The low fidelity nature of Ad Christi gloriam‘s self-titled effort is the only thing detracting me from wholeheartedly recommending it. In an experiment to push new boundaries for the blackgaze genre, the band adopts a very religious, optimistic, and wholesome point of view, which is further supported by their choice of chords and lyrics. While the production at large is rough and uneven, what’s worse is the drum kit. It’s obviously from an electronic drum kit with a rather basic sound library attached to it. This is the detail that bothers me most, but if you can get behind that, Ad Christi gloriam is fascinating and promising, if they address these issues in the future.
Mortal is a hypnotic electroacoustic jazz experiment by one-man project Quicksails. The album features many layers of synthesizers or programmed electronic samples with live percussions and saxophone – among many others – in a free jazz environment. Each composition is set to reflect different moods and, as such, the whole of Mortal is as entrancing as it is emotionally involving. It’s often quite calm and soothing, but is built upon a multitude of superimposed sound layers, which results in an almost meditative experience.
Cult Play first deceives you into thinking In Search of Blood is a dungeon synth or dark ambient electronic album with its opener, ‘The Woods’, and its eerie soundscapes over ominous synth bass and all-encompassing pads, but things quickly transmutate, afterwards. The second track is where the EP truly begins, with its pumping bass and dance rhythm. Despite what you may think, this electronic dance album is very interesting musically, and keeps its aesthetics dark and occult. Each piece brings something new, whether it be frequent modulations or polyrhythmic themes, all to a square kick to which to bob, bang, or jump.
Ukandanz‘s አዎ (Awo) is something very special that you should pay close attention to. It’s not every day that we get the chance to hear from the Ethiopian music scene, and it’s even rarer to have something blow us away like this. The band fusions jazz and rock and still throws in some traditional music and a lot of distortion fuzz. The album goes from the very aggressive ‘እንዴ፡ኢየሩሳሌም።’ (Endé Iyérusalem) to the more gentle ‘ገላ፡ገላ።’ (Gela Gela), but always display that incredible amount of personality and creativity, thanks in part to their very idiosyncratic singer Asnaqé Guèbrèyès. This is a unique and memorable album from early 2016 that none of you should overlook!
Russian experimental jazz trio Бром (Brom) invites us to a hard-bop meets jazzcore session, on Рафинад (Rafinad), complete with amplified double bass, saxophone, and drums. The band’s experiments shine, from ‘Камень’ (Kamyen) to ‘Анютины Глазки’ (Anyutiny Glazki), over the course of a little more than three quarters of an hour divided into seven distinct pieces torn between compositions and improvisations. It’s certainly one of the highlights of January for experimental jazz.
What if technical death metal merged with grindcore, you ask? Seminary is here to answer that very question. Through a thick veil of experimentalism, Automnymous shines as an utterly foreign and dislikable entity. And that’s exactly why I like it so much. The songs are pretty long – for grindcore standards – and display a messy and schizophrenic personality that makes the whole sixteen minutes worth an hour. While I can hardly say the themes and ideas brought up in the songs are thoroughly developed and built upon, their relentless succession renders the classical techniques useless and antiquated. Let’s dive into this riff soup and enjoy every sip.
Joey Molinaro‘s folkcore is something that should bluntly appeal to no one: youngsters tend to move away from folkloric music while older people tend to steer clear of harsh music. Yet – and perhaps because of it -, Awash is a thundering success! The indescribable heavy influences – is it black metal? Is it mathcore? – are forced upon a minimalist folk band consisting of only violin, a screaming man, what sounds like feet stomping the ground, and occasional piano. The result is a truly horrendous but thoroughly adorable experiment that goes on for a little less than thirty minutes. It’s a standout album among the current mathcore scene, and one that will certainly make heads turn (and drop).
New York City’s Ajoyo is a big band dealing jazz in world music attire – or is it the other way around? The goal, here – in comparison to most of what is featured today -, isn’t to befuddle or repel people, but instead to celebrate, compel, and charm. And that goal is most definitely attained with Ajoyo‘s joyous, energetic, and captivating. The nonet (which becomes a dectet for ‘Sokejo’) lacks no imagination or talent for creating one of the most heartwarming jazz albums I’ve heard.


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Kintulammi is a great hiking area and nature reserve in the Teisko-Aitolahti region of Tampere. It is a public nature and hiking destination with trails, duckboards, lean-tos and signposts. The area is located approximately 20 kilometers outside Tampere city center in the direction of Teisko.
There are about 15 kilometers of marked hiking routes in the area and five fire pits, four of which are adjoined with an ecologically designed lean-to complex with a log shed and a dry toilet.
Click the bars below and learn important information:
Kintulammi nature reserve consists of three different parts with a combined acreage of 608,5 hectares. The heartland of the area is Vattula. It was protected in 1959 and its extension area in 2003. Vattula’s acreage is 61 hectares. The nature reserve was significantly expanded in 2017 when Kintulammi hiking area was protected as a part of the My Nature Gift to the Centenarian Finland campaign. For this reason, remember to move around in the area without leaving a trace. Use duckboards and trails, keep your pets on a leash at all times and admire plants without picking them.
In Kintulammi area, you can acquaint yourself with or come across such animals and plants as:
With a bit of luck, you might see a flying squirrel on the east side of the area, gliding between trees at twilight. They nest in a hole carved by a woodpecker into the trunk of an aspen or in a twig nest in a thick fir tree.
The largest grouse in Finland, capercallie, needs large forest areas and feels at home in Kintulammi.
Huge old pine trees have grown in the area for generations. These ancient trees are an absolutely majestic sight and tell a story from centuries ago.
LESSER BUTTERFLY ORCHID
The lesser butterfly orchid is a protected orchis species that grows in relative abundance in the area.
Kintulammi area is owned by the city of Tampere. You are allowed to move around in the nature reserve under everyman’s right within the limits allowed by protection orders. Detailed protection orders of the area and other further information about nature in the area are available on the city of Tampere website.
Service Point Frenckell
PHONE: 03 5656 4400
Kintulammi nature reserve is located in Teisko-Aitolahti, roughly 20 kilometers northeast from Tampere city center.
If you arrive from Tampere direction turn to Pulesjärventie at the Aitolahti-Sorila intersection.
From Pulesjärventie you turn to the parking lots of the area, either to Kintulammentie (P2 on the map) or to Keltolahdentie (P1 on the map). If you arrive in Keltolahdentie parking lot (P1), use the navigator address Keltolahdentie 47. If you arrive in Kintulammentie parking lot, Kintulammentie 378 is a good navigator address. Please note that the available parking space is limited and the roads leading to the parking lots are narrow. There are turnouts along the road. Please be careful on your arrival in the area.
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Tampere public transport bus lines 28A and 90 operate to Aitolahti-Sorila intersection at regular intervals. From the intersection, it’s a roughly three-kilometer walk along Pulesjärventie to the trail leading to the area. You can also turn to Kintulammentie at the intersection roughly 1,6 kilometers from the bus stop. Pulesjärventie is quite busy and there is heavy gravel truck traffic on the road. For safety reasons, walking IS NOT RECOMMENDED with children or large groups.
On weekdays, there is a connection from the Sorila stop to the end of the southern path of Kintulammi.
There’s a great opportunity to arrive in the area by bicycle. Lake Trails bicycle route runs through Teisko in the immediate vicinity of the hiking area. ”Viitapohja route” that runs along Pulesjärventie is very popular among cycling enthusiasts. From Tampere city center, you can ride along a cycleway up to Aitolahti-Sorila intersection. From the intersection, it is 1,6 kilometers along Pulesjärventie to Kintulammentie turn (P2) to the area.
In Kintulammi hiking and nature reserve, there are roughly 15 kilometers of marked hiking routes that consist of several alternative circular routes. The routes are marked with signposts that make hiking in the area an enjoyable and safe experience. The signposts are made of reflective material.
There are four different lean-to and fire pit complexes with a log shed and an dry toilet and one fire pit without a lean-to or a toilet. All lean-tos and bases are different and individually designed to fit their location. In designing the hiking routes and structures in the area, special attention was paid to natural and ecological implementation.
The trail from P1 parking lot to Kirkkokivi was designed and implemented as an accessible rock ash route. The accessible part is about 300 meters long and it continues up to the Kirkkokivi lean-to.
MOVE AROUND ON NATURE’S TERMS
PLEASE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALSO:

domain: travel


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The only way to describe the dominance the Dallas Mavericks showed over the OKC Thunder in the Western Conference Final was to say it was clinical. It was a surgical dismantling of an extremely young team by a team full of veteran players that want and know how to win.
The last two games of this series will be especially troubling for the Thunder as they had chances to win both of them, but their inexperience and lack of execution cost them late in the fourth quarter of games 4 and 5.
To the Mavs credit, they played the Thunder perfectly. They forced someone else, other than Durant to have to beat them and the Thunder played right into their hands. It’s inexperience. You can say Durant had a poor game, you can say that Westbrook shot too much, or that Harden didn’t have the ball enough to create for others, but we’re talking about a team that just doesn’t know how to win against the best yet. We’re also talking about a Thunder team that is full of 22 year olds. Give them time.
Moving forward, there are some issues that this young OKC team must address. The first question is whether they can win with Russell Westbrook as their point guard. The fourth quarter of game 5 showed that Scott Brooks has started to question it. Brooks substituted Maynor in at the point, and moved Westbrook to the shooting guard position.
The numbers don’t lie. Westbrook was 11-28 for 31 points. Durant was 8-20 for 23 points. Why is Westbrook consistently taking more shots than the NBA’s two time leading scorer? We’ve been over this. Hopefully, next year we’ll see Harden as a starter and Westbrook winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award. In game 5, Harden shot 7-11 for 23 points and 6 assists off the bench.
In the only game of the series that the Thunder were able to win, Russell Westbrook was on the bench for the entire fourth quarter.
But nothing was going to stop the Mavericks in game 5. It seemed like no matter how hard the Thunder played, no lead was safe.
Dirk Nowitzki has an assassins look in his eye like he has never had before. Nowitzki has always been a great offensive player, but the fire he’s playing with this postseason is unlike previous years.
With 100-96 victory in game 5, the Dallas Mavericks advance to the 2011 NBA Finals, where they’ll likely face the Miami Heat, who are up 3-1 on the Bulls, and will hope to close out that series tonight.
If that happens, we will see a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals and a chance at redemption for Dirk Nowitzki.
As for the Thunder, they’ll be back. They have a lot to learn about winning, but they have the youth, the talent and all the right pieces in place to be a championship contender for years to come.

