thank you MOLDOVA !!!!!!!!!
So underrated. Estonia, on the other hand, overrated as usual.


Last week I was lucky enough to head down to my local lush store after hours for their first ever blogger event. I was a little nervous, as it was also my first blogger event – but it turns out both myself and the store had nothing to worry about. The staff were all on hand to demonstrate the eggcellant new Easter range to us and they'd ordered in a delicious, locally sourced vegan feast to keep us well fed. I ended up having a fantastic night, and met some fellow bloggers who I really enjoyed swapping stories, and lush tips, with.
I'm pretty new to the lush obsession, but when I fell, I fell hard as you might have found out in Totally In Lusht, which you can read here. So I was eggcited (I'll stop doing that now I promised) to get up close and personal with the first Easter range to come out since my love affair with Lush started last year. And boy, did it live up to eggspectation (I lied, sorry not sorry) – here are a few of my highlights from the range.
I captioned this, in order to highlight my true feelings for the golden one, DON'T CARE HOW I WANT IT NOW, only to discover, Lush made the same connection on their brilliant website. Great minds? I think so. In all truth, I do want this bath bomb now, as I didn't get one in my otherwise awesome goody bag, but that's okay because the Easter range came out last Friday, so I can pop back to my local lush and BUY ALL OF THE GOLDEN EGGS just as soon as I hit publish on this post.
The reason this bath bomb is so desirable, isn't just because it looks the bomb. It's covered all over in golden glitter which fills the bath tub and turns you into a glittery goddess upon emerging. But the buttery softness of the bath water, which smooths over your skin as you soak, leaving you both super soft and subtly golden thanks to all that glitter.
This I did receive in my blogger goody bag, and it's fast rivaling the popcorn lip scrub as my favourite Lush product. It smells and tastes just like a chocolate orange and has a slightly finer texture than the popcorn lip scrub, akin to my favourite artisan coffee scrubs. It leaves your lips feeling so soft after just the first use and, when followed up with a lush lip-balm, keeps dry or chapped lips at bay.
This is basically three bath bombs for the price of one – and it really doesn't get much better than that – a huge egg cracked into two halves, with a smaller bath bomb inside which resembles the yolk of an egg, in the same orange shade as the chick's beak. When combined, the three eventually create a greenish bath, but the colour combinations mid-fizz look so fabulous, you're unlikely to want to split these guys up.
With dark chocolate for eyes and a sweet scent, reminiscent of sherbet, this bath bomb is pretty luxurious and could easily replace the traditional gift of a chocolate egg this Easter. Just be sure to remind friends and families not to take a bite - this little guy may look and smell extremely sweet, but I highly doubt he tastes as good.
These bubble bars are so adorable, I'm a little hesitant to use mine! Consisting of three 'carrots' in orange, purple and pink this reusable bubble bar smells far better than any carrots you're likely to find at the dinner table. Little is needed to get the bath water filled with bubbles and the water will turn a lovely pastel shade as you swirl in your chosen carrot, when the bubbles run low, simply swirl your bathwater round some more and the bubbles reappear like magic.
Right, now that's polished off, I'm going to stock up on some more Easter goodies including The Golden Egg, Which Came First and a slice of the chocolate Easter Egg Soap, which you have got to try.
Let me know which of the 2017 Easter Lush range takes your fancy, in the comments section.
I literally haven't tried any of the special edition Easter stuff this year. I'm the worst. I tend to stick to old favourites like Comforter, Milky Bath and butterballs.
I'm so jealous you got an invite to the event though. I need help putting myself out there. Please teach me your ways.
This was my first EVER blogger event - so I really lucked out with an invite from Lush! I promise if I come up with any tricks, you'll be the first to know! Make sure you're following your local lush store though - that really helped!
I loveeeeeee butterballs! How do you feel about the recent controversy? Has it put you off at all?
like the golden eggs! What controversial stuff has there been?
There was some stuff about their advertising campaigns and body shaming - if I'm entirely honest, it hasn't turned me off to the brand (despite being a chunk) but I know a lot of people now boycotting.
How great are all the demos etc? I loved getting to 'waste' all the pretty bath bombs testing out colours etc. And of course, the event totally worked, because I gave Lush easter gifts instead of chocolate this year!


