She has won an unprecedented number of music awards in Malaysia and its environs: 34 Anugerah Industri Muzik awards, 22 Anugerah Bintang Popular awards, 21 Anugerah Planet Muzik awards, 18 Anugerah Juara Lagu awards, four MTV Asia Awards and the holder of two records in the Malaysian Book of Records. Backed with 14 studio albums, she is one of the most popular artistes in the Malay Archipelago and Nusantara region and she has been voted ten times in a row for Regional Most Popular Artiste in the Anugerah Planet Muzik since 2001. Currently, she has been listed as one of Malaysia's richest, most-influential, most award-winning, most single-produced artists.
In 2005, she was listed second by MTV Asia in Asia's Best Musical Artiste and Channel V's Biggest Asian Artiste. In 2008, she was named as one of Asia's Idol by Asia News Network.
Early Life (1983–1995)
Siti was born on January 11, 1979 in Berek Polis Kg. Awah, Temerloh where she is the fourth child in a family of eight siblings to Tarudin Ismail and Siti Salmah Bachik. She comes from a musically inclined family; her brother, Saiful Bahri Tarudin, and her sisters Siti Norsaida and Siti Saerah are also singers. Her grandfather was a famous violinist, and her mother was a famous local traditional singer.
From the age of 13, she followed her uncle to invitational shows like wedding ceremonies and dinner parties to give her exposure performing live, where she was well received by the local community. During her childhood she was involved in various school activities, including sports and class speeches. Siti Nurhaliza attended pre-school at the Sekolah Tabika Perkep, Balai Polis Kampung Awah, Temerloh. Here she showed her early singing talent at the age of six when she sang "Sirih Pinang", a Malay traditional song, at her kindergarten's end of year event. She attended primary school at Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Clifford and followed up her secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Clifford, Kuala Lipis, Pahang.
She was an athlete in school and active in sports and this showed when at the opening ceremony of the Fiesta Media Idola 2006 in Kuantan she was a torch bearer to light the games of the Fiesta, together with actress Fasha Sandha.
Early Commercial Success (1995–1996)
Siti Nurhaliza's family performed at many local ceremonies in their hometown, such as weddings. At the age of 12, Siti began to learn traditional songs from her mother and went on performing that genre of music during special occasions and events.
She also was the vocalist for 'Family Group', a small band founded by her uncle, Abdul Rahim Bachik. She started to improvise her singing skills by participating in numerous local singing competitions before ultimately at the age of 16, she finally competed in the 1995 RTM Bintang HMI competition where she auditioned with a song made famous by Ruth Sahanaya, Kaulah Segalanya. While in the competition, she met Adnan Abu Hassan, music composer who tutored and helped her with her vocal performance, before she ultimately winning the contest with the song by Aishah, Camar Yang Pulang. She was granted a contract with Suria Records after making a decision over four offers from different international recording companies, including offers from Sony Music, BMG Music and Warner Music. In 1996, Suria Records released her first self-titled album, Siti Nurhaliza and the first single, Jerat Percintaan won the 11th Anugerah Juara Lagu and another two awards for Best Performance and Best Ballad in addition to her quadruple winnings in Anugerah Bintang Popular for Most Popular Television Entertainer, Most Popular Female Singer, Most Popular Teen Artiste and overall winner, Most Popular Star.
Career Development (1996–1998)
In 1997, Siti started to be a well known figure in Indonesia's music industry when her story appeared in one of the most popular magazines in Indonesia, POS Kota, in April 1997's edition. Siti was assumed as a great figure because it was difficult for foreign artists to break through in Indonesian's music industry if the artist has less to offer compared to their own artists. Siti was also said to be the first Malaysian singer to hold a live concert on Indosiar, a popular television station in Indonesia and it was televised nationwide. Siti has became one of the most influential artists in Indonesia and she held a series of big scale concerts in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and many more cities over the next few years. In the same year, she won Best New Artist and Best Song (Jerat Percintaan) from Anugerah Industri Muzik.
In 1998, at the early age of 19, she launched her own company on January 12, Siti Nurhaliza Productions (M) Sdn. Bhd. which acts as the official management production to handle and manage her schedule. Siti made her first and biggest appearance on the international stage during the 1998 Commonwealth Games which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Siti shared the same stage with two international stars Céline Dion and Rod Stewart to entertain the crowd during the closing ceremony. The ceremony was televised in 70 nations worldwide, which led her to become known in the international arena for the first time. In November of the same year, she was invited to perform in Japan for five days at the Pop Queen Festival, also known as Saga Fiesta '98.
Early International Stardom (1999–2005)
On December 1999, Siti received her first international winning from an international singing competition when she took part in 'Shanghai Music Festival 1999' that was held in China, where she managed to win the Gold Award. She was also invited in 2000 and 2002 for the same competition as featuring artiste. In the same year earlier in May, she took part in 'South Pacific International Song and Singing Competition 1999' held in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and she won the Pop Winner title beating contestants from all over South Pacific and 'Top 40 for International Song' category through her single, We'll Be As One. Siti also managed to catch the juries' attention with her vocal prowess, that finally led her to be awarded with the Best Female Vocal Performance with the same single even though the single was judged by cassette tape/compact disc sent by her recording company to the organizer and not through live performance. For the next few years, Siti took part in 'Voice of Asia 2002' which was held in Kazakhstan where she performed one of her signature singles, Purnama Merindu and managed to grab the Grand Prix Champion title, the ultimate prize.
Siti was the first non-Chinese artiste to be invited to perform at the 15th Golden Melody Awards, Taiwan in 2004. Apart from performing solo with 征服 (Charming) cover of Na Ying's single, she also sang a duet with Leehom Wang in a song called 月亮代表我的心 (The Moon Represents My Heart) which is a cover of the late Teresa Teng. She also appeared on a half hour special program by Azio TV during her brief four days in Taipei. Siti made her third appearance on MTV Asia Awards in 2004, where she performed with Gareth Gates, the runner up from the first series of England version of Idol, Pop Idol, in a song originally by Gareth's himself, 'Say It Isn't So'.
In 2005, she was dubbed as The Voice of Asia, when Alicia Keys first introduced her with the title during the MTV Asia Aid in 2005 held in Bangkok, Thailand due to her powerful vocal, and her outstanding achievements locally and internationally. In the same year, Siti held a successful solo concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in April 2005, although the majority of the audience were Malaysians living in the United Kingdom, together with the local citizens. British press called her as Asia's Celine Dion due to her powerful vocal and outstanding performances. During the concert, she was backed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Indonesian maestro, Erwin Gutawa where the concert was even attended by the Sultan and Sultanah of Pahang and royal families from Brunei. In 2005 also, Channel V has listed her as the Second Biggest Asian Artist due to her great achievements whereas the Taiwanese singer, Jay Chou is on the top of the list. Coincidentally, MTV Asia also rated her as the Second Asia's Best Musical Artist, also behind the same Taiwanese artiste, Jay Chou.
Datukship and Transkripsi (2006–2007)
Siti's eleventh studio album, Transkripsi, was released in April 2006 and contained contributions from producers and composers from Indonesia like Erin Gutawa, Melly Goeslow and Glenn and Malaysians, like Aubrey Suwito, Cat Farish, Jenny Chin, Firdaus Mahmud, Mac Chew, Yasin and Damian VE. Transkripsi became the year's best album after winning the Best Pop Album and Best Album categories in the Anugerah Industri Muzik. It also received praises before by critics as one of her best albums ever produced and the album released was her debut attempt of producing an album under her own production company.
On October 24, 2006, she was conferred as "Datuk" after receiving the title of Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP) from the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah on his 76th birthday along with designers, Bernard Chandran and Dayang Tom Abang Saufi.
In 2007, She made her first appearance at the Grammy Award for the red carpet session on February 11, 2007 where she was the first Malaysian to walk the red carpet. On April 20 and April 21, 2007, Siti performed at the successful Konsert Istana Cinta Nostalgia, which was a tribute concert for the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee and Puan Sri Saloma at Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur. The concert featured popular songs composed by Tan Sri P. Ramlee himself, performed by Siti and other invited artistes. Before this, Siti was also invited to perform a tribute concert for the late Sudirman Hj Arshad, also at Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur in 2002. On April 30, 2007, she garnered 4 nominations in the Anugerah Industri Muzik including Best Pop Album (Transkripsi), Best Vocal Female Performance In An Album (Transkripsi), Best Music Video (Bisakah) and Best Cover for an Album (Transkripsi). Out of these, she won two: Best Pop Album and Best Album for Transkripsi. She also received five nominations from Anugerah Planet Muzik 2007 for two categories that were voted by fans from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore – Most Popular Female Artist and Most Popular Song (Biarlah Rahsia) and three categories that were judged by professional juries and judges – Best Female Artist, Best Song (Biarlah Rahsia) and Best Album. She won three out of five – Most Popular Female Artist, Best Female Artist and Best Song.
Hadiah Daripada Hati and Other Works (2007–2008)
2007 showed Siti's participation on soundtracks for films where she recorded two songs for two different films where she sung Menanti Pasti and Hati for Kayangan and 1957: Hati Malaya respectively. However, only the song Hati was included in her twelfth studio album, Hadiah Daripada Hati and also received the award of Best Original Theme Song from Anugerah Festival Filem Malaysia ke-21 (21st Malaysian Film Festival) in 2008. Siti performed as Azizah, P. Ramlee's mysterious lover, in the musical 'Remy ... Kisah P. Ramlee (Remy ... The Story of P. Ramlee), which is a tribute to the late P. Ramlee, staged at Istana Budaya from October 19 to November 3, 2007.
Siti's twelfth studio album Hadiah Daripada Hati was released on December 10, 2007. Siti released the Latin-influenced pop song Ku Mahu as the first single of this album and it was featured as the opening theme song for a drama called Spa-Q. Melawan Kesepian was her second single and was the first track of this album to have a video clip. The song was a remake of a hit that was once popularized by an Indonesian band called Jikustik. Hadiah Daripada Hati came under criticism from the press when it was released. Critics said it was a moderate performance from Siti Nurhaliza and was not on the same par as her previous album Transkripsi, which was touted as the best album she had ever made. Yet these criticisms were rebutted when Hadiah Daripada Hati received five nominations in the 15th edition of AIM including Best Pop Album, Song of The Year, Best Vocal Performance in an Album (Female), Best Arrangement and Best Album Cover making Siti the second nominee with the most nominations after newcomer Faizal Tahir. Out of five categories including three multiple nominations for Best Arrangement category, the album earned her three awards for Best Pop Album, Best Musical Arrangement in a Song (Malay) for the song Cintamu as well as her ninth Best Vocal Performance in an Album (Female) in which she had lost to Jaclyn Victor the previous year. Her acting debut in the musical 'Remy... The Story of P. Ramlee' also saw the debut of her third single Mulanya Cinta, which was created by Dick Lee, a Singaporean composer. Siti has also became one the most frequently searched persons on Google by Malaysian Google users, according to Google's 2007 Malaysia Year-End Zeitgeist, beating celebrities like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.
In January 2008, she was cited as one of the Asia's Idols by Asia News Network for her exemplary achievements and gaining the status as the icon of Malaysian entertainment. On March 21, 2008, Siti held one of her first solo acoustic concert at the Esplanade Theatre in Singapore. The concert was called Diari Hati (A Diary of Her Heart). She performed numbers of hits from her latest album, Hadiah Daripada Hati and previous albums.
Lentera Timur (2008)
On 26 December 2008, was the release date of her 13th album, Lentera Timur, her most recent traditional contemporary album, Irama Malaysia (her fourth Ethnic Creative album) since her third one, Sanggar Mustika in 2002. She commented that the album has more modern and contemporary songs unlike her usual traditional genre. Siti also worked with renowned composers like M. Nasir and Indonesia's Katon Bagaskara. Nine out of 13 songs (which all was created and composed under three days) that have been chosen came from a songwriting workshop, Cipta Ekspress – Berirama Malaysia. The event which was organized by Malaysian Authors Copyright Protection (MACP) was specially organized to find the materials for the album. Despite of the poor sale due to the lack of promotions, the quality of the album has never been denied. As in Anugerah Industri Muzik 16, Lentera Timur grabbed top awards, Best Pop Ethnic and later on honoured Album Of The Year in AIM 16. She also took home Best Female Vocal trophy for the song ' Di Taman Teman '. She was not present at the award ceremony as she went to Mecca to perform Umrah with her family.
Siti has also recorded two songs for the soundtrack for an Indonesian film, Perempuan Berkalong Sorban. One of the songs recorded are cover of Opick's Ketika Cinta and also a new song, Batasku Asaku which was written by Siti herself. Both songs were included in her fourteenth album, Tahajjud Cinta.
In the same year, her wealth is said to have reached RM 50 Million by MTV Asia and was named one of the millionaires in entertainment in South East Asia.
SATU, Tahajjud Cinta and CTKD (2009)
On February 15, her father, Taruddin Ismail 67, died at 11.50 AM, after a heart bypass operation days before does not show any improvement, leaving seven children, and 10 grandchildren behind. She announced a 40-day state of mourning for her father and put singing activity on hold, except for Konsert Malam Sinar Maulidur Rasul 1430 Hijrah (1430 Hegira Special Mawlid Night Concert). Months after the loss, Siti's back to business where she announced her major three days concert at the prestigious Istana Budaya, SATU Konsert Eksklusif Dato' Siti Nurhaliza. It began its run on June 26, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur. The tickets were sold out weeks before the debut night. The concert received compliments from critics, and the show was attended by distinguished people such as region well-known artistes like Krisdayanti and Rossa from Indonesia to name some. A month before the concert, she bagged her ninth consecutive award of Most Popular Malaysian Artist 0f 2009 and also the Regional Most Popular Artist 0f 2009 from Anugerah Planet Muzik 2009, beating another 11 contestants where each country, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore has four representatives based on SMS votes.
In March, Siti revealed that she would begin work on her next album later in the year. Apparently, the idea came about while Siti was taking part in an Erma Fatima theater production, Sirah Junjungan. She also stated that, this will be her first attempt at spiritual songs and she plans to release the album for the holy month Ramadan of 2009 known as Tahajjud Cinta. Later, Siti and fellow friend, Indonesian singer, Krisdayanti have planned to produce a duet album featuring eight duets where Siti will choose four Malaysian compositions while Krisdayanti will pick the other four from Indonesia. The album was released on December 28 in Malaysia and January 27 in Indonesia, under the name CTKD where it is an abbreviation with double meaning where it stands as the acronyms for the combination of both singers names, CT and KD, and also as the whole title of the album, which is Canda (Joke), Tangis (Cry), Ketawa (Laugh) and Duka (Sad).
In July, her skill as a former ambassador for the Malaysian Red Crescent Society was put to the test when she and a panel doctor of Media Prima performed a Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the late Yasmin Ahmad when she fell unconscious during a presentation in a meeting in TV3's headquarter and in August, Siti was given a privileged of her own channel on Astro at Channel 188, Channel Siti for 28 hours on 30 August 2009 which has broadcasted her concert in June of the same year, SATU Konsert Eksklusif Dato' Siti Nurhaliza, her previous concert which was held at Bukit Jalil, the Siti's Fantasia Tour concert in 2004 and some of her music videos.
Bagaikan Sakti and SimplySiti (2010-2011)
Siti's most recent concert was Konsert Bagaikan Sakti which was held in Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore alongside Malaysian producer-composer-songwriter, M. Nasir which also was broadcasted live through Astro Box Office Events (Channel 955) on January 1, and the repeat show from 2nd till 10 January. Her own company, Siti Nurhaliza Productions (M) Sdn. Bhd. has also produced a concert for two Malaysian award winning artists, Faizal Tahir and Aizat entitled Konsert Satu Suara which was accompanied by Simfoni Orkestra Kebangsaan (National Orchestra Symphony) on February 12 until 14th at Istana Budaya. On March 25, she received her first award of the year, Anugerah Artis Contoh HIP TV 2009 (HIP TV Role Model Artist Award 2009) defeating four other candidates based on votes from viewers through short message service (SMS). On March 30, she launched her own beauty and cosmetic products under the name SimplySiti. The products underwent research and development in Korea, and are incorporated with Nanotechnology before receiving approval of Halal status by JAKIM. 6 days later, she received her 13th consecutive award of Penyanyi Wanita Paling Popular 2009 (Most Popular Female Singer 2009) and the overall category award, Bintang Paling Popular 2009 (Most Popular Artist of 2009) from Anugerah Bintang Popular Bintang Harian 2009 with votes from over 225 300 votes from the readers of Berita Harian. The latter one is her seventh time winning the same accolade.
On April 21, Siti won herself another two awards based on popular votes through SMS service from Anugerah Pilihan Pembaca Media Hiburan (APPMH) 2009/10 (Media Hiburan Readers' Choice Awards 2009/10). She won the award for Artis Wanita Berkulit Cantik 2009/10 (Female Artist With A Flawless Skin 2009/10) and special piece of the ceremony, Anugerah Khas APPMH 2009/10 (Special Award of APPMH 2009/10). In addition, on May 2, she won herself her sixth and seventh awards of 2010 from Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) ke-17 2010 (17th Malaysian Music Industry Awards 2010) where she bagged two vocal awards, Persembahan Vokal Terbaik Dalam Lagu (Wanita) (Best Vocal Performance In A Song (Female)) through her single, Ku Percaya Ada Cinta and Persembahan Vokal Berkumpulan Dalam Lagu (Best Group Vocal Performance In A Song) through her single, Amarah from her collaboration album with Indonesian artiste, Krisdayanti, CTKD. This is her 11th time winning Best Vocal Performance out of 17 years history of AIM, creating a record of her own. She also won another two awards from local fashion magazine, EH! voted by users through online and mail poles, Anugerah Stail EH! 2010 (EH!'s 2010 Style Awards) for the category of Selebriti Pencapaian Terbaik (Celebrity with the Best Achievements) and Selebriti Contoh (Role Model Celebrity) on July 21.
Less than two months after being commercialized since late March, her skincare products range, SimplySiti received "The Best Halal Product" under Cosmetic category by Halal Journal Magazine. On January 11, 2011, she received two awards from The BrandLaureate – Small and Medium Enterprises Chapter Awards (The BrandLaureate – SME's Chapter Awards), one for her SimplySiti range, for Most Promising Brand and another one for herself, first time introduced in 2011, The BrandLaureate Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah SME’s Women of The Year 2010 which was presented by Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah, wife of Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir herself. She also received Inspiration Woman Award from Association of Malaysian and Indonesian Journalists (ISWAMI) on January 29.
SITI, All Your Love and History Channel (2011)
She also hosted her own talk show programe, SITI, which with 13 episodes, encompassing four main segments – V.I.P. Siti, Sentuhan Kasih (Caring Touch), Siti’s Perspective and Siti’s Symphony with the first episode aried on February 12.
In early March 2011, she announced that she is working on her first full English album, entitled All Your Love which was produced by her own stepson's production team What’s Up Entertainment, with all the songs written and produced by Australian singers, Christian Alexanda and Bryan Bouro and released on September 26 with her first English single, Falling In Love debuted at a concert in UiTM where she also expressed her interest to further her study in that university. Two out of ten tracks from the album, Remember You and I Wait Forever were a duet between her and Sean Kingston and Christian Alexanda respectively.
On July 16, she won her tenth Regional Most Popular Artiste in a row beating fellow artistes from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, thus setting a new record in the Anugerah Planet Muzik. However, this would be her last appearance in the category after the organizer has decided to drop her name from participating in the same category in the future.
On October 17, she was reported to be working on her life documentary which was aired on History Channel on January 11, 2012 to coincide with her 33rd birthday.


