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Revisiting A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951)
HomeAll PostsJohnRevisiting A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951)
John, Reviews, Revisiting on December 15, 2019 711Views 0Likes 0Comments
Let me state before I venture into this revisit review, that my colleague Nick Maylor believes this story the greatest in the history of literature, created by the master storyteller Charles Dickens. It is a tough argument because I too think it is among the finest stories ever told. At its heart is a message, corny as it might be, yet relevant in this Trumpian society… Love thy neighbour.
Watching this classic version of the Dickens novel is like picking up a dusty old copy of the book, cracking it open and watching the characters, the locations, and the mood leaps off the pages. The snow-swept streets of London have a life all their own as the townsfolk teem into the streets to do their business. In the first few shots, we are swept back in time, beautifully so by the language and the visuals of the cinema.
Desmond Hurst was a journeyman British director, but this once he elevated his art to an astonishing level and created a superb version of the book by Dickens, better than any previous, and certainly surpassing anything since. It might be the finest adaptation of a Charles Dickens novel adapted to the screen. I will never understand why the studios do not remake many of the great literary classics.
This version of A Christmas Carol began with the casting of elocution master speaking Alastair Sim, a character actor who had mastered the art of diction to a perfection rarely heard. With his huge expressive eyes, he was a perfect Scrooge, staring balefully at anyone wishing him a Merry Christmas, quick to counter with a humbug, and staring at those coming to help like a predator, seeing in them only a way for further gain. He barely sees his clerk Bob Cratchit as a human being, condescending to him for the size of his family, his brood of children on his meager wage, which Scrooge controls. The old man worships money, nothing has come to matter more to him, governing his every move.
A Christmas Carol is at heart a ghost story, and Hurst understands that, giving the film a gothic feel, sending to a petrified Scrooge his long-dead partner Jacob Marley, his entrance foretold by the dragging of the chains he drags and the wails he exhales of torment, his body transparent, his apparition weighed down by the chains he forged in life, the manifestation of his contempt, his greed for his fellow man in life. He has comes to warn Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits over the course of the night, each bringing to him a warning, a chance not to end up in torment as Marley has.
Sure enough the first arrives as predicted, a ghost who is neither man nor woman, asexual, ancient, naming himself as the ghost of Christmas past, the past of Scrooge. We move through his life, seeing what hardened him, permitted to see things he did not know. He never heard his dying sister ask him to look after her son, as she died in childbirth, storming out of the room, forever blaming her husband and his nephew for her death. He would have had he heard, so great was his love for Fan. He sees himself in love, growing more and more obsessed with earning, breaking off his engagement, taking over his wonderful old employers business with Marley, until the death of Marley, his only friend, whose home and possessions he takes over as his own. No mourning the loss of a friend, only a look of triumph at what he has gained.
The next ghost is a huge jolly fellow looking for all the world like Santa Claus himself, the ghost of Christmas present. He is massive in size, jolly, filled with the magical spirit of the season. It is here Scrooge learns of the problems with Bob Cratchit and his sick child Tiny Tim, whom Cratchit adores. Though the Cratchit family knows Tim is dying, their smiles throughout the holiday season never cease, so filled with love is their small home. His one-time lady love is found caring for the sick and poor, a true kind woman Scrooge was a fool to let go. He sees suffering all around him, those without money, which he has in the millions, always unwilling to share, only to add to it. Yet in that suffering he finds the joy of Christmas, a goodness in others he lacks. In the Cratchit home, despite their poverty, he sees joy, such genuine love, and happiness as Tiny Tim toasts "God bless us, everyone". A smile actually begins on his own face at the child's toast.
With the final spirit, dressed in a black robe like death itself, the non-speaking ghost Scrooge fears most of all, he learns how his death will matter to no one. Not a soul mourns him. His maid tears down the sheets off his bed, and his bedclothes to sell them for a quick dollar, while doing so she is met by the undertaker who is making some money on the side as well selling off his watch and items. What staggers him the most though is the death of Tiny Tim and the realization of the pain it has caused his clerk Bob Cratchit, who breaks down weeping thinking of his poor son. The empty chair the spirit of Christmas present spoke of has come true, and aged poor Cratchit twenty years, gutting the poor man. Seeing his clerk so emotionally devastated with the loss of his child, moves the old man, and it is here I think his icy soul begins its thaw. Scrooge finds he is absent at the daily lunch of the businessman in London, important men, talk of his funeral circulates among the other men of business who mock him and make fun of his personality. Drawing ever closer to his grave, a lonely, place in the graveyard sends Scrooge screaming to the ground, not wanting to die despised, believing he can change.
He wakes up the next morning, Christmas morning and the change in him is immediate, visible in his step, his face, movements, his voice. He listens to the bells sounding over London, inhales the morning air and welcomes his housekeeper with a smile and constant chatter. He cannot stay still, bouncing around the room like a giddy schoolboy, near dancing, impossibly light on his feet, eventually sending his housekeeper screaming from the room when he attempts to stand on his head. He catches up to her on the staircase has she bolts for the door, terrified, hands her money as a present, hugs and kisses her cheek, and raises her meager salary five times the amount.
Next, he is to the window where the quiet of London except the glorious bells brings him peace and a smile, he asks a young boy (remarkable boy, intelligent boy) to bring the butcher to his home with the prized turkey, which he sends to Bob Cratchit anonymously, though Tiny Tim guesses who it is from. He visits his long-suffering nephew, apologizes to the man's wife, long neglected by Scrooge, accepts his invitation to dine with him, even dancing the polka, kicking up his heels. The two men he refused to help the night before, raising money for the poor, encounter him on the street, and he calls them to make a substantial contribution to their cause earning their friendship and respect. The next morning he arrives early to his office, beating Cratchit on purpose, knowing his clerk will be late, having made merry the day before. Pretending outrage at his tardiness, he begins to roar at the man before spouting he is going to raise his salary and begins a fit of uncontrollable giggles. Settling, he tells the astonished Bob he wants to try and help that family of his, and they can discuss it over a bowl of hot punch. A friendship is forged and Scrooge becomes the grand old man of the city, and Uncle to Tim who lives, and friend to everyone on the streets of London. It was said he knew how to keep Christmas…indeed. In Scrooge is indeed the spirit of Christmas, and he spreads the spirit to everyone he encounters, not just one day of the year, but year-round.
One hopes that poor Marley was redeemed when Scrooge was and released from the hell he was in. I hope that Scrooge sought out his lady love and rekindled their romance, I hope.
Mervyn Johns was a superb Cratchit, his big cartoon eyes beautifully inhabiting this character. You can feel how much he dislikes Scrooge, though it is Bob who toasts the founder of the feast on Christmas morning. And the look of astonishment on his face as Scrooge sputters and speaks about raising his salary is a brilliant reaction to a great actor in his element. Later there is a magnificent scene in which Scrooge is walking down the snowy streets of old London and a voice calls to him, Uncle Scrooge. Seen running towards him at top speed is Tim, his lame leg healed, filled with energy and a glow of life. Scrooge lifts the boy into his arm, and checks the leg for himself, hugging the child in a tight embrace. Though Scrooge was going one way, the boy takes his hand and leads the elderly man away, with him, as one of the family.
The film belongs to Sim. It seems to me the character quite stepped off the pages of the Dickens' book to take life as Scrooge, quite an achievement. Many great actors have portrayed the role since Albert Finney in the popular musical Scrooge (1970) won a Golden Globe for his performance, Happy Days star Henry Winkler, best known as the Fonze, portrayed a version of the character in An American Christmas Carol (1977) a strangely muted retelling in New England at the turn of the century, George C. Scott was magnificent in the TV movie A Christmas Carol (1984), Patrick Stewart did a fine job in the 2007 film and Jim Carrey portrayed Scrooge and several other roles, including all the ghosts in the Robert Zemeckis motion-capture version of the book, filled with fast-moving action though Carrey manages to create an interesting Scrooge. Michael Caine also portrayed the role in The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), a surprisingly faithful adaptation. As good as many of them are, were, no one holds a candle to Sim, he inhabited the role in every way, making it his forevermore.
He is, simply put, magnificent as Scrooge, frightening us with his miserly ways in the beginning but bringing tears of joy when he cannot stop the joy he feels Christmas morning knowing already the good he is planning to do. Stalking the early scenes in anger, with disgust for mankind, he truly is an appalling man, but the change in him is remarkable, you might not believe it is the same actor. His huge, expressive eyes pop with joy, with disbelief that he is smiling, that he is laughing from the very bottom of his soul and it is a wonder to behold. I have seen the film every year for more than forty-five years and still laugh out loud (and weep) each time I watch the film.
Hurst makes sure we are aware it is a Christmas film with carols on the track throughout and many examples of various Christmas parties in the Victorian age which gave way to the Industrial Revolution. He is very wisely makes SCrooge the singular focus of the film, with Cratchit, Tiny Tim and the ghosts the major supporting characters. Throughout his visits to his past we see the goodness that existed in Scrooge, through little moments, but his fear of the world, of being penniless drives and hardens his heart. Only after the visits from the ghosts does his heart soften and open up for love, to give and accept.
With the maniac occupying the White House, with the hatred and racism he believes in and supports, a film like this is more necessary than ever. Oh that Trump could be visited by three ghosts, the third showing him how he will fade from history and become irrelevant. Scrooge changed, but I doubt Trump could. Some magic is only in the movies.
John H. Foote
John H. Foote is a well-recognized Canadian film critic/historian who has been an active critic for 30 years. His deep love for the movies began at a very young age. He began his career as co-host of the popular TV show Reel to Real where he remained for nine years. While on TV he began dabbling in education, eventually ascending to Director of the Toronto Film School, where he also taught film history. After leaving the college to care for his wife, he returned to teaching at Humber College where he taught both Film History and Method Acting Theory. John has written two books: "Clint Eastwood – Evolution of a Filmmaker" and the upcoming "Spielberg – American Film Visionary". He is currently working on two books, one about the films of the seventies and another on the films of Martin Scorsese. Through his career he has worked in TV, radio, print and the web. John has interviewed everyone in the industry (more than 300 interviews) except Jack Nicholson, he says sadly. Highlights include Martin Scorsese, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep Robert Duvall, Jane Fonda, Francis Ford Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow.
He remains cinema obsessed
Review: UNCUT GEMS
Revisiting SCROOGE (1970)
John, Reviews, Revisiting
REVISITING SECRETARIAT (2010)
on July 29, 20200
Awards, John, Lists, Oscars
John's FINAL (locked in stone) Oscar Nominee Predictions
on January 6, 20190
More From John H. Foote
GREAT PERFORMANCES: MARGARET HAMILTON IN THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
GREAT PERFORMANCES: GLORIA SWANSON IN SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)
GREAT PERFORMANCES: JODIE FOSTER IN THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
GREAT PERFORMANCES: DICK VAN DYKE IN THE COMIC (1969)


