text:
Zuckerberg can't admit to a 2020 candidacy because it's bad for business
Alan Martin Alan has been writing about science, tech, games and politics for a decade, with a period in game production in the middle.He has a special soft spot for the Internet of Things, healthcare, psychology and fitness trackers – despite most of them offering the same critique: he's not fit enough. Alan is also the only person you'll find in the Venn diagram of "people who've written for Nuts" and "people who've written for the New Statesman". Read more July 19, 2017
A poll came out today that will probably not surprise you too much. It appears that if an election were held tomorrow rather than 2020 as tradition dictates, Donald Trump would lose to Joe Biden (54-39), Bernie Sanders (52-39), Elizabeth Warren (49-42), Cory Booker (45-40) or Kamala Harris (41-40). Ignoring the quite depressing sexism implied by the fall-off for Democratic women, one thing is clear: Trump is very very beatable. Comedian David Cross (Tobias from Arrested Development) puts it best with this tweet:
But actually, amusing as that is, this isn't true. Dig a little deeper into the polling and you find an interesting play-off in fantasy politics. If Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg were to stand, the poll suggests, it would be a dead heat between him and Donald Trump: 40-40. After four years in office, Trump would have finally found an opponent less qualified than him for the job, and the voting public would be torn.
Mark Zuckerberg definitely isn't running for president. Like, definitely not. No sirree. He's just visiting every state in the USA recreationally, in the same way that you or I might drop in at every stop on the Circle line out of curiosity. He's denied presidential ambitions, albeit in that carefully crafted way that doesn't completely close down the option, giving enough wiggle room to flip-flop later. In fact, it's a very politician-y answer to a pretty unspecific question. I may have no plans to buy a chocolate bar on the way home from work, but there's a good chance I'll end up buying a chocolate bar. What a waste of skills if he doesn't end up running.
Why would he deny presidential ambitions if wants to run for president? Well, there are two logical reasons I can think of, off the top of my head. The first is "who needs that kind of scrutiny for three-and-a-half years?" The second thought is a little more cynical: the second that Mark Zuckerberg announces a run for president is the second the US government gets serious about regulating Facebook.
This would actually be no bad thing but would be terrible news for company shareholders. As former Facebook sales executive Antonio García Martínez told The Guardian: "It's crazy that Zuckerberg says there's no way Facebook can influence the election when there's a whole sales force in Washington DC that does nothing but convince advertisers that they can." Political spending on digital adverts was estimated to exceed $1 billion in 2016, but the actual numbers are fuzzy, because Facebook likes it that way. In the UK, there are strict electoral laws that define how much parties can spend on local candidates, but no limit on national spend. In theory, Facebook advertising comes from national spending, but given the level of targeting Facebook has, it's clear how quickly that philosophy falls apart, even with gentle scrutiny.
America is more of a free-for-all in terms of campaign spending, with PACs and Super PACs splurging money at will. But they may take a bit more of an interest in Facebook if the CEO of the company is running for president and can smother the platform with free advertising for his campaign.
And that's just looking at paid advertising. At the time of writing, Mark Zuckerberg has 93,545,000 followers. Donald Trump has almost exactly a quarter as many, with 23,822,236. Barack Obama has 52,777,926 – but that was after eight years in office. In other words, with Facebook's famously obscure algorithms, Zuckerberg not only has the power to put his message in everyone's Facebook feed – he also has the ability to bury rivals with a tweak of the mysteriously obscure algorithms. If Zuckerberg were to go public with presidential ambitions, you can bet your bottom dollar that the more tech-savvy members of congress would suddenly take an interest in making algorithms public, and possibly even pushing legislation to water down Facebook's undoubted effectiveness as a campaigning tool.
That's not even looking at the power Facebook has to boost or suppress voter turnout at will. Facebook has proved that it has the power to get people voting: just by showing you a montage of friends who clicked the "I voted" button, the social network was able to add an extra 340,000 voters in the 2010 congressional elections. Donald Trump's campaign did its own experiment in voter suppression in 2016, with adverts aimed at keeping Hillary Clinton voters at home using messages tailored specifically to black and female voters. If Trump can do it, so can a hypothetical Team Zuckerberg – only with far more expertise. Facebook could look very different on a screen in Texas to a screen in New Hampshire – but more than that, it could look very different to screens on the same street. All that free personal data will come home to roost one way or another, but a Zuckerberg candidacy would certainly accelerate the process.
General election 2017: This tool shows how political parties are manipulating you on Facebook
Is crowdfunding the future of politics?
Mark Zuckerberg fuels political rumours with 2017 US tour
The numbers may or may not hold. A week is, after all, a long time in politics, and the actual US election isn't for another 172 of them. The point is that with Zuckerberg's unique powers, he has more ability than anybody to push the current 40-40 polling number in his favour – and with that in mind, it's no wonder he's being coy with his possible governmental ambitions. Government may be depressingly slow to react to the problems that come from internet monopolies, but you just watch how quickly they'll take an interest if they think there's a chance of swearing in President Zuckerberg on 20 January 2020. And while he remains a private citizen, protecting Facebook's stock value is what he's duty-bound to do. No wonder he's keeping schtum.
