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# Building JSON Parser Library for C++
Sep 2010
C++ is a flawed language in many aspects, but one of its biggest problems is how difficult it is to start using some C or C++ library. Because of the lack of binary compatibility, separate version have to be prepared for each operating system, compiler and compiler version. Often a version for my compiler is not accessible (or no binary distributions are accessible at all) and I have to compile the library from source code, which always causes problems.
I recently wanted to start using JSON as a configuration file format. It's a nice description language that would make a good compromise between XML (which has lots of redundacy, is unreadable and I generally dislike it) and TokDoc (my custom description language). In search for a JSON parser library for C++, I've decided to use json-cpp. And here the story begins...
Json-cpp is distributed only as source code. README file says that I have to use Scons build system to compile it. WTF is this? How many f*** build systems like this are out there?! Well, I've downloaded it. It looks like it uses and requires Python. I have Python 2.6 installed - it should be OK. Scons Windows setup installed it in the Python directory - OK. What now?
Json-cpp readme says about Scons: "Unzip it in the directory where you found this README file. scons.py Should be at the same level as README.". Unzip?! OK, so maybe I should download the ZIP distribution of Scons instead of setup. I did it, enter the ZIP archive and... There is no scons.py file there! Only scons.1 and some other mysterious files. The only Python script in the main directory is setup.py. So desipte what json-cpp README says, scons cannot be just unzipped, it has to be setup somehow. ARGH!
Luckily this time the solution turned out to be easy. There is a Visual C++ solution file in build\vs71 subdirectory. I managed to successfully convert it to Visual C++ 2008 version and compile it to static LIB files. I only had to ensure that the Runtime Library in Project Options is set to same type as in all my projects, that is the DLL version.
Comments | #c++ #libraries Share
# Allegro Party
Sep 2010
Last weekend I've been in Poznań on Allegro Party - party for users of Allegro.pl - online auctions website. But we went there with my friends from the demoscene not only because we trade stuff online, but as organizers, as one of the highlights of the event were classic computers like Amiga or Commodore, ready to play good old games. Here are my photos from the event.
NEW: Some more information about this party (in Polish) can be found here:
Now I try to catch up with news on my Twitter and on the blogs I follow. One of these news in GPU Technology Conference by NVIDIA, which took place Sep 20-24, 2010 in San Jose, USA. Much interesting new graphics and HPC-related hardware and software have been shown there. Many coverages can be found over the Internet, like this one. What attracted my attention the most is a plenoptic lens technology presented by Adobe (I recommend the video at the bottom of this page). Their camera is equipped with a matrix of many small lenses, giving kind of a 4D image. It can be then processed to a single photo with software-controlled depth of field. There are also more than a hundred posters presented on the conference, available for download here. Posters is a nice form for presenting research results because it's short and attractive.
Comments | #events #demoscene Share
# Game Event, Technology Event
Sep 2010
Another interesting events took place recently. IDF - Intel Developer Forum (Sep 13-15, 2010, San Francisco, USA) is organized by just one company, but they've shown some interesting stuff there. Intel manufactures CPU-s as well as GPU-s, so there was something about hardware, as well as high-performance and parallel programming. Some topics from IDF are covered in recent entries of SoftTalk blog.
After E3 in USA and GC in Europe, this time there was a game event in Japan - TGS - Tokyo Game Show (16-19 Sep, 2010). As always, there is much new information and multimedia data after such event, like trailers and news about games under development. Some of them are specific to the exotic Japanese culture, but most of them is about games that will be available on the West too. I like watching trailers :)
Comments | #events #games Share
# reg__ @ Delicious
Sep 2010
I've decided to start using Delicious - a social bookmarking website. I collect and browse many interesting links every day. Until now I've been keeping my bookmarks in a text file that I share here: Links - gamedev.txt. But if bookmarks are about the Internet, why not keep them online too? Delicious looks like a very nice service for that purpose. I only have to switch from organizing my links in hierarchical categories to tagging. Unfortunately I can't find any fully-featured desktop application for Windows to manage Delicious bookmarks, just like I use Thunderbird for e-mail, RSSOwl for RSS and TweetDeck for Twitter. I've already started entering some of the interesting links I've recently found so here is my account:
NEW: I still learn how to make good use of tags, but I've already entered most of my bookmarks from different places into Delicious. So I think it's also the time to drop my Links page. It no longer appears in the menu at the top, while I placed all my "social" website links there. For the list of my favourite blogs I regularly visit, see my following tag.
# Riverwash 2010 - After the Party
Sep 2010
Riverwash 2010 is over. I had really great time there. What's best about such party is the opportunity to meet so many interesting people. The most important and awaited part - competitions - was also very nice experience. I especially liked intros and demos. There was only one 4k intro - "Quantum Core" by KK from DMA - but it was so awesome it shouldn't have problems winning even if it would have some competitors. There were 5 newschool demos and mine scored the last place. The one designed for anaglyph 3D glasses was especially impressing - I haven't seen such 3D effect on these simple glasses before.
Here are my photos from the party: Riverwash 2010 by sawickiap @ Picasa
And here is the demo I've submitted for the Newschool Demo Compo:
Comments | #demoscene #productions Share
# Riverwash 2010 Starts Today
Sep 2010
I was offline in recent days because I've been moving to another flat, but I'm already online now and I slowly catch up on news, like the new Steam Hardware & Software Survey: August 2010. There has been another international demoscene party recently - Evoke 2010 (August 27-29, 2010, Cologne, Germany). I suppose it is worth seeing productions from the competitions.
Today the biggest democene party in Poland starts - Riverwash. It will take place in Warsaw, so I don't have to travel far. That's why I'm going to go there desipte I'm a little sick. I just won't drink so much as I would :) I'm going to submit my production for a compo in Newschool Demo category. I didn't have enough time to polish it and I only hope there won't be any technical problems with GPU compatibility or something. Code and graphics of the demo is made by me and is inspired by psychodelic trance music. Music is made by Count.


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A lift chair can offer mobility challenged individuals greater comfort and convenience. You can find these chairs in a variety of styles, sizes, fabrics and colors to meet your needs and complement your home decor. In addition, models are available with different features to satisfy the individual needs of users.
To help guide your selection process, answer the following questions.
Armed with this information you can make a sensible informed choice from the many available types that are on the market today.
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Using the above check list will help you get what you want and aid your search for suitable retailers and models.
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subset: commoncrawl


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to details
An exceptional selection of tableware has been chosen by Alain Ducasse, in complete harmony with the restaurant. It highlights traditional French craftsmanship and an interesting variety of materials. From Coquet porcelain to hand-made butter dishes in pink marble, to French artist Jean-Paul Gourdon unique vegetable ceramics, the finest tableware has been created exclusively for the restaurant.


