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In the years since the art world began experimenting with VR in a major way, a mind-bending torrent of pioneering VR experiences have danced, wafted, and body-swapped their way into existence. As the the era of crazy experimentation in VR comes to an end, Magik Gallery curator Nick Ochoa sees his San Francisco showcase of artworks actually created inside virtual reality as part of the push to steer the medium toward staid gallery spaces and conventional materials.
"I look at Medium, Tilt Brush, Quill—they're canvases. Just like linen or clay or wood," Ochoa tells Creators. "It's too often lumped together with the minutiae of the tech industry. It needs to get beyond that if we're ever going to see people jump in and give a shit about virtual reality."
Currently, giving a shit about virtual reality will run you around $600 for a headset, assuming you already own a whip-fast, VR-ready desktop PC. "There's only a handful of artists with access, and their followers have even less access," Ochoa says. "Right now there's no easy way to share 3D assets with the general public. The problem isn't the tech, it's the access to the tech."
Ochoa notes that as tools become more intuitive and more affordable, the barriers to entry will fall away for content creators and consumers. In the meantime, workarounds by way of Google Cardboard, Sketchfab, and YouTube can provide stripped-down approximations of 3D works, with exhibitions like Magik Gallery's serving up occasional real-deal VR feels.
On the content creation side, companies are recruiting artists like Sougwen Chung, one of Google's Tilt Brush Artists in Residence, to help shape these tools. For Chung, whose Tilt Brush works are an extension of earlier visual languages developed in multimedia installations, drawing, and sculpting, the lack of precedent contributes to VR's appeal.
"In a way, the gestures become suspended in time, they become a spatial thought process," she explains. "It's a removal of the artist's hand, but also an ephemeral engagement with the body, that often feels disembodied."
Also a Tilt Brush Artist in Residence, Steve Teeple describes his work Dream Tunnel as a "sketch" he made on his last day in the lab. "It's not as novel now, but when it came out, it was before scale could be used," Teeple tells Creators. "I was experimenting with traveling through an area while sitting on the ground. It was really peaceful for me. You feel very isolated… it's very meditative."
Originally slated for display at Magik, Teeple swapped the vertigo-inducing astral passage in favor of more recent work like Astral Guard, explaining that he prefers to process assets built out in VR with other software to remove the noticeable look of a particular tool.
Wesley Allsbrook was the earliest adopter of Facebook's Quill from Oculus's now defunct Story Studio, and the painting application was used to create the film Dear Angelica, which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. As user zero, Allsbrook worked closely with developers to translate her style into a 3D space for the piece, which she describes as a comic and also "a VR piece with cinematic timing."
For Magik, users navigated through a single scene from Dear Angelica, using a controller to fly through Allsbrook's 3D illustration while also toggling its scale from an expansive world to a tiny, colorful ball.
"It's the first time I ever drew in VR," Allsbrook tells Creators. "It's the first time I ever felt anything like that. It's kind of like what drawing is supposed to be."
Also on display at Magik Gallery were VR works by Mike Jelinek, Edward Eyth, Issac Cohen and AR works by Sutu. Magik Gallery is curating new works by Wesley Allsbrook for The Art of VR at Sotheby's on June 22–23 in New York.


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What You Need to Know About Invisalign Treatment
Achieving your perfect smile often involves straightening your teeth. Advancements in Orthodontics have allowed dentists to provide patients with an alternative to the dreaded metal braces.
Over the years, Invisalign has become an effective and affordable alternative for anyone seeking orthodontic treatment. Here is our guide to everything you need to know about Invisalign treatment.
The Benefits of Invisalign Treatment in Richmond
Although there are several benefits to Invisalign treatment, here are a few of the main ones:
Limited Impact on Appearance
One of the main benefits of Invisalign treatment that draws people in is the limited impact on your appearance. These almost invisible braces offer you a discreet appearance so you don’t have to worry about aesthetics.
Traditional braces use brackets and wires that result in a bulky look and feel. The Invisalign trays are clear and fit snugly around your teeth, leaving you with virtually no added weight on your teeth.
More Comfortable Process
Traditional wire braces require tightening every 1-2 months. This applies pressure on your teeth and leaves you feeling uncomfortable.
Invisalign aligners fit snugly over your teeth and lightly nudge them into place. Since you change to a new set of trays every 2 weeks, the pressure is more evenly distributed across all teeth. This results in an overall experience that is much more comfortable.
No Food Restrictions
Invisalign braces are completely removable, which means you won’t have to adhere to any food restrictions throughout your treatment.
With traditional braces, foods such as popcorn, caramel candies, hard or very crunchy snacks should be avoided. Luckily, you’re supposed to remove your Invisalign trays when eating anyway, so you can enjoy all the chewy and crunchy snacks your heart desires – just don’t forget to floss and brush!
Who is Invisalign Treatment For?
Invisalign treatment is right for children, teens, and adults who do not like the look or feel of traditional braces. They are the perfect alternative for teeth alignment cases that are light to mild.
Unfortunately, if your orthodontic case is more severe or complex, Invisalign treatment will not be effective for you!
How the Invisalign Process Works
To begin the Invisalign process, we will do a thorough examination and review of your oral history. We will then take impressions and x-rays of your mouth. These will be sent to Invisalign who will use computer imaging software to map out the results of your entire treatment. This will be sent back to us for approval.
Once we review and approve the treatment plan, your set of custom aligners will be created and sent to us. We’ll have you try your first set of aligners to ensure they fit as they should. The Invisalign treatment consists of multiple clear trays that are worn at 2-week increments. After two weeks, you move on to the next set of aligners in your treatment plan. As you move through each set, your teeth will slowly move into their desired positions.
You’ll have to wear your trays 24/7, only removing them when you are eating, flossing, or brushing. Every 6-weeks, you’ll visit us in-office so that we can check your progress.
Invisalign treatment plans can vary from person to person, however, on average they take about 9-15 months to complete.
Invisalign Treatment With Dentistry @ Richmond
If you’re looking for a more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing alternative to traditional braces, our Invisalign treatment may be right for you. They are designed to be comfortable and easy to use for anyone to achieve a perfect smile.
Our team at Dentistry @ Richmond will assess your situation to determine whether Invisalign treatment is right for you. Book an appointment with our team today to get started with our Invisalign treatment process in Richmond.

domain: health


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We know it’s only February, but things are already heating up as the 2014 election approaches. Politically speaking, it’s a big year and women’s health is on the line. Planned Parenthood and our advocacy partners in the states will be running our largest campaign ever.
Great news! With each and every day, more and more individuals are getting access to affordable health care with Obamacare (not to mention the millions of women who are already benefitting from access to preventive care with no copay). Yesterday, new numbers were released showing that as of February 1 nearly 3.3 million individuals have signed up for affordable health care under the law.
In Iowa, opponents are attacking from every angle in their attempts to restrict a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion, with their latest attempts targeting the delivery of medication abortion via telemedicine.
After nearly 50 votes, and four years of doing everything they can to dismantle and derail the Affordable Care Act, some Republican opponents to the health care law finally took a different strategy and announced they will propose a health care plan of their own. Spoiler Alert! It’s not great.
Last night, the President delivered his fifth state of the union address, outlining his policy priorities for the upcoming year and his vision for our country: Equal opportunities, fair pay, and access to health care for every American. Here are some of our favorite moments from the President’s speech:
Tonight, the president will lay out his priorities for the year when he delivers the State of the Union in front of a joint session of Congress. His speech will be followed by three Republican responses: the “official” response from Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (the highest ranking Republican woman in the House), Senator Mike Lee on behalf of the Tea Party, and Senator Rand Paul on behalf of, well…Senator Rand Paul.

domain: medical


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Massive Disneyland Attraction Database
The Crip and Ale's Vanhouse attraction at a distance
Crip and Ale's Vanhouse
January 10, 1960
Avg. queue length:
Nobody can remember what the purpose of Crip and Ale's Vanhouse is. It used to have things to climb, but lawers had it confiscated to further inflate their egos.
- If traveling with a school group, try to queue with someone you barely tolerate, because this attraction will definitely make it magically awkward.
- Minimum height 48" (or 24" and stubborn).
- Expectant parents will probably want to use the restroom first.
- Guests in wheelchairs probably should be doing something else.
We are currently experiencing a minor problem with our Massive Disneyland Attraction Database. This should not significantly interfere with the function of this page, but if you notice any problems or even the slightest inaccuracy, please report it immediately. Thank you for your consideration.

domain: travel


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4 Unique HSS Strat Wiring Tips For More Versatility
Hey there! We’re sorry it’s been so long since we’ve written – we’ve been incredibly busy at the shop. Today, we’re talking about Strats with a Humbucker in the Bridge (HSS)! There are a few tips and tricks for interesting HSS wiring, so read on!
HSS Strats are amongst the most versatile Strats out there, but they can be tricky. They involve a Humbucker in the Bridge and a Single Coil in the Neck and Middle. If you’ve played around with mixing single coils and humbuckers, you know it can be tough to get the two different designs to play together nicely.
Humbuckers tend to sound best with 500K pots, whereas Single Coils sound best on 250K Pots. Furthermore, the outputs and designs of each model are vastly different and can sound out of balance when switching between pickups.
That said, there are a lot of options when choosing pickups for an HSS Strat. You can opt for higher-output single coils, like our High Output or Steel Pole 43s, which sound great on 500K pots. Or, you can use our Split Blades – which in the Blues Output sounds like a Single Coil on 500K pots. Lastly, you can use 500K resistors to achieve a compensated set (see below).
If you haven’t already, check out our article on mixing Single Coils and Humbuckers. Now, let’s get into some fun HSS Strat Wiring Tips & Tricks:
HSS Wiring tip # 1: Coil Split with a Push-Pull Pot:
Let’s start with the basics. We’ll begin by splitting the Humbucker with a Push-Pull pot. If you’re new to coil splitting, we have a whole article on how to coil split and how coil-splitting works. There are a few pros to this setup:
- Independent control over your Bridge pickup – you get to choose whether you want a full-strength humbucker or a single-coil, with one pull and push of the switch.
- Although the diagram below features a Bridge Tone for Tone 2, you can opt for a Blender Pot, to achieve “Telecaster” tones in Single Coil mode by choosing the Neck & Bridge together.
HSS Wiring Tip #2: Coil Split with the 5-Way Blade Switch:
Sometimes, you need to split your Humbucker but can’t use a Push-Pull pot or don’t like using Push-Pull Pots. You can split your Humbucker automatically using the 5-Way Blade Switch in position #2:
With this setup, Position 1 is your Bridge Humbucker Mode, while Position 2 Automatically splits the Humbucker and connects it to the Middle Pickup. Doing so gives you the famous Strat “quack” tone in position 2 – a staple Strat tone.
Coil Split with a Blender Pot (Gradual Tap):
The Gradual Tap is an exciting way to coil split a humbucker in an HSS Strat. It involves a Blender Pot that gradually connects your Humbucker’s slug coil to ground:
This wiring setup is a fun way to blend between the tones of your Humbucker, allowing you to choose how much of the full-strength Humbucker or split-coil tone you want to use.
It works by gradually connecting the Slug Coil to ground instead of “flipping a switch” with a Push-Pull pot. This mod only works when you are in the Bridge Position.
This diagram doesn’t involve Coil Splitting; however, it does solve the issue of using two different pot values. As mentioned before, Single Coils tend to sound best on 250K pots, and Humbuckers sound best on 500K.
Read more on pots and how they work here
To use this setup, you need the following:
- 1x 500K Volume Pot
- 2x 500K Resistors
When you select the Bridge Humbucker, its signal travels through a 500K pot, ideal for the Humbucker. When choosing the Single Coils, their signal goes through a 500K resistor (to ground) and the 500K pot, letting them “see” 250K! This mod isn’t perfect as the resistors can affect the taper of the volume pot, but give it a try!

