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Please keep in mind that, unless otherwise noted, everything on my blog is copyright material of some sort. Either by me (as picture taker, writer, creator) or more importantly by the designer of the pieces I present. If you promise to be copyright mindful, my promise to you is to do my best to provide you enough information in my post for you to obtain your own legal copy. Please be respectful of these copyrights and not take business away from our wonderful designers. Thank you.
I last told you about this sampler here on May 1. I have been stitching on it in the evenings and average about 3 hours a night. It was a 2015 workshop offered by the Sampler Guild of the Rockies. The piece is designed by and the class taught by Margriet Hogue of the Essamplaire.
Here is the progression so far and I plan to post an update every Monday.
I have gotten into a bit of a routine. When I stitch during the day I work on a needlepoint project and in the evening I am working on a Sampler while sitting on the sofa "watching" TV. In the process I finished a needlepoint piece first started in 2003. I took a class with my Raleigh Needlepoint group from Debbie Stiehler, it is called Lucky Gecko. Is on a 15" x 17" frame and its size made it perfect to work on in my studio vs on the sofa.
Here are a few other things I finished recently. The first three are projects from a Sampler Guild of the Rockies Retreat, a needle fold and a bookmark. I think both are from 2012.
I also finished a project done last year by my Saguaro Chapter of ANG (American Needlepoint Guild). I attached the stitching and fabric to a finishing form which helps keep it nice and round.
I also finished a 2" square practice piece into a pin. It is designed by Catherine Jordan and was a Cyber course. We made the small square first to practice making a larger piece that consists of multiples of this square. It is call My Granddaughters quilt and the idea is for it to look like a quilt top when done.
Tomorrow I will have a post on the progress I have made on the Maria Antoni sampler, which is what I have been working on in the evenings. My goal is to post an update on this sampler every Monday until it is finished, so stay tuned!!
I tend to stitch in the evenings while my hubby watches TV (I listen to it a lot) and during the day I work on other stuff. Kind of a remnant from when I worked, but now I can do FUN stuff during the day!!
During the day, I have been quilting a bit, organizing my studio a bit and making cards. I took a virtual retreat and posted about it here. The post is a tad photo heavy since we learned 11 projects! It was fun. I also picked up a needlepoint project that is more easily worked at my studio desk than on the sofa - it is on the large size. A post for another day!
In the evenings I have been working on a former UFO (UnFinished Object) called Maria Antoni Sampler by Margriet Hogue of the Essamplaire. She was the instructor for the 2015 Sampler Guild of The Rockies Retreat. It is worked with Soi d'Alger silk but I am not sure the fabric other than it is a 32 count. I believe it was originally charted for 40 count, but she offered this count as well for the Guild retreat.
When I took the class I did not get far, only as far as all the black and yellow stitches in the top left diamond area. I started on it again around April 21 and below is my progress. This will take me a while, it is a large sampler the fabric is 18" tall by 23" wide.
I finish finished the box and the smalls for the inside!
Top photo is the fronts of the smalls followed by the backsides. The blue bird was supposed to be one side of a scissor fob, but I felt it was a tad big, so I turned it into a pin cushion. I used a nickel on the inside of the scissor fob to give it some weight.
This is shows the inside of the needle book
Here is the inside bottom and the top mounted on comic book board waiting to be placed on or in the box.
This is the top mounted on the box, followed by photos of the smalls and the inside of the box.
I decided the top needed a cover too so here it is.
With the current situation I had to use paint from my stash. I originally painted the box red, but it was not right with the red in the fabric or the stitching - Dang. So I used a crackle medium on the red and painted over it with a sand color to give it an aged look.
This is also a sampler project from Sampler Guild of the Rockies. I think I told you a little about it on March 21st. *****I have a correction to that post. Threads used were Weeks Dye Works Lancaster Red and The Gentle Arts Sampler Threads Dried Thyme and Deep Sea.*****
I finished the stitching for the box top (top part of the fabric), the needle book (middle section) and the scissor fob (bottom section). Now to actually make them into their indented items!! Stand, or sit, by for that.
I have moved on to this (UFO) -17th Century Cross Stitch by Nan Tyson Euler:
It is from the EGA National Seminar in Hilton Head, SC (2002). My first EGA seminar. I loved the sampler, but did not like the marking cross used, so set it aside. I picked it up at some point and did regular cross stitch on the top band, did about half and set it down again.
I picked it up last week and finished the cross stitch section. I then decided I should to the thin green dividing band in marking cross to see why I did not like it and maybe after over 17 years and more experience I would like the stitch. I DO NOT. But I thought it best if the dividing lines between the top bands matched so I carried on and finished the next green dividing line.
The marking cross is worked totally opposite of how I do regular cross stitch. It is worked from the top and the leg of the X on top is not the same as when I do cross stitch. So I was not easy for me to pick it up and develop a good feel stitching it. I think if I could have worked it starting at the bottom going bottom left to top right, I could have gotten a good stitching motion. But I did not, and I did not want to switch since then my marking crosses would not be the same and that is a big no no.
Marking Cross is not the only stitch used and so I have been working each band using the suggested stitch, except I use regular cross stitch in place of Marking Cross. So it is not exactly as designed, but I was not going to have it sit in the cupboard because of one stitch!
It is on 32 count Edinburgh cream linen. The finished sampler is 5" x 9". Threads are all silk, mostly Au ver a soie 100/3 and some Pearsall's silk. I am not a big fan of either silk, but glad I got to experience using them and know for future reference!
Well I finished the 1837 Crown Sampler by Plum Street Samplers! The design is approximately 16"x 13". I used DMC floss throughout and it is on 32 count linen. It was the 2014 Sampler Guild of the Rockies Year Long Project.
It is a reproduction sampler, so it includes mistakes made by the original stitcher and a few of my own. You get to figure out which are which!!
It is always a question when doing these is if you should use the original stitchers initials or name and date? I decided to do it as charted and added my initials and date below the original border. I especially wanted to do this since I finished it the same month as the original.
I have a multitude of crafty things I like to do, so retirement suits me fine! I am doing ok with this Corona virus as far as having stuff to do goes, but I miss my Club socialization!
I primary dabble in paper crafting*, beading, embroidery/stitching and quilting. With embroidery being my first love. I live in the desert and it gets a bit dusty, so in order to stitch outside I need to clean the surfaces or take out a big towel to cover stuff. Depending on what I am working on that works fine. But it does get a bit windy sometimes and that adds to the challenge.
The easiest thing to work on outside is beading. On nice sunny days I can sit at the table on our patio and work on a project. My mother in law visited from Iowa in February and she liked to sit outside and read. I joined her with my beading and got this bracelet done:
I liked this idea so much I picked up a beading Work in Progress (WIP) and now am working on this necklace.
I seem to be on a roll regarding working on my Sampler Guild of the Rockies (SGR) Works in Progress (WIPs)/UnFinished Obects (UFOs)!!
I am attempting to make 2020 the year of WIPs and UFOs. The only exception being ANG National Seminar which will be in Tucson, so I MUST go, and sale items for our community Expo. I may post later with my WIP and UFO number - could be scary, but will keep me busy for sure!! I also thought I should do these because many are on 36 count linen, which I can still do, but not sure for how long.
I am almost done with the 1837 Crown Sampler, but I want to finish it in April, so I have set it aside for now.
I have picked up a SGR project from 2012/2013 called With My Needle, a complimentary design by Plum Street Samplers. When finished it will go on top of a wooden box. The project also includes a needle book and scissor fob that can go into the box, all based off the chart.
Actually I had been working on it before I started the Crown Sampler UFO, but ran out of thread, so changed projects. I am using Weeks Dye Works (Lancaster Red, Deep Sea and Dried Thyme). It is on 36 Count PTP Doubloon (got that off the label which I happened to tape to the chart).That is all the information I have on the fabric.
Here is where I was when started it back up. I got as far as the top line and part of the second line when I ran out of thread. The chart had all the same symbol, so I think some of the green should be red, but I like it as is and am not taking it out!
This is how much I have done up to now - I finished line two and onto line three.
You will just have to stay in suspense until I get further along!!
I have picked up my needle to work on a Sampler Guild of the Rockies year long project....from 2014!!
It is the 1837 Crown Sampler. An antique needlework reproduction by Plum Street Samplers.
Since it is a reproduction of the original, the mistakes made my the original stitcher have been charted and reproduced. I will leave it up to you to decide which are the original stitcher's errors and which are mine!! If you can see them that is.
I still have not decided how I will "sign" it, but I have time yet. I am thinking I will try to finish it this April and put April 2020 with my initials.
I have been working on it most every night for a while now, but do not have any photos until the top one taken Feb. 12 and the bottom one taken Feb. 23.
I am now working on page 5 of 6, so I may get it done in April!!

domain: artistic


The Pittsburgh Public Schools will host its 13th annual Take a Father to School Day on Friday, May 20.
Any father, uncle or adult male who has made an impact on the child’s life are invited to spend the day at school with the child. Different activities and events will be held at each school for the event. Call your school for more details.
Also as part of the event, participants are invited to bring non-perishable food items or any new or used prescription glasses as a donation to charity.
City Council will issue a proclamation for fathers on May 3 at 10 a.m. in Council chambers.


text: There will come a point in all our lives, when our ego will slowly start to melt. This will lead to the realisation that at the core, all human beings are one and connected. We are all a negligible fraction of this wide vast universe, and while we are here on earth, we have to rise above man made divisions like caste, religion, color, nationality, sex amongst various others. We will become more and more aware of our oneness, of our connections once our ego starts to melt. This will also lead to us becoming non judgemental, compassionate, empathetic, and just light in general.

domain: sociology


text: Of course, Alex and Sabrina once again participated in the library's Summer Reading Program. The pictures are from the kickoff for the program. Alex, who keeps growing, is now on the tween program. Both kids won prizes such as giant cookie coupons, coupons for Rita's Ice, beads, free books, and a pass to the shark reef. Both kids are done with the official program, meaning they have read over 20 hours, but are continuing for raffle tickets and extra small prizes.

domain: news


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Soft and velvety, very delicate on the palate, just right to enjoy the afternoon snack

domain: food


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Review by Shenet Beasley on Nspire Network
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Nspire Network is a mission driven company so it’s more about spreading awareness of the health concerns plaguing our community and what we can do to fight them. Women have the Now We No campaign informing them about the health concerns with the traditional store brand pads and educating about a safe, healthy alternative called Cherish. Men have the Right to Fight campaign which is educating men about prostate, testosterone and sexual health. We educate and offer a solution. Products with a purpose!


