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Day 13 of my 25 Day Challenge. See where it all started here.
This day of the challenge was a Friday. I only put in 6 hours at my bill-paying job on Fridays, so it was a quick busy work day. I got off and came home in the glorious sunshine and 75 degrees. It was the sort of day that writers have trouble writing about because they are too busy living in it. Yeah. It was that kind of day.
I went out and sat in the sun and read some of Patricia Bradley’s book, Shadows of the Past. I have to say, this lady is great at storytelling. She wrote a scene where the heroine goes back home. When she got into her bedroom she went through it remembering her past based on items in the room, like on the dresser, etc. It was awesome. You should get this book. It is a part of a series of Christian romantic suspense. I am truly enjoying it.
And since I finished my round of editing on (see day 14’s post) the current book, I am sort of in a lull while my beta/critiquers do theirs. I could start on the next book, or I could be putting together a Christmas box set. OR I could start on a different thing altogether. I was so undecided that I didn’t get anything done. And what’s worse, I started looking at WP themes to change up the website and sort of went down a rabbit hole. I didn’t come back to earth until after 10 PM, and then I realized I was zonked. I didn’t think about this challenge. I went to bed.
So not much got done, other than reading. But that is okay. Sometimes we all need a down day. I am considering adding another thing here for exercise–it would be fun. What do you think?


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My next door neighbours have gone away for a couple of days, so I can play my home cinema system really loud. My next "Lovefilm" delivery has just popped through the letter box and its .... "The Artist"
Worth playing pretty loud: the music recording is amazing.
Audio Editor, Gramophone
The audio is VERY important in one scene, I'd say the louder the better...
No signature worth mentioning...
Watched it last night and very much enjoyed it. Music was brilliant and beautifuly recorded. As a small boy, my dad would regularly take me to see silent films with the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy (and I'm not that old).
© 2014 Haymarket Publishing

domain: artistic


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6.The southern coast of Ukraine is bordered by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Black Sea has a surface area of 423,000 sq km. There are only a few islands in it. Its depth is 2,000 m. In the northwest, however, the sea is only 30-60 m deep. The important ports of Odesa, Kherson, Mykolayiv and Sevastopol lie on the Black Sea. The animal life is limited. Among the best known fish are sturgeon, goby, mullet, plaice and such typically Black Sea fish as horse mackerel and scomber.
7.The Sea of Azov is much less picturesque. Syvash Bay with bitter and very salty waters forms part of the sea. There are wonderful sandy beaches on its northern coast and it is very rich in fish life. It is a small sea, and is the world's most shallow sea, its average depth being 5-7 m.
8.Rivers are the principle part of Ukraine's water resources. Ukraine has a wealth of rivers. More than a hundred of them are longer than 100 km. The largest rivers are the Dnieper, Dnister, Danube, Southern Buh, Siversky Donets and Tysa. Ukraine's rivers on the whole belong to the basins of the Black and Azov Seas. Only the Western Buh and some other rivers empty into the Baltic Sea.
9.Ukraine's rivers are predominantly flat. They flow slowly in wide valleys. Rivers flowing off the Carpathian and Crimean Mountains are narrow, shallow and fast. In some of the southern regions there are almost no rivers. Rivers and other water resources (reservoires, lakes, ponds) play an important role in water supply, and are used as sources of energy. Navigable rivers are important for transport.
10.The Dnieper River has its source in the Valdai Plateau in Smolensk region and flows into the Black Sea. It is 2,285 km long. In size it is Europe's third-largest river (after the Volga and Danube). The Dnieper's largest tributaries are the Prypiat and Desna.
11.Another large river is the Dnister, which flows along the border of Ukraine and Moldova having its source in the Carpathians and emptying into the Black Sea. It floods not only in spring, but also in summer after heavy rainfalls. Its largest tributaries are the Stry and Zbruch.
12.The Danube passes through Ukraine in its lower reaches. It is an important water route linking the country with many European countries. The largest of the Danube's tributaries are the Tysa and Prut.
13.There are over 3,000 lakes throughout Ukraine. They are located mostly in Polissia, the Black Sea lowlands and the Crimea. The largest freshwater lakes are Yalpuh (220 sq km) in the Danube flood plain and Svytiazke in Polissia (27 sq km).
14. Ukraine has insufficient water supplies. The scarcest water resources are in southeastern Ukraine in the area where industry is centered. There are no local sources of water supply in such large cities as Kharkiv, Lviv, and Kryvy Rih. Thus canals have been dug from reservoires on the Dnieper to provide water to the arid regions of the country.
The Agricultural Country
15.Ukraine has very favourable conditions for the development of agricultural production: fertile soils, temperately warm climate, a well-developed industry processing agricultural raw materials. All the principle areas of plant cultivation are: grain and crops, meadow culture, fruit and vegetable raising. Almost half the cropping area is occupied by cereals such as winter wheat, maize and legumes, rye, oats and barley. The principal grain crop, winter wheat, is sown mainly in the Steppe and Forest-Steppe zones. Maize is grown mostly in Trans-carpathia and Steppe Zones. Buckwheat, millet, rice play an important role. Among the industrial crops such as sugar, beet, sunflower, flax the leading position is occupied by sugar beet. Close to 40 types of vegetable crop are grown in Ukraine: cabbage, tomato, cucumber, red beet, carrot, onion, garlic, etc. Melon-growing is practised mainly in the south. Potatoes occupy 6 % of soil under cultivation.
16.Animal husbandry is the second-largest component of agriculture. Like plant cultivation, livestock production is divided into branches. The most widespread branch is cattle breeding, pig raising is another important area. Sheep farming is also practised.
17.The poultry industry is spread through all the regions. Birds farmed include chicken, duck, goose, turkey. There are large mechanized poultry factories to produce eggs and meat.
18.Fish farming is growing in importance, with carp, being the most common fish. Trout, which is to be found in the mountain rivers, is of commercial interest too.
19.Bee-keeping is spread through all zones. It is extensively practised on private plots. Fur animals being farmed include the silver and blue fox, mink and nutria.
Science in Ukraine
Eminent names and scientific schools
20.In the twentieth century, a number of renowned scientific schools were established in Ukraine dealing with problems of geochemistry and the natural sciences (V. Vernadsky), mechanics (S. Tymoshenko), oriental studies (A. Krymsky), microbiology (D. Zabolotny), biology (O. Bohomolets), chemistry (L. Pysarchevsky), electrical welding and bridge-building (Ye. Paton), physics (M. Boholiubov), cybernetics Daniil Zabolotny (V. Glushkov), space engineering (M. Yanhel), etc. Ukrainian scientists and scholars can boast major achievements, such as the artificial nuclear reaction to split the lithium nucleus; production of heavy water; a procedure for automatically welding lank bodies; the Europe's first computer; new areas pioneered in metallurgy: electric metallurgy with electroslag, plasma-arc, and plasma electron-beam remelting, development of unique rockets and spacecraft, etc.
Ukraine's Scientific Potential
21.Science is a major factor allowing Ukraine to be ranked among the world's advanced countries in the twenty-first century. By the beginning of the year 2000, Ukraine's scientific potential of Ukraine comprised 1,506 scientific institutions and organizations. Of these, 289 were in the academic sector, 160 were institutions of higher learning, while 964 belonged to the industry, and 93 to the factory sector. 126,000 persons are directly engaged in research and engineering activities. These include 4,132 doctors and over 20,000 candidates of sciences. Six state academies are leaders in Ukrainian science: the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Science, Academy of Medical Science, Academy of Jurisprudence, the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, and the Academy of Arts. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is responsible for the governmental management of scientific and scholarly activities.
The Coming Future
22.Ukraine is proud to comply with world scientific standards in mathematics, mechanics, physics, computer science, materials science, and a number of other trends directly related to the manufacture of the high tech science-intensive products increasingly demanded by foreign scientific institutions and industrial firms. For instance, a unique pilot plant has been built, which simulates the effect of outer space on spacecraft. Germany and China have purchased this plant and the European Space Agency is using it for research purposes. Together with Pratt and Whitney, a US aerospace firm, the Institute of Electrical Welding is developing a procedure for producing new materials using the technique of high-speed electron-beam evaporation and condensation of matter in a vacuum. The Institute of Monocrystals, a research and technical concern, supplies scintillation crystals as well as sapphire implants and tools to research centres in the US, Japan and Switzerland for neurosurgical and ophthalmological applications. Researchers at the Institute for Cryobiology and Cryomedicine have arranged production of competitive biological preparations on request by many foreign firms.
23.During the years of independence, a basic advance has been made by Ukraine in the social sciences and humanities. This contributed much to the nation's rethinking of its centuries-long path in the historical and cultural development and today's position of Ukraine in the context of the international and European civilizing process. This is the fifteenth year that the Ukrainian scholars have been involved in studying the scientific, technological, economic, medical, and social aspects with the goal of mitigating the consequences of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster, turning the devastated Unit 4 into an ecologically sound system, and establishing an international test field within the affected area for investigating the impact of radiation on the environment.
24.Ukrainian science is making successful efforts to be integrated into the international scientific community. Each year dozens of monographs by Ukrainian scholars are published abroad. Many Ukrainian scientific journals are translated into foreign languages. Under the aegis of UNESCO, an international research and educational centre for information technologies and systems as well as international chairs of cryobiology and physiology have been set up in Ukraine. Established in 1993, the International Association of Academies of Sciences is playing an important role to stimulate integration processes among Academies of Sciences of CIS countries. The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine headed by Academician Borys Paton, its world-renowned President, remains the stronghold of these research institutions.
Ukrainian Space Industry
25.Young independent Ukraine confidently became one of the world space states owing to its space research and production potential. In February 1992, National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU) was established to implement state space activities policy. Its control sphere includes about 30 production enterprises, research organizations and design offices. The enterprises of space industry gain great experience in development and production of modern launch vehicles, spacecraft, engines, control and telemeter system. New materials and technologies are being phased in, and some of them have no counterparts. Space goods and services export increased from year to year.
26.Currently, space industry restructuring is being prepared and implemented to assure further development of enterprises in market environment. The restructuring provides forming of favorable business and investment climate, advance in rates of science intensive production output, development of new competitive technics, increase the quality and efficiency of production. It is planned to corporatize and incorporate state-owned companies, possibilities for establishment of international investment fund are also considered.
27.So, Ukrainian space industry enters into new millennium introducing market innovation system, which is favorable for improving investment climate and attracting investors to mutual beneficial cooperation within joint commercial projects.
Ex. 3 Give the English equivalents to the words and words-combinations:
ü “≥сно працювати/тесно работать;
ü —удноплавна р≥чка/судоходна€ река;
ü наукова д≥€льн≥сть/научна€ де€тельность;
ü п≥д ег≥дою/под эгидой, при поддержке;
ü взаЇмовиг≥дна сп≥впрац€/взаимовыгодное сотрудничество;
ü площа поверхн≥/площадь поверхности;
ü залишатис€ оплотом/оставатьс€ оплотом;
ü озима пшениц€/озима€ пшеница;
ü р≥вн≥ продуктивност≥/уровни производительности;
ü орган≥зовувати виробництво/организовывать производство;
ü земл€, €ку оброблюють/земл€, наход€ща€с€ под возделыванием.
Ex.4 Find the synonyms in the text to the following words:
To flow into, influence, to be concerned with, due to, to buy, famous, dry, at present, attempt, application, to carry out.

