|Marta Tellado, President|
|$248 million (2009)|
Consumers Union (CU) is a United States-based non-profit organization focusing on product testing, investigative journalism, and consumer advocacy. Consumers Union publishes a magazine and a website, both called Consumer Reports. Marta L. Tellado is the current CEO of Consumer Reports. She joined the organization in 2014, with the goal of expanding its engagement and advocacy efforts.
Founded in 1936, CU was created to serve as a source of information that consumers could use to help assess the safety and performance of products. Since that time, CU has continued its testing and analysis of products and services, and attempted to advocate for the consumer in legislative and rule-making areas. Among the reforms in which CU played a role were the advent of seat belt laws, the exposure of the dangers of cigarettes, and more recently, the enhancement of consumer finance protection and the increase of consumer access to quality health care.
The organization has also expanded its reach to a suite of digital platforms.
The organization’s headquarters, including its 50 testing labs, are located in Yonkers, New York, while its automotive testing track is in East Haddam, Connecticut. CU is funded by subscriptions to its magazine and website, as well as through independent grants and donations.
Consumers Union's predecessor, Consumers' Research, was founded in 1926. In 1936, Consumers Union was founded by Arthur Kallet, Colston Warne, and others who felt that the established Consumers' Research organization was not aggressive enough. Kallet, an engineer and director of Consumers' Research, had a falling out with F.J. Schlink and started his own organization with Amherst College economics professor Colston Warne. In part due to actions of Consumers' Research, the House Un-American Activities Committee placed Consumers Union on a list of subversive organizations, only to remove it in 1954.
Prominent consumer advocate Ralph Nader was on the board of directors, but left in 1975 due to a "division of philosophy" with new Executive Director Rhoda Karpatkin. Nader wanted Consumers Union to focus on policy and product advocacy, while Karpatkin focused on product testing. Karpatkin was appointed Executive Director in 1974 and retired as President in the early 2000s.
Consumers Union has helped start several consumer groups and publications, in 1960 helping create global consumer group Consumers International and in 1974 providing financial assistance to Consumers' Checkbook which is considered akin to Consumer Reports for local services in the seven metropolitan areas they serve.
In 2012 the publishing organization began doing business as "Consumer Reports", which is also the name of the magazine published by the organization. The reason for the name change was that the name of "Consumer Reports" was more familiar to the public than the name "Consumers Union". The name "Consumers Union" became reserved for the subsection of the organization which participates in political advocacy. Consumers Union spent $200,000 on lobbying in 2015.
The Consumerist was subsequently closed in December 2017, when its content was folded into the Consumer Reports website.
Advocacy and campaigns
Consumers Union has hundreds of thousands of online advocates who take action and write letters to policymakers about the issues its advocates take on. This group continues to grow as Consumer Reports expands its reach, with 6 million paid members who have access to online tools like a car recall tracker and personalized content. An additional base of online members join for free and received guidance on a range of products (i.e. gas grills, washing machines) at no charge. CU has also launched several advocacy websites, including HearUsNow.org, which helps consumers with telecommunications policy matters. In March 2005, CU campaign PrescriptionforChange.org released "Drugs I Need", an animated short with a song from the Austin Lounge Lizards, that was featured by The New York Times, JibJab, BoingBoing, and hundreds of blogs. On Earth Day 2005, CU launched GreenerChoices.org, a web-based initiative meant to "inform, engage, and empower consumers about environmentally friendly products and practices."
Consumers Union, the advocacy and policy arm of Consumer Reports Magazine, is a sponsor of the Safe Patient Project, with the goal to aid consumers in finding the best quality of health care by promoting the public disclosure of hospital-acquired infection rates and medical errors. The US Centers for Disease Control states that about 2 million patients annually (about 1 in 20) will acquire an infection while being treated in a hospital for an unrelated health care problem, resulting in 99,000 deaths and as much as $45 billion in excess hospital costs.
The campaign has worked in every state calling for legislation requiring hospitals to disclose infection rates to the public. A list of state infection reports can be found here. The Safe Patient Project also works on medical devices, prescription drugs, and physician accountability.
GreenerChoices.org offers an "accessible, reliable, and practical source of information on buying 'greener' products that have minimal environmental impact and meet personal needs." The site contains many articles about different products, rating them on how "green" they are. It also focuses on electronics and appliance recycling and reuse, as well as conservation and global warming prevention.
In recent years, the organization has been vocal on key issues, including championing consumer choice and industry competition in the debate against the Sprint T-Mobile merger,  advocating for consumer preference to leave net neutrality protections in place, exposing how data is used to engage in racial discrimination when determining consumer pricing offers, and advocating for stronger privacy laws in the wake of Cambridge Analytica.
- Consumers International
- Australian Consumers' Association
- Consumers' Institute of New Zealand
- UFC Que Choisir, France's most important consumers' group.
- Haughney, Christine (14 July 2014). "Ford Foundation Executive to Lead Consumer Reports - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. New York: NYTC. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- Bounds, Gwendolyn (May 5, 2010). "Meet the Sticklers". The Wall Street Journal. pp. D1–D2. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
- Franklin 2015, p. 141.
- Haughney, Christine (14 July 2014). "Ford Foundation Executive to Lead Consumer Reports". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- Franklin 2015, p. 141-2.
- Franklin 2015, p. 142-3.
- Silber, Norman Isaac (1983). "The risk of smoking: verifying the tradition of temperance". Test and protest - the influence of Consumers Union. New York: Holmes & Meier. pp. 39–74. ISBN 0841907498.
- Silber, Norman Isaac (1983). "Accidents and injuries:testing the automobile industry". Test and protest - the influence of Consumers Union. New York: Holmes & Meier. pp. 75–102. ISBN 0841907498.
- Franklin 2015, p. 147.
- Franklin 2015, p. 144-147.
- Franklin 2015, p. 142.
- Franklin 2015, p. 145.
- Carr, David (15 Sep 2003). "MediaTalk; 2 Are Out in Shake-Up at Consumer Reports". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
- "CONSUMER GROUP FORMED.; New Organization Plans to Give Data on Goods and Services". The New York Times. 6 Feb 1936. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
- "Notes on People; Nader Quits Consumers Union". The New York Times. 23 Aug 1975. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
- Finn, Robin (5 Oct 2000). "PUBLIC LIVES; Still Top Dog, Consumers' Pit Bull to Retire". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
- Gold, Gerald (13 Jan 1974). "Consumers Union Picks Lawyer To Be Its First Woman Director; In Involvement". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
- "Consumers Union Buys Consumerist". Consumerist. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- Guest, Jim (2012). "From Our President - Changes for 2012 - Consumer Reports". consumerreports.org. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- "Lobbying Spending Database - Consumers Union of the US, 2015 | OpenSecrets". www.opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
- "Consumerist.com Shutting Down". Retrieved 2018-05-17.
- "Form 990" (PDF).
- "Hang up on Sprint and T-Mobile: Consumer Reports". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
- "What is net neutrality? Trump-era regulations could ruin the internet for you". HelloGiggles. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
- Rich, Jessica (2017-12-12). "Opinion | The false promise behind the FCC's net neutrality repeal plan". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
- "The Facebook Debacle Makes it Clear: The US Needs Stronger Privacy Laws". WIRED. Retrieved 2018-05-17.


text:
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) (the "Company") announced that Ronald D. Boire, executive vice president, chief merchandising officer and president, Sears Full Line Stores and Kmart Format, will be leaving the Company effective October 15, 2014. Mr. Boire has been appointed to the role of acting president and chief executive officer for Sears Canada (TSX: SCC), effective today.
"I have enjoyed working with Ron and appreciate the contributions he has made to support our transformation," said Edward S. Lampert, Sears Holdings Chairman and CEO. "Ron's experience at Sears Holdings and leadership roles at other retail companies will allow him to hit the ground running at Sears Canada."
At Sears Holdings, Mr. Boire led merchandising and retail stores for both the Sears and Kmart brands, working with company leadership to improve the experience for customers and Shop Your Way® members.
About Sears Holdings Corporation
Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) is a leading integrated retailer focused on seamlessly connecting the digital and physical shopping experiences to serve our members – wherever, whenever and however they want to shop. Sears Holdings is home to Shop Your Way®, a social shopping platform offering members rewards for shopping at Sears and Kmart as well as with other retail partners across categories important to them. The company operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation, with more than 2,350 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.searsholdings.com.
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
Sears Holdings Public Relations
SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation

domain: economics


text:
Testimony of William A. Reinsch
President, National Foreign Trade Council
& Co-Chairman of
Before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
UN Convention Against Corruption
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of Senate ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption. I am the President of the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), a trade association of more than 300 companies committed to an open, rules-based trading system. Along with our USA*Engage coalition, we support multilateral cooperation and economic, humanitarian and diplomatic engagement as the most effective means of advancing U.S. foreign policy interests and American values.
My testimony details the American business community’s support for swift ratification of the Convention in accordance with the statements received from the Administration in its transmittal package.
American business understands that corruption is highly detrimental to the global trading system. It impedes economic growth and development and siphons money from productive uses. In addition, it disadvantages
Ten organizations, including the NFTC, American Petroleum Institute, Business Roundtable, National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Council for International Business, have written you, Mr. Chairman, indicating that “the Convention can be a critical tool in the global fight against corruption,” and that it “is non-controversial and has broad support.” The letter states that “timely Senate ratification is necessary for the
The business community has come to its support for the Convention after a long and fruitful dialogue with representatives of the Administration, including those who negotiated the document. I would like to thank these individuals for their hard work on this Convention and for their outreach to the business community. In particular, former Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Tony Wayne and his staff should be commended for their efforts.
Our interaction with Ambassador Wayne and his staff is a fine example of how good government is supposed to work. During the negotiation of the Convention, some of my members raised concerns as to how this new instrument might affect
1) The Convention will level the playing field for
2) There are no domestic costs or obligations imposed on the
3) Effective and transparent implementation by foreign governments is imperative.
4) The Convention will benefit trade and improve investment climates worldwide.
I would like to discuss each of these in turn, as together they make clear why prompt ratification of this Convention by the United States is important to the American business community:
Leveling the playing field for
This Convention will level the playing field for American business by holding foreign companies around the world – in places including
It is the first truly global anticorruption effort. This Convention improves substantially upon other existing regional conventions that have attempted to address the issue of corruption. The broadest of the four, the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, includes all thirty-five nations of the
Thus, by harmonizing anti-corruption obligations at a higher standard than any before, and globalizing that standard for the first time, the United Nations Convention raises the bar overall and has the potential to level the playing field to a greater degree than any treaty or convention currently in existence.
The Convention includes mandatory preventive measures including calls to establish anti-corruption policies and bodies, mechanisms to prevent public sector corruption and transparency in public procurement, and measures relating to the judiciary, the private sector and to civil society. The Convention also criminalizes corrupt practices including bribery and embezzlement of public funds and includes provisions to recover illegally-obtained assets and improve mutual legal assistance.
No domestic costs or obligations imposed on the United States
The reservations, declarations and understandings contained in the Administration’s transmittal package, which accompanies the Convention, ensure that this Convention does not impose any new costs or obligations under
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice indicated in her September 23, 2005, Letter of Submittal to the Senate that, “if the United States makes the proposed reservations, the existing body of federal and state law and regulations will be adequate to satisfy the Convention’s requirements for legislation, and, thus, further legislation will not be required for the United States to implement the Convention.”
The Administration has concluded that this Convention does not require any changes to
From our perspective, it is important that the Senate include the reservations, declarations and understandings as part of its advice and consent, as the Administration recommends in its transmittal package. We particularly support the following declaration in its resolution, which is contained on page 21 of the Administration’s transmittal package:
With the necessary declarations, reservations and understandings in place, this Convention is costless from a domestic legal perspective, and squarely in the interests of the American business community.
Effective and transparent implementation is imperative
Since this treaty raises the bar for other countries without imposing new obligations on us, the
In order to speak with the strongest and most credible voice to shape implementation of the Convention with these objectives in mind, prompt ratification by the Senate of this Convention is imperative. The business community urges the Senate to ratify the Convention before December of this year, when the first Conference of State parties meets in
That meeting will be the first time the parties to the Convention will have an opportunity to discuss implementation, monitoring, and technical and capacity-building assistance.
As countries incorporate the requirements of the Convention into domestic law,
This Convention will only be truly effective if it is implemented properly and subject to adequate monitoring. By ratifying this Convention promptly and before the December Conference, the
Providing tools for reform-minded leaders
Finally, this Convention will benefit political systems and investment regimes worldwide by empowering reform elements with the tools they need to root out corruption and encourage transparent, stable investment climates.
Consultations and technical assistance from developed countries and institutions will benefit elements in developing countries interested in improving transparency and reducing corruption, thereby improving the climate for American and local businesses and aiding overall development.
For all of these reasons, the National Foreign Trade Council supports swift ratification by the Senate of this Convention subject to the declarations and understandings contained in the transmittal package as received from the Administration.

domain: politics


How Often Should You Take Your Phone Out of Its Case to Clean It?
Sanitizing your phone is just as important as cleaning other surfaces during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the same goes for your device's case. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the average American checks their phone 52 times a day, so ramping up your device cleaning would be a safe bet. "That's 52 opportunities for germs to spread!" says Julie McKinney, PhD, the R&D director of equity, claims and compliance, hygiene, and home at Reckitt Benckiser. "Given this, we suggest disinfecting your phone at least once a day as a preventative measure."
Even if your phone use is pretty low overall, experts share that you should take your phone out of its case on a regular basis for a good cleaning. And there are certain products you'll want to keep on hand to ensure this important piece of technology stays bacteria-free.
Take your phone out of the case at least twice a week.
"To determine how often you should clean your phone, you'll want to look at your lifestyle," says Jennifer Parnell, co-founder of Humble Suds. "For example, someone who primarily spends most of their time at home will need to clean their phone much less than someone interacting regularly with other people and places." At a minimum, the cleaning expert suggests taking your phone out of its case at least twice a week for a cleaning. She also says to think of your case like an extension of your phone, so you should clean the outer layer of protection just as often.
Know how to sanitize your case.
Cleaning your phone case is similar to how you would wipe down general high-touch surfaces: Use disinfectants like isopropyl alcohol, hand sanitizer, or a disinfectant spray, Parnell says. Just keep an eye on your manufacturer's guidelines to ensure you don't damage it. "To disinfect a case, we recommend cleaning it first with an all-purpose cleaner, like the Humble Suds All-Purpose Cleaner ($14.95, humblesuds.com), or wipe down the case with soap and water," she explains. "Once dry, spray a disinfectant, hand sanitizer, or apply isopropyl alcohol to a towel and apply to the case." Then, let it dry.
Rid your phone of bacteria.
Your phone, on the other hand, will need a touch more care. For starters, make sure to unplug your phone before cleaning it. Also avoid spraying cleaners, aerosols, or cleaning solutions with harsh chemicals or bleach directly onto the device, McKinney says. Consider using a Lysol Disinfecting Wipe ($13.29, amazon.com) to kill the bacteria, or simply use a lint-free microfiber towel, like the Your Choice Microfiber Cleaning Cloths ($5.76, amazon.com), for a quick wipe down. This will ensure you don't scratch the phone's screen; after, apply a light coat of cleaning solution that works with your brand. "For example, Samsung phones can be cleaned with alcohol," Parnell notes. "To clean a phone approved for alcohol-based cleaners, power down the phone and make sure it is unplugged. Apply isopropyl alcohol or an approved sanitizer for electronics to a paper or lint-free microfiber towel and carefully apply to the phone, avoiding openings." But other phones, like Apple devices, can't safely be cleaned with alcohol. Using a UV cleaning product, such as the Sharper Image Smartphone UV Sanitizer ($7.99, homedepot.com), can kill germs and viruses without harming the electronic itself.
Keep these essentials clean together.
"Clean(er) hands equal a cleaner phone," says Parnell. "Focus on washing your hands regularly [and] routinely throughout the day and that will result in less transmission of harmful bacteria to your phone." She also recommends straying away from using your cell phone when you're out and about until you get the chance to wash your hands. So, if you're headed to the grocery store, for instance, bring a note to jot down what you need. Another tip? Always avoid bringing your phone to places high in bacteria like the bathroom.


Vehicle2005 Chevrolet Uplander LS Fwd 4dr Minivan (3.5L 6cyl 4A)
ReviewWe purchased the van 5 years ago new. We have had problems with the auto sliding door, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. You can disable this feature though and use it manually. The vehicle has been extremely reliable though. We have never had any major problems with it. We have replaced the tires and brakes, but then again, we have owned the car for 5 years. The kids have enjoyed the DVD player and we have gone on long trips in it with no problem. I do wish that the second row seats had arm rests to make the ride more comfortable. The material on the seats could be a little nicer as well for the price I paid. Other than that, no real interior room complaints.
Best FeaturesReliability, options for the price
Worst FeaturesClosed storage instead of a storage tray and arm rest for the second row passengers.
on 03/09/13 13:20 PM (PST)
pull out the power cord from the door motor and it wil stop workingReport it
on 07/24/12 07:25 AM (PDT)
Besides using the button to turn off the power sliding doors, how else do you disable the sliding doors. the driver side sliding door is shut and now there is constant dinging noise (very annoying) I called the dealership and they told me, i would be charged $50-$100 just for them to look at it and tell me what is wrong with it.Report it
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text: Thank you-It’s always a journey…and that’s the fun. Now, keep going, connecting, and contributing-and if we all do that, we all get stronger. Thanks for the thoughtful article. The milestones are just that. We will always be reaching for them, but remembering to be happy on the way there and not “when I get there, then I’ll be happy”.

domain: psychology


text:
A lot of resistance to practice today. Met the girl I started dating again last night, and honestly, looking in her eyes is proving a lot more magical than any sequence of rituals. But, of course, these are all excuses the mind uses to avoid discipline, so in the evening I sat down for meditation.
I used the mantra at my throat chakra, and immediately was pulled into blockages there, which felt like lumps in my neck. I sat with the mantra for some time, feeling gentle releases at the throat like soft squeezes. Twice, I felt something in my belly loosen, and at one point I felt something like a connection move downwards from my throat to my heart. These movements were all quite soft and subtle.
Towards the end of my session I felt my throat chakra move in connection with my third eye. Inner vision opened up and I saw myself underwater at sea. It was a quick transition to something like a dream and faded equally quickly. When I got up 33 minutes had passed.