Images: Anthony Quintano, used under Creative Commons


Vinyasa Flow Yoga is a fluid and dynamic style of Yoga that increases circulation, warms the body and provides a moderate cardiovascular challenge.
Breath dictates the movement and the length of time held in the postures. The 'Surya Namaskar , commonly known as 'Sun Salutation' sequence is often practiced as a warm up in general Hatha Yoga classes. Here it is performed throughout a Vinyasa class in combination with a variety of asanas. Classes will strengthen and lengthen the entire body, promote internal health and cleansing by detoxifying your body.
Vinyasa practice will increase mental focus whilst aiming to calm and relax the mind.
Yin Yoga is a slower paced, therapeutic and meditative style of Yoga.
Often considered a simple practice, poses are held for longer periods of time (3-8 minutes) whilst taking a journey to the inner Self. Yin Yoga is a deep practice that encourages you to entirely relax the muscles, targeting the energetic and fascial layers of the body.
In addition to the physical challenges of holding and submitting to the poses, the class offers a meditative component, encouraging you to remain present and "let go", bringing balance to the body, mind and spirit.
Combining both Yin and Yang elements in one class provides a balanced practice and can have a powerful effect on energy levels.
Yin - stimulates the meridians (energy channels) bringing balance to the organs in the body, Improves flexibility and joint mobility, Calms and balances the mind and body, Reduces stress and anxiety, Works deeply on the connective tissues (fascia, tendons and ligaments and Can prepare the practitioner for meditation practice.
Yang - Strengthens and tones the body, Improves flexibility and circulation, Increases stamina, Calms the mind down by inviting us to synchronise movement with breath, Removes tension and obstacles in the body to allow breath and prana to flow.
AntiGravity® Aerial Yoga is a unique fusion technique, revolutionary in relieving compressed joints and aligning the body from head to toe.
The AntiGravity® Hammock acts as a soft trapeze and as a support while you master simple inversions and finally progress to more advanced poses. You will be amazed at what you will achieve with this practice. You will see changes in your body shape and improved strength.
Explore new territory with your Pilates workout!
Transferring the Pilates movement vocabulary to the Harrison AntiGravity® Hammock. This certified technique allows practitioners to perform Classical and Contemporary Pilates exercises from the Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, and Ladder Barrel - all on the Harrison AntiGravity® Hammock!
AntiGravity® Suspension Fitness. Get out of the box! Elevate your workout, burn calories and raise your mood! Utilizing the Harrison AntiGravity® Hammock to gain leverage and move freely in all dimensions of open space, classes are designed to be safe, challenging and entertaining. All participants learn to flip and do inversions in their first class!
AIRbarre - AntiGravity® AIRbarre - This extensive Aerial Dance Conditioning program is the newest Aerial Fitness technique. Dance creates ideal bodylines by toning and lengthening muscles, whilst also developing balance and agility. AntiGravity® AIRbarre, challenges the body and mind beyond the vertical plane and up into the air! This playful class inspires movement and is accessible to all. The Harrison Hammock helps you to find alignment and will challenge your body and mind. AIRbarre will get you flying!
AntiGravity® Restorative Yoga utilizes the hammock to gently restore and repair the muscular structure and nervous systems of the body. By floating the body through a series of gentle gyro-kinetic motions, the entire spine is deeply opened and synovial fluid is released into the joints, hydrating the cartilage that cushions them.
This technique features full body inversions, alongside various forms of flowing spinal traction. It offers accessibility to students with physical limitations, but is loved by all as a portal into deeper spinal flexibility, and mind/body connection. This technique is both beneficial in the prevention and rehabilitation of injury.
Pilates improves flexibility, builds strength and develops control and endurance in the whole body. It puts emphasis on alignment, breathing, and developing a strong core as well as improving coordination, balance and posture.
Exercises are easily modified in a Pilates class to adjust the difficulty of each exercise, and meet the needs of each student, ranging from beginner to advanced participants.
All instructors are available for one on one private sessions, small groups or organized sessions by appointment.
Working one on one with one of our experienced instructors will help you to explore your physical capabilities, while helping you gain a greater understanding of your body, the practice, and physical and spiritual self.
There are many things in life that are beyond our control. However, it is possible to take responsibility for our own states of mind – and to change them for the better.
Meditation is a means of transforming the mind.
Meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being. With regular work and patience these nourishing, focused states of mind can deepen into profoundly peaceful and energised states of mind.
Such experiences can have a transformative effect and can lead to a new understanding of life.


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Premier League title race: All eyes on Manchester as United & City battle for top spot on BT Sport – BT TV
Kilmarnock to apply for £1m Scottish government loan – BBC News
BHP slashes values of Australian thermal coal assets
Sergio Ramos: Why Real Madrid and their captain are at a stand-off – BBC Sport
West Ham's Jess Wallace takes on BBC Sport's Wonderkids challenge
Coronavirus latest: Surge in fatalities pushes US death toll above 78,000
Trump labels Fed's Powell as his 'most improved player'
Peter Wells in New York
Donald Trump has described Jerome Powell as his "most improved player" for the Federal Reserve chairman's swift moves in cutting interest rates in the US to near zero to support the economy through the pandemic.
