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The Truth is the Truth
To quote a line from a movie, "Some thing's are true, whether you choose to believe them or not". Think carefully about that statement. Most of our beliefs on issues that affect our personal lifestyle are greatly influenced by our own desires and what we "want" the truth to be or what we "think" the truth should be, but this does not change what the truth actually is. Personal opinions are fine for things that have no absolute truth. For example, you may think that chocolate cake tastes better than apple pie and that would be true for you, but not for everyone.
People often make the mistake of forming personal opinions on issues that are not subjective. The laws of this universe are not something we can change with our opinion and they certainly do not always work the way we want them to work. For example, we can try to understand gravity and form opinions based on the best information available but gravity will still be gravity and our opinion will not change the actual properties of gravity. If your foot slips on a walkway and you fall, you may get a scrape or bruise but if you were on top of a cliff and you experience the same slip and fell to your death, would you blame gravity and call it unfair or is fairness really an issue? We have a general understanding of the effects of gravity and know that it would be ridiculous to try and blame gravity for an accident as it is one of the "laws" that allows for our life to exist. We need to understand that there are spiritual laws which are governing our world and that spiritual truth is not something that changes for each person. Our feelings or opinions of spiritual truth will not change what is actually right or wrong.
The real question is, "Do you honestly want to know the truth"? Truth is discovered, not created. Your personal belief cannot change the truth. It is either true or it is not true. Consider that anything that has great value will also have counterfeits. We should never make a judgment about an original based on the flaws in a counterfeit. You need to be absolutely certain that you have not been examining and rejecting a counterfeit worldview. I challenge you to have an open mind and try to put aside your preconceptions, misconceptions and stereotypes and follow the evidence and search for the real truth regardless of what you "think" the truth should be. I will not ask you to join anything and I will not ask you for money or for any of your personal information. I have not received any benefit from any of the links shared on this website. To quote another movie line "All I'm offering you is the truth".
If you want to explore the scientific clues to our uniqueness you can
follow the link to "Why are
we here". In the "Does Evil Exist"
link you will find an interesting analogy on the relationship between
good & evil.
"Eyes Wide Shut"
will try to help you understand that there is a spiritual dimension
that you cannot see unless your eyes are opened. "The Big Picture" is to
help those who have had their eyes open view the long term
"Yeshua" is to help
those who believe the Word of God to stand against false teachings that
would try to deny Yeshua (Jesus) the glory due to Him. Also,
check out the "Free Videos"
as I have found them to be very interesting and helpful.


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The Pima County Sheriff's Auxiliary Volunteers have been providing residents with assistance and up-to-date information about the Bighorn Fire.
The dedicated volunteers assisted with the evacuation order that was in place on Friday. They will continue to provide assistance with the change that comes with the fire.
Residents in the GO! zone include, parts of the Catalina area near Catalina State Park. The general boundaries of the zone are the forest service boundary on the south and east. Southerland Trail on the west, and Rollins Road on the north, according to PCSD. These residents are urged to GO! – Evacuate -- and move west away from the Catalina Mountains.
Residents in the SET! zone include, northern boundary of Hawser Street, and from there south, the western boundary is Lago Del Oro Parkway. Where Lago Del Oro Parkway meets Bowman Road, the SET line runs directly west to Oracle Road, according to PCSD. These residents are asked to be prepared as this area is in the "SET - Be Alert" stage.
Anyone with questions that live in the area should be directed to 520-351-3473. The public can also find information regarding the fire, here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Turn to me, Love the morning rays
Are glowing o'er thy languid charms;
Take one luxurious parting gaze,
While yet I linger in thine arms.
'Twas long before the noon of night
I stole into thy bosom, dear!
And now the glance of dawning light
Has found me still in dalliance here.
Turn to me, Lovel the trembling gleams
Of morn along thy white neck stray :
Away, away, you envious beams,
I'll chase you with my lips away!
Oh I is it not divine to think,-
While all around were lull'd in night,
While even the planets seem'd to wink,-
We kept our vigils of delight?
The heart, that little world of ours,
Unlike the drowsy world of care,
Then, then awaked its sweetest powers,
And all was animation there!
Kiss me once more, and then I fly,
Our parting would to noon-day last;
There, close that languid trembling eye,
And sweetly dream of all the past!
As soon as Night shall fix her seal
Upon the eyes and lips of men,
Oh, dearest I will panting steal
To nestle in thine arms agains
Our joys shall take their stolen flight,
Secret as those celestial spheres
Which make sweet music all the night,
Unheard by drowsy mortal ears!


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Save Money by Making the Most of your Fruits & Vegetables #Produce
One of the best ways to save money is not to waste food. Food waste is a huge expense in any household. Knowing how to store your food properly can ensure you have fresh fruits and vegetables is essential. I have compiled a list of the fruits and vegetables that do not require to be in your fridge! Little hints on how to keep them fresh. One thing I have learned after this week is how to freeze, dehydrate, and ripen various fruit and vegetables.
This is the list of fruit that is fine to store on your counter. Please note this applies to whole fruit only. Once you cut the fruit you need to store it in the fridge however it if it is getting close to going bad. Flash Freezing is an amazing option and we will discuss it below.
- Apples
- Pears
- Kiwi
- Lemon
- Lime
- Grapefruit
- Orange
- Cherry
- Avocado
- Bananas*
- Cantaloupe
- Honeydew
- Watermelon
- Mango *
- Nectarines *
- Peaches*
- Plums*
- Papaya
- Pineapple
*Mature fruits give out ethylene gas which stimulates ripening by placing them in a brown paper bag loosely, if the fruit is bananas please keep them bunched together
**Separating fruit so it is not touching will slow down the process
This is the list of vegetables that is fine to store on your counter. Please note this applies to whole veggies only. Once you cut the vegetable you need to store it in the fridge however it if it is getting close to going bad blanching and bottling or freezing is the way to go and we will discuss that in a moment.
- Onions ***Do not store near potatoes as they will make the potatoes go bad.
- Garlic
- Egg Plant
- Cucumbers
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatoes ***store them on the counter with the stem side down to keep them fresh longer
- Winter Squash
Flash Freezing is an amazing way to save fruits! These are amazing for smoothies throughout the winter. I have seen frozen bags of fruit for over $10 in the cold winter and that's a huge cost. Why not fill the freezer now! If you have a SuperStore near check their FlashFood App to save 50% on fruit, they generally have a clearance section too. A little brown spot never hurt anyone.
To freeze you need a cookie sheet and some parchment paper, cut up your fruit and place them on the cookie sheet so they are not touching and place them in the freezer for approximately 1 hour. Then you can take them out and either places them in a freezer bag or seal them if you have one of those vacuum sealers (they have incredible deals on them right now with coupons on amazon) to keep your fruit fresh without sticking together in the freezer until you are ready to use. Bananas are awesome to freeze for smoothies and baking. Simply remove the peelings and put the bananas directly in a freezer bag.
My kids and grandkids love dehydrated fruit. It is a great snack for school or snacks. It is so good especially when you can have your favourite fruits for pennies on the dollar in the cold winter when prices are higher! Dehydrators are not expensive at all. Mine was under $50 on Amazon. Here is the one I have But they have a full range of food dehydrators to meet your needs.
Blanching vegetables is an amazing way to save fresh produce when you need it! Most vegetables such as carrots, beans or other vegetables can be frozen for future use. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, place your produce in the boiling water, after 1 minute removes the product and put it immediately in ice cold water, pat dry and put in a freezer bag to store until you need it!
Did you get an amazing deal on tomatoes? Follow the blanching instructions above, peel the tomatoes and place them in canning bottles and add a bit of lemon juice. Place bottles in boiling water (water must be over the top of bottles) after approx 20 minutes make sure the tops are pressed down and voila, lovely tomatoes for a cold winter meal.
Have a baby? All you need is a blender and some freezer bags. We have a Ninja blender which is amazing. I prefer it as it has smoothie cups as well. Our grandson Noah is getting to that age of eating food so what better than natural fruits and veggies. He was starting with avocado and sweet potato. For the avocado, we simply took out the seed, peeled it and put it in the Ninja and then put it in freezer bags for the freezer. When he wants some food his mother can simply add a bit of breast milk or formula to get the right consistency! The sweet potato, Papa cooked up and put through the Ninja and put in containers for him for the freezer! So Simple!! His Momma ordered some reusable food bags to make feeding easy!
Did I miss a fruit or vegetable that doesn't belong in the fridge? Let us know!
Please note there may be amazon affiliate links contained in this post which means I would earn a very small commission if you made a purchase.


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If we compress the age of Earth (4.5 billion years) into one year, Thursday, February 25, would be the day life appears. That means it was 3.8 billion years ago this week that the first single-celled organism appeared. Since then, Life has been the ultimate innovator, creating conditions that are conducive, to well, Life.
Consider this: Homo sapiens sapiens (that's us) have been on Earth for about 200,000 years. That's the equivalent of less than 30 minutes of Earth's Calendar Year, with humans appearing on the scene on December 31 at 23:26!
With 3.8 billion years to celebrate, we think Life has earned the title of wise. Biomimicry is based on the premise that we aren't the only species who calls Earth home. It's a practice that recognizes the clues to our path forward can be found in wisdom compiled during the last 3.8 billion years. That's why we celebrate Life's Birthday. To remember that Life is so much bigger than you, or I, or any of us.
To celebrate, we're saying #happybirthdaylife. Beginning February 25, our most popular biomimicry resources will be on sale.
We've also created a set of virtual birthday cards so anyone in the world can join the celebration. Click on your favorite card below to download and share.
Click here to learn more about Earth's Calendar Year and view all of Life's important milestonesLater this year, when photosynthesis appears in March and multi-cellular organisms appear in August, we'll be celebrating again, asking you to share photos of your favorite organisms along the way.
Why Celebrating Life's Birthday is Important to the Practice of Biomimicry
There are 30 million other species on the planet today. Together we represent less than 1 percent of all the species that have ever lived since Life first appeared on Earth 3.8 billion years ago.
Where are we going as a species? And how will we get there? And do we stand a chance?
These are fundamental questions biomimicry asks and attempts to address with a profoundly hopeful perspective. How could we not be hopeful, knowing that the clues to drive sustainable innovation forward are found in the genius that surrounds us?


