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|Year : 2019 | Volume
| Issue : 3 | Page : 102-106
To investigate the relationship between psychological factors and stress in two different developmental stages in adults: A cross sectional study
Sushant Deepak Sarang, Arthi Govardhan Karnam, Rakesh Bharat Shitole
Occupational Therapy Training School and Centre, L.T.M.M.C and GH, Sion, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
|Date of Submission||31-Mar-2019|
|Date of Acceptance||06-Jun-2019|
|Date of Web Publication||20-Sep-2019|
Dr. Sushant Deepak Sarang
566, Sector New 50, Soham Plot 66, Sector New 50, Nerul, Navi Mumbai - 400 706, Maharashtra
Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
Background: Stress can cause significant impact on social and occupational participation. This study aimed to investigate association between psychological factors (six factors of psychological well-being [PSW] and self-reported mindfulness) and perceived stress. Further, the study aimed to compare the relationship of psychological factors and stress between Erick Erickson's two adult developmental stages, i.e., intimacy versus isolation (19–40 years) and generativity versus stagnation (40–65 years). Objectives: To measure PSW (six factors), mindfulness, and perceived stress in people from the two developmental stages, to study the correlation between psychological factors (the six factors of PSW and mindfulness) and stress in each group, and to compare the relation between psychological factors and stress in these two developmental stages. Study Design: A cross-sectional study design was chosen for the research. Methods: Males and females belonging to intimacy versus isolation (19–40 years) and generativity versus stagnation (40–65 years) stages of Erick Erikson's classification of development were included in the study. Written informed consent was taken from all the participants. Paper-based version of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), mindful attention awareness scale (MAAS), and Ryff's PSW scale were administered. The scores obtained on PSS, MAAS, and Ryff's PSW were compared. Results: Individuals belonging to the intimacy vs. isolation stage (19-40 years) and generativity vs. stagnation (40-65 years) stage of development showed a significant correlation between psychological factors and stress, with a significant correlation (P = 0.010, 95% CI: 187.600-169.080) in the intimacy vs. isolation stage and (P = 0.005, 95% CI: 165.004-155.136) in the generativity vs. stagnation stage. Conclusions: Individuals in the generativity versus stagnation (40–65 years) stage are more stressful than those in intimacy versus isolation stage (19–40 years) stage. Thus, practicing mindfulness and being mindful helps us to deal with stress better.
Keywords: Erick Erickson's Developmental Stages, Mindfulness, Perceived Stress, Psychological Well-Being
|How to cite this article:|
Sarang SD, Karnam AG, Shitole RB. To investigate the relationship between psychological factors and stress in two different developmental stages in adults: A cross sectional study. Indian J Occup Ther 2019;51:102-6
|How to cite this URL:|
Sarang SD, Karnam AG, Shitole RB. To investigate the relationship between psychological factors and stress in two different developmental stages in adults: A cross sectional study. Indian J Occup Ther [serial online] 2019 [cited 2023 Jun 7];51:102-6. Available from: http://www.ijotonweb.org/text.asp?2019/51/3/102/267482
| Introduction|| |
Stress is defined as “a state of psychological and physiological imbalance resulting from the disparity between situational demand and the individual's ability and motivation to meet those needs.”1 Different age groups experience stress at some point of time in their lifetime.
Erikson's model of psychosocial development is a very significant, highly regarded, and meaningful concept. Life is a series of lessons and challenges which help us to grow. Erikson's theory helps to tell us why.3 Psychological well-being (PSW) is the dynamic and active process that gives a sense of knowledge to the people about how their lives are enduring the interaction between their circumstances, activities, and psychological resources or mental capital.4 Carol Ryff developed the six-factor model of PSW which determines six factors which contribute to an individual's PSW.5
Mindfulness involves the self-regulation of attention to the experience of the present moment and nonjudgmental awareness having its roots in Buddhist philosophy whose construct goes beyond religious concepts., Mindfulness can be improved by attention training and meditation., Mindfulness has proved to be a protective characteristic, showing negative correlations with stress and positive correlations with well-being.9
Individuals in the two adult developmental stages (i.e., isolation vs. intimacy and generativity vs. stagnation) differ in that they both try to resolve conflicts that arise in their respective developmental stages. The success or failure to resolve those conflicts structures the basic personality of that individual which in turn determines the PSW of that individual and how they perceive stress. This study was thus aimed to help us acquire any such relationship between the psychological factors (the six factors of PSW and mindfulness) and stress.
| Methods|| |
A cross-sectional study design was chosen for the research. Adults (n = 60) comprised of males and females belonging to the isolation versus intimacy stage (n = 30: 3 males and 27 females) and generativity versus stagnation stage (n = 30: 5 males and 25 females) of Erick Erickson's developmental stages.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Adults in their productive age group, i.e., males and females falling in intimacy versus isolation (19–40 years) and generativity versus stagnation (40–65 years) stages of Erick Erickson's classification of developmental stages were included in the study. Adults diagnosed with any physical or mental illness and currently receiving treatment for the same were excluded from the study. Also, adults hospitalized due to any physical or mental illnesses were excluded from the study.
Procedure and Ethics
Approval for the study was taken from Institutional Ethics Committee. Data were collected between September 2018 and October 2018 at a tertiary care municipal corporation hospital. All the participants were explained about the study and were asked to sign an informed consent form. After the informed consent was taken from all the participants, they were asked to fill up the three questionnaires, i.e., the mindful attention awareness scale (MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Ryff's PSW scale. A convenience sampling method was used for data collection. The majority of adults from the intimacy versus isolation stage who participated in the study were undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students pursuing bachelors and masters in occupational therapy and the adults in the generativity versus stagnation stage were working women, therapists, and clerks at a tertiary care municipal corporation hospital.
The MAAS is a unidimensional, 15-item instrument, rated on a 6-point Likert scale (almost always to almost never). Higher scores indicate increased mindfulness, related to the level of awareness and attention to present events.
PSS is a 14-item instrument rated on a 4-point Likert scale (almost never to always), which evaluates the perception of stressful events. An example item is, “in the last month, how often have you felt nervous and stressed?” We added the scores of all questions to calculate total scores, inversely calculating items with positive connotation against the stress (0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1, and 4 = 0). The PSS has adequate internal consistency (α = 0.82).
The Ryff's PSW scale of measurement is a psychometric inventory consisting of 42 items in which respondent's rate statements on a scale of 1–6, where 1 indicates strong disagreement and 6 indicates strong agreement. The Ryff Scale is based on six factors, specifically, PSW autonomy (PSWa), PSW environmental mastery (PSWe), PSW personal growth (PSWpg), PSW positive relations with others (PSWpr), PSW purpose in life (PSWpr), and PSW self-acceptance (PSWs). Higher total scores indicate higher PSW.
Data analysis was done using windows-based R Programming created by Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman at University of Aukland, New Zealand and developed by R Development Core team. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the participant's age were calculated. A mean and SD of the PSS scores, MAAS, and Ryff's PSW scale for the two groups were calculated. A Pearson's correlation test was used to determine the correlation between perceived stress and the psychological factors (mindfulness and the six factors of PSW) in the two groups. A Wilcoxon rank test was used to evaluate the relation between stress and age. Stress levels of two independent age groups, i.e., 19–40 years (isolation vs. intimacy stage) and 40–65 years (generativity vs. stagnation stage) were tested using Mann–Whitney U-test to evaluate the variation in stress level between the two groups. The level of significance set at the outset of the study was P < 0.05, and 95% confidence interval (CI) values were computed.
| Results|| |
Of the adults who participated in the study and who belonged to isolation versus intimacy stage of Erick Erickson's stage of development (n = 30), 3 (10%) were males and 27 (90%) females with a mean age of 25.73 years and a SD of 6.522. The generativiy versus stagnaton stage (n = 30) consisted of 5 (16.66%) males and 25 (83.34%) females with a mean age of 47.89 years and SD of 4.482 [Table 1].
Associations between Mindfulness, Stress, and Psychological Well-being
As per [Table 2], the results display a strong correlation between stress (PSS) and mindfulness (MAAS) (P = 0.001, 95% CI: 4.723–3.543). Also, PSWpg (P = 0.002, 95% CI: 34.858–31.142), PSWpr (P = 0.034, 95% CI: 32.610–27.590), PSWp (P = 0.041, 95% CI: 33.574–29.826), and PSWs (P = 0.002, 95% CI: 32.455–28.065) were correlated with stress. The test concluded a strong correlation between the psychological factors and stress. On the other hand, PSWa and PSWe were not found to be significant with stress in this group.
|Table 2: Correlation of Stress with Psychological Factors (the Six Dimensions of Psychological Well-being and Mindfulness) in Isolation versus Intimacy Stage|
Click here to view
When perceived stress and psychological factors were compared in the generativity versus stagnation stage, the results displayed a strong correlation between stress and MAAS (P = 0.000, 95% CI: 4.382–3.602). Also, PSWa (P = 0.000, 95% CI: 29.486–27.252), PSWe (P = 0.000, 95% CI: 29.482–28.058), PSWpg (P = 0.000, 95% CI: 28.454–26.856), PSWpr (P = 0.002, 95% CI: 28.918–27.358), and PSWs (P = 0.000, 95% CI: 32.082–29.504) were correlated with stress. The test concluded a strong correlation between the psychological factors and stress. On the other hand, PSWp was not found to be significant with stress in this group [Table 3].
|Table 3: The Correlation between Stress and Psychological Factors (The Six Dimensions of Psychological Well-Being and Mindfulness) in Generativity versus Stagnation Stage|
Click here to view
| Discussion|| |
This study aimed at comparing the relationship between perceived stress and psychological factors (six dimensions of PSW and mindfulness) in Erick Erickson's two adult developmental stages, i.e., intimacy versus isolation and generativity versus stagnation stages.
Perceived stress is the feeling or thoughts that an individual has about how much stress they are under at a given point in time or over a given time period. Mindfulness is the quality or state of being conscious or aware. Isolation versus intimacy stage (19–40 years) is one of Erick Erickson's adult developmental stage wherein people strive to develop close, committed relationships with others and also to maintain good emotional and physical health. On the other hand, in the generativity versus stagnation stage (40–65 years), adults strive to create or nurture things that will outlast them; often by parenting children or contributing to positive changes that benefit other people.
When focused on perceived stress and mindfulness in the two adult developmental stages, the results showed that perceived stress had a negative effect on mindfulness in both the groups. The majority of population in the isolation versus intimacy stage comprised of students and young professionals, which might be the reason for increased perceived stress. Students have to undergo various challenges in academics; worrying about future goals and building strong relationships with others. A cross-sectional study conducted on medical students in Saudi Arabia to determine the prevalence, sources, and predictors of high stress levels and burnout among medical students, concluded that the most common reason of stressor in students were concern about the future, defective clinical practice skills, fear of harming patients, and high parental expectations. On the other hand, majority of adults in the generativity versus isolation stage were working females. Work is known to add stress. Furthermore, in this stage, looking after family is an added responsibility which in turn adds to stress. A study conducted in India on occupational stress at workplaces, concluded that 87% of the respondent felt stressed due to work-related issues.The correlation between perceived stress and mindfulness in these two adult developmental stages in the current study can be supported by the study conducted on Chinese adults (18–66 years) that associated dispositional mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and perceived stress and concluded that mindfulness was negatively associated with perceived stress.
When focused on relationship between perceived stress and the six factors of PSW in the intimacy versus isolation stage (19–40 years), the results showed a significant correlation between perceived stress on positive relations in life, personal growth, purpose in life, and self-acceptance while there was no significant correlation with autonomy and environmental mastery. As mentioned earlier, majority of adults in this group consisted of students. During this phase, individuals seek to form strong relations with others which can be long lasting. Hence an individual looks for positive relations with others, developing and executing new skills that are required to excel in academics and at work resulting in personal growth. Inability to maintain positive relations and develop skills may lead to increased perceived stress or vice-a-versa. An individual in this phase is prone to think about future goals and might be looking for a purpose in life related to work, academics, or career, which influences the levels of perceived stress. Thus, people who can set goals for their future and work toward them might experience less levels of perceived stress.
A study conducted by Brough states that college students may be at greater risk for stress and consequentially, at risk for decreased mental and physical health. Stress is not only the most frequently cited barrier to academic performance but it has also been shown to be associated with depression, eating disorders and obesity in student populations.,,,,,
On the other hand, when perceived stress and the six factors of PSW were compared in the generativity versus stagnation stage (40–65 years), there was a significant co-relation between perceived stress and positive relations in life, personal growth, and self-acceptance, autonomy, and environmental mastery. There was no significant correlation between perceived stress and purpose in life. The mean age in this group was found to be around 47 years and majority of adults comprised of working females. In this stage people experience a need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often having mentees or creating positive changes that will benefit other people. They want to give back to society through raising children, being productive at work, and becoming involved in community activities and organizations. The majority of participants of the current study comprised of adults who were working and married females. They might need to maintain a good relationship with their children or with colleagues at workplace to maintain positive relations. Failure to do so leads to increased levels of perceived stress. Also, as a parent, colleague, or employee, one needs to have a sense of mastery and competence in managing the environment, control complex array of external activities, and make effective use of surrounding opportunities to give oneself a sense of control over the environment. Perceived stress thus increases when one is unable to effectively control the environment. Work and family care offers an opportunity for personal growth in this stage. Individuals gain growth through promotions, nurturing their children and going a step beyond their capacities. Lack of personal growth leads to higher perceived stress.
A study conducted by Vemuri stated that the conflict of women will be all the more intense if her employer, as well as her family members held unreasonable expectations from her. Women's involvement in multiple role had a deleterious effect on their mental as well as their physical health. Due to this, a woman is constantly under stress either at home or at workplace.
A small sample size and uneven distribution of gender are the limitations of the study.
The results can be used to develop specific intervention programs in the two adult developmental stages.
| Conclusions|| |
The study highlights the dynamics involving the association between psychological factors (mindfulness and six actors of PSW) and perceived stress across two developmental stages in adults. It can be thus concluded that psychological factors (mindfulness and six factors of PSW) and stress are inversely correlated to each other in the two adult stages of isolation versus intimacy and generativity versus stagnation. In the isolation versus intimacy stage, the PSW factors of environmental mastery and autonomy have no significant correlation with stress. In generativity versus stagnation stage, the PSW factors of purpose in life have no significant correlation with stress. Since mindfulness and stress were inversely correlated; we can thus conclude that practicing mindfulness will help respond to stress better.
We sincerely thank Dr. Mrs. Mondkar, Dean LTMMC and LTMGH for granting permission to conduct this study. We would like to express sincere gratitude to Dr. Rashmi Yeradkar, Associate Professor and Incharge for her kind support and allowing us to conduct the study.
Financial Support and Sponsorship
Conflicts of Interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
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[Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3]

