text:
Обкатывание — вид механической обработки, целью которого является упрочнение поверхностного слоя детали, повышение его износостойкости и достижения 8-10 квалитета точности поверхности.

Пластическим деформированием роликовыми или шариковыми обкатками и раскатками обрабатывают детали из различных пластичных материалов и сталей твердостью не более HRC 35—40.
Процесс протекает без снятия стружки за счёт разглаживания шероховатости, полученной после точения. Реализуется за счёт трения качения, что отличает его от выглаживания, которое реализуется за счёт трения скольжения.

Обкатывание поверхности сопровождается уменьшением её размера на величину остаточной деформации раскатанное отверстие имеет соответственно больший размер.

Общий принцип

Подготовка поверхности детали
Под упрочняющую обработку поверхность детали подготавливают таким методом как чистовое точение. Шероховатость должна находиться в пределах 5—6 классов чистоты. При этом необходимо учитывать, что диаметр поверхности в процессе упрочняющей обработки может изменяться до 0,02— 0,03 мм. Поэтому наружные поверхности детали следует выполнять по наибольшему предельному размеру, а внутренние — по наименьшему.

Приемы работы
Заготовке, закрепленной в патроне станка, сообщают вращательное движение. Продольную подачу обкатка получает от ходового вала станка. При обработке используют обильную смазку веретенным маслом или керосином. В результате давления деформирующего элемента на поверхность детали повышается твердость и прочность поверхностного слоя, гребешки неровностей поверхности подвергаются смятию, заполняют впадины. При этом чистота поверхности повышается на 2—3 класса, а точность формы и размеров остается прежней или улучшается на 10—15 %. Для повышения производительности скорость обкатки (раскатки) повышают до 200 м/мин. Число рабочих ходов составляет 1—2 в зависимости от требуемой чистоты.

Режим работы
Зависит от кратности приложения нагрузки. Она определяет скорость подачи и число рабочих ходов.

Инструменты

Схема на рисунке:
 1-пробка
 2-болт
 3-пружина
 4-корпус
 5-подпятник
 6-пиноль
 7-стопор
 8-шарик
 9-подшипник
 10-ось
 11-колпачок
 12-хвостовик

Обкатывание наружных поверхностей и раскатывание отверстий выполняются роликовыми и шариковыми обкатками и раскатками, выглаживание производится алмазными наконечниками.
Обкатка с симметричным расположением ролика на двух опорах используется для обработки наружных цилиндрических и конических поверхностей на проход. При необходимости обработки ступенчатых поверхностей, уступов и торцов применяют обкатку с односторонним расположением ролика. Для обкатывания уступов и торцов ролик располагают под углом 5—15° к обрабатываемой поверхности.
Ролики изготавливаются из легированных сталей: X12М, ШХ15, ХВГ, 5ХНМ, 9Х, углеродистых инструментальных : У10А, У12А, быстрорежущий : Р6М5, Р9, твердого сплава: ВК8. Затем подвергаются закалке до твердости HRC 58—65.
Шариковые обкатки и раскатки снабжены пружиной, которая обеспечивает равномерное давление шарика на деталь. Необходимое давление пружины в зависимости от свойства обрабатываемого материала устанавливается регулировочным винтом. Такие обкатки и раскатки позволяют успешно обрабатываввать нежесткие детали, так как шарик, имея точечный контакт с поверхностью, не нуждается в сильном поджиме.

Вибронакатывание
В основе процесса вибродинамического накатывания — образование регулярно расположенных углублений холодным пластическим деформированием обрабатываемого материала. Основной особенностью этого способа является сочетание раскатывающего действия, характерного для большинства способов поверхностного пластического деформирования (ППД), с ударным. В результате доля остаточной деформации возрастает, что приводит, при прочих равных условиях, к более значительному упрочнению как по степени, так и по глубине залегания упрочненного слоя металла.

Режим ударного вибронакатывания определяется следующими параметрами: усилием ударного вдавливания инструмента (шариков, бойков сферической формы), частотой вращения заготовки, подачей деформирующего инструмента, числом двойных ходов деформирующего элемента и его диаметром. Варьируя значения этих параметров, можно создавать различные системы углублений, различающиеся их числом на единицу площади обрабатываемой поверхности, площадью, занимаемой углублениями относительно номинальной, формой и глубиной углублений и их взаимным расположением. Таким образом, управляя образованием углублений, можно создавать системы с не касающимися, частично перекрывающими одна другую лунками. Однако, одностороннее динамическое воздействие на заготовку и элементы станка ограничивает возможность его применения для обработки маложестких и неравножестких деталей, приводит к снижению жесткости станков, появлению шума.

Литература

 В. Б. Сахов, Ю. П. Лебедев, О. А. Парманин, О. И. Соколов. Ударное вибрационное накатывание. В кн.: Прикладная механика в приборостроении. — Л., 1976.
 Ю. Г. Шнейдер. Образование регулярных микрорельефов на деталях и их эксплуатационные свойства. — Л.: Машиностроение, 1972. — 230 с.

Ссылки

 Большая Энциклопедия Нефти и Газа

 Отделочная и упрочняющая обработка поверхностей

 Шнейдер Ю. Г. Эксплуатационные свойства деталей с регулярным микрорельефом.

Механическая обработка
Технологии машиностроения

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Redlands Bowl Young Artists' Auditions winners…
Redlands Bowl Young Artists' Auditions winners give impressive performances
By Betty Tyler | btyler@scng.com | Redlands Daily Facts
PUBLISHED: July 3, 2013 at 12:00 am | UPDATED: September 6, 2017 at 6:55 am
Photo gallery: The 62nd Annual Redlands Bowl Young Artist Auditions winners
The winners of the 62nd annual Young Artists' Auditions lit up the Redlands Bowl stage Tuesday night with their talent, technique, energy and musicality.
And they did it in spite of a sound system that seemed to have the volume set to a quasi-rock-star-loudness level. The microphones on stage picked up the sound of violin, viola, cello, piano and soprano and, in louder passages, magnified the sound so much that tone quality was sometimes distorted.
In other passages, the volume was so much that I sometimes had to cover my ears. I'll admit my tolerance for the high end of the volume control is lower than most people's, but I heard about someone else who, after the first few moments, knew he couldn't stay in the front section of the Bowl and retreated to the lawn at the back.
I don't know the ins and outs of microphones and sound technology, but I do know that a certain level of amplification, instead of making more of the music, takes away subtleties of tone quality and musical expression, at least in classical music.
Making classical music and amplifying it in an outdoor setting is always tricky, and gremlins seem to delight in making mischief with sound systems. There were a few unevenly miked passages in the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival's opening orchestra concert Friday, but many more stretches of beautiful sound, and not at rock-concert volume.
Perhaps where I sat at the Bowl made a difference. I was near the front of the back section Friday, on one side of the Bowl. Tuesday I was more than halfway to the back of the front section near the center. The sound often is somewhat better toward the back of the Bowl, but I was sitting with friends on Tuesday, so I didn't move to the back.
Besides, the front section is where most people sit when the Bowl is not full to overflowing. If Tuesday's volume level is what most people consider normal, we have a bigger problem than adjustments to the sound system.
But I wish the gremlins would let the music speak for itself without the extra volume.
Tuesday night's young artists spoke clearly through their music and gave evidence of rich tone quality and maturing musicality in spite of the sound gremlins.
The program began with the two preteen winners, pianist Joel Oswari and violinist Mai-Li Putrasahan, both in the junior division.
Joel Oswari played the Rachmaninoff Polichinelle in F-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 4, as if it were as easy as walking across the stage. Playing Rachmaninoff is never easy, but Joel has the powerful technique for it, and he showed plenty of fast fingerwork in his second piece, Toccata by Jack Hawes, a 20th-century composer.
Mai-Li Putrasahan, the only winner from Redlands, was impressive in performances of "Csardas" by Vittorio Monti and Praeludiumn and Allegro by Fritz Kreisler. Watch for her in a few years in the Young Artists' Auditions senior division.
Cellist Philip Sheegog, a junior division winner who will attend Juilliard in the fall, played the piece that would be my first choice of the evening's repertoire to hear in an indoor setting without a microphone — the third movement of Zoltan Kodaly's Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 8. In fact, I'd like to hear Sheegog play the whole sonata.
Kodaly, a Hungarian composer who also collected Hungarian folk songs, wrote the cello sonata in 1915. The third movement is lively, fun music that sounds like it's influenced by Hungarian folk music, and Sheegog made the music practically dance off the stage.
Junior division pianist Kevin Knowles followed with Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 in A-minor," and he coaxed a beautiful tone quality from the piano.
The program by the Young Artists' Auditions winners can be quite a mixture of music with no particular theme, but this year's concert included two pieces that were somewhat related.
Junior division violinist Kathleen Chen played the "Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25," by Pablo de Sarasate, using themes from Bizet's opera "Carmen," followed by soprano Emily Dyer, singing an aria from "Carmen," "Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante." Dyer, who is a student at Chapman University Conservatory of Music, was also a junior division winner; the age limits for singers are higher in each division because the voice takes longer to mature.
Chen has a beautiful, singing tone on the violin, and Dyer has a full, rich voice. It would be pleasant to hear them perform together.
Many winners of the Young Artists' Auditions over the years have been pianists, violinists and singers. Not so common are violists, but one of this year's two senior division winners was violist Alexander Knecht, who has attended La Sierra University and will begin a master's degree program at Juilliard in the fall.
Knecht impressed with his technique and rich viola sound in "Twelve Impressions: Viennese (1916)" by Leopold Godowsky and a transcription of "La Campanella" by Paganini.
Closing the program was the other senior division winner, pianist Evan Pensis who is a student at USC's Thornton School of Music. He played Chopin's "Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat Major, Op. 61." He has technique, tone and musicality, and his Chopin was the perfect finale for the evening.
Before intermission, members of the Associates of the Redlands Bowl presented scholarships to the Young Artists' Auditions winners. Junior division winners received $500, and senior division winners received $1,000.
And after the scholarship presentation, there was a surprise.
Marsha Gebara, the Redlands Community Music Association's volunteer program director, was the speaker at intermission, and in addition to announcing the next Redlands Bowl program and encouraging people to give generously when the bowls were passed, she announced that she is stepping down as program director, for personal reasons.
Gebara is only the third person to serve as program director in the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival's 90 years. The first was Grace Stewart Mullen, founder of the Redlands Community Music Association, and the second was Florence Beeler.
It will be interesting to see who comes next.
Betty Tyler
Betty Tyler, community editor at the Redlands Daily Facts, began working at the Facts in 1986. At the Facts, she has also been a copy editor and has written concert reviews and columns. She received a bachelor's degree in music and German in 1976 and a Master of Music degree in 1986. She has taught piano in Redlands and has sung for many years with the Community Chorus of Redlands.
Follow Betty Tyler	@BettyTylerRDF

