"George Washington was a Mason, along with 13 other presidents and numerous Supreme Court Justices. Benjamin Franklin published a book about Freemasonry on his own printing press. Nine signers of the Declaration of Independence were Freemasons, including the man with the biggest signature: Jon Hancock."
Few understand the degree to which secret societies like the Masons (a.k.a. Freemasons society) wield power and control behind the scenes in our world. 14 out of the 44 U.S. presidents were Masons. That's nearly one out of three presidents. Yet most people know very little about this secretive organization. Key major media articles have given a glimpse of the inordinate power of top secret societies, yet the media in general seem reluctant to investigate deeply and to inform us what's happening behind closed doors with the Freemasons and other powerful secret societies.
In Europe of the middle ages and beyond, the Catholic Church ruled with an iron fist. Galileo was placed under house arrest till the day he died for claiming the Earth revolved around the sun. In those oppressive times, secret societies served a vital function, as they were one of the very few ways to preserve and foster knowledge suppressed by the church.
Yet whenever there is secrecy, the potential for corruption and manipulation increases dramatically. In this modern era of the Internet and easy access to knowledge, does the secrecy of the Masons and other secret societies play a useful role in our world? Is there a good purpose today for the most rich and powerful people in the world to meet behind closed doors without any public scrutiny?
The engaging MSNBC article below discusses key, little-known facts about the Masons and Freemasonry based on Dan Brown's blockbuster The Lost Symbol. Brown's novel paints the Masons in a very positive light, yet it also reveals their immense power. Why is it that so few people know about the Masonic origins of the U.S. and the incredible number of members of the global elite who belong to the Freemasons society and other secretive groups even now.
Key statements are highlighted in bold for those who prefer to skim. And as I have extensively researched secret societies for years, I've added my own comments in italics at various places in this article to present another viewpoint based on reliable, verifiable information I have obtained. Take the time educate yourself on these important groups and help to educate others, so that we can shine light into these shadows. Please help to spread the word on this powerful, yet little-known aspect of our world.
Imagine the scene: a mysterious temple, its entrance guarded by massive stone columns and sphinxes. Inside, strange symbols, ancient inscriptions, and mystical numbers lead to a room shaped like a pyramid, with an eye that points toward the heavens, and in the center of the floor, a massive altar.
Some of the most powerful men in the country gather here to enact an ancient, secret ritual, drinking wine meant to represent blood from a human skull, and all of it happening just a mile from the U.S. Capitol.
It sounds like a work of fiction, and it does come from one – the opening scene of Dan Brown's best-selling novel, "The Lost Symbol." But Brown makes a remarkable claim: that the ritual is real, part of the history of the secretive brotherhood called the Freemasons.
Skull and Bones, the infamous Yale secret society, uses similar secret symbols operating out of a foreboding building called the "Tomb." George W. Bush, his father, his grandfather, and John Kerry are just a few of their prominent members. For a short CNN video clip showing the "Tomb," a peek at their rituals, and more, click here.
Matt Lauer: And when they found out that Dan Brown was going to be dealing with Freemasonry in this book, what was their reaction?
Dan Brown: Well, I think they were nervous that I might focus on what some would call the macabre sides of Freemasonry.
Perhaps with good reason. Brown has a history of prying open doors, revealing dark secrets – or at least seeming to. The central premise of his 2003 novel, "The Da Vinci Code," was an earth-shaking secret that Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and had children whose descendants live among us. The book infuriated some Christians. It also sold 80 million copies worldwide, became a blockbuster film, and made Dan Brown a household name.
Now, "The Lost Symbol" brings the same kind of high-profile scrutiny to the Freemasons, the Founding Fathers, and our nation's Capitol. "The Da Vinci Code" comes to Washington. Will it have the same impact?
Dan Brown: There's some very potent philosophical material and absolutely astonishing science that on some level I'm hoping will spark just as much debate.
Dan Brown: America wasn't founded a Christian country. It became a Christian country.
Dan Brown: The human mind really does have the ability to affect matter.
"The Lost Symbol" raises provocative questions about the beliefs of the man on the dollar bill, about the power of the human mind, about whether people can become gods.
Government intelligence services have been exploring the powers of the mind and psychic abilities for many decades. They have quietly achieved a remarkable degree of success. Yet they have often spread disinformation to debunk the very things which they have achieved to keep them secret. For lots more on this, click here and here.
Dan Brown: It doesn't matter to me if someone agrees or disagrees with what I say. But I'd like them to at least think about it.
The book is a thriller, a headlong chase through some of Washington's most famous landmarks, and also through puzzles, secret codes, and dark corners of history, starting with the secretive group at the center of "The Lost Symbol": the Freemasons, a worldwide brotherhood that's centuries old, and still active.
George Washington was a Mason, along with 13 other presidents and numerous Supreme Court Justices. Benjamin Franklin published a book about Freemasonry on his own printing press. Nine signers of the Declaration of Independence were Freemasons, including the man with the biggest signature: John Hancock.
The secrecy of the Masons is what allowed prominent disgruntled colonists to gather, to conspire against British tyranny, and eventually to establish the new and independent country of the United States. Yet few history books touch on this important piece of American history. At the time of independence in 1776, Masons were highly respected. Yet as they became more powerful after the revolution, they also became more corrupt. By the late 1820s an anti-masonic movement swept the nation and decimated Masonic membership, though interest returned by the 1850s. For more, click here, and here.
Grim Reaper (enacting Masonic ritual): If curiosity spurred you towards us, go away. Do not proceed. If you are capable of deception, tremble. Because you will be found out.
M... A... S... O... N.
Don't miss this intriguing video. Could it be just a coincidence?
Matt Lauer: Freemasons have been accused of being involved in some rather strange conspiracies. A lot of that the result of the fact that you had powerful men, in this case, meeting behind closed doors and not discussing what they were doing.
Dan Brown: Of course. I mean, any time you have powerful people who aren't telling you what they're doing – you're going to assume the worst.
In times of great oppression like that of medieval Europe and the pre-revolutionary American colonies, secrecy was a vital means of sharing banned information and planning to bring positive change to the world. Yet particularly in more peaceful times, that same secrecy can and has been used to forward agendas which support the privileged few. Very few people know about the Bilderberg Group, Davos, and other secretive gatherings of the global elite. Why is there so little media coverage of these powerful conclaves when their influential members are daily fodder for the tabloids?
In Brown's book, the Freemasons are infiltrated by a man who believes they hold a great secret to mystical power. He's a larger than life villain named "Mal'akh" whose entire body is covered with tattoos of occult symbols.
Dan Brown: And there is an animal quality about him. He has feather tattoos on his legs. He's got giant double-headed phoenix on his chest.
Matt Lauer: He saves one square inch of his flesh for something that he is coveting. What is that?
Dan Brown: That is the lost word. The last piece of the puzzle. This word that at least in his twisted mind will be the – the coup d'etat. The cherry on top of the sundae that will be his transformation. That will give him power.
Mal'akh thinks the Masons' secret word will make him an all-powerful agent of evil, and he thinks that he can bring down the government with proof that some of its highest ranking officials are Freemasons. The man who must prevent all that from happening is, of course, Harvard professor Robert Langdon, the hero of "The Da Vinci Code," played by Tom Hanks in the movies. Langdon must find the lost symbol before Mal'akh does in order to save an old friend – and possibly the world – from Mal'akh's evil scheme. We'll hear from Dan Brown about the mysteries of freemasonry, and from the Freemasons themselves about the secrets they've kept for centuries.
We'll take a tour of Washington, D.C. unlike any you've taken before, uncovering secret places with Dan Brown as our guide. And we'll go to the fringes of science and the depths of prehistory in search of what Brown calls the true meaning of his latest book – and why, he says, it actually changed his beliefs.
Dan Brown: I spent a lot of time researching and really had to get to the point where I realized, "You know what? The world's a stranger place then we thought."
Brown does his research well in both "The Da Vinci Code" and "The Lost Symbol." In both books, I checked many of the facts he stated, especially the most surprising and controversial claims. Invariably, I was able to find reliable sources supporting his claims.
"The Lost Symbol" starts with a gruesome discovery. Dan Brown's hero, Robert Langdon, is lured to Washington, D.C. to the U.S. Capitol, where, at the center of the rotunda, he finds a severed hand, tattooed to resemble an ancient mystical symbol: the hand of the mysteries.
It beckons him on a dangerous journey. The hand belongs to an old friend of Langdon's who's been kidnapped by the villain, Mal'akh: a man named Peter Solomon. Solomon runs the Smithsonian Institution. But he's also a thirty-third degree Freemason of the Scottish rite. This is the headquarters of the Scottish Rite Freemasons in Washington, D.C. They call it the house of the temple, and it's where we talked with Dan Brown, who wove the secrets of the Masons into the taut rope of his story.
Matt Lauer: One character is being elevated to the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite. It's a rather intense ritual. He drinks wine, which is to represent blood out of a skull. How much of that is fact and how much of that is fiction?
Dan Brown: Well, this is a real ceremony. The ceremony is described accurately. The fiction comes in as to whether or not it still happens at this moment in history in this room.
Brown's villain, Mal'akh, is the man drinking the wine. He's journeyed deep into Freemasonry to find out its secrets – and so will we. Mal'akh is fiction, but how much of the ritual is real?
Arturo de Hoyos: Dan Brown's book is very exciting. And like any good work of fiction, it has to involve both truth and error to make it believable.
Arturo de Hoyos is the grand archivist and grand historian of the supreme council of the Scottish rite and himself a 33rd-degree Mason.
Arturo de Hoyos: One of the things that's wrong is on the very first page. We don't perform the 33rd Degree in this building. We don't confer it at night. The candidates to the members are dressed wrong. And the ceremony's wrong.
Maybe they don't do the ceremony in this building, but there's evidence Freemasons have done it. Brown can quote multiple historical sources. What is the truth? To find out, we have to delve into the distant past.
Mitch Horowitz: Masonry in many respects is a historic mystery.
Mitch Horowitz is the author of the new book, "Occult America." He's a scholar of esoteric religions and secret societies.
Mitch Horowitz: Masons themselves cannot agree on the nature of their own origins and background. Masonry may be the only modern organization for which that's true.
Arturo de Hoyos: Freemasonry developed primarily in medieval Scotland and England with the Stonemasons' guilds and societies.
In other words, the first Masons were literally that: stonecutters, the men who built the great cathedrals of Europe, and who wanted to guard their trade secrets.
Arturo de Hoyos: So they developed a system of secret signs and secret passwords.
De Hoyos says the tradesmen started another system associated with Freemasonry – the so-called "three degrees:" apprentice, fellow of the craft, and master mason, still used in Freemasonry today. So is the symbol of a square and compass, mason's tools with the letter "g", signifying both "geometry" and "God." At meetings masons wear elaborately decorated aprons, symbolic representations of the ones worn by working stonemasons. But some say there's much more to Freemasonry: a deeper, older, more mystical side.
Mitch Horowitz: Freemasonry has been a vessel, a channel, for some very ancient ideas.
In fact, some masons say the group originated in the holy land, in biblical times, with the builders of Solomon's temple. Many Masonic symbols are even older than that.
Mitch Horowitz: The all seeing eye, the pyramid, the obelisk. It drew very deeply upon the symbols of pre-Christian religion because it believed that it was part of a chain of a spiritual search for truth that was older than any modern or contemporary religion.
The Masons are often linked to other secret societies claiming ancient heritage like the Knights Templar and the Rosicrucians. The Knights Templar, reputed to be some of the fiercest warriors of the time, were officially endorsed by the Catholic Church in the early 12th century. Yet they became so powerful (and among the world's first bankers) that by the early 14th century the church was largely successful in destroying the order. Some believe the superstition around Friday the 13th came from a secret edict issued by the King of France on Friday the 13th of October in 1307 to arrest all members of the order.
In the novel, Mal'akh believes the masons know mystical secrets that will make him an all powerful demon. He infiltrates the group, kidnaps its leader, and uses blackmail to try to get what he wants. That's fiction. But in fact, their freethinking about religion once caused the Vatican to denounce the masons as Satanic. And in the 1800's Masons in upstate New York were accused of murdering a man named William Morgan, who threatened to expose their secret rituals.
Today the web is full of anti-Masonic material.
Arturo de Hoyos: I frequently run into people who have heard of a couple of things about Freemasonry and no more. We killed William Morgan and we worship the devil, and that's about all they've heard of us.
Arturo de Hoyos: The father of our country was a Freemason. There's no question of this.
And historians agree that some principles of Freemasonry became cherished principles of the United States.
Arturo de Hoyos: Freemasonry was one of the earliest societies to advocate self-rule. We elected our own leaders. We had a secret ballot. We had a separation of powers. We were governed by a constitution. All these elements were very familiar to the founding fathers.
But remember Freemasons also had some radical ideas about religion. And as Dan Brown's hero, Robert Langdon, races Mal'akh through Washington, D.C. to find the secrets of Freemasonry, he reveals little-known facts about the founding fathers that might shock some readers.
Dan Brown: There was a statue that sat in the Capitol. It was George Washington as a god.
Hidden away on the lower level of the Masonic house of the temple, in Washington, D.C., there's a remarkable painting not many people have seen. George Washington, the first president of the United States, wears the decorated apron of Freemasonry. Nearby are the square and the compass, traditional symbols of Freemasonry. The painting is described in Dan Brown's best-selling novel "The Lost Symbol."
Dan Brown: It's a cornerstone laying ritual. And essentially, a date is chosen – that is auspicious from an astrological standpoint. And there will be certain blessings that are given when this cornerstone is laid. And the idea is that whatever is to take place in that building will have a solid and auspicious beginning.
And what building is George Washington, Freemason, laying the cornerstone for? The United States Capitol.
Matt Lauer: And it's not just the Capitol. Those ceremonies, those rituals were used in the building of the Washington Monument and the White House.
Dan Brown: They were. As well as many, many other buildings.
Masonic symbolism is rife in the great monuments and buildings of Washington, DC. Yet not only is this kept hidden from the public, many history books even fail to mention anything about the powerful influence of the Masons throughout the early years of the republic. Brown does a very good job of exposing all of this in his book. For a revealing History Channel documentary which give rare excellent coverage of this, click here.
The lore of Freemasonry marks Washington in other hidden ways as well. Consider, for example, the number 33, cherished by the Masons.
Dan Brown: Thirty-three is a very important number – in ancient mysticism. There's a reason that Jesus Christ was said to be 33. There is a reason that there are 33 vertebrae in our spine and that much of Freemasonry has to do with the concept of the body as a temple.
Thirty-three repeats throughout the Masonic house of the temple.
Matt Lauer: There are 33 columns or pillars, each one 33 feet tall.
And the same number is built into one of D.C.'s most famous sights.
Dan Brown: --when you're dealing with the number 33.
Matt Lauer: --weighs exactly 300 – 3,300 pounds?
Dan Brown: Yeah. 3,300 pounds.
That's right. The capstone matches that mystical number. Brown says the Freemasons influenced the founding of America in profound ways, and what he has to say may change what you think about how this country came to be.
Dan Brown: If you have a group of men who are Masons and simultaneously founding fathers and part of their Masonic ideal is that all men are equal, of course that will be an underlying theme in the founding of a country. Another important aspect of Freemasonry is this idea of freedom of religion. We talked about these books on the altar.
Matt Lauer: It's inclusive. It's not exclusive?
Dan Brown: Exactly. That couldn't have said it better.
Here Brown reveals his pro-Masonic bias. The Masons are far from inclusive. Like the vast majority of secret societies, the Masons do no accept women. And though a few African-Americans were granted membership at the time of the revolution, widespread racism and segregation made it nearly impossible for them to join many mainstream lodges. As recently as 2009, the admission of an African-American to a Masonic lodge in Georgia generated much controversy as reveal in this New York Times article.
Freemasons assumed members believed in a supreme being. But that's as far as it went. Masons could worship Yahweh, Jesus, Allah – or another god of their own choosing. Religious freedom was built into freemasonry. And, many scholars say the Freemasons built it into the U.S. Constitution. One-third of the signers were known to be Freemasons.
Brown says his research led him to a conclusion that might shock some people.
Dan Brown: America wasn't founded a Christian country. It became a Christian country. Important thing to remember with the masons and the founding fathers is that many of the founding fathers were deists.
Deists believe that a supreme being created the universe but that being is impersonal. It won't answer your prayers or even hear them.
Dan Brown: The concepts behind deism, where man is powerful and man is responsible are the underlying, core beliefs of Freemasonry.
Matt Lauer: So, when you talk about the founding fathers, who believed in deism as opposed to theism?
Dan Brown: Almost all of them.
Matt Lauer: Give me names.
Dan Brown: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams.
Matt Lauer: There are a lot of people who say there is no proof, for example, that Thomas Jefferson was a Freemason.
Dan Brown: That is true.
Dan Brown: But certainly a deist. Thomas Jefferson went so far as to take the Holy Bible and remove all of the – all of the references to anything miraculous – to the resurrection, to the virgin birth. Jefferson himself said that the idea of the virgin birth, Christ springing from a virgin would one day seem as much like myth as the idea of Minerva springing from the head of Jupiter.
The Founding Fathers, Brown says, didn't just read The Bible. They also read Roman and Egyptian mythology. And they read the stars.
It's important to distinguish between the Masons involved in founding the US and those who came later. The founding fathers were not traditional Christians, but rather deists, as even many history texts acknowledge. They were highly focused on morals and values. Yet as the Masons power grew in the decades after independence, morals took a back seat as power and corruption moved to the fore. Considering that literally 1/3 of U.S. presidents were Masons, shouldn't this be getting more attention? And then find out how many were members of Skull and Bones, the CFR, and other secretive groups.
Matt Lauer: This reliance on astrology, what does it tell you? What does it suggest about our founding fathers?
Dan Brown: I think that they had a respect for what they did not understand, a respect for the heavens. The foundations of astrology really have a deep, mystical and spiritual underpinning that that the Masons were very in tune with.
Matt Lauer: it would be hard to imagine Barack Obama, taking a trip or or doing the groundbreaking on a major monument or something and using astrology as a basis for the time and the place, he'd be ridiculed.
Dan Brown: And rightly so, I believe.
Matt Lauer: But why was it okay then and is it not okay now?
Dan Brown: Well, for the same reason it was okay to believe that – if you threw a virgin into the ocean, a storm wouldn't hit you.