domain: psychology


Efficient Buildings in China: Tough Policies Target Major Gains
With China’s national energy use recently surpassing that of the United States and rising rapidly, energy efficiency in that country has become a high priority.1 Recent efforts by the Chinese government have sought to reduce energy consumption, with an emphasis on improving the efficiency of buildings. China’s National Development and Reform Committee (NDRC) has identified three priorities for buildings:2
Energy conservation in new buildings
Energy retrofits of existing buildings
On-site renewable energy
Conservation efforts in China have traditionally focused on reducing energy intensity: total energy consumed divided by the national economic output (GDP). Despite decades of economic growth, energy intensity in China declined between 1970 and 2000. But as economic growth accelerates, the trend has reversed, and energy intensity has begun to grow, averaging 3.8% between 2002 and 2005. To bring energy intensity back down, the Chinese government has established a suite of policies, many affecting the energy efficiency of buildings. The 11th Five-Year Plan3 calls for a reduction of 1,709 million tons of coal equivalent (Mtce) in energy use, of which 563 Mtce is to be achieved through policies and programs at the national level. About 20% of this reduction is sought in buildings, where efforts concentrate on building envelopes, lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Buildings are a logical place to start when it comes to curbing energy growth. With an estimated two billion square meters (21 billion square feet) of new buildings being constructed per year, buildings are already a major contributor to China’s overall energy use (28% today compared to only 10% 30 years ago).4 As buildings continue to go up and the standard of living increases, this sector will be even more important in coming decades.
China has implemented a broad portfolio of policies that will change building energy use, including mandatory codes for new construction, voluntary labeling systems, and new metering requirements. A recent report by the China Energy Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) summarizes building-related and other energy efficiency policies in China.5
Noteworthy features of Chinese policy on buildings include:
Development and Enforcement of Building Codes – With a target of improving efficiency in new buildings (both residential and non-residential) by 50% compared to older buildings, China has established a set of technical specifications about the quality of construction materials and building equipment, mandating increases in market share for new wall, roof and insulation materials. For commercial buildings, indoor air temperature is limited to 20o C (68o F) in winter and 26o C (79o F) in summer.6 In some provinces and cities, the codes are even more aggressive, expecting an efficiency improvement of 65% compared to older buildings. While the relative improvements are large, recent comparisons of heat transfer through walls and windows find that buildings currently at code in Beijing lose heat three to five times faster than code-compliant buildings in Canada or Japan.7
As others have experienced, China has had problems in the past with low compliance levels. However, recently released data suggests that compliance with code is now above 90%, possibly attributable to a strict policy that strips contractor of their license if a project is found to be in violation of code. The effectiveness of building codes in reducing energy use is further complicated by behavioral effects: building occupants today expect more space conditioning, lighting, and other services compared to a decade ago, so that even a building at code can use more energy than less efficient predecessors.
Three Star Building Labeling System – Similar to leading rating systems such as BREEAM and LEED, the Chinese government-sponsored building labeling system (colloquially referred to as Three Star), addresses the energy use and overall environmental impact of a building. Three Star differs in an important way, however, in that it extends beyond the building design to measure performance and award efficiency labels only after a year of operation. This requirement narrows the gap between expected and actual performance, a problem attracting increasing attention all over the world.
Heating Metering and Reform – In the northern, colder region of China, space heating accounts for a significant fraction of energy used in buildings. Historically, large semi-private companies have provided hot water to buildings from district coal-fired boilers. Building owners passed on the costs to tenants, dividing the total according to occupied floor space, not actual energy use. However, recent legislation has called for metering of hot water usage by individual tenants, providing a financial incentive to reduce consumption. The rollout of meters comes in conjunction with new pricing structures that charge tenants for the energy they actually consume.
Retrofits – With a growing stock of inefficient buildings, China has identified vast potential through the retrofit of existing floor space. The goal for these projects is to bring existing buildings to the level of code-compliant new buildings, often involving energy reductions of 50%. In the last year, the government has set aggressive targets for energy retrofits, providing education, technical resources and financial incentives for two main categories of retrofits:
Government-owned and large commercial facilities – With a goal to achieve 11 Mtce of energy savings, the government is implementing energy management tools and practices at the largest sites.
Residential buildings in the northern region – As part of the heat metering project, residential buildings can receive government funding for retrofits that improve the efficiency of the envelope and equipment.
Through aggressive policies, China is setting the stage for substantial and lasting efficiency improvements in its building stock.
Low-Carbon Cities in China: Case Studies Explore the Role of Building Efficiency >>
Energy Retrofits in China: Research Points the Way Forward >>
China's 12th 5-year Plan: Opportunities and Momentum for Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings >>
1“Efficient Building Advocates, Meet China,” The Institute for Building Efficiency [http://www.institutebe.com/energy-policy/efficiency-building-advocates-meet-china.aspx]
2National Development and Reform Committee (NDRC) 2004. Medium and Long Term Energy Conservation Plan, Beijing 2004.
3“The 11th Five-Year Plan,” Government of China [http://www.gov.cn/english/special/115y_index.htm]
4Tsinghua University Study 2009. Mitigation Actions in China: Measurement, Reporting and Verification.
5All statistics referenced in this paper are derived from the LBNL report, with contextual information from Chinese government sources.
6State Council 2008. Building Energy Conservation Regulations. Beijing
7LBNL Report, referencing Jing Zhao, Neng Zhu, Yong Wu, 2009. “Technology Line and Case Analysis of Heat Metering and Energy Efficiency Retrofit of Existing Residential Buildings in Northern Heating Areas of China,” Energy Policy 37: 2106–2112


