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Since I write about gigs most weeks, you might think I'm some voracious gig-hopper, diving capriciously into pubs to soak up whatever's happening. Not so, usually. I'll be at home, distracted, then deliberate; count pennies, drink wine, start tinkering with ableton or getting lost in a Wikipedia labyrinth and then eventually be coaxed out per a cat from under a parked car. Tonight is the exception, whereupon I slide down to the Tote, barely thinking, like a wet sardine on a mirror.
This is my first time at the Collingwood venue since I returned to Victoria. It smells even worse than I remember. If you're not familiar, the Tote is quintessentially Melbourne and evokes the Inner-Northern suburbs' rock underground in very particular ways. Wipers will tag team Eddy Current on the jukebox while the Bulldogs play the Giants on a shitty old TV; deftly curated haircuts mingle with ratty mullets over a beer-spattered pool table and cigarettes glow like firefly swarms in the kinda-claustrophobic courtyard. Entering the downstairs bandroom, you pass through a sort of inverse portico and end up in a dark, tiered space, where people play guitars.
The first group of people to play guitars tonight is THE STROPPIES, which is a new-ish band involving:
-Steph Hughes (Dick Diver, Boomgates etc)
-Gus Lord (Twerps, Boomgates, The Stephens)
-Rory Heane (White Walls),
-Claudia Sefarty (Blank Statements) and
-Adam Hewitt (I don't know which-bands but we can assume they're pretty good)
The Stroppies sound a bit like a Frankenstein's monster of the members' other projects, but it's a lean and often enigmatic monster: the sound's not easy to place. Less warmly melodic than Dick Diver, more intricately wrought than Twerps, and full of surprises, The Stroppies have definitely got their own thing going and it's a thing which might appeal to fans of Young Marble Giants and Silver Jews. Tonight they zig-zag happily through songs from their self-titled cassette, pausingly only to wish Woolen Kits' Tom Hardisty a happy birthday (Hardisty, by the way, has organised this show to celebrate his 30th).
Second, QWERTY come in sideways and continue sidewise, sputtering out an asymettrical set of instrument changes, awkward pauses, skateboard giveaways and – mingled within it all – some pretty great songs. Qwerty comprises members from Waterfall Person, Pool Spy (is this a music act or just a twitter account?), and ___korean bbq (once again, not sure). They're fun and totally baffling despite their fidelity to a guitar-bass-drums, verse/chorus format. At their worst, they're a shambles, albeit an interesting sounding shambles; a totally singular kind of warped rock band tonality, as is the case with iconic outsider group The Shaggs. At their best, or at least most approachable, Qwerty are a quality pop band: their final song, with its airy dual-vocal hook, is a bona fide gem.
Third, PAPPY arrive in full costume – tomato-red jumpers and wayfarers to honour the birthday boy and his standard uniform. Like Qwerty, Pappy exploit their own gaps in traditional musical proficiency to create something joyously irreverent. Pappy's methodology is more down-the-line punk, though: crude riffs and bellowed couplets, which aligns neatly with their original intention to create a riot grrrl band out of thin air. Lyrical themes range from the outright silly ("Snacks") to the wryly cynical and uncanny ("Subiaco"), and a goofy tongue-in-cheek stage move or Tom Hardisty joke is never far away ("Can I get more Ray Bans in the foldback?" – Andrew Murray).
Fourth: contrary to Qwerty and Pappy's respective takes on gleeful nonsense, PRIMO hand-deliver a half hour of businesslike rock music. Which is not to say it's joyless – the tunes are buoyant and electric and everyone is stoked. I typically struggle with trios who use two guitars and no bass (what's the rationale? terrible HR decision!) so it's a testament to Primo's quality songwriting and delivery that I'm OK with the top-heavy sound. The blend of fuzzy and not so fuzzy guitar riffs, whistle-clean vocals and emphatic drumming provides plenty of oomph and interest, rendering Primo a compelling – if somewhat monochromatic – prospect for the ears.
Fifth, TERRY are that special kind of band that manages to sound raucously loose while actually being super tight; musicians who exude a sense of humour while being Seriously well-honed, and Serious about what they're putting across. In this way Terry combine a lot of the great elements of tonight's lineup, and inflect their songs with incisive political bite, lambasting politicans, hypocrites, neo-colonialists and other scumbags at every turn. In launching these country-glam-punk polemics, it helps that Xanthe Waite (guitar, and also of Primo), Zephyr Pavey (drums), Al Montfort (guitar) and Amy Hill (bass) are all sharpshooters on their instruments. What's more, the group operates hive-mindedly after two albums, two EPS and tours around the world. All this being the case, you can't help but feel there's an element of serendipity at play, four deeply compatible music-minds that luckily collided in a room.
A giant monstrous mash-up band of Constant Mongrel and Woolen Kits (with Montford on sax) ends the night, and though I have to shoot through before getting deep in their set, what I do hear is a beautiful and extravagant love-in with palpable appreciation for Mr. Hardisty.
And it's this sense of community and larrikin love that ultimately makes the night so great, and which validates my fond associations surrounding the venue. While many Tote-orbiting bands that I was initially drawn to have now disbanded or else rarely perform, it remains a home for that kind of attitude and mutual support. Long live birthday party gigs and weird, stinky rock and roll.


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As of October 2015, customers can contact Darice's customer service division at 1-866-4-DARICE to request catalogs. Darice also makes its current product selection viewable online on the company's website. As Darice is a wholesale company, customers must supply proof of tax-exemption and apply as a manufacturer or reseller before ordering.
In business since 1954, Darice is a wholesale company specializing in craft, art and floral supplies. Its catalog includes beads and other jewelry-making supplies, scrapbooking paper and embellishments, children's craft kits, unfinished wooden boxes and cut-outs, and basic craft supplies such as pipe cleaners, buttons, felt, glue and glitter. In addition, Darice sells a selection of supplies for floral arrangements, including silk flowers, raffia, vases and plastic foam blocks. Darice also stocks fine art supplies such as paint, brushes, canvas and framing kits.
Although Darice does provide catalogs, the company sells only to customers with State Tax Exempt numbers on file. Individuals who wish to order from Darice can fill out an application on the company's website and include proof of valid tax-exempt certification. After the submission of these materials, applications are generally processed and approved within one-to-three business days. Darice does not fulfill orders placed by a new customer until after the customer's application is approved.

subset: commoncrawl


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A Case of a Sore Throat
A 23 year old male presents to the ED with 4 days of sore throat, getting much worse over the last 24 hours. You note that he has a muffled sounding voice. On exam, he has trismus, uvular deviation, L sided tonsillar asymmetry, and could seriously use a breath mint. Your attending decides to perform an intraoral ultrasound to evaluate the patient, and you see the above image.
1. What do you see above?
2. What is the next step in management?
3. Should you start antibiotics or not?


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The life is becoming very stressful and ridden with various tensions for all. This gives rise to a range of physical and mental maladies. In order to overcome these people resort to taking drugs or other external assistances that provide only short term relief but increase the risk of many more grave dangers to the body. It is a very good thing that slowly people are realizing this to be a vicious cycle and needs to be broken in order to save oneself from greater dangers.
Tension is inevitable in all walks of life. In today's fast paced world it has become mandatory everywhere. So much so, that ironically enough people these days need tension in order to enjoy relaxation. One reason for the popularity of Yoga these days is because of this need tolearn to relax. Yoga offers many time-tested techniques to satisfy the need to learn to relax. These have been covered in details in the section of Yoga nidra and Yoga for Meditation and spirituality. Yoga provides a perfect base to gratify this need for most people. The basic issue here is to learn to cope up with stress and through the teachings of various forms of Yoga the desired solutions of betterment of life can be attained fruitfully.
According to Maharishi Patanjali Yoga is cittavrtti nirodha meaning that arresting the modification of mind. Bhagwad Gita says that Yoga samatvam yoga uchyate meaning Yoga is balance and equanimity. Maharishi Vashishta says yoga karmasu kausalam or perfection in action is yoga. All these imply that Yoga is a skillful process to calm down the mind. Many people who get down to attempting meditation vouch for the fact that the mind is restless. They never before realize that the mind would be so restless and difficult to control before actually starting to meditate. Most people in modern day life are always multi-tasking. The basic concept of which is to take on too much and direct the mind to accomplish various things all at the same time. This may be a way of life for many. But this becomes their nadir also as the mind becomes so used to working all the time that it refuses to calm down. This leads to too many ailments in the body, for which rest and relaxation are the only way out. Even during sleep many people are constantly thinking about the next day's work or settling issues concerned with the previous day's work. So sleep also is not restful and the system just does not relax at any point in time. There is a definite capacity of the body to work, thereafter it needs rest. Through yoga everyone can learn to control the mind and switch it off completely for relaxation and rejuvenation for better achievements later.
Yoga Asanas for Stress Relief
Yoga can be termed as a form of social science. It helps to develop awareness, concentration, willpower, good conduct, good behaviour, memory power, stress management and building up of personality of a person. So Yoga can be useful to each and every individual in one form or the other. Yoga is a process of gaining mastery over the mind, emotions and intellect. It is a conscious process of evolution from an instinctive animal nature to a visionary nature. This raises the potential of the man manifold and eventually raises him to the level of divinity.
Stress can be of two types Eustress and Distress. Eustress is the essential stress that happens as a result of some actions like running to catch a bus, increase of adrenalin levels during a sports match, or in other forms of exercises and sports. It is good for the body to be a little aggravated during eustress. Distress on the other hand is aggravation of the physical and mental faculties due to anger, frustration, greed, jealousy or other negative emotions. These can be extremely harmful for the body. The effect of distress is of many types. The person becomes irritated, aggressive, depressed, and impatient due to tension. He may become confused and undecided. He may find it difficult or impossible to concentrate on anything. He may also suffer from anxiety, depression and general loss of efficiency leading to further distress. In many cases a person may resort to smoking, drinking and usage of drugs to relieve him of distress and end up in an abysmal depth of further enhancement. Prolonged and chronic cases may also exhibit criminal tendencies.
People suffering from distress also may become prone to diseases like insomnia, high blood pressure, headaches and migraine, atherosclerosis, thyrotoxicosis, various auto-immune disorders, irritable bowel movements and menstrual problems.
When we experience stress the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) comes into action and all bodily functions become active except digestive system, which slows down. These changes provide extra energy needed to cope up with the stress. Once the situation is dealt with, Para Sympathetic Nervous System (PSNS) another branch of Autonomous Nervous System (ANS) takes over and relaxes the body. Since stress is necessary in certain measures and only when it becomes chronic and prolonged it creates problems, a balance between SNS and PSNS is necessary for a normal and healthy life. Yoga is a scientific methodology and a systematized art form through which this can be achieved so it is a well sought after and proves to be the right choice for everyone.