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


One of my regular fun things to do in the Fall here in the Adirondacks is cross-country ski up and then down the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway. The castle at the top and the Toll Road, as it is called in local parlance, were Depression Era public works projects and perhaps a test case for the New Deal Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects that followed. Imagine that, a publicly funded project that gave people the dignity of a job and is still generating revenue and being enjoyed 80 years later. What a concept.
Aside from an occasional canine companion, I usually make the trip alone since not many people enjoy this particular aspect of the Toll Road; skiing uphill for 2.5 hours in 15 degree temperatures with wind chills around zero. It just doesn't pass their time invested and hardship endured reward ratio requirements. But the views at the top and along the way are lovely, and the ride down can be fun. To really do it right you need at least 3.5 hours, especially if you want to have tea and deal with clothing issues at the top. Tea is essential, as is packing extra clothing for the ride down. When snow conditions are a little low, like last week, you need to ride a flat ski otherwise you risk stone grinding your edges on the asphalt. Here's picture proof, taken at great personal peril; in the cold with mittens off, of how nice it is in the Fall on the Whiteface Mountain Toll Road.


text:
Q: Java - Why static is important in this case I've two questions that relates to the following code (Linked Bag):
public class LinkedBag<Item> implements Iterable<Item> {

private Node first;    // beginning of bag
private int N;         // number of elements in bag

private class Node {
    private Item item;
    private Node next;
}

and this one
public class Bag<Item> implements Iterable<Item> {
private Node<Item> first;    // beginning of bag
private int N;               // number of elements in bag

// helper linked list class
private static class Node<Item> {
    private Item item;
    private Node<Item> next;
}

*

*What's the difference between Node<Item> and Node here? both implementations are generic, so how Node and  Node<Item>differ here ?

*What's the meaning of static in the second version, why is it crucial ? ( doesn't compile without static).

Thanks !

A: If your nested class is not static, then it's an inner class, and the enclosing class's type parameter Item is in scope.  However, if your nested class is static, then the enclosing class's type parameter is not in scope, because that type parameter has to do with an instance of the enclosing class, which is not relevant for a static nested class.
Here, the static class Node declares its own Item type parameter.  It could have declared any other name and it would have been equivalent.  You should not receive a compiler error using Node<Item> in your second case (with the static class); that is legal.

A:

*

*What's the difference between Node<Item> and Node here?

Adding a generic parameter is necessary because Java prohibits static inner classes of generic types from referencing type parameters of their outer types.

*What's the meaning of static in the second version?

static means that Node instances do not get a reference to their parent class, and can be created outside of its context if it is necessary. It is not exactly "crucial", but shrinks your node by a third (two references vs. three references), which is an advantage.

A: If a nested class is not static (called an inner class), it means that every instance belongs to an instance of the enclosing class. Therefore in the first example, a Node instance belongs to a LinkedBag<Item>, so it already has a generic type Item (from LinkedBag<Item>).
An instance of a static nested class does not belong to an instance of the enclosing type, so it does not get the generic type parameter from an enclosing instance - you need to give it its own generic parameter.
Looking at the source code for the various Collection and Map implementations in the standard Java collections framework, you can see that both approaches to Node classes (static and non-static) are commonly used.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We offer specialized, evidence-based treatments including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help women, children, teens, young adults, and adults navigate life's toughest questions, challenges, and transitions. Many things in life can disrupt our emotional health. During these times, it is natural to feel out of touch with ourselves and to struggle with difficult emotions. We provide a gentle, collaborative environment to explore areas of your life you'd like to improve, and to help you move toward greater health and wellness.
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The Board is committed to achieving high standards of corporate governance. On 30 March 2018, the London Stock Exchange issued the revised 'AIM Rules for Companies' that required companies with shares admitted to trading on AIM to adopt a recognised corporate governance code. As an AIM listed company, WYG has adopted the UK Corporate Governance Code published by the Financial Reporting Council in 2016. The Board is not required to comply with all requirements of the UK Corporate Governance Code but is committed to principles of good corporate governance and continues to implement policies and procedures designed to comply with the Code so far as reasonably practicable for a public company of its size and complexity, in light of the risks and challenges it faces. We will provide annual updates on our compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code in our annual report. The statement of Corporate Governance can be found on page 71 of the Annual Report & Accounts 2018.
WYG plc is subject to the UK City Code on Takeovers and Mergers. WYG plc is not listed on any other exchange or trading platforms.
The Board is collectively responsible to shareholders for the Group's overall strategy and direction within a framework of controls which enables risk to be assessed and managed.
The Articles of Association require that any director appointed during the year shall hold office only until the next AGM when they will be subject to election. Thereafter directors are required to retire by rotation at intervals of not more than three years.
This Committee is chaired by Neil Masom, non-executive director. The other members of the Committee are non-executive directors Jeremy Beeton and Marcia Marini. Executive Directors may also attend at the invitation of the chairman.
This Committee is chaired by Jeremy Beeton and comprises all the non-executive directors and the Chief Executive Officer.
This Committee is chaired by Marcia Marini and comprises all the non-executive directors. The Group HR Director may also attend at the invitation of the chairman.
WYG has clearly articulated Commercial Development and Operating Process (CDOP) which is a framework for decision making and project management. We believe that a robust CDOP is essential for a professional services firm with multiple professional disciplines and markets such as ours, because it helps us to mitigate risk thereby creating sustainable profits and cash to reinvest in the business, to re-invest in our people and to create value for our shareholders.
Ensure that effective governance arrangements are in place throughout the Group.


text:
Walmart Enters High-Stakes Next-Day Delivery Game
By Richard Adhikari
Walmart on Tuesday announced free one-day delivery for 220,000 of its most-frequently purchased items.
The service will be available first in Phoenix and Las Vegas, because "these locations are major metro markets served by our fulfillment center in Southern California where we have a high volume of free two-day shipping orders, and where we expect strong customer adoption of our NextDay delivery offering," a Walmart spokesperson said in a response provided to the E-Commerce Times by company rep Jaeme Laczowski.
NextDay Delivery soon will serve Southern California customers as well, and it will roll out to 75 percent of the population of the United States, including 40 of the top 50 major metro areas, by year end.
"It will cost us less to deliver orders the next day because eligible items come from a single fulfillment center located closest to the customer," the Walmart spokesperson said.
Getting a Jump on the Competition
"We've done extensive work to understand our customer purchase data market-by-market across the country, to uncover the items customers need most frequently and most quickly," the spokesperson added. "This data has helped us stock the right products in the right fulfillment centers, close to where our customers live."
Orders will ship in the minimum possible number of boxes, "in contrast to online orders that come in multiple boxes from multiple locations, including some that might require air shipping," the spokesperson noted.
"Wouldn't it be great if I could just go to the store and see what I need and buy it the same day? Oh, wait" quipped Rebecca Wettemann, vice president of research at Nucleus Research.
Still, "it's good that Walmart is doing this now," she told the E-Commerce Times. "The majority of consumers are still used to buying consumables like paper towels, toilet paper and the like at a store rather than paying for Amazon Prime delivery. This gives Walmart an opportunity to capture that business before it leaves its stores."
How NextDay Delivery Works
Customers can access the NextDay Delivery section at Walmart.com if the service is available in their area, to view and select items available for free next-day delivery. Everything in the cart must be eligible for next-day service, and the minimum order is US$35.
Orders consisting of a mix of items for NextDay and two-day delivery automatically will qualify for two-day shipping, the Walmart spokesperson said. If the order consists of at least $35 worth of qualifying items, the customer will be notified which items in the mix do not qualify and can opt to save them for later.
The specific assortment of items available for NextDay delivery depends on the customer's location. There is a cut-off time, which varies by location, but as a general rule, most customers who place orders by 3 p.m. local time will receive them the next day.
Butting Heads With Amazon
Amazon has offered Prime members in at least 500 cities and towns throughout the U.S. free same-day delivery of more than 1 million items since 2015. Same-day and one-day delivery of some items has been available nationwide since 2017.
Amazon will spend $800 million to make one-day shipping the default for Prime members. The default currently is two days.
"Walmart is definitely playing catch-up," observed Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research, "but this move helps make up for lost time."
Amazon this year will sell to 47 percent of the U.S. e-commerce market, while second positioned eBay will reach 6.1 percent and third-placed Walmart 4.6 percent, according to eMarketer.
Walmart will give Amazon a run for their money, Wang told the E-Commerce Times, "but it will take some time, as Amazon has better coverage and distribution." The fact that Walmart does not require membership is the game-changer.
The next-day shipping feature could cost Walmart $70-75 million, UBS has estimated.
"Walmart still has a ways to go to make their offer as comprehensive as Amazon," remarked Coye Nokes, a partner at OC&C Strategy Consultants.
Once Walmart's next-day delivery is established, "it is possible that both expansion of product offering and increased speed — same day — will be possible, likely with limitations on product availability and region as they announced," Nokes told the E-Commerce Times.
Dust Beneath the Giants' Feet
"The investments required to keep pace will hasten the demise of more store-based retailers, and result in more consolidation of retailers that don't have the cash on their own to play in this high-stakes game," noted Don Davis, editor at large at Internet Retailer.
The bigger online retailers are scraping by, he told the E-Commerce Times.
"Look at the red ink flowing at Overstock, Wayfair and Blue Apron," Davis said. "Stitch Fix is a notable exception."
Still, 342 of the top 1,000 leading etailers exceeded Amazon's 20 percent online growth rate in 2018, Internet Retailer found. The fastest-growing group of Top 1,000 retailers are those ranked 401-600.
"Retailers making money online tend to be smaller and midsized privately held companies where the management is closely involved in offering a unique product or service," Davis pointed out, "but that's hard to scale and still make money."
With Amazon's "relentless expansion into new categories" and its ability to match anything it wants, more midsized etailers will "run out of cash and look to sell themselves to strategic buyers like Walmart," he predicted, "which has already bought several Web-only retailers that were struggling to make a profit."
Richard Adhikari has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2008. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile technologies, CRM, databases, software development, mainframe and mid-range computing, and application development. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including Information Week and Computerworld. He is the author of two books on client/server technology. Email Richard.
More by Richard Adhikari
Apple's New Privacy Framework Pressures the Digital Ad Market
How Videoconferencing Can Put Trade Secrets at Risk
Scientists Press AI Researchers for Transparency
Cloud Security Practices Playing Into Hands of Attackers
Robot Lawyer Faces Legal Troubles of Its Own
Cyberthreat Hunter FireEye Hacked by Nation-State Attackers
The Costly Consequences of Crashes in the Clouds
Salesforce to Acquire Slack in $27.7 Billion Deal
Some Smart Home Devices Headed to the 'Brick' Yard
The Trials and Tribulations of Paying Ransomware Hackers


