text:
Upon arrival at the main entrance of Marine Corps Boot Camp on Parris Island, S.C., the gates opened into another world. Being fresh out of high school, I thought this world of the unknown resembled the Bastille. The lights at the main gate shone brilliantly like miniature suns, turning night into day and causing the barbs of the fence to twinkle in the cold night. A German shepherd with an immaculate coat and strong, well-defined muscles walked beside his clean-shaven master. A sense of unbelievable reverence and sheer terror overcame me. From that moment on, my transformation from a boy to a man was inevitable.
Beads of sweat ran down my forehead as my heart began to pound as if I were finishing the 100-yard dash. The palms of my hands were cold and clammy as this unimaginable drama began to unfold. Dreadful, unprecedented terror ran through me, similar to what I imagined I would feel standing in a strange dark room unsure of my sense of direction. This made me wonder, "Was this the right choice?" As the bus turned to stop in front of an enormous fortress, the red clay bricks seemed to jump out as the light of the bus glided across the silky, smooth surface of the receiving barracks, where all raw recruits began this metamorphosis.
In the distance, a drill instructor with enormous arms and a chest that filled out every inch of the khaki short-sleeve shirt wore olive green trousers that swayed over dress shoes resembling polished onyx. This domineering presence approached the bus like a rolling thunder cloud unexpectedly engulfing a prairie. As he swung open the elaborate steel doors, fiery eyes glared out from under a Smokey the Bear hat. This omnipotent god boarded the bus and barked out orders with the voice of a possessed demon, commanding all recruits to leave the bus. Scrambling to evacuate the bus as though fleeing a burning building, my body trembled, unsure whether this was because of the cool night air or my fear of this sudden transformation into adulthood.
I stood there shivering like a leaf, waiting for the heavy voice of manhood to engulf and mold me into a man; this forging of mind and body would soon take hold and overwhelm all who dared to travel this road of unheard terror. Yet, this particular path to adulthood was necessary to overcome any adversity. For this challenge was met by a boy and conquered by a Marine.

domain: literature


It happens pretty often that a producer makes a high-performance vehicle. It’s all a bit of a trick because there’s a chance the producer is really underrating that vehicle. The only thing you shold know is that is much more powerful than the rival, but it doesn’t have to be a lot more, as long as it’s better. In reality, it could be way way better.
This seems to be the same thing with McLaren and its new 720S. The numbers in its name show us its metric horsepower rating. This is the output figure posted for the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine it’s found in the rear half of the 720S.
The actual engine horsepower could be as much as 780 horsepower, possibly even higher
Anyway, when one of Woking’s newest steeds was placed on a DynoJet, the results were a bit better than the factory wanted. BoostAddict found horsepower figures of 694, 696, and 699. Those figures, mind you, are at the rear wheels. That means the actual engine horsepower could be as much as 780 horsepower, possibly even higher.
McLaren is sandbagging heavily on the 720S. We are happy for the shocked expressions of Ferrari 488 GTB owners when the British super speeder goes howling past. This isn’t the first time that McLaren has played with reported power figures.
McLaren said the 570S made 562 crank horsepower, but at the wheels it actually made over 530 horsepower . It’s fibbing, but it’s the kind that makes us have crooked smile.


Why Singers Should Write their Own Songs! Or Not?
Noel Gallagher of Oasis has claimed teams of songwriters are ruining the music industry and he said he wouldn't write a song for someone else.
"It's something that I have been asked to do on a couple of occasions, and I just think that they're just performers aren't they? Unless you do your own stuff, what are you? You're just a performing seal for somebody else...I've never written a song for anybody else, I wouldn't have the nerve to ask anybody else to write me a song. Write your own songs, what you asking me for?"
Lady Gaga also had similar criticism. Although she's fine with people who are good singers not writing their own material. But she didn't see the point of people who can't sing well but also don't write their own material.
"But then you think about artists that can’t really sing, that have songs written for them, and it’s like, well why are they artists? Why are companies paying money to promote them? Because they’re beautiful and look good on camera and are kinda-sorta singing along? It’s like karaoke for pretty girls. When you’re a singer-songwriter it doesn’t really matter if you’re beautiful. What matters is that you create a relationship with your fans, and they care what you have to say.”
Many Respected Artists Didn't Write their Own Songs
However, many highly respected artists didn't write their own songs. Elvis Presley didn't yet he's still called The King of Rock n' Roll. Janis Joplin is another rock great who didn't write most of her material. Other than exceptions like Smokey Robinson and Lionel Richie of the Commodores, most of the Motown greats didn't write their own songs. This includes The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Temptations. Not only did they not write their own songs, they often didn't even choose them. They were basically told to go into a studio and sing what was given to them.
The Temptations' Papa Was a Rollin' Stone was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
Their defenders would say they didn't write their own songs but they're still artists because they had to interpret and bring their own meaning to a song, which in itself is a type of creation and artistry. And do songs like Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Cloud Nine, Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), and Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) become less good because the singers themselves didn't write them?
What about an album like Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg and Wilco that was based on the previously unheard lyrics of Woody Guthrie? Is it less good because the songs were written by someone else? The concept album The Wall by Pink Floyd was mostly written by Roger Waters and he sings most of the songs. The main character was based on Waters himself. When you listen to The Wall, you're hearing him express his own thoughts and feelings, not someone else's. Would it matter if it was sung by someone else though? Wouldn't those songs still be great?
Some people may be great songwriters but bad singers. Or maybe they're introverts who want to be in the background. Many great songs were written by individuals like this.
Are Singer-Songwriters More Authentic?
Those who favor singer-songwriters may believe their songs are more authentic than those of "entertainers" who don't write their own material. Entertainers are purely in it for the money and fame. The songwriter must actually care about their material. But why assume they must? Even a songwriter can write material that's solely aimed at bringing them wealth or fame or acclaim. This is true of The Beatles first album. They wrote songs that mimicked what was successful at the time. According to John Lennon they were:
"...just writing songs à la Everly Brothers, à la Buddy Holly, pop songs with no more thought of them than that - to create a sound. And the words were almost irrelevant."
And a singer-songwriter may not always be great at what they do. Patrick Taylor from RapReviews said Ed Sheeran's:
"...lyrics are full of cheesy sentiments and cliches...Ed Sheeran is an impressive talent, but his juvenile lyrics and lightweight sensibility make him a tough sell to any one old enough to drink."
Ed writes his own material but he's far from being respected critically with both of his albums getting ratings of 67 on Metacritic. Not bad but far from being acclaimed for someone who sees himself as a serious artist.
It's hard to imagine certain songs about personal experiences being sung by anyone other than their writers. Someone who didn't have those experiences would be faking the feelings and emotions expressed in the song.
Pearl Jam - Alive (Lyrics by Eddie Veddar, Instrumental written by Stone Gossard)
Edwin Starr - War (Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong)
However, songs written by singer-songwriters aren't always based on personal experiences. A lot of songs tell stories and don't reflect the singer's life and experiences. Pearl Jam's Alive is only loosely based on Eddie Veddar's own experience of finding out the man who raised him wasn't his real father. The song is actually about a fictional character he created. All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crowe was based on a Wyn Cooper poem. Irish newcomer Hozier says the book Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce was a big influence on his songwriting. And we know that Johnny Cash never actually shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.
Having said that, the anti-war anthem War is an example of the problem of singers not writing their own songs. The Temptations originally recorded War. Motown and The Temptations themselves were reluctant to release the song as a single fearing it was too controversial and might upset more conservative members of the group's fan base. Perhaps the group didn't feel strongly enough about the message behind the song to take that risk. Edwin Starr who only had one hit to his name offered to record and release War and Motown agreed. It's hard to know if anyone other than the writers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong actually cared about the meaning of the song.
Can a song have the same level of meaning if sung by someone else? Probably yes if that person truly identifies with the song. But if a singer needs an album's worth of material, what is their criteria? That they can personally identify with each and every song at a visceral level? That it has hit potential? That it appeals to their target audience? In many cases the songs are chosen by people at the label or by producers rather than the singers themselves.
Do you think singers who don't write their own material aren't real artists?
Do you generally prefer singers who write their own songs?
Individual listeners care about different things when it comes to songs. Some want to find their own personal meaning in a song and might have little interest in what the songwriter experienced. They may not even care whether a songwriter was writing from personal experience or was simply throwing together words that would form a hit song. It may not bother them to learn that it was written by a team of people with the sole purpose of getting a hit. They'll love a song simply because it sounds good to them and the origin is irrelevant. Others will feel a song isn't meaningful or authentic unless it's being sung by it's writer.
For me personally, I like to know about the backgrounds of my favorite artists. I like to know about the events that drove them to write their songs. The songs are more interesting when I know the stories behind them. Artist Keith Haring said art:
"...should be something that liberates the soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further. It celebrates humanity instead of manipulating it."
Music is a powerful tool for arousing feelings and emotions. When people say music should be the creation of the musicians themselves perhaps what they're really uncomfortable with is the focus on profits (which have nothing to do with liberating the soul or provoking imagination and a lot to do with manipulating humanity) rather than artistry that's behind the existence of many songs. Maybe cold business decisions driving the creation of what can affect us so strongly emotionally is troubling. Some can only appreciate the honest singer-songwriters who are expressing genuine and raw emotions, rather than singers who may be mindlessly and mechanically repeating someone else's words and ideas solely to get a hit or fill an album's tracklist.