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"Look at yourself in a mirror all your life and you'll see death at work, like bees in a hive of glass." - Heurtebise
In our waking world mirrors merely cast a reflection, a true-to-life representation of reality, only marginally skewed by a reversal of position. In our waking world mirrors are fairly benign, but in dreams… they become something else entirely. Swirling portals into the unknown, mirrors become gateways into the abstract, into hazy sweet spots of imagination and wonder, into the darkest recesses of our hopes and desires, into parallel worlds and alternate possibilities, into the dry lands of death itself. Acclaimed artist and filmmaker, Jean Cocteau, knows a thing or two about mirrors. A common visual motif of cinematic magic and trickery in his works, the artist frequently uses the objects as a means to leave our world behind. This is perhaps no better evident than in his 1950 masterpiece, 'Orpheus.' A loose retelling of the classic myth, the film becomes a dreamy rumination on love, life, death, and the heavy consequences that result in their momentary mingling.
Inspired by the Greek myth, the story follows a poet, Orphée (Jean Marais), who becomes obsessed with a princess (María Casares) who is actually the physical personification of death itself. So enthralled by her mystique, he begins to neglect everything else, including his loving wife, Eurydice (Marie Déa). When death falls in love with the smitten poet, Eurydice becomes the victim of her jealousy. With the help of the princess's ghostly chauffeur, Heurtebise (François Périer), Orphée must leave the land of the living behind and ultimately decide between his faithful wife and the powerful allure of death.
The narrative is full of rich thematic material that questions the nature of love and the pitfalls of obsession. Blending a variety of genres, the plot starts off firmly planted in reality but slowly descends into the supernatural, using the wonder and mystery of its images and story to enhance the metaphoric subtext of its themes. Orphée's fascination with death and her world forms a larger commentary on artists' own selfish absorption in their work, and the character's struggle between his newfound desires and his loyalty to his wife creates one of the central dramatic dilemmas of the picture. We never see the married pair's love in its prime, and indeed when we first meet the couple they are already well into the habitual domesticity of bourgeois life. While some of Orphée's behavior toward Eurydice does seem rather callous, there are still moments peppered throughout that show that he still cares for her, even if his passions are now ignited elsewhere. Their relationship with each other is a paramount aspect of the film, but it's their interactions with several visitors from beyond that end up fueling the narrative's conflict and fantasy.
Death and Heurtebise act as the mystical counterpoints to the poet and his wife, and their own struggles are just as important and beautifully realized. As death, María Casares presents a commanding presence of icy power, but there is a softer vulnerability just beneath the surface. In Cocteau's world, the land of the dead is indeed full of magic and mystery, but for all its ethereal majesty, it is also depicted as an endless bureaucracy of infinite tribunals and faceless orders. It is this world that the princess is a product of, and it is no surprise that her periodic trips to Earth end up fostering a desire for more. Eventually death is actually placed on trial, and her crime... is love. Though not of the living, her interactions in our world have left a deep impression, and through her character and Heurtebise, Cocteau examines what it means to be human. Heurtebise, in particular, becomes the heart of the film, even more so than Orphée. François Périer is masterful in the role, bringing a sad-eyed loneliness and longing to the deceased chauffeur. Like death, he too falls in love, and his sweet confession of unrealized passion is heartbreaking to watch. The character is the most well rounded and likeable figure in the story, and a particular shot of him slowly retreating backwards, eyes heavy with melancholy, is among the most powerful, understated, and beautifully effective images in the entire film.
Cocteau brings his usual bag of tricks to the proceedings and injects 'Orpheus' with a visual treasure trove of fantastical imagery. Trick photography and many in-camera practical effects are utilized throughout, giving the illusions an air of reality and truth. Though what you see onscreen may not be possible in our everyday life, it was all captured by the lens exactly as it appears, and as we all know, the camera does not lie. Reverse motion is employed frequently, making impossible movements a reality while adding an otherworldly quality to characters' motions. The mirror effects themselves provide the film with some of its most famous imagery, and through duplicated sets and swirling pools of mercury, Cocteau is able to give cinematic form to dreams. Costumes, props, and set design are also used to their fullest, as shifting dresses add emotional subtext, various rituals and tools become keys into the unknown, and real locations are transformed into unearthly ruins of the mind.
One of the most striking and memorable sequences, involves Orphée and Heurtebise's initial voyage into death's realm, a war torn expanse of man's lost memories and potential, christened "The Zone." The scene is among the most awe-inspiring instances of fantasy ever put to screen and features a brilliant use of in-camera ingenuity. In the background of the frame, Orphée struggles to make his way through a wasteland of rubble and promise, all added to the sequence through rear projection. In the foreground, Heurtebise appears to effortlessly glide through the same environment as an eerie wind flows by, though in actuality the actor is standing motionless on a separate set positioned in front of a screen. By literally splitting the characters into two distinct fields of existence, Cocteau is able to experiment with different effects within one shot, while still ultimately fusing them together into the same screen space. It's a masterful and absolutely enchanting sequence, that while impressive from a technical perspective, ends up igniting the imagination like only the best images can.
Love is for the living, it would seem, and 'Orpheus' shows us why. A mesmerizing examination of sacrifice and passion, Cocteau's masterpiece is a visual delight. The film's images transcend mere celluloid and become snapshots of pure imagination. Life and death are not meant to mingle and through one couple's brief dalliance with the supernatural we end up with a bittersweet tragedy of loss and rebirth. This is a timeless work of poetic art that represents cinema at its finest.
The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats
Criterion presents 'Orpheus' in their standard clear case with spine number 68. Originally available on DVD as part of a boxset with other thematically related Cocteau works, 'The Blood of a Poet,' and 'Testament of Orpheus,' Criterion has disappointingly decided to only bring this chapter to Blu-ray. The BD-50 region A disc comes packaged with a booklet featuring an essay by author Mark Polizzotti, an essay by film scholar James S. Williams on La villa Santo-Sospir, and an excerpt about the film written by Cocteau himself.
The movie is provided with a black and white 1080p/AVC transfer in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The video is very nice giving the film's many beautiful images and sequences a respectful and pleasing appearance.
The source is relatively clean but there are some very minor signs of damage, including an odd speck here and there or a faint vertical line. A light layer of grain is also visible throughout giving the picture a nice, natural, film-like look. The movie does have a comparatively soft appearance, seemingly inherent to the source and dreamy photographic intentions, but the image still shows off some strong levels of fine detail in many sequences. The opening of the film actually appears the sharpest, but there are still other instances of solid depth and clarity. Black levels do fluctuate a little, appearing a hair elevated in isolated shots, but for the most part offer a deep appearance. Contrast is fairly consistent, and presents a natural looking image.
While the detail levels aren't exactly impressive, the movie's video transfer accurately and respectfully presents the intentions of the filmmaker well. All of Cocteau's marvelous, fantastical imagery and cinematic tricks are on display in full force, and the various trips into "The Zone" look simply wonderful.
The movie is presented with a French LPCM mono track with optional English subtitles. Like the visuals, Cocteau has created wonderful, dreamy sound design elements. While technically proficient, the mix can't help but show its age.
Dialogue is solid, coming through clean and easy to understand, but there is a thin quality to the speech that is common for many mono films of this time period. Any true sense of directionality or separation is of course absent, but the single channel of audio does present some strong sound design choices. Various effects help to bolster the magical imagery with equally supernatural sounds, including frequent tuning fork reverberations that mark the many trips through mirrors. Dynamic range is fairly flat and bass is essentially absent, but that is to be expected for a mix from this era. Balance between the elements is done well.
The audio mix is a bit thin and lacking in fidelity, but that is an unavoidable reality of its age. Thankfully, there are no major signs of hiss, crackle, or other technical anomalies, and this is a nice, respectful, but not impressive presentation of the material.
Criterion has put together a very nice assortment of supplements, including a feature-length documentary, some vintage interviews, and a commentary. All of the special features are presented in upscaled 1080i with French Dolby Digital mono audio and optional English subtitles, unless noted otherwise.
'Orpheus' is a beautiful reflection on love and death as filtered through the limitless prism of fantasy. Cocteau employs all of his trademark visual tricks to create long lasting images that are bolstered by memorable characters and deep themes. The video quality is very nice and while it shows its age, the audio is respectable. Supplements are plentiful and interesting, offering great insights into the director. This is a great disc for a fantastic piece of classic cinema that comes highly recommended.