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The Shard offices fully let
Warwick Business School increases its footprint by over 50% agreeing to lease the final available space in The Shard's 26-floor office complex.
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The 'campus in the sky' opened in September 2014 after transforming 12,150 sq ft of office space on Level 17 into a state-of-the-art lecture theatre, seminar rooms and an information technology laboratory. The institute is now taking a further 6,342 sq ft on Level 13 to house a second lecture theatre.
"We picked The Shard as our first London base because it's a beacon for business and matched our aspirations for our highly ranked Executive MBA Programme, and our executive education more broadly. We are delighted we could expand within the building to accommodate even more students."
Andy Lockett
Dean, Warwick Business School
The Shard's 26-floor office complex is now fully let, home to 31 businesses across a wide range of sectors including energy, retail, manufacturing, technology, finance, education, healthcare and professional services.
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Earlier this month Foresight, whose Group Chairman Bernard Fairman originally coined the phrase 'The Shard Effect' to explain the positive impact the building has had on its occupiers' businesses, announced it was expanding for the third time. Foresight agreed to increase its total footprint in The Shard to 27,853 sq ft. A number of other occupiers have undergone similar expansions, including Duff & Phelps and MATCHESFASHION.COM.
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Q: Route to allow a parameter from both query string and default {id} template I have an action in my ASP.Net Core WebAPI Controller which takes one parameter. I'm trying to configure it to be able to call it in following forms:
api/{controller}/{action}/{id}
api/{controller}/{action}?id={id}

I can't seem to get the routing right, as I can only make one form to be recognized. The (simplified) action signature looks like this: public ActionResult<string> Get(Guid id). These are the routes I've tried:

*

*[HttpGet("Get")] -- mapped to api/MyController/Get?id=...

*[HttpGet("Get/{id}")] -- mapped to api/MyController/Get/...

*both of them -- mapped to api/MyController/Get/...
How can I configure my action to be called using both URL forms?

A: if you want to use route templates
you can provide one in Startup.cs Configure Method Like This:
app.UseMvc(o =>
        {
            o.MapRoute("main", "{controller}/{action}/{id?}");
        });

now you can use both of request addresses.
If you want to use the attribute routing you can use the same way:
[HttpGet("Get/{id?}")]
public async ValueTask<IActionResult> Get(
         Guid id)
    {

        return Ok(id);
    }

A: Make the parameter optional
[Route("api/MyController")]
public class MyController: Controller {

    //GET api/MyController/Get
    //GET api/MyController/Get/{285A477F-22A7-4691-AA51-08247FB93F7E}
    //GET api/MyController/Get?id={285A477F-22A7-4691-AA51-08247FB93F7E}
    [HttpGet("Get/{id:guid?}"
    public ActionResult<string> Get(Guid? id) {

        if(id == null)
            return BadRequest();

        //...
    }
}

This however means that you would need to do some validation of the parameter in the action to account for the fact that it can be passed in as null because of the action being able to accept api/MyController/Get on its own.
Reference Routing to controller actions in ASP.NET Core

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Kris Black
Kris Black (uses they / their pronouns)
Kris Black is a UKCP Registered and MBACP RegIntegrative Arts Psychotherapist, Child and Adolescent Counsellor and a Clinical Supervisor trained by CSTD and part of the Independent Supervisors Network.
Kris set up Arc Therapy in 1991, and sees a range of clients in North and East London for counselling, psychotherapy and supervision. Kris also works as an Independent Trainer and Groupworker, is a Clinical Associate and Trainer working with Pink Therapy and BAATN (Black African and Asian Therapists Network), and is a graduate of Black Issues Masterclass.
Kris is the founder of Radical Dialogues ~ an Intersectional group work, training and awareness programme combining intersectional feminism, art and psychotherapy to address and heal trauma caused by discrimination, violence and abuse.
Kris has worked within London for over 17 years as a therapist with children using an integrative and multi cultural framework, as many of their clients were seen as being at risk of school exclusion, or from economic or cultural backgrounds for whom therapy was not thought about as being accessible, her work has included family interventions and working with single parents. Currently Kris works with Adults Children and Adolescents in private practice and is registered with Gendered Intelligence as part of their Therapists Network. Kris runs a Lo Cost clinic within LGBTQI+ community settings and has supported events within the QTIPOC community as a resident counsellor / mental health professional.
Kris has worked within the charity sector for over 36 years as a counsellor and a trainer on diverse intersectional issues such as hate crime, HIV, domestic violence, sexual violence, sexuality, identity, and health issues.
Kris believes the personal is political, and has contributed to many radical, black, women's, and LGBTQ+ groups and campaigns at a grassroots level and upwards for most of their working life. Having studied law, Kris worked within grassroots, national and international campaigns which have raised awareness about change, discriminatory legislation, attitudes and practices toward minorities marginalised by discrimination at the intersections of class gender race disability and sexuality.
Kris believes psychotherapy and counselling can save lives as well as changing negative belief systems and therefore should be affordable and accessible to all ~ not just those with economic power. For this reason. the majority of Kris' work with clients has been within the education sector or the charity sector where clients who cannot afford services can access psychotherapy and counselling.
Kris was born into a working~class, mixed racial heritage family, living in north London's council housing estates in the 60's, got involved with feminism and political activism aged 18 and does not think politics, activism, or campaigning to end inequality in society are counter~intuitive to being a professional psychotherapist or counsellor.
Kris has worked as a counsellor for over 36 years and as a psychotherapist since 1991 offering a service to a range of clients aged 3 to 93.
Kris is able to offer low cost psychotherapy and supervision in North London near Holloway Road / Finsbury Park and Shoreditch to people referring themselves through the Free Psychotherapy Network. There may at times be a waiting list.
For further details 0776 137 1088,
Website www.arctherapy.co.uk.