Dan Brown: So that's not okay, either? (laughter) You know, science progresses.
In "The Lost Symbol," Mal'akh thinks that by learning the secrets of the Freemasons, he can become something like a god. You might be surprised to learn the founders had a similar idea.
Matt Lauer: Tell me about it.
Dan Brown: Well it's a painting that I was shocked to find was there. I said, "There is a painting called the Apotheosis of Washington," apotheosis meaning, "The god-making of Washington."
Matt Lauer: George Washington becoming a god.
Dan Brown: It seemed almost irreverential. It was like, "How can a man become a god?" And you start looking at this painting and you realize just how strange it is. But it really, to my eye, and to other historians' eye, catches this concept of the power of man.
The Apotheosis of Washington is actually the huge fresco painted on the inside of the main dome of the U.S. Capitol Building. You can view it at this link. The tendency to make the first president into a god shows how easily people can get twisted by power.
Matt Lauer: Again, can you imagine anyone putting forth that notion of politicians as gods?
Matt Lauer: Here we are in the 21st century – you'd be run out of town.
Dan Brown: You'd be run out of town. There was a statue of George Washington that sat in the Capitol. He was unclothed – he had a model of a statue of Zeus. It was George Washington as a god.
Dan Brown: And that did get run out of the Capitol building.
When they thought of becoming godlike, the founders were probably thinking about perfecting their minds through science and learning. In Brown's novel, however, the villain Mal'akh believes something much more profound and potentially sinister: that the Freemasons, from ancient times, through the time of George Washington to the present day, guarded secrets that could transform matter, transform a person, unleash incredible psychic and spiritual power. Most modern-day Masons say the brotherhood is not nearly so mysterious.
Arturo de Hoyos: There is no deep, dark, intimate and ultimate secret of Freemasonry which will transform the world in the way that "The Lost Symbol" portrays. It would be exciting if it were true, but such is not the case.
That's what most Freemasons say, but not all.
Cliff Porter: Sometimes it is said we have no secrets. Nothing could be further from the truth.
We'll learn some of their secrets next.
In Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol," the hero Robert Langdon races through Washington, D.C., trying to unravel a secret Masonic message. He's forced to do it, by Mal'akh. He threatens to kill a man who's both a dear friend of Langdon's, and a thirty-third degree Freemason. Mal'akh also uses blackmail with evidence that some of Washington's most powerful men engage in Masonic rituals so bizarre, revealing them would bring down the government. Could the rituals of freemasonry be that shocking?
Cliff Porter: Masonry is a transformative art. It can be extraordinary in a man's life. It's speculative and alchemical and all those things.
Cliff Porter is senior warden of "enlightenment lodge 198" in Colorado. Brothers here say they are seeking eternal truths, learning ancient mysteries.
Cliff Porter: What I take offense to is the fact that sometimes it is said we have no secrets, or that what can be known about us can be Googled. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Somewhat reluctantly, they opened a few of their doors to our cameras. They practice alchemy here, the ancient art that sought to turn lead into gold. You might think of alchemy as pseudo-science. But it's also been used through the centuries as a metaphor of personal transformation.
Tim: This process of removing impurities to elevate it something greater, and more special, and more potent is very much what we also do within Freemasonry. Take good men, and make them grow into something more special.
Initiates go through a ritual that's meant to be intense and startling. First, the subject's vision is taken away with a "hoodwink" placed over his head. Then a master Mason – dressed as the grim reaper – issues a warning.
"If you persevere you will be purified, you will overcome darkness, you will be enlightened. But if your soul is fearful, do not proceed."
The disturbing part of this that gets little mention is that initiates swear to never reveal any of the secrets of the Masons on penalty of death. The ABC News article at this link states "the penalty for revealing Freemason secrets is supposed to be gory death." Early anti-Masonic fervor was initially sparked by the presumed murder of William Morgan when he was about to publish a book revealing Masonic secrets.
Shawn Beyer, Freemason: If you're not comfortable with what's going on, if you're nervous, if you think maybe you have approached the craft for the wrong reasons, you're given a chance to say I'm no longer okay with this.
Shawn Beyer joined the Freemasons recently and went through the initiation. Those who elect to continue are led into a place the masons would not let us show you ... a "chamber of reflection."
Shawn Beyer: You go into the chamber of reflection, and you remove the hoodwink. And you're presented with what is a very interesting image. And Dan Brown described it pretty well in his book.
As Brown describes it, the chamber includes a human skull and bones, elements used in alchemy, and a pen and paper where the initiate can write a last will and testament.
Shawn Beyer: The symbols are meant to help you think about the fact that your life isn't gonna go on forever. And frankly, it causes a very profound experience.
In one of the most striking scenes in "The Lost Symbol," Robert Langdon discovers a Masonic chamber of reflection at the center of American power.
Matt Lauer: You described it as being located in the bowels of the Capitol. Did it exist?
Dan Brown: No, these – chambers of reflection can exist anywhere.
Dan Brown: Many Masonic lodges have them. There are Masons who have them in their homes.
This kind of macabre symbolism has driven conspiracy theorists through the centuries to think the Freemasons practice some kind of black magic. Brown says Masonic rituals are no stranger than some other, more familiar ones.
Dan Brown: If a Catholic church, for example, pulled the shades and you heard through the grapevine that people were kneeling under a crucifix, an instrument of torture and consuming blood and flesh, ritualistically – you might say, "What a terrible organization."
Yes, the major difference here being that the Masons and other secret societies shroud their rituals in secrecy, while the Catholic church does them in the open.
The Masons in Colorado say they embrace their symbolism and mysticism. But in many lodges across the country, the scene is a little different.
Mitch Horowitz: I often tell people that if you like bake sales join Freemasonry because that's what you're going to be doing.
Mitch Horowitz, author of the book "Occult America," says most Freemasons are far from mystical.
Mitch Horowitz: They run a wonderful network of free children's hospitals around the nation. They raise money for charity locally and nationally. They do continue to use occult and esoteric symbols. But to a very great extent these things are museum pieces in Freemasonry today.
You've probably seen the Shriners – an offshoot of the Masons – riding go-karts and raising money for charity. Freemasons even had the honor of being satirized on "The Simpsons."
Grand Master to Homer: Welcome to the club number 9-0-8. Now let's all get drunk and play ping-pong!
The Masons have also lost some clout since George Washington's day. The last master Mason to serve as president was Gerald Ford. But Brown says whether they know it or not, the Freemasons' secret rituals still connect them to a rich, powerful, mystical tradition.
Dan Brown: I intended this book as a reverential look at their philosophy.
Matt Lauer: And isn't there possibly another side of the coin here, in this day, where it's become a little more humdrum with the bake sales and the charitable drives, you've created a little more mystery. You've given some of their mystery back to them. And they might like that.
Dan Brown: I hope so. As with any organization, there are some who understand the core and some who are on the periphery. I'm hoping it starts to pull people in the direction of the ancient mysteries.
The ancient mysteries. They're the key to the plot of The Lost Symbol. But are they the key to much more?
Dan Brown: All of these texts from all of these different authors tend in a same direction. This idea of the power of the human mind and the ability of thought to actually transform the world in which we live.
The villain of the lost symbol, Mal'akh, is a giant who has covered himself with tattoos he thinks will give him mystical powers: a double-headed phoenix, the pillars from the temple of Solomon, a snake consuming itself.
You might think the symbols came from from Mal'akh's twisted mind. They came instead from a mysterious book called "The Secret Teachings Of All Ages," a favorite of Mal'akh's creator, Dan Brown.
Dan Brown: And that really is a core book for a lot of what I research and a lot of what I believe.
Obadiah Harris: The ancient mysteries are about the divination of man, how it is that you can become more fully human and achieve a level of consciousness beyond the reasoning mind.
Mal'akh believes the Freemasons have guarded the ancient mysteries for centuries. He forces Robert Langdon to race through Washington, trying to decode messages the masons engraved on a stone pyramid, messages Mal'akh is convinced will lead him to the lost symbol of the ancient mysteries – and to unspeakable power.
Matt Lauer: And you draw a pretty straight line from the ancient mysteries to the Freemasons and to another subject that we haven't quite discussed yet. Is it an imaginary line or is it a real line?
Dan Brown: No, it's absolutely a real line. The ancient mysteries deal in the concept of the power of the human mind. The Masons celebrate mankind and the power of the human mind. In fact in the second degree ritual there's actually a line where they say, "Here you will learn the mysteries of human science."
There's a form of "human science" that Mal'akh wants to hijack for his own ends. It sounds like fiction... But it's not.
Dan Brown: Noetic science really is the reason this book took me so long to write. I've said before I'm a skeptic. And I hear about these experiments that are being done that categorically and scientifically prove that the human mind has power over matter.
Matt Lauer: The physical world?
Dan Brown: Power over the physical world.
The term "Noetic" derives from the Greek word for "mind." Noetic scientists study whether age old ideas like faith healing – ESP, mind over matter – actually have a scientific basis. In Dan Brown's novel, there's a secret lab at the Smithsonian doing cutting-edge research to prove the human mind has such power. Mal'akh breaks in, murders one scientist and tries to kidnap another. The secret lab is fiction. But there's a real one similar to it in Petaluma, California's Institute Of Noetic Sciences. Its director is Marilyn Schlitz.
Marilyn Schlitz: I would say Noetic is equivalent to intuition, that sense of feeling that isn't rational. "I just had a gut feeling about something." The science part of it is really bringing that lens of discernment, of rigor, of critical thinking to what is a non-rational process.
Schlitz showed us an experiment in which one subject, using her thoughts alone, tries to alter the vital signs of a second subject in a sealed room. Another experiment seeks to determine if people, again, through thought alone, can affect the formation of ice crystals. A third experiment involves machines called random event generators – which Noetics researchers have placed on almost every continent.
Marilyn Schlitz: They are essentially electronic coin flippers. So if you imagine flipping a coin 100 times, you would expect, based on a normal probability distribution, that you'd get an equal number of heads and tails.
In some experiments, she says, human thought alone has affected these machines, changing the ratio of heads to tails.
The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) is a cutting-edge research institute exploring the intersection between science and consciousness. Founded by astronaut Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon in the Apollo moon landings, this group is helping people around the world to develop more fluidity in their intelligence. For more on this, click here.
Matt Lauer: And it's the power of the human mind? The power of group thought? The power of group focus?
Matt Lauer: But how can you this be so central to the book if we don't know? I mean that's a very difficult concept to get your arms around.
Matt Lauer: And there are some, let's be honest, who think it's a hoax.
You don't have to look far to find them. Ray Hyman, a former professor of psychology at the University Of Oregon, has made a mission of exposing what he considers scientific fraud – and Noetic science is on his hit list.
Ray Hyman: Noetic science is not the science that we know of as physics and chemistry and even psychology. There's very little science there, as far as I'm concerned.
Nevertheless, the Institute of Noetic Sciences has received a grant from the federal government to study "distance healing" – what you might call prayer.
Dan Brown: I spent a lot of time researching Noetic science and really had to get to the point where I realized, "You know what? The world's a stranger place then we thought." And the human mind really does have the ability to affect matter.
A secret U.S. government program was designed to develop the ability to directly perceive at a remote distance. Called remote viewing, the government initially denied the existence of this program, calling those who talked about it conspiracy theorists. Yet in 1995, declassified documents were released revealing that the government had indeed spent many millions on this top secret program. To learn more, click here.
He says his new belief led to an old fear.
Dan Brown: Every single scientific breakthrough in human development, whether it was fire or nuclear power, has been turned into a weapon. My fear is that we start to learn how to use our minds and that our innate dark sides will use it for evil.
Which, of course, is exactly Mal'akh's goal, one he's willing to kidnap, torture, and kill for.
Matt Lauer: And what you've set up in the book is the people who think about, "Boy, we can change the world in a positive way." Your villain in this book, Mal'akh, says, "Wait a minute. I don't want that renaissance."
Matt Lauer: I want this to be a source of evil.
Dan Brown: Mal'akh is the reminder that with knowledge comes responsibility.
It may sound heavy for a beach read. But Brown doesn't seem worried.
Dan Brown: I think my books contain a lot of meat but it tastes like dessert somehow.
He manages that by folding the big ideas into a book-length, high-speed chase, all the while revealing the secrets of a city that seems familiar.
What other secrets does Washington hold? Brown himself will show us next.
"The Lost Symbol" takes you on a high-speed journey to uncover secrets in Washington, D.C. Dan Brown helped us retrace the steps of his fictional hero, Robert Langdon.
Dan Brown: One thing I love to do is to get people to see things through a slightly different lens.
Brown showed us the nation's capital through his eyes – and it does look different.
Dan Brown: This city has all the intrigue of Rome or Paris when it comes to architecture.
The Capitol Rotunda – where the fictional Langdon makes a gruesome discovery has a real-life secret, stumps of iron in the floor that used to be part of a railing. In the 1820's, there was a hole in the floor – leading down to a lower level, the "Capitol Crypt."
Matt Lauer: You also found this labyrinth of rooms in the basement areas and sub-basement of the capital?
Dan Brown: Right. The under stories of the U.S. Capitol are filled with these tiny rooms. The blueprint of the Capitol building is an astonishing document. It – it looks like – it looks like a – right out of a labyrinth of ancient Greece.
Langdon flees through that labyrinth and emerges across the street, in the Library Of Congress, which has its own treasures – hidden in plain sight.
Dan Brown: You've got this astonishing staircase with an anachronistic sort of feature one of these little cherubs, these putti. You've got one up here: It's holding a telephone.
Matt Lauer: It's right – yeah, right there.
Dan Brown: I mean, you've got – and you've got one down here. Over here, you've got an entomologist. He's catching butterflies.
With this bizarre fusion of these little religious figures with with scientific concepts.
And, of course – we had to check out the main reading room, where Brown's hero narrowly escapes his pursuers by riding a conveyor belt meant for books.
Dan Brown: It's my favorite room in all of D.C.
Matt Lauer: Is it really?
Dan Brown: Without a doubt. It's been called the most beautiful room in the world. It's an octagon lit in eight different directions so there are no shadows, no shadows anywhere. The room – room really seems to – to radiate.
Langdon needs a place to hide out – a sanctuary – but to get there he has to solve a riddle: "A refuge containing ten stones from Mount Sinai, one from heaven itself, and one with the visage of Luke's dark father."
Matt Lauer: Almost everyone that's come to Washington knows of the Smithsonian.
Matt Lauer: Very few people know of a facility located just outside of Washington that is the support center for the Smithsonian. Why did it fascinate you?
Dan Brown: What's not to be fascinated? This place has got a giant squid. There's an enormous series of labs that will study everything from fleas to – the baleen from whales.
One of "The Lost Symbol's" greatest puzzles is also the last stop on Dan Brown's mystery tour.
Matt Lauer: At the CIA, there is a sculpture that I don't think a lot of people know.
Dan Brown: There is a – an American sculptor, James Sanborn, and he has created a sculpture that – fascinates me and – and a lot of cryptologists that has – an enormous series of letters on them that appear random but are actually – a code.
Matt Lauer: And – and who knows the meaning of that code?
W.W. is William Webster, the director of the CIA in 1990, when "Kryptos" was installed. Brown says Webster was given the key to the sculpture's secret messages, but he's never revealed it. And not one of the CIA's army of cryptologists has cracked the entire code.
Matt Lauer: --loved codes. You know, a Rubik's Cube must have been your best friend at some point.
Matt Lauer: I mean – it – what – (laughter) what is – is in your opinion the most fascinating code, puzzle, symbol in this book?
Dan Brown: The most fascinating code I left out of this book.
Dan Brown: Be – it was too complicated. It was just too tough to use.
Matt Lauer: Well, you can't tell me that and now not tell me about it?
Dan Brown: Well, I'm not gonna tell you about it. It's in the next book.
Matt Lauer: Just between us, what's it about?
Matt Lauer: And the Freemasons in this room.
Dan Brown: And the Freemasons. That – that will be laid bare at some point in the future.
Matt Lauer: Yeah? And – and – is it similar subject matter?
Dan Brown: Not complete. Nothing's complete. Everything builds on something else.
Just as Brown says his current book builds on his previous ones... And asks the reader for something more as well.
Matt Lauer: There's a call to action in this book where you basically challenge the reader to take what you've just told them over the course of the previous 500 pages and decide what he or she wants to do with it. And did you set out to write that ending or did that just happen?
Dan Brown: In some ways it just happened. This amount of research and intellectual growth that went into writing this novel really led to that rather hopeful ending. And thank you for seeing that it is a call to action.
You see, the whole headlong chase through Washington, the secrets of the Freemasons, the ancient mysteries, Noetic science. For Dan Brown, it all adds up to a series of important questions: How well do we know our history? How well do we understand our beliefs? How well do we grasp the powers of our own minds?
Matt Lauer: Last word of the book is one that will surprise people.
Matt Lauer: Hope. And it means what?
Dan Brown: In the context of this book the last word means that we can do better and that we will do better.
And as Brown's millions of fans know, we can also spend hours – or years – puzzling over the secret codes and mystical messages of "The Lost Symbol."
Dan Brown has done a great service by shining so much light into the shadows of Freemasonry with his popular and engaging book. Yet in the end, Brown paints a rather simplistic picture of the Masons. He portrays them as spiritual seekers in search of higher truths and greater achievements for all humanity. In his novel, one evil man attempts to ruin all of the lofty secret achievements of this noble group. Yet other evidence suggests a much less black-and-white interpretation of the Masons. Though the ideals of Freemasonry may be lofty and designed for the betterment of all, in practice, greed and corruption have played a key role in all secret societies. For more on the control and corruption of these groups, see the box below.
Note: You can find the original of this article about Masons on the MSNBC website at this link. For an MSNBC video on the Masons, click here.
Inform your media and political representatives of this important information on the Masons secret society and Freemason secrets. Insist that they shine light on this taboo topic and admit any personal connections to secret societies. To contact those close to you, click here.
For summaries of key mainstream media articles revealing major corruption and manipulation within many powerful, yet little-known secret societies, click here.
For excellent, verifiable information on mind control techniques use by some Masons and other secret societies, see the Mind Control Information Center available here.
Spread this news on the Masons secret society and Freemason secrets to your friends and colleagues, and bookmark this article on key news websites using the "Share" icon on this page, so that we can fill the role at which the major media is sadly failing. Together, we can make a difference.