"He has done a very good job over the last couple of months, I have to tell you that," the president said at the White House on Wednesday.
"Because I have been critical but in many ways I call him my MIP. Do you know what an MIP is? It's the most improved player."
The comments bestow upon Mr Powell an honour typically reserved for hard-working professional basketballers, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, but also represents an improvement in the president's sentiment towards the head of the Fed. Mr Trump last year said via Twitter message that the central bankers were "Boneheads" for not, at the time, cutting " interest rates down to ZERO, or less".
The path to potential Most Valuable Player status in the president's eyes may prove elusive for Mr Powell. Mr Trump said he only disagrees with him on one thing – negative rates – even though the Fed chair said earlier today he had little interest in taking borrowing costs below zero.
"I'm a believer in negative rates only if other countries that are competitors," Mr Trump said. "Look, Germany, they're an ally, they're friends of ours, they're still competitors on other things. So, Germany, Japan, others have negative rates and I think if they do, we're the most prime of the world."
"Certainly, if they have the advantage of negative rates, we should, too."
← UK plan to cut US farming tariffs sparks ministerial spat
Premiership Rugby: Grounds being audited for rugby union's restart – BBC Sport →
Saudi Arabian Football Federation writes to major sports bodies after WTO report
June 21, 2020 Gary Scott 0
Elon Musk Is About to Show Off His Neuralink Brain Implant
August 28, 2020 Gary Scott 0
VW to focus on electric vehicle production in China
July 17, 2020 Gary Scott 0
For the first time in more than eight years, Manchester United and Manchester City are neck-and-neck in a Premier League

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


KYC was well recognized at the Sail Canada Awards Night, held in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario, on February 26th.
Danielle Boyd, and Erin Rafuse, who qualified Canada for the Rio Olympics in the 49erK+FX class, were recognized as the Skippers' Plan Female Athletes of the Year .
CORK, with Tim Irwin, Marianne Davis, Ralph Shaw and Mary Wewsterland present, received the Chisholm Trophy for Excellence in Race Management, for the 2015 Laser World Championships.
Pat Wilson and Arie Moffat received the Bill Bourke Memorial Youth Elite Award for performance in the 420 class.
Ross Cameron, who was a Race Officer at the Games, was part of the Pan Am Games group that received the City of Kingston Award for Regatta of the Year. The Games volunteers also shared the 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award. Ann Rouget was the other KYC member involved in the Games.
Join the women in wind by the KYC fireplace at 5:30pm for an evening with a focus on books and reading.
Join the cruisers fleet and friends of Jemmett's Landing group to ring in the end of the week.
Each week, every Febrewary beer purchased will get you a ticket for a weekly draw for a Beau's scarf. The first draw for a scarf will take place this coming Friday, and you have to be here to win. Once all the Febrewary beer is gone there will be a grand prize draw for a beautiful Beau's branded wooden crate filled with 12 different Beau's beers.
This week's Febrewary Feature is a Koru, Orange and Fennel Mussels. Mussels and beer are a classic pairing for Belgian style beers, such as this week's Koru Belgian Pale Ale. The orange and Fennel will highlight different flavours of the beer.
Pancake Feature: Blueberry and buttermilk.
Weekend Omelette: Smoked salmon with dill and chevre.
Weekend Quiche: Pancetta and parmesan.
The last Febrewary release is the Koru Belgian-Style Pale Ale. More sessionable than traditional Belgian styles of beer, Koru has a balanced fruity and floral hop character, which is complemented by peppery, spicy notes of Belgian yeast. Koru pours a deep gold with a frothy white head.
The Harbour Committee would like to acknowledge the intitative taken by our Yard Steward, Brad Strawbridge. Brad brought us a proposal in early August to kickstart the Harbour rebuild. The version you are looking at is very closely related to what he sketched last summer. We at KYC are fortunate that Brad has all of our interests at heart!


There are so many studies that show how a large percent of people try their luck in the stock market are successful because they were able to learn the things that they need to learn the earliest possible time. Since they have learned all the basics, they know how to move forward and create their own windows of opportunities.
Many people have thought of trading in the stock market once or twice in their lives. The problem is they just don't know how to start.
For some, the stock market may look so easy considering you just need to make a few phone calls and meet some people and talk to some high brass firms. It is all about presentation they say. But, it's important that you have the know how to say things at the right time.
To those who are seriously considering trading in the stock market as a career, one of the important things that you need to know is the types of stocks to be used in trading. In the stock market, there are basically two types of stocks available: the common stock and the preferred stock.