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One of the better values in Los Cabos, this relatively affordable Hilton property is situated on one of the few swimmable beaches in the area and caters well to both couples and families. Off-site shops and restaurants in the immediate vicinity are lacking; but the resort offers good on-site restaurants, two sleek swimming pool areas (one is an impressive infinity pool) with great swim-up bars, 11 individual treatment rooms and four couples rooms at the Eforea Spa, an excellent fitness center (with yoga, spinning, and TRX available), good tennis courts (which is rare for Los Cabos), a nice atmosphere with swing seats by the beach at La Onda Bar, a seasonal baby sea turtle nesting program, poolside concierge and babysitting services, and the largest tequila collection in Los Cabos at the lobby bar Azul. All rooms have ocean views, beautiful private balconies, and Sealy Posturepedic pillowtop mattresses with Egyptian cotton linens. Activities include golf at Cabo Real Golf Club next door (designed by Robert Trent Jones), mountain biking, stand-up paddleboarding, and plenty for kids to do at the kids club for ages 4-12. Water sports such as scuba diving, whale watching, and deep sea fishing are available in the vicinity, but not right on-site.
COVID-19 antigen tests can be arranged on-site prior to departure. The testing is done by a third party and can be scheduled at the front desk.


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What WON'T I Blog About?
Apr 11
There is practically nothing I won't blog about, and yes, emotional traumas do make for funny anecdotes, whether they're mine — or yours.
You don't even have to blab: I can look in your eyes, your soul, or god forbid, your closet, and make a blog out of that (I Am A Closet Case).
I get ideas for blogs everywhere.
Walking up Third Avenue, eating at The Lyric Diner, drinking at Molly's Tavern, sitting on the 23rd Street Crosstown bus. These days, riding in a taxi provides more blog fodder than ever: they have TV screens where you can see Jimmy Fallon, endlessly, which is not only amusing but also may help you understand the concept of eternity, and useful little features on how to cut your bangs.
But I also get ideas for blogs when I'm just daydreaming or wasting time, if time can ever really truly be wasted.
Even looking in my date book adds to my list of Blogs To Do. Last Monday, I spent valuable time trying to decipher two notes to myself written in my agenda: "Frank" and "Go Burper," and "Voodoo Lou," scrawled on a cocktail napkin.
Many head-scratching minutes later, I figured out that Frank is the guy at Restoration Hardware (why the hell didn't I write that down) who's holding the white shower curtains for me. And Go should have been followed by Burger, the name of the restaurant where my book club was meeting. I have already written a blog about not being able to read my own notes (My Life On Post-Its), so yes, Virginia, time can be truly wasted.
About Voodoo Lou: Has my husband turned to black magic, and if so, who could blame him? This turned out to be two separate issues: a reminder to email someone named Louis, not my husband — who, I guess, isn't going to be killing chickens any time soon, and a note to check into a story about voodoo that I saw on In The Papers: I think I'll call it Magic in Manhattan.
I Love In The Papers
It's a fab feature on New York One, where someone, usually the cute and adorable Pat Kiernan, shows you snippets from the city newspapers. Besides the serious stuff, there's always something funny or quirky . . .
Lately, they've been stories about the oldest living Geisha (at 84) who survived the earthquake in Japan, the candy jar in your office that's keeping you fat, "loosies," the guys who sell single cigarettes in Times Square, Charlie Sheen at "Radio City Music Hell," and The Sleepless Elite, the 1-3 % of the population who can survive on 6 hours or less a night. Not a member of that club.
Sometimes, when I write a blog I'm remembering something from the past I think you'd like to know about:
•My Night at the Pussy Cat Lounge
•Oh, You're Supposed to Toss Coins!
•Arrest That Woman!
But what, you may ask, WON'T I write about . . .
The two biggies are:
1) How to look young for your age (which people tell me I do).
2) How to live to a ripe old age (my parents are both pushing 100).
I feel that if I write about the first, I will instantly shrivel up and blow away, and the second, I'll get hit by a bus.
I also don't write about religion I don't find that funny, or politics, because that is already covered to perfection by Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Steven Colbert and the first few minutes of Saturday Night Live.
And finally, I avoid bodily functions, just as I tend to skip any plays or movies with a name like Urinetown. In a related issue, scatology just isn't my thing. But if it's yours, you can go, so to speak, to Scat Fun for all sorts of delightful essays from around the world about something we all do, hopefully, regularly.
Keep The Posts Short
Nixing these subjects is no problem for me: the difficulty I face as a blogger is not finding topics, but keeping the length of the articles short. There's SO much to say, and attention spans are shrinking faster than the polar cap. A wise editor at the Times told me that I should keep the pieces to 800 words or less, the length of an editorial, and I've been trying to do that.
It's not easy. I'm already up to 704 words and I haven't told you about . . .
Oh, never mind, I'll save that for the next blog, the subject of which will be just about anything except Staying Young, Living Longer, The Religious Right (or Left, or Center), precious bodily fluids or solids for that matter, anything truly heartbreaking or natural disasters— except for The Jersey Shore and Pregnant in Heels, although there's nothing "natural" about either of these two.
Anything you'd like me to write about? Leave a comment.
Cartoon from The New Yorker


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Omnidirectional GSM/UMTS/LTE antenna
Omnidirectional magnetic antenna for GSM/UMTS/LTE technologies. The antenna operates in frequency bands 800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz. The antenna is suited for modems/routers. It is supplied with 3 m cable RG58 with TS9 (m) connector.
Connector specifications TS9:
TS-9 is a little-known coaxial connector that is used primarily in devices such as broadband 3G, 4G modems. Female TS-9 contains a very simple round brass case with an outer diameter of 3.5 mm. The connector is usually connected to a printed circuit board. TS-9 Male connectors have an inner diameter of 3.5 mm and an outer diameter of 3.8 mm. The male connector is usually located on the connecting coaxial cables, sometimes also on external antennas. The connector should not be confused with a similarly sized but incompatible CRC-9 connector. The CRC-9 and TS-9 connectors are visually similar, but not compatible with each other.
Cable specifications RG174/U:
The cable labeled RG174/U is a much cheaper variant of a coaxial cable that is compatible with connectors applicable to a cable diameter of 2.8 mm. It is mainly used for the frequency range 0 - 1 GHz, it can also be used for higher frequencies, but at the cost of higher attenuation – see the attached attenuation table below. The characteristic impedance of the cable is 50 Ω. The reduction factor is fixed at 0.66. The operating temperature range is -20 to 80 ° C.
It is most often used for creating cable adaptors with connectors such as BNC/FAKRA/FME/MCX/MMCX/N/SMA/SMB/SMP/TNC and others. It is ideal for short and bending stressed connections in measuring and telecommunications technology, for GPS/GSM/WLAN antennas, antenna leads etc.
Technical parameters can be found in the attached datasheet.


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15g/30g Plastic Cream Jar
Plastic jars with lids are essential in the health and beauty industry.They can be used to package a variety of items, including cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and others.These stylish jars are sure to let your product stand out in the market.
Glass bottle
Clear or amber natural color, Plasitc Boxes with Shrink Film into Carton.
Decorated glass bottle with printing, Wave Pallet layers into Carton.
Platic Fitment&Plug&Rubber, Plastic bags into carton.
Dropper& Alu-Plastic cap: Wave Pallet layers into Carton.
Final Pallet Package for Export


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The longstanding rumors of an Apple Watch with blood sugar monitoring just gained some credibility. The Telegraph and Forbes report that UK health tech firm Rockley Photonics recently confirmed in an SEC filing that Apple has been its largest customer for the past two years, and that it has a continuing deal to develop future products. Rockley's focus has been on sensors that track blood glucose, pressure and even alcohol levels, suggesting that at least one of these features will be available in a future Apple Watch.
Apple's support for diabetics has so far been limited to carrying third-party monitors in its stores.
There's no guarantee the Rockley deal will lead to shipping products. Apple hasn't been shy about focusing the Apple Watch on health, however, and there's plenty of industry interest in developing wearable blood sugar sensors that don't require needles. If Apple can build the technology into a mainstream product like the Watch, it could offer an advantage to anyone tired of jabbing themselves to keep their diabetes in check.
Rockley's other technologies could help, too. Blood pressure tracking could alert you to issues like stress, and alcohol monitoring might keep your drinking in moderation. Whether or not that's feasible is another matter. Apple still has to consider factors like battery life and price, and it's entirely possible that you could be waiting a while for all these features (assuming they ever ship) even if the tech is otherwise ready.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.


