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What was it that I wrote last week?
At best this is pocket 5s with 3 overcards on the flop at a full table.
Everyone lost their sh-t last week when News of the World concocted some story about the Brange hammering out a separation agreement and that an announcement would be imminent. For those of you who don't know poker, pocket 5s is a sh-tty hand, but everyone was willing to go all in based on a report from a rather nefarious source. Not that I think the Brange will last forever, but when they call it, it certainly isn't going to roll out like this.
And so the inevitable happened this weekend – they made a very public appearance at the Directors Guild Awards on Saturday night, skipping the carpet but Pitt Porning it up in the ballroom with eyewitness accounts coming from everywhere claiming the two, knowing all eyes would be on them, were as tight and as solid as ever.
Crisis averted then. For a week?
This outing of course will spin off new theories that there's a cover-up. That may be the case but the point is that: they don't want you think they're done. And so, for all intents and purposes, they are not done. Many of you have written to ask me about "where there's smoke, there's fire" and while I agree with this in principle, if you really want to get down into the background of all of this, the root source of this story is really rather sketchy according to many observers in the UK...
Here's a reference article to start. The News of the World was working on a major scandal about the captain of the English football team. There was a last minute injunction blocking the publication. Some say they had to scramble for a replacement. And this is when the Brange story ran...
Of course it's all just speculation. Just like the separation is speculation. But it provides a different angle. Again, the Brange won't be forever. In that industry, in their world, it's just so unlikely. Right now however it's premature. Not yet, not now. And probably not for a while.
Thanks Ms W!
Photos from Frazer Harrison/Alberto E. Rodriguez/Gettyimages.com


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News & Notes: Game 43
Follow the Herd:
Listen to the Game Live: CLICK HERE!
Bisons Baseball Network: CLICK HERE!
Email the Broadcast Team: CLICK HERE!
Everything about the Herd: CLICK HERE!
Get to a Bisons Game: CLICK HERE!
TODAY'S GAME: This evening, the Buffalo Bisons face the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in the second game of a four-game series from Coca-Cola Field (7:05 p.m.). The Herd leads the series 1-0 following yesterday's 8-7 slugfest. The Bisons are coming off a split of a four-game series against Columbus to begin this eight-game homestand. After Thursday, the Bisons will leave for Durham on their first eight-game roadtrip of the season.
OLLIE JOINS HERD: LHP Oliver Perez is scheduled to begin his major league rehab assignment with the Bisons tonight. The southpaw is slated to throw 90 pitches. The Mets placed Perez on the disabled list on May 6 (retroactive to May 3) with patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Perez, who has won 25 games with the Mets over the past two seasons, was 1-2 with a 9.97ERA in five starts with New York this year.
HEAVY HITTERS: The Herd racked up a season-high 15 hits in yesterday's win. Six of them came in a five-run 4th inning that helped the Bisons erase an early 4-0 deficit. Ten different Bisons collected hits yesterday, including a hit each from pitcher Dillon Gee and Brandon Knight. Six different players drove in runs, with OF Fernando Martinez knocking in two with his team-leading eighth home run of the season.
F-MART: OF Fernando Martinez extended his hit streak to Bisons-season high seven-games yesterday. He has averaged .366 (11-30) with three doubles, four home runs, eight RBI and seven runs scored since Monday, May 18. Martinez is now 1st in the International League with 25 extra-base hits.
THE REY TO GO: INF Argenis Reyes enters tonight's game on a pair of impressive streaks. He has hit in six straight games and has collected an RBI in his last five. Since May 19, Reyes has averaged .333 (8-24) with two runs scored and five RBI. Monday, Reyes also collected his team-best seventh stolen base.
SECRET VALENTIN: INF Javier Valentin has driven in nine runs in only 11 games (10 starts) with the Bisons. The veteran was 2-5 with another RBI yesterday. Valentin has also reached base in seven straight, hitting .375 (9-24) with a double, two home runs, four runs scored, seven RBI and six walks.

subset: commoncrawl


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Last week, reps from Al Jazeera English's The Stream contacted GeekMom, asking if any of our writers would be interested in participating in a segment on violence in video games. I agreed to participate and spent part of an afternoon watching segments of the show in preparation.
The Stream is an interesting concept. The program is filmed in a studio where a host and featured guest (often a college professor) begin discussion on a topic before the conversation is taken out into the broader community. At that point, an in-studio social media editor reads comments from Twitter, peppers the conversation with pertinent video clips, and questions a second group of guests who participate via Google Hangout and are also encouraged to live-chat their responses to the emerging story. The program is available online but then also broadcast on Al Jazeera English TV.
Despite the fact that The Stream won both a Peabody and a Webby (among other awards) for journalism and innovation earlier this year, I admit that I had some lingering concerns about the possibility of an anti-American bias to the show (my own bias), particularly when, in reading promotional material on the site the day prior to my segment, I realized that the primary focus of the " violent video games" argument would be first-person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops II. While my teenaged sons do play some M-rated games (currently, [Halo 4](http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/06/tech/gaming-gadgets/halo-4-review/index.html "CNN: Halo 4 "The Best Yet"") and Dishonored are in heavy weekend rotation), I wasn't familiar with the Call of Duty franchise. After watching some YouTube clips of the game online, I wondered, "Is this how foreign countries think American children spend all of their free time?"
And yet, as the host of The Stream pointed out, the truth is, the game sold $500 million in its' first 24 hours, was a trending topic on Twitter, and is played by children. If you look at the incarceration rates in America, it seems a legitimate question: does the ubiquity of video game violence beget real-life violence? And if it does, I also wondered: is there a difference between the human-on-human violence depicted in Call of Duty and the human-on-aliens violence my son and his friends rabidly look forward to each weekend when they're allowed to turn on their consoles and play Halo 4?
Douglas Gentile, a psychology professor at Iowa State University claimed that research says:
Aggression is multicausal. There are over 100 known risk factors for aggression; media violence is just one of them – not the biggest but not the smallest. The only way that anyone does something seriously violent is if they have multiple risk factors and limited protective factors for violent behavior, and thankfully most of our children have a great many protective factors, can consume a lot of violent video games, and still never do anything violent.
A second professor, Christopher Ferguson, from Texas A&M International University, put the argument in context for me at the end of the show when he said:
Whenever new media comes out, we tend to go through a same pattern. 50 years ago with comic books, we had psychiatrists going up before Congress and saying that comic books were the cause of not only juvenile delinquency but homosexuality (because apparently Batman and Robin were secretly gay). At the time period when you have older adults who are not using the new media you oftentimes see these types of panics evolve around them and it's usually after two or three decades [that you see attitudes change].
Ferguson went on to encourage parents to make informed decisions. I'd take that a step further and suggest that parents who aren't gamers themselves familiarize themselves with the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) website and use the mobile app when shopping for games for their kids. Though I'd love if the website linked to actual video clips of content descriptors like "strong language," "blood and gore," "violence," or "sexual themes" within each game so that I had a concrete idea of exactly what my children would be exposed to, these descriptors can be a good first look at games and are certainly better than nothing at all.
I find that this can be a challenging gulf to traverse. My kids look forward to gaming with their friends and seem to love the challenge and the planning these more mature games require. Last weekend, the cheers, groans, laughter, and teasing from the livingroom while the boys and their friends were playing Halo 4 together sounded exactly like a group of guys watching a football game together. I wonder sometimes as I read the warnings on the back of these video games, "Am I concerned about the content in this game or am I just uncomfortable that my kids are growing up and grappling with more complex questions, even in play?"
What's your take?
Al Jazeera's The Stream: "When Killing Becomes a Game"


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The tactic does indeed seem to be aimed at stopping third-party software from scraping for video content and displaying it in ways the copyright owners aren't fond of. Boxee, whose software is not only popular on the desktop but also in set-top boxes like the Apple TV, was one of the best ways to watch Hulu streams outside of the browser. In February, however, Hulu asked Boxee to remove access to Hulu content thanks to rumblings its from broadcast network partners. It's no surprise, either—content owners make a pretty penny from regular TV broadcasts and barely anything at all from the ad-supported Internet streams. Allowing users to replace lucrative TV broadcasts with significantly less-lucrative Internet streams on the same TV screen would be a serious threat to the traditional TV business model.
Still, the JavaScript "fix" apparently wasn't a very complex one, as Millmore has already released an update to TunerFreeMCE that gets around the encoding process. Anyone can to employ the same tactics as Millmore, so it's not entirely clear why Hulu even bothered in the first place. Now, the company is just getting bad press for trying (poorly) to outsmart those who are already intent on getting around the system.
It's not like the companies behind Hulu are blind to what viewers really want, though. "We find that as long as you're careful about it that viewers want to be able to get content any place they can, any time they can," NBC cable entertainment president Bonnie Hammer said in a panel at the 2009 Cable Show, according to PC World. "If you don't allow it they may steal it. You have to provide it legally and find out how to monetize it."
Now, if only NBC and gang could put that line of thought to good use when it comes to third-party software and Hulu streams.
Update: It appears as if Boxee offers a plugin that makes Hulu believe a Mozilla browser is requesting the video. We are told that it, too, has offered a workaround for the URL-encoding "fix" that Hulu has implemented.�


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Aren't you glad it's the weekend? I, for sure am more than ready for the next couple of days to be in relaxation pace. I dont know mmmmm maybe …some time to sleep in, have some sunday brunch mimosas with friends, bake this cake, and just generally relax and take a breather from this week madness.
Especially since the first few days of spring, are in full bloom (in some places at least). It doesn't matter if winter is still in full force where you live or if there still is snow outside. It's nice to hear the whispers of spring that promise to bring sunshine and warmer weather.
Hope you all have a dazzling weekend.
Meyer Lemon Cake
1 tbsp. butter, plus 8 tbsp. melted
2 tbsp. fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. fine salt
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
2 tbsp. lemon extract
Zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons
1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan measuring 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 3/4" with 1 tbsp. of the butter and dust it with the bread crumbs. Invert and tap out excess crumbs; set aside. In a food processor, grind the almonds until very fine, about 1 minute; set aside. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
2. Put the remaining butter into a large bowl and add 1 cup of the sugar. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just long enough to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until mixed after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, about 3 minutes total. Mix in the lemon extract. With the spatula, fold in the lemon zest and ground almonds. (The mixture will be thin.) Turn batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and dry, about 65 minutes.
3. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Prepare the glaze: Combine remaining sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. (Do not boil.) Brush the glaze over the hot cake. (The excess liquid may pool along the sides of the pan; it will absorb completely as it sits.) Once the cake has absorbed all the liquid, turn it out of the pan and allow it to cool upright on a rack. Once it's cool, wrap the cake with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours before serving.
Photo and recipe from Saveur


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Shxt Looks Serious: Jamaica Pastor Tries To Help Young Boy Attacked By Ghost! [Update]
FOLLOW UP On ghost in Jamaica. Shouts to Janny for the tip
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Digital Photo Albums Done the Right Way
There are lots of ways online to store your digital photo albums but some are time-consuming and some just look bad. Not KeepShot though, which WSJ's Katherine Boehret says is easy to use and looks great.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... I to correct after Wall Street Journal ... and this thing I'd to elect added a new app called keep shot ... this comes from a company called my publisher and in the first companies to allow people to create their own customized thought about ... using new digital but as many were introduced back in nineteen ninety four ... the publisher knows a thing or two about making fun about ... and we'll probably see it's here you probably tried to make line ... I iPhoto are using Shutterfly at your PC but the problem and that this requires a lot of time ... now all of this app keeps shot has really done away with all the annoying things that you don't like ... about making a final block ... member wine it really doesn't take long at all to upload your photo book after you finish making and ... some firms can take hours and that's really frustrating am I to fit your computer and wait ... this one took me nine minutes to upload one of the books that I made ... and another case I he is very high resolution photos from the professional photographer and that's about forty minutes but that was a very unusual case ... and if the ... ASA did a great job ... of eliminating this cheesy laying out that from these ... folks might say in any kind of impressed by new and force you to use ... so I like that UK allows you to use your own land big is this and she is proud that you can also go ... on your own photos in which you prefer ... and you want isn't change the Fed's to your specific preference this ... fella I made for books using cheap shots and I found that I use different layouts and different types of pages like ... a lay flat sprints which allows it to open up the book ... and that he does don't turn when you're not wanting them to turn ... tail and tried ordering a super gloss paint that allows you to ... add that very nice he not every single page it looks very professional ... and I was really impressed that the quality of these by about ... the race from about twenty dollars to seventy dollars depending on the but the heat is they come in three different sizes ... the difference between fake legal app if you add extra features like the super alot finance and or the lay flat pages ... for the most part I think it's a pretty good deal ... and one cents today and says that the money is offering a free e books for the first ten thousand people ... to use the app ... this also follows a trend I've really been seeing and I pad said now you can use the app and for more creativity and seven just consumption on the device in the past rather than an app called Hite can adapt ... that let you sit back ... and enjoy and relax and this really does that fell in center city your computer for hours or days or weeks ... do you think that act now with your I pad relax and make the final book ... is actually fun today like created one hundred plane flight Center Boston has seen an hour ... and I was able to order at that time healing and so ... I think this will introduce a new audience to buy the books people who were intimidated to make them before ... and didn't like that that computers for a long has that gift Keep shot at trying ... if you have a lot of fun as betting on your computer that she'd like to offload ... and Katie Brat after Wall Street Journal ...


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Today's world is a beautiful and magical place, where a person can click a single link in an article and instantly be playing a Megadeth slot machine in the AvaTingo Slots and Bingo Facebook app.
That's right, its the slot machine too rowdy and drunk for Metallica. Thank you, Facebook!


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Up 100 lumens of illumination, distance and strobe modes, red LEDs to preserve night vision, and a fully waterproof body. Yes, the Black Diamond Storm is an oddly appealing sounding headlight.
It's so appealing in fact, that I'm almost tempted to order one for $40 and find a cave to explore right now. [Black Diamond Equipment]


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Monte said the Onderdonk house is useful in educating both children and adults, standing as a reminder of New York City's early Dutch farming community.
"It represents that part of our history, why people settled in America and why they lived where they lived. The house changed the same way our city changed," said Monte. There are other changes in store for the house as well. GRHS hopes to make the upper level of the Onderdonk House more serviceable by adding heating and air conditioning. The biggest problem Monte faces as president of GRHS is obtaining a steady stream of funding for the house's maintenance, and also making sure the right decisions are being made. However, she admitted GRHS has done a pretty good job for being an all-volunteer organization.
"It all really spans the history of our city as well as the history of just the house or the families that lived here, " said Monte. "Are willing to preserve our past to learn about the future?"


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Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Preservation of myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor signaling delays the development of heart failure after myocardial infarction.
(Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2000-05-09)
When the heart fails, there is often a constellation of biochemical alterations of the beta-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) signaling system, leading to the loss of cardiac inotropic reserve. betaAR down-regulation and functional ...


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small change
This week I rearranged the shelf in my office. It's not a bit deal but I do like the rolls of paper and sheet metal and extra light bulbs stacked in a clear box. The silver and gold mimic the metals I use in my jewelry shop and those little white boxes hold all my odds and ends.
My goal for this weekend is to get caught up on emails, shop orders and get a post published about our time in Copenhagen. Part of me almost wants to avoid it because I know I will only miss it more, looking at the photos. But there's so many things I want to share about where we went, I promise I'll get it together soon!
Until then, I hope you have a nice weekend. A relaxing one!
1 comment:
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Questions, comments or sponsorship inquires, please contact me via the 'contact' link.


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Pridie, Bisons out-slug Yanks
Jason Pridie collected four hits and five RBI to lead the Herd to an 11-7 victory over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday afternoon at Coca-Cola Field. Fernando Martinez added a three-run homer as Buffalo slugged their way to a winning homestand.
Pridie was at the heart of the Bisons attack all day. His three-run homer in the fifth inning gave Buffalo the 3-1 advantage. After Scranton/Wilkes-Barre built a 6-3 lead on homers from Chad Huffman and Jesus Montero, Pridie doubled to deep center to plate Ruben Tejada and close the deficit to two. Pridie, Bisons Out-Slug Yanks, 11-7Two batters later, the Bisons' centerfielder scored when Fernando Martinez launched a three-run homer.
WATCH: More highlights from the Bisons' slugfest CLICK HERE!
The Bisons' 7-6 lead didn't last long, however, as Herd-killer Eduardo Nunez singled home a run in the top of the eighth inning. The Yanks' infielder had nine hits in the four-game series against Buffalo.
But Pridie and his Bisons' teammates went back to work in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and Alex Cintron on second base, Pridie looped a single into center for the go-ahead run. Yankees reliever Kevin Whelan then walked Josh Thole and hit Martinez to load the bases. Mike Hessman provided the knockout blow with a three-run double off the wall in left field.
Pridie finished the game 4-5 with a double, a home run, five RBI, three run scored and his team-leading fourth stolen base. Along with Thole, Martinez and Hessman, the top four in the Bisons' lineup combined to go 9-15 with seven runs scored, 11RBI, three doubles, two home runs and four walks.


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Red Dead Redemption Gets 4K Update On Xbox One X - GameSpot Daily
A big batch of backwards compatible Xbox 360 games just got announced, while some other titles received Xbox One X enhancements.
A big batch of backwards compatible Xbox 360 games just got announced, while some other titles received Xbox One X enhancements.
With Gears of War 4 on the horizon, Mary offers an in-depth history of the storied franchise from its earliest stages in the unreal engine to the newest episode under ...
With Gears of War Ultimate Edition coming out, Mary looks back on her time with the original Gears of War and talks about why she thinks it worth playing again.
Ultimate Edition brings a graphical overhaul, 60 fps multiplayer, and some mechanics to test your nostalgia.
Mary looks back at her time on the couch with friends and breaks down the top 13 local cooperative campaign games to play with comrades.
Design director at Gears of War studio leaves company after 20 years to "chart the next stage of his career"; says "it's time for a much needed break."
Carlos gets his portable gaming on from the GAEMS E3 2012 Booth.
Have you ever watched a video game trailer that doesn't look or feel anything like the final product? Laura Parker investigates this phenomenon.
How does Darksiders II play? What's up with misleading video game trailers? What will Game going into administration actually mean? Find out on this episode of Crosshairs!
Everything you ever wanted to know about Gears of War in one handy video. Warning, contains spoilers! Presented by Danny O'Dwyer.
We catch up with pro-gamer Kelly, aka Mrs. Violence.
It's a community special on Crosshairs this week, as we recap our exclusive GameSpot LIVE! Deus Ex launch event and check out some of the highlights of our recent Gears ...
Cliff Bleszinski shares his insight on game development.
This week features literal franchise wars, Gears Packs, and RPGs on handhelds.
This week we take a look at Sonic's new adventure, a Castlevania epic, and Starkiller's latest powers.
Get ready to rock with Guitar Hero 5 and save the world in Champions Online!
This week brings Wii Sports Resort, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and more!
It's all fun and games until someone gets a chainsaw in the back.
Death rains down from above when you use the mortar.
Corpses burn in this multiplayer clip from the Dark Corners DLC for Gears of War 2.
Cliff Bleszinski sets the stage for Dark Corners, the latest DLC for Gears of War 2.
Back to their roots, the guys start shooting up the place instead of sneaking around.
Marcus and Dom get sneaky and try the back door in this video.
In case you missed it live, here is the Gears of War 2 All Fronts Collection teaser...
Rod Fergusson discusses the challenges of shipping Gears of War 2.
Gears of War 2. GameSpot previews the new DLC for Gears of War 2, the Snowblind Map Pack.
Gears of War 2 DLC - Snowblind Map Pack: Under Hill. Shoot the flag! Snowy action on the Under Hill map.
Gears of War 2 DLC - Snowblind Map Pack: Courtyard. Check out this gameplay movie of the map Courtyard.
Gears of War 2 DLC - Snowblind Map Pack: Grind Yard. Featuring the mulcher. Check out this gameplay clip.
Gears of War 2 DLC - Snowblind Map Pack: Fuel Depot. Explosive action in this gameplay movie of the map Fuel Depot.
Take comfort in the fact that no matter how bad you feel on Valentine's Day...at least you're not getting rejected like this. SPOILER ALERT! This video contains spoilers.
We give you some tips to get you started in Gears of War 2.
In this episode, the GameSpot AU crew grinds through Gears of War 2, waggles with Wii Music, and races with Sonic Unleashed. Plus, we have an interview with Media Molecule ...
Check out our awesome gameplay marathon for Gears of War 2!
Check out the new releases for the week of November 3. Gears of War 2, Resistance 2, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, EndWar, Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World, Valkyria Chronicles, Legendary, ...
Guy Cocker takes on the Locust horde in this video review for Gears of War 2.
Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad's last precious moments spent aboveground as they prepare to plunge deep into the earth, taking the fight directly to the Locust Horde.
Fifteen years after Emergence Day...the fight for survival continues!
In this episode of Start/Select, GameSpot UK meets with Epic's Mike Capps to talk about Gears of War, and we take a look at the brief history of the Far ...
It's an extra big Crosshairs for an extra big week! We chat to Gears of War 2's Cliff Blezinski, speak to Far Cry 2 and Red Faction Guerilla producers, and ...
Use your keyboard!
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Floral Corner Swag Cut File
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Madeleine Gavin has edited numerous documentaries and features including Jordan Melamed's upcoming IFC Films Release, Manic, the Grand Jury prize winner at Sundance in 1997; Sunday; and the award-winning Inside Out. She was editor and second unit director of Signs and Wonders, starring Stellan Skarsgaard and Charlotte Rampling and has produced and edited several documentaries for television. Currently, Gavin is directing a documentary on women over the age of 60 and sexuality. She received her B.A. from U.C. Berkeley and her M.F.A from New York University, where she taught for three years.
Judith Katz has covered theater, looking for properties and talent suitable for film consideration for several film studios, including Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal, as well as independent producers. Ms. Katz is also the author of several nonfiction books and articles about the entertainment industry including The Working Actor, co-authored with Katinka Matson. Ms. Katz is a member of the faculty of The New School University in New York, where she teaches classes on working in the film industry. Since visiting Eve Ensler's writing class at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility and conceiving the idea for the film and producing it, she has started, along with Melissa Newman, a theater workshop within the prison.
Gary Sunshine's plays have been seen at MCC Theater, New York Theater Workshop, New York Stage & Film, Cherry Lane Alternative, the Actors Studio, Underwood Theater, the Flea, the Directors Company, the Arts Theatre (UK) and HERE Arts Center. His plays have been published in a series of books including The Best American Short Plays of 2001, Perfect Ten and Monologues for Men by Men. He is a resident playwright at New Dramatists. He received an A.B. from Princeton University and an M.F.A. from New York University's Dramatic Writing Program. This is his first film.


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Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the North American and Eastern European rights to director Ramin Bahrani's At Any Price. Dennis Quaid stars as an ambitious farmer who is a father to a rebellious son (Zac Efron) with aspirations of race car driving. An investigation into the family business brings the pair together in order to preserve their livlihood.
In other acquisition news, Drafthouse Films has picked up North American rights to Wrong, from Quentin Dupieux (Rubber). The picture centers on Dolph Springer (Jack Plotnick), a man embarking on a metaphysical journey to find his lost dog, while encountering strange characters along the way. Hit the jump for more on both projects.
At Any Price, written by Bahrani and Hallie Elizabeth Newton, also stars Kim Dickens and Heather Graham. Check out the synopsis for At Any Price below:
Set in the competitive world of modern agriculture, ambitious Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) wants his rebellious son Dean (Zac Efron) to help expand his family's farming empire. However, Dean has his sights set on becoming a professional race car driver. When a high-stakes investigation into their business is exposed, father and son are pushed into an unexpected situation that threatens the family's entire livelihood.
If you've seen Dupieux's debut, Rubber, you can take a stab at what you can expect from his follow-up, Wrong, in what the director calls "an homage to this special love between people and dogs." Take a look at the synopsis for Wrong below:
Dolph Springer (Jack Plotnick of Reno 911) wakes up one morning to find that his beloved dog Paul has vanished. In a desperate attempt to get Paul (and his life) back, Dolph must embark on a spiritual journey guided by enigmatic pony-tailed guru Master Chang (William Fichtner) to metaphysically reconnect with his pet. On his quest, Dolph encounters a series of characters whose lives he drastically alters including a promiscuous pizza delivery girl, a jogging-addicted neighbor, an opportunistic French-Mexican gardener, and an eccentric pet detective (Steve Little, Eastbound And Down).
Fans of Dupieux's music (as Mr. Oizo) can download two free tracks from Wrong, with collaboration by Tahiti Boy. Check below for the download link:


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The time has gone quickly and it's hard to believe that I have been here as long as I have. It's now twice the amount of time I have been overseas previously.
No signs of homesickness yet. Japan is a cool place to live. The only thing I can really complain about is the monotony and crowding of the trains.
Instead of catching the express trains, I sometimes just stay on the all-stops to have a seat to sit on, and the timing isn't that much longer anyway.
Today was a very lazy day. It's been raining and neither of us was in the mood to go out. I watched "Superbad" last night until 3:30pm. As my eyes couldn't stay open, I called it a night and watched the rest this morning.
A very funny movie. Destined to be a classic for sure.
Later, we went to Shinjuku. I wanted to buy another bag. My old Contiki bag is starting to get a few holes and I think it needs to be retired before my iPod or something falls out.
I had seen a huge bag for 1050 yen at the Sanpei discount store, which is really, really cheap. Gf thought it was way too big, which it was, but it was cheap!
I laboured over making a decision which one to get. I settled on a nice looking backpack for 1290 yen. It was a little smaller than the other one I had in mind, but it had a few extra compartments I can use.
We crossed the road to Kinokuniya book store and I picked up a map of ALL the train lines in the Greater Tokyo area, surprisingly including little ol' Keikyu Tomioka.
It said 250 yen on the package, but when I paid for it, the cashier gave me 1 yen back. Huh?
I have a copy of Guitar Pro 5 for my Mac. I have used this program on a PC before and it's a great way to learn tabs. One of my goals here is to also become a better guitar player. Er, and maybe learn a little Japanese as well sometime.
Sunday, 30 September 2007
4 Months In Japan and a Backpack
The time has gone quickly and it's hard to believe that I have been here as long as I have. It's now twice the amount of time I have been overseas previously.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm 2 comments
Labels: Shinjuku
Friday, 28 September 2007
Today I was in Kawasaki.
This place is nice and would be a good place to live I think. All the mod cons and a UFO catcher arcade.
I wanted to pay my rent today, so with furikomi kado in hand I walked into the busy UFJ bank and lined up with the other Japanese before the 3pm closing time.
I thought the money transfer card would make it easier, but I still had to know which button was "bank transfer" and what to do after that so I asked for help once more.
This is the last time that I am paying rent here so I'll cross the next bridge when I get to it.
The day went well. I like this school. The staff are nice, and I had a lot of their lollies. I only had two lessons. One that I even volunteered for another teacher.
Also I pretended to be a kid for a kids class as there was only one student, making it difficult for him to play the games alone. It was quite fun.
We were to draw fruit on the whiteboard. Sometimes I would draw a triangle and a circle. The next time I drew a loaf of bread for an apple. That kind of thing.
After work I rushed to catch the next possible train and got home by 10:30pm. I made a risotto curry and veges. Another nice meal, extra strong with two blocks of curry and topped off with Parmesan cheese. Sounds good doesn't it? Mmm..
Jesse wasn't home and didn't arrive until 7am in the morning from partying hard all night. He had two hours sleep before going to work.
It was nice that I had the house all to myself for a while.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm 0 comments
Labels: Kawasaki
Thursday, 27 September 2007
How To Do Nothing On Your Day Off
I still haven't managed to go to bed early. I mean to go to sleep around midnight, but it's still the usual 2am or 3am crash out.
Today I didn't wake up until 1pm.
I was thinking it was 10am or so. I cleaned around the house. I vacuumed the floor. There must have been so much dirt on the floor, that walking across it in barefeet felt "sandy". Under my bed I found a lot of old teacher's posters and dust from the last tenant.
I forget to mention previously that Derek has finally left the apartment, even after living here for a month without paying, using his deposit money to cover his remaining time here.
I did a wash of my clothes and bedsheets. I think it's been over a week since I did it last and I guess it's as good a time as any to do it. I walked down to the station's bank ATM to try to pay my month's rent, but I couldn't get it to work. Damn Japanese! I'll do it tomorrow in Yokohama or Kami-Ōoka.
I mostly fixed up my virtual machine of XP on my mac. It all seems to be working now. Only the iSight driver for the webcam, but that is not a big issue.
I've been getting stuck into my Ghana and Crunky biscuits. I think UFO catching for food is a better idea than the toys, especially when I'm craving some junk food. It's like I'm hunting, bringing home the wildebeasts for dinner.
After much persistance from my brother, I have finally made my presence on Facebook. So far I have only found two classmates from school. It's interesting to see what's happening with people I haven't seen in over ten years. Oh, the years go by so quickly.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 10:24 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, 26 September 2007
Don't Fight The Crunky That Be
An early start this morning. Thankfully unlike last week I remembered what day it was and got up in plenty of time to get there.
I did go for a walk around the busy streets of Yokohama after work.
A strange phenomenon of street advertising in Japan, is that they give out the advertising material in a pack of tissues. I have a new challenge, to get as many tissue packs as possible! Who cares that I have no idea what the writing says?
I walked to the places that I usually go for the soft toys I have been getting. Instead of toys, my mission was food.
I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. In particular I spied a machine with Crunky biscuits. It was 100 yen a go so I asked the staff to make it a little easier for me to catch.
I won it after 4 tries.
At the supermarket, I saw them on special for 178 yen (normally 205 yen) a box, so I got them all for around half the going price. Gotta be happy about that eh?
I tried one biscuit already. They are a tad small but they have real Crunky chocolate, so a worthy pursuit indeed.
Pleased with myself, I caught the train home.
I went to the supermarket and bought the essentials for the week. When I got home, I made a curry with vegetables and tofu that tasted good. I made so much that I will have a little for tomorrow's day off.
I have nothing planned for tomorrow, and that's suits me just fine.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 9:24 pm 2 comments
Labels: UFO catchers, Yokohama
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
Jimmy Van Hendricks
This is one of the photos that I forgot to put up for the Miyajama post.
It looks like the statue is playing some cool guitar. The dude is having trouble playing a C major chord.
We got up this morning at 5am in order to catch the 6am airport shuttle bus, giving us plenty of time to make the 735am flight back to Tokyo. Haneda and Hiroshima airports both have free wifi facilities, making it great when lugging a laptop.
The flight got in just before 9am. I had to wait about 30 minutes before the next train went home towards Tomioka. I arrived home about 10:30-11am, giving me about two hours of the much needed extra sleep to be able to do my lessons in Fujisawa that same day.
I didn't need to worry. I did probably the best kids class I have done since I started. The lil guys were fully into what I was teaching them and looked like they were having fun. The rest of the day went by without a hitch.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 9:30 pm 0 comments
Monday, 24 September 2007
Ban The Bomb
We woke up at 8am, had breakfast and finally left the Green Rich Hotel at 10am.
Today we did sightseeing around Hiroshima.
First stop was the Shukkeien. It's quite beautiful, but I'm really starting to get tired of Japanese gardens. Once you see one, you pretty much have seen them all.
To top it off, I was stung quite badly on my neck/shoulder area by some kind of caterpillar that fell from a tree.
It stung badly like a bee or spider bite. I tried to flick it off but it also managed to sting my finger.
From what I have read, it is the hairs that cause the sting. The gf kept pushing it and saying "Does it hurt? ". Yes, especially when you touch it. Hmm..
SO, no more gardens for me.
We moved on to the Hiroshima (or "Carp") Castle. Up close the castle looked unremarkable. It really could have done with a nice coat of paint.
We couldn't be bothered to go inside, so we made our way to the hypocenter, where the first nuclear bomb was dropped in a civilised area.
The A-Bomb (or Genbaku) Dome was a sobering reminder of the tragedy of what happened. What is a greater tragedy, is that apart from that unfortunate event, Hiroshima isn't all that exciting. Miyajima is a much more interesting place.
On the top of the dome it looks like there was a fake crane on it. Huh?
We walked through the Peace Park, passing the Children's Peace memorial (Sadako and the thousand paper cranes), and the flame that will never be extinguished considering that won't happen until nuclear weapons are banned.
There is a poignant inscription in Japanese, "Please rest peacefully, for we will not repeat the evil".
We went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. For 50 yen, this is a definite must see. Skip the 300 yen audio guide.
Unless you can't read, the audio is almost word for word what is written in english on the walls.
The information and the stories were saddening. At some points I was getting a little misty-eyed. Rest In Peace.
For a day that was said to have 10% chance of rain, the forecasters lied. We were waiting at the museum longer than we wanted to. Actually we were so hungry.
Not waiting any longer, we hobbled through the light rain to Hondori, a cool shopping arcade, for some real tasty Okonomiyaki, a japanese pancake with noodles, pork, egg, cabbage, sweet sauce and mayonaise.
I picked up a can of Shochu and lemon at a combini. I also bought a Icoca (like Suica) Blue Duck phone charm for 200 yen.
Back at the hotel we heard a very loud japanese woman moaning in the throes of ecstacy, or else faking her brains out. Whichever it was, it at least provided amusement for me for a few seconds.
We have to wake up early at about 5am tomorrow to catch our discount flight back to Kinki (no, I didn't make that up) Tokyo.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 9:30 pm 0 comments
Labels: Hiroshima
Sunday, 23 September 2007
Miyajima's Paper-eating Deer
I was meaning to get to bed earlier than midnight, but considering I normally get to bed at 2 or 3am this was pretty good for me. Only thing is, I WOKE UP at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. I wanted to wake up at 4am in order to get to Haneda Airport at 6am. So, that gave me only 3hrs sleep. Oh no..
The plane we booked as a cheap fare was to leave at 6:50am. This is what you have to do to get this price. ANA's website is very easy to navigate and it's possible to get a cheaper ticket than a Shinkansen train.
We did a self-checkout and got a seat on the second level on the plane. I got the window seat, but any kind of view was obscured with clouds.
Getting onto the ferry is a ten minute ride over to the island where there are many tame paper-eating deer.
There's a toliet for headless men and headless with one leg women. A dead end is stating the obvious but it still didn't stop me jumping over to the path.
We were lucky to arrive at the island at low tide to be able to walk over and touch the O-Torii gate that normally is out at sea.
Also normally surrounded in water is the Itsukushima Shrine. We were fortunate enough to witness a wedding ceremony. The bride has a large headress supposedly to "hide the horns" once married life rears it's ugly head.
Next we moved onto the Daisho-In Temple area. There are a heap of great temples here. Near the entry there is a belfry bell that can be rung. This is used to signal the beginning of worship. I wanted to ring it twice but gf said no. Maybe that wasn't such a good thing to do in the first place.
For some reason there is an Anpanman statue in front of one of the temples. This is a children's toy character. I have no idea why it's here?!
Usually the japanese wet the head or put bibs on the Jizo statues to appease the spirits of dead children lost due to miscarriage or abortion. This is for the sister I never knew.
Lastly we took the cable car, Mt Misen Ropeway to the highest point on the island where there is a great view. We had to do a tiring thirty minute walk from the final point but the view was great and there were even monkeys roaming around. Nice.
If anyone decides to take a trip to Hiroshima, I strongly suggest taking a side trip here to Miyajima. I thought it was just the famous "floating" Torii place, but this place offers so much more. Right up there on the must see list in Japan.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 8:46 am 0 comments
Labels: Miyajima
Friday, 21 September 2007
I wasn't in Yokohama today, but actually posted to go to Kami-Ōoka.
I had plenty of time, so I got some extra money for my Hiroshima trip, and updated my passbook to show all the money I have been earning and spending so far.
I got to Kami-Ōoka fairly early, so I went to look for the drug store that Jesse said had a big jar of Nescafe for about 400 yen. I found the chemist, but I wasn't sure of the price so I ended up buying it and paying 627 yen.
I managed to arrive home before 10pm. I went to the supermarket to buy a Crunky. It's been a while so I needed my fix. Absent mindedly I actually forgot to give the 100 yen to the cashier. I must have thought I was paying "credit" with my Points Card.
I made a risotto curry for dinner and reinstalled XP on my mac. It is running better and I can use USB finally. Two more sleeps till Hiroshima!
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm 0 comments
Thursday, 20 September 2007
Real Estate, Planes and Gachapin
Oh it's thursday once more so it's great to have a day off after only two days of working.
No specific plan, but the general idea was to go to Yokohama. We had in mind to check out some real estate and travel agents.
Around Yokohama wouldn't be too bad for me to live. Still close to my schools and closer to Tokyo. We were told of a one room apartment in Wadamachi for 40,000 yen. Apparently the landlord is friendly to us foreigners. At least the price is right.
Later, I checked that the station is not exactly walking distance to Yokohama, but there is a subway stop nearby.
After that we went past a few ufo catcher arcades near the Tokyu Hands department store. I tried 100 yen on a Mario that was practically in the shute but even with that given, it didn't budge so I gave up.
We walked into a travel agent, but they couldn't book a flight from Brisbane to Tokyo, only the other way around.
To save myself the hassle I have just booked the cheapest flight with Jetstar for around $800 to Osaka and I'm just going to bus it from there to Tokyo. I just wish it wasn't on New Year's Day. All the other days the price is much higher. Must be all the teachers coming back to work I think.
We walked to Minato Mirai, and on the way we went to my favourite Taito game arcade midway to going there.
I saw a Gachapin I wanted so I got them to move it for me.
This is from my seventh try. I'm not as happy as I should be. 1400 yen was required to free it from it's glass prison. I'm happy to win it. I just want to get it in less moves. Another toy to stuff in that ol' suitcase.
I sure if customs ask me to open it in Brisbane, they will get a big surprise.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm 0 comments
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
A Close Call
Thinking it was tuesday not wednesday, I had in my mind that I didn't have to get up until midday.
Seeing that it WAS wednesday, I had to BE at work by 10:35am. I received a message at about 9:30am from the gf asking what time she wanted to meet me after work. This actually woke me up.
I had the quickest shower and breakfast and somehow I was able to catch the 10am from Tomioka to get to Yokohama on time.
Thanks gf. You saved my life.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 9:30 am 1 comments
Monday, 17 September 2007
Long-Sleeved Kimono Fire
I went and did it.
I sent the email to my housing company letting them know I will be moving out of Tomioka (aka "the sticks") on the 31st of October.
Including today, that will give them the 45 days notice and minimum 5 months and partial month (I moved in the 31st May), I am obligated to stay.
They may on a technicality say that it is only 44 days and insist that I stay an additional day maybe.
Plan A is to move in with the gf. This actually scares me a lot but it will save a lot of money for the both of us. I have never lived with a girlfriend before so it will be very interesting to see how that goes.
Plan B is to find my own place. I can still save about an extra $300 a month if I can find a single 1K apartment. Landlords are known NOT to be gaijin friendly and the combination of guarantor/2 year lease and key money puts me off this idea a lot.
Plan C is if I can't do either of the above I'll move into a gaijin house. These are basically rental houses specifically for foreigners, like a hostel but with separate private rooms. The rent would be similar to what I am giving up though.
Plan D was this park option until I read the "no camping" on this sign.
After sleeping most of the day, we went to Nakau, a japanese fast food place similar to Yoshinoya. I had some Korean BBQ beef and rice. Much better than Macca's, that's for sure.
We walked through Kagurazaka, a nice avenue of lit-up shops and restaurants near Iidabashi. This would be a nice place to live but expensive.
We went to Saryo, a sweets restaurant and had cakes, coffee and green tea.
Today we also booked the plane ticket and accomodation for next weekend in Hiroshima and Miyajima. My first trip outside Tokyo/Yokohama! Thank you Autumnal Equinox substitute holiday!
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:05 pm 0 comments
Sunday, 16 September 2007
Ark Hills Autumn Festival 2007
We went to Roppongi to see what was going on at the Ark Hills Autumn Festival 2007.
When we got there it looked to be aimed especially for kids so it was quite boring. The highlight, if you could say that, were the Ball Rockin Crew, home boys twirling and bouncing a basketball in imaginative ways. Hmm.. ok.
Next we went to Midtown again. The best thing there was going into the basement shopping centre for food samples. I even had some Australian beef. Oh I miss real chunks of meat and cheese!
We were both still hungry so we went to a busy Udon restaurant and had some real yummy Udon noodles.
From there we stopped into the Don Quixote store. I couldn't resist the exercise bronco, Rodeo Queen.
I am tempted to buy a 4 litre bottle of Green shochu for the bargain price of 2500 yen. That would be a 700ml of Vodka for that price! Look for a pic sometime in a later post.
Lastly, we walked to the nearby Tokyo Tower. This is Tokyo's answer to the Eiffel Tower. Up close it looks nothing more than a TV tower (which it is). We didn't think it would be worth the 820 yen to check out Tokyo's uninspiring skyline.
Posted by Jimmy In Japan at 11:59 pm 0 comments
Labels: Roppongi


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Connecting ESS survivors around the world
Our site, put together by Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS) survivors, is intended to help women who are dealing with this diagnosis, as well as their loved ones. We will help you sort through the information that is available about our rare sarcoma, offer support through our Discussion group, our private Facebook group, and will provide stories from survivors.
We hope to learn our lessons from geese, supporting each other through the bad times, as well as the good. You can download Lessons from Geese here
We are not medical experts, so please check with your medical team to verify the accuracy of any information that you receive here.
We are here to help, so don't hesitate to contact one of us for more information.


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Rosendaël Flower Pendant
Its name means "Valley of Roses" in Dunkirk, the birthplace of the designer of Bijoux Pépine. Its perfect geometry is reminiscent of the flower of life, which regenerates energy. Also available as studs and as a ring, it's the ideal set to accompany you on your life paths.
— made with sand, spices and/or natural pigments crystallized in resin
— stainless steel metal, that is recommended for the most delicate of skin types
— light and strong jewelry
The jewel that you will receive will have exactly the same shape as on the photo. Since the manufacturing process is artisanal, there may be a slight difference in shade or texture with the photo. Each piece has its uniqueness.
you will receive :
- a jewelry carefully wrapped and ready to offer as a gift
- a leaflet explaining the universe of Bijoux Pépine and its creator
- a "surprise" discount for your next online order
- a personalized thank you note written by hand
In her workshop, Perrine has developed her own crafting process. She designs each original piece from which she makes molds and where she will then pour in the resin.
Once it has crystallized, the mix of eco-friendly resin, sand colors, spices and other natural ingredients reveal surprising and original textures, making each piece unique.
Bijoux Pépine's creations are durable and light, pleasant to wear daily. The metallic components are made of hypoallergenic stainless steel that is tested and approved for sensitive skin.
We ship from Montreal, Canada, via Canada Post. Note that in all cases, we do not offer refunds for delayed shipments as we have no control over delays caused by postal services and customs. That being said, we will attempt to accommodate you in case of any problems.
You have up to 15 days after the receipt of your order to return your purchases for a full refund of the purchase price. Articles must be returned in their original packaging and in their original condition, accompanied by the delivery slip initially received with the package. After informing us by e-mail (email@example.com) of your intent to make a return, please send us the package by post or deposit it in person at our boutique. Postage for returns comes at the client's expense, except in cases where there is a default in the product.
Sales items are considered as final sale.


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The normally placid world of Italian oenology is having a Paula Deen moment.
On Aug. 22, sixth-generation Italian winemaker Fulvio Bressan sparked a firestorm when he posted inflammatory, racially charged remarks to Facebook about Cecile Kyenge, who became Italy's first-ever black government minister when she assumed the post of Integration Minister in April.
Though Kyenge, an outspoken advocate of looser immigration laws, has been a frequent target of racist public incidents in recent months, Bressan's note was particularly abusive.
An English translation of Bressan's note, courtesy of HuffPost Italy's Giulia Belardelli:
hey, dirty Black MONKEY, I DON'T PAY TAXES to lodge your GORILLA friends at a HOTEL. Please bring them to your place, where you can feel superior with your money ... Oops ... That money is not even yours: it's the money Italians give you ... You're a s***ty black gold-digger.
In response, some wine merchants and writers -- even those previously fans of Bressan and his acclaimed, 400-year-old vineyard -- have called for a boycott of his wine.
British restaurateur Jacob Kennedy went so far as to smash his stock of Bressan wine on the sidewalk in front of his London restaurant, Bocca di Lupo. Kennedy taped his protest and then posted the video on YouTube.
Yet the threat of economic ruin hasn't caused Bressan to hold back in his tirades. In the weeks since his attack on Kyenge, he's continued to post frequent screeds about minorities on his Facebook page. He writes, of course, in Italian; Belardelli summarized the gist of them:
He blames gypsies and immigrants for the Italians' economic troubles, but he seems to be mad at everyone (starting with politicians). He is particularly aggressive towards Kyenge: he shared a combined photo of Kyenge and some people burnt to death with the sentence, "Look, this is what you do to Christians on your continent."
In other posts he calls her "monkey," and he often shares stories and articles about crimes committed by immigrants.
Looking beyond his own borders, Bressan also mentioned U.S. President Barack Obama in one of his vitriolic posts.
As of press time, bottles of Bressan wines were still available for sale on the websites of several different American merchants, mostly for upwards of $40 a bottle.


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5 challenges. Only 1 wasn't made by me. The one not made by me is made by a person on youtube,user: Cray. The challenge:
Name: Hey Jessie challenge.
Challenge: Make a nanny,adopt 4 kids,and take care of them all. Rules will be in a comment below. The point is to take care of all the kids,complete their aspirations, and age them all up,with the nanny taking care of them for everything.
Here are my 4 challenges.
1st one.
Name: Good Luck Charlie challenge.
Challenge: Marry 2 sims,have them have 5 kids through woohoo or adopt. The point is to raise the kids without them fighting all the time,and the first and second kids growing into adults.
2nd one.
Name: Dog with a blog challenge.
Challenge: Marry 2 sims,and have 3 kids (4 if you cant get dogs),pretending like the dog/child 4 is a talking dog. Have only the kids know about the dog/child 4's secret. The point is to have the kids (kid 1 has to be a teen,kid 3 a child,and kid 2 can be either.) take care of the dog/child 4 without the dog/child 4 getting taken away (or getting taken to science to be experimented on).
3rd one.
Name: Shipping challenge
Challenge: Find a fandom you are in,make sims of 2 characters in that fandom you ship,and make them have a romantic relationship. Pretty easy.
4th one.
Name:Other sims challenge (Requires free play)
Challenge: Make your freeplay sims in sims 4.
So,would you do these challenges?
Sims 4 - Would YOU take on these challenges?
Forum rules
Please read the forum rules
Please read the forum rules
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1 post • Page 1 of 1
- Newborn Sim
- Posts: 4
- Joined: 26 Oct 2016, 18:21
Sims 4 - Would YOU take on these challenges?
I Do sims 4 challenges! If you want to see one,feel free to ask!
Post Reply
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Pregnant woman talks about fleeing abduction attempt in West Mifflin
Police say man attacks woman at bus stop near Century Square
A young pregnant woman who reported being attacked Monday night at a bus stop near the Century Square shopping plaza told Channel 4 Action News she feared for her life and the life of her unborn baby.
"I was just screaming in fear. I was scared," Heather Heath told Channel 4 Action News' Marcie Cipriani.
Heath said she was standing alone at a bus stop near Empire Beauty School in West Mifflin when the man approached.
"I hear footsteps, then two seconds later, that's when he just grabbed me from the back of my head and put whatever over my face," Heath said.
Heath, a 22-year-old student at Empire Beauty School in the shopping plaza, said whatever the liquid was, it caused a burning sensation.
"He just tried to get it all over my face and my mouth and my nose. I did not let it and I did not breathe it in," she said.
Heath, who is 16 weeks pregnant and left the beauty school early because she was not feeling well, said she said she watched the man pull up and thought nothing of it, until he grabbed her. (SLIDESHOW: Photos from the scene)
"As soon as he grabbed me by my hair, I didn't know if he had a knife on me or what he was going to do. Everything just went blank as soon as I felt him put his hand over my mouth and my nose. That's when I started panicking, started squirming and moving and screaming, and he eventually let loose a little bit, and that's when I just took off," Heath said.
Police are reviewing surveillance video from the scene, and they sent samples of the liquid substance to a lab for testing.
"The assailant did pull up behind her, approached her, put something over her face that was a liquid substance. She was able to resist that and ran from the area," Police Chief Kenneth Davies said. "I think, in the moment, as it's explained now, she did phenomenal. She was able to get away. She was basically unhurt. She did receive some medical attention there and was transported to Mercy Hospital."
Police are looking for a white male between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 7 inches tall, described as having a husky build and scruffy blondish brown beard, and last seen wearing a green colored jacket with pockets and blue jeans.
He was believed to be driving a 1990s-model turquoise four-door vehicle, similar to a box truck, with no hubcaps. Anyone who has information about the car or the incident with the woman should call West Mifflin police at 412-461-3125.


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Every year, Science Magazine teams up with the National Science Foundation to host the International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge. Participants are asked to enter photographs, illustrations, informational graphics, videos, and even interactive games to be judged on their visual impact and ability to communicate a scientific idea.
This year the competition received over 200 entries from 33 countries, and the winners from each category are every bit as stunning as you'd expect them to be. We've gathered a handful of our favorites together here, but you should definitely check out all the winners, past and present, over on the competition homepage.
The image up top is of variable-diameter carbon nanotubes, and was created by University of Nebraska's Joel Brehm. It received an honorable mention in the Illustration category.
[Science + NSF]
All images by their respective creators via AAAS/Science
Microscopic Image of Trichomes on the Skin of an Immature Cucumber, by Robert Rock Belliveau
Metabolomic Eye, by Bryan William Jones from the University of Utah Moran Eye Center
The Cliff of the Two-Dimensional World (a nanostructured material made from ultrathin layers of titanium-based compounds, seen under an electron microscope), by Babak Anasori, Michael Naguib, Yury Gogotsi, and Michel W. Barsoum of Drexel University
Tumor Death-Cell Receptors on Breast Cancer Cell, by Emiko Paul and Quade Paul, Echo Medical Media; Ron Gamble, UAB Insight


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Leader Convicted in Scheme to Steal Nearly $1.4 Million from Housing Authority of Baltimore City Account
Transferred Funds from Housing Authority's Bank Account
|U.S. Attorney's Office July 22, 2013
BALTIMORE—A federal jury today convicted Daren Kareem Gadsden, aka "D," age 36, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on charges related to a conspiracy to steal almost $1.4 million from a Housing Authority of Baltimore City bank account.
The guilty verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.
"Daren Gadsden stole from the Baltimore City Housing Authority by transferring money directly out of the Authority's bank account," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. "The $1,399,700 in taxpayer funds stolen from the Baltimore City Housing Authority was supposed to be used to provide housing, not to line the pockets of criminals."
According to information presented at his six-day trial, in 2009, Gadsden owned a property in Baltimore that was rented to a low income individual, whose rental payments were paid by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, from its account directly to Gadsden's bank account. Witnesses testified that in late 2009 and 2010, Gadsden made a series of inquiries to another bank where he had an account about how to use his computer to make electronic transfers to and from his account at that bank. In early 2010, the Housing Authority lost a few thousand dollars when a series of unauthorized electronic transfers debited funds out of the Housing Authority's account and into Gadsden's bank account. After being confronted by Housing Authority officials, Gadsden denied any wrongdoing but paid the Housing Authority $1,400 to cover some of its losses.
The evidence showed that from early 2010 until at least September 17, 2010, Gadsden and several co-defendants conspired to execute a larger scheme to defraud the Housing Authority. Specifically, Gadsden contacted Tyeast Brown to plan the fraud. Brown, in turn, contacted William Alvin Darden and Keith Eugene Daughtry, securing from Daughtry his Social Security card and birth certificate, which she provided to Darden. On May 19, 2010, Darden obtained a Maryland driver's license with his photograph, but in Daughtry's name, using Daughtry's Social Security card and birth certificate as proof of identity. Darden then used the fraudulent license to open a bank account in the name of Keith Daughtry Contracting LLC. Gadsden had registered the entity with the state of Maryland, only a few days before, under a different, misspelled name. Darden also provided a mailing address for the company that was actually a mailbox rented by the conspirators at a commercial mailing store.
According to witness testimony, beginning in July 2010, Gadsden and his co-conspirators electronically transferred funds from the Housing Authority's bank account and into the Keith Daughtry Contracting LLC account. The conspirators then drained the stolen Housing Authority funds from the Keith Daughtry Contracting account by electronic transfers into accounts at other banks, in-person cash withdrawals, and from automated teller machines. In addition, the conspirators electronically transferred funds from the Keith Daughtry Contracting account onto debit cards in the names of other individuals. For example, Gadsden opened a debit account in the name of another individual, using that person's identity information without their knowledge or permission.
The evidence showed that Gadsden also tampered with evidence, deleting the contents of at least two e-mail accounts after he was contacted by an FBI special agent. The accounts were provided as the points of contact for certain debit cards Gadsden opened using stolen identity information.
Gadsden faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the bank fraud conspiracy. Gadsden also faces a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence for aggravated identity theft, and 20 years in prison for one count each of attempting to tamper with evidence and for evidence tampering. U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for October 24, 2013, at 1:00 p.m.
Tyeast Brown, aka "Peaches," age 42, of Suitland, Maryland; William Alvin Darden, age 46, of Washington, D.C; and Keith Eugene Daughtry, age 52, of Washington, D.C., all pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme. Daughtry and Brown were sentenced to 41 months and 36 months in prison, respectively, and each was ordered to pay restitution of $1,399,700. Darden is expected to be sentenced later this year.
This law enforcement action is part of President Barack Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch and, with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the FBI and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein praised Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sujit Raman and Gregory Bockin, who are prosecuting the case.


text:
Saman Mohammadi
April 1, 2012
Arizona's Cold Case Posse Rides To The Rescue of America And The Constitution.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio has guts. He is taking on the alien in the White House by saying he is a liar and that his birth certificate is a forgery.
This is real life cowboys versus aliens.
The criminal Obama administration and rotten establishment media can try to vilify the Sheriff, and point out his flaws, but they can't hide the reality that they have been put to shame by him and his cold case posse.
Infowars: Sheriff Arpaio: Obama's Documents Are Amateur Phonies
Unlike 99.9 percent of public representatives in America, Sheriff Arpaio is doing his duty by informing the people of the United States that the man in the White House who goes by the name of Barack Hussein Obama is not who he says he is.
Investigative journalist Wayne Madsen, historian Webster Tarpley, and others have said that President Obama worked for the CIA in the past. Common sense tells us that he is still an undercover agent of the CIA.
Reporters of Infowars.com interviewed Sheriff Arpaio and his volunteer team of veteran investigators, asking them about why they pursued the case of Obama's birth certificate and what they found. Infowars.com also provided a summary of the list of documents that President Obama has not disclosed to the American people:
"The Obama records which have not been released include; Passport records, Obama kindergarten records, Punahou School records, Occidental College records, Columbia University records, Columbia thesis, Harvard Law School records, Harvard Law Review articles, University of Chicago scholarly articles, Illinois State Bar Association records, Illinois State Senate records/schedules (said to be lost), Medical records, Obama/Dunham marriage license, Obama/Dunham divorce documents, Soetoro/Dunham marriage license, Adoption records and of course the long-form Certificate of Live Birth."
This list is breathtaking. Why not disclose these records? If Obama has nothing to hide, then why hide behind the rotten media, suppress historical records, and accuse critics of racism and paranoia?
The only rational conclusion is that Obama is a deceiver and a con artist. He and his evil handlers are committing an injustice against America and mankind that cannot stand.
Barack Obama is like a ghost. Only a ghost of a man can basically erase his identity, lie to the entire world about his name and background, commit monstrous crimes against humanity, and pretend to speak for a country when in reality he has no loyalty to its laws, its institutions, and its people.
This cunning and crooked man who goes by the name of Barack Obama is an absolute disgrace to humanity and a sick joke upon the people of America and the whole world.
Here is what the people of Pakistan think about him. And they should be furious. Obama is bombing the sons and daughters of Pakistan and disguising his evil aggression against a sovereign nation by falsely calling it counter-terrorism action.
The hollow monster in the White House must face the wrath of justice for his barbaric murder of innocent women and children in Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the planet. He cannot conceal the truth behind the cloak of national security and justify his crimes by invoking the facade of the war on terror.
Hopefully, this monster and the criminal banksters he is protecting can be brought down peacefully, lawfully, and constitutionally. In this regard, Sheriff Joe Arpaio is doing heroic work. He is doing his duty to pull back the curtain of illusion and expose the evil criminal in the White House.
We are witnessing nothing less than the awakening of America and the rebirth of justice, truth, and common sense.
Saman Mohammadi is the writer and editor at The Excavator Blog
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!


text:
Ekstra lille rasp der ligger godt i små hænder. Vejer kun 380 gram.
Due to the current Corona situation it is hard to get products from my manufacturers, so I can not tell when products out of stock will be available again. I will do my best to get them home, but mostly it is out of my control. When you add an item to your basket, you will get a notice if it is out of stock. Else I will as always ship within 10 days.
The Corona also delays deliveries due to smaller capacity than normal so deliveries will take longer time than normal to receive. Our Swedish Post company is not able to deliver to more than a small number of countries. If you live outside EU, check this list in link below before you order.
Ekstra lille rasp der ligger godt i små hænder. Vejer kun 380 gram.


text:
Relevant, Consistently Updated Content + Flawless Technical Functionality & User Experience = Perfect Blog Launch
What's missing from the equation above? You guessed it: blog promotion.
Creating a glitch-free blog with informative content means next to nothing without attracting readers.
Start promoting your blog today with these five effective tips:
1. Involve influential industry bloggers.
By linking to popular blogs, you can gain the attention of both the influential blogger and his or her readers.
But your blog won't be the only one to benefit. You'll be giving the other blog a little link juice – and be paying them a compliment at the same time.
Try out a few of these ideas for leveraging other blogs:


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OLD: mpdPup - Simplified MPD Music Server/Jukebox - v0.9.2
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[464 Posts]
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Tue 30 Aug 2011, 16:39
Post subject: Equalizer
Looks like it's possible to implement an equalizer through a LADSPA plugin. I'll look into getting something along these lines working as an optional function for the next version.
Some links for further reading and so I don't need to bookmark them:
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Joined: 27 Aug 2011
Posts: 6
Posted: Wed 31 Aug 2011, 00:20
Post subject:
I am very appreciative of the research as well as your looking into adding equalizer functionality in a future release. While I value audio purity, some files really benefit from judicious EQ. Making it optional should harm no one.
If implemented this would improve an already impressive app.Thanks.
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Sat 10 Sep 2011, 00:50
Post subject: New version 0.9.1
I've just posted the newest version of mpdPup, 0.9.1:
New setup wizard (runs from GUI or CLI)
latest mpd 0.16.4 (plus patch fixing longstanding wav/aiff issue)
Supports headless install -- no monitor/keyboard/mouse required, SSH built in. This enables support for embedded systems like Soekris/Alix (only Soekris tested)
LastFM support (and scrobbling with
CLI Clients:
Practical Music Search (pms)
Various MPD Utilities:
ALSA/LADSPA Equalizer as an optional output
Eliminated the majority of desktop apps and reduced the iso by 10MB
First post is updated to reflect the changes, so more can be read there.
Note while the basic setup has been tested extensively, I haven't tested every single add on like LastFM, mpdscribble, mpdtoys, etc. Let me know if you see problems there.
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Joined: 29 Aug 2011
Posts: 1
Posted: Tue 13 Sep 2011, 20:06
Post subject: Shutting down remotely and other errors
Firstly, thanks idolse for such an awesome tool - have been looking for something like this for a while.
I've installed mpdPup on a small HP thin client, and it sounds great. The system has a meagre 256MB RAM and a 256MB CF disk. I use it completely headless, over ssh.
I'm having some problems shutting down the system - both shutdown and wmpoweroff seem to require X to be running, and fail if it is not. I can do a save2flash to write the state and then manually push the power off button, but it seems a bit hacky. Am I missing something?
Secondly - and this may not be related to mpdPup (it may be an issue with mpd in general) - mpd is being killed by the kernel due to "out of memory" when creating the initial database via 'mpc update' on my large music collection. It appears to cache the database in memory before writing it to disk. Working on a subset of my music collection works fine - it seems to be a problem with the size of the collection.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks for your time and greetings from sunny New Zealand!
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Tue 13 Sep 2011, 21:32
Post subject:
Hi icswainx,
Thanks for the feedback, glad it's working for you more or less. Regarding the shutdown issues, that seems a bit odd that the shutdown command isn't working. wmpoweroff makes sense, as I believe this is designed to run from X only (wm - window manager) - I can try to make that smarter and have it shut down differently if runnning without X. The shutdown command should be working, but I'll have to admit I may not have tested it, I'll dig into it. I actually do the hacky thing you mention more often than not, or I use the reboot command because I'm testing some change.
Right now the shutdown scripts manually confirm whether you want to save the running state to flash - perhaps you're closing your ssh session before getting a chance to answer that question?
The second issue is probably more of an MPD issue in general. That said how big is your music collection? I have 1 terabyte of music, albeit mostly uncompressed. This creates a 5 MB mpd database when finished, so even 256 megs of RAM shouldn't be a problem. However perhaps there is some sort of memory leak during the building of the database itself. I haven't tried creating the DB from scratch on my geode system - that only has 128 megs of RAM, I'll see if I can reproduce the behavior there.
The other issue as you've noted is it won't flush the in memory database to disk until the database is update is completed, which can take many hours for an empty database. I think I'll ask the MPD team about this point, I think it would be a very good thing to implement.
What you could do is create your database on another piece of equipment with more memory that can also run mpdPup - once the database is created you can use it on the HP, and future updates won't run into the issue since they'll be tiny - I know 256 megs of RAM should be fine after the db is built as I'm already running it with 128 on one system. If you've installed to flash media as the first post describes you could probably even boot off the same media so there wouldn't be any files to move.
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Wed 14 Sep 2011, 03:33
Post subject:
Regarding the shutdown and wmpoweroff commands, I just looked at them and both assume that the user will run them from X. I'll try modify the scripts to check if X is running before they go through their normal X specific shutdown procedures, but I don't want to change how they behave for an X user, so we'll see.
The command you'll want to use from the CLI is 'poweroff'.
A couple other thoughts regarding ways to build the initial db:
Try killing mpd using "mpd --kill" periodically during the update and see of it writes the current db to disk, under some scenarios I've seen it do this, but I don't recall exactly what I did. If it works it would be simple to create a script to do this automatically for you for a few hours.
The script would look something like this:
mpdPeriodicUpdate() {
mpc update
sleep 600
mpd --kill
sleep 15
while [ $counter -le 25 ]
counter=(( $counter + 1 ))
That would kill mpd every ten minutes for four hours (and hopefully flushing the db to disk and clearing the mem leak), the numbers could be tweaked based on how long you think the update would take. That's all assuming mpd --kill will flush the db, but I'm just guessing on that point at the moment.
Point MPD to an empty folder on your NAS and migrate your music to the folder in pieces.
Build the db on another machine as I mentioned before.
Hopefully the first option is workable, I'm on the road so can't easily test it now.
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Joined: 30 Sep 2011
Posts: 6
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 05:14
Post subject:
Hi Idolse, very nice work indeed!!! I have had some problems anyway.
My hardware is:
MB Alix 1D
Soundcard ESI Juli@
Booting was flawless, except for the fact that it does not start the GUI automatically. Anyway, this is not the biggest issue. Juli@ card is correctly recognized, but I was not able to make it play any sound from analog outputs. I haven't tried with S/PDIF output because I have not a separate DAC.
Sound correctly from the integrated soundcard of the Alix, and the Juli@ works correctly under Windows.....
Do you (or somebody else who have the same configuration) have any suggestion?
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 06:03
Post subject:
The GUI is set up to only start up automatically on the first boot, weird that it didn't start, but maybe there is some issue with the Xwindows config and the Alix1D chipset.
Does the GUI work when you type 'xwin'?
Since the GUI didn't start did you try running the setup wizard? Type 'mpdwizard' at the CLI and it will show you the available outputs, let you choose between them and test the sound. I believe the Analog out on the Juli@ is hw:0,0.
I have a Juli@ at home on in Intel Atom board, I could swear I've tested the analog outs and had them working, but I'll double-check when I get home later.
Also make sure you're using the latest version 0.9.1, if you downloaded the first version that might explain the confusion.
I can confirm that the analog RCA out on the Juli@ works on my system when using hw:0,0, which should also show up in the MPD Configuration Wizard. Let me know how it goes. Also let me know if you were planning on using the Juli@ as a line out to a stereo or if you want to control the volume using mpd - currently the assumption is you'll use your stereo preamp/receiver to control the volume. I can help you out with getting the volume control working.
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Joined: 30 Sep 2011
Posts: 6
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 10:46
Post subject:
GUI starts with startx, I configured ALSA and MPD correctly with alsaconf and mpdwizard, I tried with hw:0,0 and plughw:0,0 and I'm using 0.9.1 version of mpdPup, but still no sound from analogue outputs.....
Yes, I want to control volume from preamp.
Thanks for you support, I really need it!!!
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 11:29
Post subject:
Can you paste the output of "aplay -l"? I generally don't use alsaconf, though it shouldn't hurt.
Also check alsamixer and make sure that the volume is set to the max - the alsamixer volume control should be bypassed by mpd with hw/plughw, but perhaps the sound is muted for some reason.
There is also an applet on the cli I added, it automatically calls aplay and tries to play a file, try 'soundtest hw:0,0' from the cli.
Lastly when you're getting no sound what exactly are you doing? I'm assuming you've rebooted the system at least once, MPD is running and has already scanned your library, is that correct? What file formats are you trying to play?
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 11:53
Post subject:
Actually, I just re-tested with 0.9.1 - my previous test was with the next version I'm working on.
I'm seeing the exact same behavior as you now, and the fix is definitely alsamixer - the analog out volume is muted. Just type 'alsamixer' and set the DAC and DAC1 volume levels to 100% using the up arrow.
I'll see if I can get the init scripts in future versions to automatically set the alsamixer volumes so it's not muted - I already made one attempt at this, but clearly wasn't good enough
Screenshot attached.
2204 Time(s)
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Joined: 30 Sep 2011
Posts: 6
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 12:30
Post subject:
Thank you Idolse, but still not working. Volume levels were 80%, I raised them up to 100%, still no sound.
I tried 'soundtest hw:0,0' , no sound....
aplay -l
card0: Juli [ESI Juli@], device 0: ICE1724 [ICE1724]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card0: Juli [ESI Juli@], device 1: IEC1724 IEC958 [IEC1724 IEC958]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Yes, correct: rebooted, MPD restarted, scanned library. File formats are mainly flac, but I tried also with wav and mp3.
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 14:00
Post subject:
Stranger and stranger. Note the soundtest app may not work if mpd is running, as mpd may be hogging the output, type mpd --kill before running it. Doesn't sound like a file format problem to me, all those same formats are in my library.
The only difference I can see between my alsamixer settings and yours is that my multi-track channels aren't muted. The left-most multi-track channel refuses to stay muted in my case.. I doubt that is related to the problem, but it's the only difference I see.
Just to sanity check the basics - all your connections are correct, source is selected/non-muted on the preamp, and you're using the RCA Jacks highlighted in the attached picture?
Last thing to check is that there is actually audio going to the soundcard - Start playing something in mpd, and while it's playing type this at the CLI:
cat /proc/asound/Juli/pcm0p/sub0/hw_params
And this should be the output:
# cat /proc/asound/Juli/pcm0p/sub0/hw_params
access: RW_INTERLEAVED
format: S32_LE
subformat: STD
channels: 2
rate: 44100 (44100/1)
period_size: 5512
buffer_size: 22052
There are multiple 'pcmxx' sound devices under the 'Juli' folder. The analog output is pcm0p on my system, I would expect it to be similar on yours, but if that exact command doesn't work try the same command with the other pcmxx directories.
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Joined: 30 Sep 2011
Posts: 6
Posted: Fri 30 Sep 2011, 20:12
Post subject:
Yes, I noticed that multi-track channel are muted, and there is no chance to rise them. I think that it is a matter of volume, but I have no idea where to rise it up!
The output of the command proc is the same as your, and all the connections are correct (the board plays in the same conf under windows7).
I tried also with Voyage Linux 0.8, same result (so it is not a matter of old releases of ALSA and MPD).
It is very strange indeed!!! Are you using an Atom based motherboard? Maybe this problem is related to the Alix board I'm using....I will try to install windows xp to see if it works.
Thanks again
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Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 365
Posted: Sat 01 Oct 2011, 04:11
Post subject:
The MPD release on this build is actually the latest and greatest, but the ALSA upgrade I'm still working on. That was going to be my final suggestion, was testing out a pre-release build of my next version which is the latest stable kernel and alsa 1.0.24. But if it didn't work on Voyage I don't think it's going to make a difference. It does sound like some sort of hardware issue.
I'm using the intel D945GSEJT.
One thing you could try is disassembling the Juli@ and re-assembling it. I had one squirrelly problem and disassembling/reassembling fixed it - when you mention it's working on Windows 7 I'm not sure if you mean on the Alix board.
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text:
Koh Phangan – a Magical Mystery TourKirsty Turner
Another lazy day on holiday and I am sitting at a bar on the beautiful Koh Phangan, waiting for the guide of the Reggae Magic Boat Trip to arrive. As I wait I watch in wonder as a Thai man tries to sell his tiny exotically coloured 'pet' bird. "Ha roi" (tasty) he announces to my indignation. "No! Mai arroy!" I cry, thinking the man has just told his friends that the bird would be delicious. "No, no," the man laughs. "I say I will sell bird for 500 Baht, ha roi!" Just then the bird escapes from the man's grip and flies out of reach onto a rooftop.
Just then, the enigmatic Thai man who calls himself Peter Pan strides around the corner. Dressed in yellow shorts, a patch work shirt streaked with gold and a brightly-coloured scarf, the man's colourful costume matches his personality perfectly. "It's OK, I am here now," he chirps. "We can go!"
The relieved Israelis, who have been impatiently waiting, and I follow Peter Pan to a large wooden boat with a large group of relieved Israelis. There are 22 of us in all, including Peter and his two helpers, but there is plenty of room for us all.
Like a genial genie, Peter Pan sits cross-legged on the cool box, smiling down on us. "Now, we must balance the boat, otherwise we will flip over," he tells us once we are all aboard. "I not care if you drown, but I love my boat, you know?"
It takes about an hour for us to reach our first destination. I lounge in the boat, lazily watching the scenery and the sun sparkle on the idyllically blue water.
Finally, we reach the beautiful beach of Haad Sadet and the boat shudders to a halt. The boat rocks violently as all the passengers race for the shore, eager to explore.
Once on terra firma, we pile into a waiting truck and are transported along a steep, treacherous road. Then, on foot, we follow a winding jungle path.
Suddenly, I emerge from the trees to find myself at the foot of the enchanting Than Sadet waterfall. Carefully climbing over huge granite boulders and navigating pools of fresh water, I make my way to where the others are waiting.
Than Sadet is Koh Phangan's most famous waterfall. This 3km fall has had its share of royal attention. It was first visited by King Rama V in 1888. The magnificent waterfall clearly crept into his heart, for King Rama V visited the fall more than 10 times. The current monarch, King Bhumibol, has also visited Than Sadet and its waters are used for royal ceremonies.
After about half an hour, we begin to make our way back to the beach. Back in the boat, we sail for another 30 minutes or so. I sprawl on the deck, basking in the sun's rays.
Soon enough, we reach Haad Khuat, also known as Bottle Beach. "You know why we call it Bottle Beach?" Peter Pan asks from his perch on the cool box. "Because that's its name?" I chime in before I can stop myself. "No," peter Pan grins. "Because it is shaped like a bottle."
We climb out of the boat once more and onto the deserted golden beach. The only sign of civilization is a small restaurant, where we are scheduled to eat lunch. After perusing the extensive menu, I decide on vegetable pad Thai, as I don't want to be too full for swimming.
After eating, I have half an hour to entertain myself and immediately head for the warm, clear water. Peter pan and his colleagues, I notice, are already snoozing in the shade.
When it is time to leave, I dry myself in the sun and join the rest of the group in the boat. Peter Pan is continuing his rest, softly snoring under a blanket.
This time, we are treated to a short ride around the coast to Mae Haad. Peter Pan's colleague, who I am told is called Wendy, explains that this area has very beautiful tropical fish and coral. He hands out the snorkels and one by one we plunge into the waiting waters.
As I lower my face into the sea, my gaze is instantly met by several dozen fish. Striped black and white with yellow fins, these are known as Sweet lips. Deeper down, close to the beautiful soft coral, I spot the odd Hexagonal Grouper and exquisite exotically coloured Blue Ringed Angel Fish.
When I eventually surface, the other assistant – Tinker Bell, presumably – hands me some bread. As soon as I bring the bread beneath the water, dozens of fish surge towards me and begin to nibble the bread right from my hand.
After an amazingly timeless period, I pull myself back into the boat. Peter Pan is finally awake and is handing out chunks of pineapple for us to munch on. The fruit tastes wonderful after the saltiness of the sea.
The boat hand starts the engine once more and begins the journey back to Haad Rin, completing a circuit of the entire island. By the time we arrive, I am glad to be getting out of the hot sun.
At 7:30 pm, I return to a bar for a feast. My companions and I hungrily devour a delicious dinner of rice and vegetables with chicken curry for the meat eaters. Once the meal is finished, Peter Pan gives someone a guitar to play. With a happy belly, I sit back in my chair and sleepily listen as Israeli music floats out on the night air.
Tours start from 12 pm and cost 500 baht for six hours. The bar is situated on Haad Rin Noi (Sunrise Beach) just around the corner from Same Same Lodge.
Getting There:
The nearest international airport to Koh Phangan is at Koh Samui. From here the island is an hour ferry ride away. Joint bus and ferry packages are available from all of the travel agencies on Khaosan Road and take 12-15 hours.
About the author:
Kirsty Turner (Kay) is a freelance writer currently living in Bangkok. She has kindly agreed to write for KhaoSanRoad.com and share her love of all things Thai and, especially, all things Khao San Road!