domain: news


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Too many youth are unaware of the Filipino culture, history and language. This is the message from youth who gathered in Slocan Park on Philippine Independence Day. It was a hot afternoon on June 6 when they rallied outdoors, prompting the community to take action by integrating the Filipina language into the school system.
"As our community marks the Philippines' 117th Independence Day, it's important to both celebrate how far we've come - and recognize how much we still need to do," says Filipino-born Canadian James Infante, executive member of University of British Columbia's Filipino Students Association.
"And one of the things we need to address is the youth's increasing lack of awareness about the Filipino culture, history and language. So in the coming weeks and months, we will introduce a campaign calling on school boards to include the Filipino language as a course offer[ed] in the school system," he added.
Infante wanted the day’s events to also remind the community about the Philippine revolution of 1896, when over a century ago, sacrifices were made so freedom could be gained for the Filipino people of today.
In British Columbia high schools, French is compulsory until grade 10. Other languages such as Spanish are available at some schools.
Published in Partnership with The Filipino Post.


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Where to start?!
It all sounds great, we want running water in a cabin and for a few days and then a resort style place for a week, and then plan to visit niagara falls and Ontario . Any suggestions? I would like an area of the park that has a sandy beach for the kids .....is the canoing safe for kids?

domain: geography


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Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Police appeal after spate of bike thefts at Sussex railway stations
These CCTV images have been released by police investigating bicycle thefts.
The pictures show people British Transport Police want to speak to over crimes at railway stations in Sussex.
Two men are wanted after a locked-up bike was stolen from Eastbourne Station between Wednesday, January 9 and Thursday, January 10.
A similar theft was reported at Hassocks Station between 8.30pm and 11.30pm on October 4.
At Angmering on December 6, an attempt was made to cut a man’s bike lock.
Police want to talk to a man about a bike stolen from West Worthing Station on Tuesday, October 9.
A bicycle was taken from Durrington Station between 7.2pm on New Year’s Eve and 8.30am on New Year’s Day.
Two men are being sought over a bike theft at Shoreham on Tuesday, January 8.
Another image shows two men at Southwick Station, where a bike was taken on January 24.
A bike and its lock were taken from Angmering Station on July 28 last year.
Another picture shows men police are trying to trace over an attempted theft at Littlehampton Station on Wednesday, January 16.
PC Billy Burstow said: “The officers investigating these cases have followed a number of lines of enquiry and circulated these images on police intelligence systems to try and get names for these people, but to no avail so far.
“Now we are asking members of the public to help identify them. If you know any of these people, then we want to hear from you.”
Anyone with information is asked to call British Transport Police on 0800 405040, quoting reference B10/LSA of February 27.
See the latest news headlines from The Argus:
- Political coup to oust Brighton and Hove council leader fails
- Open day at well-being centre in Hove
- Sussex Boat owners urged to carry out safety checks
- Sussex mum of eight guilty of £350,000 benefit fraud
- Plans for rooftop gardens in Brighton and Hove


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Sorting through every new game on Steam so you don't have to.
For the full Web Story experience, please click the speaker icon to unmute slides.
A first-person adventure inspired by the Slavic folk legend of Baba Yaga. The protagonist is Yaga, but don't worry: you won't be bludgeoning foes with a pestle, because the combat in Blacktail is all about magical archery.
Melatonin is a psychedelic rhythm game set on the threshold between reality and dreams. Most importantly, it's a rhythm game that does away with the usual rhythm game interfaces.
A point and click puzzle game, but one with puzzles that strive to evoke that dreaded feeling of mid-night alertness.
Like its predecessor, River City Girls 2 is all about walking right and beating the crap out of baddies. It's a beat 'em up developed by one of the best pixel art studios in the biz.
Here's a retro-styled open world RPG, with pixel art that resembles a rose-tinted glasses take on the 8-bit Zelda games. Seems like some old school fun, and the pixel art is pretty.

domain: entertainment


text: Welcome to another great music presentation of local talent music as well as the 60’s hits. I was only on for an hour but who knows how long I will be on next Wednesday night? Please come back and tell your friends about the guy who is trying to promote local talent each week. By the way, we are always looking for more to play on Oshawa Rocks. Why not share your talent with us? Send in an MP3 file of a radio show, a promotion of you and your music or business or whatever. Send it to firstname.lastname@example.org. Take care. Len Jeffrey.

domain: artistic


joints in concrete construction - types and location of,1. construction joints construction joints are placed in a concrete slab to define the extent of the individual placements, generally in conformity with a predetermined joint layout. construction joints must be designed in order to allow displacements between both sides of the slab but, at the same time, they have to transfer flexural stresses produced in the slab by external loads..joints in poured walls - concrete construction,called isolation joints. construction joints separate adja-cent placements of concrete to make l a r ge pours manageable. constru c - tion joints are commonly located to coincide with contraction or expan-sion joints. contraction joints wall contraction joints often are made by fastening projecting strips inside forms to create narro w.
What Can I Do For You?
concrete construction joints are used on placements when you won't pour the entire floor, slab, wall or driveway all at once. they are used in between pours and are designed to allow slab movement or transfer load from one pour to another. the location of construction joints should be planned to minimize cracking in concrete slabs.
construction joint. construction joints are designed to split areas of the structure into separate concrete sections for work scheduling reasons, or as a structural measure to transfer load, for example. the reinforcement in construction joints is therefore continuous through the joint. connection joint.
properly executed construction joints provide limits for successive concrete placements, without adversely affecting the structure. for monolithic concrete, a good construction joint provides a well-bonded watertight surface, which allows for flexural and shear continuity through the joint.
construction joints are used in circumstances where two consecutive placements of concrete meet. construction joints are normally placed at the end of the day or when concrete pour has been stopped for longer than the initial setting time of concrete. construction joints should be designed and specified by a structural engineer.
there are three types of joints commonly used in concrete construction: construction joints, contraction joints also called control joints, and expansion joints. construction joints construction joints are used between sections of monolithic placement, typically to allow the work to be stopped for the day.
most reinforced concrete structures have construction joints between casts, with reinforcement passing through these joints. the intention of the joints is to allow a monolithic structure to be broken down into a series of casts of manageable size or a logical component assembly sequence (such as connection of a precast pile to the superstructure beams and the beams to the slab).
construction joints are used between separate concrete placements, typically along placement lane edges. formed or slipped face butt joints are recommended for most parking lots where load transfer needs are minimal. 1st placement 2nd placement use of construction joints
wall & floor panel design & construction for further information refer to the cement concrete and aggregates australia, technical note - joints in concrete buildings through website: www.concrete.net.eu the project architect and engineer shall be responsible for determining the optimum location of movement joints, as their location
cast-in place concrete walls use three types of joints: contraction joints are weakened planes built into walls to control the location of cracking caused by volume changes, especially those related to shrinkage and temperature changes. expansion joints are separations between adjoining parts of a structure to allow movement.
a construction joint, or day-work joint, is one where fresh concrete has to be placed on or against concrete that has already hardened. this type of joint is different from contraction and expansion joints, which are used to accommodate movement, and from joints incorporating water bars.
types of joints in construction. there are basically four types of joints based on their function and construction features. they are listed as, construction joint; expansion joint; contraction joint; isolation joint; 1. construction joint. these joints in the concrete structure are designed to separate the large concrete mass work into a divisional pattern.
vertical joints in walls, beams and slabs are usually formed at a stop end in the formwork. stop ends shall be located where the reinforcement is least dense. holes for reinforcement in stop-ends are a potential weakness because grout loss can occur.
3. construction joints in concrete walls. construction joints shall be made and located so as not to detrimentally affect the strength of the wall. concrete at the interface of construction joints required to be roughened in order to create proper bond between previous and newly poured concrete. aci 350 specify maximum 12.19m spacing between construction joints, and 3.65m between wall
the construction joints in concrete are important to prevent any crack during its life period. concrete has the property of expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, which is resulting in a change in the volume of concrete. this change in the
concrete joints are used to compensate when concrete expands or shrinks with changes in temperature.. concrete joints are normally used to prevent cracking when concrete contractions, creating training, tools, sawdust, and placement of joint builders.. pre-planned cracks will provide a finishing product with a better finish and will be formed in specific locations where those cracks can be
1.1—joints in concrete structures. joints are necessary in concrete structures for a variety of reasons. not all concrete in a given structure can be placed continuously, so there are construction joints that allow for work to be resumed after a period of time. since concrete un-dergoes volume changes, principally related to shrinkage
different joints in concrete slabs all have the same bottom-line purpose of preventing cracks. in slabs, there are three types of joints: isolation joints (also sometimes functioning as expansion joints) construction joints (which can also function as contraction joints)
joints in concrete may be either or both construction joints or shear-friction joints such as new concrete placed against hardened concrete. in principle, the two joints are the same. an example of a joint being a construction joint and a shear-friction joint is a concrete wall placed on a hardened concrete footing.
joints in concrete walls. cast concrete retaining walls may be constructed with any or all of the following joints: construction joints: these are vertical or horizontal joints that are used between two successive pours of concrete. keys are used to increase the shear resistance at the joint.
construction joints are a plane surface between two elements of concrete. it is concrete that is placed against concrete already placed. it is fairly hardened to a level that vibration will not produce consolidation. construction joints may be vertical as produced in a slab, horizontal as in a column, or both as created in a wall.
various joints in construction. contraction joints are intended to create weak planes in the concrete and to regulate the locations where cracks, as a resulting of dimensional changes, can occur.. isolation or expansion joints are provided to separate or isolate slabs from other parts of the building, such as walls & footings or. columns; also driveways and patios from sidewalk, garage slabs
vertical joints, for example in walls, are usually formed at a stop end in the formwork. the stop end must be easily removable, without damage to the young concrete. an alternative approach uses expanded metal mesh to form the stop end instead of the traditional timber. this is particularly useful when the reinforcement is congested.
the building joint and its location has to be carefully selected. construction joints: this type of jointing is used wherever concrete construction is interrupted. it helps the structure absorb thermal expansion, but will be located where the strength of the structure will.
but, in section 8.5, 224.3r-95 describe like 'wall construction joint should be spaced 4.5 to 7.5m (15 to 25 ft) interval with 4.5m (15ft)from the corner of the structure.' that statement make me confused that the construction joint spacing is same as contraction joint spacing. re: types of joints in concrete wall aci 224.3r-95. mrhershey


