|Publication number||US4947219 A|
|Application number||US 07/000,860|
|Publication date||Aug 7, 1990|
|Filing date||Jan 6, 1987|
|Priority date||Jan 6, 1987|
|Publication number||000860, 07000860, US 4947219 A, US 4947219A, US-A-4947219, US4947219 A, US4947219A|
|Original Assignee||Chronar Corp.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (4), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (98), Classifications (32), Legal Events (7)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This invention relates to particulate semiconductor devices, particularly high efficiency photovoltaic devices.
Although considerable progress has been made in the cost-effective manufacture of large area devices, particularly large area amorphous silicon devices, the efficiencies of mass produced solar panels are in need of improvement. While laboratory schemes can produce small area amorphous silicon devices with efficiencies over 10 %, it is difficult to raise the mass production efficiency to over 7-10% with a single junction structure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to develop low cost solar cells for mass produced panels with efficiencies of well over 10%.
One approach has been to combine, in tandem, an amorphous silicon top cell and a crystalline silicon bottom cell. Such a configuration has not been realized to date at a reasonably low cost. Another approach is to use amorphous silicon and amorphous silicon alloys. This does not provide a good match of bandgaps. The reason is that the bandgap of amorphous silicon alloys cannot be changed within the necessary range without seriously degrading the electrical properties of the absorbing layer.
Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to develop low cost crystalline silicon devices. Such devices are inherently stable.
One approach to cost reduction for crystalline silicon is the production of solar cells from cast polycrystalline silicon ignots. This process has the advantage that no single crystals need to be grown, a step which is time and energy consuming. Although the remaining process steps are essentially those used in the manufacture of single crystalline solar cells, costs are reduced by a factor of more than two and energy amortization time is reduced from ten years to approximately one year.
Another approach is to use silicon ribbon technology where wafers need not be cut from an ingot. Thus processing time and material loss are reduced. These advantages are offset by numerous manufacturing problems associated with handling and processing liquid silicon (at 1414 degrees Centigrade), and the growing of polycrystalline film.
A further attempt to realize low cost crystalline thin film cells involves temperature gradient liquid phase epitaxy out of a silicon-tin solution. The growth temperatures range from 800-1000 degrees Centigrade and thus are markedly lower than the melting point of silicon. Stainless steel is used as a substrate. Efficiencies close to 10% have been reported for small area devices. However, in this method there is a lattice mismatch between the substrate and the grown layer, which inhibits continuous film growth and ultimately reduces efficiency. Furthermore the growth temperature is still very high, confining the choice of materials that are suitable as substrates.
A different approach involves the use of silicon particles. A slurry consisting of silicon particles, water, and polyvinylalcohol is spread on a suitable heat-resistant substrate. Subsequently the particulate layer is remelted. Efficiencies of 5% have been reported, but high-cost substrates are required.
Another approach is by fusing silicon particles with a pulsed electric current. No useful devices have been reported to date.
A further approach is to sinter silicon particles to an aluminum coated, stainless steel substrate. The particulate layer is covered with an insulating material, e.g. a resin or a low temperature glass, in order to fill voids and to seal the rear contact. The top surface is then ground or etched to expose bare silicon. Finally a junction is formed by ion implantation, epitaxial deposition, or diffusion. While ion implantation appears feasible, epitaxial deposition and diffusion are questionable. The particulate layer is not capable of withstanding temperatures higher than the melting or flaming point of the sealant or the melting point of the aluminum.
The foregoing particulate devices use crushed or milled particles prepared from a single or polycrystalline ingot. Usually the particles are etched after milling in order to remove surface contamination. Silicon ball mills and silicon lumps as grinding media are used to minimize contamination.
In accomplishing the foregoing and related objects, the invention provides a particulate semiconductor device with a substrate including a metallic layer, a layer of particles upon the substrate, and an alloy of the metallic layer and the particles between the substrate and the particles. The device is completed by a semitransparent layer upon the particulate layer.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention each particle has a core and a shell with a specified electrotransport characteristic. The alloy forms an ohmic contact with the core and a non-ohmic contact with the shell. The particulate layer can include a glass frit and a binder, which can be organic. The organic binder can serve as a carrier for applying the particulate layer. When the particulate layer is screen printed, the binder is advantageously an organic alcohol or cellulose (gum) or acetate.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention the metal of the metallic layer provides a doping effect on the particles. The metallic layer can act as a dopant or it can include a separate dopant.
In a method of fabricating a particulate semiconductor device in accordance with the invention, a substrate is provided that includes a metallic layer which can form an alloy with a semiconductor. A layer of semiconductor particles is applied to the substrate containing an insulator. The layer is subjected to a prescribed multifunctional and multipurpose temperature cycle. The device is completed by applying the front contact in the form of the metallic grid and applying a transparent conductive layer to permit lateral conductivity among the particles.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention the temperature cycle includes the step of alloying the metal and the semiconductor and subsequently recrystallizing the semiconductor to form at least one zone with specified electrotransport characteristics. The recrystallization produces both an ohmic contact with the core of particles and a rectifying contact with the semiconductor shell.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent a considering several illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a particulate semiconductor device in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a graph of typical temperature cycle for forming a contact with a semiconductive particle in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductive particle applied to a substrate in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing the formation of a metal semiconductor alloy at the interface of a semiconductor particle with a substrate in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 4 showing the melting of the filler between a semiconductive particle and a substrate in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 5 showing the formation of a contact between a substrate and a semiconductor particle by recrystallization in accordance with the invention.
Particulate devices in accordance with the invention, such as the device 100 in FIG. 1, are prepared from available silicon particles. N and p type powders of small grain size are suitable. Screenprinting is then used to apply a layer of the particles 2 on a substrate 1. The formation of the rear contact 4, 5, 6, firing of the layer 2, 3 and sealing of the rear contact 4, 5, 6 with a glass frit 8 are performed in a single step. This is achieved by exposing the printed layer to a specific temperature cycle.
Neither subsequent coating with an insulator nor grinding is necessary. This procedure significantly reduces the number of process steps. Finally a grid 10 and a semi-transparent conductive front electrode 9 is applied to the fired particulate layer 2, 3. The process provides good quality devices. An underlying metallic layer 7 on the substrate 1 is desirably included to improve lateral conductivity of the rear contact 4, 5, 6.
For printing the particulate silicon layer 2, 3 a screenable paste is prepared. The silicon particles are degreased and etched. Subsequently, the silicon particles are mixed with an organic binder to serve as a vehicle for screenprinting. The optimal binder is inert and volatizes completely after printing. Suitable binders include polyvinylalcohol and those based on ethyl cellulose.
While the organic binder serves as a vehicle for printing, another constituent is necessary to prevent the particulate layer from disintegrating after firing. Besides acting as an adhesive, the added constituent insulates the rear contact to avoid shunting of particles. Very fine grained glass powders are used. These powders desirably meet two major requirements: First, a specified melting point which depends on the rear contact material and the chosen alloying parameters; second, the omission of components that would seriously degrade the lifetime of carriers in the silicon particles.
Square ceramic plates are suitable substrates. Other substrate materials like stainless steel, quartz or glass may also be used. A molybdenum layer 7 is evaporated on the substrate followed by either an aluminum or a gold layer 4. The gold layer contains antimony. Aluminum is a p-type dopant, antimony an n-type dopant in silicon. Aluminum and gold provide rear alloy contacts to the particles 2. Molybdenum 7 both improves the lateral conductivity and acts as a diffusion barrier for gold.
The rear contact is formed by alloying the silicon particles of the layer to the evaporated rear side aluminum or old-antimony layer. The alloying technique produces highly doped p+ (aluminum) or n+ zones (gold-antimony) at very low temperatures. It is based on the fact that silicon and aluminum or silicon and gold form alloys, which, depending on the composition, can be liquid at temperatures below the melting point of either of the components. This is indicated in phase diagrams. Aluminum and silicon form a eutectic alloy at 557 degrees Centigrade (12.60% Al, 87.40% Si), gold and silicon form a eutectic alloy at 363 degrees Centigrade (2.85% Au, 97.15% Si).
A typical temperature cycle for the formation of a p+ contact is shown in FIG. 2. The FIGS. 3-6 , illustrate the corresponding process steps.
After printing, the sample is kept at room temperature until most of the organic binder volatizes. The sample is then loaded in the quartz tube of a horizontal tube furnace and heated under constant argon flush to thoroughly volatize the remaining binder (FIG. 3 ). The inert atmosphere prevents the silicon and the aluminum from oxidizing.
The temperature is then increased to a value somewhat higher than the eutectic temperature, typically 600 degrees Centigrade. A liquid Al--Si alloy is formed at the interface (FIG. 4). An intimate physical contact between the silicon particles and the aluminum is a prerequisite for the formation of an alloy. This close contact is established during the print stroke. Experimental results show that pressure on the particles need not necessarily be applied during the alloying procedure. Inevitable thin oxide does not affect the formation of an alloy. Usually, however, the alloying time is fairly long, typically four hours. During this step the glass particles remain solid.
The temperature is then increased to a value somewhat higher than the melting point of the glass frit (FIG. 5), which is lower than the melting point of the rear side metal. If aluminum is used, a typical melting point for the glass frit is 640 degrees Centigrade. The choice of a frit with a suitable melting point is less critical for gold as rear side contact material since the temperature difference between the melting point of the gold and the eutectic temperature is 701 degrees Centigrade, whereas the corresponding temperature range for aluminum is only 83 degrees Centigrade.
While increasing the temperature to liquidize the glass the alloyed region also extends into the core of the particle. More silicon is dissolved according to the phase diagram, as is more aluminum. The aluminum, however, is present in limited quantity. Both the alloy and the glass are then in the liquid state. Preferably the chosen glass and the alloy do not wet each other.
Finally the sample is cooled with an initial cooling rate of less than 1 degree Centigrade/minute. The silicon content in the alloy decreases according to the phase diagram and the excess silicon recrystallizes (FIG. 6). Aluminum or antimony are incorporated into the recrystallized zone according to their segregation coefficients. This results in either p+ or n+ doped recrystallized zones. Impurities with a segregation coefficient smaller than 1 accumulate preferentially in the liquid alloy. Incorporation of impurities into the recrystallized zone, e.g. impurities that originate from the glass frit, is not critical since the recrystallized zones act as contacts only. The degradation of lifetime in these areas is unimportant for the device performance. As soon as the temperature falls below the eutectic temperature, the remaining alloy solidifies. It then has eutectic composition and forms the rear contact.
Voids in the solidified glass are inevitable but are of minor significance to device performance.
After the formation and sealing of the rear contact a rectifying front electrode is applied to the particles. A conductive silver epoxy paste is printed on top of the particulate silicon layer and forms good rectifying contacts to both n and ptype silicon.
The paste is cured at a relatively low temperature, typically 190 degrees Centigrade. The particulate silicon layer does not need to be etched prior to the application in the front contact.
In addition or in place of the silver epoxy paste, a metal electrode may be evaporated. Pure gold forms a rectifying Schottky contact to n-type silicon. The metal electrodes have to be applied after curing of the silver epoxy paste. Otherwise they would tend to form ohmic contacts to the particles during the heat treatment.
There are a number of suitable device structures for particulate silicon Schottky devices. For p-type particles aluminum is the rear contact, and for n-type particles goldantimony is the rear contact.
Other information is from dark IV-characteristics of two small area particulate silicon Schottky diodes. The diodes exhibit a low leakage current and a good reverse break down voltage of greater than 5 volts.
The lateral conductivity of particulate layers is illustrated in a number of examples for IV-characteristics measured between adjacent contacts of a particulate layer printed on an insulating substrate. The lateral current flow is governed by intra-particulate barriers and is described in terms of a series connection of numerous double Schottky barriers. The observed break down voltage of approximately 20 volts is surprisingly low and shows that current transport from one particle to another is possible. The results also suggest that the liquid glass falls and seals the rear contact and only a little glass remains between the particles.
There are a number of device structures for efficient and red-enhanced particulate silicon solar cells. The devices are prepared as outlined above. However, pre-diffused particles are used and alloyed to the substrate. The rear electrode forms an ohmic contact to the core of the particle but a rectifying contact to the diffused layer. In a number of cases the diffusion paths of photogenerated minority carriers are short, no matter where they are generated in the particle. Once the carriers have reached the space charge region, current flow to the front contact is a field controlled majority carrier effect and does not depend on the diffusion length or the surface properties.
There also are calculated spectral response curves for a conventional monocrystalline n+/p cell. The plot shows that a high diffusion length is required to efficiently collect carriers generated by red photons. The reason is that red light penetrates deeply into the bulk of the semiconductor and minority carriers generated in the vicinity of the rear contact have to diffuse all the way through the base region to the front junction. Only if they reach the junction they contribute to the photocurrent. For the proposed particulate device these long diffusion lengths are not necessary, since the particles are surrounded by a junction.
Other aspects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. It will be understood that the foregoing detailed description is for illustration only and that substitutions, modifications, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the dependent claims.
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|U.S. Classification||257/471, 257/653, 257/E29.146, 257/E29.148, 257/E31.051, 257/75, 136/250, 257/E31.039, 257/486|
|International Classification||H01L31/07, H01L31/0384, H01L29/45, H01L29/47, H01L31/18, H01L31/0224, H01L31/0352|
|Cooperative Classification||Y02P70/521, Y02E10/547, H01L31/03529, H01L29/47, H01L31/1804, H01L31/0384, H01L29/456, H01L31/07, H01L31/022425|
|European Classification||H01L31/18C, H01L31/0384, H01L31/0352C3, H01L29/45S, H01L29/47, H01L31/0224B2, H01L31/07|
|Feb 7, 1994||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jul 14, 1997||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: ENERGETICS JUNGERE CORP., DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SHEET METAL WORKERS NATIONAL PENSION FUND,THE;REEL/FRAME:008621/0620
Effective date: 19961014
Owner name: SHEET METAL WORKERS NATIONAL PENSION FUND, THE, V
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:CHRONAR CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:008621/0970
Effective date: 19940726
|Jul 18, 1997||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: BP SOLAR, INC., OHIO
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ENERGETICS JUNGERE CORP.;REEL/FRAME:008732/0195
Effective date: 19961015
|Jan 30, 1998||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|Feb 26, 2002||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Aug 7, 2002||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Oct 1, 2002||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20020807


text:
If you’ve been on coffee forums lately, you must have stumbled on Highlander Grogg coffee. The coffee community has been buzzing about this coffee for a while now, but what is Highlander Grogg Coffee?
Highlander Grogg is a unique-tasting flavored coffee that is inspired by the highlands and liquor of Scotland. When I first tried Highlander Grogg coffee in the early 2000s, I knew it would be an instant hit. It’s pretty different from the types of coffee we have in the American market, so it does need some getting used to, but if you love nutty, caramelly notes in your coffee, consider this flavor. This article will tell you all you would need to know about Highlander Grogg coffee and even give some fantastic options on where to purchase it.
What Is in Highlander Grogg Coffee?
Highlander Grogg coffee is made from 100% Grade One Arabica coffee beans, flavor oils, and extracts. The Arabica coffee beans are sourced from South America has the best farming environment for this sort of beans. After roasting, the beans are soaked with flavorings and extracts and hand mixed to infuse them with flavor. The extracts may be natural or artificial and are typically vanilla, caramel, and Scottish whiskey or rum. Manufacturers’ recipes may have slight differences, but that is the general composition of Highlander Grogg coffee.
What Does Highlander Grogg Coffee Taste Like?
Highlander Grogg coffee tastes of coffee, butterscotch, caramel, vanilla, rum, and whiskey. In addition, it has notes of brown sugar, toffee, maple, and brandy. Highlander Grogg coffee is a rich-tasting coffee that favors decadent dessert treats. Highlander Grogg, being a Scottish coffee blend, tastes of classic Scottish Highlands essence. It is also very smooth on the palate with low acidity and bitterness, making its aftertaste pleasant. Additionally, this coffee variant is incredibly aromatic. With this in mind, coffee brands may alter their ingredients to customize the flavor profile of their Highlander Grogg coffee.
What Roast Level Is Highlander Grogg Coffee?
Highlander Grogg coffee is typically a medium roast. The coffee reaches an internal temperature of between 410°F and 428°F. This allows the coffee to maintain a light body while still having a rich flavor. The medium roast also helps acidity levels and prevents Highlander Grogg coffee from having a bitter aftertaste. The coffee’s caramel and toffee flavors are also enhanced by the medium roast.
Does Highlander Grogg Coffee Have Alcohol?
Despite its alcoholic flavor notes, Highlander Grogg coffee does not have alcohol in it. While the coffee can taste of rum, whiskey, and even brandy sometimes, don’t expect to get tipsy off of it. This coffee’s flavor profile is inspired by liquor but isn’t made with it. The flavor oils and extracts used only mimic the taste.
How Much Caffeine Is in Highlander Grogg Coffee?
Although the amount of caffeine in Highlander Grogg coffee can vary from coffee brand to coffee brand, it has approximately 70 mg of caffeine per 6 oz serving. In the caffeine spectrum, Highlander Grogg coffee is somewhere in the middle. High-caffeine coffee usually has 200 mg or more of caffeine per 6 oz, while low-caffeine coffee has as little as 10mg for every 6 oz serving. The recommended daily caffeine intake for adults is 400 mg, so it can reasonably be concluded that Highlander Grogg coffee has a relatively moderate amount of caffeine. There are also decaffeinated versions of Highlander Grogg coffee available in the market.
Where Can You Buy Highlander Grogg Coffee?
Countless manufacturers and coffee companies offer their version of Highlander Coffee, so you are spoilt for choice. Many of these brands sell them online via their respective websites. You can also find some on Amazon or pop into your nearest specialty coffee shop. Since Highlander Grogg is growing in popularity, it’s not hard to find. Check out some of these options below:
- Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters
- One Great Coffee
- Up North Roast Coffee
- Driven Coffee Roasters
- Lucky Goat Coffee Co.
- Door County Coffee & Tea Co.
Is Highlander Grogg coffee good?
Yes, it is. While Highlander Grogg coffee may not taste like the regular coffee you are accustomed to, it is a delightful beverage when you want something special and unique-tasting. The flavors and notes work well together, and there is something so irresistibly decadent about the drink that will keep you coming back.
How many carbs are in Highlander Grogg coffee?
Highland Grogg coffee has no carbs! Typically, this coffee comes unsweetened and therefore lacks carbs. If it is sweetened, it may have some carbohydrates.
How many calories are in Highlander Grogg coffee?
Highlander Grogg coffee has almost no calories. This is good news for the health-conscious. A 6 oz cup of Highlander Grogg will carry only 2 calories of the recommended calorie amount (2000 calories).

domain: food


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana treated Round 1 with Miami like it was a championship event.
Now it's time to get ready for the rematch.
Roy Hibbert controlled the middle, scoring 24 points, and Paul George scored 15 of his 17 points during a second-half scoring spree that helped the surging Pacers pull away late from ...more »
THE long-awaited building code that will set out the standard or guideline for the construction of buildings to ensure the safety for the occupants is currently in the draft stage at the Chief Parliamentary Council, Minister of Local Government and Community Development Noel Arscott has disclosed.
"We have now developed the code, which is in a draft stage at the Chief Parliamentary Council, and thereafter it will be in the process to develop a new building code for Jamaica," Arscott said.
He was speaking at the launch of the seventh annual Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in Kingston yesterday.
Underscoring the importance of the building code, Arscott noted that the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 pointed to a severe lack of building standards in that country.
He said that nearly all the buildings in Port-au-Prince, with the exception of the Digicel building that was recently built, "crumbled, like a deck of cards".
Noting that the region was susceptible to disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis, the minister called on the countries of the region to develop a collective approach to resilience building.
He also said there was a need to guard against alien species coming into the region such as the lionfish that feeds on the parrot fish, which is important for the protection of coral reefs and the production of sand for the island's beaches.
The CDM conference, which is hosted by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with ODPEM, will be held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa in Montego Bay from December 3 to 7.
The conference, which is being held in Jamaica for the third time, has as its theme 'CDM: Building disaster resilience -- a shared responsibility'.
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The North (England)
Earth > Europe > Northern Europe > United Kingdom > England > The North (England)
The North London region is a part of the region in the United Kingdom that is situated immediately North of Greater London and accessible through the motorways M1/A1 and M11. These regions are being part of the London commuter belt and includes in part or totally the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Essex to the East.
Counties and Towns
- Luton (London Luton Airport)

domain: geography


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If you say the name Manolo Blahnik to most women between the ages of 20 and death, you’ll likely get a nod of recognition and possibly a sigh of reverence. The 74-year-old shoemaker has been beloved in the fashion industry and by well-heeled ladies since the 1970s. He exploded even bigger in the pop culture stratosphere with the brand’s role as Carrie Bradshaw’s favorite footwear in the “Sex and the City” book, television series and film adaptations.
But the documentary “Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards,” directed by Michael Roberts and out in theaters Friday, Sept. 22, delves deeper into the Spanish designer’s creative process and reveals the man behind the most celebrated shoes of recent decades.
Blahnik’s childhood in Santa Cruz de la Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands is lushly illustrated in the documentary by the first of many Vaseline-filtered re-creations with actors. The designer’s own recollections paint the most vivid pictures throughout the film, as do his sketches and the extraordinary parade of shoes that go by like models pivoting on the runway.
From Spain, the dreamy, couture-obsessed boy (who did literally make shoes for lizards as a child) found his way into the center of the swinging Parisian and London scenes of the late ’60s. As famous fashion personalities like former Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley, jewelry designer Paloma Picasso, models Naomi Campbell, Iman and Karlie Kloss, and Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour attest throughout the film, Blahnik was both a throwback to another era with his impeccable, foppish presentation and yet totally of the moment with the fanciful, original and expensive (shoes start around $500) stilettos, pumps and mules he created.
A meeting with legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland during her years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute cemented Blahnik’s career path into footwear and from there, he became the preferred shoemaker to America’s Seventh Avenue designers and top European fashion editors alike.
There’s a fair amount of insider scoop in the film and footage illustrating many of his most important collaborations, from Calvin Klein in the ’80s and ’90s, and his role in designer John Galliano’s career-making fall 1994 show at the home of São Schlumberger in Paris, to his current collection with pop star Rihanna. Sofia Coppola talks about working with Blahnik to create fantasy, period-imperfect slippers for her film “Marie Antoinette” and shares that the actresses on the set became as giddy as their characters as they opened the boxes.
“Sex and the City,” for all its power as an ambassador for the brand, is given its moment in the film via a clip of Carrie’s infamous shoe-mugging scene on the TV series, but it is just a moment. Notably absent are “Sex and the City” star (and now shoe designer herself) Sarah Jessica Parker and costume designer Patricia Field, as are any thoughts the designer has on his shoes’ supporting role in the series.
Also not discussed: any of Blahnik’s competition. Wouldn’t fashionistas just love to hear Blahnik’s thoughts on fellow shoemaker Christian Louboutin?
Blahnik the man comes to life the most fully when you see him drawing and crafting his shoes. The walks he takes in his gardens throughout the film pronounce some of the designer’s most celebrated motifs, such as the clinging vine straps and exquisite floral embellishments. But he remains guarded. As an interview subject, Blahnik can be elusive, although his descriptions of his favorite creations throughout the years will no doubt be extracted as brand poetry for future advertising campaigns.
Tony Bravo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards
Documentary. Directed by Michael Roberts. (Not rated. 89 minutes.)

domain: entertainment


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SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- A 1,000 mile trek across New England led one man to Springfield Thursday morning to shine a light on a charity near and dear to his heart.
The journey to get here was a special one
“I’ve been feeling pretty good. The weather’s been fine. I’ve met so many wonderful people,” said Dwight Barnes.
Barnes, a New Hampshire resident, is feeling good after walking 1,000 miles to Springfield Thursday morning.
“Well, I started in Boston at the Ronald McDonald House at Boston Harbor on the 17th of August, traveled up in to Maine, into Portland and Bangor where there are Ronald McDonald Houses,” Barnes explained.
After Maine, he continued to Burlington, VT and across the Mohawk Trail to finally arrive in Springfield at the Ronald McDonald House.
“I have had tremendous support from my family, my friends, the RMHC team here in Springfield today,” Barnes noted.
The journey was all for a good cause: the Ronald McDonald House charities of New England.
“Well number one, the charity does tremendous work with helping families with critically ill children. That’s the basis of what they do,” Barnes said.
After working and owning a McDonald’s for 30 years and donating to the Ronald McDonald House, he decided to continue to give back, but this time, in a unique way.
“After I retired, I took the walking I was doing for my health together with the charity and decided to visit all the Ronald McDonald Houses throughout New England,” Barnes added.
Barnes told Western Mass News he had different plans for fundraising this year
With fundraisers for the Ronald McDonald House being cancelled due to the pandemic, Barnes felt shining a light on this charity was the least he could do.
“Funding is much more difficult this year in light of COVID, so all the more reason to go out and do something like this…I’m just so happy to be here and shine that spotlight on this wonderful organization,” Barnes said.

domain: news


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Everybody knows Darth Vader is the most iconic villain turned (SPOILER ALERT!) good in all of human history. We all remember his strict but fair reign under the emperor in the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as his coming of age (eh, sort of) in the prequel trilogy. Now, Kotobukiya brings an unique twist on the Sith lord: a steampunk armoured Vader in an elegant and yet somewhat familiar pose.
Designed by Adi Granov, Anakin has no points of articulation, yet countless other details to make up for it. He stands 12.5″ tall on a brass-coloured base full of typical pipes, and screws. The suit itself has other elements akin to steampunk, including meters, rust, nailed leather and more brass.
The statue is out in September and will cost around $233. You can pre-order it here.


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As Caroline Glick and Martin Sherman among many others are saying the whole of the Operation in Gaza has been a defeat for Israel. Israel and the IDF did not settle the issue of Hamas rockets and tunnels.
War is not casual. There is always a decisión. More than that targets always have to be set. The main problem in this case is that war was not declared and no targets were set.
Netanyahu and his group who control the Media and the State in Israel must not be allowed to ever spin it in any way that suggests a victory.
If no war was declared with clear aims that is a problem. If no targets were clearly set another big problem
War was NOT declared. Targets changed as things developed.
I am proposing that this looseness of language, action, aims, targets, is a result of how Israel is actually governed.
WAR RUN BY ONE MAN AND ONE OTHER
The war was run by two people, Netanyahu and Ya’alon (Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon)
The war, not called a war I repeat, was not run by a cabinet with the cabinet delegating. There was no delegation. Netanyahu decided.
It was also run by the Army Generals, that is the leadership of the IDF, in which Israeli Intelligence was involved too. But not by Cabinet.
A leader Danny Dayon was expelled from the Cabinet by Netanyahu because he did not toe THIS line, which is a line of ruling through a non cabinet cabal.
This is how no decisión was made to go to war and no targets were set, which resulted in something not war but “operation” (Operation Protective Edge), and not targets of war but tactics which were changing.
All of that has resulted in a failure. Every Israeli today knows that the rockets are not destroyed and the tunnels were not destroyed (Debka reports that only tunnels within a few miles of the border were hit by the IDF. Were they all hit? No! And that leaves the whole network in this strip which lead into these tunnels. The whole strip sits now on these deadly tunnels. And the same thing with the rockets, the majority still in existence in Gaza.
Politicaly too the war is lost totally. The Obama and Netanyahu line is to bring Abbas forward. But Caroline Glick shows that this is a récipe for disaster and for the introduction of rockets, powerful with guidance, into those tunnels
Lost too because Hizbullah and Iran are drawn in by Obama to this solution. That means defeat in spades for Netanyahu and his “Operation”
The question is how to form a clear point of opposition to Netanyahu?
4international has noted what a great job Martin Sherman has done in his last article in which he records in historical detail (Ben Gurion, Begin, Sharon) how Israeli héroes sell out at critical moments.
TURN OF BIBI TO BETRAY…BIG TIME
Now it is the turn of Netanyahu to betray. Netanyahu too is a favoured son of Israel, the brother of the Entebbe Raid hero, absolutely part of Jewish folklore. Caroline Glick has noted in great detail the ACTUAL (historical detail is her strong point) role of Abbas and how Obama, Kerry and maybe Netanyahu are pushing this person to the Forefront. Note as the UN was the front for Hamas in Gaza, as Caroline points out very clearly and above all comprehensively, detail very impressive, that now it will be Abbas, UN as front for Hamas.
There are many who are voicing the above feelings of dissidence with the ruling elite in Israel from the side of patriotism. (Note the use of left and right as commonly used in Israeli politics is not allowed on this site. These terms are meaningless in the broad world) (Martin Sherman I request you to be careful in using these terms…I have strong backing in this from Francisco Gil White, Jared Israel and Richard Landes)
But meanwhile back to this war situation and how practically to proceed.
I feel that complex issues can always be reduced down to simple things. In the case of Lenin it was BREAD the people were starving, PEACE the horrific world war 1, LAND many centuries of peasant oppression. (I know this example best so I use it and I think it should be used…this is not pushing “communism” even though I do that as well, and proudly so)
I see so many plans and schemes pushed forward by Jews. I know why. They are all trying to do their best and are so fearful of the future given their past.
But I try to reduce it to a simple concept. How about “Root out Antisemitism … out of the land of Israel”. Rephrase but keep the meaning.
To my studied political position as an irishman I hold that to throw a single Stone against a Jew in Israel (or anywhere on earth) IS ANTISEMITISM IN THE EXTREME.
So go figure! What does that mean in practice? it means it is ALL antisemitism in action today!
We can ask what does patriotism or authentic nationalism mean in Israel. It can have a religious aspect but still must be practical to survive … after all all human life is practical.
The whole of the campaign by Netanyahu in this Gaza Operation was an exercise in how to provide your Antisemite Enemies with all the ammunition they need to stir up vile Antisemitism in the world.
The biggest lesson is that the world is going to accuse Israel of being Nazi etc. anyway, whether they send warnings before destroying every empty house, whether they abort missions or not. So why do it?
The biggest lesson is that last paragraph above. Study any war, anywhere in the history of warfare and you will find that you attack the enemy with force and without warning. Also you do it decisively, brutally because war is brutal, and over as short a time period as possible. In other words you seek always to pulverise the enemy.
Those are the rules of warfare. But that is not adequate for this Jewish cabal who leads Israel since 1948. They want to have special rules for the Jews at war where the Jews are to be seen by the world as super humanitarians.
Why not just go to war TO WIN, end the war with victory in as short a period as possible TO WIN AND SAVE LIFE, having achieved victory and pulverized the enemy then be merciful if mercy is possible.
The very first consideration for a new leadership, as opposed to what has been in Israel since 48, is to face this consideration at the staart of this war.
Hamas control Gaza and the UN in Gaza is an arm of Hamas.
ANOTHER CONSIDERATION A NEW LEADERSHIP MIGHT WRITE ON THE BLACKBOARD AT PLANNING STAGE:
Evidence from Mohammed el Dura/France2 and from Qana (EU Referendum Reports) that the enemy have a vast Pallywood industry in operation.
We knew totally that the enemy control all aspects of the international media in Gaza, something which happened also totally in Yugoslavia against Milosevic and the Serbs.
So why did the Netanyahu group therefore do it like that, giving every opportunity and all of the time in the world for the enemy to promote their Pallywood productions and the international media to set up their extensive and long running campaigns of vilification of Israel AND OF JEWS?
I return again to these two great assets for Israel:
Caroline Glick has showed in the latest article in great detail how Fatah also is an arm of Hamas. This has great importance for the tactics now to be used.
Martin Sherman in his latest article showed how every Israeli leader since 1948, especially those with a bit of a name for bravery like Sharon and Begin, that they were a disaster in leadership
I cannot say that a Trotskyist Party can come forward this week or even next month and it pains me to say that. Trotskyisn was wiped out in 1940 by Stalin and by Hitler and by all capitalist governments. Roosevelt promoted Stalinism.
Nevertheless there must be a next practical step by patriots (Note again I shun the use of “Right” here a term that is lethally self-limiting for a great cause)
There must now be a new organised NEW party created on a platform opposed to a SECOND Palestine Arab state in Israel. Netanyahu has of course placed himself outside of this. Such a party is in opposition to Netanyahu. But note at times in unity and in defence of too.
Martin Sherman and Caroline Glick plus many others must continue their activity, telling Jews and the world the truth, but they must do it as part of an organised party which is in opposition to the present ruling group.
Of course such a party must defend Netanyahu and others who are actually our enemies if they come under attack from the Antisemites, but that is a necessary defence against the enemy, especially necessary to enable the discussion to proceed.
This defence of our political opponents becomes ever more necessary in a period like today when there is a Muslim Brotherhood man in charge of America with all the power that Obama brings to his mission to promote the Muslim Brotherhood. I return to this theme of how to defend Netanyahu at times agains the enemy precisely because of Obamam who is a Muslim hater of Jews
Now Obama clearly sees the need and the opportunity to rescue Hamas by promoting Abbas and Fatah.
El Sisi like Mubarak remains an Antisemitic Arab. The situation not to go along with Obama support for Abbas becomes ever more critical.
Israel does not need grand plans and it simply needs to find a way through a party to express its needs at each point
IMMEDIATE AND UNPOSTPONABLE STEPS
The very first step is to explain to the Israeli people that the Operation in Gaza did not and was never meant to defeat Hamas.
Moreover explain that Abbas is actually worse than Hamas. They are all part of the same Antisemitic scheme in the world against Jews and Israel.
That is the single most important issue to be fought out and clarified in front of every single Israeli today, and that includes those Arabs in Israel who love Israel.
It is a political and a practical task and not a religious one that has to be carried out. In this case freedom of religion means putting an end to Antisemitism in Israel. Start there at least!


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|"and eggs boiled to perfection!"||(in 1 review)|
|""Nice, clean room, superb bathroom""||(in 24 reviews)|
|"Very friendly and helpful staff."||(in 18 reviews)|
|"no tea or coffee making facilities."||(in 2 reviews)|
|"Inselklause is in the country yet only a short drive to Triberg."||(in 1 review)|
|""Excellent restaurant onsite, though maybe a little overpriced.""||(in 1 review)|
|room was very comfortable||in 61 reviews|
|staff were very welcoming||in 51 reviews|
|food very good||in 42 reviews|
|room and hotel||in 41 reviews|
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|good breakfast||in 37 reviews|
|hotel and restaurant||in 32 reviews|
|triberg||in 30 reviews|
|main road||in 26 reviews|
|coffee making facilities||in 12 reviews|
|good value||in 10 reviews|
|nicely decorated||in 9 reviews|
|excellent and the service||in 8 reviews|
|big bed||in 7 reviews|
|fan in the room||in 6 reviews|
|short drive||in 4 reviews|
|charm and authenticity||in 2 reviews|
|visiting from australia||in 2 reviews|
|yogurts eggs||in 2 reviews|
This traditional hotel is set in a scenic location at an altitude of 1000 metres on the outskirts of Schönwald. All rooms at the Inselklause feature a balcony offering beautiful Black Forest views. Wi-Fi is free in all parts of the Inselklause Schönwald. Interiors are decorated in an elegant country style, and all rooms include satellite TV, a desk and a private bathroom. Breakfast is provided each morning in the rustic-style Bärenstüble lounge. The Inselklause is an ideal base for hiking and winter sports here in the Black Forest Nature Park. The famous Triberg Waterfalls are just 6 km away. On-site parking is free for guests, and Freiburg is just a 50-minute drive away.
based on 322 reviews
Policies vary by room type and provider.
Inselklause is located at Triberger Strasse 7, 2 km from the centre of Schönwald im Schwarzwald. Triberg Waterfalls is the closest landmark to Inselklause.
Check-in time is 3:00 PM and check-out time is 10:00 AM at Inselklause.
Yes, Inselklause offers free Wi-Fi.
Yes, Inselklause offers free parking.
No, Inselklause does not offer free airport shuttle service.
Inselklause is 63.6 km from Strasbourg Entzheim. Inselklause is 74 km from Karlsruhe Söllingen.
No, Inselklause does not have a pool on-site.

domain: travel


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UPDATE: NO VOTE.
The Illinois House is in session. It's unclear if the marriage equality bill, SB10 will be brought up for a vote, though that has been promised by Rep. Greg Harris, the bill's sponsor.
There are numerous measures under consideration, and no indication when the bill might come up.
Watch LIVE (opens in new window) AFTER THE JUMP…
Today is the last session of the legislature. The bill must get a vote today.
An alternate feed is available HERE.


The Role of Buildings in the Cultural Life of Cities
How urban infrastructure and design are shaping the cultural life of cities from Buenos Aires to Berlin and Lisbon to Luanda.
From Buenos Aires Irene Caselli reports on a new $2.5 million cultural centre giving everything away for free. As Angola celebrates 40 years of independence from Portugal, how much cultural exchange still exists between the two countries? We hear from Lisbon and Luanda to find out. And Berlin is a city with a rich literary tradition, but where is the ideal spot to sit and write? Novelist Gregor Hens reveals his favourite place. Presented by Tina Daheley.


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Agencies rock out in Dundas Square tomorrow
Video boards will show off their best synchronized efforts, while media and creative agencies will compete for a free digital campaign for their fave charity.
Toronto’s agencies are battling it out tomorrow night in Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square as part of an event hosted by Clear Channel, OBN and Penex Media, showcasing the impact of large digital video boards. Both media and creative agencies will be competing in the popular videogame Rock Band for a chance to win a four-week digital campaign for the charity of their choice.
‘We wanted to show that, as competitors in the digital OOH industry, we can come together to showcase how impactful large-format digital outdoor can be when used boldly and creatively,’ Dora Alexander, VP of advertising sales at Outdoor Broadcast Network tells MiC, adding that the need for the event was felt because of a ‘perceived lack of awareness’ of many in the ad community of some of the changes and evolution that the square has been through in recent years.
Technological components that can be wrapped into digital outdoor campaigns are also being featured, with interactive elements like live video streaming to the boards for events, SMS messaging for real-time consumer interaction and synchronized ads that play off each other on different digital boards. There will also be a live texting component with prizes up for grabs.
Alexander says the event is also a fun way to give back to the community by donating an awareness campaign for the winning agency’s charity of choice. In addition, she says the competition also helps build ‘a better understanding of how competing signs in the square can work together’.
Held at Hard Rock Café in the square, the event, which starts at 6 pm, features live video streaming during the gaming portion of the night (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm), followed by a screening of the best creative campaigns that have appeared on the video boards to showcase their synchronization abilities.


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Valentines Class: Make a Silver Ring (PM)
£35.00 (exc. VAT)
Pop along to the London Jewellery School for the afternoon and make a professional piece of silver jewellery for your valentine. What could be more special and romantic? And you can even bring them along with you and make a piece for each other.
Absolutely no jewellery making experience is necessary and non-creatives are more than welcome, as a friendly and professional jewellery tutor will guide you through the whole process from start to finish and ensure you leave with a professional piece of jewellery to be proud of.
In this afternoon session lasting 3 hours 2-5pm you will make a silver wrap over ring from a sheet of silver. First you will get to have a practice in working with metal by using some copper and then will move no to silver. Throughout the class you will learn to texture, hammer, heat-up and cut the silver and then shape and polish it to make a lovely finished silver ring to take home with you.
if you can bring along one of your partners rings or get their ring size before you come but don't worry if you can't because the rings we are making are adjustable so they can change the size to fit their finger. And if they are coming with you then obviously thats even easier!
You will make the whole piece from start to finish in our fully equipped jewellery studio and don't worry if you have never done anything like this before we have lots of ideas and inspiration to get you going.
You will be given a lovely gift bag to take your creations home in and a class certificate to prove that you actually made it - just in case they don't believe you!
All tools and materials needed to make your solid silver piece of jewellery are provided and you don't need to bring anything but yourself.
And for those moments when your creativity needs a boost there is plenty of tea, coffee and luxury biscuits to keep you going.
Booking is essential as places are limited and offered on a first come first serve basis. We look forward to welcoming you in to our studio shortly.
What some of our students have said about this class
Please Note: Our classes are suitable for those aged 16 and over & for health and safety reasons, all students need to wear closed toe shoes when coming to the workshop. If you have any access requirements, please contact us before booking a course. And due to our small class sizes we are unable to offer transfers or refunds on our courses once booked. Please make sure you can make the date before booking. Thanks LJS x

domain: artistic


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MADISON — The No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers celebrated homecoming weekend with a comfortable 49–20 victory over Illinois on Saturday afternoon inside Camp Randall Stadium.
Wisconsin (5–2, 3–1 Big Ten) racked up 545 yards, 357 on the ground, against an Illini defense coming into the game giving up over 500 total yards per contest.
Two Badger backs went over 100 yards on the afternoon. Sophomore Jonathan Taylor again went over the century mark running the ball, gaining 159 yards on 27 carries, while redshirt senior Taiwan Deal tallied 111 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. Fullback Alec Ingold also scored two touchdowns on the day, one both rushing and receiving.
Quarterback Alex Hornibrook had an up-and-down afternoon, completing 13 of 22 passes for 188 yards with three touchdowns but also two interceptions.
Illinois coughed up the ball five times to Wisconsin, all in the first half, which led to 21 points for the Badgers. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s unit held the Illini offense to only 300 yards.
Wisconsin won the coin toss, received the opening kickoff, and drove the ball at will against an Illinois defense that came into the game giving up 199.5 yards per game on the ground. On this opening drive, the Badgers drove 75 yards in 11 plays—57 of those yards rushing—and started off on the right foot with a one-yard touchdown run by Ingold. Nine of the 11 snaps were runs in Wisconsin’s attempt to assert itself offensively.
On Illinois’s first possession, Wisconsin forced its first takeaway of the afternoon when inside linebacker T.J. Edwards intercepted an AJ Bush pass and returned it 28 yards to the Illini 25-yard line.
Two plays later, true freshman Aron Cruickshank recorded his first career touchdown on a 23-yard run on a jet sweep out of a jumbo formation look.
Though it did not lead to points on the board, Wisconsin’s defense forced a second turnover in the first half that nullified an Illinois scoring opportunity. With the Illini driving in Badgers territory, true freshman inside linebacker Jack Sanborn forced a fumble from running back Reggie Corbin with Chris Orr recovering.
Wisconsin could not capitalize on another takeaway, as Rafael Gaglianone missed a chip-shot field goal a little more than halfway through the second quarter after Evan Bondoc recorded his first career interception. Illinois responded on one play, as Corbin switched directions and took it 80 yards for a touchdown to bring it within 14–7.
On the afternoon, Illinois—which came into the game rushing for almost 229 per contest—gained 210 on the ground.
After a Wisconsin three-and-out, Illinois inserted M.J. Rivers at quarterback. The offense stalled due to a couple of penalties, and then the new signal caller’s pass on third down was tipped in the air and intercepted by senior nose tackle Olive Sagapolu.
One play later, Hornibrook found tight end Jake Ferguson for a pretty over-the-shoulder catch from 27 yards out to put Wisconsin up 21–7. That was the redshirt freshman’s third touchdown reception of the season, and he finished the day with three catches for 62 yards.
All five turnovers for Illinois occurred in the first half. The last one was a forced fumble by redshirt sophomore safety Eric Burrell that was recovered by true freshman cornerback Rachad Wildgoose. Wisconsin needed only three plays to get its fourth touchdown of the afternoon, with Hornibrook finding tight end Kyle Penniston for an 11-yard touchdown to go up 28–7.
Two turnovers courtesy of Hornibrook led to 10 unanswered points by Illinois, however. One of Hornibrook’s two interceptions came late in the first half, which led to a Chase McLaughlin 52-yard field goal to make it 28–10 going into halftime.
On Wisconsin’s first offensive series of the third quarter, Hornibrook threw a mistake, which was then picked off by linebacker Jimmy Marchese. Two plays later, running back Ra’Von Bonner ran it in from 18 yards to bring the score back within 11 at 28–17.
To its credit, UW’s offense responded in a big way, going 75 yards in six plays, capped off by a Taiwan Deal 39-yard touchdown run to give the Badgers a 35–17 advantage with 8:22 left in the third quarter.
Not quite finished in the scoring department, Wisconsin would tack on another touchdown in the third quarter, with its fullback again finding the end zone. Ingold got up the right sideline with Hornibrook finding him for a 19-yard touchdown. Gaglianone’s extra point made it 42–17.
Consider these fun stats for Ingold, the decorated senior fullback:
For @AI_XLV, that's 19 total touchdowns on 103 career touches. Pretty, pretty, pretty good....— Brian Mason (@Brian_Mason) October 20, 2018
Illinois drove down and connected on a McLaughlin 26-yard field goal to bring the score within 22, but Wisconsin answered with a touchdown series of its own.
An 11-play, 86-yard drive ended with Deal’s second score from six yards out to cap the scoring for the game.
Wisconsin travels to Northwestern next week for another Big Ten West divisional showdown.


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Stacking The Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga’s Reviews that shares the books (both physical and virtual) that you recently purchased, borrowed from a fellow reader or the library, won from a giveaway, or received as gifts. Stacking The Shelves will post on Saturdays as new books are added to my shelves.
In last week’s Stacking The Shelves, I’d mentioned that I’d expected to do only one STS entry this month. Then, after the fairy novels and new releases had arrived in the mail, I spent a Saturday on Cape Cod to see the house my parents are renovating and do some birthday shopping for a friend. And during said shopping, I bought more books, even though I’d told myself not to. (*face turns strawberry red*)
So, here’s Batch #2, the books I bought at the Market Street Bookshop in Mashpee, MA, along with a couple extras. Make sure you stop at MSB if you visit Mashpee Commons. Their selection is fantastic (especially in science fiction and fantasy, both adult and YA), and the staff is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and well-read. 🙂
From the Market Street Bookshop…
From top to bottom:
Sabriel (Abhorsen, Book #1) by Garth Nix (YA Fantasy): My first Garth Nix book! I’ve heard amazing things about his Abhorsen series, so it only makes sense to start at the beginning. 😉
Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern, Book#1) by Anne McCaffrey (Fantasy / Science Fiction): I enjoy catching up on classics when I have time. The Dragonriders of Pern series has been on my wishlist for a while, but it’s been really hard to track down in stores. (Then again, Dragonflight is almost 50 years old.) So, when I saw the book at MSB, I knew better than to pass it by!
In The Hand of the Goddess and The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (Song of the Lioness, Books #2 and #3) by Tamora Pierce (YA Epic Fantasy): I’ve already read the first and final installments of this series. (Yes, I know, I read the books out of order – shame on me!) But like Dragonflight, these two books have been tough to find in stores, so I snatched these up as soon as they caught my eye. I might have to make binge-finishing this series (and re-reading Lioness Rampant) a priority in 2017.
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin (Science Fiction): Ditto on the “hard to track down” bit. But whenever I visit a bookstore – be it Barnes & Noble or an indie like Market Street – I always look for any UKLG books I don’t have yet. I love her work so, so much, so I was thrilled to finally find The Lathe of Heaven.
Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee (YA Historical Fiction): This was one of the most talked-about YA historical fiction novels of last year. It combines the American West / Oregon Trail setting with the “girl disguised as a boy” trope. It sounds like Rae Carson’s Walk On Earth A Stranger, but the comparisons end there. Under a Painted Sky features two disguised girls, one Chinese and the other a runaway slave. So, it offers diverse characters and a friendship between two females. Very much looking forward to this one.
Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, Book #1) by Robin LaFevers (YA Historical Fantasy-Romance): Another book I’ve read about through the speculative fiction and YA book blog grapevines. It’s set in medieval France, and the protagonist joins a convent of assassin nuns to avoid an arranged marriage. That sentence alone makes you want to read it too, right? 😉
… And A Few Extras
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert (Nonfiction / Inspirational / Creativity): I haven’t read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love yet, but a friend who’s a big fan of hers let me borrow Gilbert’s latest book. And oh my GOODNESS, I loved it! I’ll say more in my review for next month’s Recent Reads – but if you’re looking for advice or motivation on how to embrace your creativity and live a more fulfilling life, Big Magic gives you exactly that. 😀
City of Light (Outcast Series, Book #1) by Keri Arthur (Urban Fantasy): I already covered City of Light in an STS post back in January, when I had bought a copy but then returned it after winning Bibliosanctum’s giveaway for the book. The giveaway copy has since arrived, so now I can say (again) that I’m looking forward to reading this futuristic fantasy story with demons, shape-shifters, and artificially lit cities struggling to keep the darkness at bay.
A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly (Historical Fantasy): I’ve had the strangest luck with book giveaways this year – but I won’t complain! A Criminal Magic just arrived yesterday thanks to Fantasy Literature. It’s set during the Roaring Twenties / Prohibition Era, when magic is made illegal instead of alcohol; and some SF&F sites are already calling this one of the best books of 2016. So, I’m really excited to check this out for myself now.
What books did you recently buy or acquire? Have you read or are planning to read of the books discussed above?

domain: hobby


Is Inflation Here To Stay?
Is Inflation Here to Stay?
According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report, U.S. inflation is currently running at a 13-year high of 5.4% - and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Here’s what you need to know about the current state of the U.S. economy and what you can likely expect in the coming months.
Inflation is Not Going Anywhere Soon
Rising prices in just about every sector is the new normal. The inflation rate fell at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and during the nationwide lockdown as people hunkered down at home. In March 2021, though, when the impact of halted manufacturing began hitting the market, and crude oil prices started climbing, the inflation rate increased to 2.6% before hitting its current high of 5.4% in June and July. Although the rate began falling in August to 5.3%, it went back up to 5.4% in September. Like the Trading Economics information technology company, experts now expect that number to continue rising, probably hitting 5.5% in the coming months.
Unfortunately for the average consumer who’s struggling to cover expenses amid rising costs, this means inflation isn’t going anywhere soon.
Why Are Prices so High?
There are several factors for the inflation bubble. First, suppliers are still catching up on production shortages caused by factory shutdowns during the pandemic. Second, climate disasters, like California wildfires and a drought in Brazil, are responsible for driving up prices in the food industry. The demand for higher wages, partially caused by the 10.4 million job openings in the U.S., and the rising cost of gas is also contributing to inflation.
What Can Consumers Expect in 2022?
For better or worse, shoppers are learning how to deal with the higher prices at the pump and from store shelves. Some are trimming their budgets in any way possible, while others are looking for additional streams of income to help them get by. But many are finding it challenging to survive in today's economy while hoping for better news next year.
While no one can predict the future, economists expect inflation levels to taper off by the middle of 2022. According to a Wall Street Journal survey, many expect inflation to drop to 3.4% by June 2022 and to continue falling until it hits 1.8% by the end of the year.


- Tuesday September 28th, 2010 :: 10:44 a.m. PDT
Plan to attend "First Tuesday" on Oct. 5 at 7PM at Northwest Area Command, 9850 W. Cheyenne. Crime Prevention Month!
Plan to attend Metro's "First Tuesday" on October 5th at 7 PM, Northwest Area Command, 9850 W. Cheyenne. Topic is National Crime Prevention Month! Join us as we present you with information you can use to stay safe! Police personnel on hand to answer questions and handouts provided. Something for everyone and we hope to see you there.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department-Northwest Area Command
9850 W Cheyenne Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89129
Northwest Area Command


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AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST’S
FARMERS MARKET CELEBRATION
We’re looking for the cream of the crop, the best of America’s farmers markets.
Your recommendation can earn national awards and recognition for your farmers market.
Montgomery Farmers Market (OH)
Montgomery Farmers Market, in its first year of operation, is a producer-only market offering fruits, vegetables, meats, honey, grains and flours, artisan and cottage foods, and other locally-grown and locally-produced foods.
- - - Nationwide
- - Ohio
- - Midwest

domain: agronomy


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Tomlinson Hall & Co Ltd Triumphs In North East Business Awards
May 1st 2015
Tomlinson Hall & Co Ltd, is on a high after winning a prestigious regional award.
Tomlinson Hall picked up the Small Business trophy in the final of the North East Business Awards, which took place on April 23 at Hardwick Hall in County Durham.
This success follows Tomlinson Hall’s triumph in the Teesside Business Awards in March, where we won the Small Business award: it then battled it out with the winners of the Tyneside and Northumberland and Durham and Wearside Business Awards to take first place in the main regional final.
Organised by Newcastle-based newspaper The Journal and its sister paper on Teesside, The Gazette, the annual competition is held in association with the North East Chamber of Commerce. More than 550 business people from across the North of England and beyond attended April’s showpiece final.
Tomlinson Hall is an approved global distributor for major industrial pump brands, including DEPA and ELRO, as well as manufacturing Liquivac.
The firm, which has operated since 1919 and is a co-founder of the Pump Distributors Association, has seen highly impressive sales growth in the last three years. It has grown sales for global pump manufacturer CRANE ChemPharma Flow Solutions – manufacturers of DEPA and ELRO pumps – year and year and last year recorded its best annual sales results for Crane since its appointment by the company in 2006.
Its sales performance, commitment to staff development, close ties to the local community and a recent re-launch of Liquivac - plus a subsequent export push for the product - all contributed to the firm being honoured with the Small Business of the Year title.
Colin Simpson, business development director of Tomlinson Hall & Co Ltd, said: “To receive the Small Business award for Teesside was a great honour, and then to triumph in the overall North East final topped off a fantastic first quarter on 2015 for Tomlinson Hall.
“This success is down to the hard work of all our staff and is a major achievement for a company with strong roots in North East England.
“Companies from a wide range of sectors competed in the awards so it’s very pleasing that through Tomlinson Hall, the pump industry was recognised in such a high profile event.”
Tomlinson Hall has garnered a string of awards this year, with its recent successes following the company’s triumph in the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) Annual Awards, held in January, where it was named SME of the Year. The NEPIC awards recognise outstanding achievement in the process sector, with NEPIC – the first cluster in the UK to receive the Gold Label for Cluster Management Excellence – boasting hundreds of member companies from across a wide range of industries.
The company has won the UK Pump Distributor of the Year Award four times at British Pump Industry Awards, most recently in April 2014.
Energy saving opportunities and pump systems were in the spotlight recently at a major North East manufacturing event.
Charity was the winner last month at the Billingham Legacy Foundation Golf Day, sponsored by Tomlinson Hall.
More than £1750 was raised for the Billingham Legacy Foundation at the annual event, which took place on May 12 at Billingham Golf Club.
We are delighted to announce that we have won the coveted Distributor Of the Year category in the Pump Industry Awards 2017.
One of North East England’s largest manufacturing forums has appointed Colin Simpson, business development director of Tomlinson Hall, to its board to help drive forward the organisation’s development.
Prior’s Mill Church of England Primary School in Billingham received a £2000 donation from Tomlinson Hall last week, which will help to fund its forthcoming Science and Engineering week.
We distribute pumps for pump manufacturers worldwide...
Tomlinson Hall is the sole UK distributor for DEPA, ELRO and Richter pumps and we have UK distribution rights for Etatron pumps.


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Tekhnē Sessions were primarily designed to explore the performative space between training and performance structures, i.e. the space that is generally viewed as leading to the genesis of performance material. Tekhnē Sessions engage this space not as an intermediary stage towards a further end (a ‘performance’) but as an end in itself that explores the interplay between the performative, the improvisational, and the structural. In so doing, Tekhnē Sessions aim at localising the performative condition and, in the process, giving a glimpse of an area that is rarely, if ever, witnessed by non-practitioners. As the name Tekhnē implies (Greek for ‘skill’, ‘art’), these Sessions also provide an insight into the Project’s technical procedures.
Arriving at the Tekhnē Session Concept
The Tekhnē Session concept is an evolution on the three-hour sessions that characterised the final months of the First Phase work in January-June 2003. These proto-Tekhnē Sessions were made up of a sequence of exercises that, though structured on a macro level (i.e. Yoga sequence was followed by Plastics exercises, leaps work, Voice exercises etc.), it was quite flexible on a micro level (e.g. though the Yoga sequence was set, the sequence of plastics exercises was determined by the conductor of the session). These First Phase sessions aspired to engender the performative mode (a kind of heightened physical awareness) through an extreme engagement of the body (be it in a yoga position or an acrobatic leap) that, however extreme and engaging, still pertained to a structure and therefore resisted the risks of sliding into anarchical and unrecoverable improvisation. The structure adopted, however, did allow instances of glimpsing and experiencing anarchy as a means of extending the limits of the known. It also made possible the evolution that led to the Tekhnē Session concept in December 2003.
The objectives that had given shape to research procedures in the First Phase were still essentially the same that gave birth to Tekhnē Sessions in the Second Phase. The key differences between Tekhnē and previous work structures include:
- the design of a highly codified structure of actions dependent on a progressive reiterative dynamic within a continuously flowing frame;
- the awareness that this structure is not just ‘technique’ but a possible form of ‘performance’ in its own right; and
- the presence of at least one and at most fifteen observer/s as an essential element in an investigation of the performative.
Localising the Performative: Identifying a Structure
Tekhnē Sessions attempt to engage elements connected with the performative condition within a structure that (1) though emerging from technique, is not merely technique, and which (2) makes space for something that resists presentation to achieve some kind of allusive ‘form’ in front of observers.
Facilitating the Improvisational
A key to the localisation of the irreducible elements of the performative was felt to lie in a structure that made possible the activation of improvisational dynamics. A conventional performance structure was not deemed to be conducive to a laboratory-like localisation of the performative. The semantics of a conventional performance structure (which include those of the clothes worn, the language/s used, the texts selected, the sequence of actions followed, the theme and dramaturgy adopted) were seen as accessories to, and therefore a kind of obfuscation of, the irreducible elements of the performer’s condition in performance. This consideration led the Project to search for a performative structure other than that of a conventional performance. The quest for another kind of structure that satisfied the Project’s criteria for the improvisational led to the development of a new research branch. This branch eventually evolved into Tekhnē Sessions.
The process that led to the Tekhnē branch of the Project was not as clinically scientific as it might appear in this account. At the time we were totally immersed in developing a technical procedure that assisted the performer’s composition and habitation of action (‘organised presence’) in performance. Nevertheless, ‘semantic formlessness’ and ‘divestiture of form’ had always been a guiding factor ever since the inception of this branch. Whether it was the design of the actions to be implemented (e.g. derived from yoga and acrobatics) or the items of clothing used (minimal, neutral, and functional), or which language to use during the Text and the Song Sequences (we utilise a codified nonsense language aimed at exercising vowel/consonant articulation), the process that led to the formulation of Tekhnē Sessions has from the start been marked by an effort to limit as far as possible the semantic weight of already-meaningful structures.
Avoiding Pre-Determined Meaning
Such an uncompromising approach should be viewed in the context of the idiom of allusion rather than that of re-presentation. The resistance to pre-determined meaning is viewed not as some kind of glorification of the ‘abstract’ or ‘meaningless’, but, rather, as a catalyst for the emergence of ‘meaning’ (‘images’ and ‘associations’) in performers and observers alike. The guiding principle here has been that for the tapping of ‘something’ that resists pre-determined form to occur, the practitioner needs to research (i.e. to return to and in a sense re-invent) the grammar of one’s practice; hence this branch’s emphasis on approximating, as far as this is possible, the irreducible action of motion, of speaking, of singing, in terms of its physicality.
The structure announced by Tekhnē is seen as a space sited in between technique and performance. This locus, where form is endeavouring to emerge from the magna of the formless in a dramaturgy of improvisation, is indeed a place where performance (‘meaning’) is generated. Observers have been invited not only to partake of this process by witnessing it, but also, by their presence, to help bring it about.
The Active Agency of Observers
The presence of observers during Tekhnē Sessions marks a crucial development on previous work structures within the Icarus Project at the same time as it extends the Project’s investigation of the performer’s work upon himself. The presence of observers is an indication that these Sessions explore a space that is not merely technique and not quite performance but can be sited somewhere in between technique and performance. It is a window into the creative moment.
In order to investigate the performative, the presence of at least one observer is essential. However, it was also felt essential that the number of observers be limited or else their status would become that of an ‘audience’ which would then generate dynamics pertaining to a ‘performance structure’. It is indeed a fine line to tread between, on one hand, the frame created by the presence of observers within which the practitioner can organise his energy, and, on the other hand, the presence of an anonymous audience that restricts a practitioner’s improvisational capabilities by imposing upon him the responsibility to ‘perform’ and ‘make sense’. For this reason, the number of observers per Tekhnē Session was limited to a maximum of fifteen. In this way, practitioners were allowed to attune to the fine balance between ‘performative tension’ and ‘personal work freedom’ aimed at during Tekhnē.
A Tekhnē Session without an observer is thus not possible because it would lack a constitutive structural element. It is possible to ‘exercise’ the structure (especially the First Movement) but to go beyond that structure (especially the Third but also the Second Movement), the presence of an observer is essential.
Tekhnē Session Format
The Tekhnē Session format is made up of three seamless movements, each exploring different possibilities of the performative, the improvisational, and the structural. Whereas the highly structured format of the First Movement allows for a habitational kind of improvisation to occur (i.e. how to do a codified action), the seemingly ‘free’ structure of the Third Movement is in practice an improvisational recall of actions from the first two movements and other exercises not incorporated in the Tekhnē structure (i.e. how to do becomes one with what to do and why do).
The First Movement
The First Movement is akin to a martial arts form that seeks to inhabit the performative and improvisational within a highly codified and synchronised structure of action sequences. The design of this movement, which incorporates six sequences of mostly stretch action-positions, provides practitioners with a ‘point of entry’ allowing them access to the performative condition. The highly structured quality of the sequences (and of the individual actions themselves) is aimed at providing practitioners with a point of entry that facilitates the shedding of physical blocks (such as stiff muscles) and psychological obstacles (such as inhibition at working quasi-naked in front of ‘strangers’ and ‘friends’), thereby creating the conditions of possibility for the improvisational and the performative to occur in the Third Movement.
The Second Movement
If the First Movement serves as a ‘point of entry’, the Second Movement functions as a ‘springboard’ that propels the practitioner away from the highly codified First Movement towards the liberated and liberating structure of the Third Movement. The Second Movement is made up of two task-sequences which permit the practitioner more improvisational freedom than the first but which still provide a structure within which intentions/actions can be based.
Though in this and the following movement, the practitioner is no longer bound by the demands of synchronised actions with the other session practitioners, it has been noted (by observers and practitioners alike) that a kind of ‘synchronicity’ and ‘contact’, without the traits these terms usually denote, does take place between practitioners, particularly in the final movement. One suspects that this kind of latent synchronicity/contact is symptomatic of some kind of (1) heightened pyscho-physical awareness and (2) organic habitation of the performative space, which in turn is symptomatic of the performative condition.
The Third Movement
The Third Movement’s formal freedom is rooted in the structural frame of the previous movements. It is viewed as the culmination of the ‘point of entry’ and the ‘springboard’ processes that precede it. At this point in the development of the Project, it is not possible to attempt the final ‘flight’ movement without the preceding two. It is envisaged that this movement will evolve and inform the entire Tekhnē structure.
The current format of the Third Movement contains the seeds of its transcendence and already anticipates the direction which the Tekhnē branch of the Project intends to follow: i.e. a mastery of improvisation entailing the combination of (1) physical actions (currently being done), (2) text sequences (currently done by conductor of session), and (3) song work (currently done on its own, independently of physical and text improvisation). An uncompromising mastery of physical, text, and song structures is seen to provide the optimal conditions for the localisation and identification of the performative condition to occur. n
Tekhnē Sessions Structure
First Movement: Point of Entry
- Primary Sequence
- Crescent Sequence
- Dive Sequence
- Half-Lifts Sequence
- Floor Work Sequence
- Horse-Riding Stance Sequence
* Every Sequence incorporates various Sets of Actions (e.g. Squats, Rolls, Half/Full Turns, Waves, Twists, Half/Full Windmills).
Second Movement: Springboard
- Rooted-Hands Floor-Work Task Sequence
- Floor-Work Task Sequence
Third Movement: Flight
- Improvisation Structure with Material from First/Second Movements and other exercises not incorporated in the Tekhnē structure.
- Consonant/Vowel Articulation Text Sequence (by session conductor) leading to Song Sequence.
Sessions include a brief introductory address and last about fifty minutes. Due to their nature, all Sessions are unique. Tekhnē Sessions can be presented in solo, duo, or trio format, in various frontal or circular spatial configurations, and in diverse ways of coordination.
Tekhnē Structure Concept:
- to codify a body of exercises
- within a continuously flowing frame
- by means of a pattern of sequences of positions and actions
- based on a progressive reiterative dynamic
- leading to an improvisational habitation of the structure’s constitutive elements.
It is possible to design a Tekhnē Structure not only for various aspects of Physical Work but also for Text Work (‘articulation’ and ‘projection’), Song Work, and any other area of the performer’s craft.
That state of presence that occurs in a scenic space and within a dynamic where the performer’s being is conditioned by the presence of at least one observer to such an extent that the performer’s motivation for and implementation of action goes beyond the exclusively organisational, mechanical, and technical execution of physical actions.