text:
Nested etudes for oboe
nested etudes for oboe
Rand Steiger, composer
Age: 53
Education: Manhattan School of Music; California Institute of the Arts
Professional: UCSD faculty since 1987; composer-in-residence, Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2)
Achievements: Compositions performed by
Personal: Married to Rebecca Jo Plant (a history professor at UCSD); one child, Samuel, 6
Calit2 in performance
Works by Rand Steiger and Roger Reynolds
When: Tuesday, 6 p.m.: "Nested Études for Oboe" by Steiger, followed by lecture/demonstration; 7 p.m.: "Sanctuary" by Reynolds (high-definition video of the premiere, in the Integrated Perspectives Recording format), followed by Q&A with Reynolds, Ross Karre, Steven Schick and Joseph Kucera; 9 p.m.: A "digital cinema showcase" of works created by Calit2 or UCSD faculty
Where: California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), Voigt Drive (parking in Lot P503)
Tickets: Free
Phone: (858) 822-5825
Online: calit2.net or email@example.com
Works by Rand Steiger
Just released:
"Ecosphere," a new CD including "Dreamscape," "Traversing," "Nested Etudes for Oboe" and "Ecosphere"
Under construction:
For ICE (the International Contemporary Ensemble): a series of pieces for solo instruments and electronics, and a large ensemble work
For BMOP (the Boston Modern Orchestra Project): Two additional movements to accompany "Cryosphere" for chamber orchestra and electronics
For the Talea Ensemble: "A Menacing Plume," inspired by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, scheduled to premiere in New York in 2011
Recent premieres:
"Elliott's Instruments" (performed by Boston Musica Viva in Boson and London in March, 2010)
"A Good Diffused" (performed by UCSD faculty for the opening of the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall in May, 2009)
"Cryosphere" (performed by the American Composers Orchestra in New York and February in February 2009)
Given composer Rand Steiger's indelible associations with Southern California, it's easy to forget he's from the East Coast.
"I grew up in New York, where you were supposed to choose sides," said Steiger, who attended CalArts, had a close association with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and since 1987 has been on composition faculty at the University of California San Diego.
And he's not talking about the Mets versus the
"There were all these different models for making music," he said. "Everyone seemed to locate themselves with one, and there was a good deal of hostility toward the other ones. You were tonal or 12-tone or minimalist, jazz or rock, conventional or avant-garde.
"I just thought that was ridiculous and I didn't want to create boundaries that would prevent me from exercising all my interests."
Steiger's music, which embraces influences ranging from nature and the environment to cutting-edge technology and strict serialism, has been performed by ensembles as varied as Ircam in Paris and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in Minnesota and is available on a new CD, "Ecosphere: Music for Instruments and Electronics." Oboist Karisa Werdon, who performed "Nested Etudes" on the recording, will reprise her performance with Steiger in a program Tuesday celebrating the 10th anniversary of UCSD's California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology.
Succeeding UCSD's Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Roger Reynolds, Steiger is now composer-in-residence at the institute, where he recently stepped down as music department chair to focus on his composing. He has a number of commissions and commitments, including a set of pieces for solo instruments and electronics for the International Contemporary Ensemble, which promise to explore what Steiger calls "medial spaces," a central concern in his compositions.
"I have avoided making premature, limiting choices, and prefer to see questions of style, substance and means as medial spaces, or gamuts to be explored in different ways in each piece," Steiger said. "All of these spaces — between the conventional and the experimental, acoustic/electronic, consonant/dissonant, linear/nonlinear — find different expression in each piece, enabling me to always be true to my inner voice while producing a varied and hopefully rich set of musical results."
Surprisingly, despite the electronic aspects of much of Steiger's music, he has little interest in synthesis. Rather, he's interested in using technology to transform the sound of acoustic instruments.
"I grew up listening to recorded music and was always very intrigued with what you could do with instruments in a recording studio, things like 'Sgt. Pepper's (Lonely Hearts Club Band)' that were not done to document a performance, but were using the recording process creatively to produce new sounds."
Steiger, however, wanted to do those things in live performance, what composers and sound engineers now call "real-time signal processing." But in the '60s, you needed a recording studio to do the things you could only do in a recording studio.
"Until about 10 years ago, it was pretty much impossible to achieve what I really wanted to do," he said. "But now it's much easier. It's very exciting to me to be able to do what I imagined doing 30 years ago."
Steiger is comfortable discussing the Beatles or Boulez, but perhaps that's to be expected from a rock drummer turned percussionist turned composer (although Steiger points out that even as a rock drummer, he had a compositional impulse and wrote original songs for his band).
At New York's famed High School of Music & Art, he played in orchestra, band and percussion ensemble and began writing music for his colleagues and friends. One of those friends, Daniel Druckman, was also a percussionist and when his father, the renowned composer Jacob Druckman, heard his son (who is now in the New York Philharmonic) practicing one of Steiger's pieces, he gave him a call.
"He just called me out of the blue to encourage me," Steiger said. "Basically, he told me I should take composing more seriously. At that point, I didn't know what a composer was. I was just writing music. Being a composer wasn't even on my radar screen. I was thinking, what kind of day job was I going to get so I could support myself and still do music on the side."
He entered the Manhattan School of Music as a percussion major, but soon reapplied in composition. He intended to eventually study at Yale with Druckman, who had become an informal mentor. But rather than New Haven, he ended up in Valencia at the California Institute of the Arts.
"I was just going to California for two years," he said. "That freaked out my friends. They thought I had had a nervous breakdown or something. I wasn't going to Yale. I called Jacob, and if he had said, 'Forget California, just come to Yale,' I would have gone. But what he said was, 'A lot of people think the scene in California is coming of age now. You should check it out. You can always come back.' "
Steiger is occasionally back east for performances. His "Cryosphere" was performed in New York by the American Composers Orchestra in 2009, the same year he spent a semester at Harvard as a visiting professor. Still, he never really returned. Studying 12-tone music with Stephen Mosko and computer music with Morton Subotnick, he found CalArts invigorating and the atmosphere in Los Angeles conducive to new music. With several colleagues, he co-founded the California E.A.R. Unit, which soon emerged as the region's primary new-music ensemble, and he formed an association with the Los Angeles Philharmonic that resulted in nine of his works being performed by the orchestra or its musicians over a dozen years.
"I always assumed I would get another degree," he said. "I had moved on from the idea of going to Yale because I was very intrigued with computer music, so I was thinking about going to Stanford for a Ph.D. But then I never even applied because I was involved in so many interesting musical initiatives in LA, and I was offered teaching opportunities at CalArts."
He was settling in when he received an invitation from UCSD to apply for a faculty position, which he ultimately accepted, despite initial disinterest because of his activities in Los Angeles.
"I was thrilled when I was appointed here because it's probably among the best three or four universities in the country, if not the world, for a composer to be," he said. "UCSD's music department has a history of focusing on contemporary music and fostering musical experimentation."
Given the university's research model, Steiger is given time to compose, in addition to his teaching responsibilities, which essentially allows him to write the music he wants to write without any commercial pressures. He has absolute artistic freedom, which is where his compositional process begins. He works on three levels: for himself as composer, as performer, and finally as audience.
"Years ago, when I composed, I would write on paper and I would listen in my mind," he said. "I'd put pages up on my wall and walk through looking at the score and listening to the piece in real time in my head. Now, I often do computer renderings with samplers of my pieces while I'm writing, so I can literally do a simulation of what the music will sound like, which gives me a different perspective on the material."
As for his live audience, it's something less than a mass audience, but probably more than the most experimental composers. His harmonic procedures are largely based on just intonation, drawn from the harmonic series, and the grating dissonance characteristic of some contemporary music is mostly absent from his often atmospheric work.
"I don't calculate it to make it appealing," Steiger said. "I write it in a way that's sincerely engaged with what I am excited about, and of course I hope that other people will respond to it positively. But I understand that's not always going to be the case. All I ask is that people try it, and listen to it with an open mind, and see what they can find."
And perhaps, like Steiger, not take sides.
The composition faculty is at the heart of the University of California San Diego's acclaimed music school. Their music embodies the spirit of experimentation, creativity and innovation that is not only the core of the music school's mission, but also the university's.
Starting today with Rand Steiger, and continuing next year with Katharina Rosenberger, Roger Reynolds, Chinary Ung, Lei Liang and Philippe Manoury, The San Diego Union-Tribune will profile each of these groundbreaking composers whose music is performed worldwide.