You are visiting the placeholder page for Tom Green. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Tom Green. We created this page automatically in hopes Tom Green would find it. If you are not Tom Green, but are an alumni of Grand Saline High School, register on this site for free now.


We are a department of excellence. The University of Maryland's computer science faculty continually embarks on cutting edge research, produces award winning papers, and teaches students a foundation of skills to launch their own accomplishments. One of the most recent awards for graduate students was winning first place in the ACM ICPC Mid-Atlantic regional programming contest in fall 2012, advancing them to the world finals in St. Petersburg, Russia next summer. Overall, three UMD CS teams consisting of undergraduate and graduate students placed in the top 10 slots out of 173 teams from other colleges.
We graduate qualified students that earn competitive jobs. Many UMD alumni have become professors at high ranked universities, researchers at well-known industrial labs and software engineers at successful Internet start-ups. Some of our notable alumni include Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google; Gary Flake, a Microsoft Distinguished Engineer and founder of Yahoo! Research Labs; and Naresh Gupta, senior vice president of Adobe's Print and Publishing Business Unit. In an effort to expand the online Alumni Hall of Fame, if you would like to nominate a UMD CS alumnus or alumna to be highlighted on these pages, please send an email to the chair's office (cschair@cs.umd.edu) and to Professor Ashok Agrawala (agrawala@cs.umd.edu). Our department wants to recognize the achievements of as many alumni as possible.
Additionally, we would like to keep alumni up-to-date on CS events once a semester through a newsletter! If you have not been invited by email to the alumni mailing list (cs-alumni@cs.umd.edu), you can sign up here. For giving opportunities, please click here.