domain: literature


text:
Huang Kui, born in 1977 works and lives in Sichuan China.
He had a solo show at his representing gallery Shanghart 2009,
And was featured at the Venice Biennale with a performance called
Does god exist? in 2007.
Huang Kui started his career as a classical painter but has since
moved in to creating more performance and installation based pieces.
Just like for many other Chinese artists, it is at least in English
not easy to find much information about the works. I find almost no
descriptions and therefore have to guess and interpret myself how and
why works are made.
I find a PDF on Shanghart's website where in 2007 Huang Kui describes
his works as if peaces of a story portraying himself as Gong Fu living
A.D 181 – A.D 210.
This persona collects pubic hair from beautiful women, and in Huang
Kui's installation piece without an apparent name, jars of pubic hair
is displayed on black pillars,
While in the background a large triptych oil painting is displayed
showing one large strand of hair. Interesting composition, but really
without knowing more I cant fully understand. Maybe this persona he
created for himself is actually a mirror of his present self? Maybe he
himself is a drunken stalker, collecting girls pubic hair; I don't

domain: artistic


text:
Bhubaneswar, Sept 13: Sukinda valley in Jajpur district is one of the most polluted places in the world, according to a report by US-based Blacksmith Institute, an organisation supporting pollution-related environmental projects.
From India, Sukinda has ranked fourth (see chart) and Vapi, a 400km industrial belt in Gujarat, is fifth on the list of 10 most polluted places.
The valley, about 140km from here, is spread across Dhenkanal and Jajpur districts and has the largest chrome ore deposit in the country; 97 per cent of India’s reserves. Mining is done by opencast method here.
According to the report, “Twelve mines continue to operate without any environmental management plans and over 30 million tonnes of waste rock are spread over the surrounding areas. The mines discharge untreated water into the river. This area is also flood-prone, resulting in further contamination of the waterways.”
The problem is “beyond the means of the state to solve”.
Environmentalists said the report is damning evidence of the impact rampant mining has on Orissa’ environment, not to mention the health of people.
Biswajit Mohanty of Wildlife Society of Orissa said the state government, in its eagerness to please the mining lobby, has even opened up sanctuaries, like the Hadagada in Keonjhar, to companies.
However, chairman of Orissa State Pollution Control Board L.N. Patnaik described the report as “silly”. “I see a lot of personal agenda behind the report. It is a design to stop mining activities. If there is mining there would be some air pollution. But to say that Sukinda is one of worst polluted places in the world is ridiculous,” he told The Telegraph.

domain: news


IMF Survey: Inflexible Budget Curbs Options as Estonia Faces Recession
April 15, 2009
- Estonia's economic downturn exacerbated by global slowdown
- Fiscal position has to improve significantly to qualify for euro adoption
- Flexible labor market key to enhance external competitiveness
Estonia is experiencing a severe economic downturn brought on by mounting internal and external imbalances.
ECONOMIC HEALTH CHECK
These preceded, but are being exacerbated by, the global downturn.
A previous run of strong growth and prudent macroeconomic and financial policies has produced substantial fiscal and financial sector buffers which, along with relatively flexible labor and product markets, are helping the country weather the current turmoil. The task for policymakers now is to reestablish the basis for balanced economic growth, external sustainability, and euro adoption, the IMF said in its regular review of Estonia’s economy.
The Estonian economy grew by 7 percent on average during 2000–07, supported by liberal economic and generally conservative fiscal policies. These policies underpinned Estonia’s currency board arrangement, which also anchored low inflationary expectations. They also facilitated rapid international financial integration. As a result, real per capita incomes converged quickly with those of European neighbors and now stand at about two-thirds of the EU average.
Growing economic imbalances
This strong performance was eventually undermined by widening macroeconomic imbalances, and an erosion, albeit moderate, of competitiveness. The external current account deficit topped 18 percent of GDP in 2007.
These imbalances were financed through a combination of large foreign domestic investment inflows, as well as rising external liabilities that topped 120 percent of GDP in 2008 and were incurred almost entirely by the private sector. A good deal of this debt was owed by foreign-owned bank subsidiaries to their parents abroad and was used to finance rapid domestic credit growth.
Estonia now faces a severe recession. While in part initiated by the desire of Nordic banks—which dominate the local market—to reduce their Baltic exposures, the downturn fed on its own imbalances, and gained momentum from the global financial crisis. The economy contracted by 3.6 percent in 2008, and IMF staff projects a further 10 percent fall in 2009.
The current account deficit has declined appreciably. Inflation is falling rapidly, slowing to 2 percent in March, while unemployment rose to 7½ percent at end-2008. A rebound in activity is not expected before late 2010. However, the outlook remains uncertain given the global turmoil and Estonia’s reliance on exports.
Substantial fiscal reserves
Strong economic growth and low expenditure ratios by EU standards had supported fiscal surpluses, and allowed for the accumulation of substantial reserves—at about 10 percent of GDP at end-2007. This distinguishes Estonia from its Baltic neighbors. But the above-capacity growth also buoyed revenues and financed sizable increases in the wage bill and pensions in 2007–08.
As the economy slowed and revenues declined, government accounts were driven into a deficit of 2.4 percent of GDP—the first deficit in almost a decade—with larger shortfalls projected thereafter. This jeopardizes the authorities’ goal of meeting the Maastricht 3 percent-of-GDP deficit criterion necessary for euro adoption. Moreover, a high degree of budget inflexibility, with 70 percent of central government expenditures driven by entitlements and tax earmarks, handcuffs policy options.
But with a debt burden of only about 5 percent of GDP, fiscal sustainability is not in question. Nevertheless, current market conditions place pressures on the use of present fiscal buffers, and the longer-term fiscal imbalance needs to be sustainably addressed.
Estonia’s banking system, which is almost entirely foreign owned and to date quite profitable, also faces asset-quality issues. Banks’ access to their parents’ support and confidence in the currency board have facilitated rapid financial deepening—but also led to a buildup of a large loan portfolio, much denominated in foreign currency.
The share of nonperforming loans remains remarkably small, and sizable bank profits allowed institutions to accumulate comfortable financial buffers. But they face increasing risks, especially as asset quality is being eroded by the recession, and confidence is sensitive to events in the region.
Estonian policymakers have responded primarily with measures aimed at improving public finances, where further actions may be necessary. The 2009 budget attempted to address the authorities’ near-term goals of maintaining their fiscal buffer and meeting the Maastricht deficit criterion, but was overtaken by events.
The rapidly worsening economic outlook prompted a supplementary budget in February 2009, including expenditure cuts of an additional 3¼ percentage points of GDP. The government has expressed its resolve to undertake additional measures, as necessary, to keep the budget deficit under the Maastricht ceiling. Reducing the growth of current expenditures will be key in this regard.
Financial sector resilience is being boosted as well. Most importantly, an emergency liquidity assistance facility has been agreed between the central banks of Estonia and Sweden, providing the two largest banks, which are Swedish owned, with access to liquidity if necessary. The bank resolution framework is being strengthened through legislation under preparation.
Labor market flexibility
In addition, policies have been adopted to further improve labor market flexibility. While labor and product market flexibility are already comparatively high, legislation that was formulated before the downturn is to take effect in mid-2009 to reduce layoff costs, align the labor law with private contract law, streamline procedures, and simplify conflict resolutions.
At the same time, the social safety net is to be strengthened by increasing unemployment compensation benefits, which is crucial in light of the downturn but may be postponed for budgetary reasons.
As elsewhere, the Estonian economy’s flexibility and resilience are now being tested even more than during the 1998 Russian crisis. The authorities have chosen to tackle them within the currency board arrangement, which has served Estonia well, although euro adoption would provide a more secure setting.
With inflation falling, a strengthening of the fiscal position to continue to meet the Maastricht criterion is appropriate, as well as to secure longer-term sustainability. The financial sector has weathered pressures thanks to large buffers and supportive policies. Further enhancing an already flexible labor market should support the response to the current downturn and to maintain external competitiveness—vital to contain the growth of external indebtedness.
Comments on this article should be sent to firstname.lastname@example.org


