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Mainland Chinese students’ self-appraisals of their psychological dispositions at school
This paper reports mainland Chinese students’ self-appraisals about their psychological dispositions whilst at school. Increasing interest has turned to factors such as resilience, wellbeing, flourishing, happiness and satisfaction, which in turn are predicted to be associated with factors such as emotional stability, achieving personal goals, social fulfilment and quality of life. Such psychological dispositions are developed in conjunction with the influences of social systems such as schools. Although a number of researchers have collaborated with schools to investigate students’ dispositions in English speaking countries, similar research in mainland China is in its infancy. This is particularly the case for studies that seek students’ own perspectives. We administered a questionnaire about resilience, flourishing, wellbeing, self-concept, school satisfaction, mental health, and happiness at school to 2756 students in Years 5–9 in mainland China. As expected with a non-clinical population, most students reported positively across the various scales. However, dividing the sample into subgroups enabled the creation of stratified visual profiles that showed significant differences between students with different backgrounds, such as gender, age, and mental health. This study illustrates the importance of subgroup analyses to identify potential areas of concern for different types of students, which in turn may inform differentiated school-based intervention programs to support students to flourish.
KeywordsMainland Chinese students Psychological dispositions Wellbeing and mental health School satisfaction Resilience Happiness
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Package Holidays to Greece
We compare prices from leading holiday companies so you can find the best deal for you.
Delight in idyllic islands
More often than not, holidaymakers choose to base themselves on one of Greece’s breathtakingly beautiful islands – and who can blame them?
The variety of culture, landscapes and beaches on the Greek islands is immense, and it would take you a lifetime of Greece package holidays to discover all of their hidden secrets. Even the most well-travelled visitors cannot fail to fall in love with islands such as Zante, with its hidden coves, clear waters, underground caves and abundance of natural wonders.
Fill your holiday with history
If you’re looking for a little history along with getting a sun tan, try Rhodes, which has ancient settlements to go with its gorgeous beaches, including the acropolis in Lindos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From Rhodes, you can also hop on a ferry across to pretty Crete where a bevy of colourful, low-rise buildings line the watery approach.
If you want your Greece holidays to have a touch of luxury to them, then Kos, an island famous for its white cliffs and vibrant nightlife, is the place for you. Travellers seeking cheap all-inclusive Greece holidays often choose to stay in one of the island’s stunning beach resorts.
For a more laid-back, family-friendly vibe, there are several islands that specialise in cheap Greece package holidays. Corfu is a little sleepier than its sister islands, but has dazzling blue waters and beaches to rival the Caribbean.
You should also check out romantic Santorini, where tumbledown, blue and white buildings are sure to stir your imagination, and the sweeping bay of Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian islands.
Spring and autumn are without a doubt the best times to visit Greece in terms of weather and hotel prices (particularly at the popular all-inclusive Greek resorts). During the peak season of July and August, the temperatures soar and heat waves aren’t uncommon.
Out of season (November to March), the pace of many of the Greek islands slows down to such an extent that you may find many services and eateries closed or unavailable.
Easter: Easter is one of the most important festivals in Greece, and festivities tend to come to a head during Holy Week, when parades, fireworks, feasting and dances are not uncommon.
Rockwave Festival: The Rockwave Festival takes place every June-July in Athens, and offers a line-up of international bands and acclaimed musicians.
Thessaloniki International Film Festival: Each November, Thessaloniki holds a film festival at which up-and-coming directors showcase their work – a big draw for many visitors during one of the cheapest times to visit Greece.

domain: travel


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ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen have obtained details of the lawsuit filed by Giants QB Tyrod Taylor against Chargers team doctor David Gazzaniga for an incident in 2020 when Gazzaniga accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung.
Taylor is suing Gazzaniga for medical malpractice and seeking damages of at least $5 million. Gazzaniga was giving Taylor a rib block injection to deal with pain from fractured ribs when he accidentally punctured Taylor’s lungs.
He had to miss multiple games and it opened the door for current Chargers starting QB Justin Herbert — who is dealing with a rib cartilage injury of his own from Thursday night’s game. Gazzaniga is still employed by the team and was part of the team giving medical care to Herbert.
Schefter says the NFLPA and Herbert’s representatives are planning to pay close attention to how the Chargers handle Herbert’s injury.
Taylor filed the lawsuit in May of 2021 and the trial was originally set for this November. It was pushed back to April of 2023 to not conflict with the NFL season.
In the lawsuit, Taylor says he suffered “severe physical pain resulting in hospitalization, physical therapy, emotional distress and other past pain and suffering.” He says the injury cost him the Chargers’ starting job and damaged his value in a contract year.
“As he returned to free agency,” the lawsuit contends, “he entered as a back-up quarterback as opposed to a starting quarterback. The economic difference between a starting quarterback’s salary and a back-up quarterback salary is at least $5,000,000 and is more than likely much greater. The exact amount of such past and future loss is unknown to [Taylor] at this time, and he will ask leave of this Court for permission to amend this Complaint to set forth the total amount when ascertained.”
Taylor, 32, is a former sixth-round pick of the Ravens back in 2011. After four years in Baltimore, Taylor signed on with the Bills for the 2015 season. Buffalo elected to trade Taylor to the Browns for a third-round pick in 2018.
Taylor played out the final year of a two-year, $30.5 million contract before agreeing to a two-year contract worth $11 million with the Chargers in 2019. He then signed a one-year deal with the Texans worth up to $12.5 million for the 2021 season.
The Giants signed Taylor this offseason to a two-year deal worth $17 million with $8.5 million guaranteed.
In 2021, Taylor appeared in six games for the Texans and completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 966 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing 19 times for 151 yards and three touchdowns.

domain: news


The Race is reporting that Red Bull and Honda are on the cusp closing a deal in which Red Bull will take over the Honda F1 project after the Japanese manufacturer leaves F1 at the end of the 2021 season. This will entail Red Bull taking over Honda's products and IP and maintain the engines itself in its new Milton Keys facility. This will also include Red Bull absorbing some of the Honda staff but will also get some third party support.
This has been on the cards ever since Honda's exit from the sport was announced. Masashi Yamamoto, Honda's F1 boss had indicated that this would be a possibility. Red Bull has been adamant on a works like status with an engine partner which will allow its full vertical integration between the chassis design and powertrain, something no other engine supplier can offer as all the other three have their own works teams.
Red Bull executives have also threatened to leave the sport if their wish is not fulfilled. However, this wish comes with more roadblocks even if a deal with Honda is on the cars. Red Bull wishes for a technical freeze over the development of the engine at the end of the 2021 season as it believes it neither has the technical ability nor financial ability to further develop the power unit especially because Honda is bringing a brand new design in 2021.
However, this faces opposition from Ferrari and Renault. Ferrari is the major hurdle as it needs to further develop its engine as its massive drop in horsepower after the technical directives at the fag end of the 2019 season caused its 2020 car to suffer massively. Its two customer teams also suffered from Ferrari going from having the strongest engine to the worse one on the grid.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has been receptive to the idea of an engine freeze, but there are some caveats to his agreement. Binotto wants the next engine concept to be pushed ahead from 2026 to 2025 and wants a competitiveness mechanism in place which will allow any engine manufacturer some leeway to develop in the case finds itself massively behind.
After the 2019 technical directives, Ferrari found its hands tied thanks to the 2020 COVID19 induced cost cap issues that denied it a chance to fix its engine. Ferrari is confident that its 2021 engine will be competitive but perhaps will still not be as good as the Mercedes engine. Ferrari presumably wants to develop its engine further. Red Bull boss Christian Horner is in agreement with this as well.
However, Renault and Mercedes are of the belief that such an artificial convergence mechanism shouldn't be allowed as already F1 is in the 7th year of the hybrid era and enough convergence has happened. If an agreement isn't reached Red Bull's plan could be scuttled as Ferrari also has a "veto" power which it could use. In that scenario, Renault, Red Bull's former engine supplier would be forced to supply to Red Bull.


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Rua Frei Mansueto 160, Fortaleza, Brazil
This destination can have additional per person taxes which are excluded in the prices below
Comfort Hotel Fortaleza is a charming base while visiting Fortaleza and is close to everything the area has to offer. It also offers a sauna, free Wi-Fi and an outdoor pool.
This modern hotel...
Distance to city centre
Fortaleza Pinto Martins
Distance to airport
Pets allowed on request. Charges may apply.
Policies vary by room type and provider.
+55 854 006 4800
Comfort Hotel Fortaleza is sanitizing surface areas to reduce the chances of contracting COVID-19. New social distancing procedures are also in place to assist with your safety. Our partner Commitment to Clean can provide additional information if you require it.
At just 4.6 mi apart, the expected drive time from the nearest airport, Fortaleza Pinto Martins, to Comfort Hotel Fortaleza is 9min. The estimated drive time may vary depending on high and low traffic times in the surrounding area. This is especially true for metro areas.
For the most freedom while visiting Fortaleza, consider renting a car for about $44/day and parking it at Comfort Hotel Fortaleza where they offer parking spaces to hotel guests. Rideshare apps and taxis remain a very common solution for Comfort Hotel Fortaleza guests. This is often the most cost-effective method of transportation when visiting Fortaleza.
Yes, dogs and most pets in general are allowed at Comfort Hotel Fortaleza.
Yes. HotelsCombined users traveling to Fortaleza often look for hotels with a pool available. Most hotels have pool hours, so be sure to ask the front desk at Comfort Hotel Fortaleza for pool rules and guidelines.
You can reach the front desk of Comfort Hotel Fortaleza at +55 854 006 4800.
Yes, Comfort Hotel Fortaleza has Wi-Fi available to hotel guests.
There is a hotel fitness center accessible to guests of Comfort Hotel Fortaleza. Most hotels do not have 24-hour fitness centers, so be sure to contact the front desk for gym hours and availability.
The standard check-out time at Comfort Hotel Fortaleza is 12:00 PM. Guests can usually check-in from 2:00 PM. Special arrangements may be available if discussed with the front desk.
Yes, food can be ordered from the Comfort Hotel Fortaleza restaurant. Opening times may vary. For drinks at the accommodation, there is a bar available.
There’s a laundry service at Comfort Hotel Fortaleza that can be used by guests. There is also an ironing board and iron in the accommodation.


