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Classes and workshops calendar published March 23, 2022
Art classes and meetings in the area
By Donna Middleton
Sunburg Heritage Arts Initiative
The Sunburg Heritage Arts Initiative has several workshops scheduled. They will be held at the Sunburg Community Center.
Introduction to Hardanger Embroidery: March 26, 9 to 10 a.m.; free, students ages 18 and over. Students will learn some of the basic stitches of Hardanger embroidery, a traditional Norwegian handcraft, by completing a small coaster. People with more experience in Hardanger are invited to join the group to work on their projects and share their experience. To register, call Darlene at 320-599-4700.
Open Rosemaling: March 26, 9 to 11 a.m. free. The community center will be open for anyone interested in rosemaling. Paints, brushes and samples are available for practice. People should bring the item to paint.
Fiddle workshop: April 3, 1 to 4 p.m., Hope Lutheran Church; open to all violin players of any age, with two or more years of playing experience strongly encouraged; those under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Learn fiddle tunes and techniques in both small and large groups and perform in a student/teacher 4 p.m. concert at the end of the workshop. Instructors are Cristina Seaborn and Dempsey Schroeder. Maggie Harp is the accompanist on piano and guitar. Advance registration required by March 28, space limited. Call Darlene at 320-599-4700.
DEMO Inc.
DEMO Inc. (Developing Exploring Maintaining Originality through the arts) has received funding from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to bring "Art to the Willmar Library" for students in grades 4-12. Monica Villars is the instructor. Maximum class size is 10. Pre-registration is required, write to Monica at DEMOinClass22@gmail.com with name, age, classes, and contact information. Walk-ins welcome if space allows.
Classes for students in grades 4-8, 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the library.
April 12: Book arts, Pocket accordion
April 19: Drawing, Riley op art
Classes for students in grades 7-12, 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the library.
March 28: Drawing, Mandala design
April 11: Drawing, Picasso portrait
Classes for students in grades 7-12, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at DEMO inc Studios, west of Svea on U.S. Highway 71.
April 18: Printmaking, Gelli printing
April 25: Intro to western paper
The annual Spring Paper sessions have been set for April at the DEMO inc Studios, west of Svea on U.S. Highway 71. Pre-registration is required; send your name, age, address, phone number, your email and a check made payable to DEMO Inc. to 728 Second St. S.E., Willmar, MN 56201. For more information, email DEMOinClass22@gmail.com . Walk-ins welcome if space is available.
Spring Paper: For teens and adults, learn and practice the "western paper" making process during the 90-minute class; come prepared to get wet and wear shoes that can get wet. Six sessions, 4 p.m. Friday, April 22, 10 a.m. and noon, Saturday, April 23 and 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 24; $5 per-person reservation fee that will be refunded at the workshop.
Willmar Community Education has several art-related classes scheduled. Pre-registration is required for all the classes. Cooking classes are in the Food and Drink calendar in the Thursday paper.
Floral map of Minnesota wall art: March 28, 5 to 7 p.m., Willmar High School, $50, ages 15 and up; instructor Haci Stumbo; create a beautiful 3D map of Minnesota featuring our state flower, the lady's slipper; choose whether to paint or stain your wood background and then pick your favorite colors to paint your map with as much detail as you desire.
Painting Barn Quilts: March 29, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Willmar Middle School, $50, ages 12 and up, those under 18 should enroll with a responsible adult; instructor Cynthia Buchholz; guided instruction which takes you through the barn quilt process and by the end of class, you will have your own masterpiece to take home and display; $45 materials fee payable to the instructor at the beginning of class.
Milan Village Arts
Milan Village Arts classes have been scheduled for the next year. The complete schedule is on the website. Members receive a discount on tuition. Supply fees are paid to the instructor at the end of class. To register or for more information on any of these workshops call 320-734-4807 or visit the website at www.milanvillageartsschool.org; email: mvas@fedteldirect.net. The art school has several studios. Check the website for studio dates and more information. Upcoming classes listed by registration deadline are:
Viking knit bracelet: April 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; instructor Kathy Nardi; beginners and above, minimum age 14; learn the fundamentals, practicing first with copper wire (sterling silver wire is an option); tuition $100, supplies $20 to $40 depending on market price; registration deadline April 2.
Norwegian Skinnfeller: April 23-24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; instructor Karen Aakre; beginner and above, minimum age 12; Skinnfeller is a Norwegian craft of sewing sheep skins together and then decorating them; make mittens in the size of your choice; tuition $160, supplies $50 plus the cost of the skin; registration deadline April 9.
Sami-inspired bracelets: April 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; instructor Norma Refsal; beginner and above, minimum age 14; work in leather, nickel-free pewter thread and antler to construct a bracelet; very close handwork, if you need extra magnification, you will need to bring your own; tuition $100, supplies $35; registration deadline April 9.
Sami-inspired bracelets continuation: April 24, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; instructor Norma Refsal; beginner and above, minimum age 14; make bracelets that go beyond the traditional three-strand braid; several designs to choose from; close handwork, if you need extra magnification or lighting, you will need to bring your own; tuition $100, supplies $50; registration deadline April 9.
Silversmithing 1, 3-day: May 6-8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; instructor Marilyn Hanson; beginner, no experience necessary, minimum age 16; learn the basics, including how to solder and how to use most of the tools; tuition $195, supplies $80 to $110 depending on market price and $5 acetylene fee; no outside silver; Silver studio is available to those completing this class; registration deadline March 26.
Silversmithing 1, 3-day: May 13-15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; same as class above; registration deadline April 2.
Silversmithing 2, 3-day: May 20-22; instructor Marilyn Hanson; designed for both intermediate and advanced students, minimum age 16; tuition $195, supplies dependent on use and current market price and $5 acetylene fee; registration deadline April 9.
Open carving night: carvers of all persuasions are invited to meet from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the school to carve and network. Free.
Silver Studio: open to all those that have taken beginning silversmithing and are MVAS members. Fee is $10 for evening and $20 for all day.
Weaving Studio: open to those with experience with looms or have taken the weaving rugs class and are MVAS members; by appointment or join a weaving group, no fee; looms are maintained with warp at no cost.
Framing Studio: a fully-functional framing workshop open to those who have taken the framing workshop and are MVAS members; $5 hour, $10 for half day, $20 full day; by appointment only.
Related Topics: MINNESOTAART
Donna Middleton started working at the West Central Tribune in 1975 and has been the news assistant since 1992. She compiles the arts, health, farm and community page calendars, as well as rewrites and works on the special sections.
She can be contacted at dmiddleton@wctrib.com or phone 320-214-4341.
Minneapolis artist Gregory Rose visits Ridgewater College to talk about trauma, community and art
Minneapolis artist Gregory Rose in a visit to Willmar shared how art can be a way to confront trauma, build community and look different at the world.
By Shelby Lindrud
Classes and workshops calendar published Jan. 25, 2023
Museums and historic sites published Jan. 25, 2023
Museum hours and special events in the next month
SMAC calendar published Jan. 25, 2023
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council events in the next month


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Pizza, the history
In my search for the origin of pizza I realized that there are many stories and articles written, many theories and myths. All agree that Pizza was made famous by the Italians and I will agree to this as well. When you get to read the historical facts you will then see that people have been putting toppings on flattened bread dough for thousands of years.
People have been eating a leavened flatbread made with olive oil, since the time of the ancient Greeks, Trojans, ancient Egyptians and Romans.
Also the Etruscans, who lived in northern Italy before the formation of the Roman Empire, between the 8th and 3rd century BC. Sometimes the focaccia was topped with cheeses, onions, garlic, and for the rich, pork.
The Ancient Greeks made plakous, a flatbread that was topped with herbs, onion, cheese and garlic.
The invention of modern-day pizza was spurred by the import of tomatoes from the Americas to Europe in the 16th century, around the year 1522. By the late 18th century it became common for poor people around Naples to add tomatoes to their yeast-based flatbread. Tomatoes were inexpensive and easy to prepare, so the modern pizza was invented as a way to feed the poor. Word spread of how delicious pizza was, and tourists flocked to the poor districts of Naples to try the varieties of the dish that had developed there.
The pizza that is popular in Italy is the Margherita pizza, of royal origin. Raffaele Esposito, who worked at the "Pizzeria di Pietro" established in 1880, is the inventor of margherita pizza, topped with green basil leaves, white mozzarella cheese, and flavorful red cherry tomatoes. The Pizzeria di Pietro became a very popular and widely known pizzeria, and in 1889, Raffaele was called to bake several varieties of pizza for the King and Queen of Italy, Umberto I and Margherita of Savoy. The one that Queen Margherita loved the most was accentuated in the green, white, and red colors of the Italian flag, and the pizza was named in her honor.
By the 19th century, pizza was widely sold on the streets of Naples, and people would eat pizza for all meals. Pizzerias became centers of socialization, where people could meet to eat, drink, and talk, much like bars are now. As the culinary tradition around pizza grew, more and more toppings were added. The pizza became one of the ultimate expressions of a chef's creativity. The spread of pizza around the world can be accredited to two things: Italian immigration and World War 2.
In places like Boston and New York City in the late 19th century, Italian immigrants would walk the streets and sell pizzas in a metal washtub for two cents a slice. When this started catching on, cafes and grocery stores began hiring these street vendors to make pizza in-house, and pizzas were sold to customers of all backgrounds.
Pizzerias were popular in areas with a lot of Italians, but it took World War 2 for other countries to realize how great pizza is. Soldiers that were part of the Italian campaign tried the local food, loved it, and brought it home. Songs were written about pizza pie, and it was featured in cartoons. With the spread of pizza, new varieties of pizza were invented, and pizza became an important part of the chain restaurant and delivery trends.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It's that time again where the important events are store sales. Already running with up to 40% off is the Made.Com sale and there's so many great discounted products to choose from.
Time to create new looks for any room in the home.
See our main picture for our favourites but head to Made to explore all sale departments.
A haven of perfect vintage, midcentury and Scandinavian design under one roof. The range of superb condition vintage pieces at PIB is extensive and includes chairs, tables, lighting, storage, and more.
PIB was founded because we couldn't find furniture which combined style & quality online. The products were either of bad quality, badly presented or in the middle of long lists with no coherence of styles.
Currently there are great 'back to school' special discounts on various pieces running until 25th September.


Nissan is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. Their modern day focus is on smarter, safer, easier and more thrilling driving experiences. Quality is in every fine detail and this spotlight on quality filters down into our range of premium spec Nissan accessories and custom auto styling upgrades.
We provide accessories for the following Nissan models: Nissan Juke, Nissan Murano, Nissan Navara, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan X-Trail, Nissan Primastar, Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Patrol, Nissan NV300.
Regular price £299.99 inc. VAT.


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READ | Michael enjoying the Championship battle
HE may often be the Millers lone ranger in the business areas of the pitch, but tall frontman Michael Smith would not have it any other way.
The widely-travelled striker is, undoubtedly, the focal point of Rotherham's attacking intentions, by being asked to shoulder the burden of holding up the play and bringing the midfield cavalry into the game at every opportunity.
With Millers boss Paul Warne forced into employing a five-man midfield to combat the Championship's elite, Smith has become a firm favourite with the 'Red and White Army' by his willingness to lead the line and occupy the attentions of Championship defenders, despite often being pulled from pillar to post while regularly being outnumbered in the final third.
READ | Millers and Leeds dedicate game to focus on 'Building a Stronger Britain Together'
Smith admits unselfishly, that he is relishing the role and responsibility of being the spearhead of the Rotherham attack.
"I enjoy it. It's always going to be a scrap and a fight for every ball but I've enjoyed it both in League One and the Championship – although it's obviously a lot harder at this level," Smith insisted.
"I'm getting the support from midfield in every game, so credit to the lads. We do go a bit direct, especially to me, from goal kicks, but the lads go for the second balls, which is tough, but we do not moan about it we just get it done."
Smith may have plied the vast majority of his footballing career in the bottom two divisions but the Wallsend-born striker has made a seamless transition to the demands of England's second tier – with Smith proving a handful for some classy Championship defensive operators, in the first half of the campaign.
The former Swindon Town and Portsmouth striker has also chipped in with some vital goals, during the current campaign – with his goals contributing significantly to the Millers current points haul. Decisive strikes in the home victories over Ipswich and Preston, aligned with goals on the road, during the draws with Blackburn, Preston and local rivals Sheffield Wednesday have helped Warne's side keep their heads above the Championship relegation zone.
However, after some impressive performances on the road recently yielded no points, Smith was quick to bemoan the fact that his side are not sat more comfortably in the Championship standings, as the Millers hopes of climbing the table have been undermined by their inability to turn a number of draws into victories.
READ | Ex-Millers key to Crooks call
"We know we shouldn't be anywhere near the bottom three," Smith insisted.
"Results have not gone our way in previous games, but it's up to us to put that right on the training pitch and put that into practice on a Saturday.
"We know amongst ourselves what we have got in the dressing room. We know results have not been good enough. We have drawn too many games when we should have turned those draws into victories. We have to keep working hard and I'm sure it will turn.
"It's a massive month for us. We are coming up against a lot of teams in and around us, so hopefully we will start turning those draws into wins."


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Showtime to Launch a Stand-Alone Streaming Service
by Fox Van Allen on June 04, 2015
in Music & Video Services, News, Music and Video, Blog :: 0 comments
Great news for cord cutters: Yet another great premium channel will soon be available without a cable subscription. On Sunday, July 12, Showtime will launch a stand-alone Internet TV service with past episodes, movies, and a network live stream for just $10.99 per month. The service will be accessible through an Apple iOS app, an Apple TV app or through the Showtime website.
"Going over-the-top means Showtime will be much more accessible to tens of millions of potential new subscribers," says CBS CEO Les Moonves. (Showtime is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation.)
Showtime's new offering is clearly meant to mirror that from HBO. In April, the company launched HBO Now, a $14.99 monthly service that similarly offers streaming content without requiring a pay TV subscription. Showtime may not be the same kind of programming heavyweight, but the network does have a pretty good stable of compelling shows including Homeland, Nurse Jackie and Twin Peaks.
If you're interested in giving Showtime's new online service a try, there's no risk to do so. The company is offering a free 30-day trial to those who join up during its inaugural month of July. To learn more about the new Showtime streaming offering and sign up for updates about it, visit sho.com.
[Image credit: Showtime]


March 29th, 2017, Los Angeles, CA – The Getty Research Institute announced today the acquisition of a major archive of the world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. The Frank Gehry Papers cover more than thirty years of his singular career and includes comprehensive material on some of his best-known projects. The acquisition is part purchase and part gift.
"Frank Gehry is undoubtedly the world's most famous living architect. This extensive archive, covering the first three decades of his illustrious career, offers an in-depth look at the genesis of Gehry's distinctive style and includes many of the projects for which he is internationally known," said Thomas W. Gaehtgens, director of the Getty Research Institute.
The archive encompasses the period from Gehry's early graduate studies to the 1988 competition entry for the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the success of which marked Gehry's entrée into a global architectural elite. (Gehry won the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize the following year, in 1989.) The archive includes drawings, partial and complete models, project documentation, correspondence, photographs and slides, and ephemera pertaining to 283 projects designed between 1954 (the Romm House project) and 1988 (the Walt Disney Concert Hall competition).
The collection also includes materials produced after 1988 for projects which were initiated before that date, including construction documents and models for the Disney Concert Hall (completed in 2003), early design drawings for the Grand Avenue Project (still in development), and materials relating to later phases of projects which had begun much earlier (Loyola Law School, 1520 Cloverfield, and the Gehry Residence in Santa Monica, to mention a few). In total, these documents offer a comprehensive portrait of the emergence and rise to prominence of Gehry's architectural practice over a 30-year period.
The Gehry Archive is massive, comprising approximately 1,000 sketches, more than 120,000 working drawings, more than 100,000 slides, hundreds of boxes of office records, personal papers, and correspondence, 168 working models, and 112 presentation models. In addition to these physical materials, the collection includes digital files which represent Frank Gehry's pioneering work in developing software platforms crucial in the design process. These digital files pertain to designs for the Vitra Museum (1989), the Disney Concert Hall, and the Grand Avenue Project.
Selections from this archive, including drawings, a model, and photographs of the Walt Disney Concert Hall (2003), will be on view in the upcoming Getty Research Institute exhibition Berlin/Los Angeles: A Space for Music on view April 25 through July 30, 2017 This exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the sister-city partnership between Berlin and Los Angeles by exploring the Berlin Philharmonic (1963), designed by Hans Scharoun, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Both buildings have captured the public's imagination, becoming signature features of the urban landscape of their respective cities. Focusing on the buildings' extraordinary interiors, this exhibition brings together original drawings, sketches, prints, photographs, and models to convey each architect's design process. Berlin / Los Angeles demonstrates how the Berlin Philharmonic and the Walt Disney Concert Hall were pivotal in fostering a strong resonance between architecture and the city.
Born in 1929 and raised in Toronto, Frank O. Gehry moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1947. Gehry received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California in 1954, after which he continued his studies in City Planning at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. In 1962, Frank Gehry returned to Los Angeles and founded his firm in collaboration with Greg Walsh. The office quickly became known for its innovative use of physical models and drawings in the design process; it later became a leader in the development of new platforms for computer modeling of architectural projects. Over six decades of practice, Gehry's firm has built an architectural corpus of important public and private buildings in America, Europe, and Asia.
Among the office's most notable works are: the Danziger Studio in Los Angeles (CA); the Gehry Residence in Santa Monica (CA); the Frederick Weisman Museum of Art in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (CA); the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, France; and the West Campus for Facebook in Menlo Park (CA). His work has earned him many prestigious awards in the architectural field. In 1989, he was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, perhaps the premiere accolade in the field. In 2008, he received the Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award at the Venice Biennale. The third annual Getty Medal was awarded to Gehry in 2015. Frank Gehry was the recipient of the Medal of Freedom awarded by President Barack Obama in 2016.
The Getty Research Institute is an operating program of the J. Paul Getty Trust. It serves education in the broadest sense by increasing knowledge and understanding about art and its history through advanced research. The Research Institute provides intellectual leadership through its research, exhibition, and publication programs and provides service to a wide range of scholars worldwide through residencies, fellowships, online resources, and a Research Library. The Research Library—housed in the 201,000-square-foot Research Institute building designed by Richard Meier—is one of the largest art and architecture libraries in the world. The general library collections (secondary sources) include more than 1,000,000 volumes of books, periodicals, and auction catalogues encompassing the history of Western art and related fields in the humanities. The Research Library's special collections include rare books, artists' journals, sketchbooks, architectural drawings and models, photographs, and archival materials.
His work has earned Frank Gehry several of the most significant awards in the architectural field. He was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 1974, and his buildings have received over 100 national and regional A.I.A. awards. In 1977, Mr. Gehry was named recipient of the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1989, he was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, perhaps the premiere accolade of the field, honoring "significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture." In 1992, he received the Wolf Prize in Art (Architecture) from the Wolf Foundation.
In the same year, he was named the recipient of the Praemium Imperiale Award by the Japan Art Association to "honor outstanding contributions to the development, popularization, and progress of the arts." In 1994, he became the first recipient of the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Award for lifetime contribution to the arts. In 1998, Mr. Gehry received the National Medal of Arts, and he became the first recipient of the Friedrich Kiesler Prize. In 1999, Mr. Gehry received the Lotos Medal of Merit from the Lotos Club, and he received the Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects.
In 2000, Mr. Gehry received the Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects, and he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Americans for the Arts. In 2002, Mr. Gehry received the Gold Medal for Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Mr. Gehry was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1987, a trustee of the American Academy in Rome in 1989, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1991. In 1994, he was bestowed with the title of Academician by the National Academy of Design. In 1998, he was named an Honorary Academician by the Royal Academy of Arts. In 2003, Mr. Gehry was inducted into the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and he was designated as a Companion to the Order of Canada. In 2005 Mr. Gehry received the Ordre National de Legion d'honneur Chevalier from the French Government.
In 2006 he was a first year inductee into the California Hall of Fame. In 2008, Mr. Gehry received the Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award at the Venice Biennale. In 2010, Mr. Gehry received the John Singleton Copley Award from the American Associates of the Royal Academy Trust, and he received the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Award in New York. Mr. Gehry has received honorary doctoral degrees from Occidental College, Whittier College, the California College of Arts and Crafts, the Technical University of Nova Scotia, the Rhode Island School of Design, the California Institute of Arts, the Southern California Institute of Architecture, the Otis Art Institute at the Parsons School of Design, the University of Toronto, the University of Southern California, Yale University, Harvard University, and the University of Edinburgh. Mr. Gehry has held teaching positions at some of the world's most prestigious institutions including Harvard University, University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, Sci-Arc, University of Toronto, Columbia University, the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, and at Yale University where he still teaches today.
Notable projects include: the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; the DZ Bank Building in Berlin; Nationale-Nederlanden Building in Prague; the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and BP Bridge in Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois; Maggie's Centre, a cancer patient center in Dundee, Scotland; Hotel Marques de Riscal in El Ciego, Spain; Lou Ruvo Brain Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada; Princeton University Peter B. Lewis Science Library in Princeton, New Jersey; Art Gallery of Ontario Renovation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida; the Eight Spruce Street Residential Tower located in New York City; and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California.
Projects under construction include the Signature Theatre in New York City; the Ohr O'Keefe Museums in Biloxi, Mississippi; the Make it Right Foundation in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Puente de Vida Museum of Biodiversity in Panama; the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum Expansion at the University of Minnesota; and the Foundation Louis Vuitton Museum in Paris, France. Mr. Gehry is also completing work on the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi; LUMA Foundation in Arles, France and the University of Technology, Sydney in Sydney, Australia.
March 30, 2017 in Architects.


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Full Time All The Time: Mia Kodak Runs The Scene With a Full Time Job & Music Career
With a full time job as a pharmaceutical sales representative and a wholehearted passion for music, Mia Kodak is always doing something. Most recently, she has put out her latest single called "Take His Money." This song shows her talent, skills and her fire as an artist willing to do anything to make her dreams come true.
New to the experience of making music, Kodak began her journey as a musician only 2 years ago. "I just started writing down my feelings and my thoughts, and I put that to a beat and it turned into a song. I wrote my first song and I thought 'Okay, this sounds pretty good' and I ended up writing the second song which turned out to be my first single, 'All Summer.' That was all the way back in 2018."
She pulls her name from the experience of carrying around a Kodak camera growing up. "You would never see me without a camera, and one day people just started calling me Kodak. It just stuck from there. I liked it so I just rolled with it"
Kodak draws a great amount of influence from artists such as Tupac, Trina, Ashanti and Brandy. "I grew up listening to Tupac. I love Tupac. I love Trina. In my mind, she is like my best friend. I loved Ashanti growing up and Brandy, mainly because she was not only an artist but she was also an actress. Someone back then, she was young and black and she had the braids in her hair. I really looked up to her growing up. And same with Tupac, you can see him acting and still doing music. That was really incredible to see."
With such a unique and versatile sound as Kodak's, it is hard to give a specific description to encompass all of her music. "My sound is all over the place in a good way. I can come across very aggressive on a beat. I have this ability to be aggressive and then I've also got this ability to kind of tone it down a little bit and come into like this really sexy, sultry sound. It really varies, in the best kind of way."
Kodak's latest song, "Take His Money," is a raw and edgy track that talks about some of her frustrations. "I really just got to take out my frustrations on the beat and that's kind of what I did with 'Take His Money.' Somebody irritated me and I made a song about it. And I made it a catchy song, so it's fun! It's also a really empowering track for women. It goes with this whole women empowerment thing that we're experiencing today with all these female artists which is amazing."
Kodak's main goal is to be an artist that people can relate to. "I want to become international. I want to be a household name and I want to be somebody that makes turn up music but also makes positive tracks. I just want to have a really big collection of music for everybody to be able to relate to. I want them to be able to say, 'You know what, I can relate to her because she's real'. I just want to make so many genres of music and just have people really relate to me. I think what's important to me is to stay true to myself in that way."
Check out Mia Kodak's music and social media via the links listed below.
https://www.instagram.com/miakodak/
https://twitter.com/miakodak_
Thu Oct 29 , 2020
The versatile 21 year old recording artist, Marquee Peters, who goes by the professional name .thrax, is not content to follow anyone else's lead. Instead of creating songs about material gains, .thrax is writing music about negative situations like poverty and depression. His music and sound are different because he […]
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More councils to share services
It was revealed over the weekend that the five unitary authorities that make up West Yorkshire - Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield - are to share legal services. It is estimated this will save taxpayers around £1.6 million every year.
This is good news, however, as the leader of the Conservative group on Leeds City Council said, "We shouldn't stop at legal services, I believe we can also look at joint working in other areas such as human relations, licensing and training services. I welcome this news but it should have been introduced earlier and perhaps could have gone further."
I agree with him. This is a very good start, and I am not going to criticise the leaders of the various councils for making this decision. It is yet another example of areas where significant savings can be made. It proves cutting front-line services is wrong when there is so much waste, and also proves when councils start talking with one another, progress can be made.
In June, it was announced that East Riding of Yorkshire Council and North Lincolnshire Council are looking at ways of sharing services. They are establishing a working group where all possibilities will be considered. This is what all councils across the country should be doing, and it's the logical next step for those councils in West Yorkshire. To assist them further, here are some examples from other councils:
Merseyside Council leaders are exploring ways of sharing legal and payroll services, and much more.
South Holland and East Lindsey District Councils have agreed to merge five back-office services.
Oldham and Rochdale Councils are looking at ways to merge dozens of council services.
So a good start from the West Yorkshire councils, but they must go further. If they do, they will collectively save millions of pounds, which will help to protect front-line services, and reduce the tax burden on residents, as the savings made will be year-on-year savings.
If your local council is looking at ways of merging and sharing services, please get in touch with me. It is important to highlight good practices, as it encourages other councils to do the same.


On January 29th, 2019, Mercury Systems, Inc. announced the acquisition of GECO Avionics, LLC ("GECO"). Based in Mesa, AZ, GECO has over twenty years of experience designing and manufacturing affordable safety-critical avionics and mission computing solutions. GECO's DO-254 certified hardware solutions include mission processors, airborne displays, video processing and aviation networking. GECO also specializes in DO-178 avionics software design up to DAL-A, the highest level of design assurance for flight management, aircraft condition monitoring, display and electronic flight instrumentation applications. GECO's technologies are deployed on numerous military platforms such as the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and the KC-46A Pegasus widebody multirole tanker, among others.
Mercury acquired GECO for an all cash purchase price of $36.5 million, subject to net working capital and net debt adjustments. The acquisition and associated transaction expenses were funded through Mercury's existing revolving credit facility.
The acquisition of GECO complements their acquisitions of Creative Electronic Systems ("CES"), Based in Geneva, Switzerland, and Richland Technologies ("RTL"), based in Duluth, GA. Combined, these three acquisitions significantly expand their footprint in mission computing and platform management. The safety-critical capabilities these companies provide, along with their high-performance sensor processing solutions and embedded security features will enable Mercury to deliver a compelling combination of electronics offerings that are in high demand from our customers. These new capabilities continue to expand Mercury's addressable market in the C4I market segment.


Descendants of Louisiana rice farmers, Debbie and her five siblings learned about the industry from their father, Darby Doguet, who bought a rice dryer in 1979 in Beaumont, in the heart of Texas rice country. Two years later, he expanded, founding Doguet's Rice Milling Co.
Doguet's Rice Milling Company. The Doguet family has been in the rice business since the 1920's, when our greatgrandfather, Arthur Ardoin, worked as a Louisiana rice grower. We were raised in the rice business by our father, Darby Doguet, who worked in a rice warehouse, owned a seed rice business, and eventually managed a rice mill.
Fire at Doguet's Rice Mill, 795 S Major. When firefighters arrived, they found a small fire in the dryer area. Firefighters were able to make a quick attack and confine the fire damage to a small area. The dryer was operating at the time and it appears a small fire started in the built up dust. Fire damage was minimal.
Organic & conventional rice milling & packaging. Doguet's Rice Milling Co. is located in Beaumont, TX and is a supplier of Rice.
8 reviews of Doguet's Rice Milling Company from Beaumont, TX Rice hulls are well priced and the lady at the front desk is nice and helpful. 8 reviews of Doguet's Rice Milling Company from Beaumont, TX Rice hulls are well priced and the lady at the front desk is nice and helpful.
In 1979, dad established Doguet's Rice Milling Company when he bought a rice dryer in Beaumont, Texas. By 1981, he had expanded by adding a mill to create what is today known as Doguet's Rice Milling Company. Mike Doguet and Debbie (Doguet) Robbins purchased the rice mill from their father in 1997.
The Doguet family has been in the rice business since the 1920s. In 1979, Darby Doguet started the company when he bought a rice dryer in Beaumont. By 1981, he had added a mill to create what became Doguet's Rice Milling Company. His children, Mike Doguet and Debbie (Doguet) Robbins, bought the rice mill from their father in 1997.
Doguet Rice Milling Co information. Best Rice & Rice Products business. Clients in Beaumont, TX proof our quality and reliability. We work every day to improve our Rice & Rice Products products & services.Rice & Rice Products TX: We fight for our customer's satisfaction.
Doguet Rice Milling in Beaumont, reviews by real people. Yelp is a fun and easy way to find, recommend and talk about what's great and not so great in Beaumont and beyond.
Doguet's Rice Milling Company Overview. Doguet's Rice Milling Company filed as a Domestic ForProfit Corporation in the State of Texas on Thursday, February 26, 1981 and is approximately thirtyseven years old, according to public records filed with Texas Secretary of State.
Brown rice is a 100% whole grain. A halfcup serving of brown rice counts as one whole grain serving. Whole grains contain the nutrientdense bran and inner germ layer where the majority of beneficial compounds are found. Available in our online store. Visit our physical location for organic and size options.
Rice Bran is a byproduct of converting brown rice to white! Rice Bran is the outer layer on brown rice which gives the kernel its brown color & nutty flavor. Doguet's Rice Bran is considered unstabilized, because the oils have not been removed.
This profile is powered by BirdEye. Over 40,000 businesses use BirdEye everyday to get more reviews and manage all customer feedback. BirdEye helps millions of local businesses to be found online with all their reviews and accurate business information.
Doguets Rice Milling Company is located at the address 795 S Major Dr in Beaumont, Texas 77707. They can be contacted via phone at (409) 8662297 for pricing, hours and directions. Doguets Rice Milling Company has an annual sales volume of 5M – 9,999,999. .
Keep up with DOGUET'S RICE MILLING CO. See more information about DOGUET'S RICE MILLING CO., find and apply to jobs that match your skills, and connect with people to advance your career.


Sarcoptic mange is the name for the skin disease caused by infection with theSarcoptes scabei mite. Mites are not insects; instead they are more closely related to spiders. They are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Adult Sarcoptes scabei mites live 3-4 weeks in the host's skin. After mating, the female burrows into the skin depositing 3-4 eggs in the tunnel behind her. The eggs hatch in 3-10 days producing a larva which, in turn, moves about on the skin surface eventually molting into a "nymphal" stage and finally into an adult. The adults move on the surface of the skin where they mate and the cycle begins again with the female burrowing and laying eggs.
The motion of the mite in and on the skin is extremely itchy. Further, the presence of mites and their eggs generates a massive allergic response in the skin which is even more itchy.
Mites prefer hairless skin thus leaving the ear flaps, elbows and abdomen at highest risk for the red, scaley itchy skin that characterizes sarcoptic mange. It should be noted that this pattern of itching is similar to that found with airborne allergies (atopy) as well as with food allergies. Frequently, before attempting to sort out allergies, a veterinarian will simply treat a patient for sarcoptic mange as a precaution. It is very easy to be led down the wrong path (pursuing allergy aggressively) if one considers sarcoptic mange an unusual or unlikely possibility.
As the infection progresses, eventually most of the dog's body will be involved. Classically, though, the picture begins on the ears (especially the ear margins), the elbows, and abdomen.
The term "Scabies" refers to mite infestations by either Sarcoptes scabei or other mite species closely related to Sarcoptes scabei. While Sarcoptes scabei can infect humans and cats, it tends not to persist on these hosts. When people (including some veterinarians) refer to "sarcoptic mange" or "scabies" in the cat, they are usually referring to infection by Notoedres cati, a mite closely related to Sarcoptes scabei. In these feline cases, it would be more correct to refer to "Notoedric mange," though the treatment for both mites is the same. Notoedric mange, in cats, generally produces facial itching and scabbing.
When an animal with sarcoptic mange scratches itself, it breaks open the tunnels that the mites have burrowed into and the mites are killed (though the itch persists due to toxins in the skin). The result is that the mites can be very difficult to confirm by skin scraping tests. (Probably mites are confirmed in 50% or fewer of sarcoptic mange cases).
Since negative test results do not rule out mite infection, a "Maybe Mange" test is frequently performed. This consists simply of treating for sarcoptic mange and observing for resolution of the signs within 2-4 weeks.
Of course, if mite presence is confirmed by skin scraping, then one knows immediately the cause of the itching and need not be concerned about allergy possibilities or other diseases and the condition can be addressed with confidence.
Mange mites are rarely seen on a skin biopsy sample, though, if the sample is read out by a pathologist who specializes in skin, the type of inflammation seen in the sample can be highly suggestive of sarcoptic mange. This is an example of a skin disease where it makes a difference whether the pathologist reading the sample specializes in reading skin samples.
Anti-bacterial or anti-itch shampoos preceed one of several anti-mite dips. Paramite dip (an organophosphate), Mitaban dip (Amitraz), and Lime-Sulfur dips given weekly are usually effective. Disease typically resolves within one month. Dips are often used in combination with one of the other treatments listed below.
This is one of the most effective treatments against Sarcoptes scabeiyet is is off-label as far as the FDA is concerned. There are several protocols due to the very long activity of this drug in the body. Typically an injection is given either weekly or every two weeks in 1-4 doses. In most cases this treatment is safe and effective but some individuals have a mutation which makes ivermectin very toxic at the doses used to kill mites. These individuals are usually of the Collie family: Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, and Australian Shepherds are classically affected. There is now a test that can determine if any dog has the mutation that makes ivermectin use dangerous. For more information on ivermectin use click here.


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You should be moving away from your desk three times an hour – here's why
Right now, it feels as though our world is closing in on us. Where we used to move from packed train carriage to spread out offices to vast restaurants, we are now limited to the confines of our homes, which play host to our typing, eating, exercising and, somehow, sleeping.
That means that the lines between career and life are blurred. How many times have you ended up logging on to work as soon as you wake up because there's no commute to distract you, or realised that you've been sat down for hours straight because there's no Pret on the corner to run to?
But not moving all day (and potentially all night) only adds to the mental distress we are facing right now. To mark World Mental Health Day today (10 October), Stylist is launching the Work It Out campaign and asking everyone to start taking their Work 5 a Day – small breaks that can help support us through the steep rise in burnout caused by the pandemic.
Working from home burnout: why taking care of our stress levels is just as important outside the office
However, it shouldn't just be a case of slumping from your desk chair to your sofa for an hour of Friends. While we know that concentration and productivitycan be improved by getting up at regular intervals, there are mental health benefits to moving during your break.
"There is harm to being sedentary for so long," says Dr Zoe Williams, GP and member of the Strong Women Collective. "It can put our body into a state of inflammation which actually has large effects on the brain and can affect our mood," she explains.
In fact, inflammation has been linked to disorders such as stress, anxiety and depression, and in a study published in Biological Psychiatry, showed that there was a significant reduction in mood just three hours after participants' inflammatory response was triggered. Imagine the impact from long-lasting inflammation?
Research from the University of Illinois in 2012 shows that exercise can increase anti-inflammatory cytokines but Dr Williams stresses that it is not enough to simply follow up an hour of training or a 5K run with twelve hours of desk-bound work. "Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are separate," she says. "You can be somebody who is very physically active, cycling every day or going to the gym. But if you then sit down for nine hours a day you are also sedentary. Or, you might be someone who moves a lot throughout the day but doesn't do any activity. Even if you're good in one area, you can still be putting your mental health at risk in the other."
So, taking breaks is crucial to reduce sedentary behaviour and "creates that metabolic shift which is favourable for both physical health and mental health," explains Dr Williams.
Unfortunately, how often and for how long we move during the day for the ultimate boost is still inconclusive. As it stands, the NHS advice is to break up long periods of sitting with activity for just one to two minutes. This could be walking, stretching or any form of movement that gets the heart rate up, the brain switching on and the muscles working. Dr Williams suggests aiming to move every 20 minutes.
Benefits of walking: this study proves that we should all be walking more (and how to)
And, if you can, doing some focused movement will provide the biggest benefit: just 15 minutes of walking or running a day reduced the risk of depression by 26%, in a recent study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and 10 minutes of stretching has also been shown to reduce anxiety levels, according to research by the University of Zaragoza, Spain.
Simple ways to move more in the day
Dr Williams shares her three favourite ways to reduce sedentariness when working.
Walking meetings
Whether you walk with a colleague in person or on the phone, these can be a great way to reduce the amount of time spent sitting.
Avoid using the lift
No problem when you're at home, as most of us don't have an escalator installed in our homes. But if you are back in the office, walking up the stairs is a simple way of boosting your body.
Move the bin
Most of us want a tidy workspace, so if you put the bin in another room you have no choice but to walk elsewhere when you rip a page from your notebook or finish your snack.
PSA: CVS's self-care products are what every mom needs right now
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Mindy Kaling Opens Up About What It Was Like Being Pregnant During COVID-19 Pandemic: 'A Little Scary'
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Drama Bomb Designs: CT Tag showoff for Di Halim and Tiny Turtle Designs!
CT Tag showoff for Di Halim and Tiny Turtle Designs!
This brand new tube "Winter Skate" from Di Halim is just stunning.
You will not believe all of the different layer options included with this beauty.
I paired her here with the Beautiful new kit "Pink Christmas" from Tiny Turtle Designs. It has 25 papers and 131 elements so you have tons of options.


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20th COVID-19 case in Grimes County, second in Navasota
COVID-19 cases continue to rise
Home / Officers execute warrants, arrest five Navasota men
Officers execute warrants, arrest five Navasota men
By Matthew Ybarra - Senior news reporter
news@navasotaexaminer.com
Examiner photo by Ana Cosino
A collaboration of law enforcement officers executed warrants in multiple locations April 30, netting five arrests including charges of aggravated robbery, unlawful carrying of a firearm and possession of marijuana.
At approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, Navasota Police Department and several assisting agencies arrived at a housing complex on the 500 block of Laredo Street to execute the first round of warrants.
The warrants stemmed from a robbery and shooting investigation on April 8, at approximately 2 a.m., which left one person in critical condition. Officers reported after a narcotic transaction, the dealers robbed the buyers at gunpoint and in the process one of the buyers was shot.
Officers were contacted by CHI St. Joseph Grimes Hospital that they had a shooting victim who was being transferred in critical condition to CHI St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan.
Navasota Investigators identified the suspects wanted in connection with the robbery and warrants were issued which resulted in four arrest.
Officers arrested Dekeimus Jessie, 18, and charged him with two counts of Aggravated Robbery (first-degree felony); Michael Oaks, 19, two counts of Robbery (first-degree felony); Rubin Ethel, 17, two counts of Robbery (first-degree felony); and Devonte Oaks, 21, two counts of Robbery (first-degree felony).
Officers then executed a search warrant at the 800 block of Spur 515. On the way to execute the search warrant, officers located Latrance Washington, 25, from Navasota, outside of the residence in possession of several bags of marijuana and bottles of liquid codeine.
Officers searched his residence and located over 5 ounces of marijuana, a firearm, over $50,000 in cash and stolen property. Washington was charged with Possession of Marijuana (4-5 ounces) and Unlawful Carrying of a Firearm. Additional charges are pending.
Navasota Police Department and College Station Police Department have been collaborating on recent vehicle thefts and burglaries in both jurisdictions. Officers believe several persons involved in the robbery are linked to the theft ring. Several items recovered in the search warrant are being linked to the thefts. The investigation is ongoing.
Assisting Navasota PD in the execution of the warrants were College Station Police Swat, Brazos County Sheriff Swat, Grimes County Sheriff's Office, Grimes County District Attorney's Office, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Assisting medically were Navasota Fire Department and CHI St. Joseph ambulance service.


Moving legacy data to modern big data platform can be daunting at times. It doesn't have to be. In this short tutorial, we'll briefly review an approach and demonstrate on my preferred data set: This isn't a ML repository nor a Kaggle competition data set, simply the data I accumulated over decades to keep track of my plastic model collection, and as such definitely meets the legacy standard!
Import the .csv file in MySQL, and optionally backup a compressed MySQL database file.
Connect to MySQL database in Spark 2.0.1 and then access the data: we'll demonstrate an interactive Python approach using Jupyter PySpark in this post and leave an Rstudio Sparkyl access based on existing methods for another post.
There's really no need to abandon legacy data: Migrating data to new platform will enable businesses to extract and analyze data on a broader time scale, and open new ways to leverage ML techniques, analyze results and act on findings.
Additional routes methods to import CSV data will be discussed in a forthcoming post.
Interesting post. Are there any limitations in MySQL in term of number of columns or shoul you denormalize your data.
Thanks for feedback and inquiry.
Look for an upcoming post where I propose a direct CSV read method into a pyspark.sql.dataframe.


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PRINT December 2009
Music: Best of 2009
1 Dirty Sound System In February, this six-year-old Parisian label dropped Discodeine's hard, fun, weird, fresh, and extremely danceable 12" single "Tom Select." Only three months later, the label released Dirty French Psychedelics, an LP collection of rare trip-out gems. Full of beautiful, haunting songs, it's from another side of the universe, but the quality of both releases makes it clear that this label is about something deeper than genre.
2 Supermax (Harley Days, Berlin) At this yearly summer gathering of German bikers, sixty-year-old Kurt Hauenstein, aka Supermax, opened his set with a seamless segue from "Don't Stop the Music" to "African Blood." Although the makeshift arena was nearly empty at the beginning, his sound was as shimmering as ever, and the rhythms more driving (thanks to updated technology). By halfway through I was in a sea of denim, leather, and hair.
3 Traxx, Faith (Nation) At first, this debut LP from Chicago-based producer Melvin Oliphant III sounds as if someone melted the entire history of house music in a crucible and pounded out what was left using the latest tools available, then took the shards and shaped them into eleven pieces (some smooth, some rough) that fit together perfectly. But that's just the surface.
4 Caboclo ceremony (Salvador de Bahia, Brazil) The room was filled with smoke from the burning horn of a goat and many cigars. It was the first time I had heard the traditional three-drum atabaque ensemble in person. Fireworks signaled each change; the drummers skillfully lilted and paused within each rhythm, pulling the dancers into a trance.
5 Juanita More (downstairs at Vandam, New York) The entrance was free and the dance floor was sweaty during this summer show. The music maintained constant momentum and tension between glittering disco and blazing electro. By 3 AM, one tranny was trying to hold my hand while another was telling me about her problems via drunken hand movements. I thought, "Wow, maybe New York is back."
6 Palms (White Rabbit/Galerie der Künste, Berlin) Borrowed equipment, intercontinental travel, and a new bass player all contributed to a slight sense of disorientation during this special night in July. Palms were loose yet intense as they navigated their magic debut album, It's Midnight in Honolulu. Everyone in the room was hanging on the subtle changes, and by the time the group closed with the unreleased track "Lemon," they had us in the, well, palm of their hand.
7 Rick Castro and Renata Abbade (Clube Glória, São Paulo) Rick and Renata took the stage in a crash of colors and dropped "Bootylicious": "Beyoncé, can you handle this?" Renata cut out the track and karaoke-shouted, "I don't think you can handle this!" She was right. The kids never knew what hit them, but they danced all night anyway to the team's punishing rave tracks and carioca funk.
8 Kelvin Sholar (Restaurant Anheim, Berlin) Opening with a Jelly Roll Morton rag, this exceptional producer and keyboardist soon transitioned into a body of original solo piano material that evoked Kevin Saunderson as powerfully as it did Cecil Taylor. Time stopped.
9 Farley Jackmaster Funk (Santos Party House, New York) Something went wrong with Farley's laptop, so he flipped through Eamon Harkin's record bag and pulled out all the classic house records. What followed was a perfect mix of Chicago anthems, most delivered with live vocals by the man himself.
10 Nd_Baumecker (Panorama Bar, Berlin) Normally Nd plays at peak time, 7–9 AM Sunday morning. This past September, though, I was able to see him warm up and start the night. More than any other DJ I have seen, when Nd plays what comes out is truly beautiful. Slowly the bass got deeper, the bpm got higher, and the bodies started to move, shifting from desperately trying to keep their cool to profoundly not giving a damn.
Gavin Russom released a narrative set of psychedelic-dance-music records in 2009, titled "Black Meteoric Star," on New York's DFA label.


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History Walks
Historic Houses in Seoul 2
[box_light]Historic Houses in Seoul 2: Pak No-soo Art Museum 박노수 미술관
Gallery Combines 20th-century styles from Korea and abroad[/box_light]
Written by Robert J. Fouser
The newest addition to the list of historic houses in Seoul open to the public is the Jongno-gu district's Pak No-soo Art Museum in the trendy neighborhood of Seochon. Built in 1938, the house is a rare example of a home that combines Japanese and Western design and includes Korean and Chinese motifs. Yun Deok-yeong (1873–1940), a notorious pro-Japanese collaborator in the colonial period (1910–1945), built the house for his daughter on the grounds of his estate. The home later had as its owner Pak No-soo (1927–2013), a leading 20th-century painter specializing in ink and color. Shortly before his death, Pak donated the house and 1,000 works of art to Jongno for use as an art museum. After restoration work was done in early 2013, the museum was opened to the public in September that year.
Located just off a busy street in Ogin-dong, one of the many small districts, or "dong," that make up Seochon, the house stands out from others in the neighborhood. The exposed round rafters evokes images of a hanok, or a traditional Korean-style house, but is also reminiscent of an English Tudor-style home in a leafy suburb of a big American city. Because of its uniqueness and historical value, the residence was designated a Seoul City Cultural Property in 1991.
The house was designed by Park Gil-ryong (1898–1943), the leading Korean architect of the Japanese colonial period. He worked for the colonial government and was familiar with Western-style houses popular in Japan at the time. Park wanted to improve housing in Korea, and experimented with various ideas in this house. The shape of the roof and roof tiles reflect Japanese influence. The architect included a number of Korean elements, such as an ondol, (heated floor) room and, of course, the exposed round rafters outside. Three fireplaces used for heat are in Western-style rooms with wooden floors, making it one of the few houses in Seoul at the time with Korean and Western-style heating systems. The Chinese influence is seen through the reddish trim on the windows. The house is surrounded by trees and stroll gardens with diverse plants.
Keeping Korean painting alive
Pak, who moved into the house in 1973, had deep roots in Seochon. Lee Sang-beom (1897-1972), his teacher and mentor, lived in a hanok in neighboring Nuha-dong and had his studio next door. Pak graduated from the College of Arts at Seoul National University in 1952 and rapidly rose to fame after winning several prestigious art awards. In 1956, he joined Ewha Womans University as a professor and later moved to Seoul National University in 1962. He remained active in the art world until his health declined in the early 2000s. A retrospective of his works was held in 2010 at the National Museum of Contemporary Art at Deoksugung Palace. Through his paintings and teaching, Pak played a critical role in helping ink-and-color paintings of the Korean style remain a vital genre at a time when Koreans were abandoning tradition in favor of all things Western.
The Pak No-soo Art Museum held its inaugural exhibition in fall 2013 and future exhibitions will focus on the aspects of the late artist's life and work. Important rooms in the facility are used as galleries and have been carefully preserved. The house is an excellent example of a preservation project that has limited renovation to a bare minimum.
FYI> The museum is open from 10am to 6pm (last entrance by 5:30pm) Tuesday to Sunday. A maximum of 20 people is allowed in at one time.
GO> The museum is a 15-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung subway station (Line 3) and the route from the station is clearly marked.
https://magazine.seoulselection.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/RYU9993.jpg 611 950 cyn http://magazine.seoulselection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Seoul-logo.png cyn2013-12-31 10:19:482013-12-31 10:19:48Historic Houses in Seoul 2
JANUARY GETAWAYS SEOLLEUNG STATION


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Millennial Money: Break free of debt without paying a price
FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2019 file photo, a pedestrian passes beneath City Hall in Philadelphia during a winter storm. Paying off debt requires taking the right actions now to avoid problems down the road. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) more >
By AMRITA JAYAKUMAR of NerdWallet - Associated Press - Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Samantha Ealy graduated with a bachelor's degree and $70,000 in debt. She worked multiple jobs to pay off student loans, a car, medical bills and credit cards in three years. But looking back, Ealy sees a few missteps.
For example, one job offered a 401(k), but she didn't put in enough to qualify for an employer contribution, which she now regrets. "That was free money," she says.
Young people buried under the weight of student loans recognize that paying off their debt is crucial to financial freedom - and for some, to their financial future, too.
In a 2018 NBC News/GenForward survey of 18- to 34-year-olds, a third said debt caused them to put off buying a home and 31% to delay saving for retirement. In addition, 14% percent said they delayed getting married, and 16% delayed having children.
Taking steps to get debt-free and set yourself up for success also means making the right moves now to avoid costly trade-offs later. Three people who paid off debt share lessons they learned, which may help you refine your own strategy.
TRACK YOUR SPENDING
Ealy, now 31 and pursuing an MBA at Stanford University in California, realizes she was hyper-focused on earning more when she should have paid better attention to spending less.
"From day zero, I should have been maintaining a budget," she says. "Had I done that sooner, I probably would have realized I could have cut some spending that was ridiculous and done without as many jobs as I was working."
Tip: Build a budget and use one of the many free apps like Mint to stay on top of spending, says Bill Brancaccio, a certified financial planner and co-founder of Rightirement Wealth Partners in Harrison, New York.
SAVE FOR EMERGENCIES
While paying off debt, it may seem counterintuitive to put money away for emergencies. But an emergency fund can prevent you from going deeper into debt when an unexpected expense hits.
Laura Olear, 32, a substitute public schoolteacher in Los Angeles, said her emergency fund saved her while she was paying off close to $31,000 in debt.
Olear used both do-it-yourself methods and a debt management plan from the nonprofit credit counseling agency Money Management International to tackle student loans, a car loan and credit card debt.
She had saved $1,000, some of which she needed for car repairs during her six-year journey to pay down her debt. "I am grateful that money was there," she says.
Tip: Contributing even a few hundred dollars to an emergency fund can insulate you from common financial shocks, according to a 2016 study from the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT RETIREMENT
Thomas Nitzsche l earned his own hard financial lessons before he began working for Money Management International, where he's now spokesman.
Nitzsche, 40, lost his job during the 2008 recession. He stopped contributing to his 401(k) and withdrew all of it to pay off about $12,000 in credit card debt instead. Soon after, he landed his current job and realized his mistake.
"I had to start over at 28 or so with building for retirement," he says.
Olear had a similar experience. "Retirement for me sounded so far away," she says. "I withdrew my money, paid all the fines and blew it."
While paying her debt, she came to understand the value of retirement. Olear now contributes to a 403(b) retirement plan through her job.
Tip: While retirement may seem far off, you can't afford to ignore it while you're paying off debt. To accumulate enough money for retirement, you need to give it a long time to grow.
CHOOSE A METHOD THAT FITS YOU
Two strategies to pay off debt include the debt snowball and debt avalanche. With snowball, you pay off debts from the smallest amount to the largest by taking care of the little one first, while paying minimums on the others. Once it's paid, you roll what you had been paying on it into your payments on the next debt, and so on.
The avalanche approach prioritizes paying off the debt with the highest interest rate first and paying minimums on others. A credit card would be paid off before a student loan, for example.
"The snowball works better for behavioral purposes," Brancaccio says. If you need quick wins to stay motivated, choose snowball.
But if you're committed for the long haul, use avalanche. "The avalanche mathematically will generally work out better," he says.
This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Amrita Jayakumar is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @ajbombay.
NerdWallet: How to build a budget http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-budgeting-101
NBC millennial survey: https://nbcnews.to/2XVBOkK
Urban Institute study https://urbn.is/2V7rHfA


text:
Tunisian health minister dies after charity marathon
Tunisia bans forced anal exams for homosexuality
In Algeria, taboos and law deter organ donors
Tunisia scraps ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslims
Tunis - Tunisia's health minister died of a heart attack on Sunday after taking part in a charity marathon to help battle cancer, officials said.
Slim Chaker, 56, fell ill after running about 500m and then making a speech at the start of a race in the coastal town of Nabeul aimed at raising funds to build a clinic for children with cancer, his ministry said.
He died later at a military hospital in Tunis.
"I have lost a brother and a colleague," Prime Minister Youssef Chahed wrote on Facebook.
"He died doing a noble humanitarian act."
Local media and internet users in the North African country reacted with sorrow to the passing of Chaker, a former adviser to President Beji Caid Essebsi who only took over the health brief last month.
"He has paid in blood for his patriotic work," Tunisian magazine Leader wrote on Twitter.
Read more on: tunisia | north africa
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Home :: Military :: World :: Europe :: Ground ::
Challenger 1 MBT
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Challenger 2 MBT References
Challenger 1 Main Battle Tank
The tank has rightly been called the virility symbol of the British Army [the phrase appeared in a learned article in The Economist]. For years Britain relied on the Chieftain. It was a fine tank and gave excellent service, but by the late 1970s it was getting old in the tooth and was to be replaced by the MBT80. That was the tank that the experts wanted and which was due to replace the Chieftain in the late 1980s. With the cancellation of the Shir 2 for the Shah of Iran, Britain acquired the Challenger.
Challenger is a development of the Centurion/Chieftain line, modified to produce the Shir/Iran 2 originally planned for service with the Iranian forces. After the Iranian Revolution the Shir Iran 2 project was taken over by the British Army and the end result was Challenger later redesignated as Challenger 1. The main differences between Challenger 1 and its predecessor Chieftain are the Challenger engine, which produces 1,200bhp at 2,300rpm, far more powerful than the Chieftain engine, and the Chobham Armour, which gives very high protection levels against anti armour weapons.
Although based on an improved version of the Chieftain, the Challenger was practically a new tank and its combat characteristics significantly exceed those of previous models, especially with respect to providing protection. Steel armor skirting is positioned on the sides. The Challenger's configuration is basically the same as that of the Chieftain. It too is armed with the 120-mm rifled cannon, but it was a more sophisticated version. It has a dual-plane stabilizer. Most of the combat load consists of armor-piercing sub-caliber rounds, including those with depleted uranium alloy core. The fire control system includes a laser sight-range finder and electronic ballistics computer. The commander's periscopic sight has stabilized field of vision and is linked with the gunner's mainsight. Challenger tanks were outfitted with an infrared sight for the gunner. The 12-cylinder V-form diesel engine is made in a single block with the hydromechanical transmission. The carriage suspension is hydropneumatic. An armored recovery vehicle, outfitted with powerful, special equipment, has been developed based on the Challenger tank.
On 17 June 1976 the Secretary of State for Defence, Roy Mason, stated that "The United Kingdom has succeeded in developing a unique form of tank armour. This provides an exceptional level of protection against both chemical energy attack from guided weapons and all forms of attack from tank guns, and can be carried on tanks of comparable weight and agility to those in service today. We shall fit this armour, and other improvements, into our next main battle tank. Meanwhile, in the interests of NATO, we have made information on the invention available to the United States of 220W America and the Federal Republic of Germany. We have secured important commercial benefits from the invention, as it forms part of a large new order for tanks by Iran. This order will be worth over £500 million, including spares and logistic support, and over 1,200 tanks will be fitted with the new armour."
Some reports suggested that the first information about Chobham armour was given in 1965, and a great deal of information was given in 1968 or 1969. The total cost of developing the Chobham tank armor since the early 1960s amounted to some £6 million. On several occasions between 1965 and 1968 the United States Government was given general information about research in progress in the United Kingdom on a new form of armour. More detailed information was given in 1973. The information was provided in accordance with arrangements made by the two Governments in 1950 for a full and frank interchange of classified military information in the interests of both countries. The Germans had a near-term priority to replace some of their older tanks, so their next replacements would be in the 1990s, beyond the date that would be right for the Chieftain.
The Iranian order involved the supply of over 1,200 Shir tanks which were ordered by the Shah of Iran. When the Iranians repudiated their contract in February 1979 it was necessary to bring the contracts with the Royal Ordnance Factory, Leeds, and its subcontractors to an end. ROF, Leeds, were then left with a small number of partly completed tanks and materials for others, which together amounted to nothing like the full order, which would have taken several years to complete. Various options were considered for the disposal of these tanks, including the possibility of finding other customers.
The Shir Iran tanks built in Leeds were said to be far too heavy for German bridges and crtics said that there is a problem of rail gauges as well. Therefore, skeptics claimed there could be no question of taking these tanks off the shelf to fulfill the commitment that should have been fulfilled by the building of Chieftain tanks at Elswick, in Newcastle.
The decision to purchase the Challenger tank and to discontinue the MBT80 program illustrated the point that achieving an early in-service date can be more important than delaying to buy a more advanced tank later on. The Challenger 1 entered service with the British Army in 1983. It was originally produced by the Royal Ordnance Factory in Leeds, which was acquired by Vickers Defence Systems in 1986.
When Vickers bought the Royal Ordnance Factory, the Royal Ordnance Factory at Barnbow in building the Challenger tank. Vickers plc expressed an interest in acquiring the Royal ordnance factory at Leeds. Royal Ordnance plc is a well-integrated group with much cross-supplying between its component companies. Almost all the companies in the group contribute to Challenger or to its ammunition and spares. Royal Ordnance plc went well down the route to flotation, when there was a public intervention by Vickers in the order for the 7th Regiment of Challenger. The only basis on which Vickers would be interested in Barnbow would be in closing it down, removing its specialist plant and tooling and finishing off its only United Kingdom competitor for tanks. Barnbow was already tooled up, has already made some 300 Challenger tanks and has wide experience in manufacturing them, whereas Vickers was neither tooled up nor has any experience in making them. Vickers was still in the tank business today only because of the injection of regional aid by the Government into the north-east.
On 17 June 1986, the Government decided not to proceed with the planned flotation of Royal Ordnance plc. The exception was the tank building business at Leeds. Following discussions between the Ministry of Defence and Vickers an offer was been made by Vickers plc to purchase RO Leeds, which the Government and the Board of Royal Ordnance have accepted, subject to detailed discussions now taking place between Royal Ordnance and Vickers to finalise the agreement. The price was expect it to be of the order of £11 million. As part of the agreement, Vickers would build a major new facility at the Leeds site, similar to their factory at Newcastle. in the light of this agreement the way is now clear for a decision to order a 7th regiment of Challenger Tanks, subject to detailed contract terms. Vickers have agreed that the tanks will be manufactured at Leeds.
The Canadian Army Trophy [CAT] Competition is a biennial tank gunnery contest organized and administered by Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe. The preparation for CAT is intense in that the prestige of Armies and equipment often rides on the outcome. It involves the selection and assignment of personnel, optimum use of unique capabilities of equipment and effective utilization of training resourcs. Thus the methods used to prepare for CAT, while not directly applicable to similar situations in the day-to-day Army, do result in sucesses and failures that indicate possibilities for positive change in doctrine and equipment.
British teams had been equipped with British Chieftains until CAT '87, when the new British Challenger made its debut. The British competitors, with upgraded fire controls in their Chieftain tanks, could place a platoon no higher than ninth in a field of 10. The public debut of the new fire control system for theArmy's Chieftain and Challenger tanks in a NATO gunnerycontest in June proved a dismal flop. One very senior observer, believed to be a high-ranking general, described the British performance in the biennial competition on Hohne ranges, West Germany, on June 20-24 as a "disaster". the British attributed the major blame for relatively poor performance to deficiencies in the Chieftain tank. Other aspects, vital for success, were not mentioned.
The Secretary of State for Defence Mr. Ian Stewart stated 14 July 1987 that "I do not believe that the performance of tanks in the artificial circumstances of a competition, such as the recent Canadian Army Trophy, is a proper indication of their capability in war. Challenger's gun gives the best penetrative performance against the tanks of a potential enemy. The tank itself is arguably the best protected in the world and has excellent mobility. It carries an advanced thermal imaging system which is much admired by our allies and ensures that Challenger can fight effectively by night and by day. Participation in international tank gunnery competitions is one useful option in the complete spectrum of training opportunities available in preparing our tank crews for war, but it is not on its own a basis for judgment of overall capability."
By 1987 the current budgetary cost of a Challenger tank (fully equipped) was £1.5 million. At that time a number of equipment enhancements were currently in hand. A new thermal imaging and observation sight is presently being fitted to all Challenger tanks. New developments now well under way include a new gun, together with its improved ammunition and elevation gearbox, improved computer sighting system and new target acquisition and solid state electronic gun control systems. Equipments ordered since 1979 that remained to be delivered in 1987 include two out of seven Challenger tank regiments. Current production orders provided for tanks for the 5th, 6th and 7th Challenger regiments. British Army tank requirements thereafter are currently under review. The Army still had 900 Chieftain tanks in service. These tanks put up so much smoke that they were targets from miles away.
In 1988 the Ministry decided, subject to satisfactory contractual terms, to upgrade the armament of the Challenger 1 tanks in service by fitting them with an improved gun, known as CHARM. Proponents believed that the so-called "CHARM" gun was superior to the Abrams in both long-range accuracy and penetration. The number of Challenger 1 tanks to be retrofitted under the improvement programme would depend on how many Challenger 1 tanks remained in service under the finalisation of the Options arrangements, but it was the intention that every Challenger 1 remaining in service should be retrofitted.
The British arrived in Saudi Arabia in late 1990 with fighting vehicles that had names that seemed well-suited to the task at hand: Challengers, Warriors, Scimitars, and Scorpions, The Challenger tank is roughly equivalent to the American M6OA3. The Warrior is an armored personnel carrier chosen by the British after competition with the American Bradley. The Scimitars and Scorpions are tracked reconnaissance vehicles that might be called very light tanks.
The initial British contribution to the DESERT SHIELD deployment was 7th Armored Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Patrick Cordmgly. Arriving in Saudi Arabia during October 1990, the modem "Desert Rats" continued the traditions of their forebears, who earned their nickname battling the Axis in North Africa during WWII. The brigade deployed two armored regiments (tank battalions) - the Queens Royal Irish Hussars and the Royal Scots Guards, each equipped with 57 Challenger 1 main battle tanks. The third formation in the brigade was an armored infantry battalion, 1st Battalion the Staffordshire Regiment, with 45 Warrior IFVs. The Warriors had only recently been fielded.
The brigade traveled directly from its home base in Soltau/Fallingbostel, in Northern Germany, while heavy equipment was shipped by sea. To enhance its combat capability, the brigade received a squadron (company) of Scimitar light armored reconnaissance vehicles from the Queen's Dragoon Guards, an armored engineer regiment, and the 40th Field Regiment Royal Artillery, with 24 M109 selfpropelled 155-mm howitzers.
Seventh Armored Brigade was the first formation equipped with 120-mm tank guns to arrive in Saudi Arabia. American armor deployed up until that point included only 105-mm-gun equipped M1 or M60 tanks. After arrival, the 7th came under the command of the U.S. Marines to bolster their armored firepower against possible encounters with the Iraqi T-72 tanks that faced the coalition forces along the Kuwaiti border.
There had been initial fears making the rounds in the British Army as to its combat value, mainly due to its dismal failure in the 1987 Canadian Army Trophy gunnery competition in Germany. However, the British did not take chances. As they arrived in the Gulf, vehicles were modified by special maintenance crews flown out to Jubail by Vickers, the tank manufacturer. They set about improving the tanks for their oncoming combat assignments under desert conditions that were much different than those expected in NATO. Special cooling fans and air filters were fitted, and TOGS systems (the Challengers' thermal sights) were adjusted. Add-on armor suites were mounted to enhance survivability against shapedcharge rounds and hand-held antitank weapons.
Fourth Armored Brigade crossed the line of departure around 1930 on G Day. During the advance, columns of vehicles were delayed by unexploded munitions in the lanes, mainly from MLRS and CBU cluster munitions that did not have delay fuses. The weather played havoc with the thermal imaging equipment of the Challengers (TOGS). As the leading tanks set off into the dark, rain descended like treacle, the dust thick with soot from the Iraqi oil fires in Kuwait to the Eaast. Tank gun engagement ranges came down to 500 meters and less. After three weeks of enduring intensive air attack by systems employing thermal weapons, the Iraqis had quickly discovered that a "cold" tank could survive. Iraqi tank crews became quite adept at hiding their tanks from thermals, even removing batteries to prevent heat signatures. The brigade prevailed through a remarkable campaign. It advanced 350 kilometers in 97 hours, fought several major battles, and destroyed more than 60 enemy tanks, many guns, Apcs, and other vehicles. Some 8,000 prisoners were taken. Out of the 59 Challengers, 53 reached the end of the battle intact. Challengers did not suffer any hits from enemy guns or antitank weapons during the fighting.
In 1990-1991, the US had a near-monopoly on the use of depleted uranium [DU]. Two types of potential hazard are posed by DU: a radiation hazard, although DU is a low specific activity material as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and a chemical toxicity hazard, which is similar to that posed by other heavy metals, such as lead. DU has the potential to cause adverse health effects if ingested; inhaled, for example from DU dust in the vicinity of a target, such as a tank which has been hit by the DU round; or absorbed, for example from embedded DU shrapnel.
Prior to the Gulf War, the CHARM 1 round based on DU was being developed for use by the new Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank, also then under development, together with a more powerful gun. At the time of Operation GRANBY, it was, however, realised that the existing tungsten-based round in use with the Challenger 1 tank, which was the Main Battle Tank used by UK forces during the Gulf conflict, might not be sufficiently powerful to defeat the most modern Iraqi tanks, the Soviet designed T72s. It was, therefore, decided that MOD should proceed with the emergency development of a DU round for Challenger 1. The CHARM 1 DU round needed only minor modifications to fit the existing 120mm rifled-barrel L11 gun on Challenger 1, but a totally new charge needed to be developed. The new charge and slightly modified DU round were known at the time of the Gulf War as Jericho I and II respectively.
The United Kingdom was the only country besides the US known to have fired DU munitions in the Gulf War. The UK Ministry of Defence estimates that its Challenger tanks fired fewer than 100 120mm Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) rounds against Iraqi military forces during hostilities, although the British tanks fired additional rounds during earlier work-up training in Saudi Arabia. This amounts to less than one (US) ton of DU.
The Challenger, in comparison with the American tank used in the Gulf, was more fuel efficient and achieved far greater serviceability, largely thanks to the efficient REME back-up and excellent support from the makers, Vickers. Overall, Challenger 1 destroyed roughly 300 Iraqi tanks, while the Iraqi forces failed to take a single vehicle out of combat. The Challenger proved its worth in combat. Brigadier Cordingly, the commander of the Desert Rats, paid tribute to its effectiveness by stating that "Challenger is a tank built for combat and not competitions."
Further plans were announced in June 1991 for an upgrade program on the Challenger 1 fleet. There had been many promises that Challenger 1 would be upgraded and be close to being as good as Challenger 2, and substantially cheaper. Studies to examine how best to equip the Army's six Challenger 1 tank regiments were completed in June 1003, and the results were being evaluated.
A number of options for equipping the Army's Challenger 1 tank regiments have been examined; these include the possibility of a further purchase of CR2 tanks. The way ahead on ordering new tanks for the Army was announced 01 December 1993. Having examined a range of options, the Government concluded that the most cost-effective way forward would be to buy more Challenger 2 rather than upgrade Challenger 1. Accordingly, subject to the negotiation of satisfactory contractual terms, the intent was to place a further order with Vickers Defence Systems for up to 259 more Challenger 2 tanks, together with the associated support and training package.
It was planned to begin withdrawing the Challenger 1 from service in 1998 and it was to be completely replaced by Challenger 2 by 2002. By kate 2002 the Challenger 1 Main Battle Tank was no longer in service and had been replaced by the Challenger 2. By early 2003 the Ministry of Defence still hdld 161 Challenger 1 and two Chieftain Main Battle Tanks. These were no longer in-service, but ere not used as static displays or for target practice.
As part of its support for King Abdullah of Jordan on his accession to the throne, and in response to a request from His Majesty, the Government announced in March 1999 that it had agreed to supply Jordan with Challenger 1 Main Battle Tanks as they came out of service with the British Army over the coming few years. Up to 288 Challenger Is would be supplied. The Challenger 1 currently in service with the British Army had a current average book value of £750K each but, on leaving service, that value would reduce to zero. The tanks would therefore be supplied to Jordan at no cost. However, agreement was reached with Jordan that the Jordanian Government would meet the MOD's additional costs arising out of the Challenger 1 transfer program.
In late 2002 Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon approved the gift of 100 surplus Challenger tanks after a request by King Abdullah of Jordan. The donation follows an earlier deal for 288 [274?] tanks, which it named the Khalid MBT. The variants for the Jordanian military have been upgraded to Challenger 2 standards, and have undergone upgrades using an unmanned turret called the Falcon Turret. The "Falcon turret" upgrade for the Challenger 1 has a "below deck" crew configuration although the commander and gunner are below the turret ring rather than completely remote from the weapon. This project was bankrolled by Jordan and although may be ongoing, not much has been heard of it lately. There were rumor that South Africa might join with Jordan on a new tank using a Falcon III turret.


What's being done to harvest this treasure trove?
How do you separate employee fact from office fiction?
How do make it safe and worthwhile for employees to serve it up straight?
If your answer was SBI (Social Business Intelligence), then you'd win a prize (see below). A surprisingly promising approach, it seems, and more focused than the broad net of the 'wisdom of the masses', SBI seeks to enable leaders to tap the social intelligence of their workplaces to improve business intelligence and business decisions. We found a leader in this space, Crowdcast, and went straight to the top brass for an interview with Mat Fogarty, CEO, and Leslie Fine, Ph.D., Chief Scientist.
Arguably, this is all motherhood and apple pie so far. How do you actually DO it? Crowdcast's solution is to use a gaming mechanisms, where contestants (employees in this case … and you can guess the logical extension) place 'virtual bets' on real business questions regarding key metrics; where right answers yield 'virtual money' and bring the ability to place larger bets in the future; and weighting mechanisms enable those who are right more often to become more influential on the collective predictions. The successful engagement of the contributors (i.e. the bettors) comes from the fun and status elements that any good game provides, and from a more virtuous satisfaction: "Users really like Management listening to them," said Fogarty.
The fun and status parts come in a variety of features, including Leader-Boards, Badges, and even the ability to tie back to "real rewards" like gift cards or an extra vacation day. "Ultimately," Dr. Fine pointed out, "there's the opportunity to make it part of performance review." But that might run afoul of the 'employee reluctance' concerns, so the motivational focus will probably remain on the rewards of influence and peer recognition.
It seems intuitive that management would potentially benefit greatly from getting qualified, track-record-proven insights from front-line employees, whether that front line was on the production front or the sales front. But data-points and insights are already in ample supply for most companies; so we asked, where does the value kick in?
Visualizations and infographics play a key role in Crowdcast's solution. Their Executive Dashboard enables management to easily review dynamic summaries of relevant crowdcasts, track trends, define goals and monitor progress, and adjust target goals, and engage participants in conversations about ways to mitigate risk.
At BrandTech News, we think that Brand Intelligence comes from tapping really relevant knowledge in simple, comfortable ways. We like the reverse-Orwellian structure of SBI – big brother doesn't have to eavesdrop, if little brother is volunteering the information. I drift back to a long ago July when my lookout kid brother alerted me to the risk of an approaching authority just before we lit the fuse on the fireworks. Quick! Mitigate (hide the bottle rockets), reward (a roman candle for kid brother), and redeploy. Natural, logical, and highly effective. As for the gaming, just remember the one game you DON'T want knowledgeable employees to play any more is "I've Got A Secret".
There are so many choices out there that I'm completely confused .. Any tips? Cheers!
Thanks, Seprince Reviews. As for suggestions, we have one: don't stop posting fresh content … like we did! About a year ago we got so busy with other projects that we neglected creating new content, a problem we are about to remedy. Make sure you make the time to keep fresh stories coming. In other words — don't follow our example. Yet.


MAGNA — John Angell still remembers the moment that changed his life forever.
During one of his tours overseas with the United States Marine Corps, Angell was in a cemetery on security detail for his commanding officer. Angell's unit received indirect fire, a skirmish broke out and he suffered head trauma that led to a traumatic brain injury.
The particulars are fuzzy. But Angell described the scene as best he could to KSL-TV just days before Cyprus High School was set to honor him with the receipt of the Purple Heart award Friday night during its game against region rival Kearns.
"What I remember from the incident was that my (commanding officer) was the one that saved me," said Angell, who served in the military until 2008. "I didn't complain, but I had headaches and I was having nose bleeds. My equilibrium was off. But I just sucked it up and kept going.
During Angell's third deployment in Iraq in 2008, his injury flared up worse than before.
"I remember coming back from something in all of my gear, and next thing I know is that I was in the medevac," Angell said. "I couldn't stop my nose from bleeding, and they were pumping me full of IVs.
When Angell woke up, they told him he had suffered a seizure. After an MRI in Germany, doctors found a large flare-up in the left hemisphere of his occipital lobe — activity about the size of a quarter. They performed surgery to repair his occipital nerve.
Angell returned home in 2008, but things were never the same after that tour of duty. He suffered from serious post-traumatic stress disorder and began doing "things I shouldn't have" — drinking and a life devoid of higher goals, he recalled.
On Nov. 15, 2008, that all began to change. Angell met April, who would go on to be his wife, and the two began the difficult road to recovery and finding a new purpose in life.
Angell went back to school and got a degree in education. He wanted to teach, and he wanted a degree that made him "use my brain" more than others.
His focus? Math, which led to a career at Cyprus High. He now uses his Marine experiences, attitude and determination to help his students find their own place in the world.
"A lot of them have families that care for them," Angell said. "But a lot of them don't. A lot of them rely on their friends who are in gangs.
At halftime of the Pirates' game Friday night against region rival Kearns, Angell will receive a Purple Heart — among the military's oldest honors, given to members of the armed forces who are wounded in battle — with pride.
The award is symbolic of the work Angell has taken to come back from a devastating injury and become a contributing member of society.
And it will be a humbling experience for a soldier who traded in his rifle for a ruler and protractor.
"The amount of work that everybody went through behind the scenes, when I didn't think I rated it, was more humbling than I could ever imagine," Angell said. "I had guilt with it; a lot of people from that day didn't come back.
The Purple Heart is also a reminder to his students that there is more to life than gangs and drugs.
"The biggest gang that I have ever been in is the United States Marine Corps," said Angell, paraphrasing the words to the Marine Corps hymn. "We are a fraternity of brothers that is everlasting.