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More hotels offering free breakfast
- In 2012%2C 79%25 of hotels offered complimentary breakfast%2C study shows
- That%27s up from 55%25 in 2010%2C American Hotel %26 Lodging Association says
- Hotels not offering free breakfast could be at a competitive disadvantage
In a bid for more loyal customers, Marriott International is going after their stomachs.
Starting June 22, Marriott Rewards Gold and Platinum Elite members plus a guest will get free continental breakfast seven days a week in the lounge or restaurant of participating hotels in the U.S. and Canada, the company will announce Tuesday.
If you'd rather not claim your muffin in the morning, you can opt for an additional 750 rewards points, instead.
"One of our most important missions is taking care of our best guests," says Ed French, senior vice president of Marriott Rewards. "Lounge access and free breakfast . . . are generally two benefits that our most frequent traveler says they care about in the elite program."
Hotels started adding the free breakfast perk more aggressively during the economic downturn, when shrinking travel budgets among companies and average Americans forced many people to stay put. Companies are sending employees back out on the road, but many business travelers say a free breakfast helps with their limited budgets.
In 2012, 79% of hotels offered complimentary breakfast, up from 55% in 2010, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
"If a property doesn't offer free breakfast, they could be at a competitive disadvantage," says Adam Weissenberg, vice chairman and U.S. leader of Deloitte's travel, hospitality and leisure sector.
Marrriott's elite customers — in addition to The Ritz-Carlton Rewards gold and platinum members — can get their daily breakfasts at participating JW Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance and Marriott hotels in the U.S. and Canada. Previously, they got breakfast on weekdays.
Like Marriott, platinum status members of the Starwood Preferred Guest program have the option of choosing a free continental breakfast. Hilton HHonors offers breakfast for gold and diamond members seven days a week.
If you're not an elite rewards member, you'll have to buy your own breakfast. A typical continental breakfast is about $15.
At other hotel chains, especially midprice ones, breakfast is free to all. The offerings, too, are getting more elaborate.
Hyatt House, an extended-stay property, began rolling out a new "Morning Spread" for all guests last month with a made-to-order omelet bar, new vegetarian items and rotating hot items.
Holiday Inn Express has an extensive free breakfast menu with rotating egg and meat selections and a signature local item, such as steamed stuffed buns in China. Staybridge Suites last year upgraded its breakfast buffet to include breakfast pizzas and a build-your-own breakfast sandwich bar.
"Ultimately, people want choices," says Francie Schulwolf, vice president of corporate communications for The Americas at InterContinental Hotels Group, which owns Holiday Inn and Staybridge. "They want both hot and cold food offerings, and most importantly, they want to be in control of what they eat for breakfast."
Does a free yogurt parfait make a customer return for another stay?
A Deloitte study of 4,000 travelers released earlier this year found that when choosing hotels, travelers looked at price, free parking, comfort and location. Loyalty programs ranked near the bottom of factors taken into consideration.
Weissenberg says "personalized service" is what breeds traveler loyalty.
"If free breakfast is very important to these travelers, then it may create loyalty, but ideally, the hotel should know more about each traveler and what they want if the hotel wants to make their loyalty program effective," he says. "For example, whether a traveler would prefer a drink at night, or a free movie, etc."
Joshua Holmberg, a vice president of sales for a software company in Littleton, Colo., says he will try to book a hotel that offers a free breakfast.
He says having one meal taken care of helps "from a cost perspective, as well as the convenience of one fewer expense report entry."


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Today I stumbled across infojocks, a graphic studio specializing in sports infographics and data visualization. This infographic is a complete box score of the 2013 NFL Super Bowl. The author discusses the graphic on visual.ly. This graphic is both informative and intuitive because it leverages a familiar metaphor (the clock) to communicate a variety of simple statistics.
In the author's own words:
"In working on these football game infographics, I limited myself to working with the most basic of sports stats: the box score. At its simplest, football is a game of possession. The most important variables are how far a team moves the ball (yardage) and how long it takes to do it (drive). In this graphic, each piece of pie is a single possession. Time moves around the circle, like a game clock, and yards are represented by the radius."
Although this graphic pertains to football, the artist's words resonate with me when considering rugby 7s. Rugby 7s is also a game of possession where time is perhaps more of a factor because it's so brief. Unlike football, variables such as yards gained and pass completions are of limited utility when considering possession effectiveness. A quick score after a turnover inside the oppositions 22 does not show up in any of the standard measures, and high pass completions often indicate an inability to score. Yardage gained is no more important than the distance a basketball player dribbles during a game.
Therefore, I believe that the single possession should be the fundamental unit of analysis when considering rugby 7s — just as it is in basketball and other transition sports.
Much more on this later. For now, please enjoy this graphic. Consider whether the ideas and assumptions bundled in it are appropriate for rugby 7s.


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Veeco offers industry-leading ion beam etch and deposition technologies that enable applications such as data storage, MEMS, sensors and EUV mask blanks.
Create ultra-precise, high-purity, thin film layer devices with maximum uniformity and repeatability with Ion Beam Deposition (IBD) Systems.
Etch precise, complex features for high-yield production of discrete microelectronic devices and components with the NEXUS® Ion Beam Etch (IBE) Systems.
Veeco offers the most comprehensive array of ion beam sources for a broad range of applications, including the industry's only Linear gridded sources.
Stand-alone ion beam etch system with low cost of ownership and highest quality etch attributes


text:
Classic Jeeps just get better with age, become more desirable and even turn into a collector's dream. That's why we make the Tigertop. Popular with purists who are restoring classic Flat Fender models and CJ5/CJ7's, Tigertop goes retro with the no-nonsense look and function of old CJ's. It's a complete replacement soft top with all the hardware, fabric deck, one-piece full fabric doors and windows. There's nothing else to buy to get that classic look on your older Jeep.
I understand that it supposed to be a retro top, but would it have killed bestop to put door seals on it? It's a solid option but it isn't weatherproof. I'd Hate to get caught in rain on the highway.
The Tigertop with Clear Windows and One-Piece Doors in Black Vinyl is a nice upgrade to any vintage Jeep. It comes with all of the hardware needed to install as well as full doors. It is a moderate installation and once installed removes easily. The three rear windows will unzip and roll up for the safari feel. It is a nice quality top with thick material and windows.
i don't know how to ask for this product in spice color, can you indicate me how?
Asked by Edgar from Mcallen, Tx on
HI Edgar the tiger top is not sold in spice you will have to get the super top. The part number for the top is BST54599-37 but there is they do not make doors in spice. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Thanks,
Answered by roy ext 4928 from Mcallen, Tx on
does this tiger top come with the snaps and frame for the soft top?
Asked by curly from cutler ca on
Hi Curly Yes the Tigertop has snaps around the body tub and all the hardware for mounting. Thanks
Answered by LWiff ext 4804 from cutler ca on
What's more durable, tiger top or denim? I have best top hardware installed already but I need a replacement top and door skins. I had a tan top and now I am going to black 1978 CJ 7 5l
Asked by Steve from Austin on
Hi Steve, This Bestop Tigertop with Clear Windows and One-Piece Doors is made of vynal, however the tops with color code black denim are vynal also, just not as shiny. If your Bestop hardware is the supertop or tiger top version, there is no replacement top available for your CJ 5 that would fit so we recommend the Bestop Supertop. It's very complete with all doors, channels, windows and fabric. There's a big fitment difference between a CJ 5 and CJ 7, you've mentioned you have a '78 CJ 7 and CJ 5 but it's got to be one or the other so please verify your model. Thanks for the inquiry.
Answered by Jim G Ext 4806 from Austin on
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Your Jeep's top reflects personal style and protects against the elements of sun, rain, snow and mud and Bestop's soft tops are popular choices for replacing OEM soft tops. Whether it's a tough top that will be exposed to harsh elements or a refined one that you think fits your Jeep's style better, Bestop has the track record and the complete line to make your journey more memorable. A classic Supertop, Bikini or Halftop or Sunrider instantly transforms your 4x4, providing protection, ventilation, tinting and maintaining its shape through temperature fluctuations. Easy to attach and easy to get attached to, Bestop is the premium brand when it comes to Jeep tops. Shop Bestop Now


text:
How to Prepare For Teaching Abroad in Chile
I have been teaching English in Chilean Patagonia for just over three months now and I am contracted to be here until the end of November. I'm teaching in a country and continent that is a completely different from anything I have ever experienced.
–Spencer completed the 120-hour TEFL certificate course with TEYL specialization–