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Japan Bullet Latest News From Japan About Auto, Technology, Culture, Travel, Cuisine . All you need to know about Japan !
Updated 10:47 AM EET, Jan 20, 2020
MSDF unit to begin i: A patrol plane unit of Japan's Maritime
Abe talks Tokyo 2020: The Japanese Diet has kicked off its lat
Russian authorities : Russian authorities say they have releas
Providing 5G service: The Tokyo metropolitan government has de
Japan's cabinet appr: Japan's Cabinet has approved a record bu
Japan's Diet convene: The Japanese Diet convened its ordinary
Endo suffers 2nd los: On the eighth day of the New Year Grand
1978 Datsun 200SX ru: Nissan had a couple of smash enthusiast
All-New Toyota Land : Production of the outgoing Toyota Land C
Abe: Japan-US pact i: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the Japan
Black Line Special Edition Comes To 2019 Lexus IS 300 F Sport
The Lexus IS 300 F Sport will become available in a new special edition called Black Line. Limited to 900 units for 2019, it entered production earlier this month and will arrive at dealers in March.
The Black Line treatment can be applied to both the rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions of the IS 300 F Sport. The first one is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-four, with 241 hp (244 PS / 180 kW) and an eight-speed auto, while the second one uses a 260 hp (264 PS / 194 kW) 3.5-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic gearbox.
Subtle styling changes on the outside include the black side mirror casings and 18-inch split spoke wheels, with the 'black vapor chrome' finish, a technology shared with the larger LS. Also, clients will have to choose between three exterior colors called Ultra White, Atomic Silver and Obsidian.
Also Watch: Entry-Level Tesla Model S 70D Goes Drag Racing Against Lexus IS F
Toyota's luxury car brand is offering the IS 300 F Sport Black Line with the red-accented black Nuluxe seats. Other interior features include red stitching on the seats, central console and armrests, as well as more red accents on each side of the center stack. Also part of the package is the black wood-trimmed steering wheel with distinctive black shades – said to have been created by a Japanese calligraphy shop.
Contributing to the wide list of standard equipment are the triple beam LED headlights and navigation system.
Pricing details haven't been announced yet, but expect the Black Line models to cost more than the regular IS 300 F Sport, which starts from $41,605 with rear-wheel drive and $43,655 in AWD spec.
Endo suffers 2nd loss on 8th day of Sumo tour...
1978 Datsun 200SX rusts in peace
All-New Toyota Land Cruiser To Premiere This ...
Toyota Tacoma assembly moving from Texas to M...
Toyota Shifts Tacoma Production From Texas To...
Aerobatic team practices drawing Olympic ring
Paul Walker's Nissan 370Z From Fast &...
2019 Mazda CX-5 diesel sees discounts of up t...
Carlos Sainz wins his third Dakar Rally; Amer...
LEVC TX Electrified London Black Cab Lands In...
Nissan Details Tech-Laden 2020 Qashqai N-Tec ...
Olympic symbol monument unveiled in Tokyo Bay
Next-gen Nissan Z to feature heritage-inspire...
TOM'S tuned Toyota Supra and Century deb...
2020 Honda Clarity PHEV Gets Updated Acoustic...
Infiniti QX55 coupe crossover spied for the f...
Toyota makes $394M investment in electric fly...
Carlos Ghosn's lawyers in Japan quit aft...
Renault chairman dismisses reports Nissan wan...
Toyota Makes A $394 Million Bet On Flying Car...
MSDF unit to begin its mission in the Middle East
A patrol plane unit of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force is preparing for its intelligence-gathering mission in the Middle East.The defense ministry announced that as of Monday local time, two P-3C aircrafts which departed from Japan on January 11 had replaced a unit engaged in anti-piracy...more
Abe talks Tokyo 2020 games at Diet opening speech
The Japanese Diet has kicked off its latest session, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowing to impress the world with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympics.Abe says the Games are a chance for communities hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami nearly nine years ago to show how far they've come.
Russian authorities free Japanese fishing boat
Russian authorities say they have released a Japanese fishing boat after detaining it last week.The authorities say they freed the No.68 Shoyo-maru on Monday after receiving a deposit.
Providing 5G service at Tokyo Games venues
The Tokyo metropolitan government has designated the competition venues of the coming Olympic and Paralympic Games as priority areas for the next generation 5G communication standard.5G networks enable high-speed, large-capacity communication. Full-scale services will start in Japan this spring.
Japan's cabinet approves record 2020 budget plan
Japan's Cabinet has approved a record budget for fiscal 2020 that includes ballooning funding for social security programs.Government officials submitted the draft budget to the regular Diet session on Monday.
Japan's Diet convenes ordinary session
The Japanese Diet convened its ordinary session on Monday. The governing and opposition parties are expected to hold heated debates, as the opposition camp is set to step up an offensive over scandals, including an alleged bribery case over planned integrated resorts.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will...more
Endo suffers 2nd loss on 8th day of Sumo tourney
On the eighth day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, Endo suffered his second loss in an anticipated match with another popular rank-and-file wrestler, Enho.Enho has risen to his best ranking and attracted attention. Endo, who defeated two Yokozunas and one Ozeki wrestler earlier in...more
Nissan had a couple of smash enthusiast hits in the 1990s with the S13 and S14 Silvia, known as the 200SX and 240SX on these shores. Before those cars came here, though, the groundwork for affordable, sporty rear-wheel-drive Nissan coupes was laid by the S10 Silvia, sold with 200SX badging here...more
All-New Toyota Land Cruiser To Premiere This August With Hybrid Engine?
Production of the outgoing Toyota Land Cruiser kicked off in 2007, which makes the J200 one of the oldest SUVs in the market.
Abe: Japan-US pact is immovable pillar
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the Japan-US alliance is an immovable pillar for protecting world peace.On January 19, 1960, the revised Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security was signed by Abe's grandfather, Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, and US President Dwight Eisenhower.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra is Far Out's in house Brazilian disco super group. It features the arrangements of Azymuth's late Maestro José Roberto Bertrami and the legendary Arthur Verocai alongside a host of other Brazilian musical icons. FOMDO013 is the latest in a series of vinyl only 12" remixes and edits on Far Out.
Having graced the most recent FOMDO 12" release with his signature touch, Detroit veteran Andres returns on the imprint with an alternate take on the same track. Taking the classy disco cut 'Where Do We Go From Here?' into moodier, deeper territories, with freshly chopped vocals and a hazy hip-house bounce, it's a warm late-night stepper, laced with classic OG Detroit funk.


