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The navigation above ⇧
brings you back to the main pages of
Adventures in Classical Music.
To stay within this course,
⇦ use the navigation to the left.
Lecture 9
Secular Trends and Introduction to the Baroque
If music be the food of love, play on...
—William Shakespeare
secular trends leading to the baroque
C.E. c.1550-1610
the counter-reformation left composers little opportunity to experiment and exercise their creative urges, and so turned to the secular madrigal and secular drama, leading directly to the invention of opera.
Topics covered:
- secular trends
- a new style of madrigal
- introduction t the baroque
- baroque opera
- Weelkes
- Monteverdi
- familiarization with:
- text painting in the madrigal
- arioso
- ritornello
- watch lecture 9 (in multiple parts for quicker download)
- review previous chapters, as necessary
- read textbook, Chapter 11-12
- regarding developing listening skills: you should be in the habit of developing your listening skills early in the game - the assignments will get more complex through the semester and you may find yourself unable to keep up. As simple as these early assignments may seem to some of you, they will help to keep you on the right track, and help you develop the skills required for a greater appreciation in listening to music, including the music that you listen to for your own enjoyment. Of course, those objectives are in total sync with the success you hope to have in this class. Remember that your ability to recognize the music on your CDs will be tested and will, of course, impact your grade.
Audio / Video lecture
- click lecture segments below in sequence
- presented in several segments to reduce download time
- total lecture time: approx. one hour 15 minutes (all segments included)
- can be downloaded for portable media players by right clicking each segment link and choosing save option. (note: older Macs and Mac notebooks with single-button mice: control-click)
9.1 Secular trends in the Renaissance
As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending
9.2 A new style for the madrigal
Monteverdi's Zefiro Torna
9.3 Introduction to the Baroque

subset: commoncrawl


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Why I Drink Champagne
The one time of year I'm sure to drink champagne is Easter. About 10 years ago I was reading a book called Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright. He said,
"If Lent is a time to give things up, Easter ought to be a time to take things up. Champagne for breakfast and loud alleluia hymns."
Champagne is a beverage reserved for occasions of victory, joy, and celebration. Weddings. New Years. Anniversaries. If there is any day we should have a champagne toast, it is Easter. For the Christian, Easter is THE championship day. Here are four reasons I pop a bottle (or two) on Easter:
We live in a culture of the immediate and instant. Fast food and microwaves are so 20th century. Now Grubhub and Uber Eats rush your fast food to the doorstep.
We have no patience for "the spinning wheel of death" that slowly pulls data for our screen. We expect immediate responses from text messages. We order from Amazon and want it delivered NOW.
The Myth of the Lone Pastor
Sometimes I don't feel like being a pastor.
There are some Sunday mornings at 6:00AM when I don't want to preach.
Sometimes I dread walking into a meeting.
Sometimes I walk into a crisis situation already emotionally exhausted.
Sometimes everyone is looking at me for direction and I don't feel like talking.
Should I Fast for Lent?
It's common, even for non or non-practicing Christians, to "give something up for Lent." Fasting during this somber season is an ancient Christian practice. What is fasting? Why should (or shouldn't you) give something up for Lent?
Jesus Didn't Write Anything
I had a realization a few weeks ago: Jesus didn't write anything. Unlike many historical figures or religious leaders, he himself left no writings. Yes, we believe the Bible is inspired by God, but Jesus didn't actually pen it. Why is this important?
Gaining By Losing
There are some things Jesus says that are so severe they will wreck you. Sometimes he speaks things we don't want to hear, or things that confuse us. A confession: I've been meditating on three sentences and I'm agitated by them:
Last year I walked in Armstrong Woods, a redwood forest in northern California. It is home to Colonel Armstrong, a giant tree estimated to be 1,400 years old. It's a humbling experience to stand before a living tree that makes our nation's history seem infantile. How do these trees come to be?
A little further is a sign about redwood forest regeneration. It states:
"Redwood seeds cannot penetrate the thick layer of decomposing plant material that covers the forest floor. Crisis, such as a forest fire, allows the tiny seeds to reach the layer of mineral soil required for germination; overall the best way for redwoods to reproduce."
If things go on as normal, the seeds will never get below the duff to the soil. Redwoods only regenerate in crisis, by severe disruption.
Disruption is a popular word today. It is used to describe forces of change in economics or technology. I've been pondering Scripture and life through this word recently. What role does disruption play in the life of faith? What do you do when you experience it? Let me suggest five responses to the disruption you may experience.
The Loneliest Day
January 2nd is a bummer because Christmas lights come down. How depressing. It's part of the aftermath of Christmas, and it has a way of inciting loneliness. On January 2nd, I was thinking about:
Those who dread returning to a miserable job.
Widows and widowers living alone in a quiet house.
Those divorced or never married wondering if this is it.
Those mourning a death.
Those who have family far away. They were together, now gone.
Those suffering from a break up.
Some reflections on January 2nd, the loneliest day.
To Be Uninvited
Social media has provided an odd phenomenon. You get to see pictures of friends at parties you weren't invited to. We hear regular reports on the increase of loneliness in our country. Much of it is tied to this sense of being "uninvited," and then the "fear of missing out."
This "uninvited" feeling seems to be on the rise. "I'm on the outside." "I don't belong." "I'm forgotten." "Everyone ignores me." "I'm out of place."
Catholic monk and writer Thomas Merton once wrote:
"Into this world, this demented inn in which there is absolutely no room for him at all, Christ comes uninvited."
This Might Be Over Soon
When you bake, you might set a timer for 30 or 60 minutes. But what if you could set a timer to go off in years or centuries? Well, there's a website for that. At OnlineStopwatch.com you can set a custom timer. Here's a screen shot of a timer that I set for December 1st, in the year 3,000. 358,670 days from now.
The end of the church year calendar is its own timer, reminding us this world is not forever. We often live as if our time is indefinite, like the year 3,000. But what if the world's timer was set for 1 year? One week? Two minutes? What if you had that much time left? The point:
This might be over soon.


