text:
Download: Classicsonline
Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924)
Sicilienne, Op. 78 [3:31]
Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 117 [18:25]
Apres un reve (arr. P. Casals) [2:55]
Elegie, Op. 24 [6:18]
Romance, Op. 69 [3:52]
Berceuse, Op. 16 (arr. for cello and piano) [3:09]
Papillon, Op. 77 [3:02]
Serenade, Op. 98 [3:22]
Cello Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 109 [19:19]
Pavane, Op. 50 (arr. H. Busser) [5:39]
Ina-Esther Joost Ben-Sasson (cello)
Allan Sternfield (piano)
rec. 4, 18 May, 2007, Henry Crown Concert Hall, Jerusalem Theater, Jerusalem, Israel
NAXOS DIGITAL 8.570545 [69:32]
These performances are quite unnecessary. There is a certain sameness to cellist Ina-Esther Joost Ben-Sasson's playing which is frankly hard to believe: little attention is given to making a series of notes sound like a phrase, no playing is softer than mezzo-piano, dynamic changes are made (when they are made at all) suddenly rather than gradually. The music is effectively liberated of its emotion. This is what Gabriel Fauré's music sounds like if played by a beginning cellist still too worried about sticking the notes to concentrate on expressing them.
More's the pity because the soloist here, Ina-Esther Joost Ben-Sasson, is in fact one of the most important cellists in Israel, where she has held the first chair of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra for twenty years. One of her teachers was Pierre Fournier. But, no matter how extensive her pedigree, I simply cannot bring myself to like these downright chilly performances. Consider the Elegie: the melancholy opening line is a mere string of notes, not a melody, and what follows is unsubtle and passionless. Or listen to the finale of the First Cello Sonata, in which Joost Ben-Sasson's inability to play softly does considerable harm to Fauré's expressive writing. Pianist Allan Sternfield does his best to compensate with tasteful, elegant accompaniment, but his efforts are not enough.
Why do I use the word "unnecessary" to describe this album? Its publisher, Naxos, released a superb compilation of Fauré's cello sonatas just last year, featuring the world-class soloist Maria Kliegel and her longtime accompanist, Nina Tichman (8.557889 - see review). Kliegel has always been an emotive performer willing to let her instrument sing, and she consistently gets to the romantic, deeply felt core of this music. The beautiful Elegie is the best place to compare the two discs: listen to this Joost Ben-Sasson performance first, then put on the Kliegel and marvel at her more sensitive touch, her richer tone, and most of all the way in which this feels not merely like music at a recital but like an actual elegy, dressed in the colours of mourning. Listen to how marvelously Kliegel reduces the second statement of the opening theme to near-silence, a hushed echo of the original. Joost Ben-Sasson seemingly cannot be bothered.
Or take the charming Papillon, or the Romance: here Joost Ben-Sasson is in better form, but switching to the Kliegel recordings reveals once again that Kliegel is on an entirely different level. Ben-Sasson is playful and brash; Kliegel, in contrast, teases, seduces and lingers over select phrases just enough to make one's ears perk up. Comparison also reveals the fact that Joost Ben-Sasson is rather too closely miked, and sometimes her playing can take on the nasal quality for which the cello is often - but usually unfairly - criticized.
There are many other wonderful recordings of this music. Steven Isserlis on RCA, Frédéric Lodéon on EMI, and Paul Tortelier on Warner Apex are among the fine cellists to have tackled some or all of the repertoire on this disc. I focus on the comparison with Maria Kliegel's outstanding recording, however, because the naturalness, refinement and beautiful tone of Kliegel's playing stands in such contrast to this effort, and because the two performances are both to be had at the Naxos price. Naxos almost never duplicates repertoire - this is a label which has only made one recording of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, for instance - so why they have chosen to release a second set of Fauré's music for cello and piano, a year after the first, is beyond me, especially when the first is so obviously superior. I am sure Ina-Esther Joost Ben-Sasson had the best of intentions in making this album, and I do not wish to criticize the fine effort of accompanist Allan Sternfield, but these recordings are simply unnecessary. Where Kliegel plays with heart, Joost Ben-Sasson goes through the motions. And the difference in sound quality is substantial as well.
As a part of the Naxos Digital imprint, this album is currently only available for download at the website Classicsonline, where it sells for rather less than the price of a physical compact disc. But please do yourself a favor by finding the extra few pennies and buying the Kliegel album instead.
Brian Reinhart


VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 28, 2008) - Dynasty Metals & Mining Inc. (TSX:DMM) ("Dynasty" or the "Company") received Ecuador President Raphael Correa and senior members of his cabinet at its Zaruma Gold Project over the past weekend. The President spent several hours meeting with Dynasty senior staff and community leaders. In a public address, his comments in favour of environmentally and socially responsible mining and its importance to the local economies of Portovello, Zaruma and several neighbouring towns were welcomed by a large crowd of supporters.
Company President, Robert Washer, provided a lengthy tour of the Company's plant construction and mine development sites after which time he commented: "We wish to thank the President, the Minister of Mines and Petroleum, the Under Secretary of Mining, the Minister of Environment and the Under Secretary of Environment for allowing us the opportunity to meet with them on our project site so that they could witness the progress we have made and the community support we receive for our sustainable development plans."
The Company, together with other mining companies, is meeting with ministry officials this week to continue discussions regarding the formulation of new mining laws.
The Company continues to employ its workforce and work closely with the government. Updates will be provided as information becomes available.