You don't need to be a Dickens scholar to understand that for many teachers it is both the best of times and the worst of times.
Let's start with the good stuff. Digital innovation is inspiring imagination. Educators from all over the world are learning how to responsibly blend technology into their teaching, while sharing resource suggestions and best practices with colleagues and their growing professional learning networks.
The freedom to choose an assortment of apps, videos and open educational resources that can augment – if not replace – traditional curriculum for any given unit or lesson plan is empowering. Learning how other teachers put these tools into their own practice via Twitter Chats, EdCamps and other collaborative environments is exhilarating.
A great list of ideas for teachers to take charge of their own learning!


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Not enrolled in the Patient Portal and would like to be? It's easy! On your next visit to Black River Health Services, provide the receptionist with your name and a valid email address, and let her know that you would like to enroll in the patient portal.


Are Vermont Strong plates still legal to display on my vehicle?
Act 71, which became law on July 1, 2017, removed any end date from the law that authorizes certain motor vehicles registered in Vermont to display Vermont Strong plates that cover a regular front license plate. See Law Enforcement Bulletin here.


You're at the hair salon—maybe it's a hairdresser you've been seeing for awhile or maybe it's your first time with them. Either way, you know what you want. You want something… different. Maybe you've seen a few ideas in magazines or on Pinterest. Or it could be that general restlessness that happens now and then, that desire we all get to explore another side of ourselves.
You sit down, take a deep breath, and then… you freeze. Because, you think, maybe it's silly. Maybe you should stick with what you know. Let's face it, you're not even really sure how to articulate what it is you like about a new style, or don't like about your current style. And then what if you end up with something that doesn't even remotely resemble what you wanted?
Well, my beautiful friend, I am here to give you the inside scoop.
Following is a very short list of things that will dramatically improve your consultation with your hair stylist. Because when you're happy, we're happy. And let's face it: there's nothing quite like having the fabulous hair of your dreams.
As the best Salon in Redondo Beach, it's our job to "learn to speak your language". One of the best ways to learn what you are looking for is for us to see a picture of it. It also gives us a starting place to start discussing what kind of care and styling would be needed to achieve that look! So, clip or Pin away! We will thank you for it!
2.) BE HONEST WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND ON YOUR HAIR!
It's a fact of life that all styles require at least some type of time investment. Sadly, "Wash and Go" is a Myth. But the wonderful thing is, if you are upfront with us about how much time you are willing to spend, we can give you a great style that works with your real life.You know, the one that doesn't come with 3 maids, 2 nannies and a butler!
3.) BE OPEN TO CHANGE EVEN IF IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT!
A change doesn't mean shearing your long hair into a pixie cut, but sometimes deepening the color a bit or adding a side swept bang can give you a lot of bang for your buck! And besides, who wants to look the same in family photos six years running? Or worse, bearing a striking hair resemblance to ones high school pictures! EGADS!
Repeat after me: Hair is an accessory, not an identity! Have fun with it!
4). GIVE US A HEADS UP, IF POSSIBLE!
We LOVE it when you want to change things up, we just want to make sure we have enough time to make it amazing for you (Not to mention, time to help you learn to style your rockin' New Do!)! So if you're thing of a change, give us a call a few days ahead of time so we can build in that extra time for a thorough consultation!
That's it! Show us what you want, be honest about your time, be open to change, and give us a little bit of warning. That's all of it, just four little steps that will get you the best hair consultation of your life…over and over again!


Our company can design Mobile applications for iOS and Android that provide best performance and user experience. Our app development team takes each project through several phases of testing and implementation to ensure the highest possible quality of user experience. For each app development project, we focus on security, optimization, user experience and quality assurance.
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Every organization requires a proactive IT Service support to ensure business continuity and availability, our Up time Support and Maintenance facilitate a fast response to incident and restores failed hardware.
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Our IT Support and maintenance agreement is provided on a yearly basis, for more information please contact us.
Whether you are looking for private cloud or public cloud or even hybrid cloud at Cloudtech we help you choose the right decision that will satisfy and match the solution you are looking for.
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At Cloudtech we have helped many clients achieve highest ranking through organic channels.


Photography 1 group Christmas get together.
Nine members of the Photography group 1 had a lovely lunch at the Oropi Hot Pools for their Christmas function. During the year, members had voted each month for their favourite photo without knowing who took each one.
The photo of the year with the highest number of votes was 'Tumbleweed' by Eileen Ammann, with Brian Lissette's 'Hi girls' and my 'Lacewing eggs' equal runners-up.
The total highest number of votes over the whole year was won by myself, followed by Richard Hobden and third place to Brian Lissette. Eileen, Richard and Brian were each presented with a calendar with their winning photos attached.
All members received some votes during the year so everyone at the Christmas lunch received a gift for their efforts. The standard of the photos from all members of the group has increased significantly over the year as shown by the close voting. Congratulations to all of you.


Smartphones have an enormous impact on our society. Almost 46 percent of all adults in the United States own a smartphone. The iPhone and Android, along with brilliant new developments in mobile technology, have managed to make people become addicted to smartphones. Here are some things to do if you are addicted to your smartphone.
A study by the Harvard Business School found that over 70 percent of people check their smartphones within one hour of waking up in the morning. Over 56 percent of people check their smartphones before they go to bed. There are people who find it difficult to complete a day without their favorite gadget.
Smartphones today act as a hub of information and communication. With nearly a million apps available, most of which are cheap or free, smartphones can be productive as well as addictive. Streaming messages from social media and various other sources of information can make a smartphone the best distractor today. Hence, if you are addicted to your smartphone, your work productivity can become seriously hampered.
The first thing you need to do to check your smartphone addiction is to analyze why you use it often. A smartphone has its specific uses, such as communication, navigation, browsing, and social media interaction. Many people, on the other hand, use their smartphones when they are lonely or bored. A smartphone should not be used as a boredom buster. Social media apps are one of the most prominent reasons why many people keep checking their smartphones. Getting updates from your friends is a good thing, but you should not continuously monitor for updates.
Many people are so addicted to their gadgets that they text, check messages, or surf the web even while driving. The slick interface, beautiful display, graphics, and fluent usability are some of the attractive features that make people use smartphones so frequently. If you are also an addict, the first thing to do is identify the reasons why you use your device.
If you are a smartphone addict, you may need to install an app such as Menthal Balance on your device. This app helps you identify why you use your device so frequently. It tracks which apps you use the most, the period of time you spend on your phone, and helps you identify how these things affect your daily life. The reports generated by Menthal Balance can give you a surprisingly detailed idea of your addiction.
Smartphone addiction is a global issue. Nearly six percent of smartphone users worldwide may be termed as addicts according to industry experts. The first step to rectifying your issue is to accept the fact that you are addicted to your smartphone. Then, make a personal commitment to reduce the use of your device.
* If you check messages very often, fix specific times in your day when you will check your messages. Stick to this timetable.
* Try to reduce the number of messages you send. Engage in more face-to-face conversations.
* Whenever you feel bored or identify an urge to use your smartphone without any apparent reason, do a refreshing activity like going out or playing with your pet.
* When you are not working, refrain from checking your work email. In the same way, at work, refrain from checking your personal email and messages.
You have to come up with a plan to use your device, allowing maximum time for productive work. Identify all unnecessary uses of your smartphone and stop them. Only with a proper commitment can you achieve good results.
Smartphone addiction, obviously, is quite different from addiction to drugs; you have complete control over it. If you create a judicious smartphone usage plan, you can easily curb your addiction.