domain: artistic


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Flower Dog CollarRegular price$65.00 Sale price
Pickup currently unavailable
Style your dog with this collar.
A profusion of anemones and lilac flowers on white crocodile faux leather with a silver diamante buckle.
This style can be custom made in flowers of your choice.
May vary SLIGHTLY due to availability.
Matching lead available HERE


This album, the band's third release "Farlig Vandring", is just like that. This stuff is extremely complex, very progressive and avoids the "repeating ourselves" trap (something that many other bands have failed) with elegance; It's very fresh sounding and original with other words, and the melodies are excellent.
2000: Passer Gullfisk (Panzerpappa). 2002: Hulemysteriet (Panzerpappa). 2004: Farlig Vandring (Avant Audio Productions). 2006: Koralrevens Klagesang (Schmell Records). 2012: Astromalist (Rune Grammofon).
Panzerpappa Panzerpappa is the definitive Norwegian instrumental Avant/Progressive Rock/RIO group. Their inventive and playful sound ("Progressive Rock with a friendly face") is at once reminiscent of inspirational precursors such as Samla Mammas Manna, King Crimson, Henry Cow, Univers Zero and Frank Zappa, while at the same time sounding unmistakably like. Panzerpappa! Summarisk Suite, released 03 May 2019 1. Algerisk Symfo 2. Belgerisk Impro 3. Spartansk Mambo No. 5 4. Permutert Panzerrock 5. Revidert Malist 6. Seriell Ballade This album was not planned
This album has an average beat per minute of BPM (slowest/fastest tempos:, BPM). Tracklist Farlig vandring. 1. Farlig vandring (På tynt vann).
Listen to Farlig Vandring online and get recommendations on similar music. Album descriptions on Last.
Panzerpappa – Farlig Vandring. Label: Avant Audio Productions – aap 001. Format: CD, Album. Recorded By, Engineer, Mixed By, Producer – Panzerpappa. Matrix, Runout: 51026339/04-05N 01. Mastering SID Code: IFPI LB 45. Mould SID Code: IFPI 0740.
Farlig Vandring (Pa Tynt Vann) - Hazardous Hiking (On Thin Water). Ellipsoidisk Karusell - Ellipsoidic Merry-Go-Round. Utrygge Trofler - Troubling Truffles. Panzerpappa - Farlig - Farlig Vandring - Covers/Panzerpappa - Farlig Vandring - disk. Panzerpappa - Farlig - Farlig Vandring - Covers/Panzerpappa - Farlig Vandring . pg - . 9. Panzerpappa - Farlig - Farlig Vandring - Covers/Panzerpappa - Farlig Vandring front. 3. Panzerpappa - Farlig - Farlig Vandring - Covers/Panzerpappa - Farlig Vandring back.
Request an album send to friend. Farlig Vandring (2004). Panzerpappa - Farlig Vandring. Quality: 192-320 Kbits/sec. Bitrate (quality): 192256320. mp3. Farlig Vandring (Pa Tynt Vann) - Hazardous Hiking (On Thin Water). 2. Ellipsoidisk Karusell - Ellipsoidic Merry - Go - Round.
The tale of Panzerpappa begins in the summer of 1996, when Trond Gjellum started to record some simple demos on his own. Seeing that Trond Gjellum is a pretty . .ull name to use as an artist, he decides to take the name Panzerpappa, a name deprived of any meaning. The songs are based in the progressive rock sound of Samla Mammas Manna and Univers Zero, and he wants to start a band to perform his music. 2003-2004: FARLIG VANDRING The band makes a lot of new music and play lot of concerts. 2005-2006: KORALREVENS KLAGESANG During 2004/2005, they rehearse and write a lot of new music.
|1||Farlig Vandring (Pӑ Tynt Vann) - Hazardous Hiking (On Thin Water)||8:33|
|2||Ellipsoidisk Karusell - Ellipsoidic Merry-Go-Round||10:41|
|3||Utrygge Trøfler - Troubling Truffles||7:05|
|5||Sykkelgnomflåtten - The Bicycle Gnome Bug||6:55|
|6||Ompapaomompapa - Uhmpahpahuhmuhmpahpah||9:42|
- Phonographic Copyright (p) – Avant Audio Productions
- Copyright (c) – Avant Audio Productions
- Recorded At – Spendless Studio
- Mixed At – Spendless Studio
- Mastered At – Lydmuren
- Made By – Sonopress – 51026339
- Electric Bass [4 & 5-string, Fretless], Chapman Stick [10-String] – Anders K. Krabberød*
- Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Guitar [Semi-acoustic] – Jarle Storløkken*
- Keyboards, Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Steinar Børve
- Percussion [Acoustic & Electric], Sampler, Drum [Kit], Instruments [Tronofon] – Trond Gjellum
- Recorded By, Engineer, Mixed By, Producer – Panzerpappa
- Vibraphone – Ola Lindh (tracks: 3, 4)
- Violin – Ida Cecilie Tingstein (tracks: 2), Ingrid Berg (tracks: 2)
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Matrix / Runout: [Sonopress logo] 51026339/04-05N 01
- Mastering SID Code: IFPI LB 45
- Mould SID Code: IFPI 0740
- Rights Society: n©b


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The Greenwich Department of Health Dental Health Division will celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month by holding two free after school program sessions at the Greenwich Boys and Girls Club on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 3:30pm and again at 4:00 PM, titled: “The Whole Tooth and Nothing But The Tooth.”
A puppet show and special guest appearance by Mr. Marshmallow Tooth will be a few of the fun and educational elements of this presentation, which will emphasize nutrition and how to make healthy lifestyle choices.
Children will also learn proper flossing and brushing techniques. In addition, healthy snacks and apples donated by Stop and Shop in Greenwich will be available. All children ages 6 through 11 are welcome to attend this free event.
Throughout the year, Greenwich public health dental hygienists, Linda Conti and Jeannie Schnakenberg help over 6,000 students across the Greenwich community to improve their oral health through classroom based dental education, screenings and weekly fluoride rinses. They highlight that having healthy teeth means brushing teeth twice daily, flossing every day, eating nutritious foods, limiting snacks and visiting their dentists regularly. Referrals for dental work are sent home when necessary and the public health hygienists assist with finding a dentist for families, when needed.
Dental Hygienist, Linda Conti summarizes this valuable service to the children in our community: “Developing good habits at an early age and receiving regular screening helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.”

domain: news


On Saturday, Aug. 20, the UFC will host UFC 202: Diaz vs. McGregor 2 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
In the night’s main event, former lightweight title challenger Nate Diaz rematches current featherweight champion Conor McGregor in a welterweight contest. The pair met earlier this year at UFC 196, with Diaz submitting the Irishman by second-round rear-naked choke. The 31-year-old Diaz took the fight on less than two weeks’ notice after then-champion Rafael dos Anjos was forced out due to injury. The loss for McGregor marked his first defeat inside the Octagon and snapped a 15-fight winning streak that dated back five years.
Also on the card, a pair of former light heavyweight title challengers lock horns as Anthony “Rumble” Johnson takes on Brazilian Glover Teixeira.
The 12-fight event kicks off Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET with three fights streaming on UFC Fight Pass. Four additional preliminary card bouts follow at 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, with the five-fight main card airing live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET.
The fighters will hit the scales at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. A live video feed appears above (courtesy of the UFC), while the results appear below.
Pay-Per-View Main Card
Nate Diaz (170.5) vs. Conor McGregor (168)
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (205.5) vs. Glover Teixeira (205.5)
Rick Story (171) vs. Donald Cerrone (170)
Hyun Gyu Lim (171) vs. Mike Perry (169)
Tim Means (171) vs. Sabah Homasi (170.5)
Fox Sports 1 Preliminary Card
Cody Garbrandt (136) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (136)
Raquel Pennington (135.5) vs. Elizabeth Phillips (134)
Artem Lobov (144.5) vs. Chris Avila (146)
Randa Markos (116) vs. Cortney Casey (116)
UFC Fight Pass Preliminary Card
Neil Magny (171) vs. Lorenz Larkin (170.75)
Colby Covington (171) vs. Max Griffin (170.5)
Alberto Uda (185.5) vs. Marvin Vettori (185.5)
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Pending home sales are starting to turn brisker but this is expected over the summer. The real question will come from the sustainability of this trend. Yet a good amount of this bounce is coming because of low inventory and banks still figuring out how they will dispose of troubled properties. “(CBS) WASHINGTON – Americans […]
Pending home sales dipped in February according to data released by the National Association of Realtors. The duality of the recovery is exposing a stock market with what appears to be healthy returns but underlying it all is a weak housing market. Housing is a bigger component of wealth for Americans so seeing home sales […]
Top 10 states with biggest renter occupied housing. Does having a low owner occupied housing rate create a state housing bubble? Renting is the solution, not the problem with the current housing crisis. Rents have fallen for Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Many articles are now finally highlighting the financial benefits of renting or leasing a home. There is no national association with deep budgets that promotes renting so there is little advertising dollars that go into this market. But in many cases, renting is a solid and financially wise decision. Given this current housing market debacle […]

domain: finance


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Thank you to everyone for making the 2013 event a fantastic success. Here are some pictures of a wonderful weekend:
June 8th-9th in Nottingham, at Waterstones just off Market Square.
Two days of fun: readings by authors, Q&A sessions, dancing, drinking, eating, publishing questions. Get ready for a kick-ass weekend.


