|Publication number||US6549647 B1|
|Application number||US 09/522,519|
|Publication date||Apr 15, 2003|
|Filing date||Mar 10, 2000|
|Priority date||Jan 7, 2000|
|Also published as||DE10085383T0, DE10085383T1, US7027639, US20020191834, WO2001050410A1|
|Publication number||09522519, 522519, US 6549647 B1, US 6549647B1, US-B1-6549647, US6549647 B1, US6549647B1|
|Inventors||Timothy A. Skunes, David Fishbaine|
|Original Assignee||Cyberoptics Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (62), Non-Patent Citations (11), Referenced by (82), Classifications (24), Legal Events (5)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application claims priority benefits from U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/175,049, filed Jan. 7, 2000, and entitled “Improved Inspection Machine”.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
This invention relates to the measurement of surface contours of an object using optical measurements of light reflected from the surface of the object. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for acquiring images used in surface profilometry for such optical measurements. The invention is particularly useful for inspecting solder paste deposited on electronic circuit boards during the circuit board fabrication process.
Circuit boards that carry electronic integrated circuits as well as discrete electronic components are well known. A circuit board substrate is prepared with predetermined conductor paths and pads for receiving the lead of an electronic component such as integrated circuit chips, resistors or capacitors. During the circuit board fabrication process, solder paste bricks are placed onto the board substrate at appropriate positions. The solder paste is usually applied by placing a screen onto the substrate, applying solder paste through the screen openings, wiping the excess solder paste from the screen surface, and removing the screen from the substrate. The circuit board electronic components are then positioned onto the substrate, preferably with a pick and place machine, with leads of the electronic components placed on their respective, appropriate solder paste bricks. The circuit board is passed through an oven after all of the components are positioned on a substrate, to melt the solder paste thus creating an electrical as well as a mechanical connection between the components and the substrate.
The size of the solder paste bricks, and the accuracy with which they must be placed on the substrate, has become increasing smaller and tighter with the increased emphasis on miniaturization in the electronics industry. Solder paste brick heights can be as small as 200 microns in diameter and having a height of 100 microns. The height of the solder paste brick must often be measured to within 1 percent of the designed height. The center to center spacing between two adjacent solder paste bricks may be as low 300 microns. Too little solder paste in one brick can result in the failure to provide an electrical connection between the lead of an electronic component and the pad of the circuit board substrate. Too much paste in one brick can result in bridging and short-circuiting between the leads of a component.
A single circuit board can cost thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars to manufacture. Testing of a circuit board after the fabrication process is complete can detect errors in solder paste placement and component lead connection, but often the only remedy for a faulty board is scrapping of the board. It is accordingly imperative that a circuit board be inspected during the fabrication process so that improper solder paste placement can be detected prior to the placement of the electronic components onto the substrate. Such in-process solder inspection reduces the cost of failure since expensive components have not yet been placed onto the circuit board.
One important characteristic that is measured during solder paste inspection is the height of each solder brick. Once the height is known and the boundaries of the deposit are located, the volume of paste deposits can also be calculated. One way in which the heights of solder bricks have been measured is by using a technique known as phase profilometry. In some types of phase profilometry, the surface profile of an object of interest is computed by projecting at least three phases of a light pattern onto the object and capturing those images, and then computing the surface profile as a function of the three captured images. One particular method and apparatus for phase profilometry using three or more images is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,972 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Surface Profilometry.” However, the method and apparatus of the '972 patent suffers from susceptibility to system vibration. Such susceptibility renders the system disclosed in the '972 patent unsuitable for industrial applications in high vibration environments.
Vibration immunity is very important for profilometry systems when they rely upon the surface feature (e.g. solder brick) to be essentially in a known position while sequentially exposed to each of the projected patterns. Automated electronics assembly lines often generate a relatively large amount of vibration. It is generally preferred to locate the solder paste inspection machine within the assembly line such that it inspects solder paste immediately after paste deposition and before component placement. However, the proximity of the solder paste inspection machine to other machines introduces vibrations, which can adversely affect solder paste inspection. For example, when a surface feature on the circuit board (such as a solder brick) vibrates, it appears in one place when imaged with a first projected pattern and appears in other places when imaged with successively projected light patterns, leading to errors in the resulting map of surface heights.
Therefore, it is important to the field of surface profilometry to minimize uncontrolled displacement between successively captured images. If all the required images can be acquired within approximately 1 millisecond or less, the images will be substantially immune to vibration in most industrial environments. The immunity is provided by the fact that the vibrating surface does not travel appreciably in one millisecond.
One method for electronically capturing images for optical inspection uses a frame transfer Charge Coupled Device (CCD) array. One such device is the Model THX 7887A available from Thompson-CSF Semiconducteurs Specifiques of France. A frame transfer CCD array is a photosensitive semiconductor device that includes an image area as well as a memory area thus allowing an image stored in the memory area to be read out, while another image is acquired in the image area. While these conventional arrays can be configured to permit the rapid acquisition of two images, they have been unable to do so for the three images required in advanced systems.
Thus, there is a need for an inspection system and an associated method, which can capture three or more successive images within a period of about 1 millisecond in order to provide an industrial profilometry system that is substantially immune to vibration.
Methods and an apparatus are disclosed for providing enhanced vibration immunity in a solder paste inspection system, although they are usable in any number of industries that require rapid acquisition of several images. The method includes capturing at least three images on a frame transfer CCD array before any data is sequentially read from the array. The present method is extendable to a larger number of images. Additionally, the masked memory area can be larger than the image area of the frame transfer CCD array.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a novel solder paste inspection system.
FIG. 2 is block diagram of a method of acquiring and reading out an image from a frame transfer CCD array.
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a conventional frame transfer CCD array.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a method of acquiring three fringe pattern images using the array of FIG. 3.
FIGS. 5-9 illustrate frame transfer CCD array status at various stages during execution of the method shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a frame transfer CCD array.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a method of acquiring three fringe pattern images.
FIGS. 12-16 illustrate the status of a frame transfer CCD array at various stages during execution of the method shown in FIG. 11.
FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a method of acquiring three fringe pattern images with a conventional frame transfer CCD array.
FIGS. 18-23 illustrate the status of a frame transfer CCD array at various stages during the method shown in FIG. 17.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of solder paste inspection system 200. System 200 is merely one exemplary paste inspection system with which embodiments of the present invention are useful. Those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention are useful with other types of inspection systems, and such embodiments are expressly contemplated.
System 200 includes processor 202 and sensor 201. Sensor 201 includes projector 203, and imaging system 206. Projector 203 includes illuminator 210, grating 212, and optics 214. Illuminator 210 can be any light source capable of providing short duration light pulses, such as a pulsed laser or strobe lamp. Grating 212 imparts a pattern on light passing therethrough, and optics 214 focus the patterned light upon feature 216 on circuit board 218. Imaging system 206 includes optics 219, which focus the image of feature 216 upon frame transfer CCD array 220. Processor 202 is coupled to projector 203 such that processor 202 triggers projector 203 to illuminate feature 206 on circuit board 208. Sensor 201 is adapted to project patterned images of different phases upon feature 216.
Sensor 201 is adapted to acquire images of feature 216 while exposed to the multiple patterns, such that each image corresponds to a different phase. CCD array 220 provides data representative of the acquired images to processor 202 which computes a height map of feature 216 based upon the acquired images. The height map is useful for a number of inspection criteria such as volume calculation and bridge detection.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one method using a frame transfer CCD. The frame transfer CCD array operates both as an image sensor and as an analog storage device. An image is exposed on image area 30 (shown in FIG. 3), and charge created in that exposure is electronically shifted vertically into masked memory area 34 at about 0.8 microseconds per row. Once all the charge from those pixels which make up the first image area are shifted into the memory area, the next exposure may begin. The method begins at block 10 where a photosensitive area 30 of CCD array 32 (shown in FIG. 3) is exposed to light for a period of time. As used herein, light is intended to mean electromagnetic energy from ultraviolet to infrared. The photosensitive two-dimensional array of pixels within CCD array 32 generates charge packets based upon light exposure. CCD array 32 also includes memory area 34, which is masked from the light. The image area is preferably 1024×1024 pixels and the memory area is preferably 1024×1024 pixels. At block 14, the light is turned off or a mechanical shutter is engaged to inhibit additional light from striking image area 30 of the CCD array 32. At block 16, clock signals φl and φM are provided to the image area as well as the memory area such that each line of stored image in the image area and the memory area is shifted down one line. In the process of shifting image area 30 down by one line at a time, the top line of area 30 is reset or filled with “black level” pixels. Additionally, the bottom line of CCD memory area 34 is transferred into horizontal shift register 36. At block 18, the contents of horizontal shift register 36 are read out serially to video amplifier 38. Block 20 checks to see if all lines of an image have been stored in the memory area, and that the contents of the memory area have been read out. If not, control passes to block 16. However, if all lines of an image are stored in the memory area, then control passes back to block 10 where the image area is once again exposed.
Typical horizontal shift register clock, φH, periods are about 50 nanoseconds for commercially available devices. Sequentially clocking out 1,024 pixels representing one image out of horizontal shift register 36 thus takes about 51 microseconds. Additionally, typical memory area clock, φM, and image area clock, φl, are about 800 nanoseconds. Therefore, once the image integration period is over, it takes about 53 milliseconds to clock out video data from the memory area and shift the image area to the memory area. Fifty-three milliseconds for one image is significantly longer than the goal of one millisecond for three or more images and thus renders such prior art methods for data acquisition susceptible to system vibration.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a method of capturing three sets of fringe pattern images with a conventional frame transfer CCD device. The method begins at block 40 where the image area of the CCD array is reset using φRST (shown in FIG. 5). This reset causes undesirable charge accumulated during system rest to be discharged. At block 41, an illuminator is flashed to expose image area 30 to the first fringe pattern image. Any other method of illuminating the surface of interest can be used. For example, a mechanical shutter over the CCD array can also expose the array to illumination, with a constant light source. This exposed image is illustrated in FIG. 5 at reference numeral 33 for an exemplary solder paste image. The diagonal lines 44 represent the peaks of the sinusoidal fringes which are distorted where they cross the solder paste deposit. Preferably, the illumination duration is about 20 microseconds. Referring to FIG. 4, the method continues at block 42 where a high speed image transfer is accomplished by clocking φl and φM together H times to transfer charge packets from image area 30 to memory area 34. H is shown in FIG. 3, and is preferably 1024. This high speed transfer takes approximately 800 microseconds, and is limited by the maximum clock speed of the CCD array in use. The results of block 42 are shown in FIG. 6 where the acquired image has now been transferred into masked memory area 34 of the CCD array 32. Memory area 34 now holds the first fringe pattern image and image area 30 has been reset.