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|Denon DVD-3910 Universal Disc Player
|Tuesday, 01 November 2005
Page 2 of 3
Music and Movies
If you're a fan of the recently departed HBO hit "Six Feet Under," then you have probably heard of Sia. The one-time vocalist for the indie band Zero 7, Sia has a recent album, Colour the Small One (Universal UK), which contains some of her best work to date. On the track "Breathe Me," Sia's vocals reign supreme, floating nimbly in the center of my room with a hauntingly breathy realism I'd not experienced from this track or disc before. The 3910 struck a wonderful balance between Sia's vocals and the subtle orchestral cues that made it all the easier to get drawn into the music. From the highest highs to the lowest lows, I was unable to really find anything objectionable. The 3910 never lost its composure and never once became harsh or tubby. The soundstage was deeper than I had experienced with previous players in this price range and the width was nothing to cry about, either. I wouldn't classify the 3910's presentation as razor sharp, but there was an appropriate amount of air and space between the performers that was quite alluring. The 3910 let the music simply unfold naturally; preferring to lure you in vs. reaching out and grabbing you by the throat. One thing that struck me was just how sure-footed the 3910 was. The 3910 proved its dynamic prowess during the orchestral bridge, providing an enveloping and explosive performance that in the hands of some of my other players had been a bit mushy and one-dimensional.
Wanting to test the 3910's mettle a little bit, I threw on Eminem's third album, The Eminem Show (Aftermath). During the track "Cleaning Out My Closet," the 3910 treated me to all the spiteful, gritty, raw anger Eminem could muster, putting the rapper right square in the room with me, which is about as close as I ever want to be. It was clear that the 3910 wasn't about smoothing over the rough parts and could get down and dirty with the best of them, if need be. The bass was tight and carried with it the appropriate scale and weight. Moving on to the track "Without Me," the 3910 not only showcased its rhythmic speed, but managed to unveil a little something extra in the track that I can only refer to as "zing." I'm not saying the 3910 added anything to the music; I just feel it has the resolving power to bring out more of the artist's energy that some players might miss.
Moving on to multi-channel fare, I opted for the SACD version of John Mayer's sophomore album Heavier Things (Columbia). During the track "Something's Missing," the 3910 proved just as adept at SACD as it was with standard two-channel fare. The 3910's clarity is addicting and it managed to solve a lot of the edginess that once seemed synonymous with Mayer's vocals. The highs once again were crystal clear and kept completely in check, a feat few digital players, even in this price bracket, can manage. The midrange was free of excessive warmth that often is associated with players trying to mask their digital pedigree. I would have to say (after some deliberation) that the 3910 tends to be on the lean side of neutral via its IEEE 1394 output. I found its RCA outputs to be a bit fuller-sounding, but not quite as refined. The bass was again spot-on, relying more on resolution than sheer gut-churning weight.
On the track "New Deep," the bass plunged a little deeper, all the while remaining very musical, balancing very well with the drum kit's shimmering cymbals. The bass guitar was beautifully detailed, once again showcasing the 3910's ability to pull the innermost detail from every recording. Overall, I found the multi-channel performance of the 3910 to be exceptional. While it's the recording that is responsible for getting the mix of multiple speakers right, the 3910 had no issues when it came to presenting me with one of the most enjoyable multi-channel experiences I've had in my room to date.
With the music over, I moved onto movies. I began with the Superbit version of the Mel Gibson blockbuster "The Patriot" (Columbia). Through its component outputs, I was treated to a bevy of rich vibrant colors, good black levels and crisp whites. The 3910 was also a natural with skin tones and depicting fine gradations in hues and saturations. However, I was able to detect some slight jaggedess and pixilation during long pans across the numerous corn and wheat fields. It didn't call attention to itself the way I've noticed in other players, but to say it's free from typical digital video compression and artifacts would be false. Compared to other DVD players in and around the 3910's performance bracket, it did give me one of the better component pictures I've seen in a while. Switching to the 3910's DVI output and setting the internal up sampling to 1080i was an experience I wasn't prepared for. Gone were the before-mentioned compression issues. In their place was a crisp, focused, endless picture that, while not as saturated as its component counterpart, felt much truer to the original film itself. Through the DVI output, I could not only see further into the image more clearly but in low light scenes, such as the one where Mel's son returns home from battle, I was able to make out more detail previously hidden in the shadows. I'm a sucker for close-ups, and again through the DVI output, I was able to see every subtle detail down to Mel's sweat-soaked pores. I'd go so far as to say the 3910 might be the closest one can get to high-definition DVD performance without having to sell the children into slavery.
A direct comparison between the DVI output on the 3910 and my JVC D-VHS deck proved quite eye-opening. Yes, HD still has the upper hand in absolute terms, but with HD-DVD or Blue-ray still a way off, the 3910 gets you closer to the mountaintop than ever before. On the audio side of things, the 3910's way with both Dolby Digital and DTS was breathtaking. A battle scene featuring hundreds of soldiers, countless firearms and cannons, all surrounded by lush landscapes and gentle winds, must be nerve-wracking for a sound designer. Yet, when presented with the challenge, the 3910 produced a true to life battlefield, complete with crackling gunfire and rumbling cannon shots, all the while managing to resolve even the tiniest of birds still chirping in the trees. It's been said that you can lose sight of the big picture by focusing too heavily on the details, and while this may hold true for you and I, this is not the case for the Denon 3910.
I ended my review period with the action film "Spy Game" (Universal Studios Home Vido) from director Tony Scott. Scott, once steadfast with the camera, now moves and shakes the viewfinder like a man on his umpteenth cup of coffee. With enough wild pans to give any progressive scan DVD player a headache, the 3910, with its DCDi processing, kept the film from becoming nauseating. During the scene on the rooftop between Robert Redford and Brad Pitt, the motion was smooth as butter, with nary a sign of breakup or artifacting. The steely blues and grays that make up much of the scene's color pallet were rendered wonderfully, without the image seeming at all washed out. The 3910 also made quick work of the film's driving techno score, providing a nice blend between the elements throughout a film I can only describe as a sonic train wreck. It was during this film that I also experienced the 3910's true bass capabilities. While the 3910 never failed to amaze me with its high-frequency and mid-band response, it wasn't until I neared the end of my review that I finally unlocked the 3910's full bass potential. I guess patience is a virtue after all.

subset: commoncrawl


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Incorporating Cycling into Your Routine
With a bit of thinking, cycling can fit easily into your schedule, so you get healthy exercise and save time and money. Here are some tips on making cycling part of your weekly routine:
It's not all or nothing: You don't have to commute every day if at first it seems too much. Plan out your week fitting in the amount of cycling that suits you.
You don't have to ride all the way: Ride to the station, or ride to a station further down the line. Cycle as much as you have time for.
Keep your helmet next to your car keys: When you're heading out to the shops, ride instead of driving. You get there quicker and, if you only take a small backpack or pannier, it's very likely you'll spend less.
Cycle with the children to school: Healthy exercise for everyone and you get to avoid that congestion outside the school.
Find a safer route: Just because you drive on main roads, doesn't mean you have to cycle on them. Find a safer, quieter route and you'll feel much happier setting off in the morning.
Motivate yourself: Don't tell yourself that you can't — keep reminding yourself that you can. You'll feel much better when you do.