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Waves Platform , a public blockchain network that has aided many crypto startups create tokens recently announced it has raised the US $120 million in a funding round to roll out a private version of Vostok for governments and corporations.
According to a Bloomberg report, many private investors were involved in the fundraising round that was led by a London-based financial services group Dolfin. The firm’s own digital currency known as ‘Waves’ reacted very positively to the news and surged almost fifty percent post the announcement.
The waves currently have a market capitalization of over US $439 million and it is trading at $4.40 as per the data obtained from CoinMarketCap.
Sasha Ivanov, a Russian engineer founded the Waves platform in Switzerland. However, it has benefited from a recent blast of ICOs that allowed companies to create and sell tokens through its DLT (distributed-ledger technology), which is an easy-to-use and fast blockchain.
From the founder’s Desk
According to the founder of Waves platform, there is a requirement in the crypto market for decentralized networks like Vostok and this will continue to be the same. He further added that the digital currency rush is over now and as the idea of utilizing a decentralized network to store the data and cut costs is still considered.
Ivanov also said that private blockchains are filling the gap that is left by public blockchains while they can provide better protection of information. Vostok mainly targets the markets in Europe, Asia, and the former USSR. And the initial projects on the platform are expected to roll out in early 2019.
However, this announcement came in just two months after the platform reached a milestone when nearly 6.1 million real-time transactions were processed in a stress-trial without delays and disruptions in the network.
In addition to this, no slowdowns were encountered by users while creating the token, decentralized exchange orders or transfers. And at peak times, the Waves platform was able to process hundreds of transactions per second.
Ivanov further said that the Waves platform beat many prominent blockchain networks regarding the speed of processing transactions. And the positive developments on the platform which led to its token value to rise in value and also to enter in the top 20 list based on the Market cap.
The surge in the value also includes the launch of a smart contract functionality in the early September. And earlier in December, Waves also launched a wallet add-on for Firefox.
The platform is planning to conduct a second funding round next year. Also, the blockchain platform, which has a decentralized exchange of its own with almost 69 tradable coins that are already listed on the platform. It also plans to introduce trading on its Maltese virtual financial assets exchange in the coming year.


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Exquisite KicStart™ Nutrition in Exciting Flavours!
Described as the only VLCD program to meet the EAR (estimated average requirement) of all nutrients for both men and women*, KicStart™ has a proud tradition of formulations that provide incomparable and comprehensive nutritional value.
These VLCD products provide the same level of nutritional completeness you have come to rely on from a KicStart™ shake (all the essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes) but with an additional boost of protein (up to 30% more per sachet) for protecting lean muscle mass and prolonged satisfaction of hunger.
The delicious milkshake flavour sensations available are:-
Chocolate Deluxe - a decadent velvety textured shake, full of nutrients and bound to satisfy any chocaholic!
Vanilla Bean - a creamy, silky-smooth shake that is perfect on its own or use it as the ideal base for experimenting with exotic taste sensations such as blitzing with a blast of frozen berries into a delicious low calorie fruit smoothie!
Strawberry Sundae - combines the taste of wild strawberries and whipped cream in a delicious yet nourishing milkshake!
Tropical Banana - enjoy the delicate aromatic sweetness of bananas in this luscious shake. A must for a nutritious breakfast!
Cafe Latte - the smooth coffee flavour of this shake is a great nutritious way to jump start both your morning and your weight loss.
Caramel Fudge - a creamy butterscotch toffee flavoured shake that is truly delicious!
Our range of soups include:-
Pumpkin & Herb - a tasty and hearty soup that is terrifically filling all on its own, or is a great base to which can be added Free Food vegetables or fresh herbs to satisfy any taste preference!
Creamy Chicken - a creamy and delicious winter favourite. Enjoy on its own or add some Free Food vegetables to really spice things up !
Tomato & Roast Capsicum - a hearty tomato soup base with a smoky hint of raost capsicum. Delicious as is or use it as a sauce base with Free Food vegetables.
* Nutrition & Dietetics MARCH 2009; Vol 66:12-19.
More about KicStart VLCD
About KicStart VLCD
General Weight Loss
Tips for personalising the KicStart™ flavours
Try using a commercially available sweetener such as Stevia, Nutrasweet®, Extra®, Splenda® etc ...
Try adding ½ teaspoon of instant coffee as you are preparing it.
Make the shakes very cold.
Adding Additional Flavours
Add a portion of essence when shaking (eg. vanilla, almond, hazelnut, butterscotch, cherry brandy, rum, cinnamon).
Use an electric blender and add some of the berries (either fresh or frozen) from the free food list, to make a fruit smoothie.
Blend with some ice cubes or add some cubes of ice while shaking then pour the shake into a large drinking glass before drinking to make the drink icy cold.
Freezing a prepared shake makes a refreshing “gelato” or you can blend a cup of ice cubes with the KicStart™ powder and 100ml of water to make a “slushie”
Do you have any special tips that you have found for personalising your KicStart™?
We would love to hear them!
Send us an email with your recipe suggestions.

domain: food


Feb 7, 2011, 4:45 PM EDT
It’s not a surprise, really more of a formality, but it’s still one nice piece of stability in the otherwise tumultuous world of the NBA.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has signed a one-year extension to continue coaching the Jazz, according to Scott Howard-Cooper at NBA.com.
“I’ve already signed a contract for next year,” he said after shootaround at Arco Arena in preparation for tonight’s game against the Kings. “That’s been since, maybe, around the first of the year. I don’t remember what the date was on it. I never pay any attention to it. They offered it to me and I signed it.”
“I didn’t need an announcement,” Sloan said. “Hell, it’s not a big deal to me. And I don’t know what it does. Either one of us can go the opposite direction. I’ve been around long enough and they’ve been around long enough to know if they want to get rid of me, that’s all they have to do.”
Sloan took over as coach of the Jazz in the middle of the 1988 season and has been on the bench ever since. He now has 1,220 career wins, third most on the all-time list.
Sloan will stay on the Jazz sideline as long as he wants. The Miller family that owns the Jazz are loyal and Sloan has earned that trust 100 times over.
- Kendrick Perkins says you’re blowing the LeBron James/Kevin Love thing way out of proportion 0
- Mark Cuban rips officials, NBA: ‘It’s criminal’ how Monta Ellis doesn’t get calls 21
- Shaquille O’Neal says he regrets leaving Magic for Lakers 41
- Cavaliers coach David Blatt: ‘LeBron James is our MVP’ 22
- No Durant, what does that mean for Thunder in these playoffs? Trouble. 15
- Kevin Durant to have third foot surgery; is done for season, playoffs 39
- Goran Dragic leading feisty Heat’s playoff push 29
- NBA Draft prospect matchups to watch in NCAA Tourament this weekend 2


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USA Today has reported that Ukrainian UFO aficionados want to build a memorial to “fallen aliens” who have died during their alleged Earthly encounters.
These “ufologists” are currently ollecting money and hope to erect their extraterrestrial monument in the historic northern city of Berdichev, Ukraine. The project’s organizer, Aleksandr Nalisman, told a local newspaper that aliens:
“…usually became the victims of different catastrophes (including) a jet fighter (that) collided with a UFO in 1997, in the ancient city of Kherson.”
According to his account, the Kherson UFO’s pieces — much like those allegedly involved in the ROSWELL INCIDENT — were taken by Ukrainian soldiers for examination. Nalisman alleges that the Ukrainian government succeeded in bringing down no less than six more UFOs, allowing them to “begin constructing its analogue.”
Nalisman issued his call for remembrance because “people of Earth have not paid attention to the lives of the aliens.” Perhaps it is time that we all pay homage to our fallen brethren from OUT OF THIS WORLD.


