text:
Songs in A Minor — дебютный студийный альбом американской R&B и соул-исполнительницы Алиши Киз, вышедший 5 июня 2001 года на лейбле J Records. Диск сразу дебютировал на первом месте в американском альбомном хит-параде Billboard 200. Тираж превысил 6 млн копий в США и 12 млн в мире. Альбом получил положительные отклики критиков, несколько престижных наград, включая пять Грэмми (2002), и стал рассматриваться классическим. Альбом удостоен Премии «Грэмми» за лучший альбом в стиле ритм-н-блюз. Песня «Fallin'» получила три премии Грэмми в категориях «Песня года», «Лучшая женская вокальная работа в жанре ар-эн-би» и «Лучшая песня в жанре ар-эн-би».

Об альбоме
Диск получил положительные отзывы музыкальных критиков и интернет-изданий. Он получил 78 из 100 баллов на интернет-агрегаторе Metacritic. Среди отзывов: NME, Q, USA Today , The Washington Post, PopMatters, Robert Christgau, The Village Voice, AllMusic, Rolling Stone, Encyclopedia of Popular Music (2011) и другие.

Коммерческий успех
Альбом возглавил хит-парад США Billboard 200 (с тиражом 236 тыс. экз. в дебютную неделю).
Во вторую неделю он оставался на вершине хит-парада с тиражом 450 тыс. копий. Альбом провёл в сумме три недели (не подряд) на первом месте чарта. Альбом стал одним из бестселлеров 2001 года. К июню 2014 года тираж достиг 6,348,000 копий в США.

Список композиций

Замечания
  дополнительные продюсерские концепции additional
  основной продюсер и ремиксер
  ремикс-продюсер
  сопродюсер

Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor
Все ремиксы и концертные исполнения песен с альбома были изданы 28 октября 2002 года лейблом J Records отдельным диском под названием Remixed & Unplugged in A Minor (а в некоторых странах под названием Songs in A Minor: Remixed & Unplugged). Порция живого исполнения была взята с концерта, записанного 10 августа 2002 года в Сиэтле на KeyArena (штат Вашингтон).

Songs in A Minor: 10th Anniversary Edition
Юбилейное переиздание 10th Anniversary Edition вышло 27 июня 2011 года и было приурочено к10-летнему юбилею первого релиза альбома Songs in A Minor. Оно представлено в двух изданиях — 10th Anniversary Edition и Collector's Edition. Первый диск содержит оригинальный альбом. Второй диск, включенный в обоих вариантах выпусках, содержит бонусные песни, в том числе неизданные песни того времени, альтернативные версии и ремиксы, отобранные Киз. «Коллекционное издание» содержит больше бонусных песен, а также «живые» песни и DVD с документальным фильмом о создании альбома и музыкальными видеоклипами. Также была доступна виниловая версия оригинального альбома.

Участники записи
 Алиша Киз — вокал ; фортепиано ; вокальные аранжировки ; клавишные ; бэк-вокал ; все инструменты ; аранжировка ; все инструменты кроме скрипки ; все инструменты кроме бас-гитары ; цифровое программирование ; концепт-фортепиано ; аранжировка струнных
 Kerry «Krucial» Brothers — программирование ударных ; цифровое программирование
 Брайан Кокс — клавишные
 Miri — скрипка ; клавишные ; струнные

Чарты

Еженедельные чарты

10th Anniversary Edition

Годовые итоговые чарты

Чарты десятилетия

Сертификации

История релиза

Примечания

Литература

Ссылки

Альбомы на английском языке
Альбомы США
Альбомы Алиши Киз
Дебютные альбомы 2001 года
Премия «Грэмми» за лучший альбом в стиле ритм-н-блюз
Альбомы J Records
Альбомы — лауреаты премии MOBO


Home » Blog » The end of plastic cards are we all going digital?
I used to carry a wallet with me where ever I went, over the past few years I have found myself carrying 3-4 plastic cards that look after all my needs, no need to carry cash anymore everything I need is just a tap away. With Apple Pay and Google Pay my needs to carry cards are almost non existent, soon the drivers licence will go digital into our smart device phone another card no longer needed to carry. I have not needed my Qantas card for a few years now. It is not long now and I will be completely digital, no cards required.
The recent issues in the past few days that has reported over 500 million customer records could have been compromised with the Marriott hotel chain breach signals the end of plastic cards and plastic card data being stored locally. Going digital means the key data is kept on your phone not in the servers of the hotel chain you decide to stay with. Recent GDPR rule changes mean the consumer now has much more control over their own data than ever before. You have permission now to say no you cannot hold my credit card data on file. You now have permission to give your credit card data when you want.
Apple Pay & Google Pay are now challenging plastic credit cards where we can literally tap and go with no card required, many countries around the world are going digital including India and China. Stealing cash from a shop is no longer an option as cash has literally disappeared from mainstream consumers. New players in the market remove the need to have your credit card with you at all including ZipPay and AfterPay.
In NSW Australia the drivers licence is going digital, the hard plastic card will disappear and be replaced with a profile on your mobile phone. This digital drivers licence will also get you into clubs and night clubs.
This entry was posted in Contractor Management Demonstrations, Visitor Management System and tagged Contractor Compliance, Visitor Management on 12/02/2019 by Peter Morrissey.


Harmony Palace is located in Sunny Beach, 350 m from the sea.
The flat (54 sq.m) has 1 bedroom, kitchen / living room, bathroom, and balcony.
The flat has modern renovation and everything you need for a stay.
The bedroom has a double bed 180 cm wide and a large wardrobe with safe, ironing board and iron.
The kitchen / living room: sofa bed for 2 people, plasma TV.
The property features a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sun beds with umbrellas.
For a surcharge, guests use gym and sauna.


text:
Q: Find center of mass and moment applied on beam structure. I have a simple mathematical problem to solve but it is giving me a slightly difficult time to figure out. The problem:
I have a beam structure with same cross section. It consists of three beam. First in vertical with length 1meter. Second beam joined on top with a angle of 20degrees to the right with lenth 1.1meter and on top of the second beam, a third beam parallel to the ground with 1meter length.
I need to find the center of gravity and how much moment i have on the base of the structure so I would add a mass that would be sufficient to avoid the structure to fall over.
any ideas how?
thanks

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
<?php
/**
 * @package WordPress
 * @subpackage Traveler
 * @since 1.0
 *
 * Reviews
 *
 * Created by ShineTheme
 *
 */
/*
 * If the current post is protected by a password and the visitor has not yet
 * entered the password we will return early without loading the comments.
 */
if ( post_password_required() )
    return;

$potype = get_post_type(get_the_ID());
$obj = get_post_type_object( $potype );
$name = $obj->labels->singular_name;

$is_review_need_booked=STReview::is_review_need_booked();
?>

    <?php
    if ( have_comments() ) : ?>

            <?php
            wp_list_comments( array(
                'style'       => 'ul',
                'short_ping'  => true,
                'avatar_size' => 74,
                'callback'=>array('TravelHelper','reviewlist')
            ) );
            ?>

<?php

                        $number=get_comments_number();
                        if($number>1){
                            $name = $obj->labels->name;
                            printf(st_get_language('s_reviews'),$number);
                        }else{
                            printf(st_get_language('s_review'),$number);
                            $name = $obj->labels->singular_name;
                        }
                        if($name == 'Hotels'){
                            $name = $obj->labels->singular_name;
                        }

                        echo ' '.st_get_language('on_this').' '.$name.'    '.st_get_language('showing')
                        ?>

                <?php
                $limit=get_option('comments_per_page');
                $page = get_query_var('cpage');
                        if ( !$page )
                            $page = 1;

                $page--;

                $to=($page+1)*$limit;

                if(get_comments_number()<$to)
                {
                    $to=get_comments_number();
                }
                        printf(st_get_language('d_to_d'),($limit*$page)+1,$to)?>

                <?php
                // Are there comments to navigate through?
                if ( get_comment_pages_count() > 1 && get_option( 'page_comments' ) ) :
                    TravelHelper::comments_paging();
                    ?>

                <?php endif; // Check for comment navigation ?>

        <?php if ( ! comments_open() && get_comments_number() ) : ?>

<?php st_the_language('review_are_closed'); ?>

        <?php endif; ?>
    <?php endif; // have_comments() ?>

        <?php
        if(!STReview::check_reviewed() and !STReview::user_booked() and $is_review_need_booked):?>

            <button type="button" class="close" data-dismiss="alert" aria-label="Close">×</button>
            <?php echo ('
'.st_get_language('want_to_write_a_review').'