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On the Road again!
On the bridge to Romania
On the 56 near Dolj
On the 65c near Vâlcea
Small settlements along the streets
Every house has the graves next to it – and a small bridge that goes there
Henri Coandă and the Coandă-1910
Henri Coandă went to school and studied in Romania, Germany and Belgium. After a short stint in the army he went for a car trip to Isfahan, Teheran, and Tibet in 1908!!
After his return he went to Paris and enrolled to become an aeronautical engineer. In 1910 he designed and built a plane known as the Coandă-1910. The aircraft used a 4-cylinder piston engine to power a rotary compressor which was intended to propel the craft by a combination of suction at the front and airflow out the rear instead of using a propeller. There is no proof that the plane ever was in the air.
He constructed many other planes after the 1910. Along many other inventions the most famous of Coandă’s discoveries is the Coandă Effect.
This is a replica of the 1910 original in Perisor
In 1191 Sibu was the first time officially recorded when Pope Celestine III confirmed the existence of the free prepositure of German settlers in Transylvania. In 1376 Sibiu became the most important ethnic German city among the seven cities that gave Transylvania its German name Siebenbürgen. It is the most important cultural centers of Romania with lots of festivals, art, and other events.
With shower and a TV as well
A happy Mitsos with food he understands and wine!
We shared the meal
The good Silva Beer – The Blonde Lager
And the Pale Ale
House at the Strada Ocnai
Looking down the street from the Dragonerwache
Traditional Shop House
Strada Ocnai – House with eyes. That is what my friend used to call the open windows in the roof
See the small houses down the road?
Would be nice without the cars
Like this small lane
The stairs leading up to the Lesser Square (Kleiner Ring)
Liars Bridge in Lesser Square, erected in 1859
Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary
Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church
Brukenthal Palace was erected between 1777 and 1787 as the main residence for the Governor of Transylvania Samuel von Brukenthal. It houses the main part of the National Brukenthal Museum. The museum opened in 1817 which makes it one of the oldest museums in the world.
Above the entrance of the Bruckenthal Museum
At the Grand Square or Großer Ring
House at the corner of the square
Along the walking street
Walking down the Nicolae Bălcescu street
The girls need a bubble bath!
Hmm – they could join
Behind the big wood doors you find usually a green couryard
Ernst Wiesenfeld student housing. Or: The House with Caryatids at Mitropoliei Street, constructed in 1786
The dove is here to get the letter out
The Holy Trinity Cathedral
The construction of the Cathedral started in 1902. A few houses and a little Greek church built in 1797 that served as a cathedral before had to be demolished to free up space.
Wedding after wedding – it is weekend after all