text:
/ Corporate Governance
Liberty's Malone and Maffei Top the List of Most Over-Boarded Directors
There are at least 16 U.S. directors who are over-boarded, meaning that they sit on more boards than is recommended by influential shareholder advisory firms.
Anders Keitz
Updated May 22, 2017 7:45 AM EDT
John Malone, Chairman of Liberty Media
This is part of a series of stories that comprise TheStreet's Blue Chip Studio, which will illuminate issues related to corporate board performance, activism, dealmakers and personalities revealed by analysis of data generated by BoardEx, a business unit of TheStreet.
John Malone and Gregory Maffei, the chairman and the chief executive officer of Liberty Media Corp. (FWONA - Get Report) and Liberty Interactive Corp. (QVCA) , top the list of U.S. executives who sit on the most corporate boards, earning them the title of "most over-boarded."
There are at least 14 other U.S. directors who are over-boarded, meaning that they sit on more boards than is recommended by influential shareholder advisory firms such as Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis & Co. Sitting on many boards raises questions about a director's ability to effectively manage his time and responsibilities for each company. The data on over-boarding comes from BoardEx, a subsidiary of TheStreet that maps corporate relationships.
Though being a director on a board is not necessarily a full-time commitment, in recent years, board members have seen a "major increase" in the number of hours required to serve on a public company board, according to global accounting firm BDO. Given this trend, shareholder advisory firms say directors should sit on no more than five public company boards in the United States. Still, there are numerous directors who exceed that limit.
"Over-boarding is really simple, it means you're on too many boards," said Charles Elson, a professor of finance and corporate governance at the University of Delaware. "If you're sitting on too many boards, someone is getting short-changed."
"These so-called over-boarding policies are a reflection of investor concerns over CEO and director effectiveness and ability when potentially stretched by multiple outside board commitments," said Natalia Weaver, managing advisor with ISS Corporate Solutions.
Malone, 76, and Maffei, 56, each sit on nine boards, more than any other U.S. directors, according to BoardEx. Many of the boards the men sit on are connected through Liberty's affiliates and subsidiaries.
Although most of the various businesses were once part of the same predecessor company, they now fall under five separate entities: Liberty Media, Liberty Interactive, Liberty Broadband (LBRDK - Get Report) , Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings (LTRPA - Get Report) , and Liberty Global (LBTYA) . Within the five entities, there are nine stocks, including seven tracking stocks.
"Our structure and strategy provide investors with transparency and visibility into the underlying assets we own," said a spokesman for Liberty Media who declined to be identified by name. "This has resulted in a variety of asset-backed stocks and tracking stocks that have supervision from the boards of directors, which may include our chairman and our CEO. Any shareholder who invests in our assets understands and appreciates that approach and the resulting strong returns we have generated on their behalf."
In regards to Liberty's unique structure, Elson said the men are still dealing with different reporting entities. He believes the real question isn't necessarily whether Maffei and Malone are over-boarded, but whether Liberty's structure makes sense. "There are only so many hours in a day," Elson said.
Glass Lewis addressed the over-commitment of Malone and Maffei in a May 14 report but ultimately issued its support for both directors.
"While we are concerned by this level of outside commitments, given Mr. Malone's position as chair of the company, we do not believe it would be appropriate for shareholders of the company to oppose his candidacy at this time," said Glass Lewis. "Rather, we believe such concerns would be better expressed at the other companies where Mr. Malone serves as a director but not as an executive of the company."
To be sure, the nine stocks under the Liberty Media umbrella together delivered an annualized 13% return over the past decade, compared with 7.5% for Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A - Get Report) and 7.7% for the S&P 500, Barron's said in October 2016.
During the past year, Malone made $1.07 million from his directorships, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, while Maffei earned $1.03 million. This does not include the executive compensation they both received from Liberty Media, in which Malone made $747,156 and Maffei earned $16.89 million as CEO.
Besides five of the various Liberty boards, Malone also sits on the boards of Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF) , Charter Communications (CHTR - Get Report) , Expedia Inc (EXPE - Get Report) and Discovery Communications Inc. (DISCA - Get Report) .
Behind Maffei and Malone is Barry Portnoy, a real estate executive who has a seat at eight boards of public companies, including Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT - Get Report) , TravelCenters of America LLC (TA - Get Report) and RMR Group Inc (RMR - Get Report) . Four directors -- David Habiger, Isaac Blech, Michael Malone and Fred Cohn -- serve on seven boards. Nine people serve on six boards.
Interestingly, Edith Holiday was the only women on the list.
Still, a director serving on nine boards is almost double the limit suggested by Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis. Both advisory firms have indicated that they would vote against or withhold from individuals directors who sit on more than five public company boards. CEOs should serve no more than two outside directorships, according to ISS; Glass Lewis will recommend against a CEO who serves on more than two boards, including his or her own.
The firms lowered the directorship limit for over-boarded directors in 2016. That year, the National Association of Corporate Directors' (NACD) annual Public Company Governance Survey found that respondent directors of public companies dedicated an average of 245 hours per year to board service. The report revealed that directors are spending more time on preparations and less time on travel compared to the previous year. For comparison, the NACD said in 2005 that the average annual director time commitment was 190 hours, as noted by ISS.
"Companies should have a policy requiring prompt notice of changes in employment or directorships, and directors and executive officers should be periodically refreshed about this policy," wrote Lyuba Goltser and Megan Pendleton of the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in a post for Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation. "Directors and executive officers should be mindful of potential over-boarding that may arise from board service on private companies that anticipate an IPO."
Almost three-quarters of S&P 500 boards have established some limit on a director's ability to accept other corporate directorships, according to leadership consulting firm Spencer Stuart. Sixty-one percent of boards set a numerical limit for another board service; "of those, 5% cap additional directorships at two, 36% at three, 40% at four, and 19% at five or six," Spencer Stuart reported. But, only 20% of companies set a limit for CEO's serving on outside boards.
"Interestingly, board members themselves are in favor of more severe limits," BDO reported in October 2016. Three-quarters of directors surveyed for BDO's 2016 Board Survey believe that corporate boards should limit the number of boards on which a director can serve.
"Forty-four percent would set the limit at three boards, more than a quarter (28%) chose four, and less than 10% said two (6%) or one (1%)," BDO said. "Only 19% of directors agreed with the proxy advisors suggested a limit of five board seats."
Meanwhile, over on Real Money, Jim Cramer talks about "best tech story that nobody knows." Get his insights with a free trial subscription to Real Money.
Editors' pick: Originally published May 19.
Employees of TheStreet are restricted from trading individual securities.
Corporate GovernanceMarketsMediaStocksFundamental Analysis
More from Corporate Governance
What Are Marketable Securities? Definition and Examples
Want to know whether a company can pay its debts or build a new campus? Check out its marketable securities.
Jul 15, 2019 10:33 AM EDT
FTC's $5B Fine Is Chump Change for Facebook, Bellwether for Tech Regulation
The fine amounts to a fraction of Facebook's yearly revenue, but is by far the largest penalty ever imposed by the FTC against a tech company.
Annie Gaus
CannTrust Holdings Halts All Cannabis Sales
Company says move is voluntary while Canadian health inspectors look at its manufacturing facility.
Tom Bemis
Deutsche Bank Ensnared by Billion-Dollar Malaysian Fund Scandal - Report
A multi-billion-dollar fraud scandal perpetrated by a once-high flying and influential investment arm of the Malaysian government appears to ensnare another major global financial institution - Deutsche Bank.
M. Corey Goldman
Jul 11, 2019 9:41 AM EDT
Lee Iacocca Dies
Auto industry executive helped launch the Ford Mustang, the mini-van and rescue Chrysler.
Jul 2, 2019 10:09 PM EDT

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Excel 2016 don't apply formula if cell is blank Hi im using excel 2016 and i need help with some function,let's say i want to use this function to show in N4
=COUNT(IF(N3=O3,1,0))
but i want to count as 1 only if the cell is filled , not if it's blank
i tried <>"" and tried all other variations SUMIF or just IF.

A: COUNT() returns the count of cells that have numbers in them and your IF only returns numbers so it will always return 1.
Use just the IF
=IF(AND(N3<>"",N3=O3),1,0)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Harry [Herschel] Levit, American. 1912-1986.
Studied at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Exhibited at - The Art Institute of Chicago, Brooklyn Museum, Metropolitan Museum, New York, Pennsylvania Academy,and The Whitney Museum of American Art.
Crayon or pastel on paper signed Harry Levit 1933. Paris.
Image - 8 3/4" x 12".


They informed me that a trail camera I had set up over one of the spots I spread clover seed had captured a video of an absolute giant buck, easily the biggest I had ever seen on a property I hunted. While the video took place in early August, it got me amped up for the start of bowhunting.
For both the archery and gun seasons, I only carried a buck tag in my pocket for the first time in my life. As you might expect, I saw plenty of does during September and October, but not a single legal buck.
As was the case a year ago, the end of October brought several bucks to the property, littering our cameras with several jaw-dropping photos. With a better understanding of how the deer used the property and the main travel routes, I fully anticipated my November hunts to be action packed.
Instead, the most interesting hunt in November came on a bowhunt on Nov. 3, when an eight-point buck walked out to the spot my brother, Sawyer, and I had just walked past moments before. The almost unbelievable video was caught on the same trail camera that produced the mega-giant back in early August, but instead of being thrilled to see a buck on camera, I was devastated.
The nightmare lingered in my mind for the remainder of the season and still irks me today.
The rest of November was uninspiring, as the only time I managed to see deer, all does, during the bow or gun seasons is when I was walking around the property, trying to learn more about where the deer seemed to be hiding.
By the time the gun season ended, I was flat-out exhausted and never could get quite fired up enough to tough out several cold December hunts.
Never had I spent so many hours out in the woods and come up so empty.
That's the reality of hunting. Sometimes you spend countless hours out in the woods and never harvest your target animal. Other times you spend less than an hour in the woods to get the job done — as I did last spring to fill my turkey tag.
Yet, even after what was easily my most forgettable season, I still wouldn't trade those days in the woods for anything and will be itching to get back out come next deer season.
You could say I'm crazy for saying that, but its the challenge of hunting that appeals to me most. I would honestly rather hunt extremely hard for several days a year and not harvest an animal than tag out on the first day of every season.
When the fortunes do align in your favor, like they did for me last spring, I chalked it up to work I put in the previous seasons that made the feat possible.
So while many would scoff at the deer season I just endured, I'm instead going to use all the information I gathered from my hunts and use that knowledge to have an unforgettable season this coming fall.