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VICTOR YOUNG and His Orchestra
VICTOR YOUNG and His Orchestra Volume Two 50 recordings from 1931 to 1938 | ©Crystal Stream Audio 2015 IDCD307 Total playing time: 78.10 IDCD308 Total playing time: 77.08 Double CD |
FIRST CD: Smile, Darn Ya, Smile; Everything That's Nice Belongs to You; Stories; Two Little, Blue Little Eyes; Building a Home for You; Little Hunka Love; Hikin' Down the Highway; Many Happy Returns of the Day; Gems From George White Scandals; Auf Wiedersehen, My Dear; Lawd, You Made the Night Too Long; You're the One (You Beautiful Son-of-a-gun); Ma and Pa (Send Their Sweetest Love); Crazy People; In My Hide-Away; The Lady I Love; Lonesome Me; We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye; Always in My Heart (Forever on My Mind); 'T Was Only a Summer Night's Dream; Let's Put Out the Light (and Go to Sleep); Rise 'n' Shine; No More Love; Twenty Million People. SECOND CD: You Are Too Beautiful; I've Got to Sing a Torch Song (two versions); Remember My Forgotten Man; Masquerading in the Name of Love; The Old Spinning Wheel; A Day Without You; This Little Piggy Went to Market; My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua; What's Good for the Goose (is Good for the Gander); Sleepy Head; The Very Thought of You; A Perfect Day; Beautiful Love; Say When; When Love Comes Swingin' Along; Mr. and Mrs. Is the Name; Flirtation Walk; Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle; The Oregon Trail; West Wind; Dancing in the Dark; I Kiss Your Hand Madame; Sweet Sue, Just You; Moonlight and Roses. |
VICTOR YOUNG and His Orchestra Recordings from 1931 to 1935 |
© Crystal Stream Audio 2005 IDCD133Total playing time: 77.07 |
After the Dance (the Bells Ding Dong); Rock Me in a Cradle of Kalua; Pagan Moon; I Wonder Who's Under the Moon Tonight; You Try Somebody Else; My Mom; One Hour with You; What Would You Do?; There I Go Dreaming Again; You Can Make My Life a Bed of Roses; Goodnight My Love; Paradise; Waltzing in a Dream; Arm in Arm; Dream Sweetheart; O.K. America; While We Danced at the Mardi Gras; It was So Beautiful; Where Have We Met Before?; You're an Old Smoothie; Down Carolina Lane; Anything Goes - You're the Top. |


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Ryan Corcoran Believes You Can Expand Your Air BnB Business By Making Smart Renovations!
Ryan Corcoran Details Some Of the Renovations You Can Make to Appeal to Air BnB Renters
Ryan Corcoran Tennessee knows that when running your Air BnB, you want to ensure that you give your guests the best experience possible. While having a nice, clean, and inviting home are essential to the guest experience, other factors to consider are the amenities you can offer your guests. Ryan says that taking the time to update your home with smart renovations can vastly improve the quality of your guests' stay.
Ryan Explains How An Inviting Entry Way Can Set the Tone
The first impression creates a lasting impression, and when it comes to the entrance of your Air BnB, you want to take time to ensure that you set a warm and welcoming tone immediately. Ryan Corcoran suggests that you try to open up your entryway if possible. This will provide a wide-open and inviting feel. If this isn't possible, consider using a bright warm light and making your guests feel secure. You also want to ensure that guests have space to store and drop items you do not want to be stored in the home, such as dirty shoes from hiking, icy skis from skiing, or sandy toys from a day at the beach.
Ryan Details Why Maximizing Bedroom Space is Important
Ryan Corcoran Tennessee knows the importance of kicking up your feet and relaxing on vacation or winding from work during a business trip. The best way to maximize your guests' comfort is by giving as much space as possible in the bedroom. Doing so will provide your guests' room to spread out and do whatever they want with their space while not moving furniture or other belongings in your rental home. Maximizing bedroom space also allows you to fit multiple beds in one room, allowing your home to host larger parties of people.
Ryan Says That Ensuring Your Kitchen is Functional Is a Must
When going through your Air BnB and looking for areas that need extra focus, you will want to prioritize your efforts in your kitchen. Ryan Corcoran shares that a great experience can turn unpleasant when guests can't locate a utensil they need or discover the stovetop doesn't work correctly. Take the time to inspect all elements that are associated with your kitchen. Draw up a checklist and ensure that you have a fully operational and stocked kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home, even in a vacation home.
Ryan Corcoran Tennessee says that the value of a clean rental property with an inviting, welcoming entrance and all the up-to-date amenities guests expect. Investing time and money in your Air BnB can go a long way in bringing in a steady revenue stream. Prioritizing your guests' overall experience can make your property a high-demand rental that can get repeat business, ultimately helping your bottom line.
Making the Right Renovations Can Help You Improve Your Occupancy and Nightly Rental Rates According to Ryan Corcoran.


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Surf Air, the world's largest "All-You-Can Fly" air travel club has announced it will accept Bitcoin and Ethereum as a form of payment for its monthly membership and charter offerings. This marks a major milestone in aviation as this will be the first time a travel provider has been able to successfully execute the acceptance of cryptocurrency. Beginning on November 29, 2017, Surf Air members can quickly and securely pay for Surf Air services using the purely digital currency and unlock the growing network of flights within the United States and Europe, including over 70 daily flights in California between cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and the Bay Area, 30 daily routes spanning across Texas, including Dallas, Houston and Austin and recently launched service in Europe between London, Ibiza and Zurich.
Moving to Bitcoin and Ethereum was a natural progression for Surf Air, whose Silicon Valley roots have catapulted the company onto the forefront of this larger cryptocurrency conversation. "Surf Air was built on the idea of disrupting and changing the way the world sources, purchases and accesses air travel so it only makes sense that we would also be on the cutting-edge of accepting disruptive and progressive forms of payment such as Bitcoin and Ethereum," said Sudhin Shahani, chairman and CEO of Surf Air. "Similarly, Bitcoin users are a tremendously motivated community of early adopters. By creating connective tissue between these forward-thinking business models, I believe we're molding the future for consumer-first, experience-driven commerce," Shahani continued. "We are focused on staying on the bleeding edge of technology as a way to provide the most progressive, secure and efficient air travel in the world. Digital currency has been on our radar from the very beginning and we are excited to provide our members with another quick and seamless way to do business with Surf Air," he concluded.
❗This article was written for this site by a member of our team 🙋, please do share it with your friends via social media. You are also welcome to post it or republish elsewhere on the 🌎web on the condition that you credit the author and link back to our site. Thank you.
♻ We care about the environment, please think twice before you hit 'print'


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Audi Q5 Sportback revealed
The third swoopy SUV model from Ingolstadt will arrive next year. Audi has revealed the new Q5 Sportback, a coupe-style body SUV of the Q5. It is the third coupe-SUV to join Audi's lineup since a proliferation of high-riding wagons from German became hot driveway property. This particular model is
Audi refresh Q5 and SQ5 for 2019
Audi Australia has confirmed pricing and specifications for its premium medium SUV, the Audi Q5, and its performance sibling the SQ5.
2018 Audi Q5 and SQ5 Review
Alex Rae's 2018 Audi Q5 and SQ5 Review with pricing, spec, performance, ride and handling, safety, verdict and score.
2018 Audi Q5 Review – Preview Drive
Paul Horrell's 2018 Audi Q5 Review with specs, performance, ride and handling, safety, verdict and score.
All-new 2017 Audi Q5 revealed
The all-new 2017 Audi Q5 has been revealed at the Paris Motor Show… the premium SUV follows its near-twin the Volkswagen Tiguan to market.


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Pasta Puttanesca is a Southern Italian dish with mixed olives, anchovies and red onion and parmesan. Mouthwatering and ready in minutes!
Last week I was surfing Pinterest (shocking) when I spotted a bright, beautiful plate of pasta out of the corner of my eye. I knew even before I clicked that it was a Pioneer Woman photo. I love how her pictures of food feel effortless, stand out in a crowd, and are are totally mouthwatering to look at.
At any rate, I clicked over and indeed, it was her recipe for Pasta Puttanesca!
Pasta Puttanesca is a Southern Italian pasta dish that combines mixed olives, anchovies (don't you dare click that red x!) parmesan cheese, garlic and red onion for an incredibly flavorful dish that's inexpensive, but totally impressive.
Start by chopping a heaping 1/2 cup mixed olives. The Pioneer Woman used a mortar and pestle to mash them up, but I just chopped them finely with a knife. A food processor would be great too.
Next, finely chop four anchovy filets. Anchovies are not fishy tasting. At least none that I've ever had. They just taste briny and super savory. You'd never know they were in this pasta dish, but are needed to achieve the correct Pasta Puttanesca flavor, ya dig?
Meanwhile, Ben crumbled up 4 ounces of parmesan cheese,
while I got the rest of the ingredients ready for the pasta. 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes (wellll, maybe a little less – they're so poppable!) and 1/2 sliced red onion.
From here the dish came together in less than 10 minutes. Add 8 ounces bucatini to boiling, salted water.
Bucatini is a hoot. It's basically hollow spaghetti and when you slurp the strands up, wind whistles through 'em like a straw. So much fun!
While the pasta cooks, brown the red onion in olive oil.
Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple minutes until they're slightly softened.
Pour in 3/4 cup chicken broth then let it reduce for a couple more minutes, before adding in the chopped olives, anchovies, and 2 garlic cloves.
Finally, pour in the cooked and drained pasta, and 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Then top with the parm and toss.
Swirl onto a plate, sprinkle with fresh basil and slurp away!
This is a FABULOUS meatless main! The flavor of the olives and anchovies is so satisfying, and the tomatoes & basil were the best fresh contrast.
Ben and I both slurped this up (and giggled like 10 year old at the whistling pasta.) ;)
Yet another win for the Pioneer Woman! Ben gets excited every time I make one of her recipes. They're always such crowd pleasers, and are so easy to whip together. The woman can do no wrong!