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The Conservation Advisory Council Meetings are at Town Hall in the Supervisor's Conference Room at 7:00 pm
Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month.
© 2019 Town of Colonie Planning and Economic Development Department All Rights Reserved.
Paula Mahan, Supervisor; Joe LaCivita, Director
347 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, NY 12110
ph: (518) 783-2741 fax: (518) 783-2888


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AMC Theaters Improve Access for People with Hearing Loss in New YorkOct 17, 2013
People who suffer from partial or complete hearing loss have long been excluded from some of the ordinary things everyone else takes for granted, like going to the movies. But not anymore. AMC is making their theaters accessible to all. Read on to find out more...
In October, AMC Theaters announced that it will improve access for patrons who are deaf or hearing impaired with personal closed captioning systems at all of its digital screens in New York within one year.
Closed Captioning In Theaters
Closed captioning screens are being installed in New York first, and nationally on a rolling basis as AMC converts to digital cinema. A quarter of the screens in New York already have personal captioning equipment available, and more are being rolled out each week.
Personalized Service
Movie captions and closed captioning options are both available. Movie captions convey dialogue, narration, musical cues and other auditory information as written text for people who have difficulty hearing everything in the movie. Closed captioning is available for those guests who request it, and they will be able to see the captions in sync with the movie on a personal display device. The captions won't be seen by the entire movie audience.
New Technology For Movie Watchers
AMC worked closely with the Hearing Loss Association of America to understand the needs of the hearing impaired population, and to provide the technology they need to be able to enjoy movies to the fullest.
AMC is Taking a Big Step Forward
With around 40 million Americans suffering from some degree of hearing loss, AMC is taking a large step in recognizing who its patrons are, and making their first-rate movie experience accessible to everyone. And as an organization, they are providing a model that other organizations can use to enhance experience of their movie-goers, encouraging more people to enjoy the movies and increasing their own viewing audience.
Increase Your Social Engagement
This is also an important step for those with hearing loss, because hearing impairment is directly linked to lower social engagement and activity. Having movies that are accessible to everyone allows those with hearing impairment to continue participating in activities that they enjoy with family and friends, keeping them engaged with the people and world around them.
Even those with mild to moderate hearing loss can be affected by their limited hearing, and can benefit dramatically with corrected hearing.
Get a FREE Hearing Screening & Consultation*
Find out if you have a hearing loss and what you can do about it. If you already wear hearing aids, we'll check your settings and make adjustments if necessary. No obligation. No pressure. Why wait another day?
Schedule a FREE Hearing Screening & Consultation** Not applicable to patients under 18 years of age or existing patients.
About Ascent Audiology & Hearing
Personal Care & Custom Solutions
Our team of experienced, professional and caring audiologists specializes in "invisible" hearing aids, digital hearing solutions with crystal clear sound, treatment for tinnitus (ringing in the ears), pediatric audiology services for children aged 3-18 years, hearing aid repairs, hearing protection and custom earmolds.
6 Locations in Washington, DC Metro (Virginia & Maryland)
Come see us at one of our 6 convenient locations in the Washington, DC Metro Area, in McLean, Rockville, Lansdowne, Falls Church, and Potomac Falls.
Schedule your FREE Hearing Consultation* today!* Not applicable to patients under 18 years of age or existing patients.
Helpful Links
- About Our Practice
- Meet Our Team
- What Sets Us Apart
- Patient Testimonials
- What to Expect at Your Consultation
Schedule a FREE Hearing Screening & Consultation*
Join Ascent Audiology & Hearing on Google+


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I grew up on the movie The Wizard of Oz… back in the days when it was on TV once a year, and we'd make a whole neighborhood affair of the viewing. It holds an especially dear place in my heart because the little Kansas town I grew up in designated itself as Dorothy's official hometown (never specifically named in the books/movie). The Chamber of Commerce moved a real farmhouse and windmill into town, constructed an actual yellow brick road and called it an attraction to draw people to our rural locale. I was the first "Dorothy" to give tours (at age 15). Yes. I wore the dress, the ruby red slippers and met several original movie stars at the grand opening. My picture was on the Chamber's promotional display for a cross-country tour. I also performed in the musical, both as an actor and in the orchestra pit. So the phrase, "There's no place like home," is embedded in my DNA.
"Home," to me, is where my people are. For 18 years, we raised our kids in a waterfront home at Lake Lotawana, and honestly I always thought if we ever sold it, I'd move to Brookside or a downtown loft. But the year that actually happened (thanks to Frank Paszkiewicz selling it 3 days) and the opportunity to move arose, I just couldn't. After driving around those places and admiring the unique real estate options, I realized I didn't give a hoot about that. I was in love with the people I'd come to know in this community. Through this job, I've gotten to meet a lot of the incredible, deeply caring souls behind the scenes around here. And, oh, the Mayor's Character Breakfast really makes me so proud to live here! (It's a must-attend if you haven't.) My church family had become my family. Our friends of nearly two decades… too treasured to leave.
So I found a 1970s California split nestled in a quiet, big-tree neighborhood near downtown with great new neighbors and friends. I am enjoying working with many local folks to fix it up, including Virgil at Hearth & Home; Donna and Angela at Summit Flooring & Turf; Amy at Cameron's; Sherry at Razzberry Whimzy; Debbie at Budget Blinds; Jack at Harmon Flooring; Glenna at Knobs & Locks; all the nice folks at Sherwin Williams; Chris at Wildcat Construction for custom stairs, columns and crown molding; Jason who constructed a built-in bay window bench; Marty Fiser Painting & Remodeling for help with the tall exterior; John at Higher Power Heating & Cooling; and many friends who've come to help scrape, sand, paint… There really is no place like Lee's Summit. No need to click our heels. Aren't we lucky we're already home.
Yours truly,
Kendra Mathewson, Assistant Editor


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Mega Backdoor Roth IRA Without a High Income? Yes I did!/
In my latest net worth update, I asked for advice on finding a better way to invest the extra money I had from cashing out my individual stock investments. One of my attending physicians suggested that I google something called the "Mega Backdoor Roth IRA." After some research on the topic, I decided to take advantage. I'm definitely not the first person to try the Mega Backdoor Roth IRA, but I may be the first who doesn't need to use the "backdoor" since I make so little income. So I suppose it's really just a Mega Roth IRA for me. Read on to learn more...
Basics of the "Backdoor Roth IRA"
In order to continue this discussion on the Mega Roth IRA, you need some background knowledge about the Roth IRA and the Backdoor Roth IRA. It's called a "backdoor" because it's a roundabout way for people to invest into a Roth IRA account and enjoy its tax benefits despite earning too much income to contribute to one directly. Luckily there is a wealth of information on both topics available online. I recommend you visit the following resources for an introduction on the topic:
- No source better than THE source, the IRS page on Roth IRAs.
- The White Coat Investor teaches you how to do it step-by-step in Backdoor Roth IRA Tutorial.
The "Mega Backdoor Roth IRA"
The "Mega" backdoor Roth IRA is made possible by the good graces of the US government and their friendly agents at the IRS. If you want to know what made all this possible, read IRS Notice 2014-54. For a more in-depth discussion, I recommend Michael Kitches' article - IRS Notice 2014-54 Acquiesces On Splitting After-Tax 401(k) Contributions For Roth Conversion.
The basic idea is that if you have a employer sponsored retirement plan such as a 401k or a 403b, you can defer up to $18,000/yr of income into that plan (as of 2017) and take a nice tax deduction - that's called the "limit on employee elective deferrals". However, a less commonly known limit is called the "Total annual contributions (annual additions)" and that limit is set at $54,000/yr. So what makes up the difference between that $18,000 and $54,000? Well, that $36,000 is made up of employer-matching contributions (if you're lucky), employer nonelective contributions and allocations of forfeitures. That $36,000 is what make the Mega backdoor Roth IRA so attractive.
Let's assume your employer doesn't match and leaves you with all $36,000 of that additional space available. Here is what a Mega backdoor Roth IRA looks like.
For additional reading, here are some great online resources:
- The White Coat Investor - The Mega Backdoor Roth IRA
- Mom and Dad Money - The Mega Backdoor Roth IRA
- Mad FIentist - Mega Backdoor Roth
The Mega backdoor Roth IRA sounds amazing and it is. Unfortunately not everyone can benefit. Here are a couple of key caveats you need to consider:
- Your employer must allow after-tax contributions into its 401k/403b plan.
- The plan must allow for in-service withdrawals of such contributions - meaning you can withdraw while you still work for the same employer, hence "in-service".
If your employer does not offer these features, then I'm sorry. You should start lobbying your benefits department.
The FPMD Experience
As it turns out, my employer was kind enough to offer both of these features in our 403b plan. Since I have been looking for a tax-efficient way to invest the money from cashing out my stocks, I decided this was going to be my big purchase of the year. This past week, I dropped off a $36k check at my benefits department office. It's a strange feeling because I've never handed over such a large check before in my life. At the same time, I'm convinced I made a good investment in my future financial independence.
While it's unlikely that most of you (physicians in training) will have the disposable income to take advantage of the Mega backdoor Roth IRA currently. I hope you will keep this knowledge in the back of your mind, it may come into play when you get your first attending physician job.
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Real Estate, Moving & Storage
Jose is a strong believer in service and professionalism. And although your sale or purchase of a home is one of many real estate transactions Jose assists with every year, he never forgets that it ma
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text: I want to be like a butterfly. Leave the land under my feet touching the clouds with my fingertips. A new journey to unexplored worlds. Uncreated memories are almost at reach. Does my destiny awaits me? Love sweeter than a honeycomb from a honey bee. Me free to be me. The winds captures all my emotions like leaves blowing my emotions around as if it has fallen off trees. Is it possible love as freed me? Being afraid of heights as weakened me. Afraid no more shall I be.