The type that most individuals hold is called the "common stock" wherein the trader represents the majority of stock and he or she reserves the rights when it comes to voting people in the management as well as also calls the shots when it comes to share in dividends. The other type is called as the "preferred stock". Basically, it is the same with common stock only that the traders enjoy lesser rights. But the good thing about preferred stocks is that the traders do not partake in dividends, thus, making companies have more freedom in deciding the trend of the income from dividends.
If you are just beginning in the stock market, it would be best to look for companies that have bigger profits on their preferred stocks because it means that they earn bigger dividends, which can give you bigger return of investment.
It is also very important to know what does that term "trading stocks" mean. This is one of the most basic things you need to know if you are just starting in the stock market. For starters, it is very important to understand what a stock is, what does trading entails, and how does trading stocks will affect your overall success.
Stocks basically refer to a unit of ownership one has in a certain company. Trading, on the other hand, is the simplest way of saying buying and selling something or a financial tool that is used stock trading. These two are very important when you join the stock market.
It is also very important to understand the methods of trading stocks. Experts say that a beginner in the stock market doesn't really have to have in-depth knowledge of the minute details of how one buys and sells stocks. The most important thing is that he or she learns the importance of knowing the basics so they would know how to execute the stock trading strategies.


The Aquarium has its own Animal Health Department, with veterinarians on staff. Weekly, we have rounds with them to update each other on the health of our fish and turtles, and review medical cases and determine if we need to pull any of the critters out for checkups. But... sometimes it's just easier to perform these exams underwater!
It wasn't just turtles that needed attention. Some fish were on the list too, including a couple of our green moray eels (stay tuned for an upcoming moray blog post) and a trunkfish who is being treated for a facial lesion and lives in one of our acclimation barrels temporarily.


text:
Amegilla nigricornis är en biart som först beskrevs av Morawitz 1873.  Amegilla nigricornis ingår i släktet Amegilla och familjen långtungebin. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Långtungebin
nigricornis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
https://rockingmagpie.wordpress.com/2018/02/09/mama-spanx-state-of-groove/
Mama SpanX
STATE OF GROOVE
Self-Release
Rocking Magpie Review (With corrected names)
A Red Hot and Timeless Blend of Feisty Female Rhythm, Blues, Funk and S.O.U.L
This album has very nearly gone into the Oxfam box twice in recent weeks; not because it's no good but simply because it arrived in October 2017 when Mrs Magpie was rushed into hospital and I didn't do any reviews for a couple of months and the 2018 pile of CD's is growing like Topsy every day.
But……this is far too good a record to give away and in my humble opinion deserves a much wider audience than the hirsute hipsters of Jesmondia near Newcastle.
First of all I'm not too sure I like the striking artwork on the album cover; but in it's defence it does 'sum up the contents' extremely well! What you see is what you get……a red, hot and timeless mix of feisty female Rhythm, Blues, Funk and S.O.U.L
With no preconceptions at all, apart from trusting the PR who sent the disc……..my stomach spun like a turbo fan the first time I heard opening track ROCKET!
Oh Lordy Lord….everything I love about R&B and Soul Music is here…..and MORE! Nikki Armstrong aka Mama SpanX has a warm, velvety and expressive vocal style and her band The Spankers (ooh, err Missus!) Rock, Roll and Swing like a cross between The Swampers and Count Basie's Big Band……and that's only a slight exaggeration.
Seeing me making a cup of coffee earlier Mrs. Magpie giggled "What are you doing?" As I was shuffling my feet and actually 'shaking my thang' as Wild Emotion filtered out of the office speakers on the other side of the house. Caught in the act; I kept on dancing regardless of how silly I looked; it's that good a song and too good an opportunity to miss, regardless of the location.
When she wasn't watching I secretly danced again to the Funkylicious Being Beautiful and Alligator Boogaloo and then again on the title track State Of Groove; because that's what this music is for……DANCING and you will too.
Mama SpanX can get low down and dirty too by the way; with Crawl and Thinkin' being the sort of late night Bluesy/Soul crossover that is perfect for both seduction purposes and also crying your heart out into your beer when it all goes horribly wrong!
Before I get onto my 'favourite track' I have to heap copious praise on the Spankers; without whom this album wouldn't be half as good….Harlan Spector's keyboard playing is exceptional and holds the whole sound together and the horn section ….Steve Sadd, Russ Mullen and Julie Sax make a big, big sound worthy of the best in Memphis; and David Abercrombie on a six string fretless bass (?) alongside drummer Ben Beckley combine to create controlled thunder in the background while Steve Johnson provides virtual lightning on guitars throughout.
As I say I love the dance tunes here; but the two songs that tie for 'favourite track status are the Power Ballad Wrong Side of the Garden; which is a thrill a minute and promises to be a guaranteed showstopper when sung live; yet the other finds Nikki Armstrong singing the lyrics to the heart breaking Anywhere You Are over a very gently played piano. Simple, yet emotionally destructive……just like Soul music should be.
Where do I start and stop comparing the Mama SpanX 'sound'? Classic acts as diverse as Tina Turner, Nina Simone, Tower of Power and even Sly and the Family Stone sprung to mind at various times playing this record; but so did RMHQ Favourites the James Hunter Six and of course the late lamented Miss Sharon Jones of Daptone Records fame……and Mama SpanX and the Spankers could easily sit comfortably in any of that company.