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Image Courtesy Broken Bow RecordsDustin Lynch doesn't have any kids of his own just yet, but he's an devoted uncle to his five-year-old niece and one-year-old nephew. Dustin says the two kids are "both a handful."
"They both joust for attention at the house," Dustin tells ABC News Radio. "[But] I'm really good at being an uncle. I'm really good at having fun with 'em for an hour or two and then giving 'em back."
Dustin hasn't started shopping for the kids' Christmas presents just yet, but his niece is pretty good about asking for ...read more
ABC/Image Group LA The guys in LOCASH may need to think about changing their name, since they're now officially millionaires...when it comes to radio airplay, that is.
While we can't speak to Preston Brust and Chris Lucas's bank accounts, we do know how many times their breakthrough hit, “I Love This Life,” has been played. Performing rights organization Broadcast Music Incorporated just awarded the duo its BMI Million-Air Award, certifying more than a million broadcast performances in the U.S. In fact, the song, co-written with Chris Janson, has actually surpassed the two-million mark.
LOCASH's new single, “Don't Get Better Than That,” is ...read more
ABC/Image Group LAKane Brown becomes the first country artist ever to collaborate with superstar electronic music producer and DJ Marshmello, with the pair's track “One Thing Right,” which is new today.
The “Good As You” hitmaker connected with the helmet-wearing DJ at last year's American Music Awards, where they were both winners. That led to Kane offering Marshmello “One Thing Right,” a tune he originally wrote for his chart-topping album, Experiment.
“Marshmello had reached out to say congratulations while I was at the AMAs,” Kane explains. “I sent him the song and he ended up being really passionate about it, and ...read more
ABC/Image Group LAIf you happen to be driving around Chris Young's hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee and you spot an outrageously decked-out yard, there's a good chance it might belong to his parents -- and Chris freely admits he's the culprit.
“It's my favorite holiday, I mean it just is… I love putting gigantic inflatable Christmas stuff in my parents' yard since I don't have one. It's a little bit overkill. I probably need to stop, but it's funny!” he laughs.
This season, Chris translated his love for the holiday into his new yuletide project, It Must Be Christmas. And come December 16, ...read more
Image Courtesy Republic NashvilleFlorida Georgia Line has had a jam-packed week in New York City promoting their just-released album, Anything Goes. While the duo is having a blast sharing their new music with fans, the crazy schedule can get stressful. That's why FGL's Tyler Hubbard will probably break out his yoga mat at some point this weekend to blow off some steam.
Tyler and his fiancée, Hayley, often post photographs on Instagram of their yoga practices, which is something Tyler would've never done before they got together.
He tells ABC News Radio, "If you'd have told me a couple ...read more
Image Courtesy Webster PRKenny Rogers will kick off his 33rd Christmas tour November 12 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The Christmas and Hits Through the Year tour will play 25 dates before wrapping up December 23. Linda Davis is joining Kenny for the trek.
Kenny is also featured on a new song called "That Silent Night" coming out on Jim Brickman's new holiday collection On a Winter's Night: The Songs and Spirit of Christmas. That album is available exclusively at Amazon starting October 7.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio
Mark Metcalfe/Getty ImagesEven though it's been a moment since she's had a country hit, Taylor Swift hasn't forgotten where she came from.
The pop superstar is giving $100,000 to help rebuild Sevier County, Tennessee, after the raging wildfires that devastated the area. The Academy of Country Music will match Taylor's gift, giving another $100,000 to the effort.
Kenny Chesney and the Country Music Association will also contribute $250,000 each, contributing a total of $500,000.
A portion will go to Dolly Parton's My People Fund, with more money being raised via the Smoky Mountains Rise Telethon. That will air on Great ...read more
MCA Nashville"Hard to Forget" is the new track now available from Sam Hunt's much-anticipated sophomore album, Southside, which will finally arrive on April 3.
The Georgia native's triple-platinum debut, Montevallo, came out more than five years ago, leaving lots of fans wondering what Sam's been up to in the meantime.
The "Body Like a Back Road" hitmaker explains, "For whatever reason, after putting out a record and hitting the road, I didn't really write for the first couple of years after Montevallo came out," Sam admits. "And that was kind of a whirlwind for me in general."
"And then I finally started ...read more
Warner Music NashvilleJana Kramer says “Circles” is much more than just her new single: it's actually kind of the story of her life.
“[It] has become such a personal song to me...” she reveals. “The lyrics talk about piecing together a broken heart and… when I first heard the demo, that's what I wanted to find."
"The funny thing is I had just started talking to my now husband and I wondered if maybe this would end up being about him,” she says, referring to former NFL tight end Mike Caussin. “Now it's my song for ...read more
ABCTonight as season 23 of Dancing with the Stars kicks off on ABC, a country artist will once again have a shot at taking home the mirror-ball trophy, just like Kellie Pickler did back in 2013. This time, it's “I Got the Boy” hitmaker Jana Kramer who's showing off her fancy footwork. So far, she says it's been every bit as much hard work as she expected -- especially since she has a little one at home.
“Expectations and the reality… they've matched up, because I knew it was going to be tough and it is tough,” Jana tells ABC Radio. ...read more

domain: celebrity


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LAgos - Actor, John Okafor plays ‘Donjazzy’ in new Nollywood flick with a hilariously titled “Don Jazzy Again”
The poster for the comedy flick which features comic actor, John Okafor, shows the actor wearing flamboyant clothes accompanied with a walking stick like the real Don Jazzy.
The post was shared by rapper Phyno who tagged Don Jazzy in the post
The Instagram picture was captioned: ‘Don jazzy d movie @donjazzy #nollywood’
Also read:Don Jazzy acquires a gold-plated Bentley
It’s no holding back for music producer, Don Jazzy, one of Africa’s richest entertainers as he rolls in a gold-plated Bentley.
The music producer and head of Mavin Records — Don Jazzy, has shown his millions at work after posting a picture of a gold-plated Bentley on his Instagram page, with Mavin as its plate number.
Don Jazzy is behind the beat for the monster hit Dorobucci, which has officially turned to a street slang.
For the latest on national news, politics, sport, entertainment and more follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

domain: entertainment


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The fast rise and short, dramatic history of the Black Lips
Over the course of only three years, the Black Lips have endured more than most groups go through in an entire lifetime. They've been criticized as being obnoxious suburbanites, 86'd from clubs after particularly unruly shows, and they've endured the death of a bandmate — all before the group saw the release of its first CD.
"Bad things happen to us," says bassist Jared Swilley, recalling a few of the more scandalous moments during the group's legendary live performances. "We don't try to do bad things, they just happen."
The Black Lips emerged shortly after the breakup of suburban garage/punk outfit the Renegades, which featured Swilley and his Dunwoody High schoolmate, vocalist/guitarist Cole Alexander. The two reconvened with two other school friends, guitarist Ben Eberbaugh and drummer Joe Bradley. Although it was an entirely different group, the Black Lips carried on the Renegades' reputation for on-stage antics — including, among other things, fire, phalluses and a free-for-all of rock 'n' roll chaos. But that was only the tip of the iceberg. With the new group, the debauchery got pushed to entirely new levels.
Moving out of their parents' homes, Swilley, Alexander and Eberbaugh — along with a handful of other high school friends — relocated to a house near Georgia Tech they dubbed Die Slaughterhaus. Here, the group launched its own record label, Die Slaughterhaus Records, which released the group's debut vinyl single (later re-issued on Brand Name Records). The house also served as a DIY venue, not only for the Black Lips, but also for local and nationally touring punk acts. After a slew of performances and parties spiraled out of control, the house was condemned and the group relocated to East Atlanta, where it set up Die Slaughterhaus II.
The Black Lips performances evoke the spirit of Iggy Pop, Sid Vicious and G.G. Allen to some extent, though the group has no interest in being strictly a shock-rock band. However, no one in the group denies stories of certain band members urinating in their own mouths and spitting it on the crowd, or of band members dousing themselves and their instruments with lighter fluid and trying to light themselves on fire, all to riotous audience reactions. This may go over well in their own home, but taking the act to local clubs has been more tricky. The Black Lips are banned, for instance, from playing the 40 Watt in Athens, and club owners around Atlanta give an awkward pause when the group's name comes up in conversation. But there is never a lack of venues available for the group to play.
"I think we're good-bad, not evil," Swilley says. "A lot of club owners say they don't like us, but deep down, I think they do. We like to create an atmosphere of chaos at our shows. I really hate going to shows where people just stand around and don't do anything — you could do that at home with a video. If you come to see the Black Lips, we're really going to do everything we can to put on a show. And if we're going to break stuff or go nuts, we're all really careful not to damage the club's equipment. We do get into some trouble, but it's never too much trouble. I think a lot of the stories people are hearing about us are blown way out of proportion."
After a second single on the Wilmington, Del., label Electric Human Project, the Black Lips began looking for a label to release its debut full-length. On a lark, they sent a demo to famed L.A. garage/ punk label, Bomp Records, known for putting out releases by the Germs, Iggy and the Stooges, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and others. Soon, they heard from Bomp owner Greg Shaw, who quickly signed the group to a two-record deal and paid for the recording of their first full-length at Zero Return Studios.
"We sent our demo to Bomp more as a joke than anything else," says Swilley. "It's got to be my favorite label of all time. We own everything that label has ever put out, and we sent it to them just to see if we'd hear anything back. We were at a point where we thought it was a big deal to get to play shows at places like Echo Lounge, and then all of the sudden, we're on Bomp. It was great."
Just as everything seemed to be going right, things took a drastic turn for the worse. In early December of last year, the band was on the eve of releasing its Bomp debut, and three days away from going on tour. Guitarist Ben Eberbaugh was driving on Ga. 400 when a driver going the wrong way hit and killed him. In shock and grieving over the loss of their friend, the group made a hasty decision to carry out the tour as a three-piece. For the surviving members of the group, breaking up was not an option. No one in the group finds it easy to talk about Eberbaugh's death, and instead of dwelling on the tragedy, the band has made every effort to keep moving ahead.
"When Ben died, everything changed," Alexander says. "We had all come so far together and now it could all end so easily. But we decided to keep going, it's what Ben would have wanted us to do."
Bringing a sense of closure to Eberbaugh's period with the band, the group decided to compile everything it had recorded up to that point and add it to the full-length. The disc combines songs recorded at Zero Return with other material done at Radium Recordings in Athens, and more. "We wanted everything to be on there," adds Alexander. "Even the 7-inches."
The result is a mish-mash of material with varying production qualities that gives the songs a ghost-like quality and offers a glimpse of the chaos that unfolds at the group's shows.
Shortly after returning home from tour, another high school friend, Jack Hines, joined the group. Hines had been living in New York at the time of Eberbaugh's death, but returned to Atlanta and took up residence as the newest tenant at Die Slaughterhaus. Not only had Hines been a friend of the group for many years, he was, in fact, the Black Lips' original choice for guitarist. Though he had initially turned down their offer, the group felt the spot couldn't have been filled by anyone else.
"Jack plays guitar a bit differently than Ben," Swilley says. "He doesn't have the same chops. But we all grew up together and it feels natural to have him in the group. He really is the man for the job."
Says Hines, "I was a little scared at first. We had all grown up together and I loved Ben just as much as everyone else in the group. It was hard enough knowing that he isn't here anymore, and having that on my mind while I was playing his parts made it all very hard to do. And I was worried that people wouldn't respond well to me being added to the group and say things like, 'Who the hell is this asshole; why's he playing guitar for the Black Lips? He's not Ben.' But there hasn't been too much of a hazing process. I think I've been received pretty well by everyone."
With a new guitarist and a new full-length, the band is working harder than ever. Die Slaughterhaus Records is also in full swing. Over the past year, the label has churned out singles by local acts the Lids and Tabitha, and has at least a half-dozen other releases in the works.
"We're like a cult," Alexander says. "Our house is like a compound, and there's always people there working on something. The label has no real owner. It's a collective of about 15 or 20 people who pool their money and resources together when we want to put something out."
Meanwhile, the Black Lips have two U.S. tours planned in the coming months, and a second album ready to be recorded. There's also talk of Spanish label Munster Records doing a vinyl release of the group's older material, and other labels have approached the group about releasing the Bomp debut on vinyl.
"We've also been hearing that some label in Australia wants to put out a record with us and have us come down there to do an Australian tour," Bradley says. "We're not sure who the label is, but we'd love to do it."
Having already undergone a "Behind the Music" full of drama, the Black Lips are now ready for new world of possibilities.


