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Game developer Bungie is trying its hand at live in-game events
Destiny 2’s first ever Fortnite-style live event just wrapped earlier today, and it was unfortunately not quite what some players were expecting. Instead of something monumental and game-changing for a key part of the game world, it was more of a slow burn alternative to a standard video game cutscene. And instead of delivering a strong narrative pay off on a season’s worth of otherwise dull and repetitive activity, the Almighty event ended without any meaningful change in direction or surprising new development.
For the last three months, developer Bungie has been building up a clash between the Destiny world’s artificial intelligence supercomputer Rasputin and a large planet-destroying ship called the Almighty. All of this past season’s activities have revolved around communicating with the AI character, a largely mysterious fixture in Destiny lore before this season, and doing a series of rehashed game modes and resource collecting in service of an eventual showdown between Rasputin and the Almighty. Over the last month, players were asked to participate in a mind-numbing number of public event activities to unlock an old Destiny 1 weapon and a brief story mission, with the promise of more to come at season’s end.
Some players expected the Almighty to actually crash into the game’s Tower social hub. Others expected a cutscene or perhaps some form of real-time space battle that would destroy or in some substantial way change the Tower. What we actually got was a severely understated form of the latter in which the image of the Almighty changed in excruciatingly slow fashion with new animations and, eventually, a brief scene of its destruction and crash landing. Yet the whole execution felt a bit slapdash and underwhelming.
The event got off to a bumpy start when, at the scheduled 1PM ET start time, nothing appeared to happen. The delay, whether intentional or not, lasted for more than 20 minutes, but it did give players ample time to load into the Tower and to join in with any other collaborative antics other players were engaging in.
In my instance, a row of well-decorated Guardians laid down holographic staffs as if to make a last line of defense by using the “None Shall Pass” emote, a reference to Gandalf’s legendary line when facing down the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings.
Appears the Almighty is running a few minutes late, but this is that good MMO shit right here pic.twitter.com/kldJl4glKc— Nick Statt (@nickstatt) June 6, 2020
Eventually, players began noticing subtle changes in the sky in the form of large clusters of laser beams arcing toward the Almighty. The process appeared to be dynamic, so the lasers grew closer over time, but at a painfully so pace that made it hard to track minute-by-minute movement.
The lasers made contact at around 1:50PM ET, nearly a full hour after the event supposedly first launched. (It’s unclear if there actually was an initial real at first or if Bungie purposefully designed it to be as slow-moving as it actually was.)
As we approached nearly the 90-minute mark after the event first started, the ship began to explode in apparent slow motion. But that’s when the one exciting portion of the event kicked in, as the Almighty began crashing toward the surface of the Earth and bits of debris began flying off. This was the only actual dynamic part of the experience, as everything else felt like a series of subtle screenshot changes to in-game sky.
It ultimately ended with an exciting crash landing and a shock wave, and now the Almighty’s landing site appears to be a permanent fixture of the background of the Tower. If players end up inspecting some of the crash debris (after re-zoning in), Bungie is awarding an emblem.
Still, that the conclusion, which lasted under 10 minutes, required 90 minutes of build up and resulted in just an emblem and not much more illustrates the mismatched expectations Bungie may have inadvertently cultivated.
I think this is cool but you gotta give more of an indication of how much time people should budget. I figured this wouldn’t go past ten minutes— Paul Tassi (@PaulTassi) June 6, 2020
We’ve never seen Bungie try something this ambitious with Destiny 2 before, and the end result was certainly exciting when you consider what could come next. The closest the studio has come is with 2018’s Forsaken expansion, in which the game’s new location, the Dreaming City, underwent a transformation after the very first raid team bested The Last Wish activity. But it was not at the scale of the Almighty event, and this is Bungie’s first real attempt at building a months-long narrative culminating in some form of shared experience for the player base.
Fortnite, although it’s best known for being a wildly popular battle royale game, has emerged over the last few years as an industry leader in what can only be described as live, simultaneous events. These are in-game events that happen in real time and are experienced only once by every single player who happens to log in and be present for the show. Fortnite isn’t the first of its kind to do this; massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and online sims like Second Life have been experimenting in this department for years. But Fortnite features undeniably the most impressive and technically challenging versions of these events in all of gaming.
Starting with an in-game rocket launch back in 2018 and growing steadily more ambitious every few months with more complex and ever-evolving events like last fall’s black hole stunt, developer Epic has proven it has the technical chops to do what video games even just five years ago considered almost impossible. More recently, Epic held a stunning Travis Scott show that projected the rapper as a superhuman skyscraper-sized hologram for more than 12 million players and, last summer, concluded a multi-month storyline with a mecha-monster showdown, Pacific Rim-style.
Part of what makes Fortnite’s events so fun and feel so unprecedented is that they are so intricately built over time. Epic, through whatever technical achievements it’s built under the hood of its battle royale game (the developer has never shared how it pulls these events off), is able to change its map in subtle ways almost every day, adding clues to find and expanding teasers of larger events all without having to take down its server for maintenance. Some of its most successful feats have included a live event that then kicks players right into an all-new, changed game map, no update required.
Bungie’s approach is nowhere near that sophisticated, at least not yet. But the developer is trying something new and it’s clear the studio has taken ample notes from watching Fortnite. The Almighty grew ever-closer in the sky over the past season, and players logging into the Tower on Saturday morning noticed all the non-playable characters having shifted their positions to get a clear look at the ship’s descent. These changes were minor and it will be interesting to see if Bungie can step up its game for future live events, if it does indeed try them again.
Regardless of the overall quality in this Almighty event, experiments like these represent, for the first time, Destiny 2 living up to the series’ original promise of a shared, living, and ever-changing world. They help the game better straddle the line between shooter and MMO, even if it’s taken quite a few years and nearly two full games to get there.

domain: game


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Sometimes, the best way to get your point across is to exaggerate. The image to the right was a demo I did on a student's palette to illustrate how varying values can help to describe the form to give it a more 3 dimensional quality. Let me explain:
1. Think of the eye as a ball. In order to round it out, you need to vary the values from medium dark to light.
2. This example is un-blended. Students tend to over blend everything. Force yourself not to blend. I used a bright Isabey brush for this example because I could get a "chiseled" edge. Overlapping each brush stroke just slightly so my edges would help create the illusion of a transition.
3. When you mix your colors, try to see the how the values vary ever so slightly. My palette was simple: Titanium white, Yellow Ochre, French Vermillion and Black.
4. Later, I could go back in and blend the edges where each value meets or-- I could leave it as is for a different style of painting. In fact, sometimes I have my students work the entire painting without blending. One of my favorite teachers once said to me in her beautiful Italian accent..."think of your painting like a mosaic...and you must describe all the facets of color and value that you see...stroke next to stroke." This has helped me in paintings on a daily basis

domain: hobby


Clementine Paddleford grew up on a prairie farm in northeastern Kansas and graduated from Kansas State Agriculture College in 1921. First a food editor for a farm magazine, this now forgotten food writer was food editor of the New York Herald Tribune from 1936 to 1966. Her work culminated in the book, How America Eats, published in 1960.
Once named the foremost authority on regional foods, Clementine Paddleford’s story will be told by Cynthia Harris at the Corner Store in Glasco on February 10 at 2:00 p.m. The event is presented by the Glasco Community Foundation.
Cynthia Harris is the manuscript/collections archivist at Kansas State University in Manhattan and the co-author of Hometown Appetites, The Story of Clementine Paddleford. Drawing on Paddleford archival materials, Cynthia Harris has written a biographical account of “the forgotten food writer who chronicled how America ate.”
The event is part of The Way We Worked in Glasco, an exhibition drawing on the extensive work of youth and adults capturing the stories of men and women working together to create community. The exhibition is on display through May 31, 2013, at the Corner Store in Glasco.


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DSR363 Vicente Panach – God’s Garden
Vicente Panach – Valencia, 1982, is a multidisciplinary artist, who combines the plastic, visual and sound arts, to express feelings impossible to find in any other way. Dj and producer since 2002, creator of “Crossfade”, promoter of artistic avant-garde, radio collaborator, member of permanent jury in selection of artists, teacher, and creative, he combines his artistic gifts with his activity related to the plastic arts, restoration of works of art, graphic design, production of scale scenography, and sound and lighting technician, always works in favor of art and audiovisual expression. His latest musical releases have been among the Beatport top 100 in different genres, as avant-garde musical reference and with aspirations to share his career with the world. He has collaborated with world-renowned DJs and producers, also with different film companies, and institutions, and has participated in solidarity campaigns for many years, to demonstrate that the artistic media are a link between people.