text:
Art, Music, Literature, Sports and leisure
From New World Encyclopedia
Previous (Concerto)
Next (Concrete)
The concerto grosso (plural concerti grossi) (Italian for big concert(o)) was a popular form of baroque music using an ensemble and usually having three to six movements in which the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists (the concertino) and full orchestra (the ripieno). The music given and received by the smaller group of soloists is then offered to the larger orchestra. This movement causes the sound produced to grow, swell, and be offered to the audience at large.
1 Formation of the Concerto Grosso
2 Concerto grosso forms
3 Composers of the Concerto Grosso
Formation of the Concerto Grosso
The form was probably developed around 1680 by Alessandro Stradella, who seems to have written the first music in which a "concertino" and "ripieno" are combined in the characteristic way, though he did not use the term "concerto grosso." The first major composer of named concerti grossi was Stradella's friend Arcangelo Corelli. After Corelli's death, a collection of twelve such pieces he composed was published (presumably, the movements were selected individually from a larger oeuvre) and soon spread across Europe, finding many admirers and imitators. Composers such as Francesco Geminiani and Giuseppe Torelli wrote concerti in the style of Corelli, and he also had a strong influence on Antonio Vivaldi.
Concerto grosso forms
In Corelli's day, two distinct forms of the concerto grosso were distinguished: the concerto da chiesa (church concert) and the concerto da camera (chamber concert). The former was more formal and generally just alternated largo or adagio (slow) movements with allegro (fast) movements, whereas the latter had more the character of a suite, being introduced by a preludio and incorporating many dance forms popular in the day. These distinctions later became blurred.
The most famous concerto by Corelli is arguably No. 8 in G minor, the so-called Christmas Concerto, which ends with a furious allegro and then has an optional pastoral tacked on which should, in theory, only be played on Christmas Eve and must, in practice, often be played twice even when it isn't, due to its great popularity.
Corelli's concertino consisted of two violins and a cello, with a string orchestra serving as ripieno, both accompanied by a basso continuo. The latter was believed to be often realized on the organ in Corelli's day, especially in the case of the concerti da chiesa, but in modern recordings harpsichord realizations are almost exclusive.
Composers of the Concerto Grosso
Major composers of concerti grossi were George Frideric Handel, who expanded the ripieno to include wind instruments. Several of the Brandenburg Concerti of Johann Sebastian Bach also loosely follow the concerto grosso form, notably the 2nd Concerto, which has a concertino of recorder, oboe, trumpet, and solo violin.
The concerto grosso form has also experienced limited use by baroque-influenced composers of the twentieth century, such as Ernest Bloch, Bohuslav Martinů, Alfred Schnittke, and Philip Glass.
Engel, Hans. The concerto grosso. Koln: A. Volk Verlag; NY: Leeds Music Corp, 1964. OCLC 1222250
Mitropoulos, Dimitri, Ruggiero Ricci, Leonard Bernstein, and Alberto Ginastera. Concerto grosso. NY: NY Philharmonic, 2000. OCLC 43844704
Veinus, Abraham. The Concerto. NY: Dover Publications, 1964. OCLC 617760
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
Concerto Grosso history
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
History of "Concerto Grosso"
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
Retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Concerto_Grosso&oldid=969989
About New World Encyclopedia
Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details.


text:
Darzi (Muslim traditions) in India
pronounced: DAR-zee
The Darzis derived their name from the Persian word 'to sew' or darzan. Sometimes the Darzi are known by the name Darji or Khayyat in India where most of their community live. An Indian legend says that the god Parasurama was pursuing two brothers to destroy them and they found haven in a temple. A priest hid them and gave one brother the task of sewing dresses and the other dyeing cloth. The Darzi are said to be the descendants of the first brother and therefore, Darzis are most commonly tailors. There are more than 3.5 million Darzis in all and about one third of those are Muslims, the rest are Hindus. They often occupy a middle ground of social status.
There has been no active church planting among the Muslim Darzi community for years. They live mainly in Uttar Pradesh, one of India's most highly populated and least Christianized states. There are very few believers nearby who can reach the Muslim Darzis.
Pray that the church can love the Darzi people like God does, enough to serve them in selfless ways and thus convey that love.
Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Matt 7:15-16
Pray that the Lord gives this people group the discernment to recognize false prophets and the grace to know the true Prophet, Priest and King, Jesus Christ.
Since there are no known followers of Christ among the Darzis, pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to them, and draw them into discipleship groups and home fellowships. * Pray that the Lord will move His children to reach out to the Muslim Darzi people with various ways to help them thrive physically, economically and spiritually. * Pray for Darzi people to rise up to disciple others, who will in turn disciple others.
People Name Darzi (Muslim traditions)
Pronunciation: DAR-zee