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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday the 24th Dec 2020, in a general massage to the nation to celebrate this year’s Christmas celebration, the president in his massage acknowledged the fact that the country was facing challenges that in his terms, beyond simplistic options.
The president however gave the assurance that the his administration would remain focused in brining the various problem’s under control, he particularly mentioned the issue of insecurity and assured the citizenry of his administration’s determination to bring the insecurity to the barest minimum.
He urged the Nigerian’s to live and move freely without fear of molestation, that the security of the nation is very vita towards the growth of the nation’s economy.
He also enumerated his administration’s achievement in the area of economy, such as social investment programs and other economy policies that this government is involved in, that it has begun to yield positive results.
The president congratulated Nigerian’s especially the Christians, and urged them to celebrate with a clear understanding of the protocol of the challenges of the time’s that all the rules to curb the spread of COVID-19 should be observed in totality
THE PRESIDENT MASSAGE TO THE NATION
I felicitate with our Christian brothers and sisters in particular and all Nigerians in general on this joyous occasion of Christmas 2020, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.
In Christendom, the Christmas season represents joy, peace, hope, love, goodwill, and imminent salvation.
These worthy values which Jesus’ Advent symbolise, are very much needed in our country at this time when we are confronted with diverse challenges like the rising spate of armed banditry, kidnappings, insurgency, economic recession and an upsurge of COVID-19 infections.
I wish to, therefore, enjoin fellow compatriots to appropriate the hope that comes with Christmas and reinvest trust in this administration’s determination and unwavering commitment to restore peace, security and prosperity to our dear country.
Under my watch, the Federal Government will continue to provide the needed support within available resources to the gallant members of our armed forces and security agencies as they confront threats to our citizens.
While I commend them for their efforts so far, I urge them to do more to checkmate increasing incidents of security threats especially in the northern parts of the country as well as the entire nation in varying degrees.
Their display of tact, camaraderie, and expertise that led to the recent return of abducted schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, will remain a milestone in the annals of the country.
For me, providing security for all residents in the country remains an article of faith. It formed a vital segment of this Administration’s three-point agenda right from inception, and we must follow through with it.
I cannot in good conscience shirk this cardinal responsibility to secure lives and property. I feel pained each time a breach of peace and security occurs in any part of the nation.
I am even more distressed when our youths, especially schoolchildren, are the targets and victims of mindless and malevolent elements in the society.
As a parent, I share the emotional torture and agony parents and guardians go through whenever their children and wards fall into the cruel hands of these enemies of decency and good society.
I plead with fellow compatriots to give our military and other security agencies more time, cooperation, and support by volunteering credible intelligence/information on activities of armed bandits, insurgents, and other criminal elements within their communities in order to put an end to this blight on our security landscape.
To be sure, the problems are beyond the simplistic options being bandied around. We shall remain focused on following the complex, multi-dimensional route to reducing the incidents of insecurity to the barest minimum.
Our people must be free to live and move without let or hindrance. This is crucial not only to enthroning an atmosphere of calm and social cohesion but for the economy to grow.
Let us use this season of goodwill and joy to renew our faith in the ability of this administration to make a lasting difference in the lives of our hard-working people.
Our Social Intervention measures and other economic policies are already yielding positive results even at modest rates.
We shall deliberately target our youths so that they will not fall into the trap of unpatriotic elements to foment social disobedience leading to avoidable loss of lives and property.
Let me reiterate that while the right to peaceful association and protest is guaranteed under our laws, this administration will not fold its arms and watch protests however well-intended, degenerate into wanton killings of law enforcement and other security personnel, as well as destruction of private and national assets.
It is gladdening to note that the various schemes and components of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) are being implemented faithfully to support micro-small businesses.
I am particularly delighted that artisans, small-time transporters, traders, and farmers are the main beneficiaries as we continue to provide safety nets to the most vulnerable members of our society as well as business owners to mitigate the harsh economic environment occasioned by COVID-19.
In spite of dwindling national revenue worsened by the pandemic, we will do all that is required to fully implement the 2021 Budget of Economic Recovery and Resilience.
We are optimistic that all things being equal, we should be able to exit recession in the shortest possible time.
There is every indication that our country is already experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 infection.
As we celebrate Christmas with families and friends, I urge all citizens and residents to adhere strictly to the non-pharmaceutical prevention guidelines of regular hand-washing, wearing masks, and social/physical distancing with a view to mitigating the spread of this devastating virus.
While national and state institutions are trying their best, we must take individual responsibility and resist the strong temptation of compliance-fatigue by following the recommended protocols put in place by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and beat the ravaging pandemic.
I have absolute confidence in the spirit of resilience of our people to do the needful and remain vigilant even as this festive season witnesses increased travels and celebrations.
Staying alive to enjoy future festivals should be the watchword.
I wish all Nigerians divine protection and Merry Christmas.

domain: politics


text:
Updated: March 21, 2018 8:56:02 pm
Recalling how Chikmagalur supported his grandmother Indira Gandhi and helped her win the bypolls following the Emergency, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Karnataka constituency held a special place in his heart. Addressing a rally in Chikmagalur, Gandhi assailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for choosing a chief ministerial candidate who had been to jail. Without naming BS Yeddyurappa, the BJP’s CM candidate in Karnataka, Gandhi said Modi advocated a “zero corruption” policy but shared the stage with leaders who have been to prison.
“PM Modi comes here and talks about corruption but on the stage with him are sitting leaders who have been in jail on corruption charges, including the BJP CM candidate,” Gandhi said in Chikmagalur. Yeddyurappa was lodged in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison after he surrendered to the Lokayukta Court in an illegal mining case.
ALSO READ: Importance of Chikmagalur for Congress
It was from Chikmagalur that Indira Gandhi won the 1978 bypolls, that put her back in the Parliament post Emergency and revived the fortunes of the Grand Old Party. “You people supported my grandmother when she needed it the most. I can never forget this. Whenever you need me, I will always be available,” the Congress chief said.
Gandhi, who is on his third visit to the poll-bound state, also raked up the Doklam issue, saying China had taken up fresh road construction in the area in the past month, but the PM maintained a stoic silence. “China is building helipads and airports at our borders in Doklam but PM Modi is silent,” Gandhi, who took over as Congress chief last December, said. However, on Tuesday, the government clarified that Chinese construction activities near Doklam had not crossed the Indian red lines.
Walking in the footsteps of his grandmother, Gandhi visited a temple in Sringeri and then went to Sharadamba Temple in Sharada Peeth and met the members of the Sringeri mutt. Narrating an incident, Gandhi said while interacting with students of Sringeri mutt, a 14-year-old student told him religion meant truth – Satyamev Jayate. “Strange that children know religion better than our PM, who just lies,” he said.
On Tuesday, at a rally in Padubidre in coastal Udupi district, Gandhi had trained his guns on Modi and slammed the PM for claiming credit for India’s progress. “Wherever Narendra Modi goes, he says in the last 70 years nothing has happened. He is insulting your parents, poor farmers, labourers, small businessmen of India. If this country stands as equal to other countries of the world today, it has not happened in two years. It has taken years of time, sweat and blood of common people. Modi should stop insulting the common man,” he had said.
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text:
Clayton, Frangoul elected to American Pediatric SocietyFeb. 28, 2013, 9:31 AM
Ellen Wright Clayton, M.D., J.D., Craig-Weaver Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Law, and Haydar Frangoul, M.D., Carolyn Perot Rathjen Chair and Professor of Pediatrics have been elected to the American Pediatric Society (APS).
Clayton and Frangoul will be inducted along with colleagues Sten Vermund, M.D., Ph.D., the Amos Christie Chair and director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH), and Fernando Polack, M.D., the Cesar Milstein Chair in Pediatrics, at the society’s annual meeting, May 4-7, in Washington, D.C.
Frangoul founded the bone marrow transplantation program at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and serves both as a Pediatric Hematology/Oncologist at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital and as director of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Vanderbilt.
Frangoul’s research has spanned work in stem cell sources from both unrelated donors and ideal related sources, to the impact of the war in Iraq on the treatment of young leukemia patients in Baghdad to the effects experienced by long-term survivors of bone marrow transplant.
He recently established a new therapeutic program at Children’s Hospital using high dose I-131 MIBG therapy in patients with neuroblastoma and other neuroendocrine tumors.
Clayton, a pediatrician, law professor and health policy expert, is a co-founder of Vanderbilt‘s Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society. She has specialized for many years in the biomedical ethics and legalities surrounding pre- and post-natal genetic testing, newborn screening and fetal medicine.
She serves on many advisory committees at the local, state, national and international levels. Clayton was elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2006 and has served on several IOM committees over the years, including a group that cleared childhood vaccination of purported links with autism in the general population.
The APS, founded in 1888, is the oldest honorary society for academic pediatricians. Members are recognized for leadership, teaching, research and contributions at a national and international level.

domain: medical


text:
Tue, 2 July 2013
This episode of Zeugma focuses on the rhetoric of food, taking the prodigious food and restaurant scene of Austin, Texas (the podcast's hometown), as a starting point. We talk with a University of Texas instructor who taught a class on the rhetoric of food, an Austin-based food podcaster, and the executive chef of Contigo, an Austin restaurant. In all these interviews, we consider the way food gets rhetorically framed, constructed, discussed, and consumed. In short, what do we talk about when we talk about food?

domain: food


text:
Well if you’ve been paying attention lately Fermenting is the new big thing!!! It’s in style to let your food age into a state of sour probiotic wonderfulness!! Yes, it is a great way to preserve your harvest, and yes it does make your veggies taste better!! But frankly, I do it for a different reason… After decades of putting up with terrible health, healing my gut is my most important priority – health wise!!!
Fermenting mainly raw vegetables in a controlled environment creates a variety of probiotics that wage war on the “bad” bacteria that lives in our intestinal tract and cause so many of our health woes! So many diseases that plague modern man are caused, or exacerbated by poor diet, overuse of antibiotics and the environment in which we live…. Imagine having a weapon against such ailments as Fibromyalgia, Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis or the gastric reflux that so many Americans struggle with!!! You do!!! It’s the probiotics found in fermented foods!!!
We’ll be exploring a variety of vegetables and sprouted legumes all fermented using simply a bit of salt and some water!!! Since I’ve begun fermenting madly, I have been able to ditch all my gastrointestinal prescriptions as All my symptoms of Hiatal Hernia, Gastric Reflux, IBS and Diverticulitis have Disappeared!! And these foods are so delicious I actually crave them and eat them with each meal!!!
I hope that this fermenting teaser gives you hope.. Because I firmly believe that it is possible to change your diet, and change your health!!


text:
Katter's Australian Party has slammed the Queensland government's "tentative approach" to mandating ethanol in fuel.
Energy Minister Mark Bailey will draw up a discussion paper on biofuels with the aim of eventually requiring big oil firms to include an ethanol blend in their fuel.
Both sugar cane growers and peak agriculture body Agforce have welcomed the government's proposal saying it they have been pushing for it for years.
But KAP MP Robbie Katter says the proposal doesn't cut it and the government must quickly mandate ethanol in fuel.
The mandate issue is one the KAP's top three priorities it wants Labor's minority government to promise in return for their support in the hung parliament.
"They're releasing a discussion paper on biofuels, and they've stated publicly that if drivers dont want to use ethanol fuels they won't have to," he said.
"That's hardly a great step forward, and it's hardly a mandate."
Mr Katter says the government should work with sugar farmers, who are captive to multinational commodities traders and desperately need a new market for their produce, to reach their renewable energy target.
"The government is going to have to move faster than this glacial pace if they want to reach their renewable energy target by 2030," he added.
"And hopefully we'll still have sugar cane farms around by the time they're ready to commit to an ethanol mandate."
The discussion paper is due for release in May.
© AAP 2020

domain: news


text:
Every so often, I realize that my music tastes have shifted--usually not by a lot, but enough so that it's time to go through my iTunes library and delete the tracks that aren't capturing my interest anymore. Right now is one of those times, and it's got me thinking about how my music tastes have evolved across the years.
Though I've always been musically gifted, I haven't always been up to date on the music scene. In fact, it wasn't until middle school that I "discovered" modern music. Before that, I listened to two things: classical music (mostly Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky) and Enya.
The soundtrack of my childhood.
I was a sheltered kid, as I've noted before, and I was pretty happy with my limited music. Just before middle school, thanks to orchestra, I discovered movie scores: specifically, the Pirates of the Caribbean movie score. Now, Pirates, from what I've heard, is the score that normalized listening to movie scores. Before that, mostly only movie and orchestra buffs were interested in the genre. So it's not all that surprising that it was the score that got me into the genre. But I had never seen the movie, and I had no idea what to expect when I bought the CD. I insisted on listening to it in the living room on my mom's CD player the first time because I was scared it might have bad words that my mom would have to protect me from. That's the kind of kid I was.
So you can imagine what a shock it was for me when I got on the bus to middle school for the first time, and a pop music radio station was on. I was downright horrified. Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback" was one of the more popular tracks at the time, and I couldn't believe that people were listening to this song with the word "sexy" in it as if it were a totally okay thing to do. I came home from school and told my mom that they played "bad music" on the bus that included songs about "sexy hippies." (Recently, I realized that the line I'd heard as "go hippie go" was actually "go ahead, be gone with it.")
My mom called the bus service and complained--so for two weeks, they didn't play any music on the bus, which really annoyed the other kids. There was no escaping that radio station and those songs, though, not at a public middle school. I had no choice but to suffer through the horror of these extremely sexual, naughty songs.
Middle school on the whole was a huge culture shock for me, but that means it was also a major learning experience. Over time, I adjusted and I grew to better appreciate pop culture. The turning point, for me, came in the form of one song: Nickelback's "Far Away."
Yes, friends. You have Nickelback to thank for my current cultural savviness.
"Far Away" was the first song I heard on the pop radio station that I really liked. It spoke to my romantic sensibilities, and it was slow and soft enough not to scare me. I also didn't realize until a couple years later that it included the word "hell." (When I found out, it broke my heart, because it meant I couldn't listen to it anymore, haha. Today, I still do try to avoid songs with cuss words and sexual content, but I'm much more flexible with their poetic use.)
Once I'd found one song that I liked, the floodgates opened. I realized that a lot of these songs actually weren't that bad--some of them I really liked. And as I also opened myself up to the world of TV and movies, starting with Disney, I found more and more music to listen to. By the end of middle school, I had a bunch of new favorites: Nickelback, Rihanna (I was too innocent still to understand the sexual references in most of her songs), High School Musical, Cascada, and Hannah Montana. One of my friends noted that most of my favorite songs at the time had to do with love: not surprising, given my personality.
In high school, my tastes continue to evolve. I moved beyond Disney channel (very slowly), and I realized that I was a lot more interested in listening to male singers than female ones. Daughtry, Lifehouse, and Linkin Park became my new favorites, along with a growing list of movie score composers. My senior year of high school, Linkin Park's "Waiting for the End" was my favorite song.
Then in college, thanks to my growing interest in social media and my one year as a music major, my music tastes expanded again. I discovered indie and alternative artists that weren't on the Top 40 lists, and I also started finding recommendations based specifically on the music I already liked. At this point, my taste swayed from "male voice" back to "female voice" again, and my new favorite artists became MS MR, Florence + the Machine, Sia, and Bishop Briggs. I also developed a new interest in groups that cover popular songs, like The Piano Guys and Pentatonix.
Today, I seem to be moving back into the realm of "male voice" with Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco, whom I'd always appreciated to some degree, as my big faves. I'm more interested now in fast-paced music with a strong beat, as opposed to the softer love ballads from before. But always, there are constants in the music I love. From the beginning, I've preferred really lush, emotional music, a "wall of sound," so to speak, in the standard cello octave range. I tend towards the moody, "emo" side of the music sphere. I like string instruments, especially a full orchestra, and I care a lot about the poeticness of song lyrics. Tchaikovsky and other Romantic-era composers are still my faves in classical music, Linkin Park and Coldplay are long-time staples, half my music library is movie scores, and I do still listen to Enya.
So in the end, wherever my music tastes take me, I know some of it will always be the same. I know that the songs will always reflect who I am as a person. And I know that never again will I be limited to only a couple of artists.
How have your music tastes evolved through the years? Let me know, and I'll be back tomorrow.
Images via therangeplace.boards.net, wikipedia.com, fiesta-magic.com, and theodysseyonline.com.
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domain: artistic


text:
Jean Cocteau, Le Mystère Laïc, n.d.
Bound in full dark green goat skin; sewn on five single raised cords; marbled endpapers; top edge gilt, green and black handsewn silk endband; title and design tooled in gold. 19 x 15 x 2 centimeters. Created n.d. Lent by Hope Weil Levene.
Born in 1883, Peter Franck began his bookbinding career at the age of thirteen in his uncle’s bindery in Landau, Germany. He came to America in 1907 and worked at Elbert Hubbard’s Roycroft bindery. The following years saw his involvement for varying periods of time with the Caxton Society, the Oakwood Binders, The New York Public Library, Henry Stikeman, the Bremer Presse, and the Blackwell-Bennett Bindery. In 1929, he joined the Guild, and shortly thereafter ﬁnally established his own bindery in Sherman, CT. Although he completed many beautiful ﬁne bindings, he is particularly known for his restoration work, which he did for the Library of Congress, the Pierpont Morgan Library, and the New York Academy of Medicine. He was the author of A Lost Link in the Technique of Bookbinding and How I Found It (1941), which describes packed sewing on raised cords.

domain: library


CANORA - Canora and area residents have probably noticed newly added features on the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) project as well as the memorial garden and memorial trail thanks to the efforts of the Town of Canora Public Works Department.
The two-kilometre Canora section of TCT runs along Daniels Drive and Norway Road before heading out of town. It is over 2.5 metres wide, “which will be ideal for trail users of all ages who want to bike and walk,” said Brandi Zavislak, community development officer. “Over the past few months fresh top soil was hauled in to provide proper soil for the memorial trees that are being planted along the TCT. We are looking forward to $20,000 worth of trees, boulders, benches, reclaimed asphalt and lights being added to the newly reconstructed trail. This project is all funded by Trans Canada Trail. We really appreciate the Town of Canora staff, who are matching the grant with in-kind work.”
Zavislak said another valuable resource during this project was support from Kristen Gabora of Canora, National Manager of Infrastructure and Connection for the TCT.
The plaques have been installed at the memorial garden, memorial trail and the concrete flower pots downtown in Canora. So far, 65 trees have been spoken for to remember loved ones.
The next step in the project will be putting down asphalt and adding solar lights. The boulders to be added will be provided by Terry Zavislak.
According to information found at greatcanadianhike.ca the TCT winds its way through every province and territory, and is the world’s longest network of multi-use recreational trails.
As of 2021, the Trail stretches almost 28,000 kilometres across the country and showcases Canada’s diverse landscapes and cultures. It is a connector of people and communities, a national unity endeavour that brings together Canadians and visitors from all walks of life, enhancing their quality of life and the communities where they live, work and play. Supported by donations, it links over 15,000 rural, urban and Indigenous communities from coast to coast to coast. The TCT is managed by local trail groups and partners who work in conjunction with Trans Canada Trail, a registered charity, concluded the information.


text:
Friday, November 2, 2012
Seeing is Believing
Last week, we did a cool demonstration to describe the water cycle
Seen here we have precipitation, then evaporation, then transpiration,
and finally condensation. (Aquifers and watersheds are there as well.)
We used celery, food coloring, & water to describe the way water moves up
through the plant and the kids really enjoyed this.
This week, they brought us the cup and showed us the progress
that had been made and it was so cool to see the red in the leaves after just a short time!
In case you are interested, the Sanderlin garden is looking amazing.
Everything is growing rapidly
and looks just lovely.
Have a fantastic weekend!! Go play in the dirt.
xo, Anna-Grace Owens

domain: geography


text:
I’ve been stung by the travel bug for years and it is what makes me wake up in the middle of the night to book cheap fares. And it is what made me line up so early in the morning for a travel fair. I said I would not do it and I will just catch the promotional fares online as I often do. But my inner ukay queen’s curiosity plus my perpetually itchy feet got the the better of me. There’s always the thrill of a great bargain. I have also booked some of our most “sulit” trips from these events so there really is no harm in checking it out again. So I share with you some tips to survive and go home happy:
I got here before 7 am only to find a long line outside the venue. This is just the first of many lines especially if you plan to book from the more popular booths, usually airlines. I heard the most popular are Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Delta Airlines. Make sure that you condition yourself to wait in line for hours so you will not lose your patience.
Have A Plan
Check out the list of exhibitors and plot which ones you want to prioritize so that you don’t waste your time just going around. Once you know which booths you want to visit, check their online sites so you can compare current web rates from what will be available on site. It usually goes down to as much as 70% but sometimes web rates are not so bad and you don’t have to go through the hassle of lining up.
List Needed Information
A lot of the people are equipped with the complete personal information list of their entire clans. Yes people book for their entire families for multiple trips. This includes names, birthdates, passport details. It really helps too if you already know the dates and destinations for your trips. Make sure you also have alternative dates in mind so you can explore other options that may be cheaper.
Long lines mean shorter patience. People will be extra cranky especially those who have decided to be on their fight mode, ready to battle anyone who may cut the line or prolong the waiting process. Take it easy and just chill. It also helps if you come prepared with stuff to do to while away the time. For me, it’s a time to catch up on podcasts and TED Talks.
Enjoy the Frenzy
Revel in the craziness of the whole experience. Have fun chatting with people as you line up. Exchange travel stories and tips. Be on the lookout for hidden bargain gems. Day dream of places to go to as you wait. It’s all part of choosing a life of wanderlust.

domain: travel


text:
|"Mining the Sketchbook no. 2: Time"|
|"The Botanist's Journal"|
Having a solo exhibit is such a wonderful opportunity to look back on past work and see it
in relationship to new pieces.
Work that I created over the past 18 years or so will be on display at John Strauss Furniture Design in Canton
March 9-April 23.
As I wrote the artist statement for the show, which I have titled "Dreaming in Reverse", I immediately saw the connection to memory and identity, themes that I have worked with for many years. Objects, images, ideas and colors reoccur creating a map of memories and a path to identity. Some works incorporate found ephemera that are clues to the meaning encapsulated in the work. Other pieces are more abstract in nature with layers of colors, shapes, text and snippets of imagery that allow the viewer to interpret the work based on their own experiences.
It is in remembering that a dream-like quality can be found. Recalling how a certain event happened, the associations, objects and emotions involved, these things lay on the threshold of consciousness and seem as if I am
"dreaming in reverse”.
I hope you will join me in the upstairs gallery for the opening reception on Friday March 9 from 5:00-7:30PM.
You can also view the show and John Strauss's amazing furniture designs Monday-Friday from 10am-5pm
and on Saturdays from 10am-4pm.
John Strauss Furniture Design
236 Walnut NE Canton OH 44702


text:
This is one of my first attempts at 1-bit pixel art. I think it turned out pretty good.
It would likely work something like an RPG mixed with a sidescroller/platformer. I have one with some ideas for enemies, but it's not finished yet. It would also be about that size if it were to be in its own window. Maybe twice that size, but no more.
good work! everything seems well thought out and executed well. I am curious about how the game would play!

domain: design


Minecraft java runtime environment 7
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Jan 24, 2013 The 64-bit Java is a much newer, cleaner and faster runtime environment for note, when starting Minecraft for the first time on Yosermite, I got a download java 2 runtime environment 7 update 67 (32 bit), java 2 runtime me a link to get Java 7 or hopefully Java 8 which is compatible with minecraft. . 6 Feb 2014 Solución "Java runtime not found" Minecraft cuando tenés una Version 7 Update 55 of Java's Standard Edition addresses 37 Environment It's far from intuitive so check out the 'extras' above for an 7. Refer Steps # 7-8 from Windows 8.1/ 8 user's paragraph.visit our Java SE download page to get the latest version of the JDK. If you are Every Time i go to Run Minecraft this Happens, I Log On, Black Screen and i get Java version that Minecraft uses randomguy June 21, 2016 at 7:33 pm #.How to Install Java JDK/JRE and Set Environment Variables I'm trying to install minecraft on a new computer, but whenever I try to run / Vista / Win7) Já há algum tempo que uso a versão 7. meu, obr pelo java instalación de Windows 7 x32/x64 bits y querés jugar Minecraft. Download java runtime environment 1.7.0 - Java Runtime Environment (JRE) dụng java cho điện thoại · download java runtime environment mới nhất · lastestSep 8, 2015 If Minecraft is the only reason you have Java installed, you now The runtime in ? Yet another, is that there is a problem with Java 7/8 on dedicated GPUs, Tải phiên bản 184.108.40.206 (32bit) phần mềm Download Java - Khởi chạy java trên Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE) sirve para cargar aplicaciones Java. 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text:
Babette TV Stands, 2017-09-20 10:33:28. Another factor which has to be kept in mind is the height of the television, as people who watch television in their bedroom normally watch it while lying down. If the height of the TV is not correct, it could hamper your TV watching and give you a crick in the neck. However, the height of a bedroom TV stand is designed to enhance your viewing pleasure where you can watch TV comfortably while sitting-up or lying in bed. Bedroom Television stands also offer features like glass doors that keep components dust free while allowing you to browse, adjustable shelves, ample storage space, storage draws for miscellaneous items, back openings for easy cord access and wire management, etc. But these features will vary in different types and styles of bedroom Television stands.
Alacoque TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:34:41. Nowadays, we are all bound with our daily routine and have a limited time for leisure activities. It is important that the leisure time we spend relaxing and watching TV consists of quality time. This can be achieved once the environment promotes maximum relaxation. TV setup plays a vital role in this. Flat Panel TV Stands are rapidly becoming popular. The reasons behind their growing popularity are the several advantages that can be achieved by using these TV Stands instead of putting the TV on a TV rack. Go through the advantages listed below:
Lucille TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:49:25. Do you want to be able to move the stand around or to be able to reposition it easily? Many types of entertainment centers and TV stands include casters, both the visible and hidden kind. Make sure that the shelf depth of any unit you purchase is wide enough to accommodate your television and other audio/video equipment. Check that the TV stand can support the weight of your television. Most manufacturers descriptions will include this information or they will be able to provide any additional details. Since TV furniture and entertainment centers are designed to hold several pieces of equipment, tangled cables and wires can detract from the overall look of your entertainment center. If this is a concern, select a unit that includes a wire or cable management system.
Emmeline TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:44:55. There are two basic types of TV stand on the market today, each of which has a distinctive design and structure which set sit apart from the other; these are the floor and wall mounted TV stands. The former is the type of stand that we are all familiar with, one that is placed on the floor and supports a standing TV screen and other equipment. The wall mounted stand is different in that it is attached solely to the wall. This can consist of a shelf-like design which holds a regular standing television monitor, or one where the TV itself is slotted into place and does not "stand" on anything. Both of these have their advantages and flaws, which will be explored below.
Fauna TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:25:10. The main concerns when purchasing TV stands and entertainment centers are strength and durability, ventilation, room for expansion and accessibility. If you will be adding speakers, you will also have to decide if you need to leave room for freestanding speaker stands or if you will be including the speakers in your entertainment center setup. The kind of TV stand you choose will largely depend on the type of television you are buying the stand for. Before shopping for one, it will save you time and money if you know: the size of your TV, how much it weighs and the size and weight of any additional components you want the stand to hold.
Jessamine TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:37:10. TV stands specifically for a plasma or LCD TV are designed to showcase the latest in todays technology. A flat screen TV stand can also combine strength with stability to accommodate extra-wide screen televisions. As an alternative to using a stand, since LCD and plasma TVs are generally lighter than conventional televisions, they can mounted to a wall, ceiling or swivel arm using the appropriate mounting solution.
Fauna TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:55:34. TV wall stands that let the television swing away from the wall on an arm are called articulating TV wall stands. These stands have all the features of a tilt TV wall stand and swivel TV wall stand. It can swivel left or right, and can be tilted for a better viewing angle, and the added advantage of tilting left or right. This type of TV wall stand is versatile as the viewing position can be fixed to your viewing convenience.
Halette TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:41:48. TV Stands are designed for supporting and displaying home entertainment systems. This can include televisions, DVD players, set top boxes (cable, Freeview or satellite) and video game consoles. Many leading brand names such as Sony, Panasonic and Phillips manufacture TV stands designed to support a range of different home entertainment systems including LCD, LED and plasma televisions. There are various different types of TV stand available. These include corner cabinets, floor stands, pedestal stands and also cantilever stands. TV stands can be made from wood, glass, plastic and various different metals. You will need to think about how much space is available and what equipment you want to display when choosing a TV stand for your home.
Lucille TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:57:53. There are a number of factors to be considered before buying a bedroom Television stand, such as your budget, the wide variety of selection available and the location where youll be placing the bedroom Television stand. You should also keep in mind which room you want to purchase the bedroom television table for - the master bedroom, the guest room or the childrens room? Your choice of room can help you decide what type of bedroom television stand you will need. Then you can choose a stand that will not only meet your requirement, but will also aesthetically blend in with the bedroom decor.
Babette TV Stands, 2017-10-21 03:30:29. TVs are fragile, and if not placed on a proper medium, could fall and break. Wires from your electronic equipment in plain view could also be a cause for irritation, as it makes your bedroom look messy and chaotic, hardly conducive to a restful ambiance. Consider using a bedroom TV stand instead of adding additional furniture. These TV stands are practical, will save you space and will also complement your decor, transforming your bedroom with its elegant presence, so you can now relax and watch television comfortably from your bed.

domain: entertainment


text:
This Sunday, actors, writers, makeup artists, VFX technicians, directors, producers and every working publicist in the greater Los Angeles area will descend on the Dolby Theater for the 87th annual Academy Awards. Stars draped in dresses worth more than most island nations will provide trite answers to insipid questions posed by the talking heads at Good Morning America. Shia LeBeouf might read from his latest volume of cartoon-based poetry rather than refilling the paper towels in the men’s bathroom like the custodial manager asked him to. In a boiler room deep below the Dolby, interns will draw straws to see who must fetch Bruce Vilanch from his adamantium cage. It’s a very regal and serious and self-aggrandizing ceremony that, strangely, will irritate the majority of its massive 45 million-person viewing audience.
Major awards shows exist in a weird space. They’re still extremely popular — the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys and Grammys all draw huge ratings and dominate social media conversation both during the event and well into the following day — yet very few people seem to enjoy the viewing experience. These events are basically today’s Tommy Lee/Pamela Anderson sex tape (autoplay video begins in 3…2…): a heavily watched, overlong, poorly edited display of star-fucking that leaves us confused and unsatisfied. We rarely agree with the nominees or winners, laugh at more than half the jokes or tolerate the format’s interminable length. Most of the enjoyment stems from criticizing entertainers’ fashion choices or their penchant for pretentiousness. Oh, Jesus Leto decided to say something about Charlie Hebdo? In French?
Getting bent out of shape about awards that many of us freely admit don’t matter is a baffling phenomenon. I love Kanye West for innumerable reasons, but the fact that he’s the last person in America who still believes the most deserving artists win Grammys is near the top of the list. We accept that the best films/albums/shows aren’t always nominated, yet perceived miscarriages still grate. We’re like the dude in the middle of an excruciating breakup who pretends the split isn’t a big deal when he’s around his boys. “Nah, man, I don’t care that my LYING WHORE EX-GIRLFRIEND SLEPT WITH MY GRANDFATHER, STOLE MY IGUANA AND LEFT AN EMPTY NON-TRANSPARENT MILK CARTON IN THE FRIDGE WHEN SHE BOUNCED! IT’S FUCKING FINE!”
The Oscars are a particularly confounding example. Society’s infatuation with celebrity is well documented, but that doesn’t explain why we’ll sit through a 240-minute trophy presentation when a visit to almost any website on Monday morning (choosey readers choose Pajiba) will provide a winners list, a fashion rundown, GIFs of the best moments, think pieces and more. Four hours is an awfully long time to spend in front of a television just to see George Clooney walk onstage and say, “And the nominees for Best Director are…” OHMAGERD HE LOOKS JUST LIKE HE DOES IN PEOPLE MAGAZINE! Uh-huh. They’re famous, remember? What are you missing by skipping the ceremony and browsing YouTube the next day instead?
Maybe it’s the communal aspect. After all, awards shows and live sports are the last remaining shared online experiences (Which reminds me: come back Sunday for Courtney’s annual Oscar live-blog. This year she’s stalking someone named Oscar and live-blogging his activities. I dunno, she’s pregnant just go with it). Still, what percentage of those 40 million-plus viewers participate in the Twitterverse? Snark and outrage are powerful catalysts, but even they can’t hold people’s interest when the Academy president delivers his stale refrain about cinema’s enduring importance at 10:45 Eastern.
OK, so people probably care for the same reason they punch holes in walls when their team’s QB throws a game-ending interception into triple coverage: we like rooting for favorites. Here’s the thing, though: it’s unlikely many fans have a favorite most years. Even though in 2009 the Academy expanded the Best Picture field to allow for as many as 10 films, late-December release dates for “prestige” Oscar contenders means many Best Picture nominees haven’t hit home video by late February, creating a situation where most Oscar viewers go into the telecast not having seen many or perhaps any of the nominated movies. Mainstream appeal is also a problem. This year’s eight Best Picture contenders averaged just $25.6 million in ticket sales the day nominations came out. Granted, the total gross is now nearly $604 million, although American Sniper accounts for more than half the revenue ($308 million). Remove Sniper — a film that has no business being anywhere near the Best Picture category anyway — and the seven remaining nominees averaged just $42.1 million in box office receipts (it’s $75.6 million with the Clint Eastwood flick included). By comparison, 2013’s Best Picture nominees averaged $90.4 million; 2012’s managed $111.4 million. It will be interesting to see how Sunday’s show performs in the ratings given the mostly obscure nominees.
Let’s assume some fans tune in or get online to pull for their favorite actor or actress regardless of whether they’ve actually seen the performances in question. That’s human nature. But that doesn’t explain why pop-culture aficionados like ourselves feel the need to follow along in real time. If anything we have even less incentive to care because we understand how the sausage is made. We know who votes on entertainment awards (mostly old white people), the batshit thought processes those voters employ when completing their ballots, and the often despicable tactics studios use to influence opinion. The Academy’s corruption, incompetence and shameful racial history have eroded their integrity and weakened their position as arbiters of quality entertainment. I certainly hope Michael Keaton wins Best Actor, but if he loses to
Kirk Lazarus Eddie Redmayne I won’t suddenly second-guess my opinion about either man’s performance. So why will I make sure I have access to a television at 8 pm Sunday evening?
Ultimately, I think it boils down to the fact that we’re irrational creatures conditioned to appreciate any event where famous people compete to crown a champion. It doesn’t matter that the awarding body has as much credibility as another Bill Cosby denial. Famous people take trophies seriously, media outlets present the shows as Important Events™ and society unwavering interest grants them power. Therefore snubs and undeserving winners still elicit strong opinions. Selma director Ava DuVernay isn’t a lesser auteur because a predominately white Academy that frequently botches nominations overlooked her accomplishments. Her absence does matter, though, because it denies DuVernay deserved recognition, which reduces her overall popularity and visibility, which is the only currency that really matters in Hollywood anymore. Slights like these — ones with tangible consequences — override our instincts and force us to care in spite of nihilist tendencies.
During his Twitter dissertation regarding the SNL 40th anniversary celebration, Norm McDonald argued that at its core, “Celebrity Jeopardy” is about Alex Trebek’s relentless, almost naïve optimism that the next category will be the one to finally end all the insanity and return the show to normal operation. Obviously, Trebek’s hopes were never realized. We become Will Ferrell’s Trebek during awards shows. Despite their flaws, we maintain an unbridled confidence that one day these events will finally honor the most deserving individuals and works. It won’t happen this year; probably not the next, either. Eventually, though, with enough pressure, awards may bend to our will.
If not, well, we’ll always have a comment section ready and waiting.


text:
January VIX futures settle at 13.69
Chris McKhann | firstname.lastname@example.org
The CBOE Volatility Index's January futures settled this morning at 13.69.
The January options that were held through expiration will be cash settled off that level. The futures closed yesterday at 14.10, well above the spot VIX reading, so traders who were short those contracts have a nice gain this morning.
The VIX popped up to 13.76 just after this morning's open but quickly pulled back and is now down 1 percent to 13.41. The now-front-month February futures are down 0.15 points to 15.65.
Videocast: Big April VIX call buying
March 27, 2015
GroupOne's Jamie Tyrrell says a major player bought 150,000 April 20 calls late yesterday even as VIX futures fell.
Videocast: VIX not showing panic
March 26, 2015
Despite the market's downturn this week, Group One's Jamie Tyrrell says traders apparently do not believe that the VIX will hit the 20 level.
Videocast: April, August VIX calls
March 25, 2015
As the market selloff accelerates midday, Group One's Mike Palmer says traders are buying protection through VIX calls in April and August.
Videocast: Looking for higher volatility
March 24, 2015
Group One's Jamie Tyrrell says investors are buying upside calls in the VIX and selling puts, looking for the volatility index to push higher.
Videocast: Buying April VIX calls
March 19, 2015
As the market pulls back from yesterday's rally, Group One's Jamie Tyrrell says traders are buying VIX April 22, 26, and 27 calls.

domain: economics


I am a free-lancing professional French Horn and Violinist based in London, where I enjoy a busy playing career alongside a passion for teaching. I love playing all genres of music and passing this knowledge on to anyone interested.
- Which subject(s) do you teach?
I mainly teach Violin and French Horn, but with these, I can expand to the rest of the string family and the majority of the brass family, including Viola, Cello, Trumpet, Tenor Horn, Euphonium, Trombone and Tuba.
- Tell me about your qualifications.
I am a graduate of Trinity College of Music, London where I have achieved a BMus with Hons in Music Performance, majoring in French Horn and second studies Natural Horn and Violin.
My degree included elected modules, the 'Teaching of Music', 'Teaching of Theoretical Music' and 'Arrangement'.
Before completing a degree in instrumental performance, I have passed with Distinction many ABRSM exams and I have my Grade 8 Distinction in both Violin and French Horn.
- How much do you charge?
I charge £25 an hour, plus travel expenses, and prices vary for shorter lessons, and I am happy to organise consultation lessons if needed.
- Where do you teach?
I predominately teach at my home in New Cross, but can travel to students homes if they prefer this, and I am willing to travel to any parts of London, mostly teaching in the South East and the West of London
- When are you available?
As a free-lance musician I am very flexible with lesson times, teaching days/evenings including weekends and holidays.
- Which ages and levels do you teach?
I mainly teach students on a one-to-one basis, in both string and brass disciplines, and currently teaching ages 3 to 74 from beginner levels to Conservatoire entrance standard.
- Which qualifications do you prepare your students for?
I usually use ABRSM graded syllabus, but also incorporate many different styles of music and teaching, personal to each student.
- Describe your arrangements for online tutoring.
I can tutor online via skype or email at a mutually convenient time.
- Do you have a personal message for students?
With all of the opportunities I have had teaching and playing, I ensure a fun yet purposeful learning environment is established for pupils of all abilities. My lessons are always pupil lead, with an emphasis on enjoying the instrument. I am happy to teach students who want to work towards graded exams, orchestral playing or generally just for the fun of it, and I will make sure you can reach your full musical potential. Please do not hesitate to get in touch!
- What kind of experience do you have?
I began on the violin at the age of 5, debuting at only age 6 performing for North West dignitaries. I later joined the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral choir where I was quickly appointed head chorister and chief soloist. During my time there I recorded two albums, including Allegri's 'Missere Mei' and Mendelssohn's 'Oh for the wings of a dove'.
Alongside this, I was a member of St. Edwards College Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra where I was the youngest member joining as leader in both. After retiring from the choir, I began learning the French horn, now focussing all my time as an instrumentalist. I was appointed violin leader of the Liverpool Youth Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, where they both quickly appointed me as principal horn.
I been awarded grants by BBC young musician on several occasions where I took part in competitions such as the Liverpool music festival, winning the majority of categories I entered. I am the sponsor of the Tafatifi award for best instrumentalist and also the reciever of the Wolfson Foundation.
I have been lucky enought to have performed around the world at places such as Royal Liverpool Philharmonic hall, Liverpool's Empire Theatre, the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, St. John's basilica (MontrÃ©al) and the Shanghai Conservatoire of Music, as Principal and soloist.
Currently living in London, I enjoy a busy playing career with many orchestras in the city and further afield such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (off-stage band for Tchaikovsky Gala), Royal Holloway Symphony Orchestra, Firebird Symphony Orchestra, Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra, Maidstone Symphony Orchestra and the Jersey Symphony Orchestra just to name a few.
I am currently Head of Strings in Dulwich Music School, and also Head of Strings in St Ursula's Convent School in Blackheath, also working for Wandsworth Borough Council panel of Brass and String tutors working individually and in whole class teaching.
- Do you have an up-to-date DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service, formerly CRB) Certificate?
- Where and with whom did you train?
I recently trained at Trinity College of Music under the tutalege of Martin Owen (BBC Symphony Orchestra), Michael Murray (BBC Symphony Orchestra) and Roger Montgomery (Royal Opera House), with international lessons from Szabolcs Zempleni (Bamberger Symphoniker). Before moving to London, studied Frnehc Horn with Christopher Morley (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) and Violin wth Joanne Quigley (Liverpool Mozart Orchestra).
• BMus (Hons) Performance
• CRB Checked and Approved
support for students with dyspraxia lessons closeby? Here's a selection of tutor listings that you can check out.
|at his home||at your home||By webcam|


As the satellite IoT market grows, companies like HEAD Aerospace plan to launch constellations of satellites specifically for IoT purposes. The Skywalker satellite IoT constellation can provide connectivity for various industries and markets. With the growth of small satellites (small-sats), small, affordable satellites offer cost-effective options for companies using satellite technology for IoT connectivity.
In this podcast interview (in English) with IoT For All, Oscar Delgado from HEAD Aerospace, and Raghu Das join Ryan Chacon to discuss this, plus other topics centred around satellite IoT.
Oscar Delgado is the IoT Sales & Business Development Director within HEAD AEROSPACE GROUP with a focus on IoT Business strategy and execution of the Sales plan for the HEAD Skywalker Space IoT constellation service (Internet-of-Things (IoT) LEO constellation) and Business Development for Earth observation (EO) satellites business from HEAD AEROSPACE GROUP. Oscar holds more than twenty-five years of experience in the international business development arena in the ICT sector, of which fifteen-year in the IIoT & SATIot Industry and the New Space sector last ten years.
Raghu Das has spent his career building, operating, and investing in space-related businesses in privately held and publicly traded companies. Raghu heads Aniara Spacecom LLC and currently serves as a Venture Partner at E2MC, where he analyses and evaluates various investment opportunities in the space sector.
HEAD Aerospace is a one-stop-shop service provider with integrated access from multiple Earth observation satellite constellations to complex turnkey geospatial solutions. A global network of 140+ partners accesses HEAD’s centralized geodata hub of satellite imagery collected from more than 90 in-orbit satellites with image resolutions ranging from 0.3m to 1m, tri-stereo imaging, true-color night imaging, hyperspectral, video from space, C-Band, X-band, and L-Band SAR. Distinguished satellite attributes allow end-users to develop diversified applications. We offer early morning tasking, the first to observe the world, night-time imaging, country coverage in a single image, and near real-time monitoring with a direct receiving station. In addition to the Earth observation and geospatial business, HEAD operates its own Space-based Internet-of-Things (IoT) constellation with eight on-orbit satellites as part of the 48 satellites constellation plan in 2023.
HEAD, based in Beijing, China, has subsidiaries in France and the Netherlands, and representatives on each continent, speaking either native or fluent Arabic, Afrikaans, Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin), Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Kazakh, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish
For more information:


How do you measure stream flow?
Quick stream flow measuring is best done with a water current meter to measure water current velocity. Stream flow measuring
is easily accomplished using a water current meter and a tape measure. The current velocity meter allows you to measure
stream flow velocity in feet or meters per second and measure water depth in hundredths of a foot up to three feet. The
average stream flow velocity times the cross-sectional area of the stream determines the stream flow measurement in cubic feet or
meters per second. The area for of a channel is known for pipes, or is determined for a stream flow measurement by measuring
the distance from shore and water depth at various points across the stream flow to construct a channel profile. The water
current meter offers two unique methods for determining average water velocity: 1) For small stream flows and pipes, the current
velocity meter may be moved smoothly and uniformly throughout the stream flow profile until a steady average reading is displayed. This
steady reading is the true average velocity for the stream flow. 2) For larger streams, the current velocity meter may be used
to measure a vertical profile of water velocity at several points across a stream channel. The stream flow measurement for the
profile is the sum of the average velocity of each subsection of stream flow times its cross-sectional area. For more information
on the water current meter click HERE. For more information on stream
gauging using current velocity meter click HERE.


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Two Pros and a Cup of Joe's Brady Quinn and Jonas Knox Broadcast Live from Dublin for FOX Sports Radio's Coverage of Aer Lingus College Football Classic
LOS ANGELES, August 23, 2023 – FOX Sports Radio (FSR), a division of Premiere Sports Network, announced today the network will feature live, on-location coverage from Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic as the University of Notre Dame takes on the United States Naval Academy on Saturday, August 26, 2023. FSR will provide affiliates with six straight hours of daily programing from Dublin on Thursday and Friday, August 24 and 25, leading up to the sold-out game.
Two Pros and a Cup of Joe’s Brady Quinn, former Notre Dame quarterback and first-round draft pick, and Jonas Knox will broadcast live from Buskers Bar on Fleet Street in Temple Bar on August 24 and August 25, from 6 - 9 a.m. ET. Two Pros and a Cup of Joe will deliver all the excitement around the college football showdown, which expects to attract approximately 40,000 U.S. fans to Dublin. The program is a lead-in to The Dan Patrick Show, which is also broadcasting from Dublin from August 23 - 25.
In addition to airing on more than 350 radio stations nationwide, Two Pros and a Cup of Joe will be streamed live on FSR’s channel on iHeartRadio and FOXSportsRadio.com. Plus, show highlights will be shared across FSR’s social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
For more information, please visit www.FOXSportsRadio.com. For affiliations, please call Kurt Kretzschmar at 602-374-6351.
About Two Pros and a Cup of Joe
As hosts of Two Pros and a Cup of Joe, LaVar Arrington, Brady Quinn and Jonas Knox start the day with entertaining and thought-provoking conversation covering the biggest headlines. The dynamic trio brings their unique brand of sports talk, insightful commentary and fun to listeners on more than 350 stations nationwide, in addition to being available on FOX Sports Radio’s channel on iHeartRadio, www.FOXSportsRadio.com, and other platforms. Visit www.FOXSportsRadio.com for more information.
About FOX Sports Radio
The FOX Sports Radio Network, based in Los Angeles, Calif., is a division of Premiere Sports Network in partnership with FOX Sports. All entities have combined their considerable resources to develop a turnkey, personality driven sports programming network for radio stations nationwide. The FOX Sports Radio Network reaches millions of listeners on more than 600 radio stations, and can also be heard on iHeartRadio and FOXSportsRadio.com. Fans can also follow the network on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
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Premiere Networks/FOX Sports Radio


Secretary of State John Kerry plans to go to Kabul to meet with both leading presidential candidates and urge them to form a new unity government. Kerry is calling for a full investigation of the alleged election fraud. Margaret Brennan reports.
Kerry headed to Afghanistan amidst election crisis
What to Read Next


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Set in the Emperor's Edge universe, Decrypted follows the further adventures of Rias and Tikaya after they return to Tikaya's home on Kyatt. As usual, the pace is fast with plenty of unusual twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. It is fascinating to watch how these two handle the prevailing prejudices against Rias and Tikaya's relationship as well as an ancient mystery involving Tikaya's family.
We learn more about the history of the three nations - Turgonia, Kyatt and Nuria - and how what happened centuries ago affects the current situation. And why Tikaya's people are so disturbed by Rias's plans to build a submersible.
Now I'm really looking forward to the next installment in the Emperor's Edge series where threads from all the books set in this world begin to come together. Will we find out if Rias and Tikaya had children? What will happen when these two geniuses combine forces with Amaranthe and Sicarius? How will Sespian deal with all these powerful personalities? The mind reels at the thought . . . :-)
I am a huge fan of Lindsay Buroker's writing and will read anything she writes. Her ability to tell an exciting story with humor and great characters reminds me of another favorite author of mine, Lois McMaster Bujold. Both of them make me laugh out loud when reading their stories . . . causing my family to wonder about my sanity.
Best yet in a great series! Loved finally getting a peek inside Sicarius's head. Fast paced,well written dialogue with plenty of suspense and humor. But Lindsay wasn't kidding about this one having a cliffhanger ending, in part because she needed to divide the final book in the series into two parts. She promised to have the final book available late July-early August and her fans are going to hold her to it . . . including me!
I sure hope she sees fit to bring Amaranthe's gang back together early in the final book. Lots of loose ends to tuck into place including getting a chance to meet the Starcrest family. Fun!
I highly recommend the whole Emperor's Edge series including various short stories. :-)
This has to be the best book yet from Elizabeth Hunter. Learning more about Baojia is so much fun. I was intrigued with his character in the Elemental Mysteries series and loved him even more in this book.
It does help if you have read the previous books in this series because she brings in characters from those books. This is not a hardship because ALL of Elizabeth's books are wonderful! Her dialogue is witty, her characters have depth and her world building is very good. The very first book, "A Hidden Fire", is a free ebook. If you get sucked in, don't say I didn't warn you! :-)
I loved this book!It is the last one in the Emperor's Edge series and the best one yet. This book, along with Forged in Blood 1, include events as seen from Sicarius's POV, adding a whole new very enjoyable dimension to these stories.
Lindsay is a first rate story teller and her ability to create characters one can get very invested in is phenomenal. Reminds me of Anne McCaffery and Mercedes Lackey's knack for creating wonderful characters.
Grab a copy of Forged in Blood 1 & read both books as one because Forged in Blood 1 ends on one heck of a cliff hanger! It was painful to wait until this book came out to find out what happened next.
irst off, Delia, Simon & Temi have a very different feel than Amaranthe and her gang. Took me while to get used to them but I ended up liking the story and am looking forward to the next book in the series. The motorcycle riding elves definitely got my attention. This book lays the groundwork & asks more questions than answers them.
I loved this book and am hoping it was the first in a series! Becca Andre has created a very interesting world where magic has returned and alchemy works. Addy (short for Addled Alchemist) has lost her memory and is desperately seeking to get it back. Her best friend, James, is a Hellhound as well as a budding alchemist. There are Elementals, necromancers, zombies and plenty of others to keep things lively. Fast pace keeps the reader from getting bored.
Main characters are well drawn and the writing is quite good. Did run into one formatting weirdness where one scene ran into another in a confusing manner. Otherwise very professional effort for a first book. :-)
A little slow to start but once events started moving, I was hooked. Lots of action, sweet romance and an unexpected plot twist make for another fun read.
Victoria is right about needing to read these books from the first to last in order to keep the characters and what is going on straight. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment when we learn more about Aelsong & Duff. There will be plenty of fireworks! :-)
First off I have to agree with those who are saying The Scribe is Elizabeth Hunter's best work to date. It have a smashing romance, plenty of suspense and a fascinating cast of characters. The heroine, Ava, is a wonderfully complex character who is smart yet vulnerable and her love interest, Malachi, is a delight - strong, caring & utterly honorable. There are hints thrown out in this book that the bad guys may come in shades of grey, always fun.
The worst thing about this is the wait for the next installment! *grin* When I discovered Elizabeth's books last year, she had already written most of her Elemental Mysteries series so I didn't have to wait before moving on to the next book in the series. Not the case now.
Very entertaining steampunk read from Lindsay Buroker with a strong romantic element, a pleasant surprise for those of us who enjoy a little romance with our action/adventure.
Sardelle is another of Lindsay's strong female characters with a lively sense of humor . . . something she needs for her sanity's sake having been in stasis for three hundred years. Her survival depends on concealing her abilities as a magic user in a time when those deemed witches are killed. Thankfully she connects with Colonel Ridge Zirkander, who is in charge of the prison mine built on the site of her people's home. He is an airship pilot who insulted the wrong important personage and has been grounded as a result.
How Sardelle manages to find her sentient soulblade while the mine is under attack by another sorcerer plus find an odd moment here and there with Ridge makes for a great story.
My only complaint is it was too short. I would love to see Lindsay revisit this world and tell us more about what it means to be dragon blooded for instance. It was easy to get drawn in this book and I read it in one setting. More please!!


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Varying Shades of Chinese Cuisine
NEW YORK—There are over 100 cooking techniques for Chinese food. Stir-fried and steamed are well-known, but what about dry-cooked, soft-fried, braised, and pickled?
Many have no equivalent names in English and bear no resemblance to Western culinary techniques.
Each region has specific cooking techniques derived from its unique history and geography.
Szechuan cuisine is not just spicy Chinese food.
Szechuan Province, located in Southwest China, has over 40 cooking techniques and 24 basic flavors. Each flavor represents a different kind of spiciness.
The array of techniques and flavors are the result of an abundance of natural resources and historical migrations.
After emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China 2,000 years ago by conquering adjacent kingdoms, many people migrated to Szechuan, which helped form its rich cuisine.
Popular Szechuan techniques include oil-dipping, basting, and braising. Food is often cooked with spices such as garlic, hot pepper, and peppercorns.
Chefs of Sichuan cuisine use peppercorns to add an exclusive touch of numbness. Although most spicy food leaves your mouth feeling thirsty and dry, Sichuan dishes leave a tingling sensation.
Oxen are particularly abundant in Szechuan Province and many dishes in the region use beef as a main ingredient.
A delightfully authentic Szechuan restaurant in the city is Grand Szechuan. It has a location on 21 W. 39th St. (between 5th and 6th ave); and another called Grand Szechuan Eastern on 1049 2nd Ave. (between 55th and 56th St.).
Shandong cuisine, also called Lu cuisine, is known for its seafood dishes as it is located on China’s eastern peninsula.
Shandong literally translates to “mountain east.” It’s the region where Mount Tai is located, which is famous from Taoist legends.
Shandong cuisine emphasizes knife precision over decoration, and mainly uses the techniques of “bao” and “ta.”
what do you mean my “knife” here?
Bao is a quick stir-fry. It’s a great way to preserve nutrients, as the food is not overcooked.
“Ta” is a special way of frying food, a cooking method unique to Shandong cuisine. Many Shandong dishes are spiced, starched, Ta-fried, then simmered in soup or sauce.
The taste is light and non-greasy. Ingredients are briefly stir-fried before a drop of creamy soup is added as an enhancer.
Authentic Shandong food is found in Flushing, Queens.
During the Qing Dynasty, chefs of Northeastern cuisine were invited to the palace to cook in the imperial kitchen, as the rulers of the dynasty were from the Manchurian area in the Northeast.
Northeastern cuisine has a strong focus on casseroles and marinated cooking techniques.
Dishes are tender but not rare.
The Northeast has lengthy, brisk winters and the food is often cooked in hot-pots to preserve warmth.
Cooking techniques also include stir-frying over flames and roasting.
A traditional Northeastern dish to look out for is the Quick Boiled Sour Cabbage with Pork—it’s a classic dish usually eaten in the winter. The sour cabbage is meticulously chopped into thin strips. The pork is boiled to a point when it can melt in one’s mouth.
There is an intricate balance between the taste of pork and the cabbage. A good northeastern chef can make a dish that is not too dry or watery.
One of the most important elements of the dish is how long it is boiled. The cooking technique for the dish is called “quick boil,” which requires the chef to have impeccable timing and nimble fingers.
Authentic Northeastern food is found in Flushing.
Cantonese cuisine comes from southern China. It is known for its steaming techniques, fresh ingredients, and a lighter flavor profile compared to other cuisines.
Cantonese cuisine’s most famous dishes is the dim sum, with its transparent skins and colorful fillings.
Chefs of Cantonese cuisine are known for their creativity. They adjust flavors of the dishes according to climate, seasonal changes, and time of day the dish is served.
Jeff Xu, a Cantonese contestant in the 2010 International Culinary Competition in New York, once said: “To cook Chinese food, one is required to have a solid grasp of nature and its changes. Only then will one know what materials are the best to pick for the time being.”
Most Cantonese soups have a preparation time as long as 5 to 6 hours. The papaya bone soup is a must try for ladies, as it is known to have great nutrients for skin.
A superb authentic Cantonese restaurant is Radiance Tea House & Books on 158 West 55th St., between 6th and 7th Ave.
Rule of thumb: Most Chinese restaurants in Manhattan Chinatown have Cantonese flavor profiles. Most northern style Chinese restaurants are in Flushing because they are newer immigrants.
Huaiyang cuisine is named after several major cities along the Yangtze River, which runs from the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau to Shanghai.
Due to the geographic location of the Huaiyang region, the cuisine combines the richness and savory quality of Northern dishes with the tenderness and mildness of Southern dishes.
A good place for Hui Yang food is the Tang Pavilion on 55th St. between 5th and 6th Ave. This is a Suzhou restaurant, which is basically Huiyang style. Not everything there is authentic Hui Yang, but many dishes are.
Diana Zhang and Yi Yang contributed to this report