text:
David Fung (born on August 17, 1988) is a concert pianist. Fung was born in Sydney, Australia.

Early life and education
Fung attended James Ruse Agricultural High School in Sydney, where he received the James Ruse Medal for Dux and the Medal for Music. He graduated with a Universities Admission Index of 100 and earned a scholarship to study the M.B.B.S. at the University of New South Wales. Following two years of medical school, Fung left to pursue an education and training in music.

Musical education and training
In 2002, Fung won the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards, after four rounds of competition which culminated in his performance of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra during the concerto finals at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.  He has subsequently appeared with the major orchestras of Australia and recorded a CD with the ABC Classics label.

Deciding to pursue a career in music, Fung transferred in 2003 to the Colburn School in Los Angeles to study with John Perry. Fung was the first student of piano to be admitted to the Colburn Conservatory in its inaugural year; in May 2007, he became the first pianist to graduate from the Conservatory. Fung also holds an Artist Diploma from the Colburn School and Master's and Doctorate degrees from Yale University, where he studied with Claude Frank and Peter Frankl. He also studied with Arie Vardi in Germany at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover.

Career
Fung has appeared with orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Orchestra of Belgium, the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, and with the major orchestras in Australia, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In July 2016, Fung's debut with the Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Festival was "everything you could wish for" (Cleveland Classical) and he was further praised as an "agile and alert interpreter of Mozart's crystalline note-spinning" (The Plain Dealer). In the following week, he performed Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini at the Beijing National Stadium for their Olympic Summer Festival. Other highlights of the season include invitations to the Louvre, the Palais des Beaux-Arts, the Kennedy Center, the Baryshnikov Arts Center, and a recital tour in China at major venues including the Beijing Concert Hall, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Guangzhou Opera House, and the Tianjin Grand Theater.

Fung has performed at the Aspen Music Festival, Caramoor, the Edinburgh International Festival, the Ravinia Festival, then Atlantic Music Festival, Music at Menlo in California, New York's Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall, Los Angeles' Walt Disney Concert Hall and Royce Hall, Wigmore Hall in London, Scotland's Queen's Hall, Belgium's La Monnaie, Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio, the Gewandhaus, the Sydney Opera House, the National Concert Hall in Taiwan, the Seoul Arts Center, and Israel's Mann Auditorium. His debut at the Edinburgh International Festival Queen's Hall Series was acclaimed as being "impossibly virtuosic, prodigiously talented... and probably [doing] ten more impossible things daily before breakfast," by Jonas Green in the Edinburgh Guide. His recitals at the Edinburgh International Festival were especially well received.

Fung was a laureate of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition and the 12th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv, where he was also awarded the Prize for Best Classical Concerto, and Best Performance of Chamber Music.

In July 2021, Fung was appointed Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of British Columbia School of Music, where he also curates the Steinway Spirio Piano Series at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

Besides the piano, Fung also plays the harpsichord and violin.

Personal life
Fung is proficient in Chinese and Italian. He is in a relationship with American countertenor Daniel Moody (countertenor).

Recordings
In addition to recording for Naxos and ABC Classics, Fung has recorded three albums with Los Angeles-based Yarlung Records.

In 2005, Fung's debut album with Yarlung Records linked the virtuosity in the piano music of Liszt and Ravel: Liszt's Sonata in B minor and Les jeux d'eau à la villa d'Este, with Ravel's Jeux d'Eau and La Valse. His second album with Yarlung, Evening Conversations, featured a solo recital of intimate works by composers ranging from Mozart to Tan Dun. Evening Conversations was praised as "an overall favorite" by James Harrington in the American Record Guide and was named one of the Top 10 Recordings of 2011 by Linn Records.  As a chamber musician, Fung has recorded the complete violin and piano works of American composer Lawrence Dillon with violinist Danielle Belen (Naxos) and partnered with Canadian 'cellist Elinor Frey in her album Dialoghi (Yarlung).

Notes

External links
Official homepage

Australian classical pianists
Male classical pianists
Living people
People educated at James Ruse Agricultural High School
University of New South Wales alumni
Yale School of Music alumni
21st-century classical pianists
Year of birth missing (living people)
21st-century Australian male musicians
21st-century Australian musicians


text:
Trump Approves New Tariff on Imported Solar Panels
The move is intended to help domestic solar manufacturing companies, but The Solar Energy Industries Association criticized the tariff.
By Staff 1/24/2018 at 3:15pm
Image: Michael Vadon / Wikimedia
President Trump on Tuesday approved a new 30 percent tariff on solar panels manufactured outside the U.S. over the next four years. The move is intended to help solar manufacturing companies here compete with international manufacturers, whose panels are generally cheaper than those made in the U.S. "We'll be making solar products now much more so in the United States," Trump said on Tuesday. "Our companies have been decimated, and those companies are going to be coming back strong." The Solar Energy Industries Association, however, criticized the tariff, arguing it will cause the loss of 23,000 American jobs this year alone. Some estimate that the price of a solar panel will increase by around 10 percent as a result of the tariff. "[The tariff] will create a crisis in a part of our economy that has been thriving, which will ultimately cost tens of thousands of hard-working, blue-collar Americans their jobs," said Abigail Ross Hopper, the president and CEO of the solar association.
manufacturing, politics, trade, solar energy, Biz Daily, Donald Trump

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you're a fan of our small-box trick-taking game The Fox In The Forest but want a game you can play with more than 2 people, you will love Time Chase!
In this game that accommodates 3-6 players and can be played in 30 minutes, you've cracked the code to unlock time travel, but some nefarious colleagues are trying to use your invention to travel back in time and take the credit for themselves!
With the technology of time travel in hand, you're allowed to travel back in time to previous tricks, known as events, and change their outcome. The first player to control three events in the timeline wins!
Time Chase will be available in August at your friendly local gaming store., or you can pre-order now!
In this game of tasteful collection, your art gallery is expanding! As the curator, you have built out your art gallery with new exhibits based on the categories your visitors are interested in: abstract, landscape, portrait, or still life. With enough prestige, you can earn the right for your gallery to display famous masterpieces!
This strategy game plays in a scant 30 minutes for 2-5 players.
You'll be able to find ArtSee on friendly local game store shelves come Fall of this year, but why not pre-order here!


text:
Going Against the Golden Grain: A Primer on Golden Rice
Of Seeds, Food, and Farmers' Rights
The past, present and future contributions of farmers in conserving, improving and making plant genetic resources for food and agriculture available has been recognized in The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) through the provisions on Farmers' Rights.
Although the Plant Treaty as it is commonly referred to was not explicit on what these rights are, it nonetheless mandated that the responsibility for implementing its provisions on Farmers' Rights rests with the national governments, which are free to choose the measures they deem appropriate, according to
their needs and priorities. Even in the Philippines, there has yet to be a law operationalizing the Farmers' Rights. But even without such legal recognition, farmers since the dawn of agriculture have established their relationship and claim to the seeds which is the basis of all food and agricultural production in the world.
The informal seed system that has evolved over time is a living testimony of the invaluable contribution of the relations between the farmer and his farming activities and to environmental biodiversity. Central to these farming activities is the farmer as an individual or as collective group determining what to plant, when to plant, which seed to plant, and what seed to keep for the next planting season, among others. This nurturing process has evolved as an informal system that takes into account the relationship of a farmer and the seeds that he or she is planting and breeding and even sharing to other farmers.
Farmers being part of the informal seed system plays a crucial role in maintaining agricultural biodiversity. The variety of seeds that farmers have planted, cultivated, and bred to improve further the varieties of seed that they want to plant and save for the future is part and parcel of the agricultural biodiversity. An improved variety leads to a continuous flow of genetic resources of rice and other food crops.
Farmer's Rights are basically about enabling farmers to continue their work as stewards and innovators of agricultural biodiversity, and about recognizing them for their contribution to the global pool of genetic resources.
Golden Rice as a Solution to VAD
A relevant part of the knowledge about Vitamin A relates the vitamin, or the lack (deficiency) thereof, as a significant public health concern. Vitamin A deficiency is largely responsible for blindness and has contributed significantly to morbidity and mortality in many countries. The interest in the problem of Vitamin A deficiency or VAD has experienced a surge in recent times. The same interest has also spawned a number of control programs to combat this health menace. A good percentage of groups affected by VAD can be found in developing nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 13.8 million children to exhibit symptoms of visual loss related to VAD. Night blindness and, in its worsened condition, xerophthalmia, are markers of VAD. VAD is also known to cause impaired immune function, cancer, and birth defects.
With the goal of producing a fortified staple grain that can deliver Vitamin A, Golden Rice was produced from the Oryza sativa variety through genetic engineering. The objective was to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A, in the endosperm or the edible parts of rice. The research was conducted with the hope of producing a fortified variety that can be grown and consumed in areas with insufficient dietary Vitamin A, where the symptoms of Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) are reportedly prevalent. The research and development of Golden Rice began in 1992 by Ingo Potrykus of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Peter Beyer of the University of Freiburg. The scientific details of the study were first published in Science in 2000, and at the time of publication Golden Rice was considered a significant biotechnological breakthrough.
A new variety was then produced in 2005 led by researchers at the biotechnology company, Syngenta. Called Golden Rice 2, this variety produced 23 times more beta-carotene than the previous iteration, and preferentially accumulates beta-carotene (up to 31 ?g/g of the 37 ?g/g of carotenoids). At present, neither variety is available for human consumption.
Funding for research has significantly grown with grants coming from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to further improve golden rice with the hope of increasing levels and bioavailability of pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, iron, and zinc, and to improve protein quality through genetic modification. A 2011 article [Nayar, A. (2011). "Grants aim to fight malnutrition". Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2011.233] forecast that "golden rice would clear final regulatory hurdles and reach the market in 2013." The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is currently coordinating the Golden Rice Network with other partners in agriculture and nutrition to research and develop Golden Rice. Helen Keller International, a leading global health organization that aims to reduce blindness and prevents malnutrition worldwide, announced in 2011 it was joining the Golden Rice project.Golden Rice was developed to address a humanitarian need. Its proponents have hailed it as a real world solution to the problem of food security and nutritional deficiency, specifically Vitamin A Deficiency. However, as will be explained further in this primer, this solution is merely illusory.
Many biological products and processes that have been discovered orinvented through modern biotechnology are protected by intellectual property rights (IPRs). Patents, a type of IPR, are state-licensed monopolies for new technologies with industrial applications. Patents give the patent-holder exclusive rights to use, make, offer for sale or sell the protected product or process. It therefore restricts farmers' access to improved plant varieties and restricts their traditional practice of exchanging or selling farm-saved seeds. It puts them in danger of prosecution for infringement if they replant, save, sell or exchange patented varieties. The predicament of farmers in the United States should serve as a cautionary tale. Thousands of farmers have been threatened and charged with infringement of patents on GM crops and made to pay exorbitant fines. Further, the last few decades have seen dramatically reduced choices in the farmers' supply of seeds, leading to an unsustainable dependence for the most basic of agricultural inputs.
In addition, the Philippine government can also grant a cousin of the patent, a Certificate of Plant Variety Protection. A PVP certificate may be more insidious than an outright patent. It grants the same exclusive rights of producing, selling, marketing, exchanging and exporting as a patent, but does not require the higher level of inventiveness that patents require. While patents require that the product or process be not obvious to another person skilled in the art, a PVP merely requires that it be distinct from others that are of common knowledge.
Patents for the method of producing golden rice have been granted by the World Intellectual Property Organization, South Korea, the European Patent Office, Mexico and the United States. They now belong to Syngenta, a Swiss chemical company marketing seeds and pesticides and which has the third largest share in the agricultural seeds market. The inventors, Ingo Potrykus of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Peter Beyer of the University of Freiburg, were originally granted a patent but had to turn it over in 2000 to Syngenta (formerly Zeneca), which had funded their research through the European Commission's 'Carotene Plus' research program. Their work built on myriad other patented technologies, making use of 70 intellectual property rights belonging to 32 different companies and universities. Syngenta negotiated licenses with the other companies to use a number of ancillary technologies, needed to create Golden Rice. Syngenta, in turn, has given the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board, members of which include the inventors, a "humanitarian license" to the full set of necessary technologies with the right to sublicense to public research institutions and low-income farmers in developing countries free of charge. However, it bears noting that Syngenta retains commercial rights to the patent, that is, the right to use the patented method for commercial purposes.
Download a copy of Going Against the Golden Grain
Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment
Photos are contributed by SEARICE staff and partner organizations and government agencies.


