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Sometimes I imagine the puzzle game masterminds at PopCap as mad scientists, all hunched over a table in a dark underground laboratory, doing something unworldly to their games to make them as addictive as they are. In recent memory, titles Plants vs. Zombies and the various incarnations of Peggle have eaten more productive hours than they should have, and now a follow-up to one of PopCap's classics is doing the same.
The original Zuma consumed me for a long while, and a version later released on Xbox Live Arcade did it again. Finally, after a bit of a rest, PopCap comes back with a fantastic sequel that adds boss battles, new power-ups and a vastly improved presentation and graphics. Great. There goes my free time again.
Zuma's Revenge, at its core, has the same basic game play as its predecessor. You control a stationary frog that can only spin in place and shoot colored balls into moving rows of other colored balls. Matching three or more of the same colored balls causes them to disappear. Your goal is to eliminate these balls before they travel along their path to the stage end point. You and your frog fail if any ball should reach that endpoint. Your reflexes and short-term memory are put to the test in levels of gradually increasing difficulty.
Whatever, dude.
This sequel adds quite a bit of new concepts and play styles to the original formula. One of the most significant changes is the frog's ability to move around a bit more. For the most part, he's still spinning in place, but some stages have him sliding back and forth, and others have a few pre-set lily pads for him to move to at his leisure. For these stages, you'll do less waiting for the proper balls to come around. This is a great thing, as the freedom of movement keeps you in the action.
Several new power-ups have been added to the Zuma formula. Laser eyes let you zap out any offending balls, while lightning lets you select a ball and have all balls of that same color eliminated at once. There's also a new precision aiming power-up that puts a visual guide between the frog and the balls. Finally, a triple shot power-up lets you take out any balls in your chosen path.
Boss battles are a welcome addition. Zuma frog will travel to different themed sections of this island, blasting his way through various stages until he comes across a boss. Each of these bosses, all types of tiki gods, will present challenges of increasing difficulty. In most of these, the frog will be able to slide left-to-right freely, working to eliminate rows of balls to access the boss behind them. After a few shots to the face, the boss is taken down. Later bosses add other elements and challenges, like blast blocking baddies that have to be taken out first. One boss later in the game can summon swarms of mosquitoes to get in your way. Should you be stung, your reaction time is slowed, making it even harder to take out the boss. These bosses help break up the puzzle game play with more of an action element. Oh, and they all have something funny to say when you finally take them down.
Laser eyes.
In the main mode, Adventure mode, there are 60 levels in six stages. Should you manage to get through that, you can take on other modes with ramped-up challenges. Another mode, Challenge mode, hits you with fast-paced level-based challenges. Finally, an Iron Frog mode presents levels that leave no room for error. It's a ball buster, if you will.
Zuma's Revenge has also seen upgrades in the presentation department. The stages are now vibrant and visually varied, and some new visual effects add polish. The new stages look great, and there's even an underwater stage in the mix. While its predecessor looked fine, it's visually bland in comparison to Revenge. Thanks to higher resolution modes, the game looked nice in 1920 by 1080. As far as sound effects go, things are mostly unchanged. Thankfully, though, they've added new music, which changes according to what section of the island you're on. Zuma's music was great, but there was little in the way of variation.
With Zuma, what begins as something simple gradually becomes deeper, as you start to see patterns and strategies spinning in your head. Zuma's Revenge adds to that new power-ups, stages, movements and even boss battles. Puzzle fans, expect to be engrossed. One of the best and most addictive puzzle games ever has now become even better and even more addicting.
Score: 8 — Great (8s are impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.)


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Monthly Meeting – Friday, November 17
Friday, November 17, is the regular monthly meeting of the Orange County Amateur Radio Club at Munger Cottage in Cornwall, 7:30pm. FCC License exams will be administered at 6:00pm. Meeting topics will include amateur digital modes, with live demonstration. Also, welcoming new licensees from the October Technician class, and discussion of holiday party and year end activities.

subset: commoncrawl


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Form VI pupils celebrate secondary school offers
Form VI pupils celebrate offers from a host of outstanding secondary schools
Friday 1st March 2019 was National Offer Day, when thousands of parents across Essex found out which secondary school their child has been offered. All of our Form VI pupils were delighted with their secondary school offers, which included 11 offers of places at the Colchester grammar schools. We are very proud of all of our Form VI pupils and would like to congratulate each and every one of them.
Parents can now relax and children can enjoy the summer before embarking on the next exciting adventure.
Published on: 4th March 2019


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From this posting, the blog goes on a
vacation a few days into the new year, when we plan on returning with
a bang. Needless to say, Crestock Stock Images will carry on doing
business through the holidays.
first couple months, 2008 has been a great year for Crestock. In
building up our long term server capability, we made a server move in
January, which resulted in a whole host of technical issues, which
unfortunately took months to fully resolve.
The closure of the forum
was part of the problem, and we where forced to shut it down and
start work on a brand new forum, which was belatedly launched last
All these issues hurt traffic and sales, but once we got them
all cleared up, the arrow has been pointing ever upwards.
the whole
year, sales at Crestock has doubled, the number of approved images
has risen by 150% while monthly unique visitors has risen by 250%
between January and November of this year. All this in spite of the
troubles we had in the first months of the year.
While such a massive
increase in traffic in many cases doesn't translate directly into increased sales,
it does in our case since it's from high converting sources such as search engines and from other websites. This again means that potential customers will have a better
chance of coming across Crestock when looking for stock image
As our surveys among existing customers shows, those who do
try out Crestock are overwhelmingly positive about our product. Of course there's always room for improvement, but to
sum all of this up: Our collection is growing rapidly, sales are up,
traffic is up and thus also our visibility to potential customers,
whom, if they try us out, can't seem to get enough.
the great
image collection we've now got, a well designed and well functioning
website and impressive traffic, the business side of Crestock is set for
a massive 2009.
As for
this blog,
it's been a good year too. Up until this fall, the activity level has
been a bit up and down, but we've published some great posts. In the
few months, we've been able to rack up a higher level of quality and
activity which we plan on carrying on into the new year.
forward, we've got
some great stuff coming up in the blog for 2009. In the meanwhile,
check out (or re-visit) our most popular and interesting posts from the
last year:


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From Céline Dion to Lauryn Hill: 30 women who have changed music
Whether it was Ma Rainey's soulful groan, Dolly Parton's heartfelt lyrics or Patti Smith's experimental style, women have been a force to be reckoned with, inspired by and pay attention to since music existed. They've created their own identities by breaking records, shattering barriers and changing the landscape.
In the list below — whether the genre is jazz, punk, pop or R&B — we look at women who are pioneers and trailblazers, changing the music industry by challenging social norms. These women have not only paved a path for their own music, but have inspired a new generation of sound and confidence.
We've also curated a stream for all the amazing women on this list. Take a listen above while you read and scroll.
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie has always been fearless with her work. The result? A distinct, original sound that's timeless. In addition to her musical catalogue, she's been outspoken throughout her career, as early as when her song "Universal Soldier" became an anthem for the 1960s peace movement. That, combined with her efforts fighting for Indigenous rights, led Sainte-Marie to be blacklisted in the Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon years.
In the 1970s, Sainte-Marie re-emerged on Sesame Street. Instead of the requested counting appearance, she wanted to do Native American programming on the show, making Indigenous culture visible on an international platform. From 1976-1981, Sainte-Marie was a regular on Sesame Street, speaking about breastfeeding, music and Indigenous culture. In an interview with CKOM she says, "At the time, breastfeeding was totally overwhelmed by the formula companies so that young mothers recovering from childbirth, they would have a big basket of formula. The doctors didn't understand how to teach them how to breastfeed." For more than half a century, Sainte-Marie has been an inspiration to many, carving a path for Indigenous artists and inspiring musicians, educators and activists of all backgrounds.
— Kiah Welsh (@simplykiah)
Joni Mitchell
Buffy Sainte-Marie carried Joni Mitchell's tape in her bag and played the unknown singer-songwriter's music for anyone who would listen, so convinced was she of Mitchell's genius. By 1971, the rest of the world shared Sainte-Marie's view: Mitchell was among the greatest new talents of her generation, and one of the only women in a landscape crowded by male folkies who monopolized the conversation and sought to establish themselves as the authoritarian voices of the counter-culture.
Mitchell's contributions were radical in ways that had nothing to do with macho posturing and everything to do with writing narratives that presented as both feminine and universal, and crafting song structures that were the envy of every songwriter around the world. Her fourth album, 1971's Blue, is among the most perfect records of all time ("River," "A Case of You," "Blue") and it's easy to hear its influence on the latter half of the folk-rock movement as it morphed into AM gold.
— Andrea Warner (@_AndreaWarner)
Tanya Tagaq
Many of the names we have on this list are here because of each artist's historical accomplishments, but Tanya Tagaq is an artist who is here for what she is doing in music right now. A celebrated songwriter and live performer who won the Polaris Music Prize with her 2014 album Animism, Tagaq was named to the Order of Canada last year for her contributions to Canadian culture. On her latest album, Retribution, you can hear her fearlessly advocate for the things that matter to her most: the environment, missing and murdered Indigenous women, sexism and racism in music — the list goes on. Outspoken, trailblazing and utterly unique, Tagaq is bringing throat singing into the mainstream and changing our idea of what Canadian music sounds like today.
— Andrea Gin (@andreagin)
Leontyne Price
Perseverance personified, Leontyne Price began her trajectory in segregated Laurel, Miss., and ended up in the world's leading opera houses where she was hailed as the greatest soprano of her age. "That's what makes our country so great, you can achieve what you set out to, you just got to want it," she said. It didn't hurt that she had a voice that combined power and precision with astonishing beauty. Within weeks of her January 1961 Metropolitan Opera debut in Verdi's Il Trovatore, she sang four other leading roles, landing her on the March cover of Time magazine. Her Aïda, Tosca and Leonora are still references. A Black woman who rose to the top of the all-white opera world at the height of the civil rights movement in the U.S., Price opened doors for generations to follow.
— Robert Rowat (@rkhr)
Tina Turner
Born Anna Mae Bullock, Tina Turner grew up in rural Tennessee and began her career at the side of a notoriously controlling, abusive husband — but not only did she manage to emerge from that abuse, Turner propelled herself to the top of the charts with her groundbreaking hybrid of rock and R&B. Her hits with Ike Turner included the high-octane covers "Proud Mary," "River Deep, Mountain High" and "A Fool in Love." But the worldwide megahits began in the early '80s with a string of powerhouse songs that included an unforgettable cover of the Al Green classic "Let's Stay Together; What's Love Got to Do With It" (which landed three Grammys including record of the year), the title track from her top-selling album Private Dancer, the stadium rock-sized "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" (featured in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome), and "The Best," which remains a staple of rock radio.
In the process, Turner's also become one of the most revered live performers — and one of the best-selling artists of all time. In her 1986 autobiography, Turner wrote, "Sometimes you've got to let everything go — purge yourself. I did that. I had nothing, but I had my freedom. My message here … is: If you are unhappy with anything — your mother, your father, your husband, your wife, your job, your boss, your car — whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out."
— Jennifer Van Evra (@jvanevra)
Gloria Estefan
In 1985, when the Miami Sound Machine released "Conga" on its album Primitive Love, crossover dreams came true. And with it, one of the group's four members, Cuban singer Gloria Estefan, earned the title of original crossover queen. With seven Grammys, numerous other awards and more than 100 million albums sold, Estefan is arguably the most popular and pioneering crossover artist in Latin music history. An inductee to the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, in 2015 Estefan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from U.S. President Barack Obama for her musical achievements and for "paving the way for countless other Latin artists to follow."
— Tahiat Mahboob (@tahiatmahboob)
Alanis Morissette
While "Too Hot" Alanis created teen pop music for the industry machine, Jagged Little Pill Alanis gave voice to a woman who was done letting other people use her for their benefit. Released exactly in the middle of the '90s — June 1995 — Morissette's confessional reached women who didn't see themselves at the front with Riot Grrrls or in Lilith Fair's tents — while effectively making music for all of us. She paved a 33-million-albums-sold-sized lane for musicians like Fiona Apple, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and even Taylor Swift at a time when Morissette was told that radio stations were already playing one female musician, and didn't need another — which didn't last long after "You Oughta Know" was released. With one eponymous pill, Morissette added a fierce, mainstream wave to the changing tide.
— Holly Gordon (@hollygowritely)
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill redefined hip-hop with the release of her debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. She infused R&B and reggae with hip-hop, creating a different sound that would be influential to artists after her such as Adele, Beyoncé, John Legend and many more. In a 1999 interview with Rolling Stone, Hill explained her creative process: "[I wanted to] write songs that lyrically move me and have the integrity of reggae and the knock of hip-hop and the instrumentation of classic soul."
Miseducation sold more than 420,000 copies in its first week, and would later be the first hip-hop album to win a Grammy for album of the year. Throughout Hill's album she was honest, writing about her personal experiences in her lyrics, helping to create an avenue for socially conscious dialogue in that genre of music. — KW
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Tharpe was gospel royalty and the godmother of rock 'n' roll, but she was also among the greatest living electric guitarists throughout her incredible life. She inspired everybody from Little Richard and Johnny Cash to Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, and was the first person to have a gospel hit cross over to the R&B charts. Watching Tharpe behind her instrument and her microphone, it's a total thrill to watch her own the spotlight, to see this extraordinary woman showcase her talent and virtuosity with so much joy and conviction. — AW
Nina Simone
Storyteller, singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, civil rights activist — Nina Simone is a singular artist whose music was popular around the globe. From 1959's breakthrough song "I Loves You Porgy" to "A Single Woman" in 1993, Simone recorded 40 original albums during a career that spanned four decades. Her music is known for being so innovative that it was uncategorizable; it included classical influences and piano technique influenced by cocktail jazz, and also incorporated elements of folk, pop, gospel and blues. She was also a leading voice of the U.S. civil rights movement, writing "Mississippi Goddam" in response to the 1963 assassination of Medgar Evers and the Birmingham church bombing that killed four young African-American girls. — AG
If we started listing Beyoncé's exhaustive list of awards and nominations, the entire essay would write itself. So here are a few: she is the most nominated woman ever in Grammy history; she has the most MTV Video Music Awards; she has the most simultaneous Billboard hits of any female artist. But how she has reshaped the music industry goes far beyond her accolades. From redefining how new music is released to putting an emphasis on the visual consumption of it, Beyoncé has been a trailblazer. Not only has she refused to conform, but she has constantly found ways to challenge the status quo with each new album. In 2016, she took it to a whole new level, first with the song "Formation" and then with the release of her sixth album, Lemonade. With it, the unapologetic feminist drew attention to gender politics while paying homage to Black women, and reshaped conversations around these issues all at once. — TM
Marian Anderson
A contralto with a wide vocal range and an otherworldly timbre, Marian Anderson also became a pseudo-political figure. Her voice caught the attention of Arturo Toscanini, who called her a once-in-a-century singer, and yet because she was Black, the Daughters of the American Revolution blocked her from giving a concert at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., in 1939. In response, President Roosevelt invited Anderson to sing (for more than 75,000) on the steps of the Lincoln monument, an occasion later immortalized in a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1955, Anderson became the first Black soloist to sing a role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Today, we marvel at her ability to create art in such fraught circumstances, and wonder what might have been had so many doors been opened instead of slammed shut. — RR
Shania Twain
In the late '90s, Shania Twain shot to stardom by creating the modern pop and country crossovers that we know today. Twain's second album, The Woman in Me, sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and her third album, Come on Over, became the best-selling studio album of all time by a female act in any genre, as well as the best-selling country album, with more than 40 million copies sold worldwide. Twain gave country music a new twist with songs such as "From this Moment On" and "Honey I'm Home," making country music that appealed to a wider audience. Her influence can be heard in artists such as Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and more. — KW
Emily Lazar
Each one of Emily Lazar's Grammy nominations have been firsts. In 2012: first female mastering engineer nominated for album of the year (Wasting Light, Foo Fighters). In 2014: first female mastering engineer up for record of the year ("Chandelier," Sia). In 2016: first female mastering engineer nominated for best engineered album, non-classical (Recreational Love, the Bird and the Bee). Since opening her Greenwich Village-based studio, the Lodge, in 1997, Lazar has mastered more than 2,000 albums, including projects from Tegan and Sara's Love you to Death and Braids' Deep in the Iris (and its accompanying EP, Companion) to Angel Olsen's My Woman and Haim's Days are Gone to Sia's This is Acting and a handful of David Bowie projects. She is literally changing music on a daily basis, but as a woman chipping away at the male stronghold that is master engineering, she continues to, as she told Billboard, "master everything like a girl." — HG
Bessie Smith
There are many things that aren't fully known about Bessie Smith — what day she was born, how she got her start, and who exactly helped her rise to fame. But one thing is certain: for years she held court as the "empress of the blues." Known for her powerhouse vocal style, Smith helped to popularize the blues with hits such as "Crazy Blues" and "Downhearted Blues," and sold hundreds of thousands of records — almost unheard of for the 1920s. Smith also worked with famed performers including Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins and Joe Smith. Because of the Great Depression and the end of the vaudeville era, in the 1930s Smith's star faded. But even so, after she died from a serious car accident at roughly 43 years old, 7,000 mourners attended her funeral. She paved the way for jazz, blues and rock greats from Billie Holiday to Etta James, as well as Janis Joplin — who, in 1970, had a headstone made for Smith's unmarked grave. It reads, "The Greatest Blues Singer in the World Will Never Stop Singing." — JVE
Aretha Franklin
Even though she is widely acknowledged as a cultural and musical icon, one cannot help but still be blown away by reading a list of Aretha Franklin's achievements. The singer, songwriter and musician has had a career spanning six decades, recording countless hit songs like "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" and "Think." Her hit song "Respect" became an anthem for women and Black empowerment during the civil rights movement in the United States, and in 1968 she performed at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She has won 18 Grammy Awards, and been honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Grammy Living Legend Award. To top things off, Rolling Stone put her at No. 1 in their ranking of "The Greatest Singers of All Time." In 2014, she celebrated having her 100th hit on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop charts with the single "Rolling in the Deep (the Aretha Version)," making her the first woman and fourth artist in history to have done so. — AG
Patti Smith
From "rock royalty" to "godmother of punk," Patti Smith has earned many titles as a pioneering catalyst for punk music. While she has tried to dismiss the misnomer of being a punk musician, her influence on the music world, which began with her 1975 debut album, Horses, is undeniable. From Madonna to Garbage's Shirley Manson, scores of musicians who followed list Smith as an influence. "One hopes that a work they do will resonate; it's still hard for me to comprehend that, but I just feel that if it's inspired people to do their own work, or gave them some kind of energy or helped them feel they're not alone … if it's done any good and continues to do any good, I'm really happy," said Smith, when asked about her impact. — TM
Since her debut in 1983, Madonna has been shaking up the music industry. Her controversial image and hard-hitting lyrics created a different dichotomy for women in music. Before her, every major pop star was male, ranging from Aerosmith to Elvis Presley. But as Madonna's popularity grew, so did her image. Her influence spread from music to video to fashion. Madonna's success showed that a woman could take control of her destiny, as well as the limelight. Her self-expression was fearless, speaking on issues considered taboo such as race, sex and power. Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide, and is recognized as the best-selling recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. — KW
Billie Holiday
Even though she is considered a legendary musician, songwriter and performer, it's really Billie Holiday's innovative vocal style that is responsible for her ongoing influence on American music. Her vocals were strongly influenced by jazz instrumentalists, and she developed a distinct way of manipulating phrasing and tempo in her songs. She is the recipient of four Grammy awards, all of them posthumous, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1973.
She is best known for singing "Strange Fruit," a powerful anti-racism statement about the lynching of African-Americans in the South, originally written by teacher Abel Meeropol as a poem. When, fearing controversy, her label Columbia refused to record it, Holiday recorded it for Commodore, a tiny label dedicated to alternative jazz run by her friend Milt Gabler. Her version of the song was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978. The power of her music, coupled with her emotive style and distinctive phrasing, have had a seminal influence on not only jazz music but also pop singing today. — AG
Ma Rainey
Known as the "mother of blues," Ma Rainey was one of the earliest African-American blues singers and one of the first generation of blues singers to record. She combined country and jazz, captivating a room whenever she'd perform onstage. She spoke about the Black experience, a first for her time. Musicians such as Billie Holiday would have never developed their bluesy style without Ma Rainey's influence. — KW
She's the only artist in history to be nominated for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, a Brit Award, a Mercury Prize, and an Alternative Turner Prize. She's also the first artist of Asian descent to receive an Academy and a Grammy nomination in the same year. But the trailblazing feats of English-Tamil rapper Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam go beyond her accolades. Better known by her stage name M.I.A., she is most known for her protest through music. Born in Britain to Tamil parents from Sri Lanka, much of her career has been a pushback against the Sri Lankan government as well as calling out things as she sees and experiences them, including the time she was denied re-entry to America because she matched the profile of a terrorist. Named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2009, M.I.A. has always striven to make music on her own terms, even when it means not confirming or caring about what critics think. — TM
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox has never been afraid to stand out. Aside from her creative style and trademark cropped, bright hair, Lennox introduced R&B to new wave with her group Eurythmics. In her solo career, she invented, as Rolling Stone notes, "a sort of new age soul, based around shimmering synths, horn blasts and, most important, layer upon layer of that voice." Lennox has won eight Brit Awards (including for best female British artist six times), several Grammys, a Billboard Century Award, and many more. Her debut solo album, Diva, sold more than 1.2 million copies, earning her a quadruple platinum certification. Whether it was through pop-punk, rock or jazz, Lennox never failed to push boundaries with her music. — KW
Marin Alsop
Glass ceiling, meet Marin Alsop. Whether it was making history as the first woman to head a major American orchestra or as the first female conductor of BBC's Last Night of the Proms, the 12th music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has all kinds of "first-ever" accolades on her extensive resumé. From a MacArthur Fellowship to an induction as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Alsop is a household name in her field, actively working to ensure more women conductors become part of the profession. — TM
Miriam Makeba
Legendary South African singer Miriam Makeba was a civil rights activist who spoke for millions in her country. Though her music was banned by apartheid authorities, Makeba stirred hopes of freedom. She was the first artist from Africa to popularize African music around the world, while her harmonic, eclectic style included Hebrew and Yiddish melodies, Haitian chants, Brazilian bossa novas and more. Makeba's first hit single, 1957's "Pata Pata," sexually satirizes the police's method of frisking. The song introduced a new genre of anti-apartheid music. — KW
Björk's is a world entirely of her own creation. She invites us inside it, presenting to us these monuments of human complexity (her extraordinary international 1993 debut, called, cleverly, Debut) and a woman's infinite capacity (her 2015 release, Vulnicura, with its resilient, jagged heart), and more artistry, experimentation and innovation than can be contained in any one museum.
Precise observations and excavations, animalistic gut instincts and bruised-heart storms, lush forests and sparse moonscapes, tiny miracles and cavernous, all-consuming dreams — and that's just considering the creative and technical achievement of her 2011 concept album, Biophilia, which was also a multimedia project and app. Björk listens, looks and feels with every nerve and synapse, ready to witness, consider, absorb, reflect and react all the time. She's not overly precious about her art, and yet this doesn't diminish its power or importance — if anything, in acknowledging the amount of actual work and time that goes into her carefully crafted executions, Björk roots even the most fantastical and outlandish creation in the labour of her genius.
She has no interest in the myth of creation; she yanks back the curtain and instead offers to show us the mechanisms of her moving parts, the intricacies of her wild creativity. The art is in the thinking, the utility, the manifestation and the experience, and there's nobody else on the planet who makes music like her, with limbs outstretched into so many different spheres — technology, science, music, art, communication — and with so much clarity and imagination. — AW
Céline Dion
Dion started off her career as a teen star in Quebec, singing only in French. Now, more than 30 years later, she holds the record for the best-selling French-language album of all time with 1995's D'eux. Throughout her career Dion has scored international No. 1 hits, including "The Power of Love" and "I'm Your Angel." Her 1997 hit song "My Heart Will Go On," made for the film Titanic, shot to No. 1 globally and is currently one of the best-selling singles of all time. It dominated the 1999 Grammy Awards, including a win for record of the year, marking the first time the category was won by a Canadian. Dion's incredibly successful crossover from French to English proved that it's possible to perform in any language and still be on top. — KW
Cher has achieved a lot throughout her five-decade-long career, but it's her song "Believe" that changed the music industry. Released in 1998, it's recognized as the first prominent use of Auto-Tune. Cher's producers played with the idea of cranking up the Auto-Tune, creating that now familiar effect that is part synthesizer, part robotic voice. The technique would later be referred to as the "Cher effect."
It's also impossible to note Cher's importance to music without also mentioning her iconic status within the LGBTQ community. As Alec Mapa of the Advocate notes after asking the question "Why do gay people love Cher?": "While the rest of us were sleeping, Cher's been out there for the last four decades living out every single one of our childhood fantasies … Cher embodies an unapologetic freedom and fearlessness that some of us can only aspire to." — KW
k.d. lang
When k.d. lang released her major label debut in 1987 with Angel with a Lariat, she challenged the traditional parameters of country music. According to CMT, lang had an "androgynous appearance, and edgy, rock-inflected music … although no one questioned her vocal talent." Despite her critics, lang stayed true to herself and defied the norms prescribed for women in country music — and it paid off. She would go on to win music's top honours with both Juno and Grammy awards for her performances in songs "Constant Craving" and "Miss Chatelaine."
Lang also challenged what it meant to be a female performer, period. On a 1993 Vanity Fair cover, Cindy Crawford is shown shaving lang's face, as lang is dressed in a suit and vest, meant to be controversial at the time because lang had recently come out as a lesbian. According to novelist Sheila Whitelay in her 2000 book Women and Popular Music: Sexuality, Identity, and Subjectivity, everything lang represented helped create a shift in the music industry: "With lesbian chic firmly established in the public eye and with the seeming indifference of fans to her sexuality, the bigotry of the music industry was finally being challenged." In a career spanning three decades, lang has always made music that is unapologetic about individual sexuality. — KW
Dolly Parton
At a time when men dominated the airwaves, Parton's empowering lyrics gave a real voice to working-class women in 1960s America. Her song "9 to 5" is a great example of how she used her lyrics to speak out on various issues in the workplace, including double standards between men and women.
Parton's possibly best known for her song "Coat of Many Colours," which country singer Charlie Worsham has singled out as a trademark: "Dolly is the only person who could've written this, and she wrote it unflinchingly from a place of pain and truth. Her vulnerability is what makes the song universal, because we've all been excluded or made fun of at some point in our lives." Parton has 25 songs that have reached No.1 on the Billboard country music charts, has had 41 top 10 country albums and has had 110 charted singles over the last 40 years. — KW
Carole King
Whether it was the Beatles's "Chains," or James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend in Me," the voice behind the lyrics was often Carole King. During a time when male voices were dominant, King evened the playing field by penning smashing hits for big-name artists. King's second album, Tapestry, released in 1971, is one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 25 million copies sold worldwide. King's the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century, having written or co-wrote 118 pop hits on the Billboard 100 between 1955 and 1999. — KW