domain: artistic


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Making your own Bagels
I love making bagels. What I’m looking for is a chewy dough that’s not too dense. Bagels are poached briefly in simmering water before they are baked- this gives them their shiny crust and dense texture. It can be tricky shaping them. I find it works best to roll the dough out into a long sausage shape and then bring the two ends together, making sure the join doesn’t come apart by wetting both ends with a little water. Putting the dough in the fridge over night or for up to 3 days, can help to create a more chewy and interesting bagel. I also like to add a little rye flour for texture, colour and flavour. It can seem quite complicated because of the shaping and poaching – but once you’ve done it a couple of times you realise its quite straightforward. As with all bread making, you also need to experiment with timing so that you find a way to make it fit in with your life, and because you can put the dough in the fridge and take it out when you are ready, this can work well. This recipe is adapted from Peter Rhienhart’s book, ‘Artisan Breads Every Day’. This is a great book, which is very straightforward. I would also recommend his ‘Bread Baker’s Apprentice’, which is a classic for any aspiring baker.
Do try making these and let me know how you get on.
1tsp diastatic malt powder (you can order this from ‘Bakery Bits’ on line, if you’re in the UK) or honey will do
1 tsp instant dried yeast (this comes in small packets-don’t use the type that you have to activate first in water, make sure the packet is not past its due date)
1 1/2 tsp salt
I cup +3or4 tblespoons of lukewarm water ( I use American cups)
3 cups white bread flour
½ cup of rye flour (or you can just do 3 ½ cups of white flour)
fill a very large saucepan with boiling water
1 tablespoon of barley malt syrup or honey (optional)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Topping of your choice
Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, rock salt.
You will also need baking parchment
Making the Dough
Put the flours, salt, yeast and malt powder (or honey) in a large bowl and mix.
Add the water and stir with a large spoon so that most of the flour is hydrated.
Start kneading in the bowl and then turn out and knead on a work surface for 10 minutes. You want the dough to be stiff but not dry, and be a little tacky but not sticky.
Leave the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warmish place ( room temperature in a warm kitchen will do)
At this point I often put the dough in the fridge overnight or longer (up to 3 days should be fine) I take it out of the fridge and let it warm up for about 1 ½ hours before shaping it. But you can start shaping at this point. I think you get a chewier bagel if you leave the dough in the fridge.
When I was making them this weekend, I shaped and then baked half the mixture straight away and then put the rest in the fridge and then baked another batch the next day. That way everyone gets to eat freshly baked bagels, when they are at their best.
Getting the Poaching water ready
When you are ready to shape the bagels get the poaching water ready. Fill your casserole with plenty of hot water and add the barley malt syrup and bicarb.
Then pre-heat the oven to 245 degrees C
Shaping the bagels
Take roughly half the dough out of the bowl, and then divide that in half.
Take one of these halves and roll into a fat sausage and divide into three.
Take each third in turn and roll and stretch into a thin sausage about 22cm long, then wet both ends with a little water and bring the ends together and roll/ press the join together.
Place on a baking sheet that is lined with lightly oiled baking parchment, shiny side up (for some reason greaseproof paper doesn’t work very well- as it tends to stick). Then cover with a floured piece of cling film.
Roll all your bagels (12 in all, I like this size, but bagels are often a little larger, so if you like them larger then you could divide into 8 or 6 instead)
Now for the fun part- poaching and sprinkling
Your shaped bagels need to rise for about 20-30 mins, but the time it takes for them to be ready can vary. To see if your bagels are ready to poach, fill a medium bowl with cold water and if your bagels look a little puffy, then put one of them in the water- if it floats, you are ready. Otherwise wait another 10 minutes and try again.
Make sure your poaching water is at a simmer, then gently put your bagels in to the water just under a minute ( I do this 6 at a time) then with a slotted spoon, flip them all over and leave for just under a minute.
Take them out and put them on lined baking trays and sprinkle to your hearts content with whatever you fancy for a topping. I sprinkled mine with sesame seeds and rock salt.
Once all 12 are done make sure your oven has reached 245 degrees and put them in for 6 minutes. Check them in case they are browning too fast, it’s a good idea to rotate the baking trays at this point. Turn down the oven to 225 degrees and bake for another 5 minutes until they are golden brown, and have made a good crust on the bottom.
Then cool on a wire wrack.
These were the first 6, which I baked immediately
And these are the next 6 that I baked after the dough had been chilled
I like them the classic way with smoked salmon and cream cheese- but they are also delicious toasted with jam and butter
Hope you enjoy making them. Do let me know how you get on and I’ll be happy to answer any questions if you are not sure about something.

domain: food


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Where was the first shopping centre in Dublin?
’66 also saw the opening of Ireland’s first shopping centre, in Stillorgan, south county Dublin.
What are the biggest shopping Centres in Ireland?
Dundrum Town Centre is the biggest shopping mall in Ireland – it has 80,000 square meters of floors space, several thousand parking spaces and over 160 shops.
What is the main shopping street in Dublin?
Grafton Street is the epicenter of Dublin shopping and has everything from high-end boutique shops to regular high street fare.
What was the first shopping centre in Ireland?
Stillorgan shopping centre
Stillorgan shopping centre first opened its doors in 1966. STILLORGAN SHOPPING CENTRE in Dublin is getting a face-lift. The shopping centre was the first shopping centre built in Ireland in 1966 and houses over 50 retailers including Tesco and Dunnes Stores.
When was the first shopping centre built?
The enclosed shopping center, which would eventually be known as the shopping mall, did not appear until the mid-1950s. One of the earliest examples was the Valley Fair Shopping Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, which opened in March 1955.
When was Northside shopping centre built?
Northside Shopping Centre/Opened
What is the second biggest shopping centre in Ireland?
Mahon Point Shopping Centre – second largest in Munster.
Which is bigger Dundrum or Blanchardstown?
They claim that even before the extension, Liffey Valley had more floorspace than Dundrum Town Centre, the Blanchardstown Centre and The Square which had 34,000sq m in retail space.
What is the most famous shopping street in Dublin?
Grafton Street is Ireland’s famous shopping and culture street. It boasts stores such as Brown Thomas, Ted Baker, Weir & Sons, Butlers Chocolates, and the Disney Store. It’s also pedestrianised so you can take full advantage of its stores on your way up to St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre and Park.
What is the most popular shop in Ireland?
The figures revealed that SuperValu remained as Ireland’s number one retailer with 25% of the grocery market, narrowly beating off competition from Tesco (24.5%) and Dunnes Stores (24.1 %).
When was old Dundrum shopping centre built?
Dundrum Town Centre opened in 2005 and is one of Ireland’s trendiest shopping locations.
What is the oldest shopping mall in the UK?
Brent Cross Shopping Centre
– Brent Cross Shopping Centre. “Get there early to enjoy your shop!”

domain: geography


HR Info welcome all of you to the house of entertainment that has been designed to give you the best radio experience no matter whether you are living in Germany or anywhere else in the world. With songs from the popular music artists of Germany and from the whole world it is all set to take you to a musical world where you are gonna come again and again. Las listas de ellos son también contiene géneros como el pop, rap, roca, hip hop, trance, electro house, país, etc suave. Así, be with HR Info and get entertained 24/7. HR Info website address is www.hr-online.de
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Updated: Jan 27
Using this basic recipe you can make lots of different pasta shapes, like tagliatelle, pappardelle, tagliolini, maltagliati, sorpresine, farfalle, Mandilli di Saea, garganelli ravioli, tortellini, tortelloni, cannelloni and even lasagne.
Ingredients for about 500g handmade pasta dough:
280g 00 flour + 20g semolina wheat flour (or 300g all-purpose flour)
“Yes, you basically need flour and eggs, that's all!”
If you are not familiar with those 2 kinds of flour, semolina is a finely ground, but still coarse, “hard wheat” flour, giving the dough a bit more firmness and the cooked pasta a bit more of a bite. Italian “00” flour is the Italian version of all-purpose flour, just more finely ground, and gives the pasta a more silky feel than regular all-purpose flour. However, you can just use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand.
1. MIXING THE INGREDIENTS
Place the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center and crack the eggs into it.
Gently combine eggs with flour using a fork from the middle outwards.
With your hands, gradually incorporate the flour from the outside of the well toward the center, kneading gently until the mass of dough comes together.
2. HOW TO KNEAD THE DOUGH
Put the dough on a wooden surface and knead it until it is smooth and resilient.
You may need to add more flour, or you may not be able to incorporate all of the flour, depending on the humidity and the size of the eggs. If the dough is sticky or extremely pliable, knead more flour in.
Work the mass of dough with your hands to develop the gluten in the flour for about 10-15 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic.
Using the heel of your hand, push the dough down and away from you, fold it in half back toward you, rotate a quarter turn and repeat the kneading motion.
If you prefer using an electric mixer:
In a mixing bowl, whisk the “00” and the semolina flour, until well combined.
Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the eggs into the well. Combine using the electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Do this at low speed until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add cold water, a teaspoon at a time, if too dry.
Take the mix out of the bowl. Press it together with your hands to form a ball. Place it back in the bowl.
Change to a dough hook attachment. On medium speed, continue to knead until the dough is soft. This takes 3-4 minutes.
Put the dough onto a work surface lightly dusted with semolina flour. Knead by hand for 1 min.
Cover the dough and place it in the fridge to rest for at least half an hour before using.
After the resting time, dust the work surface with some extra flour, take a portion of dough the size of a large orange and press it out flat with your fingertips.
Set the pasta machine at its widest setting, (usually '0, but it depends on the kind of machine you use).
Pass the dough through the rollers once.
Fold the resulting strip into thirds.
Roll the pasta dough through the widest setting 5 times, till your dough has a rectangular shape and is smooth. Lightly dust the pasta with flour if it is at all sticky.
Narrow the setting of the pasta machine to position '1' and roll the dough through.
Continue passing the dough through the rollers, reducing the thickness by 1 setting each time until it reaches the desired thickness. It should now be very delicate, elastic to the touch and slightly translucent.
Hope you enjoy this base recipe to make egg dough! If you make it, please let me know your thoughts and tag me on my Fb page Pasta Journey or my Instagram _pastajourney_ . I would love to hear from you!