Imagine yourself living in this picturesque period home surrounded by lush gardens situated a short walk from the train station, Carlisle Street Restaurant Precinct & local grocery stores.
Be greeted by a quaint verandah and large entrance hallway leading onto the 3 generous bedrooms (2 with robes) and master featuring renovated ensuite.
Cook up a storm in the galley style Kitchen with gas cooking and dishwasher. Large open living room partially separated from the dining room. Renovated sparkling central bathroom, heating & cooling, laundry facilities and large rear decking perfect for entertaining or relaxing in the mini-oasis the garden provides.


text:
Q: Android - read file from internal storage public folder In my application I am making for android, I want to add database import functionality. For that I have already designed import from web (MySql database via php script) and import from external storage (via CSV file).
Now I want to add option for importing via CSV from internal storage (for who doesn't have any external storage). So, can you please advice:
1) Whether this is advisable to add that option?
2) If it is, then how can I read file from public folders in internal storage?
3) Which folder should I target for that? Or I should just use the data folder for my applicatin?
Also, any other advice in this regard will be more than welcome.

A: To read data from internal storage you need your app files folder and read content from here :
File yourFile = new File(context.getFilesDir() + "/" + "File_Name.extension");
FileInputStream fis = null;
        try {
            fis = new FileInputStream(yourFile);
            InputStreamReader isr = new InputStreamReader(fis);
            BufferedReader bufferedReader = new BufferedReader(isr);
            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
            String line;
            while ((line = bufferedReader.readLine()) != null) {
                sb.append(line);
            }
            return sb.toString();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
            return "";
        }

Also you can use this approach :
FileInputStream fis = context.openFileInput("hello.txt", Context.MODE_PRIVATE);
   InputStreamReader isr = new InputStreamReader(fis);
   BufferedReader bufferedReader = new BufferedReader(isr);
   StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
   String line;
   while ((line = bufferedReader.readLine()) != null) {
       sb.append(line);
   }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: App terminated due to memory issue In my app i'm receiving this error: "Message from debugger: Terminated due to memory issue", and the app crashes.
I'm showing a web page, but the problem is that the memory usage is not too hight, the app uses less than 100 MB of memory. The app crashes only if i run the app in a iPhone 6 Plus, in an iPhone 5 it works correctly.
How can i prevent the app to crash?
The app crashes only on rotation, so the webview is already loaded.


text:
Soufiane Bouftini (en ), né le  à Azilal, est un footballeur marocain évoluant au poste de défenseur central à Al Ahli SC.

Biographie

En club
En 2019, il atteint la finale de la Coupe du Trône face au Tihad Athletic Sport (défaite, 2-1).

Le , il reçoit sa première sélection avec l'équipe du Maroc A' face à l'Algérie A' sous les ordres d'Houcine Ammouta. Il joue également le match retour à l'occasion des qualifications au Championnat d'Afrique 2020.

En , Wydad AC était en négociations sérieuses avec Hassania pour rejoindre le joueur, mais les négociations n'étaient pas terminées. Désormais, Soufiane Bouftini poursuit sa carrière avec son club, Hassania d'Agadir.

Le 5 mai 2021, il est éliminé des quarts de finales de la Coupe du Maroc, après une défaite de 2-0 contre le Raja de Béni Mellal, club évoluant en D2 marocaine.

Le 28 juillet 2021, il signe librement un contrat de trois ans à Al Ahli SC, club arrivé à la quatrième place du championnat qatarien lors de la saison précédente.

En sélection
Mi-janvier 2021, il figure sur la liste définitive de l'équipe du Maroc A' pour prendre part au championnat d'Afrique, sous les commandes de l'entraîneur Houcine Ammouta. Soufiane Bouftini joue la totalité des matchs de la CHAN 2021 et finit par remporter le titre international. Lors de la finale contre l'équipe du Mali A', il inscrit le premier but. Le match se solde sur une victoire de 2-0.

Le 22 novembre 2021, il figure parmi les 23 sélectionnés de Houcine Ammouta pour prendre part à la Coupe arabe de la FIFA 2021.

Palmarès

En club
  HUS Agadir
 Finaliste de la Coupe du Maroc en 2019

En sélection
 Maroc A'
 Championnat d'Afrique des nations (CHAN)
 Vainqueur : 2021

Notes et références

Liens externes

Footballeur marocain
Joueur du Raja de Béni Mellal
Joueur du Hassania d'Agadir
Joueur du Wydad Athletic Club
Naissance en mai 1994
Naissance dans la province d'Azilal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I got a work to create a project of compound bridge in AutoCAD 2018. I almost done this job, but in the end of my work, when I opened .dwg, AutoCAD viewed me a message DWG file hangs or crashes AutoCAD. Now I can't continue my work, I have only two or three days till the end of my project.
First Restart your computer (NOT shut down and start up, Restart in Windows 10 clears things that shutting down maintains and reopens).
Next Run Malwarebytes and remove all it finds.
Then Run ADWCleaner and remove all it finds.
Then do Disk Clean Up or run CCleaner.
Use CCleaner also to manage start up programs.
If still having problems, list system specs and all details of the problem including if you have worked with this particular file before without issues.
Hopefully, do were regularly saving your work as you progressed?
I believe that Autocad does auto-save but the smart ones periodically save progress versions of the work so there is the current working model and a few incremental versions that are mostly completed, especially when they are just revisions on a mostly completed job.
I also recommend saving copies to a server or external drive in case of a drive failure or bad infection, at least daily.
› [Solved] Facebook game room unable to validate the validity of file .
› Facebook game room unable to validate the validity of file .


text:
Home/Others/Latest developments/Syria affirms it has no intention of going back to the Arab League
Latest developmentsMiddle EastOthersWorld News
Syria affirms it has no intention of going back to the Arab League
syriatrJuly 15, 2016
The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry confirmed on Friday that Syria did not make any request to get back its seat at the Arab League.
The confirmation was expressed in a statement by an official source at the Ministry in response to statements made by the Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, in which he said that Syria can only have its membership in the Arab League back after reaching consensus between the government and the opposition, adding that Syria issue is very complicated and thorny.
Aboul-Gheit also said Syria cannot take part in the Arab Summit in Nouakchott that is due to be held on July 25-26.
The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry's source held the Arab League responsible for what has happened in Libya as it pushed for striking the Arab country and later for deepening the crisis in Syria and hindering efforts to solve it after it, under the influence of some dominant member states, took dubious stance on Syria.
Syria reaffirms that "it is not even thinking of going back to the Arab League as long as the latter remains subject to the dominance of countries known for having conspired against Syria and that are responsible for the state of fragmentation, weakness and division within the Arab ranks, the thing that has made it way far from, and even in complete contradiction with, the objectives of its charter, " the source said.
Iran says ECO needs to be restructured
Syrian bus convoy attack is a war crime: OHCHR
Iraq Foreign Ministry to Summon Turkey Ambassador
Millions of refugees in risk of homelessness
Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani: Help others without asking their denomination


Berserk Guts Berserk Armour ver. Figure statue COLLECTOR'S EDITION 12 GK Resin. The item "Berserk Guts Armour ver. Figure Painted statue COLLECTOR'S EDITION 12 GK Resin" is in sale since Sunday, October 21, 2018. This item is in the category "Toys & Games\Action Figures\TV, Movies & Video Games". The seller is "one*day_bid" and is located in Shanghai. This item can be shipped to North, South, or Latin America, European Union member countries, Japan, Australia, Russian federation.