'.st_get_language('only_verified_guests').'

                    ')?>

        <?php endif;?>

            <?php
            $commenter = wp_get_current_commenter();
            $comment_form = array(
                'title_reply'          => st_get_language('write_a_review'),
                'title_reply_to'       => st_get_language('leave_a_reply_to').__( ' %s', ST_TEXTDOMAIN ),
                'comment_notes_before' => '',
                'fields'               => array(
                    'author' => '

' .
                        '<input id="author"  name="author" type="text" value="' . esc_attr( $commenter['comment_author'] ) . '" size="30" aria-required="true"  class="form-control" placeholder="'.st_get_language('Name*').'" />

   ',
                    'email'  => '
' .
                        '<input  placeholder="'.__('Your email address *',ST_TEXTDOMAIN).'"  class="form-control" id="email" name="email" type="text" value="' . esc_attr(  $commenter['comment_author_email'] ) . '" size="30" aria-required="true" />

',
                ),
                'label_submit'  => st_get_language('leave_a_review'),
                'logged_in_as'  => '',
                'comment_field' => '',
                'comment_notes_after'=>''
            );

            $comment_form['comment_field'] = '
                                                <input name="comment_type" value="st_reviews" type="hidden">

                                                    '.st_get_language('your_rating').'

                                                    <input name="comment_rate" class="comment_rate" type="hidden">

';

            $comment_form['comment_field'].='

                                            '.st_get_language('review_title').'
                                            <input class="form-control" type="text" name="comment_title">

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            if(is_user_logged_in()):
                $comment_form_arg=apply_filters('wp_review_form_args',$comment_form);

                if(STReview::check_reviewable()):
                    echo '
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                    comment_form( $comment_form_arg );
                    echo "
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                endif;
                if(STReview::check_reviewed()):
                    echo '
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                    echo st_get_language('you_have_been_post_a_review').' '.$name;

                    echo '
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                endif;
            else:
                echo '
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                echo sprintf( st_get_language('you_must').'log in '.st_get_language('to_write_review'),get_permalink(st()->get_option('user_login_page')));
                echo '
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            endif;
            ?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
import {
  pad,
  toMonthString,
  toWeekString,
  fromWeekString,
  toDateString,
  toTimeString,
  toDatetimeLocalString,
  formatTimeZoneOffset
} from 'ember-form-for/utils/date';

import { module, test } from 'qunit';

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#pad');

test('It pads numbers lower then 10', (assert) => {
  [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].forEach((n) => assert.equal(pad(n), `0${n}`));
});

test('It doesn\'t pad numbers greater or equal then 10', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(pad(10), '10');
});

test('Pad with multiple zeroes', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(pad(10, 3), '010');
});

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#toMonthString');

test('It stringifies to month', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(toMonthString(new Date(2015, 9)), '2015-10');
});

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#toWeekString');

test('It stringifies to week', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(toWeekString(new Date(2016, 1, 16)), '2016-W7');
});

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#fromWeekString');
test('It transforms from string to date #1', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2011-W1'), +new Date(2011, 0, 3, 0));
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2012-W1'), +new Date(2012, 0, 2, 0));
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2013-W1'), +new Date(2012, 11, 31, 0));
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2014-W1'), +new Date(2013, 11, 30, 0));
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2015-W1'), +new Date(2014, 11, 29, 0));
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2016-W1'), +new Date(2016, 0, 4, 0));
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2017-W1'), +new Date(2017, 0, 2, 0));
  assert.equal(+fromWeekString('2018-W1'), +new Date(2018, 0, 1, 0));
});

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#toDateString');

test('It stringifies to date', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(toDateString(new Date(2015, 9, 21)), '2015-10-21');
});

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#toTimeString');

test('It stringifies to time', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(toTimeString(new Date(2015, 9, 21, 16, 9)), '16:09');
});

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#toDatetimeLocalString');

test('It stringifies to datetime-local format', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(toDatetimeLocalString(new Date(2015, 9, 21, 16, 9)), '2015-10-21T16:09');
});

module('Unit | Utility | date-to-string#formatTimeZoneOffset');

test('Produces \'Z\' if 0', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(formatTimeZoneOffset(0), 'Z');
});

test('Produces \'+01:00\' if -60', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(formatTimeZoneOffset(-60), '+01:00');
});
test('Produces \'-01:00\' if 60', (assert) => {
  assert.equal(formatTimeZoneOffset(60), '-01:00');
});


Now you know a little more about the work of SOMA and its capacity to change lives through the power of the Holy Spirit, there are a number of ways in which you can participate.
If you want to meet and fellowship with SOMA people, hear first hand accounts of recent missions, be refreshed in your ministry and inspired about SOMA UK's work, then you are warmly invited to join us at our UK residential conference, 17th-19th September 2019 at High Leigh Conference Centre, Hertfordshire. Our guest speakers will be Graham and Jackie Cray, an incredibly inspiring couple who together have been at the heart of renewal in the UK for many years, central to ministries including Fresh Expressions, Soul Survivor, Ridley Hall College Cambridge, and of course many SOMA missions including recently to South Sudan. They will share their insights into where and how the Holy Spirit is at work in and through the ministry of SOMA UK. Don't miss this opportunity to hear what the Spirit is saying, to be refreshed and renewed in your ministry, and inspired by both Graham and Jackie. To book your place on the conference please click here.
The new strategy for SOMA UK is designed to expand and broaden ministry, working with its UK constituency to build mutually beneficial relationships with supporting clergy, congregations, churches, dioceses and provinces.
Equally important is the role that prayer and intercession play in the work of SOMA, which constantly strives to develop existing relationships and to build and nurture new ones. If you feel that prayer is the best route for you to support SOMA, click here to find out a little more.