text:
Comin' Around The Corner: Starline Hollywood Double-Decker Tour Bus pulling up in Downtown L.A. getting ready for the "Under The Gunn" Hollywood tour--"Under The Gunn" Episode 3 Lifetime TV
This week on Lifetime's "Under the Gunn"....the contestants face their FIRST
Challenge after we, the Mentors, picked our four designers, in other
words now the competition REALLY can begin. Being that we were in Los
Angeles, it was only inevitable that the first challenge was to create a look for the Red Carpet.
Waiting for the Tour Bus: (left to right) Mentors Mondo Guerra, Nick Verreos, Anya Ayoung-Chee--"Under The Gunn" Episode 3 Lifetime TV
I was really excited about this challenge, as a mentor. And after coming off the "designer picking process" and feeling a bit rejected, I was excited because I thought "this was right up my alley". In retrospect, my "Hands On" approach was probably me over-compensating and trying to prove to my designers (and myself) that I was a worthy mentor. And, I also should have known, that the minute I said that "I have this 'in the bag'" on camera is the minute I was going to be in trouble!
On The Bus: "Under the Gunn" designers and mentors (and Tim Gunn!) headed for the Hollywood Tour--designer Shan Keith Oliver (second row, left) is NOT trying to hear it by the way--LOL!)
Let's get to my inside dish "Nick's Take" on the Episode...
As I said before, this was THE FIRST "actual"
challenge-- not only for the designers but for us the Mentors. This
was going to be a test of sorts on how I should mentor for the first
time. Since I had no other guide on what I should do--mentoring-wise--I
went to my "Instructor Nick" mode when I taught at FIDM in my draping,
sewing, sketching and pattern classes. This began right away during the
bus ride when the designers were given their "sketching time".
Tim Is Worried: Tim Gunn and Nick Verreos--Workroom Visits "Under the Gunn" Episode 3 Lifetime TV
HANDS OFF, NICK!: Instead of letting them just sketch alone on
their own, I sat by them and began giving them suggestions and in fact
sketching for them. Now, some of the designers did ask me for
suggestions, since they knew I had knowledge in this "department" of red
carpet dressing. In hindsight, now I realize I should have just let
them figure it out on their own and I shouldn't have been so hand's on.
Then, after the sketching and designers went fabric shopping, I
made my visit to the workroom--along with Tim--and my "hand's on/Instructor Nick"
approach unfortunately continued. This was primarily focused on two of
my designers--Natalia and Stephanie. They were the only ones asking me
questions, asking for my help, etc., and I LOVED giving them my help
(Oscar and Isabelle were on their own and self-sufficient, for the most part).
Nick On The Floor: Nick Verreos helping Natalia with her gown pattern--"Under The Gunn" Episode 3 Lifetime TV
It all came to a crescendo when...Natalia had run out into the workroom hallway/lounge area asking me for help with her gown pattern and I found myself ON THE FLOOR truing her pattern/fixing a seam line. Tim, then ran to us and began (correctly so) yelling at me wondering WHAT THE HECK I was doing??!! It was not until then that a BIG ROCK hit me: What the heck was I doing??!! I completely lost myself in going back to being "Instructor Nick" and forgotten that these designers were NOT my students and realized that none of the other mentors were sketching and/or making patterns/draping for their designers and more importantly Tim would NEVER do any of those things either (Stupid me!). It was too late for me to realize that this manner of "mentoring" was not the right way and if it wasn't for Tim, I might have just kept on doing it (Thank You Tim). Again, I really thought I was helping my designers, but I wasn't.
Watch Tim tell me "HANDS OFF!" HERE...
The Runway:
Tim Gunn and Judges (left to right) stylist Jen Rade, Marie Claire Fashion Editor Zanna Roberts Rassi and designer Rachel Roy--"Under the Gunn" Episode 3 Lifetime TV
Designers and Mentor: Mentor Nick Verreos with designers (clockwise from top) Isabelle Donola Oscar Gracia-Lopez, Stephanie
Ohnmacht and Natalia Fedner--"Under The Gunn" Episode 3 Lifetime TV
Here are the looks from my Designers...
Isabelle Donola: Isabelle created a very fitted dress from a golden hued silk shantung. The dress featured a draped cowl front and mesh-like back.
Inside Dish--Isabelle had originally made the dress to be LONG but it ended up being TOO SHORT, she then added a piece at the bottom hem (to make it floor length). When I saw what she had done, I told her that the judges might see that and notice it as a mistake. I suggested that she should do away with that piece and just make the dress "tea-length"--below-the-knee cocktail. And she did, and I think the look was quite chic.
Natalia Fedner: Natalia's gown was of silk charmeuse--a fabric Natalia said she loved using in her own line and that it's one of her "signatures". The gown was one shoulder with gold straps.
Inside Dish: This is the dress that I was ON THE FLOOR trying to help Natalia with. Originally, however, this gown was going to have those gold straps and a gold piece in the front but both Tim and I suggested that under the time constraints, this might be too much work for her. She therefore kept it simple and made it a clean one shoulder plain front with asymmetrical side pleating.
Oscar Garcia-Lopez: I loved Oscar's hunter green gown. This was perfectly made and VERY red carpet. I thought that he would be on top.
Inside Dish: Oscar was done waaaaay before any of the other designers. In fact he had so much time, he began cleaning and sweeping the workroom as a result (bless his heart!). Also, this gown was going to have a keyhole front opening AND he wanted to add a BIG BOW at the back--right on her bootie, as well as give her a TURBAN and long gloves. Not kidding. I suggested that it might be "too mucheey" and to keep it simple. He did and it looked gorgeous.
Stephanie Ohnmacht: Stephanie created a strapless dress with this green taffeta.
Inside Dish: Two things happened to Stephanie that weren't good: her fabric choice and the fact that I tried to help. The concept of the design and dress was sweet--she was going for a dress for the young "Hollywood" girl but it ended up looking prom-a-licious. She wanted to do some interesting diagonal draping and make the dress not have side seams yet still achieve a fuller shape. And even with my "Too Hands-On" help (which didn't really help) the dress looked tortured. Seeing the dress on the runway really also brought it home to me to try and stay HANDS OFF. I was sure that my Stephanie would be going home. But she didn't! (thank goodness).
Out: Who did go home was Camilla Castillo. I actually LIKED this dress; it was simple, modern and a little bit "Raf Simons for Dior". I even liked the origami-like folding in the back. The dress, however, was a little too see-through in the front and the fabric was wrinkled. Camilla also made lots of excuses on the runway/judging which I think the judges did not like. She went home.
The Best: (left to right) Designers Blake Smith (Anya's designer) and Sam Donovan (Mondo's) were the two best looks and rightly so. I loved these two designs and for being such polar opposites of what could be deemed as a "red carpet" look. One was a beautifully constructed va-va-voom of a gown (Blake's) and Sam's was a young, directional-looking jumpsuit for an up-and-coming Hollywood ingenue "It" girl. Sam won and Congrats to him!
Click HERE to watch Tim's take on the Episode and talk about my TOO HANDS ON approach (Oyyy Vey!)