Mediation is a more formal structured process of negotiation that tries to settle your claim through the active participation of a third party mediator. The mediator works to find points of agreement and help both parties come to a mutually agreeable settlement. The mediator helps to outline strengths and weaknesses in each party's case and helps to keep the parties talking. However, mediation does not always result in a settlement.


Passive voice and passive sentences ruin great plots. They lack power and authority. Timid writing bores readers. For this discussion, I lump passive sentences and passive voice under the single term of "passive sentence".
Passive sentences do not engage readers. Active sentences engage readers. This leads to editors rejecting stories, and readers yawning. Then, authors are stumped as to why people don't like their story containing a wonderful plot.
Absolutely no action happens in this sentence. However, this is a passive description of the scene. Adding action to the description engages the reader in a way the original sentence did not.
Suddenly the passive sentence has action. We are showing the reader the tree's size instead of telling the read the tree is big.
Don't rationalize uses of "to be" by saying they're valid past progressives. Most past progressives and other uses of "to be" come across as a sloppy passive voice. Don't do it. Don't fall into the trap. Don't rationalize. Take out the red pen and fix those sentences.
Now pick up your favorite story that never seems to find a home, and look for any forms of be. Can you remove them and liven up that story?


Eucommia ulmoides ,Chinese rubber tree Seeds, Hardy Rubber Tree Seeds.
Eucommia (Eucommia ulmoides) is a small tree native to China. It is extinct in the wild, but is widely cultivated in China for its bark, highly valued in herbology such as Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).


Donald Trump has praised the San Bernardino couple, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malaki, for integrating fully into American society.
"When I hear how a Muslim couple carried out a mass shooting with the enormous cache of weapons and ammunition they stashed in their home, it fills me with pride that at last some Muslims are properly living the American dream." The Republican candidate told cheering idiots at a gun club in Massacre, Indiana.
Donald Trump pledged that once he was president, only Muslims who swore allegiance both to the flag and Smith and Wesson would be allowed to settle in America.
This entry was posted in Humour, Politics and tagged Donald J Trrump, San Bernardino massacre 2015, satire, USA gun control. Bookmark the permalink.


If there's one thing we've learnt from Jeff Goldblum down the years – and there has been many things – it's that 'life finds a way.' But by the looks of the first trailer for next year's sci-fi thriller, LIFE, Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal didn't get the poignant message.
Due for release midway through next year, LIFE tells the story of a six-member crew on the International Space Station. On their journey orbiting our solar system. Gyllenhaal, Reynolds and co. are on the edge of discovering that there is indeed alien life out there.
As the crew edges nearer to the end of their research, their methods end up having unintended consequences with the life form becoming even more intelligent than they'd expected. And guess what? It might not be so friendly to humans after all!
LIFE is directed by Child 44 director Daniel Espinosa, and from the trailer we think this could be a cracker. Not only does it pack a stellar cast with Gyllenhaal and Reynolds joined by the likes of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation's Rebecca Ferguson, the ISS also looks like a perfectly intimate setting for a sci-fi and thriller/horror cross-genre corker.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Rebecca Ferguson, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Hiroyuki Sanada, LIFE is slated to release next year on 12th May here in the UK, with it arriving in the States a couple of weeks later. Check out the full trailer below and let us know what you think!


The 14th Annual Winter Institute will be held at Riverdale Country School in Bronx, NY from January 22-25, 2019. The conference host hotel is the Intercontinental Times Square. Registration for the 2019 Winter Institute will open in early June, beginning with priority registration for member schools.


on a whiteboard, a computer screen, or a sheet of paper.
In other words, I'm going to teach you to draw.
There are really two main purposes.
in the course of the design process itself.
in general, it requires expertise beyond the scope of a quick video tutorial.
And so, you're going to engage with an expert to help you out with that.
as requiring artistic talent, but I don't really believe that's the case.
will allow you to develop the skill with just some practice.
Indeed, there's no one right way to sketch or draw in the context of product design.
you'll be able to develop your own style with some additional practice.
this module, what you're going to see is my hands with a pen on the sheet of paper.
my tablet so that I can capture video of what I'm doing on the page.
represent objects by drawing lines that correspond to the edges of the object.
Those lines aren't usually actually on the object, so it's a little bit of a fiction.
making sense of the objects.
And what tools do we need to create those lines that represent edges?
Well, pretty much anything can suggest an edge, even light.
using just light, but the best tools are the ones you have with you.
but we can usually do a bit better than that.
printer paper will work just fine.
which provides some guidance for lines that are orthogonal to each other.
I print my own graph paper on scrap paper using a five millimeter grid.
I'm going to use some pretty nice drawing paper like this paper here from Copic.
bleed through and it has quite a bit of strength.
So I like this paper, but pretty much any paper will do.
In terms of writing implements, you're going to need a few different things.
Let's start with a mechanical pencil.
that is, a mechanical pencil with 0.5-millimeter lead.
Although a 0.7-millimeter, some people like that, it creates a fatter line.
one that gives you about the finest line that is possible.
This one here is by the Japanese company Muji, and I like it quite a bit.
usually quite a bit wider than the fine pen.
And then you'll also need a thicker marker.
thick marker that you can put your hands on will be just fine.
but if you are into drawing, you might like these markers.
0.1 millimeters all the way up to over 1 millimeter in width.
and these markers come in different shades of grey, from very light to very dark.
These happen to also be made by Copic.
markers don't bleed, the ink doesn't bleed when you shade over the Copic marker.
I get just a little bit of bleeding.
these shading markers are really quite nice.
lines that are perpendicular to some other feature or a line.
to remove the reference lines that you might do in pencil.
good digital tablets available as well including the iPad by Apple.
between using a digital tablet and using paper and pencil.
I don't really care which one you use, you can use either.
I, in fact, use both.
you'll probably use pencil, then ink over it and then erase the pencil.
And with a tablet, you use layers.
layer in order to reveal just the information you want for your drawing.
pen doesn't really matter and the techniques are going to be the same.
paper because I think it's more likely that that's what you're going to be using.
that is that they draw the sketchy little figures in the corner of the sheet.
I call them chicken scratches.
they're hard to read and they're off in the corner of the page.
Let's take inspiration from Thomas Edison.
This is a page from his lab book while he was developing the light bulb.
he centered the work on the page and he also signed his name.
the work and establishing when the work was done and by whom.
and that's a pretty standard technique shown here.
you centered it on the page, you also want to take credit for your work.
get into to put your name and the date somewhere on the sheet.
I like to put it in the lower right corner.
So let me make just a few summary comments for this introduction.
there's really two flavors of quick.
30 seconds or under a minute to represent an object.
use a pencil and then ink over it to get the final lines.
that you can look at, that you can hold in your hand.
then draw them because I think it makes it easier to see what I'm doing.
But I do understand that in design, the object usually doesn't exist yet.
the visual representation of that concept on the page.
to representing your design with a sketch.


text:
Sisters in Arms (ePub)
The Women Who Flew in World War II
WWII Aviation Aviation in WWII Women of History
By Helen Page Schrader
Imprint: Pen & Sword Aviation
Illustrations: 60 black and white illustrations
eBook Released: 1st August 2007
You'll be £4.99 closer to your next £10.00 credit when you purchase Sisters in Arms. What's this?
Sisters in Arms Paperback Add to Basket £15.99
Sisters in Arms Kindle (22.8 MB) Add to Basket £4.99
During World War II, a few, carefully selected women in the US and the UK were briefly given the unprecedented opportunity to fly military aircraft. Yet the story of these pioneer women pilots is made even more intriguing by the fact that, despite many notable similarities in the utilisation and organisation of the women in their respective countries, they experienced radically different fates.
Throughout the war, the contribution of the women of the British ATA to the war effort was recognized and praised both from official quarters and in the press. By contrast, the American WASPs were first glamorized and made into Hollywood stars - and then subjected to a slander campaign. What accounts for this dramatic difference in the treatment of women pilots doing essentially the same job?
This book seeks to answer these questions. The women who participated in the ATA and WASP have been allowed to speak for themselves. The story these women have to tell is exciting and intriguing.
Helena Page Schrader writes a comprehensive history of the women pilots who flew during World War Two in her book Sisters in Arms. She aims to ascertain how and why there were so many differences between the British and American services and the impact this had on the women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and why one attracted praise and the other criticism.
Quotes, stories and interviews with some of the pilots are included as well as plenty of photographs but unfortunately very few pilots are named. There are extensive notes, too. Finally, the conclusion is not to be missed! Will you agree; has she answered the questions? I recommend you read the book to find out!
My personal view is that the role of women in the Second World War is under-represented in published form, so the reprint of this book is an important step in addressing this omission. As the subtitle states, this book covers the women from the United States and the United Kingdom who were trained and then flew military aircraft across the world.
The author is the holder of a PhD in History, so to be expected, the book is researched well, and provided with plenty of references. However, the author is also a novelist so the text has a flow about it, which makes it easy and enjoyable to read. The book is divided into two parts and comprises fourteen chapters, and a set of conclusions. I found it fascinating as both a work on military history and social history.
The book contains several personal accounts as well as, some of the context into which these women came in order to learn to fly, and their achievements in terms of flying these aircraft on non-operational sorties. There are some photographs included in the middle of the book that are relevant to the subject. I enjoyed this book immensely, and highly recommend it.
British Military History
More titles by Helen Page Schrader
Other titles in Pen & Sword Aviation...


