On his third album as Porches, Aaron Maine deconstructs the rich synth-pop of his 2016 gem Pool, and outfits brooding house compositions with glorious horns and pristine piano. This album is emotional, experimental, and extremely entertaining. Entitled The House, Maine tackles the seemly innocuous but sometimes overwhelming idea, “I just want to leave the house.” This idea of freeing yourself from the comforts of your dwelling to go out and do something productive in the world. The music illustrates the bare desaturated isolation and counters it with building, bright flourishes. Maine masterfully layers his vocals, harmonizes with himself, adds auto tune and manipulates his voice and instruments in too many interesting ways to name. Though he created these songs alone, this album features contributions from his friends and fellow musicians like Alex G, Dev Hynes of Blood Orange, and Cende’s Cameron Wisch. On this album, sounds that would be at home in a cheesy 90’s R&B ballad or an 80’s pop song create a mesmerizing atmosphere at add to emotional power the songs in surprising ways. Maine fearlessly plays with odd electronics and it just fucking works. He made a record about letting go of fear and taking new chances by doing just that.
I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life
Merril Garbus' fourth record as tUnE-yArDs is as wacky and wonderful as you would expect, with her most elaborate production to date. Her sound has evolved into a fuller more polished sound, yet the odd and innovative choices that has always set her music apart are still in full force. She brings a goofy sense of humor to her music that doesn't undercut there seriousness of the subject matter. On “Colonizer” she checks her privilege saying, “I use my white woman voice to tell stories about African men,” and comments on wealth inequality on Hammer saying, “Living in a dream while the whole world drowns.” I'm deeply sentimental about the early tUne-yArDs records so I'm still adjusting to the new sound, but anything that Merill Garbus does is worth paying attention to.
First Aid Kit
In 2014 Swedish sister folk duo First Aid Kit contributed to albums for indie-rock legends Conor Oberst and Jenny Lewis in addition to putting out Stay Gold, one of the best records of the year. I've been waiting four years for another album and the Söderberg sisters did not disappoint, In fact this album may have even surpassed it's predecessor. They tell grand stories and pen classic folk lyrics in the style of their musical ancestors like Cat Stevens and Emmylou Harris, with simple succinct wit and wisdom that captures relatable emotions. The girls put a modern pop sheen on the nostalgic folk style, equal parts Loretta Lynn and Lana Del Rey. They give rich vocal performances, harmonizing over acoustic guitars and rising strings with flawless, crisp production. All of it outfitted with everything from subtle synth flourishes and handclaps, to epic horn arrangements and gang vocals.
The Official Body
When I saw English trio Shopping described as post-punk I had a wildly different image of them in my mind. This album is a post-punk / funk hybrid with bouncy bass lines, punchy guitar riffs, and grooves you can't help but tap your toe to. For how catchy and danceable this album is, the lyrical content carries weight, tackling social and political issues with party punk, full with chants and handclaps reminiscent of Le Tigre. This is an album with an interesting sound that feels familiar yet fresh.
running to the sun
The debut EP from singers Alexe Belle and Isis Valentino feels like a full length. This duo is part of Janelle Monae's Wondaland collective, so it's no surprise that this album is full of gorgeous vocals and bright melodies over shimmering compositions built on hip hop beats. The ladies sing powerful songs about love, loss, and overcoming obstacles. They've had their music featured on HBO's Insecure, they have Janelle Monae on their side, and they just released one of the strongest debuts you could ask for. I think these two have a wonderful career ahead of them.
In My View
Unclassifiable Scottish trio Young Fathers made their mark in 2015 with White Men Are Black Men To. My cousin and co-host Brian played their song "Lord" on our podcast and it blew my mind. Now they've done it again with a song that examines perception. Alloysious Massaquoi delivers some powerful vocals that oddly but awesomely remind me of Tracy Chapman. Kayus Bankole and G. Hastings trade off rap verses stating, "I want to be king until I am." Establishing the theme of this song, that things are not always what they seem as Alloysious paints the cold and haunting perspective, "In my view love will never come my way, so when I leave you'll be dancing on my grave." This is one of the albums I'm looking forward to the most. These guys dip their toes into gospel, indie-rock, and hip hop without letting one style dominate, and it makes for a one of a kind brand of amazing music.
Cocoa Sugar is out March 9th on Ninja Tune
Hear "Lord" on Best Song Ever
My favorite song from singer/songwriter Lucy Dacus' 2016 debut is "Strange Torpedo" in which she perfectly describes the experience of caring about someone who deals with addiction. On her new song, she looks at a different sort of addiction and the dynamic is flipped as she clings to a former love. She adds epic horn arrangements to her crunchy guitar sound, add that extra punch to an song that's already quite potent. Her sophomore album is shaping up to be her best yet, and this song may be the best one she's ever written.
Historian is out February 16th on Matador
Rapper/singer Lando Chill debuted in 2016 with the fantastic For Mark, Your Son. Then, last year he released the philosophical and political album, The Boy Who Spoke To The Wind. Now he brings with philosophical wisdom, connection to the earth, and social consciousness to this smooth love song. Over gooey synths Lando croons, "I know you're never gonna need me but I'm addicted to your love." Not sure if this is a one off or part of an upcoming album but come on Lando may as well go the hattrick.
Indie-rock mainstay Dr. Dog have pushed their folk rock sound into many different iterations, sometimes on the same album. The band also has two lead singers so you never know what your going to get. This time it's an eerie, expansive bluesy jam, with a few rhythmic shifts. Scott McMicken captures the helpless anxiety of hearing so many people and things talking, but none of them "are talking to me." On this song we become an outsider and eavesdropper, listening in to try and hear something that speaks to them. This is an unexpected but welcomed stylistic shift for a band who always delivers solid tunes.
Critical Equation is out April 27th on Thirty Tigers Records
Yo La Tengo
Shades of Blue
Indie-rock veterans Yo La Tengo just announced their fifteenth album with the release of four singles that are all very different but each good in their own way. This is probably the best standalone track. This bouncy acoustic jangle pop tune is exactly what you would hope for with new Yo La Tengo. I've never really gotten into this band like I should've so I'm excited to spend some time with this new album and get to know the long-estranged indie-rock legend I've been sleeping on.
There's A Riot Going On is out March 16th on Matador
In My View
Dir: Jack Whiteley
Taken from Cocoa Sugar out March 9th on Ninja Tune
Dir: Lucy Dacus
Taken from Historian out February 16th on Matador
First Aid Kit
Rebel Heart (Live From The Rebel Heart's Club)
Dir: Mats Udd
Taken from Ruins out now on Columbia Records
Not Discussing It
Taken from Running To The Sun out now on The Wondaland Arts Society/EMPIRE
Get Out Of Your Own Way
Dir: Broken Fingaz Crew
Taken from Songs of Experience out now on your iPhone probably


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Huh. Looks like I’ve forgotten to clue you in on just what the heck a “Terralogue Totem” is.
“ Terralogue Totems” are a set of sculptural designs based on the concept of the land speaking; these messages being symbolized through metal emblems. The designs are executed in three distinct formats: large sculptural Monoliths, Bike Racks, and Bollards.
Maybe these little explanations we included on the plaques will help:
Getting into the meat of the fabrication now. Mostly a pretty straight-forward process and totally familiar to those of you who’ve followed along with other projects here on my blog. One hallmark of this particular design is the complication of using two different metals. Corten and stainless both rely on an oxide layer that develops on their surface to provide corrosion protection; Corten’s oxide just happens to be, well, rust-colored, while stainless steel’s is chalky gray. The only issue this presents is the rusty Corten oxide can stain the stainless (how the?), ruining the aesthetics of the piece. I elected to use internal supports (standoffs) to hold the two materials a quarter inch apart to prevent this.
Take a look at these photos and see if you can spot the standoffs.
The biggest benefit of using 3d CAD to design and prototype my work is the number of intermediate fabrication steps it bypasses. Once a design is settled upon, the digital version of the sculpture is basically finished; there may be a few loose ends and problems to address, but at this point the only thing left to do is to generate 2D CAD files to drive the cutting of the material. No maquette or other physical prototype is necessary, saving time and wasted material. Care does need to be taken to insure that the simpleton fabricator (me) can assemble the parts once they’re cut; careful labeling and color-coding are a huge help.
Once we decided on a design direction, I fleshed out the design and added the motifs to other formal elements; bike racks and bollards in this case. Materials were also pinned down: Weathering Steel (Corten) and Stainless.

domain: artistic


It should now be crystal clear why Democrat John Fetterman refused to take part in more than a single debate with his Republican Senate rival, Mehmet Oz, and why Fetterman insisted on pushing that debate to just two weeks before Election Day—after at least 500,000 Pennsylvania voters had already voted.
Last night’s debate was an unmitigated disaster.
A disaster for Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor—who appeared confused and could barely manage a coherent sentence, let alone a complete paragraph.
And a disaster for Pennsylvania voters, who didn’t get the tough, substantive debate they deserved, one that would have pushed Oz to explain, among other things, why he was distancing himself from Donald Trump (without whom he wouldn’t be the nominee); his position on abortion; China; and how he plans to bring down gas prices.
Oz had some solid talking points, but they were just that—talking points. But Fetterman lacked even those.