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Systems Engineering Associates Corporation (SEA CORP) of Middletown has just been awarded a five-year, $5.8 million contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to support the Combat Systems Department of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, Rhode Island. SEA CORP will provide trainer systems support services in the areas of System Engineering and Prototyping, Certification and Regression Testing, Verification and Validation, Software and Hardware Configuration Management, System Administration, System Deployment, and Program Integration.
This award represents new work for SEA CORP and signifies a key feat in the increasingly competitive local business environment. SEA CORP, as the prime contractor, will coordinate services to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Mikel, a local small business, along with Predicate Logic, a San Diego based small business, will also provide support for this work as subcontractors.
"We are glad to have the opportunity to support the NUWC submarine trainer systems programs. This new work is a result of the success of our core business areas of systems engineering and test and evaluation of submarine non propulsion electronics systems," said Dave Cadorette, SEA CORP's Vice President for Business Development.


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This summer, the Academy of Natural Sciences is doing its part to excite the budding scientist in all of us by bringing the work done in its labs into public view with "Science Live." According to a press release:
Starting this summer, museum visitors strolling through the Science Live station on the first floor will find scientists, archivists and volunteers who usually work behind the scenes doing a variety of activities such as pressing plants, examining insects, analyzing microscopic algae, storing antique glass lantern slides, sorting small fossils, and preparing bird study skins.
Whenever I go to the Academy, my scientific curiosity switches into overdrive. Making the museum's scientists, and the work they do, more palpable is a great idea. Visitors will get the chance to ask questions and maybe even participate.
The scientists will be working in public view from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. most weekdays in August. Starting September, they will be there at the same time on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.


text: Seriously what shoes ya guys got? I am looking for something extremely light weight but some what durable. Im sick of throw money away on a bunch of maybe shoes! doc Martins are in the pic and I love them but I wish they could take a bit more of a beating. I go out to learn something every sesh witch means I fall almost every sesh.


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Philadelphia Cranksgiving
There are lots of events this time of year centered around racing all over picking up food items for donation to local Food Banks or shelters. For 2011 Philadelphia adds itself to the list with the ever more popular Cranksgiving name. Cranksgiving Philadelphia is happening on November 20th starting at noon.
See some of the history of Cranksgiving at www.cranksgiving.net.
One Comment
Cranksgiving is even happening in little Olympia, WA!
Such a good event.
4pm 4th and franklin.


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Garage door springs are offered in 2 kinds. You can have torsion springtimes or expansion springtimes. Overtime, they'll inevitably become destroyed and also you'll need a garage door spring repair work specialist to get it done based on the kind you have placed in your garage. Click here for more information broken garage door spring repair in Sacramento
Torsion springs are one of the most harmful kind. They are wound up on a rod over the opening of the door. There are two of them; one on each side of the door's center. Frequently, when one is ruined, the various other adheres to within a brief amount of time, so it's usually recommended that both ought to be replaced even if there's only one of them broken. This saves you from utilizing one more garage door springtime repair work service within a brief period of time. It is usually taken into consideration dangerous, with the ability of causing severe injury and even death so it is usually advised that you ought to hire a specialist to do it for you.
Extension springtimes, inning accordance with specialists, are much less risky and easier to fix. This is the type that leaves the top, appropriate as well as left door tracks. Still, precaution should always be observed. Bring an excellent amount of stress, they can be stretched to be potentially fatal as they may be set up for a 400 pound door. Though several would certainly try as well as have tried to repair this type of garage door springtime effectively, it is practical to identify your own ability relative to the demands that this task would certainly enforce. If you have any kind of uncertainties whatsoever, it would be best to call a dependable garage door springtime fixing service provider.
When you're repairing your garage springtimes, you will certainly want to make certain you have every one of the right materials. It can be tough finding the appropriate components. There are a great deal of firms that only sell to suppliers. They do not sell to consumers in order to protect against injuries that could emerge when an individual is unskilled with garages.
Altering the spring on your garage door supplies really actual and also potentially harmful threats. It's true that you could save some prices if you do it on your own but these financial savings are barely worth it if you get maimed or worse, eliminated, as a result of it. That is not to state that you are not capable of getting the job done. The factor is not to take unnecessary dangers, particularly fatal ones, if there are ways to prevent it.


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Because it meets the basic needs of connectivity in close range, Bluetooth has a very bright future ahead of it. Bluetooth is actually...Read More
How to make a marketing campaign appealing?
Marketing campaigns cannot survive if they boring. Everyday there are more than three thousand marketing messages reaching out to the c...Read More
Why Use Google Adsense?
Undoubtedly, you've heard about Google's AdSense and you are thinking about giving it a go. But is it really worth placing an ...Read More
A Great Idea For a Blogging Web Site is No Longer Enough
Because there are so many blogs and web sites about blogs on the internet, it can be tough to distinguish your blogging web site from al...Read More
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About 98 percent of premature babies born at 33 weeks gestation survive, according to BabyCenter. Thirty-three weeks is considered moderately premature by the American Academy of Pediatrics, so these babies have a better prognosis than infants born earlier. These babies typically do not have long-term health problems, but they have a higher risk of developmental delays, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
BabyCenter maintains that some premature infants born at 33 weeks gestation may have difficulty breathing or feeding from a breast or bottle. Occasionally, a 33-week preemie needs to be tube fed or given supplemental oxygen for a few days or weeks until the baby can eat or breathe independently.
Other problems a moderately preterm baby may experience include jaundice and difficulty regulating body temperature, issues also commonly experienced by preterm babies born between weeks 34 and 36, notes BabyCenter. Because 33 weeks is fairly late in the pregnancy, most of a baby's major development has been completed by this point. A 33-week preemie is typically thinner and smaller than a full-term baby born during or after the 37th week of pregnancy, and the baby's lack of body fat may necessitate the use of an incubator to help keep the baby's body warm, explains the American Academy of Pediatrics.


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KABUL - Chanting "Death to America!" and weeping as they prayed, hundreds of Kabul university students marched on Sunday in protest against U.S. air strikes last week that Afghan officials say killed more than 100 civilians.
Washington has acknowledged that some civilians were killed during a battle in which its aircraft bombed Afghan villages.
U.S. forces have not said how many people they believe were killed and have blamed Taliban insurgents for firing from the rooftops of homes where civilians sheltered.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai says more than 100 and perhaps as many as 130 civilians were killed in air strikes in western Farah province during the battle. Provincial officials say villagers have drawn up lists with names of 147 dead.
If confirmed, such a toll would make it the deadliest incident for civilians since U.S. forces launched their fight against the Taliban in 2001.
The incident has stoked Afghan hostility to U.S. troops even as Washington is sending 17,000 reinforcements in coming months to the country's south, heartland of the Taliban and the drug trade that produces nearly all the world's heroin.
Karzai has called for a halt to U.S. air strikes, a dramatic change in tactics which military experts say is highly unlikely.
Students at the university issued a statement calling for troops responsible for civilian casualties to be prosecuted.
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"From one side our people are fed up with the beheadings and suicide attacks by the Taliban. From other side, the massacre of people by U.S. forces is a crime they can never forget," it said.
At the demonstration, attended mainly by male students, marchers held aloft banners that read in English: "USA is biggest terrorist around the world!"
"We gathered here to share our sadness with the innocent people who were martyred. We call on the international community, Afghan government to stop the killing of innocents, stop the killing of an Afghan generation," said student Ahmad Fahim.
U.S. commanders expect heavy fighting in the coming months as the main contingent of their reinforcements deploy in the Taliban's southern heartland of Helmand and Kandahar provinces.
The additional 17,000 troops are part of a dramatic increase that will boost the U.S. presence rise from 32,000 at the beginning of this year to a projected 68,000 by year's end. Other Western countries have about 30,000 troops in Afghanistan.
U.S. and Western troops, spread thinly across a vast country where it can be difficult to bring in backup forces on the ground, rely on swift air strikes to rescue forces in danger in situations like last week's battle in Farah.
But Karzai, who visited Washington last week as reports of the incident were emerging, said they should be stopped.
"The air strikes are not acceptable," he told CNN on Friday. "Terrorism is not in Afghan villages, not in Afghan homes. And you cannot defeat terrorists by air strikes."
Additional reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Paul Tait


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Unless you've been hiding out under a large rock lately, you would have already heard about the new kid on the 338 block. It's big, beautiful and brash, and it's called Gallery 21. And I was lucky enough to be invited to dine there last night, in the amazing Asia de Cuba.
You could be forgiven for thinking that you've stepped back in time as you enter the restaurant. The atrium-style space is lavish and lovely, and captures all of the gorgeous glam of the Great Gatsby era.
We were treated to a wide range of delicious dishes that captured the Chino/Latin infused flavours.
For Asia de Cuba bookings, please call +973 1771 1600.


