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The US and North Korea are swapping threats about nuclear weapons and everyone is worried we're soon going to be in the midst of a nuclear war.
Here's what's gone down in the past 24 hours.
America vs North Korea stage one: the North can build nuclear warheads
A report was published by the US government's Defence Intelligence Agency this week that says that the communist state finally has the technological capability to build nuclear warheads that can be mounted on missiles.
Whilst we know that North Korea has been expanding its nuclear weapons program in recent years, the point is now that these warheads are small and light enough to be carried on missiles – a major hurdle in terms of weapons development.
The list of hurdles keeping the country from directly threatening the continental US (or virtually any part of the world) with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has dwindled significantly.
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In addition, the country successfully pulled off an ICBM launch in July earlier this year.
A Hwasong-14 missile travelled 580 miles and reached an altitude of 1,741 miles in 37-minutes. This puts Alaska, Japan, and even Moscow within North Korea's firing line.
Stage two: Pyongyang is hit with new United Nations sanctions
The UN has imposed new sanctions on North Korea because of its growing weapons program and missile tests.
The new measures will cut around $1bn worth of North Korean exports, about a third of the country's export revenue each year.
The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said:
This resolution is the single largest economic sanctions package ever levelled against the North Korean regime.
Pyongyang responded with a statement via its state news agency, KCNA, saying the sanctions were a "violent violation of our sovereignty" and part of a "heinous plot to isolate and stifle the country".
As well, it threatened to take action and said the sanctions were a crime for which the US would pay "thousands of times".
Stage three: US president Donald Trump hits back
Trump is obviously concerned about what would happen now North Korea appears to be a serious nuclear threat.
"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States, They will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen," said Trump on 8 August.
Daryl Kimball, the head of the Washington-based Arms Control Association told The Guardian, it was counter-productive for Trump to threaten North Korea.
What we need is a dialogue to reduce tension and avoid catastrophic miscalculation. We are currently on the road to a conflict and we have to get to the off-ramp.
Stage four: North Korea threatens US territory Guam…
After president Trump's fire and fury comments, Kim Jong Un is now supposedly planning a missile strike on a US Pacific territory, Guam, in Micronesia.
The territory is home to a US military base and has a population of 162,896. It is around 2,100 miles away from the communist state.
North Korea, via KCNA, said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike Guam and threatened to create an "enveloping fire" around the territory unless the US stops threatening it.
Stage five: … Before threatening to bomb the US mainland
Not content with just threatening US territory, Pyongyang turned its attention to the US mainland, earlier today.
Another statement from KCNA, this time says that North Korea would "turn the US mainland into the theatre of a nuclear war", if it were to uncover any sign of an impending US attack.
What do other states think?
South Korea's president, Moon Jae-in, whose parents were refugees from North Korea, has said in the past that he wants to open up a dialogue with the separated state.
After the latest mishaps, however, he has said South Korea needs to urgently improve its military so it can defend itself against a North Korean attack.
The Yonhap news agency reported that Moon told military officials:
I believe we might need a complete defence reform at the level of a rebirth, instead of making some improvements or modifications. Another urgent task now facing us is securing defence capabilities to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations.
Cambodia's foreign minister, Prak Sokhonn, has said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), are not happy with the missile tests.
During a meeting with the North's foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, Sokhonn asked the North to soften its position.
He told reporters:
We sent a message to them that all Asean countries are not happy with the actions of North Korea that still continue to violate the UN resolution. It's an insult to the international community, as a whole and it's a threat to peace and stability of the region.
How has the market reacted?
Bloomberg reports that the markets are more fearful of Donald Trump than Kim Jon Un. South Korea's won fell 0.9 percent earlier today, as a reaction to the provocations.
However, it says that investors aren't too concerned over North Korea because they are used to dealing with threats from the ostracised state.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, can still cause wobbles in the market.
Is this back to the Cold War then?
During the Cold War, there were concerns that the US and Russia would engage in a nuclear war at any time.
According to a biography published about then-US president Richard Nixon, he had once boasted that he could "press a button and in 20 minutes, 50m Russians would be dead."
But back then, we had "mutually assured destruction", the idea that the world would be destroyed if one state attempted to use nuclear weapons, which prevents them from being used.
Emil Dall, research fellow in proliferation and nuclear policy at the think tank Royal United Services Institute, told Verdict, that we can't rely on this anymore.
We're not in the Cold War anymore and we should move forward from that Cold War paradigm. Back then, we didn't have a country like North Korea. So we're seeing a different kind of dynamic, and we're not just talking about communism vs the West when we're talking about nuclear weapon risk anymore.


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Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is a tree familiar to nearly everyone, in spring it offers us its splendid showy blossoms as a spectacle of natures beauty. Orginally from South East Europe, the chestnut is now widespread throughout Europe, yet depsite its abundant presence, it is barely used. The characteristics of chestnut wood is similar to that of poplar or willow, it is light and quite soft, its colors range from cream-white, pale yellow to reddish and brownish hues. The grain is usually calm and straight, but sometimes it shows very attractive curly and flamed figure. Fungus may infect the tree and mostly produces highly decorative colour reactions from silvery blue-gray, warm reddish gray, to dark brown. A very special and cherished rarity is the burl of the chestnut, which has very fine eye figure, and even greater depths of color, making it one of the finest burl woods in our assortment. Small holes, hairline cracks, gum pockets and bark inclusions as common with all burls may be filled easily and quick with thin super glue and saw dust


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Il Trovatore (2 CD)
Price: $19.00 / $16.15 Members: $14.54
Item: 190295737504
Il Trovatore (2 CD)
ARTIST: Antonio Pappano
Label: PRX/Warner Classics/Parlophone
Release Date: 05/04/18
"More and more I'm finding the real Italian in me," said British-born, American-trained Antonio Pappano shortly after making this recording of Il trovatore. With its complex plot, volcanic emotions and outpourings of melody, Verdi's fiery drama is often judged the quintessential Italian opera.
Pappano conducts a cast that can rise to its thrilling challenges, with Roberto Alagna in the title role of Manrico, the troubadour, Thomas Hampson as his antagonist, Angela Gheorghiu as the object of both their affections and Larissa Diadkova as the opera's pivotal figure, Azucena, a woman haunted by the past
Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore
One of the most enduringly popular operas in the repertoire, Il Trovatore was first seen at Rome's Teatro Apollo in 1853. Together with Rigoletto and La Traviata, it forms the "trilogy" of works that premiered in rapid succession over a period of just two years and firmly established Verdi as the leading opera composer of his time. The challenges of Il Trovatore's leading roles famously led Enrico Caruso to remark that all you needed to stage it were the "four best singers in the world."
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Whew! Another big Labor Day weekend in the books. You've crossed t's with your customers, dotted i's with your sales team and may have even had a few brief moments for recovery in between, but the opportunity to use this big holiday weekend improve your dealership is just beginning.
The Labor Day weekend rush can provide more for your dealership than a spike in sales. Taking a few extra follow-up steps can lead to big returns for your business.
Debrief with your team.
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The benefits of taking the time to debrief with your staff is two-fold. First, hearing feedback from a variety of perspectives often uncovers issues challenging your whole staff – not just one person. Second, this invitation for feedback makes your employees more engaged with your business, and highly engaged employees are 87 percent less likely to leave their company.
Dig into the data.
One of the most important yet often forgotten steps of running a marketing campaign is evaluation. Dig through your Labor Day campaign data to see what customers responded to, and think about how you can use the results of this campaign to inform your next one. To get even more from your customer data, think about implementing a data mining tool like TargetPro.
Touch base with the service department.
It's no secret that fixed ops revenue to critical to dealerships. On average, fixed ops gross profits contribute 48.5 percent of a dealership's gross profit. So don't leave your service departments out of the loop on big sales weekends! Check in with them to see how sales translated to service appointments.
If service results aren't quite what you hoped for, consider implementing a tool that makes it easier for your salespeople to connect with service. For example, Connect CRM integrates with service scheduler Xtime, so service appointments can be made straight from the CRM with just a few simple clicks.
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How to Make the Most of Your Labor Day Weekend Labors
Whew! Another big Labor Day weekend in the books. You've crossed t's with your customers, dotted i's with your sales team and may have even had a few brief moments for recovery in between, but the opportunity to use this big holiday weekend improve your dealership is just beginning.


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Jul 14, 2017 Newsdesk Latest News, Top of the deck, World
Malaysian conglomerate Genting Bhd broke ground on Thursday for a 400-room hotel at its Resorts World Casino New York City property (pictured) in the United States, according to a statement that day. The property does not currently offer hotel accommodation, according to its website.
The addition to the venue will also provide more casino space, new shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities.
The press release said the project was estimated to generate "US$200 million in economic activity" for New York, add approximately 1,000 "good-paying careers for New Yorkers", and provide approximately 3,000 construction jobs and "thousands of indirect jobs". It would also provide "additional revenue for New York State's Lottery Education Fund," which the release said had already received more than US$1.9 billion from Resorts World New York since the facility opened in 2011.
The existing venue in the borough of Queens, is operated by a local unit of Genting Malaysia Bhd. It only offers slot machines and electronic table games – live dealer tables are not allowed.
