text:
Contemporary Dance Workshop with Miles Kearley
by Anja Meinhardt on November 2, 2019 with No Comments
Dynamic Equilibrium
Dynamic Equilibrium is a movement workshop, developed by Miles Kearley and Katia Rivera, that brings together elements found in different dance styles to challenge dancers to explore and transform the way they move. Through training, improvisation, partner work and phrasal work the class seeks to build a collective atmosphere. Trial and error are important to this workshop and an ability to learn and observe from others is vital. I don't go, we go!
* Preparing and training a capable body for physical work: strength, speed, stability, endurance and flexibility.
* Put into place dance dynamics that allow the body to adopt different qualities of movement within a musical and rhythmic consciousness.
* Express movement from a personal place, activating our creative spirit.
Date: 7th & 8th December 2019
Time: 14.00 – 17.00
Cost: £40 for both days (£25 per day)
Venue: St Gregory the Great Catholic School, Cricket Road, Oxford, OX4 3DR
Miles is a UK and Latin America based dancer and choreographer from Oxford, England. He graduated with a B.F.A in Contemporary Dance from 'The Professional School of Dance, Mazatlan' in Mexico.
In 2018 he joined the independent dance collective enNingúnLugar where he worked in both artistic and social projects, including their tour through Mexico, Chile, Paraguay, Argentina and Colombia.
He has also worked with choreographers and companies such as Delfos Danza Contemporánea, La Intrusa, Justice in Motion, El Departamento Coreografico, Colectiva Clá and Don Cañalero, performing in international theatres and forums.
In 2017, he won the national scholarship program FONCA from Mexico for the co-founded project 'One Identity', where he began developing his first professional piece 'SerTemporal' and movement workshop, 'Dynamic Equilibrium', which he has toured in Mexico and Colombia. He is interested in developing Dynamic Equilibrium further, taking influence from his experience in Latin America. He is currently continuing his practice in the UK.
Justice in Motion
Is registered as a charity in England and Wales.
Sign up to our mailing list to find out about latest news, activities, opportunities, ways to support Justice in Motion, training and classes.
By signing up to the Justice in Motion mailing list, I understand that I will receive email updates from Justice in Motion, which may include information on activities, participation, touring, workshops, classes, projects, campaigns, fundraising and ways to support Justice in Motion. We will keep your information and stay in contact with you until you choose to unsubscribe.
General Enquiries & Press
info@justiceinmotion.co.uk
in.motion@justiceinmotion.co.uk
© 2020 Justice in Motion. • Terms and Conditions • Privacy Policy • Website optimised by madewithjoy.org


text:
Finsbury sees declining cake sales
Finsbury Foods has announced that falling sales in its cake business have resulted in a 2% drop in revenue for the 17 weeks to the end of October.
The firm, which manufactures cake, bread and morning goods, revealed that group revenue was 2% less than the comparable period last year, and 4% behind on a like-for-like basis, excluding the recently acquired Goswell business.
Its bread and free-from businesses continued to achieve double-digit growth, with its acquisition of Goswell contributing to an 11% growth in sales. Like-for-like sales increased by 8%.
Commenting on the performance of its cake business, the firm said it had increased promotional investment and exited "some low margin products" as it had integrated its cake business.
"Consumer behaviour is still being affected by the recession and premium-range sales have been impacted in the short term," commented chief executive John Duffy.
"The economic environment remains challenging and uncertainty around input price inflation remains high. We continue to focus on integrating our businesses to improve efficiency and operating margins while gaining an improved understanding of our consumers."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Moving limbs, shrubs, low wires, landscaping, fencing, etc.
If site is inaccessible because of rocks, trees, fences or other buildings, our driver may unload the shed as close to the intended site as these conditions permit. If our driver must return with the barn, a return shipping cost will be charged to the customer. NOTE: Structure unloads from the rear end of the trailer. When setting up blocks keep in mind that we need to back onto the site to unload. Blocking should not extend out of the ground more than 6″ in center, or on end we are backing in from.
Should you not be able to take delivery of your building within 4 weeks of our contacting you to receive delivery we will not charge storage as long as the building is 75% paid.


text:
Well I never . . .
Is it possible there has been a massive shift in the zeitgeist? Last night I channel surfed to Hardball and got stuck there for a while. Tweety and Mrs. Alan Greenspan, of all people, were skating right up to the ultimate TV taboo -- not any of the seven words you can't say, but the one word you absolutely, positively, cannot apply to George W. Bush, and that is of course the L word.
In the greatest ice dance since Torvill and Dean, they showed clips of Chimpy chattering and then opined to the effect that "That just isn't true," or "It simply isn't credible," and even went so far as to tell us all the actual, real, valid, reliable, factual, concrete truth -- the stuff that happened, not the stuff that Republican politicians said happened. They still couldn't say the Simian-in-Chief was lying, that's still illegal, but even though they couldn't use the word, they wanted us to know what they were thinking.
And that's not all. Tweety was really, really pissed. He was hurt. It seems that he really believed all that crap about World War Three and he felt profoundly betrayed.
And then it got even better. Jellyfish Joe Biden came on and -- mirabile dictu! -- Jellyfish Joe has decided to join the phylum Chordata. I'm still going to call him Notochord Joe because he has a way to go to earn full credit for a vertebral column, but he's definitely no longer 100% soft tissue. He couldn't say the L word either but he did say something about misleading the public. And then Tweety asked him why the neocons invaded Iraq and why they wanted war with Iran.
Joe said it! He named that which shall not be named! He said that the underlying motive was to acquire permanent bases from which to dominate militarily the petroleum resources of the Middle East. Yes he did. (Tweety and Mrs. G. had been unable to even imagine such a thing -- they were musing about Iranian sponsorship for terrorism and stuff.) After I picked my teeth up off the floor, Senator Notochord made a vague promise to the effect that we would indeed see the so far censored portion of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the Iraq war. And to top it off, he said that if Bush attacked Iran without congressional authorization, he'd call for impeachment.
Of course, nobody watches MSNBC and we all know what was going on over at Rupert Murdoch's RNC channel. Still, this was like waking up in a parallel universe.
PS: Then there's the question of what's really going on here. For months all we've been hearing is that the NIE was not going to be declassified and then suddenly, POW, right in the simian kisser. My guess? A mutiny by the military leadership, possibly with the concurrence of Sec. Gates. Declassify the NIE findings, or we resign and spill the beans. Now that's news.
Another Sermonette
Blog update
Prediction for 2008: Excrement to hit ventilator
I don't believe in God . . .
No post today
Sermonette
New Web Resource
There are two possibilities
Ejumuhkayshun
Hey indeedy
You can be a reporter for the New York Times . . ....
Yes, we take requests
Apparently some people misunderstood me . . .
What we aren't allowed to talk about
No, give me deeper darkness.
I'm shocked, shocked, to find that ass covering is...
The R word


text:
It's all about teamwork
Since its beginnings, ADK Electric has been about two things: solving problems and taking care of people.
Now, with over 80 employees, and experience that ranges from commercial industrial and cellular projects to multi-family construction, ADK has combined its strong core values and wide ranging expertise to give customers true peace of mind, no matter how complex the project is. The success of ADK is about hard work and teamwork, and when we take on your project, we're going to work with you as a partner and help you succeed every time
Our versatile commercial team is ready to collaborate with you on your next project. Whether you are modifying your current facility or building from the ground up, the ADK commercial team provides the support and expertise needed to get your job done.
Maybe the big project is done, and you need a trusted team to provide maintenance, repair, or modification to your existing electrical system. Our service team specializes in just that.
EV / Charging Stations
Together with our partners, we have self-performed full build EV charging stations throughout Washington and Oregon. Everything from at home wall chargers to brand new full build out charging stations for industry leading EV manufacturers.
Panel Shop
Our UL508a panel shop team is ready to build or help design your panels. From industrial automation to commercial controls and everything between, our team is ready to help get your projects complete.
Services list:
custom panel builds
contract manufacturing (bulk discounts)
custom printed labels for wires and terminals
bring existing equipment up to UL508a standards
LOOKING FOR WORK?
EXPERIENCES WORTH TALKING ABOUT
"We love that ADK has smart guys who are very confident with their stuff. When you aren't an electrician, you sometimes have questions. They take the time to explain and educate customers on anything related to electrical."
"I completely trust ADK has it covered and never feel like I have to babysit the process"
"They're really knowledgeable, and we get quick responses back to make things happen."
"We are a unique business model and we love that ADK works around our process and helps us figure things out. They are always available to be on site and help us out ."
I worked with the ADK team on a couple of projects. I found them to be professional and efficient while performing at a high level of quality. What impressed me most, though, is their dedication to getting the scope correct for the owner. Regardless of whether the mistake was theirs or the documentation or if it was just an owner change, their team worked through the issue to make sure the end result meets the requirements of the project. I would be happy to work with ADK in the future.
Project Manager/Owner's Representative for School Construction Projects
At ADK, our own success is measured by the success of everyone around us. If you are looking for a change, there's no better time to see if we are a good fit!
ADK Electric, Inc.
adk@teamadk.com
CCB# 148882 | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Contact
© ADK Electric, Inc.