X-TREME Kids day-care centre is a plush haven for working parents to leave their child whilst they are at work. Expert and loving care-givers take care of children before and after school hours. Delightful snacks and meals and a peaceful snooze is part of the programme. After school hours children are engaged in different activities such as Art & Craft, Abacus and drawing.
Play-School is a stepping stone for small kids of age 2-3 years normally. So our facilitators help them adjust to the new environment, their tender hearts are nurtured with enormous love and care and are guided to become self – learners. The development of the child goes through a series of foundation processes which the children are introduced to a more formal form of routine to lay a foundation for all learning. A wide arena of themes broadens this developmental horizon. The curriculum is aimed at all round development of a child. A range of pre-reading and pre-writing activities are introduced to help children learn one step at a time. The curriculum gives an opportunity to your child to experiment with ideas and gain new experiences.
X-TREME Kids gives vent to attain knowledge by using observation, sorting and comparing, creative problem solving using intelligence, reflection, documenting experiences and valuing for comprehensive development for each future genius and at the end of pre-primary year children should be ready to face the formal extensive education system are implemented step-by-step starting with the basics and aim at achieving the ultimate goal of happiness the starting blocks being love, care and security..
We believe that learning should foster intrigue and interest during the critical phase of a child's life. Above all, it should be fun-filled and delivered to unleash the child's unique personality. By nurturing them as individuals, we enhance their exclusive talents and raise their confidence and interest in the process of learning. We also instil the values of appreciation and respect for cultural diversity.
At this stage, children should have a positive outlook and possess high level of confidence.
X-TREME Kids founders are forward looking leaders who believe in preparing for the future. So we aim at total personality development, leadership skills and emotional growth of the child. We do so by harnessing the five basic skills of language, physical, emotional, social and intellectual; leading to positive attitudes and critical thinking.
Every Curriculum includes a variety of interesting and inspiring activities to stimulate early brain development with a focus on creative work. We encourage a love of learning through working and playing with others. Our children have fun while they learn and we make sure that the children get the most out of their experiences at school. At X-Treme kids, our beautiful and modern facilities provide each and every child with the ability to learn and grow creatively, socially and emotionally.
Pre-School period is a time for playing, learning and growing….
This entry was posted in nursery schools in bangalroe, play school in bangalore, School in Bangalore.
We Present You Magic Show For Your School Kids Or Others Programmes In 100 Different Varieties. 45 Magics Filled With Comedy.
MY PERMANENT MOBILE NO- 9742857452. 9972074220.
I WILL SEND ALL DETAILS.


FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips discusses the details surround Sol Pais' arrival in Colorado, the nature of the threats that closed schools and how she bought a gun and ended up dead outside..
Massive Colorado Manhunt Over After Sol Pais Is Found Dead According to the FBI, the suspected gunman, 18-year-old Sol Pais, has died from possible self-inflicted wounds. Pais, who was from Florida,..
Sol Pais, the 18-year-old, Columbine-obsessed Florida woman wanted for making a threat to Denver-area schools Tuesday, was found dead near the base of Mt. Evans Wednesday morning, according to law..
Sol Pais, the 18-year-old Columbine-obsessed Florida woman wanted for making a threat to Denver-area schools Tuesday, was found dead near the base of Mt. Evans Wednesday morning, according to law..
Law enforcement says an 18-year-old who is "infatuated" with the Columbine mass shooting traveled to Colorado Monday.
An 18-year-old Florida woman "infatuated" with the Columbine school shooting traveled to Colorado by plane Monday, purchased a shotgun and ammunition in Littleton, Colorado, and disappeared into the..
FBI and police in the Denver area are on a manhunt for an armed 18-year-old woman they say is "infatuated" with the 1999 Columbine school shooting. Veuer's Justin Kircher has the story.


text:
Plato (c.427-347 BC), A Perspective
by Dr. Parviz Dehghani
Who was he? Once Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947), the British philosopher and mathematician said of, 'The safest characterization of Western philosophy is that of a series of footnotes to Plato'. This sums up who Plato was and what he did as the student of Socrates. He was the founder of the Academy which was the first university in the Western world. According to some story Academes was a friend of Plato's father who owned an olive grove. He gave this piece of land to Plato's father. Plato's father in turn let his son build his school which became the first institution of higher education in the West. There has never been a philosopher who has had such a great influence in the intellectual history of the world than Plato. His name has been mentioned practically in any topic in philosophy without any exaggeration.
It is very difficult to characterize such an encyclopedia of knowledge in a man like Plato. Some scholars read his dialogues at different times of their lives and come up with unbelievable discoveries which they had not even thought of at younger age.
However, much of his philosophical canon is about a realm of ideal Forms, a vertical space of perfection in which 'ideae', the original name for Form, reside. The world we experience is nothing but illusion, because that which is not changing and is eternal is only real. Perhaps this is what he had learned from Parmenides. Nonetheless, I believe, if he was a firm believer in reincarnation, then he must have had access to the ancient philosophy of Hinduism in which both time and change were illusions called MAYA. However, we try to avoid this kind of historical zigzagging as it was called by a professor once. It doesn't matter how Plato reached this conclusion. What is important is the fact that he had such a deep understanding of the nature of reality. To explain motion and change, he knew very well to establish the existence of a world of eternal unchanging Forms. This world we live in and we experience is transitory and passing. These phenomena we have sense perception of are ephemeral reflecting the Forms of perfection. They're waves in the ocean reflecting the moon and the sun. Although there're many individual horses, cats and dogs, for Plato they all participate in their universal Forms of 'the horse', 'the cat', 'the dog' and so on. I watch many horses roaming in the meadow. However, there's one Form of horse, which never ages and never dies in which all other horses take part and reflect it. This Form is transcendent and is not in the realm of change and becoming. Other horses grow up and eventually get old and some day they pass away. But the Form horse eternally exists. Dinosaurs which were prehistoric reptiles became extinct and died millions of years ago for whatever reasons. However, their Forms never perished. In the movie 'Jurassic park' we saw blood was taken from an insect which was inside a piece of amber, that in turn it had done the same thing to a dinosaur. Through the science of DNA they were able to bring back those dinosaurs that had been extinct millions of years ago. As you could imagine it is scientifically absurd to do such a thing. It made an interesting movie and money but it was just a fiction and was not based on science. Given Plato's philosophy, the Forms of those dinosaurs never became extinct and are still in existence. These dinosaurs were made in the image of the one universal Form. They were made in the representation of this one universal Form. When it comes to us humans we can say there're many human beings and all are made in the image or likeness of the universal 'Form of human'. We also believe God has created us in His image or likeness. However, we have no right to create God in our image, which is called anthropomorphism.
Plato had a tremendous amount of influence on Christianity. Even when St. Augustine turned away from women and converted to Christianity, we could see the influence of Plato there. When we say God created humans in His image or likeness we should realize the influence of Plato on Christianity theology.
Both Pythagoras and Plato believed in reincarnation. Where did this idea come from if not from the ancient Hindu culture through Egypt? Is it possible that what we believe as Jesus' resurrection was indeed nothing but another version of reincarnation? This is an issue which could easily raise eyebrows in a course on philosophy of Religion. How about the distinction between soul and body? It never existed among ancient Hebrews. Then why did it change in Christianity though Christ was Jew? Apparently this was perhaps another Plato's influence on Christianity.
We always look for perfection in a world that is imperfect. It is like looking for water in a desert while there's no such a thing there.
The most perfect woman was only the creation of computerized reality in the movie called 'Simone' staring Al Pacino.
Plato's theory of Forms was not limited to material objects or animals. He also thought there were ideal Forms of universal or abstract realities like beauty, justice, truth and mathematical concepts like numbers and class. In fact, it is, because of mathematics that Plato's influence is still intact to this day. Both Frege and Gödel supported the thoughts of Plato with great respect.
Plato's theory of Forms also shaped the foundation of his most disputed and best known writing, 'The Republic'. To clarify what is the essence and value of justice, Plato suggests a vision of a utopian society led by a powerful group and class of guardians who're trained from birth to rule. Let us not forget that the term 'Utopia' means 'not a place' or 'no space'. It is to be an "idealized place of perfection or any visionary scheme for a perfect society" (Webster's) the rest of society consists of soldiers and the ordinary people. The ideal citizens are those who understand how best they can make use of their talents to benefit the entire society bending without error to that task at hand. In Plato's republic there is no personal freedom and individual rights, because everything is fixed so securely by the guardians for the benefit of the state as a whole. This made Bertrand Russell accuse Plato of supporting an elitist and totalitarian regime under the pretence of communist or socialist principles. Whether or not Russell and other critics of Plato were right is itself a subject of debate. The native and indigenous people of our land believed they didn't own the land but they're to respect it. John Locke following Aristotle was strong believer in ownership. In fact the natives didn't even have a word for ownership, which reminds us of Plato's philosophy. Of course, the Greeks had a term for ownership but Plato preferred not to use it. However, it is very important to understand Plato's rationality for putting together society in this manner.
'The Republic' is an effort based on his theory of Forms in order to show us a map of the ideal form of society.
But why did Plato organize society in the way he did? 'The Republic' is an attempt given his theory of Forms, to explore the ideal form of society. What is the most perfect society? Plato thought there must have been one ideal way to organize society, of which all real societies are sheer imperfect copies, because they do not advance the good of all. In other words, these societies are nothing but reflections of the ideal Form of the society called 'The Republic'. A society like this would be more powerful than its neighbors and wouldn't be subject to invasion and occupation by its enemies. This must have been a thought in the mind of the Greeks of his time given the fact that they were facing wars after wars among Athens, Persia, Sparta and the other Hellenistic city-states. Was this in the minds of our forefathers in the beginning of our republic? Foe 246 years we have tried to keep it from those who would want to destroy it.
However, more significantly, in such a society there would be justice for all its citizens. Its entire people work for the good of the whole. Whether Plato's republic is an ideal, or even workable society, has been a subject matter discussed by many scholars throughout centuries.
(Philosophy, 100 essential thinkers, by Philip Stokes)
© 2019 www.ParvizDehghani.com