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Winning Through Intimidation/
I love that title.
It's also the title to Robert Ringer's 1973 classic about selling commercial real estate. It's the first book that I found to discuss the realities of being a commercial broker. However, the book deals with much more than that subject.
First, it can be applied to any product sold whether that's residential real estate, cars or movie scripts. Basically, if it's a commission-based industry than this book applies. People are essentially the same when a commission is involved, regardless of the side of the table they are on.
Second, it deals with life. Especially, his "theories" which are sprinkled throughout the book. These theories can be applied to any aspect of life, regardless of whether you're involved in a commission-based industry or not.
Third, Ringer describes the types of people you will negotiate with throughout your career. These people are also outside the brokerage field. I've run into the same type when I worked in the government sector as well as a salaried employee. Once you start to see these personality types in the world, you can prepare for them in different ways.
Before we get to far away from the title, let me address it. Some folks get hung up on it, focusing specifically on the last word. That's exactly why Ringer chose it. His intention was to set the tone early that this self-help book was going to deal in reality, not fantasy. When you work in commission sales, the world is very competitive due to its opportunities and you can get pushed around easily if you let it happen. The idea is how to push through the intimidation of others and not let yourself be a victim.
Working Without a Net
If you've never worked in a commission sales position it might sound scary. I was fearful when I made the leap from a salaried position to full commission six years ago. However, I will never go back now.
First, the freedom I experience is like none in any salaried job. I do not have to punch a clock nor report daily to a supervisor. I can come and go as I please. I can work whatever schedule I like. My life has evolved through this career and I'm now beginning to work from my home office a couple days a week. I didn't ask for permission or beg for forgiveness to do it. I just did it. The restrictions on time and location were self-imposed (all in my head). The commission sales position allowed me to do this.
Second, I can out earn my previous careers – by a lot. My income potential is only limited by how creative I am and how hard/smart I want to work. That's completely different than getting compensated by an hourly rate for hours worked. There is a cap on how much you can earn as an employee.
Third, I can fire my clients. Can an employee fire his boss? I have, occasionally, terminated a relationship with a client that is not productive for many reasons.
With this freedom and opportunity comes peril, though.
First, I can go stretches without receiving a commission. I've learned to budget and not live above my means. Therefore, when periods of not earning a fee happen (and they do happen), I'm prepared.
Second, with the amount of potential money out there, other brokers can behave in a less than friendly manner. Think sharks when blood is in the water. They will snatch a client from you if they see weakness. Is it a mean and dirty game? It depends upon how you look at it. If you're not serving your client, you deserve to lose them. In other words, if you're not doing your job, you deserve to be fired.
The Cornerstone Theories
Ringer built Winning Through Intimidation on four cornerstone theories. I really liked them as they dove-tailed into other things I've heard through the years.
The Theory of Relativity
This one might be the toughest to grasp. I once heard that there's three sides to every problem – your side, their side and then reality. The problem in any negotiation is understanding how everyone is looking at a problem, including yourself.
This is often hard as we tend to look at the world through our own lens which distorts almost everything. The closer we can get to understanding reality the clearer the problem will get. When we can understand how the other side is viewing the problem, we will be in a better position to negotiate. If we only see the problem through our lens, then our chances of success will be seriously diminished.
This theory could be renamed, "See Things for What They Really Are."
The Theory of Relevance
How relevant is something to helping you make money or to achieving your goals? This has been on my mind a lot lately after reading Tim Ferriss' The 4-Hour Workweek. I'm focused on the idea of defining busy versus productive activities. Filling out weekly cold-call spreadsheets for various clients isn't productive. I'm done doing that. Each client may want their own spreadsheet, but that "busy work" stops me from doing the thing that makes both of us money – contacting prospects.
Also, when listing a property, it isn't relevant when a seller repeatedly focuses on how much it cost them to build their property. No one cares that it cost $1,000,000 to build it if the market is only going to pay $800,000 for it.
This theory could be renamed, "Focus on What Matters."
The Thirty-Year Theory
This one really should be renamed the 100-Year Theory as it concerns death. However, it was the early 70's when the book was written and life expectancy was shorter.
Regardless, here's the lesson: Life is short so go after what you want while you can.
Ringer writes, "when my participation in the game of life ends, I don't want to be caught begging for an extra inning."
Don't mess around. Set your goals and get after it. Do you want to retire early? Then darn well do it. Want to make a million dollars? Get going! Sitting around and dreaming about it isn't going to get you what you want. Hustle and determination is what you need.
This theory could be renamed, "Don't Waste Time."
The Ice Ball Theory
Ringer developed this theory after reading a science book which said the sun was slowly burning out and in 50 billion years there wouldn't be any sun at all. The result would be an "ice ball." His first instinct was fear which was soon replaced with laughter. It was ridiculous to worry about something 50 billion years away.
Have you done something much the same? I know I have. I've worried that some people might not like a blog post, or worse the actual blog. So what? I can't worry about everyone's feelings or I'll get nowhere in this life. I need to take action and move forward to accomplish some things.
This theory could be renamed, "Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously."
The People We Negotiate With …
Ringer identifies the three types of people we negotiate with in commercial real estate. As mentioned earlier, these people are everywhere in life.
Type One:
Right up front, this one lets you know that he's out to get your chips. He then follows through with his promise in words and actions. He's the guy who will reach for your chips during the opening negotiation or perhaps as early as the listing. His reputation proceeds him throughout the market. The Type One isn't nice and doesn't care to be nice.
Treat this one like a cornered rattlesnake.
Type Two:
He's a sneaky turd. This is the guy who says I don't want your chips and pretends he wants you to succeed. However, when the moment is right, he reaches into your pocket just like the Type One would.
This guy will get the deal done, keeping an eye on the loophole you forgot to close. Perhaps your commission wasn't listed in the deal or was listed lower than a verbally agreed to amount. He's not going to correct it. He's going to let you make the mistake and capitalize on it when the moment is right.
He'll smile the whole time and say, "You should have known better" when you ask him to do the right thing.
Treat this one like a cornered hyena.
Type Three:
This is a nice guy but a bit of a ding-dong. He says he doesn't want your chips and he sincerely means it. However, this is the guy that will reach for your chips out of necessity to get the deal done. He'll see cutting your commission as the only way for the deal to make sense. He'll apologize profusely that he got you both into the situation, but he'll look for you to make it right by cutting your fee. He'll say that you're already getting more than your fair share so you should take one for the team.
Treat this one like a cornered raccoon.
Ringer does qualify a fourth type who is supportive of you because they stand to directly gain through your receiving of income, but he doesn't spend much time talking about them. I believe that's because it doesn't make for a good story, but I'm going to create the category for my own sake of fairness.
Type Four (according to Colin):
There are clients who understand how brokers are compensated and how the world works. They are not jerks and are not inept. They're good, decent folks who understand brokers can help them achieve their goals.
Some of these clients have been former brokers who have grown into developers or investors. They often state, "I want to pay a commission." What that means is they're paying for something that has occurred – a new lease or the sale of a property. Brokers only get paid when something is sold or leased. Therefore, the Type Four understands the value a broker brings to the table.
Treasure this client as they are the most valuable ones you'll come across.
Additional Theories for Winning
Throughout the book, Ringer sprinkles additional theories in with his stories about real estate deals. I'm sure we've all encountered some of these in our lives in one form or fashion. These theories include:
Sustenance of a Positive Attitude Through Assumption of a Negative Result – Plan for the worse but expect the best;
Uncle George Theory – Hard work and long hours only guarantee you old age;
Theory of Reality – It is what it is. Acknowledge reality or it will work against you;
Tortoise and Hare Theory – it's not how fast you start, it's if you finish that counts;
Organic Chemistry Theory – the bigger the braggart, the less successful they really are;
Leapfrog Theory – you don't have to follow the pack to get to the front;
Theory of Intimidation – your results are inversely proportionate to how much you're intimidated;
Posture Theory – Your posture (literally and figuratively) is as important as your words;
Makeable Deal Theory – Only work those deals with a high chance of success;
Fiddle Theory – Time kills all deals;
Boy-Girl Theory – People want what they can't have;
Better Deal Theory – The fear of missing out;
Bluff Theory – Never bluff. Develop some guts.
If you're like me and enjoy reading stories of real estate transactions, then this book is for you. Even though it's dated by the lack of cell phones, email or even fax machines, the concepts of deal making are timeless. It's a fun and interesting read and one that helped me build a foundation for negotiating in real estate.
I've read it several times now and each time I grab something new to use in my daily life. That's the value of a great book.
Do you do a lot of negotiation, especially in real estate? Winning Through Intimidation can give you the edge you're looking for.