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Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market: An Overview
Online financing is a method of debt financing under which different individuals can lend and borrow money using the online platform. The systems eliminate the involvement of middleman or banking institutions. The loans allotted by the lender help the individuals and companies to generate income in the form of interest. Additionally, the borrowers can have easy access to financing, which is difficult for them to procure if they approach a standard financial intermediary. The amount of interest levied against the loan is lower compared to the traditional prime loans that offer to compensate lenders for bearing the risk of non-payment from the borrowers. Investors fund only a limited sum of the loan and spread the amount of the loan across many buyers. The investors receive steady, attractive returns while providing the least risk to multiple borrowers. Global Online financing platform for SMBs market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 53 percent during the period from 2020-2026.
Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market: Market Dynamics
After a number of the global financial crisis, changes in banking regulations and fluctuations with financial institutions are trying to deleverage the off-balance sheet items to meet the penal capital adequacy requirements. The change in policies and market fluctuations has led to the reduction of loan finance for SMBs and individual borrowers as they are considered to be risky. An increase in lending to SMBs, borrowers having quicker access to credit, and proper management of inventory and working capital is expected to drive the growth of the Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market in the forecasted period. Marketplace lending, invoice financing, supply chain financing, trade financing, and merchant and e-commerce finance are few of the factors expected to drive the growth of the market in the forecasted period. Innovations such as equipment lease finance have helped in the expansion of the market to ease the lending procedure.
The market also witnesses the use of such services by SMBs during their start-up and growth stages as during these phases; the companies find it difficult to raise finance due to lack of data about their performance histories. Online platforms for financing for SMBs offer moderate to high risk along with scenario analytics for different products and services along with real-time pricing and capital management of multi-asset portfolios. The unique tool provides for a detailed and transparent lending solution to SMBs and individuals to buy products and services from an online platform. The online lender's professionals that deal with the online platform for use during credit data management and deal with information to generate cash flows and analytics at the portfolio level. The practical process of pricing the product should help manage individual portfolios and avoid firm-wide risks through automation, consistency, and transparency.
Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market: Market Segmentation
On the basis of type, the Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market can be segmented as advanced authentication, identify proofing services, and others. On the basis of application, the Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market can be classified as personal and commercial. In the year 2019, the advanced authentication Online financing Platform for SMBs has contributed the largest in the market. Both personal and commercial Online financing Platforms for SMBs are expected to provide for the highest contribution in the market in the forecasted period.
Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market: Regional Landscape
Americas, EMEA, and APAC are the major regions where the presence of the Global Online Financing Platform for SMBs Market. Asia-Pacific has emerged as the highest contributor in the market in the recent decade. The growth of the market in the region can be attributed to factors such as Marketplace lending, invoice financing, supply chain financing, trade financing, and merchant and e-commerce finance.
Global Online financing Platform for SMBs Market: Key Market Players
CircleBack Lending, Kabbage, Lending Club, OnDeck, Peerform, Prodper, Daric, Funding Circle, Borrowers First, Pave and SoFi are few of the key market players in the Global Online financing Platform for SMBs Market.
Business Questions Answer by the Report
· How will the market drivers, restraints and opportunities affect the market dynamics?
· What will be the market size in terms of value and volume and market statistics with a detailed classification?
· Which segment dominates the market or region and one will be the fastest growing and why?
· A comprehensive survey of the competitive landscape and the market participant players.
· Analysis of strategy adopted by the key player and their impact on other players.
Customization Scope for the Client
Client satisfaction is our first and last priority and that’s why BlueWeave Consulting offers customization according to company’s specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:
Additional Company Information
· With five additional company detail analysis
· Additional country analysis

domain: finance


text:
Two giant, imposing dragons confront their greatest fears…each other!
East Dragon and West Dragon live on opposite sides of the world. They have never met—and they like it that way. East Dragon is sure that West Dragon’s huge wings mean that he is very, very strong. West Dragon fears that East Dragon’s long, swishy tail means that he is very, very fierce. But when some meddlesome knights start a riff between their two kingdoms, East Dragon and West Dragon are finally forced to come face-to-fire-breathing-face. Might the two dragons finally discover they aren’t so different after all?
Detail-rich illustrations combine with a lighthearted, inspiring message to create a playful twist on the classic theme of fierce, fearless dragons. This story of friendship across cultures begs to be read again and again!
- Cat. No.


text: Catherine Chanter grew up in the West Country and studied English at St. Anne’s College, Oxford. After several years as a lobbyist in the UK and abroad, she re-trained as a teacher, specialising in supporting children with behavioral difficulties and worked at The Tavistock in London. She is currently completing an MA in writing. Catherine writes novellas, short stories and poetry, and has also written for Radio 4. Her short story ‘A Summer of Findings’ was shortlisted for the 2009 Asham Award, and appeared in the Bloomsbury anthology Waving at the Gardener (2009) alongside stories from Margaret Atwood, Esther Freud, Alison MacLeod and Yiyun Li.