This week on March 15th, Kvelertak brought their Norwegian blackened punk metal, with all its head banging and hair swinging goodness, overseas with the North American release of their self-titled album. Kvelertak have been nationally acclaimed, winning the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammys, while “Mjød”, one of their singles, is pumped over BBC’s airwaves and getting much deserved love and recognition throughout Europe.
Propelled by their newest release, Whitby’s favourite metal-heads are making huge waves with their brand of tech-rock insanity. “C’est La Vie” is the first single from the forthcoming Scurrilous, and it hints at a broad, grandiose album; shedding Protest’s fledgling punk/hardcore roots and embracing the prog-rock future.
The Foo Fighters are back! After three and a half long years, Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters have finished their seventh studio record Wasting Light due out April 12th. Grohl kept busy during the hiatus with the ever awesome supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, so we should cut him a bit of slack shouldn’t we?
“Hesitate” is a fine song for what it is, but it’s just a little disappointing that Taylor and Stone Sour don’t try a little harder in the originality department.
Sixx AM, the side band of Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, is back with a new album due out this Spring. Sixx AM turned into a surprise hit for Nikki and his new band mates, largely thanks to the hit single “Life is Beautiful.” It’s been over three and a half years since the release of the band’s debut album and like its predecessor, the new album This is Gonna Hurt is a companion soundtrack to Sixx’s second book, the follow up to the very successful first edition of “The Heroin Diaries”.
Finger Eleven has been one of the best Canadian rock bands for several years now. They’ve consistently released solid albums and have developed a very strong following in the US and overseas. They’ve sold millions of records and have been together now for over twenty years, not bad for a band from freakin’ Burlington, Ontario.
Beady Eye (aka Oasis lite) is the brand new British rock group fronted by none other than former Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher. Noel and Liam beat the crap out of each other one final time in Toronto in 2009 which has led to Oasis (minus Noel) carrying on the rock n’ roll dream while Noel is pursuing a solo career. The group’s debut record Different Gear, Still Speeding is due out at the end of February with the album’s first single “The Roller” just hitting the streets.
It’s quite unfortunate, but it’s taken the mainstream until 2010 to give any notoriety to The Black Keys. The Keys have been releasing records for years and slowly but surely have chipped away to the point where they’re now three time Grammy nominees and a platinum selling artist. From start to finish the album Brothers is an absolute blues rock-infused trip that will keep you coming back for more and more. The duo might not win any awards for originality, but they sure will for their stripped down and funky blues riffs.
For seven long years the world longed for a new album from Cake and their prayers were answered at the start of this year with the release of Showroom of Compassion. Believe it or not, the release of new album celebrates twenty years of Cake, although the band wasn’t active much during the seven year hiatus. Showroom of Compassion is classic Cake, but with a slightly different sound and more piano playing via Cake leader John McCrea.
Is This It was seminal, epochal, and renowned worldwide, but The Strokes have yet to find that garage-rock perfection since their early years. They came close with 2003’s Room on Fire and 2006’s First Impressions of Earth, but it’s never been quite the same. So with a forthcoming album titled Under Cover of Darkness, anticipation is rampant but tentative.
Despite the dubious name choice, Antillectual deserve credit for being one of those European bands who manage to play American punk rock better than most American punk rockers (Millencollin reign as the undisputed kings). And despite the cookie-cutter political stances being thrown at you like bricks, Antillectual manages to bring a decent musical backdrop for their outspoken politics.
Annabel came forth with a new EP, Here We Are Tomorrow, at the end of 2010 and “The Forgetting of Names and Faces” is the standout track. The bright, ethereal pop sensibility of this Ohio quartet shines through for two minutes and fifty-two seconds like a shimmering blue ocean off an exotic coastline. And right now, in the middle of a chilling North American winter, this song plays like the answer to our collective prayers.
“For You, and Your Denial” is the first single off Yellowcard’s much anticipated new album When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes. This new single, the first for the band in three years, was released on January 18th and is a great indicator of what’s to come.
Vancouver’s Carpenter is bright and infectious while remaining committed and conscientious. Known for covering the struggle of local Canadian farmers, Carpenter focuses effort on a niche which few dare, or even bother, to invest. Their latest album, Sea to Sky, begins with the boisterous “Mean Things”. Dealing with the typical alt-rock subject of relationship troubles, Carpenter doesn’t delve into their agro-DIY ethics on this track, but they offer up a decent song regardless.


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Beside Sushi and Ramen, when dining out in a Japanese restaurant, I think most of us would rarely forget to order a side of Tempura (天 ぷ ら), added to our main course. Eye-catching colours, a wide range of variety, not to mention that delicious crunchy texture, no wonder Tempura is enjoyed everywhere around the globe. Today, onward with our Food Passport journey, I will share with you some tips and techniques to make Tempura at home.
In order to make the perfect Tempura, there are two key factors that we should always consider: fry batter and oil temperature.
For the batter, it is utmost important that ingredients must be cold. This will help to achieve that famous fluffy, crispy texture that we all loved. Also, the cold batter prevents Tempura from absorbing too much oil. When mixing the ingredients together, restrain from over-mixing the batter, you will want it to be a little bit lumpy. Excessively mixing will result in an unattractive gooey fried dough. Last but not least, do not prepare the batter too far ahead. Making it right before frying the Tempura will reward you with the best result.
Ideally, the temperature for frying Tempura is from 160*C to 180*C. Depend on the ingredient that we will adjust the temperature accordingly. Temperature too high will cook the batter too fast and the inside will not be cooked enough. Too low, then you will end up with soggy Tempura. The best way to do is using a thermometer. Also, do not fry too much Tempura at the same time, as this will drop the oil temperature very fast.
I hope this knowledge will be useful to you while making the perfect Tempura. And see you in the kitchen!
(Recipe video below)
Serving 2 people
|Prep time||Cook time|
|5 mins||5 mins|
Your choice of seafood and vegetable. Im using prawns, baby octopus, carrot, dried kelp and enoki mushroom
|Cold water||1 cup|
|All-purpose flour||1 cup|
|Corn flour||1 cup|
1. If you are using prawns. Take off the prawn shells (save it to make the most amazing Laksa). Remove the vein. Use your knife to cut of the end of prawn tail. And then scrape the tail to remove excess water. This will prevent oil plashing when cooking prawn Tempura.
2. Lightly score across the prawn belly. Turn it over and press down to stretch the prawn. You will hear snapping sound. This will prevent the prawn from curling up while frying.
3. For veggetable, cut according to your referred shape. Keep in my do not cut it too thick as it wont cook through properly.
4. Combine cold water and egg together, whisk to cooperate the egg with cold water. Sift the flour into the mixture and mix.
5. Do not over mix, you still want some lump in it.
6. Fry the tempura at 180*C. Start with vegetable first. Check the oil temperature with a thermometer or sprinkle a few drops of the Tempura batter into the oil. If the batter float up immediately, you are good too go.
7. Lightly coat the ingredients with corn flour, then dip into the batter. Shake off the excess batter and carefully drop into the oil.
8. To create the crispy layer outside the tempura. Push the Tempura to the side of you frying pot/wok. Then sprinkle the batter over it. Hold it for short moment for the batter to stick then let go.
9. Fry each side fro 1 to 2 mins. Then rest on a cooling rack. Sprinkle some salt.
10. Your Tempura is done!!! Enjoy it hot with Japanese mayonaise or Tempura sauce.

domain: food


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Press Release: Under The Red Umbrella Monday, December 17, 2018 will mark the 15th annual observance of the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. As people gather around the globe to celebrate the holidays, some mourn the loss of those close to them. In Philadelphia, the observance features two connected community events: … Continue reading Press Release: Under The Red Umbrella
4 ways the US can take the lead in the fight against human trafficking | World Economic Forum
HUMAN TRAFFICKING Child victims of human trafficking cannot be prosecuted for crimes they are compelled to commit under a new law that also requires police to contact the state Department of Human Services whenever they encounter a child who has been sexually exploited. The Department of Human Services also must establish ways to provide victims with homes, schooling, training and counseling.
NSWP announces an important Norwegian court decision in all respects as a precedent for similar cases for sex workers who are in a similar situation and conveying to employers that persons selling sex have the same legal protection as other workers. Congratulation to Lilith for the good work and having the strength and courage to bring the case to court
(C) Sarah Doughty Kerosene “I didn’t know who I would be. But I think I know now. I was meant to survive.”
NEWSDAY: Corinna Slusser of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, was last seen on Sept. 20, 2017, in near 1922 Boston Rd. in the Bronx. She last spoke with her mother that day, NYPD officials said. According to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in Manhattan federal district court, she was one of two alleged sex trafficking victims of Ishi Woney, 23. By Anthony M. DeStefano
Another Report Shows That FOSTA Increased (Not Decreased) Sex Trafficking; Where Is The Outrage? | Techdirt
Authorities break up Norristown prostitution ring By Oscar Gamble firstname.lastname@example.org NORRISTOWN — At least four people are facing prostitution-related charges stemming from their alleged involvement with an incall/outcall brothel authorities say operated out of two locations in the municipality.
apple.news/AKDfreXliTfmWZvYmrIzQVw You buy a purse at Walmart. There’s a note inside from a “Chinese prisoner.” Now what? By Rosalyn A. Warren Tracing a mysterious message across the world to understand how what we buy is made. When Christel Wallace found a piece of paper folded up at the bottom of her purse in March 2017, … Continue reading Real Slavery Is Clear, And It Is Also Our Fault As Consumers
This October, Rigby & Peller is proud to support Free the Girls, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides job opportunities for survivors of sex trafficking in developing countries. Gently used bras are collected* and donated to these women as starting inventory for their own business selling bras. Through the collection of bras in Western countries, Free the Girls is able to educate people and organizations about human trafficking issues globally. *Boutique exclusive event, store credit earned can be used in boutiques only.
Ø Date of Workshop: Friday, October 5th, 2018 Ø Time: 10:45-11:55 Ø Title of Workshop: Instrument of Crime: Condoms, Prostitution, Prosecutors and Public Safety in Pennsylvania Ø Workshop Location: The Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th & Arch Streets (West Concourse Entrance) Ø Room # : 106ab Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your workshop … Continue reading Beyond The Walls: Reentry Summit and Prison Healthcare
Instrument of Crime: Condoms, Prostitution, Prosecutors and Public Safety in Pennsylvania Philadelphia Convention Center 106AB Presentation: Friday 10/5/2018 10:45 AM Outlawed in California, New York, and Washington D.C., since 2012 Pennsylvania prosecutors have been using Comstock Act era tactics in an effort to detain prostitutes to combat trafficking. Is charging individuals for Instruments of Crime (IOC) effective policing tactic in ending human trafficking; or is contributing to challenges in addressing important public health risks surrounding HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and sexually transmitted diseases? Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are combining forces for important advocacy work to draw attention to these practices.
The Millionaire Abolitionist by Stephen Lemons : As McNeill points out, Demand Abolition provides funding to law-enforcement agencies with the provision that those agencies will work in concert with the group to emphasize enforcement on the consumer end of the exchange of commercial sex — and to adopt its terminology. For example, the document suggests use of the term “sex buying” rather than “prostitution,” because “Prostitution is a ‘gray area.’ Sex buying puts the onus on the buyer.”
SESTA/FOSTA imposes accountability on internet service providers, remains misinterpreted by many | TheHill — Read on http://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/judicial/388694-sesta-fosta-imposes-accountability-on-internet-service-providers?amp May 22, 2018 - 08:15 AM EDT SESTA/FOSTA imposes accountability on internet service providers, remains misinterpreted by many BY SHEA M. RHODES, JAMIE PIZZI AND SARAH K. ROBINSON, OPINION CONTRIBUTORS TWEET SHARE EMAIL In the era of "fake … Continue reading SESTA/FOSTA imposes accountability on internet service providers, remains misinterpreted by many | TheHill
A federal court considering a challenge to the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017, or FOSTA, dismissed the case on Monday.
According to data sent to me by the Philadelphia Police Department, from August 2017 to July 2018, the authorities arrested people for soliciting sex work 651 times. Inevitably, a large number of these arrests were traumatic for the people involved, many of whom were just trying to make enough money to survive.
"I have always thought that prostitution should be legal, and speaking with numerous sex workers affirmed that," Simonetti said. "The descriptions they provided of the manner in which they are treated were deeply troubling. Writing the piece was actually quite difficult for me. It felt pertinent that I piece together these narratives in a way that does justice to voices that often go unheard." SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 Penn student's op-ed makes case for legalizing prostitution in Pennsylvania Michael Tanenbaum PhillyVoice Staff
SWOP Behind Bars will be attending, presenting and tabling at the International Human Trafficking Conference in Toledo on September 20 and 21st
“I want safety of women, yes. I don’t want prostitution.” In the District of Columbia, City Council member David Grosso introduced legislation in 2017 to decriminalize all forms of sex work. The bill is backed by pro–sex worker groups including Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive, one of the nation’s oldest sex worker advocacy groups, and activists say they are hopeful the City Council will take up the measure later this year. Whether or not it passes is in some ways beside the point. Given the stigma associated with the industry, getting a major metropolitan government to seriously consider decriminalization would be a major coup for a constituency that has largely operated in the shadows.
Julia Salazar, who is running for a New York state Senate seat representing north Brooklyn, arrived a few minutes later to send them off. She said sex workers—“my constituents”—are disproportionately criminalized in her district. Bushwick, for example, was among the top five New York City neighborhoods where police made “loitering for prostitution” arrests as of 2015. She referenced the Brooklyn courts, where 94 percent of those facing loitering for prostitution charges were Black. “That should disturb all of us,” she said. Salazar argued that sex work policing was a central part of a bigger problem with Brooklyn’s approach to criminal justice.
“As with most other data related to human trafficking, there are huge gaps between estimates of prevalence or populations at risk and individuals actually identified as trafficking victims or enrolled in government programs. Better data and research are needed to begin distinguishing among possible reasons for the gaps between prevalence estimates and administrative data.”
AASECT distinguishes consensual sex work, which is undertaken by consenting adults by choice, from sex trafficking, which is undertaken as forced or coerced labor. Sex trafficking is a result of force, coercion, or the threat of force, and often involves children. Moreover, AASECT recognizes that sex workers, including sexological bodyworkers, surrogate partners, professional dominants, and lifestyle educators sometimes facilitate the work of sex educators, counselors, and therapists by providing hands-on adjunctive treatment services.


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I think it's safe to say comics poetry as a concept is not completely unfamiliar to people at this point. There have been a few anthologies (including a regularly published journal), a few articles, and a number of regular practitioners. Like any other genre there is better work and lesser work (I'm looking at you "let's illustrate a poem"), and I can safely say I find most of it in the latter category. But the search for quality work goes on, and I'm always excited to find an artist who makes work I would consider comics poetry and whose work is both visually exciting and emotionally affecting. Such is the work of the London based artist Peony Gent.
The styles, forms, and subjects of poetry are endless, what we often see in comics poetry is a kind of Romantic expressionism, personal expression with a kind of lyric tone, the kind of poetry that first jumps to mind when an average person hears the word "poetry." Gent's latest two comics (self-published) thankfully fit into other forms. Half a Conversation on a Park Bench Kensington (2019) is a form of found poem, utilizing, as the title explains, the words of someone other than the author, as heard in a park. For Sarah (2020) is an elegy for an old friend.
Both works share a number of characteristics. Neither are primarily about narrative, but neither are they non-narrative, abstract comics. Both appear to be drawn in a neutral pencil with a limited palette of color applied (digitally I think, or at least having been considerably smoothed out in the production process).
Gent's drawing style is exciting and fresh, the kind of drawing I wish I could do. She keeps her line loose and her imagery abstracted, but it always looks specific and observed, as if she has drawn much by sketching from life. The combination is wonderful, and makes for drawing that I love to look at. Not overly detailed, not overly generic, a sweet spot that falls in between. The lines are rarely straight with slight curves; they don't meet precisely; they overlap and mingle. Scribbles form dark patches or light chaotic tones. Fields of open ended ovals form plants, yards, water, food. Wavy grids form roofs and fences and windows on buildings. Her drawing makes the world seem vibrant and alive. The kind of drawing that is fun to look at and looks like it was fun to make.
Half a Conversation on a Park Bench Kensington is an A4 size pamphlet with images printed on the recto side of the pages only which gives it a slow steady rhythm, as does its almost unvarying use of the six panel grid. The comic has a limited, though not a constrained, color palette, primarily light greens and yellows with the occasional shift into orange towards red. The colors convey the feeling of grass and trees with a pale warm sunlight. The orange-red intervenes occasionally (at one point just an empty panel of the color) as a hotter emotional register.
The narrative, such as it is, is via the words of a Bangladeshi immigrant, 10 years in the country, who is returning to their native country. One infers that the woman they were in some kind of relationship with broke up with them. It is a melancholy monologue (is half a dialogue a monologue?), but one that is without affectation, like Gent's drawing it is specific but also universal. The text is set by itself in panels. Gent punctuates the words with imagery of different sorts and registers. Some of it is the scene of the park and the bench and the speaker, some of it is more direct illustration of the words (the speaker talks of being a chef and the nearby panels show a flurry of hands and knives and food to chop), some of it is less illustration and more expression: the aforementioned all red panel; a face scribbled over with darkness. The imagery never becomes too settled, nor stays too literal, and in this way the poetic emerges.
For Sarah is a smaller digest size pamphlet, more dense visually and more somber narratively. Gent has composed an elegy, written to a friend (the Sarah of the title), who died (it is not explicitly said, but I don't think I'm amiss in reading it as suicide) and who Gent used to be close to but had drifted away from. The text, the primary driver of the work here, moves through dream and memory and diaristic recording and analysis. Gent expresses guilt at not staying in touch with her friend and ambiguous self-importance at thinking there would be something she could have done to make a difference. The mixture of all these elements, like the previous comic, uses a specific experience but offers to the reader a set of feelings that are relatable even if not directly mirrored in personal experience. I can think of all the friends I've not spoken to in years, ones that very could no longer be alive, ones that at some point will no longer be alive. Will I even hear about it to spend some time lamenting the distance of time and space?
Less directly illustrative than Park Bench, the imagery here is filled with landscapes, in particular streets of houses, roofs, fences, sidewalks, trees, streetlights. Occasional interiors punctuate the exteriors and then a few pages move into less populated, sparser landscapes of trees and sky. Color is very lightly used, most often a pale green spotted across the pages. Then more prominently a bright dense yellow blob that appears first like a sun in the sky but then becomes larger, less contained, almost smeared over the drawing. It's meaning is ambiguous, and I find it all the more interesting for it. There aren't always easy interpretations of anything.
Both of these comics are filled with melancholy and longing but also empathy, an empathy which I can see as a driving force in their creation. I look forward to more work from Gent. I wish I could make comics like these.


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The Ministry of Health has announced that as of October 10, 2021, two more persons who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have died. This takes the total number of deaths from the pandemic to 842.
The latest fatalities are a 63-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and an 88-year-old man from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), both of whom were unvaccinated.
Meanwhile, the country also recorded 52 new cases of the virus, taking the total positive cases recorded to date t o33,748.
There are 29 persons in the ICU, 145 in institutional isolation, three in institutional quarantine, and 3,728 in home isolation.
Recoveries stand at 29,004.

domain: medical


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Differences Between Self-Directed and Progressive Education
Why I Think Self-Directed Education, Not Progressive Education, Will Become the Standard Mode of Future Education
（14）I admire progressive educators. Without exception, those I have met are good people, who care deeply about children and want to make children’s lives better. They see the harm of our standard system of education and want to do something about it. Progressive educators are at the forefront, right now, of attempts to reduce homework (so children will have a life outside of school), bring back recess, reduce or eliminate standardized testing, and allow teachers to be more flexible and responsive to children’s needs in the classroom. They are fighting an uphill battle, and I admire them for it. But this is a battle that has been going on for as long as we have had compulsory schooling. It is a battle that helps to modulate the excesses of standard education; but it is incapable of defeating it, because it accepts too much of the standard set of beliefs about what education must be.
（15）As long as teachers believe that it is their task to make sure that children learn certain things, at certain times in their development, then no matter how progressive their thinking, they will have to use coercive methods to get children to do that. Children do not, by nature, all develop similar interests at the same time, so it is impossible to operate in anything like a typical classroom, with more than a handful of students, on the assumption that all students will learn the expected curriculum by doing what interests them.
（16）I dare say that most new teachers, emerging from schools of education, enter their job thinking they are going to be progressive educators. They went into teaching, after all, because they love children; and in their education classes much if not most of the educational philosophy they read and heard about was progressive philosophy—about guiding, nurturing, and enabling, not about coercing. But then they entered the real world of the classroom. There they had thirty children, and had to keep order, and had to do something to make it seem like learning was going on; and their progressive ideas soon flew out the window. It’s no surprise that those schools that do operate in most accord with progressive principles are private and very expensive. They require small classes, a high ratio of teachers to students, and extraordinarily competent, dedicated teachers.
（17）Even ardent advocates of progressive education admit that one of the reasons progressive education has not taken off is that it is so demanding of teachers. Here, for example, is what Alfie Kohn has to say about that: “It [progressive education] is much more demanding [than traditional education] of teachers, who have to know their subject matter inside and out if they want their students to ‘make sense of biology or literature’ as opposed to ‘simply memorizing the frog’s anatomy or the sentence’s structure.’ But progressive teachers also have to know a lot about pedagogy because no amount of content knowledge (say, expertise in science or English) can tell you how to facilitate learning.” Add to that the idea that teachers are supposed to get to know all of their students as individuals and help them develop their full potential and their own interests, and you can perhaps begin to understand why progressive education has not replaced direct, drill-and-test education as the standard method.