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Psychotropic materials
|Focus on the facts provides young people with information about psychotropic medications – including what they are and why people take them. It contains details about side effects, tips on taking the medications, and other helpful resources.
|Medications and youth is a fact sheet for parents and caregivers of young people who are taking psychotropic medications. In addition to providing general information about psychotropics, this fact sheet explains what to watch for and how best to help youth who use these medicines as part of a treatment plan.
|My meds, my rights is a brochure for young people about their legal rights related to taking psychotropic medications. This brochure includes answers to commonly asked questions, along with details on where to find more information.
These tools were developed by researchers at Dalhousie University (Drs. David Gardner, Stan Kutcher and Andrea Murphy) in collaboration with young people and caregivers.


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Add a special touch to your style statement
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The current modern ornament market of silver material witnesses a great demand of different silver make items that are available at the most reasonable prices and in a great variety. These days, numbers of skilled artists are coming onward to show their talents by introducing a beautifully and quality designed fashion jewelry that can be simply used as a fashion statement. These highly experienced and skilled craftsmen have the skill to shape out a widespread collection of both the options-the costlier and cheaper ones.
To make an impression on your girlfriend or demonstration your wife she is very special, heart-shaped patterns with oxidised silver jewellery are always a great symbol of commitment and love. On the other hand, you will have to select the suitable design and style to precise the correct sentiment. You would not need to give your mom a genuine silver material ring with two tangled hearts; that shows more of a romantic association. But your wife or girlfriend would absolutely appreciate such an appearance of commitment. For mother, a subtle necklace with single shapes of heart charm will expression her that she is very close to your heart, even as she uses it nears to hers. To display your niece, daughter or any youth female in your life that you are planning of them on Valentine's Day, you can try a perfect pair of simple earrings with heart-shaped or a charisma bracelet.
Somewhat clearly, these days market is thrived up with those businesses that are mainly aimed at making a unique collection of modern attractive silver fashion jewelry. Their major intention is to give the products that can effectively match to the most recent fashion trends that are presently followed in the world of fashion jewelry. To be very accurate, these days ornament freaks can go through a superior collection of dainty anklets, toe rings and the most affluent wedding rings. Without any doubt, it is true that this gorgeous costly metal has turn into a preferred option for all those people who have noticed a marvelous impact of silver over the world of attractive fashion jewelry. One of the major reasons of its admiration is its obtainability at very logical prices. In current's scenario, most of the people have started to utilize these ornamental items as a gift item for their dearest and nearest ones.


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Sunday, August 23, 2015
Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken
2 tbsp olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halves
salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9 X 13 baking dish.
In a shallow dish, blend olive oil and garlic. In a separate dish, mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, basil, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Season each chicken breast with salt and black pepper, dip it in the oil mixture, and then in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange coated chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
195 calories per serving.
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Next Episode of Cinderella Formula is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
Haruna Kawaguchi(Endou Maki)
Kotaro Koizumi(Igarashi Toru)
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


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However, Peter had been previously suspended by Podmore for writing articles and giving interviews to the press that criticised his fellow cast members, and the producer sacked Adamson for breach of contract after learning that he had sold his memoirs to a tabloid newspaper. Len Fairclough was killed off the programme in December 1983 in an off-screen car accident, and in a deliberate attempt to demonize the character played by the controversial Adamson, it was revealed that Len had died returning home from his mistress, cheating on screen wife Rita Fairclough.
Peter Adamson had become a hard drinker, perhaps stemming from constant financial troubles, during his time on the Street, and was suspended from the programme over it in 1969. Years after his sacking, Peter appeared to confess his guilt over the 1982 swimming pool incident in a rambling, possibly drunken, interview with a Sun reporter, although he always maintained that there was no sexual intent. Adamson's wife passed away in 1984, and in 1991 he declared himself bankrupt, thanks in large part to high legal bills from his 1983 court case that Granada wouldn't pay after his sacking. Peter died of stomach cancer in Lincoln in 2002.


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Kim & Adrian's Cozy Wedding in a Melbourne Brewery
Kim is a talented pastry chef (you'll see her work later) and Adrian is a musician. He sang Kim down the aisle — very romantic — and even played songs for her at the reception. Their first dance was a self-choreographed waltz and swing number to Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet". These two lovely creative folk wed in an intimate ceremony in Florida where Adrian's parents are, and then had a DIY celebration of marriage in one of their favorite breweries in Melbourne where Kim is from (and where they met and currently reside).
I just love how sweet, cozy, and personal this celebration is and we have no other than photographer Lakshal "Lucky" Perera (whom you might remember from his previously featured work + Behind the Lens q&a… and that incredible milky way wedding photo that went viral some weeks ago) to thank for the GORGEOUS eye candy. Here we go.
These photos are just breathtaking, aren't they? Let's get to know the beautiful twosome a bit better. Here's Kim with the deets:
I am a 29 year old dietitian-turned-pastry chef born in Melbourne, Australia, to Malaysian parents. I met Adrian at a Halloween charity party about 2 years prior to our wedding where he was dressed in a bunny suit and I was dressed as the corpse bride. Adrian (who is a month older than me) had moved to Melbourne from Tampa, Florida, a few years before to work and live in Australia as a child care worker. His mother is a Canadian of British background and his father is African American. Like a lot of couples we are quite different in personalities but share the same important values and many interests.
Adrian is a musician and relates to the bygone era of tweed jackets, suspenders and slow-cooked meals. I tend to be more fast-paced but have a strong interest in all things vintage and sustainable living. We lived together for a year before our wedding and Adrian was welcomed into my family (mum, dad and 2 sisters) and I into his (mum and dad in Florida, sister in Melbourne).
Don't you just love this shot of them? So you can get a feel for their celebration better, from this point on I'll let Kim tell you more about their day in her own words:
Our wedding was a DIY affair that focused on great company, delicious food and drink and awesome music. Our decisions were mostly based on what we wanted that reflected our personalities and the desire for the event to be enjoyable for everyone, including ourselves! We had already officially been married in Florida in March 2012 in a small ceremony followed by a party with mostly Adrian's family and friends. So our Melbourne wedding was called a "celebration of marriage" and we were on a deliberately small budget. We had no theme but ended up looking very vintage!
We didn't really do any research for how to plan a wedding so we ad libbed, were pretty laid-back and things generally went smoothly. We didn't feel too pressured to conform to expectations (societal or cultural) that come with weddings, apart from inviting a few long-lost relatives, so nearly everything was purely what we wanted. I think our venue was perfect for us and helped us in making smaller decisions. It was a small microbrewery with a slight industrial feel that was a good size for 80 guests, and it was a fairly unusual wedding venue.
Because we were on a budget, we asked family and friends for help with things like decorations (originally white drapes in a beach rotunda for the ceremony but this wasn't used due to poor weather), flowers, scooping mini ice cream cones as part of the dessert buffet, invitations, and my makeup. We were recommended Lucky by a mutual friend which was lucky (I couldn't really think of another word) as we weren't planning on having a professional photographer.
Our budget meant we had to prioritize and I don't regret the things we didn't have, such as a fancy car or the previous night in a hotel etc, because in the end we just remembered the people who were there. As a bonboneire, we decided to share our love of brewing and brew an alcoholic ginger beer that we also bottled and labelled with labels Adrian's sister designed for us. Our "Ball and Chain Ginger Beer" was personal and had a sense of fun about it that we wanted reflected in our wedding.
Since Adrian is a musician, we thought it was perfect for him to sing me down the aisle to The Avett Brothers' "Living of Love", which was very romantic.
We spent most of our budget on gourmet finger food and I catered the dessert buffet and made our wedding cake, which was not as stressful as I expected.
(Yes our talented bride made that lovely cake! See more of her delightful work here)
I think the part of the wedding we spent the most time on was our dance to Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet", which was a combination of waltz and swing.
We are both ameteur swing dancers and knew we had to do a swing dance to show off just a little bit, and it gave our wedding some energy right from the start. The best memories I have of the night are our dance, getting applause after our personalized vows and my dad's speech.
Kim shared a lot of really great advice so please read what she had to say (and do take notes!):
We only had 3 months to plan our wedding in Florida, with an extra two months to plan the Melbourne wedding. This was a blessing and a curse. It meant we didn't have much time to plan but then we had to be much more efficient with our decisions, which probably saved a lot of time. Six months to plan would have been perfect. I would also recommend a cocktail style reception, meaning guests are standing with roaming food and drinks (plus limited seating).
We knew we wanted a casual wedding and this allowed for more people to mingle and chat to other guests. If you are on a tight budget, find out from friends, who is able to help with smaller details and where you can, limit numbers to the point where you think you will be able to have a good chat with all your guests. Write your own vows, as this is probably the only time in public you can say how you feel about each other, and finally make sure that the main focus is on how much you love each other and how much fun you want everybody to have.
Huge thanks to Lucky for sending his absolutely ravishing images of this sweet wedding my way, and congratulations to Kim & Adrian! Thank you for allowing us an intimate peek into your special day. 🙂
Photography: Lakshal Perera
Venue: Two Brothers Brewery, Moorabbin, Melbourne, Australia
Dress: a linen masterpiece Kim found in her mum's clothing storage collection from the 70s. Dancing dress from Review
Adrian's outfit: tie and hat hand made by Otis James Nashville, suit and vest from Hawkings Mcgill and pants from Gentlemans Emporium
Flowers: by a friend
Invitations: by a friend, PartyPai Paper Crafts
Catering: Advanced Catering Concepts
Cake and desserts: by the bride (www.flickr.com/photos/cakesbykimc)


