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The Newcastle & Hunter Valley Folk Club Inc. (ABN: 50159913290) supports and encourages Folk Music, Dance, Folk Lore and Bush Poetry in the Newcastle / Hunter Valley region, with regular concerts and activities showcasing international, national and local artists.
Throughout the website you will find information on Club concerts and activities, local folk-related sessions, events and things of interest to our members and other folk-minded people.
If you have something of interest, be it pictures, information or history, that you think would benefit the Folk Music scene in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley please don't hestitate to let us know. We are here to promote Folk Music and related areas for all of us to enjoy.
Chat with us on Facebook: Facebook
Support Your Club: Please take the time to feel glad and PROUD that we are one of the few places in the country that still has a full scale working folk club. Volunteer! Support! Attend!
Legendary First Lady of Folk - Kavisha Mazzela - is our honoured guest in May.
Aria Award winning Kavisha Mazzella draws on her rich multicultural heritage to create contemporary songs with haunting melody and lyrical depth. Her influences are some of the best known folk songwriters from around the world and her songs are flavoured with global spice. In performance she delivers her songs with warmth and humour.
Kavisha has been a guest vocal tutor at Victorian College Of The Arts,Swinburne,and was the founder and choir conductor of Fremantle's JOYS OF The Women Choir 1989-93 and Melbourne's vivacious Italian Women's choir " La Voce Della Luna"(The Voice Of the Moon)"from 1995-2013.Since the early 80s ,she has been learning italian regional folksongs from cds,records, tapes and from the singing of Italian migrants. She is a winner of various awards including the 1998 ARIA for her album " Fisherman's Daughter", the Italia Nel Mondo Award in 2000 for her contribution to the sharing of Italian Culture in Australia through setting up of Italian Women's choirs and West Australia Music Industry awards for songwriting.In 2004 she was awarded PORT FAIRY ARTIST OF THE YEAR. In 2008 Kavisha was awarded Multicultural Commission Excellence award. In 2011 Kavisha was awarded an Australia Day Honour for her contribution to music and serving the community. Victorian Women's trust invited KAvisha to be a Watermark champion.They also commissioned Kavisha to write a womens Anthem "Love and Justice"to celebrate 100 years of the Suffrage in Victoria.
Kavisha Mazella is an extraordinary woman with an extraordinary talent. You can read more about her via her website: KAVISHA
SUPPORT: on the night will be Peter Allsop and Nicky Ross.
Ticket Details will be advised soon.


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Meditation is a fine undertaking and a good use of time. It develops us and helps us be better people.
Learning to meditate comes easy to some and for others takes some time. We have encapsulated all this in our lovely book ‘The Mindfulness Playbook’ so please have a look and consider it. Read more >>
This book is just like its title with facts and information about getting started with meditation and has methods and instructions for meditating too.
It has three distinct meditations that you can practice now and you can do them all together if you like. This book can lead you to peace and a calm mind and open the door to higher consciousness.
- Why people do meditation
- What benefits meditation offers
- Several types of meditation you can start now
- Instruction on meditating
- Tips for learning and practicing meditation
- and more!
See the Inner Meditations Book Review >>> Continue Reading >>
Here we have 3 FREE ebooks dealing with Divine love and yoga practice. They explain many aspects on the topic of yoga with beautiful insights and revelations for all the readers to enjoy. These 3 books are available in two formats, both PDF and EPUB for the phone. Choose the one you want and download them here, they are FREE.

domain: library


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Do your travel ambitions eclipse your bank account? We’ve got just the fix: affordable destinations around the world that offer plenty of cheap ways to stay, play, and eat. Whether you’re on the prowl for a perfect beach or a city bursting with culture, these cities and countries deliver big but cost little. Not all of them will stay cheap in the years to come, though, so if you’re inspired to go, do it soon.
Affordable Destinations #1. Philippines
Bargain hunters, outdoorsy types, and the food obsessed should look to the Philippines. The country’s combination of cosmopolitan affordability and splendid nature make it a destination that offers a lot for the money. Lonely Planet recently named it one of the top value destinations for 2014, and according to CIO Wealth Management Research’s Prices and Earnings report, Manila has some of the cheapest shopping and upscale dining in the world. For example, a couple can buy a new wardrobe there for about $410 — seven times less than what you’d pay for similar items in Tokyo. And the average cost of a three-course meal in a good restaurant is a mere $18, compared to about $95 in Geneva or Oslo (two of the cities featured in our recent story on the world’s most overpriced destinations).
If you’re concerned about whether a visit to the Philippines is appropriate so soon after Typhoon Haiyan, know that the country considers tourism to be an important part of its recovery. Large portions of the country — and the majority of popular vacation destinations — were undamaged.

domain: travel


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On July 17th we packed our bags, loaded the horses and set off to
Louisianna for a stay at the 4B Ranch in Melder, LA. The ranch is
surrounded by the 98,000 acre Kisatchie National Forest.
|Our professional guide, LeAnn
knows her way around. She took
us on morning and afternoon rides.
|After a brief rest, Kristin mounts
up and is ready to go.
LeAnn & Kristin pose for a
picture in the "Grand Canyon".
|Kristin above the
|An early morning view of the
stables where our horses rested.
|Claude shoes a horse
at the livery stable.
|Kristin takes the lead and finds some paw prints.
|LeAnn & Marcus
checking their saddlebags.
|LeAnn rides down the
trail to the "Grand
|Kristin relaxes at our cabin.
|"Okay, break is over, let's go"
|Inside view of the cozy guest cabins.
|The saloon offered a cool and relaxing place to watch TV.
|The pavillion has a large kitchen, tables and four bar-b-que pits.
We would recommend the 4B Ranch to anyone that wants to experience a "touch of the past".
Their hospitality was wonderful! The facilities are great and the trail ride was breathtaking.


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Rosemount elected officials will serve in positions with the National League of Cities.
Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste and Council member Jeff Weisensel will serve next year on committees of the National League of Cities (NLC) that set the organization’s policies on issues likely to come up in Congress and state legislatures.
Mayor Droste will be a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Services federal advocacy committee. Council member Weisensel, who is also Chair of the Rosemount Port Authority, will serve on the Community and Economic Development Committee.
Committee memberships will allow the Rosemount officials to play a key role in shaping NLC’s policy positions and advocate on behalf of America’s cities and towns before Congress, with the new Administration, and at home.
Mayor Droste will serve on the committee that has the lead responsibility for developing NLC’s federal policy positions on issues involving transportation. The issues include planning, funding, safety and security of public transit, streets and highways, aviation, railroads, and ports.
Council member Weisensel’s assignment has lead responsibility to develop NLC’s positions on issues involving housing, community and economic development, land use, recreation and parks, historic preservation, and international competitiveness.
The Mayor and Council member will meet in March with their colleagues from across the country during committee meetings at the League’s Congressional City Conference in Washington, D. C.
Rosemount City Council member Jeff Weisensel has been appointed to serve as a Leadership Fellow for the National League of Cities (NLC) in 2017. His duties include advising the NLC on education efforts to promote and educate local government leaders.
The organization operates a training program called NLC University. It helps local officials develop vital skills and abilities to facilitate good government and positive change in their communities. With partnerships and access to national experts, NLC University attempts to deliver real-world solutions and innovative new approaches to the challenges that city leaders face across the nation.
“Residents recognize participating in conferences, attending seminars, and networking are necessary to find innovations and fiscally sound solutions, and to drive community vitality, particularly for smaller communities like Rosemount,” Council member Weisensel said. “One solution brought back centered on a website platform allowing for better graphical presentations and data. That key learning increased our marketing efforts to site selectors, provided a virtual business incubator for local residents and businesses, and better budget transparency for residents. We learn from those that have come before us and serve those who follow.”
As a Leadership Fellow, Council member Weisensel will promote the training program and strengthen support for and networking among local officials who are committed to professional development and lifelong learning. Fellows also work to tie national efforts at local government leadership training to state organizations and to field test new platforms and models for training in local government.
Council member Weisensel began his third term on the Rosemount City Council this month. He also serves as Chair of the Rosemount Port Authority, the economic development agency for the City.
This is his second appointment as an NLC Leadership Fellow. Last year he was one of 23 Fellows and the only member from Minnesota.

domain: news


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When you see an interesting article online, pause and think about where it comes from--do you know and trust the website or source of information? Don't read the claims in the article or share it to social media (or your research paper!) until you know more about the source.
In order to investigate the source, we need to leave that source and figure out what others have said about it. This is called lateral reading--researching about a source across other websites and publications.
The Wikipedia Trick
This video shows how to use Wikipedia to efficiently learn more about sources and claims (this video clip starts halfway through the full video)
Find out what other sources say about a website:
Search for a claim on a fact-checking website:
University of Cincinnati Libraries
PO Box 210033 Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0033


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National meeting for patients with Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT)
Saturday, 9 November 2019 in Amsterdam University Medical Centre
On Saturday, November 9 2019, European Reference Network GUARD-Heart organized a meeting for patients with CPVT. This was the second topic meeting organized for patients in the Netherlands.
CPVT is a rare heart disease, with a prevalence of 1:10.000, which causes a type of fast arrhythmia known as ventricular tachycardia caused by physical exercise or emotional stress. CPVT is found mainly in children and young people, although it can be diagnosed at any age. The arrhythmias are caused by an abnormal control of the level of calcium inside the heart cells. If the level of calcium becomes too high, it can result in ventricular ectopy and ultimately into ventricular tachycardia of ventricular fibrillation. If this abnormally fast heart rate does not terminate by itself, blood cannot be pumped properly around the body and it can lead to dizziness, black-outs or even sudden death. CPVT is an autosomal dominant disorder which can be treated well, if diagnosed in time.
Although it’s a rare disease, there were almost 100 patients/ family members present at this meeting. There were presentations about the disease, the inheritance, treatment, life-style advice & pregnancy and two patients gave an impressive lecture about their own experience with CPVT.
There were many questions and discussions with the audience and the organizers received very positive feedback from patients who often experience difficulties with having a rare disease.

domain: medical


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Tropical Storm Harvey’s record-breaking rainfall of 51.88'' has caused flood-related deaths of at least 20 people, with thousands more rescued from flooded homes and buildings. According to The New York Times, Houston Police Department has rescued more than 3,500 people, while the fire department has performed more than 400 rescues. After six days, the storm is still not over, making its second landfall in Louisiana early this morning.
Houston’s art district has sustained substantial flooding and damage, impeding the fall performance season that was set to begin next week.
On Monday, Dean Gladden, managing director of The Alley Theatre, discovered water up to the ceiling in the theatre’s second stage, the Neuhaus Theatre, with its dressing rooms and basement completely submerged, according to American Theatre. While the Mitchell Lobby also experienced flooding, The Hubbard Theatre and the Long Lobby have been undamaged. The water has already past the high water mark of the flooding from the 2001 Tropical Storm Allison, which required a $4 million renovation, reports The Houston Chronicle. The Alley Theatre completed a $46.5 million renovation just two years ago.
With the power supply for the whole building submerged under floodwaters, Gladden told The Houston Chronicle, “We're completely out of commission.” The Alley cancelled its remaining performances of The 39 Steps, which was set to run through September 3, and is trying to find alternative venues for two other shows.
The Wortham Theatre Center, home to Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera, has a flooded scene dock and basement, water filling the dressing rooms, HGO costume shop, and storage areas. The costumes for the upcoming productions of La traviata and Julius Caesar had been moved on Friday in preparation for the storm. An inch of water soaked the venue’s Brown Theatre stage, which will need to be resurfaced. HGO has closed its offices through Labor Day, but plans to provide an update on Thursday afternoon.
The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and Jones Hall, which houses the Houston Symphony, has been also affected by flooding, with water reaching the Zilka Hall via the loading dock and foyer, according to The Houston Chronicle. The Houston Ballet’s $48 million Center for Dance also reported flooding in its lobby and first floor dance studio.
Stages Repertory Theatre has remained dry, but its offices are closed through today and performances through September 3 have been cancelled. “It is not whether or not we can run, it is, can anyone get to us?” Stages artistic director Kenn McLaughlin told American Theatre. Cast members for Woody Sez are stuck in a hotel surrounded by water, while Friday’s set load-in for Xanadu was cancelled in anticipation for the storm. Additionally, the Theatre District garage is completely flooded and will need to be closed for repairs. Stages’ production of Always…Patsy Cline will resume performances on September 6.
“We are a company, and we are here for each other,” Houston Grand Opera managing director Perryn Leech and artistic and music director Patrick Summers wrote in a statement. “We will recover and deliver a fantastic season to our patrons, giving them the art they need to heal from this calamity.”
The theatre community is working together to bring about such healing. IATSE has donated $10,000 to the Walsh/DiTolla/Spivak Foundation, which provides financial assistance to affected members and their families. IATSE also provides information on how to help and how to get help, from The Actors Fund to Union Plus.


text: Are you looking for an insanely delicious appetizer that you can throw together within a moments notice?! Well.. this is the recipe for you. I don’t know about you but I literally always have cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, basil, thyme, and lemons in my refrigerator. They’re just versatile ingredients and for me a staple in my cooking. I made this for my grandmother the other day and she freaked out at how easy and good it was. You slowly bake the tomatoes and then once those are done add the goat cheese to the top and the heat of the tomatoes slowly melts the cheese… need I say more?! I didn’t think so.

domain: food


By Kenneth Matimaire
Penhalonga, September 19, 2016 – ELDERLY women from Penhalonga have joined hands to address a number of mining related social ills affecting the mineral rich area.
The group of 10 women is part of a community building project being spearheaded by the Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG) to restore sanity within communities threatened by mining related conflicts.
The project has three phases that equip women to identify challenges attributed to mining activities, engage and demand solutions from respective authorities.
They have since completed the first phase, Participatory Action Research (PAR), which commenced in August 2015 where they identified a wide range of mining related societal ills.
These ranged from mining related deaths, prostitution to early child marriages.
“Following our training by CNRG, we have realised that our community has been under great threat as a result of mining activities here. We continue to lose our youths as a result of unfavourable mining activities. We no longer have fields for agriculture, our daughters are turning to prostitution and cases of early child marriages are very high.
“All this is linked to mining activities since Penhalonga is solely mining dependent and we have taken it upon ourselves to restore order in our community,” said PAR coordinator Joseline Musiyazviriyo.
Another member, Margaret Sande said they have already managed to make inroads by convincing a group of 50 community youths to venture into formal small scale mining.
Sande added that the death rate of artisanal miners has also dropped to only four per every six months, compared to four every month.
“We have already started on a positive note. We now have 50 youths (artisanal miners) that are now into formal mining after we convinced them to do so. So its 50 youths already that we have managed to assist. Also, we used to have a high death rate of artisanal miners but that is no longer the case,” she said.
CNRG director Farai Maguwu said the women were part of a project to address the impact of mining within communities.
“They have just completed the first phase, Participatory Action Research (PAR) which started in August 2015. The next phase is of Capacity Building, which will take them another 12 months and then the third phase is of Activism. Here, we will be promoting direct action. The women must engage with mining companies and raise their concerns, demand reforms, engage the Ministry of Mines Rural District Councils and make sure that the gender impacts of mining are scaled down,” he said.


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The sixteenth-biggest city and nonetheless increasing promptly, Fort Worth is actually a spot redefined. New and renovated hotel offerings, dining places and enjoyable tourism sights are enhancing the town's status as among the list of premier vacation Locations in the nation. Far more
The initial prohibition campaign in Texas was mounted in Fort Worth in 1889, permitting other company and residential development in the area. Another improve was the inflow of black citizens. Excluded by condition segregation from your small business conclusion of town and the greater high priced residential regions, the town's black citizens settled in to the southern portion of the town.
^ Suggest regular monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the envisioned greatest and most affordable temperature readings at any place during the 12 months or specified month) calculated depending on facts at reported place from 1981 to 2010.
With the construction of railroads, Dallas turned a company and investing Centre and was booming by the top of your nineteenth century. It turned an industrial town, attracting staff from Texas, the South, along with the Midwest. The Praetorian Constructing of fifteen tales, in-built 1909, was the initial skyscraper west in the Mississippi as well as the tallest developing in Texas for some time.
During the 1980s Dallas was a housing hotbed, Together with the escalating metropolitan population bringing with it a demand For brand spanking new housing and Office environment Room. A number of of Downtown Dallas's biggest buildings are definitely the fruit of the boom, but around-speculation, the discounts and bank loan crisis and an oil bust introduced the eighty's creating boom to an close for Dallas and also its city sister Houston. Between the late nineteen eighties as well as the early 2000s, central Dallas went through a gradual duration of progress. However, Considering that the early 2000s the central core of Dallas continues to be having fun with constant and substantial advancement encompassing both of those repurposing of older commercial properties in downtown Dallas into residential and lodge employs in addition to the development of latest Workplace and residential towers.
*Prices are according to 1-21 day travel. They're the very best fares found by travelers who searched TripAdvisor and a find team of our fare lookup associates in past times seventy two several hours. Ticket rates and seat availability alter rapidly and can't be certain.
By 1925 Texas churned out over ⅓ on the nation's cotton crop, with 31% of Texas cotton manufactured within a 100-mile (160 km) radius of Dallas. From the 1930s petroleum was uncovered east of Dallas near Kilgore, Texas. Dallas's proximity to the discovery set it instantly at the center of your country's petroleum marketplace. Petroleum discoveries inside the Permian Basin, the Panhandle, the Gulf Coastline, and Oklahoma in the subsequent a long time even further solidified Dallas's position as the hub of the industry.[eighty one]
Dallas's Jewish inhabitants of somewhere around 45,000 is the biggest of any city in Texas.[seventy two] Because the institution of the town's initial Jewish cemetery in 1854 and its to start with congregation (which would sooner or later be called Temple Emanu-El) in 1873, Dallas Jews have been very well represented amid leaders in commerce, politics, and various Expert fields in Dallas and in other places. See Historical past of the Jews in Dallas, Texas To find out more.
Courtright in some cases gathered and jailed thirty individuals on the Saturday evening, but permitted the gamblers to function, because they captivated revenue to town. Just after learning that train and stagecoach robbers, such as the Sam Bass gang, were using the location to be a hideout, he intensified legislation enforcement, but sure businessmen advertised towards a lot of restriction in the region as acquiring bad outcomes about the genuine corporations.
In 2017, the #DeleteShopify hashtag campaign identified as for any boycott of Shopify for enabling Breitbart Information to host a store on its platform.
South with the Trinity River, the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff is dwelling to a number of studio artists living in converted warehouses. Partitions of structures along alleyways and streets are painted with murals as well as the encompassing streets incorporate quite a few eclectic places to eat and outlets.
"  As Courtright had been popular, when Shorter was jailed for his murder, rumors floated of lynching him. Small's excellent Buddy Bat Masterson arrived armed and used the evening in his cell to shield him.
[thirteen] Dallas and nearby Fort Worth were produced as a consequence of the construction of main railroad traces in the area enabling usage of cotton, cattle, and later on oil in North website and East Texas. The development with the Interstate Highway Technique strengthened Dallas's prominence being a transportation hub with 4 key interstate highways converging in town, along with a fifth interstate loop close to it. Dallas produced as a powerful industrial and economic Middle, and A significant inland port, a result of the convergence of important railroad traces, interstate highways, and the construction of Dallas/Fort Worth Worldwide Airport, considered one of the largest and busiest airports on this planet.
Many colleges and universities are also located outdoors the fast metropolitan place, together with:
Preceded by thousands of years of various cultures, the Caddo men and women inhabited the Dallas spot ahead of Spanish colonists claimed the territory of Texas while in the 18th century being a Section of the Viceroyalty of latest Spain. Later, France also claimed the realm but under no circumstances set up Significantly settlement.

domain: geography


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Qty available: 10
This writing discusses who and what is our ultimate Self. The composition elaborates on the nature of the Self using Jungian Analytical Psychology terminology. Dozens of passages from the Holy Bible, particularly the Gospels and Paul's Epistles, are utilized to give credence to the title of this document. It also considers how the use of the word "Christ" is used and evolved within the span of the books of the Bible. This book also explores what are the Messianic Times, the Second Coming, the Atonement, and what a Collective Christ action might look like. This work also includes a view from modern science and from the Platonic philosophical tradition.

domain: literature


Question: F10 Error
all of a sudden today, there is a f10 error on my gas rangeffgf3047lsj, serial no: vf70520941. pressing cancel did not remove the f10. Had to unplug. I can still use the gas range with the burners with the noise. Question, if i unplug it, for the time being can I use the matches to light the burners, till it gets fixed. How expensive are the repairs for f10 , and maybe a new range would be cheaper. the range is about 4 yrs. old. thank you, Eva. pls send the message to my email also.
- Answered By MasterTech
The F10 Error on your Frigidaire Gas Range is most commonly caused by a bad temperature sensor. The sensor is the probe you see protruding out of the back wall inside the oven. It's easy to replace, you just remove the back panel off the range and you will see where the sensor is mounted. There are two screws holding it in place just remove those, unplug the sensor and it slides out of the back of the range to you. Then you just install the new one in the same manner. Make sure to unplug the range. The sensor you need can be ordered from the link provided below.
Click here to order the temperature sensor for Frigidaire Model Number ffgf3047lsj
View Page This Question Was Posted On


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Inspiring Young Readers
The Good Little Christmas Tree by Ursula Moray Williams
I now have quite a large collection of books relating to Christmas which I tend to browse through fondly at this time of year. I bought this one a long time ago, impressed by the bold artwork on the cover which is surpassed by the several double page spreads inside. Ursula Moray Williams (1911- 2006) wrote and illustrated over 70 books and is best known for ‘Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse' (1939) and ‘ 'Gobbolino, the Witch’s Cat’ (1942). ‘The Good Little Christmas Tree’ (1943) has sumptuous illustrations that are described on the title page as ‘Scissor Cuts and Line Drawings by the Author'.
I have enjoyed looking at these which are all are vividly coloured and include borders or margins which give them a dramatic atmosphere.
Until now, I have never taken the time to read the story which is charming, if a little strange. A poor peasant father brings home a little Christmas tree as a surprise for his family. When the children are asleep, he and his wife decorate it with home baked cookies tied with scarlet thread because they have no money for fancy decorations or presents. Once they have gone to bed, the little tree ‘stood for a long while thinking deeply’ and then gently pulls his roots out of the pot, peeps out of the door and decides to explore the forest and hopefully make himself more pleasing to the eye.
He is determined to get himself decorated splendidly but soon realises that this will cost him. He exchanges twenty-two green needles for diamonds from gnomes and goblins busily digging in the snow. They try to persuade him to give up one of the cookies but he refuses. Next he has to bargain with fierce wolves who insist that he can’t take away any scarlet toadstools unless he pays with twenty green needles, and preferably some cookies too. He is determined to save the cookies for the children because their mother made them especially. Next he talks to a boy fishing who politely suggests that he takes some sparkling icicles for the branches. He gives him a few green needles to make hooks and this time allows one bite from a cookie. And so the quest for decorations continues with a procession of people going to church and a pedlar sitting by his dying fire. As you might guess, the tree is starting to look rather dishevelled despite the beautiful decorations adorning his branches.
I was expecting some restorative magic at this point which happens in a religious way as partying Baby Angels take the rest of the needles and cookies. When the tree catches his reflection in a pool of water, he is very miserable. Fortunately, St Nicholas is travelling through the forest (it is Christmas Eve after all) and puts everything right again. He follows the now gorgeous little tree back through the forest and is joined by the Angels, the pedlar, the people from church, the wolves , the goblins and gnomes. I love the last pages which show them processing towards the house as the children look out of the window.
This is beautifully illustrated timeless fable with all the right ingredients for a successful Christmas story – hope, generosity of spirit, magic and a happy ending.

domain: artistic


Polk County has extended a marketing deal with Legoland for another five years.
The agreement with Legoland owner Merlin Entertainment LLC, unanimously approved by the commission on Jan. 3, stipulates that the county pitch in $375,000 a year over the next five years — a total of $1.8 million — to help the Winter Haven theme park pay for advertising materials across the globe.
The county will also pay an additional one-time expense of $99,500 for a new visitor station at the park’s entrance.
Related:10 years of Legoland: How the theme park helped save the Polk County tourism industry
More:Polk County tourism tax sets records during recent COVID-19 surge
The county will use money from its tourism fund — a segment of the budget that includes bed-tax revenue — to contribute its share of the marketing arrangement.
“The bed tax money is to be used to address tourism, so this seems like an appropriate use of those funds,” Commissioner Neil Combee said at the meeting,
Legoland, which opened in 2012, attracts 1.5 million visitors annually and generates an estimated $1.5 million a year in tourism tax revenue, which is collected by hotels. The county also collects millions in sales tax from the park and its three hotels.
The marketing deal represents “a great investment” for Polk County, Mark Jackson, the county’s director of tourism and sports marketing, told the commission ahead of the vote.
“It’s not just necessary, it’s critical to the health of our county’s largest economic engine, tourism/sports,” he said in an email to The Ledger. “Our marketing partnership, and most importantly our relationship with LLF, keeps this massive economic engine moving forward.”
Previously:Legoland announces Peppa Pig Theme Park opening
The overall economic impact of Legoland on Polk County is not known, but Jackson estimates that it’s more than a half-billion dollars annually.
Before Legoland arrived in Polk County, several counties were in a heated contest to secure the theme park.
Polk’s effort to win the competition included the marketing agreement, which originally was $350,000 every 10 years.
At the time, Polk’s tourism economy was in dire need of a boost. Cypress Gardens closed in 2003.
The Kansas City Royals, which had been operating out of Davenport at Boardwalk and Baseball, left for Arizona. Anheuser-Busch soon thereafter closed Boardwalk and Baseball, which Jackson said was a huge draw for the county. And then Grenelefe Resort, a Japan-owned property with more than 1,200 rooms, also closed. Finally, the Cleveland Guardians, formerly called the Cleveland Indians, left for Arizona, depressing the county’s sports tourism market.
Before Legoland, “It was simply the toughest and most challenging time in Polk County’s tourism history,” Jackson said.
The newest iteration of the marketing agreement calls for the county to help pay for a new visitor center at the park’s entrance, designed to capture foot traffic from Legoland’s three hotels.
The venue will promote tourism throughout the county. The goal is to keep Legoland guests in Polk County.
Research shows that guests are more likely to spend in Polk County when they interact with a visitor services staff member. Each time this happens, a guest spends an additional $78 in the county, according to research conducted by Tampa-based Downs St Germain Research.
“This is very important,” Jackson said. “As one of our main objectives is to prevent economic leakages to other counties by keeping LLF guests spending time and money in Polk County.
Dustin Wyatt covers Polk County government and county-wide issues. He can be reached at email@example.com or on Twitter @LLDustin_Wyatt.


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No more daily knee rehabilitation updates this year. The focus has shifted from Robert Griffin III’s legs to his throwing arm and decision-making, and the Redskins plan to protect their quarterback and keep him in the pocket more than ever to gauge his progress as a passer now that he has more weapons to choose from than at any other time in his D.C. tenure.
RICHMOND, Va. -- First-year Redskins head coach Jay Gruden’s stated goal of trying to "develop [Robert Griffin III] as an all-around quarterback" enters its more public phase Thursday night at FedEx Field, when Washington begins its preseason schedule and debuts its upgraded passing game against the visiting New England Patriots and their significantly improved secondary.
All preseason openers are not created equal, and this one will be an especially well-anticipated showing for the Redskins, who hired a quarterback-friendly head coach and made two major additions to the receiving corps in free agency with the signing of ex-Eagles star DeSean Jackson and ex-Cardinal Andre Roberts. With Jackson and Roberts joining forces with Washington’s No. 1 receiver Pierre Garcon, who led the NFL in both receptions (113) and targets (184) last year, the Redskins’ Griffin-led passing game and its expected evolution into a more balanced and consistent threat will be the dominant storyline of August in the nation’s capital.
No more daily knee rehabilitation updates this year. The focus has shifted from Griffin’s legs to his throwing arm and decision-making, and the Redskins plan to protect their quarterback and keep him in the pocket more than ever to gauge his progress as a passer now that he has more weapons to choose from than at any other time in his D.C. tenure.
It all sounds good, but we’re about to find out how it works in live game situations, not just theory.
"It has to be a case of pick your poison this season," said Jackson, who signed with Washington in April after his stunning release by the Eagles following a career-year performance and Pro Bowl selection in 2013. "Whatever the defense tries to do, hopefully we’ve got an answer for it. Honestly, I think it’s a special group, because we’ve got receivers who have done some great things in the league so far.
"[Griffin] has options on every play. And it’s not only just receivers, but he has tight ends and running backs to keep his eye on and get the ball to. Our job is to get open so we make it easy on him and he doesn’t have to struggle. Then if he’s playing well and finding his receivers, the sky’s the limit for us. We just look forward to lighting it up, lighting defenses up."
The reality this year in Washington is this: If Garcon finishes with another 184 targets, something probably went wrong. That kind of receiving workload should be spread much more equitably among the likes of Jackson, Roberts, Garcon, second-year tight end Jordan Reed, the ageless Santana Moss and impressive rookie receiver Ryan Grant, a fifth-round pick out of Tulane.
Last year, Garcon’s one-man breakout produced those league-best 113 catches for 1,346 yards and five touchdowns. The next four most productive Redskins wide receivers (Moss, Leonard Hankerson, Aldrick Robinson and Josh Morgan) combined for just 110 receptions, 1,406 yards and seven touchdowns. But the end result was a 3-13 last-place finish for the defending NFC East champion Redskins and an NFC-worst 144 point scoring differential (334 points for, 478 allowed).
"Oh, man, we’ve got great options this year," Griffin said after Washington’s joint practice session with New England on Monday morning at Redskins training camp. "Whoever’s out there, and in every situation, I trust every single guy that he’s going to do his job and be where he’s supposed to be. That’s why we worked so hard and what’s why I met with these guys twice over the offseason, to make sure we’re in line with everything we need to do. They know everything that can come up in a game, and now it’s just about going out and doing it."
Gruden wants to spread the ball around this season, with the tight ends and running backs taking on a larger role in the passing game and no one receiver dominating Griffin’s targets, so as not to make it easier for a defense to take a single weapon away.
"Gruden wants everybody involved," Roberts said. "Pierre’s going to have his catches, DeSean is going to have his catches and I’ll have mine. But we don’t necessarily need anyone with 100 or even 80-90 catches to make this offense run. It’s never a bad thing to have a whole bunch of weapons, because when you do, we’re all going to eat and we’re all going to have fun doing it."
The Redskins’ new-look receiving corps didn’t appear to have all that much fun this week in its combined workouts with the Patriots, with New England’s revamped starting cornerback tandem of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner playing a physical, jamming style of coverage in live team drills. Gruden expressed disappointment in how often his receivers were taken out of their routes or delayed in their release by the aggressive bump coverage, and they will no doubt be tested again by the Patriots secondary taking that hands-on approach Thursday night.
"We need to do a much better job of getting off the bump-and-run," Gruden said Monday. "[The Patriots] do a nice job defensively of really slamming our receivers from time to time, so we need to work on our releases, give our quarterback some better plays maybe."
"We’ve got some new weapons to play with this year, but we just have to make sure when we call a play, everybody knows it could come to them," Gruden said after Tuesday’s three-hour workout. "We have to make sure we don’t get so locked on to one guy. If he’s covered, we’ve got to know where our progression is and that’s what we’re working toward."
But that work is very much still in progress, and this week’s reality check on the practice field against the Patriots showed how far Washington’s renovated passing game must still come before it’s a cohesive and well-executed attack.
"We’re not there yet, not even close," Gruden said. "This is a different style defense we played this week, with a lot of man to man, bumping, grabbing and stuff. There were a lot of guys coming back with their jerseys off their pads. There were some instances [Tuesday] where Robert had no choice but to get out of the pocket, because his primary guy was on the ground. But that’s good. It’s good to have things break down and see how he handles it.
"The big thing I need to look at is, 'Where’s the ball? Is he holding the ball down low? Is it secure? Is it up high? Is he making good decisions with it?' Robert’s in the first year of this offense, and there’ll be some growing pains."
The Redskins’ progress on that front will not be helped by Garcon missing both Tuesday and Wednesday’s practices against the Patriots, as well as Thursday night’s game, due to some lingering hamstring and leg issues. He and Griffin have more chemistry based on their two seasons spent together, but not in the controlled passing game Gruden brought from Cincinnati, where he was head coach Marvin Lewis’s offensive coordinator the past three years.
"It’s a tendon in the back of his knee, along with his hammy," Gruden said of Garcon. "He’s been a little tender. The big thing is he keeps trying to go, saying, 'I’m good, I’m good.' He’s such a competitor he wants out there. Most guys say 'I can’t practice,' but this guy wants to play, so we tell him, 'No, you can’t practice.' That’s the big difference with him. So we’re going to make sure he rests, and we’ll see how he is on Saturday after we’re off on Friday."
Not only will Garcon be missing in the lineup Thursday night, Griffin might also be without Jackson. The seventh-year veteran slightly twisted his ankle after being cleated during a Wednesday morning walk-through. His status for Thursday night is still to be determined, Gruden said. Without Garcon and Jackson, Griffin would have Roberts, Reed, Moss and Grant as his top receiving options for whatever limited amount of playing time the first team will receive against the Patriots. Reed was the only Washington pass-catcher who consistently stood out this week against New England, and after a strong rookie season of 45 catches for 499 yards (finishing second on the team behind Garcon in both categories) and three touchdowns, some are predicting a breakthrough season for the 2013 third-round pick out of Florida.
"On paper, it definitely shows we have a lot of talent, but you have to go out there and actually put plays together, and we still have a lot to get better at," Garcon said Tuesday afternoon. "We definitely have more playmakers to challenge a defense, a lot more weapons. But you can have a lot of options and still not do well. You never know what’s going to happen until you get out there and start playing games."
The games will tell the story, but Griffin acknowledges that his chemistry with his new receivers and the cohesion of the offense is coming along incrementally.
"When you have as many new additions as we do, it’s going to take some time, but I think we are in a good place," Griffin said. "We’re not behind, we’re not ahead, we’re right in a good spot right now for training camp. I think [the connection with my receivers] is further along than people would have expected at this point, with Dre’ [Roberts] and DeSean and then Ryan Grant. And you’ve got Santana moving around a lot, and [running back Alfred Morris] is moving around a lot, so everybody’s having to play a little bit different role."
The role changes start, of course, with Griffin. The Redskins intend to use some read-option plays in their offense to take advantage of their third-year quarterback’s mobility and athleticism, enough to keep a defense honest, but Griffin’s new directive is to rely on his legs far less than he did under Mike and Kyle Shanahan’s offense during his first two NFL seasons. Gruden has made Griffin’s development in the pocket his top priority this year.
"We want him to stay in the pocket this year," Roberts said. "You know he’s going to run around a little bit, that’s his thing. But we want him to stay in the pocket and throw us the ball. You can see he’s still fighting it a little bit, because with his athletic ability his being able to run adds that little bit extra to our offense. But as receivers, we want him to stay in the pocket and get it to us."
Garcon largely echoed Roberts’ thoughts on keeping Griffin in the pocket, but allowed that "when guys feel things they have to make a move sometimes and you can’t change them. He’s going to do what his instincts tell him to do when the bullets are flying. But you want to keep him in the pocket and protect him."
Jackson, the Redskins’ new deep threat, doesn’t sound as convinced that Griffin’s style of game can or should be changed. Maybe because he knows the combination of his speed and Griffin’s mobility and improvisational skills could lead to some long gains and fireworks in 2014.
"Honestly I think you’ve got to let RG3 be who he is and do what he’s been doing," Jackson said. "I’m not a quarterback or an offensive coordinator, but so far I think he’s been very efficient, he’s making the right reads and making the right throws. He’s controlling our offense. It could be a beautiful thing, but let’s see how the season plays out."
Starting with Thursday’s preseason opener against New England, Washington’s new receiving weapons and new approach to its RG3-led passing game will be on display. The initial reviews will follow shortly. When the real results start to arrive is a tougher question altogether.


Replay: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee gives annual State of the State address
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee gave his fourth State of the State address Monday at 6 p.m.
Lee's speech comes as he's up for reelection later this year. He's outlined new education priorities and unveiled his new spending plans for Tennessee in the upcoming year.
On Monday morning, Lee's office released excerpts from his upcoming speech. He outlines the need for guarding freedom, fiscal responsibility, powering the economy, protecting life and supporting families.
"We pay a staggering $900 million dollars per day in national debt interest payments," Lee is expected to say. "This is a bipartisan problem working within a broken system, but states with balanced budgets offer a guide to what could be if Washington would just act."
He also plans to release a set of policies centered the around the doctrine of “Tennessee – America at Its Best."
"Today, our country faces challenges of a different kind, but I believe now more than ever, Tennessee embodies America at Its Best," Lee is expected to say. "And in order to ensure that, I am proposing a budget and America at Its Best policies that reinforce freedom, innovation, exceptionalism and optimism."
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's budget:Here's what's in the $52.5 billion proposal
Education funding:Tennessee State University to receive $250 million in Gov. Bill Lee's budget proposal
Redistricting:Tennessee lawmakers return to Capitol with redistricting among top issues to tackle


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Have you ever been to a yard sale? Or maybe a flea market? If so, you’ve probably seen some pretty bizarre things and unusual items for sale. Perhaps you’ve even bought something weird.
It is true that occasionally people come across odd things that happen to be in thrift stores or flea markets, like an original painting by a famous artist, because the seller didn’t know how valuable it really was. You can really find everything in these places, as evidenced by these photos.
1. For $50, you must have a good reason to buy them.
2. Who would even want to sit on this chair?
3. The perfect dress for a woman with a split personality!
4. This is definitely surrealism!
5. The lama's game... is it to see who can spit the farthest?
6. This doll might make your child have some horrible nightmares.
7. A very creative lamp
8. For fans of horseback riding
9. When you want even more camouflage…
10. What kind of animal is this? A new dinosaur may have been created...
11. When two people are attracted to each other, nothing can separate them.
12. Who would win this epic battle?
13. An original item
14. You have to really want this to buy it...
15. A tie made of feathers
16. To put in your nativity scene!
17. A beautiful sweater that your child will be thrilled to wear!
18. Here’s a Star Wars reference...


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Please note Contemporary 2 tone textured earring - Default Title is currently backordered and will ship when it's back in stock. Typically 2 - 4 weeks.
From our Metalworks Collection - this 2 tone silver earring has straws of silver and gold hand fabricated and each metal thread is skillfully applied to the silver base by our Artisan Craftsman. 22kt gold vermeil is applied along with a black oxidize to create a distinctive contrast of mixed metal. silver weight is 3.7 grams
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domain: design


text:
Introducing a new perspective
Being able to measure broad biological data routinely is an unprecedented opportunity to transform healthcare. This data enhances the understanding of disease risk enabling precision and prevention. Improving the treatment of chronic diseases is important, but taking the disease prevention to a new era will transform medicine.
Stay up-to-date with clinical availability of our blood analysis service in Europe in 2017.Subscribe to our newsletter

domain: biology


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Haymarket Books (Winter 2020)
Hardback • ISBN-13: 9781642590210 • US $28.00 • 5.5 in x 8.5 in• 528 pgs.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In Yellow Earth, the site of Three Nations reservations on the banks of the Missouri River in North Dakota, Sayles introduces us to Harleigh Killdeer, chairman of the Tribal Business Council. “An activist in his way, a product of the Casino Era,” Kildeer, who is contracted by oil firm Case and Crosby, spearheads the new Three Nations Petroleum Company.
What follows, with characteristic lyrical dexterity, insight, and wit, introduces us to a memorable cast of characters, weaving together narratives of competing worlds through masterful storytelling.
Set shortly before Standing Rock would become a symbol of historic proportions of the brutal confrontation between native resistance and the forces of big business and law enforcement, the fate of Yellow Earth serves as a parable for our times.
“Filmmaker Sayles…is also a highly imaginative short story writer with a sure ear for dialogue, a keen eye for group dynamics, a flair for quickly establishing intriguing mise-en-scènes, and the ability to animate a great spectrum of flinty characters…Sayles expresses his compassion and concern for those who struggle with poverty and prejudice, seeking both to provoke and entertain.”
“Many writers can render credible characters in a credible world, but only a few can do so with a warmth and a humor that is as wise as it is true.”
“[Sayles’s] ancestry is more like the reportorial vigor Jack London on one side and a little of the sweet impressionism of Stephen Crane on the other.”
The New York Times
“John Sayles is one of the most important public historians of our generation.”
William Cronon, President of the American Historical Association
“John Sayles is the very paradigm of the contemporary independent filmmaker. By raising much of the funding for his films himself, Sayles functions more independently than most directors, and he has used his freedom to write and produce films with a distinctive personal style and often clearly expressed political positions. From The Return of the Secaucus Seven to Sunshine State, his films have consistently expressed progressive political positions on issues including race, gender, sexuality, class, and disability.”
University of Illinois Press
“Sayles is a terrific writer. His breathtaking precision and attention to detail can make E.L. Doctorow’s historical novels look puny and slapdash by comparison. His ability to map the intersections of scores of plots and hundreds of fictional and real- life characters is truly stunning.”
Adam Langer, San Francisco Chronicle
OTHER TITLES BY THIS AUTHOR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Sayles works as a fiction writer, screenwriter, actor and feature film director. His novel Union Dues (1978) was nominated for the National Book Award and the National Critics’ Circle Award. He has written over a hundred screenplays and was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He has directed 18 feature films, with another, I Passed This Way, currently in progress. His films Matewan and Lone Star, as well as his previous novel A Moment in the Sun, are often used for instruction in History and American Studies courses. Yellow Earth is his fifth novel.
Please contact subagents for the following languages and territories:
|China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam||Big Apple Agency|
|English outside North America||David Grossman Literary Agency|
|German||Paul & Peter Fritz AG Literatur Agentur|
|Greek||Read n' Right Agency|
|Hebrew||The Deborah Harris Agency|
|Italian||The Nabu International Literary Agency|
|Japanese||The English Agency (Japan) Ltd|
|Korean||BC Agency, or Korea Copyright Center|
|Russia/Baltics/Eastern Europe||Prava I Prevodi|
|Scandinavia: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland||Brandt New Agency|
|Spanish in Latin America||International Editors' Co., S.A.|
|Spanish in Spain||International Editors' Co., S.A.|
For all other languages/territories, please contact Roam Agency.


Speaking about Bitcoin and what it means for business was Dr. Craig Wright, chief scientist of nChain and the man better known as Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen invites Cambridge University students to join the Cambridge University Metanet Society where they can learn and participate in advancing the future of the Internet with Bitcoin SV and Metanet.
The first event under the sponsorship of Bitcoin Association and Cambridge University Metanet Society took place last October 17 where Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen and Bitcoin Creator Dr. Craig Wright shared to the attendees how Bitcoin SV blockchain can change the internet with Metanet.
This episode of the Bitcoin Vision is all about the recently held CoinGeek Seoul Conference! Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen gives us a recap of the historic event where huge announcements and the latest upgrades in the Bitcoin SV space were announced.
Bitcoin Association, the global organization for Bitcoin businesses, gathered a group of 14 investors recently in Seoul to possibly invest in business ideas proposed by Bitcoin SV developers.
Bitcoin Association founding president Jimmy Nguyen explains the benefits of becoming am official member. Join now!
This week, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen shares the hard work that the brilliant Bitcoin SV developers have been up to.
The latest Bitcoin Association Meetup in London was a success and we talked to some participants on what they think are the benefits of holding meetups and their message to the BSV community.
In the latest episode of Bitcoin Vision, founding president of the Bitcoin Association Jimmy Nguyen discussed some of the most exciting developments in the world of BSV.
This week, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen delivers plenty of Bitcoin SV Node news as well as updates on new BSV applications straight from Siberia, Russia! These exciting projects include the Genesis upgrade, BSV/DEVS Directory, and BSV Galaxy.
nChain CTO Steve Shadders gives us the highlights of the Bitcoin Association Wallet Workshop conducted at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, UK. The Wallet Workshop featured the brightest minds in the Bitcoin SV space and was filled with discussions discussing future BSV projects.
In this week’s episode of the Bitcoin Vision, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen highlights some of the major developments in the Bitcoin SV ecosystem.


The Dakine Covert gloves feature a synthetic suede palm, silicone grippers and touch-sensitive fingers and thumbs, and a moisture-wicking 4way stretch shell. There is a microfleece panel on the thumb for sweat and nose-wiping duties, while Polygiene odour control technology stops them from getting all pongy.
Who's this item for: Any type of rider looking for a lightweight and breathable glove that works with touchscreen devices.
Palm Style: Single layer synthetic suede palm with a wrap over the fingertips.
- Shell: 74% Nylon 12% Spandex 8% Polyester 6% Neoprene
- Palm: 91% Polyester 7% Spandex 2% Polyurethane
- Additional Protection: There is no extra protection on these gloves.
Closure or Slip-on: These gloves have a slip-on cuff.
Touch Screen Compatible: Yes, the index fingers and thumbs are touchscreen compatible.
Sweat Wipe Included: Yes, there is a microfleece wipe on the thumb.


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In conjunction with our 90th anniversary in 2020, Bernheim welcomed Danish artist, Thomas Dambo, to construct three giant sculptures throughout the arboretum using recycled wood from the region. We are thrilled to welcome Mama Loumari with her children, Little Nis and Little Elina, and her third baby Giant, who is currently living in Mama's belly.
As you plan your Giant adventure, here are a few helpful tips:
- Seeing the Forest Giants in a Giant Forest sculptures is free. A $10 donation is suggested per car for non-members.
- We expect the Forest Giants to live at Bernheim until they are no longer safe or aesthetically pleasing (we anticipate they will be here through 2024).
- Start your journey at the Visitor Center for maps, walking and parking information and more.
- The Forest Giants are within walking distance of each other; it's an approximately 2-mile round-trip loop to see all three. Parking is available near each Giant as well. The Visitor Center has specific information or follow signs for Giant parking.
- For accessibility information about the Forest Giants Trail and all other trails, click here.
- You can take photos and touch the Giants, but please treat them with respect.
- We ask that you only climb on Mama Loumari's legs (we wouldn't want to harm baby Giant in her belly). Little Elina and Little Nis welcome visitors on their feet and hands, but no higher.
- Looking for a place to stay nearby? Visit Bullitt County Tourism for lodging information in Shepherdsville/Bullitt County or Louisville Tourism for lodging information in Louisville.
- Want to learn more about our Giant Family? Click here to read their fairy tale.


Students create a consonant and dissonant musical composition in response to the visual effects of climate change.
Inquire: Students reflect and identify musical components in instrumental songs that convey specific feelings.
Investigate: Students learn the terms and intervals of consonance and dissonance, then identify the quality and number of intervals in well-known instrumental clips.
Inspire: Students watch a time-lapse video showing the effects of climate change and create a musical composition reflecting their feelings with consonance and dissonance.
Students learn and connect a music theory skill to iconic jingles and climate change topics.
Students create music using dissonance and consonance to express their feelings.
This lesson is easily adaptable to all music appreciation and general music theory classes or performance groups such as Jazz Band in middle and high school.
This lesson includes extensions into advanced music theory, research into diverse classical composers, and musical application.
This lesson can be taught alone, connected to lessons on intervals or tonality, or with a study on non-Western scales such as the Indian raga scale, the Middle Eastern maqam scale, and the Chinese/Japanese pentatonic scale.
This lesson can be taught in a unit on protest songs or a social studies unit on social justice protests.
Students should have a basic understanding of music notation, concepts of major and minor, intervals, and triads.
Students should have access to sheet music paper, music manuscript paper, or online music composition software such as Noteflight or Flat.
Teacher should preview and cue the listed audio clips of consonance or dissonance on a preferred listening platform, or create their own list.
Teachers can use any music composition software that is available to them, including applications that write musical notation as students play.
Students can expand into chromatic dissonances such as diminished, augmented, and tritones.
Using consonant and dissonant intervals, students can compose a soundtrack to go along with a timelapse video, then compare and contrast the difference in tonality between their soundtrack and the composition of their feelings from the Inspire section.
Students can research other sound logos of famous brands and identify intervals of consonance and dissonance.
Students can research classical composers known for their dissonance: Béla Bartók, Arnold Schoenberg, Igor Stravinsky, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Florence Price, and Wuorinen Tania León.
Students can explore consonant and dissonant sounds found in other scales such as the Indian raga scale, the Middle Eastern maqam scale, the Chinese/Japanese pentatonic scale, and the Blues scale.
This lesson shows how climate science could be conveyed through music. Hence, students can write songs as a way to advocate for climate action. The teaching resources were carefully examined and found to be suitable for use in a classroom.


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DUBLIN, Republic of Ireland -- Petr Cech was the hero against his former club as Arsenal beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties after the two sides played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in the International Champions Cup at the Aviva Stadium.
Antonio Rudiger broke the deadlock in the sixth minute when he rose unmarked to power in a header from Cesc Fabregas' pinpoint corner, but Cech saved a penalty from Alvaro Morata before Alexandre Lacazette diverted in Reiss Nelson's low cross from the right in the final seconds of injury time as Arsenal snatched a deserved equaliser.
Cech then stepped up again to save Ruben Loftus-Cheek's tame effort in a high-quality shootout to give the Gunners victory.
Sarri made three changes to the Chelsea team that beat Inter on penalties in Nice on Saturday. Arsenal, meanwhile, were forced to withdraw Aaron Ramsey from their starting XI after he picked up an injury in the warm-up, with youngster Emile Smith-Rowe stepping in.
The only Chelsea academy youngster to keep his starting spot was Callum Hudson-Odoi, and the dazzlingly gifted 17-year-old winger was at the heart of everything that the Blues did well in an entertaining first half.
Inside the opening five minutes, he raced into the left channel, checked and found an unmarked Fabregas, whose shot was tipped over by Cech. The former Arsenal captain was roundly booed as he went to take the resulting corner, but responded by finding the unmarked head of Rudiger.
On the left flank, Hudson-Odoi tormented Hector Bellerin every time he ran at him, and in the 14th minute, the Spaniard was tempted into a rash tackle that led referee Paul McLaughlin to point to the penalty spot. Morata stepped up but telegraphed his kick and Cech dived low to his right to smother it.
Morata's finishing was the only thing preventing Chelsea from extending their lead, as he scuffed a header and shot straight at Cech the next two times he was found by the excellent Hudson-Odoi.
At the other end, Arsenal began to exploit Chelsea's lack of midfield pace in the absence of N'Golo Kante, with Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan picking up the ball and driving at the Blues defence. The pair combined brilliantly to find Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who could only kick air at the back post.
On the stroke of half-time, Hudson-Odoi carved open Arsenal again as he raced onto Jorginho's clipped pass, but Cech took enough sting out of the youngster's shot for Shkodran Mustafi to head the ball off the line.
Arsenal pushed hard for an equaliser in front of a supportive crowd after the break, but Rudiger came within inches of scoring a carbon copy of his first-half opener when he headed Pedro's corner wide.
Alex Iwobi's introduction on 65 minutes brought fresh urgency to Arsenal, and the Nigeria international had shots saved by both by Caballero and his replacement Marcin Bulka. Lacazette was guilty of the worst miss, misjudging his angles after slipping the ball through Andreas Christensen's legs.
There was one final twist, though, as moments after forcing an excellent save from Bulka, Lacazette connected with Nelson's cross to send the match to penalties, where Loftus-Cheek was the only man to miss in sudden death.

domain: sports


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Stun guns: A matter of safety for both cops and civilians “It’s distressing to me, the fact that it did end up this way,” said O’Neill in an unusually fast and harsh rebuke. What’s clear in this instance is that we failed.” The commissioner declined to discuss specifics other than to say police policy is to “isolate and contain.” But NYPD protocols call for officers to wait for ESU cops to arrive, and to use a Taser if the option is there.
“It’s quite clear that our officers are supposed to use deadly force only when faced with a dire situation,” said de Blasio.
“And it’s very hard for any of us to see that that standard was met here.” The whole heart-breaking incident took place in a matter of moments, sources said.
The sergeant shot Danner in the left shoulder and the chest to end the tense 10-minute showdown that could have convinced Barry that his life was at risk, a police source said. In a way, I feel for the sergeant, but I’m also thinking this didn’t have to happen.” Cops were summoned by a neighbor who reported the senior citizen was behaving “in an irrational manner.” The slain woman’s sister and guardian, Jennifer Danner, was down the hallway from the apartment when the cops arrived. “She was never treated anything but normally by the police before,” said Cooke, 74, outside Danner’s home. “I never had to shoot anybody or pull my gun on them,” he said. She didn’t have no gun.” Nearly 50 Black Lives Matter protesters marched from Danner’s home to the 43rd Precinct stationhouse Wednesday evening chanting “Justice for Deborah Danner,” “Black Lives Matter”and “F--k the police.” “We’re being murdered,” said activist Hawk Newsome.
“It was going right — and then it went bad,” the source said. She saw the officers rush inside the cramped two-bedroom apartment, and then heard the crack of three gunshots. The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division was probing the shooting, but Cooke said that Barry and his team clearly mishandled the situation from the outset. “There is no justification for killing a 66-year-old mentally ill woman.
'The allegation will be assessed by officers from the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command.' There is no suggestion the allegation relates to child abuse.
A spokesman for police in Liverpool said: 'Merseyside Police can confirm a report was received at 8.40am on Wednesday of an alleged sexual assault in the London area in the 1980s.
Weinstein allegedly supplied her with wine before inviting her up to his hotel room to watch some unedited scenes that he was struggling with.
But, she said that when the door closed behind them, he shoved her on the bed and began 'tugging at her clothes'.
Dix, now 48, says the incident left her depressed and barely able to get out of bed for six months, and her career never recovered as a result.
She disclosed the incident to firends and family, but is now speaking publicly about the incident for the first time, 26 years on.
“The New York City Police Department has once again failed to properly respond to deal with mentally ill patients without resorting to deadly physical force,” said Jennifer Danner, who met later with the mayor. “The other more simple thing they could’ve done is just close the goddamn door,” Cooke said. We need this police officer to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said the quick condemnation of Barry reeked of politics rather than due process. Now what we have is a perception of wrongdoing and politics.” Donna Lieberman, director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said Danner’s death was unfathomable.

domain: law


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Browse Nudist Resorts pictures, photos, images, GIFs, and videos on Photobucket
Watch Nudist Resorts videos and then jump to the homepage to watch the funniest and most amazing videos selected by our editors
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The World’s Most Complete Nudist Bulletin Board / Discussion Forum – Discussions include taking a nude cruise, visiting a nude beach or naturist resorts, nudism
Originally posted by acouple005 My wife and I rarely see another person of color at any nudist resorts or clubs, and wew have been to many. It seems to me that black
Naturists & Nudist camps, colonies, resorts, beaches and clubs for the nude experience. Meet others like you today, clothing optional of course!
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domain: hobby


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The discovery of the jakapil sheds light on a previously unknown lineage of dinosaurs in the family Thyreophora, which includes the much larger Stegosaurus, in the Southern Hemisphere.
“For Argentines, Jakapil complete, in a vast succession of discoveries, the missing letter of our dinosaur alphabet, and we can, for the first time, show an alphabet of dinosaurs that lived in Argentina,” researcher Sebastián Apesteguía said in a statement.
A mysterious dinosaur in the nation’s basement
The jakapil’s name comes from the ridge on the lower part of the dinosaur’s jaw, the function of which is unknown. “Kaniukura” means “stone ridge” in the language of the indigenous Mapuche people, the researchers said.
The jakapil’s teeth were also unusual. While most herbivorous dinosaurs had similar leaf-shaped teeth in both jaws, the newly discovered dinosaur’s teeth had a different shape in each jaw. Its teeth also appear worn, which researchers say indicates it processes food more efficiently than other members of its family.
The path to reconstructing the dinosaur’s body began in 2012, when Apesteguía visited the paleontological area of La Buitrera – where other dinosaurs have been discovered – and found two small bones that he could not identify. Two years later, he and other scientists discovered a skeleton with unusual teeth and a block-like jaw.
Meet ‘Cooper’, Australia’s largest dinosaur
A researcher recognized the fossil as a type of armored dinosaur and continued collecting bones until 2020 when he finished reconstructing the structure of the species. The desert region is uninhabitable for many species, so it tends to have fossils of a few animals, Apesteguía said in the statement.
“Jakapil is a very rare little dinosaur, and obviously he liked to travel in desert environments,” Apesteguía said.
Scientists shared a video reconstruction of the species on Twitter. In it, two jakapils walk along a desert landscape, stretch upwards and emit soft throaty growls.
Dinosaur finds are somewhat common; paleontologists identify dozens of species each year. In 2021, Australian scientists announced the discovery of a dinosaur the size of a basketball court.
But many dinosaurs would not have been fossilized, which means we will almost certainly never discover all the types that existed, Gizmodo reported. The fact that a dinosaur must have died under the right circumstances for its remains to be found makes every discovery a notable event.


UK: The Development Bank of Wales, the Wales Tourism Investment Fund along with the backing of of Visit Wales, has investment £2 million in a 16-bedroom hotel project located in Oyster Wharf.
The four-star hotel is part of the second phase of the Oyster Wharf scheme in Mumbles. Nextcolour Developments Limited is behind the project, which will be designed by Lawray Architects and Holly Keeling Interiors.
James Morse, director of Nextcolour, said: “Now might not be an obvious time to invest in a new hotel but we are confident that there is strong market demand for a high quality boutique hotel in the area given the strength of the tourist industry in South West Wales.
“We are extremely grateful to the Development Bank of Wales and Visit Wales for their assistance during these difficult times,” he added. “Their commitment to progressing development and tourism in Wales for the benefit of future generations is commendable.”
Alun Thomas of the Development Bank of Wales added: “This is the third investment in west Wales by the Wales Tourism Investment fund. The Oyster Wharf has revitalised the waterfront at Mumbles creating a retail and restaurant destination for the local community and visitors to the Swansea Bay region. The development has enhanced the seaside villages’ renowned niche as an upmarket tourist destination and gateway to the Gower Peninsula. The new boutique hotel will only enhance the quality experience already available and will create 30 much needed new jobs.”
The Wales Tourism Investment Fund is managed by the Development Bank of Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government. Loans between £100,000 and £5 million are available with repayment terms of 10-15 years for tourism projects that require capital investment.


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WASHINGTON -- Just weeks after his re-election, President Barack Obama summoned about 20 senior administration officials to the White House's Roosevelt Room for an hour-long meeting on the implementation of his health care law.
Mr. Obama began by reminding his staff that the Affordable Care Act would be one of his major legacies and its execution among the highest priorities of his second term, according to a Democrat familiar with the gathering. The session, which has been followed by regular presidential briefings, led to a two-track campaign to defend the measure against united Republican opposition declaring it a failure and to motivate uninsured Americans to sign up for health care coverage.
The first phase will be on display today, when the president meets at the White House with women who will tell personal stories of how the law has already helped them.
Fannie Mae's payback
WASHINGTON -- Fannie Mae, the mortgage-financier seized by U.S. regulators in 2008, will pay the Treasury Department $59.4 billion after reporting a record quarterly profit driven by rising home prices and declining delinquencies.
The government-sponsored enterprise, which is operating under U.S. conservatorship, had net income of $8.1 billion for the three-month period that ended March 31, according to a statement released Thursday.
Cabinet picks are stalled
WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans continued a campaign to delay confirmation of President Barack Obama's second-term Cabinet-level nominees Thursday, blocking a committee vote on Gina McCarthy, the president's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
The action came a day after Republicans on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee threw a wrench in the nomination of Thomas Perez to be labor secretary, delaying it for at least a week.
In both cases, Republican committee members said the nominees had failed to adequately respond to their questions.
Benghazi data sought
WASHINGTON -- House Republicans on Thursday called on the Obama administration to release a new batch of emails that they believe will shed more light on how the White House and the State Department responded in the days after the attacks on American facilities in Benghazi, Libya.
Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in a written statement, made the request, saying, "The truth shouldn't be hidden from the American people behind a White House firewall."
Killer on suicide watch
PHOENIX -- Jodi Arias will spend the weekend on suicide watch and return to court next week when jurors are expected to consider whether the death penalty should be an option for the former waitress' sentence.
The case was scheduled to resume Thursday, but court officials postponed it until Wednesday without any explanation.
Citrus disease spreading
AVON PARK, Fla. -- Florida's citrus industry is grappling with the most serious threat in its history: a bacterial disease with no cure that has infected all 32 of the state's citrus-growing counties.
Although the disease, citrus greening, was first spotted in Florida in 2005, this year's losses from it are by far the most extensive. While the bacteria, which causes fruit to turn bitter and drop from the trees when still unripe, affects all citrus fruits, it has been most devastating to oranges, the largest crop.


Energomontaż-Północ Gdynia is carrying out commissioning the structure of four pile anchors which are designed for Hebron mining field in Newfoundland.
EPG will perform four structures with a diameter of 1.7 m and a length of 16 m, which will be used to anchor to the seabed construction of two turrets that have also been made in the EPG. Recently the similar structures EPG made for Greater Stella mining field.
Mining field Hebron was discovered in 1980 and is set to produce first oil in 2017. Hebron is estimated to produce oil for 25 years. On field a put gravitational platform will stay (GBS), which the structure will be designed for so that is immune to action of an icebergs.
Obtaining these orders is already alone for EPG a most success, because project Hebron is put on Canadian waters, where are applying to provisions local content which determine the level of involving native suppliers, what the participation in the project is making it difficult for European producers.


https://www.sgesolar.com/wpinhere/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screenshot-5.png 312 271 SGE Marketing https://www.sgesolar.com/wpinhere/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/sge-solar-padding.png SGE Marketing2021-05-19 12:55:162021-06-09 14:46:18Why you should make the investment in solar today
Massachusetts and Rhode Island currently hosts a variety of solar incentives for homeowners to reduce the cost of buying and installing your own solar panels. These include:
- Net metering: which gives energy credits back to homeowners when their solar systems are producing more energy than they use in a given day. For example, solar panels often produce the most electricity in the afternoon when energy consumption is low, so net metering allows utility companies to use this energy while it is being produced, then give customers an energy credit back at the going rate that they can use while their panels are not producing. It’s essentially using the grid as a battery.
- SMART Solar Incentive (Massachusetts): The SMART program pays customers back a fixed rate per kilowatt hour.
- Growth Solar Incentive (Rhode Island): The Growth (REG) Program pays customers a fixed rate at 29.6 per kWh for 15 years!
- 26% Tax Credit: The ITC Federal tax credit was extended (two-years). The ITC for solar customers was originally scheduled to drop from 26% in 2020 to 22% in 2021 and then phase out all together after 2022. But with the recent extension, you can get a full 26% rebate back on the total cost of the system! Make sure to start the process before time runs out and schedule gets full.
Here’s other reasons to go solar for your home:
- Drastically reduce or even eliminate your electric bills
- Earn a great return on your investment
- Protect against rising energy costs
- Increase your property value
- Boost U.S. energy independence
- Create jobs and help your local economy
- Protect the environment


Music producer Phil Ramone hospitalized
Music mogul Phil Ramone has been hospitalized in New York after suffering an aneurysm, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The award-winning producer, 72, is in critical care.
Ramone is best known for his work with Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin and Billy Joel, among others. He has won 14 Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year in 1981. He also famously recorded Marilyn Monroe's rendition of "Happy Birthday," which the actress sang to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
Prior to his health crisis, Ramone had been working on new albums and compilations by George Michael, Dionne Warwick and Bennett.
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A decades-long commitment to providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities will be recognised in Carnarvon today.
Woolworths Carnarvon currently employs three people with disabilities and has employed dozens over many years of support.
In Carnarvon today Disability Services Minister Tony McRae said the company deserved congratulations from the whole community.
“Woolworths has continued to demonstrate a strong commitment to the ongoing employment of staff members who have a disability,” he said.
“This kind of support not only benefits the individuals in employment, but provides a positive contribution to the rest of the community’s attitude towards people with disabilities.
“I say well done to the Woolworths team for their inclusive approach and hope it continues for many years to come.”
One of the current employees with a disability, Jacob Mingo, is soon to take long service leave after completing 14 years of service with the company.
Jacob is currently training a replacement to fill his role before taking his three months’ long service leave.
Minister's office: (08) 9213 7150

domain: sociology


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Happy Friday stampers, scrappers & crafters!
Here are my card samples for the white on white challenge! Using CB folders are a great way to go with this challenge, don't you think so? White Prima daisies, white satin ribbon, white pearls! Pretty yummy! If I had a monogram set, I would have liked to have made embossed white initial (s) and added it to a card. Just a thought...
Have fun creating your white on white card, good luck and thanks for playing along!
Have a fabulous weekend, be back soon!


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Meet Bella Helga, 20 months old German Shepherd
Bella Helga's mom was a pure breed German Shepard and her dad is believed to be a Shepherd mixture, maybe greyhound or doberman? She has big ears and loves to play. Her adoption charge is 100.00. She is spayed, up to date on shots, micro chipped, and comes with 30 days of free pet insurance! She definitely needs an alpha owner. She will guard your home and yard, from animals and humans, so you need to keep her contained. She responds well to correction, but you must be consistent. Training would do wonders for her. She also does better at adoption events out of her crate. She feels "trapped". However, out of the crate she is social and greets everyone.
February 6 on Petango

domain: pet


Catcher Stumph Added to Generals Roster
The Victoria Generals of the Texas Collegiate League have announced the addition of catcher Andrew Stumph from Texas State University to the current roster. Stumph, a native of Katy, Texas, just completed his junior year at Texas State where he hit .253 on the season. He added 10 doubles, three home runs, 28 RBIs, and 19 runs scored as the Bobcats everyday catcher.
The Generals were left with a void to fill at the catching position after signee M.P. Cokinos from St. Mary’s University was drafted and signed with the Houston Astros. Stumph is no stranger to the TCL, having played for the Texas Tomcats back in 2010.
The signing of Stumph will allow Eric Weiss, who has handled the bulk of the catching duty for the Generals this season, to slide back to his normal position in the outfield. Stumph and Blue Hybner will now be expected to share the catching responsibilities.
The Generals return home Friday night to host the Acadiana Cane Cutters at 7:05pm at Riverside Stadium. Friday night is also Faith and Family Night presented by Klean Corp International. There will be a pregame concert by Christian rock band Table 4 Twelve starting at 5:00pm. Guest speakers will include Eric Weiss and former Generals head coach Ryan Wagner.
Fans can buy tickets and team merchandise at the Generals team store located at 3708 North Navarro, Suite A in the Landmark Shopping Center, online at www.VictoriaGenerals.com, or by calling 361-485-9522.