MAMA SPANX - "STATE OF GROOVE"
http://popcultureclassics.com/deja_201801.html#spanx
by Paul Freeman
Mama SpanX puts together a grabbing combination of fierce funk, rollicking rock and sizzling soul. They soar thanks to the power-packed vocals of Nikki Armstrong, hot horns and infectious grooves. There's a retro feel to the band's exciting sound. Standout tracks include "Let's Roll (Get Your Mama Spanx On)," "All Around the World," the catchy title track and the torchy "Wrong Side of the Garden." Armstrong can beautifully deliver a ballad, as well, as she demonstrates on "Anywhere You Are."
Two new reviews
http://www.concertmonkey.be/albumreviews/mama-spanx-state-groove
Denmark January 8, 2018 Translation from Dutch
Reviewed by Walter Vanheuckelom
Mama SpanX is the latest project by Nikki Armstrong, an American singer / songwriter and bandleader. Nikki was born in Riverhead on Long Island and studied music in Boston, Los Angeles and New York. Nikki is also a professional dancer and actress. She has already been compared to Tina Turner, Gladys Knight, Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin. After writing session work in Sydney, Australia and Los Angeles, Nikki decided to change her focus to live performances. This change brought her back to New York City. Nikki Armstrong played with her previous formations Whole Lotta Blues (funk, blues and rock) and The Nikki Armstrong Project (jazz and blues) for more than twenty years in the New York Tri State area. She has performed and recorded music with Melvin Sparks, Bucky Pizzarelli and Les Paul, to name a few. Nikki can be found regularly on large stages, Carribean cruise ships and at festivals and she was already allowed to open for Joan Osborne, The Commitments, Dave Mason, Dickey Betts, Hubert Sumlin, Coco Montoya, Cornell Dupree and Ivan Neville. In 2012 she did a successful tour in France and was inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. Nikki has already released five albums. After a second tour in 2014 in France, Nikki returned to Los Angeles, where she sought the right musicians to jointly build and launch her new project Mama SpanX. She sought and found drummer and producer Ben Beckley, guitarist Steve Johnson, trumpet player and trombone player Julie Sax, keyboardist Harlan Spector, saxophonist Steve Sadd and bassist David Abercrombie. On November 1, 2017 'State Of Groove' appeared, the debut album of Mama SpanX. There are nine songs on the album, eight of which are original songs written by Nikki Armstrong.
The first sounds we hear when we set up the CD is the crackling of an old vinyl record. A little later we hear the raw voice of Nikki Armstrong and the bass drum and the hi hat of drummer Ben Beckley who take care of the intro of the opener 'Rocket'. Later the other instruments will amplify the song and 'Rocket' will become a soulful funky song with a lot of wind instruments and an excellent solo by Steve Sadd on the saxophone. Keyboardist Harlan Spector is also explicitly present at Hammond. To the end, this soulful funk song turns into a swinging gospel song, with great work by David Abercrombie on his fretless bass guitar. 'Wild Emotion' and 'Crawl' Nikki wrote together her good friend and blues guitarist Dave Fields. 'Wild Emotion' is a very danceable soul song, in which many influences from the seventies can be heard. 'Crawl' is a funky rocker with an exciting groove, in which keyboardist Harlan Spector, saxophonist Steve Sadd, trumpet player Julie Sax and bassist David Abercrombie claim a leading role. 'Being Beautiful' is a steaming rocker, who is sung in a very convincing way by Nikki Armstrong.
'Wrong Side Of The Garden' is a melodic ballad in which we can once again enjoy the beautiful full voice of Nikki. Guitarist Steve Johnson is in the spotlight with beautiful and bluesy strings. The only cover on the album is 'Alligator Boogaloo', a bluesy rocker by jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson from 1967. The very danceable funk song 'Thinkin' has a catchy chorus. Guitarist Steve Johnson and keyboardist Harlan Spector are allowed to display their instrumental virtuosity again during a handsome solo. In the intimate, understated ballad 'Anywhere You Are' the beautiful voice of Nikki Armstrong is only supported by the piano sounds of Harlan Spector. The horns are again explicitly part of the intro of the fiercely grooving title track 'State Of Groove', a funky song in which bassist David Abercrombie can enjoy the six thick strings of his fretless bass. The album ends as it started, namely with the crackling of an old vinyl record. 'State Of Groove' is a nice debut album with lots of soul and funk. The voice of Nikki Armstrong is full, raw and powerful and she has a good relationship behind her. (7/10)
Walter Vanheuckelom
http://www.bmansbluesreport.com/2018/01/mama-spanx-state-of-groove-new-release.html
Mama SpanX - State Of Groove - New Release Review
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, State Of Groove, from Mama SpanX and it moves. Opening with Rocket, a funky dance tune, lead vocalist, Nikki Armstrong is backed by Steve Johnson on guitars, Harlan Spector on keys, Steve Sadd on tenor and soprano sax, Julie Sax on alto and bari sax, Russ Mullen on trumpet and trombone, David Ambercrombie on bass, and Ben Beckley on drums and percussion. With slick sax solos by both players and a tight guitar solo by Johnson, this is a cool opener. R&B strutting, Wild Emotion has an authentic 60's sound with trumpet and sax fillers, a nice bass line, cool backing vocals and a snappy bottom. Blues ballad, Wrong Side Of The Garden, is a showcase for Armstrong. Warm sax soloing and tight guitar riffs nail this track. James Brown's influence is really clear on Alligator Boogaloo with it's funky back beat. Julie and Steve both step up with tight sax solos on this one giving it super traction. Wrapping the release is title track, State Of Groove and Abercrombie lays it down. With funky B3 lines and horn punch this track gets into the slot and rides it all the way. Solid closer.