Enjoy the top 119 famous quotes, sayings and quotations by Vaclav Havel.
is simply a matter of serving those around us: serving the community and serving those who will come after us. Its deepest roots are moral because it is a responsibility expressed through action, to and for the whole.
Someone who does not draw strength from himself and who is incapable of finding the meaning of his life within himself will ... seek the map to his own orientation somewhere outside himself-in some ideology, organization, or society, and then, however active he may appear to be, he is merely waiting, depending. He waits to see what others will do, or what roles they will assign to him, and he depends on them-and if they don't do anything or if they botch things, he succumbs to disillusion, despair, and ultimately, resignation.
The award is destined for scientists who do not fear to touch on some of the darkest aspects of being without betraying what they have achieved. On the contrary, they head in this direction.
Man is in fact nailed down - like Christ on the Cross - to a grid of paradoxes ... he balances between the torment of not knowing his mission and the joy of carrying it out, between nothingness and meaningfulness. And like Christ, he is in fact victorious by virtue of his defeats.
If one were required to increase the dramatic seriousness of his face in relation to the seriousness of the problems he had to confront, he would quickly petrify and become his own statue.
The only salvation of the world today ... is the rapid dissemination of the basic values of the West, that is, the ideas of democracy, human rights, the civil society, and the free market.
Want to see more pictures of Vaclav Havel quotes? Click on image of Vaclav Havel quotes to view full size.


text:
Press Release - April 4, 2022
Guaranteed Rate Companies Acquires Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Inc.
Purchase of title insurance underwriter will create more seamless end-to-end residential transactions
Guaranteed Rate Companies, a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services, announces today that it has closed on its acquisition of Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Inc. (ATG), a Chicago-based title insurance underwriter.
"Adding ATG's team to the Guaranteed Rate team is a total win-win situation, allowing us to further serve consumers in real estate sales and the purchase process," said Guaranteed Rate President and CEO Victor Ciardelli.
Ciardelli added, "I have always appreciated and valued the importance of the lawyer's role in real estate transactions. That is why Guaranteed Rate is committed to the lawyer-agent business model created by ATG. We look forward to building on ATG's success by giving lawyers and consumers the technology, tools and additional support that will enable ATG to flourish in the years to come."
Of the acquisition, ATG President and CEO Peter Birnbaum said, "This is a very exciting opportunity for our law firms, team members and customers. With the support of Guaranteed Rate, ATG will continue to be the single most ardent and effective advocate for lawyers in the conveyancing process. We are excited to be part of such an innovative, tech-forward company that is dedicated to preserving the lawyer-centric service model that has defined ATG's success over the years."
Birnbaum and his team have worked for decades to continue the legacy of the organization's founders: Preserving the lawyer's role in real estate transactions for the benefit of the consumer. "Together, ATG and Guaranteed Rate can continue our mission, long into the future, by demonstrating to the public that lawyers play an essential role in protecting consumers in the largest financial transaction of their lives," Birnbaum said.
During the last ten years, Guaranteed Rate Companies has experienced explosive growth, with a record $116 billion in total loan volume in 2021 alone. This acquisition will enable an even more seamless experience for consumers in new markets, expand the lawyer-centric model, and bolster Guaranteed Rate's continued expansion into a broader range of financial services.
About Guaranteed Rate Companies
Guaranteed Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, the Guaranteed Rate Companies has more than 10,000 employees in over 850 branches across the U.S., serving all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Guaranteed Rate Companies has helped more than 1 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances, with a total loan volume of more than $116 billion in 2021 alone. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include: Top Lender for Online Service for 2018 by U.S. News & World Report; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; HousingWire's 2020 Tech100 award for the company's industry-leading FlashCloseSM technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide's 2021 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; Chicago Agent Magazine's Lender of the Year for six consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.
About Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Inc.
Through its thousands of member attorneys, ATG has presided over more than three million home closings and provided homebuyers with competitively priced title insurance since 1964. ATG has built a significant customer base by providing excellent service at competitive prices. It has been assigned a Financial Stability Rating® (FSR) of A' (A Prime), Unsurpassed, by the independent ratings bureau, Demotech, Inc. ATG has been included in the Crain's Chicago Business list of "Chicago's Largest Privately Held Companies," for five consecutive years, including January 2022. In addition, ATG has a Claims-Paying Ability Rating of A- from the Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Financial Institutions: Title Insurance Rating Report. For more information, see Corporate Profile. In addition to title insurance, ATG offers other law and housing-related services through its subsidiary companies. For more information, visit ATG Subsidiaries/Divisions.
Piper Sandler & Co. and Conlon and Company served as financial advisors to ATG; David T. Brown and Peter A. Shepard of Much Law P.C., served as legal counsel to ATG.
[Last update: 4-6-22]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


At Austin Conference Center we are a diverse and versatile team who come together to meet our common business objectives. Interested in joining us? Please write to us and tell us briefly about yourself including the position you are interested in. You can also email your resume to us at Jessica@hiaustin.com.


*Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, presently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863. It did not become a federal holiday until 1941. Thanksgiving was historically a religious observ ation to give thanks to God, but is now also identified as a secular holiday.
The First Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony survive the brutal winter. The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Indians. The feast consisted of fowl, venison, fish, lobster, clams, berries, fruit, pumpkin, and squash. However, the traditional Thanksgiving menu often features turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.
** The idea of a national Thanksgiving Day can be attributed to Sarah Joseph Hale who promoted the idea to President Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, President Lincoln set aside the last Thursday of November as a National Day of Thanksgiving. President Lincoln later explained to a friend: "When I left Springfield (to assume the presidency) I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburg and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ." In 1941, Congress made Thanksgiving a national holiday.
*** If you are a Christian, a way to show true thanksgiving to God is to always remember Him. Remembering Him means that He is a part of our thoughts, words, and deeds. It is impossible to give gratitude to God if we never think or speak of Him. When we remember Him we are choosing to think, speak, and act as He would have us do.
All of us have much to be thankful for - as did the Pilgrims and Indians of Plymouth Colony that historic day in 1621. Thanksgiving day provides a great opportunity to honor God for all that He's provided for us. – especially Turkey feasts and Football!
Which Hotel Chain Does Customer Service E-Mail Best?
At the height of travel season, we decided to conduct a (non-scientific) experiment to find out which hotel chain does customer service e-mail best. Using the clever pseudonym "Jane Doe," we sent this e-mail query to hotel chains with properties near Chicago's Midway Airport.
I'm interested in making a hotel reservation for my brother near Midway Airport in Chicago on August 31 and September 1, 2008. (He uses a wheelchair.) Does the [insert hotel name here] have rooms for handicapped travelers? If so, how do I make a reservation?
Within two days of sending our query, we'd received responses from five hotel chains: Best Western, Marriott, La Quinta, Hyatt, and Hilton.
Want to learn which hotel does e-mail best?
The quality of the responses was uneven, to put it politely. To see which hotels provided excellent service and which bombed, download the hotels' e-mail responses and our comments (PDF).
Here's a quick overview of customer service e-mail winners and losers.
Quick response: Best Western and Marriott answered within two hours. La Quinta was the quickest, answering within just one hour. Check our comments to see whether La Quinta's response was quick and good, or just quick.
Polite, professional tone: All five hotel chains used a customer-friendly tone. In fact, four of the five began their e-mails by thanking the customer!
Grammar and spelling: Embarrassing errors slipped through in Best Western's, Hilton's, and La Quinta's e-mails.
A no-answer reply: Hilton never even mentioned accessible rooms or rooms for handicapped travelers.
For our complete analysis of the hotel e-mails' customer service quality, download the hotels' e-mail responses and our comments (PDF). A disclaimer: we haven't flagged every error in each e-mail; we've focused on the ones that affect customer service quality.


