There are a lot of sorts of audio system connections, and totally different programs and devices have totally different connection strategies. It implies that whenever you stack plenty of loudspeakers vertically, the vertical dispersion angle decreases as a result of the individual drivers are out of section with one another at listening positions off-axis within the vertical aircraft. Our WLA sequence of line arrays bring sonic detail and extreme SPLs together. Plan a complete moveable or mounted loudspeaker system and determine delay settings for fill loudspeakers. For max deployment flexibility, KLA loudspeakers may be either ground deployed or flown. Small column loudspeakers, nonetheless, best speaker manufacturer factory continued very successfully in speech PA, comparable to for places of worship, the place intelligibility is all-important (see the photo below). 500W x 500W, two-method, energetic, line-array loudspeaker; 12-inch woofer, 1.seventy five-inch compression driver; 90′ x 18′ nominal coverage angle; self contained riggingsystem, accessible in black. Housed in a rugged ABS enclosure that ends in both lightweight and long-term durability, the KLA12 contains a 12-inch low frequency transducer coupled with a 1.75-inch compression driver. KLA loudspeakers incorporate QSC’s DEEP DSP algorithm – offering extended bass response by actively managing potentially damaging low-frequency transients – and GuardRail circuitry safety which prevents the amplifier module from unnatural and harmful clipping. Consisting of two fashions, the QSC KLA12 12″ 2-means lively loudspeaker and the QSC KLA181 Energetic Subwoofer, the KLA Line array system could be configured in many ways. Compared to flown speakers, they require much less vertical dispersion to cover entrance to back and the resulting array may have little curvature. I’ve bought 2 (ea) units of those arrays with the matching subwoofers and used them 5 times since, used it in a live performance hall, in a gym, an out of doors occasion and twice in a restaurant and have had no issues however nice good clear-clear sounds out of those speakers with individuals telling me of how great the sound is and having nothing however good compliments. The TOA SR-D8-M is an all-in-one lively line-array speaker that features CobraNet protocol digital audioinput, digital signal processor, digital energy amplifier and speakers configured in a line array. Signal Supply ought to have Volume Control System,comparable to Mixer.Switch on: First to start the control System,then switch on the road array Swap off:First to change off the road array ,then the management system. With dangerous sound the audience won’t ever know how good your band is. He advised me to invest in Energetic Line Array speakers however I will probably be sincere I really don’t know what these are or the advantage of ALA vs common powered audio system. These line array speaker programs are perfect for a broad range of functions including: stay sound venues, stadiums, performing arts facilities, theatrical sound design, auditoriums, houses of worship, bands, sports activities amenities, educational amenities and themed leisure venues. The KLA12 Ar-Q (Arcuate Equalization) processing allows users to quickly tune the array, making applicable frequency compensation adjustments primarily based on the variety of bins. There are two fashions of βseries line array system,β-a &β-b POWER. Designed to be used solely as a hard and fast arcuate line array, every KLA12 is about at a 90 horizontal by 18 vertical splay angle, permitting 90 vertical coverage arrays to be configured utilizing solely five bins (most other options require six). The KLA12 Ar-Q(tm) (Arcuate Equalization) processing permits customers to quickly tune the array, making acceptable frequency compensation changes based on the number of containers. A vertical array of drivers may have the same horizontal polar pattern as a single driver. Lively speakers typically use energy integrated circuits, constructed-in amplifiers, low price, easy design and has a whole protection. Arrays of as much as 480 lbs (218 kg) (with a most 5 KLA12 and two KLA181 enclosures) may be flown through the included M10 fittings or the optional KLA AF12 array body. Extra energy module traits on KLA include a balanced, line-degree XLR enter in parallel with an XLR “Thru” connector, PowerCon In and Via connectors, Attenuation Control and LED indicators for Sign, Limit, Energy and Standby standing.
The VTX-LZ-V25-MB mount bracket has been designed to securely connect VTX-LZ units to VTX V25, VTX V25-II or VTX V25-II-CS line array programs. The system options state of the art RCF transducers, two powerful 10” for a stable bass replica and a big format three” voice coil compression driver to deliver vocal readability and excessive definition with an unbelievable dynamic. Some shiny spark designer decided that the loudspeakers needs to be mounted in cylinders (cylinder = tube, get it?) and a number of other should be mounted at intervals along the platform, parallel to the platform and simply above ready passengers’ heads. The KLA12 includes a highly environment friendly 500 watt by 500 watt power amp. KLA loudspeakers incorporate QSC’s DEEP DSP algorithm – offering extended bass response by actively managing doubtlessly damaging low-frequency transients – and GuardRail circuitry protection, which prevents the amplifier module from unnatural and harmful clipping. The primary time I ever performed on a KLA array speaker, I was impressed with the sound quality (which is to be anticipated) in addition to the throw distance and dispersion (which is what a line array system is designed to do). Housed in a rugged ABS enclosure that results in each light weight and lengthy-time period sturdiness, the KLA12 contains a 12-inch low frequency transducer coupled with a 1.seventy five-inch compression driver. The EJW115A-B is designed to supply energy to the EJW115X-B and the two EJ20003-B arrays. Active speakers significantly simplify the interface of the sound system and are very simple to connect. QSC KLA12 powered loudspeakers make it simple to set up a classy line array PA. With 5 presets than may be loaded on the rear panel, the category D amplifier is prepared for 85-264Vac universal mains and options numerous electronic protections to guarantee the use of the speaker system in excellent sound and protected operation. These KLA active speakers are the reply, in functions the place conventional PA powered audio system are no longer sufficient to move the mandatory air and quantity. Refine system design to supply one of the best coverage of the meant viewers area. The connection is easy and straightforward to make use of, and the lively speakers greatly simplify the connection of the sound system, utilizing less audio cables and reducing the cost. The KLA12 includes a extremely efficient 500-watt by 500-watt power amp KLA12 Energy Module module and the KLA181 provides the same extremely environment friendly energy amp module in a 1,000-watt configuration. TOA is exhibiting its brand new Energetic Line Array Speaker System – the SR-D8 – at this year’s Prolight + Sound exhibition, Frankfurt. This efficient design enables up to five KLA fashions (any mixture of KLA12 and KLA181) to be pushed off of a single 15 amp, a hundred and twenty volt electrical circuit. The KLA Series is comprised of two models, the KLA12 12-inch, 2-means loudspeaker and the KLA181 18-inch subwoofer. With simply 5 of these containers, you will get complete 90-degree vertical coverage to send sound evenly throughout a big viewers. TOA is demonstrating its newest Lively Line Array Speaker System – the SR-D8 – at Prolight + Sound 2013. The system includes of a subwoofer with integral amplifier and a cluster of 4 x full range speakers which are driven by the amplifier within the subwoofer enclosure. Loudspeakers naturally have a characteristic directional response — almost omnidirectional at low frequencies, tightening to a focused beam at high frequencies. We’ve covered loads of technical materials so far, and it is price going again for a moment to the aim of the road array, which is to deliver sound to all the viewers, at just about the identical level, all the way from the entrance to the again. To you guys and ladies, I might like to say thanks — you gave us all of the know-how we need to make great-sounding line arrays. EaseFocus has information for numerous manufacturers allowing comparability of several loudspeaker techniques. A 1,000 watt, 15″ powered line array speaker in a wooden enclosure.
one hundred degree horizontal protection to achieve wider sound discipline and viewers space. This speaker features a CobraNet protocol digital audio input, digital signal processor, digital power amplifier, and speakers configured in a line array. The VRX932LAP is a powered, light-weight, compact 12″ two-method line-array speaker system designed to be used in arrays of as much as five items. TOA has mixed its proprietary line array know-how and digital sign processing (DSP) expertise in developing the SR-D8 active line array speaker. Visitors also can get an unique take a look at a variety of latest TOA quad digital amplifiers designed to work alongside TOA’s voice evacuation systems. Veyron10 is an lively array system which combines the simplicity and practicality of aesthetics to deliver top quality sound in a variety of indoor and out of doors environments. The thought here is to mix a number of full-vary loudspeakers, each of which is designed to have a constant directional sample over a wide range of frequencies. See interactions amongst loudspeakers and minimise harmful interference. We just ran energy and an XLR with signal to the first speaker and then jumped them together with quick XLRs. Mid-format line arrays are usually two or three means and use 10 or 12 inch low-frequency drivers. 