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Earlier this week, Activision finally revealed the next game in its absurdly successful Call of Duty series. After seven years of trudging about in modern times, the series has dropped its now iconic subtitle in favor of a fresh one: Advanced Warfare. The debut trailer showed a future world, chock full of all kinds of new weapons and items to use. Climbing up buildings, deploying portable cover, and summoning robotic support tanks to take out enemies were all shown. It was Call of Duty's moment to display progression and to rewrite its now notorious reputation. Well…it should have been. Despite this stark contrast to past games, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare debuted in a troubled element. Despite all these mechanics that never appeared in any game in the series, despite this promise of renovation and rebirth, Advanced Warfare serves as an open confession of the series' state of mind, a mentality of desperation to keep up with its many shooter peers and of exhaustion in how far the series has fallen.
It's so hard to believe that Call of Duty's origins are rooted in World War II, but the original Call of Duty set the stage for a future that would embrace Infinity Ward for years. Though the first two (three, if you're lenient) were impressive spectacles of war shooters, it wasn't until Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that the series became what we now know it to be. The embrace of the modern era allowed for the expansion of new tools and weapons, highlighting spectacle further. But the inventive multiplayer mode is where Modern Warfare shined. With an addictive customization element, both in loadouts and perks, duking it out online became a personal affair. The loadout system would become extremely commonplace in future games and other series, from Halo to Bioshock. Regardless of today's connotation, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare became a paramount step forward for multiplayer in shooters. Like Goldeneye 007, Half-Life, and Halo: Combat Evolved before it, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare earned its place in the Pantheon of first-person shooters.
But that sense of invention is no longer what drives the series. You could even argue that it doesn't even exist anymore. From Modern Warfare 2 onward, the Call of Duty series earned itself the dubious honors as one of the most corporate video game series of all-time. By "corporate", I'm speaking of the series' disturbing lack of artistic progress, while building upon simple and inexpensive ideas and the constant marketing and merchandising of the series. Though the series continued to deliver a fun multiplayer experience, the drought of gameplay innovations and oversaturation of yearly releases gave the series a toxic reputation in the gaming community. Single-player campaigns became shorter and more limited, downloadable content became a routine focus for further purchases by gamers, and paltry gameplay novelties took the place of substantial moments of design evolution. This came to a head with the most recent title in the series, 2013's Call of Duty: Ghosts, which epitomized the running-in-place development ideology and the absurd level of merchandising to produce hype.
But this week, the next Call of Duty game was announced, and truth be told, it was a pretty unexpected first impression. Abandoning the "modern" warfare aesthetic, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the series move into the future…quite literally. With wall-crawling, enhanced drone support bots, and super-powered cyber-exoskeletons, Advanced Warfare dips into the sci-fi cinema of today for tons of new gadgetry and devices to take the series into a whole new setting. After years of having the games take place in the same general time period with the same weapons and support items, getting this banquet of bizarre new tech is something remarkably refreshing for the series to show. By no longer being bound by modern realism, the possibilities are endless.
But there's still something wrong here. Why did it take seven long years for the series to finally reach such a point of setting revitalization? After seven years of annual releases, paid DLC barrages, and double XP weekend commercials, why are we just now getting such a big step for the series, one that really allows for new ideas to appear? And even more curious, why is this so underwhelming a display?
We gamers have been stuck in Call of Duty's panic room of modern warfare for a while now; it really doesn't feel like only seven years. Upon first seeing this new trailer for Advanced Warfare, it's very easy to gush over this new aesthetic, but that sense of reverence loses clarity very quickly. The fact of the matter is this: Call of Duty is not as important now as it was in 2009. It's become so jaded and labeled so vehemently that any new idea it brings just doesn't shine as brightly as Modern Warfare 2 did (or even Black Ops, for that matter).
You could label this growing sense of apathy toward the series to the routinely underdeveloped yearly releases, with Call of Duty: Ghosts selling less than its predecessor Call of Duty: Black Ops II. As Activision has done before with Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk Pro Skater, oversaturation of a series can lead to a tipping point of interest that can damage public impression. You could also attribute this decline in interest with the disappearance of B titles and the steady weathering of AAA titles. When it comes to big-budget games, Call of Duty is the king of the castle. Development budgets of Call of Duty games have reached astronomically high costs, while sub-AAA games have found little success in today's market and the cheap, inventive indie games have grown considerably in popularity. Call of Duty is still a remarkably successful series, but gamers have become so conditioned with seeing Call of Duty everywhere that any sense of spectacle or hype is met with apathy. We already know that Call of Duty is one of the biggest game series on the market, and that's the problem: we already know.
And even though Advanced Warfare is such a step forward for the series, it's certainly not a step forward for gaming, or even the FPS genre as a whole. The ideas of superhuman abilities and increased mobility are nothing new to games. Titanfall adopted a fluid, mobility-energized shooter experience, Halo: Combat Evolved displayed a use of stealthy cloaking devices, and as cool as hoverbikes sound, we've seen that idea before many times. These ideas might refresh the series to a degree, yes, but now more than ever, new shooter franchises are appearing. Developers like Bungie and Respawn understand that in order to combat such a juggernaut like Call of Duty in this day and age, they need to distinguish themselves from it. Bungie's Destiny looks more expansive and creative than even their pedigree can hold, while Respawn used their experience developing at Infinity Ward back in the day and their growing creativity to make a shooter driven by new mechanics. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare doesn't have that sense of escalation. Its "new" ideas don't feel like ideas driven by personal ambition; they feel like nervous responses to an intimidating stampede of new, much more appealing shooter designs. Advanced Warfare, in a nutshell, feels completely reactionary.
That sense of pressured reaction combined with the series' exhausting production cycle is why Advanced Warfare appears so underwhelming. For a series so ingrained with a corporate mentality of assembly-line processed annual releases with a disdain for creativity and adventurousness, this moment of rejuvenation should've been exactly what the series needed. It should feel like coming up for air after drowning in heartbeat sensor pulses and predator missile debris. The wall-climbing, the exoskeletons, every single bit of futuristic panache should've charged this series up instantly. But it didn't. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare doesn't show spark. The series is steadily being overshadowed by big upcoming releases that demonstrate both spectacle and creativity, making these nuances and changes to the game's setting and gameplay appear forced and unnatural.
It's too early to tell whether Advanced Warfare will be able to deliver, but right now, the series doesn't seem confident. This moment of redemption and revitalization appears less like a blessing and more like an open confession of how nervous the series is toward its much more promising rivals.