domain: history


Ever since the moment that news announcers across the nation stated that billionaire businessman Donald Trump had defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the presidency in November, shell-shocked liberals having been acting irrationally, particularly in Democrat urban strongholds and on university campuses.
According to CNN, doctors across America are coining these outbreaks of idiocy “post-election stress disorder.” But according to Fox News, it’s a term that isn’t sitting well with many veterans who’ve actually done something important and served their country.
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., who lost both legs and a finger to an enemy improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, went on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” this week to blast liberals who are claiming to suffer psychological trauma because of Trump’s presidency.
“There was a big missed opportunity in naming it ‘Post-Election Stress Disorder,’” Mast scofffed. “I would have preferred they name it ‘Post-Inauguration Stress Disorder,’ that way they could have called it ‘PISD.’”
Mast went on to say that he understands some Clinton voters were disappointed, but said that’s nothing nothing compared to what American soldiers experienced on the field of battle in the Middle East.
“I have empathy for maybe the stress that’s in people’s lives as a result of this election,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that there is any real comparison to service members that have been targeted by snipers, that have been blown up, that have had to take the lives of their enemies, that have had their uniforms stained by the blood of their friends, or have had to bury friends. There’s not a comparison between the two, in my opinion.”
You can see his comments here:
However, soldiers can never get back comrades they have lost, cannot grow new legs, can never unsee some of the horrors that they have witnessed overseas.
To try to compare PTSD to some post-election psycho garbage is disgusting, and medical professionals ought to be ashamed of themselves for coming up with such a ridiculous term.
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Posted by Tobias Carroll
So: later on this year, Sub Pop will be releasing Fear Fun, the debut album from an artist called Father John Misty. That’s the latest project from one J. Tillman, who’s released several solo albums, and has also spent time in an obscure folk-rock outfit called Fleet Foxes.
From looking at the bio, it’s worth noting the literary types mentioned: the names of Richard Brautigan, Oscar Wilde, and Charles Bukowski are invoked alongside those of Arthur Russell and Harry Nilsson. All of which seems like catnip designed to lure in lit-bloggers such as ourselves. And…evidently, it worked.

domain: artistic


The High Commission of India in Colombo celebrated India’s 74th Republic Day today (26).
After paying tributes to the fallen heroes of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) at the IPKF memorial, High Commissioner Gopal Baglay unfurled India’s national flag at India House, the residence of the Indian High Commissioner.
He also read out excerpts of President of India's Republic Day address and a special video message by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana was also played on the occasion.
The event featured songs by the Sri Lanka Navy band and a cultural programme organized by High Commission’s cultural arm, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center. Members of the Indian community attended the ceremony in several hundreds.
A ceremonial reception was also held in the evening at India House.
This year’s Republic Day celebrations take place less than two weeks after India became the first bilateral creditor of Sri Lanka to give written financing assurances to the IMF for an Extended Fund Facility programme. This support which is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy is a continuation of the unprecedented USD 4 billion of economic, financial and humanitarian support given to the people of Sri Lanka in 2022.
Further, this year's Republic Day celebrations coincide with the commemoration of 75 years of Independence by both India and Sri Lanka. Also, the two friendly neighbours shall celebrate the establishment of 75 years of diplomatic ties this year.
Consulates General of India in Hambantota and Jaffna and the Assistant High Commission in Kandy also observed the 74th Republic Day of India by organizing special events.


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BILIMUNGWE BUSHCAMP - SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK
Bilimungwe Bushcamp has just 3 beautiful and spacious rooms and is set in the remote and quiet south of the south Luangwa National Park overloking a series of waterholes.
The heart of camp is the rustic lounge area set beneath a huge winterthorn tree and looking out over a shady waterhole – favoured by local warthogs, elephant and other thirsty game.
When it comes to wildlife-watching at Bilimungwe you are spoilt for choice - choose from the tangle of mahogany trees surrounding camp, the nearby plains, the popular waterhole with comfortable hide or the open waters or dry riverbed of the Luangwa River.
Bilimungwe Bushcamp is located in the southern part of the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Access is via a flight from Lusaka which takes around an hour and 10 minutes. You are then driven 45 minutes to Mfuwe Lodge and then it is around 2 to 2.5 hours’ drive south to camp
Bilimungwe’s four raised thatched rooms have been carefully designed to ensure the height of comfort whilst still retaining a bushcamp feel, each with magnificent views of one or two of the three watering holes. The tangle of mature mahogany trees that surround camp are echoed in the rich wood interiors and wooden furniture, handmade by local artisans and bright African textiles bring splashes of colour to the elegant rooms.
After an early morning game drive, head back to your room for a refreshing, open-air waterfall shower or continue to watch wildlife from your private deck. Two of the chalets have twin beds (queen-sized beds) and two have doubles (king-sized bed).
The lounge and dining area is built on stilts around a large old termite mound under an ancient mahogany tree which provides ample shade from the hot sunshine and there is a breakfast area next to the river where a camp fire burns in the evening.
Bilimungwe has a secret breakfast spot on the edge of Luangwa Valley perfect to watch the sun rise over the Chindeni hills.
WILDLIFE AND ACTIVITIES
The South Luangwa is renowned for its wide diversity of habitats and high game density. With more than 60 different mammal species in the park, there is an abundance and diversity of wildlife and the survival of these animals depends on the meandering Luangwa River - crowded with hippos, crocodiles and wading waterfowl.
Elephants, baboons and vervet monkeys seem to be everywhere from the moment you enter the park. Antelopes, zebra and other plains game congregate on the open floodplains and grasslands along the River and its numerous tributaries. Large herds of buffalo roam the park, impala and puku are common and there are plenty of waterbucks and bushbucks. The endemic Thornicroft's giraffe is indigenous to the park, as are Crawshay's zebra and Cookson's Wildebeest. The South Luangwa is a superb area to see wild dogs with numerous resident packs.
Night drives are renowned for sighting lion and leopard (the density of leopards is among the highest in the world). And nocturnal animals like the honey badger, porcupine and civet are often seen by spotlight.
Birdwatching - is superb and with over 400 species of birds recorded you could easily see over 100 different species in a three day visit. Some particularly attractive ones include: Carmine Bee-eaters, Malachite Kingfishers, Lilac-breasted Rollers, Bateleur Eagles, Saddle-billed Storks, Crowned Cranes, Pel's Fishing Owls and Fish Eagles.
Walking Safaris – the South Luangwa is the home of the walking safari and this is where it was first pioneered by Norman Carr back in the 1960s. To stride out on your own two feet is the only way to understand the wilderness and the guides will explain the secrets of the bush from teaching you how to track a leopard by identifying spoor and listening for tell-tale alarm calls, to explaining how to soothe insect bites with the juice of a sausage tree. If you have a particular interest in a specific area such as birding or local bushcraft then just let your safari guide know and he will tailor the walk accordingly. With every step there is something new to learn, a new bird or animal to spot and a new unforgettable experience.
Game Drives - take advantage of the exceptional knowledge of the camp guide and head out on a morning and afternoon game drive to really get to see the amazing wildlife around the camp. The afternoon game drive will take you to a stunning sun-downer spot before a short night drive back to camp.
BILIMUNGWE IS CLOSED JANUARY TO APRIL
THE CAMP WELCOMES FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGED 12 YEARS AND OLDER. IF BOOKING THE WHOLE CAMP THEN UNDER 12’S ARE WELCOME. PLEASE NOTE THAT CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON WALKING SAFARIS.

