text:
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Defendant was convicted for reckless driving, in violation of Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-852. The Circuit Court of Fairfax (Virginia) entered judgment. He appealed, contending error in the trial court's admission of evidence of remote driving behavior, the admission of evidence of another offense for which defendant was not on trial, and in the trial court's finding that the evidence was sufficient.
Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving. Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-852. The essence of the offense of reckless driving lies not in the act of operating a vehicle, but in the manner and circumstances of its operation. The mere happening of an accident does not give rise to an inference of reckless driving. However, physical factors associated with impact, including extent of damage to vehicles and property, may be considered as mute evidence of high speed.


Today I have an amazing guest I actually got the opportunity to interview on Pets Overload about an amazing rescue called Fetch & Releash. Michelle is one of the loveliest human beings I've ever met, so I'm truly excited to have her on the blog today!
Hey Michelle, thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed with us again, this time about your own cutie Pepita! Do you mind telling us a little bit about her?
Of course, talking about Pepita is my favorite thing to do! She is a three-legged dog from the Streets of Meixco. Unfortunately, like most street dogs, much of her past is unknown. What I do know is that she was found on the street after being hit by a car and had been taken in to a dog shelter in Mexico. Due to her accident, her right hind leg had to be amputated. The timeline is unknown but it was from there that Fetch & Releash took her, along with a few other dogs, to their new lives here in Canada. I always joke that we're quite alike in that we're both incredibly shy and slow to trust but once we come around, we really let our personality shine! I describe her mix to be the body of a whippet, the fur/nose of a lab, and a diva attitude that would give Mariah Carey a run for her money.
How did you meet Pepita and how long have you had her?
I was looking for a rescue dog online, through "Pet Finder". I liked that their webpage gave me the ability to modify my search options, whether it be for the type of dog I'm looking for or how far I'd be willing to travel. I got into the habit of doing that regularly and although I saw a lot of dog's that had potential, I never had that "ah hah!" moment until I came across Pepita's photo. She instantly caught my eye, and not because she was three-legged (you couldn't tell at all in the photo). I can't say exactly what it was that made me go "this is the one", but I remember feeling that upon seeing on her photo. She was obviously cute, but it was her beady puppy eyes that drew me in – they were soft and gentle, but had a look of fear. Upon reading her biography I thought we would be a great fit for each other. It mentioned that she was three-legged, too, which just made my love for her stronger. We're coming up on our two-year anniversary and we'll be celebrating her annual adoption day at the end of this month!
Having a dog who needs special care can be scary for a lot of pet owners, what is some advice you can give them?
I understand that Pepita is your first dog ever (congrats! She's adorable!) did you have any second doubts when adopting her because of her "needs"?
Thank you! I actually had no doubts – just extreme eager. My only "doubt" (which was more so a worry) is that I assume down the line she may face some issues and thus expenses due to her condition, but I am okay with that. She does incredibly well on three legs and clearly learned how to adapt herself to properly do so. She walks most of the time with her back leg in the middle and spine on a curve, so a lot more pressure and weight goes into the back leg. However, of all the skills I've learned to master over the years – being able to predict the future just isn't one of them. I would never, in any situation, stop myself from doing something because "I know how the outcome will be" – we never truly do. I try my best to take and appreciate each day as it comes without worrying or stressing too much about the future.
Do you feel like her being "three-legged" hinders her in any way?
Hardly so! The only thing it really affects is her ability to run long distance – so I let her know early on that running marathons weren't allowed. She'll oftentimes lose her balance and tumble to the side, take a breath then get back right up again. Oh, and she is SUCH a speed demon! She can out run most dogs (until she loses her balance, of course) so I can't even imagine how fast she would be if she had all four legs. Another reason why I believe she's got some Whippet in her – because boy-oh-boy, she can run! She can jump into SUV's, run up a flight of stairs, and give paw like any other four-legged dog. I sometimes question if she realizes or remembers she's missing a leg! She surely never acts like it.
I'm glad that her being "three-legged" isn't an issue in her life, and she is healthy and happy! What would you say the hardest thing about her is?
Her high anxiety – I would say this is more of a "special need" than her lack of a fourth leg. It is a work in progress, a journey that we will always be on together and some days will be easier than others – but they're always all worth it. I recently hired a one-on-one trainer to help give me the tools I needed to better understand her behavior and how to help it. Prior to that I did a TON of researching – everything from reading tips and tricks, to joining support groups, to watching training videos online. I don't think her anxiety will ever completely go away especially when it comes to big/loud vehicles, but that doesn't mean I'm going to just give up on her. We work on desensitization training daily and I've received compliments from friends, family and neighbors on how well she's improved. I see it too, and she makes me the proudest dog mama ever.
How do you manage her anxiety?
The good ol' saying, "a tired dog is a happy dog" is always true! I do my absolute best to tire her out in the mornings before I go to my 9-5 job. Prior to this month, I had my parents taking her Monday through Friday while I was at work so she was living quite the spoiled life. Now, I dedicate roughly an hour in the mornings to working on her desensitization training. We start by walking a nearby trail, and if we're lucky (and by lucky, I mean early enough!) that no one is in the fenced in field, I let her off for a good run. It's her absolute favorite thing to run around off-leash; she will run back and forth, circles up and around me, roll in the grass, and let all that energy out. Whereas she started out awful on the leash (I'm surprised my arm is still in its socket) she now happily trots alongside me with little to no pulling, unless a loud noise spooks her or we're getting close to home. At which point, her excitement takes over and she's charging to get back. Through my trainer I was provided the tips I needed to help ease her anxiety by being a strong and firm leader, a job I take very seriously. I'm also very protective over her in that I'm weary of overactive dogs and children approaching and always enforce the importance of respecting her personal space.
Does Pepita have any favourite toys she plays with?
She is so funny when it comes to toys… and by funny, I really mean picky! At first, she was genuinely baffled by toys and showed no interest in them, only confusion. But she loves anything that makes a crinkling noise or has a high pitch squeak. Floppy ears are a bonus too, that way she can latch on with her mouth and shake the poor thing around like the beast she is. Special shout out to the Kong – best purchase ever! I'm not sure who's more amused with it, her when she plays or me as I watch her.
What do you think she's doing when you're not around?
As any diva must do, she is getting her beauty rest! As soon as I get out of bed in the morning she'll make herself comfortable wherever I was, head resting on my pillows. Her energy level is well suited to mine. She loves playtime- going for runs outside or playing with her toys inside, but also enjoys just being lazy and cuddling up by my side. We're both couch potatoes and so it works out quite well.
What is some advice you wish you had before you adopted a pupper?
Life ain't rainbows and sunshine, so don't adopt a dog looking for it to make your life into that. While they undoubtedly do bring a lot of joy into your life, they – much like children, also bring a lot of responsibility. I can't stress enough the importance of patience when it comes to adopting, especially a dog with special needs. I think humans sometimes expect too much from a dog without giving them anything first (and no, I don't mean a handful of treats). Give them patience, love, direction and then reward. Give them the time they need to heal from whatever it is they've been through. Do not just trust your journey but choose to own it instead. It was months before Pepita let her personality shine, and boy does she know how to shine. I didn't fully know what I was getting myself into when I got her however, I know now it was truly meant to be. With all my heart I believe that there is no one better for her than me, and me for her. We're just two lost souls finding our way through this world together, learning and growing for the better each and every day.
If you could adopt another pet, what would it be?
That's a hard one! Given my current situation I am unable to commit to having another dog in the household. I've been tempted to foster, specifically a senior dog as I think their companionship and energy level would be great for Pepita, but it is a huge responsibility and I want to be at a point in my life where I feel I'm truly ready and have the time to take it on. That being said…. I've been absolutely itching to adopt a cat lately!!! I am both a cat and dog lover, and I would love to have another furry friend in the house for Pepita and myself. However, Pepita being comfortable at home is my main concern – she is so happy in her home here and I would never want her to feel put out. I'm just here to pay her bills, what can I say!
What is the most important lesson you've learned as a pet owner?
To see things through – finish what you start, because you truly never know what the outcome may be. It's quite common and quite egotistical of us humans to assume we know how things will play out. When I met Pepita for the first time, it went HORRIBLE. Seriously – it couldn't have gone worse. She spent the entire time shaking, cowering in the corner and barking at me anytime I tried to get close. I sat on the ground with some of her kibble in my hand, hoping that would let me get even just ONE pet in – but nope, not a chance. By the end I felt defeated, and I felt discouraged over bringing her home to say the least. I didn't feel the strong immediate bond that I had been expecting to however, I couldn't shake the feeling of having to adopt her. I wasn't sure why I had such a strong urge that I absolutely had to have Pepita especially considering how discouraged I felt after the meet and greet, but I did. I trusted my gut, went with my intuition and proceeded with the adoption. When she first came home to me, she was confused – sweet, excited in a way, but definitely unsure of her surroundings. I gave it time, I remained patient, and as she slowly but surely began to warm up with me through her cuddles and licks, it truly made it all worth it. It made me realize why I had that strong urge to adopt her, why I felt the need to proceed despite the initial meet and greet. I guess deep down I knew she just needed someone to show her kindness and compassion, to be a leader but a friend, to be patient but firm, to give her the unconditional love she's been longing for – and I knew I could be that someone.
Anything you want to leave our readers off with?
One absurd thing – it's an actual statistic that black dogs are less likely to be adopted as they supposedly don't photograph as well and/or standout like other dogs may. Well, let me tell you. Both Pepita and I take serious offence to this! Pepita would like everyone to know that she in fact photographs incredibly well. She's got a killer smile and a luscious coat of fur, I'm her personal photographer as well as groomer so I would know. Please, don't adopt a dog for reasons in vain. Adopt a dog because you want to better a life while enriching yours, and find the best fit for what you and the dog can offer each other – not how well they will photograph. Dog photography ain't all that it's cracked up to be anyways! It's a tough job and the participants will often straight up ignore you – a rude bunch if you ask me.
You can find this adorable pupper on Instagram!
Thank you again to MIchelle for being part of this amazing project! We're so happy to have her and Pepita on the blog. If you're interested in a feature about your pet(s) let us know through the submit page!
Meet Poppy, the lovable pup from Oakville!
Pepita is a cutie. That was an interesting fact about black dogs less likely to be adopted, I knew it was true of cats, but didn't realize dogs have the same problem.
It's sad to know that certain coloured animals don't get adopted as frequently. It breaks my heart so much.
Michelle and Pepita nice to meet you. Loved reading your interview. Daisy Mae loves dogs unless their mean. Welcome.


