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Ultra Bookshelf - Piano - Outlet - 1029
Outlet Special: Blemishes in the finish on the front and bottom of cabinet. See additional pic. Factory inspected and tested. 5-Year Unconditional Warranty and complete Bill of Right coverage. Read More
Order by Phone 877.626.5623
45 Day Risk-Free In-Home Trial. Fast & Free Shipping and Returns.
5-Year Unconditional Warranty
- Intro
- Description
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- Press Reviews
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Ultra Bookshelf - Piano - Outlet - 1029
Quick Specs
45 Hz-32 kHz (±3 dB)"FREQ. RESPONSE
1.7"Port Size & #
15" (H) 8.5" (W) 10.9" (D)Dimension
19 lbWeight
Introducing the ULTRA BOOKSHELF
Handsomely styled with a swept back profile and striking edge treatments, the Ultra Bookshelf draws design cues from the magnificent flagship Ultra Tower. Available in premium-grade piano gloss black and real black oak veneer finishes, the Ultra bookshelf looks stunning and will complement any upscale décor. Reference-grade bookshelf monitors have always held a warm spot in the heart of any serious audiophile, and the Ultra Bookshelf lives up to that esteemed legacy. This emotionally involving monitor delivers precise imaging, an amazingly coherent and deep soundstage, a wonderfully rich and compelling tonal balance and surprisingly deep and dynamic bass. Sure to thrill serious music aficionados everywhere, the Ultra Bookshelf immediately takes a place amongst the most highly-regarded 2-way monitors on the market.
Dramatic Styling Yields Sonic Benefits
The Ultra Bookshelf cabinet design yields numerous sonic benefits. The non-parallel cabinet panels reduce standing waves within the cabinet, effectively eliminating frequency response coloration. The wedge-shaped front baffle and flush-mounted drivers reduce edge diffraction and improved on-axis high frequency response. Even the grille design is FEA-optimized to maximize acoustic transparency.
SVS Drivers Extreme Performance and Uncompromised Fidelity
The proprietary SVS drivers utilize the finest materials and design features to ensure the highest sound quality and performance. The Ultra Bookshelf driver array features a 1" aluminum dome tweeter and a 6.5" woofer.
1" Aluminum Dome Tweeter
- Utilizes an FEA-optimized diffuser which delivers a very open 'airy' presentation and extremely unveiled highs
- Delivers a sound stage so pure and free of artifacts that you'll swear the performers are in the room.
6.5" Woofer
Delivers scintillating midrange detail combined with remarkable bass response:
- Composite glass-fiber cone with excellent stiffness/mass ratio which improves sensitivity and maintains pistonic behavior well beyond the pass-band of the driver
- Vented voice coil former to minimize air compression artifacts at high drive levels.
- Aluminum shorting ring to reduce gap inductance, lower distortion, and improve high frequency response.
- Cast aluminum basket to ensure precise alignment of critical components and enhance heat-sinking capacity.
Frequency Response / Acoustic Data:
- Rated bandwidth: 45 Hz-32 kHz (+/-3 dB)
- Nominal impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: 87 dB (2.83V @ 1 meter full-space, 300-3kHz)
- Recommended amplifier power: 20-150 watts
Speaker Specs
- Bookshelf Loudspeaker
- Real black oak veneer, piano gloss black, and gloss white finish options
- Dual gold-plated 5-way binding posts
- 1.7" wide-flared rear-firing port
- Cloth grille with pin/cup retention system
- Elastomer stick-on bumper feet (adds 3mm to height)
- Cabinet Dimensions: 15" (H) x 8.5" (W) x 10.6" (D) (without grille)
- Overall Dimensions: 15" (H) x 8.5" W x 10.9" (D) (with grille)
- Shipped Dimensions: 24" (H) x 20" (W) x 14" (D)
- Weight: 19 pounds
- Shipped Weight: 42 pounds
Driver Specs
- FEA-optimized diffuser for airy and unveiled presentation
- Aluminum dome delivers exceptional transient response and exceptional stiffness/mass ratio
1" Aluminum Dome Tweeter:
- Composite glass-fiber cone with excellent stiffness/mass ratio for high sensitivity and pistonic behavior beyond pass band.
- Aluminum shorting rings to reduce gap inductance and lower distortion
- Long stroke motor and suspension for high output
- Vented voice coil formers to minimize air compression artifacts at high drive levels
6.5" Woofers:
Crossover & Cabinet Specs
- 2-way crossover with premium-grade capacitors, air-core inductors and heavy-trace printed circuit boards
- Crossover frequency and slopes optimized for excellent off-axis polar response, outstanding phase coherency, and total radiated sound power
- Tweeter-to-woofer crossover: 2 kHz
- Acoustically transparent and FEA optimized grilles, wedge-shaped front baffle and flush-mounted drivers all contribute to reduced edge diffraction and improved on-axis high frequency response
- FEA-optimized bracing reduces cabinet resonances
Cabinet Specs


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Campus Classics
Aug-Sept 2008
For each Penguin Classics Newsletter we invite a professor to share an experience of teaching with a Penguin Classic. Trinity College professor Christopher Hager here shares his thoughts on Stephen Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.
Among works of turn-of-the-20th-century American literature, some of the most absorbing are those long novels, like Sister Carrie, that invite readers to spend dozens of hours inhabiting an intricate fictional universe. Stephen Crane's New York stories are something rarer in the canon of American realism lightning-fast, impressionistic experiments in literary representation and many students find nothing more absorbing than their wide-eyed gallop through Crane's cityscape. The Penguin Classics Maggie: A Girl of the Streets offers a selection of texts that's difficult to find in a compact edition: not just Maggie but also another novella, George's Mother, and eleven of Crane's New York sketches, including "A Dark-Brown Dog," "The Men in the Storm," and the autobiographical denouement of Crane's New York writings, "Adventures of a Novelist." As my students read this volume, they pick up and follow thematic threads Maggie makes an appearance in George's Mother, and many of the sketches show from different vantages the tenement life of the novellas and detect formal differences. In the first sketch students encounter in this edition, "The Broken-Down Van," they discover that the rhythm of Crane's syntax can be far more revealing than any paraphrase of his descriptions. The named protagonists of the novellas yield in the sketches to "characters" that include crowds and street traffic. Larzer Ziff's introduction offers students a lucid narrative of young Crane's frenetic writing career, helping them to think about these several short works as an unfolding literary portrait of the city.
Christopher Hager

subset: commoncrawl


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Aloha Mural!
Nikole Nelson
Our blank canvas: a 200 foot long concrete wall. This was once an equally unsightly chain link fence dividing the playground from a busy street. I believe I willed this wall into existence - I've always dreamed of painting a mural here and it manifested!
There was definite progress after the first couple of days. The sky was blocked in over the silhouetted mountains and the beginning layers of the dripped paint was completed by the 1st grade class. They really had some fun with it!
My awesome 8th grade team of assistants and our mascot, Makana!
There are moments in one's life where you see things come full circle and your path, with all of its crazy unexpected wild rides, appears as a seamless puzzle layered to perfection. I started my career as an artist at home in Lahaina in the comforts of familiar surroundings in a small bubble of protected love, friendship, community and devotion. Teaching at Sacred Hearts School was one of the most profound experiences of my life. It was there I found my confidence as a creator; it was there I was inspired daily by the gorgeous artwork and expression of 250 children whom I dearly loved; it was there my beloved mentor, friend and Hani mother Maryanna Waldrop handed me $500 to buy canvas, paint and brushes leaving me no more excuses to reach for my dreams; and it was also there that I was kicked out of the nest to spread my wings on the East Coast, reaching for the stars at Savannah College of Art and Design.
That was 15 years ago. You don't realize how far you have traveled until you are standing on the same playground, with the same church bells ringing, echoed by children's laughter and of course the ever present power of the same Sacred Hearts School powerhouse goddess-worthy women. I began 2012 with this experience - returning home to teach once more, leading 200 students through a lesson of layers to both self-expression and the powerful understanding of true collaboration. Seeing their faces light up as they watched colors blend and drip down the wall was dynamic! I love to take kids out of the ordinary with art – remove the expected tools and limitations, the parameters of the edges of paper. Giving them a 240' long canvas on which to discover a new dimension of what art can feel like is an experience they will carry through life. It changes their perception and teaches the most powerful lesson of all: It is not what you are seeing but how you are seeing it. It teaches them to see their surroundings with limitless vision and potential. It gives them freedom and that is a gift beyond measure.
What compounded the experience and the sense of time passing was that in addition to teaching this course I was reunited with one of my first students, a star artist of his own right, now a professional photographer John Carpenter. The last time I saw him he was a crazy little kid, creating colorful paintings deep with emotion. Now he's a man with a beard! Wild indeed! He captured the event beautifully AND jumped right in with the painting – reciting word for word things I had taught him about composition, line, movement, blending – he remembered it all! If you have ever been a teacher you know what this moment feels like, when you see the difference you've made. I am so proud of his accomplishments, drive and success.
Many thanks to the amazing students who joined me in inspired collaboration creating a lasting mural memory and to my beloved ohana SHS for all the love over the years. I am honored to be a part of the family.
Photography by JMC Photography and Bonnie Blackmore.


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Hotels Lure Neighborhood Residents With Perks, No Check-In Required
More resorts are drawing locals to enjoy luxury amenities, but without having to stay overnight.
At the Rosewood Sand Hill resort, Anne Leahy Jones in a recent week swam in the pool, had an al fresco lunch, took yoga and Pilates classes in the fitness center and lounged in the spa's hot tub. Then she drove eight minutes to her home.
"I do have a swimming pool in my backyard, but no one comes through and offers me water and cleans my lounge chair," says Ms. Jones, a 62-year-old retired marketing executive. Ms. Jones says she visits the 121-room hotel in Menlo Park, Calif., about five times a week. She uses the...