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How to Host a Summer Meeting
Typically occurs in late July/early August
Half-and Full-Day workshops occur on Saturday and Sunday
Opening reception in Exhibit Hall occurs Sunday evening
Program sessions and plenaries run Monday morning through Wednesday mid-afternoon
Often have smaller tandem meetings prior to and following the AAPT Summer Meeting
Average attendance 1,000 - 1,200
1.) Airport: close proximity to a major airport(s) and availability of transportation between the airport and college campus is important (average attendance 1000-1200).
2.) Sleeping Rooms: dorm availability needs to be cleared with the campus housing office. We require some combination of 250 beds, doubles and singles. Other considerations include: are these rooms air-conditioned, do they include private or "shared" bathrooms; and most importantly, the costs of such facilities. We also use about 300 sleeping rooms at nearby hotels, preferably within walking distance of the campus. These hotels are popular with some of our attendees who prefer more private accommodations.
3.) Meals: Since AAPT does not provide daily meals, it is important to have access to restaurant and eateries on campus or within walking distance of the campus and dorms. It is important to have a variety of choices with several low cost options available.
4.) Exhibits: requires one room that is approximately 14,000 square feet with easy access to a loading dock. This exhibit hall set-up could require as many as 50-10x10 booths. Most, if not all exhibitors require electrical and internet access. Preferably this space is not isolated, but located near registration or other meeting functions.
5.) Registration: the registration area will require space for four registration booths, three computer kiosks, information tables and ten poster boards for the High School Photo Contest. AAPT will also need an office and storage room located near this area. Internet access is also a requirement.
6.) AAPT Workshops (Saturday and Sunday only): a minimum of 10 Lab rooms seating at least 24 each, a minimum of 5 lecture classroom seating 25-50 each, and approximately 8 computer labs are needed. LCD projectors, wireless internet access are also frequent requests.
7.) Committee Meetings: a minimum of five rooms, which can accommodate 20-30 people conference style, three rooms which can accommodate 50-75 people, and one room to accommodate 100 people should be designated for the entire week.
8.) Invited/Contributed Sessions: a minimum of 8 lecture rooms to seat 100 each and 2 lecture rooms to seat 200 each. All rooms should be available Monday through Wednesday and will require an LCD projector, screen, podium and microphone. Some rooms also require internet access.
9.) Commercial Workshops: 4 classrooms to seat 50 people should be available Monday through Wednesday. An LCD projector and screen are required.
10.) Plenary: Theater seating for 500 should be available Monday through Wednesday. This room will also be used for the Ceremonial Session and could be used as a site for the Demo Show which is generally held on Tuesday evening. The room will require an LCD projector, screen, podium and microphone.
11.) PIRA: the Physics Instructional Resource Agents have been running a Resource Room during the week of the summer meeting. This room generally measures about 725 square feet, and requires electrical, and Internet access. Preferably this space is not isolated, but located near registration or other meeting functions.
12.) Apparatus Competition: this competition is organized by the Apparatus Committee and requires a room measuring about 725 square feet. Preferably this space is not isolated, but located near registration or other meeting functions.
13.) Two Year College (TYC) Resource Room: This room requires 5 poster boards and 20 chairs. This room generally measures about 725 square feet. Preferably this space is not isolated, but located near registration or other meeting functions.
14.) Poster Sessions: AAPT will host a poster session on Monday and Tuesday evening. This space will need to hold 25 poster boards and allow room for participants to maneuver comfortably between both sides of the posters.
15). PERC: On the last day of the AAPT meeting, the Physics Education Research (PER) group begins their "mini" conference with a banquet and poster reception on Wednesday evening, followed by a day-long meeting on Thursday. The banquet and poster reception requires space for 240 participants with 50 poster boards that remain up through Thursday. The conference will require a plenary room for 240, five breakout rooms for 50 each and space for continental breakfast, morning and afternoon breaks and lunch.
16.) PTRA: It is possible that, one week before the AAPT meeting, the Physics Teaching Resource Agents (PTRA) can bring in approximately 125 teachers. For that week, they will require on a daily basis: 4-5 lab rooms each holding 25-30 people, 1 lecture hall to hold 125 used for 1.5 hours either in the morning or the evening, a room to be used by three Directors as an office, dorm space (about 60 double rooms and 5 singles), and a 3-meal/day dining plan.
17.) Other Pre-meeting Workshops: It is possible that, a few days prior to the AAPT meeting, every three years, the Advanced Laboratory Physics Association can bring approximately 150 people. For approximately 3 days, they will require a combination of labs, classrooms, picnic area and dorm space for about 150 people (a combination of singles and doubles) with a meal plan option in the cafeteria.
18.) Other Pre-meeting Workshops: It is possible that, a few days prior to the AAPT meeting, which may also overlap the AAPT workshops, a Two Year College workshop is held for approximately 40 – 50 people. For approximately 3 days, they will require a classroom for 40-50 people and dorm rooms with a meal plan option in the cafeteria.
phone: 301-209-3340 fax: 301-209-0845
E-mail: email@example.com


text:
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text:
Grant Cameron and Karl Williams, both 25 and from London, and Suneet Jeerh, 25, from Essex, were arrested while on holiday on July 10 last year by police who claimed to have found a quantity of a synthetic cannabis known as "spice" in their car.
The men signed documents in Arabic - a language none of them understands - after being threatened by having guns put to their heads and in Williams' case, having electric shocks administered to the testicles, Reprieve lawyer Marc Calcutt said.
They have denied charges of "consumption and possession with intent to distribute" and will appear at their first trial hearing tomorrow after spending seven months in custody.
In a draft witness statement provided to Mr Calcutt, Williams said: "I remember that the police put a towel on my face so I could not see. They kept telling me I was going to die. I was so scared.
"Once I had been knocked to the ground, the police picked me up and put me on the bed. They pulled down my trousers, spread my legs and started to electrocute my testicles. It was unbelievably painful. I was so scared.
"Then they took off the towel and I could see that there was a gun pointed at my head. All I could think was that the gun in my face could go off if the policeman slipped, and it would kill me. I started to believe that I was going to die in that room."
The torture took place in the desert, it was claimed, where the men were initially taken after their arrest, and subsequently in a hotel room.
Williams and Cameron have been held at Port Rashid police station since their arrest, while Jeerh was moved and is now in Al Awir Central Jail.
Mr Calcutt said: "The idea that young British tourists on holiday can find themselves arrested and tortured in this way is truly appalling.
"Being electrocuted in the testicles is about as brutal a torture as can be imagined. The Dubai authorities need to immediately drop the charges against the men and conduct an independent investigation into how these terrible events occurred.
"If they do not, I am sure this story will linger in people's memories - particularly when it comes to booking their holidays."


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Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
January 27, 2006
Dear Name*:
This is in response to your letter inquiring whether your client's incentive based pay plan (the Plan), which includes civic and charitable volunteer activities, complies with the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), or whether your client must treat the hours the employees spend on such volunteer activities as compensable working time. As long as the plan complies with the standards described herein, the volunteer activities are not compensable.
You represent an energy utility that has a pay plan that includes "results pay awards" or bonuses that are based on a work group's performance. The work group's performance bonus is calculated using a rewards matrix. This matrix, which differs by work group, awards varying amounts of points based on several categories of activities and performance standards. One of these categories, "Community Participation via Volunteer Efforts" (such as working with Habitat for Humanity or the United Way), accounts for approximately 10% of the total points the group could achieve under the plan. The rewards matrices are designed so that an employee group can reach the highest award level without performing any volunteer activities.
You present several scenarios involving work group employees volunteering and ask whether under the FLSA these activities may be performed without compensation, or whether the employer must pay the non-exempt employees for these activities. The employer never requires the employees to volunteer but does actively promote participation in the volunteer activities. The right or expectation of continued employment is not affected by an employee's decision to participate or not participate in any such civic or charitable activities. The volunteer work in question is performed outside of normal working hours. If the employees were to perform volunteer work during normal working hours, with prior approval, they would be compensated for this time.
Section 3(g) of the FLSA (copy enclosed) defines the term "employ" as "to suffer or permit to work." To suffer or permit to work means that if an employer requires or allows employees to work, the time spent is generally counted as hours worked. Time spent "in physical or mental exertion (whether burdensome or not) controlled or required by the employer and pursued necessarily and primarily for the benefit of the employer and his business" must be paid in accordance with the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the FLSA. Tennessee Coal, Iron R.R. Co. v. Muscoda Local No. 123, 321 U.S. 590, 598 (1944).
It is also important to note that the FLSA recognizes the generosity and public benefits of volunteering and allows individuals to freely volunteer in many circumstances for charitable and public purposes. The Wage and Hour Division has recognized that a person may volunteer time to religious, charitable, civic, humanitarian, or similar non-profit organizations as a public service and not be covered by the FLSA. Such a person will ordinarily not be considered an employee for FLSA purposes if the individual volunteers freely for such organizations without contemplation or receipt of compensation. Typically, such volunteers serve on a part-time basis and do not displace paid workers or perform work that would otherwise be performed by employees. Field Operations Handbook § 10b03(c); WH Opinion Letter October 7, 2002(copy enclosed).
However, when an employer directs an employee to volunteer, that time is compensable. The regulations state:
Time spent in work for public or charitable purposes at the employer's request, or under his direction or control, or while the employee is required to be on the premises, is working time. However, time spent voluntarily in such activities outside of the employee's normal working hours is not hours worked.
29 C.F.R. § 785.44 (copy enclosed). Therefore, we caution that volunteer activities "must be truly voluntary and any coercion or pressure, whether direct or indirect by the [employer] to participate in this program outside of [] duty hours would negate the voluntary nature of the program." WH Opinion Letter January 29, 1999 (copy enclosed). As explained below, employers may encourage their employees to volunteer their services for public or charitable purposes outside of normal working hours without incurring an obligation to treat that time as hours worked so long as participation is optional and non-participation will not adversely affect working conditions or employment prospects.
Therefore, the employer need not compensate an employee for time spent volunteering for charitable purposes if the work is performed outside of normal working hours and the employee is truly volunteering, not performing the volunteer work as a result of coercion or pressure by the employer. Thus, employees who volunteer in a fundraising project of a local charity that is not connected with the employer need not be compensated for the time volunteered, provided they are not performing duties relating to their employment. See WH Opinion Letters June 20, 1983 and July 31, 2001 (copies enclosed). However, while the employer may occasionally sponsor a Habitat for Humanity project or a blood drive, if there is a significant connection between the employer and the charity, they may be found to be a single enterprise under FLSA section 3(r). In that case, the hours worked for the charity must be combined with the hours worked for the employer and compensated. With this framework in mind, we will now address each of your questions specifically.
Question 1: Does the employer have a duty to compensate non-exempt employees for the time they spend volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity project outside of normal working hours?
Scenario 1: This scenario involves a Habitat for Humanity project sponsored by the employer. The manager of Work Group A e-mailed the members of the work group encouraging them to participate in the event and advising them how many volunteers were needed to complete the house on schedule. The manager sent a follow-up e-mail to the group informing them that, without a full crew, the workday may be longer or put the project behind schedule. A full crew for the event was assembled, and no employees were compensated for the time spent working, which was not on a normal work day. However, the project was added to the work group's performance under the reward matrix.
Answer 1: When the employees volunteer for Habitat for Humanity outside their normal working hours, the employer neither controls nor requires the volunteer work, nor receives any benefit from it. Therefore, the definition of "employ," discussed above, is not met. The employer is merely trying to encourage employees to donate their time to others in this scenario and is not obligated to treat the volunteer hours as compensable time worked under the FLSA. See WH Opinion Letter April 20, 1984(copy enclosed). Consideration of volunteer service, such as Habitat for Humanity, in the determination of a group bonus does not change this conclusion, provided no employees are denied any part of the bonus for failure to participate in volunteer activity or led to believe that their work conditions or employment prospects would be affected by non-participation, such as would occur if the group could not qualify for the full bonus without performing volunteer work. In the employer's performance pay plan, volunteer work accounts for only 10% of the total points available. The employees in this situation would have no expectation of compensation for their volunteer work because, among other things, they would have no way to know whether the group ultimately will meet its rewards goal for the year or whether the group will achieve the maximum award even without any employee's volunteer service.
Question 2: Does the employer have a duty to compensate non-exempt employees for the time they spend volunteering on any of the projects described in Scenarios 2, 2.1, or 2.2 outside of normal working hours?
Scenario 2: This scenario involves the reward matrix of Work Group B, which provides that for volunteer activity to count towards the reward matrix, it must be done with only one specifically identified community service agency. Volunteer work is, at most, 10% of the group's overall goal matrix. Additionally, rewards are not based on the number of hours worked but rather on the average number of projects in which group employees participate. In this scenario, there is no communication from management to the employees soliciting participation in the volunteer program.
Answer 2: The answer to Scenario 1 applies to this scenario.
Scenario 2.1: This scenario involves a different matrix scheme. Under this matrix, volunteer work is only one eighth of one goal under the matrix, and thus is far less than 10% of the total points in the matrix. Additionally, given the structure of the matrix, it is possible to receive the maximum number of points under the plan without volunteering.
Answer 2.1: The answer to Scenario 1 also applies to this scenario.
Scenario 2.2: This scheme is similar to Scenarios 2 and 2.1 except that it requires that all members of the work group participate in the activity for the work to count toward the reward matrix. All members of the group are required to work 12 hours outside of normal work hours for a qualifying 501(c)(3) organization of their choice to fulfill the volunteer work section of the matrix. If this requirement is met, the employer will in turn donate $100-$200 to the organization.
Answer 2.2: The answer to Scenario 1 also applies to this scenario.
Question 3: Does the employer have a duty to compensate non-exempt employees for the time they spend volunteering for the weatherization program outside normal working hours?
Scenario 3: The employer operates a program to "weatherize" the homes of low-income families. Employees who volunteer spend one Saturday per year weather-proofing area homes. The entire program is sponsored and run by the employer. While participation is voluntary, the employer does send an e-mail from the Community Affairs Department and a memo from the CEO to the employees to encourage them to participate.
Answer 3: The answer to Scenario 1 also applies to this scenario. We note that employees who participate receive promotional items and sufficient materials to weatherize their own homes. We assume that the materials received are of such minimal value that they could not be considered compensation. In that situation, the employer is merely trying to encourage employees to volunteer their time for a charitable purpose and need not count such time as compensable hours worked. See WH Opinion Letter July 31, 2001; FLSA § 3(e)(5) (copy enclosed) (recognizing that individuals who volunteer to a non-profit food bank for humanitarian purposes are not employees even if they receive groceries).
This opinion is based exclusively on the facts and circumstances described in your request and is given on the basis if your representation, express or implied, that you have provided a full and fair description of all the facts and circumstances which would be pertinent to our consideration of the questions presented. Existence of any other factual or historical background not contained in your request might require a different conclusion than the one expressed herein. You have represented that this opinion is not sought by a party to a pending litigation concerning the issue addressed herein. You have also represented that this opinion is not sought in connection with an investigation or litigation between a client or firm and the Wage and Hour Division or the Department of Labor. This opinion letter is issued as an official ruling of the Wage and Hour Division for purposes of the Portal-to-Portal Act, 29 U.S.C. § 259. See 29 C.F.R. §§ 790.17(d), 790.19; Hultgren v. County of Lancaster, 913 F.2d 498, 507 (8th Cir. 1990).
We trust that the above is responsive to your inquiry.
Alfred B. Robinson, Jr.
Deputy Administrator
FLSA § 3(e) and (g)
Field Operations Handbook § 10b03(c)
WH Opinion Letters October 7, 2002, January 29, 1999, June 20, 1983, July 31, 2001, and April 20, 1984.
Note: * The actual name(s) was removed to preserve privacy in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)


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- Home
- Dance
- George Michael
- Fastlove (Part II)
Fastlove (Part II)
Description: -
From Princess Mononoke
Made my way into the night
All that bullshit conversation
Well baby can't you read the signs?
*I won't bore you with the details baby
I don't even want to waste your time
Let's just say that maybe
You could help to ease my mind
Baby, I ain't Mr.Right
But if you're looking for fastlove
If that's love in your eyes
It's more than enough
Had some bad luck
So fastlove is all that I've got on my mind
What's there to think about baby?
Looking for some affirmation
Made my way into the night
My friends got their ladies
They're all having babies
But I just want to have some fun
What's there to think about baby?
Get yourself some lessons in love
In the abscence of security
I made my way into the night
Stupid Cupid keeps on calling me
But I see nothing in his eyes
I miss my baby, I miss my baby, oh yeah
So why don't we make a little room
In my BMW babe
Searching for some peace of mind
Hey I'll help you find it
I do believe that we are practicing the same religion
You really ought to get up now
Looking for some affirmation?
Typed from the lyrics booklet for ZIPmania II
Contributed by James Edge (LockeVanish) <[email protected]>
[Submit an English translation for this song]
See an error in these lyrics? Let us know here!
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My Little Pony Ties
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Stream high quality stereo music wirelessly from your PC to Creative Bluetooth speakers.
Stream high fidelity stereo music wirelessly with the Creative BT-D1 USB transmitter featuring Bluetooth and aptX® technology. Designed for use with PC and laptops, the Creative BT-D1 brings your computer audio to a whole new level and free of wires. It is an excellent wireless audio transmitter for Creative Bluetooth speakers - the top-of-the-range ZiiSound D5, award-winning Inspire S2 Wireless or any other Bluetooth compliant product. Its easy and fuss-free installation requires no software. Just plug and play!
Compatible with PC (Windows XP/Vista/7), Apple Macintosh.
Compatible with Bluetooth speakers supporting the aptX codec. Also supports SBC codec.
Support for A2DP and AVRCP profiles.
* Stereo Bluetooth or A2DP profile enables wireless transmission of full stereo sound to other Bluetooth devices. To determine whether your device (notebook, PC, speaker) is equipped with A2DP-enabled Bluetooth or aptX technology, refer to your device manufacturer's documentation/website for more information.
** Wireless control feature is compatible with devices (notebooks, PCs or speakers) with AVRCP profile only; refer to your device manufacturer's documentation/website for more information.
The BT-D1 transmits perfectly and with excellent sound quality... One thing on the downside though: I was expecting the BT-D1 to sync with the D5 volume slider as the BT-D5 from iPhone, but unfortunately it doesn't. The D5 volume has to be fixed to a desired maximum then to be controlled from MacBook, which makes actually two separate volume controls. Good or bad? Doesn't really matter I guess unless you, by accident, have the D5 slider and the computer volume on max (wouldn't dream of the result!).
A must to have if you want to keep your desk organised and not having the music blast in your face! With this device, I could place Roar at the desire corner of the home.


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By Ron Richter on Fri 02/22/2013 01:09pm
Posted in
The Sheridan County Fair Association Board of Trustees continue the interview process for filling the Facilities Director position that was vacated when Melissa Albrecht stepped down last month. Fair Board Member Brenda Williams.
The Fair Association continues to make improvements and discuss future projects that fall in line with the Fairgrounds Master Plan.
Williams said that the roto mill and pavement improvements would not begin until this spring or summer when the weather is more cooperative.


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Cinque Terre / Vernazza, Italy
ID:16030137 / Elevated view of the beautiful and romantic village of Vernazza. One of the 5 "cinques" in Cinque Terre.
Winter fairytale / Hohenschangau, Germany
ID:11010259 / A view of the iconic Neuschwanstein castle on a cold winter day
Blue Mosque / Istanbul, Turkey
ID:16110327 / A view of the impressive inner court of the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) in Istanbul, Turkey
Rush hour / Central, Hong Kong
ID:16050343 / Busy moments around the IFC building in Central Hong Kong
Matterhorn sunrise / Riffelsee, Switzerland
ID:16070051 / An iconic view of Switzerland's most famous mountain, the Matterhorn
Horseshoe bend / Page, USA
ID:15080898 / Enjoying a great evening view over the Colorado river at Horseshoe bend
Traces of history / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:17040087 / It's no secret that this angle is amongst my favourites to capture the old town of Lucerne. The chapel bridge (Kapellbrücke) dates back to the early 1300's. In 1993 the bridge was nearly completely destroyed by a big fire. Fortunately a small part of the historic triangle shaped paintings could be saved. This particular photo angle shows all these paintings lined up in sequence.
Looking up / Quarry bay, Hong Kong
ID:16050367 / A view into the night sky in the densely populated area of Quarry bay
Blue ice / Jökulsárlón, Iceland
ID:15120479 / Massive ice blocks floating from Jökulsárlón back on to the black sand beach
Cinque Terre / Manarola, Italy
ID:16030306 / View of romantic Manarola. One of the 5 "cinques" in Cinque Terre.
Verzasca valley / Lavertezzo, Switzerland
ID:16030041 / Interesting stone formations in the Verzasca river near Lavertezzo
Salzspeicher / Lübeck, Germany
ID:16010120 / Cold morning along the river Trave in Lübeck
Elevated / Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
ID:16050133 / An elevated view of the impressive skyline of Hong Kong
Cinque Terre / Riomaggiore, Italy
ID:16030219 / View of the harbor of Riomaggiore. One of the 5 "cinques" in Cinque Terre.
Spreuerbrücke / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:16010133 / A view towards the Spreuerbrücke, the 2nd wooden bridge in Lucerne
Spring blossom / Küssnacht, Switzerland
ID:15040193 / Vivid colored spring blossom landscape
Winter / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:15010024 / Frosty times in Lucerne.
Rise of the stars / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:17050280B / This image shows the fall of night over lake Lucerne. The faded star trails are created by blending 120 consecutive exposures in Photoshop. The hotel Bellevue on top of Mt. Pilatus certainly offers amazing views of the area! Personally however I prefer more of a workout and usually hike up and down the mountain to enjoy the views.
Into the ice / Val d'Anniviers, Switzerland
ID:18020110 / What a magnificent feeling this was! Standing inside the eternal ice. And no: it does not always have to be Icelandic ice caves... This one is located in Switzerland. Thanks to Lorant for posing in the entrance of the cave to provide a sense of scale. Taken ultra-wide angle for some more "drama"
Mount Pilatus / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:16040073 / A view of Mt. Pilatus and the city of Lucerne
Ponte Vecchio / Bassano del Grappa, Italy
ID:17030111 / Bassano del Grappa is not only the town where the famous distilled alcoholic drink "Grappa" originates from, but also a true gem when it comes to cityscape photography
Black sand beach / Vik, Iceland
ID:15120597 / Stormy weather and powerful waves at black sand beach near Vik
Lonely trees / Füssen, Germany
ID:11010232 / An almost abstract image of 2 lonely trees on a foggy and hazy day, seen in the Allgäu hills around the town of Füssen
Industrial architecture / Essen, Germany
ID:16050503 / Photographic playground at one of Germany's steel giants
Lago Maggiore / Ascona, Switzerland
ID:16020104 / Harbor of Ascona during blue hour
Rhonegletscher / Gletsch, Switzerland
ID:16090094 / The origin of the river Rhone is located near Gletsch, just in between of the Grimselpass and the Furkapass. Here at an elevation of 2300m there is the possibility to enter into the blue world inside the glacier without needing any special equipment because the tunnel is manmade and prepared accordingly. Unfortunately, as with many glaciers in the alps, the ice is rapidly melting and during my visits over the last few years the tunnel path seems to have changed quite a bit.
Golden sunset / Frankfurt am Main, Germany
ID:17110220 / I couldn't have wished for any better circumstances to photograph the Frankfurt skyline. This day the cloud cover looked promising, so I decided to take advantage of it at a high viewpoint during sunset.
The Bund / Shanghai, China
ID:16120050 / Somehow during each visit to Shanghai a new tall building has popped up in this already impressive skyline
Schäl Sick Pano / Cologne, Germany
ID:17100041 / After taking a photo from the Kölner Dom from a high vantage point in the summer time, I came back to Cologne in Autumn and wanted to find a composition from the so-called "Schäl Sick" (the "wrong" side of the river Rhine) that shows the Kölner Dom, the Gross St. Martin, the old town hall as well as the television tower....and in such way the all construction cranes are hidden behind said buildings...I guess this angle worked out quite well!
The shed / Füssen, Germany
ID:11010228 / This setting transports a strong sense of the cosiness of winter
Golden sunset / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:16110093 / The setting sun beautifully illuminated the cloud cover over mount Pilatus on this cold autumn day
Ferrying / Orta San Giulio, Italy
ID:16020008 / Sunset boat ride to the Isola San Giulio
Grand prismatic spring / Yellowstone, USA
ID:15080128 / The biggest and probably most beautiful thermal feature in Yellowstone
Snow on the water / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:17010045 / A cold morning in Lucerne old town. The low water level in combination with the fresh snow make for an interesting winter scenery
Colors of autumn / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID:16100164 / A view from the rooftop of one of Lucerne's city wall towers during a vivid colorful sunset
Lake Stelli / Zermatt, Switzerland
ID:16090045 / Pastel sky colors during sunrise over the Matterhorn and lake Stelli
Looking thru / Lucerne, Switzerland
ID: 16060518 / A view of the chapel bridge, thru the handrail of the Rathaussteg bridge
Gorner glacier / Zermatt, Switzerland
ID:17090160 / One would think that being in the alps and far away from urbanisation results in quietness… but nothing could be less true! While sitting on the south rim of the Gornergrat and overlooking the massive Gorner glacier and Monte Rosa area it sounds like hundreds of cars are passing by below. Not really of course, but the melt water that forces its way through the landscape creates a significant ambient noise level. And in particular during the night, when no-one is around, it appears to be very loud!
Colors of spring / Merlischachen, Switzerland
ID:15050003 / Panorama of a rapeseed field and a typical Swiss farm at the shores of lake Lucerne
Canaletto / Dresden, Germany
ID:17100295 / This view from the east side of the river Elbe to the old Town of Dresden is called Canaletto view, which is named after the Italian painter Giovanni Antonio Canal. Also this panorama is referred to as "Elbflorenz" or "Elbe Florence" based on its similarity to its Italian counterpart. If you ask me, then I would say this view has more similarity to the view from the Ponte Umberto in Rome facing the St. Peters Dome in the Vatican... In any case there is an Italian touch to this eastern German city.


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An honors student active in church and school organizations has been named Terrebonne's 2012 Teenager of the Year.
An honors student active in church and school organizations has been named Terrebonne's 2012 Teenager of the Year.
Christiana McCain, 17, a senior at Vandebilt Catholic High School, was awarded the title during a ceremony Saturday night at the American Legion building in Houma.
"If I didn't love volunteering and being a force in my community, I don't know how I would do it," McCain said
McCain, deemed the "potential valedictorian," by Vandebilt Assistant Principal Melissa Adams, was one of 24 seniors vying for the title. Four students were nominated from each parish high school.
Teachers and school administrators sent applications to a panel of seven American Legion members. Student and school names were not revealed, so nominees were judged solely on merit.
Event coordinator and Terrebonne School Board President L.P. Bordelon said the judges spend hours combing through applications to find the one that stands out.
"The award is one of the most prestigious a local student can earn," Bordelon said.
The principal of each school listed individual nominees' achievements, detailing participation in band, sports, student council, church, community and civic groups. Good grades topped the list of their achievements.
"As I was listening, I was thinking that everybody has accomplished so much, and everyone is so remarkable. I'm among the best of the best," McCain said. "Honestly, anyone here could have won, so I'm so honored."
McCain's parents, John and Michelle McCain, said they were brimming with pride.
"I always knew she had it in her," John McCain said.
"We're so proud of her. It's amazing. She did this all on her own," Michelle McCain said.
Staff Writer Kris Johnson can be reached at 857-2207 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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"Sutton-upon-Trent gave name to this ancient family, the first upon record being Roland, son of Hervey, who lived in the reign of Henry III., and married Alice, daughter and coheiress of Richard de Lexington." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
There are countless listings of the place name throughout Britain in the Domesday Book with various spellings due to the literal meaning of the name "south farmstead or village." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) The parish Averham in Nottinghamshire was an ancient family seat.
"At the time of the siege of Newark, many skirmishes occurred here; and in 1644, the ancient manor-house, then belonging to Robert Sutton, Lord Lexington and Baron of Averham, and which had been the residence of the family from 1250, was destroyed." [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
However, the church in Averham and Kelham still hold many relics and several ancient memorials to the Suttons. Some of the church windows date back to 1220. On the south wall is a mural monument, adorned with cherubs and armorial bearings, to the memory of the Right Hon. Robert Lord Lexington, having descended from "ye ancient family of ye Suttons."
Kelham Hall has been the present family seat since it was built in the 1860s.
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text:
Deni Glass Caraf 1750 CC
Deni Glass Caraf
Ref 162832: 1750 CC
Shipping & returns
We deliver anywhere across Lebanon FREE of charge if your order is over $70, or for $3 otherwise.
You'll get your order delivered within 1 to 3 working days in Greater Beirut, and up to 4 working days in remote areas between Monday and Saturday. (Excluding official holidays)
If you're in rush and prefer same-day delivery, place your order before 1 pm and select our express delivery service for $9.
You can pay online using your credit card or by cash on delivery.
If you have any question or prefer to order over the phone, you can call us on +961 81 209 111 or +961 5 450 321.


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Avonmore Books
Avonmore Books is a specialised military history publisher and distributor based in Adelaide, South Australia. Our core interests are WWII in the South West Pacific Area, as well as various aspects of aviation and naval history.
Avonmore Books is proud to release its first title, Zero Hour in Broome. This analyses the Australian northwest during the critical early 1942 period, climaxing in the devastating raid on Broome on 3rd March. This was, in fact, the second most deadly enemy air raid on Australia after the attack on Darwin just days beforehand.
The senior co-author of the book, Dr Tom Lewis, OAM, is a serving naval officer based in Darwin and also the Director of the Darwin Military Museum. Some of Dr Lewis' other titles regarding Darwin in WWII are available via the website, as are a small selection of related specialised books from other small publishers.
Zero Hour in Broome has been the subject of much interest since release in September 2010, including features in The Weekend Australian Magazine and ABC Radio National. Avonmore Books has three more titles under preparation from a variety of authors due for release in coming months. Check the website regularly for details, as well as some interesting discussion material.
- Location:


text:
Feed your dog a bowl of truth, not trends! Dogs and their unique nutritional needs are the heart of all we do. That's why we only use ingredients that help keep your dog healthy. Learn more about the benefits slow-cooked corn can provide for your dog.
During their first four months of life, puppies are particularly impressionable. As a matter of fact, they will learn more during this time than any other time in their entire lives. Check out the Bil-Jac Puppy Guide here.
We've gathered our best tips to train and socialize your new best friend for both their benefit and your sanity. Get the tips here.
Every day, we hear from consumers - offering notes of love, sharing photos and asking questions. Some questions arise more often than others. Learn more and get the facts here.
Did you know, 53% of adult dogs are overweight or obese according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Wow! If it's time for your best friend to get moving, we have put together six great reasons to get up and go!
For information and distribution details about our frozen product, please call 1.800.842.5098


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Shipping to: Luxembourg
Don't worry, creating a new password is easy: Click on Forgotten your password?, enter the e-mail address used to register on the website and click on "Send e-mail". You will then receive an e-mail containing a new password. For security purposes, we recommend that you change the password received from your KIKO Account immediately. If you are having trouble finding the e-mail containing your new password, please check your SPAM folder.


text:
BlackBerry Storm 9530 Pictures
The Storm is the BlackBerry with touch sensitive screen, targeted as a rival to the iPhone. It features 3.2" display, 3.2MP camera, full HTML browser, on-screen SureType keyboard and all is 0.5" in thickness. This one is the CDMA/GSM hybrid that can operate both with Verizon Wireless and on GSM networks.


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Latest News
Miguel Diaz-Canel, Cuba's new No. 2, respected as smart and personable
Miguel Diaz-Canel, who stands to become Cuba's first post-Castro ruler, is respected as a smart manager and personable communicator who rode a bike on his rounds when he headed the Communist Party in the province of Villa Clara.
Diaz-Canel toed the revolutionary line and was "something of an ideologue, but he was smart and you could talk to him," said one of two Cuban journalists in Miami who knew the now 52-year-old in the 1990s and early 2000s.
"He won the respect of the people in the province" of Villa Clara, said the other. Both asked for anonymity because of their current jobs. Diaz-Canel was selected Sunday as first vice president of the Council of State, making him No. 2 in the government headed by Raúl Castro, who announced at the same time that he would leave power in 2018.
Cuban officials singled out as possible generational successors to the Castros have a history of getting fired — witness former Foreign Ministers Roberto Robaina and Felipe Perez Roque and former Vice President Carlos Lage.
Ironically, Diaz-Canel was one of Robaina's top aides in the early 1990s when Robaina was president of the Union of Communist Youth (known as the UJC in Spanish). And Castro himself warned Sunday that good revolutionaries don't seek power.
Diaz-Canel survived Robaina's ouster and on Sunday Castro heaped unusual praise on him, reinforcing Diaz-Canel's image as one of the key forces behind Castro's drive to open up Cuba's Soviet-style economy and allow more private enterprise.
One of the Miami journalists who worked with him at the UJC said Diaz-Canel was considered to be "very smart, above all affable and accessible" and given to joking. His parents were rumored to have been fairly well off before the Castro revolution.
"He loved to exercise and had something of a narcissistic streak about his body image," said the journalist. But he was not known as a ladies' man and did not drink in excess.
Diaz-Canel replaced Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, 82, who remained as one of five vice presidents as well as No. 2 in the Communist Party.
Born in Villa Clara, Diaz-Canel graduated as an electronic engineer and did his mandatory military service in an anti-aircraft unit. He also taught at the Villa Clara provincial university and became active in the provincial UJC.
He served 10 years as party chief in Villa Clara, where the party banned him from biking around the province for security reasons, and another six as Holguin provincial chief.
In 1991, he was elected to the party's Central Committee and in 2003 became the youngest-ever member of the Political Buro, the pinnacle of power in Cuba's lone legal political party.
From 2009 to 2012, he served as minister of higher education and last year was promoted to one of the five vice presidencies, in overall charge of education issues.
His rising star was underlined when he accompanied Castro to a summit of Latin American and Caribbean leaders in Chile this year and a U.N. conference on development strategies last summer.
He represented Cuba in January at the rally in Caracas that marked the start of President Hugo Chávez's new six-year presidential term, even as Chávez was in Havana trying to recover from a fourth cancer surgery.


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Posts Tagged 'Apps'
Google Chrome Web Store
Posted February 27, 2011on:
A number of us in the office enjoy the delights of the iOS platform, mainly being the App Store. Not only has it given us the opportunity to fling grumpy avarian types but no doubt has helped us be more organised, more productive and certainly more (anti)social. It's become a business model so successful that plenty of other software developers are directly copying it and tweaking it to their platforms.
Tags: Apps, Browser, Downloads, Extensions, Google Chrome, hootsuite, ios


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The "Restoration of the Century", as it has been called by many, is now complete. The Sistine Chapel shines forth in all its beauty at the beginning of the third millennium of Christianity. It is thanks to the generous financial support of the patrons that the great fresco cycles of the lives of Moses and Christ, as well as the Cantoria and the Transenna, in the Sistine Chapel are restored to their original splendor.
Thanks are also due to those whose talents as art conservators have made this possible. Their work has been in progress since 1979 and only today is the fruit of this intense labor completely visible.
Often over-looked because of Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel are the two decorative fresco cycles on the lateral walls of the Sistine Chapel. Commissioned by Sixtus IV, the same pope who had the Sistine Chapel built, the two cycles depict events from the lives of Moses and Christ. They underline the continuity between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, or the transition from the Mosaic law to the Christian religion. The frescoes were executed by a team of painters including Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Luca Signorelli and Cosimo Rosselli, and were assisted by members of their workshops, among whom were Pinturicchio, Piero di Cosimo, and Bartolomeo della Gatta. The work was begun in 1481 and completed in 1483.


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Q&A: Will Fans, Videogamers Follow The Bouncing Ball To 'NBA Baller Beats'?
By Barry Janoff
September 10, 2012: NBA-related videogames have become as much a part of the hoops' landscape as the real games, with technology and graphics enabling people to fulfill their basketball Jones by transform themselves into the likes of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and even Michael Jordan.
NBA Baller Beats wants to take this category to another level. By putting a basketball in the hands of videogamers, fans and basketball players alike, the plan is to get them off the couch and enhance their dribbling skills. The game, hitting retail September 11 for Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect, comes bundled with an official, full-size Spalding NBA game ball replica and challenges players to "master ball-handling skills by dribbling and performing moves including crossovers, pump fakes and flow dribble."
Videogame publishing company Majesco Entertainment describes it as "the first ever full-body motion-based NBA videogame that lets you perform like a pro using a real basketball." Players must have the Kinect Motion Sensor attached to their system. MSRP is $59.99.
NBA Baller Beats is played while listening to a soundtrack of 30 songs from such artists as Run DMC, Common, Gorillaz, Kanye West, B.o.B., LMFAO, Missy Elliot, Them Crooked Vultures and Queen. There are three difficulty levels available with every song: Rookie, Pro and Baller.
While scoring points against as many as eight challengers, NBA Baller Beats enables players to unlock songs, difficulty levels, environment accessories, more than 100 posters and Panini's 2012 NBA Hoops trading cards, which showcase the moves of NBA players. As they play, gamers can also take pictures of themselves with the Kinect camera, which they can upload and share on Facebook.
NYSportsJournalism spoke with Jesse Sutton, CEO of Edison, NJ-based Majesco Entertainment about getting NBA Baller Beats to market and the marketing being created to get the message to consumers. During a conference call with financial analysts and members of the media on Sept. 10, a day before the game was released to the public, Majesco said it spent about $500,000 on pre-launch actives during Q3.
NYSportsJournalism.com: What separates NBA Baller Beats from anything that has been or is currently available?
Jesse Sutton: There really has never been anything like this on the market and in the history of videogames. This is a product that is not only incredibly fun to play but one that you can use as a tool to improve your basketball skills. What we is done is created technology that works with the XBox 360 Kinect motion-sensor camera that really follows the movement of the ball alongside your body. Before, we've only been able to have interaction on the motion Sensor camera with your body. This is a proprietary technology that allows the camera to recognize the ball. With that, we have been able to create a product that essentially teaches you how to become a better basketball player in the area of dribbling: It forces you to use both hands. It forces you to keep your head up while dribbling. And you do it in an environment in which you don't feel as if you are working out because you are having so much fun.
NYSJ: How are you responding to critics who say that players won't be able to dribble a real basketball inside their home or apartment because of the noise, potential damage it might cause or because they have thick or shag carpeting on the floor?
JS: We have two responses. One is the practical response. We've tested the game on several different surfaces including all different types and thicknesses of carpet, and it works on most surfaces. We are offering a ball on our Web site that is more rubberized , so it is softer, quieter. It can bounce on shag carpets. It won't have the authenticity of playing with a real basketball, but you will still have the same game experience. Second, we spent the entire summer going to youth, AAU, college and pro basketball camps around the country and have had players, parents and coaches try the videogame. The feedback we received was incredible. The most telling feedback we received was people saying, 'We have to find a place in our home for this product.' Even kids who first thought they couldn't play the game then said they had to have it at home. That has been exciting.
"Once we got to the point where we were able to show the NBA an actual demonstration of the game, that changed everything."
NYSJ: What were the challenges early on when you presented the concept to the NBA?
JS: Many people who hear about the game for the first time, about using a real NBA ball when you play the videogame, either say, 'That's weird!' or 'That's interesting!' But it's a we have to see it to believe it attitude. Then they'll see a clip of the game and say, 'That's cool.' But they still might be unsure about it. Then when they actually play it, they are totally hooked. So we went to the NBA along with Microsoft, with whom we partnered to produce the game for their platform, with a concept. I felt that they got it, but they didn't truly get it. But we came away with a contract agreement and were able to advance production on the game. Once we got to the point where we were able to show them an actual demonstration of the game, that changed everything. Their level of interest and excitement jumped.
NYSJ: Were you able to get commissioner David Stern to play the game and dribble a basketball?
JS: [Laughs.] No, not the commissioner. But we have had NBA players. Deron Williams is on the cover and he has played the game many times and is a big fan. We were at Dwyane Wade's basketball camp, Kevin Durant's camp, and they played it and loved it. And they have gotten other players to play the game. Michael Strahan (former New York Giants defensive end and new co-host of TV talk show Live! with Kelly Ripa) has played it and was fantastic at it. So even athletes who dribble a basketball for a living have found it to be fun and have recommended it as a teaching tool.
NYSJ: What are you looking at as far as marketing support?
JS: We will be doing everything. We have been demonstrating the product for a while, but really began our grassroots marketing in June. We went out to the basketball camps. We partnered with Kenny Smith (former NBA player and current NBA analyst for TNT), which has been tremendous. He had it at his own camps, and he has been talking to players and basketball fans about it. We partnered with the WNBA's New York Liberty and were able to have their fans play [a demonstration version of] NBA Baller Beats at an Interactive Fan Zone at home games [at Prudential Center]. We were at New York Knicks and Liberty summer camps and part of events where the [fan-interactive] Knicks Groove Truck appeared, as well as Liberty Fit community events.
NYSJ: What about marketing now that the game is hitting retail?
JS: Beyond the grassroots efforts, we have been working with such retailers as GameStop, Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy; and Amazon and other major e-tailers. Our Web site is very robust, and we expect traffic to continue to grown once the game hits retail. We are getting the word our via social media, which is very important to reach a key demographic. We have almost 700,000 followers on Twitter. We have had more than 450,000 visits to the initial trailer on YouTube and more than two million hits among all of the [advance] videos we have put out. Facebook is getting more followers. Sometime after launch we are looking at a major TV campaign. And building that up as the NBA season begins, either with the NBA or specific teams.
NYSJ: With Deron Williams on the cover, is there anything specific activation you can talk about as far as working with the Brooklyn Nets?
JS: Deron already has done some advance promotion things. This is the perfect time to work with the Nets since they are opening up their arena in Brooklyn, which is where I grew up. So we see that as a major opportunity, both with the Deron and Nets as well the Knicks.
NYSJ: Music has become important to videogames, but how much of a role does the NBA Baller Beats soundtrack play?
JS: It's really dynamic. And its an integral part of the game. When you are bouncing the basketball, it's almost as if you are [a musician] playing along with the songs. You are not just playing basketball but dancing along to the various beats. We did not just pick random tracks. We have an array of music from great artists that really expand the dimension and quality of the game itself. It's a choreographed dribbling game. It's almost as if you are dancing with the basketball. And the more advanced the song and the more advanced the routine, the cooler you are going to look playing it. (See the full playlist and sample all 30 tracks here.)
NYSJ: This is initially intended for home play but would it work in a much larger venue such as Dave & Buster's?
JS: Absolutely. We have been approached by companies in the arcade market because the game suits itself so well for that type of environment. The idea is that if someone has Kinect, they have room in their home to dribble a basketball and move and dance around. We've had kids as young as six play on the rookie level and really get it. They get the moves and start dribbling with their left hand, their right hand, watching the screen, and they are having fun and don't even think about the fact that they are enhancing their basketball skills.
"Sometime after launch we are looking at a major TV campaign. And building that up as the NBA season begins, either with the NBA or specific teams."
NYSJ: What do you see as the future for NBA Baller Beats?
JS: There are many ways in which we can leverage the product. We will add downloadable content as far as new music and new routines. Enhance each of the challenge experiences. As far as sequels, one of the most amazing things I have found on this journey is that so many people come up with so many great ideas, ways to enhance and expand the game for the next release. We've already started to put together ideas for the next generation of the game.


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1. Going 'possed up' means the one or two security guards on duty are much less likely to detain you, and that the detainee can be freed by force if requiredI've no idea how much stock Oxford Street loses to shoplifters at this time of year (Bill Quango might know) but clearly it's still profitable. And Oh yes, there's a point number six;
2. The huge crowds provide good cover, especially if six or eight of you hit a store at the same time
3. Security guards aren't heroes. They know you carry knives, and they know their hi-vis vests aren't made of Kevlar.
4. Most police are still on leave, and those on duty won't even respond to a shoplifting incident
5. Even the kind of legitimate shoppers who use the same shops you target are unlikely to be from that cohort of society who will intervene to stop you.
6. Don't target the same shop at the same time as a rival shoplifting gang ...


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A late afternoon traffic stop on Jan. 20 by Glendale police provided the thread that led to the unraveling of an identity theft ring that has stolen tens of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting Los Angeles area residents, police said Tuesday.
About 70 officers from six agencies fanned out across the metropolitan area at 7 a.m. Tuesday and served search warrants at nine locations looking for evidence and suspects that authorities said operated a credit card skimming and gasoline theft ring.
The raid netted seven arrests and officers confiscated a variety of equipment used to alter credit card readers at an undisclosed number of gas stations in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding communities, authorities said.
The bust netted several pistols, six computers, four credit card skimmers, several hundred credit card blanks, two pickup trucks and $60,000 in cash.
Most of it was on display at the Glendale police station by Tuesday afternoon.
Officers raided eight homes and a truck yard where the pickups were modified with extra 200 gallon tanks and then used to buy fuel with stolen credit card information to sell it on the black market.
Among those arrested was Levon Mkrtchian, 22, of North Hollywood, a passenger in the vehicle stopped for having darkly tinted windows, said Glendale Police Department Sgt. Tom Lorenz. The driver, David Yezgatyan of Tujunga remains at large.
"I believe he might be out of the country in Armenia or Russia," Lorenz said.
Detectives began investigating the two men after the Orange County Sheriff's Department reported that Yezgatyan was a person of interest in an identity theft probe they were conducting.
Authorities soon formed a task force of officers from Orange County, Glendale, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Police Department, California Attorney General's Office and the U.S. Secret Service.
Also arrested Tuesday were Edgar Alaverdyan, 34, of Northridge; Karen Nazaryan, 36, of Glendale; Serob Yegoyan, 41, of Glendale; Edvard Martirosyan, 26, of Glendale; Emil Morkus, 21, of Glendale; and Karine Mehrabyan, age unknown, of Tujunga.
Two other suspects, Hratch Keyo of La Crescenta, and Tujunga resident Vachik Babayan, Mehrabyan's husband, remain on the lam.
The seven are locked up in Glendale's jail awaiting arraignment this morning, authorities said.
Lorenz said that the best defense against this kind of theft is to pay cash.
"I've been in law enforcement for 30 years. I'm a firm believer that cash is king. I pay in cash whenever I can," he said.
Surveillance camera footage from stations where pumps had been hacked by the skimming ring was used to help track down suspects, said Glendale Lt. Todd Anderson, chief of the Financial Crimes Investigation Bureau.
The group was sophisticated, and victims and station employees probably did not notice anything amiss at pump islands that had been compromised.
And it takes no time to hack a fueling island.
"They can install it (the skimmer) in less time than it takes you to write the next word," Anderson said. "It can be done in about five seconds."
The skimmers and other equipment can be purchased online. Once a pump is hacked the skimmers are left in place to record transaction and other information on the cards. The crooks then return and retrieve the devices, Anderson said, download credit card information to the computers and then transfer it to the magnetic strip on blank cards.
Anderson said that the big payoff from the bust is stopping the ring from stealing more financial identities.
"It's a very good case. This will slow it down for a while and put a dent it," he said of taking down the ring.
None of the suspects resisted arrest.
"Everybody was very cooperative and one guy was very forthcoming. He told us where everything was in the house," Anderson said.


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7digital creates and implements music solutions that transform the digital listening experience, bringing brands, music and listeners together. From radio or on-demand streaming services to content curation and rights management, we handle it all.
A global catalogue of music and metadata, served by a robust and scalable infrastructure and software that enhances your offering.
Our creatives foster discovery through radio programming, editorial, playlisting and curation. Our team of experts guide clients through the licensing and business planning.
Our end-to-end white label solutions provide streaming, radio and download services that nurture loyalty and gather customer insights for our clients.
Read about 7digital news and industry insights.


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It's not that hard to find great pirate-themed video game zones and levels. Gigantic ships, pirate hideouts on mysterious islands (or in space), full of treasure, topped with a Caribbean atmosphere; an ever-returning element of video games that will always be a pleasure to the eye. We've collected some of the most gorgeous and memorable ones.
Pirate Ship (TMNT: Turtles In Time)
source: UglyKatsuki's LP
Cannon Cluster (Donkey Kong Country Returns)
source: FruitShaped's LP
Plunder Island (The Curse Of Monkey Island)
source: Monkey Island Wiki
Booty Bay (World Of Warcraft)
source: Wowhead, Ironyca's blog
Jolly Roger's Lagoon (Banjo-Tooie)
source: FlameAstro's LP
The Listy Colon (Scribblenauts Unlimited)
source: BeatnikGunso's LP
The Caribbean (Sid Meier's Pirates!)
source: 2KGames
Balfonheim Port (Final Fantasy XII)
source: Mark Findley's LP
Underground Ghost Ship (Super Mario Galaxy)
source: PurpleRodri's LP
The Dorgenark (Rogue Galaxy)
source: Rogue Galaxy Wiki
You should submit your own images and picks in the comments below.


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May Payne 3's Collector's Edition is so limited that you're going to have less than two months to pre-order it.
Rockstar today rolled out the details of a $99.99/£99.99/€109.99 collector's edition of Max Payne 3. It comes with a copy of the game, a set of prints, a bullet keychain, classic multiplayer character pack of eight playable characters, a multiplayer weapons pack and the soundtrack. Oh, and you get a 10-inch statue of a Max Payne boldly pacing forward, a gun in each hand, grey suit shimmering, top button of his crisp white shirt unbuttoned. He's a rebel, that one.
I was sorta hoping for a fat, bald Max Payne, eyes red-rimmed, beard bristling.
Here's the official verbiage for the official collector's edition:
• A copy of Max Payne 3.
• 10" tall Collectible Max Payne Statue created in a collaboration between TriForce and Rockstar Games.
• Series of game-inspired Original Still Life Art Prints that depict some of Max Payne's inner demons and vices.
• Copper and brass-plated iron, bullet-shaped Bullet Keychain featuring a screw-off back.
• Classic Multiplayer Character Pack of eight playable multiplayer characters for Max Payne 3 Multiplayer, including fan favorites from the original Max Payne and Max Payne 2 like Max Payne from Max Payne 2, Mona Sax and Vladimir Lem.
• Disorderly Conduct Multiplayer Weapons Pack for Max Payne 3 Multiplayer that includes the Hammerhead Auto Shotgun, G9 Grenade Launcher and Molotov cocktail.
• Max Payne 3 Official Soundtrack featuring the game's instrumental score.
You can contact Brian Crecente, the author of this post, at email@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


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Hello everyone!
I have been working on my personal website for a month. Almost everything has been designed by me. Now that it's fully working and contains several articles, I am proud to release it!
I have made this personal website to share my own programs, and my knowledge in Computer Science. Thus this website is divided in sections, and each section stands for one project of mine.
In a project section, I always show its features. For some projects I explain how they work. For others which are still under development, I share their development: what's left to implement, and what are the known issues. When a release is available users may download it. The most advanced project I show is RPG Maker Tools, formerly known as Fusion Maker, which has been used by hundreds of people.
This website allows me to post news. Every news is related to a project, or to a more general matter, such as algorithmic. Users may comment every news, and every project. They may even rate comments.
I hope you will enjoy it!
Date: 2012-08-15 | Time: 16:46:45 | Posted by: Sébastien Bini | Related: Website | Comment (1)
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MadLilBee 2013-07-11 20:15:47
Hello, i just registered to use your website. I'm looking forward to browsing around! Thank you!
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