Richard L'Hommedieu's Making A Scene Interview with Nikki -Mama SpanX
http://www.makingascene.org/interview-nikki-armstrong-aka-mama-spanx/
MAMA SPANX Review Zicazine Written by Fred Delforge
Saturday, 02 December 2017 (Translated from French)
of groove (Frank Roszak Promotions - 2017)
Duration 41'39 - 9 Songs
An excellent singer but also a brilliant songwriter, Nikki Armstrong made her debut at New York's Blues Hall Of Fame, but she has not lost the desire to continue to offer rich and groove-rich music for which she uses gratin of the US scene, inviting brilliant musicians from the West Coast but also from the East Coast to drop a little funk, rhythm'n'blues or rock on compositions that smell good soul and blues. It's in the company of the Spankers, seven brilliant musicians, that Nikki created Mama SpanX, and it's inspired by models such as Tower Of Power, Sly & The Stone Family, Ike & Tina Turner or James Brown that she has come to offer us an album that smells like the soul of the 60s and 70s, a "State Of Groove" which shines by its very sought-after arrangements but also by its very present brass. Benefiting from Steve Johnson's prowess on guitars, Harlan Spector on keyboards, Steve Sadd and Julie Sax on saxophones, Russ Mullen on trumpets and trombones, David Abercrombie on bass and Ben Beckley on music direction and drums, Mama SpanX manages to take this art to the highest musical spheres and it is a music at once catchy and convincing but also sometimes very intimate that offer us the group but also its singer whose voice is a pure treasure. We will inevitably focus on titles like "Wild Emotion", "Being Beautiful", "Alligator Boogaloo" or the beautiful tittle track that closes the effort but also a superb "Anywhere You Are" taking with his trumpet solo deposited by Stewart Cole. By offering the (re-) discovery of some of the American black music in her own way, Mama SpanX wins the game by hand and proves by the way that we can offer something new by firmly leaning legacy of the elders. It naturally commands respect! http://www.zicazic.com/zicazine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=14441
BluesN Roots Netherlands 11.17.17
The band Mama SpanX, which New York has as a base, has not existed for so long. Somewhere in 2015, Nikki Armstrong and Ben Beckley laid the foundations for the band. Their collaboration goes back to Los Angeles, where they combined songwriting and producer work together. Nikki, originally from Riverhead, Long Island, moves to Boston and then Los Angeles for her music study. In addition to her music studies, she develops her dance and acting talents. After her study she settles in New York where she forms Whole Lotta Blues, The Nikki Armstrong Project and the tribute project Just Janis. With various relics on her name Blues and Jazz, Live at BB King's, Turnin '& Burnin', New, Borrowed & Blue and her penultimate release from 2012 Now and Then it's high time to join forces again with drummer,
This originally jazz drummer has been behind the boilers since he was eleven, studied music at the Berklee School of Music and Manhattan School of Music and has since then been involved in countless bands in the genre rock, soul, funk, blues, country, latin and even Irish music played. In Steve Johnson, both find the ultimate guitarist. Johnson, who started playing guitar in 1963, shared the stage with Paul Butterfield, Johnny Copeland, Paul Schaeffer, Albert Collins, Little Jimmy King, Jaco Pastorious, Fernando Saunders, Leslie West, Little Mike, Hubert Sumlin, Nikki Armstrong, Popa Chubby and Michael Hill. In addition to his three self-management productions with the powerblues trio The Tanks and three albums for Virgin Records he has five albums under his own name for the French Dixiefrog label to his name. The equally experienced Julie Sax-Woodwinds and Steve Sadd are responsible for the copper work. Keyboardist Harlan Spector and bassist David Abercrombie complete the band. An ensemble that has a broad background and also propagates this in the chosen repertoire, in which rock, soul, funk and pop come together in mostly written pieces.