domain: literature


TrueFire Learning Path has just what you need and at the right price.
The Quick-Start for Beginner course is the perfect place to start if you know some chord and strumming patterns and are able to play some songs and single-note lines.
If not, check out TrueFire’s other courses in the Learning Path. Get started on the right path.
The Quick-Start Acoustic Guitar Course will help you get to the next level with the help of 3 top TrueFire teachers: Corey Congilio, Brooks Robertson, and David Hamburger. Watch this video by Brooks Robertson to see what the lessons are like.
Are you concerned about having to practiceall the boring things like reading music, tedious exercises, music theory? Don’t be!! Not in this course!! This course teaches you to play the guitar. In fact, you’ll be playing your guitar through the whole course.
What You’ll Learn:
You’ll get in the groove with a classic rhythm pattern.
Learn a chord progression that many songs use.
Versatile Fingerstyle technique for use in any song.
Acoustic guitar techniques.
12 Bar progression.
New essential rhythm patterns.
How The Quick Start Program Works
You will see demonstrations of all the key examples played over jam tracks (if applicable). This will give you an idea of how to play them in the real world. You will also see how to apply them in a musical, performance context.
You will also see key examples of tabbed and notated for your practice. Everything you need for practice, reference, and studies are included in the lesson.
Also included are the Guitar Pro files which enable you to play, loop, or slow down the tab and notation as you practice the lessons. You can repeat any section as needed so you can learn the material. It is all under your control.
The great thing is that all the jam tracks are yours to use as you work on your own.
Take the course at your own speed. Go at the speed that is comfortable for you. It gives you the opportunity to really learn the lesson before moving on to the next lesson.
Supplementary material is available if you want to dig deeper or wider into any part of the material covered in the core course. The Supplementary materials contain more examples, techniques, and insight from the top TrueFire teachers.
When you hear the name, Alex Skolnick, you automatically think of Alex, the original melodic thrash guitarist playing with Testament. But, Alex is a man of many talents. He has released several critically acclaimed jazz albums with the Alex Skolnick Trio. He also plays with the Planetary Coalition. The Coalitions is a group of musicians from different walks in life and various regions around the globe. They work toward a cross-cultural musical vision.
Alex is pretty much a household name in heavy and thrash metal arenas, but refuses to be labeled in any specific musical genre.
Alex’s course, Unbound Guitar, Rock Guitar Lessons, is a great addition to TrueFire’s course selection. No matter your preferred style of music, Alex’s ear and eye-opening courses reveals underlying harmonic, creative, and technical foundations of his exceptional musical ability.
”Over the course of my career, I’ve played, recorded, and performed many different styles of music. What you might be surprised to know is that the building blocks of metal, jazz, acoustic, blues, world music (or really any style) relies on the same harmonic concepts, techniques, and expressive approaches at their foundational framework. I’m excited to share that framework with you here in Unbound Guitar,” Alex Skolnick.
Rock Guitar Lessons - Secret Sauce - by Jeff Scheetz
Jeff Sheetz, a world-renowned guitarist demonstrates his “secret sauce”, in Jeff’s Blues Rock: Secret Sauce Blues-Rock guitar Lessons. These are just a sample of the courses offered on TrueFire. These courses equip you with five essential concepts and techniques used in many blues-rock settings. You will learn how to slip “outside” and back again incorporating intervallic lines in your playing. Jeff also teaches the ins and outs of dynamic phrasing, melodic playing and modal playing, techniques used creating exceptional solos and comps.
I’ve been a fan of TrueFire for many years because they put out high quality education videos that expand on many of concepts I teach my students in different genres. The site can be a bit overwhelming because there are thousands of lessons, so I’ve picked out some of my favorites below. (If you find there are just too many good ones, you can sign up for an All Access Membership, which you can get for a month, year, or lifetime,)” Susan Palmer, Founder of Lead Cat Press.
All of TrueFire’s lessons are designed to have you up and playing quickly. The Bass Guitar Lessons will teach you how to play essential bass lines and rhythms. It also teaches you basic hand positions that lend to a good solid tone and how to strengthen your fingers for playing open and fretted notes.
Are you thinking of playing in a band as a bass player? Bass players are in high demand. It’s easy to find gigs and bands to play with making the bass attractive. But, you still have to learn how to play it well.
Stu’s beginning course lays down the basics for almost every style of music. He bridges the gap between percussion instruments and the melody played by the lead instruments and the vocalists.
The Country Learning Path, taught by 2 top TrueFire instructors, Corey Congilio and Jason Loughlin, will have you up and playing as quickly as possible. The course begins with a classic country alternating bass rhythm and a single note country melody to help you get your twang on.
The next step will be to learn a bass line walkup which will link your country chords together. You’ll also learn three new strumming patterns and a bass line walkup which will help you spice up any tune.
You’ll then move into movable barre chords which will open up more country music songs as you learn to apply them to classic country songs.
Table of contents
What do you hope to accomplish as a guitarist?
Is your goal to be able to play and sing at the same time? Do you want to be a great guitar soloist like Tommy Emmanuel? Is your dream to play in a Country band and make it big in Nashville? No matter your goals, find a guitarist that can play at a higher level than where you are trying to get to.
This is where TrueFire shines. Their instructors are experienced guitarists in their own right. Many are GRAMMY winners or top studio guitarists. They are guitarists who can take you to where you want to go if you’ll put in the work.
Decide where you want to go as a guitarist. Focus on that goal instead of trying to do everything at once. Allow TrueFire’s instructors to help you reach your goal. After going through the beginning lessons you may decide you want to go a different direction, such as, playing bass or rock guitar.
Is it going to take work?
Absolutely!! Weight out the cost in time and energy. If you are willing to put in the time and effort the TrueFire instructors will help you achieve your goal.
If you need some one-on-one help, TrueFire has private lessons to help you get over the hump and on your way to success.
Yes, the private lesson does cost more, but it is nothing like having to pay for private lessons one-on-one near where you live.
I did some research on how much private lessons cost on average from $225 per lesson to $40 per lesson. With private lessons, you do not have video lessons and jam tracks to play with. You have a music book and it’s up to you to remember how the teacher said to play it.
I took private lessons for years. Sometimes I would remember how the teacher said to play the lessons and other times I wouldn’t. If not, we’d be on the same material for weeks until I got it right.
TrueFire’s private lessons give you a video and documentation of the instructor’s comments and what he said to change. Trust me. It is far better to have video lessons than one-on-one private lessons.
At this point in developing your guitar skills, you’re building up your chord vocabulary, a list of rhythm techniques, and several fingerstyle patterns. You have also learned to play some classic songs in your genre. It’s now time to move to the next level.
TrueFire's Online Acoustic Guitar Lessons
Learning to play an acoustic guitar is a technical skill. If you focus only on what is in your lesson or play only songs you know, you are only learning to repeat what you have been shown. Some guitar lessons online teach mainly how to play songs.
TrueFire, on the other hand, focuses more on technique so you will have a solid foundation for advanced playing. Yes, you will learn how to play chords, keep a steady rhythm, and be able to change chords smoothly. As you progress you will learn how to arpeggiate chords and incorporate rests for more dynamic rhythms and strumming patterns.
TrueFire’s “Easy-To-Digest” Approach
TrueFire is known for presenting guitar lessons in “easy-to-digest, bite-sized chunks” so you never feel overwhelmed or frustrated. Your instructor guides you through every step of TrueFire’s unique play-along jam practice session. You are never sent off to practice on your own.
Some lessons or teachers launch into teaching music early in the lessons. TrueFire teaches technique leaving the study of music until later in your intermediate or advanced lessons. Why?
Many people who are taught music theory early in their guitar lessons either get bored and won’t practice or get really confused with the lessons. TrueFire has discovered after years of teaching that people can become a great guitarist without learning music theory. When a guitarist needs or wants to study music, it is available in TrueFire.
Tip #1 Practice every day. TrueFire lessons start you with easy chords and fingering. You have video lessons and practice tapes. When I was learning to play, an important principle was, “if you don’t practice you can’t learn.” Practice as much as you can with the Jam Tracks. When you play with the track it will be more fun, therefore, you will stick with it longer.
Tip #2 Don’t try to master everything at once. Follow TrueFire’s schedule. Take the lessons in bite-sized chuncks. Learn the first part first before moving on to the next part.
Tip #3 The basic chords and rhythm styles or basically the same. After finishing the first tape and you want to choose a different style, do it. Pick the genre of music you like to listen to. That will make taking lessons much more enjoyable and you will be able to stick to it.
Tip #4 As you begin your lessons select a 15 min slot per day that you can stick to. In learning to play acoustic, you will want to stick with 15 minutes in the beginning until you get used to playing and your fingers are less painful, then increase the practice time. Until your fingers get tougher, stick with short practice periods with focused practice on your lessons. It will get better if you stick to it. Don’t give up.
Tip #5 As you learn to play the songs in your lesson, slow them down at first. Increase the speed as you begin to play them smoothly.
Tip #6 If you’re considering an electri guitar over an acoustic, there are several things to consider. Electric guitars do have thinner strings with lower action, which can help ease the pain some what as you learn to play. Remember that with an electric you do have to have an amp, cables, headphones, effects which is an added cost. But, starting with an acoustic will help you develop your overall skills better. Since the strings on an acoustic are thicker, you will develop your fingers faster than with ana electric.
Tip #7 Your beginning experience with your first instrument is vital to your long-term success. If you don’t like your guitar or the music you are playing there is a higher likelihood tht you wo’t stick with it long term.
– Increase your guitar’s playability. Have the strings lowered. – Keep your nails trimmed. – Get the light gauge strings. – Learn on a steel string acoustic guitar. Don’t press on the strings so hard. – Don’t play with wet fingers. – Refrain from biting, picking, or shaving off your hard-earned calluses. – Soak your fingers in apple cider vinegar.
Some of the first things you will learn in the Blues Path are chord shapes, how to play a steady rhythm and how to change chords smoothly.
A Bit Of Blues History
Table of contents
Blues, secular folk music, was heavily influenced by the African Americans originally in the South, south of the Mason and Dixon Line.
The Blues was recognized as a musical style toward the end of the 19th Century. It eventually evolved into Jazz around the 1920s.
In the 1960s blues changed to a simpler but expressive form of music that greatly influenced the development of popular music in the US.
The Blues is still alive and well in the US music scene. But its popularity has shifted from Blues and Jazz to Rock and Roll, R&B, Rock, Funk, and Disco.
The peak for traditional Blues was between the 40’s – 70’s, some artists breaking out of the traditional form.
Blues is not a dead musical style because interesting music is still coming from that arena. It also influences other music forms such as Jazz and even Country. Acoustic Guitar Skills are also important in Blues Guitar Music
Get enrolled in Blues Guitar Lessons today to enlarge your guitar skills.
Blues is also very important you want to specialize in Country Guitar.
As with the other courses, TrueFire’s objective is to get all students playing as quickly as possible, with no music theory or boring exercises. Some of you may question the “no music theory,” but music theory is a stand-alone course if you choose to learn to read music or music theory. It is not mandatory for guitar lessons.
Blues Guitar Lesson Includes:
Classic blues shuffle in the key of A
12-bar blues in E
7th Chords a blues staple
use the 7th chords in 2 Blues songs
Cool blues lick
First blues turnaround
The Blues instructors demonstrate all of the lesson examples on the practice tracks, when necessary.
The practice jam tracks are designed to look and feel like you are playing in the real world musical setting. Included in the lesson downloads are key example tablatures, notated for your practice, references, and study purposes.
You will also get Guitar Pro Files that you can be played in loops or at a slower speed so you can follow the tab and notation as you play through the lessons. All of the jam tracks for each lesson will also be included.
An important feature, TrueFire courses allow each student can take as much time as needed on each lesson before moving on to the next lesson. TrueFire’s goal is for each student to understand the material and be able to play through each lesson.
Supplementary information and courses are available if a student wants to dig deeper into the lessons or if they need additional help to understand and play the lesson material.
Blues Educators & Supplementary Blues Info
This Blues Learning Path core course is presented by 3 top TrueFire educators: Jeff McErlain, Corey Congilio, and Jeff Scheetz.
The supplementary info will give you more examples, techniques and insight from TrueFire’s top instructors.
In the first lesson in the Jazz Guitar Lessons, you will learn jazz chords, rhythms, single-line melodies, and a couple of songs. As you move through the class you will learn more jazz chords and classic jazz progressions such as Killer Joe. One of the songs you will learn to play is “When The Saints Go Marching In.”
Jazz Guitar Lesson - What You Will Learn and How It Works
The following information is also contained in your Jazz Course:
3 Essential Jazz Rhythms
Versatile Jazz Chords
Walking Bass Line
How to play a ii V I Progression
As with the other lessons, the instructors will demonstrate all of the key examples on practice jam tracks. You will also get tablature and notations for the examples, plus references and study purposes. Included in the jazz course you will get the Guitar Pro Files which enable you to slow the jam tape down or loop any section as you work through the lesson.
TrueFire encourages you to take as much time as needed to get through each lesson before moving on to the next. They also have lots of supplemental material if you want to dig deeper into any topic covered in the course. You will find more examples, techniques, and insights for each course in the Learning Path Section.
Table of contents
A Taste of Jazz
You many think that Improvisation is only for the Jazz Guitar, but it’s actually found in many types of playing. You could be playing lead in a rock band, a jazz guitarist or a songwriter who uses improvisation in your music. Improvising on a song helps create new melodies and arrangements. Learning to improvise in your guitar lessons should be an important focus.
An important technique in learning to improvise is playing the pentatonic scale. In your lessons with TrueFire you will learn scales and how to use them in improvisation.
You will also learn how to read and use tabs which will help you with improvisation.
One of the best ways to enter the jazz world is through the blues. The classic swing and bebop tunes are nothing more than twelve-bar blues with a swing rhythm and fancy chord changes. Most people start with the minor pentatonic scale when they are learning how to play jazz and improv. Charlie Parker is a great example of using swing blues.
The next step is often learning the play the jazz standards. These require some memorizing key changes and how to play through them. If you focus on playing well on jazz standards (tunes), you will be quickly on your way to playing jazz guitar.
Focusing on jazz standards means playing the melody with some accompanying chords, improve with some single-note solos, and add a touch of chord melody from time to time.
If you are new to playing jazz the above statement may go right over your head, but don’t worry. As you follow your lessons and practice with the practice jam tracks, your TrueFire teachers will have you playing the jazz standards, and everything else mentioned above before you know it. It’s a step-by-step process. You Can Do It!!!!
Student's Rave Review
“At 50 I finally decided to learn to play guitar. With my hectic schedule, I needed something that was ready and available when I had time. Learning Guitar 1 was a fantastic introduction to guitar basics. I love that it started with elementary, straightforward concepts and chords that I could grasp and learn. It even talks about HOW to practice. Then the course built on those simple things by adding other simple chords, strumming, and then working up to simple songs. I’m on my way!” – Daniel Rode, TrueFire Student
TrueFire’s website is easy to navigate with high definition photos and videos. The lessons feature multiple angles providing close-up views of the guitarist’s hands as he/she plays. They also use SoundSlice which is a music learning platform with interactive music notation. As the teacher plays through a lesson, in a different camera angle, Soundslice follows the music notation or chord chart as the music is being played. TrueFire has teamed up with SoundSlice to provide the best way to learn any song. You will find SoundSlice used in all the lessons, plus the Jam Tracks.
TrueFire’s In The Jam delivers an unparalleled jamming experience for the beginner or advanced musician. The Jam Track is the next best thing to jamming in real life. To make it even better you get to jam with well-known artists.
Each Jam Track includes 10 multi-track videos arranged in separate video and audio tracks for each of the instruments on the video. The video gives you the ability to mute, solo, or adjust the volume of any track. You will also get lead sheet charts which enables you to follow the chord change and jam structure.
Jam Tracks with SoundSlice video is the best way to develop your improvisation skills so you are ready to jam with a band on stage with a solid rhythm section and other musicians.
With the Jam Tracks, you will have a bandstand right in your practice room! room!
TrueFire is currently focused on teaching techniques instead of learning numerous songs so that the guitarists are able to apply their skills in any situation. This could be a negative for a guitarist who just wants to learn songs, but it is a plus for someone who has the dream of playing professionally.
They also offer private lessons with an instructor of your choices for an extra cost. There is a wide variety of programs and costs for private lessons. In the private lesson, you get 1 topic-specific lesson with the instructor of your choice. The lesson includes a skill assessment, video messaging, file attachments, and a discussion thread for a one-time fee. The cost of the private lesson, considering the video and written assessment, the cost is very reasonable. There are several plans to choose from.
In comparison, I priced lessons in our local city. The prices ranged anywhere from $30 to $276 per hour.
I took music lessons for years. Online video lessons with an occasional private lesson, in my opinion, would be much more productive. With a video lesson, you have something to listen to and compare to your playing, whereas, with face-to-face lessons, you often miss something the teacher is saying causing your practice to be less effective and your learning slower.
TrueFire’s private lessons give you the benefit of learning from an experienced guitarist and teacher while learning from home with the video lessons and practice tracks. This is one area where TrueFire provides more opportunities than other online guitar lessons.
TrueFire has been teaching guitar lessons since 1991. Currently, they have amassed over 40,000 video guitar lessons and 700 full courses. Over the years they have collaborated with over 600 world-renown guitarists and teachers. They currently have a million members that use the site regularly. They specialize in advanced and intermediate guitar lessons.
World-Renowned Guitarists and Educators
One of the most important reasons for TrueFire’s success is the level of their educators. Among them you will find Steve Vai, Robben Ford, and Tommy Emmanuel, each of whom is a guitar icon on the music world stage. These are just three of the current 200 incredible guitarists currently teaching TrueFire’s intermediate and advanced courses. As you go through the different posts on this site you will see different instructors and snippets of their courses available on TrueFire.
As mentioned above, TrueFire really excels in their advanced and intermediate guitar lessons. They are known among the online guitar lessons and others as having exceptional material and educators in their more advanced courses. In the intermediate and advanced courses, you will discover a wide variety of courses and supplemental material in all guitar styles. These courses are designed to equip guitarists to be able to step into the professional arena. It is important for working guitarists to excel in rhythm guitar as they will spend on an average of 90% of their time playing behind vocalists and other musicians. Therefore, TrueFire focuses on a wide variety of chords, rhythm styles, and picking techniques that will prepare the guitarist to be proficient in any musical setting.
Many more courses are available in the Advanced and Intermediate courses offered.
“You’ll learn a truckload of new voicings, new rhythmic patterns, new fills and even new right-hand techniques, all of which can be combined, transcribed and crafted into countless blues applications,”Susan Palmer.
“You’ll start the course with a quick primer where Jason will introduce you to dominant seventh inversions, using substitutions, harmonizing the blues scale, contrary motion and altered chords — all in an effort to add more harmonic depth to your blues solos,” Susan Palmer.
“Mimi covers it all in Flying Solo; you will learn how to play solo jazz guitar utilizing integrated walking bass lines within both blues and standard jazz styles; playing Latin grooves; the effective use of odd meters; advanced melodic and harmonic concepts; the use of voice leading within solos; chord soloing; integrated soloing in blues, standard and bossa styles; chordal development; the importance of developing strong intros and endings; the effective integration of texture and dynamics; major, minor and dominant substitutions; rubato playing; utilizing harmonics and open strings; improvisation; and a special two-part section on arranging pieces utilizing a composer’s mindset,” Susan Palmer.
“For each of the five bebop progression jam tracks, Sheryl will show you a handful of licks and comping approaches that you can use. Then, you’ll take turns applying those ideas, trading solos and comping for each other,” Susan Palmer.
“Fareed Haque’s Jazz Comping Survival Guide is based on a very simple, yet far-reaching concept; building chords from the inside out. Your tutelage begins with basic guide tones and an intuitive system for building your chord vocabulary with extensions until you’ve rapidly acquired and have command of ALL of the chords and colors used by jazz guitarists,” Susan Palmer.
“Jazz guitar players need a wide and diverse vocabulary of turnarounds to spice up their comping for the vocalists and soloists in the band. In this collection of 30 Jazz Turnarounds, Frank Vignola stocks your inventory with a wide variety of diverse turnarounds that will take your comping skills to the next level on the gig or at the jam,” Susan Palmer.
“The first part of this course will give you the theoretical backbone of the triadic system. It’s a fresh look at the fret board, which will be used in about 20 different songs in the second part of the course. In the last part we’ll dig deep into Hendrix’ challenging style of accompaniment / solo,” Susan Palmer.
“Andrew presents the material and connects the dots in such a way that you’ll be able to apply the underlying techniques, rhythms and bass grooves in whatever style of music you play today. Consider these 50 bass lessons as your personal rite of passage to the land of groove,” Susan Palmer.
TrueFire offers a 30 day free trial which gives you the opportunity to access all of the courses and videos.
After the 30 days you can continue your membership for $19 per month or $199 per year. This is a great value when compared to face-to-face private lessons, as mentioned above.
The quality of the videos and the instructors make TrueFire’s lesson well worth the cost.


