Added: Reema Sarvis - Date: 10.10.2021 13:39 - Views: 41424 - Clicks: 4812
Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater. The start of a second season is another opportunity for people from around the world to come to the county, he said. This is the second year boaters have been allowed to drop anchor and suit up in snorkel gear in search of bay scallops in Pasco County waters.
A ban had kept scallop divers out of Pasco waters for 25 years. Pasco's mini season lasts 10 days. Longer scalloping seasons in neighboring Hernando and Citrus counties started July 1, and some have reported a struggle to find scallops. Official counts from Fish and Wildlife Commission preseason surveys show Citrus County with a drop from an average of Hernando County had an average of 2 scallops per square meters this year.
But there was little fluctuation in the s for Pasco County. Last year's average was 6. This year it was 6. Fish and Wildlife officials have said the drop is not a cause for concern yet, as scallop populations are cyclical and weather from Hurricane Michael could have pushed them out to deeper waters. The Commission is monitoring population counts from year to year and checking the of end-of-season surveys, Graef said. For Devon Soldano, a charter captain and owner of Mermaid Slayers in Tarpon Springs, the mini season is more about the experience than about how abundant the scallops are.
He takes groups out all year for private events, fishing, scuba diving and recently ferried a family to spread ashes of a loved one. The best way to get the scallops is to dive and bring a small net, he said. Scallops often live in thick, tall grass. Finding them can be difficult. One crew member, Brendan Schorden, went in the water for about a half hour and had no luck finding a scallop in the murky water. The Mermaid Slayers boat was anchored near Anclote Key Preserve State Park, where dozens of other boats also were stopped in search of scallops.
Mermaid Slayers was booked for a week, although Soldano said he might take a day off to go out with his family. They took a few groups out last year, but the weather was bad for most of the day season, he said. Pasco County officials hope the popularity of scallop season grows. They plan to invest in improvements at Anclote River Park.
At a July meeting, county commissioners approved a land swap between Duke Energy and the county that would allow the parks department to improve traffic flow and trailer parking and possibly add boat ramps. The Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department surveyed scallopers during the season's first weekend and will continue surveying this weekend.
Officials said that on average ,people found 20 scallops per boat, with one group bringing in Subscribe Manage my subscription Activate my subscription Log in Log out. Regions Tampa St. Letters to the Editor Submit a Letter. Investigations Narratives Pulitzer Winners. Connect with us. About us. Obituaries Homes Jobs Classifieds. Careers Advertise Legal Contact. Log in. Manage my subscription Activate my subscription Log out. Dive, dive, dive: Scallop season begins in Pasco County.
Published Jul. Up next: Sprouts begins the supermarket sweepstakes in Pasco's Trinity-to-Odessa corridor. Boat fire on Tampa Bay causes occupants to jump off Jul. Red Tide suspected as manatees deaths pile up in Tampa Bay Jul. Hillsborough commissioner seeks fertilizer ban Jul.Time in Pasco meetings in the herdon area
email: [email protected] - phone:(140) 180-5179 x 4676
Time in Pasco meetings in the herdon area


text:
It’s said that fashions are cyclical, and that every popular style or trend will eventually come back around after some set amount of time. However, does this mean that 80s style is now coming back into fashion?
A Touch of Déjà Vu…
Those who were around during the 80s may find that some of the fashions they’re seeing around lately are a little on the familiar side. Baggy, oversize sweaters, obnoxiously neon jeans and big hair all seem to be making a comeback on the catwalks and in the high streets. There is no question, it seems that 80s style is making a return. Anyone who isn’t too young to remember 80s style and fashion will undoubtedly feel as though the big shoulders and shredded fishnets have come back to haunt them, but it would appear that designers have sensed that it is time for another revival now that the current generation – who weren’t there at the time – are old enough to spend their income on such fashions.
… But With Something Missing
However, 80s style didn’t happen without a reason. A big part of the fashions of the era was a kind of rebelliousness, a need to trump convention, to be flamboyant and say you didn’t care. Unfortunately, due to the current economic woes befalling half the world, such characteristic flamboyance may prove hard to pull off and for many, “over the top” is likely to be well out of reach. As such, it could be argued that the current resurrection of 80s fashion is missing a little something; without that characteristic flamboyant flair or the drive for controversy or “outsider status”, can it really be said that this new emerging trend is true 80s style?
Truthfully, the bottom line is that it may not matter. Nothing else has ever looked quite like the 80s, and when those distinctive 80s styles and fashions make a return, it’s difficult to mistake them for anything else.
IMG: Remy Musser – Fotolia