domain: sociology


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Promo Video 2017
We did it! We’re bringing a few sweet, groovy tunes to you on video this week. We filmed our Promo Video on location in Newport Beach and in the studio and what a blast! All day Sunday, we were galavanting around the beach putting our tunes to moving pictures. Spoiler alert: the hair was feathered, the leisure pants were pressed, and the captain’s hats were making the tourists jealous for some 70’s attire, facial hair, and groovy savoir faire!!!!!!
Man, what a film crew we had making us look first class, groovy, fun, yachty, and above all SMOOOOOOOTH in the promo video!!!!! The luscious lines of Brandy and Rich Girl and Lowdown and Peg, etc. took on a whole new meaning with the pier and harbor and curious onlookers as our musical tapestry.
We can’t wait to treat you to the visual pleasure and saxual deliciousness of these tunes on video. Greg and his crew are diligently piecing together this masterpiece and we should get you a sneak peak next week.
Promo and new tunes
Meanwhile we’re adding a few epic new tunes for our next live show @ Stillwater in Dana Point on January 28th. Be there and feel the SMOOTH while we shower you with 70’s and 80’s decadent musical looooooooooove. Can’t wait to debut the promo video! Click our Song List tab in the website for all of our Yachty Songs.
Check out the very cool original Lowdown at Palladium in Hollywood 1976!
Thanks for all our well wishers that really love this promo video, it came out so good. In fact, we still get compliments all the time for the style and swagger of this classic look of the band in Yacht Rock heaven in Newport Beach. Of course, the town embodies the same vibe, laid back grooviness, yachtiness, and nautical fineness that our music throws back to. Keep enjoying the video and hope to see you out there soon 🙂 . Here’s that finished product of our Yachty promo video.

domain: entertainment


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A soft, cool, lemony, yellow, without the acidity of our Cadmium Lemon or the electric brightness of the other Cadmium Yellows.
Paint Lines: Encaustic, Pigment Stick
Pigment Stick Drying Rate: slow
Color Index: PY53
Chemical Composition: antimony nickel titanium oxide yellow
Safety Information: Conforms to ASTM D-4236

domain: chemistry


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Now that the first snow has fallen in Chicago, it’s really beginning to feel like the Holidays. And I’m not talking about the slow, leisurely descent into merriment and family cheer I was hoping for. I’m talking about cannonballing into a big pit of frantic cleaning, 5 types of mashed potatoes, and heading to bed at 9:30. Holidays, right?
That’s why we felt that this was the PERFECT time to grab a few of our favorite dysfunctional family sagas. This classic literary trope adds a little perspective to this time of the year, and I mean perspective in the true sense of the word. You’ll certainly feel better about your own family compared to some of the shenanigans within these novels. But more importantly, you’ll be reminded that no matter how late the hour, how dark the tragedy, or how deranged the family member, your little rat’s nest of familial obligation makes life worth living.
And besides, better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
So without further ado (and without giving too much away about my own family hangups), here are just a few of our favorite dysfunctional literary families.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Franzen is possibly the archangel of the “dysfunctional family” thing. He nails it in just about every novel, but nowhere more than the Corrections. We join Enid as she is moving into the twilight of her years. Determined to have one final Christmas at home with her husband and three grown children, we meet a host of complicated individuals struggling to come to terms with the darkest aspects of adulthood—mental illness, unemployment, adultery… the usual suspects.
What you’ll take away: Your family is NOT that bad. No, seriously. What’s more, you’ll feel obliged to jump up and help with dishes at Thanksgiving just to prove you’re NOTHING like these characters.
The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg
Another prototypical “dysfunctional” option, with a Jewish Chicago family slant. Edie (sensing a theme?) is the matriarch of her Midwest clan who has developed an obsession with food. After her heft ostensibly breaks up her marriage, Edie’s three children respond to their father’s abandonment in unique ways. Attenberg has clear, at times startling, prose that is such fun to read.
What you’ll take away: Maybe don’t have that last portion of pumpkin pie. Or do! You do you.
Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich
I’ve talked about this book before, but trust me. It deserves a slot on this list. The story of the Kashpaw and the LaMartine families as they deal with each other over three generations. June freezes to death one early Easter morning. Lulu is the mother of eight boys by eight different fathers. Gerry becomes convinced that the deer he hit is actually the spirit of his dead wife. These are dense, palpable familial relationships that will leave you with the haunting perception that you’ve always known these people.
What you’ll take away: Your life is way less magical than you thought (but that’s why the holidays and twinkle lights exist!).
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
No matter how you feel about Wally Lamb, Oprah’s favorite book is definitely worth a read. The novel begins with a bang; Dominick’s twin brother, Thomas, who has suffered from schizophrenia for most of his adult life, enters a local library and cuts off his hand as a sacrifice to a God his brother has started to lose faith in. This is the gorgeous story about what we do with the siblings we just can’t reach.
What you’ll take away: Hug your brother. Hug your sister. Hug all the family you were born with, as well as the family you’ve created.
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
This is a favorite of the staff at RoscoeBooks because it hits all our bullet points. Fast-paced? Check. Hilarious. Check. Dysfunctional family with an emotional payoff? Check check. Tropper is a great writer, but this is my favorite of his novels (along with a certain Hollywood production company, apparently). Judd’s father passes away pretty quickly after he finds his wife sleeping with his coworker (ahem BOSS) in their bed. After an unfortunate incident with some birthday cake, Judd is summoned home to sit Shiva with his three siblings, all at different stages in their life. This is the book I recommend when people need a novel to jump start their reading, but it works just as well to keep your attention when your niece is singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star over and over…and over.
What you’ll take away: Forgiveness is a virtue, and it can be super hilarious.
The Children’s Crusade by Ann Packer
A beautiful novel about 50 years of the typical American Family. Bill is the stoic doctor who fathers four children with his flighty wife, Penny, whose artistic ambitions cause her to flee the conventions of traditional family. After the return of her youngest son stirs up some dark family history, the family must reconvene and deal with their unique experiences of growing up.
What you’ll take away: Your parents did their best. And regardless, thank GOD you’re not at the kids table anymore.
Well, that’s it. So grab a book, put on your happy face, and don your gay apparel. But when the going gets tough, just remember. It’s all worth it for the leftovers.

domain: library


House Republican leaders abruptly pulled a Republican rewrite of the nation's healthcare system from consideration today, a dramatic acknowledgement that they are so far unable to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
"We just pulled it," President Trump told the Washington Post in a telephone interview.
The decision came a day after Trump delivered an ultimatum to lawmakers - and represented multiple failures for the new president and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan .
The decision means the Affordable Care Act remains in place, at least for now, and a major GOP campaign promise goes unfulfilled. It also casts doubt on the GOP's ability to govern and to advance other high stakes agenda items, including tax reform and infrastructure spending. Ryan is still without a signature achievement as speaker - and the defeat undermines Trump's image as a skilled deal maker willing to strike compromises to push his agenda forward.
"I don't blame Paul," Trump said, referring to Ryan.
Rep. Bradley Byrne, who planned to vote for the legislation, said that Friday would have been the "first big vote in the presidency of Donald Trump. I think it's a statement, not just about him and the administration, but about the Republican Party and where we're headed."
"So much about political power is about perception. And if the perception is that you can't get your first big initiative done, then that hurts the perceptions down the road about your ability to get other big things done," Byrne said in an interview before the decision.
The decision came hours after Ryan visited the White House to warn Trump that despite days of intense negotiations and sales pitches to sceptical members, the legislation lacked the votes to pass.
Trump had personally lobbied 120 lawmakers, either in person or on the phone, White House press secretary Sean Spicer reminded reporters on Friday. The president had "left everything on the field," Spicer said.
Spicer said that no matter what happens, the White House did not think that defeat would slow other parts of Trump's agenda including tax reform and immigration reform.
Vice-President Pence, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price also made a last-ditch attempt to win over members of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, huddling with them at midday at the Capitol Hill Club, a GOP social hall next door to the headquarters of the Republican National Committee. All three exited the meeting quickly without taking questions.
In one stunning defection Friday, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen announced that the health care bill is "currently unacceptable" and that changes made late Thursday to placate conservatives "raise serious coverage and cost issues."
Another moderate, Rep. David Joyce - who had met with Trump on Wednesday - said he would vote against the bill. So did Rep. Barbara Comstock, a long-time Ryan friend and ally who represents a competitive Northern Virginia congressional district.
Rep. Paul Gosar , a Freedom Caucus member, was one of six Republicans who voted against a procedural resolution bringing the bill to the floor on Friday morning.
"You know what? I came here to do health care right," said Gosar, a dentist. "This is one chance we that can get one-sixth of our GDP done right. It starts with here."
At the heart of the argument made by GOP leaders to sceptical members: Keeping the Affordable Care Act is a worse outcome than passing a potentially flawed replacement.
"You want to score a touchdown, but sometimes, on the fourth down, you kick a field goal," said Rep. Joe Barton, the longest serving member of Congress in the Freedom Caucus. "The choice is yes or no I'm not going to vote no and keep Obamacare. That'd be a stupid damn vote."
At the White House on Friday morning, Trump projected confidence as he answered shouted questions following an announcement of a presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, a revived project that the president said would create jobs.
Asked by a reporter what he would do if the bill fails, Trump - seated at his Oval Office desk - shrugged and said: "We'll see what happens."
Trump also said he didn't feel the process had been rushed and that Ryan should remain as speaker if the bill fails.
On Twitter, Trump said that "After seven horrible years of ObamaCare (skyrocketing premiums & deductibles, bad healthcare), this is finally your chance for a great plan!"