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Oh, the days of Hippo Burger on Van Ness! Poor Van Ness that tuxedoed millionaire turned gamin (one of my favorite words from a Ramones song). Hippo was where a hippie friend ordered Welsh rarebit. Of course, I have had more than my share of bangers and mash lately, something I thought I would never eat. It is proper to purchase good bangers, use real potatoes for your mash (topped with green onions) and add Guinness and yellow onions to the gravy. Cook the heck out of the bangers, they should be blackened with the skin almost falling off. A friend of mine who says he does not like "encased meats" has never had bangers.
The Hippo? She was drawn by Wolo. Van Ness still has the grand auto showrooms designed by Pfleuger , Maybeck, Rem Koolhaus, and Julia Morgan. Most of them are now multiplexes.


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Messenger met with Joseph Neigh to agree and brainstorm on a new Messenger music video. Mr. Neigh's career as a music video producer has taken flight with national record labels and he has agreed to produce and direct the next Messenger video.
Which Messenger song do 'you choose' for the video? 'The Sacrifice' or 'End of Time'?


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Finished a Page!
Hi everyone! I am SO excited! I've finished page 7 and am on track to finish the top of the picture by the end of the year since page 8 is just a half page. This afternoon I need to look through my stash and find a travel project for this weekend, but I'm sort of afraid to look at all my other goodies. I don't want to get sidetracked from this one!! Unfortunately it is too big to take along or I'd bring it. I figured it out today and I would need to do 400 stitches a day to complete the whole thing by the end of next year... working on nothing else, of course! I don't know if I can stay that focused, but I might try. I don't usually stitch that much during the day and there will be a lot of confetti from here on out, but if I aim high I'll get farther than if I don't!!
Back to stitching!
10 comments:
- Vickie said...
You go Tricia! Looking fantastic! I am in the same boat as you. Stitching like mad to get something done!!!
- December 17, 2015 at 2:57 PM
- Brigitte said...
I know what you mean about being sidetracked by other projects and designs that want to have some attention, lol. But you have stayed very focused so far on this beautiful piece, I'm sure you will continue on it.
- December 18, 2015 at 5:14 AM
- cucki said...
Wow great..well done dear
Happy stitching
Hugs x
- December 18, 2015 at 6:40 AM
- Carol said...
Oh, my! It is just so lovely, Tricia!! If it is this pretty already, I can only imagine how wonderful your finish will be :)
Wishing you and your family every blessing this Christmas--our families both have much to be thankful for this year, don't we?
- December 18, 2015 at 8:46 AM
- Katie said...
Congrats on the page finish!! You can do it!!
- December 18, 2015 at 4:25 PM
- Heather said...
Great job! It's looking fabulous.
- December 18, 2015 at 11:45 PM
- Sally said...
Congratulations on your page finish Tricia. It looks amazing.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
- December 19, 2015 at 10:48 AM
- Justine said...
That looks amazing! Well done on sticking with it. 400 stitches a day is a good target to aim for.
- December 20, 2015 at 12:58 PM
- Vonna Pfeiffer said...
Look at that! BEAUTIFUL...I was looking at a HAED the other day. Almost got a little clicky with my fingers...and then thought STOP THE INSANITY!
Merry Christmas!
- December 22, 2015 at 6:54 AM
- Julie said...
It looks fabulous
Merry Christmas
- December 23, 2015 at 3:57 PM


text: X Factor winners release debut album and enjoy immediate chart success: the Little Mix backstory is, indeed, pretty dull. But the reason they've become the affectionately regarded darlings of pop since then is that there's something a bit skew-whiff about the quartet. Aside from their goofy and cartoonish appearance, their music relishes all that is chintzy and uncool. The Beyoncé boot-camp stomp of the title track here is somewhat deceiving as the rest of the album recalls 'N Sync in their heyday – break-up ballad Nothing But You evokes white suits and wind machines, while Boy is a revamped rendition of 2001's Gone. For nostalgic kids of the 90s who long for pop before it became complex, before Marina Abramovic and David Lynch became default spirit guides, Salute is like a dip in a pool of Skittles: tacky, sugary and brilliantly indulgent.


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Seniors may face difficulty eating healthy breakfast meals for a variety of reasons, including the challenge involved in chewing and swallowing certain items. This puts the elderly at a higher risk of malnutrition, which could lead to various health issues and a poor quality of life. However, there are inexpensive and easy-to-prepare foods your senior loved one can eat. Here are some of the healthiest breakfast foods for older adults.
1. Oatmeal
This breakfast favorite is a great choice for seniors due to its affordable cost and variety. Oatmeal is easy to prepare and offers your loved one the fiber he or she needs to prevent constipation and other health conditions. Good sources of fiber can also lower blood pressure and regulate blood glucose levels. Buying different flavors of oatmeal could motivate your loved one to eat this breakfast food for several days without growing tired of the same food choice.
Seniors who need assistance making healthier lifestyle choices or managing daily tasks can benefit from professional in-home care. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don't all need the same senior care services. Henderson families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet your elderly loved one's unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia.
2. Fresh Fruits
Fresh fruits are full of fiber and other nutrients your loved one needs to stave off different age-related conditions, including memory loss, heart disease, and stroke. Here are some of the best fresh fruits to add to your loved one's diet:
- Kiwi
- Blueberries
- Plums
- Bananas
- Peaches
3. Eggs
Eggs contain plenty of protein, and they are easy to prepare. The protein found in eggs could lower your loved one's cholesterol and prevent a heart attack or stroke. Eggs are easy for older adults to chew and swallow, and they are also a rich source of calcium, which increases bone and muscle strength.
4. Whole-Grain Pancakes or Waffles
If older adults eat whole-grain pancakes and waffles for breakfast, their bodies receive the protein they need. These whole-grain foods can lower your loved one's risk of developing diabetes, a health condition that affects more seniors compared to any other age group. Eating whole grains can also stave off cognitive issues such as Alzheimer's disease.
If your elderly loved one is living with Alzheimer's and needs help managing the symptoms, turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of Alzheimer's care. Henderson seniors can rely on our revolutionary Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program that helps slow cognitive decline and delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. CTM also encourages seniors to engage with others in an enjoyable way and helps them build new routines to look forward to.
5. Yogurt Parfait
Nuts and low-fat (or fat-free) dairy products are good food choices for older adults. Mix the two together and prepare a yogurt parfait for your loved one's breakfast, providing the protein, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids he or she needs to protect vision, preserve memory, and build muscle strength. These nutrients can also help your loved one maintain a healthy weight and prevent cardiovascular conditions.
6. Smoothies
Smoothies are easy for seniors to make, and they also contain the nutrients they need to maintain their health. High-protein smoothies do not require your loved one to chew anything, which is another plus. Your loved one can receive the vitamins, fiber, and protein he or she needs to keep blood and oxygen flowing and muscles strong.
Meal prep is just one of many tasks seniors may need help with as they age. Many seniors prefer aging in place over moving to an assisted living facility. If your senior loved one needs assistance to remain safe and comfortable while living at home, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading Henderson, Nevada, elder care agency. Our dedicated in-home caregivers can assist with meal prep, bathing and grooming, exercise, medication reminders, and many other important tasks. To learn about our comprehensive senior care plans, call one of our knowledgeable Care Managers at (702) 527-7723 today.