text:
NCB Learning
Welcome to the New Bar & Restaurant
We've updated Nightclub.com. Read the details here
Pour Me Another
by Alissa Ponchione |
Dec 17, 2013 1:00am
While many rural towns are described as blue-collar or beer and shot towns, Ebensburg has always quietly resisted being pigeon-holed as either one thing or another.
What others may describe as quaint, Ebensburg natives know it is more than a pejorative. In fact, though the rural town seemed destined for a quiet existence in the Appalachian Mountains, it is instead becoming something of a trendsetter.
Indeed, Ebensburg, a town about seventy miles east of Pittsburgh, is slowly entering into the craft-beer revolution with the opening of two-month-old Pour on Center. "We've always known that we wanted to incorporate beer and food in the gastropub scene, says owner Chris Persio. "For the most part, the marketing effort to get people to Pour has been word of mouth coupled with efforts on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.
Getting Ebensburg locals interested in craft beer has been a long-term project for Persio, who had been teasing imbibers for years at his Italian restaurant Amici's, located next door to Pour, by pushing "craft beer as far as we could," he says. But with Pour, he didn't hesitate. "We just did it. We didn't put anything domestic on tap … Everything is a craft beer," he says.
Following a well-known credo: If you build it, they will come, Persio says the response has been positive. "People have been open to trying out all the beer," he adds.
Persio, an Ebensburg native, is constantly thinking about what's next, what new thing to try or add to the menu, what beer to put on tap. And Persio is diving in head first by launching Pour's inaugural Six Course Anderson Valley Pork and Sours Dinner. The event, which sold tickets for $75, focused on a theme of pig-based cuisine, pairing with Anderson Valley's barrel-aged beer.
Although the nascent gastropub is still establishing itself, Persio and his team didn't hesitate to start brainstorming promotions. The beer dinners seemed like the logical next step, with Persio planning the event a month out.
Ebensburg may be "virgin territory" to craft beer distributors, but Persio said representatives have been eager to come out. Indeed, Charlie Carson, the beer representative from Anderson Valley was on hand for the beer dinner. In fact, Persio is adding more beer dinners to the schedule, with plans to partner with Founders Brewery and Dogfish Head. People get excited about new things, so try out a beer dinner.
The beer dinners are an introduction to the bar and will be "important to the Pour business," he explains. Whereas Persio has a steady flow of core customers to sister establishment Amici's, Pour has been different. Certainly he sees familiar faces coming in once or twice a week for some appetizers and a few beers, but he's also seeing new faces every time. "I never saw that with my Italian restaurant."
The goal is to "push the envelope," Persio says without alienating guests. One of the biggest misconceptions Pour has disproved is that rural clientele won't be willing to try new brews and food.
"People in this area aren't immobile," he explains. "The community here wants different things."
Beer promotion Event promotion
13 Marketing & Promotions Tips for the Big Game
The biggest football game—and most-watched American televised broadcast—of the year is this weekend. These tips will help your final marketing push.
by David Klemt Jan 28, 2020 1:30am
How to Improve Business with a Guest Journey Map
Developing a guest journey map will increase your understanding of guests, helping you improve marketing campaigns and the guest experience.
by Doug Radkey Jan 22, 2020 5:00am
A Letter from the Editor: Our Bar & Restaurant Transformation
It's not you—things really are different around here! Last night our website became Bar & Restaurant to better serve you.
by David Klemt Jan 9, 2020 6:00am
Alissa Ponchione


In today's competitive world there are so many ways to get our name out there and earn new business. With all these different ways to market, sometimes we lose sight of what's important to us, our existing clients. We want you to come back again and again and again. Although getting new clients is a very crucial part of our growth, it is similarly crucial for us to keep, you. Like any relationship you have to continue to give to receive. And, like any relationship, this courtship is not over, we have to earn your loyalty and win you over every time. Otherwise, you can easily go to "the other guy". We can't have that now, can we?
So tell us. We want your feedback.
Is there anything we can improve upon?
Is there something that we should be doing that we're currently not?
You do not need to be an existing client to give feedback. Any feedback is welcome.
Nana's Heavenly Dogs started out as one full service hot dog cart back in 2010. Since their humble beginnings they have grown to 3 full service hot dog carts, catering both San Diego and Phoenix. They plan on expanding later this year (2012), presenting Nana's Full Service Gourmet Hot Dog Truck and will soon be visiting your favorite spots all around San Diego County. By 2013 Phoenix will also have a gourmet truck going.
Here's what you can expect from your experience with Nana's.They don't cut corners when it comes to their product. They use only the best products, including Kosher All Beef Hebrew National Dogs. At many of their regular venues customers are known by name. When it comes to private events they really aim to please. If there is a theme, they try to match it. That means if your event is a "Disney Cars Theme"" they come prepared with matching decor, down to the snow cones cups. They really mean it when they say "Full Service" because their staff members clean up after your guests and ensures they've enjoyed their meal. They also offer seconds and are glad to bring it to them. This allows you to enjoy your party.
Other hot dog carts are asking what's their secret. Hot Dog Carts come and go, and for most owners it's a hobby, for Nana's Heavenly Dogs, it's a passion. They maintain a 5 star rating on YELP (many reviews are filtered, due to first time YELPERS) and are currently the top rated food truck in San Diego on Roaminghunger.com and their truck isn't even completed yet.
Mention Triple M Designz Blog after they've sent you a quote and get 10% off your package.
"You gotta spend money to make money" they say. So why not spend FREE money. We recently received credits toward Google AdWords and Facebook Ads. Why not use it, right? The cynic in me says this is how they reel you in by giving you free stuff but I'll have to admit… free works. With marketing and advertising you're pretty much rolling the dice. It's all trial and error and you hope you're spending your hard earned dollars wisely. That's what we're doing. We haven't been using Google AdWords long enough to see how successful it will be for us, but Facebook Ads is working so far. We'll give it another week or so, see how it pans out.
What's your experience with Google AdWords and Facebook Ads? Is it worth the money to spend on AdWords and does "Likes" on Facebook really get you anything? What has worked for your business? Leave a comment an tell us your thoughts.
Heirloom Kayak is located in Northern Idaho and is owned by friends of ours. They handcraft custom kayaks, canoes and paddle boards from hardwood! Using the term "handcrafted" seems like an understatement. The term "custom" just doesn't describe it enough. Seems redundant, but I have no other way to describe them. Heirloom also brings "custom" to a whole new level. Your input is welcome in helping design your watercraft. The glassed finish not only makes them beautiful pieces of artwork but also makes them as durable as their fiberglass counterparts. You haven't paddled 'till you've tried an Heirloom! Whether you admire art, woodworking, wooden boats or water sports, a unique craft like these is a must-have. See for yourself at heirloomkayak.com.
Almost one year ago we filmed Young Gee's music video "Girl this is your song". This video received over 29,000 views on youtube and is continuing to grow. You can add to this number by viewing too, check it out. Although this was not the only video we worked on for Young Gee it was by far one of our favorites to shoot.. and we worked on a lot.
"Young Gee has got to be my favorite right now", says FreeMind of Black Light Ink Studios. When asked to embellish, FreeMind further explains, "Young Gee's sound is pretty unique because he has the ability to adjust and blend in different sounds." He has a big role in helping put San Diego on map and is personally expanding to other cities. His reach goes all the way to the East Coast. We're happy to have been a part of it all.
…just Google him! He's everywhere!
Are you ready for another Break? Well, Lady X and her team didn't waste any time before starting again. The Break, Talk Show is back for Season 3, Wednesday August 22, 2012. The show is filmed on location at Jolt'n Joe's in the downtown San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. The Break is a talk show that provides a platform for San Diego artists (not limited to music) to showcase their work and reach out to their fans. To add to that, the show also features a local business interview, in which Melissa Myers, visits these entrepreneurs at their locations, giving viewers a little insight at what they do and offer San Diego. Earl's Corner with Earl Wilson is a part of the show that is ever evolving. We'll never know what Earl will do, it could be a serious interview, rants about the Illuminati or just talks about his obsession with shoes. Nonetheless, always fun to watch. At the end of last season, The Break introduced a new cast member, Wendy Wang aka "Dubs". She joined Earl to interview a dance crew on the season finale, but in this season will be providing viewers with upcoming events and recommendations on how to spend time in San Diego.
You can catch up on all episodes at iamstrictlybusiness.com. For more information on how to get on the show or become a featured business contact I Am Strictly Business at strictlybusinessmgmt@gmail.com.


Once you sign up to our monthly subscription and become a member you will have unlimited access to members-only information on how to pick stocks, which is updated on a daily basis.
We educate our members on how to invest with asset protection being the number one priority. We teach our subscribers about stop loss orders to have limited calculated risk. We will teach our members everything they need to know to become financially successful using our educational system.
If at any point you have a question, please contact us at support@pickstockwinners.com and we will respond to your request the same day or within 2 business days.


From our certified technicians to open Toyota sales representatives, your local Toyota dealers can give you the exceptional service that you deserve to expect.
Give your car the quality it deserves to get. From scheduled tune-ups to more drastic fixes, you can trust your certified professionals at your local Toyota dealership to provide for you the best quality certified Toyota car maintenance in your area.
Guaranteed Toyota parts available at your community Toyota dealers are some of the methods of keeping your car running smoothly in between tune-ups.
Whether it's to schedule a test drive or come in for regular maintenance, our professional staff and qualified mechanics at your neighborhood Toyota Dealer can't wait to assist you.
Whether it's Toyota dealer hours to Toyota trade-in deals in your neighborhood, your community Toyota dealership search makes it easy to discover what you're looking for.
When you're trying to find the right Toyota in Uvalda, GA, you can trust the qualified and experienced representatives at your neighborhood Toyota dealership to find the ideal fit.
You know that with the Toyota name near you, you can count on your neighborhood Toyota dealers near you for exceptional personalized service.