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I know I'm a bit late with this review, but I just wanted to wait a bit more to see if some of the possible issues related to software 3D functionality can be resolved soon after the release of the HP Envy 17 3D Laptop. As well as get familiar with the product and the hardware and of course the specific things related to the new HD3D technology from AMD and the use of shutter glasses together with a 120Hz LCD screen. So here it is, the review of the first laptop using the AMD's HD3D Technology, with an AMD-based GPU and DDD TriDef 3D software, a mobile computer that is already available on the market – HP Envy 17 3D, in the last day of this year. As usual with the hardware reviews here, the focus will be mostly on the stereo 3D capabilities and performance of the laptop, but if you have questions about things not covered in the review, do ask them as I will probably be able to answer them too.
HP Envy 17 3D Specifications:
Display: 17.3″ 1920×1080 Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display
Graphics card: 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 Graphics
Processor: Intel Core i5-580M 2.66 GHz (Dual Core + HT)
Memory: 6GB DDR3 System Memory
Hard drive: 1.5TB 5200RPM Dual Hard Drive (2x 750GB)
Primary battery: 9 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Primary optical drive: Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner, slot-in
Others: HP TrueVision HD Webcam, Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth, Backlit Keyboard, 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN, 3 USB (1 shared with eSATA port), HDMI, mini-Display Port, 1 SuperSpeed USB 3.0, Beats audio for superior sound
Operating system: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Adapter: 120W AC
Dimensions: 6.38″(W) x 10.83″(D)x1.25″(min height)/1.52″(max height)
Weight: 7.37 lbs (3.35 kg)
The above specifications are for the model of the HP Envy 17 3D laptop I've had for review, it is an earlier sample, but besides the processor the rest is pretty much the same in the final models available on the market now. The test unit was with a dual core Intel Core i5 processor with HyperThreading (4 logical cores) and the models available for sale do come with Core i7 processors, but that should not make that much of a difference for when playing games in stereo 3D mode. Also I've got the laptop with the extended 9-cell battery and not with the standard 6-cell one, I'd recommend the 9-cell not only because of the extended battery life you get, but also because it sticks out a bit of the chassis and thus brings the back higher than the front. This makes the laptop stay at a little angle and this is more comfortable position for use and not to mention that it also helps get better airflow and thus improves the cooling of the hardware.
Before going into discussing and testing the stereo 3D capabilities and performance of the laptop, I just want to share a few thoughts about the HP Envy 17 3D as a whole. The laptop comes with stylish and clean design, full metal chassis for extra protection and strength, very nice LED-backlit screen, very comfortable full format keyboard with a useful backlight for the keys, good extension functionality thanks to multiple ports for external devices. In general the laptop leaves very good first impression and is really well designed and built to offer a lot of features, flexibility and performance and then after that comes the stereoscopic 3D support on top of everything else. And that last thing is very important, especially in order not to get the wrong impression about the laptop in general after seeing some performance results and the tests in S3D mode below.
I should note that the left side of the chassis gets hotter while the right remains cold, although when using the laptop it quite is OK. And when you are going to play games in it you may feel it a bit uncomfortable if you rest your hand's palm there. The laptop is not overheating though, so you don't have to worry about that. One thing that may help you get better results is to enable the option from the BIOS to have the cooling fan always on enabled, this should keep the chassis cooler when the systems is not under heavy load too. The function keys of the laptop that are combined with the F1-F10 are by default active, in BIOS you can change the F-buttons functionality to be active by default instead and the Fn button to activate the special functionality of these buttons which is more common and can help you avoid mistakes. The backlight of the keyboard is great for when playing in stereo 3D mode in a darkened room, so you can clearly see the markings of the buttons. Also the touchpad is a bit hard to get used at first, because the whole surface is touch sensitive (including the left/right buttons) as well as the function to disable the touchpad functionality. When you are moving the cursor and at the same time try to press the left or right button your cursor may move out its place due to the pad reacting to this as a movement. But as I said it just takes time to get used to that difference as compared to most other traditional touchpads found on other laptops. The laptop's glossy screen offers quite a high maximum brightness, but being glossy is not such an issue… it may take some time to get used to it if you've never before used a glossy screen because of the occasional reflections. Anyway, by following the recommendations for playing games in stereo 3D mode or watching 3D photos or 3D videos you should not have trouble with having reflections. That is because the recommendations are to views stereo 3D content in a darkened room with no other light sources than the laptops' screen for getting the best possible 3D experience.
The laptop has a Full HD screen capable of working with a 120Hz (96Hz and 60Hz too) refresh rate and an AMD Radeon HD 5850 video card, along with a pair of wireless active shutter glasses that are needed for getting the stereo 3D effect. The wireless shutter glasses HP uses are made by Xpand and seem quite good in terms of design and comfort – light, with flexible frames, held firmly over your head, with high light transmittance. However they do not have a button to turn them on/off, they do that automatically, so when not using them you should put them in the storage bag in order to preserve the battery life. After doing some tests measuring the level of light coming from the display with a lux meter of the screen without glasses, the screen with the glasses off and with the glasses on I've found some interesting results. Without the glasses the measured light was 20 lux, looking through the glasses, but while they are inactive – 14.5 lux and through the glasses when active – 9.6 lux. So around 25% decrease in brightness level when wearing the glasses, but they are not active, and around 50% decrease when they are actively shuttering, meaning that not only visually, but also in reality these active shutter glasses block much less light as compared to 3D Vision for example. And that fact, combined with an LCD screen that is capable of providing very high brightness levels should mean a very comfortable experience when using the laptop in stereo 3D mode, but let us see if everything is as it should be in theory.
The active shutter glasses that come with the HP Envy 17 3D laptop have their IR sensor at the center of the frames, between the lenses for the two eyes and the IR emitter that sends the synchronization signal to them is built into the laptop's screen. Actually the laptop has two IR emitters built in the top of the screen's frame and both of them consist of two infrared LEDs (four in total) that are intended to keep the glasses synchronized (see them on the infrared photo above in on/off state). One interesting thing that I've observed testing the laptop in 3D mode was that having a light source behind the screen of the laptop may lead to loosing of the glasses sync signal and thus reverting to them being off. I had such an issue with a plasma TV behind the laptop for example, so if the glasses stop to shutter unexpectedly while the screen is displaying 3D content, then you may also look for an outside issue like a TV somewhere around you or maybe a computer monitor etc.
Now lets take a look at how the LCD screen performs in terms of color reproduction and what level of brightness and contrast it offers as these specifications are not being officially announced by laptop manufacturers, unlike when we are talking about a standalone LCD monitor. When talking about a monitor that is cable of being used in stereo 3D mode using shutter glasses these numbers are even more important due to the fact that shutter glasses do block some of the light when in S3D mode and the resulting image appears darker which can sometimes lead to loss of details etc. There were two surprised after measuring the display's characteristics with a colorimeter, one good and one not so good. I'm starting with the good one which is that the LCD display has surprisingly higher maximum level of brightness of little over than 420 cd/m2. Such a high level of brightness is actually quite hard to find even on desktop displays intended for 3D use let alone on a laptop, but as a side effect of pushing the brightness level quite high, the default accuracy of the color reproduction is quite far from being good.
So let us see now what will happen if we calibrate the display for better color accuracy while maintaining the highest possible level of brightness. The reason of doing that is to see what could HP have done in order to get better colors while still maintaining high brightness levels in order to have better results for both 2D use and 3D use of the Envy 17 3D laptop. The results after calibration are really great as not only the color accuracy has improved significantly to a surprisingly good level, but also the loss in maximum brightness is just 65 cd/m2 and the screen can still push really bright image, but with more comfortable and visually pleasant colors. This simply means that calibrating the screen of the Envy 17 3D can make it perform great in 2D in terms of color reproduction, because the display itself is really very good with a average color deviation of just about 0.5 and a maximal one of about 1.4.
You should know that the function to control the level of brightness with the special function keys gets disabled in stereo 3D mode and you can't control it as it is always forced to maximum (~420cd/m2), which is a quite high value and probably this is also responsible for having more ghosting with high contrasting objects as you will see in the test photos below. An interesting thing related to the screen is that when viewing 3D content and you get back to the desktop, you may see the desktop flickering strangely for a few seconds before it gets back to normal… that is if the desktop is set at 60Hz and not at 120Hz mode, if it is set to 120Hz then there is no flicker. This is probably due to some sort of delayed switching of the refresh rate or whatever, but thing is it is kind of annoying, so just switch the default refresh rate to 120Hz to avoid the issue.
Time for some crosstalk/ghosting tests in stereo 3D mode. I'm starting with a more recent test photo I've made to show the level of ghosting of 3D capable monitors, here you can see more details and get the test 3D photos to compare your screen. As you can see there is more severe ghosting at the top of the screen, which is expected as it is a common issue for 3D LCD monitors, and the rest is at a pretty low level which is very good.
The second ghosting test is the sailboats demo video I've been using for quite a while, so you can compare different results with different 3D monitors I've already tested to the performance of the one used by HP. As you can see on the photo above, the result is not quite good as there is ghosting in the high contrasting of the bright boats over the darker sea and land and even some color ghosting can be seen. This is clearly a result of pushing for a very high brightness level and I'm sure that with a bit lower brightness level the screen would've still performed great, but with much visible less ghosting.
And now for some ghosting testing with another of my typical tests, the game Tomb Raider: Underworld. On the image above you can see the top ghosting in action, not that bad, but then again this is not with that high separation as the TriDef 3D Ignition driver used for getting games converted is kind of limiting on that.
One more test with Tomb Raider: Underworld, this time emphasizing on the color ghosting that appears when the brightness level is pushed too much and you have active overdrive function to get faster response of the pixels. The end result is a bit annoying when using stereo 3D mode as the crosstalk/ghosting is not only in the form of a slightly visible shadow, but comes in the form of annoying bright colored shadows.
Now, before going to game tests in terms of performance of games in stereo 3D mode, lets talk a bit about the use of the laptop for 3D photo and 3D video playback. The HP Envy 17 3D comes bundled with DDD's TriDef 3D software that is the all in one solution for playing back 3D multimedia content and games in stereo 3D mode. As a part of that software you also get the TriDef 3D Media Player that can open different photo and video files in 3D format as well as do 2D to 3D conversion of videos in real time, but the software does not work for Blu-ray 3D movies. Instead you get as a bundle with the laptop the software HP MediaSmart DVD which is a DVD/Blu-ray player with support for Blu-ray 3D playback, that actually works quite good. The laptop also works just fine with the latest PowerDVD 10 Ultra trial version, but curiously enough the 3D screen gets detected as 3D Vision capable display. One thing to note is the fact that you get no hardware acceleration from the 5850 GPU when playing Blu-ray 3D movies (only the latest 6000 series of AMD GPUs do support hardware accelerated decoding from the GPU), so the all the load for the decoding goes to the CPU – around 50-55% overall load, meaning the laptop can handle it without problems.
The Stereoscopic Player version 1.6.6 does have support for AMD's HD3D Technology, however it is not yet working correctly with all video files when being played back on the HP Envy 17 3D laptop. Sometimes you can get the player crashing or the video is playing, but the refresh rate of the screen does not match that of the shutter glasses. So for now you should stick with the TriDef Media Player as a general player for watching 3D multimedia content – 3D photos and 3D videos. And you should cope up with the fact that the TriDef Media Player is not so powerful and feature rich as the Stereoscopic Player, however in a future update the Stereoscopic Player may start working flawlessly with the Envy 17 3D too.
I should also mention the fact that the HDMI output of the laptop could not be used together with a 3D HDTV for outputting 3D content to a big screen 3D-capable TV at first. And according to AMD this was not supported indeed, but could've been added later on with a driver update and with the latest Catalyst 10.12 and TriDef 3D Software 4.4 the support for 3D HDTVs using the HDMI output of the laptop works as I was able to play games and videos on a Panasonic VT20E plasma 3D HDTV.
And now finally for some testing with games in stereo 3D mode in order to see what level of performance you can get on the full 1920×1080 resolution using the TriDef 3D Ignition software with 10 popular and mostly more recent games, including some of the heaviest titles that do work nice in S3D. I should note for the people that are new to the TriDef 3D software that the way of running games in normal 3D mode or in stereo 3D is a bit different as opposed to 3D Vision or iZ3D. If you want to play the game normally, then you just run it from the shortcut that it has created when being installed. If you want to play it in stereo 3D mode,then you need to run it through the TriDef Ignition launcher – just drag and drop the shortcut in it and double click on the icon there. The good thing here is that when you play the game in normal 3D mode, then the 3D software is not loaded and does not use any resources, so you get the full performance without having to specifically disable the 3D software. On the other hand it is not as convenient as just pressing a single button at any time to enable the stereo 3D mode while in game, like you can do with iZ3D and 3D Vision.
Avatar set to high level of details at 1920×1080 resolution and without AA has managed to provide an average framerate of about 28 fps per eye, something which is almost Ok for a normal gameplay. The game however had a bit more ghosting on the high contrasting areas, especially at the background elements that are far from the character.
BioShock 2 did even better that Avatar with an average framerate of of 31 fps per eye at 1920×1080 resolution with details set to high level and again with no AA. The lowest fps was 20, so the game remains quite playable and it also looked very good in stereo 3D mode.
Call of Duty: Black Ops did not do flawlessly. The game starts, but when the level loads and is about to start the screen remains black and nothing happens… there is official profile for the game from DDD, but with it or with a generic profile the result is the same, the game did not want to run properly.
Civilization V was a big surprise by managing to get just about 20 fps average per eye in stereo 3D mode at 1920×1080 resolution with high details and no AA. The game also ran in S3D mode only in DX9 mode, but with such a low framerate it is far from being comfortable to be played.
Dead Rising 2 also ran without problems, but the achieved framerate of just about 21 fps per eye at 1920×1080 resolution with high details and no AA was a bit too little.
Just Cause 2 had some issues in stereo 3D mode. There is no official profile for the game and although it runs with generic profile and 3D seems enabled, there was no actual depth visible in the game.
Mafia II ran without issues, but as expected it was quite heavy in stereo 3D mode. The laptop managed to get just about 16 fps average per eye at 1920×1080 resolution with high details, no AA and no PhysX.
Metro 2033 is one of the heaviest game titles released lately and it was no surprise that the average framerate achieved was around 13 per eye. That was with DX9 mode, 1920×1080 resolution with high details and no AA, as the game does not run in stereo 3D mode when in DX10 or DX11.
Tomb Raider: Underworld is one of the games that is not so new, but works great in stereo 3D mode in most cases, as with the TriDef 3D Ignition there are some small issues. The game itself manages to get an average framerate of about 31 fps per eye at a resolution of 1920×1080 with high details and no AA.
X-blades is another very good looking in stereo 3D game, although being a bit old already. In it the laptop has managed to push the full 60 fps per eye average framerate at 1920×1080 resolution with high details and no AA. The 60 fps per eye framerate is the top limit for 120Hz LCD displays using shutter glasses due to the required use of Vsync.
As you can see from the results, the Radeon HD 5850M GPU although being quite powerful for a laptop is still a bit slow for providing comfortable framerates when in stereo 3D mode in more recent and more demanding games in the full 1920×1080 resolution with high details and no AA. You will have to lower the level of details or disable some of the extra visual effects in order to get good framerates, or go to a lower resolution, although that is not something I'd recommend for stereo 3D gaming.
So what is my final conclusion for the HP Envy 17 3D laptop? It is certainly a great laptop in terms of build quality and features as well as performance, but if we are talking for using it in 2D or plain 3D mode. The stereoscopic 3D features it offers are quite good, but it seems that they needed a bit more work in order to offer really great experience. Pushing for higher brightness probably led to having more crosstalk/ghosting in high contrasting objects which is kind of ruining the experience in some situations, but still lowering the depth level a bit can provide a decent stereo 3D experience even in these situations. The combination between a Full HD display and a powerful, but not that powerful GPU presents another possible issue and that is the framerate you get when in stereo 3D mode can be quite low per eye for a good experience. The Radeon HD 5850 may be great in terms of performance and framerate provided when playing at 1920×1080 resolution with high level of details and no AA, but when switching to stereo 3D mode with the same settings the video card cannot cope up with the additional load in a lot of more recent and demanding games. So the HP Envy 17 3D is a surprisingly good "2D" laptop, but is not quite there on the stereo 3D front, although it is still a very good first try from HP, so if they learn and evolve in the next revision they could do much better and really offer the best 2D and 3D laptop… ;)