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Rice Grain Size and Quality
Rice volume 15, Article number: 33 (2022)
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world and is a dietary staple food for over half of the world’s population. An increase in grain yield is continuously required to ensure food security. In addition to yield, grain quality is also paid particular attention by rice consumers, food industries, farmers, and seed producers (Champagne et al. 1999; Fitzgerald et al. 2009). Grain size and quality essentially determining the market price of rice. The global improvement in living standards is enhancing consumer preference for high-quality grains in rice cultivars. Therefore, grain quality, including grain size, is a major target in rice breeding programs globally (Bao 2014).
Grain quality is a complex quantitative trait because it is determined by many characteristics, including physical appearance, milling quality, nutritional value (grain components), aroma, and cooking and eating quality (Fig. 1). It is known that a lot of genes are involved in controlling each grain-quality trait. Decoding whole-genome sequences of rice cultivars has accelerated the detection of genetic factors (QTLs) and isolation of genes for the grain-quality traits. For example, grain size shows high heritability, and studies conducted so far have isolated several responsible genes, such as GS3, GW2, GS5, and TGW6 (Li et al. 2018). In addition to these major genes, a lot of minor QTLs are associated with grain size (Nagata et al. 2015). Chalkiness grains have opaque spots in endosperm and reduce grain quality because of decreasing milled rice ratio, especially indica rice cultivars of slender grains. The high temperature at grain-filling stage increases chalkiness and decreases grain quality in japonica rice cultivars of shorter and wider grains. Therefore, there have been a lot of genetic studies to detect QTLs and genes for grain chalkiness, such as Chalk5, Flo2, and GIF2 (Li et al. 2014). Grain components largely contribute to eating and cooking characteristics. Starch is the main component of more than 95% of dry weight in rice grains. Rice starch is divided into amylose with linear connected glucose and amylopectin with branched glucose chains. The GBSSI (Wx) gene has the main function for amylose biosynthesis in rice grains, determines glutinous and non-glutinous cultivar types, and primarily affects eating and cooking qualities. The SS2a (Alk) gene has a function for elongating branched glucose chains of amylopectin in rice endosperms. Allelic variations of the SS2a gene change the viscosity and gelatinization temperature of rice starch. Although the GBSSI and SS2a genes determine major genetic effects for natural variations of starch properties, several QTLs for controlling amylose content, amylopectin chain length distributions, and eating and cooking qualities are detected on all of the rice chromosomes (Hori et al. 2021). Protein (amino acids), lipids, and elements are essential for enhancing human nutrition and also affecting differences in eating and cooking qualities.
In this special issue, we collect review and original research articles covering the recent significant advances in identifying grain-quality genes, elucidating their gene regulatory network, and applying fundamental research efforts to breeding programs. Since the first rice genome sequence of ‘Nipponbare’ was released in 2004 (IRGSP 2005), a lot of molecular genetic studies have been performed on rice by using natural sequence variations including wild relatives, mutant populations, transgenic lines, genome editing lines, and omics technologies, such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, and epigenetic analyses. By using rice genome sequences and map-based cloning procedures, more than 137 genes have been isolated up-to-now and their molecular functions for controlling the complex grain-quality traits such as grain shape (appearance), milling quality, nutritional quality, and eating and cooking qualities have been elucidated (Li et al. 2022a). Moreover, these studies clearly revealed major regulatory mechanisms of the isolated genes for grain size, such as grain length, grain width, and their ratio, and grain components, such as starch, protein, lipids and elements. Nutrition uptake and transport are essential for both plant growth and grain ripening. Zhang and (2022) summarized so far isolated genes for uptakes, transport, re-translocation, and volatilization of selenium as an example. Recent genetic studies are also tackling a number of novel QTLs and genes for controlling grain-quality traits (Li et al. 2022b). Novel grain length QTL of qGL11 was fine mapped within the 810-kbp interval region on chromosome 11. Gene x gene interaction (combination of gene alleles) creates novel grain quality that does not exist in natural variation of rice cultivars. Combinations of deficient alleles among starch biosynthesis genes GBSSI, SS2a, SS3a, SS4b, ISA1, and BE2b showed unique starch properties such as increasing resistant starch for improving human health benefits (Fujita et al. 2022; Miura et al. 2022). Information on genetic diversity and gene allelic variations are useful for applications of fundamental genetic studies to develop novel breeding lines. Near-isogenic lines (NILs) are good candidates for breeding new rice cultivars and for introducing specific gene alleles for improving grain quality and increasing grain yield. The deficient allele of PDIL1-1 gene increases grain chalkiness but improves rice flour qualities such as small particle size of rice flour and large loaf volume of rice bread. NILs introducing the deficient allele of PDIL1-1 gene showed phenotypic alterations between different genetic backgrounds of two rice cultivars (Hori et al. 2022). The deficient allele of the Dep1 gene makes dense and erect panicles in rice plants, and increases grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency. Chen et al. (2022) revealed that NILs introducing the erect type allele of the Dep1 gene showed additional positive effects on protein accumulation but adverse effects on eating quality. The recent rapid development of genome editing technology can easily create knockout and modification of target gene alleles. Several genome editing studies successfully improved the number of specific grain components such as amylose, amino acids, fatty acids, β-carotene, 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline (for fragrance), and cadmium (elements) by enhancing biosynthetic pathways or suppressing catabolic pathways (Sukegawa et al. 2022). Genome editing technology would be a powerful tool for the development of novel rice cultivars.
Based on the critical scientific information conveyed in these articles, we realized that understanding the genetic basis is the prerequisite to improve grain-quality traits in rice. We hope that the topics in this special issue will enhance the efficiency of breeding selections for improving grain quality with other agronomic traits, including high grain yield and strong disease/insect resistance.
Availability of data and materials
All datasets are included in the article.
Bao J (2014) Genes and QTLs for rice grain quality improvement. In: Yan W, Bao J (eds) Rice—Germplasm, genetics and improvement. InTech, Rijeka, pp 239–278
Champagne ET, Bett KL, Vinyard BT et al (1999) Correlation between cooked rice texture and Rapid Visco Analyser measurements. Cereal Chem 76:764–771
Chen S, Chen S, Jiang Y (2022) Dissecting of the deterioration in eating quality for erect panicle (Ep) type high yield japonica super rice in northeast China. Rice 15:15
Fitzgerald MA, McCouch SR, Hall RD (2009) Not just a grain of rice: the quest for quality. Trends Plant Sci 14:133–139
Fujita N, Miura S, Crofts N (2022) Effects of various allelic combinations of starch biosynthetic genes on the properties of endosperm starch in rice. Rice 15:24
Hori K, Suzuki K, Ishikawa H et al (2021) Genomic regions involved in differences in eating and cooking quality other than Wx and Alk genes between indica and japonica rice cultivars. Rice 14:8
Hori K, Okunishi T, Nakamura K et al (2022) Genetic background negates improvements in rice flour characteristics and food processing properties caused by a mutant allele of the PDIL1-1 seed storage protein gene. Rice 15:13
International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP) (2005) The map-based sequence of the rice genome. Nature 436:793–800
Li Y, Fan C, Xing Y et al (2014) Chalk5 encodes a vacuolar H+-translocating pyrophosphatase influencing grain chalkiness in rice. Nat Genet 46:398–404
Li N, Xu R, Duan P et al (2018) Control of grain size in rice. Plant Reprod 31:237–251
Li P, Chen YH, Lu J et al (2022a) Genes and their molecular functions determining seed structure, components, and quality of rice. Rice 15:18
Li J, Yang H, Xu G et al (2022b) QTL analysis of Z414, a chromosome segment substitution line with short, wide grains, and substitution mapping of qGL11 in rice. Rice 15:25
Miura S, Narita M, Croft N et al (2022) Improving agricultural traits while maintaining high resistant starch content in rice. Rice 15:28
Nagata K, Ando T, Nonoue Y et al (2015) Advanced backcross QTL analysis reveals complicated genetic control of rice grain shape in a japonica × indica cross. Breed Sci 65:308–318
Sukegawa S, Toki S, Saika H (2022) Genome editing technology and its application to metabolic engineering in rice. Rice 15:21
Zhang L, Chu C (2022) Selenium uptake, transport, metabolism, and biofortification in rice. Rice 15:30
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Hori, K., Sun, J. Rice Grain Size and Quality. Rice 15, 33 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12284-022-00579-z