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Agri-Informatics, Cranfield University
The new Agri-Informatics research building provides a permanent home for assets of national and international importance: the Land Information System (LandIS) on the soils of England and Wales, the National Soil Inventory (NSI), as well as 'legacy' data covering the globe in the World Soil Survey Archive and Catalogue (WoSSAC). These resources are unique; brought together for the first time, and supplemented with dedicated research facilities, Agri-Informatics now provides the opportunity to properly exploit these assets.
Aerospace Integrated Research Centre, Cranfield University
The new building is a two-storey stand-alone centre of excellence, providing approximately 500m2 of dedicated soil archive, map room, laboratories and collaborative space for research. It forms a key phase in the delivery of the University's ongoing south-eastern campus expansion, and sits in a prime location on a new landscaped boulevard.
The completed project is the first of two phases of development, and a key aspect of the University's brief to the design team was to ensure that the design anticipated and facilitated simple expansion in the future.
Featured Projects.
Interior meeting spaces at the AIRC provide a showcase for the Cranfield University and partners
Linking the old and new for humanities students at University of Nottingham
Strengthening the link between old and new at University of Nottingham in the students hub
Student Services at the University of Nottingham welcome students in a dynamic and flexible space
Cripps Health Centre to provide health and dental care for the University of Nottingham
The Goldsmith Street development provides a new office for Nottingham Trent University staff
Providing quiet and silent work areas for students Teesside University Library - Phase III and IV