Bitcoin Core and Bitcoin Knots developer Luke Dashjr has launched a scaling poll to get a definitive answer on the real opinion of the bitcoin community.
Instead of manually creating the payment button when making payments, as it was the case before today...The exchange itself has been very picky with its additions and ZRX and some ERC20 tokens look to be a.
Coin API aims to integrate all cryptocurrency exchanges under a single API, then provide real-time and historical market data to clients. Disclaimer: This is a beta version of bittrex.com, which is in the process of being tested before official release.
The new Coinbase commerce API simplifies the payment process.
Coinbase lets you keep all your crypto and fiat currencies in one place.
Read our Complete Review first to find out what you need to know.Rumours of a possible Coinbase XRP listing have been ruled out by the cryptocurrency exchange who have announced they have no plans to introduce a new asset. Posted.
Contents Funds between gdax upgrade your Documentation. these documents outline exchange Left volume around 32 countries coinbase And powerful rest api Real-time.
The month of July seems to be the window of opportunity (concerning huge returns) in the crypto market closes.While that possibility creates enormous upside potential for XRP.


text:
Stories Retold in the Wood Carvings of Ricky Armendariz
Alisha Burkman
Launched in 2015 to celebrate and steward art within our community, the Overland Art Program promotes both established and emerging artists, inspire the design process, and encourage creative thinking. As part of this program, Overland hosts a series of rotating art exhibits throughout the year.
Within different regions and eras across the world, woodblock print-making has varied in technique and purpose from book-printing to art-making and early mass production. In modern culture, the process has continued to diversify, yielding the works of such artists as Richard Armendariz, the Overland Art Program's current featured artist. Reflecting the familiar vivacity of color, process, and storytelling of wood-block prints, Armendariz's work feels personal and intriguing.
As distinct technical practices and regional customs have characterized the evolving history of the medium, Ricky's work embodies imagery and process definitive of his own specific place and identity. Born and raised on the southern border in El Paso, Texas, the intersection of Mexican & American culture manifested through art is a distinctly powerful characteristic of his work. In the same way that we as architects work to embody what we refer to as the "genius loci" of our cities or the "prevailing character or atmosphere of a place", Ricky aims to epitomize his experience of place and culture through art.
In his work, grit and garnish, landscape and culture, romanticism and candor meet in quintessential Texas style. It is marked both by modern and historic qualities. In some pieces, traditional techniques of landscape paintings fill the canvas with rich southern skyscapes, superimposed with power-tool carved and tattoo-like iconography lyrics of Tejano/Conjunto music. In others, metaphysical links of southwestern wildlife to ancient mythology and symbology infuse wood-block prints with layers of anecdotes.
Themes of storytelling saturate Ricky's work, often taking form in the referencing of mythology, and folklore. Although expressed through different form, these works have captured us at Overland, appealing to our ambitions to tell stories through the spaces we design by means of architecture and space. Featured appropriately in our entry space, three large narrative pieces hang on a gallery wall beyond the courtyard at our office, each intricately depicting narratives spoken through print. Among them, a large buffalo draws me back to my home in Oklahoma where Native American storytelling has shaped my perception and fascination with the impressive creature.
Ricky allows stories to unfold in his pieces through the perspective of the viewer from various distances. Moving closer to each work, observers discover the constituting carved layers of iconography and lines generating the images, exemplifying the narrative detail Ricky has mastered. Such is true of the buffalo as viewers close in on the piece, which can be seen swarmed by crows and moths, the former of which slowly ravaging the creature. The piece's title, "Saturn and his Children" suggests the buffalo may be a representation of the dark mythology of Titan Cronus or "Saturn" who devoured his son in a gruesome painting by Spanish painter Francisco Goya.
Referencing another Spanish painter, Diego Velasquez, is a series of oil painting portraits in the showcase at Overland – a notable shift in medium. "Sons" and "Daughters" of Velasquez depict faces with floral-like painted gestures or "beauty marks" adorning and obscuring their portraits, most notably Juan de Pareja who practiced under Velasquez. Although the only traditional oil-paint works in the show, the theme of portraits is widespread through Ricky's portfolio as an extension of the narrative quality of his wood-block work.
In his title piece, "Only Time Will Tell Whether a River Runs Through Heaven or Hell", the powerful portrait of artist Luis Jimenez, a mentor to Armendariz, is carved in Ricky's prominent style. Jimenez, a former student of architecture and acclaimed Southwestern artist who spent a great deal of time working in El Paso, was most well-known for stimulating and striking sculptures such as "Man on Fire", a fiberglass and resin figure housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. A flaming skull in the portrait carved into Jimenez's forehead reminds me of the sculpture. One cheek bears a carving of a horse head, perhaps referencing other famous Jimenez pieces, Denver's "Blue Mustang" and the Smithsonian's "Vaquero", while the other bears the word "Chuco", a nickname given to El Paso. While Jimenez practiced primarily in sculpture, his parallels to Armendariz are plentiful; the work of each illustrates the identity and intersection of Mexican and American life in pair, harnesses a modern expression of historic artistic qualities and techniques, and references narratives of man, nature, and culture.
Just beyond the piece hangs another portrait of a compelling female artist, Kara Walker, recognized for her ability to tell powerful stories of African American history and culture through silhouette imagery. As in the portrait of Jimenez, icons carved into the portrait of Walker's face represent themes of her work and identity as an artist. Her portrait in a captivating blue skyscape, alongside the magenta and violet sky of which Jimenez is carved, presides over the studio space at Overland as if watching from above the bustle and commotion.
As we work to strengthen and support our cultural identity through the Overland Art Program with the promotion of local artists, Ricky Armendariz is a striking lead. His work intersects the legacy of woodblock print art with his own distinguished character and experience. Culture and identity in iconography and landscape of the Mexican-American border as recurring features of his work echoes the history of print as a vessel for sharing and celebrating the social qualities and impact of place. The coupling of text and illustration remind me of the ancient history of print processes in scripture and book-making and serve as a means for Ricky to share truisms of life personal to him. Portraiture and narrative art, featured in the showcase, sustains the tradition of print-making as a story-telling tool, illustrating human life and folklore. The presence of Ricky's work in our creative workspaces at Overland perhaps serves as a precedent for our ideation process. In this showcase, we are surrounded by intricate works of personal story-telling through art which inspires our design process, stimulates our creative thinking, and informs how we may choose to reflect our own life stories and experiences in the built environment.
For more about Ricky Armendariz, visit the Ruiz-Healy gallery website.
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text:
ChopCult Shootout: Victory High-Ball Vs. Harley-Davidson Street Bob
Written By: Harold McGruther, Bill Bryant
Categorized in: Features, Motorcycles
Pounded by critics for not being technologically advanced and pummeled by customers every time they stray from tradition, Harley-Davidson will always face a double-edged sword. Outlasting all other stateside bike makers and defending themselves from quality imports is a testimony to both Harley's cult-like status and the rabid dedication of its customers.
What if a new motorcycle company came along that didn't have the restrictions of over a hundred years of defining a category? What if you could start with a clean slate and build a bike that accomplished the same mission, but was unencumbered by past?
That's the position Polaris found themselves in when they started Iowa-based Victory Motorcycles in 1998. Freedom to do things their own way but also lacking generational momentum has proven to be a challenge. No matter what you think of their bikes, Victory is clearly onto something—a fact made apparent by the brand's profitability after their fourth year in operation. ChopCult is focused on customizing, building and creating our own machines, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't be aware of what's going on with modern motorcycles. When an opportunity came along to test the Victory High-Ball head to head against H-D's newest Street Bob, we jumped at the chance.
Having ridden old and new, stock and modified Harleys for years, it's hard to not to go into a road test with some preconcieved notions regarding the incumbent. With zero experience aboard a Victory, it was easier for McGoo and me to notice subtle differences. On paper the bikes are very similar. The Victory weighs in at 659 pounds dry, has a 106-inch Freedom V-twin, single-cam four-valve engine, a six-speed transmission, a low 25-inch seat height and a 64.8-inch wheelbase. Our Harley was packing an optional 103-inch Twin Cam V-Twin engine, tipped the scales 20 pounds lighter than the High-Ball, and boasted a 64.2-inch wheelbase and a seat height a click shy of 27 inches. The High-Ball is slightly lower, longer and heavier, but only by fractions. Those small tweaks are almost immediately obvious as soon as you sit on the Victory. It really does feel longer, lower and well, different. The Street Bob feels exactly as you'd expect if you're used to riding a Harley—these guys know what to mess with and what to leave alone.
If you believe the series of videos on YouTube created by an Arizona Victory dealer called "Victory vs. Harley" it's a wonder Harley-Davidsons even run. Victory's Freedom V-Twin with gear drive primary and some true technological advancements is surely a great power train, but is this guy for real? I asked a trusted friend for some advice on the subject who earns a living with his knowledge of both old and new engines and who is intimately familiar with both the TC and the Victory mills. To paraphrase his summary: "The claims in these videos are based mostly on truth, but are exaggerated to the point of being misleading. The Victory engine (and entire motorcycle) is surely well designed and well made, but this guy is not exactly telling the whole truth." That sounded like a pretty reasonable analysis to me.
Tech and propaganda aside, how do they ride? Is there a big difference between the two? In a word, no. They are both sophisticated, large motorcycles that are more than willing to squirt you down the highway at unreasonable speeds and bring a smile to any face when the going gets fun. If all-out speed and handling were your goals, you wouldn't be looking at either of these machines in the first place. But just because you don't want a Ducati or a Street Triple doesn't mean you shouldn't have fun, right? It was nice to see that neither bike compromised rideability, comfort or performance just to achieve some marketing-driven look. (The Sportster 48 comes to mind...) Either bike would be right at home on a jaunt around town or a multi-day trip across country. The ergos on the Victory bars are a bit suspect. McGoo didn't care for them, but I didn't mind them at all. The forwards on the High-Ball are not outlandishly out there, but the mids on the H-D are right where I wanted them. Both clutches pulled easily, seat heights were low and all controls were easy to use. A rider from any spot on the experience matrix could hop on either bike and feel confident, but the Victory feels a little more like you are sitting in the bike—down low, arms up, slightly more chopper-ish in posture—which is clearly by design.
The H-D came equipped with optional ABS. I prefer less nanny-controls and want to be 100 percent in command of my machine, but keep in mind these modern bikes with a full-sized man, tank of gas and a couple days of camping gear nearly hit the half-ton mark. As much as my Luddite nature says otherwise, ABS works. I put it to use a couple times on the Bob and also abused it last year on a new Blackline (especially in the dirt) and I have to admit it can be a good thing. It's not intrusive and only comes in when you need it.
Our official butt-dynos said the Victory has a slight advantage when it comes to motivation. The High-Ball straight gets it on and the torquey power delivery won't feel at all unfamiliar to a seasoned Harley rider. While it might seem just a hair slower than the Victory, the Street Bob with the optional 103-inch motor (a 350 buck upgrade—who wouldn't add that to the list!) is no slouch. With six extra cubes the bike feels significantly richer than a stock 96-inch TC and is right on the big Vic's heels. On a purely subjective note, the Harley sounds way better.
(Editor's note: For this comparo, Harold and I switched back and forth on the bikes, but he spent more time on the murdered-out Victory. The High-Ball photos and captions are his; I penned the ones that accompany the Street Bob. – Bill)
