A major Ofcom survey finds viewers want more standard definition channels on Freeview.
A major Ofcom survey has found that viewers want more standard Freeview channels rather than high definition or mobile television.
It will use the research to decide what to do with empty spectrum created by the digital switchover in its Digital Dividend Review.
About 1,000 people were questioned to find out what was preferred amongst extra standard definition Freeview channels, local television, high definition, wireless home networks, better mobile phone and mobile broadband services and mobile television.
Answers were largely split but more Freeview channels and better mobile and mobile broadband services came out on top. They were both rated seven out of ten for their value compared to 6.5 and 5.1 for HD and mobile TV respectively.
Forced to say what they would go without, 37% said more high-definition channels and 69% said mobile television. Just 20% said mobile coverage/broadband and 21% standard Freeview.
Ofcom said it would consider the results along with technical research, evidence from stakeholders, economics and academic studies on social value.
It will publish a further statement on the future for the "digital dividend" by the end of the year.


UNION and UNION ALL operators in SQL Server, are basically used to combine the result-set of two or more SELECT queries.
Run the following sql script where we are creating the a DataBase Named:DotnetOffice. Then in this database we are creating two tables Collage and Student .
Above SQL Script will create dataTable with data.
1. Use of Union and Union All with above 2 tables for that Run the following Sql script and see the result.
From the output, it is very clear that, UNION removes duplicate rows, where as UNION ALL does not. When use UNION, to remove the duplicate rows, sql server has to to do a distinct sort, which is time consuming. For this reason, UNION ALL is much faster than UNION.
Note: If you want to see the cost of DISTINCT SORT, you can turn on the estimated query execution plan using CTRL + L.
Note: For UNION and UNION ALL to work, the Number, Data types, and the order of the columns in the select statements should be same.
JOINS and UNIONS are different things. However, this question is being asked very frequently now. UNION combines the result-set of two or more select queries into a single result-set which includes all the rows from all the queries in the union, where as JOINS, retrieve data from two or more tables based on logical relationships between the tables. In short, UNION combines rows from 2 or more tables, where JOINS combine columns from 2 or more table.


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Home / LocalNews
Published Nov. 16, 2018 at 04:29PM
Sonora officials to discuss leaving TCEDA
Alex MacLean
View stories and bio
Sonora City Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 94 N. Washington St.
City officials are going to ask Sonora City Council members Monday if they want to consider ending the city's involvement with the Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority.
If so, a decision on the matter would be made at a meeting in December.
The council has until Dec. 31 to notify the county if it wants to split from the TCEDA before the start of the next fiscal year on July 1.
"We'll be asking to see if there's consensus from the council to consider their future participation in the EDA and what information the council will want to make that decision," said City Administrator Tim Miller of what's planned for the regularly scheduled meeting on Monday.
County Counsel Sarah Carrillo, whose office provides legal advice to the TCEDA, recently said the agency and its governing board would effectively be dissolved if the city opts out of the agreement with the county.
Choosing to leave the TCEDA would save the city nearly $103,000 a year that it contributes to the agency's $460,000 annual budget. The money comes from the city's General Fund that pays for services like police, fire, public works, and employee salaries and benefits.
The TCEDA is a joint powers authority formed in 2008 as a partnership between the city and county aimed at fostering economic development and growth in the area.
Some citizens have urged the city to leave the TCEDA following the release of a report by the Tuolumne County Civil Grand Jury in June that raised concern about how the agency conducts business.
Defenders of the TCEDA who have spoken at public meetings since the release of the jury's report say they've received assistance from the agency that's helped their businesses thrive.
Any decision the council makes about the TCEDA will likely have to come before the completion of a pending management audit that was recommended by the jury. Some on the council, including Mayor Jim Garaventa, have expressed a desire to review the results of the audit prior to deciding whether to stay or leave.
The jury's report on the TCEDA noted concerns related to transparency and measuring outcomes, use of public funds, the terms of TCEDA Executive Director Larry Cope's contract and its structure as a JPA with its own rules of governance that don't always reflect the best practices followed by the city and county.
Some of the more controversial findings in the report were that Cope was allowed to sign his own expense reports, claim all but four days as work time while he was in England for a month last year, cash out 720 hours of vacation time from 2015 to 2017, and spend more than half of the TCEDA's meal expenses in 2017 on board members, elected county supervisors and government employees.
The jury's concerns about a lack of recordkeeping to track the TCEDA's performance over the years also closely matched the claims of a lawsuit filed against the agency that was filed several weeks prior to the release of the report by Ken Perkins of Sonora.
Perkins sued the TCEDA for withholding information he requested under the California Public Records Act that would support a November 2017 report by Cope that stated the agency was involved with nearly $400 million in capital investment projects, creating more than 2,000 jobs at an average wage of about $21 an hour.
The TCEDA released spreadsheets that stated it had provided assistance to business projects within the city limits totaling $58 million in capital investment and creating more than 400 jobs over the years.
All of the names of projects and businesses in the spreadsheets were redacted because the TCEDA said revealing them would compromise the confidentiality of the private companies it has helped.
Cope said in an interview with The Union Democrat after the documents were released that they did not account for all of the projects the agency has worked on, but only those he could remember when he created the spreadsheets starting in 2016.
The TCEDA settled the lawsuit with Perkins earlier this month after agreeing to pay about $7,000 for his attorney fees. The agency has also already paid $16,500 to an outside law firm for legal representation in the lawsuit, while the County Counsel's Office has clocked about 135 hours dealing with the matter.
Some detractors have questioned the value that the TCEDA has provided to the city over the years and feel the money could be better spent on other priorities. The city has provided a total of nearly $760,000 to the agency since 2009.
The TCEDA's annual budget has almost doubled from $232,000 in 2009, while Cope's annual base salary has increased from about $93,600 to about $163,000. Tracie Riggs is set to make an annual base salary of $160,400 when she becomes the first female county administrator in Tuolumne County history next year.
Contact Alex MacLean at amaclean@uniondemocrat.com or (209) 588-4530.
View next article in LocalNews
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Swedish pan-European mobile group Tele2 has made a bid of USD250 million for Ukrainian Radio Systems, the east European cellco that has been the subject of a long-running takeover bid by Russia's Vimpelcom, and the cause of a major falling out between that company's shareholders. According to Russian daily Kommersant, Tele2 wants to purchase the cellco, which operates under the brand WellCOM, outright and has offered around USD50 million more than Vimpelcom had hoped to pay for a 50% stake. Tele2 has yet to comment.
Any bid by Tele2 would prove to be an intriguing twist in the WellCOM tale. Vimpelcom shareholders Telenor and Alfa have been at loggerheads ever since the latter tried to push through a USD200 million purchase of WellCOM last year, claiming that the cellco possesses plenty of growth potential in a rapidly expanding market. But Telenor is fiercely opposed to the purchase and the pair have been embroiled in a vicious battle for control of Vimpelcom since the early part of this year, which has now spilled into the law courts. Telenor and Alfa already share ownership of one of the Ukraine's biggest mobile operators, Kievstar, and the Norwegian company says a potentially costly raid for the far smaller WellCOM has 'no business merit'; the cellco has a market share of less than 0.5%.


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This entry was posted in Stories and tagged BrokenLand, Dassaïd, Fantasy, Heroic Fantasy, Histoire, http://brokentale.com/universe/, Nouvelles, Short Stories, Story, World. Bookmark the permalink. Comments are closed, but you can leave a trackback: Trackback URL.


