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How Drake's 'Views' Track Listing Guarantees Him A Platinum Plaque
Gary SuarezContributor
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
With Drake fans anxiously awaiting the arrival of his new album Views, the announcement of its official track listing via the artist's Twitter account brought that anticipation to a fever pitch.
With the album due to premiere today via Apple's Beats 1 program, it will assuredly exist as an Apple Music / iTunes exclusive for at least some period of time. Such was this case with last year's Future collaboration What A Time To Be Alive, which stayed on the company's proprietary streaming and download services for a full week before spreading to Spotify, Amazon, and other platforms.
Regardless of platform exclusivity or pricing decisions, the Views track list reveals a shrewd release strategy that guarantees it will be one of his most successful albums to date.
This past February, the Recording Industry Association of America announced changes to the methodology behind gold, platinum, multi-platinum, and diamond award certifications for albums. The new rules give streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify a significant role in the determination of an album's sales performance, with 1,500 on-demand song streams in the United States holding the same value as 10 individual track sales or 1 full album sale. (Streams and sales that occur outside of the United States are not factored into RIAA certification.) The benefits for rap albums came swiftly, with artists like Big Sean, Kendrick Lamar, and Nicki Minaj earning fresh certifications in the first two weeks.
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For an artist like Drake, for whom a new song release can generate millions of streams per day, the revised RIAA model assures him that Views will quickly achieve a platinum plaque. Using the RIAA's model, 1,500,000 streams of an individual Drake song in the United States is the equivalent of 1,000 actual album sales. At 20 tracks long, that adds up to some potentially huge numbers for Views that would not have been factored into the award certification math prior to this year.
Views' tracklisting truly games the revised RIAA gold and platinum system by exploiting how the organization now factors in the streaming performance of pre-release songs following an album's release. On just Spotify alone, recently released singles "One Dance" and "Pop Style" have amassed 67 million and 18 million global plays, respectively. Upon Views' release, any of those plays that occurred in the United States will apply not only to those songs' qualifications towards RIAA digital single certifications, but towards the album certification as well. By the RIAA's new methodology, that amounts to potentially tens of thousands of applicable and attributable sales the second Views drops, though notably it won't factor into its placement on Billboard's album charts.
Furthermore, the inclusion of 2015 single "Hotline Bling" as a bonus track could send Views' RIAA numbers skyrocketing. With well over 400 million Spotify streams worldwide and close to 700 million official YouTube plays globally on Drake's Vevo channel, this aging hit could be the infusion that sends Views well on its way to multi-platinum status before year's end.
The Views track listing is as follows:
"Keep the Family Close"
"U with Me?"
"Feel No Ways"
"Hype"
"Weston Road Flows"
"With You"
"Faithful"
"Still Here"
"Controlla"
"One Dance"
"Grammys"
"Pop Style"
"Too Good"
"Summers Over Interlude"
"Fire & Desire"
"Views"
"Hotline Bling"
Correction: In determining award certifications, the RIAA solely counts sales, downloads, and streaming activity in the United States. Worldwide performance outside of the U.S. on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms is not counted. This article has been updated to reflect that. Global streaming numbers for "Hotline Bling" on Spotify and YouTube have also been updated.
Gary Suarez
I am a freelance writer, music critic, content creator, and marketing professional born and raised in New York City. In addition to Forbes, my work on music,
I am a freelance writer, music critic, content creator, and marketing professional born and raised in New York City. In addition to Forbes, my work on music, entertainment, and popular culture has appeared in various outlets including Billboard, Complex, Deadspin, The Guardian, High Times, The New York Times, Pitchfork, Remezcla, Rolling Stone, Vibe, and Vice. I began writing on these topics in 1999 and have done so more or less continuously since then, extensively covering musical genres such as heavy metal, hip-hop, punk rock, and electronic music. Apart from this, I've also held marketing and social media positions in both the publishing and hospitality industries since 2001.


So, how do we keep our computers from having a laugh-fest at our expense when the lights go out?
Then, we will use the Sheets query function to fill in the Birthday Calendar.
Seems simple right? Just type in the months, and arrange them into quarters — or, in this case, trimesters.
You've just given your computer material for her gig at comedy night.
See that dot at the lower right corner of the cell, and the cross-shaped cursor near it?
violà!, Google Sheets detects that you want to fill cells C2:N2 with the months of the year. Just be careful not to include row 3 in the drag, otherwise you'll get two rows of the names of the months. No major hassle though, simply delete the extra row if you do manage to create one accidentally.
As an aside, I started in row 2 to leave space for a heading, maybe something like "Birthdays of GoT cast members whose characters still live".
I also left the first two columns blank, the first as a spacer, and the second for the day of the month.
I've left space for 10 birthdays per month, which is a lot considering the number of surviving characters. You may adjust as necessary for the number of people in your application.
So, how would you populate the calendar with the birthdays?
If you think you're clever by sorting the 'Cast and Roles' sheet on the birthdays, then manually typing in the days of birth and corresponding names in the square for the month — look deep into your computer, and you'll see a snicker forming.
And if you thought the auto-fill of the months was magical, just wait.
Google Sheets has this query function which is something like an SQL query. The function that'll generate the entries for February (there being no January-born cast members): =query('Cast and Roles'!$D3:$F, "select day(D), F where E = 2 ORDER BY day(D)").
In case you're interested, the function that creates entries for January is =query('Cast and Roles'!$D3:$F, "select day(D), F where E = 1 ORDER BY day(D)").
This is about the time to explain the last two columns of the 'Cast and Roles' sheet.
See that =month(D3) in the input area of Sheets? That tells Sheets to extract the month of the entry in D3, which is the full birthday of the cast member. That formula is copied down to the last row.
Column F, on the other hand, is the concatenation of the actor's first and last names, accomplished with =concatenate(B3, " ", A3) and copied down to the last row.
I had to do that because Sheets wouldn't let me =query('Cast and Roles'!$D3:$F, "select day(D), concatenate(B3, " ", A3) …) so I had to do the concatenation in the 'Cast and Roles' sheet.
The Sheets query function has two parameters. The first is the name of the sheet ('Cast and Roles') followed by an exclamation point, then the range of the sheet to query, in this case, from row 3, column D, up to the last row of column F. This tells =query where to operate.
The second parameter is the select statement itself, which in this case takes the day of D (the birthdate of the actor), and F, which is the concatenated first and last name of the actor. Sheets knows to extract D and F from the 'Cast and Roles' sheet, and not from the Birthday Calendar sheet, by the 'Cast and Roles'! specifier.
The select statement further tells Sheets to limit the selection to cells within the range where E=2 — i.e., the month of the birthday is 2, for "February". Lastly, the ORDER BY day(D) tells Sheets to sort the resulting data set according to the day of birthdate.
Next, paste the formula into H3, and change E=2 to E=3, 3 for "March". Rinse and repeat for the other months.
The calendar is far from pretty — for one, those "day()" entries. In hindsight, I could've created another column in the 'Cast and Roles' Sheet extracting the day of the birthday, say, into column G. The select would then be select G, F where E=x ORDER BY G. This might've made the query faster as well.
Conversely, I could've done away with the 'Cast and Roles'!E column and instead queried for month(D)=x. However, no getting away from the F column, the concatenation of the first and last names.
I took the easy way out after I realized that — I simply hid rows 4, 13, and 25.
There's also the matter of the cell widths, with the columns for the days of the birthday being too wide, and those for the names being too narrow. Easy enough to fix: first right-click on the columns for the days of the birthday, Resize column, Fit to data.
You may also want to narrow the spacing between the months. You may want to set the months to a different font, size, or background color.
Then, in regard to the "scratch" columns in 'Cast and Roles' — the birthmonth and the concatenation of the first and last names. They are an eyesore. Easy enough, just hide them.
In any event, these are cosmetic issues.
In closing, there may be ways to assign the computer, through a Google Sheets script or similar mechanism, some of the tasks above. E.g., creating the calendar — could I have told Sheets to break the months of the year into trimesters instead of a cut-and-paste of the cells? I haven't found ways to streamline the process — yet. Likewise, it would be neat to be able to automate the E=x part of the select according to the month you want to fill. I may find a way soon after I hit the Publish button.
Being a feature of a spreadsheet app, query-select is, as you might expect, most useful in a business setting.
For instance, a wholesaler records, as they come in, data on sales into a Google Sheet. The data includes, at a minimum, the date of sale, customer, product, quantity, price, and total amount due (which may — in fact, should — be computed).
The same wholesaler would have suppliers, and purchases might be recorded, as they come in, into the same Google Sheet. The data includes at a minimum the date of purchase, supplier, product, quantity, price, total amount due.
The data entry may even include validation to accept only recognized customers' and suppliers' transactions with the wholesaler.
A second sheet will summarize, at the end of the month — or, maybe even at any time &mash; the total of the month-to-date purchases of each customer, and the total of the month-to-date due to each supplier.
Want to play with the Sheet? Make a copy and have fun with it.


