Yesterday evening, Elon Musk organized a meeting with Tesla employees, and revealed surprising plans. It is a budget electric car model whose price, without subsidies, does not exceed 25,000 PLN. dollars (about 95 thousand PLN). Tania Tesla probably has ridiculous hardware flaws and there’s no exaggerating that.
Elon Musk was destructive as always
According to recent leaks, the Tesla Model 2, as it is informally called a low-cost electric project, was soon ready for production in China. However, at yesterday’s meeting, Elon Musk announced to employees that the car won’t debut until 2023. Where did this sudden change of plans come from? The billionaire completely changed the concept of car equipment, a lack of some basic components.
“Do we want this car to be equipped with a steering wheel and pedals?” asked Elon Musk. Thus, he explained that in a cheap Tesla, it might be impossible to manually steer or even accelerate or brake. This means that without the steering wheel and pedals, the “Tesla Model 2” would have to be completely independent, which now looks like an abstraction. The fully autonomous driving program is under constant development, but still requires the driver’s attention.
Everything is in the hands of engineers and administrators
Perhaps in the Tesla budget there will not be a concept of the driver, but the user. After selecting the destination on the navigation system, the car will independently reach the indicated address. But will fully autonomous driving be sufficiently developed by 2023? Industry experts are skeptical, but Elon Musk firmly believes in it. It is also worth noting that his declarations of full autonomy usually had very quick deadlines. This time we are talking about the next two years. During this time, amazing breakthroughs can be achieved.
The fifth level of autonomy (complete autonomy of the machine) is the goal of many automakers. Elon Musk, as in many cases when it comes to electric cars, wants to be the most innovative, especially the first. By the end of the month, the latest fully autonomous driving beta update is expected to be available for download by a very large group of Tesla owners. The data used from a wide range of drivers allows the US manufacturer to make FSD safer for humans. In part, lawmakers will decide success, as regulators eventually have to recognize the system as a standalone system.
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.


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On Saturday, my stay at the Amstel and 4 day break in Amsterdam came to an end. Training trip #2 was about to begin.
The upcoming trip is 15 days long and will all take place aboard the MS Esprit. We will start in Amsterdam and end in Budapest. Similar to the last trip, there will be 3 Tauck TDs (Tour Directors), Kati, Anke and Emil, and 1 Tauck CD (Cruise Director), Carlos. At 9am Saturday morning, Kati, Anke and I set up shop (the Tauck help desk) in the Amstel lobby. There were about 30 guests who arrived a day or two early for a pre-stay and would be checking in with us throughout the morning and then meeting us later in the afternoon for a shuttle ride to the ship. The day went smoothly and we boarded the MS Esprit around 4pm. The remainder of the guests trickled in throughout the next few hours and the welcome reception at 6:30pm officially kicked off the adventure. It was an early night, as most guests were exhausted from traveling. We spent Sunday touring Amsterdam.
I had the daily itinerary ahead of time so during my few solo days in Amsterdam, I avoided the places we would be going as a group. The name Amsterdam is derived from the city’s origins. After the floods of 1170 and 1173, locals of the river Amstel vicinity built a dam across and a bridge over the river, giving the village it’s’ name: Aemstelredamme, which evolved into Amsterdam around 1275. As the guests split into groups, I joined a group and the local guide named Franse who was quite comedic and taught us a bit about the local language. Dutch is a Germanic language and according to Franse, speaking Dutch sounds like you have a throat disease. He said “If a Frenchman reads the phonebook, it sounds like a poem and if a Dutchman reads the same phonebook, it would sound like someone is throwing up.” A short bus ride later, we arrived at the Rijksmuseum.
The Rijksmuseum is the national art gallery of The Netherlands. You could literally explore that museum for a month and not see everything! We started out with a privately guided tour of the Rijksmuseum highlights. We mainly focused on the Gallery of Honour, which is an extended corridor directed towards a clear focal point: the Night Watch Gallery by Rembrandt.
On view in the side alcoves are masterpieces by the great artists of the seventeenth century.
Around 11am, we boarded a canal cruise boat for lunch and a two-hour cruise through Amsterdam’s 165 canals and under the nearly 1,500 bridges.
The three main canals, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the Grachtengordel. Amsterdam is known as the Venice of the north. The numerous canals are lined with a variety of houseboats.
There are over 3,000 houseboats in Amsterdam and canal-side property is often more expensive than land property. As the boat weaved through the canals, we were served a delicious lunch that ended with Dutch Apple pie.The canal cruise ended around 1pm and we had a few hours of free time. During this itinerary from Amsterdam to Budapest, I am shadowing Kati and learning what happens behind the scenes. In preparation for the afternoon lagniappe (unexpected surprise), I went with Kati to the grocery to get fresh stroopwafles.
Stroopwafles are made from two thin layers of baked dough with a caramel-like syrup filling in the middle and are often served atop a cup of tea or coffee. Stroopwafels originate from the Dutch city of Gouda. I have a feeling that both of my parents would enjoy this treat with their evening tea! During our coach ride back to the ship, we enjoyed the stroopwafels….delicious! We had only a short time to spruce up for the Captain’s welcome dinner. The Tauck staff always dines together and Carlos likes to avoid work-talk during dinner. We shared lots of laughs and it was a lovely evening. Yesterday, we explored Cologne (Koln), Germany. Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany, after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, and is located on both sides of the Rhine River, fewer than 80 kilometers from Belgium. Cologne was one of the most heavily bombed cities in World War II and reduced the population by 95%, mainly due to evacuation, and destroyed almost the entire city. One building that was not destroyed was the Cologne Cathedral.
Construction of the Cologne Cathedral commenced in 1248 and was halted in 1473, leaving it unfinished. Work restarted in the 19th century and was completed to the original plan in 1880. It is the largest gothic church in Northern Europe and its’ two huge spires give it the largest façade of any church in the world.
It was lunchtime by the time we arrived in the city center and everyone scattered to different restaurants for a taste of local cuisine and local Kolsch beer. I accompanied Kati to the large Cologne Carnival store (imagine a Halloween superstore to the extreme). Carnival takes place in Cologne every year and is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 in the morning on the 11th of the 11th month and runs until Rose Monday, two days before Ash Wednesday. Carnival is known as the “fifth season of the year” and during the “crazy days,” there are parties on the streets, in public squares and pubs. Closing times for pubs are suspended for the duration of the festival. While at the Carnival store, Kati and I picked up Halloween decorations for the ship for our next itinerary. Once the decorations were secured, we made our way to the train station to grab a quick bite of lunch. After lunch, the entire group reconvened and toured the Romano-Germanic Museum.
The Romano-Germanic Museum is an archaeological museum that has a large collection of Roman artifacts from the Roman settlement of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, on which modern Cologne is built. The museum itself is an archaeological site, as it protects the original site of a Roman town villa that housed a large mosaic which remains in its original place in the basement. Cologne is known to some people as the Rome of the north.
As I will tour the Cologne Cathedral again on the next itinerary, Kati suggested that I explore the city a bit. The shopping district felt very “American” and I found myself not enjoying the moment and I got quite frustrated with the massive crowds and pushy people.
I walked around a bit more just to learn where the important tour director landmarks are….ATMs, bathrooms, post office, etc… And then found a quiet spot to have a cup of coffee and a pastry. Although certain aspects of Cologne are beautiful, I was ready to leave. With the exception of Amsterdam, I am enjoying the quiet, quaint towns more than the big cities. I guess I am a small town girl after all!
*I have been trying to publish this for the last several days but due to poor internet signal along certain sections of the river, this is the first chance I’ve had to upload photos. Hoping to post another entry soon!

domain: geography


Nature in the city
Growing in the city
For several years now, gardens have been flourishing on the ground, floors and roofs of the business district. To meet the environmental challenges of the 21st century and develop a pleasant and sustainable city for its users, the lever of culture in the city has also been activated. Thus, neglected urban spaces are gradually being transformed into real gardens where everyone can enjoy a plant break and grow their own vegetables and flowers.
Born from the impulse of Paris La Défense to create convivial spaces transforming the district into a place of life, three shared gardens have been created by the public establishment since 2016. But before we review them, do you know what a shared garden is? A shared garden is a living space open to the neighborhood. It allows for cultivation while respecting the environment and helps maintain biodiversity in the city. But that's not all! Shared gardens offer everyone a return to their roots, associated with moments of sharing and relaxation, but also to relearn, through the land, how to live in community.
In other words, small bubbles preserved from the rhythm of life inherent to the business district!
- Le jardin des Reflets, open since 2016 at Place des Reflets
Learn more about the shared Jardin des Reflets
- Le Jardin des Continents, located within the Terrasses Boieldieu, delivered in 2018
Learn more about the shared Jardin des Continents
- Le Jardin Suspendu, also located on the Terrasses Boieldieu (facing the W tower), and open since 2019
Learn more about the shared Jardin Suspendu
To join the shared gardens of Paris La Défense
The three shared gardens are open to residents (children are welcome!) and employees upon registration and without obligation: firstname.lastname@example.org
Vive Les Groues
Vive les Groues is a 5-year occupation project of a 9,000 m² wasteland in Nanterre. Its objective is to accompany the spectacular transition that the Groues district will undergo in the coming years, notably through the cultivation of an urban horticultural nursery.
Vive Les Groues offers everyone the opportunity to come and garden in its urban garden, or to use the freely accessible composter to deposit their green waste.
Learn more about Vive Les Groues
Green in the towers
The companies of Paris La Défense are not to be outdone and invest their roofs or terraces to plant and cultivate!
This is the case, in particular, of RTE, installed in the Window building, which benefits from a beautiful green terrace overlooking the forecourt of La Défense, and housing a 10 m² vegetable garden. A hundred or so employees, registered with the Club Potager, are invited to participate in its upkeep during regular workshops to practice sowing, planting, picking, watering, wintering... while the vegetable garden and the terrace remain open to all, with free access.
Other towers have integrated green spaces for the comfort of their employees. In the most emblematic examples, the D2 tower has a magnificent rooftop garden. In the Carpe Diem tower, it is below the lobby that the vegetation is displayed. In the Trinity tower, there are vegetated terraces on several floors, open to the business district.
In the same way, commercial complexes, like Oxygen at the bottom of the La Défense esplanade, offer their clients the opportunity to have lunch or a drink on green terraces.