LUMBERTON — Saturday was a perfect day to snuggle up with a book — or to join a large crowd at the second annual Book ‘Em North Carolina writer’s conference at Robeson Community College.
“There’s a great crowd despite it pouring outside,” said local author Patricia Terrell, chief organizer of the event intended to fight illiteracy. “Reading and rain go together. This may sound cliché, but everyone knows that the best thing to do on a rainy day is read a book.”
Saturday’s event brought together more than 75 authors, all interested in fighting illiteracy. The day’s activities included book signings, panel discussions and individual writers speaking about their works, and the writing and publishing businesses in general.
Dozens of award-winning authors attended the daylong event, including New York Times best-selling author Mary Alice Monroe. Several publishers, children’s authors and illustrators were also onhand, along with actor, writer and movie producer Chuck Williams.
“This is a great event,” Monroe said as she autographed books for those in a long line waiting to meet her. “At a gathering for writers like this there is always a lot of energy. All of us are here to support literacy and the importance of teaching children to read.”
Monroe has written 15 novels, including “The Summer Girls,” which comes out in July. She also has written two children’s books.
On Saturday, Monroe held a panel discussion titled “The Path to a Best Seller.”
Williams discussed the process involved to turn books into movies.
“Everyone who writes a book wants to know how it can be turned into a movie,” he told The Robesonian.
Williams has worked as an assistant director to such Hollywood heavyweights as James Cameron, Rob Cohen, Kathryn Bigelow, John Badham and Penelope Spheeris. He has produced films for the Sundance Channel, HBO, Showtime and SyFy.
‘This is an amazing event,” Williams said. “I enjoy anything like this that helps increase literacy and get books in the hands of children.”
Williams said that by next year he hopes to produce a movie in Robeson County or the surrounding area, adding that he scouted possible movie locations Friday and has plans to look at more potential movie sites Monday.
While the authors all praised the event, many saying they hope to be back next year, those attending the conference to learn more about the writing profession were also pleased.
“I was here last year and I had to come back again this year,” said Doris McIlwain, a Red Springs native who now lives in Wilmington. “It’s fascinating to talk with the authors and get them to sign their books. … There are people here from every walk of life, and there seems to be more children here this year than last.”
Sherry Davis of Lumberton said she had been looking forward to this year’s event, and she brought her son.
“I think it is so important to keep a book in the hands of children,” she said.
Mickey Gregory, executive director of the Lumberton Visitors Bureau, said the annual Book ‘Em conference is growing each year and drawing attention nationally. Attendees came from a number of states, including Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and California.
“This year we even had book clubs from Myrtle Beach and Georgia, as well as a publisher from Los Angeles,”Gregory said. “The event is starting to get national attention. Next year the Southern Writers Magazine wants to be one of the sponsors.”
All of the authors, publishers and illustrators volunteered their time to support literacy programs in Robeson County. The authors are donating part of their sale proceeds to the Book ‘Em Foundation. Last year’s event raised $9,000, which was awarded to local organizations providing programs aimed at improving local literacy rates and reducing crime.


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Pontiac, Michigan -- Standard & Poors (S&P) has reaffirmed Oakland County's AAA bond rating on $15,260,000 and $15,050,000 Oakland County Building Authority Refunding Bonds. The estimated net combined savings for taxpayers is nearly $3.3 million.
The news reaffirming Oakland County's AAA bond rating comes a day after Moody's Investors Service announced 162 local governments nationwide would have their AAA ratings reviewed for a possible downgrade.
"These actions relate to Moody's July 13 decision to place the AAA government bond rating of the United States under review for downgrade, and reflect the rating agency's assessment that some AAA public finance ratings would likely be indirectly affected by potential credit deterioration of the sovereign," Moody's said Thursday in a press release.
But Moody's gave Oakland County a vote of confidence saying its AAA rating was not among those under review for downgrade.
"For Oakland County to maintain a AAA bond rating in the midst of the nation's debt ceiling debate shows Wall Street has confidence in the county's three-year budget, prudent fiscal management and economic development programs," said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.
The $15,260,000 Oakland County Building Authority Refunding Bonds, Series 2011 refunds Series 2001 and the $15,050,000 Oakland County Building Authority Refunding Bonds, Series 2011 refunds Series 2004A.
For media inquiries only, please contact Bill Mullan, Media and Communications Officer, at (248) 858-1048.

domain: finance


Alcatel quietly intros the U5 HD smartphone
Alcatel has just introduced a new budget handset. This smartphone is expected to hit the market this fall and is called Alcatel U5 HD. Closely related to the Alcatel U5, the U5 HD comes with just a few improvements over its predecessor.
The processor, memory, and storage space did not suffer any changes, so the Alcatel U5 HD features a MediaTek MT6737 chip, 1 GB RAM, and 8 GB internal storage, supplemented by up to 32 GB via a microSD card slot. The 5-inch IPS touchscreen offers 1,280 x 720 pixels. There is also a 5 MP front camera. The main image shooter provides 8 MP. The battery has 2,200 mAh and the operating system installed is Android Nougat.
According to the official product page, the only color choices are white and black. This handset is expected to surface at this year's IFA trade show, so we will probably get back to it soon.


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World War II war trophies returned to families of fallen Japanese soldiers
Stars and Stripes November 28, 2019
TOKYO — A photo album and two flags recovered from Pacific battlefields were returned this week to the families of the fallen Japanese soldiers who carried them into combat during World War II.
The mementos came home with the help of the Obon Society, a nonprofit group that enables veterans and their families to return old war trophies.
“When a relative leaves home and he is never found, it creates a hole in that family,” Obon Society founder Rex Ziak told journalists at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on Nov. 21. “On the day that something comes back it fills that hole. It brings closure.”
The returned photo album, likely taken as a souvenir by an American soldier, belonged to Hideo Shikata, who was killed in action, aged 24, in the Philippines in 1945, Ziak said.
One photograph in the album shows Shikata in his uniform proudly seated on a horse. In another, people from his village in Kyoto prefecture are gathered for a group portrait.
After the war, the album made its way via the U.S. to Jarat Chopra, 55, a Nairobi, Kenya-based international lawyer who told the journalists in Tokyo that he had accumulated a collection of items recovered from fallen Japanese soldiers including helmets, military gear, flags, documents and a sword.
Chopra, whose great uncle, an Indian officer, went missing in action when Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942, said he contacted the Obon Society earlier this year seeking help to return items to Japan.
The organization tracked down Shikata’s surviving family members with the help of a newspaper clipping in the photo album that refers to a meeting between the young soldier and Gen. Hideki Tojo, Japan’s wartime prime minister. The article states that Tojo was so impressed by the youngster that he wrote to his parents praising him, Ziak said.
Shikata has three surviving brothers and a sister, all in their 80s. One of the brothers, Tamotsu Shikata, who received the album in Ayabe city, Kyoto prefecture, on Nov. 24, said it contains about 20 photographs.
“I received it thinking, ‘Welcome back, brother, and thank you for all of your longtime hardship.’ I was deeply moved,” Tamotsu said in a phone interview from his home in Kyoto on Monday. “I was surprised since it’s been 74 years since he died and that it was kept for all this time.”
The World War II trophies that the Obon Society helps return are mostly given back by American veterans and their families, but items have also come back from New Zealand, Australia and Britain, Ziak said.
“So far this year we have returned 83 items (to Japanese families),” he said, adding that the organization has returned 300 items in the decade since the society was founded.
Other items returned this week are “yosegaki hinomaru” — flags signed by Japanese soldiers’ friends and family to bring them good luck in battle, Ziak said.
A flag that had been displayed at the Chippewa County Historical Society in Wisconsin was returned Monday in Shizuoka prefecture to the family of Yoshio Nagasawa, who perished in World War II.
Another flag was returned Thursday in Kyoto city to the family of Matsugoro Kobayashi, a fallen Japanese soldier, by New York state-native Linda Goldfarb. Her father, Samuel Markovitz, a U.S. soldier, is believed to have brought the flag home from the Philippines in 1945.
Goldfarb kept the flag for years after her father died, not knowing, she said, how to return it. After several years, she contacted the Obon Society, which found Kobayashi’s nephew Masayuki Kobayashi.
“I thank God that we were able to make some small gesture of closure by providing a remembrance of your uncle,” Goldfarb wrote in a letter to the Kobayashi family.
Masayuki Kobayashi said he never imagined receiving something like his uncle’s flag after so many years.
“It is a miracle,” he said Thursday after the ceremony. “Uncle’s wish to return home came true thanks to everyone.”
The flag may have been an American war trophy, he said, but for his family it’s the one item they have that was once his.
“I feel like his soul finally came home,” Kobayashi said.