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Forex hedging: how to minimize trading losses
Hedging is a popular Forex trading strategy for those market players who want to minimize portfolio exposure as traders frequently use hedging to spread out their capital and maximize their profit potential. Hedging against unfavorable price movements lowers risk, and with numerous hedging strategies available, it’s definitely worth considering if you want to balance your portfolio.
Hedging can be both simple and complex as a trading strategy. In this article TopForex.trade experts will help you understand the concept of hedging and how to trade Forex and make a profit in both market directions.
Basics of Forex hedging
Hedging is the simultaneous purchase and sale of the same currency: while the trade is open, the net profit is zero, but if you time everything perfectly, you can actually make money with no additional risk. A basic Forex hedge protects your interests by allowing you to trade in the opposite direction without closing the first trade, allowing you to have both open at the same time. Some argue that it makes sense to close the first trade at a loss before entering a new trade in a better position, but this varies from trader to trader.
The hedge provides you with a benefit by letting you keep your deal open so that you can profit from a second trade as the price fluctuates against the first. If you assume that the market will reverse back in your favor, you can close or set the hedging trade to stop. It’s a simple analogy, but it’s like betting on both basketball teams to win: whatever happens, you’ll either make a profit or, at worst, incur a manageable loss.
Going short: how to profit when the market goes down
Choosing a short position represents a bearish trading viewpoint. When trading CFDs, a short position is when a trade is initiated by a sell order, which is considered more complex than going long.
Traders who share this viewpoint enter a trade (short) when the price is at its highest, hoping that it will fall. And the lower it falls, the more profit the bears stand to make. They push it down, opening up more and more new opportunities. When the prices reach their lowest point, bears earn profit.
When prices fall by more than 20% from their peak, it is customary to speak of the emergence of a bear market. The main driver of this event is the deterioration of the economic situation, which is accompanied by a decrease in the company and population profitability, rising unemployment, capital outflow, and other issues.
A prime example is the coronavirus pandemic. The implementation of bans and restrictive measures has had a negative impact on a large number of businesses around the world. Production ceased, demand for services fell, and mass layoffs ensued, but the bears made money in this environment.
Advanced Forex hedging instruments
There are numerous methods for hedging your trading deals, and from the simplest one described above, they can become more and more complex. And as many brokers do not allow traders to hold directly hedged positions in the same account, there are other tricks traders can use to secure their capital.
Trade Forex options
A put option grants the holder the right to sell a share at a predetermined price, known as the strike price, before a specified future expiration date. The premium is the amount of money you pay for an option.
A put option gains value as the underlying asset’s price falls. If the underlying’s price falls below the put option’s strike price, the trader can either exercise the right to sell the asset at a higher strike price or sell the put option for a profit.
Open a short sale
Selling short, also known as going short, is a trading strategy used by many market participants when prices are falling. With this strategy, you sell an asset in anticipation of a future price decline. When an asset’s price falls, you purchase it at a lower price to cover your short position and profit from the difference.
Consider this simple example: if you go short with N stocks borrowed from a broker at $50 per stock and the price drops to $30, you can buy back the stocks at $30 to cover your short position with your total earnings per stock at $20.
Choose CFDs for different assets
Traders can also use Contracts for Differences (CFDs), which allow market participants to sell short and increase their profits. They can be used to buy and sell a wide range of asset classes, such as stocks, ETFs, indices, or even Cryptocurrencies. They have nothing to do with trading the actual asset and are completely independent of the market due to an agreement between the trader and the CFD broker.
CFDs trading: way to make money on falling markets
CFDs have spawned a sophisticated trading strategy that is growing in popularity over time.
CFD is a contract entered into between a trader and a CFD broker to exchange the difference in the value of a financial asset (securities or derivatives) between the times the contract opens and closes. They can be traded in shares, currency pairs, commodities, bonds, stocks, or indices and are an appealing way to trade global markets without committing to a specific asset.
CFDs do not include the delivery of tangible items or securities, and the buyer never truly owns the underlying asset; instead, he or she earns profit based on the asset’s price fluctuation.
Essentially, CFDs allow traders to wager on whether the price of the underlying asset or security will rise or decline: they can place bets on either up or down movement. If the trader who purchased a CFD notices that the asset’s price rises, they will offer their position for sale. The net difference between the buy and sale prices is added together. The trader’s brokerage account settles the net difference representing the gain from the deals.
As you may already conclude, CFDs trading bears a number of substantial benefits:
- Profit from falling markets: again, the fundamental difference between CFDs and regular trading is that you never own the underlying market with CFDs, which provides several benefits, including the ability to go both short and long. To open a short CFD position, you sell the desired number of contracts rather than purchasing them. You simply purchase the same number of CFDs to close your trade. It enables you to profit when markets fall in price, giving your trading a whole new dimension.
- Multiple trading possibilities: CFDs on stocks, indices, shares, currencies, bonds, and commodities are currently available from brokers. Speculators interested in various financial vehicles can now trade CFDs as an alternative to traditional exchanges.
- Absence of day trading limitations: Some markets require a minimum amount of capital to day-trade, while others limit the number of trades that can be made in a given account. These restrictions do not apply to the CFD market as all account holders can day-trade. Accounts are frequently opened for as little as $1000 or even less, then minimum deposit requirements usually range between $2000 and $5000.
- No shorting rules: Certain markets prohibit shorting, require traders to borrow the instrument before selling short, or have different margin requirements for long and short positions. CFD instruments can be shorted at any time without incurring borrowing charges because the trader does not own the underlying asset.
- CFDs can be traded with leverage: CFDs offer more leverage than traditional trading, still being regulated by global market authorities. It used to be as low as a 2% maintenance margin (50:1 leverage), but it is now limited to 3% (30:1 leverage) and may go up to 50% (2:1 leverage). Lower margin requirements imply less capital outlay and higher potential rewards for the trader (also higher potential losses, so make sure to hedge or use other trading risk management strategies).
Passive Forex income with Social trading
If your head is buzzing with all the information you have to keep in order to develop your own trading strategy, there is an easier option: leave it to professionals. The Forex market offers numerous options for generating passive income, making it a profitable environment for newcomers.
The options listed below may help novices who have little experience in trading make money and learn:
Copy trading is a great option for people who are just starting out in Forex trading. By automating your deals and imitating the moves of other experienced traders, you can increase your chances of success as you follow their trades. All earnings are yours to retain, and you endure losses in proportion to your financial deposits. Professional traders also have the possibility to receive additional financial benefits if their profitable transactions were copied.
Through a process known as Percentage Allocation Money Management or PAMM, two or more investors can distribute money to a qualified trader or money manager in specific ratios. At the end of the trade, the trader or money manager paid the investors the transaction profit.
RAMM, or Risk Allocation Management Model, is a hybrid that includes elements of both Copy trading and PAMM. By allowing them to use tried-and-true strategies, RAMM helps new traders trade more profitably and efficiently.
Forex signal providers
Not exactly a passive income source, but a great help for your trading decisions. Forex signal providers are computer programs that assist you in detecting trading opportunities at specific times. They are an amazing fit for beginners as they direct you on how to make the best trading decisions.
5 Forex trading tips on how to avoid losing money
The global Forex market is the world’s largest financial market, and the opportunity to profit from it entices foreign-exchange traders of all levels, from newcomers learning about financial markets to seasoned professionals with years of trading experience.
Because access to the market is simple—with round-the-clock sessions, significant leverage, and low costs—many Forex traders enter the market quickly, only to exit quickly after suffering losses and setbacks. To avoid that, TopForex.trade experts have brought 5 not obvious tips to help to aspire traders avoid losing money and stay competitive in the world of Forex trading.
- The market study is necessary
To make real profits, you can’t treat Forex trading as a way to make quick easy money (if your broker promises you that, check whether it is a Forex scam or not). While practical experience provides the majority of trading knowledge, a trader should learn everything about the markets, including main indicators, trading signals, and geopolitical and economic factors that affect a trader’s preferred currencies meaning employing Technical, Fundamental analysis and following the latest market-relevant news.
- Pick only regulated brokers (!)
As the Forex industry is growing in popularity and volume, not all its participants have honorable intentions in mind: unfortunately, you may come across shady brokers that are nothing more than a scam.
Each country has its own regulatory body that legitimate Forex brokers must register with. Traders should also look into each broker’s account options like offered leverage, commissions and spreads, initial deposits, and account funding and withdrawal policies. A helpful customer service representative should have the information and can answer any questions about the company’s services and policies.
If you have any doubts about your broker, evaluate it by the criteria mentioned here.
- Practice on a demo account first
Forex trading demo accounts are provided by the most reliable brokers as they are interested in your long-term successful trading. This type of account allows traders to place hypothetical deals in a realistic market environment without using a funded account and risking their real capital.
Aside from gaining more experience, practicing on a demo account first has one more huge benefit: it allows a trader to get acquainted with a new trading platform and become proficient in order-entry techniques. Few things are more damaging to a trading account (and a trader’s confidence) than accidentally opening or closing a position. It is not uncommon for a new trader, for example, to add to a losing position instead of closing it. Multiple order entry errors can result in large, unprotected losing trades.
- Don’t overuse automatic signals
When you just start trading, it may be tempting to use all of the Technical analysis tools available on the trading platform thinking it’ll definitely help to make better deals. And while many of these indicators are well-suited to the Forex markets, it is important to remember that in order for them to be effective, these analysis techniques should be kept to a minimum. Using multiples of the same type of indicators (like two volatility indicators or two oscillators) can become redundant and even produce contradictory signals.
Pay attention to the overall appearance of the workspace in addition to the tools used on the chart: they should be simple to read and understand thanks to the selection of colors, typefaces, and price bar types (line, candle bar, range bar, etc.). This will help you to react more quickly to ever-changing market conditions.
- Keep trading records
Journaling your trading experience is a useful way for learning from both Forex trading failures and gains. In order to develop into a successful trader, it can be very helpful to keep a record of trading activity that includes dates, instruments, gains, losses, and, perhaps most importantly, your own performance and emotions.
A trade journal offers valuable feedback that enables learning when it is periodically reviewed. Without keeping good records and keeping a trading log, you are more likely to keep making the same mistakes, which lowers your chances of becoming a successful trader.
Secure Forex trading with VPN
Best VPN services for Forex trading are strongly advised for safe and private asset trading in any kind of market. VPNs allow you to reroute your traffic at will through one or more locations, so you will always be protected from government surveillance or any intruders. Furthermore, cutting-edge military-grade encryption algorithms will keep your personal information from leaking onto the Internet.
Click the button below to register with one of the best VPNs for Forex trading:
A VPN also allows you to remain anonymous, meaning that your online activity and data cannot be tracked, collected, or stored, which is common when using the Internet. This gives you a sense of security and reassurance, as well as lowering your chances of becoming a victim of hackers and other types of cyber-attacks and criminal activity that could compromise your personal information, such as your password.
Best Forex brokers to hedge your capital
The main goal of hedging deals is to reduce your trading risk. It can be done carefully and become an important part of your trading strategy, effectively allowing you to make money in both directions. Yet, it requires a certain level of knowledge and market experience: as you are now aware, hedging places a strong emphasis on timing as well as understanding the ins and outs of market swings. If you’re a complete trading newbie, you can seek the help of professional traders using the Social (Copy) trading feature provided by trusted brokers reviewed by our experts below.
Also, you can make your approach more professional by opening accounts with several reputable brokers and differentiating your trading activity: make deals yourself with one broker, use Social trading with the other, and appoint the third one for hedging. It’ll help you to distribute your capital to mitigate possible risks; another advantage of this approach is that you can try out trading on several trading platforms and collect offered Forex bonuses (some brokers have it up to 100% on the initial deposit).
OANDA Forex trading
OANDA, a reputable broker that is also present in the US with millions of clients worldwide and a long history of operations, has earned a stellar reputation among users while also complying with a slew of global regulators.
As it offers demo accounts, extensive educational tools, and market information, and there is no minimum deposit requirement, the broker is an excellent choice for new traders. Brokers frequently run promotional campaigns in which they offer various Forex bonuses as well as low commissions and spreads, as well as a diverse range of trading instruments such as CFDs on over 70 currency pairs, Indices, Commodities, and Crypto including Bitcoin and Ether.
eToro Forex trading
eToro is one of the world’s most well-known brokerage companies, especially loves in Europe. You can invest in over 2000 different assets, including CFDs on currencies, commodities, indices, equities, and Cryptocurrencies, with the best available terms: minimal Forex trading costs and low minimum deposits. New digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others have been added to the list of trading instruments since 2017.
eToro has two account types: Retail Client and Professional Client. The first is protected from negative balance and has a Copy Trading feature, whereas the second has unlimited leverage. In addition, newcomers can always use a demo account to experiment with and try out new strategies.
eToro is a very reliable broker with millions of clients worldwide, as well as licenses to operate in numerous countries and membership in the following regulators: FCA, ASIC, and CySEC.
XM Group Forex trading
XM Group is a regulated online broker that provides over 1000 trading instruments on the MT4/MT5 platforms, including CFDs for Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple), indices, commodities, metals, energy, and stocks (other 600 companies). In addition, the broker provides an easy-to-use mobile app that allows you to trade on global markets using a single login on a demo or live account.
Furthermore, XM offers a VPS service, allowing clients to fully enjoy all of the benefits of trading without having to worry about other issues that can impede fast and high-quality transactions, such as Internet connection speed, computer problems, and power outages.
One of the many benefits of XM Group is that there are no fees for deposits or withdrawals: the broker covers the entire cost of the payment system. From the following alternatives, clients can choose the most profitable trading account with negative balance protection, good leverage, and tight spreads: Micro, Standard, XM Ultra Low, and Shares.
XG Group accepts clients from over 150 countries thanks to accreditation from recognized regulators such as CySEC, IFSC, DFSA, and ASIC.
HF Markets Forex trading
HF Markets, formerly known as HotForex in some regions, is a broker with offices around the world that offers the most diverse range of trading instruments, including CFDs for over 1000 instruments such as currency pairs, commodities, Cryptocurrency, stocks, indices, metals, energies, bonds, and, most notably, Forex Gold trading with competitive low spreads and no hidden fees.
HF Markets clients can choose between Micro, Premium, Zero Spread, Demo, and Islamic trading accounts. Copy Trading HFcopy, which allows you to mirror transactions from multiple traders at the same time, is also available.
All transactions take place across multiple platforms. Options include MT4, MetaTrader 4 Web Terminal, and mobile trading apps for Apple and iOS devices. The broker holds licenses from CySEC and the FCA (Europe), the FSCA (South Africa), and the DIFC (Dubai).
Hedging Forex trading - FAQ