Referring back to FIG. 4, at block 43 the illuminator is pulsed again to expose image area 30 to the second fringe pattern image. Thus, a second fringe pattern image is now held by image area 30 and the first fringe pattern image is still held in masked memory area 34. Block 43 preferably takes approximately 20 microseconds and results in images being stored as shown in FIG. 7 with the second image labeled as reference numeral 35. Note that fringes in image 35 are shifted with respect to the fringes in image 33. The phase shift is preferably 120 degrees, but other shifts can be used. Referring back to FIG. 4, the method continues at block 45 with the previously described process of shifting charge packets out of the horizontal shift register 36 and then shifting the image and memory areas down a line at a time. Block 45 continues until the first fringe pattern image has been read out and the second fringe pattern image is stored in memory area 34. This takes about 53 milliseconds as mentioned above with respect FIG. 2. FIG. 8 shows the results of completion of block 45. Once block 45 has completed, the illuminator is flashed again, at block 47, and a third image is acquired in image area 30 of CCD array 32. This final operation takes approximately 20 microseconds and the results of block 52 are illustrated in FIG. 9 with the third image labeled as reference numeral 37. Note, fringes in image 37 are shifted 120 degrees with respect to that of image 35. At block 49, the entire contents of CCD array 32 are iteratively shifted down and read from shift register 36 until both of images 35 and 37 have been read. At block 51, the three images 33, 35, 37 are used to compute a height map of the imaged features. Representative times are shown below in Table 1.
Flash and Acquire #33
High Speed Transfer
Flash and Acquire #35
Shift 1 line at a time
and read out, until all
of image #1 has been
Flash and Acquire #37
To summarize the execution of the method illustrated in FIG. 4, all three sets of fringe pattern images were captured in approximately 54 milliseconds. It takes about another 106 milliseconds to read out the second and third fringe pattern images. However, one important parameter in determining the system's immunity to vibration is the capture time for all three sets of fringe pattern images. Fifty four (54) milliseconds, of course, is too slow to meet the goal of capturing the images in approximately 1 millisecond or less, as set forth above.
A review of the various times required for execution of the method shown in FIG. 4 revealed that the high speed image transfer from image area 30 to memory area 34 is approximately 60 times faster than sequentially reading all of the charge packets for one image out of horizontal shift register 36. Thus, dramatic reduction in the capture time for all three fringe pattern images is realized by modifying conventional frame transfer CCD array architecture to that shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of CCD frame transfer array 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. CCD array 100 includes image area 102, memory area 104, and horizontal shift register 106. Note that image area 102 and memory area 104 have identical widths, but memory area 104 has a height (H) that is twice as large as area 102. Preferably, H and W are each 1024. Memory area 104 is now capable of storing a plurality of complete acquired images.
FIG. 11 is a method of quickly acquiring three or more fringe pattern images. The method begins at block 108 where image area 102 of CCD array 100 is reset using signal φRST. At block 110, an illuminator is flashed to expose image area 102 to the first fringe pattern image. The results of block 110 are illustrated in FIG. 12 where first image 111 is shown stored in image area 102 of CCD array 100. Referring now to FIG. 11, after image 111 is acquired, control passes to block 112 where a high speed image transfer is effected by clocking φl and φM together 1,024 times to transfer image 111 of the first fringe pattern to the top half of the memory area 104. This transfer takes approximately 800 microseconds in the preferred embodiment. The results of block 112 are illustrated in FIG. 13. Once image 111 has been transferred to the top half of memory area 104, control passes to block 114 where image area 102 is exposed to another fringe pattern image. Preferably, in block 114, before image area 102 is exposed, a reset is performed in order to place image area 102 in the exact condition that it was in before acquiring image 111. Block 114 takes approximately 20 microseconds in this embodiment. The results of block 114 are illustrated in FIG. 14 where second fringe pattern image 113 is stored in image area 102 of CCD array 100. Once second image 113 has been acquired, control passes to block 116 where a high speed image transfer is performed by clocking φl and φM together 1,024 times to transfer second fringe pattern image 113 to the top half of memory area 104, as well as transfer first fringe pattern image 111 to the bottom half of memory area 104. The high-speed transfer of block 116 takes approximately 800 microseconds in this embodiment. The results of block 116 are illustrated in FIG. 15, which shows the first and second fringe pattern images 111, 113 stored in the memory area 104 of CCD array 100. Once block 116 has executed, control passes to block 118 where an image area reset is preferably performed before image area 102 is again exposed in order to acquire third fringe pattern image 115. Block 118 preferably takes 20 microseconds for execution and results in image storage as illustrated in FIG. 16. At block 120, images 111, 113, and 115 are read down a line at a time, and read from shift register 106 until all three images have been read out. At block 121, the three images are used to compute a height map of the features.
A summary of the execution times for various steps of the method shown in FIG. 11 is set forth below in Table 2.
Flash and Acquire Image #111
High Speed Transfer
Flash and Acquire Image #113
High Speed Transfer
Flash and Acquire Image #115
The total image acquisition time shown in Table 2 represents a significant improvement, and is relatively close to the stated goal of one millisecond and is sufficient for environments of mild vibration.
A method of quickly capturing three fringe pattern images onto a commercially available frame transfer CCD array (shown in FIG. 3) is illustrated in FIG. 17. The method begins at block 129 where image area 30 is reset. At block 130, an illuminator is flashed to expose image area 30 of conventional CCD array 32 to first fringe pattern image 131. This step generally takes approximately 20 microseconds. Once first fringe pattern image 131 has been acquired, control passes to block 132 where a high speed image transfer is performed by clocking φl and φM together 512 times, to shift first fringe pattern image 131 downward into memory area 34 of frame transfer CCD array 32 a length of H/2. The results of block 132 are shown in FIG. 18 where the bottom half of first fringe pattern image 131 has been transferred to the top half of memory area 34. This transfer takes approximately 400 microseconds. Referring back to FIG. 17, after the completion of the high speed transfer described in block 132, control passes to block 138 where image area 30 is reset. This is performed by clocking the reset clock line, φRST, which clears all the data in images area 30, but not in memory space 34. Once the image area has been reset in block 138, only a portion of first fringe pattern image 131 will exist in the top half of the memory area. This stage is illustrated in FIG. 19. In effect, the top half of the first fringe pattern image has been erased. The reset step takes approximately 2 microseconds. Referring back to FIG. 17, after the reset has been completed, control passes to block 140 where the illuminator is flashed again to expose the image area to second fringe pattern image 133. This image acquisition takes approximately 20 microseconds. The results of block 140 are illustrated in FIG. 20. Once second fringe pattern image 133 has been acquired, another high speed transfer is accomplished by clocking φl and φM together to shift the second fringe pattern image downward by half its length, H/2, indicated at block 142. At this point, the bottom half of the first fringe pattern is in the bottom of memory area 34 and the bottom half of second fringe pattern 133 is in the top half of memory area 34. This transfer takes approximately 400 microseconds and the results are shown in FIG. 21. Once the high speed transfer of block 142 is complete, image area 30 of frame transfer CCD array 32 is reset by clocking the φRST, which essentially erases the top half of the second fringe pattern image. The results of the second reset are illustrated in FIG. 22. Once block 144 has finished, control passes to block 146 where the image area 30 is exposed to third fringe pattern image 135. This takes approximately 100 microseconds and the results are shown in FIG. 23. At block 148, all three images are read from CCD array 32. A height map of the imaged features is computed at block 150 based upon images 131, 133, and 135.
Sample times for various steps are shown in Table 3 below.
Flash and Acquire Image 131
Flash and Acquire Image 133
Flash and Acquire Image 133
After the method illustrated in FIG. 17 has executed, three fringe pattern images of size W by H/2 will have been captured within the time span of approximately 1 millisecond using a conventional frame transfer CCD array. The final three fringe pattern images will have sizes of 1,024 pixels in width and 512 pixels in height. This meets the temporal goal that provides the vibration immunity listed above. The fringe pattern images are then read out by shifting down the image and memory areas a line at a time and clocking the charge packets out of the horizontal shift register until all three fringe pattern images of size W by H/2 have been read out.
In order for the method of the present invention to execute properly, frame transfer CCD array 32 should be capable of resetting image area 30 without disrupting data previously moved into the storage or memory 34 (an asynchronous reset of image space 30). Thus, after the image area has been exposed to the first and second fringe pattern images, these images are both in memory area 34. The image should be cleared of the top half of the first and second fringe pattern images before subsequent exposures occur. Without the ability to asynchronously reset the image area, the only method to clear the image area is to completely shift the whole image area into the memory area. This would have the adverse effect of “pushing” the first fringe pattern image out of the memory area.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although the method of the present invention has been described in relation to acquiring three images, it is extendable to rapidly capture more than three images with a commercially available frame transfer CCD array. For example, to capture four images in rapid succession, the high speed image transfer step would only shift the first three images down by H/3 before the image area reset operation. This would result in rapidly capturing four images of size W by H/3.
Furthermore, it is understood by workers skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to use of the specific signals to accomplish certain described functions. For example, other CCD frame transfer arrays which operate on substantially the same principles as those disclosed herein are equally applicable for the present invention. Finally, the method and apparatus of the present invention are usable for any purpose which requires acquisition of multiple images within a limited time period, such as, for example, high speed photography of objects moving at a high velocity.
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|9||Copy of International Search Report from Application No. PCT/US01/00330 with international filing date of May 1, 2001.|
|10||U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/524,133, Fishbaine et al., filed Mar. 10, 2000.|
|11||U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/754,991, Kranz et al., filed Jan. 5, 2001.|
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|WO2005046301A2 *||Oct 29, 2004||May 19, 2005||Cyberoptics Corporation||Pick and place machine with improved component placement inspection|
|WO2005046301A3 *||Oct 29, 2004||Nov 10, 2005||Cyberoptics Corp||Pick and place machine with improved component placement inspection|
|U.S. Classification||382/150, 348/E03.023, 382/286, 382/147, 348/142, 348/317|
|International Classification||G01B11/25, G01B11/30, H04N5/225, G06T7/00, G01B11/24, H04N5/335, G01B11/02, G01N21/956, G06T1/00|
|Cooperative Classification||H04N5/3725, G01B11/2518, G01B11/30, G01N2021/95646|
|European Classification||G01B11/25F, H04N3/15D, G01B11/30, G06T5/40, G06T5/50|
|Jul 3, 2000||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: CYBEROPTICS CORPORATION, MINNESOTA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SKUNES, TIMOTHY A.;FISHBAINE, DAVID;REEL/FRAME:010943/0425;SIGNING DATES FROM 20000608 TO 20000619
|Sep 22, 2006||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Nov 22, 2010||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Apr 15, 2011||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Jun 7, 2011||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20110415


Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, tells us about his first six months in the post, the challenges and the lessons learned.
Six months is a relatively short time in terms of institutions like the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the Mayoralty of Greater Manchester. So to give an initial caveat right at the start, it’s still early days for us.
However, this is not to say that working together across Greater Manchester is something new. Here we have had solid foundations to build on, with over 30 years’ experience of our councils and other partners working together as the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) and GMCA to improve our city-region. But the Mayoral Combined Authority is fundamentally different to a Combined Authority of ten Council Leaders and Chief Executives which largely worked on consensus.
The political culture and way decisions are made is by necessity very different with our directly elected Mayor, Andy Burnham. Any new Mayor would have arrived with manifesto commitments that have been endorsed by the public and this naturally brings a new dimension to the GMCA’s work.
The Mayor’s arrival combined with the integration of a host of new organisations in to the Authority has brought a new momentum that continues to increase. We have seen a flurry of announcements and new policies from the Mayor in partnership with the other ten local authority leaders, and partner organisations. This has been a departure from the more incremental and less high profile AGMA and even GMCA forerunners that I was a part of as Deputy Chief Executive at Manchester City Council and Chief Executive at Stockport Council.
One of the main challenges for the still new Mayoral GMCA and its officers is to understand and accommodate both the constitutional power but also the potential soft power of the Mayor. The Mayor is now the Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire Commissioner. He has direct powers over transport and other financial and planning capabilities. From April he will assume the powers of the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority. This already wide remit then extends to the other Mayoral priorities like homelessness and beyond where that convening and soft power are utilised. It’s a big brief to say the least.
In his manifesto Andy Burnham made clear his commitment to ending rough sleeping by 2020 and this became a focal point of the campaign within the media. Since his election the Mayor’s soft power has probably been most notable in this work. Andy has worked with housing providers, charities, business, local authorities, emergency services, the NHS and the public at large to address this problem. A host of solutions from different organisations are being found and money is being raised to enable charities to support homeless people. Despite having few formal constitutional powers this is undoubtedly a key priority for the Mayor and across Greater Manchester progress is being made. Developing processes to support this work and other priorities that are beyond the constitutional remit are still something we have to adapt to on a regular basis.
Any look back at the six months since the Mayor’s election does mean discussing the tragic and barbaric Manchester Arena Attack. The attack affected us all, but the spirit of Manchester shone through as we faced our darkest hour. I am very proud of the way colleagues, partner agencies and the people of Greater Manchester came together in the aftermath.
The hours and days after the attack showed the significant convening power of the new Mayor. It was clear that, along with Sir Richard Leese, the Mayor had become the person the media identified and people looked to as the voice of city-region. Andy’s ability to use his role’s soft power to bring people together was then and continues to be a valuable asset to the city-region.
During the attack’s aftermath the Mayor was involved in numerous discussions with the Prime Minister and other Ministers as key decisions were made. This reflected a new style of interaction with central Government that has emerged. It is now clear that that the creation of directly elected Mayors has influenced the relationship between Greater Manchester and Government Departments. Since his election there has been effective communication between the Mayor and Senior ministers on a regular basis. Greater Manchester has always had good relationships at the highest levels of the Civil Service but since May there has been a notable shift to more political dialogue. Historically the GMCA was rarely openly political, operating in a more pragmatic manner. However we now find ourselves in a more political age and consequently dialogue with ministers now has much more prominence. The experience of Andy Burnham in Westminster and Whitehall clearly plays a role in this.
As all this change continue apace, I’m also acutely aware each day that the GMCA is central to, but only a part of wider public sector reform agenda. One of the biggest changes for me was moving from a local authority with clear service delivery elements to the GMCA which does not have the delivery capability to do much in isolation but we have the convening ability to support empowering others like local authorities and partners in the NHS. This makes having strong relationships vital.
The GMCA is in the process of bringing together disparate organisations with different cultures. It has not been straightforward bringing the Fire and Rescue Service in to the GMCA. GMFRS is a proud, long established organisation and this fundamental change to become part of the GMCA with the Mayor as Fire Commissioner has taken adjustment. However the opportunities for effective public service reform and collaboration between the Fire Service and the wider GMCA can and will bring benefits for people in our city-region. Transport for Greater Manchester’s relationship with the GMCA is also changing along with other parts of the Greater Manchester family. This takes time but even with some bumps in the road we are on the right track and the future is an exciting one.


text:
If users of the UK’s roads thought that things were getting back to some sort of normality after two years of disruption, they should think again. For a number of reasons, British vehicle owners and motorists of all kinds will have to beware of changes being introduced in May 2022. Failure to be aware of any and all of these new measures may see unwary drivers and riders hit with fines and other penalties, often for going about their business as they always have done. As the Treasury looks for ways to replenish its coffers, motorists should try to ensure that this does not come at their personal expense.
The planned changes for UK motorists will come at a time when many are still reeling from changes to the Highway Code. These were introduced at the end of January 2022, to absolutely no publicity whatsoever. This caused a great deal of displeasure among the driving public; displeasure that was fully endorsed by motoring organizations. At the time of their introduction, surveys showed that fully 7 million drivers had no idea of the changes. No figures are available, but experts predicted that many thousands of motorists would faced fines for breaking rules they didn’t know existed.
It is against this background that a raft of new changes are to be introduced. While the government ran a publicity campaign after the event, it is hoped that changes due in May will be publicised in advance. This is especially important because, even if drivers stick to the new rules, in many cases doing so will mean added expense. Although not all drivers will be equally effected, four sets of rule changes will hit owners of everything from HGVs downwards. These changes relate to goods transported to the EU, Clean Air Zones, e-scooters and the MOT test.
For a significant number of motorists, the implementation of Brexit will have financial implications after 21st May. From this date, anyone driving a van, light goods vehicle, or anything towing a trailer will need a standard international goods vehicle operator licence if travelling to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. This will apply to vans with nothing in the back; the fact is that these vehicles are capable of transporting goods, so owners and / or drivers of them will need the licence when driving to these countries. Owners without such a licence will need to apply for a new one, while those with licences for other vehicles can apply to add van/s etc. to them.
Staying within the UK, the rollout of Clean Air Zones CAZs) continues across many parts of Enland. 2022 has already seen CAZs introduced in Bath, Birmingham and Portsmouth. Bradford City Council is meeting national government with a view to introducing a Zone in that city, having already laid the groundwork using ANPR technology. Greater Manchester, meanwhile, had planned to introduce its own CAZ in May; this has now been postponed, probably until July. With London already having its well established congestion charge and CAZ system, the addition of these major cities will mean many drivers may have to change plans or pay to access these city centres.
Although not directly impacting the cost of using the UK’s roads, two other policy changes are being introduced of which all drivers will need to be aware. These changes are likely to be included in the Queen’s Speech to parliament, on 10th May 2022.
The first measure relates to e-scooters. Although there have been trials of these vehicles in various parts of the country, what rules apply to their use has been the subject of much discussion, especially among motorists and pedestrians. Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has decided to introduce a licence scheme, which will legalize e-scooters for travelling on parts of the road network. In part, this is to ensure that only those with a valid licence use the vehicles; in which case, those licences will be subject to penalties if holders are caught riding on footpaths, without a helmet, and a number of other breaches which are reported to occur regularly.
Finally, the motoring community is being targeted by government as one that will see its cost of living crisis helped by a change in the law. This is by way of the annual MOT test, which has been announced as being possibly extended to once every two years. Whether this comes to pass has yet to be seen.
Introduction of new measures might cause trouble and to add on, Road trips are always best but when it is hassle free. Vertoe, world’s leading short-term storage space provider, widely available in London, near all major landmarks, transits and train stations. Click luggage storage London for more information.