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Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano, Jan Lundgren. Mare Nostrum II
(ACT Music 9812-2. CD review by Adrian Pallant)
It's some nine years since masters of their art Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano and Jan Lundgren convened to produce their sublime collection, Mare Nostrum, for trumpet/flugelhorn, accordion/bandoneon/accordina and piano. It revealed chamber music of extraordinary empathy and clarity, combining their individual compositions with interpretations of Antônio Carlos Jobim, Charles Trénet and Maurice Ravel.
Releasing again on the ACT label, they're back – new album Mare Nostrum II (recorded back in 2014) offering more of that finely-crafted Mediterranean magic, and adding Erik Satie and Claudio Monteverdi to another graceful clutch of originals. Their respective musical cultures of Sardinia, France and Sweden once again meld superbly, creating a precious soundscape which has, over the intervening years, given rise to over 150 concerts across some twenty countries. And whilst each of these players' careers are steeped in the world of contemporary, improvised jazz, this coming-together of European folk, jazz and classical music could easily defy categorisation.
For almost an hour, the mood is tranquil, focused and frequently wistful (perhaps too much on occasion, needing a few more glimmers of buoyancy) – yet the crisp, open detail, full of delicate technical nuances, never wavers from the compelling. Three original compositions from each musician begin to colour this spacious canvas, Fresu's recognisably high, muted trumpet melodies climbing out of the homely, flowing river of accordion and piano in Apnea; the soft flugelhorn longing of Lundgren's Blue Silence suggesting shadowy, Gallic movie titles; and with Galliano's Aurore, a brighter approach is awakened through climbing, major-key phrases and memorable melodies.
Jan Lundgren's lush jazz chords in E varie notti tre vie notai, enhanced by subtle accordion interjections, provide a perfect ground for writer Fresu's warm, bluesy flugel. And it's Galliano once again, in Farväl (farewell), who offers intriguing ornamentation in the form of bittersweet, atonal clusters – a mood which seems to inspire his colleagues' freer extemporisations; never jarring, always attractive. A masterstroke is Richard Galliano's rhythmic arrangement of one of Erik Satie's famous piano treasures, Gnossienne No.1, transforming the original's full-of-rubato languidness into a syncopated, smouldering affair in which Fresu's muted solo is accentuated by accordion shimmers and clicks.
The brighter aspects of the album certainly encourage a desire for more. Galliano's elegantly waltzing Lili captures the heart, evoking reflected Riviera lamplight and moonlight, whilst the carefree cosmopolitan bustle of Jan Lundgren's Leklåt is infectious, its purposeful flugel-led momentum pleasingly suggesting the appeal of '60s Herb Alpert – and, with dazzling accordion and piano improvisation, it's quite a stand-out.
Mare Nostrum II's twelve tracks close with Fresu's sublime reimagining of Claudio Monteverdi's Sì Dolce è'l tormento (so sweet the torment… that lies within my heart), colouring this 16/17th Century aria from a completely different palette, and confirming the undoubted immaculacy of this recording.
Categories: miscellaneous