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I’ve been doing some school author visits lately, and it’s always interesting walking into a classroom full of strangers, most often from grades primary to eight for me. I like kids, their honesty, energy and enthusiasm, and doing school visits really inspires my writing; it’s a great research opportunity. For the most part, students are attentive, and they can ask some pretty funny questions, often about my dog since I include Charlie in my PowerPoint, along with my other family members, the people who help me be a writer on a daily basis. Giving four presentations in a day pretty much tires me out – how do teachers do it day after day?
The thing that always strikes me is that kids are still readers and they’re still kids, despite the internet, technology, etc. that brings the world to their fingertips regularly. There are still shy kids (often those paying closest attention), bold kids looking for a laugh, in-between kids, and, sadly, left-out kids. Middle-school students are still trying to figure out their place in the group; the “cool” kids are still trying to stand out in various ways and venturing into the confusing, yet thrilling, world of relationships.
I always browse the bulletin boards at schools. I took these pics when visiting a school in BC during TD Book Week last year. One thing I’m careful about these days is to never gender-specify when calling on a student. There are always plenty of volunteers willing to share their writing, and it’s not always the “out-there” kids you might expect. I ask volunteers who want to present to write their own names on the board. One grade 8 student, in a classroom featuring a rainbow flag, proudly told me they’d made up the spelling of their name – Jaycob. Generally, it seems like kids today are a lot more free to express themselves, to be who they want to be than in my long-ago school days, when everybody seemed to be conservative and fairly conforming. Maybe I’m being naive, but I’m cautiously optimistic that this means the adults of the future will be more accepting and open… What do you think?
6 thoughts on “Kids Are Still Kids”
I agree. Kids are more open to differences and I hope that continues on into adulthood. I love doing school visits for all the same reasons you mentioned. I will be in Alberta and BC doing a few visits in November and December. Looking forward to it.
It must be nice to come “home” even though you have a new home. Enjoy!
I love doing school visits! The kids never fail to inspire me. One workshop I do is about coming up with story ideas, and they have such amazing ideas! I think the generation growing up now will be the most accepting and open we’ve even had.
Hi, Katie – here’s hoping! I am always envious of kids’ imaginations!
Love this observational post, Jan. You reminded me of Ursula Nordstrom comment to the writer who said all the stories are old stories. “But the kids are new,'” Ms. Nordstrom said.
New Humans are always human. I am less optimistic about the species evolving, though I do perceive small steps toward greater acceptance.
That’s a classic line! Makes me think of how differently kids today would read something I loved reading when I was 10 or 11. I think they’d still like some of the books, but so many would feel ridiculously dated. One thing I notice is that kids aren’t shy about speaking up these days, and that’s a good thing, I think….


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At stake in this election:
- 50 seats in the National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma)
Description of government structure:
- Chief of State: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
- Head of Government: Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah
- Assembly: Kuwait has a unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma) with 65 seats.
Description of electoral system:
- The Amir is hereditary head of state.
- Prime Minister is appointed by the monarch.
- In the National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma), 50 members are elected by plurality vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 15 members are designated ex officio to serve 4-year terms.***
*** Elected members come from five 10-seat districts. Previously, Kuwaitis were able to vote for 4 MPs each, but in October 2012 it was reduced to one, via an amendment to the electoral law. Each voter may now choose only 1 candidate. The 10 highest vote-winners gain seats in each district. Ex-officio members are from the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers is appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of the Emir.
Main parties in the electoral race:
- Seats won in last election: 50
- Seats won in this election: 50**
* Political parties are not legalized in Kuwait, and candidates run independently. However, there are at least 12 different political blocs in parliament that perform functions of political parties. Members of the opposition National Democratic Alliance will contest the election; however, other liberal, Islamist, and nationalist groups have said they will boycott the elections. A total of 321 candidates, including 8 women, will contest the election.
** According to a Congressional Research Service publication, Sunni independents (including tribalists, pro-business candidates, and women) won 30 seats, liberals won 9 seats, Shiites won 8 seats, Sunni Islamists (Salafists) won 3 seats. 2 seats were won by female candidates.
Last Parliamentary election:
- The Parliamentary poll is being held after the Constitutional Court annulled the December 2012 election results. Prior to the December elections, the Kuwaiti Electoral Law was amended to allow Kuwaitis 1 vote, as opposed to the 4 they could previously cast. As a result of the amendment, the opposition boycotted the December polls, and challenged the amendment in the Constitutional Court. On June 16, 2013, the Court upheld the amendment, but invalidated the election results on a technicality, necessitating new elections within 60 days.
Population and number of registered voters:
- Population: 3,593,689 (2013)
- Registered Voters: 439,911 (July 2013 )
· Female Population: 1,576,512 (2013)
· Is Kuwait a signatory to CEDAW: No
· Has Kuwait ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (2 September 1994)
· Gender Quota: No
· Female candidates in this election: Yes
· Number of Female Parliamentarians: 2 (following the 2013 elections)
· Human Development Index Position: 48 (2014)
· Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A
· Is Kuwait a signatory to CRPD: No
· Has Kuwait ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (22 August 2013)
· Population with a disability: 539,053 (est.)

domain: politics


Raiders TE Darren Waller Honors Memory Of Lorenzo Taliaferro In Matchup Vs. ChargersLas Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller honored the memory of his former Ravens teammate and close friend Lorenzo Taliaferro in Thursday night's matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
NFL Week 11 AFC West Picks: 'No Chance That The Jets Get A Win Against The Chargers,' Says CBS LA's Jaime MaggioCBS Los Angeles sports anchor Jaime Maggio looks at AFC West matchups, as the Chargers look to down the Jets, and the Chiefs seek to avenge their loss to the Raiders.
NFL Week 9 AFC West Picks: 'A Little More Hope In Denver After Last Week,' Says SportsLine's Kenny WhiteCan the Broncos, Chargers or Raiders keep the Chiefs from running away with the AFC West again? SportsLine's Kenny White looks at this week's division matchups.
NFL Week 7 AFC West Picks: Broncos Looking To Climb Division Standings Against ChiefsCBS Denver's sports anchor likes what he sees from the Broncos of late, but not enough to pick them over the Chiefs.
Chiefs-Chargers Preview: Chargers Look To Contain Chiefs In Home OpenerThe Los Angeles Chargers face Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in their first game in the new SoFi Stadium.
Packers-Chargers Preview: Rodgers, Rivers Leading Teams In Opposite DirectionsAaron Rodgers has his Packers rolling, while Philip Rivers and the Chargers look for a second straight win in a season that's slipping away.
NFL Fans React To Flacco Trade, Take To Social MediaIt's the end of an era in Baltimore. Quarterback Joe Flacco was traded to the Denver Broncos Wednesday after an 11-year run in Charm City.
Chargers-Patriots Divisional Round MatchupPhilip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC divisional round.
Why Joe Flacco Should Have Started The Second HalfWith the Ravens' offense nonexistent for most of its loss to the Chargers, why not bring in Joe Flacco to try to save the season?
Ravens Fans Paint Baltimore Purple In Anticipation For PlayoffsThe excitement has been building all through the week and going into the weekend, fans are hoping to see a win Sunday afternoon.
Chargers-Ravens Wild Card MatchupThe Los Angeles Chargers-Baltimore Ravens AFC wild card matchup pits exciting rookie QB Lamar Jackson against veteran Philip Rivers.
Key Matchups For NFL Wild Card WeekendWhich matchups will determine this weekend's games? We dive in to find out as the first round of the playoffs approaches.
Broncos-Chargers Week 11 MatchupThe Los Angeles Chargers welcome the Denver Broncos, in an AFC West matchup of rivals heading in opposite directions.
Chargers-Rams Week 3 MatchupThe Chargers and Rams do battle for Los Angeles in NFL Week 3's most anticipated game. Could this be a preview of Super Bowl LIII?
NFL Training Camp: What To Expect From The NY & LA Teams This SeasonCBS Local TV sports anchors Steve Overmyer and Jim Hill break down the outlook for the Jets, Giants, Rams and Chargers this season.


The Automotive industry is seeing a major paradigm shift. From Connected Cars to Autonomous Vehicles, it is no more just a mechanical/electric assembly of components. Software and electronics are taking over a majority of the portion of the vehicle.
It is estimated that there are millions of line of code in a car. Analysts estimate that more than 80% of all automotive innovation now stems from electronics.
Some of the key developments in the industry are:
Due to our expertise in embedded software over the past 10 years, we are uniquely placed to deliver some of the key embedded software solutions for this domain.


