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The Latest from TechCrunch
- Only YOU, Or A Wireless Network And Sensors, Can Prevent Forest Fires
- Twitter Updates Mac Client With Multiple Timelines, Cleaner Design, Auto-Complete And More
- It Is Finished: The New Yorker iPad App Is The Beginning Of The End Of Print
- (Founder Stories) Meebo's Seth Sternberg On Hiring, Growth And Flying High.
- Vente-Privee And AmEx Team Up To Bring The European Flash Sales Site To The U.S.
- Are Comcast And Other ISPs Now Actively Blocking ThePirateBay?
- Demandbase Raises $10 Million For B2B Marketing Software
- Search Contrarian Blekko's Next Move: Limiting Its User Data Retention To 48 Hours
- Score Media Plays Ball, Acquires Rival Mobile App SportsTap
- Facebook Loses Much Face In Secret Smear On Google
- How TechCrunch Got Onto The Apprentice… Just.
- WITN: Paul's New Book Published, Movie Option Sold On The Same Day [TCTV]
- InsideDeal! WebMediaBrands Acquires Inside Network For $14 Million
- How Amazon Controls Ecommerce (Slides)
- Yahoo To Acquire Advertising Platform 5:1
- Behold: The Chromebook (Samsung Series 5)
- Defaceable Lets You Comment Anonymously On Facebook Comments
- The Future Of Chrome: Synced Tabs, Profiles, Native Client, And Chrome OS On ARM
- Another Oprah Moment At Google I/O: Game Developers Get Free Xperia PLAY Phones
- GridGlo Raises $1.2 Million To Help Utilities Understand How Customers Use Electricity
- Yelp Moves To Spain As International Traffic Doubles
- Twitter Rolls Out Slick Mobile Web App: It's Like Twitter For iPhone But Upside Down
- One (Small) Hidden Cost Of Chromebooks For Business: Google Apps Not Included
- MySpace Stabilizes Unique Visitors, But All Other Usage Stats Plummet
- Sergey Brin On New Role: Beyond Chauffeur, Nothing To Show Yet — Hopefully Next Year
Only YOU, Or A Wireless Network And Sensors, Can Prevent Forest Fires
Posted: 12 May 2011 08:03 AM PDT
Networks and wireless sensors have been used for years — by companies like Lighting Science Group, Arch Rock (acquired by Cisco) and D-Link — in a variety of smart building, smart grid and security applications. Their systems can sense occupancy, control lighting and temperatures, and make energy-sucking devices a little more efficient, or make buildings a little easier to patrol and keep safe.
Now, a startup called Insight Innovation & Technology Ltd. (a.k.a. Insight) is using wireless sensors and networks in the wild to predict, prevent and track forest fires. The company installed its technology in Hong Kong's Tai Lam Country Park with the cooperation of the Guangdong Forestry Department.
The sensors were placed strategically (image, right) to monitor environmental factors like temperature and humidity throughout the forest. The data they pick up is transmitted in real-time via 4.2Ghz radio frequency communication networks. Insight won two awards today for this project, from a major research park and incubator: the Honk Kong ICT 2011 silver award for the "Best Innovation & Research (Postgraduate & Open)," and a certificate of merit for "Best Social Responsibility."
Twitter Updates Mac Client With Multiple Timelines, Cleaner Design, Auto-Complete And More
Posted: 12 May 2011 07:37 AM PDT
Besides a design update, you can now see multiple timelines at once and open more than one window in the client. You can click back to previous pages from the client and there is now a separate "New Tweet" button in the bottom left corner of the app. This feature is good news as one of our major pain points with the earlier version of the app was that there was no Tweet box.
Twitter has also updated the design of Direct Messages and user profiles, making it easier to view both features. And the client now has username and hashtag auto-complete.
As we wrote in our initial review of the app back in January, the Mac client was essentially a stripped down version of Twitter's iPad client. Perhaps with these new updates, the client will become more of a full-fledged client.
Twitter also just updated its mobile site.
It Is Finished: The New Yorker iPad App Is The Beginning Of The End Of Print
Posted: 12 May 2011 07:21 AM PDT
I still read the NY Times in dead-tree form and, although for a little while I thought The Daily would be the future of daily news, I think I'll stick with the paper version for a few more months, at least until I wrap my head around the psychological process of reading general daily news online.
But the one thing I thought I'd never do was abandon my magazine habit. But slowly surely magazines fell off my radar. First it was Wired because all the news in there I had read months before on the Internets. Then it was the Economist because I'd end up with a stack of magazines full of great stuff that I'd never read. I let my subscription to Fortune lapse and haven't missed it. But if there's one magazine I can't get enough of in print form it's the New Yorker.
(Founder Stories) Meebo's Seth Sternberg On Hiring, Growth And Flying High.
Posted: 12 May 2011 07:05 AM PDT
Like many start-ups, Meebo has been on a recent hiring spree. In this episode of Founder Stories, CEO Seth Sternberg tells Chris Dixon, "for 12 weeks we had to hire a salesperson a week and if we didn't we would have missed our revenue numbers later this year."
But it's not just new salespeople populating Meebo's workstations. "We started this year at about 130 employees. I think we are at 175 now, and so for us that is really fast growth" says Sternberg.
From CFO to engineer, Sternberg discusses how Meebo weeds out candidates by running them though, "the sim." This is a simulation of Meebo's real-world working environment.
In our "rapid fire" segment below, Sternberg tells Dixon some of his favorite products, what he would do if he ever left Meebo and discusses his thirst for hitting the road—and air.
Make sure to watch Part 1 and Part 2 of this interview, as well as prior episodes of Founder Stories here.
Vente-Privee And AmEx Team Up To Bring The European Flash Sales Site To The U.S.
Posted: 12 May 2011 07:04 AM PDT
Vente-Privee, the European flash sales giant, has announced a joint venture with American Express to bring the site to the U.S.
Vente-Privee, which was founded in France in 2001, is one of the pioneers of the flash sales model. Because of the site'e massive reach and scale, companies like Amazon and eBay have been rumored to be eying the company for an acquisition.
Currently, Vente-Privee has approximately 13 million members and more than $1 billion in European sales. As part of the agreement, each organization will own 50 percent of the new U.S. entity. This marks the first non-European market entry for vente-privee.com, and allows American Express to expand its presence in the flash sales business.
Of course, a Vente-Privee's U.S. site has a host of established competitors in the country, included the well-funded leader of the pack, Gilt Groupe. Gilt just raised $138 million and has a growing family of flash-sales sites, including the original Gilt, Gilt Home, Gilt City, Gilt Children, Gilt MAN, and Jetsetter. Other flash sales sites in the U.S. include HauteLook, RueLaLa, BeyondTheRack and Ideeli.
For AmEx, the new site is another way the credit card and payments company is investing in e-commerce and technology, The company just partnered with LevelUp and also teamed up with Foursquare as well.
Are Comcast And Other ISPs Now Actively Blocking ThePirateBay?
Posted: 12 May 2011 06:35 AM PDT
Talk about sinking to a new low. It seems that Talk about sinking to a new low. It seems that Comcast and perhaps other ISPs are blocking access to the notorious torrent site, ThePirateBay.org. The word comes from TorrentFreak who also reached out to the TPB team who indicated that they can't confirm if an ISP is blocking the site but "there's a significant drop in visitors from the U.S." All I know is I, a Comcast subscriber, cannot access the site.
Comcast isn't exactly known to be friendly with the downloaders or streamers. In the past they've limited and even blocked seeding of torrent files. The term throttling was synonymous with Comcast a few years back. The company eventually entered into a partnership with BitTorrent, Inc and was later asked by the FCC to stop the practices, but perhaps the company just moved to block specific sites in an effort to kill the bandwidth-sucking practice of torrenting.
Update: Comcast responded.
Demandbase Raises $10 Million For B2B Marketing Software
Posted: 12 May 2011 06:00 AM PDT
Demandbase, a company that develops B2B marketing software, has raised $10 million in funding led by Sutter Hill Ventures with Sigma Partners, Altos Ventures, and Adobe Systems participating in the round. This brings the company's total funding to $18 million.
Demanbase allows B2B marketers to improve marketing conversions and turn web traffic into sales. The company provides a B2B marketing performance-improvement software to deliver a more personalized web experiences and a higher ROI from sales and marketing programs.
Demandbase, which was founded in 2006, offers a Real Time ID service that identifies business web traffic without using cookies, and delivers that information to businesses on demand. Demandbase says it has mapped over 85 percent of B2B traffic on the web and its software is currently being used by over 1,000 companies.
The funds will be used for sales and marketing as well as further expansion of the data network globally.
Search Contrarian Blekko's Next Move: Limiting Its User Data Retention To 48 Hours
Posted: 12 May 2011 06:00 AM PDT
Search engine Blekko, ever eager to differentiate itself and make headlines with its countless product development advances, is announcing today that it will reduce its data retention period to 48 hours, retaining far less user personal information (like IP addresses) than the the dominant players in the space.
For comparison, competitors Google and Yahoo are currently at 18 months of user data retention and Bing is at six months, which is the European standard. In fact, Yahoo recently extended its data retention policy from 90 days to 18 months because it needed it to "compete" with Google in offering personalized recommendations. Ha. With this move Blekko is essentially saying, "Unlike Yahoo, we don't need to compete."
Granted, with $24 million from US Ventures, CMEA Capital and Marc Andreessen, Blekko can keep pulling stunts until the cows come home. In addition to this move Blekko will now be introducing its HTTPS Preferred offering, which will automatically point searchers to Https secure websites when available.
Blekko has also amped up its ad opt up services with Super Privacy and No Ads privacy opt out settings which allow users to opt out of advertising while searching. Guess we know where to go when we're looking for um, well you know.
"Search engines know too much about their users. Our goal at Blekko is to find a balance between retaining information to improve our search engine, and not retaining information that a user prefers to keep private," said CTO Greg Lindhal.
Blekko is basically pulling out all the bells and whistles, performing parlor tricks like adding Facebook comments to search because it has to, as the search market is currently comprised of Google at 65.7%, Yahoo at 15.9% and Microsoft at 14.1% with Blekko not even ranking in the top five. Right now the company indexes 3.5 billion URLs, compared to Google and Bing which are both over 15 billion.
And a search engine's gotta do what a search engine's gotta do. But is garnering press attention with its weekly reactive maneuvers necessarily worth the effort? Heh. In the meantime enjoy your more private searches on Blekko. I sure as hell will.
Score Media Plays Ball, Acquires Rival Mobile App SportsTap
Posted: 12 May 2011 04:53 AM PDT
Score Media has acquired sports-focused mobile apps maker SportsTap, whose Android and iPhone apps compete with Score Media's multi-sport app ScoreMobile.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but SportsTap will be maintained as a stand-alone smartphone and mobile browser app.
Launched in 2007, SportsTap is currently the third most popular free sports app on Android (right behind the 2nd most popular app, ScoreMobile). Both apps offer users access to real-time sports results and statistics from major professional sports leagues.
This acquisition makes a lot of sense for all the right reasons.
According to comScore's MobiLens March 2011 report, which ranks mobile sports app audiences in the United States, the combined monthly audience of ScoreMobile and SportsTap would rank as #3 behind ESPN and Yahoo and ahead of competitors FOX and CBS.
The strategic acquisition of SportsTap will increase its global monthly unique user base to more than 3 million.
Score Media is a media company delivering interactive sports entertainment. Created in 1997, the company operates the theScore television network in Canada as well as a number of digital media assets, including theScore.com, a theScore iPad app and mobile sports apps ScoreMobile and ScoreMobile FC which are available for BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone 7.
Facebook Loses Much Face In Secret Smear On Google
Posted: 12 May 2011 02:21 AM PDT
Facebook secretly hired a PR firm to plant negative stories about Google, says Dan Lyons in a jaw dropping story at the Daily Beast.
Not good.
The source emails are here.
I've been patient with Facebook over the years as they've had their privacy stumbles. They're forging new ground, and it's not an exaggeration to say they're changing the world's notions on what privacy is. Give them time. They'll figure it out eventually.
But secretly paying a PR firm to pitch bloggers on stories going after Google, even offering to help write those stories and then get them published elsewhere, is not just offensive, dishonest and cowardly. It's also really, really dumb. I have no idea how the Facebook PR team thought that they'd avoid being caught doing this.
First, it lets the tech world know that Facebook is scared enough of what Google's up to to pull a stunt like this. Facebook isn't supposed to be scared, ever, about anything. Supreme confidence in their destiny is the the way they should be acting.
Second, it shows a willingness by Facebook to engage in cowardly behavior in battle. It's hard to trust them on other things when we know they'll engage in these types of campaigns.