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If UCLA Bruins head coach Rick Neuheisel was on the hot seat before Thursday's nationally televised contest against the Arizona Wildcats on ESPN, it's hard to imagine the level of heat he will experience now. UCLA is getting embarrassed in the desert, trailing the Wildcats 42-7 at halftime at Arizona Stadium in Tucson.
UCLA had four drives in the second quarter, and all three ended badly.The only reason the fourth drive didn't end in disaster was because time ran out in the first half, a merciful end to a beating by Arizona. Though the final drive did include a bizarre bench-clearing fracas which culminated in a pair of ejections, including wide receiver Taylor Embree for UCLA.
The Bruins were unable to take advantage of a pair of big plays by Josh Smith. He returned a kickoff to the 36-yard line after Arizona expanded their lead to 21-7, but three plays later running back Johnathan Franklin fumbled the ball at midfield. Arizona scored a touchdown on the subsequent drive too.
Smith began the Bruins next drive with a catch and run for 55 yards, putting UCLA at the Arizona 20-yard line. However, three plays and one lost yard later, senior kicker Tyler Gonzalez missed a 39-yard field goal try.
After yet another Arizona touchdown, UCLA began with a strong play, a 26-yard pass to Nelson Rosario, but he had the ball taken away from him at the Arizona 41.
The Bruins gained 109 yards in the second quarter on just 15 plays, but they had two turnovers and a missed field goal. However, all of that didn't matter as much as Arizona scoring a touchdown every single time they had the ball.
Six drives, six touchdowns for the Wildcats. Arizona had 416 yards and 22 first downs. Absolutely no defense from UCLA.
For more UCLA football news, be sure to read Bruins Nation.


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Good Government Academy Names New Leader
Teresa Gerton, a military veteran and experienced civilian federal executive, will head the National Academy of Public Administration.
After a months-long search, the National Academy of Public Administration has found a new president and CEO: Teresa Gerton, an Army veteran who also has extensive civilian federal management experience.
Gerton is currently deputy assistant secretary for policy at the Labor Department's Veterans Employment and Training service. Before that, she served as a career member of the Senior Executive Service at the Defense Department for eight years after completing a 20-year career as an Army officer in 2003. Gerton is a recipient of both the meritorious and and distinguished Presidential Rank Awards, the highest honor for senior federal executives.
NAPA is a congressionally chartered independent nonprofit organization created to help government leaders improve their organizations and operations. Its 800 fellows include current and former government officials, public administration scholars and business executives.
"Terry brings a depth of expertise in strategic organizational management, along with a proven track record as an effective leader in a variety of organizational contexts," said Reginald L. Robinson, chairman of NAPA's board of directors. "We welcome her vision, energy and leadership as the academy prepares to write its next chapter."
"I am pleased and excited to accept this opportunity to further the academy's important mission of good governance that benefits all citizens," said Gerton. "This is a time of great opportunity for the academy as the government undergoes the transition to a new presidential administration and faces growing challenges that require innovative solutions."
Gerton succeeds Dan G. Blair, who announced his retirement in August. Blair had led NAPA for five years.
NEXT STORY: How a Pandemic Might Play Out Under Trump


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Sansa Stark: I love you, little brother. I always will. You'll be a good king. But tens of thousands of Northmen fell in the Great War defending all of Westeros. And those who survived have seen too much and fought too hard ever to kneel again. The North will remain an independent kingdom, as it was for thousands of years. (Bran nods)
Tyrion Lannister: All hail Bran the Broken, First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Six Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. All hail Bran the Broken!
Edmure Tully: My lords and ladies... I suppose this is the most important moment of our lives. What we decide today will reverberate through the annals of history. I stand before you as one of the senior lords in the country. A veteran of two wars. And I like to think my experience has led to some small skill in statecraft and underst...
Sansa Stark: Uncle? Please sit.
Sansa Stark: There's nothing you can do.
Tyrion Lannister: You might be surprised at the lengths I'd go to avoid joining the Army of the Dead. I could think of no organization less suited to my talents.
Sansa Stark: Witty remarks won't make a difference. That's why we're down here, none of us can do anything. It's the truth. It's the most heroic thing we can do now... look the truth in the face.
Arya Stark: I was never going to be as good a lady as you. So I had to be something else. I never could have survived what you survived.
Sansa Stark: You would have. You're the strongest person I know.
Arya Stark: I believe that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me.
Sansa Stark: Well, don't get used to it. You're still very strange and annoying.
© 2023 Scattered Quotes | ABOUT | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS | DMCA | AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER


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Gordon Ramsay is going live. Today, FOX released a new preview for their upcoming series The F Word with Gordon Ramsay.
Based on the UK TV show, the cooking show "will combine good food and good cooking with Ramsay's passion, energy and humor into a one-of-a-kind LIVE series."
The F Word debuts on May 31st.
From FOX:
THE F WORD WITH GORDON RAMSAY is a bold new show from the award-winning chef and series host. Based on his hit U.K. series of the same name, each distinctive and fast-paced hour will combine good food and good cooking with Ramsay's passion, energy and humor into a one-of-a-kind LIVE series. On THE F WORD WITH GORDON RAMSAY, foodie families and friends from across the U.S. will battle it out in an intense, high-stakes cook-off. In addition to impressing Ramsay, each team must win over the hearts and taste buds of the diners, celebrities and VIP guests whom they're serving. The winning team in each episode will join the leader board and the Top Two teams will have the chance to compete for a cash prize in the season finale. Throughout each hour-long episode, Ramsay chats with surprise guests and VIPs in the dining room, shows viewers and competitors his skills with stylized cooking demos and appears weekly in unique field segments with fans, foodies and culinary experts."
What do you think? Are you a fan of Gordon Ramsay? Will you watch The F Word?


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• Established: 2000
• Incorporated: 2008
• Arcadia Association of REALTORS - Member since 2000
• Monrovia Chamber of Commerce - Member since 2007
• Arcadia Chamber of Commerce - Member since 2007
• Sponsor of Santa Anita Little League Since 2004
• Supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of The Foothills
• Promotional Items
• Custom Apparel
• Specialty Advertising
• Corporate Recognition / Awards
• Printing
• Banners / Signage
• Graphic Design
• Embroidery
• Screen Printing
Darren Stubbs - Owner, Sales Manager
Darren initially started the company with an interest in promotional items and the desire to become a successful entrepreneur. Originally coming from a strong real estate background Darren can fully relate to the importance of self promotion and what it takes to run a business on a day-to-day basis. Darren also oversees the company's sales force and personally meets with clients on an individually based level.
Lisa Williams Graphic Designer - firstname.lastname@example.com
Since completing studies in graphic design at Cal State Long Beach, Lisa has been a competitive designer for over 25 years, having specialized in corporate identity, packaging and product labeling, advertising and magazine publications. She came to join Stubbies Promotions in 2012 as our senior graphic designer, adding her talent, eye for detail and professionalism to our team.
Perfect way to wish your staff a happy holiday season! A great gift full of delicious sea salt caramels. Fully custom box makes for a beautiful presentation! Box contains 6 sea salt caramels. 3" L x ...
$8.53 - $9.33


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What makes the Masters and Augusta National Golf Club such a bucket list destination is its exclusivity. Not just any golfer can enter to play at Augusta, and not just any patron can buy a ticket.
This year's "tradition unlike any other" is unique in multiple fashions. In August, Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley announced the 2020 Masters would be staged without patrons or guests due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From the Nov. 12-15 dates to the news of the Par 3 Contest being canceled and ESPN's College GameDay broadcasting on-site, the changes don't stop there.
For the first time in its illustrious history, the tournament is providing online shopping for Masters merchandise. But there's a catch: You must be a patron who had tickets for the 2020 Masters Tournament or 2020 Augusta National Women's Amateur.
An email sent to patrons last month outlined the special access to signature items, including expertly crafted apparel, unique collectibles and one-of-a-kind gifts via the online Masters Patron Shop, which is live now until Nov. 15.
Patrons are able to place only two orders on an array of items, such as (but not limited to):
- Masters Santa gnome ($49.50)
- Embroidered pin flag ($25)
- Mug ($15),
- Poster of the 12th hole and Hogan bridge ($35)
- Long sleeve t-shirt with Masters gnome or Masters logo ($49)
- Knit toboggan hat ($35)
The highlight of the shop, however, is the Taste of the Masters pack. The $150 bundle includes a pound of the Masters' famous pimento cheese, as well as its egg salad and pulled pork barbecue, caramel popcorn, potato chips and chocolate chip cookies.
So if you were lucky enough to secure a ticket, what are you still doing reading this?
The Augusta Chronicle's Jozsef Papp contributed to this article.
Source link