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From chalk lines to immortality – the Sopwith Pup
Cruising the Ouse – with YorkBoat
A unique fighter – Fleet Air Arm Corsair IV, 'KD431'
Tags: aircraft, aircraft carrier, Aviation, British Pacific Fleet, Corsair, Corsair IV, FG-1A, Fleet Air Arm, Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, museum, Royal Navy, Second World War, USA, warbird, WW2, Yeovilton
Category: aircraft, Aviation, military, Museums, Second World War, United States, warbird
Some aircraft are transformational and they take a giant technological leap into the future. Sometimes for whatever reason – be it political, technical – this doesn't work out, as with the BAC TSR2. At other times, after a few stutter-steps, a world-beater emerges.
This is what happened with the new US Navy fighter, the Vought F4U, designed by Rex B. Beisel. From its first flight, on the 29th May, 1940, it started to raise eyebrows. Powered by the experimental Pratt & Whitney XR2800-4, 18 cylinder Double Wasp engine, putting out 1,800 hp, the prototype XF4U-1 became the first U.S. single-engined fighter to break the 400 mph barrier (405 mph, 1st October, 1940). At the time this was world class speed for any fighter, let alone a naval one, with its in-built weight penalty (due to being stressed for deck landings) and extra equipment, and the U.S. Navy was eager to get the newly-named Corsair onto their Fleet Carriers.
However, there were problems, which became more and more obvious as flight testing continued. The Corsair wing was unusual in that it was 'cranked', with a short section close to the fuselage being angled sharply downwards (anhedral), before assuming a dihedral, or upwards angle to give a 'reverse gull wing'. This gave large advantages, in that the 90° angle the wing made with the aircraft's fuselage reduced drag considerably, and the sharp angle which made the 'kink' allowed a shorter, stronger undercarriage leg, which would be required as the Hamilton Standard propeller which would absorb the Double Wasp's awesome power was no less than 13 feet 6 inches in diameter.
It was this short undercarriage which caused such problems that the US Navy actually decided to let the Marines have the Corsairs and use them from land bases, initially. This was because the Corsair often bounced – badly – on hitting a carrier's deck. Unfortunately, this meant that the arrestor hook bounced over the taut arrestor wires, and the aircraft skidded onwards into the 'deck park' of aircraft, spotted near the carrier's bow, with disastrous results.
The other problem was one of aerodynamics. the long nose of the F4U demanded a curving, banked course when in the final phases of approach to the carrier deck. This sometimes caused the starboard wing to stall abruptly, and the aircraft would spin into the sea from a low level. Alternatively, if an attempt was made to suddenly apply full throttle to recover, the massive torque from the Double Wasp would flip the Corsair inverted with usually fatal results. However, a saviour was on the horizon in the form of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
At the start of WW2, the frontline fighters of the FAA include such anachronisms as the Gloster Gladiator biplane. This was due, in part, to the Royal Air Force having maintained control of the FAA until 29th May, 1939. Stopgap fighters such as the Fairey Fulmar and Sea Hurricane (see diary) were issued, but modern American fighters were needed – and fast. The Grumman Wildcat (initially named the Martlet) and Hellcat (RN name, Gannet) were acquired, but the Royal Navy were very willing to accept the Corsair. To fit their carrier hangars – which had lower headroom, due to the substantial armored decks the British ships had – a total of 16 inches was removed from the F4U's wing. This had the effect of increasing the Corsair's roll rate, and let it fit inside the RN's hangars. The dreaded deck bounce was cured by a stroke of RN engineering brilliance. A variable rate bleed valve was fitted to the oleo leg of the undercarriage, which tamed the bounce (I worked with a former FAA Engineering Officer who served on the unit that devised this cure!) The stall characteristics were altered for the better by the installation of a small stall strip on the starboard wing leading edge.
The FAA's Corsair squadrons were the first into action on 3rd April 1944, with Nos 1834 & 1836 Squadrons from the fleet carrier HMS Victorious providing 'top cover' to a strike by Fairey Barracudas on the German battleship 'Tirpitz' in Norwegian waters. Other squadrons were transferred to the British Pacific Fleet, where they joined US Navy Corsair units and Marine Squadrons in pounding the Japanese islands in the final phases of that enormous campaign.
Huge quantities of Corsairs flowed across the Atlantic, usually as deck cargo or on escort/ferry carriers, under terms of the Lend-Lease Act (Public Law 77–11, enacted March 11, 1941). Chance had to enlist the aid of other manufacturers, namely the Goodyear Aircraft Company (as their FG-1) and the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation (as their F3A-1). Brewster production was a disaster in quality terms, and the Navy forced the company to abandon their contract, but the Goodyear aircraft came to the Royal Navy in quantity.
Here we can see an example of a late production, Goodyear-built Corsair IV, in the Fleet Air Arm Museum, at Yeovilton. This is a unique Corsair, as I will show. One of the 2,012 Corsairs taken on charge by the RN, it had been built in July/August, 1944 by Goodyear as an FG-1A (equivalent to the F4U-1A) and delivered to the receiving depot at Renfrew in Scotland. Time was spent at a couple of Maintenance Units (one at Aldergrove, Northern Ireland) before delivery, as 'KD431' to its first squadron, No. 1835 at Eglinton, Northern Ireland – C.O., Lieutenant Commander (Air), T J A King-Joyce, RN – with the intent that this unit form part of the 17th Carrier Air Group, British Pacific Fleet. However, 'KD431' was passed on to No. 768 Squadron, FAA, where she was used on HMS Premier (ex-USS Estero, a Bouge Class escort carrier) in the Clyde estuary on Deck Landing Training Carrier duties. Next stop, post-war, was a transfer to HMS Peewit (a shore establishment in Angus, Scotland) which was a Deck Landing Control Officer Training School. 'KD431' made her last deck landing at sea on the 7th December 1945.
On the 3rd July, 1946, being surplus to requirements the Corsair was transferred to Cranfield College of Aeronautics, Cranfield, England, where it was used for technical training until 1963, when it was donated to the Fleet Air Arm Museum. When delivered it was repainted in a highly durable, but anachronistic polyurethane finish, and was put on display.
In 2000, David Morris, the Curator of the museum made a bold decision. The paint was to be carefully removed in a process akin to an art restoration, layer by layer, to see if the 'new-built' aircraft could be uncovered, as well as the wartime finish. The process, which was meticulously documented, and published ('Corsair KD431 — The Timecapsule Fighter', 2006) was a staggering undertaking. The original Goodyear test pilot was traced, as was the last FAA pilot, Peter Lovegrove. Original paper labels inside the fuselage, with handwritten notes, were discovered.
The aircraft, as you now see it, was finally 'rolled out' in August, 2005. It bears the squadron code 'E2-M' and is quite likely the most original WW2 naval fighter in existence, as almost all traces of its post-war paint and modifications have been removed. As such, it represents a unique window on the history of technology of the period.
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3 comments on "A unique fighter – Fleet Air Arm Corsair IV, 'KD431'"
19 Dec 2013 at 8:13 am travelforaircraft
Excellent! Numerous times I have read how the British devised a better way to fly the pattern to land aboard a carrier but you have explained the significant achievements to successful landings with the stall strip and landing gear modification. And another well deserved know against Brewster 😛 Joe
Oops. I meant another well deserved "knock" against Brewster!
20 Dec 2013 at 10:32 pm shortfinals
Interestingly, the Royal Navy received Brewster- built Corsairs, and called them the Mk II. They were never used on operations!


*THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT AND THESE STATEMENTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT A DISEASE.
Dr. Lamothe recommends morning and evening application to clean facial skin.


These images were taken from film strips provided by Mrs. Davis (Swearingen). These are from around Thurmont and include family views as well as images from parades and aerial views of Thurmont. Many individuals, locations, activities can not be identified, any help with identifications would be appreciated.


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The MBA program at AU is offered in a nontraditional "fast-track" delivery format in the Non-Profit Management concentration. Our "fast-track" MBA students complete one cluster of three courses per academic session. The format is uniquely designed so that you attend classes once a week and complete one intensive course at a time. This permits you to receive in-depth training in one subject area before moving on to the next.
AU's MBA program provides a convenient schedule of evening and weekend classes that will allow you to earn your degree from a regionally accredited university without overlooking the demands of your career and busy family life.
Our curriculum is designed to transform you by expanding your ideas, knowledge, and capabilities. Case discussions, lecture series, and in-class teamwork provide you with the practical skills needed for today's work environment and with the theoretical knowledge that will empower you to lead organizations in today's multicultural and global environment.
Perspectives: You will have an opportunity to complete courses such as Ethics in Management and Strategic Leadership in order to give you the broad context of managerial issues.
Foundations: You will be provided with groundwork, such as how to use accounting to understand the performance of a company or how to build models and use economic theory to project future outcomes.
Personal Leadership: You will develop self-awareness of your strengths, weaknesses, and identity, coupled with an understanding of the factors influencing leadership styles and how to best apply them.
Innovative Thinking: You will have the ability to think creatively and to develop new solutions to old problems.
The Non-Profit Management concentration is designed to develop your managerial skills for positions requiring both business acumen and a strong commitment to mission-driven service. The Non-Profit Management concentration prepares you for leadership in the nonprofit sector as a reflective practitioner, integrating theory and a commitment to social values. You will also gain a comprehensive perspective on all facets of managing non-profit institutions, including governance, fundraising, human resources, legal issues, and advocacy. In addition to the core curriculum required of all AU MBA students, the specific courses required for the Non-Profit Management concentration are: Institutional Advancement (BUSS648), Non-Profit Management and Governance (MGMT650), and Public and Non-Profit Budgeting (FINA643).