domain: travel


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Friends of the Corona Public Library will host a fundraising event featuring New York Times best-selling author Jamie Ford next month.
Ford, a California native, will be discussing his newest novel, “Songs of Willow Frost,” and his debut novel, “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet,” during a free appearance at the library, 650 S. Main St., Corona.
Library supporters will raise money for the city library with a private VIP reception featuring appetizers, beer, wine and dessert. The reception will be at 6 p.m., followed by the free event at 7 p.m. VIP ticket holders may sit in reserved seating for the author event.
Reception tickets cost $15 for Friends of the Library members and $25 for others. Tickets can be purchased at the Friends of the Library Bookshop in the Corona Public Library.
Contact Suzanne Hurt at 951-368-9444 or firstname.lastname@example.org

domain: library


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Trey McIntyre is one of the most sought-after choreographers working today. Born in Wichita, KS, he has created a canon of more than 90 works for companies such as American Ballet Theatre, Stuttgart Ballet and New York City Ballet. He served as Choreographic Associate for Houston Ballet from 1989-2008 and Resident Choreographer for Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Memphis and The Washington Ballet before forming Trey McIntyre Project in 2008.
In 2010, Mr. McIntyre was named the United States Artists Wynn Fellow. He has received the Gold Medal of Lifetime Achievement from the National Society of Arts and Letters, two choreographic fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2001.
Mr. McIntyre creates works that explore the human experience in transformative and captivating ways, while he constantly innovates and implements new ways of engaging audiences in the experience of art.


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LED FITORCH P26R 3600 LUMENS
LED FITORCH P26R 3600 LUMENS. The Fitorch P26R is an excellent high-performance lens, 3600 lumen (max turbo mode), has LED CREE XHP70.2, 4 lighting modes (Turbo-Sublime-Medium-Low) and strobe, SOS function. Ability to use as a USB Powerbank kit (included).
- Hard anodized aluminum body of military specifications for extreme durability.
- Design skid
- Metal reflector for generating
- high intensity beams high quality glass for excellent light transmission
- Waterproof O-ring and flange seal
- Side switch with lock function
- Maximum output of 3600 lumen
- Works with 1 battery 26650
- beam distance 265m
- Turbo-High-Mid-Low brightness and strobe - SOS function.
- Micro-USB port
- Ability to use as Powerbank
- beacon mode (blinking every 2.5 seconds)
- Detection and power indicator (green - red)
- Low-power warning
- memory function
- USB cable, conversion kit for use as Powerbank, removable pocket clip, nylon pouch and lanyard.
- Water resistance IPX-8, proven impact resistance of 2 m
- Warranty 5 years
- LED: Cree XHP70.2
- Login: DC2.75V-4.20V
- Power: 3600 lumen
- Material: HA-III military anodized aluminum alloy
Scalp: 37 mm.
Housing: 31.8 mm.
Length: 13.2 cm.

domain: hobby


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Heat wrap up Midwest trip, beat Bucks 88-67
MILWAUKEE — Short-handed and a little disheveled with the ball, the Miami Heat finished off their three-game swing through the Midwest with a sterling performance on the other end of the floor.
The Heat shut down the Bucks with defense Saturday night as Chris Bosh scored 14 points, LeBron James had 13 and Miami throttled Milwaukee 88-67, holding an opponent to a season low in points.
"In the playoffs, we're going to have to rely on our defense," Bosh said.
|The article you requested is no longer available on BostonHerald.com.|

domain: sports


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SyMSpace – The System Model Space
SyMSpace orchestrates your favorite engineering tools to cover all necessary modeling and calculation steps in one workflow. Reusable, reliable, consistent. For all further information, please visit the official SyMSpace website
Are you already a SyMSpace user? Click here for the SyMSpace login portal:
SyMSpace lets you model your system the way you want it. Select parametric system components from the Component Space for fast configuration. Go to the last detail or only set your relevant parameters. Each model interfaces its required software – CAD, finite element solvers, dynamic simulation tools, multi-body simulators, Python engine, etc. Link the components to complete your full model. Run the model to automatically call each required tool, feed it with all required data, obtain the result, post-process it, feed it to the next tool, and so on.
Once you have your model configured, optimize it with SyMSpace using the built in genetic optimizer. Select the system parameters you want to vary, specify the variation range, and select the outputs you want to optimize. With the interactive interface, browse through the calculated individuals, filter, select, analyze, or compare your results. Once you make up your mind, select an individuum, automatically create the workflow documentation, and output production data.
Intensive computation? Our Cloud Space has got that covered.
SyMSpace is available for both worlds: local installation or, for computing-intensive optimization, or simply for getting a fresh, performant environment each time, LCM offers the Cloud Space. Once registered, create your cloud cluster with three clicks. Log on to your fresh installation of SyMSpace and start working on a cost-efficient pay-per-use basis. No local installation, no hardware invest, no software maintenance. You will receive one centralized bill from LCM, holding all your expenses – from licenses to cloud fees.
We love electric machines. That’s why we have bundled all our motor components into the LCM Motorbox. Dozens of parametrized stator and rotor geometries, different 2D and 3D finite element solver interfaces for electromagnetic analysis, post-processing, load-point analysis, rotor dynamics, etc. Maybe the most versatile, performant, and dynamic electric machine design tool out there. With preconfigured templates but the option to dig down to the very bottom.
The very idea of SyMSpace is the orchestration and optimization of a model workflow. It is relevant for a very large number of challenges and for a large community. This is the reason why we have released an open source edition of SyMSpace. Covering the SyMSpace Center functionality including the SyMSpace Optimizer, we think that this edition will foster new solutions to challenges below the technical radar.
You need your special engineering tool interfaced from SyMSpace? You wish your existing scripts embedded in your model? You need to hook up to your database? You want your own, customized Component for consistant, reusable modeling?
Contact us, we are open for different technical domains, as flexible as your solution.
What’s your benefit?
- Short development time with tested system components.
- Highly flexible workflow configuration, reusable, documented and consistent.
- Automated simulation and optimization of a given workflow.
- Documentation and production data generated automatically.
- Local installation or pay-per-use cloud solution without hardware-invest and maintenance.

domain: design


Despite the Patriots 28-22 loss on Sunday to the Texans, our own Colin Cowherd isn’t ready to jump off the bandwagon yet.
WATCH as Colin makes his case for New England — but makes sure that he outlines the only problem that the team has.
Do you agree with his assessment?
The Patriots cannot be a Super Bowl favorite unless they get help at wide receiver. @ColinCowherd explains: pic.twitter.com/QrIbLeZz3J
Remember you can listen to ‘The Herd’ every weekday from 12-3 PM on 101.3 The Game!