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Flame Tribal Renegade Universal Fit Pinstripe Kit PSD110
Code: PSD110
These self adhesive vinyl graphic decal pinstripe kits are made as an opposing pair for installation on both sides of your car, truck, boat, rv, etc. The kit includes the high quality vinyl decals, installation instructions, a plus a free installation tool. This kit can be installed by most people with patience and the ability to read instructions.
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eDecals.com specializes in custom decals, racing stripes, license plate frames, racing numbers, vinyl decals, car decals, custom window decals, decal kits, racing decals, custom boat graphics, make my own decal, decals and stickers, personalized decals, custom car decals, truck rear window graphics and more.
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With over 82,000 customers, trust eDecals.com for your next decal or vinyl graphics purchase!


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From the Main Page, you are no more than three clicks away from over 500 ranks, badges and awards,
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No. They are protected by copyright law. Instead our goal is to provide resource links for every requirement of every award. See Citizenship in the Nation or Radio Merit Badges for examples. Here are tips for building Merit Badge Pamphlet Libraries.
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RaboDirect PRO12
Ospreys draft in ex-All Black
ESPN Staff
December 4, 2012
Campbell Johnstone charges forward back in his Biarritz days © PA Photos
The Ospreys have secured the signing of ex-All Blacks prop Campbell Johnstone until the end of the season.
With Aaron Jarvis, Adam Jones and Joe Rees all sidelined through injury, Johnstone will offer an option at tight-head. He has previously turned out for the Crusaders and Biarritz and has also won three caps for the Kiwis which came back in 2005.
Johnstone's arrival comes just a few days after the region re-signed Cai Griffiths on loan until the end of the season and the Ospreys' rugby operations manager Andy Lloyd was delighted with his new recruits.
"The arrival of Campbell and Cai gives us some much needed options at tight-head given the injuries we've suffered and the ongoing commitments we have to the national set-up at senior and age-grade level," Lloyd said. "Campbell will go straight into our ERC squad on his arrival, and although Cai is ineligible for the Heineken Cup having played in the Amlin Cup this season he will have a big part to play in our PRO12 defence, particularly during the Six Nations period when in addition to our senior national commitments we will also lose two tightheads to the U20 squad.
"We remain entirely committed to development from within and don't take any decision to look outside the group for injury cover lightly. However, we have a responsibility to our supporters, management and directors to remain competitive, as well as to our players for their personal welfare. Given the complete lack of any professional experience in our remaining options there is quite simply no way we could go the rest of the season without bringing in additional cover."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Communication error please reload the page.


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Dark Heart Walkthrough
The subway station here has one human soldier (who gets killed 2 minutes into the mission) and the rest are all Ceph. If you want nano-catalyst, this is the stage to play over and over again (you can stop after hitting a checkpoint, as your nano-chit total is auto-saved).
Replaying this level over and over may be boring, but done on the easiest difficulty setting, you can amass enough nano-credits from killing the Ceph to buy all the suit modules in campaign.[edit]
New weapons here include the M-60 (Pig) and HAMMER (handgun). For the record, only the M-60 will be of any use in later stages. You can stealth and sneak by almost all the enemies in this level.
If you decide to explore the subway platform, there is an LMG (light machinegun) at Tactical Point 1 (explore). Just follow the corridor to the ammunition bin where the weapon is.
A handy attachment for the M-60 is the laser-sight, meaning you can essentially waddle around and shoot enemies with some ease (like Halo). Otherwise, head straight for the exit, and don't bother passing GO to collect $200.
Locate the CELL fireteam Hargreaves sent in, and proceed past them to the next subway platform. This platform (with the explosive cannister) has no enemies save the harmless Ceph harvesters. Destroy them for some quick cash (or ignore them -- once you have all the modules, collecting nano-catalyst is pointless).
The second CELL fireteam has an X-43 MIKE microwave cannon. It's a charge-able weapon (with a large shot reserve). The weapon is fairly rare (there seems to be only four in the game, including the one found here) and only has reserve ammo when you collect another X-43.
Bonus Task » Popcorn[edit]
Only organic Ceph enemies are subject to the X-43 MIKE's attacks (the weapon is never offered when human enemies are around). Kill 20 enemies with the X-43 MIKE and you satisfy this condition.
Hold the trigger to emit a constant barrage of microwaves on a target. While it may "stun" the enemy, it will continually damage them faster than most conventional weapons (which fire slower and shoots projectiles at earthly speeds).
Blow the tunnel and head for the first pit. If you choose not to kill every alien in the pit, you can choose to sneak up to the alien spore structure and sabotage it by "using" the fluid cannister on the front facing of the structure.
Escape the first pit by heading for the raging fire past the bus wreck. There will be a DSG-1 near some grenades at the start of the second pit, but those weapons are unnecessary if you're doing it Splinter Cell style.
The second pit's structure is similar to the first, but you have a better chance to remain undetected if you climb onto its platform from the left (basically, to the Ceph Devastator's right if its facing the pit's center).
Put some room between you and the Devastator by going behind the structure, then approaching the front to hack the spore building. If you approached from the stage's right side (the Devastator's left), you can make a beeline for the spore conduit.
Exit the second pit via the container that leads "up" to the tactical point where you "ascend". Ascend the side of pit #2 (electric boo-ga-loo) and use the robotic anime-tentacle to get to the road leading to the third spore structure (it will not be in a pit).
There will be two Ceph soldiers who hot-drop (Nit-pick — if the Ceph are subterranean or aquatic, why are they deployed like Orbital Drop Shock Troopers?) on the road. If you cloak, you can take out one, then the other with stealth kills so you secure the area near the ammunition bin at the switchback.
Bonus Task » Hole in One[edit]
Near the third alien spore structure, there is a circular hole where water drains down into it. Grab and throw a Ceph into the hole to satisfy this condition. Note that grabbing an enemy decloaks you, and you cannot grab the Ceph Devastator, only the smaller assault units.
Sneak by the Devastator and defence units to get to the third spore structure (behind the Devastator). Once you do, you practically head for the final destination (to the spore conduit's right).
With all three spore conduits infected with the suit's own virus, you can walk into the viral stream and corrupt it. Don't relax yet marine ( see which game this line comes from ) and await a quick time event that will occur once you get blown through the roof.
Slam the displayed button multiple times to avoid dying. Follow the rest of the button prompts to progress.
Unlike the traditional QTE, most of Crysis 2's events are surprising and unexpected. Of course, none of the QTEs in the game can top the awesomeness of Ninja Blade (todome!).
Escape the pit by heading back topside and sprinting to the chopper. Regardless how fast you are, the wave will end the level for you.
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Horse Consistency
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Topic: Horse Consistency
Posted: 02 Jul 2016 at 12:29pm
Hey Folks!
I am going to start working on a few additions / modifications this weekend. At the moment, I am focusing on improving horse consistency; nothing more. I need to see how this change affects the game before I make any other changes that can affect our "horse demographics."
I am starting by adding gelding. It's been written into parts of the game for a while, but I couldn't decide previously exactly how I wanted to incorporate it and what I wanted it to do. I now believe gelding will offer one opportunity to improve a horse's consistency. It will also give some horses an increase in performance. Of course, doing so comes with the caveat that the male horse can never be "she maled." I need to add some back end code and test it before releasing it, however.
I also want to improve a horse's consistency when he/she hits their "sweet spot" in terms of distance/surface/running style (when set manually). To do so, I want to begin offering jockey feedback. I am not sure how much feedback I want to offer yet; it may be a "rating".. it may be a bit more information.. I just don't know yet. To enable "jockey feedback" for a race, however, you will have to sacrifice some of the potential points your horse would have earned in the race. All of this will require some coding, so I wouldn't expect it nearly as quickly as the gelding feature.
I am also leaning toward other way to improve consistency – less travel, entering your horse into a race further in advance, etc.
There were a lot of other ideas floated to me over the last week – some that make sense, some that I'm less in agreement about (usually because of the unintended consequences they may cause)... but hey, I like to read whatever you send! Long story short - I'm excited to add a few new things now that I have a less stressful "real job." The one thing I truly believe is that there is still a lot of love for this game by a lot of people and, ultimately, we all just want what is best for now and the future. While I navigate the ship, that doesn't mean I'm not willing to veer in a different direction if it ultimately leads to a better destination. We're all in this together.
Thank you guys as always for playing – here's hoping for another 18 years!
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Marshals: 'Tiger Lied' - Tiger Woods Under Fire for Explanation in Sergio Garcia Dispute (VIDEO)
Marshals have said Tiger Woods lied about their role in a controversial incident at The Players Championship at the weekend.
Two course marshals have flatly denied Woods' claims that they had given him the go ahead to take his club out just as Sergio Garcia was preparing to hit his shot.
Woods was criticized over the incident, but explained that the course marshals had told him Garcia had already hit his ball and he was all clear to pull out his club.
Garcia in particular was not happy with his playing partner as he explained the extra commotion was off-putting just as he was about to take his shot.
In an NBC interview on Saturday, Garcia slammed Woods saying, "It's very simple; you have to pay attention to what's going on because the other guy is hitting. You do something when you're in the crowd and the crowd is going to respond."
Woods responded to the criticism by shifting the blame to the course marshals, saying they had given him the go-ahead: "The marshals, they told me he already hit, so I pulled a club and was getting ready to play my shot. And then I hear [Garcia's] comments afterward, and it's not real surprising that he's complaining about something."
However, on Sunday marshal Gary Anderson rebuffed Woods' claims, saying: "He didn't ask us nothing. We didn't say nothing. We're told not to talk to the players," according to Sports Illustrated.
Chief marshal John North also spoke out and backed up Anderson's claims: "Nothing was said to us and we certainly said nothing to him. I was disappointed to hear him make those remarks. We're there to help the players and enhance the experience of the fans. He was saying what was good for him. It lacked character."
Woods and Garcia were tied going into the end of the course, but Garcia was left frustrated and eventually put his ball into the water hazard.


