text:
In this opposition appeal there is initially an interesting discussion about the admissibility of two prior-use cases. The Appellant-proprietor asks the Board to declare these prior-use cases retroactively as non-admissible. Furthermore, the Appellant-proprietor is of the opinion that an author of one of the filed affidavits in one of these prior-use cases should have been called as a witness. According to the Appellant-proprietor, the affidavit should be excluded because the opposition Division did not call this author as a witness.
The board decides that the prior-use cases are admissible. In general, it is quite difficult to prove public prior-use - the questions "what was disclosed", "when", "where"and "under which circumstances" must be answered. In this case quite a lot of evidence was filed by the Appellant-opponent - it was already filed during the opposition proceedings. This Board extensively examines the evidence to decide whether the prior use is proven or not. If you are interested in the prior-use reasonings, you should read the complete text that is provided below.
The invention relates to a lid of a snuff-box. I found it also interesting to see that the PCT publication of this case has only a 2 page description and has 5 claims in total. The limited amount of words written down in the original patent application have been compensated by all the documents drawn up during the opposition and appeal procedure.
Summary of Facts and Submissions[...]
II. The opposition was filed against the patent as a whole and based, inter alia, on Article 100(a) together with Articles 52(1) and 54(2) EPC for lack of novelty and Article 56 EPC for lack of inventive step. The division held, inter alia, that the grounds for opposition (novelty and inventive step) mentioned in Article 100(a) EPC did not prejudice maintenance of the patent as amended according to an auxiliary request, having regard to the following pieces of evidence, amongst others:
Regarding the alleged prior use "Kombilock" (PA);
PA1: model of Kombilock snuff-box
PA2: model of Kombilock packaging
D2: Affidavit of Jonas Jönemark dated 7 March 2007
D3: photos of Kombilock in its packaging
D4: Swedish Match price list, June 2002
D5: Invoice dated 12 May 2003 from Swedish Match to 3:ANS TOBAK & DIVERS
Regarding the alleged prior use "Dubbellock"
PB1: Sample of snuffbox with best before date of 29 January 2007
D9: Press release from Swedish Match, dated 7 April 2003, and its English translation D9 bis
D12: photographs of Dubbellock snuff-box filed as PBnew, with letter received 24 July 2008
D18: photographs of Dubbellock snuff-box, filed with letter received 15 May 2009
Further evidence
D19: Affidavit of Leif Henry Olsson, dated 15 March 2011 together with annexed photos of inter alia Kombilock and Dubbellock
D20: Affidavit of Frank Svandal and its translation, together with annexed photos of inter alia Kombilock and Dubbellock, and invoice dated 29 April 2003 from Swedish Match to Northerner Scandinavia AB
D24: Product specification by Plast-Teknik dated 29 October 1991
D25: Fax dated 25 November 1991 to Bo Carlsen of Gothia Tobak
D26: Invoices dated 4 February 2003, 11 April 2000, 11 May 2000, 13 January 2003 from Nolato Plastteknik to Swedish Match.
D27: excerpt from Swedish Company Register dated 29 September 2011, concerning Nolato Plastteknik AB.
D28: Affidavit of Bo Carlsen with annexed drawings 1-332-1505 (first sheet) and 1-333-1505 (second sheet) and annexed photographs of Kombilock lid and its packaging.
D29: "The Northerner" online shop website page, archived 11 May 2003 by Internet Archive WaybackMachine, product page "Grovsnus White (Swedish Portion Snus)"
D30: "The Northerner" online shop website page, archived 22 June 2003 by Internet Archive WaybackMachine, product page "Combi lid for Tobacco Snuff Cans"[...]
VI. The appellant proprietor argued as follows:
Prior uses Kombilock and Dubbellock
Admission of prior uses
These should not be admitted since there are doubts as to whether or not they actually took place. Furthermore affidavits D19 and D20 should not be admitted as they are late filed. In view of the doubts about the prior uses, the opposition should have called Mr Bo Carlsen, author of affidavit D28, as a witness, instead of relying on the affidavit D28.[...]
VII. The appellant-opponent argued as follows:
Prior uses Kombilock and Dubbellock
Admission of prior uses
All the evidence relied upon, including the affidavits D19, D20 and D28 were already admitted in the opposition proceedings, therefore there can be no question of their non-admission.[...]
Reasons for the Decision
2.2 Admission of prior uses of Kombilock and Dubbellock
The appellant-proprietor requests the alleged prior uses referred to as Kombilock and Dubbellock not to be admitted as not proven, and in particular the affidavits D19 and D20, filed with the opponent's letter of 15 April 2011, also not to be admitted as late filed (grounds of appeal, page 8, 2nd and 5th paragraph).
2.3 As a matter of principle, such a retroactive non-admission of evidence appears hardly possible, given that the opposition division not only admitted this evidence but also based its decision on this evidence. The evidence cannot therefore now be retroactively excised from the first-instance proceedings. Therefore, the question of their admittance is moot, rather the Board views this request as amounting to a request to disregard the evidence on file with respect to these prior uses.
2.3.1 No arguments are apparent to the Board which would justify the discounting of the evidence in question. As to the affidavit D19 and D20, the opposition division admitted these into the proceedings (decision, reasons point 2, communication dated 4 July 2011 points 1 and 2) as further evidence relating to the alleged prior use. In so doing the opposition division appears to have properly exercised its discretion, and the Board sees no reason to overrule this. The admission of the affidavits does not appear to have been challenged by the proprietor in written proceedings, whereas their relevance was discussed (see letter of 31 October 2011, page 2). Likewise they appear to have been discussed at the oral proceedings without challenge from the proprietor (see minutes, points 3, 4, 32 and 33).
2.4 Affidavit of Mr Bo Carlsen, D28
The appellant-proprietor states for the first time in their letter of 10 August 2016 (see page 10) that the opposition division should have called Mr Carlsen, author of Affidavit D28, as a witness "in view of the substantiated doubts surrounding the prior uses". However, the appellant-proprietor has not specified any part of Mr Carlsen's affidavit that might be inconsistent or require any verification. Nor is it apparent to the Board that the proprietor provided any reason as to why they doubted the credibility of the affidavit D28 at oral proceedings before the opposition division (minutes, point 4, impugned decision, reasons 3.2.15), which might have warranted calling Mr Carlsen as a witness.
The Board itself sees no such inconsistencies or points requiring verification, nor apparently did the division (see impugned decision reasons 3.2.3 and 3.2.4). Therefore the Board sees neither reason as to why the opposition division should have called Mr Carlsen as a witness nor any reason to do so now, nor any cause to doubt the statements in the affidavit D28, or the credibility of its author. It is noted that the proprietors themselves at no point actually requested to hear Mr. Carlsen as a witness, neither before the Opposition Division nor before the Board.
2.5 The proprietor pointed to decisions T 0474/04 (OJ EPO 2006,129) and T 0716/06, ostensibly to support their argument that the affidavit can only be accepted when its author is heard as witness. However, the case underlying decision T 0474/04 differs from the present case in the decisive point that there the proprietor expressly requested to hear the author, whose affidavit was used against him. In case T0716/06, an offer to hear a witness was not followed and the case was decided against the party offering the witness, there the opponent. Otherwise T0716/06 explicitly stated that "There is normally no need for the competent department to hear a witness on an alleged prior use, if it does not evaluate differently the facts and arguments brought forward by the Opponent in support of the claimed prior use", Reasons No. 3, fourth paragraph. This decision does not discuss at all what the consequences should be where a proprietor is calling an affidavit into question, and also does not discuss how various possible requests (or merely arguments) from the proprietor could potentially affect the decision whether or not a witness offered by the opponent, i.e. the other party should be heard. Thus the cited cases cannot support the proprietor's position.
2.6 For all these reasons, the Board finds that the alleged prior uses known as Kombilock and Dubbellock and in particular the associated evidence filed in first instance proceedings should not be disregarded in the appeal proceedings (Article 114(2) EPC). Furthermore, absent any substantiated doubts concerning the credibility of the statements made in D28, the Board finds that the contents of the affidavit D28 are not to be excluded from the totality of the evidence merely because the the Opposition Division decided not to call Mr. Bo Carlsen as a witness.[...]
4. Main request
4.1 The impugned decision found that the alleged prior uses of the product called Kombilock, a snuff-box lid with its packaging, and the product called Dubbellock, a snuff-box, were prior used by sale and therefore prior art (see decision, reasons, section 3.2). The Board agrees with the decision in this respect.
4.2 According to established jurisprudence, in cases of alleged prior use where all evidence in support of the alleged public prior use lies within the power and knowledge of the opponent, while the proprietor has barely any or no access to it at all, it is incumbent upon the opponent to prove the alleged prior use to the standard of proof "beyond any reasonable doubt", see Case Law of the Boards of Appeal, 8**(th) edition, 2016 (CLBA) III.G.4.3.2, and the decisions cited therein. In particular to establish a prior use to this standard, the questions "what was disclosed", "when", "where" and "under which circumstances" must be answered, see for example T 2010/08.
4.3 Prior use of Kombilock
Kombilock is a retrofit lid for snuff cans. The appellant-opponent has supplied a sample of the Kombilock lid, PA1, together with its packaging PA2. These are as shown in photographs D3.
According to D2, an affidavit of Jonas Jönemark, director of sales at Swedish Match, the Kombilock lid was sold by companies within the Swedish Match group at least since June 2002. D2 makes reference to a Swedish Match price list, D4 (see page 3, third line from bottom, product 8810), photos of Kombilock in its packaging D3, which appear the same as PA1 and PA2, and an invoice, D5 addressed to the company 3:ans, detailing Kombilock with product number 8810.
In particular, D4, D5 and the barcode on the packaging PA2 (see last 4 digits minus the final check digit) consistently give the product number of Kombilock as 8810. The purpose of the European Article Number (EAN) barcode system is to assign a unique number to a product. The Board therefore considers that the Kombilock lid in the various documents is the same lid, not different lids with the same reference number. In the Board's opinion, what is alleged to have been prior sold is therefore clear.
4.4 In the Board's view the circumstances of the alleged prior use, and when it happened, are also proven beyond reasonable doubt by the affidavit D2 and supporting evidence D4 and D5. In particular the invoice D5 documents a sale of Kombilock with product code 8810 to the retailer "3:ANS TOBAK & DIVERS" on 12 May 2003. The Board finds it unlikely that such a mass-market product would be sold to a retailer under secrecy, nor has this been argued. The Board also finds it unlikely that Swedish Match would produce a price list in June 2002 that included products which were not available on the market before the priority date of the patent (August 2003), thus this further corroborates the statements in D2.
4.5 The appellant-opponent has supplied further affidavits, photos and invoices supporting the alleged prior use of Kombilock.
4.5.1 In particular D19, affidavit signed by Leif Henry Olsson of "3:ans Tobak & Diverse" states the company freely sold the Kombilock, as shown in annexed photographs, to consumers prior to August 2003. The photographs look identical to Kombilock PA1 and its packaging PA2. This is supported by a copy of the invoice D5.
4.5.2 Likewise affidavit D20, signed by Frank Svandal, founder of the company "Northerner.com", states that the company sold Kombilock to consumers before August 2003, as shown in annexed photographs. Also annexed are various invoices (8 January 2003, 21 January 2003, 25 March 2003, 3 April 2003 and 29 April 2003) showing that the retailer "Northerner" purchased Kombilock, with reference number 8810, from Swedish Match.
4.5.3 The appellant has also provided an Internet archive screen shot from the Northerner's on line shop, D30, dated 22 June 2003. D30 shows a picture of Kombilock looking identical to the sample PA1, and describing its double lid with space for used loose snuff. The Internet address also contains the number 8810, the same product reference that appears on all the above invoices and in the barcode on packaging PA2.
4.5.4 Moreover, in his affidavit, D28, Bo Carlsen states that he commissioned the company Plast-Teknik (later renamed Nolato, cf. D27) to make the Kombilock lid in 1991, as shown in the annexed photos and drawings. He also states that the design of the lid and its packaging remained unchanged from 1992 to 2006, apart from removal of an embossed name. The Board notes that the photos appear to show the same lid and packaging as PA1 and PA2.
4.5.5 The appellant-opponent has also provided a product specification from the manufacturer of Kombilock (Nolato), D24, and a fax D25 addressed to Bo Carlsen proposing a delivery plan for production of Kombilock with pivoting cover lid, dated 25 November 1991. The appellant-opponent has furthermore filed invoices from Nolato, D26, dated 4 February 2003, 11 April 2000, 11 May 2000 and 13 January 2003. Each invoice being for production of over 15000 pieces of "Kombilock Svenskt Snus Guld", the name appearing embossed on the cover lid of PA1. The invoices are addressed to Swedish Match. Each refers to Bo Carlsen and bears the article number 20150500, thus linking the article to elements of the technical drawing numbers annexed to D28, so corroborating Bo Carlsen's statements in D28. Furthermore, since D24, D25 and D26 all bear Bo Carlsen's name, his substantial involvement in the development of Kombilock appears evident.
4.5.6 In the Board's opinion, all the evidence paints a consistent picture, proving beyond any reasonable doubt that the Kombilock lid of sample PA1 and its packaging PA2 were prior used by sale.
The name Kombilock, the reference 8810 on invoices D17 and those annexed to D20, together with the affidavit of D28 with its annexed photographs and drawings, show that the same lid, linked also by the barcode EAN number on packaging PA2, was sold to the retailers "Northerner" and "3:ans Tabak & Divers". The Internet archive screen-shot D30 also supports the statement made in D20 that "The Northerner" not only bought Kombilock but furthermore made it available for sale on their web shop on 22 June 2003.
Finally, the affidavit of Bo Carlsen, D28, with its annexes, also supports the alleged prior uses by sale. Not only Bo Carlsen's statement itself confirms sales of the Kombilock lid, but also the Board finds it highly unlikely that "Swedish Match" would have commissioned a new lid in 1991, bought over fifteen thousand of them (cf. D26), at least by April 2000, followed by repeat orders for thousands more, inter alia in May 2000, without having sold one to a customer before August 2003.
4.5.7 As explained above, all the affidavits, D2, D19, D20 and D28 make reference to supporting documents. Thus although there may have been several years between the events described in these statements and the writing of the statements themselves, where the authors' memories might have lapsed, the documents on hand will have jogged them. In the case of D28, as explained above, Bo Carlsen was actively involved in the development of Kombilock, and nothing suggests that he could not have remembered the milestones of its progression from drawing-board to sold product. The Board therefore finds it convincing that the statements in the affidavits reflect what actually happened and are not rendered doubtful or inaccurate by the time-spans between events.
Therefore the Board considers that the prior use of Kombilock, PA1 and its packaging PA2, by sale, are proven to the necessary standard of proof.
4.6 Prior use of Dubbellock
4.6.1 Dubbellock is a snuff-box. The appellant-opponent has supplied a sample of the dubbellock, PB1, a press release D9, and its translation D9a, which includes photos of two boxes that appear structurally to be the same box as PB1. They have also provided photographs, D12, D18 (also referred to by the parties as PBnew), of a box looking structurally the same as PB1, and bearing a barcode EAN ending in 884 (minus the final check-digit) and a best before date of 4 July 2003. It is therefore clear what is alleged to have been prior used by sale.
4.6.2 D9 also states that the box in question would be introduced into service shops from 7 April 2003 and in everyday trade shops in May of that year. In affidavit D19, Leif Henry Olsson states that "3:ans Tobak & Diverse" offered and sold Grovsnus White portion tobacco in boxes as shown in photos appended thereto, before August 2003. The photos show a box structurally the same as PB1. The statements in D19 are consistent with invoice D17, dated 12 May 2003 (see 13th entry), which details Grovsnuss White 24 gram, with article number 884, as being sold by Swedish Match to the company 3:ans. The Board therefore considers, from this evidence alone, it is proven that a sale of Dubbellock took place and to whom. As with Kombilock, such mass-market products can hardly have been sold to retailers under secrecy. In any case, D19 states they were sold on to consumers prior to August 2003, likewise corroborated by the press release D9. Therefore the Board finds the circumstances of the sale likewise to be proven.
4.6.3 In addition, affidavit D20 and its annexes prove further sales of Dubbellock. In particular Frank Svandal states that Northerner.com offered, inter alia, Grovsnus White for sale prior to August 2003 in boxes as shown in annexed photos. The photos show a box structurally the same as PB1. To support this statement he also annexes an invoice dated 29 April 2003, showing Grovsnus White, with reference 884, as being sold by Swedish Match to the Northerner. The statements of D20 are further corroborated by screen shot D29, showing the Northerner's on-line shop on 11 May 2003 offering Grovsnus White, with a pictured snuff-box apparently structurally the same as PB1 and describing its double lid. Furthermore, the number 884 appears in the web address for the product.
4.6.4 The Board finds it unlikely that a dated press release apparently taken from an Internet web page, with an address string incorporating the same date, would have been a draft that was never published.
The Board is also not convinced that the article number 884 refers solely to the product and not to the product with its packaging. It is true that different contents will have a different product reference number, just as the model PB1, which contained "General White" portions has an EAN containing a product reference number 881 (the last four digits of the bar code EAN, minus the final check digit), whereas the "Grovsnus White portions" snuff-box in the photographs D18, invoice D17 and archived web page D29, have a number 884. However, as explained above, the idea of EAN numbers is, inter alia, to assign a unique product identity number to an article. Far from this number merely designating contents it designates the complete assembly of contents and its packaging. In the case of invoice D17, the photos of D12 link this invoice to a particular snuff-box, namely Dubbellock, structurally as PB1.
4.6.5 Although it may be true that D17 in isolation might not prove that an end consumer bought the product with reference 884 from 3:ANS, this does not negate the fact that the evidence shows 3:ANS bought the product before the priority date, and this itself is a public prior use by sale. In any case, given the other evidence, the press release D9, the affidavits D19 and D20, the photographs D12, with best before date 4 July 2003 and the web shop screen shot D29 dated 11 May 2003, the Board also finds it proven beyond any reasonable doubt that end-users were offered Dubbellock before the priority date.
4.6.6 The Board is therefore of the opinion that the prior use by sale of Dubbellock is proven to the necessary standard of proof.
4.7 In summary the Board finds both the prior use of Kombilock and Dubbellock proven beyond any reasonable doubt and therefore that they are prior art within the meaning of Article 54(2) EPC.[...]
Reasons for the Decision
For these reasons it is decided that:
1. The decision under appeal is set aside.
2. The patent is revoked.
Reasons for the Decision
This decision T 564/12 (pdf) has European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:2016:T056412.20160914. The file wrapper can be found here. Photo "Snuff Boxes" by plenty.r obtained via Flickr under CC BY-SA 2.0 license (no changes made).


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We're celebrating the Polish victory at the recent Oscars – congratulations to the crew & team behind "Ida". But if you thought that every Polish person was happy about "Ida's" successful night, think again! We're going to discuss the Polish reaction to the well deserved award.
Also on the show, we're looking at the controversial decision of stopping A-level Polish exams by AQA from 2018. What other options are there for anyone hoping to formalise their Polish language skills?
Read and sign the petition calling for AQA & Ofqual to reconsider their decision.
We also bring you a mix of headlines from current events back in Poland and some great selection of Polish tunes.

subset: commoncrawl


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Click to buy the book!
The first beer I ever sneaked a sip of? Budweiser. I was something like two years old, and since then, my tastes have gone nowhere but up.
I proclaimed myself a beer snob well before I was legally allowed to drink in the United States. (Hey, come on. I spent a semester in England when I was twenty. And even then I preferred Nelson's Revenge to the nationally distributed Carling.) But I didn't know the first thing about beer, or the process of making it, or the meanings behind all these different varieties. I just knew what I liked, and what I sort of liked, and what I didn't like. And really, still, that's all that matters.
But I'm seldom satisfied sticking with a "just because" type of answer when it relates to something I'm passionate about. And I am passionate about beer. I've begun attempting to pair brews with meals, with seasons, with memories. I compulsively check the label on the neck of each brown bottle I hold. And yet, I developed these habits without knowing precisely what makes a pilsner different than a blonde, or what Centennial hops even means.
This book helped me decode all those aspects of beer. Am I now an expert? Heck no. But I probably know more than three quarters of my fellow patrons in each bar I enter. And I have to be clear: that doesn't make me more passionate about beer than they are, and it doesn't make me any better a beer drinker. We all still know what we like, and what we don't like. But now I know, for my own self-gratification, much more about the nuances involved in the brewing process--ingredients, temperatures, types of yeast, regional specialties--than I ever could have guessed.
For me, that makes beer drinking even more fun. And that's saying something.


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Support Charityon March 11, 2013 at 5:35 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized
Like my work? For the months of March and April, I am not asking for a direct donation to my personal fund. Instead, I am asking that you give to a worthy cause! Please support me on my MSWalk ventures! […] ↓ Read the rest of this entry…


text:
"There's always been a competitive fire between BFF's about who's the hottest when posting selfies to social media, but would fucking your Besties Dad be crossing the line to prove who's the hottest? Find out in 'Don't Get Mad...I Fucked Your Dad!' You'll
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Not to be confused with the name of the file format of Nintendo 3DS game files.
|3DS Max file
|Filename extension
|.3ds, .max
|Internet media type
|application/x-3ds, image/x-3ds
|Magic number
|4D 4D (hex), MM (ASCII)
|Developed by
|Autodesk Inc.
|Type of format
|3D file formats
3DS is one of the file formats used by the Autodesk 3ds Max 3D modeling, animation and rendering software.
It was the native file format of the old Autodesk 3D Studio DOS (releases 1 to 4), which was popular until its successor (3D Studio MAX 1.0) replaced it in April 1996. Having been around since 1990 (when the first version of 3D Studio DOS was launched), it has grown to become a de facto industry standard for transferring models between 3D programs, or for storing models for 3D resource catalogs (along with OBJ, which is more frequently used as a model archiving file format).
3ds is a binary file format.
The format is based in chunks, where each section of data is embedded in a block that contains a chunk identifier and the length of the data (to provide the location of the next main block), as well as the data itself. This allows parsers to skip chunks they don't recognize, and allows for extensions to the format.
The chunks form a hierarchical structure, similar to an xml DOM tree. The first two bytes of the chunk are its ID. From that value the parser can identify the chunk and decide whether it will parse it or skip it. The next four bytes contain a little-endian integer that is the length of the chunk, including its data, the length of its sub-blocks and the 6-byte header. The next bytes are the chunk's data, followed by the sub-chunks, in a structure that may extend to several levels deep.
Below is a list of the most common IDs for chunks, represented in a hierarchical fashion depicting their dependencies:
0x4D4D // Main Chunk
├─ 0x0002 // M3D Version
├─ 0x3D3D // 3D Editor Chunk
│ ├─ 0x4000 // Object Block
│ │ ├─ 0x4100 // Triangular Mesh
│ │ │ ├─ 0x4110 // Vertices List
│ │ │ ├─ 0x4120 // Faces Description
│ │ │ │ ├─ 0x4130 // Faces Material
│ │ │ │ └─ 0x4150 // Smoothing Group List
│ │ │ ├─ 0x4140 // Mapping Coordinates List
│ │ │ └─ 0x4160 // Local Coordinates System
│ │ ├─ 0x4600 // Light
│ │ │ └─ 0x4610 // Spotlight
│ │ └─ 0x4700 // Camera
│ └─ 0xAFFF // Material Block
│ ├─ 0xA000 // Material Name
│ ├─ 0xA010 // Ambient Color
│ ├─ 0xA020 // Diffuse Color
│ ├─ 0xA030 // Specular Color
│ ├─ 0xA200 // Texture Map 1
│ ├─ 0xA230 // Bump Map
│ └─ 0xA220 // Reflection Map
│ │ /* Sub Chunks For Each Map */
│ ├─ 0xA300 // Mapping Filename
│ └─ 0xA351 // Mapping Parameters
└─ 0xB000 // Keyframer Chunk
├─ 0xB002 // Mesh Information Block
├─ 0xB007 // Spot Light Information Block
└─ 0xB008 // Frames (Start and End)
├─ 0xB010 // Object Name
├─ 0xB013 // Object Pivot Point
├─ 0xB020 // Position Track
├─ 0xB021 // Rotation Track
├─ 0xB022 // Scale Track
└─ 0xB030 // Hierarchy Position
It has been pointed out that, despite its popularity, the format may not be the most suitable for 3D data exchange. Some of the disadvantages mentioned are:[1]
- All meshes must bemade of triangles.
- All texture filenames are limited to the3 DOS format.
- The number of vertices and polygons per mesh is limited to65536.
- Accuratevertex normals cannot be stored in the .3ds file. Instead "smoothing groups"[note 1] are used so that the receiving program can recreate a (hopefully good) representation of the vertex normals. This is still a hold-over legacy for many animation programs today which started in the 1980s (3DS MAX, Lightwave and trueSpace still use smoothing groups, and Maya did up to v2.51).
- Object, light and camera names are limited to 10 characters. Material names are limited to 16 characters.
- Directional light sources are not supported.


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Review of The Bruery Terreux Tart of Darkness from The Bruery Terreux in Orange County, CA.
Beer Type: Sour Stout ABV: 7.2% IBUs: 5 Tried from bottle.
Their Description: "Tart of Darkness is a traditional stout that we aged in used oak barrels from The Bruery that had previously housed beers such as Cuivre™ or Black Tuesday®. We then brought them over to Bruery Terreux, added our special blend of souring bacterias and wild yeasts and watched nature take its course. The result is a perfectly tart yet awesomely dark and roasty, sour stout. Not a style you will see very often, and in our opinion, not a style seen often enough. This unique stout has notes of tart plums, roasted coffee, vanilla and oak."
The Reality: This beer presents itself black as night and has a ton of funk scent with oaky undertones. It has a huge sour funk flavor, made smooth by the oak aging. The finish is dry and tart. The stout flavors are lost until the aftertaste where the roasted notes come through and distinguish this beer from the pack. There is some tart plum, roasted coffee and oak tones, but I didn't sense any vanilla.
Final Verdict: If you're a sour beer lover that has been hesitant to try this beer, don't be. This beer is 90% full-fledged funky sour and 10% stout. When you see it pour that midnight black color you'll wonder what you're in for, but the color is the most stout-like thing about it. Readers of this blog know I'm a huge sour beer lover and I loved this beer because it was a nice twist with a few distinctive flavor notes you don't find in most sour beers. It doesn't drink heavy and it's not thick, so you can polish off a whole bottle by yourself if you choose! It also has minimal carbonation, so hopefully your bottle of Tart of Darkness won't lead to a Fart of Darkness.


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High-Performance Carbon/Graphite Raw Materials
In addition to manufacturing carbon/graphite and graphite products, ROC Carbon Company offers raw material blanks to repair shops and end users. Now you have the flexibility to machine your own custom parts from all of our available grades as your needs dictate.
Our material grades have been proven in industrial applications for years and are trusted by original equipment manufacturers. Available sizes for the different grades are listed below.
Available in rectangular shapes (up to 18 in x 20 in x 2in), as well as cylindrical rod shapes from 1⁄4-in to 12-in diameters. Other sizes available on special request.
Carbon Graphite (including resin-impregnated seal grades) Available in cylindrical rods from 1.5 in to 14 in OD (various inside diameters) in lengths up to 23 in (not all outside diameters).
Metal-Impregnated (Antimony, Babbitt)
Available in cylindrical rods from 1in to 8 in OD, lengths up to 12 in.
High-Temperature Treatments
Available in rectangular shapes 12 in x 12 in x 5 in, as well as cylindrical shapes per request.


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US regulation will make it a criminal offense to operate a vehicle when intoxicated by alcohol or medications. Dui is defined as driving a vehicle using a bloodstream alcoholic beverages focus (BAC) of .08 percentage or greater. DUI offenses may be incurred as misdemeanors or felonies dependent upon the situations, so it will be essential for a defendant to retain the services of a skilled RI DUI lawyer. When picking out a DUI lawyer it is essential to think about the services they give, associated expenses and the advantages of hiring a lawyer.
A DUI Lawyer delivers numerous providers to consumers. In the original appointment, the lawyer requests inquiries pertaining to the defendant's arrest. In the event the customer was halted at the DUI checkpoint, the lawyer could request a description of your situations that occurred with the checkpoint. In case the consumer is now being involved in a felony due to irritating conditions, the lawyer ask detailed questions on these circumstances. All of the information attained during this appointment can be used to build a shield versus the expenses. A DUI Lawyer also represents consumers in the courtroom, hires skilled witnesses to testify throughout tests, and negotiates plea deals with prosecutors. Considering that DUI costs also bring about an admin suspensions of any defendant's driving a vehicle privileges, a skilled DUI Lawyer could also symbolize customers during management hearings in the Division of Electric motor Vehicles.
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The PatLit weblog covers patent litigation law, practice and strategy, as well as other forms of patent dispute resolution. If you love -- or hate -- patent litigation, this is your blog. You can contact PatLit by emailing Michael here
Monday, 26 August 2013
Current Patent Lawyer magazine
The Patent Lawyer magazine has plenty of easy-read material, even though there's not a great deal in this specific issue to rivet the attention of the patent litigation enthusiast. There is however a special country focus on patents and litigation in Sweden, which will no doubt be of particular interest to anything thinking of or expecting to litigate there.
Pubblicato da Jeremy a 10:42 am
Etichette: patent lawyer magazine
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Science Journal of Physics
January 2014, Volume 2014, ISSN:2276-6367
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research Article
Derivation of the Relativistic Laws of Force and Their Consequences
Author: Roland Meissner
Accepted 29 November, 2013; Available Online 2 January 2014
doi: 10.7237/sjp/154
The relativistic laws of force as shown in FIG 1 are used to derive both the Teleronki model and the sphericalhyperbolic symmetry which later leads to a general field theory. On the basis of these new laws of force it is possible to rule out an infinitely large force right from the start.
Keyword:Relativistic Laws of Force,Spherical-hyperbolic Symmetry, Teleronki


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In poll theatre, Amma plays to full house
It's noon, but the large crowd, of at least a thousand, waited patiently under the scorching sun outside the low-rise Sangam Hotel in Madurai for a glimpse of their leader. Suddenly, there's a roar. MR Venkatesh reports.india Updated: Apr 27, 2009 00:38 IST
Hindustan Times
It's noon, but the large crowd, of at least a thousand, waited patiently under the scorching sun outside the low-rise Sangam Hotel in Madurai for a glimpse of their leader. Suddenly, there's a roar.
Cries of "Puratchi Thalavi" (revolutionary leader) rent the air as AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa, 61, dressed in her signature green saree, and Sassikala, her close friend and constant companion, emerged from the main entrance of the hotel, surrounded by Black Cat commandos. She had just finished a meeting with the top leadership of the state CPI(M) and CPI on campaign strategy.
Education: Matriculate, University of Madras — Rank Holder; then continued her higher
studies with Mysore University through
distance education for some time.
Political career: Inducted into the AIADMK by the party's founder and her political mentor, M.G. Ramachandran, as Propaganda Secretary in the early 1980s.
Film career: Acted in over 100 films, winning several awards. Was number one Tamil film heroine between mid-1960s and mid 1970s.
Jayalalithaa headed for the Police Lines a kilometre away, to board a helicopter. Once in the air, the pilot turned his machine east and headed towards Paramakudi, 75 km away, in the arid coastal district of Ramanathapuram.
Paramakudi, a small town of about one lakh people, is predominantly a handloom weaving centre. The afternoon sun was beating down. But thousands lined the streets to greet their leader; many others had taken up vantage positions on rooftops and balconies to catch a glimpse of her motorcade.
Jayalalithaa's caravan moved slowly from the makeshift helipad on the outskirts of the town to its main intersection, known locally as the Five Lights Junction because of the five powerful sodium vapour lamps mounted on the high mast at the centre of the island at the four-point crossing.
There were thousands gathered to hear her speak. At a distance, one could see the buses, trucks and other vehicles that had ferried the crowd to this spot parked in a disorderly manner. There were large posters and cutouts of the AIADMK leader everywhere. And hit songs from old MGR-Jayalalithaa films (she was his heroine in several blockbuster films) blared through the public address system.
There was a roar as Jayalalithaa alighted from her SUV, again waving the AIADMK's two-leaves symbol, and walked towards the modest podium on which some aides were busy stuffing ice-cubes into the air-cooler in the hope that they would cool things faster.
The music fell silent. As the Black Cats threw a ring around her, a group of middle-aged women sitting behind the fence constructed about 10 feet from the podium began to protest. "We are all seated here, unmindful of the heat, just to catch a glimpse of Amma (mother; that's how many of her followers refer to her)," they screamed.
There are many more young men in the crowd than women — a sign, perhaps, that AIADMK is winning back its traditional youth constituency.
She delivered a fairly long speech, lambasting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for doing nothing for the Tamils of Sri Lanka.
"He indulges in one drama after another — including calling bandhs — but does nothing on the ground for the Tamils of Sri Lanka," she thundered. Then, she trained her guns on the Congress and the UPA.
"Why are Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi silent on Karunanidhi's latest flip-flop — his shockingly contradictory statements on LTTE and its chief Prabhakaran?" she asked. The crowd lapped this up.
The ice-cubes didn't seem to have made difference. Jayalalithaa was sweating profusely, and interrupted her 45 minute-speech to drink water.
Refreshed, she then vowed to retrieve the Katchatheevu island, ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974, to ensure the livelihoods of fishermen in Tamil Nadu and also assured the people that a "new dispensation in Delhi will set the economy right". The crowd nodded in acknowledgement.
She then pointed to her party candidate, local veteran V. Sathiyamurthy, and told the crowd to vote for him.
Jayalalithaa beamed a winsome smile as a local admirer presented her with a sword to symbolise her "chivalrous fight". Two farmers in their sixties, Muniyasamy and Irulaiyah, had no doubts. "Amma will come back this time," they said in Tamil.
The meeting ended. Back in her Pajero, she accepted more cold water and some refreshments from her friend, as her motorcade made its way back to the helipad, to chants of "Puratchi Thalavi".
Her next destination: Sivaganga, from where Home Minister P. Chidambaram is contesting on a Congress ticket. It's more of the same there.
Then, it's time to fly back to Madurai — for a well-earned respite from the heat and dust of politics, confabulations with party leaders and some sleep. Amma usually addresses no more than two rallies a day. She will have many more miles to go on the morrow.
First Published: Apr 27, 2009 00:31 IST


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A day in the field with Barb and Eric from Canada.
I met Barb and Eric at their hotel in Granada City and then we headed out along the motorway towards Motril and the off West heading for La Malaha which was a change of plan forced by the motorway being blocked heading North. Before we go to La Malaha we turned off on to a dirt farm track where we checked a flock of Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and found that there were approx equal numbers of Spotted and Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris), on the fields on either side of the track we found lots of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), along with a few Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and in the air a group of Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).
Up over the ridge we stopped again and added Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and three fly over Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).
Slightly further down the track we checked the area around a ruined Finca and soon found a flock of 30+ Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), a female Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and on the way off the site a Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and a couple of Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).
After a quick coffee and loo stop in La Malaha we went out on to the fields but just out of the village we made a stop when we saw a female Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) flick up in to a small pine tree, in the same spot we had a short walk and found the similar Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
We continued on along the same road and then out on to the fields again and by the time we exited on the Ventas de Huelma road we had seen Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), a very smart Iberian / Southern Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and a slightly unfortunate European Nightjar (Chotacabras Europeo / Caprimulgus europaeus) which was hanging dead from a chain link fence.
On the road between Hulema and Cacín we heard and saw Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus viridis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
We called in at the bar in Cacín where we had another coffee and collected our sandwiches for lunch which we took with us, on the way out to the gorge we stopped at the bridge just out of the town where we checked the rocks and willows and found Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) which called loadly but remained out of sight.
Down the valley above the gorge we found Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) and a Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) which flew along the far cliff top upsetting all the Crag Martins on his way south.
After finishing out lunch we moved back up the valley to the Contra-embalse de Bermejalis, the water level was very low which meant that there were a few waders on the mud including a good number of Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and a single Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba). On the water we had Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus). On the margins and mud bars we also had 5+ Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) x3, a single immature Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava) and know that the sun had come out a touch we started to see a few butterfly species including Bath (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and 2x Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore).
Our next stop was in the bar at El Turro for a coffee and Loo stop before going up the road on to the fields where we had good views of 16 Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) before we headed off to our final spot of the day on the fields near Huétor Tajar for our last target species. On a filed just out side the town we had 100+ Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), 30+ Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), several Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) which dropped in to distant fileds.
we took a drive along the Rio Vilano and finished the days list with Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and loads of the stunning Iberian / Azure-winged Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cyanus) x50+, which were in all the trees around us and on the flieds and mobbing a Common Buzzard.
We finished off and headed back up into the City where I dropped Barb and Eric off at their hotel before heading home. Thanks to Barb and Eric for their company on this days birding.
Photographs from the top: Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), 2x the dead European Nightjar (Chotacabras Europeo / Caprimulgus europaeus), 2x Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) and a Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).


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What happened?
Celgene (NASDAQ:CELG) is at it again. The acquisitive company agreed to pay $600 million for Switzerland-based EngMab.
Privately held EngMab is a biotech that concentrates its efforts on T-cell bispecific antibodies (TCBs). As EngMac explains, "TCB binds simultaneously to a target on a tumor cell and to the T-cell receptor complex, leading to killing of the malignant cell."
Does it matter?
Celgene is particularly strong in oncology, so EngMab should fit nicely into its operations. Celgene's Revlimid blood cancer treatment has been an excellent performer of late, with sales growing by 18% on a year-over-year basis in the first half of this year (although it's concerning that it comprised over 60% of the company's sales for the period, a rather heavy concentration).
Regardless, Celgene knows cancer drugs, so we can assume it's placing an informed -- and potentially lucrative -- bet on EngMab. Despite EngMab being in very early stages, the acquisition should be seen as a step towards diversification for Celgene to eventually reduce reliance on Revlimid for revenue. EngMab fits well within Celgene's research on B-cell maturation antigen (BMCA). As Celgene explained, "Through this acquisition, Celgene is now uniquely positioned to pursue BCMA development opportunities using both CAR-T and CD-3- redirected killing platforms. Both approaches and assets provide the opportunity for best in class assets."
Looking at Celgene's balance sheet, the company had over $6.4 billion in cash and short-term investments at the end of its most recently reported quarter, so the deal is well within its means. (Although, it must be said, the company's long-term debt position topped $14 billion).
Given that Celgene has lately spent billions to buy some of its pricier assets, this deal is relatively small and thus shouldn't batter the finances too badly. All in all, from what we know so far, it seems like an opportunistic buy of a company with encouraging potential.
Eric Volkman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Celgene. The Motley Fool has the following options: short October 2016 $95 puts on Celgene. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Double Trouble
Season 1 • Episode 2
It's sexy fishtail vs. princess ball gown for some brides while Laura fears her dress is too similar to her twin sister's! Mother and daughter race to find a dress first and Joanna tries to convince her 10-year-old that a sexy gown is the way to go.
42 min|TV-PG|Premiered 03/12/2017


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Collapsible Bikes Can Go a Long Way / Owners cherish their convenience and versatility
If Wilbur and Orville Wright -- famed bicycle shop nerds who flew the first powered aircraft in 1903 -- were pedaling today, they'd probably ride a collapsible bike. The reason? Collapsibles have the most entertaining engineering and show the best versatility. A "folder" can enhance a commute or emerge from your car trunk to energize a vacation.
One thing the Wrights would not do: Try to make a collapsible fly. Folders already fly rather well. Just loosen the fasteners, push hinged parts together, stuff it in a pack, carry it aboard and put it in the overhead storage compartment.
No kidding. Many folders, particularly those with 16-inch diameter wheels, break down into packages small and light enough to become carry-ons. Pop it open again -- in Athens, say -- and immediately you're on a roll.
"My (collapsible) is beautiful, and I'm really proud of it," says Marianne Skoczek, 37, publications manager for the Peninsula Humane Society. "It's changed my life. Now I jump onto CalTrain whether or not the bike car (which holds a limit of 24 full- size bicycles) is full. Or if I visit my family back East, I can check it as luggage and pay no surcharge (airlines usually tack one on for full-size, crated bicycles.)"
That's the essential charm of collapsibles. Where full-size bikes often face restrictions on mass transit, folders bound past all barriers by just changing into an accessory to tuck under your arm.
Skoczek's road to happiness is typical of many owners. She hadn't ridden much since her bike was stolen in college. For years, she endured horrendous auto commutes. A light bulb clicked on when she found out about folders. Her bike is now a vital tool for reaching work and running errands. She also finds it strong and comfortable enough for long recreational rides. Her record, so far: 60 miles.
J. Gaerlan, 40, a San Francisco inventor who designs his own collapsibles, divides the bikes into two types: folders and travel bikes. Both can break down to fill a suitcase. But the folders tend to have smaller wheels (16-18 inches) and collapse more quickly (10-20 seconds). They weigh 22-26 pounds.
Travel bikes have larger tires (20 inches and up) and boast sturdier connections and components so they can tote more luggage and bear tougher use. Their weight is similar to folders, but travel bike break- down or assembly time can take a matter of minutes.
The array of collapsibles available, their price range and the many methods of achieving portability make for a remarkable realm. For instance, Gaerlan's stroke of genius was figuring out how to swing the rear triangle up over the seat.
The bikes vary widely, but Gaerlan says owners exhibit a common trait: They're unafraid of looking eccentric. "They may be teachers, or engineers. But while they're riding, if people stare at them like they have Dennis Rodman hair, they shrug it off. They know they're on a smart product, one that really works," he said.
Some riders wallow in the eccentricity. These, of course, tend to be British. The famed "Jaquar" of folding bikes is the Brompton, invented by Andrew Ritchie in 1980. This bonsai commuter squeezes into a 22-inch square that's 10 inches thick, and generally resembles a handcart crushed by a bus. But it's the stout main mount of the British Folding Society and has achieved quixotic adventures like a 2,200- mile trip from London to Moscow.
A local cyclist who did that jaunt -- then became U.S. distributor for Brompton -- is Palo Alto commercial real estate broker Channell Wasson, 65. His wife was also converted by the Brompton's convenience and comfort; now they go on tours together. But it's doubtful she'll join her husband on some of his epic tests -- like blasting down Monitor Pass at 52 mph during the Markleeville Death Ride.
Wasson claims the fuse is lit on a trend toward these machines. "It's a boom waiting to happen," he says. "They've always enjoyed modest appeal, but when the world discovers how versatile they are, stand back."
Ron Grobecker, the U.S. distributor for Dahon, is in a good spot to evaluate the market for collapsibles. His firm is the globe's leading producer, with 80 models out and a new aluminum version on the way. The price range, $199-$599, helps explain how Dahon has moved more than 1.2 million folders worldwide since 1982 and now enjoys a two-thirds global market share. (By way of contrast, Bike Fridays start at $595 and range up to $3,755.)
"About 20,000 folding bikes sell annually in the U.S.," Grobecker says. "It hasn't caught on like it could. But compare us to places like Tokyo and Amsterdam, where folders are common. You can see what might occur if Americans take greater interest in clean air and energy conservation, then decide to get out of their cars."
Someone who yearns for that transition is folder apostle Tom Vogt, 37, an energy consultant from Richmond.
"Once people really understand how practical and possible these bicycles are, sales will accelerate," Vogt says. "We in the U.S. don't embrace bikes for transportation as Europeans do. Sooner or later, though, we'll get tired of pouring all our money into infrastructure for automobiles. We can't afford to keep that up."
Vogt puts his pedals where his opinions are. Once every three months, he leads folding bike fans and HPV (human-powered vehicle) buffs on tours from the San Francisco Ferry Building. It's a chance for people to thoroughly inspect these alternate means of getting around. Vogt's next ride takes place Saturday. Riders gather at 9:30 a.m., depart at 10 a.m.
The models of folder (F) or travel (T) bicycles easily available in Northern California: -- Gaerlan Custom Bikes: Distributes the Gaerlan GT-20 (T), Montague Urban (T), Dahon Novel (F) and Bike E (T). (415) 362-3866, or www.gaerlan.com. -- Brompton: Distributes the Brompton L3 (F), L5 (F) and Type T (F). Contact: C. M. Wasson, 423 Chaucer St., Palo Alto, CA 94301-2202; (800) 783-3447; www.Bromptonbike.com. -- Bike Friday: Distributes 27 models (including 12 versions of the AirFriday top performer and folding tandem bikes). Line includes both (F) and (T) types. Contact: Green Gear Cycling, 3364 W. 11th Ave., Eugene, OR 97402; (800) 777-0258; www.bikefriday.com -- Dahon: Distributes 10 of its models, both (F) and (T), through 1,800 dealers in the U.S., including more than 200 shops in Northern California. Contact: Dahon, 833 Meridian St., CA 91010; (626) 305-5264; www.dahon.com -- Human Powered Machines: Distributes the Swift Folder (F). (800) 343-5568.
As the market for collapsible bikes picks up steam worldwide, restored lines and new models are becoming available. Look for: the Italian Di Blasi, the Bridgestone Silhouette, the Brilliant Micro, the Marcag FB-16 and FB-20 from Taiwan, and travel bikes from Moulton.
To reach the company that makes the Urban directly, call Montague in Massachusetts at (617) 491-7200.


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It's been over 5 months since I last wrote a blog entry. Whilst Britain is in the midst of another damp winter, West Africa continues to fight Ebola. About 8,500 people have died, and maybe up to 20,000 people have been infected. The international community has, at last, responded, and Ebola treatment centers are set up all over Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, staffed by medics from around the world including the UK, the US, and even China and Cuba. The message is finally getting through, and the number of new cases is dropping, and the treatment centers are seeing less and less new cases every day, and more and more people surviving. And as I write this, 300 experimental vaccines are arriving in Liberia, to start the long process of testing to see if the population can be vaccinated against this disease.
I'm reading a great book about the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, that an acquaintance of ours wrote:
In Harm's Way - A View from the Epicenter of Liberia's Ebola Crises, by Nancy Sheppard.
Nancy and her family are long-term missionaries to Liberia, and we were privileged to know them during our time there in 2006/2007. They have been working in Liberia, or with Liberian refuges in neighbouring countries since 1986. Awesome people. Book available on Amazon.


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By Elizabeth Willoughby on
Model Petra Nemcova, along with Marie Claire and Priority Films, hosted the New York premiere screening of indie film Holly earlier this month, followed by the Global Heroes After Party fundraiser.
Writer-producer Guy Jacobson and actress-producer Adi Ezroni received the Global Heroes awards this year for their work on Holly – starring Ron Livingston – and for their efforts against human trafficking. Holly is about a Vietnamese little girl who is sold into prostitution in Cambodia, a tragically common real life story. It's part of Priority Films' K-11 Project triology, along with two documentaries: the secretly filmed K-11 Journey about the life-threatening challenges of filming Holly on location, and The Virgin Harvest which records child prostitute victims revealing their stories in live time.
Proceeds of the benefit party went to the Redlight Children Campaign, which aims to raise awareness and pressure governments to end "child sexploitation". According to their website, "While traveling in Phnom Penh, Jacobson encountered a barrage of young girls, some just five years old, aggressively soliciting prostitution. The horror was not lost on him."
"If you knew you had a child molester living next door to you," asks Livingston, "would you intervene? Would you have a right to intervene? Would you have an obligation to? And how is [Cambodia] different just because it's across the world? It's harder. That's how it's different. It's harder."
Copyright © 2008 Look to the Stars


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Six people arrested after an immigration swoop on the A16 in Spalding are from Ethiopia and Eritrea, it has been confirmed today.
The group, three men, a woman and a child from Ethiopia and a woman from Eritrea, were arrested and held by police who were called to the Spalding bypass, near McDonald's restaurant, at about 2.40pm yesterday.
Immigration enforcement officers are dealing with the five adults, while the child is with social services to establish their age.
A Home Office spokesman said: "Immigration Enforcement is an operational directorate within the Home Office responsible for enforcing immigration law and where someone is found to have no right to remain in the UK, we will take action to remove them."
TUESDAY 4.25PM: Six people arrested in immigration swoop in Spalding
Police have arrested six people on suspicion of entering the UK illegally after an operation on the outskirts of Spalding today.
The group of four men and two women were arrested on the A151 Holbeach Road, near the A16 junction and McDonalds restaurant, at about 2.40pm.
A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: "We have taken them to custody suites to ensure their welfare needs are met in the first instance and once they are booked into custody, our colleagues from the UK Border Agency will investigate."


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The new year is here.
And that means you have to be thinking about a FASB 842 implementation for your private company.
You have questions.
And after a whole year of hammering out implementation with public companies, we have answers.
In fact, we learned so much from the industry's first year implementing the new accounting standards changes, we've been getting a slew of questions.
And we're answering 11 of the most commons ones to help you own your FASB 842 implementation in 2019.


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Yota – Musion Mikhailoky Ballet Party
Holographic Film Installation, London, UK, 2010
A mesmerising holographic film installation to celebrate the Mikhailovsky Ballet premiere of 'Swan Lake' at The Coliseum, the home of English National Opera. The film was first exhibited at the Yota sponsored premiere after show party as a spellbinding holographic installation using Musion's Eyeliner system – a reinvention of the Victorian stage illusion Pepper's Ghost – in which the prima ballerina dances before turning into a glass swan and then shattering into a flurry of crystal butterflies.
Laura Jean Healey was hired as a Director of Photography by Musion to light and film the real life Prima Ballerina, before post-production house SquareZero added the final 3D animation and special effects. The installation received great acclaim and was awarded the 2010 Musion Academy Media Award.
Please scroll down to view the final holographic installation in situ at the premiere after show party, held at 8 Northumberland Place, London.
Mikhailovsky Ballet Premiere After Show Party
8 Northumberland Place, London, May 2010


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Conference: General Data Protection Regulation
THALES, in partnership with AXIANS and CMS Rui Pena & Arnaut, and coverage of Jornal de Negócios, promoted the Conference, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), on May 30 at the Hotel Ritz in Lisbon.
This topic starts to gain shape and definition, as well many questions. Accordingly this, looking to kick-off that one which will be during the next few months a mandatory subject to consider by all companies and institutions, the Sectorial Challenges of the New Regulation and the Implementations GPS of the General Data Protection Regulation, were the topics discussed at the conference.
In the opening panel THALES was represented by Armin Kruse, Marketing Director of CIC and expert of GDPR and Vormetric, and in the second panel of Q&A by Ignacio Berrozpe, Sales Engineer.
There are new challenges in data protection with the entry into force of the new general regulation in May 2018.
THALES is positioned in the domestic market as a trust provider of the Vormetric Data Security solution portfolio, which enables you protect your data on multiple levels through encryption, and also assure visibility of unauthorized access to personal data.
For more information watch our video :
Tick, Tock: Just 1 Year to GDPR Enforcement – How to be technology ready


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To the Editor: The disastrous events of Boxing Day, 2004 left hundreds of thousands dead, injured or homeless across large parts of Asia. Many aid teams dispatched to affected areas are grappling with the aftermath of this catastrophe. Here, I present one of many clinical observations of what we encountered in the field. It is a clinical anecdote, but one worth sharing, as it may guide future teams in similar situations.
Publication of your online response is subject to the Medical Journal of Australia's editorial discretion. You will be notified by email within five working days should your response be accepted.
Responses are now closed for this article.


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How I Stay Organized with Ashley Brooke Designs
If you know anything about me, it's probably that I'm Type-A and an organizational freak. Seriously, I'm meticulous about it, and I get so excited when I get a new notebook to make lists in. When I was little, I used to beg my parents to take me to the office supply store so I could get new notebooks and pens -- I lived for it! (Alright, enough about how much of a nerd I am...)
One of the things I get asked the most is how I stay organized and on top of it all, juggling a full-time job and blogging on the side. Let me tell you, between my work to-do list, my personal to-do list and my blog to-do list, some days are very long and tiring, but it somehow all manages to get done!
Here are my three biggest organizational tips and the (adorable) Ashley Brooke Designs pieces that get me through the day:
Tip #1: Surround yourself with inspiring things.
If I don't have a clean workspace, fresh notebook, great pen or pencil and a killer playlist, I can't get much work done. For me, my surroundings are everything, and they either make or break my work. Before I leave the office every day, I clean up my desk -- I literally remove any dishes, wipe down my keyboard, organize my stuff and clean up my computer before I take off for the day. Having a clean workspace allows me to do better work.
I also pick notebooks, pencils and mugs with inspirational quotes on them -- it's totally mental, but looking down at them throughout the day is a nice little reminder to keep going.
Tip #2: Make To-Do Lists (and then make more).
I live by my to-do lists. Typically, I write them out vs. keeping them on my computer (I work better with physical lists and like the action of actually crossing something out -- it's very satisfying). This Ashley Brooke Designs notebook is perfect -- it's adorable, inspiring and has enough room for me to make my work to-do lists, blog to-do lists and personal to-do lists. Plus, this pencil set allows me to check things off in style.
Pro Tip: make to-do lists at the end of the day vs. the beginning. Each night before I leave the office, I take 10 minutes to jot down ~5 things I want to accomplish the next day. Walking into the office in the morning knowing I already know my goals for the day allows me to jump straight into work and be more productive throughout the day.
Tip #3: Know When to Take a Break.
This is definitely the most important tip of mine for how to stay organized. Staying on top of your life is a skill, and it's one that comes with a lot of practice and in time. Over the past few years, I've learned when I need to take a break. Every hour (at least) I get up from my desk and walk around. Whether it's just to grab another glass of water in the kitchen (this is a great way to drink more water throughout the day), a walk to lunch or just a quick stretch break, I make an effort to take these breaks every hour. Bonus: if you have an Apple Watch, it will remind you when to move throughout the day (this is my favorite feature!).
And, know when you need more than just a quick water break. Every day, I try to walk around my neighborhood to go grab coffee, either by myself for some silence or with a co-worker to have a 1:1 or hear about their day. Lastly, at the end of the day, know when to fill that cute mug with wine and celebrate a day well done - you deserve it!
Special thanks to Ashley Brooke Designs for sponsoring this post!


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About The Author
Jacklyn is the Editor In Chief of Stage Right Secrets. Jacklyn's photography and articles can also be found on The Recording Academy's GRAMMY.com GRAMMYPro, GRAMMYU, and Thought Catalog. Besides press Jacklyn is a "Jack of All Trades" doing various jobs at local concerts and touring.
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It's been a while since I've posted, and a lot has happened. We have had three birthdays, a baptism and a visit from grandma. First was this Batman birthday.
Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman.
good times
testing out the big wheel
it has lights and sounds...he did work on pedaling eventually
his cake
Then it was our oldest's birthday, and her baptism
We are so proud of her and of her brothers.
Quite the outfit, and dinner at our Mexican restaurant.
cake and presents
and balloons
all smiles
and blessed to have grandma there
We later got to get dolled up and go to the AF Ball.
then Mom's birthday
lastly, two pics of these guys
standby for pictures from the airshow here


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Weekly Football Statistics #006
This week's article is dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris. May their souls rest in peace. Following are the list of Football Statistics around the footballing world from 9-Nov-2015 to 15-Nov-2015:
Sensational Spaniard Gaspar: Villareal's 24 year old right back Mario Gaspar Pérez has scored in his first 2 games for Spain by scoring against Ukraine on 12th Oct 2015 and England on 13th Nov 2015. Spain is now on a winning streak of 7 games with as 6-game clean sheet streak. They are dominating the game again. This time they have also put an end to England's 5 game winning streak as well.
Brilliant Kevin de Bruyne: Belgium has defeated Italy 3-1. With this, they have won 5 games straight scoring 14 goals (~3 goals per game). In these 5 games, Kevin de Bruyne has scored 4 goals taking his goals tally for Belgium to 11.
France High Five: France has won 5 games in a streak. Olivier Giroud has scored 3 goals in the last 2 games – 2 against Denmark and 1 against Germany taking his French goal tally to 13.
Hail Zlatan Ibrahimović: Zlatan has now scored for Sweden in their last 4 games. His goal tally for Sweden is now 62 goals – topping the Sweden scoring charts. None of the remaining top 10 goalscorers for Sweden are currently active – means he will be at the top for quite a long time. He has also won the Sweden player of the year award, a least competitive award though, for the 10th time – 9 of which were won consecutively.


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The Way to Go Awards for outstanding commitment to commute alternatives by an organization is called the Pinnacle Award. As the name implies, the employers who receive this award each year have gone far beyond the minimum requirements to demonstrate a firm understanding of the true benefits of trip reduction activities -- cleaner air, healthier employees, reduced traffic and an overall enhancement of the quality of life in Spokane County. In addition to a well-rounded CTR program, the selection of a Pinnacle Award winner is made after consideration of management support, ETC commitment and participation, continued enhancement of the worksite's CTR program and demonstrating an innovative approach to trip reduction strategies. They are Spokane County's true CTR champions.
This Pinnacle Award goes to an employer who came into the program in 1997. This downtown worksite has had a truly dedicated ETC since implementing a CTR program 14 years ago. She has continually marketed her program to over 400 employees, however, it wasn't until a new manager came on board in 2016 did she see her efforts begin to pay off!
This new manager was the first in the last 14 years who was willing to sit down and listen to the ETC speak about their CTR program and the challenges she faced. And he didn't just listen, he took action!
Understanding parking costs was first on his list. At that time, this worksite was providing monthly parking passes for their employees at $100 per space, per month. In reviewing the cost, he quickly realized he could buy approximately 2 monthly transit passes for the cost of 1 parking space. In 2017, they reduced their parking passes by 75 and are now subsidizing over 125 bus passes monthly, supplying 50 more employees with transportation options at no cost. This change is saving the company approximately $100,000 a year plus increasing CTR participation!
This new manager also looked at other ways to enhance their CTR program. With the green light, this ETC was able to form a CTR committee. And, with some work changes, there was also an opportunity for flexing schedules and allowing some employees to work compressed work schedules, and they love it!
This manager also sets a great example by riding the bus every day! This is a prime example of how management support can have a significant impact on a CTR program, as well as an asset for the ETC. Also, walking her talk and setting a great example for employees, this ETC rides the bus 4 days a week and walks one day.
We are very pleased to honor Alorica – Holley Mason, with a 2017 Pinnacle Award.


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Click above to buy tickets
ONE ticket for SIX Days of BASS at FIVE amazing Venues! $20!
KC BassFest Performances are June 24-29th
Including Étienne LaFrance, Marcos Machados, Anthony Wellington, and returning to KC Bob Bowman and more!
The tickets are not setup to buy yet but you can look at last year's event to see how amazing it will be again this year.
Purchase tickets online at Brown Paper Tickets or by calling (816) 305-7559 to put your name on the list. One ticket will be included in all KC Bass Workshop participants' fees or if you signed up for pre-registration tickets.
KC BassFest Facebook page!
Post your pictures with #KCBassFest to our Instagram!
All KC BassFest evening performances are held at six great KC venues! All of these places are great venues and supporters of KC music where all of the bass players make a living. Please think about revisiting and supporting these great places and telling others about them. Some have fantastic food choices.
Please call (816) 305-7559 with any questions not answered by kcbassworkshop.com or websites listed below regarding the festival or Workshop.
Thurs July 5th Arrival Party
Woodyard BBQ woodyardbbq.com 3001 Merriam Ln, Kansas City, KS 66106
Come meet with all of our bass playing friends and eat some of KC's finest well kept secret BBQ!
7-10p Jeff Harshbarger and The People's Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City
Friday July 6th Classical Night
All Souls Unity Church allsoulskc.org 4501 Walnut St, Kansas City, MO 64111
6p Sarah Lahasky (Texas)
640p Richard Ryan (KC Symphony)
720p Dr. Kate Jones (Dallas)
8p Étienne La France (Canada)
Saturday July 7th Jazz Night
The Ship theshipkc.com 1217 Union Ave, Kansas City, MO 64101
As featured in the movie Kansas City by Robert Altman (with Ron Carter and Christian McBride). Always full of great Jazz music in the historic West Bottoms (where the artists live). Now serving lunch and dinner with great burgers, muffaletta and BBQ.
6p Brian Padavic (Minnesota)
630p Joey Panella (Kansas City)
7p Hans Sturm with Jackie Allen (Nebraska) Perform their award winning Bass and Voice Recording.
Late night concert, KC's own MGDs.
Blue Room Jazz Club americanjazzmuseum.org 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108
8.30-12.30a Matt Otto Quartet $10 (Not part of Bassfest ticket.)
Sunday July 8th Bluegrass and Rock Night
recordBar therecordbar.com 1520 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64106
Great menu of Pizzas, Burgers and Sunday brunch. Lunch and dinner. This is the venue for Rock music in KC.
6p Jessica Valls (Austin)
640p Lloyd Goldstein (Tampa)
720p Eric Thorin (Colorado) with Betse and Clarke
830p Johnny Hamil presents Gav7d video game music (with Sly Rabbath)
Late Night 9-11 The Golden Vices with Phenomenal Drummer Mike Dillon (Les Claypool, Dead Kenny G's, and Nolatet), Clarke Wyatt, Johnny Hamil (Electric Bass) Note: This set of music has been postponed due to Mike Dillon going on tour with Ween (Go Mike!) Stand by for further info.
Monday July 9th Electric Bass Night
The Black Dolphin greenladylounge.com 1813 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108
6-730p Virtuoso electric player Anthony Wellington (Maryland)
8p We have made time for the Bassfest to honor one of our favorite legends Victor Wooten, who is playing this night (by chance) with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones at The Uptown Theatre uptowntheater.com 3700 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111. This show is NOT part of the KC Bassfest ticket. You should buy your Flecktones tickets here. We made Anthony's concert close by and ending in plenty of time to catch both.
If you are not able to get tickets to Flecktones, anyone over 21 can head to The Green Lady Lounge greenladylounge.com 1809 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108 for Chris Hazelton Trio till 10p. KCBASS Alum Peter Schlamb with Matt Villinger trio til Late. The Lounge and The Black Dolphin are right next door to each other and now two of KC's finest jazz listening clubs.
Tuesday July 10th Bass Orchestra Blowout concert!
Shawnee Mission North High School Auditorium smnorth.smsd.org 7401 Johnson Dr, Overland Park, KS 66202
7p The Artists perform with the Students in a massively fun and only once a year concert of total devastation! Features all styles of music, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Original music, Weird and Wacky, and everything in between. The final KCBW Bass Orchestra concert will feature everyone involved in the workshop. Come see and hear the unbelievable once-in-a-lifetime concert! This features Étienne La France performing L'Odyssée D' Eau, Anthony Wellington performing What's Going On, Lloyd Goldstein performing This Little Light of Mine, and Richard Ryan conducting Hungarian Dance no. 5 by Brahms. Celebrate an end of a great week of bass!
The KC BassFest is festival of bass solo concerts, featuring some of the greatest voices on the instrument as well as up-and-coming artists in an exciting and ever expanding medium. We invite concertgoers of all styles to experience artistic expression in a way you've never imagined the bass could do!
The KC BassFest occurs in conjunction with the Kansas City Bass Workshop, a world-class annual symposium inspiring an artful future in playing the electric and double basses. The workshop holds no boundaries to age group, style or level of performance, and also works as a festival of great concerts open to the public. This helps the Kansas City Symphony build the next generation of artists, increases concert attendance at local venues including the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts; preserves KC's rich jazz heritage; and helps inspire and connect the great original rock, pop, folk and hip-hop scene in the city. Funds raised go to support KCBW. The KCBW provided funding for events and scholarship assistance for applicants, which are vital to the workshop's future existence. For more information, visit www.kcbassworkshop.com.
International Center for Music posted this picture from the Rabbath concert at 2013 KCBW. "A week ago we were hosting the KC Bass Workshop here at ICM. Here is a picture of the Finale with 10 basses on stage with Francois Rabbath. What a sound!!!"


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Main Menu
Billabong Bistro
The Kenilworth Hotel
Simply Greek Tavern
Prima Ristorante
The Big Mussel
Red Mezze
Area Map
0191 2615799
The Gate
Situated on the first floor of The Gate, Newcastle's premiere leisure complex, Nino's is a fantastic Italian eatery, serving great old school Italianesque food. Come along and enjoy the great atmosphere, bring the family along, have a working lunch, a romantic dinner in the evening, or just hang out with your friends; whatever you prefer Nino's is deliciously charming, and mouth-wateringly tasty.
Through the day Nino's is a great place for a light lunch when shopping, a family bite to eat, a working business lunch, or a relaxing cup of real Italian coffee, but in the evening you will find a much more intimate bistro feel to the café, when it becomes a haven for lovers of Italian food, and the perfect place for a romantic diner 'en couple'.
The décor is bright, modern and spacious, with an Italian twist, and makes for a great place to dine or have a cup of coffee. Since its opening in December last year, Nino's has been making a name for itself, and has been named one of Newcastle's best kept secrets!
You'll find a great menu on offer at Nino's, with pizza and pasta from just £5.95. Happy hour is from 11.30am till 6.30pm Sunday - Friday, with children's meals 2 for 1, 2 starters for £5.95 and 2 glasses of wine for £5.95. Student offers are also available.
Come along to The Gate leisure complex, enjoy a film at one of the twelve screens at the Empire Cinema, and have a great time at Nino's. This fantastic Newcastle restaurant is easy to find on the first floor of The Gate, conveniently located right next to Aspers Casino. There is plenty of underground parking at The Gate, and transport via the Metro could not be easier.
Benvenuto a Nino's!
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It may sound as corny as one of his lyrics, but Neil Diamond truly is forever. The Beach Boys are perennials, an act that tours and sells lots of concert tickets singing timeless songs from another decade, rarely bothering to write and record new material. Like the Rolling Stone, Diamond started in the '60s and still tours in conjunction with an album of new material, even if the new songs don't become radio hits. That's because Diamond, like the Stones, is one of the great live performers of the rock era, as he demostrated Friday night before a full house of 18,000 at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Diamond, unlike the Stones, has never been hip. Even though he's had 37 Top 40 songs and sold more than 110 million albums worldwide, he's never even made the final ballot for the Rock 'n" Roll Hall of Fame, although he has been eligible for the past five years. His music has never been important -- he was making catchy rock fluff when the Beatles, Stones, and San Francisco bands were making essential progressive rock; he was making dramatic, self-absorbed middle-of-the-road pop in the '70s and early '80s when James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell were creating singer-songwriter statements that helped define an era.
What Diamond was making was popular music -- the sound of Middle America. That's who showed up at the Target Center. The couple in the matching Harley Davidson T-shirts, the woman with a tattoo on her shoulder blade, the mom a few rows behind me with infant in arms (Diamond's sound engineer dispatched earplugs to the newcomer). Plus there were thousands of clean-cut Middle Americans. It could have been the same folks who flocked to see Billy Graham at the Metrodome a few weeks ago. This time it was a Jewish guy from Brooklyn preaching "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," about how everyone -- black and white, gay and straight -- is one of God's children.
Diamond satisfied his audience the way Bruce Springsteen, rock's preeminent concert performer before he went solo last year, used to satiate his with a generous and exhilarating concert. For 2-1/4 hours, the consistently energetic Diamond, 55, played his hits from three decades (he hasn't had a hit single since 1983) and also tested the waters with a half-dozen new songs. His "Tennessee Moon" album is his best in years, but the new material sounded different in concert. It sounded more pop than country, the arrangements a little bit cluttered, the pedal-steel guitar missing.
Still, the large crowd cottoned to Diamond's country turn, which lasted 25 minutes last night. The fans loved his aggressive singing on "Can Anybody Hear Me" and his romatic yearning on "One Good Love," his duet with Waylon Jennings, whose phrasing he seemed to borrow in concert. For the swampy blues "No Limit," Diamond pared the band to just snare drum, bass, and acoustic guitar, which was quite effective. He joked about being divorced and writing a marriage-proposal song, but "Marry Me," which had a slight Eric Clapton undercurrent, had women swooning.
Still, it was with the oldies that the singer connected with his fans. Performing 28 songs, he must have broken his own Target Center record for most clap-along numbers in a concert. "Desiree," "Kentucky Woman," "Forever in Bluejeans," "America," "Sweet Caroline," and on and on. Diamond did plenty of ballads, too, with "Love on the Rocks" and "Play Me" (an entreaty to romance that had women screaming "me, me, me") being big crowd pleasers.
Diamond's voice has grown deeper, and he favors a distinctively dramatic style, both musically and with his grand stage gestures, an approach that probably wasn't apparent the first time he played in Minnesota in Duluth in 1967. Over the years, sometimes you learn to appreciate different facets of a gem.
Copyright 1996 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.


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If you are searching for the free VPN service then this is the app you need to download. This VPN helps you to unblock all the restricted websites easily. Betternet LLC presents the new tool Betternet Hotspot VPN for you guys to use. With this app, you can use the unlimited VPN service with the full speed of your internet connection.» Read more


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There are about 3 questions that I get asked all the time that I just don't like to answer. The number one question is always something to do with my romantic life. It's always some variation of "are you dating anyone?", "are you married?", or "do you have a boyfriend/husband?". Now-a-days, those questions always get followed up with "well why not?". It's kind of hard to answer these questions when you're put on the spot, especially by someone you barely know or you just met. Sometimes I just want to snap back with a sarcastic "well maybe I don't have a boyfriend because I like women", but that would probably get lost somewhere over the head of the inquirer. Continue reading
Big City to Smaller Town…a change I didn't know I needed
The typical move people my age and younger seem to make is to leave their hometown for an adventure in a big city. It's a cliche of the American Dream and I of course, did the opposite. Having lived in a big diverse city my entire life, I never saw the "adventure" in it. I had tasted the rural life for a few years growing up–we lived on a large avocado grove and owned a yellow tractor and rode horses and never wore shoes (although, that might just be the Florida in me because I still don't wear shoes)–but I've been a city girl my whole life. Continue reading
When the Stars Align and Tupac is No Longer Dead
Is there something you've been wanting to do but just haven't gotten around to doing it? Or maybe you're too scared to do it and are worried what someone might say?
I can fully accept that I am part of the Millennial generation and a defining characteristic of this generation that I've noticed is the fact that we get discouraged so easily and live in an almost dream world. "I'm going to do (insert something ambitious here), but when the stars align, the world knows peace, Pluto becomes a planet again, and Tupac reveals where he's been hiding all these years." I don't know how we got so discouraged, but we hopped on this hamster wheel of excuses and we've become so complacent that we've let the world go on around us while living vicariously through someone else's struggles. Continue reading