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The classes mirror those you'd find in a fantasy RPG – the Field class is like a thief, the Soldier is a warrior type and the Tech Specialist is akin to a mage. The best class is the Freelancer – a blank canvas where you're given 31 Exp Points to play with, so you are able to create the kind of character you want.
Whatever your choices while assigning XP, using Perks and Skills and making dialogue choices, the game will react to them. We found this out in one of the first missions proper. A trip to a Moscow train station began with an ambush by a Russian agent called Sie. The familiar dialogue screen opened up and we soon discovered she likes her men to be aggressive, so picking speech paths that were antagonistic got us on her good side and she agreed to help with the mission. If we'd chosen different answers to her questions she would have attacked, meaning we'd need to take on the Russians on top of the terrorists we'd come to fight.
These decisions affect the whole game. Our new alliance with Sie will affect how other characters view us, as well as who appears in future missions and what will be facing us. For example, if we'd chosen to go to Taipei before Russia, then the contacts made there could have provided backup against Sie. Everything you do affects how missions are carried out and this then influences what happens at the end of the game.
The idea of 'reactivity' is what will push Alpha Protocol forward. You can't replay missions or go back and talk to characters – once you've made your choices the game adjusts and pushes on. And yes, you can sauce-up female spies and get your Bond-on, so best make the right moves the first time around.
Aug 28, 2009


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We build the systems that keep your business running. We are the American Pharmacy Alliance.
The American Pharmacy Alliance is a technology partnership of leading pharmacy software companies that supply prescription processing systems to more than 16,000 independent and small chain pharmacies throughout the United States.
Copyright © 2002-2019, The American Pharmacy Alliance.
All logos, graphics and content are property of The American Pharmacy Alliance and may not be copied or redistributed without permission.
"The American Pharmacy Alliance" and "PromptRx" are servicemarks of The American Pharmacy Alliance


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Fast Surface comprises two nights of light projections by four artists: Douglas Allsop, Ceal Floyer, David Griffiths and Craig Wood. Each exploits the intangibility of light and the particular formal quality of the exhibition space at Chisenhale.
There will be the same light projections and the same order of showing on both nights, as follows:
7.30 Ceal Floyer
8.00 Douglas Allsop
8.30 Craig Wood
9.00 David Griffiths
9.30 Ceal Floyer
Fast Surface is sponsored by Myriad AV Sales Ltd, Craig Richardson (Rostrum) and The Canadian High Commission, London. Chisenhale Gallery is supported by the London Arts Board and was awarded the Prudential Award for Visual Arts 1992.
Chisenhale GalleryT: +44 (0)20 8981 4518 firstname.lastname@example.com
64 Chisenhale Road
London E3 5QZ
For media enquiries please contact:
firstname.lastname@example.com or
Ellen Greig on +44 (0)20 3328 1964 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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I love to find new nooks and spaces in downtown for photos. Molly and Joe had a blast walking around, stopping in an arcade, hanging with their pup and watching the sunset through the downtown streets.
Jennifer Roper Photography Los Angeles and International weddings and portraits
Ashley and Travis spent their anniversary weekend with me. Romantic yes?. Well it kind of eas because we had a great time. They left it up to me but wanted urban and modern to suit their upcoming wedding. I cant resist Union Station for photos, (but only a few here) the we made a filed trip out of it to Japan town and Disney Hall.
All done on the sly and super fun. Cant wait until the wedding in Aug.


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Take this job and… you can probably fill in the blank. That is what an astounding number of employees seem to be thinking:
- According to a 2010 report by Mercer, nearly one third of US workers are seriously considering leaving their jobs, up from 23% in 2005.
- Fewer than 1 in 3 employees worldwide (31%) are engaged. Nearly 1 in 5 (17%) are actually disengaged. Engagement levels vary by region from 37% in India to 17% in China. (Blessing White 2011 Employee Engagement Survey)
- In February, June, and October of 2010, the number of employees voluntarily quitting surpassed the number fired or discharged. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
The overall trend is disturbing. Obviously, working environments, expectations, and individual experiences vary greatly. So why do so many employees feel so strongly (and negatively) about their work? The American Psychological Association surveyed more than 1,700 U.S. employees and found that lack of appreciation was the number one reason for leaving a job; a Gallup poll concluded that the primary reason was a bad boss.
Despite decades of knowledge, studies and feedback that show that management (and someone's direct boss in particular) has a significant impact on a person's happiness, motivation, and engagement at work, the story has not changed much. The conclusion that I draw is twofold: 1) many companies still have not learned to promote strong supervisory skills and leadership potential over technical skills, and 2) in the absence of a great manager, employees need to take more of their happiness, career progression, and satisfaction into their own hands.
I believe that engagement, satisfaction, and meaning can be found at work when strengths and inherent talents, interests, and goals are aligned. Combined with strong communication and initiative, any limitations of the immediate manager can be largely overcome by the employee himself (or herself). Once someone realizes this, the sense of empowerment and possibility expand, and their realization that work is what they make of it sets in. And that's where opportunity overcomes victimization. Work (and the individual) is transformed.