Fire Safety and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.
We all try to prevent fire starting in our home.
Smoke and fumes CAN KILL - particularly the highly poisonous smoke from furniture. You will only have a short time to get out. Use it wisely and try not to panic.
What to do if fire breaks out.
If you can safely do so, close the door of the room where the fire has started and close all other doors behind you. This will help delay the spread of the fire and smoke.
Before opening a closed door, use the back of your hand to touch it. Don't open the door if the handle feels warm - the fire will be on the other side.
Get everyone out as quickly as possible. Don't try to pick up valuables or possessions. Make your way out as safely and quickly as possible and try not to panic.
Plan your escape route in advance! Don't wait for a fire to start.
Telephone the Fire Brigade on 999 from a neighbours house, the nearest phone box or once outside the building, from your mobile if it is to hand. Clearly state the address of the fire.
NEVER go back into your home until you are told it is safe to do so by a fire officer.
It isn't easy, but try to remain calm. Save your energy to help you survive.
If you are prevented from getting out because of flames or smoke, close the door nearest to the fire and use towels, sheets or clothing to block and gaps around the door. This will stop smoke spreading into the room.
Go to the window. If the room becomes smokey, go down to floor level - it is easier to breathe because the smoke will rise upwards.
Open the window, try to attract the attention of others who can alert the fire brigade.
If you are in immediate danger, drop cushions bedding etc to the ground, to break your fall from the window. Get out feet first and lower yourself to the full length of your arms before dropping.
All fire extinguishers should now conform to European Standards. All extinguishers should be red in colour, but will have the relevant coloured squares depending on the type of extinguisher.
BLACK Black squares are carbon monoxide and can be used for most types of fires including electrical.
BLUE Blue squares are dry powder and can be used for liquids such as grease, fats, oil, paint and petrol. DO NOT use on chip or fat pan fires.
GREEN Green squares are a vapourising liquid, best for liquids such as grease, paint, petrol and fats. DO NOT use on chip or fat pan fires.
CREAM Cream squares (Aqueous film foaming) is a foam solution and can be used on most types of fire including oil and paint. DO NOT use on live electrical fires.
From October 2015 it will become a legal requirement for all landlords of private rented accommodations to install smoke alarms on each storey of the premises used for living accommodation and carbon monoxide detectors in any room where a solid fuel heating system is used.
Carbon Monoxide kills around 50 people in the UK each year.
It is an odourless, colourless, non-irritant gas.
There is generally little awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning among the general public and the medical proffession.
You can buy battery powered and hard wired Carbon Monoxide Detectors at any leading DIY outlet.
Make sure that you change the batteries regularly!
Always ensure that you take the appropriate steps to avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.
Do not block or obstruct ventilation to any gas appliance.
If you do have an alarm and it sounds - open all windows and doors, turn OFF the gas supply to all appliances, move all occupants to fresh air - call 0800 111 999 Gas Emergency IMMEDIATELY.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning can be similar to flu. If a member of you household displays signs, seek medical advice.
Have all gas appliances regularly checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.


Technology, always a driver of opportunity, power, and security, is becoming an even more pronounced determinant of the strategic environment today. Greater numbers of scientists and engineers in the U.S. and around the world, backed by new forms of capital, open innovation communities, and the Internet, are leveraging transformational technologies in new ways.
This flowering of innovation is opening whole new fields of human endeavor and social good. Yet technology also has a disruptive side, altering the environment for companies and even the balance of power globally.
I help leaders navigate this brave new world, positioning organizations to harness emerging technology and networked talent while mitigating its disruptions and risks. I also work in the technology and social good space.


---MAD--- replied to Share the Love Former vBulletin lead developer Kier Darby to develop new forum software?
Last edited by ---MAD---; Wed 4th Aug '10, 7:14pm.
Hi there, anyone know a good (free) avi to WMA converter?
Hope you had a good birthday Wayne.
Better late than never - Happy birthday !
Very nice blog post, your examples should help those that don't understand how mysql works .
Will sphinx search be easier to integrate now?
Windows 7 has many performance and security benefits. That's like comparing windows 95 to XP?
---MAD--- replied to WOOT! New Team Members!!
I like that a lot .
Floris: Nice to see you around buddy.
---MAD--- replied to Start from scratch Q's?
Yeah any ideas where to look?
I can send the same attachments directly from within the ISP's email account but not through outlook.
Cheers for the update . Glad to hear videos can be embedded!
I get no error. It says the email is sent (it's in my sent items) but the email isn't recieved by the recipient (at all). When I don't attach anything it works fine.
I have been trying to figure this out for a while but I am stomped.


SICK O NATION had the most liked content!
The full moon will turn blood red on July 27 as the longest total lunar eclipse of the century takes place in the skies from Australia through Africa. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's innermost shadow. When this happens, the moon turns rusty orange or deep reed in color and is how it earned the nickname of a blood moon eclipse. The red moon will pair well with Mars, which reaches opposition just before the eclipse and will also appear orange or red in color. Unlike a solar eclipse, no special equipment or glasses are needed to view a total lunar eclipse, although onlookers will require cloud-free weather. Friday's lunar eclipse will be particularly special as it is the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century. The total phase of the eclipse will last for an impressive 1 hour and 43 minutes, while the entire eclipse, including the partial phases, will last for over 6 hours. One reason why this eclipse is lasting so long is because it is occurring when the moon is near apogee, or the point in its orbit when it is farthest away from the Earth, making it appear smaller than normal. This is sometimes referred to as a 'micromoon,' and is the opposite of the well-known supermoon, or perigee (when the moon is at its closest to Earth). Another factor that is playing a role in the eclipse's duration is the path that the moon is taking through the Earth's shadow. During Friday's eclipse, the moon will be passing almost directly through the middle of the shadow, maximizing the time that moon spends in darkness. The next time there is a total lunar eclipse this long will not be until June 9, 2123. This animation shows how the moon will pass through the Earth's shadow during the total lunar eclipse on July 27. (GIF/Tomruen) For those in North America, the century's longer lunar eclipse will not be visible as it will take place during the day on Friday. However, those living in many other areas of the world will be able to witness the celestial spectacle. "On July 27th, a total lunar eclipse will be visible in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and South America," NASA said. (Image/NASA) The time that the blood moon is visible depends on what area of the world onlookers are viewing the event from. For those in Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia, the height of the eclipse will be visible before the moon sets early in the morning on July 28. Meanwhile, those in far eastern South America and far western Europe, the total eclipse will be visible as the moon rises on Friday night. The balance of Asia and Europe, as well as Africa and Antarctica, will be able to see the entirety of the eclipse. A rare celestial occurrence as a 'super blue blood moon' is seen at Santa Monica Beach in Santa Monica, Calf., Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. The moon is putting on a rare cosmic show. It's the first time in 35 years a blue moon has synced up with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse. NASA is calling it a lunar trifecta: the first super blue blood moon since 1982. That combination won't happen again until 2037. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) People in areas experiencing the total eclipse may also want to spend a few moments looking at other parts of the sky for some shooting stars. The Delta Aquariids meteor shower peaks on July 30, but the light pollution from the moon will make it difficult to see many of the dimmer meteors on the night that the shower reaches its peak. However, the drop in natural light pollution during the total lunar eclipse will allow people to see more of the dimmer meteors. This meteor shower favors the Southern Hemisphere with up to 15-20 meteors an hour, but people in the Northern Hemisphere may still be able to spot a few shooting stars around the shower's peak. RELATED: Mars' opposition: How to see the red planet as it makes its closest approach to Earth in 15 years AccuWeather Astronomy Facebook page Video: Astronomer captures International Space Station moving in front of the Sun People in North America and South America will want to mark their calendars for the next total lunar eclipse, which falls on Jan. 21, 2019. Unlike this week's eclipse, the entirety of January's blood moon eclipse will be visible across both continents. Some areas in Europe and Africa will also be able to view this eclipse, weather permitting. There will also be a partial lunar eclipse on July 16, 2019, the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, the mission that sent the first humans to the moon.


Reactor-X - Software Informer. Reactor-X is a program which allows you to instal themes on your windows.
Reactor-X is a program which allows you to instal themes, logo screen and icons on your windows.
Reactor-X features: visual Style with a unique installer, new custom sounds, 4 wallpapers and logon screen, cursors and fonts, rainmeter skins, dock skin and dock icons, 7tsp custom icon pack, etc.