text:
Q: C# Unable to login with WebBrowser I am newbie to C#. I need help to be able to login the webpage and read some data.
After googling, I tried to find below code and other resources but in all cases, I can only get the html source of the login page but not other pages source data.

*

*I need to traverse to the homepage first.

*Then, I need to traverse
to "Port Status" and read some useful data. To inform data is stored in the
frames. How can I read data from the frames ?

Adding more info
1) view-source:http://192.168.0.239/homepage.html, which calls script as shown below

getSubTree('Management');

2) The above call hits the content in java script file (http://192.168.0.239/frame.js)
    case "Management":
       str += OneNodeLink("lv1", "Switch Information", "/iss/specific/sysInfo.html?Gambit="+GAMBIT);
       str += OneNodeLink("lv1", "Port Status", "/iss/specific/port_settings.html?Gambit="+GAMBIT);

document.getElementById("treeFrame").innerHTML = str;
3) The above code executes this file "view-source:http://192.168.0.239/iss/specific/port_settings.html?Gambit=pisfgagehesfhjikojngqcabdfkjeeffmpkhfckm" and gets "Port Status"
My requirement is to read the "Port Status" received which is from the frames data. Hope I am able to make it clear. Let me know if you need more info to help.
Link has screenshots and html source files : https://www.dropbox.com/sh/oml3tk75tf1lu5c/AADuGtbZci3gnyOQ2AE8IYwua?dl=0
Thanks a lot in advance
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Threading;

namespace WebBrowserWithoutAForm
{
    class Program
    {
        private static bool completed = false;
        private static WebBrowser wb;
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            wb = new WebBrowser();
            wb.DocumentCompleted += new WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventHandler(wb_DocumentCompleted);

            string postData = string.Format("LoginPassword={0}&login=Login", "password");
            ASCIIEncoding enc = new ASCIIEncoding();
            wb.Navigate("http://192.168.0.239", "", enc.GetBytes(postData), "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\r\n");

            //wb.Navigate("http://192.168.0.239");

            while (!completed)
            {
                Application.DoEvents();
                Thread.Sleep(100);
            }
            Console.Write("\n\nDone with it!\n\n");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }

        static void wb_DocumentCompleted(object sender, WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventArgs e)
        {
            //Console.WriteLine(wb.Document.Body.InnerHtml);
            completed = true;

            Thread.Sleep(1000);

           //*******HERE I NEED TO TRAVERSE TO THE HOME PAGE AND GET ITS SOURCE ******
            wb.Navigate("http://192.168.0.239/homepage.html");

            Console.WriteLine(wb.DocumentText);
        }
    }
}

A: I suggest you use selenium - my sample code of using Selenium to login facebook
I'm not gonna code for you but you could copy some part of my code though.

A: For the login page, I would do a GetElementById on the input for the login, and then set the value attribute. Then for the login button, if it's actually a button, I would trigger the click() event, otherwise if it is a form, then I would do a submit.
For port Status, you would again need to know the html of the home page and do a GetElementById on it and then trigger a click() event.
To put some code to these words it would look something like this:
        var portStatus = this.webBrowser1.Document.GetElementById("portStatus");
        portStatus.InvokeMember("click");

        //this should give you access to DOM of the first frame on the page.
        //if you have more than 1 then you will need to know which one.
        var frameDoc= this.webBrowser1.Document.Window.Frames[0].Document;
        //or
        var frameDoc= this.webBrowser1.Document.Window.Frames["iframeid"].Document;;

        var login = this.webBrowser1.Document.GetElementById("Login");
        login.SetAttribute("Value", "password");

        var loginButton = this.webBrowser1.Document.GetElementById("LoginButton");
        loginButton.InvokeMember("click");

        //or if the login button is a form then submit the form
        HtmlElement form = webBrowser1.Document.GetElementById("FormID");
        if (form != null)
            form.InvokeMember("submit");

Since you didn't provide the HTML of the homepage, The Id's used here would have to be replaced by the actual Ids of the page. And you would replace "password" with whatever your actual password is here.
I hope this helps, if you need some explanation let me know.
Also see this for working with frames

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Have you recently acquired boxes of a family member's papers? Or, have you been chipping away at your family history for years and are overwhelmed by all the paperwork? Lantern Genealogy can help you organize what you have and recommend further avenues of research.


text:
A historical romance is the only kind of book where chastity really counts.
Welcome to the World of Pure Romance
Welcome to the home of pure Romance, the official website of Dame Barbara Cartland, come and browse through the huge catalogue of the world's best-selling romance author of all time.
Generic Cialis works within 10 minutes, but if I drink a bit then the effect may start later. But still the erection is great and lasts to the next day. Sometimes I tend to use even half of the tadalafil tablet as it works also good.
Despite writing a breath-taking 723 books in her lifetime she became involved with fields as varied as alternative medicine, politics, music and charity. Here you will find information about her intriguing and often surprising life, be able to browse and buy her rich and extensive back catalogue in any way you want, and keep updated on all the latest news and updates by subscribing to our newsletter.
193. Love Under Fire
Eternal Collection
194. The Magnificent Marriage
195. Moon Over Eden
196. The Dream and The Glory
160. Love Finds The Duke at Last
192. Little Tongues of Fire
191. The Kiss Of Paris
159. Love Danced in
158. From the Dangers of Russia To Love
157. A Princess Runs Away
156. Love Has No Name
155. Love Cannot Fail
154. The Earl in Peril
153. She Fell In Love
152. Love under the Stars
151. Love Finds a Treasure
150. A Battle for Love
149. They Ran Away
190. Just Fate
189. Hazard of Hearts
BARBARA CARTLAND BY HER SON IAN ROMANTIC ROYAL MARRIAGES
BARBARA CARTLAND'S LOVE OF FLOWERS
Maybe Barbara Cartland's Novels are too Romantic!
Happy Valentines Day from all of us to all of you.
This is the website of the romantic novelist Barbara Cartland who wrote 723 books in her lifetime with worldwide sales of over one billion books translated into 38 different languages. She wrote continuously throughout her long life, writing bestsellers for an astonishing 76 years.
E helpme@barbaracartland.com
© 2020 Barbara Cartland eBooks Ltd	| Terms | Cookies & Privacy | Web design by Cariad Marketing