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Original 248 F1 exhaust pipe
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This original exhaust pipe is now enjoying a new lease of life as a collector's item. The part belonged to the 248 F1, which competed in the 2006 Championship. Accompanied by a certificate of origin signed by the Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, it stands on an elegant base with a carbon fibre finish, handmade in Italy and customised with a red insert and the enamelled Shield.
2006 marked a turning point in the competitions: the year that saw the introduction of the 2.4-litre V8 engines and the return of mid-race tyre changes also witnessed the end of Schumacher's era at Maranello, with his retirement announced after the Monza win. At the end of an incredible season, the Scuderia brought home seven victories from Schumacher and three from Massa, but didn't manage to secure the title.
Each exhaust pipe is unique, available in a limited number of pieces, it has been cleaned and does not contain oil, liquids or other materials. Images may not correspond exactly with the item purchased.
Product Code: 47666


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I was searching scribd the other day with a particular book in mind. I've been trying to run down a copy of Ken Cornell's long out-of-print "The Low and Medium Frequency Radio Scrapbook" ever since I first heard about it. Resources for longwave experimenters are few and far between. Nobody's ever heard of it; none of the online bookstores have it; it's not in any library I know; and I think Ken's gone so there's nobody to ask for a scanned copy. Continue reading
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It's winter. The calendar may still say "autumn" but -18 and snow is winter, darnit. Now that it's winter, you can start thinking about what you'll spend spring doing. I suggest that you plant a garden. As much as you feel you can manage — after a sober evaluation of your needs, space and abilities. The preparation part is easy. Weeding's a pain, but necessary. The real challenge comes in the harvest. Continue reading
I've been accused of being a pessimist. Wrong. I often spoof a pessimist view, but at heart I'm really an optimist. Lately I had to lay this out in front of some people, and this is what I told them:
I always root for the pessimists. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best" is my motto. In all truth I'm very optimistic. Now let's talk about what I'm optimistic *about*.
The number one thing to keep in mind is that nobody can get through this alone. If you're not in a good community, with neighbours you can trust and support, change that right now. It's almost too late. These things take time. Continue reading
Lately some of my American and Canadian friends have been agonizing about the economic meltdown. Unfortunately, many of them seem to have swallowed the official news media line that all the foreclosures are the result of no-account shiftless deadbeats lying to the banks and stealing money to buy houses they couldn't afford. Some of them don't believe that, but have other articles of faith that give them that same false sense of moral security. I don't lay any claim to have more insight than the next person, but as I always say, "There's some stuff I think I know." I thought I'd put some of my responses to them up here. Continue reading
Snow on the ground, full woodshed, crops all in — time to think instead of do. Plan for next year, think about what went wrong this year and why, look short-term and long-term. It's time to change tracks here on the blog as well. Old trucks, old tractors and old bikes are fascinating, but they're not all of my life. Also, now that I have some stuff ready for the Dim Technological Pleistocene project, I've found a better place to put it. If that pans out, I'll simply roll that project up and send the files to them and post a link here. Continue reading
Sunday, October 31 — It's sunny outside and I really wanna be out in it, so this will be short. Man, what a beautiful fall so far! We had time to get the crops in, debris off the gardens, and most of the gardens tilled up so far. All that's really left is the little patch of flax. I don't know whether I'll mess with it this fall. I had the idea that I'd experiment with turning flax into linen fibre. For lack of anything else to do with it, I had thought I'd spin it into twine. Great idea, but of course there are a few processing tools I shoulda been building last summer. Sigh. I may just yank it up and toss it in the compost heap. Continue reading
…or at least write a little more often. Not much happening in the Dim Technological Pleistocene or the Old Hippie's Garage lately. Mainly that's because we've been spending a lot of time working the farm, and the equipment hasn't broken down. I managed to resurrect an old grading blade that I got as part of the deal that netted me Eminence Grease, a utility trailer, and the blade all for free. If you've paid attention you know how Eminence Grease worked out. The trailer is a real white elephant and I'll give it away for free to anyone who drives up to get it. Hint. Email me. Continue reading
Comes a point when ya just have to pull the plug. I hit that point when Jim called me up and said, "I found shims under the main bearings." If this particular 1950 Ferguson TEA-20 had been Grandad's, I would have said "spare no expense! It's got sentimental value." But it's not. It's an old tractor that was abused and poorly rebuilt (at least once) and abused until it finally broke. End of story. Kinda sad, but in the end I need a working tractor, not yard art or a parade queen. Continue reading
After posting that I'd like a little bike to blast around on for short distances, I am in LUST… Continue reading
Rather than address comments piecemeal (though thanks for the comments — wow, somebody reads!) I will use this post to briefly share some of the evolution in my thinking as I get deeper into this thing.
First: let's hear a big shout-out for blind optimism. 🙂 Years of working on motorcycles has given me a sense of what can and cannot be done, but except for the broadest outlines that understanding goes by the boards when we talk about bicycles. A setup that would push the limits a little on a motorcycle pushed the limits too far on the bicycle. Continue reading


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Olive Holidays
This product is currently sold out.
"Let's Celebrate the Holidays"
100lb Heavyweight Cardstock
Offset Printed
4.25 x 5.5 inches
Illustrated by Emily Isabella
Los Angeles, California. Red Cap Cards is a celebration of art and correspondence through collaborations with artists and illustrators. It is a platform for artists to reach a broad audience, bringing together the artist's work and the importance of a handwritten letter. Every artist is a visual storyteller, contributing a unique perspective and connecting people through their art.


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Native to the subtropical and tropical climates, Wax Begonia belongs to a large genus that consists of over 2000 annual, woody and perennial shrub species.
The plants have fibrous roots easily differentiated with their bushy and compact rounded shape, bronze or dark green wax leaves, and flesh stems.
The Wax Begonia plant bears loose flower clusters that bloom through the summer months and into fall.
What is Wax Begonia Plant?
Originally from Brazil, Wax Begonia or the Begonia semperflorens are winter hardy that grows in the 10-11 zones. These however are annuals in many places. Also referred to as fibrous begonia, the plant is non-invasive with a succulent growth habit that branches from the base and possesses fibrous roots.
Botanical Name | Begonia (Semperflorens Cultorum Group) |
Common Name | Wax Begonia |
Family | Begoniaceae |
Plant Type | Herbaceous perennial but planted as annual frequently |
Plant Size & Spread | Spread 6-12 inches. Size 6-18 inch tall |
Bloom Time | All through summer and into fall |
Flower colour | White, red, pink, bicolors |
Toxicity | Non-toxic to human beings but toxic to animals |
Wax Begonia Varieties
Almost all the Wax Begonia plants that you find today are the hybrid of their ancestor, B. cucullata earlier known as the B. semperflorens. The plant was bred extensively in the past. The physical characteristic of the plant is dependent on the breeder but the plants have hybridized to offer various heights and colors.
1. Super Olympia
This is a Wax Begonia plant variety that flowers white, red, and pink large blooms early.
2. Varsity
This variant is great to grow in pots and produces white, red, or pink flowers.
3. Paint Splash Pink
This plant hybrid has green and showy foliage with some cream spots on it. The plant has unique-looking pale-colored pink flowers.
4. Victory series
The plant variety has leaves that are showy and large with bronze colors.
5. Cocktail series
This is a dwarf variety that grows 6 to 8 inches tall.
Things to Consider about Wax Begonia Plant
Growing Conditions for Wax Begonia plant
- When to Plant Wax Begonia?
Wax Begonia is easily propagated with seeds and is best planted in the summer or early fall months.
Most of the begonia plant varieties are subtropical or tropical plants and grow as perennials. It is ideal to transplant your Wax Begonia plant in the flower garden during late spring when there is no danger of frost.
- How Long Does Wax Begonia Take to Grow?
With an ideal temperature and environmental conditions, you can see your Wax Begonia plant start growing in 15 to 20 days.
- Preparation
- Select a place where your plant will enjoy afternoon shade especially if your area is prone to harsh sunlight.
- The soil should be well-drained and moist.
- There should be enough place to sow the seeds 8 inches apart. You can place the tubers placing them with their hollow side up at a distance of 1 inch apart in a shallow tray that contains some moist potting mix. The tray should be placed in a dark room giving enough water to let the potting mix stay moist.
- Take care to ensure that the water is not soggy. You will see the tuber start to sprout in 4 weeks after which it can be removed and placed in an area where it gets bright light.
Benefits of Growing Wax Begonia Plant in Your Garden
Here are some benefits of growing Wax Begonia in your garden.
- The plant is easy to care for.
- They have beautiful foliage and flowers which stand as a contrast to other plants in your garden.
- Wax Begonia is a valuable plant creating a focal point in the garden with very little maintenance.
- The plant species are popular with a plethora of varieties available today.
- Wax Begonia can be grown in varied landscapes and also in containers.
Are Wax Begonia plants Toxic?
Wax Begonia is generally not toxic but these do contain calcium oxalates which can cause mild or severe poisoning in animals. These toxins are usually present in the plant roots.
The common symptoms of Wax Begonia poisoning include salivation, vomiting, and kidney failure. Fatality is rare but is something that you need to be watchful about if you grow Wax Begonia in your garden and have pets at home.
How to Grow Wax Begonia Plant?
The Wax Begonia plant grows fast and fills the garden with its bright and attractive foliage and flowers. They are the focal point of any garden.
- Once you have chosen the landscape ensure that the spot is full sunlight to a shaded location. If the plant gets full sun then this could stress the plant during the summer months making them prone to diseases.
- When you place the plant in the hanging basket or on the flower bed then the only care that needs to be taken is to keep the soil moist, water the plants correctly, and deadhead the blooms. The soil should be moist but not wet.
- Using potting mix is recommended as it leaves out the guesswork. The Wax Begonia plant should be watered at the base avoiding the leaf spot and reducing the possibility of any fungal disease.
Wax Begonia Care Guide
Wax Begonia prefers bright and filtered sunlight. The bronze leaf variety tolerates the harsh sun much better than its green leaf variant. If you plant the Wax Begonia indoors then give them the maximum possible light. Keep them in the South-facing or East-West position for it to get the optimum amount of sunlight.
When planted outdoors, Wax Begonia will need at least 1 inch of water per week. It is best to apply a thick mulch layer that retains water between two watering. If kept indoors, water the plant when you see the soil dried up. ½ an inch of water is sufficient.
When the plant is established then it will need less water and stay between watering for long. Water the plant thoroughly and leave the pot to drain the excess water completely. The plant should not sit in water which will cause the root to root.
The plant grows well at a daily temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal night temperature should be in the mid-60s. However, the plant is capable of tolerating high temperatures if it is well protected from the harsh sun rays.
The plant can thrive in humidity when planted outdoors. The indoor plants however do not like high humidity as they develop mildew on their leaves.
Wax Begonia needs moist but well-drained soil with a soil pH of 5.5–6.5 which makes it slightly acidic. When potted indoors, the plant needs light, airy, and fast-draining soil.
Wax Begonia cannot withstand cold temperatures thus they need to be cared for in the winter months. Placing the potted plant indoors before the onset of winter is best for it to enjoy continuous growth. Acclimatizing the plant early reduces stress.
Place the plant in warm and bright light. Frost kills the Wax Begonia plant so keep it inside till the threat is over.
Pinching off any old blooms and keeping the plant free from old and brown leaves keeps the plant looking vibrant.
Wax Begonia cleans itself so deadheading may not be needed. The plant drops its faded flowers on its own. However, if you want the plant to produce more stems then deadheading is encouraged.
Garden plants need a liquid or granular fertilizer once every month. The indoor plants need fertilization weekly when given in a quarter strength and biweekly when given in half strength. At every fourth feeding make sure that you use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus content.
Apply a 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer to enjoy a healthy plant with abundant bloom. The fertilizer should be poured into the base instead of spraying it on the plant directly. Else it could cause injury to the stems and leaves of some species.
The plant species propagates with leaf tip cuttings easily. The cutting should be without the bloom, at least two nodes, and should be buried in the moist soil potting mix. Leave it in a warm and shaded spot until you see new growth. The best time to take the cutting is in the spring season.
Pests & Diseases
The plant is susceptible to botrytis, mildew, and stem rot which are common where the air circulation is poor and the weather condition is humid.
The insects and pests that commonly attack this plant are thrips and mealybugs which are easily treated with insecticidal soap.
Wax Begonia is a popular bedding plant that creates a lush flower bed. They are durable and provide a sweeping color to your garden either in a single or double bloom. The plant species is a perfect addition to an indoor as well as an outdoor garden. It easily blends in all gardens and landscapes, and if properly planted and cared for then this plant species can let you appreciate its rich foliage all around your garden.