Moving your corporate office is never easy, and it can be more stressful than moving your home and family. There are usually certain guidelines that you must follow provided by the company, and sometimes that unfamiliarity can cause headaches and stress. The professional corporate movers in Round Rock at All My Sons Moving & Storage are here to give you tips for moving your corporate office to Round Rock, Texas.
The first thing you can do to prepare for the move is to plan everything out in advance. If a company is busy moving, the company is not up and running, which ultimately means the company is not making any money. Because of this, the main goal for your corporate move is to be time-efficient. The less time that is spent moving, the more cost-efficient your corporate move will be.
To get a head-start on the corporate moving process, our moving coordinators recommend giving yourself at least 3 months to prepare for your move. To make the process go quickly, you should make sure that you are familiar with the new location and office. You should have all the measurements taken down, note any differences in shapes of the rooms or furniture, and if you are not getting new furniture, make sure the old furniture will fit into your new space. The more prepared you feel going into your new space, the less stress there is for your employees and the Round Rock, TX movers as well.
The most important thing when it comes to a corporate move is communication. Everyone involved in the move (employees, landlords, movers, etc.) should be aware of every detail before the actual move. The less questions there are on moving day, the better. The best way to stay organized, especially with furniture and electronics, is by using colored labels. Your Round Rock corporate movers will know exactly where everything is supposed to go, which makes your move go faster. Our professional team finds this to be the most effective tactic for moving large commercial staff.
When it comes to personal items, make sure your employees know that they will be responsible for packing their own items before the actual move. You can give your employees boxes and have them put their names on the outside of their boxes in multiple places, so that our Round Rock movers can put them in the appropriate place. To maximize efficiency, you can put name cards in the correct locations at your new office space.
You want to make sure that your address is updated everywhere. Especially if you have clients, you need to be sure that your clients know that you're moving and where you're moving to. If you can, should update your website, business cards, and letterhead about one week before the move. You should also look to change any online listings about a month ahead- since that change can take a little bit longer to be approved.
If you are making a corporate move soon, give All My Sons Moving & Storage a call today!


This page contains links to those who sell dishcloth patterns. These are listed in alphabetical order to the best of my human ability.
This is not an attempt to advertise or in any way promote any of these merchants. I am not responsible for what happens between a user of this site and anyone listed on this blog. I am not affiliated with anyone here. I receive no payment, formal or informal, for listing a site here.
If you know of a site you wish to have added to this list, please contact me through the comments section of this blog. Be advised that my response time is sometimes not immediate due to commitments to my family and employer.


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RPC, Inc. (RES) Receives Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" from Analysts
Posted by Kathy Lenkie on May 5th, 2019 // Comments off
RPC, Inc. (NYSE:RES) has been given an average recommendation of "Hold" by the twenty-three ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $12.69.
Several research firms recently weighed in on RES. Raymond James lowered shares of RPC from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 13th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of RPC from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 26th. Wells Fargo & Co lowered shares of RPC from a "market perform" rating to an "underperform" rating in a research report on Monday, January 7th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. ValuEngine lowered shares of RPC from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 9th. Finally, Susquehanna Bancshares set a $13.00 price target on shares of RPC and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 2nd.
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Shares of NYSE RES traded up $0.13 during trading on Friday, hitting $12.58. The stock had a trading volume of 109,839 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,824,765. RPC has a 12 month low of $9.35 and a 12 month high of $20.18. The firm has a market cap of $2.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.34, a PEG ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 0.99.
RPC (NYSE:RES) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 23rd. The oil and gas company reported $0.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $0.10 by ($0.04). RPC had a return on equity of 17.63% and a net margin of 10.19%. The firm had revenue of $376.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $385.48 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.18 EPS. The business's revenue was down 11.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that RPC will post 0.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.
In other news, Director Pam R. Rollins purchased 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 31st. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $10.85 per share, with a total value of $108,500.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 73.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in RPC by 243.8% in the fourth quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,000 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $109,000 after purchasing an additional 7,800 shares in the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank purchased a new stake in RPC in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $114,000. LPL Financial LLC raised its stake in RPC by 26.6% in the fourth quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 12,756 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $126,000 after purchasing an additional 2,680 shares in the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can raised its stake in RPC by 85.8% in the fourth quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 13,984 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $129,000 after purchasing an additional 6,459 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James & Associates raised its stake in RPC by 31.0% in the fourth quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 13,130 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $130,000 after purchasing an additional 3,110 shares in the last quarter. 32.60% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
RPC Company Profile
RPC, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of oilfield services and equipment for the oil and gas companies involved in the exploration, production, and development of oil and gas properties. The company operates through Technical Services and Support Services segments. The Technical Services offers pressure pumping, fracturing, acidizing, downhole tools, coiled tubing, snubbing, nitrogen, well control, wireline, pump down, and fishing services that are used in the completion, production, and maintenance of oil and gas wells.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Brexit: Commentary on the deal rejection: What a Brexshit!
Commentary on the Brexit deal rejection | What a Brexshit!
At what point has a country really gone politically broke? Answer: when, with respect to what is by far the most important political issue in decades, it doesn't matter who is in government.
This is now the state of things in the United Kingdom, the home of democracy – formerly known as the island of reason.
How can the island leave the European Union (EU) without sinking itself?
Leaving the EU was the democratic will of a narrow majority of Brits. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter now whether this majority was seduced by phoney politicians and demagogues. The decision has been made. And British politics has been shattered because of it.
In a manic hubris, the conservative Tory government has – despite all warnings – insisted for too long on what it considered to be a plan: we Brits will remain members of the (rather successful) economic club called the EU, but half of its rules will no longer apply to us, because we don't like them.
In the course of the negotiations with the very united EU (from Hungary to Germany and Italy), the British Prime Minister had to give up certain aspects of this plan – and yesterday, she was toppled by the expectations that she herself had fueled for far too long.
No deal. No plan for tomorrow. And no majority for any of the options.
Not for an exit with the existing deal.
Not for an exit without a deal.
And not for no exit at all.
The 48 percent of Brits who do NOT want Brexit have no audible political voice in parliament or among the parties. That's why re-elections also wouldn't help.
In parliament, Prime Minister Theresa May lost her most important vote to a humiliatingly high degree. However, this doesn't at all mean that the same great majority will chase her out of office today. So she's stumbling through London like the politically undead.
It is sad to witness the tarnishing of the future of the proud United Kingdom. The Brits wanted out of the EU and to start anew. We don't know whether they were aware of the price they would have to pay for this. Their government didn't want to pay that price and must now declare bankruptcy.
Of course, one can stop the clock and continue to negotiate. But what will talking achieve if one side can't decide what it really wants? What will talking achieve if British politicians have forgotten the art of the compromise and the art of the clear alternative: in or out?
It's their own fault, sure. But Schadenfreude? No. For all of us in Europe will suffer from the damage.


This round shaped cross body mini bag in Stromboli Black leather consists of three compartments which make this bag perfect for whom likes to stay organized. Two zippers closed compartments, for all your valuables, and one compartment with magnetic closing for easy access. The Emily comes with an adjustable shoulder strap in a stromboli leather/chain combination. The half leather, half chain shoulder strap gives this bag a little edge.
Thick but supple and pliable leather with a relaxed, lively and warm look and feel. Going through a milling process, the natural texture and fine lines in the leather are intensified. The leather will develop into a softer and even better looking version over time.


Eligible Transaction: Any purchase of the starting kit from Partner made by clicking the Partner link in the Acorns app and immediately completing the transaction.
November 10th, 2017. Acorns may, from time to time at its sole discretion, [end/extend], shorten, or otherwise modify such time period by posting changes at its website or within the Acorns app.