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Early December 2018 Notices
DURROW DIE CAST AND MODEL TOY SHOW: The Annual Durrow Die Cast Model and Toy Show will be held in the Manor Hotel, Abbeyleix on Saturday December 8th from 12 Noon until 6pm and on Sunday December 9th from 10am until 5pm. A great family day out is assured. Admission is just €5 per adult and children go free. For more information please contact Austin on (086) 8860598.
ZUMBA CLASSES: Zumba Dance Class are held every Wednesday from 8pm until 9pm in Durrow’s Community Centre, regardless of age, gender or fitness level. Just grab a friend and come join us for an exciting and fun workout like no other. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t tried Zumba yet this class is definitely for you. So come and give it a try as you never know you might enjoy yourself. Class fee €5 per hour. Children go free! Hope to see you soon.
DURROW CHOIR Voicem Daru: Rehearsals continue every Tuesday evening at 7.30pm in Castle Arms Hotel. The group are preparing for a Coral Festival in Cork in May 2019 so it is very important that every member of this group attend practice nights. For details, phone Ann (086) 6045409.
CULLOHILL WALKING GROUP: As the evenings grow darker earlier why not get out and walk in the company and safety of the walking group. Meet at Cullohill Community Centre on Mondays and Friday evenings at 7.20pm. Walks will commence at 7.30pm sharp.
RETIRED? Active Retirement Strength Class – A class aimed at the retired community that would like to improve their strength and mobility. No experience or fitness level required. The class will be supervised by a physical therapist to ensure maximum benefit. 11am in Core Health and Fitness gym every Friday. €5 per class. All queries to (057) 8740637.
LOCAL WEATHER: Visit laoisweather.com for live temperatures, wind and rainfall data from Durrow.
ART CLASSES: Art classes continue on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Durrow Library. Time 7pm – 9pm. New members welcome, open to all levels and materials provided. Limited places are available. For further information please call Marie on (086) 3136028.
PRESENTATION CENTRE: The Presentation Centre beside the Catholic Church is available for hire. For further information please contact Angela on (087) 1928522.
PARENT AND TODDLER GROUP: The group meets in the Presentation Hall, Durrow on Tuesdays from 9.30am. Any parents, carers, childminders etc… interested in attending with their little people, suitable from baby stage up to pre-school for a play, chat, cuppa and cake are most welcome to attend. For more information contact (086) 3914725.
CULLOHILL COMMUNITY CENTRE: The Progressive 25 Card Games are held in the hall every Sunday night at 8.30pm sharp followed by tea and sandwiches. Please support!
DURROW REMINISCING GROUP: A book with 200 pages of Photographs spanning almost 100 years of Durrow and Cullohill memories including ICA, Hurling, Camogie, Soccer, School to mention but a few. Books for sale €25 each or two for €40. Please text or call Tom on (087) 2936531 or Kathleen on (086) 8263368 for further information.
KETTLEBELL BEGINNER CLASSES: New round of classes starting soon! Learn to use kettlebells safely and effectively from one of Ireland’s top ranked professional kettlebell sports and fitness instructors. Also included in the classes are bodyweight exercises as well as posture correction and strengthening techniques. Together with proper kettlebell instruction you can learn to prevent and remedy a wide range of joint and mobility issues and injuries. Places are limited so booking is essential. Contact (087) 3833258 or firstname.lastname@example.org by email.
LIONS AFC NEWS: Lions Soccer Academy continues on Sundays at Noon. The Academy is open to all boys and girls in Junior and Senior Infants and all girls in First Class. Registration is €20 and €2 per session thereafter. The sessions are fun based and finish at 1pm. All are most welcome to attend.
ST VINCENT de PAUL DURROW: Contact us, in strict confidence on (087) 1917813.
CHURCH NEWS – FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION: A First Saturday Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima will be held from 9.55am to 10.55am in Nuns Chapel on Saturday 1st December at the Church of Most Holy Rosary, Abbeyleix. All are most welcome.
CHURCH NEWS – OSSORY DIOCESE: The Future of our Parish – An Evening Exploring the Changing Nature of Parishes Today – Our parishes are changing shape – we have fewer priests and thankfully more people are involved than every before. Why not come along to an evening reflecting on the changing nature of our parishes chaired by Bishop Dermot Farrell. Fr Albert McDonnell and Ms Gemma Mulligan will reflect on the shape of parishes today and into the future – on Monday 3rd December 7.30pm at St Kieran’s College.
NEXT NEWSLETTER: The next newsletter will be on sale the weekend of December 15th and 16th – weather permitting. All adverts must be booked with Angela Drennan (087) 1928522 or Mary Walsh (086) 3055157. Advertisements cost €2 per issue of Durrow Parish Newsletter and must be paid for in advance.


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About Margie Bettiol
I am an artist, clothing and accessory designer, seamstress and environmentalist. I practice and promote natural healing arts. I am dedicated to organizing workshops throughout Canada with leading spiritual practitioners and creative thinkers. The intent of my work is to soothe mind, body and spirit and to mindfully experience peace, joy, health and beauty.
While growing up, I lived all over Canada and the United States. My maternal grandmother from Haileybury, Ontario was an amazing seamstress. My mother, Rose Alice Grignon, shared her mother’s artistic talents. Alice was a teacher and loved creating. She taught me to sew, knit, crochet and work with textiles and fabrics. My grandmother and mother instilled an appreciation for line, proportion, color and texture. I became fascinated with design and learning traditional methods. As a teenager I made most of my own clothing.
In my 20’s, I continued to sew for myself and for friends as I pursued a career in teaching and, eventually in Social Services management with the government. At the same time, I began a path of practicing yoga and studying world religions and natural healing arts. I’ve received advanced papers in Cranial Sacral Therapy, Therapeutic Touch, Electromagnetic Field Therapy, Reflexology and Touch for Health.
I have been inspired by many women over the years, some of whom I’ve never met but have read about. For many years, I was a full time single mom. I have always felt compelled to support women and children in various ways. So many women have worked so hard to open the path of change for the rest of us. It is our obligation as women to continue to support the freedom and well-being of all women in the world. Now, my sole objective is to provide opportunities for women to heal in order to enhance their personal lives and the lives of those around them. Some of these occasions promote deep healing and others bring fun, joy and happiness!
I have a profound passion for the well-being of our planet. My environmental stewardship is reflected in everything I do, whether it is recycling, being considerate of the products I use, gardening, growing my own food and sharing information with others.
Now, I am amalgamating my many interests and skills and have created this website to share these possibilities with other women. Welcome to Margie Bettiol and Conscious Change. Please explore and share these new possibilities with me!
Here are some of my favourite websites:
- Shamans Market has an extensive array of products from South America and other parts of the world.
- Ohana Wellness Centre is located in North Bay, Ontario. They offer various yoga classes and other programs that promote health, awareness and life fulfillment.
- Angela Gollat is a spiritual painter and educator. Her work promotes the health and well-being of women.


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Theodosia de Kantzow. Poems: Original and Translated. London: Privately Printed at The Chiswick Press, 1896. First Edition.
Green cloth, titles in gilt to front, binding a bit soiled and edge-worn, 5 1/4 x 7 3/4 inches. Inscribed by the author on the tp, "Lady North with the Author's love, Decbr 7th 1896." Small black wax seal on tp with emblem. Hinge behind title page sprung. 24 pp., shaken. US Postage 2 cent stamp "General Van Steuben" on rear pastedown. 1930 pencil signature of the bookman John S. Mayfield on rear pastedown. Pencil notations by Mayfield on several pages. Fair. Hardcover.
The Poems are
To My Mother's Picture
Lines on Leaving England
After Hearing Mass at St. Peter's on Easter Day
Lines Written from the Window of thelLittle Inn, "La Sibilla," at Tivoli, 1863
A Sunset on Lugano (1863)
Acro Corinth (1863)
On the Death of Signor Foce, First Violinist of the Algiers Theatre, and our Master and Friend
Lines on Leaving Naples (March, 1864)
On the Death of Miss Adelaide Proctor
To a Stumbler on the Threshold
Evening Thoughts. A Hymn.
The Division of the Earth (Schiller)
The Oak (Fülleborn)

domain: literature


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University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
146 Williams Street
Solomons, Maryland 20688
Visit Laura's Research Website
Sediment biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, methane, gas hydrates, stable isotope geochemistry, chromatography, methane in Arctic systems,View Laura's CV
The goal of my research group is to enhance our understanding of methane emissions from aquatic environments. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and there is considerable variability in emissions from the natural environment. The causes for this variabity could be physical, chemical, or biological. My group uses unique time-series sampling strategies to quantify the spatial and temporal variability in methane fluxes. We use stable- and radio-carbon isotopes to tease apart sources of methane, with an ultimate goal of understanding the processes that could be affecting this flux. We work in many environments like the Chesapeake Bay estuary, Arctic Freshwater lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon seeps.
- 1999-2007 – Marine Sciences (PhD), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC. Dissertation title: “In situ measurements of methane cycling in cold seep sediments containing gas hydrates and brines”.
- 1997- Chemistry with honors (BSc), Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. Honors thesis title “Using respiration rates and stable carbon isotopes to monitor the biodegradation of Orimulsion by marine benthic bacteria”.

domain: chemistry


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COLLECTIONS: 26 - 35 of 35
Diaries, engagement calendars, and correspondence of Ida Maud Cannon; stories, articles/essays, and scrapbooks by Cornelia James Cannon; family correspondence, of Cornelia, Walter B. Cannon, and their children: Bradford Cannon, Wilma (Cannon) Fairbanks, Linda (Cannon) Burgess, Marian (Cannon) Schlesinger, and Helen (Cannon) Bond; photographs of family and events.
Papers of Esther Peterson, labor, education, women's rights, and consumer affairs advocate.
These records document the activities, events, and management of Fernside, a vacation house in Princeton, Massachusetts, which provided affordable summer holidays for working women from Boston between 1890 and 1989. Included are correspondence, brochures, games and other entertainments, financial records, photographs, and clippings.
Minutes, reports, correspondence, etc., of North Bennet Street Industrial School (Boston, Mass.), a trade school and settlement house.
Clippings, histories, correspondence, and photographs of the Saturday Evening Girls, a social group for working class young women in early-mid 20th century Boston, Massachusetts.
Bylaws, minutes, financial records, etc., of the Saturday Morning Club, established to promote "culture and social intercourse" for young women in Boston, Massachusetts.
Includes unpublished short stories, plays, and reports by Wells; printed material concerning the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration; a photograph of Wells with Office of Price Administration administrator Chester Bowles; magazines and clippings featuring short stories and journalism by Wells; a Harvard pennant; and books on drama and Harvard University owned by Wells.