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Learn to listen to your dog. If your dog appears to be uncomfortable meeting another dog, animal or person, do not insist that he said hello. He tells you he is not comfortable for a reason, and you have to respect that. Forcing the issue can often lead to more serious problems in the line.
Most people have no problem being very clear when they are unhappy with their dogs, but they often ignore the good stuff. Big mistake! Make sure you give your dog lots of attention when he did the right thing. Let him know when he was a good boy. It's time to be generous with your attention and praise. It is even okay to be a little higher.
What he likes it really?
Just because the bag says "a treat all dogs love" does not mean that your dog will love it automatically. Some dogs are very selective about what they like to eat. Soft and sweet treats are usually more exciting for your dog hard and crunchy treats. Keep your eyes open for what he loves.
There is nothing inherently wrong with your dog say "no", except it does not give enough information. Instead of telling your "no" dog, tell him what you want him to do. Dogs do not generalize well, so if your dog jumps up on someone to say hello and you say no, he may jump higher or he may jump to the left side instead of the right. A better solution would be to ask him to "sit." Tell him what you want him to do to avoid confusion.
Whenever you train your dog, it is important to get as many family members involved as possible so that everyone is on the same page. If you tell your dog "off" when he jumps on the couch and someone else says "down," while someone else is letting it hang up there, how on earth is he ever will learn what you want? Consistency will be the key to your success.
Changing behavior takes time. You must have realistic expectations about changing your dog's behavior and how long it will take to change behaviors that you do not like. Often behaviors are behaviors "normal" doggie take the most time such as barking, digging and jumping. You also need to consider how long your dog has repeated the behavior. For example, if you do not mind that your dog jumped on people to say hi for the last seven years and now you decide that you do not want him to do more, this behavior will be much more time to undo than if you had touched when he was a puppy. Remember it is never too late to change the behavior some will just take longer than others.
Feed your dog a high quality diet with appropriate amounts of protein. If your dog spends most of his days lounging in your condo, do not give him food with a protein level that is ideal for dogs that sheep all day. The money you will spend on feeding an appropriate quality food will often be money that you save in vet bills later. I recommend you always check with your veterinarian for the right diet for your dog.
If your dog exhibits a behavior you do not like, it is very likely that this is something that has been reinforced before. A good example is when your dog brings you a toy and barks to entice you to throw. You throw the toy. Your dog has just learned that barking you happen to do what he wants. You say "no," and he barks even more. God forbid you give in and throw the toy now! Why? Because you have learned perseverance pays off. Before you know it, you have a dog that barks and barks every time he wants something. The solution? Ignore his barking or ask him to do something for you (like "sit") before you throw his toy.
The idea of using treats to train is often equated with corruption. Truthfully, dogs do what works. If you use treats that drives them to do what you want, so why not? You can also use the world around you as a reinforcement. Every interaction you have with your dog is a learning opportunity, so when you think about it, you probably do not use food very often except during active training sessions. So why your dog continues to lag? Because you reinforce with praise, touch, games and walks. Remember, the behavior should produce processing; the treatment does not cause behavior.
Let your new dog gradually earn freedom throughout your home. A common mistake many pet parents make is giving their new dog too much freedom too soon. This can easily lead to accidents relating to cleanliness and destructive chewing. So shut the doors of unoccupied rooms and use baby gates to the outside parts of the house section, if necessary. One of the best ways to minimize incidents is to keep your dog tied to you in the house and using a crate or doggie safe area when you can not actively monitor.


Provide comfort for the family of Barbara Moore with a meaningful gesture of sympathy.
45, passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019.
Visitation: Friday, April 19, 2019, from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Smith Mortuary, Haysville. Memorial Service: 2:00 pm, Monday, April 22, 2019 at Smith Mortuary, 7031 S. Broadway, Haysville, Kansas 67060.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Claud Moore.
Barbara is survived by her son, Adam Moore (Ember); daughters, Kodie Hetrick (Cody) and Krystal Joynt, Skyla Joynt; grandchildren, Cooper Huyett, Ryder Main, Axel Moore, Emma Moore, Emmy Moore, Mailey Hetrick, Paisley Hetrick, Xaidyn Reyes; parents, Johnny and Julia Blackmon; three brothers, John, Glenn, and Charlie Blackmon.
We encourage you to share any memorable photos or stories about Barbara Moore. All tributes placed on and purchased through this memorial website will remain on in perpetuity for generations.
Provide comfort for the family of Barbara Moore by sending flowers.
What a blessed beautiful soul. Heavens got an angel for sure!!!
So very sorry for your loss. She will be missed.
I enjoyed being able to call Barbara a friend, she was a wonderful coworker also she will be greatly missed!


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Grove 2030's Parks & Public Spaces Working Group has released its blueprint for protecting our public waterfront from the threats posed by climate change. Read the full report here.
Our May 15 forum on the future of the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District (BID) was a big success. Click here to download our report about the forum and the BID.
In 2030 the village of Coconut Grove will be distinguished by lush, natural beauty; authentic character and traditions; and by a diverse and engaged citizenry. A network of safe, tree-lined neighborhoods will be linked by bike- and pedestrian-friendly pathways to a vibrant, sustainable business core that caters to the Grove's eclectic mix of inhabitants.
About Grove 2030
Grove 2030 is a citizen-led initiative to shape the future of Coconut Grove through a community of informed, engaged residents.
In the fall of 2014, over 100 stakeholders—residents, retailers, property owners, developers, and government officials—participated in a half-day visioning workshop, from which emerged the group's vision of the Grove in the year 2030.
The Vision has been broken into areas of work, or working groups, each of which has articulated strategic goals necessary to realize the vision by the year 2030.
Subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here.
Email us if you have questions or want to get involved. Click here to send us an email.
We're working closely with the Coconut Grove Village Council on several projects and initiatives. Visit the Village Council website here.
Scroll down to learn more about what we do and who we are.
STRATEGIC WORKING GROUPS
A pedestrian and bike-friendly pathway will safely link all Coconut Grove residents to each other, the commercial, retail sector, parks and public spaces, and other community assets.
Through the promotion and implementation of public and other alternative modes of transportation, automobile traffic in Coconut Grove will decrease by 40%.
Every Street and intersection of Coconut Grove will safely accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and uses of other alternative modes of transportation.
Every Coconut Grove resident will live within a quarter-mile walk of a publicly accessible park, green space, or designated open space.
Coconut Grove's total tree canopy will be 25% greater than 2015 levels.
A comprehensive, proactive response plan will protect Coconut Grove's parks and public spaces from the threat posed by climate change.
Coconut Grove's Village center will be economically self-sustaining—a symbiotic balance of office, retail, commercial, entertainment, and resident core services.
A Special District will coordinate policy and operations of Coconut Grove's commercial/retail district.
Coconut Grove's business sector will be recognized as statewide leader in environmental sustainability practices.
The removal or significant alteration of any structure older than 50 years will require approval from an independent historical review board.
Coconut Grove will govern its own municipal affairs.
Coconut Grove will be nationally recognized as the preeminent arts and cultural district in Miami-Dade County.
Coconut Grove will be the recognized leader among Miami-Dade communities in innovation, sustainable development, and green housing initiatives.
At least 70% of all homes and condos will be owner-occupied.
Attainable housing stock—both rental and ownership—will increase 10 percent over existing levels.
GROVE 2030 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Lucas Azar
Biscayne Bank
Chair: Commercial & Retail
Johannah Brown
Grove Watch
Erin Clancy
Ruth Ewing
Chair: Civic and Cultural Life
Javier Gonzalez
REMAX Advance Realty
Chair: Housing
Thorn Grafton
Zyscovich Architects
Joanna Lombard
University of Miami School of Architecture
Hank Sanchez-Resnik
Bike Coconut Grove
Chair: Transportation
Rachel Silverstein
Miami Waterkeeper
Chair: Parks & Public Spaces
Dave Villano
Writer/Journalist
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KBA is benchmarked to the MSCI China A Inclusion Index which is designed to track the progressive partial inclusion of A shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over time. The index is designed for global investors accessing the A shares market using the Stock Connect framework and is calculated using China A Stock Connect listings based on the offshore RMB exchange rate (CNH).
Access to the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges - which are traditionally not available to U.S. investors - via RQFII and Stock Connect Programs.
KBA's holdings represent the exact Mainland Chinese equities included within broad MSCI indexes.
With over $1.8 trillion1 benchmarked to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, full inclusion of Mainland Chinese equities could see significant flows into the securities KBA owns today.
1.) As of June 30, 2018, as reported on September 30, 2018 by eVestment, Morningstar and Bloomberg.
2.) Bosera data is from bosera.com as of 12/31/2018, retrieved on 1/14/2018.
*Pursuant to the terms of an Expense Limitation Agreement, Krane Funds Advisors, LLC ("Krane"), the Fund's investment manager, has contractually agreed to reduce its management fee to 0.58% of the Fund's average daily net assets until July 31, 2018. The Expense Limitation Agreement may only be terminated prior to July 31, 2018 by the Board.
The Hybrid KBA Index consists of the MSCI China A Index from the inception of the Fund through October 23, 2014, the MSCI China A International Index from October 23, 2014 through December 26, 2017 and the MSCI China A Inclusion Index going forward.


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Q: How do I get the child View of a ViewPager at a given item I'll keep the question as short and simple as humanly possible.
View activeView = mViewPager.getChildAt(mViewPager.getCurrentItem());

returns the child view when the current item is 0 and 1. But if the current item is 2 it returns null . Why is that?
edit: Let me rephrase myself. How do I get the child View of a ViewPager at any given item position?

A: Your view pager adapter is holding maximum of 2 pages, i.e 2 views/fragments, the rest of them are recycled. In other case, what you did not mentioned is that you might have 2 pages/views in the ViewPager.
Please look at mViewPager.setOffscreenPageLimit()

A: It turns out getChildAt(int) was not the right approach. What I did was retrieve the Adapter used in the ViewPager and found my views from there:
adapter = mViewPager.getAdapter();
Fragment fragment = adapter.getItem(mViewPager.getCurrentItem());

View activeView = fragment.getView();

As already noted the viewPager will only contain the current child and adjacent children(currentItem() +/- 1) unless otherwise specified through setOffscreenPageLimit()

A: Add tag to Viewpager return view.
Below link will help you :
https://stackoverflow.com/a/20186828/1271891

A: During my endeavors to find a way to decorate android views I think I defined alternative solution for th OP's problem that I have documented in my blog. I am linking to it as the code seems to be a little bit too much for including everything here.
The solution I propose:

*

*keeps the adapter and the view entirely separated

*one can easily query for a view with any index form the view pager and he will be returned either null if this view is currently not loaded or the corresponding view.