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I don't get #3, I am unable to find a map where Alaska is NOT attached.
20 Facebook Girls Whose Stupidity Will Amaze You
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After the stupidity in #4, I am outta here! A lot of that 10 lbs was a baby bish!
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NCAA Tournament Picks and Field Predictions, Jan. 8
by Robert Ferringo - 1/8/2014
For most college basketball programs in the country, a successful season comes down to just one thing: making it to the NCAA Tournament. Every team starts the season hoping for an invite to The Big Dance, and while there can be only one National Champion, most schools consider a slot in the Field of 68 and a chance at cutting down the nets as a victory in and of itself.
The nonconference portion of the college basketball season has come to a close, and now it's time for some good old-fashioned backyard brawling as the teams descend into league play. For the next nine weeks it will be rivalry games and revenge situations as teams battle for conference supremacy. But the nonconference schedule is where teams write the opening lines on their NCAA Tournament resumes. And how teams have played up to this point give a strong indication of whether or not they're worthy of consideration for one of those 68 coveted spots.
Below are my initial NCAA Tournament predictions and projections for the Field of 68. Things are going to change pretty drastically over the next two months. But within the next few weeks the majority of this year's tournament field will start to crystalize, leaving just a couple dozen teams in major conferences scrambling for the last half-dozen at-large bids and a handful of small conference teams positioning themselves for a run in the conference tournament.
Here are my NCAA Tournament picks and field predictions:
American (Projected Teams: 4)
In: Louisville*, Connecticut*
Bubble: SMU, Memphis*, Cincinnati*
Skinny: College basketball's newest conference offers up several tournament-worthy teams. Louisville and Connecticut are locks (although the Huskies are on tilt at the moment). But the bubble teams are going to be incredibly interesting to watch. How much will the committee weigh the league's relative conference strength when considering bids? The American is currently the No. 7 league in the country. In 2008 (Missouri Valley) and 2009 (Mountain West) the No. 7 league in the country received one and two bids, respectively. However, in the five years since, the No. 7 conference has earned between three and five bids to the NCAA Tournament. SMU is definitely a team to watch closely over the next month.
Atlantic-10 (Projected Teams: 3)
In: None
Bubble: St. Louis*, Massachusetts*, George Washington, Dayton*, VCU
Skinny: This is going to be another interesting year for the A-10. I think that St. Louis and Massachusetts, two teams that have flirted with and run in the Top 25 all year, are both safe bets. The rest of the field is dicey. VCU has a true road win over Virginia and name recognition but not much else. George Washington beat Creighton and Maryland, and they are a solid team. But their strength of schedule is just No. 219 overall. Dayton has beaten Gonzaga, Cal and Ole Miss. But they lost to Illinois State and USC, and I don't know what happens if they finish fifth in the A-10 during the regular season. I am projecting three teams for this league, which would essentially steal a bid, but I honestly have no idea who the third team would be.
ACC (Projected Teams: 7)
In: Syracuse*, Duke*, North Carolina*
Bubble: Pittsburgh*, Maryland, Wake Forest*, Clemson, Notre Dame*, Virginia*, Florida State
Skinny: This bloated mega-conference is jam-packed with tournament wannabes. But just because the ACC is the same size as the old Big East doesn't make it as good as the old Big East. So while it is easy to expect eight or nine bids for the ACC this year, I don't think it is going to happen. Rather than parse through everyone's resumes, I say we just give it a couple weeks and let these teams blow it on their own.
Big 12 (Projected Teams: 6)
In: Iowa State*, Oklahoma State*, Kansas*, Baylor*
Bubble: Kansas State*, Oklahoma*, Texas
Skinny: The Big 12 remains one of the best basketball conferences in the country even without Missouri and Texas A&M. Baylor may seem like a surprise on the "In" line. But they have wins over Colorado, Kentucky and Dayton and their best nonconference schedule rating in a decade. Kansas State is another win or two away from locking up a bid for themselves thanks to wins over Gonzaga and Oklahoma State. And while Oklahoma doesn't have a marquee win – yet – I think that they are good enough to play their way into the Big 12's top tier. Texas is more competitive than I expected. And they have that win over North Carolina. But they are a team that I see sagging in league play, and I think they'll be one of the final teams cut on Decision Day.
Big East (Projected Teams:4)
In: Villanova*, Creighton*
Bubble: Xavier*, Georgetown*, Butler
Skinny: Georgetown is going to find its way into the Big Dance. I have no doubt about that. And Xavier is 12-3 with an excellent nonconference resume (though a better showing in the Bahamas would've already locked up their bid). They will get in. What do we do with the rest of the league? Marquette, Butler, Seton Hall, St. John's and Providence will all play in the postseason. The question will be whether they are headed for The Big Dance or one of the smaller dances. For now only four teams have earned a bid, so I will stick with that and see how everyone else navigates January.
Big Ten (Projected Teams: 6)
In: Ohio State*, Wisconsin*, Michigan State*
Bubble: Illinois*, Michigan*, Iowa*, Minnesota, Indiana
Skinny: Everyone has the Big Ten listed as the top conference in the country. I don't know if that is true. And they only get six bids because only six teams have earned consideration at this point. Indiana is a fringe candidate at best. Their nonconference schedule rated No. 327, and they didn't score a single win over a Top-110 team. Minnesota will be an interesting case, but right now they are more potential than production.
Conference USA (Projected Teams: 1)
In: None
Bubble: Southern Mississippi, Louisiana Tech*, UAB
Skinny: This bloated conference has 16 teams – 16! – fighting for what will likely be a lone bid. This conference was a one-bid league when Memphis was dominating. They likely won't get a second thought now that the Tigers are carrying the flag in the American. Louisiana Tech is a very good team with an OT win at Oklahoma. But they have two bad losses – at St. Mary's and versus in-state rival Lafayette – that will drag them down. UAB beat North Carolina and took New Mexico to double overtime. That earns them a token mention.
Missouri Valley (Projected Teams: 1)
In: Wichita State*
Bubble: Indiana State
Skinny: Wichita State is a Top-10 team, and they are a lock for the NCAA Tournament, where they will attempt to make it back-to-back Final Four runs. They are playing for seeding the next two months. Indiana State has a road win over Notre Dame, and they have a lot of talent. If they can avoid more than two league losses and make a convincing run in Arch Madness then they will be firmly on the bubble in March. The problem is that this team is prone to dumbfounding losses and already dumped games to middling Belmont and Tulsa. I can't see the Sycamore's toeing the line throughout league play and avoiding upsets. But they will still be a threat in St. Louis for the league's auto bid.
Mountain West (Projected Teams: 3)
In: San Diego State*
Bubble: Boise State*, New Mexico*, UNLV, Utah State
Skinny: The Mountain West has another excellent crop of teams to offer to the selection committee and should easily earn multiple bids for this league. San Diego State is already in thanks to that true road win at Kansas. New Mexico and Boise State really just need to avoid melting down in league play and will be solid tournament teams as well. UNLV was a mess early in the season during their most important nonleague games. They lost all of them, though, and the momentum of a seven-game winning streak was blunted by a horrible home loss to Air Force over the weekend. The Rebels have an uphill climb. WAC-refugee Utah State does as well. The Aggies made the NCAA Tournament three straight times from 2009-2011. But Stew Morrill's program has been sagging. Their nonconference resume is weak. But this team – now that Jarred Shaw is back in the fold – is good enough to finish in the top two or three in the conference. Would that be enough? Probably not. But they have a shot.
Pac-12 (Projected Teams: 6)
In: Arizona*, Colorado*, UCLA*, Oregon*
Bubble: California*, Utah, Arizona State*
Skinny: After a spotty few seasons, the Pac-12 is back in full force. Arizona is the top team in the country, and Oregon and UCLA are Top 25 staples. Colorado can play with anyone as proven by their win over Kansas and tight showing with Oklahoma State. Cal has the core of last year's tournament team back (though injuries are taking a toll). Arizona State has one of the best players in the country, Jahii Carson, and a solid squad. And Utah is an emerging dark horse. Their only two losses this year have come by a combined four points to Boise State and Oregon. Larry Krystkowiak is doing a fantastic job, and I think this team is capable of stealing some wins in league play. I didn't include Stanford on this list, despite its win over Connecticut in December, because I don't trust them not to flop in league play.
SEC (Projected Teams: 6)
In: Florida*, Kentucky*, Missouri*
Bubble: Arkansas*, LSU, Mississippi*, Tennessee*
Skinny: There is increasing parity in this improving conference. The three "in" team members are obvious. But the bubble teams are going to make for very interesting cases on Selection Sunday. Tennessee has the best resume, with wins over fellow bubblers Xavier, Virginia and Wake Forest. Arkansas has beaten SMU, Minnesota and Clemson, three other bubble teams. But LSU and Ole Miss haven't beaten anyone of note, and both have bad losses. I think both squads are good enough to belong in the Field of 68. But they need strong showings in the rebuilt SEC to prove it.
WCC (Projected Teams: 1)
In: Gonzaga*
Bubble: None
Skinny: St Mary's would have to win the league title in order to get a bid. But they have missed the tournament with better teams than the one they have this year. BYU played a great nonconference schedule. They almost earned wins against Iowa State, Oregon and Massachusetts. But the fact is that they didn't win those games and their victory over Texas isn't enough to earn a spot on the bubble. Sweeping Gonzaga, winning the regular season title, and at least a trip to the WCC title game is BYU's only ticket at this point, and that's a long shot.
Automatic Bid Leagues (Projected Teams: 20):
America East – Stony Brook
Atlantic Sun – Mercer
Big Sky – Northern Colorado
Big South – Charleston Southern
Big West – Long Beach State
Colonial – Drexel
Horizon – Wisconsin-Green Bay
Ivy League – Harvard (Potential at-large team)
Metro – Manhattan
Mid-American – Toledo
MEAC – Norfolk State
Northeast – Bryant
Ohio Valley – Eastern Kentucky
Patriot League – Boston University
Southern – Western Carolina
Southland – Stephen F. Austin
SWAC – Texas Southern
Summit – North Dakota State
Sun Belt – Western Kentucky
WAC – New Mexico State
*Denotes team projected for the NCAA Tournament.
Robert Ferringo is one of the premier college basketball handicappers in the country right now. He has banked $6,200 in profit for his clients with his college basketball sides and he is working on his sixth consecutive winning season, the top streak in the country. You can sign up for his college basketball picks and get more information here.
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If you find yourself stressing over your course work, unable to keep up with the information being taught to you, or even if you just have a simple question, then the Tutorial and Learning Center is where you want to be.
There are close to 30 qualified tutors currently employed at the center to help any City College or ECC student with the majority of subjects offered on campus, excluding English and Philosophy, which are covered by the English Center.
Tutorial and Learning Center Director, Lance Soukhaseum is very optimistic on what the center can achieve.
"What we hope to accomplish here at the center is to make students individual learners so that they can master the subject themselves. That is the big goal," he said.
The TLC offers walk-in, by appointment and online tutoring, study group sessions with tutors, a computer lab and a math cram jam offered at the end of the semester for final review in Math 38, 46, and 96.
With walk-in tutoring, you may come in to see a tutor with brief questions only. With appointment tutoring you receive the same benefits as walk-in with the exception of having the tutor's full attention for half an hour.
"I think it is a great idea because it give students a chance to better their education and get extra help at a time that works for them. It is more resources for us," said student Alycia Edwards.
In addition to tutoring, the TLC offers several workshops in time management, test taking techniques and dealing with test anxiety, memory techniques, and several others. These workshops are led by Adela Powers, evening supervisor of the TLC.
Other benefits students can receive by coming to the TLC is being able to talk to people who have been through the college process and are able to provide you with first hand advice from a student's point of view.
"The tutors can help with questions you may have about transferring and offer tips on how to survive the UC system," Soukhaseum said.
Students who are interested in utilizing the services at the TLC must be currently enrolled in the course for which they are requesting tutoring. The TLC is located in the Academic Success Center on the second floor of the L building in room L-205. They are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays.