The crackling of an old gramophone record announces the first song Rocket and that's how we quickly get to know the delicious, almost raw sounding voice of Nikki Armstrong, who has a solid soulful funk performance of the song. Both Steve's let themselves be heard briefly on a solo level and it is clear, here is a close team at work. The same plan is a bit extended in Wild Emotion and the very groovy sounding Crawl . This path is abandoned in the pounding rocker Being Beautiful and then the tempo is lowered in Wrong Side Of The Garden, in which there is plenty of room for excellent bluesy guitar work from Steve Johnson, as we know him from his Dixie Frog albums. Soon the pace is restored and the band puts down a funky performance of Alligator Boogaloo . Also Thinkin ' is in this genre, but where the first tends towards blues, slide there Thinkin' more like a poppy embodiment in which solo space for Hammond Player Harlan Spector and guitarist Steve Johnson. Anywhere You Are is an absolute resting point on this album, this ballad is mainly based on the piano playing of Harlan Spector and therefore gives all the space to the great singer Nikki Armstrong. Then we have already landed again at the last track, State of Groove, the title says enough and just the deep tones from the six-string fretless bass by David Abercrombie guarantee the groove that spouts the speakers. A fine album, that has the necessary variation and makes us acquainted with a close company that knows how to connect various styles in a tasteful way.
http://www.bluesnrootscorner.nl/cd-recensies/mama-spanx-state-groove/
BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE REVIEW-MAMA SPANX STATE of GROOVE October 26, 2017
Mama SpanX are a funk/soul/rock/pop band led by singer, songwriter and New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Nikki Armstrong. Having originally kicked around the idea of the band with the late soul-jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks (who coined the band name), Armstrong finally began pulling the band together in 2015.
The opening track, "Rocket", perfectly sets out Mama SpanX's stall. With a rock solid groove, funky horns, Armstrong's top drawer blues voice, great dueling saxophone solos from Julie Sax and Steve Sadd and a rock guitar solo from Steve Johnson, the song shifts through various key changes before suddenly launching into the stratosphere as it explodes into a James Brown-style gospel breakdown.
It is immediately apparent that Mama SpanX have chops to spare but also retain the precious ability to craft clever songs. Armstrong herself wrote or co-wrote 11 of the songs on State of Groove, the sole cover being an updated version of Lou Donaldson's 1967 hit, "Alligator Boogie" (to which Armstrong added additional lyrics). She has a particular knack for coming up with catchy choruses, such as in "Thinkin', where one finds oneself excited for the verse to end, knowing what is about to happen.
Armstrong has a magnificent voice, warm and powerful, with an endearing lived-in edge to it, and she is superbly supported by her band. In addition to Armstrong, Mama SpanX features Steve Johnson on guitars, Harlan Spector on organ and piano, Julie Sax on alto and bari-saxophone, flute and backing vocals, Steve Sadd on tenor and soprano sax, David Abercrombie on bass, "Uncle " Ben Beckley on drums (and piano on "Anywhere You Are"). There are also guest appearances by Russ Mullen (trumpet and trombone), John "Beedo" Dzubak, Sr (vocals on "Let's Roll"), Stewart Cole (trumpet solo on "Anywhere You Are") and Rob Chaseman (percussion programming on "Black & White").
There is more than a hint of the 1970s in songs like "Black And White" and "All Around The World", partly in the chord structures, partly in the lavish production and smart backing vocals, but primarily in the easy virtuosity of the musicians. In an era when the pernicious devaluation of music as a valuable art form shows no sign of abating, it is both refreshing and encouraging to hear an album like this. The musicians successfully run that delicate balance between being a musical wizard whilst never over-shadowing the song and the music. The album title is spot on – groove is absolutely key to every song on State of Groove – but so are melody, technical excellence and passion.
There is also a fine sense of humor on display, as evidenced by the sound of an old-fashioned needle being placed on a record that book-ends the album. This is proudly retro-modern music.
Despite Armstrong's impressive blues resume, there isn't a huge amount of blues on State of Groove. There is however a lot to enjoy on this album. If you revel in the soul-funk-pop of the likes of Tower of Power, James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone, you will find much to appreciate here.
Reviewer Rhys Williams lives in Cambridge, England, where he plays blues guitar when not holding down a day job as a technology lawyer or running around after his children. He is married to an American, and speaks the language fluently, if with an accent.
BIG CITY R&B MAG REVIEW of STATE OF GROOVE-June 2017
"New York Blues Hall of Fame vocalist Nikki Armstrong is singer, songwriter, bandleader and Mama SpanX herself. Nikki was given the handle by friend and collaborator, the late Melvin Melvin Rip Sparkss and once you've heard "State Of Groove" it's a name you won't easily forget. Nikki pulled together a seven-piece band of bi-coastal musicians with diverse influences to create a sound that incorporates aspects of funk, soul, jazz and blues. This eclectic band includes drummer and songwriting collaborator Ben Beckley, blues guitarist Steve Johnson, Latin/jazz saxophonist Julie Sax, LA soul and gospel tenor saxophonist Steve Sadd, Harlan Spector on keyboards and six string fretless bassist David Abercrombie along with a few guest artists. The band's mantra is 'keep it in the groove' and the dozen tracks with eleven originals were recorded live on a vintage 32 channel deck to analog tape giving the whole album the feel of classic funk.