(This question is very simple to this one in which I have posted the same answer).

A: How many child views should the be?
Also a ViewPager doesn't have all childs loaded at the same time. Only the one it is showing and the next one. You can use mViewPager.setOffscreenPageLimit() to, for example 3 or 4, to 'preload' more items into the viewpager.


Perth designer Kate Watts' newly launched label Only One Ashley portrays a successful, elegant woman full of confidence.
But behind the 39-year-old's glamorous creations are memories of a harrowing past that have helped shaped her into who she is today.
Kate created her label in honour of her late daughter Ashley, who she fell pregnant with after being raped at the age of 14.
Ashley was born with a terminal brain condition that ultimately cut her life short at just 18.


trina Trina Turk Zap' Print Ponte A-Line Short Dress Black/White priced $86.413 is your best choice with comfortable fabric.
A statement print in the most flattering silhouette ever??the darted A-line??gives this densely knit dress its well-balanced appeal.


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PIMCO wins round in bout with rival WAMCO
Raquel Pichardo
CIOs William Gross, left, and S. Kenneth Leech manage the strategies.
The performance tables have turned for the nation's two largest bond managers.
Following the recent credit crunch and a dearth of liquidity, PIMCO's core and core-plus strategies have been getting a performance boost while the core and core-plus bond portfolios run by WAMCO have taken a hit. (Over the longer term, however, WAMCO remains ahead.)
Industry watchers said Pacific Investment Management Co., Newport Beach, Calif., anticipated the market turmoil by underweighting credit risk and avoiding subprime mortgage risk.
Western Asset Management Co., Pasadena, Calif., generally takes on more credit risk with higher allocations to high yield in its portfolios than PIMCO, consultants said.
The strategies are led by the firms' chief investment officers — PIMCO's William Gross and WAMCO's S. Kenneth Leech.
"PIMCO has not been comfortable with credit for several years now," said Keith Berlin, senior research analyst of fixed income at consulting firm Fund Evaluation Group LLC., Cincinnati. "They need to get credit for being right. They were definitely early, but they were definitely right."
Year to date through July 31, PIMCO's $223 billion Core Plus Total Return Full Authority strategy returned 1.82%, according to data provided by the PSN investment manager database of Informa Investment Solutions, White Plains, N.Y. PIMCO's $11 billion Total Return Core strategy returned 1.72% for the same period.
The core-plus strategy outperformed the Lehman Aggregate Bond index by one basis point, while the core strategy underperformed the same benchmark by nine basis points.
By comparison, WAMCO's $93 billion U.S. Core Full (or core-plus) strategy returned 0.41% year to date through July 31; the $33 billion U.S. Core strategy returned 0.73%. The core-plus and core portfolios underperformed the Lehman Aggregate by 140 basis points and 108 basis points, respectively.
Favoring short-dated bonds
"PIMCO has long believed tighter global monetary policy would lead to a cyclical economic slowdown, led by the U.S. housing sector. We have favored short-dated bonds, based on our expectation that the Fed and other central banks would begin to reverse their tightening stance as an insurance policy against a more severe slowdown," Christian Staub, product manager for the total return strategy at PIMCO, said in an e-mail response to questions.
"We have also maintained a conservative portfolio stance overall, based on our concerns that risk assets were not appropriately priced for potentially slower growth," he said.
When the markets were rocked in mid-July, PIMCO was proven right, but only after months of being wrong. "For over a year, PIMCO's view on the economy and the Fed were looking really wrong," said Paul Herbert, senior mutual fund analyst at Morningstar Inc., Chicago.
At PIMCO, the top-down view generally plays a larger role in performance, whereas with WAMCO, it's more of a credit story, said Mr. Herbert.
"With (WAMCO's) core and core-plus, their high-yield exposure was in automotive and automotive finance companies, which have not performed well in the near term," he said.
Indeed, Michael Rosen, principal and chief investment officer at consulting firm Angeles Investment Advisors LLP, Santa Monica, Calif., said Western Asset's overweight positions in mortgages, credit and high-yield and asset-backed securities canceled out what portfolio managers might have been doing right.
WAMCO officials don't seem concerned by the short-term performance issues; a spokeswoman stressed the firm's long-term performance focus. "We are pleased that the core and core-plus funds have outperformed their respective categories over most time periods and all market cycles," said Mary Athridge, spokeswoman at WAMCO parent Legg Mason Inc., Baltimore.
"Western Asset seeks to deliver value to shareholders over market cycles, and the team has extensive experience managing through difficult markets," she said.
Mr. Rosen pointed to a period in 2002 when WAMCO was hit hard by the Enron Corp. and WorldCom Inc. meltdowns. "Western had some exposure there and their performance was pretty bad for two quarters, maybe less, but they came roaring back," he said.
WAMCO ahead
Over longer periods, WAMCO's core-plus and core strategies are ahead of PIMCO's.
In the three years ended July 31, WAMCO's core-plus strategy returned an annualized 4.9%; PIMCO's returned 4.5%. In the same time period, WAMCO's core strategy returned 4.17% annualized; PIMCO's, 3.94%. The Lehman Aggregate returned 3.92%.
One client of both firms said it's too soon to tell if PIMCO will gain assets or if WAMCO will lose assets as a result of the recent performance shift. "It's difficult to say. One style tends to be more in favor than the other. That's an issue dictated by the current market environment," said the client, who requested anonymity.
"If you're really smart and you can foresee which style would be favored at a certain time," then clients may change their mandates, he said, although he acknowledged that to be an unlikely scenario.
Mr. Rosen said: "I am certain that anyone who has money with PIMCO expects this to continue,… (but) anyone who fires WAMCO at this point is making a big mistake."
Read the print edition of P&I
Targeting millennials: Author, niece put his latest book to music
How low is low? Projections say it's not low enough


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by AggieSoon	 March 12, 2018 July 16, 2018
"I love how poetry is a way to say so much in a small space, and how each poem can be its own complete universe, yet at the same time be a passageway to other universes of thought, art, and beauty."
Eileen Chong
I learned of Eileen Chong through a Mother Language Festival. LOST IN BOOKS, a local bookstore and art space in one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse areas in Sydney, was hosting the inaugural event.
An Australian poet who was born in Singapore, she published her first collection of poems in 2012. Titled Burning Rice, her poems centre on food, love, loss and her vibrant family heritage. Then came Peony (2014), Painting Red Orchids (2016) and The Uncommon Feast (2018). Another collection of poems, Rainforest, will be published by Pitt Street Poetry this May.
Eileen's work has been short-listed for several awards in the past six years, including the Australian Prime Minister's Literary Award in 2013, and Burning Rice is now a prescribed text on the New South Wales English syllabus for the Higher School Certificate. From next year, thousands of school students will be studying her work.
"I'm really pleased to have the poems studied at that level," Eileen tells me.
"When I visit schools to deliver readings and poetry workshops, I am always heartened to see that connection made with students within and outside of cultural familiarity. I hope they will see that the poem represent craft as well as emotional depth, and I hope it encourages them to read poetry for the rest of their lives."
This is the poem.
Burning Rice
I did not mean to burn the rice tonight.
'Planting rice is never fun' – generations
of men, women and children ankle-deep
in padi fields, bent double at the waist,
immersing seedlings day after day.
Finally, the harvest: sharp scythes glinting
in the afternoon sun, stalks of ripened grain tossed
into baskets strapped onto backs like babies too young
to walk. Next, the rice huller, churning husks
away from the hearts. Then the long hours polishing
each dark grain into pearly white. I'd forgotten
that brown rice needed more than double
the usual measure of water. I smelt the charring,
then saw: scorched rice like black gold,
my ancestors' ashes in a bowl.
I ask Eileen if there was an apologetic tone to her piece. I wondered if the burnt rice was symbolic of a disconnection to heritage and if there was a sense of regret embedded in the poem.
"I was literally cooking brown rice one day, the lazy way, using a microwave rice cooker my mother had sent me. I burnt the rice, and in the process, ruined the rice cooker. I was very frustrated, because I am generally a competent cook," Eileen sets me straight.
"But the image (and smell!) of the burning rice stayed with me, and made me think of ashes and of death. I don't think there is a tone of apology in the poem per se, but there is a sense of a connection with a heritage of a very different way of life that my forefathers may have had."
Eileen came from a working class family in Singapore. Her grandmother was illiterate and worked all her life, making noodles for other people. It helped raise her six children and send three of them to university. Eileen's mother had to finish her education early to help the family. But she understood its value and both her children went to university, attaining Masters degrees.
Eileen was teaching in Singapore when she fell in love with an Australian and followed her heart here to Sydney. That was ten years ago. The relationship ended, but she ended up staying. She writes on her blog that she would not have come to Australia if it hadn't been for him. Neither did she ever think she would make her home here, leaving Singapore for good. But there you go.
She gave up her Singaporean citizenship to become an Australian citizen recently. She says the process is a both a loss and a gain. I wondered about her first few years of settlement; how she felt about Australia and if she had any positive or frustrating encounters.
"As a young adult migrant whose first language is English, I don't think I had too much of a culture shock," Eileen explains.
"I was frustrated that my teaching qualifications from Singapore were not immediately transferrable to Australia, however, and so I decided to return to university to undertake my Masters degree.
"I started writing poetry in earnest around 2009, and I was asked at various times how come I could speak English so well. I wasn't immediately aware of my difference, because I think my cultural identity was very intact, coming to Australia as a Singaporean-Chinese person who has traveled a fair bit before moving to Sydney."
I look at my son who I dragged to the festival. Neither Asian nor Anglo, he is straddling two cultures. That space can be difficult to navigate as he works out who he is as he grows older. I found solace from my fractured identity in my faith. But I am also grateful to my parents who taught me Korean. It broadened my understanding of people. I could see how underneath our cultural differences we were all the same. All flawed, yet infinitely valuable.
I too want to impart the richness and beauty of my son's Asian heritage so it won't be lost to him.
For Eileen, "I hope that people who identify with my work in that way can feel like they are a little less alone in feeling hyphenated or liminal, and that there are ways to negotiate identity and belonging even as you feel different or restless in life."
I purchase her book, hoping one day my son will come to understand, as Eileen puts it, "the silences that need to be endured in order for us to understand each other." I ask her if she could sign it for him. She agrees and writes:
"You are the future of all our worlds."
In eight short words she pours out my hopes for my son. And reminds him of his responsibility to leave this world a slightly better place.
Previous This Way: Open road
Next I'd rather be at the beach