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Directed by David B. Stewart III
Written by David B. Stewart III
Starring Thomas Reilly, Elissa Mullen and Christopher Connolly
Zombie themed movies are back as the in thing thanks to the success of mainstream viewing such as Shawn of the Dead and the TV show The Walking Dead. In horror movies there is two things that you love to see killed; Nazis and Zombies. So this film written, edited and directed by David B. Stewart III combines the two. The plot is a team of army special forces has been chosen to go to an old biological weapons facility to destroy all equipment and specimens inside. What they find is not only the danger from the zombies but also danger from themselves. The US film title was Operation: Nazi Zombies but was shortened upon it's UK DVD release, clearly influenced by the popular side mission in selected Call of Duty franchise games. Unfortunately aside from one helmet and one reference to Nazis this is just a plain zombie horror film.
The pace is steady and unfortunately never goes full throttle. The cast mainly put in good performances except for the odd person. The make up for the zombies is nicely done but rarely does the camera stay on them long enough to truly appreciate the make up artists work. The music score is perfect to create a sense of eeriness and works well throughout the film.
One of the main problem I have is, apart from the main character, you don't form a relationship with any of the other characters so you're not worried about them dying. The other is that the main threat for most of the movie is the humans and not the zombies which was a shame. The main part of the film where there's a sense of being trapped and in danger they could have spent more time on. There was the broken lift to go back up, the flashing lights and the twisting hall ways whichever as perfect. Unfortunately they only used twenty minutes of the 86 minutes run time in this environment.
Nazi Zombies is worth a watch just don't expect much emphasis on the Nazi part and also any connection to the Call of Duty video game mode. Watch Dead Snow if this is what you was looking for! It ticks all the box's for a zombie movie except for the gore level which is set at low. The ending is a little bit of a let down, as personally I thought was going to lead to a possible sequel.
The fear is real, just expect the fear to come from the unexpected. "Betrayed…hunted…and left for…THE DEAD."
Click here to purchase Nazi Zombies (2003) on R2 DVD from Amazon.co.uk


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UN study says humans are damaging nature at 'unprecedented' rate
The findings call for 'transformative change' to avoid dire consequences.
You probably weren't expecting a feel-good nature report from the UN after its alarming findings on climate change, and you won't get one. The organization's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has published a summary of an upcoming study that concludes nature is declining at a pace "unprecedented in human history," and that there are "grave impacts" likely for people around the world. While the finer points of the report aren't available, it makes certain grim facts clear.
The researchers were particularly concerned about an "accelerating" extinction rate. Roughly 1 million animal and plant species are at risk of disappearing, some of them within decades. The rate is "tens to hundreds of times" higher than the average from the past 10 million years, IPBES said. Marine animals were at a particularly high risk, with more than 40 percent of amphibians, over a third of marine mammals and nearly a third of reef-forming corals all in danger. The average abundance of native land-based species has dropped by 20 percent, and most of that decline has taken place since 1900.
Data also indicates that humans are impacting the rest of the planet in dire ways beyond climate change. Over a third of the land and close to three quarters of freshwater are now devoted to crops or livestock, and our current rates aren't sustainable. Land degradation has hurt 23 percent of Earth's surface, with risks of losing pollinators (such as bees) and coastal habitats. As of 2015, a third of marine fish stocks were being harvested at unsustainable levels, and 60 percent were at peak capacity.
Pollution is unsurprisingly a problem. Urban areas have "more than doubled" since 1992, according to IPBES. Plastic pollution has grown by more than ten times since 1980, and the sheer volume of industrial waste entering the oceans (up to 400 million tons per year) has created over 400 "dead zones" that, combined, cover an area larger than the UK.
Not surprisingly, the report team is calling for "transformative change" (that is, deep and far-reaching) in technology, economies and society to head off the worst consequences. That includes not only doing much more to conserve nature, but to develop sustainable practices and even restore some of what's been lost. There have been successes in protecting threatened species and environments through legislation and nature reserves, but there could also be more sustainable farming and food waste reduction, larger crackdowns on poaching and tougher environmental laws.
If there isn't significant reform... well, it doesn't look good. Entire ecosystems depend on biodiversity and clean environments. We're "eroding the very foundations" of our society, IPBES warned -- if we aren't kinder to nature, humanity will suffer. Whether or not that will happen isn't clear. Humans are already likely to miss most 2020 biodiversity goals, and targets for 2030 and beyond will require those previously mentioned dramatic changes. And at the moment, some countries are de-prioritizing the environment. You may not see significant reform until the world's most influential countries treat nature as a major concern.