domain: geography


The summer of 1963 saw murders, bombs, beatings, jailing and threats to those who sought an equal society. It also witnessed the collective public rise up through open demonstrations and other joint public actions that sought to expose and end racial discrimination and segregation. Here is a look back at some of the most pivotal civil rights events of the year.
Feb. 22, 1963 These four students at Morgan State College were among about 15 African Americans attending the Northwood Theater in Baltimore for the first time. Flashing a “V” for their integration victory are, from left, Sandra Upshur, 18; John Cole, 21; Carolyn Dotson, 19, and Wesley Hairston, 18. William A. Smith/AP Buy Photo


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Canadian dollar advances, greenback weakens on Fed rate expectations
TORONTO - The Canadian dollar registered a solid gain Wednesday amid general U.S. dollar weakness and higher commodity prices.
The loonie rose 0.23 of a cent to 91.89 cents US.
Analysts pointed to low expectations for first-quarter U.S. gross domestic product growth, owing to the severe winter weather, and suggestions the American economy may have contracted during the January-March period.
"Accordingly, the expectations for Fed interest rate hikes have been pared back slightly," said Camilla Sutton, chief FX strategist, managing director, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets.
Those expectations also sent the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury sharply lower. It slipped nine basis points on the day to 2.528 per cent, the lowest level since last October on a closing basis.
On the commodity markets, June crude in New York gained 67 cents to US$102.37 a barrel.
July copper gained two cents to US$3.16 a pound while June gold bullion rose $11.10 to US$1,305.90 an ounce.
Statistics Canada releases the March report on manufacturing shipments on Thursday.
Traders will also look to the release of April existing home sales data Thursday morning.
Read more Business News
- Dead rock climber identifiedPenticton / S. Okanagan - 1:54 pm
- Man rescued from lakePenticton / S. Okanagan - 12:31 pm
- Mom petitions govt, teachersKelowna - 2:56 pm
- Students lament on strikeBC - 1:40 pm
|QHR Technologies Inc||1.18||-0.01|
|Anavex Life Sciences||0.24||-0.01|
|Copper Mountain Mining||2.90||-0.03|
|Sunrise Resources Ltd||0.025||0.00|
|Mission Ready Services||0.225||-0.02|
You can’t manage what you can’t control! You can’t manage the number of sales you’re going to make but you can manage the behaviour that will help you make those sales. Obvious...
Apple has taught many entrepreneurs the importance of design, how to create buzz when introducing new products to the marketplace, how to pioneer new technology and the importance of superior quality....
Move over “big guys” there’s a new brokerage in town featuring local expertise, long standing experience and a fresh boutique approach. Kelowna, August 31 2014 – You may have...

domain: finance


In most corners, the exit is at the top of the foot down and not lift, and this is where Jeep is really alive. Rear diff started to work as soon as you add throttle and did not stop until you pick up or straighten the wheels. At 25.8 seconds beating the Porsche Cayenne S around the loop is twisted by 0.3 seconds and tops with xDrive 35i BMW X5 by a second half full. It does not feel as composed as Europe, and you do not feel like you can place the car as accurately, but this is not ballet – it’s an SUV.
All the grip of Pirellis fat helps the big Brembo brakes haul the SUV off the pace as well. Front brakes have six-piston calipers clamping 15-inch rotors, while the rear has a four-piston calipers more than 13.8-inch rotors. Although more than 800 pounds heavier than the Charger and 300, have the shortest stopping distance at 106 feet from 60 mph. That’s 7 full foot shorter than the last Porsche Cayenne S and X5 xDrive 35i we tested. It’s the same Cayenne is not suitable for the Jeep off line, either. The 4.6-liter Hemi pull from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds – 1.3 seconds faster than the 4.8-liter Porsche.
From a standing start, the Jeep is surprisingly smooth. Floor the throttle and what will produce two lines of smoke in the other SRTs is a big squat, chirp a little, and the brutal acceleration. Gearshifts are definitely slower than the competition. Five-speed automatic long past its prime and is showing its age. SRT said the new transmission with a ratio that more will emerge in recent years, but until then, this one should be done.
Quarter mile in 13.3 seconds appear, showing 103.2 mph for the Jeep while Porsche manages 14.4 seconds at 98.7 mph. Jeep SRT also come in almost $ 10,000 cheaper than a Porsche. BMW fare worse than the Porsche, the X5 xDrive 35i running 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds longer than the Porsche and 1.5 seconds longer than the Jeep. In a quarter-mile, 3.0-liter turbocharged BMW 14.6 92.5 mph run in, about 10 mph slower than the SRT8. Before all you Jeep owners go trolling for Cayennes and X5s, remember there is a faster version out there, even though BMW X5 M is about $ 30,000 more, and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo is just short of a few major twice the price. Jeep suddenly seems like a cheap, even if it can not go around and the door can not be separated.
2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Price, Review
2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Price, Review & Picture – New Car Reviews, The Wrangler became almost luxurious. This year, Jeep decided to do some work under the hood. The carmaker replaced the sloth-like 205-hp 3.8-liter V6 and old-school four-speed automatic with the same 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and A580 five-speed automatic that debuted in the new Grand Cherokee last year. And manual transmission fans can rest easy.
The NSG 370 six-speed manual is still available, but wears a new clutch assembly. The new V6 makes 285 hp and a solid 260 lb-ft of torque—that’s an improvement of 80 hp and 20 lb-ft. Also, the more powerful motor, standard 3.21:1 axle ratio (3.73:1 and 4.10:1 gears are also available), and new transmission combine for a 10 percent fuel-economy benefit.
The standard tow capacity remains at 2000 pounds, unless you get the extra tow package, which bumps the rating to 3500 lbs. These Wranglers could probably tow more, but Jeep says the towing capacity is limited by the cooling system. Along with the powertrain improvements, you can now order the 2012 Wrangler with a body color hardtop and fender flares. And Jeep has retuned the shocks too.
The new 3.6-liter V6 is all-aluminum, so it weighs more than 90 pounds less then the old cast-iron block 3.8-liter V6. The new engine is 94 mm shorter as well. That may not sound like much, but it helped engineers package an improved, higher-flow intake system. It also allowed Jeep’s engineers to raise the alternator, so the 2012 Wrangler can ford deeper water.
It’s difficult to accurately gauge the dramatic improvement in acceleration from this new V6 without sampling the previous model at the same time. So we took twin 2011 and 2012 automatic-equipped Wranglers out for a test drive. The results were dramatic. We got both Jeeps up to about 30 mph and then pinned the throttle simultaneously. The old Wrangler falls behind the new one as if it were saddled with a heavy trailer. And from a dead stop in a foot-to-the-floor drag race, the new Wrangler pulls away. Jeep says it’s a 25 percent improvement in 0–60 acceleration. We believe them.
Track improvements aside, you can’t properly test a Wranger without getting it a little dirty. So we convoyed a group of 2012 Wranglers from Lake Tahoe to the head of the famed Rubicon trail for two days of four wheeling. The heavy snowfall and recent snowmelt made the trail more difficult. Crawling up wet rocks, the Jeeps would slide around, hunt for traction and sometimes slam hard onto their skidplates as a tire would slip from a rock. Each Jeep in our group was a Rubicon model, with locking differentials, a front swaybar disconnect, low gearing and aggressive tires. Still, the progress was slow. We made less than a half a mile per hour as we snaked the Jeeps through incredibly tight boulder fields, powered out of mudholes and waded through doorsill-deep pools of water.
Price : $22,045–$33,570
Powertrain: 3.6-liter V6, 285 hp; 260 lb-ft; six-speed manual or five-speed automatic; four-wheel drive


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Promising Review: "I'm a college student, and received this book as a gift from my mother. As someone who was new to cooking on my own, this book completely changed the way I thought about cooking. Not only does this book provide easy, no-fuss recipes, it is basically a how-to book on how to cook and eat well. Leanne showed me that you don't need complicated ingredients to have an amazing meal." —Andra Smith
Get it on Amazon for $10.48 (paperback). Also available in eBook and library binding.