domain: hobby


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Laith Al-Saadi has made it to the Top 9 on Season 10 of The Voice. He’s known for jamming on his guitar and singing good ole’ fashioned rock and roll and blues. He’s a musician’s musician. To advance to the Top 8, Laith decided to show another side of him, a softer side. He sang the classic Bob Seger song “We’ve Got Tonight.”
Before the performance, Laith said the song means a lot to him personally as his girlfriend Karen has been with him every night. While Laith performed the song (on piano), Karen was seen in the audience trying her best to hold back her tears. It was a moving performance that should guarantee Laith’s position on the Top 8. Pharrell practically begged viewers to vote Laith through. The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8pm on NBC.

domain: entertainment


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It took 72 hours of negotiations to save Malaysia’s biggest IPO
WHAT is being touted as one of Malaysia’s biggest initial public offerings (IPOs) in recent years nearly didn’t take off.
And if the plug had indeed been pulled on Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Bhd’s IPO, it would have sent the wrong message about the country’s capital market.
In the end, the Lotte Chemical deal was “saved” after some 72 hours of tough negotiations between the investment bankers working on the deal and Lotte Chemical, according to a source familiar with the workings of the deal.
The result is - the IPO will still take place this coming Tuesday, but the pricing and the number of share issuance have been slashed quite substantially.
Lotte Chemical, a producer of olefin and polyolefin and a unit of South Korean multinational ethylene producer Lotte Chemical Corp, will now be raising RM2bil less than the earlier envisaged total of RM6bil, but the option of killing off the deal would have had greater repercussions on the company, and the overall Malaysian capital market.
To get certainty that the deal did not fall through, those involved made the call to reprice the shares to RM6.50 from RM8 and cut the number of share issuance by one-fifth.
At this price, the integrated petrochemical producer will raise about RM4bil from the IPO and have a market capitalisation of RM15bil.
Things were going well during negotiations and local institutional funds were prepared to take up Lotte Chemical shares at the initial offer price of RM8.
But the foreign funds were not keen on that price, largely because of the sector that the company is operating in, the source says.
Global polyolefin, a raw material used in the manufacture of plastic products, is experiencing a surplus in capacity, according to reports.
According to a research report by Hong Leong Investment Bank, post-2017, the global polyolefin capacity surplus over demand is expected to widen further due to US shale-based capacity expansion and methanol-based China capacity additions.
“Our argument is further supported by the significant expected capacity addition in Asean by 2020, with Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd (PetChem) adding 1.4 million tonnes of polyolefin capacity, while Thailand’s SCG Chemicals will add another 1.4 million tonnes,” the house says.
To be sure, PetChem, which is Lotte Chemical’s closest competitor based here, also enjoys higher profit margins than Lotte Chemical because the feedstock it uses in its production process is subsidised by the Government.
Still, there was sufficient interest of local funds in Lotte Chemical and this resulted in four cornerstone investors, namely, Permodalan Nasional Bhd, Maybank Asset Management Sdn Bhd, Eastspring Investments Bhd, and Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Bhd, which collectively took up 20% of the institutional offering.
Cornerstone investors normally are willing “price-takers”, meaning they can take up shares at the maximum price, in this case RM8 per share.
The source says that from the start, Lotte Chemical’s IPO was positioned as an institutional stock. “So, the fact that there was under-subscription of the retail portion was not unexpected.”
It does not help that retail investors tend to look at the absolute price as opposed to valuing a stock based on other financial indicators versus its peers.
In the case of the foreign interest in Lotte Chemical, it is learnt that hedge funds, which tend to be focused on short-term returns to some extent, were the ones who were keen.
“For the bankers, though, it was a case of getting in long-term, quality investors but at a price that they agreed on. So, that was what they did.”
In other words, it was no longer a case about investor demand at a pricing that the issuer wanted.
In terms of local funds, apart from the cornerstone investors, it is also learnt that the likes of the Employees Provident Fund and Lembaga Tabung Haji had also come in to take up stakes in the IPO during the book-building process.
That the IPO was repriced with a new structure on Monday says something about the increasing maturity of the infrastructure of the local capital markets, some bankers point out.
It is also learnt that a supplementary prospectus was not needed in Lotte Chemical’s case, as the changes weren’t considered a material issue.
Lotte Chemical is raising money for expansion as opposed to using proceeds to pare down borrowings as some companies do with IPOs.
While the amount to be raised is over 30% less than expected, RM4bil is still a substantial amount, with such a figure not seen since 2012 when larger listings like IHH Healthcare Bhd, Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd and Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd came unto the market.
However, with the lower amount of money raised, there is now a change in the funding allocation for Lotte Chemical’s new integrated petrochemical facility that it plans to build in Indonesia.
The company is now allocating RM2.8bil, down from RM4.9bil before for this new plant which will be located next to its existing one in Merak, Indonesia.
The shortfall in capital expenditure is likely to be funded through borrowings, something it is nevertheless able to do given its strong balance sheet, some say.
Others reckon that even if the IPO did not happen, the company would still have gone ahead with this expansion, as it is able to use internally generated funds and borrowings. The company has RM965.1mil in net cash. For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2016, it made a net profit of RM1.31bil.
The allocation of IPO proceeds for its Malaysian projects, meanwhile, remains unchanged.
There is no discounting that developments in this past week could possibly weigh on Lotte Chemical’s share price performance when it makes its debut on the local bourse next week.
However, the impact may not be great because there is a structure akin to a green shoe option that has been put in place due to the repricing of the IPO.
Under this structure, retail investors and non-cornerstone bumiputra investors approved by MITI would be allowed to sell shares back to the company at RM6.50 for five market days after the debut.
The buy-back offer period is for five market days starting July 12 and will involve some RM384.8mil if all retail investors accept the offer.
“The structure is the first of its kind in Malaysia and put in place for the IPO because of the changes in the scheme that happened after the retail and non-cornerstone bumiputra investors had already invested.
“This way, the retail and non-cornerstone bumiputra investors are allowed to sell shares back to the company after the listing,” says the source.
Additionally, yesterday, Maybank Investment Bank Bhd, which is the stabilising manager for Lotte Chemical, said it might buy up to 27.77 million shares, representing 4.8% of the total number of shares offered under the IPO, to stabilise the stock’s price.
The maximum period during which it may intervene to stabilise the price of the shares is 30 days from the stock’s debut on Bursa.
No significant impact
All said and done, the entire Lotte Chemical episode is not expected to have any significant impact on the next major planned IPO here, which is that of Brunei’s largest lender, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, according to observers.
The bank, which has assets worth BN$9.5bil (RM29.5bil) based on 2016 audited figures, reportedly wants to raise more than RM2.1bil in proceeds.
“Despite being small in asset size, the bank commands a huge market share in Brunei. We think there will be demand for its shares,” says one observer.
Notably, the listing of both Lotte Chemical and potentially, Bank Islam Brunei, on the local bourse is a win for Malaysia, considering that both are foreign-linked entities. Malaysia is up against more mature capital markets like Singapore and Hong Kong when attracting listings.
In competitive times like these, all exchange operators are on the prowl for potential listings. It’s a given that Lotte Chemical’s debut will be closely watched by many quarters.

domain: news


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This is The Feeding Diaries, an ongoing series about the feeding escapades in my house.
Every year we go to Red Lobster for a family member’s birthday. This year, Big A announced she wanted to order lobster. I suggested we share the big lobster meal and she agreed. I was ecstatic to find her opting out of the kids’ menu.
I posted pictures on the Raise Healthy Eaters’ Facebook page, saying how I wish food on kids’ menu were just smaller portions of regular menu items, and got a variety of comments:
“I agree, but I also feel like we eat at restaurants so seldom that I don’t really worry about it.”
“We always share the adult food, and say no to the kids menu.”
It seems some parents are strongly against “kid food” while others were okay with it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I really don’t have strong feelings either way. And here’s why. (more…)

domain: sociology


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CLEVELAND -- Adam Eaton is most likely in line for six straight days off.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura said his center fielder and leadoff man has a list of ailments that is almost too long to remember and believes Eaton could benefit from additional rest.
With four days off starting Monday for the All-Star break along with the final two games at Progressive Field, Ventura thinks Eaton should be well rested when the White Sox open the second half at home on Friday.
[RELATED: Bullpen session on tap for Matt Lindstrom]
Eaton’s latest bumps and bruises includes a sore ankle after he was hit by a pitch on Friday along with a jammed wrist, courtesy of sliding into second base in Boston.
But it’s more than that, Ventura said.
“Left ankle,” Ventura said. “And his foot. And probably his hamstring. Maybe his neck. The list is very long with him that I had to read. There’s plenty there.
“He has a couple things. He could play but right now we’re hoping these couple of days plus the All-Star break he’ll be totally fresh on Friday.”
Eaton has reached base safely in 31 of the last 34 games he has played, including a span of 20 straight from June 3-25. He has a .270/.340/.372 slash line and is tied for third on the club with 42 runs scored this season.
Alejandro De Aza is hitting leadoff on Saturday. De Aza has a lifetime .860 OPS against the Indians in 59 games, including six homers and 34 RBIs.