1 Calculated for 1 m, based on sensitivity (full-space for full vary programs and half-house for LF-only and subwoofer programs) and peak energy functionality of amplifier. Arrays of up to 480 lb. (218 kg) (with a maximum five KLA12 and two KLA181 enclosures) might be flown by way of the included M10 fittings or the non-obligatory KLA AF12 array body. Moose Sound construct all the things in-home, which allows them to supply a full vary of custom ending options to their systems and merchandise. Within the KLA12, QSC offers you a modular line array speaker with a “Click on and Play” design. As a ground stack, up to two KLA12 enclosures could be mounted over the KLA181 or the KW181 subwoofer via a threaded pole socket, or with out a sub utilizing an appropriately rated loudspeaker stand. The Imperio mini line array system consists of the Imperio Sub, a ten-inch, 400W Subwoofer with a Class D digital amplifier (you can opt for the 700W 2 x 10′ Subwoofer), and the Imperio speaker cupboard with twin four.seventy five-inch woofers. In a situation where the knowledge content material of speech is of major significance, the classic answer to intelligibility is to use many small loudspeakers and have them near the people — clearly, pointing at them and not at reflective surfaces. This efficient design enables as much as five KLA models (any combination of KLA12 and KLA181) to be pushed off of a single 15 amp, one hundred twenty-volt electrical circuit. The D.A.S. loudspeaker items have been teamed up with a single M-75 compression driver and objective-designed injected aluminum excessive frequency waveguide. KLA12 enclosures additionally function the Tilt-Direct 35mm pole socket allowing the loudspeaker to be aimed downward 9° for the very best viewers protection. It’s clearly potential to see how rather more directional, and how much louder, the larger array is. You can even clearly see the ‘aspect lobes’ that develop — an unfortunate by-product of all line arrays that the sound designer must consider. The unit up for grabs is Steerable Active Line Array Speaker SR-D8. The CLA collection from Seismic Audio is the most exciting sound reinforcement choice on the market as we speak. The KLA Series brings the ability and class of a line array system into a straightforward-to-use product considerably redefining the road array product category. Select the DEEP mode (Digital Extension and Tour Processing), and QSC’s DSP algorithm offers noticeably extended bass response, whereas actively protecting your speakers from damaging low-frequency transients. KLA12 Energy Module module and the KLA181 offers the identical highly environment friendly energy amp module in a 1,000 watt configuration. The local hyperlink permits up to three SR-eight-S speaker units to be linked in series to at least one SR-D8-M allowing a line array of up to four connected audio system to be configured.
It means that if you stack a variety of loudspeakers vertically, the vertical dispersion angle decreases because the person drivers are out of section with one another at listening positions off-axis in the vertical airplane. Our WLA sequence of line arrays bring sonic element and excessive SPLs together. Plan a whole transportable or fastened loudspeaker system and decide delay settings for fill loudspeakers. For max deployment flexibility, KLA loudspeakers could be either floor deployed or flown. Small column loudspeakers, however, continued very successfully in speech PA, such as for locations of worship, where intelligibility is all-important (see the picture below). 500W x 500W, two-manner, lively, line-array loudspeaker; 12-inch woofer, 1.75-inch compression driver; 90′ x 18′ nominal coverage angle; self contained riggingsystem, accessible in black. Housed in a rugged ABS enclosure that ends in both light-weight and long-time period sturdiness, the KLA12 includes a 12-inch low frequency transducer coupled with a 1.seventy five-inch compression driver. KLA loudspeakers incorporate QSC’s DEEP DSP algorithm – providing prolonged bass response by actively managing doubtlessly damaging low-frequency transients – and GuardRail circuitry safety which prevents the amplifier module from unnatural and harmful clipping. Consisting of two models, the QSC KLA12 12″ 2-means energetic loudspeaker and the QSC KLA181 Active Subwoofer, the KLA Line array system will be configured in many ways. In comparison with flown audio system, they require much less vertical dispersion to cowl entrance to back and the ensuing array could have little curvature. I’ve purchased 2 (ea) sets of these arrays with the matching subwoofers and used them 5 occasions since, used it in a concert hall, in a health club, an outdoor event and twice in a restaurant and have had no issues but nice good clear-clean sounds out of those speakers with individuals telling me of how great the sound is and having nothing but good compliments. The TOA SR-D8-M is an all-in-one lively line-array speaker that options CobraNet protocol digital audioinput, digital signal processor, digital power amplifier and audio system configured in a line array. Sign Supply ought to have Quantity Management System,such as Mixer.Change on: First to start out the management System,then change on the line array Swap off:First to modify off the line array ,then the management system. With unhealthy sound the audience will never know how good your band is. He informed me to put money into Lively Line Array speakers however I will likely be trustworthy I actually don’t know what those are or the benefit of ALA vs regular powered audio system. These line array speaker techniques are ideal for a broad vary of applications including: reside sound venues, stadiums, performing arts facilities, theatrical sound design, auditoriums, homes of worship, bands, sports facilities, academic services and themed leisure venues. The KLA12 Ar-Q (Arcuate Equalization) processing allows customers to shortly tune the array, making applicable frequency compensation adjustments based mostly on the number of containers. There are two models of βseries line array system,β-a &β-b ENERGY. Designed to be used completely as a set arcuate line array, every KLA12 is ready at a ninety horizontal by 18 vertical splay angle, permitting ninety vertical protection arrays to be configured using only 5 containers (most other solutions require six). The KLA12 Ar-Q(tm) (Arcuate Equalization) processing permits customers to shortly tune the array, making applicable frequency compensation adjustments based mostly on the number of containers. A vertical array of drivers may have the identical horizontal polar pattern as a single driver. Active audio system usually use power built-in circuits, built-in amplifiers, low price, simple design and has a complete safety. Arrays of as much as 480 lbs (218 kg) (with a maximum 5 KLA12 and two KLA181 enclosures) may be flown by way of the included M10 fittings or the optionally available KLA AF12 array frame. Further power module traits on KLA include a balanced, line-stage XLR input in parallel with an XLR “Thru” connector, PowerCon In and Via connectors, Attenuation Management and LED indicators for Signal, Restrict, Power and Standby standing.
Subsequently, each enclosure must be designed to rig collectively intently to form columns composed of excessive-, mid- and low-frequency speaker drivers Increasing the variety of drivers in every enclosure increases the frequency range and most sound pressure degree, while adding extra packing containers to the array will even decrease the frequency by which the array achieves a directional dispersion sample. The SUB 8006-AS is the largest and strongest energetic sub woofer in the professional sequence. The answer is to devise a loudspeaker that is tightly targeted within the vertical dimension however spreads sound extensively in the horizontal dimension. As an energy saving characteristic, the Auto Standby mode routinely engages after 5 minutes of inactivity but upon resumption of audio sign, the ability module on the KLA will awaken instantly for immediate output. Two loudspeaker clusters, every made up of four AX2065 dual 6.5-inch compact line array parts, are flown left and right, with a pair of ED12P passive 12-inch two-approach loudspeakers flown in the centre above the stage. Therefore, every enclosure have to be designed to rig collectively intently to form columns composed of high-, mid- and low-frequency speaker drivers. The QSC KLA speakers had been designed to be really easy to assemble, that you can even put an array collectively alone if it is advisable. Operators are aided of their task with the distinctive self-contained SOLO Rigging System that lets you shortly assemble and disassemble an entire rig with out the necessity for any particular instruments or hardware. Prompt configurations embrace 2 × SXA18P subwoofers usable from 37Hz to 180Hz, plus 4 × SXA28P audio system usable from 77Hz to 18kHz and one STAGEDRIVE+ Digital Processor that includes manufacturing facility presets and consumer memory for customized presets. The revolutionary D2 Dual Driver dramatically improves the sound and efficiency of excessive frequencies, offering an excessive output advantage over standard techniques with significantly greater array power, diminished distortion, double the variety of voice coils and more than double the ability handling. The lower portion of the road array is generally curved backward to increase dispersion at the backside of the array and permit sound to achieve more audience members. Our firm is without doubt one of the leading energetic line array speaker system manufacturers and suppliers in China. The TOA SR-D8-S is an all-in-one energetic line-array speaker that options CobraNet protocol digital audio input, digital signal processor, digital power amplifier and audio system configured in a line array. Additional power module traits on KLA embody a balanced, line-degree XLR enter in parallel with an XLR “Via” connector, PowerCon(tm) In and Thru connectors, Attenuation Control and LED indicators for Sign, Limit, Energy and Standby status. KLA loudspeakers incorporate QSC’s DEEP DSP algorithm providing prolonged bass response by actively managing doubtlessly damaging low-frequency transients and GuardRail circuitry protection, which prevents the amplifier module from unnatural and damaging clipping. The EAW CLA37 column loudspeaker uses seven three-inch drive items to achieve a protection of one hundred twenty degrees horizontal x 30 levels vertical, thus controlling the vertical dispersion tightly. The higher each of those standards can be achieved, the extra controllable the beam of sound from the array can be. A very good point is made by Ralph Heinz of PA producers Renkus-Heinz: “The answer to the question of whether a line array is a line source is ‘nearly by no means’.” Heinz’s comment demonstrates that a theoretically perfect line supply is just about inconceivable to attain. Βseries active line array is specifically designed for opera house, small-to-medium auditorium and odd entertainment venues. I bought 30 of these after testing towards three different model audio system and deciding these sounded greatest, and appeared most sturdy out of the bunch. The second is that if every audience member is delivered sound (apart from the exception famous) by only one loudspeaker, plainly there’s going to be a limit to how loud the sound can be. There’ll all the time be a task for centre clusters but, as we will see, there are more versatile (actually) forms of loudspeaker distribution.