The band takes off with "Rocket" on a steady climb, horns flaring and guitar go into a free fall, but Nikki's commanding vocals keep it clearly on track. Mama's soulful storytelling style is shown off as she confesses her "Wild Emotion" then the band rolls out some gritty licks as the hot sax and powerful vocals join forces, you'll be on your knees and willing to "Crawl" as her lyrics get deep into the ugly reality of "Being Beautiful." The jazzy groove and Julie's flute on "Black & White" stand out but it's the song's message that really moves ya. You can smell the funk as this party gets hoppin' while John "Beedo" Dzubak declares "Let's Roll" and the band shakes it on down. The horns drift through a dream-like state as Nikki sings of love and the band takes a spin "Around The World." With the band locked into a James Brown groove they let Mama do the "Thinkin'" and the "Alligator Boogaloo" was a soulfully funky instrumental by saxophonist Lou Donaldson but the addition of Mama's lyrics gives it a bite. Guitar screams into a solemn rock power ballad that's on the "Wrong Side of the Garden" then mellows to a simple piano accompaniment and soft backup vocals but it's the lyrics that makes "Anywhere You Are." Closing with all the funk they can stand, the horns, keys and solid beat take it to a higher place in a "State Of Groove."
If you're ready for some old school funk with a twist, Mama SpanX has your "State Of Groove" in good hands." —Roger & Margaret White [BIG CITY R&B MAG](http://www.bigcitybluesmag.com/)
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Skillet Potatoes by Jamie Geller from JoyofKosher.com!
These tasty skillet potatoes are simple to prepare and make a great addition to your brunch menu. They are also a quick addition to your break-the-fast table post Yom Kippur.
1. Over medium-high heat, heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet until shimmering.
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3. Add onions and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring for even cooking.


A Tongan pro-democracy MP, Akilisi Pohiva, says a statement by the prime minister has not eased concern over last month's sacking of three cabinet ministers.
Prince Ulakalala Lavaka Ata told national television the sackings were for the good of the country.
However, Mr Pohiva says the outcry over the lack of information continues.
"The problem with all the statements he made last night to the public was that they were too general and vague and after the interview, members of the public are more confused."
A protest march against the sackings is planned for next week.


text:
Hairy black hole could show gaps in Einstein's theory
Space 1 October 2013
By Victoria Jaggard
It sounds like the stuff of nightmares: feed a black hole, and it might just sprout hair. That's the bizarre-sounding conclusion of calculations for the way black holes behave when they consume matter. Though the hair is metaphorical, the results could open a window into physics beyond the traditional picture of the universe.
With an immense pull and the ability to gobble up stuff, no one can deny that black holes are captivating. They are also hugely important as places where new physics, such as an extension to Einstein's theory of general relativity, might be on display. Most recently, this potential was explored via a very strange question: do black holes have hair?
The hair in question isn't physical, but a metaphor for individuality. To understand where it comes from, first think about the generic black holes predicted by Einstein's relativity. These can be described completely by their mass, charge and spin. Defined by only those three values, black holes all look basically the same from the outside, even if different objects formed them, or they swallowed different stuff.
This lack of individuality has led them to be called "bald". But many physicists hope that black holes are not bald, and instead have other properties that arise from parameters other than those three. These would be known as hair – and would offer clues as to why Einstein's equations aren't the whole story, something that needs to be solved more generally if relativity is ever to be reconciled with quantum mechanics.
Now Vitor Cardoso of the Technical University of Lisbon in Portugal and his colleagues have a new way to give black holes hair. They added some better-known but still unproven extensions to general relativity – called scalar-tensor theories – to black-hole models and found that in-falling matter can induce extra charge on a black hole.
As the charge does not arise from any predictions of general relativity, it counts as hair. "The black hole grows a wig," says Cardoso.
"It is an interesting result," says Avi Loeb of Harvard University, who was not involved in the new work. "I am most curious if we can apply it to real black holes."
Cardoso says that an imprint of the extra charge should show up in gravitational waves, ripples in space-time that can be created when black holes collide and merge.
Black hole silhouette
"It would be one of the clearest smoking guns of deviation from general relativity," says Cardoso. Although gravitational waves have yet to be directly detected, most physicists are confident they exist and should be found soon. For his part, Cardoso predicts upgrades to current detectors will reveal the waves – and perhaps black hole hair – within the next five years.
Another way to test the theory would be to look closely at the silhouettes of black holes as they feed using direct imaging techniques, says Loeb. The extra charge from a hairy black hole would affect the orbits of objects nearby, like the very massive stars that orbit the supermassive black hole in the centre of our galaxy. "A hairy black hole would have a different silhouette from the one predicted by general relativity," says Loeb.
It is still a theoretical scenario, but if the extra charge can be detected, then an already weird object will be well on the way to solving one of the biggest problems in modern physics – thanks to its hair.
Journal reference: Physical Review Letters, doi.org/n3c
Magazine issue 2937 , published 5 October 2013
Earth, 2100 AD: Four futures of environment and society
Light-bending black hole mimic is first you can watch