domain: law


text:
Musical Duck Race
Major bath time fun! Race them! Catch them! Fun, durable, and super entertaining!
The Musical Duck Race is all about celebrating bathtime!
Attach the Musical Duck Race to a flat surface on the bottom of the bath tub. Secure all three suction cups, ensuring that the fountain is level. Fill the bath tub with water. Water level must be between 4-14 cm.
Turn on the Fountain by pressing the red on/off button located beneath the flower and allow the water track to fill and place the ducks within to begin the race.
Put & take game–encourage your child to catch a duck, promoting hand eye coordination through play.
For ages: 6-36 months
- Yookidoo Fountain Bath Toy Has Many Ways To Play In The Tub
- Battery Powered Pump Circulates Water Through The Fountain While Playing Musical Effects
- Fountain Draws Water Up Through Center Pump, Filling A Water Track And Creating A Streaming Fountain
- Four Mischevious Ducks Race Around The Fountain As Music And Fun Sound Effects Play
- Nine Sound And Water Effects (And Mute Buttons For Parents!)

domain: entertainment


text:
We can almost hear you thinking, spending the night in a water bubble on the water, what is that now? This is one of the many special accommodations of Marina Parcs. This water bubble on the water, which is also called a podge, is suitable for two people. An overnight stay in this lovely wooden house by the water should not be missed on your bucket list. Enjoy the simplicity and tranquillity of this water bubbles on the water, so you can enjoy it to the fullest with your loved one. Thanks to the swell of the water, you'll be able to sleep in the water bubble. You will find these water bubbles 'just' in the Netherlands and in Almere at Marina Muiderzand. When will you remove this overnight stay in a water bubble in Almere from your list?
If you choose to spend the night in a water bubble at Marina Parcs, you'll have a practical holiday home at your disposal. This way you can sleep in a double bed with a box bed that looks like a bed. When you wake up in the morning, you can make a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy it in peace on the deck of the water bubble. Thanks to the heating, it is also comfortable to sleep in a water bubble in winter. For the use of the shower and toilet, you can go to the sanitary buildings in the Marina Muiderzand Marina . Enjoy the feeling of camping on the water and of course the magnificent view.
Atmospheric impression of the water bubbles
During your overnight stay in a water bubble on the water, you can make use of the facilities in the marina. Relax at Strandbad Duin, enjoy a culinary surprise in the restaurant or find a spot along the water to fish in peace and quiet. You can also rent a bike or a boat to explore the water-rich surroundings. You can sail to the IJmeer or Markermeer and pay a visit to the special forteiland Pampus. From Almere you can reach Amsterdam (22 km), Naarden (8 km) or Lelystad (33 km) where you can admire museums or other sights within a short time. Do you need something more exciting and adventurous? The Walibi amusement park is also easily accessible, where you can spend an exciting day in the roller coasters and other attractions. After a wonderful day, nothing is better than relaxing by your water bubble on the water.

domain: travel


text:
It has been nearly two years since Lorena Taylor-McPhail’s son, Jordan Anderson, took his own life by jumping off the 11th floor of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle.
Anderson was raised in Gig Harbor, attended Harbor Ridge Middle School and Peninsula High School through his junior year. For a time, he worked at the Anthony’s Restaurant.
Anderson's death was the final chapter in his seemingly sudden struggle with severe mental illness and the impetus for his mother’s crusade to reform mental health care laws in Washington state.
In mid-February, she told her son’s story at legislative hearings in Olympia.
The 21-year-old Anderson's first psychotic break came on Jan. 14, 2011, with religious-themed hallucinations. He claimed he was a prophet sent to save mankind from earthquakes and poisoned air. He jumped out of a moving car and was involuntarily committed.
“I didn’t know what to think,” said his mom, who originally thought he might be on drugs.
A medical screening found no drugs in his system.
Anderson's stay at a West Seattle psychiatric hospital lasted mere hours. Anderson smashed a third-story window with a table and leaped out, and he crushed his heel in the process, said his mother, who added her son was apparently left unsupervised when staff members took a break.
“It took six hours and six squad cars to find him,” Taylor-McPhail said. “He had to have his heel replaced with plates and pins. It was a huge nightmare.”
Following a month-long stint at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Anderson left the facility under a court-ordered treatment plan, but he got permission to visit his father, Ted, in Arizona.
For a while, he was doing well.
With his 90-day treatment plan coming to an end, Taylor-McPhail said she called her son’s case manager because he had stopped taking his medication, but she was ignored. Anderson's delusions returned.
On a Sunday morning in June 2011, while she was getting ready for church, she found Anderson dressed for worship but spread-eagle on his bed, seized by psychosis. He rambled on about a war between good and evil, telling his mother he was burning up.
She called 9-1-1, hoping to get her son back to Harborview, but she was told seven other patients were backed up in the emergency room.
Instead, Anderson ended up at a hospital in Federal Way. Taylor-McPhail recalled a King County psychiatric evaluator determining Taylor wasn’t an immediate risk to himself or others, and they suggested he spend the night in a homeless shelter.
Mental health confidentiality laws meant the evaluator couldn’t take into account Taylor-McPhail’s concerns.
Anderson was not involuntarily committed. He left the Federal Way hospital with just a bus pass, and he found his way to Seattle the next day, June 13, 2011, when he would end up taking his own life.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS
While Anderson's psychosis seemed to come out of nowhere, Taylor-McPhail said she now recognizes there were signs of mental illness.
“I started noticing changes in August 2010. He started coming up with strange ideas and religious beliefs,” she said, noting it’s common for schizophrenics to have delusions that are religious in nature. “I kind of dismissed it as developmental.”
The odd behavior continued.
Her son came to visit that Thanksgiving, complaining of aches and pains and some of his senses not working correctly. Taylor-McPhail also observed Anderson was losing weight. He told his mom that everyone in the north Ruston area of Tacoma had multiple sclerosis because of water polluted by a nearby smelter.
“Things like that started coming out,” Taylor-McPhail said. “I didn’t recognize it as psychosis.”
She took him to church, where he received some counseling, and then brought him home, where he started to hallucinate and claim a friend of his controlled the weather.
“In eighth grade, Jordan was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder,” Taylor-McPhail said.
Scientists are learning that ADHD symptoms may be a precursor for psychosis and are very similar to early signs of schizophrenia, Taylor-McPhail said.
She said she noticed that, even as a young boy, her son was impulsive and fearless.
“He was always getting hurt and taking risks that were unnecessary,” she said. “Grandiose behavior was coming out at a very young age.”
Anderson also was easily distracted, she said. So much so that it was originally thought he might have a hearing problem.
STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Dealing with Anderson's mental illness was made even more difficult — for mother and son — by the stigma attached to the disease. She resisted joining a National Alliance on Mental Illness support group and didn’t tell her son’s friends about Anderson's condition.
“Very few people know he was in psychiatric ward,” she said. “I didn’t want him to have to face discrimination. I was told he might get over it. So I kept quiet, so I didn’t have much public support. I felt very ashamed.”
Anderson was struggling with similar feelings, too.
Taking his medication was an admission to himself that he was crazy, Taylor-McPhail said.
“When he was on his meds, he was able to function,” she said. “But they were so strong, it would knock him on his butt for four or five hours.”
The real knockdown part of mental illness remained the stigma.
“The stigma is hard to deal with,” Taylor-McPhail said. “Reducing the stigma is key to understanding that mental health is a medical issue. I think it’s the core of the problem.”
SPURRING LAWMAKERS TO ACTION
Taylor-McPhail has since overcome any trepidation on speaking out about the stigma of mental illness, going so far as to tell her son’s story at legislative hearings last month as part of a slew of bills aimed at strengthening laws to prevent or cut down on accounts of scant treatment or treatment denied at critical moments.
“It was really hard for me to get him treatment,” she said, recalling the difficulty of having to prove her son was an imminent threat to himself or others in order to get committed for the help he needed.
The frustrating part for Taylor-McPhail and others dealing with similar problems is the fact the Legislature passed a law in 2010 to deal with this exact scenario. House Bill 2076 loosened criteria for the Involuntary Treatment Act, allowing evaluators to consider a patient’s history, including family members’ statements, before they decide whether to civilly commit a patient.
But the start date was delayed twice — to 2012, then 2015 — because it would require hundreds more hospital beds at a cost of about $11 million a year.
The Legislature is considering speeding up implementation with Senate Bill 5480. Gov. Chris Gregoire’s budget set aside $7.5 million for it. State Sen. Mike Carroll last month gave it a hearing in the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee.
Taylor-McPhail has been working with state Sen. Nathaniel Schlicher, D-Gig Harbor, on legislation aimed at lowering the threshold for commitment by allowing doctors to have more of a say in the decision. Right now, it’s in the hands of a designated mental health provider.
“Hopefully this will be a little bit of a check on the system,” said Schlicher, an emergency room physician. “It’s one of the things that’s a real challenge.”
As a doctor, Schlicher said he understands what people have to endure in dealing with someone who suffers from mental illness.
“People feel powerless to help loved ones get help,” he said. “They’re standing on the precipice of a cliff to prevent them from falling, instead of being two steps ahead. Lorena’s son was standing on the edge, and he fell off.”
Schlicher recognizes the economic reality of the situation, advocating a prevention strategy that he says would help more people and save money.
“The hard thing is that our state system is crisis-driven,” he said. “There’s not much funding until we’re in crisis, and then we spend money for involuntary treatment at $180,000 per bed. It’s a huge dollar amount. That just doesn’t make sense.”
Both bills have gone to their respective rules committees for a decision on being placed on the floor calendar for a second reading.
Taylor-McPhail has mixed feelings about what her efforts with the Legislature will mean.
“I see a lot of sympathy from them, and several people have proposed bills,” she said. “I felt as though I was empathized with, but I feel a lot of the bills are starting to die, and it remains to be seen if they will be funded. I think they’re just waiting for us to go away and go back to business as usual.”
She has no plans to go back where she came from. She sees some hopeful signs in the culture that mental illness is being taken more seriously.
The mass shooting of 20 children and six adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., has brought attention to the issue of mental health.
The critically acclaimed motion picture “Silver Linings Playbook” also has shown the spotlight on mental illness in a more favorable regard.
“There’s been a lot of talk about public-awareness campaigns to discuss mental health issues,” Taylor-McPhail said. “My goal is to raise awareness in the Gig Harbor community.”
REMEMBERING JORDAN ANDERSON
“I can’t believe it’s happened to one of my children,” Taylor-McPhail said. “He was dynamic, he was talented, he was athletic. He was very creative and wanted to run a business and earn money.”
In Anderson's case, he was thinking about starting an automotive-parts business, and he was a skilled BMX racer whose friends enjoyed his company.
She described her son at tall, 6-foot-2, handsome, well-liked, giving and someone who would never hurt anyone.
Even in the midst of episodes of psychosis, Anderson was more concerned with others and not himself.
“He was preaching to people in the hospital,” she said. “He wanted to save everyone.”
Reporter Brett Davis can be reached at 253-358-4151 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow him on Twitter @gateway_brett.

domain: sociology


A company has found a solution to quickly charge electric cars without using a cable. We'll explain it to you.
There are more and more electric cars on the roads today. But some motorists still have fears.
Easier charging for electric cars
Among them, autonomy as well as recharging, which still sometimes remains a little complicated. You have to find a terminal and have the right cable with you, not to mention the power and many other constraints. But now a company has just found an astonishing solution, which should make life easier for motorists. It is Beam Global, which has just taken a major step forward in the field of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure by obtaining a brand new patent from the United States Patent Office. This company specializing in sustainable solutions has developed a revolutionary wireless charging technology, called “Autonomous Renewable Inductive Battery Charger”. EV ARC™'s patented technology allows electric vehicles to charge without requiring a physical connection to a charging cable. Instead, it uses a wireless energy transmitter built into the base of the EV ARC system to transfer electrical energy through the air, directly to the vehicle's battery.
Electric cars: faster charging
Just imagine parking on a system like this and seeing your car charge automatically, without any additional human intervention. To stop charging, simply walk away. It's as simple as that. The EV ARC from Beam Global est a charging solution that can be deployed quickly, without requiring construction work or major electrical installations. Its wireless charging integration further simplifies infrastructure setup, making it an attractive option for fleet operators and public charging facilities. No more digging trenches to lay cables or carrying out complex work. The device is simply installed and ready to operate. Desmond Wheatley, CEO of Beam Global and himself an EV driver, spoke enthusiastically about this technological advancement. According to him, this wireless charging will revolutionize the way we charge our electric vehicles. No more searching for a charging station, plugging in a cable or monitoring the process. The EV ARC simplifies everything, providing a smooth and efficient charging experience.
It remains to be seen when this technology will be massively deployed and offered to motorists!


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I’ve always loved decorating for the holidays! But recently I’ve discovered it’s cheaper to make your own decorations than buy them. Now you can find me regularly at Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Joann Etc.! I always have a craft project going for holidays, birthday parties, baby showers, wedding showers and more. Here I will share some of my favorites!
After Halloween, I started on the six new wreaths I am making for our new home for Christmas. Yes six! I know I’m crazy but you only have a first Christmas once. I used traditional red and lime green this years to adorn our new home. Let me know what you think!
Halloween was wonderful this year at our new home. This gorgeous whimsical wreath and garland I made adorned my front door well.
With fall comes football season! What better way to show your team spirit than with a wreath on your front door for everyone to see. Here are some of my latest wreaths I’ve made for friends and family! GO GATORS!
Here are a few other wreaths I have made for friends, birthday parties, baby showers and holidays.

domain: design


A Slew of Steps to Strengthen Security, A Few Lapses Too
By Yatish Yadav | Published: 31st December 2013 07:36 AM |
In 2013, the Ministry of Home Affairs dealt with the challenges of hinterland terrorism, left-wing extremism, Northeast insurgency and the rise in infiltration attempts from across the borders.
After facing nationwide outrage over the December 16 bus gangrape here, the MHA on February 1, 2013 executed an ordinance amending the existing criminal laws ensuring the death penalty in the rarest of rare rape cases that cause death or persistent vegetative state. The ordinance also incorporated suggestions from the report of the Justice (Retd) J S Verma Committee, which was constituted to suggest measures for checking crimes against women such as including acid attacks, trafficking, sexual harassment at work and stalking.
On March 18, 2013 the Cabinet cleared the new anti-rape law, incorporating suggestions of parties on age of consent, stalking and voyeurism.
Afzal Hanged, 4 Major Blasts
A week after clearing the landmark bill, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on February 9, 2013 announced the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. This was the second high-profile execution after 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab was executed in November 2012. Guru, 43, a medical college dropout and resident of Tarzoo village of Sopore town in north Kashmir, was on the death row for over 10 years after conviction for his role in the audacious attack. A surrendered JKLF militant, Guru was hanged and buried in Tihar Jail. However, the jubilant mood in North Block was short-lived as twin terror blasts rocked Hyderabad on February 21 killing 17 people and injuring 119 others.
The terror strikes carried out by the Indian Mujahideen at Dilsukh Nagar also exposed loopholes in counter-terror apparatus and lack of coordination between state and central agencies, compelling the ministry to raise intelligence fusion centres for dissemination of actionable intelligence to law enforcement agencies. These centres at the district level were also expedited to fill the immediate intelligence gap as the National Counter Terrorism Centre was facing stiff Opposition from states.
Terrorist activities in the hinterland continued to remain a threat. On April 17, 2013 around 3 pm a blast near the BJP state office in Bangalore injured 17 people. Two months later, on July 7 serial explosions ripped through the Mahabodi temple in Bodh Gaya injuring five people. A total 13 IEDs were planted on temple premise, out of which 10 exploded and three were live ones recovered later. Terrorists struck again, on October 27, targeting BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s ‘hunkar’ rally in Patna, Bihar. Eight serial blasts killed seven people and around 100 others injured.
On the left-wing extremism front, 158 civilians and 109 security personnel were killed. As many as 149 ultras were neutralised.
In Jammu & Kashmir, 20 civilians and 61 security personnel were killed while 98 Pak-trained terrorists were neutralised.
In five northeastern states, 81 civilians and 21 security personnel were killed, while 135 terrorists were neutralised.
In a joint operation, a team of the Intelligence Bureau and the NIA nabbed Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal from Pokhra, Nepal on August 30. Another high-ranking IM operative, Assadullah Akhtar alias Tabrez alias Haddi, was also arrested.
The MHA managed to extradite high-profile terrorists such as Abu Jundal and Abdul Karim Tunda and IM suspect Mohamed Fasih from UAE. The ministry amended the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 which enlarged the ambit of the “terrorist act” by incorporating threats to the economic security.