domain: food


Opel Astra H OPC 2,0 Turbo 177KW/240PS (2005-2010)
The Competition Intercooler has the following core size (550mm x 240mm x 90mm= 11.830cm³) , providing 132% more volume compared to the stock mounted intercooler. Our engineers have increased the intercooler core size and efficiency, as well as improving the end tank design to remove any OEM bottlenecks, resulting in increased flow rating and charge cooling properties. This intercooler uses our award winning WAGNERTUNING competition intercooler core which is made specifically for this application. Constructed of the highest quality Tube and Fin intercooler cores with inside turbulators combined with cast aluminium endtanks optimised by CFD for best possible internal airflow. With the help of additional air guides, inside inlet, an uniform filling of the intercooler is provided. The result is excellent cooling properties and a lot less pressure drop then the stock intercooler. Despite of it´s size the weight of the complete intercooler is only 7,5kg. The inlets and outlets of the intercooler have been increased to Ø 65mm, so this kit comes with reinforced silicone hoses. This Intercooler Kit is the best choice when it comes to performance gains and low intake temperatures and also the right thing for racing. All of our intercooler use an anti corrosion protective coating with perfect thermal heat dissipating character. Optimal cooling with clearly more power. Kit is ready for installation, 100% perfect fit. Fitment is easy, replacing the OEM intercooler. All of our products undergo rigorous quality control.
Dimensions stock Intercooler:
525mm x 346mm x 28mm
Dimensions WAGNERTUNING intercooler:
550mm x 240mm x 90mm
1 intercooler (coated black)
2 silicone hose (black)
1 mounting material
1 installation instruction
1 TÜV certificate
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Interior parts must be cared for with non-abrasive interior cleaners.
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Our team are most happy to assist if you have any questions about the care of your product.
For more information, please see our product warranty page.