Edward Farrell, president of Genting Americas Inc, was quoted on Thursday as saying in an interview with Bloomberg News that the group was still seeking to "diversify" its portfolio of properties in the U.S., and to have "the right assets in the right cities".
In May this year, Genting Americas announced that its Resorts World Las Vegas scheme – for which there was a ground breaking ceremony in May 2015 – would start full construction in the third quarter this year, with them aim of opening the venue in 2020. The developer had previously mentioned a 2018 opening.
Genting Malaysia hopes to manage a casino in neighbouring Massachusetts on behalf of a Native American tribe. But the plan for the US$1-billion facility near Taunton, south of Boston, is currently delayed by a lawsuit between the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and local residents.
Plans for a Genting casino in Miami, Florida, are currently subject to debate by local lawmakers.
In its filings to Bursa Malaysia, Genting Malaysia doesn't give itemised revenue specifically for its existing New York facility, instead combining United States and Bahamas operations under a single heading. Nor does it itemise gaming revenue.
According to the firm's 2016 annual report published on April 4, in the 12 months to December 31, the U.S. and Bahamas produced total "leisure and hospitality" revenue of just under MYR1.37 billion (US$319.1 million).
In 2016, Genting Malaysia booked "non-current assets" for the U.S. and Bahamas amounting to MYR6.47 billion.
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Building Unbreakable Bonds: 13 Motivational Teamwork Speakers
A strong team is what holds an organisation together, weathering the hard times and leading to the successful ones. It's what gets an intrepid expedition group up Everest during a blizzard; an exhausted rowing crew to the finishing line during a race; and an orchestra producing harmonious melodies.
To achieve this coveted level of high-performance and get your business working like clock-work, it is essential to engender a culture of teamwork and communication in the workplace. Showing us how are teamwork speakers , whose lessons and anecdotes derive from many arenas, including business , sport , adventure , military and more . Here are a few of our team's faves!
Mark Gallagher
– Formula 1 Management
Mark Gallagher sits in the front seat of the Formula One industry where lessons in teamwork and high-performance abound. The well-known motor sporting expert and broadcaster has held management roles within major F1 constructors Cosworth, Jordan Grand Prix and Red Bull Racing, and is able to draw key lessons from the adrenaline-filled racetrack to the everyday workplace.
Drum Cafe
– Musical Workshop
For something a little bit different, Drum Cafe delivers an unforgettable interactive event that is both uplifting and inspiring for team. A perfect way to break down boundaries and bring people together, this brilliant troop know how to energise and entertain an audience, from a corporate workshop to children's party.
Andrew Strauss
– Cricket
The Director of Cricket for England, and the former England Test Cricket Captain, Andrew Strauss (OBE) combines his inspirational success story with motivational messages about leadership and teamwork. Considered one of the finest batsmen in the game, this born leader developed a plan for the national side to achieve world No.1 Test ranking - so you can be sure he knows a thing or two about managing a great team.
Cath Bishop
- Olympic Rowing
Silver-medallist Cath Bishop tells her story of Olympic rowing triumph from a unique vantage point to show how a strong team makes for exceptional results. As well an athlete, Cath has spent time in the world's most hostile conflict zones as a diplomat. She smoothly relates her diverse experiences to practical strategies that enable companies, and the individuals within them, to unlock their full potential.
Alan Chambers
– Royal Marines
Former Royal Marine Alan Chambers spent 16 years facing challenges in the world's most hostile environments; he was awarded the MBE for Determined Leadership in Constant Adversity at the age of 32. An excellent teamwork speaker, he deftly communicates the skills that he acquired from his experiences to audiences to help them understand how to get a team working together through the toughest of business challenges.
Kate Richardson-Walsh
– Olympic Hockey
The most-capped British hockey player in history, Kate Richardson-Walsh, OBE, was the England and Great Britain Captain who led the women's team to Gold at Rio 2016. An accomplished speaker, she can offer a motivational keynote or a team-building workshop. Alongside her teammate and wife Helen, she continues to create a legacy in sport and to work to ensure diversity is accepted, both on and off the pitch.
Ed Coats
– South Pole Expedition
A doctor and Specialist Registrar in Obstetrics & Gynaecology in South West England, Ed Coats was chosen to join James Cracknell and Ben Fogle on their race to the South Pole, the first attempt of its kind since Captain Scott was beaten by Amundsen in 1912. His keynotes and motivational speeches focus on leadership and team performance under extreme pressure.
Sean Fitzpatrick
– Men's Rugby
International Rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick draws upon his experiences as a winning team captain to offer his expertise as a leader to businesses and management. With a series of impressive world records under his belt, the most-capped All Black player of all time and founder of Front Row Hospitality entertains and motivates with tales about his time on the pitch and within the media.
Maggie Alphonsi
– Women's Rugby
The face of international women's rugby, Maggie Alphonsi (MBE) has represented England no less than 74 times, helped her country win a record-breaking seven consecutive Six Nations crowns, and was key to the team's first World Cup victory in 20 years in 2014. As a motivational teamwork speaker, Maggie draws on her prolific sporting career to shares tactics for tackling challenges head-on, performing under pressure and challenging perceptions.
Natalia Cohen
- Rowing the Pacific
Natalia Cohen was part of the first all-female team to row unsupported across the Pacific Ocean. With no rowing experience prior to applying, Natalia shows how with a determined, aligned team, and with a positive mindset, you can cross your own personal Pacific.
Charles Hazlewood
- Conductor
Internationally-renowned conductor, motivational speaker and after dinner host, Charles Hazlewood has won hearts and minds around the world with his ground-breaking musical projects. Moving audiences to laughter and occasionally tears, his presentations on teamwork, leadership, authenticity, trust, creativity and change have inspired the likes of Google, the US Federal Reserve, Mulberry and TED.
Marc Priestley – F1 Mechanic
Marc Priestley's thrilling insights into the F1 business model are unique, eye-opening, and pertinent for multiple industries. As a keynote , after dinner and motivational speaker, Marc draws on his experience at McLaren Racing to share what the motor racing sport can teach us about key areas of business, including marginal gains, image management, rapid productivity, and data analysis.
For further information or to book one of our speakers, call us on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email email@example.com .
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This is the Biggest Political Decision Of 2013 That Nobody is Talking About
In the coming days, President Obama will select a new Federal Reserve Board Chairman to succeed Ben Bernanke, a major political decision that has mostly flown under the radar in the media and on social networks.
In normal times, this appointment by the president would be an important moment, but considering the Fed's current impact on the economy, the selection of the right person is even more critical. Will the new Fed Chairman continue the Bernanke strategy to revitalize the economy, or will he or she change course? All this will be fleshed out during the Senate approval process. Anyone who intends to follow the proceedings should be familiar with the recent actions by the Fed, especially those taken since the Great Recession economic slump which stated in December 2007.
Ever since President Obama said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has been at his post "longer than he wanted," econ wonks have fiercely debated who should take his place; Bernanke's term expires on Jan. 31 of next year. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Janet Yellen, the vice chairwoman of the Fed's board of governors, lead the field of contenders, but Summers has proved to be a controversial option. The Roosevelt Institute describes what's at stake in picking the next Fed chair: Whoever takes over for Bernanke will be in charge of rebuilding the economy after the Great Recession.
Many of the things instituted by the Bernanke Board — Quantitative Easing, low interest rates, sluggish employment numbers, and even the strategy of bank bailouts — will need to be reconsidered as the economy improves. Understanding this history up to this point will be critical.
In June 2007, the Fed had total assets of $900 billion. Over the next five years, this amount nearly quadrupled to $3.3 trillion.
In 2007, Treasury securities were 88% of the total assets. Shortly after, over the next 10 months, the Fed purchased $1.1 trillion of other securities in an effort to increase the money supply and spur the economy; the latter would hopefully increase jobs creation (it did not materially).
Correspondingly, currency in circulation of $810 billion, which was 90% of liabilities plus capital ballooned to $1.2 trillion, as people generally would rather have cash during difficult times.
Equally important, bank reserves increased dramatically from $45 billion to $1.9 trillion as many banks became defensive and liquefied their balance sheets keeping cash at the Fed. These funds rose as banks sharply reduced the amount of loans they were extending to companies and individuals. Ironically, this action ran counter to what the Fed was trying to accomplish, which was to increase the amount of cash in the hands of consumers.
The Fed was created in 1913 during the Wilson presidency. Its central mission is to deter depositor runs that would threaten the banking system. When depositors lost confidence in a bank, they would demand their money in cash. To meet this demand, banks would have to sell assets quickly, sometimes at large losses, to satisfy depositors. Many banks defaulted and were forced out of business as the losses were too great to overcome.
The Fed made depositors more secure, as it stood ready to lend cash to solvent but illiquid banks. The system worked well until the stock market crash in 1929-1930. The Fed continued to defend solvent banks but was remiss in not providing more liquidity through its "open market" operations. It did not expand the money supply while under the false impression that real rates were already low enough. If the Fed had been more aggressive and purchased bonds from banks, the money supply would have increased further and could have offset deflation, the principal reason for the Great Depression.
Similarly, our current short-term nominal rates seem low and are near zero. This does not excuse the Fed from taking further other actions to increase trade and drive up employment. The Fed wisely has continued to purchase bonds to ensure that the money supply grows sufficiently to contain deflationary pressures.