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Crown Posada Print - Ben Holland
Hand drawn pen & ink artwork by Ben Holland.
Legend has it that the Crown Posada was bought by a Spanish Sea Captain for his mistress… The second oldest pub in the city, the Crown Posada is a grade two listed building with a Victorian exterior, an elaborately panelled entrance and beautiful stained glass windows.
- Travel poster design of Newcastle’s historic Crown Posada
- Printed on 285gsm heavyweight matte paper
- Available in A3 (£25.00) and A4 (£18.00) print
- Free UK delivery
This image will be printed professionally & sent out to you directly from the artist. This item usually arrives within 5 working days. If you order any of our own items, they will arrive separately so divvent be alarmed.

domain: artistic


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In Spring 2016, the Her Campus Tour brought a one-of-a-kind, multi-sponsor campus tour experience to six lucky schools in the south. The HC Tour kicked off at Texas A&M University, followed by University of Houston, Auburn University, Georgia State University, Florida State University and wrapped up at the University of Florida.
Not only were there fun games and exciting giveaways, but killer swag thanks to our amazing sponsors – ASOS, Micro Kickboard, Monthly Gift, Tinder and Camelbak. But why take our word for it? Check out what attendees had to say and the incredible video created by the Her Campus at University of Florida chapter.

domain: geography


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I’ve been wanting to make this graffiti lamp for a while using telephone book pages. I don’t know about you, but I always get these books laying on my doorstep and honestly, I never use phonebooks anymore. I really don’t think a lot of people do!
I created a new lampshade for my studio in this very easy DIY lamp project. It’s really easy and took me a couple hours to complete (I heart crafts you can do in an evening!!!)
And look, I’m somehow on trend. Have you see Lady Gaga’s Telephone video?? She’s so inventive and bizarre!!!
Anyway, here are the instructions for the lamp!
Telephone Book Graffiti Lamp
– Tulip® Fabric Spray Paint in orange and black
– Tulip® Fashion Graffiti™ paint taggers
– Aleene’s Tacky Glue
– yellow acrylic paint
– X-acto knife
– cutting mat
– foam brushes
– stencils/stickers (I used Tim Holtz masks and large and small vinyl stickers)
– paper towels
– acrylic spray sealer
1. Rip out phone book pages. I didn’t want my pages to align perfectly, so I cut them at a diagonal using X-acto and ruler on mat. I did this so that I could create a straight edge to align with the top of my lampshade border.
3. Slightly water down acrylic paint so that it is slightly transparent.
4. Spray with fabric spray for a cool spattered effect. Set aside and let dry.
5. Once phone book pages are dry, water down (slightly) the Tacky glue and spread all over back of each piece covering entire back. Place on lamp, aligning, and then collaging in all the rest of the areas until totally covered. Spread evenly and smooth as you apply to prevent air bubbles.
6. Spritz entire lamp share with black fabric spray. I liked doing small squirts so that it would create a dripped effect.
7. Lay down stickers/stencils and cover over top with various paints and sprays. I actually just used my finger to spread the paints around. I just played different colors/textures until I was happy with the end result.
8.Clean up any messy areas or edges with paper towels. Let dry.
8. Seal with an acrylic sealer.
Here’s a detail with it illuminated…
And here’s a detail of it with the light off…
And here it is on my new desk.
Hope you enjoy this little project!!!
Until next time Swellions!
Mel's Art Buffet says
This is amazing!!! The base is perfect for the shade, they really compliment each other. Thanks for a great idea & tutorial!
Mim Smith Faro says
Thanks for another inspiring post. I just wrote a blog entry about that Lady Gaga video. It’s just too much fun to ignore.
BTW- I use my phone book as a pad to glue things on or paint things on. I always have hundreds of pages that have no meaning to me and I can let the glue go over the edge or the paint splatter. In fact, some of the paint splattered phone book pages have made it into collages.
That is fantastic! I can’t stand those phone books just hanging around. Even more a cool lamp shade is always appreciated. I know just the shade to use. Can’t wait. Congrats on finishing your photo commitment. I think I lasted 4 days when I tried to get the girls to agree to a project.
Thanks Mel! It was fun to make.
Thank you Mim – that’s a great tip!
Rollerwriter – Yeah, it’s a touch commitment, but I’m glad I did it!
that was so much fun..
this is awesome !! incredibly imaginative
Awesome Creativity!! 🙂 🙂


WTMD’s 5 emerging stars of Baltimore’s music scene, as heard on The World Cafe
Baltimore experimental rockers Celebration are one of the city’s rising stars.
Yesterday, NPR’s the World Cafe spotlighted Baltimore’s music and culture as part of the show’s “Sense of Place Series.” Host David Dye had a session with breakout stars Future Islands, and led a tour through Baltimore music past and present — with some help from the WTMD staff.
One of Dye’s segments was a list of 5 up-and-coming Baltimore musicians, presented by Sam Sessa, WTMD’s Baltimore music coordinator. Listen to the full segment here — and download all five songs for free.
You hear so much about Baltimore’s experimental music scene, but this city also has a vibrant Americana scene. The Herd of Main Street, led by the husband-and-wife duo of Peter and Gena McKibben, is one of the standouts.
Originally written as a gift for drummer David Bergander’s son Asa, “Tomorrow’s Here Today” kicked around for several years before Celebration decided to record and release it on their new album, “Albumin.”


Cant believe you shaved the beard. Nice looking battle axe though.
Ya, I could not handle the face hair no more so I got out the rusty blade and made it happen... I hope to have the blade ready for battle by Wednesday, But may be longer cause I have to wait for the rubber to come in the mail.
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Eczema is a skin condition that causes dry and itchy skin that can leak fluids when scratched. The appearance of the skin most times is patchy, scaly or sometimes has bumps that become itchy. This atopic dermatitis deals not only with your skin but with you immune system brings with it an allergenic and inflammatory reaction. It has been discovered that people with Eczema:
- Their skin's defense system is altered, so that water is released and allergens are allowed in from the environment
- The skin has very little antimicrobial which is natural and protects the skin from poisonous toxics infections
- A protein called claudin-1 is weakened, where the skin cells become leaky and open to the environmental allergens and infectious elements.
- Omega-3 helps to normalize your skin from dehydration and keeps it full of moisture which help reduce the appearance of fine lines.


Two statues from the original film were stolen from the set of the sequel starring Michael Keaton.
On Friday, Vermont State Police said two statues had been stolen from the set. Beetlejuice 2continuation Tim Burton who will see Michael Keaton return as a cult character.
“We tried three times to say the names of these three statues, but it didn’t work and they didn’t reappear.“, the police wrote in a tongue-in-cheek tweet, in which he also left a phone number for those who might have contact information.
In addition to the return of Michael Keaton, the film also stars Jenna Ortega in her second collaboration with Tim Burton following the global success of Wednesday on Netflix. Ortega was expected to play the daughter of Lydia Dietz in the sequel, who was almost forced to marry the protagonist in the original Beetlejuice-Piggy Sprite.
Beetlejuice 2: Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder’s shooting photos contain a spoiler
For now, plot details for Beetlejuice 2 are still being kept under wraps, but it’s been confirmed that we’ll also see the return of Catherine O’Hara, and among the new additions, Tim Burton’s character Monica Bellucci. partner since last October as Keaton’s character’s wife. Along with her are Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux in as yet enigmatic roles.
The release date has been set for September 6, 2024, but the current cast and writers’ strike in Hollywood could derail it.


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Hi, my name is Dianna, and like countless other younger women I started experiencing the early signs of menopause at the age of 40. This came as quite a shock. So I did what so many other anxious women experiencing night sweats and bad mood swings would do … I googled it.
As I started to delve a bit deeper into the search I realised that all the current information was aimed towards an older woman – the grandmotherly type along with advice on how to cope with mid-life change.
I was shocked to see the plethora of clinical information mostly written by male doctors who had absolutely no clue as to what it feels like for a young woman to have early menopause.
If mood swings, low libido and incontinence weren’t enough, we have to put up with the medical profession thinking all we need is HRT and all will be cured.
This disempowering discovery fired something off within me, surely I can’t be the only woman out there experiencing early menopause. What about all the young women who have suffered from the side effects of cancer treatments or have chronic health conditions like endometriosis?
Many of these women cannot or DO NOT want to take prescribed drugs, so what then?
Going through early menopause has been the most heart wrenching, life-affirming and empowering experience I’ve ever been through.
This transition has transformed my life and that is why I created Mind Body Pleasure. By sharing my own journey I hope to empower, inspire and educate other women on how to take charge of their health and wellness.
This is a safe space for women to reclaim their femininity, share stories with other women who can relate and build long-lasting bonds.
Mind Body Pleasure is a new path to self-acceptance and reclaiming your self-esteem.
With every change comes an opportunity for a new beginning and this is yours.
With love & gratitude,