This statement requests that the initial 12 and the last 24 response values be excluded during the forecast computations. The forecast horizon, specified using the LEAD= option, is 30 periods; that is, multistep forecasting begins at the end of the historical period and continues for 30 periods. The actual observation span used to compute the multistep forecasting is decided as follows: Suppose that and are the observation numbers of the first and the last nonmissing values of the response variable, respectively. As a result of SKIPFIRST=12 and BACK=24, the historical period, or the forecast span, begins at and ends at . Multistep forecasts are produced for the next 30 periods—that is, for the observation numbers to . Of course, the forecast computations can fail if the model has regressor variables that have missing values in the forecast span. If the regressors contain missing values in the forecast horizon—that is, between the observations and —the forecast horizon is reduced accordingly.
specifies the significance level of the forecast confidence intervals; for example, ALPHA=0.05, which is the default, results in a 95% confidence interval.
specifies the holdout sample for the evaluation of the forecasting performance of the model. For example, BACK=10 results in treating the last 10 observed values of the response series as unobserved. A post-sample-prediction-analysis table is produced for comparing the predicted values with the actual values in the holdout period. The default is BACK=0.
enables the computation of bootstrap prediction standard errors based on the specified number of replications (NREP). The value of NREP must be at least 2. Optionally, you can specify the random number seed that is associated with the first replication by using the SEED= option. The seeds for the subsequent replications are assigned sequentially. The default seed value that is associated with the first replication is 123. The BOOTSTRAP option has no effect if the number of parameters to be estimated is zero (that is, all the model parameters are known). Note that this option is computationally expensive. The computational cost of NREP replications is comparable to the cost of estimating parameters NREP times.
enables continuation of the diffuse filtering iterations for k additional iterations beyond the first instance where the initialization of the diffuse state would have otherwise taken place. If the specified k is larger than the sample size, the diffuse iterations continue until the end of the sample. Note that one-step-ahead forecasts are produced only after the diffuse state is initialized. Delaying the initialization leads to reduction in the number of one-step-ahead forecasts. This option is useful when you want to ignore the first few one-step-ahead forecasts that often have large variance.
specifies the number of periods to forecast beyond the historical period defined by the SKIPFIRST= and BACK= options; for example, LEAD=10 results in the forecasting of 10 future values of the response series. The default is LEAD=12.
specifies an output data set for the forecasts. The output data set contains the ID variable (if specified), the response and predictor series, the one-step-ahead and out-of-sample response series forecasts, the forecast confidence intervals, the smoothed values of the response series, and the smoothed forecasts produced as a result of the model-based decomposition of the series.
requests forecast and model decomposition plots. The FORECASTS option provides the plot of the series forecasts, the TREND and DECOMP options provide the plots of the smoothed trend and other decompositions, the DECOMPVAR option can be used to plot the variance of these components, and the FDECOMP and FDECOMPVAR options provide the same plots for the filtered decomposition estimates and their variances.
controls the printing of the series forecasts and the printing of smoothed model decomposition estimates. By default, the series forecasts are printed only for the forecast horizon specified by the LEAD= option; that is, the one-step-ahead predicted values are not printed. You can request forecasts for the entire forecast span by specifying the PRINT=FORECASTS option. Using PRINT=DECOMP, you can get smoothed estimates of the following effects: trend, trend plus regression, trend plus regression plus cycle, and sum of all components except the irregular. If some of these effects are absent in the model, then they are ignored. Similarly you can get filtered estimates of these effects by using PRINT=FDECOMP. You can use PRINT=NONE to suppress the printing of all the forecast output.
indicates that some early part of the data needs to be ignored during the forecasting calculations. This can be useful if there is a reason to believe that the model being used for forecasting is not appropriate for this portion of the data. SKIPFIRST=10 results in skipping the first 10 measurements of the response series during the forecast calculations. The default is SKIPFIRST=0.


The Great Divorce (??): We could read 4 pp. per week and discuss this together. It might be a good fit for her spiritual journey. It's written in first person, which Kid Uno hates, so that might be a drawback.
History/Biographies/Geography/Cultures: Theme for the year is world history and geography with a focus on exploration. She will read, map, and write narrations. I help her enter people and events on her timeline every three weeks–she'll start either a Book of Centuries or a new timeline this year.
Our Island Story: Finish reading the book with written narrations for each chapter.
Builders of the Old World, Medieval Days and Ways, Makers of the Americas: We spent the last two years covering world history by me reading aloud from CHOW. This year she will cover most of world history by reading these three books herself. They include a fair amount of social history, which is more engaging to her than battles and politics. There are some good discussion questions at the end of each section. I would like to move away from narrations which are mainly re-tellings (who, where, what) and move toward deeper discussions of why, how, and ought.
Landmark and other biographies about Vikings, Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, Zheng He, Columbus, Balboa, Magellan, Cortez, Pizarro, Raleigh, Hudson , Cook, Livingston, Perry, Amundsen/Scott ??, Himalayas [Everest].She'll spend 2-3 weeks reading each book, filling in blank maps of their journeys, and writing a brief narration at the end of each book. I'd also like to supplement with some travel or cultural documentaries so she can see the places she's reading about, but I may wait till next year when she reads Halliburton's Marvels. Instead, I might assign her Maya Quest and Africatrek since they are short but vivid.
Nature Study/Science: This year, I am revamping how we use Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding. I used volume two to organize Kid Uno's science readings. These are mostly books from the Let's Read and Find Out series. I may also use some books from the All About… series or the First Book of …. series, which are a little more (or a lot, depending on the book) advanced. The Body and Building books also tie into these themes. We will read, and discuss (rather than narrate), and I hope to incorporate projects, experiences, and some documentaries. We may do some of this with another family.
The Human Body : this is a great age to study some anatomy! She will read one chapter per week, and narrate or discuss.
Ultimate Building Book: a lot of this ties in with BFSU, so she will read and discuss. There are plenty of projects to do, so this will be one of her art options.
Shakespeare: I'm still waffling. Leaning toward watching one play per term. But maybe listening to the audio. Or both?? We are not going to actually read them yet (although I have the Complete Works so if she listens to the audio she could follow along).
Mythology: probably Bullfinch, according to the AO schedule. Although I also have Hamilton, which looks like easier reading.
Gilgamesh trilogy: these are short and easy, and will be scheduled at the same time she's reading about the ancient world.
Short Stories: one per week during Term 3. Rip Van Winkle, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, To Build a Fire, Thank You, Ma'am, Gift of the Magi, Gold Bug, Tell-tale Heart, Lady or the Tiger, Three Questions, Sound of Thunder, Fun They Had. These might be good read alouds to do together. I might introduce a bit of literary analysis.
Ray's Intellectual, Practical, and Test–daily: Mostly fractions this year. I explain, assign, and check her work.
Prepared Dictation: this will be our first year, so I'm not sure how it will look. I think I will choose a literature passage, she will read it, then study it, then I will dictate it to her and she will copy it from memory. All that is spread over 4-5 days. I may do dictation one week, and grammar the next.
Grammar: this will be her first year with formal grammar, and she'll start at the beginning of Rod&Staff 5. It is very thorough, so I won't assign everything. I'll probably alternate grammar weekly with dictation, or daily with handwriting.
Handwriting: Pentime Grade 7, then 8. When she finishes those books, she can begin keyboarding.
Drawing: She will pick an area to practice and do a bit daily. Probably fashion drawing, though I haven't found a good book yet.
Art Project: Alternate between Private Eye and Ultimate Building Book every four weeks. I want to emphasize continuity, and working at something over a period of time.
Picture Study: one artist per term, one painting each week, Leonardo da Vinci, and two others ??
Sport/Physical Activity: probably weekly, depending on her interests this year. Probably ballet.
This entry was posted in Charlotte Mason, Year 4 and tagged AO, Charlotte Mason, curriculum, homeschool, planning, tweaks on June 23, 2017 by marisolstice.


"... Abstract — Segmenting "simple " objects using low-level visual cues is an important capability for a vision system to learn in an unsupervised manner. We define a "simple " object as a compact region enclosed by depth and/or contact boundary in the scene. We propose a segmentation process to extract ..."


AQUI SE POSTEARÁN NOTICIAS Y ARTÍCULOS PERSONALES SOBRE EL MUNDO DE ELECTRÓNICA CASERA.
SIEMPRE SE DARÁ A CONOCER LAS FUENTES Y EL FIN DE ESTE BLOG ES EDUCACIONAL O CON UN FIN DIDÁCTICO, NUNCA SERÁ CON FINES COMERCIALES.
If you earn (or save) money by using the Freeware version of EAGLE Light, you have to register it.
The Freeware version of EAGLE Light is copyright protected software, © 2009 CadSoft Computer GmbH, all rights reserved worldwide. No part of the executable files that come with EAGLE nor the freeware.key file that implements the Freeware license may be altered in any way. CadSoft reserves the right to decide whether to continue this Freeware program with the future versions of EAGLE.


Syracuse, NY: The Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, wrapped up a 3-week tech, rehearsal, and launch of their National Tour at Syracuse's Landmark Theatre on September 18.
Over 6,500 patrons attended the show over the weekend and approximately 50% of the tickets were sold outside of Onondaga County. "That's over 3,000 people visiting the City of Syracuse in one weekend that otherwise might not have if not for this NYS Theatre Tax Credit. 3,000 people getting dinner before the show and drinks after, purchasing gasoline and staying in hotels," said Landmark Theatre's General Manager Mike Intaglietta.
Famous Artists is delighted to have had such a successful engagement of JERSEY BOYS and looks forward to the upcoming shows of ONCE, RENT, RIVERDANCE, AND MAMMA MIA! at the Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater, and WICKED, BEAUTIFUL, and MOTOWN at the Landmark Theatre, as part of their 2016-2017 Famous Artists Broadway Theater Series.


If you don't plan your week, you will be focused on incoming things that are usually urgent, not important.
Review each goal and make a list of tasks that you want to accomplish for the week.
Schedule the tasks that need to be done on a certain day.
Then make a list of unscheduled tasks to accomplish based on their priority.