He is special, she is also special, make him or her more special by sending any of this lovely happy birthday husband and wife wish to make him/her smile.
1. Tonight I'll be decorating the house with the kids. No matter how long you take, we'll be waiting for you with your cake. Happy birthday, king.
2. Sometimes I think you know me more than I know myself. You always make me happy and you rule my world. A million birthday wishes to you love.
3. I do remember the first day you looked me in the eyes and professed your love for me. I can indeed still remember the feeling I had in my heart which I still feel till today. You are so amazing! Happy birthday.
4. Happy birthday my hero. Life wouldn't have been easy without your love. Have a special day!
5. I certainly don't doubt your love for me. Happy birthday to the best husband in the universe. I love you.
6. Life is a long journey full of the unexpected but there is no other person I would like to spend the rest of my life with except you, you're my living angel. Happy birthday my dearest love, have a joyous day.
7. When I was a little girl, I once had a dream that someday a prince would come and sweep me off my feet and then I met you, you have been more than a super hero to me. I wish Happy birthday my sweetheart.
8. Another day and another special day for you. Whatever you do, I'll always be in your heart. Happy birthday, hubby!
9. Thank you, sweetheart, for making our life together with a wonderful experience. I would marry you again in the next life. Happy birthday and have a memorable day.
10. Thank you for supporting me when I needed it and picking me up when I was down. You make my life colorful and meaningful. Happy birthday and I love you.
11. The same joy that I felt the first time we met still flourishes in my heart. Thank you for always believing in me. I look forward to spending more birthdays with you. Have a blissful day hubby!
12. Hand cuddled up in warmth and lips locked under the sunset. That is how I want to end this evening with you. Today means more to me than you can ever imagine. I love and cherish you. Happy birthday and many happy returns.
13. Wishing a wonderful day to the best husband in the world. The man I love most, you shower me with lots of love and giving me so many unforgettable memories. Happy birthday my special one.
14. If I could tell the whole world what you mean to me, it would take me hundreds of years to be able to finish. You always bring happiness to my life, thank GOD for giving me an angel like you. Wishing you long life, good health and many happy returns, happy birthday my special husband.
15. Happy birthday, love. Even while we are getting older, I still find a new reason to love you more. May your days be filled with nothing but joy and laughter. Happy birthday my sweetheart.
16. Whether its 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or 12 months a year- 1 lifetime won't be enough to drool over a man as handsome as you. Happy birthday to the man of my dreams.
17. As we travel together through the journey of life. My love for you only gets stronger and fresher every day. We were made to make each other happy, we were made to love each other forever, I will always love you till the end of time. Happy birthday to you my dear love.
18. I'm always grateful for marrying a man like you. I hope you'll never change because you are perfect the way you are. Happy my bundle of joy.
19. My dear lovely husband, I'm not just wishing you a happy birthday but praying that you are blessed with your heart desires.
20. Smart, loving, caring, brave, handsome. You have all the qualities a woman can ever ask for in a husband. I feel lucky having you as my darling husband wishing you a happy birthday and looking forward to spending more of these beautiful days with you.
21. Happy birthday dear husband, you are like a box of crayons. You paint my life in a very colorful way; I enjoy my life with you. I can't wait to see you tonight. Have a great day.
22. You are my heart and you are my home. You make me whole as you make me stronger. Happy birthday my king, have a lovely moment.
23. My dear husband, our future would hold many beautiful moments, joy, and adventures. I pray to God you'll be by my side all through. You rock my world. Happy birthday.
24. Dear family and friends I'm sending you this text to inform you that the best husband in the world is celebrating his birthday at our place tonight! Please be present to so that we can a cheerful moment together with a special hero.
25. Today isn't just another day; it is a wonderful day that a special one was born, happy birthday my dear husband. Enjoy your beautiful moment.
26. I'll indeed spend the rest of my life with you in this life and in another eternity. There won't be another person as caring and loving as you. Happy birthday, king!
27. Is your birthday! And I'm the happiest woman on earth because my special hero has added another beautiful year today. Happy birthday, hubby! I love you.
28. The sun is at the center of the universe, but you always remain the center of my world. Happy birthday to the man who brings joy and endless happiness to my life. I look forward to spending more beautiful birthdays with you.
29. The brightness of your smile guides my way. The strength of your courage gives me confidence.T he scent of your skin soothe my heart. Happy birthday, boo!
30. I can't count the number of times you have brought me flowers and made me feel special. I'm filled with delight been married to you and that we're celebrating this wonderful moment together. Happy birthday my sweet love.
31. Happy birthday to the biggest heart in the whole wild world. I don't even have enough fingers on my hands to count how many times you have made me feel happy. You're the apple of my eye.
32. What do want for your birthday? A kiss? A hug? Or a loving message? I think a combination will be suitable. That's why I had to wrap them all together in a present for you. Happy birthday, darling, have a great day.
33. I'm grateful to God for making our paths cross. It's been a lovely experience ever since. Joy, happiness, laughter, you somehow squeeze them into my life. You're as amazing as your smile. Enjoy your birthday with love and care, happy birthday, my hero.
34. May today be filled with all the warmth, love and blessings your heart can hold. You deserve all the good things that come your way and the best things that are yet to come. I love you as much as the sun lights up the entire world. Happy birthday!
35. My dear husband. Your love stables our home like the moon stables the ocean. Your love lightens our hearts like the sun lightens the sky. You're one in a million. Happy birthday, hero!
36. Hey dear…Here's my birthday wish for you. I'll make it short and snappy.- I wish you have an astonishing lovely birthday!
37. I somehow found all the love of this world from a single person. On your birthday I'll arrange a big surprise party just for you. Hope you'll enjoy that?
38. Your embrace kept me warm at night. Your laughter kept me cheerful at hard times. Your words kept me thoughtful at tight situations and your love made me happy all the time. Today is another special day meant for you and a beautiful surprise awaits you. Enjoy your day. Happy birthday.
39. Anytime I look at you, I feel like the luckiest woman on earth and no one took my place. Happy birthday to the greatest husband and sweetest father in the whole world!
40. Dear husband, as you grown in age, so may you grow in wealth, health and in joy. Happy birthday to my sweetest.
that's who you're. Have a wonderful life as you deserve, loving husband.
42. You complete my days. You complete my sentences. You complete my heart. Happy birthday to the cutest husband ever!
43. Happy birthday, day love. Don't worry about getting old; I'll be by your side forever.
44. Here's to another year of our endless arguments and driving each other crazy! I love you more than you can think of.
45. If only every husband in the world can treat their wives like you do, the world will indeed be like heaven. Happy born day my angel.
46. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's got the finest husband of them all? This day is dedicated to you and you alone. happy birthday sir!
47. I do feel like a queen when I think about you and also when I'm in your presence. It's because I've always seen you as my king. I hope we keep bearing more princes and princesses. Happy birthday to the greatest dad in the universe.
48. If I had one wish, it'll be having an everlasting life with the man who gives me nothing but joy and happiness. Enjoy this special occasion while you think of my love. Happy birthday.
49. As you enjoy this special day of your ever fulfilling life, I want you to know that you make me feel brand new, and I still can't figure out how you do it. Happy birthday, champ!
50. Happy Birthday yet again love! First I would like to thank God for making it possible once more. To me, you are his most special creation because the sun rises in your lovely eyes!
1. Besides, you are like the best place I've ever known. Loving you is like the best feeling I've ever had. You, bab,e is the best woman I've ever loved. Enjoy your day pretty one. Happy birthday and have a joyful life.
2. I don't know how you manage to do it but you take my breath away and leave me speechless. Happy birthday to an angel!
3. You still scoff or roll your beautiful eyes when I say it. But I never get tired of saying it. You are the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Happy birthday once again and I wish for many more days like this together. Enjoy your day.
4. Happy birthday to the world's greatest MOM and WIFE. I don't know how you manage to achieve both awards. One word- Amazing!
5. With yo,u I found a friend for life. Happy birthday my perfect wife.
6. Today is one of the most important days of my life. It is one of those days that the most important person in my life is been celebrated.
7. Calling me your husband is like an honor. An achievement that I cherish. You handle everything so effortlessly. What more can a man ask for? I love you so much and forever. Enjoy this special day of yours, happy birthday my dear wife.
8. 'Behind every great man is a great woman'- This sayings might be made just for you! Happy birthday to you and I wish you many more joy and happiness.
9. You are the person that never left me, always stood by me, advised me, guided me, and loved me no matter what. Today I celebrate a wonder woman. Happy birthday my super heroine.
10. I want to use this medium yet again to thank you for stirring with me through life. What more can I ask from a partner. I wish you many more bliss and success as we keep moving forward together. Happy birthday my darling.
11. I'm actually looking forward to spoiling you tonight my dearest. Where would you like to be? What do you want to buy? Just mention it, you deserve it all love. Happy birthday.
12. Today is another reason I look up in the heavens and thank God for giving me such a gorgeous gift. You are indeed the best thing that has ever happened to me.
13. I value you like a treasure, I adore you like the stars at night, and I cherish you like you're the last woman on earth. I love you today, tomorrow and forever. Happy birthday your grace.
14. Your smile is infectious, your lips are kissable, your eyes are compelling, your beauty is unbelievable and you soul is irreplaceable. I'd marry you every day and forever. Enjoy this special day meant for you. Happy birthday.
15. You make me fall in love with you over and over again. I am at peace when I'm with you. Happy birthday!
16. Will you please marry me on your birthdays for the rest of our lives? Happy birthda,y love!
17. Nothing I could think of that makes me feel more wonderful than waking up next to you. You are like a special gift from above. Today is your day feel good and enjoy yourself, happy birthday love.
18. In your hands lies my heart. In my min,d you keep on running. I'm yours eternally. It is another day to celebrate your amazing soul. Happy birthday.
19. Thank you for been the best wife and the greatest mother to our children. We love you more than you can ever think of. Happiest of birthdays love.
20. I've been to many places, but my best journey is with you. You make me complete. Happy birthday.
21. Thank you for making me falls in love with you. It genuinely built me and made me feel more of a man. And then the work outs. It was all a win-win for me. You're nothing but an incredible and amazing woman. Enjoy this special day love, it's all for you.
22. If I had a flower for anytime I thought of you, we could walk in my garden forever. Happy birthday, Sweetheart.
23. I enjoy every minute we spend together. I will enjoy a billion more with you forever. Do have a wonderful birthday my grace.
24. I'm so lucky I married the best girl in the world. Happy birthday to you. I can't wait to see you.
25. You are indeed the best adventure of my life. Thanks for taking me on the long beautiful ride with you. Happiest of birthdays my lovely wife.
26. You deserve any blessings and joy coming to you. You're nice, smart, strong and understanding. You're the most wonderful woman in the whole world, happy birthday gorgy.
27. Ever since I met you, my life had changed. Thank you for making every moment we spent together meaningful and fulfilled. You are indeed an angel. Happy birthday and enjoy your day.
28. Happy birthday to the woman of my dreams. May you be showered with health, wealth, and your heart desires throughout the rest of your life.
29. To the jewel of my soul and the dearest of my heart, I want to wish you a happy birthday filled with nothing but immense joy and happiness.
30. To a fantastic wife, a caring mother, a loving woman, and an amazing person. May God continue to shower his blessings of good health, wealth and prosperity on you. Happy birthday my joy.
31. In hard times I cherish you. In good times I adore you. Every time I love you. Stay blessed and happy beautiful one. Happy birthday.
32. They said a good husband remembers your birthday but not your age. The only thing I remember is the first day I set my eyes on you. It was the moment that changed my life forever. Happy birthday my angel.
33. If only I could wrap the whole treasure that the world contains in a parcel for you, I would do just that, because you are so special and precious wife to me. Happy birthday. I wish you all the good things of life.
34. Happy birthday to the woman I love and the one person I cherish most on this earth. You bring light to my life. Thank you for always been here. Enjoy this day and many others to come.
35. If I were a king, I'd build castles of happiness, joy, love and laugher for you. Happy birthday to the queen of m hear.
36. Every day I count my blessings waking up next to you. Your eyes are as bright as the sun and your hear glimmer like the stars above. Happy day, enjoy your day.
37. You are my guide, my teacher, my friend, my partner and my most beautiful wife. You deserve a wonderful day like this. Don't forget to keep smiling and remember that you will always be in my heart.
38. Each passing day, my love for you grows like he trees, steady and stilly like the oceans and shines brighter like the sun. There is nothing I can do without a woman like you. Happy birthday!
39. There aren't enough fingers to count the beautiful moments you've given me. There aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe my feelings for you. You're a rear gem. Happy birthday.
40. On birthdays, people wish many things. I wish for only two things-Never and Always. Never leave me and I will always love you.
41. I want to use this opportunity to thank someone very special in my life. An angel who has always been there for me. Guided me and changed my life. Happy birthday my dear wife.
42. Sometimes I think that if I hadn't met you, I would have made the biggest mistake of my life. Happy birthday my dearest.


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Home > Opinion > Princes Street Gardens: a Home Grown Public Realm Disaster
Princes Street Gardens: a Home Grown Public Realm Disaster
Part 1; The stab in the heart. Edinburgh council and the curse of commodification
Perhaps it's just as well that, where a concern for public open space is concerned, Scotland is not Turkey. In May 2013 a mass protest movement greeted the proposals of an Erdogan government-backed developer to build a shopping mall on one of the most precious green spaces in central Istanbul, the Taksim-Gezi Park, originally laid out by the French architect and urban designer, Henri Prost, at the behest of father of the nation, Kemal Ataturk.
Those who felt strongly enough to stage a sit-in were violently evicted by police, but far from suppressing the protests the authorities provoked a backlash which came close to destabilising the government. The regime's iron grip on the media failed to quell the anger. An outside broadcast van was attacked and destroyed during one demonstration, such was the level of public distrust for 'official' television in a state which regularly imprisons its independent journalists.
Within weeks, the entire country was in uproar, with an estimated three and a half million Turks taking to the streets in as many as 5000 demonstrations. This was no longer simply a campaign to save a park, of course. It had become an expression of widespread discontent with the oppressive Erdogan regime. Even so, at this point the words which opened this essay bear repeating. Perhaps it's just as well that Scotland isn't Turkey.
In early June the police withdrew from the park, and the deputy prime minister apologised to protesters. They were joined by sympathisers, and the atmosphere became easy-going and relaxed, with street food, discussion groups, impromptu musical performances, family picnics, poetry, yoga classes, and general bonhomie. Two weeks later the police were back, this time with tear gas, rubber bullets, batons, and water cannon. It is estimated that by the end of the summer of protest there were 22 dead, from a 14 year old schoolboy to an 88 year old musician, and as many as 8000 injured.
Police Scotland, it goes without saying, would never do this. Citizens are free to assemble peaceably, and the police, who we all appreciate have a duty to uphold public order, would be a reassuring presence rather than a tooled-up hit squad out to break heads, though some 'kettling' practices might be open to question from time to time.
Yet when Edinburgh's primary public garden is commandeered by commercial interests, trees felled to make way for a tacky 'Winter Wonderland' market, memorial benches piled high and burnt, soil compacted, churned up, and ecologically abused by a London company operating without planning consent, and turf brought in from as far away as Yorkshire containing who knows what pathogens or fungal spores which might very well contain such diseases as ash die back, remarkably few of us seem to care. In Istanbul, by contrast, people put their lives on the line to save their park.
True, there might be some grumbling in the Edinburgh bus queue, condemnation from the Cockburn Association, and the occasional letter in the Evening News, but street protests? Forget it. That's just not how they do things in our douce, genteel, diffident Scottish capital. Perhaps this is a case, to paraphrase J.K Galbraith, of private affluence subverting public squalour, otherwise known as the death of community spirit.
Perhaps it's also something about the 21st century. Two hundred years ago it was all very different. Princes Street Gardens only existed in the first place because householders fought the council in the Court of Session and the House of Lords to prevent development along the south side of the mile-long street – development which had been prohibited under the terms of their feus.
The gardens had been devised as pleasure grounds in the reclaimed Nor' Loch valley, and were a quintessential expression of Enlightenment values of 'civic virtue' as portrayed in James Craig's 1767 competition-winning plan for the New Town. His uncle, the poet James Thomson, even caught the spirit of Craig's vision in verse.
August, around, what public works I see. Lo, stately streets! Lo, squares that court the breeze.
There were later battles to be fought, like the 1882 court case won by a group of market gardeners who objected to being ousted from the Waverley Market by the council to make way for an exhibition, and the fight against a 2002 scheme based on a 1990s proposal to excavate beneath the gardens to create a shopping mall which, in retrospect, would have been an utter financial disaster.
And today? Last February East Princes Street Gardens was like a scene from the Battle of the Somme. A few weeks earlier a vacationing American couple who'd spent time overlooking the last days of the funfair and Christmas market from their hotel room expressed their astonishment to me. "If anyone did something like that to Central Park, New Yorkers would be out rioting" I was firmly assured. I had never appreciated that Turks and Americans had so much in common.
But of course this is Edinburgh; we might moan a bit, but that's about all. Indeed the company which created this chaos, Underbelly, has been given the nod to continue its activities for a further two years.
As to whether the city makes any revenue at all from this exploitation of a public open space there is much circumspection, with council deputy leader Cammy Day droning on about benefits being 'significant' while officials refuse to answer Freedom of Information requests, and it appears there may have been a few off-the-radar private agreements made between officials and Underbelly without reference to councillors.
If anything needs an Audit Scotland investigation, surely this does.
Part 2; Frodo's Garden of Earthly delights; a Middle Earth makeover
After the East Princes Street disaster you might think the council would be proceeding with utmost caution for any plans it might have in mind for West Princes Street gardens. You might be wrong. The Quaich project, certainly, will not be inflicting the degree of damage which Underbelly's army of marauders have inflicted, yet it is another quasi-commercial intervention in an area of public realm over which the council exercises stewardship, rather than unencumbered ownership; after all, it is classed as a common good asset held in trust by the city of Edinburgh Council on behalf of its citizens, not that this troubles Edinburgh's asset stripping council, which happily disposed of common good land behind the Central Library for a Virgin Hotel development. Around 11 acres of the gardens beneath the castle ramparts, indeed, still belong to the Crown, though they have been taken over by the council under a 2013 leasing arrangement.
In cahoots with the Ross Development Trust (RDT) – note that worrying word 'development' – the council and the RDT decided to 're-imagine' East Princes Street Gardens as an events venue with a Bilbo Baggins style 5000 capacity auditorium in place of the Ross Bandstand, despite a 2003 conservation management plan 'to conserve and enhance Princes Street Gardens and their urban setting and to maintain their history of evolution and primary passive recreational function – to a standard which exemplifies their civic and national status within the World Heritage Site and respects its sensitivity.'
That plan compares oddly with the 68 page 'Princes Street Gardens Interim Management Plan, 2017 – 2020' which 'has been created to redevelop the Ross Bandstand, Ross Fountain, gardener's cottage, and wider relandscaping of the west gardens' and includes such howlers as –
In addition to these plans, there is also a planning application in process by the Nationional (sic) Museums Scotland for a redevelopment of the east gardens. An anticapated (sic) timescale for these works is also 2020. This will involve relandscaping of the bankings and path layout adjacent to the museum on the Mound Precinct, which will improve overall access within the gardens and to the museum itself.
This came as something of a surprise to the press office of the National Museum of Scotland, which has no involvement at all with any project in Princes Street Gardens. But why bother about accuracy, when the idea is simply to schmooze politicians on the formulation of policy with a view to achieving some weird commercial objective?
Presumably someone was paid for writing such guff, but of course these public-private deals are a veritable gravy-train for the outsourced consultancy business. Some, like the Aventia agency owned by ex-Grant Thornton accountant, Nathan Goode, while they may employ a dizzying surfeit of breathless prose the better to mesmerise the gullible, are at least grammatical, on the whole.
Aventia's impact assessment report, issued jointly with Caledonian Economics in 2017, was strong on the speculative financial benefits of throwing £25 million at a scheme which, it was suggested, 'could generate around £13m Gross Value Added during construction for Scotland and £9m for Edinburgh's City Region ("ECR"), together with 131 Scottish and 93 ECR jobs'while the impact of investment 'on the City's brand could be around £7m in GVA terms.'
If this sounds like the witterings of a bevy of hired gun bean-counters, that's probably because it is. Even the eminence gris of the project, Norman Springford OBE, was an Inland Revenue accountant before he built up his empire of pubs, bingo halls, the Playhouse Theatre, and the Apex Hotel chain. He was, until recently, Chairman of the Ross Development Trust, resigning in late February on the grounds that he had become a 'distraction' since there was an 'underlying perception that our intentions are either commercial or to privatise the gardens'
This, he insisted, was not the case, though there had been a tricky episode a week or so earlier when it was revealed that a 'secret debenture scheme' was being targeted at corporate 'philanthropists' who, in exchange for donations, would be able to sponsor seating, pathways, playgrounds and other elements, to 'showcase your brand and increase experiential marketing activity' with 'sponsorship packages – tailored with your marketing, budget and business goals in mind.'
A further inducement in a leaked prospectus which prompted such imaginary horrors (at least to this writer) as, say, an Anne Summers sunbathing plaza, or a Wagamama Workout Zone, was that donors could mingle with 'international high-net-worth networks' of other backers and have access to various celebrities at exclusive 'Victorian themed' dinner parties in the gardener's cottage.
For this, some big names were required – and duly turned out. Top of the bill was actor Alan Cumming, usefully famous in America, where he's comfortably installed in a four story townhouse overlooking Tompkins Square Park in New York's East Village. This locality had a contentious history of its own in an anti-gentrification riot in the late 1980s, when it was vigorously cleared of hippies and buskers who were disturbing the gentrifiers, but that's another story.
Mr Cumming has been joined in his enthusiastic support for the Quaich's Middle Earth extravaganza by crime writer Ian Rankin in a not altogether convincing Youtube promo in which the former soliloquises about 'bringing the community together' while the latter sounds off portentously about 'making sure you respect tradition while being modern.'
If it seems odd that a man from Angus and a man from Fife are telling Edinburgh citizens what's good for them, at least they have some relevance as Scots engaging (for a fee?) in a (scripted?) fireside chat about the capital of their native country. Not so another 'Quaich Bearer' from the USA, a punk singer-songwriter well known in her homeland as Amanda Fucking Palmer, but coyly identified on the Quaich website only by first and last names. At least the other headliner drawn into the Quaich spin cycle, singer K.T Tunstall, was actually born in Edinburgh, though she has spent much of her life in California's ultra-fashionable Venice Beach, and was presumably disappointed when her hit Suddenly I See didn't deliver victory as a Hillary Clinton campaign song.
As to whether all this hard sell is producing results is a moot point. It would seem that barely £6m of the required £25m has made its way into the bank, while the catastrophic publicity which has attached itself to the all-too-visible degradation of East Princes Street Gardens has, inevitably if unfairly, aroused antipathy to any public realm venture with a commercial involvement.
The current pandemic crisis will not be helping, it goes without saying, and may yet derail such 'visions' altogether, but the Quaich project, whatever its failings, at least invites us, as citizens, to consider how we should deal with our public open spaces, and encourage us to put pressure on our politicians to act in the community's true interests.
With local elections due next year, this might be the time to start concentrating a few minds.
Part 3; Tread warily, for you tread on our gardens
Obviously, when your plans become bogged down because not everyone's 100% sold on them it sometimes pays to hire a brief, as well as the usual PR types. In this case the successor to Mr Springford as Chairman of the Ross Development Trust is advocate John D Campbell QC, who, we are re-assuringly told, is Chairman of the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust.
What we are not told is that Mr Campbell was also the late Lord Fraser's inquisitor on an inquiry into the cost of the Scottish Parliament, resulting in a glossy report which even the (then) Labour-supporting Herald described as a 'whitewash.' Nor are we reminded that he wrote an 'independent' opinion in support of the hotel developer, DHP, which still proposes adding 'Mickey Mouse Ears' extensions to the former Royal High School, while debunking the eminently sensible proposal to restore that building as a music school, stating, among other things.
The contractual arrangements between DHP and the council are firm and binding long term, and simply don't allow others to 'step in' if the current arrangement should, for some unforseen reason, not be approved in December. The alternative 'development' now being put forward is a misdescription, and designed to distract from the DHP/Urbanist proposals.
In this written peroration he had further claimed that Duddingston House Properties' selection as preferred developer of a proposed 'Arts Hotel' –
'was the outcome of an open, 11 month long competitive public procurement process carried out under European Commission rules.'
This sounded all very well, but some pernickety types felt he failed to take account of certain niceties of EU case law which appeared to uphold the principle that 'following the award of a public contract, the contracting authority and the successful tenderer (are precluded) from amending the provisions of that contract in such a way that those provisions differ materially in character from those of the original contract.' (Case C-549/14; Finn Frogne A/S)
When an award for a £35 million 'Arts Hotel' morphs into a £78 million 'International Luxury Hotel' complete with high rise accommodation block extensions it might seem that provisions of the latter 'differs materially in character from those of the original contract.'
But no matter – this tells us little about the Ross Development Trust, however much it tells us about its new chairman, a lawyer whose client list includes Donald Trump, though the 2015 golf tycoon's appeal against an Aberdeenshire offshore wind farm which Mr Campbell presented in the UK Supreme Court was to end up losing bigly, my friends.
Perhaps the most unfortunate aspect of the Quaich Project as far as its current travails are concerned is that it really isn't all bad. The restoration of the Ross Fountain was a definite plus, while no-one could possibly object to the idea that disabled access to the garden ought to be improved (though this point was being made long before Mr Springford came on the scene, it must be said).
Having performed in the Ross Bandstand myself – I think I was six years old at the time – I see the value of continuing to make the most of it by redesigning its current extensions and replacing its concrete forecourt with grass. But why demolish it to make way for an alien Tolkeinesque goblinarium, or double capacity to 5000 when the role of the garden is to provide a place of peace in the heart of Scotland's capital, not to stage amped-up gigs for the likes of Amanda F. Palmer?
Change can and should be accommodated. The recent memorial to Wojtek the bear is a change which celebrates a great Edinburgh legend, and pays homage to the Polish servicemen who served in Scotland during the Second War. There might even be benefits in considering synergies which would increase public access to the gardens, introducing change in a constructive way.
Perhaps most obviously, the council could enable the Edinburgh International Book Festival to take some pressure off Charlotte Square, its current home. Persistent heavy rainfall has left Charlotte Square's garden in a parlous state, and while both its proprietors and the Book Festival management are minded to keep 'the finest outdoor drawing room in the world' as the event's centrepiece, there really isn't any reason why a Book Festival campus couldn't extend to the area around the Ross Bandstand, incorporating the Lothian Road churches and even the Traverse Theatre.
This extended campus already has its literary associations. The 2009 launch of Margaret Atwood's (appropriately titled, in retrospect) Year of the Flood was held in St John's Church. Neighbouring St Cuthbert's, where the queen of crime writers, Agatha Christie, married in 1930, also has the essayist and 'opium eater' Thomas de Quincey buried in its churchyard, while Ian Hamilton Findlay's memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson is only a few yards away in East Princes Street Gardens.
There is no practical reason why the low key elements of the Quaich project shouldn't be sustained, leaving the original parkland largely undisturbed, eliminating the eccentric grassy knoll of a Bilbo Baggins proscenium stage with its 5000 capacity arena which Edinburgh just doesn't need, given that the 8,800 capacity stands on the castle esplanade were more than adequate for the likes of Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, Rod Stewart, Westlife, and the Proclaimers.
At root, Edinburgh's problem is a political one. A rudderless and impecunious council neglects its citizens while getting hopelessly out of its depth with questionable commercial partnerships of dubious fiscal efficacy and questionable morality. That a supposedly left of centre SNP-Labour coalition should be indulging in the orgy of laissez-faire neo-liberalism which characterises the council's planning and economic policies is, to say the least, perplexing.
Perhaps it would help if a few of our councillors and their hapless officials could acquaint themselves with such seminal texts as David Harvey's The Right to the City as set out in The New Left Review. And if they can't stomach such Socialist red meat they might at least consider the words of the conservative philosopher, the late Sir Roger Scruton, whose views on this matter stood at no great distance from those of Harvey.
True civic responsibility arises from our sense of belonging. This sense of belonging, relates us not only to people but also to the places where we reside.
Princes Street Gardens, East and West, belong to the people of Edinburgh, not to any feckless public-private hybrid which wants to exploit our public realm. End of story.
The Quaich
By David J Black
Published on 31st March 2020
Sandra Mills says:
31st March 2020 at 7:05 pm
See me ? See ma man ? See developers ? He hates the b*stards !
Richard Easson says:
The Gardens do belong to the people of Edinburgh if they are part of The Common Good Estate.
When I was a community councillor in my town, it had a very healthy common good fund as well as tangible assets, in proprty and so on.
After the reorganisation of local government and changes along the way, the initial and final say lay with the community council . The local Council ended up managing the common good, but on behalf of the Community via the Community Council, who always had to be consulted. No Common Good land could be sold , sometimes leased but all income went into the Common Good Fund which financed local projects in and for the local community within the guidelines of its use.
Have all the Community Councils in the Edinburgh Area been consulted and given the right of veto even in a local democratic manner?
Does not sound like it.
Wul says:
31st March 2020 at 10:52 pm
'…the Quaich project.. invites us, as citizens, to consider how we should deal with our public open spaces…"
Grass, trees, benches, flowerbeds, a public toilet. That is all that most citizens require of a park.
Oh…and a flat bit for the wee weans to bomb around on. Free for all to use, no-one collecting rent.
Bella Caledonia Editor says:
Pretty much …
grafter says:
1st April 2020 at 12:52 pm
We have EXACTLY the same situation here in Aberdeen where a dysfunctional council have handed over Union Terrace Gardens to LDC Design to " to conserve the Victorian park's heritage while enhancing access, amenity and activity and its role as the city's green heart."
This "conservation" unbeknown to us involved the destruction of 46 mature trees some of which were 200 years old. The whole area has been destroyed in favour of "accessibility improvements". There are only 5 trees left in place. LDC's website miraculously shows an abundance of mature trees enhancing bland concrete walkways traversing flat unnatural surrounding spaces. To cap it all there are two grotesque structures, one a lift access the other a café type protuberance designed in a ghastly faux Hellenic style idiom. This crass civic vandalism occurs where councils are lured by financial incentives from the corporate sector who have no affinity with the area and whose sole motivation is profit. There is nothing "Victorian" about this ghastly scheme and as with Edinburgh we are losing our sense of place in favour of commercial interests.
Arboreal Agenda says:
1st April 2020 at 1:27 pm
'But why demolish it to make way for an alien Tolkeinesque goblinarium, or double capacity to 5000 when the role of the garden is to provide a place of peace in the heart of Scotland's capital, not to stage amped-up gigs'
Exactly. I am not a resident of Edinburgh but whenever I visit, I very much enjoy the tranquility the gardens offer, even as they sit in the heart of the city. It is a pretty special place I would say and is not in need of any major changes whatsoever, let alone this catalogue of lunacy. I have not visited since last summer so never saw what sounds like the travesty of this winter market. I can't quite get my head around what is really going on and what the motivations are.
Disappointed in Rankin.
I had no idea de Quincey was buried in St Cuthbert's – will have to check this out.
No festivals this year either I notice for obvious reasons. I will miss that but I suspect many residents will be whooping with joy (if they can get out and enjoy the city).
Allan Armstrong says:
Three excellent articles. A good exposure of some of the the dodgy spokespersons for the dodgy companies which seem to decide how Edinburgh is shaped. And this would go for the influence the University and Air B&B have as well as the appalling Underbelly covered in the first article.
However, I can't believe it is just the naivety of the councillors in successive City administrations that allows all this to happen. The councillors' failure to challenge the senior City officials, who share the same neo-liberal 'values' and privileged lifestyles of the managers and PR men from these companies, would be a starting point. These senior officials seem to think their job is to tell the councillors what to do. They are completely impervious to any idea that they should be accountable too and serve the needs of the people of Edinburgh. But an investigation into the practices of these companies with regard to key councillors (e.g. through corporate entertainment) would probably also be be revealing.
daisy carnegie says:
Veritably Chaucerian in the breadth of its colourful digressions and depth of its diagnostic plumbing, albeit omits to salute the efforts of those who did indeed take to the streets, in this case East Princes Street Gardens, to protest against Underbelly's Christmas Market's de facto privatisation of public space in November 2019, as well as, the demand for City of Edinburgh Council's leader's resignation by way of a public petition that in spite of garnering nearly 2500 signatures was not enough to oust Cllr Adam McVey whose Teflon exterior also deflected the flames of wrath ignited by the scandal of burning memorial benches, surely a smell that will linger?
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/we-demand-the-resignation-of-edinburgh-council-leader-adam-mcvey
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/protest-stand-princes-street-gardens-takes-place-after-edinburgh-christmas-market-row-1180271
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-51160417
Of course, the 'biggy' that former Lord Provost and present Culture and Communities Committee convenor, Cllr Donald Wilson together with his colleagues need to answer, is the one that concerns the change of use of its citizens' common good property, which these schemes including the Quaich Project seem to presage, as stipulated in the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, section 104 (1) (b), which came into effect in 2018. Alternatively, perhaps the council's solicitors do not take the view that these developments are a 'change of use'; do not require a citywide consultation of its electorate and council tax payers? We need to know. And, we need to know now.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/community-empowerment-common-good-property-guidance-local-authorities/
https://euppublishingblog.com/2020/02/11/common-good-the-curious-case-of-princes-street-gardens/


Andy Luse is a PhD candidate in Computer Engineering and Human Computer Interaction at Iowa State University. His research interests include network and computer security, visualization for network and computer security, and user interface design and usability. He is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Association for Information Systems.
Kevin P. Scheibe is an Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems at Iowa State University. His research interests include IT privacy and security, supply chain risk, spatial decision support systems, wireless telecommunications, and IT outsourcing. He is a member of the Association for Information Systems and the Decision Sciences Institute. Dr. Scheibe has published in journals such as European Journal of Operations Research, Decision Support Systems, Journal of Information Privacy and Security, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture and Computers in Human Behavior. He received a PhD. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.


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text:
Arts & CultureBooks
December 23, 2019 issue
Review: The faith that made Mr. Rogers a great evangelist
James T. Keane November 25, 2019
Fred Rogers, right, is pictured with David Newell, as Speedy Delivery's Mr. McFeely, in the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" (CNS photo/Lynn Johnson, Focus Features)
A number of years ago, while attending the College Theology Society annual convention at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., I was delighted by two coincidences. First, I discovered we would be sharing the campus that weekend with the Steelers' Men's Fantasy Camp, several hundred burly men adorned with various Steelers tattoos and jerseys and more than a few retired N.F.L. legends. Second, the campus hosts the Fred Rogers Center, offering educational training to teachers and featuring a huge archive of materials from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," the children's program that Fred Rogers hosted on public television from 1968 to 2001. (He died in 2003.)
Exactly As You Areby Shea Tuttle
Eerdmans
211p, $23.99
I then made some dismaying discoveries. Theologians, it turns out, are more or less ambivalent about football, and most of my peers didn't care much if Terry Bradshaw or Jerome Bettis were on campus. Second, some of the younger professors and graduate students in attendance told me that they were still in grammar school when "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" went off the air.
Exactly As You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers will prove of interest to theologians and Gen-Xers alike (and perhaps even to other generations). Author Shea Tuttle employs her theological expertise (she holds a master of divinity degree from Candler School of Theology in Atlanta), several years of research and interviews, and her own fond reminiscences of watching Mister Rogers in this well-timed new book. ("A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," a film biopic starring Tom Hanks, was released in November, a month after the book's release.)
Exactly As You Are: The Life and Faith of Mister Rogers will prove of interest to theologians and Gen-Xers alike (and perhaps even to other generations).
Tuttle remembers the show as a conversation she had regularly with Rogers. Often, "he'd bring something with him—maybe pretzels, wooden blocks, or a musical instrument." And, of course, he always performed two rituals: trading his blazer for a zippered sweater, and sitting down and methodically exchanging his shoes for the famous navy canvas sneakers.
Review: 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood' is (surprisingly) not about Mr. Rogers
But there was another side to Rogers as well. Asked in 1986 to describe himself, he listed off a long catalog of descriptors, including performer and television producer, but he concluded with "a husband and a father. And I am a minister."
Ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1963, Rogers was "a religious person through and through, extraordinarily thoughtful and intentional," Tuttle writes, "and his faith was constantly present to him." Without using the overt language of faith on the air, she noted, "Mister Rogers relentlessly preached his gospel: you are loved just the way you are." (One surprising revelation: During the early years of his television career, he stopped by St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York to pray on his way to NBC in the mornings.)
During the early years of his television career, Fred Rogers often stopped by St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York to pray on his way to NBC in the mornings.
The show that became "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" began as a 15-minute show for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1962, "Misterogers." From the beginning, Tuttle notes, "he got to bring all the insights of his theological and child development coursework to bear." At the same time, however, Rogers and his wife Joanne's second son required a hernia surgery that left the boy severely traumatized for years. Tuttle feels that in this event—which Rogers spoke about very rarely—was a key to his ministry with children: "In bearing witness to his son's trauma, in feeling its fallout, he became Mister Rogers—his purpose crystallized—and he learned, in a way that even the best teachers in the most prestigious institutions of learning couldn't teach him, what was at stake in children's lives."
Fred Rogers had strong opinions about television—he reviled and spoke out strongly against most of the programming he saw.
Rogers had strong opinions about television—he reviled and spoke out strongly against most of the programming he saw—but instead of denouncing the medium, he said, "It's not so simple (or cheap) as writing letters of complaint!" Rather, "we can begin to produce and promote television programs for children as an expression of caring for the children of the whole country." Instead of "being fed slick stimulating sound-tracked trash," a child could be taught that he or she "is accepted as he is: happy, sad, angry, lonely, exactly as he is."
Tuttle also introduces the reader to a previously unknown side to Rogers's ministry: his care for struggling adults in his life and work. We meet addicts, abuse survivors, lonely and struggling young adults—all telling how Rogers had helped them out of a dark place or, in several cases, actually saved their lives with a kind word or a careful observation. "Fred had a way," Tuttle notes, "of showing up exactly at the right time, even if he had no logical way of knowing their need." He knew how to take care of his neighborhood.
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This article also appeared in print, under the headline "Husband, Father, Minister," in the December 23, 2019, issue.
More: Books / TV / Evangelization / Ministry / Education
James T. Keane
James T. Keane is a senior editor at America.
@jamestkeane
Review: A travelogue on God, Darwin and the Galapagos Islands
Brian McLaren's 'The Galápagos Islands: A Spiritual Journey' is both a travelogue and a spiritual memoir.
Christiana ZennerJanuary 10, 2020
Review: A pilgrim in search of grace
In her fourth book, The Virgin of Prince Street: Expeditions Into Devotion, Sonja Livingston introduces herself as a "pilgrimess" returning to her childhood church in Rochester, N.Y., after not regularly attending Mass for 20 years.
James M. ChesbroJanuary 03, 2020
Review: A novel for the age of 'Laudato Si''
Richard Powers's brilliant novel, 'The Overstory,' which won the the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a story about people who feel a kinship with all ecological life.
Brianne JacobsJanuary 02, 2020
Review: The remarkable friendship of Emerson and Thoreau
In Solid Seasons, Jeffrey S. Cramer explores the deep friendship between the two literary titans.
Cynthia-Marie Marmo O'BrienJanuary 01, 2020


Feel the force! Honestly, my kids SCREAMED when I showed them these images of the soon to be STAR WARS themed Millenium Falcon that will be part of the Oceaneer Club on the Disney Dream. Star Wars fans young and old alike are ecstatic with this news from Disney Cruise Line. It's hard to believe the Disney Dream could get any more magical having sailed on it myself before, but I guess since the DREAM is almost 5 years old they figured they'd continue to WOW guests with these extra special new upgrades.
This upgrade along with a handful of other awesome upgrades will happen when the ship goes into Dry Dock this fall starting October 4th. She'll be ready to sail like new come October 26th — complete with this Star Wars play zone and other upgrades that include adding a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Vanellope's Sweets & Treats and an are exclusively for adults, on Deck 13 forward, Satellite Falls, a circular splash pool with benches and a gently falling rain curtain – which I assume is like the one already on the Disney Fantasy.
Who else is ready to set sail October 26th???


text:
Sleep State | Interview
IndieBeat	April 15, 2016 0 Comments
Indie + Alternative culture appreciates new rising artists that create diversity and new insights within their respective genres.We constantly feature notable indie and alternative artists on the verge of success.
Meet this week's featured artist in an exclusive interview. Introducing You To Your Next Favorite Artist: Sleep State.
Silver Lake group Sleep State is fronted by Troy Ritchie, a 2014 competitor on NBC's The Voice who was on alt-favorite Gwen Stefani's team. He is joined by his longtime friend Michael Haua, as keyboardist and back up vocalist, Parker Jackson, as drummer, and David Greenwood, as bassist and vocalist.
We recently talked in depth with the guys of Sleep State. Read on to learn more about your next favorite artist.
Comments From The Curating-Editor
Sleep State is a new IndieBeat favorite & we're glad to invite them to the featured artists family. With warm vocals leading the charge on their cool and charismatic LA indie-pop aesthetic, the group is an amazing display of accessible yet textured exploratory melodies. Reminiscent of Moon Taxi and a hipper and more innovative Dave Matthews Band, Sleep State evokes energy in a calm form, with passionate and refined tracks that blend beach nostalgia, electro-pop meditations and edgy soul-rock into anthemic hits. Their music sounds familiar in the alt climate, yet there is a quaintness that pushes the boundaries and allures listeners to instantly fall in love with their sound. We can't wait to hear more from the group, knowing they're bound to have huge success soon.
What are your top 3 favorite albums that inspired you to get into music?
My musical tastes have expanded since, but when I first started getting serious about music, these albums got me moving: Abbey Road-The Beatles; Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band- The Beatles; A Rush Of Blood To The Head- Coldplay
What are your fondest musical memories?
One of my fondest musical memories as an artist is when Sleep State played a late night show in a parking garage that we didn't get permission to play in. The Facebook event was set up as a secret acoustic show with David's old band- we managed to get about 50 people to show up and didn't get rolled by the cops!! The good vibes were aplenty that night.
As a listener, one of my best memories is when I saw Weezer at the U.S. Open. I think this was the concert just before the U.S. Open became overblown and not as enjoyable. Weezer obviously put on an amazing show with beach balls, wigs, dancing, and the crowd was definitely on a good one. I crowd surfed, I moshed, I danced with people I didn't know-everyone was so friendly and cool. I want our shows to be like that.
Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener?
I'm honestly jamming out to newer electronic music right now. From a production aspect, the singles from Zayn, Beiber, Kygo, Jack U, Major Lazer, etc. are really cutting edge and inspiring. They're making new sounds using the singers voice as a sample or just whipping up interesting textures. In between getting inspired by the newest stuff, I always need a dose of classic rock, Motown, and artists like Tame Impala or Mac Demarco.
What is your creative process like? How do you approach the writing process?
I used to only write in the order: chord progression/riff, melody, lyrics, production. Lately, it could be any order of those, but I've definitely been putting a lot more focus on my lyrical content.
I'm a firm believer that the cities that artists are based in helps craft their sound. How would you describe the LA music scene? How has it inspired you into crafting your sound?
Silverlake has such a strong musical community and it's really inspiring. The sound is pretty eclectic. In Silverlake, there are definitely a lot of rockers out there, some psychedelics, some indie poppas. I really like to see artists using some sick synth sounds or trippy guitar effects. Each show is different at any given venue and inspires my writing in a new way. Playing shows and seeing all the bands in the area has really motivated me to up my stage presence.
As an indie artist in the digital age, social media and streaming are essential tools for marketing and promotion. What do you think about online music sharing, both as a music fan and as a musician? How do you think social media/music streaming services impacts the rising musician?
The internet is definitely bringing on some exciting change. As an artist, Streaming services like Spotify and Soundcloud have brought us to a lot of people all over the world- without much effort from us. Social media can definitely take away the mystique from artists but is now bringing artists and fans closer together. I'm not too much of a social media 'junky' myself, I probably wouldn't be on it if I didn't have music to share. I will say that the internet has the power to bring unknowns to the lime light if leveraged right-we're still trying to figure out some leverage haha. As a listener, I love that Spotify has pretty much every song I know or want to know- it's increased my musical arsenal a ton lately.
What is your dream collaboration and why?
The collaboration of my dreams right now would probably be with Mac Demarco. He just seems like one hilarious and talented dude. We'd have a blast making a record and I'd like to get some of his wisdom on making records in home studio by yourself.
What are you currently working on? Any new projects?
Sleep State is going to release a new single called "Making Up The Rules" in the near future. We're figuring out the music video details right now. That's definitely the best track we've laid down in a studio so far-So much groovin' and there's even a lil guitar solo by yours truly. Other than that, I'm always tinkering with something- Whether it's producing for songs I've already written or writing completely new songs. I occasionally record two of my friends-just simple acoustic tracks with some subtle textures- nothing released yet. I'm really trying to get better at keys right now so the beat-making process is a little quicker.
Finally, a few questions we ask all of artists: which songs are you currently obsessed with? What new acts do you recommend to our listeners? What bands do you believe are your best kept secret in the indie community?
I'm currently obsessed with "Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean. It's nothing new, but I just rediscovered it thanks to Spotify, which oddly enough was right when Frank's Producer announced that they were trying to finish up his new album. Nifty Coincidence. I usually try to nudge a few artists to people like: Mac Demarco, Tame Impala, Grizzly Bear, Cheers Elephant, BORNS, Fleet Foxes, Gardens & Villa, STRFKR, Local Natives, The Gromble, and others. Best kept secret band…hmmm…probably Cheers Elephant- I played a show with those rad guys and I love their tunes- they deserve some more recognition!
Thanks once again for Sleep State for talking with us. You can stay up to date with this fantastic group via their official site: www.sleepstatemusic.com
CategoriesAlt Rising Acts, Artists On View
TagsFeature, Interview, Sleep State
Playlist for the 4th of July
SunGhosts: 'Til The City Goes Under


I had to take a step back and do new drawings showing color ways and keys to textural elements. It was getting too confusing holding the three different panels in my head. I enlarged the original drawings and using Prismacolor pencils and pastels I put my color and texture ideas to paper.
The drawings provide a key to base colors and transition areas as well as some tasty nuno felting techniques. One of the techniques is marked by red circles. The red circles will be silk embedded under the wool. The wool will be cut away to reveal the silk and the edges will be refelted to smooth them. This will add a pebble-like transition from one painting to the next.
The photography is awful but will give you an idea of my color thoughts.
The non-blue colors indicate silk, gauze or cotton elements that will be added into one of the last three layers of each drawing. The layered colors will blend during the felting process to create more colors and transitions.


text:
Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 is a 2008 downloadable game developed by Backbone Entertainment for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is the second sequel to Capcom's Commando arcade game, following Mercs; "Wolf of the Battlefield" is a translation of the series' original title (Senjō no Ōkami).

Gameplay

Development

Reception

The game received "average" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. TeamXbox said, "Commando 3 definitely has its appeal, but a lot more could have been done to extend the gameplay or just make it feel more varied."  Official Xbox Magazine said, "This three-player scrolling shooter has that old-school, spray-and-slay mojo that your inner rageaholic craves."

References

External links

2008 video games
Capcom games
Xbox 360 Live Arcade games
PlayStation Network games
Video games developed in the United States
Video games featuring female protagonists
Video games scored by Takahiro Izutani
Run and gun games

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Efeito na borda de um componente JButton Como faço para criar uma transição(Efeito fade) suave da borda de um JButton, ao passar o mouse?
Meu código está assim:
@Override
public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent e) {
    Object temp = e.getSource();
    if (temp instanceof JButton)
        ((JButton)temp).setBorder(new LineBorder(Color.WHITE, 1, false);
    /* restante do código */
}

@Override
public void mouseExited(MouseEvent e) {
    Object temp = e.getSource();
    if (temp instanceof JButton)
       ((JButton)temp).setBorder(null);
    /* restante do código */
}

Como consigo esse tipo de resultado? Procurei em alguns fóruns e artigos, mas nada que tratasse esse detalhe.

A: Acredito que procura algo neste sentido:

package br;

import java.awt.AlphaComposite;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;

public class CriarJButton extends JFrame {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

    public CriarJButton() {
        this.getContentPane().setLayout(new FlowLayout());
        final botaoFade bt = new botaoFade("StackOverflow.pt");
        bt.addMouseListener(new java.awt.event.MouseAdapter() {
            public void mouseEntered(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
               bt.setAlpha((float)0.6);
            }
            public void mouseExited(java.awt.event.MouseEvent evt) {
                bt.setAlpha((float)1);
            }
        });
        add(bt);

    }

    private static void cria_MostraInterface() {

        JFrame painel = new CriarJButton();
        painel.pack();
        painel.setVisible(true);
        painel.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            public void run() {
                cria_MostraInterface();
            }
        });
    }

    private static class botaoFade extends JButton {

        private static final JButton lafDeterminer = new JButton();
        private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
        private boolean rectangularLAF;
        private float alpha = 1f;

        botaoFade() {
            this(null, null);
        }

        botaoFade(String texto) {
            this(texto, null);
        }

        botaoFade(String texto, Icon icon) {
            super(texto, icon);
            setOpaque(false);
            setFocusPainted(false);
        }

        public float getAlpha() {
            return alpha;
        }

        public void setAlpha(float alpha) {
            this.alpha = alpha;
            repaint();
        }

        @Override
        public void paintComponent(java.awt.Graphics g) {
            java.awt.Graphics2D g2 = (java.awt.Graphics2D) g;
            g2.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC_OVER, alpha));
            if (rectangularLAF && isBackgroundSet()) {
                Color c = getBackground();
                g2.setColor(c);
                g.fillRect(0, 0, getWidth(), getHeight());
            }
            super.paintComponent(g2);
        }

        @Override
        public void updateUI() {
            super.updateUI();
            lafDeterminer.updateUI();
            rectangularLAF = lafDeterminer.isOpaque();
        }
    }
}

Eu optei por modificar o botão todo, mas se quiser aplicar só na borda, não será tão difícil.
Se quiser, pode baixar o código no gist.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


NOTE: Orchid and succulent color or variety may vary based on availablility.
Deluxe Slate Orchid & Succulent Garden is a modern garden with its two orchid plants, plus a variety of fresh, florist-quality succulents in a bed of moss, nestled in a modern, slate container.
Orchid and succulent color or variety will vary based on availability.


Faulconbridge offers many attractions including Sir Henry Parkes Grave, The Prime Ministers� Corridor of Oaks and Norman Lindsay�s Gallery. Please experience the Faulconbrodge accommodation venues below located within or close to the Faulconbridge. The distance above refers to the approximate number of kilometres Faulconbridge is situated from the heart of Sydney.
Whatever you are looking for in your time away, let Rose Lindsay Cottage at Faulconbridge cater to your every need. Choose from either the self-contained, private Loft or the comfort and hospitality of the Grevillea Bed & Breakfast suite. Generous breakfasts are provided along with special inclusions including complimentary sparkling wine, fresh flowers, chocolates and mouth-watering biscuits. Located just near the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Lindsay Cafe. Private dinners by arrangement.
Just imagine your own private cottage surrounded by three acres of established garden. Your cottage features private two person spa, open log fire, a/c. Enjoy a BBQ or dip in the rock pool with complete privacy. Walk to the famous Norman Lindsay Gallery and coffee shop, mountain bike hire. Romantic Package includes gourmet breakfast supplies each day, sparkling wine, chocolates, ice creams, fresh flowers. Massage and special occasions menu available. Rated 4.5 stars. You'll Love it!
Stay at the Norman Lindsay Gallery Cottage in the grounds of the artist's former home. Forget the hassles of modern life in this charming unit set in the tranquil grounds of the Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum and enjoy the evenings on the deck with a glass of wine overlooking the Blue Mountains National Park. The Cottage has been completely refurbished with new furniture throughout plus washing machine and dryer.
Rachel's Retreat is a large two storey modern home in the heart of the Blue Mountains offering a variety of holiday opportunities, from large family reunions to a romantic weekend. It is located on four acres of bushland at Faulconbribge near the famous Norman Lindsay Gallery.
The Pioneer Way Motel is located in Faulconbridge in the lower Blue Mountains. We offer affordable accommodation options for the traveller, tradesman, couples and families. The property is conveniently located 30 minutes from Penrith and 30 minutes to Katoomba. There is a shopping village within walking distance to the property with a variety of food options available. Please contact one of our friendly staff for more information or head over to our website for our best rates.
Stralia Web Raise Your Business Profile Jenolan Caves Experience Australias most spectacular caves! Eagle View Escape Cabins for total seclusion Glenbrook Cinema Your local indpendent cinema Blackheath Getaway 3 bedroom cottage with open fireplace Blue Mountain Bikes Australia WHY STROLL WHEN YOU CAN ROLL?


The colour scheme of your lounge is one of the key things that will affect how you and any of your guests feel in the space. Different colours can make the room feel more energised or more relaxed, depending on how warm or cool they are. If you want the lounge to have a more flexible mien, you can manipulate the tone of the colour scheme with lighting options such as these: Ledison T8 LED Dimmable Lights/Tubes - Simple & Reliable Dimming. If you're going for a cooler scheme, then a serene combination of soft whites, greys and blues can be a great way to go. This will make the lounge feel calm and cool, making it perfect for relaxed gatherings.
According to traditional conventions, the walls and ceilings of a living room should receive more elaborate or formal treatment, as this part of the home is a more public space. To ensure the room is welcoming, but also expresses your personality, take your time choosing wall treatments, and find ones that reflect your unique tastes and style. These days, a lot of people are tending towards minimalist, chic, repeating patterns. This can inject more warmth, texture and interest into the walls, all the while lending the space a tasteful look of antiquity.
Keeping with the theme of a living room being a public space, you should choose a floor covering that provides comfort for your feet, and makes a powerful design statement at the same time. Don't be afraid to go with anything more vibrant and colourful if you think it will mesh well with your furniture and decorative pieces. These can often lay a wonderful foundation for floral and stripy patterns. Alternatively, you can choose a more neutral, subtle flooring that will naturally stress any louder art and furniture. Hardwood floors with large area rugs is still a very popular combination for living rooms. If you're going with this, read these 7 Rug Mistakes Never to Make.
Finally, remember the all-important focal point. Focal points in a lounge will anchor the whole room, and help to draw your guests into the space. If you've got a fireplace, then your focal point is more or less taken care of already! In more modern homes, the television gets this spot. Whatever exists as a natural focal point in your lounge, you can accentuate it by hanging a large, interesting piece of art on the wall behind it. Make this décor piece powerful, but not too brash or extravagant.


Tutorial quote: Getmail is a program for retrieving emails from remote servers; it is very similar to fetchmail, but more flexible. For example, it can be configured to deliver mails directly to a Maildir or mbox mailbox without the need for an MTA such as Postfix, but of course it can also pipe the mails through an MTA if you want. Getmail can use so called filters such as SpamAssassin and ClamAV to scan the mails, and you can even tell getmail to delete mails on the original server only after a certain number of days.
Tutorial quote: This is a description of how to set up a secure tunnel between your MySQL Server and a locally running MySQL Administrator using Putty. By creating a secure tunnel to your MySQL server using Putty, you can grant localhost access to powerful applications like MySQL Administrator while at the same time, make your server appear as if it isn't even there. In effect, make your MySQL server disappear from the outside world.
Tutorial quote: One of the unofficial Debian project resources which doesn't get the attention it deserves is the Debian Snapshot site. The site contains a mirror of old Debian packages, which can be very useful for system recovery.
In most normal cases you won't ever need to use it, unless you're wanting to compare two different package versions to see changes, or do other non-standard things. However when you do need to use it you'll learn what a big lifesaver it is!
The biggest use for the site, for me, has been for recovering from broken package updates. Whilst these are rare in the Debian Stable and Testing releases they can be an issue when running Debian unstable.
Tutorial quote: A comprehensive user friendly guide to setting up your own firewall on GNU/Linux.
Tutorial quote: This article shows how to install and configure mod_security. mod_security is an Apache module (for Apache 1 and 2) that provides intrusion detection and prevention for web applications. It aims at shielding web applications from known and unknown attacks, such as SQL injection attacks, cross-site scripting, path traversal attacks, etc.
In the first chapter I will show how to install mod_security on Debian Sarge, Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake), and on Fedora Core 5, and in the second chapter I will describe how to configure Apache for mod_security which is independent from the distribution you're using.


This post is brought to you by the letter N.
I love necklaces and wear one nearly every day. My current favorite is a silver key necklace my mom gave me when she was in town shortly after my birthday the other month.
Apparently key necklaces are very in now.
So besides being pretty, what's the deal?
The basic idea is that keys open doors. Ok, we all knew that. Probably none of these stylish key necklaces open anything, but the point is that they symbolize access. Doors open for you. Wardrobe doors to a magical land with talking animals. Or a cupboard that turns plastic figures into real little people.
Well, that's what I'd want my key necklace to open. But I guess it's a nice gift to give people who are at changing points in their lives to either reassure them that when one door closes another door opens, or to wish they have many opportunities. Choose-your-own-symbolism, like. Or just that it's pretty.
And of course it's a big deal because there's a Tiffany's key collection (with price tags ranging from $275 - $8,100) to drool over. No worries, you can get much cheaper (and still quite pretty) key necklaces.
Do you have a key necklace? What do you think of this trend? Would you gift a key necklace?