Pricing the Risk of Climate Change
Why U.S. politicians must learn about dealing with reality.
November 13, 2014
Politicians and pundits on the American right wing have started to respond almost ritualistically to questions about climate change with the words, “I’m not a scientist.”
Forget for a moment that this is an idiotic construct – of course they aren’t scientists, they’re politicians or pundits. The transparent intent is for hardened climate change deniers to appear more reasonable.
They have gone from rejecting the whole concept of global warming out of hand to merely evading the issue — “I’m not a scientist!”
In the weird world of American politics, the new battle cry, “I’m not a scientist” may nonetheless represent an ideological “first blink” – a tacit admission that there may be something to all this “fake science” after all.
To see how and why, it helps to focus on real-life actions rather than rhetoric. In particular, look at a classic conservative business constituency – insurance companies.
I’m not a scientist, but I am an insurance company!
Insurance premiums do not make moral judgments. They are dispassionate – some might use the term “cold-blooded” – in their determinations of risk.
And that is what makes the insurance industry’s outlook on climate change so important, especially in the United States, which is unique among developed countries in the number and ferocity of its climate change deniers.
For these insurers, climate change is exclusively a matter of how much to charge for underwriting the risk – not some esoteric debate involving global conspiracies of scientists.
Inevitably, insurance rates are based on actuarial evidence of historic patterns of risk. But the global insurance industry – with the big re-insurers in the lead — is now saying with more than a little consistency that historic weather patterns are no longer relevant.
In short, climate change is demanding new risk assumptions.
Property protection and climate change
Of the many risks related to climate change, property risk is the most clearly identifiable – a reality close to the hearts of many conservatives.
Anyone with an even casual interest in the news must acknowledge that weather events seem to be occurring both with increased frequency and greater intensity. For the world’s insurers, however, this is more than a casual observation.
The Geneva Association, a re-insurance trade organization, reported on the implications of rising ocean temperatures in 2013.
Based on clear and well-documented statistics, their recommendation was for re-insurers to base premiums not on actuarial evidence, but on climate change models. In other words, they recommend reliance on the very models that climate change deniers try so vigorously to discredit.
I’m not a scientist, but I think I get the difference!
Underpinning the insurance industry’s view of anthropogenic climate change is science. Even though insurers are not scientists, they seem able to grasp not only the financial implications of climate change, but also the cause.
They point out that weather and climate are different. Weather is what it was like outside when you got out of bed yesterday. Climate is the amalgamation of all those morning readings over significant time frames across all latitudes and longitudes on the face of the earth.
Scientists have used those numbers to produce models that assess the contributory factors to climate change, which include measureable influences of “internal variability” such as,
and dozens of similar oscillating patterns. They also recognize the impact of volcanic and other geological events on climate.
The impacts of these conditions are measurable with a high degree of precision. And when their impacts are measured over protracted time frames, something striking pops out.
The average temperature on earth has risen at an accelerating pace over the past forty years — .52 degrees Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit). Based on the influence of internal variability, long-term average temperatures should not have changed at all, aside from short-term spikes in volatility caused by major oscillations and geological events.
It is only when you include the impact of anthropogenic effects on climate that you find actual temperature readings matching precisely the climate prediction models now being employed by the insurance industry.
I’m not a scientist, but 40 years is a good track record!
These models have been employed in progressively more sophisticated iterations over the past 100 years. And for the past 40 years, the anthropogenic climate change models have been better predictors of global climate trends than risk models based entirely on internal variability.
In the world of finance, an impeccable 40-year track record would make you, well, God! Or Warren Buffet!
Mind you, the view of the insurance companies is not that of a bunch of environmentalists. It is the view of folks who insure risk in order to make a profit.
Their models say that global warming does not necessarily mean progressively milder winters, hotter summers and warmer springs and autumns.
Rather, they show changes in ocean temperatures, including surface temperatures as well as the deep ocean currents that recirculate weather patterns across hemispheres.
Importantly, this results in changes in the moisture content and wind speed of storms. It produces floods, droughts, heat waves and freezes.
That insight is unfortunately completely lost on Senator James Inhofe – the likely new Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment.
In a breathtaking display of blind ignorance, he stood for a photo op in front of mounds of plowed snow in Washington, D.C. in 2010, thinking he was providing graphic evidence that global warming was a hoax. In fact, he was showcasing exactly why global warming is real: Bigger storms with higher moisture content!
It’s not just insurance companies, the military, too
But insurers are not the only ones to accept climate change as a reality. The U.S. military is planning and budgeting for geopolitical dislocations as well.
It has great concerns about adverse events caused by distortions to historic weather patterns, including possibilities for insect infestations, famines, pandemics, food riots, civil wars and mass migrations.
Public utilities, too, are grappling with how to maintain and effectively transmit power during peak demand periods caused by extreme temperatures. In countries with above- ground power transmission networks — like the United States — utilities must also plan for increasing levels of storm damage, including widespread and prolonged power outages.
By the same token, municipalities must not only repair infrastructure damage caused by storms. They must also bear the financial burden of planning new infrastructure to prevent storm damage. This includes improvements to sewer systems, the construction of sea walls and the establishment of effective storm shelter systems.
Of even greater significance, a 2003 heat wave that blanketed France killed over 14,000. In Moscow in 2010, 11,000 died from a bad summer heat wave. In Chicago in 1995, more than 700 died. As a result these climate events, health systems around the world are starting to make provision for more to come.
I’m not a scientist, but this is going to cost money!
For the insurance industry, climate change is real. For the insured, this realism will translate into progressively higher premiums that are just as real.
But higher premiums are just the start. At the end of the day, folks everywhere will all have to pick up the tab for the inefficient use of energy derived from fossil fuels.
That tab will list higher utility bills, higher taxes and higher health care costs, among hundreds of other entrees, appetizers and deserts.
Perhaps this type of evidence is finally sinking in for climate change deniers when they say, “I’m not a scientist.”
Perhaps they will start to see smart people from different disciplines recognize climate change as fact, not some oddball theory or global conspiracy.
Or maybe not! Maybe their real mission in life is to be deniers of scientific realities, if not modernity itself. Maybe their only calling is to defend the interests of America’s oil patch, no matter the consequences or the risks.
What are Republicans to do when insurance companies and the US military share the same view on climate change?
The US military is planning and budgeting for geopolitical dislocations as a result of climate change.
Global warming does not necessarily mean ever milder winters, hotter summers and warmer springs and autumns.
Even though insurers are not scientists, they grasp the financial implications of climate change – and the cause.


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Foster Dogs and Puppies - 2005
In late December we received a call about a puppy about to be euthanized for no reason other than he was not wanted any more. He was malnourished and had a couple of patches of mange, but he was a cute guy who grew and grew. He loved to rough-house with our hundred pound golden retriever. Jesse went to a loving home.
After Jesse left, it wasn't long before Biscuit arrived. Alas, her old family had to give her up because of allergies. They were very sad to see her go. She was loving and enthusiastic, a talker rather than a barker. Biscuit went off to live with Beau, one of our previous foster dogs, so we were happy that she found so a great home.
Shortly after Biscuit left, we got a call about 12 three week old puppies who's mother had just died. We ended up splitting them between 3 people, then 2 of our 4 went to another foster home. We ended up with William and Harry, two very sweet boys. William found a super home in Kalamazoo. Harry left for a great home and family in the country near Howell, Michigan.
We took a break for a while but then Roo came into our lives. He was rescued from the Animal Control at South Haven, where she was not getting adopted. Roo was an extra cute puppy, fun loving, who fitted right in and gave our Retriever some good exercise. Don't you just love those ears! Roo went to the very best home in Charlotte. Click here to see a picture of Roo in Charlotte with his new playmate.
On the same day Roo left, Kathy was involved in rescuing thirteen 4 week old Aussie-mix puppies out of a bad situation. To see all the Aussie pups in the Rescue, click here. We ended up with two females. We named them Thelma and Louise. Here they are:
Thelma found a home with some experienced Aussie owners in Chicago. Her brother Dudley needed a foster home for a while so he stayed with us. He was the sweetest boy and gave us a lot of amusement with his antics. He went to live at another foster home after Louise had heart surgery and needed to be as quiet as possible. Louise recovered from her heart surgery and was adopted to a great family.
Back to Puppy Page 2002
Back to Puppy Page 2003
Back to Puppy Page 2004
On To Puppy Page 2006
On To Puppy Page 2007
Return to Winkworth Main Page
Last Edited by JMW 01/28/18

domain: pet


Methodology for finding optimum cell size for a grid based cellular automata traffic flow model
Gundaliya, P. J.
Mathew, Tom V.
Dhingra, S. L.
A methodology for determining optimum cell size for a grid based traffic flow model for heterogeneous traffic is proposed in this paper. The cell size is an important factor to determine as it affects the computational efficiency and model accuracy. The objective function minimizes three aspects namely the difference of distance headway in case of cellular automata and grid based traffic flow model, the total number of cells to represent different types of vehicles and multiple of cell width that gives closer representation of the different road widths. The presented method is found better then the previous attempt which tries to find the cell size by trial and error.
European Transport / Trasporti Europei
X (2005) 29
EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste
ISTIEE Istituto per lo studio dei trasporti nell’integrazione economica europea
P. J. Gundaliya, Tom V. Mathew and S. L. Dhingra, "Methodology for finding optimum cell size for a grid based cellular automata traffic flow model", in: European Transport / Trasporti Europei, X (2005) 29, pp. 71-79.


One Size Fits Most (OSFM): Fits from ±4½kgs to ±16kgs.
The 5 layer bamboo blend top insert features StayDry on one side keeping baby dry. The lower insert is 4 layers of bamboo terry.
All-in-One nappies bring a little convenience and time saving back into the world of cloth nappies.
They're designed to do away with the need to “stuff” inserts into the pocket/sleeve. Instead of having loose separate inserts, the inserts are sewn onto (attached to) the nappy, making it a "grab-'n-go" nappy.
- Our tummy strip helps prevent moisture creep along the tummy.
- The various insert layers, size and positioning are carefully researched to offer the best possible blend of absorbency AND trimness, ensuring that the inserts fit INSIDE the nappy, regardless of the size adjusted setting!
-The 5 layer bamboo blend top insert, which includes a suedecloth "StayDry" layer, ensures baby feels dry and comfortable.
- The 4 layer bamboo pure lower insert ensures maximum absorption whilst remaining as trim as possible.
- The suedecloth "StayDry" lining that continues right up to the back elastic not only keeps baby feeling dry, but also ensures that 'everything' is contained within the nappy!
*When time does eventually come to boost the All-in-One nappy (since you will need to add absorbency when the little one gets closer to potty training) adding a booster insert is as simple as laying an additional booster insert beneath the two existing insert flaps.
Keep in mind that since the inserts are permanently attached to the nappy, they can't be removed and dried seperately (ie in a tumble drier). The entire nappy must be allowed to line dry.
Wash & Care instructions:
- 30 Degree Wash (We reccomend a cold wash to increase the lifespan of your nappy)
- Do not Tumble Dry
- For more wash & care instructions and advice, please click here


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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | Course Hero Infographic
I get chills when I hear this on the show, but I do realize GRRM may have gone a little overboard with the titles.
Tree icon - stock vector
Blue biggs jasper, Oregon. ✞When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.✞
Decaying Gunnera Manicata leaves after the frozen winter.