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3 ways that integrated safety minimizes the impact of production line disruptions
Safety used to be treated somewhat as an afterthought, in that it was added as a separate system once all the other production equipment was in place. Nowadays, many manufacturers are seeing the benefits of integrated safety systems, in which safety features are designed into equipment from the very beginning.
A good safety system protects employees, works-in-progress and equipment from the effects of malfunctions while also ensuring that the line can be restarted as quickly as possible to avoid excessive downtime. Integrated safety fulfills all of these requirements with its intelligent use of data.
1. Integrated safety systems take into account the specific functionality of production machinery.
In order to address hazards as efficiently as possible, it's important for the safety system to thoroughly "understand" the workings of the production machinery. In an integrated system, control software closely monitors each line component in real time.
Since every aspect of the equipment's operation is accounted for, the system can respond more intelligently to problems. Instead of issuing sweeping measures like an emergency stop, integrated safety can minimize the impact of a disruption by focusing on specific machine functionality.
Omron's Sysmac platform helps bring safety and production elements together in an intelligent and flexible way to maintain optimum performance even while operations are temporarily disrupted. Depending on the issue, production might be able to remain in a standby condition rather than suffering a complete emergency stop.
2. Integrated safety systems use comprehensive data to get to the root of problems faster.
Machines designed with integrated safety have access to the necessary data to thoroughly evaluate any issue and take measures to keep it from happening again. In a complex production line, it could be extremely difficult to track down the source of the problem without integrated safety.
When the safety system has access to machine data, maintenance personnel will be able to take advantage of all the information they need even before they go out to the line. By knowing ahead of time which tools might be needed and which safety precautions to take, they'll be able to fix the problems much more quickly and with less risk.
3. Integrated safety systems improve recordkeeping.
For accurate maintenance scheduling in a non-integrated system, operators have to keep a reliable and accurate log of incidents and operations. Many older systems use cumbersome manual systems that exacerbate uncertainty and make it difficult to send information where it's needed to ensure safe machine operation and to schedule predictive maintenance.
An integrated system is much more sophisticated. All signals and inputs are merged within an intelligent controller that replaces discrete safety relays with advanced logic, removing the uncertainty caused by manual data records. Important information is automatically recorded locally and can also be made available online.
By digitally capturing every event, integrated systems make it easy to check statistics such as the mean time between failures (MTBF) and use them to schedule preventive maintenance. Knowing when to carry out maintenance is a critical factor in reducing the occurrence of equipment breakdown and maintaining high levels of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
In addition to providing comprehensive, integrated safety solutions, Omron supports manufacturers with a wide variety of safety services to ensure that production lines meet regulations and that equipment operators have a full understanding of safeguarding measures. Omron's safety services help maximize uptime while meeting requirements for flexibility.
Contact us( "Hero :: Forms :: Solutions :: Safety") today to find out how Omron's integrated safety solutions can improve your application!
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Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Conference, a Wrightslaw training program featuring Pete Wright, is being sponsored by Pilot Parents of Southern Arizona.
* Couples receive one set of books.
Registration fee includes continental breakfast, lunch and break time snacks. Registrants will also receive two books Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2nd Edition and Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition.
Print and distribute the Save the Date flyer.
Print and distribute the brochure.
Questions? Please contact Pilot Parents of Southern Arizona by phone: 520-324-3150 or email ppsa@pilotparents.org.
Credits - .6 CEU's (continuing education units) have been approved. There is an additional $9.00 fee payable at the conference. Certificates will be available to attorneys for CLE submission.
Additional Information: Limted scholarships available for parents on a first-serve basis. Contact Pilot Parents at 520-324-3150 or toll free at 877-365-7220. No Refunds after March 2, 2009. The conference is expected to sell out, but we will maintain a waiting list in case of cancellations.
Click here for directions from MapQuest.
Free Parking is available at the Tucson Convention Center.
(Approximately 15 miles from conference location).
For a complete list of local hotels click here.
* Hotel group rate available when you mention "Wrightslaw Training".


The Audeara A-01 headphones aren't the first pair of headphones we've used with ear tuning technology. The headphone market is being flooded with similar headphones that will help hone in on your specific ear signature. They do this through a series of tones played through each ear cup. By tuning the frequencies to your ears, the Audeara A-01 headphones hope to deliver sound that's specifically designed for you. Read on for our full review of the Audeara A-01 headphones.
The aesthetic look of the Audeara A-01 headphones isn't much to write home about. As a matter of fact, they are pretty bland and unassuming. They're much smaller than I expected as well with very little in the way of girth. For as comparatively small as they are. The A-01's are fairly weighty but not super heavy. They feel solid when you hold them but they look flimsy at first glance.
The headband is narrow with minimal padding and the Audeara branding across the top. The materials are mostly metal, plastics, foam, and rubber. While they feel good. they're not not exactly as premium as some other headphone brands I've used. They are resilient though, standing up to bending and twisting while maintaining their shape. They don't creak or crack under pressure or while manipulating them.
The earcups do fold flat which makes them fit nicely into the included carrying case. They do not fold up into each other, so the carrying case is slightly larger than some others although it is slim. The carrying case itself is rather nice and very protective. The Audeara A-01 headphones adjust out barely enough to fit my head. I wish they had one or two more notches of adjustment for those of us with bigger melons. The earcups are comfortable enough but not the most comfortable I've used also not the worst.
On the right earcup is the Micro USB port for charging as well as the active noise canceling switch with LED indicator. On the left earcup are the volume up/down buttons, multifunction button, AUX in, power/Bluetooth button, and LED indicator.
These aren't my favorite looking headphones but not ugly either.
The Audeara A-01 headphones aren't any harder to use than any other headphones. As a matter of fact, if you want, you could just use the headphones without ever setting up the companion app and hearing test. If you go that route then all you'll need to do is connect your headphones to Bluetooth. It really is as simple as that.
If you're planning on using the A-01's for what they're intended, improving your listening experience through the software then you'll need to go through a bit more setup. Obviously, this will take you a bit longer than normal setups. It's not awful but it is longer than some of the other headphones that use this type of technology. We'll be covering the software and features later in this review.
Overall, these aren't hard to use at all. The software does take a bit of time to set up but it's not hard. Just be sure you set aside a block of time you can be in a quiet room and not disturbed.
So where do I start with these headphones? Well, let me just say that the Audeara A-01 headphones sound really good right out of the box without ever using the included software and app features. They're fairly balanced with the low-end coming through slightly more than the other frequencies. I was actually enjoying them right out of the box for the first few hours.
After using them for a bit I decided to set the app up and go through the process of testing my ears and tuning the headphones to my hearing. I'll be honest, I've used this type of technology before and I've never really been impressed by it. So I was hoping Audeara would have something the others didn't.
After going through the process you'll be told that it's best to start using the new tuning in increments. The app has you start at 25% of the effect, then 50%, then 75%, and so on. I initially started at 25% and there was an improvement in sound for me. I could hear things more clearly than before and everything just sounded elevated. I decided to jump straight to 100% and that's when the sound fell apart.
Either I performed the calibration incorrectly, or the software is simply like the others I've tried, not very reliable. At 100% everything sounded horribly tinny and hollow with a very little bottom end. It was unbearable. Thankfully, not all was lost. Tuning the effect back down to 25% drastically improved the sound quality. I enjoyed the sound on these headphones without any tuning at all or with it set at 25% only.
Overall, I don't think the app and software are for everyone. Ears and hearing are so different I just think your results will vary. These headphones sound good, the noise canceling is decent, and I think if you purchase these you'll have to experiment through the sound signatures.
The headband is very thin.
As we mentioned several times already, the Audeara A-01 headphones come with an app/software feature that is supposed to tune the drivers to your ears. This is accomplished through the app in which you listen to a series of tones and let the app know if you heard the tone or not. The company suggests you use the more detailed setting which can take ten minutes or more to go through setup. It's also important that the room you're in is as quiet as you can make it.
The procedure is very simple. The app plays a series of tones through your left ear cup and when you can't hear the tone any longer you push the button. The same is repeated for your left ear. The tones are a wide range of frequencies in the highs, mids, and lows which are trying to hone in on your hearing levels. The app basically takes the data from your answers and tunes the headphones so your ears hear the frequencies that are best for them.
I've said it several times already, these aren't the first headphones with this feature. I've used other headphones with this app feature and it's always been a mixed bag for me. Most of the time the software just doesn't seem to enhance anything for me. The headphones sound great without using the app and when using the app I found the best setting was 25%. Anything higher and the sound was just not good at all.
Overall, I think the software and app are really geared toward those with significant hearing loss, or even those who have trouble with certain frequencies and ranges. You may have to perform the test a few times to get everything dialed in the way you like.
Bluetooth reception on the A-01's is excellent and I had no issues whatsoever maintaining a connection to my devices. Of course, there are the normal Bluetooth issues if you roam too far or there are walls between you while wearing the headphones and the device you're streaming from. That's all standard and to be expected, so nothing major there. Call quality was excellent and callers could hear me clearly. I could hear them clearly as well with no echo box effect. Overall, good reception and call quality.
The Audeara A-01 headphones claim to have a 35-hour battery life with active noise canceling active. That's pretty spot on as I was able to get about 34 and a half hours average. Battery life will vary with volume and distance from your device or source. Overall, one of the better pairs of wireless headphones for battery.
The Audeara A-01 headphones are priced at $399USD. That's a bit of a steep price for many and I think slightly too much for what you get here. But there is one saving grace for the price and that's Amazon. Currently, these are priced at $299USD on Amazon. That being said, it's really the software and ear tuning you'll be paying for. If that works for you I can see these holding a good amount of value for you. So you may be comfortable dropping the $399 on these. At the $299 price, it's a much better deal and value.
hese were really a tough pair of headphones to review. There's things I like and things I don't. I really believe that it will eventually come down to the ear tuning experience for many. You have decided if the ear tuning really makes a huge impact on your listening experience or not.
*We received a sample of the Audeara A-01 headphones for the purposes of this review.