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Q: fixing matplotlib/numpy dependency hell in Anaconda I'm running Python 2.7.11 under Anaconda 2.0.0 (x86_64) on a MacBook.
Some weeks ago, as part of a process of getting OpenCV working, I downgraded numpy from wherever it was (unfortunately/stupidly I have no record) to 1.7.1.   I seem to remember this was necessary, and I do not want OpenCV to stop working, so I'm pretty sure I should now leave numpy where it is.
However, today I discovered that this has broken my matplotlib/pylab. When I do import pylab I get the following:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
RuntimeError                              Traceback (most recent call last)
RuntimeError: module compiled against API version 9 but this version of numpy is 7
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ImportError                               Traceback (most recent call last)
...
...
ImportError: numpy.core.multiarray failed to import

My question, therefore, is: how do I install (or roll back to) a version of matplotlib that's compatible with my existing numpy, without disturbing my existing numpy?
Here's where I've got so far: based on related conda questions on SO, I looked at the output of conda list --revisions matplotlib which includes:
...
2016-03-28 17:16:36  (rev 6)
     conda  {3.8.3 -> 4.0.5}
     conda-env  {2.0.1 -> 2.4.5}
     numpy  {1.8.1 -> 1.7.1}
     ...

Now I'm not sure how to interpret this but given the numpy version number looks like it's actually falling in contrast to all the other entries here, this sounds to me like a promising, "in March 2016 matplotlib realized it could fall back to an earlier version of its numpy dependency". However, when I ask for this revision:
conda install --revision=6 matplotlib

I'm told I already have it, and that its dependency is numpy 1.8:
Fetching package metadata: ....

# All requested packages already installed.
# packages in environment at /Users/jez/anaconda:
#
matplotlib                1.3.1                np18py27_1    <unknown>

So from here I'm not sure how to proceed. I've tentatively played with some variations on conda install matplotlib, but it clearly wants to mess with my numpy at the same time, so I have never pressed y.  Equally clearly, I'm out of my depth in conda, so would really appreciate your help.

A: You can specify the exact versions of any libraries you want in the conda install command. For example:
$ conda install numpy=1.7.1 matplotlib=1.3

If the versions are incompatible, the command will give you an error specifying exactly what the incompatibility is.


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Harris Proves Again That She Is As Clueless as Her Boss Joe Biden
The president and vice president are proving to be the most clueless people. Joe Biden cannot get his act together enough to even wage intelligent warfare against powers that seek to destroy things. He cannot see the harm in letting millions of illegal people into the country. And for some reason, he cannot fathom the idea that to lower gas prices, he will have to let American drillers start producing domestic oil.
But of the two clueless Democrats sitting in the White House, the vice president is the worst person ever to set foot in that office. Kamala Harris does not have the experience required to perform the duties assigned to a vice president. And Joe Biden certainly does not have what it takes to be a president.
Kamala Harris has been assigned specific jobs in the past year. And so far, she has yet to accomplish anything of value. The southern border was to be her baby as she was supposed to find a way to regulate the illegals trying to pour over the border. But all she could come up with was to fly to Central America and accuse those leaders of the mess at her border.
Harris was told to attend the Munich Security Conference, so Joe Biden did not have to go. She, then, proceeded to try and talk about the experience sound-wise but said that it made no sense at all. Her latest attempt at sounding intelligent ended up making her look foolish.
RedState quickly reported the matter and noted that Harris ended up talking gibberish about the sanctions Biden put Russia under. And at one point, she mentioned the Russian leader Vladimir Putin had already invaded Ukraine. With such an announcement, the vice president knew exactly what Putin was going to do and just slipped and gave away the news.
Harris even tried to talk about subjects she had not been prepped for. But instead of telling people that she did not know the answer, she would say things like, "It's time for us to do what we have been doing, and that time is every day."
The problem is not that Harris and Biden do not do much of anything, but it makes no sense at all. All she could do was try and speak words of a sheet that might make her sound intelligent. The reality is that she could not come up with the words fast enough and fell flat on her wicked face.
RedState reported that the "Harris' perpetual 'dog ate my homework' act has become a staple of her tenure. The vice president seems to completely lack the ability to prepare and read the room when she speaks publicly. That happened again on Monday during remarks at an event on 'accelerating cleaner transportation.' In the midst of Americans getting absolutely crushed by largely government-inflicted gas prices, Harris decided it was a good day to push rainbows and fairy dust about electric buses to connect 'all' communities with public transportation."
Kamala Harris thinks she knows what the population wants to hear. But in the end, she talks about things that people could care less about. The country wants to know what will be done to protect the Ukrainian people. They want to know what will be done to stop Russia and what can be done to lower gas prices.
Harris speaks like she is reading from a thesaurus. She looks up words that mean what she wants to say, but they make absolutely zero sense to everyone else because they are ridiculously fake-sounding.
Kamala Harris will continue to act like she knows what is going on. But when things come right down to knowing the facts, she knows that she is clueless. She is still stuck on the fact that she is a vice president. And until that honeymoon effect wears off, not much can be expected to come out of her office that is worth a nickel to the rest of the country.
Reliable.dev Admin


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The Blood is the Life
American Vampire #5
New vampire Pearl Jones and her non-vampire friend Henry bring the fight to the Euro-vamps who've taken over Hollywood and take 'em down without too much trouble. But Pearl has one last score to settle — Hattie Hargrove, her former friend who sold her out to become a movie star. But Pearl gets a rude surprise — Hattie used Pearl's blood to turn herself into a vampire! Who wins out when American-born vampire fights American-born vampire? And in our Old West story, written, as always, by Stephen King, former Pinkerton agent James Book has been turned into a vampire by Skinner Sweet, and he's trying to control his ever-growing bloodlust by sticking to eating sheep and prairie dogs. He finally convinces Abilena Camillo, daughter of his oldest friend, to kill him, but Abi's fallen in love with him, and she wants something from him first.
Verdict: Thumbs up. Excellent horror storytelling all around. Loved the reveal about Hattie, loved the hints about one of Pearl's still-unrevealed weaknesses, loved every single appearance of Skinner Sweet, loved the reluctant and still a little creepy love story between James Book and Abi. Good stories, nice endings for the first storyarcs, and I'm definitely looking forward to more.
Madame Xanadu #25
I think Matt Wagner has been watching a lot of "Mad Men" lately. This latest issue is set in '63 and focuses on a fast-talking Madison Avenue advertising salesman, pitching new ad campaigns to big companies in New York City. But he's starting to hear voices. Specifically, he's starting to hear people telling him terrible things, trying to goad him into attacking and killing them. He soon meets up with Madame Xanadu, who tells him that he's being haunted by an evil spirit that exists to make people go mad and commit murders and other atrocities. She offers a magical rattle he can use to fend off the spirit, but he balks at the idea of waving a rattle around his office. Is there any way to help him if he won't accept mystical aid?
Verdict: Thumbs up. Laurenn McCubbin's art works very well for the early '60s setting. It doesn't have the more upbeat ending that we often see in this series, but it has a realistic feel to it — in the modern, rational world, how many people would choose to be driven mad by a demon if the alternative was for their coworkers to think they were nuts for waving a rattle around the office…?
Today's Cool Links:
Markets of Britain
Ants in a scanner
You can make yourself pretty angry by reading about awful stuff in history.
August 3, 2010 · Filed under American Vampire, Madame Xanadu