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Label Focus – 17 Seconds Records
November 3, 2009 | by : Editor
Aside from being The Cure's second studio album, 17 Seconds is a Scottish boutique label run by friends Laurent Gauffre and Ed Jupp. Spearheaded by the signing of local indie/chamber-pop legends Aberfeldy, the label continues to blossom. I took the time to speak to Laurent recently, Ed concurring with his thoughts at a later date.
Rob: First, a little background to you and the label please. Why did you start 17 Seconds, and who's on the roster?
Laurent : In truth, we started the label because we both (Laurent and Ed – [sic]) became sick and tired of waiting around for someone else to release the next Aberfeldy single. Ed was friends with Ken McIntosh from the band, having met whilst working together in the glamorous setting of one of Edinburgh's call centres and Ed suggested that I go with him to catch one of their live shows around Christmas 2007. After that show I fell in love with the band but it wasn't until the following August, whilst ranting at each other over coffee in Edinburgh about what a travesty it was that there was so much good music that wasn't being heard, that we perhaps naively but nonetheless enthusiastically decided to take the plunge. Since then, we went on to sign 4 other fabulous and musically diverse acts: X Lion Tamer, Escape Act, The Dirty Cuts and most recently, Chris Bradley as a solo artist.
Rob's quick verdict:
Aberfeldy: – perennial penners of enviable indie/chamber pop with a Coca Cola advert under their collective belt no less.
X Lion Tamer: –	bedroom electro-popper, see recent [sic] review:
Escape Act:-	mildly manic, Doves-like indie pop-rock charmers
The Dirty Cuts:-	impeccable new-wave post-punk in tight trousers
Chris Bradley: –	Neil Young/Beach Boys indebted singer-songwriter
Rob: How does your label differ from others? Are there any distinguishing characteristics that give your label its own identity?
Laurent : Aside from the obvious financial differences between us and the major labels, when we say that we are an 'Indie label' we mean it in the true sense of the word and not in the bastardised sense in which it has been commonly used by those in the music industry over recent years, meaning bland and instantly disposable radio fodder. We run the label under the basic premise that as far as musical genres are concerned, there exists only two – those being, good and bad. The point of us starting the label was so that we could uncompromisingly release music that we liked in the belief that if we considered something to be good then surely there would be others out there who would agree.
Rob: How difficult was it to get your label established and what does it take to survive and prosper? Is there any money to be made in running a small label?
Laurent : It's definitely much more difficult than it may seem! As far as what it takes is concerned, then I would say that it takes three things – love, luck and patience. It would be silly to suggest that we're not interested in making money as the company needs to make money in order to survive but running the label is really, first and foremost a labor of love. We are certainly not in this to make a fast buck or to exploit any of our artists. We do this out of our sheer love of music in the hope that the company makes enough money to sustain itself over a long period of time. For us, this was not a short term investment. We have been fairly lucky in that we have met some very kind and likeminded people who have helped us immeasurably both in terms of advice they have offered and helping to keep our costs down and I think that for us, having people like Bruce Findlay (iconic former record store owner, Zoom Records boss, promoter, BBC Radio Scotland broadcaster and current Aberfeldy manager) around has been essential to the survival of the label. So to answer your question, we would do anything at this point to ensure that our label continues to grow and prosper. There isn't a lot of money to be made at this point but if we manage to strike it rich over the next few years thanks to our tireless endeavor then so be it.
Rob: When signing new acts, are there any particular attributes or factors that you look for?
Laurent : The first question that we ask ourselves is "would I like to own this record"?
Rob: If money was no object, which artist or band would you most like to work for and why?
Laurent : That is a really difficult question as there are lots of great bands out there but I'd have to say that the coolest thing about running 17 Seconds Records is that most of my favorite bands at the minute are already on our label. There's no real point in talking about the really big acts as I think that Susan Boyle would turn us down anyway.
Rob: With so many formats now available, 17 Seconds has embraced download-only releases, do you think physical media is dead?
Laurent : No not really I still believe that there's a time and a place for both. The music industry has certainly evolved over the past few years but despite the practicality of the digital download I still much prefer the physical product. There's still nothing quite like coming home with a stack of vinyl, sitting back with your headphones on whilst you read the sleeve notes. Geek or what?
Rob: What advice would you give to wannabe label owners?
Laurent : Do it because it's something that you believe in and that you're passionate about. Try to get advice from people who have been or already are in the business and GET LUCKY.
Rob: What do you consider to be your label's proudest achievement and why?
Laurent : Simply keeping the label going has been an achievement in itself. We are both immensely proud of everything that we have achieved as a label and both still get excited whenever we read about one of our artists in an article or hear them on the radio. The enthusiasm and love of what we do has never really diminished.
Rob: What'll be your next release and when?
Laurent : We will hopefully have our first single with The Dirty Cuts out before the end of the year with albums from both Chris Bradley and Aberfeldy to follow early on in the New Year.
Rob: Are there any plans to release material from your very own indie-rock blues band, The Cow Dens?
Laurent : Ha ha ha! Now that would be something! Unfortunately for the music buying public, The Cow Dens was a bit of a solo project for me that never really got off the ground partly because I could never seem to recruit the right musicians and partly because I simply didn't have the balls to quit my day job and invest myself fully into the project. I did get some nice feedback however, so maybe one day…..
Rob: [sic] is always on the lookout for a decent recommendation, who's on the tip of your tongue at the moment?
Laurent : Apart from our own bands I personally like Dundee's "Wildhouse", Edinburgh's "The Gothenburg Address", Glasgow's "Punch and the Apostles" and Fife's very own "The Gillyflowers". From across the pond I much appreciated a recent tip off regarding Japandroids.
Wildhouse: – ear-attracting Sonic Youth and The Smiths middle-grounders
The Gothenburg Address: -worthy, instrumental shoegaze cum post-rock
Punch and the Apostles: – Hot Hot Heat, Gogol Bordello and Tom Waits mash-up
The Gillyflowers: -Heiress to the Neko Case throne
Rob: Finally, in five years time, where do you see your label?
Laurent : Barbados!
Unabashed optimism seems to abound at the credit-crunch defying 17 Seconds HQ, and such dedicated labels seem to ensure the future of the music industry is bright. In fact, they're making it a certainty.
17 seconds records
Escape act
x lion tamer
The dirty cuts
Chris Bradley
The wildhouse
The cow dens
The Gothenburg address
Punch and the apostles
The gillyflowers
Japandroids


God bless you both I married my BMSN in 1977 we're still together. Love the video!
How wonderful to have so many memories. I love you guys.
Awesome slideshow! Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful, well done! Great choice of song!
Ya'll have a gift of making strangers feel like we know you personally, and have known you forever. You're the best friends next door that we all wish we had.
Thank you both for sharing these beautiful memories. Such a wonderful montage of love, devotion, family, faith, and strength. Diane really held it down through the years and is a real inspiration...(not to mention she has the most beautiful blue eyes:)!!!!!! Thanks again for sharing!!!!!!!!!
Don, hair was looking good back then! Glad you Diane met and are still together.


A BRITISH base-jumper has cheated death after leaping 180ft from a cliff into the sea for a BET.
Sam Demilecamps, 20, was with a pal when he was challenged to leap into the water from the stomach churning drop.
Sam took on the bet and climbed over safety railings and launched himself into the air hitting the water at more than 25mph.
Amazingly despite the impact he suffered just a broken vertebrae but because of the injury was unable to swim properly and started drowning.
Onlookers at the picturesque resort in Taormina on the Italian island of Sicily raised the alarm and a fire brigade chopper was scrambled to airlift him to safety.
Colombia plane crash - what happened to flight LMI2933, where is Medellin and what do we know?
He is now recovering in a hospital at nearby Messina.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun from his hospital bed Sam said: "I don't know how I survived the jump. I'm very, very lucky to be alive but it won't put me off.
"My friend and I had seen the cliff and I said I was going to go for it. I said I wanted to try and beat the Red Bull cliff jumping record of 58metres.
"My friend challenged me to go for it and I said I would do it - although as soon as I jumped I knew I was going too fast.
"It all seemed to happen quite quickly and as soon as I hit the water I was in agony all up my legs and back.
"Somehow I managed to swim for about 20 minutes but I was in so much pain and I got to the shore and a helicopter picked me up.
"It's not put me off. That jump was a test and the aim was to go in feet first and if it went OK I was going to do it again with a somersault. I still want to try and beat the record."
On his Facebook page Sam, from Guildford, Surrey, has uploaded videos and snaps of him base jumping and somersaulting from lampposts.
A police spokesman in Taormina said: "He was lucky not to have been killed - there have been fatalities at that spot in the past.
"He is either very brave or very stupid or maybe a combination of both but he was certainly fortunate to survive.
"From what we have gathered he jumped for a bet after his friend challenged him but we are not sure what the stake was."