text:
"By The Editorial Board, www.nytimes.com December 12th, 2018
Michael Cohen said President Trump led him into darkness. The courts brought him into the light.
Michael Cohen at the Federal Courthouse in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday.
Photo by: Stephanie Keith for The New York Times
There have been some dark days in America in recent months, days when its astonished citizens have had reason to wonder whether its institutions and even its ideals — the Congress, the electoral process, the notion that honesty matters — had become too brittle to withstand what could seem like relentless assault.
Wednesday was not one of those days.
A federal judge in Manhattan sentenced Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former lawyer, to three years in prison over what the judge called a "veritable smorgasbord" of crimes, most important, paying hush money to two women who said they slept with his ex-boss. Those payments enabled Mr. Trump to conceal the accusations from voters in the closing weeks of the campaign. United States District Judge William Pauley said this violation of campaign finance laws created "insidious harm to our democratic institutions." In so ruling, he demonstrated that those institutions have some life in them yet.
Mr. Trump has called the payments to the two women "a simple private transaction." But prosecutors made clear that the payments were illegal campaign contributions because their purpose was to help win the election. This was reinforced shortly after Mr. Cohen's sentencing, when federal prosecutors disclosed that, in a deal to avoid prosecution, the publisher of The National Enquirer admitted that, to help elect Mr. Trump president, and with his cooperation, it had paid $150,000 to buy the silence of one of the women, Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who said she'd had a 10-month affair with Mr. Trump.
With prosecutors already having said in their sentencing memo for Mr. Cohen that "he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1" — that's President Individual-1 to you — this is even more evidence they believe Mr. Trump conspired to commit a felony.
In pleading for mercy, Mr. Cohen told the judge a sad tale of a starry-eyed man led astray by "a blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darkness over light."
"Time and time again," he said of his ex-employer, "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds rather than to listen to my own inner voice and my moral compass."
Lest a tear come to your eye, let's be clear that Mr. Cohen's "path of darkness" began with a sleazy legal practice years before meeting Mr. Trump. Prosecutors have made a persuasive case that the moral compass of Mr. Cohen, who also pleaded guilty to tax evasion and bank fraud, didn't locate true north until he was caught and his home, office and hotel room were raided by the F.B.I.
Mr. Cohen, once just an example of one kind of person Mr. Trump draws close to him, is now also a case study in where that association can leave them.
It started out so hopefully. "He's a very smart person," Mr. Trump told The New York Post in 2007, after Mr. Cohen began buying units in Trump buildings. That was around the time, according to prosecutors, Mr. Cohen got a condo board ousted after its members tried to take the Trump name off a building in which he lived. Soon Mr. Cohen, who had been earning about $75,000 a year, became the $500,000-a-year executive vice president and general counsel of the Trump Organization.
It was an interesting time for Mr. Trump, and perhaps for the Russia investigation. By then Mr. Trump was being shunned by virtually all American banks that did not have his daughter on the board of directors. The Washington Post said almost all his deals after that time were in cash. And around then, there were more deals with shady Russian characters, with Donald Trump Jr. saying that money was "pouring in from Russia."
In 2015, while Mr. Trump was running for president, he had Mr. Cohen reach out to see if President Vladimir Putin of Russia could help seal a Moscow real estate deal that could bring in hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the special counsel's office.
Meanwhile, in the presidential campaign, Mr. Cohen continued showing the boss what a tough guy he could be, playing attack dog on TV and with the media.
When reporters asked him about a claim years ago by Mr. Trump's first wife that Mr. Trump had tried to rape her, he warned them off, gangland style. Tread lightly, Mr. Cohen said, "because what I'm going to do to you is going to be … disgusting."
Then, before Mr. Cohen could truly savor his boss's electoral victory, it all came crashing down.
Mr. Cohen also faced repercussions for his lies to Congress about his role in the Moscow deal, to which he also pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Wednesday to a two-month term concurrent with that for the other charges.
He has extensively cooperated with the special counsel, Robert Mueller. American justice and rule of law have recalled Michael Cohen to the path of light, and it was a fine thing, on Wednesday, to witness their resilience, and be reminded of their majesty."


This stacker trailer is custom-made for race teams, snowbirds, hobbyists or anyone hauling multiple cars. Need a garage away from home? We make your perfect trailer. Each Hercules model stacker is handmade to higher specs. Trust the leading name in trailers to get you there.
28'-11" 30'-11" 32'-11" 32'-11" 34'-11" 36'-11" 38'-11"
102" 102" 102" 102" 102" 102" 102"
13'-2" 13'-2" 13'-2" 13'-2" 13'-2" 13'-2" 13'-2"
24" 24" 24" 24" 24" 24" 24"
11'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0" 11'-0"
24'-2" 26'-2" 28'-2" 28'-2" 30'-2" 32'-2" 34'-2"
96" 96" 96" 96" 96" 96" 96"
80" 80" 80" 80" 80" 80" 80"
48" x 78" 48" x 78" 48" x 78" 48" x 78" 48" x 78" 48" x 78" 48" x 78"
94" x 96" 94" x 96" 94" x 96" 94" x 96" 94" x 96" 94" x 96" 94" x 96"
2-5/16" 2-5/16" 2-5/16" 2-5/16" 2-5/16" 2-5/16" 2-5/16"
Heavy Duty Upper Loft Deck (specify height above main floor) - Includes 11ga 2x5 steel tube framework w/3/4" Drymax decking, and Heavy Duty Sidewall Posts in Loft Area"


All of our pet food and treat products are made in the United States. Our continuing goal is to source U.S. made products whenever possible.
In addition to finding loving homes for our puppies and kittens, we offer a variety of products from holistic food to fashion at Puppies Plus.
Puppies Plus offers everything you need for your dog or cat, big or small. Although we carry a wide variety right in our store, we can also special order that special something for your pet.
You may browse through the different categories of products we offer at Puppies Plus, by selecting one of the catagories under this section..
Remember, if you do not see what you are looking for, please contact us so that we may further assist you.. we have so much more in-store!
Disclaimer: Information in our products section is subject to change at any time without notice.
Thundershirt's gentle, constant pressure is a terrific solution for many types of anxiety, fearfulness, barking and more.
We Stand Behind Our Product If for any reason Thundershirt isn't right for your dog, simply return it for a refund of your purchase price.
For selecting the correct size, your dog's chest size is the best measurement to use. If not available, your dog's weight may be used as a guideline, we have all sizes from xxsmall to xxlarge.


VyC is committed to creating and sustaining a statewide, consumer-driven approach to promoting the health and well-being of Latinos/as and their families by supporting Promotores, leaders, community health workers and others who serve the community in ways consistent with the values and scope of practice of the Promotor model.
Created by promotores, VyC represents the collective voice of Promotores and responds to the ideas, needs and priorities they identify in their communities. Today, the National Network of Promotores and Community Health Workers reflects VyC's participatory and consensus building strategy and commitment to popular education methodology.
By investing in Promotores as leaders of change, VyC strengthens their collective voice and increases their ability to advocate for policies and practices to improve individual and family well-being and create lasting community change.
Partner with key advocacy organizations in California and across the U.S.
receive health information and referrals from 4,000 VyC promotores.


Amberian Dawn is a Finnish symphonic power metal band, formed in 2006 by Tuomas Seppälä and Tommi Kuri. Their third album End of Eden was released on Spinefarm Records in October 2010.
Another music video from new metal band called Cellar Darling with Anna Murphy as a singer.
Live perfomance of swiss folk metal band Eluveitie in Moscow back in 2009.
Music video of swiss folk metal band Eluveitie from their album Origins (2014), featuring swiss musician Anna Murphy as a singer.


text:
William H. Hannon Library
America's West
Big Pine Citizen Newspaper Collection
Catholicism in L.A.
Changing Face of Southern California
Del Rey Players Collection
Dockweiler Family Papers
Hurley-Wright Surveyors Map Collection
J. D. Black Papers
Jesuit Rare Book and Manuscript Collection
John W. Boyle Film Stills and Photograph Collection
Loyola Marymount University Historical Manuscripts Collection
Loyola Marymount University Historical Photograph Collection
Sacred Heart Chapel
Venegas Family Papers
Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection
Werner von Boltenstern Shanghai Photograph and Negative Collection
1 photograph: black and white 21 x 26 cm. (2)
1 postcard : color ; 9 x 14 cm. (2)
1 postcard : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm. (1)
los angeles (calif.) (2)
st. vincent's college (los angeles, calif.) (2)
catholic universities and colleges -- california -- los angeles college buildings -- california -- los angeles (1)
college students college football players (1)
high schools -- california -- los angeles school buildings -- california -- los angeles (1)
los angeles (calif.); (1)
mount st. mary's college (los angeles, calif.); (1)
school buildings -- 19th century universities and colleges -- 19th century auditoriums -- 19th century schools -- furniture, equipment, etc.; college campuses -- california -- los angeles (1)
universities -- california -- los angeles shopping centers -- california -- los angeles (1)
university of california, los angeles (1)
circa 1930? (1)
circa 1890 (1)
All fields: temporarily
St. Vincent's College Football Team
College students; College football players
Black-and-white photograph of the St. Vincent's College football team. Features three rows of seated and standing students; most wearing black turtleneck sweaters with the St. Vincent's crest on the front. Two students are wearing suits.
St. Vincent's College, study hall
School buildings--19th century; Universities and colleges--19th century; Auditoriums--19th century; Schools--Furniture, equipment, etc.; College campuses--California--Los Angeles
Several rows of empty wooden desks in a large, colonnaded room. The border around the photograph features an ornate torch motif with the St. Vincent's crest on either side of image. Inscription reads "Study Hall."
The High School, Venice, California
High schools--California--Los Angeles; School buildings--California--Los Angeles;
View of the Venice Union Polytechnic High School as it stood on Venice Boulevard sometime before 1933.
Mount St. Mary's College
Catholic universities and colleges--California--Los Angeles; College buildings--California--Los Angeles;
A view of Mount St. Mary's College, with the chapel labeled in the center, the faculty hall on the right, and residence hall on the left.
Westwood Village, California, showing University of California at Los Angeles in Background
Universities--California--Los Angeles; Shopping centers--California--Los Angeles;
An aerial view of Westwood Village in Los Angeles, California. At the top of the image is the University of California at Los Angeles, separated from the rest of Westwood Village by fields.
Systems and Digital Initiatives


text:
package hyperion.rest

/**
  * Helper functions for retrieving some application information
  */
object AppInfoHelper {
  private val runtime = Runtime.getRuntime

  val javaVersion: String = {
    val javaVersion = System.getProperty("java.version")
    val javaVendor = System.getProperty("java.vendor")
    s"$javaVersion ($javaVendor)"
  }

  val os: String = {
    val osName = System.getProperty("os.name")
    val osVersion = System.getProperty("os.version")
    val bits = System.getProperty("sun.arch.data.model")
    s"$osName $osVersion ($bits bits)"
  }

  def totalMem(): String = {
    humanReadableByteCount(runtime.totalMemory())
  }

  def freeMem(): String = {
    humanReadableByteCount(runtime.freeMemory())
  }

  private def humanReadableByteCount(bytes: Long): String = {
    val unit = 1024L

    if (bytes < unit) {
      s"$bytes B"
    } else {
      val exp = (Math.log(bytes.toDouble) / Math.log(unit.toDouble)).toInt
      val prefix = "KMGTPE".charAt(exp - 1)
      val amount = (bytes / Math.pow(unit.toDouble, exp)).toInt