Tech in the News: How YouTube Reaction Videos Are Changing the Way We Listen
Posted August 24, 2020
External Article: Rolling Stone
André Brock, associate professor in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, was interviewed for the article "How YouTube Reaction Videos Are Changing the Way We Listen," published August 24 in Rolling Stone.
In the article, author Jonathan Bernstein explores the subgenre of reaction videos in which creators who are often young Black people react to classic rock hits from the 1970s and 1980s. Brock, whose research and scholarship at Georgia Tech focuses in part on how Black communities are formed and function on the internet, spoke about the meaning and cultural implications of the trend.
“The internet, particularly YouTube, allows young black folks to rediscover music on their own terms,” says André Brock, a professor at Georgia Tech, whose book Distributed Blackness centers blackness in internet culture. “But it also allows them to rediscover a joy in music that wasn’t necessarily labeled as for them or which they understood to not be for them.”
For some, that implied genre commentary is as much of a draw as the reactions themselves. “Reaction videos are really interesting to me because they tap into the archival capacity of the internet,” says professor Brock. “When I was growing up in the Seventies, a lot of the songs these kids are hearing now were on black radio. Black radio stations played Steely Dan, Hall and Oates, Fleetwood Mac. We move into the Eighties, Phil Collins, Chicago, and Toto were still all over black radio. So, in some ways, the internet is allowing this revisiting of an earlier generation where music genres weren’t as segregated as they are now.”


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We have updated our Fantasy Horror Awards 2 Arrivals and Photocall galleries with two extremely rare scans of Anna Torv. These scans were originally published exclusively in the August 2011 issue of Telefilm Magazine.
Emma Freeman, Joanna Werner on starry Matchbox miniseries Secret City
For director Emma Freeman, one of the most exciting things about filming the new political thriller miniseries Secret City was the opportunity to film locations that have never before been seen on-screen.
“We shot some beautiful scenes out in the PM’s courtyard”, she recalls.
“Peta Credlin was there and she came out and took some selfies with Sacha Horler, who was very much inspired by Peta Credlin for her character.”
Secret City – which was adapted from former journalists Chris Uhlmann and Steve Lewis’ novels The Marmalade Files and The Mandarin Code – premiered on Foxtel on June 5 and will shortly be released on DVD.
Anna Torv sizzles in the June issue of Foxtel Magazine!
Not many television projects have enough pulling power to lure two accomplished actresses from Hollywood back to Australia. But, for Jacki Weaver and Anna Torv the hook of working on new politicial thriller, Secret City, had the pair jumping on a plane and back to their home turf. For Weaver, who has played her share of intelligent women, it’s the more complex characters that appeal most. Secret City’s workaholic senator, Catriona Bailey, immediately sparked her interest.
“She is very complicated, which I love because real people are full of contradictions, and she’s very powerful being the attorney-general,” she says. (more…)

domain: entertainment


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A place quite rightly proud of its intriguing past, Newport lies within Rhode Island, New England which declared itself a state in 1776. Today it’s known for its beautifully restored mansions, Colonial-era architecture, yacht-lined harbor, its annual sailing regatta, and The Breakers, an 1895 mansion styled on a Renaissance palace. It also makes a fantastic destination to visit with your favorite furry pal, for starters there’s the incredible pooch-friendly Cliff Walk which has historic mansions on one side and gorgeous ocean views on the other, then there’s also Fort Adams State Park, Brenton Beach state parks, the beaches (some of which are dog-friendly) and over 25 dog-welcoming restaurants, cafes and bars (try Diego’s and The Landing). Thinking of staying? Here are 15 of the best pet-friendly hotels in Newport, Rhode Island…
The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection – a polished, upscale pet-friendly hotel set in a 1909 Gilded Age mansion
This elegant hotel is housed in a historic building and is located close to the waterfront. The former Vanderbilt family mansion has been impeccably restored and now offers elegant fireplaces, museum-quality artwork, The Vanderbilt Grill with first-class cuisine, and a Garden Terrace for al-fresco drinks and dining, with views out across Newport Harbor. The Vanderbilt – Auberge Resorts Collection is also home to a stunning spa and swimming pool, where you can relax and unwind in beautiful Beaux-Arts surroundings. Your pooch can enjoy being pampered here with you, with pet beds included and lots of fuss from the front desk upwards.
- Prices from $200 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for The Vanderbilt – Auberge Resorts Collection
Forty 1 North – an upscale pooch-welcoming resort and marina overlooking Newport Harbor
Bringing contemporary elegance to the historic town of Newport, Forty 1 North offers casual but incredibly cool accommodation in a waterfront setting. The hotel offers a choice of guest rooms, suites, cottages, and lofts, all of which are designed to be environmentally-friendly to retain the establishments LEED certification. With a choice of six bars and restaurants and a selection of marina services, this is a great hotel for both land lovers and seafarers alike. Your dog is welcome to come and join you in one of the pet-friendly units, and staff will advise you of the best pet-friendly parks and amenities close by.
- Prices from $190 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Forty 1 North, Newport
Paws on Pelham – a refined uber dog-friendly B&B located in Historic Hill
As the name would suggest, Paws On Pelham is a dog-friendly hotel in the sought after Historic Hill district of Newport. Having been completely refurbished throughout and offering first-class accommodation full of New England charm and character, Paws on Pelham aims to be the area’s premier dog-friendly guest residence. With just 13 bedrooms, this exclusive hotel offers easy access to downtown Newport as well as and outdoor sundeck and courtyard for pets to enjoy, and a selection of dog beds, doggy themed decor and a full range of accessories for your pampered pooch to enjoy.
- Prices from $140 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Paws on Pelham
Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina – an upscale hotel dog-welcoming hotel set on a private island in Narragansett Bay
This secluded resort hotel is set on Goat Island at the heart of Narrangansett Bay but is still just a mile from downtown Newport. Refined bedrooms and upscale amenities give the Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina a truly luxurious feel, and guests are invited to enjoy sleeping lofts, bay views, indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpool baths, wet bars, a fitness room, a spa and even its very own marina. Your four-legged friend can come to join you on the island, as you relax in one of the hotel’s pet-friendly bedrooms, and the staff and will be more than happy to provide you with advice on nearby dog-friendly parks and amenities.
- Prices from $160 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina
Hotel Viking – an upscale Fido-friendly landmark hotel dating from the 1920s
Located in the heart of downtown Newport, this iconic 4-star hotel sits high in Newports’ Historic Hill district and offers superb views out across the famous Bellevue Avenue. The award-winning Hotel Viking, Newport has been a landmark in the city of Newport for over 90 years and still offers refined interiors, elegant bedrooms, fine dining, and a full-service spa. Your dog can join you during your stay, and the Hotel Viking offers a pet package that includes a stay in one of their pet-friendly bedrooms, use of doggy bowls, bed, and other amenities as well as advice on the very best doggy parks and walks in town.
- Prices from $100 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Hotel Viking, Newport
Mainstay Hotel and Conference Center – a modern hotel across the street from Miantonomi Memorial Park which welcomes dogs
This is a comfortable and affordable modern hotel that is conveniently located for easy access to downtown Newport. With spacious bedrooms, welcoming communal areas, a full-service restaurant and an onsite conference center, the Mainstay Hotel and Conference Center is an easy option for visitors looking to enjoy the area on a budget. Dogs are welcome to stay in any of the designated pet-friendly bedrooms, and there are grassy areas for comfort breaks, as well as nearby dog parks and other amenities.
- Prices from $70 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Mainstay Hotel and Conference Center
Chart House Inn – pooch-welcoming casual elegance housed in an 1880 building
A traditional New England guesthouse with a nautical theme and oodles of casual charm, the Chart House Inn is located just a short walk from Thames Street and the waterfront. Offering just a few exclusive suites and bedrooms, the hotel can be rented by the room or as a whole for large groups and special occasions. There is also a large living room, a parlor room with an open fire, an elegant dining room, and free parking. Dogs are very welcome to stay with you here, and the staff are on hand to ensure that your furry friend feels as pampered as you do. Situated in an area surrounded by historic homes, churches, parks, and museums, there is no shortage of new places for you both to explore during your stay.
- Prices from $150 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Chart House Inn, Newport
Mill Street Inn – a stylish all-suite dog-friendly hotel set in a 1850s sawmill
Housed in a converted 19th-century mill, this historic hotel offers plenty of seaside charm and luxury touches. Just one block from Thames Street and the waterfront itself, all of the suites here offer plush linens, elegant furniture, exposed brick walls, or original beam work. Guests at the Mill Street Inn, Newport are welcome to enjoy a drink or two on the rooftop patio or start the day with a sunny breakfast overlooking the ocean. Your dog can join you in one of the pet-friendly units for an additional cost. As it is located at the heart of Newport, there is a wealth of parks, beaches, and open spaces for you and your best friend to enjoy.
- Prices from $130 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Mill Street Inn, Newport
Beech Tree Inn and Cottage – an upscale Victorian-era inn a mile from the Block Island Ferry
This stylish boutique hotel offers cozy rooms and comfortable accommodation, within strolling distance of downtown Newport. Upscale amenities and a sophisticated coastal ambiance, open fireplaces, bubbling jacuzzis, and balconies with far-reaching views give this hotel a magical feel. Your pampered pooch can stay with you here at the Beech Tree Inn and Cottage for an additional fee, and enjoy exploring the shops, bars, restaurants and dog-friendly attractions this historic seaside town has to offer. The hotel staff has lists of the best pet-friendly eateries, groomers, parks, and attractions in town and dog sitting services can be arranged upon request.
- Prices from $90 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Beech Tree Inn and Cottage
Pelham Court Hotel – an upscale apartment hotel housed in a 19th-century house and welcomes pooches
This luxury boutique apart-hotel is situated just a short walk from the Block Island ferry landing. Tastefully appointed throughout, plush linens, elegant furniture, marble bathrooms, and stainless steel kitchens come as standard in the 12 unique suites, and cozy fireplaces and separate lounges make them feel like a home from home. The Pelham Court Hotel, Newport also offers a complimentary continental breakfast and off-street parking. Extended stays are also possible here. Two dogs of any size are welcome to stay here with you, and guests are encouraged to provide their pet’s name in the Special Requests section so they can be properly greeted at check-in.
- Prices from $90 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Pelham Court Hotel, Newport
Tykhe – pet-friendly self-catering accommodation housed in a mid-19th Century historic mansion
Located close to downtown Newport, this 19th-century mansion has been converted into a funky vacation home with steampunk style interiors tucked away behind a Gothic Revival facade. The Tykhe, Newport offers a selection of luxurious apartments with fireplaces and flat-screen TV, some of the larger units even include their very own kitchenettes. Designed as a perfect base for exploring the beautiful city of Newport, you and your pooch will love exploring the grounds, and venturing further out to the nearby dog-friendly parks, beaches, and other amenities. There is also an outdoor terrace area for all visitors to enjoy.
- Prices from $90 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Tykhe, Newport
Bellevue House – mid-range elegant pooch-welcoming bed and breakfast hotel
Located on the top of a hill, this elegant bed and breakfast hotel offers incredible views and comfortable mid-range accommodation. Classically styled bedrooms at the Bellevue House, Newport have free Wi-Fi and cable TV, while the hotel also offers a complimentary breakfast and free parking. Just a short walk from downtown Newport, you and your pooch will love exploring the surrounding areas and waterfront, before heading back to enjoy a night in one of the pet-friendly bedrooms.
- Prices from $90 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Bellevue House, Newport
1 Murray House Bed & Breakfast – this relaxed dog-friendly guest house offering views of Almy Pond
This charming bed and breakfast establishment is housed in a historic mansion building on Bellevue Avenue. Just a short stroll from the Cliff Walks and Bailey’s Beach, and a short drive to downtown Newport, this is a cozy and comfortable place to stay. With a choice of just two bedrooms, this hotel offers a personalized stay in rooms that feature mini-kitchenettes, vintage furnishings, and a truly homely feel, as well as a communal outdoor pool and garden area. The owner of the 1 Murray House Bed & Breakfast is happy to welcome your pet during your stay, and will happily explain the ground rules for pet guests before you arrive. Dogs must be walked away from the main area of the property, and the owner will point you in the direction of nearby grassy areas, as well as pet-friendly park sand amenities in Newport and the surrounding area.
- Prices from $50 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for 1 Murray House Bed & Breakfast
Inn on Bellevue – quaint unfussy Fido-friendly rooms amid an Old World atmosphere
Located in a prime location on Bellevue Avenue, and within easy walking distance of the harbor, this is a classic inn with an elegant, European flair. Bedrooms are airy and spacious at the Inn on Bellevue, and guests can enjoy the use of the first-floor parlor room, which overlooks the avenue. Your pet is welcome to stay with you in one of the pet-friendly bedrooms for a small fee, and the staff will be delighted to tell you all about the best dog parks, and pet-friendly beaches that surround the Cliff Walk, Easton Beach and the heart of the historic district itself.
- Prices from $90 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for Inn on Bellevue
523 Thames Street Apartment 1 – a charming dog-allowing traditional New England style apartment
This stunning apartment is located just a 10-minute walk from The Preservation Society of Newport County and Rosecliff Mansion and is beautifully presented throughout. With two queen size beds and one pull-out sofa bed, up to 6 people can enjoy the elegant decor and charming ambiance of this traditional New England style apartment. There is also a flat-screen TV at 523 Thames Street Apartment 1 with cable channels, a patio with city views and towels and bedding can be provided for a fee. Your well behaved dog is welcome to stay here with you, but only by prior agreement. Being nestled away in a residential area, you and your pooch can enjoy strolls along the sidewalk and open spaces, while soaking up the seaside atmosphere.
- Prices from $80 per night.
- To book, check prices or availability for 523 Thames Street Apartment 1