domain: library


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You may feel that learning the violin is all about playing the right notes at the right time. It is – to an extent. But in order to learn the various techniques and play for longer periods of time, there are other skills that every student needs to master too, and that includes proper violin posture.
Because it affects all areas of violin playing, such as tone, intonation, bow hold and stroke, as well as shifting, all violin technique is built around proper violin posture. If you ignore or forget to work on this aspect, your ability to progress will be hindered.
You can find tons of online videos reviewing correct violin posture. However, watching a video is one thing; actually doing it is another. The most efficient way to learn the proper stance is by taking lessons with a qualified instructor. They can ensure that you start out correctly, and can identify issues early on.
Although the term “posture” immediately conjures up thoughts of simply standing up straight, there are actually several facets that are involved.
There is a lot of debate over how to hold the violin and what is the best way to play it.
While there are many different techniques that work for different people, there are some basics that everyone should follow in order to have good posture and avoid pain or injury. In this post, we’ll discuss the basics of proper violin posture and give you some tips on how to find the best position for you.
Here are the basics of violin posture to know!
What is Proper Violin Posture?
Correct violin posture is essential for playing the instrument correctly and avoiding injury. Here are some tips for achieving the right stance:
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Tuck your chin and look forward, keeping your head level
- Relax your shoulders and let your arms hang naturally at your sides
- Bend your elbows so that your hands are in line with your shoulders
- Place the violin under your chin, making sure that the scroll is pointing away from you
- Hold the violin firmly but gently in place with your left hand, while resting the bow on the strings with your right hand
By following these tips, you’ll be able to achieve proper violin posture and start playing beautiful music!
And if you’d like to get more personalized advice on how to properly hold a violin, make sure you sign up for violin lessons. The video below gives you more information on all the other benefits of doing so:
Does Playing Violin Help With Posture?
Violinists often have excellent posture. This is likely because they need to maintain a good position in order to play their instrument well. The violin is held upright, and the left hand must be positioned correctly in order to produce the desired sound. The right hand is also positioned in a specific way in order to hold the bow correctly.
As a result, violinists must pay close attention to their posture in order to play effectively. This focus on posture can help to improve overall posture, even when not playing the violin. In addition, the regular practice of violin can help to increase strength and flexibility, both of which contribute to good posture.
What is “Bad” Violin Posture?
The term “bad” violin posture is used to describe a number of different things. Most often, it refers to the position of the body in relation to the violin.
In order to play the violin correctly, it is important to maintain good posture. This means standing or sitting up straight, with the shoulders relaxed and the chin level with the strings. It is also important to hold the violin securely against the collarbone, and to support the bow with the left hand.
Many beginners tend to slouch when they play, which can lead to back pain and other problems. Additionally, poor posture can make it difficult to produce a good sound. For these reasons, it is important to practice good posture from the very beginning.
Proper Violin Posture Tips
Many beginning violin students don’t give much thought to their posture, but the way you hold your instrument and bow can have a big impact on your sound and comfort level while playing. Here are a few tips to help you find the ideal posture for playing the violin:
The first step to having correct violin posture is playing on the correct size violin!
To find out if you have the correct size, reach under your violin while in a playing position. When you extend your arm in front of you, the scroll should touch your palm. Additionally, you should be able to stretch your middle fingers around the scroll easily. A qualified instructor can help you with this.
Also, don’t forget your left hand! It needs to be free to move around your violin so you can shift and play with vibrato later in your learning.
Knowing how to stand properly will ensure more efficient and better playing in the future. First is body balance. When standing, your weight needs to be evenly distributed between your feet. Common body stance problems include unintentionally shifting weight to one foot, locking your knees, and keeping your feet too close together, which will throw your body off balance.
Also, stand up straight! Slouching your upper body can cause problems both with your bow position and instrument hold. While standing up straight, you also need to keep your shoulders both level and relaxed. If you do need to sit, perch yourself at the edge of your chair.
Once you have mastered correct stance, you then need to learn how to hold your violin.
Holding Your Violin
First, the height of your collarbone to chin should be the same height as the combined height of your shoulder rest, violin, and chin rest. Your violin should remain horizontal without using your left hand for support.
Next, you should be able to pull your bow straight from the frog to the tip. If you can’t, the position of the chin rest should be changed accordingly. Ask your instructor for help in this regard.
Violin Holding Posture
Although there are many ways that violinists can hold their bow for optimal playing and comfort, you can only get there by starting out with proper technique.
First, you need to hold the bow properly. The tip of your thumb needs to support the bow between the frog and the winding. Next, your middle finger should rest opposite your thumb with the joint just touching your bow, but without any pressure. Also, your index finger, specifically its second phalanx or section, needs only to touch the bow.
The joint between the second and third phalanx of your ring finger should also gently touch your bow. Finally, your pinky simply rests on top of your bow. And you need to do all this while keeping your hand relaxed! It is a lot to take in at first, but with practice, it will become more automatic.
Left Hand Finger Placement
Once you have mastered the positions above, you need to add your left hand into the fray. You use it to drop your fingers onto the strings to make notes and add ornamentation to a piece. To do this, you need to understand the correct pressure to use on your strings. Too little and you won’t make any sounds, or they will be very weak, and too much pressure will distort each note.
To practice proper pressure, drop your finger onto a string, and immediately lift it off again. Try working on this technique with your teacher until you can create a proper sound.
Violin Hand Posture
Maintaining the correct hand posture while playing the violin is essential for preventing pain and injury. The hand should be relaxed and held slightly curved, with the thumb positioned underneath the neck of the instrument. The fingers should be lightly touching the strings, and the wrist should be level with the fingerboard.
Small adjustments may be necessary to find a comfortable position, but it is important to avoid excessive tension in the hands and arms. With proper hand posture, violinists can play with ease and avoid strain on the muscles and joints.
Violin Bow Posture
Proper posture when holding the bow is important for several reasons.
First, it helps to ensure that the bow is being held at the correct angle. This ensures that the bow hair is making contact with the string, and that the sound produced is clear and resonant.
Second, proper posture helps to prevent pain and injury. The muscles and tendons in the arm need to be in alignment in order to avoid strain, and poor posture can lead to repetitive strain injuries. Finally, good posture simply looks more impressive, and gives the performer a sense of confidence and authority.
There are many different ways to hold the bow, but all of them involve keeping the elbow tucked in close to the body and maintaining a firm grip. With practice, it will become second nature to adopt the correct posture when playing the violin.
Violin Sitting Posture
When sitting, the violin should be held upright, with the left shoulder supporting the weight of the instrument. The chin should be resting on the chin rest, and the head should be held level with the neck. The right hand should be placed behind the neck, with the thumb extended and the other fingers curled around the back of the neck.
The left hand should be placed in the middle of the strings, with the index finger positioned on the string closest to you. When playing, your elbow should be relaxed and close to your body, and your wrist should extend slightly beyond the fingerboard.
Remember to sit up straight, keeping your back straight and your feet planted firmly on the ground. With proper posture, you’ll be able to play more effectively and avoid unnecessary strain on your body.
Good Violin Posture Comes With Practice!
In order to have a healthy and successful violin playing career, it is important to maintain good posture. Many famous violinists attribute their health and long careers to proper posture.
While bad habits can be broken eventually, it is definitely better to prevent them from the very start. Learning proper violin posture and bow hold can take years to master, but establishing these proper habits early on are critical for your success.
Because understanding how proper posture feels can be difficult and awkward for a beginning student, always work with a qualified professional who can correct changes before they become true issues. Playing the violin isn’t just about the instrument, but a combination of performer and instrument. When they work together, the result is truly magnificent.
Violin teachers are the best people to help you learn how to maintain good posture; they will be able to observe your playing and correct any bad habits that you may have. If you don’t currently have a violin teacher, we suggest signing up for online lessons with one of our many talented instructors. With regular practice and by following these simple tips, you too can improve your posture and play the violin with ease!
Photo by aldenchadwick

domain: hobby


text:
We found 4 adult gastroenterologists who accept Humana Simplicity HMO Open Access Silver 04/100 near Chapel Hill, NC.
Dr. Anwaar Khan's specialty is adult gastroenterology. He has received a 3.5 out of 5 star rating by his patients. He is in-network for Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO, Blue Cross Blue Shield Bronze, and Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO, as well as other insurance carriers. Dr. Khan attended medical school at Nishtar Medical College.
Dr. Patricia Jones' area of specialization is adult gastroenterology. She honors several insurance carriers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO, Blue Cross Blue Shield Bronze, and Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO. She attended Albany Medical College and then went on to complete her residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of North Carolina (UNC). Dr. Jones is professionally affiliated with Duke Regional Hospital.
Dr. William Bulsiewicz is an adult gastroenterology specialist. Humana HMO, Humana Bronze, and Humana Catastrophic are among the insurance carriers that Dr. Bulsiewicz accepts. He studied medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Laurie-Anne Swaby works as a gastroenterologist. She attended medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Dr. Swaby is in-network for Humana HMO, Humana Bronze, Humana Catastrophic, and more.

domain: medical


text:
North Korea has periodically asserted its need for a
nuclear deterrent since the Korean War, when the United States
threatened to use nuclear weapons against it. Although North Korea
joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a
non-nuclear weapon state in 1985, Pyongyang announced its decision to
withdraw from the NPT in 2003, having apparently used membership in the
treaty as a façade while it covertly developed a nuclear weapons
program. Pyongyang's long-standing nuclear weapons efforts culminated in
nuclear tests in 2006, 2009, and 2013.
The UN Security Council has issued a series of sanctions against North Korea's nuclear program, including Resolution 1695, Resolution 1718, Resolution 1874, and Resolution 2087. The Six-Party Talks between North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and the United States began in 2003 with the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. However, these talks have been suspended since April 2009. Tensions have continued to rise since North Korea torpedoed the South Korean naval ship, the Cheonan, and shelled the island of Yeonpyeong in 2010. North Korea possesses full nuclear fuel cycle capabilities, including a presumed basic capability to enrich uranium, although the functionality of its centrifuges has not yet been substantiated to the outside world. North Korea is building a small light water reactor (LWR) at Yongbyon, which will be fueled by the enriched uranium after it is completed.
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domain: news