      s"$amount ${prefix}B"
    }
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home Featured CommDigiNews Presidential Debate: Live stream and chat
FeaturedPhoto Galleries and VideosPolitics
CommDigiNews Presidential Debate: Live stream and chat
by Jacquie Kubin Sep 26, 2016
written by Jacquie Kubin Sep 26, 2016
WASHINGTON, September 26, 2016 – NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, 2015 (Patriots vs Seahawks) is the single most watched American television broadcast in history, seen by an average of 114.4 million viewers, and peaking to 120.8 million during New England's fourth quarter comeback.
If you're older than a millennial, you might remember watching the previous record holder on CBS on February 28, 1983.
That final episode of of the series "M*A*S*H" reached 105 million viewers, gaining notoriety for increasing water flow in New York City by 300 million gallons when the episode ended. Whether that was people rushing to the facilities following the two-hour-thirty-minute broadcast, as star Loretta Swift has said, or those seeking relief from the emotional turmoil, we do not know.
The May 1993 finale episode of "Cheers" reached 84.4 million viewers. While viewership numbers might change depending on who's counting (we use Nielsen ratings), these three events caught America's attention.
Monday night's presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton from Hofstra University is expected to earn the distinction of "most watched" political broadcast in American TV history as people tune into the ABC television broadcast and numerous live streams online for the first of three general election presidential debates. NBC News anchor Lester Holt will moderate.
The question is will it be the most watched overall?
Donald Trump did attract more viewers (32.2 million) to his nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention than Hillary Clinton's acceptance speech viewership (29.8 million). Looking to a bit of historical perspective, the first two debates between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012 averaged about 66.4 million viewers across ABC, CNN, CBS, C-SPAN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, PBS, Univision and others.
"I think debate ratings, especially the first one, will be through the roof — astronomical — and may even approach Super Bowl numbers of viewers," Paul Levinson, a communications professor at Fordham University, told The Hill
Be a part of history and join the CommDigiNews writers Debate Chat starting at 8:30 pm ET.
debateDonald TrumpHillary ClintonHofstra UniversityPresidential Debate
Jacquie Kubin
Jacquie Kubin is an award-winning writer and wanderer. She turns her thoughts to an eclectic mix of stories - from politics to sports. Restless by nature and anxious to experience new things, both in the real world and online, Jacquie mostly shares travel and culinary highlights, introduces readers to the chefs and creative people she meets and shares the tips, life and travel information people want to read.
Something we can all do to defuse violence
Election 2016: A history of Presidential debates (ABC Live Stream and Chat)


The Bill and Kali Show – Highlighting events, news, celebrities, everyday people from Northwest Indiana, Chicago area and beyond. Lily LaRue Makeup Artist to the Stars stops in for an interesting visit.
This lady stopped in to Wildrose Brewing Company to share a beer with us while Kali was off on a business trip at Big Bone Lick Park in Kentucky. Lily LaRue Makeup Artist to the Stars talked about her trip to the Region as well as her career. Although we did have a difficult time narrowing down which stars she has done makeup for. We were able to pull a few secrets out about her supposed clients, which seem to be animated characters and a few actors who never made it onto the screen for various reasons. We are sure it had nothing to do with the quality of Lily's work. You will find links to the interview below.


text:
Inizia la sua carriera tra Chicago e New York impegnato come disegnatore di moda. In questi anni si avvicina alla comunità religiosa Bahá'í e resterà per tutta la vita affascinato dai culti orientali. Questo suo profondo amore verso la cultura orientale lo influenzerà sempre nella sua arte e lo spingerà nel 1934 a compiere un viaggio tra Cina e Giappone dove apprenderà l'arte calligrafica che farà partecipare ai suoi lavori tramite la creazione della White Writing (scrittura bianca).

Nel 1928 fonda la Free and Creative School.

Mostre
1928 - Arts Club, Chicago
1935 - Art Museum, Seattle
anni quaranta - Tate Gallery, Londra
anni sessanta - Galerie Beyeler, Basilea
1970 - Art Museum, Seattle

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Bahai


text:
A Field-Wide Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Putative Risk and Protective Factors for Radicalization Outcomes
This systematic review sought to collate and synthesize the risk and protective factors for different outcomes of radicalization. We aimed to firstly quantify the effects of all factors for which rigorous empirical data exists, and secondly, to differentiate between factors related to radical attitudes, intention, and behaviors. The goal was to develop a rank-order of factors based on their pooled estimates in order to gain a better understanding of which factors may be most important, and the differential effects on the different outcomes.
Random effects meta-analysis pooled primarily bivariate effect sizes to calculate pooled estimates for each factor. Meta-regression was used to examine the effects of a range of study-level characteristics, including the effects of using partial effects sizes as supplementary effect sizes where bivariate estimates were unavailable. Subgroup analysis was used to further analyze the extent to which the combining of effect sizes from different sources contributed to heterogeneity and estimate inflation. Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis was used to identify cases where a single study was a significant source of heterogeneity.
Extensive searches in English, German and Dutch resulted in the screening of more than 10,000 items, and a final inclusion of 57 publications published between 2007 and 2018 from which 62 individual level factors were identified across three radicalization outcomes: attitudes, intentions, and actions. Effect sizes ranged from z − 0.621 to 0.572. The smallest estimates were found for sociodemographic factors, while the largest effect sizes were found for traditional criminogenic and criminotrophic factors such as low self-control, thrill-seeking, and attitudinal factors, with radical attitudes having the largest effect on radical intentions and behaviors.
The most commonly researched factors, sociodemographic factors, have exceptionally small effects, even when effect sizes are derived from bivariate relationships. The finding regarding the effects of radical attitudes on intentions and actions provide empirical support for existing theoretical frameworks. The consistency among the clustering of familiar criminogenic factors within the rank-order could have implications for the development of a more evidence based approach to risk assessment and counter violent extremism policies.
Full Citation:
Wolfowicz, Michael, Yael Litmanovitz, David Weisburd, and Badi Hasisi. 2019. "A Field-Wide Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Putative Risk and Protective Factors for Radicalization Outcomes." Journal of Quantitative Criminology (December). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10940-019-09439-4
START Author(s):
David Weisburd
Publication URL:
Countering Violent Extremism Radical Beliefs and Behavior
Psychology of Terrorism


text:
Winifred Evelyn Frost (2 March 1902-August 1979) was a freshwater biologist. Her research focused primarily on eels, minnows, pike, and char by observing fish in the wild. After some time as chair, Frost was then appointed president of the Windermere and District Angling Association.

Early life and education
From 1913 to 1916, Frost attended County Secondary School in Crewe, followed by Cowley Girls' School in St. Helens from 1917 to 1920. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Liverpool University from 1920 to 1923, as well as her Diploma of Education in 1924.

Career
Frost worked with Professor James Johnstone researching euphausids at Liverpool University, where she also earned her Master of Science in zoology in 1926. Starting in 1938, Frost worked as an assistant inspector studying trout in the River Liffey for the Fisheries Branch in Dublin. That same year, she became a research scientist for the Freshwater Biological Association. In 1945, the quality of her published work encouraged Liverpool University to grant Frost her Doctor of Science. Frost co-wrote The Trout, published in 1967 as part of the New Naturalist series, with Margaret E. Brown. The majority of the book was written in the late 1950s, but it took Frost and Brown, in all, 21 years to compile. Frost was also a member of the Council of Salmon and Trout Association, which facilitated her travel to central Africa where she studied eels. Frost remained a staff member at the Freshwater Biological Association until she died in 1979. She bequeathed most of her assets to the Freshwater Biological Association, which then created a scholarship to fund postgraduate students studying freshwater biology.

Publications

References

1902 births
1979 deaths
20th-century British biologists
20th-century British women scientists
Alumni of the University of Liverpool
British women biologists


BULLETPROOF is a 11 letter word that starts with B.
Used of an algorithm or implementation considered extremely robust; lossage-resistant; capable of correctly recovering from any imaginable exception condition - a rare and valued quality. Synonym armor-plated.


Slow Cooker Taco Soup made with veggies, salsa, and lean Ground Beef is full of traditional taco flavor but served as a soup!
Yes. I haven't put away my slow cooker yet and don't plan on doing so anytime soon! And judging by the number of moms in our church group that talk about slow cooker dinners I'm not the only one who plans on using this kitchen gadget year-round. One slow cooker meal my family can always agree on is any protein cooked in salsa, corn, and peppers. My boys know when Mom brings out the tortilla chips they'll be loving dinner! Because I'm trying to keep things lighter than my chip-loving-toddlers, I created this slow cooker taco soup so I could meet my needs, lean protein + veggies + whole grains, and the boys' needs, chips, cheese, and ground beef!
Now here's the trick when it comes to cooking ground beef in your slow cooker for this taco soup. Cook it as you would on the stovetop FIRST, then add to your slow cooker to finish cooking with the rest of the taco soup ingredients. While I know it's an extra step, it takes 10 minutes [if that] and really keeps the texture and consistency of the beef as you know it.
This taco soup lasted us a few days and is nice and thick that the boys had an easy time scooping up the filling with chips [their favorite] or spoons [Mom's preference]. If you are feeding small children too you know that protein is something that's hard to get in their little tummies. Ground beef is ideal for little fingers [or scoop chips] and really takes on the flavor of the salsa and seasonings in this recipe. My boys liked it day one, and didn't turn their nose up at leftovers on day two. While tortilla chips might not be the healthiest thing on the menu, if they eat them with healthy foods like lean Ground beef, then I'm A-OK with the compromise! Life with toddlers is about compromise, right?!
Heat skillet oven medium-high heat. Brown ground beef until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Add seasonings and stir to combine.
Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions [I used microwaveable brown rice].
Add all of the ingredients to slow cooker insert except frozen vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. 30 minutes before serving, add frozen vegetables. Stir to combine.
Serve with optional ingredients such as sour cream, cheddar cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips.
Tell me: Do you plan on putting away your slow cooker once the weather gets warmer?! Or do you rely on it for busy weeks no matter what time of the year it is?!