text:
Q: Video support for Custom Publishing HTML column We have sharepoint on-premise and online setup.
We have a custom list and a site column of type Publishing HTML (Full HTML Content with formatting and contrarians) is added to this custom list.

All the text based and HTML based content get successfully saved in the list. However, whenever video is inserted (from computer/ from sharepoint) it does play in the preview but once item is saved video code gets lost (iframe) (See edit snippet)

Same video works fine for multiple line of text column of type enhanced rich text editor .
we already have solution in production so cannot change column type at this stage.
 We tested this in both environment and cannot get it working.
Has anyone seen this issue?
NOTE: OOB Publishing HTML column created by sharepoint (e.g. page content) works fine and can play same videos. Just custom columns are having issues


This exceptional resource introduces the fundamentals of nucleic acid biochemistry as well as the advanced concepts integral to professional practice in today's laboratories. With a focus on the application of molecular concepts to diagnose diseases, the 2nd Edition reflects the many advances in this rapidly developing field.
Inside, you'll find in-depth explanations of the principles of molecular-based assays as well as reference material and trouble-shooting tips for the laboratory. Discussions of general diagnostic procedures reflect the continuing emergence of new diagnostic technologies to prepare you to meet the challenges of the future.


Bradman Cafe onsite at the Bradman Centre | The International Cricket Hall of Fame.
Bowral's best-kept secret – tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre, with indoor and outdoor dining options. We're the hidden gem that's serving quality coffee and delicious dishes in a one-of-a-kind location. Whether you're after a spot of Devonshire tea or coffee and cake, or are stopping by for a relaxed lunch in our shady courtyard, you'll find something to your taste on our mouth watering all-day dining menu. A favourite with locals, and the perfect way to cap off a visit to the Bradman Museum.