The FBI’s crime reporting program rarely audits police agencies providing the information and when it does its reviews are too cursory to identify deep flaws, says the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In each of the past five years, FBI auditors have reviewed crime statistics at fewer than one percent of the 17,000 departments that report data. In all, they’ve audited as many as 652 police agencies during that time, or less than 4% of the total. A Journal Sentinel survey of police departments in the 30 largest U.S. cities found that nearly two-thirds have not been audited in the past five years. Of those, six departments – including Oklahoma City, Philadelphia and Seattle – have never been reviewed by the FBI since the auditing program began 15 years ago. That lack of scrutiny allows cases of undercounting of crimes, such as in Milwaukee where thousands of violent assaults were not included in the crime rate since 2006, to go unnoticed and gives the public a false sense of the true level of crime, criminal justice experts said.
“It would be more candid to not do any (audits),” said Eli Silverman, professor emeritus at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “This way, at least you’re not offering any pretense of checking on the validity of the stats. If you are going to do that little, then why do it? You either do it systematically, or you don’t do it at all.” The FBI this year did its first-ever audit of the Milwaukee Police Department, even though it’s the largest law enforcement agency in the state, generating about one-quarter of FBI index crimes in Wisconsin. That just-released audit, conducted at the request of Police Chief Edward Flynn, examined 60 incidents – a number experts say is too small to draw conclusions from. “If they only pull a (small sample), the likelihood that they will find assaults that were downgraded is very low,” said James Alan Fox, criminology professor at Northeastern University. “Their ability to identify systematic misclassification is limited by the total volume of cases they check.”


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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 15, 2011) — On Saturday, Sept. 17, in Commonwealth Stadium, the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville football teams will compete, but the winner of a previous UK-UofL competition has already been determined. The American Heart Association is recognizing employees from both schools for their participation in an effort aimed at bettering the heart health of all involved.
UK Health and Wellness has been using the American Heart Association’s free website www.startwalkingnow.org since 2009 for UK employees to track their exercise minutes and earn a prize. Health and Wellness has done several universitywide challenges, but for the first time, UK challenged another university and its employees.
UK challenged UofL to see who could average the highest number of walking steps taken by its employess during the 10-week period of April 6-June 15. The point of the challenge was for state university employees to lead the way in increasing exercise and physical activity across the state. UK had 276 employees participate, and UofL had 250 employees take part. It was a close call, but UK won the challenge with an average of 301,919 steps vs. UofL’s 263,798 steps.
UK Health and Wellness officials said this will be an annual challenge beginning every April and that it is hoped that more of the state's universities will compete next year. Plans call for a trophy to be engraved and passed along to the winner each year. Uof L President James Ramsey was actively involved there in supporting the challenge this past spring, as was former UK President Lee Todd.


High Heat And Severe StormsJuly 24th, 2012 at 8:19 am by Jeremy Wheeler under Weather
With all of the crazy weather we’ve been having lately, I think I need a raise. Boss??? Today we have 2 big things going on in weather. First off is the heat. We’ll get to the storms in a minute. While temps weren’t too bad this morning, we will see the temps build quickly through the afternoon. We started the day with low-mid 70s and mostly sunny skies. Skies will remain mostly sunny through about noon, then the clouds will start to build. High temperatures are shooting for the mid 90s with several upper 90s inland. The heat index in Hampton Roads will be between 100-107. So there is a heat advisory for the Peninsula, most of the southside, and all of northeast North Carolina until 6pm:
With all of the heat and humidity we will have a very unstable atmosphere. This will be south of a fast moving cold front that will come out of Canada and the Great Lakes region. The Bermuda high will steadily get pushed south.
I’m pretty concerned about these storms today. There were already some strong storms up around northern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. These storms will quickly move southeast through the midday hours. I will say that Derechoes (large scale straight-lined wind events) are tough to predict, but there are some similar conditions today to the late June derecho of this year. There is a set of storms forming just north of a cold front which can be one indicator. We also have pretty strong mid level winds as well as lots of instability later today. We are under a slight risk for severe weather for later this afternoon into the evening. Again the main threat will be straight-lined winds, regardless of whether or not a derecho forms. Storms are expected between 3pm and 8pm, but the timing may change a little. So stay tuned on that.
I wouldn’t even be surprised if part of the slight risk area got upgraded to a moderate risk in a later update. By this evening the storms will be moving through our viewing area. The front will quickly push south out of Pennsylvania and head into Maryland and Virginia.
Lows tonight will be in the low 70s. Tomorrow, we will get the payoff. It will be gorgeous outside. Highs will be in the mid-upper 80s with mostly sunny skies and a little lower humidity. Winds will be northeast at 10-15mph.
Notice that the cold front doesn’t get too far south. So the heat will be gone for one day, and then it will shoot right back in by Wednesday night as the boundary lifts north as a warm front. Highs will be back in the mid-to-upper for Thursday and Friday. That’s a lot to take in I’m sure. So I will cover a little more about the weekend in tomorrow’s blog. Be safe out there.
Meteorologist: Jeremy Wheeler


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I went out for a great hunt today and emerged victorious with lots of new photos. Thanks, New York! However, I'll save my stories for another time. Today's post features NYC artist Ema. This accomplished lady has her roots firmly planted in graffiti, but she dabbles in a little of everything. She sent along a whole file of photos and apologized for not sending more (something about 'getting her Ph.D?' Applause, ma'am!) This busy bee writes:
“I have been painting walls since my early teens, and my style has changed quite a lot and many times since then. I used to be a hardcore graffiti writer and now I’m more of a peaceful mural artist. I like to use a bit of humor and sometimes cynicism in my paintings although it is not always obvious. Because of my roots in old school hip hop graffiti, it’s always hard for me to call myself a ‘street artist’, although I guess it applies to me too, since I am making art in the streets.”“For over 10 years I only painted my different graffiti names (ema, robot, arab, com, buffy….) on various types of surfaces and places, I started painting characters around 2006 and have been exploring a more illustrative/figurative path since then. I have a soft spot for painting chubby guys with moustache, but I also like experimenting other things (for example, a series of ‘lonely spade’ posters I made for this past Valentine’s Day.) I did that as a response to the work of this other street artist from Brooklyn who pastes hearts with happy faces. My spades look sad, grumpy or angry and I pasted them the first time on a lonely Valentine’s Day.”
“I like painting walls in neighborhoods where I know the people will enjoy it. I usually pick crappy walls. Once my painting is there, no matter how good (or bad) it is, it will look at least better than it used to.”
"I spent three months stuck outside the States last year because of immigration problems, so I spent some time in Berlin as well as other places. That was right around the time when the large hydron collider popular fear of black holes was in the news. The sad thing for me was that being stuck outside the country where I normally live felt like a black hole (somewhat because I lost a lot of money and job opportunities). One day, I just painted a moustache-wearing chubby looking LHC physicist."
"This is an Ema piece surrounded by characters from my friends Kid Acne (UK) and YZ (France). I believe this photo is from May 2006. I really loved painting this wall. It was on Bedford Avenue at the corner of Grand Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This street is one of the busiest in the neighborhood. Someone told us we could paint there, so we took the whole day painting. Apparently the owner was not aware of us painting there, so he got mad, and painted over the whole thing two weeks later. It turns out that this spot is a commercial space. You have to pay to advertise yourself!"
Thanks so much, Ema! For more photos and info, check her out on MySpace.


When you live in the southern areas, you will know that there isn’t a lot of seasonality. Normally most people are wearing shorts and flip-flops during December. Whenever the air starts to turn cool, people begin to get ready for those fall camping trips and that is where a fixed blade knife comes in handy. We will be covering the Becker BK2 by Ka-Bar.
This blade is made within the USA by Ka-Bar by a true Renaissance man, Ethan Becker. The BK2 is a widely accepted blade as a go to for camping or survival blade for many years now. I am not sure why I am just now purchasing this blade. There are a lot of blades that I would love to own, but I just have not found the time to purchase them. I can officially scratch the BK2 off of the list. This is one that I love as I have put it through some harsh use and I am glade that it was a purchase that I made in then end.
The BK2 is almost 11 inches long and has a 5-inch blade. It only weighs 16 ounces so it is quite lightweight for the use that I put it through. The BK2 is actually a pretty chunky type of blade and the pictures of it really did not do it justice at all, as the proportions actually suggest that the knife is smaller than what it is. This was something that I was quite surprised about. This is a great tool for a camp site, back yard use, or in your truck, but it isn’t something that you would want to constantly carry for miles and miles when you are out hiking.
The blade is 6.35 mm thick of high carbon steel. For whatever reason, whenever I ordered the knife, I thought it would be interesting to compare it to my other blades. It turned out that the thickness of the blade is almost comical. When compared to my other blades, they may have been made out of aluminum foil when I compared the thickness to the BK2.The BK2 has a classic drop point shape that comes with a high flat grind with a pretty sturdy tip. The blade is also powder coated and it is heavily textured. The coating actually provides a bit of rolling resistance when you are trying to cut into things until it manages to get smoothed down when being used.
The BK2 is pretty interesting when it comes to accomplishing different things with a small footprint. It is great for splitting wood and I was able to successfully prepare a stack of wood for a few bonfires. I was actually able to split 4 inch diameter logs easily. You can even carve with this blade. I managed to use the BK2 to whittle some shavings and tinder to start my bonfire, and even carve a few stakes that I used for cooking. Even though the blade is a bit thick and a little clumsy in my hands when it came to serious carving, I was still able to get the job done the first time around. Another great thing is that the BK2 is a great chopper as a well considering the size. This is a shorter knife, so it doesn’t chop like a big fixed blade or axe, but if you have some small chopping that needs to be done, it can do that. For instance, I had to chunk up some large and quite frozen sardines for a fish trap that I had been using. The BK2 cut right through them easily. It is for these reason that the BK2 is great for camp chores such as prepping food, building fires, and any other odd job around the camp site where you need to use a sharp object that could come in quite handy.
What’s the downside?
The only main downside is that the BK2 doesn’t really excel at anything. If you need an ultra fine carving blade or a dedicated chopper, then look elsewhere. If you want a tough, do everything around the campsite type of blade, then the BK2 is a really great selection. Check out my article on different types of knives.
The BK2 has a high density plastic handle that is over a full tang (check out my article on knife tangs). This is a super basic type of handle design but it is great for a workhorse type of blade. Ka-Bar spent time with Becker to really get this handle shape to be right, which is why you find it on all of t Becker’s blades. The handle material is lightweight but pretty humble, and quite tough. The finish work that is on the handle is pretty nice as well. There aren’t any sharp edges and all of the hardware is really sunk deep down into the handle. There is also an oversized lanyard hole that really rounds everything out on a generous exposed pommel that you can use to crush or hammer things around your camp site. This is a pretty clean and super high functional handle design. It is really well made.
This blade comes with a nylon and plastic sheath. The sheath is really simple, sturdy and even lightweight. It has great retention, and yields a very great snapping sound whenever you put the knife in place. There isn’t blade rattling at all and I am not worried about my blade coming out of the sheath, not to mention there is also a drain hole.
The BK2 is a really great knife, especially when you start to consider that they sell for less than $100. This is a great high quality blade for the price. It has a simple design, high quality materials, and a high level of finish which makes the BK2 great. Not to mention that it actually works. The handle is comfortable, the sheath is functional and lightweight and it is a product of the USA. This is a highly recommended product for anyone who needs a use all type of blade.


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The Year 10s are currently learning about food intolerances and allergies. To support the theory, they made gluten free brownies. Jack Loiacono and Christian Raucci paired up in the kitchen this week to produce this amazingly decadent brownie.
Continuing with the amazingly decadent theme, the Year 12s baked lemon meringue mini tarts. Not only were they visually learning about coagulation and aeration, they also had a go at using the blow torches. John was very pleased with the resulting mini tart which he enjoyed for morning tea.
Mrs Lois Curry
Food Technology Assistant


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By Kat Spybey2011-01-26T08:48:00
WH Smith has announced it’s like for like sales were down 5% in the 21 weeks to 22 January. The retailer’s total sales were down 4% over the same period.
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Feelings are obviously very emotionally charged, so the topic is a big one, and an important one. While the topic of dealing with feelings could (and has) been covered in volumes of books, here we will touch on the high points in 3 parts, in a condensed fashion, over this and the next 2 posts, highlighting helpful tips to support your communication efforts dealing with your adolescent and their oh so delicate feelings.
The situation: your teen is flying off the handle again; something seemingly small has set him off into a tirade. You are so tempted to shout “calm down!” or “cut it out!” which if you do, just serves to agitate the situation further. It’s much better to use calming words of judgment, to soothe and change the mood dramatically. “It’s not so bad. We’ll figure it out. Let’s start with…”
The empathetic response is not always easy to give – initially it may feel awkward and phony, like playing a part. But once the habit changes and they know they can count on your calm approach every time, they will open up more and feel safe to talk to you about things that are bothering them.
Here’s another tip: you really don’t have to take your child’s unhappiness and make it your own. We who love them can tend to internalize their emotional struggles, creating unnecessary pressure on you; you are carrying the unrealistic goal of making sure that your offspring are happy 100% of the time. This can also create an added burden on an intuitive adolescent, who is now upset about the original problem, plus upset because they see you suffering over their suffering. They are entitled to be miserable without their parent falling apart. And if you refrain from reacting emotionally, they may talk to you more. Otherwise it’s: “I can’t tell my parents; it’ll crush them to know” which prevents you from being a source of support, if you don’t know or aren’t asked to help.
The more you try to push their unhappy feelings away, the more they become stuck in them. The more you can help them to be comfortable with and accept bad feelings, the easier it is for them to let go of the bad feelings. “Those are rough feelings to have.” Acknowledging that it’s natural and perfectly OK to have bad feelings is also helpful. Instead of, “You shouldn’t be mad at your sister – she didn’t mean to take your things” better to acknowledge with, “You have every right to be mad that your sister borrowed your things without asking you first, whether she meant to or not.” Of course the follow-up is finding a healthy and appropriate way to channel the anger.
Sometimes it’s just so much easier to give in to fantasy than to have an all-out battle over who is right and why. “Wouldn’t it be great if we had a magic wand and you could have anything you wanted in the world? A brand new car – no problem!” If you really let yourself go into the fantasy, even though it isn’t going to happen, the adolescent appreciates that you took his feelings of longing so seriously. [And for younger children, putting a wish list of wants into writing shows acknowledgement as well as caring.]
COMMUNICATION TAKEAWAY: Dealing with the intense feelings of an adolescent can take some skill to help them through this stage. The feelings can be overly exaggerated, which is scary when they are negative feelings – very, very angry or very, very sad. Heightened feelings can come on in a flash, with wild mood swings at the slightest provocation. Your skill in handling them can make the difference in setting the tone for the entire household.

domain: psychology


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- Date : 01/06/2020
- Read: 3 mins
As banks continue to remain cautious, the surge in gold prices opens up opportunities for small business to find stop gap capital through gold loans
Despite the slew of measures introduced by the Ministry of Finance and Reserve Bank of India to ease liquidity in the market, banks have been reluctant to extend credit to small businesses on account of economic uncertainty.
Many small businesses, shops, restaurants and street vendors are looking to resume business in the orange and green zones, where the lockdown has been eased. They are looking to pledge their gold to restart business that have been left in a limbo since the preventive lockdown was announced in late March.
Gold has always acted as a hedge in times of political and economical uncertainty, hence it is not surprising that the price of the precious metal has shot up by 17.63% in the last six months and about 33.51% over the last one year.
Giving businesses the Midas touch
This uptick in price offers a great advantage to new as well as existing clients of gold loan companies. The maximum Loan to Gold Value Ratio (LGV) as mandated by the government stands at 75%. The increase in gold price correspondingly increases the borrowing capacity of new customers, while existing businesses that have gold pledged now have loans substantially below maximum borrowing capacity.
As per George Alexander Muthoot, Managing Director, Muthoot Finance Ltd., the LGV has come down to about 52% and most of the existing customers have a de-facto credit line with an undrawn LGV on account of the price appreciation.
The collateral based gold loans will help small businesses bridge short term capital requirement and help them stay afloat at least for the next three odd moths till things return to normal.
How gold will continue to shine
As banks and financial institutes continue to remain skittish, experts believe the slowdown will not affect the gold loan business. As this is a collateral debt, gold loan companies are better placed compared to other lenders when it comes to bad loans or Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). As per Mr Muthoot, the demand for gold loans will continue to remain strong for the next two-three quarters.
As per a recent KPMG report, the gold loan market in India is expected to touch Rs 4.62 lakh crore by 2022, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 13.4%. Read this piece to understand how there is a rise in the demand for gold loans as economic woes loom.


Mary Anastasia O’Grady
April 29, 2012
A free economy is at risk when a demand for equality is not answered by a defense of liberty.
Communists are not taking over Chile. But you wouldn’t know it from watching the media frenzy surrounding 23-year-old student leader and avowed communist Camila Vallejo in Santiago.
Since last year the red-diaper baby, whose parents were supporters of Salvador Allende, has headed scores of street demonstrations demanding free university education, nationalization of the copper industry, and the end of the liberal economic model.
Amazingly, she has put the center-right government of Sebastian Piñera in a defensive crouch.
How this can be in Chile, the poster-child of liberal economic reform, is at first a puzzle. The answer—and this is a cautionary tale for Americans—may lie in Chile’s political and intellectual climate, which is desperately short of voices able to defend the morality of the market and the sanctity of individual rights.
Even while the material benefits of the market economy have been piling up for decades, Chile has been intellectually swamped by leftist ideas. The common principle: Economic inequality is immoral and the state has an obligation to correct it.
Rather than push back against this invitation to tyranny, the right too often cedes the moral high ground to its proponents. Mr. Piñera is among the culprits. His reactive half measures designed to satisfy the moderate elements of the equality brigades are undermining Chilean freedom. They are also undermining his power by making him look weak and incompetent.
Chileans aren’t interested in communism. That much was proved when Ms. Vallejo returned home from a trip to Cuba earlier this month to declare that Fidel Castro is a “great visionary” and his reflections are “light and hope” for Chile. She looked like a Castro stooge, and her popularity dipped. Things got worse when Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez pointed out how ridiculous the Chilean “rebel” appeared in Cuba, following the orders of the military dictatorship.
Like a good student, Ms. Vallejo learned fast. Tapping into the middle-class sense of entitlement is a safer avenue for a rising demagogue. When 10,000 students poured into the streets of Santiago to renew their demand for free universities Wednesday, she was again on hand. “The people of Chile are here to continue defending the right of education,” she declared.
Twenty years ago a mere 200,000 Chileans went on to higher education. Today that number is almost 1.2 million. Yet many students don’t finish, according to Rodrigo Troncoso, an analyst at the Institute for Freedom and Development in Santiago. He says this means that they end up carrying enormous debts but have careers that don’t pay well. A large number of Chilean households want the national government to solve their problem.
While this may explain the clamor to expand education entitlements, it doesn’t explain Mr. Piñera’s dismal 29% popularity rating. (He got 44% in the first round presidential election.) Gross domestic product has expanded at more than 6% for the past two years while government technocrats have been toiling away to boost investment, generate more energy, and reduce government intervention. The goal is to make Chile a developed country by 2018.
The country’s rank in the World Bank’s Doing Business survey deteriorated from 2006 to 2010 but the decline has been reversed in the past two years, with Chile moving up to 39th from 53rd. Other Piñera objectives include reducing waiting time for environmental impact studies, eliminating regulatory redundancies, cutting import tariffs and opening sea and air ports to foreign competition. The number of days it takes to start a business is down to seven from 27 and will soon be reduced to one.
All of this will create a more dynamic Chile. But it won’t stick if the nation is not convinced that what is making Chile great is also good. Mr. Piñera could play a role here but the defense of liberty is not his forte. In 2010 he canceled the construction of a coal-fired electric plant under pressure from environmentalists rather than stand by the rule of law. A “temporary” corporate tax increase to 18.5% from 17% in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake is now being raised to 20% and made permanent. Tax cuts for individuals meant to offset those increases may not pass in Congress because Mr. Piñera’s coalition does not have a majority.
Then there is his education reform which tries to placate Ms. Vallejo’s aficionados without giving in to the demand for a free university system. It guarantees scholarships for the bottom 60% of the population and 2% real interest rate loans for all but the richest 10%.
The technocrats might be congratulated for holding free university education at bay considering the political pressures. But the reason Ms. Vallejo has them on the run in the first place is the more fundamental problem. If Mr. Piñera wants to solve it he will have to become an advocate for freedom.


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Amazon.com Inc. reached an agreement enabling customers to view certain movies from Universal Pictures online, stepping up competition with Netflix Inc. and Hulu LLC.
The deal gives Seattle-based Amazon access to selected Universal Pictures movies, making more than 9,000 movies and TV shows available to members of Amazon’s premium service, known as Prime.
Amazon Prime is a membership program that gives subscribers discounts on shipping for a $79 annual fee.
The arrangement is Amazon’s second significant licensing agreement in recent days aimed at augmenting its streaming library. Last week, the company struck a deal with CBS Corp. that covered 2,000 episodes of the television network’s shows.


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TAKING / BRINGING
By MICHAEL PERKINS
INTELLECTUALLY, I KNOW THAT PHOTOGRAPHS DON’T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE “ABOUT”, well, anything, but that doesn’t stop the 12-year-old photo newbie deep inside me from trying to produce images with “meaning” (yawn). Some reason to look. A subject. A story line. A deliberate arrangement of things for the purpose of communicating…something. Itchy and twitchy within my artist’s skin as I always am, I am never more out of my element than when I make a picture that is pure composition and form, a picture that has no reason to exist except that I wish it to.
As I get older, I get looser (no G.I. tract jokes about the elderly, please), and thus making what you might call “absolute” images gets easier. I just had to learn to give myself permission to do them. Unlike Atget, Brassai, and half a dozen early pioneering photographers, I don’t have to take pictures to earn my bread, so, if I capture something that no one else “gets” or likes, my children will not starve. Still, the act of making photographs that carry no narrative is far from native to me, and, if I live to be 125, I’ll probably learn to relax and really do something okay by about 93.
The process can be a head-scratcher.
The above image is an “absolute” of sorts, since I have no emotional investment whatever in the subject matter, and have nothing to reveal about it to anyone else. The arbitrary and somewhat sterile symmetry of this room, discovered during a random walk through a furniture store, just struck me, and I still cannot say why. Nor can I explain why it scores more views on Flickr over some of my more emotional work by a margin of roughly 500 to 1. A whole lot of people are seeing something in this frame, but I suspect that they are all experiencing something different. They each are likely taking vastly varied things from it, and maybe they are bringing something to it as well. Who knows what it is? Sense memory, a fondness for form or tone, maybe even a mystery that is vaguely posed and totally unresolved.
“Even though there are recognizable objects making up the arrangement, the result is completely abstract.There isn’t a “human” story to tell here, since this room has never been inhabited by humans, except for wandering browsers. It has no history; nothing wonderful or dreadful ever happened here. In fact, nothing of any kind ever happened here. It has to be form for its own sake; it has no context.
I liked what happened with the very huge amount of soft window light (just out of frame), and I thought it was best to render the room’s already muted tones in monochrome (it wasn’t a big leap). Other than that, it would be stupid to caption or explain anything within it. It is for bringers and takers, bless them, to confer meaning on it, if they can. As I said earlier, it’s always a little scary for me to let go of my overbrain when making a picture.
Then I remember this is supposed to be about feeling as well as thinking.
Follow Michael Perkins on Twitter @MPnormaleye.
- First Critique (cohensrphotography.wordpress.com)


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The Soviets sure did love infrastructure. Worked out well for them.
Interest rates rising may throw a wrench into this before it gets really started. The cost of servicing the current debt will explode with higher rates. The bigger the debt, the bigger the burden on taxpayers to service the debt when rates move up.
We don’t need more taxpayer financed, debt financed infrastructure projects. We need to get things in line with fiscal reality. A bunch of new federal spending is NOT what this country needs. But, this is why Trump was able to turn much of the unionized Midwest to him.
No crony capitalism in half a trillion of “infrastructure” projects. None at all. No cost either.
China is an amazing political and economic entity. Watching it is fascinating.
Is it slowing? How much? Is it a lot? Is it a lot more than even the pessimists think? Is the Chinese banking system looking at a “black hole moment”? Can the banks be bailed out by the Chinese central bank without setting off a worldwide economic wildfire? No one knows the answer to these questions, including the powers that be in China.


ALGHALOWA is an engineering services company that works in Environment monitoring, water and wastewater and oil industry projects.
The team of Al Ghalowa Group started working in Baghdad as a consultant with the Iraqi Engineering Union Consulting Bureau (IEUCB) in 2000. Since 2004, Dr. A. Abbas is the head of the IEUCB environment, water and wastewater team. The market for the team’s services has grown rapidly. This is due to three factors.
First, it is due to the growing prosperity in the Middle East.
Secondly, there is an increasing level of pollution in the Middle East, mostly caused by the oil & gas industry, that requires monitoring and controlling. There is also the requirement of improved sanitary facilities to keep up with urbanisation. And,
Third, many governments in the Middle East are now giving more attention to environmental and infrastructure issues.
These circumstances led to the establishment of Al Ghalowa Co. for Trading and General Contracts Ltd. (in short: Al Ghalowa Co.) in Baghdad in 2008. Al Ghalowa Co. since then has built up a strong customer base in the Middle East and has established partnerships with manufacturers in the European Union, Turkey, and the USA. Al Ghalowa Europe GmbH was established in 2012 in Germany to strengthen the vital relationship between these producers in the West and the clients in the Middle East. AB INFRASTRUCTURE LTD was established in 2018 in the UK to be more specific in a drainage system, water and wastewater sector and maintain communication with the UK producers and consultants after Brexit.
Less pollution with the best solution, Delivering the right solution and consultancies to achieve a better environment led to better tomorrow
- To provide a better solution through understanding our customers’ needs
- To ensure a healthy environment and infrastructures for current and future generations.
AL Ghalowa Group ongoing mission is to provide Engineering services and a sustainable environmental solution for:
- Environmental Monitoring, Al Ghalowa offers complete solutions for monitoring ambient air, emission, noise, soil and water quality.
- Water and Wastewater, Al Ghalowa offers complete designs, solutions and providing equipment and installation for water and wastewater treatment plant, sewer, drainage system and Industrial treatment plant.
- Oil & Gas, Al Ghalowa provides service and a wide range of oil and gas quality testing instruments, both manual and automatic, conforming to the ASTM, ISO, IP and international standards. The company authorised to treat and dispose of the waste oil industry.
- Scientific, Al Ghalowa provides high-performance scientific instruments and analytical solution for research sciences, universities, material sciences, food, pharmaceutical, industry and energy application.
- Lab Material Equipment, Al Ghalowa offers a wide range of physical testing machines and instrument for destructive, non-destructive testing and quality control.
The company intend to provide sufficient training programs for our staff and our customers according to their requirements. The company established its plan for Health, Safety and Environment management to reduce the risks on all projects follow up the rules imposed by the regulations and usually by the client.
The company granted licences from many Iraqi regulators such as the Ministry of Trading, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Oil and Ministry of Health and Environment. The company has the ISO certificates such as ISO 9001:2015 14001:2015 OHASA 18001:20027 ISO/IEC 17025:2005.


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Sam Carroll and the rest of the team will be with you today from 7am to ensure constant coverage of all things LFC, including news, great photos, nostalgia, live interviews and much, much more.
The ECHO will also provide you with the very latest transfer news as it happens throughout the week, with every rumour and story digested and analysed each day with updates from full-time LFC reporter James Pearce, Ian Doyle and much more.
There will also be all the latest team news before games, plus every one of Jurgen Klopp press conferences covered live and with video.
We want you to get involved too - tell us your thoughts on what's happening at Anfield by tweeting @LivEchoLFC or @SamCarroll0. Join the debate right now and get involved.
Just joining us?
Scroll back through today’s blog as Sam Carroll and I brought you the latest on Liverpool being linked with Suso, Sergio Ramos, Joao Felix and plenty more!
Fancy some late-night reading?
Here are our best Reds stories from the day for you to sink your teeth into...
Moreno to Monchengladbach?
He’s been linked to Barcelona. He’s been linked to Sevilla. He’s been linked to Lazio.
Arsenal were suggested at one point and he’s even been tipped for a move to Turkey.
And now Alberto Moreno has rumoured interest from the Bundesliga courtesy of Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Germans want a left-back and, as a soon-to-be free agent, the Spaniard fits the bill.
According to German daily Express, Moreno is one of the players the Bundesliga club have been considering making a move for.
However, he would have to lower his wage demands for a deal to happen says the report.
Liverpool to hijack Watford's deal for Joao Pedro?
Reports in Brazil are suggesting Liverpool are looking to hijack Watford’s deal to sign highly-rated striker Joao Pedro.
Fluminense agreed to sell the 17-year-old to Watford last year but according to Globoesporte, the Reds have made enquiries after the young Brazilian caught their eye.
The deal with the Hornets is not binding due to the striker’s age, so Watford would be due compensation if the move fell though.
However, a third party could approach Fluminense and pay the compensation on top of their own offer to sign Pedro according to this report.
All very complicated.
Kruse set to leave Bundesliga
Last night reports were suggesting Liverpool could move for Max Kruse this summer with his Werder Bremen contract set to expire.
Well the Reds have been handed a boost in their quest for the striker after German daily Express reported the 31-year-old is unlikely to stay in the German top flight, much to the disappointment of interested sides Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen.
Tottenham Hotspur, AS Roma and Fenerbahce are also said to be interested in his services.
Dybala insists he wants to stay at Juventus
Despite frequent links with Liverpool and half of the continents top sides, Paulo Dybala has insisted he wants to stay at Juventus this summer.
Funny how he waits until after the departure of manager Max Allegri is confirmed to announce that...
Anyway, the Argentine’s brother and agent had been talking up the possibility of the forward leaving Turin.
But Dybala’s now decided to shut it down.
My brother spoke for himself, I talked to the club and Fabio Paratici [Juve sporting director] and they know what I think.
I want to stay at Juventus again next year, I want to continue playing here. I’m happy, I wear the Juve jersey with pride.
It is obvious that Juventus must make their choices, make the team based around the coach that will arrive. But I want to stay here.
The club doesn’t know yet who the next manager will be, but we’re hoping it’ll be a strong one, capable of leading us to win everything.
I said goodbye to Allegri and thanked him, because he’s the only coach I’ve had during my time here. We’re all very grateful for what he has done for the club and we wish him the very best.
The fans would like to see us play attractive football, but the most important thing is to win games, the club thinks so and my teammates think so.
The Peter Crouch final
Though one member of the sports desk is adamant it’s the Ian Doyle derby...
Liverpool want to re-sign Suso?
Could Suso return to Liverpool?
The Spain international has been one of AC Milan’s star players in recent seasons but the Serie A giants could be forced to cash in on the playmaker if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this weekend.
Tuttomercatoweb reports the Reds, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are all interested in Suso’s services, with his release clause standing at just €38million.
Messi still haunted by Liverpool loss
Lionel Messi is currently speaking to the press ahead of the Copa del Rey final against Valencia.
And the Argentine seems to still have Barcelona’s defeat to Liverpool firmly on his mind
Napoli make Clyne approach
Napoli have made an approach to sign Nathaniel Clyne as Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp looks to prune his squad this summer.
Clyne is surplus to requirements having spent the second half of the season on loan at Bournemouth.
Liverpool will entertain offers of around £15million for the 28-year-old, who due to injury has been restricted to just four starts for the club since May 2017.
Ian Doyle has the story...
I miss Pepe Reina
Liverpool could be on the lookout for a new goalkeeper this summer if Simon Mignolet potentially moving on, and former Red Pepe Reina was touted as a possible replacement earlier in the week.
His latest tweet translates to: “Almost finished the twentieth season... Here is the face of someone who loves his job”
Spend season 21 at Anfield please, Pepe!
RB Leipzig play down Bayern Munich interest in Werner
Right, we’ve heard enough about Timo Werner’s ongoing transfer saga for you to know the basic ins and outs.
But here’s a quick recap...
- His contract is up in 2020, he won’t sign a new one so RB Leipzig want to sell him this summer.
- Liverpool have repeatedly been linked with the striker but aren’t expected to move for him.
- Bayern Munich are the favourites for his signatures with some reports going as far as to suggest person terms have been agreed. However, they are yet to approach Leipzig.
Which brings us to the latest update. RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick has played down the chances of Werner joining Bayern due to said lack of contact.
In an interview with Sport Bild, as cited by the Daily Mirror, Rangnick cast doubt on the level of interest Bayern have in signing Leipzig’s prized asset.
I would not be so sure that Werner will actually go to Bayern. If Bayern were absolutely sure about Timo, they would have already officially contacted us with a request.
Anything else would be unusual for Bayern, especially since we have a good relationship with them. Our position has not changed: we do not want him to go into the last year of his contract without an extension.
Newcastle ban fan for racially abusing Liverpool players
A Newcastle United season ticket holder has received a five-year football banning order after being convicted of racially abusing Liverpool players during a Premier League match at St. James’ Park.
On 4th May 2019, Michael Collins was observed directing racist abuse at players during an undercover stewarding operation and was subsequently arrested by Northumbria Police.
After being found guilty of racially aggravated harassment at North Tyneside Magistrates Court, Collins has now been formally handed a five-year football banning order, meaning he will be banned from attending all home and away matches in that period.
In addition, Newcastle United has banned Collins from the stadium for an indefinite period.
Is this Liverpool’s greatest European Cup final goal?
Hopefully it won’t be come June 1.
Reds duo up for PFA Premier League Fans' Player of the Year award
Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk’s incredible seasons see the duo both up for yet another award.
So here we have it.
I don’t think my career can be beaten after this absolute humdinger of a transfer rumour.
According to Spanish outlet AS, Sergio Ramos is considering a Real Madrid exit after falling out with president Florentino Perez.
The pair are believed to barely speak to each other with Liverpool already in touch with the player’s representatives.
AS believe Jurgen Klopp would like to pair Ramos alongside Virgil van Dijk for the ‘best central defence pairing in the world’.
Juventus and Manchester United are also linked.
There is, however, the small issue of an £800m buyout clause and £12.5m-per-year salary to contend with.
Benfica executive manager Domingos Soares de Oliveira says anyone hoping to sign wonderkid Joao Felix this summer will be forced to pay his massive release clause.
The teenager - proud owner of 15 league goals and seven assists this term - is valued at £105m by his current contract.
Oliveira Portuguese media: “The goal is to keep the squad. If someone hits £100m for Felix, the intention is not to sell.
“£100m is a lot of money, there has never been a player sold for that amount in Portugal, but the goal is to win on the pitch and we will do everything in that direction. Today, if they do not beat the £105m, the player stays.”
De Oliveira also revealed Benfica want to agree a new contract with Felix in order to increase his buy-out clause.
He added: “I think the president still has the intention of reviewing, but on the other side there is the player, the entrepreneur, the family.
“What we have is to anticipate, looking at the potential of the player, as long as we can persuade the other party.
“There are talks and rumours, it is true that the biggest European clubs have expectations, but no proposal has come to us.”
Here’s your chance to see Anfield like you’ve never seen it before!
Yes, Liverpool, on their way to Madrid, have turned their hallowed turf into a rugby surface for the upcoming Magic Weekend.
I prefer the football, to be honest.
Any egg-chasers reading today?
Say hello @SamCarroll0!
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes Liverpool are favourites for the Champions League after expensive outlays on stars like Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker.
The Premier League rivals face-off in Madrid next month after booking their place in the final with famous victories over Ajax and Barcelona respectively.
“It is essential to know what our objective is. Our plan was not to win the Champions League even if it sounds hard, our plan was to finish the stadium,” Pochettino told Cadena Ser.
“The final? Liverpool are the favourites because they have invested a lot of money, they have signed a goalkeeper and a £75million defender.
“Liverpool’s plan is to win the Champions League and Premier League. Tottenham’s plan is to make the best season in history.
“We are enjoying the journey a lot, it helps that the preparation plan is three weeks from the end of the Premier League, because the players have bought into the plan and the ideas.”
Lyon are open to selling former Manchester United winger Memphis Depay this summer according to the MEN.
Liverpool have been linked with the forward after he notched 12 goals and 15 assists last term.
Despite having a buy-back clause the MEN believe there is no interest from Manchester United’s end leaving the door open for Jurgen Klopp.
Depay’s contract expires in 2021.
Real Madrid have reacted angrily to Mauricio Pochettino’s claim that the La Liga giants rejected their request to allow Tottenham players to stay in residence at their Spanish training ground.
In a statement released via their official club website, Madrid say: “Real Madrid CF is surprised by the demonstrations made by the coach of Tottenham Hotspur, Mauricio Pochettino, about a supposed request made to our club so that his team could stay in the residence of the Real Madrid City on the occasion of the final of the Champions League.
“Real Madrid CF wants to make it clear that it is outright false that this request was produced. Our club has always shown its absolute availability to meet all the requests made by UEFA, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Club Atlético de Madrid, Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur.
“All requests submitted to Real Madrid have referred only and exclusively to the use of the training camps of the Ciudad Real Madrid and its changing rooms. And all of them have been granted by our club.
“Thus, Liverpool plans to train in our facilities on Saturday, June 1 in the morning. Tottenham, for its part, will do so on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31.
“Real Madrid CF also wants to emphasise that the accommodation of the finalist teams of the Champions League are assigned by UEFA following criteria of organisation and security.
“And that at no time has our club been requested that these teams could be accommodated in the facilities of Ciudad Real Madrid.”
Goal’s Neil Jones believes Liverpool starlet Anderson Arroyo is subject to European interest this summer.
Both Strasbourg and Nurnberg have sent scouts to check on the teenager’s progress, Jones writes, after a failed loan move to Gent last season.
He failed to make an appearance during his time at the club but Liverpool reportedly enjoy a close bond with Colombia manager Carlos Queiroz.
They hope he will hand Arroyo a senior debut in the near future and hope to hold talks with him during the current under-20 World Cup in Poland.
Ballon d'Or Latest
Virgil van Dijk is now second-favourite to lift the Ballon d’Or according to Oddschecker.
The defender has been integral to Liverpool’s push for Premier League and Champions League glory and has already lifted PFA player of the year this season.
But PSG star Kylian Mbappe, who faced Virgil in the group stages of the Champions League, reckons Lionel Messi remains on-course for his sixth gong.
“The favourite is Messi,” he said. “The elimination in Champions does not change anything, he is the number one in everything.
“He has shown this year that he is the best player and although the year goes until December, I’m not worried about him, he’s going to play until December.”


text:
Adults have their immune system developed and all their body mechanism in top order. So, the body can fight off any unhealthy food intake. But in babies the body is still in the nascent stage and so they do not have the capability to fight off all the bacteria and compounds that come with food. Market is flooded with baby foods that promise to meet all the nutritional requirements of the baby but parents must have a better understanding. They must be wary of flowing along with the tide of commercialization. It is always better to feed the baby homemade food as it is more nutritious and safe from various industrial products, which in commercial baby foods creeps in no matter how much safeguards you take. Also feeding food especially cooked for the baby will condition baby’s stomach so that the digestive capability is increased. So, if you are looking towards a healthy alternative for your baby then read the article below to get an idea on safe foods for your baby.
Safe Baby Foods
- Avoid feeding honey to the baby as it may contain Clostridium botulinum spores. The baby intestines cannot prevent the growth of these spores which can cause toxic poisoning.
- Peanut butter is also unsafe as it can be quite difficult for the babies to swallow. As a result they are more susceptible to choke. Other foods which must be avoided are cheese crackers, grilled cheese sandwiches, marshmallows and jelly candy.
- The foods that are selected for the baby should be about the size of a pea. The foods should be cut into small pieces.
- Cereals which are low in sugar are very good for the babies. The baby can either chew or suck on the cereal. Bread can be toasted lightly and cut into small shapes before feeding the baby. Do not feed fresh bread to the baby as it can choke the baby or even stick to the roof of the mouth.
- Fruits fed to the baby must be very ripe and cut into small pieces. Some fruits that are good for babies are bananas, plums, pears, peaches and seedless watermelon. It is better to quarter the fruits before feeding.
- Babies with teeth growth can be fed pastas which are of the larger types. For spiral pastas it must be cut into small sections and spaghettis must be avoided.
- Vegetables must be cooked thoroughly so that they are soft. Keep the vegetable chunks small and you can also smash them with your fingers to feed the baby. Meat should also be cooked thoroughly and cut into tiny slices before feeding it to the baby.
Tips On Keeping Baby Food Safe
- Before preparing baby food wash the hands with soap and water.
- Do not refrigerate perishable items for more than two hours.
- While traveling pack the baby food and bottles in an insulated container.
- Clean the blender or food processor thoroughly before making baby food.

domain: biology


text:
Founded in 1994, Covington Capital Corporation initially established itself as one of Canada's leading providers of retail venture capital funds.
Over the last 10-15 years as the retail venture capital landscape matured and the venture captial valuation and liquidity cycle presented unique challenges that certain retail venture capital funds were incapable of negotiating, Covington Capital Corporation was proud to evolve into a solution provider to many retail venture capital fund competitors that experienced challenges.
As a result, Covington's current role in the Canadian venture capital ecosystem is as a specialist in the consolidation of mature retail venture funds and selected limited partnerships; and as a direct growth equity investor to mid-market businesses.
For direct investments Covington Capital Corporation is actively pursuing growth equity transactions, and is focussed on mid-to-late stage enterprises with a defensible market niche and strong market characteristics.
For more information on whether your enterprise would fit Covington's general invesment criteria, please refer to Investment Criteria and Targeted Industries in the Company section of the website.
Source: Covington Capital Corporation

domain: economics


text:
There’s a distinct sense of entente cordiale about the Trio Dali. The British violinist Jack Liebeck joined the French cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca and pianist Amandine Savary as the group’s new violinist in 2013, and plenty of good-natured jibing goes on while the players consider their meeting of minds. “We’re still a French group, in a way,” La Marca insists, prompting a mock-outraged “What?” from Liebeck.
Something much more important is behind this, though. “I’ve always found that cultural differences disappear when you play music,” says Liebeck. “When I’ve played with other people and there has been a language barrier, the amazing thing is that music bridges those gaps.
“Meeting ‘Crispy’ and Amandine has brought new things to my playing life, and I think my joining the trio has brought new things to them,” he adds. “It’s different voices, different ideas and ways of working. We’re all pedantic about different things. But I don’t think there is a cultural difference in terms of music.”
The original Trio Dali formed in 2006 and rapidly gained a string of prestigious prizes across three continents. Their teachers read like a Who’s Who of chamber music – Augustin Dumay, Maria João Pires, Gabor Takács-Nagy, to name but a few – and their first two recordings were showered with accolades.
Their name is only partially a reference to the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali. “We met in Spain; we were looking for a name and we of course thought about the painter,” says La Marca, “but at the same we won the Osaka Competition in Japan and we wanted to relate the painter’s name to something Asian.
“Finally we found a symbolic possibility. There are some amazing marbles in the city of Dali in China – three pagodas in this city are very famous. So it’s symbolic of taking the music from the notes and creating art.” Liebeck adds: “You take the marble, you polish it and you make something beautiful.”
The trio is bringing two programmes to Musica Viva; both include the 1991 Piano Trio by the Australian composer Roger Smalley, a piece that Liebeck says he especially advocated. “I pushed for it because when I played another piece of his recently I thought it was incredibly effective and very well written for the instruments.”
“If you speak with composers, they all tell you that to write a piano trio is one of the most difficult exercises there is,” says La Marca. “It’s much more difficult than writing a symphony or a string quartet, because there is always a balance to find. And that’s a real challenge for composers. It seems that Smalley combines all the right qualities in his piece.”
Each concert is topped and tailed with masterpieces of the trio repertoire: one programme opens with Beethoven’s first published work, the E flat major Trio Op.1 No.1, and ends with the substantial Trio by Ernest Chausson; the other starts with Mendelssohn’s Trio No.2 in C minor and concludes with Schubert’s B flat major Trio No.1.
“It’s an incredible work,” says Liebeck of the Mendelssohn. “Dramatic and troubled and dark, but at the same time very romantic. The perfect piano trio, really!” Not that the Schubert is less perfect: “I always feel that Mozart and Beethoven are the greatest composers, but they’re earthy – whereas with Schubert, it’s as if he’s from space. The colours he creates are not earthbound for me; they’re up in the sky.”
“I think the Chausson is a masterpiece of the French repertoire,” says La Marca. “We are playing it for the first time this season and it’s a real challenge. We want to continue our tradition of playing French repertoire; one of the first pieces we worked on was the Fauré Trio and our first recording was an all-Ravel disc. I feel we started something very special with the sound. Amandine is absolutely extraordinary in this repertoire. So we already did the Debussy, Ravel and Fauré, but we’ve never actually played the Chausson.”
“It’s really nice for me to be able to play a piece with them that’s wonderful and French and that they love, but that they haven’t done before,” says Liebeck. “Here we can start from the beginning.” La Marca agrees: “Everyone is at the same level. And we try to shape the music together.”
Trio’s recital comes close to perfection
Neville Cohn, The West Australian
1 June 2012
All too rarely, one encounters a performance of a work which is a near-perfect assessment of the music. That was the case in Trio Dali‘s account of Schubert’s Piano Trio No 2. By even the most severe of criteria, the Dali musicians’ reading of this much-loved work came as close to perfection as one could ever hope. Each of the three young musicians is a master and, as an ensemble, they have an extraordinary ability to abandon their individuality in favour of a corporate music persona that makes magic of whatever it touches.
Certainly, the Dali musicians’ mastery of their instruments frees them to focus on interpretative aspects. Thus, the poignancy that is central to the second movement, the blithe geniality of the scherzo and the insouciance that is the essence of the finale were revealed with faultless artistry.
I wished the performance would go on forever. I shall not easily forget this insightful account of a glorious chamber work. But this was only one of a cornucopia of musical treasures on offer. Gordon Kerry’s Piano Trio No 2 is fascinating fare written with profound understanding of the medium. On first encounter, it comes across as exquisitely wrought music redolent of anguish, anxiety and melancholyy, I’d very much like to listen to it again.
Ravel’s Piano Trio, too, was given the sort of insightful reading that critics dream about but only very rarely encounter. This is pitilessly demanding music requiring Olympian qualities of mind and muscle to bring it across to listeners in a meaningful sense and Trio Dali was just the ensemble to achieve this. It was a glorious offering not least for quality and range of tone. The Concert Hall piano sounded magnificent in the hands of Amandine Savary and the cello theme played by Christian-Pierre La Marca early in the second movement was achingly beautiful, as was every contribution by violinist Vineta Sareika.
Trio Dali returns to Sydney today, where they will perform the final concert of their Australian tour tomorrow. It’s been an eventful tour for the young trio – as well as performances and masterclasses they’ve witnessed a Rugby League match, been to a wildlife park, experienced Melbourne’s nightlife, watched a concert at the Sydney Opera House, and more! To top it all off, Christian-Pierre celebrated his birthday in Adelaide. The local committee took the Trio out for dinner after their concert and even surprised ‘Crispy’, as Christian-Pierre is known to his friends, with a birthday cake.
If all this sounds like they’re having too much fun, audience and critical responses have been positive throughout the tour. We wish the Trio safe travels home and every success for the future.
Tomas Boot, artsHub
Friday, May 25, 2012
This critic often tries to find some sort of angle to explore when talking about the various concerts he submits to his review. Often he’ll comment on an eccentricity of a musician, or a quirk of a fellow audience member, or an entertaining piece of trivia where the music is concerned. But there was none of that at Musica Viva’s latest concert, featuring the French group Trio Dali, consisting of violinst Vineta Sareika, cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca, and pianist Amandine Savary. There were, however, flowers on stage – which there hadn’t been when Andreas Haefliger gave his recital under the aegis of the Sydney Symphony, but not being a botanist, or even botanically inclined, apart from buying the pretty things for the various people in one’s life, I have little to say about them. Not that one needed to look at the flowers at all during the evening, as listening to the beautiful music on offer got rid of any need for the other senses.
We began with Gordon Kerry’s Im Winde (Piano Trio no 2) from 2000. For those of you who don’t understand German, you may be inclined to think that the piece is a poorly punctuated statement of the relative flatulence of the composer compared to others, but, most unfortunately, this isn’t the case; rather the title translates to ‘In the Wind’, taken from a poem by the great German Romantic (according to Kerry in his program notes) Friedrich Holderlin. He quotes a section of the poem too: “Die Mauern stehn/Sprachlos und kalt, im Winde/Klirren die Fahnen,” (‘The walls stand/speechless and cold, and in the wind/the weathervanes clatter’) which Kerry takes to mean that the poet is describing a “sense of tears in all things”. And that is certainly what he has achieved in his work. The piece begins its life as something very brittle, and only later does it begin to warm up, though it never quite gets there, like trying to heat your hands by a fire while standing in a gale. Trio Dali were most successful when playing the quieter, more delicate moments, after a particularly warm section – the happy tension of all good quiet music was present, and was most welcome to this critic’s ears.
Next came Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, which was played with pure mastery by the Trio. The Ravel felt similar to the Kerry piece beforehand, if only because it seemed like what Im Winde would have been like if someone hadn’t thrown acid on the score – where Im Winde was concentrated bursts, the Ravel was much more lush. Again the players managed the quieter moments with great aplomb – the slowest movement (Passacaille (Tres large)) of the four in the trio being one of the highlights, which is always a good sign. Like all good pieces of this nature, one didn’t want any of the movements to end, and when it did, one was quite satisfied with life, humanity, and eternity. Dali’s ability to maintain the clarity of phrasing over extended periods was on show especially in this piece.
And yet, there was an interval, and Schubert’s Piano Trio no 2 in E flat major, op 100 was to come, and come it did, with all the advantages displayed by Trio Dali in the previous two pieces. While this critic preferred the Ravel, and indeed, would have been completely satisfied to leave the concert after it had finished, he was nonetheless struck by not only the immensity of the 45 minute work, but the coherence that the three musicians were able to give the piece as a whole, their rendition momentously sublime. The audience, wildly appreciative, demanded an encore, and the slow movement of Dvorak’s Dumky trio was played, again to much applause. Astounding.
Clive O’Connell, The Age
May 24, 2012
Making every post a winner, the Trio Dali is touring Australia with one program only but playing it with such mastery that even this hoary chamber music veteran is tempted to go back on Saturday to hear the recital again.
Newcomers to the Musica Viva stable, the ensemble is one of the best finds in this field for 2012.
The full impact of their character builds slowly. These young players avoid the flashy by starting with Gordon Kerry’s Im Winde of 2000, a 10-minute span of colours applied with subtle pointillism, as well as daubed on with momentary vehemence. The reading showed a keen appreciation of the composer’s language: wiry athleticism allied to emotional control in a short work well worth re-examining.
Having her piano open on the short stick meant that Amandine Savary brought an unexpected alteration in balance to the Ravel Piano Trio, in which the keyboard often washes out its string colleagues, particularly in the massive chord washes of the finale. Across these familiar pages, the Dali musicians exercised an unwavering control without over-egging the spikiness of the second movement’s interplay or the dour brooding in the central Passacaille.
But the trio moved onto an even higher plane in the Schubert E flat Trio, here outlined at reasonable length although, in readings with this level of insight, repeats would have been welcome. Pliability of rhythm, near-faultless interweaving of lines from Vineta Sareika’s violin and cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca, and an unabashed volubility made this a valuable experience.
Trio Dali travels to Perth today following concerts in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra in the week just gone. Their program of Ravel, Kerry and Schubert has been enchanting audiences around Australia so far.
Gordon Kerry has been attracting particular attention lately, not only as Musica Viva’s Featured Composer for 2012, but with the recent premiere of his opera Midnight Son for Victorian Opera. Gordon spoke to Andrew Ford on the Music Show recently and you can replay the interview here.
The Trio has also given masterclasses in Sydney and Melbourne, at the Theme and Variations Piano Showroom, Sydney Conservatorium and ANAM.
If you haven’t made it to one of the Trio’s concerts you can listen online at ABC Classic FM.
Forging a name at home and abroad
Philip O’Brien, Canberra Times
23 May 2012
“It wasn’t until we went abroad that we were finally recognised in France,” she says. A much-travelled ensemble, Trio Dali will extend their international experience when they tour Australia this month for Musica Viva, with a program of works by Ravel, Schubert and Australian Gordon Kerry.
Trio Dali will perform in the Llewellyn Hall of the ANU School of Music on Thursday at 7pm. The group comprises Savary, violinist Vineta Sareika and cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca. They take their name not from the surrealist artist, Salvador Dali, but from Dali city, in China’s Yunnan province, famous for its exquisite marble. It was the idea of sculpting a piece of marble to create Forging a name at home and abroad something fresh and new that reminded them of their common approach to music.
They discovered they shared a similar vision when they met as soloists at a festival in Santander, Spain, five years ago. “We didn’t even play together that time but became friends very quickly,” Savary recalls. “A year later, we were invited to the same festival. We were living in three different countries and just wanted to see each other again and share music.” The ensemble evolved from there.
In those five years, they have performed across Europe, the Middle East, the US and Asia. Trio Dali has also won major prizes in international chamber music competitions in Osaka, Frankfurt, New York, Vienna and London. Savary says she and the other group members were not daunted by the European tradition of the piano trio. “We don’t want to repeat what has gone before. We’re certainly aware of other interpretations but we try not to be influenced by them. We want to approach each piece of music with fresh eves and create our own vision of it.”
Two of the compositions they will be performing in Australia – Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor and Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat major – are works they’ve performed many times and with which they’ve come to be identified. “Very early on, we agreed that the Schubert Piano Trio shows the two sides to his music and his personality,” Savary says. “There’s the serious Schubert, suffering a serious illness, who is deep and full of drama. And there’s the lighter Schubert, going to cafes in Vienna and enjoying life.”
The challenge of playing this piece and the Ravel so often is in keeping the performances fresh, she says. Each time we play the Ravel, we try to start again and approach it in a different way. We always like to reconsider our interpretation; every time we play it, we find new ideas.”
The third work in their program – Gordon Kerry’s Piano Trio No. 2 (Im Winde) – has been a revelation for them. “We weren’t familiar with his work at all. This piece is very beautiful; it’s so full of colours,” Savary says. “There is something in it that seems inspired by French music.” As such, she was not surprised to learn that Gordon Kerry is a Francophile. “You can feel it. It is so full of air and transparency; the colours are very well defined.”
Savary has been quoted as saying her role as pianist in the trio is one of “making the balance”, providing a unity of sound. But she is quick to point out, “There is no leader in our group. “We are three musicians with one common purpose.”
In preparing works for performance, the members of Trio Dali study the historical and musical background to each piece, but prefer to play on modern rather than period instruments. For Savary, for example in the Schubert Piano Trio, that means playing on a concert Steinway grand piano rather than a smaller
fortepiano. “You have to live within your time,” she says. “Music evolves and modern instruments offer a
range of possibilities that enable us to continue that evolution. But, in the end, whatever the period, music always speaks to the heart.”
Europe’s financial crisis has had a noticeable effect on performance there, she says. Many festivals have died and for others that have survived, audiences have dwindled. What’s more, festival and concert producers are anxious to retain the audiences they have so they’re favouring better-known artists and more popular repertoires. Not that the members of Trio Dali have to worry: in addition to their many performances as an ensemble, they maintain parallel careers as solo artists. “It provides us with a nice
balance,” Savary says. We have the opportunity to learn from other people and experiences and
bring these back to the group.”
She and La Marca now live in Paris, while Sareika divides her time between the French capital and the Belgian city of Antwerp. And even after all their touring, they’re still good friends, she says. “We’re usually together for short, intensive periods. Australia, being so far away from Europe, is not somewhere we would normally visit. But touring there for a month will be a rare experience for us.” And for audiences, too.