text:
Interview: Fine Fine Titans
By Craig Roxburgh · On March 19, 2014
I recently had the honour of conducting an e-mail interview with with the vivacious Fine Fine Titans. They are a four-piece post-hardcore ensemble from the Great Lakes of Grand Rapids, Michigan. They are the brain-child of married couple Evan (bass) and Jennifer (vocals) Bartlett. After a few lineup changes, the band settled on Joe Smith as their drummer and Kris Sosa as their guitarist. Fine Fine Titans has been compared to bands like Every Time I Die and Letlive.
MEB: Is it tough being a female fronted band in a scene that is mostly dominated by male fronted bands?
Evan: It's not as tough being a female fronted band in this scene as I thought it would be going into it. Sure there are times when people either write us off or place stereotypes and generalizations on us, but that usually changes after they've allowed themselves to listen or see us perform. I would say we've been welcomed into the scene with open arms more so than not.
Jennifer: I'm not sure I really can answer this question because to me it's not a matter of how tough it is or is not, but I literally do not have an option if I want to front a band. Of course, if I had the choice, I would not chose to be a man but either way, I try not to focus too much on our sexual orientation but instead hone in on who we are and what we want to project as people, not sex objects. There have been quite a few times where I'm not taken seriously until I hit the stage but I try not to take it personally, I just make sure I do my job as an entertainer and an artist.
Joe: As a guy in a female fronted band, I love the uniqueness of having a girl singer in a scene that is majorly considered male. Being as rare as it is in our genre, the band really tries to use it to our advantage, because it is something not many bands can say they have. We see it as an asset that we are extremely lucky to have!
What are your feelings on the post-hardcore scene being dominated by these male fronted bands? Is it something you'd wish to see change in the future?
Evan: I don't really have any negative thoughts towards the post-hardcore scene being dominated by mostly male fronted bands; I just don't see as many female fronted post-hardcore bands out there. However, I would like to see more support for the female fronted bands that are out there, just as much for them as you see for the guys.
Jennifer: There is not a question that the genre is overrun by men…I just read an article that listed some twenty best unclean vocals in metalcore and frankly, I wasn't shocked to see not a single woman listed.
This will change, though. Maybe not soon and maybe not within what we know as post-hardcore today, but women are growing more confident to stand out on their own every day and the underdogs will arise.
Joe: I wouldn't necessarily say I would wish to see it change, but that would be awesome if more girls started to join post-hardcore bands. Girls add a very different dynamic to the band, both live and while writing!
What events or feelings inspired the writing of "Dance of the Omega"?
Evan: Jenn would have to speak into the lyrics and feelings behind "Dance of the Omega", but what I take of the song is just the fact that you can be written off, beaten down, but you just have to shrug it off and keep chasing whatever it is that you're after.
Jennifer: "Dance of the Omega" was written during a time when I was tired of being not only brushed aside, but kicked around by people who held power over us with their principles. The band was in a dark place at the time and none of us were really getting along because of the pressure we put on each other to keep the music going and the band on track despite our struggle. We were lost and broken down by the negativity in not only our local music scene, but also by the people in our lives who thought our dreams were stupid and outlandish…that what we had to say was a waste of time. At this point in our lives, so much is expected of us. To land a full-time position with a decent living, buy a house, start a family, pay your taxes and make sure you vote the right candidates (whom you actually know nothing about) into office. "Rock and Roll? That's ridiculous. You want to play music for a living? That's absurd. You're a woman and you don't want to have children? Your marriage will fail, you'll change your mind or you'll be lonely for the rest of your life." I couldn't let the pressure bring us down anymore…so "Dance of the Omega" was just a start at standing up for us and our dreams.
What is the deeper meaning of the music video of "Dance of the Omega"?
Jennifer: The animal costumes represented the underdogs; they represented us. So the idea was to display the blind power that one held over another to represent the emotional damage that the song is actually about. To see innocent, cute animals being abused and come back with a vengeance that the aggressors wouldn't have guessed in their careless arrogance was to really stay true to the lyrics: "Just wait and see how gnarly this dog's bite can be/because the underdog knows just what the alphas are missing/ The best time to strike is when nobody is looking."
What influences your songwriting and musical style?
Evan: Well stylistically we obviously are influenced by bands that we love like Every Time I Die, letlive., Glassjaw and Norma Jean to name a few but songwriting-wise I feel that we're all influenced by life events and things you experience daily. I feel that definitely plays into the sincerity of our music both lyrically and musically.
Jennifer: As much as I've studied vocals, I've equally studied the flute. With this, jazz and blues have always been the key focus for me in the instrument. This directly affects my melodies, whether that translates to listeners well or not. I'm just not into heavy-hitting everything all the time…I really want to relate to the music that I listen to. So in our music, I'm always searching out a way to somehow weave in beautiful melodies with depth and charm right through robust breakdowns.
"The Chauvinist" sees a lot of anger being directed towards the typical male stereotype. Were there any particular events that inspired the writing of this song?
Jennifer: I can't recall a specific incident that inspired this song but instead, at least a decade worth of hostility built up over the hyper-sexualization of women in pop-culture. "The Chauvinist" isn't aimed just towards men, but plenty of women as well who continue to re-instill this notion that women have to be sexy to get what they want or just to be noticed. With that being said, I would not judge someone who chose to utilize sex to advance their position, but I certainly would never encourage our youth to do that when there are plenty of other ways to assert yourself as strong, intelligent and independent. Watching around me as women quickly gained attention in our industry solely based on lust forced me to put my foot down and promise that I could offer something more for our younger generations.
This is probably a bit of a touchy subject, but would you consider the music industry to be sexist in the way it treats women? Especially considering that it is difficult for a woman to make it in the industry without being provocative.
Evan: I wouldn't consider the music industry as a whole to be sexist in the way it treats women, but there's definitely a lot in the industry that do. It's funny to me how people can write off women in a band and crack jokes because it's a woman, but as soon as she's showing skin or being the least bit provocative, it's suddenly cool and everything's great. I mean, when was the last time you heard someone writing off a male for no reason and not showing skin?
Jennifer: The industry today is absolutely sexist and it's merely a reflection of our society as a whole. Is it as harsh as it was 20 years ago? I doubt that as I do believe we are making strides. But the hyper-sexualization still runs rampant and all you have to do is log on to YouTube and see just how much traffic a certain pop singer (with a country artist as a father) is creating based on her naked swinging body alone. Like I said though, I believe we are making strides. When people are starting to understand the true meaning of feminism, we're breaking down barriers and a lot of men are standing up alongside women for what's right: treating everyone like humans instead of sex objects.
What is your stance on the post-hardcore scene being divided into two camps? One containing the more underground and "pure" bands, like La Dispute and Touche Amore, and then the more mainstream bands like Of Mice and Men and Sleeping With Sirens.
Evan: My stance on the post-hardcore scene is that I truly love the diversity within the genre, it's so broad. However, I don't really like how it's divided up and hearing stupid arguments of how one is truly "post-hardcore" and one isn't. I know one side of it may be more someone's taste and the other not so much, but I love the diversity it brings, especially at shows and on tour lineups.
Jennifer: Labels are arbitrary! I understand that when we label something, it makes it easier to compartmentalize and therefore relate but music is SO subjective! Who gets to decide what the difference between hardcore and metal is or find the dividing line between country and pop music? I don't know if I will ever grasp the concept or care to understand the emphasis we place on genres so my stance is this: shut up that hasty little judgmental voice inside your head and actually listen to the music.
Joe: I think both groups of bands are equally important to the scene because there are so many unique people with such diverse tastes in music who listen to post-hardcore music. By having the more "pure" bands and also the more "mainstream" bands, there is a wider range of bands for people to choose from, and overall, the more groups of people you can appeal to while still being classified as the "post-hardcore" scene, the more the scene will grow!
Are there any records that all of you are particularly enjoying at the moment?
Evan: Two records in particular that I've been enjoying at the moment are Tree of Tongues by Exotic Animal Petting Zoo and Diamond Eyes by Deftones. I've been listening to both of these albums nonstop for the last couple of months and can't get enough of what they both have to offer.
Jennifer: I was just reaquainted with Steven Wilson's Insurgentes. The album has such a beautiful storyline and the musicianship is impeccable. I love writing to it.
Joe: Evan, our bass player, has actually been turning me on to Between the Buried and Me lately! He has been playing some of their records at practice and I've really started to dig them! I like how on a lot of their newer stuff they throw genres out the window and don't stick strictly to metal music!
If there was one band you could do a collaboration with, who would it be?
Evan: There's definitely a few bands I'd love to collaborate with, but if I had to pick one it'd be letlive. Not only is what they do real and from the heart, they're also the most down-to-earth guys we've ever met. Such passion for what they do and the way they seem to bring everyone together is really powerful.
Jennifer: Everything Evan said!
Evan: After Omega drops on April 8th, we definitely plan to start playing out as much as possible. Writing a full-length would also be something that I personally would love to start working on later in the year as well.
Last question: would you ever play shows in countries like South Africa?
Evan: We would most definitely play countries like South Africa. In fact we'd love to if the opportunity were to come up. I don't think there's too many places we wouldn't go to if we had it our way.
Jennifer: I will play anywhere! Music bears no boundaries and I love travelling.
Joe: I would love to gig in South Africa! I don't think people in America realize just how big of a music scene there is over there. South Africa has a lot more going on than just Dave Matthews! I think it would be fun to tour in a place unfamiliar to you, where along with touring and seeing new places, you're also seeing a new culture with traits different than your own culture. Also, South Africa gets points in my book because the man himself, Cobus Potgieter, is from there…
between the buried and meDeftonesEvery Time I Dieexotic animal petting zooFine Fine TitansGlassjawletlivepost-hardcore
Craig Roxburgh
An eighteen year old residing in the sunny city of Cape Town. A recent high school graduate and current law student with a penchant for music and writing, and a mildly eclectic taste in music.