text:
New Rising Stars of the British Racing Drivers' Club
Henry Carpenter
As proud patrons of the BRDC Young Driver Program, we are pleased to announce the latest Rising Stars chosen by the BRDC for the 2020 season.
Tom Canning
Autosport's number 1 ranking British GT4 driver in 2019, Tom has taken years of focus and determination and turned it into huge success. Last year Tom won the British GT4 Championship in the TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage as well as the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy. Not only did he finish top, but he broke the GT4 lap record at Donington. Tom's been driving since he was eight and looks a certain star for the future.
Image courtesy of www.tomcanningracing.com
James Hedley
James has had a brilliant few years on the track, winning the 2018 Ginetta Junior Winter Championship, and following it up with overall victory in the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship in 2019. Having raced competitively since the age of 10, James has earned his right to be a future star, with each year building on the last.
Image courtest of Twitter @JamesHedley67
Harry King
Selected to be the Porsche GB Junior driver for the 2020-21 season in the Porsche Carrera Cup, Harry has been racing competitively since 2015. In 2019 he went on to win the Miller Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup, recording nine fastest laps on the way, with the highest win percentage in the GT4 SuperCup's history – an impressive 11 wins from 23 races.
Image courtesy of Twitter @HarryKingRacing
Mentored by Bentley ambassador and Le Mans 24 Hours winner Guy Smith, Scott had been working hard for the last 3 years, striving towards the year just gone. BRDC welcomes Scott to the rising stars program on the back of a championship-winning campaign in the Ginetta GT5 Challenge, with 11 podiums, six race wins, four pole positions, and ultimately, one championship.
Image courtesy of Twitter @ScottMckennaRacing
Like many others, Josh moved through the ranks of racing, starting with Karting. In 2014, Josh won the X30 Junior Karting World Championship – having attended his first meet at just 11 days old! Since then, Josh has found some real momentum, in 2018 becoming the Formula Ford Festival Champion, a title held by greats such as Mark Webber, Jenson Button and Nick Tandy. Josh was also chosen to be part of the 2019 Mclaren Driver Development programme, racing in the British GT Championship with Tolman Motorsport in the 570S GT4.
Image courtesy of Twitter @JoshSmithRaces
Ben Tuck
Competing in the VLN Championship and Nurburgring 24 hours, Ben is no stranger to putting in the hours to get results. In 2017, Ben won the 24H Proto Series – European Championship – P2, and finished second in the British GT Championship – GT4 the following year. 2019 has seen him compete in the ADAC TOTAL 24h Nurburgring Race – Cup 5, where he finished a credible 3rd place.
Image couresy of @BTuckRacing
Daniel Zelos
Finishing 2019 as Rookie Cup Champion in the MINI CHALLENGE, Daniel was a standout newcomer at the championship last year, with nine podium finishes from 17 starts, which is some achievement. He's recently set his sights on the MINI CHALLENGE title in 2020, a feat that seems more than achievable for a racer of his talent. 2020 looks to be a good year for Zelos, with his accomplishments from last year helping him ascend to the ranks of the BRDC Rising Stars.
Image courtesy of @DanZelosRacing
A huge congratulations from everyone at Magnitude Finance – we're excited to see what the future holds.


Rayann Teak Display Shelf can effortlessly blend in any house décor.
It is perfect for displaying from books, photo frames, trophies to souvenirs and more.
You can place it in any part of the room. It can double up as a partition in the room.


text:
Lehigh Valley Marketplace | Mayfair: A Festival of the Arts... In Progress - Lehigh Valley Marketplace
Mayfair: A Festival of the Arts… In Progress
Written by Ann Wlazelek
By Ann Wlazelek
ARTWORK By Carmen Porfido and Claudia McGill
Allentown's Mayfair Festival of the Arts continues to undergo a renaissance in this, its 28th year, with a new contest, greener grounds and an admission price expected to bring more art and music lovers to the city fairgrounds May 23-26.
New to this year's activities are a juried show, attracting artists from across the country in a competition for cash prizes; local landscapers beautifying the grounds with plants, gazebos and water features; and new musical events, such as a seven-piece, all-star jazz ensemble of musicians from across the state performing opening night.
New artists include a Philadelphia-born master carver who creates life-sized carvings of raptors and song birds, a Connecticut-based jewelry designer whose handcrafted necklaces are worn by stars such as Halle Berry, Heidi Klum and Vanessa Williams, and a Texas glass sculptor whose illuminated pieces sometimes simulate the female form.
Tickets to Mayfair 2014 cost $5 and may be used for one day or all four. Festival hours, at 4-10:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Memorial Day, have been extended every day but the Monday holiday. Veterans and children 10 and under can attend for free.
"I'm excited about the way we are growing," said Mayfair Executive Director Arlene Daily. "I think it's wonderful for the city."
Art collectors from New York City will be among the 35,000 to 45,000 people expected to attend, she's been told. Popular artists and ideas from previous years will continue, too, such as last year's "Pig Pen Project," which features unusual and experimental art installations, especially recycled creations, in pens built for livestock; and "KidSpace," which features arts, crafts and performances for children.
The changes are designed to stretch the festival's canvas, if you will, to provide a better showcase for all kinds of fine art. Mayfair's organizers are trying to win back artists and aficionados lost over the years to inclement weather, financial losses, entry fees and fences at the festival's previous location at Cedar Beach Park, near Lake Muhlenberg.
"Mayfair was moving away from its goal of high-quality visual and performing arts, contracting itself to a narrow band of music and participation by visual artists was falling away," Daily said of the festivals troubled years. "People everywhere begged me to return it to the quality it was in the old days."
Although Cedar Beach provided a more scenic backdrop for an art festival, Mayfair's move last year to the west end of the Fairgrounds at 17th and Chew streets afforded artists and attendees more room, better parking, indoor restrooms, enhanced security and protection from the elements.
Long-time local participating artist/photographer Paul Grecian called the new location "a huge improvement for artists and visitors."
"I do not believe that fine artists and top craftsmen would have continued to attend without the move to an indoor setup," he said. "The ability for artists to have a secured building for their work overnight is a great asset."
While attendance last year only matched the previous year, organizers said it typically takes three years for a community to catch up to a change in location.
Mayfair's recent rebirth began two years ago, when Daily was hired to return the non-profit organization's festival to financial security by returning it to its roots. She surveyed artists and festival goers alike about changes they would welcome. She also visited art festivals throughout the country and created a council of volunteer artists to develop new ideas for Mayfair.
The changes are designed to stretch the festival's canvas… to provide a better showcase for all kinds of fine art.
One of those ideas was to start an art gallery inside the Agri-plex last year. Thirty artists were invited to show their work.
"We felt good about how it looked, came off and was received by the community," said Ann Lalik, gallery director and arts coordinator at Penn State Lehigh Valley, who helped set up the invitational exhibition as a Mayfair council member.
When other artists asked how they, too, might exhibit their works in the gallery, the council this year decided to hold a juried show, open to artists across the country. It's a way for more artists to get involved in Mayfair, Lalik said, including those who cannot work at a booth for four days. Each artist can submit up to three pieces.
Judging the Juried Art Exhibit will be Ricardo Viera, an artist, professor and director of the Lehigh University art galleries. Born in Cuba, Viera studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, and graduated with a master of fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. He won many awards for his paintings, drawings and engravings, which can be found in collections around the world, including the Allentown Art Museum, Canton Art Institute of Ohio and Tel Aviv Museum in Israel.
Mayfair's recommitment to exhibiting fine art and fine craft appears to be working, Daily said, noting the number of exhibiting artists in the Artist Market has climbed from 47 in 2011 to 76 in 2012 and 91 last year. The hope is to top a previous record of 120. Sales reached record highs last year, she added, with top-selling metal sculpturist Eugene Perry selling several pieces at $1,500 to $6,000 each.
Some artists will display their work inside the Agri-Plex or in booths outside. Returning favorites besides Perry and Grecian include Cornerstone Forge's hand-hammered aluminum; Horner's Pens turned from zebra wood, pine cones and corn cobs; Katherine Fox-Haney's porcelain-faced Santas; and Natural Alternative's vegetarian soaps.
Not all artists demonstrate their skills; however, Chris Murray, the master wood carver who now lives in northern Chester County, plans to bring a red-tail hawk that he's working on to show visitors. An award-winning professional carver most of his life, he learned the craft from a grandfather who made his own duck decoys for hunting. Murray started as a boy with a bar of soap.
The festival also offers three stages for performers of all sorts: dancers, drummers, set designers, sound mixers, trumpeters, guitar players, storytellers, potters, sax players, singers, actors, comedians and more.
Culinary "artists" will serve up everything from cultural and gourmet to fun fair foods, such as Asian fried rice, Mediterranean gyros, Mexican fajitas, German wursts, Belgian fries, chocolate-dipped cheesecake and stuffed pretzels. Some chefs will demonstrate how to make their dishes.
"Our mission is multi-layered," Daily states. "We work to bring new art forms to the community; to showcase visual and performing artists; to increase audiences for the arts; to develop future artists and audiences through educational programming; and to build a sense of community."
For more information, a layout and schedule see Mayfair's website, mayfairfestival.org.
Tags:May 2014
Camelot for Children
A Family Visit to Steel Stacks
Shopping Gem of the Golden Era
Maxim's 22 Bistro & Brasserie
Shanty on 19th
For Mom | Haute Handbags
May 2014 Letter from the Editor
The Great Thaw and the Law: 5 Legal Iss...
Friendly Tree Service
From Accountant to Artist: Jacqueline M...
Shoot Like a Pro
Nature's Tiny Killjoy: What You Need to ...


text:
Property Sold in Bunbury £339,000
Situated in a sought after quiet location and occupying a corner position, a well-presented and extended semi-detached house. Landscaped private gardens, off road parking for several vehicles and external Office/Games Room.
Lyndren, Wyche Road, Bunbury [Sold]
From our office in Tarporley, proceed down to High Street towards the A51 bypass. At the junction turn left in the direction of Nantwich. At the traffic lights with the Red Fox Indian on the right hand side, turn right onto the A49 (Whitchurch Road). Proceed for a couple of miles passing The Wild Boar Hotel on the left hand side and turn left onto School Lane. Proceed along until the village triangle and via left up to the t-junction. Turn left onto Vicarage Lane and then first right onto Wyche Lane. Proceed for a short distance and turn left onto Wyche Road and the property will be found on the left hand side.
Bunbury is a small, rural picturesque village that offers a range of local amenities with a convenience store, butcher, three public houses and a beautiful Church which dates back over 1000 years. There is also a cricket club, bowls club, tennis club and Medical Centre. Of particular note is Bunbury Primary School which enjoys a reputation for academic excellence. The Primary School also acts as a feeder into Tarporley High School which can be found 3 miles away.
The award winning village of Tarporley, is renowned for its Historic High Street which is located approximately 12 miles from Chester and offers a superb range of amenities including fashion boutiques, art galleries, DIY, florists, butcher, hairdressers, chemist, hospital, petrol station and other general stores. There is also a range of pleasant restaurants and public houses, which complete the thriving village. Additionally Tarporley has the added benefit of two highly regarded Golf courses. Tarporley has its own two churches and both primary and secondary schools. There is easy access to the surrounding villages, motorway and railway networks, which give access to the north and south of the UK.
3m (9'10) Max x 2.82m (9'3) Max
Window to front, wooden flooring, stairs to First Floor, understairs storage and radiator.
Reception Room/Occasional Bedroom
4.34m (14'3) Max x 3.71m (12'2) Max
Windows to front, side and rear, double doors to side, loft access, vanity washbasin with mixer tap and radiators.
Breakfast Kitchen
4.55m (14'11) x 3m (9'10)
Fitted with a range of wall and base units comprising cupboards and drawers. Base units with worksurfaces over and tiled splash back, inset one and half bowl single drainer sink unit with mixer tap, inset four ring hob with stainless steel extractor hood over and double oven, space and plumbing for dishwasher, space for fridge and separate freezer, window to rear and radiator.
Opening into:-
2.31m (7'7) x 1.52m (5')
Worksurface with space and plumbing for washing machine/dryer below, large storage cupboard, door to rear and loft access.
1.27m (4'2) x .81m (2'8)
Low level WC, wall mounted vanity washbasin with mixer tap and tiled splash back, window to rear and radiator.
Open Plan Lounge/Dining Room
6.73m (22'1) x 3.63m (11'11)
Wooden flooring, open fireplace with granite surround and hearth, windows to front and rear, wall light points and radiators.
Airing cupboard and loft access.
Window to side, built-in wardrobes, vanity washbasin with mixer tap and radiator.
3.66m (12') x 3.1m (10'2)
Window to rear and radiator.
3.66m (12') x 3.05m (10')
Window to front and radiator.
2.26m (7'5) Max x 2.21m (7'3) Max
Tiled floor, fully tiled walls, low level WC, vanity washbasin with mixer tap, tiled panelled bath with mixer tap and separate wall mounted shower head over, window to rear and wall mounted heated towel rail.
To the side and rear the gardens are mainly laid to lawn with decked sitting areas, well-established and well-stocked flower beds, a range of mature trees and fenced boundaries creating privacy.
To the front there is off road parking for several vehicles.
External Office/Games Room
5m (16'5) x 3m (9'10)
Wooden flooring, window and double doors to front, light and power.
Cheshire East Council. Council Tax - Band D.
Freehold. Subject to verification by Vendor's Solicitor.
We believe that mains water, electricity, Oil fired central heating and drainage are connected.
CW6 9PR


text:
Season 3 of "The Good Place" Ends Much Stronger Than it Began
The Good Place is one of my favorite shows currently airing on TV. There's nothing as funny, heartwarming, and genuinely well-written and well-made as this show. Unfortunately, every show is subject to a rough patch or two, and much of the first half of season 3 of The Good Place could be considered this show's rough patch. At first, putting all the humans – Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil), and Jason (Manny Jacinto) – back on Earth in an attempt to see if they can improve their lives seemed like a good idea. But, it quickly turned out that without that element of fantasy the show's afterlife setting gave it, it all felt a bit less special. Thankfully, about midway through the season, the writers started reintroducing some of those fantastical elements before eventually killing the humans again and returning the show to the afterlife. And that's when things got really good. When we last left off, Janet (D'Arcy Carden) had taken all the humans and Michael (Ted Danson) into her void while she and Michael went to the Accountant's office to investigate the points. There, they found out that nobody had made it into The Good Place in over 500 years, and quickly Michael and the gang end up traveling through a mail chute into the mailroom of the Good Place. And things only get crazier and more satisfying from there. (SPOILERS AHEAD)
Episode 3×11: The Book of Dougs (written by Kate Gersten and directed by Ken Whittingham)
Michael's resolve is put to the test. Meanwhile, Jason wrestles with his feelings and Chidi surprises Eleanor.
Episode 3×12: Chidi Sees the Time-Knife (written by Christopher Encell & Joe Mande and directed by Jude Weng)
Michael arranges an important meeting and Janet makes a reconnection.
Episode 3×13: Pandemonium (written by Megan Amram & Jen Statsky and directed by Michael Schur)
Various events occur, in a certain specific order.
The Book of Dougs picks up exactly where the previous episode left off, with Michael and the gang crashing through a mail chute and realizing they now find themselves in the Good Place. Michael quickly gets in contact with the Good Place committee and tries to present his case that the Bad Place is tampering with the points system and is causing all the humans to be sent there instead of to the Good Place. Meanwhile, the humans are forced to deal with their various relationship dramas. Eleanor and Chidi continue to grow closer (and Chidi does some really cute stuff to try and cheer Eleanor up) while Tahani tries to bring Jason and Janet together again, but it backfires in her face. Ultimately, the Good Place committee sinks into their bureaucratic patterns and decide to investigate Michael's claims – only it will take them 400 years to form an investigative committee and another 600 years to investigate that committee for any signs of conflict. Tahani comes to Michael to vent about her troubles with Janet and Jason, leading Michael to a realization: the Bad Place isn't tampering with the points system; the points system just hasn't evolved alongside humanity and all of the complexities of being a human. It took Michael long enough to come to that conclusion, too, as it's one that a lot of fans have been suggesting since season 2. But, nonetheless, it's nice to see him finally figuring out that the problem is the system itself. He decides to take the humans to see the Judge (Maya Rudolph) in order to get her on his side. Ultimately, The Book of Dougs has to do a lot of setting up for the final two episodes of the season, but it handles that set up with a lot of grace and humor and is still able to stand on its own two feet as an episode. There are a lot of really funny moments and I'm so happy with where the overall plot is heading.
In Chidi Sees the Time-Knife, Michael and the gang meet up with the Judge in the IHOP – Interdimensional Hole of Pancakes -, a place which I won't even begin to describe as there is no way I could put words to the sheer trippiness of it. It is here that Michael presents his concerns to the Judge (and also to Shawn (Marc Evan Jackson) – the head honcho of the Bad Place). The Judge takes a quick trip to earth and realizes that Michael is onto something, so she and Shawn agree to Michael's (and Chidi's) suggestion that they be allowed to repeat Michael's original plan. They are going to set up an exact replica of Michael's original neighborhood – only this time, in the back yard of Mindy St. Claire's house in the Medium Place. They are gonna take another four humans and see if those humans can better themselves the same way that Eleanor, Chidi, Jason, and Tahani did. This time, Michael will be assisted by the original four humans and some other being created by Janet. Meanwhile, Jason and Janet have some new hurdles thrown at their relationship with the return of Derek (Jason Mantzoukas) – the boyfriend that Janet previously made in season 2 – and his increased intelligence while Eleanor and Chidi move in together and seem to be doing great. The preparations for the neighborhood seem to be going well, but just as the first new human is about to wake up, Michael has a sudden wave of panic (caused, in part, by Shawn telling him that, when his experiment fails, he is going to use a demon in a Michael-suit to torture the original humans). The episode ends with Michael collapsing to the ground as a result of his panic attack, leaving Eleanor to deal with the human. This episode was another really strong one. I'm impressed and surprised at just how quickly the writers got us to this point; I honestly expected the season to end with the Judge allowing them to start this new neighborhood, but the fact that we've gotten to that point in the penultimate episode suggests bigger and more explosive events are to come.
And boy, did they ever. In Pandemonium, the final episode of season 3, Eleanor takes over for Michael as the face of the operation; she is the one who interacts with the new humans while he pulls the strings in the background. All seems to be going well until it is revealed that the four humans that Shawn has picked for this test are all people that the original humans knew when they were alive. Chief among them being Simone (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), Chidi's colleague at the university he taught at back on Earth, and his ex-girlfriend. This presents a pretty major problem for the gang as Simone will recognize Chidi and Chidi will recognize her. Michael gets permission to wipe Simone's brain, but Chidi is still worried that his past feelings for her will cause him to slip up with her and spoil the whole experiment. So, Chidi suggests that he have his mind wiped, too, so he doesn't remember Simone. Unfortunately, that means all of his memories regarding Eleanor and the rest of the gang will be erased. Naturally, nobody is happy about this turn of events, but Chidi insists it's the right call, and after an emotional final night with Eleanor, they go through with it. It's deeply emotional, yet oddly okay with me. As much as I loved Chidi and Eleanor getting together over these last few episodes, it also felt a bit too easy. Like there weren't enough challenges being presented to them. And, well, this alleviates that problem. It's made pretty clear that, somehow, Eleanor and Chidi will end up together again, and part of the fun will be watching that happen, but it's still deeply moving to watch Chidi sacrifice his memories and his relationship with Eleanor in order to (hopefully) save her from eternal torture. The episode ends with a touching conversation between Eleanor and Janet about the meaning of life and pandemonium as Eleanor prepares to walk the newly-rebooted Chidi through the ins and outs of the afterlife. It's a really good cliffhanger and a great way to set up the next season. The new experiment will start in earnest in season 4 and there are so many different ways it can go.
All in all, season 3 of The Good Place ended much stronger than it began. When the season began, it was hard to see just where it could go: I mean, the show had to reunite all of our main characters again, and it had to eventually kill them off because the show just isn't as fun with the characters separated from the magical elements of the afterlife. Conversely, these final few episodes set the show up on a really interesting path; one that many fans have suspected the show would go down: Michael and the original humans are tackling the points system heads-on and are repeating Michael's original neighborhood with new humans to see if they get the same results. There is a whole lot of fun you can have with new humans in the neighborhood and some really interesting ways to develop our original humans even more. I'm just really pleased with how this season ended; it maintained the strong quality the show has become known for. It's pushing the characters and the plot into new and unexpected directions and setting up a whole lot of new stories. My one concern is that it feels like we're starting to enter the endgame of the show; with Michael and the humans trying to correct the points system, where else can the show go? It will be disappointing if they just fail again and it seems like there's not much story to tell if they succeed. So, are we nearing the series finale of The Good Place? I'd be okay with that. I'd rather the show end on a high note than be dragged out too long. Regardless, the season 3 finale was a very strong one and felt both dramatically and emotionally earned. I'm beyond excited to see where the show goes next!
The Book of Dougs: 4.5 out of 5 wands
Chidi Sees the Time-Knife: 5 out of 5 wands
Pandemonium: 4.5 out of 5 wands
This entry was posted in tv shows and tagged D'Arcy Carden, Jameela Jamil, Kristen Bell, Manny Jacinto, Marc Evan Jackson, Maya Rudolph, Michael Schur, Ted Danson, the good place, William Jackson Harper by Michael Cook. Bookmark the permalink.


The Phoenix is a nonprofit organization. We are a sober active community, providing free fitness programming and peer recovery model to anyone with 48 hours of continuous sobriety.
Conveniently located minutes from Rt. 93 and Rt. 90. The Phoenix - Boston: 54 Newmarket Square, Boston, MA 02118 - free parking!


text:
Q: Why my X509Certificate2 loses its private key? I am trying to generate a client assertion from a X509Certificate2 (here is the documentation). The fact is that my code is working perfectly when I get the certificate from a file as follows :
string signinCertPath = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "Cert", "anAwesomeCertificate.pfx");

X509Certificate2 certificate = new X509Certificate2(signinCertPath, "MySuperCertificatePassword", X509KeyStorageFlags.EphemeralKeySet);

string clientAssertion = GenerateClientAssertion(certificate, tenantId, clientId); //clientAssertion handles the value I am looking for.

Here is the GenerateClientAssertion method, that I've copied from the MSAL documentation :
private string GenerateClientAssertion(X509Certificate2 certificate, string tenantId, string clientId)
{
    // Get the RSA with the private key, used for signing.
    var rsa = certificate.GetRSAPrivateKey();

    //alg represents the desired signing algorithm, which is SHA-256 in this case
    //x5t represents the certificate thumbprint base64 url encoded
    var header = new Dictionary<string, string>()
    {
        { "alg", "RS256"},
        { "typ", "JWT" },
        { "x5t", Base64UrlEncode(certificate.GetCertHash()) }
    };

    var claims = GetClaims(tenantId, clientId);

    var headerBytes = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(header);
    var claimsBytes = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(claims);
    string token = Base64UrlEncode(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject.FromObject(header).ToString())) + "." + Base64UrlEncode(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject.FromObject(claims).ToString()));

    string signature = Base64UrlEncode(rsa.SignData(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(token), HashAlgorithmName.SHA256, RSASignaturePadding.Pkcs1));
    string signedClientAssertion = string.Concat(token, ".", signature);
    return signedClientAssertion;
}

The problem is that I am not able to access the certificate file in real conditions, that is why I copied it in a byte[] and try to do the same thing by creating the certificate with the byte[], like that :
X509Certificate2 certificate = new X509Certificate2(variables.cert, "MySuperCertificatePassword", X509KeyStorageFlags.EphemeralKeySet); //variables.cert is the byte[]

string clientAssertion = GenerateClientAssertion(certificate, tenantId, clientId);

And here comes the issue : my code throw me an error as the rsa variable is not set to an instance of an object, meaning that I am not getting the certificate private key.
So does anybody know how I can get this private key?
Any contribution would be nice. Thanks by advance.


text:
Our "Historiques" collection is devoted to reissuing historic recordings linked to particular performers. This time the focus is on the mezzo-soprano Livine Mertens (Antwerp 1898 - Brussels 1968). 1923 saw her first appearance on the stage on which her whole career was to take place (until 1945): La Monnaie opera house. Her first appearance as Carmen on 1 August 1929 marked a red-letter day: her vocal and physical presence made her the uncontested mistress of this role, as crucial for her career as for her life; a Carmen of real stature, of an irresistible realism, a dramatic intensity such as we rarely encounter. The quality of her voice is here magnificently restored in a typical operatic repertoire from the early 20th century- Bizet, Gounod, Massenet, Ravel, Thomas and others, in recordings dating from 1930-32. Meticulous remastering work and the restoration of the correct pitches (the speed of 78 rpm was far from consistent) make it hard to believe that all this dates from almost a century ago. The booklet in four languages is lavishly presented and generously illustrated with rare documents.
https://shop.yourvinyldestination.com 5425008319964
Label: MUSIQUE EN WALLONIE
Airs Et Melodies / Various
Artist: Airs Et Melodies / Various


text:
November 17 - January 14, 2021 | 64 White Street
From Lawn Road to South Chicago
Progressive Plywood In Times of Change
December 2020 - January 2021
PALM COURT, SUITE 105 140 NE 39TH STREET MIAMI, FLORIDA 33137
Collaboration with Jeff Lincoln Art + Design
Discover iconic art + design at Jeff Lincoln's Southampton gallery
Gallery Reopening By Appointment Only
We are pleased to announce that we will be open by appointment. We would be delighted to schedule private viewings and gallery visits during this period. To schedule appointments, please get in touch with us in advance via email at r@r-and-company.com. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, from 10am until 4pm.
Johnny Swing Featured in The New York Times
"Newly Minted Work By A Change Artist" by Stephen Wallis
"Did you have beef or lamb?" It was the first question a design-world veteran asked when I mentioned I'd been to visit Johnny Swing in February. For the last 25 years, the sculptor and furniture maker with the boogie-woogie name has been based just outside Newfane, a quaint southern Vermont town sometimes described as one of the most photographed in the state.
Mr. Swing's home is an updated old farmhouse that sits on 50 hilly acres of woods and pastures he uses for grazing cows and sheep. The property includes an improvised chicken coop with several hens that provide fresh eggs, and Mr. Swing is building a new sugar shack for making maple syrup. There's also a guesthouse to accommodate visitors, whom Mr. Swing — an affable host and enthusiastic cook — often treats to meals of lamb or beef from his own animals, roasted for hours in his vintage Boston Stove Foundry wood-burning oven. (For the record, the beef was delicious.)
64 WHITE STREET NY 10013
82 FRANKLIN STREET NY 10013
e: R@R-AND-COMPANY.COM
Closed Saturdays, Sundays and most major holidays


Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai are one of the most unexpected couples in the Bollywood. Aishwarya was away from the big screen for a while, but now, she is doing her best making efforts to get back everything she owned before the fame and stardom. While, Abhishek, on the other hand, is calm most of the times.
However, Abhishek Bachchan lost his cool on Twitter when a user went posing a rude comment on Aishwarya and daughter Aradhya. She asked him why his 6-year-old daughter Aaradhya was not having "a normal childhood" and whether he and wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were "going for beauty without brains".
This followed throughout the weekend after social media was flooded with pictures of Aishwarya and Aaradhya attending a wedding in Mangalore.
The stubborn user didn't give up her bait against and asked Abhishek to share a few "normal pictures" of Aaradhya. "A yeah the spelling Any thanks for the response . Most people think it but don't have the guts say something. Maybe u guys should post some pictures of her as normal kid and not one always hanging on her moms arm," she wrote.
Amidst the ongoing backlash, she went explaining that she is "not from India" hence doesn't know that schools remain closed over the weekend. She has since 'protected' her account, making her tweets invisible to those who don't follow her.
At the end of the day…. We are all reduced to just a tweet.
Abhishek has definitely made himself a fine gentleman on Twitter. Share your opinions in the comments section below.


USC alumnae and Olympic beach volleyball silver medalists Jennifer Kessy and April Ross.
LOS ANGELES - The USC women's sand volleyball program will kick off the 2014 season with its alumni match on Thursday (March 6) at Merle Norman Stadium. The exhibition matches are set to begin at 6:30 p.m. PT. USC greats and 2012 Olympic silver medalists Jennifer Kessy and April Ross will be present among alumnae scheduled to appear and play.
The Women of Troy opened the Merle Norman Stadium a year ago and christened the sand with the alumni match. The Trojans went 7-3 in home matches in 2013 and finished with a 16-8 overall record. USC advanced to the AVCA team championship semifinals before falling to eventual champion Long Beach State.
Senior captain Kirby Burnham and partner Stevi Robinson claimed USC's first-ever sand volleyball pairs title in Gulf Shores, Ala., and were named AVCA All-Americans; also USC's firsts.
USC welcomes several strong newcomers to the lineup, this season. Phenom Sara Hughes and early-enrollee Kelly Claes headline a vaunted freshman class. The Trojans also bring in Allie Wheeler and Nicolette Martin who are expected to contribute immediately. USC's squad also features several strong returners including co-captain Sam Hirschmann, Natasa Siljkovic, Brooke Fournier, Eve Ettinger, and Bria Russ.
The regular season gets started on Saturday (March 8) when the second-ranked Trojans head to Zuma Beach to face the Cal State Northridge (the nation's newest collegiate sand volleyball program) in an 11 a.m. PT match hosted by Pepperdine. Following their match with the Matadors, the Trojans take on the top-ranked Waves at noon PT. Pepperdine holds an astonishing 34-1 mark in dual matches and lost its only contest to Long Beach State in the 2013 national title match.
USC will appear in live broadcasts by the Pac-12 Networks on two dates, this season. First on March 27 and again on April 3. All other home matches at Merle Norman Stadium will be streamed live on the Pac-12 Networks' USCTrojans.com portal. Please visit USCTrojans.com for more information and a complete schedule.


text:
The Best Music of 2018
list this
Pop Past
MetalMatters
How Could He?: Exploring Social Issues Through 'Dragon Age II'
No one is implying that the LGBT community turn into blood magicians and that the religious march out to cage and murder them, but this conflict still echoes the tensions felt in the lives of real people.
Mattie Brice
Why You Should Give 'Dragon Age II' a Second Chance
It's possible that gamers haven't figured out a use for criticism. But one of its uses is the possibility for encouraging new perspectives and second chances.
Dragon Age II: Legacy
For a story pitched as casting a shadow on the Hawke family line, the actual revelation doesn't really tarnish anyone's reputation.
Kris Ligman
Choice, Apathy, and Evil in 'Dragon Age II'
Dragon Age II, unlike Origins, forces you into the position of a tyrant.
Mark Filipowich
I Want to Play the Victim in 'Dragon Age II'
Dragon Age II is all about prejudice, but the player is never truly victimized or oppressed.
Nick Dinicola
Moving Pixels Podcast: Everyone Is the Champion of Kirkwall
Despite its more limited geographical scope, Kirkwall is a game world well suited to an expanded discusssion.
G. Christopher Williams
Take Your Damn Rivalry Points Like a Man: The Non-Dialectic of 'Dragon Age II'
This whole outcry stands as a testament to why gamers need to get over notions of "fairness" -- especially when "fairness" isn't really fair.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsless Rogue: 'Dragon Age II''s Isabela
If there's one thing I never expected a game to do, it would be to teach self respect.
'Dragon Age II': Making the Case for "Quality" Games
The game makes the most of its often glaring limitations to deliver on some of the strongest character-driven storytelling that we've seen out of a Bioware title.
Things I Was (Happily) Wrong About in 'Dragon Age II'
Something tells me that despite its flaws, Dragon Age II is going to have real staying power over time, especially among the critical and theoretical blogosphere where already some important dialogue is taking shape.
Moving Pixels Podcast: 'Dragon Age' Expanded?
Dragon Age: Origins received a great deal of DLC, but do these downloadable prologues, epilogues, and side stories add anything to the diverse and complex world of Origins?
'Dragon Age' Lets Me Celebrate Girl Power (And Doesn't Make Me Self-Conscious)
I'm not very traditionally girly, and I like it when a video game character is able to communicate that mixture of gendered ideals without becoming a caricature. I found that in Dragon Age.
Catching up with 'Dragon Age' DLC
Before the release of Dragon Age II, Rick Dakan reacquaints himself with the full spectrum of Dragon Age DLC -- resulting in a mixed response to the potential represented by them.
Rick Dakan
Pop Ten
The 25 Best Classic Progressive Rock Albums
The 70 Best Albums of 2019
The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 1: 100 - 81
8 Low-Budget Films That Delivered Big
The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '90s - Part 1 (100 - 81)
The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 5: 20 - 1
Jackie Chan's 10 Best Films
The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 3: 60 - 41
Never Say Nevermore: Edgar Allan Poe's 10 Best Stories
Collapse Expand Pop Ten
Berlin's Electronic, Post-Punkers Hope Find Their Rhythm on "Shame" (premiere)
New Age Grate Marry Goth, Doom, and Electronics on "Sylvia Won't Lie" (premiere)
Featuring Oddisee and Zenyth, Raiza Biza's "Trouble" Highlights Sociopolitical Struggles (premiere)
Honey Magpie Value the Art of Taking One's Time in "Undecided" (premiere)
Folk-pop's the Sweeplings Find Solid Ground "In Between" Connected Projects (premiere + interview)
Rose Cousins' "The Return (Love Comes Back)" Is a Gentle Reminder of Human Spirit (premiere)
Texas Psych-Rockers, the Cuckoos Release Debut LP (album stream)
Imaginary People Mourn the Death of a "Hometown" (premiere)
Lisa Heller Goes on a Journey to Find Herself in "Figure It Out" (premiere)
Collapse Expand Mixed Media
PM Picks
Collapse Expand Pm Picks
© 1999-2020 Popmatters.com. All rights reserved.
Popmatters is wholly independently owned and operated.


I put the phone up to my ear, the laughter of my friends echoing in the background over the familiar sounds of the musical White Christmas. It was my mom. She sounded cheerful, but I could tell something wasn't quite right. The rest of the conversation is a bit of a blur.
If we could have coffee today, I'd say, "You're not alone. " We all have moments when we feel alone. In a world where everyone seems to be connected, it seems ironic that studies show we're more isolated than ever before. That sense of separateness can create cracks that let lies slip in to our hearts.
Sharathon 2014 is now in the books! I know I speak for the whole team here in expressing our deepest gratitude to all 2,104 of you from 13 states who gave so generously to help fund this ministry.
Our final full day of Sharathon is now in the books and we are so grateful to almost 2,000 of you for pledging your support. Thanks to you, we're almost 80% funded for Sharathon.
Make An Even Greater Impact Today!
As we start our final day of Sharathon, we find ourselves so grateful for what God has already done! We begin today with almost 57% of our goal met.
There are so many people who help make Sharathon possible! Of course there's the phone and prayer volunteers, and all of the amazing listeners that call in to join KLRC's financial support team! But there's also many local businesses who donate meals, snacks, drinks, prizes, and so much more! We'd like to say a heartfelt thanks to the following.
Day 1 of Sharathon 2014 is over and we're off to a great start! We're currently 43% of the way towards our overall goal of $900,000, finishing at $391,107 at the end of our first day of fundraising. Thank you so much to everyone who called or went on-line today to pledge your support!.
Welcome to the kick-off of Sharathon week! At KLRC, we don't start Sharathon with fundraising. Instead, we choose to take our first day to focus on Praise and Prayer. While the financial need for KLRC is large, we know the value of putting our eyes on the One who is bigger.
What is Sharathon? Why, every March, do we take three or four days to ask our listeners for financial support? Well, KLRC is a listener-funded ministry. The generous financial support of people like you who love and appreciate the ministry of KLRC is what keeps us going. Literally. But that's the easy answer.
At KLRC, we're so excited to be celebrating 30 years of serving our community! For many years we've had the privilege to partner with so many organizations making a Positive Difference. As we get ready for our annual Sharathon, we wanted to do something special with our friends at Samaritan Community Center.


1. Has my work had content editing and copy editing?
2. Do I feel my work is ready for printing?
If you answered yes to any of the questions in the list above, you would benefit from proofreading.
Proofreading is the careful reading of a piece that is almost ready for printing. A proofreader checks for omissions of pages, inconsistencies in formatting, does light corrections, and ensures that the work is polished. If too many edits are needed, the work would benefit from a more in-depth type of editing. Proofreading is beneficial to those who have already completed intensive edits and need a second look before submitting their work. Even a few errors can detract from the reading experience and cause a work not to reach its potential. Proofreading is quality control and confirms that a manuscript is ready to be published.


text:
Israel and Saudi Arabia: Is the Enemy of My Enemy My Friend?
Column – INSS Insight
Recent reports and commentaries have suggested that a rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia is underway. Indeed, both countries are eager to prevent Iran from achieving military nuclear capability and would like to curb Iranian attempts to …INSS Insight No. 500, December 22, 2013
Udi Dekel, Yoel Guzansky
Recent reports and commentaries have suggested that a rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia is underway. Indeed, both countries are eager to prevent Iran from achieving military nuclear capability and would like to curb Iranian attempts to attain regional hegemony. In addition, both are perturbed by recent developments in US policy, particularly the reluctance to use force against Iran and Syria, and signs of a gradual shift away from the problems of the Middle East. However, in spite of the convergence of interests between Israel and Saudi Arabia, full normalization is not on the agenda as long as there is no significant political breakthrough between Israel and the Palestinians. At the same time, there is a wide range between full diplomatic relations and a total lack of contact, and the two countries can take advantage of this.
With the publication of the Fahd initiative in 1982, Saudi Arabia abandoned, at least officially, the policy that had until then rejected Israel's right to exist. Following the Madrid conference in 1991, a certain rapprochement took place between the two countries, and they participated in five working groups to deal with regional issues water, the environment, economics, refugees, and arms control. The Abdullah initiative of 2002, the basis for the Arab Peace Initiative, went a step further, promising Israel "normal relations" with the Arab and Muslim world if it met a number of conditions. Israel initially rejected the initiative as a basis for dialogue with the Arab world, though subsequently a number of senior Israeli officials, including President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, expressed support for the positive aspects of the initiative while mindful of the problematic issues (e.g., normal relations were made contingent on completion of the peace process, a withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 lines, and a solution of the refugee problem on the basis of UN General Assembly resolution 194).
Apart from the Abdullah initiative, Saudi Arabia has remained on the sidelines of attempts to promote the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians (and Syria as well). Perhaps, then, the initiative was intended to counter the kingdom's negative image following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Oman and Qatar, which are generally outside the consensus in the Gulf Cooperation Council, had formal albeit partial relations with Israel. Israel had diplomatic missions in both countries that were ultimately closed in the wake of the second intifada and Operation Cast Lead.
On several occasions, the Saudis have announced that they have no intention of making another move that could be interpreted as a gesture toward Israel, and the kingdom has even pressured the small monarchies to follow suit. Similarly, in recent years the Gulf states have refused to comply with the US request to take confidence building measures toward Israel in order to create a supportive regional atmosphere for the Israeli-Palestinian political process. At the same time, however, WikiLeaks documents indicate an "ongoing and secret dialogue" on the Iranian issue. Likewise, it was reported that Israeli companies have assisted Gulf states through security consulting, training of local military forces, and sales of weapons and advanced systems and technologies. In addition, senior officials from both sides have held ongoing meetings in and outside the region. The reports also indicate that Israel has softened its policy on weapons exports to the Gulf states as well as its attempts to restrict sales of advanced weapons by the United States to the Gulf states, in part as a signal that it sees a potential for partnership more than a possible threat. In addition, Israel is enjoying a certain amount of access to markets in the Gulf, as long as the products do not have Israeli labels.
Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states recognize Israel's military power as well as its close ties with the United States (and its influence in Congress), and they see the value in maintaining some level of coordination with it. However, normal relations the Saudis' preferred phrase are not possible, they claim, as long as there is no significant breakthrough in the political process with the Palestinians. Yet if and when Israel and the Palestinians reach a full or partial political agreement, it is far from clear that this will necessarily lead to a "political spring" between Israel and Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states. Over the years, Saudi Arabia has made demands by the West for reform, openness in relations with Israel, and a contribution to regional stability contingent, first of all, on a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On the other hand, the peaceful but cold relations with Egypt and Jordan and the upheavals in the Arab world have to some extent harmed the wherewithal of any Israeli government to present "normalization" to the Israeli public as proper compensation for "painful" concessions in the political process.
To Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, the cost of open relations with Israel at this time may be higher than the benefit, given the position of the Arab street, which rejects recognition of Israel and relations with it. The Arab monarchies in the Gulf are currently benefiting from the fact that covert, unofficial relations allow them to enjoy the advantages of ties with Israel without having to pay a price in public opinion, which has become more vocal since the outbreak of the Arab spring. In addition, common interests are not common values. To a certain extent, covert relations are also more comfortable for Israel: Israel as such need not confront the moral aspects of ties with absolutist monarchies, and can even present Saudi hostility as another barrier to the confidence building that is essential to promoting the peace process and producing the fruits of peace.
Some have argued recently that Saudi Arabia and Israel's shared disappointment with President Obama's policy toward Iran and Syria constitutes a convergence of interests for formulating some kind of partnership between the two countries. However, Israel would do well to distance itself as much as possible from initiatives to form a common front with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and others against the Obama administration. The perception that there is a united front against the United States could harm relations with Israel's primary ally, which in any case are in a sensitive period. Moreover, a growing threat from Iran will not necessarily make it easier for Saudi Arabia and Israel to cooperate. Shared interests do not denote an identical view of the strategic environment. Thus, for example, the agreement with Iran and the fear of the Islamic Republic could lead Saudi Arabia, for lack of any other option, to hedge closer to Iran in a measured fashion, and later, to be more vocal about the Israeli nuclear issue, since "if Iran, then why not Israel?" In addition, Saudi Arabia may hope for an Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear infrastructures, but it harbors reservations about any appearance of operational cooperation with Israel, lest it be required to pay the price for an Israeli attack. And on a more basic level, there is a psychological and religious barrier that complicates confidence building between Saudi Arabia and Israel and the establishment of a stable infrastructure for relations, with limited potential gains.
While Saudi Arabia thus sees the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a factor undermining stability, it perceives Iran as its main security and ideological problem. Furthermore, the basis for understandings between Israel and Saudi Arabia has expanded following the interim nuclear agreement signed by the major powers and Iran, which was not viewed positively in Israel or Saudi Arabia, and the agreement to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons, which gave legitimacy and precious time to the Bashar Assad regime. In addition, there are shared interests in the need to curb Iranian influence, the illegitimacy of the Assad regime, the support for military council in Egypt, and the basic approach that relies on the United States. These common interests, together with the shared fear of the consequences of the Geneva agreement with Iran and an Iranian-American rapprochement, do not have the power to lead to open cooperation and normal relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, but can strengthen the covert coordination and the understandings between them.
Moreover, even this form of relationship is important, especially since these are ties between states that do not officially recognize each other. Dialogue helps maintain regional stability, and will certainly not hurt in promoting a political settlement. Yet it is highly doubtful that Saudi Arabia, which purports to lead the Gulf states, will grant Israel the elements of normalization straight away, and any attempt to change the relations from covert to overt could damage them. True progress in the political process between Israel and the Palestinians may expand the basis of common interests and allow Israel to demand greater support from Saudi Arabia to promote political initiatives and assist in building the Palestinian state, even if a comprehensive permanent status agreement is not achieved.