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Season Reviews
Theater & Stage
Theater NYC
Theater L.A.
Art NYC
Art L.A.
National Travel
Keep your finger on the pulse of Entertainment News
'Crawl': Killer Alligators Break Their Teeth Biting Into Summer Movie Competition
Awkwafina Shines in Illuminating Family Drama 'The Farewell'
'Stuber' Rides a Hijacked Uber Into Nothing but Missed Opportunities
'Snowfall' Season 3 Begins to Focus on the Human Toll of the Drug Game
'Florida Girls' Delivers Hilariously Trashy Laughs From the Trailer Park
The Madames Fight for Independence in 'Harlots' Season 3
Yuna on Empowerment, Culture, and the Universality of Her Latest Album 'Rouge'
Ed Sheeran Assembles a Star-Studded Crew for Expansive 'No. 6 Collaborations Project'
K.Flay Talks Optimism, Sisterhood and 'Solutions'
Brecht's 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' Opens at Antaeus Theatre
Where to Have a Laugh: The Best Comedy Clubs in Los Angeles
Dan White Makes Intimate Illusions Larger Than Life as 'The Magician'
Willem Dafoe Captures Van Gogh's Profound Spirituality in 'At Eternity's Gate'
'Kusama: Infinity' Captures Yayoi Kusama's Road to Prominence
Jasper Johns: 'Something Resembling Truth' Opens at The Broad
Speakeasies to Tiki Huts: L.A.'s Top Cocktail Bars
The Quintessential Craft Cocktail Tour of New York City
L.A.'s Best Beach Bars and Restaurants
Soaking Up the Summer in Seattle
Discovering the Island of Cuba: Havana and Beyond
Aspen: America's Most Luxurious Mountain Town
'Blockers' Crashes Prom With Lots of Raunchy Antics
Alci Rengifo
"Blockers" wants to use idiocy to make a decent point. At its heart (which is in the right place), it deals with the clash between progressive sexual values and old fashioned Puritanism. The question is posed: Should a group of parents block their teenage daughters from having sex on prom night? It arrives at its answer by deciding to pit what amounts to a group of idiots against each other. We can agree with the film's philosophy, but at times you wish nobody in this movie would engage in intercourse for risk of reproduction. The teenagers lack wit, the adults lack brains, and the movie lazily goes for cheap laughs. Sex can be hilarious, but "Blockers" prefers vomit to a good dirty joke.
When high school senior Julie (Kathryn Newton) suddenly decides she wants to lose her virginity on prom night, her best friends Sam (Gideon Adlon) and Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) decide they want to join in and do the same with their own dates. The girls come from seemingly tidy suburban homes. Julie's mother, Lisa (Leslie Mann) is ultra-clingy to a demented degree, she dreads the idea of Julie even considering going to out of state college. Kayla's father, Mitchell (John Cena) is a big, clueless alpha male who can't comprehend modern hairstyles or emojis. The most colorful of the bunch is Sam's father, Hunter (Ike Barinholtz), who prides himself on being cool and up to date. The big night comes and the girls are off with their dates and meticulous plan. But when the three parents accidentally come across Julie's open laptop and messenger app, they decipher the emoji codes being sent and realize what the girls plan to do. Immediately they set about to track down their horny offspring and block the deflowering.
"Blockers" is a case where the movie has an interesting, albeit creepy, premise but reduces it to the most bare gross-out humor. Some critics are giving it pass because its main characters are high school girls, as opposed to the usual male line up, and while this is commendable, it deserved a funnier, stronger approach. It lacks the whacky charm of "American Pie" or even the wild freedom of "Bridesmaids." First there are the teenagers, who are written with a vapidity that's almost embarrassing. The girls talk like empty-headed cartoons of real high schoolers, blabbering lines like, "I'm having sex!" When Sam and Kayla ask Julie why make the move now, the best the writers can give her is, "I dunno, it's prom night, it's kinda special." Like Musketeers the other two reply, "I'm in!" Movies like this usually work when it turns out the kids are smarter than the adults, but in "Blockers" the adults are at about the same level as their children, and the jokes are just as flat. One problem with the humor is that it tries to be obvious, like someone trying too hard to be funny. For example in one scene Sam's stepfather tries to explain the basics of high school friendships, mentioning that he once convinced his friend to enlist on a dare, then adding, "he ended up serving in the Gulf War…he didn't come back." "Blockers" never tries to find real humor in the teens' own anxieties or insecurities about sex, reducing everything to flat one liners ("I don't think we get to have anal the first time").
Then there is the fine art of toilet humor. Using bodily fluids and orifices to get a laugh requires a special sort of tact which this movie lacks. Director Kay Cannon forgets that it's not about showing someone puking. It's about how you show it, the food poisoning scene in "Bridesmaids" being a perfect example. In "Blockers" everything is kind of just thrown on the screen. The kids spontaneously vomit in their prom limo, inspiring the driver to suddenly do the same. The parents make their way to a prom after party, only to have to prove they are not cops by forcing Mitchell to endure a "butt chug" challenge. When the cops arrive everyone runs and, well, you don't want to know what the stress of the moment does to the funnel in Cena's rectum. Cannon is simply clumsy in staging funny innuendo. One scene that starts off as a great romp involves Mitchell and Hunter sneaking into a house to get an address, only to find a couple playing a nude form of hide and seek. Mitchell is eventually caught in a situation where he has to grab the husband's nether regions to pass for his wife and not arouse suspicion. Funny enough, but Cannon clumsily throws in a close up of Cena getting a hand full of scrotum cut in a way where the raunchy humor is lost.
So obsessed is the movie with its gags that it loses a sense of build-up. By the end we don't care if the girls have sex or not, the adults are so stupid we're glad these kids are getting out of the house. To be fair there are some moments of decent humor. Mitchell gives his daughter a knife before getting into the limo ("strike forward into the crotch, twist, pull out"). There are also some funny jabs at the whole man bun hair trend. The scene where the parents figure out how teens text sexual chatter via emojis is hilarious, so much so that if the movie had veered for more satire or commentary it would have worked better.
"Blockers" ends with a message most of the audience surely agrees with: Young adults have the right to make their own choices regarding sex. But the filmmakers could have also chosen to tell a better raunchy yarn, because even butt chugs can indeed be funny, if you know how to plug them in.
"Blockers" opens April 6 in theaters nationwide.
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Pegasus World Cup Gun Runner's Last
Pegasus World Cup: Gun Runner's Swansong
Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, owners of US stallion Gun Runner, have announced that the Pegasus World Cup in Florida on January 27, 2018, will be his last race. The four-year-old entire will then retire to stud at Three Chimneys.
A victory in the Pegasus World Cup would put the cherry on top of a stellar year and an impressive career for Gun Runner. Since winning his maiden race over a mile (1600m) in September 2015 at Churchill Downs, he has racked up career statistics of 18: 11-3-2, and he ran fifth in the remaining two.
Five of those wins have come from the six races he's run in 2017: the Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park, the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs, the Whitney Stakes and then the Woodward Stakes, both at Saratoga, and the 2017 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Racetrack.
In the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in March, he ran second to Arrogate. Many are tipping him to be named 2017 Horse of the Year at the 47th annual Eclipse Awards, hosted by Gulfstream Park: the same Hallandale Beach, Florida racing and casino complex at which the Pegasus World Cup is run.
The awards will be held two days before the race, on January 25, so Gun Runner might end up starting his swansong already wearing laurels.
Only the Second Pegasus World Cup
The Pegasus World Cup was only inaugurated in 2017, but it claimed the attention of punters worldwide immediately by starting out as the richest thoroughbred horse race on the planet. The total prize money in 2016 was $12-million (that's US dollars), outstripping the $10-million Dubai World Cup.
The purse for the 2018 Pegasus World Cup has been bumped to an astronomical $16-million, with a field of nine from 12 possibilities confirmed so far, so it is likely to provide exciting betting action online.
The race is run on a dirt track over an unmetricated American 9 furlongs, or one-and-one-eighth of a mile, roughly equal to 1800m, and is open to four-year-olds and older. Horses and geldings carry 56kg handicaps, and mares 54.5kg.
Gun Runner may well end up the favourite by the time they jump off. The other eight confirmed starters for the 2018 Pegasus World Cup, as of December 22, are Collected, Gunnevera, Seeking The Soul, Stellar Wind, Toast Of New York, West Coast, War Story and a yet-to-be-named entry from the Adena Springs stable.
Godolphin Nabs Two Tops For Golden Slipper
March 10, 2021 by Jennie Martin
James Cummings' superpower horse racing stable Godolphin has snapped up two great riders for the upcoming $3.5 million 1200m Golden Slipper event. The stable has a total of four horses ….
Kerrin McEvoy Fined $50k For Over-Whipping
Melbourne Cup runner-up Kerrin McEvoy won't be quite as quick on the whip in future after being slapped with an enormous $50,000 fine as well as a 13-meeting suspension for ….
Lees and Waller in Mckell Cup 2020 Limelight
June 26, 2020 by Cameron Hollands
Although they differ about how to spell their Christian names, Chris Waller and Kris Lees seem to have a lot in common when it comes to the chances of taking ….
Racing Victoria Welcomes Owners Back to the Track
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Owners will once more be allowed to attend race meetings at some of the biggest tracks in the country as of Tuesday the 23rd of June 2020 as restrictions around ….
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Everyone in Tasmania, the government included, was glad to see Racing return over the weekend. And Minister for Racing Jane Howlett has confirmed that authorities will be helping the industry ….
Top AU Horse Betting Odds


We help people who are struggling with alcohol and drug problems to begin the lifelong process of recovery. Call (925) 674-4100 today.
Coming to terms with addiction is an important and life-changing step. At John Muir Health, we don't blame you for your addiction. We're here to work with you and your family as you recover and begin to build your new life.
We believe in the "medical model" for treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. This means that we view your addiction as a disease for which you can receive treatment and learn to manage, similar to other chronic, lifelong diseases. Your disease is not your fault, and we never treat you as if it is. We focus on helping you make positive changes in your life by working with you to put together the individual treatment plan that's right for you.
Our goal is to help you achieve a lasting recovery and a full life without drugs and alcohol.
We treat voluntary adults ages 18 and up for chemical dependency including all types of alcohol and drug addiction, including prescription medications such as Vicodin, OxyContin, methadone, and Valium; street drugs such as methamphetamines, heroin, cocaine, and crack; and designer drugs such as Ecstasy and GHB. We have inpatient and outpatient programs to help people with different needs or at different stages in their recovery. And we're conveniently located in Concord, helping you or your loved one recover close to home and build a local support community.
"I've been to other treatment facilities; this is by far the best. It works! It saved my life."
We don't believe in painful, "cold turkey" detoxification methods. We evaluate each person's unique situation and provide non-addictive medications to allow for a comfortable and controlled withdrawal phase and help make the transition into early recovery more comfortable.
During your 3-5 day detox, you will be given a combination of non-addictive medications to allow your detox to be as smooth as possible, without a lot of uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Our nursing staff will care for you in a compassionate and non-judgmental manner 24 hours a day, monitoring your progress and helping you to be comfortable. You will meet with one of our licensed social workers to design your recovery plan so that you have the tools you need to avoid a relapse.
For some people, going directly into our outpatient programs is the right first step. And, more than 70 percent of the people who have been through our inpatient programs continue treatment in our outpatient program. Once your body has become free of drugs and alcohol during your detox process, our outpatient program is here to support you in developing the tools and resources you need for a life in recovery, free from drugs and alcohol.
Education is a key part of our program, and we provide you information on topics such as relapse prevention, how to cope with cravings, developing coping skills, exercise and nutrition, healthy models of communication, and the role the family plays in helping you maintain a successful recovery. We also offer cognitive behavioral therapy to assist you in learning new ways of handling stressful situations. And perhaps one of the most important tools in helping you build your new life, our support groups offer you the opportunity to meet with and learn from other people like you, in recovery from addiction and building their lives again. This community-building is vital to creating and maintaining a long term recovery and avoiding relapse.
"My detox was handled almost painlessly, very comfortable."
Young adulthood is a time when socializing is often a priority, and young adults often have unique challenges as you navigate recovery. Many of your friends in your age group are going out to clubs and drinking or using drugs, and sobriety can feel isolating. Our program for young adults, ages 18-30, offers community building through group therapy and social events and gives young recovering addicts an opportunity to rebuild your lives in the company of sober friends.
Unsure If You Need Help?
The first step towards freeing yourself from a chemical dependency is recognizing you are addicted to alcohol and/or drugs, including prescription drugs. We are committed to helping you recognize, understand, and ultimately recover from your drug and alcohol addiction in a safe and supportive manner. Please take a minute to think about the questions below to help you recognize when a problem may exist.
Has anyone ever asked you to cut back on your drinking/drug use?
Has anyone ever been annoyed by your drinking/ drug use?
Have you ever felt guilty about your drinking/drug use?
Have you ever drank or used drugs for an eye opener to feel better the next morning?
If you answered yes to two or more of the above questions, please contact us. We will work with you to explore whether drug and/or alcohol addiction treatment is the right step for you.
Following a brief, confidential phone screening, you may have the opportunity to make an appointment with an assessment specialist.
A Registered Nurse gathers clinical information to help determine the appropriate level of treatment, as well as whether medical assistance is needed for safe withdrawal and then discusses the recommendations for care with you.
We are contracted with most health plan providers and are a preferred provider in some cases.
We can help you by working with your human resources department or employee assistance professionals.
Federal law protects your right to privacy. All of your information will be kept confidential and private, and will not be shared unless you agree to it in writing.
For more information about chemical dependency treatment services, please call (925) 674-4100.