domain: geography


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www.mccully.co.nz 2 December 2005
A Weekly Report from the Keyboard of Murray McCully MP for East Coast Bays
Vigilance Against Terrorism?
More important, the legislation provides important tools for the New Zealand authorities to identify and then manage threats to our security. Because there was some controversy (on human rights grounds) when the legislation was passed, a provision was included requiring a select committee review of key provisions of the Act - a review that had to be reported back to Parliament by 1 December 2005.
Prior to the election, the then Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committee conducted hearings on the Act, but no final report was prepared. In order to meet this week's December 1 deadline, the new select committee spent two hours last week being briefed by officials, to finalise a report. The report itself, due to constraints of time, does little more than canvass the issues, and rehearse the officials' advice.
But there is enough in it to ring alarm bells both about the legislation and the way it is being used (or not used) by the New Zealand authorities. And to raise substantial concerns as to whether, as with our defence policy, New Zealand alone is labouring under the misapprehension that we live in Helen Clark's "benign strategic environment".
The gateway to the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 is the process for designating terrorists or terrorist organisations, to which the legislation's measures are to apply. Two routes are available to designation, but in both cases it is the Prime Minister who makes the designation. First, the United Nations Security Council designates terrorists (like Al Qaeda) and all member nations are obliged to formally designate such groups. Second, individual nations should designate terrorist organisations or individuals that pose a threat to their own security or to the security of their neighbours.
Our Benign Strategic Environment
To date, the UN has designated around 450 terrorist organisations or individuals. New Zealand has dutifully designated all of them for the purposes of our legislation. But what about terrorists not on the UN list, but nevertheless deemed by the SIS or the Police to be a threat to our security?
The Select Committee report states that: "The Government has not yet used section 22 to designate any terrorist individual or group that is not included on the UN list." Further : "Officials are finalising and implementing a process for doing so." So how do we stack up against other comparable nations, Australia or Canada, for example? A footnote to the report tells us that: "By comparison, Australia has listed approximately 88 terrorist individuals or groups under UNSCR 1373 in addition to designations made by the UN under UNSCR 1267. Canada has listed approximately 59.
" So, let's get this straight: In addition to processing the terrorist organisations identified by the UN, Australia has separately identified and listed another 88 specifically as a threat to security in their (our) part of the world, and Canada, hardly one of the hawks of the international community, has listed 59. But New Zealand has listed none. Worse, officials are still "finalising and implementing a process for doing so."
The Select Committee Report (and, for those who were there, last week's brief couple of hours in the select committee) provide a rare opportunity to look behind the rhetoric which usually dominates security debates, to scrutinise the actions rather than the words. Which is a rather troubling experience. Because here, again, is clear evidence that we have parted company with the other nations with whom we have normally shared a perspective on security matters. Either our Government really does believe that we live in the Prime Minister's "benign strategic environment" or somebody has seriously dropped the ball.
Lost the Plot?
The newcomer to the detail of defence and security matters could only find the attitude of our Government on the Terrorism legislation deeply disturbing. Their focus is merely upon the theoretical task of bringing our Terrorism Suppression legislation into complete alignment with the United Nations' resolutions and removing any potential for departure (there are a couple of places where there is scope for departure, but it has never happened).
In other words, they are focused on ticking a few UN boxes rather than managing substantive threats to our security. While the UN framework is useful in this area, it would be foolish indeed to see it as exhaustive. Politics still plays a dominant role around the Security Council table. So organisations like Hamas and Hizbollah are not on the UN list of terrorist groups. They are, however, on the Australian and Canadian lists.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is also on the Canadian, but not the UN list. And who knows whether any of them will be on the New Zealand list when we finally get around to having one. There is an uncomfortable feeling that some of the groups identified by our traditional friends as terrorists just may be regarded by key elements in the Sisterhood as freedom fighters.
The timing of the Select Committee report did not provide for the more detailed scrutiny required. But notice has been served that there will be a move for a substantive enquiry into the matter unless we see some action soon. This morning's response from Justice Minister Mark Burton that our current laws "provide a good basis for meeting New Zealand's security arrangements" shows that he just doesn't get the point.
Matters of national security should, where possible, be placed above party politics. And that is the approach that has been taken to date. But the Government has been warned. Let's hope they heed the warning before we all have cause to regret the current inertia.
More Please Explains
The question that Helen Clark just doesn't want to answer was asked of her again this week. A Green MP from Germany, the home of MMP, asked her to explain how someone who had a foreign affairs agenda so different from her own could possibly be New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs - outside the Cabinet and outside the Government, of course. The explanation about our "innovative" approach to MMP may have been satisfying to Clark.
But there is little doubt that the questions will just keep on coming. Not because overseas politicians have nothing better to do than study the vagaries of the New Zealand political system. But because they can't understand our sheer cheek at trying to speak with forked tongue to other nations around the world - running two separate foreign policies in relation to the US, to Australia and to China all in the space of a couple of weeks.
And who knows what Mr Peters had to say to the Ministers he saw in the United Kingdom this week. Having already signalled a readiness to consider increasing our commitment to Afghanistan, just days before the Defence Minister announced that the SAS had actually returned to New Zealand, who knows what excursions Mr Peters has now undertaken. Which is the reason that those awkward questions are going to just keep on coming in.
How Many Teachers?
The worldwide headquarters appreciates the many responses to last week's readers question: How many teachers or lecturers does it take to make a Labour Government? The answer, officially sanctioned by leading government relations firm Saunders Unsworth, publishers of the authoritative, but no doubt outrageously expensive Guide to the 2005 Parliament, is 23.
That would be 23 teachers or lecturers out of a total caucus of 50. As we told you last week, there are 28 former trade unionists in the Labour caucus. So, even allowing for some who qualify for both lists, that's still a fairly telling story about the culture and focus of the current Labour Government.