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Harold Wong
I am a Sr. IT Pro Evangelist with Microsoft and have been focused on Private and Public Cloud technologies. As an Evangelist with the US Developer and Platform Evangelism organization, I spend my time supporting the IT Pro community with blog entries that provide content, resources and solutions. You can also find me speaking at different events, tweeting (@haroldwong) and generally "geeking out" on all things IT Pro.
Over the past twelve plus years with Microsoft, I have engaged with thousands of IT Professionals working in various sized companies to help them better understand the different infrastructure technologies offered by Microsoft. Historically, I've been known for my work with the Unified Communications stack (Exchange and Lync) but over the last year and a half, I have also made a name for myself with Private and Public Cloud. I am a big proponent of certification and have taken the time to obtain the following certifications: MCITP Enterprise Administrator, MCITP Server Administrator, MCITP Enterprise Messaging Administrator and VMware VCP5.
One of the building blocks that an organization needs to adopt and understand to get to the private cloud is Virtualization. With that in mind, I have also taken time to focus on virtualization and helping IT Pros get more familiar with the technology and how to best utilize it within their IT shop. Virtualization is much more than just cost reduction and server consolodation. If I consolodate 50 physical servers by virtualizing onto 3 hypervisor hosts, I still have to manage 50 servers plus the three hypervisor hosts. Therefore, the virtualization strategy has to take into account more than just the hypervisor but also the end to end management of the environment. That's why I believe there is so much more to this topic than just choosing one hypervisor over another or how many VMs to put on one hypervisor host. I will be discussing these different areas in my posts while having some fun too.
Outside of work, I really enjoy spending time with my wife and two kids. I also happen to be a big caffeine addict and usually start my morning off with a mocha that I make at home or that I purchase at Starbucks. When purchasing from Starbucks, my poison of choice is a triple, venti, soy, no whip, no foam, 3 pump mocha with 5 scoops of matcha (not steamed). When I save up enough money, I also like to go grab some sushi - especially at Mido's in Chandler, AZ with my family (how can you go wrong with great all you can eat for $20??).
Please reach out to me via comments on my blog or email or phone or in-person at the various events I attend and participate in.
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A marathon-style golf tournament is similar to a walk-a-thon or jog-a-thon. Before the tournament, each golfer gathers pledges. Participants are encouraged to play 100 holes of golf (or as many as possible), at their own pace, while enjoying the fellowship of friends and the benefits that will be provided. At the end of the allotted time, each golfer collects money according to how many holes he or she was able to play.
*Golfers who gather $2000 in pledges/donations will be invited to bring their families and stay at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa on both Friday and Saturday night at no additional cost.
If you would like to participate in any way, including sponsoring a player or making a donation, or if you would like more information, please contact the Director of Athletic Fundraising, Erin Rosene, at email@example.com.
|Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa*
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
|• Friday night: Celebration Dinner
• Saturday: tournament at Rose Hill Golf Club (Located in Rose Hill Plantation)
• Saturday night: Awards Dinner
- The Emmanuel College Athletic Department will host a marathon-style golf tournament May 13-14, 2011, at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa in Hilton Head, S.C. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for golfers. All proceeds from the tournament will be used to support plans for the growth and expansion of the athletic programs.
- Friday night: Celebration Dinner
- Saturday: tournament at Rose Hill Golf Club (Located in Rose Hill Plantation)
- Saturday night: Awards Dinner


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A review of Passage to Wonderland
Passage to Wonderland.
Michael A. Amundson,
208 pages, hardcover: $35.
University Press of Colorado, 2012.
In 1903, photographer Joseph Stimson rode in a horse-drawn buggy along a new 50-mile route leading from Cody, Wyo., to the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park. He stopped periodically to take pictures for a display at the 1904 World's Fair. In 2007, author Michael Amundson, a professor of history at Northern Arizona University, traveled the same route -- now a paved highway -- and rephotographed this scenic landscape. In Passage to Wonderland, Amundson's color photos are paired with Stimson's black-and-white prints, documenting the changes -- both drastic and subtle -- that a century has brought to the eastern edge of America's first national park.