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Republican Dan Bishop wins narrow victory in N.C. special election
Published by nahid-wacky on September 11, 2019
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Republican Dan Bishop narrowly defeated Democrat Dan McCready in a special election on Tuesday in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District.
The race was being closely watched for possible signs of weakness among Republican voters that could have spelled bad news nationally in 2020 for President Donald Trump, who endorsed Bishop and campaigned for him on Monday.
A special election was called in the district after last year's results weren't certified due to allegations of fraud.
Bishop was ahead with 50.6 percent, or 94,984 votes, and McCready had 48.8 percent, or 90,824 votes, with about 97 percent of the tally in. NBC News projected Bishop as the winner shortly after 10:00 pm, ET.
Full results available here.
Sept. 10, 201903:19
Democrats said Trump's unpopularity is the only reason the GOP-leaning district was competitive in the first place and that Republicans needed to pull out all the stops to win it. And, looking ahead to next year, Democrats say there are 34 Republican-held congressional districts that are more competitive than this one.
But Trump's rally and vocal support may have helped push Bishop over the line — and the president was quick to take credit for the win.
Dan Bishop was down 17 points 3 weeks ago. He then asked me for help, we changed his strategy together, and he ran a great race. Big Rally last night. Now it looks like he is going to win. @CNN & @MSNBC are moving their big studio equipment and talent out. Stay tuned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2019
Bishop thanked Trump and other Republicans in his victory speech, saying his first act in Congress would be to help the president build a wall along the Mexican border.
"Under this president, America is great again," he said. "We stand for our flag and we kneel for our maker."
Bishop then pulled out his iPhone and called the White House from the podium to put the president on speakerphone so his supporters could hear.
"What he did tonight is monumental," Trump said as Bishop held his phone to microphone. "So congratulations!"
Every one of the dozen voters who spoke with NBC News in Indian Trail, a suburb of Charlotte, said the president was a factor in their vote.
"I recently changed my affiliation from Republican," said Dawn Leavesley, who voted for Trump in 2016, but has been disappointed with him. "Dan McCready promises to vote for the people, not for party, and even though I don't necessarily agree with either party on different things, I believe that he's the best man for the job."
Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics
Both parties poured millions of dollars into the race, with Democrats spending about $6.8 million on TV and radio ads while Republicans spent about $6.5 million, according to data from Advertising Analytics.
The 9th Congressional District, which includes parts of Charlotte and Fayetteville suburbs and large swath of rural territory in between, has been held by Republicans since 1963. Trump won it by 12 percentage points in 2016.
The results point to ongoing trouble for both parties: Bishop lost ground in the suburbs while McCready underperformed in some of the district's rural areas.
McCready, a solar energy entrepreneur and former Marine, ran as a moderate who pledged to "put country over party" and rejected many the progressive policies of his party's presidential candidates.
"We were not successful tonight, but I want you to remember that victory postponed is not defeat," he told supporters Tuesday in his concession speech.
McCready made the contest in conservative district competitive thanks to a head start and the national undercurrent of blowback against Trump.
In last year's race, GOP nominee Mark Harris led McCready by 905 votes, but was never given a seat in Congress after allegations emerged that a consultant working for him had improperly handled absentee ballots.
A new election was ordered and Republicans chose a different nominee for the do-over: Bishop, a state senator who backed the state's controversial "bathroom bill," which prohibited transgender people from using the bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.
While the race did not have major implications for the balance of power in the House, Republicans were aware that losing the seat would have required them to win one extra one — 20 instead of 19 — to reclaim the House majority in 2020.
Dan Bishop, the Republican candidate for senate in North Carolina's 9th District, speaks with supporters in Hope Mills on Aug. 10, 2019.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call file
Bishop and GOP outside groups field-tested the kinds of attacks they may use against other Democrats next year, especially on immigration.
"The results tonight are the clearest sign yet that the left's embrace of socialism is putting even their strongest and best-funded candidates in dire jeopardy," said Dan Conston, the president of the Congressional Leadership Fund, a GOP super PAC.
That argument worked for voter Richard Swindler, who said he wants his representative in Congress to have the president's back.
"I know that the other Dan (McCready) would have sided with Pelosi and that gang and Dan (Bishop) will probably side with Trump and his gang, and I believe that's the right side of the fence to be on," Swindler said.
Democrats had hoped a win in the traditionally Republican suburbs here would not only help protect their House majority, but energize the party heading into next year's presidential election.
"Tonight's razor-thin result in this ruby-red district solidifies the fact that Democrats are pushing further into Republican strongholds and are in a commanding position to protect and expand our House Majority in 2020," said Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., the chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Ninth Congressional district Democratic candidate answers a question during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C. on May 15, 2019.Chuck Burton / AP file
In a second special election in North Carolina on Tuesday, Republican Greg Murphy easily defeated Democrat Allen Thomas, according to an NBC News projection. The district's former incumbent, GOP Rep. Walter Jones, died earlier this year. Trump carried the district easily in 2016.
Alex Seitz-Wald reported from Washington, and Leigh Ann Caldwell reported from North Carolina.
Categories:	Wired
Activists gather for fourth year of worldwide Women's Marches
Jan. 18 (UPI) — Thousands took to the streets Saturday in Washington, D.C., — and elsewhere across the globe — to participate in the fourth annual Women's March advocating for women's equality. The annual was Read more…
Buckingham Palace: Harry, Meghan won't use royal titles or get public money
Jan. 18 (UPI) — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will no longer use the titles "His and Her Royal Highness," Buckingham Palace announced Saturday. The couple will also not receive public funds for royal duties Read more…
Trump just blew up the GOP impeachment strategy. That will help him win.
This isn't what Mitch McConnell wanted. The Republican Senate majority leader from Kentucky has, since the House impeached President Donald Trump on Dec. 18, made clear his preference that a Senate trial over removing the Read more…
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Алексей Чантович Чичба (25 мая 1925, Ачандара, Абхазская ССР — 1996) — советский и абхазский композитор, музыкальный педагог и . Один из основоположников абхазской профессиональной музыки, заслуженный деятель искусств Абхазии, член Союза композиторов СССР.

Биография

Алексей Чичба родился 25 мая 1925 года в селе Ачандаре Гудаутского района в многодетной крестьянской семье.

Участвовал в различных хоровых коллективах: и школьных, и районного масштаба.

В 1937 году арестовали его отца, затем старшего брата, в ходе репрессий в республике. В Великой Отечественной войне пропал без вести брат композитора.

В 1945-46 учебном году в абхазских школах было введено обучение на грузинском языке. К этому времени Алексей Чичба попал под агентурное наблюдение НКВД из-за… «провокационных разговоров, направленных на срыв мероприятий партии и правительства, путём вызова недовольства со стороны абхазского населения». Его фамилия фигурировала в документе под названием: «Справка по наблюдению над антисоветским буржуазно-националистически настроенным элементом, из числа абхазской национальности».

С 1948 г. по 1956 г. — художественный руководитель Гудаутского ансамбля песни и танца.

В 1957 году в Тбилиси должна была пройти Декада абхазского искусства. Решением правительства Абхазии Алексея Чичба переводят на работу в Государственный ансамбль Абхазии руководителем и главным дирижёром. Но ему пришлось вскоре оставить этот пост, несмотря на то что удалось в кратчайший срок, за полгода, тщательно подготовить программу для участия в декаде.

Поступает в Тбилисскую консерваторию на теоретико-композиторский факультет, в курс композитора Андрея Баланчивадзе.

В 1964 году Чичба возвращается в Сухум, где начинается период его активной творческой и общественной деятельности. Его назначают директором Сухумского музыкального училища, на посту которого он находится до 1972 года.

В стенах училища с помощью известных деятелей музыкальной культуры А. Позднеева и Л. Джергения стали успешно действовать оперная студия и студенческий симфонический оркестр, которые в дальнейшем стали основой двух творческих коллективов Абхазии — Государственной хоровой капеллы и Государственного симфонического оркестра.

В 1967 году А. Чичба с помощью преподавателей и студентов музучилища организовал оперную студию, состоящую из 25 исполнителей и студенческого симфонического оркестра. Как пишет Мери Хашба, это была единственная оперная студия в СССР при музучилище, так как такие студии обычно создавались при оперных театрах. Впоследствии на базе этой оперной студии были созданы государственная хоровая капелла и государственный симфонический оркестр.

Для повышения профессионального уровня певцов хоровой капеллы он инициировал приглашение дирижёра Вадима Судакова в Абхазию.

В 1971 году при активном участии Чичба был создан Союз композиторов Абхазии.

Во время абхазско-грузинского конфликта только в конце октября 1992 года покинул дом, расположенный на линии фронта.

Скончался в 1996.

Музыкальные сочинения
Алексей Чичба автор песен «Уарада» и «Белая кофточка», оперы «Шансоу», симфоний «Санчарская битва» и «Обрядовая», вокально-симфонических произведений «Аспны» и «Герои Киаразаа» и многих других сочинений.

оратория «Герои Киараза»

симфоническая поэмы «Абрскил»

музыка к фильму Николая Мащенко «Сотворение», в котором главную роль сыграл писатель Джума Ахуба.

Критика
Его музыка наполнена образами величественной природы Абхазии, выступающей как единая и монолитная горная гряда с девственными лесами и заснеженными вершинами. В ней слышен могучий рокот стремительных горных рек и мощь героико-эпических песен. И это не удивительно, ведь прекрасная живописная природа и родной фольклор были той основой, на которой развился талант композитора. -Аида Ашхаруа

Память
За вклад в национальную музыкальную культуру имя композитора присвоено Сухумскому государственному музыкальному училищу.

Семья
Дети:

Сын - Чичба Игорь Алексеевич (род. 1953)

Сын - Чичба Азамат Алексеевич (род. 1957)

Дискография
1982 — Симфоническая музыка композиторов Абхазии (Мелодия)

Сторона 1

П.Петров Концерт для фортепиано №1 с оркестром в трёх частях

К. Ченгелия. Абхазское каприччио

Р. Гумба. Радость, Симфоническая картинка

Алла Отырба, фортепиано

Симфонический оркестр телевидения и радио Грузии

Дирижер Анатолий Хагба

Сторона 2

Л. Чепелянский. Дмитрий Гулия, поэма

М. Берикашвили. Песнь раненого

А. Чичба. Интермеццо

Симфонический оркестр телевидения и радио Грузии

Дирижер Тариел Дугладзе

Литература
Мери Хашба «Через тернии к звёздам», Сухум, 2001

Станислав Лакоб «Абхазский архив. XX век» 2002

Примечания

Музыканты Абхазии
Академические музыканты Республики Абхазия
Композиторы Абхазии
Директора Сухумского музыкального училища
Выпускники Тбилисской консерватории
Преподаватели Сухумского музыкального училища


PPG believes that our corporation and our communities benefit from providing equal opportunities for diversity business enterprises to compete for PPG business. Our suppliers are our business partners, and it is important that these partnerships reflect the communities where we live, work and serve.
PPG is seeking small, veteran, minority and women-owned businesses that provide quality products and services at competitive prices.
PPG's diversity supplier office seeks diverse suppliers through purchasing organizations, participation in various trade show activities and utilization of diverse supplier directories.
Potential suppliers may be asked to participate in reverse auctions, requests for quotes, request for proposals and other forms of purchases. Suppliers are considered based on capabilities match.
New Supplier Registration click here.
Step One: Register your supplier capability profile on-line through PPG's Diversity Supplier Database.