AngloGold chief executive
Options on the table include putting its South African, Colombian or Australian assets into separate entities.
In an interview in August with The Australian Financial Review, Mr Cutifani said he saw the potential for the company – currently worth $12.5 billion – to challenge for the position of world’s biggest goldminer in the not-too-distant future.
The company expects to be producing 5.5 million ounces of gold a year by the end of 2014, once development projects, including the $790 million Tropicana gold mine in Western Australia, are completed, and has made some new discoveries in Colombia that it believes could add significantly to that figure.
The Australian Financial Review


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Do you know that by 2020 we will be living in a world of 50 billion web connected devices? Yes, you heard it right! The market of wearable technology is set to be worth an estimated $60 billion. Wearable technology is redefining our relationship with the world around us. With each developing devices, the technology is reinventing the way we connect with each other, the way we communicate and share daily activities across any time zone or distance. Many of us probably know what wearable technology is, but perhaps do not know what it does.
Wearable technology can be your clothing or accessory items you love. Mostly they come in the form of eyewear or wrist wear. Now if you search for wearable gadgets you may find several of them. Let me give you a glimpse of a few wearable items, say like, Google Glass, this smartspecs display any data you want to know, it could be information about FIFA or your flight schedule. Not only Google Glass but also promises to change the way we view, gather and spread information. With such products becoming the mass-market, it is something striking for the web designers and developers to consider its impact on the web design.
How Will Wearable Tech Impact Your Design?
There’s no doubt that wearable tech will impact your web design, the question is how. We can look at how the introduction of mobile technology, such as smart phones and tablets, challenged the web design community to create responsive language. In much that same way, the advent of wearable tech will cause designers to streamline and ruthlessly edit the superfluous.
Opt for minimalistic design
Minimalism has been on web design trend for the last few years and will continue to remain so. Minimalist design is both appealing and flexible for every wearable platform simply because the design does not overdo. It has been observed that often designers over-stylize a design just to impress the users. However, what is required is smart work. Craft a design that allows the content to take the center stage. Keeping the screen space in mind, think about how you’d like to perceive your website on a wearable device.
Allow wide connectivity
Your website design should permit broad network of structures. No longer should the wearable devices be allowed limited networks and structures. They should be allowed broader techniques and structures upon which they are based to interface with one and other. In executing a wearable solution, it should eliminate most of the problems than it introduces to one’s life.
Information at fingertips
Techies want information immediately. Instant access is the sole motto behind wearing technology. So when web interfaces will be designed, latency should be avoided. A delay of mere seconds can turn away potential lifelong customers. These standards can make a tremendous impact.
Spontaneous design and content
Usually visitors do not want to dig around and research to find what they are looking for. Establishing a natural flow in both the design and content improve user experience. Although it requires a lot of hard work and knowledge to develop an intuitive site, it is a crucial feature in design to cater effectively to audiences by retaining their attention.
The more interactive your site is, the better is the user experience. For instance, voice navigation is a great interactive element one can get in their wearable gadgets. If you don’t want to talk, you can simply move your head, your finger and hand to navigate. The best part about wearable tech is that, it allows user to get an insight of the technology. This means as a webs designer, you are responsible for making your design dynamic with a clear understanding of who your target audiences are and how best you can meet their needs.
Designs are responsive.
This cannot be emphasized enough. When I browse over mobile devices, I encounter a huge number of websites that aren’t optimized for mobile viewing. In 2014. According to a recent study performed by Restive Labs, only 3% of Fortune 1000 websites are responsive and fast. If they can’t get it right, you can imagine how most fair.
Currently, browser-capable wearable technology uses mobile viewports. Don’t wait to implement this meta tag into your web design.
Text-size does matter
Focus on font-size which should be 12 pt. or higher. If you see Google Glass, in spite of its limited scope, users can very well access web pages. If your website hasn’t been optimized for wearable devices which comes in different sizes, users may not be able to read text on the screen.
As a web designer, you should be prepared to work with this latest and exciting medium.
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domain: design