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by Mac Qin
Maldives Victory Day – Honouring a Brave Sacrifice
Victory Day in Maldives is celebrated in early November and is not to be confused with its Independence Day which falls on the twenty sixth of July or Republic Day which falls on the eleventh of November. Victory Day honours the lives lost in thwarting a coup that took place in the hours of dawn on the third of November 1988. The coup was led by Sagaru Nasir and Luthfy, two prominent local businessmen, with the aid of mercenaries, against the then leader President Gayoom.
The government was able to successfully stop the coup with assistance from the Indian army. President Gayoom requested help from the Indian government and Indian paratroopers came in within twelve hours. By the fourth of November the coup had come to an end. When their plan fell apart some of the rebels who participated in the coup were able to escape on a ship by taking hostages. It is not just a time for commemorating the events of that dark period, but it is also a time of mourning for the nineteen citizens who lost their lives during the attempted coup. It has now become a symbol of the island’s solidarity and perseverance.
While Victory Day marks a dark period in the island nation’s history, there are more joyous national occasions for tourists to enjoy. The Maldivian Independence Day is always fun to witness. The grandest of celebrations take place at Republic Square, which is located in Male, the capital. There is a parade, displays of traditional dance and plenty of music. Republic Day commemorates the anniversary of Maldives becoming a republic. The highlight of this celebration is the parade put on by members of the National Cadet Corps and the National Defence Force.
Tourists vacationing in Maldives will be spoilt for choice. There are plenty of Maldives island resorts to choose from, each offering their own unique touches. Naladhu Maldives is an excellent choice for those looking for a Maldives hotel that provides a full spectrum of services ranging from water sports to a spa. It offers an idyllic coastal getaway in which to enjoy the sun, sand and surf.


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Many people with Long Covid experience varying levels of long-term cognitive impairment, but the causes of this are not well understood. This preprint longitudinal observational study aimed to identify links between cognitive impairment and different biomarkers in people with Long Covid.
The authors reported the findings of 128 prospectively studied patients who had tested positive for Covid. They looked at:
- lung function, physical and mental health at two months post diagnosis.
- blood cytokines, neuro-biomarkers and kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolites at 2-, 4-, 8- and 12-months post diagnosis.
The study identified that KP metabolites were significantly associated with cognitive decline and could therefore offer a potential therapeutic target for treating cognitive impairment related to Long Covid.


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Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police Crime Branch’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Monday conducted a raid on the offices of the daily newspaper, Sambad, in response to allegations of loan fraud.
The allegations stemmed from a former employee of the newspaper, who accused Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, the Editor of Sambad, and Baijayanti Kar, the Human Resources (HR) head of the media house, of orchestrating a loan fraud scheme in his name without his knowledge.
According to the complaint, a loan of Rs 5 lakh was obtained by creating a fake account in the employee’s name. The complainant also claimed that several other employees had fallen victim to similar fraudulent activities within the media house.
Earlier, EOW officials had issued a notice to Baijayanti Kar, the HR head, who allegedly did not respond to it. Consequently, EOW carried out the raid on the Sambad office.
In connection with the investigation, the publisher of the media group, Kamalakant Mohapatra, was questioned by EOW officials on Sunday, although he declined to comment on the matter.


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Your search for "serpinb8" returned 51 TaqMan® Gene Expression Assays
serpin family B member 8
The superfamily of high molecular weight serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins) regulate a diverse set of intracellular and extracellular processes such as complement activation, fibrinolysis, coagulation, cellular differentiation, tumor suppression, apoptosis, and cell migration. Serpins are characterized by well-conserved a tertiary structure that consists of 3 beta sheets and 8 or 9 alpha helices (Huber and Carrell, 1989 [PubMed 2690952]). A critical portion of the molecule, the reactive center loop connects beta sheets A and C. Protease inhibitor-8 (PI8; SERPINB8) is a member of the ov-serpin subfamily, which, relative to the archetypal serpin PI1 (MIM 107400), is characterized by a high degree of homology to chicken ovalbumin, lack of N- and C-terminal extensions, absence of a signal peptide, and a serine rather than an asparagine residue at the penultimate position (summary by Bartuski et al., 1997 [PubMed 9268635]).[supplied by OMIM, Jan 2010]
|Protocol||Protocol: TaqMan® Gene Expression Assays||PDF, 2349.1 KB|
|App Note||Application Note: TaqMan® Gene Expression Assays Endogenous Controls||PDF, 493.8 KB|
|QRC||QRC: TaqMan® Gene Expression Assays||PDF, 200.9 KB|
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|Spreadsheet||Pathogen Assay Information||XLSX, 4231.7 KB|
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domain: biology


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It doesn’t matter whether you’re a rep player or new to the game. The SJWCA has both highly competitive as well as fun social leagues available to suit all playing standards!
SJWCA is the only established Junior Winter Cricket competition in Sydney. Growing from its St George origins in 2004 to over 1,000 players across all parts of Sydney!
Get the gang together or make some new friends. T20 matches ensure everyone can make the time to play Winter cricket even if you’ve got other Winter sporting commitments
Please keep all contact by e-mail to help our busy volunteers manage their time effectively!

domain: hobby


I’m listening to the album Thousand Roads by David Crosby released in 1993. This is such a sleeper. From the opening track “Hero” featuring Phil Collins as both performer, co-writer and producer to the final track “Natalie” written by the very talented Stephen Bishop, this album is filled with interesting songs. David Crosby isn’t much of a songwriter himself, in my opinion, but he really shines when gifted with, and projecting, the talent of others with his beautiful voice and the songs on this album is mostly by other songwriters. The production is pretty solid and contains several of the classic early 90s treats that I love and the liner notes reads like a who’s who in the music industry at the time. It’s very interesting to me how the songs that were “donated” all saw a release by the original writer soon after the release of Thousand Roads, like “Yvette in English”, which I’m assuming was mostly written by Joni Mitchell but is credited with Crosby as co-writer, being released on Joni’s Turbulent Indigo in 1994. One of the few exceptions where the original writer’s version is vastly better than Crosby’s. The production on Turbulent Indigo is incredible, and even though I love David’s voice, nothing beats Joni Mitchell.. absolutely nothing!
“Too Young to Die” written by Jimmy Webb was released on his album Suspending Disbelief in September ’93, only a few months after Thousand Roads. I much prefer Crosby’s version of this song and it’s actually not because Michael Landau plays guitar on that track. Nope, it just has so much more vibe. Webb’s version is much more of a rocker anthem vibe, but it falls short and he wants too much without being able to bring it. The guitar solo on Jimmy’s version is amazing (Steve Lukather) and the production is big and bold, but I just can’t gel with the vocals. David’s version on the other hand gives me shivers when I hear it and it’s spooky how close this track sounds to some of Ryan Adams’ work. Makes me think that young Adams really, and I mean really, studied and almost tried to copy Crosby.
“Old Soldier” is a Marc Cohn song (the Walking in Memphis guy) and a highlight on the album for me personally. Marc released the song as a B-side to the single Paper Walls off of his 1993 record The Rainy Season, but David’s version is better. Again, the vibe is just there and Crosby’s vocals really fit the song. He sounds like he is the character speaking where Cohn sounds more like a storyteller singing about the character. That being said, Marc Cohn is a great singer with a fabulous voice. The acoustic steelstring and piano in the intro sounds especially sweet, triggering memories of the incredible vibe of James Taylor’s Squibnocket sessions. Also, holding off on the harmonica until later in the song is a winning move on David’s version.
Another highlight for me is “Through Your Hands” originally recorded and released by John Hiatt on his 1990 album Stolen Moments. Again, I prefer Crosby’s version. The subtle lead work done by Michael Landau on Hiatt’s original is incredibly tasteful, but the droning tremolo guitar just ruins that version for me. The more acoustic oriented version on Thousand Roads sounds more pleasing to me.
The title track on the album is credited with David Crosby as sole writer and is one of the few weak jams on this LP. It would sound more in place on a different record. I can’t stand badly sounding overdriven guitars and that alone ruins this one for me. (I say badly “sounding” instead of badly recorded because most likely, based on the personell involved, this sound is what they were going for… yikes.) It’s not as bad as the king of’em all, “Thrill of the Kill” from the incredible Read My Lips (1984) by Fee Waybill which I think coined the term “swarm of bees”, but that’s an extreme example. Although, as I write this and listen back to the track “Thousand Roads” again, it might be just as much the playing style that puts me off as the sound. Some might call it a masterpiece, but I usually skip this one.
The remaining four songs are all pretty good, but not quite up there with the first half, with “Helpless Heart” written by Paul Brady, originally released on Paul’s True for You (1983), being the slightly favorable. And again, David’s version is better in my opinion. I’m not a huge fan of Brady’s voice, but he’s a good songwriter. Educated guitarists will probably be familiar with Paul’s 1991 release Trick or Treat which feature some killer work by Michael Landau.
So, all in all a solid album if you ask me. I find it intriguing to think about how the songs were picked and what the process was regarding the songs that were “donated” in lack of a better words. It’s not often you see several tracks by other established songwriters featured on a friends album and then being released on their own records just a few months later. I’ve been speculating if they were just doing David a solid based on his situation with recent jail time, health, drugs etc. I dunno. Most likely it was just friends being friends I guess., “Here, I’ll sing on your record and you play on mine.” Whatever it was, it ended up being a very sweet collection of songs and an album that I spin quite regularly.