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2020 was a year of massive change and market disruption. Now, as companies turn the calendar to 2021, they're shifting from a reactionary mode to a proactive outlook — especially when it comes to data and digital initiatives.
Let's take a look at the top data trends to monitor in 2021, as well as how these trends play a role in some of the major market segments.
Top 5 Data Trends in 2021
- Agility and Speed Breaking Out as Priorities: As frustrating as it is, COVID-19 is still a huge faction in life and business in 2021. Speed to implementation and time-to-market for products is paramount right now. So, while data governance is always important, the emphasis is on replacing legacy systems with more intuitive PIM and MDM platforms – and doing it fast.
- It's All About the Customer Journey: Customer experience has always been vital, but companies now must identify and define the customer journey for the digital The way consumers interact with products has changed, so companies need to evaluate how customers find them, their path to the sale, what experiences matter most, how to keep consumers digitally engaged, etc.
- The Death of Single Source of Truth: As buyers have evolved, the idea of "single source of truth" is no longer the data management benchmark. To engage digital consumers, information must speak to their needs and emotions and within in a relevant,channel-based context. That often involves changing product content like titles, imagery, descriptions, and even price depending on channel and audience.
- Emphasis on Digital Selling: To gain a competitive advantage, companies must shift focus to digital selling strategies. The concept of an upsell, for example, hasn't caught up in the digital world. In the store, signage and sales reps help make recommendations. Companies must master that same experience in the digital space. Digital selling is something everyone is talking about — but there's work to be done.
- Getting Your Back of House in Order: To tackle the trends above, it's become evident that companies must get their data house in order. Whether it's implementing a new PIM or MDM platform or starting a data governance program, companies prioritize projects that help them move forward with data that's correct, consistent, complete, and compelling.
2021 Trends for Industries
In 2021, certain industries will see an expansion of changes that started last year, while others will see new directions emerge.
Perhaps no industry changed as much last year, with 49% of shoppers saying they started or increased buying groceries online. This year, grocers will work to improve product data in order to master multiple channels. Plus, curbside and delivery options will expand, and internal processes — along with customer experiences — for those services must also evolve.
Read more about Grocery MDM.
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
Certain CPG categories are experiencing a huge surge in online demand, which means they'll need to put a greater emphasis on improving product content. CPG's also know it's crucial to make product lifecycle management (PLM) processes more efficient. The good news is that they are starting to truly embrace PIM and data management into company culture.
Read more about CPG and PIM.
Food ordering has drastically evolved. Digital restaurant orders jumped by 63% in March 2020 alone. If they haven't already, restaurant brands will incorporate systems to better cater to mobile app customers. The expanded use of customer data will be essential to offer more personalized services (e.g., rewards, promotions), and dynamic pricing will gain prevalence.
Read more about PIM for QSR.
The pandemic affected education institutions in many ways, from remote learning to tiered enrollment. To stay agile, universities and schools must utilize data to meet goals like more effective recruiting, student retention, fundraising, and more. We see education entities looking at MDM to manage Party data to better meet these goals.
Read more about Education and MDM.
US online sales of auto parts and accessories soared last year and will rise to over $21B by 2023, with the bulk of those sales coming from smartphones. The industry will adopt more robust data management strategies to handle complex fitment data, which should increase sales and reduce returns.
Read more about Fitment Data and MDM.
This list only scratches the surface. Across all industries — from retail, manufacturing, and healthcare to industrial, furniture, beauty, and beyond — data and digital initiatives will be crucial in 2021.
What are Your 2021 Goals?
No matter what industry you're in, and what trends you're ready to adopt, you can't start at the finish line. You have to get your data in order first. That usually requires a crawl/walk/run approach. That's where the right partner can make all the difference.
Stay tuned to Amplifi's blog throughout the year, as we share insights and tips on how to master your data goals in 2021.


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Nov 26 2020 10:18 PM
I am trying to establish storage replica between two VMs, both having same logical sector size but different physical sector size. Test-SRtopology doesn't complains about log drive but for data volumes says sector size are not same. Bellow requirement says sector size but doesn't say physical or logical
If it requires physicals sectors to be same, why not complaining about log drive. If only logical sector to be same, why its complain about data volume as both data volumes are having same size, logical sector and volume allocation size.
Oct 15 2021 08:54 AM
@Prasanta Kumar Panda Did you ever get an answer to this? I'm having the same issue.


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Graphic design
Elisa Cardoso/ Máquina Estúdio
21.00 x 14.00 cm, 424 pp.
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
Novel, 1958 | Afterword by José Paulo Paes
Gabriela arrives in Ilhéus from the hinterlands in 1935, in search of work. Camped at the slave market with all the other itinerants, she is taken in by the Arab Nacib. At first, the owner of the bar Vesuvio does not notice the beauty of the girl hidden under all the rags and dust, but he soon discovers her cinnamon skin and scent of cloves. Before long, all the men in town have succumbed to Gabrielas charms.
Gabriela takes over the bar kitchen, where the flavour of her cooking and her inebriating presence keep the Vesuvio packed to the rafters. For the jealous Nacib, who has fallen in love with her, the only solution is to marry. As a wife, Gabriela finds herself with obligations unsuited to her free and rustic spirit, but she refuses to be tamed, and when Nacib catches her in bed with Tonico Bastos, he has their marriage annulled. Even so, Gabriela will find her way back to the kitchen and into Nacibs bed.
Besides the love story of the Arab Nacib and the bushgirl Gabriela,
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
is also a chronicle of the height of the cocoa boom in the region of Ilhéus. Though ostensibly a comedy of manners, the novel describes some deep-set changes in the social life of Bahia in the 1920s: the opening of the port to large tankers leads to the rise of the Rio-based exporter Mundinho Falcão and to the decline of the local colonels, like Ramiro Bastos. It is Gabriela who personifies the transformations worked upon this patriarchal, archaic and authoritarian society by the winds of cultural, political and economic change.
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
inaugurates a new phase in the work of Jorge Amado. From this novel onwards, the author will tone down the political content that marked his earlier works and begin to accentuate racial miscegenation, eroticism and a sensorial perception of the world. Female characters gain precedence, with women assuming the narrative core as sexual myths, but also as agents of desire itself.
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
was Jorge Amados first novel after leaving the Communist party. Published in 1958, the novel received the Machado de Assis and Jabuti awards the following year. Soon afterwards, in 1961, Jorge Amado was elected to the Brazilian Academy of Letters, largely on the crest of the thunderous success of this book.
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
was made into a soap-opera for TV Tupi in 1961 and again by Rede Globo in 1975. With versions in over thirty languages,
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
is Jorge Amados most widely translated work.
Nacib, panting from the climb, inserted the key in the lock. The light was on in the front room. Was it a burglar? Or had his new servant forgotten to turn off the light?
He entered quietly and saw her asleep in a chair, smiling. Her long black hair, now washed and combed, fell loose and wavy over her shoulders. Her clothes were ragged but clean; they must have been in her bundle. A tear in her skirt revealed an expanse of cinnamon-brown thigh. Her breasts rose and fell softly in rhythm with her breathing.
My God! Nacib stood still, incredulous.
He marveled that such beauty could have been hidden under the dust. Asleep there in the chair her shapely arm fallen, a smile on her brown face she looked like a painting. How old might she be? She had the body of a young woman, the face of a little girl.
My God, what have I got here! murmured the Arab almost devoutly.
At the sound of his voice, she awoke, startled; but then she smiled, and the whole room seemed to smile. She jumped up and straightened her rags with her hands, simple and bright as a bit of moonlight.
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H. D. Smith acquisition Triplefin
H. D. Smith, a pharmaceutical wholesaler and services provider based in Springfield, Ill., has acquired Triplefin, a reimbursement, patient assistance and pharmaceutical brand-support services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. H. D. Smith secured majority representation on Triplefin's board of directors in January and majority stock ownership interest in May. H.D. Smith has now acquired the remaining 49% of Triplefin shares, giving the company full ownership.
Triplefin will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of H. D. Smith within the H. D. Smith specialty solutions operating unit. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The combined organization will continue to provide support services to traditional brand and specialty product manufacturers and pharmacy partners, including critical distribution and fulfillment functions, patient assistance and reimbursement programs, third-party logistics, pharmaceutical marketing and product education.
Upcoming Events


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Starting July 1, Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) is offering new Blue Shield plans, providing more options for enrollees. These plans include the Access+ HMO Network with Platinum, Gold, and Silver metal tier options, as well as the Bronze Trio HMO 7000/70. The two most popular Blue Shield High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP), Silver Full PPO Savings 2300/25% and Bronze Full PPO Savings 7000 plans, are also now available.
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text: Known as the teardrop of India, Sri Lanka has a fascinating history intertwined with elements of Hindu mythology, Buddhist tradition and European colonialism. Having the highest density of biodiversity in Asia, this hotspot is home to several endemic, and threatened species of flora and fauna found in it's lush tropical forests. The welcoming climate has made it a popular surfing and scuba diving destination.


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Akhurst, Rosemary J. and FitzPatrick, David R. and Gatherer, Derek and Lehnert, Sigrd A. and Millan, Fergus A. (1990) Transforming growth factor betas in mammalian embryogenesis. Progress in Growth Factor Research, 2 (3). pp. 153-168. ISSN 0955-2235
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Type beta transforming growth factors (TGF beta s) are members of a large superfamily of related proteins, each of which plays a pivotal role in embryonic processes. The TGF beta s per se are at least five in number, though only three isoforms have been identified in mammals. Here we will review the evidence, taken from in vitro studies on bioactivity and histochemical localization of RNAs and encoded proteins in vivo, that TGF beta 1, beta 2 and beta 3 are involved in several mammalian developmental processes, including control of growth, differentiation, tissue inductions and morphogenesis.