domain: library


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Day 2 at the beach. *plays Sweater Weather in background*
I love just the atmosphere of this little creaky house, it feels like it jumped straight out from an a Pixar animation. This would be my ideal future home: small house by the ocean, touching nothing but the white sands.
Another hunched ocean house that makes me want to whip my pen and start writing. *lazily resists the urge*
I think I’ve made it my only goal in life to sit at the beach and wait for random people to photograph and catch “on film” all the wonderful and quirky adventures and the people that somehow wind up by the ocean. Even from walking along the shoreline for a short evening stroll, there’s just so much commotion from the quietness of the ocean: a little girl taking baby steps into the cold arms of the waves or the guy who saves his bread from dinner to summon a flock of hungry seagulls. As if each person is a story on top of another, a compilation of events that entwine on the basis of the blue sea.
My grandmother, brother, and I were taking a morning stroll and crashed into a sweet family that had brought some leftover hamburger buns to feed the birds. Upon sight of the bread, the seagulls came in a swarm of commotion, flying dizzily above our heads. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a warm welcoming before but it one of those ethereal experiences that can’t be fully captured through photograph or words.


Fabric is the make up of thousands of strands. Woven with care and attention to detail gives you beauty and comfort. Friends too, in their own ways are the strands that weave your life into a fabric of happiness. If you know Mr.Ahmed keep the legacy alive with a comment or an anecdote. Thank you.


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Anesthesia makes it possible to have comfortable, pain-free procedures. The idea of being under nitrous oxide, oral sedation, IV sedation, general anesthesia and sometimes even local anesthesia may make some patient’s nervous. Being prepared and knowing what to expect can help alleviate some of the stress of anticipation. If you simply need local anesthesia to accomplish your treatment, as long as you have provided an honest and thorough medical history, and follow all instructions, you should be just fine. If a higher level of anesthesia is required, then a few extra steps are necessary. While complex procedures require a brief hospitalization, the majority of procedures can safely be performed in an outpatient or office setting. The following steps may be necessary if anesthesia beyond local anesthetic is required.
In our office, we will provide a thorough verbal and written description of all pre and post surgery instructions. If you have any questions though, feel free to call, text or email.

domain: medical


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Remember one thing when buying a home: A high credit score makes a big financial difference. Since your score represents your trustworthiness to lenders, you're likely to get a good deal on a loan the better it is — and that means paying less money for your mortgage.
Credit scores range from 300 to 850 and are often crucial to the homebuying process. Your FICO score determines which type of mortgage loan you're eligible for, or whether you qualify at all.
"Healthy credit is essential in this current lending environment, as Covid-19 has made it an especially important factor," says Andy Taylor, general manager of Home & New Ventures at Credit Karma. Borrowers with lower scores may have a more difficult time finding a loan, and if they do, it will likely come with higher interest rates.
"Stricter lending terms will not be in place forever," he says, "but if you're looking to purchase a home now, it's important to be aware."
To get the best interest rate on a mortgage loan, borrowers should have a credit score of 760 or greater, which is considered "good" on FICO's scale. But the minimum requirement varies depending on the loan type. Although some loans accept "poor" scores as low as 500, the baseline needed for most is 620.
Video by David Fang
Here are the minimum score requirements for five mortgage loans, based on FICO data.
- Jumbo loan: Most lenders prefer at least a 680
A jumbo loan exceeds the maximum loan limit set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. It's used for properties that are too expensive for conventional loans. Jumbo loans are not guaranteed by a government agency, like the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, or by the government-sponsored Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
These loans can be secured through a private lender, but lenders consider them risky since they aren't federally backed, meaning the financier isn't protected if the borrower defaults. The required down payment varies.
- USDA loan: Most lenders prefer at least a 640
The U.S. Department of Agriculture insures for low- to moderate-income homebuyers. The USDA does not set a minimum credit score requirement and does not require a down payment.
- Conventional loan: 620
Conventional loans aren't insured by a government agency either, but they are covered by mortgage loan companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The down payment amount varies.
- VA loan: Most lenders prefer at least a 620
A Veterans Affairs loan is backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and meant for military members and their spouses. These loans don't require a minimum score or money down.
- FHA loan: 500 (with 10% down payment) or 580 (with 3.5% down payment)
FHA loans, those guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration, are for higher-risk borrowers who have poor credit and little money saved for a down payment. The credit requirements can fluctuate based on how much of a down payment you can afford.
Americans' credit scores jumped in 2020. The average FICO score reached 710, Experian's 2020 Consumer Credit Review highlights. But there is still room for improvement.
While a 710 score is "good," anything between 740 and 799 is "very good," and an 800 or above is "excellent." While a good score isn't bad considering the economic woes brought on by the pandemic, an excellent score would be even better.
Say you want to borrow $200,000 to buy a home, just below the U.S. median, and you apply for a 30-year fixed-rate loan. Your credit score is 760 and you get a 3% rate. Excluding insurance and taxes, that payment would be around $772 a month, and you'd pay $78,053 in interest over the loan's lifetime, according to FICO's loan savings calculator.
If your score were 660, in "fair" territory, that monthly payment would be $837, another $65 a month, and a total of $101,230 in interest.
The difference in interest: $23,177.
Keep in mind that houses are selling fast and mortgages are still at pandemic lows. The average contract interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages was 2.92% earlier this month.
"Anyone shopping for a mortgage, regardless of their credit score, should compare rates and terms from different lenders," Taylor says. "You wouldn't buy a pair of shoes online without first shopping around for the best price, but consumers often make the biggest financial decisions of their lives by going with the very first person who calls them back."
If you have bad credit, or no credit, you probably can't get a mortgage without a co-signer. You can take steps to improve your score with some simple strategies, though, experts say.
"If your credit score is low due to high card balances, then the best way to quickly improve the score is to pay down those balances until they're less than 35% of your credit limit," says Melissa Cohn, executive mortgage banker at William Raveis Mortgage. "If your score is low due to a late payment, or you have an account in collections, then the only way to improve it would be to get in touch with the company that reported it, and ask that they remove it."
Video by Stephen Parkhurst
Pay your balance in full and on time. Payment history makes up 35% of your FICO score, and missed payments can stay on your credit report for years. Look out for your credit utilization rate, too, which is the ratio of how much you've spent on your credit card versus the card's limit.
The ideal rate is less than 30% of your available credit.
Don't close old cards since the length of your credit history is a factor in your score. Don't open multiple cards at once to avoid too many hard inquires on your report. And remember to check your score. Most institutions let you do it for free, and it's a good way to stay informed.
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domain: economics


Quebec Building Authority Orders Mont St Anne To Remain Closed Following Lift Accident
The Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) has ordered the stoppage of operation of the aerial lifts of the Mont-Sainte-Anne station. This order, notified today to the operator, follows the inspections carried out by the RBQ after the fall of a gondola from the R-176 ski lift (L’Étoile filante) on Saturday, December 10, 2022. Mont St Anne has had a number of lift accidents in recent years.
The order concerns the following five ski lifts: R-176 (L’Étoile filante), R-168 (L’Express du Sud), R-170 (L’Express du Nord), R-595 (La Panorama Express) and R-169 (The Turtle).
The L’Étoile filante was built by Doppelmayr in 1989 with a carrying capacity of 3000 people per hour and a vertical ris of 625 m and a length of 2347 m. The operating speed is 5 metres per second with a transit time of
approx. 8:40 minutes
Grounds for order
According to information obtained by the RBQ, during the commissioning of the R-176 (L’Étoile filante) ski lift last Saturday, a malfunction occurred in the attachment of cabin no. 92 to the cable of the lift. The checks that were made before the lift was put back into operation did not meet the requirements of the CSA Z98:19 standard or the manufacturer’s instructions.
Requirements for reinstating lifts
For the R-176 ski lift (L’Étoile filante), the RBQ requires in particular to obtain an expert’s report aimed at explaining the malfunction of the equipment and to apply the recommendations of this report, in addition to obtaining a security certificate signed by an engineer.
As for the resort’s other ski lifts that have detachable attachments, namely the R-168 (L’Express du Sud), the R-170 (L’Express du Nord) and the R-595 (La Panorama Express), the RBQ orders, among other things, to carry out the verification of the moving parts on all the fasteners and to obtain a safety certificate signed by an engineer.
For these five ski lifts, the RBQ also orders that a training plan be submitted to it. It requires the operator to ensure that personnel are trained and know, understand and apply operating procedures and rules.
Stephane Petit Vice President of Client Relations and Operations said “Remember that ski resort operators are primarily responsible for the safety of their customers. The RBQ ensures that they meet their regulatory obligations. Our priority remains public safety. The reopening of the ski lifts will depend on the pace of fulfillment of the requirements set out in the ordinance by the Mont-Sainte-Anne station.”
The order is here
In response, Mont St Anne said, “We make every effort to implement the requested requirements and honor the trust of our customers. A review of procedures and training was already scheduled this weekend and additional inspections were also planned for the resumption of operations. Awaiting the final findings of the investigations, we are working on a safe plan to revive activities.
“We were informed of the Order from the Building Authority that was issued to us at the end of the afternoon today. We will make every effort to implement the requested requirements and honor the trust of our customers. A review of procedures and training was already scheduled this weekend and additional inspections were also planned for the resumption of operations. Awaiting the final findings of the investigations, we are working on a safe plan to restore activities.”