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AIMC (Automotive Multimedia Interface Collaboration) or the Automotive Multimedia Interface Collaboration is a world organization in charge or provide a standard for automotive companies in building interfaces (interfaces) multimedia vehicle that will be produced by the auto manufacturers.
Multimedia system that is in automotive systems include the system of the vehicle itself, the vehicle systems are connected to the mobile system, and entertaiment system (entertainment) that is in the car.
The Automotive Multimedia Interface Collaboration (AMIC) was established in October 1998 with the aim to develop a set of common specifications for multimedia interface to the electronics systems of motor vehicles to accommodate a variety of computer-based electronic devices in the vehicle. This initiative-the founder of Daimler-Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Renault and Toyota – now groups all the major auto makers, and thus provide new strategic opportunities to achieve a common set of car industry.
Some of the companies involved in the organization of the AIM-C. They can be divided into two types, namely its automotive companies (Vehicle Corporation) and enterprise support (Support Corporation).
Which is becoming Vehicle Corporation, among others:
FIAT, Ford Motor Company
– General Motors
– Honda
– Nissan
– Toyota
– Renault
– PSA Peugeot Citroen
Advantages and Disadvantages of AMI-C
• Provide interface standard, allowing a driver of a vehicle (car) can use other devices through a variety of media, computers, communication devices of the navigation system and handsfreeyang commonly used in cellular phones, including the introduction of voice synthesis function for short range communications for the dedicated communication a short distance (DSRC) system for a vehicle to infrastructure communications and car systems such as airbags, door locks and diagnostic input / output.
• Improve the various options that can be used by the user and also to reduce the vehicle's electronic system obsolescence.
• Cutting costs incurred for the entire vehicle and equipment information hidubran by increasing the size of the market that is effective and shorten the development time effective automotive industry. Because the more the number of vehicles that often contain a variety of custom developed components and platfor typical only about 50,000 units.
• Offer open standards and specifications for the interface information in the vehicle and between the vehicle and the outside world.
Disadvantages of AMI-C
• The selling price of the vehicle to be expensive because the system that created the result of collaboration between the various manufacturers.
• Media presented quite a lot so it takes time to get used in the operation.
• Enlarge the possibility of negligence in using the system so as to cause an accident.


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Boehner, McCain Call for Democratic Reform in Egypt
Two Republican lawmakers appearing on the Sunday morning news shows offered their support for the Obama administration's response to political unrest in Egypt.
"Our administration so far has handled this tense situation pretty well," Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said on "Fox News Sunday." "Clearly reforms need to occur in Egypt, and, frankly, anyplace around the world where people are calling out for freedom and democracy, I think we have a responsibility to respond.
"I think listening to the Egyptian people, working with the government to bring more democratic reforms is all in the right direction," he said.
The fall of the Tunisian government in January inspired Egyptians last week to take to the streets to call for President Hosni Mubarak to end his 30-year rule.
But while Boehner and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, called for democratic reforms in Egypt, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned against overstepping.
"I don't have any criticism of President Obama or Secretary [of State Hillary Rodham] Clinton at this point. They know full well we can't give the Egyptians advice about their leadership," the Kentucky Republican said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
McCain, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that although the United States should not turn its back on Mubarak, "we need to be on the right side of history in these countries, and we need to do a better job of emphasizing and arguing strenuously for human rights."
"It was clear for a long time that the kind of repressive regime … that Mubarak controls, sooner or later there is going to be great difficulties," he added.
McCain called on Mubarak to lift a state of emergency and follow through on elections already scheduled for September. The situation is "fraught with danger … but there is also a good chance for a real functioning democracy and arguably the most important nation in the Middle East," he added.
When asked whether Congress could consider cutting foreign aid to Egypt, McCain responded, "I think that we have to say that everything is on the table and encourage and help and assist, you know, a process that leads to a free and fair election."
On President Barack Obama's response to the situation, McCain said he was supportive of the statements the president has made thus far, but he would like the administration to "get out in front on this issue on behalf of the things we have always stood for and believed in."
Alison McSherry contributed to this report.


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The Bond market started off higher today and this has given mortgage rates a tiny bump this morning. This has pushed the Conventional loans around 3.25% and FHA loans bouncing around 3%.
- Vacuum Tips to get your Carpet Cleaner 20 November 2017
- Invest In These Tips Before Investing In A Home 18 September 2017
- (no title) 2 June 2015
- Buyers Demand Exceeds Housing Supply 2 June 2015
- Will Home Loan Rates Continue To Get Better or Falter To Resistance? 25 March 2015


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I want to discuss the three factors that determine where you are financially: Inflow, Outflow and Accumulation. Inflow can be regarded as the personal income your household takes in. Outflow, on the other hand, can be broken down into four areas: Living expenses, taxes, optional expenses and giving. Accumulation can be broken down into saving and investing.
Inflow (income):
When most people think of income they think of a job. But this isn't always the case. Many people have rental income, stock dividends, royalties, and passive income from businesses. Income earned at a job, however, is the most common source of financial inflow.
Outflow is the consequence of living in a monetary society. Everything costs money. Food, storage, shelter, transportation and even water. Being weary of how you spend money as well as prioritizing the things that are important, is a must for anyone wanting to live according to their values.
What's the best way to decrease unnecessary spending? Getting a B–U–D–G–E–T. I know what you're thinking. "It can't make much difference anyway," you're telling yourself. "I only spend money on things I need." The surprising thing is the most people, as soon as they get on a written budget, are able to eliminate expenses they knew they had.
@AfricanSoulGoddess wrote a very insightful post on this topic titled Best budgeting: Personal finance.
Growth and Accumulation:
This is the final aspect of your finances. In this area you are beginning to experience a little success. This is the area in which the Billionaires and Millionaires of the world were made.
As income flows in, most people spend most of it on outflow (whether necessities, optional spending, taxes or giving). While each of these things are part of any healthy financial plan, contributing to a retirement account or other investment account should be coming right off the top of your paycheck!
Not only is setting up an automatic withdraw helpful, but it could mean the difference between retiring at 55 or 65. Don't believe me? Do that math. If you're receiving a 10% return on your money your money is doubling every 7.2 years. That means if you postpone or weaken your contributions by even 7 years you'll be losing out on almost half of what you could've had.
In retrospect, most people will look back and regret not contributing more. So for those who have time on their side, now is the time to start preparing for your future.


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Yet Another Cute Flat Twist Protective Style For Natural Hair
Keep your hands out of your hair by doing this great looking protective style. Breakage is out, length retention is IN! What better way to retain length than to protect your hair!! Hope you all enjoy this video! make sure to keep the comment section classy!
Find her
Snapchat: its_chronicurls


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BRATISLAVA, June 16 (Reuters) - Italy's utility Enel said on Monday it has boosted the installed capacity at Slovakia's nuclear power plant Mochovce by seven percent to ease the country's electricity import needs. Enel, majority owner of leading domestic power firm Slovenske Elektrarne which operates Mochovce, said the capacity boost was to offset the decommissioning of two units at the country's oldest nuclear power plant at Jaslovske Bohunice.
Enel boosts Slovak Mochovce nuclear plant capacityTuesday, June 17, 2008
Greenpeace to challenge completion of Slovak nuclear reactorsThursday, May 29, 2008
BRATISLAVA (AFP) - Environmental group Greenpeace will lodge a legal challenge to Slovak authorities' go ahead for the completion of two nuclear power stations in the country's west, a representative said Wednesday.
The organisation will complain to the supreme court against the go ahead for completion of Mochovce's third and fourth nuclear reactors without prior environmental impact assessments being carried out.
Eastern European leaders slam nuke closure dealsMonday, May 26, 2008
The prime ministers of Lithuania and Slovakia have criticised deals struck by their governments with the EU before they joined the bloc to shut down aging Soviet-era nuclear power plants. International
pressure to cut carbon emissions and rising oil prices had revealed the move to be a mistake, they said.
Time is ripe for EU-wide nuclear safety rules, Brussels saysMonday, May 26, 2008
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Brussels has called on EU member states to end the six-year deadlock over one of Europe's touchiest topics and agree common nuclear safety rules as well as ways in which to store nuclear waste.
"It is an absolute necessity," EU energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs told EUobserver on Thursday (22 May), while blaming EU governments for a lack of political will to give Brussels a stronger say on the issue.
EU complaint filed over Slovak nuclear plantSunday, April 13, 2008
Environmental campaign group Greenpeace has filed a complaint with the European commission, alleging illegal state aid in the development of the controversial Mochovce nuclear power plant.
"Market-distorting measures" were put in place by Slovak authorities to persuade Slovak electricity utility Slovenske elektrarne, in which Italian firm Enel has a majority share, to participate in "what would otherwise have been an unviable and unattractive project," Greenpeace claims.
Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant can meet difficultiesTuesday, March 11, 2008
The completion of the third and fourth blocks at the Mochovce nuclear power plant in Slovakia can meet difficulties, reports Hospodarske Noviny daily. Apart from traditionally anti-nuclear oriented Austrian neighbour, objections are raised also by Green Fraction at the European Parliament. They say that Mochovce design and its equipment is not based on accident and earthquake safety considerations. In addition, they claim that Mochovce construction is far too advanced to be retrofitted to comply with international safety standards.
Greenpeace protests against Erste Bank's financing of Slovakian nuclear plantThursday, March 6, 2008
VIENNA Thomson Financial - Greenpeace activists 'walled in' a branch of one of Austria's largest banks, Erste Bank AG, in the centre of Vienna on this morning in protest against its financing of the Mochovce nuclear plant in Slovakia.
A group of around thirty activists erected a brickwall in front of the bank's main entrance on one of the capital's busy pedestrian zones and called for Erste Bank to cancel its loan to the Slovak utility Slovenske Elektrarne.
East Europe nuclear plans face many obstaclesWednesday, February 20, 2008
SOFIA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - East European countries have jumped on the global nuclear renaissance bandwagon, but numerous hurdles facing atomic power mean projects could be delayed and some even abandoned, analysts say.
Slovakia, Romania and Hungary plan to build new reactors or extend the life of existing ones, driven by growing energy needs at home and European Union (EU) targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Dutch bank ING 'no comment' on report it will not finance upgrade of Slovakia's Mochovce NPPMonday, February 4, 2008
PRAGUE. FEBRUARY 4. INTERFAX CENTRAL EUROPE - Dutch bank ING has declined to comment on a report it will not invest any money into a project to upgrade Slovakia's Soviet-era Mochovce nuclear power plant (NPP), while remaining lead bank in a USD 800 mln corporate revolving credit facility secured by Slovak utility Slovenske elektrarne (SE) chiefly for that purpose.
No ING money for Slovakian nuclear projectThursday, January 31, 2008
London, 31 January: Dutch bank ING has said it will not finance a nuclear power project in Slovakia, which the country's own nuclear regulator has said does not comply with modern safety standards.