The events which will subsequently unfold are about the two wild creatures who have particularly amazing attributes. These attributes are harnessed by the establishment, to great effect, bringing many serious criminals to justice.
Poaching is a serious crime and costs the lives of many creatures and rangers. This, often needless slaughter, is difficult to police and it is even more difficult to bring those responsible, to justice.
Speed is of the essence and our two characters are trained to develop their speed and provide the vital surveillance, so desperately needed in the wide-open spaces of the Serengeti and other great national parks.
The Nyala and the Nighthawk are caught and trained, they race and develop astonishing speed. They are eventually put to work; spectacular results are achieved.


text:
Franciscan Spirit Blog
Franciscan Spirit Videos
Faith and Family
Catholic Greetings
Franciscan Voices
What Is the Franciscan Spirit?
What Is a Catholic Pilgrimage?
Does Your Calling Scare You?
How to Sum Up the Spirituality of Saint Francis
Like-Minded: Saint Francis and Pope Francis
What Is a True Peacemaker?
Mary, Mother of Jesus
A Franciscan Response to Bullying
Who Are We Before God?
The Sex-Abuse Crisis: How Do We Heal?
Saint Francis and Lady Poverty
A Franciscan Perspective on Gender Equality
A Franciscan Reflection on the Virgin Mary
My Friend, Oscar Romero
Oscar Romero's Legacy
Tips for Improving Your Prayer Life
We Reflect the Love of Christ
The Saints Are Our Friends
Fr. Gary Caster on Mother Teresa
Pro-Life Thinking
In Silence, We Find God
What Drew Me to the Franciscans
Saint Francis, Peacemaker
Celebrating Mother Mary
What is it about the Franciscan spirit that draws so many people in? Br. Casey Cole, OFM, says it's an unmistakable sense of family that makes it so appealing. Click here to watch the video!
What is a pilgrimage? It's certainly not a vacation, says Greg Friedman, OFM, who leads tours in Assisi, Italy, and the Holy Land. "When you go on pilgrimage," Fr. Greg says, "you are there to allow God to work in your life." Click here to watch the video!
Was Saint Francis a Poet?
A little-known fact about Saint Francis of Assisi is that he is considered one of the first Italian poets by literary critics. His "Canticle of the Creatures" combined his love for God with his mastery of poetry. Click here to watch the video!
Oftentimes we want direction from God: a clear, definitive answer to the questions in our hearts. But God doesn't always work that way. Sometimes God speaks to us through our work, through friends, or through family. Click here to watch the video!
Saint Francis and the Canticle of the Creatures
How can we sum up the spirituality of Saint Francis? One way to start, Murray Bodo, OFM, says, is to consider Francis' "Canticle of the Creatures." Click here to watch the video!
How are Saint Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis linked? Friar Casey Cole explains that Pope Francis shares Saint Francis' care for the poor, as well as emphasis on the environment. Click here to watch the video!
What does it mean to be a peacemaker? Do we stay detached from conflict and simply pray? It's not that simple. "Peace involves some kind of reconciliation," Murray Bodo, OFM, says. Click here to watch the video!
For Catholics, Mary is rightly put on a pedestal. But oftentimes we forget that, at her core, she was a mother who loved her son. "She's going to care for you when you need it most," Friar Roger Lopez says. Click here to watch the video!
School is starting back up for many students around the country—and that means bullying will be back in full swing. Friar Roger Lopez, a religion teacher at a Franciscan high school, has a response to those who harm others: "There's no place for bullyingthe kingdom of God." Click here to watch the video!
"As we stand before the Lord," Friar Frank Jasper says, "it doesn't matter what the color of our skin is or if we're rich or poor." All that matters is what's in our hearts. What's most important is our own unique individuality. Click here to watch the video!
Oftentimes we have a false hope when it comes to life—that everything is going to work out perfectly for us. But that's unrealistic, Brother Casey Cole, OFM, says. Life isn't easy. It will almost constantly throw challenges our way. The key is to clear our minds and hearts of expectations and allow God to lead us. Click here to watch the video!
The Church in the United States is still reeling in the wake of the Pennsylvania grand jury's report documenting that 301 priests and religious in six dioceses abused over 1,000 minors. Many of us are angry and confused. How do we heal from this? Click here to watch the video!
Today we are immersed in a consumer-driven society. More always seems to be better. But Francis of Assisi believed differently. He knew that if we can rid ourselves of material burdens, we can be truly free. Click here to watch the video!
With the #MeToo movement gaining international attention in the last year, there is now a spotlight on how men and women treat each other. But hope remains, Frank Jasper, OFM, says, because we are all children of God. Click here to watch the video!
"God is love," John Quigley, OFM, says. "And God wanted a physical way to be God." Enter Mary. God chose this young woman from Nazareth to be the mother of his son. And through her holiness and trust in God, Mary ushered Jesus into the universe. Click here to watch the video!
"My history with Oscar Romero is a blessed one," Octavio Duran, OFM, says. This friar got to know the archbishop personally and became his trusted friend and photographer. What does he remember about the archbishop? He was timid—not comfortable in social situations. But when Romero was in the pulpit, he was a prophet. Click here to watch the video!
"Faith played a big role in Monsignor Oscar Romero's life," Octavio Duran, OFM, says of his friend, who will be canonized on Sunday. "Romero was a gift—a gift to us Salvadorians. But he's also a gift to the world." Click here to watch the video!
As Christians, we go into prayer with the best of intentions, but we often get distracted or impatient. We complicate what should be a simple moment of grace with God. Fr. Gary Caster has been there, too, and he offers some important tips for slowing down and allowing God to find us. Click here to watch the video!
In our faith journeys, sometimes, like the moon, we reflect the love of Christ. Other times, we feel mired in darkness. But God's love is unconditional and eternal, as Colleen C. Mitchell explains. Click here to watch the video!
Who doesn't love the saints? Who among us hasn't reached out to them in times of trouble? Fr. Gary Caster has long-admired the saints. In fact, his favorite is Thérèse of Lisieux. But Fr. Caster warns us not to look at them as switchboard operators conveying our messages to Christ. They are our friends—companions on our faith journeys. Click here to watch the video!
Fr. Gary Caster will be the first to admit that his life has been touched by countless moments of grace. One memory in particular stands out. He was charged with assisting Mother Teresa and her sisters with getting a building ready for those suffering from HIV and AIDS in Washington DC. And this encounter changed his life forever. Click here to watch the video!
In January we celebrate the sanctity and beauty of life, but Father Frank Jasper, OFM, says that it goes beyond the rights of the unborn. Respecting life also applies to health care, homelessness, immigration, and capital punishment. Friar Frank gives us some words of wisdom in this week's Franciscan Spirit video. Click here to watch the video!
In this day and age, it's very hard to be quiet. With our tablets, smartphones, and myriad other noisy distractions at our fingertips, sometimes it's virtually impossible to quiet our minds and our spirits. Click here to watch the video with Brother Casey Cole, OFM!
For Roger Lopez, OFM, his road to the Franciscans wasn't paved with struggle or strife—it was paved with food. After his meal with the friars was over, he noticed how the brothers immediately began working together to wash dishes, put away food, and clean the kitchen. In those simple acts, Friar Roger saw the makings of a family, a family he wanted to join. Click here to watch the video!
"Being a peacemaker," Friar Murray Bodo says, "can be a thankless task." But the role of the peacemaker is essential. Saint Francis of Assisi surely understood that. He embraced those who were categorized as "the enemy" and offered himself as a living bridge of peace. Click here to watch the video!
May is one of the most beloved months of the Church year because it has been designated as the month of Our Lady. And thanks to Scripture, Friar Roger Lopez says, we have a window into who Mary really was. Click here to watch the video!
If you've ever donated to Franciscan Media, chances are you received a beautiful, handwritten thank-you note from our own Sister Rose Lima, OSF. She's such a blessing—and an important part of our mission to spread the Gospel in the spirit of Saint Francis. In this week's Franciscan Spirit Video, Sister Rose shares with us how she embraced her religious name. Click here to watch the video!
A clear and bold header
© 2018 Franciscan Media