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Digital marketing is an umbrella term for the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the Internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium.
The way in which digital marketing has developed since the 1990s and 2000s has changed the way brands and businesses utilize technology and digital marketing for their marketing. Digital marketing campaigns are becoming more prevalent as well as efficient, as digital platforms are increasingly incorporated into marketing plans and everyday life, and as people use digital devices instead of going to physical shops.
Digital marketing such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, influencer marketing, content automation, campaign marketing, data-driven marketing and e-commerce marketing, social media marketing, social media optimization, e-mail direct marketing, display advertising, e–books, optical disks and games, are becoming more and more common in our advancing technology. In fact, this extends to non-Internet channels that provide digital media, such as mobile phones (SMS and MMS), callback and on-hold mobile ring tones.
History of Digital Marketing
The term digital marketing was first used in the 1990s, but digital marketing has roots in the mid-1980s when the SoftAd Group, now ChannelNet, developed advertising campaigns for automobile companies, wherein people would send in reader reply cards found in magazines and receive in return floppy disks that contained multimedia content promoting various cars and offering free test drives.
Digital marketing became more sophisticated in the 2000s and the 2010s,; the proliferation of devices' capability access digital media at almost any given time has led to great growth of digital advertising; statistics produced in 2012 and 2013 showed that digital marketing was still a growing field.
Digital marketing is often referred to as 'online marketing', 'internet marketing' or 'web marketing'. The term digital marketing has grown in popularity over time, particularly in certain countries. In the USA online marketing is still prevalent, in Italy is referred as web marketing but in the UK and worldwide, digital marketing has become the most common term, especially after the year 2013.
Digital media growth is estimated at 4.5 trillion online ads served annually with digital media spend at 48% growth in 2010.[citation needed] An increasing portion of advertising stems from businesses employing Online Behavioural Advertising (OBA) to tailor advertising for internet users, but OBA raises concern of consumer privacy and data protection.
Source From "wikipedia"


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Located at the head of Honister Pass in the centre of the Lake District, the 450 million-year-old Westmorland Green Slate has been extracted here for centuries – but it's the subterranean adventure activities on offer that make the mine a popular all-weather destination. Open seven days a week, Climb the Mine is suitable for anyone aged 10 or over (minimum height 1.3m) with good fitness levels, while the extra intrepid can take on the 160m Infinity Bridge, suspended over 2000ft above the valley floor.
Cumbria CA12 5XN
Tel. 017687 77230


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I am getting my hair done tomorrow and I dont know what type of side fringe to get my hair is always straight it down just beneath my shoulders and i dont know what shape face i have but i am getting my hair layered highlited and syled.
the pic is there so you can see if it would suit me and what clour highlights should i get so excuse the state i'm in.
also what shape is my face?.
this is me now


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The NEW Annual Catalog!!
Here is the cover of the NEW Annual Stampin' Up! Catalog!!!
If you NEED one, please let me know! I sent a few out from SU! If you haven't yet found one in your mail box, contact me and I'll get you one!! I have 2 cases in the house.
What I've seen, I like! I have the new In Colors and a few stamp sets. Not much time yet to play but hopefully soon!
Contact me!!
Sales from the NEW Catalog start June 1!
Get yours NOW so you have time to get your wish list in order :)


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The names of the RSN's seven other LMVs are RSS Sovereignty, RSS Unity, RSS Justice, RSS Indomitable, RSS Fortitude, RSS Dauntless, and RSS Fearless.
Beyond reflecting the theme of Singapore's nationhood, these names also carry the ideals that our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew and our pioneers fought for as well as the attributes they exemplified. These names were selected from more than 12,000 entries received during the LMV Naming Contest held from 12 February to 29 March 2015.
The LMVs will replace the existing Fearless-class Patrol Vessels, which had served the RSN well for close to 20 years. The LMVs will enhance the capabilities of the RSN in enforcing seaward defence and protecting Singapore's vital sea lines of communication.
Artist's impression of the Republic of Singapore Navy next-gen Littoral Mission Vessels (LMVs).


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Towards Healing is the primary document of the Australian Catholic Church in relation to sexual, emotional and physical abuse.
Towards Healing presents the attitudes and procedures that are followed when a person approaches the Church.
It does not attempt to replace the other options available to an individual: reporting a matter to the police, or working through a lawyer.
DOWNLOAD: Towards Healing