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San Francisco will be hosting a bunch of R&b / Soul concerts available to take a look at in the schedule below. Make sure to RSVP on Facebook, check out event details and get your tickets for the following R&b / Soul shows planned in San Francisco. our site always offers a 100 percent guarantee for all tickets to the R&b / Soul concerts in San Francisco. Get the latest tour announcements for R&b / Soul concerts in San Francisco by visiting our Tour announcements page. The R&b / Soul concert itinerary for San Francisco is always updating, so visit this page often for the latest list of the R&b / Soul shows planned in the city of San Francisco.
Fri Sep 3, 2021
452 tickets left starting from $131.00
Sat Sep 4, 2021
473 tickets left starting from $123.00
Fri Oct 1, 2021
26 tickets left starting from $23.00
Sat Oct 30, 2021
25 tickets left starting from $26.00
Apr 15 (PPD)
10 tickets left starting from $217.00
Sep 27 (PPD)
10 tickets left starting from $158.00
Feb 25 (PPD)
R&B / SOUL Concerts near San Francisco
R&B / SOUL Concerts in Oakland, CA
Fri Mar 19, 2021
Sat Mar 20, 2021
Sun Mar 21, 2021
Sat May 1, 2021
Fri May 7, 2021
Thu May 27, 2021
R&B / SOUL Concerts in Berkeley, CA
Fri Apr 23, 2021
Wed Sep 15, 2021
San Francisco R&b / Soul Concert Information
- Schedule for the R&b / Soul concerts in San Francisco is updated daily.
- Tickets for all San Francisco R&b / Soul concerts are sold with a 100% moneyback guarantee.
- Davies Symphony Hall and The Fillmore - San Francisco both have lots of R&b / Soul concert dates forthcoming.
- San Francisco is always one of the top locations for R&b / Soul concert tours in the nation.
- These next R&b / Soul concerts will be some of the most anticipated San Francisco R&b / Soul concerts in years.
San Francisco so far has a massive list of R&b / Soul concert tours entering San Francisco in the coming weeks. Many of R&b / Soul music's top tours are about to have concerts in San Francisco. You cannot miss some of the R&b / Soul concert excitement that San Francisco has to offer at some of the most magnificant venues in the nation. Just see the schedule here for all the future San Francisco R&b / Soul concerts. Our San Francisco concert schedule is refreshed on a regular basis in case their are any changes.


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Nearly seven years ago, when chef Marco Canora opened Brodo, the bone broth takeout window in Manhattan’s East Village that sparked a wellness movement, I was slow to fall in line. Something about sipping a clear, meaty elixir didn’t resonate with me the way that my daily green juice did. And yet everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Tom Brady was soon raving about the collagen-rich panacea.
“Collagen is really critical to our health because it makes up 30% of all of the protein in our bodies,” explains Josh Axe, D.N.M., a clinical nutritionist and author of 2019’s The Collagen Diet, who notes that production of the multitasking amino-acid chains starts to decline around age 25. “By the time you’re in your mid-50s, your body is producing 50 percent less collagen,” Axe continues. The way to help replenish those reserves, he says, is to consume it—whether by simmering bones into a savory stock or reaching for the new collagen powders now flooding the supplement market. Promising everything from thicker hair and stronger nails to plumper skin, collagen powders are on track to reach $7.5 billion by 2027. The sector is led by brands such as the Chicago-based Vital Proteins, which became Instagram famous when it partnered with Kourtney Kardashian on an organic blueberry-and-lemon–flavored powder sourced from pasture-raised cows in Brazil.
“Do you ingest collagen and look in the mirror and give yourself a thumbs up? No, it doesn’t work like that,” admits Bobbi Brown, the beauty mogul and founder of wellness brand Evolution_18, whose collagen-based offerings are carried at Walmart. But real, perceptible benefits can often be achieved in a few months, Brown is quick to add. “Inside-out beauty is more important than ever,” agrees One Ocean Beauty’s Marcella Cacci, who launched her marine-based skin-care line in 2018 with a five-piece lineup that includes complexion-boosting collagen supplements that deploy skin-healthy vitamins found in tomatoes and pomegranate extract.
It’s certainly an appealing premise—if not entirely in line with our increasingly plant-oriented diets. “It’s almost impossible to find the quality of the collagen you are using or exactly where it came from,” Brooke Russell, Ph.D., a vice president of operations at ECM Biosurgery, says of the powders, which are sourced from the bones, skin, or connective tissue of animals like cows or fish. “Most of the time, you don’t really know what is in there.” New York City-based dermatologist Pat Wexler, M.D., isn’t entirely sold either. “There are no negative side effects—but there is a lot more research to be done,” says Wexler, cautioning that many of the studies have been paid for by the companies producing the supplements.
Linda Ellison, Ph.D., a former public health systems managing director at the United Nations, spent three years working with scientists to optimize a healing bone broth recipe that she inherited from her grandmother. Ellison had planned to launch her first product, a beauty supplement, from her California-based biotech company, Kaü, last fall. But when the coronavirus hit, she decided to fast-track Life, a more potent formula initially developed for intensive-care units. “At this level of concentration, it triggers the rapid production of immune-system cells”—cells that might resemble those you have in your early 20s, Ellison says. “It’s like the difference between getting a bag at Forever 21 and buying a Chanel purse,” she adds with a laugh. Since the flavorless powder can strengthen your immune system, it has a number of happy side effects, she says: “You’re sleeping better, you’re less anxious, you have better mental focus, and your metabolism spikes”; that a brighter complexion comes with the territory is an added bonus.
Below, the 11 best collagen powders and supplements to stock up on now.
Originally published on Vogue.com
Read Next: Do Collagen Supplements Actually Work?

domain: health


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The formula has been expertly balanced to help sterilised cats stay in healthy condition throughout their adult years. The protein, fat and carbohydrate levels have been specially adapted to help maintain ideal body weight in sterilised cats. The crunchy kibble texture is proven to protect teeth from plaque and tartar build-up.
• Contains OPTIRENAL® For Healthy Kidneys • Maintains urinary health in neutered cats • Helps maintain a healthy body weight • Helps protect teeth from plaque and tartar build-up • High quality Turkey №1 ingredient in the composition
“The highly palatable recipe has been created to satisfy even the fussiest of cats. Made with high-quality ingredients, the formula contains a restricted number of protein sources to help minimise the risk of food intolerance.
• Contains OPTIDIGEST® for Healthy Digestion • Formulation specially developed to promote healthy kidneys • Formulated with selected protein sources to support food tolerance • Highly palatable recipe • High quality Turkey n°1 ingredient in the composition”

domain: food


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|Official Full Name||UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1 family, polypeptide A6A|
|Synonyms||UDPGT; UGT1.6; Ugt1a6; Ugt1a7; UGT1-06; UDPGT 1-6|
|Species||Cat.#||Product name||Source (Host)||Tag||Protein Length||Price|
Ugt1a6a involved in several pathways and played different roles in them. We selected most pathways Ugt1a6a participated on our site, such as Pentose and glucuronate interconversions, Ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, Steroid hormone biosynthesis, which may be useful for your reference. Also, other proteins which involved in the same pathway with Ugt1a6a were listed below. Creative BioMart supplied nearly all the proteins listed, you can search them on our site.
|Pathway Name||Pathway Related Protein|
|Pentose and glucuronate interconversions||AKR1B10; UGT2B15; UGT5G1; UGT1A6B; UGT1AB; GKUP; ALDH1B1; DHDHL; SORD; AKR1B1L|
|Ascorbate and aldarate metabolism||UGT1A6A; ALDH9A1A.1; ALDH7A1; UGT5G1; GULO; UGT2A3; ALDH2.1; UGT1A4; UGT2A1; UGT1AB|
|Steroid hormone biosynthesis||CYP3A41A; AKR1C3; SRD5A2; CYP1A; HSD3B1; UGT2A1; SULT2ST3; SRD5A1; CYP2C50; UGT1A6A|
|Starch and sucrose metabolism||UGP2A; HK1; UGT1A6A; GBA3; UGT5G1; AMY2A; UGT2A2; UGT1A9; UGP2B; HK3|
|Retinol metabolism||CYP3A65; UGT1A7; CYP3A25; BCO1L; UGT2A3; RETSATL; LRATA; DHRS4; CYP2B19; DHRS3|
|Porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism||HMOX1A; UGT1AB; CP; P22; HMBSA; UGT1A7C; UGT1A9; GUSB; UGT2A1; UGT1A3|
|Metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P||MGST3; GSTO1; SULT2A1; UGT5G1; ALDH3A1; UGT1A6A; DHDHL; GSTM5; GSTM2; GSTAL|
|Drug metabolism - cytochrome P||GSTM1; AOX3L1; GSTP2; FMO4; FMO3; GSTT1B; UGT2A1; UGT1A2; MGST2; AOX3|
|Drug metabolism - other enzymes||IMPDH1; NAT; IMPDH1A; UGT1A9; TPMT; XDH; UGT1A2; UGT2B7; UPB1; UCK2B|
|Metabolic pathways||DHCR7; ADH1B; CYP2B6; HLCS; PLD1; GK2; CYP2C55; INPP5J; AGLA; HKDC1|
|Chemical carcinogenesis||GSTT2B; CYP3A41B; GSTA3; UGT1A7C; ALDH1A3; CBR1; ADH1A; CYP2C19; CYP2C50; UGT1A7|
Ugt1a6a has several biochemical functions, for example, enzyme binding, glucuronosyltransferase activity, protein complex binding. Some of the functions are cooperated with other proteins, some of the functions could acted by Ugt1a6a itself. We selected most functions Ugt1a6a had, and list some proteins which have the same functions with Ugt1a6a. You can find most of the proteins on our site.
|enzyme binding||DAXX; C2orf56; HSPA1B; HDAC2; KIAA1967; JUN; NOXO1; PDCD2; STUB1; POR|
|glucuronosyltransferase activity||UGT5A2; UGT1B2; UGT1A7C; UGT2B3; UGT5A4; UGT5C3; UGT1A2; UGT2B7; UGT3A2; UGT5C1|
|protein complex binding||HSPD1; AKAP5; TUBB; LAMB3; VHLL; UGT1A6A; PRMT5; KAT6B; RIPK1; SHARPIN|
|protein heterodimerization activity||VAPA; H2AFB1; DRD1; PDGFB; NEUROD2; TFAP2E; LIFR; HIST2H2AA4; TAS1R1; YWHAH|
|protein homodimerization activity||SP100; PYGL; BAX; G6PD; ZHX2; ENO3; ATPIF1; UGT1A3; CD200; CITED1|
|transferase activity||GLT8D1; UCK2B; EPHB3A; SETD1B; PRMT9; HHAT; GSK3AB; PKZ; UGT1B2; CAMKK1B|
|transferase activity, transferring glycosyl groups||UGT5A4; UGT1B5; FUT9D; EXT2; LARGE; UGT1B2; GLT8D2; POMGNT2; DPY19L4; GLT8D1|
|transferase activity, transferring hexosyl groups||GLT6D1; UGT2B6; GBGT1L1; UGT5C3; UGT5B3; MGAT4C; UGT5B6; GBGT1L4; UGT5B1; UGT1B4|
Ugt1a6a has direct interactions with proteins and molecules. Those interactions were detected by several methods such as yeast two hybrid, co-IP, pull-down and so on. We selected proteins and molecules interacted with Ugt1a6a here. Most of them are supplied by our site. Hope this information will be useful for your research of Ugt1a6a.
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domain: chemistry