Postfix Monitoring With Mailgraph And pflogsumm - Page 2
3 Ubuntu Dapper Drake (6.06 LTS)
To install Mailgraph, we run
apt-get install rrdtool mailgraph
Ubuntu doesn't ask us questions. Nevertheless, we have to make the differentiation if we use a content filter like amavisd in Postfix or not. Open /etc/default/mailgraph:
If you use a content filter like amavisd, the file should have the following contents:
If you don't, then it should look like this:
Ubuntu doesn't create the system startup links for Mailgraph automatically, so we do it now:
update-rc.d mailgraph defaults
Also, we have to start Mailgraph now:
Now we must copy the mailgraph.cgi script (which draws the graphs and creates the output for our web browsers) to the cgi-bin directory of our www.example.com web site:
cp -p /usr/lib/cgi-bin/mailgraph.cgi /var/www/www.example.com/cgi-bin
The script is already executable, so we don't need to chmod it. If you use suExec for the www.example.com web site, you must chown mailgraph.cgi to the appropriate owner and group.
Now direct your browser to http://www.example.com/cgi-bin/mailgraph.cgi, and you should see some graphs. Of course, there must be some emails going through your system before you see the first results, so be patient.
The pflogsumm part is exactly the same as for Debian Sarge:
To install pflogsumm, we run
apt-get install pflogsumm
We want pflogsumm to be run by a cron job each day and send the report to firstname.lastname@example.org. Therefore we must configure our system that it writes one mail log file for 24 hours, and afterwards starts the next mail log so that we can feed the old mail log to pflogsumm. Therefore we configure logrotate (that's the program that rotates our system's log files) like this: open /etc/logrotate.conf and append the following stanza to it, after the line # system-specific logs may be configured here:
There's a logrotate script in /etc/cron.daily. This script is called everyday between 06:00h and 07:00h. With the configuration we just made, it will copy the current Postfix log /var/log/mail.log to /var/log/mail.log.0 and compress it, and the compressed file will be /var/log/mail.log.0.gz. It will also create a new, empty /var/log/mail.log to which Postfix can log for the next 24 hours.
Now we create the script /usr/local/sbin/postfix_report.sh which invokes pflogsumm and makes it send the report to email@example.com:
We must make this script executable:
chmod 755 /usr/local/sbin/postfix_report.sh
Then we create a cron job which calls the script everyday at 07:00h:
This will send the report to firstname.lastname@example.org.


A warm welcome awaits if you decide to join the Vincent H.R.D. Owners Club!
There are over 60 sections in the Vincent Owners Club worldwide ranging from diverse UK sections to vibrant sections in Europe, Australasia, North America and South Africa.
We are sure that joining one of those sections will enthuse you in all aspects of your Vincent life.
"Non territorial" are special interest sections like...
Black Lightning/Grey Flash
caters for the special racing machines produced at the factory, including record breakers and the V twin and single cylinder models.
caters for machines produced using Egli frame components originally sold by Fritz Egli.
caters for females either who ride Vincents or wish to participate in social occasions.
caters for machines that have a Vincent engine with Norton frame parts.
caters for members who wish to participate in racing.
Caters for Wolverhampton HRD's, Vincent HRD's prior to 1935, Vincent Fireflies and Vincent-NSU's and any other Rarity. If you want to know something about this topic, then consult the Rarity Section Organiser.
caters for members interested in the pre-war Series 'A' models. If you are interested then consult Andrew Walker.
caters for members interested in the Series 'D' models (the last model produced by the factory). If you are interested then consult Dave Hills.
caters for members interested in sidecars (chairs).
caters for members interested in touring. The Vincent has long been considered the optimum machine for long distance touring.


CADDIS Volume 2: Sources, Stressors & Responses
Ways to Measure DO
The concentration of oxygen in water is often reported either as the concentration in mg/L or as the percent saturation. DO concentrations and percent saturation are related, but not equivalent. Saturation level varies naturally, as water can contain more DO at lower temperatures, higher pressures, and lower salinities. For example, 100% saturation occurs at low oxygen concentrations at high elevations compared to low elevations (Hem 1985).
The Winkler titration procedure was the first recognized method for determining DO concentrations in natural waters (Winkler 1988, cited in Mitchell 2005). More recently, this method was found prone to over-reporting DO under hypoxic conditions and under-reporting DO under nearly anoxic conditions. Fairly simple and reliable DO measurements now can be obtained with DO meters or field test kits. The electronic meter does not measure oxygen directly; rather, it uses electrodes to measure the partial pressure of oxygen in the water, expressed as a concentration (usually mg/L of water) [see APHA (1998), Mitchell and Stapp (1992), and USGS (1998)]. Percent saturation is calculated by dividing the measured DO concentration by the saturation level and multiplying by 100. Saturation levels can be obtained from U.S. Geological Survey solubility tables based on water temperature and corrected for different salinities and pressures. Equations for calculating percent saturation are available from Water on the Web.
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) are measures of the potential consumption of oxygen by microbial respiration and the oxidation of chemicals in the water, respectively. The actual rate of oxygen consumption in a stream is affected by a number of variables including temperature, pH, the presence of certain kinds of microorganisms, and the type of organic and inorganic material in the water.
The lowest concentrations of DO are usually measured before photosynthesis begins for the day (i.e., just before dawn), and just above the sediments, where most decomposition occurs. Documentation of DO concentrations over a 24-hour period may be useful for identifying diurnal patterns and may reveal information about DO depletion.


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This month, federal highway officials announced a civil rights investigation of the project to complete the I-49 through the city of Lafayette. The investigation could force changes to the I-49 Connector project, now into its fourth decade, to blunt its impact on the Black and low-income neighborhoods that will house it.
In Houston, a similar investigation paused a $10 billion highway expansion but spurred a compromise between local authorities and state transportation officials, including more money for housing and other mitigation measures.
It’s hard to say for sure what will come of the Lafayette investigation, but if Houston is any indication, it likely won’t stop the project altogether, transportation policy experts say.
Why is there an investigation?
The investigation in Lafayette follows a complaint by Ann Burruss, a resident who recently left the Lafayette area.
Her letter to the Federal Highway Administration details how the Connector’s path was laid along lines drawn in a 1923 ordinance that bisected Lafayette into white and Black communities along with fire maps that show historically segregated areas in Lafayette.
“If this project is built through the center of our city this racist past will carry its racist impacts into our future,” Burruss wrote.
She does not want the project scrapped altogether; rather, she believes the project should consider other pathways instead of through the heart of Black communities in Lafayette. “Establishing that line in 1923 was all that was needed to etch in stone an economic and racial divide that exists in this city on these streets to this day,” she wrote.
The U.S. has a long history of building roads through Black communities, says Desiree Powell, programs coordinator at Congress for the New Urbanism. Freeways like the Evangeline Thruway were built all over the country in the 1960s and 1970s to connect cities and towns, often cementing lines of segregation put in place by racist practices like red-lining.
“I think whatever redlining didn’t put out of Black homeownership, Black communities, the highway pretty much broke,” Powell says.
Low-income communities were easier to relocate by way of eminent domain, and before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the complaints of Black communities fell on White officials’ deaf ears, Powell says. Title VI investigations like the ones pursued in Houston and Lafayette stem from that landmark law.
The legacy of damage in mostly Black neighborhoods has led many critics, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, to call the construction of urban freeways “racist.”
“Even though the intent may not be there today, if a highway was located in a discriminatory way in the past, expanding it today can double down on that damage and harm,” says Beth Osborne, a former federal transportation official and director of policy group Transportation for America.
Federal transportation policy has begun to shift in light of that history. The Biden Administration included funding to address disparities caused by urban highway projects in the massive infrastructure bill passed in 2021. Approximately $145 million will go to 45 projects intended to help communities repair neighborhoods divided by those freeways.
This week, officials awarded $500,000 to New Orleans for improvements under the Claiborne Expressway, a project notorious for its impact on Treme, an iconic Black neighborhood. A $95 million plan to revitalize the Claiborne area was launched by state and local governments in 2022.
The latest design of the Connector creates a boulevard out of a leg of the Evangeline Thruway. Alternatives proposed include using roundabouts or traffic signals.
Some argue the Connector itself represents a way to fix a broken situation along the Thruway. Neighborhoods there have been in limbo for decades, lacking investment while the project hung in the air incomplete.
When the project resumed in 2015, it kicked off a new community engagement process that yielded some changes. One major shift would return a portion of the Evangeline Thruway into a local boulevard.
Shawn Wilson, outgoing director of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, issued a blistering statement in response to the FHWA’s investigation, flatly denying racism is embedded in the project itself.
“The idea that the I-49 Lafayette Connector is racist, and that it disproportionately impacts segments of the community with merits or demerits, is not only disingenuous, but it is a complete snub to the local, state, federal and community investments towards this project,” Wilson said. “While I understand this project will not meet the approval of everyone, and some opponents will go to great lengths to stop it, one thing we know for sure is that doing nothing is an unacceptable alternative.”
DOTD declined further comment for this story. Wilson, a Democrat who lives in Lafayette, is expected to run for governor this fall.
What could happen?
The investigation’s immediate impact on the project is unclear.
To date, DOTD has spent at least $47 million on the project’s planning, including $15 million or more acquiring property. Planning has paused several times since a formal process began in the late 1980s.
This could pause the project again, at least while the investigation is ongoing.
Project managers hoped to have a final design up for federal approval early this year, and at least $250 million in state funds are set aside for its construction, the largest allocation in the project’s history.
The investigation in Texas is instructive. The end result, so far, looks to be that the project could make more changes to address problems it is expected to cause. It’s very unlikely to stop the project altogether.
“It is hard to find an example of a project being canceled or substantially changed due to such an investigation. There may be more mitigation required causing an escalation in cost, like in the case of I-45 in Texas,” Osborne says.
Investigations follow up on any specific claims made in a complaint, says Madison Sloan of Texas Appleseed. Texas Appleseed was among the advocacy groups that jointly filed a complaint to TxDOT’s I-45 expansion project in December 2021. The Federal Highway Administration’s civil rights office can investigate the impact on health created by car exhaust fumes, noise pollution, deposits of heavy metals in the soil, impacts on property values and displacement of households — anything that could pass as discriminatory under the Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
The next couple of decades are going to be defined by the rise of Big Towns, communities no longer striving to be the next Austin but instead the next Chattanooga, Greenville, Sioux Falls — or maybe even the next Lafayette.
The main contours of the elevated freeway have taken shape, with relatively little left to decide — except who will pay for the features purported to make it transformative.
Officials are working to pin down a revised proposal for the alignment and design of the Lafayette Connector by early 2022.
“Once they open a Title VI investigation, they’ll investigate anything that’s a potential civil rights violation,” Sloan says.
The FHWA does not comment on ongoing investigations.
The FHWA tries to resolve complaints through “informal” negotiation. If negotiations fail, the FHWA may issue a formal letter requiring changes, subject to sanctions or suspension of federal funds.
Federal officials can force a wide array of changes: Air quality monitoring, sound barriers for neighborhoods, lighting and sidewalks for improved pedestrian safety, flood mitigation, connecting neighborhoods, improving public transit and creating green spaces.
That’s exactly what happened in Houston.
Local authorities there had sued TxDOT, a process separate from the civil rights complaint. An agreement reached earlier this year increased funding to the Houston Housing Authority and promised to add more bike and pedestrian connectivity, improve flood impacts and more. The agreement could bring the civil rights investigation to an end.
The deal is viewed as a compromise and one not likely to satisfy ardent critics of urban highways.
Highways create physical barriers to communities, displace residents and undermine the environmental quality of surrounding areas, critics like Sloan and Powell say. They instead seek alternatives to highway expansion and hope the Biden Administration’s DOT can be more active in highway projects to create more equitable roadways.
“It’s probably the same thing in Lafayette, these highways were originally run through historically Black and Latinx neighborhoods,” Sloan says. “It’s people of color who live closest to highways and who are going to bear the brunt of this impact.”