text:
Tag Archives: mission
April 13, 2013 by Tina Liu
Russia Meteorite 2013: The largest of the century!
Asteroids are an excellent source of natural resources (minerals, etc.) As stated in the U.S. fiscal year of 2014 budget, NASA requested $100 million to initiate plans to capture an asteroid, haul it into the lunar orbit, and send manned missions to the asteroid by 2025! Mining an asteroid in the future could help resupply rapidly depleting fossil fuels and natural minerals. Beside the apparent need for resources, NASA hopes to advance technological developments that will provide opportunities for "international cooperation, new industrial capabilities, and helping scientists better understand how to protect Earth if a large asteroid is every found on a collision course. You may have heard about the recent Russia Chelyabinsk meteorite incident. 1,500 injured and 7,000 buildings suffered. A small asteroid invaded Earth's atmosphere and struck the ground in Russia. The shockwaves shattered thousands of windows!
NASA proposes identifying suitable targets, or asteroids 20 to 30 feet in diameter (extremely hard to spot) in favorable orbits (near Earth and small revolution) that would allow easy capture and transport to Earth. These desired small asteroids hit Earth on a regular basis; the asteroid that hit Russia was 50 feet in diameter. NASA's Orion crew capsule and heavy-lift booster will send astronauts to the asteroid for sample returns. NASA has two teams working the proposed mission: one searching for suitable asteroids and developing unmanned technology to capture the asteroid, and another on future manned missions and sample collection.
In the wake of the asteroid (then meteorite) rocking Russia and a close call with an asteroid passing close to Earth on the same day, astronomers are extremely interested in asteroids.
Proposed Timeline
2017: test flight
2019: capture mission
2021: asteroid hauled back to cislunar (between Earth and moon) orbit
by 2025: astronauts sent to asteroid
Harwood, William. "NASA mulls asteroid capture mission, eventual manned visits." CBS News. CBS News, 5 Apr 2013. Web. 12 Apr 2013.
Posted in Astronomy, News, The Solar System.	Tagged 2013, asteroid, astronomy, astrophysics, Chelyabinsk, earth, meteorite, mission, nasa, nature, news, russia, science, solar system
August 21, 2012 by Tina Liu
Mars, the Red Planet: Home of Curiosity and soon-to-be InSight?
10 days after Curiosity's successful landing, the U.S. space embassy ordered another Mars mission in 2016 to examine below Mars' surface. Researchers want to examine Mars' seismic activities— to see if Mars has fault lines like Earth and what of "marsquakes" are there. The InSight Mission (Interior exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) will launch in March 2016. The budget for the mission is $425 million, not including the cost of the launch vehicle. JPL and the team of engineers and scientists who built Curiosity will build InSight, set to be Curiosity's companion. InSight will harbor a French built seismometer and solar panels. One of InSight's four instruments, the Heat Flow and Physical Properties (HP3), will crack through the surface using a 14-inch "hollowed-out electromechanically- festooned stake" called the Tractor Mole. The Mole will descend 16 feet below the planet's surface. Its thermal senors will also measure the temperature of Mars' interior to learn about the planet's thermal temperature. The mission of InSight will be to analyze Mars' core to learn about the early formation of rocky bodies like Earth. InSight will determine the core's size and composition and whether it's solid or liquid. It will take InSight 6 months to reach Mars (will land in September 2016) and a full Martian year (680 Earth days) to gather data.
Dunn, Marcia. "NASA plans to sent next rover to Mars in 2016." Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay Times, 21 Aug 2012. Web. 21 Aug 2012.
Kolawoe, Emi. "New Mars mission InSight scheduled for 2016, will explore planet's interior." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 21 Aug 2012. Web. 21 Aug 2012.
Posted in Astronomy, News.	Tagged 2016, astronomy, curiosity, engineering, inspire, jpl, mars, mars rover, mission, nasa, nature, science
Curiosity: Update 1 – Zap! Poof!
ChemCam: Zapping the first Martian rock
August 19: Curiosity zaps its first Martian rock
Curiosity uses its laser for the first time to zap a rock "Coronation." What a fitting name! Curiosity is the crowning achievement of NASA/ JPL for missions in Mars exploration in recent years. Curiosity's ChemCam, or Chemistry and Camera equipment hit the fist-sized "Coronation" with 30 pulses (Each pulse = more than 1 million watts in five one-billionths of a second!) of laser in a 10-second period. By exciting atoms in "Coronation" into a glowing plasma, ChemCam can capture the light with a telescope and analyze the rock with three spectrometers to determine its elemental composition. If the composition changed as the pulses progressed, then dust or other surface material covered the rock. ChemCam uses laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, which can determine the composition of targets in extreme environments, such as on sea-floor, and is used in experimental applications in cancer detection and environmental monitoring. For its 2-year mission, Curiosity will continue to use its spectacular 10 instruments to determine whether Gale crater ever offered suitable environmental conditions for life.
Webster, Guy. "Rover's Laser Instrument Zaps First Martian Rock." NASA. NASA, 19 Aug 2012. Web. 20 Aug 2012.
Curiosity captured by Mars orbiter
Curiosity on Mars
Martian Rocks Zapped by Laser
Curiosity parachuting to Martian surface
Posted in Astronomy, News.	Tagged 2012, astronomy, chemcam, coronation, curiosity, gale crater, jpl, laser, mars, mission, msl, nasa, nature, rocks, science
August 6, 2012 by Tina Liu
Curiosity/ Mars Science Laboratory has successfully landed on the Red Planet on August 5, 2012 at 10:31 PM (Pacific Time). JPL engineers gave the landing a "perfect 10"! The Mars rover escaped the 7 minutes of terror and will continue its 2-year mission. This revolutionary success marks the first time since the 1970s (Viking probes) that NASA sent a mission for astrobiology. Curiosity will analyze samples on Mars to determine if Mars has ever been habitable for life forms. The $2.5 billion project offset the recent loss of the 30-year space shuttle program. The rover sent its first three images of Mars, sending JPL into an uproar.
For more information on Curiosity (its specifications, mission objectives, and technology) as well as two videos (animation of Curiosity on Mars and JPL's animation of the "7 minutes of terror"), please visit this post.
Grecius, Tony, ed. "Mars Science Laboratory." NASA. NASA, August 2012. Web. 6 Aug 2012.
Mars. By Curiosity.
JPL: Curiosity's successful landing
Posted in Astronomy, News.	Tagged astronomy, august 5, curiosity, engineering, jpl, mars, mars rover, mars science laboratory, mission, nasa, nature, science


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£18m art collection at the centre of Monaco divorce proceedings
A few weeks ago our attention was turned to handbags. Now a shoe collection has been admitted into evidence as part of divorce proceedings in which an £18 million art collection is at stake.
When Swiss entrepreneur Maurice Alain Amon filed for divorce from Tracey Hejailan in Monaco in October he presented photographs of his estranged wife's enviable shoe collection as proof of their settled life there. He is eager for the case to be heard in Monaco where matrimonial laws would give him sole rights to the couple's modern art collection. Ms Hejailan counter-sued in New York in November but at a hearing in Manhattan's Civil Supreme Court on Thursday (10 December 2015), Judge Robert Reed held that the New York matrimonial court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
With no concept of shared marital property in Monacan law, Mr Amon could lay claim to the entire collection as ownership of the artworks would be determined according to who holds legal title. Under New York law, Ms Hejalin would at least be entitled to a portion of the collection. She argues that proceedings should take place in New York as the couple's main marital home is their Fifth Avenue apartment. On the contrary, Mr Bronstein says they called their £26 million Monaco property home:
"One need only look at the number of shoes in her closet to conclude she lives there," he said.
Ms Hejailan had filed suit after returning to the couple's Manhattan apartment from a trip to Europe in October to discover the art collection had disappeared. Mr Amon had reportedly stripped the walls bare and stored the artworks in Queens before launching divorce proceedings in Monaco. Mr Amon's lawyer, Peter Bronstein, says the collection is owned by his client's company but Ms Hejalin claims it is jointly owned. They couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement.
Among the works in dispute are Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Saxophone' (1986), Andy Warhol's "Self Portrait" (1966), Damien Hirst's "Acridine", an Alexander Calder, a Takashi Murakami and three works by Richard Prince.
The contentious shoe collection can be viewed here.
Posted in: All Articles, Art News | Tagged: Art law, divorce law, divorce proceedings, inherited art, shoes
How can you protect yourself from buying stolen art? Some practical tips
Scientists announce that there is no Nazi-era treasure train buried in Poland


It's a beautiful and cold morning around here, sunshine but very windy. And what could be more perfect for such a Sunday morning than: "Joni Mitchell – Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" ,1977, and not only a track or two, but the complete double album.
"Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" is a Joni Mitchell solo album, but it is as much a collaboration with one of the best bassists Jazz have ever seen, Jaco Pastorius. The album is the culmination of Joni's earlier efforts to combine her folk tradition, with other styles. On Don Juan's her masterful poetry, her catchy folk songwriting, and the experimentation and fusion with Jazz, reaches new heights.
Joni Mitchell, (born Roberta Joan Anderson, 1943), is a Canadian musician, and painter.
Starting out as a folk singer songwriter, but exploring various other styles through her career. She has worked with a series of notable musicians, from Peter Gabriel to Herbie Hancock, and even more have been inspired by her works.
Jaco Pastorius, (born John Francis Anthony Pastorius III (1951 –1987) was an American bass player. He is best known for his work with Jazz Fusion group Weather Report. He redefined the role of the electric bass with his creative solo's. Pastorius died on September 21, 1987, only 35 years old.


A woman has been taken to a major trauma centre after a car left a road and struck a tree.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "When crews arrived they found a car that had left the road, struck a tree and come to rest back on the carriageway; it had suffered significant front end damage.
"The front seat passenger, a 33-year-old woman was complaining of back and abdominal pain.


On the way to work this morning I saw flashing lights like the ones on the fire engine pictured above. Usually that means they are responding to an emergency situation and to come to the rescue of people who need help. When you see an emergency vehicle on their way to save the day give them some thanks, they deserve it.
Move over! So many idiots can't seem to obey that simple law.


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Q: Get max value and name from object properties Considering I have an Object with a list of  properties like
Class Indicators
{
    guid Id
    double? Indocator1;
    double? Indocator1;

    .
    .double? IndocatorP;
}

I would like to add a property that tells directly Indicator Name that have max value among all Indicator properties.
Is there any hint or advise?