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Q: Mvvmcross Android - Error finding resource ids for MvxBinding I'm trying to follow the FirstDemo tutorial from Stuart's N+1 on Xamarin Studio.
I'm getting the following exception:
[mono] Unhandled Exception:
[mono] Cirrious.CrossCore.Exceptions.MvxException: Error finding resource ids for MvxBinding - please make sure ResourcesToCopy are linked into the executable ---> System.InvalidCastException: Cannot cast from source type to destination type.
[mono]   at Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Droid.ResourceHelpers.MvxAndroidBindingResource..ctor () [0x000ed] in /Users/stuartlodge/Documents/GitHub/Mvx/MvvmCross/Cirrious/Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Droid/ResourceHelpers/MvxAndroidBindingResource.cs:57
[mono]   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
[mono]   at Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Droid.ResourceHelpers.MvxAndroidBindingResource..ctor () [0x00142] in /Users/stuartlodge/Documents/GitHub/Mvx/MvvmCross/Cirrious/Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Droid/ResourceHelpers/MvxAndroidBindingResource.cs:72
[mono]   at Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Droid.ResourceHelpers.MvxAndroidBindingResource.Initialise () [0x0000b] in /Users/stuartlodge/Documents/GitHub/Mvx/MvvmCross/Cirrious/Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Droid/ResourceHelpers/MvxAndroidBindingRe

I imported the following references from XS-iOS-Mac/bin/Release/Mvx/Droid/:

*

*Cirrious.CrossCore.dll

*Cirrious.CrossCore.Droid.dll

*Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.dll

*Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Droid.dll

*Cirrious.MvvmCross.dll

*Cirrious.MvvmCross.Droid.dll

*Cirrious.MvvmCross.Localization.dll

And before you ask, yes I have MvxBindingAttributes.xml on Resources/values directory, and yes, it is marked as Android Resource.
Thanks in advance.

A: I'm not very sure about how I managed to fix it.
I probably got the binaries from the VS2012 directory instead of XS-iOS-Mac. I had a variety of problems about choosing the right binaries source.
Even I'm working on a Mac, sometimes many problems get solved just by referencing the VS2012 ones. I think there is a pattern on these dependencies, but until now I got my tutorials working just by trial and error.

A: The error message is generated when the resourceids can't be found.
These resourceids should be generated by the android and xamarin tools in the Resource class in the same namespace as the Setup file.
Try searching through the generated resource file - are the mvx constants there? Is the namespace correct?
If that doesn't help, maybe compare your code against the finished reference solution on github. Or maybe also try one of the other n+1 videos which uses xamarin studio on the mac.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Summer is right around the corner which means it's time to enjoy the great outdoors! One of the best places to make great summer memories is in your very own backyard.
But has your backyard seen better days? There are a lot of great ways to get your backyard into great shape for the best summer ever. Whether you want to reap the benefits of gardening or make it a haven for BBQs, there's so much potential.
Whether you have a big or small space to work with, here are some cool backyard ideas to get the ball rolling.
If you've got a pool that's looking dull and doesn't inspire you to jump in, a remodel can help. A great looking pool can transform your whole backyard and make you want to spend more time there.
Pool renovations don't only look great, but they can make your backyard safer too. Getting in and out of the pool is easier with better paving and it can make it more kid friendly too.
The new look can also inspire you to start using it more often to swim in. Who knows, this summer you could get into the best shape of your life right in your backyard!
If there's one thing that can make a backyard even better, it's a bar. A bar can be a great place to hang out at during barbecues or for a quiet drink in the sun.
You don't need to spend a fortune on one either. You could build your very own Murphy bar that folds away into the wall to save space! All you need is a few planks of wood and some DIY know how!
You can have the relaxing poolside bar you always dreamed of right in your backyard! Plus, a bar makes for a great talking point for any guests you may have over.
Another way to give your backyard a whole new lease on life is to turn it into a gardening haven. You can transform it into your very own vegetable or herb garden without much effort.
Growing your own food is so rewarding, and it can save you a lot of money in the long run. You don't even need a lot of space to do it, and it can be a great hobby to get into.
Not to mention, your own garden in full bloom looks great and helps make your backyard more inviting.
If you've got kids, chances are you may also have a trampoline. Trampolines are super fun to play on but they can be dangerous to play on too.
One solution is to bury your trampoline in the ground. Hear me out, burying your trampoline so that only the top stands out makes it much safer.
It means there's no way they can fall from a great height or get hurt in the springs as they play. Plus, it looks a lot tidier and blends into the garden much better.
If you've got trees in your backyard, a swing seat can be a great new addition to the garden. We're not talking about a children's swing set, but a cozy swing seat for the adults to enjoy.
You don't even need to spend much money on one at all. One way to do it is to use wooden pallets to make a seat structure. Paint and varnish them and secure them together. From there, add some chains or ropes and secure it to the tree and voila! You've got a cozy swing seat!
Add some cushions and they make a comfortable place to relax with a cool drink and a book on a hot summer's day.
Instead of a swing set, another great way to use trees to your advantage is to hang a hammock. It's a great way to make your garden cosier and inviting and is a great way to enjoy the sun.
Hammocks don't cost much and they're easy to install, so within minutes you could have a cozy hammock area. To top it off, hang up some fairy lights and put some blankets down too.
It's a quick and easy way to transform a dull backyard into a relaxing haven. A hammock will make you want to spend much more time there.
One great way to make your backyard you new favorite place to be is to turn it into an outdoor movie theatre.
There are a few easy and effective ways to do this. You can pick up a movie projector for a good price and use a white sheet as a screen. Then, use a lot of blankets or make a pillow quilt for a cozy place to sit and watch.
Top it off with some fairy lights and good snacks and you've got the best movie theatre right in your backyard!
Lanterns are great for those late summer nights when the sun goes down but the party continues. You can make your own candle lanterns pretty cheap and you get to inject your own personality into them.
Use mason jars or old jam jars and some tealight candles. Wash out the jars and fill them with stones or garden gravel. From there, all you need to do is put the tealights in and light them.
Dot them around the garden and you've got some cozy lighting that looks great too. You can do it within minutes and they make a great impact on your backyard.
Trying to bring your backyard back to its former glory? These cool backyard ideas are a great way to start. They can help you transform your backyard into something you never thought it could be. Try them out and they could help you make this summer the best one ever!
Looking for more inspiration for your home and garden? Check out our blog section to get some great ideas.


So you've got some money set aside for short-term goals (P.S: in the financial world, short-term is categorized as less than 3 years). This can be money going towards a house deposit, a car, a holiday, or a myriad of other objectives.
How should you invest this money? We all want our money to work hard for us, so it can be tempting to put it in the stock market. After-all, stocks have historically been the highest returning asset class. But that's a dangerous approach. Although investing in a diversified basket of stocks has made for a wonderful long-term strategy, values of these stocks can fluctuate unpredictably and sometimes dramatically over short periods of time.
If you invest your short term funds in the market, you could end up having to pull the money out at a loss, or equally unappealing - pushing back that important goal you've worked so hard to save for!
Over a 1 year period, there is a 35% chance of losing money on the stock market.
Over a 2 year period, there is a 25% chance of losing money on the stock market.
Over a 3 year period, there is a 15% chance of losing money on the stock market.
Not only could you lose, but in some downturns, such as 2008's market crash, you can lose big. In that instance, stocks dropped by nearly 60%. Based on this, we believe that the potential reward from investing over a short period of time is not worth the risk. Taking risks makes sense when you've got the time horizon and the discipline to ride out short-term negative fluctuations - but many investors underestimate what "short-term" can be. On rare occasion, markets can be down over periods of 5 or even 10 years. For short-term goals, protecting the money becomes a priority to ensure you don't have losses by the time you need the funds.


A few gems from our Thank You party for close friends and family on March 24th and our official Opening Night on Friday March 30th. Thank You to everyone who came out to support us. It wouldn't have been possible without all of you!