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Development of a new photothermal interferometer for the
in-situ measurement of carbonaceous aerosols
Filter-based instruments are commonly used for the determination of ambient aerosol light absorption. With the assumption of a specific light absorption efficiency, the mass concentration of the light-absorbing carbonaceous particles, particularly black carbon (BC) can be determined. These methods have the advantage of being simple and robust, but the properties of the aerosol change upon deposition in the filter. These methods are prone to measurement artefacts, such as filter loading effects, increased transparency of the filter due to wetting in elevated humidity conditions, and cross-sensitivity to aerosol light scattering.
In-situ methods such as photoacoustics and photothermal interferometry (Moosmüller and Arnott, 1996; Sedlacek, 2006) measure light absorption of aerosols directly in their natural suspended state. They provide an alternative to traditional filter-based instruments. Measurements performed with these techniques are independent of aerosol light scattering and loading effects. Resonant photoacoustic measurements, however, are susceptible to changes in the resonant frequency caused by environmental influences, and suffer from measurement artefacts when absorbing gases are present. In a photothermal interferometer, the aerosols are drawn through a set of measurement chambers where a pump laser illuminates the sample. A small part of the laser light is absorbed by the sample and heat is transferred to the air, locally increasing the temperature, reducing the density and the refractive index. This perturbation is measured with a sensitive interferometer: the change of the refractive index in one arm of the interferometer relative to the unperturbed arm is measured as a change in phase. The pump laser is modulated and the signal at this modulation frequency increases the measured signal.
We present our latest development of a new photothermal interferometry setup (Visser et al., 2020). The use of only one single laser beam allows for a compact optical set-up and significantly easier alignment compared to standard dual-beam photothermal interferometers, making it ideal for field measurements. Due to a unique configuration of the reference interferometer arm, light absorption by aerosols can be determined directly – even in the presence of light-absorbing gases. The instrument can be calibrated directly with light-absorbing gases, such as NO2, and can be used to calibrate other light absorption instruments. Our current detection limit (1 σ, 120s averaging time) is ~40 ng/m3 BC.
In new projects, we are investigating the possibility of further significant miniaturization of our existing setup. A unique kind of photothermal interferometer is currently realized using optical fibers and waveguides. Such a miniaturized sensor has many key advantages: It will be smaller, lighter and cheaper than existing BC instruments, which are expensive and rather immobile. The miniaturization into a fully integrated optical circuit board will make it also less susceptible to external vibrations and misalignment. Our goal is to develop a novel miniaturized PTI instrument that can be used airborne to detect the local distribution of BC particles with high temporal resolution.
 Visser, B., J. Röhrbein, P. Steigmeier, L. Drinovec, G. Močnik, and E. Weingartner, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 2020,13, 7097–7111. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-7097-2020
 Moosmüller, H., and Arnott W.P., Optics Letters, 1996, 21(6), 438-440.
 Sedlacek, A.J. Rev. Sci. Instr., 2006, 77(6), 064903-1-064903-8.

domain: chemistry


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Throughout the week, Masterpiece Gaming w/ Don & Tony will bring you gameplay clips from various (mostly new and/or relevant) games. Of course, while watching the video, we’ll be discussing the game or poking fun at how bad the player is (read: Don).
Certainly a Masterpiece Gaming first, Don & Tony sit down and talk about the upcoming strategy game, Omerta – City of Gangsters, while showing you gameplay footage from a preview build. Part resource management, part tactical-combat and all gangster, Omerta – City of Gangsters puts you in the role of a mob boss in Prohabition-era Atlantic City. With a variety of ways to play the game, this video shows some of the basics of a sandbox game, ending with a bank heist.
Please remember, this video is from a preview build and does not represent the final product. Omerta – City of Gangsters is set to release in Q1 2013.


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Over 25 students who have got admission to Dr Kariyappa School of Arts and Design Management run by the Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology located at Richmond Circle in the city have started a whole night protest alleging that the management has cheated them. The senior police officials from Cubbon Park subdivision visited the spot and filed a case against the management, DCP Devaraj (Central) said.
According to students who have got admission to postgraduate diploma in Infrastructure Management in July 2018 are alleging that the Institute has not affiliated to any of the universities and cheated them by saying directly affiliated to All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). "Even six months after the admissions were made no class has been conducted. Some of the students have withdrawn admissions and even we are demanding to refund the fee paid and original documents," said one of the students taking part in a protest.
There are over 38 students in the batch and it is the first batch of students for this particular course. "We have filed a complaint before the jurisdiction police station three months ago but no action has been taken," said students.
Students have decided to continue the protest until they get their fee and documents refunded.
There are students in this Institute across the nation including Darjeeling, Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh etc.
However, when contacted the authorities of the college said that there are no such issues going on.
Dr RSS Rao principal of the Institute said, "there is no such issue going on as alleged by students. In the beginning, there were issues like shortage of staff and it was corrected later. We have not violated any of the norms and we are directly affiliated to AICTE."

domain: law


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Valve have announced the Source Filmmaker, their tool for creating animated films in a very intuitive way.
Half-Life: Raise the Bar
Half-Life: Raise the Bar is a fan-made short film inspired by the Half-Life franchise.
The first minutes of the original Half-Life are brought to life in this live action short, Half-Life: Origins.
Portal 2 - Boots
The science of the boots used in Portal 2 is explained in this latest video from Valve.


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Top 10 Best Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
The Short Version: If you’re looking for infectiously positive and uplifting music performed in a fun and loving atmosphere, you’re not alone. That’s why couples and fans of all ages flock to shows by The Polyphonic Spree. Band Founder and Lead Singer, Tim DeLaughter, knows his audience well, and he frequently runs into couples who tell him they met at a show during fan meet-and-greets. Sometimes he sees them again the following year, and they’re married with kids. Concert-goers may even see a wedding at a Polyphonic Spree show. The big band — with as many as 16 musicians and singers — has built a dedicated following in nearly 20 years of touring internationally and has become a must-see group for couples and singles alike.
I love attending concerts, and I’ve spent many nights over the last two decades seeing live music performances and catching as many acts as I could that came through my town. I love how easy it is to be myself and laugh with strangers around good music. We’re all there for the same reason: to have a great time. I’e met life-long friends near the stage, and those friendships are based on our musical passions.
Concerts can also be an excellent place to find love. Men often catch my eye from across a crowd, and I even dated a guy I met in a packed concert crowd for three years. My friends Lynn and Frank met at a musical performance, and then they married a few years later. I’ve seen proposals on stage, brides and grooms fresh from their vows dancing in crowds, and countless happy couples having a great night out together. When good music is playing, romance is always in the air.
The Polyphonic Spree, with its choral rock style and uplifting music, is one such band that inspires personal connections. Founder and Lead Singer Tim DeLaughter said the talented musicians in his band deliver feel-good performances easing the anxiety in budding relationships — and strengthening romances, too.
“A lot of people tell me they used one of our songs at their wedding because they met at our show,” he said. “There have been plenty of first dates, and people even get married at Polyphonic Spree shows. And a lot of people meet when they go to shows.”
The infectious, positive vibe and incorporation of sing-along classics have been part of their shows since the group formed in Dallas, Texas, in 2000. It’s a big band, almost theatrical in style, with a roster of 16 musicians on some tours. The Polyphonic Spree has toured throughout the United States and Europe for nearly two decades, and they’re worth checking out if you’re looking for love — or just a lovely date.
Back in the 1990s, Tim was a member of the pop band Tripping Daisy. Its loyal following sometimes hailed Tim as a genius, and the band’s first album as one to take if they were stranded on a desert island. But his psychedelic modern rock style morphed beyond Tripping Daisy into a side project in 2000.
“I played with friends and family members, and it blossomed from there. It wasn’t supposed to be a band to play shows, but we ended up touring the world,” he said. “It was all an experiment with sound and what it would be like to have 10 people singing as one, a hybrid group of symphonic instruments with electronic and rock. It started out as an experiment, but it turned out to be much more because, 18 years later, I’m still doing it.”
It helped that glam rock legend David Bowie dug the band’s style. When the group began touring in the UK, they opened for him, and audiences responded.
The band ended up touring Europe for the next three years, and when Bowie toured the US, he had The Polyphonic Spree open for him each night. The band built a dedicated following in those early years and continues to find new fans today.
It can be awkward to attend a show and look around only to find everyone is 20 years younger or 20 years older than you, but when you go to a Polyphonic Spree show, it’s hard to feel out of place. That’s because the group’s fans are as diverse as the musicians on stage. The audience is a near equal mix of men and women and encompasses all age groups — from kids to senior citizens.
“It’s a broad spectrum, and you don’t feel like you’re at a kids show or an older, contemporary show. It’s a balanced group,” Tim said. “The people in the band are a spectrum of ages as well. You have teenagers all the way up to people who are 50. It’s versatile and dynamic, and it’s mirrored in the audience.”
Because the band has been touring and releasing albums since 2000, fans tend to stumble upon them in all kinds of ways. Good friends — or romantic partners — can turn you on to their music. Their high-energy sound was featured on a holiday episode of NPR Tiny Desk Concerts. But, to get the true Polyphonic Spree experience, you have to see them in concert at a theater, club, or venue.
“The story is told with instrumentation and lyrics. It’s like theater but not theater. It’s got a lot of energy, expression, and there’s not a dull moment on stage. That’s because there are so many people doing so many different things, but coming together and making beautiful music,” Tim said. “Everyone is unified, and I love it. It’s something I always wanted to do with my previous band.”
Everyone has fun at a Polyphonic Spree show whether they come alone, with friends or on a date, and that vibe all starts with the harmony that is happening on stage.
“We have that many good people on stage and can still be musically unified and produce something that affects people with a spirited energy that’s infectious,” Tim said. “It’s extremely positive, and that’s a great thing to be a part of.”
People bring the band’s music into their own lives, as well. Many fans have told Tim that the song “Sonic Blue” was the first-dance song at their wedding.
“When we go to talk to people, one couple told me, ‘Hey we met at your show as a first date, and we got married, and now we have a 3-year-old,'” Tim said. “I can’t tell you how many times that’s happened, that people met at a Polyphonic Spree concert. And we had two people get married as one of the acts of the show on stage. That’s happened in Brooklyn and Dallas. It’s something about the Spree.”
That is why the band makes it a point to keep the atmosphere friendly, fun, and conducive to connections.
“It’s a testament to the Polyphonic Spree and the kind of people we bring in. That we can be a part of cultivating a relationship says a lot about the kind of band we are, and the environment that lends itself to a date,” Tim said. “It’s a friendly environment, and everyone is smiling. The positivity has something to do with it because everyone is free to be themselves.”
Tim has big plans for the future, but the biggest goal is to keep touring. The band is also currently working on a new record, he said.
“The goal is to keep it going and release music,” Tim said. “We’ve been writing a musical for a while now, and the ultimate goal is to turn this into a musical. It always has been, but there are steps we can do to express this in a proper musical degree.”
He’s also scoring a film, and the band members in the Polyphonic Spree are playing on it.
“All of our musicians are at the top of their game, and they are pretty amazing,” he said.
Chances are, if you attend a Polyphonic Spree concert, you’ll find someone who agrees.