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50,000 in London Tamil protest demanding ceasefire
More than 50,000 demonstrators marched through London in a Tamil rally on Saturday demanding an end to the fighting in Sri Lanka. ADVERTISEMENT "More than 50,000 were at the demonstration," a spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police said. "There has been one arrest for possession of an offensive weapon." The spokesman said the protest was largely peaceful and good humoured. The rally began at Atterbury Street, by the Tate Britain gallery and passed along the north bank of the River Thames to Temple Place.


text: For a limited time, we're offering free SEO help as a promotional activity to get the word out about our firm. First, a little background: Semify is a leading provider of search optimization and pay-per-click marketing solutions. With over 15 years of IT experience, the founders have worked with some of the largest companies in the world, including AOL, Coca Cola, General Electric, AT&T, Ford, Nissan Motors, and Verizon. Semify has a variety of service plans to meet every budget. Furthermore, we have achieved amazing results for our clients. For a limited time, you can sign-up for free SEO help through our free assessment program. We will do some homework on your URL and give you free SEO consulting on the phone on the leading search optimization strategies and how to implement them for your business. Simply sign-up for an open slot using the schedule button below:


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5 Crazy Wellness Fads for 2020
These are the crazy wellness and health fads you'll be seeing for 2020
From drinking a litre of celery juice in the morning for breakfast, to putting healing crystals in your water bottles, 2019 saw a plethora or weird and whacky wellness and health trends, and it looks 2020 isn't going to disappoint either.
Here are five crazy wellness and health fads, coming to an Insta story near you.
You've heard of silent mediation, well now there's screaming meditation. Therapeutic screaming was massive in the 1970s and it looks like it's making a comeback for 2020.
The idea is, you stand in a quiet place, whether that be a room or outdoors somewhere, open your mouth and just let it all out until you burst a blood vessel in your eyeball from screaming so hard.
This form of release is supposed to help you destress and unwind from any anxiety.
Salad Squatting:
Gone are the days of exercising first and then eating later. Or is it the other way around. I can't keep up. Now you can eat whilst you exercise, to save time and to improve energy flow throughout the body.
Simply pick up a bowl of salad, do one set of five shallow squats whilst eating and you're done. The act of eating the salad whilst exercising apparently boosts SSE (Salad Specific Energy – yes that's a thing) through the body.
Results are shown to make you feel at least 1.65 times better with energy levels than before.
Earthing Mats:
Earthing is the process of kicking off your shoes and walking barefoot on the earth, like grass, dirt of even in natural water like a spring. Not man-made concrete.
Thanks to a lot of earthing entrepreneurs (yes that's what they are calling themselves), you can now buy charged up energy mats for earthing, when you can't get access to any natural ground.
You roll the mat out and stand on it – earthing achieved.
Genetic Testing:
Why wait for when you hit your sixties to find out what damage you created in your body from your partying twenties, when you can now test your genetics for any illnesses or sicknesses you already have a predisposition for.
This wellness trend started in 2019 and now it seems to have gained even more momentum for 2020 as a way of early detection for any possible sicknesses you may get as you get older to help you fight them now.
I actually don't think this wellness trends is to crazy, in-fact for many its a great way of changing your health earlier on life to help you life longer. And let's face it, we all want that.
Virtual Fitness:
No time for the gym? Or perhaps you have no money to sign up for one. Well now you can just log on through apps to virtual gyms and work out with bots for free. Mostly, depending on the app.
Definitely created for shy people, as a way of still exercising and not having to communicate with anyone doing so, the idea of working out virtually is not as crazy as it sounds.
But you don't need an app to do it. You can simply download a fitness video from YouTube, where no registration is required, and definitely no hidden costs.


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HSBC World Elite Mastercard
- Primary Cardholder Annual Fee: $149
- Annual Interest on Purchases: 20.99% (19.9% for Quebec residents)
- Annual Interest on Cash Advances and Balance Transfers: 22.99% (21.99% for Quebec residents)
- Supplementary card annual fee: $0 per card
Enjoy an annual fee rebate if you're an HSBC Private, Premier, or Advance client*.
About this card
Rewards and benefits
- No foreign transaction fees2Save on all your foreign currency purchases (even online) with no additional foreign currency conversion charges. Only the exchange rate will apply.
Travel benefits7
- $100 annual travel enhancement credit8Redeemable towards select airline seat upgrades, airline baggage fees and airport lounge passes.
Winner of "Best Mastercard in Canada 2022" by Prince of Travel
Winner of "Best No FX Credit Card in Canada 2022" by Prince of Travel
Winner of "Best No FX Fee Credit Card 2023" by Milesopedia
Winner of "Top No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Card 2023" by Rewards Canada
Winner of "Best Foreign Transaction Credit Card 2023" by Frugal Flyer
More benefits of HSBC World Elite Mastercard
With the HSBC World Elite Mastercard, you earn 3%3 in travel rewards on all eligible travel purchases4 (6 points per $1); 2% in travel rewards on all eligible gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases5 (4 points per $1); and 1% in travel rewards on all other eligible purchases6 (2 points per $1).
Enjoy maximum flexibility and redeem14 your Points on your terms for:
- Travel
- Gift cards and valuable merchandise
- Financial rewards
- Rewards for miles
Please visit our HSBC rewards website rewards.hsbc.ca for more information.
Additional Travel Benefits
Important Documents
How to apply
To qualify for the HSBC World Elite Mastercard, you must:
- Have an annual individual income of $80,000 or $150,000 household income, or minimum of $400,000 in assets under management (based on liquid, investable assets with a financial institutions in Canada).
- Be a Canadian resident.
- Be the age of majority in your province of residence.
With HSBC EasyID your identity is verified instantly making it faster, easier and more convenient. Before you start, have one of the following pieces of I.D on-hand (make sure the I.D you are using hasn't expired):
- Passport
- Driver's Licence or
- Provincial government Issued I.D.
Visit any HSBC branch to speak to a relationship manager.
If you have any questions about our credit card products, chat with us or call us at 1-888-310-4722
Not sure which card is right for you?


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|php.net | support | documentation | report a bug | advanced search | search howto | statistics | random bug | login
View Add Comment Developer Edit
[2004-12-31 03:46 UTC] email@example.com
Description: ------------ Using the simplexml_add_element function (which uses simplexml/domxml) produces a segfault when adding a node twice. Reproduce code: --------------- http://rafb.net/paste/results/FuUMWn71.html Actual result: -------------- http://rafb.net/paste/results/tfN2FJ51.html
Pull Requests
AllCommentsChangesGit/SVN commits
[2004-12-31 12:18 UTC] email@example.com
Always add the scripts to the report when filing one... and where is the backtrace?
[2005-01-02 16:49 UTC] firstname.lastname@example.com
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New York law enforcement authorities said on Wednesday that two anonymous letters addressed to Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City, and his gun control group, have been found laced with the deadly poison ricin.
The anonymous letters referred to the debate on gun laws. The police also said that emergency workers who came in contact with the letters showed minor symptoms of ricin exposure. However, civilian personnel in New York and Washington who came in contact with the opened letters did not report any trouble.
While one letter was opened by the director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Mark Glaze, the other one was opened at a mail facility in Manhattan. Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a group founded by Bloomberg.
The police statement mentioned that both letters contained identical language, mentioned the gun debate, and threatened Bloomberg with dire consequences.
Police spokesman Paul Browne said, "In both letters the content was identical … an oily substance…" Browne also mentioned that "One letter was addressed to the mayor personally."
Bloomberg said in a statement released by his press office, "In terms of why they've done it, I don't know … but there's 12,000 people that are going to get killed this year with guns and 19,000 that are going to commit suicide with guns, and we're not going to walk away from those efforts."
Of recent, sending ricin-laced letters seem to have become a favorite among those trying to scare others. In April, a Taekwondo instructor from Mississippi was arrested on suspicion of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama.
Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans and is a widely known biological weapon. A minute but effective exposure can cause death within 36 to 72 hours. The poison does not have any antidotes.