When the recent recession geared up, the Fed was intent on stemming the tide of economic paralysis and deflation. In August 2007, the Fed cut the federal funds rate (the rate at which banks borrow from each other). At the same time, the Fed provided several credit facilities to assist bond market players, and issuers of commercial paper that were hampered by the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. These accommodations were very beneficial and ultimately did not cost taxpayers anything.
By the end of 2008, the Fed drove down the federal funds rate to near zero, and it no longer had any ability to stimulate the economy with further reductions. At this point, Quantitative Easing (QE) began. Simply, the Fed purchased various types of securities from banks to increase the money supply. The objective was to increase the amount of liquidity in the system, which would ultimately serve to increase employment. Unfortunately, banks continued to hoard reserves and offset the impact of quantitative easing. The Fed was intent on maintaining this program until the liquidity flowed into the economic system, and by December 2012 it held $2.7 trillion of securities acquired through QE1 and QE2.
The Fed thought it necessary to provide more information about its objectives. In January 2012, it announced a 2% inflation target and an unemployment target of 5.2-6.0% (this was amended to 6.5% later). This meant that so long as inflation was low (it is still substantially below the target at this time), and unemployment was above the target (it is), the Fed would continue to buy bonds from banks and further increase the money supply.
An issue mentioned earlier continues to impact the Fed's actions: banks have not increased their loan portfolios significantly to this point resulting in a markedly lower velocity of money.
This phenomenon occurred because of continued bank reservations about the economy and credit losses along with a program instituted by the Fed to pay interest on the reserves kept at the bank.
Moving forward, the Fed and the new Chairman will have a very important role. Many of the things instituted by the Bernanke Board will need to be reconsidered as the economy improves. They include, but are not limited to selling several trillion dollars of bonds without driving up interest rates too high, monitoring inflation and hitting the 2% target, increasing employment, etc. The job of the new Chairman is daunting to say the least.
Note: My guide to the time line to be presented herein will be an article titled "The Fed's Rough Road Ahead" by James R. Barth and Apanard (Penny) Prabha, published by the Milken Institute.


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The study of music and performing arts offers a vehicle for self-expression, heightened responsiveness to beauty, and great personal achievement. It is our goal to provide the understanding and skills needed for each student to enjoy and appreciate their chosen art for a lifetime.
We offer Music Lessons, Piano Lessons, Flute Lessons, Violin Lessons, Voice Lessons, Guitar Lessons, Songwriting Instruction, Performance Coaching, Baby and Toddler Music Classes, Preschool Music Classes, Artist Marketing, and Music Therapy. In addition to these classes, DAMPA also offers an exciting array of Musical Theater, Acting, Tap, and Dancing programs. Lessons are available at our studio in Snider Plaza, via Zoom, or in the convenience of your own home!
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Are you up for the challenge and fun?


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Flirtations with Warsaw, credits from Moscow, and demographic worries – State press digest
In recent weeks, Minsk has flirted with Warsaw and praised Ukraine for moving "in the right direction". Meanwhile, foreign minister Uladzimir Makei rebuked former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, while hoping to sign a visa agreement with the European Union. Alexander Lukashenka met Vladimir Putin once again, yet achieved no progress concerning Belarus's dissatisfaction with Russia's latest tax manoeuvre.
Belarus requests $600m credit from Russia. Nuclear fuel should arrive at the Astraviets nuclear power station by summer 2019. The scandalous battery plant "IPower" near Brest is ready for exploitation.
Lukashenka bemoans the country's demographic crisis and a lack of army conscripts. Minsk National Airport introduces Belarus-made barista-robots. All of this and more in the latest edition of State Press Digest.
Lidziya Jarmoshyna names the election date, reports Belarus Segodnya. Jarmoshyna, the chairperson of the Central Election Commission, expects that the next Belarusian presidential elections will take place no later than 1 December 2020. However, according to Jarmoshyna, president Lukashenka should announce the precise date himself, quite possibly during his annual constitutional address.
Minsk flirts with Warsaw, according to Belarus Segodnya. On 11-14 February 2019, Michail Miasnikovich, the chairman of the Council of the Republic, visited Poland. Miasnikovich met with Polish president Andrzei Duda, prime minister Mateusz Moraviecki, the chairpersons of Polish Seim and Senat, as well as with a range of other ministers. Both Belarus and Poland have high expectations from this visit and expect to boost inter-state relations afterwards.
Makei declines to comment on Rasmussen's statement on Russia, reports BELTA. Foreign minister Uladzimir Makei rebuked Rasmussen's statement on Russia's intention to annex Belarus in the near future. In particular, he remarked: "How is it possible to comment on some nonsense spoken by ex-officials who lost touch with reality? No comments will follow from our side."
In addition, Makei failed to provide a substantive comment on the rising cost of Schengen visas for Belarusian citizens from 60 to 80 euros, reports Belarus Segodnya. According to Makei, "When we observe that a certain problem becomes an insurmountable obstacle, the Belarusian side always expresses its willingness to compromise."
On the contrary, should Belarus eventually sign the visa agreement with the European Union, the cost of Schengen visas for Belarusian citizens will drop to 35 euros.
Meanwhile, one of Belarus's deputy ministers for foreign affairs praises Ukraine, reports Belnovosti. On 25 February, deputy minister for foreign affairs Andrei Eudachenka visited Ukraine's Lviv region and expressed interest in increased trade cooperation. According to Eudachenka, Ukraine remains "a brotherly nation and a trusted neighbour," which moves into the "right direction".
Lukashenka meets Putin again, yet the meeting brought no clarity about Russia's tax manoeuvre, states BELTA. On 13 February 2019, Lukashenka attended an informal meeting of the presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey on the Syrian crisis in Sochi. According to Lukashenka, despite the existence of "serious problems" in Belarus-Russia relations, especially in the field of taxation, the presidents failed to mention those problems during the meeting. As Lukashenka noted, "We will undoubtedly touch upon the tax manoeuvre, yet, aside from the tax manoeuvre, we have a lot of problems to resolve – that's what we are about now."
Belarus asks Russia for $600m credit, according to Soyuznoe Veche. According to Maksim Yermalovich, the head of Belarus's finance ministry, Belarus has asked for the credit to refinance its debt obligations to Russia.
Nuclear fuel will arrive at the Astraviets nuclear power station by summer 2019, reports Belarus Segodnya. As noted by Mikhail Mikhadziuk, the executive from the Ministry of Energy, the infrastructure is ready for the transportation of nuclear fuel. According to Mikhadziuk, the first power unit is 87–88 per cent complete, while the second one – 65–67 per cent.
Lukashenka approves the state investment program for 2019, reports BELTA. Infrastructure appears the key focus and the state plans to reconstruct 26 major sites across Belarus. The list includes: Minsk's building for surgery, Hrodna University's dormitories, a bridge across the Pina river, and apartment buildings for families bringing up orphans.
The scandal-hit battery plant "IPower" near Brest has been completed, reports Belarus Segodnya. The total investments into the plant's building reached $26m, with 138 workplaces created. While the plant's management expects to launch battery production in March, a significant number of the locals have expressed concerns about the plant's ecological safety.
Prime Minister Siarhei Rumas sceptical about market mechanisms, says Finansovyi Director. Prime minister Rumas expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of market mechanisms for financial stabilisation. According to Rumas, market mechanisms remain unsuitable for the revival of numerous state enterprises, which still rely on state support.
Lukashenka worries about future demographic problems claims Belarus Segodnya. The President of Belarus expressed serious concerns about the worsening demographic situation in Belarus and its impact on the national economy. Lukashenka promised to take "extraordinary measures" to combat the national demographic crisis and promised to provide additional state support to families with children.
In regards to demography, Lukashenka also touched upon the decrease in army conscripts. The President of Belarus complained about the legal loops allowing young men to skip the army service, reports BELTA. According to Lukashenka, the growing number of young men without basic military training creates a dangerous situation for national security.
Lukashenka reprimands the Minister of Education, reports President's Press Service. On 25 February, the President of Belarus reprimanded Ihar Karpienka, Belarus's Minister of Education, for failing to provide the necessary security measures in Belarusian schools. Lukashenka reprimanded Karpienka amid the teacher's murder committed by a pupil from Slonim.
A secret bunker opens to visitors near Shchychyn, reports Gazeta Slonimskaya. The secret bunker should remind tourists about military resistance during the Cold War. During the Soviet era, the Shchychyn bunker served as a command base for coordinating the air force's flights. When the Soviet Union dissolved, the Belarusian military failed to use the bunker properly; hence, it later passed to the local authorities for preservation.
Minsk's National airport introduces Belarus-made barista-robots, reports BELTA. Both Minsk and Kyiv envisage coffee houses equipped with collaborative robots made in Belarus. According to the director of the production company "Rozum Robotics", the company decided to launch a brand new unusual product and thus conquer CIS markets. In the first instance, Kyiv will be the target market for these innovative robots.
Soyuznoe Veche reports on Belarus and Russia's celebration of Soviet Army day. Men from both countries engaged themselves in "half-naked" marathons and group games. Marathons in Soviet military attire proved the most popular activities in Minsk and Moscow that day.