A: You need to use reflection to get the list of properties and get a list of the values to, for example, apply the Max Linq method:
public class Indicators
{
  public Guid Id { get; set; }
  public double? Indocator1 { get; set; }
  public double? Indocator2 { get; set; }
  public double? Indocator3 { get; set; }

  public (string name, double? value) GetMaxIndicator()
  {
    var pairs = GetType().GetProperties()
                         .Where(p => p.PropertyType == typeof(double?))
                         .Select(p => new
                                      {
                                        name = p.Name,
                                        value = (double?)p.GetValue(this)
                                      });
    string maxName= null;
    double? maxValue = null;
    foreach ( var item in pairs )
      if ( maxValue == null || item.value > maxValue )
      {
        maxName= item.name;
        maxValue = item.value;
      }
    return (maxName, maxValue );
  }
}

Test
static private void Test()
{
  var indicators = new Indicators();
  indicators.Indocator1 = 10;
  indicators.Indocator2 = null;
  indicators.Indocator3 = 20;
  var max = indicators.GetMaxIndicator();
  Console.WriteLine($"{max.name} = {max.value}");
}

Output
Indicator3 = 20

This sample assumes that members are read-write and it returns the last found in case of duplicates, but you can return a list of named value tuples instead.
You can use that for fields with GetFields.
Also you can combine both and you can filter the desired members using binding flags if, for example, you need non-public or static members.
Improvement for a cleaner and more robust design
You should prefer using a List, or an array if the number of indicators is fixed.
The entity class
public class Indicator : IComparable
{
  public string Name { get; set; }
  public double? Value { get; set; }
  public Indicator(string name, double? value = null)
  {
    Name = name;
    Value = value;
  }
  int IComparable.CompareTo(object obj)
  {
    var other = obj as Indicator;
    if ( other == null )
      throw new ArgumentException("Object is not an Indicator");
    if ( obj == null ) return 1;
    if ( Value == null && other.Value == null )
      return 0;
    else
    if ( Value == null )
      return -1;
    if ( other.Value == null )
      return 1;
    else
      return Value.Value.CompareTo(other.Value.Value);
  }
}

The collection class
public class Indicators
{
  public Guid Id { get; set; }
  public List<Indicator> Items { get; } = new List<Indicator>();
  //or
  public Indicator[] Items { get; } = new Indicator[IndicatorsCount];
}

Thus we can simply write:
  var indicators = new Indicators();
  indicators.Items.Add(new Indicator("Indicator1", 10));
  indicators.Items.Add(new Indicator("Indicator2", null));
  indicators.Items.Add(new Indicator("Indicator3", 20));
  var max = indicators.Items.Max();
  Console.WriteLine($"{max.Name} = {max.Value}");

That we can put in the class itself:
public class Indicators
{
  public Guid Id { get; set; }
  public double?[] Items { get; } = new double?[IndicatorsCount];
  public double? MaxValue => Items.Max();
}


text:
Infrastructure work continues at the site of the East Bend Shopping Center off Hicks Drive. Panda Express and Texas Roadhouse are the first restaurants to submit plans for review prior to construction.
Doug Walker
Texas Roadhouse, Panda Express tender plans for restaurants at East Bend center
By Doug Walker DWalker@RN-T.com
Plans for two new restaurants have been submitted for the East Bend Shopping Center site, which formerly housed a Kmart on Hicks Drive.
Panda Express was first to submit plans for review and now Texas Roadhouse has also turned in their plans at the Rome Floyd Building Inspection Department.
If the timetable holds at the R.H. Ledbetter Properties site at Turner McCall Boulevard, we should see the new shopping center open by this time next year — just in time for the 2020 holiday shopping season.
The Texas Roadhouse is expected to open a 7,462-square-foot restaurant with seating for 280 in the main dining room and another 48 in the large waiting room. There will be wait space for another 13 customers in the carry-out area.
The chain restaurant features a variety of hand-cut steaks and ribs as well as a wide range of chicken, pork, catfish, shrimp, salmon, burgers and salads.
Panda Express bills itself as a fast, casual American Chinese restaurant chain that got its start in California in 1983. The Rome shop will encompass 2,290 square feet and drawings indicate that it will have indoor seating for 68 patrons.
Entrees at Panda Express include a variety of chicken, beef and shrimp dishes with vegetable plates.
Both restaurants are among the businesses that Ledbetter Properties has attracted for the new retail center that are completely new to the Rome market.
In other plans submitted to the department, Two Old Tiger developers have submitted documents for review of plans for a 78-foot by 60-foot general mercantile building. If approved, the building will be located on the western side of the lot at Berry Crossing, at Martha Berry Boulevard and Redmond Road.
Building official James Martin said the plans appear to be for a speculative building on the site that is already anchored by CVS and a Wells Fargo bank branch.
New homes underway around historic Marietta tree
Stanfill, Joshua (1)


The interior of a luxury car is as much of a statement as the engine, bodywork and mascot. At Aryma we are committed to surpassing our own creations year-on-year by continuously striving to amaze and entrance our automotive clients with marquetry masterpieces of a very personal nature.
A magnificent 350-year old walnut tree, thought to be the third largest in the country, was blown down in the great storm of 2007 near Fulbeck village in Lincolnshire. While this was a loss to the locality, the wood yielded by this tree was found to be of unusual figuring and beauty and has now been reincarnated as the magnificent background veneer for the limited edition '95' Bentley Mulsanne.
This pièce de la resistance for automotive luxury interiors is the most complex and intricate marquetry ever seen inside a Rolls-Royce. Inspired by the concept of luxury travel, our marquetry artists painstakingly assembled the design to perfectly express the vision of marque's Bespoke design team.
Developed from a set of landscape watercolours painted by Lin Xi, a well-established contemporary Chinese artist, this fabulous design of sand-shaded veneers and mother-of-pearl encapsulates the ethos, beauty and vision of the Bentley Mulsanne China Seasons.
On 1 January 2013, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated 10 years of production at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. To mark this latest chapter in the marque's history, the Rolls-Royce Bespoke team created a special Home of Rolls-Royce collection featuring marquetry developed collaboratively with Aryma. Each small piece of veneer in the 'celebration' motif on the front fascia underwent four separate processes before being placed by hand into the background veneer making this one of the most time-intensive projects for Rolls-Royce to date.


Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23, 1824 – September 13, 1881) was an American soldier, railroad executive and politician. He served as governor and a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island. As a Union Army general in the American Civil War, he fought successful campaigns in North Carolina and East Tennessee but was defeated in the disastrous Battle of Fredericksburg and Battle of the Crater. Burnside commanded the IX Corps, the Department of Ohio, and also the Army of the Potomac for a few months. His distinctive style of facial hair is now known as sideburns, derived from his last name.
Ambrose Burnside Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.


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Early in the morning on August 27, 1996, twenty-year-old Scott Dominguez showed up for an ordinary day at the fertilizing plant where he worked. By 11:00 a.m., he was clinging to life, unconscious and suffocating from toxic exposure to cyanide in a tank that was supposed to contain only mud and water.
EPA Special Agent Joseph Hilldorfer was tasked with finding out what really happened on that horrific day in Soda Springs, Idaho, but the answers would not be easily uncovered. For more than four years Hilldorfer, his partner Bob Wojnicz, and a force of top-ranking U.S. attorneys struggled to expose the disturbing truths behind the tragedy, but would their efforts be enough to put the man responsible, Allan Elias, behind bars?


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Carriera

Club
Ha giocato nella prima divisione francese.

Nazionale
Ha collezionato tre presenze con la propria Nazionale.