And third, some of these criticisms of Google are probably valid, but it doesn't matter any more. The story from now on will only be about how Facebook went about trying to secretly smear Google, and got caught.
The truth is Google is probably engaging in some somewhat borderline behavior by scraping Facebook content, and are almost certainly violating Facebook's terms and conditions. But many people argue, me included, that the key data, the social graph, really should belong to the users, not Facebook. And regardless, users probably don't mind that this is happening at all. It's just Facebook trying to protect something that it considers to be its property.
Next time Facebook should take a page from Google's playbook when they want to trash a competitor. Catch them in the act and then go toe to toe with them, slugging it out in person. Right or wrong, no one called Google a coward when they duped Bing earlier this year.
You've lost much face today, Facebook.
How TechCrunch Got Onto The Apprentice… Just.
Posted: 12 May 2011 01:51 AM PDT
Well, TechCrunch readers, we thought we owed you an explanation as to why the hell we got onto the UK version of the TV show The Apprentice last night, and here is it.
Back in September last year I was contacted by TalkBack Thames TV, the independent production company that makes The Apprentice for the BBC. They said they were going to make the creation of a smartphone app a task on the show and would I be a judge. "Why the hell not?" I thought, and a date was set for filming.
WITN: Paul's New Book Published, Movie Option Sold On The Same Day [TCTV]
Posted: 12 May 2011 01:30 AM PDT
There are two things we love to do on Why Is This News. The first is to break news about things that are happening outside Silicon Valley. The second is to find excuses to promote our respective books (about things that are happening outside Silicon Valley).
Rare indeed though is the occasion when we're able to combine both of those things and break news about one of our respective books, from outside Silicon Valley.
This week all of Paul's Christmases have come at once as he calls in from the UK to share some exciting news about his new book, The Upgrade: A Cautionary Tale of a Life Without Reservations. Not only has the book finally gone on sale in most of the world but the movie rights have just been optioned by production company Neon Park.
In the video below, we talk about the news, and also discuss why, in The Upgrade, Paul feels so comfortable sharing the most intimate details of his life with total strangers. Finally, we speculate on who might play the role of Mike Arrington if a movie version of the book ever makes it into production.
(UK and European readers can buy The Upgrade from Amazon in paperback or Kindle formats. US and international readers can get it with free global shipping here. )
InsideDeal! WebMediaBrands Acquires Inside Network For $14 Million
Posted: 11 May 2011 10:38 PM PDT
When it comes to in-depth news about Facebook, there has been no better site than Inside Facebook. In fact, the flagship site of Inside Network became so successful alongside the meteoric rise of Facebook that they launched several other vertical sites to bet big on their brand of news and analysis. And that bet just paid off. Big time.
WebMediaBrands has acquired Inside Network for roughly $14 million, we've learned. The deal should be formally announced soon and is said to be a roughly half cash and stock deal. It's a big win for Inside Network, which was founded by entrepreneur Justin Smith in April 2006, and has taken no outside investment.
The entire Inside Network team (which includes a former colleague of mine, Eric Eldon, who is editor and junior co-founder) will remain intact, we hear. And they will remain in their Palo Alto-based office.
It's a smart deal for WebMediaBrands as Inside Network will provide WebMediaBrands with insight by way of their content, research, and rich data they pulled in from their App Data product, which tracks social applications.
Of course, those who have followed the situation surrounding Facebook coverage perhaps shouldn't be too surprised by this deal. After all, Social Times (the company behind Inside Facebook rival site AllFacebook) was acquired by WebMediaBrands in December 2009. They also bought Charles Hudson's 3rd Power LLC in late 2009. Hudson is the co-author of Inside Networks' Inside Virtual Goods research reports.
We congratulate the Inside Network team of Susan Su, Kim-Mai Cutler, Josh Constine, AJ Glasser, and Smith, and Eldon on the deal. Now back to work, as we aim to crush you in the Facebook news category.
How Amazon Controls Ecommerce (Slides)
Posted: 11 May 2011 09:49 PM PDT
When you think about ecommerce, you think about Amazon. But how did a company that started with online books come to dominate an estimated one third of ecommerce in the U.S.? In the 72 slides above, global consulting boutique faberNovel breaks down Amazon's business and strategy. The keys to Amazon's success are 1) the Internet imposes no limits on how much Amazon can sell; 2) its control of customer accounts and loyalty, and 3) and a growing ecosystem that is helping it cement its place in the world of digital goods as well.
It's instructive to see how Amazon has expanded over the years and moved away from its reliance on books, music, and movies. You also forget that along the way, Amazon piled up $3 billion in losses between 1995 and 2003. Now it's got $34 billion in annual revenue, and is spitting out $1 billion a year on profits. Who says you can't spend your way to profitability?
The slides are a real deep dive into Amazon's business model and future prospects. Every year faberNovel puts together one of these strategy presentations. In the past it's analyzed Google (twice), and Apple.
Yahoo To Acquire Advertising Platform 5:1
Posted: 11 May 2011 07:56 PM PDT
Yahoo is likely to acquire advertising platform 5:1 for around $30 million, we've heard from multiple sources. The company first launched at TechCrunch50 in September 2009, and had raised around $13 million in various rounds of funding. About half of that was raised in November as part of a reverse merger IPO.
The company has deep ties with Ross Levinsohn, Yahoo's EVP Americas and formerly the President of Fox Interactive Media. Levinsohn is actually a cofounder of the company and a former board member and shareholder (he divested himself after joining Yahoo). Cofounder and CEO Jim Heckman worked with Levinsohn at FIM. We first covered the company, including their management team, in June 2009.
This is almost literally a case of "getting the band back together." This is the team that oversaw MySpace in the glory years, including their nearly $1 billion search deal with Google. CRO Peter Foster, CFO Mitchell Chun, EVP John Smelzer and COO Mark Stieglitz are all former FIM executives.
5:1 has signed contracts with 25 or so media companies that reach some 200 million people, say sources. Those relationships, along with the team, are the key assets. "5:1 effectively hasn't launched yet, they've been focused on putting together a massive inventory syndicate" said one source. "Yahoo basically gets to add their own inventory and launch the platform with all of these inventory partners to Yahoo's existing advertisers."
We reached out to Yahoo and 5:1 for comment. Yahoo said "As a policy, we don't comment on rumor or speculation." 5:1 did not respond.
Behold: The Chromebook (Samsung Series 5)
Posted: 11 May 2011 07:40 PM PDT
Here she is.
Earlier today, Google unveiled the first notebooks running Chrome OS. Or as they're calling them, "Chromebooks". The first two partners producing them will be Samsung and Acer. And at an event tonight in San Francisco, we got some extensive hands-on time with the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook.
Initial reaction? That's still to come. For now, enjoy a bunch of pictures.
Defaceable Lets You Comment Anonymously On Facebook Comments
Posted: 11 May 2011 05:57 PM PDT
Defaceable allows
Inspired by the anonymity system of Likealittle, Defaceable users comment as fruits ("Posting as Peach," "Grape said" etc) and can check back into the Defaceable website to view and vote on top posts and trending topics. While this does defeat the purpose of having Facebook Comments in the first place, the fruit thing seriously makes it hard to be negative; Just try posting something, anything mean, when your user name is Watermelon.
You can download the Chrome extension here (you can't see the comments if you don't have the extension).
The Future Of Chrome: Synced Tabs, Profiles, Native Client, And Chrome OS On ARM
Posted: 11 May 2011 05:11 PM PDT
Today at Google I/O there was a fireside chat with a number of Chrome team members. Their goal was simply to answer questions — both from the web and from the audience. Among those, there was a common theme: what's next?
One question asked each panelist what features they were most excited about going forward? Some answers were general — excitement about pushing HTML and CSS work forward. But other answers were more specific. One member noted how excited he was about expanding the personalization aspects of Chrome. Whereas now you can sync much of your data across the browser on different machines, soon you'll be able to sync more things that will make the experience more personalized.
He elaborated a bit to say that one of these features is internally called "Profiles". This feature (which you can already see hints of in builds of Chromium) allows users to have different Chrome features enabled on the same machine based on which Google account they're logged into.
This means that you'll be able to have multiple Chrome windows opened side-by-side on the same machine that can have different themes, extensions, etc. All of this personalization will be siloed in that one browser window.
Another feature that team members were excited about was the syncing of tabs. They're still figuring out exactly how this should work, but the idea is a welcomed one. Essentially, you'll be able to have a bunch of tabs open on one machine and quickly open those on another as well.
Other features comes soon include GPU acceleration, syncing data from within extensions, and a new tab page.
And then there's Native Client. A team member noted that this feature would finally be coming later this year. Google has been hinting at this for a while now. And it's important because it may well be the missing link between native and web apps.
Another question asked about the possibility of Chrome OS working on ARM chips. Work is already well underway to make this a reality, team members said. Right now, they're focused on the first two Chromebook partners, Samsung and Acer (both of which use Intel chips), but for low-power, thin machines, they're very much thinking about ARM.
One thing probably not coming anytime soon: a Canary build of Chrome for Linux. They noted that Linux users tend to be more savvy about getting developer builds of Chromium, so they're just not sure how big of a need this is. Still, they might offer one down the road.
Another Oprah Moment At Google I/O: Game Developers Get Free Xperia PLAY Phones
Posted: 11 May 2011 04:07 PM PDT
The giveaway took place in the C++/Game Developer panel, which discussed the use of native code in Android applications (games, in particular, are likely to use the NDK as opposed to standard Dalvik). And aside from winning some karma points from developers, Sony's motivation for handing out the phones are pretty clear: give developers a phone that features the gamepad, and they're much more likely to make sure their games work flawlessly with it.
Google also handed out the Android Open Accessory Development Kit (ADK), an Arduino-powered chipset that will help developers build Android accessories, at a panel yesterday.
Google's strategy of giving out so much stuff at the I/O conference has probably contributed to the fact that it now sells out in a matter of minutes. But I doubt they'll be moving away from it. I've seen countless developers toying with their new tablets throughout the conference, many of whom are using Honeycomb for the first time. Time will tell if that leads to an increase in tablet-friendly Android apps, but I'm guessing it will help get the ball rolling.
GridGlo Raises $1.2 Million To Help Utilities Understand How Customers Use Electricity
Posted: 11 May 2011 03:35 PM PDT
A New York research firm that turns massive amounts of data into streamlined information, CUBRC (pronounced "coo-brick") invested $1.2 million in seed finance, and established a strategic partnership with GridGlo — a smart grid technology startup from Delray Beach, Florida, the companies revealed today.
GridGlo sells software and services that help utilities see how and why their customers, primarily homeowners, are using electricity in real-time. They also provide utilities with an Energy People Scoring Mechanism, or EPM score that the company hopes will become a standard like the FICO score is to credit card issuers and other financial institutions.
The EPM (see screenshots, below) is based on four criteria: how much power a customer uses and from which sources including things like rooftop solar panels (consumption); how efficient a consumer is compared to neighboring customers or their own past behavior (efficiency); whether or not they frequently try or are willing to try things that the utility suggests like buying a more efficient refrigerator or shutting off the air conditioner during peak hours (engagement); and whether or not the consumer is consistent in their energy related habits (predictability).
How is GridGlo's offering different from those of well-established smart grid intelligence businesses, like OPOWER, Silver Spring Networks and Comverge?
The chief executive of GridGlo, Isais Sudit, explained:
Ostensibly, if utilities can make sense of a plethora of energy data — coming in every fifteen minutes or even more quickly from smart meters, smart appliances and home energy management systems — and fuse it with other available information about their customers, they will be able to motivate those customers to use electricity more efficiently, or to use electricity from renewable and clean sources more often.
GridGlo is still in a proof-of-concept phase, Sudit admitted. He could not yet provide firm evidence that the EPM, or other GridGlo technology will actually help utilities engender this behavioral change — yet.
Images and captions via GridGlo:
2. A map that color codes different zip codes based on the energy that households in the area are consuming. Attributes contributing to the model (e.g. average square footage, average household size) are shown in the lower panel.
Yelp Moves To Spain As International Traffic Doubles
Posted: 11 May 2011 03:00 PM PDT
Yelp's international sites have been growing like crazy, with non-U.S. traffic doubling in the past year. Today, it is adding a fifth non-English international site, Spain, to its roster. (The other international Yelp sites are in France, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands).
Yelp is now at 50 million unique visitors per month, mostly in the U.S., according to its internal stats. ComScore shows 87 percent growth in non-U.S. unique visitors over the past year (Yelp's internal stats show more than 100 percent growth).
Yelp is also seing growth along some other dimensions: reviews and mobile. Yelp now hosts 18 million customer reviews, with 2 million written in the first quarter alone and another million last month. Yelp's reviews—both their number and quality—are one of the key pieces of content that differentiates it from other local sites.
Mobile is also growing at a nice clip. Yelp had 4 million mobile users in April, which is more than double where it was about year ago. Yelp's iPhone and Android apps will be available in Spanish now as well.
Twitter Rolls Out Slick Mobile Web App: It's Like Twitter For iPhone But Upside Down
Posted: 11 May 2011 02:49 PM PDT
Finally. Twitter has just unveiled a much needed revamp of its Twitter for mobile page, turning what was a pretty clunky looking mobile page into a more dynamic web app with top aligned icons for @replies, messages, your stream and search (which was missing from the mobile app previously). The app should work on any mobile browser.
From the Twitter blog:
From a pure interface standpoint the HTML 5-powered app is already far better than the existant mobile page. And it's clearly an appeal to users accustomed to Twitter's mobile apps; It's landing page is exactly like the Twitter iPhone app interface (designed by Tweetie founder Loren Brichter) but reversed and the Twitter for Android app has this exact upright positioning, with a different assortment of icons.
One noticeable difference between the mobile page and the phone apps is when you drill down into a tweet. Click in to a tweet on the mobile app and media is displayed flush to the screen, with the retweet, star and reply buttons appearing below the tweet but above the image.
You still can't upload photos themselves to the web app, which is sort of a bummer.
One (Small) Hidden Cost Of Chromebooks For Business: Google Apps Not Included
Posted: 11 May 2011 02:34 PM PDT
If there was any question about Google's commitment to Chrome OS, you clearly haven't been following day two of Google I/O today. It's all Google is talking about. And in every way possible. But the biggest angle being talked about is probably the opportunity for businesses.
And that makes sense. Getting Chromebooks into the business market solve two problems for Google: Microsoft and a new revenue stream. If Google's strategy works here, it could become a massive business for them. And it's one that directly threatens Microsoft more than ever. All of that sounds great, but there is one curiosity in the business strategy: they're not including Google Apps.
That's right, even though Google has created a $28-a-month program to get Chromebooks into businesses, that cost does not include Google Apps for Business. If you want Google's app suite, you'll have to pay separately.
Granted, it's not a huge fee. Google charges $50 a year for businesses apps. The means it's only an additional $4 or so dollars a month if you want to add it on. But that almost makes it weirder that Google isn't including apps with the program.
Maybe it's a concern that Google would face scrutiny for bundling their own apps — something Microsoft knows something about. Who knows. It's just a bit odd. If you want to get the full Google business experience with Chrome OS, it's actually going to cost you more like $32 a month, instead of $28.
MySpace Stabilizes Unique Visitors, But All Other Usage Stats Plummet
Posted: 11 May 2011 01:45 PM PDT
Check out the graph in my March post about MySpace's free fall in usage. After a long decline you'd expect a site like MySpace to plateau and find some sort of stable group of users. Instead, all the data says their decline is actually accelerating.
So I was surprised to see unique visitors level off over the last two months, according to Comscore. And by level off, I mean a straight line floor at about 62 million worldwide monthly visitors and 37 million U.S. visitors. Look at that chart. It's just weird. Uniques should have fallen another 8 million or so. Instead, MySpace held the line.
Curious, I dug a little deeper into their stats. Not good.
While worldwide uniques were flat at 62 million, average daily visitors dropped 13% during the month, total time on site dropped 23% and total page views dropped 23% to 3 billion.
U.S. usage dropped even more dramatically. Uniques were flat at 37 million, but daily visitors fell 28%, total time on site dropped 48% and page views dropped a whopping 50% from February 2011 to April 2011 (a two month period).
That's a 50% drop in page views at MySpace in roughly 60 days.
None of this adds up. MySpace has long talked about making changes to improve user experience that would impact page views but actually increase time spent on site. That isn't what's going on here. What is going on here is that overall usage continues to disintegrate at an increasing pace, but somehow unique visitors are flat and not decreasing along with the other usage stats.
It's extremely unlikely that something like this would just "happen." Either MySpace bought a ton of traffic that hit the site and then vaporized, or they engaged in some sort of marketing to users like a massive email drive, or something else. From what we see MySpace has actually curtailed email marketing to users after a big push late last year that didn't seem to work.
MySpace clearly doesn't want to see their usage numbers deteriorate so quickly right in the middle of a sale process. I understand the incentive to have unique visitors level off. What I can't figure out is how they did it. It just doesn't look like a natural event to me with the other usage stats continuing to fall off a cliff.
Sergey Brin On New Role: Beyond Chauffeur, Nothing To Show Yet — Hopefully Next Year
Posted: 11 May 2011 01:12 PM PDT
Today during a press Q&A following the Chrome keynote at Google I/O, Google co-founder Sergey Brin joined the panel to take questions about the announcements. Naturally, the questions strayed a bit. But Brin still did his best to answer them — sort of.
One question asked Brin about his new role at the company. Google recently saw the triumvirate of power swap places, which co-founder Larry Page becoming CEO and Eric Schmidt becoming Executive Chairman. Brin's role has been talked about much less. And there's a reason for that: he's pretty secretive about it.
Before addressing his role, Brin made sure to note that Schmidt is "actually very involved." He said that while Page is running a lot of the internal processes now, Schmidt is doing a lot of the external stuff. As for Brin himself? "I get the luxury of doing fun things. I got the sweetheart deal of this exchange," he quipped.
Funny, deflecting, and vague all in one statement!
"I don't have anything to show yet," Brin continued. The only project he is working on that he would name is "Chauffeur", the name of Google's now well-publicized autonomous car project. Beyond that, all he would say is that if he's lucky, by this time next year, he'll be able to talk about some of his other projects.
The only other thing Brin has been rumored to be directly involved in recently beyond Chauffeur are Google's social projects. The search giant has gone out of its way this conference not to talk about any of these projects — because they don't want to build them up unnecessarily or prematurely.
It's known that Vic Gundotra (who has been quite visible here — though not as much as last year) and Bradley Horowitz are leading Google's social push. Brin's role isn't clear, but he's still believed to have a big presence within these groups.
When someone asked about the recent news that Google was being forced to pay $500 million by the DoJ after an advertising investigation, Brin took advantage of his new role, stating that he was "fortunate" to report that he no longer knows much about what goes on with Google and acronyms like the DoJ. Instead, he focuses on acronyms like Cr-48, he joked.
And yes, Brin is still rocking the Vibrams.
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text:
Durst thou take a drink from the loving cup?
Should It pass to thee, wilt thou take a sup?
Once having supped wouldst ye forward it hence
to slake the whole World, for it's need is immense…
LadyP © 2011
Durst thou take a drink from the loving cup?
Should It pass to thee, wilt thou take a sup?
Once having supped wouldst ye forward it hence
to slake the whole World, for it's need is immense…
LadyP © 2011
What a lovely idea.
I look forward to the cup reaching me.
OK Mike, sup from the cup when it appears…Now wouldn't that be fantastic? Just glad that you enjoyed the short poem and it's message…xx
Hi Pen! 🙂
Yes, Amen indeed!!!
A lot of prayer is needed my friend – 180 people working at Fukushima Daiichi are accepting high levels of radiation exposure and that is never good!
Like the Fire crews of Chernobyle they are making the ultimate sacrifice…
The reactors were built to withstand an 8.5 Quake and survived a 9.0 quake, but what they didn't plan for was the tsunami which drowned the diesel generators.
They have tried to restrict information because the situation is dire, but things are now so obviously bad that not talking about it is making people even more fearful!
Everything I have written was culled from online sources, each with a fragment that added to the whole.
What the puzzle spells out is that Japan is in serious trouble – and this will affect the future of nuclear power world wide…
I must admit Gunther had a potent way with words!!!
Here's praying it all works out in the end…
Love and hugs!
I think the whole world is now waiting and watching developments, Sir Prenin, and of course praying… we always find a chance to pray when the going gets tough … Hugs back atcha my friend..x
I would like to think that there's hope for the human race,
I hope one day we all realise that we need to share and care about each other.
I guess at the moment it's probably just a dream to think that way Pen, but who knows?
Here's to the future !
Gary xox
very true Gary, hands around the World, sharing a message of togetherness, for we are not single entities who can survive alone, we need each other in order to live and survive. Many a dream has come true, maybe this one will if we believe strongly enough?…. Here's to the future , my friend. xx
The world indeed is in need of the loving cup… After all the events happening n the super moon theory am rethinking about 2012 n the mayan calender… Hope all the pain n misery ends soon… Short n sweet poem but with a lovely msg… xoxo
me too Mystique, so much pain is being felt at the moment, it must resonate around the World…my thanks for your lovely comment, and pleased you enjoyed the message wrapped in ye olde Englishe….xx
I couldn't agree more with what everyone is saying! We could all use a little sip from that cup during this time–especially what with the demonstrations, wars and disasters. This is such a lovely and touching poem Pen! Short but sweet and absolutely perfect!
Many thanks Andini, and wouldn't it be great to think a cup of Love could be shared and felt the Whole World over? Thank you for your comment and compliment, my friend, very much appreciated…xx
It would indeed be ideal if one cup could spread love to all those who hate so fervently. Alas, this is reality right? … One step at a time?
A journey starts with but one step, and soon you look behind you and you have travelled for miles…Have a good day Andini..(it is Friday after all !!)xx
Loved the idea of loving cup – the potion humans need more than ever….I'm glad I came across your site Pen
Great poetry around here…
Have a peaceful friday
MY thanks to you, Eclipse, pleased you enjoyed the reading and the message of the short poem. You're very welcome any time, and have a peaceful Friday too. x
…wouldst ye forward it hence
to slake the whole World, for its need is immense…
The two points beautifully fit together; not so much that one has "tasted" of what is meet and seamly, but carries with it an affirmation, one soul to another. This is good. It is, as a matter of fact, the purpose of all affirmation in the collective sense. We can do no better with one another than to share what transcends the shackles of this world. Too, the simplicity of the statement, "for its need is immense," no one could fail to see unless of course, he sees only within the senses.
I like this.
many thanks Once, for your comment… very much appreciated … For some reason the whole poem turned into olde englishe…. it seemed to marry the feelings/emotion together so well. Sometimes so much can be said with so few words. xx
The cup of the Holy grail.
Lost in mystery lost in time
My cup runneth over sayeth the father
Yet holds the elixir to mankinds woes
A thought provoking post dear friend
pleased you enjoyed the short poem, and it's message Ian, and many thanks for your lovely comment, a Holy Grail indeed, would that we could find it and if found use it well…xx
Just a little love goes a long way in this cold hard world. It may spread thin on bread but the slight taste sure tastes good. Peace be with you.
I agree Stuart, so many opportunities we have, to be able to pass on the love of mankind to others, and we sometimes fail, and sometimes fail miserably…
Good to see you again on WordPress, my friend… Peace be with you too. x
LadyP (aka Pen),mixed-up some might say, as she views the World her slanted way, prithee welcome, sit, take a pew, she hopes her thoughts will interest you.
|mary on Change…
|mary on Change…
|Monica on Tuning Fork…
|pendantry on Change…
|C.J. Black on Change…
Pen Pusher, I just write when the mood takes me, and wherever my imagination wants to go I try to follow....