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The Creation Of The Universe
The Basic Concepts in the Qur'an
Oppression (Fitnah)
Just as in English and all other languages, in Arabic some words have various connotations.
The word "fitnah", the equivalent of "oppression", has more than one meaning in Arabic.
"Fitnah" is primarily the process by which gold is purified of other elements. As used in the Qur'an however, the word implies the trials through which believers are separated from unbelievers or hypocrites. These trials have a basic feature: they may lead a person astray. Put briefly, the fact that the individual can both be guided to the true path or be led astray during these trials entirely depends on the type of attitude he assumes towards religion. The prayer of Moses addresses this feature of fitnah:
And Moses chose seventy of his people for Our place of meeting: when they were seized with violent quaking, he prayed: "O my Lord! If it had been Your will, You could have long before destroyed both them and me: would you destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us? This is no more than Your trial: by it you cause whom You will to stray, and You lead whom You will to the right path. You are our Protector: so forgive us and give us Your mercy; for You are the best of those who forgive. (Al-Araf, 177)
Many verses imply that the earth is a place of trial and men will certainly be tested whether they really believe or not:
Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested? We tested those who went before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. (Al-Ankabut, 1-3)
In another verse it is explained that this trial is of two different kinds:
Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you all by evil and by good by way of trial. To Us you must return. (Al-Anbiya, 35)
If an individual complies with the commandments of Allah, albeit the owner of substantial possessions and living in very favourable circumstances, this is, in reality, a way to feel closer to Allah. Yet if he does not spend what he owns in such a way as to obtain the approval of Allah, he may go astray. Such a person fails the test and "suffers a manifest loss" in the hereafter.
In the same way, a trouble, distress, disease, loss of one's house or family may be cited as examples of the trials an individual is likely to encounter. His reaction to these trials reveals whether he is a true believer or not. No alteration ever occurs in the attitude of a believer when he faces trouble. Rebellion, hopelessness, despair, or distress evinced towards the trials indicate that the person in question is not a true believer.
A believer is always conscious that each incident occurs by the Will of Allah. He, therefore, puts his trust in Allah and faces even the gravest trouble with maturity. Loss of any property never affects him since he does not allow worldly passions to control him. He is confident that this is the attitude by which he can please Allah.
Fitnah: Straying From the True Way
Some incidents are specially designed by Allah to reveal the attitude of unbelievers. Some verses in the Qur'an relate this fact:
Thus We tried some of them by comparison with others, so that they should say: "Is it these then that Allah has favored from amongst us?" Does not Allah know best those who are grateful? (Al-Anaam, 53)
A similar verse follows:
Never did We send a messenger or a prophet before you, but, when he framed a desire, Satan tampered with it. but Allah will cancel any vain intervention by Satan, and will confirm (and establish) His signs: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom: He makes Satan's interjections a trial for those in whose hearts there is a disease and who have become hardened truly, the wrong-doers are in open schism and far from the truth. (Al-Hajj, 52-53)
In the verse below it is remarked that in some cases property is given to people to test them:
Do not strain your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to some of them, or for the splendour of the life of this world, for with these We seek only to test them: but the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring. (Ta-Ha, 131)
Rather than just the testing of human faith, these trials are created to verify the rebellion of certain people, as well as disclosing the truth about them. This is explained in another verse:
Let neither their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle you; in reality, Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this life, so that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah.(Al-Tawba, 55)
Allah states in the Qur'an that He has left some people astray:
Then do you see such a person as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a veil over his eyes. Who, then, will guide him after Allah has withdrawn His guidance? Will you not then receive admonition? (Al-Jathiya, 23)
There is no other recourse for the people whom Allah has left astray:
Why should you be divided into two parties about the hypocrites? Allah has upset them for their (evil) deeds. Would you guide those whom Allah has confounded? For those whom Allah has confounded, there can be no guidance. (An-Nisa, 88)
Straying With Fitnah
From the foregoing we know that fitnah, in certain cases and at certain times, might lead people astray. The Qur'an repeatedly recalls the stories of people in the past who went astray. For instance, when Moses was away from his people, they followed Samiri, who made a statue of a calf, and worshipped it. This is recounted in the Qur'an: as "being led astray"
(Allah) said: "We have tested your people in your absence: the Samiri has led them astray." (Ta-Ha, 85)
"Then he brought out (of the fire) before the (people) the image of a calf. It seemed to low; so they said: "This is your god, and the god of Moses, but (Moses) has forgotten!'"
Aaron had already, before this said to them:
"O my people! you are being tested in this: for truly, your Lord is Allah Most Gracious; so follow me and obey my command." (Ta-Ha, 88-90)
Another verse confirming that fitnah leads the unwary astray is as follows:
Soon you will see, and they will see, which of you is afflicted with madness. Truly, it is your Lord who knows best, which of you have strayed from His path: and He knows best those who receive true guidance. (Al-Qalam, 5-7)
Fitnah As A Test
The positive attitude one takes at the time of a fitnah is a means by which one can feel closer to Allah. Fitnah is surely a way by which a believer demonstrates his perseverance and commitment to Allah and is a means of attaining personal maturity in His sight.
For instance all-out war is a time of great trial. No matter what the circumstances are, believers, and only believers, display the attitude explained in the Qur'an:
When the Believers saw the confederate forces, they said: "This is what Allah and His messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger told us what was true." And it only added to their faith and their zeal in obedience. (Al-Ahzab, 22)
No matter how hard a trial may be, believers always conduct themselves in such a way as to merit the pleasure of Allah.
What seems to be fortunate and good for believers may well be a reason to go astray for unbelievers. The verse below points to another trial, a trial regarding the number of angels in hell. What becomes a matter of going astray for unbelievers, may be good news for believers and may strengthen their faith.
Over it are nineteen. And We have appointed none but angels as guardians of the fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for unbelievers,in order that the people of the book may arrive at certainty, and the believers may increase in faith, and that no doubts may be left for the people of the book and the believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the unbelievers may say, "What symbol does Allah intend by this?" Thus Allah leaves to stray whom He pleases, and guides whom He pleases: and none can know the forces of your Lord, except Himself and this is no more than a warning to mankind. (Al-Muddaththir, 30-31)
The Effort To Lead People Into Fitnah
Some people concentrate all their efforts on making believers go astray. Their main purpose is to make them adopt their own unreasonable way of thinking and beliefs. The Qur'an informs us that, throughout history, against almost all believers assaults were carried out for this purpose. All these attacks were planned to weaken the commitment of believers to the commandments of the Qur'an. Allah states that believers would fall into fitnah if they ever complied with this plan.
And their purpose was to tempt you away from what We had revealed to you, to substitute in Our name something quite different; (in that case), behold! They would certainly have made you (their) friend! (Al-Isra, 73)
Causing Fitnah
In Surat Al-Baqara verses 191 and 217, Allah states fitnah to be "worse than slaughter". To have a better understanding of fitnah as an offense, it would be helpful to examine the case of "killing a man", an offense described by the Qur'an.
If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (forever): And the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him. (An-Nisa, 93)
Actually here fitnah has a meaning other than "trial". It is used for all acts and deeds leading man astray.
The Qur'an especially refers to hypocrites as the ones who "cause fitnah". Allah informs us that hypocrites practise many forms of fitnah; they basically try to prevent believers from involving themselves in war, hatch plans against the messenger and believers, and try to make them lose their sense of commitment.
Hypocrites misinterpret the verses, or rather distort the interpretation of verses and only comply with them, if they are of benefit to them. Believers, on the other hand, assume a totally different attitude; they demonstrate complete submission whatever the circumstances may be.
He it is Who has sent down the Book to you: In it are verses basic or fundamental (of established meaning); they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those who have perversity in their hearts follow the part of it that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord." And none will grasp the message except men of understanding. (Al-Imran, 7)
The basic characteristic of hypocrites is their indulgence in fitnah. The Arabic version of the word "hypocrite" is "munafiq", which means "the one who makes a division." Dividing believers is a fitnah as well as a great sin. There are verses in the Qur'an stating that hypocrites try to practise fitnah among believers:
If they had come out with you, they would not have added to your (strength) but only (made for) disorder, hurrying to and fro in your midst and sowing sedition among you, and there would have been some among you who would have listened to them. But Allah knows well those who do wrong. (Al-Tawba, 47)
Should their plans be disclosed to believers, hypocrites plotting against the messenger and believers try to convince believers of their innocence. They make an effort to reduce such treachery to insignificance. They surely go in great fear of believers and punishment, and thus conduct themselves as if they have never committed an offense. Moreover, they ask believers not to treat them like other hypocrites and demand the continuance of their relations.
Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and do not expose me to temptation. Have they not succumbed to temptation already?" And indeed hell surrounds the unbelievers on all sides. (Al-Tawba, 49)
The verse asserts that hypocrites are liars and are involved in fitnah, just like others. Allah warns believers not to be deceived by their fraud.
Unbelievers and hypocrites will suffer the most grievous penalty in the hell in return to the fitnah they have caused:
"Taste this your trial, the punishment which you have sought to hasten!" (Adh-Dhariyat, 14)
Dispute Among Believers Causes Fitnah
Oppression prevails on earth unless believers provide protection to one another. This fact is stated in the following verse:
The unbelievers are protectors, one of another: Unless you do this, (protect each other), there will be tumult and oppression on earth, and great mischief. (Al-Anfal, 73)
Believers conduct themselves with caution, taking care not to become involved in any issue which is likely to foment oppression. Certain attitudes and behaviour, albeit unintentional, may well underlie such injustice. As mentioned in the verse above, failure to protect one another or allowing disputes to arise among believers can also be causes of oppression, in which case the responsibility would rest also with the believers. True believers, therefore pay the utmost attention to giving each other comfort, care and protection.
Factors of Fitnah
In the Qur'an, Allah, the Creator of man, informs us in detail how a man should lead his life. If the individual follows his own desires in this world, it is more likely that he will hold his desires and his own expectations above the good pleasure of Allah. In such a spirit, he will display a heedless attitude towards pleasing Allah and the benefits of Islam. In such a case, one can expect him not to be cautious in observing the limits set by Allah.
Allah repeatedly reminds man that this world is a temporary place in which to reside and a setting for trial. Knowing this, people can still see it as an eternal place to stay and turn their faces away from the afterlife.
Anyone refusing to embrace the Qur'an as a guide is bound to have ambitions for this life. He is therefore prone to suffer great distress about everything related to daily life. Possessions and children are also referred to as fitnah in the verse below:
Your riches and your children may be but a trial: but in the presence of Allah is the highest reward. (At-Taghabun, 15)
The use of the word 'trial' here is indeed striking. Pretending not to understand the main task of man in this life, people are generally carried away by certain false aims and embrace them as "a law of this world". Due to the indoctrination of an ignorant society, people believe marriage, having children and possessions to be the immutable law of worldly life. The majority of people evince a strong interest in getting married, having possessions and children while they remain rather indifferent to complying with the commandments of Allah and observing His limits.
The criterion that creates the need to have children is also provided in the Qur'an. Accordingly, such an intention is acted upon not simply out of custom, but only when it is in compliance with the pleasure of Allah The prayer of Prophet Imran is given as example for this case:
Behold! A woman of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I dedicate to you what is in my womb for your special service: So accept this of me: for you hear and know all things." (Al-Imran, 35)
The Qur'an relates similar prayers of the prophets and leads the beleivers to the true way:
There Zakariya prayed to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant to me from You progeny that is pure: for You are the one Who hears all prayers! (Al-Imran, 38)
Abraham's prayer is as follows:
"Our Lord! make of us Muslims, bowing to your will, and of our progeny a Muslim people bowing to your will; and show us our place for the celebration of due rites; and turn to us in mercy; for you are the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. (Al-Baqara, 128)
Possessions, too, would enable the individual to attain the mercy of Allah and an eternal salvation, provided that they were used in the cause of Allah. Otherwise, they would be fitnah. The attitude of the Prophet Solomon towards possessions sets an example for all believers. Rather than avoiding possessions, believers regard possessions as a way to remember the word of Allah.The conduct of Sulayman is recounted as follows in the Quran :
Behold, there were brought before him one evening steeds of the highest breeding, and swift of foot; and he said, "Truly, I love the love of good, with a view to the glory of my Lord," -until (the sun) was hidden in the veil (of night): "Bring them back to me." Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and their necks. (Sad, 31-33)
About possessions and children, Allah gives other warnings to believers in the Qur'an. Constant vigilance is essential to avoid this fitnah:
Wealth and children of this world by no means ensure salvation from a disastrous end, unless they are made for the good pleasure of Allah:
O you who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. If any act thus, the loss is their own. (Al-Munafiqoon, 9)
The property and the children they possess will do them no good in the hereafter: Of no profit whatever to them, against Allah, will be their riches or their sons: they will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein for ever! (Al-Mujadila, 17)
Oppression, Torture and Burden
Oppression, torture and burden are also referred to as fitnah (trial) in the Qur'an.
But none believed in Moses except some children of his people, because of the fear that Pharaoh and his chiefs, would persecute them; and certainly Pharaoh was mighty on the earth and one who transgressed all bounds. (Jonah, 83)
In their prayers to avoid the oppression of unbelievers, believers again use the word fitnah (trial):
They said: "In Allah we have put our trust. Our Lord! Do not make us a trial for those who practise oppression." (Jonah, 85)
Also the Qur'an names distress, disasters, and catastrophes as fitnah (trial):
Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice? Yet they do not turn in repentance, and they take no heed. (Al-Tawba, 126)


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The Check-In: Javier Gomez in Panama
The reigning ITU world champion joins the stellar field this weekend at the IRONMAN 70.3 Latin American Pro Championship, and plenty more from the world of IRONMAN.
ITU World Champ to Start IRONMAN 70.3 Latin American Pro Championship
This Sunday's Samsung GALAXY IRONMAN 70.3 Panama appears to be another early season race that is full of potential winners. On the men's side, defending champion, Oscar Galindez (ARG) will have to contend with the likes of Bevan Docherty (NZL), Richie Cunningham (USA), big Matty Reed (USA), Paul Mathews (AUS), TJ Tollakson (USA), Trevor Wurtele (CAN), Igor Amorelli (BRA), Tim Don (GBR) and Andy Starykowicz (USA).
The reigning ITU world champion, Javier Gomez (ESP) will garner a lot of attention with his start. Gomez is one of the premier triathletes of this era, has no weakness in his arsenal of skills and should make a huge impact on the race dynamics once the start gun goes off.
The women's field will see last year's winner, Heather Wurtele, emerge from the Canadian winter to spend some time in a warmer climate. The Canuck will have her hands full with Angela Naeth (CAN), Cat Morrison (GBR). Mary Beth Ellis (USA), Heather Jackson (USA) Natascha Badmann, Montceli Ariane (BRA), along with Rebeccah and Laural Wassner (USA).
Read IronmanLive hosts Michael Lovato and Matt Lieto's predictions.
Visit the IRONMAN 70.3 Panama event page for more information about the course, professional ranking points, prize purse and age group qualifying slots. Check back on Sunday and follow the action on the athlete tracker. Join the race day conversation on FaceBook and Twitter using #IM703Panama.
New Transfer Program Announced in North America
IRONMAN has launched a pilot program in the United States and Canada that will allow athletes to transfer their entries to other open North American events.
"This program was designed in response to athlete feedback we've received over the years," says IRONMAN CEO Andrew Messick. "We understand that athletes want to race with us, but sometimes life gets in the way–injuries happen, weddings pop up or a job takes them across the country. With the transfer program we hope to address these issues by allowing IRONMAN athletes to transfer to another open race in North America. If they have a simple date conflict, they can move sooner or later in the calendar. If they have an injury, they can move down to a 70.3 distance or postpone to a later race. We're trying to give our athletes every opportunity to get in a race with IRONMAN."
North American IRONMAN Transfer Program
Alexander and Moffat Head to Geelong
Five time IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 world champion, Craig Alexander, towered above a strong field last weekend in his splendid win at IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong, while Emma Moffat was in a league of her own, cruising to victory by over 12 minutes.
Revisit the race day coverage here
Read Ian Hepenstal's race recap of the day's action in Geelong
Champions to Defend Titles at 30th Kellogg's Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand
The 2013 champions Bevan Docherty and Meredith Kessler will defend their crowns at the 30th anniversary of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain IRONMAN New Zealand in Taupo next month.
Docherty, the double Olympic medalist in 2004 and 2008, will return to his home town of Taupo where he won on debut last year, setting a new course record in the process. It was a dream start to his IRONMAN career following on from his third place finish in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in 2012.
His victory in Taupo did not flow on to bigger and better things in his two major quests last year, at the 70.3 Worlds and GoPro IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii. He failed to finish both: illness proved costly at Las Vegas while his nutrition failed him and he ran out of fuel in Hawaii.
"It certainly wasn't the finish to the season that I had planned," Docherty said. "I was in terrific shape, but this endurance stuff, particularly IRONMAN, is new to me. I said when I took it up that I was confident about swim, bike and run, but there's a fourth discipline which is nutrition that is new to me. I'm learning all the time and I am pleased with my training. I am strong and things are tracking well for me."
He has another incentive with his father Ray also competing in the 30th anniversary event.
Carfrae and Ward Collect Hardware at Endurance LIVE Awards
The 2013 IRONMAN world champion, Mirinda Carfrae, was awarded the "Competitor of the Year" at the Endurance LIVE Awards in San Diego last weekend, acknowledging her second GoPro IRONMAN World Championship title and out-splitting the men's champion in the marathon for the first time in Kona history.
Hines Ward claimed the "Celebrity Athlete of the Year" statue. The Super Bowl MVP, two-time Super Bowl Champion and Dancing with the Stars Champion, took on the biggest challenge of his life, completing the IRONMAN World Championship last October.
Read more about all award Endurance LIVE winners
Tweet of the Week
Looks like master chef, Gordon Ramsay has already got plans for his next IRONMAN, judging by his reply to a tweet directed to the 2013 GoPro IRONMAN World Championship finisher.
"@ag318195: @GordonRamsay what race are you training for now?" @GordonRamsay: "IRONMAN WALES"
Gordon Ramsay (@GordonRamsay) February 10, 2014
Endurance Hour Podcast #102
Craig Alexander Wins 2014 IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong, Sochi Olympics, ITU Long Course World Championship, indoor bike training workout, USAT National Championship Qualification plus a February giveaway.
Download or listen to Endurance Podcast here
Galindez Family Welcome New Addition
Multiple IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 champion, Oscar Galindez (ARG) and his wife Lisa, welcomed their third child, Lorenzo, into the world earlier this week. Congrats to the South American family from the IRONMAN community.
From Horrific Car Accident to IRONMAN New Zealand
Greg Hadley, 57, a Taupo District Council worker will be competing at the 30th edition of IRONMAN New Zealand next month. Hadley's attributes his healthy lifestyle in aiding his survival and recover from a vehicle accident in 2011.
Read more about Hadley's journey to this years IRONMAN New Zealand
Instagram of the Week
Follow IRONMAN Tri on Instagram
Gear Up: IRONMAN Gel-Ready Race Belt
The perfect competition accessory for triathletes, this race number belt is designed to be one size fits all.
- 10 gel loops for easy access
- Lace locks for race bib attachment
- Soft elastic webbing with snapbuckle
- Reflective logo treatment
- Fully adjustable


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It's 2015. Alicia is running for office, Cary is headed to prison, Peter is canoodling with his personal attorney and Diane is wondering what happened to her life over the last 12 months.
Quite frankly, I am, too.
Over the past year, virtually everything on The Good Wife has changed. This time last year we were all happily going about our days saying, 'Will Gardner this' and 'Will Gardner that.' Now there is no Lockhart Gardner (at least not really), there is no Will – only Will's office, now known as Alicia's office (otherwise known as a strange twist of fate), there is no trendy brick-lined loft space, no time when I can remember Cary's life didn't suck and no possibility of me ever not being disappointed in Zach Florrick.
So, a lot has changed. But that's not a bad thing. It goes back to the old adage – when one door closes, another one opens. Let's be honest: Who thought I'dever get over the loss of Will Gardner? Over here, I still use my Team Gardner mug and I've yet to turn my Team Gardner t-shirt into a polishing rag. Things are different now, but I'm strangely okay with that fact. Lemond Bishop is getting a lot more screen time (aka, never a bad thing), Cary is finally securing a terrific and dramatic storyline and Eli is making his political puppetry look easy. And then there's the addition of Matthew Goode as Finn Polmar – the unexpectedly witty hero-lawyer who tried to save Will but couldn't, despite best efforts. I didn't think I could love again – but he's proving me wrong.
|Matthew Goode | Image via theguardian.com
With that, it's time to look at the top 10 things we're excited to see on The Good Wife in 2015:
1) Cary Agos – Prisoner: Cary is going to jail. JAIL! What?!?! Wasn't it just yesterday he was competing with Alicia for a job at Lockhart Gardner? Now he's being locked up for four years. I know there must be a way for him to get out of this mess… but how? Could his freedom come down to Kalinda's last grand plot? Or what about Elsbeth? Why hasn't anyone hired her?
2) More Late-Night Brunch: Finn and Alicia in a diner, late at night, with flickering lights and plates full of pancakes? Seriously. What could be better? Pass me a hot latte – I could watch this for H-O-U-R-S.
|Julianna Margulies & Matthew Goode | Image via Bustle.com
3) Peter's Demise: I don't mean his death. That would be sad, even for me and my extreme distain for him. That said, I'd like to watch his political implosion at the hands of this latest gigantic indiscretion, otherwise known as "Ramona Lytton." Could this man BE a bigger liar? I think not. Let's all watch his life go south. Please!
4) Kalinda's Final Surprise: By now, we've all heard Kalinda will be leaving The Good Wife. Of course I'm sad, but in a way, also exhilarated. We don't know how, or when, or why it's going to happen, so each episode is like digging into a box of unmarked chocolates: You don't know what you're going to get – but you hope it's the orange cream. Let's hope she leaves in a delightfully sinful blaze of glory, but let's also hope she doesn't die. There's something comforting in the vague chance of her resurfacing…
5) Alicia's Race: Will Alicia win the race for State's Attorney? Do we even want her in office? Of course, she would be amazing, because that's who she is. She's fair, level-headed and less morally corrupt than a good number of people on this show. Still, if she wins, everything is going to change and, quite obviously, become more complicated. Lemond Bishop is fueling her campaign through her PAC and there's little she can do about it. Her friends and colleagues won't really be able to associate with her, so what will she have left? Bible study with Grace? Tequila shots with… Eli?
6) Room for Marissa: Over the course of The Good Wife's seasons, a number of great characters have come and gone, but few as thoroughly enjoyable as Sarah Steele as Marissa Gold. Sharp, dry, clever and the one I'm voting most likely to save Alicia from personal disaster at any point. I can't wait to see what else is in store for Marissa in 2015, but let's hope her roll continues to increase.
|Sarah Steele | Image via cbs.com
7) The Evolution of Lemond Bishop: He's secretly supporting Alicia, he's tracking Kalinda's every move and he's having people "removed" from his inner circle faster than a camel drinks at a desert oasis. Will he continue to evade the law, Capone-style, or will his undoing come sooner than we could imagine? If he does end up in jail, one thing is for sure: I'm going to miss his suit/tie/pocket squares. He may be a bad guy, but his fashion is impeccable.
8) A Few Good Actors: Three characters I can't wait to see more of this season? Elsbeth Tascioni, Josh Perotti (preferably going head-to-head and then for dinner) and, of course, the eerily creepy yet somehow enthralling, Colin Sweeney.
9) Eli Gold, Puppet Master: Does this man ever sleep? Probably not. How could he? He has tied himself to the Florrick family and, quite frankly, they are a bloody disaster. Alicia is threatening teachers, Peter can't help but have affairs and Eli is dancing around trying to keep the yodeling goat from falling off stage. Eli is a true miracle worker, but in 2015, I think he has his work cut out for him, more than ever before.
10) New Digs: Where have David Lee and Louis Canning landed? Like cats, together these dastardly snake oil salesmen have 18 lives, so we're sure it's somewhere not entirely unappealing. Still, I hope they are fighting vermin-infested walls between client meetings. Where are they now? Let's hope we find out more in 2015!
What are you most looking forward to in 2015? Sound off in the comments below!


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Concrete contractor cuts deal with prosecutors
Contractor was accused of using substandard material in public construction projects
Two years ago, San Francisco authorities blamed a local businessman for orchestrating a fraud scheme that resulted in tons of substandard concrete being used in public structures.
But the fraud case against Ricardo Ramirez crumbled earlier this year when prosecutors dropped those charges as part of a deal under which he pleaded guilty to a single environmental count. Ramirez will serve a year of home detention and avoid jail time as long as he pays $427,000 in fines and restitution.
Meanwhile, the public is stuck with his legacy. Substandard concrete from Ramirez's now-defunct company was poured into a half-mile stretch of the Bay Bridge's rebuilt western approach. Inferior, less-durable material also was used on a retrofit project at the Golden Gate Bridge, a wastewater treatment plant in Burlingame, the new parking garage in Golden Gate Park, the Municipal Railway's Third Street light-rail line and other projects.
Some agencies say the material is not a problem. At the Bay Bridge approach, however, Caltrans and its main contractor will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep concrete from deteriorating decades earlier than it should. None of the money that Ramirez must pay to settle his criminal case will go toward shoring up the taxpayer-funded project.
With great fanfare in May 2006, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris announced that Ramirez stood atop an empire of fraud.
"We must ensure that our public projects receive quality materials and are not victims of fraud," the city's top prosecutor said. "We will continue to work with all these public agencies to protect the environment and to protect public safety."
Ramirez, now 67, presided over several failed paving ventures before forming Pacific Cement in 1998. The company took advantage of government programs that help minority-owned businesses, and by 2003 he was supplying a third of the concrete that San Francisco used for public works.
Recycled concrete cheaper
But the company started having financial problems, and Ramirez turned to passing off recycled concrete, made from ground-up concrete debris, as the more expensive and durable product that is made solely from hard rock, authorities said.
San Francisco prosecutors originally charged him with 14 felonies and 14 misdemeanors, including nine counts related to the use of recycled concrete. They said Pacific Cement had supplied the inferior product for a 4-inch-thick decorative facade on a pylon that supports the arch over Fort Point at the Golden Gate Bridge. At the Burlingame sewage plant, the material went into a foundation of a control room building, prosecutors said.
At the time, authorities pointed to tests and accounts by workers indicating that Pacific Cement had delivered substandard concrete to a host of other major public works projects. But Ramirez was never charged in connection with any of them.
Then, in January, San Francisco prosecutors dropped 27 of the 28 counts they had filed against Ramirez and agreed to a deal in which he pleaded guilty to a single environmental charge of illegally storing waste oil at a concrete-production facility he leased from the city on Pier 80.
Harris' office had no explanation for why it dropped the concrete case. It issued a statement stressing that Ramirez had pleaded guilty to the "most serious environmental charge" he faced and that he would pay restitution.
Ramirez's attorney, Stuart Hanlon, said the deal was reached after prosecutors told him that the concrete Ramirez supplied to the Golden Gate Bridge and Burlingame sewage plant projects met strength standards set by the state.
Under the deal, Ramirez must pay about $56,000 to the Golden Gate Bridge district, $80,000 to the port for cleanup and $41,600 to compensate the city's toxics division for cleanup and inspection of his plant site.
Ramirez's half-brother, Reynaldo Nunez, who helped run Pacific Cement, was charged with the same original crimes but pleaded guilty only to one lesser environmental count. He was fined $500 and given three years' probation.
Ramirez, who has been sued by the city for lease violations as well as by contractors over the allegedly inferior concrete he supplied, says he is nearly bankrupt. He has until Aug. 20 to mortgage properties to pay the fines and restitution, Hanlon said.
Bridge got biggest batch
The project to replace the Bay Bridge western approach, which is scheduled to be finished next year, appears to have gotten the single biggest infusion of substandard concrete from Pacific Cement of any public works job.
It is unclear why San Francisco prosecutors never filed charges against Ramirez in connection with the rebuild.
Tony Anziano, the Caltrans official in charge of the project, said his agency had been defrauded by Pacific Cement. He said that Caltrans had always cooperated with prosecutors and that he couldn't explain why they hadn't pursued charges.
Prosecutors said that they lacked evidence against Ramirez in the Caltrans project at the time they brought the case against him, and that over the next two years they never got what they needed.
Anziano says Caltrans will have to make the best of the situation.
"I'm not thrilled about the fact that we have recycled concrete in there," Anziano said. Caltrans assumes that all of 27,000 cubic yards of concrete that Pacific Cement supplied for the project - enough to cover a football field 16 1/2 feet deep - was recycled.
The material went into a half-mile stretch leading to the Fremont Street ramp. Anziano stressed that the concrete meets building requirements for freeway structures, but said it may not last as long as it should - 60 years - because recycled concrete is prone to micro-cracking and moisture infiltration.
Anziano said the main contractor on the rebuild will treat the road deck area with a moisture-proofing material. New concrete columns, he said, are being treated with a solution that prevents paint from bonding, which should protect them.
If left untreated, the roadway material could fail in as few as 30 years, Anziano said.
The cost of coating the inferior concrete is expected to run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and be divided between the state and the bridge contractor, Tutor-Saliba Corp.
Anziano said Caltrans has ways of detecting substandard concrete before it hardens, but acknowledged that Pacific Cement had gotten around the safeguards. Still, he said, nothing has changed in how Caltrans deals with cement providers.
"You go into contracts assuming we are dealing with honest people - you have to," he said.
Other victims
At the Golden Gate Bridge, Pacific Cement delivered a dozen truckloads of adulterated concrete in summer 2005, authorities said.
It was a small fraction of all the loads delivered, bridge officials stressed. Chief engineer Denis Mulligan said the bridge district had spent tens of thousands of dollars analyzing the concrete. "All that was shared with the district attorney," he said of the results.
Mulligan said Harris' office hadn't told him it was dropping the charges, but he wouldn't fault prosecutors for doing so.
"We are pleased we were able to participate in the filing of the charges," he said. "It's the people's money, taxpayers' money. ... If someone does something inappropriate, we aggressively pursue the matter."
One of the other victims was the Burlingame sewage plant, where substandard materials were used in making a control room to operate the plant. However, tests showed that the recycled concrete did not contain glass or other debris that could have made the material more vulnerable to cracking and water damage.
"The fact of the matter is the concrete is there, undisturbed, and doing fine," said Syed Murtuza, head of public works for the city. "If the tests had found something different, you would see I would have reacted differently."
Former drivers for Pacific Cement told prosecutors and The Chronicle that they had also delivered substandard concrete to the new garage near the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park, the UCSF hospital in Parnassus Heights, San Francisco's new Youth Guidance Center and the Third Street Muni rail line.
Garage officials have insisted their structure is safe, although they never conducted tests to determine whether it contained inferior concrete. They have not returned calls seeking comment.
Muni officials not concerned
Muni officials say tests showed that recycled concrete was used only in the sidewalk, traffic barriers and decorative elements of the Third Street light-rail project, not structural ones. Judson True, a spokesman for Muni, said the agency has no safety concerns about the concrete.
Ramirez, as part of the plea agreement, can't run a concrete company in San Francisco for the five years the deal is in effect. Hanlon said his client is mortgaging properties to make restitution.
Ramirez is now at home wearing an electronic ankle bracelet, Hanlon said. "He's working," the lawyer said, but "not working in San Francisco, that's for sure."
Hanlon insisted that prosecutors oversold the case, and that the public is not at risk from the recycled concrete that Ramirez poured.
"It became an issue of, did people get what they bargained for?" Hanlon said. "That's not a huge issue, in the scheme of things."
He added, "This was not the crime of the century. If people were endangered, it was. But this wasn't."
Where the concrete went
Ricardo Ramirez's Pacific Cement supplied substandard, recycled concrete to a number of public works projects in the Bay Area as it encountered financial difficulties about five years ago, according to San Francisco prosecutors, other government officials and former drivers for the now-defunct company.
Golden Gate Bridge: About a dozen truckloads of recycled cement went into a 4-inch-thick decorative facade on a pylon that supports the arch over Fort Point. Under his plea deal, Ramirez must pay $56,000 to the bridge district.
Bay Bridge western approach: Based on tests it has performed on the new approach, Caltrans assumes that all 27,000 cubic yards of concrete that Pacific Cement supplied for the project was recycled. Caltrans and its main contractor, Tutor-Saliba Corp., are expected to split the cost of treating the concrete to make it last as long as it should. Ramirez was never charged in connection with the deliveries, and none of the restitution he must pay to resolve his criminal case will go to Caltrans.
Muni's Third Street light-rail line: Muni officials say a small amount of recycled concrete from Pacific Cement went into sidewalks, traffic barriers and decorative elements on the line, which opened in 2007. Muni has no plans to treat the concrete to make it last longer.
Golden Gate Park garage: Former Pacific Cement drivers have said they delivered loads of recycled concrete for the garage next to the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum that opened in 2005. Officials who oversee the garage have never commented on the case.
Burlingame sewage plant: The original criminal case against Ramirez included charges that he defrauded Burlingame by delivering substandard concrete for its sewage treatment plant. City officials say that the material was used for the foundation of a control room building and that they have no plans to replace or treat it.


text: missing samples 2012-06-11 14:25:15 Hi, I have a question about missing samples, or non-uniform samples. I found out that audio samples can be reconstructed if they are oversampled. My question is can a 20 second oversampled audio file be reconstructed from the first or last 10s of the same recording, or recover a missing audio from what ever that you have. I know that this has something to do with Fourier transform, so, please, can someone explain me how it`s done, or can it be done? I suspect it is possible with simple uniform frequencies, but not with real life audio recordings.Thanks


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Join us as we explore the Gospel In Community and share a meal together (670 Parkway Dr. PC, UT 84098). Please let Lory (435.729.0717 or firstname.lastname@example.com) know by Friday @ 12:00 pm if you are coming and what you would like to bring.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: July 22Sunday Morning Worship Service
Later Event: July 28CPC Men's Bible Study


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Aivengo Hostel
Our hostel is beautifully decorated and is located in the center of Amsterdam. It's a safe and drug-free place with free Wi-Fi and friendly people.
All major attractions like the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, the flower market and the Red Light District are within walking distance.
Our dorms have a very friendly atmosphere. Travelers from all over the world stay here.
Our female dorms have a safe and quiet location, their own bathroom, a kitchen and a nice view from the window.
For the couples we recommend our double room, which has a king-size bed and bath in it.
The twin room has its own bathroom and shower and two separate beds.
Make use of the hostel's super location and enjoy how quiet it is inside!!
Our friendly and multilingual staff will be glad to answer all your questions and will help you with everything.
Our reception area has a TV, free Internet and free Wi-Fi plus a fridge and microwave.
The common bathroom has sinks, six toilets and four showers (with soap and shampoo!!), all free and with hot water. Like all our other rooms, the bathroom is clean and beautifully decorated.
You can get a free personal locker. The desk can hold valuables overnight in the safe as well, but in general the dorm atmosphere is trusting and relaxed.
Please note that our hostel is recommended for people between the ages of 16 and 35 years old.
It's not possible to book our hostel for any kind of noisy celebration or supporting your favorite football team. Please see our Must-Read Hostel Info below before making a booking.
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Security
- Age Restriction
- Bicycle parking
- Book Exchange
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Telephone/Fax Facilities
- Free City Maps
- Free Internet Access
- Free WiFi
- Hair Dryers For Hire
- Internet Access
- Linen Included
- Security Lockers
- Luggage Storage
- Non Smoking
- Parking
- Safe Deposit Box
- Taxes included
- Towels For Hire
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 2 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Hostel InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
Please read the following carefully because, in the event of a false booking, there will be no check-in and no refund.
We reserve the right to preauthorize your card when you make the booking. In order to guarantee your booking we must have a valid card with sufficient credit on it. If preauthorization will fail, we will need to contact you to provide us with another card. Please note that without a valid card we will cancel your reservation.
Age restriction: 16 – 35 years of age.
Check-in: from 13pm.
Check-out: 10am.
Curfew: 4am – 6am.
If you will be arriving later than your expected arrival time you must send us an email so we can keep your bed for you. Otherwise we only hold the reservation for two hours after the specified arrival time.
Payment is due upon arrival by cash only, please.
We have a 48hr cancellation policy. We only accept cancellations and changes by email. Late cancellations and no-shows shall be charged the equivalent of the first night's accommodation.
Late cancellations and no-shows during the weekend, Easter, Queen's Day or New Year's Eve period shall be charged 100% of their total booking.
There is a three-night minimum stay on the weekends (no cancellations!).
Our hostel has a no smoking policy.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
We're just five minutes' walk from Centraal Station.
Follow the tram lines across the canal from the taxi parking area at the right side of the station as you're facing out (near the multi-level bike parking). After the canal, walk straight until the street forks. The tram lines go left and you go right. Just after that you will see our bright sign.
From Amsterdam Schipol Airport:
Take a train to Amsterdam Centraal Station. Then follow walking instructions as above. Journey time is 15-20 minutes and costs around €4.
By car:
Park at P+R parkings (€8.50 per day) and continue by tram to Amsterdam Centraal Station. Then follow walking instructions as above.
Located Near
Located near Dam Square, Anna Frank House and Central Station.


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This is a recording of the music I played at Burning Man this year... it is all new music written specifically for the festival based on the "Future" theme. It's electronic music, it doesn't really fit into any genre or sub-genre or sub-sub-genre, but its electronic beats with lots of synthy melodies. I had people call it "funky robot music", "space house", and "electronic dream pop"... and had comparisons to Ulrich Schnauss, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Fila Brazillia... basically all over the place, but people seemed to like it! Hope you enjoy it, too.
Also, our set from last year is still up on our site... it was more ambient and introspective, and was influenced by that years theme. http://submodern.com/
We are currently planning an interactive sound installation for next year, so you will be able to influence the music directly instead of sitting/standing there watching dorky guys twiddling knobs. We'll also be playing at the SF Decompression on October 8th, so hopefully see some of you there!
I kept running out of CDs to give out when I played... anyone who didn't get one and wants one, just send some email to submodern(at)submodern(dot)com with your mailing address and I'll get one to you.
Thanks again for a great year and a great burn!
Live electronic music from Burning Man 2006
Exchange camp ideas, find places to perform, announce your events, etc.
5 posts • Page 1 of 1
Thank the lord sweet geezus that you posted this. I was looking all over for you. Heard your work at Center Camp this year and was hypnotized. Passed on your wonderful sound to my group, Acid House-Class of 88 (of Wayne Anthony fame and construct). Thank you so very much for your playa contribution. Hope to see you at The Green Man.
~Alvays mit wuv. ;x
5 posts • Page 1 of 1


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ANTIOCH — A SWAT team converged upon an Antioch apartment complex Tuesday morning, and police arrested a man in connection to recent violence in the city's Sycamore neighborhood, police said.
The events played out just after 8 a.m. on Lemontree Court. The Antioch SWAT Team provided support as a search warrant was served, police said. A 25-year-old man was taken into custody.
Police did not say what they intend to charge the man with but said the warrant was connected to recent violent incidents on Sycamore Drive. They did not specify the nature of those incidents.
Rick Hurd covers crime. Contact him in Antioch at 925-779-7166. Follow him at Twitter.com/3rdERH


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TQ5838 : The Bath House and Chalybeate Spring
taken 9 years ago, near to Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Great Britain
The Pantiles
The Pantiles is the most famous street in Tunbridge Wells. It was originally a grove of trees until the Chalybeate spring was discovered in 1606. It rapidly developed into the hub of the new spa town. The street has over 40 listed buildings on it.
The Pantiles and Tunbridge Wells itself, owe their beginnings to the discovery of the Chalybeate Spring in the early 17th century and the popularity of the spa water amongst the gentry and royalty of Georgian England. As Tunbridge Wells grew in popularity as a spa resort, so did the area surrounding the Spring - eventually leading to the building of the colonnaded walkway in the 18th century, later known as The Pantiles.
In its heyday in Georgian times, the 'Walks' as they were then known, were the place to see and be seen for visitors to Tunbridge Wells. A strict protocol was adhered to - gentry on the 'Upper Walks', the colonnade, and everyone else on the 'Lower Walks'. Richard Beau Nash, a dandy of the day made it his business to ensure that this protocol was adhered to by acting as a kind of Master of Ceremonies during 'the season' in Tunbridge Wells and in the town's rival, Bath. Things are much more relaxed nowadays and the Pantiles is now a very attractive and stylish part of Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Much of the colonnade has been renewed since its beginnings in the 17th century but most of the surrounding buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries.
TIP: Click the map for Large scale mapping
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- Grid Square
- TQ5838, 1567 images (more nearby )
- Photographer
- Paul Gillett (find more nearby)
- Date Taken
- Saturday, 11 September, 2010 (more nearby)
- Submitted
- Saturday, 11 September, 2010
- Category
- Bath house (more nearby)
- Subject Location
OSGB36: TQ 58166 38771 [1m precision]
- Camera Location
- View Direction
- Northeast (about 45 degrees)
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I have finally got around to filling an old request for a lesson on "how to draw Ronnie Radke", step by step. Ronnie Radke is as you fans know the lead singer for the 'Falling in Reverse'. He is also the bands founder as well as songwriter. I haven't heard too much of Falling in Reverse, but I bet when I was sixteen I would have loved them because back then I used to love bands like pop punk as they were considered among other things. Ronnie is a very interesting looking figure because he sort of reminds me of Nikki Sixx mixed with The Rev. Anyways, if you are a fan of Ronnie and of Falling in Reverse, you should enjoy drawing Ronnie Radke. I shall be back so stick around people.
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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2510 20th St.Rockford , IL 61104 , Toll Free 1-800-VINTAGE sm (800-846-8243) , Phone lines are open 7 days a week 8:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m Central time Showroom open by appointments.
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Vintage Brick Salvage LLC has been the North American leader in cutting thin brick tile from reclaimed antique brick since 2006. Tom Svoboda, the president of the company has 19 years experience sourcing and selecting the best antique brick for use in making thin brick tile....Read More


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Kanye West Goes Off On The Venue "Turn The F**King Screens Off" (At His Houston Show)
Kanye West losing his cool after a technical malfunction at his Houston show on Friday night!. Courtesy of Perez
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The 10 Best Articles on Multitouch
Multitouch Maven/Point and Do are a year old today! The unexpected joy of doing this blog has been the opportunity to meet so many unique and interesting people, both online and in person.
I've pulled what I think are last year's ten best posts for your enjoyment.
1. 5 Questions for Planning a Multitouch Interface
2. Creating Intuitive Gestures Using Object Orientation
3. Basic Human Factors for Multitouch/Interactive Displays
4. Critiquing James Bond's Multitouch Computer
5. Indirect vs. Direct Manipulation
6. New Multitouch Interface Conventions
7. The Coming Multitouch Gesture IP Wars
8. Why Microsoft's Future Vision Will Fail
9. Building an Effective Multitouch Keyboard
10. Why Microsoft is Smart to Open Digital Lifestyle Stores
This blog is a two way conversation. Drop a line. I'd love your feedback on where to go next.
Always Inspired.


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Man arrested after struggle over baby
An Iowa City man has been arrested after struggling with a woman over their baby in an infant carrier.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen says 32-year-old Alexis Kuberski was arrested around 3:30 a.m. Monday by officers who'd been sent to investigate a report of a baby being shaken.
The infant's mother reported that she and Kuberski had gotten into a fight. Officers say they saw the two on a sidewalk about the woman's home, struggling over the infant carrier. The baby was in the carrier but hadn't been buckled in securely. The child was not injured.
Kuberski faces several charges, including domestic assault, child endangerment and public intoxication.
Johnson County Jail records say Kuberski remained in custody on Tuesday. Online court records don't list the name of his attorney.


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2fish necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 70 diseños de 13 diseñadores freelance.
Web design and hosting company in business for 10 years needs a new look. Our clients are primarily artists, quilters, and art supply companies, with a large and growing subniche of animal-related sites and services -- dog rescue groups, spay/neuter clinics, doggie daycares, veterinarians, and the like.
2FishWeb began as an outgrowth of my fiber art work, Pisces Moon Studio LLC, and the sites I created for myself and a select few other fiber artists. As my web business began to grow, I realized that potential clients were having difficulty with the name "Pisces Moon" -- I was getting phone calls for "Pieces of the Moon" and other people who didn't know what a Pisces was or how to spell it.
Two years ago I changed the website name to 2FishWeb.com. Easier to spell, easier to understand, and a whole lot shorter to type than PiscesMoonWebDesignLLC.com. I'm now in the process of changing the corporate name to 2FishWeb LLC to match.
I have continued to use the original 1998 stitched fiber art logo showing two fish and a crescent moon, but it's past time to update it to something more professional, more contemporary, and much less fussy.
- Company name in caps and lower case: 2FishWeb.com.
- Two fish somewhere in the logo. Perhaps a pair of koi breaking the water surface with stylized ripples, just below the text. Or maybe an updated stylized two fish in a circle, yin-yang style.
- Cool colors: blue, purple, green, silver gray. A hint of pink or orange in the koi is okay. Gradients and reflections are good.
- Artwork to be provided as vector Illustrator file (CS3 or less). Fonts outlined or otherwise embedded. (Also, please tell me which font(s) you used.)
- Name in all caps.
- Neon.
- Grunge.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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First Song Available!!
Friday, January 11, 2013
First song Available
Listen the first song out of "In Crescendo" at this
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Kingcrow at Rock The Castle 2019
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NEW YORK — Bringing a long list of prepared questions to an interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson is a fool's errand. That's not to say a conversation with the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History isn't illuminating — quite the opposite.
It's just that the gregarious astrophysicist can't help but find science lurking in every corner, turning even the most banal transaction into a teaching moment. An offer of bottled water, for instance, unexpectedly turns into a lengthy digression about the difficulty of freezing distilled water and the origins of Gatorade.
Tyson's zeal for knowledge is intoxicating and irresistible, even if it means less time for the ostensible topic of the conversation — his starring role in the documentary series "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey," premiering on Fox and National Geographic in March.
"I see myself as a servant of the public appetite for the universe," says Tyson, seated in his office overlooking the giant white sphere of the Hayden Planetarium.
Scattered among hundreds of astronomy books are, among other things, a vanity plate reading "COZMIC," a life-sized bust of Sir Isaac Newton, a half-dozen or so globes, a quill pen collection, a can of Dole pineapples in "cosmic fun shapes" and a pink boa.
Tyson's combination of humor, intelligence and accessibility have made him one of the most recognizable scientists in the country and put him atop many fantasy dinner-party guest lists. The author or editor of 10 books, he maintains an active social media presence (1.5 million Twitter followers) and produces a radio show and podcast, "StarTalk Radio." He's also become a late-night TV regular, through frequent visits to "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report" and "Real Time With Bill Maher."
Now he's moving into prime time with "Cosmos," a follow-up to Carl Sagan's groundbreaking 1980 PBS series, "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage." In what may seem like an odd pairing, Seth MacFarlane serves as executive producer on the series. Tyson first met the "Family Guy" creator at a gathering of the Science and Entertainment Exchange in Los Angeles several years ago and later pitched him about getting involved in a "Cosmos" reboot.
"Neil has an ability to connect," says Ann Druyan, Sagan's widow and co-writer with Steven Soter of all 13 episodes of the new "Cosmos." "In his indefatigable energy, his incredible goodwill and good humor, and his humility, he reminds me so much of Carl." The original documentary was notable for its formal innovations, ditching the talking-head style for a more cinematic feel achieved through then-cutting-edge special effects. The reimagined "Cosmos" will do the same, with Tyson moving through space and time in a "Spaceship of the Imagination." (He will not, however, do so wearing a turtleneck.)
The 55-year-old Bronx native discovered his passion for space on a visit to the Hayden Planetarium at age 9. "I'm quite sure it was the universe that chose me and not I who chose it," he has said. By the time he was a student at the prestigious Bronx High School of Science, he was giving astronomy lectures to adult-education classes.
When Tyson was applying to college, Sagan, then a faculty member at Cornell, gave him a personally guided tour of his laboratory to lure him to the school. But Tyson opted for Harvard instead and later pursued a PhD at Columbia. After publishing his first book, "Merlin's Tour of the Universe," he joined the staff at the Hayden Planetarium. In 1995 he gave an interview to an NBC News crew about the discovery of a new planet; the experience made him determined never to be "sound bitten" again.
He began working on his own sound bites in front of the mirror, picking a subject — say, black holes — and coming up with "three or four sentences that would be tasty, interesting, informative and make you smile."
The practice clearly paid off, with Tyson's media presence steadily growing. He hosted the PBS series "Nova ScienceNow" for five years and has made cameos on "The Big Bang Theory" and "Stargate Atlantis."
"The great thing about having Neil as a guest is that he's not only informed and enthusiastic, he burns before you," says Stephen Colbert in an email. "He kindles everyone's interest in the subject he's talking about. I feel vaguely singed on the side of my body that faces Neil during the interview, and afterwards I have to check my eyebrows to make sure they're both still there."
Tyson has also become a kind of geek hero online, participating in four hugely popular "Ask Me Anything" sessions for the social news site Reddit and inspiring dozens of memes and GIFs. "If I am an ambassador, it's not because I sought it out, it's because people made me one," he says as he opens a folder on his computer where he's saved fan-generated Internet ephemera, including manipulated images of him twerking with Miley Cyrus and leaning in for a kiss from Sagan.
"I think people respond to a certain gestalt of this upbeat, friendly, funny guy. He's not a snob. He really tries to get down to wherever you are and just hang out with you intellectually or verbally," says Avis Lang, his longtime editor and collaborator. She shares an evocative story about how Tyson lifted a young fan, perhaps 10 or 11 years old, on stage at the annual Isaac Asimov lecture at the Museum of Natural History.
"He just picked the kid up and put him on the stage so that he could say his piece," she recalls.
Tyson sees his growing fame as a way to advocate for renewed federal investment in space exploration, particularly a manned mission to Mars and asteroid-deflection technology, at a time when NASA is viewed by some as an extravagant relic of the Cold War. "If the public likes what you do and they understand what you do, then they're more likely to put political pressure on lawmakers to support what you're doing, and that support enables the field to thrive," he reasons.
As well-liked as he is, Tyson also has a pronounced contrarian streak and delights in playing pop-culture nitpicker. He has tried to get Jon Stewart to correct the counterclockwise-spinning globe in the opening credits of "The Daily Show." More successfully, he lobbied for James Cameron to alter the stars in the 3-D release of "Titanic" to accurately reflect the night skies of the North Atlantic in April 1912. And in a widely circulated series of tweets last fall, he pointed out numerous inaccuracies in the space disaster film "Gravity." ("Mysteries of #Gravity: Why Bullock's hair, in otherwise convincing zero-G scenes, did not float freely on her head.")
Tyson's sticklerism also extends to his work at the planetarium, which, under his direction, became one of the first scientific institutions in the country to downgrade Pluto to status as a dwarf planet. The decision provoked the ire of elementary schoolers across the country and hastened Pluto's official reclassification in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union.
"Cosmos," which Tyson filmed over six months in 30 locations around the globe, further accelerated an already manic schedule. "It's always out of balance," he says. "Let's make that clear."
Married with two teenage children, Tyson is working on another book with Lang and continues to give lectures around the country nearly every weekend.
"After 'Cosmos,' I have the delusional idea that maybe I'll become a scientist again rather than only playing one on TV," says Tyson. "I've had people call me up and say, 'Who's your agent who gets you on all these shows?' My agent is the universe."