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8bit Mixtapes are simple Arduino-based sound and beat generators based on ATtiny 84s and 85s and designed fit inside old audio cassettes, or at least be about that size. Founded by [Dusjagr], [Ucok] and [Lyok], and including participants from around the globe, 8bit Mixtapes are small synthesizers that play one-line algorithmic symphonies, simple sound generators that work off of a single line of code.
The project has been going on for a number of years, with several different iterations released over the years–the most recent is the Mixtape NEO, released about a month ago that features audio bootloading and a row of NeoPixel LEDs. It’s well documented and fully open source, with a code repository and wiki. The arty PCBs look great as well!
8bit Mixtapes are a natural project for electronics students to tackle. An ATtiny85 with two pots and two buttons? Pretty simple, and the musical payoff makes it a cinch for one-day workshops. The code simplicity makes it easy to modify the software as well.
Quirky synths are Hackaday’s bag, including one we published previously that controls a hexagonal matrix of LEDs.
Continue reading “Making Synths out of Audio Cassettes”
Bitrot is setting in, and our digital legacy is slowly turning to dust. Efforts preserve our history are currently being undertaken numerous people around the Internet, and [Jason Scott] just got an automated CD ripper, so everything is kinda okay.
However, there is one medium that’s being overlooked. ROMs, and I don’t mean video game cartridges. In the 80s, mask ROMs were everywhere, found in everything from talking cars to synthesizers.
[Ali] bought a Korg i5m workstation from eBay a few years ago, but this unit had a problem. Luckily, he had a similar synth with the same samples stored on board. There was only one way to find out if bitrot was the cause: desoldering the chips and dumping all the information.
After fiddling around with his broken synth, [Ali] still had a problem with the sound output. Deciding the ROM chips had to be the issue, [Ali] desoldered the chips and ordered a breadboard SOP44 adapter after deciding soldering wires to each lead of the chip was a bad idea. This adapter was connected to an Arduino Mega — still the best tool for weird tasks like this — and the contents of the ROM were dumped to a PC with the help of a helpful Arduino sketch.
Dumping the ROMs took about 15 minutes, and that’s if he was able to maintain a good connection between the chip and Arduino for that long. [Ali] wrote an improved ROM reader after much trial and error, and was eventually able to get the same data out of the same chip eventually.
While the broken synth hasn’t been repaired yet, at least [Ali] has the important bits off of this antique instrument. That’s good enough for now, but [Ali] intends to take this project to completion and get those vintage samples playing out of this great old synth.
Before there were samplers, romplers, Skrillex, FM synths, and all the other sounds that don’t fit into the trailer for the new Blade Runner movie, electronic music was simple. Voltage controlled oscillators, voltage controlled filters, and CV keyboards ruled the roost. We’ve gone over a lot of voltage controlled synths, but [Tommy] took it to the next level. He designed a small, minimum viable synth based around the VCO in an old 4046 PLL chip
For anyone who remembers [Elliot]’s Logic Noise series here on Hackaday, this type of circuit should be very familiar. The only thing in this synth is a few buttons, a variable resistor for each button, and the very popular VCO for an analog square wave synth.
The circuit for this synth is built in two halves. The biggest, and what probably took the most time designing, is the key bed. This is a one-octave keyboard that’s completely 3D printed. We’ve seen something like this before in one of the projects from the SupplyFrame Design Lab residents, though while that keyboard worked it was necessary for [Tim], the creator of that project, to find a company that could make custom key beds for him.
The rest of the circuit is just a piece of perf board and the 4046. This project is all wrapped up in a beautiful all-wood enclosure with 3D printed hinges, knobs, and a speaker grille. The sound is phenomenal, and exactly what you want from a tiny monophonic square wave synth. You can check out a video of that below.
Continue reading “3D Printing A Synthesizer”
[Jan Ostman] has been pushing the limits of sound synthesis on the lowly AVR ATMega microcontrollers, and his latest two project is so cute that we just had to write it up. The miniTS shares the same basic sound-generation firmware with his previous TinyTS, which we’ve covered here before, but adds a lot more keys, an OLED, and MIDI, while taking away some of the knobs.
Both feature keyboards that are just copper pads placed over a ground plane, and the code does simple capacitive-sensing to figure out if they’re being touched or not. The point here is that you could pick up a PCB from [Jan] on the cheap, and experiment around with the code. Or you could just take the code and make a less refined version for yourself with a cheapo Arduino and some copper plates.
Either way, we like the combination of minimal materials and maximum tweakability, and think it’s cool that [Jan] shares the code, if not also the PCB designs. Anyone with PCB layout practice could get a clone worked up in an afternoon, although it’s going to be cheaper to get these made in bulk, and you’re probably better off just buying one from [Jan].
Over on YouTube, [GumpherDM3] built one of the greatest musical projects we’ve seen in a long time. It’s an analog synthesizer that is one of a kind. It’s going to stay one of a kind, too: no one would ever want to copy this mess of wires and perfboard that was successfully turned into a complete musical instrument.
The design of this synth is what you would expect from something that draws its inspiration from semimodular synths such as the Minimoog and Korg MS20. There are four VCOs on this synth, two audio and two used for the LFOs. A four-pole low pass filter, VCA, and two envelope generators round out the purely analog portion of the build. There’s an arpeggiator in there too, which makes for a really great demo video (below).
Inside, this is a true analog synth with the VCOs, filter, and VCA built around the LM13700 transconductance amplifier. The build log shows these chips spread out around half a dozen breadboards before being plugged into sockets soldered to handwired perf board. This synth is a one of a kind instrument – no one would want to build this thing twice.
Additional features include an Arduino with a MIDI in port sending out CV signals to the analog part of the synth. This thing has everything you would expect from a modern take on an analog synthesizer, and it sounds good, too.
Continue reading “A Mess Of Wires Turned Into An Analog Synth”
The Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators are highly popular devices — pocket-sized synthesizers packed full of exciting sounds and rhythmic options. They’re also remarkably affordable. However, this comes at a cost — they don’t feature MIDI connectivity, so it can be difficult to integrate them into a bigger digital music setup. Never fear, little-scale’s got your back. This Max patch allows you to synchronize an Ableton Link network to your Pocket Operators.
little-scale’s trademark is creating useful software and hardware devices using cheap, off-the-shelf hardware wherever possible. The trick here is a simple Max patch combined with a $2 USB soundcard or Bluetooth audio adapter. It’s all very simple: the Pocket Operators have a variety of sync modes that sync on audio pulses, essentially a click track. They use stereo 3.5mm jacks on board, generally using one channel for the synth’s audio and one channel for receiving sync pulses. It’s a simple job to synthesize suitable sync pulses in Ableton, and then pump them out to the Pocket Operators through the Bluetooth or USB audio output.
The Pocket Operators sync at a rate of 2 PPQN — that’s pulses per quarter note. little-scale says that KORG volcas & monotrons should also work with this patch, as they run at the same rate, but it’s currently untested. If you happen to try this for yourself, let us know if it works for you. Video below the break.
We’ve seen pocket synths on Hackaday before, with this attractive mixer designed for use with KORG Volcas.
Continue reading “Sync Your Pocket Synth with Ableton”
Every semester at one of [Bruce Land]’s electronics labs at Cornell, students team up, and pitch a few ideas on what they’d like to build for the final project. Invariably, the students will pick what they think is cool. The only thing we know about [Ian], [Joval] and [Balazs] is that one of them is a synth head. How do we know this? They built a programmable, sequenced, wavetable synthesizer for their final project in ECE4760.
First things first — what’s a wavetable synthesizer? It’s not adding, subtracting, and modulating sine, triangle, and square waves. That, we assume, is the domain of the analog senior lab. A wavetable synth isn’t a deep application of a weird reverse FFT — that’s FM synthesis. Wavetable synthesis is simply playing a single waveform — one arbitrary wave — at different speeds. It was popular in the 80s and 90s, so it makes for a great application of modern microcontrollers.
The difficult part of the build was, of course, getting waveforms out of a microcontroller, mixing them, and modulating them. This is a lab course, so a few of the techniques learned earlier in the semester when playing with DTMF tones came in very useful. The microcontroller used in the project is a PIC32, and does all the arithmetic in 32-bit fixed point. Even though the final audio output is at 12-bit resolution, the difference between doing the math at 16-bit and 32-bit was obvious.
A synthesizer isn’t useful unless it has a user interface of some kind, and for this the guys turned to a small TFT display, a few pots, and a couple of buttons. This is a complete GUI to set all the parameters, waveforms, tempo, and notes played by the sequencer. From the video of the project (below), this thing sounds pretty good for a machine that generates bleeps and bloops.
Continue reading “Building A Wavetable Synth”