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Bengaluru: One of the terror suspects arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) turned out to be the son of a Congress leader and his photographs with prominent Karnataka Congress leaders have gone viral on social media.
The development is likely to trigger a political storm in the poll-bound state. Reeshan, one of the six persons arrested by the NIA during the raids conducted on Thursday January 5.
The raids were conducted in connection with a case related to the ISIS network in the state. The NIA, probing multiple terror related cases in the state, is conducting investigation to go into the roots of a network indulged in fomenting terrorism in the State.
The photographs of Reeshan with Karnataka Congress President D. K. Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah have gone viral.
BJP MLA from Udupi Raghupathy Bhat stated that Reeshan, one of the suspects arrested by the NIA, is the son of Udupi district’s Brahmavar Block Congress General Secretary Tajuddin.
“He is already arrested and investigation is on. Disturbing information is coming out in the investigations. I demand the government and NIA to intensify the probe. Especially in the coastal region, where there is suspicion on many such persons indulging in disruptive activities,” he said.
“I want to question the Congress party. Tajuddin is not an ordinary worker. He is the Block Congress General Secretary. He is in the forefront of party activities. He is very close to the Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and he is very close to Ullal Congress MLA U. T. Khadar,” Bhat asserted.
“The Congress party has to take responsibility when the son of an office bearer of the party is caught in connection with a terror case,” he said.

domain: news


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Record Label: Godz ov War Productions
Coming out of Slovenia, Dalkhu offers us a fresh and modernized, in a way, approach of their 90’s Scandinavian influences. With their latest album, “Lamentation and Ardent Fire”, they manage to establish their own identity and sound in the world of Black Metal.
They return three years after their sophomore album and it was definitely worth the wait. This album is certainly a step forward from their previous work, presenting us with an unpredictable mix of sound. Combining sinister parts with lighter ones, to relieve pressure, they created a blend of aggression, as well as atmosphere. Haunting lead harmonies work very well with aggressive riffs to create melancholic melodies, but still leaving you with a glimpse chance of salvation insight. The drum work is excellent, being aggressive when it needs to, with some slower parts to let us appreciate the atmosphere that the band is carving.
Dark synth sounds mark the beginning of the album opener, “Profanity Galore”, to build up the tone for the rest of our journey. Aggressive riffs and vocals collided with a folkish atmosphere to hinder what’s to come. Next up, “I Am”, contains melodic thrashing riffs with a sense of depression, as well as some old Marduk influences, that add up to a chilling atmosphere. “Rime” comes crushing in as a mood changer full of ferocity, with dissonant riffs, a stunning vicious vocal performance and blazing drumming. “A Race Without Hope” slows things down giving the listener a chance to breathe. It adds a blackened death feeling to the mix with some grooves and blast beats, but retaining a sinister vibe lurking to sink its claws in your back.
Having gone past the halfway point it’s obvious that you can’t know what to expect moving forward with such an unpredictable route. The guitar work is highlighted in “Gaps of Existence” full of explosive riffs, punishing drums and otherworldly vocals. Even in the most aggressive sections the song manages to keep in pace with the epic atmosphere that welcomed us in. The last two tracks continue in accordance with what we’ve heard so far in combining aggression with atmosphere. ”The Dead Sleep with Their Eyes Open” is the standout of the album. Menacing riffs are followed by emotional clean vocals and attacking melodies, with the bass lines complementing the vocals in a great way. “Night” makes for a great album epilogue with the opening synths turning into evil sounding riffs and blast beats. It creates a glorious feeling with clean vocals marking the end of this journey.
From start to bottom it’s an amazing piece of compositional skills with the different songs and dynamics flowing organically. They punch up the intensity when needed in the monotony and create stunning contrasts between atmosphere and aggression. The sinister artwork matches its contents perfectly in an eerie way. The production is perfect for this album being crystal clear to let us understand everything that’s going on, but also with a kind of rawness to it when needed. The guitar riffs are key point to the album reminding of Dissection with the sinister nature that they have.
Dalkhu have found a way to mature as a band and provide us with this very professional outcome. While they don’t necessarily bring anything new to the table, they have a characteristic sound for them and are perfect for anyone with a love for Dissection.
Dalkhu – Lamentation and Ardent Fire (Full Album)

domain: artistic


Birdsong Nature Center celebrates 30 years of environmental stewardship
A visit to Birdsong Nature Center is like being inside a vintage Walt Disney nature film. You can almost hear the folksy Rex Allen narration. The pastoral setting comes complete with quiet, wooded trails, hardwood forests, swamps, wide-open pastures, ponds and ample wildlife, including butterflies, frogs, otters, wood ducks and much more.
Birdsong incorporated as a non-profit in 1986 and recently celebrated its 30th anniversary by renovating and refurbishing the historic Dickey-Komarek home and gardens. The 565-acre preserve is located at 2106 Meridian Road in Thomasville and is just four miles north of the Florida state line.
Birdsong started out as a cotton plantation back in the mid-19th century, then changed to tenant farm, cattle farm and finally private homestead. What would eventually become Birdsong Nature Center got its start in the 1940s when the Komarek family developed the natural habitat enjoyed by many visitors today.
They employed the then-pioneering concept of prescribed burning to create a place that supports a wide variety of plant and animal life. Betty Komarek, a teacher and botanist, used her knowledge to develop educational programs for scouts, 4-H clubs, school groups, teachers, garden clubs and other nature lovers. She also designed the six acres around the main house to attract the maximum number of birds and butterflies. The programs continue today.
Birdsong features several venues that optimize your communion with nature. For example, there’s a large, floor-length picture window (the Bird Window) at the main house that provides the ultimate indoor bird-watching experience. The Listening Place, a screened pavilion, is a great place to listen to the sounds of critters in nearby Big Bay Swamp. Bluebird Trail features 40 bluebird boxes from which 100 or more young bluebirds fledge each year. The Butterfly Garden is an enticing place that is full of colorful butterflies from April to November.
The mixed hardwood/evergreen forests, open spaces, ponds and lakes in Tallahassee and environs attract a remarkable variety of birds. The familiar cardinal, which would be leading candidate for City Bird honors, is joined at feeders by mourning doves and the tufted titmouse, the Eastern bluebird, goldfinches, house finches, chickadees and more. Magnificent white pelicans overwintered in Tallahassee this year. Canadian geese, in good numbers, like Snowbirds from Ontario, have taken up permanent residence. And, in the early morning, it is not the crowing rooster that alarms us many times, but gobbling wild turkeys.
— Steve Bornhoft