Fussy dressers swear black clothing shrinks the human form from a visual perspective. To my untrained eye the Victory High-Ball's dusky blackness had the opposite effect, and actually increased the visual mass of this already imposing cruiser's hulking silhouette.
What I would describe as Victory's untimely attempt at retro hotrod styling adds little to what is otherwise a clean looking, purposeful motorcycle. Splashes of satin brightwork on the motor fins and other areas are a nice touch, but text treatments like "Freedom Twin" and "6-speed Overdrive" come across kind of cheesy. I don't need to be told how cool or rugged my motorcycle is.
Hiding in front of the fat whitewall tire on this exceptionally nice looking 60-spoke wheel is an MX-inspired rising-rate rear suspension with adjustable, gas-charged coil shock. Rigid may be the way to go, but suspesion will always be the way to go fast.
The Victory High-Ball's swingarm is a massive cast alloy construction with a clean, 3D forged alloy caliper backing plate. Some might label such details "un-cruiser like," but I give Victory an "A" for originality. Face it: very few snowmobile companies have the same 110-year-old heritage from which to crib design inspiration that Harley has.
The High-Ball's cockpit is where Victory's commitment to creating "The Custom Bobber Experience" becomes untenable. While the construction of these fat, angular apes seemed first-rate, their height, width and flat backsweep felt unwieldy and accessively "faux outlaw" to this stubby-limbed test rider.
On the other hand, Victory's smooth clutch and adjustable front brake lever felt awesome. Simple rubber grips with durable handlebar end caps were another nice touch. The button behind the clutch lever on the leading edge of the left control pod lets the rider scroll through basic data on the High-Ball's speedo.
Victory's aesthetic mantra must include the words "bigger is better." Everything first-time cruiser buyers are likely to cherish—namely, all the big stuff—seems especially big on this machine. Examples include the Andre-the-Giant-sized headlight bucket, the massive lower triple tree with integrated headlight bracket, and the aforementioned oversized apes. Lay off the steroids, Polaris.
Any machine as big as the High-Ball feels demands brakes that are up to their task, and Victory's deliver in spades. As a whole the High-Ball's rolling and stopping hardware is top shelf, and put the gaudy red wheels on the 2013 H-D to shame in terms of style and performance in my book.
The Victory's foot controls were tidy, comfortable and super well constructed, even if they weren't exactly where my short legs needed them. Throw some mid-mounted foot controls and a six-inch-tall bar with backsweep on this oil-cooled firebreather and my lazy ass could ride a High-Ball all damned day.
Victory's air/oil cooled overhead cam 4-valve V-twin boasts 106 cubic inches and generates 110 ft./lb. of torque. That beats the 96-inch stock mill in the 2013 Street Bob by 18 ft./lb. and the 103 upgrade by a couple, but Harley's more classic and visually inspired entry in this horse race felt plenty quick between the street lights in our seat-of-the-pants comparison. Perhaps this was due to the Harley's 20 pounds lighter curb weight? Something else surprised me during our 50-mile loop over the foothills and freeway near ChopCult HQ: The Harley-Davidson is a slick shifting beast. I expected the five quarts of oil coursing through the High-Ball's veins might make Harley's century-old drive train layout feel clunky by comparison, but it didn't. The 2013 Street Bob was one of the smoothest shifting motorcycles I've ever ridden.
This photo offers no sense of scale to put the Victory's seat into perspective, so I'll say this: It's goddamned massive. Does that help?
Further styling cues from a company unencumbered by a century of visual and technological history or heritage. Because Victory is owned by a factory that makes snowmobiles, the brand isn't beholden to a design ethos originally penned by anyone's great-grandfather. This is a blessing and a curse. While I loved the High-Ball's recessed taillight, its swoopy fender stays and sword-shaped swingarm seemed swoopy and sword shaped for no good reason. In their attempt to reimagine the modern cruiser for today's motorcycler, Victory may be guilty of not pushing their own design language far enough. A pity, because a comparison of each machine's tech sheet has this shade tree mechanic convinced Polaris knows how to engineer great motorcycles, even if they don't yet know how to style one.
Some bikes are perfect as they stand. Others beg to be customized. The Victory High-Ball is an excellent specimen of the former class, just as the Street Bob falls nicely into the latter. At the end of the day, however, this website is called ChopCult. For that reason alone, I give the victory to Harley, and a hardy "nice work" to Victory.
Hey, it's a Harley! It's exactly what I was expecting and I'm totally OK with that. Red rims on an orange bike look like a mistake. This bike was an example of what you can build on H-D's website if you want to order a new bike with some specific options. 103-inch black engine and reasonably-sized apes? Good call. Red rims? C'mon—leave that shit for PJD!
That confounding license plate hinge thingy again. It hits the belt guard and doesn't fold up like it should. Big brains in Milwaukee can certainly come up with a better solution.
No one ever complained about a couple more inches, right? They're worth the nominal $350 upcharge.
My favorite H-D ignition setup. No keys flapping in the wind. Faux split tanks are an attractive nod to the MoCo's heritage.
3-D badging is nicely made but feels a little whimsical.
Traditional bars and risers mean you can easily swap things out to suit your ergonomic and stylistic tastes.
Harley manages to fit all the complex electronics and emissions gear in there as neatly as humanly possible.
Ah… mid controls. Thank you very much. Nothing wrong with convention when it works, and these do their job like an old best friend. Add some highway bars if you need to stretch. When you are getting work done in the corners there is no reason to ride a birthing chair.
No Dark Custom nonsense, just classically styled bars, trees and a simple headlight. Refreshing restraint that is easy to live with.
The MoCo rarely misses an opportunity to remind you what you're riding, or where it came from. Simple things like this plain Jane air cleaner show some class for such a stock piece.
Generations of literally defining the shape and scale of what a full-sized motorcycle should look like has helped Harley-Davidson build bikes that are both familiar and attractive. Looking at the Victory I get the sense that if the Polaris design team were building a woman, they'd exclaim, "Boobs are great—let's give her three giant ones!" Conversely, the guys at Harley seem to say, "Two tits is plenty—just make sure they're both the right size and shape." A ridiculous metaphor perhaps, but I know which girl I'd take home.
Since both bikes are fun to ride, close to the same size and boast nearly identical specs, what this comparison came down to for McGoo and me was styling. After riding both machines, one nagging thought got stuck in my head: The Harley feels like it was engineered by designers; the Victory feels like it was designed by engineers. At the end of the day, ChopCult readers want something they can make their own. If turning wrenches is as important to you as logging miles, the Street Bob will look better in your garage.
Compare specs and look at more details and photos here:
Commented on 1-21-2013 At 10:44 am
like the tires and the taillight in the rear but bike not for me as the street bob not bad rode one .
grandpab
Great comparison of two great bikes.
bobbarooski
Great information!
TenaciousB
I have ridden Polaris snowmobiles and ATV's all my life. My Old Man has been a Polaris fanatic since his first sled in, well, fricken forever ago. Also there was a Polaris dealership owner in my extended family. So needless to say, I like Polaris and Victory. They have some of the best products out there.
But I also live in Milwaukee, WI. And here, Harley rules the Roost. So that's what I have. And I love it.
Plus Victory doesn't have any old bikes to rebuild. My tools would feel so neglected. LOL
These are the kind of write ups I like! No blatant catering to a manufacturer!
One thing I don't understand... Bill, you'd not take home the chick with 3, huge tits?
And McGoo's "... a comparison of each machine's tech sheet has this shade tree mechanic convinced Polaris knows how to engineer great motorcycles, even if they don't yet know how to style one." ----Is a perfect summary. My dad has a Victory and I can't get right with its style.... It's just... so heinous...
davidabl
"The Harley feels like it was engineered by designers; the Victory feels like it was designed by engineers"
Too bad they can't trade teams for a season or two.
Or at least Victory could get somebody else to design next season's new Indians.
spdmtlrcng
The simple fact that forward controls were compared to a birthing chair makes me happy. I have forwards on my softy. Wish I didn't tho.
Somebody, ANYBODY else. So they'd do at least as good a job as say Yamaha does on their Harley wannabes.
ShovelEd
Im definitely dont like the polaris. I have an older model street bob which I love. I did like the write up. Hope for more stuff like this. Even though this isa site geared to choppers. These bikes will make it there one day maybe.
bnalm11b
I don't like Arlen Ness' bikes, never have. Even if the polaris is a better bike, its still fugly.
The Polaris demands to be chopped. Or put out of it's misery.
I've visited Arlen Ness' Victory dealership and Mr. Ness sure as hell HAS built some cool bikes. But he sure doesn't seem to be doing it anymore.The '60's and '70's were a LONG time ago. Unfortunately. Polaris needs another designer now.
SeaChicken
Polaris has some nice bikes and can branch out on current technology. I would like to see one chopped. The swing arm on the Polaris is a huge turn off for me.
easyspeed
Consensus..... Who cares, they are both $20k + brand new oem's being compared on a site where forum members chop and build customs twice as bad ass for 1/4 the price....... Next!
20k plus? how you figure easyspeed?
Huero
Shit + Shit = Shit
I'd like to see a write-up of two $25k Panheads and maybe I would be able to wrap my head around why guys spend that kind of cash on them, THAT would be wayyyyy more helpful to me.
Oops, I guess they msrp for $13,000 starting out. I'm sure both models are a bit upgraded though.
Just would rather click into chopcult and see chops. But I guess there are bills to pay now , huh? I think I'de go with the polaris, That way when I paid 13.5 + taxes I'de know my bike would be worth at least $5500 in 2015.
I love when you do comparisons Bill. I probably wouldn't be interested in either of these bikes but non the less, great write up. People have to remember that back in the glory days of choppers they were not "old" or "vintage" Bikes they used. They chopped brand new cb750's and shovels.
whiskeyhangover
Street bob is 13K base msrp, High-ball is 15K base msrp. If I was to pay 15K for a new bike I'd take a Dyna Wide Glide and throw the ape hangers on it. It's closer to the High Ball in looks, but better.
RexCharger
rainbow your comment is correct to a point, but there were plenty of "old" or "vintage" pans and knucks being chopped in the "glory days of choppers"
fullertronic
Great write up, although I just can't get in to new bikes no matter who's building them.
AJSEVEN
ok so I would take a crap on the harley first i think i would rather cut up the victory but I would for sure crap on the harley first no reason just because well ok maybee because of the company using metal flake before i could afford to make my bike look like an easter egg bastards oh well satin black always was my favorite color
Sooooo this is what this is turning into!!! Sad & squaresville!!!! I'll check back in a week!!!
We had this test in the works long before the sale. We do about two or three new bike features a year. Of course it's a chopper site, but plenty of members also have a new bike. So, it hasn't turned into anything, it's the same as it has been from day one. Whether any more new bike tests get done in the future is up to the new guys.
kabbagepatch
I ride a victory and it is number 35 off the assembly line ever. I have cams, pistons, exhaust intake work and a chip in it. After chopping it and taking off alot of weight the bike just flies. I hate most of the victory styling cues but after riding a Harley next to the power of a victory, Ill take my Victory. Fuck aftermarket parts... just make your own.
I have worked in both dealerships in the service department, and I have had my run ins with both manufacturers and all models and have riddens hundreds if not thousands of miles on all models. I can say that victory has a great concept, and its always good to see an american motorcycle company. As far as ridability, to each their own. Its all about rider preferance.
The biggest advantages that HD has over Victory, is HD has 110 years of heritage, more customization options (by far) and its a world wide known name. Victory has come a long way since it started manufacturing motorcycles in the 90s, but the company still has a long way to go as far as getting on the customization wagon. With NESS on board, it certainly helps. However its hard to compare with Harleys products and all the after market options available with any other manufacturer in the world.
Harley Davidson, all the way.
The Polaris isn't gracefully styled, and it need not "copy HD" to be gracefully styled. (Vincent, anyone?)
Whitewalls on any modern bike are lame, the styling elements are poorly tied together, the swingarm is fugly, and the fuel tank treatment seems to be "avoiding" the engine rather than working with it.
Nice engine internals though. If any motorcycle needs to be chopped to save it from its stock styling, the Victory is it. It's up there with the bizarre Guzzi cruisers....