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Have Key, Still Clueless
To protect the gas in our car from pranksters or thieves when my wife and I are on the mainland, we bought a key in Honolulu to lock the gas cap. Last week at a gas station, I couldn't open the cap, no matter how much or how little pressure I applied to turning it from right to left. After five fruitless sweaty minutes, I approached a young man who was in the process of vacuuming his car. I told him my dilemma and assured him that he was "competent" enough to aid me. He agreed. After spending five minutes prodding and twisting the cap literally every which way but loose, he became as bewildered and stymied as I was.
I determined that I had three choices. I could go to the Mazda service station, I could go to Auto Zone, or I could enlist my wife. Because my condo was just a couple of blocks away, I went home. When I explained this absurd situation to my wife, she characteristically took control. With one flick of her wrist, she opened the cap. She must have been a safecracker in a former life, or she just has this uncanny knack to immediately gauge the mechanics of things.
I am tempted to keep the gas cap unlocked and even throw away the key. That way, I can at least in this instance, dam the floodwaters of frustration that beset me when I have to deal with uncooperative objects. But as long as I can rely on my helpmate and handywoman during our fifty years of marriage, I'll probably relock the cap when we go back to North Carolina well after the floodwaters there recede.
Rudimentary, Watson!
Working out at the Kapiolani 24/7 Fitness Center has been uneventful since my wife and I arrived in Honolulu about three weeks ago: except for today. I noticed a woman about my age sitting on the last machine I needed to straddle in order to finish the first half of my upper body regimen. Instead of exercising, she was leisurely kibitzing with another lady who was standing on her left. I sidled up on her right side, patiently waiting for the animated conversation to end. As it continued, I wondered if the seated woman had ended her reps, stopped in the midst of them, or hadn't started them. In any case, I remained, folding my hands behind my back and becoming more irritated every minute. I wanted to interrupt but restrained myself.
All of a sudden, the woman turned to me. She frowned and said that she tremendously disliked people who talk while sitting on machines, but her acquaintance, after all, was from Seattle. Huh! Smiling, she did a couple of sets and strolled off, leaving me a bit bewildered but relieved that I could now go on with my workout. The woman who delayed me was a little ditzy; the next person who delayed me was dedicated with a vengeance.
At the end of my workout, I respectfully waited for a young man to complete his seemingly never-ending routine on the only ab machine that doesn't strain my arthritic shoulders. I stood next to him, trying to secure my place in line. As he labored on (fixated on his cell that he cushioned between his tightly outstretched hands), I watched highlights of a pro-football game on the screen in front of us.
During a commercial, I glanced at him to see if he was done. Oops! Just at that moment, his face contorted, and then he snarled: "Stop staring at me!" At first, I was outraged at his unwarranted outburst; but not wanting him to retaliate by extending his sets, I quickly regrouped. I said that I was sorry and that I didn't mean to offend him. He just grunted at my apology. Well, while I didn't directly look at him again, I was able to see his reflection in a big mirror to our right. Without suspecting that I was surreptitiously looking at him, he finally stopped and mercifully left.
Sometimes, the Honolulu gym feels like an obstacle course, a test of my psychological endurance. But it's worth it: at least that's what my endorphins say whenever I get a chance to strut from one unencumbered machine to another.
The Vanity of Youth—The Humility of Old Age
When I first began my upper body routine at the fitness center, I spied a no-nonsense, smug, hard-bodied young woman adjusting her cellphone on a nearby high platform. At first, I thought that she was going to create a flawless selfie. But soon I realized that she was preparing to take a prime video of herself as she vigorously worked out on a rowing machine, displaying her taut revved-up back muscles that contended with a hundred-pounds of weight. When she got off the machine, she uplifted her hands as if she expected an audience to clap at her achievement.
At the other side of the gym, I saw a young man histrionically hyperventilating as he bench-pressed mammoth amounts of weight. Bravado to the max! In between sets, he smirked and then ferociously and ostentatiously flexed and reflexed his battering-ram muscles. Funny thing, though: every time he posed, he repeatedly puffed up his cheeks and kept them distended for as long as he could—this blowhard then looked like a blowfish.
After working out, I had a long wait at the bus stop. At one point, I noticed an elderly couple who ever so painstakingly crossed the street. Both of them were severely hunched over. Instead of holding hands, they held onto the handle of a substantial piece of luggage that they were rolling between them. Their hands were positioned perfectly to maneuver the luggage. The woman's left hand was very wobbly, so she used her more stable right hand to latch onto the left side of the handle. The man had a cane in his right hand, so he used his left hand to hold his part of the handle. When they got to the other side of the road, they stopped and gently smiled at each other—one small but gratifying mission accomplished.
What a contrast between the grandiose young people at the gym and the understated grand old couple!
Because there are few public bathrooms in Waikiki, the homeless occasionally urinate in public. Next to one of the bus stops I'm familiar with, a poster hangs above a huge expanse of graffiti wall art portraying heroic Hawaiian warriors. On the left side of the poster is a diagonally crossed out oval of a stick-figure explicitly urinating on the sidewalk. Below the drawing is the injunction, "DECENCY FORBIDS.'' Inscribed on the upper right side of the poster are the words "SECURITY CAMERA IN USE." How effective is this prohibition? I'm not sure. Regardless of the consequences, some offenders might find it so amusing to see a cartoonish drawing of a man urinating that they might urinate just for the fun of it. Others might opt to randomly pee just to spite the puritanical authorities. The well-meaning poster could start an uprising.
On a freeway in Fort Worth, I noticed a billboard that warns motorists not to "DRV W/L TXTG." Underneath this coded inscription is a parting message: "We Can Wait." The sponsor is a funeral parlor. Clever, no? But the admonition could boomerang. The drivers who take the time to read and appreciate the well-crafted message might take their eyes off the road for too long, ending up in an accident requiring a stay at the hospital or at the mortuary. Luckily, I wasn't driving: I get easily distracted. My daughter, who was driving, however, is an expert multitasker. She nonchalantly perused the sign and chuckled, while simultaneously navigating through unruly traffic.
A week later, when I was driving during rush hour on one of Hawaii's interstates (quite an oxymoron), I spied a small red heart-shaped object fastened to the rear bumper and slightly dangling near the exhaust pipe of the car in front of me. For a moment, I forgot that I was driving. Mesmerized, I was flooded with the heart's wordless message: love will prevail, no matter where it is located. As I was having my mini epiphany, however, reality smacked me hard. I was dangerously drifting into another lane. I safely swerved back into my former spot, aware that the heart was still beckoning in front of me, but I no longer let it overpower me.
A few days ago, as I was driving through a boulevard with multiple intersections, I happened to get behind a man who was scrupulously obeying the speed limit and traffic signals, as I do. Accordingly, I felt a camaraderie with him. But it didn't last. When the last light on the boulevard turned red, he accelerated through the intersection—fortunately without incident. I was stunned and saddened. The Honolulu pedestrian death toll has increased by 500% so far this year. I can now see why. At any time for whatever reason, a normally safe driver can turn reckless.
All too often, there are negatives lurking in what we initially perceive as positives; conversely, minuses are often transformed into pluses. And so it goes.


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Besides the benefit of securing one's life by taking a life insurance policy, there are tax benefits & income tax exemption on the maturity amount received from the policy provided the premium paid to actual capital sum assured does not exceed the prescribed thresholds provided by Income Tax Act.
Life insurance proceeds received on maturity are exempt from tax
The amount received at the time of maturity of the policy is exempt from tax in the hands of the policyholder. Neither any Income tax nor any TDS is deductible on such amount received.
If an individual receives the maturity amount from a relative, it would be exempt in the hands of the individual if the policy taken by the Individual's relative was in the Individual's name.
For example- Mr. A receives Rs.5 lakhs from a relative. The relative had taken life insurance policy in his name, therefore the proceeds received by Mr. A would still be exempt from tax.
In the case of death of a person any sum received will be exempt.
How to show the Maturity Proceeds in your income tax return?
The maturity proceeds received by you are exempt under Section 10(10D) and should be shown under exempt income in your income tax return.
If you have not filed the return & confused how to file & show in the income tax return, please follow our link https://cleartax.in/
Here is the screenshot for your easy reference:
Situations when Life Insurance Proceeds may become taxable
The following sums received from a life insurance policy are taxable as 'Income from other sources':
- Any sum received from a policy under section 80DD(under a medical insurance policy)
- Any sum received under a Keyman Insurance Policy
- If the premium paid for a policy on or after 01/04/2012 exceeds 10% of the actual sum assured, the entire amount received under such policy shall become taxable*
- If the premium paid for a policy on or after 01/04/2003 but on or before 31st March,2012 exceeds 20% of the actual sum assured, the entire amount received under such policy shall become taxable
*10% would be replaced by 15% if the premium is paid on or after 01/04/2013 in insuring a life of a person with disability.
Example: Mr. A takes a life insurance policy of a capital sum assured of Rs. 10,00,000. He paid a premium of Rs, 1,50,000 in his name in March,2016. Deduction would be restricted to 10% of capital sum assured i.e. Rs. 1,00,000(10%*10lakhs). Hence, out of Rs. 1,50,000 premium paid by him, he would be eligible for deduction for only Rs. 1,00,000 & balance Rs. 50,000 would become taxable & included in the total income of Mr. A.
These sums would be added to the total income of the policy holder & become taxable depending on the applicable income tax slabs.
TDS on Life Insurance Proceeds
Tax shall be deducted at source (TDS) on payments to Policyholder, which are not exempt under section 10(10D) equals or exceeds Rs. 1 lakh in a financial year. (as per Section 194DA of the income tax act)
- In case PAN is available and valid, 2% TDS will be applicable*(if payment made before 1st June, 2016).
- In case PAN is invalid or not available, 20% TDS will be applicable!
- In case your life insurance policy qualifies for exemption Sec 10(10D), no TDS will be deducted.
*Effective June 1, 2016 the TDS rate has been reduced from 2% to 1%.
However, in the case of death of a person any sum received(including excess premium paid earlier) will be exempt.
Our tax-filing website has comprehensive guides on insurance and other tax-saving deductions


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The Freeshooter
[Der Freischütz]
Romantic Opera in 3 Acts by Carl Maria von Weber, with a libretto by Friedrich Kind
Premiered on May 30, 2009 at the Pentecost Festival Baden-Baden, Germany
In 1990, at Hamburg's Thalia Theater, Robert Wilson, Tom Waits and William Burroughs created The Black Rider, inspired by an old German ghost story which was first published in 1810 by Friedrich Laun and August Apel. Dramaturge Wolfgang Wiens collaborated on the text, and thus naturally became Wilson's dramaturge of choice for Weber's Freeshooter: Weber and his librettist, Friedrich Kind, based their beloved opera on the very same folk tale in which a hapless huntsman enters a pact with the devil and, in exchange for bullets that never miss, pays a gruesome price.
The Freeshooter was Robert Wilson's second collaboration with the extravagant fashion design duo Viktor & Rolf from Amsterdam. They first worked together on the dance piece 2Lips and Dancers and Space (Luxembourg, 2004). The opening in Baden-Baden was conducted by Thomas Hengelbrock.
The French-German TV station arte aired a live broadcast of the opening as well as extensive documentaries around the production.