domain: history


text:
THE TRANSITION from sodium to LED exterior lighting over recent years appears to have made global light pollution worse not better, scientists have reported.
A team of researchers who studied Nasa images say that in the last four years the illuminated area of the earth grew by 2 per cent. The growth was most pronounced in developing nations.
While increasing prosperity accounted for part of that increase, the scientists believe LEDs are partly to blame.
Lead researcher Christopher Kyba from the German Research Centre for Geoscience in Potsdam told the BBC that the introduction of artificial light was ‘one of the most dramatic physical changes human beings have made to our environment’.
The team had anticipated a decrease in brightness in developed and industrial areas as orange sodium were replaced with LEDs, but in fact the reverse happened.
‘I expected that in wealthy countries – like the US, UK, and Germany – we’d see overall decreases in light, especially in brightly lit areas,’ he told BBC News. ‘Instead we see countries like the US staying the same and the UK and Germany becoming increasingly bright.’
To make matters worse, the light sensor on the satellite – a radiometer – is not able to measure the bluer part of the spectrum of light that LEDs emit, meaning that visible light pollution is even worse than that measured.
‘Because there is more blue light in LEDs than in sodium, it’s more liable to be scattered due to the Rayleigh effect,’ said Lux technical editor Alan Tulla. ‘An additional factor would be the combination of increased prosperity in developing nations and the falling prices of LED luminaires globally.’
The findings are certain to increase the pressure on the lighting industry to take light pollution seriously and improve the optics and upward light control.
The researchers published the findings in the journal Science Advances.

domain: news


Oppo A77s and A17 have entered India. Both these smartphones have become available for sale in offline retail stores. Oppo A77s comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. Its price is Rs 17,999. If we talk about Oppo A17, then it is equipped with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. Oppo has priced this phone at Rs 12,499. Retailer Mahesh Telecom informed about the arrival of both these phones by tweeting.
Features and Specifications of Oppo A77s
In this Oppo phone, you will get a 6.56-inch LCD panel with HD + resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. The phone comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. As a processor, Snapdragon 680 chipset has been given in it. In the rear of the phone, the company is giving a 50-megapixel dual camera setup with LED flash. At the same time, this phone has an 8-megapixel front camera for selfie. It is backed by a 5000mAh battery, which supports 33W fast charging.
Features and Specifications of Oppo A17
In this phone you will get a 6.56 inch display with a refresh rate of 60Hz. The phone comes with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage. Talking about the processor, this latest handset of Oppo works on MediaTek Helio G35 chipset. A 50-megapixel dual rear camera setup has been given on the back panel of the phone. A 5 megapixel camera is being offered in the phone for selfie. To give power to the phone, a 5000mAh battery has been given in it, which charges from the micro USB port.
Also read: Specifications of JioPhone 5G revealed before launch, great features


A Storm Of Light
Southern Lord 2013
My first thoughts on A Storm Of Light's sound on Nations To Flames is that they are an elegant union of Mind era Ministry and Neurosis. There is a heaviness to the riffs and the vocals bring an industrial edge to the music that instantly reminds me of Ministry's Breathe. The unhurried pace and layers of sonic textures on Fall sets the stage for the simmering anger and resentment lurking within the menacing riffs that rise later in the song. The languid, rhythmic flow of Apostles Of Hatred seethes with rage, the sort of rage that builds into a rebellion. A mournful accent swells on during the chorus lending the music an almost doom quality during those portions. A massive wave of guitars and hissing symbols washes over you on The Fire Sermon. The track then drops into a chugging groove with overtones of paranoid synth. Layered and muted vocals are woven through a sultry guitar solo as the song moves forward at a slow, but determined pace. Omen really is the song that captures that Ministry comparison, it has a certain Burning Inside parallel to me in its riffing and vocals, and seems to have an industrial infusion into the songwriting. Rolling drums and staggered riffs roil into near melodic dissonance as All The Shining Lies gets underway. Powerful riffs drag and stretch across a somewhat somber soundscape despite the overall cyclopean nature of the music. A giant pounding and flourishes of string caressing are a precursor to a more determined sawing riff approach on Disintegrate. More Ministry comparisons spring to mind during this track due to the pacing and main riff. You Are The Hunted plods with a doomy overall style, but waves of Neurosis-esque guitar walls crush you with their relentlessly slow grinding. The gang chorus is a nice touch as well. A Storm Of Light's new album feels like sonic propaganda that motivates one to take to the streets in revolution. Maybe the cover imagery helped put those thoughts into my head, but they certainly suit the way the music makes me feel. There is a sense of inevitability about Nations To Flames.


Synopsis by Cecilia Cygnar
In this episode of the History Channel series Wrath of God, which explores different natural disasters through the ages, there is a look at the devastation left behind after a series of tornadoes strikes an area. In 1974, the Midwest and South states were surprised by a series of 148 tornadoes that killed 315 people and hit a total of 13 states. After this, meteorologists began studying this new phenomenon, which they coined super outbreak tornadoes. More recently, super outbreaks have occurred throughout much of the country, especially in the Midwest. Tornado trackers follow one series of super outbreaks from Brandenburg, KY, all the way to Zenia, OH. There are interviews with both survivors and witnesses of these outbreaks and talks with scientists who explain the causes of these super outbreaks and how the weather patterns differ from those of just one tornado.
destruction, natural-disaster, storm, tornado


As found in many high end guitars, orange drops are an industry standard for tone control capacitors.
0.022uf capacitors are most commonly used for humbucker and P90 loaded guitars. They can also be used with single coils for less treble roll off than the typical 0.047uf capacitor. 0.033uf is a middle ground. 0.1uf is used for extreme treble roll off, or for standard roll off with active pickups. Please note our 0.1uf is a high voltage version and is physically larger than the others.
Red drops are exactly the same, but for the colour.