Corporate profits (and reduced expenses) require the highest qualified staff and managers and the unconditional support of everyone up the corporate chain-of-command. The same conditions also apply for eliminating the waste, fraud, and abuse of the taxpayer’s money. The following three government branch sections, (1A) executive, (1B) judicial, and (1C) legislative branch, illustrate how politicians and public officials within all three branches undermine the U.S. government, its technical professionals, and the very citizens they were paid to protect.
(1A) Executive Branch – Three executive-branch examples involving the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Federal Drug Administration (FDA), and a government-wide (intentional) failure to produce accurate financial statements illustrate the need to restructure this branch, starting at the top with the elimination of all RDBs.
SEC — The American people have paid EX / SES political appointee RDBs from Goldman Sachs, AIG, Lehman Brothers, etc., to manage the SEC. Instead, these RDBs eliminated SEC civil-service professionals for questioning their parent corporation’s illegal activities and then shredded documentation involving over 18,000 cases against many of these same firms. Please read Matt Taibbi’s Rolling Stone article, “Is the SEC Covering Up Wall Street Crimes?”
FDA scientists are also constantly under attack for questioning the EX / SES political-appointee RDB medical-review process that places their parent corporation profits above the safety of the American people. The following FDA scientist quote in a 2009 Truthoutarticle raises legitimate questions over the government’s continued use of EX / SES political appointee RDBs to fill managerial positions at federal department, bureau, and agency levels:
“Currently, there is an atmosphere at FDA in which the honest employee fears the dishonest employee (political-appointee RDB/unqualified civil-service managers).”A recent July 2012 New York Times story, “Vast FDA Effort Tracked Emails of Its Scientists,” expands on the above 2009 story and details how FDA political-appointee RDB managers tracked internal scientist emails to Congress and the media, like criminals. Why? Because they voiced their professional concerns and exercised their 1st amendment rights, and, for this, four professional scientists were fired.
Government-Wide (Intentional) Failure to Produce Accurate Financial Statements
The Department of Defense (DOD) and all other executive-branch non-DOD entities, known as the 24 Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act department, bureau, and agency offices, have no ability to provide an accurate accounting of the taxpayer’s money, by design. The problem is not technical but political and involves the ongoing and ever-changing, politically-induced deficiencies that create an unnecessary and unending dependence on financial-management contractors (FMCs); those FMCs include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), financial-software companies, and management-consulting firms. Politicians violated their most basic fiduciary responsibility to the American people when they allowed the AICPA to oversee two deficient accounting standards, one for the federal government and yet another for state and local governments. The AICPA’s public-sector accounting standards are not based on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and are thus incapable of generating accurate public-sector financial statements for federal (DOD and the 24 CFO Act entities), state, and local governments. This is because politicians control, and intentionally thwart, the generation of accurate public-sector financial statements, via their political appointees, for two reasons, to: (1) prevent any level of accountability and responsibility to its citizens, (2) create a lucrative and ongoing revenue source (redistribution of wealth) from taxpayer, to contractor (for unnecessary contracts), and then back to the politician (in the form of campaign contributions). See the below DOD and 24 CFO Act entities’ articles and other documentation to see how this collusion, corruption, coercion, and exorbitant taxpayer waste works within the federal government.


On September 17, the Burke and Seed Strategy teams were joined by Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman to celebrate the ribbon-cutting for the new Seed Strategy building on Burke’s campus. Also in attendance were members of the City of Cincinnati Department of Community and Economic Development, Hixson Architecture, Turnbull-Wahlert Construction, local news, and a supportive crowd of Burke and Seed employees, friends and family.
The sunny, mid-morning ceremony was emceed by Seed’s Corey Beilstein and featured a handful of short speeches by Seed’s Founder and CEO Susan Jones, Burke CEO Jeff Miller and Vice Mayor Smitherman. The remarks spent time reflecting on Seed’s journey since its founding in 2001, honoring the Burke-Seed acquisition and partnership, recounting tales of the building process, and celebrating the new addition to downtown Cincinnati.
Jones encapsulated the essence of the momentous event in her speech: “Since its inception 18 years ago, Seed Strategy has aimed to be a sanctuary where the best strategists and creatives wanted to come to work. Today, that vision becomes a reality as we officially open the doors to our modern treehouse.”
Angela Jones is a VP, Creative at Seed Strategy and Managing Editor for Seed’s e-mag, The Fire Theft Project: Conversations on Creativity. She specializes in capturing the essence of new ideas, and helping lead teams towards a fully realized creative vision.


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Butternut Squash Paratha / Butternut Squash Tortilla
My goto dish for tiffin. Be it for lunchbox or pack a quick meal while going shopping or running errands. Makes a wholesome meal with combination of avocado and whole wheat flour.
This Recipe is free from :
Butternut Squash pieces - 1 Cup
Whole wheat flour - 1 - 2 cups
cooking oil - 2 TBSP
Jaggery - grated - ¼ Cup
Cinnamon Powder - ½ Tsp
Cardamom Powder - ¼ Tsp
salt to taste
For the dough:
Pressure cook butternut squash pieces for 3 whistles in a pressure cooker. Let the pressure release naturally.
Blend the cooked butternut squash to a puree using a hand blender or a mixer.
Add jaggery , cinnamon powder , cardamom powder , salt to taste and mix well .
Add whole wheat flour little at a time . Knead into a soft dough. Only add flour required to make a soft dough. Do not add any water to dough. Rest it for 5-10 minutes.
For the Paratha:
Take a lemon size ball of dough. Roll it into a circle of around 4 inches diameter.
Spread some oil on dough circle and fold into half. Again spread some oil on the half dough circle and fold into half making a triangle shape.
Dust some flour onto triangle and began to roll the folded triangle. Add some flour if required and roll it into a 6-7 inches diameter circle. Tip over her is to roll on the edges of the triangle which makes it into a circle.
Dry roast the paratha on a griddle/skillet/non-stick pan on medium heat.
Then flip and apply little oil or butter on both sides, and cook till both sides are golden brown and crisp.
Sprinkle some powdered sugar and serve hot as a snack or lunch box menu.


About The ShowMiki Howard represents passionate vocal artistry wrapped in a diminutive package of beauty, sass and candor. Grammy-nominated Howard already has a stunning catalog of music wide ranging in style – from the breezy “Come Share My Love” and the steamy funk of “Ain’t Nobody Like You” to her soul-stirring signature “Love Under New Management,” the jazzy “Imagination” and the inferno that is “That’s What Love Is” (her duet with the late, great Gerald Levert).
The one and only Miki Howard is a Grammy-nominated, Soul Train Award-winning and critically acclaimed Jazz and Rhythm & Blues songstress. Miki has had two #1 singles (“Ain’t Nobody Like You” and “Ain’t Nothin’ In The World”), five Top 10 singles one Top 20 single and four Top 100 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Charts. Miki has also had two Top 10 albums, two Top 20 albums and three Top 100 albums on the Billboard R&B Album Charts so far in her career. Miki even played the role of one of her idols, the great Billie Holiday in Spike Lee’s film “Malcolm X,” alongside Denzel Washington. She has collaborated and toured with music greats like Al Jarreau, Roy Ayres, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Jermaine Jackson, Hiroshima, Wayne Henderson, Ronnie Laws, Augie Johnson and Side Effect and Norman Brown.
Miki Howard is now touring the US and abroad, combining her chart topping hit songs with a mixture of Jazz, modern standards and good old blues to create a musical feast for the heart and soul and will release a new album of jazz standards in 2022.