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Human rights? 40 million child-workers in the world today
Incredible as it may seem, there are still over 40 million children aged under fourteen throughout the world working in factories, on farms and plantations, in small-scale industries, handicraft workshops, hotels, restaurants, shops, as street traders, etc. This is just one of the surprising facts to be found in the special report below based on an International Labour Office study, "Minimum Age for Admission to Employment", published last year, and a UNESCO study "Rights and Responsibilities of Youth".
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the adoption, on December 10, 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UNESCO Courier dedicates this issue to child workers in the world.
Read this issue. Download the PDF.

domain: sociology


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People eager to share personal information beyond what's on their Facebook profile have another outlet: an online platform launching on March 24 will let them give scientists information about their genomes, gut bacteria and other biological data.
President Barack Obama doesn't send text messages, rarely composes his own tweets, and isn't allowed to have a smartphone that contains a recording device, he said.
Facebook presented a long list of procedural objections to an Austrian court on April 9 trying to halt a class action lawsuit for 25,000 users that accuses the social media giant of violating their privacy.
Google Inc announced a free extension for its Chrome web browser that better protects Google accounts, including e-mail, against online attackers trying to steal passwords and other personal information.


Labor mixer IKA RET S 8 with vibrating plate
Power input: 620 W
Supply: 220 V, 50/60 Hz
Motor: type RW 18, 220V, 50 Hz, 25-2000 UpM
Width: 150 mm
Length: 210 mm
Diameter of vibrating plate: 135 mm more
Hamo LS 850
-Serial number: 18.104.22.1683
-Volts: 400V 3N ~ 50/60 Hz
-the sterile Renigungsgeraet is approx. 0, 85m wide; 0, 75m deep and 1, 20 m high
-There are two cleaning baskets include
Hamo T420 cleaning and sterilization machine application
For efficient cleaning of various materials and components such as glassware, vessels, filling equipment components and and other parts in the
Biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries.
-The l-lamo T-420 of pharmaceutical washing machine is equipped with a programmable controller of PC control system.
-Hamo pharmaceutical grade washers are designed, manufactured, validated, and documented according to the... more
Vacuum Processing Plant, 5 l volume
operating temperature 100 °C
Pressure -1/+1 bar, vacuum
content 5 ltr
operating temperature 110 °C
Pressure 4 bar
content 2 l
capacity 4,8 kW
Equipment: agitator with wall shoring 20-160 rpm
left-handed rotation/right-handes rotation, and alternately left-right rotation
Homogenizer 500-6.600 rpm
The surface in the product area is highly polished
Stirring quantity max. (H2O): 20 L
Speed range: 60 - 2000 rpm
Motor rating input: 70 W
Max. viscosity: 10000 mPas
Dimensions (W x H x D): 88 x 294 x 212 mm
Voltage: 220 - 240 / 100 - 115 V
Weight: 3 kg more
Programmable temperature control instrument Huber CC 230
For liquids from-40 ° C to + 165 ° C viscosity at 25 ° C by 10 mm² / s
This temperature control device is designed both for the use of the internal pool, as well as externally closed applications. Due to the low internal volume, combined with high-performance heat technology and powerful refrigeration (for temperature control units with compressor cooling) you can reach relatively short heat-up and cool-down ... more
Here we offer a Isolatorbox. Toxicity Isolatorbox The user uses the insulator for the weighing and the preparation of solutions of novel cytotoxic agents, their effects and potential hazards are still completely unknown under atmospheric air. The insulator is used as a physical barrier between the interior of the insulator (the workspace) and users outside the system. In order to ensure permanent protection of persons, the operation of the insulator is carried out in safe relative vacuum. The in... more
laboratory fermenter Chemap Alfa Laval ,type CF 3000 Digital SGG 35, consisting of:
-basic unit with power unit and heating
-vessel to ferment, type SGG 35 with VA double jacket, agitator and 35 liters glass cylinder
- powerbox to provide electricity and air
- CBC 10 control unit to controll and regulate the parameters
-separate steam generator enables sterilization
-Manufacturer: probably LKB instruments type: 2201 Combicoldrac II -.
-Year of production: unknown type of refrigerant: R134a width: 1.275 m depth: 82 cm height: 1.97 - neur Kuhl points controller Dixell universal R3-kuehlt up to-10 ° C
The fridge has been KW22 serviced by specialist company and repaired with testing protocol. (The temperature display control digital) has been renewed!
-We have still more laboratory equipment and laboratory-consumption material on stock, will be... more
Premix / paste evacuation device of Mathis type LPE
-Quantity of mixed up to approx. 1 litre
-Speed of stirrer 50-1500 rpm.
-Evacuation time maximum of 30 minutes
-Weight about 44 kg
Way of working
The material to be bled is poured into a disposable Cup and this put in a glass container. The stirrer in the container plunges by the ramping up of the base. The remaining air is now evacuated with time switch and vacuum pump.
The speed of the stirrer is infinitely from 50-1... more
Type HS 12 1/PE AL electric connection 50 Hz, IP 20, 0.75 KW, 240 V
DIN 12 950 T 10 class II
DIN 12 980 type H
BS 5726 1992 class II.
NSF 49: Class II, type B-3
NFX 44-201 type II Catégorie 2
ABM.: 1,200 x 650 x 630 mm, in addition to base
Photo from 12.12.16
New Varian vacuum pump unused in storage of army, 115 volt version, production date is 2011.
A pump in original unopened carton will be more available, delivered.
Shipping Germany 16 euro, UK or EU-rest of approx. 35 Euro, US 95 euro.
Values in brackets for operation on a 230-> 115Volt converter.
Free air displacement (l / min): 45.5 (2, 3 m² / h at 50 Hz)
Pumping speed (cfm): 1.2 (1, 8 m² / h at 50 Hz)
Ultimate pressure (mbar): 4 x 10-3, 2 x 10-3 mbar with gas ballast... more
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Soaking in hot springs in winter has gradually changed from a kind of health care and leisure to a popular trend, so hot spring camps are also constantly growing.
my country’s hot spring resources are rich and widely distributed, and there are more than 2,700 hot springs available for development and utilization. However, the conditions of the underground natural hot spring water determine that it is not a product attribute that can be copied at will. Domestic hot spring tourist destinations have basically formed a certain urban positioning and consumption tendency, and are mainly concentrated in Beijing, Liaoning, Shandong, Fujian, Guangdong, Sichuan, Chongqing, Tibet, Taiwan and other provinces and cities. There are many hot spring resorts in these provinces and cities , forming a winter tourism culture brand.
Even so, the market space for building hot spring camps in these areas is still huge, and the various accommodation forms, supporting services and differentiated attributes of the camps are product innovations. Compared with hot spring resorts, campsites have the advantage of less investment funds and richer product forms, coupled with the needs of self-driving travel consumer groups and driven by off-season operating products, hot spring areas will definitely become the site of choice for campsites popular.
There are many hot spring camps in operation in China, but the hot spring modules they present have their own characteristics. Hailuogou Camp No. 2 in Ganzi, Sichuan was built in the primeval forest. Open-air hot spring pools and wooden houses of different sizes are built along the mountains, and they are well-arranged. The mountains with an altitude of more than 2,000 meters are covered with ice and snow in winter. Cozy things make the winter camp full of orders. Yijing Hot Spring Qinling Taibai Mountain Camp is presented in a courtyard style. Hundreds of hot spring villas are equipped with private bubble pools, private swimming pools, integrated cooking stoves, barbecue tables, leisure outdoor furniture and other facilities. Siheyuan makes the hot spring environment private and creates a family atmosphere, which is also a unique management strategy. Relying on Tangshan’s millennium-year hot spring culture, Nanjing Tangshan Hot Spring RV Campground has created accommodation units with Jiangnan characteristics in the camp, and introduced hot springs as a separate service module. Although it attracts self-driving tourists who mainly focus on RV camping, 90% of customers Will choose the hot spring experience in the camp.
The key to building a hot spring service module in the camp is not the problem of site selection. Now there are many areas where wells are manually dug and deep water pumps are used to pump underground hot spring water. Whether there is a regional hot spring culture in the surrounding market of the camp, what is the market customer group and its positioning, and whether product innovation and service facilities can win the consumption tendency in the market competition are important factors in the planning evaluation before introducing hot springs.
Although bathing is available all year round, winter is undoubtedly the peak period for hot spring tourism, but for most camps, winter is almost a period of stagnation in operation. Especially in northern camps, in addition to ice and snow sports, hot springs must be the best choice. Unlike ice and snow sports, hot springs have health-preserving functions and seasonal contrast properties, making this off-season product have its own core of competition.
To build a business model based on hot spring service modules in RV campgrounds, it is necessary to innovate product forms and form flagship products with unique styles. In previous cases, Hailuogou Camp No. 2 and Yijing Hot Spring·Qinling Taibai Mountain Camp created a unique hot spring enjoyment model based on geographical conditions; while Nanjing Tangshan Hot Spring RV Campground weakened the role of hot springs and set up more camp normalized operation modules. It is more conducive to the operation of the four seasons, and both modes are available.
The Bailu Yin Hot Spring RV camp under the Wowo chain camp that is about to open combines hot springs with other various normalized operating products, which are not only the main products but also added value. Traditional Chinese-style courtyards are used to layout RVs and hot spring family courtyards to create a collision of Eastern and Western cultures. There are also other accommodation units such as containers and luxury tents, which are divided into different types of camps. In addition, there are ATV off-road and hot air balloon experience entertainment projects. Hot springs are integrated into comprehensive functional operations.
Off-season operating products such as ice and snow and hot springs can broaden the operating time and scope of camps, increase benefits, and provide ideas for the differentiated operations of camps across the country and the exploration of multiple service modules in the future. Hot springs have their particularity but are universal The key to its function is the combination of products and the innovative application of the actual camp.