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The National Weather Service is forecasting heat indexes of up to 102 degrees the next two days on Long Island, with some relief expected later in the week.
The weather service issued a heat advisory for the entire Island for Sunday through 8 pm Monday, with heat indexes of 95 to 100 degrees for most of the Island on Sunday, and up to 102 degrees on Monday. Heat indexes will be up to 97 degrees in eastern Suffolk County. Heat indexes are “feels-like” temperatures that take into account the humidity.
Air temperatures Sunday will range from the lower 90s in parts of Nassau to the upper 80s in eastern Suffolk, with winds of up to 15 mph in the afternoon, said weather service meteorologist Nelson Vaz.
Look for similar temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, he said.
There also will be a 20% chance of isolated thunderstorms the next few days, especially in the afternoon, he said.
“We’re just in a very hot and humid pattern, and that’s really the fuel for these thunderstorms,” Vaz said. “Where you’ll have the better chance of seeing it is closer to the city, where you’ll have more heat and humidity to deal with.”
But, he said, “Most locations will see nothing.”
Nighttime temperatures Sunday through Tuesday will be in the lower and mid 70s.
“The next chance for some type of change is Wednesday,” Vaz said. “That may be our next chance of seeing more widespread shower and thunderstorm activity.”
The chance of rain Wednesday is 60%, with highs forecast in the mid 80s.
There’s a 30% to 40% chance of rain Thursday and Friday, with temperatures in the lower or mid 80s.
Cooling centers will be open and beach hours are being extended this weekend to help Long Islanders get some relief from the heat. Here is a partial list:
Cantiague Park Administration Office, 480 W. John St., Hicksville. Open 8am to 6pm Saturday
Wantagh Administration Building, 1 King Rd, Wantagh. Open 8am to 6pm Saturday
Mitchel Field, 1 Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Uniondale. Open 24 hours Saturday
Anyone at the Cantiague Park and Wantagh cooling centers at closing time will be transported to Mitchel Field.
Cooling centers will be open to Town of Huntington residents through Sunday:
Dix Hills Pool and lobby of Clark Gillies Arena (formerly Dix Hills Ice Rink), 575 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills. Open Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 8 pm
Sgt. Paul Tuozzolo Memorial Spray Park, Cuba Hill Road (between Harmon Drive and Elwood Road), Elwood. Recreation ID Card requirement waived. Open 11 am to 8 pm for general public, 10 am to 11 am Saturday for children with special needs
Manor Field Spray Park, E. 5th Street (between Park Avenue and Lenox Road), Huntington Station. Recreation ID Card requirement waived. Open 11 am to 8 pm, 10 am to 11 am Saturday for children with special needs.
Town of Huntington beaches will have extended lifeguard protection until 7 pm
David Olson covers health care. He has worked at Newsday since 2015 and previously covered immigration, multicultural issues and religion at The Press-Enterprise in Southern California.

domain: news


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PRP Hair Restoration: PKG of 3
⭐ Cost: $2,400
✅ Package includes: One treatment per month for three months.
✨ Recovery Time: 24 hours
If thinning hair or bald spots is bothering you, PRP Hair Growth Treatment at OMNI SCULPT MD can be one way to feel more confident about your looks. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a natural and non-surgical hair loss treatment option. It may benefit those who are not good candidates for a hair transplant or medication. PRP is a growth factor-rich blood fraction created from your own blood and is injected superficially into the thinning areas. This might help decrease shedding and help increase your hair growth by enhancing hair follicle blood supply and stimulation.
*During your consultation with Dr. DeGironemo you may require additional sessions to achieve your desired results and will have to pay for them as needed.


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IGN: What's a favorite video game memory from growing up?
Josh Trank: I've always played video games since I was probably two years old or something. I remember going to arcades when I was a really little kid with family friends who had older kids. I remember being hypnotized by the interaction between a person and something going on on a screen in front of them. But I think one of the most important memories for me was when I was 11 years old and I was playing Final Fantasy III on Super Nintendo on a 12-inch, old-style television. I left the game sitting there with one of the characters standing on the overworld map. I went to the other room and came back and then I started drawing for a while and the music from the overworld kept playing in a loop and I looked up and I just got so entranced by the music and the slowly drifting clouds over the top of the screen and the guy just standing there with the little town icons spread out over the screen. It was this whole giant world that I wanted more out of than just playing a video game. There's something so artistically inspiring about that. I feel like when I've done anything creative since then, I go back to that moment when I felt that strong relationship between what was in my Super Nintendo.
IGN: How do you feel games have influenced your new movie, Chronicle?
Trank: In a lot of ways because I'm a really hardcore movie fan and I love video games. I never wanted to make video games, because it's just way too complicated for me and I'm really bad at math. There are all sorts of things you have to learn to make games and there's just no way I can ever master that. So film is like an instinct thing to me. But the influence of video games into my outlet is really moviemaking. Videogames show ordinary people like me and you these great scenarios that fill the dreams of conquering bosses and all those kinds of interactive fantasies.
IGN: What role do games play within the world of Chronicle?
Trank: Chronicle is about three 17-year-old seniors in high school who suddenly have this ability to move things with their mind. They're from this generation of kids who grew up with 3D action games. I'm 27, so I grew up with video games from kind of the NES days. The kind of games that these kids are used to playing are so much more dynamic and realistic and different than the 2D games we grew up with. If kids got power like this (in the movie), they would be using them in ways that really didn't go beyond what they can do in video games. It's like, "Let's try this stuff out in the supermarket." There's this sort of ease to getting used to their powers because it's a way to take things out of the video game and into the real world in front of us. We filmed the movie with that in mind.
IGN: Did you talk to the main actors about games as a director?
Trank: There were a couple of scenes where the guys are having a very serious conversation and there's something really amazing happening in front of them that they're conjuring. But they're not looking at each other while they're talking. They're looking at what's in front of them. The actors are all a couple of years younger than me, so the way we were able to make that scene really authentic for the actors is by having them imagine that they were having a video game conversation. I think anybody knows what that is, where you're like sitting in your living room and you're playing video games with your best friend and it's something that you do for hours and hours and hours at a time. We often get caught up in serious conversations that you probably wouldn't have if you were sitting around doing anything else. But you're usually looking at a video game in front of you. So when you look at the scene, and they're just staring off in this half-committal wonderment, there's something really kind of unique about it that I think is so specific to the experience of just growing up and playing video games.
IGN: Did you go back and play any games like Psi Ops that feature telekinetic powers within the gameplay?
Trank: Yes. I remember all those very, very specifically. A friend of mine had Psi Ops and I remember playing over there a lot and just thinking it was so cool. I remember thinking, "That's exactly what I want to be doing right now, moving sh*t."
IGN: Did these types of telekinetic games influence the idea that became Chronicle?
Trank: I wouldn't say specifically a game about telekinetic powers, but just the immersion that comes with game playing. It goes beyond just holding a controller in your hands. I was never good at fighting games like Street Fighter Turbo or Mortal Kombat because I'm not like really thinking with the controller so much. I'm just thinking about the environment around me when I'm playing RPGs or action adventures. When you're controlling the character in a game it's like you're god and you're overseeing the real-time life experience unfolding in front of you. There's kind of almost a telekinetic power that one wields over the universe in a video game that I really wanted to bring over to the actors' performance[s] in Chronicle.
IGN: How were you able to bring that into the actual film?
Trank: In the movie our main character, Andrew, who is the cameraman filming the events, he's really into movies and he's really into video games. He has a cinematic eye for things, so he is able to film his world gracefully and steadily and it's very easy to watch. And at certain points he's able to let go of this camera and float it around with his mind. An analogy that I used on set is that it's like your left sticking in a game. When you play a third-person game like Grand Theft Auto, you control the camera with the left stick of the controller. So to justify that Andrew can operate his camera in this kind of third-person view style, it's because our brains are so trained to play with these sort of Xbox and PlayStation 3 controllers that we don't really have to think when we're moving the camera around. It's really like a second-nature thing. In the context of the movie, Andrew is just imagining that he's seeing the world and moving the camera like it's his left stick.
IGN: What games have you played recently that impressed you?
Trank: I played the new Modern Warfare and I played the new Uncharted. I had to see what the bar is right now for the bestselling games. I haven't played Battlefield 3 yet, but just looking at these games, the stuff looks better than what we're seeing in movies right now. It's really crazy, really amazing stuff that these game makers are doing. Games are the most mainstream form of entertainment right now, and there's crazy artistry behind how they're making all these things. It's really amazing.
IGN: What's the last game that you got hooked on?
Trank: I got L.A. Noire last year and I couldn't put it down. I think I played it for about four days straight. It was right after we wrapped production (on Chronicle). I'm a big homicide documentary TV series junkie and L.A. Noire was the most fun I've ever had in a video game. Just being a detective and interrogating these suspects was so much fun. The game was really well written and I thought the acting was so perfectly handled. The game offered just the right amount of immersion, the right amount of linear storylines and it didn't ever feel like you were going down one track. It was really cool.
Chronicle is now playing.