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The “Culture of Poverty” argues that one is poor because of the cultural practices. In effect directly correlating culture and economics – what’s not being said is causality -does culture cause poor economics – or does poor economics cause lack of culture.
Culture as Driver of Change
“The culture of poverty analysis, despite its flaws, points to a third way to provide help. The third way to help is to teach people to swim. Then they can save themselves. Rather than focusing on the pathologies that make them flail in the water of inequality, fighting off attempts to save them, slipping deeper underwater, we can think about how we can help people to swim better.”- http://bit.ly/8Y34eN
Culture and its Impact on the Economy
Correlation analysis of culture and economics – http://bit.ly/b7MUEW – “a region’s economic development not only depends on the infrastructure construction and other “hard power”, but also relies on “soft power”, and cultural force is the most important “soft power”. Cultural factors change slowly, not easily, but culture can eventually change to encourage entrepreneurship. In the long term, a culture of nurturing and rewarding entrepreneurs can possibly attract new businesses and further activate the latent entrepreneurship characteristics of its residents.” – exploit the synergy.
Synergy of Culture and Economy
Introducing Economic Sociology –
Economic sociology is the sociological analysis of economic phenomena. As Dobbin (2004) points out, economic modernization can be seen as a series of societal projects. There was the project of developing intercontinental trades routes–e.g. Europe’s East India trading companies and colonizing monarchs. There was the project of building large-scale factories with wage labor forces nearby–e.g. early industrialists in Massachusetts and Manchester. There was also the project of divorcing the economy from society and polity (Polanyi 1944)–e.g. 18th century capitalists, politicians, philosophers, and social observers. One manifestition of the intellectual side of the project of splitting economy from society was the division of economics and sociology into distinct disciplines. Eventhough, prior to this the dividing line between the economics and sociology was very difficult to draw (Marx, Weber, Durkheim). As a result of this intellectual division of labor, economists developed highly abstract and formalized models of the economy based on individual self-interest and rationality. Sociologists, however, developed empirical case studies that typically showed that the economy was not a distinct realm, it was in fact enmeshed in social life. Contemporary economic sociology attempts to bring economy and society back together. The starting point is to understand the social processes, day-to-day practices, and social mechanisms underlying economic markets.
Culture affects economics – economics affects culture. A reductionist silo approach is to decouple culture from economics. However, both feed on mutual synergies – change in attitudes does affect your economics – and a change in economic status allows you cultural experiences that will change your cultural outlook We can wind up debating about the heads or tails – of the same coin – the CED or the Culture Economy Dialectic.
Systemic Behavior Modification
Changing culture (as in knowledge, attitudes, values, lifestyles and practices) can be achieved thru behavior modification strategies – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavior_modification – and – http://www.minddisorders.com/A-Br/Behavior-modification.html – to do so, needs a system of fines and rewards.
The current Philippine socioeconomic system fines and rewards “counterproductive behavior”. Going back to the economics – the 60/40 provisions are structural flaws that prevent optimal capital formation due to protectionism. The empirical studies on the impact of protectionism are pretty much well covered and I don’t have to belabor the obvious that protectionism and import substitution models don’t work.
The acceptability of this policy environment is sustained by a broad range of cultural influences delivered through media channels. The content distributed through these channels detract attention and focus from the core issues of economics and empowerment and steer it towards instant gratification, escapism, and patronage.
With the application of operant conditioning techniques such as rewards for watching wowowee – the masses can be steered towards behavior that they wouldn’t do in normal circumstances. Continuous reinforcement of behavior such as relying on variety shows as a ticket to success – instead of gunning for a level economic playing ensures that discussions on critical topics don’t even take off. And should these topics be mentioned, these can be easily swept under the carpet as being trivial – and the conditioned response of “bahala na”.
Replicate all these, and have infinite iterations, and you get an idea how the likes of Estrada, Aquino, Lapid, et al land positions of authority to the utter disadvantage of the country.
Going into a coerced 60/40 Joint venture where Filipnos MUST be the majority isn’t really a good way of inviting foreign investments – whether it is in agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, electronics, services, utilities, etc.Thus, the need to “fix it” (the economic policy framework in the constitution) – and jumpstart an environment that stimulates innovation, competition, and capital formation – more efficient, free markets which allow local and foreign investors to compete or collaborate on a voluntary basis.
Change Management: Staging the Delivery of “Fixes”
1) Our existing resources; and
2) Experience in previous attempts at charter change – with reference to prior experiences on Con-Con, Con-Ass, and Initiative.
Lots agree that systems change is needed – the heaviest decision to make on their part – is whether these should be done as:
Approach A – charter change-in-toto (as has been done before by Pedrosa et al) ; or,
Approach B – as a sequence of propositions/referendum/initiatives on specific provisions – evolving piecemeal changes which by the time the entire process is completed – the output is also like charter change in-to-to
With reference to Approach A – given the experience – there are too many moving parts – and there are too many vested interests – expect the monumental pushback.
By the looks of it – Approach B, is more doable in the short-term to jump start the process systemic behavioral modification.
How about you? What’s your take on the Culture and Economy dialogue?


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Guggenheim completes unfinished business, as Rydex ETFs take on Guggenheim name.
Rydex SGI ETFs are taking on the Guggenheim name as part of a broad reorganization that brings together all of Guggenheim’s asset-management businesses under one umbrella, and cements Guggenheim’s place as the No. 8 U.S. exchange-traded fund company, with over $11 billion in assets.
The change marks the final phase of Guggenheim’s acquisition last year of Rydex SGI’s parent, the insurance company Security Benefit Corp., as well as the integration of its acquisition of Claymore Securities. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but Security Benefit is now Guggenheim Partners’ second-largest institutional shareholder as a consequence of the changes, company officials told IndexUniverse.
A total of about $119 billion in assets, including mutual funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts and ETFs, will now operate under the Guggenheim Investments name, the parent company of the new entity, Guggenheim Partners LLC, said in a press release. The changes should help Guggenheim compete more decisively with firms such as BlackRock, the owner of iShares, the world’s No. 1 ETF sponsor.
The reorganization brings together under the same name popular ETF products such as Guggenheim’s "BulletShares" target maturity date bond ETFs, as well the Rydex CurrencyShares products and suites of pure-style ETFs and equal weighted index ETFs, including the Rydex S&P Equal Weight ETF (NYSEArca: RSP), a $2.63 billion fund that divides the S&P 500 index into equally weighted constituents.
Focus On ETFs
Indeed, while the new Guggenheim’s U.S. ETF assets of $11.1 billion make up about 9 percent of the new Guggenheim’s total assets, the company is quite keen on developing its lineup of ETFs.
“We do view the ETF business as a growth engine, so we’ll be investing in it,” Tony Davidow, an ETF strategist at Rydex who still plays that role at the new entity, told IndexUniverse in a telephone interview. “This allows us to continue to expand the offering, continue to reach a broader market segment new and to leverage the intellectual capabilities existing within larger Guggenheim.”
The Rydex brand of ETFs had about $8 billion in assets as of Sept. 20, while the Guggenheim ETFs have gathered about $3.11 billion in ETF assets, according to data compiled by IndexUniverse.
The transaction won’t result in any layoffs, Guggenheim officials said, in part because growth opportunities in the ETF business will require the company to expand its resources.
The parent company’s President, Todd Boehly, will lead the new entity Guggenheim Investments, the press release said. Scott Minerd will serve as chief investment officer, Don Cacciapaglia will be chief administrative officer, and Richard Goldman, former head of Rydex, will be chief operation officer.
Guggenheim Partners will be based in New York, but Rydex’s offices in Rockville, Maryland and Guggenheim’s offices in Lisle, Illinois won’t be moved because of the consolidation.


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The Fb outage that struck Monday morning and lasted at some level of the day used to be in the waste a minor exertion for most American citizens. But in international locations bask in Brazil, it introduced about a destabilizing and disorienting seven hours ― no longer due to Fb.com used to be gone, nonetheless due to WhatsApp, the messaging carrier the firm also owns, without warning went offline along with it.
Calm largely an afterthought in the US, WhatsApp has grown into one among the enviornment’s most considerable communications companies. Bigger than 2 billion of us ― 1 in 4 of us in the enviornment ― expend it. Brazil and India alone are dwelling to practically one-quarter of them.
WhatsApp’s textual affirm messaging and web-based video and audio chat platforms are especially standard in the Global South, the put aside WhatsApp is a low-cost advance to e-book determined of the in most cases-exorbitant bills of SMS messaging and mobile records. Merely about half of of Brazilians grunt WhatsApp is their most-frail app, and bigger than 90% of the country’s web customers are WhatsAppers — as is also the case in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Argentina, Malaysia and Colombia. Fb and Instagram, which Fb also owns, are the 2d and third most traditional apps in Brazil, surveys recognize shown.
That ubiquity has in fact turned WhatsApp into a public utility: It’s so a really considerable to world communications infrastructure that when it goes down, complete international locations, segments of their economies, and even some traditional each day governmental activities practically grind to a discontinue.
“It used to be in most cases bask in the total web used to be out. That used to be the thought” in Brazil, stated David Nemer, a University of Virginia media stories professor. A native Brazilian, Nemer has studied WhatsApp’s affect on the country and written about it for HuffPost.
But unlike proper public utilities, WhatsApp is a privately owned carrying out discipline to practically none of the regulatory scrutiny that governs many such companies. Across the Global South, a U.S.-based firm has accrued with regards to-monopolistic energy over of us’s traditional ability to talk without any proper accountability to the international locations or electorate who rely upon it most carefully.
It didn’t change into that goliath by accident. Fb paid a staggering $21.8 billion for WhatsApp in 2014, a broad wager on a firm that had accurate 500 million customers at the time and had lost bigger than $230 million in the most considerable six months of that yr. But the gamble has paid off handsomely as WhatsApp’s individual nasty has quadrupled and different Fb initiatives recognize increased customers’ reliance on its merchandise.
No longer lengthy after purchasing WhatsApp, Fb launched a program known as Free Basics supposed to decrease boundaries to web access all over the enviornment. The premise of Free Basics used to be access to a dinky selection of barebones, low-records websites without the worth of identical outdated records bills, a be aware identified as zero-rating. The acknowledged premise used to be to aid develop web access to of us in places the put aside at-dwelling connectivity used to be nonetheless prohibitively pricey.
Free Basics at closing spread to roughly 65 international locations, including 30 in Africa. But it absolutely also hurt up mired in controversy, especially in India, the put aside authorities regulators and web neutrality advocates straight feared that the firm used to be merely searching to carry out a monopolized web market to purchase its possess earnings. Fb, they skittish, used to be searching to ingrain in peoples’ minds that it used to be the web, especially in the Global South.
Later stories conducted by digital advocacy groups would raise out that right here’s precisely what Fb had finished and accuse the firm of sharp in “digital colonialism.”
As Brazil labored toward the passage of a Digital Invoice of Rights in 2014, commence web advocates argued that zero-rating used to be a “dreadful be aware that threatens to undermine the commence web,” and requested lawmakers to ban it, as India at closing would two years later. Zero-rating used to be especially dreadful in a country the put aside most customers rely upon somewhat low-cost mobile web plans to join, critics warned, due to it would artificially bolster a closed web of websites that will moreover give you the cash for to exempt themselves from mobile records plans.
The law integrated web neutrality provisions supposed to make certain an commence web, nonetheless nearly straight after it passed, one among Brazil’s predominant mobile phone carriers began exempting Fb and WhatsApp from its records plans, allowing customers to ship messages and assemble calls through those apps for free. Another of Brazil’s most interesting mobile companies began zero-rating WhatsApp in 2018.
The argument is that right here’s accurate for patrons, nonetheless the proper boon is reserved for Fb: Partnering with domestic telecoms giants to hand out free access allowed the firm to attract new customers, then receive and bring together records and metadata it will moreover then monetize, in ingredients of the enviornment it had no longer but reached.
“This is is named records colonialism,” Nemer stated. “They supply access so that they are going to extract as mighty records as that you’re going to be in a plot to imagine, especially in center-markets the put aside they don’t recognize that access.” The metadata WhatsApp’s encrypted messaging produces, Nemer added, “is bask in gold for Fb.”
“Across the Global South, a U.S.-based firm has accrued with regards to-monopolistic energy over of us’s traditional ability to talk without any proper accountability to the international locations or electorate who rely upon it most carefully.”
Since then, Fb has handiest made WhatsApp an map more crucial section of each day lifestyles in Brazil, the put aside regulators in May per chance per chance in the waste permitted the firm’s plans to permit customers to assemble in-app monetary transactions. India also enables the be aware, which has deepened its position as a crucial carrier for companies and patrons: In Brazil and India, WhatsApp now properties the companies iMessage, Venmo, and different apps provided in the U.S., nonetheless multi functional affirm.
“Moments of breakdown of those platforms are the moments that we in fact detect them,” stated Gabriel Pereira, a Brazilian doctoral fellow at Aarhus University in Denmark who currently co-authored a paper on the affect of WhatsApp disruptions on Brazil between 2015 and 2018. “WhatsApp is so embedded into everyday digital living that of us don’t survey that it exists anymore.”
Monday’s outage offered a ogle of what happens when it doesn’t exist. On Twitter, Brazilians lamented that their predominant advance of speaking with chums and family had without warning disappeared. Others shared tales about taking the day off due to work without WhatsApp may per chance per chance be very no longer really: Clinical doctors and dentists, supply of us and others rely upon WhatsApp to substantiate appointments and orders. It’s also frail to devise crucial enterprise conferences, even inside of the authorities.
The rapid outage used to be a reduction for some who employ too mighty time on their telephones ― the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper poked enjoyable at the debacle with a checklist of “issues to carry out while the nets are down.” And some small enterprise house owners enjoyed a reprieve from answering customers and gratifying orders, even though it cost them cash.
For others, the outage used to be direr. “It used to be fear and terror,” Daniella Goulart, who sells lunchtime meals through WhatsApp in Brasilia, commended Rede Brasil Atual, a leftist e-newsletter. “I’m able to grunt that 99% of my customers teach meals through WhatsApp, and it stopped accurate at the tip hour of my supply.” Goulart stated her sales were down 60% when in contrast with identical outdated days.
Brazilians recognize different messaging choices, nonetheless none match the cultural and economic energy of “Zap Zap,” as WhatsApp is colloquially identified there. Earlier outages or judicial orders which recognize temporarily shut the app down recognize introduced about Brazilians to spy out different platforms nonetheless recognize no longer broken WhatsApp’s preserve it up the Brazilian market.
The energy Fb has accrued had attracted increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators all over the planet even sooner than this week’s problems. The U.S. Federal Replace Commission alleged this yr that Fb is a monopoly in violation of federal antitrust guidelines, successfully striking the authorities on the side of bigger pushes to ruin up the firm. Others recognize lengthy known as on the US to retain watch over Fb, and the web more broadly, as a public utility.
WhatsApp has been discipline to the same scrutiny in Brazil, the put aside it served as a vector for mass misinformation campaigns that spread through its bulk messaging capabilities at some level of the 2018 election won by accurate-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. There are quite a lot of the reason why misinformation thrived in Brazil in 2018, nonetheless one is that zero-rating had given customers cheaper access to WhatsApp than to mutter news sites. More currently, changes to Fb’s privateness recommendations and records sequence programs ended in warnings from authorities companies and public passion groups that the brand new insurance policies violated privateness and competition guidelines. (Fb in the waste backed down amid world protests.)
Monday’s outage generated map more calls for dismantling Fb. But some experts in the U.S. are skeptical that efforts to interrupt up the firm will in fact succeed, while others aren’t certain treating it bask in a utility would carry out satisfactory to aid American patrons (especially when in contrast with what the same guidelines on our few mobile and web carrier companies would per chance moreover dwell). Fb, for its section, has requested a federal diagram with regards to brush off the FTC’s swimsuit against it.
The case that WhatsApp operates bask in an entity that must be discipline to no longer decrease than some public accountability and guidelines appears clearer-crop: It’s no longer easy to argue that a communications app whose failure can disrupt the total world’s ability to talk is merely an app, as a replace of something with a piece more responsibility to patrons and society.
But it absolutely would per chance moreover fair no longer be crucial satisfactory in the U.S. for regulators to spy more authority over it right here, and U.S. lawmakers aren’t vulnerable to location themselves with the implications of an American firm controlling the communications infrastructure of mighty of the Global South. Governments bask in Brazil’s, meanwhile, would per chance moreover fair lack the energy (or, below Bolsonaro, the need) to head it alone against this sort of behemoth.
A serious amount of Fb’s energy, Pereira stated, is derived from its intentional construction of a tool by which gargantuan swaths of the general public choose up it sophisticated to evaluate lifestyles without it. Many in Brazil, India, all over Africa and the rest of the enviornment positively cannot.
And even though Monday’s outage and Fb’s scandal-plagued most up-to-date weeks carry out lead international locations to advance to a choice that a communications scheme dominated by a single non-public entity from afar isn’t what they need, unwinding the scheme Fb has created ― and that lawmakers and regulators all over the enviornment, and especially in the U.S. recognize allowed it to create ― won’t be easy or neat, no longer when it’s so deeply intertwined with each day lifestyles.
“Fb is taking part in by the market recommendations ― recommendations that were permitted and designed by ,” Nemer stated. “They created a monster, and the monster now is turning support on them.”

domain: economics


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Ben Stokes bluntly stated on the eve of England’s clash with Australia in the Cricket World Cup that the team have been “crap”, but there is still a slim chance to restore some pride against the team who have laughed loudest at their misfortune.
At the end of October, Pat Cummins could barely suppress his laughter when asked about England’s difficulties at the tournament, but old passions will be reunited when the sides meet in Ahmedabad.
Having won just one of their opening six matches, England have nothing but pride to play for against Cummins’ side, but the discussions and media attention on the Ashes series in the summer have not yet faded into the background.
Australians have made fun of claims over a ‘moral Ashes’, and Marnus Labuschagne ridiculed the “garbage” decision by the Collins English Dictionary to add ‘Bazball’ as one of its words for 2023.
When England play Australia there is always more at stake than just the result on the pitch, outside of India and Pakistan it is one of the biggest rivalries in the sport, and if there is one opportunity for Jos Buttler’s men to salvage anything from the tournament, they have to show up on Saturday in Ahmedabad.
A place in the 2025 Champions Trophy is at stake, with only the top eight qualifying, but that may not matter as much as not succumbing to yet another crushing defeat – this time against Australia.
“We’ve had a disastrous World Cup and there’s no point sugarcoating that because it’s the truth,” Stokes said.
“But we know these last three games, for us, we’ve got a lot to play for. I think the biggest thing that we’ve got to play for is obviously the pride of what it is to put the three lines on your chest, walking out onto the field every time is a very special occasion and something that we value very highly.
“So, yeah, I know there’ll be a lot of noise around England, Australia in the next game, but regardless of who we play against the feeling of putting that shirt on is something that we take very seriously.”
In order to even compete against Australia, England will have to force a drastic change in fortunes. Buttler’s men crashed to yet another catastrophic defeat against India in the previous game, to lose by 100 runs.
Questions were raised over the leadership, by both the captain and head coach Matthew Mott, who did not help himself when he openly admitted after the India clash that he had only learned an hour and a half previously what would be required for the Champions Trophy qualification.
Even Stokes did not seem to hold any answers: “To be honest with you, we’ve been crap.
“Everything we’ve tried throughout this World Cup, through trying to put pressure back onto the opposition in a way in which we know or trying to soak up the pressure in a different way, which we know we’ve done before and been successful with, it’s just not worked.
“If we knew what had gone wrong, we would have been able to fix it. But unfortunately, we don’t. It’s just been one of those tournaments where, yeah, it’s just been a disaster. And there’s no point sugarcoating it.”
Stokes announced he will undergo surgery following the tournament, to try and solve a left knee issue that has plagued him and England for the last 18 months at least, and forced him to play solely as a batter, which has affected the balance of the side at the Cricket World Cup.
But none of the fault can rest on any one player, it has been a complete collective failure to perform, and an inability to do so against Australia will see the side truly hit rock bottom.

domain: sports


Despite Palestinian gains, peace may be broken again say experts
by Fatih Şemsettin Işık
ANKARAAug 28, 2014 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Fatih Şemsettin Işık
Aug 28, 2014 12:00 am
On Aug. 26, the Israeli government accepted a longterm two-step cease-fire agreement brokered by Egypt 51 days after the start of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Although it seems that the heavy blockade of Gaza will be eased by Israel, the agreement may not last long according to experts Israel and Hamas agreed on Tuesday to an Egyptian-mediated plan to end the fighting in Gaza after 51 days of fighting. The cease-fire formally came into effect as of 16:00 GMT on the day the agreement was signed. On the same day, Khaled Mashal, the political leader of the Hamas movement, called President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and informed him about the ongoing cease-fire talks according to sources in the Prime Ministry's Office. On the following day, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press statement about Turkey's being content with the bilateral compromise.
"A cease-fire is a significant step for halting the violence and facilitating permanent peace in the region. It is of vital importance to comply with the cease-fire agreement and to find a solution to all matters of dispute in negotiations between the two sides. We wish those two sides demonstrate the necessary political will in this respect," the statement said and emphasized that Turkey will maintain its efforts to provide a sustainable ceasefire in which the legitimate demands of Palestinians are satisfied.
While Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said, "They declare the victory of the resistance, the victory of Gaza," on the Israeli side, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced strong criticism from the country's newspapers over a campaign in which no clear victor emerged. Ufuk Ulutaş, who is a columnist for Akşam newspaper and writes pieces about the Middle East, stressed that the lifetime of the agreement is dependent upon Israeli public opinion of Netanyahu. "The cease-fire agreement is accepted as a disaster and a kind of retreat in Israeli public opinion unlike Hamas, who declared it a victory. I think this agreement will not live long and will last until Israel attacks again because Netanyahu is under great pressure from the opposition," he said. The agreement consists of two steps. First, Egypt accepted opening the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, and Israel agreed to allow Gaza to receive goods, including humanitarian aid and construction equipment under the control of the Palestinian Authority. "I think the agreement brings gains and losses for both sides.
Israel pledges to ease the blockade on the condition that the Palestinian Authority controls the borders. That shows the demands of both sides are satisfied to a certain extent," said Ulutaş. Can Acun, a researcher on Middle Eastern politics from the SETA Foundation, emphasized, "Each cease-fire process without Israel's blockade removed will end with the restart of conflict," he said. He also pointed out that even Egypt disregarded Hamas and other resistance groups in Gaza - diplomatic initiations from Turkey and Qatar and military success in the area provided this two-phased agreement to be accepted. "While Hamas and other resistance groups were at the table as main actors, it seems like they push most of their demands through Israel and Egypt. Raising criticism toward the government in Israeli public opinion and celebrations for victory in Gaza, are among the biggest manifestations," he said.


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|10-11-2012, 12:46 PM||#17|
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: The Highlands of Scotland
Did this route (more or less) last year but in the opposite direction and loved it. More please!
1997 R1100GS, 1985 Laverda RGS, IBA # 44014
Noob in Namibia South Africa, Swaziland and er... Iron Butt SS1000 (Scotland pics) Ireland's North and West National Rally of Scotland Botswana
Three Dawg screwed with this post 10-11-2012 at 12:53 PM
|10-12-2012, 02:31 PM||#18|
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Southern Africa
Into the Parks
As the new day breaks, we slowly pack up and air the tents before continuing to Katima Mulilo. Within a few minutes we enter the town and look for the Total garage.
After paying our Road Fees (N$140) and refuelling, it’s time for coffee next to the Tourist office down the road.
While we are standing at the reception of a brake and clutch specialist, an officious-looking local pulls up to ask if we can’t arrange to sell him a Kawasaki scrambler. As it happens, Errol had to leave his KLaaR at home when it would not run reliably on his shakedown ride and they exchange contact details, but shipping may be a problem!
After stocking up on supplies, we ride out on the B8 to Rundu. That’s a long way off, even on these straight roads that could put a crow out of business.
We want to do a loop through the national parks to the west. That means we turn southwest down the C49 just outside town:
Some local products are on display along the way, but their utility is restricted to this area.
..and the proximity of water.
Many kids in school uniform happily wave as we pass. Perhaps it has more to do with the start of the school holidays than with us.
Learning to Serve starts here.
We reach the end of the tar and hit the dirt.
Mostly, though, life out here in the sticks life is simply about survival, starting with long walks to and from water sources.
And it starts early- even these little girls have to help.
The turnoff to Mamili is about 140 km from Katima: but it’s signposted as Nkasa! They seem to be into the renaming game here just like South Africa.
The approach is…interesting around the first water features.
…over a rickety bridge
..that can take a loaded 4x4, but I’d hate to see this in the rainy season…
..like this submerged bridge further on.
Many of the dodgy structures have been replaced by new steel bridges.
On the first one we run into a “fanclub” who mob us to they take pictures of each other with their cellphone cameras.
The road skirts around wetlands and we start to see game along the way to the Main gate.
There’s an intersection before the entrance (there is no gate) with an office to the right and what looks like a private campsite towards the left. We turn right and meet up with Morris, who runs the office. He’s friendly enough but quite insistent that “those Hondas” aren’t allowed in. “Are BMWs welcome then?” but he misses the joke and refers us down the road to “one of the private camps”.
There are some of the ..er, sandier sections to navigate before we get there, but what we find is quite a pleasant surprise.
It’s called the Nkasa Lupala tented lodge, and from a deck with a mokoro décor theme we have a great view over the marsh in front of a wooden deck. There’s cold beer, and we settle down to enjoy some whilst asking about the entertainment and accommodation options.
The tent lodges are N$1400 per night per person (about USD 170), but there’s a community campsite “only 10 minutes away”. This turns out to be an understatement as we have to retrace our tracks to Mamili’s office, back a few km to the main road to reach it:
You could do worse than this, with a fresh fire under the “donkey” for hot showers and firewood provided for free. In the bushes behind our tents an elephant is munching away at the branches.
On the other side is an open “kitchenette” with a fireplace where we prepare our supper on our community hosts’ grille as the sun sets over the water covering the marshes in front of us. What can I say but “Another great day in Africa”?
|10-31-2012, 01:43 PM||#19|
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Southern Africa
Amongst the offerings at the Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge is a game drive. Since our Hondas are not welcome in the reserve, we have booked a game drive for the next morning. By six o’clock we are sipping coffee and our guide, Joster, soon arrives in his Land Cruiser with two German tourists aboard. There are elephants all along the road we covered twice yesterday.
While the sun is just rising Joster takes us past a large termite mound and explains that, after the insects have been devoured by an anteater, warthogs like to move into the empty shell.
We struggle a bit to match the animals we see with Joster’s nomenclature- he has his own names for the animals in the reserve, like the new “Sad Will stork”.
Despite driving right up to the Kwando river, we see no predators but only some buffaloes far away, a few impala and elephants closer by and quite a few water birds in between.
Until some reed buck jump across the road.
It’s windy by the time we get back at the camp and pack for the next reserve. The return to the main road is much quicker than the previous day and we soon pass another two-track turnoff. It’s the Mudumo Game Reserve, but we give it a miss. Bikes are not likely to be welcome there either.
30 km up the road we pass a little village and go looking for supplies.
Unfortunately the beer is warm because the paraffin for the fridge ran out.
Across the road, better luck.
A little further is the turnoff to Camp Kwando, our next destination, less than 2 km from the main road.
We can Highly Recommend this place!
Surprisingly, the campsite is “full” but after some negotiation a spot for 3 bikes and 2 tents is found, as well as a braai grid for the meat packs on sale at the office.
After setting up the tents, we settle down on the deck overlooking the river after which the camp is named. The sight is stunning.
Mrs Owl is mesmerised …
… by the Jacanas walking on the water below.
It’s time for a boat trip up the Kwando river with the camp’s aluminium boat. Like the rest of the camp, it’s well organised and includes drinks.
Naturally, there’s quite a bit of bird life along the river banks and we spot bee-eaters and kingfishers, some plovers and the usual crocodiles.
Another pod of hippos.
We return after sunset and set about preparing supper. Across from us two semi-retired couples from Swakopmund spoil us with cold Windhoek lager and wine. They make up for the meagre braaipacks we bought.
Next morning we get some advice for other places to stay from our new friends, who line up to see us off.
We exchange addresses and head out for the short ride to our next campsite.
A few hundred metres from Camp Kwando is a “mansion” behind two imposing baobabs. We pop in to see what is happening behind the thatch fence.
There are only men, and they are busy brewing some umqombothi (sorghum beer). Surprisingly, they are using South African ingredients!
We are shown around by Mike Kamburi, who is actually from Divundu (200 km to the west) where he has a plot of 20 ha. He wants some help to farm it, but there is not much we can do even when we get there two days later.
It turns out they have a vegetable store in one of the huts. Pity we did not stop by yesterday!
There’s a wide gravel highway with more road works along the way to Kongola.
We get fuel, but the Trading Store is closed - it’s Sunday! Fortunately, we can get some fresh coffee across the road at a small café run by a German fellow with a local partner. He’s happy to sell some of the stuff, as he usually ends up drinking it all by himself.
Our next camp is just across the river from here, and fortunately there is a kuka shop along the way, open for business.
We pass underneath the new 350kV transmission line connecting central Namibia to Zambia’s power grid (and not Ruacana, as I first thought).
The bridge across the Kwando river is the gateway into the Bwatabwata National park, our next destination.
The turnoff to Bumhill camp is directly after the bridge. We have had reports that it is run-down and has been abandoned. The sign points skyward and the brick buildings nearby are burnt out, the water-tower is devoid of a tank.
But three of the platforms overlooking the Kwando river are still intact, with bathrooms and solar water heaters, although most of the thatch is on the ground.
We settle on the largest platform and, grabbing some of the thatch into a bundle, quickly sweep the floor clean.
Within a few minutes the tents are up, food is laid out, riding kit is blowing in the breeze and it’s time to unpack the booze.
Beer from a cup, cider from a bottle and a truly spectacular setting.
We make supper upstairs, watching the power lines coruscating on the horizon while Errol counts the gearchanges of the trucks crossing the bridge.
The ablution blocks are falling apart, but fresh water is 100m downhill, where we are able to clean up ourselves and the utensils.
But we are not alone.
Kudu and impala graze in the forest, where elephants have made their mark by rubbing the bark off a large baobab.
We later hear that this tree is actually a member of the aloe family, and its bark has medicinal qualities that the elephant make use of.
Do it before you die!
Lure of Zanzibar/Mozambique via Vilanculos/Snow in Lesotho?/Great Wall, Iron Curtain/Islands,Falls,Rocks & Blocks/Salt,Silver&Stone/Two Twins Hit Namibia/Caprivi (S)trip
1NiteOwl screwed with this post 11-01-2012 at 02:57 PM
|11-20-2012, 12:22 AM||#20|
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Southern Africa
Despite the state of disrepair, the location and view at Bumhill are really appealing (not to mention the fee!). After a tranquil night we grudgingly clean up, pack up and turn west onto the Transcaprivi highway (B8) towards Rundu. As elsewhere, the tarred roads are ruler-straight.
The distances here are too great to supply water to the settlements from a reservoir, so it’s boreholes and manual pumps.
During the Border War, South Africa had bases spread all along Namibia’s northern border. We pass Omega (former base of 31 Battalion). Its members were bushmen used as trackers by the Portuguese secret police (who called them flechas =arrows) against the Angolan liberation forces (MPLA, FNLA and Unita). When the Portuguese withdrew, the South African Defence Force absorbed them into combat group Alpha, later renamed Omega. hence the name of the base.
Sixty km further, we reach the turnoff to the former base of 32 Battalion or Bravo group. This counter-insurgency unit consisted of former FNLA soldiers trained and led by white South African officers. Since their insignia comprised a buffalo head, they came to be known as the Buffalo soldiers.
31 and 32 Battalion were involved in most of the major operations of the Border War. We decide to take a look at the abandoned base. The gate down the road is unmanned and wide open.
On the left of the road is the workshop and officers mess, on the right the NCO quarters.
The NCO’s quarters consist of small huts. The furthest ones are next to the Okavango river.
There’s not a soul around, and every last door frame, window and roof sheet is gone.
In the corner, spent 12.7 mm cartridge cases lie overgrown by weeds. The war is over.
Out of the 1791 SADF casualties during the 23-year conflict, 146 were from this unit. The cemetery is further down the road in what is now ironically called Buffalo Game Park but again, no bikes are allowed.
The names of the members who were killed in action have been engraved on plaques on the unit’s Ere Stomp (Tree of Honour). This was moved to the Voortrekker monument in Pretoria when the base was closed down.
So far, the Africa Twins have been lavished with attention. Now the Dakar starts to demand its share, beginning with a disintegrated mudguard on the corrugations back to the main road.
Back on the B8 we cross the Kavango river before getting to Divundu. Signposts clamour for our attention- stay with us!
The local garage is out of fuel, but there is a welcome bakery selling fresh food.
We turn south from the B8 to head for Botswana. At the turnoff, a cow on offer in kit form. Not very appetising.
The lodges advertised further back unfold to our left, hugging the path of the river. Popa Rapids has a campsite and an entrance fee. For N$20 we are allowed to have a look, but not much is visible (or audible) from the riverbank, even when we ride up onto the beach.
Tour operators have pitched their tents at the campsite, but there's not much of an atmosphere despite the location.
We ride a few kilometres further to Camp Kwando, which was warmly recommended by our Swakopmund friends a few days ago. After a sandy approach we pull up in front of Cameron, a portly gentleman with a bushy grey beard and a welcoming smile.
There are three clocks at Reception, and the bottom one is local time: Nunda Time is… no time!
We get shown around the campsite by Mathilda and after briefly considering a tented camp (with en-suite bathroom), we plump for a plain camping spot near the river. It’s almost within sight of a pod of hippos, who apparently forage here at night, too.
After cleaning up (there is even a filtered water tap at the ablution block) we settle down on the deck for a sundowner. The light gently fades as we drain our drinks and settle down for dinner in the dining room.
Sundowns don't come much prettier than this...
|11-29-2012, 10:44 PM||#21|
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Southern Africa
Time to Turn Back
As at most of these places, boat rides are on offer. We arrange a mokoro trip the next morning, to take a closer look at the “waterfall”. Our guide Joseph, who tells us his father was a member of Koevoet battalion, and after the war they stayed in South Africa until 1996, when he decided to move back to his roots.
The mokoro gets towed upstream by the camp’s cruising boat and we get dropped off a stone’s throw from the falls.
The “beach” is really sandy, with rocks jutting out on the short climb to the falls. Close up, Popa Falls looks more impressive than before.
Wildlife along the shore is limited to crocodiles and waterbirds like this reed cormorant.
Local fishermen compete with both for a catch. The water is pretty shallow along the riverbanks- it’s the end of the dry season.
Joseph points out a jackalberry tree and explains that our campsite has been named after the seeds (Nunda).
Back at the camp, we reluctantly pack out bags. We’ve reached the furthest point of our trip, and now it is time to start the return ride home.
It’s a short stretch from Nunda to the Botswana border, and after the formalities plus another 50 Pula road tax we soon reach the Mahango Game Reserve again (we passed through it last year on the way to Kaokoland). We get warned to stay on the main gravel road through the reserve after signing the register at the gate.
After a “splash and dash” for fuel in Shakawe we cover the 10 km to Drotsky’s Lodge. Ikageng is at reception and waves us on down the road to the campsites after making arrangements to join in the sit-down supper.
We end up next to site we had a year ago and take our time to set up camp before drifting over to the bar for a beer with Cyril, who is running the camp and has been around these parts for decades. We quiz him about the northern loop around the delta, which we considered doing, but he says its all reserves and not accessible by bike.
After a great buffet supper We light up a fire - because we can!
As we are enjoying breakfast I spot a familiar face cleaning out the fireplace: it’s the man who found my GPS last year (ripped off my bike by the monkeys)!
Time to pack,
Time to pay. Mrs Drotsky is at reception with Ikageng and offers coffee on the house before we go, while I photograph the carved pangolin anteater (“ietermagog”) behind the counter. It is unique in being the only mammal with reptile-like scales.
We mention our interest in visiting the Moremi reserve and within one minute we are connected to Joyce and Simon Paul at Maun Rest Camps who say they can take us the next day- whoohoo!
I did mention that the Dakar was needing attention the previous day, and as we try to leave Drotsky’s, it won’t start. Fortunately after a quick tow the engine bursts into life. I should have paid more attention to this…
We ease down the road skirting the delta in a south easterly direction- we have been warned of speed traps. It’s a hot and boring ride.
Even the cattle seek out the shady spots.
After about 125 km we have a choice of two filling stations in Gumare.
150 km further brings us to Lake Ngami.
Our timing is spot on: the catch of the day is just being hauled in, while piles of fish are being scaled and gutted nearby.
Bream, bream, bream
All along the shore, Marabou storks stand watching for scraps while the fishermen keep a beady eye on them.
One of the fishermen asks for help with his Chinese outboard motor and we decide to do our good deed for the day. After some stripping and fiddling it is obvious that the motor has seized. A sharp smack with a rock and spanner succeed in freeing the piston, but after two pulls on the starter it’s stuck again- we recommend a rebuild to the hapless owner.
There’s another veterinary fence just outside Maun where we get a free Wash ‘n Go before proceeding.
We reach Maun late in the afternoon and after getting some fresh supplies at the local Spar and a bundle of firewood en route we scan the side of the road for signs to Maun Rest Camp.
We find it soon enough and find Joyce in the office, with a string of dogs in tow.
There is a permanent tent available, but then Simon arrives in his Land Cruiser and suggests “The Green House”.
Once we get there, we call it heaven.
|12-18-2012, 01:30 PM||#24|
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Southern Africa
Moremi to Kokonje
The Green House has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, fridge, fireplace outside, etc. etc. It’s like a home from home. After a great supper around the fire we go to bed early, as the departure for Moremi is at 05H30 the next morning.
The canvas curtains around the Land Cruiser's seats get closed before we leave, but the wind still takes its toll and despite our initial rejection, the blankets get pulled out one by one. From the end of the tar the corrugations rock us around until we pull up at South Gate an hour later.
The roads in Moremi are sandy two-tracks winding through a mopane forest.
The forest looks stunted once we have covered some distance from the gate - the trees are no more than 3 metres high as far as the eye can see. The cause of this phenomenon is the overpopulation of elephants- according to Simon there are three times more of them than the country (Botswana) can support; something has got to give.
Giraffe bow and scrape as we pass.
Simon is in his element and chats away as we head deeper into the park and stop for breakfast.
He has a theory about baobabs and elephants, believing that the animals are aware of the medicinal properties of this aloe-like plant….
…..while ignoring the danger of the huge kigelia Africana pods dangling overhead.
Although we fail to spot any predators, their prey abounds. In the bush,
in the marsh as we approach the water,
and obviously, below the water.
Third bridge is the furthest point from South Gate. There is a rest camp with ablutions where we get a chance to stretch our legs before setting off for the pans and the return leg.
Some oxpeckers hitching a ride see us off.
It’s dark by the time we return to our Green House and everyone turns in early- it’s been a long day!
We slowly pack up the next morning, and after scraping the cash together to pay our bill we say our goodbyes.
There’s a great coffee bar at Motsana, as well as a few curio shops and a dance floor. We indulge.
After refuelling in town we exit Maun and hit the road to Gweta.
Halfway there we pass two motorbikes alongside the road: it’s Marko & Sylvie again!
We stop to compare notes (and bikes). They go for the pannier look.
I want to pass by Baynes Baobabs, 30 km from A3 road, but it is inside the Nxai Pans reserve and again, no bikes allowed. So it’s Planet Baobab outside Gweta for us instead, where we are welcome.
There’s an open restaurant and well-stocked bar where we get something cold to drink.
Old news photos and Drum magazine covers line the edge of the roof; in our corner are a few featuring a very young Winnie Mandela!
We refuel and restock at Nata without much ado and I try to up the pace a bit to try to get to our destination for the day before nightfall.
At Dukwi we turn west off the main road …
… to Sua Pan, and Kokonje Island.
It's mainly two-track stuff, with sandy washes every now and then.
A momentary lapse of concentration through a dry riverbed results in the first crash of our trip. I should have paid more attention to this.
As the light fades we still have 20 km to go, but this is not the time to discuss the distance to go. “Amper daar” is the best answer.
We reach Kwadiba gate at last, and fortunatey it is still open. We sign the register and head straight for the pans. Under our wheels, the soil imperceptably turns to salt.
The tracks start to criss-cross all over the place as we approach the island and begin searching for a suitable camping spot. We eventually locate a short gravelly track into the grass around the edge of the island, pitch our tents and prepare our last supper under the stars.
By now we are down to our last packed rations. It’s a bag of "instant" fish pie and it looks as appetising as it sounds; everyone claims they aren't hungry, but the cold beer from Nata makes it palatable.
|12-20-2012, 06:11 PM||#26|
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
This is one of the reasons I love ride reports - to see a place I would likely never get to experience myself.
|12-20-2012, 08:34 PM||#27|
Gnarly Poolside Adv.
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Darnestown, MD
Amazing Ride Report
Thank you for posting the wonderful ride report and pictures. This is a trip I dream of, and it is inspirational to see you accomplish it!
All the Best,
|12-20-2012, 09:18 PM||#28|
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: Snowy Mountains Oz
Great stuff, reminds me of my only vsisit to Africa a few years ago when I went to Botswana to help train bush fire fighters for a few weeks. Great place and great people, I'll be back.
Met a Lion at Chobe:
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text:
ST. PETERSBURG, June 1. /TASS/. German oil and gas company Wintershall will spend the biggest part of its investments totaling 4.4 bln planned for 2017-2020 to the projects in Norway and Russia, head of the company Mario Mehren said in an interview with TASS.
"Norway usually accounts for the biggest share of the investments we are doing because these are offshore projects, which are more expensive. Number two is Russia. Significant part of money is going in Russia in the development of the Achimov 4 and 5 formations," Mehren said without specifying the figures.
Wintershall does not rule out cooperation with Russian companies on its projects in Iran, Mehren has noted.
"It is an option for the future," he said when asked if the company is considering a possibility of creating joint ventures with Russian oil companies to develop Iranian projects.
Mehren noted that his company has good experience of working with Russian oil companies Gazprom and Lukoil.
Mehren also said that now it is too early to talk about establishing such partnerships.
"Once we have more clarity of that picture we will start thinking about additional international partners," he said.