These are the main Freeline crew, all of them proven over the years for their honesty, friendliness and pride in helping Freeline give the best service we can. Over the years business dealings have led to some long term friendships, so you can always expect a friendly welcome in the areas we visit.
Andi is our Jakarta Manager, coordinating all transport and accommodation for our South Sumatra and West Java Tours, as well as transfers to Padang, Medan and Bali. As his role has grown he spends less time behind the wheel and more time behind the desk. He is ably supported by our main driver, Yus, and will be on hand at the Airport meeting large group arrivals.
His extensive knowledge of Jakarta and friendly attitude makes sure our customers are at ease and he can solve pretty much any problem that is thrown at us.
Andi has been with Freeline for 20 years and his business experience and English skills have made him an integral member of the Freeline Team.
When not hard at work for Freeline he can be found at the Cipta Hotel drinking beer with Stuart, or at home with his wife and young daughter.
Nana joined Freeline in 2005 and since then he proven to be a great asset to the business. Nana's happy-go-luck nature, great repore with people and hard work ethic means that our guests at Ombak Indah Losmen get the most out of their stay. He was instrumental in developing the 'Nature Trek', a 1/2 day excursion through amazing agricultural areas behind Ombak Indah Losmen.
Nana came to Freeline with considerable travel industry experience, working as a tour guide and in service for large hotels in the Cerita area of West Java. He is now also an accomplished photographer and video editor.
He now leads out Team of Surf Guides in South Sumatra. He is always up for a game of table-tennis, and claims to be the resident champion!
Agus has worked with Freeline since the late 90's Agus and is an important member of our team. He is an excellent surfer and waterman with good English. Honest and reliable, Agus makes sure our surfers get the best waves, have fun and no hassles.
From Cimaja, West Java, he now works at Ombak Indah Losmen and has good knowledge of all surf spots in the area and which places work best under different conditions.
During he off-season he contributes to the maintenance and up keep of the property. Agus loves to fish and will often accompany Stuart on exploration trips to the more remote parts of West Java and nearby islands.
Dedy joined Freeline in 2007 as our second surf guide for Ombak Indah Losmen. Since then he has gown in leaps and bounds with his English, surfing ability and skills in surf guiding and customer service.
Guests regulary request his services and nothing is too much to ask of him. In fact Dedy is a trained electrician and regularly provides emergency back up electrical services when needed by the losmen.
Dedy is now married with a young daughter and while away from his family he takes care in looking after his rooster, Jagger.
Aput, younger brother of Agus, is our latest addition to the team. Starting in late 2013 as a trainee Surf Guide, he quickly demonstrated his skills managing premium tour groups and supporting losmen staff and is now a very welcome, full member of the team.
Quiet, polite and very popular with the guests, Aput lets his surfboard do the talking and his regular airal performances in the surf has earned him the nickname 'Astronaut'.
This injection of youth to the team is however putting pressure some of the team elders, who, now married with young families, are having difficulty keeping up!
Diki lives in Cimaja, West Java and looks after our guests doing the West Java Land trip. Diki has a long history with Freeline, and as a teenager, received his first surfboard from Nev.
Diki is a respected 'surfing elder' and his career cover a wide range of water related activities including: professional windsurfer, surf, sailing and water safety training instructor, tour guiding and travel management as well as specialist consultancy work in travel.
He now prefers to spend time with his young family and runs a local surf school.
Sue first started working with Freeline in 2005 as our in-house ticketing expert. She is now the sales front line answering calls and emails, ensuring you have all the information you need to get on the right trip. She does all out ticketing booking processing.
Sue has over twenty-five years travel industry experience and brings an essential depth of knowledge to the business.
Sue is based in Evans Head, NSW, and is married to long time Freeline customer, Indo Surf Technical Adviser, and good friend Dave 'Messiah' Custer.
Stuart joined in partnership with Freeline Founder Nev Hines in 1997 and helped Nev to get the buisness to where it is today.
He manages the business and looks after marketing in Australia as well as ensuring smooth communications with staff and operators on the ground in Indonesia. He says the best part of his job is sampling the Indo juice with customers or checking new spots for future tours with the surf guides.
He also owns the charter boat Sri Noa Noa, which operates between Bali and Timor and is very popular with our customers. His other job back in Sydney involves working with businesses, helping them to get more organised.
Any has been involved with the business since the late 90's, assisting Nev with tour operations and losmen management. In 2006 Nev and Any moved to live on site and manage Ombak Indah Losmen in South Sumatra where her role became increasingly important, particularly with staff management and liaison with local authorities and suppliers.
Since Nev's passing in May 2011, Any took over Management of Ombak Indah and became a partner in Freeline. Any's tenacity and determination has got the place to where it is today. She is a natural host and strives to ensure our guests have the best time possible under her care.
Early season update from Ombak Indah Losmen, South Sumatra.