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In addition to the regular subjects, schools don’t often teach financial literacy to children. However, there has been an increasing demand to provide legal counsel to parents who are especially interested in educating their children about money. This is expected to cover various subjects, including personal money management, budgeting, and investing. Let's look at financial literacy and why it could be beneficial to teach your children about it.
What Is Financial Literacy?
The capacity to collect and manage money and other assets is referred to as financial literacy. The goal of teaching children about money is to provide them with the knowledge they need to make informed choices. This may involve budgeting and knowing what credit, debit, and other terminology mean. It's beneficial for teaching kids how to acquire the skills they'll need to live a life free of debt.
Why Teach Children about Financial Literacy
Financial literacy is essential because it teaches individuals to make informed financial choices. When taught to children, they will better understand money. They'll also have the personal skills and self-assurance to handle various financial transactions without the help of a third party.
However, teaching children about money isn't enough. They also need to learn how to use what they've learned practically and to their advantage. You can accomplish this by providing chances for them to put what they've learned into practice. Otherwise, students can wind up knowing about money but not applying what they've learned.
Ways to Implement Financial Literacy
1. Decorating Their Room with Infographics about Finance and Money
Pictures and infographics about the origins of money, various kinds of currencies, the value of money, and other financial issues might be helpful. Children will get much more knowledge by viewing these graphics than just hearing them.
2. Giving Simple Tasks to Kids Such as Saving Money
Introducing the notion of money to children at an early age is an excellent technique to teach money management. If a youngster is given a tiny allowance, training them to save at least half of it is a brilliant place to begin. Giving kids basic tasks, such as earning their own money, might also be beneficial.
Activities like saving and spending are excellent ways to educate children about money. Youngsters must understand the fundamentals of money management. It may help youngsters develop abilities that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
3. Prep for a Difficult Conversation about Finances with Your Children
It's a good idea to start teaching youngsters how to save money at a young age to learn fundamental concepts like interest and the time worth of cash. Financial responsibility shared with children may be a method to empower them. You may accomplish this by giving them some influence over a particular component of the family's finances.
4. How to Control Spending Is a Discussion Worth Having
Having a separate bank account for a kid may be helpful. This urges kids to keep aside money for the future and separate one aspect of their finances from the rest of the family's. Keeping track of their spending will be more straightforward if their money is kept separate. It will be simpler for a youngster to start investing on their own if they comprehend mutual funds.
Financial literacy is crucial for the development of future adults who will succeed in society. They are less prone to face financial difficulties such as bankruptcy.
Parents who willingly educate their children about money are more likely to raise individuals who can make intelligent financial choices. Children should begin learning about money while they are young to have a basic understanding of saving and investing.
Teaching your kid the value of money is made more accessible by using a chore tracker app like Kiddie Kredit. It is made to educate children on how credit score works. Download the app today and explore its features!

domain: finance


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More electric cars and more electric chargers are expected in New York over the next decade, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s zero-emission vehicles requirements by 2035. Similarly, in March, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that a national network of convenient, reliable, made-in-America electric vehicle
On January 17, a week before India’s Republic Day, the British Broadcast Company (BBC) released a documentary “India: The Modi Question.” It was about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his relationship with the 2002 Gujarat riots – and it refers to the events as
James Rapp started working at Dig Acres, a 12-acre farm in Chester, New York, as an apprentice in March 2022. He lives with his parents in Westchester and wakes up every morning extra early to drive an hour to work. In the evening, after a
[caption id="attachment_5335" align="alignnone" width="1680"] MD cleans the courts at The Cage (Credit: Isak Hullert)[/caption]
On a wet, dreary Sunday in early November, two people picked up garbage and leaves from a basketball court at West Fourth Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. One of them, a
As PEN America, the non-profit that celebrates literature and free expression, celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, it released a study that found more than 1,600 books, mostly about racism and LGBTQ issues, had been removed from school districts across the country during a past
It can be hard for a person to communicate in another language, especially when it comes to animals. In that case, it’s understandable that someone might think the language to be useless. But apparently, people can speak to birds.
“Can you attract the titmouse by the
The previously blooming business in Midtown’s floral district dealt with pandemic hurdles. Now, the weather looks like spring, many business owners are contending with inflation.
During the height of the pandemic, many restaurants purchased plants and flowers from the district on West 28th Street between 6th
When Quincy Wise, 23, opened his email a few days before Thanksgiving, he found a message informing him that his application for a $15,000 federal student loan was approved. He felt relieved. Even though he knew it would add to his existing debt of $20,000,


House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) hosted the committee’s first so-called “impeachment” hearing on Tuesday despite a report that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is concerned he has gone too far and a new poll showing that most voters are still against impeachment.
The hearing featured witness Corey Lewandowski, former Trump campaign manager, and was panned as a failure even by critics of President Trump for devolving into a debacle and Democrats not being able to land any kind of blow.
After the end, Nadler — who is facing a primary challenge on his left — vowed they would “hold President Trump accountable.”
But a new report from Politico said Pelosi is unhappy with the way Nadler’s committee is handling the impeachment issue.
According to the outlet, in a closed-door meeting last week, Pelosi criticized the committee’s aides for advancing impeachment “far beyond” where the Democrat caucus stands. She added that Democrats simply did not have the votes on the floor to impeach Trump.
“And you can feel free to leak this,” Pelosi said, according to the report.
Pelosi’s remarks sounded more like Republicans’ during the hearing than Democrats’. Ranking Republican Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) pointed out that Democrats wanted to talk about impeachment without actually taking a vote on the House floor, where they currently would not have the votes. The number in favor stands just above 130. They need 218 for impeachment.
Pelosi has opposed impeachment, wary of the political backlash and effect it could have on Democrats holding onto the House. She had tried to protect vulnerable Democrats in red states and districts who were crucial to winning the Democrats’ House majority.
Only 37 percent of voters support beginning impeachment proceedings, while 50 percent oppose doing so, and 12 percent are undecided, according to a new Politico/Morning Consult poll.
The poll showed that independents tilt heavily against impeaching Trump, with only 31 percent supporting beginning impeachment proceedings, compared to 50 percent who think Congress should not begin them.
Pelosi is also reportedly concerned with reports that House Judiciary Committee staff were lobbying more members of the committee to come out in favor of impeachment, according to Politico.
And she is reportedly concerned with Nadler going beyond specific language she approved regarding impeachment.
“She signed off on that, that’s where Nadler should have stayed,” one Pelosi aide said.
But the pressure on Pelosi is rising, with dozens of Democrats coming out for impeachment in recent months. When asked about Pelosi’s opposition, Rep. llhan Omar (D-MN) on Sunday bragged about her support for impeachment, and suggested that Pelosi would come around.
On CBS’s Face of the Nation, Omar said:
Well, what I have always said was that it wasn’t if we were going to impeach, it is when we were going to impeach. And I think it is okay for some people to have hesitations, for other people to catch up to where some of us have been for a really long time. And I think with Chairman Nadler, he understands that, you know, we have a constitutional duty and we must exercise that constitutional duty.
Other progressives insist Pelosi quietly supports them.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, insisted to Politico that Pelosi “doesn’t always want to use the word ‘impeachment’ but believe me, she signed off on every piece of what has been put forward.”


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Columbus attorney Mark Shelnutt, under a 40-count federal indictment, was offered a plea deal before his May indictment, a prosecutor said in a pre-trial conference Monday.
At the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land asked Carlton Bourne Jr., special attorney to the attorney general, whether the government had offered a plea deal to Shelnutt.
“There was an offer prior to indictment,” he said. “It was rejected.”
Bourne added that no deal was currently on the table.
One of Shelnutt’s attorneys, Thomas Withers, said he didn’t want to discuss the offer’s terms.
“Suffice it to say, Mr. Shelnutt has declined the government’s plea deal,” Withers said after the hearing. “He plans on going to trial because he’s innocent. He looks forward to putting his fate in the hands of the jury.”
Land’s question came at the end of a hearing that dealt with the process of picking a jury for Shelnutt’s upcoming trial.
Originally scheduled for Sept. 8, Land agreed to set the trial for Nov. 9, after Withers asked for more time to examine some 350 hours of audiotapes.
In his indictment, Shelnutt is accused of aiding and abetting a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, money laundering, witness tampering and attempted bribery.
He has been linked by prosecutors to Torrance Hill, who pleaded guilty in 2006 to drug charges and was sentenced to 24 1/2 years in prison.
Several defendants indicted by a federal grand jury are linked to Hill and what authorities call the largest drug bust in Columbus.
Two of them — Shawn Bunkley and Santwan Holt — have already pleaded guilty to drug charges, and Holt was sentenced in June to just less than four years in prison.