Palmarès

Club

Competizioni nazionali

RC Parigi: 1935-1936

RC Parigi: 1935-1936

Statistiche

Cronologia presenze e reti in Nazionale

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Calciatori della Nazionale francese

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Bowls are all the rage, and being the kind of place that is always up to speed on the latest and greatest (note sarcasm) our chefs wanted to share their new favorite power breakfast with you!
Cook quinoa in simmering milk until tender, do not strain. Let cool and hold overnight for the creamiest texture.
Whisk maple syrup and egg white together until foamy. Toss almonds in mixture until coated. Bake in a 300 degree oven until toasty, stirring every 5 minutes. Watch carefully!! This will make enough for several bowls….but I make extra as it's so easy to snack on.
Warm quinoa over low heat in a heavy sauce pot until hot. Can add more coconut milk or water to adjust texture as desired. Spoon cooked quinoa into serving bowls. In a hot non-stick or cast iron pan, saute bananas in thick slices until golden brown, about 1 minute. Divide between bowls. Spoon nut butter in the center and sprinkle with crumble. Serve immediately.
We don't normally feature articles on our recipe page, but the folks at Cowboys & Indians put together a bunch of recipes from various ranches to give readers ideas for a Mother's Day brunch. Our Cheddar Cheese-Chive Waffles were included, and those are indeed a favorite for a special breakfast or brunch! Read the article….
If you've ever wondered why our pastry chef Melissa is so good, you need only dig into her family history to realize that she comes from a long line of talented bakers. This recipe from her great grandmother Formanek dates from the WWI era, hence no butter!
Cream the first three ingredients together until uniform, about 30 seconds in a stand mixer. Don't over beat. (Over beating makes very flat cookies) Add eggs, mix 30 seconds. Whisk the rest of the dry ingredients together. Add to the sugar mixture and mix just until combined. Mixture will be stiff. Form into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar, do not flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, until cookies crackle on top. That's the "lace" design. Don't overbake! They should not have dark edges. Let cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes, then transfer to a rack or paper towels to cool completely. These freeze well.
Summer time is the perfect time of the year for chilled soups. This summer, Chef Chol shares his recipe for Chilled Corn Soup, just in time for the Olathe corn to be coming into season. Do you know the story about Olathe corn? Corn isn't a major crop in most of Colorado, but there is a small area in the state where it has been produced with renowned success. Check out this article about Olathe corn from Food Republic, and then enjoy the recipe!
1. Slice kernels off corncobs (you should have 6 to 7 cups of kernels). Discard cobs and place kernels in a blender.
2. Add buttermilk, basil, scallions, lime juice, garlic, salt, and 1/2 cup ice cubes to the blender and purée until very smooth.
3. Strain mixture through a sieve, pressing down hard on the solids. Discard the leftover solids.
4. Chill the soup 2 hours until ready to serve.
5. Serve soup garnished with radish slices, chives, and a drizzle of olive oil.
1. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high heat. Add onions and sauté until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the rice and cook while stirring until a nutty smell develops. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Reduce the heat to low.
3. Cook the wine down until nearly dry while slowly stirring the rice.
4. Slowly add the vegetable stock ½ cup at a time, while stirring the rice, waiting each time for the stock to nearly evaporate.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate sauté pan, sauté the mushrooms on high heat to sear slightly. Deglaze with soy sauce and immediately remove from the heat.
6. Check the rice for tenderness, season with salt and parmesan cheese, and finish by folding in the mushrooms and crème fraiche just before serving.
7. Risotto should be a bit loose and flow on the plate.
While some of you already hear the birds singing and see the flowers blooming, we're still cuddling up to fires in the fireplace and warm, cozy meals at night. Here is a great winter recipe, for anyone who wants to relish a little bit more of that warmth before winter comes to an end.
Peel and clean all vegetables as necessary and dice into ½ inch pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the vegetables to sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan.
Turn the heat to medium and whisk in the flour, allow to cook for 7 minutes, do not brown the flour.
Slowly whisk in the soy milk until thickened.
Turn heat to low to simmer.
Add the bay leaf, tarragon, thyme, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and prepare the biscuit dough by combining the dry ingredients and then gently mixing in the wet ingredients, finish by folding in the olives.
Transfer the cauliflower mixture to a small casserole dish (9"x12"), drop the biscuit dough on top and bake oven for 20 minutes, allow to cool slightly before eating.
This recipe is named after Kelli, our fearless mountain biking and hiking guide. She loves these little snacks and doesn't ever head out on the trail without them. Before you go out to conquer your next adventure, be sure to take the time to make these little power-packed energy balls. They're delicious and provide the perfect boost of energy after a long day on the trail!
Cream together the sugar and peanut butter until smooth.
Add the eggs and combine until incorporated, do not over-mix.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using an ice cream scoop of about 2 ounces, drop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Create cross marks with a fork dipped in granulated sugar. Bake on middle rack for five minutes, rotate baking sheet front to back and bake an additional five minutes.
With the snow falling outside, and the fire in the fireplace, it's perfect weather for soup. Here's one of those classic winter soup's that we look forward to this time of year.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds.
3. Rub the squash with olive oil and season with salt.
4. Place in oven for 45 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender when pierced with a knife.
5. Let cool and peel skin off then dice and reserve.
6. Roughly chop onion and celery and crush garlic but leave whole.
7. Place all vegetables except butternut in an 8 qt pot with a light film of olive oil and sweat gently until translucent.
8. Add water and butternut and bring to a simmer.
9. Continue to simmer gently until all vegetables are tender.
10. When ready strain vegetables out and reserve cooking liquid.
11. Add vegetables to blender with enough cooking liquid to obtain desired consistency. Only fill half of the blender at a time and start on slow speed and move to fast so the soup will not explode out of the blender. Continue until all soup is blended and season with salt to taste.
Toasted pumpkin seeds, brown butter, sage, roasted mushrooms, croutons, or maple whipped cream.
1. Mix together the dry ingredients and set aside.
2. In the Hobart mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
3. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
4. Add the vanilla and sour cream and combine until smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients and combine until incorporated. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Melt half the butter in each of the cast iron pans, add the brown sugar and cook until it bubbles together.
2. Divide the blueberries into each pan and remove from the stove. Top with half of the cornmeal batter and place on a sheet pan and then in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
3. Allow to cool slightly for about 15 minutes, run a knife around the outer edge and invert the cake onto a cutting board for slicing. Top with vanilla whipped cream.


Back in the 80's as a medical student in the University of Nigeria, we used to have one consultant/lecturer that was skilled in gynaecologic endoscopy, albeit, diagnostic. He must have been a beneficiary of the early attempt at introduction of endoscopy in African institutions in the mid-1970's, or perhaps trained abroad. Donor agencies like JHPIEGO (John's Hopkins Program for International Education in Reproductive Health),1 USAID and Pathfinder assisted in establishing endoscopy training centers in African countries namely: Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroun, Rwanda, Senegal Zimbabwe and Central African Republic. However, after many years, due to the massive economic downturn that befell the country, not much was heard of endoscopy in Nigeria until recently. It was just last year that Society of Gynaecologic Endoscopy of Nigeria was formed (SOGEN).
Recently there have been improvements in gynaecologic endoscopy in Nigeria, though mainly in the private sector. Formerly, it used to be just diagnostic like in tubal assessment for infertility, ovarian cyst, pelvic pain, unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy, abnormal uterine bleeding, displaced intrauterine device, intrauterine adhesion, etc., but now operative procedures like ovarian cystectomy, salpingectomy for tubal ectopic pregnancies, adhesiolysis and myomectomies (both laparoscopic and hysteroscopic), endometrial polypectomies, retrieval of missing intrauterine devices, etc are also undertaken.
Also many centers now organize levels 1 & 2 trainings in gynaecologic endoscopy at relatively affordable cost. Many, including the writer, had their trainings outside the shores of this country at a huge cost. Because of all these, it is no longer strange to have questions in gynaecologic endoscopy at almost every level of trainings in gynaecology.
Challenges: Despite the above improvements, there is still a gross retardation in the expected growth in gynaecologic endoscopy in Nigeria, noting that gynaecologic endoscopy was introduced into Nigeria more than 40years ago. There are mammoth challenges to be surmounted. One of the major challenges is cost, especially that of equipment: many have had the training but because of the exorbitant cost of the equipment they are not able to take off leading to loss of the acquired skills. The public training institutions that would have taken the lead in acquiring these equipment have rather taken the back seat probably due to mismanagement.
Even when we manage to buy the equipment, the cost of maintenance is also exorbitant; we lack indigenous trained personnel to serve as maintenance engineers/technicians. Appropriate care is not given to the procured equipments especially in public institutions.
Inasmuch as endoscopic surgeries offer so much advantages over the conventional procedures, many clients miss these benefits because of late presentations and or lack of awareness; myomectomies that can be done endoscopically (laparoscopic/hysteroscopic) with early recovery, return to work, minimal blood loss and less adhesion formation, though at more cost, are done by the open approach. The gold standard for management of unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies, benign ovarian cyst, intrauterine adhesions, interval bilateral tubal ligation, etc. is now endoscopic in developed and in some developing countries.
The way forward: The main problem of cost should be addressed by more budgetary provision in our various public institutions for the acquisition of the equipment and the maintenance. I learnt recently that Bank of Industry has provided a low interest convenient loan platform for acquisition of medical equipment for interested private individuals: this is encouraging. Also the training of indigenous maintenance engineers and or technicians should be encouraged. Trainings should be structured in both our private and public institutions. The provision of simulators to enhance training and skill acquisition cannot be overemphasized. A more recent and improved type is the virtual reality (VR) simulator: a system of medical simulation in which a virtual image is projected on screen by a customized computer program; the user interacts with the software using a physical interface with movement sensors.2 The perceptual and psychomotor skills which are of key importance for effective laparoscopic surgery cannot be developed in lectures and seminars.3The VR simulation training focuses on the development of surgical skills with proper monitoring.2 There is no doubt the VR simulator will cost much but it is a worthwhile venture. Regular training and retraining at subsidized rate should be the norm. Awareness creation on the availability and the need to seek the services where applicable should be emphasized.
Conclusion: Gynaecologic endoscopy in Nigeria, at above 40years has progressed rather sluggishly. As the challenges that have hindered the growth are addressed, we will, no doubt, get to the zenith with the recent enthusiasm and interest that many gynaecologists, and even patients, have developed for it.
2 Burden C, Oestergaard J, Larsen C. Integration of Laparoscopic virtual - reality stimulation into gynaecology training. BJOG 2011; 118 (Suppl. 3): 5-10.