Engine Company 67 Dedication
and constructed by city artisans, the new headquarters of Engine Company
No. 67 of the Los Angeles fire department at 2520 Westview avenue, in the
West Adams district, is regarded by city planners, fire officials and
architectural authorities as the outstanding model fire house
extant. Of Spanish design and fitted with the latest appointments
obtainable, the structure fills and important niche in the development of
the pretty residential and business district. Above is shown a view
of the front elevation of the building. The temporary apparatus used
by the newly-organized fire-fighting unit appears at the door. Below
is Capt. John A. Wilson and members of the present day shift. These
firemen live in the district served by the company and received their
"baptism of fire fighting" in the metropolitan area.
Fills Need in Populous
West Adams Section of City
Filling a large niche in the development of the West Adams district and
affording residents a much-needed measure of protection a new and
picturesque firehouse has been completed at 2520 Westview avenue, a few
doors from West Adams boulevard, and placed in commission.
Temporarily the unique structure the architecture of
which is in keeping with the homes nearby, will house an emergency triple-combination
apparatus until the arrival of new equipment from the East. Before
July 1, it is expected, one of the latest departures in fire-fighting
equipment will replace the present apparatus.
Fire Chief Ralph J. Scott, cognizant of the necessity
of providing added fire protection to the large residential and business
district, urged city officials to expedite completion of the house.
Before the paint was dry the apparatus was assigned, crews of the two
battalions named and the Gamewell alarm system linked in.
During the few days that it has been in commission, Engine
Company No. 67, as the new unit is known, has answered an average of four
alarms daily, and its need in the neighborhood has been demonstrated.
Battalion Chiefs H. Watson and H. Gemberling are in
charge of the district, while Capts. John A Wilson, one of the most widely
known and experienced "smoke eaters" of the Los Angeles
department, and E. L. Beeson are in charge of the company quartered there.
The new fire house was designed by city engineers and constructed
at a cost said to about $21,000.


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This webinar is for both new and established businesses who are considering expanding their businesses into exporting. The webinar will explore the exporting process in a variety of topics which include:
- Export readiness
- Market research
- Sales channels
- Legal / Compliance
- Culture, and Resources
Contact Information: Bill McNamara | Director of the ITC | firstname.lastname@example.org
There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.
How to Register for this Webinar:
- If you haven’t done so in the last 12 months, you must fill out our Client Intake Form here in order to attend the webinar
- Register for the webinar by clicking the registration link below.
Hosted by the Illinois SBDC at the WBDC
The Illinois SBDC ITC at WBDC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance, please contact (312) 853-3477 ext. 100.

domain: economics


The Media Briefing has been addressing three key questions about the potential of VR in the world of publishing; What will it take for virtual reality to become economically viable for publishers, where is that tipping point of viability and where is the revenue?
Chris Sutcliffe has written three articles which attempt to address these questions separately. Together the articles investigate the current status of VR and look at what is required to provide the fertile conditions needed for VR to grow into both an affordable technology for publishers and an accessible experience for consumers.
In the first article Sutcliffe says that there have been a number of interesting experiments in VR documentary making, pointing to Hong Kong Unrest as an example. Productions like this have proved the potential for VR’s immersive qualities to provoke a new level of audience engagement with documentary storytelling. So what will it take for reporting like this be viewed alongside the news headlines of the future?
It’s one thing to do experiments, and quite another to make virtual reality one of your regular means of distribution. Issues of investment are certainly one consideration - though the cost of entry is lower than you might assume - but the real questions are these: When will there be enough of a userbase for it to be worth publishers’ time producing content for VR users? And how can they monetise them?
Sutcliffe points to the accelerating rate of technology adoption (as summarized by the Pew Research Centre) as evidence of the speed at which we can expect VR to become mainstream. The early adopters of VR have come to it through the games industry and it seems unlikely that journalism on a VR platform will become mainstream until it can be monetized. But Sutcliffe says that publishers existing partnership with advertisers could provide them with the experience and leverage needed;
While many publishers are still grappling with the issue of what a successful ad looks like on mobile, brands and advertisers are already experimenting with marketing services using VR platforms. In an article for AdWeek about the potential of advertising on VR platforms, Christopher Heine provides the following example: “The 360-degree videos will live on an Oculus content platform that’s set to go live early this year. Destination B.C. also plans to distribute the clips via a partnership with Thomas Cook, a U.K.-based travel agency that will outfit its U.K., German and Belgian locations with the Oculus Rift. ‘You don’t have to simply lean on telling consumers things like, ‘The trees are this big.’ That sense of being there is such a powerful tool,” notes Janice Greenwood-Fraser, a representative for the tourism authority. “It brings it to life in a way that no photo or regular video can.’”
Sutcliffe’s second article examines what conditions will be needed to tip VR towards mainstream distribution. The NYTimes’ recent experiment with VR saw them sending out 1.3 million free Google Cardboard headsets to readers of its print product. The project has been viewed as a success with average audience engagement times of 14.7 minutes, and the NYT is now planning future VR projects.
And of that 14.7 minutes figure, Andy Wright, senior vice president of advertising and publisher at The New York Times Magazine, said: “Given the average time spent within the NYT VR app is close to 15 minutes, an unheard of metric for digital media, it is clear that this experience resonated with viewers.”
YouTube’s Google Cardboard platform is now accessible to Android users as well as iOS, making a 360 viewing experience genuinely possible for any smartphone owner. The cost of camera rigs is coming down too so are the conditions for VR to take off here right now?
But there are other fundamental problems to be overcome. For instance, the body’s proprioception is keyed to adapted to your personal height and body type. For the same reason that mirror box syndrome can (reputedly) alleviate the pain of phantom limbs, the tricks virtual reality employs can stimulate a physiological response in the user. As a result, introducing too great a variance in the body type (height/weight/etc) means that an individual’s proprioception can be thrown off, breaking the ‘presence’ of the experience and arguably blunting the point of true VR. But, as a result of the efforts of the NYT and other publishers in pushing the new medium via the minimum viable product of Google Cardboard, in addition to the lower-than-expected price of the Samsung gear VR headset worldwide, it’s likely adoption of VR will be faster than we could have predicted even six months ago.
The third article looks at the way advertisers are investing in VR. As with native advertising, the success or otherwise of an advertisement is based on the trust a reader has with the host publication (see previous Radar post). Sutcliffe argues that publishers are in the best position to judge their own audiences, and they have the skills to produce the copy. An investment in in house VR could reap rewards for advertising revenue and documentary storytelling alike.
And with major audiences come major advertising opportunities. Whether that’s through content produced on behalf of brands in an incredibly immersive medium, or an event or brand producing it to bolster its ecommerce proposition, it’s evident that if 360 video offers savvy publishers a new way to engage audiences.
Watch this advert for mini (which the article points to). The short 360 film, which can be watched on a laptop or smartphone as well as with goggles, shows some interesting creative possibilities for both advertisers and dramatic storytelling.


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Conor McGregor crossed over from mixed martial arts to boxing in order to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., and now it sounds like Mayweather, who defeated McGregor back in August, could follow in his opponent’s footsteps and make a transition of his own.
UFC president Dana White told ESPN that Mayweather and UFC are discussing a deal that would see the undefeated boxer compete inside the octagon.
The exact details of a potential deal are unknown, but there’s a real chance of it coming to fruition, according to White, who pointed to the Mayweather-McGregor boxing match as proof that anything can happen.
“We’re talking to Floyd about doing a UFC deal,” White told ESPN. “It’s real. He was talking about (boxing) Conor McGregor. Was that real? Have you heard Floyd talk about many things that aren’t real? He usually tips his hand when he’s in the media and then that s— ends up happening.
“We’re interested in doing something with Floyd. Everything is a realistic possibility. Mayweather vs. McGregor f—ing happened. Anything is possible.”
This news comes on the heels of Mayweather saying during a live social media Q&A earlier this month that he could fight in UFC on a three- or four-fight deal that would net him a billion dollars.
Mayweather, who improved his professional boxing record to 50-0 with his victory over McGregor, also said in the build-up to that fight that he was open to fighting The Notorious in MMA. It was reasonable to assume at the time that Mayweather simply was talking nonsense to build interest in the much-anticipated boxing match, but perhaps there’s too much money to be made in a deal with UFC.
Of course, even if Mayweather is serious about testing his hand (and feet) in UFC, there’s nothing at this point to suggest he’d eye a fight with McGregor, who currently holds the UFC lightweight title.