The 2021 rush to heavily shorted "meme stocks" accomplished at least one thing where the longest bull market had failed: It brought young retail investors into the fold.
Individuals who had sat out Wall Street's more than a decade-long winning run jumped into stocks this year, lured by a trading mania that had hundreds of thousands of investors buying into struggling old-school companies like cinema chain AMC Entertainment and video game retailer GameStop as both became fodder for online chat rooms.
A company would "somehow end up in a chat room discussion on Reddit and become the belle of the ball," recalled Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group in Fairfield, New Jersey.
Pandemic-era remote work and stimulus checks helped get the party going. Stuck at home with cash on hand, rookie investors swamped social media platforms to urge others to purchase shares of AMC, GameStop and other companies whose prospects looked dismal by traditional stock-valuation standards like profitability, debt loads and earnings growth.
In decline for a decade, GameStop's shares suddenly, skyrocketing to $347 from $39 in a single week as retail investors — spurred by Gen Z-friendly that let users trade stock for free — poured into the markets.
"It's one of those things that became apparent very early in the year: The ability for the Wall Street chat boards to find heavily shorted stocks that could very well have a future or be squeezed higher — and GameStop was the poster child for this," Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities, told CBS MoneyWatch.
The standoff between hedge funds and ordinary investors bidding up GameStop to counter or "squeeze" the hedge funds short-selling it, or betting the price would fall by a certain date, prompted some brokerages to halt trading in GameStop and dozens of other small public companies experiencing big price swings. Cue social media outrage and congressional and regulatory scrutiny, the latter of which continues into the new year.
Robinhood: The definitive meme stock?
"The extreme volatility in meme stocks in January 2021 tested the capacity and resiliency of our securities markets in a way that few could have anticipated," the Securities and Exchange Commission found in April. "At the same time, the trading in meme stocks during this time highlighted an important feature of United States securities markets in the 21st century: broad participation."
The meme-stock frenzy even had Robinhood becoming a meme stock once it went public this past summer, sending the company's shares up 50% to close at just above $70 in August, despite thehovering over it and other trading apps. On Twitter, folks delighted in the idea of buying into the definitive meme stock: "How do you value 500m teenage angst-ridden mostly male loners?" asked one poster.
In further evidence of social media's impact, shares of current Reddit favorite Ford Motor have recently been besting Tesla, and are finishing the year with the Detroit automaker's shares up almost 140% to about $21.
The meme-induced roller-coaster ride recently had shares of Avis Budget making an abrupt and surprising jump. Newly favored by retail investors, shares of the rental car company rose 58% in November and are now up more than 450% for the year to over $200.
Even more astonishing year-end gains are still being tallied by AMC and GameStop. AMC is up more than 1,200% since last January 1 to $28 a share and has a total stock market value of $15 billion; GameStop is up a more modest 725% to around $150 and valued at nearly $12 billion.
"Even meme stocks" can go down
But the trajectory has not been a one-way burst higher for all, Hogan noted. "By the end of the third quarter or start of the fourth, we got to the point where valuations seemed to matter — even meme stocks don't grow to the sky. That's the new reality they face," he said. "It feels like the meme-stock army has already had its first taste of what reality looks like when fundamentals kick in."
Boockvar concurs, saying fundamental stock analysis will reclaim center stage, "rather than 'who is shorted' and 'is it trending.'"
Bed Bath & Beyond relinquished gains after garnering some interest from the meme-stock crowd, and its stock is now down almost 18% year-to-date to about $14.50. Shares of the retailer spiked in November to as high as $24 amid a large increase in mentions on Reddit, CNBC reported.
Hometown International, the operator of a small New Jersey deli that generated all of $13,976 in sales in 2020, hit a stock market capitalization of $113 million in February. The penny stock was delisted by the OTCQB over-the counter-market in April after catching the attention of prominent hedge fund manager David Einhorn.
"The largest shareholder is also the CEO/CFO/Treasurer and a Director, who also happens to be the wrestling coach of the high school next door to the deli," Einhorn's Greenlight Capital wrote in an April letter to clients. "The pastrami must be amazing."
The hot rallies and rapid-fire selloffs that define meme stocks seem to be on more of a simmer as Wall Street heads into 2022. Future volatility may well depend on how dominant a role retail investors continue to play — and whether there will be enough cash on the other side of their short-squeezing trades to play against.
"The short crowd got burned by this; they've been decimated. So there's not a large short crowd around to essentially roll over," Boockvar said.
Boockvar believes those driving the meme-stock movement will move on, whether to the latest hot cryptocurrency plays or something else. "In the history of markets, there's always a speculative mania that flames out; that's just human nature."
for more features.


text:
Inflation is a big concern for Americans, and the rising price of gasoline appears to be fueling that anxiety, according to a new poll conducted for The Hill.
Sixty-two percent of 1,000 likely voters polled last Thursday said they were “very concerned” about inflation, and another 26 percent said they were “somewhat concerned,” leaving very few Americans who are not worried about rising prices.
The 5 best antibiotic to store.
Silver, Oil, Inflation, food inflation
Ammo prices going up
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domain: economics


text:
VW agrees to $1 billion settlement in scandal recovery
Volkswagen took an important step in digging out from its emissions-cheating scandal by reaching a $1 billion agreement to settle lawsuits over tainted 3.0 -liter diesel engines.
The preliminar y accord calls for the German automaker to fix or buy back 83,000 Audi, VW and Porsche vehicles equipped with a so-called defeat device.
The deal includes pledges by Volkswagen to spend $225 million to mitigate environmental damage the autos caused and $25 million to support the use of zero-emission models, the California Air Resources Board and the US Department of Justice said in statements following a US federal court hearing in San Francisco.
Resolving the issue with the 3-liter vehicles has proven to be sticky, as Volkswagen insisted t h e e n g i n e s w e r e fixable and balked at agreeing to buy back all of the affected cars, in contrast to an October deal covering 480,000 rigged 2-liter autos in the US.
While the settlement is a step for ward, it will potentially add to the 18.2 billion euros ($18. 9 billion) Volkswagen has so far set aside to cover the damages from years of duping consumers and regulators by manipulating emissions tests in a scandal involving 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide.
Volkswagen is still under criminal investigation in the US and on the hook for outstanding civil claims from several states.
It also faces hundreds of investor lawsuits in Germany and is the subject of a criminal probe there as well as in South Korea.
The US Justice Department said the settlement reached on Tuesday “does not resolve any pending claims for civil penalties, nor does it address any potential criminal liability,” nor does the deal “resolve any consumer claims, claims by the Federal Trade Commission or claims by individual owners or lessees who may have asserted claims in the ongoing multidistrict litigation”.
The US Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the accord reached on Tuesday will cost Volkswagen $1 billion, which would increase the amount it has agreed to pay to resolve claims in the US and Canada to more than $19 billion.
Je a n n i n e G i n i v a n , a spokeswoman for Volkwag e n’s US u n i t , d e c l i n e d t o comment on any dollar figure until a final agreement has been reached with car owners.
Details of the agreement with car o w n e r s w e r e s t i l l being worked out, and US District Judge Charles Breyer, who’s overseeing the case i n S a n Fr a n c i s c o , o r d e r e d l aw y e r s t o r e p o r t b a c k t o him on Thursday.
T he se ttlement marks “an important step in the right direction to get the DOJ criminal fine out of t h e w ay, w h i c h w e e x p e c t under the Obama administration,” Arndt Ellinghorst, a L ondon-based analyst at Evercore ISI, said in a note to clients. He estimates the financial hit from that penalty to be $3 billion.
Vo l k s w a g e n i s “c o m m i t - ted to earning back the trust of all our stakeholders and thank our customers and dealers for their patience as the process moves forward,” the carmaker said in a statement.
T he se ttlement provides for repairing the cars if the government approves a fix.
It also covers claims against auto parts supplier Robert Bosch, which said specific terms may not be disclosed until a definitive agreement is reached and presented to the judge.
“Bosch neither acknowledges the facts as alleged by the plaintiffs nor does Bosch accept any liability,” the component maker said in a statement.
Ve h i c l e s c o v e r e d b y t h e 3-liter settlement include the 2014 Volkswagen Touareg , some 2015 Porsche vehicles and some 2016 Audi models. Recall plans for most 3-liter vehicles involve a simple software update, people familiar with the matter have said.
Avoiding a full buyback of all the cars would save the company about $4 billion, the people said.
Car making is different...if they insist on making cars, there is a 99 percent chance that they fail.”

domain: law


“They [the attackers] arrived in the church this morning and everyone was shouting ‘stop it! Don’t you realize what you’re doing? Stop! Stop!’ Nothing happened.”
Thus begins Sr. Danielle’s harrowing eye-witness account of the ISIS attack on a French church during Mass in which the attackers slit the throat of the 85-year-old priest Fr. Jacques Hamel. She was attending the Mass that was interrupted by the ISIS attackers.
“They forced him to his knees,” she told French TV station BMFTV, “and he tried to defend himself and that’s when the drama began.
“I reacted when he attacked [Fr.] Jacques and he was on his knees and nearly made him fall and that’s when I ran, I got out fast and he [the attacker] was busy giving him [the priest] the knife so he didn’t see me leave. People were screaming, the couple screamed, everyone reacted.
“It was filmed too, they filmed themselves, it was like a sermon around the altar, in Arabic.
“It was terrible. I must say he was an extraordinary priest, that’s all I can say and a great, a great Father Jacques.”
Listen to Sr. Danielle tell her story (in French, with English subtitles):
Here’s a news report on the attack:
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domain: design