domain: law


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The national dish of Cornwall
A pasty is a baked pastry, a traditional variety of which is particularly associated with Cornwall. The pasty is regarded as the national dish of Cornwall, and the term "Cornish pasty" has been in use since at least the early 1860's. It is made by placing an uncooked filling, typically meat and vegetables, on one half of a flat shortcrust pastry circle, folding the pastry in half to wrap the filling in a semicircle and crimping the curved edge to form a seal before baking.
The traditional Cornish pasty, which since 2011 has Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in Europe, is filled with beef, sliced or diced potato, swede (also known as yellow turnip or rutabaga – referred to in Cornwall as turnip) and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, and is baked. Today, the pasty is the food most associated with Cornwall. It is regarded as the national dish and accounts for 6% of the Cornish food economy. Pasties with many different fillings are made and some shops specialise in selling all sorts of pasties.
The origins of the pasty are unclear, though there are many references to them throughout historical documents and fiction. The pasty is now popular world-wide due to the spread of Cornish miners, and variations can be found in Australia, the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Ulster and elsewhere.
The pasty became popular with working people in Cornwall, where tin miners and others adopted it due to its unique shape, forming a complete meal that could be carried easily and eaten without cutlery. In a mine, the pasty's dense, folded pastry could stay warm for several hours, and if it did get cold, it could easily be warmed on a shovel over a candle.
Side-crimped pasties gave rise to the suggestion that the miner might have eaten the pasty holding the thick edge of pastry, which was later discarded, thereby ensuring that his dirty fingers (possibly including traces of arsenic) did not touch food or his mouth. However, many old photographs show that pasties were wrapped in bags made of paper or muslin and were eaten from end-to-end; according to the earliest Cornish recipe book, published in 1929, this is "the true Cornish way" to eat a pasty. Another theory suggests that pasties were marked at one end with an initial and then eaten from the other end so that if not finished in one go, they could easily be reclaimed by their owners.
In 2006, a researcher in Devon discovered a list of ingredients for a pasty tucked inside an audit book and dated 1510, calculating the cost of making a venison pasty. This replaced the previous oldest recipe, dated 1746, held by the Cornwall Records Office in Truro. The dish at the time was cooked with venison, in this case from the Mount Edgcumbe Estate, as the pasty was then considered a luxury meal.
The recipe for a Cornish pasty, as defined by its protected status, includes diced or minced beef, onion, potato and swede in rough chunks along with some "light peppery" seasoning. The cut of beef used is generally skirt steak. Swede is sometimes called turnip in Cornwall, but the recipe requires use of actual swede, not turnip. Pasty ingredients are usually seasoned with salt and pepper, depending on individual taste. The use of carrot in a traditional Cornish pasty is frowned upon, though it does appear regularly in recipes.
The type of pastry used is not defined, as long as it is golden in colour and will not crack during the cooking or cooling, although modern pasties almost always use a shortcrust pastry. There is a humorous belief that the pastry on a good pasty should be strong enough to withstand a drop down a mine shaft, and indeed the barley flour that was usually used does make hard dense pastry.
Although the officially protected Cornish pasty has a specific ingredients list, old Cornish cookery books show that pasties were generally made from whatever food was available. Indeed, the earliest recorded pasty recipes include venison, not beef. "Pasty" has always been a generic name for the shape and can contain a variety of fillings, including stilton cheese, vegetarian and even chicken tikka. Pork and apple pasties are readily available in shops throughout Cornwall and Devon, with the ingredients including an apple flavoured sauce, mixed together throughout the pasty, as well as sweet pasties with ingredients such as apple and fig or chocolate and banana, which are common in some areas of Cornwall.
Migrating Cornish miners and their families (colloquially known as Cousin Jacks and Cousin Jennies) helped to spread pasties into the rest of the world during the 19th century. As tin mining in Cornwall began to decline, miners took their expertise and traditions to new mining regions around the world.
As the national dish of Cornwall, several oversized versions of the pasty have been created in the county. For example, a giant pasty is paraded from Polruan to Fowey through the streets during regatta week. Similarly, a giant pasty is paraded around the ground of the Cornish Pirates rugby team on St. Piran's Day before it is passed over the goal posts.
The world's largest Cornish pasty was made in August 2010, measuring 15 feet and weighing 1,900 lb. It was created by "Proper Cornish" bakers, using 364 pounds of beef, 180 pounds of swede, 100 pound of potatoes and 75 pounds of onions. The pasty was estimated to cost £7,000 and contain 1.75 million calories.
Ginsters is a company founded in 1969 and based in Callington, they are the biggest selling pasty maker in the UK.
The World Pasty Championships are held at the Eden Project in early March, in the heart of Cornwall and celebrate the traditional Cornish pasty, as well as some more unusual varieties. From the Americas to Australia, pasties derived from recipes passed down by Cornish emigrants over centuries are eaten and enjoyed by many millions of people. Entries come from around the world.
Cornish Cafes Mining in Cornwall Cornwall's Farm Shops

domain: history


The School District of Newberry County is the second largest employer in the County and the sole local education agency serving Newberry County. The district serves over 5,800 students in three attendance areas containing a total of 12 schools (one K-12 community school, two high schools, two middle schools, and seven elementary schools) plus a technologically advanced career center. Our staff includes over 480 teachers who are supported by 350 other personnel and administrators.
Our mission is to engage students at all levels in educational experiences that ensure success and life-long learning. In several of our elementary schools, we offer pre-kindergarten and Montessori for children from age three through grade five. Montessori education practice helps children to develop creativity, problem-solving, social, and time-management skills. Our middle schools are working with students to develop individualized programs of study that are implemented in our high schools. Learning opportunities for our middle school students include Gateway to Technology that emphasizes math, science, and technology. In our high schools we strive to provide a comprehensive curriculum to address individual needs of all of our students. This framework design allows for an integrated, multi-dimensional approach to planning that helps students become successful learners for high school and beyond. The curriculum and instruction is provided in five areas of study: Arts and Humanities, Business Management and Information Systems, Engineering, Manufacturing and Industrial Technology, Health Science and Human Services and Public Services. We provide a dual credit program with local colleges and advance placement programs allowing students to gain college credit during high school. The competency-based curriculum at the Newberry County Career Center enables students to acquire skills and knowledge for gaining employment and reflects the employment needs of local businesses and industries. We provide specialized skills, hands-on training, and appropriated workplace ethics.
We are extremely proud of the success of our students. Numerous students in all of our middle and high schools have been state and national award winners at the Junior and Senior Beta Club Conventions. Students are enrolled in the Governor’s School for the Arts and the Governor’s School for Math and Science. Also, students are Step Team Champions, All-Region and All-State Athletes, All-State and Region Band and Honor selectees, members of a JROTC Honor Unit of Distinction, Congressional Art Award winners, and National Achievement Scholarship winners. Twenty students from across the district received perfect scores on their PASS test.
Several of our schools are Palmetto Gold and Silver Award winners and have been for the past several years. These awards indicate notable improvements in student achievement. They are based on academic gains and closing the achievement gap.
Our District, with the recent release of the SC school and district report cards, boasts one of the best years since the inception of the state accountability system. The district received an absolute rating of Average for the third consecutive year and a growth rating of Good for the second consecutive year.
Boundary Street Elementary School was nominated as a Title I Distinguished School for positive educational achievements. Mid-Carolina High school was one of 11 high schools in the state with increases in both SAT scores and the number of students who passed AP tests.
Two out of the last three years our District Teacher of the Year has been one of the five finalists for State Teacher of the Year. Our district has 61 National Board Certified Teachers and for the past 13 years our Office of Finance has received the Association of School Business Officials Excellence in Financial Reporting. We boast less than 10% turnover in our teacher ranks.
Our vision is one of One District, One Team, and One Mission. We recently completed a strategic building program which came in on time and under budget allowing us to continue with much needed capital projects. Our district participates in AdvancED District Accreditation which advances Excellence in Education Worldwide. Not only did our district meet all expectations and responsibilities, we received commendations in “great educational leadership in its administration and board that is surrounded by a community that promotes civic responsibility and commitment to district success.”


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Kazuko Nagase 1, Ken Fukuanga, Yoko Yokoyama, Koji Kamikozuru, Hiroto Miwa, Shiro Nakamura, Ther Apher Dial. 2013 Oct;17(5):490-7.
Questionnaire Based Assessment of Patients’ Acceptability of Leukocytapheresis for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
The aim of the present study was to assess patients’ acceptance of therapeutic leukocytapheresis known as cytapheresis (CAP) for the treatment of an active flare of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Contact UsFor more informationContact Us

domain: health


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Representatives from coalition and opposition parties gathered at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening to begin negotiations over the government’s contentious judicial overhaul plans, in the first face-to-face talks between the sides after three turbulent months of a legislative blitz and nationwide mass protests.
The negotiations came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday agreed to pause the controversial legislation, to give a chance for dialogue on the legislation that Justice Minister Yariv Levin publicly unveiled in January, triggering the wave of demonstrations and intense public opposition.
A statement from the President’s Office released after the 90-minute meeting said the discussions were conducted in “a positive atmosphere,” and that further meetings would be held on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s talks did not touch on the substance of potential reform, but rather focused on the mechanism for negotiations. Channel 12 reported that it was also aimed at fostering a friendly atmosphere more conducive to talks than the fiery, combative rhetoric the sides have employed against each other for weeks.
In a statement after the meeting, the opposition’s Yesh Atid party said that as Israel prepares to celebrate its 75th birthday, there is an opportunity “to make real change, not cosmetic fixes.” The party also reiterated its desire to establish a constitution “based on the values of the Declaration of Independence.”
The opposition National Unity faction said it had demanded the basic principles of keeping the justice system apolitical and setting clear rules for future legislation. It said it had come to talks “with an open heart” and urged the coalition to do the same.
The meeting included a delegation representing Likud and teams for the Yesh Atid and National Unity parties. Other opposition parties, Yisrael Beytenu and Labor, skipped Tuesday’s meeting as they continued to express doubts that Likud was seeking to negotiate in good faith, but indicated they could send their own teams soon.
Yesh Atid’s delegation was made up of MKs Orna Barbivai and Karin Elharrar, former Prime Minister’s Office director general Naama Schultz and lawyer Oded Gazit, while National Unity sent MKs Chili Tropper, Gideon Sa’ar, Orit Farkash-Hacohen and attorney Ronen Aviana.
Likud’s team was made up of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Kohelet Policy Forum legal scholar Aviad Bakshi, Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs and academic Talia Einhorn.
Some of those in favor of Likud’s proposed overhaul and against any compromise gathered to protest outside the President’s Residence, while others who believe the plan must be thrown out entirely also continued to rally amid the talks.
As discussions were underway in Jerusalem, a collection of 34 protest groups penned a joint letter to opposition heads Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, imploring the pair to withdraw from the talks that they said were a “deception.”
“Yesterday we saw another attempt at deception and public manipulation by a leader who has lost his inhibitions and is not fit to lead the country,” the letter said, referring to Netanyahu.
In the letter, the groups claimed that Netanyahu was using the legislative pause as a tactic to diffuse the massive protest movement that has gathered to oppose his government’s plans, claiming that upon the start of the next Knesset session in May, the premier will “immediately” resume pushing his “dictatorship laws.”
“We will not fall for this deception and will continue to fight with all our strength.”
The negotiations’ outcome “does not represent us,” the letter declared, saying Lapid and Gantz’s agreement to hold talks despite the legislation not being shelved entirely was “shocking and outrageous.”
Organizers encouraged opponents of the overhaul to continue attending weekly protests in Tel Aviv.
The groups also panned Lapid and Gantz for not opposing the prime minister’s agreement with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to advance plans for the formation of a “national guard” force under the far-right minister’s direct control, which they have warned could serve as the far-right minister’s private militia.
Yisrael Beytenu, led by MK Avigdor Liberman, said it would join the discussions on condition that Netanyahu walks back the submission of the judicial selection bill to the Knesset secretary, a largely technical move that nevertheless sparked outrage on Tuesday.
Filing the bill with the Knesset secretary enables the coalition to call the final votes on its approval with 24 hours’ notice, a move Yisrael Beytenu described as “unacceptable.”
“We call on our friends in the opposition not to be tempted by Netanyahu’s deceitful and fraudulent practices,” the statement said.
Labor said it was joining the discussion to “ensure that the overhaul laws are not returned to a vote in the Knesset via a back door.”
“Labor representatives will attend meetings at the President’s Residence to ensure that the camp’s position is heard and, among other things, they will demand the removal of existing legislation, promote a bill of rights, strengthen the Knesset’s position, and guarantee the independence of the judicial system,” a statement said.
The left-wing party chaired by MK Merav Michaeli said it would be represented at the discussions by MK Gilad Kariv, MK Efrat Rayten, former justice minister Avi Nissenkorn and Dr. Tamar Hostovsky Brandes.