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Tag Archives: Samuel Johnson
Actor Samuel Johnson – facing the ride of his life as his sister battles breast cancer
Posted on January 28, 2013 by JenniferHansen
Me with Samuel Johnson
I first met Samuel Johnson last year, after enrolling in the Howard Fine Acting Studio master class. World-renowned teacher Howard Fine was himself visiting Australia to teach this course and it seemed like an incredible opportunity to hone my rather limited acting skills. Sam was assigned as my 'scene partner' and knowing his enormous talent from watching him for years on the hit TV show 'The Secret Life of Us', I was a tad daunted at the prospect of working with him.
Luckily for me, Sam has an extremely generous spirit, and was patient and encouraging with my lack of expertise. It was an absolute delight working with him and I'll be forever grateful for his support. Getting up in front of an audience, knowing your performance is to be critiqued shortly afterwards, is terrifying and I was reassured that Sam also found the experience, not only rewarding, but nerve-wracking.
But if you think that sounds challenging, wait till you hear about Sam's next project. It is truly inspirational.
Tragically, Sam's sister Connie is dying of breast cancer. In a bid to raise awareness and ONE MILLION DOLLARS for the Garvan Institute to conduct research, Sam is going to set a new world record – riding around Australia on a unicycle. You'd think riding a bike alone would be tough enough – but on such an ungainly contraption? Sam's aim is to break the Guinness Book of Records world record for the longest distance covered on a unicycle.
Sam with his sister, Connie
The launch is going to be massive and you're all invited. It's kicking off just after midday in Federation Square in Melbourne, on Friday, February 15th. Put it in your diary now! Sam wants as many people as possible to turn up, to form a human corridor for him to ride through and cheer him on his way for the start of his epic journey.
Sam on his unicycle
It will be a stirring event, with a 40-strong drumming band from Mornington High School beating out their support as well as other entertainment. And while the drums beat louder and louder and the cheering from the crowds reaches a crescendo, Sam will ride off the stage, through the human corridor, to begin a ride that may take the entire year.
Channel Ten's The Project is also supporting Sam's ride and will be covering the launch with a feature piece that evening, as well as stories during the course of Sam's ride. Sam's thrilled to have the program's backing, knowing how important it is to raise national awareness for his mission to be a success.
There'll also be a one-hour program on Network Ten, documenting his ride when he finishes. Sam's first port of call is Melton, before heading off to Adelaide and then Darwin.
It's taken a long time for the ride to become a reality. Much planning and sponsorship sourcing has been taking place, ever since Sam and Connie came up with the idea.
Sam and Connie
'My sister, Connie, was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago,' he said. 'As often happens, this brought us all closer and we were keen to find a way to turn the negative into a positive. In facing her own mortality, my sister was forced to confront the issue of her legacy. She's determined to leave a large one. And she's desperate to prevent even just one other young mother from befalling the same fate.'
Connie has two young boys – Willoughby and Hamilton – aged five and six years old.
'Not being able to see that through is obviously a cause of great pain and sorrow for her,' said Sam. 'In a way, this event we've hatched together serves as a way to show the kids the kind of spirit she encompasses. It's not just something to keep her 'up' as she goes down… It's not just an appeal for every woman in the land to be breast aware. It's a chance for us to prove together to our families that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. No matter how bad the situation is.'
I was curious as to why Sam chose a unicycle as his form of transport. Turns out he's already taken a long trip on a unicycle – riding from Sydney to Melbourne to raise money for the children's cancer charity, Canteen, which helped Connie in her early years. Connie is not only battling breast cancer now – she survived two earlier bouts of cancer when a child. On that ride alone, Sam raised half a million dollars.
Sam in training
'Obviously, with her diagnosis being so grim, we needed a concept that gave us the best way to remind every mum in the land to be breast aware. One of the best ways we could think of to do that was to go around the country and engage directly with communities.'
For Sam, the unicycle gives him a point of difference and attracts a lot of media interest. 'I had to find something that hadn't been done before,' he said. 'Otherwise I'm just another charity gig.'
The unicycle itself poses many difficult challenges. It's much slower than a regular bike, so Sam will be in the saddle for up to EIGHT HOURS A DAY. Sam admits he prefers riding a bicycle but is willing to do it tough if it makes his mission a success. 'There's a greater margin for error with a unicycle and it requires an enormous amount of concentration and physical aptitude,' he said.
A good point, I thought. So what happens when the going gets rough – when he's faced with rocky dirt roads – and God knows, there are plenty of those circling our sunburnt country. Sam just smiled.' Well of course they'll hurt the ball-ios a bit more. And it sounds strange, but you get used to the pain.'
Ouch. Doesn't sound like fun… I'm just starting to get a sense of how physically testing this journey is actually going to be. Sam though, is well aware of what he's in for. 'It's going to be extremely painful and painfully extreme,' he said. 'But I won't be enduring half of what my sister is going through.'
Sam at Riva restaurant, St Kilda
Sam's training schedule has been arduous. He's had to achieve an almost professional level of fitness to be able to conduct the ride over the distance he's planning. 'It sounds incredibly simple, but in amongst all the madness of putting my life on hold to organise this event, I've got to constantly remind myself that fitness is paramount. I cannot condition my body enough for this task. But I've got to be sure that on Day One, I'm the fittest I can be. As well, psychologically it's going to be an amazing test.'
For this purpose, Sam gave up smoking and drinking several months ago, and says he's enjoying his fitter lifestyle. Lunching at Riva, there wasn't a ciggie in sight, nor did a drop of alcohol pass his lips.
I asked Sam if he'd miss acting while taking a year off and would he return to it when the ride was done. 'Who knows what I'll want at the end of this crazy thing?' he said. 'I imagine I'll essentially stay the same person. After all, I don't know how to do anything else, so I don't know what else I'd go back to. But I can only think of the bike ride right now.'
So is he confident he'll actually make it around Australia? Does he hold any doubts? 'Healthy doubt, yes. True doubt – no,' he said firmly. I believe him.
It's a delicate question, but I asked Sam if time is of essence – given Connie's condition. 'I'd like Connie to be there at the finish line,' he said.'The fantasy for me is that I cross the finish line in to her arms and she's crying with pride and she's still alive. As most people if professional sport will tell you, fairytales rarely happen, and I certainly don't expect her to be there at the finish line, but we can hope.'
Sam's hope stems from the fact that Connie has already defied medical predictions for her health. 'But once she goes downhill, I suspect it will happen within weeks. Should she die while I'm doing the ride, I'd fly back for her funeral then fly straight back to continue on the road an push even harder. We've talked about that. Either way, she knows I'll finish it.'
As I said, Sam's mission and attitude are truly inspirational. I know I'll be there cheering him on when he heads off from Federation Square. I'll hope you'll join me.
If you'd like to donate to support Sam, visit his website, Love Your Sister at http://loveyoursister.org
And to keep up-to-date with all the news about Sam's epic journey, check his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/loveyoursister
Posted in Opinion	| Tagged Breast Cancer, Connie, Garvan Research Insitute, Guiness Book of Records, Howard Fine, Howard Fine Acting Studio, Longest ride on a unicyle, Network Ten, Riva restaurant, Samuel Johnson, Unicyle	| 4 Replies
ACTING UP – Day Three of the Howard Fine Masterclass
Posted on November 19, 2012 by JenniferHansen
When I left the Howard Fine Masterclass Theatre in Footscray on Saturday evening, I was zinging. My feet didn't touch the ground as I walked to the car, my head was in the clouds and I got lost twice driving home.
Performing live when the stakes are towering is a massive adrenalin rush. I would grab this feeling and bottle it if I could. To take a risk, put yourself 'out there' and come away feeling you've achieved a breakthrough is a phenomenal high. Very few major life experiences come close.
That morning I had blogged about my fear and trepidation about performing and how my 15-year-old son Tom, had given me a 'talking to' about making the most of a wonderful learning experience, instead of worrying so much.
He was right.
But I think my previous blog was a little misleading on another level, in that I probably spent too much time talking about one pair of actors who copped some criticism. I know now why I focused on that. I was projecting my own fear about my own performance. That stood out for me because that was what I dreaded the most.
But I've heard a lot more in the past few days from both Howard Fine and David Coury which better explains why they use tough love. As Howard said, 'We're going to kick your ass and we're not going to let you get away with any bullshit but we'll do it with love.' As he also pointed out, 'You can't help someone without being critical.' True.
From David came, 'By my applying pressure, you know that I care.' And it was through the pressure and encouragement of both teachers that we saw changes in performances that were inspiring.
Voice Coach David Coury with actors Chris and Mark
One such moment arrived when David urged a young actor, Chris, to REALLY express the words 'I'm in love!' in a scene with his friend in Central Park at 2am. After several attempts, David got Chris to sing aloud various lines from the scene and to find the feeling in the words. Then he stopped him mid-song and said, 'NOW say it to us.' Chris instantly turned to the audience, arms spread wide, face shining and burst forth with 'I AM IN LOOOVE!' so convincingly that I'm sure there wasn't a dry eye left in the auditorium.
Another moment was a hilarious scene performed by Sarah and Cat where two bridesmaids are talking over a bottle of champagne in their hotel-room, after their best friend's wedding.
Cat and Sarah take notes from Howard Fine
Yep, their dresses are a bridesmaid's worst nightmare, but that works well with the comedy played out on stage. I thought both girls were brilliant. Then Howard chatted with them about creating from 'joy' and embracing new ways of trying things. He talked through a few crucial points in the scene and the girls gave it another run. He had given them permission to make mistakes and have fun. The end result was amazing. Even funnier and sharper than their first performance – and I'd thought their first go was good.
There's also an incredible feeling of support from the audience at the Masterclass. A lot of the crowd are fellow students with whom you form a camaraderie and connection. Each of you is processing one heck of a lot of emotional baggage – from yourself and the connections you make with your character. Many of the actors end up in tears, but not because they're distressed – because they've pushed themselves to the point where they've made a wonderful discovery that has opened up something new, deep inside.
Then, after six pairs of actors had done their thing, it was our turn. Lucky last… As I mentioned on Saturday, I've been fortunate enough to be paired with the very talented actor, Samuel Johnson. We were both nervous and I tried to remember Howard's advice. 'Creativity creates terror. You must give up control. Don't use technique over spontaneity.'
Easier said than done. As we began the scene, I took a seat at the table of an 'outdoor cafe', waiting for my estranged husband, Dennis. I picked up my cup to take a sip and my hand shook so much that coffee spilled over the side. Arghhh…. not a good start.
We were performing Scene Five from Christopher Kyle's The Monogamist. I'm a University Professor who has been with poet and academic, Dennis, for fifteen years, but only married for the last six months, during which time our relationship has hit the skids. Dennis has found me in bed with a student three days earlier. We are having coffee so that I can try and win him back. It doesn't go well… especially when Dennis admits to sleeping with a young woman two days ago.
Sam was brilliant and while I was a million miles from fabulous, I think I was passable. I didn't forget my lines and I didn't faint from terror.
Samuel Johnson and myself learning about our performance from Howard Fine
When we finished, I saw David Coury sitting in the front row, nodding his head and smiling encouragingly. Phew, that had to be a good sign? Then Howard joined us on stage, and talked through stuff about my character, Susan, and every note rang true. I had played the beginning of the scene being very anxious and sad when meeting Dennis, because of the guilt I was carrying about my infidelity. In a kind voice, Howard talked through how I needed to 'open my heart' and 'choose to care', about the situation. For instance, wouldn't I be looking as if I were happy to see Dennis? Isn't he the love of my love? Wouldn't I greet him warmly? Yep, that made sense. Most people do try to cover their discomfort and mistakes.