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- Properties we can measure for extrasolar planets
- General conclusions about extrasolar planets
- How extrasolar planets are different
The properties that we can measure for an extrasolar planet depend on which indirect methods of detection we use.
All three indirect methods -- the astrometric, Doppler, and transit methods -- will tell us a planet's orbital period, from which we can determine the average orbital distance.
The astrometric and Doppler methods will also allow us to determine orbital eccentricity, which is how stretched out a planet's orbit is, and estimate planetary mass.
The transit method allows us to measure a planet's size or radius based on how much of a star's light it blocks out during transit, and transit and eclipse observations can also provide limited information about a planet's temperature and atmospheric composition.
Finally, if we have a planet's size from the transit method and its mass from one of the two other methods, then we can calculate the planet's density.
In recent years, the rapid discovery and cataloging of many new planets has allowed scientists to start making some important conclusions about extrasolar planets.
The first conclusion is that planets are common -- at least 70% of all stars have at least one planet.
Another conclusion is that small planets appear to be much more common than large planets, which means Earth-size planets may be very common.
The final conclusion is that extrasolar planets have a much wider range of properties than the planets in our solar system, sometimes in ways that defy our expectations based on what we know about our own solar system.
The fact that our indirect methods of detection are much more likely to detect planets that are close to their star with short orbital periods means our data is far from complete, but what we have found has shown some important differences between extrasolar planets and the planets of our solar system.
First of all, many planets orbit very close to their stars -- much closer than Mercury orbits the Sun -- even though they appear to be massive planets like Jupiter. Many of the planets also have relatively large eccentricities in their orbits, in contrast to the nearly circular orbits of our planets.
Both of these characteristics are at odds with what scientists expected based on the nebular theory. Based on the nebular theory, large planets should form farther from a star. High orbital eccentricities are also not easily explained by the nebular theory, which predicts the nearly circular orbits of our solar system's planets.
Going further, other observations of planets' size, mass, and density have revealed that some extrasolar planets defy easy categorization - they do not always fall neatly into the traditional terrestrial and jovian planetary types. For example, some planets appear to fit the model for "water worlds."


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REVIEW: His Last Defense by Karen Rock
Posted March 28th, 2017 by Sara @HarlequinJunkie in Blaze, Blog, Harlequin Mills&Boon, HJ Top Pick!, Review / 3 comments
His Last Defense by Karen Rock This second chance romance is an action packed, sexy adventure! High school sweethearts Dylan Holt and Nolee Arnauyq went their separate ways when they broke up over a misunderstanding that she never bothered to correct, fearing that it was only a matter of time before Dylan would move on from her and their small community in Kodiak, Alaska anyway. Nine years later, she's the captain of a crab fishing boat and Dylan's a rescuer for the coast guard. A short term assignment back home sees him encountering Nolee again when he ends up rescuing her and her crew from a doomed ship. When she finds another boat to captain, Dylan's concern for her safety has him signing on to help her with a dangerous and possibly futile mission. In the short time he's home it's easy to fall into old habits, and the attraction between them is as strong as ever. But can get they forgive each other for past mistakes and find a way to make a new future together?
If you've ever watched some of the fishing shows on the Discovery channel, this story very much has that feeling about it, with the cold and unforgiving Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska being the dangerous and unpredictable setting for this adventurous romance. The action starts from the first page with Nolee and her crew aboard their doomed vessel and doesn't let up until the very end. The author does an excellent job of setting the scene and keeping the reader on their toes!
Nolee is an ethnic Alutiiq, an Alaskan coastal people, and their customs and beliefs are brought to light in this story. Add to that her occupation as a rookie fishing captain, and you have a unique female heroine who is strong, courageous, and willing to take risks. But the safety of her crew is her topmost priority and it shows in the decisions she makes. I really liked her character and her drive to succeed.
Dylan had a falling out with his family over his desire to work for the coast guard and not join their wilderness expedition company as an adult. His father treated him harshly as a child, and he's been estranged from his family since he left home the first time. He's happy with his career choice now, but still fondly remembers the time spent learning the ropes of a fishing vessel with Nolee when they were younger. After rescuing her once, he isn't about to let her get herself into another dangerous situation, not if he can be there to help her. He respects Nolee as a captain and as a woman and he comes across as a brave and dedicated man.
Dylan and Nolee's relationship is complicated by a past misunderstanding that doesn't get resolved until later in the story. It doesn't stop them from indulging in a no strings attached fling where they try to convince themselves that they won't let their emotions get involved. The result is some sexy scenes between them, and the realization that when Dylan's time in Kodiak is up and he has to go back stateside, it won't be so easy to let go of each other a second time. They both played a part in their original break up, and are adult enough to acknowledge it now.
Family relationships play a key part in the drama of the story, alongside the intense action aboard ship. This sexy second chance romance comes complete with a satisfying happy ending and its unique setting and characters make for a story that stands out in a sea of contemporary romances.
Publication: Mar 21, 2017 | Harlequin Blaze |
Years ago, Coast Guard rescue swimmer Dylan Holt left Kodiak, Alaska, with his heart in pieces. He thought Nolee Arnauyq and her mouthwatering curves were behind him–until he's sent to rescue the crew of a capsizing boat…including Nolee. And Dylan is definitely not ready for the too-familiar way his body aches at seeing her again.
Nolee's always gone after what she wanted, and to hell with the risks. Now she's a rookie ship captain taking on the deadly waters of the Bering Sea. But out on these treacherous waters, there's no way to avoid the sizzling sexual tension between them–or the dangerous pull of emotions that could leave both their hearts lost at sea…
Blaze, Blog, Harlequin Mills&Boon, HJ Top Pick!, Review
4.5 Stars, Maria Rose, PC
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3 Responses to "REVIEW: His Last Defense by Karen Rock"
Karen Rock
28th Mar, 2017, 3:20pm
Thanks so much for this amazing review, Maria Rose, and sharing it on Harlequin Junkie!
Thanks for your wonderful review. I will get this book for sure
31st Mar, 2017, 8:48am
Sounds great .Will read