domain: sociology


text:
Surgical procedures to try and help a person to lose weight are becoming more and more popular. Bariatric Surgery is highly effective in that the procedure will help a patient to lose weight, but also more importantly will stop the longer term urges to regain weight by modifying the appetite drives and food cravings.
In addition to Bariatric Surgery increasingly being recognised as the most effective weight loss strategy, it is also being accepted that it is a much safer form of surgery than previous public perceptions.
How many treatments will you need?
Bariatric Surgery is a one-off treatment but requires some downtime with patients undergoing the treatment, usually taking one or two weeks off work.
Bariatric Surgery will help dramatically improve a person’s health, particularly if they suffer with conditions associated with their obesity. These include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea and joint problems.


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Today I give you one of those awesome random posts I like to do. It’s how I roll! ;-)
Have you signed up for my free Scrapinar?
Ever wish you could combine papers and patterns like a pro? Got a lot of scrapbooking goodies on hand? Want to know how to shop your own stash to create custom page kits? Let me help with these questions and more.
Join me June 27th for my free scrapinar (yes, free! who doesn’t love free?!), Kit N’ Kaboodle: Gorgeous Kits From Your Stash. I’ll show you how to select product from your own supplies to creative unique scrapbooking kits to use at home or on the go.
P.S. Can’t join in on June 27? No worries! A replay will be made available for a short time after the event, but you MUST pre-register.
Weekend Recap + Monday
Yesterday I spent the day cleaning and doing things around the house so I could spend the rest of the week focusing on some projects I have on my to-do list.Today is a creative day – yay!
After a wonderful Saturday demo’ing with Karen at CKC-Houston for ItsCheaperThanTherapy.com I am ready to create something. There’s nothing like watching Karen in action – that woman is so inspirational! I couldn’t wait to make something!!!
A Layout To Share: A 6 x 12 Page
I had never thought to do this size before – it was one of the prompts for LOAD – and I love it! I just need to get myself some 6 x 12 page protectors and I’ll be good to go. I know I could just make them myself but I also know I’ll never do it… it’s a good idea in theory though. I used Picasa to create the collage… such an awesome feature in the program.
For years I was a die hard 8-1/2” x 11” scrapbooker. At some point I tried 12” x 12” pages and liked the fact that I had more real estate. When I scrapbook, I normally pick the size that I think best suits the photos. The 6” x 12” size is a breath of fresh air and it will be nice to add to the mix. Since I started doing the 12” x 12” size, I switched all my albums to that size also. I store all my layouts (regardless of what size they are) into it.
Happy Tuesday! Time to get to work on a project!!!


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A REVOLUTIONARY BAKERY
Using all organic ingredients, Moonslice offers unapologetically decadent desserts that span from rustic-inspired to sumptuous seasonal spin-offs. Moonslice is an innovative bakery that welcomes outside-the-box requests.
All orders include a complimentary half dozen Moonslice signature
chocolate chip cookies!
Moonslice is an innovative bakery which welcomes outside-the-box requests.
Usually detailed design and lavish elements may result in added cost.
Client Favorites Include:
Apricot Carrot Cake | Ombre Smash Cake | Cinnamon Roll Cake | Sweet Tea Cake
Seven Layer Magic Bars | Candied Key Lime Pie | Mocha Spice Cake | Peanut Porter Stout Cake
Coconut Mojito Cake | Ultimate Candy Bar Cake | Lavender Olive Oil Cake
Specialty Chocolate Chip Cookies | Rainbow Fruit Cheesecake
We look forward to serving you!

domain: food


text:
COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Indianapolis Indians brought their lumber and received a pair of strong outings from Steven Brault and Cody Dickson in a doubleheader sweep of the Columbus Clippers, 5-1 and 9-0, on Tuesday night at Huntington Park. The two victories gave the Tribe their first doubleheader sweep since Sept. 1, 2016 at Louisville.
The Indians (18-18) used a four-run third in game one to run away as victors. Christopher Bostick continued his torrid stretch at the plate, belting a solo home run off Ryan Merritt (3-4) to put the Tribe in front, 2-1. Austin Meadows then doubled before Max Moroff launched his International League-best 10th home run to deep left, extending Indy's lead to three. Eric Wood followed Moroff's drive with a walk and stolen base, later racing home on an RBI double by Jacob Stallings.
Up 5-1, Brault (2-3) sailed through the third, fourth and fifth innings, his lone blemish being a one-out walk in the fifth. In the sixth, the Clippers (17-21) threatened with a leadoff double and walk, but the southpaw escaped trouble with two groundouts and a strikeout, his sixth of the evening.
In the home half of the first, Columbus came inches away from taking a 2-0 lead. Barrett Barnes, playing in his third Triple-A game for Indy, scaled the left-field wall to rob Chris Colabello of a home run. Barnes then gave the Indians a 1-0 advantage in the second with a two-out knock to center, scoring Wood who had doubled.
Clippers third baseman Giovanny Urshela tied the game in the bottom half with a solo shot to left, the only run Columbus would score all night.
Brault earned the win and dropped his ERA to its lowest point of the season at 2.95. Pat Light worked a 1-2-3 seventh to seal the victory.
In the nightcap, the game remained scoreless until the fourth when two walks issued by Jeff Johnson (1-1) set up a two-run double off the bat of Jason Rogers. Indy padded its 2-0 lead in the fifth, scoring seven times while sending 13 batters to the plate - its largest inning of the season.
Dickson (3-2) tossed five shutout frames before handing over to Dovydas Neverauskas and Angel Sanchez who completed the five-hitter. The shutout win was the Tribe's second of 2017.
Indianapolis climbed back to .500 for the first time since April 9 when they were 2-2 four games into the season.
Indianapolis and Columbus continue their five-game set with game four Wednesday night at Huntington Park. The Indians have not yet named a starter. Columbus will send right-hander Adam Plutko (1-5, 6.32) to the bump. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., and the broadcast can be heard on Fox Sports 97.5 or AM 1260.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.