text:
No More Problems Fitting Your Roof Into Your Boot!!!
At P.R.Wood Motorbodies we have come up with the solution for the problem of storing your roof panel and scratching tops of rear wings!
Our new split roof system enables you to quickly and easily store your roof panel in your boot, also giving you more space for storing luggage.
Will come supplied in textured black exterior with a smooth black interior, you can have them trimmed to match your existing roof, or painted to match your cars body colour.
This product is still in production, we are making a few alterations to the design of the prototype shown below. If you want more information then please dont hesitate to contact us. Keep checking this page to view updates!
(This roof will be able to fit models : GRITTITH and CHIMAERA.)
You are viewing the text version of this site.
Need help? check the requirements page.


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Lately, I guess I've gotten this odd urge to document my personal artistic endeavours. I have no idea why.
Rest assured, I'm not writing a memoir. In addition to my recently expressed plans to release an EP, I've been writing music to be played by a stand alone ensemble – NOT film music.
My "Own Stuff"
I get asked quite regularly if I write a lot of my "own stuff" to which I answer:
"No, not really."
NOT that I don't want to… It's hard to explain, but after spending hours per day in the studio working on film scores, sound designing, recording and/or mixing for others, it can be a tedious chore to produce yet more creative stuff for yourself.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE what I do. But, much like working on a client project, working on a personal project requires an investment of creative time and creative energy. Finding either of those in adequate supply is a challenge to my EP and this particular project.
Without getting too much ahead of myself, the music director at my sons' school and I have aligned planets to get this project off the ground. At the last Christmas concert, we made it official by announcing the premiere of the piece in the spring.
We've joked for almost four years about me having one of my compositions played by the senior band at St. George's School here in Vancouver but never really getting serious about it. I started writing something applicable over the summer and come fall, I had an orchestral mock-up of what I am calling "Morning Routine" that I shared with him:
We got to chatting about adapting it to concert band and over the fall, after some heads-down work in Sibelius, I had an arrangement of the score that looked like it could work.
In The Beginning
So, let's back up a bit. I'm getting ahead of myself as the original intention of this post was to be the first chapter documenting how I wrote "Morning Routine".
I think anyone who's labeled themselves a composer has had visions of writing a spectacular epic that gets performed by 50+ musicians in a grand hall to an adoring audience just itching to jump out of their seats to shower you with heaps of applause. There are undoubtedly variations on this fantasy for pretty well any artistic or athletic endeavour out there.
To set your expectations, that's not my intention with this piece. Writing for an ensemble of musicians is a monstrous task in of itself. I've written for ensembles (real and virtual), but this is one of the first that I've done as the "alpha creative". In other words, I started with a true blank slate. I didn't embark on this project with any illusions that I was going to climb Everest after exploring a few of the local mountain hiking trails.
The goals I set out for myself were to create a modest composition – somewhere in the 5-minute range – and create it in such a way that the vast majority of the audience were still awake by the time the piece finished.
The first thing I had to do was get a starting point and a structure.
Where to Start?
I started by pulling all my composition and creative books from my bookshelf. A lot of the music composition books talked about traditional forms and structures – Strophic, Variation, Sonata-Allegro, Rondo… – yeah, I fell asleep too.
I needed something that was going to be … well … not boring.
Musical forms have evolved to provide guidelines and structure to music. Without them, music would be a rambling mess resulting in a trail of bored and disinterested listeners. Seeing as none of the traditional forms seemed to spark excitement, I decided to create my own. It actually was one of those face-palm "duh!" moments. I've been creating and manipulating themes that support stories and narratives throughout my stint as a film composer.
Why not do the same for this? – Create a story and use THAT as the structure for my piece. "Brilliant" I think I yelled. …but what story?
I was inspired by – if you haven't guessed it already – some of the happenings (real and imagined) of a family's morning routine. I chose to base my composition around the perspective of an adolescent who stumbles through their (a-)typical AM drill. With a piece of paper and a pen, I sketched out an over-the-top slice of life (from waking up through to arriving at school.
After a few rounds of trying out ideas at the piano and adjusting the story, I had more than enough material to create a piece of music that could accompany the storyboard-turned-visuals that was now playing in my mind.
As I continued to try out, assemble and re-assemble ideas in my Digital Audio Workstation, the structure started to materialize and all the little details started to fall into place.
… but more on that in the next installment!


text:
Dear Fellow Scholars, this is Two Minute Papers
with Károly Zsolnai-Fehér. Today, I am really excited to show you four
experiments where AI researchers were baffled by the creativity and unexpected actions of
their own creations. You better hold on to your papers. In the first experiment, robots were asked
to walk around while minimizing the amount of foot contact with the ground. Much to the scientists' surprise, the robots
answered that this can be done with 0% contact, meaning that they never ever touch the ground
with the feet. The scientists wondered how that is even possible,
and pulled up a video of the proof. This proof showed a robot flipping over and
walking using its elbows. Talk about thinking outside the box! Wow. A different robot arm experiment also came
to a surprising conclusion. At first, the robot arm had to use its grippers
to grab a cube, which it successfully learned to perform. However, in a later experiment, the gripper
was crippled, making the robot unable to open its fingers. Scientists expected a pathetic video with
the robot to push the box around and always failing to pick up the cube. Instead, they have found this. You see it right, instead of using the fingers,
the robot finds the perfect angle to smash the hand against the box to force the gripper
to open and pick up the box. That is some serious dedication to solving
the task at hand. Bravo! In the next experiment, a group of robots
were tasked to find food and avoid poisonous objects in an environment, and were equipped
with a light and no further instructions. First, they learned to use the lights to communicate
the presence of food and poison to each other and cooperate. This demonstrates that when trying to maximize
the probability of the survival of an entire colony, the concept of communication and cooperation
can emerge even from simple neural networks. Absolutely beautiful. And what is even more incredible, is that
later, when a new reward system was created that fosters self-preservation, the robots
learned to deceive each other by lighting up the the food signal near the poison to
take out their competitors and increase their chances. And these behaviors emerge from a reward system
and a few simple neural networks. Mind blowing. A different AI was asked to fix a faulty sorting
computer program. Soon, it achieved a perfect score without
changing anything because it noticed that by short circuiting the program itself, it
always provides an empty output. And of course, you know, if there are no numbers,
there is nothing to sort. Problem solved. Make sure to have a look at the paper, there
are many more experiments that went similarly, including a case where the AI found a bug
in a physics simulation program to get an edge. With AI research improving at such a rapid
pace, it is clearly capable of things that surpasses our wildest imagination, but we
have to make sure to formulate our problems with proper caution, because the AI will try
to use loopholes instead of common sense to solve them. When in a car chase, don't ask the car AI
to unload all unnecessary weights to go faster, or if you do, prepare to be promptly ejected
from the car. If you have enjoyed this episode, please make
sure to have a look at our Patreon page in the video description where you can pick up
really cool perks, like early access to these videos or getting your name shown in the video
description, and more. Thanks for watching and for your generous
support, and I'll see you next time!


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Côte d'Ivoire
Paris, April 11, 2011
Prime Minister François Fillon convened a meeting this afternoon at the Hôtel de Matignon with the President of the National Assembly, chairmen of the political groups and chairmen of the National Assembly and Senate foreign affairs and defence committees, or their representatives, in the presence of Alain Juppé, Ministre d'Etat, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gérard Longuet, Minister for Defence and Veterans, and Patrick Ollier, Minister responsible for Relations with Parliament.
The purpose of the meeting was to inform them of developments in the situation in Côte d'Ivoire. François Fillon recalled the circumstances leading President Sarkozy to agree yesterday, in accordance with UNSCR 1975 and in agreement with President Ouattara, to act on the United Nations Secretary-General's request for the French forces to continue participating in UNOCI-led operations to neutralize the heavy weapons used against civilians.
The situation in Côte d'Ivoire had in fact seriously deteriorated in recent days, marked particularly by an increase in the number of heavy weapons attacks perpetrated by M. Gbagbo's forces in Abidjan against the Ivorian people, United Nations personnel, foreign diplomatic missions and the Golf Hotel. The humanitarian situation in Côte d'Ivoire and particularly Abidjan – nearly a quarter of whose inhabitants have had to leave their homes – was, moreover, appalling.
The Prime Minister signalled the French authorities' commitment to full respect for the Ivorian people's sovereign will as expressed in the presidential election at the end of last year.
Following Laurent Gbagbo's arrest by the Republican Forces of Côte d'Ivoire, the challenges President Ouattara and the Ivorian authorities will now have to face are huge, ranging from the return home of refugees and displaced people to the relaunch of the Ivorian economy, the restoration of public order and basic public services and the conduct of national reconciliation. France also strongly supports President Ouattara's intention to institute proceedings, in the national and international courts, against the perpetrators of the violence committed against civilians and the Blue Helmets on Ivorian territory.
As indicated this afternoon by President Sarkozy, who held talks with President Ouattara, Côte d'Ivoire may rest assured of the French authorities' full support in the reconstruction phase now under way./.


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Modern Languages graduation today!
Many of our new graduates in Modern Languages are attending Summer Graduation at the University of Southampton today, and are graduating alongside other students from the Faculty of Humanities.
Many congratulations to all of our new graduates! Don't forget you can keep in touch with the University via the Southampton Alumni Facebook page or on Twitter @UniSotonAlumni.


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Need more information from the seller?View this product on the company site : PIGS
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0 84895 11193 5
Follow @vintagepc
Two players can play against each other, or one person can play against a computer generated opponent. The answer to the puzzle is hidden by tiles. The tiles have words denoting game prizes ("Mexico", "Camera", "Telescope", for example), and your object is to find the two matching worded tiles. Exposing two at a time, your memory is taxed as more prize tiles are revealed and then covered over again. As more tiles are matched, the hidden puzzle is revealed. Solve the puzzle and you win the game.
Return to the software index.


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Every parent of a Queen Anne's student is a member of the Queen Anne's School Parents' Association (QASPA). The QASPA Committee is a friendly and active group of parents and staff that organises events that bring the school community together, raise funds and promote the school. The aims of QASPA are broadly:
- Family: to bring the girls, parents and staff together and help contribute to the sense of community within the school
- Fun: to enjoy a wide range of activities
- Fundraising: to fund welcome 'extras' for the benefit of the whole school and to raise money for selected charities
Over the years, QASPA has organised many successful initiatives of benefit firstly to the girls but also their families. Items purchased by QASPA in the past included a marquee lining for the Sports Hall, equipment hire and music stands for the music department, a DVD player and camcorder for the drama and geography departments, a pyrotechnic system for the drama department, a pond and related equipment for the science departments, 'memory map' educational software for the geography department, a telescope and housing, and a donation to each of the houses to purchase pictures etc.
The QASPA committee meets about twice a term and represents families from all year groups and houses. The committee works closely with the Headmistress and staff to provide opportunities for parents to meet one another, to fundraise for specific items for the girls and to promote the school.
Current committee membership: Sarah Pavey – Chair, Elizabeth Leaver – Deputy Chair, Helen Ralston – Treasurer, Juliet Coleman – Secretary, Lucy Bureau, Canny Appleyard, Jo Bausor, Flo Kipling, Tray Durrant, Luisa Malcolm, Jacky Anderson-Jeffs, Sunelle Nel, Julia Harrington (Headmistress), Amanda Hatfield (Alumnae Relations)


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A year ago, I didn't know squat about fashion or design. I keep repeating this, but it's true–a year ago when I declared to my husband, to my parents, to friends that I wanted to design handbags and launch my own line, I heard chuckles, typically followed by a snarky comment. Well I'd like to play in the NBA. / And I want to fly to Jupiter on the wings of a purple dove. Good luck to us both? The chuckling was legitimate, I admit, because I really didn't know squat about fashion or design.
So I set about learning. I had some idea of the designs I wanted to make, but did not possess the skills to communicate and express those designs to others. The Internet is a treasure trove of information, especially for the wannabe fashion designer. And yet I could not find any concise explanation of the different kinds of sketches or even what needs to go into the sketches that I'd submit to…and on that note, who would I submit these sketches to? No, seriously, what in the heck is Step 1? That's how lost I was.
As this year (of so much learning) comes to a close and 2011 begins with official production of our debut collection, I'd like to offer in a nutshell summary what I've learned so far about fashion design illustration.
3 Types of Design Drawings
There are 3 main types of design drawings the would-be designer works on: (1) thumbnail sketches, (2) fashion illustrations, and (3) technical drawings. Based directly on my own experiences, I'll explain each type and what I've used each type for.
This post is targeted at the entrepreneur, the budding designer launching his or her own line, and not so much for the designer working at a big label. Of course, a disclaimer: I have no idea whether I'm right on any of this; but so far what I've been doing has been working for me. My hope is that the would-be designer in the same position I was in a year ago can take the notes here plus notes found in dozens of other sources and formulate his or her own custom approach.
I'm using The Workaholic shoulder tote as a case study. First, see above photo for the final product. This product began with a thumbnail sketch.
(1) Thumbnail Sketches
In designer speak, a thumbnail sketch is a quick freehand sketch of an idea, and is usually found in the context of many quick freehand sketches, a group of messy doodles that track the evolution of a design conception.
Here is the thumbnail sketch for the Workaholic shoulder tote:
The first sketch rendered was the top left one, the cleanest doodle, though also the first conception to get trashed. That first sketch established 2 main points I kept: I wanted to design a shoulder tote and I liked that curved pleating pattern thingie you see going on at the bottom half of that first conception.
Once I finished that first conception sketch, I realized the handle base looked like crap, so I rendered a quick sketch to express another idea. The sketches can almost be read like a book, top to bottom, left to right. You see the progression of the conception until finally I hit a conception I like. I've highlighted it with a purple box. That's the first thumbnail sketch of the Workaholic shoulder tote, done on 11/14/2009. It's a good idea to date all your sketches, by the way.
A designer's sketchbook will be filled with thumbnail sketches. I confess that when I first started, I was afraid to draw thumbnail sketches. Doesn't that sound odd? What I mean is I was afraid to draw crappy stuff in my sketchbook. I felt (irrationally so) that whatever I committed to paper better be perfect. And that sentiment disabled my creativity. You cannot be afraid to draw crap. 100% of my thumbnail sketches look like crap, but I got over it real quick. And you will have to, too. Thumbnail sketching is about the conceiving of a design idea, not about art. The art is in your design, not in the actual sketch.
(2) Fashion Illustrations
Next there is the fashion illustration. Fashion illustration itself used to be a profession. I mean, it still is. Just not what it once was. Advertisements used to be spreads of beautifully drawn fashion illustrations, some traditional with impeccable detailing and others more abstract and modernist, with elements of cubism. Fashion illustration was an art form.
Here are some old school fashion illustrations by noteworthy illustrators I heart:
A fashion illustration is a detailed drawing of a fashion design, usually in full color, used to communicate a design idea to third parties. There used to be full page spreads of fashion illustrations in magazines such as Vogue, and in RTW retail advertisements. Commercial art at its absolute finest. These days fashion illustrations are generally used to show a collection to a prospective buyer or retailer. I've met buyers who are immensely interested in seeing my fashion illustrations, even when I have glossy photos of the product or the actual samples with me. Thus, they're handy to have in your portfolio.
My humble illustrations of The Workaholic tote:
Since I am not schooled or trained as a designer, my illustrations are very old school. All done freehand with a ballpoint pen. I'm talking like your good old fashioned Bic or PaperMate pen. Then I take a digital photo of the sketch, upload it onto my computer, and with a simple photo editing program, add contrast until it's black and white. See above. I contrast it to black and white so I can then do fun stuff like use the paint can function and add color. Like this:
Fashion illustrations with figures make more sense when you're designing clothes. With accessories it's kind of extraneous, but I like contextualizing my handbag designs with women. That's why I do figure drawings with my designs.
Another modern day purpose for fashion illustrations: if your line will be funded by a private investor or venture capitalist, then it makes sense to have a full portfolio because you may likely be presenting the illustrations as part of your pitch. The fashion illustrations is what's going to get you your funding for line production.
Taryn Zhang is not currently funded by such folks. So what are my fashion illustrations for? For Hubby, of course. In more formal speak, they're for my business partner (who I happen to be married to). I like to run my ideas by him to get a second opinion. He's definitely not artsy, so if I showed him thumbnail sketches, he'd be thoroughly confused. Thus, I clean up my thumbnail sketches into a fashion illustration and show it to Hubby. They become the basis of his "Like" or "Dislike." For example, Hubby "Liked" the Workaholic shoulder tote after seeing my fashion illustrations of the design.
Here's a cleaned up illustration of the tote, the illustration that earned Hubby's "Like" and thus the official green light for going ahead with production of the Workaholic:
I know, her head is too big. Oh well.
Lately I've been tinkering with Jasc Paint Shop Pro, so here's the same illustration again, digitally pinked up:
That was just for kicks. Moving on to the third and final type of sketching, the technical drawing.
(3) Technical Drawings
Once I've committed to a conception, I need to prepare the technical drawings, which will be submitted to my manufacturer in packets that I refer to as Spec Briefs because (a) they contain the specs for my design and (b) they remind me of the briefs I write for work (as a lawyer). Sample prototypes of the bag will be made based on my technical drawings.
Technical drawings are to-scale delineations of a fashion design accompanied by measurements, proportions, and/or instructions for prototype- and sample-making. A manufacturer will use your technical drawings to create your first samples.
The above technical drawings for the Workaholic have letter designations because the drawings came with a table of information. The table of information explains in detail the patterns and other instruction for making the bag.
All of the technical drawings pictured here were rendered in MS Paint, Version 6.0. Most designers use sophisticated software programs for technical drawings. I'm too cheap to invest in such software. Plus, I've been using Paint since grade school, so Paint is what I stick with. Drawing handbags in MS Paint gets quite tedious, and if you can't keep a steady hand, then I recommend using something else, like one of those sophisticated fashion design software programs, or even Adobe Photoshop.
Here are more technical drawings from my briefs for the Workaholic:
And from those technical drawings, we got the following final product:
The base of the actual bag doesn't flare out as much as the original design in the technical sketch, but I ended up liking the more squarish silhouette. That, by the way, is another lesson. Oftentimes the actual sample will come out with significant discrepancies from your technical drawings. Some discrepancies I can make peace with; but when I can't, we have to start the samples making process all over again. Hence prototype after prototype gets made until we get something I like. This blog has covered the various incarnations of our bags, from eyesore-awful first versions to not-so-bad-but-far-from-perfect second and then third versions, and then the finals that we end up sending to production.
Let's continue. Here's a back view:
And side view:
Final Notes
I always have a sketchbook with me and whenever I'm tickled to, I'll whip it out and do split second thumbnail sketches. Tons of them. I've learned to not care whether they're any good or not; just get every flash of an idea down on paper, stat. Then when I have time, I weed through them for good ones and turn those into cleaned up fashion illustrations, which I then show Hubby so we can combine both our brains and sensibilities. His taste is more marketable. I like stuff that's pretty out there, so he provides a necessary balance. Once we've decided on a set of designs, I do the technical drawings and prepare the spec briefs for each design.
Other designers may start with the thumbnail sketching, then do technical drawings to get down the specs, and then once a design is set, work on fashion illustrations to show off their designs. That's a very plausible process. For me, my order has been thumbnail sketching, fashion illustrations (usually private doodles shared between Hubby and me only, or at times posted on this blog, see categories/sketches-sw), and then once my business partner and I agree on a design, I proceed with technical drawings to be submitted off to our factory.
And that, in a nutshell, is how one materializes a pipe dream.
See also:
Nutshell Summary of Submitting Design Briefs, http://blog.tarynzhang.com/2011/11/nutshell-summary-of-submitting-design-briefs/
The Evolution of a Handbag Design (and Its Death), http://blog.tarynzhang.com/2012/03/the-evolution-of-a-handbag-design-and-its-death/


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Payment methods for esports betting
Esports is a relatively new, though fast-growing online sport. This means that in recent years the betting market has grown considerably, in some cases almost too fast. This quick growth has caused concerns for some users, as it means that they are unsure what are good payment methods to use and which sites are even reliable when it comes to placing any bets. This article will outline the various payment methods that are on offer to bettors, and also show how players can make the correct decisions when it comes where and how they play.
One major question that is commonly asked is simply why there are so many different payment options. This is a simple thing to answer and is because different sites and companies will use different payment systems depending on the deal or partnership that they have. In addition, players will note that some companies will use a number of different payment options rather than simplifying and offering just one.
The answer to this is also simple and is just that it allows customers a range of choices, allowing them to choose the option that suits their payment needs the most. Payment options will offer different things from each other and can offer varying degrees of anonymity, different fees, varying deposit and withdrawal amounts and much more. This article will, therefore, outline the various companies that offer payment solutions, allowing the reader to be able to select the option that adapts to their needs the most.
Credit/debit, e-wallets, skinpay, crypto
Before detailing all the companies it is important to understand what it is that the various payment options actually offer. SHOW for example, is one of the largest card payment options and this allows players to make direct transfers from their bank to the supplier. For the most part, this option is accepted throughout the world. In similar fashion, both VISA and MasterCard are also highly recognisable brands that can be used almost anywhere in the world. Almost all sellers, stores and retailers, both on and offline, will accept payment by these methods. The only drawback is that some sites will add a small fee to any transactions that are made, so players should check for this prior to using this option.
An up and coming form of payment is that of eWallets. These are becoming one of the more popular ways to pay and there are now a plethora of options available, each with slightly different features and operating in different parts of the world.
EcoPayz works in most countries and can be used in the player's preferred currency. There is also the option to get a virtual card attached to this system which allows players to make deposits in advance and can be used wherever the MasterCard is accepted.
Another highly popular choice is Neteller. This is one of the more commonly used eWallets and has actually been in operation in the online gaming world for some considerable time. Withdrawals and deposits are both made easy and all transactions occur quickly and securely.
Paysafecard is a type of online voucher that has a 16-number code that is specific to the supplier. This brings huge advantages to those who wish to remain anonymous online as it does not require any personal information or bank details to be input into the system. Similarly, Trustly offers quick transactions directly from an internet bank into the online gaming account. The lesser-known Citadel Direct operates along similar lines to Trustly and allows players to make payments from their bank account directly and instantly into the account of the supplier or casino site.
EntroPay Card works in a similar way to ecoPayz, as it too offers its clients the chance to use a virtual MasterCard. This prepaid option does mean that both virtual VISA and MasterCard can be used online anywhere that these two cards are accepted. Money can be charged directly to the card using a regular debit card and transactions are safe and very fast.
Zimpler is yet another eWallet that has sprung up in recent years and is connected to the mobile phone. This method is an invoice service which can be paid through the phone number to whoever needs to be paid. In order to use it, players need to get a four-digit pun number that will be received by them through an SMS. Zimpler will then pay the company and allows the customer two weeks to pay them back.
Inpay works along similar lines to many of the other eWallets, allowing direct transfer of funds from bank account to player account. Similarly, so does sofort, Yandex Money (the latter primarily aimed at the Russian market) and Moneta.
The last two eWallets available are two of the bigger names in the industry – Skrill and PayPal. Both offer expedient and secure methods of sending money between online accounts and offer trustworthy services.
The final payment method is Bitcoin. This is a cryptocurrency recently becoming more popular online. At this time there are still only a select few sites that will accept payment in this form but it is gradually spreading. It does, however, offer fast and safe payments with high anonymity.
With all of these payment methods outlined, it should be easy for players to find the perfect option for their needs, allowing them a smooth and safe gaming experience.
Recommended betting sites
Betway Payment has ten different options that cater towards the Swedish market, particularly aimed at depositing funds. Options include paying by invoice, thus offering an increased flexibility in how and when payments are made, and it covers all different transaction types.
Specifically aimed at gamers, Skin Pay is a recent addition to payment methods for esports. Skins are collectables that players earn when playing the games. Each have a different value and some sites, such as Arcanebet, will now accept bets paid in skins rather than in real cash. The skins that are bet on a specific outcome will be converted into real money depending on their online value.


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4 equal installments, every 2 weeks, at checkout
Select Installments by Afterpay as your payment method
Use your existing payment card
Complete your checkout
No long forms, approval decision online
Pay over 4 equal payments
Pay every 2 weeks, enjoy your purchase right away
*You must be over 18, a resident of the U.S. and meet additional eligibility criteria to qualify. Late fees apply. Estimated payment amounts shown on product pages exclude taxes and shipping charges, which are added at checkout. Click here for Afterpay's complete terms.
Ah, preschool. The time to just be a kid, play all day, every day - Ok, and maybe learn a thing or two. But she can't focus on play when she doesn't have the right shoes! Start her off on the right foot with sneakers for girls from Finish Line. With a wide assortment of the girls preschool sneakers she loves, you'll be able to snag a pair or two to fit her needs and style.


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Found all over Instagram, Facebook, and the blogosphere, murals are the "it" photo backdrops right now. Not only are they fresh, colorful and fun, but they are also a great way to add that extra something in your photographs. It's like taking a picture in front of a massive piece of art.
With so many great murals popping up, I wanted to put together a simple guide for anyone in or around Houston looking for that perfect photo opportunity spot. I wanted to do a mini photo session myself in front of these murals but it was crazy hot and humid this past
summer weekend and the vibe I was giving off was not cute.
I know I'm missing some great murals like the Houston Is Inspired mural located downtown (907 Preston Street, Houston, Texas 77002), but hopefully this list can get you started.
1 | Preservons La Creation
This mural by Sebastien Boileau is currently the largest in Houston. It's a full city block wide and is 60 feet tall and pretty hard to miss if you're driving around Midtown. Boileau was born in Versailles, France and after traveling the world, he landed in Houston in 2000 and started his mural company, Eyeful Art Murals and Designs. Preservons La Creation pictures Michelangelo's God holding... you guessed it, a can of spray paint.
Address: 2800 San Jacinto Street, Houston, Texas 77004
2 | Street Art by Daniel Anguilu
Right across the street from Preservons La Creation, you can find some street art by one of Houston's most famous muralist, Daniel Anguilu. Not only is his work amazing but it's also easy to recognize with his use of lines and different colors. I first heard of Anguilu's work when he painted the mural on the Lawndale Art Center (see below) and right about that time, then-Houston Texan Connor Barwin had Anguilu paint an awesome mural in his apartment.
Address: 2800 San Jacinto Street, Houston, Texas 77004
3 | Biscuit Paint Wall
One of Houston's most colorful murals is the Biscuit Paint Wall located at Biscuit Home in Montrose. This mural is the second Sebastein Boileau creation on the list. With its fun colors, this mural is popular for engagement pictures, maternity shoots, selfies, pretty much everything! Since this mural sits right next to a parking lot, go during off-peak hours to avoid cars in your photographs.
Address: 1435 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas 77006
4 | Lawndale Art Center
Each year or so, the Lawndale Art Center highlights one artist for its Lawndale Mural Project. Like I mentioned earlier, Daniel Anguilu had an awesome mural on display back in 2012. If you drive by now, you will see Jonathan Leach's mural, Ghost Grid. Ghost Grid features bright, vibrant colors with reflective paint accents which would be really cool to see at night. The fun thing about this space is that it's always changing. Check back after the new year to see a different mural.
Address: 4912 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002
5 | Gorilla Art
This past May, the Houston Zoo opened its much anticipated gorilla habitat but before the grand opening, you could drive around Houston and see different gorilla murals all over town. The Houston Zoo teamed up with five talented artists, each designed and painted a mural featuring gorillas. While each mural is great in its own way, do I dare say my favorite is the mural by Sebastien Boileau? This marks Sebastien's third appearance on the list.
Address: 2119 Washington Avenue, Houston, Texas 77007
6 | Greetings From Houston
Like a fun oversized postcard, this Daniel Anguilu mural is a wonderful collage of all things "Houston". You have everything from an oil derrick to a space shuttle represented in the mural. There's even a mixtape painted... I'm guessing some Beyonce and Paul Wall? And can you spot Daniel Anguilu's signature mosaic design scattered throughout the mural? Since this mural is located right outside a gelato shop, you can grab a yummy scoop after your photo session.
Address: 3601 White Oak Drive, Houston, Texas 77007
7 | You Are My Sunshine
I don't really know much about this mural except a. it's located on the outside wall of a kids clothing store in the Heights, and b. it's super cute. Who doesn't love "You Are My Sunshine"? And I bet you sang "... my only sunshine" right afterwards too, didn't you? This sweet, simple mural would be perfect for an engagement shoot.
What are some of your favorite murals in your current city?
Don't forget to follow along on social media!
Bloglovin' | Instagram | Twitter
I am linking up these link-ups and blog hops!
I am linking up these link-ups and blog hops!


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Gainesville, FL – For the third season in a row and the eighth in the 12 years under the direction of Coach Johnny Wiggs, the NJCAA #1 Santa Fe Saints are Mid-Florida Conference champions. SF got it done on Wednesday afternoon against the College of Central Florida, taking down the Patriots 15-7 in seven innings. Combined with a St. John's River State College loss, SF clinched the title with three games still to play. The win also gives the Saints a season sweep (4-0) over CF.
"I'm proud of the way the guys battled today," said SF Coach Johnny Wiggs. "Our bats have really carried us through this second half of the season and they got it done again today. Devin gave us six good innings and continues to pitch well every time he's called upon."
Santa Fe (37-7, 18-3 MFC) used a six run fifth inning to pull away and turn a 3-3 game into a 9-3 SF advantage. Brock Edge tripled in the first run and Haydn Cano knocked him in with a sacrifice fly. The final four runs of the inning all came with two outs. Jarrett Pico, Mikey Navarrete, Garrett Mathes, and Andrew Eyster had back to back hits to keep the rally going.
An inning later in the sixth, after a home run by the Patriots, Brock Edge and Jarrod Cande hit solo homeruns to make it an 11-4 game.
CF tightened the game in the seventh when Tanner May blasted a three run homerun, their third of the game.
The Saints would not be denied, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh, including a bases loaded walk off walk to Jarrett Pico after a long at bat to end the game.
Santa Fe had 18 hits in the game as a team. Edge finished a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Mathes was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI, Cande finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, and Cade Westbrook had a 3-for-4 day with three runs scored and a RBI.
Devin Hemenway started on the hill and pitched six strong innings to earn the win, improving his record to 6-2.
The MFC Champion Saints will hit the road Friday, April 20 for a game against Seminole State College in Sanford at 3:00 p.m.
For complete schedules, stats, and more information please visit www.santafesaints.com.


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The deluxe limited numbered edition DVD/CD is available here to purchase for $14.99 at shows and by contacting us. Please support independent music!
To purchase The ehMTee Show Original Webcast Soundtrack, please visit iTunes.
Listen to the album on Spotify, GooglePlay, and Apple Music!
From the show: Point Edward Fair
The ehMTee Show is a homegrown, cross-platform, webcast variety program of original songs, standards, and offbeat moments. Guests include the composer Marker Starling (formerly known as Mantler), as well as Gemini award-winning comic writer Paul Bellini (This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Kids In The Hall) and Canadian comedy legend, Scott Thompson (Kids In The Hall, The Larry Sanders Show, Hannibal), performing together for the first time in 12 years.
The idea for The ehMTee Show stemmed from my desire to share and showcase with people music he has been writing for over a decade. The decision was made to use interactive technology to webcast a show from my apartment. On the night of March 20, 2011, streamed live and compressed on Ustream, I shared with his social network my own compositions, as well as interpretations of songs by other composers that I believe are standards, or should be considered standards.
An HD camera was placed next to my webcam, and a mixing board at the table beside my piano keyboard. Friends who came also recorded moments with their own mobile phones and cameras. The concept of The ehMTee Show is based on what was captured on that "almost" magical night.
We see this first episode as a new form of cross-platform entertainment. It is part event webcast, part music diary, a celebration of music, a variety show, and a live concert documentary of what happened one night when some friends got together and shared what it is they love to do best.
From the show: Sentimental Veil (feat. Marker Starling AKA Mantler)
From the show: Time Zones
From the show: Don't Let It Go
From the show: I Don't Wanna Go Outside Tonight
From the show: It Better Not Rain
From the show: Something True
From the show: For The Good Times
Below is the Indiegogo fundraising trailer we created. We raised $2000 which went toward completion of the project!
Buy the album on iTunes or Amazon.com!
The ehMTee Show Original Webcast Soundtrack is an MTCD Records release.


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I'm a Silicon Valley-based HR leader and author.
I wrote the bestselling career strategy book Not Your Parents' Workplace: Critical Lessons for Interns and Young Professionals.
I'm an HR Director at DoorDash, a Series E startup focused on local delivery. We recently raised multiple rounds of funding from top-tier VCs and are looking to hire talented folks.
Before joining DoorDash I worked in several HR roles at LinkedIn. Prior to that, I worked in finance as an advisor to executives, entrepreneurs, and technology companies.
I've written for a range of publications, including Forbes, Inc., Mashable, Fast Company, and the Los Angeles Times. I currently write a monthly column called The Pursuit for The Muse.
I also publish a monthly newsletter called Progression that shares books and articles to help you take your career to the next level.


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Student Consultations
POPARD Consultants visit all of the school districts in British Columbia throughout the school year. While we are in your district we may see individual students, consult with the District Autism Team regarding several students, and/or provide workshops and in-service programs. In order for individual students to be seen by POPARD consultants, a referral process must be followed by the school-based team and the District Partner for your school district.
Applications for student consultations will include:
- Generic application form signed by parent, principal, district administrator and/or district partner
- Distribution of Reports form signed by the parent in order for information to be released
- Release of Information form for permission for receipt and release of information
- Needs analysis completed by the school team
- Diagnostic information, preferably multi-disciplinary, i.e. psychological, speech and language, OT/PT
- Medical report providing the specific diagnosis that would place that student in the low incidence categories
- Individual Education Plans
- Any other reports considered pertinent by the District Partner
Visit Format
POPARD staff will spend one-half to one full day in the classroom. If possible, a brief meeting prior to the observation between the teacher and the POPARD consultant will provide the consultant with information on the teachers' concerns and what the POPARD staff should look for throughout the observation.
POPARD staff will:
- Collect data on the student
- Observe and record his/her interactions with peers and school staff
- Map out the physical environment of the classroom, including the location of the student's desk and work area
- Review any other pertinent information provided by the school staff
During the course of the initial observation, and prior to the team meeting, the POPARD staff member will require approximately thirty (30) minutes to complete the site visit summary report. This document will form the basis for the discussion that will take place during the subsequent team meeting.
Team meetings usually take place at a time convenient to the school staff. The district partner and school staff determine the composition of the team. Typically team members include: school staff including the principal of the school, the District Partner, parents and the social worker or other community participants, e.g. behaviour support therapist from a community agency.
At the initial meeting, the team reviews the needs analysis survey, the services that the POPARD has to offer; the site visit summary report and any other issues brought forth by team members during the meeting. Persons designated by the parent to receive the site visit summary report are required to initial the report indicating that they have received it.