domain: finance


text:
Jump to navigation
William Henry Willshire, Adelaide born, joined the South Australian police in 1878 and in 1882 was posted to central Australia.
Historical Person | By Robert Foster | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century
Wirrarninthi/Park 23 is the site of a Kaurna food and medicine trail, a playground for children, and sporting facilities.
Historical Place | By Tennille Anderson, Linnell Hopkins, April Mears and Caitlin Videon, Australian Environmental History Course, Flinders University of South Australia and Jude Elton, History SA | Parklands, Southwest corner, West Terrace | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century
At the time of its installation in 1995, Yerrakartarta was the largest public commission of Aboriginal artwork in Australia.
Historical Thing | North Terrace | 1990s, Aboriginal Country pre-contact, late twentieth century
African and Asian Zambians have resettled in Australia since 1973 when the White Australia Policy was abolished.
Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | late twentieth century
African and Asian Zimbabweans were not permitted to resettle in Australia until after 1973 when the 1901 Immigration Restriction Act, better known as the White Australia Policy, was abolished
Discover the people who have shaped Adelaide
Explore the city's built environment and famous Parklands
Find the stories behind the city's public artworks, monuments and memorials
Browse some of the themes that contextualise the city's history
Learn about the organisations that have made the city tick
Find out what's drawn people into the city's streets
Explore some of the early maps, plans and panoramas that trace the development of the city
Discover the city's history through a rich collection of museum objects
Explore Adelaide by following a themed tour
Share your memories, stories and pictures with the Adelaidia community


text:
This Day in History: 1943-04-01
Brigadier Lionel Showers, who had commanded the 1st Battalion in North Africa, recalled in an article he wrote for the 1973 Regimental Journal: ‘We were again pulled into Corps Reserve as the advance crept forward and reconnaissance was made of the next German defensive position at Wadi Akarit. I remember an amusing incident on 1st April  when as an April Fool jest we fired off every weapon we had. This caused a great panic at Corps HQ who thought the Huns had broken through. To their frantic signals we replied that we always tested our weapons after a period of action.’
Lionel Showers (centre) as a Lieutenant Colonel commanding the 1st Battalion, awaiting the arrival of His Majesty King George VI to review the Battalion in North Africa, 19th June 1943. On the left of the picture is Subedar-Major Narbahadur Gurung and on the right, next to Showers, is Subedar Lalbahadur Thapa VC.

domain: history


What's Driving Growth for AR/VR?
Gartner’s recent list of top tech trends for 2019 included immersive experiences, which they described as follows:
“Conversational platforms are changing the way in which people interact with the digital world. Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) are changing the way in which people perceive the digital world. This combined shift in perception and interaction models leads to the future immersive user experience."
Below, some of the anticipated themes related to VR/AR that will play a role in the coming year and beyond are explored:
Global AR & VR product revenues are expected to grow from US $3.8 billion in 2017 to US $56.4 billion in 2022, a 71 percent compound annual growth rate. This includes enterprise and consumer segments (ARtillry Intelligence).
- In VR, consumer revenue will eclipse enterprise revenue by a 3:1 ratio in 2022. Standalone VR like Oculus Go will accelerate consumer adoption.
- Head-worn AR will find a home with consumers. However, its specs and stylistic realities inhibit several consumer use cases in the near term. Apple’s potential 2021-2022 introduction of smart glasses will shift AR’s momentum and revenue share toward consumer spending.
- By 2022, enterprise AR’s revenue dominance over consumer AR will decelerate as smart glasses begin to penetrate consumer markets. Until then, mobile will dominate consumer AR, with most revenue derived from software as opposed to hardware (smartphone sales aren't counted).
The patterns of investment and development in the different sectors in which VR/AR are applicable – or potentially applicable – show the increasing applicability of this technology beyond the games and entertainment fields that saw its birth in the 1990s; 38 percent of respondents, for example, believe VR growth in the enterprise sector has been “strong” or “very strong” for example, with an equivalent figure of 43 percent for AR (The XR Industry Survey 2018).
- Education is the enterprise sector that has been prioritizing VR/AR the most, and is the most competitive, despite the fact that it traditionally has had much less spending power than industry. Of respondents who reported that they are already using XR technologies, 23 percent were in the education sector.
- Architecture/engineering/construction was a close second at 18 percent. Healthcare is quite low on the list despite the obvious VR/AR potential in diagnosis and therapy, with just 7 percent of those using this technology coming from the healthcare sector.
- Industry expectations are that AR will blossom in the mainstream before VR does, in part because of the availability of open content development platforms like ARCore and ARKit, which have no VR counterparts.
- Many industries see benefits in the long term from combining VR and AR. VR’s superior ability to create a fully immersive environment currently gives it the edge in training and educational applications.
Sixty-two percent of service organizations say that AR is providing measurable value for service in the following ways: better knowledge transfer among employees, increased employee efficiency onsite, improved first-time fix rates, and fewer truck rolls (IDC / PTC).
Written by Kris Kolo, Global Executive Director, VR/AR Association; excerpted from the ISACA Now Blog


text:
MIDNAPORE, India: The kidnapped officer-in-charge was released on Thursday by the Maoist. Atindranath Dutta is the officer-in-charge of the Sankrail police station in West Midnapore district and was kidnapped by the Maoist on Tuesday after they killed two of his colleagues and looted the entire armoury of the police station.
Kishenji, the Maoist leader said to the media, “We have freed Atindranath Dutta, the Sankrail OC, after 15 tribal women were released on bail by a Jhargram court as per our demand…We have kept our promises made to the family of the OC. If we commit something to someone, we try to honour that and the delay in releasing the OC was caused by the joint forces which had tried to attack and kill our men even though we had promised to release the OC.”
The leader denied any involvement of mediator in releasing the OC. He said the family of the Atindranath Dutta had appealed to him for his release and he had urged the West Bengal government to release some Lalgarh women who were picked up by the police and implicated falsely.
Kishenji also added that he said the Maoist will be releasing the officer only when WB government discharged the Lalgarh women from jails.
Thursday morning the court in Jhargram released on bail the fifteen tribal women as per the demand of the Maoist.
The officer was released Thursday evening at Domohani near Dharampur in the presence of mediapersons and a local lawyer. He was freed in a dense forest and from there the journalists accompanied him walking down to a metal road near Domohani.
West Bengal chief secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty said at Writers’ Buildings to the media, “Now, we are feeling good that the OC was released by the Maoists at about 5.30 pm.”
Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh said, “The operation (against Maoists) will continue. There is no question of toning it down… Kishenji has always been our target. We will find him. But the task will be difficult.”

domain: law


text:
The mobile coach offers 3 types of screening to women: breast, cervical and colorectal.
The coach visits over 60 locations in communities throughout the Northwest logging 17,600 kilometres each year.
Our current Physician Health Human Resource Plan supports the positions listed below.
Applicants must be eligible for licensing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (www.cpso.on.ca) and/or certified in their specialty/sub-specialty or eligible for certification with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (www.rcpsc.medical.org).
Family Practitioners must be certified with the Canadian College of Family Practice.
full-time positions (Alternate Funding Plan)
full-time and part-time Hospitalist positions
active hospital and community based general practitioners
2 – full-time positions
1 – full-time position


text:
On this page you will find a selection of resources offering useful information relating to the Enterprise Zone. If you would like any further documents or information added here, please email firstname.lastname@example.org.
- Spatial Framework: See how Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone is developing
- Heritage Assessment: This document highlights the historic legacy of the Enterprise Zone site, helps inform development proposals and illustrates the opportunities.
- Simplified Planning: Planning is important in making the Enterprise Zone a success. The use of Local Development Orders will be used where possible to give advance planning consent for certain forms of development.
Temple Quarter Partners:
- Bristol City Council
- Homes England
- Network Rail
- West of England Local Enterprise Partnership
- University of Bristol
Some existing sites in Temple Quarter:
- 2 Glass Wharf
- HERE Bristol (formerly Bath Road Studios)
- City Point
- Engine Shed
- Paintworks, managed by Verve Properties
- Temple Studios, managed by TCN UK Ltd
Other useful links:


text:
In a bowl, mix the egg with all the other ingredients up to and including the poppyseeds, allow to stand for approx. 10 mins.
Carefully unfold the pastry sheets, brush with a little butter. Stack the sheets on top of each other. Spread the poppyseed mixture over 3/4 of the dough, leaving a border of approx. 3 cm, fold the pastry ends inwards. Loosely roll up the strudel, place it seam-side down on a baking tray lined with baking paper, brush with the remaining butter.
Approx. 25 mins. in the centre of an oven preheated to 200°C. Remove from the oven, allow to cool a little on a rack and dust with icing sugar.

domain: food


text:
a song for youに関連があるかもしれない動画(YouTube)
|Stephanie A Song For You|
|Stephanie and Hikari A Song For You|
|Hayley Kiyoko - Girls Like Girls|
Music video for Girls Like Girls performed by Hayley Kiyoko. Buy This Side Of Paradise EP on iTunes ...
|Andi Janeway A Song For You (for Stephanie Bagdasarian)|
A song for you, dedicated to my good friend Stephanie Bagdasarian, without whom, my life would not be the same.
|hey look stephanie i have a song for you|


text:
You may need: Adobe Flash Player.
Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed to see such fun
And the dish ran away with the spoon!
Music kindly supplied by:
< Songs and Rhymes page
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domain: library