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Der Spiegel: "From Johns to Geriatrics"
March 14, 2006 - Today the leading German news magazine Der Spiegel posted an article by Guido Kleinhubbert about a new government program to train prostitutes to become "care workers for the elderly," apparently including nurses. "Prostitute Retraining Program: From Johns to Geriatrics" suggests that some of the skills gained in prostitution are quite transferable to elder care. It also suggests that the training program is a timely idea, as Germany has a glut of prostitutes and a desperate need for nursing home workers, especially as its population ages. We have no problem with the training program itself. But the piece makes lighthearted comparisons of prostitution and health care, and it fails to define precisely what jobs the sex workers are training for, or to note that professional nursing requires years of college-level science training. These elements may reinforce harmful "naughty nurse" and handmaiden imagery. More broadly, we remain uncomfortable with the continuing suggestions that the developed world nursing shortage can be resolved by recruiting new nurses from groups who are presented as having few good options, rather than with better workplace conditions and adequate clinical and educational resources.
The piece describes the training program, which is financed by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the European Union , as "teaching prostitutes a wholly new bedside manner." It tells how one sex worker made the transition even without the new program: "Angie, the whore, became Angelika the care worker for the elderly," trading her "stilettos for sensible shoes" as she "helps her customers bathe and change their bandages." Rita Kühn of Diakone Westfalen, a large nursing home company that is reportedly "organizing the project," says that "prostitutes have 'good people skills,' aren't easily disgusted and have 'zero fear of contact.'" The piece say Kühn believes these traits set the prostitutes apart from "trainee nurses and future care workers." Her program offers the new trainees "two years of courses and vocational training."
The piece explains how well the program matches supply with demand. In Germany, there is "bad news from the red light milieu," with a surge of sex workers not only from "economically depressed Eastern Europe," but also "plenty of mothers simply trying to make ends meet, academics who can't find other work, or even schoolgirls trying to make some extra pocket money." "[F]ormer star dominatrix" Gisela Zohren, who now works at a busy "prostitute help center" in Dortmund and is a local coordinator for the new project, says the job situation is "miserable." When Zohren herself made the transition to nursing home work in the late 1990's, she "found the wishes of many of her former customers weren't so different from her nursing home work with bedpans and washcloths. She often used to play the role of nanny -- albeit with a whip." Zohren stresses that she had learned to "listen and to convey a feeling of safety."
On the other side of the equation, the piece explains that there are "few sectors that so desperately need new workers like nursing homes and social services." And the nation's population is quickly aging, so the demand will likely grow even more.
The piece briefly discusses the mechanics of getting the new program off the ground. Zohren and other city coordinators plan a "road show" to convince people around the state that "prostitution can offer true qualifications." Kühn is hoping for "absolute discretion from nursing managers to avoid elderly men demanding erotic services from their new nurses."
The piece closes with an ironic note comparing how prostitution and health care are valued in today's society. Angelika notes that she is happy in her new job--even though she earns less than half of what she did as a prostitute, and "due to cutbacks in healthcare, she doesn't have as much time for her customers as she once did." One implication (at least to us) is that if nurses really did provide sexual services to their patients, as the naughty nurse stereotype suggests, they might enjoy better pay and safe staffing.
It's not clear to us exactly what jobs the prostitutes are training to do. The piece at one point does say that they will become "new nurses." At another point it compares the prostitutes to "trainee nurses and future care workers." And at another point it says the new trainees will get two years of courses. But the nature of the training is unclear, as are the current educational qualifications of the trainees, and for the most part the piece simply suggests that the prostitutes will be providing nursing home care. So it's really not clear whether they will become professional nurses, or whether the article is assigning the label "nurse" to anyone who provides custodial care, which is itself a problem, as it understates the training and skill required to be a nurse. Of course, nursing was associated with prostitution in the early days, and reviving that association will not help the profession overcome its current crisis. Even so, we're pleased to see a program that seems to be matching real needs, and we wish the participants well.
The article's jokey comparisons of nursing care and sex, while hardly surprising, tend to reinforce the naughty nurse imagery that has helped to hold the profession back. The article does suggest that nursing requires good interpersonal skills and a tolerance for bodily functions. But that's hardly news, and it's not likely to do much to persuade decision-makers or society as a whole that nursing deserves more clinical and educational resources. And the piece fails to discuss why there is a shortage of elder care workers in the first place.
We're also uncomfortable with the number of initiatives and press pieces in recent years that seem to suggest the solution to the developed world nursing shortage is to find nurses from the ranks of those who are presented as having few good options: sex workers, those on public assistance, desperate nurses from poor nations, foreign physicians who can't pass their physician licensing exams. Excellent nurses may come from any of the above categories. But the sense we get from many of these press stories is that nursing is a good choice for those with nowhere else to turn, because, after all, it doesn't require much critical thinking, knowledge or skill. That, of course, is not the case. And simply finding new groups of people to plug the gaping holes in the nursing workforce does nothing to fix why those holes exist in the first place, which include poor workplace conditions, inadequate clinical and educational resources, and a lack of real understanding and respect.
Consider the reaction if similar strategies were applied to other critical shortages of workers who hold lives in their hands. Would a Western government announce it planned to address shortages of intelligence analysts or Arabic translators by training prostitutes to do the job?Click here to see the article: "Prostitute retraining program: From Johns to Geriatrics" by Guido Kleinhubbert in the March 14 edition of der Spiegel.


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Concerts and NFT's Collide: How Artists Can Claim A Slice of the Crypto Pie
Concerts and NFT's Collide: How Artists Can Claim A Slice of the Crypto Pie
By: Mitch Hamilton — Founder and CPO at Animal Entertainment Group
Of all the unusual concepts and terms added to our vocabulary in 2021, NFT must have been the strangest one. Because aside from the record of ownership that can neither be edited nor deleted, you don't get much. No tangible asset to have and to hold, no war stories of the experience you had, not even the bragging rights of exclusive ownership and copyrights or such.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's first get our heads around what a Non-Fungible token is.
Fungible cryptocurrency is similar in a functional sense to the banknotes we spend every day, where one note can be replaced by the other. Non-Fungible cryptocurrency consists of digital tokens that are individual, unique, and unable to replace another Non-Fungible token. They operate on a Blockchain network and are a certificate of authenticity.
The great thing about NFTs is that being intangible; they can represent just about any form of content in the digital format. Be it a video, a painting, music, or a tweet. Because the role of an NFT is to award authenticity and form an immutable record of the ownership, their exclusivity can be a saving grace for fine arts.
The band "Kings of Leon" recently created just such an NFT. The band released their album, "When You See Yourself," as a non-fungible token, the first band to music and cryptocurrency.
Imagine 20 years from now, instead of saving a piece of card stock with almost illegible printing, having a digital ticket represented as an NFT. Such a transformation has a paradigm shift for virtual concerts written all over it. What is more, you now have an opportunity not only to provide an everlasting certificate of authenticity for attending a show, you can also sell unlimited perks with genuine immortal records to mark the event as valuable and unique. A shift like that can disrupt the entire live event promotion model if the event promoters don't catch up to NFTs fast and pay special attention.
A Bit of History
Revolutions are an excellent context for shifts and disruptions. During such a mini-revolution, a Parisian graffiti artist named Pascal Boyart created a mural that was inspired by Eugène Delacroix's masterpiece, "Liberty Leading the People." The mural that Boyart painted during the Parisian "yellow-jacket" protests in January of 2019 updated the Delacroix piece by replacing 19th-century French rebels (the ones that toppled King Charles X) with the "yellow-jacket" protesters.
Obviously, the Parisian authorities weren't pleased with Boyart's mural with the "liberty" theme, and the mural was painted over with gray paint.
Even though his mural is long gone, Boyart's ingenuity and entrepreneurial mind adapted the mural, and he minted a non-fungible token (NFT) version of the mural. Boyart divided the NFT into 100 pieces to make the mural more affordable and sold each one for 0.5 ETH. As he puts it, "you can't easily sell graffiti, and few street artists make Banksy-money" — but the mural was made immortal using an NFT to represent the artist's creation.
The Catch
Music production and marketing are incredibly money-intensive, requiring the record companies to pour millions to produce and then promote an artist, goes the argument of the Record companies. As the record companies and the streaming platforms have gotten fatter, they have irrevocably altered how a fan discovers new music and the artist that has produced it.
But, what if the upfront costs were entirely eliminated or borne by the community of music's fans rather than the record companies. In addition, what if certain perks that are usually consumed by the rich and the famous were to be sold as NFTs for an online live concert.
For example, during the Covid19 pandemic, a mega event called "TomorrowLand" was held by Belgian promoters. Artists that couldn't perform live performed online, selling over a million tickets at €20 each
Similarly, while the band "Kings of Leon" was the first to release an album as an NFT, the release included multiple NFTs as perks. The three different kinds of NFTs consisted of a special album package, live show perks, and the third features exclusive audiovisual art.
To top it off, for diehard fans, the NFT platform created 18 NFTs they called "golden tickets" The golden tickets allowed the fans to reserve actual front-row concert tickets at any of the band's concerts for the rest of their lives. To maintain rarity, the NFT minter auctioned off only 6 of the 18 NFT "golden tickets" and vaulted the remaining 12.
Two new ambitious projects are in the works by Animal Concerts (www.animalconcerts.com) and Animal NFT (Twitter @animalnftnet). We plan to go way beyond what Kings of Leon were able to accomplish and make it available to all artists. As the website states, "By adding merchandise and NFT's to the equation, we can elevate the possibilities for artists and their interaction with the community." They plan to host large-scale concerts for top artists, streaming online to an audience of millions around the world. Empowering the music industry to create new revenue streams through our online marketplace and cryptocurrency.
These developments will significantly help create our own unique ecosystem so that the delivery mechanism for emerging artists and record companies won't dictate what and how to produce and when and how to get introduced to their fans.
In conclusion, much remains to be developed and explored to propagate arts through combining concerts with the medium of blockchain. But it is an important task, as accomplishing it will set both the art and artists free from the grip of big money.
Animal Entertainment Group seeks to be a front-runner in this new and vibrant merge of industries.
Find out more: https://www.animalconcerts.com/
3 thoughts on "Concerts and NFT's Collide: How Artists Can Claim A Slice of the Crypto Pie"
Everything is very open with a precise clarification of the challenges. It was really informative. Your website is useful. Thanks for sharing!
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