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Then it was divide and conquer. Even though the kids were mostly well behaved, we did have the typical grouchy behavior, whining, complaining, pouting, etc, as each kid took a turn being a jerk. It was Jack's turn Monday morning, so while John took the girls I went with Jack to the arcade. He was very excited to find the 'candy' game, and spent all this tokens winning and eating candy.
|Jack and Blizzard ride the bus
|Punching ducks
After that Maddy joined us to visit the Cub Club. With their Paw Pass they got color a pillow case or t-shirt. Jack picked the t-shirt and Maddy went with the pillow case (which Gwen also chose later).
|Craft time in da Cub Club
|Jack and Blizzard at the Cub Club
|Attention to detail
|Maddy with her adorable wolf ears
After that we went back to the room to attempt naps. Mom, Dad and Jack fell asleep but the girls did not. After 90 minutes I finally dragged myself up (no small feat after the afternoon beer) and took the girls back to the pool. By the way, all three kids have declared they are NOT going to sleep New Year's Eve and plan to stay up all night. I plan to go to bed at 9.
|please, Mom, no more photos
|Gwen on the kiddie slide
|Maddy might be getting tired?
Great Wolf Lodge had a bunch of New Year's Eve activities planned to entertain the kids and the place was getting packed. We made giant snowflakes, went to the dance party and then walked a half mile through the hotel the the conference center. They had balloon animals, face painting, party hats and games. The face painting line was already too long, so we got our party blowers (so f-ing loud) and headed to dinner. Oh! I almost forgot the MAGICIAN! There was a magician doing shows and he was pretty good, the kids thought he was hilarious.
|Now he's happy!
The kids still swear they will not sleep. It must have been 8:30 by now. I convinced Jack and Maddy to get their pajamas on while John and Gwen continues on their magical quests. Maddy really wanted to go back to the dance party and actually talked Jack into going, so off we went to dance, dance, dance.
This was pretty funny. Typical guy, Jack feels awkward dancing, so he sat on the side half the time looking annoyed. Then the music would change and he would run out and dance like a maniac. So "Macarena" - no dancing. "Cotton Eyed Joe" - dancing fool. There was a DJ playing kid appropriate music, most kids were 3-14. There were also 2 young guys leading the dances and a 12-13 year old kid (one of the other guys' brother) dancing. This 13 year old was dancing all the moves to what I think was a One Direction song, lip syncing and everything. Maddy was hypnotized. (it was dark in the room, but my flash makes this look less fun).
|The dancing is amazing
After Jack had all the dancing he could put up with we headed back to the room. I assumed once these kids laid down they would be asleep in 5 minutes. No, no. They watched New Year's Rockin' Eve until 10. Then John put on PBS, showing the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour, snooze fest, right? Nope, they were all in. Finally Maddy dropped off about 10:30, followed by John and Gwen by 11. Jack and I were the last ones and Jack may have been the last one up.
Fun night! It was a great New Year's Eve with the family!