text:
Derby Royal Infirmary
Project: Derby Royal Infirmary
Location: Derby
Client: Rodgers Leask on behalf of the NHS
Services: Enabling & Demolition, Land Remediation & Earthworks, Asset Recovery, Recycling & Environmental
Cawarden demolishes and clears the former 17-acre Derby Royal Infirmary site to create an attractive location for potential developers to regenerate the area.
Constructed in the 1800s, the Derby Royal Infirmary site, which had been left derelict for five years, was one of the region's oldest hospitals. It served the local area until 2009 when the majority of the services were transferred to the new Derby Royal 'Super' Hospital.
As Principal Contractor working to an NEC contract, Cawarden was appointed to deliver all the associated enabling and demolition works to complete the extensive scope of works and clear the site of the former hospital.
Cawarden completed a widespread soft strip of all buildings, with all waste segregated to maximise recycling. Licensed and non-licensed asbestos materials were removed under suitably controlled conditions and were safely disposed of at licensed tipping facilities.
Standard controlled mechanical and super-high reach demolition techniques were used to pull the buildings down, ranging from 1 to 18 storeys high with a mix of construction types. All floor slabs, foundations and hardstandings were raised.
Other key activities included complex separation works to retained structures; Dismantling of a 40-metre high boiler house chimney utilising a 150-tonne crane; Decommissioning and removal of plant and underground tanks; Excavation and disposal of hazardous and contaminated materials; Removal and disposal of radioactive tiles.
99% of materials were reclaimed and recycled to divert waste from landfill and to maximise the site's assets to the benefit of the client. This included 200,000 tonnes of hardcore which was crushed on-site and recycled within re-grading works. The surplus was reused at other construction sites.
The vast range of complex activities carried out on this high profile project presented a series of constraints and challenges. Industry know-how, carefully planned logistics, extensive resources and an innovative approach all contributed to the success of the project and with minimum disruption in the busy neighbourhood.
The result of Cawarden's work created an attractive site for future development. It's a flagship project we are more than proud to put our name to!
More on this project
Demolition of the Nurses Home Tower time-lapse video
Bolton Market Place
IMEX Business Park