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Cardiff City vs Brighton and Hove Albion
Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff
Saturday, 10-11-2018 @03: 30 pm (SuperSport 3)
Referee: Martin Atkinson
This is the first top-flight meeting between Cardiff City and Brighton. It becomes the 100th different fixture to be played in England's top four divisions. Brighton have lost just one of their last 11 league matches against Cardiff (W3, D7), a 1-4 away defeat in 2016.
Cardiff midfielder Harry Arter will serve a one-match ban on Saturday for accumulating five bookings this season. Jazz Richards misses out due to a hamstring injury and Kenneth Zohore remains sidelined with a calf problem, but Joe Ralls is back in contention.
Brighton & Hove Albion winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh is not expected to play because of a hamstring strain. David Button is out with a knee injury, while Pascal Gross and Davy Propper are long-term absentees.
Brighton have managed just one win in their last 19 Premier League away games (D5, L13).
Huddersfield Town vs West Ham United
The John Smith Stadium, West Yorkshire
Saturday, 10-11-2018 @06:00pm
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Huddersfield Town full-back Erik Durm is set to return after missing their last game through injury. Danny Williams, who has not played since March due to a broken ankle, is back in training in an otherwise fully-fit squad.
West Ham captain Mark Nobles completes a three-game ban. Fellow midfielder Pedro Obiang should be available after being substituted during last weekend's win over Burnley with a minor knee problem. Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere could return from ankle injuries after the international break.
Huddersfield were the only side West Ham beat home and away in the Premier League last season. West Ham's 4-1 win at Huddersfield last season was their first victory there since an FA Cup game in 1969. The Terriers have not beaten the Hammers in the top flight since a 1-0 victory in 1971.
Leicester City vs Burnely
King Power Stadium, Leicestershire
Saturday, 10-11-2018 @06: 00 pm
Referee: Mike Dean
On a day to remember in every aspect, the only thing that might get forgotten is the game. The emotion before its starts will be all-encompassing. It will be many Leicester fans' first time back at the stadium, and for all the first opportunity to share their grief together inside. It's also a day for giving thanks. To Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha for what he did for Leicester City and the city of Leicester, and for the sacrifices of those in the service of their country. The match? Professionalism and adrenalin will be needed in abundance by the home players after such a draining time – but the occasion will make it hard for Burnley's too.
Leicester City are unbeaten at home against Burnley in seven league matches since a 1-0 Championship defeat in November 2007 (W4, D3). Burnley could record consecutive league wins in this fixture for the first time since August 2006. Its 50 years since they did so in the top flight.
Leicester pair Harry Maguire and James Maddison have been ruled out of Saturday's game with knee injuries. The fixture is Leicester's first at home since Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was among five people to lose their lives in a helicopter crash near the stadium.
Burnley could be without defender James Tarkowski, who has an ongoing hernia problem that may require surgery. Jack Cork and Phil Bardsley are fit to return after missing out last weekend.
Leicester earned their first league victory and clean sheet in four matches at the expense of Cardiff last weekend.
Newcastle United vs AFC Bournemouth
St. James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday, 10-11-2018 @06: 00 pm
Referee: Craig Pawson
Newcastle are likely to be without Jamal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey and Yoshinori Muto, who were all substituted with injuries against Watford last weekend. Only Lascelles has trained this week but he is not expected to be risked.
Bournemouth forward Joshua King has returned to training after a three-match absence with an ankle injury and could be available. Manager Eddie Howe has reported no fresh injury concerns.
Newcastle have lost both of their Premier League matches against Bournemouth at St. James' Park. Their only home league win against the Cherries came in the second tier in February 1990. Five of the last seven Premier League goals in this fixture have been scored in the 80th minute or later. Newcastle are seeking consecutive league wins for the first time since April. Victory over Watford last weekend was only their second in 16 league matches (D3, L11). They have lost six of their last eight league fixtures at St James' Park.
Southampton vs Watford
St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton
Saturday, 10-11-2015 @06: 00 pm
Referee: Simon Hooper
Southampton are hopeful that midfielder Mario Lemina can overcome a thigh strain in time to play. Defender Wesley Hoedt has missed training with a foot infection and is a doubt for the match.
Watford captain Troy Deeney could return after missing three games with a hamstring problem. Etienne Capoue is suspended after accumulating five yellow cards, while Tom Cleverley, Sebastian Prodl and Daryl Janmaat are still sidelined.
Watford won the corresponding fixture last season, with two long-range strikes clinching a 2-0 victory. The teams' most recent meeting came in the FA Cup last January in Javi Gracia's first game in charge of Watford. Saints won 1-0. Southampton are without a win in seven league games (D3, L4). They are yet to win at St Mary's this season (D3, L2). They've never failed to win any of their first six home games. Their only goal in six league games came from the penalty spot. Only bottom side Huddersfield have scored fewer than Southampton's seven league goals this season.
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspurs
Selhurst Park, London
Saturday, 10-11-2018 @ 00 pm0pm (SuperSport 3)
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has reported no fresh injury concerns. The Eagles remain without injured quartet Christian Benteke, Scott Dann, Joel Ward and Connor Wickham.
Tottenham's Mousa Dembele is unlikely to play again in 2018 after suffering ankle ligament damage at Wolves. Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama have recovered from injuries, while Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen played against PSV in midweek after returning to full fitness.
Spurs are on a six-match winning streak against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, conceding just one goal during those fixtures. Tottenham could equal their Premier League club record of seven straight wins in the same fixture, having done so against Manchester City between 2004-07 and Swansea between 2012-15. Palace have never lost seven consecutive top-flight matches versus the same opponent. There has only been one first-half goal in the past 14 league meetings – 25 of the last 26 goals in this fixture have come in the second half.
Liverpool vs Fulham
Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
Sunday, 11-11-2018 @03:00 pm
Referee: Paul Tierney
Liverpool will be hoping to make it 12 games unbeaten at the start of the 2018/19 Premier League when they host a Fulham side that have only won once away from home in their first six games on the road. The Reds will also be looking to bounce back from their disappointing 2-0 loss to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and fellow midfielder Naby Keita are both available as Liverpool welcome Fulham to Anfield at midday on Sunday. The pair have been sidelined for a number of weeks due to hamstring injuries but will be included in the squad alongside defender Joe Gomez, who has been struggling with an Achilles issue recently. Xherdan Shaqiri will also come into contention, having been left at home for the Champions League trip to Red Star Belgrade in an attempt to reduce local hostilities. The 27-year-old, of Kosovar-Albanian descent, angered Serbian fans with his 'Albanian Eagle' celebration at the World Cup.
Fulham are expected to be without Kevin McDonald and Joe Bryan for Sunday's fixture at Liverpool. Both are struggling with hamstring injuries and are likely to miss out. Cottagers boss Slavisa Jokanovic is expected to make further changes to his team following their disappointing defeat at Huddersfield on Monday.
Liverpool have won their last four Premier League matches against Fulham, though this is their first league meeting since February 2014. In all competitions, Fulham have managed just one win in their 33 visits to Liverpool (D9 L23), scoring just four times in their last 17 games at Anfield. Fulham have won just one of their 54 away league games on Merseyside against Liverpool and Everton (D11 L42), a 1-0 win against Liverpool in May 2012. Liverpool have won all eight home Premier League games under Jurgen Klopp against newly-promoted teams, scoring 25 goals and conceding just three. Fulham have taken one point from their last 18 Premier League games against the 'big six' sides (W0 D1 L17), losing all three games this season by an aggregate score of 2-11. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 26 Premier League home games, their longest such run since August 2009 (31 games).
Chelsea vs Everton
Stamford Bridge, London
Sunday, 11-11-2018 @05:15 pm
Referee: Kevin Friend
Chelsea have had a tremendous start to life under Maurizio Sarri, unbeaten in their first 11 League games, already through to the knock out stages of the Europa League and playing beautiful football. Their next test is at home to an Everton side that has been blowing hot and cold since the start of the current campaign.
Alvaro Morata, Marcos Alonso, David Luiz, Antonio Rudiger and N'Golo Kante are expected to start for Chelsea in Sunday's Premier League clash with Everton. Morata, Alonso, Luiz and Rudiger were rested from the trip to Belarus, staying in London, while Kante was an unused substitute after receiving a late call-up due to Cesc Fabregas' illness. Fabregas is a doubt for the Toffees game, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek may not feature after a back complaint which boss Sarri described as minor.
Everton forward Richarlison is a doubt for their trip to Stamford Bridge. The Brazil international, who rolled his ankle early in last weekend's 3-1 win over Brighton but played the full duration and scored twice, will be assessed ahead of the match. With on-loan defender Kurt Zouma ineligible against his parent club, there could be a first Toffees start for fellow summer signing Yerry Mina. Phil Jagielka and James McCarthy are available, while Jonjoe Kenny is another doubt.
Chelsea are unbeaten in 23 home Premier League games against Everton (W13 D10) since losing 0-1 in November 1994. In all competitions, Everton have won none of their last 28 visits to Stamford Bridge against Chelsea (D11 L17). Only one team has ever had a longer winless away run against an opponent in Premier League history than Everton's current 23 against Chelsea – Spurs went 25 away games without a win at Stamford Bridge between 1993 and 2016. Everton have won one of their last 16 away Premier League games in London (D6 L9), losing their last four in a row, all during 2018. Chelsea are looking to remain unbeaten in their opening 12 games to a top-flight season for only the second time, also doing so in 2014-15 (unbeaten in first 14). Everton have lost 11 of their last 13 away Premier League games played on Sunday (D2) since winning 2-1 at QPR in March 2015.
Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Emirates Stadium, London
Sunday, 11-11-2018 @07:30 pm
Referee: Scot Atwell
Unbeaten in their last 15 games across all competitions, Arsenal will be out to maintain their surge up the table when they host Wolves on Sunday afternoon. After an impressive start to the league campaign, the visitors find themselves on a three game losing streak and Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping to get their season back on track but the task doesn't get any bigger than a trip to the Emirates.
Arsenal will be without Danny Welbeck and Stephan Lichtsteiner for Sunday's Premier League visit of Wolves after both were forced off injured in Thursday's draw with Sporting Lisbon. Welbeck (ankle) is expected to be sidelined for some time after being taken to hospital following an awkward fall, while Lichtsteiner limped out of the Europa League clash with a muscular issue. Mohamed Elneny (thigh) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin) are still missing, while Matteo Guendouzi is back in domestic contention after serving a one-match ban.
Wolves' only injury concern is Portuguese-Diogo Jota who is currently nursing an injury. Aside from Jota, Santo has a full strength squad to choose from.
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 19 matches against Wolves in all competitions (W16 D3) since a 3-2 defeat in September 1979 under Terry Neill. Wolves have avoided defeat in just one of their eight Premier League games against Arsenal (P8 W0 D1 L7), though that was in their last visit to the Emirates in December 2011, a 1-1 draw under Mick McCarthy. Arsenal have taken 59 points from their last 63 available at home in Premier League games against newly promoted sides (P21 W19 D2 L0) since losing 1-0 to Newcastle United in November 2010. Arsenal haven't been behind for a single minute in eight Premier League matches against Wolves – only one team has ever played more games against an opponent without falling behind (Chelsea v Portsmouth, 14 games). Wolves have played more Premier League games against Arsenal without winning (8) than against any other opponent. All three of Wolves' Premier League goals against Arsenal have been scored via corners.
Manchester City vs Manchester United
Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Sunday, 11-11-2018 @07:30 pm (SuperSport 3)
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Its derby day in Manchester as title favourites City host neigbours United at the Etihad Stadium. It has been business as usual for Pep Guardiola's side who are still unbeaten in the league and are on the back of a two six goal victories in the last seven days. For United, they must be in good mood going into the clash after winning all their last three games in all competitions by a 2-1 scoreline. Jose Mourinho's men however have had to dig deep to get results recently including two late goals in the victory over Juventus on Wednesday in the Champions League.
City will be without Kevin De Bruyne after he suffered another knee problem, with Nicolas Otamendi and Ilkay Gundogan, a scorer in this fixture last term, racing to be fit in time to feature. Claudio Bravo and Eliaquim Mangala are long-term absentees.
Romelu Lukaku could return to action for Manchester United in Sunday's derby clash. The 25-year-old missed the trips to Bournemouth and Juventus with a hamstring complaint but will be assessed as the striker steps up training. Diogo Dalot has been out with an injury sustained during the international break, while Captain Antonio Valencia is back in contention having travelled to Turin.
Manchester City have won just two of their last eight matches against Manchester United in all competitions (D2 L4) since winning four in a row between 2013 and 2014. Manchester United, who won 3-2 at the Etihad last season despite being 0-2 down, are looking to win back to back Premier League games at the stadium for just the second time, also doing so with wins in November 2008 and April 2010. Two of Man Utd's three Premier League wins against Man City when they've trailed in the match have been away from home and from 0-2 behind – in November 1993 and April 2018. Premier League meetings between Manchester City and Manchester United have been won by the away side on 17 occasions – only Aston Villa vs Liverpool (19) and Everton vs Man Utd (18) have been won by the visiting team more. Manchester United have conceded 18 goals in their 11 Premier League games this season. It took them 25 games until January 31 to concede as many in the competition last season. Manchester City haven't lost any of their last 53 Premier League games against sides starting the day outside the top four (W44 D9 L0), since a 0-4 loss at Everton in January 2017. Manchester City's Raheem Sterling is still yet to score against Manchester United in the Premier League, attempting 19 shots in 12 games without success; among players with at least 50 Premier League goals, only Robbie Keane (22) has played more times against the Red Devils without scoring than Sterling. Manchester City's Sergio Aguero scored seven goals in his first seven Premier League games against Man Utd, but has failed to score in his last three against them since. Anthony Martial has scored in each of his last four Premier League games for Man Utd – he could become the seventh different player to score in five or more in a row for the club in the competition (Ruud van Nistelrooy x4, Wayne Rooney x2, Eric Cantona, Dwight Yorke, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin van Persie). This will be the 22nd meeting between Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho in all competitions – the Spaniard has won nine and lost five (D7) of the previous 21. He's only lost more matches against Jurgen Klopp (7) than Mourinho (5) during his managerial career. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has never lost consecutive home league games against a single opponent in his whole managerial career.