text:
As the Dining Companion's hermana and I were traveling up the California coast we passed a couple of billboards for the Olive Pit. Tempting us with the promise of olive tastings, there was no way either one of us could resist a stop.
The store features an olive bar. There you can taste a large variety of olives, olive oils and vinegars.
|Photo from the Olive Pit website
Everything from the expected...
All that walking around looking at food was hungry work. Good thing for us there was a cafe right on the premises. As the clock struck lunchtime we made a beeline for the counter.
|Photo from Olive Pit website
|Muffuletta Sandwich
After enjoying lunch and armed with snacks for the road we headed back to the car. Happy that we took the time to stop and looking forward to where the road would take us next.
Happy travels!


text:
Robert Gibbs and some of the staff are this month supporting the very worthwhile cause of Movember again!!
It's off to an itchy start but we will keep you updated with how it's going and some hopefully funny pictures.
Or why wait, simply go to the Gibbs Scrap Movember Team Page to donate and help us help others.


text:
A Project on Mobile Mania
Mentioned below is a mix of both positive and negative statistical data that can throw some light on the current usage of cell phones in school going teens. Study reveals a lot of facts. On one hand where teens use cell phones for cheating and capturing inappropriate videos and pictures, they also use cell phones to inquire about classes and school work. Study also reveals that as compared to boys, girls are more active in using cell phones for texting and calling. Not only this, having a cell phone is considered to be the second most important status symbol among teens, their clothing being the first one. With cell phones becoming more of a necessity to maintain social status than a communication device, it is very difficult to convince the students to stop using them in schools completely. A report revealed that most of the students carry their cell phones within the school premises by breaking them in parts, that is, separating the battery from the body and so on. Have a look at some more interesting facts about cell phone usage.
✏ Talk about banning the usage of cell phones in schools, studies reveal that almost 65% of the teenagers that have cell phones, use it in their school premises..., schools that have completely banned cell phone usage!
✏ Talk about misusing cell phones in school, it has been found out that almost 35% of the students admit using their cell phone for cheating purposes. On the other hand, 66% of the students agree that other students use their cell phones for cheating!
✏ What was more amusing to read was that 23% of teens using cell phones in school, do not consider 'texting questions' to their friends as cheating. And what was more funny, was that 19% of the cell phone owning students didn't consider 'surfing the internet to find answers' as cheating! Well, there was a positive news... 48% of the teens have used their cell phones to warn their friends against pop up quizzes, I guess...
Please join StudyMode to read the full document


text:
(Exapresi Meninggalkan Pembicaraan)
|Leave Taking
|Formal Situation
– Good bye
– I look foward to seeing you again soon, good bye
Informal Situation
‐ Sorry, I've go to
‐ Well, talk to you later, then
‐ Please, excuse me but I really have to be going
-Sorry, I have to go now.
– I'll talk to you later.
– It's been nice talking to you
– So, I'll see you next week
– OK then…
– I think I'd better be going now.
-Well, it's time for me to leave.
-I think it's already late at night.
-I must be going home.
– Good bye and give me regard to Mr/Mrs.…
‐ See you later
‐ Take care
‐ So long
‐ Until the next week / time
‐ Good night, Ali
‐ Good-bye, Mrs. Mariah
‐ Have a nice ……(day)..
‐ Have a nice / good time
‐ Good luck
‐ All the best
‐ Enjoy your self
‐ Remember me to ……(your mother)
‐ Bye-bye
– Bye-Bye; Bye; Bye now; Take care of yourself
– Cheerio!
– Have nice dream
– Have a good trip
– you too, so long
– till we meet again
-See you later —- Fine.
-See you soon —– OK.
-See you tonight —– All right
.- See you tomorrow.
– Good bye
– Good bye
‐ Yes of course, it was nice to see you
‐ So long
‐ Bye bye
‐ See you soon
‐ See you
‐ Take care
‐ Please keep in touch
‐ Good bye
‐ Good night, Indah
‐ Good bye, Mr. Saiful
‐ You too
‐ Ok
‐ Certainly
‐ Bye bye
-I will be seeing you
– Yes of course. See you.
– Sure. See you later.
– So long.
– Take care.
– Keep in touch.
– See you at school.
Examples / Practice reading these dialogues.
1. Boys : Bye, dad.
Father : Bye-bye, sons. Take care.
2. Talita : Good bye, Mrs. Iskandar.
Iskandar : Good bye, Ms. Yuwono. It's been nice talking to you.
3. Talita : I have to go now. See you later.
Renata : Bye. See you
4. Iskandar : Good bye, Talita. See you tomorrow.
Talita : Yes. Good bye, Mr. Iskandar.


text:
The Society is a Dystopian - Paranormal Romance. The Society is currently out to beta readers for feedback and will soon be ready for submitting. Thank you for your support!
Ten years after the outbreak of the V2000 virus turns normal humans into a mutated Vampire sub-species called vamps, humans are the hunted.
Just months after Vampire Lord Danika Checkov, Coven Lord of Chicago and owner of the largest synthetic blood company in the world was attacked and almost killed by her vamp assistant, she finds herself having to purchase a new human slave to protect her; because Danika fears that her assistant was not working alone. What she didn't count on was finding Mason. The largest human male she has ever seen.
Mason is a human slave, or so the Vampires think. Captured while raiding a nearby town for the human enclave he has taken shelter in, Mason's biggest fear is someone find out what he truly is. Determined to learn all he can about the Vampires and then kill as many as he can before breaking free of his enslavement, the last thing he expected to find, was a ravishing redheaded Vampire who makes his blood boil. Especially since he hates Vampires.
As Danika battles forces beyond her control, for her life. Mason must choose between the woman he wants, and the freedom he craves. Because if they find out what Mason really is, then those who have been searching for Mason, for the last five hundred years, will locate him as well.
In the end, will Mason be able to save Danika? Or will his very presence in her life, bring destruction down upon her head?
Check back soon for updates, synopsis and possible covers.


text:
|Business Software
|Business Applications
Publisher's Description
From Flowervision Southampton Ltd: The Flowervision Southampton App offers our most recent stock. As an existing customer you can at all times order flowers and plants from our stock. You can use your existing log in codes and you will receive a confirmation e-mail of your order. If you are not a registered customer visit our web site at www.flowervisionweb.com/Southampton/ and register online. We will contact you as soon as possible.
read more +


text:
Comic Book Alphabet of Cool – F
Today's feature is one of the most consistently entertaining monthly books out there.
When Fables began, I will admit it…I didn't expect much from it, and I wasn't a big fan of the first arc, but once Mark Buckingham joined writer Bill Willingham as the artist of the title, the book has been a really enjoyable read.
Perhaps the most impressive feat has been Willingham's ability to make the book truly an ensamble. Snow White and Bigby Wolf are still important character in the book, but they once were the clear-cut leads of the book, and Willingham eased them out of that role without missing a beat.
Just recently, Willingham had one of the best arcs of the whole book, and it starred a character who was a total background character for years.
The title is now beginning a story they have been leading up to for the past couple of years, and it will be interesting to see how the book can handle this story, which threatens to encompass the whole title, thereby perhaps taking away from the whole character-driven style of the title, but as Willingham has managed to write the book so well for so long, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
If you haven't given the book a try, I recommend the second TPB first.
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text:
Melodies… (2004) – Shin Hye Sung & Kang Ta Wallpaper for Vifz
March 18, 2009 at 5:53 pm Leave a comment
I made this for Vifz. Gotta love these best friends. I'm still looking forward to a 2nd S album. Heehee~ =D I actually wrote something for the text in the background, but can't quite remember what it is now. I wonder if I still have it saved somewhere on my comp. *lol* If I come across it, I'll edit in the text later. ^^
Click on thumbnail for full size:
Entry filed under: Artwork, Kpop Wallpaper, Wallpaper. Tags: Kang Ta, Melodies..., S, Shin Hye Sung, Wallpaper.
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text:
Use mouse scroll wheel over image or pinch-to-zoom on touch devices. You can also click and drag around on image.
Vossen Forged VPS-314
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The following is an extract from Adrian Teal's lecture given at St Pancras Old Church the 3 July, 2014.
The cult of celebrity and the burgeoning influence of newspapers on the consumer were exploited to potent effect by the 18th-century quack. In the previous century, mountebanks had been itinerant salesmen peddling cure-alls to crowds in market squares. The sudden proliferation of metropolitan and provincial periodicals in the 18th century provided the opportunity to reach a larger market, and advertising revenue from competing druggists soon became the newspapers' lifeblood.
Quacks selling proprietary medicines frequently colluded with newspaper publishers, who not only ran the vendors' advertisements in their pages, but often sold the remedies on the printers' premises for a cut of the profits. Another ploy was the 'puff', which was ostensibly an article reporting impartially on the wondrous efficacy of a new drug, but which was actually a kind of 'advertorial' paid for by the drug's manufacturer.
Self-promotion and public relations were the stock-in-trade of Georgian physicians, and one man who cultivated his reputation very successfully was the Chevalier Bartholomew Ruspini. Ruspini's medical qualifications are shrouded in mystery, although he claimed he qualified as a surgeon in Bergamo, Italy. It's more likely that he turned to dentistry after he failed to pass his exams.
He also claimed he studied under King Louis XV's dentist. At this time, dentistry was more usually practised by barbers, quacks and even blacksmiths, but Ruspini began to style himself a specialist 'Surgeon-Dentist'. He started practising in England in the 1750s, and in his early career he was based in Bath and Bristol. He offered his clientele remedies for what was termed 'scurvy of the mouth and gums'.
He did very well for himself, and by about 1766 he had premises opposite the royal residence Carlton House. King George III's mother Augusta seems to have been his patron. Around 1768, Ruspini published his Treatise on the Teeth. This went through numerous editions, but was essentially a promotional booklet. The contents were on the whole quite sensible, but by no means innovative. He made some useful observations that were not, at the time, particularly obvious, such as the adverse effects of sugar on teeth, but also some nonsensical ones, such as his claim that sleeping with the head uncovered could lead to dental disease.
He sold Dentifrice Powder and Tincture for Preserving and Beautifying The Teeth and Gums, and an Elixir for the Cure of the Tooth Ache, and advertised endlessly in the newspapers. He was the first trader summonsed under The Medicines Stamp Act for evading the tax imposed on druggists with no medical qualifications. When he produced a rather dodgy surgical diploma from Bergamo, the case was dropped.
In 1785, Ruspini launched his haemostatic styptic, and as part of his marketing shtick published his Concise Relation of the Effects of an Extraordinary Styptic Recently Discovered. One of his newspaper advertisements claimed that the styptic had stopped the bleeding of a sailor's bullet wound, and reads as follows:
[The ball]passed through the man's cheek, dividing the Vena Jugularis on both sides, which bleeding was immediately stopped by the Styptic, when no other means could give relief. As a result, Sir John Borlase Warren…liberally ordered a quantity to be furnished to each Vessel of his Squadron, for the use of the Seamen, in difficult cases.
There was even a circle printed in the middle of the advertisement that showed the alarming one-and-a-quarter-inch-diameter of the bullet. After this styptic was used by the Prince of Wales in 1787, Ruspini was appointed his royal dentist. A further publication, Short Observations on the Teeth, appeared in 1795.
There was a philanthropic side to Ruspini. He visited the Fleet Prison in 1797, where the celebrated society hostess and Venetian opera singer, Teresa Cornelys, was incarcerated for debt. He applied his styptic to a cancerous sore on her breast, returning on several occasions to repeat the treatment gratis, but was unable to prevent Teresa's death. She was an extraordinary character in her own right, who had a daughter by Casanova, and who bankrupted herself while making Soho the fashionable epicentre of London's entertainment industry.
Ruspini introduced the Prince of Wales to freemasonry, and was a founder member of the Prince of Wales Lodge,membership of which was restricted to those under the prince's patronage. In March 1788 he established the slightly eccentrically named Royal Cumberland School for Female Objects, which later became the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls, and is now known as the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys. It was first located very near here, at Somers Place East, Somers Town, on the north side of the Euston Road,on the site of what is now the British Library. The school would later commemorate Ruspini's name annually.
He approached his wealthy connections for funding for the school, including the Prince of Wales, and the Dukes of York and Gloucester. When it opened it was named after the Duchess of Cumberland, its first patron.
For its inauguration, fifteen girls met at Ruspini's house on Pall Mall and processed to the new school. At the end of their school careers, the girls were returned to their families, or put into domestic service. School life was far from easy, however, and meals consisted mainly of gruel, bread and beer, and boiled mutton once a week.
Ruspini soon needed additional funding for his school, and on its first anniversary he organised a church service and a dinner at which his masonic brethren were invited to make donations. He raised £82, 10 shillings and 6 pence, which works out at around £9,000 in today's money. This was freemasonry's first festival appeal, and it engendered the festival system which has endured in the movement for well over 200 years.
Ruspini rose to great prominence in masonic circles. He belonged to and held office in eight separate London lodges, and was also a Royal Arch mason. In 1777 he was a founder of the Nine Muses Lodge; its members included aristocrats, past grand masters, foreign dignitaries, and prominent figures from the world of the arts such as Giovanni Cipriani, Francesco Bartolozzi, Johann Christian Bach, and Johann Zoffany. He also joined the Grand Master's Lodge (Antients), and at the direction of the prince he was appointed grand sword-bearer for life in 1791.
He became so famous that his brother had only to address letters 'Ruspini, England' for them to reach him. He adopted the title 'Chevalier' when made a knight of the papal Order of the Golden Spur, although he was nicknamed 'The Duke of Tuscany' due to his good looks, skills on the dance-floor, flamboyant character, talent for self-promotion, and his schmoozing of the great and the good. Amongst his acquaintances were Count Cagliostro, the occultist, freemason, and charlatan; and Johann August Starck, the theologian who originated conspiracy theories about the Illuminati, so beloved of novelist Dan Brown.
When Ruspini died in 1813, his estate was valued at a paltry £450, accounted for by both his extravagant lifestyle and his unerring devotion to numerous good causes. He was buried in St James's churchyard, Piccadilly. His wife survived him, and two of Ruspini's grandchildren later attended the Cumberland School he founded. Children from the School were mourners at his funeral.
On 5 March this year, the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys held a service at St James's Church to dedicate a memorial tablet in honour of the trust's founder, Chevalier Ruspini.
Ruspini's friend the Prince of Wales – later King George the Fourth – was also an admirer of the second character I'd like to introduce you to this evening; an extraordinary man who was the subject of sixteen biographies and countless portrait prints.
Chevalier d'Eon was born in Burgundy, a child of the French nobility, and later became a brilliant scholar, obtaining several degrees, and becoming a lawyer at the French parlement by the age of nineteen.
By the time d'Eon came to Britain he was well known as a skilled diplomat, and as a brave soldier who had fought in the Seven Years War. The Chevalier adopted women's clothes in the course of his espionage duties, and afterwards showed great reluctance to cast them off. He boasted that he once dressed as a woman for a ball at Versailles, and attracted the amorous attentions of the king. He later claimed that he revealed his gender and identity to Madame de Pompadour shortly after he had excited the king's ardour, and then slept with her.
While on a visit to London, the famous libertine and memoirist Casanova was convinced that the Chevalier was a woman when he met d'Eon at a dinner hosted by the French ambassador. D'Éon was once served with papers for libel, and the case was heard in the Court of the King's Bench on 3rd July 1764. D'Éon did not show up on the appointed day, and was found guilty by default. Sentencing was deferred until he could be brought to court, and he was subsequently outlawed. He had disappeared, adopting female clothes as a disguise. He hid himself away at Byfleet in Surrey, in the house of an MP, Humphrey Cotes, a friend of the radical MP John Wilkes. The threat of the justice system against him eventually fizzled out, and while living in Surrey, D'Eon claimed he had been born a girl but raised as a boy in order to circumvent France's strict inheritance laws and come into his father's estate.
D'Eon was always scrupulously clean-shaven, and quite attractive, and he was such a good female impersonator that there was feverish speculation on the London Stock Exchange over his true sex for many years. Bets took the form of life insurance policies that would or wouldn't be paid out depending on which gender d'Eon was found to belong to. An enquiry into a notorious wager on the matter was once conducted by Lord Mansfield, the Chief Justice to the Court of King's Bench. The legal probing this necessitated stopped just short of a physical examination of d'Eon. The Chevalier was greatly affronted by these indignities, and challenged many coffee-house stockjobbers to duels.
The Secret du Roi for which d'Eon worked as a spy was disbanded on the death of his King, and the Chevalier petitioned his paymasters to allow him to return to France. This was permitted, but only on the bizarre condition that he should live out the remainder of his days in the guise of a woman. He agreed to this, but stipulated that the French government should supply him with new sets of women's clothes. He presented himself to the French court in all his finery, having first undergone a toilette lasting four hours at the hands of a servant to Queen Marie Antoinette.
The agreement of 1775 that allowed his return on these bizarre conditions was known as 'The Transaction', and its wording suggested d'Eon had been born female but had taken on male dress, before returning to his female identity. The mystery surrounding his gender deepened as a consequence.It seems likely that the requirement concerning female attire was viewed by the powers that be at Versailles as reasonable in the light of D'Éon's earlier admission as to his sex, and also as a means of controlling an unruly character who had often provoked his opponents to duels.
D'Eon was known to be an enthusiastic collector of books about strong women such as Joan of Arc and the Amazons of classical legend, and in his letters to the playwright Beaumarchais he referred to himself as female. At one point, Beaumarchais was writing letters to friends claiming that the Chevalier was a crazy woman who was insanely in love with him, and that they were to be married. It seems most likely that this was all part of a ruse to cash in on the betting racket surrounding the question of d'Eon's sex.
Not everyone was convinced he was a woman. He exfoliated his rough skin, and took deportment lessons, but he still had trouble walking in high heels, and a Vicomtesse recorded that 'she had nothing of our sex but the petticoats and the curls, which suited her horribly'.
D'Eon was later gaoled for a time in France after being spotted breaking the terms of the Transaction by wearing men's clothes, before returning to England in the year 1785. He took rooms in Brewer Street, and was visited by man of letters Horace Walpole, and John Wilkes. He had readopted women's clothes, and was described as looking like a lusty dame. The female guise wasn't always a success by this stage of his life, however, and Dr Johnson's biographer James Boswell recorded that, 'She appears to me a man in woman's clothes'.
When the French Revolution toppled the monarchy, the pension that had been granted him under the Transaction suddenly evaporated, and he sold parts of his beloved library, his lace and jewellery, his pistols, and even his Order of St Louis medal to help make ends meet. Several of his relatives were guillotined during the Terror.In around 1796 his finances took another turn for the worse when his fencing career was curtailed by a serious wound, and he spent five months in prison for debt in 1804.
Because his income was so small, he was forced to share rooms with a widow called Mrs Cole at 26 New Milman Street. She kept house for him for fourteen years. He died peacefully in New Milman Street on 21 May 1810. To solve the mystery of his sex once and for all, a post-mortem examination was carried out by several doctors, including the surgeon Thomas Copeland, in the presence of Sir Sidney Smith and others. It was found that his male organs were 'in every respect perfectly formed', and it was noted that poor Mrs Cole, who had been convinced she was cohabiting with another woman, 'did not recover from the shock for many hours'.
On 28 May, and according to his wishes, d'Éon was buried here in the graveyard of St Pancras Old Church, and in his hands were placed a crucifix and a copy of the Imitation of Christ, which he mourned that he had so badly imitated. His grave was obliterated when the construction of the Midland Railway destroyed the churchyard in the Victorian period.


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Here we are at the Vietnam Dinner. This painting was brought to each table in a blatant attempt to drive up bidding.
At the dessert dash, the mini lemon cheesecakes made by our own Teresa were the very first dessert to be dashed away with!
The Sisters sang "City of God," a highlight of the evening.


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Hello All,
I feel like it's been a while since the last time I wrote a movie review but here I am writing a new one for your lovely eyes. About a week ago I published my book review for the book, Everything Everything. And after reading the book I had to see the movie. For those of you who haven't see the movie trailer I'll posted right now.
The movie follows the main character Madeline (Amandla Stenberg) who at about six month old was diagonised with SCIDs (Basically everything will make her sick) and never leaves her house. When a boy name Olly (Nick Robinson) moves in next door Madeline starts to fall in love with the real world but falling in love also makes her want to see the world outside of her house. Which ultimately causes Madeline and Olly to run away to Hawaii.
|LtoR: Olly (Robinson) & Madeline (Stenberger)
I loved that the movie followed the storyline of the books so closely. But at times the movie followed it to closely. The novel uses a lot of symbolism and the movie worked really hard to get the symbolism across. I feel that is great for award winning film but for film that is mainly going to draw a young adult audience it is too much. I feel like the average sixteen year old just doesn't care about the symbolism of the ocean. And this symbolism made the movie drag on forever.
|LtoR: Madeline (Stenberger) & Olly (Robinson)
I think the casting was spectacular. I loved the chemistry between Amandla Stenberger and Nick Robinson. It was sweet and romantic. It was the kind of chemistry that makes you believe that against all odds in a world where these characters are real they're going to make it. They also were exactly how I pictured these characters to be as I read the novel.
|LtoR: Pauline (Anika Noni Rose) & Madeline (Stenberger)
I did go and see the movie with Mama Judy who hadn't read the book said that certain parts were confusing to her. And she was able to find more plot holes then I did. But I feel that in some ways the plot holes were more noticeable in the movie.
|LtoR: Madeline (Stenberger) & Nick (Robinson)
I feel like this movie feeds into the old fact that books is always better then the movie. I feel like I would not have liked this movie as a stand alone but I did like it having read the book. I don't think I would be as quick to recommend this movie to people who haven't read the book. But if you have seen I do suggest seeing it and see those words come to life.
|Madeline (Stenberger)
Have you seen Everything Everything? Did you read the book before seeing the movie? What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments below.
*This post was not sponsored by any of the linked sites. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own
and I was in no way compensated for mentioning them ***


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Join stilt walkers and performers from Borillow Entertainment for a circus parade around 40 West Arts District during our 2nd Art Walk of 2017! Grab a balloon or clown nose and join the parade that leaves 40W Gallery at 6pm and will make stops at each gallery or creative venue along the 1.5 mile loop. Plus, don't miss live music at Momentum Park along the way. Costumes are encouraged! This is a great event for the whole family.
Several creative destinations will be open during the Art Walk. Start your evening at 40W Gallery's Opening Reception for "The Inner Child" and grab a map for all of the other open galleries, studios and creative businesses. From interactive art and kids activities to beer, wine and live music, take the time to check out all of our partner locations open during this FREE Art Walk. You won't want to miss a thing.
"The Inner Child" exhibit covers innocence, creativity, awkwardness and resilience. What is the story of your inner child?


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Monday, July 09, 2007
Redemption for Rice
So, I don't know why I stared Christ the Lord. I certainly didn't expect to finish, and I wasn't sure I could suffer fifty pages. But what I found in those first fifty pages, and in the two hundred sixty-nine to follow, was a work of art. There were times during my read (which took place in one spot on my comfy leather sofa over a period of a day and a half) when I had to remind myself that I wasn't reading the inspired Word. It is a craftsman's book, written by a skilled master of the language and capable of opening a hole in the head of the reader to expose her to a side of reality not previously considered. Rice writes the childhood of Christ, detailing how he came to discover his divinity as his ability to understand the will of God developed. Up until now, the best answer I had for the question all of us must ask (How did Jesus know?) was something like "Well, how did you know you were a girl?" I finally feel I have some sort of a real answer.
In the portrait of a very real boy, I saw a glimpse of divinity and gained a sense of the wonder of the Nativity that I hadn't considered. That God would make his son venture to earth as a baby and trust him to the care of ordinary people is more amazing to me then ever. To me, this fact dignifies the human condition in a way we long for. It purges the last hint of gnosticism from the religious ambrosia I've been concocting unknown all these years. Christ came to earth as a Child. A gift of God to be nurtured and cared for by ordinary people. To me, this is as much evidence of the love of God for his creation as Christ's eventual death on the cross. Rice offers a precious gift with her story of a boy-Christ growing in wisdom and knowledge. Come and wonder with me, she says, knowing as only a lover of Christ could know what joy comes from the contemplation of the greatest mystery of all: Christ came. Christ died. Christ will come again.
I wrote many novels without my being aware that they reflected my quest for meaning in a world without God. Anne Rice
7 comments:
- Laura said...
Speaking of reading, I just finished reading Breathing Space by Heidi Neumark. I kept thinking I that I want to recommend this book to you -- maybe because of the urban issues you were dealing with in the neighborhood a few months ago. Well-written and thought provoking.
- July 09, 2007
- susan said...
I just reserved it at the Birmingham Public Library. I am excited. Thanks for the head's up. I think about you guys all the time.
- July 09, 2007
- G. Twilley said...
Well, you guys are always free to visit if you're thinking about us that much;-).
Thanks for sharing the review, you definitely piqued my interest...
- July 12, 2007
- susan said...
David has to go to Boston sometime, and he was just asking me if he thought it would take a long time to get to Philly from there.
- July 12, 2007
- susan said...
that should be...if I thought...
- July 12, 2007
- G. Twilley said...
from boston to Philly, it may be about 7-9 hours [I could be wrong about this]. However, if you purchase the tickets soon enough, RT tickets are only $99 or so [I think]. Also, we recently purchased tickets from PHL to BHM [round trip] for $176 for thanksgiving...
- July 13, 2007
- susan said...
Gosh. Everything looks all squished up together up there, but I guess it isn't.
- July 14, 2007


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Cars 100 years and old typically fall into the antique class and this particular includes the "Brass Period car" that are described by the Horseless Buggy Club of America (HCCA) as "any pioneer gasoline, steam and electric motor vehicle built or created just before January 1, 1916. "
The "classic" expression is normally applied loosely by owners to any car.
Legitimately, most states have time-based rules for that definition of "historic" or "classic" regarding purposes such as vintage vehicle registration. For instance, Maryland defines historic vehicles as 20 calendar many years old or older and they "must not have already been substantially altered, remodeled or remanufactured from the manufacturers original design"[3] while West Virginia describes motor vehicles produced from least quarter of a century previous to the particular current year as entitled for "classic" car license plates.
Despite this, at many American classic vehicle shows, automobiles typically variety from the 1920s in order to the 1970s. Recently, numerous 1980s and even early 1990s cars are regarded as being "classic automobiles". Illustrations of cars at such shows include the Chevy Bel-Air, Ford Model T, Dodge Charger, Ford Deuce Coupe, and 1949 Ford. Meanwhile, the Concours d'Elegance car shows feature renowned automobiles like the Cadillac V16 or pre-1940 Rolls-Royce models. There are also words as "modern customs", "exotics", or "collectibles" that protect cars for example the AMC Gremlin or Ford Pinto.
Presently there are distinctions in the specific identification of a "classic car". Division by separate eras include: horseless carriages (19th-century experimental automobiles for example the Daimler Motor Carriage), antique cars (brass era vehicles like the Ford Model T), and classic cars (typically 1930s cars including the Cord 812). Some also consist of muscle cars, with the 1974 model year because the cutoff.
The Classic Car Club of The united states describes a CCCA Traditional as a "fine" or "distinctive" automobile, either American or foreign built, created between 1915 and 1948.
The CCCA is dedicated to the preservation and pleasure of select cars that "are distinguished by their respective fine design, higher engineering standards and exceptional workmanship. "Other differentiating factors : including engine displacement, custom coachwork, and luxury accessories for example power brakes, power clutch, and "one-shot" or programmed lubrication systems -- help determine whether the car is considered the CCCA Classic.The cars on their own list "represent the peak of engineering, styling and design for their era. inch
Any CCCA member may petition for a vehicle to join record. Such applications are thoroughly scrutinized, but rarely is a new vehicle type accepted. Moreover, no commercial automobiles such as hearses, ambulances, or race cars are usually accepted like a Full Classic.
The CCCA maintains this definition of "classic car" and uses phrases this kind of as CCCA Classic or the trademarked Full Classic. The particular CCCA has estimated that will 1, 366, 843 "American Classics" were built
There is absolutely no fixed definition of the classic car. Two taxation issues do impact however, leading to some folks using them as cutoff dates. All cars built before January 1, 1976, are exempted from spending the twelve-monthly road taxes vehicle excise duty. This really is then entered on the licence disc displayed on the windscreen as "historic vehicle" (if a car built before this day has been first authorized in 1975 or afterwards, then its build date would have to become verified with a recognised body such as British Electric motor Heritage Foundation to declare tax-free status). HM Revenue and Customs define the classic car for business taxation purposes as getting over 15 years aged and having a value within excess of £15, 000.[15] Additionally, popular acclaim through a sizable number of classic car magazines performs a crucial role in whether or not a car comes to be considered to be a classic.
It is all subjective and a matter associated with opinion. The elimination of depreciation is a reason for buying a traditional car; this is the major price of owning a modern car.
Picking 'future classics' that are present 'bangers' is a pastime of men and women into classic cars in the united kingdom. Successfully picking plus buying you can lead to the profit for the customer as well as providing transport. An immaculate well cared for prestige design with high running expenses that impacts its worth, but is not however old enough to become regarded as a vintage, could be a good purchase, for example


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If I came this way, if I went that way, if I took that turn instead of the other, if I said 'yes' instead of 'no'.
Where would I be. Who would I be. What would I be if I took the other path?
I wish I didn't say that, I wish I could be there, i wish I could do that.
I will be organised, I will do that, I will be there.
I don't know what will happen, should I stay?
What is she thinking?
I want to be here, I want to be there.
Lost, never really on a clear path. How can life be that clear? There are too many questions, even once you think you have answered them all and are contempt with them, the same core questions will again rise, but in a slightly altered state. Lost isn't necessarily negative, questions do not always need to have an end. Life is being lost, but within being lost you discover. Instead of trying to grasp and answer the questions that send you to the unknown, take a step into what is unknown, challenge yourself.


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I'm currently running my Solo Photography Exhibition at Quality Art and Framing on 48th and 2nd avenue here in Manhattan. I'm raising awareness for Epilepsy being a former epileptic myself. When I was 3 years old I had my 1st seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy, but by 12 I was healed. I was on medication 3 times a day for 9 years. Today I feel fine and thank the Lord for all His blessings.
This is Sam. Sam came to America over 33 years ago. I was fortunate enough to meet him one day by just walking inside his store. I asked him if I could turn his frame shop into a photography gallery. He obliged and was super friendly. He was kind enough to take me, a young artist under his wing and invested in me, believed in me, and took time out of his life to allow me to use his shop to do my 1st solo art exhibition. A very special thank-you goes out to Sam. You the man Sam.
Country Boy~City Belle
Matt, Owner and CEO of
Cal from FlowerSchool New York.
Thank you very much for the special bouquet.
We had wine, grapes, cupcakes, light h'orderves, and flowers courtesy of FlowerSchool New York. It was a successful event and I'm very thankful for all those who were so supportive.
The photograph above is shot from a cab coming into the City- the painting is called, "He said, She said." 4X8 acrylic on canvas. The smaller photo is
good times
my paintings....
That's Alanna Bess in the middle. I hung each one of those roses myself. The idea was to create an upside down garden. After the roses died they crystalized and are still hanging. Everyone liked them. People came in and said, "Oh my I love the flowers, it's BIG in Europe." I was very happy to hear that considering I stole the idea from a Heavy Metal bar in Brooklyn.
I gave a speech regarding epilepsy. During any event or show that I'm involved with, I always try and bring a cause to the forefront. Lifestyle + Charity inspired me a few years ago to give back. They were nice enough to run a small press release of the event. If you're beside someone who has a seizure you should take ACTION:
A: Access the situation.
C: Cushion the head.
T: Time of seizure?
I: Identify the person.
O: Over on side
N: Never put object in mouth.
after 3 minutes call 911
after 3 minutes call 911
They tweeted us as well.
Thanks a lot Lifestyle + Charity
a very good sign...
until next time,
Country Boy~City Belle
Event Photography by Jeremy T. Copeland
Quality Art and Framing
909 2nd Avenue
Btw 48th and 49th
New York, NY 10017


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This is my first time posting a tread in MT so here goes nothing.
I was thinking about how truly wonderful anime, manga and books are. I love all of them, and if I notice anything outside of my books at all, it's a good day. People think I'm childish for liking such things but there is a reason for it. I read books because I love to learn about things, even things that aren't real and be able to understand things that other people can't even see. I read manga and watch anime because I'm hopelessly cynical and pessemistic. In anime/manga, 9 times out of 10 the good guys win and everything works out somehow in the end. Things like that don't happen in real life and if only for a little while I wanna belive that good people will be rewarded and that the bad guys will have a second chance to repent and help people. I realize that is naive thinking but in the real world I'm a realistic and pessemistic as anyone can ask for, but for a little while I wanna belive that good things can happen.


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I'm almost finished with my three part Feather Flower Tutorial. In my next tutorial, I'll be teaching two techniques that can create three kinds of feather flower styles. I'm already finished with the photos. I just need to add instructions for the last part and I'm done!
A lot of projects can be done in this tutorial that one can incorporate in their craft businesses. In my next posts, I'll be teaching different kinds of craft projects using these feather and flower designs. I will teach how to create lovely bouquets, fascinators, clips, and other awesome projects that one can use to give as presents, to decorate the home, or to explore a new business idea. This tutorial will be available in my ETSY shop and in my Official Shop in a few days.
I hope someday I'll make Martha Stewart proud. :D


text: Info for Sunrise on the Monon Residents Pay Your Rent Online Submit your rent payment simply and safely with our online portal. You can also schedule automatic monthly payments. Request Service Is there a problem in your apartment home? Submit a maintenance request, any time, any day, and our maintenance team will get right on the job. For emergency service, please call 317-708-0232. Change Contact Info Have an updated phone number or email address? Keep your records current so we can stay in touch. Utility Info Find contact information for local electricity, utilities, and internet/phone/cable providers.


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Tuesday, March 23, 2010
My bears in South Africa!
I found two more of my bears on the Mother Bear Project website! I recognized them because of the funny jumpsuits I was making for a while. These two are in South Africa, adding to the two bears I've seen in Namibia, one in Zimbabwe, and fifty or sixty more that haven't shown up in pictures (yet).
Posted by EmptyKnits at 9:23 PM
Labels: mother bear project
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Exclusive Interview with Pb Hassan
Life experiences inspire me also new music that may come out. And basically things that just get me excited.
1. How long have you been in the music industry and has music always been a part of your life?
I've been in the music industry 15 years plus and yes music has always been a part of my life.
2. Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, "music is what I want to do"?
Yes there was a specific moment in my life when I thought music was what I wanted to do I was young and I used to listen to the radio Non-Stop and I loved to perform.
3. What inspires you (or your music)?
Life experiences inspire me also new music that may come out. And basically things that just get me excited.
4. Who's on your iTunes playlist?'
My iTunes playlists consist of: oldies, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and soul -- such as Jay-Z, Chance the Rapper , old school hip hop, Musiq Soulchild, Anthony Hamilton, Najee, Jodeci, Drake and many others.
5. The project you are currently promoting, how did the idea for it come about?
It was my cousin's birthday party and we were singing the traditional Happy Birthday song and I thought no one has ever did on a mainstream Hip Hop Street birthday song. The ideas begin to flow quickly and easily and then it was created.
6. There are thousands of artists trying to do what you are doing, what do you think gives you an advantage to break into mainstream America?
My charisma, my delivery, my flow, my honesty and my versatility is what gives me the advantage to break into mainstream America.
7. I've heard your latest music and it's amazing! I can definitely tell your sound has evolved over the past few years from previous songs we've heard from you online. What are your thoughts on the evolution of an artist and the evolution of music today?
I think evolution is great, everything must change and we all must have different experiences. I love how artists evolve, try different things and new sounds, it shows growth.
8. Do you have other passions in life? Do you believe passion is an essential part of success?
I have the passion to create and to see people enjoy music, whether is dancing, bobbing there head, rocking out to it and basically just vibeing to it. And yes I believe passion is an essential part of success because there are a lot of ups and downs and obstacles that come along with pursuing a successful career in music but the passion is what makes you keep coming back to succeed.
9. With your current success and working with a renowned PR firm such as Starlight PR, What advice would you give to someone just starting out in his or her career who doesn't even have a studio to record but would love to do what you are doing now?
The advice I would give is -- Do your homework , be original, follow your heart and take risk.
10. Where can potential fans find out more about you?
Potential fans can find out more about me at:
- http://artistecard.com/pbhassan1
- http://soundcloud.com/pbhassan
- instagram.com/pb_hassan_
- https://www.facebook.com/pb.hassan1
- https://www.reverbnation.com/pbhassan
01Swalla Jason Derulo Featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign02Chained to the Rhythm Katy Perry03Love Lana Del Ray041990x MAXWELL05Permission Ro James
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Source: Stockholm Streetstyle
I love the way this guy looks and it would be nice to see more guys dressed like this. He makes it look so easy, but what I think really does it, is the perfectly fitted pants and shirt. And I know that espadrilles are in this summer and I know that many people aren't so much a fan of them but the sailor striped espadriles that this guy is wearing are just right! Together with the bag, they add a nice pop of blue to the neutral tones of his outfit.


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While wearing jeans to work for casual day is a common thing, wearing jeans to work on a particular day in late April to protest against sexual violence is an international movement now being recognized in New Brunswick.
Staff at the New Brunswick Association for Community Living were participating in Denim Day on Wednesday for the first time and wearing stickers that say "Ask me why I'm wearing denim today."
Development co-ordinator Elizabeth Kearns said it's a good way to get the conversation started about consent and to honour victims of sexual violence.
Denim Day started in 1996 after after an Italian Supreme Court decision involving an 18-year-old woman. The man convicted of sexually assaulting the woman saw his conviction overturned because the court felt the girl's jeans were so tight she must have helped remove them, and therefore been consenting. Women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to work in protest.
Shocking statistics
Kearns said the day is important to the Community Living group because girls and women with disabilities are 10 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than other girls and women.
Boys and men are four to 10 times more likely to be sexually assaulted.
"I was shocked when I first read those statistics," Kearns said of the 2007 report.
"People who have an intellectual disability are definitely vulnerable but I had no idea that the numbers were so high."
The report said that during their lifetimes, 83 per cent of women and 40 per cent of men with intellectual disabilities are sexually abused.
Kearns said keeping the conversation going is important, and Denim Day helps with that.
"It creates the awareness of Canadians who have an intellectual disability who are victims of abuse."
Kearns said she hopes more organizations take part in Denim Day in the future to help raise awareness about the issue and the importance of consent.
"There are many different populations in our province who would be susceptible or victims of sexual violence," she said. "It's a great way to start a conversation and the more people are aware, hopefully the risk will reduce."


text: Sorry I lied , Lied a million times to you. Hiding the pain and just , Smiling in-front of you ! You asked me, "What's wrong?", I wanted to scream, "Everything", But I lied, "All's good". You asked me, "Did anything happened today?" I lied, "No nothing" "Everything is fine" You asked me, "Are you crying?" I lied, "No, why would I cry" "I am happy" You asked me, "How was your day?" I wanted to tell you All the shit that had happened that day, But I lied, "My day was just usual, like everyday " You asked me, "What did you do the whole day?" I wanted to cry, Like I had been crying That whole day, But I lied, "I did some home stuff and studies" I know you knew something was wrong, I know you knew that I was in pain, I know you knew that I was lying, I know you might be hurt after reading this, But I had to lie. Lie beacause You were entering a new phase of your life, Phase for which you had toiled so much. I just had no right to snatch that happiness from you, To deprive you of the smiles you deserved. I didn't want to loathe you with my depression, I just couldn't be so selfish. Hence, I lied. I know you would have been there when I cried, When I was depressed. But I didn't want to sadden you by my sorrow tales. I wanted you to be happy, And believe That I was happy too. Because Seeing you happy, Somewhere made me happy too !


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A new trailer for the game Shadow Blade: Reload has confirmed the PS4 and Vita will be getting a welcome boost in ninja action gaming. Veteran gamers of the original Ninja Gaiden series will appreciate the classic style of the 2D ninja action genre. The game will feature 7 chapters spanning 60 levels worth in story mode as well as include a challenge mode and a level editor if you're feeling creative. There's also a PvP race mode where you can compete against 3 other players.
To get a glimpse of the game for yourself check out the trailer below. I also suggest you head on over to the game's main site here to check out the great looking artwork for the game.


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"diary of bird breeding and ornithology: birds described from different point of view"
Top site lists are a simple, but powerful system for exposing your site to millions. If accepted into our exclusive network this is a great opportunity to grow your site.
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WaitHandle.IDisposable.Dispose Method
.NET Framework (current version)
This API supports the .NET Framework infrastructure and is not intended to be used directly from your code.
Releases all resources used by the WaitHandle.
Namespace: System.Threading
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
This is an explicit interface implementation. It can only be called by casting (in C#) or converting (in Visual Basic) a WaitHandle object to an IDisposable interface object. Instead, you should call the Close or the Dispose method.


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The Return Of Curious George
April 8, 2008 at 5:48 pm Cheeky 2 comments
Gee, for someone who isn't religious, I sure like to talk about it, huh?
I am a very open minded person and I do not judge when it comes to things like this. I, for one am not religious and in a few days you will become more familiar as to why that is.
I am just curious and want to ask others regardless of religions or beliefs, what do you believe in and why?
Entry filed under: Curious, Curious George, Daily, Enquiring Minds Wanna Know, Life, Me, Religion, Thinking, Thoughts. Tags: Beliefs, Curious, Religion.
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