text:
Transgenerational effects of sexual interactions and sexual conflict: non-sires boost the fecundity of females in the following generation
Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez, Damian Kimon Dowling
The consequences of sexual interactions extend beyond the simple production of offspring. These interactions typically entail direct effects on female fitness, but may also impact the life histories of later generations. Evaluating the cross-generational effects of sexual interactions provides insights into the dynamics of sexual selection and conflict. Such studies can elucidate whether offspring fitness optima diverge across sexes upon heightened levels of sexual interaction among parents.Here,we found that, inDrosophilamelanogaster, components of reproductive success in females, but not males, were contingent on the nature of sexual interactions experienced by their mothers. In particular, maternal sexual interactions with non-sires enhanced female fecundity in the following generation. This highlights the importance of non-sire influences of sexual interactions on the expression of offspring life histories.
Biology Letters
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0067
10.1098/rsbl.2015.0067
The oxygen paradox and the evolution of sex differences
Dowling, D., Nystrand, M. & Garcia-Gonzalez, F.
Australian Research Council (ARC), Monash University, University of Western Australia
Garcia-Gonzalez, F., & Dowling, D. K. (2015). Transgenerational effects of sexual interactions and sexual conflict: non-sires boost the fecundity of females in the following generation. Biology Letters, 11(3), 1 - 6. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0067
Garcia-Gonzalez, Francisco ; Dowling, Damian Kimon. / Transgenerational effects of sexual interactions and sexual conflict: non-sires boost the fecundity of females in the following generation. In: Biology Letters. 2015 ; Vol. 11, No. 3. pp. 1 - 6.
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title = "Transgenerational effects of sexual interactions and sexual conflict: non-sires boost the fecundity of females in the following generation",
abstract = "The consequences of sexual interactions extend beyond the simple production of offspring. These interactions typically entail direct effects on female fitness, but may also impact the life histories of later generations. Evaluating the cross-generational effects of sexual interactions provides insights into the dynamics of sexual selection and conflict. Such studies can elucidate whether offspring fitness optima diverge across sexes upon heightened levels of sexual interaction among parents.Here,we found that, inDrosophilamelanogaster, components of reproductive success in females, but not males, were contingent on the nature of sexual interactions experienced by their mothers. In particular, maternal sexual interactions with non-sires enhanced female fecundity in the following generation. This highlights the importance of non-sire influences of sexual interactions on the expression of offspring life histories.",
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Transgenerational effects of sexual interactions and sexual conflict: non-sires boost the fecundity of females in the following generation. / Garcia-Gonzalez, Francisco; Dowling, Damian Kimon.
In: Biology Letters, Vol. 11, No. 3, 2015, p. 1 - 6.
T1 - Transgenerational effects of sexual interactions and sexual conflict: non-sires boost the fecundity of females in the following generation
AU - Garcia-Gonzalez, Francisco
AU - Dowling, Damian Kimon
N2 - The consequences of sexual interactions extend beyond the simple production of offspring. These interactions typically entail direct effects on female fitness, but may also impact the life histories of later generations. Evaluating the cross-generational effects of sexual interactions provides insights into the dynamics of sexual selection and conflict. Such studies can elucidate whether offspring fitness optima diverge across sexes upon heightened levels of sexual interaction among parents.Here,we found that, inDrosophilamelanogaster, components of reproductive success in females, but not males, were contingent on the nature of sexual interactions experienced by their mothers. In particular, maternal sexual interactions with non-sires enhanced female fecundity in the following generation. This highlights the importance of non-sire influences of sexual interactions on the expression of offspring life histories.
AB - The consequences of sexual interactions extend beyond the simple production of offspring. These interactions typically entail direct effects on female fitness, but may also impact the life histories of later generations. Evaluating the cross-generational effects of sexual interactions provides insights into the dynamics of sexual selection and conflict. Such studies can elucidate whether offspring fitness optima diverge across sexes upon heightened levels of sexual interaction among parents.Here,we found that, inDrosophilamelanogaster, components of reproductive success in females, but not males, were contingent on the nature of sexual interactions experienced by their mothers. In particular, maternal sexual interactions with non-sires enhanced female fecundity in the following generation. This highlights the importance of non-sire influences of sexual interactions on the expression of offspring life histories.
UR - http://goo.gl/AmWSb0
U2 - 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0067
DO - 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0067
JO - Biology Letters
JF - Biology Letters
Garcia-Gonzalez F, Dowling DK. Transgenerational effects of sexual interactions and sexual conflict: non-sires boost the fecundity of females in the following generation. Biology Letters. 2015;11(3):1 - 6. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0067