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With only two weeks remaining before my return to Australia and to the world of full time employment, I am keen to complete this 30 Day Song Challenge (which incidentally, has occupied over two months now). I have been dreading today’s song choice because it constitutes one of those ‘don’t go there’ topics. The famous quote “the only certainties in life are death and taxes” (attributed to both Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain) is a fatalistic proverb which suggests that because we have no choice but to experience both, impending death should somehow ease our dread of taxes. I don’t understand taxes anymore than I comprehend death, but I suppose there is a connection with working to pay ’the man’ before you ‘meet your maker’. Still, I think it’s a sardonic quote that provides little reassurance or comfort in the face of mortality.
I much prefer this from Margaret Atwood, who said the following about novels “if there must be deaths, let there be resurrections or at least a heaven so we know where we are”. If you haven’t guessed by now, the theme for today is a song you would play at your funeral. One of the most curious characteristics of most people is the reluctance to consider their own mortality let alone plan for their own funeral. As life insurance and legal companies are quick to point out, this neglect can lead to unfortunate consequences for family and loved ones left behind, with them having to make some difficult choices during a time when all they want to do is grieve. Perhaps if we regarded each breath as potentially our last, we might live life differently and thereby leave a better legacy for our loved ones. Thinking and talking about death doesn’t have to be morbid, it need not detract from the enjoyment of life. On the contrary, this could be a liberating attitude, enabling an unabashed celebration of life.
It seems to me the capacity to hold the joy of life without being overwhelmed by the sorrow of loss is a gift that requires an acceptance of impermanence, a deep spirituality and an unwavering faith in something bigger than this mortal existence. I strive for this acceptance in my life, yet struggle with missing those who have passed on to another place. Funerals should give release to these conflicting emotions, giving mourners permission to laugh, cry, reflect and be grateful for life itself. Today is my father’s birthday, he would have been seventy-eight. Last year, my mother chose two beautiful songs for his funeral and to this day almost eighteen months later, I cannot bring myself to listen to those tracks. One day I will write about the experience and the songs that were playing as we entered the chapel with bowed heads and as we left, carrying my father’s coffin. At this point in my life, my preference would be a funeral dominated by music, with a songlist reflecting my eclectic tastes, featuring many of the artists foregrounded in this blog. To bookend my own funeral service, I would like two songs by a couple of my favourite contemporary musicians, Ben Harper and Sarah McLachlan. Just like death itself, they need no introduction or explanation.
Causes Cindy Sullivan Supports
Plan: 'Because I'm a Girl'
Fred Hollows Foundation