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Emerging technology could make China the world's next innovation superpower
By Elsa B. Kania
During China's 19th Party Congress in October, President Xi Jinping placed innovation at the center of China's national strategy. His remarks called for building China into a "science and technology superpower," particularly as an "aerospace superpower" and "cyber superpower." He highlighted notable achievements, including Mozi, the world's first quantum satellite, and China's space lab, Tiangong.
His remarks underscored that, under his leadership, China has pursued a strategy of innovation-driven development and sought to leverage the potential of the internet, big data and artificial intelligence (AI). If successful, China's emergence as a leading power in innovation could shift the strategic balance.
Xi Jinping has recognized that innovation is a critical determinant of national power and competitiveness. This techno-nationalism is not new, but rather there is a long history of China's pursuit of indigenous innovation. The "Two Bombs, One Satellite" project of the 1960s and '70s, through which China built its first atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb and satellites — at a time when such achievements seemed well beyond its reach — remains a resonant historical example of successful "moonshot" projects that enhanced national power. Today, China is devoting itself to a similarly ambitious agenda through a series of mega-projects, including in artificial intelligence and quantum information science, while avidly pursuing advances in such strategic emerging technologies as nanotechnology and biotechnology.
Read the full op-ed in The Hill.
Great Powers Must Talk to Each Other About AI
Imagine an underwater drone armed with nuclear warheads and capable of operating autonomously. Now imagine that drone has lost its way and wandered into another state's territ...
By Elsa B. Kania & Dr. Andrew Imbrie
The AI regulation wave is coming: Industry should ride it
America's artificial intelligence industry is increasingly likely to face government regulations that could blunt innovation. There is a perfect storm brewing on Capitol Hill,...
By Martijn Rasser
Transcript from U.S. AI Strategy Event: "The American AI Century: A Blueprint for Action"
On January 10, the CNAS Technology and National Security Program hosted a major U.S. AI strategy event. We are pleased to share the transcript of the presentations and panel d...
By Robert O. Work, Paul Scharre, Martijn Rasser, Megan Lamberth, Ainikki Riikonen, Dr. Lynne Parker & Olivia Zetter
The AI Literacy Gap Hobbling American Officialdom
Rarely is there as much agreement about the importance of an emerging technology as exists today about artificial intelligence (AI). Rightly or wrongly, a 2019 survey of 1,000...
By Michael Horowitz & Lauren Kahn


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Q: How to limit a scoreboard team to have 1 player I am trying to make teams that have a limit of 1 entity on them, for example, a game of hide and seek, where there is 1 seeker and 5 hiders. I need to have some of the teams in my world to have a limit of 1, somewhat incorporating a random selection process to select random players to place them on teams.

A: There are no team properties to control limits, but what you can do is change your command setup to make sure that no more than one entity is assigned to each team.
Assuming you are using @r to select random players, let's try this:
/scoreboard teams join seeker @r

This command will add a random player to the seeker team. Now, just don't run that command again, and the seeker team will only have 1 player!
Now let's add everyone else as hiders:
/scoreboard teams join hiders @a[team=!seeker]


A very quirky, naive, primitive piece of work of a woman dressed up but has nowhere to go. Perhaps she has been stood up. The painting depicts a brightly coloured seaside scene. I have used various materials including buttons, stamps as a collage for the curtains,and embroidery. The painting is painted blue around the sides and it can be hung straight on the wall without the need to frame.