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Australia's hottest year on record was almost impossible without man-made climate change
Australia's hottest year on record in 2013 along with the accompanying droughts, heat waves and record-breaking seasons of that year was virtually impossible without the influence of human-caused global warming.
New research from ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science (ARCCSS) researchers and colleagues, over five different Australian papers in a special edition of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS), has highlighted the powerful influence of global warming on Australia's climate.
"We often talk about the fingerprint of human-caused climate change when we look at extreme weather patterns," said Prof David Karoly, an ARCCSS researcher with the University of Melbourne.
"This research across four different papers goes well beyond that. If we were climate detectives then Australia's hottest year on record in 2013 wasn't just a smudged fingerprint at the scene of the crime, it was a clear and unequivocal handprint showing the impact of human caused global warming."
In 2013, heat records fell like dominoes. Australia had its hottest day on record, its hottest month on record, its hottest summer on record, its hottest spring on record and then rounded it off with the hottest year on record.
According to the research papers presented in BAMS, the impact of climate change significantly increased the chances of record heat events in 2013. Looking back over the observational record the researchers found global warming over Australia (see attached graphic): doubled the chance of the most intense heat waves, tripled the likelihood of heatwave events, made extreme summer temperature across Australia five time more likely increased the chance of hot dry drought-like conditions seven times made hot spring temperatures across Australia 30 times more likely.
But perhaps most importantly, it showed the record hot year of 2013 across Australia was virtually impossible without the influence of human-caused global warming. At its most conservative, the science showed the heat of 2013 was made 2000 times more likely by global warming.
"When it comes to what helped cause our hottest year on record, human-caused climate change is no longer a prime suspect, it is the guilty party," said ARCCSS Australian National University researcher Dr Sophie Lewis.
"Too often we talk about climate change impacts as if they are far in the future. This research shows they are here, now."
The extreme year of 2013 is just the latest peak in a trend over the observational record that has seen increasing bushfire days, the record-breaking warming of oceans around Australia, the movement of tropical species into temperate zones and the shifting of rain bearing storm tracks further south and away from some of our most important agricultural zones.
"The most striking aspect of the extreme heat of 2013 and its impacts is that this is only at the very beginning of the time when we are expected to experience the first impacts of human-caused climate change," said Dr Sarah Perkins an ARCCSS researcher with the University of New South Wales.
"If we continue to put carbon into our atmosphere at the currently accelerating rate, years like 2013 will quickly be considered normal and the impacts of future extremes will be well beyond anything modern society has experienced."
Alvin Stone | Eurek Alert!
Further reports about: > American Meteorological Society > Australia > Climate > Wales > agricultural zones > climate change impacts > extreme heat > extreme weather > global warming > heat > heat waves > hot spring > human-caused climate change > human-caused global warming > impact of climate change > waves
Tiny satellites reveal water dynamics in thousands of northern lakes
15.02.2019 | Brown University
Artificial Intelligence to boost Earth system science
14.02.2019 | Max-Planck-Institut für Biogeochemie
For the first time, an international team of scientists based in Regensburg, Germany, has recorded the orbitals of single molecules in different charge states in a novel type of microscopy. The research findings are published under the title “Mapping orbital changes upon electron transfer with tunneling microscopy on insulators” in the prestigious journal “Nature”.
The building blocks of matter surrounding us are atoms and molecules. The properties of that matter, however, are often not set by these building blocks...
Scientists at the University of Konstanz identify fierce competition between the human immune system and bacterial pathogens
Cell biologists from the University of Konstanz shed light on a recent evolutionary process in the human immune system and publish their findings in the...
Laser physicists have taken snapshots of carbon molecules C₆₀ showing how they transform in intense infrared light
When carbon molecules C₆₀ are exposed to an intense infrared light, they change their ball-like structure to a more elongated version. This has now been...
The so-called Abelian sandpile model has been studied by scientists for more than 30 years to better understand a physical phenomenon called self-organized...
Physicists from the University of Basel have developed a new method to examine the elasticity and binding properties of DNA molecules on a surface at extremely low temperatures. With a combination of cryo-force spectroscopy and computer simulations, they were able to show that DNA molecules behave like a chain of small coil springs. The researchers reported their findings in Nature Communications.
DNA is not only a popular research topic because it contains the blueprint for life – it can also be used to produce tiny components for technical applications.
11.02.2019 | Event News
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15.02.2019 | Physics and Astronomy
15.02.2019 | Physics and Astronomy
15.02.2019 | Life Sciences


Two assists Kaprizov did not save the “Minnesota” from defeat in the NHL match against “Arizona”
MOSCOW, 27 April – The Arizona Coyotes beat the Minnesota Wild on the road in the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The meeting, held in St. Paul, ended with a score of 5:3 (0:1, 1:0, 4:2) in favor of the guests. The winners included Anton Strolman (39), Jack McBain (41), Antoine Roussel (43), Travis Boyd (51) and Phil Kessel (59). Ryan Hartman (12), Joel Eriksson Ek (45) and Marcus Foligno (46) scored for Minnesota.
Russian forward “Minnesota” Kirill Kaprizov scored two assists, defender of the hosts Dmitry Kulikov spent 20 minutes 12 seconds on the ice and scored no points.
Arizona are in last eighth place in the Western Conference Central Division standings with 53 points in 80 games, and previously lost their chances of reaching the playoffs. “Minnesota”, ahead of schedule won a ticket to the Stanley Cup, ranked second (109 points, 80 games) in the division. The Coyotes next play the Dallas Stars on the road on April 27, with the Minnesota hosting the Calgary Flames a day later.
Calgary beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 in overtime. Russian attacking “Predators” Yakov Trenin and defender “Flames” Nikita Zadorov scored no points in the match. “Dallas” in the shootout was stronger than the “Vegas Golden Knights” (3:2). Stars forward Denis Guryanov and Vladislav Namestnikov, as well as Vegas forward Evgeny Dadonov, scored no points. Alexander Radulov missed the meeting.
Thanks to the victory of Dallas, the Los Angeles Kings advanced to the playoffs. 15 out of 16 participants in the Stanley Cup have been determined, the fight for one place in the Western Conference between the “Dallas” (95 points) and “Vegas” (91) continues, the teams have two games left to play.


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LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- A team from Nevada Task Force 1 left Friday night for Salem, Oregon to assist in the ongoing wildfires.
According to Clark County, the Canine Search - Human Remains Detection Team was activated about 11 p.m. on September 11 and was deployed early Saturday morning.
The team, three people and two dogs, were deployed along with a structural specialist to support Utah Task Force 1.
"Nevada is proud to support our Oregon neighbors in their efforts to fight the horrendous and deadly fires we are seeing as a result of climate change," Gov. Steve Sisolak wrote on Twitter. "This is a harrowing mission, but one I know Nevada Task Force 1 will carry out honorably."
Teams from Utah and Washington, totaling 160 people, were also sent to support local authorities, Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa said.
"Last night due to the rapid spread of the fires, and evacuations being incomplete, there are a large number of people reported missing," according to Pappa. "Once the team arrives in Salem, they will be deployed by local and state authorities to conduct search operations to ensure no-one is left unaccounted for. The mission could last up to 14 days depending on the needs of local authorities."


This update fixes labels for checkboxes. Along the way, just like in AdRotate Pro, I’ve gone over the dashboard code and did some cleaning up. This enables browser to better render the various dashboards.
In AdRotate labels are the description texts for checkboxes. Adding labels to certain elements in websites makes them easier to click and thus improves the usability of a web form a lot. AdRotate has had labels for a while, but a lot didn’t really work, others made no sense. This has been fixed in this update.
Next to that in a few spots unnecessary labels were present, and some silly quirks in the HTML layout. These have been fixed or removed.
Staying up-to-date with plugins is important and is almost never a bad thing. Updates are important for your website security. But more often updates also add new or improve features as well.
Updates are available via your dashboard and require no special knowledge to install, this makes it extremely easy to keep your site secure and have the latest features.
Changes in AdRotate 5.8.17
- [fix] Labels for all checkboxes
- [update] HTML dashboard code cleanup


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Today, singer/songwriter Shvona Lavette releases her new music video “Holding On” from her upcoming album due out later this year, It Was Fun While You Lasted. In the sentimental track, Shvona sings about whether to stay or let go of a fading relationship. The video also features a cameo by rapper Murs who plays Shvona’s leading man.
Also, be sure to check out Shvona’s newly launched organic health, beauty, fitness and wellness blog called “The PinkSeed.” It’s a one-stop shop for beauty tips, product reviews and fitness videos which showcase the singer’s knowledge, passion and expertise in these areas. Check it out here: http://thepinkseed.tumblr.com/.
Stay tuned for more music from Shvona coming soon! Follow her on Twitter at @ShvonaLavette; Facebook: ShvonaLavetteMusic; Instagram: @ShvonaLavetteMusic and visit her website: www.ShvonaLavetteMusic.com.


Elevate your vehicle's performance to new heights with the Chinese FeDa 454 Crankshaft, designed to provide exceptional power, efficiency, and reliability for your engine.
Investing in a high-quality 454 Crankshaft is essential for optimizing your engine's potential. Chinese FeDa's 454 Crankshaft is crafted using precision engineering and top-of-the-line materials, ensuring that your engine operates at peak performance for extended periods.
FeDa is a reputable name in the automotive parts industry, known for producing high-quality components. Their 454 Crankshaft is no exception, as it is made from premium billet steel, providing unparalleled strength and durability. This guarantees that your engine will be equipped with the best possible component for top-tier performance.
The 454 Crankshaft plays a vital role in transferring power from the pistons to the transmission while also helping to maintain balance and reduce vibrations in the engine. By choosing a Chinese FeDa 454 Crankshaft, you can be confident that your engine is prepared to handle the demands of high-performance driving.
To learn more about the 454 engine, visit the Wikipedia page on the Chevrolet Big-Block engine, which includes information on the 454 version. Additionally, for more information on crankshafts and their importance in internal combustion engines, check out the Wikipedia page on crankshafts.
In conclusion, the Chinese FeDa 454 Crankshaft is an exceptional investment in your engine's performance. With its unrivaled strength, durability, and precision engineering, your engine will operate at its full potential for years to come. Don't wait any longer – upgrade to a Chinese FeDa 454 Crankshaft today and experience the difference for yourself!