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10:15 a.m. Dec. 5, 2017
- By Steve Goldstein
Republican tax plan benefits wealthy the most, poll saysVoters say the Republican tax plan that both chambers of Congress have passed benefits the wealthy the most, a new poll finds.
5:35 a.m. Nov. 18, 2017
- By Tim Mullaney
Behold: The Endangered Republican Act of 2017 Raising middle-class taxes and gutting health care in one fell swoop: Smart!The Republicans’ tax cut bill is bad economics and worse politics, writes Tim Mullaney.
2:54 a.m. Sept. 8, 2017
- By Trey Williams
Congress gives medical marijuana users a good reason to be paranoid Senator Patrick Leahy introduced a similar amendment that could still uphold protections granted to patients and medical marijuana providers in states where it is legalThe legal medical marijuana market took a major hit on Wednesday after the U.S. House Rules Committee blocked an amendment for medical marijuana protections from the House’s 2018 budget bill.
3:50 a.m. Aug. 23, 2017
- By Howard Gold
Ray Dalio’s reversal is more proof that Wall Street’s Trump denial is cracking The stock market’s next Trump challenge starts right after Labor DayWatch the administration struggle with the coming trifecta of passing a new budget, avoiding a government shutdown and raising the debt limit to avoid default, writes Howard Gold.
8:52 a.m. Aug. 7, 2017
- By Robert Schroeder
Trump Today: President says his base ‘stronger than ever before’ despite polling Trump again goes after Sen. Blumenthal President Donald Trump tweeted early Monday that his base is “far bigger and stronger than ever before” despite some polling, called the New York Times “totally inept” after it reported Vice President Mike Pence was positioning himself to run for president in 2020 and attacked Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
11:41 a.m. Aug. 2, 2017
- By Alessandra Malito
10 cities with the most millennial homeowners and this is how much you should spend on wedding presents Wednesday's top personal finance stories Wednesday's top personal finance storiesWednesday's top personal finance stories
11:07 a.m. Aug. 2, 2017
- By Bob Fredericks
Trump’s approval rating hits new low in poll Quinnipiac survey shows just 33% of U.S. voters approve of president’s job performance; 61% disapprove President Trump’s approval rating sank to a new low in the latest Quinnipiac University poll, which was released on Wednesday.
4:27 a.m. June 22, 2017
- By MarketWatch
N.J.’s Chris Christie on his abysmal approval rating: ‘The fact is, who cares?’When it comes to polls, some politicians cherry pick. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has a novel approach.

domain: news


Photo: David Ferri Durà
// Peter Grimes at Teatro La Fenice, Venice
// La Bohème at Teatro San Carlo, Naples
// Mozart's Requiem for Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova
// Shostakovich's 14th Symphony in Lisbon
"Laurence Meikle in the role of Count Horn showed what a fine singer he is. With his dark, resonant bass he reached terrific results"
- Bachtrack 2019, Un ballo in Maschera,
Teatro San Carlo Naples
"Buoni pure tutti i comprimari, tra cui si segnala, per volume di voce ed espressività, quella di Laurence Meikle un Sam o Conte Horn in cui all’importanza della voce si unisce quella scenica"
- Operaclick 2019, Un ballo in Maschera,
Teatro San Carlo Naples
"...very interesting the dark voice of Laurence Meikle's Colline, who received enthusiastic applause for Vecchia Zimarra"
- Spettacolo 2019, La Bohème
Teatro San Carlo Naples
Bass-baritone Laurence Meikle made his principal debut with Opera Australia at the age of 22 at the Sydney Opera House, and since that time, his burgeoning career as a singer of opera, concert, and song has encompassed performances at some of Europe’s most important opera houses and concert halls.
Laurence’s keen focus on music of the baroque and classical periods has lead to his collaboration as a soloist with musicians such as Sir Charles Mackerras, Diego Fasolis, Laurence Cummings, Dame Jane Glover, Stefano Montanari, Hansjörg Albrecht, and Dame Emma Kirkby; and ensembles such as I Barocchisti, La Lira di Orfeo, Aestas Ensemble, Ensemble Salomone Rossi, and the London Handel Orchestra.
Early success as a principal artist with most of Australia’s major opera companies and orchestras lead Laurence to pursue studies on the opera course at London’s Royal Academy of Music, where he graduated with honours and the Opera Rara Bel Canto Prize. During the course of his studies, he made debuts with the London Handel Festival (title role Saul, and Belshazzar) both under the direction of Laurence Cummings, as well as Hercules in Cavalli’s Il Giasone with Dame Jane Glover for Royal Academy Opera, and several performances with the Academy’s Bach/Kohn Bach Cantata series under the direction of Iain Ledingham. Debuts followed for Opera Holland Park (Betto - Gianni Schicchi), Grange Park Opera (Angelotti - Tosca), and Aestas Ensemble (Aeneas - Dido and Aeneas) with Laurence Cummings.
Upon graduation, Laurence was offered a contract by the Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle Weimar, Germany, where he sang a varied repertoire, including the title role in Don Giovanni, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Elmiro in Rossini’s Otello, Astolfo in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso, Papageno and Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte, Martino in Rossini’s L’occasione fa il Ladro, Hobson in Peter Grimes, Colline in La Bohème (a role he has sung over 90 times in Australia, Germany, the UK, France, and Italy), and Escamillo in Carmen (productions in Germany, Italy, and in Scotland with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra).
During this time in Germany, Laurence took part in numerous concerts and festivals, regularly singing Bach cantatas for Bachprojekt Weimar and J-S-Bach Ensemble Weimar, major works of Mozart, Schubert, and Haydn with the orchestras Staatskapelle Weimar, Jenaer Philharmonie, and Philharmonische Orchester Erfurt, as well as being an active recitalist, regularly presenting works of Schubert, Schumann, Wolf and Mahler.
Laurence’s concert repertoire centres around Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart, and Rossini, having performed the major works at venues such as Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Kings Place, the Royal Albert Hall, the Mozarteum Großersaal in Salzburg, and the Sydney Opera House, to name a few, with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the London Handel Players, the Gulbenkian Orquestra, Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia, the Staatskapelle Weimar, I Barocchisiti, the Cambridge Philharmonic, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Bourmouth Symphony, and the English Concert Orchestra. Recent highlights include Mozart’s Requiem for the Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle for the Lerici Festival, and Vivaldi’s Magnificat at Cadogan Hall alongside Dame Emma Kirkby.
As a recording artist, Laurence has recently embarked on a project to record the complete bass psalms of Benedetto Marcello with Ensemble Salomone Rossi for Naxos, and will soon record previously unheard bass cantatas of Scarlatti for the Concerto Classics label. Other recordings include song repertoire of Elgar “The Fringes of the Fleet” for SOMM and a studio opera release of Glanville Hicks’ Sappho, featuring Sir John Tomlinson and Deborah Polaski. Live opera recordings include La Traviata from Teatro San Carlo Naples and Meyerbeer’s Margarita D’Anjou from Festival della Valle d’Itria.
After some years singing in Germany, in 2017 Laurence was invited by Fabio Luisi to sing Guglielmo in Così fan tutte for Festival della Valle d’Itria, after which followed Zuniga in Carmen at the Teatro delle Muse Ancona, and his role debut at Teatro San Carlo in Naples singing Osmin in the legendary Strehler production of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail.
Based in Italy since 2017, he returned to Teatro San Carlo in Naples in several roles, namely, Colline in La Bohème, Il Faraone in Rossini’s Mosè in Egitto, Portye in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, and Grenville in La Traviata, featuring Leo Nucci. In 2018 he was re-invited to the Festival della Valle d’Itria, where he sang Belmonte in Meyerbeer’s Margherita d’Anjou, again with Fabio Luisi conducting.
Laurence began the 2018-19 season at Teatro San Carlo, with Colline in La Bohème, and Samuel in Un Ballo in Maschera, with an all-star cast led by Donato Renzetti. This was followed by the title role in Don Giovanni at the Teatro Sociale di Rovigo, and appearing again at the Festival della Valle d’Itria, in a concert of Vivaldi arias with Diego Fasolis and I Barocchisti, whilst covering the role of Astolfo in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso.
During the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, Laurence was due to make debuts at Teatro San Carlo including Gualtiero Valton in I Puritani alongside Lisette Oropesa, The Herald in Prokofiev's The Love of Three Oranges, as well as Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Teatro Municipale di Piacenza, and other debuts in Ferrara, Padova, Pisa and Orchestra Svizzera Italiana di Lugano, (including Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro and the title role in Don Giovanni). Despite these cancellations, Laurence was able to perform a concert version of La Rondine (Crébillon) at Teatro San Carlo, alongside Ailyn Pérez and Michael Fabiano. After a prolific period of operatic activity in recent years, Laurence has been pleased to use the pandemic time to sing more recital and concert repertoire, performing works such as Schwanengesang, Dichterliebe, and Die Schöne Müllerin at festivals throughout Portugal, Italy, and France. Other concerts during this time have included Mozart’s Missa Brevis in C Major and Schubert’s Mass in G Major with Christoph Poppen and the Kölner Kammerorchester.
Returning to the theatre in 2022, Laurence made his debut at Teatro La Fenice in Venice in Paul Curran's lauded new production of Peter Grimes, followed by La Traviata in Lugano with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana. Other projects for this year include Ravel's L'Heure Espagnole with Ensemble Mediterrain at Lisbon's Centro Cultural de Belém, and Shostakovich's 14th Symphony with the Orquestra de Câmara Portuguesa.
In addition to the aforementioned, Laurence has worked with conductors Richard Bonynge, Daniel Oren, Bruno Campanella, Renato Palumbo, Stefano Ranzani, Donato Renzetti, Paul Daniel, and Richard Hickox, and directors such as John Copley, Ferzan Öspatek, John Cox, David Pountney, Mark Morris, and Martin Kušej.
Laurence studies voice in Italy with Maestro Fernando Cordeiro Opa; major teachers have included Ryland Davies and Tom Krause, and he has studied closely with many notable singers, for example, Sir John Tomlinson, Sir Thomas Allen, and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.