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Call for Papers:
New England Travels
Date: Saturday, March 16, 2019
Sufi Arts: South Asia and Beyond
Saturday, October 13, 2018, 10:30 am – 1 pm
Freer Gallery of Art
Biennial Conference of
The University of Sheffield Animal Studies Research Centre (ShARC)
April 29-30th, 2019
Humanities Research Institute, The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
Considering how crucially comic book marketing depends on loyal customers, especially fans, and to how great an extent the ever‐expanding franchises surrounding Marvel’s or DC’s comic worlds rely on user participation and fandom, it seems striking that the connection between Comics Studies and Fan Studies has hardly been explored in any great detail so far.
April 4, 2019 to April 5, 2019
Cultural History / Studies, Arts & Humanities, Literature, Women's & Gender History / Studies, Digital Humanities, Art Theory
We invite scholars, dancers, performing artists, choreographers, performance-based activists, critics, writers, and arts administrators and organizers to join us for a three-day conference centered on theories and practices of dance.
The Esotericism & Occultism Area of the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association invites paper proposals for its 40th anniversary conference, to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from February 20-23, 2019. Please submit proposals by November 1, 2018, through the conference website: http://www.register.southwestpca.org/southwestpca. Contact the Area Chair at GeorgeJSieg@gmail.com with any questions.


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Clarifying that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) plans to issue a unique number to each citizen and not any identity card, its Chairman Nandan Nilekani on Wednesday hoped that the ambitious project would ensure social inclusion of the poor, marginalised and displaced population in the country, besides helping security agencies in maintaining law and order.
“The unique number will give a unique identity to every citizen, more importantly to poor and marginalised people of society, thereby helping governments to ensure their social inclusion and improve efficiency of the public delivery system. Though it will not be a panacea for everything, it will create a foundation infrastructure that will help bring change [in society],” Mr. Nilekani said in an interaction with the media briefing organised by the Indian Women Press Corps.
Informing that the first set of 16-digit unique identity numbers would be issued in the next 18 months, Mr. Nilekani said the UIDAI would issue UID to 60-crore citizens in the next 5-6 years. “The challenge will be the enrolment of the poor for the UID numbers. Then there are technical challenges like safety and protection of database, and safeguarding privacy of individuals,” he said.
Terming the task of providing UID numbers to over 100-crore Indians as “humongous,” he said soon a consultant would be appointed who would take care of all the formalities for the bidding process for selecting a ‘managed service provider,’ which will take care of the centralised database.
Mr. Nilekani said the UIDAI would give every citizen a UID number, either through direct enrolment or to requests forwarded by any other government agency like those issuing PAN card, passports, driving licence, ration cards and job cards; and these UID numbers will be mentioned in the document (like passport, driving licence, PAN card).
Hinting that in future, the UID number could become mandatory for people availing themselves of certain services and facilities being provided by the government or private agencies [like mobile SIM cards], Mr. Nilekani said they would start on a clean slate, collecting and compiling their own data and not use data from any other source.
“However, government authorities will be able to use biometric details and other information for verification process, for which we might fix some minimum charge to make the project sustainable,” he added.

domain: sociology


text:
- Age / Gender:
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- Location not disclosed
- All Stats >
- Community Stats
Level 3 Blank Slate
Ranked as Civilian
Contact Info / Websites
Recent Game Medals
Stuffed! 10 Points Feed your pet 30 food items Medal Stats.
Expert Defense 25 Points Beat Zombie Defense on Expert Medal Stats.
Well I Didn't Vote For You 10 Points Defeat 5 Kings in the Wanted List Medal Stats.
Warp 7 5 Points Discover 7 warps Medal Stats.
Rich Person 10 Points Acquire a total of 50,000 Gold Medal Stats.
Hunter 10 Points Collect 20 types of monsters in the Bestiary Medal Stats.
Bop on the Head 10 Points Defeat Bop Medal Stats.
Agent Defender 10 Points Beat Zombie Defense on Hard Medal Stats.
Level 10 10 Points Have one character reach level 10 Medal Stats.
Explore 7 5 Points Explore 7 floors Medal Stats.
Total Medals Earned: 337 (From 20 different games.)
Latest Shared Creations
PleaseDiePie Rated 4.2658 Stars PewDiePie parody that will undoubtedly rustle some jimmies. Comedy - Parody Manga-Gaga 100 Omake Rated 3.9680 Stars Music video thing with loads of random stuff in it. Yay. Comedy - Parody Game Grumps - Poppy bros Rated 4.0967 Stars i had trouble drawing asses Music Video the YuYu Rated 4.4071 Stars The sequel to littleFoot. Music Video
Bitzy Blitz Rated 4.1085 Stars Defend the town against waves of enemies and awesome bosses in this shooter game. Action - Other Glean Rated 4.2961 Stars Explore and mine minerals! Adventure - RPG Mine Blocks Rated 4.4032 Stars A 2D Minecraft Flash game containing most of Minecraft's features! Adventure - Other Enigmata TD Rated 4.2230 Stars Build up a base to save the Enigmata galaxy from the insidious Villalobos! Strategy - Real-time (RTS)

domain: game


At Magtek Mechanical, we take pride in offering reliable, top-tier heating and A/C services to ensure you remain comfortable all year round. Our professional and seasoned team operates mainly in New Lenox, IL and its surrounding areas, providing exceptional services for both residential and commercial properties.
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text:
Thomas C. Oden provides a modern commentary on the pastoral letters grounded in the classical, consensual tradition of interpretation. He depends on the writers Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Augustine, Jerome, Luther, Calvin, Henry, and Wesley. His underlying conviction is that these classical Christian exegetes are better interpreters of the pastorals, not simply because they were earlier but because they were more attentive to a received tradition of consensual exegesis and less distracted by speculative theories.
Oden utilizes the best, most accurate research concerning the historical, literary, and philological aspects of the pastoral letters. He addresses tough issues: the role of women in worship, problems of rich and poor, the relationship between servants and masters, policies concerning support of elderly widows, and how to handle church disruptions.
The book is organized in a systematic sequence, making the letters more accessible and useful for thematic preaching. It features otherwise unavailable information and insight on the events and thoughts of the apostle Paul at the close of his life.
The Interpretation series from Westminster John Knox Press is clearly established as a rich source for teaching and preaching. They have tapped the talents of a varied and esteemed group of contributors, resulting in what is clearly the essential comprehensive commentary series on the Bible.
—W. Eugene March, A.B. Rhodes Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
The Interpretation series is an invaluable resource for any leader or scholar interested in interpreting the biblical text to the broader church. Its works are essential for pastors, educators, and church libraries.
—Brian K. Blount, President and Professor of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary

domain: literature


text:
Learn to cut decorative mouldings and joinery like an expert, master cutting several profiles of shapes in a single pass, and accommodating cuts from two different directions. Plus tips on freehand shaping, jig and fixture shaping, cutting stick joinery, and projects.
Author: Michael Holtz, Roger W Cliffe, Michael J Holtz
Edition: (Edition: 1st Linden Publishing Ed)
Publisher: Linden Publishing
Release Date: 2002-04-01


In 2012, the Massachusetts Legislature passed An Act Relative to the Regulation of Plant Nutrients (Act). The Act directed the Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to develop regulations to ensure that plant nutrients are applied in an effective manner to provide sufficient nutrients for maintaining healthy agricultural and non-agricultural land, including turf and lawns, while minimizing the impacts of the nutrients on surface and ground water resources to protect human health and the environment.
The Act and regulations (330 CMR 31.00) establish standards for the applications of plant nutrients to agricultural land and non-agricultural turf and lawns. The regulations for non-agricultural turf and lawns became effective on June 5, 2015. The regulations for agricultural land became effective on December 5, 2015.
Non-Agricultural Turf and Lawns
The requirements for applications to non-agricultural turf and lawns include limitations on phosphorus-containing fertilizer. Lawn care professionals and homeowners are required to obey plant nutrient application restrictions and follow University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension's Guidelines for nutrient management on lawns and turf. For more info see factsheet for Turf and Lawns.
The regulations also enhance the ability of municipalities to maximize the credits relative to storm water discharge or similar permits issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The regulations that address the plant nutrient applications to agricultural land became effective on December 5, 2015. The Department is developing factsheets and other outreach and educational materials to assist farmers and land managers with the implementation and compliance with these regulations. For more information see factsheet for Ag Land.
Please check back regularly for updates on information related to the implementation of these regulations.
Laws and Regulations
Plant Nutrient Management Laws and Regulations:
Water Supply Protection Areas
The location of water supply protection areas, including Zone A areas, can be found on the MassDEP Water Supply Protection Map (Online Map Viewer):
Currently, the Map Viewer does not show the Zone 1 areas. Contact the local public water supplier for a Zone 1 map.


text:
A LabVIEW-based implementation of real-time underwater acoustic OFDM system
MetadataShow full item record
© 2017 University of Western Australia. The orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) technology receives increasing attention in underwater acoustic (UA) communications. This paper presents a real-time OFDM-based UA communication system, implemented using the National Instruments CompactDAQ device and the LabVIEW software. The system design including both the transmitter and receiver is discussed. The performance of this real-time system is verified through a UA communication experiment conducted recently in a tank. Compared with conventional digital signal processor (DSP)-based design, the proposed implementation simplifies the prototype design and reduces the software development time.
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Al Shoaili, Saoud Humaid Salim (2005)The study in this report mainly focuses on the Internet-based Monitoring and Controlling of a Real-Time Dynamic System interfaced via a dedicated local computer. The main philosophy behind this study is to allow the remote ...