A Comprehensive Guide on Setting Up Solar Panels, Batteries, and Inverters for Off-Grid Living
Off-grid living has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. With the uncertainty surrounding our energy grid and the ever-growing threat of natural disasters, having a reliable and sustainable power source is essential. Solar power solutions offer a practical and efficient way to meet our energy needs while ensuring self-reliance and preparedness. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore everything you need to know about setting up solar panels, batteries, and inverters for off-grid living.
1. Assessing Your Energy Needs
Before diving into the world of solar power, it’s important to assess your energy needs accurately. Take stock of the appliances and devices you use daily and determine the amount of energy they consume. This step will help you determine the size and capacity of your solar power system.
2. Choosing the Right Solar Panels
Solar panels are the heart of your off-grid power system. When choosing solar panels, there are a few key factors to consider:
– **Efficiency:** Look for panels with a high efficiency rating to maximize energy production.
– **Durability:** Consider the material and build quality of the panels to ensure they can withstand the elements and last for years.
– **Warranty:** Opt for panels with an extensive warranty to protect your investment.
3. Selecting the Perfect Battery
Batteries are essential for storing the energy generated by your solar panels. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right battery:
– **Capacity:** Determine the storage capacity you need based on your energy consumption and the number of backup days you desire.
– **Type:** Lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries are the most common types used in solar power systems. Each has its pros and cons, so research and choose the one that best suits your needs.
– **Maintenance:** Consider the maintenance requirements and lifespan of the battery before making a decision.
4. Understanding Power Inverters
Power inverters convert the direct current (DC) produced by solar panels and stored in batteries to alternating current (AC) that can power your appliances. Consider the following when selecting a power inverter:
– **Waveform:** Sine wave inverters provide clean and reliable power, making them suitable for most appliances. Modified sine wave inverters are more affordable but may not be compatible with all devices.
– **Power Output:** Calculate the peak and continuous power requirements of your appliances to choose an inverter with sufficient capacity.
– **Monitoring:** Some inverters come with built-in monitoring systems that allow you to track your energy production and consumption.
5. Installing Your Solar Power System
Installation is a crucial step that should be done by a qualified professional. Make sure to work with an experienced installer to ensure your system is set up correctly and remains safe. Additionally, consider the following:
– **Positioning:** Install your solar panels in a location that receives maximum sunlight throughout the day. Avoid shading from trees or buildings.
– **Wiring:** Properly connect the panels, batteries, and inverters following the manufacturer’s instructions or guidelines set by your installer.
– **Safety:** Adhere to all electrical safety protocols during the installation process, including proper grounding and circuit protection.
6. Maintenance and Troubleshooting
To ensure the longevity and optimal performance of your solar power system, regular maintenance is required. Here are some essential maintenance tasks:
– **Cleaning:** Periodically clean your solar panels to remove dirt and debris that may hinder their efficiency.
– **Battery Maintenance:** Follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding battery maintenance, including checking water levels and ensuring proper ventilation.
– **Monitoring and Troubleshooting:** Keep an eye on your energy production and consumption through your inverter’s monitoring system. If you notice any issues, consult a professional to diagnose and resolve the problem.
7. Expanding Your System
Once your initial solar power system is up and running, you have the flexibility to expand it to meet growing energy needs. Whether you want to power additional appliances, install electric heating or cooling systems, or even charge an electric vehicle, consulting with a professional can help you design and expand your system efficiently.
With the right setup and proper maintenance, your solar power system can provide you with a reliable, sustainable, and resilient source of energy for off-grid living. Embrace the power of the sun and take control of your energy future today!


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Glendale AZ Belly Dancers
The ancient art of belly dancing has been captivating party guests for years, and your event should be no exception! Their bright and beautiful costumes and flowing dance style lends a sense of mystery and culture to the atmosphere. Some belly dancers even add extra flair with bells, swords, or cymbals. Belly dancers are perfect entertainment for parties that need some worldly elegance. Search for Belly Dancers in Glendale, Arizona above.
Please note that these Belly Dancers may also travel to Westwind, Sun City, Youngtown, Tolleson, Cashion, El Mirage, Sun City West, Glendale Luke Afb, Adobe, Litchfield Park, Paradise Valley, Laveen, Waddell, Guadalupe, and Wittmann.


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Strawberry Nutrition Facts with Facts By Beauty Health Tricks, Strawberries are juicy, shiny, red, and sweet fruits. Strawberries are a good source of certain vitamins like vitamin C and B9. it is an excellent source of manganese and potassium. Strawberries are rich in plant compounds and antioxidants. They are very beneficial for sugar control and heart health. In this article, we tell about the nutritional information of strawberries.
Strawberry nutritional information.
Vitamin C is directly related to the immune system, it is necessary for the health and immunity of the skin. Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C.
Strawberries also contain vitamin B9 (folic acid). Folate is essential for cell function and tissue growth.
Manganese is a mineral necessary for the functioning of the human body. it is not found in the body itself, it can be taken with food. A large amount of manganese present in whole grains and fruits. Strawberry is included among the fruits that are an excellent source of manganese.
Potassium helps regulate various bodily functions such as blood pressure control. High potassium intake reduces the chances of having a stroke. It also helps reduce bad cholesterol. Strawberries also contain a certain amount of potassium.
Fiber helps improve digestive health. Good fiber intake useful for weight loss because they provide the full filling.
98-100 grams of strawberries provide 2-3 grams of fiber.
Carbohydrates are essential for the body because they are a good source of energy. The body itself needs carbohydrate content but in small quantities. Strawberries contain less amount of carbohydrates because strawberries are very rich in water.
Anthocyanin is a water-soluble pigment, which is good for heart health. Foods that contain anthocyanin have several health benefits.
Anthocyanin is mainly present in strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, purple grapes, and red wine. Strawberries are a good source of anthocyanins.
Strawberry Nutrition Facts
one cup (150 g) of fresh strawberry contains the following components