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EVER since the days of the great struggle against the attempts of Louis XIV to establish a domination of the world, as the world then was, the Mediterranean has been a sea of the highest importance to the British people. This importance has arisen from two separate and distinct elements.
In the first place, the Mediterranean is a sheet of water in which Great Britain has constantly -- and inevitably -- been called upon to play her part in active coöperation with those European coalitions which have been brought into being for the purpose of resisting the aggressions of some acquisitive Power and of maintaining the liberties and public law of Europe. It has been there that British naval power showed itself capable of performing effective and active functions in aid of the European family, as distinguished from the "passive" functions of defense essential to her own security. More and greater battles than Passaro and the Nile have been fought by her fleets in the Atlantic and the North Sea; but in all those European struggles against great perturbators, the decisive theatre, in the ultimate analysis, was on land, in Europe, and the instruments which produced the decisions were the armies. In these struggles, naval power in the Mediterranean could more directly affect the operations of the land forces of the enemy and of the Coalitions than it could elsewhere. The wars of Queen Anne and Napoleon show how the fortunes of the allied cause waxed or waned with the presence or the absence of a British fleet in the Mediterranean.
The fact that the Government of Great Britain in the war of 1914-18 elected to depart from its historical policy of using its great sea power and small land power in combination, and to constitute Britain into a continental military state, does not invalidate the importance of the Mediterranean. The conception, though not the execution, of the strategy of the Dardanelles expedition was in accordance with the policy of
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October 29th, 2007
Another massive week for releases with dozens of releases mentioned below (and in the second part).
Of these numerous releases, there were several that were in contention for the DVD Pick of the Week, but I was able to narrow the selection down to just two: Spider-Man 3 - Blu-Ray Edition and Looney Tunes - Golden Collection - Volume Five. Blu-Ray finally gets on the board and scores a DVD Pick of the Week, but it won't be the last. In fact, I have a funny feeling the format will score its second award.
October 29th, 2007
There were six new releases on this week's sales chart, including the number one film of the week, The Transformers. That DVD sold 5.09 million units for opening week sales of $117.01 million, which was the best opening on the home market this year in terms of raw dollars. However, 300 sold more units, barely, at 5.10 million.
October 29th, 2007
The Transformers led a list of six new releases and the overall rental chart this week, but at $9.97 million in rentals, it was a subdued victory compared to its dominance of the sales chart.
October 16th, 2007
This week we have the first of the summer blockbusters hitting the home market.
But, strangely, it was the last of the four $300 million movies that were released this year.
This signifies the unofficial start of the of the Christmas DVD rush season and I would expect every week massive blockbusters or super-special editions being release from now until the Boxing Day.
As for this week's best bets, I'm torn between two releases: Grindhouse - Planet Terror - Extended and Unrated - Two-Disc Special Edition and The Transformers - HD-DVD Edition.
I've giving both the DVD Pick of the Week honors, but I will add that while Grindhouse is the better movie, The Transformers will appeal to a wider audience.
(On a side note, this is the second time a HD-DVD release has earned the DVD Pick of the Week.
Blu-Ray better catch up to HD-DVD soon.)
May 20th, 2007
The competition is still being pushed down by Spider-Man 3 and although there were half a dozen new releases to chart this week, it was still impossible to fill out a top 30 chart with any real details. For instance, Next had no major openings and its best midlevel was a second place debut in Malaysia with $115,000 on 30 screens. However, it was still able to remain in sixth place with $2.45 million on 1347 screens in 19 markets while its running total has grown to $18.94 million.
May 7th, 2007
Now that's what the Summer is all about.
With Spider-man 3, the blockbuster season got off to a record-breaking start and that lifted the overall box office to amazing heights.
Last weekend was one of the worst weekends in a long time, but Spider-man 3 alone earned nearly twice as much as the previous week's total box office and, adding in the holdovers, the 3-day take of $190 million was 144% more than last weekend, and already ranks as the fourth-biggest single weekend in history with reports for some movies still to come in (see the full list).
More importantly, it is 72% more than the same weekend last year.
Granted, last Summer got off to a slow start, but this is still a huge year-to-year increase and a very good omen for the season as a whole.
May 3rd, 2007
With the start of the summer blockbuster season, all eyes are on Spider-man 3.
But the real question isn't whether Spider-man 3 will win the box office race, there's very little doubt that it will.
No, the real question is whether Spider-man 3 can break Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest's opening weekend record.
May 1st, 2007
That was one of the worst weekends I can remember.
There was almost nothing worth celebrating as the overall box office dipped by 12% from last weekend to $78 million.
That's nearly 24% lower than the same weekend last year and probably the worst weekend in more than a year.
(We'll have more details on that when the box office chart is certified later this week.)
The only silver lining I can think of is a possible reason for this massive dip.
In my opinion, a lot of people who thought about going to the movies this weekend likely said, "Let's wait a week and catch Spider-man 3 instead."
I can't prove this happened, but this time next weekend if Spider-man 3 has broken records, we'll know that it is a likely scenario.
April 29th, 2007
It's a slow week in terms of the cream-of-the-crop sites. There are a few that look like they could be award-worthy once they have a few more updates, but for the most part this week we have a collection that is rather average. There was one stand-out site, Evan Almighty - Official Site, and it was the only choice for the Weekly Website Award.
April 26th, 2007
It's the final weekend before the summer blockbuster season and it appears that while everyone is excited about Spider-man 3, almost no one is paying attention to this week's new releases.
This could result in the worst weekend of the year and there is a possibility that no film will reach $10 million.
April 1st, 2007
April is an interesting month to open a movie. Interesting, but not a particularly good month. This year it does start with Easter, but that's traditionally not a strong long weekend. Only one movie has topped $40 million over that weekend and only one other has cracked $30 million. Worst still, it's jammed right up against May, the start of the summer blockbusters season.
Ironically, the closer you get to this most lucrative time of year, the tougher it is for films to make a buck.
No movie wants to open the weekend before Spider-man 3, for instance.
Overall, there are a few hits to be found in the month, and a few misses, but nothing that really stands out above the pack.
January 29th, 2007
This week's round of new movie release information contains release dates for Hills Have Eyes II, Pathfinder, Lucky You and more.
January 9th, 2007
This week's round of new movie release information contains the announcement for Indiana Jones 4 and more.
January 2nd, 2007
It is the beginning of a new year. A time to start fresh. So why do most of the new releases smell so stale? It's the January dumping ground, home to films that looked promising on paper but just didn't pan out.
That doesn't mean there are no films that could be worth checking out.
Out of the twelve new films opening wide this month (that's opening, not expanding), Smokin' Aces looks great and so does ... no, that's about it.
Almost all of the new releases are likely to struggle at the box office and with critics alike.
And to make matters worse, six of these new releases are going wide on the same weekend.
This is complete madness and guarantees that at least two films that would otherwise succeed are going to fail.
On the other hand, there are nearly a dozen films that have previously opened and are expanding wide (Children of Men and Pan's Labyrinth, for example), or are being re-released to grab some last minute Oscar buzz,
(The Queen and The Last King of Scotland, among others).
This makes for an incredibly busy month, but not one that will likely produce many hits.
Two additional notes...
Firstly, Letters from Iwo Jima is expanding throughout the month but likely won't go wide until February.
Secondly, The Dead Girl has a planned expansion on the 19th, but after struggling in limited release since opening last weekend, this seems unlikely.
September 23rd, 2006
Slow week with just over half a dozen sites on the list. Of them, Renaissance
- Official Site
is clearly the best with a few others showing promise.
August 27th, 2006
This week's round of new movie release information contains the new and changed release dates that have been announced for the past two weeks.