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FLAC metadata high resolution audio music streaming Qobuz hi-res audio TIDAL MQA streaming services mobile app xivero MusicScope Audirvana album covers hi-res streaming April 2019 Luke McCready Google Music
by Luke McCready
on Magazine Articles
Exploring Qobuz High-Resolution Streaming
Music streaming is now the mainstream music distribution method. European high-resolution music streaming company Qobuz expanded to the US in 2019 to challenge Tidal for the audiophile streaming market. Qobuz claims the largest hi-res catalog in the world, the most complete metadata, and the best editorial content. In this review for audioXpress, Luke McCready puts those claims to the test and offers input on Qobuz as a streaming service.
It's 2019, and I don't think I could ever give up music streaming. I don't miss purchasing each and every CD I listen to, or the countless hours I spent ripping them, or the never-ending mess that is organizing metadata. But I'll tell you what I do miss: the sound. When I stream music from a lossy streamer or YouTube, each song gets its point across.
But it's not the full experience. That's fine for listening while cooking or driving, but not for system calibration, and not for an old-fashion listening session. This is where hi-res streaming enters the conversation. Now you don't have to choose: You can have the convenience of streaming, as well the quality of lossless CD audio and higher, using one of two services.
High-Resolution Streaming
You're probably familiar with Tidal: the streaming company that made a splash in the audio community in 2014 when it brought lossless CD-quality streaming to the US, UK, and Canada. Enthusiasts were again pleased when Tidal announced in 2017 that it would begin streaming hi-res audio. But there's another contender that you might not have heard much about: Qobuz. The Paris, France-based company aims to outclass all the other streaming services on three fronts: sound quality, documentation, and editorial content.
I recently chatted with Dan Mackta, Managing Director of Qobuz US. On the company's history, Mackta said, "Qobuz was started in France in 2007 as a hi-res download store by classical music fanatics. They felt that serious music fans were not being addressed in the online music space." And in the intervening years, "it evolved into a full-service, all-genre streaming service."
Though it was founded a full seven years before Tidal, Qobuz may not have reached your ears because it was initially focused on Europe. But that changes in 2019 with an expansion to North American shores. Some consider this a dangerous move: German company HighResAudio said that it considered expanding to the US, but opted not to because of music licensing fees. "None of the exciting streaming service[s] are profitable ... it's a huge loss. So, why would anyone try to enter the US market, especially operating it from Europe?" HighResAudio is not wrong.
Spotify has never had a profitable year since it was founded in 2006. And Tidal, the only hi-res streaming service in the US until Qobuz's 2019 launch, is in a pattern of losing tens of millions each year.
I spoke at length about this with David Solomon, the Chief Hi-Res Music Evangelist of Qobuz. Solomon said, "Our big plan is we're going to augment our profitability with downloads promoting the audio industry, which will promote us back, and then promoting artists who will promote back. [We're] doing a whole bunch of stuff now that's never been done before." It should be noted that the US has never had a hi-res streaming service primarily marketed to audiophiles.
And Qobuz has plans to outdo Tidal. When I asked Mackta about what makes Qobuz different, he reiterated the three advertised strengths of Qobuz: "The largest available library of streaming hi-res music, focus on quality of metadata, and context."
Figure 1: Qobuz Panoramas delve deep into the making of influential music.
The Qobuz Difference
Let's briefly explore those three areas of improved service. For sound quality, Qobuz believes in delivering music to your ears in the highest resolution possible. For much music, that is CD quality at 44.1 kHz/16-bit. Beyond CD quality, you can find 24-bit music in its catalog, including higher sample rates of 96 kHz and 192 kHz, as heard in the studio. Qobuz emphasizes discovering and cleaning up metadata, and filling in the story of how a piece of music came to be and which people made it happen. Additionally, Qobuz includes digital booklets for millions of albums in its catalog, showcasing lyrics and additional art, as carefully created by the artist. And for editorial content, the staff at Qobuz puts together articles dubbed Panoramas as an exploration into artists fundamental to shaping their genres (see Figure 1).
The first Panorama was published in late 2016, exploring the music and cultural significance of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. Since then, new Qobuz Panoramas have appeared almost weekly, delving into the history of legendary conductors, the fusion of afrobeat, the shaping of 90's British shoegaze rock, and the telling of film compositions in the making. Panoramas generally include music videos and mini-documentaries, and a handpicked list of songs that demonstrate the styles and forms laid out in the article. As compelling as these benefits seem, Qobuz is certainly in a crowded marketplace.
Let's take a look at the other players.
The typical streaming services are difficult to differentiate: Spotify, Google Music, and Apple Music all offer individual plans for playing unlimited, ad-free music for $9.99/month and family accounts for $14.99/month. Streamed music is typically 320 kbps, considered high quality for lossy streaming. These services each have catalogs with more than 40 million songs, each offer algorithm-generated radio stations off of artists and playlists, and each offer downloads for offline listening.
Deezer offers similar features and solo/family plans with the addition of Deezer HiFi, its $19.99/month service to stream full CD-quality music in a lossless format. Qobuz matches Deezer's service tiers and pricing, and then some, with Qobuz Premium providing 320 kbps MP3 for $9.99/month, Qobuz Hi-Fi offering 44.1 kHz/16-bit FLAC streaming for $19.99/month, and Qobuz Studio unlocking hi-res FLAC streaming up to 192 kHz/24-bit for $24.99/month. Each tier can be purchased annually at the cost of 10 months instead of 12. And the final tier, titled Qobuz Sublime+ at $299.99/year, includes the 192 kHz streaming of the Studio tier as well as discounts in its download store, reportedly 40% to 60% off.
Qobuz streaming is available via its web player and dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Kindle. For those in the US, the only option for hi-res streaming above 44.1 kHz has been Tidal, stepping up from its lossy 320 kbps AAC streaming at $9.99/month to Tidal HiFi at $19.99/month. This service tier includes music at higher sample rates and bit depths delivered via an MQA stream.
Figure 2: The Discover tab is the Qobuz hub to finding new music.
Opting Out of MQA
MQA is short for Master Quality Authenticated, a sort of assurance to the listener that the content being delivered is the highest quality available. MQA is able to "fold" higher sample rate audio, significantly cutting down on file size. The result is a file that can be unfolded to a higher-res file by the right software and hardware. MQA is technically lossless compression that some experts believe comes with audible consequences, and many in the audio industry are hesitant to opt-in, viewing the licensing of MQA as giving too much power to one company, causing the cost of all music and audio equipment to increase.
For better or worse, Qobuz does not rely on MQA. I probed on this point: a man of few words, Mackta simply stated, "If customers demand it, we will consider it." Solomon added, "I have zero issues with MQA. I think it sounds good. [But FLAC] is just the way it's always been done. It's easy. You don't have to go through any steps to unfold this or fold that."
Forgoing MQA, the Qobuz approach to hi-res is about transparency and quantity. With Tidal, each hi-res album is merely branded "Master," and whether Master in each particular case means a purist 192 kHz/24-bit or a paltry 44.1 kHz/24-bit, there's no way to be sure. Qobuz, on the other hand, marks the sample rate and bit depth of every album. As for quantity, Qobuz already has double Tidal's number of hi-res tracks, and that number increases almost daily. Qobuz also makes it easier to stream hi-res music. You can stream 192 kHz through the Qobuz desktop app, the mobile app, and even the web player with no additional hardware or software required. Meanwhile, Tidal restricts its streams to 96 kHz using the desktop and Android apps, with a 44.1 kHz limit for iOS and the Tidal web player. The only way to get 192 kHz out of Tidal is through the use of an MQA-capable DAC.
Figure 3: To the left, the Listening tab. To the right, the download library.
The Bandwidth of High Resolution
You pay heavily for the convenience of Qobuz with bandwidth, however. Streaming an album at 192 kHz uses about 42 megabytes of bandwidth per minute of audio. And halving the sample rate to 96 kHz still requires 23 megabytes per minute.
Qobuz Data Tier Bandwidth per Minute:
192 kHz/24-bit — FLAC — 41.9 MB
96 kHz/24-bit — FLAC — 23.4 MB
44.1 kHz/16-bit — FLAC — 8.0 MB
320 Kbps — MP3 — 2.5 MB
Total Bandwidth per minute by Quality Tier:
Master — MQA — 12.9 MB
44.1 kHz FLAC 6.8 MB
320 KBPS — AAC — 2.6 MB
96 Kbps — AAC+ — 0.8 MB
The numbers are intimidating. Streaming 192 kHz audio on 4G LTE, I'd chew through my monthly 2 gigabyte data bucket in less than an hour. And with daily hi-res streaming added into a month's worth of downloads, cloud backups, and a whole household's video streaming: data overage charges could become a regular occurrence even at home. But Qobuz is looking to the future: "Space is getting cheaper and bandwidth is just absolutely multiplying," Solomon said. "Bandwidth is wide enough that nobody has any problems streaming stuff. 5G is coming in about 10 minutes. A gig up, a gig down, that's gonna be the basic plan that's selling for $30/month."
Judging Streaming Services
We've looked at sample rates and bandwidth, but how does Qobuz sound? In a word, excellent. Listening on my powerful home system in a treated room, I'm very pleased with the sound. To be fair, Tidal also sounds excellent. Can one differentiate between sample rates? I believe yes, and it's easiest when looking for specific cues in the audio. But these are small differences for the enthusiast, not the casual listener.
However, there's more to like or dislike about a streaming service than the raw quality of its files. App functionality and ease of use are important. Music discovery plays a big role to many. And we haven't yet explored Qobuz's claim to improved metadata. I would traditionally include depth of catalog in any streaming service review, but the good folks at Qobuz thoroughly stressed that Qobuz US was still lacking a significant portion of its catalog in the beta version I reviewed. Eric Benoit, the Marketing and Operations Manager at Qobuz US, assured me that many missing albums were still being populated. Qobuz in Europe offers more than 40 million songs in its catalog, and I would expect nothing less from Qobuz US now that the beta status has officially been lifted.
The Desktop Interface
The Qobuz interface for desktop and web player is laid out in four tabs: Discover, My Playlists, Favorites, and Purchases. Discover consists of a genre filter, music newly added to Qobuz, curated playlists, and Panoramas (see Figure 2). My Playlists functions as you'd expect. And Favorites houses all the music for which you've clicked the heart icon.
The Qobuz desktop app adds a fifth tab for Offline Library. Any music throughout the Qobuz catalog can be downloaded, a convenient feature for those traveling. While expected for mobile, Qobuz is unique in offering downloads on the desktop. It's worth noting a few Frenchisms that remain in the Qobuz interface at the time of review. For example, Qobuz metadata lists the "Composeur" of each album, and the quality of a current stream may be listed as "16-Bit/44,1 kHz - Stéréo". Also, the application measures used storage in Mo and Go, not MB and GB.
The Mobile Interface
The mobile app has a lovely simplicity to it. The bottom always-visible menu has four tabs for Discovery, My Qobuz, Offline Library, and Search. Discovery is laid out just as on the desktop app, and My Qobuz contains subpages for My Playlists, Favorites, Purchases, and the app settings. And the Offline Library tab has a download animation while downloads are active, as well as a number indicating how many remaining tracks are queued to be downloaded. I especially like the interface for showing what's currently playing: a tab called Listening with album cover art, file quality, playback controls, and track metadata. A quick swipe to the left shows all tracks queued to play, and another swipe left shows a history of tracks played regardless of play queue (see Figure 3).
Figure 4: Use Qobuz quality tiers to set your maximum quality; see your current playback quality at all times.
Playback quality is governed by the maximum you choose (see Figure 4). On mobile, you have the ability to set separate quality caps for streaming on Wi-Fi and mobile networks. In the desktop app settings, you have the option to take exclusive control of the selected audio device. Using exclusive control, I watched my DAC display its automatic switch to different sample rates as I played different tracks, barring Windows Core Audio from resampling my Qobuz stream. The mobile app does not cache audio more than a handful of seconds in advance, but the desktop app caches the entire track at once.
The caching is a nice feature because it visibly builds your offline library if you check an option in the app's settings, adding all cached tracks to the offline library. You'd be right to be concerned about Qobuz monopolizing your storage space as it automatically caches all music played. Under music playback settings, you can set the maximum cache size from 500 MB to 100 GB. As a bonus to those with multiple hard drives, Qobuz allows you to set a new location for cached music to reside. The music download location can also be changed in the settings, and you can monitor how much space it is using.
Qobuz also supports linking to Facebook and Last FM, in case you want the world to know which music and Qobuz articles have been occupying your time. Qobuz lists keyboard shortcuts to better navigate the interface, control playback, and adjust streaming quality on the fly. And there's even the option to route your stream through a proxy.
Figure 5: The search function in Audirvana Plus has separate tabs for Qobuz, Tidal, and locally found results.
In addition to its native software apps, Qobuz has partnered with a number of other companies to make its streaming available to more devices in more homes. By my count, 39 different hardware manufacturers from consumer to hi-fi support Qobuz hi-res streaming. Also, Qobuz supports software streaming through specialized playback programs, including Amarra Luxe, Audirvana Plus, and Roon. I asked Solomon about the benefit of these programs, and he said, "You can make almost anything play bit-perfect if you really know what you're doing, if you disable all the Windows crap that happens in between the signal and your DAC; all the Mac crap that happens in between the signal and your DAC. All of that is removed with the use of [these] specialized programs."
I explored Qobuz through Audirvana Plus with good results. Hi-res albums are marked in the interface, and I found album reviews by Qobuz staff and even my favorite albums marked in Audirvana (see Figure 5). However, Qobuz's extra metadata was not visible. I also explored Qobuz through Roon. Roon has a lot of unique features it adds beyond acting as a portal to Qobuz: It has a unified search for music that shows both Qobuz and Tidal results together, and songs from both services can exist in the same playlist. Additionally, it acts as a music hub for your other stereos and devices. At $119 annually, Roon adds a lot of functionality to Qobuz that might be considered irrelevant to some and mandatory for others. Qobuz streamed just fine to my Chromecast Audio up to 96 kHz. In addition to Google Cast, Qobuz supports MusicCast, AirPlay, and Bluetooth.
Both the desktop and mobile Qobuz apps have excellent ease of use. Features are laid out intelligently, and extended metadata is easy to access. I compared latency streaming 320 kbps as an even benchmark across services. Loading a new track in Qobuz takes on average 1,25 to 1,5 seconds. This feels noticeably latent compared to other services, with Tidal and Google Music consistently loading new tracks in one quarter to half a second. The latency is also felt in the interface, where it typically takes three full seconds to load an artist page. Mackta said, "Right now, AWS (Amazon Web Services) hosts and serves Qobuz to consumers around the world."
Whether the fault lies in hosting or optimization, at least for now, Qobuz feels more latent than Tidal and Google Music. The search functionality in Qobuz is generally robust, though there are a few hiccups. When searching for "Clapton," Qobuz first recommends the artist Clapton with 0 albums and a description matching Eric Clapton. The second result is for the artist Eric Clapton with 172 albums and a different description of the same man. Tidal and Google Music don't have this confusion. The Qobuz search is intelligent enough to show the artist P!nk when searching for "pink," listed before Pink Floyd, yet after the artist White Noise Meditation, Pink Noise, Zen Meditation, and Natural White Noise and New Age Deep Massage. Neither Tidal nor Google Music get hung up on the meditation "artist."
Figure 6: From left to right, album art in Qobuz, Google Music, and Tidal, scaled to the same size. In this comparison, Qobuz has a touch more detail than Google Music, and Tidal suffers the most from visible compression.
Art and Metadata
In Qobuz, album art is always 600 × 600 pixels. This feels small compared to Tidal's 1280 × 1280 pixel album art, but fine in comparison to Google Music at 512 × 512 pixels. Depending on the album, Tidal has the obvious advantage of resolution. But for other albums, Qobuz or even Google Music appear sharpest. After all, the largest stored image means nothing if it was scaled up from the smallest source. Overall, there is no clear winner for album art quality (see Figure 6).
Qobuz and Tidal both have pretty deep liner notes for each and every song. However, Tidal also includes liner notes per album, which Qobuz doesn't. Further, Tidal includes links to featured musicians' artist pages, making it easy to tell when a guest horn player on a song is also an artist in his own right with albums of music to explore. Tidal and Qobuz sometimes have a review next to an album, sometimes not. The presence of a review on both can be hit or miss, even on major releases. Both Qobuz and Tidal can be subject to the same minor metadata mistakes, perhaps missing one of several backup singers in a song. Both Tidal and Qobuz seem beholden to the same sometimes-obscured information (e.g., guitarist vs. participant). Google Music's approach, by comparison, offers generally more complete and accurate information by relying on the crowd-sourced input of Wikipedia, visible with a single additional click.
Qobuz seems subject to additional metadata mistakes, however. For example, though Qobuz has deep liner notes for Evanescence's album Synthesis Live, the name for each song is followed by "(Live) (Live)". Google Music and Tidal don't share this redundancy. Similarly, for the new album "boygenius," Qobuz lists each track with "[HD]" after the name, though the music is standard CD quality. Again, Tidal and Google Music display the song names without the tag. And artist Sara K., though listed properly in Google Music and Tidal, shows as K. Sara in Qobuz.
In my testing, I didn't notice any examples of Qobuz having more accurate song titles than the competition. Mackta of Qobuz shared, "The metadata is initially delivered along with the music and artwork by the record label or rights-holder. When errors are brought to our attention, we can manually make fixes. In addition, we are partnered with several third-parties to enhance the metadata and information we are able to provide."
As for digital booklets, Qobuz claims there are millions in its catalog. Yet, despite opening some 300 albums in Qobuz, less than 10 had digital booklets. When pressed on this topic by a user in a "Hello Qobuz!" Q&A session, Qobuz responded: "It has been 6 years now that we have fought, there is no other word for it, with publishers and distributors to ensure that [digital booklets] are delivered to us. But if many are still missing, this is not our fault. If you only knew the time that we spend chasing this up!"
And that was back in 2015. Judging by its press release claims over time, Qobuz is having success in finding and adding booklets. But it comes across more as a pleasant surprise for some albums than a feature across most albums (see Figure 7). Overall, Qobuz comes up short in metadata, especially considering Tidal prides itself on exclusive releases and music videos, not metadata. But this trend may reverse given more time.
Figure 7: A digital booklet for the album Venez chère ombre by Eva Zaïcik with a photo of the recording.
In addition to the superb Panoramas I described earlier, Qobuz leverages its Ideal Discography and Qobuzissime awards to draw attention to significant historical albums and unique albums by emerging artists. Qobuz awarded albums are recognized in a special place, and most have original reviews by Qobuz staff. If you're after an education in musical history, Qobuz has a lot to share.
However, there's also the dark side of artist discovery on Qobuz: There's no form of algorithm-generated radio whatsoever. And this is important because, for many listeners, algorithm-generated radio is the single best way to find new artists. Broad categories are fine for those merely after "classical" or "blues," but it doesn't offer much for those after more specific or obscure genres. My personal listening tastes continue to evolve to more niche subgenres, guided by Google Music's superb radio algorithm. This just isn't possible in Qobuz.
Tidal offers limited algorithm-generated radio with mixed results, but Qobuz's complete lack of radio feels even more claustrophobic: Sure, the catalog is large, but it's lost to you if you don't know specifically what to search for. Fortunately, Qobuz has confirmed that algorithm-generated radio is "on the roadmap," but there's no telling of when it will be released or how effective it will be. Furthering the artist discovery problem, recommended artists in Qobuz are weak, and recommended albums are worse. Some of the suggestions couldn't be more wrong, tying Fleetwood Mac and a choral album as recommended listening to the electro-pop artist Broods. And when listening to an album by pop star P!nk, my first two suggestions are for a German folk/orchestral cross-over album and a jazz crooner singing Christmas songs.
Beyond custom radio, Google Music has well over a thousand pre-made stations spanning diverse subgenres, allowing you to dial into specific styles even if you've never heard of them before, and each playlist feels bottomless. By comparison, Qobuz includes a few curated playlists, but the playlists are short, sound scattered, and seem entirely dependent on a listener's tastes. I'm left with the distinct impression that Qobuz is not currently fit for assisting in artist discovery. It hasn't bridged me to a single new artist that I'm interested in exploring (see Figure 8).
Figure 8: A Qobuz curated playlist. Discounting the curiously doubled tracks, there are only 23 unique songs.
Analysis of Files
Qobuz assured me that the quality of its stream is identical to the quality of its purchased downloads. I put that to the test with a 192 kHz file from the Qobuz download store and the same file streamed and captured at 192 kHz. MusicScope by Xivero, an excellent tool for learning more about your audio files, confirmed that both files contained the full 24-bits of data, and that there is high-frequency content north of 45 kHz that wouldn't exist in a file upscaled from a CD-quality source. A null test confirmed that the Qobuz download and stream sound the same (see Figure 9).
Figure 9: MusicScope analyzing a 192 kHz stream captured from the Qobuz desktop app.
The State of High-Resolution Streaming
Let's take a step back. Tidal has more than 1 million hi-res tracks available for streaming, but it masks what hi-res means for each track. And we have Qobuz with more than 2 million hi-res tracks, though many are barely hi-res at 44.1 kHz/24-bit. And the vast majority of each's catalog remains CD quality.
One might come to the conclusion that hi-res music just isn't that available. I've heard speculation that music license holders fear unlocking the possibility for hi-res music piracy. No one can deny that capturing the audio output of a computer is easy, but Qobuz isn't concerned. "If you look at piracy numbers, say 10 years ago and now, they're almost at zero," Solomon said. "It's still going on — I'm not naive. But the numbers suggest that people almost totally lost interest, at least in music piracy, because [music is] so available." Tidal has many hi-res albums that Qobuz doesn't, and Qobuz has many hi-res albums that Tidal doesn't. But overall, hi-res availability is growing.
Solomon added, "It's all about ingestion. If you look at our site now, and then you look at it in a month, there will be another 25,000 cuts on there. Yesterday, we just signed a deal with Channel Classics, and now we've got the whole Channel Classics collection in hi-res on Qobuz that we didn't have the day before." I asked Solomon if Qobuz is working harder than Tidal at growing its hi-res library. He said, "We've got two million and they've got one million, and we're just starting. If you're only going to have one service and you're truly into hi-res, we're the only game in town. You'll never be able to catch up with us because we just keep adding whole catalogs. We're about to add Blue Coast [Records]. Nobody's got Blue Coast. The only way you've ever been able to get Blue Coast is to buy them, and we're gonna be streaming them."
We've explored the positives and the negatives of Qobuz. Its metadata needs work, the interface feels sluggish, and Qobuz has dubious skill in pointing you to new music. But where Qobuz excels is sound quality, hosting the largest hi-res streaming library available, and the added bonus of a music history curriculum for those who choose to explore it. I see one target audience that values these features above others: the audiophile. Fortunately, Qobuz already has this group in its sights. When I asked about Qobuz's future plans, Mackta said the goal is to "gain widespread adoption of the streaming service by the audiophile community in the US and grow from there."
I don't see Qobuz offering value with its $9.99/month service tier. It lacks the algorithm-generated radio of its competitors, and it offers no fringe benefits, like Google Music's ad-free YouTube inclusion, or Spotify's Hulu inclusion. Qobuz's $19.99 plan merely ties Deezer with audio quality, and for the same price, Tidal offers hi-res. It isn't until the $24.99/month Qobuz Studio tier that the value begins to make sense. This service offers twice as many hi-res tracks as Tidal, and these tracks are delivered to more devices, with transparency on the files being streamed. This is exactly what hi-res streaming has been missing. Given time, I expect its metadata to improve and its curated playlists to expand.
Properly implemented algorithm-generated radio could completely overturn Qobuz's music discovery limitations. And the company has demonstrated a thirst for collecting hi-res music as Qobuz aims to set itself apart from Tidal. Even in its current state, I believe Qobuz to be the best option for the audiophile who knows what he wants to listen to and cares more for playback quality than any other aspect a streaming service offers. aX
This article was originally published in audioXpress, April 2019.
www.qobuz.com
J. Martins, "Master Quality Authenticated (MQA): Redefining the Source for Music," audioXpress, June 2016, https://www.audioxpress.com/article/master-quality-authenticated-mqa-redefining-the-source-for-music
Luke McCready is a technical writer, an audio engineer, and a music lover based out of Boulder, CO. He graduated with a degree in audio engineering from North Central University with a passion for audio and a fascination for speaker setup and acoustic treatment.
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Bahrke is back, training at the beach
What might seem like another day in the sun to some is actually an intense week of training for the moguls skiers of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, including Olympian Shannon Bahrke of Tahoe City.
The team started its off-season strength and conditioning program on the beaches near the Olympic Training Center outside San Diego.
"We just wanted to get everyone out of the mountain environment and put them in a different situation than what they're usually in," said Moguls Head Coach Scott Rawles.
Bahrke and fellow Olympians Hannah Kearney and Michelle Roark, along with World Cup performers Emiko Torito and Dave DiGravio, welcomed the new challenge.
Rawles said the athletes have been ocean training, which includes sprinting on the beach, running in the ocean, running with surfboards (or other people attached to one's body piggy-back style) and surfing.
After missing the 2008 season with a knee injury, Olympic silver medalist Bahrke was back and gearing up for the 2009 competition season with her teammates.
"I missed the team," Bahrke said. "They're such a great group and I feel like they have such great energy and it's really great to be back with everyone.
"It's nice to have a team behind me and everyone working together."
Bahrke, who has spent a majority of her time rehabbing in the gym, was thankful for the change of pace on the beach.
"It was hard, but after spending so much time in the gym, it was really nice to get out there and be in the elements again," she said. "We all pulled together and had a really good time."