text:
Joseph Sturge
Daniel Wheeler
Interaction with Tsarist Russia
Luke Howard
Relief Given to Victims of Conflict
Relieving and Reducing Poverty
Stephen Grellet
William Allen
William was the eldest son of Quakers Job and Margaret Allen, who built up a prosperous silk manufacturing business in Spitalfields in London. He showed an early aptitude for science, and was especially interested in astronomy and chemistry.
In 1792 he joined the Plough Court pharmacy, run by Quaker Joseph Bevan. Pharmacies in those days did more than dispense and advise: they also researched and developed new medicines. A good pharmacy like Plough Court, known for its ethical standards and the quality of its products, was an excellent place for an aspiring scientist to be.
In 1794 when Bevan retired, William became a partner. The business thrived and he became wealthy. In 1824 Cornelius and Daniel Hanbury became partners, and the firm became Allen and Hanbury's. It kept this name until 1958, when it was taken over by Glaxo.
In 1796, Allen founded the short-lived Askesian Society, a debating club for scientific thinkers, who also had the use of the laboratory at Plough Court. It was here that Luke Howard first presented his seminal 1802 paper, 'On the Modification of Clouds.'
Allen became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1807, for his work on carbon. That same year, the Askesian Society disbanded. Allen remained active in scientific matters all his life, and along with Jacob Bell, founded the Pharmaceutical Society in 1841, to provide structure to what had previously been an unregulated industry.
He was married and widowed three times. In 1796 he married Mary Hamilton, but she died soon after giving birth to their daughter Mary. In 1806 he married Charlotte Hanbury, who died in 1816. He married Grizell Birkbeck in 1827, but she died in 1835.
William was active in many social and philanthropic concerns. He joined the committee of the society to abolish the slave trade in 1805, having already been an active campaigner. When the slave trade was abolished in 1807, he worked on eliminating slave-ownership itself. When this was outlawed in 1833, he turned his attention to helping former slaves, working with Joseph Sturge on ameliorating the conditions in the West Indies. He helped found the Sierra Leone Company, intended to enable former slaves to resettle in Africa. He and Joseph helped found the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, set up to work for worldwide abolition, and organised its first international conference in London in 1840.
He gave considerable support to Quaker Joseph Lancaster's 'monitorial' system of education. This was an attempt to provide mass education in basic skills at a time when educational opportunities were extremely limited. In 1808 William and others set up the British and Foreign School Society, to promote the Lancastrian model around the world. In 1824 he set up a Quaker boarding school for girls, in Newington, and taught science there himself. He commissioned the first school bus, to take the girls to Sunday Meeting.
Relief of poverty was a lifelong concern. The silk workers in Spitalfields fell on hard times in the early 1800's, and he organised a soup kitchen. He could always be counted on to subscribe to appeals, and was an active promoter of relief work in Ireland and Greece. He brought a systematic approach to it, designing questionnaires to identify the real needs.
He had enormous faith in the capacities of the poor to better themselves, given the opportunity. In 1813 he became a partner in Robert Owen's New Lanark community village, with its good living and working conditions, and could see its benefits. In 1823 he set up a self-sufficient agricultural community in Lindfield, Sussex, drawing on extensive agricultural experiments of his own. Labourers were given cottages and plots of land, access to loans, and technical guidance, and did very well. He wrote extensively about the idea of 'colonies at home', exemplified by Lindfield. His thinking was that people should not need to emigrate to find a better life, since good opportunities could be created in Britain.
He travelled extensively in Europe and Russia, often with Stephen Grellet, and once with Elizabeth Fry. His travelling was always purposeful - fact-finding, researching a new initiative or need, and/or supporting Quakers and others of like mind.
Allen's Russian connection began in 1814, when he met Tsar Alexander 1, during his visit to London. The Tsar became very interested in the Lancastrian method, agricultural techniques, and Quaker ideas. Daniel Wheeler later spent fifteen years transforming the St Petersburg marshes into good farming land as a result of this visit. In 1819 the Tsar invited William and Stephen to St Petersburg, and asked them to be open with him about what they saw. One significant consequence was after they visited the Tsar's new Lancastrian school. William was delighted with the learning, but appalled by the reading material. He quickly assembled an alternative, through cutting up several Bibles and making a selection of interesting stories. The Tsar was delighted, had it translated into Russian and ensured it was used all over his Empire.
William died in September 1843, and was buried at Stoke Newington burial ground.
Greenwood, J O, Quaker encounters, Vol 1, chapter 5, Sessions of York, 1978.
Raistrick, A, Quakers in Science and Industry, Sessions of York, 1993.
Scott, R, Quakers in Russia, Michael Joseph, London, 1964.
Public Domain image of William Allen from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Allen_(Quaker)