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Rock 'n' Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip
About Rock 'n' Roll Billboards of the Sunset StripThe Sunset Strip, circa 1967. Buffalo Springfield called it right: "There's something happening here what it is ain't exactly clear." What was happening then is now absolutely clear. Rock 'n' roll and the kids who lived it were coming of age right there on The Strip. And, as if to define the era, a few independent minds in the music industry posted giant, temporary monuments that said it all. Billboards. Bigger than life. Hand-painted homages to rock. The Doors led the way. It seemed that billboards would chronicle rock forever.
In ROCK 'N' ROLL BILLBOARDS OF THE SUNSET STRIP, author/photographer Robert Landau showcases these signs of the time, a time when rock was the most important music ever recorded, when youth, politics, and art merged to turn counterculture into mainstream culture.
About Rock 'n' Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip
Create A Personal Gift Announcement Card to send to someone special.
You will need a printer connected to the computer in order to print the Gift Announcement Card.
If you would prefer to enter your information by hand after printing, just leave these fields blank and select "Print Gift Announcement".
Other Gift Options
On the Review step during checkout, you will have the option to mail a FREE postcard to the recipient announcing that a gift has been purchased for them. You schedule the date the card will be mailed; send it immediately or hold for perfect timing with a special occasion.
eGift AnnouncementPerfect for last-minute shoppers! On your order confirmation page you will have the option to send a FREE email gift notification. Choose from hundreds of E-Card designs and several delivery options. See an example.
Interested In More Gifts? Visit the Gift Center to discover great gift suggestions for everyone on your list.


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Free Search (12773 images)
Medical checkups without leaving home
Rating: 0.00/5 (0 votes cast)
- Title Medical checkups without leaving home
- Released 03/12/2002 11:44 am
- Copyright AP Photo/Steve Shelton
Diabetes patient Bill Parks, 68, of Augusta, Ga., has his daily checkup at his home in Augusta Jan. 10, 1997 via computer. After checking his blood pressure and pulse and warning him to eat, home health nurse Debbie Durham, on computer screen, gives Parks a thumbs up for the day. This is the latest turn in telemedicine: a house call by computer that allows doctors and nurses to listen to hearts, take temperatures and weigh patients while they stay at home and stay out of the hospital.
- Id 198511

domain: medical


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The administration of Roberto Micheletti thought nothing of ending the school year more than a month early last year to clear out the public schools so the military and police could take them over to hold their flawed election last November. This year, various days have been lost to protests and, most recently, to a two-week strike.
In this situation, the Lobo Sosa administration's Education Minister, Alejandro Ventura, just made an absurd suggestion:
It hurts us to say this, but its preferable to cancel the school year from September on, because the teachers are acting irresponsibly.
Really?! If the teachers are acting irresponsibly, how is it responsible to the students to make the irresponsible suggestion that the government just cancel the rest of the school year?
What is behind this questionable proposal is a labor dispute that the Lobo Sosa administration could settle.
A confederation of teachers' unions, the Federación de Organizaciones Magisteriales de Honduras, has been out on strike the last two weeks because the government is two years behind in its payments to their retirement fund, and is up to three months late in paying the monthly salary of 3000 teachers, among other issues.
It is not that all the teachers all over Honduras are out on strike, but there's a large contingent of them protesting in Tegucigalpa.
As a result, for the last two weeks, many, but not all, schools have been shut, children not receiving classes. The government says about 2 million students are affected.
The protesting teachers have been peaceful, but the security forces have been disproportionately violent of late. Over the weekend the Assistant Security Minister threatened more violence against the protesters if they block the streets, a common tactic in Honduras, that he said interferes with the citizen's right of free passage.
There are many other paths forward that would have better educational outcomes than canceling the school year. Suggesting canceling the rest of the school year is a political response, not one made by someone acting responsibly towards Honduras's students.
Instead, the Education Minister is considering issuing a decree declaring a state of emergency, canceling the remaining school year, and beginning procedures to fire the striking teachers. Here again the disruption of normal constitutional order last year echoes forward: having developed a habit of suspending normal constitutional protections by using the "state of emergency" claim, the Honduran government seems to see it as a solution for all problems.
Not one that will ensure students get the education they deserve. Not one that will settle the debts already owed to teachers. Just one that would allow unilateral elimination of opposition in an undemocratic manner.

domain: sociology


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Encouraging your kids to get into gardening can help top up their lunchbox – and develop a lifelong healthy habit.
There’s no denying that some kids these days are increasingly indoorsy, with no end of sedentary, screen-based pursuits to choose from. Still, whether you have a garden, a balcony, a nearby community garden or even just a sunny windowsill, encouraging your child to dabble in some gardening can plant the seed for a new hobby that they might come to love.
According to Planet Ark’s 2012 report Planting Trees: Just What the Doctor Ordered
, there’s a growing body of research suggesting that childhood contact with nature is linked with health and wellbeing benefits, including reduced stress, increased confidence and self-esteem, reduced risk of obesity and possibly even improved academic performance.
Teaching kids about gardening is also a fun, hands-on way to educate them about where their food comes from and the importance of healthy eating. “It [can also] help them understand about how real food is made; for instance, how you make pesto from scratch rather than just buying it in a jar,” says Sophie Thomson, garden consultant, author and mother of five.
It can also help to entice notoriously fussy eaters to become more adventurous. “Kids often need to experience something numerous times before they’ll adopt it, so not just eating vegetables but being exposed to them by touching, smelling and tending them helps,” says Kobie Keenan, program manager at Nursery & Garden Industry Australia and mum of two.
As a general rule, relatively fast-growing plants are more likely to keep young green thumbs interested, so stick to vegetables and herbs, as fruit tends to be a longer-term prospect. “One tip is to plant some crops in the first week, then plant more two weeks later so you’ll have them continually turning around,” says Keenan. “Even while kids are waiting for their plants to grow, they can still stay involved by doing things like testing the soil with a simple dropper test, mulching the garden, watering and checking for bugs.”
Lettuce: “Repeat harvest lettuces are brilliant; you simply plonk them in the ground and pick the leaves you need for your sandwich that day,” says Thomson.
Cherry tomatoes: Small and sweet, cherry tomatoes are a hit with most kids and can be grown in pots if space is limited. “We always have a bowl of them in the kitchen for the kids to graze on,” says Thomson.
Carrots: These are particularly fun for kids to harvest – it’s like pulling buried treasure out of the ground. “They also love all the different colours you can get with the heirloom varieties,” adds Keenan. You can grow them in a garden bed or even in a wine barrel.
Sprouting seeds: Mung beans and alfalfa make fresh, crunchy additions to a lunchbox, and can easily be grown in a kitchen seed sprouter, a jar, or even eggshells.
: Sweet and crunchy, snow peas
are a kid-friendly vegetable that little ones can happily nibble on. They are best grown if you have a garden, as they like full sun and a trellis or fence to grow alongside.
Cucumbers: These salad staples reach maturity in about seven weeks, and can be grown along the ground or vertically. Go for the Lebanese variety, which are thin-skinned with a milder taste.

domain: hobby


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We’ve just discovered that Santa is a BASSOONIST!
Here’s a list of famous people who played bassoon and perhaps went on to bigger things. Let us know if you have names to add to the list below. Did any US Presidents play bassoon? What did Charles Darwin have to do with the bassoon. Was he a bassoonist?
Who was the nerdy actor who played a bassoon solo on the Ellen DeGeneres Show?? And who was the bassoonist that played on Stephen Colbert? See below…
Sir Edward Elgar
This famous English composer best known for his Pomp and Circumstance and his orchestral work Enigma Variations also wrote Romance for Bassoon, a fine solo piece for bassoon and orchestra and sounds good with piano, too. He started playing bassoon in a woodwind quintet and wrote pieces for his group.
The website “Elgar – His Music: Other Music for Small Orchestra” says, …the Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra, sits oddly among Elgar’s output until it is remembered that Elgar was himself the bassoonist in the wind quintet of 1878-1882. But this work is no throwback to the wind quintet days. The lazy, rather meandering melody of the Romance is in marked contrast to the lively, rather agitated style of many of the pieces for wind quintet and the formality of the slower movements.
What caused Elgar to write this unusual work? The dedication is to Edwin F. James, the soloist at the first performance, but James does not feature elsewhere in the Elgar biography and it seems more likely that the dedication was more a token of gratitude for ‘services rendered’ than a mark of deeper affaction. That the work results from a lingering attachment to his youthful days in the quintet is supported by the fact that the second work from this period, Cantique, is indeed an arrangement for small orchestra of the second Intermezzo of 1879.”
The composer famous for his theme from the movie Rocky and many other TV themes and movie scores, Bill played bassoon and won a scholarship to college on the instrument. As he put it in a conversation with Brother Bob, he had a choice of going up against a bunch of more talented pianists or go for the bassoon scholarship.
“Born in Providence, Rhode Island on April 13, 1942, Conti began studying piano at age seven under the tutelage of his father, an accomplished pianist, sculptor and painter. At the age of 15, he organized a band and began to play for high school dances in Miami, Florida. He was a member of his high school band and symphony orchestra and won the “Silver Knight Award” from the Miami Herald for high achievement in the field of music.
Conti received a bassoon scholarship from Louisiana State University where he majored in composition and played jazz piano at many of the local night spots to help defray the costs of his education. While attending LSU, he held a variety of musical posts including first chair bassoon in the school symphony orchestra, the staff arranger for the University’s marching band and accompanist for the LSU Ballet Corps.” Source Pittsburgh Symphony artist bio.
The rest is history. Bravo Bill.
Peter Schickele a.k.a. PDQ Bach
Fellow bassoonist and composer Peter Schickele is a mentor for the Bassoon Brothers. “I played bassoon during high school and college in the Fargo-Moorehead Symphony Orchestra and then in the orchestra at Swarthmore College. But when I got to Juilliard, there were real bassoonists around. They knew how to make reeds and everything! So, I gave it up. I had never even owned an instrument. I had never intended to be a bassoonist. I just wanted to play in an orchestra.”
We commissioned a work called Blue Set No. 2 from Peter. The very challenging work for quartet appears on our Wanted CD and is available in sheet music form as well. We’ve worked with Peter over the years on his PDQ Bach shows and have also thoroughly enjoyed hearing/watching his performances on the instrument. His Concerto for Bassoon vs. Orchestra had an unusual twist to it when he performed it in Portland with the Oregon Symphony in the 1980s. He arrived with a rented bassoon and soon discovered that it wasn’t playing quite right. A button was lodged in the low F tonehole! During rehearsal one of the keys fell off too. So we fixed him up with a replacement instrument. I’m still trying to figure out how he got the confetti to blow out of the bell.
Peter performed his Abassoonata several years later in Portland and was such a hoot. Sheet music is available for this piece which calls for the bassoonist to play the bassoon AND piano, because the piano player has failed to show up on time. Peter has written another more serious concerto for bassoon and chamber orchestra, and the bassoon is prominently featured in a number of his chamber works.
The Bassoon Brothers have recorded three of PDQ Bach’s pieces. Last Tango in Bayreuth, and Blue Set on the Wanted CD and Lip My Reeds on the Bassoon Brothers Escaped CD. We hope to commission another work if he is up to it.
Brother Mark’s tromboon playing on Night Train (Wanted) and Sabre Dance (Captured) was inspired by Peter’s Oratorio called the Seasonings where the tromboon provides flatulance as well as a sweet melodic line. The tromboon is played with a bassoon reed and bocal attached to a trombone. Mark has performed this work twice with Peter in Portland. Most recently in March 2008 where he gave the definitive performance of the Seasoning’s tromboon part with the Portland Symphonic Choir.
Chip went from playing the bundle of sticks to playing with drumsticks. He’s sold more than 36 million recordings worldwide.
The alias of composer Chip Davis, Mannheim Steamroller, was among the pioneers of neo-classical electronic music, emerging as one of the driving forces behind the New Age phenomenon. Born in Sylvania, Ohio, Davis’ father was a high school music teacher, while his mother was a trombonist with Phil Spitalny’s All Girl Orchestra. His grandmother was his first music teacher, giving the child his initial piano lessons at the age of four; two years later, Davis composed his first piece, a four-part chorale written in honor of his dog. He later joined a boys’ choir as well, and while attending the University of Michigan played bassoon in the school’s concert band. Source WINAMP.
Alan Silvestri and I were the bassoon section at Teaneck High School (New Jersey). — Source: Email from Terry Peck.
“In his ongoing, decades-long career as a composer, Alan Silvestri has scored some of the most iconically revered and profitable films in Hollywood history, amassing over a hundred credits to the tune of two Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, as well as three Grammy awards. While stylistically diverse, the unifying voice of Alan’s work is an unmistakable rhythmic melody whose themes continue to embody movie excitement and drama for generations of moviegoers.
Born in New York City and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, Silvestri first thought of becoming a bebop jazz guitar player. After spending two years at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Silvestri hit the road as a performer and arranger. Landing in Hollywood at the age of 22 and armed with film scoring books and a sense of adventure, Silvestri found himself successfully composing the music for 1972’s “The Doberman Gang”. A sequel, “The Amazing Dobermans”, was followed by several low budget but successful films further cementing Silvestri’s place in the world of film composing.”
Hear bassoonist Ray Pizzi play a solo from bassoonist Alan Silvestri’s score of Fandango.
Mark Elder moved from playing the bundle of sticks to a silent but powerful stick.
Music Director of the Halle Orchestra in Manchester, the English bassoonist moved from the back of the orchestra to leading it. In an article in the Guardian about the music of Shostakovich Mark says, “One of the last pieces I played as a bassoonist with an amateur orchestra was Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphony. I loved it because it was funny and unpredictable: it chirrupped along and suddenly I got this long, passionate and stern bassoon solo at the start of the fourth movement. As bassoonists we revere the symphonic works of Shostakovich.” Is there a lost bassoon concerto by this master yet to be unearthed? We doubt it, but you never know.
Thanks to Jonna Griffith for remembering this celebrity bassoonist’s appearance on Ellen. But, can someone find us a video link to what might have been a 2006 appearance. And he made a 2017 appearance on Stephen Colbert.
It’s really okay to be nerdy and play bassoon. Here’s our NERD HERO Celebrity Bassoonist. See what happened to him…
You’ve seen him on TV: The Office and Six Feet Under. But the greatest thing about Rainn Wilson is that he actually played bassoon on the Ellen DeGeneres show as a great surprise to those watching and to Ellen. We are still looking for a video of that. Maybe he played Happy Birthday or something. Did you see this? Rainn is yet another Northwest Bassoon having grown up in Seattle.
“Rainn Wilson’s adolescence was subsequently rife with a number of off-kilter activities, with his efforts to learn the bassoon and passion for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons surely singling him out as a kid entirely comfortable in his own skin.”
“There was one point in high school actually when I was on the chess team, marching band, model United Nations and debate club all at the same time. And I would spend time with the computer club after school. And I had just quit pottery club, which I was in junior high, but I let that go. I also played bassoon in the orchestra … so you can imagine. I was kind of pimply. I was a pimply youth. So I really understand what it is to be an outsider and I think that the nerds are kind of taking over now.”
Click here to view Rainn Wilson, the Bassoon King, on Stephen Colbert.
Click here to see Stephen Colbert insult every bassoonist with what he thinks is funny.
This TV personality looks like he should be a bassoonist and he IS!
“Shalit has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Boston’s Symphony Hall and Tanglewood…played his bassoon on stage in Lincoln Center…and conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in a full concert of classical music. In none of these venues has he ever been invited back.
For the past 31 years (and counting), Gene Shalit has been a regular presence on NBC’s Today. He has been reviewing motion pictures, plays, and books on television, radio, and in major magazines for 37 years.”
Lengendary jazz saxophonist Stan Getz was listed as a bassoonist (as well as sax) in the New York Musicians Union directory in the 1950s. Source Ray Pizzi.
“The son of Ukrainian immigrants, Stanley Gayetzby (Getz) was born in Philadelphia but spent most of his childhood in the Bronx. During his adolescent years he quickly identified himself as a musical prodigy, taking up the harmonica at age 12 and then switching to the bass for six months before receiving his first alto saxophone at 13. In high school, Stanley was talked into taking up the bassoon, and mastered the instrument so quickly that a year later he was selected to play in New York’s All-City High School Orchestra, an ensemble that featured the area’s best players in his age group. After a period of study with New York Philharmonic bassoonist Simon Kovar the promising young windsman was offered a scholarship to Julliard, but it was too late: the wicked urges of jazz had already taken hold of his innocent soul and Stanley passed up the offer in favor of a new tenor sax and a membership in the local musician’s union.” Click here to view source.
CBS Daytime star on As the World Turns played two reed instruments. Accordion and Bassoon. “Long considered the best actor in daytime television, Larry Bryggman has portrayed Dr. John Dixon on As the World Turns since the character’s villainous inception in 1969.
Born of Swedish descent in Concord, California on December 21, 1938, Bryggman grew up in nearby Oakland. His father worked for a neon sign company in San Francisco while his mother taught piano. A serious student of music, he learned to play the piano, drums and various woodwinds, including the bassoon. He also learned to play the accordion at the request of his father, often accompanying the Swedish dancers in his community. “I’ve always wanted to be able to play a fine piano, to play a concerto,” he says. “I studied piano a long time and I wanted to be a musician.” (Submitted by Douglas Huff DMA.)
Rumored to be Celebrity Bassoonists or Should Be:
Did the captain of Starship Enterprise play some chamber music and his 23rd century basooon? (Shantner’s Bassoon) created some controversy and confusion for those who have studied this portion of a twisted brain.
“The part of the brain that contains the musical instrument captain kirk of the USS Enterprise owned in 1967 and used to perform to the crew on Friday nights around stardate 16 400 supplemental. Spock, Bones and Scotty occasionally made up the woodwind quartet with their own instruments – The saxophone, piccolo and English horn to the delight of the crew.”
Bones (To Spock) : Spock you confounded fool the captain has been flying solo since 8pm on his bassoon!
Spock (To Bones) : Fascinating.
Scotty (To All) : Come on! We’ve gotta help him, grab your instruments and meet me on the bridge.
All : (Musical Mayhem)
In one of his scripts he describes being a young bassoonist. Let us know if this is the truth or fiction! Click here for more information about Garrison Keillor on the air.
The elder statesman’s voice is bassoon-like. He must have played bassoon.
Frank Zappa liked the bassoon and used in some of his works. Maybe he did play it? We know that bassoonist Ray Pizzi performed with him and other bassoonists recorded with him.
Frank said: “The bassoon is one of my favorite instruments. It has the medieval aroma, like the days when everything used to sound like that. Some people crave baseball . . . I find this unfathomable, but I can easily understand why a person could get excited about playing the bassoon.” Click here to view source.
Who do you think should or could be a contrabassoonist?
1. Billy Bob Thorton
That strange voice in Slingblade? A weird contrabassoon!
2. Janet Reno, former U.S. Attorney General
Brother Juan won a Halloween costume contest as Janet with his contrabassoon.
3. Doctor Watson
The fictional character and sidekick of Sherlock Holmes was rumored to have been a contrabassoonist. This has proved to be wrong…
“The first confirmation of Moriarty’s musical virtuosity appears in the Sherlock Holmes film Pursuit to Algiers. In it Holmes discloses to Watson that “Moriarty was a virtuoso on the contra-bassoon.” Holmes, of course, was a skilled violinist …”
Source: PROFESSOR MORIARTY’S LOW BLOW
by Joseph J. Fink.
4. Leonard Nimoy
It’s quite logical that Spock would like the contrabassoon, AND he made a recording to prove it!
On Nimoy’s CD The Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy check out The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins.
Maybe Nimoy’s playing too?
What about Charles Darwin, was he a bassoonist?
Answer: NO![T]he following anecdote is recorded of Darwin, who, when studying earthworms, put them to a curious use. Earthworms are devoid of the sense of hearing, yet they move away from the footfall of birds and other enemies, and especially at the approach of their arch enemy, the mole.
Like the blind, they are intensely sensitive to vibrations. One day a physician called to see Charles Darwin. The great naturalist was in the library with an iron tray containing earthworms. The worms took no notice of the jingling of keys, the shrill note of a whistle, or similar sounds, but when Darwin’s son played to them on a bassoon they the vibration and immediately began to wriggle.
This source is very strange and interesting for other reasons: Read from the source.
Lesser Known, but interesting bassoonists
San Franscisco Mayor Eugene Schmitz (A crook who played on a crook)
EUGENE SCHMITZ, Mayor of San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake.
The Golden Gate city was in the grip of a heinous political machine headed by Abe Ruef, who had in his power Mayor Eugene Schmitz, a former bassoon player and orchestra leader tagged “the smallest man mentally and the meanest man morally that ever occupied the Mayor’s chair.” Thanks to the Ruef, Schmitz combine underworld leaders and corrupt businessmen plundered the city, their guiding principle, as one historian summed it up: “Encourage dishonesty, and let no dishonest dollar escape.” Submitted by Douglas Huff, DMA.
Not very interesting or funny bassoonists?
I don’t know why people think he’s funny playing bassoon. He’s been keeping a secret: he is a serious bassoonist. I guess the public still gives us no respect. This is sick… (Click for link to video.)
We are hoping that Mr. Colbert will come out with a new book: “Whose Bassoon is This Bassoon?”


A lot has changed since Nick D’Andrea decided to drop his plans of being a high school teacher. Alongside Joseph Barker and Kerry Henderson, Nick D’ and The Believers have made a name for themselves in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. In 2016, the band were rewarded with a number one requested track on local radio station WWCD 102.5. Supporting slots on tours with Welshly Arms and Modern Electric allowed Nick D’ and The Believers to spread their wings out on the open road. The band also got some exposure with having music placed on the hit series ‘Pretty Little Liars’.
Releasing their latest EP ‘Crown’ last year to adorning indie pop fans nationwide, the boys didn’t want to sit around too long. Case in point-their latest single “Nina Simone” has dropped. The track continues to allow listeners to tap their toes and sing loudly to the infectious chorus line. It’s clear that Nick D’ and The Believers have nailed down a sharp sound that will keep everyone from not being disappointed.


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Woody cover trends are estimated for Sahel based on MODIS dry season metrics.
Interannual fluctuations in foliage density are attenuated to monitor woody plant trends.
Increases (decreases) are seen in areas of low (high) human population.
Recent decreases only partially offset a general post-drought increase in Sahelian woody cover.
Woody plants play a major role for the resilience of drylands and in peoples’ livelihoods. However, due to their scattered distribution, quantifying and monitoring woody cover over space and time is challenging. We develop a phenology driven model and train/validate MODIS (MCD43A4, 500 m) derived metrics with 178 ground observations from Niger, Senegal and Mali to estimate woody cover trends from 2000 to 2014 over the entire Sahel at 500 m scale.
Over the 15 year period we observed an average increase of 1.7 (± 5.0) woody cover (%) with large spatial differences: No clear change can be observed in densely populated areas (0.2 ± 4.2), whereas a positive change is seen in sparsely populated areas (2.1 ± 5.2). Woody cover is generally stable in cropland areas (0.9 ± 4.6), reflecting the protective management of parkland trees by the farmers. Positive changes are observed in savannas (2.5 ± 5.4) and woodland areas (3.9 ± 7.3).
The major pattern of woody cover change reveals strong increases in the sparsely populated Sahel zones of eastern Senegal, western Mali and central Chad, but a decreasing trend is observed in the densely populated western parts of Senegal, northern Nigeria, Sudan and southwestern Niger. This decrease is often local and limited to woodlands, being an indication of ongoing expansion of cultivated areas and selective logging.
We show that an overall positive trend is found in areas of low anthropogenic pressure demonstrating the potential of these ecosystems to provide services such as carbon storage, if not over-utilized. Taken together, our results provide an unprecedented synthesis of woody cover dynamics in the Sahel, and point to land use and human population density as important drivers, however only partially and locally offsetting a general post-drought increase.
Woody cover, species and land cover change over 44 years are analyzed.
Object-based classifications are applied with high resolution images of 1967 and 2011.
Climate and especially human impact have caused extensive changes.
Changes are not always negative and a variety of spatial variations are shown.
In the past 50 years, the Sahel has experienced significant tree- and land cover changes accelerated by human expansion and prolonged droughts during the 1970s and 1980s. This study uses remote sensing techniques, supplemented by ground-truth data to compare pre-drought woody vegetation and land cover with the situation in 2011. High resolution panchromatic Corona imagery of 1967 and multi-spectral RapidEye imagery of 2011 form the basis of this regional scaled study, which is focused on the Dogon Plateau and the Seno Plain in the Sahel zone of Mali. Object-based feature extraction and classifications are used to analyze the datasets and map land cover and woody vegetation changes over 44 years. Interviews add information about changes in species compositions. Results show a significant increase of cultivated land, a reduction of dense natural vegetation as well as an increase of trees on farmer’s fields. Mean woody cover decreased in the plains (−4%) but is stable on the plateau (+1%) although stark spatial discrepancies exist. Species decline and encroachment of degraded land are observed. However, the direction of change is not always negative and a variety of spatial variations are shown. Although the impact of climate is obvious, we demonstrate that anthropogenic activities have been the main drivers of change.
The Sahel region has often been acclaimed as one of the “hot spots” of environmental change. Degradation of environmental conditions was accelerated by droughts and an overall decrease in precipitation. The resulting loss of woody vegetation cover was often considered as irreversible desertification. Recent findings, based on small-scaled analyses of satellite images, show an increase of vegetation greenness since the mid-1980s. However, it often remains unclear if this is a return to pre-drought conditions or a transformation of land cover. This study uses remote sensing techniques, supplemented by ground truth data to compare pre-drought woody vegetation and land cover with the current situation on the Dogon Plateau and the Seno Plains in Mali in a 3600 km² study area. High resolution panchromatic Corona imagery (1.8 m) of December 1967 and multispectral RapidEye imagery (6.5 m) of December 2011 form the basis of this regional scaled study. The feature extraction and classification operations included in ERDAS Imagine Objective are used in an object-oriented approach in combination with spectral properties to analyse the datasets and map millions of individual trees and large shrubs for 1967 and 2011.
Land cover maps are created for 1967 and 2011 at a resolution of 20 m. An unsupervised classification method is used for the Corona images and a supervised classification for the RapidEye images. The two main classes selected are „sparse woody vegetation“ and „dense woody vegetation“. The densely vegetated areas are mostly areas of dense woody vegetation, which have not been deforested for cultivation, or also areas which have been laid fallow for extended periods of time and are now covered by shrubbery and grass. Groups of large trees within cropland areas are also included in this class. Sparsely vegetated areas are usually used for agricultural purposes and include cultivated, fallow and grazing areas.
All individuals of trees inside a 1 ha pixel are converted to a point and counted to quantify and map the tree density in 1967 and 2011. Polygons larger 225 m² are divided by this figure to approximate the actual number of trees and shrubs represented by the single feature. Figures 4 and 5 show a case study area. According to the prevailing land cover change from dense to sparse vegetation, an overall decrease of tree density can be observed. This results in a loss of natural bushland and a spreading of degraded areas on the plateau. Agricultural land in the immediate surroundings of villages see an increase of tree density, mainly on the primary fields which are fertilized and protected.
Our results show, that neither the desertification paradigm nor the greening paradigm can be generalized in the Sahel. Rather spatial variations of changes exist; the explanations for these are equally manifold. Figure 6 demonstrates, that both greening and degradation are present in the whole study area over a period of 50 years. The main causative factor for change in tree cover and density proves to be anthropogenic. Human induced land-cover change corresponds well to tree cover change in that an increase is observed on historic primary fields and a decrease mapped in areas where the dense bushland areas of 1967 have been converted to secondary cropping fields. Furthermore, many areas of the plateau are now degraded, which is often indirectly, if not, directly related to the intense droughts of the 1970s and 80s. On the other hand, the awareness and knowledge of the advantages gained when protecting the environment, i.e. ensuring the sustainable use of trees on farmland, has increased among local inhabitants. This has led to a strong increase of woody vegetation, particularly in the immediate surroundings of settlements. The number of features extracted in the Corona images is roughly four times greater than the number extracted from the RapidEye images. The reverse is true concerning the average area of the features, mainly due to the different pixel size. Thus, there is an obvious dilemma in comparing these maps quantitatively. However, although the quantitative change may not be entirely correct, the trend certainly is.


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Japan’s rebound from the aftermath of a record earthquake was probably cut short in the fourth quarter. Gross domestic product (JGDPAGDP) probably shrank in October and November, pointing to a 0.1 percent contraction for the quarter, according to calculations by the Japan Center for Economic Research, an independent analysis group in Tokyo.
News from The ROBERT | CHARLES Group for investing in the futures and futures options markets. Futures trading is risky. Our goal is to take the risk out of a high risk business. Keep your comments clean and respect others' opinions. Profanity and insults are not acceptable. THE RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING COMMODITY INTERESTS CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL. IN CONSIDERING WHETHER TO TRADE OR TO AUTHORIZE SOMEONE ELSE TO TRADE FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD READ AND BE AWARE OF THE RISKS, DISCLOSURES, AND OTHER INFORMATION SET FORTH BELOW. *
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Gold traders are the most bullish in a month as Europe’s deepening debt crisis and increasing tensions over Iran drove the metal to its longest winning streak since October.
Robert Charles & Co., L.P. 2011 Proprietary Volatility Arbitrage Program Performance Numbers Compiled By CTA Services
Monthly Performance Detail All Accounts Sep-Dec 2011 2012-01-03
Robert Charles & Co., L.P. and its affiliates were strictly proprietary traders for 16 years generating average annual returns of over 30 percent. Robert Teel, principal and founder of Robert Charles is a member of the CME, CBOT, and COMEX division of NYMEX. After a partner in Robert Charles passed away last year at the age of 98, Mr. Teel decided to change the firm's business model to concentrate on building a CTA business focused on quantitative analysis of the risk metrics in addition to the return side of the equation. The firm will continue its proprietary trading as well. The firm is also excited to announce that as extension of its energy trading it has established what is believed to the first commodities pool in the United States to focus entirely on the carbon credit, cap and trade, and emissions markets.
Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Bill Gross is backing away from Pacific Investment Management Co.’s outlook for a “new normal” after lagging behind the majority of his peers during the biggest bond-market rally in nine years.
Interest rates can turn quickly, as the Greek government learned when its 10-year bond soared more than 9 percentage points in the past year on default worries. Such danger has some fixed-income investors considering a new approach: mutual funds that hold a variety of bonds, including U.S. Treasuries, corporates, mortgage-backed securities, municipals, and senior bank loans. Especially attractive now are multisector funds touting a more active approach to portfolio management, with the flexibility to drift from benchmark allocations to respond to changing market conditions.
Dec. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Greek and Italian government bonds had their worst years on record as Europe’s financial woes intensified, driving investors to sell securities of Europe’s most indebted nations.
Rich to Invest More in Commodities, Reduce Cash - Bloomberg
Wealthy investors plan to increase their allocations to commodities and private companies while decreasing their cash holdings this year, according to a survey released today.
About 48 percent of respondents said they plan to add to commodities investments during 2012 and 55 percent said they intend to make more direct investments in private companies, according to a survey by the Institute for Private Investors. About 45 percent plan to increase real-estate holdings, said IPI’s survey of its members, who are families with at least $30 million in investable assets.
The average price of aluminum was 11 percent lower in the quarter from a year earlier after global growth decelerated amid a sovereign-debt crisis in Europe and government action to control inflation in China. Supply is exceeding demand and inventories have soared, leaving some smelters unprofitable at current metal prices. Alcoa said today it would close 12 percent of its smelting capacity amid falling prices.
Corn prices fell Thursday after new forecasts predicted rain in Argentina, where the crop has already been damaged by hot, dry weather.
There’s a school of thought that Greece is destined for so much financial pain that it would be better off outside the euro system. The secessionists’ reasoning goes like this: Suppose Greece somehow resolves its short-term debt problems through default or other means and brings its budget deficits under control. It will still have a crippling lack of competitiveness. Labor costs in Greece have risen much faster than in Germany and the rest of the euro core, making its exports expensive and imports cheap. The result is chronic trade deficits, which must be financed through continued borrowing.
NYSE Liffe U.S., the U.S. futures exchange of NYSE Euronext (NYX), today announced it has secured an exclusive license to launch futures contracts based on The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation's proprietary DTCC GCF Repo IndexTM. The DTCC GCF (General Collateral Finance) Repo IndexTM was created to enhance transparency and liquidity in the multi-billion-dollar GCF Repo(R) market. It tracks the average interest rate paid each day for the most-traded general collateral repos involving U.S. Treasury securities, Agency securities and Agency Mortgage-Backed securities. NYSE Liffe U.S. listed futures on the DTCC GCF Repo Index(TM) are expected to launch in early 2012 and will benefit from the powerful 'one-pot' margin efficiencies of New York Portfolio Clearing (NYPC).
After turning the page on Libya's oil-supply shutdown last year, markets now have a new drama to worry about: the rising tensions between Iran and the West. In recent days, Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, the channel through which about a third of global seaborne oil exports pass. The saber-rattling from Tehran has come in response to moves toward new sanctions by Western nations aimed at Iran's nuclear program. The tough talk has spurred fears of supply shortages, driving prices higher. But experts say abrupt disruptions of crude from the Gulf region appear unlikely.
Crude oil inventories declined 4.43 million barrels to 334.5 million last week, the American Petroleum Institute said.
The dollar index accelerated up to an 11-1/2 month high after an Italian bond auction Thursday sold only 7.02 billion euros of the Italian debt, below the maximum target of 8.5 billion euros and a sign of slack demand.
(Kitco News) – Comex February gold futures prices ended the U.S. day session higher and near the daily high after trading on both sides of unchanged in choppy price action. There has been fresh safe-haven investment demand for gold surface this week, amid fresh tensions between the U.S. and Iran, and amid the ongoing European Union sovereign debt crisis. The gold market held its own Thursday despite a sharp rise in the U.S. dollar index. February gold last traded up $11.10 at $1,623.80 an ounce. Spot gold was last quoted up $10.60 an ounce at $1,623.75. March Comex silver last traded up $0.273 at $29.37 an ounce.
The Australian dollar dropped against all of its 16 most-traded counterparts as concern that Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis is worsening damped demand for higher- yielding assets.
The information and data contained on this blog was obtained from sources considered reliable. Their accuracy or completeness is not guaranteed. Information provided on this website is not to be deemed as an offer or solicitation with respect to the sale or purchase of any securities or commodities. Any decision to purchase or sell as a result of the opinions expressed on will be the full responsibility of the person authorizing such transaction.

domain: finance


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It’s a given that you wanted a relaxing vacation, but what if it could be curative, too? Emily Schwarze is a massage therapist and trained osteopath, meaning she’s medically trained to get rid of the crick in your neck from the flight over. For more persistent problems, her specialties include trigger-point therapy and myofacial release.
Perhaps you just want to unwind. Well, Emily can help with that too. Her modalities include both traditional deep tissue and Swedish massage. A naturopath with over 20 years professional experience, her talented, healing hands are well suited for whatever you may need. Don’t be surprised if you leave in even better shape than you hoped.

domain: health


Handling the Aftermath of an Active Shooter Event
This webinar is intended for educational institutions and will help participants prepare to deal with the aftermath of an active shooter/killer event.
While the public safety personnel of most institutions have prepared to respond to and stop such an attack, there is still a lot to do to ensure successful recovery from the incident. This webinar is intended for educational institutions (K-20) and will help participants prepare to deal with the aftermath of an active shooter/killer event.
You’ll hear from Chief Stephen Lopez, Chief of Police at New Mexico State University, speak to specific areas of recovery planning including:
- Public Safety Priorities
- Communication Challenges
- Institutional Leadership
- Urgent – Quick – Soon : 3 Types of Decisions
- Leadership Responsibilities & Tips
- Statements to Make
- Vigil Planning
- And Lots More
If you appreciated this webcast and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!


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‘ Pôsteres Modernos de Arte’ - Website Template
Lojas virtuais, artistas e designers
A vibrant and colorful theme custom built for graphic designers and visual artists. The generous space for images lets you show off your creative projects in style. Customers can browse your portfolio and purchase items from the catalog in just a few simple steps.


Portland, Oregon – READY FOR WILLAMETTE RIVER SWIMMING, BOATING, AND PLAYING? “CHECK THE REC” TO SEE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES WATER QUALITY TEST RESULTS
With summer temperatures arriving early, the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services reminds the public of Environmental Services’ weekly Willamette River water quality testing program.
Since the completion of the Big Pipe Project in 2011, seven years of Environmental Services’ summer sampling consistently shows bacteria levels well within state guidelines, meaning the river water is safe for direct contact through swimming and other recreation.
Each week from late May through September, Environmental Services tests for E. coli bacteria and water temperature at five popular public recreation spots. Tests reflect E. coli from all sources – people, pets, and wildlife. Sampling is conducted on Wednesdays and results posted by Friday morning– in time for weekend activity. The public is invited to “Check the Rec” to view test results.
Media availability – next water quality test: Wednesday 1 p.m. at Portland Boathouse Dock. Additional visuals on Flickr
So far this year, E. coli counts at all sites were under 40, well below the count of 406 that is the health standard for swimming set by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
By contrast, a sewage overflow would show E. coli counts of 5,000 or higher.
So far in 2019, there have been zero sewage overflows to the Willamette.
“The Big Pipe is making a big difference. As sewage overflows have dramatically declined, recreation has impressively increased. A clean river benefits us all – people and wildlife,” said Environmental Services Director Mike Jordan. “People can help keep our river clean by picking up litter, and especially pet waste, which is a preventable source of bacteria.”
Last year, 98 percent of test results showed low bacteria levels well within state health guidelines.
Two results showed slightly elevated levels of E. coli. Additional sampling taken the same day showed low levels, indicating the higher readings were from a temporary source of pets, wildlife, or illicit human discharge.
Swim and Play Safely
A general rule of river safety: While the river is regularly free of sewage overflows and harmful levels of bacteria, there still can pockets of exposure from people, pets (please pick up after your dog) or wildlife. Be aware of your surroundings, and when playing in the river, avoid swallowing river water.
While bacteria levels are the biggest health concern for swimming and other direct recreation, the public also is advised to be alert for trash or any discoloration. Later in summer after long dry spells, a blue-green sheen can indicate toxic blue-green algae. Those instances are rare as well. The state issues algae advisories. Environmental Services issues advisories of sewage releases.
Environmental Services and Portland Fire & Rescue offer these additional river tips:
- Know the water and know your abilities to stay safe and enjoy the river.
- Many factors affect safety on the river, including temperature, currents, and debris.
- The river is cold. Cold water is good for migrating salmon and other fish, but water below 70 degrees can be uncomfortable and unsafe for people.
- Check the Rec for water temperatures as well as bacteria at www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/
The Bureau of Environmental Services provides city residents with programs to protect water quality and public health, including wastewater collection and treatment, sewer construction and maintenance, stormwater management, and stream and watershed restoration. For news updates, follow @BESPortland on Twitter and visit www.portlandoregon.gov/


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Property giant Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) failed to get a “yes” from the Pasay City government regarding its request to extend the deadline of submission of a counterproposal to SM Group’s unsolicited proposal to reclaim 300 hectares from Manila Bay.
However, a top official of ALI said that the group is “open to partnership” if ever there will be an opportunity to do a business venture with the SM Group involving the said project.
A few days ago, ALI sought the approval of Pasay City to give it 60 more days to submit a counterproposal to SM Land Inc.’s 300-hectare reclamation project.
Bobby Dy, ALI chief operating officer, said the company is “surprised and disappointed” with the decision of the Pasay City government, specifying that ALI is now reviewing the letter it received from the local government unit and mapping out its next step.
“Reconsideration, obviously, is one option. We are hoping for Pasay to reconsider its decision and allow the 60-day extension,” Dy further said.
According to him, the deadline for submission of proposals is scheduled on November 4, and the company hasn’t done anything crucial yet regarding its planned proposal since the project requires more careful master-planning.
Given ALI’s eagerness to participate in the reclamation project, Dy indicated that the company is open to a joint venture with the SM Group.
“We were known to have a lot of partnerships. Part of our development strategy is to partner with different people. We are always open to partnership,” he added.


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Greenwood retail store closes
A landmark since it opened in 1978, Value City in Greenwood is closing its doors, officials for the store’s Columbus, Ohio-based parent company said earlier this month.
The store, across U.S. 31 from Greenwood Park Mall, will shut down within six weeks, said Value City spokeswoman Kristin Mack. The store was hurt by competition from Greenwood’s T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s and Target, said a release issued by VCHI Acquisition Co. Feb. 6.
Forty-seven people work at the Greenwood Value City, but it isn’t clear how many, if any, of those employees will be offered jobs at other stores. The parent company is closing three dozen stores nationwide as part of a restructuring.
The Greenwood Value City anchors a strip center at 1230 U.S. 31 North that also is occupied by David’s Bridal and Jo-Ann Fabrics. The property is owned by Value City’s parent, which said it might try to sell it.

domain: economics


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Film Hub North presents: The Miseducation of Cameron PostA day of screenings and discussions
Film Hub North and BFI NETWORK are excited to present a special preview screening of The Miseducation of Cameron Post at the Showroom Cinema on Saturday, 28 July.
The event is a great opportunity for early-career filmmakers to get an advanced look at Desiree Akhavan's follow up to her 2014 breakout feature, Appropriate Behaviour. Akhavan's second film tells the story of a young woman who finds an unlikely community of friends and peers after she is sent to a conversion therapy centre for teens "struggling with same-sex attraction" - it scooped the Sundance Grand Jury Prize earlier in 2018 and is released in the UK in late-August.
Screening alongside The Miseducation of Cameron Post are two shorts from emerging UK talents: Abena Taylor-Smith and Loran Dunn's Ladies Day and Dionne Edwards and Georgia Goggin's We Love Moses.
After the screenings, we'll welcome Taylor-Smith, Dunn, Edwards and Goggin for a panel discussion chaired by cultural producer and writer Chardine Taylor Stone. The panel will discuss their work, the representation of LGBTQ+ figures on screen and their place in the industry.
We'll finish the evening in the Showroom's bar, where you'll have a chance to meet fellow filmmakers and future collaborators, and to catch up with Film Hub North's Talent Executives who'll be there to advise you on the funding and support available for your projects through BFI NETWORK.
Book your ticket
This event is free to attend and open to early-career filmmakers - be they animators, writers, directors or producers.
If you'd like to come along, please RSVP to us directly.


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She’s a certified Sports Nutrition with a doctorate in Kinesiology. Dr. Kelly Cotts is also a holder of a bachelor’s degree in biostatics and master’s degree in Nutrition. She’s the lead point in most of the weight loss products in our company. She personally had to deal with obesity issues during her earlier years in college and this experience inspired her to look for natural and safe ways of solving overweight problems. Her expertise in investigating natural compounds and herbs has been instrumental in coming up with the best natural weight loss supplements that we recommend. She also runs her own website where she provides dieting and other wellness tips. In her free time, Dr. Kelly Cotts plays tennis and goes surfing. She also has a thing for yoga.
- Certified personal trainer
- Doctor in Kinesiology
Thomas Matthys a former world-class track & field athlete and the founder of Swol Headquarters. He graduated from the University of Fordham with a Master’s degree in Science. Matthys is a certified sports nutritionist and personal coach of several professional athletes. Matthys has been involved in various clinical studies within Track & Field including one on the factors associated with muscle recovery and HIIT.


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Approx 70,000 sq ft of retail space of which 10,000 sq ft is currently leased for 5 years $48,000 annually. Approx 59,000 sq ft of retail space is offered for lease $2 per sq ft. NNN Property is available for purchase at $1,999,950
Less than a 100 years ago the United States’ largest goldfish farm, the Glen Mary Fish Farm, was located on 35 acres in Pierce Township. Ponds from the farm remain today along Main Street in Amelia.
1785 St Rt 125
Pierce Twp., OH 45102


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Diane Morgan Paints
Sunday, September 8, 2013
The Desert Sun watercolor sunset class demo
Our local newspaper is called The Desert Sun. Thought that was a fitting title for this piece.
Watercolor 10" x 14" on Arches 300# cold press. I've painted this scene many times. It's fun how it always manages to come out differently each time.
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