domain: literature


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Urban fantasy isn’t just a literary genre; it’s also a TV genre, even if it isn’t necessarily referred to as such by many people in TV Land.
Urban fantasy shows have been around for quite a while now, starting with the likes of the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits, both of which were more sci-fi than anything else but still had some urban fantasy elements to them.
The first real urban fantasy show that I remember watching was Night Stalker, about a private detective in a big city who investigated various supernatural goings on. Then in the nineties there were shows like Friday the 13th (nothing to do with the Jason movies), which was an early precursor to Supernatural.
The urban fantasy genre didn’t really take of, though, until about ten years ago when a slew of new shows came along that featured supernatural characters and weird goings on in a largely urban setting.
Writers like to think of themselves as literary types who get most of their inspiration from books, but with so much great TV and cinema around these days, it’s hard not to be influenced by it. I for one am greatly inspired and influenced by a lot of TV shows and movies in the urban fantasy genre, which is why I decided to compile this list.
The list isn’t in any order, as all the shows mentioned are great in their own right.
1. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Although I wasn’t a huge fan of this show, I did watch the first few seasons and I did enjoy it, mainly because I was a big horror/dark fantasy fan and there just wasn’t any TV shows around at the time in those genres, so Buffy was a welcome breath of fresh air.
The main reason I mention it here is because I credit Buffy with paving the way for all the supernatural themed shows that came after.
In many ways, Joss Whedon’s urban fantasy hit defines the genre, featuring as it did a young, female kick ass heroine, loads of action, supernatural characters and references to the occult, not to mention the obligatory romance (although paranormal romance is its own genre now, at least in books).
So Buffy goes at the top of the list for breaking new ground and allowing other shows like Angel and Charmed to follow soon after.
Although I said this list wasn’t in order, Supernatural will always be at the top of my list for best urban fantasy show. Featuring the unstoppable Winchester brothers, Supernatural took the themes laid out in shows like Buffy and made them darker and more appealing to an adult audience.
The show built its reputation on featuring angels and demons and the classic good versus evil story lines which now feature heavily in most of the urban fantasy literature out these days, not least my own novel series.
Supernatural is still going strong even after ten seasons and long may it continue.
3. True Blood
We can’t mention urban fantasy shows without mentioning True Blood. This show features every UF trope you can think off, from vampires to werewolves to fairies and everything in between.
What sets the show apart from a lot of the other UF shows is the fact that it’s aimed squarely at a mature, adult audience. It doesn’t hold back with the bad language and sex scenes; neither does it shy away from violence. It was the unflinching nature of True Blood that made it work for me and it was a welcome change from the plethora of teen shows around at the time.
True Blood has finished now, having gone as far as it could I think. You can still read the books on which it was based though.
4. Sleepy Hollow
I hated the original film as it was made by Tim Burton, one of the most overrated filmmakers ever (Edward Scissorhands notwithstanding, but the success of that movie was more down to Johnny Depp’s performance).
Thankfully the new TV show is nothing like the movie. Based around a familiar premise of two characters hunting monsters and trying to stop the supernatural fiends from unleashing evil everywhere, the show is fresh enough and well written enough to make it stand out.
I love the main actors also, especially David Giuntoli who does a great job of playing the stranger in a strange land, which makes for lots of humorous asides as he tries to understand the new world he finds himself in.
5. Teen Wolf
Yes of course I was a massive fan of the Michael J. Fox movie back in the 80’s, but Teen Wolf the series is nothing like the movie of the same name. Thank god!
I had high hopes for this show when it first started and I was glad when it didn’t disappoint. Great story lines and great acting (especially from Dylan O’Brien who now stars in The Maze Runner) make this show unmissable for UF fans. A lot of money is thrown at it as well, which shows in the high production values. My only gripe is the obligatory teen romance scenes, which just annoy me because I’m forty years old and not a teen anymore (thank god!). Thankfully, the suitably dark story lines and supernatural action more than make up for this.
6. Hemlock Grove
I love this show, partly because it is so off beat, and partly because it manages to put across the usual UF tropes in a really original way. Again, vampires, werewolf’s and other supernatural characters feature heavily, but they are done differently enough to make the show stand out from all the other UF TV shows. The last season especially was really weird and different, making this show one of my favorites. It’s based on the book of the same name by Brian McGreevy, which is also worth checking out.
It took me two attempts to get into this show but I’m glad I stuck with it. Grimm is about a cop who sees monsters…and then kills them, because he’s a Grimm and that’s what he does. He’s helped by his best friend, who is also…a monster. Grimm doesn’t have the same wide appeal as the previous shows but fans of UF will love it.
8. Penny Dreadful
I loved this show as it was different to much of the UF fair that came out of the US. Penny Dreadful is a British show that is set in Victorian times and features a lot of familiar characters from that era, such as Victor Frankenstein and his monster and even Dorian Grey, along with a whole slew of other supernatural creatures.
What really set this show apart for me is not only how well made it is, but also the quality of the acting on offer, especially from Eva Green, who is simply spellbinding in this show. It also rather surprisingly features one time movie heart throb, Josh Hartnett. Can’t wait for season two.
9. American Horror Story: Coven
I may be veering away from the urban fantasy genre slightly when I mention American Horror Story because as the title suggests it is mostly set within the horror genre. Coven however featured a storyline about witches and in that sense it was more UF than the other seasons, and also the best by far. Dark as hell but still with a twist of humor, Coven featured a fantastic storyline and even better acting performances from all concerned.
10. Lost Girl
It took me a while to get into this show, mainly because I thought it was aimed more towards a female audience, which it is. None the less, I ended up hooked on it. Lost Girl features the Fae, a race of supernatural’s who of course are hanging out in the big city. The lead performances are all excellent, especially from Anna Silk who plays the lead succubus really well, and also from Ksenia Solo who injects her sarcastic wit into the show. New season has just begun.
11. Being Human
Being Human is a show about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost all sharing the same house and trying to lead “normal” lives, which of course, never happens.
I loved the original British version of the show as it focused more on characterization and drama rather than big story lines. The American version that followed maintained the same feel and is almost identical to the original in every way—except for the accents of course.
Being Human is down to earth urban fantasy and highly recommended.
As you might have guessed from the title, Salem is about witches and is set back in the 1800’s when the idea of witches reached an hysterical peak, most famously in the town of Salem. The show isn’t a history lesson by any means and does a fine job of weaving together witchcraft, horror and small town paranoia. It’s what you would call deliciously dark and features an amazingly powerful performance from Stephen Lang as Increase Mather, the puritanical witch hunter. Roll on season two.
Constantine is the new kid on the block as far as urban fantasy shows goes, but it certainly ticks all the boxes for what constitutes a UF show, maybe more so than a lot of the others on this list.
Fans of the Hell Blazer comic series will be well aware of John Constantine already, but for those that don’t know he is the main character in this show, a self-proclaimed “master of the dark arts” who helps people with their supernatural problems whilst also trying to deal with his own at the same time. The show features the usual angels and demons, but they are well enough drawn to set them apart from those in the other shows.
Matt Ryan plays the character of Constantine very well, managing to bring some of the humor from the original comics to the screen. It took a few episodes to find its stride, but when it did it became really good and a new favorite of mine.
[Update: The show was shamefully cancelled, only to return as a short animated series. Constantine himself pops up in a couple of other shows such as Arrow, but for me, it isn’t the same.]
Lucifer had a good run of it before it was cancelled. Based on the comics written by Neil Gaiman amongst others, the premise is basically Lucifer with a day job, in this case playing detective while also dealing with his own family problems. Lucifer himself is superbly played by Tom Ellis, striking just the right balance (most of the time) between dark and scary, and funny and camp. The show is fairly light-hearted, but can often veer into darker territory, which for me is when the show was really good. With almost every episode, I found myself questioning why I was watching such cheesy drivel, but then after ten minutes I’d be totally engrossed. By the end of each episode, I’d be gagging for more.
Another show based of a popular if somewhat cultish comic series written by Gareth Ellis. The show revolves around a preacher, a vampire and a kickass girl, usually fighting for their lives when they aren’t winding each other up. The series took a while to find its feet, but once it did, it started to get interesting, if a little too off the wall at times. It doesn’t flinch from violence and isn’t afraid to be dark and repulsive. It’s also got a sense of humor and overall, is quite uncompromising in its own way, a trait that I will always applaud in any show.
I have to admit to loving this show. Before I sat down and watched it, I was expecting a lame teen drama sort of thing, but it turned out to be anything but. Yes, there is teen drama, but it serves the story and is handled in a very adult way. Overall, I like how gritty the show was, and how well acted it was also. Maddie Hasson, who I remember watching in forgotten classic The Finder years ago, is superb in the lead role. I hope they make a season two.
17. Van Helsing
Van Helsing is supposed to be a different take on the age-old vampire mythos, and in that sense, it succeeds very well. It doesn’t say too far from the established vampire lore, but it twists it enough to keep things fresh and interesting. What I most like about the show is how adult-orientated it is. The show isn’t afraid to be dark or violent, both of which it is. The characters are straight out of an urban fantasy novel, especially the kickass main character, played with awesomeness by Kelly Overton.
I don’t even know where to begin with this show. It’s confusing, genre-bending and tripe as all hell at times, but at the same time, and for those very reasons mentioned, it’s also awesome and highly original. Just go smoke a joint and watch it if you haven’t already.
19. Ash Vs Evil Dead
Like every other fan of the movies, I was over the moon when this show got announced. There was no way it could be bad, and it wasn’t…not by a long shot. It’s horror-leaning urban fantasy at its best. Incredibly violent and funny at the same time. Why the show ended up cancelled is truly fucking beyond me. Shame on you, whoever made the decision to ax this awesome show.
I watched the first two seasons of this show before I lost interest in it, but that’s to say this is a bad show. It isn’t. The scripts are clever and full of wit and snark, and each episode has at least one laugh out loud moment. It’s light-hearted UF, but it’s done well and the lead actress nails the part.
I absolutely loved this show. It’s crazy over the top at times, but also very funny, very dark and very damn entertaining. This is largely due to the performances of the characters, especially Christopher Meloni in the lead, who completely nails his role. The show is based on a comic book series written by Grant Morrison. Season two is also coming. I can’t wait. Oh…and a little blue unicorn is the star of the show!
22. The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
Based upon the comic, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, this Netflix takes the character and setting to much darker heights, and to great effect. The visuals are stunning, and the show gets extra credit in my book for hanging paintings by Clive Barker on the walls of the High Priest’s sanctum. The acting is pretty much spot on, with the lead actress being well cast. It can be a little slow verging on boring at times, but over all the show is solid and worth watching if you like witches or just dark fantasy.
23. The Rook
Bit of a slow burner this one. Set in London, it has great cinematography and great performances from the cast, but as I said, it’s a little slow for my tastes and I struggled to maintain interest in it sometimes. Still worth the watch, though.
24. Good Omens
Based on the book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. A tale of the bungling of Armageddon that features an angel, a demon, an eleven-year-old Antichrist, and a doom-saying witch. Very faithful adaptation of the book.
25. Stranger Things
We’re three seasons into this 1980’s set sci-fi/urban fantasy extravaganza. It’s awesome. There’s not much more to say. Go watch it. Now.
26. Carnival Row
Very well made show that deals mostly with the Fae. I thought I would’ve enjoyed it more, but I didn’t, and couldn’t really get into it. Still worth checking out, though.
27. His Dark Materials
Another very well made show, but like Carnival Row, I couldn’t get into it. I think these bigger productions try too hard to be something more than what they are. They try to dress up the urban fantasy to give it an air of seriousness that ends up coming across as pretentious, and often boring. I say stick with the books on this one, but others might enjoy it, which is why I include it here.
28. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Wait, this is a cartoon. It doesn’t count!
I beg to differ. If this awesome show isn’t urban fantasy then nothing is. It hits nearly all the tropes. And did I mention how awesome it is? And how well written it is? And how great the voice acting is? And like, pizza, dudes!
So that’s my list. What about yours? Share your favorites in the comments below!