There are a few reasons why I continue to compile this list. First, I love reading and I love to share what I'm reading. Second, I'm also always encouraged by others' thoughts and their lists often help me pick out a few last books for my Christmas wish list. Third, I get a lot of books from publishers, and while I don't review or share books I don't end up liking, I'm always willing to recommend a good book if it is, in fact, good. Fourth, I'm increasingly asked by folks what books I'm reading or "what's a good book to read for X topic?" I think this is primarily because I share a lot of book photos on Facebook.
Anyway, in no particular order, here are my five favorite books that I read in 2018. Check out my 2015 list and 2016 list at my old Patheos blog, and my 2017 list posted here at Biblical Reasoning.
This collection of sermons and speeches give an inspiring glimpse into the mind of one of history's most important civil rights activists. For a comfortable white evangelical American like me, Tutu's theology and exposition challenged and sharpened my views on suffering and human dignity.
Hannah is one of the most clear and humble writers out there. Her previous book, Humble Roots, is a beautifully-written exposition of why humility matters. In All That's Good, she is at it again. I'm not sure I've read a better book on discernment and wisdom. And it's no surprise to me that Hannah's the one who wrote it.
Hanson's book was recommended to me by my doctoral supervisor as the best treatment of the Arian Controversy and the development of Nicene-Constantinopolitan Christianity. I've read several others that are fantastic — Nicaea and Its Legacy, The Quest for the Trinity, and The Way to Nicaea chief among them — but none are as painstakingly thorough as this one.
I reviewed this book as a judge for the Theology/Ethics category of the Christianity Today 2018 Book Awards and was taken aback by how much I ended up enjoying it. On my ballot it was virtually tied with the eventual winner, Seeing God by Hans Boersma, but Levering's work (as usual) paired theological acumen with pastoral reflection uniquely and powerfully.
A few good books have been written about The Apostles' Creed, including a helpful one by my Doktorvater, What Christians Ought to Believe. Myers's is unique because it is super compact — 168 pages but 5×7 inches — and reads like a catechetical devotional more than a theological textbook. We have our elders and staff reading through it right now as we prepare to preach a series on the Creed in 2019.
If, however, any one cavils at our argument, on the ground that by not admitting the difference of nature it leads to a mixture and confusion of the Persons, we shall make to such a charge this answer;—that while we confess the invariable character of the nature, we do not deny the difference in respect of cause, and that which is caused, by which alone we apprehend that one Person is distinguished from another;—by our belief, that is, that one is the Cause, and another is of the Cause; and again in that which is of the Cause we recognize another distinction. For one is directly from the first Cause, and another by that which is directly from the first Cause; so that the attribute of being Only-begotten abides without doubt in the Son, and the interposition of the Son, while it guards His attribute of being Only-begotten, does not shut out the Spirit from His relation by way of nature to the Father.
But in speaking of "cause," and "of the cause," we do not by these words denote nature (for no one would give the same definition of "cause" and of "nature"), but we indicate the difference in manner of existence. For when we say that one is "caused," and that the other is "without cause," we do not divide the nature by the word "cause1322", but only indicate the fact that the Son does not exist without generation, nor the Father by generation: but we must needs in the first place believe that something exists, and then scrutinize the manner of existence of the object of our belief: thus the question of existence is one, and that of the mode of existence is another. To say that anything exists without generation sets forth the mode of its existence, but what exists is not indicated by this phrase. If one were to ask a husbandman about a tree, whether it were planted or had grown of itself, and he were to answer either that the tree had not been planted or that it was the result of planting, would he by that answer declare the nature of the tree? Surely not; but while saying how it exists he would leave the question of its nature obscure and unexplained. So, in the other case, when we learn that He is unbegotten, we are taught in what mode He exists, and how it is fit that we should conceive Him as existing, but what He is we do not hear in that phrase. When, therefore, we acknowledge such a distinction in the case of the Holy Trinity, as to believe that one Person is the Cause, and another is of the Cause, we can no longer be accused of confounding the definition of the Persons by the community of nature.
Thus, since on the one hand the idea of cause differentiates the Persons of the Holy Trinity, declaring that one exists without a Cause, and another is of the Cause; and since on the one hand the Divine nature is apprehended by every conception as unchangeable and undivided, for these reasons we properly declare the Godhead to be one, and God to be one, and employ in the singular all other names which express Divine attributes.
This will appear in the forthcoming CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible.


Miriam will be supporting Kone Express.
Doors open at 6pm and Miriam will be onstage at approximately 8:30pm.
Traveling from his culturally rich and vibrant homeland of Mali (West Africa), following in the traditions of great artists before him such as Salif Keita. Oumou Sangara, Toumani Diabate and Rokia Troare, virtuoso drummer and balafonist Bassidi Koné now brings his shining spirit and awe inspiring musical expression to Australia.
A fearless and foot stomping afro-jazz, latin and reggae set, the young Koné weaves entrancing melodies on an enormous pentatonic marimba that originates from the Bobo tribes of Burkina Faso. Add to this a powerful horn section, dub keys, sublime guitar riffs and a world of tasty counter rhythmic grooves and you'll find yourself embracing an uncontrollable urge to dance!


One day, Scott Lobdell, Dexter Soy, and Veronica Gandini found themselves itching for an exciting new experience. So what they did was to get themselves deliberately arrested and then escape from the authorities as quickly as possible. While they were doing this, they also created the following issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws! It's November, 2017, and I think it's time to brush up on our lock picking skills.
TO QUOTE Jeanne Calment: "In life, people sometimes make rotten deals".
After being defeated by Batwoman and her team, Red Hood and the Outlaws unfortunately find themselves imprisoned inside Belle Reve Penitentiary, Louisiana, which is also the infamous residence for the covert action team, Task Force X, AKA the Suicide Squad, plus their De facto leader, Amanda "The Wall" Waller.
But as we all know, the likes of Jason and Artemis aren't going to take their incarceration lying down, and soon enough, they manage to overpower the prison guards and their respective handlers, namely, Captain Boomerang and Harley Quinn, only to find themselves free and on the lookout for their missing member, Bizarro. But will they find him? And if they do, will their search give them much more than what they bargained for? To find out, please pick up issue 16 of Red Hood and the Outlaws today!
Now, after a somewhat disappointing last issue, I'm glad to say that Scott Lobdell is back on top form with this month's adventure. Not only does he make a great use of a very suspenseful premise, but unlike last time, he doesn't try to force the plot onto the characters in an unrealistic way. On the whole everything seems to flow very naturally, smooth even, and this gives us a satisfying story that mixes both action and character moments in equal measure.
My favorite part of the book was that 'meta moment' presented to us in a scene between Artemis and Harley, as it questioned the overwhelming presence of the Joker's ex-girlfriend on DC's current output. I also liked the way that Lobdell built this story by basing some of it on his old work on the Teen Titans title, without forgetting to mention a subtle reference to Roy during Jason and Killer Croc's meeting.
Having said that, though, I did find a couple of flaws to his writing, mainly, how the guest characters seem rather extraneous to the story Lobdell wants to tell. From my point of view you could completely remove or replace both Batwoman's team and the Suicide Squad with zero impact on the plot. Sure, my feelings could change in the next few issues, but at the moment this cameo-riddled story-arc feels fairly superficial, almost as if the guest stars have been included to boost sales rather than make a significant impact on the story itself.
On a more positive note, I must applaud the wonderful artwork that's been lavished on this book. As expected, Dexter Soy takes full advantage of the Suicide Squad's guest appearance, and uses them to spice up his work by drawing character types that are rarely featured in this series: Like Croc for example, with his hulking big frame, or the svelte and nimble body of Harley Quinn. Likewise Veronica Gandini doesn't allow herself to be upstaged as she uses her color palette in a very striking fashion: ranging from Harley's ghastly white skin all the way to Boomerangs tacky blue costume. First class.
Without giving too much away, there was a scene in this issue where we saw Bizarro making a deal with Amanda Waller, which, as we all know, is a character who doesn't make deal's unless it benefits her somehow. In turn this reminded me of the infamous Robert Johnson song, 'Cross Road Blues', although I hope the Outlaws will walk away from their deal a lot better off than the characters sung in Johnson's musical melody.
Following on from this line of thought, that being Bizarro's deal with Waller, and I couldn't help but think of Bizarro like a cunning salesman offering his wares to the highest bidder. Well, as is often the case with good salesmen, I'm sure Bizarro has something up his sleeve in order to maximize his profits (much to Waller's surprise).
So far 'Bizarro Reborn' has been an uneven story arc, with a strong start and then a sloppy second issue. Luckily for us this third issue is back to the standards of the first one, as it paints an exciting prospect for the rest of the arc.


We will be welcoming new babies into the world with the arrival of the new state of the art St Vincent's Private Hospital Werribee.
From the moment you step through our doors we're looking out for you and your baby. We understand how special pregnancy, childbirth and the time that follows is for women and their families. Your time at St Vincent's Private Hospital Werribee is an exciting new beginning, the moment you meet your baby for the first time.
Our midwives are there to support you and your partner – keeping you your baby safe is their first priority. Parents have different needs during this time and we encourage you to discuss individual preference for labour and birth with your obstetrician.
The birth suite is a safe and supportive place for Mums and their partners. Highly trained midwives, in consultation with an obstetrician, provide one on one care during labour and birth. Our large delivery suites have luxurious ensuites attached, some also include large baths for mums to use during their labour.
The Nursery will provide extra assistance for when your baby needs some extra special care. With the most modern facilities, the nursery will have four bed bays plus a high needs resus room.
Our Well Baby Nursery is a place for babies to be cared for when their parents are not able to. The Well Baby Nursery is staffed by highly qualified nursing staff who will provide care for babies as needed, from just an hour or two to extended periods depending on the parents needs.
Our rooms provide you with everything you need for your stay. You will have your own private room and ensuite, plus you can bath your baby in your own room.
Our team of midwives, lactation consultants and physiotherapists will all provide you with individualised care while you stay with us. Our extensive winter and summer menus are designed and prepared by specialist chefs.
We welcome you to come into the hospital for a tour of our maternity services anytime on weekdays between 10am and 6pm. One of our friendly staff will be able to show you our rooms and facilities.
Each tour lasts for approximately 30 minutes and are done in groups of 5 couples at a time.
To book in to have your baby at St Vincent's Private Werribee, please ask your GP to refer you to one of our obstetricians.


In this lecture course questions are treated around Internet architecture and Internet-Security. Chapter 1 gives an introduction into risk analysis of computer crime.
The lecture course starts on 29th October and finishes on 21th February. It takes two times 2 hours a week and is adapted for students of computer science, business computer science and mathematics, as well as for listeners who are interested in questions of Internet and Internet Security. The lecture course will be presented in English and transferred online as teleteaching into the Internet. Due to an agreement with the dean of the computer science department of the Beijing University of Technology ( Beijing Tech, China), this lecture course is part of the curriculum of computer science students from this University too. .
Students have to solve and to submit their exercises weekly.
Exercises can be downloaded and solved through a web-interface.
Discussion forums are also provided.


text:
Insights System of the German jurisdiction
ASEAN Forum Singapore
InsightsCurrently selected
Alle Kolumnen
Artikelserie im OMV Fokus
System of the German jurisdiction
published on 4 May 2021 | reading time approx. 4 minutes
International jurisdiction »
Recognition and enforcement of European titles and foreign arbitral awards »
Structure »
Legal costs »
Obligation to bear costs/reimbursement of costs »
Average duration of legal proceedings »
Provisional legal protection »
International jurisdiction
The international jurisdiction determines whether the courts of a state are appointed to make a judicial decision. With respect to cases involving foreign EU member states, in most cases the law unified for all Europe according to the EU regulations regarding the jurisdiction in civil matters applies in Germany.
As for the scope of application, the Brussel Ia Regulation includes comprehensive provisions concerning the international jurisdiction of the courts of the member states. Principally, the courts of the member state in which the defendant has his place of residence are authorised on an international basis in case of complaints. Beyond that, the enactment provides for specific responsibilities, among others.
Recognition and enforcement of European titles and foreign arbitral awards
In accordance with Brussels Ia Regulation, the judicial decisions issued in a member state are acknowledged by the other member states without the necessity of any specific proceedings. A review of the judicial decision in the corresponding member state does not take place in the matter. With Brussels Ia Regulation having entered into force, the validation process (exequatur) has been abolished.
Enforcement measures usually aim for the collection of sums of money, however, they may also involve the fulfillment of other obligations (obligation to act or cease and desist). Regarding transborder civil matters, a judicial decision must be enforced in accordance with the domestic regulations and procedures of the state in which the enforcement is executed (usually the state in which the obligor and his assets are located). In practice, a title of execution (e.g. a verdict or a settlement deal) as well as a certificate in compliance with Art. 53 Brussel Ia Regulation must be presented in order to achieve the enforcement. The legal proceedings of the enforcement and the executing authorities (courts, collection agencies and bailiffs) are appointed by the domestic law of the state, in which the enforcement is aimed to be achieved.
In Germany, the recognition and declaration of the enforceability of a foreign arbitral award essentially conforms to the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. Provided that the foreign arbitral award is acknowledged and declared as enforceable, the compulsory execution proceedings themselves comply with the corresponding national law.
There are five branches of court in Germany. They are divided into:
the ordinary jurisdiction, responsible for all types of legal proceedings with respect to civil criminal cases,
the employment,
administrative and
social jurisdiction.
As a general rule, a verdict pronounced by a court can be submitted to the next higher court for review (stages of appeal). For this purpose, an appeal must be lodged. If a verdict of the 1st instance is appealed against, the next higher court must review the entire case once more in the 2nd instance. Its verdict can be contested as well by means of another appeal. In this case, yet another higher court must examine whether all legal provisions have been applied correctly. The finance jurisdiction is an exception, as there are only two instances in this branch. The stages of appeal of the five branches of court are structured as follows:
1. Ordinary jurisdiction: District Court, Regional Court, Higher Regional Court, Federal Supreme Court;
2. Employment jurisdiction: Labor court, Regional Labor court, Federal Labor Court;
3. Finance jurisdiction: Finance court, Federal Finance Court (no intermediary instance);
4. Administrative jurisdiction: Administrative court, Higher Administrative Court, Federal Administrative Court;
5. Administrative jurisdiction: Administrative court, Higher Administrative Court, Federal Administrative Court.
Legal costs are the direct expenditures of the parties accruing from the prosecution of a legal dispute. Legal costs are distinguished between court fees and extrajudicial fees.
The court fees concerning the ordinary jurisdiction as well as the employment, finance and administrative jurisdiction include the fees of the court itself as well as the so-called expenses; expenses for witnesses, legal experts etc. The extrajudicial fees primarily consist of the fees for the attorney-at-law, bailiff, and own expenses of the respective party.
The fees of the preliminary proceedings (opposition procedure at the finance court) count among the extrajudicial fees within the framework of legal proceedings in finance courts.
With respect to legal proceedings of the administrative jurisdiction, the extrajudicial fees include the costs arising during the preliminary proceedings, i.e. the costs of the objection proceedings preceding the lawsuit.
The proceedings of the social jurisdiction are an exception. At the social court, the proceedings are regularly free of charge. The extrajudicial fees are to be distinguished (see above). Extrajudicial fees arise in the course of proceedings of the social jurisdiction as well.
Obligation to bear costs/reimbursement of costs
Having clarified the question of what scope of legal costs arise within the framework of the individual branches of court, it is worth considering which party bears the costs at the end of the judicial procedure in the next step.
General regulations applying to all five branches of court
In its judgement concluding the procedure, the court determines which party bears the legal costs. The legal costs arising during the judicial procedure are both the court fees and the extrajudicial fees of the parties involved (see above). Provided that the plaintiff is successful in his legal proceedings, the respondent bears all the court fees in its entirety including the reimbursable expenses of the plaintiff accruing in the process. However, if the plaintiff is not successful, he does not only bear his own expenses, but also the court costs and the reimbursable fees of the respondent. If the plaintiff is only partially successful in the judicial procedure, the legal costs are either allocated proportionally or abolished.
Exceptions for individual branches of court
There are exceptions applicable to the employment-, finance- and administrative court that deviate from the general regulations and are explained below.
The extrajudicial fees for the consultation with an attorney-at-law will not be reimbursed in proceedings at the employment court; these fees are therefore borne by the respective party irrespective of the outcome of the proceedings. This exclusion of reimbursements, however, does not apply to proceedings at the Regional Labor Court and Federal Labor Court; instead, the general regulations apply (see above).
The finance authorities always bear the expenses arisen in the course of any proceedings at the finance court, irrespective of the outcome.
The principle of freedom of costs applies within the framework of proceedings at the social court. This principle of freedom of costs states that the plaintiff does not have to bear the court fees in case of losing the proceedings. In view of one's own extrajudicial fees, the general regulations apply (see above).
Average duration of legal proceedings
There is no generally binding answer as to how much time legal proceedings may consume.
The Federal Statistical Office documents the average duration of proceedings for all various branches of court. In the statistics, the time frames are sorted in a range between 3 months and 24 months (partially up to 36 months) as of the date of pendency. For the purpose of a clearer understanding of the abstract time frames, the average duration of proceedings are depicted concretely on an example of legal proceedings at the civil court.
The average duration of legal proceedings regarding civil matters at the individual district court of all federal states amounts to 4.8 months and has been fluctuating between 2.0 and 9.9 months. In the Regional Courts of all federal states, the average duration of legal proceedings was 7.8 months and has been fluctuating between 4.3 and 17.2 months. Taking this into consideration, the average duration of legal proceedings in the 1st instance (8.7 months) was longer than those in the 2nd instance (6.6 months).
In concrete view, the duration of proceedings of a possible 3rd instance (appeal) is not taken into consideration, which may lead to another extension of the proceedings.
Provisional legal protection
Provisional legal protection is granted within all branches of court. All types of provisional legal protection have in common that they do not finalise a decision and generally do not permit the creation of a "fait accompli" (prohibition of the anticipation of the principal matter). Such being the case, they ensure the efficacy and viability of a subsequent decision in the principal proceedings. Provisional legal protection can only be claimed for the time during which a right within the framework of the principal matter is being claimed or is (still) valid to be claimed. The standard of review is reduced during provisional legal protection. Merely so-called summary (approximate) review takes place. The type of presentation deviates from the principal proceedings, too. The court is able to make a judicial decision by order without an oral or any other type of hearing and cut deadlines. The necessity to accelerate the formal hearing usually does not permit a formal hearing (hearing of witness, local inspection, expert testimony). The judicial decision is made on basis of the state of affair submitted or known as well as the facts substantiated by the complainant.
Frank J. Bernardi
Litigation and conflict resolution »


text:
Why designers are obsessed with the sheer trend
Freeing the nipple, one see-through dress at a time.
by : ELLE Canada- May 9th, 2017
After Maria Grazia Chiuri's first haute-couture collection as Dior's new creative director earlier this year, it wasn't the designer's take on the house's iconic Bar jacket or her "tuxedo" culottes that caused a commotion. That honour went to Bella Hadid, the face of Dior Makeup, who, at the show's masquerade-themed afterparty at the Musée Rodin in Paris, covered up her famous visage with a glitter-encrusted mask but left one particular area almost completely bare: her nipples. Dressed in a sheer bustier-style Dior gown with nothing but a layer of gauze between her breasts and the world, Hadid put the "naked" in naked dress.
The supermodel isn't the first celebrity to flash a nip – or a hint of one. In the past few months alone, Zoë Kravitz, Scarlett Johansson and Sienna Miller have played peekaboob in sheer pieces by Coach, Alaïa and Dior, respectively. But perhaps the most vocal (and visible) is Kendall Jenner, whose nipples are becoming as famous as her sister Kim Kardashian's posterior. Whether walking the streets of New York City braless in a sheer black onesie or skirting Instagram's nipple ban by strategically placing a pair of pizza emojis over her girls, the model is transparent about her love of transparency. She explained her enthusiasm on her website last July: "It's sexy, it's comfortable and I'm cool with my breasts. That's it!"
A post shared by Kendall (@kendalljenner) on Nov 5, 2016 at 8:45pm PDT
Celebrities often have a different fashion playbook, but judging by the number of nipple-boasting diaphanous gowns and silky-sheer blouses floating down the spring runways, it seems that designers are hoping their non-celebrity clients will also test drive the trend. At Balmain, Olivier Rousteing proved that a high neckline can be sensual when crafted from see-through silk chiffon, while at Emilio Pucci, Massimo Giorgetti sent the message that sheer jersey gowns may come in robin's egg blue and lemon yellow but transparent is the colour of the season (and next, if you take even a cursory look at the fall collections). And at burgeoning New York-based label Tome, silky black-and- white plaid was styled both with and without modesty layers underneath. "We think that the woman's body is beautiful and there's no need to hide it," says Ramon Martin, co-designer for Tome. "We like giving her the option to show as little or as much of her body as she wishes."
It is, after all, legal in both Ontario and British Columbia for women to go topless. Still, you're more likely to spot a unicorn on Bloor Street or Robson Street than a nip slip. Even a breastfeeding mother's nipple can provoke strong reactions. "There is a stigma surrounding the nipple and the female chest…but [women] are part of the problem: We're asking for permission; stop asking and just own it," says Lina Esco, actress and director of the 2014 film Free the Nipple, a semi-biographical tale of a group of female New Yorkers who use toplessness as a Trojan Horse to prompt conversations about gender equality. The movie sparked the #FreeTheNipple campaign, a global feminist movement that helped spur Facebook to overturn its no-tolerance policy regarding breastfeeding pictures. Rousteing referenced the free-the-nipple movement as a sort of call to action after his provocative spring/summer 2015 show, and – consciously or not – fashion designers have been helping to normalize the nipple, one gossamer gown at a time.
John Galliano Spring 2017; Rochas Spring 2017; Christian Dior Haute Couture
"That's our goal," says Ryan Lobo, the other designer for Tome. The duo are using much more than sheer to make that happen. Their fall/winter 2017 collection included a cropped blazer with conical nipples, jersey dresses with pairs of contrasting circles placed just so and jackets with female-shaped curves seamed in. "We wanted to highlight the female silhouette, particularly the breasts," says Lobo. "It's a literal translation of 'Free the nipple' and 'My body, my choice.' This idea that female breasts are solely sexual objects (while male breasts are not) and somehow 'shameful' has become ingrained in society." That's a sentiment Tome is hoping to change.
Designers are no strangers to using the runway to shake up social norms. Before Stella McCartney put the luxe factor in faux leather, vegan-friendly fashion was embraced mainly by PETA activists, not streetstyle stars. Pantsuits were still considered a man's uniform until Saint Laurent brought his Le Smoking tuxedo to women's closets in 1966. And would so many women be willing to draw attention to their abs if Alexander Wang hadn't ushered in the crop-top trend with his athleisure-heavy spring/summer 2010 collection? "Over a hundred years ago, ankles were considered obscene; now we look back and laugh at it," says Esco.
Does that mean that a pair of nipples may one day be as commonplace as a pair of kneecaps? Consider Eleonora Carisi, the Italian fashion blogger who, in 2011, was snapped braless in a sheer Stella McCartney blouse in New York City by street-style photographer Mr. Newton. Blog commenters' reception of Carisi's ensemble was generally warm. And on the street? "Nobody looked at me, for real," says Carisi.
As with any movement, public sentiment often moves two steps forward, one step back. Over a decade after Nipplegate became the most searched term in Internet history and Janet Jackson was hounded into giving a public apology for her Super Bowl nip slip (while Justin Timberlake's role in the "wardrobe malfunction" was barely acknowledged), the controversy over the nipple and the breast in general hasn't completely vanished. Emma Watson, an outspoken women's rights activist, was recently vilified for showing too much boob under her Burberry bolero in a photo shoot. The opinion behind the backlash was that she couldn't be a feminist and show off her body. But as the actress so succinctly put it: "I really don't know what my tits have to do with it." It's a comment worth keeping in mind as gauzy sheer pieces take up more permanent real estate in our closets. And perhaps one day, when the nipple has truly been freed, we'll be able to look back at this query and laugh at it.
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My Brokerage Firm Put Me on Administrative Leave; Am I Going to be Fired? What do I do?
When you are placed on administrative leave, it can seem like the world is collapsing around you. It might be, but how you respond and hiring counsel could change the outcome. Before making any rash decisions, it is important to understand just what has happened, what is likely to happen next, and what you should do about it.
Administrative Leave is a form of suspension from the workplace, often pending the outcome of some form of investigation. In the securities world, this can be the case if there is an investigation into a suspected compliance infraction, a customer complaint, a regulatory or self-regulatory investigation or inquiry, an arrest, charge, indictment, or complaint made against a broker or its firm (a FINRA "Member" firm). Each firm may have its own policies and procedures for how to determine whether administrative leave is necessary, what specifically constitutes administrative leave, or at what point it is imposed.
From Deutsche Bank to Credit Suisse and Barclays, brokers are in transition for a variety of reasons – some voluntary and some obligatory. Either way, for a FINRA registered representative, leaving their broker-dealer can be a nerve-wracking time. Regardless of the reason for leaving, the ultimate goal is always the same: get to your new firm and bring with you as many clients as you can without getting sued by your old broker-dealer in a FINRA Arbitration.
But, easier said than done. In addition to the logistical challenges, there are also some legal hurdles that must be cleared first.
The first major question that should be asked is: "Does the Protocol for Broker Recruiting apply?" If either your old firm or new firm are not signatories to it, then your answer should be "No." If both your old firm and your new firm are signatories to it, then the answer to that question should be "Yes" – but some restrictions may apply.


(Greystones, Co. Wicklow) – Aug. 3, 2018 (peacefully), at St. Vincent's Private Hospital, Dublin, beloved wife of the late Tom, much loved mother of Kathy (Finnegan), Stuart and Keith; deeply regretted by her son-in-law Michael, daughters-in-law Hilary and Mary, brother Desmond, sisters-in-law Betty, Dorothy and Helen, brother-in-law Keith; cherished Granny of Rebecca, Cameron, Juliette, Eoin and Jack; she will be sadly missed by her extended family and friends. A Service of Thanksgiving will take place on Wednesday (August 8) at 11.00am in Greystones Presbyterian Church, Trafalgar Road. Cremation private. Family flowers only, please. Donations, if desired, to Greystones Cancer Support.


Taking care of your home's roof is a pretty big job. Catching problems early requires constant vigilance, and any repair work that you do have to do is likely to be extensive. Become a better homeowner by preparing yourself for the kinds of Roofing Company you may face in the future.
When taking on a roofing job, make sure that you understand what you are doing, before starting the project. Taking a class at your local hardware store can prepare you for the job. Not understanding what you are doing can result in the job costing more than you ever intended.
When hiring a contractor, be sure they they are experts in their field. Ask loved ones for any referrals they may have. You need to hire an excellent contractor; this is the best way to ensure that you aren't looking at expensive repairs down the road.
The more contact information you get for your roofing company, the better. Ask the project manager or foreman for not only his contact information, but that of the company he works for. You should know his full name and who at the company you should speak to if there is a problem.
Find out about roofing warranties from your roofer. Roof replacement and repair can be expensive, so you should always choose a contractor that offers warranties for the work. Professional contractors usually offer full warranties on new roofs or roof replacements, but they may not on repairs. Always get a copy of your warranty when the work is done.
If you are interested in becoming more green, you can use environmentally safe materials for roofing. Recycled material consisting of used plastic, rubber and wood waste can be a great option, as well as solar panels. This can also save you money on initial costs or energy rates in the home.
Before a contractor begins work on your roof, see if there's anything you can do to prepare. If the roof is ready for the roofers when they arrive, they can begin work immediately, which means the job will be completed more quickly. This can cut down on labor costs and make the whole operation run more smoothly.
Be sure to inspect the valleys on your roof if you are experiencing a leak anywhere in your home. A valley is where two corners meet, forming a ridge. It is here where water or snow can pool, creating erosion of the roofing materials faster than anywhere else. Check the tiles there first to make sure they are not damaged or for any debris that may be blocking drainage.
Do not ignore any of the signs that you have a leak. It can be stressful to acknowledge that you may have an expensive problem on your hands, but avoiding it will almost surely lead to a bigger issue in the long run. To avoid this you should address any sign of a leak immediately.
Try choosing a roofing company that will look at your house first. Any good roofing company should be more than happy to set up an initial meeting with you at a time that works for you to look at your current roofing situation. Then, you can get a no-obligation quote for their services. You should avoid companies that try to make you commit their work.
Hopefully, the information you've just reviewed has added some useful knowledge to your store of homeowner know-how. Being well-informed always makes a big difference in preventing and repairing damage to your home. This is particularly important when it comes to roofs, because catching problems early is the key to minimizing their effects.
Here Is What You Need To Know About Credit Repair.
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My mild case of OCD helps me maintain my journal even before I am done eating.
Keeping track of what I eat, (every little thing) helps me know how much more effort I need to give out during my training. Oh yeah, I am a Triathlet by heart. I love the short course races and the Half IronMan distance as well. 2012 is going to be my year of the Full Long course 140.6 IronMan.
The thing I like most about training for the races is I get to eat,... A lot!!
I am a father of two not so little any more girls working for The Man so I can pay my way through my racing addition.
This is for people interested in Half Ironman Triathlons.


text:
Broadway in Chicago Presents PARADISE SQUARE Review — Jaw Dropping Choreography and Standout Performances
Posted on November 21, 2021 November 21, 2021 by Lauren Katz
Click here to read more Picture This Post Broadway In Chicago stories.
Eilis Quinn, Chloe Davis and Ensemble in Paradise Square Photo by Kevin Berne
It's about midway through the first act, and we see a full ensemble take the stage. Nelly O'Brien (Joaquina Kalukango) has introduced the house pianist, Milton Moore (Jacob Fishel), and her saloon's two-star dancers — Owen Duignan (A.J. Shively) and Washington Henry (Sidney DuPont). Owen is an Irish Immigrant, and his community surrounds him on one side to join him in dance. Washington Henry is a member of the Black community in the neighborhood, and those present surround him on the other side. As the music picks up, the lights shine down on Owen to showcase his dancing talents. When the lights switch to Washington's side, Owen and his dancers freeze, and the back and forth continues.
At center, Kevin Dennis (with cap), Matt Bogart, Joaquina Kalukango, Chilina Kennedy, Nathaniel Stampley and Ensemble in Paradise Square Photo by Kevin Berne
However, when the lyrics pick up and the ensemble sings a riff on the popular tune Oh, Susanna, everything starts to change. As this famous American classic rings out, we see the two sections start to combine. Members of both communities dance together, and the entire stage is flooded with jaw-dropping choreography – full of all kinds of jumps, twists, and turns. Conflict may be building outside the saloon but within, the room is filled with absolute joy and laughter. Emotions were infectious at this Opening Night performance, encouraging audience members to clap and laugh along.
Center, Gabrielle McClinton as Angelina Baker, Sidney DuPont as Washington Henry and Ensemble in Paradise Square Photo by Kevin Berne
Broadway in Chicago Presents Paradise Square
With music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Masi Asare, this musical takes place in New York City in 1863. It's the midst of the Civil War, and draft laws have brought major conflict to the city – particularly when it comes to who is forced to fight on behalf of the slaves in the south. Nelly O'Brien's saloon, Paradise Square, has always offered a safe haven for communities to gather. However, as the conflicts with the War rise, everyone is forced to pick a side. Nelly may find that nothing will ever be normal again.
Directed by Moises Kaufman, Paradise Square is comprised of an original score featuring a wide range of music: some adapted from American classics like Oh, Susanna and I'm Coming; and others that will be completely new to audiences including Angelina Baker, Ring, Ring the Banjo, and I'd be a Soldier.
Knockout Performances
Bill T. Jones' choreography alone is a reason to see this musical, in this writer's view. If you who enjoy flashy, over the top numbers that consume the stage – showcasing a range of talents performing traditional Irish dancing to acrobatic feats, you will find that Paradise Square does not disappoint.
Add to this, standout musical soloists that carry the score so ably. . In Let it Burn, Joaquina Kalukango as Nelly O'Brien takes center stage with the ensemble behind her. Design is fairly simple, with a spotlight on her as she sings this dark, emotional number about the state of the neighborhood – acting as a warning for what it could become. As Kalukango reached the climax of the song at this Opening Night performance, the audience literally jumped to their feet with a unanimous standing ovation. As she sang the last note, the cheers almost rivaled her volume, and continued on for minutes following.
This is a new musical, and this writer is sure that the book will continue to be finessed and finetuned as the project moves to New York. However, it is already clear that the catchy score includes several memorbable songs.
With unforgettable choreography and a score that will stick with you, Paradise Square is one to catch while it's still on the ground floor.
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Features direction by two-time Tony Award nominee and National Medal of Arts winner Moisés Kaufman (I Am My Own Wife, The Laramie Project), choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening, Fela!), and a book by Christina Anderson (Good Goods, Inked Baby), Marcus Gardley (The House That Will Not Stand), Craig Lucas (The Light in the Piazza) and Larry Kirwan (lead singer of Black 47). Musical staging is by Alex Sanchez (Far From Heaven, City Center Encores!)
Running through December 5, 2021
Tuesdays - Fridays at 7:30 pm
Saturdays at 2:00pm and 8:00 pm
Sundays at 2:00pm and 7:30 pm
James M. Nederlander Theatre
24 W Randolph St.
For more information or tickets, visit Broadway In Chicago website.
Photos by Kevin Berne
Note: Picture This Post reviews are excerpted by Theatre in Chicago.
Lauren Katz
About the Author: Lauren Katz
Lauren Katz is a freelance director and dramaturge, and new to the Chicago Theatre Scene. She recently moved from Washington DC, where she worked with Mosaic Theater Company of DC in Company Management, as well as directed around town with various theaters.
Click here to read more Picture this Post stories by Lauren Katz.
13 thoughts on "Broadway in Chicago Presents PARADISE SQUARE Review — Jaw Dropping Choreography and Standout Performances"
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June 1 saw a landmark day in Swiss relations with the European Union - it marked the start of a process which will gradually lead to open borders.
A series of seven bilateral accords governing trade issues and the free movement of people finally came into force on Saturday.
Swiss citizens will see the benefits of the accords more quickly than their EU counterparts. They will be able to live and work in any of the 15 member states within two years. EU nationals will have to wait rather longer before they are entitled to the same rights in Switzerland.
Swiss farmers and businesses will enjoy similar advantages by being able to sell their products in the EU before their European counterparts are given similar rights in Switzerland.
Switzerland's ambassador to Britain, Bruno Spinner, told swissinfo that the implementation of the "bilaterals" marks a new and important era in Swiss-EU relations.
"It's a moment of hope," he said. "I hope that the individuals who benefit from these agreements use the new freedoms, and that there will be active participation of people all around Europe."
The accords are also expected to give a boost to Swiss business. David Syz of the economics ministry predicts that economic growth will increase to two per cent within the next five years as a result of the bilateral agreements.
The accord dealing with the free movement of people will lead to the gradual opening up of labour markets in Switzerland and the EU.
It will be easier for Swiss to live and work in EU countries and at the same time the rules governing the employment of EU citizens in Switzerland will be relaxed.
The transition phase will last two years within the EU - after which the Swiss will have exactly the same rights as nationals from any of the 15 member states.
The residence requirements will be the same and there will be no need for special permits for those who want to practise a trade such as hairdressing, plumbing or building, for example.
Swiss business will find it easier to relocate staff to other countries within the EU without having to complete a mountain of administrative requirements and regulations.
One country, Britain, is not insisting on the two-year transition phase, which means that as of June 1 all Swiss citizens will be treated on exactly the same footing as EU nationals.
José Bessard of the European Integration Office in Bern says Swiss already living and working in the EU will feel the benefits immediately. "They'll get all the advantages of the treaty from June 1," he said. "There is no transition period for Swiss currently working in the EU, but if you want to move there, you may have to wait for up to two years."
If everything goes to plan and the agreement is prolonged in seven years' time, full freedom of movement will apply equally throughout Switzerland and the EU in 2014.
Swiss exports stand to benefit, particularly farmers, who will gain partial tariff-free access to the EU's enormous market of 340 million consumers.
Although the trade accords do not amount to a blanket free trade agreement, custom duties will be scrapped on a whole range of Swiss products, including fruit and vegetables. At the same time, Switzerland will reduce tariffs on produce not grown in this country.
Eduard Hofer of the Ministry of Agriculture says both partners to the agreement have ensured there will be considerable protection in sensitive areas, and any changes will have to be reviewed over time.
"Although there are limits, there are development clauses which will allow both sides to raise the levels of the quotas if they want to," he told swissinfo.
Hofer says the only exception will be cheese, with both Switzerland and the EU agreeing to abolish all duties on cheese and allow its unrestricted import and export after five years.
Eventually the Swiss should see a wider range of products on their shelves and a drop in prices.
But Simonetta Sommaruga, president of the Swiss consumers organisation does not think that it will happen overnight.
"I don't think Swiss consumers will see an immediate change, but in the longer term we can expect to see a slight reduction of prices in general."
Lower prices are also expected in the airline sector, under the civil aviation accord, but Sommaruga said that price cuts would take some time to come through.
"In the medium term perhaps there will be some change, but not immediately," she told swissinfo. "There might be more competition and more internal services within Switzerland and that would put pressure on prices, but nobody can promise that at the moment."
The agreement gives Switzerland's national carrier "swiss" access to Europe's deregulated skies, but it will have to wait two years before it can pick up passengers in foreign cities during stopovers in EU countries. Duty free sales will still be possible in Swiss airports and flights originating in, or going to, Switzerland.
The other agreements that came into force on Saturday cover overland transport, technical barriers to trade, public procurement and research.
Switzerland's push for closer ties the European Union will not end on June 1.
Discussions between the EU and Switzerland have already opened in four of the ten "leftover" policy areas from the first round of negotiations. These cover cross-border crime, processed agricultural products, the environment and statistics.
The EU has also given the green light for talks to start on the remaining six areas which include justice and police cooperation as well as asylum and migration.
Negotiations on cross-border crime have had a rocky path so far. After six rounds of discussions, the two sides have failed to agree on a harmonisation of legislation governing tax evasion.
A major Swiss concern is that complying with all EU legislation would undermine Switzerland's banking secrecy.
Bruno Spinner said that the upcoming round of new negotiations will be difficult for both EU governments and Switzerland.
"The set up and general rules for negotiations have changed a lot," he said. "The EU expects Switzerland to eventually join the union, and is negotiating on that basis, but without giving Switzerland the rights of membership."
Spinner says some of the new demands could have implications for Swiss sovereignty, which would be anathema to the already sceptical Swiss, many of whom see the bilaterals as an alternative to membership rather than a first step.


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AngloGold Ashanti Just Doubled Its Dividend Payout Ratio
The best performing precious metal for the week was palladium, up 12.64%, despite hedge funds cutting their positioning to a 10-week low. Gold had its best weekly gain since July as Joe Biden moves closer to winning the presidential election and on prospects for further Federal Reserve stimulus. The yellow metal hit a six-week high, also boosted by the declining U.S. dollar. Velocity Trade Capital analyst Michael Siperco wrote this week that the election outcome won't change gold's bullish trend as the longer-term macro outlook is already well established to support the metal.
Barrick Gold reported its highest quarterly revenue since its 2019 merger with Randgold on stronger bullion prices. The second-largest gold producer announced $3.54 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 30. Barrick raised its dividend by 12.5% to 9 cents a share.
AngloGold Ashanti also doubled its dividend payout ratio due to surging gold prices. Bloomberg notes the world's third-largest gold producer will now return 20% of free cash flow before growth capital to shareholders. In the September quarter, AngloGold's free cash flow rose nearly fourfold to $339 million.
The worst performing precious metal for the week was gold, but still up 3.86%. Anglo American Platinum lowered its refined output and sales guidance after shutting its second smelting plan due to water leaks, reports Bloomberg. The company said the shutdown will cut earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by $380 million.
Kinross Gold reported revenue for the third quarter of $1.13 billion, below the average estimate of $1.17 billion. Revenue was still up 29% year-over-year. Gold production was down slightly year-over-year to 603,312 ounces.
The President of Ghana is asking for a second parliamentary review of the country's proposed gold royalty fund after an initial probe raised concerns, reports Bloomberg. The $500 million IPO was suspended last month after calls by opposition groups who criticized the lack of transparency in the fund.
VTB Bank PJSC, Russia's second-biggest lender and top gold buyer, is betting on precious metals to boost profits. The bank is prioritizing physical gold trading and lending to mining companies as they are one of the few sectors to benefit from the pandemic, said First Deputy Chairman Yuri Soloview in an interview. Bloomberg reports that the bank said it plans to start the first Russian ETF backed by bullion.
The Reserve Bank of India said in a report that it is considering diversifying the pool of assets it invests its foreign reserves in, and may increase purchases of gold and dollars, according to Reuters. The report also noted that the bank has already gradually increased gold investments.
Rich Ross, CMT of Evercore ISI, noted that "We are living in a material world without inflation, which is genius!" Buy compelling breakouts in gold and silver fueled be the weaker dollar and the inevitability of more stimulus.
The Veladero gold operation in Argentina is selling only enough bullion to keep the mine running due to currency restrictions, said Barrick Gold CEO Mark Bristow on the third-quarter conference call. "Due to the ongoing financial crisis in Argentina, the government has maintained currency restrictions and the forced repatriation of export sales into pesos." Veladero has had a difficult time due to the nationwide quarantine and winter weather has delayed two projects.
Dan Barclay, head of Bank of Montreal capital-markets division, which is the mining industry's top dealmaker, said that few deals will get done without greater clarity on the economy and pandemic. "There's lots of conversations going on, lots of people exploring new ways to think and new ways to operate. The probability of a lot of action is going to be conditional on that economic recovery." According to Bloomberg data, mining companies have been involved in $52 billion worth of acquisitions in 2020, which is less than half the value of deals seen during industry consolidation in the mid-2000s.
Southwest Airlines warns workers of first layoffs in company history as just a slice of the estimated 174 million jobs that are expected to be lost by the World Travel & Tourism Council this year due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. With new virus cases exceeding 100,000 per day now in the U.S. it will become increasingly difficult to navigate a clear path to recovery.


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Comey Vs The Combover
April 21, 2018 omfgtrumpblog Uncategorized Leave a comment
There have been some epic battles that have captured America's imagination. Ali-Frazier, Batman-Joker, Bugs Bunny-Elmer Fudd, and now Comey vs The Combover (aka, the Don.)
This battle represents nothing less than the catchphrase from Superman: "a battle for "Truth, Justice and the American Way."
What follows is an imagined dialogue between Comey and the Combover as they duke it out. (All things in quotes are actual words of the two, the rest are my words.)
The Don: We talked about counter-terrorism operations and you gave me a detailed briefing of present threats to our security and Russia's involvement in our elections.
Comey: But the you just wanted to talk about the salacious details circulating in the Steele dossier related to the "peeing" incident in Russia. You were like a broken record with: There's no tape, there's no tape.
"The conversation, to my surprise, moved into a P.R. conversation about how the Trump team would position this and what they could say about this… "I don't remember any questions about, 'So what are they going to do next; how might we stop it? What's the future look like? Because we'll be custodians of the security of this country.' There was none of that."
The Don: That's ridiculous. The Russian stuff had no impact on my winning. None! And there is definitely no collusion. No collusion. And anyway, do I look like a guy who needs hookers? "There's no way I'd let people pee on each other around me." I am a known germaphobe. And there is no tape, no tape.
Comey: Umm. Seems like you are the kind of guy who pays $130,000 to keep a porn star quiet. It seems you are the kind of guy who paid over a million dollars to keep a former Playboy bunny silent and offered to pay her for sex. And why were you telling me that Putin told you that "Russia had some of the most beautiful hookers in the world?"
The Don: That's just some locker room talk between me and Putin. You wouldn't understand it, Mr. goody two shoes. And as far as Stormy and the other one goes, that's different. Those women wanted to have sex with me. Everyone wants to have sex with me; I am Donald Trump!
"I'll do anything, just give me the tape."
Comey: Did you really bend over and let Stormy Daniels spank you? I am visualizing that and man that is so gross.
The Don: Do I look like the kind of guy who would let a woman do that to me? She is lying.
Comey: Given that you are "a serial liar who treats women like "meat," it is hard to believe you would make yourself so vulnerable; but you are a serial liar, so I'll go with Stormy's account.
The Don: I'm the liar? Ha! You are a has been, and a "leaker, liar, untruthful slime ball." There has never been a more truthful president than me! Just like there has never been a president harder on Russia than me. There is no tape, no tape.
Comey: I've got intel that you went to a club in Las Vegas where dancers in the past had simulated sex acts in shows featuring bestiality and grotesque sadomasochism.
Two acts even had a 'golden shower' routine.
The club owners even considered a show with 'a dominatrix who would tie you up on stage.
Heard they considered but rejected having a little person portraying you for a custom show as a 'transvestite mini-Trump. (Excerpted from David Corn and Michael Isikoff's book, Russian Roulette.)
I am visualizing that and given your small hands a miniature seems about right.
The Don: Well you are just a repressed guy who only does it in the missionary position. I have intel that you dress up in women's clothing. And did I mention that you are a leaky lying slime ball. And to quote one of my Tweets:
Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! There is no tape, no tape.
8:07 AM – Apr 15, 2018
Comey: To quote my book:
"You are a stain on everyone who worked for you. You are a serial liar and morally unfit to be president."
The Don: Well, to paraphrase my tweet:
You are a leaky lying slime ball. And to paraphrase Sarah Huckabee: firing you will go down as one the greatest things of my presidency.
Comey: Steve Bannon thought your firing of me was the biggest mistake "maybe in modern political history."
The Don: Who is Steve Bannon? I think we met like once? He betrayed me, too.
Let's go back to someone who is loyal to me, unlike you: Sarah. She trashed you and your fictional book.
She called it "nothing more than a poorly executed P.R. stunt… She said it was an attempt to "desperately rehabilitate his tattered reputation and enrich his own bank account by peddling a book that belongs in the bargain bin of the fiction section."
She said: Comey will be forever known as a disgraced partisan hack that broke his sacred trust with the president of the United States, the dedicated agents of the FBI, and the American people he vowed to faithfully serve. One of the president's greatest. achievements will go down as firing director James Comey."
I just love Sarah. She's like my personal Pitbull. She would eat your child if I asked her.
Comey: Loyalty? You fired me because I wouldn't guarantee my loyalty. I wouldn't swear my allegiance to you; I wouldn't let the Flynn thing go; I wouldn't stop investigating Russia's influence on our election. My loyalty was to our country, not to you.
The Don: Lying Leaky slime ball let me quote one of my tweets:
"I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His "memos" are self serving and FAKE!"
Comey: Let me quote from my book:
"I'm not trying to, by the way, suggest that President Trump is out breaking legs and, you know, shaking down shopkeepers. Instead, it was reminiscent of "the loyalty oaths, the boss as the dominant center of everything. It's all about how do you serve the boss, what's in the boss's interests. It's the family, the family, the family, the family."
The Don: Don't sell me short regarding shaking and breaking. And by the way, there is no tape, no tape.
Comey: I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, but I guess the truth will be known when they go through your fixer, Michael Cohen's files. Man was that raid a thing of beauty or what?
The Don: You know what's a thing of beauty: firing your leaky liar slime ball ass. As Sarah said: it will go down as one of my greatest accomplishments.
Comey: At least you accomplished something.
The Don: Huh?
Comey: You seem to forget that firing me gave our country Robert Mueller. So who is going to get the last laugh?
The Don: Robert Mueller is a farce. Sean Hannity reminds me of that every day.
Comey: Speaking of farces, turns out Hannity shares the same lawyer. Also, you really have to lose that combover. How many hours does it take you to get it so perfectly coiffed?
The Don: Don't fuck with my hair, you hear me, you slime ball?
Comey: You and your combover are going down. Don't you think it's ironic that my name is Comey and you are Mr. Combover?
The Don: Don't fuck with my hair?
Comey: I am not going fuck with your hair, just Comey over it.
The Don: There is no tape, no tape.
45americacapitol hillchristopher steelecollusiondavid cornelectionsfbijames comeylas vegasmichael cohenmichael isikoffplayboypoliticspotusputinrobert muellerrussiarussian roulettesarah huckabeesean hannitysexual assaultsteve bannonstormy danielssupermanterrorismtrumpwashington dcwhite house
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