domain: sports


They have a camera with autocue in that temporary newsroom, seen it on one of their reports just sitting in a corner.
The camera in that bunker studio had issues this morning, sometimes they were normal, then turned them into ghosts then turned Hayley blue then after the break she was green lol
I think it’s the one that attaches to a camera ops camera and would have been used by simon last night so he had an autocue
Surely TVNZ can broadcast 1NEWS from Avalon or ChCh. How many delay to on air has happened recently for them to invest in another news set in capital and South. Or go live from Location.
The space they have built was apparently built a year ago for such occasions as this and fire alarms ect.
Where is seven sharp coming from tonight?
Surely Breakfast use this tomorrow? (Seven sharp insta)
That seven sharp backdrop looks so much better when it’s not displayed on their normal shit ton of small screens.
Looking at the image it’s being filmed at NEP studios in Parnell.
1 News Tonight from the Temporary Studio
TeKarere from the Temporary Studio
John and Jenny in studio, Haylee at Eden Park
Who’s Claire? She looks like an Aussie
Looking at 6PM and Seven Sharp last night looks as if it came from NEP also judging by the screen behind Jack and the fact he was there for the Seven Sharp handover.
Did midday come from there too? As it looked like Chris was also standing during the programme.
Some Auckland interviews also coming from what John called “The Other Broom Closet”
Anyone at TVNZ read this? Breakfast please revert to the old intro sequence! Sting > headlines > titles > welcome. Right now it’s just a mess and I will never understand why they stopped doing it. They have plenty of time to kill so that’s not and issue and imo stop having the newsreader stand, looks stupid having to watch them get up and sit back down!
Breakfast at NEP this morning they seem to have a bit more of a set up there now.
Looks like they might be there for the rest of the week with what they’re saying. Nice studio though
Shame they don’t sit at the sofa on the 6pm. Do they see it as too informal? Red is part of their brand lol


|Prognosis: The pandemic and the pace of oil demand recovery from the coronavirus crisis are posing a significant challenge for oil producers in rebalancing the market, according to the IEA. Oil-producing countries and oil companies now have to factor in many more variables in their plans, including economic forecasts and various speeds at which vaccines are being used in different countries. “Producers are grappling with massive uncertainty about where this goes from here. So high is the uncertainty that the OPEC+ group decided in December—just when Europe was renewing lockdowns to fight soaring coronavirus cases—to hold monthly ministerial meetings to decide production policies.
While the December decision of the OPEC+ alliance was to boost production in January by 500,000 b/d, thus easing the cuts from 7.7 million b/d to 7.2 million, the January meeting refrained from lifting output in February too much, except for a compromise boost to Russia’s production by 65,000 b/d. Saudi Arabia went the extra mile and pledged unilaterally to cut its crude oil production by an additional 1 million b/d. Analysts view the surprise cut as a sign that the Kingdom expects weak oil demand in the first quarter of this year.
A growing number of experts and international agencies warn that the world could be headed for an oil shortage when oil demand finally recovers from the pandemic in late 2022 or 2023. Last year, the pandemic slashed global oil demand, which is not expected to return to pre-crisis levels for at least another year and a half.
However, the coronavirus also accelerated a structural decline in upstream oil investments as all E&P firms, oil supermajors, US shale producers, and national oil companies alike slashed capital expenditures in the wake of the price crash. Investments in new oil supply have now slumped to a more-than-a-decade low. If the industry doesn’t raise upstream investments in coming years, the oil market could be headed to a supply crunch after oil global demand recovers, analysts and forecasters warn.
Countries dependent on oil revenues for much of their budgets will become increasingly vulnerable to problems caused by the global energy transition, according to the head of the IEA, Fatih Birol. The world will still need oil this year and next, and for years to come, but it will need less and less of it, Birol said.
Birol’s comments came after the IEA reported it would release the first comprehensive roadmap to net zero emissions. The roadmap, according to the report, “will set out in detail what is needed from governments, companies, investors, and citizens to fully decarbonize the energy sector and put emissions on a path in line with a temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
2. Geopolitical instability
(These are the situations that reduce the world’s energy supplies or have the potential to do so.)
Iran: According to the governor of the Central Bank, oil revenues have halved since the US imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic in 2018. The country’s oil revenues have dropped from more than $40 billion in 2018 to less than $20 billion in 2019 and 2020. As early as 2019, Iran’s Oil Minister Zanganeh admitted that Iran’s oil industry had been dealt a “deadly blow” by the US sanctions. Last week, Iran said that the US must pay Tehran as much as $70 billion in reparations for the damage the sanctions have caused.
For nearly three years, Tehran has been waiting for President Trump to leave office and to try its hand at negotiating against a perceived weaker Democratic opponent. In anticipation of the US administration’s change, they have been rolling out more bargaining chips, including stepped-up nuclear enrichment, demands for reparations, and taking hostages in hopes they can negotiate to have the sanctions lifted and still retain their missile development programs. The most serious of these moves is work on an assembly line to manufacture a key material used at the core of nuclear warheads and restarting production of fuel for its Tehran Research Reactor, a facility that runs on uranium enriched to higher levels.
The National Iranian Oil Co. signed eight more oil projects as part of a $6.2 billion program started in January 2019 to boost oil production by 355,000 b/d.
Iraq: Baghdad announced a deal with Lebanon that could gradually move Lebanon deeper into Tehran’s sphere of influence. Tehran sees Lebanon as a critical player in the Shia crescent of power that it has been meticulously developing for years. Under the deal, Iraq will begin exporting fuel to Lebanon this month. Given that Iraq itself suffered from serious power shortages over the summer, this is a major sacrifice by Baghdad that will likely result in Iran gaining more influence in the region.
After a record-setting 2019, annual oil output fell by about 760,000 b/d last year as Iraq made extraordinary cuts to help support global prices. In December, nationwide crude production fell slightly to about 3.86 million b/d, capping a year of OPEC-related constraints that yielded the lowest output since 2015. Fields managed by the federal government produced about 3.46 million b/d in December — a decrease of 2 percent compared to November — while those under the authority of the Kurdistan Regional Government rose slightly to 477,000 b/d.
3. Climate change
President-elect Biden is setting up a bigger White House climate team than any president before him. The president-elect announced the planned hiring of more than a half-dozen new climate staffers to join his West Wing. The crew is drawn from the ranks of green groups, environmental justice advocates, and former Democratic administration officials to grow an inner circle that will help him try to slash the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.
That team will be tasked with executing a wide-reaching plan to embed climate action across government agencies and in legislation on Capitol Hill. Biden has also pledged to address the disproportionate pollution burden carried by poor and minority neighborhoods. Biden’s incoming climate team is a mix of new faces and old hands. Biden also plans to add one of the architects of Obama’s plan for cutting emissions from the power sector to the Environmental Protection Agency, a sign of environmental regulation to come.
Placing a dollar value on the contribution of climate change to storm damage has been tricky. Now, Stanford University researchers have determined that a third of the financial damage caused by flooding in the US over the past three decades—almost $75 billion worth—can be attributed to excess precipitation caused by climate change. Their paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to make such a comprehensive estimate.
Under the EU’s massive economic recovery program, more than 500 billion euros will start flowing to help the region clean up its energy, industry, transport, and farming sectors. The “Green Deal,” a central pillar of the recovery plan, will be turned into legislation, making irreversible Europe’s ambitious target to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Included in these changes will be new climate laws, tighter rules on the carbon market, higher charges for carbon emissions, and cleaner cars.
4. The global economy and the coronavirus
The World Health Organization’s chief scientist warned that even as numerous countries start rolling out vaccination programs to stop COVID-19, herd immunity is highly unlikely this year. While the recorded death count from the Covid-19 pandemic is now over 2 million, the true extent is far worse. More than 2.8 million people have lost their lives due to the pandemic, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from 59 countries and jurisdictions. Deaths in these places last year surged more than 12 percent above average levels.
The economic distress of the pandemic is picking up where it left off at the end of 2020. The latest data show activity in the advanced economies softened in the first two weeks of the new year. In the US, government figures showed retail sales fell for a third month in December as a resurgent virus prompted another tightening of business restrictions. Europe is facing the possibility that output will shrink in consecutive quarters.
United States: The number of people seeking unemployment aid soared last week to 965,000, the most since late August and a sign that the resurgent virus has increased layoffs. The latest figures for jobless claims remain at levels never seen until the virus struck. Before the pandemic, weekly applications typically numbered around 225,000. They spiked to nearly 7 million last spring after nationwide shutdowns took effect.
Federal health officials sounded the alarm Friday about a fast-spreading, far more contagious variant of the coronavirus projected to become the dominant source of infection in the country by March. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that its forecasts indicated outbreaks caused by the new variant could lead to a burgeoning pandemic this winter.
As the US goes through the most lethal phase of the coronavirus outbreak yet, governors and local officials in hard-hit parts of the country show little willingness to impose any new restrictions on businesses to stop the spread. And unlike in 2020, when the debate over lockdowns often split along party lines, both Democratic and Republican leaders signify their opposition to forced closings and other measures. Some have expressed fear of compounding the heavy economic damage inflicted by the outbreak. Some see little patience among their constituents for more restrictions ten months into the crisis. And some seem to be focused more on the rollout of the vaccines that could eventually defeat the threat.
President-elect Biden proposed a $1.9 trillion rescue package to combat the economic downturn and the Covid-19 crisis. This package outlines the type of total aid that Democrats have demanded for months and signals a shift in the federal government’s pandemic response. The package includes more than $400 billion to combat the pandemic directly, including money to accelerate vaccine deployment and to reopen most schools within 100 days safely. Another $350 billion would help state and local governments bridge budget shortfalls. Simultaneously, the plan would also include $1,400 direct payments to individuals, more generous unemployment benefits, federally mandated paid leave for workers, and large subsidies for childcare costs.
China: Beijing has imposed its most widespread restrictions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, placing travel restrictions on about 23 million people and putting some areas into lockdown after a sudden rise in cases. Since last July, China’s total reported symptomatic cases had exceeded 100 on Wednesday, the most significant outbreak. Ninety of the new infections were in Hebei province, next to Beijing.
China ended the year in many ways stronger than it started. While the US and Europe wait for vaccine rollouts to get more people vaccinated, China became the only major economy expected to report growth for 2020, helping it close the US’s GDP gap. It has expanded its role in global trade and shored up its position as the world’s factory floor, despite years of US efforts to persuade companies to invest elsewhere. China’s consumer market—lifted by its quick recovery from Covid-19—keeps gaining momentum, making it a bigger driver of global companies’ earnings. And the country has solidified its standing as a force in global financial markets.
China’s economy is expected to have grown 6.1 percent in October-December from a year earlier, after the third quarter’s 4.9 percent expansion. The economy has been recovering steadily from a steep 6.8 percent slump in the first three months of 2020 when the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan’s central city caused widespread lockdowns.
Chinese exports grew more than expected in December as coronavirus disruptions fueled worldwide demand for Chinese goods. A robust domestic recovery also spurred the Chinese appetite for foreign products in December, with import growth quickening from the month prior and beating expectations.
China’s crude imports fell to a 27-month low of 9.09 million b/d in December, but total imports over 2020 were up 7 percent year on year at 10.86 million b/d. The last time monthly imports were lower was in September 2018 at 9.092 million b/d.
Europe: Road traffic in most of the continent is at its weakest since the end of the first lockdowns in the late spring of last year as more people stay at home with renewed lockdowns. Despite the start of vaccinations in Europe, many countries continue to battle record daily new coronavirus cases and have been on lockdown, again, since before Christmas.
According to Rystad Energy, road fuel consumption across Europe has significantly dropped due to the lockdowns in recent weeks. Still, overall oil demand in Europe is not as low as it was last spring because the frigid winter in most parts of the continent drives up the use of oil products for heating. Nevertheless, the lockdowns are sapping oil demand again, and consumption is unlikely to pick up materially over the next two to three months.
The UK is under stay-at-home orders nationwide at least until the middle of February, with people not allowed to leave their local area and allowed to go out of their homes only for essential shopping, which cannot be done from home, and once-a-day outdoor exercise. Germany, the biggest economy in Europe, is also on nationwide lockdown until at least January 31st, while the Netherlands will be locked down until at least February 9th.
Russia: Rosneft is in talks with some of the world’s largest oil trading houses, offering them the opportunity to become investors in a major oil project in Russia’s far north. The Vostok oil mega project is in Siberia and has resources estimated at 44 billion barrels. These oil fields are close to the Northern Sea Route that Rosneft plans to use to ship oil to Europe and Asia.
Saudi Arabia: Aramco is lining up a $7.5 billion deal for potential investors in its oil pipelines. The discussions are occurring in parallel with the sale of a stake in a pipeline unit, which could raise about $10 billion for Aramco, sources said. A pipeline deal would be the first phase of Aramco’s strategy to raise money by selling leasing rights or stakes in non-core assets.
5. Renewables and new technologies
More hydrogen facilities and bigger storage batteries for electricity generated by wind towers and solar panels were announced last week. Siemens is developing a commercial offshore wind turbine that produces hydrogen via electrolysis. The company is investing $146 million in the system, which would be the renewable industry’s most concrete plan to capitalize on an expected boom in hydrogen demand.
Some of Asia’s biggest potential hydrogen consumers are hopeful that Australia will achieve its aim of sharply reducing production costs to supply green hydrogen at $2/kg in the future. Hydrogen costs below $2/kg are not unusual for conventional hydrogen produced from natural gas. However, even with carbon capture and lower gas prices, a polymer electrolyte membrane or PEM electrolyzer operating at 70 percent capacity would need input power prices to be average below $15/MWh to produce hydrogen for less than $2/kg.
Another big battery project has been announced in Australia, as energy storage developers rush to profit from the nation’s abundant sunshine and wind resources. Origin Energy wants to install a 700-megawatt facility near the Eraring coal plant in New South Wales. That comes as utilities worldwide run to install warehouse-sized batteries to back up wind and solar generation. The current record holder, a 300-megawatt facility, opened in California last month.
Occidental Petroleum plans to build a facility which the company says could change the way the world thinks about fossil-fuel emissions. The globe’s first large-scale direct air capture (DAC) plant would remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and pump it underground.
The goal is to lower emissions of the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming—and one day even produce a carbon-negative barrel of oil. But to cover the cost of operating the plant, Occidental will initially use much of the CO2 to push out oil from underground reservoirs, thereby replacing one pollutant with another. The facility, expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, will also need support from tax credits and outside investors to be financially viable.