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Emma's role: Dora Carrington
Directed by: Christopher Hampton
Screenplay by: Christopher Hampton
Original novel by: Michael Holroyd
Genre: Drama
Release date: UK – 22 September 1995, US – 10 November 1995
Other cast:
Jonathan Pryce – Lytton Strachey
Steven Waddington – Ralph Partridge
Samuel West – Gerald Brenan
Rufus Sewell – Mark Gertler
Jeremy Northam – Beacus Penrose
The story of the relationship between painter Dora Carrington and author Lytton Strachey in a World War One England of cottages and countryside. Although platonic due to Strachey's homosexuality, the relationship was nevertheless a deep and complicated one. When Carrington did develop a more physical relationship with soldier Ralph Partridge, Strachey was able to welcome him as a friend, although Partridge remained somewhat uneasy, not so much with Strachey's lifestyle and sexual orientation as with the fact that he was a conscientious objector.
During the press tour for the movie, star Emma Thompson told reporters how she enjoyed doing nude scenes, particularly since she was not a standard Hollywood "hard-body".


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[ 2014-04 -28 23:59 ]
Taga Shrine2014年 04月 28日
In Kojiki, the oldest Japanese history book filled with myths, the deities Izanagi and Izanami created the lands of Japan, and bore lots of deities that are enshrined all over Japan.
Taga Shrine enshrines Izanagi and Izanami.
There are the photos I took on March 21st.
There are some buildings from Edo era too.
Taga-cho is in Shiga Prefecture, next to Hikone City.
Just across from the shrine, there is a quaint street of souvenir shops.
Itokiri-mochi, a kind of sweets is their specialty.