Would you like a digital proof?
PHOTOS TASTE BETTER WHEN EDIBLE.
Our custom printed photo cookies aren't like the rest, they are way better! Our homestyle cookies are baked by our master bakery, and then expertly crafted with designer fondant. Each order of photo cookies feature individually wrapped morsels of goodness, with a photo fo whatever your heart desires. Have your face and eat it too.


text:
Currytakeaways
From the author of "Abby's Road" The Long & Winding Road to Adoption, and how Facebook, Aquaman and Theodore Roosevelt helped!"
Curry Takeaways Blog
Abby's Road
Toddler TV
Financial Wise Guides
Forays into Fiction!
The Brave and the Bold … from Silent Knight to Dark Knight!
Richard Anderson, RIP
Posted by michael64curry
Richard Norman Anderson died yesterday, August 31, 2017 at age 91. A long and full life that brought TV fans much joy.
He was born August 8, 1926 in New Jersey. He was an Army veteran of World War II.
His most popular role was that of Oscar Goldman, head of the Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI), who authorized the operation to turn Steve Austin into The Six Million Dollar Man.
Although the character was not in the pilot movie, his character (and Anderson) appeared in the second TV-movie, the television show and the sequel The Bionic Woman.
Note that when the Bionic Woman moved from ABC to NBC, Anderson became a rare trivia answer to a fun parlor game: name an actor/actress to play an identical character on two separate networks (along side Candace Bergen as Murphy Brown, Grant Gustin as the Flash and Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin – if you count the SatAm cartoon of the 70s, they have been on all three networks)!
And of course Lindsay Wagner as the Bionic Woman…
Anderson played his character with kind authority. Were the show made now the Oscar Goldman character would have been more like his predecessor from the pilot movie: Oliver Spencer – a hard beaurocrat with dark secrets and only superficial feelings for the main character. Think "Cigarette Smoking Man" from X-Files. He played his character fairly. You don't see that on TV nowadays.
Anderson also had a recurring role as a police lieutenant on Perry Mason and was the narrator of Kung Fu. He appeared in Mission Impossible and many of the countless cop shows in the 1970s.
Personally, I still have my Oscar Madison action figure with all the accessories and the box. I wonder if he received any compensation for the use of his image as is common today?
His image was also used in the comics.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Anderson. Congratulations on a wonderful and respectful career.
Tagged science fiction, Six Million Dollar Man
A review of Star Wars The Force Awakens (with some slight spoilers)
There are 7.125 billion people on this planet. On Christmas Eve I became the 7,125,000,001st person to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This is a brief review with minimal spoilers.
I was just the right age to enjoy the first Star Wars movie. Now, by first movie I mean FIRST movie, back in 1977, before it was a trilogy, or before that a nine-part-epic, then before that a trilogy, then before that just the one movie… 🙂 . The opening fanfare still brings back floods of memories. Every time I hear it, just for a brief second, just a nano-second, I am 12 years old again.
The only comparable feeling is the smile on my face when I hear THAT portion of the William Tell Overture. People of a certain age can't help but shouting, "Hiyo Silver!" at just the right part of the song. The opening fanfare of Star Wars creates a logarithmically greater chill.
The archetype of the first Star Wars is well known to anyone who read (or saw) the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the Wheel of Time series, etc.: a strange wizard whisks a youngster and his friends off to fight the forces of a dark lord.
The story of Star Wars boils down to this:
The movie opens with the forces of good losing a devastating battle against the forces of evil. One of our heroes has vital information that may finally defeat the bad guys once and for all. To prevent the information from falling into the hands of evil, it is hidden in a droid that is sent to a barren desert world.
After fighting off scavengers, the droid befriends our main hero. We meet the rest of our heroic band who join together to take the droid to the main HQ of the good guys – whilst in the meantime visiting various places in the galaxy including an odd bar filled with bizarre aliens and unusual – yet strangely familiar- music.
We discover that the bad guys have created a planet-size machine that can destroy an entire world in one blast. They discover a flaw that can destroy the machine, but first they have to infiltrate the machine and shut off the shields.
Then the good guys in their space fighters head to the planet's one weak spot. Can they destroy it in time, before the machine can fire upon the good guy's home base?
The rest is cinematic history: the merchandising of the first movie, the comic books, the Holiday Special (shudder), Splinter of the Mind's Eye, the Empire Strikes Back, the Han Solo books, the Lando Calrissian books, Return of the Jedi, the cartoons, more comic books, Heir to the Empire, more and more books from the distant past and distant future, the Phantom Menace (slight chill), the other two movies of the second trilogy (shudder), the purchase by Disney … and on and on.
And now here we are at Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens.
A brief plot descriptions (with only MILD SPOILERS):
END OF SPOILERS
I say the above with tongue planted firmly in cheek, of course. The plot of Force Awakens is an homage bordering on plagiarism, yet despite this slight similarity in plot 🙂 , it worked! Force Awakens is a great film!
And leave us not forget that the original Star Wars was itself an homage to old serials of the sci-fi and pirate genres …
It is not a complete reboot ala JJ Abrams' two recent Star Trek movies, it is a continuation. We meet new heroes and villains. All are interesting and I cannot wait to see them again. Each seems, again, to be an homage to those-who-came-before: Rey, the main hero from the desert-world whose past remains unresolved, Poe the pilot extraordinaire/lovable rogue (although despite such comparisons to a certain Correllian smuggler, from the first moment of his introduction Poe's being a hero of the rebellion is never in question), Kylo Ren as the Darth Vader wannabe (SPOILER: when he takes off his mask I whispered to my wife; "Abrams couldn't get Marilyn Manson?" END OF SPOILER), and even BB-8, the R2D2-spunky-and-cute-droid of the movie.
The most unique starring character is Finn – by that I mean he has no real original movie equivalent – as a storm trooper/deserter. He starts as a coward but his attraction to Rey, and his eventual discovery of his bravery and sense of right and wrong, turn him from the dark side.
By far my favorite character is the Palpatine-equivalent Supreme Leader Snoke, "played" by CGI-king Andy Serkis with a disturbing resemblance to Bill Nighy.
Our old friends are also present. No spoilers here, there are as-yet undiscovered tribes in the Amazon who know that Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker are also in the film. As are Chewbacca, C3P0 and R2D2. I heard the voice of Obi-Wan during one intense scene and although I read Yoda's voice is also heard I must have missed it.
Certain characters (or their alien race) from the second trilogy have been happily omitted. Mesa happy about that.
Most of our old friends appear in vital slightly-more-than-cameos. Carrie Fisher's Leia gives us more emotion here than she had in all three of the trilogy. She is wonderful in her role.
No spoilers here: I am very pleased to report that Harrison Ford's Han Solo is more than a cameo – he has more of a roll in the movie than Poe. Captain Grumpy excels in the role that made him a superstar – I loved this Han Solo. Here is he is older and not necessarily wiser. And funnier!! "You're cold."
There is much more humor here than in the prior six films, but not enough to lower the movie into spoof territory. The humor comes from the characters and the situations and is realistically done. Poe and Finn especially give us some very canny quips to uncanny situations. "Why are you nodding your head at me while I am trying to talk?"
The Force Awakens is not perfect. No movie is perfect. Okay, Godfathers 1 & 2 are perfect. No OTHER movies are perfect.
But this is close. The only real issues were the deux ex machina of some of the rescues and sudden and coincidental appearances of the cast. But, to be frank, that is expected in this kind of genre, isn't it?
The direct parallels to the first movie made for a pleasant homage to we old fuddy-duddies and still made for a great story.
The original fanfare opening the movie made me feel like a 12-year-old for that split second. The plot homages helped continue that feeling. An original plot – and remember Phantom Menace, for example, had a very original plot – might not have done so.
Perhaps it might be best Abrams is not involved in the rest of this third trilogy. If only because of his track record of his Star Trek movies: the first, a redo of the original series. The second, a redo of Wrath of Khan. I would worry about his plot of a second Star Wars movie: After a First Order assault decimates a rebel base, Finn & Poe seek refuge at a base they thought was run by an ally, but are betrayed. Meanwhile, (SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT) Rey goes to a swamp world to be trained in the Force by a reptilian Fozzy Bear … (END OF SPOILER)
For the first time since the first movie, I want to see more of this universe. Empire succeeded in doing that. Let's hope Episode Eight does that, too.
And remember Empire had an original plot. We've now known the thrill of knowing this universe we love so much is back, so now let's move forward instead of looking back …
Original Material Copyright 2016 Michael Curry
Posted in movies
Tagged fantasy, review and commentary, science fiction, star wars
Dec·25
Happy Birthday, JRR Tolkien & Isaac Asimov!
A quick blog entry, but of utmost importance!!
Yesterday was Isaac Asimov's birthday, today is J.R.R. Tolkien's, born 122 years ago. Tolkien created the fantasy genre eventually named after him (although as his book "Children of Turin" shows he still wrote "high" fantasy). My book shelves (other than the Asimov shelf) is lined with books he influenced. Thank you for everything, Professors – both of you – and I mean everything…
Posted in books, history, personal history
Tagged fantasy, science fiction, writer's craft
National Adoption Month Spotlight: The Six Million Dollar Adoptee!
November is National Adoption Month! Throughout the month I'll feature famous folk who have been adopted!
Today's Spotlight: Lee Majors
Culled mostly from Wikipedia:
Lee Majors was born born Harvey Lee Yeary on April 23, 1939 and is best known for his roles as Heath Barkley in the TV series The Big Valley, as Colonel Steve Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man and as Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy.
His parents, Carl and Alice Yeary, were both killed in separate accidents (prior to his birth and when he was one year old, respectively). At age two, Majors was adopted by an uncle and aunt and moved with them to Middlesboro, Kentucky.
Be sure to visit Abby's Road on Facebook for more Spotlights!
"Abby's Road, the Long and Winding Road to Adoption and how Facebook, Aquaman and Theodore Roosevelt Helped" leads a couple through their days of infertility treatments and adoption. It is told with gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) humor from the perspective of a nerdy father and his loving and understanding wife.
Join Mike and Esther as they go through IUIs and IFVs, as they search for an adoption agency, are selected by a birth mother, prepare their house, prepare their family, prepare themselves and wait for their daughter to be born a thousand miles from home.
Winner, Honorable Mention, 2014, Great Midwest Book Festival
Abby's Road is available at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Abbys-Road-Long-Winding-Adoption/product-reviews/0692221530/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_recent?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
at Barnes and Noble here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/abbys-road-the-long-and-winding-road-to-adoption-and-how-facebook-aquaman-and-theodore-roosevelt-helped-michael-curry/1119971924?ean=9780692221532
and at Smashwords here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/457270
Copyright 2014 Michael Curry
Posted in Adoption, Entertainment, television
Tagged adoption, biography, science fiction, works published
Thoughts on Guardians of the Galaxy…
Guardians of the Galaxy: not a review, just some thoughts…
What gives, Mike? You boast that your blog is about comic books, science fiction, fantasy and all things nerdy and what have we gotten lately? Reviews of historical fiction, updates on your book Abby's Road (now available as a Nook and in paperback from Amazon – gee, this corporate whore stuff is getting easier and easier!) and blogs about your health!! Where's the nerdly goodness!?
OK, OK, good point. This will make up for it. It has Marvel, Star Wars, Superman, lots of memes and links to websites – geeky enough for ya?
Along with .02% of the world's population, I saw Guardians of the Galaxy this weekend. I enjoyed it very much – I will likely get the blu-ray when it comes out and will look forward to its inevitable sequels.
The web is filled with reviews of the movie – Entertainment Weekly gave it a wonderful review and an A- rating. That's the magazine's highest rating possible for a non-Harry Potter or non-Tom Hanks movie. This blog review is probably the best and closest to the truth:
http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/08/03/an-academic-critique-of-the-film-guardians-of-the-galaxy/
(really captures the feeling while watching it, doesn't it?)
So I'm not going to review the film itself – there's plenty of those out there. Instead I'll share the thoughts that popped in my mind before and during the film whilst munching my popcorn.
1) this is Marvel's first foray into its current movie blitz with unknown characters. I'm a big comic book fan, but even I did not know much about these characters. My Marvel Universe knowledge is not as great as some, I will admit. And my knowledge of current comicdom (especially with the "Big 2": Marvel and DC) is certainly lacking. But if you are stuck on a game show question regarding DC in the 1970s, phone-a-friend me.
We've seen all the Marvel big guns lately from the various film companies that own the rights – X-Men, various Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Iron Man) and Spider-Man. (And I think it's time – especially considering the success of Guardians – to give serious thought to a Fantastic Four redo).
I wouldn't put the Guardians even on Marvel's second tier – they're third or fourth-rate characters down there with the Squadron Supreme, Omega the Unknown and Night Nurse (don't ask).
"Horse Hockey!" you say. "I'm a huge fan of the Guardians! And they have a fan base that makes the Legion of Superheroes pale in comparison!" I'm glad you enjoy it; and no, they don't.
I barely knew most of the characters: Star Lord was more a science fiction than a superhero character from the Marvel magazine line. Gamora was a secondary character from Jim Starlin's superb Warlock saga. Drax was a villain who fought Captain Marvel (Marvel's Captain Marvel, not the Shazam guy), Rocket Raccoon came along during the 1980s when I stopped reading most "Big 2" comics who was in (I think) the Hulk comics. Groot was in a few Marvel horror comics in the 1950s and 1960s: one of a long line of atomic monsters with names akin to onomatopoeias of bowel movements ("Behold the Terror of Vluum!" or "And Now Comes Splart!").
And this is ME, who is a bit of a comics historian! I, along with most movie audiences, walked into this film with NO expectations or knowledge of the character's history. Captain America these folks ain't. No baggage or history to fume over. "But Bucky was a kid!" "Nick Fury's BLACK!!??"
THESE were my Guardians, published at the beginning of my comic book fandom:
Recognize and remember any of them? Frankly, neither do I.
So if the producers wanted to coast – they certainly could have. With expectations much lower than with the Avengers (expectations they met, by the way), there was no reason they needed to put on their A-game. Let's have some fun, make a good story, use the budget we have and be satisfied with a job well done. The movie-goers would say, "It has a lot of heart and I liked it."
But they put on an A-game. They put as much time and consideration into all parts of the movie as they have with each of the Marvel franchise movies to date. Instead of making a movie that was good ("At least it was still better than the two Hulks"), they made a movie as good as Avengers or Winter Soldier. They kept the fun in while telling a good story, too. The movie goers said, "It has a lot of heart and I LOVED it!"
Putting humor in a science fiction movie is a dangerous thing to do. It could very quickly turn campy. But here (as with any good story) the humor was driven by the characters. The storyline was played straight – the humor came from the character's reaction to their situation. This is where most humor works well and kept us riding along. It kept us connected in this alien setting.
2) Comparisons to DC comics movies.
I hate to join in on all the DC comics bashing, but dammit DC deserves it. I saw Guardians with a friend who saw the movie earlier that weekend. He commented that when he left Man of Steel, the audience was still woeful during the "happy" ending and bloggers argued over the movie's merits and controversial ending (the destruction porn, Superman doesn't take a life, etc.). People left Guardians smiling and the blogs continued the raves. You leave Guardians feeling good – you just spent a fun two-plus hours enjoying yourself. No one left Man of Steel feeling good.
3) A peaceful world attacked by a brutal and near-omnipotent overlord and his powerful minions. Spaceship dogfight battles! Swordfights! Blasters blasting! Wretched hives of scum and villainy!
The producers of the new Star Wars movie are tugging at their collars right now. "Eep." Stop production right now, take pad and pencil and everyone – that means you, too, Hamill, Fisher and Ford (someone may have to help Harrison limp along) – go see it and take notes. And don't sit near the producers of the upcoming Superman vs Batman movie – you're there to learn how it's done, not to listen to them mope about "but at least we have a built-in audience of basement-dwellers …"
4) There are lots of 1970s tunes on the soundtrack. I didn't like that too much when I first heard about it – it would lend to camp – but it fit. It gave us a connection to the main character (the only earthling) and linked us normal earthlings to the story. It was also cannily explained in the movie too. I liked that – too many movies forget about things like that!
But it got me thinking about creator's rights. During the movie and afterward I said how ironic that David Bowie and Eric Carmen will probably make more money from this film than Jim Starlin (who created Thanos and Gamora) and Bill Mantlo (Rocket Raccoon) will.
This story is making the rounds:
http://io9.com/marvel-screened-guardians-of-the-galaxy-for-the-co-crea-1615584469?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
The brother sounds a bit too satisfied, doesn't he? He was likely blinking "SOS" into the camera.
Go see it. Enjoy yourself during a movie. That will make for a nice change, won't it? Go home and read about the actors and the history of the characters and the movie. Give Bill Mantlo the exact amount you spent on admission and snacks as a donation. He needs it. http://gregpak.com/love-rocket-raccoon-please-consider-donating-to-writer-bill-mantlos-ongoing-care/
Then eagerly await the sequel. I'll be in line with you.
One final thought:
Original Material 2014 Michael Curry
Posted in comic books, movies
Tagged marvel comics, review and commentary, science fiction
Prose and Cons: A GenCon 2013 Report Day One: Old Friends
Prose and Cons: A GenCon 2013 Report
Day One: Old Friends
The shuttle dropped us off at 8:03 a.m. The seminar started at 8:00. I walked into the convention center at the west end. The symposium was at the far east end.
I marched a city block, up an elevator and to the door of the seminar. I apologized to the ticket-taker for being late. He said it was fine and said I could go in and have a seat. That early in the morning the 200-seat room was less than a quarter full.
This was my introduction to GenCon.
My sister asked what GenCon stood for. I didn't know but guessed it was named after the city of Lake Geneva – where once upon a time the company that created Dungeons & Dragons had their headquarters. The next day I discovered I was right! It WAS named after Lake Geneva.
GenCon is a gaming convention and features gaming industry creators, genre authors and artists, costumes, movies and classic and new games of every sort.
Role-playing, table-top, live-action, card games – even an arcade. They did not have Galaga. Thank god. If it did I would still be there. Ah, the fortunes I lost pumping quarters into that game in the early 1980s…
They had Ms. Pac-Man, too. I didn't play that – it wouldn't be the same without a pitcher of beer and a pizza waiting across the restaurant while "Freebird" blared from a jukebox.
41,000 people went to GenCon from August 15th through 18th this year.
Most of my first day was spent in this little room listening to writer's symposiums. For the next three days I would listen to panels discuss career building, short fiction vs novels, creating characters, plots and storytelling, what is mystery, what is horror and what is adversity?
I learned so much and met some wonderful and friendly authors – all of them willing to share and discuss the craft with us amateurs (we amateurs … us … we …) . Some were tired (and probably hung over), but every one of them shared their experiences and gave advise. Not one was of the "that's-MY-secret-and-I-don't-want-the-competition" type! This is not the place for the sulking and brooding. It was a joy to attend and to meet all the wonderful, professional authors.
GenCon is not cheap and you need to go out of your way to save money. I went with some of my gamer friends. They had been there before, I had not.
We stayed at a motel near the airport – Bill (one of the gamer friends) had points to spend so the entire motel cost was free. For $50.00 we could drive to one of four pick-up points throughout the day and a bus would take us to the convention center. It had to combine some routes due to lower-than-expected participation so their schedule changed – the bus from the Wal-Mart on LaFayetteleft at 7:00, not 7:05. We made it on time that first day anyway…
But with combined routes it arrived at the convention hall at 8:00 instead of 7:40. This meant I was late for both of my 8:00 sessions on Thursday and Friday. But both days the ticket-taker welcomed me and said it was perfectly fine to go on in.
I hope the bus service did well enough to make money. It encourages me to want to return to the Con if there is an easy way to get there (shuttles ran from seven in the morning until three at night!). Since it costs the same as two days of parking downtown, if you are there for more than three days you've saved money. That is never a bad thing. More quarters for Galaga…
It is advised you take some food and drink. You don't want to pass out from hunger in Hour Three of a four-hour game session. I was more practical – I did not want to spend five bucks for a bratwurst and three bucks for a bottle of Diet Coke. I loaded up on granola bars, peanuts, and bottled water. They had water fountains at the center, but the water was just colder than room temperature. If you wanted the cold stuff, either bring it yourself or shell out the coins.
I spend Day One in seminars and symposiums – from eight until five with one hour free at 11:00 and 1:00. I wish I wrote down all the authors and editors on the panels, but I didn't think to do that until later in Day Two.
Pathfinder, the role-playing game company, gave away five of their fiction paperbacks at the end of each session to an attendee that "purchased" a ticket.
Most sessions were free and if there were seats available after all the ticket-holders went in, anyone could attend.
I won't go into ALL the things I learned – editing your own work, speech tags, active-passive verb usage, self-publishing, maintaining professionalism, the vile adverb, dialogue usage, self-promotion and on and on. I hope you will see the results of my work as I get published haha!
At the end of each session they announced the winners of the paperback books. Attendees had to leave the room to re-queue, even if you were in that same room for the next session. I hoped I could just sit in the middle and stay there all day. Nope. I suppose it prevents some folks from staking their claim in the front row and staying there.
The ticket-taker was also the ringmaster – he walked in with a "5 Minutes Remaining" Sign, brought in the books (and presumably pulled the winners names from the ticket pool), organized the lines of participants and got coffee and drinks for the panelists. He had a few helpers but otherwise he did the leg-work for the entire 3-1/2 days.
The symposiums (writing, role-playing game design and artwork) were all in rooms whose hallways overlooked the entry to the exhibit hall and a game room (I say room – it was half a city-block long and filled with enough tables and chairs for thousands of gamers). At 9:45Thursday, they had opening ceremonies – a band, a speaker, and thousands of people talking and cheering. I do not have the best hearing even in a quiet room – twenty years of rock music and a screechy toddler have seen to that. I could barely hear what was being said – and the panelists had microphones! Fortunately, the ticket-taker closed the session room doors thereafter. Thank goodness.
On my way to the 8:00 symposium that first day I waited for the elevator to the second floor. Later I realized it was quicker to walk down the hall to the escalator. But for now I waited for the car with three custodians. One of them, taller than me, asked, "Michael? You don't remember me, do you? We went to school together."
He was taller than me, heavy-set and African-American. "Donnie?"
By now we were in to the elevator, "No, man, I'm just kidding." We laughed.
"You could have been Donnie, it's been thirty years…"
I was not interested in any of the 11:00writer's sessions so I went down the escalator to the Exhibit Hall.
The Exhibit Hall contained hawkers of role-playing and board games, books, clothing, DVDs, artwork, booksellers and publishers. The larger companies – Paizo, Fantasy Flight and Mayfair among others – had rows of tables with games set up for one-hour play exhibits. If they had room, you could sit and play for free. If it piqued your interest, you could pay for a full session in one of the gaming rooms. Of course, you could buy the game, take it home and play all you want. The game is available in our kiosk for only …
I entered one end and hugged the wall. At the far end a yellow banner read "Clearance Books" – ah! I must check that out at my 1:00break.
A booth sold game dice – several did, this was the first one I saw – and I bought a set of polyhedron of my own. This was one of my four goals for the Con.
If you don't know what polyhedron dice are … BOY are you reading the wrong blog. Dice aren't just six-sided squares anymore – there are also dice with four sides, eight, ten, twelve, twenty and even thirty and one hundred. I need more dice like I need more blood sugar, but it is GenCon. I HAD to have a set of dice from GenCon. I asked the salesman if I could get my money back if these things roll crappy. "I'm just kidding, thanks." He laughed and bid me a good day.
There were dice specifically packaged from GenCon, but they looked like ordinary dice in a GenCon box. Meh… If they had GenCon 2013 etched on them I'd be interested.
A few booths later I saw a vendor selling large-sized dice. I bought a 20-sider and percentile dice each the size of a golf ball for my daughter to have. Will this help her leave MY dice alone? Of course not. But these ARE hers. They were purple – her favorite color. Goal Two was complete.
At the back of the Exhibit Hall I checked the time on my cell phone. It was 11:30. My next writing panel started in thirty minutes.
I realized I was in front of the Guest of Honor autograph booth. Twenty feet away from me at the end of a common-feeder bank-like line maze was Peter Davidson and Walter Koenig signing autographs and posing for photos. There were ten people in line. I was eleventh.
I asked an usher if I could get both to sign autographs or did I have to re-queue? She said to tell the main usher I wanted both and he would take care of me. He asked the first four people in the line "Davidson? Davidson?" and a few raised their hands.
"Koenig? Who's here for Walter Koenig?" The rest raised their hands.
When it was my turn I asked, "Both?"
"Okay, you'll get the next one that's free and then come back here to me and you'll be next when the other one's free."
He waved me to Peter Davidson. I knew him as Tristen Farnon from "All Creatures Great and Small" in 1979. My mother loved that show. A few years later he was the fifth actor to play Dr. Who (oh shut up you Cushing completists – you know what I mean). While he signed a photo for another attendee I talked to his assistant. "Can I get him to sign two photos (they had a stack of several photos I could choose)?"
I shook Davidson's hand and told him how much I enjoyed his work at Tristen and the Doctor.
"Thank you." He autographed the photos, one for me, one for my sister (Goal Three).
"I especially enjoy your commentary on the Doctor Who DVDs, they are wonderful to hear and your sense of humor really came through."
"At first they didn't want us to do it. All we did was giggle and make fun of the other actors. But the fans loved it so they kept it."
I said I wished I could have seen him in Spamalot. I saw a production in St. Louis and I knew he was a Python fan from his DVD comments.
"Oh yes, it was tremendous fun, I was glad to be part of it."
An usher dressed as the Brigadier took our photo and I shook Davidson's hand again and thanked him.
I went back to the usher and some seconds later I was face to face with Walter Koenig.
Chekov from Star Trek (the original show) and Bester from Babylon5, a show I have never seen (no comments! Just get over it!). He also had roles in Mannix, the Virginian, Columbo, all kinds of great 70s shows.
I hope he was feeling well. He looked feeble. He was hunched and spoke in a whisper. I thanked him for his great work and I appreciated his signing my photo (he also had several prints available to sign). "Thank you, sure…" To be frank, it was disappointing compared to the energy of Davidson. But Koenig was pleasant and appreciative and I was thrilled to meet him! Walter Koenig!! Maybe he was sick; maybe that is just his way… that's okay. Walter Koenig! My first Star Trek star! Heehee!
His assistant took our picture. He looked perky and energetic in the photo.
Goal Four. I was done! If I had to go home right now … I'd be happy!
Happier than I was a 5:00. All my symposiums, sessions and panels were done. I called my sister. She was to pick me up for dinner and take me to the motel.
She was sick that morning, could we have dinner tomorrow night?
Of course, I said. No worries, you just get some sleep and feel better. Big brother loves you!
I called Bill. He gave me a key to his van, so I told him I will take the bus to the Wal-Mart and drive to the motel. When he gets on the bus, call me and I will pick him up.
I still don't quite know what happened, but that afternoon Bill went back to the motel and had to take a taxi in to the convention center. He signed up for a game at seven. There was no van to drive back from the drop-off point.
Lisa, the other gamer who drove to the Con with her daughter and a mutual friend Anna, wasn't done until 9:00 that night. I wasn't going to wait that long.
The bus dropped me and others at the far end of a Wal-Mart parking lot. I called a taxi from the nearby Staples which took fifteen minutes to get there. It was such a beautiful sunny day I didn't mind waiting outside. The next morning my head, face and arms were sunburned as I waited for the taxi.
Am I the only person who goes to GenCon and get a tan?
The taxi drove to the motel; I ate a gyro at a nearby restaurant, walked back to the motel and went to bed.
Bill came in just before mid-night. He woke me but I fell back asleep quickly.
And the evening and the morning were the first day…
Copyright 2013 Michael G Curry
Posted in conventions, television
Tagged cosplay, role-playing, science fiction, writer's craft
The Synergy of Science Fiction and Horror: the lost potential of "Event Horizon".
The film "Event Horizon" was on television over the weekend. I saw it in the theater when released in 1997 and I wondered if it was really as laughably bad as I remembered it.
Time has mellowed my opinion of it. It wasn't bad. It wasn't good either, but it wasn't bad.
Some of the movie's worst crimes mellowed on the small screen; by that I mean the cheap scare tactics weren't as bad when not amplified. When I left the theater in 1997 I told my friend (and fellow movie-attendee) Jon, "Next time let's save some money. Instead of paying to see this movie, we should just randomly startle each other every two or three minutes and achieve the same effect."
This led throughout the night and the next week or so with our conversations peppered with the following routine.
"Jon?"
"BOO!!"
That was the total sum of the scariness of "Event Horizon" – build-up, build-up, build-up, soundtrack getting more and more ominous … and then … and then …
The music stopped, the character's fear was unfounded. The strange thingie he thought was approaching him was … nothing. Sigh of relief.
Boo! Oh no! The thingie attacks!
Actual scene – Sam Neil hears his dead wife's voice. The lights fade in and out. "Sara?" Lights on, Sam is on the right of the screen. Lights go out. Lights go on. Sam is still alone. Music swells.
"Get it over with!" I shouted.
Lights go up. Nothing. He turns to his right. Oh no! The ghost of his dead wife is to his right, not left! Music swells! He screams! The horror! The horror!
A member of an as-yet-undiscovered tribe in the Amazon would see that coming. And the movie is filled with this tactic.
I still dislike the movie despite the amazing cast. Sam Neill, Lawrence Fishburne, Kathleen Quinlin, Joely Richardson, Sean Pertwee (the son of Doctor Who's Jon Pertwee) and a pre-Draco Malfoy Jason Isaacs. Richard Jones overplays the black crewmember in all his token glory. He was the first one I wanted to go… Of all the shortcuts taken in this movie his was the worst. The other characters at least TRIED to appear three-dimensional. It was obvious the writers, producers and directors could not handle horror. They apparently can't handle a black character that possesses dignity and self-respect either. The film made LL Cool J from "Deep Blue Sea" seem like Poitier…
I was (and am) disappointed. With the right tweeking here and there it could have been a horror masterpiece up there with 1963's "The Haunting" and perhaps even passing that OTHER famous scary sci-fi movie … the mother of them all … but more on "Alien" in a moment.
Horror and science fiction fit very well together. It's like peanut butter and jelly. Some like peanut butter with other things, some like jelly with other things, some like only one and not the other, some like neither. But you cannot deny their popularity as a team.
Or compare it to two brothers who are identical yet a decade apart in age. They go together even though at times they are vastly different.
"Frankenstein" is arguably the first science fiction novel. If so it is definitely the first science fiction/horror novel.
Of course, a movie or a book with science fiction elements doesn't make it science fiction; no more than a book or movie with scary moments makes it a horror flick.
If that were the case "Godzilla" and almost every monster movie would be labeled "sci-fi/horror". They are monster movies. Some are very good monster movies, but not sci-fi/horror. ("Deep Blue Sea" could be considered a sci-fi/horror film, but it was more of a monster flick…)
Any sci-fi/horror blend has to be compared to the movie "Alien". Isn't that a monster movie too? In a way, but only in the way that a serial-killer movie is a monster movie. If "Alien" is a monster movie, then so is "Silence of the Lambs".
"Alien" had horrific situations folded in science fiction trappings. Want an easy way to describe it? "Jaws" in space. Or better – "Halloween" in space.
But making it that simple misses the greatness of the movie. In "Alien" we have solid characters (not necessarily likeable one, which is important) and truly frightening and/or intense scenes. Hitchcock would have approved of the monitor scene. The alien is shown as an electronic blip slowly approaching the captain in an access crawl space. We see it coming and all we can do is what Ripley did, "Run! He's getting closer!"
It is good science fiction and scary as hell. The sequel "Aliens" is also a good movie, but it is works better as an action movie than a horror movie. That's not a bad thing, but it does make a difference. You watch "Aliens" to be thrilled and cheer on the good guys, not to be scared or creeped out.
The bad guys in "Event Horizon" were originally written to be an alien race. The movie-makers wanted to wisely avoid the "Alien" comparison and decided to get their horror from another vein. They went Lovecraftian. The pitched it as "The Shining" in space.
This is why I had such high hopes for the film. The few moments of true creepiness were overshadowed by "the startle" – the cheap way to get a scare ("Boo!"). They should have let a horror writer come up with ideas.
Ironically, Sam Neil appeared in one of the most genuinely scary movies out there – "In the Mouth of Madness". A flick firmly ensconced in the Lovecraft/Stephen King mold. Plus it was directed by John Carpenter. That kind of fear-making should have been incorporated into "Event Horizon".
I'm reminded of an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" called "Night Terrors". The crew finds a missing Federation starship as a derelict with the crew missing (except one). They discovered that the crew of the missing ship killed each other and the Enterprise crew starts exhibiting the same symptoms – paranoia, violence and hostility. That's the plot of "Event Horizon" too…
There are moments when the "Star Trek" could have been horrifying. When Dr. Crusher was in the morgue with the dead crew of the missing ship, she hallucinated the bodies had sat up (the audience never sees the bodies move). She clenched her eyes shut and the scene pans out to show the bodies lying on their slabs again. I waited for the next inevitable moment, but it never happened. The show moved on to the next scene.
The bodies should have flailed. They should have thrashed around while the doctor screamed her pretty red head off. A scary moment missed.
That was "Event Horizon" – the scary moments were right there. Right. There. Ready to be exploited. But it went for the "Boo!"
Or it went for the gore. Evisceration is not scary. The before and after, if done right, can be.
A shame, really. Such potential. That's why I still don't like "Event Horizon".
Copyright 2013 Michael G. Curry
Tagged horror, science fiction
Fall of the Titans
In the last two months we've lost some giants. They were icons of their individual fields that were imitated and emulated but stood alone on their own shelves – no one coming close to their level.
Ray Harryhausen died in May at the age of 92. His stop-motion animation made the fantasy sequences of his movies real, especially to an impressionable youngster with a love of fantasy and monster movies. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was real. Mighty Joe Young was real. The skeletons that fought Jason – real. The Kraken, Medusa and Pegasus from "Clash of the Titans" were better actors than Olivier.
And "The Valley of Gwangi". Ray assured himself a special place in heaven with "The Valley of Gwangi".
Without him I would be taking Jean-Luc Godard and Dziga Vertov seriously.
A friend's mother went to high school with him. Her mother still has the year book. Isn't that cool?
It's very easy in this cynical age to look back and say how cheesy his artistry was. "Look at Lord of the Rings," one would say, "how can any of his work compare to that?" The answer is simple – the son always strives to be better than the father. Peter Jackson would be the first to agree.
Watch the battle between Jason of "…and the Argonauts" and the undead skeletons near the end of the movie. Imagine you are eight years old. Did you fold your legs under you on your seat? Were you afraid of a boney hand brushing your ankle from under the sofa? No? You are lying.
He made me believe in monsters said "Shaun of the Dead" director Edgar Wright in a memoriam. Thank you, Ray, for making us believe.
George Jones died in April at age 81. He was one of the last great country singers of his era. For almost sixty years he ruled the country music roost. If there was an award, he won it. His music was of a kind only imitated now.
His signature tune, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" has been called the greatest country song of all time. It is certainly one of the saddest songs of all time. But that is saying the same thing, isn't it?
Jonathan Winters died in April at the age of 88. He was a comedian. No one, no one, has been able to match his styling. He didn't do stand up, he didn't do monologues, he didn't do wry political commentary. He did one-man acts; skits with his own sound effects.
Some comedians start with, "two Jews walk into a bar…" Winters started with "Colonel, the Apaches are lining the hills…", or
"(affecting an elderly lady's voice) Oh, what a lovely day for a drive…", or
"Did you ever undress in front of your dog?" I laugh out loud still thinking of this bit. I smiled while typing it.
"Are you queer?" "No, I'm homosexual. My little brother's queer. He collects little bugs."
Marvin Kaplan, his co-star in "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" said he worked with two geniuses in his life – Charlie Chaplin and Jonathan Winters. Watch him discuss his time in that movie with Winters giggling alongside at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD5WeFCcu68.
Jonathan Winters was on Scooby-Doo, he was Papa Smurf, and he was on the Muppet Show. You can see the exact moment Frank Oz as Fozzy Bear gave up trying to improvise with him. The crew's laughter drowned out the laugh track.
Robin Williams is the only comedian who has come close to the weird and manic ways of Winters comedy-style; and even he admits he didn't come close.
Was he insane? He spent time in a mental institution. But he channeled any mental illness he suffered into a useful and beneficial way. He made us laugh. He made us laugh until our bellies hurt. Goodbye old friend.
We've lost two other artists who I will miss as well. Not the titans of their genre, but I was still saddened by their deaths.
Richie Havens was a folk artist with a very unique guitar playing style. He died in April at age 72. He will be renowned for being the opening act at Woodstock, but he should also be known for his music. Among his accomplishments include something extremely rare: He remade "Here Comes the Sun" in a version more beautiful that the Beatles' version.
Ray Manzarek died at 74 in May. If he had not founded the Doors with Jim Morrison, he would have been known as a great keyboardist – either in rock or jazz. If he would not have stayed in the music business he probably would have been a professor of music at a distinguished university. I interviewed him in the late 1980s and he was extremely intelligent and funny. He talked about the influence for his opening riff on "Light My Fire" and his relationship with Jim Morrison. He sang on a few Doors song – notably "Close To You".
Posted in movies, music, television
Tagged fantasy, rock music, science fiction
May·30
National Adoption Awareness Month: Sharon Stone!
National Adoption Awareness Month: Sandra Bullock
National Adoption Awareness Month: Mary-Louise Parker!
National Adoption Awareness Month: Sheryl Crow
CW's The Flash: "O Come, All Ye Faithful" Introduces Weather Witch
Harold Cortez on RIP Stan Lee … thank you…
The Warlord: DC Comi… on More on The Warlord – a…
michael64curry on A review of the Flash Season F…
Mohammed Zakir on A review of the Flash Season F…
A review of the Flas… on Arrow Season 6: same old same…
adoption Adoption Month Adventure Comics aquaman Arrow avengers bankruptcy law Batman Beatles biography Bob Haney Bronze Age Captain America celebrity children's entertainment Christmas classical music comic book collecting comic books concert cosplay CW Network DC DC Comics Denny O'Neil Dungeons & Dragons E Nelson bridwell fantasy fatherhood fiction Flash Gerry Conway Green Arrow Green Lantern Hercules horror Hulk Jack C Harris jack kirby Jim Aparo Joe Kubert Joe Orlando Joe Staton Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez Kobra legends of tomorrow Martin Pasko marvel comics Metal Men mike grell parenting Paul Levitz Paul McCartney review and commentary Robert Kanigher rock music role-playing Saturday Mornings science fiction Seven Soldiers of Victory Shazam spider-man stage play Super Friends Supergirl Superman the CW Thor wally wood Walt Simonson Welcome Back Kotter wonder woman works published writer's craft xmen


text:
Former Vanity Fair editor says Prince Harry felt he was being 'edited out' of the royal family
The former editor of Vanity Fair has revealed that Prince Harry chose to step down as a senior royal because he felt like he was being 'edited out' of The Firm.
Tina Brown, 66, told the Today show on Wednesday that the 35-year-old felt as though he was no longer a part of the most senior circle of the royal family – particularly after Buckingham Palace celebrated the new decade by releasing a portrait of the Queen and her heirs: Harry's father Prince Charles, brother William, and nephew George.
Brown, who authored a book, The Diana Chronicles, about Harry's mother Diana and her position within the royal family, added that the Duke of Sussex has been 'very unhappy' since leaving the army back in 2015, and hasn't really felt as though he has a true place within the royal family.
Opinion: Former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown spoke out about Megxit on the Today show on Wednesday, revealing that Prince Harry feels as though he is being 'edited out' of the royals
Moving on: The 66-year-old author added that Prince Harry, 35, has been 'a very unhappy man' since leaving the army in 2015, and that he has struggled to find his true purpose as a royal
'I know that Harry has been a very unhappy man ever since he came out of the army,' she explained. 'He has felt that he's this big alpha guy and doesn't really have a place to land.
'And what's happened now is that Prince William and Prince Charles – you've got two heirs, well actually… it's very crowded at the top right now! – and we're in the twilight of the Queen's reign, let's face it, she's not going to go on forever, and they're on this really accelerated flight path now to get ready to be the King and the Prince of Wales.'
According to Brown, the feeling that Harry may have had of being pushed out of the royal family's most inner circle was further exacerbated when Buckingham Palace released a new royal portrait of the Queen and her three direct heirs.
'I do think [it rubbed Harry the wrong way], I think he felt, "I'm being edited out,"' Brown said of the portrait's release. 'And I think that he did mind that very much, and I think [Meghan] also minded it.
'So I think his feeling has been, "Look, I'm being edited out, therefore I want out."'
Hurt: Brown says that Harry's feeling of being 'edited out' as a senior royal was made worse by the publication of a royal portrait of the Queen and her heirs: Charles, William, and George
Looking ahead: However, Brown believes that the Queen will 'leave the doors open' for Harry should he want to return to life as a senior royal in the future
Making a change: Prince Harry served in the British Army until 2015, however he was forced to leave Afghanistan in 2008 after German and Australian publications revealed his whereabouts
However, Brown notes that, whether or not this idea is based in reality, Harry's position within the royal family has always been that of an 'ensemble player' – just like many of the other most senior members, including William and Kate.
'The truth is that when you are in the royal family, when you join the royal family, you are an ensemble player,' she said. 'Everyone is supposed to be an ensemble player, you're all there to support one person. There's only one monarch and you're there as the backup troupe.
History: Brown published a book about Princess Diana's position within and treatment by the royal family back in 2007, ten years after Prince Harry's mother died
'And you're supposed to be deployed to do all these different royal things. This year, Meghan and Harry were expected to do 200 royal appearances, all over the place.'
Brown believes that playing the part of backup also didn't sit well with Meghan, who was moving herself further into the Hollywood spotlight as a lead role on the hit series Suits when she first met Harry.
The former magazine editor believes that Meghan felt she could be better used as an 'asset' to the royal family – and that she felt far too restricted by the couple's obligations when they were acting as senior royals.
'These [official engagements] are things like opening hospitals in Guildford… they're not super glamorous Commonwealth tours,' the royal author noted. 'A lot of them are really meat and potatoes, showing the flag PR events.
'And for Meghan who has a big celebrity of her own, I think she found that a waste of herself as an asset.'
But still, Brown is not convinced that Megxit will last forever – and she says the Queen is likely working to find a way to 'keep the doors open for Harry' should he want to return to life as a senior royal in the future.
'I think she feels life is long [and] she's a big believer in [letting] cool heads prevail, so I think she really wants to keep that door open, and not alienate him,' she explained.
'Because who knows? This could be like a year's experimental thing and he's going to want to come back into the royal family.'
Previous article 'Eyeborg' filmmaker has a video camera in his prosthetic eye that can record for up to 30 minutes
Next article Pam McKenna reveals the heartbreak of watching BOTH her daughters battle anorexia
More From: UK News
'Eyeborg' filmmaker has a video camera in his prosthetic eye that can record for up to 30 minutes
Pam McKenna reveals the heartbreak of watching BOTH her daughters battle anorexia


text:
package gov.nih.nci.ncicb.cadsr.common.database;

import gov.nih.nci.ncicb.cadsr.common.util.DBUtil;
import gov.nih.nci.ncicb.cadsr.common.util.logging.Log;
import gov.nih.nci.ncicb.cadsr.common.util.logging.LogFactory;

import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
import java.sql.ResultSet;
import java.sql.SQLException;
import java.sql.Statement;

public abstract class AbstractSqlQuery  {
  private static Log log = LogFactory.getLog(AbstractSqlQuery.class.getName());
  protected long startRowNum;
  protected long endRowNum;
  protected long totalRowCount;
  protected ResultSet rs = null;
  protected Statement stmt;
  protected PreparedStatement pstmt;

  public AbstractSqlQuery() {
  }

  public AbstractSqlQuery(String sqlStmt, DBUtil dbUtil) {
  }

  protected ResultSet executeQuery() throws SQLException {
    //ResultSet rs = null;
    try {

    }
    catch (Exception ex) {
      log.error("Exception caught executing query", ex);
    }
    finally {
    }
    return rs;
  }

  protected abstract ResultReader getRowsInRange();

  protected long getStartRowNum (){
    return startRowNum;
  }

  protected void setStartRowNum(long lStart) {
    startRowNum = lStart;
  }

  protected long getEndRowNum() {
    return endRowNum;
  }

  protected void setEndRowNum(long lEnd) {
    endRowNum = lEnd;
  }

  protected void releaseResources() {
    try {
      if (rs != null) rs.close();
      if (stmt != null) stmt.close();
      if (pstmt != null) pstmt.close();
    }
    catch (Exception ex) {
      log.error("Exception occured in releaseResources(): ", ex);
    }

  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home/National/West Indies: India is now World Champion, fifth time in Under-19 cricket by defeating England, Raj Bawa and Nishant Sindhu were the heroes of the match
West Indies: India is now World Champion, fifth time in Under-19 cricket by defeating England, Raj Bawa and Nishant Sindhu were the heroes of the match
National Vani DeskFebruary 6, 2022
West Indies: India defeated England to win the World Champions Trophy. Now, India has become world champion five times. In the championship played in the West Indies, India defeated England by four wickets in the final of the Under-19 World Cup and won the title for the fifth time.
Earlier, Team India has won the World Cup in 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018. At the same time, in 2006, 2016 and 2020, the Indian team had to face defeat in the final. Batting first after winning the toss, England were all out for 189 runs in 44.5 overs. The Indian team reached the final for a record eighth time. No team in Under-19 has reached the final of the World Cup so many times. At the same time, this was also Team India's record fourth consecutive final match. The Indian team also holds the record for winning the most five World Cups. After that Australia has won this title three times. The Indian team was in great form in this year.
The team has won all its matches in the tournament from the group stage till now. Raj Bawa was given the Player of the Match award for taking five wickets and scoring 35 runs in the final. At the same time, South Africa's Dewald Brevis, who scored 506 runs in the tournament, was given the Player of the Tournament award.


HOME – We offer effective, non-invasive pain treatment options that help you get back into the game quickly. Learn about Performance Pain & Sports Medicine, the conditions we treat and the procedures.
ABOUT – Find out what makes Performance Pain & Sports Medicine stand out and how we can help you get back on track as quickly as possible.
PRACTICE AREA – PPSM has a team of highly skilled medical professionals who incorporate a variety of techniques to help you leave pain in your past and improve your quality of life.
CONDITIONS – We understand your aches and pains can be the result of a variety of injuries and conditions. PPSM is pleased to treat you from head to toe, making sure you can participate in activities you love again.
PROCEDURES – Our team works to find you a solution that is non-invasive and non-surgical. We offer state-of-the-art procedures that have been proven effective in treating various conditions.
FAQ – Learn more about our practice and how we can help you. We strive to offer procedures and options that you can't find in other local medical practices.
LOCATION – We are conveniently located at 4126 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1300 in Houston. Learn how you can find our practice.
BLOG - Keep up-to-date on the most current advances in medicine. We strive to offer the latest technology in pain management and orthopedic treatment.
CONTACT – Do you want to learn more about PPSM? Would you like to schedule an appointment? Here are ways you can get in touch with us.
HIPPA Policy – Because your privacy is important, we follow all HIPPA regulations to ensure no one has access to your medical records unless we are given your direct permission to release them to a specific entity or person.
Performance Pain & Sports Medicine offers a variety of non-surgical pain treatment options as well as wellness programs to ensure you are achieving the best possible quality of life. We work to get you back in the game and free from pain while maximizing your mobility. Schedule an appointment today!
© 2018 Performance Pain Houston. All Rights Reserved.


The short film festival "KFFK – Kurzfilmfestival Köln" takes place in our home town every Autumn. Besides the festival, they organize the open air event "Shorts on Wheels" with short films, shown at different locations all over Cologne. The distance between the locations is covered by riding with bicycles. And even the entire equipment from the sound system to the projector is carried by cargo bikes from location to location. messageconcept supported the event with our corporate cargo bike "Emma" and our event sound system. Our Cologne staff participated with more than 700 other people in the 2017 edition of Shorts on Wheels.


text:
Jewish group calls on Congress to make Holocaust education mandatory in US schools
Published time: 7 Jul, 2019 16:55 Edited time: 8 Jul, 2019 09:28
FILE PHOTO Auschwitz concentration camp, Poland © Wikimedia Commons
The World Jewish Congress is pushing US lawmakers to make Holocaust education mandatory in all schools, citing statistics from a 2018 poll revealing half of millennials can't name a single Nazi concentration camp.
The WJC started a petition calling on Congress to "make Holocaust education mandatory in every school in the United States," that has garnered 8,500 signatures so far. The petition points to a rise in antisemitism and warns that "the horrors of the Holocaust are fading from our collective memory, especially among millennials."
Also on rt.com Ilhan Omar re-tweets video of CNN contributor claiming US could be on the road to 'death camps'
It refers to statistics found in the 2018 Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness Study which surveyed 1,350 Americans aged 18 and over and found 49 percent of millennials and 45 percent of adults couldn't name a concentration camp or ghetto in Europe during the Holocaust. It also revealed that 41 percent of millennials think the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust was two million or less, rather than six million.
'The Never Again Education Act' would create a grant program run by the Department of Education to provide teachers with training and tools to teach students about the Holocaust "and the repercussions that hate and intolerance can have on our society."
The bill was reintroduced in January by Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) after failing to be enacted at a previous session of Congress. California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island already have laws requiring schools to teach students about the Holocaust.
Trends:US Congress newsUS news
Blood donation breakthrough sees scientists convert all types to O using gut bacteria
Smurfette or first lady? Odd wooden statue of Melania Trump confuses and enrages locals (VIDEO)
Arizona cops spark #dumpstarbucks campaign after officers asked to leave store
Billionaire Epstein arrested on child sex trafficking charges, faces 45 years in prison – report
Washington wants German troops in Syria to help fill gap left by departing Americans
Iran steps up uranium enrichment over 2015 deal levels, hopes to save accord 'but not at any cost'
Increase in uranium enrichment is attempt by Iran to 'pressure' Europe to honor nuclear deal


text:
Rare photo album from the 19th century.
by	peter-blog	/ Monday, 02 March 2015	/ Published in Classic Cameras, Exhibition, News, Photography, Photos
The British government is scrambling to keep a rare photo album from the 19th century from being sold to a foreigner and exported from the nation. It announced today that it has placed a temporary export ban on the book, which contains seventy photographs by Swedish photography pioneer Oscar Gustave Rejlander.
Rejlander pioneered the art of combination printing, or combining multiple negatives to create one photograph. He settled in England in the 1840s and became known as a "father of art photography".
"The Rejlander album is a truly remarkable compilation of images by one of the great pioneers of photography," says Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, "I hope a UK buyer can be found so that the album can undergo further study here in the UK. It would also be a tremendous addition to the nation's photographic archive."
A number of photos in the album are famous works by Rejlander, while others are relatively unknown and of interest to researchers. Here are some of the pages in the book (the first image shows Rejlander himself on the left):
The export ban was issued after authorities determined that the album "was of outstanding significance for the study of the history of photography and for our wider understanding of nineteenth century art." The album was sold for over $130,000 at an auction in England late last year.
The ban will be lifted later this year unless a buyer from the UK can be found. The UK government is now looking for someone willing to purchase the album for around £82,600 (~$128,000). If that's you, you can contact authorities at the number listed here.
Article from PetaPixel
About peter-blog
W. Wastons & Sons Studio camera, 10 x 10 inch
Basistraining 'haal het beste uit je digitale camera' April 2018