text:
You are here
Starting from the ground up
Raised on the outskirts of Chicago, Katie Warner and her husband recently moved to what she calls “the sweet Plains” of North Dakota, where her grandfather owns 280 acres of land. Approximately 70 acres are naturally spring-fed, and about 60 acres had been farmed before Warner’s grandfather purchased the land seven years ago.
With a heart for agriculture, Warner got a job at a local veterinary clinic working with all kinds of pets and livestock in the area. At the clinic, she saw the less luxurious side of cattle – scours, bloody injuries, and even death. She decided to research breeds of cattle to possibly start her own herd.
Warner turned to Farmers for the Future (FFF) members to seek experienced input. “How have you accomplished this? Is it silly to start with three cows and go from there?” she asks.
Rick Houston, veteran FFF member from Arkansas, shares his similar experience. “The good thing about the cattle business is all the different ways to be in it,” he says.
Growing up southwest of Chicago, 20-year-old Houston had never raised an animal in his life. Much like Warner, Houston’s grandfather owned 100 acres of land in Arkansas, so Houston moved south to start his cow/calf operation.
Beginning with four 500-pound heifers, a neighbor lent Houston a young bull for breeding season, and the operation gradually grew from there.
“I worked for a farmer in Indiana, and he told me to always keep the ball rolling,” explains Houston in response to worries about not owning any equipment. “Each year I would try to improve the farm.”
Whether it was putting in cross fencing, building a barn, or feeding hay on the worst pasture to seed it for the next year, Houston gradually shaped his land into the farmstead he now takes care of full time.
Join the network
Become a member of Farmers for the Future to share photos, to seek advice, and to interact with other young and beginning farmers. Join the conversation at farmersforthefuture.com.

domain: agronomy


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Urine-Soaked Library Books Ruled An Accident
Hundreds of dollars worth of gay-themed library books that were found soaked in urine at Harvard is no longer being treated as a hate crime, according to university investigators.
The 36 books, which covered GLBT topics ranging from coming out to equal marriage rights, were found by a library staff member in late November. Urine had been poured over each of the books, ruining them completely. An almost empty bottle (the smoking gun, so to speak) was found nearby.
The Harvard University Police Department reacted quickly, launching an investigation. Their findings: The damage was an accident, caused by a library staff member who inadvertently tipped over a bottle of urine that was sitting on the bookshelf. With the conclusion of their investigation, the incident is no longer being considered an act of vandalism or a hate crime.
Ah. Case closed, then. Good work.
A mishap like this was probably inevitable, actually, considering how libraries always store their bookshelf urine in inordinately tall bottles with rounded bottoms. A bump is all it takes.
I’m not even sure why they store that stuff there in the first place, come to think of it.
- Damaged LGBT Books in Lamont Not Result of Hate Crime, Dean Says [The Harvard Crimson]


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Current and former Capitol Police officials testified Wednesday that former officer Chrisavgi Sourgoutsis deserved to be fired, even though the department made procedural mistakes while she was on the force.
Sourgoutsis alleged the Capitol Police discriminated against her based on her gender in a lawsuit filed in 2016. Her civil trial in federal court continues this week.
The former officer claimed the department fired her because of her gender and that she was retaliated against because she was a witness in the sexual harassment investigation of her male supervisor.
Lawyers for Capitol Police and the police officials who testified Wednesday paint Sourgoutsis as a poor fit for police work. They claimed she began racking up rule violations soon after she started her training.
Kim Dine, who was chief of police when Sourgoutsis was fired in 2015, was among the witnesses on Wednesday. When Dine was chief, quarterly reports evaluating officers over the course of their first year of duty were routinely not completed.
These reports “must be considered” when making the final decision of whether to fire a probationary employee.
In the case of Sourgoutsis, none of her quarterly reports were completed when it came time to fill out the fourth and final assessment of her job performance. That was described as a “systemic failure” by former Capitol Police Chief Matthew R. Verderosa, Dine’s successor.
“Regardless of how her performance was monitored, it didn’t negate her actions,”Dine also testified on Wednesday.
Sourgoutsis received two command disciplinary infractions during her probationary period as a new sworn Capitol Police officer: one for a uniform infraction and another for sitting on a retaining wall while guarding a door at the Capitol Visitor Center. Her superiors alleged that she was distracted from guarding the door.
Dine lambasted Sourgoutsis for failing to follow the rules while on duty. He said Sourgoutsis’ conduct was “egregious.”
Dine testified that he didn’t ask whether the termination recommendation he approved originated from a first-line supervisor. Dine also said he didn’t recall whether he was aware that the quarterly reports weren’t completed.
Deputy Chief Chad Thomas, who approved firing Sourgoutsis, said that decision was based on “the totality of that record.”
The Whole Record
Over the course of six days of testimony, attorneys for the Capitol Police and Sourgoutsis have debated how long she was on probation and how long her violations should have been considered.
The Capitol Police contend the probationary period for Sourgoutsis—and all new officers—is 18 months. Her lawyers say training academy violations should not be considered and an officer should have a clean slate once they graduate from training.
Kelly Scindian, the department’s lawyer, has characterized Sourgoutsis as an employee who repeatedly broke the rules from the outset of her employment. That included seven incidents during training. Sourgoutsis’ training violations ranged from uniform violations — such as wearing the wrong color socks — to chewing gum in class and missing her initial class photos because she was using the bathroom.
Sourgoutsis also said to a superior that she didn’t want to “go turbo bitch” on a group of loud colleagues and used the term “asshole” in a separate instance, Scindian said. Sourgoutsis also got in trouble for using Skype in the cafeteria on the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center grounds, which was forbidden.
“You failed to follow, repeatedly, basic rules,” Scindian told Sourgoutis when the former officer was testifying earlier this week.
Sourgoutsis was placed on disciplinary probation by Lt. Glenn Brogan during training. The violations — CP-550s — are not disciplinary and could be positive or negative notes, Brogan testified Wednesday.
“First six weeks was rough,” Brogan said of Sourgoutsis’ performance at the outset of the training academy.
She graduated from the training academy in November 2014.
“She did well. She met the standards,” Brogan said of the way she finished training.
On May 10, 2015, Sourgoutsis, was working a double shift when a supervisor noticed she wasn’t wearing her proper Capitol Police shirt and instead had on a white T-shirt with a bulletproof vest.
The next day, while employees from the Architect of the Capitol were working on a door with masks to prevent them from inhaling noxious fumes, Sourgoutsis was photographed by another officer sitting with a worker. She was cited for diverting her attention from the point of entry.
These two official command disciplines were entered into Sourgoutsis’ file. When she met with Verderosa to discuss them, she testified that he told her to put the matters behind her.
“You can still have a long and successful career here at the United States Capitol Police,” Sourgoutsis said Verderosa told her at a July 28, 2015 grievance meeting.
On Aug. 18, 2015, Sourgoutsis was interviewed by Sgt. Mark Shutters in an internal investigation looking into allegations of sexual harassment by Tyrone Vias, who at the time was a sergeant. Sourgoutsis said in the interview that Vias called her and other women “chica” and “senorita.”
At trial, Sourgoutsis said she witnessed Vias “making inappropriate sexual pelvic thrusts while on duty.” She added she saw Vias do that in close proximity to her and to other females many times.
“I would notice him on many occasions leering at me,” Sourgoutsis said of Vias.
Vias, Sourgoutsis said, made comments about the way she looked on her Facebook profile picture, including about how she wore her hair down, her makeup, and that she looked pretty.
“I remember feeling violated,” Sourgoutsis said.
Vias remained her direct supervisor while the investigation was ongoing.
They Were Already Messed Up
Inspector Eric Waldow testified last week that he decided to recommend firing Sourgoutsis even after he realized the quarterly reports were not completed by Sgt. Maria Willis — the direct supervisor she worked with most closely — and without input from Sourgoutsis’ other direct supervisors.
Willis completed the final evaluations for all probationary officers under her charge, with the exception of Sourgoutsis. Waldow completed Sourgoutsis’ final report and gave her an “unsatisfactory” rating. He said he did not ask Willis for any earlier quarterlies on Sourgoutsis’ performance.
“The policy for completing the quarterly reports had already been messed up,” Waldow said.
Under Capitol Police rules, “Prior quarterly ratings must be considered when making the final determination regarding the retention of the probationary employee.” And recommendations regarding potential termination during the probationary period “should begin with the employee’s first-line supervisor,” according to the department’s directive.
“I didn’t follow it,” Waldow said of the Capitol Police protocol.
All three of Sourgoutsis’ first-line supervisors — Willis, Vias and Sgt. Joseph Moroziewicki — testified that she met expectations. Willis and Moroziewicki said Sourgoutsis was a “good officer.”
Male officers have been disciplined for violations before their probationary periods ended — like Sourgoutsis — but those men were not fired. Examples include male officers sleeping on duty.
Waldow learned Sourgoutsis was being interviewed by the Office of Professional Responsibility, the division that investigates allegations of misconduct, on Aug. 18, 2015.
Nine days later, Waldow issued Vias a performance note telling him to address subordinates in an “appropriate manner.” Waldow sent a recommendation to fire Sourgoutsis to Thomas on Sept. 4, 2015.
Vias has since been promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Waldow is now a deputy chief and Thomas is an assistant chief.
Brogan, who oversaw Sourgoutsis at training in Georgia, discussed her in a 2016 email exchange with the Capitol Police human resources specialist who told him she’d been fired.
“Nice to hear about Sourgoutsis — we counseled her and tried to coach her along with documentation, etc. while she was here. I agree with you-not the type of environment for her,” Brogan wrote. “Her classmates told us that she told them she really didn’t want to be in law enforcement — she applied with USCP for the health care. Or as we like to say down here ‘it looks like he/she is here only for the benefits package.’”
Closing arguments will start Thursday morning.
Sourgoutsis, who now at age 35 lives with her parents in New York and works at her brother’s restaurant, says different.
“I feel like they didn’t want a strong, educated, hard working, female police officer,” Sourgoutsis said from the stand earlier this week.


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