Miley Cyrus angers environmentalists
The celebrity has posted a photo of her in a tree - a tree that has apparently been repeatedly abused by tourists.
Miley Cyrus. Image courtesy of Facebook
Miley Cyrus has shared photos from her latest shoot in the Nevada desert and while it has been attracting numerous likes on social media, environmental agencies are less than impressed.
In one photo Cyrus can be seen perched in a tree, looking down toward the camera. The caption is an almost prophetic, “Looking down at the petty drama like…” because it is this photo that has landed Cyrus in hot water.
The tree she is sitting in is colloquially known as a Joshua Tree, and it only grows in that part of the world. It takes 60 years to mature and can live to 500, but recently a number of these extremely rare trees have been damaged by tourists climbing them, hanging on them, or even doing yoga against them.
Unlike other trees, the trunk is made up of fine fibres rather than solid wood and it has an extremely shallow root structure.
“Repeated abuse by tourists (over three million visitors a year), is slowly causing their demise … Its top-heavy weight is a recipe for disaster due to its shallow roots,” said one commenter.
According to local community paper the Desert Sun, what Cyrus did also violates the law.
“According to national park service rules, off-roading violations related to wildlife, plants, and natural or cultural features, carry a maximum penalty of $5,000 and/or six months in prison.”
Susan Burnett, who manages Mojave Sands hotel in downtown Joshua Tree, told the Desert Sun: “I admire Miley Cyrus so much but, as a community, the people of Joshua Tree have tried so hard to educate the general public about the desert and Joshua trees specifically, and this just feels like a monumental setback. There is no way to erase the idea her image presents that climbing these endangered plants is cool. I’m counting on her to help make this right and use her platform to help us preserve these ancient beauties.”


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|Kerry Godliman who plays Hannah in Derek|
Kerry has appeared in numerous shows including Law of the Playground, BBC’s Silk, Spoons, BBC 3’s Rush Hour, BBC 2’s Home Time, Miranda and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, as well as two other Gervais creations – Extras and Life’s Too Short. Her theatre credits include ‘England People Very Very Nice’ at The Royal National Theatre.
She’s not only an actor, but she’s also a critically-acclaimed stand-up comic. Kerry made the final of the 2003 Babycham Funny Women competition, appeared in the Brighton Comedy Festival in 2012, supported Micky Flannagan on his Out Out Tour and made an unforgettable appearance at Live at the Apollo, which was screened on BBC 1 in November last year. In 2011 she appeared in her own show at The Edinburgh Fringe, called ‘Wonder Woman,’ which she later went on to perform at the Soho Theatre the following year.
|Kerry at Live at the Apollo|
Here’s just a snippet of the praise she’s received:
“This cocky Londoner knows how to hold an audience’s attention, with a well-honed delivery that ensures her material always gets the best response.” Chortle
“The best comic timing on the fringe…you quite literally have to be there” Sunday Times Culture
“Phenomenally acute bullshit detector” The Guardian
Then there’s radio. She has co-presented the Radio 6 music show with Alan Carr, and wrote and stars in ‘Kerry’s List’ for Radio 4, which airs in the spring. She describes this latest venture as “the mania of having a 'to do' list. It's a sort of sketch, stand-up and sitcom mash up.”
In Derek, she is once again working with Ricky Gervais and the acclaimed producer, Charlie Hanson, and since the pilot in 2012 she has wowed audiences with her portrayal of Hannah, whom we all know to be the beating heart of the show.
I couldn't wait to talk to Kerry, so to brighten up your day, here’s what she had to say:
How did you get the part of Hannah?
I'd had small parts in Extras and Life’s Too Short and I think Ricky had remembered me from that and asked me to audition for Hannah.
How did Ricky explain the character to you?
I think the character was clear from the script. He said he wanted her to be strong, and devoted to her job. Maybe a little bit sad too, with regard to her private life.
|Kerry with Ricky , in Derek|
How have you found it working with Ricky, and also Karl?
Working with Ricky is a delight as he's clear about what he wants and he's relaxed. It's a useful combination for a director. Karl is a lovely bloke - very unpretentious and grounded.
How do you feel about your character being compared to Tim from The Office?
Well that’s very flattering. I'm a fan of Martin Freeman.
What lessons do you hope people will take with them after watching Derek?
I saw a tweet recently where someone said after watching Derek they rang their elderly Mum to tell her they loved her. It would be lovely to think that Derek reminds people to be more caring to our old folk. We all get old, if we're lucky.
I asked the same question to Holli – does David Earl scare you when he’s in character?
No, Kev's too pathetic to be scary.
Are there similarities between Kerry and Hannah?
We've got the same face. I don’t work in care and I'm married with kids, so we don’t have many similarities.
Acting, radio or stand-up – where does your heart truly lie?
All of it, I'm very greedy and have a short attention span!
What would you consider your greatest achievement to date?
Lots of things...I'm proud of my Edinburgh shows. Doing Live At The Apollo, Being in a play at the National Theatre. I'm very proud to be a part of Derek of course.
Life after Derek – what’s in store for Kerry in 2013?
I'm doing Kerry's List on Radio 4, which will air in late April. I’m playing Lacey Turners Mum in 'Our Girl' on BBC1 in March
What are your aspirations for the future?
I'd love to work in film.... or my own sitcom would be nice.
Thanks Kerry for talking to TadpoleHitler.com – it was an absolute pleasure. Catch her this Wednesday evening on Derek at 10pm on Channel 4. You can also follow Kerry on twitter @KerryAGodliman, although as she says, she's "a bit shit on Twitter."
© M. A. Sibson

domain: artistic


text:
Pearl necklace, code K-37
Τhis necklace consists οf 44 Pearl beads with dimensions of about 7 x 9 mm.
The bead in the center is made of sterling silver and is decorated handmade with 14K gold wire. The metal beads in between the pearls are made of 14K gold. Sterling silver parrot lobster clasp.
The total length of the necklace is 46 cm and its total weight is 32 grams.
Shipping times varies between 2-10 business days, depending on product availability.