As at 5 April 2018 our Gender Pay Gap was 4.2% which is 13.7% lower than the national average.
The 2017-18 Annual Review celebrates the achievements of our 175th year and looks forward to the future of farming.
The 2018 Rothamsted Festival of Ideas Evaluation Report presents the data, feedback and impact of the event which took place in June 2018.
Staff at Rothamsted Research were 54% male and 46% female at 5 April 2017. The gender pay gap for all employees (based on median hourly earnings, excluding overtime and bonuses) was 5.8%, against a national level of 18.4%.
Our Five-year strategy sets out how we will deliver research and innovation that address the challenges of resilient farming solutions for sustainable agriculture: working from gene to field.
In our latest annual report, we reflect on our achievements of the past five years as strategic programmes end; and consider how this passing busy year has helped us to set up for the next five years.
This Value of Excellence report quantifies the cumulative impact of Rothamsted Research. It is the first overall estimate of our wider impact, and highlights the tremendous value of agricultural research.
This report is the result of a public dialogue in which Rothamsted sought views that would guide our collaborations with industry.
2015/16 was a very busy year delivering excellent science, establishing national and international collaborations, and re-defining our long term vision and strategic priorities.
In 2014, we made significant progress towards achieving our strategic objectives.


text:
Andrea Guerra's Prada Salary Detailed to Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Fancy Free
PARIS — Frills and furbelows, sparkles and spangles — and miles and miles of skin — underscored couturiers' efforts here this week, from Elie Saab's sexed-up seductresses to the extroverted vamps Stephane Roland delivered...
By WWD Staff Plus Icon
WWD Staff
Recent Articles by WWD Staff
Media Moves 2022: Hearst Hires Chief Revenue Officer
WWD x FN x Beauty Inc 50 Women in Power
WWD Launches WWD Store
January 24, 2003, 12:00am
PARIS — Frills and furbelows, sparkles and spangles — and miles and miles of skin — underscored couturiers' efforts here this week, from Elie Saab's sexed-up seductresses to the extroverted vamps Stephane Roland delivered at the house of Scherrer.
Other designers, though, such as Hanae Mori, who continued to create with her refined customer in mind, and Franck Sorbier, with his fairy-tale-like dresses fit for Snow White, delivered quieter and more romantic shows.
Scherrer's Roland has aimed to grow his client base for several seasons now — he even added a men's made-to-order collection, which he showed in tandem with the women's couture for the second season running.
Apparently, his efforts are paying off. House president Charles-Edouard Barthes boasted that the couture turned profitable — a rarity in this money-losing business — for the first time last year. He cited growing client lists in Russia, the Middle East and the United States. So what's Roland doing right?
Judging from his revealing dresses with deep slits and necklines that plunged to the navel, it may be the designer's refusal to rein in his exuberance. His over-the-top effort featured slinky chiffon numbers with glitzy embroidery and sporty smoking trousers smocked at the cuff. Much of the show worked a cabaret theme à la Josephine Baker. His bride even came arrayed in sparkling lingerie, barely concealed under a white cape.
Speaking of cabarets, Dominique Sirop showed at the Lido. The party atmosphere was fitting, since this was a special season for Sirop, his first as the Chambre Syndicale's newest full-fledged member. The designer, who trained with Hubert de Givenchy, again highlighted his talent for sculptural silhouettes with a collection of overtly sexy, body-hugging gowns.
Beirut-based Elie Saab, whose fame grew after Halle Berry wore one of his dresses to the Oscars last year, doesn't pull his punches, either. His ornate chiffon dresses seemed made expressly for the red carpet. With their embroidered sequins and high slits, they were just the eye candy to catch a photographer's hungry gaze.
But saucing it up doesn't suit everyone. Hanae Mori, for instance, turned in another example of her understated style. Her day suits were well proportioned and staid, while her crepe dresses came in bursts of turquoise or aqua. But Mori's strong suit remains her Japanese silk fabrics. For spring, she served up a traditional wave motif on a series of fetching chiffon evening dresses. The collection also proved that Mori is still going strong. She is even preparing to rev up her quiet ready-to-wear business with the help of her new Japanese partner, Misui Busan.
Franck Sorbier, showing at the gilded Opera Comique, featured live music and a stage strewn with white confetti. It was a perfect setting for his intricate collection of white evening gowns fit for a Fairy Queen.
Meanwhile, not everyone who shows during the couture practices the haute art, per se. E2, the husband-and-wife team of Olivier and Michelle Chatenet, for example, rework vintage couture pieces and give them a hip, modern twist. This season, they moved toward the new elegance, sweeping fashion by decorating a bevy of chic Chanel-influenced pieces with eyelets and chiffon flower appliqués.
For her part, Anne-Valerie Hash's silhouette — oversized on top and slim on the bottom — revealed a more feminine feeling than in recent seasons. Yet Hash stuck to her favorite deconstructed look, reinterpreting men's clothing for a woman's body.