domain: artistic


text:
Conservative school board victories can have a deterrent effect on racial justice efforts
Following the assassination of George Floyd, many school districts increased their focus on racial justice, explored their curriculum, attitudes, disciplinary practices, and more.
Last week’s election results could complicate these efforts.
In Virginia, education was a major contributor to the victory of Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, who campaigned to emphasize parents’ rights to, for example, block classes in a novel depicting the brutality of slavery.
And race has been a factor in hundreds of school council elections and attempts to remove school council members. It appears that these challengers have lost the majority of their races, although there is no comprehensive record. Still, many observers argue that the victories of these Conservative candidates and the intense heat the races generated will have a nationwide impact.
People on both sides of the debate are predicting a chilling effect on school administrators, school principals and teachers who may now fear that any attempt to combat racism in their school systems will be labeled divisive and that parents who resist will be re-enacted will feel encouraged protest loudly.
“I honestly think it’s a big impact,” said Dan Domenech, executive director of AASA, the School Superintendents Association. He said curricula could potentially be changed if parents complain and superintendents who support solid work on racial justice might not be hired.
He noted that most school board members would be elected in the spring and predicted that these debates would intensify in the run-up to these competitions.
“In the places where they haven’t had these problems, they are very cautious, concerned and cautious,” he said. “It won’t go away. That will spread and that will grow. “
And in communities where Conservatives have won seats, school boards may reconsider lessons on systemic racism, often referred to as “critical racial theory,” and review policies to promote diversity.
Scott Henry easily ousted an incumbent to take a seat in Houston’s Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District after a campaign focused on how race is taught in schools. Teaching Critical Race Theory, an academic field of study, is already illegal in Texas, but Henry claimed it is still being “interspersed” in class.
“That’s what we need to address and be careful about,” he said.
Henry campaigned with his conservative candidates Lucas Scanlon and Natalie Blasingame. The trio was supported by national conservative political action committees who sent out mailers and created websites for them promoting the group as “Christians, Conservatives.” [and] Patriots ”who believe in a“ biblical worldview ”.
Ballotpedia, a website tracking US politics, identified 96 school districts with a total of 302 seats for elections where social issues and the response to the coronavirus were major campaign topics. These include, for example, questions about mask requirements in school, comprehensive sex education, rights for transgender students and how race is taught in the classroom.
The group found that school board members in these districts were less likely than usual to run for re-election, and incumbents who ran were less likely to win.
Still, Ballotpedia found that candidates who took a conservative stance on race, gender, and pandemic issues failed to win most of their races. Of the 275 candidates Ballotpedia was able to name, around 28 percent of the winners took a conservative stance.
Teacher unions that support racial justice work said persecuting them also resulted in more gains than losses. “The vast majority of them won, even when facing well-funded right-wing candidates,” said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, the country’s largest union, although she had no data to support that claim.
But others see a deterrent effect in the run-up to Election Day and the results. Pedro A. Noguera, dean of the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California, said he had received many questions from superintendents about how to deal with the backlash.
“My guess is that many are being silenced out of fear,” said Noguera. “These are angry mobs that come to board meetings. When dealing with angry people, it is not easy to talk to people in a sensible way. “
The threat of violence against school officials was so intense that the National School Boards Association wrote to President Biden in September, suggesting that it could be some form of domestic terrorism. The group later apologized for some of the language in the letter after being criticized by some of its state affiliates, despite the FBI saying it would set up a task force to respond to the violence.
The school districts’ intense focus on racial justice came about as part of the accountability movement in education that aimed to improve schools by holding officials accountable for results. The tests required by the No Child Left Behind Act brought a keen focus on racial performance disparities across the country, but the accountability measures provided for in the act did not resolve the problem.
After that, many schools turned to the issue of “justice” and how to deal with racial issues. Efforts included trying to hire more color teachers and introducing alternative disciplinary practices that aimed to reduce the suspensions that were often disproportionately passed on to color students. In the classroom, the teachers worked to better integrate different perspectives and cultures.
Floyd’s assassination in May 2020 sparked a more intense attempt to directly counter systemic racism. However, critics, including President Donald Trump, argued that these lessons portray all whites as oppressors and all coloreds as victims. Spurred on by activists like Christopher Rufo, Trump called all schools’ efforts to address systemic racism a critical racial theory that is not taught by any K-12 system, but rather assumes that racism is anchored in American institutions.
That year, conservative donors and groups focused money and resources on school board races.
That includes the 1776 Project PAC, a conservative group that opposes anti-racial education and says it has spent about $ 137,000 in 58 races. A separate group called 1776 Action, inspired by Trump’s now-defunct 1776 commission, recruited at least 75 Conservative school board candidates to sign a pledge to “defeat the venomous Critical Racial Theory-inspired curriculum,” said Adam Waldeck, the 1776 president Plot.
More than 200 other candidates, including many who will vote next year, have also signed the Pledge, a six-point pledge calling for civil servants to be removed, “the one wrong, divisive and radical view of America and our fellow citizens Promote with new leaders who “respect our history, our values, our rights, and the God-given dignity of every human being.”
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who is considered a potential Republican candidate for the White House in 2024, was the first to sign the pledge.
“If you asked most people years ago, they probably didn’t know who was on their school board,” Waldeck said in an interview. “People are so focused on the White House and Congress, and I think people have almost forgotten that the decisions that matter most to us are right under our noses at the local level.”
Conservative influence was strong in Douglas County, Colorado, where a number of four Conservative school board candidates ran an open campaign against critical racial theory and other diversity initiatives. All four won.
Krista Holtzmann, a four-year-old incumbent who lost re-election, blamed national-conservative groups who, in her opinion, “have fanned a right-wing extremist base that puts all their anger and fears in a bucket called the CRT [critical race theory] and use it as something that divides. “
“CRT was a topic for which nobody on the other hand could give me an example that it happened on site,” said Holtzmann, 52. “It was a national topic of conversation that was brought into our district.”
Juli Watkins, another losing candidate in the race, initially dismissed “a loud minority” of people who accused teachers of “indoctrinating students with critical racial theory”.
However, she saw a growing anger over issues related to race, gender and pandemic restrictions during school committee meetings that debated when children could return to school in person. In the months that followed, billboards and signs for previously unknown school board candidates flooded Douglas County, a Trump stronghold south of Denver. The group even ran campaign ads denouncing the teaching of critical racial theory during ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
“I thought it was a joke when people told me this,” Watkins, 52, said of the school board’s ads on Monday Night Football. “I was always aware [the conservative candidates], but I really didn’t consider them a great threat. “
Other communities opposed similar conservative campaigns.
In 2020, the coastal community of Guilford, Connecticut anticipated the murder of Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis by introducing more diverse perspectives into the school curriculum and changing the school’s nickname, the Indians.
As this unfolded, some students expressed confusion and frustration as they spoke to their parents about the complex issues of race, gender, and history that were raised in the classroom, said Arnold Skretta of Guilford, an attorney not on the school board School was time.
Educators and the school board emphasized to the families that no critical racial theory was taught in the classroom, but some parents and officials did not believe them and in a Zoom forum accused the district of trying to make people of color more welcome at the expense of white Jewish Christians ” said Skretta.
“At that point it was more obvious, overt racism,” said Skretta, 42.
Five Conservatives are running for the school board after ousting three more traditional Republican school board members in GOP elementary school in September. Skretta had watched her rise and joined a group of Democrats and Independents to fight her.
The Conservatives drew national interest and money into their race and made multiple appearances on Fox News, but last week they lost 2 to 1 margins.
Skretta attributed a high turnout, saying it could not have won without significant voter engagement. He hoped this could be a blueprint for racing elsewhere.
“What happened here in Guilford is the result of a city engagement,” he said. “Democrats cannot allow the right to arm school authorities with weapons.”
Copyright: (c) 2021, The Washington Post