domain: food


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I just potted the Pelargonium echinatum into this chipped Bauer pot inherited from my grandmother. A chipped Bauer pot ceases to be a sacred cow and can definitely mix it up with the other garden pots. Just took me a while to realize that. I’m certain my grandmother would agree. The pink-limbed, trailing cactus in the clay pot is Lepismium cruciforme.
It’s that time of year again to catch the displays of these spectacular South African succulents in bloom around town.
These photos were taken mid-day at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden 2/7/13.
Many were of hybrid origin, no name given.
En masse, the hot-blooded, scorched-earth effect of an aloe in bloom gets seriously ramped up.
Another good bet to see a glorious display is at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.
Like the movie Being John Malkovich, the doorway to your fertile imagination is waiting for me whenever I need an infusion of inspiration, and you never disappoint. I still find it astonishing that I can see the world through your eyes merely by selecting Paradis Express from my blogroll, where it’s been since my blogroll was only a few inches old. From the first click that found you, the craving to experience gardens and design through your discerning eyes has never abated. You find the most amazing things to inspire me. There is no other doorway that leads to enchantment as frequently as yours.
mysterious, delphic Delphine. I’m not at all surprised to learn that you have your own personal cave.
or that you are a designer of worlds within worlds. (So many new worlds you have shown me!)
or that you live in a jungle within the walls of your 300-year-old house outside Paris.
or that we can identify members of our tribe by their windowsills
I am not at all surprised by your kindness and warm welcome to Mitch, but must thank you anyway for calling him now part of your “French family.” There is only one word that describes how I feel about you, and it’s your word, but I’m stealing it anyway: I am passionated by you.
(Reasons to blog: Right up there with the fantasy that a blog provides of being the senior editor of your own little magazine, there is the mysterious transformation a blog makes when it moonlights as a passport. Blogs emit dog whistles for the gathering of the tribe, the ones we never seem to bump into in the workaday world, and help us find each other, no matter the distance or language. Photographer MB Maher had the enviable opportunity this past January to pay our respects to Delphine and her family, Lucien and Paul, at their home near Paris, France.)
It’s a cold, blustery day, as Pooh would say, and I’m trying like mad to mentally recreate the scent of Michelia doltsopa from yesterday’s visit to the Los Angeles Arboretum. But, poof, it’s vanished beyond memory, just as it’s probably vanished from that little courtyard in today’s high winds and rain. Raw, windy days like today are kryptonite to scent.
Michelia doltsopa, from the magnolia family, native to Nepal, for zones 9 to 11. Discovered by Scottish physician Francis Buchanan-Hamilton around 1803 near Kathmandu, while he served in the Bengal Medical Service. (There’s not enough hours in a lifetime to read about all these intrepid, multi-hyphenate British scientists/explorers/physicans/zoologists/botanists. Dr. Buchanan-Hamilton also found the time to run the Calcutta botanical garden in 1814.) I can’t tease apart the scent’s various notes, but can confirm that it is freely borne, almost overpowering. Mood-altering, in fact. I’ve only encountered the scent of Michelia figo before, the Banana shrub. That scent is fairly straight-forward, as the name suggests.
The courtyard has several Michelia doltsopa, the tallest probably 15 feet high and covered in flowers pouring out this heady perfume. 25 to 30 feet is about the norm for these trees in cultivation, though in the wild they can reach 90 feet and are used for timber. For LA locals, it’s very much worth a special trip to inhale that complicated scent and reap the benefits of an exotic, in-situ aromatherapy, redolent of bygone explorers and forests filled with “a more beautiful tree than any magnolia.” (Or so says Frank Kingdon-Ward, another of that rare breed of explorer born from the British Empire.)
I wrote about artist James Griffith’s Natural Selection series here, as he was preparing for that show, and have heard now that he’s off in a new direction for a show to be held sometime in 2014. Something to do with glass perhaps? Very intriguing. Still, I can’t quite let go of the Natural Selection series and wanted to grace the pages of the blog again with a few of those images. Must be infuriating for artists to have their audience cling to old work (“Why don’t you paint another Starry Night, dude?”)
“Now, as I paint images of contemporary nature in a medium such as tar, the image is re-framed with an awareness of this moment’s ancient provenance. It underscores its place in time. The ‘painted moment’ can be seen as a brief segment in a vast fluid process we call Nature.”
– James Griffith, “Natural Selection”
Dark Wings – Finch, Tar on Panel
Crow and Tool, Tar, copper sulphate on panel
Young Crows – Natural Selection, Tar, Pollen, Human Ash
For information on future work or availability of paintings from the Natural Selection series, contact James Griffith at email@example.com.
The second garden we toured with Lili Singer on 1/24/13, through the Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanic Garden’s series “Thursday Garden Talks with Lili Singer.” The first garden toured can be seen here.
The description of the second garden from the handout:
“The youngest of the three gardens we’ll visit, this family- and dog-friendly landscape in Santa Monica Canyon includes colorful fragrant natives and other mediterranean-climate plants, permeable paving, drip irrigation and smart controllers. Edibles and ornamentals abound, along with birds, butterflies and other beneficial wildlife. Designer Fleur Nooyen will be our guide. She began the installation in 2011 and still works with the owner (an enthusiastic new gardener!).”
12-year-old lab Sadie in a rare state of repose. She greeted everyone individually, graciously welcoming each of us into her domain.
Sadie runs this garden. Runs it, squashes it, tramples it, digs it.
The owner has the good sense (and warm heart) to design around the challenges posed by Sadie.
An avid lounger on plants, the sticks are intended as Sadie deterrents.
The turquoise blue fountain stones are from Arizona.
A young Arbutus ‘Marina.’ Stunning showboat of a tree to shade the seating area off the back of the house.
A fascinating provenance for this madrone is given by San Marcos Growers at the link. “Marina” refers to the Marina District of San Francisco. Legendary plantsman Victor Reiter, founder of the California Horticultural Society, is involved in the account:
“Mr. Reiter had acquired his plant in 1933 when he was allowed to take vegetative cuttings from a boxed specimen that was at the Strybing Arboretum. The Strybing Arboretum, under director Eric Walther, had purchased the boxed tree from the closing down sale of Western Nursery on Lombard Street in the Marina District. Charles Abrahams, the owner of Western Nursery, was thought to have taken cuttings from trees that were sent from Europe for a 1917 horticultural exposition, one of which was probably this beautiful tree.”
Dining area with herb garden. Weber kept in handy proximity.
Luminous bright leaves in the herb garden are, I think, Cuban oregano,
Plectranthus amboinicus Plectranthus neochilus ‘Mike’s Fuzzy Wuzzy’
A row of Salvia leucantha is planted in a narrow border alongside the table. When this salvia is strictly cut back hard each year, as is done here, it is marvelous. When not cut back, it’s a twiggy, leggy, obnoxious mess.
The herb garden, with Salvia leucantha in the foreground. Stairs lead to…
The hot tub
Coming up the driveway, the fence is planted with privacy vines, ceanothus, abutilon
Ceanothus ‘Frosty Blue’
Luscious flowering maple. I asked the designer Fleur Nooyen about the scale insect problem that always afflicts any abutilon I try to grow. Not a problem here so far. Fleur said that other than applying dormant oil, there’s not much remedy for bad scale infestations. Don’t I know it!
Looking back at the house, photo taken from an unseen lawn of Carex pansa, a lawn substitute that doesn’t require mowing.
The entire back garden is built for water permeability to avoid wasteful runoff, with pathways of decomposed granite and terraces of unmortared, dry-set stone.
Some of the carex visible in this photo. The large swath of Carex pansa surrounds another terrace topped by an arbor.
Keeping track of the blues?. Blue fence, blue stones, and now blue Adirondacks.
The blue doors are a design deception that lead nowhere. Clever trick for breaking up a long, adjoining garden wall.
The blues in the garden tie in with the trim on the Spanish-style house
Little orbs on the light strings woven from grapevine
Just one of the many benefits of bringing in a designer is that every detail is planned and built in from the get-go.
How many years has it taken to get around to building your potting area? 24 years here, and still counting.
One more angle of the madrone and its gorgeous bark. Another of its names is the Strawberry Tree.
Thanks to Lili Singer, the owner, and designer Fleur Nooyen for the tour of this personal, intimate garden designed for long outdoor meals, filled with natives and aromatic herbs that are easy on the water bill. Sadie is one lucky dog.
One more to go. The designers’ briefs for the first two gardens revolved around family, pets, native plants, edibles, permeability. The designer of the last garden is pedaling like mad to keep up with the owner’s enthusiasm for garden antiques. She keeps a personal warehouse container at the ready at Big Daddy’s, which I’ve written about here. lord, have mercy! I’ll have that post up later this week hopefully.
Photos 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 by MB Maher.
First it was the lush, wavy growth and strong limber lines Euphorbia lambii acquired this winter that I stopped to admire just as the sun was coming up. Euphorbia lambii is another one from the land of all things tender and exquisite, the Canary Islands, zoned for 9-11.
The so-called tree euphorbia, I used to dislike it for the very reason I now love it, the trunks and tree-like shape. Tastes change [shrugs].
Once the eye starts tracing lines, it quickly becomes a game of visual pickup sticks. Following the trunk of the euphorbia led to the pattern of lines in a nearby chair, the original Homecrest and the reason for recently acquiring another pair.
And then I noticed the beehive pot was getting in on the action too. Plant, chair, pottery — the important things in life.
Acanthus, thistle, iris, papyrus — plants are the graphic bible of pattern, the visual codex we’ve all been studying for millenia —
okay, admittedly some people more than others.
and selfishly hoarding it all to myself
a single cut flower can convince me I’m guilty of doing just that
The long neck of this aloe bloom had been gradually listing, leaning, until it made a full, graceless face plant, of no more use to the garden or pollinators, but still a fine thing for a vase in early morning eastern light.
Do you consider the color of your house and its role as a backdrop/canvas for the garden?
I can’t believe the luscious, creamy, chlorophylly color on this house was an accident.
The plants are positively strutting and preening against it.
Both siding and trim echoed in one plant. Possibly Opuntia monacantha var. variegata.
Just try to convince me that’s an accident.
As promised, photos of the gardens of Versailles, the apogee of the French formal garden style, designed by landscape architect Andre Le Notre for King Louis XIV of France (September 5, 1638 – September 1, 1715). With itinerant photographer MB Maher in town briefly for a friend’s wedding, I was able to shake his coat upside down and turn the pockets out for photos from his recent travels. He’s already back to England, then again to France, so do contact him here for any inquiries or just to chat about projects, or if even just for a drink in the local tavern, where he’ll probably leap over the bar and take over mixology duties. He’s an omnivorous fellow interested in just about everything.
Ready for a stroll? Properly attired, bewigged, perfumed, and powdered? Ladies should be outfitted something like this, give or take a few decades in the evolution of costume:
Glenn Close, Dangerous Liaisons, image found here.
Cue the rustle of satin and taffeta swishing over gravel walkways, the whispered plans for afternoon trysts, the rhythmic, metallic clipping and snipping by fleets of gardeners as they maintain the miles of hedges and topiary (presaging a somewhat more reactionary use of sharp cutting instruments to be used upon Louis XIV’s descendants).
Prepare to be awed at what the Sun King has wrought.
“By the beginning of the seventeenth century, with a Medici as Queen of France, the royal palace gardens in Paris were largely Italian in plan.”
– Hugh Johnson, The Principles of Gardening
Continue reading scenes from Versailles


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Musings on family history, regional history, book reviews, and miscellaneous observations and comments by a genealogist and librarian living near the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake
I found a recipe over at Shawn's that I just had to try for Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake. I think I'll add more liquid to the glaze next time to make it a little runnier. It's a good cake, but I recommend cooking it a little less than the suggested hour.