domain: news


Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society Newsletter
|Previous issues of Lyra
|2001 Festival of Greek Music and Dance
|Zournas and Daouli: An Inseparable Musical Tradition
|Greek Brass Band Traditions Featured in Chicago
|Music and Dance Traditions of Thrace
|Spotlight on Orpheus Dancer
Greek Music and Dance
|Make way everyone and get ready to hear Greek folk music like you've
(probably) never heard it before: At the 2001 Festival of Greek Music and Dance! This
year's concert, entitled Music and Dances from Macedonia and Thrace, will take place on
Saturday, April 28th at the Rubloff Auditorium of the Chicago Historical Society.
Trumpets, trombones and bagpipes will take the place of the commonly heard bouzouki
and keyboard at this year's event, which promises to be unlike any other!
Three musical groups from Macedonia and Thrace will perform that night, bringing their unique and time-honored sound to the Chicago area. The first group, the Gevgelis Trio, plays two instruments-the zourna and the daouli. Those of you who didn't catch the last group of zournades who came to Chicago in 1998 now have your chance to hear them as they fill the auditorium with their distinctive sound. This is one musical experience that you don't want to miss!
Following the Gevgelis Trio will be the Chrysodaktyli Band, a brass band ensemble from Macedonia. Chrysodaktyli will play traditional Greek folk songs on the same brass-band instruments used in jazz clubs of New Orleans and Chicago! Trumpets, trombones and accordions are not exclusive to American jazz music, as their sound is deeply rooted in the folk music traditions of northern Greece.
Chronis Aidonides and his ensemble will close the evening with songs from Thrace. Chronis has received accolades and praise from many Greek artists for his efforts in preserving the musical sound of his birthplace. While many readers may not recognize his name, Chronis' talent has caught the interest of many popular Greek musicians, most notably George Dalaras, who wrote "The collaboration with Chronis Aidonides (in regards to a Thracian CD production) was a pleasure and honor for myself. A unique experience that revealed many treasures. Through his calm demeanor and simplicity that were derived from knowledge, Chronis Aidonides is a very good teacher. His Byzantine voice is warm and pure. When you listen to it you imagine you knew it forever, that it comes from everywhere; from the past, the present, the voice of angels, the voice of the people. You close your eyes and you listen to the colors and places. A voice that belongs to us and at the same time, fortunately, is so distant from today's confusing music scene. We are grateful to you, Chroni Aidonide, for being among us and for your songs."
This issue of the Lyra is filled with biographical information on the musicians as well as historical and cultural backgrounds of their instruments. Take a look through this issue, and when you're finished, contact Orpheus for tickets to this exciting event!
|Top of Page
|Zournas & Daouli:
An Inseparable Musical Tradition
|Before the clarinet arrived in Greece
approximately around 1830, the main instruments in the mainland of Greece were the zourna
(double reed wind instrument, a kind of oboe) and the daouli (two headed drum).
Variations of these instruments could be found in most regions, even on some of the
islands. The zourna is always accompanied by the daouli. This pair of
instruments was called a zygia which comes from the word meaning 'a pair.' Many
times the zourna is played in pairs with one of the musicians playing a drone.
This creates a similar sound to the drones used in the ancient Byzantine chanting style of
the Greek Orthodox Church. Although the clarinet, lute, and violin type of 'company'
become more popular, in many areas of Greece, namely Macedonia and Thrace, the zourna
type of music has continued to be popular to this day.
The zourna is an ancient instrument. Since antiquity, it has been found at open-air celebrations; it's loud piercing sound carries well thanks to it's construction. Directly because of this, in the middle ages the zourna was used as a military instrument- intended to provide morale for soldiers and striking fear into the hearts of opponents. The better zourna musicians employ a technique known as 'circular breathing' which provides a continuous melody.
The zourna ranges in size from 22-60 cm and is made from a variety of woods including olive,beech, cherry, and walnut. It consists of: a conical pipe ending in a bell shape with 12 to 15 finger holes, the double split reed, a small bronze pipe fitted to the top of the reed, a washer holding the reed and pipe into place, and finally a mouthpiece made of wild cane.
The daouli, in the form we see it today, has also been around since Byzantine times. Historical references confirm that, just like the zourna, the daouli was used as a military instrument to both embolden warriors during attacks and also to frighten enemy troupes. References to the daouli abound in folk songs and other texts since ancient times. Its importance in Greek music is indicated by the fact that the word, in some regions, is synonymous with 'musical instrument.'
There are quite a few regional differences in the methods used for the tightening and tying of the leather on the cylindrical wooden skeleton. For this reason, the daouli player himself is more often than not the daouli maker.
Goatskin, and only rarely sheepskin, is used for the drum surfaces. Other sources state that the best leather for a daouli is that from a donkey, followed in quality by that from a wolf and finally that of an ox. Once a skin is stretched around the daouli, it is dried in the sun. This is followed by a period in which the daouli is soaked in a water and asbestos mixture to promote the falling of the hide hairs.
The daouli player usually hangs the drum from a belt or strap over his left shoulder. The right side of the drum has a lower pitched skin, while the left side has a higher pitched skin. The daouli is played with two wooden drumsticks. The one played on the left is the 'vergha', a very light and thin stick. The one played on the right, the 'kopanos,' is much thicker and heavier. The main dance beats are played with the heavier stick on the right side, while the decorative and "in between" beats are played with the light stick. The instrument is tuned by the tightening of the ropes.
Today, this combination of zourna and daouli music can be heard across a very large geographic area encompassing Mediterranean countries, the Balkans, the Near East, India, southern Asia, and China. As a rule, in the eastern Mediterranean, most musicians of these instruments are of
Roma (gypsy) background.
This ancient style of musical expression and be experienced here in Chicago. On Saturday, April 28th, 2001, at 7pm, the Gevgelis Trio Zourna and Daouli Ensemble will be performing at the Chicago Historical Society. This trio from Goumenissa are fifth generation descendants of zournatzides and daoulierides. It will be an honor to have them in Chicago as they rarely perform outside of their home region. The concert is sponsored by SAE of America and the Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society. In addition to the Gevgelis Trio, the Chrisodaktyli Brass Band from Edessa, Macedonia, and the Chronis Aidonides Vocal and Music Group will also be sharing the stage. For more information and regarding ticket availability, please call: 847-729-3406 or visit www.ohfs.org. The USA tour organizers include the World Music Institute. .
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Brass Band Traditions
Featured in Chicago
| Brass folk instruments
first appeared in Greece about 150 years ago. The Greek brass bands incorporated existing
traditional folk music and gave it a local, unique character. Opinions vary regarding when
brass instruments, such as trumpets and trombones, were first used in Greek folk music.
Some claim that Turkish military bands introduced brass instruments to Northern Greece
around 1870. Others trace their origins to roughly 1820 with the repatriation of wealthy
Greeks that lived in Vienna, Austria. A third opinion suggests that the appearance of
brass bands can be traced to Asia Minor, Constantinople and the islands of the northern
Aegean Sea. They were particularly found on the island of Lesvos where they used to call
the bands "fysera" (wind pieces). In central Macedonia, brass bands developed
after World War II in the areas of Edessa, Goumenissa and Aridea and were most probably
influenced by neighboring Serbian regions.
Before the brass instruments made their appearance in Greek folk music, other older instruments existed such as the zourna, gaeda (bagpipe), karamouza and flute. During the second half of the 19th century, folk music groups utilized several of the newly founded brass instruments. This included the Albert clarinet as the leading instrument, along with the trombone, the trumpet and the percussion instruments. The dominance of the brass instruments, primarily due to their higher volume output, was evident compared to the string instruments. While, in Western Europe, clarinets were manufactured with mathematical accuracy in terms of hole design, the more practical Greek musicians custom made the instruments themselves with hole openings suited to their own fingers. Musical accuracy was controlled during the actual execution by varying the air movement and utilizing impressive finger positioning techniques. The unique way that the clarinet is played in Greece is based on the improvisation skills and the soul of the player.
In some instances, folklorists overlooked brass band music because the genre was not considered "traditional". With the spread and popularity in Greece of Goran Bregovic's music from the films "Time of the Gypsies" and "Underground", that has all changed.
The Greek record industry's attitude towards the brass folk bands was initially negative, probably because their sounds were related to those of neighbor Slavic countries. This type of music was considered non-Greek or believed to be a threat to the national identity. Today, this attitude has ceased to exist. Until the last few years, anyone looking for recordings featuring brass band music in Greece was likely to be disappointed. A few older recordings do exist, but they are either mixed with other material or appear on obscure 45s and LPs. Several new recordings of brass band music from Greece have been issued, and they showcase the talent of many local musicians who are relatively unknown outside their own regions The Greek record industry is currently looking to produce and capture the festive elements of the folk tunes of Central and Western Macedonia.
The Chrisodaktili (=Goldfingers) first appear as a brass band in 1981 in Edessa, Macedonia. Mostly children of older musicians, they grew up within the traditional sounds that surrounded them and started up, like all bands of this kind, playing at weddings and festivals. Soon they were singled out for their powerful sound, their skill because they are all excellent soloists, but also for their grounded and disciplined mode of operation as a group. At present, they are considered one of the most representative and established groups, with a distinct sound of their own, in their performance of the traditional music of Central Macedonia. Today they have on their record many concerts, in Greece and abroad. For years they have been covering all cultural events of communities in greater Pella county and have participated in various festivals of traditional music and dance, mainly as accompanists to the dance group of Edessa.
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|Music and Dance
|The boundary of Thrace to the north is the mountain range of Aimos
while its border to the east is the Black Sea and the Bosporus Straights. The waters of
the Propontis (with the islands of Prokonisos, Pringiponisa, and the other smaller
islands), the Hellespont, and finally the Thracian Sea and the Aegean (with the islands of
Limnos, Imbros, Tenedos and Samothrace) comprise its southern border. To the west, it
borders on Macedonia. Thus, a vast region is defined by a varied morphology and a myriad
of customs of the inhabitants. There are great urban centers, such as Constantinople
(400,000 Greek inhabitants at the start of the century), Adrianopolis, Philipopolis,
Odessa, Alexandropolis, and many other towns where the inhabitants are typically involved
in trade or small industries. In the smaller towns and villages, however, the rural
communities retain their manners and customs, practically unchanged.
Based on this folk culture, one can detect small differences in the music, language, dress and customs of the Thracians from one region to another, but not of a kind that would point to a division of Thracian culture into Eastern, Northern and Western. On the other hand, one may roughly divide it into coastal regions, where the songs and dances, usually found in ports all over the north, are common, mountain regions, where one hears pastoral songs, and the plains, where rural songs and dances are dominant. Of course one must recognize that people of non-Greek origin also influenced the songs of each region. This influence was minor because, even though Greeks, Turks, Pomacks, Bulgarians, Albanians, Gypsies, etc. lived in the same region, mixed villages rarely existed. Each village had an ethnically defined population, or neighborhoods, and the relationships between the ethnic groups were kept mainly on a business level. Different groups rarely feasted together (after all, they did not have a common language, religion, or feasts), and, even more rarely, did they have mixed marriages. In the few cases where Cupid fired its arrows by accident, the lovers met with such public outcry that they went down in history through the folk songs of that time.
By contrast, larger towns and cities, consisting of separate ethnic districts, developed an urban conscience combined with socio-economic relations and inter-social competition and imitation that alienated each ethnic group from time-honored customs. New elements appeared which were foreign to all groups since they originated in western Europe. So the fashion of the times led the children of Turks, Bulgarians, and, even more so, the Greeks, to take piano and French lessons. The Greeks were always the most financially prosperous and had the closest ties to the West. From the urban centers, this cultural blend spread to the countryside, where the simple folk selected what they found to their liking and thought worth assimilating. So one finds various songs that were in fashion for a time and then forgotten in the cities, but were assimilated into a village's tradition and were sung decades later, e.g. as bridal songs. In the spreading of a musical style with common factors, an important part was also played by wandering musicians, who belonged to one of the three main ethnic groups. These musicians would not only play in their own celebrations, but, when the need arose, would also play in the celebrations of other ethnic groups. They knew perfectly well what songs and dances they should play each time but, either because they were asked to or for the sake of variety, they also played some of the dances from other traditions. So it was inevitable that names of dances, like the "Baidouska", should gradually enter the Greek traditional terminology. We don't know what the "Baidouska" was called by Greeks in the Middle Ages, but it is certain that it was a part of Greek tradition, since to the same rhythm there were carols and other songs dating back more than five centuries. In much the same way the name "tsesto" became common for the fast "zonaradiko" (belt-holding) dance, which used to be called "isios", "trellos" (mad) or "douzkos". The same thing is true of Macedonia as well.
The oldest songs of Thrace are the "Akritic" (border guards) songs, which can be found all over Greek-speaking regions (they date from the 9th to the 13th century). Around the same period, and classified together, are the paralogues (medieval ballads), most of the "Charon" (death) songs, as well as historical songs about events and persons of the period before the Fall of Constantinople (1453). The limited presence of "kleftes" ("rebels") in the period of Turkish rule before the Greek Revolution (1821) did not help the "kleftiko" song to flourish. It would be a mistake, however, to say that there is no Thracian "kleftiko" song, as several variations of "kleftiko" from Macedonia and other parts of Greece have been documented. Also, the few pre-revolution heroes of the wider region of Thrace, like Mihalbeis (ruler of Vlachiua), Yiannis Balkaniotis, Domna Vizvyzi, Captain Vangelis, Lefteris, and others, have their own local songs. There were also the historical songs in free narrative form. What one finds in abundance in all parts of Thrace are the songs for dancing, and the dances are numerous. Apart from the pre-eminently Thracian "Zonaradikos" dance in 6/8 time (3/3) there is the "Mantilato" in 7/8 time (2+2+3), the "Synkathisto" (in round or free form) in 9/8 time (4+2+3), the "Antikrysto" (paired) or "Karsilamas" dances usually in 9/8 time (2+2+2+3) and rarely in slow 7/8 time (3+2+2), the "Baidouska" (or "Tripato") in 5/8 time (2+3), the "Kasapika" (butchers' dances) in 2/4 time, the "Tapeino" (or Bridal) in 3/4 time, as well as the usual "Syrto", "Kalamatiano", "Ballo", etc. found in all parts of Greece. There also exist the less common dances, like the "Protopsoma", the "Kousseftos" (running), the "Laisios" (miming dance in imitation of a rabbit), the "Xesyrtos", the "Gikna", the "Troiro" (N. Thrace), the "Marantoi" (or Eastern dance), the "Diditzidikos" (camel-drivers' dance), the "Palaistras" (wrestlers' dance), the "Agitikos" (fire-walkers' dance) etc.
The instruments of Thracian tradition are unquestionably the Thracian lyre, the flute (pipe), the bagpipe and the tabor. Urban instruments, like the kanoon, the ud and the lyre of Constantinople, could also be characterized as traditionally Thracian since they were first used in Constantinople. Apart from these, there are also the instruments used in the art music of the great music masters, but were never assimilated in folk tradition, like the "lafta" (Constantinople lute), the "tamboura", the "nei" (cane-pipe) and others. Since the mid-19th century, however, the coastal parts of Thrace have been dominated by the island "zyia" (a two instrument band), composed of the violin and the lute, and sometimes also the santuri (hammered dulcimer). Much later, the clarinet invaded Thracian tradition, and today we have become accustomed to hearing Thracian music played by a band composed of a clarinet, violin, lute, ud, kanoon and vase-drum ("toubeleki"). In some cases, instead of the violin, we have the Constantinople lyre, while in the island-type dances of the coast the dulcimer is used instead of the kanoon. In other instances, the "flue (or "kavali") replaces or accompanies the clarinet. But unfortunately, these innovations have surpassed the bounds, allowing the use of the accordion or other keyboard instruments. Another unfortunate influence, and not only of Thracian tradition, are the new folk-type songs with low quality lyrics and music, which seem ridiculous compared to the marvelous genuine songs bequeathed us by the immortal popular Muse.
Chronis Aidonidis, the best-known performer of songs of Thrace, whose reputation and popularity are on a national scale, was born in 1928 in Karoti, near Didymoteichon, Thrace. The son of a priest, he grew up with the sounds of folk tunes sung by his mother, Chrysanthi, whose fine voice was influenced by church chants and the slow songs of Eastern Thrace. At an early age, Aidonidis began to memorize the songs sung by farmers in the fields and revelers in the village square on the major feast days. While in secondary school, he received his first formal lessons in Byzantine music from Michalis Kefalokoptis, a leading local chief cantor from Eastern Thrace. He also began taking his first theoretical lessons from Manakas, another cantor.
After spending a year as a schoolteacher on a border village, he moved to Athens in 1950 and worked in a variety of positions at Sismanogleion Hospital until his retirement in 1988. In 1953, he was persuaded to overcome his shyness and his unwillingness to "sing songs outside of Thrace", and participated in a radio broadcast with the choir and orchestra of P. Kavakopoulos. This marked the first time that songs of Western Thrace had been heard on the radio in that region or anywhere else in Greece. A band consisting of traditional instruments accompanied the talented singers. The musical contribution made by Aidonidis in shaping what is known today, as the "Thracian Style" was undoubtedly great. Unlike areas such as southern Greece, Epirus, Crete and Asia Minor, there were no records of the music of Thrace at all, either on 78 rpm or 45 rpm. Thrace, however, was extremely fortunate in finding such an important interpreter just as its music was beginning to be disseminated by the mass media.
In the late 1950s, Chronis Aidonidis and Polydoros Papachristodoulou, a folklore expert from Eastern Thrace, began to broadcast a radio program on which they played songs from Thrace for a period of three years. Since then, Aidonidis' career has been one of continuous progress, and he has remained an exemplary amateur musician in the original sense of the word. He has avoided commercialization and the wear and tear of nightclub work, thus giving the measure of the artistic and human ethos for which he is known.
In recent years, Aidonidis has gained wide recognition, especially for his
interpretations of the slow, sweet songs of Eastern Thrace with their characteristic
Byzantine color. Thus, in the case of Chronis Aidonidis, we find the embodiment of Greek
folk song sprung from Byzantine music in an unbroken continuity that has done much to gain
him wider acceptance.
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|Spotlight on Orpheus Dancer...
First year dental student at UIC..
|Time Dancing with Orpheus Group:
Almost two years (time flies).
|Thoughts on Dancing:
I have been dancing since the third grade and I still love it. Besides the enjoyment of performing the actual dances, dancing has also brought me closer to my Greek heritage and has intoduced me to some of my best friends.
Pidihtos from the island of Rhodes.
|Most Vivid OHFS Memory:
The festival in Saginaw, Michigan last summer.
|Favorite Greek Dish:
Rizogalo (rice pudding).
|Favorite Place in Greece:
Definately my horio (village) Papadates, but Ia in Santorini is a close second.
Traveling, architecture, and spending time with my friends.
|Where I heard about Orpheus Dance Troupe:
My Greek school dance group.
|Top of Page
|Welcome to new Orpheus members: Maria Daskalakis, Kostas Dovas, Vasiliki Friga, George Maglares, Tasso Nassis
|Birthday wishes: Sylvia Naum
on April 1st; Tina Economou & Rebecca Moraris on
April 4th; George Louras on April 5th; Elizabeth Economou
on April 16th; Chris Vadevoulis on April 29th; Christine
Minakakis on May 3rd; Barbara Siargos on May 6th; Elena
Kekatos on May 11th; Patricia Minakakis on May 12th; Tony
Louras on May 18th; Pat Tomaras on May 19th; Antigone
Matsakis on May 21st; Irene Chiotis on May 29th; Tom
Mihalopoulos on June 4th; Charlie Mellos on June 9th; Alexandra
Usher on June 11th; George Pontikis and George Soukoulis
on June 23rd; Catherine Grosso on June 26th;
Na ta ekatostisete!
|Nameday greetings: Tom Michalopoulos on
April 15th; George Kakis, George Louras, Georgia Lymberopoulos, George Maglares,
George Pontikis, George Soukoulis on April 23rd; Irene Chiotis
on May 5th; Kostas Dovas, Kostas Economou, Kostas Giannopoulos, Elena Kekatos,
Eleni Leberis and Eleni Poulakis on May 21st.
|Congratulations to Voula Drougas on her engagement to fiancÚ Damon Papolovich. The couple is planning an August wedding that will take place in Greece. Kala stefana!
|Top of Page
08/18/2015 07:04 PM


Several camera trap photos recently received awards.
Top winner of the third annual BBC Wildlife Magazine Camera Trap Photo of the Year contest was this shot of a young leopard in China.
Second place went to this photo of a horned guan, the object of a birder expedition I filmed in Chiapas, Mexico in the mid 1970s for NBC. The only one we found was in the zoo in Tuxla Guitterez. Would have loved to see one in the wild.
This shot of a little known Bolivian cat species called an oncilla is another winner.
The Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus) occurs across the Amazon and along the tropical Andes. About the size of a house cat, they are the smallest cat species of South America’s lowlands. Very little is known about their life history.
The photo was taken last July during camera trap surveys of jaguars and other wildlife living in Madidi–considered to be among the most biodiverse protected areas on the planet.
Sources: ScienceDaily and Mongabay.com.


text:
Lanaire Aderemi is a poet, playwright and performer and founder of Story story festival. Using audio, video and written word, she crafts artwork focused on centering and amplifying Nigerian stories. Her work is grounded in rigorous research as evidenced by her winning the Peter Gutkind prize for the highest dissertation score in sociology at the University of Warwick.
Story story is a three-key digital festival comprising open conversations, commissions and workshops, and culminating in a screening of ‘An evening with verse writer; A documentary by Lanaire Aderemi’. The festival aims to amplify the voices of emerging writers, poets and theatre makers while equipping them with the tools needed to share their stories with the world.
Taking place from the 5th to the 7th of February, the festival will be opened by an audio-visual set from rising Nigerian DJ – DJ Cameron which would celebrate the oral tradition of storytelling in music.
Free tickets are available here.

domain: artistic


text:
Sports at Claflin can go two ways for students—either they like them or they don’t. It seems that many students are only interested in sports when the teams are doing well and getting big wins—this is when the stadium seats fill up. However, the teams are usually quite mediocre, and in general, students only come out to support the teams for the thrill or when a rival is in town. But, when the season is slow, sports and sports talk tend to disappear on campus because students lack school spirit.
On the other hand, there are intramurals sports that students can take part in. Many male students play intramural basketball here. Some do it for the pure love of the sport, while others get involved for the physical workout it benefits them. Students generally come out to see the games, but it is usually the social aspect of meeting and mingling with other students and being entertained that keeps the crowd, rather than the actual game. Supposedly Claflin sports include baseball, cross country, softball, and track and field, but all anyone ever hears about is basketball and volleyball, and even these sports are mainly talked about when the teams are having good seasons. But, other than that, sports at Claflin can be quite dead.

domain: sports


Whether Government is actively considering to raise monthly gross basic pay of Government employees?
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure
Unstarred Question No. 867
To be answered on Tuesday, 27th July, 2021
Sravan 5, 1943 (Saka)
Restoration of benefits of DA/DR
867:: Shri Naranbhai J. Rathwa:
Will the Minister of Finance be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is actively considering to raise monthly gross basic pay of Government employees after restoration of full benefits of Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief(DR) in accordance with fitment factor as per the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission;
(b) if so, details of such increase post DA/DR restoration and whether pensioners will also be benefited due to this fitment factor; and
(c) the details in terms of percentage of pending DA/DR restoration since January, 2020 and the quantum of installment of DA/DR of July, 2021 and when it is likely to be released to Government employees/pensioners?
Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
(Shri Pankaj Chaudhary)
(a) No Sir, The fitment factor of 2.57 was uniformly applied to all categories of employees only for the purpose of fixation of pay in the revised pay Structure based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission
(b) Does not arise;
(c) The Government has released the installments of DA/DR from 01.07.2021 which were due from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 and 01.01.2021 in respect of Central Government employees/pensioners. The Central Government employees/Pensioners will get DA/DR @ 28% (11% over the existing rate of 17%) from July, 2021.


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PM Modi to inaugurate "Amma Two Wheeler" Scheme in Chennai
Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to arrive in Chennai later this evening on a two day visit to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Preparations are on to welcome the Prime Minister. In Chennai, he will launch the Amma Two Wheeler Scheme of the state government, coinciding with the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
The scheme, with the objective of enhancing the livelihood of working women, aims at providing subsidised two wheelers to women, transgenders and differently abled persons.
Nearly 23,000 beneficiaries have registered for the scheme, which provides subsidies ranging upto 50 percent of the cost of the vehicle.

domain: politics


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Although heterogeneity is recognized within the murine satellite cell pool, a comprehensive understanding of distinct subpopulations and their functional relevance in human satellite cells is lacking. We used a combination of single cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry to identify, distinguish, and physically separate novel subpopulations of human PAX7+ satellite cells (Hu-MuSCs) from normal muscles. We found that, although relatively homogeneous compared to activated satellite cells and committed progenitors, the Hu-MuSC pool contains clusters of transcriptionally distinct cells with consistency across human individuals. New surface marker combinations were enriched in transcriptional subclusters, including a subpopulation of Hu-MuSCs marked by CXCR4/CD29/CD56/CAV1 (CAV1+). In vitro, CAV1+ Hu-MuSCs are morphologically distinct, and characterized by resistance to activation compared to CAV1- Hu-MuSCs. In vivo, CAV1+ Hu-MuSCs demonstrated increased engraftment after transplantation. Our findings provide a comprehensive transcriptional view of normal Hu-MuSCs and describe new heterogeneity, enabling separation of functionally distinct human satellite cell subpopulations.
Single cell rna sequencing data were uploaded to Dryad and can be accessed under the doi: 10.7272/Q65X273X
Functionally heterogeneous human satellite cells identified by single cell RNA sequencingDryad Digital Repository, 10.7272/Q65X273X.
- Jason H Pomerantz
- Jason H Pomerantz
- Steven M Garcia
- Solomon Lee
- Alvin Wong
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Animal experimentation: All procedures were approved and performed in accordance with the UCSF Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocols #181101).
Human subjects: This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Review Board at The University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects.
- Shahragim Tajbakhsh, Institut Pasteur, France
© 2020, Barruet et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.

domain: medical


JOIN US FOR LIVE MUSIC
Our live shows will to take you on journeys to destinations unknown and our live streams will keep the party going at home or on the go! We host our own events as well as takeover other events online and all around the world! Our roster is comprised of some of the hottest names in Dubstep and Bass Music! Expect a radical audio and visual experience whenever you’re attending a Psychocybin event…
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
Psychocybin Recordings was founded in 2012 by Dan Fallen. In 2015 Psychocybin artists purged their old music in a process formally known as the RIP (Restart In Progress), an event to trigger the growth needed to become professional musicians. Psychocybin relaunched with releases from Megatronus X, Khamun Cents & Dissonance, signing more artists and growing exponentially until it eventually became one of the largest labels in the underground dubstep and bass music scene.


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Virginia is far from a neophyte—among other things, she released an LP of sultry, low-key pop, Twisted Mind, way back in 2008. But its safe to say that, in the minds of many, the Berlin-based artist is something of a rising star. In the past few years, she’s become one of the techno/deep-house world’s go-to vocalists and collaborators, having worked in the past few years with a murderer’s row that includes Abe Duque, Steffi, Butch and Steve Bug. She’s also a rapidly ascendant producer; her latest release, the Ostgut Ton label’s My Fantasy, show’s her to be an artist who understands the power of subtle dynamics and melodies. (An album is in the works for a 2016 release.) But most of all, Virginia has become known a superlative DJ—she has the imprimatur of no less than Panorama Bar, where she’s a resident—with a sound that pays homage to dance music’s past while being utterly of the moment.
In short, we’re fans of Virginia, and we’re psyched to be hosting this great mix from the DJ herself. In a live setting, she’s prone to imbuing her sets with live vocals—and with a voice like hers, why not? But this is a largely instrumental affair, with syncopated rhythms anchoring a sumptuous, melodic collection of tunes that ooze emotion. Full of pinging bleeps and sensuous synth washes, much of the mix comes across as Virginia’s fleshed-out, warmer-and-fuzzier version of electro; it’s a humanized take on what can be a hard-edged sound. Late in the set, the rhythm settles into a four-to-the-floor groove—the fluttering, Detroit-tinged “Tanita ” is a standout—but before the finish, we finally get to hear a bit of Virginia herself, on a collaboration with Steffi and Dexter, “Treasure Seeking” (Deip Version). It’s a graceful, evocative cut, and a beautiful way to end this fine podcast.
Video: Virginia fills us in on her XLR8R podcast
1. Jeremiah R - “The Astral Journey" (Organic Analog Records)
2. Moon B - "Ambassador Crazy" (Peoples Potential Unlimited)
3. Skipson - "Eighto" (Deep Vibe Recordings)
4. K. Hand - "Messenger" (!K7)
5. ERP - "Vox Automaton" (Frustrated Funk)
6. The Trash Company - "The Manchester Stomp" (Thug Records)
7. LFO - "Tied Up" ( Electro mix) (Warp)
8. Matti Turunen - 'Things You Do" (Muhk)
9. Hardfloor feat. ERP - "You Know The Score" (Morphology Remix) (Hardfloor)
10. LoneLady - "Groove It Out" (LoneLady Michigan Dub) (Warp)
11. Jeremiah R - The New Wave (Organic Analog Records)
12. Casey Tucker - "Tanita" (For Those That Knoe)
13. Steffi feat. Dexter & Virginia - "Treasure Seeking" (Diep Version) (Ostgut Ton)


Will Judd and Madonna DARE to open their big yaps for this?
Whatever happened to:
Because for once — it’s the right thing to say.
While the ‘clit-heads’ (Don’t complain to US, nobody made them wear the costumes) were protesting and marching about birth control…
They ignored a REAL medical crisis FAR more worthy of their outrage. They call it “Female Genital Mutilation.”
(Well, to be fair Women’s March Organizer, Linda Sarsour, did obliquely reference it in a tweet. Well, maybe that’s not quite what she meant. She was insulting women’s activists Brigitte Gabriel and FGM victim, Ayaan Hirsi-Ali.)
Unlike male circumcision which — whatever you think about it, just removes a flap of skin — FGM (wrongly called female circumcision) is much more invasive:
A quick description from Wiki for those unfamiliar:
The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women’s sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and beauty. It is usually initiated and carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion.[a] The health effects depend on the procedure; they can include recurrent infections, difficulty urinating and passing menstrual flow, chronic pain, the development of cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth, and fatal bleeding. There are no known health benefits.
…The procedures are generally performed by a traditional circumciser (cutter or exciseuse) in the girls’ homes, with or without anaesthesia. The cutter is usually an older woman, but in communities where the male barber has assumed the role of health worker he will perform FGM too.[c]
When traditional cutters are involved, non-sterile devices are likely to be used, including knives, razors, scissors, glass, sharpened rocks and fingernails.:491 According to a nurse in Uganda, quoted in 2007 in The Lancet, a cutter would use one knife on up to 30 girls at a time. — Wikipedia
We haven’t even gotten to the emergency yet.
A case of female genital mutilation (FGM) is either discovered or treated at a medical appointment in England every hour, a charity has said.
…Plan International UK said statistics showed there were 8,656 times when a girl or woman was assessed at a doctor’s surgery or hospital.
The NHS figures analysed were between April 2015 and March 2016. They show a patient was assessed on average every 61 minutes. Among those who attended, a case of FGM is newly recorded every 92 minutes on average.
One survivor who went through FGM has described the physical pain caused by FGM. Hibo Wardere, now 46, was mutilated when she was six years old. She told the BBC: “An open wound rubbed with salt or hot chilli – it felt like that.”
…It has been illegal to carry out FGM in the UK since 1985, but there has not been a single successful prosecution. This failure has been branded a “national scandal” by the Home Affairs Select Committee.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “FGM is a devastating act of violence that no woman or girl should ever have to suffer and the criminals who perpetrate it should be brought to justice.”
To put it bluntly… we’d have a lot more respect for those marchers flaunting their first world privilege if they used THEIR voices for these countless little girls.
Maybe if you started chanting ‘HER Pussy HER Choice’ you could actually do some good.
But no. You’re leftists. And will only march in causes that advance your own political agendas.
Looks like it will left be up to the Conservatives to speak up for these girls.


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MAUMEE, Ohio—Dana Inc. has reached a definitive agreement to combine with the Driveline Division of GKN P.L.C., allowing it to re-incorporate in the United Kingdom as Dana P.L.C.
The deal consists of about $5 billion in cash and stock being transferred to GKN and its shareholders. Dana will pay $1.6 billion in cash to GKN and issue 133 million new Dana P.L.C. shares to GKN's shareholders, valued at about $3.5 billion based on Dana's share price as of March 8. The new company will assume about $1 billion of net pension liabilities.
The combined company will have sales of $13.4 billion, based on their respective 2017 results. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Dana projects it to close in the second half of 2018.
"I'm not sure that I've personally witnessed a more complementary transaction," James Kamsickas, Dana president and CEO, said on a March 9 call discussing the deal. "If you want to look at it from a product, market, geography or a company culture standpoint, the list goes on that's for sure."
Based in Redditch, England, GKN brings about $7 billion in 2017 sales, 61 manufacturing locations in 23 countries, five research and development centers, and 35,000 employees to the Dana portfolio. Kamsickas and Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Collins will remain in their roles as leaders of the combined company, of which Dana shareholders will own about 52.75 percent.
Keith Wandell, currently non-executive chairman of Dana, will remain in the same role as well. The board will expand to include two representatives designated by GKN.
Collins said on a March 9 conference call to investors that the move to re-incorporate to the U.K. will bring about $600 million in tax benefits. The merger also is projected to create about $1.2 billion in net synergies. And despite being based in the U.K., the new company will remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

domain: finance


text:
Black Bean and Corn Salad is a fresh, crunchy, tangy, and nutritious twist on a traditional corn salad recipe. Beans, tomatoes, corn and peppers are tossed with a tangy vinaigrette and a dash of cumin and chili powder.
This is the perfect summer side with grilled BBQ chicken and keeps well in the fridge making for great lunches all week!
A Summer Favorite
When produce is fresh I lean towards salads for a big portion of our meals. Salads can have lettuce but many are just a mixture of fresh veggies (like a Cucumber Tomato Salad).
How to Cook Corn for Salad
Here are a few of my favorite methods for cooking corn on the cob for this recipe:
You can also use frozen or canned corn for this recipe meaning it’s great any time of year! If using frozen corn it should be defrosted but does not need to be cooked (it’s already been blanched in preparation for freezing).
If using frozen or canned, I sometimes like to broil it to get a bit of char flavor (toss with 2 tsp olive oil) but it’s totally optional.
How to Make Black Bean and Corn Salad
Easy corn and black bean salad is a simple process. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- Combine all dressing ingredients, and set aside to give flavors a chance to develop.
- Prep the veggies and combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Refrigerate for about an hour.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro leaves and a slice of avocado or two if you’d like and serve fresh.
To Store Leftovers
Tomatoes, especially after being cut, have a tendency to get mushy in the fridge. If you’re going to be serving this recipe over a period of a few days, add fresh tomatoes to each serving.
Leftovers of this recipe do not freeze well.
More Corny Favorites
- Frito Corn Salad – ready in 10 mins!
- Homemade Cornbread Recipe – light, fluffy and delicious!
- Grilled Corn Salad – fresh summer side
- Mexican Corn Dip – fun party dip!
- Corn Casserole– only 6 ingredients
Black Bean and Corn Salad
- 3 cups corn kernels (about 4 cobs of corn)
- 1 cup black beans drained & rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- ½ cup green pepper diced
- ½ cup orange pepper diced
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- ½ cup Cotija cheese or feta, optional
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime juiced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- salt & pepper to taste
- Combine corn, beans, tomatoes, bell pepper and onion in a medium bowl.
- Add dressing ingredients and toss to combine. Generously season with salt & pepper. Marinate at least 1 hour.
- Top with feta and additional cilantro if desired.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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domain: food


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| Progress Continues
We've already had 20580 updates since Dolphin 5.0. Keep up with Dolphin's continuing progress through the Dolphin Blog: August, September, and October 2023 Progress Report.
| The Dolphin Emulator Wiki needs your help!
Dolphin can play thousands of games, and changes are happening all the time. Help us keep up! Join in and help us make this the best resource for Dolphin.
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
|Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam|
|Developer(s)||Toys for Bob|
|Release date(s)||NA November 14, 2006|
EU December 8, 2006
AUS December 13, 2006
|Genre(s)||Sports, Skateboarding, Racing|
|Mode(s)||Single-player, Multiplayer (4)|
|Input methods||Wii Remote|
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam is a video game in the Tony Hawk series made by Toys For Bob and published by Activision as a launch title for Wii. As a departure from Neversoft's Tony Hawk games, Downhill Jam emphasizes gaining speed and racing opponents, as well as competing for high scores and completing goals. Tricks can still be performed and there is a mode dedicated to high scores, but the main focus of the game is racing. The game is played with the Wii Remote in the horizontal position.
Hard Coded Blur
The game uses a hard coded blur pass that softens the look at native resolution. When using higher internal resolutions, Dolphin currently has no way to apply the blur proportionally, so everything looks like it's vibrating. SinceDolphin comes with a game patch to disable the relevant code path. The patch has to be enabled manually: right click -> Properties -> Patches -> [x] Disable blur.
Videos require "Safe Texture Cache" to render correctly. Otherwise they will show severe artifacts. Fixed since.
Missing Load/Game Hint Screens
Various static screens require "Skip EFB Access to CPU" disabled to display at all. Otherwise they will be a black screen. Fixed since.
No configuration changes are known to affect compatibility for this title.
The graph below charts the compatibility with Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam since Dolphin'srelease, listing revisions only where a compatibility change occurred.
This title has been tested on the environments listed below:
|Windows 10||Intel Core i5-3570K||NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760||Needs EFB Access to CPU for loading screens + game hints. Needs safe-texture setting for videos to play correctly.||JMC4789|

domain: game


Car Radio VersionsAny
Versions for other radios
BLACKVUE DR750X 2CH TRUCK LTE Plus
USA, Rest of World, Europe
Truck Dashcam with Built-in LTE
The DR750X-2CH TRUCK LTE Plus is a Cloud dash cam with built-in LTE and waterproof rear camera.
The rear camera is connected by a 15-meter (49ft) video cable so you can mount it externally on a variety of trucks and heavy vehicles.
Best image quality night and day with Full HD Sony STARVIS™ image sensors front and rear.
Easy Cloud connectivity with built-in Nano SIM card reader*, making it a dash cam of choice for commercial vehicle protection and fleet tracking.
Effortless set up with the BlackVue App.
A Truck Dashcam Built for the Cloud
Built-in 4G LTE connectivity makes connecting to the Cloud hassle-free.
Dual Full HD 1080p cameras (front 60 / rear 30 frames per second) provide fluid videos of the front and back of your vehicle.
View angle: front camera: 139 degrees; rear camera: 116 degrees.
STARVIS imaging sensors—a reference in video clarity under low light—equip both front and rear cameras, so whether you are driving or parked, crucial details are captured perfectly.
Infrared External Rear Camera
With Rugged Metal Waterproof Casing
With its metal waterproof casing the rear camera of the DR750X-2CH TRUCK LTE Plus is built to withstand most weather conditions.
It is designed to be installed at the rear of truck or heavy vehicles.
We recommend to secure it in place on a flat surface using the provided screws.
The luminosity sensor detects ambient brightness, activating automatically the six IR lights to help identify vehicles and objects even in the dark.
Mobile Hotspot Function
Turn your BlackVue into a Wi-Fi router for your car
With Mobile Hotspot Function, your compatible BlackVue can now turn into a mobile internet router for up to five devices concurrently. This means you and your passengers can now use your BlackVue’s internet on your laptop, portable game console, tablet or mobile.Download as PDF
BLACKVUE DR750X 2CH TRUCK LTE Plus Compatibility Chart
|Any/Any||2000-2024||USA, Rest of World, Europe||Any|


Hnsat has been highly recognized and praised by customers at home and abroad. digital recorder is the main product of Shenzhen Hnsat Industrial Co., Ltd.. It is diverse in variety. Hnsat digital audio video recorder goes through workmanship assessments. It will be assessed in terms of stitching strength, seam strength, color shading, fabric construction, and colorfastness. Choose from the world’s finest materials, this product offers the fine opulent warmth and comfort while providing a restful, allergy-free night’s sleep.
In order to win the digital audio video recorder market, Hnsat has been doing the utmost to serve customers with the most professional attitude. Inquire now!


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I had travelled on 5th of this month. Since then there has been a sensation of air bubble traped in my left ear. I can feel the pressure changes and because of that I think my hearing ability is also effected.
I had gone through various test regarding ear drums and they are all normal.
Please suggest its remedies and its criticality.
Thanks in advance!
Like the answers? Chat privately with the doctor of your choice
purchase a good pair of silicone earplugs and use it whenever you travel again by air. Wear it when you board the plane and do not remove it till the plane doors open again after the flight has landed.
Have plenty of HOT water and regular steam inhalation to help you heal the eustachian tube blocks.
use this app to search for a good ENT Specialist in your neighbourhood and fix up an instant appointment
this has happened due to excess of valsalva maneuvre ,so avoid starining your ears ,just start chewing the gum oo chew your food slowly and with the count , this will regress the pain in the ears , and go to ear consultant for the medicines as you need to take the prescription this will help you to avoid the complications of the pressure
avoid water entry into ear and avoid ear cleaning ,and avoid nose blowing
High altitude pressure changes can cause significant change in Normal hearing apparatus. In case of flight travel it causes eustachian tube block and might even cause collection of fluid in middle ear. Usually this condition is resolves spontaneously within couple of weeks. If not consult nearby ENT specialist for confirmation of diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Meanwhile you can do valsalva maneuver for faster recovery
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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Googling your symptons online?
The internet is not a doctor and neither are you. Chat with a real doctor about your health.


HILO >> The state Department of Health issued a final report on cleaning up two vacant commercial lots contaminated by arsenic on the Big Island.
The report recommends removing contaminated soil in the lots near Waiakea Villas in Hilo and hauling it to a landfill, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Sunday.
Cleanup would cost $312,825, the report said. Removing the contaminated soil could require up to 200 truckloads, said John Peard, remediation project manager at the Health Department.
The soil is contaminated with arsenic from a former plant that used sugar cane bagasse to create canec, a wall- and ceiling-board panel used extensively in Hawaii until the 1970s.
Arsenic was used to make the material resistant to termites. The plant dumped hundreds of tons of arsenic into Waiakea Pond, Peard said.
“We did find there could be concern about, at least in a few areas, elevated arsenic along the edge of the pond,” Peard said.
That could be addressed by an arsenic management plan, which Peard is recommending the state Department of Land and Natural Resources conduct.
He said he hasn’t seen any “red flags” so far in the data from fish samples, though he advises people to eat only the flesh of the fish.


Life is not a template and neither is mine. Like several who have worked as journalists, I am a generalist in my over two decade experience across print, global news wires and dotcom firms. But there has been one underlying theme in each phase; life gave me the chance to observe and tell a story -- from early days tracking a securities scam to terror attacks and some of India's most significant court trials. Besides writing, I have jumped fences to become an entrepreneur, as an investment advisor -- and also taught the finer aspects of business journalism to young minds. At Forbes India, I also keep an eye on some of its proprietary specials like the Rich list, GenNext and Celebrity lists. An alumnus of Xavier Institute of Communications and H.R College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai, I have worked for organisations such as Agence France-Presse, Business Standard, The Financial Express and The Times of India prior to this.
IndusInd Bank, one of the country’s fastest-growing mid-sized banks, on Thursday reported a 25.1 percent net profit growth of Rs 495.27 crore in the January to March quarter, aided by higher other income and lower provisions. For the full year, the bank reported a 27 percent jump in net profit at Rs 1,783.72 crore, from Rs 1,408.02 crore.
The profit was largely in line with a CNBC-TV18 poll estimate of Rs 498 crore and met most analyst expectations too.
The bank’s core fee income jumped 29 percent in the fourth quarter to Rs 568.57 crore and about 30 percent for the full year ended March 2015 at Rs 2,086.66 crore. Other income (non-interest income) rose 26 percent year-on-year to Rs 658.48 crore, driven by a 29 percent jump in fee income.
“The bank delivered a net profit growth of 27 percent year-on-year, supported by healthy traction of core fee income at 30 percent,” RomeshSobti, MD & CEO, IndusInd Bank, said in a statement.
Asset quality for the bank improved with gross non-performing assets (NPA) lower at 0.81 percent in the March quarter from 1.12 percent levels a year earlier. Net NPA was at 0.31 percent in the March-ended quarter, compared to 0.33 percent levels a year earlier.
Sobti expressed cautious optimism about the macro-banking picture in India. “The mood has changed from hope to planning for growth, though people are still watchful,” Sobti said. Factors like falling interest rates and the willingness to borrow from banks were positive signals, he added.
Commercial vehicle financing business has been slowly growing for some financing groups and banks in recent months, analysts said.
IndusInd’s CASA (current and savings account) ratio – as a percentage of total deposits – grew by 34.13 percent in the fiscal year 2014-15, compared to 32.55 percent for the previous fiscal. The bank’s total deposits rose by 23 percent for the year, to Rs 74,134 crore on March 31, 2015, from Rs 60,502 crore a year earlier.
IndusInd now has 801 branches across India. “We planned CASA to be at 35 percent for the three-year period between 2014 and 2017. Over time, we want to take CASA higher to 40 percent,” Sobti said. IndusInd plans to open 1,200 branches by 2017.
Analysts broadly welcomed IndusInd’s quarterly earnings performance. "Profit for the bank was in line with expectations," said a banking analyst with a brokerage arm of a private bank. He said going ahead, IndusInd may see acceleration of some of its targets, “considering that the bank has fared well in a tough environment”.
IndusInd was in the news last week when it said it will acquire the Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS’s) Rs 4,500 crore diamonds and jewellery financing business and related deposit portfolio in India. RBS has been scaling down operations in several markets, including India. RBS clients have businesses globally, including in the US, Antwerp and Dubai, Sobti had said last week.
Commenting on IndusInd’sfuture strategy for acquisitions, Sobti said they would look at businesses which bring specialisation, differentiation and enhance the bank’s position of dominance.
“It is a well-managed, high quality portfolio in the market,” Sobti said, about the acquired diamond financing business.


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Originally Published: 3 June 2008
There are a lot of habits that are hard to break – picking your nose, biting your nails, licking your knife at the table – but the one I find the hardest is parting with money in games.
When GTA IV came out, I had been happily playing it for a few days when I received a text from my girlfriend saying something along the lines of “Why haven’t you told me you can get prostitutes in the game?” My reply, rather than being one of deniability or subject avoidance, got straight to the point. “You can,” I thumbed, “but they cost money, and basically I’m not spending any I don’t have to. I got a new pair of trousers for free at the start of the game – I won’t even spend money on clothes, let alone mucky women!”. Just imagine how excited I was when I found that T-Shirt at the bottom of the Statue of Happiness… woohoo free clothes rule!
I’ve noticed that the same is true in a lot of games. In Enchanted Arms, for example, I won’t pay for any components to make the creatures. I don’t mind paying for things I can’t find lying around, like weapons and skills, but I draw the line at paying for things that are dropped by fallen enemies or found in boxes.
This has been playing on my mind a bit, as I’ve just started Final Fantasy V on PSOne. I’m trying to be more generous with my money. I really am. I can’t do it though. Any town I enter, I run past the supplies shop. I’ll spend a few gil on weapons and armour but I refuse to buy a phoenix down when I know I’ll stumble across one in battle somewhere – albeit usually the battle after I needed one! I’m like the Ray Mears of gaming. I could show you how to survive if you were dropped into a monster-filled forest with only the weapons on your back.
The only time, I find, that I’ll really hammer an in-game wallet is, you guessed it, when there’s an achievement at the end of it. Saints Row – buy a load of clothes, get some Gamerscore. You should have seen me spend. Spend, spend, spend. I got a nice purple pimp hat in my spending madness, so it’s all good as my big-headed albino character struts his oh so funky stuff round the streets of Stillwater.
Guitar Hero is another – work like a swine to earn some fundage and blow it all on a load of stuff I wouldn’t normally even look at, like the guitar finishes or the slightly different coloured denim, just because there’s a smidgen of Gamerscore for buying everything.

domain: hobby


Flaw Found in an Online Encryption Method [New York Times]
The protocol used to encrypt certian online transmissions might have flaws that could expose encrypted data to exploits. Used for online shopping, banking and other secure services, the protocol is supposed to keep data like credit card numbers secret from hackers that might attempt to snoop on Internet transactions.
Recently a group of computer scientists released a paper that indicates the system is not as secure as it should be.
From a basic level, data is encrypted with two sets of keys. The first is a random combination of two large prime numbers. The second is the product of the multiplication problem of those two numbers. Critical to encrypted data being impossible to break into is the randomness of the first two numbers.
The scientists used a database of publicly available keys to determine that many of the prime numbers used in the first key were not as random as they should have been. In fact, in around two of every one thousand uses, the numbers weren't random. While that's a small percentage of all uses of the encryption protocol, it represents a small number of supposedly secure transmissions that could be cracked into by hackers.
Because the problem originates in the protocol itself, there's not a solution for end users. It will be up to individual web sites to make changes that eliminate the vulnerability.


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Wetlands provide natural defence against natural disasters
Why we need wetland conservation to minimize the impacts of extreme weather.
Unprecedented. Extraordinary. Historic. Words like these were once reserved for the rarest of weather events. Today, we’re hearing them more often as the rare becomes the regular.
Case in point: when flooding hit the Canadian Prairies in 2014, the excess water devastated rural communities. Then, severe drought challenged some of those same communities the next year.
“It used to be rare to see these events piggybacking each other so quickly,” says Pascal Badiou, PhD, a research scientist with DUC’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research. Badiou is leading several studies that examine the impacts of wetland loss in Canada, particularly on the Prairies.
Research: wetlands can reduce the severity of flooding and droughts
Badiou views this more frequent cycling between droughts and floods as symptomatic of climate change. And a growing body of research, including his own, shows wetlands are the frontlines of defense against these kind of disasters.
Research shows that wetlands can reduce the severity of flooding and drought, holding excess water during wet periods and slowly releasing it during dry periods. They also store carbon and provide essential habitat for migratory and threatened species. Wetlands are essential to Canada’s fresh water too, filtering out pollutants to protect water quality.
Even though wetland conservation is important for the health and safety of all Canadians, we continue to lose wetlands to unsustainable development. Conservation organizations are working hard to reverse this trend. By securing and restoring wetlands, influencing policy, sharing knowledge and spearheading groundbreaking research, DUC is leading the way in protecting the wetlands that reduce our risk of suffering more natural disasters.
Read These Stories NextRead more stories
trueSara Abate had the opportunity to conduct her field work and learn under the guidance of DUC's research scientists.
trueCalling Lakes champion Aura Lee MacPherson sees value in a decade of community connection.
trueThe owners of Rustaret Farm in P.E.I. practise what they teach for the benefit of livestock, biodiversity and the environment.


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- IMAGE: Music professors Jerry Wong and Donna Lee with Steinway pianos at Steinway Hall, in Akron.
- IMAGE: Kent State University Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Todd Diacon, Kent State School of Music Director Denise Seachrist, Steinway and Sons President Ron Losby and Kent State College of the Arts Dean John R. Crawford pose for a picture after Losby presented Seachrist with flowers and announced the All-Steinway designation.
- IMAGE: Guests enjoy the pre-event reception for the All-Steinway designation, in Cartwright Hall.
- IMAGE: Steinway and Sons President Ron Losby (right), Kent State music professors Donna Lee and Jerry Wong, and Ted Good, president of Steinway Hall (left), during the reception for the All-Steinway designation, in Cartwright Hall.
Kent State’s School of Music Designated an All-Steinway School
Kent State University’s College of the Arts recently celebrated the successful conclusion of its Steinway Campaign, raising $2.7 million dollars – enough to purchase nearly 70 new pianos. Generous gifts of donors such as the estate of Elizabeth Fennell, Audio-Technica U.A., the Kent State University Foundation Board, David and Carol Pulk, an anonymous donor and many others who sponsored the effort, enabled the college’s Hugh A. Glauser School of Music to be designated as an All-Steinway School.
“The faculty and staff of the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music are dedicated to providing our students with the best opportunities to succeed,” said Denise Seachrist, Ph.D., director of Kent State’s School of Music. “Being an All-Steinway School is a significant way in which we can help our students achieve their goals. Through this designation, the School of Music visibly and aurally demonstrates its commitment to ‘Excellence in Action’ by providing our students and faculty with top-quality teaching and performing instruments which challenge and enhance our talent, learning and teaching.”
All-Steinway Schools demonstrate a commitment to artistic and educational excellence by providing their students and faculty with the best equipment possible for the study of music. Attaining the designation emphasizes the value the university places in the future of music education and artistic expression.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have obtained this designation for the School of Music,” said John Crawford, Ph.D., dean of Kent State’s College of the Arts. “We are so appreciative to the many donors who helped make this happen.”
A prestigious honor, the All-Steinway designation places Kent State in a select group of global institutions of higher education that exclusively feature Steinway & Sons pianos in their recital halls, faculty studios, practice rooms and classrooms.
For more information about Kent State’s School of Music, visit www.kent.edu/music.


A virtual fact-finding mission for company representatives from Marocco to Germany will take place from 29 November – 1 December 2021. The mission will enable you to gather first-hand information on energy efficiency in the build environment made in Germany and to establish business contacts with German companies.
Connect with German companies
A networking event and information seminar will be held online on 29 November. The event provides insight into the current situation, trends and prospects for German energy solutions with regard to energy efficiency applications in the build environment.
On the following days, virtual on-site visits to see best-practice technology applications and/or measures are planned. You will benefit from a comprehensive information and visitor programme designed to foster the transfer of expertise. Representatives from and private companies, grid operators, and energy associations who want to gain a first-hand insight into German energy solutions are welcome to join the fact-finding-mission.
Contact for further information
To register and to obtain further information about the event, please contact the AHK Morocco.


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Why Embracing Your Feminine Side May Be the Secret to Breaking the Glass Ceiling
When I first started doing events in New York City, I held an event with another female entrepreneur—a startup investor primarily investing in female founders—that catered primarily to female entrepreneurs. These were all strong, powerful women in corporate entrepreneurship, the type of women used to existing in a man’s world, and I remember pointing out that while Fran works with men all of the time, she’s definitely a woman who operates out of her feminine side.
Now, I don’t mean to say that she’s someone who wears floral dresses to work instead of business suits—there’s definitely nothing wrong with either—but she is a prime example of a woman in the world, owning her worth, who refuses to be intimidated by any man. Over the course of the evening, what we uncovered is that it’s time to stop operating as a woman in a man’s world—where you’ve got to prove yourself—and instead, sit in full certainty and belief in your value.
For many women, however, embracing your feminine energies is scary. I’ve worked with countless clients who have said, “Oh my god, how am I supposed to show up in my job and in the boardroom,” but, in reality, this is a strategy that will help them do better in the boardroom, leading to pay raises, promotions, job offers and more—because when you embody and harness this side of yourself, it’s not only unapologetic, it’s also approachable, present and undeniably magnetic.
It’s About Learning to Release the Fear and Embrace Vulnerability
Whether we’re talking about your career, your friendships or your love life, many women approach it from a place of “not enough-ness.” Instead of trusting our worth, we inadvertently undervalue it. The hustle and the grind—which often mask fear and uncertainty—are less about doing what we want and more about proving ourselves because we feel we have to.
As a result, many women tend to overcommit themselves. And despite all of that effort, unfortunately, many struggle to see the pay off. We push ourselves harder, we send out more resumes, we spend more time on LinkedIn—anything to avoid the conversation that, maybe instead of doing all of this extra work, it’s time for us to address our own inherent sense of self-worth.
I had a client who was terrified of embracing her feminine energy. She had big goals, and she wanted to be the vice president of the company where she worked. Instead of making her job harder, however, learning to embrace vulnerability—stepping into her own worth—made it much easier. And as a result? She made VP exactly a year after our first phone call, to the very day.
You Have to Learn to Stop Leaving Yourself at the Door
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to embracing your feminine side and learning to accept vulnerability is to stop holding yourself back. It’s not just about believing in yourself and pushing forward, it’s also about being unapologetically you. We try to keep bits of ourselves hidden because we’re afraid of how people will react, but—in reality—people respond incredibly well to vulnerability.
Instead of viewing those things you’re afraid to share as obstacles—whether it’s a struggle with anxiety or a keen sense of humor—try reframing them as opportunities. They make you unique, they make you stand out and they draw people to you.
I think this is why people connect to Michelle Obama more strongly than to Hillary Clinton, for example. These are both strong, independent female leaders, but with Michelle Obama, you truly get a sense of her heart. You really connect to who she is, to what she’s passionate about, and she isn’t afraid to share her struggles and insecurities. Instead of being a weakness, her vulnerability is a superpower.
Give Yourself Permission to Do What Feels Right for You
Instead of hustling, we need more women to learn to embrace flow. It’s about connecting with your intuition and instincts, so you can trust yourself fully, and—once you do that—releasing the impulse to push yourself to the brink of burnout and beyond. Our culture tends to view exhaustion as a badge of honor, but when you’re operating at that level, you’re not just hurting yourself, you’re hurting your ability to do great work. Man or woman, if we’re not getting the rest we need, we can’t show up to serve our clients in the way they deserve. And in the end? Our mental health, our careers and our futures all suffer as a result.
When it comes down to it, embracing your feminine side isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have. Whether you want to smash through the glass ceiling or find the love of your life, vulnerability makes you more successful—not less—and learning to be your unapologetic self is more than just magnetic, it’s life-changing. And once you embrace that power, it shows up everywhere.
Lucy Shahjahan is the founder of Soul to Soul Global and author of Don’t Sh*t In My Vortex (January 28, 2021). An expert on love and relationships, her passion is helping high-achieving single women embody their feminine power, connect with their true selves and attract their soulmate relationship in the process—all in a matter of months. You can follow her on Instagram at @lucyshahjahan.

domain: psychology


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Introducing, the Splendor Collection - Pepper Bracelet:
Our Splendor Collection is an absolute stunner because of the larger rhinestone paved bar nestled between stone beads. This design is similar to the popular Glitz Collection. Each rhinestone paved bar is plated in gold and will stand the test of time for your collection. We love to stack these with other bracelets to really bring it all together. We hope you love the Splendor Collection, exclusively from Kinsley Armelle.
Details about the Splendor Collection - Pepper Bracelet:
- White Howlite Stone Beads
- Large Rhinestone Paved Bar
- Gold Plated
- 6-7 Inch Circumference
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
We absolutely agree. So, we wondered...
Is a video worth a thousand images?
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domain: design


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Niemelä O, Halkola AS, Bloigu A, Bloigu R, Nivukoski U, Pohjasniemi H, Kultti J. Blood Cell Responses Following Heavy Alcohol Consumption Coincide with Changes in Acute Phase Reactants of Inflammation, Indices of Hemolysis and Immune Responses to Ethanol Metabolites. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; 23(21):12738. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232112738
Blood cell responses following heavy alcohol consumption coincide with changes in acute phase reactants of inflammation, indices of hemolysis and immune responses to ethanol metabolites
|Author:||Niemelä, Onni1,2; Halkola, Anni S.1; Bloigu, Aini3;|
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Research Unit, Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Hanneksenrinne 7, 60220 Seinäjoki, Finland
2Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
3Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
4Infrastructure of Population Studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
|Online Access:||PDF Full Text (PDF, 0.3 MB)|
|Persistent link:|| http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi-fe2023070790374
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute,
|Publish Date:|| 2023-07-07
Aberrations in blood cells are common among heavy alcohol drinkers. In order to shed further light on such responses, we compared blood cell status with markers of hemolysis, mediators of inflammation and immune responses to ethanol metabolites in alcohol-dependent patients at the time of admission for detoxification and after abstinence. Blood cell counts, indices of hemolysis (LDH, haptoglobin, bilirubin), calprotectin (a marker of neutrophil activation), suPAR, CD163, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies against protein adducts with acetaldehyde, the first metabolite of ethanol, were measured from alcohol-dependent patients (73 men, 26 women, mean age 43.8 ± 10.4 years) at baseline and after 8 ± 1 days of abstinence. The assessments also included information on the quantities of alcohol drinking and assays for biomarkers of alcohol consumption (CDT), liver function (AST, ALT, ALP, GGT) and acute phase reactants of inflammation. At baseline, the patients showed elevated values of CDT and biomarkers of liver status, which decreased significantly during abstinence. A significant decrease also occurred in LDH, bilirubin, CD163 and IgA and IgM antibodies against acetaldehyde adducts, whereas a significant increase was noted in blood leukocytes, platelets, MCV and suPAR levels. The changes in blood leukocytes correlated with those in serum calprotectin (p < 0.001), haptoglobin (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p < 0.02) and suPAR (p < 0.02). The changes in MCV correlated with those in LDH (p < 0.02), MCH (p < 0.01), bilirubin (p < 0.001) and anti-adduct IgG (p < 0.01). The data indicates that ethanol-induced changes in blood leukocytes are related with acute phase reactants of inflammation and release of neutrophil calprotectin. The studies also highlight the role of hemolysis and immune responses to ethanol metabolites underlying erythrocyte abnormalities in alcohol abusers.
International journal of molecular sciences
|Type of Publication:||
A1 Journal article – refereed
|Field of Science:||
This work was supported in part by the Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Seinäjoki Central Hospital and University of Tampere, VTR 6100/3243, the Finnish Foundation for the Promotion of Laboratory Medicine and the Finnish Society of Clinical Chemistry.
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

domain: literature


YES LEGEND Jon Anderson has debuted a single entitled “WDMCF” in advance of his forthcoming album, 1000 Hands; and you can watch the clip below.
Of this latest single, Jon said: “[It] originates from me singing the first ideas that come to mind each morning. I start by creating vocal rhythmic sounds, very much like the Burundi in West Africa, who go foraging and hunting and sing all the time.
“They sing like the sounds around them … insects, birds, frogs, etc.
“I always dream and think that my best work is yet to come, or there would be no point in creating at all. I just feel so energized, happily surrounded by this world of music.”
And the song shows Jon, at 76, is still absolutely in top vocal form, his voice layered and chorused over a tune with a world music breaks coloration.
The album which this song trails, 1000 Hands, has had an on-off gestation of nearly 30 years. It will be unveiled for digital release on July 31st, with physical formats – CD and a double vinyl – following a fortnight later.
He actually laid the foundations of this album while still a member of Yes, but touring resulted in it being put on hold.
“Before you knew it, I started getting involved in other projects and tours, and years went by, … I would listen to the tapes from time to time and think, ‘This could have been a great album! One day I’ll finish it.’” he said of the project.
The album features a collaborative roll-call including former Yes colleague Steve Howe; Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and fusion stalwarts Billy Cobham and Chick Corea.
“That’s where the title 1000 Hands comes from: all of the brilliant musicians who played a part in making the record,” Anderson added.
Order Jon Anderson’s 1000 Hands here.


Today, we will talk about the fastest blockchain in the world Techpay coin.
Although layer 1 and layer 2 blockchains have a lot of problems with scalability, Bitcoin transaction costs soared. The transaction fee was so much.
We’ve all heard of Ethereum, right? Even though it is a powerful blockchain, its transactions are expensive and slow. So creators of NFTs experienced many problems on the Ethereum network.
If you’re involved in crypto, you’ve probably heard of Solana. Solana’s blockchain has been the fastest in the industry since its start. This is the reason why Solana was one of the fastest coins in the industry to enter the top 10 largest cryptocurrencies. Even, Solana was also named an Ethereum killer.
But in this article, I am going to talk about a project which has already got the tag of Ethereum and Solana killer. Here I am talking about TechPay.
what is Techpay coin?
Techpay Coin is a cryptocurrency that uses blockchain technology to create a secure and transparent way of making payments. Techpay Coin is the first cryptocurrency that has been designed specifically for use in the global trade industry. It was designed with the goal of solving major issues in the industry such as high transaction fees, long settlement times, and lack of transparency.
Techpay coin also has its blockchain as Techpay chain. It is a made-in-India project and is also the world’s fastest blockchain.
Comparison of Techpay coin
If we compare it with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and also the fastest blockchain Solana
- Techpay is 43000 times faster than Bitcoin
- Techpay is 20000 times faster than Ethereum
- Techpay is also 4.5 times faster than Solana
The transaction fee for 1 transaction in Techpay is only $0.0000021 which is almost free.
So, TechPayCoin is an exciting new blockchain project. It has its chain called TechPayChain.
A plethora of functions can be done out on this chain, such as creating non-fungible tokens(NFTs), integrating decentralized apps(DAPPs), and creating smart contracts.
Uses of Techpay coin
The use of TechPay Coin is in decentralized finance networks(Defi)and Web 3. It will be used in those platforms to conduct and execute NFTs trades. Metaverse is one example.
With so many companies making their metaverses, we can see the mainstream crypto industry improving by the day. Millions of crypto enthusiasts around the world are waiting for these metaverses to be accessible.
Now the biggest issue with NFTs is gas fees, which are getting very expensive. If you want to buy, sell, or trade any NFT, you’ll have to pay high gas fees. It also takes a long time.
To solve this problem, TechPayCoin has been introduced. The platform will make transactions easier, faster, and cheaper for both buyers and sellers.
Transacions Speed of Techpay coin
|CRYPTOCURRENCIES||TRANSACTIONS PER SECOND (TPS)||TRANSACTIONS FINALITY (TF)|
|TECHPAY COIN||300000||1.15 SEC|
If we talk about speed, bitcoin passes 7 blocks every second and thus takes around 60 minutes to pass the final block. This means that it takes around 30 to 60 minutes to complete a single transaction.
Whereas Ethereum can process 15 transactions in 1 second and take 6 to 10 minutes to complete an entire transaction which is more than double of bitcoin.
Solana has been a very exciting project and is without a doubt one of the fastest blockchains that exist. Recently, it reached 65,000 transactions per second (TPS), an incredibly fast speed. It takes only 6 to 7 seconds for the Solana blockchain to complete a transaction.
But now if you look at Techpay, Solana has been left far behind, Techpay is now completing 300k transactions in 1 second, which is far faster than Solana. This means the time taken to complete a final transaction is only 1.15 seconds.
Now it is a big deal in the blockchain space that most transactions are happening in 1 second, taking the least time, and the lowest fees are being charged.
How TechPay is achieving everything.
Techpay has used a technology called pBFT and DAG
Now, pBFT (Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance) ensures that there will be 10 times more security on this whole blockchain.
While DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) makes it even faster, if we talk in terms of blockchain it makes it scalable.
Techpay is working on listing its decentralized exchange. The platform will make it easy for customers to bridge across multiple chains, such as Binance and Tron.
So if you want to see Blockchain, NFT, Web3 world up close then this project is very interesting.
How to buy Techpay coin
Techpay coin (TCP) is a native token of the Techpay chain. TCP token is already listed on LBank you can easily buy TCP token on LBank.
About LBank Exchange
LBank Exchange provides a global trading platform for various cryptocurrencies. After three years of development, LBank Exchange has over 6.4 million users from more than 210 regions around the world. LBank Exchange is one of the most popular and trusted cryptocurrency exchanges with a safe crypto trading environment and specialized financial derivatives.
FEQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Techpay coin is legit to invest?
How do I purchase a Techpay coin?
What makes Techpay coin unique compared to other crypto projects?
It is the Fastest, Cheaper and scalable
Where is Techpay coin based?


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Massive Disneyland Attraction Database
The Flotillas to Pluto Island attraction, nastily considered to be the only rustic attraction at Disneyland
Flotillas to Pluto Island
July 8, 2007
Avg. queue length:
The Flotillas to Pluto Island are flotillas that go to Pluto Island.
- If traveling with immature adults , they won't want to ride this attraction alone.
Guest Policies and Notices
- Guests may get very disenfranchised on this attraction.
- Guests in wheelchairs probably should be doing something else.
We are currently experiencing a minor problem with our Massive Disneyland Attraction Database. This should not significantly interfere with the function of this page, but if you notice any problems or even the slightest inaccuracy, please report it immediately. Thank you for your courtesy.

domain: travel


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Reporter Ashley Bolek explains why “Black Panther” just might outscore every other Marvel movie.
The movie based on the bestselling novel falls short of Staff Writer Yashowanto Ghosh’s expectations.
Bella Buck shares why Brown Butter Creperie and Cafe should be your new favorite brunch spot.
Staff Writer Yashowanto Ghosh highlights the first AMC Gallery exhibition of the semester.
Get to know AQ’s own Tom Doetsch in this week’s AQ Artist Spotlight.
In light of Woody Allen sexual assault allegations, “Bullets over Broadway” was replaced by “On the Town.”
Reporter Ashley Bolek explains why “Lady Bird” might be the best coming-of-age movie yet.
Opinion Editor Sam Bell details her study abroad experience so far.
Reporter Danata Paulino explains why “The Greatest Showman” really might be the greatest show on Earth.
Reporter Brooklyn Waggoner reviews the much-anticipated Fall Out Boy album, “M A N I A.”

domain: entertainment


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I’ve been really out of my blogging game lately and it have been a while since I posted last time. But I think I’m slowly getting out of this slump that have actually effected my whole life and not only my blogging. Well, something I’ve been wanting to write more about is my mental health because I hope that me talking about it can lead to others daring to open up about what they are going trough and maybe get the help that need and deserve.
The biggest reason that I haven’t been talking about my mental health and my struggles with anxiety in a while now is because it feels weird talking about it when it feels like I ain’t making any real progress. To me it feels like when it comes to mental health everyone want to read about success stories, and well I’m not a success story in any way. I’m just a girl, or woman actually, that have too much anxiety and are trying to learn how to live without her fears taking over. And it’s hard, it’s so hard and I hate it so much but I also hope that sharing bits of it with you all might make it a bit easier.
So like I said, right now it feels like I’m making no progress at all and on top of that I’ve messed up my sleep for the past week. And while the sleep thing don’t worry me that much I’m pretty much stressing out over the fact that I make so little progress when it comes to getting somewhere with the anxiety. And like I know that I need to challenge myself more and do the stuff I’m scared of but it’s really hard. But I’m getting there even if it’s not at the speed I want it to be, but I will get better.
For me one of the worst things about dealing with mental health issues is knowing how much it affects the people around me. Knowing how much my parents worries makes me feel really bad and while I understand that they can’t just stop worrying I really wish that they could. I don’t know why but I feel like such a disappointment at the moment. And when people talk about how strong I am and all I feel is that no, no I’m not strong, I don’t know what I am but I know I’m not a very strong person. I’m just a broken girl doing her best you know.
So… I think that’s it for now and if you’re still with me I want to say thanks for reading. And if you are also dealing with anxiety or so I want you to know that it will get better, I really think it will, but sometimes it just takes time. And I hope to be able to report some progress when it comes to my own struggles soon.


CHICAGO (Reuters Breakingviews) - Donald Trump’s choice of Rick Perry to head the U.S. Department of Energy may accelerate the inevitable clash between the president-elect and Washington’s bureaucrats. It would be a mistake for Trump to underestimate their ability to slow-roll his agenda.
Perry, a climate-change skeptic and former Texas governor, ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 promising to dismantle the federal energy agency. The DOE is already resisting a Trump request to furnish lists of staffers working on climate issues, though his transition team has since backed away from the demand.
It’s a reminder that the legions of U.S. federal workers are themselves a force in policy. Conspiracy-minded Americans worry about a powerful “deep state” that steers government activity regardless of who’s in elected office.
Until Trump picked him on Wednesday, Perry was best known for a 2011 debate gaffe in which he blanked on one of the federal departments he’d like to abolish. He could only name two of three, but later clarified that the other was the $30 billion Energy Department. That makes Perry the most ironic of Trump’s several fox-in-the-henhouse appointments. Last week Trump named Scott Pruitt, also a climate-change unbeliever, to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
The cabinet provides figureheads, but the new administration will need government employees to carry out its bidding. It’s too early to tell whether the DOE’s early resistance is a prelude to a broader bureaucratic revolt, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise. Much of the agency’s budget is dedicated to national-security matters, including testing and securing America’s nuclear weapons.
With climate change also firmly established as a national-security risk - not just at the DOE, but at the Pentagon as well - Trump may find that Perry isn’t someone who can easily rally the agency’s ranks behind him. There are plenty of hurdles officialdom can place in the president’s path if he antagonizes enough of its representatives.
On Twitter twitter.com/KevinAllison
- President-elect Donald Trump on Dec. 14 named former Texas Governor Rick Perry to head the U.S. Department of Energy. Perry, who has close ties to the oil industry and has questioned the science behind climate change, suggested in 2011 that the department should be abolished.
- The Energy Department on Dec. 13 said it would not comply with a request from Trump’s transition team to list staffers who have worked on climate change and the professional society memberships of lab workers. The Trump team on Dec. 14 said that a questionnaire sent to the department requesting the information “was not authorized or part of our standard protocol.”
(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.)
Editing by Richard Beales and Martin Langfield


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Kindle MatchBook: Get the Kindle Edition FREE when you purchase the paperback edition today There is nothing quite like sous vide cooking. Whether you are brand new to cooking with a thermal immersion circulator like the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker, or you are already a seasoned expert, this cookbook will show you exactly how to prep and cook 100 different recipes easily using your sous vide appliance. From simple cauliflower alfredo to innovative lamb and seafood dishes with complex flavor profiles that are still a breeze to make at home using your sous vide, you are guaranteed to enjoy this complete guide to producing restaurant quality dishes easily in your own kitchen using your Anova Sous Vide. This book empowers you to become a true sous vide master chef and wow your friends, family and neighbors with juicy, tender, perfectly cooked meats and veggies every time. This comprehensive resource ensures you'll be equipped to take on any sous vide challenge and enjoy elevated gourmet cuisine every night of the week. The Anova Sous Vide Cookbook is your all-in-one resource for enjoying the very best sous vide meals you've ever tasted This Anova Sous Vide Cookbook contains:
Recipes in this Anova Sous Vide Cookbook include: Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Garlic Butter Lamb Chops, Poached Lobster, Lamb Loin with Mint Olive Salsa, Honey Ginger Salmon, Juicy and Tender Swordfish, Rib Eye Steak, Spicy Eggplant, Teriyaki Salmon, and much more Grab this cookbook today and see for yourself what kind of world class dishes you can make tonight using your sous vide precision cooker
Situated on the main street of the historic Delaware Riverfront town of New Hope, Pennsylvania, Farley’s Bookshop and its knowledgeable, experienced staff have endeavored to satisfy the literary tastes of the area inhabitants for over fifty years. Whether you are Bucks County born-and-bred or just stopping by to enjoy the crisp river air and delightful scenery, you will be pleasantly surprised to find the largest and most diverse collection of books-in-print in Bucks County. Farley’s may have competition, but it has few peers. We encourage you to browse our website, but please remember that getting acquainted with our online persona is no substitute for exploring the narrow passageways and teeming shelves of our storefront and discovering that perfect book nestled amongst so many others.
New Hope for American Art is the most comprehensive book ever published on artists from, and surrounding, the New Hope Art Colony (also known as the Pennsylvania Impressionists). This book, with its 612 pages and over 1,000 color plates of artwork include biographies of 165 individual Pennsylvania Impressionists and New Hope Modernists as well as artists from the Philadelphia Ten, a pioneering group of women all educated at Philadelphia art schools.
In this book, you'll find biographies and artwork from such artists as:
New Hope for American Art was authored, designed and published by James M. Alterman, an expert in the field of Pennsylvania Impressionist and Modernist painting. A longtime collector and owner of two fine art galleries, Alterman wanted to create a user-friendly book intended not only to educate collectors and enthusiasts about this art but to help train one's eye. The book offers valuable tips on how to avoid common mistakes often experienced by new collectors drawn from the author's personal experiences as a collector and fine art dealer.