domain: sociology


text:
Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
Last week, WWD published an interview conducted with Comme des Garcons creative director Rei Kawakubo on the occasion of the grand opening of her IT Beijing Market shop in China. WWD's story contained then-revelatory gems including a suggestion that Comme des Garcons may be up for sale, a transcription that suggested Kawakubo disdained all young designers, and the assertion that their interview was a "rare" one.
This week, in an interview with Hypebeast, Comme des Garcons' International President Adrian Joffe strikes back at WWD—saying that the industry paper "twisted the words of Rei" and the WWD story amounted to a bunch of "scandal-mongering." See for yourself...
In a recent interview, Rei was quoted as being dismissive of the current crop of younger designers. Could you shed some light on what exactly she meant?We've reached out to WWD for a response and will keep you posted as this story develops.
I believe you mean the interview that was published from the establishment rag known as WWD. We were rather upset if not shocked by the way they twisted the words of Rei and made it sound like she was dismissive of young designers in general. Everyone knows that Rei respects enormously all-young designers that work hard and believe in creation. Comme des Garcons are constantly on the lookout for creative talent to have in our multi mark shops, and anyone who knows Dover Street Market London will know we have many young designers there. She was merely making the comment about a lot of young people in general these days, not just in fashion, as they hope and expect for success too quickly and are too impatient. In her time, it took years and years before she was really able to make a proper living at making clothes. However she knows that the times are very different now and she knows how hard it is. She is in no way dismissive of young designers, as she only wants to encourage them to be strong and creative and follow their own vision. Sharing spaces with people like them is the fundamental idea behind Dover Street Market London and I.T Beijing Market.
Throughout the years, Rei has sparingly offered English language interviews, in reality is she less of a secretive person as many may believe?
This is another fallacy. Rei did at least ten or fifteen interviews in 2010 alone. We did five in Beijing just last week, even though WWD falsely called their particular one “rare”. What nonsense! She is not so much secretive as simply unwilling to talk about her private life and she doesn’t like being photographed. She basically doesn’t trust journalists because they often twist what she says and turn it around to make their point. She has very often been deceived by journalists in this way. The scandal mongering WWD’s article of last week is a case in point. Not only did they dare to publish a totally unauthorized photo of Rei, they also twisted many of her own words, or taking them out of context, to make them sound revelatory when they were not. For example, they made it sound that Comme des Garcons is for sale, which it totally isn’t. They called my 100% joke about waiting for an offer, a “half joke?”.
· Adrian Joffe: the idea of Comme des Garcons [Hypebeast]
· Comme Des Garcons is For Sale, Sorta: "We're Waiting for an Offer" [Racked]
· Rei Kawakubo on the record [WWD]


text:
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text:
A Southold man who struck a school bus carrying children and fled the scene of the accident Saturday was later arrested for driving without a license, town police said in a press release.
Efrain Menjivar, 32, was driving eastbound on Route 48 near Depot Lane in Cutchogue when he struck the left rear bumper of the bus as he attempted to pass it, police said.
Mr. Mejivar left the scene of the crash and was found inside the vehicle at his home in Southold, according to the release.
Mr. Menjivar was charged with driving without a license and fleeing the scene of an accident, police said. He was later released on bail, the terms of which were not disclosed in the release.

domain: news


text:
Find providers and contact information
Tours & Safaris in Nigardsbreen - Glacier
Showing 1-10 of 76 results
A nice walk to the traditional spring farms Øvrabøstølen and Setålen. You get a nice view over the Lustrafjord from Setålen....
The walk from Galden to Øvrabøstølen follows a nice path and a forest track and takes about 30 minutes. The path to Brimskår turns of from Setålenstie...
From Nestesessen you can enjoy the best view of the Nigardsbreen glacier.
Myrhønna, the most distinctive mountain in Jostedalen, is a landmark. For centuries the pyramid-shaped peak, buttressed by the Geisdalsfossen waterfall, has been a popular motif with painters and photographers. From the summit you can see both the Jotunheimen range and the Jostedalsbreen glacier.
Eide Farm has a unique history you can learn about. You can see different kind of farm animals along nice pathways. Our cozy farm café offers good foo...
The trip starts at Hestnes, on the southern side of Hafslovatnet. Follow the path along the water, before you cross the main road, and continue up to...
Take off from Fv. 604 towards Jostedalen right after the tunnel in Gardsjølet, after you have passed Fossøy/Sperle. By the first intersection, you take...
Start at Gardshaugen 260 meters above sea level. The path is nice all the way, however, it is quite steep up Bruabakkane.
Before the bridge, there is...
Brunestegen - Slettafjellet - Vorfjellet - Heggdalsvatnet.
From Brunestegen, follow the signs to Jargolane. From there it is steep up to Jargolnipa...
"The finest ice-scenery in Europe", said the English mountaineer William Cecil Slingsby about the three wild ice-falls called Lokebreen, Odinbreen and Torsbreen which tumble down from the Jostedalsbreen glacier at the face of Austerdalsbreen. Here you can get just a taste of the wild glacier landscape without having to walk over the glacier itself.

domain: geography


text:
Five of the men will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates court today, while Abokar will appear in custody at Dunstable Magistrates Court.
A 32-year-old woman arrested yesterday morning on suspicion of money laundering has been bailed.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command raided seven addresses in London and one in Luton yesterday.
Police said a 46-year-old woman was arrested at one of the addresses in north London on suspicion of an offence under section 2 of the Child Abduction Act 1984.
She was arrested in connection with an unrelated investigation over a young girl believed to have travelled to Turkey and has been bailed. Two women aged 20 and 21 were previously arrested over the inquiry on suspicion of an offence under the same legislation. They have been bailed until June.
The Met said the girl's current whereabouts are unknown.


Every year, Consumer Reports runs its Annual Auto Reliability Survey, which gives an owner-based overview of vehicle reliability. There are only a few small surprises in its 2018 survey, and sadly, those surprises aren't great for domestic automakers of all flavors.
Lexus and Toyota have once again topped Consumer Reports' Annual Auto Reliability Survey. Last year, Toyota was on top and Lexus was in second place, but the roles have reversed in 2018. Mazda, Subaru and Kia finish out CR's top five, respectively. Infiniti, Audi and BMW aren't too far behind.
The less-great surprises reflect lowered scores for a number of domestic automakers. Buick has it the worst of all, dropping 11 places to 19th overall. Lincoln and Dodge were the only domestic automakers to improve (2 and 3 places, respectively), while Jeep, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ram and Cadillac all went down in this year's rankings, occupying a solid chunk of the lower half of the survey's rankings -- in fact, every domestic automaker was in the bottom half of the survey this year.
Volvo, though, leapt past all the aforementioned automakers to take the last-place spot overall. CR mentions that much of its low positioning can be pinned on Sensus Connect, the infotainment system that's now standard on a wide swath of Volvo's new cars. If you want to dive deep into the entire ranking, head on over to Consumer Reports' site and check it out.
And then there's Tesla. Tesla fell six spots to 27th place this year. Consumer Reports also announced that the Model S has lost its "Recommended" status after its individual reliability fell into the "Below Average" range. The Model X retained its "Much Worse Than Average" individual reliability ranking, which it also earned in 2017. The Model 3 fared much better than either larger Tesla, with owner feedback predicting an "Average" reliability ranking.
"Just as we've seen with many other automakers, major changes and updates can cause reliability to slide. It can take a year or two for them to work out the kinks with new technology," said Jake Fisher, director of auto testing at CR. "Making air suspension and AWD standard in the 2017 model has added more complexity and more things that could potentially falter."
Of course, Tesla's not exactly chipper at the news. "Suspension issues for Model S have improved 65 percent since last year, and we continue to make further improvements," a Tesla spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "The suspension issues that some Model S customers experienced primarily in 2017 were due to a supplier-related issue that did not pose any threat to vehicle safety or drivability, and presented itself only when the car was parked."
The automaker also had something to say about its Model X rating: "While the earliest production Model X cars encountered some quality inconsistencies, this is simply not a concern for Model X cars being built today, and it hasn't been one for quite a while," a Tesla spokesperson said in the same statement.
Implementing new tech is listed as a possible reason for many of the lower rankings seen on this year's survey. CR notes in its press release that new powertrains and transmissions introduce additional complexity that different automakers handle differently. Some -- CR mentions Honda, Lexus and Porsche -- are building reliable turbocharged engines, for example, while others -- CR lists Hyundai and Mini -- are having more problems.
The Model S wasn't the only vehicle to lose CR's recommendation. CR also stopped recommending the BMW X1, BMW X3, Chrysler Pacifica, Ford Fusion, Genesis G90, Honda Clarity, Honda Odyssey, Kia Cadenza, Lincoln MKZ, Mazda CX-3 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
That said, a number of vehicles were added to the list this year, too. CR now recommends the Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Suburban, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Infiniti QX60, Lincoln Continental, Mazda CX-9, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mini Cooper, Mini Cooper Countryman, Nissan Armada, Nissan Maxima, Subaru Impreza, Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Tiguan.
If you want to see CR's individual rankings for the cars it deems the most and least reliable, check out the gallery below.
: Check out our recommendations for the most fun cars under $30,000.
: Check out our recommendations for the best EVs you can buy today.


text:
Comparative Analysis of Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Anemoclema, Anemone, Pulsatilla, and Hepatica Revealing Structural Variations Among Genera in Tribe Anemoneae (Ranunculaceae)
Published: Jul 27, 2018
Structural rearrangements of Anemone species' chloroplast genome has been reported based on genetic mapping of restriction sites but has never been confirmed by genomic studies. We used a next-generation sequencing method to characterize the complete chloroplast genomes of five species in the tribe Anemoneae. Plastid genomes were assembled using de novo assembling methods combined with conventional Sanger sequencing to fill the gaps. The gene...
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domain: biology


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If your business is suffering from unpaid bills, you are far from alone. Over half of UK SMEs are suffering from overdue payments according to a study released in November, with resulting overall debt rising from £13bn in 2018 to £23.4bn.
The poll by Pay.UK also shows that three quarters of SMEs are having to wait a month or longer over the agreed terms for payment, with 45% waiting two months or more. The amount businesses are spending on chasing money owed has also risen, with just over 20% spending over £500 a month chasing payments.
As the average debt burden per business has increased to around £25,000 from just over £17,000 in 2018, businesses are now struggling to meet their own costs. A third are relying on bank overdrafts, with around a quarter reporting their own late payment problems mean they have had to delay payments to their suppliers. Paying staff and business bills has also become more difficult.
Plans announced in June that moved responsibility for the Prompt Payment Code to the Small Business Commissioner were intended to herald strengthened measures against late payment. The proposals involved imposing fines and binding payment plans, as well as holding company boards accountable for supply chain payments and setting up a fund to help businesses use technology to improve payment management.
There are already reporting requirements for large companies to disclose payment terms and practice, but compliance is poor. Signing up to the Code is also voluntary, except for suppliers bidding for public contracts of over £5m. From 1 September, such businesses must demonstrate they have effective payment systems in place to comply.
The lack of enforcement provisions in the new measures have been met with criticism. Alternative proposals from the Association of Accounting Technicians for companies with over 250 employees to be forced to sign up to the Prompt Payment Code and meet 30- rather than 60-day payment terms have received the backing of nearly three-quarters of MPs.
With the latest figures showing that supply chain payments are an escalating issue, the major political parties have included the issue in their manifestos.


23 Sep FRIDAY FILES – Performance Fabrics Never Looked Better
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The new Passage collection is in BOYAC showrooms now.
To view the collections or request cuttings please contact the BOYAC team boyac.com.au


text:
07 Sep How to Make a Time Lapse Video
I’m one of the lucky photographers (and perhaps rare these days) who learned how to shoot and develop 35mm film in a darkroom. This was part of my college education among a slew of other art courses as I journeyed towards a BA degree in Studio Art. It was here that I fell in love with the process of photography. Creating a mental plan for how to produce an image that’s in your mind. To go from the spark of an idea, to a moment in time, to the darkroom, to a final piece. It’s part of what I love about the artistic process in general, whether it’s painting, lithography, web or graphic design, motion graphics or photography. It’s all a beautiful process.
So after shooting landscapes and sunsets for years I discovered and fell in love with time lapse photography at the end of 2018. The idea of capturing an entire sunset instead of just a few frames was fascinating to me and I was really surprised I didn’t discover it sooner. Of course I had seen it, but of some reason I never got into creating time lapses until recently. As is typical for me when I find something new that I like, I get excited about it and begin to consume everything I can find on the topic. I began following time lapse photographers like Emeric Le Bars and even took one of his online courses which I highly recommend to anyone. His work is amazing and he has a really great teaching approach – really thorough and well explained.
Upon initial research, I quickly realized that I would need to purchase a program called LRTimelapse, by Gunther Wegner. Gunther is an amazing time lapse photographer himself and also offers courses in both time lapse photography and how to use LRTimelapse – which is convenient because the program is very robust and requires some preparation in order to use it to it’s fullest potential. LRTimelapse allows the photographer to process a day-to-night time lapse and blend exposure changes from frame to frame. A day-to-night time lapse is when a photo capture sequence is started before sunset and photos are captured at a specified interval (time between each shot) all the way to complete darkness. This is difficult to capture properly as the lighting changes dramatically as the sun sets and day turns into night (hence the name). This is also referred to as the “Holy Grail” of time lapse photography because of it’s complex nature. Shooting a regular time lapse in lighting conditions that largely don’t change is relatively straightforward – but trying to capture the ever changing scene of a day-to-night time lapse is truly a challenge.
The process that Gunther and Emeric advocate and teach for capturing day-to-night time lapses is called “three-way bulb ramping”. This process involves adjusting one of the three camera elements that affect an image capture – shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. The adjustment is made during the interval in between each photo capture while shooting a time lapse. In Gunther’s e-book he suggests that if you are going to ramp all three parameters for sunset that you start by making the exposure longer (decrease shutter speed), then open the aperture (lower the f-stop number), then increase ISO waiting until a few frames have been captured before making each change. Each adjustment should be 1/3rd stop (the smallest possible) so that LRTimelapse can work its magic in post editing and smooth out the transitions between each adjustment.
After watching countless YouTube videos, reading two e-books and finishing Emeric’s time lapse course, I finally felt confident in my abilities to capture Holy Grail time lapses. I even captured a few Holy Grail time lapses myself using the three-way bulb ramping technique. However, the three-way bulb ramping process requires the photographer to monitor the time lapse from beginning to end – which can last for hours – making small adjustments to shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. While I enjoyed the feeling of learning the foundation of how to create day-to-night time lapses, I was still eager to learn more.
Then one day I received an email for Drew Geraci’s Time-lapse Photography offered by Pro Edu. Pro Edu is an amazing online photography tutorial repository offering courses from industry greats at affordable prices. Drew Geraci is an award winning photographer who specializes in motion time lapse photography and has produced work like the iconic opening sequence to Netflix’s House of Cards. I was immediately intrigued, purchased the tutorial that day and watched the whole thing in one sitting that night.
I’ll admit, at first I was pissed. One of Drew’s first instructions was to shoot in Aperture Priority mode. As you may know, one of the golden rules in time lapse photography is to always shoot in Manual (M) mode – never in Aperture Priority (Av) mode. This is because Av mode will introduce flicker into the shot as the camera adjusts the shutter speed from one shot to the next based on the changes in lighting conditions. Most cameras internal light meter will fluctuate and over or under expose one frame to the next which causes dreaded flicker. That’s the point of using three-way bulb ramping in Manual mode – you can control the shutter speed and make small adjustments at the necessary times instead of leaving it up to the camera. How could an award winning time lapse photographer go against everything I’ve spent months learning about time lapse photography? How could Pro Edu allow him to create a tutorial that flies in the face of conventional time lapse wisdom? I continued to watch in frustrated skepticism as Drew explained.
Drew’s method utilizes a feature in the Sony A7RII and A7RIII (and I believe the A6300) called ISO AUTO Min. SS. This feature allows you to set the maximum shutter speed for any capture in Av or Program mode. The screenshot below is from the Sony A7RIII menu:
So for example, setting this to 4′ seconds (shown below) would mean that the shutter speed would increase throughout the time lapse as the sun goes down and it begins to get darker, but it would stop at 4′ seconds once conditions required a 4′ second exposure. The camera would then continue to shoot 4′ second exposures adjusting the ISO until it reached the maximum ISO setting.
By also setting the minimum and maximum ISO (ISO > AUTO > Right Arrow > Set Min > Set Max) you can control what ISO setting your time lapse will start out at and how high your ISO will go at any point in the shoot.
Adjusting these settings and effectively setting parameters for the time lapse means that you can start shooting and then be hands off for the duration of the shoot – allowing the camera to essentially perform two-way bulb ramping for you.
This technique absolutely blew my mind. While Drew shoots with a Sony A7RIII during the tutorial, I was using an A7RII at the time I watched it. Once I finished the course, I went out and shot a day-to-night lapse in Laguna Beach the next chance I got using his technique. And here is the result:
All in all, a pretty smooth transition and I was really happy with the result. However, using the Sony A7RII I noticed a few frames had jumped way up in exposure in the middle of the shoot for seeming no reason. I easily removed these in LRTimelapse, but this made me a bit skeptical of this approach. After I posted this video and tagged Drew he confirmed that he’s seen similar jumps in exposure with the Sony A7RIII model. So I did some online hunting, found an A7RIII model, upgraded and I couldn’t be happier.
This experience has reminded me that even though you feel confident in the process you’ve learned and come to rely on, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t different and, in this case, better ways to achieve the same result. I’m so glad that I purchased this tutorial and gave Drew’s technique a chance. I use the technique I learned from Drew’s tutorial every time I shoot a day-to-night time lapse and I’ve gotten some great results which can be seen on my YouTube channel. I really enjoy the fact that I can setup the camera, start the time lapse and not have to touch the camera again. I can enjoy hanging out with my wife to watch the sunset without having to worry about adjusting camera settings.
If you love photography like I do, I highly recommend that you check out Drew Geraci’s Time-lapse Photography course offered by Pro Edu. And if time lapse photography isn’t your thing, I recommend you check out one of the many high quality photography courses offered by Pro Edu. I can personally recommend courses I have taken such as Advanced Texture Cleanup, by Earth Oliver or Commercial Retouching Workflow with Sef McCullough.
I hope you found this useful. Feel free to leave comments if you have any questions, I love talking about photography and would be happy to answer anything I can.


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Proponents of the criminal code overhaul say more resources need to be allocated to lower recidivism rates.
Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana) voted for the legislation Thursday, but Sen. Dan Coats (R-Indiana) voted against it.
A summer study committee will attempt to project how much the Department of Corrections will save once the new system is implemented.
The Indiana Senate is considering this week legislation overhauling the state's criminal code after the House passed the bill.
The legislation requires offenders to serve more jail time but also reduces penalties for lower-level felonies.

domain: politics


Introducing the Dominator DM870 Airsoft Shotgun Maintenance Channel.
Dominator™ Maintenace will deliver a wide range of contents that covers from basic assembly and re-assembly to basic maintenace and common problem fix. Dominator™ Tech Team will demonstrate the videos with the simplest and fastest way in order to let us following the instruction step by step easily.
Besides the simple steps in the videos, detailed instruction is also provided for complicated procedures to ensure viewers could do it on their own by following the videos.
This first video will guide us through the DM870 basic assembly after unboxing for the first time and remind us what should be take attention on.
How to Fix DM870 Jammed Bolt Carrier
Jammed bolt carrier is a common problem of DM870. There are two situations of jammed bolt carrier and require two different solutions to tackle the problem
DM870 Basic Maintenance
DM870 features full steel construction and it is required to be well maintain just like real firearms. This video will guide us through how to maintain and lubricate DM870 while before use or not in use


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Our Tanah Lot & Uluwatu Tour will take you on a Full-day journey to explore the most popular Temples in Bali, finishing with the famous Balinese Kecak dance as the sun sets over the beautiful Uluwatu Temple.
You’ll be picked up from your hotel by your own personal driver guide and direct to Tanah Lot Temple, famed for its unique offshore setting and perched on top of an outcrop amidst constantly crashing waves. Then visit the most beautiful Balangan beach Uluwatu cliff view temple known for its stunning beaches, cliff top ocean views, finishing with the famous Balinese Kecak dance as the sun sets over the beautiful Uluwatu Temple.
Experience the spiritual home of Bali and take in all the culture. Your guide will even help you to get some great insta-worthy vacation snaps!
For an unforgettable experience of the one-of-a-kind Bali, book your tour with us today. We can’t wait to show you around one of our favorite spots in Bali!
Minimum for 2 persons booking, extra cost 30% for solo traveler


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Employer retaliation can come in many forms and may threaten the career success of a worker who is victim to the deceptive actions of their place of work. Texas employees who have been retaliated against may feel fearful of their safety. The U.S. Labor Department recently filed a suit against the U.S. Postal Service for employer retaliation against a postal worker.
The man had been employed by the U.S. Postal Service for three and a half decades when the incident that led to his termination occurred. During a shift, the long-time postal worker apparently took notice of a facility problem that could be potentially dangerous for many people. He witnessed a serious hazard that may have been a carbon monoxide leak and reported it to his superior for investigation.
When the possibly health-threatening situation was overlooked, the employee called emergency 911. Immediately following the response of emergency workers, superiors claimed that the postal worker was nothing more than an upset employee and had made a false claim. They further accused the worker of being an addict and terrorist, which ultimately resulted in his arrest and 18-hour detainment.
When an employee feels they are in danger or notice an unsafe working condition, they may contact authorities without fear of retaliation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates the protection of workers in situations where they decide to speak up about safety hazards. A Texas worker who has suffered employer retaliation for his or her concerns may seek help in protecting his or her position and enforcing safety measures.
Source: texasgopvote.com, "35 year USPS employee called a "Terrorist"", Kevin Jackson, July 29, 2014


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North Dakota Drought Conditions Grow
Doug Barrett | Jun 16, 2017 AT 11:15 am
Drought conditions have worsened in North Dakota over the past week despite rain showers across the state.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows all of the state being either abnormally dry or in some stage of drought. About 27 percent of the state is in severe drought, up from 13.5 percent last week.
The areas of severe drought are in central and south central North Dakota and the far northwestern corner of the state. The Red River Valley is classified as abnormally dry, along with the far southwestern corner of North Dakota.
The rest of the state is experiencing moderate drought. There are no areas in the "extreme" or "exceptional" drought categories.
The drought conditions are harming crops and also have prompted many ranchers to sell off cattle.