New Jersey (United States), Jan 31 (ANI): The Department of Homeland Security, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency have arrested scores of Indian students, mainly from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, in a nationwide crackdown on foreign students who were staying on in the United States illegally.
According to the American Telugu Association, eight Indian student recruiters have been charged in a US federal court for participating in a conspiracy to help at least 600 foreign nationals stay in the U.S. illegally, according to the indictments.
The eight Indians charged were named in media reports as: Barath Kakireddy, 29, of Lake Mary, Florida; Suresh Kandala, 31, of Culpeper, Virginia; Phanideep Karnati, 35, of Louisville, Kentucky; Prem Rampeesa, 26, of Charlotte, North Carolina; Santosh Sama, 28, of Fremont, California; Avinash Thakkallapally, 28, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Aswanth Nune, 26, of Atlanta; and Naveen Prathipati, 26, of Dallas.
The US authorities arrested around 100 Indians, mainly Telugu speaking, on Wednesday and issued warrants for the arrest of 600 persons.
The conspiracy came to light after the Department of Homeland Security set up a fake university in Farmington Hills to target foreign students who wanted to stay in the U.S. without proper authorization, according to federal indictments unsealed in Detroit on Wednesday.
The students enrolled at the fake university with the intent to obtain jobs under a student visa program called CPT (Curricular Practical Training) that allows students to work in the U.S., said prosecutors.
The U.S. government says the Dept. of Homeland Security created a fake university at 30500 Northwestern Hwy. in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The University of Farmington describes itself on its website as a real university, but was fake, according to indictments unsealed on January 30, 2019.
"Each of the foreign citizens who 'enrolled' and made 'tuition' payments to the University knew that they would not attend any actual classes, earn credits, or make academic progress toward an actual degree in a particular field of study - a 'pay to stay' scheme,'" the indictment reads. "Rather, their intent was to fraudulently maintain their student visa status and to obtain work authorization under the CPT program."
The eight people charged profited from the scheme. They created fake student records and transcripts with the intent of deceiving authorities, the indictment reads.
Following calls for help, the ATA in various cities swung into action. "Since the early hours of Jan 30th, 2019, the ATA Legal team and local ATA teams have reached out to the Indian Students Associations of various universities. They have been extending guidance to the students and affected parties by advising and counselling them on the next course of action.
"ATA has contacted several attorneys and confirmed that arrest warrants for 600 students have been issued. 100 students connected to the Farmington University have been arrested."
An official with ICE said the students involved in this case had come to the U.S. legally to study at universities, but then transferred to the University of Farmington after they arrived in order to work, the Detroit Free Press said.
Rahul Reddy, an immigration attorney in Houston, said in a live-stream on YouTube that students who may have been enrolled at the university were detained in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, and St. Louis. Reddy said that concerned students contacted him Wednesday.


text:
@implementation ASYRootViewFinder

#pragma mark - Public methods

- (nonnull __kindof UIView *)findRootViewOf:(nonnull __kindof UIView *)view {
    while (view.superview != nil) {
        view = view.superview;
    }
    return view;
}

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub