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Braulio Evaristo Carrillo Colina (Cartago, Provincia de Costa Rica, 20 de marzo de 1800 - Sociedad, El Salvador, 15 de mayo de 1844) fue un abogado, comerciante y político costarricense. Fue jefe de Estado de Costa Rica en dos períodos: el primero electo democráticamente entre 1835 y 1837, y el segundo como gobernante de facto entre 1838 y 1842. Responsable de una obra monumental en lo jurídico, político, fiscal, hacendario y económico, sus gobiernos se consideraron fundamentales en la formación del Estado, por lo que es reconocido como "Arquitecto del Estado Costarricense". Además, Carrillo es el responsable de recuperar la soberanía política de Costa Rica al separarla definitivamente de la República Federal de Centroamérica el 14 de noviembre de 1838, y erigirla como un Estado soberano e independiente. Fue declarado Benemérito de la Patria en 1971.

Biografía

Carrillo Colina nació en Cartago, el 20 de mayo de 1800. Hijo de Benito Carrillo Vidamartel y María de Jesús Colina Gutiérrez. Hizo sus estudios de Derecho en la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua en Nicaragua.

Antes de ser jefe de Estado, desempeñó varios cargos públicos, entre ellos: magistrado y presidente interino de la Corte Superior de Justicia, y diputado del Congreso Constitucional de Costa Rica.

En 1828 fue elegido Diputado de Costa Rica ante el Congreso de la República Federal de Centro América por un período de dos años, y durante un breve período fue Presidente del Congreso de Costa Rica. En 1834 fue enviado otra vez como representante de Costa Rica al Congreso Federal Centroamericano.

Jefe de Estado

En 1835, José Rafael Gallegos Alvarado renunció como Jefe de Estado de Costa Rica, y Braulio Carrillo fue elegido jefe de Estado para terminar el período de Gallegos, luego de que el poder legislativo declarara nula la titularidad del vicejefe de Gallegos, Manuel Fernández Chacón.

Casi de inmediato eliminó la Ley de la Ambulancia, lo cual originó descontento en Alajuela, Cartago y Heredia. De esta manera empezó la segunda guerra civil de Costa Rica, o Guerra de la Liga. Después de quince días de combate ganaron las tropas del gobierno y San José se consolidó como capital de Costa Rica.

En 1836 la República de la Nueva Granada ocupó el territorio de Bocas del Toro, heredado después por la República de Panamá. Ante esta pérdida del territorio nacional la República Federal de Centro América no hizo nada.

Braulio Carrillo fue candidato para reelegirse en las votaciones de 1837, pero fue derrotado por Manuel Aguilar Chacón, cuya política tendía a robustecer los nexos de Costa Rica con la República Federal, algo a lo que Carrillo era contrario. Aguilar fue derrocado en 1838, y los militares de San José restablecieron a Braulio Carrillo como jefe de Estado.

El 15 de noviembre de 1838, la Asamblea Legislativa de Costa Rica declaró que este Estado quedaba separado de manera definitiva de la República Federal de Centro América y así Costa Rica se convirtió en un país soberano.

En 1840, Carrillo convirtió la ciudad de Puntarenas en el principal puerto comercial de Costa Rica en el Océano Pacífico, y nombró un gobernador designado para trazar sus primeras calles, avenidas y cuadras, con lo que se trasladó la actividad portuaria principal de Caldera a Puntarenas.

En 1841, la Asamblea redactó el Código General del Estado de Costa Rica, el primer código jurídico de Costa Rica, aprobado por el jefe de Estado Braulio Carrillo Colina. Ese mismo año emitió la Ley de Bases y Garantías o Decreto de Bases y Garantías, donde se declaró que el jefe de Estado de Costa Rica sería vitalicio e inamovible (iniciando con él), incluyendo más poder para el desarrollo el país.

Con el poder como dictador, impulsó varios cambios en Costa Rica, tanto que se le conoce como el Arquitecto del Estado Nacional Costarricense. Prohibió la vagancia y el vicio, y a la vez hizo que todos los ciudadanos vivieran bajo un código de honradez, moralidad y trabajo. Impulsó enormemente el desarrollo de Costa Rica e introdujo el orden en la Administración Pública.

Organizó los Tribunales de Justicia, apoyó el cultivo y exportación de café, e intentó abrir un camino para carretas entre el Valle Central y Matina en el Mar Caribe. Este proyecto era difícil, pues el camino debía atravesar muchos kilómetros de jungla tropical muy lluviosa, y se debían construir varios puentes sobre ríos caudalosos y anchos. Aun así, Don Braulio insistió en la importancia de enlazar a Costa Rica al mercado internacional del Océano Atlántico.

El proyecto de la carretera a la costa atlántica no pudo culminarse, pues Don Braulio Carrillo fue derrocado en 1842. No obstante, debido a ese esfuerzo en la actualidad la carretera que va de San José a Limón lleva su nombre, igual que el Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo.

En 1839 el hondureño Francisco Morazán fue depuesto como presidente de la República Federal de Centro América. Sin embargo, para 1842 los conservadores de Cartago querían derrocar a Don Braulio Carrillo para restablecer la capital en Cartago, por eso se contactaron con Morazán y sus hombres leales para que invadiera Costa Rica. De esta manera el general Francisco Morazán tomó este país a través del Pacto del Jocote el 11 de abril de 1842, y seguidamente expulsó a Braulio Carrillo Colina de Costa Rica.

Para cuando Braulio Carrillo fue depuesto, ya había consolidado la economía cafetalera que unió a Costa Rica al mundo y cambió para siempre la economía, sociedad, cultura y política de este país.

Carrillo se radicó en El Salvador, donde fue asesinado en la jurisdicción del pueblo de Sociedad el 15 de mayo de 1844. En 1971, la Asamblea Legislativa de Costa Rica lo declaró Benemérito de la Patria. En 1972, sus restos fueron traídos a Costa Rica y enterrados en San Rafael de Oreamuno.

Principales logros de su gobierno

Braulio Carrillo fue uno de los primeros costarricenses en pensar que Costa Rica podía ser una nación soberana e independiente de Guatemala y de Centroamérica, criterio que no era compartido por muchos, pues había una mayoría que pensaba que una provincia tan atrasada como lo era Costa Rica en esa época no tenía posibilidades de desarrollarse sola. Sin embargo, la situación de los demás países centroamericanos era turbulenta, enzarzados en guerras civiles y luchas intestinas, mientras Costa Rica vivía casi en paz. Su obra de gobierno más importante es el establecimiento de Costa Rica como un Estado autónomo.

Se abolió la Ley de la Ambulancia y se estableció definitivamente la capital en San José.
Se impulsó el café y combatió la vagancia y los vicios.
Se redujo el número de días feriados en 1836.
Se organizó los Tribunales de Justicia.
Se pagó la cuota de Costa Rica en la deuda británica de la República Federal de Centro América.
Se inició la construcción de una carretera entre San José y la costa caribeña.
Costa Rica se separó de la República Federal de Centro América y asumió su soberanía.
Se promulgó el Código General del Estado de Costa Rica en 1841.
Se estableció el Decreto de Bases y Garantías.

Véase también

Historia de Costa Rica: las administraciones de Braulio Carrillo

Referencias

Bibliografía

Carrillo
Liberales de Costa Rica
Beneméritos de la Patria
Dictadores
Cartagineses (Costa Rica)
Masones de Costa Rica
Presidentes de Costa Rica que fueron derrocados por un golpe de Estado
Gobernantes que tomaron el poder por un golpe de Estado
Dictadores de Costa Rica
Abogados de Costa Rica


Faster & Better: One Plus 3T: As expected by all of us it didn't come out that way with the all new One Plus 3T in the case of OS which was earlier expected to be the latest one i.e Android v7.0 (Nougat) but it actually comes with Android v6.0 (Marshmallow). Although OnePlus has made clarity about the sooner availability for the upgrade to 7.0 Nougat in future for both OnePlus 3 & 3T.
Some comparison within both the closely launched flagships from One Plus may be noticed as I have been using the newer one for about 15-18 days long & it is good Experience anytime, although there is nothing much different from the predecessor One Plus 3 in many aspects. The 3T has additionally offered with a gray color & 128 GB of storage options which is an addition to the previous flagship phone. Also, the Processor is faster, improved battery & front faced camera is now better.
As the new phone from One Plus has arrived so frequently, there has to be a reason behind that one. So, the 3T is having some more in the software department, the Gesture controls have been updated. With the new gesture controls, you will be able to turn the phone over to mute during a call & screenshots can be easily taken just by sliding 3 fingers down the screen. Additional security for every individual Apps & design of icons is made possible with the 3T model.
While looking at the design, the 3T is exactly like the earlier model from OnePlus. Made up of full Metal body, slightly curving from the back with all sides & corners being rounded. The 3T is also very light enough to carry & use despite the fact of being entirely made up of metal and as the back sides have been tapered it also seems thinner when used. Distinguishing feature from the predecessor is only the color which can tell us about it being a OnePlus 3 or the 3T.
Addition to the variants of this flagship is the replacement of silver color by a gunmetal color. While configured with different storage capacities, the color variant availability also varies as the golden variant will only be available for the 64 GB model while the gunmetal will have both 64 GB & 128 GB of storage capabilities. Designs of the buttons have been made so as to cope up with the handy usefulness of the phone.
It comes out with 5.5 inches of AMOLED display having a resolution of 1080p. As the updated OxygenOS also gives the option for dark mode theme which is built-in to OxygenOS for taking advantages of the deep inky blacks. in addition to the expected rich & vibrant colors with high contrast from AMOLED screen.
Dimension 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35 mm.
The most expected section for the all-new device is this, as it was an expectation for a Nougat updated phone with this one but unfortunately, it turned out to be a lower one. OnePlus 3T runs with OxygenOS 3.5.1 based on Android v6.0 Marshmallow. Although an update to Nougat will be available sooner for the device as quoted by one of the officials from OnePlus. Many of the customizations are available for better experiences of users with the current version of Android also. Few new customizations have also been added in the latest OxygenOS like the Built-in night mode theme, custom accent colors, icon customization tools & the gestures additions too is a great new experience to use.
In terms of performance, the 3T model is a boost than the earlier one as its Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor has been at a speed of 2.35 GHz, which is even faster than the one that is equipped with Google Pixel smartphones. The RAM in the 3T is same as the 3 i.e 6 GB. So, the performance is just awesome with the upgraded combination of processor & the RAM. Everything on the device is even smoother than earlier.
Available with two different storage capacities, the 3T model features non-expandable smartphone device. Although it brings up the 128 GB of onboard storage in a gunmetal color variant which is a totally different variant that is made available to attract users. I also loved the color & also it was fulfilling my needs of storage that was available onboard. Fast fingerprint scanner being placed in the home button is easy to use & unlock the device. The 3T has also boosted up the battery capacity by up to 13% from the predecessor without making any changes in the dimension & weight of the device & that's a great piece of work they have done.
Dash charging technology is no longer new to everyone now. It is now the most common way for smartphone developers for quickly & easily charging up the phone for long backups. Having an advantage of resisting the heat developed through quick charging to the wall adapters only & not allowing it to come along into the device is far safer than any other fast charging options available these days.
An upgrade to the front-facing camera have been received with the all new 3T but this change is limited to the front only as the rear camera is the same like in the OnePlus 3 model i.e. Of 16 MP. This time the front facing camera that is built-in is 16 MP, which is double of the predecessor model. The front facing camera also comes along with a f/2.0 aperture which captures great selfies even in low or dimmed light areas. So now the OnePlus 3T is having an equivalent camera on the front & on the back and that are of 16 MP. This is definitely a good combination camera phone when it comes to a good picture quality. For a dynamic range, the camera can overexpose to the click & highlight the focused ones very easily.
In a very similar technology like the OnePlus 3, the 3T uses OnePlus' proprietary Dash Charging fast charging system, which promises to provide "a day's power in half an hour" of charging. It lives up to that claim, rapidly charging the 3T's battery in just a few minutes. But it's not compatible with Qualcomm's much more common Quick Charge platform, and it only works with OnePlus' charging brick and USB cable. The 3T offers a better battery capacity of 3400 mAh which is an add-on of 400 mAh in the predecessor i.e. OnePlus 3.
Improved 16 MP Front facing the camera.
Faster processor speeds with 2.35GHz.
More internal storage of 128 GB.
Better battery performance i.e. 3400 mAh.
With all new improved processing speeds & higher quality front facing camera along with increased battery capacities as expected a hike in the price than the predecessor i.e. OnePlus 3, the OnePlus 3T model featuring 64 GB internal storage cost about $439 while the other one that features 128 GB of storage will be costing additional $40. The phone is available in the US since 22nd of November while for European countries it was made available from 28th of November this year.
The Chinese company's India General Manager, Vikas Agarwal announced through his Twitter account about the latest smartphone flagship i.e OnePlus 3T. OnePlus has made an announcement for the launch of its newly arrived model 3T in India on 2nd of December, 2016. However, there was no any hint about the Indian pricing for the phone but as expected it will be higher than the predecessor like in the other US & European countries.


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Posts Tagged 'Donald Runnicles'
Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Deutsche Oper Berlin, 13.03.2011
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Deutsche Oper Berlin, Donald Runnicles, Peter Seiffert, Petra Maria Schnitzer, Wagner's Tristan und Isolde on March 13, 2011| 4 Comments »
Das Licht — wann löscht es aus? Wann wird es Nacht im Haus? In Richard Wagner's libretto, Tristan's view of the world turns around an opposition roughly summarized as light-day/world/society and night/house/individuality, probably divided by an axis in which his mother, Isolde and death are the main poles. This is not me trying to be clever; a superficial reading of the libretto shows that; so it hardly qualifies as an "insight". But director Graham Vick begs to differ and probably believes that this has to be really un-der-lined so that the audience un-der-stand it. So, away with the ship, the tower, Kareol and here comes… a house. At first, I thought we were watching the first mafia-wedding production of Tristan und Isolde – a tacky nouveau-riche house, a coffin, Tristan in a black suit, Kurwenal has an apron over his, there are lots of ill-behaved men with a wide job description who harass Isolde in a way only a Neapolitan would care to do and there are drugs – the love potion comes in syringes here. But then I realized it was a surrealistic mafia-wedding production, for there is a naked girl walking around unmolested by the testosterone-high henchmen and… a gigantic floating spotlight that could pass as the und in Tristan und Isolde, for whenever they are together, it comes closer to them. But then I realized it was not a mafia-wedding Tristan, but a house/light Tristan. In any case, the audience had a big laugh when, in act III, the spotlight comes nearer Tristan and he says Die Leuchte, ha! Act II shows the house on a different angle, inside and outside are blurred, crags grow from nowhere, a naked guy digs a grave, the naked girl watches him – love/death, house/world, light/darkness. Of course, it all looks awful. Act III almost hits an interesting idea – Tristan is shown as a somewhat senile old man, his questions of "where am I?" etc and his streams of consciousness surprisingly fit the concept. Everyone is old in the house, Kurwenal, the shepherd. Tristan does not die, only that Tristan died, I thought, goes into the world and is haunted by his lost self in the shape of Isolde; I could live with that. But no – Brangäne appears as an old woman and Marke should be something of a walking Titurel by then, but he only needs a walking-stick to make his entrance and, to make things worse, an elderly Isolde comes very realistically on stage, sings her Liebestod for the coffin (a part of the decoration since act I) and the centenary Brangäne and Marke.
Have I mentioned that it was amazingly poorly directed? Awkward love-potion scene (if you think that this evening's Tristan and Isolde are actually a married couple, you start to wonder why they take so much time to seem intimate), ludicrous Melot-Tristan scene, various scenes in which singers remain on stage without anything to do, just watching the often dramatic or delicate situations depicted by the libretto. It is no wonder that, at the end, the audience almost unanimously booed the director (almost, there were probably 50 people – me included – who just did not applaud and the guy who incessantly bravo-ed everything, even the extras).
God must have thought that a poor musical performance would have made the audience tear the Deutsche Oper to pieces and granted the guinea-pigs in the opening night most solid conducting from Donald Runnicles. The prelude could be a little be more inspired, more organic, a stronger sense of arch could have been achieved, the increasing dynamic less deliberate, but other than this the Deutsche Oper's musical director offered a structurally clean performance, very consequent in its phrasing, all elements (including soloists) perfectly balanced and the house orchestra responded with exemplary Wagnerian sounds throughout. If someone deserves bravo this evening, these should be the members of the orchestra. It is true that the performance lacked the profoundness of expression of Daniel Barenboim's Tristans in the Staatsoper, but that is only a matter of difference of approach. Runnicles's more cerebral transverse of the score is equally valid in its musical thoroughness and transparency.
Petra Maria Schnitzer is probably the lightest Isolde I have ever seen on stage. Margaret Price never sang the role live, but she proved to have had a far more positive middle register (and low notes) in her Verdian roles. The unsubstantial lower end of Schnitzer's voice robbed many passages from their gravitas (the Liebesnacht, for example), but her ease with high notes (even dramatic high notes – quite full and forceful) could be counted as a compensation. She has a solid technique and never showed any sign of fatigue. For me, the young-sounding quality of her voice and its creaminess made her Isolde quite congenial, but after a while the lack of tonal and dynamic variety could be felt. It must also be said that she is a really accurate singer and her acting talents are not to be overlooked. She alone looked three-dimensional as a sensuous woman who would follow the man she loves in his own particular world without quite understanding it.
This was the first time I've seen Peter Seiffert as Tristan. His tonal quality is also a bit light for the role, but it is voluminous enough a voice with a bright sheen on it. In order to make for the tonal lightness, he pushes more often than he should and, as a result, his tenor sounds dangerously open-toned now and then, some notes oscillate in a René Kollo-esque manner and sometimes he sounds frankly strained. By now, he has learned where his strengths are in this role and saves when he can in order to give it all in act III, where he allows himself more legato than most tenors anyway.
At first, Jane Irwin's light, yet incisive mezzo with a touch of Janet Baker seemed promising for Brangäne, but her calls from the tower were mostly flat and that is the moment when a Brangäne shows her skills. Eike Wilm Schulte is not my idea of a Kurwenal – his baritone is too high and he has neither the physique nor the attitude – and he was simply in a bad-voice day. In more outspoken moments, Kristinn Sigmundsson's bass lacks the necessary nobility for the King Marke, but he knows how to scale down his spacious and dark voice, an important quality for his long monologue, which can sound monotone without proper tone colouring.
Gnecchi's Cassandra and R. Strauss's Elektra – Deutsche Oper Berlin, 22.09.2010
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Deutsche Oper Berlin, Donald Runnicles, Gnecchi's Cassandra, Markus Brück, R. Strauss's Elektra on September 22, 2010| 3 Comments »
If Vittorio Gnecchi's Cassandra does ring a bell in your mind, it is because of the famous article Telepatia musicale in which Giovanni Tebaldini suggests by means of musical examples that Richard Strauss either copied or had a transalpine case of coincidental inspiration with the Italian composer who premièred his opera a couple of years before the première of Elektra in Dresden. I had never heard Cassandra before this evening and the first bar already shows the famous motive associated to Agamemnon in Strauss's opera. And this is only the first of a series of similarities. In any case, comparison between the two works only show that, if Strauss indeed "borrowed" some motives from Gnecchi, the Bavarian composer's superior usage of them should have been reason for Gnecchi to be proud. As it is, Cassandra sounds like Turandot with a bold harmonic twist. The canzonetta-style of its melodies sandwiched between dissonant chords is something that requires some adaptation, but the work is certainly atmospheric and the orchestration is imaginative. It is curious, however, that the title role is more or less unimportant in the plot, even if it has a big scene before the opera abruptly ends.
Donald Runnicles could find the right balance between Italianate and German qualities in the work and provided beautiful sounds throughout. In the cast, Markus Brück stands out in a powerfully and richly sung account not only of the role of Egisto but also in the prologue (replacing an ailing Nathan De'Shon Myers). Takesha Meshé Kizart's smoky soprano is a bit on the light side for Clitennestra, but she certainly did not seem fazed by what is required from her, producing some exciting chest voice in her low register throughout. Gaston Rivero is too light-toned for Agamennone, but sang firmly and securely in a tricky tessitura. Julia Benzinger could also do with a more dramatic voice. These singers suggested rather efficiency than thrill, and the results were finally quite unexciting, but I am afraid that the score itself is also to blame.
After the intermission, Donald Runnicles proved again that he is a most reliable Straussian, ensuring ideal balance in his orchestra and helping his singers by keeping his forces under the leash without losing tonal quality. The transparent reading was musically extremely rewarding and, if the cast allowed him a bit more power, it could be a quite gripping experience. As it was, the final impression was of sensitivity and stylishness. And the house orchestra followed the conductor in an exemplary account of this difficult music.
In the title role Eva Johansson could figure as an example of a long list of what-not-to-do in a voice lesson – her soprano lacks harmonics in her entire range, her intonation is erratic, there is no legato to speak of, the low register is unsupported, the high notes are pushed – but still I have to confess I found her flawed performance quite touching. If I may borrow a concept from La Cieca's Parterre Box, this would be "emotional journey". Her underwhelming Elektra seemed more humane in her faltering expression of rage, a more believable sister to Chrysothemis. Her Recognition Scene finally produced the right effect for the wrong reasons – the imperfect attempt to produce a lyric line (topped by a praiseworthy intent to produce mezza voce whenever this was required) was itself the sound image of Elektra's ruined beauty. All this aided by an engaged stage performance made me forgive the never-ending list of drawbacks, but I wonder how long she will be able to tackle this repertoire in such a reckless manner. Manuela Uhl seemed to be in an off day – the voice refused to flow, sounded shrill in its higher reaches and failed to pierce elsewhere. Julia Juon is an experienced Klytämnestra, her mezzo still pleasant and rich, but spacious low notes were not really there. Ernestine Schumann-Heink was in her prime when she sang the role in the Dresden première and I wonder why opera houses believe that this role should be cast exclusively by veterans. I really dream of listening to it by a large, full, warm voice. Burkhard Ulrich was a firm-toned Aegisth, but Stephen Bronk lost a bit steam in the middle of his performance. Katarina Bradic's First Maid and Ulrike Helzel's Third Maid are worthy of mention.
Director Kirsten Harms uses the same set for both operas – and I don't need to describe it, for it looks like almost every set designed for R. Strauss's Elektra. The same goes for costumes. It seems that the axe is very important for her, because Klytämnestra had to carry it throughout both operas. It is unintentionally funny when Cassandra says that she foresees a murder that very day as Clitennestra makes a what-is-she-talking-about?-face while greeting her husband with that enormous axe in her hand. As I use to say, Mrs. Harms has a problem with third acts and I thought that, since there was no third act today, she could feel a bit more confident about her directing. But there is always a last scene – in Elektra, for example, she found it important to have some ghost girls perform a ballet around Elektra. Maybe they were remains of a production of an old staging of Adam's Giselle who were still bound by contract to the Deutsche Oper.
The wheat and the chaff
Posted in Reviews, tagged Deutsche Oper, Donald Runnicles, Klaus Florian Vogt, Markus Brück, Michaela Kaune, Ulrike Helzel, Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg on February 5, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is one of the the toughest cookies in the operatic repertoire. Technically, it is a comedy – but if you get ten instances of laughing during its almost five-hour length, this was a hilarious staging. Then the score involves impossibly complex ensembles with intricate counterpoint for soloists and chorus. To make things worse, the main roles require the subtlety of a Lieder singer and the dexterity of a bel canto specialist. In other words, if you want to listen to this opera, you have to be prepared to take the wheat AND the chaff – moreover because they are generally parts of the same thing.
The fact that Stefan Anton Reck was unable to conduct the whole run of performances finally proved to be a minor hazard, since Donald Runnicles, whose Wagnerian credentials are beyond any doubt, has taken over the baton. I haven't had the luck of seeing Mr. Runnicles as often as I would like, but I have very good memories of a Rosenkavalier and a Walküre at the Metropolitan Opera. The fact that this evening's performance was clearly below that level rather puzzled me, especially if one bears in mind that the Deutsche Oper orchestra is a more seasoned Wagnerian ensemble than the Met's orchestra. I could imagine that limited number of rehearsals may be to blame. The famous overture did not highlight any of the house orchestra's qualities – the color was unusually opaque, the brass section (particularly poor today) produced some unsubtle sounds and there was little sense of exuberance. The remaining act I lacked purpose and the fact that the scenery brought about disfiguring echo for anyone singing on stage right did not help much. Considering the monumental difficulties of act II, the level of mismatch was relatively reduced – and it must be pointed out that the conductor fortunately did not hold tempo back in order to make things easier. The sounds from the pit remained transparent, but kept on a level of volume comfortable for the singers and rather meagre for the audience. Pity that the chorus was not in its best shape either. Things tended to get into focus in act III, its pensive introduction particularly haunting, the whole Sachs/Walther/Eva was episode expressively handled and the quintet was sensitively conducted.
Having to write about Michaela Kaune always proves to be a difficult task for me. She is such a tasteful musician and her vocal nature is so lovely that it makes one doubly upset that the results are ultimately frustrating. The role of Eva should not pose her any difficulties – she is a lyric soprano who has the extra 5% to deal with the only stretch of jugendlich dramatisch singing in the whole part (i.e., O Sachs, mein Freund, du teurer Mann). However, she treats her creamy soprano rather heavily and the result is that either high-lying or more conversational passages sound rather colorless and unfocused. Although her voice spread a bit during this difficult scene, something might have happened after that, for she launched Selig wie die Sonne in the grand manner. From this moment on, her voice sounded brighter, lighter, more concentrated and younger-sounding. If she consistently sang like that, she would belong to the great German lyric sopranos of our days.
I have previously seen Klaus Florian Vogt solely in the role of Lohengrin, in which his strangely boyish yet penetrating vocal quality underlines the character's unearthliness. Walther is a rather more romantic leading man role – and his permanent mixed-tone approach to his top register and a lack of flowing legato in high-lying passages make the character less impetuous and ardent than one expects. The beauty and spontaneity of tone and his almost instrumental phrasing certainly make the character noble and touching, but I confess I wished for rich, full, vibrant top notes to crown the climaxes of the Preislied, for example.
I do not subscribe to the idea of showing Beckmesser as a ridiculous character and I regret the fact that the excellent Markus Brück has embraced the directorial choice with such passion to the point of nasalizing his dulcet baritone as he did. Beckmesser is a Meistersinger – and one who prizes his vocal abilities above his poetic imagination. His heavily decorated serenading probably means that he should sing with Bellinian poise. Maybe it is just a matter of taste, but I find that the plot gains more from a Beckmesser that offers some real competition than one portrayed like a manic goblin.
Kristinn Sigmundsson's indisposition involved the last-minute replacement by Frank van Hove from Mannheim. As much as I like the Icelandic bass, van Hove's spacious velvety bass was a pleasant surprise. If I have to fault Ulrike Helzel's Magdalene, it would be because of her appealing and seductive high mezzo that made her often sound younger than Eva, what goes against the libretto. In the tiny role of the Nachtwächter, Krysztof Szumanski seized the occasion to display his firm voluminous bass. No wonder he received so warm applause.
I am afraid that James Johnson's Sachs is a serious piece of miscast. Although he has very clear German and tackles declamatory passages very well, his bass-baritone has a rusty, curdled quality that robs the character of all spiritual nobility and likability. And that is something Hans Sachs cannot part with. David is a difficult and important role, who has a challenging aria that catalogues every kind of vocal difficulty. It requires A-casting – Herbert von Karajan, for example, had Peter Schreier both in his Dresden studio recording and in his live Salzburg performances in 1974 (where he gave René Kollo a run for his money). Paul Kaufmann is a congenial actor and has the right ideas about the role, but the voice is a bit small for the theatre.
Although Götz Friedrich's production was premièred in 1993, it is impregnated with the aesthetic of the 1980's. The sets serve a pointless aesthetic concept turning around a circumscribed square, costumes follow disparate styles and the direction of actors (under Gerlinde Pelkowski's responsibility) involve the heavy utilization of cliché and awkward slapstick comedy.
One (or rather 2/3) more Walküre
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Donald Runnicles, Metropolitan Opera House, Simon O'Neill, Wagner's Die Walküre on February 9, 2008| 1 Comment »
From the first bars of today's performance of Wagner's Die Walküre, one could say what a difference a new conductor makes. Donald Runnicles's fast tempi and extremer dynamic effects would replace Maazel's more balanced and organized approach to the score, crowned by true nobility of orchestral sound. I don't imply that this was better than that or the other way round; only it is fascinating to compare. In any case, Runnicles's more extrovert theatricality seemed to have a positive effect on Lisa Gasteen, who offered a more nuanced Todesverkündung today.
Cast only for the last performance, Simon O'Neill (Siegmund) offered a less baritonal and also less powerful voice than Clifton Forbis's. Indeed, the newcomer's tenor tends to be open and metallic, but his feeling for legato is most welcome – also his enthusiasm, which managed to draw some commitment from the otherwise sleepwalking Deborah Voigt (whose indifferent delivery of the German text reached its apex with a verse composed by her carelessness: Erschaffung quick ich). The remaining members of the cast were consistent with their previous performances, only a bit more tested by a louder orchestra today.
Unfortunately, I could not stay for the third act. Thus, I missed the opportunity of checking how Runnicles would deal with the Valkyries and if Gasteen would similarly offer a more varied dialogue with Wotan in their last scene.
R. Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, Metropolitan Opera House, 26.03.2005
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Angela Denoke, Donald Runnicles, Metropolitan Opera House, Peter Rose, R. Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier on March 26, 2005| 3 Comments »
In the Met's old and yet still beautiful production of Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, the Marschallin's elegant and unexaggerated boudoir and Faninal's white palace with hundreds of windows for Vienna to watch inside are spetacular as they should be. Only the 3rd act Wirthaus looks a bit confusing, since the limits between the room and the corridor are not entirely clear. The same cannot be sad of Donald Runnicles' conducting, which is clarity itself. The second act and especially the third act were performed in an unusually euphonious manner in a sense of organization and continuity which would win the heart even of the most suspicious Straussian. To say the truth, some moments needed a more distinctive orchestral sound to work to perfection, such as the delivery of the silver rose, which ideally requires richer but still transparent sonorities. Maybe divided violins were not the best idea for that big venue… However, after a promising haunting pianissimo ending to act I, the orchestra delivered an exciting structurally clear prelude to act III (despite some blunder in the brass section) and an exquisite final trio, truly powerful in its rising tension. It is also remarkable the naturalness with which Runnicles finds the dance rhythms even in the most structurally complex scenes.
Angela Denoke's Marschallin is an evidence that the golden age of Straussian singing is not over. Her blond slim graceful figure and playfulness have something of Schwarzkopf, although she eschews all kind of exaggeration. Her reedy floating full-bodied tone has something of Janowitz, although there is nothing cool and distant about her. The warm feminine low register and appealing mezza voce have something of Crespin, although she is entirely comfortable with her top register. However, in spite of all comparison, she was pretty much herself: a Marschallin whose appetite for life thinly disguises a highly sensitive nature that learned never to indulge in gloominess. Glücklich ist der vergißt… could be this Marschallin's motto. Her crystal-clear diction, the natural delivery of her native language, allied to a wide tonal palette, projected her highly expressive portrayal vividly into the vast auditorium with no vocal constraint. Being a highly accomplished singing actress, her monologue and ensuing duet with Octavian scored so many points in subtle inflection and the sheer beauty of tone was so beguiling that even a non-German speaking person in the audience would take her slightest point. Her floating full pianissimi made for a particularly touching launching of the final trio. If one would like to find any criticism about this exquisite performance, that would be a certain flutter in her vocal production, especially in high notes from mezzo forte on, probably due to the frequentation of dramatic roles. Let us hope that her sucess in the part of the Feldmarschallin will mark the beguinning of a new phase in her career dedicated to Romantic German lyric roles, tailor-made for her voice and personality.
Probably not in her best form, Susan Graham displayed a rather bleached out tone above mezzo forte and the top notes took a second or two to blossom, with the exception of her appealing mezza voce singing. In act III, she seemed to be in better shape and ended the opera with a stream of velvety floating sounds. She is a committed staged performer, but her Octavian is too much of a tomboy to be really convincing – a fault shared by most singers in this part (the notable exception being the young aristocrat played by Sena Jurinac in the video from Salzburg).
It seems Lyubov Petrova has recently delivered a baby and that may explain a certain lack of radiance in her voice. She could float her tone all right in the delivery of the rose, but in a rather unexceptional manner. A certain rattling in her vocal production and the China doll looks gave her old-fashioned charm, but the necessary breathtaking vulnerability and loveliness – even more so when the Marschallin displays such a beautiful voice – were still missing . All in all, she was a stylish Sophie and I would like to see her in better condition.
Peter Rose's bass is entirely functional for Ochs – the tone is firm and rich and he has the low notes. Nevertheless, the voice is a couple sizes too small for the Met. His Baron was refreshingly young sounding and he could find the right balance for the rustic aristocratic devised by Hofmannsthal.
Håkan Hagegård's straightforwardness as Faninal was also most welcome – and his solid clear baritone is still a pleasure to listen to. Matthew Polenzani had to force his otherwise dulcet tone for the Italian tenor aria. Unfortunately, Wendy White was rather small-voiced for Annina.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


S01E09 – What Shall We Do With a Stranded Sailor?
Nautical disasters don't necessarily spell certain death, but being stranded at sea is no cake walk. Today Brandon and Dustin reinforce your fear of ever leaving home.


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Material Marketplace
Lancaster, California — August 27, 2015. On May 16 of this year, America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, and NASA announced the 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, a competition to design and build a 3D printed habitat for Mars exploration. Over 160 teams entered, and 30 Finalists have been selected to have their designs featured at this year's New York Maker Fair on September 26-27. Among those chosen finalist is RedWorks, a team out of Lancaster, CA working towards building the first shelters humans will inhabit when settling the Solar System.
The 3D Printed Habitat Challenge is part of NASA's Centennial Challenges program, and is structured so as to advance 3D printing construction technology which is essential to create habitats for the first humans on Mars, as well as sustainable housing technologies for Earth. "Winning concepts and products will help NASA build the technical expertise to send habitat-manufacturing machines to distant destinations, such as Mars," according to AmericaMakes' press release, "On Earth, these capabilities may be used one day to construct affordable housing in remote locations with limited access to conventional building materials."
RedWorks is a small, but eclectic team that entered the Challenge in early June of this year. Its approach to habitat design takes lessons from ancient architecture, natural structures, and even the micro-home movement. RedWorks is creating a habitat that will take full advantage of 3D printing technologies for the first settlement on Mars. By using long established architectural concepts in concert with new adapted organic construction technologies the team is designing not just a habitat, but a system that can adapt to take full advantage of existing constructs in the landscape. RedWorks envisions a habitat that could cap off the opening to a lava tube, caldera or crevasse, pressurize and eventually build into the expanded structure. Such a system would greatly reduce the cost to give the first Martians a community from which to explore the planet.
3D printing is playing a great and growing role space, and RedWorks envisions their entry into the Challenge as a flagship program for future 3D printing technologies that could serve a variety of industrial applications. The demand for larger and more nimble satellite networks necessitates flexible manufacturing technologies, bringing mass customization to space. Those same technologies will be essential for humanity's settlement of Mars and beyond. Where every pound of material can cost tens of thousands of dollars, a flexible manufacturing system that can provide shelter and tools from on-site materials is essential for lowering costs and therefore increasing access to new frontiers in space.
The Centennial Challenges Program is managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, for the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington.
For more information about the Challenge and RedWorks, visit:
https://americamakes.us/Challenge
http://www.redworks3d.com/
RedWorks has been featured on 3dPrint.com
The good people over on 3dprint.com have been kind enough to feature our vision on their site. This was a bit of a surprise for the team, but one we're happy to receive.
"The RedWorks team, headquartered in California, has only one mission, and that's to create sustainable housing in space. They've done a great deal of homework, and in embracing and harnessing the technology of 3D printing, they see a viable way to colonize the solar system, beginning with Mars." -3dPrint.com
We're pleased to get our dream for 3D printing across the solar system out to the 3D printing community at large, and would like to thank 3DPrint.com for their wonderful article, which you read from the link below.
http://3dprint.com/91282/redworks-3d-printed-housing/
AmericaMakes Challenge
Team RedWorks entered the AmericaMakes 3D Printed Habitat challenge in early June of this year and we're proud to report that we'll be going to the 2015 New York Maker Fair as one of the top 30 Finalists. May the best team win!
We are RedWorks
RedWorks is proud to begin our journey for a future of human settlement across the solar system.


Pumpkin Seeds (sometimes called Pepitas) are the perfect fall treat — partly because this is the time of year that we harvest pumpkins and other winter squash, and partly because versatile pumpkin seeds can be "spiced up" and seasoned so many different ways!
These are just a few of our favorite mixtures and blends to use.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Toss seeds in oil and spices to coat. Spread seasoned pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes, and 30 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and allow pumpkin seeds to cool before transferring to a serving bowl.
Store any leftover seasoned pumpkin seeds in an air tight container for up to a week!
Pulse seed mixture in a food processor with water, cilantro, scallions, and remaining 4 tablespoons of oil until mixture forms a coarse paste (not finely ground). Transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix pepitas and next 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on spiciness desired.
Spread pepitas in single layer on baking sheet. Bake until pepitas are golden and dry, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Separate petpitas with fork while still warm. Allow to cool before serving.


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Americans who Tell the Truth events through July
Ipswich Museum: "Goodnight, Captain White" through 8/24
Ipswich Council on Aging
Historic Ipswich is published by the Town Historian for the Historical Commission and Department of ReCreation and Culture. Thanks to the many content contributors, and to Al Boynton for providing the URL.
Visit the Ipswich Town Historian at the Ipswich Visitor Center from 9 to 11 am on Fridays throughout the summer. ©2019
Does Minwax Ipswich Pine stain orginate in Ipswich MA?
By Gordon Harris on January 9, 2012 • ( 1 Comment )
Antique pitch pine boards
Local folks tell me that Ipswich Pine stain, a color offered by Minwax and Varathane originated in Ipswich with Carman Woodworking as far back as the early 1800's. Their shop was behind the Laughing Lion gift shop on Essex Road, which is now the location of the Clam House. The Laughing Lion specialized in American pine reproductions.
Most of the pine trees in colonial America (Northeast U.S.) are Eastern white pine (Pinus Strobus), a quick-growing and easily workable lumber that was used in much early construction, along with American Chestnut. Freshly cut white pine is creamy white but aged lumber can acquire a golden or reddish tone and is sometimes called "pumpkin pine."
Other genus of pine are rare in the Northeast, but Pitch pine (Pinus Rigida) dominates the pine barrens found in southeastern Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Castle Neck in Ipswich MA has one of the largest stands of pitch pine on the Massachusetts North Shore. The coarse knotty wood of these trees contains a large amount of resin (pine tar) that was used for pitch.
The earliest settlers often lighted their houses, by burning thin strips of the pitch pine trees. It is thought that this is the source of the name of Candlewood Road. The wood was used primarily for ship building and railroad ties because the high resin content preserves it from decay. The reddish-colored boards show above are restored antique pitch pine flooring.
A stand of Pitch Pine at Castle Neck
Categories: Commentary
The Missing Burial Ground
Doug Scott says:
I knew Richard (Dick) Carman, and worked at Carman Woodworking for several years, but I never heard that about Ipswich Pine stain being invented by him. Any idea if this is really true?


NHS Rotherham CCG wants to promote and support engagement in all that we do, and are developing mechanisms for this. This section will continue to develop as we work with patients, the public and organisations to develop the support that people want.
NHS involvement hub - The NHS involvement hub is a resource for staff, organisations and patients, and is regularly updated with both local and national information and is available here.
Learning resources -There are national resources and online courses available here.
NHS Rotherham CCG will also work with local groups to meet specific needs as required, and are happy to discuss this with groups and individuals.
The CCG also has comprehensive guidance on reimbursement of expenses for people who are engaged in these activities; we don't feel that anyone should be out of pocket as a result of giving us their time and expertise. We are updating our policy, working with other organisations, to make sure that this is equitable across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw. The current procedure is here.
The CCG also aims to offer support as needed by individuals; this might include providing easy read versions or interpretation – community languages or sign language, for example. It might mean supporting people reading documents or paperwork prior to a meeting, or organising a taxi for someone with limited mobility. For all our work and events, we will provide a contact name so that you can discuss your support needs, and we will work with you to ensure that we can overcome any concerns or barriers.


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Pirate Cross Country Teams Qualify for Regionals
Pirate sophomore Adan Cruz earned All-Western State Conference honors with his sixth place finish at the WSC Championships Friday in San Dimas. The Pirate men were fifth of 14 teams while the women came in third of 15 teams.
The Ventura College men's and women's cross country teams both qualified for the Southern California Regionals Friday with strong showings at the Western State Conference championships in San Dimas. The Pirate women came in a strong third place among the 15 competing teams while the men had their best race of the year coming in fifth of 14 teams. Olivia Burton led the women with a second place finish while Adan Cruz came in sixth for the VC men.
After placing eighth at the conference preview, the Pirate men were on the proverbial "bubble" in their quest to qualify as a team for regionals. Cruz lead the way for the Pirates placing an All-WSC sixth place with a time of 21:26 on the rugged 4-mile course at Bonelli Park. Johnny Ordaz (23:14, 29 team points) had his best race of the season placing 31st, jumping 23 spots from his 54th place finish in the preview. Mauricio Flores (41st, 23:44, 37 points), Everado Magana (47th, 24:01, 42 points), Jake Turville (49th, 24:10, 44 points), Luis Duran (57th, 24:33, 50 points), and Luis Barriga (63rd, 24:54, 55 points) rounded out the rest of the squad in the 93-runner field. VC totaled 158 points, behind Glendale (35), Oxnard (88), Cuesta (103) and Victor Valley (155), and just ahead of Moorpark (160).
"This is the kind of effort I have been harping on all year with this group of young men," commented men's coach, Tony Veney. "We had guys run great, not so great, and just enough all with seven runners, but in the final analysis, they refused to allow themselves to get pushed out of their chance to advance to the state meet."
The Pirate women continued to shine behind the efforts of their super-freshman Burton. The Foothill Tech product covered the 5k course in 18:13 to finish second. Tatiana Garcia (19:50) came in ninth and Brieanna Tafoya (20:03) finished 10th. Other Pirate runners included Cecilia Cano (25th, 21:27, 23 points), Isabelle Egbert (27th, 21:29, 24 points), Diana Saldana (32nd, 22:15, 28 points), Maria Elizarraraz (40th, 23:35, 35 points) and Alejandra Contreras (43rd, 23:49). 81 runners competed in the race.
VC totaled 68 points to finish behind Glendale (40) and Moorpark (51) and ahead of Bakersfield (127) and Canyons (131).
"The women ran consistent and strong," said women's coach Melody Axtell. "I am proud of their efforts."
The teams gets an extra week to train for the SoCal Championships while waiting for the remaining Southern California conferences to run their championship meets on October 26. The regional finals will be run on Saturday Nov. 3 at Don Knabe Regional Park in Cerritos. The SoCal women's 5k will start the day at 10:00 am followed by the men's 4-mile race at 11:00 am. The top 14 teams will advance to the CCCAA State Championships on Saturday Nov. 17 at Woodward Park in Fresno.


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Language Guide Tutorials Books
Full Kotlin Reference
What is Kotlin?
Kotlin is an open-source statically typed programming language that targets the JVM, Android, JavaScript and Native. It's developed by JetBrains. The project started in 2010 and was open source from very early on. The first official 1.0 release was in February 2016.
What is the current version of Kotlin?
The currently released version is 1.4.21, published on December 7, 2020.
Is Kotlin free?
Yes. Kotlin is free, has been free and will remain free. It is developed under the Apache 2.0 license and the source code is available on GitHub.
Is Kotlin an object-oriented language or a functional one?
Kotlin has both object-oriented and functional constructs. You can use it in both OO and FP styles, or mix elements of the two. With first-class support for features such as higher-order functions, function types and lambdas, Kotlin is a great choice if you're doing or exploring functional programming.
What advantages does Kotlin give me over the Java programming language?
Kotlin is more concise. Rough estimates indicate approximately a 40% cut in the number of lines of code. It's also more type-safe, e.g. support for non-nullable types makes applications less prone to NPE's. Other features including smart casting, higher-order functions, extension functions and lambdas with receivers provide the ability to write expressive code as well as facilitating creation of DSL.
Is Kotlin compatible with the Java programming language?
Yes. Kotlin is 100% interoperable with the Java programming language and major emphasis has been placed on making sure that your existing codebase can interact properly with Kotlin. You can easily call Kotlin code from Java and Java code from Kotlin. This makes adoption much easier and lower-risk. There's also an automated Java-to-Kotlin converter built into the IDE that simplifies migration of existing code.
What can I use Kotlin for?
Kotlin can be used for any kind of development, be it server-side, client-side web and Android. With Kotlin/Native currently in the works, support for other platforms such as embedded systems, macOS and iOS is coming. People are using Kotlin for mobile and server-side applications, client-side with JavaScript or JavaFX, and data science, just to name a few possibilities.
Can I use Kotlin for Android development?
Yes. Kotlin is supported as a first-class language on Android. There are hundreds of applications already using Kotlin for Android, such as Basecamp, Pinterest and more. For more information check out the resource on Android development.
Can I use Kotlin for server-side development?
Yes. Kotlin is 100% compatible with the JVM and as such you can use any existing frameworks such as Spring Boot, vert.x or JSF. In addition there are specific frameworks written in Kotlin such as Ktor. For more information check out the resource on server-side development.
Can I use Kotlin for web development?
Yes. In addition to using for backend web, you can also use Kotlin/JS for client-side web. Kotlin can use definitions from DefinitelyTyped to get static typing for common JavaScript libraries, and it is compatible with existing module systems such as AMD and CommonJS. For more information check out the resource on client-side development.
Can I use Kotlin for desktop development?
Yes. You can use any Java UI framework such as JavaFx, Swing or other. In addition there are Kotlin specific frameworks such as TornadoFX.
Can I use Kotlin for native development?
Yes. Kotlin/Native is available as a part of Kotlin project. It compiles Kotlin to native code that can run without a VM. It is still in beta, but you can already try it on popular desktop and mobile platforms and even some IoT devices. For more information, check out the Kotlin/Native documentation.
What IDEs support Kotlin?
Kotlin is supported by all major Java IDEs including IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, Eclipse and NetBeans. In addition, a command line compiler is available and provides straightforward support for compiling and running applications.
What build tools support Kotlin?
On the JVM side, the main build tools include Gradle, Maven, Ant, and Kobalt. There are also some build tools available that target client-side JavaScript.
What does Kotlin compile down to?
When targeting the JVM, Kotlin produces Java compatible bytecode. When targeting JavaScript, Kotlin transpiles to ES5.1 and generates code which is compatible with module systems including AMD and CommonJS. When targeting native, Kotlin will produce platform-specific code (via LLVM).
Which versions of JVM does Kotlin target?
Kotlin lets you choose the version of JVM for execution. By default, the Kotlin/JVM compiler produces Java 6 compatible bytecode. If you want to make use of optimizations available in newer versions of Java, you can explicitly specify the target Java version from 8 to 15. Note that in this case the resulting bytecode might not run on lower versions.
Is Kotlin hard?
Kotlin is inspired by existing languages such as Java, C#, JavaScript, Scala and Groovy. We've tried to ensure that Kotlin is easy to learn, so that people can easily jump on board, reading and writing Kotlin in a matter of days. Learning idiomatic Kotlin and using some more of its advanced features can take a little longer, but overall it is not a complicated language.
What companies are using Kotlin?
There are too many companies using Kotlin to list, but some more visible companies that have publicly declared usage of Kotlin, be this via blog posts, GitHub repositories or talks include Square, Pinterest, Basecamp or Corda.
Who develops Kotlin?
Kotlin is primarily developed by a team of engineers at JetBrains (current team size is 100+). The lead language designer is Roman Elizarov. In addition to the core team, there are also over 250 external contributors on GitHub.
Where can I learn more about Kotlin?
The best place to start is this website. From there you can download the compiler, try it online as well as get access to resources, reference documentation and tutorials.
Are there any books on Kotlin?
There are already a number of books available for Kotlin, including Kotlin in Action which is by Kotlin team members Dmitry Jemerov and Svetlana Isakova, Kotlin for Android Developers targeted at Android developers.
Are there any online courses available for Kotlin?
There are a few courses available for Kotlin, including a Pluralsight Kotlin Course by Kevin Jones, an O'Reilly Course by Hadi Hariri and an Udemy Kotlin Course by Peter Sommerhoff.
There are also many recordings of Kotlin talks available on YouTube and Vimeo.
Does Kotlin have a community?
Yes. Kotlin has a very vibrant community. Kotlin developers hang out on the Kotlin forums, StackOverflow and more actively on the Kotlin Slack (with close to 30000 members as of April 2020).
Are there Kotlin events?
Yes. There are many User Groups and Meetups now focused exclusively around Kotlin. You can find a list on the web site. In addition there are community organised Kotlin Nights events around the world.
Is there a Kotlin conference?
Yes. The official annual KotlinConf is hosted by JetBrains. It took place in San-Francisco in 2017, Amsterdam in 2018, and Copenhagen in 2019. Kotlin is also being covered in different conferences worldwide. You can find a list of upcoming talks on the web site.
Is Kotlin on social media?
Yes. The most active Kotlin account is on Twitter.
Any other online Kotlin resources?
The web site has a bunch of online resources, including Kotlin Digests by community members, a newsletter, a podcast and more.
Where can I get an HD Kotlin logo?
Logos can be downloaded here. When using the logos, please follow simple rules in the guidelines.pdf inside the archive and Kotlin brand usage guidelines.


Politics & Society major Meredith Howe spent an exciting fall semester in southeastern Europe through Peace and Conflict Studies in the Balkans, a journalism program offered by the School for International Training (SIT). Though based in Belgrade, Serbia, Howe had the opportunity to travel throughout the area—Kosovo, Bosnia and beyond— to soak in the sights and sounds of life in this post-conflict region.
Howe spent three weeks in Pristina, Kosovo, touted as Europe's youngest capital by those who support Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Kosovo sought independence from Serbia, whose brutal response prompted a U.S.-led NATO military intervention in 1999 to prevent ethnic cleansing. Today, a three-meter statue of President Bill Clinton adorns a corner of the long boulevard that bears his name in gratitude for America's intervention. But studying politics in Kosovo can be tricky business seeing that its status as a fully independent nation-state continues to be rejected by Serbia, of which it is still technically a part. Howe's studies in the Politics & Society program, especially in courses on democratization and international relations, prepared her for journalistic work in post-conflict societies.
Howe chose to do her independent study project on the sensitive topic of gender equality and female representation in Kosovo's parliament. She had the amazing opportunity to interview members of the Parliamentary Women's Caucus to ascertain the personal and professional obstacles they face as well as their impact on policymaking.
Howe's article, titled "Kosovo's Female MPs Unite to Challenge Injustice," was published in the Balkan Insight online newspaper. An excerpt is below, and you can read the full article here.


The latest SME Confidence Tracker from Bibby Financial Services (BFS) has concluded that SMEs are at risk of a downturn.
Faced with challenging trading conditions, UK SMEs are experiencing a decline in sales and increasing costs as the value of the pound lingers at historic low levels, according to new data.
As SMEs prepare for another quarter of political and economic uncertainty, Bibby Financial Services is calling on the government to provide reassurance to Britain's business community, amid concerns that a no deal would cause confidence to fall further still.
The research found that sales growth slowed for SMEs in 2018 as the number of businesses that saw their sales increase fell to just over a third (35%) in Q4 2018 from 39% in Q1 2018.
This outcome is set to flatten in 2019 as 36% anticipate increased sales in Q1 2019, compared to exactly half of SMEs (50%) a year ago in Q1 2018.
Meanwhile, 32% of SMEs have linked a rise in business' costs to a fall in the pound and 27% say that uncertainty arising from the UK's exit from the EU is holding back investment.
Edward Winterton, UK CEO of Bibby Financial Services, said: "Our research should be sobering reading for policymakers and the wider business community alike. Despite positive economic growth last year, many SMEs are feeling the full brunt of continued political uncertainty on the Brexit issue.


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The Pistons biggest need this offseason is a veteran backup point guard. It was something many people expected the Pistons to address in the draft, but when Henry Ellenson fell to Detroit in the first round the team decided to pass on all their top guard prospects in favor of the best player available to them. So they must now fill this hole via free agency. Fortunately there are many veteran point guards on the market this year. Here are seven guys that the Pistons should be looking at when free agency begins.
Mathew Dellavedova – There are many reasons to like Delly as a backup point guard. He is a career 40% shooter from three, which would make him one of the best shooters on the Pistons roster. He is also a good perimeter defender who is not afraid to do the dirty work. Finally he also has great experience. He might only be 25 years old, but the experience he gained in the finals the last two years is invaluable. He's a restricted free agent, but if the Cavs decide he's too expensive to keep then the Pistons should take a long hard look at bringing him in.
Ish Smith – Yes, the 76ers roster was of–let's say less than talented basketball players. However, Smith showed that he might have some value if he were to play a smaller role on a better team. He averaged 12.6 points and 6.5 assists as the 76ers starting point guard last season. Those aren't particularly impressive numbers for a starting point guard, but considering the talent that surrounded him it's hard to judge him based on numbers alone. What we've seen from him on the court is some ability to create shots and some ability to shoot the three (33% last season). His numbers would obviously go down with fewer minutes, but as far as backups go Smith is a solid option.
Norris Cole – Norris Cole is a player with a well-rounded and tooled game. He's a decent ball handler, decent shooter (32% from three), decent defender (0.8 steals per game), decent passer (3.7 assists per game), and a decent rebounder for a point guard (3.4 rebounds per game). So if you're looking for a backup who's…well decent, Cole is your guy. Cole does not do anything good, but he does lot at an average level. He's proven to be a key role player in the past and is still in the prime of his career, so this seems like a realistic option for Detroit at the right price.
D.J. Augustin – Pistons fans should remember D.J. Augustin pretty well as he was on the team just a year and a half ago. He can run the offense, shoot the three ball and shoot free throws extremely well. He can take over for stretches of the game and put up good numbers in limited minutes. Considering that he is familiar with the coaching staff and the roster he should be an option for Stan Van Gundy to bring back to the Pistons.
Jeremy Lin – Many people have thought Lin would be a nice fit with the Pistons. He's a good scorer who can get to the rim and shoot the three some. Lin is the kind of guy who can and put up big numbers in limited minutes, thus how he exploded onto the scene in New York as Linsanity. He's not the best defender, but he'll mix it up with a block or steal once in a while. A lot of teams will be looking to bring in a spark plus like Lin, but if the price isn't driven up too high then he's a guy to keep an eye on.
Jerryd Bayless – If you're looking for one of the best three-point shooters in the league then look no farther. Bayless shot a lights out 44% from deep while averaging more than four attempts per game. He'll get his other numbers as well, 3.1 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and a steal per game, but he is a shooter more than anything. I've heard rumors that he has a bit of an attitude problem, but I don't know if there's anything to that. assuming he fits with the team in the locker-room, this would be a great guy off the bench to run the offense and knock down shots.
Mario Chalmers – If I was running the show, Chalmers would be my first choice for the Pistons. He is a career 36% three-point shooter at the same time averaging 3.8 assists per game. He also impresses on the defensive end, averaging 1.5 steals a game for his career. Just as important as his on the court production, Chalmers brings a veteran presence to a young team. He was a key part of the Heat in their run of four consecutive finals appearances and two championships. You can't measure what that kind of experience can young team like Detroit. The only thing that concerns me with Chalmers is his durability. He's only played one complete season in his career, his rookie year in 2008/2009. He's played in 70+ games a season five years since then and his other two years he player in 60+ games. Even if he misses a here and there, he would be a great signing for the Pistons.


Model simulations illustrate a number of channels through which the US current-account deficit could narrow and explore the implications across countries. Economic Studies No. 38.
This note, taken from Chapter 3 of Economic Policy Reforms, focuses on key structural policy priorities for Belgium, supported by a comparative analysis of the indicators in Chapter 2. The note also presents individual structural indicators of economic and labour market performance as well as comparative indicators for the key policy priorities listed.
This note, taken from Chapter 3 of Economic Policy Reforms, focuses on key structural policy priorities for Turkey, supported by a comparative analysis of the indicators in Chapter 2. The note also presents individual structural indicators of economic and labour market performance as well as comparative indicators for the key policy priorities listed.
This note, taken from Chapter 3 of Economic Policy Reforms, focuses on key structural policy priorities for Germany, supported by a comparative analysis of the indicators in Chapter 2. The note also presents individual structural indicators of economic and labour market performance as well as comparative indicators for the key policy priorities listed.
This note, taken from Chapter 3 of Economic Policy Reforms, focuses on key structural policy priorities for Denmark, supported by a comparative analysis of the indicators in Chapter 2. The note also presents individual structural indicators of economic and labour market performance as well as comparative indicators for the key policy priorities listed.
This note, taken from Chapter 3 of Economic Policy Reforms, focuses on key structural policy priorities for Iceland, supported by a comparative analysis of the indicators in Chapter 2. The note also presents individual structural indicators of economic and labour market performance as well as comparative indicators for the key policy priorities listed.
This note, taken from Chapter 3 of Economic Policy Reforms, focuses on key structural policy priorities for Greece, supported by a comparative analysis of the indicators in Chapter 2. The note also presents individual structural indicators of economic and labour market performance as well as comparative indicators for the key policy priorities listed.


noun, plural lo·gi·a [loh-gee-uh, -jee-uh, log-ee-uh] /ˈloʊ gi ə, -dʒi ə, ˈlɒg i ə/, lo·gi·ons.
a traditional saying or maxim, as of a religious teacher.
(sometimes initial capital letter) Biblical Criticism.
a saying of Jesus, especially one contained in collections supposed to have been among the sources of the present Gospels.
a saying included in the agrapha.
The authorities which he follows seem to be—the source of our Mark, the so-called Matthew logia, and some other source or sources.
On our hypothesis the Logia would have been a sort of Christian manual used with a similar object.
This branch was christened the "Logia de Lautaro," and exercised much influence on the affairs of the revolution.
A covered gallery surrounds the church on the main storey, and the logia beneath was, until recently, divided and let as shops.
We see how they made use of Mark, the Logia, and other documents.


text:
The Mysteries of Tong
A gifted and beautiful girl, Tong, who suffers from a special terminal illness: as long as her mind stops thinking, the metabolism in her body will rapidly increase, and she will die from aging in a few hours. Every day, Tong buries herself in hundreds of strange puzzles, world suspense cases, passwords… just to keep her alive. Relying on her extraordinary IQ, taking logic power as a weapon, and her life as a stake, she copes with a series of fantastic and bizarre events together with a science nerd, Galileo, whose life track somehow intertwines with hers, breaks down unusual criminal tactics and solves various mysteries in the world.
The Mysteries of Tong - Season 1 Ep05 Studio D.
Studio D. 2018 Reel Studio D.
The Mysteries of Tong - Season One
After Galileo learned about Tong's secret and got himself involved in a kidnapping case, he decided to help Tong. At then, he had no idea what kind of world he was stepping into, and who was there playing game behind all of this... Every 7 o'clock in the evening, a young girl would always appear in the dark alley, stepping on a carrot with her feet... What was she doing? The beauty pastry died at home, and the scene was a complete locked room with a cake blocking the doors and windows! A man's head got cut off while he was walking in the snow with no trails of any weapons around him... Was it evil spirits? Dead bodies were displayed one after another in the window of a clothing store as if they were plastic models. The windows were all locked up in a locked room! The serial murderers were coming in silence...
The Mysteries of Tong - Season 1 Ep26 Finale Studio D.
Studio D. is an animation studio from China.
Studio D. is a rising animation studio founded in Shanghai, specialized in producing original comics and motion comic series. Our genres cover from mystery, superhero, to fantasy, and our art style is a mix of Japanese manga and western comic. This is the first time we bring the shows to the audience outside of China. Wish you would like them.