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We’re making a BIG difference through the generosity of this organization for others to continue have an educational opportunity in difficult areas.
Helping others to reach the top
The Foundation focuses on economically disadvantaged children who lives in poverty and often face marginalization, and traditional stereotypes.
Since poverty and its affects is around all of us, this mission was created that they may attend schools which best address their academic, social, physical, and/or spiritual needs to reach their highest potential. Simply is to fulfill their dreams in building a collective future.
The focus of our recent community initiatives teamed up with local groups to improve awareness on many social issues, career path, donation of small school supplies, and upgrade few small technologies.
We are committed to address students career advancement, reduce violence, racism, poverty, educational inequality while working to keep youths safe from drugs, bullying and crime through awareness and citizen action.

domain: sociology


Valve has revised its privacy policies, updating its Steam client to provide users with the ability to hide what information is accessible to others such as owned games and the playtime behind them. Unfortunately, this has caused some unrest among tracking sites such as Steam Spy, which relies on the accessibility of user data to conduct accurate readings.
Giving control of user data back to users themselves is an important step for a lot of companies in the wake of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica debacle, with Valve jokingly downplaying the move as a way to hide “the 4,000+ hours you've put into Ricochet” instead of having to nervously brush off the supposed embarrassment.
According to Steam Spy, this isn’t a particularly great move for the company as the tracking site is effectively useless without the information being available by default. It was quick to reiterate that giving the option to users in itself isn’t a bad thing, but the default for all users having been set to hidden unless manually changed within the settings leaves the tracking sites without a sizeable sample of users to work with
To reiterate – it's not because of the new privacy settings. It's because Steam just made everyone's gaming library hidden by default (this wasn't in their blog post).
— Steam Spy (@Steam_Spy) April 11, 2018
Unless most, if not all Steam users were to actively open those settings up, it’s looking grim for Steam Spy, which has proven to be a brilliant source of statistics in the past that have helped popularise games and support game developers as they grow and update their titles.
Other third-party tracking sites such as AStats are also affected, unable to reach core data needed to calculate statistics. This is presumably due to the change in default settings, however AStats has yet to publicly address the situation.
Valve isn’t stopping there, however, as it plans to overhaul its offline status to allow for an “invisible mode,” giving users a chance to appear offline while remaining in control of all Steam functions, including the friends list, messages and more.
KitGuru Says: It’s unfortunate to see Steam Spy and other third-party tracking sites suffer because of the latest changes, but I will always side with the motivation to protect and preserve user control over their own data. Opting in to share data is much better than sneakily implementing the option to opt out of it, but never really realise just how much of your data is being sucked up by both first and third-party companies. Do you use Steam Spy? What do you think of the privacy changes?


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Before, after, or during this post, you should click here and read Bill's post. I'm the unnamed coworker. It's almost like being famous!
So, last night I was thinking about my response, considering my argument. Just in case you haven't yet clicked on the link and checked out what I'm responding to, I'll give you a brief break down. Bill and I were discussing the HBO documentary Outraged, which chronicles a man's journey to out closeted gay politicians who consistently vote against gay rights legislation.
I argued that this man's actions probably made for riveting documentary film-making, but they were ethically tenuous at best. Sometimes politics have the propensity to turn us all into drama queens. I should know. I used to be one of those feminists who figured having a penis was an automatic qualifier for being sexist. Talk about having an agenda.
Now, my feelings on the outing have nothing to do with what I think should be done politically. I am a woman who believes in the legalization of everything. You wanna do heroin bought with the money you got for giving a blowjob in a back alley? Go for it. Same goes for gay marriage. Not that gay marriage is anything like doing heroin with blowjob money, but my point is that my political leanings are such that I pretty much think that as long as you're not forcing anyone else to do something they're not interested in doing, you should be allowed to do whatever you want. No stealing. No murder. No rape. Otherwise, bring on the trans fats and supersize it, please. I don't think it's the government's job to save us from ourselves.
Or keep us from getting married to each other. Some people might argue that the two are one and the same.
So, at any rate, if you read Bill's post, you know that I argued that it was not ethical for this man to out these politicians. I argued that it was not ethical even though they're being hypocritical. I argued this because they may have many different motivations for both their voting records and their decisions to keep their homosexuality (or varying degrees thereof) private. Part of my argument was that, as elected officials, their duty is to vote the way the majority of their constituents would have them vote. This argument was backed up by a conversation I had with another gay friend about a Texas state senator he knows. She's a conservative elected in a majority conservative district, and she once told my friend that she disagrees with the way she votes on gay issues, and she votes that way because that was the job she was elected to do. If she voted the way she wanted in spite of her constituents, she'd be acting as if she knew better than they did how they want their community to run. And, like it or not, that's just not the way our government was designed to work.
In theory, it's a government for the people, by the people.
But on some level I felt that his decision to out these people was unethical because it just seems malicious. It almost seems downright childish. All it will really accomplish is the embarrassment, grief and emotional upheaval of a few politicians lives. It will not change much of anything else. If you believe that hurting these people puts us any closer to legalizing gay marriage, you're insane. Effectively all it will change is which politician holds their seat come next election.
You know, from a closeted gay one who votes against gay rights to a hopefully really straight one who votes against gay rights.
During my argument with Bill I posed the question, "So, if you knew your friend's boyfriend was cheating on him, would you tell him?" We both initially agreed that it would be none of our business, thus supposedly strengthening my argument. I love it when that happens. But he has since changed his position and said he would tell his friend. Well, guess what. I'm changing my position, too! And I've actually decided that question is different than whether or not it's ethical to out a politician.
I would tell my friend if his or her boyfriend or girlfriend was cheating on him or her. Man, gender inclusion really lengthens a sentence. I would not, however, tell an acquaintance. I have intimate knowledge of my friend's situation. I do not have intimate knowledge of my acquaintance's situation. Therefore, all of my acquaintance's private matters are none of my business until he or she makes them my business. Relationships rely very much on nuance.
But even if I decided to tell an acquaintance, it's still different from the political scenario. If I tell an individual that his or her boyfriend or girlfriend is cheating on him or her, I've given that individual full working knowledge with which to make a choice. He or she can stay or go knowing the truth about the situation. But that is not the motivation behind outing these politicians. Odds are good that if they lied about their sexual orientation and vote against gay rights legislation, they ran on that platform--the anti-gay-rights-legislation platform. So did they lie in a political sense? Nope. They said they would do X, I voted for them because I wanted them to do X, and then they did X. Sounds like doing their job to me. Outing them doesn't give anyone a choice to do anything about anything.
Whenever one finds oneself pondering an action, it's best to ask oneself, "Is it helpful?" If the answer is, "No," then one really should reconsider said action. Even if said action will make one famous.
Outing people--any people, even politicians--against their will is just mean. It isn't high-minded. It doesn't open the floor for constructive discussion. It just hurts some people, pisses some other people off and allows some other people to shout, "Fuck yeah! Stick it to the man!" at their television sets on a Saturday night.
And I don't think any of those things are on the to-do list.