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Deborah Milano Extra Eye Pencil 03 (Rs 350) available at Pepperfry As Per Deborah Milano
The latest plastic pencil enclosing an innovative long-wearing waterproof formula.
With a consistency that glides on instantly and effortlessly, and a texture that is amazingly comfortable.
Ophthalmologist tested.
Shade – Deborah Milano Extra Eye Pencil 03 is a Blackened Green shade. Those who want a change from Black eyeliner but only want subtle shades, 03 would be a great choice.Texture & Formula – Deborah Milano Extra Eye Pencil 03 glides on smoothly however not as buttery smooth as Colorbar i-glide pencil. It doesn't tugs and creates a smooth line in one go. I like to wear it on both upper and lower lash line and it looks beautiful. I can see fine green shimmers in the formula but that doesn't make the texture of the eye pencil gritty. Even on waterline they don't irritate eyes, though I avoid wearing glitter on waterline. The formula doesn't smudge or disappears, it takes a bit to set so if you wan't to create a soft smokey eye look, you can quickly smudge it after applying.
Pigmentation – The formula of Deborah Milano Extra Eye Pencil 03 is superbly pigmented. The above swatch is single swipe. I need to sweep it once only to get intense color.
Staying Power – It stays on for good 8+ hours with little fading after 5-6 hours. I haven't observed it smudging. Also can be removed easily with regular makeup remover.
Overall Thoughts
Time and again Deborah Milano has surprised me with great quality and affordable prices. Those who have loved Colorbar i-glide pencils but don't want to repurchase due to its price, can try this one. I loved the texture, formula, pigmentation & staying power. Deborah Milano Extra Eye Pencil 03 itself is beautiful. Only downside is that it comes in pencil form and sharpening it will result wastage of product. Deborah Milano products can be easily purchased online or through their stores.
Ratings : 4.7/5


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Is Orica moving up?
While Orica's short-term prospects remain negative, at current prices the stock is starting to look an attractive long term investment.
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There's no denying that Orica, a diversified company dealing with the production and downstream use of chemicals, operates a capital intensive business with volatile input prices. This typically makes investors nervous but after the recent upheavals following the break with the majority parent, ICI PLC of the UK, there's reason to believe that the company is now set to capitalise on future growth.
The current share price suggests that most negatives are already factored in and Orica is now in a position to benefit from the economies of scale and a more focused business...
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Dear Friends, My heart was stirred to write this short story, "A Heart for America: Time is Running Out," to tell the tough but true story of our wonderful land. Many years ago, I heard that Pakistan was training and sending missionaries to America to evangelize and become lights to the lukewarm in Christian churches that had lost their first love. Do you have a heart for America? I hope this story is an encouragement to your own Christian walk.
A Heart for America: Time is Running Out
by D.I. Telbat
Derya watched the news from her hotel room in Columbus, Ohio. There'd been another suicide bombing in her home country of Turkey. The coastal town of Kusadasi had been struck and dozens had been killed or wounded. Inland from the coast, the tourist attraction of Ephesus had also been targeted and many foreigners were harmed. Extremists were sending a message to Christians because they knew Ephesus was a significant city in the Christian Bible.
After turning off the TV, Derya walked to the window and looked down at the city of Columbus. Since immigrating to America, she'd traveled to nearly every state, waiting for God to guide her in her calling. Ever since she was a young child, she'd known the love of Jesus, and the Lord had compelled her to become a missionary after she'd finished her schooling.
Closing the blinds, Derya knelt in front of the bed. While her home country was rocked with suicide bombs, America's morality was in no less shambles. While many American civilians condemned a foreign culture they scarcely understood, Derya saw the American culture of Christianity saturated with its own tragedy: rampant materialism.
On her knees, she prayed for strength and wisdom. She had a little money left, enough to open a Turkish deli near the university. Her mother's kofte (meatball) recipe would take college students to a savory paradise, she hoped, but it was her spiritual mission in America that mattered most. Millions around the world were coming to Christ with great passion, but Americans, in their worldliness, had become complacent. Few lived holy lives in pursuit of morality, let alone for Jesus Christ. Now, God was sending missionaries to the United States with the message of Jonah: Repent, for the Lord is coming soon!
Derya rose to her feet and picked up her packed bag. It wasn't out of dislike for America that she'd come, but out of love. She knew well the sinful violence in her own homeland. It was obvious! But the subtle dangers of comfort and selfishness had infected this Land of Liberty, and she felt it might even be a greater degree of sin.
With so many people searching for pleasure and acceptance, Derya prayed that God's message of the love of Jesus touched someone's heart through her that day. For America, and for the world, time was running out!
The End
You can find other short stories by D.I. Telbat here and here.
NEWS: Ann B was a winner in our Celebration 2016 Giveaway. She won a custom short story by D.I. Telbat and Ann has given her permission for us to share it with you here! Enjoy her Last Stand Chronicle, "Take Charge, Wisconsin!"
COMING UP: Join us next time for David Telbat's Author Reflection, "Hate the Spiritual Darkness." And in the following post, join us again for another new short story by David, Part II of Heart for America, "Amidst the Despised."


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S.M.A.R.T. Call for Papers
The Society for Medieval and Renaissance Thomism (S.M.A.R.T.) is planning a session for the 2018 meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association in San Diego, CA, 8-11 November 2018. It is accepting papers on all aspects of Thomism from 1274 to the publication of the Carmelite Cursus Theologiae (1631-1701).
Please send papers and direct enquiries to Domenic D'Ettore at ddettore[at]marian[dot]edu. Papers and abstracts received by 15 May will receive full consideration. Selection preference will be given to complete papers. The submission of an abstract alone should be accompanied by a Curriculum Vitae. A final version of the paper will be required by 1 September 2018 in order to facilitate a response paper which will be given during the conference session.


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Recent Posts
- Adopting a flipped classroom approach to meet the challenges of large group lectures
- Improving the student experience through the IWLP Tandem Language Learning scheme
- University support to avoid plagiarism – Student's perspectives
- Can students and academics benefit from peer assisted learning (PAL) sessions?
- Sharing the 'secrets': Involving students in the use (and design?) of marking schemes
Engage in T&L Blog
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Recent Comments
- Redesigning postgraduate curricula on commercial law through student engaging, research-informed and multidisciplinary pathway programmes | T&L Exchange on Engaging students as partners in the redesign of an existing course curriculum
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- Connecting with the Curriculum Framework: Using focus groups to diversify assessment (Part 2) | T&L Exchange on Connecting with the Curriculum Framework: Using focus groups to diversify assessment (Part 1)
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Author Archives: T&L Exchange
Independent research and research dissemination in undergraduate teaching
Dr. Ute Woelfel, Literature and Languages email@example.com Year of activity: 2016/17 Overview In order to improve students' engagement, support their abilities as independent learners, and increase their feeling of ownership for their academic work, elements of independent research and research … Continue reading
Online Learning Journals
Dr Nicola Abram, School of Literature and Languages firstname.lastname@example.com Overview This entry describes the use of online Learning Journals on a Part Three English Literature module. This method of assessment supports students to carry out independent research and to reflect … Continue reading
Engaging students as partners in the redesign of an existing course curriculum
Dr Despoina Mantzari, School of Law email@example.com Overview In June 2016 I was awarded a small University of Reading Teaching and Learning grant with the objective to involve a group of ten postgraduate taught students from the School of Law … Continue reading
Posted in Learning Design, PLanT Projects, School of Law, Student Engagement Tagged module design, students as partners 1 Comment
Blackboard collaborate cross-campus tutorials as a useful tool to enhance the Part One Pharmacy student experience at the University of Reading Malaysia
Dr Darius Wider, School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy firstname.lastname@example.com Overview After a successful application to act as one of the early adopters of Blackboard Collaborate at the University of Reading, this technology platform was used for a series of … Continue reading
Managing transition to the MPharm Degree
Dr John Brazier, Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy firstname.lastname@example.com Overview The MPharm degree at the University of Reading has a diverse student cohort, in terms of both ethnicity and previous academic experience. During the most recent development of our programme, we … Continue reading
Development of the BARS blog
Dr Francoise Mazet, Biological Sciences email@example.com Year of activity: 2015/16 Overview We developed BARS (Bioscience ARticles for Reading Students), a blog showcasing the written work of Part Three students from the School of Biological Sciences. The blog is managed by … Continue reading
A student-led experiential post-studio practice
Holly Sandford, Arts & Communication Design Overview Students in the Department of Art created a student-led experiential post-studio practice, DISCOMFORT, for Part Two students and teachers that challenges boundaries and restrictions within our art course (and ourselves), and encourages participatory, … Continue reading
Game-based learning using social media
Dr Stanimira Milcheva, Henley Business School firstname.lastname@example.com Year of activity: 2015/16 Overview We designed a simple game (called the REFinGame) which was aligned with the course material and launched it on Facebook. This approach, which could easily be applied to … Continue reading
Posted in Henley Business School, Student Engagement, TEL Tagged Engage in Feedback, Facebook Leave a comment
Closing the 'feedback loop; using Unitu: student uptake, usage and impact of a new online student feedback platform
Dr Emma Mayhew, Politics, Economics and International Relations email@example.com Year of activity: 2015/16 Overview PLanT funding was used to research the impact of a new student feedback platform in Politics. Unitu creates an online student forum from which representatives pull … Continue reading


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World number one Tiger Woods has been drawn to play alongside former US Open champion Graeme McDowell and South African Louis Oosthuizen in the first two rounds of this week's Open Championship at Muirfield.
The trio will tee-off at 2.45 local time on Thursday and at 9.44 on Friday morning.
Defending champion Ernie Els, US Open winner Justin Rose and American Brandt Snedeker feature in another big-name three-ball at 9.11 in Thursday's opening round.
Masters champion Adam Scott has been drawn to play with American Matt Kuchar and Britain's Luke Donald.
Rose will be followed onto the course by Ryder Cup team-mate Ian Poulter, who plays with American duo Keegan Bradley and Billy Horschel at 9.22am.
And world No.2o Rory McIlroy is due out at 9.44am with Scottish Open winner Phil Mickelson and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.
The first shot of the tournament will be struck at 6.32am by Australian veteran Peter Senior, with Scotland's Lloyd Saltman and England's Oliver Fisher making up the first group. The last group does not get under way until 4.13pm.