The State Press Digest is based on the review of state-controlled publications in Belarus. Freedom of the press in Belarus remains restricted and state media convey primarily the point of view of the Belarusian authorities. This review attempts to give the English-speaking audience a better understanding of how Belarusian state media shape public opinion in the country.
Freedom Day 2019, dance flash mob, anti-fake news campaign – Civil Society Digest
A campaign aiming to improve the situation in prisons and help former prisoners kicks off. Nashe Mnenie expert network finds out that the value of rights per se has grown significantly for Belarusians. TUT.BY chief editor Maryna Zolatava to stand trial in BelTA case on February 12. Mediakritika.by portal kicks off an online project about fake news.
The organizing committee applies for Freedom Day 2019. Minsk will hold a flash mob against gender-based violence. Authorities allow citizens to propose amendments to draft laws. Two Belarusian CSO activists take part in the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Freedom Day 2019. On January 16, the organizing committee applied for holding a mass event to Minsk municipality. The organizers believe that up to 30,000 people may appear at the celebration of the 101st anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic (BNR). The scenario includes marching from Kastrychnitskaya street to Dynamo Stadium, a rally and concert. A fundraising campaign is open.
Authorities allow citizens to propose amendments to draft laws. The Council of Ministers' resolution introduces a possibility to discuss bills at the official Legal Forum. At the same time, the state limits the initiative to submit bills to the public. In general, independent experts welcome the new law – the state, though with a lot of reservations, seems ready to listen to the citizens' opinion.
Dance flash mob against gender-based violence will be held in Minsk, on Valentine's Day, February 14. The flash mob as a part of the One Billion Rising international campaign aims to put an end to the bullying of women, and with the help of mass dances demonstrate solidarity with the victims of violence. Marching, Baby! initiative organizes the action in Minsk. The exact location is to be confirmed.
Human Rights
Investigation of Zakharanka, Hanchar and Krasouski's cases is suspended. The state has stopped looking for the opponents of the authorities who went missing 19 years ago and for the people guilty of their disappearance. The relatives will appeal this decision.
Return a Person human rights public campaign kicked off. The campaign aims to improve the situation in prisons and help former prisoners in their socialization. The campaign also intends to seek the possibility of visiting places of detention. The campaign was initiated by the Belarusian Documentation Center together with partner human rights organizations.
Belarusian rating of human rights. In December 2018, Nashe Mnenie (Our Opinion in English) expert network commissioned a poll on the question, which rights and freedoms seem to be the most important for Belarusians. Thus, Belarusians highly value social rights, to a lesser extent – economic, even less – political. But compared with 2013, the value of rights per se has grown significantly for Belarusians.
19 Belarusian media will be monitored since February 2019. Press Club Belarus launches a large Media IQ campaign that will monitor 15 online media and four TV channels to observe journalism standards and detect signs of misinformation, propaganda, and manipulative techniques. The campaign will also organize media schools for high school pupils and promote media literacy among Belarusians.
TUT.BY chief editor Maryna Zolatava to stand trial in BelTA case on February 12. For the first time in the history of modern Belarus, the chief editor will be tried on charges of offences related to the professional activities. Zolotava remains the only accused person in the so-called BelTA case, an investigation into alleged unauthorized access to paid services of the government-owned news agency.
Special project FAKES. Everything you need to know about fake news in 2019. Mediakritika.by portal kicked off an online project about fake news to answers the actual questions: what fakes are and how to recognize them; what real consequences of virtual fakes are; how to deal with fakes around the world at different levels and what is the future of fake news.
Whitepaper 2018: European prospects of Belarusian higher education. The Public Bologna Committee released the 2nd whitepaper on the implementation of the Bologna commitments by Belarus. The authors not only state the numerous problems of Belarusian higher education but also outline a program of action for modernization. The authors present the report at the Press Club, on February 5.
BISS is launching its first educational project Be Critical. The project of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies (BISS) is meant to promote critical thinking in the Belarusian society, especially among youth. It is to include a range of activities like video-lectures, training, and textbooks. The introductory video lecture is available (in Belarusian).
Mova Nanova celebrates its 5th anniversary. The first classes of Mova Nanova (Language Anew in English) free courses of Belarusian language, were held in Minsk on January 13, 2014. Now the classes take place in 14 cities and attended by over 3,500 people. Organizers call to donate for courses through the crowdfunding platform Talaka.
Two Belarusian CSO activists take part in the World Economic Forum in Davos. They are Andrey Yeliseev, East Center research director, and Lyudmila Batura, an employee of one of the UN regional offices. Both activists represent Minsk Global Shapers Hub, an international network of young professionals under the WEF auspices.
Individual entrepreneurs seek a meeting with Lukashenka. They collected almost 7 thousand signatures on an appeal to the president with a request to meet. The chairperson of the Perspektiva CSO met with the head of the presidential administration to deliver the appeal. Entrepreneurs want to discuss urgent problems of small business with Lukashenka.
Index of the Good for business. The social fund Dobra (the Good in English) will measure the social responsibility of the Belarusian business – how much a company cares about people and the environment. The index aims to motivate companies to more active communication with consumers and organizations that implement social projects.
Belarusian Foreign Minister answers to Brigitte Bardot. In December 2018, the famous actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot appealed to Alexander Lukashenka with an open letter in which she asked to protect homeless animals of Belarus. In response, Belarus MFA Head Vladimir Makei expressed deep respect to Bardot and thanked her for the valuable advice.
Belarus slips to 70th place in Global Corruption Index 2018. The Transparency International's index measures 180 countries on a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. Since last year Belarus has moved down from 68th position to 70th with 44 scores. The country made a serious leap at the end of 2016 – from 107th to 79th place.
Belarus Digest prepared this overview on the basis of materials provided by Pact. This digest attempts to give a richer picture of the recent political and civil society events in Belarus. It often goes beyond the hot stories already available in English-language media.


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As of March 16, at least 61 million early bird tax filers had already received refunds averaging $2,960 from the Internal Revenue Service.
But millions of other taxpayers are still rushing around gathering receipts and grappling with paperwork and electronic forms as the April 17 tax filing deadline nears.
Whichever column you're in, you can still take advantage of Tax Day rewards ranging from free pizza and cookies to discounts on hotel stays and getaways.
Here's a sampling of some of the deals I gathered for a piece on CNBC:
Free (and charmingly discounted) food and snacks
As is their tradition, on Tax Day, April 17, Great American Cookies will be giving away a free cookie to anyone who stops at one of their participating stores. This year's treat is a Cookies & Cream cookie.
In keeping with its Tax Day motto of "No taxation without relaxation," Kona Ice trucks will once again show up in many communities on April 17 to hand out free shaved ice. As part of its "Tastes Like America" menu campaign, on April 17 participating Hardee's will offer customers a free Sausage Biscuit until 10 a.m. and Hot Dog on a Stick will give each customer that stops by participating locations one free Turkey or Veggie Dog on April 17.
Taking a cue from the tax forms, Grimaldi's Pizzeria locations around the country are offering 16" Traditional Cheese pizzas for $10.40 on April 17. Bruegger's Bagels is offering a downloadable coupon for a Big Bagel Bundle (13 bagels and two tubs of cream cheese) for $10.40, a $3.50 "deduction," they note, off the regular price. (Valid through April 17).
And Potbelly Sandwich Shops has set aside 75,000 free sandwiches as a Tax Day reward for people who join its Potbelly Perks program. Those already enrolled in the program will find a buy-one, get one-free sandwich offer loaded on their app April 17 for Tax Day use.
Travel Deals
Throughout the month of April, four Kimpton hotels southern California – Hotel Palomar and Hotel Salomar in San Diego, the Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach and The Goodland in Santa Barbara – are giving out "Random Refunds." Each day one randomly chosen guest at each hotel will find they've been refunded a hotel charge such as the resort fee, parking charges, restaurant bill or perhaps the in-room movie.
From April 17 to 20, Hotel Saugatuck in Saugatuck, Michigan is offering a 20 percent discount to anyone who shows a current 1099 tax form (or proof of membership in the United Auto Workers or Freelancers unions). The B&B is also offering guests a box of local chocolate fudge at a discount, for $10.99.
Thinking of spending your tax refund in Europe? Rail Europe is offering travelers $25 off bookings of $400 made through April 24. Use code: TAXDAYRE18.
Budget-minded tax filers can also take advantage of some other timely travel deals that just happen to fall around April 17.
Filing taxes may not be a walk in the park, but anyone can take a walk in a National Park for free on Saturday, April 21, when entrance fees are waived at any of the National Parks that have them, including Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park and others where the entry fee per car can reach $20.
The U.S. Travel Association's Daily Getaways sale runs this year from April 9 through May 8 and features daily deals up to 60 percent off everything form loyalty point programs and car rental coupons to attractions tickets, hotel stays and more from travel companies such as Hertz, Hilton, and Universal Parks and Resorts.
A tidying-up trip
Once you've filed your taxes, be sure to store away the important financial paperwork you might need should the IRS come calling for an audit.
But don't stuff everything back in that shoebox. Take a moment to review Consumer Report's advice on what receipts and records you really need to keep and what can be thrown away.