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The afterwork concept has been incorporated in recent years into social practices, as a parenthesis for leisure activities intended for co-workers to share a moment of relaxation and fun at the end of the workday.
Transferred to the field of music, it is conceived as a more relaxed format, which proposes a flexible program for the public in which classical music interacts with other genres, such as jazz or flamenco, in an environment conducive to sharing experiences.
The Albéniz Foundation has launched the Afterwork series with the goal of bringing classical music to new audiences, proposing a renewal of the traditional concert format.
Afterwork on Canal EscuelaSee all the videos


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Some Heaven
Published by: Michigan State University Press
Imprint: Michigan State University Press
Sales Date: 2007-01-15
133 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in
- Published: January 2007
Other Retailers:
Todd Davis writes poems that are spare yet eloquent, poems with an appealing simplicity that belies their insight and consequence. They are rooted in the firmament of nature's frequently bruised bounty, yet grounded by our all-too-human experiences on this planet, living on a land that we so often treat with contempt or blunder through blindly. With the eye of a naturalist and the heart- wisdom of a sage, Davis reveals scenes of our lives that we might have otherwise missed. His poems are like the best kind of snapshot; they show us the details that deserve more attention, from a five-year-old's joy in sitting on Dad's lap and "driving" the family car or standing on a chair to help Mom make Jell-O, to the devastation of drought on farmland or the extraordinary lushness of an ordinary backyard. Because Davis holds up these prose-photos and urges us to take another look, we suddenly experience their profundity and comprehend their meaning. With disarming directness, he connects nature to family, landscape to community, and earth to faith.
Some Heaven brings together more than 100 Davis poems. Most are concise; all are approachable. In fact, they pull readers in, stirring our senses, tickling our memories. Here are poems about Amish gardens, changing seasons, friends at school, tractors, and deer. Davis urges us to see—not to take a quick look, but to really see—frost on goldenrods, the qualities of dirt, the color of air. Underneath, of course, these are poems about universal themes: love, loss, life, death; but in Davis's skilled hands, they appear to us to be more akin to wild strawberries growing on a rock wall or apples discovered in an abandoned orchard: something fresh, unexpected, and thankfully welcomed.


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My glass creations are inspired by passion and whimsy. I work from imagination or use my own photographs as inspiration for original glass designs.
Glass on Glass Mosaic
Glass in Steel Frames
I worked with steel cut-outs from Metaling Maiden, and filled them with glass, some with mosaic centers, up to 14" in diameter. The large yard flowers are on zinc posts.
Stained Glass


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The ideal candidate we are seeking to employ:
We are seeking a self-motivated and enthusiastic WordPress developer to join our staff based in Bogotá, Colombia.
The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing and developing network sites and user interfaces for web and mobile applications.
Strong creative and design sense, ability to work efficiently with the staff, and ability to communicate directly to the DevOps are key factors.
The ideal candidate should have a passion for WordPress and stay current in modern technologies.
A general and brief overview of our company and aims:
Founded in 2010, our company is one of the leading publishers of alternative lifestyles in Colombia. Since then, it has flourished and became one of the foremost merchants, providing quality products and has expanded at a technological level from a single site to a mega-network with many subsites, and sub-networks.
By recruiting developers, this will assist us in the development and expansion of the company's virtual presence, by implementing new features, creating new applications and consolidate sub-networks and sites with a better performance.
Unique opportunities, certifications, and educational programs:
If working on-site, our company offers a generous workspace with internet access, free healthy meals and beverages.
It is the genuine expertise, strength and devotion of our spirits that make of the company representation of who we are. Across our diversified line of interests, we have some of the sharpest and most skilful people in media and beyond: award-winning developers, cutting edge e-commercial staffers, industry-leading multimedia talents and much, much more.
We are a vibrant and diverse community with many company events, groups and forums to get involved, besides social hours for coffee with cookies and reading leisure in a delightful work culture.
Most importantly, we do not enforce any specific dress code.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Maintain core, theme and plugins updates in a multisite environment.
- Fixing bugs, troubleshooting performance and security problems in a multisite environment.
- Building scalable and configurable plugins and solutions in a multisite environment.
- Building technical integrations with enterprise systems in a multisite environment.
- Develop and strategise automation and procedural improvements in a multisite environment.
- Coordinate to establish standardisation of elements for sites in a multisite environment.
- Ensure patterns for scalability, maintainability and performance are developed.
- Collaborate with development staff and contribute to new theme, plugin and frontend features.
- Make suggestions regarding improvements to multisite environment sites.
- Creation of clean, logical, well-documented and re-usable code.
- Creation of custom post types, and pages.
- Knowledge of how to interact with RESTful APIs and formats (JSON, XML).
- Produce error free code and contribute to improving codebase and standards.
- Keeping web properties up to date with latest SEO practices.
- Planning and implementing A/B tests.
- Experience creating conversion-driven sites and landing pages.
- Ensure sites are completed and launched within a set timeframe.
- Develop meaningful relationships and a deep understanding of the needs of existing customers.
- Handle support queries and complaints in a professional, orderly manner.
- Deliver excellent support at all times.
- Exercising analytical thinking and judgement.
- Follow all company regulations and policies.
- Additional duties as assigned.
The ideal candidate will be, and have:
- Minimum of two years' experience with WordPress.
- Portfolio or examples of current WordPress designs and builds.
- Advanced knowledge of self-hosted WordPress Multisite.
- Must have created custom pages, themes and plugins.
- Knowledge of existing inbuilt WordPress functions.
- Knowledge of APIs, hooks, database structure, theme hierarchy, widget and plugin development.
- Experience integrating third-party applications and technologies using REST and SOAP APIs.
- Experience with frontend technologies (HTML, CSS, LESS/SASS, JavaScript, jQuery).
- Good understanding of cross-platform and cross-browser issues.
- Comfortable working with debugging tools like Firebug, Chrome inspector, etcetera.
- Proficiency in translating designs into well thought-out, accessibility-ready, responsive sites.
- Highly organised, ability to multitask and handle multiple intraday requests.
- Experience with GitHub source control in a team environment.
- Experience with Git source control in a team environment.
- Experience with WP-CLI Commands and Bash Scripts.
- Experience with New Relic monitoring for performance troubleshooting.
- Experience with DNS management.
- Experience with Vanilla, jQuery and React.
- Experience with Gutenberg Blocks, styling and creation.
- Experience with Elementor responsive and adaptive design is required.
- Experience with Blisk for responsive and adaptive design debugging.
- Reliable, strong work ethic and ability to work independently.
- Excellent verbal and written communication in English.
Our respect for diversity and inclusion:
We value and respect all differences in all people at our company. We strive to inclusive working experiences and an environment that reflects the audience we serve, where our people have equal access to career development opportunities, their voices are heard and can contribute to our future.
At our company, many of our staff work flexibly, and we will consider all requests for flexible working arrangements.


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Research has shown that people are influenced by the health status and behaviors of their friends, family and coworkers. As a result, many organizations are seeking out wellness champions: employees who are passionate about good health, demonstrate an ability to lead or influence others, and have good relationships with their co-workers.
In this guide, you'll find out best practices on how to launch and grow a wellness champion network that supports your culture and helps achieve the goals of your wellness initiatives.
Also in this guide:
- How to construct a business case that leadership can buy into
- What characterizes a good wellness champion and how to recruit them
- How to mature your wellness champion network over time
- Start-today wellness champion activities and tips