- Right. I saw those 2 registry entries/that behaviour as well. Well, the good folks at Piriform do have "something to work on". - I have used a registry editor many times before, so I know what the dangers are, what can go wrong. I learned that the hard way ;-) - I installed Tweaking's Registry Backup. It makes a copy of the registry (files) upon startup of Windows. I already had a few times when I have gotten into trouble (e.g when fiddling with the registry) and then restoring the regsitry to a previous state (with this program) resolved the problems. (Yes, this was an advertisement but it really has helped me). In those cases there was no need to use the more cumbersome Windows' System Restore feature. So, don't worry, I have a plan B.
- Suggestion: Add an option to allow to user to switch off that data collection to be sned.
- Right. I found that registry entry as well. (with the help of ...... CCleaner). - I disabled that entry (with CC) and the CC monitoring feature was running again when I restarted my system today. Seems that CC refreshes/re-enabled that registry entry when one is fiddling with CC.
- Run Antibody's WIZTREE. It will show the size of the "System Volume Information" (SRP) folder in which the data for the SRPs are stored. How does the size of that folder develop over time ? - Even when one deletes all System Restore Points with CCleaner then that one folder won't be fully empty and still can contain GBs of data. - I wouldn't worry too much. When Windows finds out that the amount of free space has become to low it will automatically delete one or more SRPs.
- Perhaps this sending of statistics to Piriform is the reason why CC (v5.45) keeps runnng after the user has closed the program ? - I don't mind that CC sends some data/statistics to Piriform to help the developers improve the program. But then CC should ONLY do that when the user shuts down the program. I do hope that this happens INDEPENDENT of the CC monitoring feature (This feature should be fixed). - I know that Defraggler also stores some statistics in a file called "Statistics.bin". Is this file send to Piriform as well ?
- When I started to use my system this morning then the CC tray icon re-emerged, in spite of having disabled the "Monitoring" option the day before. But CC has re-enabled this "Monitoring" option/function.
- Same story here. I just downloaded and installed the latest version minutes ago. Then I disabled the Monitoring option but the CC system tray icon still remains active. Even when I restart the program. - Task Manager on my Win 7 system tells me that CCleaner remains active even when I close CC with monitoring switched off. So, that's where CC seems to go "off the rails". - I also noticed that CC opens/can open a second "CCleaner64.exe" process when I click on the system tray icon for a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, ......... time. A 3rd thing I noticed is that CPU of the CC process cango up through the roof when I use the tray icon to open CC. Seems that the CC monitoring function is then restarted.
- Your HD had a few "bad spots" and was somehow able to repair those "bad spots" because the value(s) of (at least) 2 SMART attributes are now higher. (#5 & 196). I assume that the HD was somehow able to "repair" those bad sectors and Windows also was able to "repair" itself. - SMART attributes #197 & 198 (2 notorious ones) are still at zero meaning that the HD was able to "repair" itself otherwise those 2 values would have been higher than zero. - I would recommend to make sure that you regularly back up your system especially after this "Warning". And keep looking at your HD with a healthy amount of caution.
- Post another screen shot. I am curious whether something has changed.
@LMacri: - When there's too little free diskspace then Windows will delete - AFAIK - all SRPs. - Please do run Antibody's WIZTREE as well (tree view) and make a screenshot of the treeview. - I have 6 SRPs on my Win 7 system but I see no relationship between the 6 SRPs and the amount of subfolders in "System Volume Information". See picture attached. - As said before sometimes when I delete all SRPs then that one folder can still contain GBs of data.
- Run Antibody's Wiztree. The program can pull up the size of the folder called "System Volume Information" in which the data/info for the System Restore Points (SRP) are stored. Even if the user deletes all SRPs (with e.g. CCleaner) then this folder still can contain GBs worth of data. I have come across one example where this folder still contained over 60 GB of data. - One also has to take into account that when the amount of of free disk space is too low for making a new SRP, then Windows will delete one or more or even all SRPs.
- Currently, Microsoft follows the socalled "Monthly Rollup Update" policy for Windows 7 and Windows 8. This policy was introduced in the 2nd half of 2016. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/windowsitpro/2016/10/07/more-on-windows-7-and-windows-8-1-servicing-changes/ - But now Microsoft is moving to a similar policy for Windows Server 2008 SP 2 as well. See the web-article below, dated june 12, 2018. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/windowsserver/2018/06/12/windows-server-2008-sp2-servicing-changes/ (Is MS going to follow a similar policy for the Server version of Windows 8 ?? What's the name of that version ? Win Server 2012 ??) - My personal opinion is and remains that MS should issue a new Service Pack for Win 7, Win 8 and Win Server 2008. (MS DID issue a second Service Pack for Windows Server 2008 (SP2).) After that MS then can start issueing "Cumulative (Security) Updates" each month. It would make the Windows update procedure/make life for MS and the users of Windows much much easier.
- Question: Doesn't a SSD and a HD have some information stored somewhere in e.g. the firmware that tells the Piriform's software if the storage device is a SSD or a HD ? - I had some problems with a Hitachi Travelstar drive in the past. The documentation for that HD I pulled up from the interent told me that it contained a 512 byte information string. That documentation also told me what the meaning was of each byte & bit that was stored in that information string. https://1drv.ms/b/s!AluvxwylJSzygS-MO-XBZoGZnA40 - I have an external USB 500 GB SSD and Defraggler does correctly recognize it's a SSD.
Defrag With Many Holes - Normal?
- Try this: - Run Defraggler to analyze that problem drive. Are there some type of files or folders that aren't being de-fragmented by DF ? E.g. the folder "System Volume Information" ? - Run Antibody's WIZTREE. This program gives an overview of the size of (large) files and folders. Is the folder "System Volume Information" (very) large ? In MBs and %. That folder contains the data for the System Restore Points and DF isn't able to move/defragment those files. - Disable the "System Restore" feature and restart. Then all those "Restore points" are gone. Is DF able to defragment the remaining files/folders ?
- Install Tweaking's Registry Backup. This program makes a backup of all the registry files upon start up. When you have trouble then you use the same program to restore the registry files. Works much better than System Restore although it only makes a backup of the registry and not of other user data. - When Windows discovers that the amount of free disk space reaches a certain (very) low level then Windows will automatically (try to) delete one or more of the oldest/older Restore Points.
- If you have enabled the "System Restore" feature then Windows will make such a point every now and then. Even if you didn't install anything (for a long time). This is the most likely the reason why these points keep popping up and keep growing. Although I never figured out what the trigger is for this to occur. And then in combination with some action from DEFRAGGLER seems to trigger this "System Restore Point"feature as well. (Developers: Are you reading this ???) Here's something that should work: - Run Antibody's WIZTREE. It shows the size of the folder called "System Volume Information" is. This folder contains the info/data for those System Restore Points. Please give us that size. - Delete all System Restore Points. There's somewhere deep in Windows 7 itself an option to do that. (Control Panel > system > advanced system options). I assume that a similar option is also available in Window 10. - If that doesn't work then simply disable this "System Restore Feature" feature all together for all drives and restart. Then those points should be gone - If you want then re-enable the "System Restore" feature. - Please report if this was helpful.
- Run Piriform's CCleaner to recover that (lost) disk space ("Tools" > "System Restore"). - Check the option "Stop VSS when defragmenting NTFS volume" in Defraggler ("Settings" > "Options" > "Advanced").
- Defraggler hasn't been updated for a long time. I am wondering whether there will be a new version of the program any time soon. But the program still contains some other bugs as well.
- Is this a matter of permssions ? Did you run the program with admin rights ? Or did some other program/app mess up those permissions ? - If it's matter of permissions then try if running Tweaking's Windows Repair will help. It has a repair that puts all permissions back to their default state(s).
- It's a bit overblown: "Selfdestructing messages". It's simply that messages are being/can be deleted after a while. Seems A LOT OF users didn't delete their emails and are occupying A LOT OF storage space in "the cloud".
- Can anyone recommend a program that is able to play an animated GIF file outside a webbrowser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.) ? - From time to time there're some VERY nice animated GIFs pictures. I tried IRFAN but there the GIFs sometimes are played (way) too fast.