Bundle the discards, print out this coupon for 5 pounds of free document shredding and take your first post-Tax Day trip to your local Office Max/Office Depot store.
Thanks for visiting Stuck at the Airport. Subscribe to get daily travel tidbits. And follow me on Twitter at @hbaskas and Instagram.


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In previous console generations publishers would have big releases aimed squarely at the kids market, most of them mainly film tie ins. Without exception these were all terrible, couple this with the rise of smart phones and the kids market sort self imploded. In many ways LEGO games are the last of the big budget kids games, a dying breed, and while they attract a lot of flak for being easy or repetitive they are still very popular.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is a sequel to one of the better LEGO games, and I can understand why it would reuse the same name, even though it shares no story similarities. The first LEGO Marvel Superheroes was released in 2013 but still plays really well with a big open world and loads of Marvel characters, many of which I'd never really heard of before. In many way the biggest similarity between the two games is their emphasis on the lower tier Marvel characters and with hundreds of characters to choose from this is a big emphasis.
If you've ever played a LEGO game developed by Travellers Tales then you'll know what to expect here as the formula is very much the same. For those who haven't this is a character driven adventure game with a low difficulty bar and aimed at the children's market. Most of the time will be spent running round story based, or open world, environments breaking everything you see and collecting LEGO Studs in order to unlock new characters. Things are made purposely accessible here with no real punishment for death and streamlined controls.
The story follows an invasion by Kang the Conqueror who has managed to squish together a range of time zones into one arena location. This is basically an excuse to have areas based on different marvel properties such as the wild west, medieval England and a version of the future where the baddies from Hydra won. Whilst this may be complicated to fully explain it does make for a varied and enjoyable environment to play in.
I've mentioned above how the focus in this game is on the lower echelons of the Marvel characters, and in many ways this is its main strength. Whilst the big hitters like Thor and Iron Man drive the main thrust of the story, every level seems to introduce a new character and lets you play as them as they complete their own personal heroic endeavour. These lesser known characters all get a moment to shine as the heroes they are and all bring different abilities, and voices, to the fray. It really is exciting and funny to see all these old characters given a decent outing.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is sort of a game of two halves. The first is a tightly focused story where you are chaperoned between levels and have to use set characters to complete these. These story missions involve lots of puzzles and plenty of platforming. The majority of these levels are geared around boss fights which now seems to be the games focus. These fights are both interesting and different to play, often having a puzzle element to them. The levels can also vary in length with some over very quickly indeed.
The other half of the game is post credits when the open world is freely available to explore and you've the choice of using any character you've collected, and can go back and use these in the story levels. This is where the game revels in playing around with tonnes to do and unlock. This big open world is packed full of collectibles and side quests and is really well put together. Completing the story missions will probably see you through around ten hours or so, dependant on skill level, but the post credits open world stuff will keep you going indefinitely.
Whilst the game may be aimed towards children, there is an awful lot going on. From characters who can fly in full 3D to a deceptively involved combat system. It feels like each character has a different skill set, and whilst they all share the same basic jump and attack, they have a range of secondary skills. Players experienced with other action combat games will think everything is pretty simplistic, but I imagine the younger player could struggle with some of the intricacies.
One of the big positives of the LEGO games is the drop in drop out co-op player, and this this all present here. The only slight niggle is some poor performance during co-op in the open hub world where the frame rate can drop substantially, I'm playing on a base PS4. This isn't really enough to stop you enjoying the game but it is noticeable.
Overall LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 is one of the better LEGO games. The range of characters available is staggering and the attention to detail is to be applauded. Whilst the range of actions and movement abilities may cause problems for younger players, the ever present co-op is a wonderful addition to help younger players out. This is a great big package of a game and loads of fun to play.
+ The combat focus of the levels is great with excellent boss battles
+ Massive engaging open world to explore.
- Combat abilities could be too complex for younger players.
- Doesn't offer much of a challenge for experienced players.


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Telangana CM KCR has kept his promise of offering financial assistance to veteran character artiste Pavala Syamala. In the past, KCR assured Syamala of Rs. 10,000 pension every month and instructed the State's Cultural Department's Director to come to Syamala's rescue.
Yesterday, the Cultural Department deposited Rs. 20,000 towards the senior actress' pension for the months of March and April in Syamala's bank account. Expressing her gratitude, Syamala met KCR and hailed his kindhearted gesture and hoped that KCR will aid other financially ailing veteran actors.
Known for her typical dialogue delivery and comedy in numerous hit films, Pavala Syamala has been away from the arc lights since a long time following severe illness. With his latest gesture, KCR has once again won the hearts of film industry people and common people.


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Darian Goldin Stahl, Artist-in-Residence //
6′ x 16′
Dermography considers how a haptic engagement with medical scans can mend the separation between scan-body and flesh-body after a diagnosis. When a patient sees an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI scan of their interior body, these ossified images are experienced only through the digital interface of a computer screen–that is, a translated and objectified body apart from the embodied self. In an effort to rectify this separation, I merge impressions of my own skin with drawings of my sister's interior MRI scans as an act of embodied care-giving. This collaborative work pays homage to the messiness and ambiguity of the visceral body in direct response to sterile medical imaging technologies and seeks to create meaning from medicine in mutuality.
This piece consists of a curved grid of body stamps and reductive drawings. To create the drawings, I invented a way of "scanning" my own skin to closely resemble the black and white images of an MRI scan. I first dust powdered charcoal over large sheets of blank newsprint paper. The slight amount of friction of the black powder against the smooth paper ensures that only a thin layer of charcoal rests delicately on the paper's surface. The next step is to gently press my hands, face, torso, and legs into the charcoal as I roll across the image plane. The oils on my skin and the textures of my clothes lift the charcoal off the paper to create a perfect negative impression of my body. The sensitivity of the fine powder is able to capture even the minutest details of my body: the creases in my lips, the flutter of eyelashes, and the velvet floral texture of my garb in extreme clarity. The rolling gestures of my body produce a final drawing that conveys depth and volume on the two-dimensional surface.
These bodily stamps can be taken as a kind of "automatic drawing" process promoted by the surrealists. When the body is allowed to create without conscious intention, then the drawings that result are reflections of unconscious emotion. Art history lecturer Ed Juler elaborates that surrealist drawing "undermines the structure of rational thought by representing that which is linguistically inexpressible: the haptic, the material, the optical and, above all, the visceral" (Juler, 2016 p. 372). Here, my body has drawn a figure whose impressions capture only the peaks of her features, resulting in a disjointed, malformed, and monstrous conflation of body parts that float in seas of darkness. However, this figure's curving movements, light touch, and fine detail also display a corporeal elegance. The duality between the grotesque and the beautiful captured in Dermography makes visible the simultaneous tensions held within the unconscious, visceral body.
In order for this drawing to become a materialization of care, it is necessary to return intention and carefully merge my embodied stamps with my sister's interior MRI scans. Attentively studying the digital images and their location within the body, I push around and remove the charcoal on the paper with my fingertips where they would be located beneath the skin. The brain, spine, teeth, soft palate, and nasal cavity are now merged with my protective clothes and flesh.
In addition to performing care, these drawings are also an act of rebellion against the typical MRI scanning procedure. The ubiquitous images of contemporary biomedical scanning technologies, in their quest for sterile objectivity, produce a visual culture of medicine that ultimately denies the mess of blood, flesh, and viscera contained in the lived body. This is not to say that the usefulness of medical imaging should be underrated, but that these images fail to capture any liveliness that the ill body contains. The process of making Dermography's bodily images, on the other hand, is dirty. Carbon powder is pressed into my skin and clothes, and a thin layer of black dust covers the exposed surfaces around the drawing arena. These performative drawings better reflect the animated aspects of everyday life than the images of illness produced in the sterile confines of clinic or hospital.
In another act of resistance, our figure wears a floral dancer's leotard in preparation for her charcoal scans instead of a traditional hospital gown. During the scan, she is no longer strapped to the bed of the machine by confining headgear. Instead, she is allowed to turn and roll her body in the act of creating an image. Whereas any movement of the patient results in a blurry and ineffective MRI scan, her very rotation in the charcoal ensures a multiplicity of perspectives around her dynamic body. This stretching, grasping, and tip-toe-balancing of this motion capture technique creates an aesthetic of grace and joy that stands in sharp contrast to the stiff and interned medically imaged body. Finally, the horizontal composition of the stretching figure appears as though she is rolling up the wall in defiance of gravity.
In order to move beyond the medical model of disability, which Professor of Disability Research Tom Shakespeare explains "tended to focus on disability as an individual deficit to be cured" (Shakespeare 195), we can instead broaden our perspectives of what a typical and fulfilling life can look like—which can begin by expanding the visual culture of medicine to include subjective re-imaginings of diagnostic images. This perspective is in line with the affirmative model of disability, which Disability Theorist Cameron Collin explains does not focus on the necessarily tragic, but instead affirms that "living with impairment can be experienced as valuable, exciting, interesting and satisfying." By translating my sister's scans through touch and drawing them into my own skin's impressions, I am creating a relational space where the considerations of affect, compassion, and the lived body are given priority over any standards of objectivity. Dermography does not highlight or focus on the lesions exposed in my sister's MRI scans, but instead adorns her scans with flesh, pattern, and movement as a testament to a fulfilling life.
Mapping the scanned body onto the topography of my own flesh using my fingertips allows me to haptically engage with medical scans with a level of intimacy that would not have been possible otherwise. These digitally translated scans of the lived body have been translated again by my digits in a process of re-externalization: my sister's internal body was first projected onto a computer screen in the form of an MRI scan, these scans were then seen and internalized through my vision and then pushed outward again by my body and hands onto the charcoaled paper. The sense of touch that was missing from the digital representations of the ill body has been redressed by my hands' re-translation as an act of materialized compassion. Professor of English Steven Connor explains that in the history of medicine and philosophy, compassion was considered a very literal physical exchange of marks and affect. He cites Nicolas Malebranche (1638-1715), who asserted that a sensitive person, when witnessing a wound, could manifest a likewise wound on their body and feel the same pain. We are capable of such visceral, compassionate connection because "seeing something involves making oneself over to it, a yearning towards the object of sight and merging of seer and seen" (Connor, 2007 p. 115). The urge to feel these scans is thus an act of my soul's desire to know, care, and be in relation with an ill loved one. I aim for others to be similarly called by this figure, and find that since we all share anxieties over the precarity of our health, that we can also all share our bodies' capacity for compassion.
Darian is the Artist-in-Residence at Synapsis. To see more of Darian's work, please visit her website: http://www.dariangoldinstahl.com
Works Cited:
Connor, S. (2004). The Book of Skin. London: Reaktion Books Ltd.
Juler, E. (2016). Man's Dark Interior: Surrealism, Viscera and the Anatomical Imaginary. In A. Whitehead, & A. Woods, The Edinburgh Companion to the Medical Humanities (pp. 356-376). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Shakespeare, T. (2017). The Social Model of Disabilty. In L. J. Davis, The Disability Studies Reader (5th Edition ed., pp. 195-203). New York: Routledge.


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Sweater - Forever 21, Scarf - Simply Vera Vera Wang, Tee and Jeans - Gap, Bag - Jennifer Lopez for Kohls, Boots - Chinese Laundry
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Ensemble: Girl Uniform
I like to call a sweater, boots, and a scarf "girl uniform" for fall. I wore this with my riding boots and a necklace to run errands during the day, and then dressed it up with a clutch, dark boots, and a brocade scarf for dinner and drinks with my siblings last weekend. During dinner, we managed to enter into a pact that we will all "sync up" when we have babies. Suffice it to say, it was an odd night.
Posted by Kristina at 4:00 PM
Labels: clothes
6 comments :
LOVE the green with your gorgeous red hair! It is the perfect color on you darling!ReplyDelete
xoxo Darby
Obviously Obsessed
I love that gorgeous green sweater - such a great color!ReplyDelete
The Other Side of Gray
You're totally right about the girl uniform. It's what I turn to when in doubt, and it never lets me down! Love that shade of green on you :)ReplyDelete
The Glossy Life
adorable "girl uniform!" =DReplyDelete
Love that color green! Looks great on you! xo, JulieReplyDelete
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Top Items:
Philip Elmer-DeWitt / Brainstorm Tech:
Apple's $1.2 billion tablet computer — Apple's next gadget? Image: Piper Jaffray — Piper Jaffray senior analyst Gene Munster took another crack at the Apple (AAPL) tablet computer he's been writing about for months, issuing a report to clients Friday that included …
Derek Thompson / The Atlantic Business Channel: Apple Tablet: Super E-Reader or Super Mini-Computer?
Charles Jade / TheAppleBlog: Rumor: The Billion Dollar Tablet
Brian X. Chen / Gadget Lab: Rumored Apple Tablet Will Sell 2 Million Units in 2010, Analyst Imagines
Devin Coldewey / CrunchGear: Apple tablet prophesied, sales foretold by eager analysts
Barry Levine / NEWSFACTOR: Apple's Tablet Computer — A Big iPod Plus a Phone?
Christopher Meinck / EverythingiCafe: Analyst Provides Theories on Apple's Tablet Computer
Seth Weintraub / 9 to 5 Mac: Gene Munster talks $1.2 Billion Apple tablet
Amy-Mae Elliott / Pocket-lint.com: Analyst offers Apple tablet mock-up, predictions
Rob Beschizza / Boing Boing Gadgets: Analyst predicts Apple Tablet details
David Rothman / TeleRead: 'Apple's $1.2-billion tablet computer'
Neil Hughes / AppleInsider:
Apple's tablet will be more than a niche product - report — A new financial analysis predicts that Apple's yet-to-be-announced tablet will launch in early 2010 and sell about 2 million units in its first year — and at an estimated $600 each, that would be an additional $1.2 billion in revenue.
Discussion: I4U News, Electricpig.co.uk and ChannelWeb
Robert Evans / I4U News: Component Supplier Recieves iTablet Orders
Sam Kieldsen / Electricpig.co.uk: Analyst: Apple tablet to cost $600
Brian Kraemer / ChannelWeb: Apple Tablet Rumors Heat Up
Biz / Twitter Blog:
The Adventure Continues — In the past 24 hours, we've been contending with a variety of attacks that continue to change in nature and intensity. We're working to restore access to apps built on the Twitter platform that were affected by defensive measures—there was some overcompensation …
Discussion: Financial Times, TechCrunch, Silicon Alley Insider, TheNextWeb.com, Mashable!, Pocket-lint.com, Gawker, Graham Cluley's blog and Global Neighbourhoods, Thanks:mrinaldesai
Dan Frommer / Silicon Alley Insider: Twitter Still Hurting From Attack
Pete Cashmore / Mashable!: Twitter and Facebook DDoS Attacks Targeted One Man
Ryan Tate / Gawker: Is Twitter Under Attack from Russia?
Tom Parfitt / Guardian:
Georgian blogger Cyxymu blames Russia for cyber attack — Blogger claims attack on Twitter, Facebook and LiveJournal was part of plot to silence his criticism of the Kremlin — The Georgian blogger known as Cyxymu, who was yesterday the victim of a cyber assault that affected hundreds …
Discussion: Twitter Status, CNN, Computerworld, CNET News, ReadWriteWeb, F-Secure Antivirus …, VentureBeat, Bits, Guardian, Security Fix, NPR Blogs, Technology Live, TG Daily, MediaFile, Contentinople, Digits, TheNextWeb.com, Graham Cluley's blog, GMSV, USA Today, Epicenter, Wall Street Journal, The Register, CNNMoney.com and Reuters
Hilary Whiteman / CNN: Pro-Georgia blogger 'George' target of Twitter attack
Juan Carlos Perez / Computerworld: Twitter still struggling to recover from DOS attack
Elinor Mills / CNET News: Targeted Twitter user blames Russia
Frederic Lardinois / ReadWriteWeb: Cyxymu: Russian Government Responsible for Twitter, Facebook …
Kim-Mai Cutler / VentureBeat: Twitter attacks can't keep Georgian blogger down
Jenna Wortham / Bits: Attack on Twitter Came in Two Waves
Aharon Etengoff / TG Daily: Twitter attack aimed at Georgian blogger
Anupreeta Das / MediaFile: Twitter + Georgian blogger + South Ossetia = Hack Attack
Erin Barker / Contentinople: News Bits: Twitter, Facebook Crippled by DoS Attack
Graham Cluley / Graham Cluley's blog: More Cyxymu spam seen in Sophos spamtraps
John Murrell / GMSV: Social site sieges — collateral damage in cyberwar?
Ryan Singel / Epicenter: Is There Rhyme or Reason to the Attacks on Twitter?
David Goldman / CNNMoney.com: Twitter down: Denial of service
Alexei Oreskovic / Reuters: Hacker attacks silence Twitter, slow Facebook
Clint Boulton / eWeek:
How Google Was Impacted By The Twitter-Facebook Denial of Service Attacks
How Google Was Impacted By The Twitter-Facebook Denial of Service Attacks
Discussion: L.A. Times Tech Blog, Between the Lines, Search Engine Watch, ReadWriteWeb, PC World, Fast Company, SheGeeks.net, MarketingVOX, Dealscape and CNET News
David Colker / L.A. Times Tech Blog: Cyber attack that brought down Twitter was aimed at dissident blogger
Nathania Johnson / Search Engine Watch: Yesterday's DoS Attacks Included Google, Possible Cyberwarfare Suspected
Mary Kathleen Flynn / Dealscape: Twitter, take a self-defense class from Google
Elinor Mills / CNET News: Twitter, Facebook attack targeted one user
David Sarno / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
Interview: Twitter service provider NTT America on DDOS attack
Interview: Twitter service provider NTT America on DDOS attack
Discussion: The Register and Arbor Networks Security
Kasper Jade / AppleInsider:
Apple's next iMacs rumored with compelling new features — A couple of new features rumored to be in the cards for Apple's forthcoming iMac refresh will up the value proposition for prospective buyers in the market for an all-in-one desktop system, AppleInsider has been told.
Discussion: Techgeist, MacRumors, Electronista, CrunchGear and Edible Apple
Alex Wilhelm / Techgeist: Forthcoming iMacs To Be Bundled With Final Cut Express?
Ashlee Vance / Bits:
Yahoo Chief: 'We Have Never Been a Search Company' — The dust has settled - for the moment - on the Microsoft and Yahoo search and advertising deal. So, perhaps there's room for a bit of reflection. — Last week, Brad Stone and I interviewed Carol Bartz, Yahoo's chief executive …
Discussion: eSarcasm, 901am, Lockergnome Blog Network, Between the Lines, TomsTechBlog.com and Mashable!
Dan Tynan / eSarcasm: The TechList: 07.Aug.09 — Twitter goes down to defeat, Yahoo is all about the meat
Mike Abundo / 901am: Yahoo CEO: Yahoo Never a Search Company
Sam Diaz / Between the Lines: AOL, Yahoo find value in original online news; eyeing laid-off journalists
Adam Ostrow / Mashable!: Yahoo "Never Was a Search Company," Says CEO
Boy Genius Report:
Exclusive: Motorola bringing a "webOS" to Android? Called Blur? — Where would we be without our trusty Motorola ninjas? We've just got the drop on some exciting information about Motorola's Android plans and how they hope plan to make a splash. Here's what we've been told:
Discussion: Android Central, Techgeist, MobileCrunch, I4U News, Electronista, Gizmodo, AndroidGuys and EverythingPre
Michael Klurfeld / Techgeist: Motorola Planning "Blur" UI For Its Android Phones
Peter Ha / MobileCrunch: Motorola to "skin" Android with "Blur"
Robert Evans / I4U News: Motorola Brings Custom webOS to Android
Christopher Meinck / EverythingPre: Motorola's Android Effort Influenced by webOS?
Daniel Brusilovsky / TechCrunch:
Pic: The Microsoft Mall Invasion Begins — The Microsoft PR team tweeted out the first image to Twitpic of the Microsoft Retail Store opening in Scottsdale and Mission Viejo. The stores are slated to open sometime in the fall, with more locations opening after.
Discussion: TechFlash, Silicon Alley Insider and Engadget, Thanks:teensintech
Todd Bishop / TechFlash: First glimpse of a Microsoft store
Laura June / Engadget: First pic of Microsoft retail store's construction …
Brian Hamacher / NBC Miami:
Man: Naughty Kitty Downloaded Kiddie Porn — Florida man arrested, says cat downloaded thousands of images. — TWITTER — You've heard the one about the dog eating the homework, now hear about the cat who downloaded the kiddie porn. — Keyboard Cat
Discussion: Lockergnome Blog Network, The Register, Guardian, TCPalm.com, Boing Boing, On Deadline and Associated Press
Ron Schenone / Lockergnome Blog Network: Man Says Cat Downloaded Kiddie Porn
Dan Goodin / The Register: Man blames cat for child porn downloads
Maria Bartiromo / Business Week:
Eric Schmidt on Where Google Is Headed — Maria Bartiromo talks to the Google CEO about where the opportunities are in the future — The news on Aug. 3 that Google (GOOG) CEO Eric Schmidt was resigning from the board of Apple (AAPL) took many by surprise.
Discussion: GigaOM and 9 to 5 Mac
Jordan Golson / GigaOM: Coming Soon to a Phone Near You: Yet Another Ad
Jonny Evans / 9 to 5 Mac: Google's Schmidt praises iPhone, talks Android
Brad Stone / Bits:
Falling Valuations: Poison for Venture Capital — Here's more proof that Silicon Valley's financing ecosystem is under assault: the value of the start-ups they are investing in just keeps dropping. — In a quarterly study of venture financings published Friday, Fenwick & West …
Discussion: Tom Foremski: IMHO, TechFlash, HipMojo.com and VentureBeat, Thanks:mrinaldesai
Tom Foremski / IMHO: Government is killing Silicon Valley innovation
Ashkan Karbasfrooshan / HipMojo.com: It's a Good Thing VCs are Entrepreneurs and Operations Whizzes
Matt Marshall / VentureBeat: VCs hammer entrepreneurs: dreaded "down rounds" surge
Dan Frommer / Silicon Alley Insider:
Google's Last Dodgeball Employee Leaving To Join Foursquare — Google (GOOG) engineer Harry Heymann, who was the last employee running its Dodgeball mobile service, is leaving to join Dodgeball cofounder Dennis Crowley's new startup, Foursquare. — Today is Heymann's last day at Google …
Discussion: Mashable!
Jennifer Van Grove / Mashable!: Foursquare: Check In, Tweet ... and Now Save Money on Beer
Malatesta / WMExperts:
Verizon Diamond 2, HTC Mega and more Tachi — Well look what dropped in our mailbox. Some images and deets on the upcoming Verizon Diamond 2 (aka 'Whitestone' aka XV6975), the HTC Mega and a bit of an update to the Tachi image. — First up is the Verizon Diamond 2/Whitestone device, picture above.
Discussion: WMPoweruser.com, IntoMobile, Unwired View, Engadget Mobile, Gizmodo and PalmAddicts
Nilay Patel / Engadget Mobile: Verizon's HTC Whitestone leaks out, along with the HTC Mega and Tachi
Sam Mcloughln / PalmAddicts: Have you seen the HTC Touch 2?
Target Parts Ways With Amazon.com — The move will see the No. 2 U.S. discount retailer striking out on its own for its online platform. — Target (NYSE: TGT) will build and manage its own online platform for Target.com and aims to launch the new Web site in advance of the 2011 holiday season, the company said on Friday.
Discussion: phx.corporate-ir.net, BetaNews, Tech Trader Daily, Wall Street Journal and TechFlash
Tim Conneally / BetaNews: Amazon may have gained Zappos, but it's losing Target
Veronica Dagher / Wall Street Journal: Target Decides to End Amazon Pact
Eric Engleman / TechFlash: Target dumps Amazon.com to run its own ecommerce operations
John Paczkowski / Digital Daily:
iPhone Undermining Microsoft in Enterprise? — Microsoft best get Windows Mobile 7 to market, and soon, because its delay may be causing the company to lose traction in the enterprise market. In a note to clients Thursday, UBS Securities analyst Maynard Um noted that Apple's (AAPL) …
Arik Hesseldahl / Business Week:
Schmidt's Apple Gig: He Worked for Free — Former Apple director Eric Schmidt took no salary or stock for his board service. What did the Google chief accept? Lots of Apple gear — Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt served on Apple's board essentially without pay …
Tom Krazit / CNET News: Google ups director compensation awards
Robert Evans / I4U News: Eric Schmidt Took No Salary From Apple
Peter Burrows / Business Week: Apple and Google: Another Step Apart
Darrell Etherington / TheAppleBlog: Eric Schmidt Not Paid By Apple, Just Took Some Souvenirs
Jason Mick / DailyTech: SEC Filing Shows Google CEO Earned Over $16,000 in Apple Loot, Passed on Income
Rob Beschizza / Boing Boing Gadgets: Schmidt's salary at Apple
Eric Slivka / MacRumors: Google CEO Eric Schmidt Accepted No Salary or Stock for Apple Board Service
Seth Weintraub / Computerworld: Eric Schmidt worked on the Apple Board for gear only
Brian Heater / Gearlog: Eric Schmidt: Will Work For iPods
Randall Bennett / TechVi: Eric Schmidt worked on Apple board for pittance
Robert D. Hof / Business Week:
Betting on the Real-Time Web — No one knows how the microblogging site and similar online social networks will make money, but investors see a new Web revolution — John Borthwick speaks softly, but he can't hide his excitement. Co-founder and chief executive of the New York Internet …
Discussion: Epeus' epigone, Patricia Handschiegel and The SiliconANGLE, Thanks:atul
Eric Bangeman / Ars Technica:
EC criticized for conduct during Intel investigation — Did the European Commission overlook some evidence during its antitrust investigation of Intel that might have influenced the outcome of the decision, which went against the chipmaker? The European Union ombudsman believes that may have been the case …
Discussion: Reuters, Tech Check with Jim Goldman, CNET News and Wall Street Journal
Brooke Crothers / CNET News: Report: EU ombudsman criticizes Intel antitrust regulators
Charles Forelle / Wall Street Journal: EU Regulator Rebuked Over Intel
Erick Schonfeld / TechCrunch:
When Amazon Bought Zappos, Clothes.com Also Came In The Box — When Amazon paid $928 million for Zappos in July, it got a little something extra in the box: the Clothes.com domain. It turns out that Zappos bought the domain last year from Idealab for $4.9 million (Bill Gross strikes again).
Discussion: Domain Name Wire and Domain Name News, Thanks:mgcreed
Andrew Allemann / Domain Name Wire: Zappos Paid $4.9 Millon for Clothes.com Domain Name
Joseph L. Flatley / Engadget:
Eee PCs rumored to ship with Moblin in October, Chrome OS on the horizon — How about a minor spy story to kick-start your weekend? According to our man Sascha at netbooknews.de, a "safe source" who shall remain nameless but who most certainly has ties to Stasi (or, at the very least …
Discussion: Electronista, I4U News and TechSpot
Robert Evans / I4U News: Open Source Eee PCs in October, Chrome OS Netbooks Coming
Jose Vilches / TechSpot: Asus to launch Moblin-powered Eee PC soon?
Antony Bruno / Billboard.Biz:
EMI Executive VP of Digital To Exit Company — Billboard has learned that EMI executive VP of digital marketing Cory Ondrejka is leaving the company. — Ondrejka is the second high-profile digital executive to leave EMI after having been recruited away from the technology industry.
Ina Fried / CNET News:
Microsoft backtracks on free Office Live domains — In a reversal, Microsoft says it will now charge all small businesses an annual domain registration fee, even those whom it had promised free Web site registrations for life. — Starting Oct. 1, all customers will have to pay $14.95 a year to renew their custom Web address.
Discussion: Computerworld and All about Microsoft
Elizabeth Montalbano / Computerworld: Microsoft to charge Office Live customers domain-renewal fee
Jessica E. Vascellaro / Wall Street Journal:
Alibaba.com Plans U.S. Push — Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba.com Ltd. will launch its first major marketing effort in the U.S. on Monday, as it searches for growth amid the global recession. — The $30 million campaign aims to introduce U.S. entrepreneurs to Alibaba.com's English-language site …
Discussion: paidContent
Joseph Tartakoff / paidContent: Alibaba.com To Spend $30 Million On U.S. Marketing
Senator Mounts New Push to Legalize Net Poker — Revisiting testy online gambling fight, Robert Menendez looks to separate the legit sites from the scams in the eyes of the law. — As revenue shortages continue to weigh on federal and state budgets, officials have been looking for new sources of income at every turn.
Discussion: eWeek
Roy Mark / eWeek: Senator Deals New Online Poker Bill
Rich Miller / Data Center Knowledge:
Where 'Ramen Profitable' Startups Host — Where do budget-conscious startups host their sites? The Y Combinator venture incubator, renowned for its "ramen profitable" approach to bootstrapping new enterprises, provides an interesting case study. Rackspace, SoftLayer and Amazon …
Discussion: Tech~Surf~Blog
GraemeThickins / Tech~Surf~Blog: Y Combinator Taps MN's FanChatter for Startup 'American Idol'


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text:
March 14, 2017
Enabling reproduction and localization of sound field of speakers in a listening room with headphones
JVCKENWOOD Develops "EXOFIELD" Out-Of-Head
Localization Sound Field Processing Technology
Realizing optimization to individual users through measurement of personal characteristics
by using the industry's first*1"in-ear audio microphone system"
and JVCKENWOOD's unique "personal characteristics generation algorithm"
JVCKENWOOD Corporation (JVCKENWOOD) has newly developed "EXOFIELD" out-of-head localization sound field processing technology that enables reproduction of a sound field and localization of sound images created by speakers in a listening room when listening with headphones (19 related patents are pending).
With conventional headphones, sound images are localized in the head of users (in-head localization). With the new technology, JVCKENWOOD succeeded in out-of-head localization of sound images, as well as reproduction of a sound field and localization of sound images achieved in typical speaker listening even with headphones. The personal characteristics of users, such as the shapes of their ears and faces, as well as acoustic characteristics of speaker systems and listening rooms they use, were measured and audio signal processing optimal to each user was applied.
EXOFIELD: A term coined by combining EXO (external) and FIELD to express the expansion of users' sound experience to a whole new level through reproduction of an unprecedentedly natural sound field.
*1: The first commercially available measurement system for out-of-head localization when listening with headphones. (Based on company data as of March 14, 2017.)
Purpose of Development
With the penetration of digital audio players and smartphones, more and more people are listening to music through headphones. Headphones are excellent at reproducing a delicate sound quality and nuances. However, sound transmitted to users through their right and left ears over conventional headphones is localized inside their heads. Thus, conventional headphones had a weakness in reproducing a spatial sound field and localization of sound images users experience when listening to music on speaker.
To deal with such shortcomings, JVCKENWOOD newly developed EXOFIELD, its unique out-of-head localization sound field processing technology that reproduce the sound field and localize sound images experienced in listening to music on speakers in a listening room even with headphones. It achieved this by leveraging its accumulated technologies in sound reproduction. The new technology uses sound field processing based on measurement of various acoustic characteristics including personal characteristics and excels at reproducing the depth and sense of distance of sound images, notably of those localized to the center position of sound images, which could not be achieved well with the general conventional out-of-head localization technology. As a result, the new technology creates a realistic sound field effect even when listening with headphones, as if the user is listening to music on speakers. In addition, users do not feel like music is playing in their ears. Therefore, EXOFIELD brings a natural sound listening experience to users who are experiencing uncomfortable sound pressure with headphones. In addition, EXOFIELD supports the reproduction of multi-channel audio sources, enabling three-dimentional sound field reproduction in headphones in a home theater or virtual reality environment, etc.
JVCKENWOOD, in an effort to deliver a new experience when listening with headphones realized by reproduction of an unprecedentedly natural sound field, will promote the development of services and products equipped with this technology.
Key Features
1. The technology can measure various acoustic characteristics of individuals, enabling optimal sound field processing for out-of-head localization sound fields
The conventional out-of-head localization technology for headphones performed arithmetic processing by using a standard head-related transfer function. As a result, headphones could not be adjusted to fit individual users, who have different shapes of ears and faces, etc. and could not deliver optimal performance for each user. JVCKENWOOD's EXOFIELD, its unique technology, makes it possible to measure and analyze the personal characteristics of individual users, such as the shapes of their ears and faces, as well as all acoustic characteristics of audio speakers, headphones and listening rooms they use, etc. to perform audio signal processing that is optimally customized to individual users. Our technology creates the optimal sound field for each user unlike the conventional out-of-head localization sound field.
<Graphic illustration of sound localization>
2. Measurement using the industry's first*1 in-ear audio microphone system allows creation of natural sound field in both open-back and closed-back headphones
<In-ear audio microphone system>
JVCKENWOOD newly developed an ultracompact in-ear audio microphone system using a MEMS microphone to measure the individual characteristics of users. The ultracompact microphone system put in the ear canal space makes it possible to accurately measure the shapes of head and ears as well as sound field characteristics in the ear canal of users. By enabling users to easily fix the position of the microphone system they are wearing to the ideal measurement location regardless of the individual difference in the shape of ears, we achieved stable and highly accurate measurement. In this way, we succeeded in providing a listening experience with a natural sound field in open-back headphones as well as closed-back headphones, for which the conventional out-of-head localization was considered relatively ineffective in reproducing natural sound.
3. Newly developed algorithm to generate personal characteristics can measure and automatically generate optimal acoustic characteristics in a short amount of time
The newly developed algorithm to generate personal characteristics can measure and automaticaly generate the optimal acoustic characteristics for each user in a short amount of time. The use of this algorithm can minimize the variation of the effect of the out-of-head localization sound field due to a difference in the measurement environment, such as listening room conditions, and incorrect wearing position of headphones. Accordingly, EXOFIELD can adapt to a wide range of measurement and use conditions by performing optimization processing of a transfer function calculated from measurement results.
<Conceptual diagram of EXOFIELD's sound field processing>
1) Clarification of center sound image localization
We analyzed direct waves and reflection waves coming from speakers and corrected the cancelling out of sound due to the positional relationship between speakers and listners and the effects of sound reflection in a room. In this way, we succeeded in making the center sound image clearer, which was a problem with the conventional out-of-head localization technology. In addition, we realized sound image localization at the proper center position by fine-tuning the phase characteristics of each channel in inverse filter generation to cancel the sound field reproduced with headphones in out-of-head localization sound field generation.
2) Minimizing the variance of characteristics caused by incorrect wearing position of headphones
We optimized the change in frequency characteristics and a peak dip caused by an incorrect wearing position of headphones during generation of the inverse filter that cancels the sound field reproduced via headphones. This stabilized the variation in the localization effect caused by an incorrect wearing position of headphones.
3) Completing measurement and personal characteristics generation in a short time
We adopted the pulse method, a quick measuring method, for measurement of the impulse response and made it possible to complete measuring and generating the personal characteristics in a short amount of time. In an environment where measurement of a low-pass filter is subject to instability due to the effects of the surrounding environment and room conditions, EXOFIELD can generate stable low-pass characteristics in a short time by combining pre-measured room acoustic characteristics with personal characteristics.
4. Measured data and EXOFIELD processing can be uploaded to smartphone apps, etc.
This technology can be installed onto smartphone apps, etc. By installing EXOFIELD application software with personal properties data on mobile devices, users can enjoy an out-of-head localization sound field at any place.
5. Supporting a wide-range of applications such as high-resolution audio sources and multi-channel audio sources
EXOFIELD supports high-resolution audio sources and can process all audio signals into high-resolution audio sources. EXOFIELD can also reproduce stereo sound as well as multi-channel audio sources, enabling three-dimensional sound field reproduction via headphones in a home theater or virtual reality environment, etc. EXOFIELD will bring an unprecedented natural listening experience to users by offering a clear localization feeling, which was not reproduced adequately by the conventional three-dimensional sound field.
- EXOFIELD is a trademark or registered trademark of JVCKENWOOD.
- All other company names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
For further information, please contact
- Public Investor and Shareholder Relations Department, Corporate Communication Division, JVCKENWOOD Corporation 3-12, Moriya-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 221-0022 Japan
Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com