FirstFT: Fed warns of risks posed by Chinese real estate
The Federal Reserve yesterday warned that stresses in the Chinese real estate sector “posed some risk to the US financial system”, pointing to heavily indebted property companies such as Evergrande as a potential source of global contagion.
In its semi-annual Financial Stability Report, the US central bank said it was worried about China because the nation’s “business and local government debt remain large; the financial sector’s leverage is high, especially at small and medium-sized banks; and real estate valuations are stretched”.
It highlighted Evergrande Group, the heavily indebted Chinese real estate company, as a cause for concern and said there was a risk the contagion could spread beyond the country’s property sector.
But speaking at a news conference, Fed chair Jay Powell said he did not see a lot of “direct United States exposure” although he said he was worried that the turmoil could have a broader effect on global financial conditions and investor confidence.
The Financial Times reports today that global holdings of Chinese stocks and bonds have jumped by about $120bn this year as foreign investors chase returns in the country’s markets, highlighting the risk of contagion.
Meanwhile, Kaisa Group Holdings, a Chinese property developer, asked investors for more “time and patience” yesterday evening as it sold off assets to ease a liquidity crunch. Kaisa is a big borrower on international bond markets and faces about $3bn in bonds coming due in the next year.
Separately, Fed governor Randal Quarles announced yesterday he is to leave the US central bank next month. The departure of Quarles, who was appointed by former president Donald Trump in 2017, creates another opening for the Biden administration to fill amid uncertainty about the institution’s leadership.
Go deeper: In today’s Unhedged email, Robert Armstrong highlights the panic gripping China’s junk bond market.
Comment: Joe Biden should reappoint Jay Powell for a second term as the chair of the Fed, says the FT’s editorial board.
Do you think stresses in the Chinese real estate sector pose global risks? Tell me what you think at firstname.lastname@example.org. Thanks for reading FirstFT Americas. Here’s the rest of today’s news — Gordon.
Five more stories in the news
1. S&P 500’s winning streak The blue-chip index yesterday inched up 0.1 per cent, enough to mark an eighth straight record close — the longest streak of record closing highs since 1997. The S&P 500 has now closed at a record high 65 times this year, according to S&P analyst Howard Silverblatt — the second-highest total in history.
2. Tesla shares slide One company to miss out on the rally was Tesla. Its shares closed nearly 5 per cent lower yesterday after millions of Twitter users polled by chief executive Elon Musk concluded that he should sell 10 per cent of his stake in the electric carmaker. The share price slide wiped almost $60bn off the value of the electric carmaker.
3. Trump’s national security adviser subpoenaed The congressional committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol has issued subpoenas to six allies of Donald Trump, including his erstwhile national security adviser Michael Flynn and Jason Miller, one of the former president’s closest aides.
4. Ukrainian and Russian charged over ransomware attacks
The US justice department charged two men for their alleged involvement in large-scale ransomware attacks, including the Kaseya hack in July. US authorities said both individuals were part of Sodinokibi/REvil, a prolific Russia-linked ransomware gang which has also been blamed for a crippling attack on meat supplier JBS.
5. Mexico’s once roaring auto sector falls on hard times Once a magnet for billions of dollars in investments and rapid job creation, Mexican monthly auto production and sales are languishing at their lowest levels in a decade as the industry is pummelled by the pandemic and semiconductor chip shortages.
A global deal to eliminate new car emissions by 2040 is struggling to attract support from the world’s largest carmakers and governments including the US and China.
Indonesia’s venture into renewables has been short-circuited by the lack of a deal to sell its power to the state utility.
Former US president Barack Obama said young people had the “most important energy” in the climate change battle, in a rousing speech in Glasgow.
Today’s Moral Money, our sustainable finance newsletter, has five things to watch at COP26 this week. Click here to read and sign up to the newsletter, publishing every weekday during the Glasgow summit.
The day ahead
Macron to address France French president Emmanuel Macron is to address the nation about his economic reform plan and increasing infections in the coronavirus pandemic. (Reuters)
What else we’re reading
‘An unbelievable feeling’ Families, couples and friends rushed to reunite after US pandemic-era border controls that banned most travellers from the UK and Europe were lifted yesterday. We had reporters at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow.
Central bankers’ different readings of inflation Policymakers have outlined starkly different responses to the global surge in inflation, with senior US and UK officials signalling that interest rates are likely to rise soon whereas it is a “completely different” situation in the eurozone.
Investment industry gets tougher on climate Tired of holding quiet conversations with companies about emissions and how global warming will hit long-term valuations, many investors are now threatening to divest. Their change in attitude could have huge ramifications for global business.
China’s self-isolation is a global concern Beijing’s zero-Covid policy is damaging international business and global governance, writes Gideon Rachman. And as the outside world transitions towards living with low levels of the disease, contact with foreigners may look even more dangerous to China.
Don’t chuck out the chintz — or the Billy bookcase Ikea is rolling out an international programme to take back used items and resell them under the name “Buy Back and Resell”. It is quite the U-turn by furniture’s global superpower in the name of sustainability. But If Ikea now feels the need to atone for its past, how about you, the consumer?
House & Home
Take a look at these five homes for sale with literary connections. They range from a Georgian house in Berkshire where Jane Austen was a frequent guest to John Steinbeck’s cottage on Long Island.


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Bedroom Design Basics:
Easy Tips for a Stylish Sanctuary
It doesn't take a professional interior designer to create the fashionable haven every bedroom should be. With a few simple strategies, you can achieve the look you've always dreamed about for the most personal room in your home.
Modern doesn't have to mean cold
People tired of traditional bedroom designs often go too far in the opposite direction...creating a spare, unwelcoming space. But a contemporary look can be built on familiar and fun elements, like animal-pattern bedding or modern furniture in warm and welcoming colors. Sometimes just a couple of bold furnishings, like a brightly colored futon or hanging room decor, can give the whole room a daring yet friendly feel.
A more natural "natural"
A floral print bedspread doesn't automatically bring a garden motif to your bedroom. Don't simply look to illustrations or patterns to embrace a sunnier look. Sheer curtains in light greens or earth tones will let in more sunlight — and what could be more natural than that? Also consider adding framed landscape photography to your walls.
Small touches add a lot
Form and function have to work together to create an impressive style, and that extends to smaller items that might not jump out at you. In the bedroom, that could mean an elegant nightstand that complements your bed's frame. And an antique-look storage bench at the end of the bed is the kind of accent piece that can also clear the clutter from your floors.
Fusion isn't just about food
Trendy restaurants often combine seemingly disparate cuisines to surprisingly successful effect. They call it fusion in the dining industry, but it applies to design techniques too. Consider the striking impression a ruffled bedskirt that wouldn't be out of place in a Victorian bedroom makes when paired with a satin sheet set in a modern hue. Unlikely pairings sometimes have great results.


Nvidia Geforce Gtx 650 Ti Boost is the newest mid-tier graphics card from Nvidia. In its first month on sale, this GPU has proven itself to be one of the most efficient and best-performing GPUs currently available on the market, whether you’re playing games or working with video or 3D modeling software. To find out why the GTX 8 Ti Boost is such a great deal, keep reading our in-depth review below!
Newer graphics cards are always coming out, but is the Nvidia Geforce Gtx 650 Ti Boost worth it? This review will go over the pros and cons of this graphics card to help you decide if it’s right for you. The Geforce GTX650 ti boost has a core clock of 915 MHz, a memory clock of 2500 MHz, and 512-bit memory bus width. It has 768 CUDA cores and 2 GB of video memory with 192-bit GDDR5 technology. It comes with Microsoft Windows 7 or 8 operating system compatibility. The reviews have been mixed, but it seems like people either love or hate the product. The Nvidia Geforce Gtx 650 Ti Boost may not be as powerful as other more expensive products, but it should be able to run most games on medium settings without any problems. More Raven Gadgets
2) Graphics card overview
The Nvidia Geforce GTX 650 Ti Boost is a mid-range graphics card that offers a great balance of power and efficiency. With 1 GB of video memory, the GTX 650 ti boost is capable of running demanding games on medium settings. Plus, with the latest NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround Technology, you can use this card to play your favorite game on three different monitors! The design of this graphics card also includes an improved thermal solution for better heat dissipation, so you don’t have to worry about it overheating during long gaming sessions. For those who are looking for the best performance without breaking their budget, look no further than the Nvidia Geforce GTX 650 Ti Boost. More Alienware Aurora 2019
3) The Cooler’s Design
The cooler’s design is very sleek, and it features a full-length aluminum fin that provides a lot of surface area for the heat to dissipate. It also comes with an impeller blade design which does a really good job of moving air across the heatsink. However, the only downside I see here is that it uses a pair of 80mm cooling fans instead of 120mm ones. To me, this doesn’t seem like such a big deal because Nvidia doesn’t claim this as being their flagship card so I’m not expecting something extraordinary here but I just wanted to mention this anyway. More Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset
4) Test Setup
We tested the Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost with a Samsung S27D390H monitor and found that the difference between 60hz and 120hz was noticeable, especially for fast-moving games like Dota 2. At 120hz, we were able to pick up more of the game’s details, such as the spray from a player’s weapon in CS: GO. The card was also able to handle some newer games, like Battlefield 4 on Ultra settings with decent frame rates. But as expected, it couldn’t run any new releases at maximum settings. But if you’re looking for an affordable mid-range graphics card, the GTX 650 Ti Boost is worth considering. It doesn’t pack a lot of power, but it can play modern games without lagging behind its bigger brothers. Plus, there are still several gamers out there who don’t want to shell out hundreds for a GPU upgrade just yet. For them, the GTX 650 Ti Boost could be their answer. More Apple AirPods Pro
The benchmarks were performed on a Lenovo T430 laptop with an Intel Core i5-3320M CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M GPU. The tests were run at 1920×1080 resolution, with all of the graphical settings at the maximum. The following benchmarks were used 3DMark 11 (Unlimited mode), BioShock Infinite (DirectX 11), and Crysis 3 (DirectX 9). When compared to Nvidia’s older Kepler architecture found in the previous generation Geforce GTX 660Ti, it was clear that there is a significant difference in performance between these two GPUs. More MSI Gaming GS63
6) Gaming Performance
The Nvidia Geforce Gtx 650 Ti Boost runs games at a smooth 60 frames per second. The card is perfect for gamers who want to play their favorite games with good graphics, but don’t have the money to spend on high-end gaming cards. It’s also perfect for gamers who are just starting out and want a quality card but don’t need any of the fancy stuff that comes with higher-end cards. With this card, you can game without worrying about lag or slowdowns. If you’re looking for something with an amazing graphical experience, though, this isn’t it. More Dell Alienware M15
If you are looking for a card that can provide a boost in performance and if you’re willing to go through the hassle of overclocking, then this card is perfect for you. With a low price point and what Nvidia calls the most powerful GPU ever built, it’s hard not to recommend this card. I was able to overclock my card by +150MHz with ease on both the core clock and memory clock. The temperature also went up about 10 degrees Celsius, but I am confident that this will not be an issue for most people as long as they have proper cooling. There were no artifacts or other errors from overclocking and everything ran smoothly with no bugs or glitches whatsoever. More Google Pixel Buds Pro
The Nvidia Geforce Gtx 650 Ti Boost is a great GPU for anyone looking for a graphics card with top-notch performance and stunning visuals. It also has very low power consumption, which is perfect for those looking to build a high-end gaming PC on the cheap.
This review aims to take a close look at this powerhouse video card, revealing both its strengths and weaknesses. Read on to find out if the Nvidia Geforce Gtx 650 Ti Boost should be your next graphics card purchase! The Nvidia Geforce Gtx 650 Ti Boost is one of the best GPUs you can buy today. It performs exceptionally well in any game or 3D rendering application that takes advantage of DirectX 11 hardware acceleration, such as Batman: Arkham City or Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Not only does it have a powerful GK104 Kepler architecture processor that offers up to 4X more efficient processing than previous generation cards, but it also features 1GB of GDDR5 RAM that delivers lightning-fast frame rates while using less power than ever before.
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ATLANTA (AP) — Villanova’s Josh Hart, Kansas’ Frank Mason III, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan and UCLA’s Lonzo Ball are the finalists for the Naismith Trophy as the top player in men’s college basketball.
The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the finalists Sunday. They were chosen by a national voting panel made up of journalists, current and former head coaches, former Naismith winners and conference commissioners.
Fans are invited to help pick the winner. They can vote Monday through March 31 at www.naismithtrophy.com/vote. The fan vote will account for 5 percent of the total vote.
The winner will be announced April 2.
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For more AP college basketball coverage: http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25


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Scottish budget to be announced
The Scottish government is to announce its final budget plans before next May's election, which is expected to include about £1bn of savings.
Finance Secretary John Swinney is planning to cut public sector costs in the year ahead, through a pay freeze and an end to big bonuses.
But opposition parties have accused the SNP of planning an "election budget".
Glenn Campbell reports.


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Florida coach Will Muschamp has flipped yet another recruit.
His latest steal may not be a scholarship player, but it’s still an important addition to the roster.
Miami Belen Jesuit kicker Jorge Powell decided late Wednesday night to walk-on at UF instead of Penn State.
He first committed to Tulane back in August but reopened his recruitment two months ago. Powell then pledged to the Nittany Lions on Jan. 25 during his visit to Happy Valley.
“The opportunity at Penn State and Florida were very similar as far as competition and the number of kickers they have,” said Richard Stuart, Powell’s coach. “But being closer to home made it easier to go to Florida, and his father also graduated from UF.”
Last season Powell made 12-of-15 field goal attempts and 25-of-27 extra point tries.
“His strength is his accuracy,” Stuart said. “He’s just automatic. He really is. The couple that he missed this year really weren’t his fault. They were in sloppy conditions. He hit a 54-yarder for us, which set a new school record.
“He’s also pretty consistent putting it in the end zone on kickoffs, although I think that’s something he could still work on. He’s very good at onside kicks, too.”
Powell will come to Florida as a preferred walk-on with the opportunity to earn scholarship, Stuart said. He will compete for the starting job with Austin Hardin and walk-ons Frankie Velez and Brooks Abbott, a former U.S. Army All-American who is transferring to UF this summer from Virginia Tech.
Hardin was the starter for the majority of last season but made just four of his 12 field goal attempts on the year.
“Jorge knows Austin from the kicking camp circuit,” Stuart said. “He feels like he just had an off year and has a lot of talent and a strong leg. So Jorge has got his work cut out for him, and he’s going to go in there and see where the chips fall.”
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ESP 901 "Herzeleid"
THE COMPLETE STORY OF THE MOST FAMOUS ESP 901 IN THE WORLD
Part 1 // His First ESP
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, a young and aspiring musician from East Germany decided to visit the famed Musikmesse in Frankfurt in 1993 to stroll the exhibition halls and find inspiration in the breathtaking displays of musical instruments.
His name: Richard Sven Kruspe.
Having been raised in the German Democratic Republic with its socialistic approach - lacking nearly everything in life western people were used to - it must have felt for Richard like a kid in a candy store. While in the GDR, the only electric guitars officially available were the states' own Musima brands or instruments from socialistic partner countries (eg. Jolana from CSFR), the whole world displayed their instruments back then in Frankfurt.
ESP Guitars, founded in 1975 by Hisatake Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan, also exhibited their craftsmanship there. ESP started as a supplier of guitar parts, but soon began to build custom guitars. On these fateful days in 1993, Richard visited the ESP booth where he then made his first connection with a special series of guitars which were produced in limited quantities exclusively for the German market.
That day, Richard bought his very first ESP, one of many to follow over the next decades. But this guitar, an ESP 901 made of Ash in the color Misty Brown and bearing the serial number 208303, was about to make music history worldwide.
This very same guitar had been especially manufactured to be displayed at the Musikmesse and it was also photographed for the 1994 ESP Export catalogue.
Richard started to use it with his then band, Orgasm Death Gimmick, which dissolved at the end of 1993. Richard went on to form Rammstein in January 1994. The band played their first concerts in March of that same year. Richard and his ESP 901 would be inseparable over the next few years.
This very rare excerpt from ESP's long out-of-print 1994 Export catalogue shows the now famously dubbed ESP 901 "Herzeleid" guitar in brand new and pristine condition before it was bought by a future rockstar named Richard Sven Kruspe. Handwritten documentation by Richard states he bought the guitar in 1991, which is not correct.
This is the only known pre-Rammstein photograph from 1993, showcasing Richard with his long gone dreadlocks and the nearly brand new ESP 901 in his hands.
Rammstein‘s first ever promo picture, showing a young Richard Kruspe second from left.
Rammstein continued to play all over Germany in 1994 and always by Richard‘s side, of course, his favored weapon of sonic mass destruction - his ESP 901. While the phenomenon of Rammstein continued to grow, the band started to record demos for their groundbreaking debut album, "Herzeleid", which would be released in 1995.
German filmmaker, Carl G. Hardt followed the band's early days in 1994 with his film camera, which resulted in a documentary called "Flüstern und Schreien 2". The film was shown on German television, MDR, but due to legal actions by Rammstein‘s management, Hardt was not permitted to use the imagery of Rammstein in his documentary, so he replaced them with another German band named Sandow.
This very rare footage from the early history of Rammstein shows Richard using the ESP 901 "Herzeleid" for the first concerts and also during the recording of demos that would later become songs soon to be acclaimed by millions of fans worldwide.
The guitar was also played when Rammstein got kicked off the airwaves by MTV Europe in 1996 when the band's live performances of "Du riechst so gut" and "Rammstein" in the Hanging Out Studio were too much for the stations' censors.
A German newspaper article documented Rammstein's first ever concert in the United States. This would also be the guitar's first tour in America.
Part 2 // A photographic history of the ESP 901 "Herzeleid" and changes over the years
With the release of Rammstein's debut album, "Herzeleid" in 1995, Richard continued to play his 901 exclusively on stages throughout Europe. As Rammstein gained in popularity, Richard decided around 1996 to have the stock Sinclair tremolo replaced with a Schaller licensed Floyd Rose tremolo. "Herzeleid" could be seen continuously up until the "Sehnsucht" tour in 1997, when he added a second ESP 901 (dubbed "Engel" because it was prominently used in the now famous Rammstein video, "Engel") and a couple of Kirk Hammett ESP KH-2 signature guitars.
The "Herzeleid" was featured in the band's own first live video that was given out to members of the official fanclub as a Christmas present. Richard plays the whole set with this very guitar.
Rammstein‘s 1995 self-titled song from their debut album, "Herzeleid" was featured in American director, David Lynch’s film, Lost Highway. The band’s music video for the song uses a combination of scenes from Lynch‘s film and footage from Rammstein’s 1996 Arena Berlin show, featuring Richard with the 901.
Richard showcasing his 901 while performing with Rammstein on the 1996 edition of Zillo Festival in Hildesheim, Germany, June 1996.
Some time in the late 90s, the guitar was involved in an accident which resulted in a damaged headstock. The "Herzeleid" was then retired for a period of time, and made a last appearances during the two year-long "Mutter“ tour. When it was seen again after it's hiatus, it sported a bigger white pickguard as the only other modification. After the "Mutter" tour, Richard's old and trusted first ESP 901 was then retired where it lived in his studio.
Rammstein plays the Bizarre Festival in 1996.
THE FINAL TOUR
A NEW HOME
These photos show the original condition of the "Herzeleid" before Richard sold it. On March 25, 2016, the guitar found a new home in the hands of a great fan in the United States.
THEN & NOW
A side by side comparison of the "Herzeleid" in 1993 (top) and in April 2016 (bottom).
The 1993 promo photo was used in ESP's 1994 Export catalogue before the guitar was showcased at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany where Richard fell in love with the guitar and bought it.
IF THIS GUITAR COULD SPEAK...
This is the last photo ever of Richard Kruspe, taken April 8, 2016, playing his old comrade before it was shipped to America.
The story of the ESP 901 "Herzeleid" is not just about a guitar. It's also the story of Rammstein.


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YOU ARE NOT AFRICAN BECAUSE YOU WAS BORN IN AFRICA.
YOU ARE AFRICAN BECAUSE AFRICA WAS BORN IN YOU.
He led his country to independence from Britain in 1957 and was a powerful voice for African nationalism. He was overthrown by a military coup nine years later after his rule grew dictatorial. Nkrumah was born in the town of Nkroful in the southwestern corner of the British colony of the Gold Coast (now Ghana). He was an excellent student in local Catholic missionary schools, who as a teenager, became an untrained elementary school teacher in the nearby town of Half Assini.
kwame Nkrumah – African Nationalism 1950´s
In 1930, at Achimota College in Accra, the capital of the Gold Coast Nkrumah earned a teacher’s certificate and taught at several Catholic elementary schools. In 1939 he graduated from Lincoln University with B. A. degrees in economics and sociology, earned a theology degree from the Lincoln Theological Seminary in 1942, and received M. A. degrees in education and philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1942 and 1943. While studying in the United States, Nkrumah was influenced by the socialist writings of German political philosopher Karl Marx, German political economist Friedrich Engels, and Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. He formed an African student’s organization and became a popular speaker, advocating the liberation of Africa from European colonialism.

domain: history


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We're always working on new ideas and meeting with interesting people to develop new projects, initiatives and partnerships.
Why not get in touch?
Click on one of the side boxes to find out more about our current projects .
Going the Social Distance November 2020 – February 2021
An online 12-week creative arts programme for young people aged 13-18 exploring creativity and wellbeing.
Monday evenings (term time only) at 6pm
Join our Creative Team Josie, Kema and Jennifer for some arts and crafts activities to get us through the winter months online.
We have creative and exciting ideas for:
Dealing with now: taking care of our own mental health in lockdown
Thinking about the future: what happens when we get out of lockdown, what could the immediate future look like and how can we cope?
What will coming out of lockdown look like how can we support each other?
We have three artists working on this project, and each young person gets a free art pack sent to them.
If you would like more information about booking a place, contact Claire at Monkfish Productions :
firstname.lastname@example.org or call us on 0191 580 6115.
This project is funded by National Lottery Communities Fund with support from the governments £750m support package for charities.
A Little Bit of Good in The World is a new project exploring ways in which we can all stand together to do and share our own bits of good in the world where we work and where we live.
In this podcast with Audiovisual Cultures we talk about the 4 C’s of the project: creativity, connection, critical thinking and citizenship. We also hear from our friends at Projects 4 Change about our joint project with young people in Outer West of Newcastle upon Tyne.


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Australia's Deputy Prime Minister has said his government remains "very confident" that missing flight MH370 is in a particular part of the southern Indian Ocean
The search for the Malaysia Airlines plane was narrowed last month after a series of acoustic pings thought to be from the plane's black box recorder were heard in an area around 1,000 miles from Australia's north-west coast.
Warren Truss told the Australian parliament: ""We are still very confident that the resting place of the aircraft is in the southern (Indian) Ocean, and along the seventh ping line" - a reference to an arc identified by analysis of satellite communications data.
More top news
Badly behaved children have topped the list of pub goers' complaints, according to The Good Pub Guide.
Women are being urged to maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy to prevent diabetes, a charity has warned.
This is what we know so far about the young boy who was found washed up on Bodrum beach in Turkey.


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WASHINGTON — Citing the ice storm that paralyzed northern New England and New York, lawmakers from the region are planning to ask President Clinton to release $215 million in emergency heating aid for low-income people.
“The situation in New England is severe — and does not look likely to ease in the next week or two,” Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I., said Wednesday. “Families need help. They will need heating assistance when power is returned to their homes, and the demand is going to be great.”
Chafee has drafted a letter to Clinton that, as of Wednesday, had been signed by 15 senators. He plans to send the letter next week after trying to draw support from outside the Midwest and Northeast, areas where the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program has traditionally been popular.
Early signers included: Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.; John Kerry, D-Mass.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; James Jeffords, R-Vt.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; Christopher Dodd, D-Conn.; Olympia Snowe, R-Maine; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y.; Alfonse D’Amato, R-N.Y.; Paul Wellstone, D-Minn.; John Glenn, D-Ohio; Herb Kohl, D-Wis.; and Carol Moseley-Braun, D-Ill.
“We urge you to act quickly so that states can make the most efficient use of the funds and can assist families in the traditionally colder months of January and February,” the senators wrote.
President Clinton has authorized the release of emergency funds for LIHEAP for each of the past three winters. The program helps 5.6 million poor households nationwide pay heating bills.
In January 1997, Clinton released $215 million in emergency funding after bitter cold hit Northern states. Congress has made up to $300 million available for emergency release this year.


16383A Agilent Standard
- Nominal Accuracy of 0.10%
- Calibration Accuracy of 0.01%
- Calibration Stability of ≤50ppm/year
- Dissipation Factor of ≤0.0001
This unit is a standard capacitor set consisting of four precision capacitors 1pF (16381A), 10pF (16382A) 100pF (16383A), 1000pF (16384A). This unit is primarily used for performance tests of Agilent's 4-terminal pair LCR meters and impedance analyzers.


This item is eligible for free shipping on orders over $99.99
Plug taps have a fairly steep taper at their point, so they can cut full depth threads after only a few turns. These High Speed Steel fractional plug taps have 3-5 chamfered/beveled threads and are the most common style for hand or machine tapping. Bronze oxide surface treatment. Bright finish polished. Available in most standard fractional sizes.


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ROBIN S. // SAMANTHA FOX // ULTRA NATÉ
THE BONEY M. SHOW // BACCARA
KATHERINE ELLIS // NICKI FRENCH
LA VOIX // CPG DIVAS // THE SUNDAES // MICHAEL RICE
CAROLINA DIJKHUIZEN // CHARLIE HEALY // DIVA MAYDAY
SORAYA VIVIAN // TJINDJARA // LOS SALVAPANTALLAS
SASKIA SOULFUL // TANIA ALBONI // RAINBOW GOSPEL CHOIR // GARBO´S DINNER SHOW
DAMON HESS // MICKY FRIEDMANN // PK80 // SHARON O´LOVE // HIGH HEELS // LVPO
PRESENTERS: ROBERTO HERRERA, SORAYA VIVIAN & MR. FIDEL
A house diva whose productions use live instrumentation just as much as electronics, Robin S. debuted with the Top Ten hit “Show Me Love.” which climbed the charts during 1994. She has had three number ones on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
In 1986, she launched her pop music career with her debut single “Touch Me (I Want Your Body)”, which peaked at #1 in 17 countries. The single ‘I Only Wanna Be With You’ was one of the biggest hits of 1988 and brought her immense fame.
One of the most flamboyant and talented house divas of the 1990s, Ultra Naté! All of her singles have reached the Top 10 of the US Hot Dance Club Play chart like “Show Me” and “Free”. In 2016, Billboard Magazine ranked her as the 12th most successful dance artist of all-time.
THE BONEY M. SHOW
“The Boney M. Show” with spectacular tribute singers of which 2 are real Bobby’s Ladies. The original Boney M. was the most successful disco act of the 70s with worldwide sales of more than 150 million records with many hits like “Rivers of Babylon” and “Daddy Cool”.
Baccara achieved international success with their debut single “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie”, which reached number one across much of Europe and became the best-selling single of all-time by a female group, eventually selling more than 18 million copies worldwide.
Katherine Ellis is one of the most respected and versatile vocalists and topline writers in the industry today. Her back catalogue includes the huge club hits ‘When you touch me’ with The Freemasons, ‘Lost’ by Roger Sanchez and ‘Dreaming’ by The Ruff Driverz.
BBC1 ‘All Together Now’ finalists, The Sundaes, are quite simply the ‘biggest’ girl group in town! This unique act combines stunning vocals, sensational choreography with superb comedy timing, not to mention the flamboyant costumes!
A top world-class act with three strong personalities whom have all participated in successful musicals. Nowadays, they conquer every city with their fierce performance, always with three of the ladies, dressed in glamour taking over the party, making the party!
The inaugural winner of BBC singing competition All Together Now has been found, with Michael Rice winning over the 100 and pocketing the £50,000 prize money at the conclusion of the first series. Proud to welcome Michael for the first time to Winter Pride!
She is best known for her 1995 dance cover version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, which reached the US and UK Top 5, selling over 250,000 copies and earning a silver sales award. She represented the United Kingdom in the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm.
La Voix is one of the UK’s Leading Variety Performers. Performing across the globe dazzling her audiences with stunning live vocals delivering sound alike singing performances of some of the world’s biggest Divas such as Cher, Liza Minelli, Shirley Bassey & Judy Garland!
With her powerful voice, great live performances and dynamic personality, it’s no wonder that she is ripping up dance floors across the world. She is part of Fierce Angel touring the globe with the one and only Mark Doyle and his Angels. Soraya is part of the ProGay Team since the beginning of Winter Pride!
Tjindjara was not only the dancer of Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross during their concerts, she became the 2011 finalist in X-Factor and had a role in the musical The Bodyguard. She now produces hew own records and her performance is one big explosion of energy!
One of Holland´s biggest gay icons made a very impressive impression last year during her amazing DJ sets on the main stage and presenting. This year she will be back! Mayday has performed in the legendary clubs iT and Roxy Amsterdam!
Carolina is one of Holland´s most famous musical stars and performed in Aida, The Lion King, The Bodyguard, Dreamgirls, Sister Act and Vamos!. she is a regular guest in many TV shows. International visitors of Winter Pride might not know her but she will blow you away!
Los Salvapantallas is one of the most popular live bands in the Canary Islands. They gave a fantastic live concert last year after the Maspalomas Got Talent competition on the Maspalomas Winter Pride Main Stage and will be back this year!
Tania Alboni (Pronounced Tarn-ya Al-bone-ee) had been a successful tribute singer to Cher for 15 years, as welll as more recent tributes to Amy Winehouse and Shakira before embarking on her own original material. This year she will present her own album.
Charlie is most known for being part of boyband ‘The Risk’, finalists on ‘The X Factor’ during the 2011 series. 2017 is set to be the biggest year for Charlie so far with his debut commercial single release titled ‘Playground’ and his first ever headlining UK Tour.
RAINBOW GOSPEL CHOIR
Rainbow Gospel Choir was founded in 2007 by young artists, being the first gospel choir of the Canary Islands. Their repertoire is based mainly on contemporary, classical and spiritual gospel, although thanks to their versatility, they tend to mix it with other styles such as r&b and pop.
Micky Friedmann is one of the most demanded DJs within our global community. He is playing from Sao Paolo to Amsterdam and from Berlin to San Francisco for major events like Funhouse, Forever, Sexy and many more! Micky will headline the Wet & White pool party!
The very talented Saskia Soulful from Amsterdam performed at the very first Maspalomas Winter Pride back in 2014! She has been invited back to the 5th Anniversary Edition and her vocal qualities will show you why!
Damon Hess is a Sheffield-based Singer songwriter, Music Producer and DJ. In 2011, Damon formed rock/pop band ‘Littlecrazy’. Damon has recently signed a contract with Radio 1 Charlie Sloth on GLE, Warner Bros Records with Sonique.
ProGay team member Roberto Herrera is a spanish national TV personality hosting his TV Show successfully for over 20 years! Roberto will host the live shows on the main stage and Maspalomas Winter Pride would not be the same without him!
Mister Mimom, made in Gran Canaria, has recently signed up for a huge record label contract with Universal and scored a big hit with famous spanish singer Soraya called “El Pretendiente” with over 1.5 million YouTube hits.
SON DEL CANEY
Son del Caney will bring the cuban sound to the Pride Stars night. Enjoy a full live concert while enjoying a few tapas with wine or beers. Dance and have fun!
A tenor with italian and spanish songs will blow you away on the monday night! His great voice will amaze you!