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About Us
we work with the machines we stand behind.
The team at Mountain Kubota has years of experience working with and repairing Kubota machines. We've seen the Kubota offering grow from the very first sub-compact tractors to newer products including farm tractors, RTVs, mowers, and hay equipment. We stand ready to help you find the right machine for the work you do.
Mountain Kubota was founded by farmers for farmers.
We're no strangers to working early mornings and late nights, and we know that hard work pays off. We also know that a good machine is worth its weight in gold. Both at home and out on the farm, we've witnessed firsthand how Kubota machines can improve the quality of your work, saving valuable time and money with less hassle.
Kubota Elite Dealer
This is the highest level of recognition given to Kubota Dealerships. These dealers are committed to continuous improvement in the areas of brand reputation, business operations performance and customer satisfaction at the highest level.
Service Certified
Mountain Kubota is Service Certified. Our service technicians have received extensive hands-on training from factory trained instructors to develop and maintain timely and accurate diagnoses and repairs whenever needed.
Orange Protection Program Certified
The Kubota Orange Protection program offers an extended warranty coverage on your Kubota for an additional one or two years. Mountain Kubota is certified to sell and service Kubota's covered by the Orange Protection Program.


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The below said is the list of TANCET Coaching classes in Trichy. Here we provide all details of classes such as Address, Phone number, email ID and website.
Thillai Nagar
Rohan's Arcade
Area: Thillainagar
Contact number: 8754002475/ 8754002477
Website : www. niveditaedu.info
Address : Third Floor,29, Thillainagar Main Road,
Thillai Nagar
Aspire Coaching centre
Area: Thillainagar
Contact number : 0431 – 2742942 Mobile: 9361566222
Website: www.aspirelearning.com
Address: No. D-110, 9th Cross East,
Thillai Nagar, Trichy – 620018
Landmark: Near Ponmalai Railway
Working Hours: Monday – Saturday: 9.30 AM – 8 PM
Thillai Nagar
Gate forum, ( only ME/M.Tech )
Contact Number: 7667369058
Mail ID: firstname.lastname@example.com
Address: C-112, Opp. Siddhi Vinayagar Temple,
5th cross, Thillai Nagar,
Trichy -18,
Land Mark: Opp. Siddhi Vinayagar Temple.
Thillai Nagar
Contact Number: 0431-3299097
Website: www.time4education.com
Address : Jaishri Towers, 6th Cross Thillai Nagar, Trichy.
Thillai Nagar
Contact Number: 0431 – 2742002/ 03
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Address: A-6, 2nd Floor, Naachiyaas Park, 11th Cross Corner,
Thillainagar, Trichy.
Thillai Nagar
Contact Number: 0431- 2772216
Address: 87C, Sastri Rd, Thillai Ngr,
Chathiram Bus Stand
Joseph Coaching Centre
Contact Number: 0431 – 2701807
Address: Teappakulam, Chathiram Bus Stand, Trichy – 620002.
Vayalur Main Road
Sathya Academy Coaching Centre
Contact Number : 0431 – 2782332
Contact Person: R. Sathya Bama
Address: No2, Srinivasan Nagar, Vayalur Main Road, Trichy – 620017.
Landmark: Near State Bank of India.
Bharathi Academy
Contact Number: 0431 – 2706084, 6548425
Address: 95, North Andar Street, Trichy, Tamil Nadu – 620002.
Dhandapani Puram
Contact Number: 0431- 2772216
Address: 3608/28 1st St, Dhandapani Puram


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Retreat Facilitators
For this retreat, Kiley is excited to be joined by Betsy Winter, mother to Eliza who passed away in 2015. Betsy attended the most recent RTZ Women's Retreat at Aldermarsh in May 2018. She brings unique gifts to our group, especially a dance expression called Nia, which she looks forward to sharing with you.
Kiley Krekorian Hanish, OTD, OTR/L
Kiley is a bereaved mother and occupational therapist living in Los Angeles. Kiley and her husband Sean are creators of the film Return to Zero starring Minnie Driver and Paul Adelstein. It is based on their personal experience of their son Norbert, who was stillborn, and is the first movie to tackle the taboo subject of stillbirth.
Kiley is passionate about raising awareness of perinatal loss and improving the support families receive in the hospital as well as in the community.
Betsy Winter
Through the journey of losing her daughter, Eliza, Betsy began the quest to embody the concept of "the Both" and "the And"- how during our darkest moments, we can simultaneously walk in the light and find moments of joy and gratitude. Betsy is a licensed Nia instructor and trained in perinatal death and bereavement support through Resolve Through Sharing. She offers healing movement and sacred rituals to help support bereaved mothers as they walk the road of grief and healing.


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Rachel Allen's Everyday Kitchen on RTÉ
Watch out for Rachel's new TV series "Rachel Allen's Everyday Kitchen" which will show on RTÉ One at 8.30PM every Wednesday starting tonight.
Each episode of the 13-part series will showcase a mix of three sweet and savoury recipes, and will be packed full of affordable, yet tasty hints and tips. All of the dishes will loosely work together, either linked by a key ingredient, or built around a specific event such as a family gathering.
These include cooking a roast chicken on Sunday; using the left over potatoes for a hearty tartiflette on Monday night; any remains of the cooked bird as the basis for a contemporary twist on a chasseur for lunch on Wednesday; and a delicious soup made with stock from the same carcass for a family day out on Saturday.
The series will also provide a unique insight into Rachel's life through the combination of observational documentary segments and set-piece cooking. She will be filmed throughout different days in her life, whether it is time spent with her family or flying from Ireland to London to meet her book publishers.
At a time when everyone is conscious of making both their food and money go further, Rachel Allen's Everyday Kitchen will provide a one stop shop for inspirational yet affordable meals.
Aug 28, 2013 News


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Most of the year, my suggestions to sleep under a weighted blanket to reduce night-time anxiety and increase quality of sleep are met with a bit of eye-rolling and some complaints about the typically high temperatures we all endure. But now that the weather in Central Texas has finally shifted from "unbearably hot" to "just cool enough for us all to pretend we live somewhere with seasons," it's the prime time to encourage clients to embrace the calming power of deep pressure.
Using weighted objects like blankets or vests, can help calm the sympathetic nervous system and release serotonin, providing clients struggling with anxiety with an increased sense of well-being.
For more information about why using weighted blankets could be a great coping skill for your clients:


text: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the three women in the band Pussy Riot who performed a "protest prayer" at Russia's main cathedral should not be judged too harshly, raising defence lawyers' hopes that they could escape lengthy jail terms. Putin's comments, reported by Russian news agencies during his visit to London on Thursday, suggested the three members of the punk band could escape the maximum seven-year jail term following international criticism of the Kremlin over the case. Putin said there was "nothing good" about the band's protest, Interfax reported. "Nonetheless, I don't think that they should be judged so harshly for this," he said, adding that it was up to the court to decide the case. "I hope the court will come out with the right decision, a well-founded one." Western governments have criticised the prosecution of the women and human rights groups as well as Red Hot Chili Peppers and other performers have called for their immediate release. Russian opposition leaders have depicted the trial as part of a crackdown on dissents since Putin began a third term as president on May 7. A lawyer for the band members said Putin's statements were a signal to Western critics, and to the judicial authorities trying the three women to show leniency. "In my opinion this is a gesture towards the West, towards the consumers of Russian energy resources and (Putin's) business partners," Nikolai Polozov, the defence lawyer, said at the court. "Given the significance of such signals, we can expect some softening of the prosecution's position," he said. He expressed caution in a remark on Twitter, however, saying: "To tell the truth, I don't believe Putin. If the signal gets through and the court reacts, OK, but if not we will fight on."Suspended sentence Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, offended many Russian Orthodox Christian believers with the protest on February 21 on the altar of Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral. They are being tried on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred over the performance in which they called on the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out!" Opinion polls suggest many Russians believe the women, who have been jailed for about five months, should not face more time behind bars. Prosecutors are to recommend a sentence at the end of the trial. Pyotr Verzilov, Tolokonnikova's husband, said Putin's remarks could increase the chances the women would get suspended sentences and avoid further time in jail. "Putin is Russia's court . He will decide the verdict in the end," Verzilov said. "He is feeling enormous pressure both at home as well as abroad and, obviously, under such circumstances he no longer wants to be a bloody dictator." Swift punishment The three have denied they were motivated by hate, and said they were protesting against close ties between church and state. They were particularly angered by the support the Russian Orthodox Church's leader, Patriarch Kirill, gave Putin in his presidential election campaign this year. Kremlin critics say Putin, who has ruled Russia as president or prime minister since 2000, wants to use the trial to paint protesters in a negative light. "Even in the Soviet era, in Stalin's time, the courts were more just," Polozov said earlier on Thursday.Since his inauguration, the former KGB officer has signed laws raising fines for protesters, tightening control of the Internet - often used to organise protests - and imposing tougher rules on foreign-funded campaign and lobby groups. Putin, who spoke before leaving London after meeting British Prime Minister David Cameron and watching judo at the Olympics, suggested the women would have faced swift punishment without trial if they had put on a similar performance in Israel or in Muslim areas of Russia's Caucasus. "I think if the girls had desecrated something in, let's say, Israel - there are some pretty strong guys there, you know - it wouldn't be too easy for them to get out of there," Interfax quoted him as saying. "Or if they went to the Caucasus and desecrated some sacred Muslim place, we would not even have time to protect them," he was quoted as saying. SOURCE: Agencies Europe


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