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Parents are collectively shelling out £2.5bn to help their children buy their first car, according to new research this week.
Drivers aged between 17 and 25 spent a total of £6.4bn on their first cars, more than a third of which was provided by their parents, it found.
Nearly a quarter of parents said they contributed to the cost of their child's vehicle, with one in eight funding the total cost, according to insurer Privilege.
Parents spent an average of £2,731 on wheels for their offspring, rising to £8,057 among those who buy their children a new car.
But not all were acting for wholly altruistic reasons. Almost half the parents quizzed said they were prepared to help their child buy their own car to stop them from using theirs all the time. Some 23% thought it was cheaper for their kids to have a car than to use public transport.
Four in 10 people stepped in because their child could not afford a good quality car without assistance. Nearly 10% wanted to help their child buy a car because they wouldn't be able to help them get on to the property ladder.

domain: economics


Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) is the enterprise storage interface that takes SCSI into new dimensions of performance, flexibility and scalability. With SAS you can enjoy performance many times faster than traditional SCSI and mix and match SAS and Serial ATA (SATA) drives for cost and performance optimization.
The Adaptec Serial Attached SCSI RAID 4805SAS PCI Express card is an eight-port controller that supports SAS, SATA or SATA II disk drives. It features the Adaptec RAID Code (ARC) with standard RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, 50, JBOD as well as the Adaptec Advanced Data Protection Suite with RAID 1E, 5EE, 6, 60, Copyback Hot Spare and optional Snapshot Backup. The card has 128 MB of ECC-protected DDR DRAM and a battery unit is optional.
The Adaptec Advanced Data Protection Suite includes advanced RAID levels and features:
- Hot Space (RAID 5EE)
- Striped Mirror (RAID 1E)
- Dual Drive Failure Protection (RAID 6, 60)
- Copyback Hot Spare
- Snapshot Backup (optional)
- Eight ports support up to eight SAS, SATA and SATA II drives
- 128MB ECC-protected DDR2 memory
- Standard Features: RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 50, JBOD, hot swap, hot spares, Online Capacity Expansion, RAID Level Migration, Optimized Disk Utilization and the following Adaptec Advanced Data Protection Suite features: RAID 1E, 5EE, 6, 60 and Copyback Hot Spare
- Optional Feature: Snapshot Backup
- 3/4-length PCI form factor
- Optional battery backup module


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May 25, 2020
Through the heartache of infertility and losses of precious babies, Alyssa was introduced to God in a way she’d never known Him before. This is her story.
May 18, 2020
Katie wondered where God was in the battle for her baby. “God, you’ve left me with nothing. No positive pregnancy test. No miracle. Where are You, God?” She asked for a sign–a dynamic, unmistakable sign. Boy, did God answer! This is her story.
May 11, 2020
After two miscarriages, and a continuing life without her miracle baby, Cherie Johnson has found her worth somewhere besides motherhood. This is her story.
Cherie is a contributor to an anthology called Dear Young Woman. Find her book at https://www.yourseatatthetablellc.com/
For more about Sarah’s Laughter,...
May 4, 2020
A Christian girl sits down with a Jewish girl and discusses infertility. Together they share about the same God who brought them their miracle daughters. This is Annie’s story.
Apr 27, 2020
Beth has a frank conversation with Christian embryologist Amanda David about the earliest moments of life and the intricacies of God’s role in the life of the embryo. Join them on this week’s podcast.
For more about Sarah’s Laughter, please visit our website at sarahs-laughter.com. Our podcast-only site is


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June wrapped up Orca Awareness Month, which is dedicated to celebrating endangered orca populations and inspiring action to help the beloved species thrive. Launched in 2006 by the Orca Network, Orca Month takes many forms through events across the country that raise awareness for the largest and most fragile residents of Pacific Northwest waters. You may not be aware, but Munchkin has a storied history when it comes to orca love. In fact, you could say that every month is Orca Awareness Month at Munchkin HQ!
A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP
In 2015, we partnered with the Whale Sanctuary Project, an amazing organization focused solely on building seaside sanctuaries for captive orcas, belugas and dolphins to get a deserving new lease on life. Our first show of support was purposely removing the toy orca whale from our popular Sea Squirts bath collection. Simultaneously, we launched a bold campaign declaring that #OrcasLiveInOceans, because bathtubs are not big enough for orcas. We feel very strongly about rehabilitating these beautiful creatures once they retire from captivity. You can read more about Munchkin’s Project Orca initiative and help spread the message through graphic apparel here.
So how did our involvement with the Whale Sanctuary Project come about? It all started with a chance meeting in 2015. Congressman Adam Schiff was leading a press conference to introduce the Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement (ORCA) Act. The oceanfront locale was especially fitting. Munchkin’s founder and CEO Steve Dunn was in the audience, along with Naomi Rose, a Whale Sanctuary Project board member, and Samantha Berg, a former SeaWorld trainer turned advisor. They got to talking and Steve revealed he’d reached out to SeaWorld with an offer of $1 million to put Tilikum (also known as Tilly), of Blackfish documentary fame, in a sanctuary. He never heard back, and Tilly eventually died in captivity last year.
Upon learning of their shared passion, Ms. Rose and Ms. Berg told Mr. Dunn about a then-new organization called the Whale Sanctuary Project, in which they were both involved. Its mission was to create sanctuaries for orcas retiring from entertainment facilities or rescued from the ocean and in need of rehabilitation or care. The stars aligned from there and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, the Whale Sanctuary Project has narrowed down a list of 100 potential sanctuary sites to half a dozen that meet a list of very stringent criteria. Now in the highly detailed inspection phase at sites in Nova Scotia, Washington State and British Columbia, the group is closer than ever to realizing their vision of a safe natural habitat for previously captive whales. Through the work and perseverance of groups like the Whale Sanctuary Project, public attitudes toward orcas and others in captivity has shifted dramatically. People are boycotting theme parks with whales as performers, and a Canadian Bill, S-203, aims to end the practice of keeping whales and dolphins in concrete tanks.
Moved? You can do your part to raise awareness for this very worthy cause. It’s never too early to get kids involved, too. Check out the links below to get started.


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Photo courtesy of Cristobal Vivar
David Wright Faladé is the author of three books : the narrative history Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers, and the novels Away Running and most recently, Black Cloud Rising.
The New Yorker chose Fire on the Beach as one of its notable selections, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch named it one of its Best Books of 2001.
Away Running was named an Outstanding International Book by the US Board on Books for Young People and was selected by the Junior Library Guild and the Texas Library Association for its high school reading lists.
An excerpt from Black Cloud , entitled “The Sand Banks, 1861,” appeared in the New Yorker.
A former Fulbright Fellow to Brazil, David Wright Faladé is the 2021-22 Mary Ellen von der Heyden Fellow of the NY Public Library’s Cullman Center for Writers. His work has been recognized by the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Texas Institute of Letters. He teaches in the MFA program at the University of Illinois.
Literary representation: Eric Simonoff, William Morris Endeavor.

domain: library


text:
Where are all real gay themed songs?
So, you go and ask the all mighty google to list gay themed songs. And what do you get? Songs such as Born this Way and It's Raining Men. Sure, they fit the theme but they are not real gay songs if you know what I mean. It's not a gay song if you have to interpret it in a gay way, and there's nothing particularly gay in the lyrics. 🤔
Before jumping in, consider showing your pride with a gay t-shirt. (more…)


» Orla O'Sullivan – Deaf-Blind pianist, teacher, improviser, and motivator. Orla will soon be releasing her first album, Sound Senses, which offers solo piano pieces from extracts of Bach, Schubert, Chopin, John Field, Phil Coulter and many more.
» Signal Arts Centre – a visual arts facility in Bray, County Wicklow.
» Martin Doyle Flutes – simple system wooden flutes renowned for their ease of playing and quality of tone. Martin also makes wooden headjoints for concert flutes.
» Flute Resources for Theater and Opera – Seat Up


WINNIPEG - Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for Winnipeg and much of southern Manitoba.
Daytime highs of 32 degrees and overnight lows of 16 are expected for the next two days.
Humidity will also be a concern with humidex values climbing to 40 tomorrow.
Cooler air will move in Saturday, bringing an end to the heat warning.
There are also severe thunderstorm watches and warnings in some areas.
Photo: Environment Canada