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How Digimarc-enhanced IML connects consumers to a wide world of brand experiences.
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Digimarc-enhanced packaging from CMG delivers more reliable and efficient scanning by shoppers with smartphones to provide a wide range of branded content, such as how-to videos, promotions of related products, along with augmented reality experiences. The imperceptible Digimarc Barcode makes all this interactivity technically possible. CMG Plastics, a custom plastic packaging innovator, works closely with IML supply partner Verstraete to turn the endless potential of messaging, engagement and data collection into a win-win for brand owners, retailers and consumers alike.
With Digimarc Barcode, consumers can more intuitively scan a larger area of the package. They no longer have to find a small scanning target which may be hidden on a side or back panel. Consumers can even scan the front of the package while standing in the aisle, allowing brands to deliver a better experience and to drive more product scans and sales.
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Friday, November 9, 2012
Runner #2 done
I finished the second runner for Christmas. I will be giving this one away in early Dec, so I am glad it is done already. It looks good on the oak table.
Close up of the star block. I love this black and gold print. I have been saving it for a while.
Here is the quilting on the back side. I am using white Kona on the back side.
I have added today's post to Friday's Favs Party, and Find a Friend Friday and Crazy Mom Quilts and Can I get a Whoop Whoop and Richard Quilts LAFF #40
I am doing binding on the scrappy log cabin quilt, yes it is quilted. I hope to show you another finished quilt by next week.

domain: hobby


text:
I am a Kansas City based artist. I love to paint, inspire, hike, trail run, and be Supermom.
You can find my artwork at www.StrokeofRed.com
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Tag Archives: acrylic painting
Flowers that Never Die
When my son was a toddler, he use to talk people into buying me flowers on his behalf because he knew that I loved them. When he was about 3 he became sad when I explained he couldn’t keep touching … Continue reading
Posted in art Tagged acrylic painting, bouquet, fine art, floral art, flowers, heart, painting, roses, textured art, valentine, valentine gift, valentines day 2 Comments
Rules were meant to be broken
I have always had a sort of personal rule that when a painting is finished and I sign my name to it, I do not touch it again. I decided that this rule had to be broken. As I was … Continue reading
Posted in art Tagged acrylic painting, art blog, art studio, aspen trees, aspens, birch, fine art, fine artist, painting, trees Leave a comment
Near to My Heart – Creative Challenge – Day 4
My first house was a small ranch house in a small town. It had been built by a man and his wife and they were the only ones who had ever lived there. They lived in that same house their … Continue reading
Posted in creative challenge Tagged acrylic painting, art studio, creative challenge, flowers, forsythia, stroke of red Leave a comment
Creative Challenge – Days 3
My cat recently ate my fish. I’m a little bitter about it. Mostly because I liked the fish better than the cat (not my cat). Anyway, the Chinese believe that goldfish are good luck. This explains why you always see … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged acrylic painting, art, art life, art studio, creative challenge, goldfish Leave a comment
30 Day Creative Challenge: Day 2
I love playing with the composition for cow paintings. They become like little pets. Here’s one I call “Close Up”, Acrylic on Canvas, 5×7″.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged acrylic painting, art, art challenge, cow, cow painting, home decor, interior decor Leave a comment
Making Room for Art
I’m very excited to announce that I once again let go of my corporate job so I could keep up with my life as an artist. Amazing things have been taking shape and I’m enjoying the ride! I was honored … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged acrylic painting, anastacia, anastacia drake, art, artist, fundraiser, live painting, paint the town, painter, st.lukes hospital, stroke of red Leave a comment


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A peace agreement aimed at defusing heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine is being proposed as a possible way out of the crisis.
Top officials from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany met in Berlin on Thursday to discuss ways of implementing the charter, known as the 2015 Minsk Agreement.
Key issues surrounding the pact remain unresolved. But could it mean for international security and peace? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the 2015 Minsk Agreement?
Also known as Minsk II, the document was drawn up in the Belarusian capital in 2015, in a bid to end a bloody 10-month conflict in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
The area had been taken over by pro-Russian separatists in 2014, with the Ukrainian government in Kyiv stating that the Donbas and the Crimean Peninsula were under Russian occupation.
Ukraine and the West accused Russia of backing separatists with troops and weapons. Moscow rejected the accusations, saying that any Russians who fought in the east were volunteers.
The package of measures aimed at creating peace in the region were signed by representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the separatist leaders and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Minsk II was also endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution.
To date, more than 14,000 people have died in the conflict.
What were the conditions of the agreement?
Conditions included an OSCE-monitored cease-fire, a pullback of heavy weapons and foreign fighters from the line of contact and an exchange of prisoners.
In a major coup for Russia, the document also obliged Ukraine to grant special status to the separatist regions, allowing them to create their own police force and have a say in appointing local prosecutors and judges.
However, despite being a signatory, Russia’s role in the conflict was not acknowledged. In fact, the word “Russia” does not appear anywhere in the dossier. This has enabled the Kremlin to claim that it is merely an observer, rather than a supporter of separatists in the east of Ukraine, and that the matter is part of Ukraine internal affairs.
The agreement also stipulated that Ukraine could only regain control over the region after securing self-rule and holding OSCE-monitored local elections, a move that would almost certainly keep pro-Moscow rebels in power.
Minsk II was also devised in haste and the language is imprecise, meaning that Russia and Ukraine have interpreted it to mean very different things.
The deal was resented by many Ukrainians, who saw it as a betrayal of national interests and widespread hostility to the bill has arguably blocked its implementation.
What might the agreement mean for future peace between Russia and Ukraine?
Minsk II is being hailed by some as a possible way to pacify Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions between the country, describing the agreement as “the only path allowing to build peace … and find a sustainable political solution.”
However, Ukrainian officials have been increasingly critical of the document in the face of Western calls to implement the agreement.
Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, told The Associated Press last week the deal was signed “under a Russian gun barrel,” and warned that “the fulfilment of the Minsk agreement means the country’s destruction.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba argued that the Kremlin wants to use the deal to reintegrate the rebel regions into Ukraine, while retaining power. “This is not going to happen,” he said.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that he disliked every point of Minsk II, a comment that drew a taunting remark from President Putin.
“Like it or not, you have to bear with it, my beauty,” Mr Putin replied, using a coarse verse from Russian folklore. “You have to fulfil it. It will not work otherwise.”
Additional reporting by AP


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Newly formed Private Practice Nutrition Counseling business to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy for chronic disease, obesity, and diabetes. Also Diabetes Self- Management Education and Support for client with Chronic Disease, Diabetes and Obesity.
I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Licensed in the State of Georgia since 1996, and a Certified Diabetes Counseling and Education Specialist since 2009. I have worked at Memorial Health since 2003 as an outpatient Dietitian in Diabetes Education, working in Endocrinology with Dr. Ehsanipoor and Dr. De Castro and their clients providing Medical Nutrition Therapy and Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support.
To improve quality of life by providing evidence based nutrition assessment and counseling to clients with chronic disease.
To provide quality nutrition counseling via private practice for people with chronic disease such as diabetes, type 1, type 2, gestational and pre-diabetes, renal disease, heart disease and obesity. To provide increased knowledge and empowerment to clients on how to prevent and manage their chronic disease to improve their quality of life. To provide quality of care and self-management education and continued support to our clients
*Market Analysis and Services
The CDC 2019 National surveillance data reveals 61% population with Chronic Disease including Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Obesity and Chronic Kidney Disease
The Southeast region of Georgia, counties Chatham, Effingham, Bryan and Liberty and South Carolina Jasper and Beaufort counties have 6-16% of diabetes, 48-61% cardiovascular disease per 2017 CDC Statistics Data.
Limited private practice RDN’s available for the population.

domain: medical


Trainer & client login
Trainers need the ability to use the app as if they were a client to help guide and teach the client how to use the app. Especially with the new nutrition coaching features, trainers must know the process for scanning food, trying the meals in the app, tracking macros, etc.
Right now it is a pain to log out and log back in as a “test” account I made to understand the workflow of the app. I also have to now pay for a seat as a “test” account just so I can learn the app’s features and how to coach my clients. I then have to log back in as a trainer and go through the whole app sign in process again. It is a big waste of time and not intuitive.
As a trainer using the app for our business, especially using the app as a custom branded app or enterprise, we should know the workflow and capabilities better than our clients. It is a disservice to us as trainers not to interact with the app in the same manner our clients do, as I’m finding my clients have questions I cannot answer unless I log in under my “test” account and mess around.
Also, my clients view is different than mine, so it makes it harder to navigate them. I am constantly logging into my “test” account and again this is a huge pain.
Ilker bey commented
Let trainers coach theirs self inside their trainer profile. Give them the possibility to train and follow their diet withing logging in as a customer.
With this trainers will inspire and motivate their customers.
Nik Signore commented
I would love to be able to use the app just like a client without having to use weird workarounds. I want to participate and lead by example by earning achievements and tracking my fitness stats.


1 Dec 2016 But first, just how do you actually download movies from Netflix? You can move other files to an SD card or USB on-the-go drive to make space, but all the files on your phone, just like the File Explorer on a Windows PC.
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10 Dec 2019 Manage downloads and watch offline. Dec 10 To download a movie or episode on Hulu: For movies, press the Download Download Icon
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96-Hour Opera Project: Stories That Resonate
96-Hour Opera Project: Part 3
Episode 3 | 56m 49s | Video has closed captioning.
The 96-Hour Opera Project: Stories that Resonate is a composition showcase and competition in which teams of composers and librettists will create completely new and compelling 10-minute operas. The 96-hour project is only open to those who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, Arab-American, Latin-American or other communities of color.
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning