text:
Hong Kong Med J 2021 Jun;27(3):177–83 | Epub 19 Feb 2021
© Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
ORIGINAL ARTICLE CME
Expanded carrier screening using next-generation sequencing of 123 Hong Kong Chinese families: a pilot study
Olivia YM Chan, FHKCOG, FHKAM (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)1,2 #; TY Leung, FRCOG, FHKAM (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)1,3 #; Y Cao, PhD1,3,4; MM Shi, MPhil1; Angel HW Kwan, MRCOG1; Jacqueline PW Chung, FHKCOG, FHKAM (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)1; KW Choy, PhD1,3; SC Chong, FHKCPaed, FHKAM (Paediatrics)3,4
1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2 Adept Medical Centre, Hong Kong
3 The Chinese University of Hong Kong–Baylor College of Medicine Joint Center of Medical Genetics, Hong Kong
4 Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
# These authors equally contributed to this work
Corresponding author: Dr SC Chong (firstname.lastname@example.org)
Introduction: To determine the carrier frequency and common mutations of Mendelian variants in Chinese couples using next-generation sequencing (NGS).
Methods: Preconception expanded carrier testing using NGS was offered to women who attended the subfertility clinic. The test was then offered to the partners of women who had positive screening results. Carrier frequency was calculated, and the results of the NGS panel were compared with those of a target panel.
Results: In total, 123 women and 20 of their partners were screened. Overall, 84 (58.7%) individuals were identified to be carriers of at least one disease, and 68 (47.6%) were carriers after excluding thalassaemias. The most common diseases found were GJB2-related DFNB1 nonsyndromic hearing loss and deafness (1 in 4), alpha-thalassaemia (1 in 7), beta-thalassaemia (1 in 14), 21-hydroxylase deficient congenital adrenal hyperplasia (1 in 13), Pendred’s syndrome (1 in 36), Krabbe’s disease (1 in 48), and spinal muscular atrophy (1 in 48). Of the 43 identified variants, 29 (67.4%) were not included in the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics or American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines. Excluding three couples with alpha-thalassaemia, six at-risk couples were identified.
Conclusion: The carrier frequency of the investigated members of the Chinese population was 58.7% overall and 47.6% after excluding thalassaemias. This frequency is higher than previously reported. Expanded carrier screening using NGS should be provided to Chinese people to improve the detection rate of carrier status and allow optimal pregnancy planning.
New knowledge added by this study
- The carrier frequency of Mendelian variants in the Chinese population is higher than previously reported.
- Next-generation sequencing should be used in the Chinese population to increase the detection rate of carriers of Mendelian variants.
- Expanded carrier screening with next-generation sequencing should be provided to Chinese people to identify carrier status of Mendelian variants for pregnancy planning.
Carrier screening aims to identify couples at risk of conceiving children affected by recessive genetic diseases. Carrier couples of most recessive genetic conditions are typically asymptomatic, and the only way to identify them is by carrier screening. If a couple are both carriers of the same autosomal recessively inherited condition, their offspring have a 1 in 4 chance of being affected. The risk is as high as 1 in 2 in male offspring if the mother is an X-linked recessive carrier. Carrier screening facilitates informed prenatal testing options such as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, prenatal invasive testing, and other reproductive options such as donor gametes and adoption for carrier couples. Prenatal genetic diagnosis could provide parents with more information, appropriate counselling, and preparation to take care of the child.1
Various carrier screening programmes targeting specific populations have been developed for single gene diseases such as cystic fibrosis, thalassaemia, and Tay-Sachs disease.2 3 The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) published guidelines on ethnically based carrier screening programmes, eg, screening for haemoglobinopathies in individuals of Southeast Asian, African and Mediterranean descent and screening for cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, familial dysautonomia, and Canavan disease for individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.2 4 However, race and ethnicity can only be determined by patient self-report, and measures to ascertain ethnicity are restrictive.5 Ancestry-based screening could also lead to unequal distribution of genetic testing and may miss diagnosis of diseases in populations without screening.3 Thus, both the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and ACOG recommended carrier screening for cystic fibrosis in all couples in 2001.6 7 The ACMG and ACOG have also recommended carrier screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in all couples since 2008 and 2017, respectively.8 9
With advancements in genomic technology providing access to next-generation sequencing (NGS), expanded screening panels that cover a wide variety of disorders could be offered to individuals regardless of ethnic background.9
The common mutations in the screening panel are mainly chosen based on studies performed in the Caucasian and Ashkenazi Jewish populations. Those known common mutations may not be ethnicity-specific and may not cover all mutations present in the Chinese population. Thus, the approach of sequencing the entire disease-causing gene would be more useful than the targeted common mutations approach for the Chinese population.
Studies that evaluate carrier frequencies and common mutations in the Chinese population are lacking in our locality. Further study to review carrier frequency and the identified variants in the Chinese population is essential to guide the future design of carrier screening platforms specific to the Chinese population and improve the cost-effectiveness of carrier screening for genetic diseases.
Expanded carrier screening testing was offered to women who attended the subfertility clinic and pre-pregnancy counselling clinic of the study unit between March 2016 and March 2017. They were counselled about the prevalence and inheritance of recessive conditions, and the chance of having affected offspring for a silent carrier couple, using examples and figures. The purpose, testing methods, interpretation of results, potential benefits, risks, and limitations of the expanded carrier screening were also explained.
A generic consent form for the expanded carrier screening testing prepared by the laboratory was used. Consent for the use of data obtained for research or audit purposes was also obtained. The test was then ordered by the clinician as self-financed testing. The expanded carrier screening test was offered to both members of the couple separately during pre-test counselling. During post-test counselling, if a woman was identified to be a carrier of an autosomal recessive disease, but her partner had not completed the test, her partner was also counselled for carrier testing using the same method as self-financed testing. If both the male and female members of the couple were carriers of a same autosomal recessive disorder or the female was the carrier of an X-linked recessive disorder, they were identified as at-risk couples having the possibility of an affected pregnancy. Genetic counselling was arranged for at-risk couples to discuss reproductive options such as preimplantation genetic testing and prenatal diagnostic testing. Finally, the carrier frequencies of individual diseases and the identified variants were reviewed. STROBE reporting guidelines were implemented in this manuscript.
The expanded carrier screening panel consisted of 104 conditions inherited in autosomal recessive or X-linked manner (online supplementary Appendix). The severity of these conditions ranged from debilitating diseases with neurological impairment (eg, SMA), reduced lifespan (eg, thalassaemia), or intellectual disability (eg, fragile X syndrome) to diseases requiring early intervention in the prenatal or early neonatal period (eg, 21-hydroxylase deficient congenital adrenal hyperplasia [CAH]).
The screening platform (Family Prep Screen 2.0; Counsyl, South San Francisco [CA], United States), which was reported by Lazarin et al,10 uses NGS techniques to analyse the listed exons, as well as selected intergenic and intronic regions, of the genes responsible for the recessive conditions. The selected regions were sequenced to high coverage and compared with standards and references of normal variation. High-throughput sequencing detects approximately 94% of known clinically significant variants according to the test provider. Variants classified as ‘predicted’ or ‘likely’ pathogenic have been reported.11 Fragile X specific polymerase chain reaction assay was used to determine the CGG repeat size in the 5' untranslated region of the FMR1 gene. Targeted copy number analysis was used to determine the copy number of exon 7 of the SMN1 gene. g.27134T>G variant testing for identification of silent SMA carriers is not included in this platform.12 The turnaround time of the test was approximately 3 weeks.
A total of 123 Chinese women (age range, 20-45 years) opted for expanded carrier screening, and 69 (56.1%) of them were found to be carriers of at least one disease. Twenty of the women’s partners (29.0%, 20/69) were willing to complete the screening test after genetic counselling. Screening for possible carrier status before contemplating pregnancy was the indication in all individuals. Excluding one woman who was positive for fragile X syndrome, 48 women who screened positive opted not to screen their partners. Seventeen of them were solely carriers of alpha- or beta-thalassaemia (10 and 7, respectively), which could be accurately screened by mean corpuscular volume. The results also included 20 GJB2 carriers, especially the c.109G>A (p.Val37Ile) mutation, which has low penetrance and is prevalent in the Chinese population.13 14 Carrier status for CAH, SMA, Pendred’s syndrome, and other very rare diseases was found in three, one, one, and six individuals, respectively. After integrating partners’ data, 84 subjects (58.7%) were found to be carriers for at least one recessive disease, including thalassaemias. Excluding thalassaemias, 68 subjects (47.6%) were found to be carriers of at least one disease (Tables 1 and 2).
Table 1. Carrier frequency of genetic diseases identified in a cohort of 143 adults, listed according to their frequency and alphabetic order
Prevalence of carriers of various diseases
A total of 24 recessive diseases were identified in 84 (58.7%) of the 143 subjects. The data are summarised in Table 1. The most common condition identified was GJB2-related hearing loss (frequency: 1 in 4). One subject was also found to be a homozygote for the p.V37I mutation in the GJB2 gene. The subject was aged 34 years and did not complain of hearing impairment at the time of recruitment. Both alpha- and beta-thalassaemia were prevalent in this cohort (1 in 7 and 1 in 14, respectively), as shown in Table 1. Eleven subjects (1 in 13) were identified as carriers of the 21-hydroxylase deficient type of CAH. Four subjects were heterozygous carriers of Pendred’s syndrome (1 in 36), and three subjects were heterozygous carriers for each of SMA and Krabbe’s disease (1 in 48). Two carriers were identified for both CLN5-related neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis and Fanconi’s anaemia type C, and one carrier was identified for each of 15 other recessive conditions (Table 1).
The frequency of multiple-disease carriers is shown in Table 2. Carrier status of at least two recessive conditions was identified in 24 subjects (24/143, 16.8%) including thalassaemias and 11 subjects (7.7%) excluding thalassaemias.
One woman was a fragile X syndrome premutation carrier, and 20 women had positive results for carrier status, and their male partners were sequentially tested. After integrating the sequential testing results, we identified nine at-risk couples, including three of alpha-thalassaemia, two of CAH, two of GJB2-related hearing loss, one of Pendred’s syndrome, and one of fragile X syndrome (Table 3). The rate of at-risk couples was 12.0% (9/75) overall and 8.0% (6/75) excluding thalassaemias.
Comparison between traditional screening guidelines and next-generation sequencing
Forty three variants were identified by the NGS panel (Table 4). Of the 43 variants, 29 (67.4%) were not included in the ACMG or ACOG guidelines.9 11
This study demonstrated the application of NGS to investigate carrier frequency status of members of the Chinese population in Hong Kong. The overall positive yield of this expanded carrier screening panel in our cohort was 58.7%. Not surprisingly, both alpha- and beta-thalassaemia account for a significant proportion of them. However, even after excluding thalassaemias that could be screened by mean corpuscular volume, the positive yield using NGS was still as high as 47.6%, with 6 out of 75 at-risk couples (8.0%) identified and potentially benefiting from further pre-conception genetic counselling.
Although NGS has been increasingly used for genetic carrier screening in Western countries in recent years, there is a scarcity of data about the carrier frequency of various recessive diseases in the Chinese population. In 2013, Lazarin et al10 reported the carrier frequencies of a sample of approximately 20 000 people from different ethnic groups using a targeted mutation panel. East Asians had the lowest carrier frequency (8.5%) compared with Ashkenazi Jews (43.6%) or Caucasians (21%-32.6%). The most common genetic disease identified among East Asians was GJB2-related hearing loss (1 in 22), followed by beta-thalassaemia/sickle cell disease (1 in 78) and SMA (1 in 85). However, the assay used by Lazarin et al10 was partially based on targeted genotyping, so carriers of variants other than the included common mutations were not detected. Thus, the reported carrier frequencies are likely underestimated, particularly among East Asians, as the common mutation panel was mainly based on the Caucasian and Ashkenazi Jewish populations. In particular, alpha-thalassaemia and CAH are not included in their panel.
Recently, Guo and Gregg15 investigated the carrier prevalence of 415 recessive diseases using an exome sequencing database of approximately 120 000 samples. The consistent finding is that Ashkenazi Jews had the highest carrier frequency (62.9%), followed by Caucasians, Africans, and Hispanics; South and East Asians had the lowest carrier frequency, but that frequency rose to 32.6% with a more comprehensive panel. However, because neither alpha-thalassaemia nor SMA was included in the panel, the most common diseases for which carrier status was found among East Asians were autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1, beta-thalassaemia, Usher’s syndrome type IIa, and CAH. The carrier frequency of each of those diseases was 1% to 2%. In 2018, Zhao et al16 reported >10 000 mainland Chinese couples in whom NGS was used to screen for 11 recessive diseases. That study showed a high carrier frequency of 27.49%, and 2.4% of couples were carriers of the same genetic disease. The authors found that the diseases with the highest carrier frequencies were alpha-thalassaemia (15.1%), beta-thalassaemia (4.8%), phenylketonuria (3.6%), Wilson’s disease (2.0%), GJB2-related hearing loss (1.7%), and Pendred’s syndrome (1.6%). However, that study excluded SMA, CAH, and fragile X syndrome.16 Our study’s findings are distinguished from those of Lazarin et al,10 Guo and Gregg,15 and Zhao et al16 in that we observed a much higher carrier rate for GJB2-related hearing loss (28.0%), which is consistent with our previous report (15.9%) using target-enriched massively parallel sequencing.14 In addition, we found higher carrier frequencies for CAH (7.7%) and Pendred’s syndrome (2.8%). Our study observed carrier frequency for SMA (2.1%) is similar to that found in Western populations,17 18 19 20 21 indicating that SMA affects all ethnic groups.
One of the major limitations of our study was the small sample size. More data are required before we can draw precise conclusions regarding the carrier frequency of individual recessive conditions in the Chinese population. Second, patients in this cohort were referred for subfertility or pre-pregnancy counselling for genetic conditions, and give out of this 123-patient cohort had a positive family history, including thalassaemias, balanced translocation carriers, family history of autism, neonatal death, and previous pregnancy with structural abnormality. Thus, some of the results might have been over-represented. For example, one woman who presented with subfertility was discovered to be a fragile X permutation carrier, and this may have elevated the carrier frequency of fragile X in our cohort of 123 women. In our previous study, in which we used a robust polymerase chain reaction–based assay to quantify fragile X CGG repeats for screening of 3000 low-risk Chinese pregnant women, the permutation frequency was approximately 1 in 800.22 Another couple in the present study had a previous baby with neonatal death of unknown cause in Mainland China and were found to be 21-hydroxylase deficient CAH carriers. Nonetheless, even after excluding these two CAH cases, the CAH carrier frequency in our study (1 in 16) remains high.
Currently, both the ACOG and ACMG recommend carrier screening for SMA and cystic fibrosis only in individuals of East Asian ethnicity.7 9 If those ethnic-based carrier screening strategies advocated by the guidelines had been followed, many carriers and all five carrier couples identified in our cohort would have been missed. The results of our pilot study suggest that recessive genetic conditions may not be as uncommon as previously thought. Many of the diseases identified in our cohort are debilitating conditions that are associated with progressive neurological derangement and reduced life span, such as SMA, Krabbe’s disease, and biotinidase deficiency. More importantly, some conditions such as CAH may require intervention during the early prenatal or early neonatal periods to avoid irreversible complications. Hence, public and professional awareness of expanded carrier screening should be improved, and genetic counselling and expanded carrier screening should be an option for the Chinese population, especially in the setting of subfertility clinics.
Yet, genetic carrier screening has not been popular among the Chinese population or in Hong Kong because of the high cost of the test and the perceived low carrier rate in Chinese people. As the cost for NGS has dropped recently, and our pilot study demonstrated an overall high yield of 8.0% of couples at risk of conceiving foetuses with genetic diseases (even after excluding thalassaemias), further studies of couples are warranted. Potential candidates for expanded carrier screening in Hong Kong also include couples in consanguineous marriages, which are common in minor ethnic groups such as Pakistani and Indian. A recent local study showed that they had a higher prevalence of congenital abnormality (10.5%), unexplained intrauterine foetal demise (4.2%), and unexplained neonatal death (4.6%).23
In our cohort, NGS was used to analyse the listed exons, as well as selected intergenic and intronic regions, of the genes responsible for certain recessive conditions. The high-throughput sequencing technique was able to detect approximately 94% of known clinically significant variants irrespective of ethnicity. Of 43 variants identified using NGS, 29 (67.4%) were not included in the ACMG or ACOG guidelines. Thus, our study demonstrated that the NGS technique increased the detection rate of carrier status for recessive conditions in the Chinese population. Yet, further study with a larger sample size should be conducted to study the prevalence of carrier status, which conditions should be included, and ethical issues related to carrier screening testing such as reproductive options.
The observed carrier frequency in the Chinese population was 58.7% overall (47.6% after excluding thalassaemias) and was higher than previously reported. Expanded carrier screening using NGS should be provided to Chinese people to improve the detection rate of carrier status and facilitate optimal pregnancy planning.
All authors contributed to the concept or design of the study, acquisition of data, analysis or interpretation of the data, drafting of the manuscript, and critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.
All authors had full access to the data, contributed to the study, approved the final version for publication, and take responsibility for its accuracy and integrity.
Conflicts of interest
As an editor of the journal, JPW Chung was not involved in the peer review process. Other authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest.
This research project was partially funded by the Liauw’s Family Reproductive Genomics Programme.
This study obtained ethical approval from The Joint Chinese University of Hong Kongew Territories East Cluster Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Ref CREC2019.138). All participants gave informed consent before the study.
1. Edwards JG, Feldman G, Goldberg J, et al. Expanded carrier screening in reproductive medicine-points to consider: a joint statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, National Society of Genetic Counselors, Perinatal Quality Foundation, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Obstet Gynecol 2015;125:653-62. Crossref
2. ACOG Committee on Obstetrics. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 78: hemoglobinopathies in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 2007;109:229-37. Crossref
3. Bajaj K, Gross SJ. Carrier screening: past, present and future. J Clin Med 2014;3:1033-42. Crossref
4. ACOG Committee on Genetics. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 442: preconception and prenatal carrier screening for genetic diseases in individuals of Eastern European Jewish descent. Obstet Gynecol 2009;114:950-3. Crossref
5. Eisenhower A, Suyemoto K, Lucchese F, Canenguez K. “Which box should I check?”: examining standard check box approaches to measuring race and ethnicity. Health Serv Res 2014;49:1034-55. Crossref
6. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Genetics. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 486: update on carrier screening for cystic fibrosis. Obstet Gynecol 2011;117:1028-31. Crossref
7. Watson MS, Cutting GR, Desnick RJ, et al. Cystic fibrosis population carrier screening: 2004 revision of American College of Medical Genetics mutation panel. Genet Med 2004;6:387-91. Crossref
8. Prior TW, Professional Practice and Guidelines Committee. Carrier screening for spinal muscular atrophy. Genet Med 2008;10:840-2. Crossref
9. Committee on Genetics. Committee Opinion No. 691: carrier screening for genetic conditions. Obstet Gynecol 2017;129:e41-55. Crossref
10. Lazarin GA, Haque IS, Nazareth S, et al. An empirical estimate of carrier frequencies for 400+ causal Mendelian variants: results from an ethnically diverse clinical sample of 23,453 individuals. Genet Med 2013;15:178-86. Crossref
11. Haque IS, Lazarin GA, Kang HP, Evans EA, Goldberg JD, Wapner RJ. Modeled fetal risk of genetic diseases identified by expanded carrier screening. JAMA 2016;316:734-42. Crossref
12. Feng Y, Ge X, Meng L, et al. The next generation of population-based spinal muscular atrophy carrier screening: comprehensive pan-ethnic SMN1 copy-number and sequence variant analysis by massively parallel sequencing. Genet Med 2017;19:936-44. Crossref
13. Shen J, Oza AM, Del Castillo I, et al. Consensus interpretation of the p.Met34Thr and p.Val37Ile variants in GJB2 by the ClinGen Hearing Loss Expert Panel. Genet Med 2019;21:2442-52. Crossref
14. Choy KW, Cao Y, Lam ST, Lo FM, Morton CC, Leung TY. Target-enriched massively parallel sequencing for genetic diagnosis of hereditary hearing loss in patients with normal array CGH result. Hong Kong Med J 2018;24 Suppl 3:11-4.
15. Guo MH, Gregg AR. Estimating yields of prenatal carrier screening and implications for design of expanded carrier screening panels. Genet Med 2019;21:1940-7. Crossref
16. Zhao S, Xiang J, Fan C, et al. Pilot study of expanded carrier screening for 11 recessive diseases in China: results from 10,476 ethnically diverse couples. Eur J Hum Genet 2019;27:254-62. Crossref
17. Li C, Geng Y, Zhu X, et al. The prevalence of spinal muscular atrophy carrier in China: evidences from epidemiological surveys. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020;99:e18975. Crossref
18. Evans M, McCarthy M, Moore R, Karbassi I, Alagia DP, Lacbawan F. A comprehensive analysis of allele frequencies from 476,930 spinal muscular atrophy test results [23M]. Obstet Gynecol 2019;133:147S. Crossref
19. Park JE, Yun S, Roh EY, Yoon JH, Shin S, Ki CS. Carrier frequency of spinal muscular atrophy in a large-scale Korean population. Ann Lab Med 2020;40:326-30. Crossref
20. Dejsuphong D, Taweewongsounton A, Khemthong P, et al. Carrier frequency of spinal muscular atrophy in Thailand. Neurol Sci 2019;40:1729-32. Crossref
21. Chen X, Sanchis-Juan A, French CE, et al. Spinal muscular atrophy diagnosis and carrier screening from genome sequencing data. Genet Med 2020;22:945-53. Crossref
22. Kwok YK, Wong KM, Lo FM, et al. Validation of a robust PCR-based assay for quantifying fragile X CGG repeats. Clin Chim Acta 2016;456:137-43. Crossref
23. Siong KH, Au Yeung SK, Leung TY. Parental consanguinity in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Med J 2019;25:192-200. Crossref

domain: biology


text:
Four Books by the Cryptozoologist Jonathan David Whitcomb
How high do you want to climb, in learning about these wonderful flying creatures that still sail through the clouds of our day? Whatever your ambitions may be in this branch of cryptozoology, one of the following books will satisfy your quest for discovery, unless your sights are focused on the top of the highest clouds: You’ll then want all four of these books.
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In general, if you’re not offended by books that point to a divine origin of life on this planet, you’ll probably be delighted in the fourth edition of SRFRFG, although be aware: It’s not mainly about religion but is more a cross-genre of true-life adventure and cryptozoology.
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This book appears less controversial, according to the many high Amazon reviews, yet it’s filled with eyewitness reports of these shocking featherless flying creatures, as is Searching for Ropens and Finding God. Why is LPA rated higher than the larger book? It may appear less threatening to the popular dogmas about extinctions, so those who purchase it are the readers who are not offended by the idea that not all species of pterosaurs are extinct.
You’ll find no long introduction to adventures, in Live Pterosaurs in America, for it jumps right into a sighting in South Carolina, an encounter by the young college student Susan Wooten. Then travel across the United States, with one shocking encounter after another, all leading to the same conclusion: One or more species of pterosaurs are very much alive.
Paperback: 154 pages
The Girl who saw a Flying Dinosaur (new book)
Three of the four books here reviewed are in print format, and the newest and most compact is The Girl who saw a Flying Dinosaur. This short nonfiction is for the young reader: older kids and young teenagers.
Yet even in this short book, the importance of eyewitness testimony is emphasized. It encourages children and teens to think objectively about what eyewitnesses have reported about what they have seen.
On Amazon: $7.80 (maximum)
Paperback: 56 pages
Live Pterosaurs in Australia and in Papua New Guinea
In contrast to the other three books, LPAPNG is available only online, and it’s in free pdf format. Yes, you can download this with no obligation or any filling out of any form, and it is for free.
It may not have the depth or breadth of Searching for Ropens and Finding God or Live Pterosaurs in America, but you’ll probably be delighted with Live Pterosaurs in Australia and in Papua New Guinea.
For the cost of a meal for two at a nice restaurant, enjoy your own library of nonfiction books on these wonderful flying creatures: Buy all three of the ones in print and don’t forget to download the fourth one for free.
This examines several nonfiction books about living pterosaurs, including the largest one: Searching for Ropens and Finding God. The post is not in a common book-review format but divides the publications into types.
Live Pterosaurs in America (third edition)
Of the fourteen reviews published on Amazon, as of late February of 2018, 79% give it the highest number of stars, with one reader giving it almost that many. Even with all the controversy, this book is highly praised.
Many people, around the world, have seen a strange flying creature: something appearing unlike any bird, for it has no feathers. These animals are also unlike any bat, many of them having very long tails. Some eyewitnesses report a long beak, unlike any bat.
This is the download site for your free digital copy of the book.
The large fourth edition of this book, on Amazon

domain: library


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domain: chemistry


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Continue reading Ten Faux Pas to Avoid in North East India

domain: geography


Question about Gateway MX6025 Notebook
Look for "Num Lock" key, it would be located on top left of set of number keys on right side of keyboard, press it to activate numbers keys set and press again to deactivate. Many keyboards have small light to show activation of that function.
Let me know if you have additional question.
Posted on Sep 16, 2010
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Apr 09, 2018 | The Computers & Internet
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Dec 30, 2013 | Computers & Internet
Examine your keyboard to ensure your "Number Lock" key is not activated.
This activation is indicated by the key being lit up.
If the key is activated, press it to deactivate the lock.
The number lock key will deactivate an entire segment of your keyboard
Start, click Run, and type regedit to open the Windows registry editor.
In the registry, open the below folders.
Within the keyboard folder, you should have a string value named "InitialKeyboardIndicators" with a value of 0, 1, or 2. Below is the explanation of each of these values.
0 = Num Lock is turned OFF after the logon.
1 = Disable Num Lock.
2 = Numlock is turned ON after the logon.
On most laptops there is a function key that will lock the keyboard.
You would need to pres the [Fn] key and the appropriate [F#] key. In mine the combination
would be [Fn+F1] keys. If you shut down to re-activate the keyboard you will loose whatever you are working on.
hope this helps
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October 13, 2017
dvsn's new album Morning After is finally here. The OVO R&B duo of Daniel Daley and Nineteen85 formally announced the follow-up to 2016's Sept. 5 in August, after dropping the album's first single "Think About Me" in May. Morning After's 13 tracks also include the previously released "Don't Choose," and "Mood." Listen to Morning After below on Spotify and here on Apple Music.


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Friday, August 23rd, 2019 2:00pm – 4:00pm
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View Map |
Wednesday August 21st 2019
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Carmela Mazzulla Chilelli..
Death notice for the town of: Toronto, Province: Ontario


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Conservation district commissioners want a law prohibiting planting within 30 feet of streams
By Diego Flammini
Some Iowa farmers want the state government to pass a law limiting how close to a stream a producer can plant his or her crops.
The Conservation Districts of Iowa is calling for legislators to rule that farmers can’t plant crops within 30 feet of streams.
The group, which includes 500 elected members, voted to move forward with this resolution during its annual conference in August.
A 30-foot buffer between fields and streams would have environmental benefits, said Laura Krouse, a cash crop producer from Mount Vernon, Iowa.
“The buffer strips would protect our water quality,” she told Farms.com. “If somebody is farming all the way up to the edge of the stream, it’s pretty easy for chunks of dirt to fall into the stream. And if you’re farming within two or three feet from the stream, you’re not giving sediment a place to settle.”
In addition to farming, Krouse is a commissioner with the Linn Soil and Water Conservation District. The local conservation group pitched the idea of the buffer strips.
Farmers could choose between multiple options for planting within the 30-foot zone.
Hay, perennials and fruit or nut trees could be planted there, and the state and federal governments provide subsidies for buffers, Krouse said.
“You need some perennials along the edge to protect the stream and also allow for nutrients to filter out of the water,” she said.
Iowa’s top ag representative opposes the idea of mandatory buffer zones.
Instead, Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig wants to continue educating farmers and let them make individual decisions.
“This calls for regulation, a requirement for buffers, and that’s not the approach we’re taking here,” he told The Gazette Friday. “There’s no doubt buffer strips are a great conservation practice. They are in the (Nutrient Reduction) strategy and a practice we have a long history of implementing in the state. I just don’t think the regulatory approach is the right way to go.”
Farms.com has reached out to other Iowa farm groups for comment.

domain: agronomy


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A multi-season dolman sleeve cardigan, Stolitsa layers perfectly to suit the changing weather from autumn through spring. Worked from the top down with integrated sleeves, the front panels feature ZigZag Vine Lace scaled to size. The sweater is cast on provisionally at the shoulders, with back and fronts worked separately to the armhole. Sleeve stitches are put on hold and later grafted at the undersleeve seams; the fronts and back are joined and worked back and forth to the hem. Rib details finish the look, and a few short rows softly shape the collar.
Gauge: 14 st and 22 rows/4" in stockinette stitch, after blocking.


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- July 17, 2017
- Posted by: Jaime Skeete
- Category: News
The opening ceremony for CANTO’s 33rd Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition took place Sunday afternoon before a packed audience which included a cross section of regional ICT stakeholders in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Mr. Julian Wilkins, current Chairman of CANTO, welcomed delegates in Spanish and English. He spoke of his experiences working at Antigua Utilities Company in the early days of cell phone usage on the island. Cell phones, he said, progressed from being synonymous with wealth to being accessible to anyone from all economic backgrounds.
He noted that today we exist in an environment of “changing landscapes of operators, from regulated operators to OTT’s who are faceless, distant entities which do not invest in the countries they operate in”. He also spoke of the establishment of the Caribbean ICT Collaborative Committee, a regional body mandated to make recommendations to governments on key ICT issues.
The Hon. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, delivered an engaging feature address. He said that ICT empowers people, fuels creativity and drives productivity.
He noted that governments continue to provide incentives for operators including tax free holidays. He emphasized the critical role of the services that operators provide and reminded participants of their duty “to provide high quality cutting edge services at affordable costs.”
Keynote speaker, Charles Che, VP of Caribbean Region, Huawei Technologies, noted that the whole world is in digital transformation. Today’s buzzwords he said include ‘smart education’, ‘smart transportation’, ‘smart homes’ and even ‘smart tourism’. The Caribbean has every ingredient for success including culture and natural resources, Che said, adding that Huawei is willing to work in partnership by facilitating long term ICT planning and financing.

domain: economics


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domain: artistic


text:
Killin is just about in the centre of Scotland geographically so it is an ideal place for touring. With prices ranging from just £295 to £595 it is an affordable holiday retreat. There are 2 trout fishing permits provided too ! See website.
The Coach House is a small comfortable family run hotel situated in the heart of Scotland surrounded by magnificent scenery. The lounge bar is the hub of the hotel. a place to relax with its warm friendly atmosphere and its live music in season.
Dall Lodge is a Victorian country house offering excellent 4 star Bed & Breakfast accommodation in the picturesque village of Killin, just half a mile from Loch Tay. The house overlooks the River Lochay and the mountains incl. Ben Lawers
The perfect location for relaxing and enjoying the stunning surrounding countryside. Excellent food, real log fires, friendly staff and comfortable surroundings make this a perfect base to explore the wonderful Breadalbane area.
Pinesmoke, a detached cottage with a large enclosed rear garden is situated on the outskirts of Killin village and a short walk to the local shops, restaurants and pubs. Accommodation is provided for 5 guests in three bedrooms.
The Clachan Caravan Club Site is a wooded wonderland, rich with abundant alpine wild flowers and a spectacular range of bird life - curlew, buzzard, golden plover and kestrel are just a few of the varieties to be seen.

domain: travel


text:
Tale of Valor: A Novel of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Place Published: New York
Publisher: Pocket Books, Inc.
Date Published: 1960
Edition: First Giant Cardinal Edition
Book Id: 39353
496pp. Sextodecimo [16 cm] Pictorial wraps. The text block edges have the publisher's yellow stain. Very good. The covers show light surface and edge wear. The first couple pages have 1 and 1/2" jammed tears in the bottom margins.
Vardis Fisher's novel, "Mountain Man" was later made into the Hollywood film "Jeremiah Johnson."


text:
3 edition of A letter form [sic] a gentleman in the country to his friends in London upon the subject at penal laws and texts found in the catalog.
A letter form [sic] a gentleman in the country to his friends in London upon the subject at penal laws and texts
|Other titles||A letter from a gentleman in the country to his friends in London upon the subject of the penal laws and tests|
|Series||Early English books, 1641-1700 -- 1039:2|
|The Physical Object|
|Number of Pages||12|
Biochemical studies of CNS receptors
Together in my name
Cooks and Company
Joint statement by the N.U.T. and N.A.S. to members in strike affected schools which are not closed.
Kompass (United Kingdom)
The enchanted plants
Fairy legends and traditions of the south of Ireland
2005/06 labour force dissemination seminar summary report
Speech of Hon. John A. Dix of New York at the mass meeting at Washingtons headquarters at Newburgh on the 26 July, 1852, and General Scotts political letters.
William Wood and related families of Albemarle County, Virginia and Barren County, Kentucky in the 1800s


Native Plant Sale
Browse Canberra’s best range of Australian native plants, including many local species.
Thousands of plants will be on sale in the southern car park.
With over 50 years of experience growing Australian plants in the Canberra region, the ANPS specialises in well-labelled, good-quality, competitively priced plants that are ideal for new and established gardens.
Gates open at 8.30 am. Bring a bag or box for your purchases. Sale will continue until all plants sold or by 1.30 pm.
You can find descriptions of most plants in the new edition of ‘Australian Plants for Canberra Region Gardens’, available at the plant sale for $30.
**If you take a ticket for early entry, then find you can’t attend, please refund your ticket on the Eventbrite web site so that others can get in early.**
Please maintain Covid-safe social distancing while in the sale. We ask that you wear a mask in situations where people are in close contact.
- $7 (70 mm pot)
- $9 (90 mm pot)
- $11 (140 mm pot) each
Bring your own bags and boxes. Payment by credit card only, no cash.
Plant lists are available from the Australian Native Plant Society two weeks prior to the sale.
15 October, 8.30 am–1.30 pm (or until sold out)
Southern car park
Free entry, costs apply to plants


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By Jack Barnes
New music from Lil George featuring reality television star Ray J called “Thinking Bout You.” Enjoy this audio stream below after the jump.
Let us know what you think in the comment area below.
Liked this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!”

domain: entertainment


Region’s Challenges in Switching to Solar and Wind Power Plants – North Macedonia Brave in Reforms, RS Wants Over 1,000 MW Based on RES in 10 Years
Početna >> Novosti >> Region’s Challenges in Switching to Solar and Wind Power Plants – North Macedonia Brave in Reforms, RS Wants Over 1,000 MW Based on RES in 10 Years
So far, concessions for 770 MW from RES have been given, and the plan is to award concessions for another 443 MW at new facilities and the projection is that this might be built in the next ten years, if there are no obstacles, said the minister of energy of the Republic of Srpska, Petar Djokic, at the first panel of the recently completed Trebinje Energy Summit 2021.
He repeated that obstacles had already appeared, citing the example of the construction of the HPP Buk Bijela, and invited for a dialogue to take place so that the process of decarbonization in BiH would not stop.
– Such disputed threaten to stop the process of decarbonization. Our energy, if we don’t build new facilities, would be burdened by the fee, which will make it unprofitable to export and in that sense this is a complex process that we are entering. We are not cowards, we had the courage to adopt important policies and laws and I am therefore optimistic that we can make a successful turn toward investments in RES – Djokic pointed out.
As Djokic said, the production of electricity in RS relies of thermal power plants, more precisely, 60% of the power comes from them, but in the meantime a lot has been done to facilitate investments in green energy too.
– We have around 40 MHPPs and 50 small solar power plants built and they all together comprise around 120 MW of installed power. The construction of new energy facilities is in progress too. We are aware of the process of decarbonization, but also the problems that await us – financial investments for the purpose of sustainability of the existing thermal power plants and social risks. We have two regions in RS which are dependent on thermal power plants – Gacko and Ugljevik. At the moment, energy security in RS is not possible without the operations of those two thermal power plants and that is something that we have to take into consideration – Djokic said.
He repeated that they had invested nearly EUR 90 million in the project of desulfuring at the TPP Ugljevik, having previously invested around EUR 10 million in the filters.
– The Energy Community needs to be more understanding toward the countries of the Western Balkans in relation to the EU, which do not have the baggage of the past like us, which has largely slowed down the energy transition. We are not looking to be exempt, but to be understood, which for us means a longer transition process. TPP Stanari and TPP Ugljevik are examples of us contributing to environmental protection. I don’t see any great danger when it comes to building new thermal power plants, but I see a great financial obligation when we do build it. We’ve heard that TPPs are not profitable and that it is a great problem for the owners, so we have turned to green energy – emphasized the minister of energy of the Republic of Srpska.
He reminded of the importance of the adopted Law on Electrical Energy in RS, which defines a whole range of measures that should change the state of this market, to have it liberalized, which, as Djokic said, has already been done.
– The market has been open for a long time and the widest range of providers can appear. Under this new model of organization of ERS, we already have signed agreements on supply with both purchasers in the sphere of the economy and with citizens. We have already changed the awareness of people, so that they realize that one kilowatt-hour can no longer be in the function of social needs, but a resource on which the economy can develop in the future, or a resource which can contribute to the economy of RS – Djokic concluded.
A brave fight on the road to energy transition is being fought very successfully by North Macedonia, which has adopted more than 100 bylaws since 2018 in order regulate investments in RES. Viktor Andonov, the energy adviser of the prime minister of North Macedonia, therefore emphasized once again at the Trebinje gathering that there’s no time to waste. The country has adopted the Law on Energy, taken the latest EU directives in this field and has been helped in all this by the Energy Community Secretariat, USAID, EBRD and others. As Andonov said, without that help, they would not have been able to regulate this field so fast.
– I would say that we have prepared well for the transition. If we follow the segments of our journey, which has now lasted for four years, I can say that we have successfully completed the entire process and are now in the third segment – we are preparing for investments. That is why we’ve been pronounced the champion of energy transition by the Energy Community Secretariat. We have changed the law so as to accelerate investments in RES. Instead of giving money to investors, we collected EUR 3 million in the budget in the auction process. So, we signed agreements on around 60 MW and we will help them with EUR 3 million without additional costs to the budget over 7 years. Those procedures have proven to be successful. A year after the agreements, several of those power plants were put into operation. This has all contributed to the fact that we have more and more inquests from foreign investors, which are coming with projects, because they know that we have the capacities – Andonov said.
Petar Djokic and Viktor Andonov (Photo: Đorđe Bjelaković)
New procedures for the planned 60 MW of solar energy are also being prepared.
– Our energy strategy until 2040 will follow the European energy and climate standards. In creating this strategy, we were helped by consulting company PriceWaterhouseCoopers, the UK Embassy in BiH, the NGO sector and other working groups. We have been praised by environmentalists too, who have started promoting our strategy. We are the first country in the region to prepare the National Energy and Climate Plan, we have sent it to the Energy Community Secretariat, which has provided comments on it and we have integrated those. We expect the government to adopt it soon.
Among the priorities for North Macedonia, he said, will be to start shutting down its biggest thermal power plant in the next three years.
Montenegro also has problems with thermal power plants. As the minister of capital investments, Mladen Bojanic, said, the TPP Pljevlja exceeded the allowed 20,000 hours of production of electricity from coal in December 2020 already, and it was agreed for them to be spent by 2023.
– As a state, we have been praised for adopting modern laws in this field, but we performed very poorly in implementing them. The best example are the small hydro power plants. The previous government motivated investors to build such projects. There were incited to invest in them, because they are RES-based, and then environmentalists and local self-governments started speaking against it. We have created a problem for ourselves. However, I believe that progress is possible, we only need time. The aim is to become an energy-rich country, while still having the environment preserved – Bojanic emphasized.
The resident representative of the UNDP for BiH, Steliana Nedera, emphasized that the states needed to put more money in growth and development, aside from investing in maintaining the budget and repaying the debts.
– We need to understand that coal and solid fuel-based heating are a real problem and that 4,000 people die each year in BiH from pollution. I believe that it is possible to reduce this pollution by 90% by using certain technologies. That is why, as the UNDP, we want to work with all the actors and we need to be part of that process. Urgency, ambition and agility are needed.
In BiH alone, the UNDP is investing in projects of reduction of risk from climate change. They’ve helped 37 projects on the local self-government level and now those local self-governments know the way to a green economy. Action Plans regarding the reduction of CO2 emissions are being carried out in Sarajevo and Tuzla.
Nedera repeated the words of the UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, who had said that it was high time to do something about climate change, first on the global level, and then for the states to revise their plans and show an even greater initiative.
– Two thirds of CO2 emissions come from energy facilities and we have to keep that fact in mind – Nedera pointed out.
Janez Kopac, the secretary-general of the Energy Community, when asked what the future of nuclear power plants was, said that the existing ones would remain working, but that no new ones were to be built, not being cost-effective.
– They are building one in Hungary now and it will be a great source of electricity for this region, but I don’t believe that new ones are to be built in Slovenia.
Kopac pointed out that the technology of storing energy was developing very fast and believes that the progress of those technologies will make the investments less risky.
New Law in RS
– We don’t have that many sectors that can accumulate the kind of capital that the energy sector can, so we need to be proactive. We are soon to adopt the Law on RES, through which we will replace the existing models of incentives for investments. Technological progress is visible, so we can expect cheaper facilities under construction, both in solar and in wind capacities – the minister of energy of RS, Petar Djokic, concluded.
The Trebinje Energy Summit SET 2021 was organized by Elektroprivreda RS and the SET company on May 20-21, under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, the Government of the Republic of Srpska and the Koncar company, with the general sponsorship of Elnos Group and the support of Infinity Group and Dwelt.
The eKapija portal is the media sponsor of the 2021 Trebinje Energy Summit.


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Our Autumn Collection is inspired by Scottish wildlife. The magpie is one of the most intelligent birds commonly found in Uk and are closely related to the raven and crow. I always find them in my garden and on walks in the park. From a distance, the noisy chattering magpies appears black and white, but take a closer look and you'll see a subtle blue and green sheen to their appearance.
This design features a magpie in flight and is intricately cut from 3 layers of gloss, matt and marble acrylic. It clutches a genuine Swarovski crystal with cabochon eye detail adding a touch of bling. It measures 7.5 cm in height and secured to a scroll brooch back fixing. It will be presented in an eco friendly branded luxury gift box.


text:
By Jack St. Clair
This is a case of which story to tell you? Or which story you would believe? Hanging out with The Hellions for a night should be everything their namesake and music encompass, right? Sex. Drugs. Rock & Roll. Booze. Broads. Bars. Strip Clubs. Partying into the early morning hours. An epic night of myth and legend. Or maybe it was just a few guys, drinking a few brews, playing some music and discussing those myths and legends? You decide.
Every tale starts somewhere. The Hellions really began as The Inquisition. Vocalist Christian Reyes, who at the time played bass, and Bob Llamas, who is the band’s drummer, but at the time played guitar, were jamming with local drummer Jeff Howe (now of Red Sanz) in 1998 when they met singer/guitarist Angel Lua, in a Sociology class at College of the Desert. “No you can’t say that!” says guitarist Jamie Hargate, trying to perpetuate the myth. “They met at Showgirls!” “Yeah. We used to go to Showgirls so much they knew us,” Llamas laughs. “Every time we left they would hand us a stack of passes to come back.”
Having rechristened themselves The Hellions, the group would jam at Angel’s place in Coachella until Howe left for college and Reyes moved away. “At one point it was just Angel and me,” says Llamas. He switched from guitar to drums when good friend Travis Rockwell picked up the bass. Hargate, who prior had played with Christian, Angel and Bob in a band called Ritalin, joined them after seeing their first real show (up to that point they had only played house parties) at the long since closed Frankie J’s. “I just told them ‘I’ve got to be in your band and you need a rhythm guitar player anyway.’” The band instantly welcomed him in. And though he briefly took time out to be in the band Vega, Hargate has been with them ever since. Eventually Reyes returned to the desert and became the band’s second vocalist. And thus The Hellions have been. But if you’d like to believe they all met at Showgirls one night, go ahead. They probably want you to believe it too.
The Hellions are Dirty Rock & Roll. The music is Ramone-ish punk rock at its core. “We almost got pigeon holed into the whole ‘Rockabilly’ thing,” says Hargate, referring to the bands perceived image. “But we’ve moved away from that.” Lua adds that “We’ll still go to play a show and people will ask ‘So does your bass player play an upright bass?’ And it’s like, ‘We’re not rockabilly.'” Rockwell speaks from experience: “I don’t know how many shows we’ve played where I’m the only one playing a regular bass guitar.”
Their lyrics spin tales of wild nights, crazy shenanigans and horny devils. Songs like “Cheap Lay”, “Horny Devil” and “Cruisin'” are evidence of how the band embraces its namesake. Llamas reveals that “All the devil and sex shit is just us getting hammered, laughing and making up shit.” “No. Those are all true stories of things that happened to me,” Lua chimes in with a grin. It is this tongue and cheek nature that defines this band. They are not out to offend, but just want to have fun with it. If you don’t get it, then you need to lighten up a bit.
Known as one of the valley’s most consistent draws, The Hellions excel in the live environment. For a band that has yet to release an official record (though they do have two Do It Yourself EP’s they occasionally burn and hand out at shows), it is impressive to see an entire crowd singing along with them to the likes of “Dirty Girl” and “Big City”. “That’s the perks of playing the same set for all these years,” jokes Hargate. But it really speaks of the fun they bring to every performance. “I think everyone in the audience can see that,” says Lua. And over the past few years this has led to the “Hellions Choir” – an endless group of friends and fans that take the stage to provide impromptu backing vocals. The band welcomes the support. “We love it. We don’t care if people are off key or whatever,” Lua says. “We just want everyone to have a good time.” “We really don’t look at them as shows,” says Llama. “More like parties with our friends.”
Their next “party with friends” will be Tuesday night, December 18th at The Hood as they open up for Supersuckers. They have been fortunate enough to play with several well-known bands including Throw Rag, Unsound, Los Infernos and The Dwarves. Playing with Supersuckers is another highlight for them. “I grew up with these guys,” says Hargate. “I saw them opening up for Social Distortion.”
The band is clearly stoked for the show. That it will be Lua’s birthday only adds to the occasion. He’s not the only Hellion with an upcoming birthday. Reyes will be celebrating his on December 21st and the band is hoping to play for that as well, but as of yet has not finalized any plans.
If the world survives beyond December 21st the band is looking to complete a full length album in early 2013 that will contain some of their signature material and hopefully new tunes as well. “We have at least 5 songs that are just about ready to go,” says Rockwell. The other members start thinking out loud and before long, the number reaches 15. “But we’re lazy,” Reyes laughs. Or maybe it’s that they don’t drink enough hard liquor as often, or as much, as they used to. They admit that some of the most creative times have been when they have consumed their fair share of Jameson or Crown. “Yeah. We’re going to have to bring that back,” says Lua. The band laughs at the thought. But Hargate adds that there really is more to it, “My opinion is we don’t stop playing live long enough to really get in here and work on them.” In the coming months the band hopes to put more space between shows so they can finish up some new material and get them on the record.
With all the myths, legends and preconceived notions that comes with being in a band called The Hellions, it would be easy to overlook that they are five very good friends who simply enjoy hanging out and playing music together – be that at a show with a crowd singing along or just practicing by themselves in the back of a warehouse.
“Ten years from now we’ll be doing the same thing,” says Rockwell.
“Probably in the same place. And probably giving the same interview,” adds Reyes.
Well here is hoping the same writer gets to be there too. I would like to hear how the myths and legends have grown.
After the interview, Jamie Hargate wanted to make sure that several people were acknowledged as being part of their dream, success, longevity and all round having a good time. “We so appreciate places like The Hood, The Red Barn & Date Shed for giving us cool venues to play at and to CV Weekly for all of their support. We also want to give a shout out to bands we love to play with like Blasting Echo, Unsound, Throw Rag, Mondo Generator, Supersuckers, Whiskey & Knives and so many more. It has been amazing growing up in the Coachella Valley and being part of the music scene and we thank all of those who paved the road before us.”
So check these guys out at:
The Hood – Tuesday, December 18th @ 9:00 pm with Supersuckers & Gun ‘em Down
Check them out on Facebook at The Hellions.


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Author and Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski talks about her food addiction, obesity in America, and how writing her book "Obsessed" transformed her life and that of her collaborator, journalist Diane Smith.
(source: Time Inc.)
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Matthew Whitaker Earned $1.2 Million From Group Backed by Undisclosed Donors - The acting attorney general also faces questions about campaign donations he received after joining the Justice Department.
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domain: news


Philips introduced last month its line of mobile phones with dual SIM. I mean, you can two active lines on the same phone. Philips is not exactly a titan of the mobile world, beyond here will remember their initial presence in the domestic mobile market; is Fuegians Telecommunications, which has licensed the brand-and access to equipment designs that Philips sold in China, which offers these teams in the country. The W8555 was tested, with 5-inch screen Full HD, 2 GB of RAM, MT6589T MediaTek chip quad-core 1.5 GHz, 16 GB of internal storage (and microSD slot), 13-megapixel rear camera and front 2 megapixel, FM, 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and a 3300 mAh battery (removable) radio. The suggested retail price is 5999 pesos (no line); operators do not sell it.
The company also sells a more modest version, the W3500: 5-inch (854 x 480 pixels), 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage (and microSD slot), a chip quad-core 1.3 GHz, 5 megapixel rear camera and 2 megapixel front, FM radio and 2200 mAh battery, plus Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G. Its suggested retail price is 3999 pesos (no line).
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR LACKING
Not bad. But there’s another reason to buy that dual-SIM and in the case of battery-W8555, which gives very good autonomy. There are bad teams and work well, but they have other features that stand out from the rest, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The camera could be better. The processor and RAM are sufficient. The price may seem high, it is reasonable for a smartphone of this caliber if you consider that is sold without online.
These teams allow two lines in use simultaneously. Something unexpected is using mini SIM slots (or micro or nano, the largest). Setup is simple: identify each SIM with a color screen, and you can put a fancy name, and choose which connects to the Internet. You can also define from what will be called and sending SMS in default, or choose each time. Receiving calls and texts is automatic for both lines
You can associate a specific SIM contacts: call this number to get online with this free numbers, for example. Of course, you can disable a SIM and use the phone with a single line. If we’re talking and a call comes to the second line goes to voice mail (which depends on the line, not the device). Calls can listen well and I had no reception problems; I had 3G in the same places where I usually have with other models.
THE COMPUTER HARDWARE
The W8555 is a large and solid, if somewhat bulky in part by the 3300 mAh battery of the phone, which gives it a good weight. Not so much to be uncomfortable, but its size is not for every pocket. It is, yes, bigger than other models I tested 5 inches. On the aesthetic is not bad; although it is all plastic, shape (with rounded corners) and gold trim give it a nice look without physical buttons in front and a notification light near the Philips logo.
The plastic cover provides access to the battery, the two SIM and microSD slot. Of the 16 GB of internal storage, 2 GB are intended for applications and a 11.8 GB user data (photos, music, etc.); the remaining 2 GB, as usual, it takes the operating system. The Full HD 5 inch screen has good brightness and color. It is far from S4 Galaxy Super AMOLED or IPS LG G2. But it has good definition, good contrast and reasonable visibility to sunlight.
It is a good example of the rest of the hardware, which has a decent quality, no surprise: the 4-core processor MediaTek is not the fastest on the market (for those who follow these things: it is the level of a Qualcomm S4 Pro), but fulfills its function without fanfare; I had no problems running any applications, everything moves smoothly; Camera is 13 megapixels and not bad, but perhaps would have been better August 1 with higher quality. There are better (especially for video, which lost pictures) but decent. There is, however, a team they consider key to this point.
The team also has FM radio and one slightly larger than the 3300 mAh battery Samsung Galaxy Note 3. During the presentation, company executives said they could get to have a range of 2 to 3 days. It will select the power-saving mode that limits 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth (which is activated by a side button); under normal circumstances ie all takes less walk-though to modern standards is fine: more than 24 hours without recharging. And I should give a little more with some simple adjustments.
ON THE SOFTWARE SIDE
The good news: Philips did not change the basic Android interface, and the addition of software is brief but reasonable: a special keyboard called TouchPal X (which can be replaced), an office suite (Kingsoft), a file manager, a tool for backup in the memory card, a photo gallery and videos, and more; the rest is standard Android.
The relatively bad news: it uses Android 4.2, and there is no view to go beyond 4.4 has a terse “we are evaluating” by the company. Would it be better to have 4.4 KitKat? Yes, because it is more efficient in the use of resources, and will enable some new features. Should be a point of much weight to choose the team? No; the vast majority of the applications available on the market today work the same. But is not the optimal situation, no doubt.


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The Department has received representations during the current parliamentary session on the subject of direct payment of housing benefit to private rental sector landlords from:
National Landlords Association
Other organisations, such as the Residential Landlords Association and the British Property Federation, have made submissions to the Work and Pensions Select Committee proposing the reintroduction of tenant choice for housing benefit payments.
Several similar letters and representations have been received from Members of Parliament in respect of their constituents and local organisations.


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Lake effect snow will be most organized during the morning and evening hours Friday and early Saturday.
Lake Effect Snow
Lake effect snow is ongoing across portions of the Finger Lakes this Friday morning. Everything looks as it should, and the forecast from yesterday appears to be in good shape.
The heavier snow band has just entered into my neighborhood in Groton. As I explained yesterday, the sizes of the snowflakes are rather small due to limited moisture in the atmosphere. This will help keep accumulations from getting too high.
Still, some areas in the Finger Lakes have seen upwards of 4 inches already, and there are bound to be slippery roads. Please use caution.
The lake effect should become less organized this afternoon as daytime heating works against the mechanics of the lake effect snow system. Likewise, as the sun sets, the lake effect will likely flare up again this evening.
So, for this morning, look for the snow to continue with a shift towards the north. Areas from Canadaigua to Ithaca to Binghamton that saw some bursts of snow this morning will likely see lesser snow rates for the remainder of today.
By this afternoon, the snow will be more on and off as the band breaks into cells. Some sun may even peek out between the snow. This evening, the bands should reorganize with several more inches possible.
Saturday will likely undergo a similar cycle, with some snow bands in the morning breaking into a spray of on and off flurries and squalls for the afternoon. During the evening though, most of the lake effect should come to an end across the Finger Lakes.
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Widespread Precipitation Sunday into Monday
We are entering into a very active pattern where lake effect snow will alternate with storm systems moving into the area. One such system will approach from the southwest Sunday afternoon into early Monday.
There is still a high degree of uncertainty on the track of this system. In turn, the track will determine how much warm air works into our region and what type of precipitation will fall.
At this point, the precipitation looks to start as some snow later Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening. A couple of inches may be possible.
Gradually, warm air will work in above the surface. This could lead to a change over to sleet or freezing rain Sunday night.
The precipitation is currently expected to end by Monday morning as dry air works into the system.
This will be a system worth watching over the next couple of days. While it probably will not be a huge system in terms of precipitation amount, it could make for a rather slick and slippery Monday morning commute. Stay tuned.


Education Minister Leighton Andrews announced a review of education services in Wales on 20 November 2012.
The review, originally scheduled for 2013, will look at what should be undertaken at school, local authority, regional and national level.
"I have given local authorities time and money to get their house in order but the evidence is overwhelming that this has not occurred," explained Mr Andrews.
"I am no longer prepared to wait until 2013."
Whilst he welcomed the review, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Aled Roberts questioned the immediate timing and warned against "running into it" as he stressed the need to "properly address the issues".
Conservative AM Angela Burns attacked the decision as she described the minister's statement as "extraordinary and astonishing".
"I can't express my level of scorn," she said of the decision to remove power from local authorities.
"Do we honestly think that centralisation is the best course of action?"
Speaking on behalf of Plaid Cymru, Simon Thomas AM questioned whether there was a need for legislation as the standards bill stressed the need to deliver on a local level, which contradicted the minister's statement in the chamber.
Read this in Welsh.


As one of the three major beverages in the world, coffee is in great demand for both coffee beverages and coffee appliances. As an important coffee machine production base, with the continuous expansion of China's coffee market, the demand for coffee machines is also growing. According to the data compiled by the forward-looking economic research, from 2017 to September 2020, both the quantity and amount of coffee machines exported in China showed an overall upward trend. In terms of the export market of coffee machines in 2020 alone, the export volume of coffee machines in China in the first three quarters was 63.72 million, with an export amount of $1.313 billion
According to the data sorted out from the forward-looking economy, the main exporting countries of China's coffee machines in the first three quarters of 2020 are the United States, Germany, Canada, Brazil and other countries. Coffee culture is very popular all over the world, and the per capita consumption is very high. According to Ruixing coffee prospectus, in 2018, the per capita consumption of coffee in Chinese Mainland was only 0.71% of that in Germany and 1.6% of that in the United States, which is enough to prove that the level of coffee consumption abroad is very high. Among them, the United States has become the largest exporter of coffee machines in China, with an export output of 23.22 million; Germany has become the second largest exporter of China's coffee machine market, with an export volume of 4.67 million; The second is Canada, with an export volume of 2.13 million, and the fourth is Brazil, with an export volume of 2.08 million.
According to the data analysis in 2021, the demand for high-end semi-automatic bean to cup espresso coffee machine is continuously increasing, especially in the countries dominated by the United States and Canada. This kind of semi-automatic bean to cup espresso coffee manufactured by Chinese OEMs adopts 58mm professional portafilter, which is not only mature in technology, but also very cheap in price and rich in styles. It will become the mainstream product and supplier in the market.
Post time: Jun-23-2022


British government advises against travel
A wave of bomb blasts targeting tourist resorts in Thailand were carried out in four locations, killing at least four people and more than 30 have been injured.
They are believed to have been detonated remotely by mobile phones. Two bombs in Hua Hin were known to be hidden in plant pots 50m apart.
According to local media and police, the explosions went off within half an hour of each other and it is believed that investigators have found ball-bearings at the scene which is designed to cause maximum injury.
Targeting tourists resorts in Thailand are rare. It is sensitive timing as it is the Queens birthday this Friday.
At the time of writing, at least four people had been killed and more than 30 injured. Five foreigners are reported to be among the injured.
Briton Mark Gainsford, who had been in a bar near the blasts, told the BBC: “I heard people shouting ‘Bomb! Bomb!’ but I didn’t hear any blast.
“I ran out to see if I could help. I saw eight to 10 people injured, on the floor. The police arrived very quickly.”
Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Thai prime minister and leader of the military junta, has tightened security.
“The bombs are an attempt to create chaos and confusion,” Prayut was quoted by AFP as saying. “We should not make people panic more.”
“Why have the bombs occurred as our country is heading towards stability, a better economy and tourism – and who did it? You have to find out,” he added.
Meanwhile, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against going to public places in Hua Hin.
A statement read: “We are seeking further information following incidents in Hua Hin in Thailand. We stand ready to provide assistance to any British nationals involved.”


text: Summary Infection with human parvovirus (HPV) B19 was diagnosed in persons with hereditary spherocytosis during an outbreak of erythema infectiosum. A 10-year-old boy had an aplastic crisis of the bone marrow and a maculopapular rash. His mother also had an aplastic crisis, fever, rash and a transiently acellular marrow. Another boy had an aplastic crisis, leucopenia and fever, but did not have a rash. Aplastic crisis and a rash have rarely before been observed together and attributed to infection with HPV.


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Title: Forgiving the Angel: Four Stories for Franz ...
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Binding: Audio CD
Book Condition: Fair
Ex-Library Book - will contain Library Markings. Bookseller Inventory # G1629235040I5N10
Synopsis: In four stories that are a deft amalgam of fact and fiction, Jay Cantor captures the reverberations of Kafka's influences on the lives of some of the friends and lovers who survived him. Here is Kafka's last lover, Dora Diamant: their love opening out with both passion and pathos as he succumbs to tuberculosis...Max Brod, his friend and literary executor, struggling with Kafka's instructions to burn all his unpublished stories upon his death...the militant German Communist Lusk Lask, whom Dora - still enraptured by the memory of Kafka - marries and loses to a Soviet Gulag...a Nazi concentration camp prisoner whose survival will depend on her love for Milena Jesenska, who once survived on her own love for Kafka.
About the Author:
Jay Cantor is the author of three novels, The Death of Che Guevara, Krazy Kat, and Great Neck, and two books of essays, The Space Between, and On Giving Birth to One's Own Mother. A MacArthur Fellow, Cantor teaches at Tufts University and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with his wife and daughter.
Qarie has narrated over 30 series for the Discovery, Learning Channels & The BBC, as well as providing the inflight programming for Virgin Atlantic Airlines & BBC radio plays. He has voiced over 80 video games for the Playstation & Xbox, and was a guest voice on Comedy Central's Drawn Together. He was made an Associate Artist of The Purple Rose Theatre in 2007.
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Four sustainability and transformation plan regions have failed to raise mental health spending as mandated by national leaders, HSJ can reveal.
Data analysed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, shared with HSJ, shows that mental health funding has dropped in four STP footprints as a proportion of the total allocations given to the clinical commissioning groups in each patch between 2015-16 and 2016-17.
The regions are:
- Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Luton: -1.55 per cent.
- Dorset: -0.76 per cent.
- Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West: -0.28 per cent.
- Northamptonshire: -0.15 per cent.
The data comes from NHS England’s mental health dashboard, which was published last year to show how commissioners fare against finance and performance indicators.
Nine more STPs have increased their investment in mental health by less than 2 per cent and a total of 15 have done so by less than 3 per cent.
Increasing mental health spending at least in line with increases CCGs’ overall budgets is NHS England’s key measure for assessing whether commissioners are upholding the policy of “parity of esteem” for mental and physical health.
Full story in The HSJ, 9 March 2017


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Cat owners, it’s time to let the magic of your cat’s purrs unfold. Many of us love cats with great enthusiasm. And so does the internet. But did you know that in all that purring there are amazing health benefits for us humans? Read on to expand your knowledge on the healing powers of cat purrs!
Cat owners know the crazy joy that they get when they’re bonding with their feline. Kitties really make our lives much brighter and happier. So you may have noticed your cat likes to purr. Did you ever wonder why do they do that? Most of us know that they purr when they feel content, but it looks like there’s more to it than that.
Studies indicate that they also purr when they’re severely injured, when they feel frightened, when giving birth or even dying. Purring requires energy which means they would not use this energy unless they really have to. In a way, we could say that purring sometimes acts like a survival mechanism. Fascinating, isn’t it? Purring is their own healing mechanism, but it also helps people a lot.
Health Benefits of Cat Purr
The healing power of cats have been widely documented, researched, and analyzed. Are they supernatural beings? Because it surely seems like there’s nothing cats can’t do! Here are some very interesting facts about kitties and their unique talents:
While purring, cats release vibrations known to cure people of various illnesses and problems. Ages ago, when healers weren’t allowed to use crystals for their work, they would use a cat’s purr for the same reasons.
Petting a purring cat can calm down your nerves and significantly lower your stress levels.The vibrations that purring causes are known to soothe your mood. Cat owners also seem to deal less with feelings of anxiety, loneliness or depression.
A recent study shows that cat owners have 40% less risk of heart attack.
A study by psychologist Karen Allen at the University of New York in Buffalo revealed that hearing your cat purr can lower your blood pressure.
Purr vibrations promote bone strength. They also help with healing muscles and tendons injuries.
With these incredible benefits for your health, no wonder we like being around cats so much. It’s a bond so special that we should all live surrounded by these fabulous creatures.
Watch the video and learn about the amazing benefits of purring!
Share this short clip with all the cat lovers out there!

domain: pet


“Be still my heart... This is like a cross between Whitehorse and Neil Diamond! The harmonies! The beat! The vocal interplay between the male and female singer! I love it all.”
- Grant Lawrence, CBC Radio
The Wild Romantics consist of wildly harmonious Evan Miller and Aleisha Kalina backed with a rock and roll avalanche of a band. Their music is an elegant combination of folk, country and timeless rock ‘n roll. They weave a rich sonic tapestry of wise songwriting, gentle harmonies and reverberating instrumentation.
Kalina and Miller met in high school in the small town of Ladysmith, BC and officially started their group in 2013. The group now resides in Vancouver and is a key ingredient to the local music scene. Their sound encapsulates chemistry, history and a beautifully complex relationship. The Wild Romantics’ music has evolved from gentle folk songs to booming rock and roll ballads. They focus predominantly on songwriting and performing; the genuine lifeblood of song. It is resoundingly clear these two love making music and harness a rare quality reminiscent of Johnny Cash and June Carter. The band is inspired by the likes of Jack White’s edge and Wilco’s warmth; this makes for a rare sound that truly resonates with listeners.
The Wild Romantics’ live performances are notoriously powerful, intense and sensual. They emanate a 1970’s glamorous bohemia meets whiskey guzzling trailer park sensation that is completely unparalleled. Kalina and Miller deliver clever lyrics with two sincerely gifted pipes that wrap together immaculately. The musicianship is a flawless backdrop for this carnival of sound. The Wild Romantics make authentic music, straight from the basement of their hearts. Their sound is hauntingly powerful and exploding with emotion. They are tough yet vulnerable and speak directly to the best part of ourselves.
The band took their first steps by being named one of the Top 12 bands for the prestigious Peak Performance Project in Vancouver. This immediate boost earned the group radio play for their debut EP 'She Could Tell' all over Canadian radio, most notably on CBC Radio (Searchlight Finalists) and The Zone 91.3 (Band of The Month). The Wild Romantics have shared the stage with such acts as Jon and Roy, We Are The City, The Matinee and Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music) and have played Rifflandia, CMW, NXNE and Tall Tree Music Festival. They have just recently released a brand new single 'Hungry Teeth' which showcases a darker, more sultry sound which will be the main focus of their debut LP release in Spring 2018.


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Marijana Pende's practice, devoted exclusively to sculpture, has been progressing in two mutually different and seemingly contradictory principal directions. As a matter of fact, the artist moves between one approach that is aesthetic and sensory in nature, focused on developing an immediate and sensory relationship with the viewer (A) and the second more demanding manner that emerged from her interest in forms by which production systems condition the present, people’s lives and the environment (B). In the first case (A) the attention is aimed squarely at the viewer, i.e. the end users, who are sharing their personal physical space with the artwork in a relationship of visual proximity: thanks to the artwork the artist is trying to examine perceptive and emotional potentials of sculpture. In the second case (B), however, the artist’s focus is aimed at society, the subject that is physically removed from the viewer as he is experiencing the work directly: the artist steers the attention towards collective aspects, the social, economic and political dynamics that the work is immersed in, that is, the cultural context it stemmed from.
As proven by her recent works, Looking forward to seeing you, (A) and (B) coexist in Pende’s research. (A) limits the field of research to the experience created by the artwork, namely, the personal relationship in which the work acts by drawing the eye and perception of the user centripetally and, in some sense, narrows emotional aspects of the work. On the other hand, (B) expands attention outward, towards context, directing it to the work’s potentials that escape the centre, somehow spreading into the political dimension. Both aspects, in their complementarity, are equally important for the artist and they simultaneously enable the gaze in two different directions, like Janus, the god with two faces, like some kind of extremely productive divergent strabismus.
(from the essay by Daniele Capra)
Marijana Pende graduated in sculpture and installation with Roberto Pozzobon and contemporary music with Nicola Cisternino at the Fine Art Academy in Venice in 2008. She was invited to a residency at the German Kulturamt Frankfurt in Frankfurt am Main. Pende exhibited her works at Gallery Prsten, Croatian Association of Artists in Zagreb and at the Museum of Modern Art of Dubrovnik. She took part at the show Atelier Aperti at 51th Biennale di Venezia with the best students of Fine Art Academies of Italy, and in several shows such as Classroom #01 at Museo Madre, Naples; Refuses at Arsenale in Venice; Emotion to cohabit, Galleria d’Arte Moderna Palazzo Forti in Verona and Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb; Triennial of Croatian Sculpture, Glyptotheque, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb (in 2012, 2015, 2018). Marijana Pende held solo shows at Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rijeka, Glyptotheque Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb, Museum of Contemporary Art of Istria in Pula, Museum Palazzo Costanzi in Trieste. Museum of Modern Art Dubrovnik / Arsenale Nord, during the 58th Biennale di Venezia, 2019.
She lives and works in Dubrovnik.
On view till 5th January, 2020.


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Be prepared for all that winter baking with cooking essentials on Amazon!
This would make a great gift for any chefs you know or a nice addition to a wedding gift basket.
This strainer set includes a 3-1/8-inch, 5-1/2-inch and 7-7/8-inch strainer all made from dishwasher-safe and durable stainless steel mesh. These are perfect for sifting and straining dry or wet ingredients. They also come with a lifetime limited warranty backed by Cuisinart. With over 11,000 reviews, these strainers are rated 4.8 out of 5 stars!
Here’s just one of those reviews…
“I originally bought these strainers for baking and sifting dry ingredients. I soon realized that these strainers have much more potential, and I have been able to incorporate them into my daily kitchen routines. The three sizes are perfect. The largest one fits perfectly over a mixing bowl, the middle-sized one fits over most other bowls, like cereal and soup bowls, and the small one can be used for smaller jobs all the time.
The strainers have a fine mesh that makes them perfect for baking. I noticed I had to spend a little extra time sifting, but everything that I put through the sifter came out very fine and powdery without a single lump. A nice perk about these strainers is that they are dishwasher safe, so you won’t have to awkwardly try to wash some mesh in your sink.”

domain: hobby


Watch Mariah Carey, JoJo, & Teyana Taylor Perform at 'VH1 Divas Holiday'
“VH1 Divas” triumphantly returned from a four-year hiatus on Monday (Dec. 5) by delivering Christmas cheer in the form of a holiday special, “Unsilent Night.”
With well-established divas like Mariah Carey, Patti LaBelle, and Chaka Khan, as well as newcomers like Teyana Taylor, JoJo, and Bebe Rexha, “VH1 Divas Holiday: Unsilent Night” lived up to its name.
Mariah opened the show with “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” a holiday staple since its release in 1994. Emerging from and slaying in a sleigh, Carey stunned in a sequined toy soldier outfit while chiseled toy soldiers danced, stomped, and froze around her.
Introduced by model and host Ashley Graham, JoJo, Bebe Rexha, and Serayah performed Darlene Love’s “All Alone on Christmas.” Dressed in all gold, the trio delivered a soulful rendition of the track, with a little bit of pop/rock seasoning.
It was a multi-genre event, as evidenced by Remy Ma’s appearance. The rap diva, who’s had an impressive 2016 with the Grammy-nominated “All the Way Up,” emerged in full Run-DMC regalia, including a gold rope chain and black leather jacket, to perform a portion of the legendary group’s “Christmas in Hollis.”
While hip-hop played a supporting role, much of the “Divas” focus was on soulful renditions of holiday classics. With an intro from La La Anthony, Teyana Taylor showed that off again with a rousing performance of Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby.” Dressed in a body-hugging white outfit and red leather corset, TT sang the seductive track with the same confidence she had while dancing in Kanye West’s “Fade” video, writhing on the stage with giant Christmas presents around her.
Legendary divas also came through to wow the crowd with a show-stopping medley. It included Chaka Khan performing “Ain’t Nobody” and a Chaka/Patti LaBelle duet of Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Finally, nearly all of the divas united on stage to close out the show with Khan’s “I’m Every Woman.”