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Experience a behind the scenes tour of Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studios, plus afternoon tea for two
Discover the magic of Harry Potter for yourself with this wonderful day out! Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is a behind-the-scenes walking tour featuring authentic sets, costumes and props from the Harry Potter film series, located at the Studios where they were filmed. Your experience also includes afternoon tea at the nearby De Vere Hunton Park Hotel, just a short walk from the Studios.
Your experience begins with afternoon tea for two at the De Vere Hunton Park Hotel. The hotel is set in 22 acres of landscaped gardens and combines the elegance of a period house with modern day comforts. Afternoon tea includes a selection of finger sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, mini fruit tartlets, tea, coffee and a selection of fruit juice.
After your tea make your way to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Opened in Spring 2012, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is a behind-the-scenes walking tour, which immerses guests into the world of film-making. The tour features authentic sets, costumes and props that showcase the British artistry, technology and talent that goes into producing world famous and successful movies, created at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. The Studio Tour will initially focus on the Harry Potter film series which has made the Studios its home for over 10 years.
This experience is available at Hertfordshire:
Hertfordshire (South East) - Leavesden
Your voucher is valid until 31st December 2013. This package is for one adult and one child. Child tickets are valid for children aged 5 -15 years inclusive, and adult tickets for those 16 and over. Afternoon tea at De Vere Hunton Park is served from 3pm - 5:30pm. For the Warner Bros. Studio Tour please request a preferred tour time at the point of booking with the supplier. Please note that availability is limited. Full details of timings will be advised by the supplier at time of booking and will be subject to availability at the time. Please note once you've arranged a date with the supplier your booking is non-refundable and non-transferable. Please book your date at least 7 working days in advance. All dates and timings are subject to availability. Please note this voucher cannot be extended.


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Better Shield Better Yield
Safeguard Your Crops From Pests and Disease
High quality crop protection products from the best suppliers are available to help protect your yields and your land.
Get in Contact
The Battle Against Pest and Disease
Your crops are in a daily battle with 30,000 species of weeds, 3,000 species of nematodes and 10,000 species of plant-eating insects. More than 50,000 diseases can significantly reduce your crop yields and decrease your net return per acre. Despite the shield of modern crop protection products, many growers still lose 30 to 40 percent of crops due to pests and diseases globally, according to the UN Food and Agricultural Operations.
That's why you need the best mix of biological, cultural and chemical measures to defend against pests and disease. When it comes to chemical protection, there are three types of products:
Contact us to learn how Simplot Grower Solutions products can help you create an effective defense against pest and disease.

domain: agronomy


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The wine has a deep red colour, with aromas of cherry and framboise. This medium-bodied wine has an excellent tannin structure giving it the proper balance and a very pleasant aftertaste of red fruits and vanilla.
- Classification:PGI Achaia
- Area of Production:Greece- Peloponnese- Achaia
- Grape Variety:Merlot
- Wine Type:Red
- Vineyard:The vineyards are located in the Vasiliko region of Achaia in the Peloponnese at an altitude of 150m. The soil is a mixture of sandy clay and limestone and the grape yields are about 9000kg per hectare.
- Harvest:Mid September
- Vinification:Classic red vinification. The wine remains in oak barrels of 225lt for 6-8 months.
- Storage Time:8 years
- Storage Conditions:Temperature: 12-13°C, Humidity: 65%
- Suggested Pairing:With pasta served with bacon, chilly in tomato sauce, pork, veal and curry dishes, as well as lamb, steak and duck with orange.
- Serving Temperature:18°C
- Alcohol:ca. 15,5 % vol.
F T G+ P


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Now let’s to look at how Google+ will affect another company belonging to the “Internet Bubble 2.0”: Zynga (ZYNG). With roughly 270 million monthly active users and 2010 revenue of $850 million, it is one of the few internet companies planning an IPO that has created a substantial revenue stream and a pretty successful business model. Zynga generates most of its revenue via selling in-game items to users, who can exchange real money for Zynga’s virtual currency.
A common trend among companies using this system is for much of the revenue to come from a small, core group of users – something which purportedly applies to Zynga as well. Four of its games (CityVille, FarmVille, Zynga Poker, and FrontierVille) are the top four most used game applications on Facebook, with CityVille having approximately 20 million users daily.
Zynga has been able to achieve this success through its partnership with Facebook, the massive social-networking site with hundreds of millions of members. The two companies came to an agreement in 2010, wherein the main point of focus was that Zynga pledged to keep any game with Facebook integration exclusive for five years. Facebook agreed to share ad revenue while also taking around 30% of revenue generated by the games. Zynga is looking to raise $1B in its IPO and has been given valuations in the range of $15-20B.
This competition for social-networking dominance between Facebook and Google+ could be equally beneficial or catastrophic for Zynga. Other than maintaining the status quo, I see two potential outcomes for the young gaming company: 1) They leverage the competition between Facebook and Google+ and are able to negotiate a more favorable revenue-sharing deal, or 2) they try the previous strategy and end up being left with their hands out, neither service wanting to work with them.
As it stands, Zynga needs Facebook, plain and simple. Their games would not have an iota of the current success without exposure to Facebook’s gigantic membership via nearly seamless integration. The main draw for Zynga’s games is the combination of convenience, simplicity, and the ability to play with friends. Take Facebook out of the equation, and all that’s left is simplicity – something that can be found in a bevy of places on the internet. Make no mistake - the popularity of Facebook brings users to Zynga, not the other way around.
When you add Google+ into the mix, Facebook’s negotiating power becomes substantially diminished. Google can potentially provide everything that Facebook does, meaning that Zynga has a classic negotiating bargaining chip: the threat of going to the competitor. If Facebook grants any credibility to the threat, and wants to keep Zynga around for the easy revenue and dedicated group of users, they will be willing to talk. Every percentage point that Facebook cuts from that initial 30% becomes instant profit – undoubtedly something investors will rejoice over.
Zynga’s best case scenario: Google decides that it wants to bring Zynga’s portfolio of titles to its Google+ users, creating a sort of bidding war for Zynga. While this is probably rather unlikely, it is not outside the realm of possibility. However, the same is true of the worst case scenario: Zynga tries to play the two giants off each other, only to be rebuked by both and left without a platform. This would be absolutely disastrous, once again eliminating the convenience and social aspects that Zynga has built its success upon. This puts Zynga in a precarious position; they will have the opportunity to put pressure on Facebook for a better arrangement, but will have to place the well-being of the company at substantial risk to do so.
This also puts investors into a precarious position: there will undoubtedly be a high demand for ZYNG’s initial offering, but the stock could quickly decrease to near-worthlessness if Zynga does not have a platform through Facebook or Google. There are obviously several variables that could come into play for affecting the situation, but I foresee a generally favorable outcome for Zynga.
With increasing competition from Google, I cannot imagine Facebook cutting ties with a service that a very large portion of its users seem to enjoy, especially if there is any chance Google could then pick up that service. In all likelihood, Zynga and Facebook should be able to come to terms that result in considerable gains for Zynga, with a relatively small loss for Facebook. This would drive Zynga’s stock through the roof – anyone who got in around the initial offering price would be jumping for joy.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

domain: finance


RFPi Receives NIH Grant to Develop Novel Evaluation Tool for Asymptomatic Patients at Risk for PAD
October 2, 2019—RFPi Inc. announced it has received a grant from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a novel, imaging-based medical device that health care providers could use to test asymptomatic patients at risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD). The $1.48 million grant from the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute will help RFPi scientists develop a prototype device that provides a more efficient way to detect PAD.
RFPi invented this technology in 2010 at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, with a team of cardiovascular medicine, optical physics, and engineering experts.
According to the company, RFPi is a midstage startup company based in Greenville that is developing medical imaging technologies using the company's multispectral physiologic visualization (MSPV) system. MSPV uses low-energy lasers, high-speed imaging cameras, and analyses and algorithms to deliver real-time visualization and quantification of blood flow distribution (flow and perfusion), without the need for injections, radiation, or direct patient contact.
The company anticipates the deployment of new technologies that improve surgical and clinical outcomes, enhance patient care, and reduce health care costs. In December 2018, RFPi received FDA 510(k) clearance to market the iCertainty blood flow and perfusion imaging medical device for use by surgeons in open surgery.
With this NIH grant, RFPi’s scientists will implement the design of a technology that measures a patient’s blood pressure in both upper and lower extremities simultaneously, using no-risk, noninvasive, no-contact, and nonionizing imaging that captures data in 10 seconds and displays actual results in real time. RFPi then will evaluate the prototype in a clinical study conducted with the Division of Vascular Surgery at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, and the Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, New York.