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Christmas Wars, Process
(This will be the last Christmasy post, I promise)
I love process. It's easily the most fun aspect of any position I've held. In my current career the meat and potatoes of figuring out how to shoot, compose and finish a project are all I ever want to spend time on. More specifically the head-down, earbuds-in retouching that absolutely feeds in to my leave-me-alone-and-let-me-work head space. Here is what I hope is an enlightening look into my process, in so far as I'm able to show it...
The Finished Product:
By now, you've all seen this guy, but it's always good to have an on-page reference. I'm lazy too. It's my page, and I still don't want to click back and look for the end product.
Been a while since I was in a figure drawing class... As you can see, I knew i wanted to go after the bulk of action movie poster tropes - smoking gun, dramatic poses, dynamic angles. At first I was thinking vertical with my own foot on the Krampus skull but I tend to prefer horizontal applications these days, especially for the actual mailed card. I did come very close to swiping the look and feel of this Sin City poster from ages ago though... but I'm glad I went flatter for my own sake and to make sure I got some ground detail in there... But you can see I did know from the start that I wanted the big four action movie cliches in there: weapon-in-hand, flying debris, smokey background and sparks.
I'm not blessed with a personal studio... yet... so I make do with what I can. Obviously for paying projects I rent space, but for an I-sure-hope-it's-free approach such as a holiday card, our garage will have to do. Also, a fog machine. As you can see, the guns are toy-store plastic neon colored abominations, the cigars were just wine corks, and we were definitely still figuring the details out while shooting.
The fantastic Krampus skull is actually this little 3" ornament from shapeways.com artist Brian Richardson who makes a bunch of amazing work. I sourced a bunch of horn textures and shot a slew of angles of some skulls I have kicking around (those are bear teeth) to make him a bit more lifelike.
Pro-tip: Ammo boxes make great general storage containers, so yes, I do have a good few of them. At the moment I am mostly keeping backup hard drives and a ton of (gasp!) printed photographs. They're relatively water-tight, very strong and I mean come on, they just look cool.
I wish we'd thought about making the garland and ornaments into more of a bandolier than just a cowl, but I managed to compensate a bit in post by popping a bunch more ornaments on there in post from other frames. (Think garlic wreath vs vampires... at least that's what I was thinking...)
Above you can see the build process. I've compressed it a bit and could get incredibly granular but I think this should suffice. I sourced the far background from some desert shots I took years ago out in Arizona. Santa is a tiny little google-searched SVG and on the biggest versions you'll even see that Rudolph's nose is in fact lighting the way. The fire around the text is an amalgam of some beautiful brushes and some clever actions I found lying around. I'm loving the set of them and should be able to show some others off after another few projects get off of the printing press.
This set of images still makes me laugh. The fact that I'm as stoked as I am about it this long after the fact (I've had it done for weeks now, waiting to be distributed) is pretty much all the reward I was looking for and I'm excited to start on the next one... by googling what the next major holiday is... (after New Year, I'm not trying to stress my Christmas out like that.)
Some of the poses that didn't make it past the garage door...

domain: artistic


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Showcasing a unique flooring project that inspires innovative ideas for future flooring installations.
In January 2016, DOMOTEX Hannover, a leading trade fair for carpets and floorcoverings, will be showcasing the latest developments and applications in floorcoverings. Once again, the Innovations@DOMOTEX competition is calling for exhibitors to enter their latest innovative products. The following success story shows how the flexible Purline by *wineo flooring, which was chosen for Innovations@DOMOTEX 2014, has become a space-defining element at the Innside Wolfsburg Design Hotel.
Opened in 2014, the Innside Wolfsburg Hotel is located in close proximity to the Volkswagen production plant and the Autostadt. The hotel was designed by German-Russian architect Sergei Tchoban and his nps tchoban voss studio while the interior design was carried out by Jonasplan Interior Architecture + Design. The building’s ground floor with a lounge area and café displays a spacious, glazed hall. It has more than 200 rooms, a spa, a conference area and a ballroom, all located on the upper floors.
For the flooring, the interior designers selected the bio-polyurethane Purline by wineo design, a Windmöller Flooring Products WFP GmbH brand. Instead of petrochemical polyols, this flooring uses bio-based polyols made from canola and castor oils, with chalk as filler. Purline is free of chlorine and plasticisers, solvents and any other harmful substances. The material is odourless, easy to clean and extremely durable. At the Innside Wolfsburg Hotel, Purline is used over a total surface of about 1 800m², featuring a 1 000mm by 500mm plank design.
To emphasise the hotel’s connection with Wolfsburg, Jonasplan opted for floor-to-ceiling black and white photos from the history of the Volkswagen factory to decorate the walls in the circulation areas. Matching the wall design, the floors are covered in grey shades from the Purline Stone collection. “The flowing transition between the different materials marks out the different functional areas and subtly guides the visitor through the building”, says Dirk Jonas from Jonasplan. According to the designer, “the reduced visual design conveys a feeling of calm and security”.
This type of ‘organic flooring’ made of new materials is just one example of the many options available in contemporary floorcoverings from which architects and interior designers can choose. At DOMOTEX 2016, designers and creatives working in architecture, interior design and design will find a wealth of inspiration for customised applications in flooring, while exhibitors will showcase their product offerings and in turn their own unique success stories.
*wineo is a registered trademark


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Event: Bollywood actress Kajol and Hollywood star Gerard Butler grace the opening ceremony of watch brand Roger Dubuis' boutique in Dubai. The duo also poses for the shutterbugs at the event.
Guest List: Kajol, Gerard Butler
HOT and SEXY Poonam Pandey was snapped at Mirchi Music Awards.
Bollywood celebs Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt promoted their upcoming film BADRINATH KI DULHANIA.
Bollywood actress Esha Gupta promoted her upcoming film COMMANDO 2.


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Shirley Booth in The Rivals Picture 1958
Quantity available: 1
Shirley Booth in The Rivals Picture 1958 This appeared April 14, 1958. It is a nice color picture of Shirley Booth in ""The Rivals"" Costumes and settings designed by William and Jean Eckart. In excellent condition. Photo is taken through plastic and may show wrinkles or crookedness that is not in the ad. This magazine tear sheet measures 10 1/4"" wide by 14"" tall.
TCAC Mall, Inc.
Dealer accepts: Check, Cash, PayPal, Money Order
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