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TodayNow24.com - News Today
AMD APUs will see a 28% increase in performance on Linux
December 27, 2021 by today24
The latest kernel update for the Linux operating system has brought the proud owners of an AMD Ryzen APU a nice surprise in the form of a significant increase in performance.
In the end, the 5.16 Linux kernel brought a 28 percent improvement in performance, regardless of whether these processors are based on the Zen 2 or Zen 3 architecture!
The increase in performance naturally always depends on the processor and the operating system version used. Because the 28% increase was only seen on Linux 5.15.10 in the Mesa22.0 build.
On average, however, we see an increase in performance between 10 and 15% across the scale. Great news for the Linux OS-dependent community, especially notebooks where AMD APUs rule.
Interestingly, this performance boost came unexpectedly! Because despite the expected expansion of several features and driver improvements for the AMDGPU, this performance boost on the Vega architecture side was completely unexpected. After all, the optimization of the Vega graphics architecture was already considered mature. So there isn't much room for serious improvement. Nevertheless, in addition to the improvements in the CPU area, we had this nice 'surprise'.
In short, if you have a Linux machine, or like me and have a Linux distribution on your work laptop, then without a doubt, upgrading your operating system kernel is a good idea. But it can also be a good idea to wait, as the final version of the update won't be available until January 9th.
Besides, what do you think of all of this? Interested in this increase in performance? There's no denying that AMD is doing a good job in the mobile world. Please let us know what you think in the comments below.
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