Then we talked about my reaction to learning of Dennis' infidelity. Howard suggested I was a little non-plussed on hearing the news. I interupted to say, 'Oh, you mean be a bit more like…' At which point he interrupted me. 'Ah, no, no, no, no! We're not telling you how to play a role – be this, be that. We're looking at the human condition – what is it about and where does that live inside of me? If you make him (Dennis) the love of your life, the thought of him with another woman takes care of itself.'
'Fighting for control is interesting. Being in control is not. Make yourself vulnerable. And then be okay. There's a Grand Canyon between being okay and trying to be okay.'
There was a lot more than that, and I am not doing justice to Howard's incredible ability to communicate and his turn of phrase, but that will have to do in summing up. And it really did make sense. None of the feedback was upsetting or directly critical. It was accurate and only served to make me want to give the scene another shot, taking on board Howard's words.
Then David Coury joined us on stage. He'd clocked that nerves had been an issue so gave both Sam and I a much-needed lesson on breathing deeply from the diaphragm.
David Coury coaching Sam and myself
Then he called on us to vocalise emotion by yelling a scene at each other. I thought I'd practically burst both lungs, but when we were done, David smiled at Sam but turned to me and asked, 'Did you think you were yeling at full volume?' 'Yes, absolutely,' I said, fully confident.
'You didn't,' he said firmly. 'What if you were calling out to a loved one or a friend who was about to be hit by a truck? Think of someone and call that out. NOW!' Without thinking, I imagined my baby (of course he's not now – he's a big strapping 15-year-old) being hit by a truck and screamed 'TOMMY!!!' with all my heart. That worked. I think people clapped. David was happy. It felt good. (I'd saved my son from a fatal accident, after all!)
We did our scene again and it was better. But there's still room for improvement. Especially from me. We've been rehearsing as much as we can and now we get one last shot today – our last day of the Howard Fine Masterclass. Wish me luck. I'll let you know how it went. But the best thing – this time I'm actually looking forward to it.
Posted in Opinion	| Tagged Christopher Kyle, David Coury, Howard Fine, Howard Fine Masterclass, Samuel Johnson, The Monogamist	| 3 Replies
Taking the Howard Fine Masterclass
I woke up this morning and did NOT jump out of bed. I lay there, slightly paralysed with apprehension. Today I am performing as an actor in front of an audience as part of the Howard Fine Masterclass.
Howard Fine teaching actors at yesterday's Masterclass
You might ask why I'd be nervous, knowing that in a past life I worked as a newsreader, presenting a prime-time bulletin 'live-to-air' for more than ten years, not to mention the years beforehand as weekend presenter and then after my time at Network Ten, reading an international cable service, AusNet News, for the ABC.
It's a very different prospect, standing before a live audience as opposed to working with your familiar studio crew and staring down the barrel of a camera. In the closed environment of a studio, there's a feeling of security and almost an intimacy that's comforting. You can't see the hundreds of thousands of people watching, so after a while, it's easy to forget they're even there. Nor do you have to worry about forgetting your lines, with the newsreader's best friend, the ever-faithful auto-cue on hand to provide the words. (apart from the occasional technical glitch…)
The acting bug hit early. I played Nancy in a primary school production of Oliver and then in Year 10, scored the lead role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd the Barber in a combined schools production. That lead to courses at St Martins Youth Theatre and then Showbiz. Ultimately a need for financial independence was greater at the time and I went on to become a journalist. I was well aware of the pitfalls of an acting career – especially for women. At the time, I think the statistic was that eighty per cent of roles in Australia were cast for men and unless you were a great beauty with enormous talent, it was highly unlikely you'd succeed.
Since leaving Ten, I decided to revisit the acting world. Sometimes you can sense there's unfinished business that needs addressing – a certain urge pulls you in a direction where you've previously feared to tread. This has led to some VERY small jobs plus a stint at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, performing in the play Chasing Pegasus, written and directed by Sally McLean. Last year I played the minor role of an arts journalist in the Foxtel series Conspiracy 365. It was only a days work, but I was acting opposite the terrifyingly talented Rob Carlton – remember the guy who played Kerry Packer in Paper Giants? Yep, that raised the bar and while I sensed his initial misgivings at working with an amateur, by the end of the day, we were getting along fine and the scene worked well.
When you sign up to the Howard Fine Masterclass, you are advised to read Fine's book Fine On Acting – A Vision of the Craft. Then a month before the Masterclass begins, you are assigned a play and a scene partner. You are expected to rehearse in the weeks before starting, to the point where you are word perfect and completely in touch with your character and environment. In discussing your character, you speak in the first person – 'I am a University Professor in Feminist LIterature.' (Yep, that's me!)
Me and Sam on Day One of the Howard Fine Masterclass
So in the weeks leading up to this Masterclass, I have had a wonderful time rehearsing our allocated scene from Christopher Kyle's The Monogamist, with my acting partner, the highly acclaimed Samuel Johnson.
I had concerns Samuel might be disappointed to be paired with a novice actor as his scene partner, but he has been nothing but positive, enthusiastic, professional and a delight to work with.
Yesterday was DAY ONE. Each acting pair is given one hour of coaching in the first two days. They begin by performing their scene which is to be no longer than five minutes. Then Howard comes up on stage and talks to the actors, asking them what THEY felt worked and what didn't and why. The actors might then have to re-enact some parts of the scene, or Howard might ask them to do an acting exercise and he provides feedback along the way. As well, (a bonus for this particular Masterclass) Voice Director of the Howard Fine School of Acting in LA, David Coury, is here to teach. All in all, a rare and amazing opportunity for actors to hone their craft.
Voice coach David Coury works with actors on Day One
Acting is a LOT tougher than it looks. If anyone wants to challenge me on this, then I invite them to get up in front of an acting Masterclass and see how they go. Here's why.
Howard began yesterday by saying he was not one of these 'mean' acting teachers that likes to break actors down to the point of a sobbing mess, purely to reach some inner enlightenment. Phew, I thought. I couldn't cope with that. As the different acting teams performed, I was struck by their talent and versatility. Howard's advice was insightful, accurate and concise. Witty as well. David Coury also impressed. (particularly his ox-blood patent leather shoes!!) It was all a little overwhelming. So much to take in… Do not 'pre-judge' how you will play the scene and say your words; remember to invest emotionally; don't bend forward to speak and watch to see your line has 'landed' with your scene partner.
Then one pair performed and their work was NOT well received. In exploring different ways of expressing their emotions (playing a couple breaking up), the male actor (I won't name him) began howling into his partner's lap on a couch. At which point, Howard called out, 'No! You remind me of someone on a medical show who's been dying for five months!' OUCH. I could see the young girl start to pale visibly. They were given some coaching and asked to repeat their performance.
Then David Coury got up shaking his head and said to the actress, 'Oh God, what's written on the page is so much better than what's coming out of your mouth.' Oh dear… Tears started falling down her cheeks. I wanted to rush up on stage and give her a hug. Her acting partner reached out to comfort her and David said, 'No, don't help her through this!' He looked at the girl. 'Use that! Do it again and be stronger.' To her credit she ploughed on, choking on her words. Not surprisingly, she didn't return after the next break. I spoke with the male actor later and he said he was fine. Being older and experienced, he said he actually enjoyed the process and really learnt from it.
While this was the harshest treatment any of the actors received on the day, it left me terrified. I have to get up on stage today. Could I cope with that? I'm trying to put that to the back of my mind and focus on the positive lessons I absorbed.
Some of the notes I made from Howard's teachings include:
'Check with the other actor that the line has landed.'
'A strong choice is an authentic connection.'
'What you are saying is NOT how you feel.'
'Don't be afraid to make mistakes – it's all a beautiful process of discovery.'
'Find for you, what you feel absolutely certain about.'
'It takes a lot of work to be free.'
And that's only a drop in the ocean, but I'm now running late for Day Two so I'll wrap up. What I learned yesterday gave me a much deeper understanding of how actors connect with each other, and with their words and emotions. It's also about breathing, the vocals, the physical, your environment and being in the moment and trying to get all these factors right at the same time. God knows I'm praying my brain absorbs half of what I heard and I'm able to put it all into action. More than anything, I'm praying I remember my lines.
But if everything falls in a heap and I make a complete fool of myself, all will not have been in vain. For THREE reasons:
(1) The experience, even just in the first day, of seeing both Howard Fine and David Coury at work. Learning from these master teachers is such an incredible privilege. I must also pay tribute to the actors who have already performed and set such a high standard.
(2) I have thoroughly enjoyed the rehearsals and everything I've learned in the process of working with Samuel Johnson. I could not have wished for a better scene partner. From the bottom of my heart, I thank him for his patience, enormous heart, endless talent, sense of humour and willingness to deal with a relative novice.
(3) And then, a surprise bonus from the experience came about last night. Whether I go on to win an Oscar or not, I think I might just have stumbled across the right career choice for our son, Tom.
Because I want to be a 'good student' and give the Masterclass one hundred per cent, I've declined all social invitations for evening events this week and during the course. It's something I'd definitely advise anyone thinking of taking the course to do as well. Prior to the course, it's essential for preparation and then during the Masterclass, the days are so intense, (from 9.30am – 6.30pm) in the evening, you need time to re-group, complete any necessary homework and extra rehearsals – after which you'll just want to collapse into bed!
So last night, with Fletch being out, I asked Tom to read through my lines with me. This he did willingly and with interest, gently pointing out any omitted or incorrect words. When we were done, I talked about being nervous about today and this is where the conversation became interesting. (keep in mind, Tom has just turned 15)
'Mum,' he said sternly, hands on hips and towering over me at a now lofty six foot tall. 'What's the worst that can happen?'
'I'll make a complete fool of myself and people will say, "Who does she think she is, this faded newsreader trying to be an actor?"'
'Do you really think so?' he said, mouth twitching with the hint of a smile. 'Do you really think that's what people want to do? People in this world are a lot nicer than we often expect them to be.' (Ah, the innocence of youth…. so sweet.)
It was then that I realised this was a pivotal moment in our mother-son relationship. For the first time, our roles had reversed and he was standing there as the comforter and adviser instead of the other way around. He continued, his voice wise and now (having recently broken) strangely deep. 'When I go to a cricket clinic,' he said. 'If I hit a crap ball, I don't think "Oh no, everyone's laughing at me!" because I know we're all there to learn. No one cares as long as you give it your best shot. Isn't a Masterclass like that?'
I guess he's right. I have to get over my paranoia and grab this learning experience with both hands and give it everything I've got. Damn it, I will! Even if I end up in tears.
At least I now know I have a counsellor to come home to. Yep, I think my son might just be a psychologist in the making. Career sorted. (Unless he's batting for Australia!)
(To find out more about classes at Melbourne's Howard Fine Acting Studio, go to http://howardfinestudio.com.au )
Posted in Opinion	| Tagged AusNet News, Chasing Pegasus, cricket, David Coury, Howard Fine Masterclass, Howard Fine School of Acting, Kerry Packer, Oliver the musical, Paper Giants, Rob Carlton, Sally McLean, Samuel Johnson, St Martins Youth Theatre, Sweeney Todd the Barber	| 2 Replies


Comprehensive study into the law and legal system, high success rates and lots of law-orientated enrichment activities.
Students who would like to learn about the workings of the English legal system. As well as study various aspects of the law including criminal, contract and tort.
On this course, you will learn about the important issues surrounding our legal system including why we have certain laws, who is involved in the legal system and how the law affects us all!
For example, do you know the difference between a solicitor and barrister? Or what power EU law has over the English system?
To help you in your studies, you will visit local courts and see the law in action. If you like reading and debating, then this course will stimulate you and demonstrate your ability to present reasoned arguments based on the English legal system.
You will be prepared for the academic training necessary to study Law at university and for employment in the legal sector.
There are two modules at AS which focus on introducing students to the legal system and the various aspects of criminal and civil law.
At A2 students will study criminal law in depth as well as undertake a study called "concepts of law" which encourages students to challenge and evaluate the legal system.
5 GCSEs at grade C or above, including English at grade B or above and Maths at grade C or above.
At least one GCSE at grade C or above must be in a Humanities subject.
Some costs may be involved in the proposed visits and trips during this course. Students will visit Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Old Bailey in London as well as local visits to the law courts.
University degree or careers in law or the Civil Service.


Rolling fields of blonde wheat twist past winding vineyards that cascade into a patchwork of yellow sunflowers, ruby poppies and green hills.
This is Tuscany, and, as I discovered first hand on my visit last year, it's home to some of the finest Italian landscapes – well, actually some of the finest landscapes worldwide for that matter. Standing under the bright Tuscan sun, I fully understood why this land serves as the backdrop for many a Hollywood fantasy.
While I love getting lost in the beauty of such stunning natural scenery, I'm also a huge history buff. For me, the makings of a truly great travel destination include both access to nature and history. Tuscany offers both.
Beyond the countryside, Tuscany has three cities that each played a major role in medieval times and the Renaissance – Florence, Pisa and Siena.
While Pisa may lean in the shadow of Florence's name, I was delighted to discover during my visit that there is no shortage of history on hand in Pisa!
The origins of Pisa are unknown. During the Roman Empire it grew to prominence as a commercial center and port city. It remained an important merchant city in the medieval ages, but began a decline in importance in 1284 after losing a battle, and therefore trade rights, to Genoa, an Italian city in the North. The city suffered great destruction during World War II, however in more recent years much work has been done to restore the city's most historical sites.
Pisa is of course most famous for its Leaning Tower of Pisa, or torre pendente di Pisa in Italian. Constructed beginning in 1173, upon its completion some 200 years later, the tower was the highest bell tower in Europe and considered a miracle of medieval engineering. The tower consists of 207 columns and is eight stories high. Today the tower tilts at an angle of 4 degrees because the ground it was built upon is soft and not strong enough to support the weight of the tower.
The tower is just one of the historical monuments found in the Piazza del Duomo. Known as Miracle's Square, the plaza is home to the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, a baptistery and cemetery.
These works of architecture back to the 11th through 14th centuries and had a profound influence on medieval architecture. The plaza is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Beyond Piazza del Duomo, the Arno River cuts through Pisa. The Arno Promenade, marked by red and yellow homes, runs along the river. A Walk along the promenade leads past such prominent medieval buildings as the Medici Palaca, Toscanelli Palace and the church of San Matteo.
For shopping in the center of history, Via Francesco Crispi is a great that leads past a plethora of shops, both new and old. While exploring this street stopping in at Federico Salza is a must. This bakery, dating back to 1898, and has some of Pisa's most delicious offerings.
With medieval architecture, the world's most famous tower and historical treats, Pisa is a must-visit destination for history-lovers, all while being in the center of Tuscany, one of Italy's most beautiful regions.
Nice! Pisa is so much more than the tower. Glad you enjoyed it.
It is very true- Pisa is much more than the tower. Thanks for stopping by!
This is the place not only for the archeologists but also for the families most because there is a charm and peace in all such monuments that you feel in side if these and remind us the time when they did not have the latest technology and the methods to build such huge buildings. I visited the most renowned place on the earth and thanks to http://www.tripindicator.com/view/attractions/pisa.html that they helped me in discovering the beauty and the self esteem that is hidden in every ones heart.