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I am an engineering graduate(computer science and engineering) from a state level institute of India...i want to become a theoretical physicist...but for making my base n to prepare for gre n pgre i need to take gap of a year...i passed in 2013 n will appear for gre n pgre in 2014 only...how this gap is going to affect my PhD selection??
I have aggregate of 74% during engineering.
I have not done any project in physics.
I do not have any reference letter.
My college is an average Indian college.
what possibilities do I have if I nicely score in GRE n PGRE...I am not seeking for best universities like harvard or MIT etc...any average university would suffice.


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Clinical Guidelines for Weight Management in New Zealand Adults – December 2009
Clinical Guidelines for Weight Management in New Zealand Adults
Date of publication (online): December 2009
"Summary of publication
The Ministry of Health commissioned the development of the Guidelines in 2008 for the management of overweight and obese adults, children and young people, with a focus on Māori, Pacific and South Asian populations.
Obesity is considered a major risk factor for many chronic, debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Over the past two decades the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in New Zealand adults. Obesity is more common in Māori, Pacific and South Asian populations compared with other New Zealanders.
The Guidelines aim to provide evidence-based guidance for individual and group weight management, to be principally used in primary care and community-based initiatives. It is envisaged that the Guidelines will influence practice, reduce unnecessary variation, and provide a consistent approach across the many programmes in the private and public sector.
The Guidelines were developed by the Clinical Trials Research Unit (University of Otago) with technical advice and guidance from the Guidelines Technical Advisory Group. Development also included key informant interviews, road testing with frontline health providers and primary health organisations, consultation with Māori and Pacific caucuses and literature reviews on best practice information for Māori and Pacific."


text:
So, I always wondered about insurance quotes from Hippo.co.za. They tell the public in South Africa that they are going to get them insurance quotes from all these insurance companies, and that they will get the best deal. Before you accuse me of hating on 'em, they should go ahead and "do best", but they're just pulling a fast one on us.
I went to www.telesure.co.za and I found out that they own 1st for Women, Auto & General, that nauseating Dial Direct AND Hippo.co.za as well. And if you look for Hippo insurance quotes sends you quotes from them, and others of course, but we are not assured of the best possible cheaper car insurance or whichever one will be sent to you. You get a few less, and here is the thing that irks me — They sell you their own products.
So whichever one seems to "suit" you, that's the one that will be tailored and presented to you.


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Saturday, November 7, 2009
Horse and biped
These animations were done around 2 years ago. There are part of the animations I did for a video game demo by the company Dark Ride Studios.
The model of the horse and the crusader were done by Angel Díaz (Tiflos) and textured by César Sampedro (Timex). Both of them awesome artist!
6 comments:
Oh wow, this is a kick-ass animation!
- November 9, 2009 at 1:48 PM
- Daniël Ernst said...
Aye Aye Caramba! Awesome stuff feels very natural and fluent :)
- November 19, 2009 at 9:20 PM
- Calvosaez said...
Madre mia dan ganas de tocar el biped y todo jeje, yo acabe muy cansado del me ha dejado muchas animaciones a medias, estas estan geniales ;)
- February 8, 2010 at 4:06 AM
- Cristina Ynzenga said...
Thanks guys! I'm glad you like it =)
Jajaj Luis, la verdad que el biped es muy suyo, pero bueno, es como todo, hay que pillarle el tranquillo y tener paciencia con él.
Me alegra que te gusten! :D
- February 12, 2010 at 1:54 PM
- Harish k said...
Awesome stuff :)
great work.. looks natural
- July 24, 2010 at 9:49 PM
- Federico said...
Amazing, can you provide me some manual, for rig?
- December 28, 2010 at 7:16 AM
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text: I am launching a series of transformative online writing workshops in 2018. Kickstart your big, juicy, lush creative life and join me for 30 days of writing prompts, exercises, podcasts, and cool swag and freebies. Click here to join my list and get notifications about upcoming projects, early bird pricing for workshops, and more! I am throwing in a Writer's Toolkit free when you join my list.


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Welcoming Baby Levi | Fresh 48 Portland Documentary Photographer
I like babies. They are tiny, wrinkly, and the color of a dragonfruit when they cry. Parents snuggle up with their freshness, examining the subtleness of their facial expressions and I stand in awe of the emotion that sweeps the room, like a gust of wind through an open window.
Bringing a new life into the world is a big deal. Family and friends are not so patiently waiting for the invitation to come meet your new wonder. Hopefully, they are bringing helping hands, a quiet spirit, and some good food!
The first hours after birth, whether in the hospital, a birthing center, or at home are momentous.
Big brother, Owen, got to meet his little bro for the first time. He was full of caution as he approached the bed. He carefully climbed up and snuggled in with mom while reaching ever so gently to touch his brother's face. This moment right here...so good.
A handmade poster just for Owen's brother! During the pregnancy, baby was lovingly referred to as "Tookie".
The excitement of meeting his brother was overshadowed by the package of fruit gummies he received as a gift. Food>Brother.
Making memories in the first 24-28 hours after birth is so important. I can barely remember anything that happened after my kids' births and am so thankful for the photos I have. Endorphins, hormones, emotions, exhaustion, and more all wash over you as a new parent. It's beautiful, wondrous, and completely overwhelming!
Documenting these fleeting hours is a gift: give yourself or someone you know these memories. Get in touch!


text: St. Xavier's College, Burdwan is an educational endeavour of Jesuits of Calcutta Province of the Society of Jesus. It is a second college of Jesuits of Calcutta beside St. Xavier's College Kolkata. The College was inaugurated on 11th July 2014 by Bishop Cyperian Monis, in the presence of Rev. Fr. Jeyaraj Veluswamy, S J Provincial superior of Calcutta Jesuits.


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Recently, I had to make some quick, but Christmassy looking cupcakes for a charity Christmas fair, so I decided to use my good old Low Sugar Chocolate Cupcakes recipe and add some fancy frosting. Lovely, velvety, Christmassy red. The cupcakes are ready in 35-40 minutes and the frosting should only take another 20-25 minutes plus cooling in the fridge (about 10-15 minutes). I don't have the luxury of baking all afternoon, I have no time for that. Preparing the frosting whilst baking the cupcake batches can save a lot of time. And they look fabulous! (They also double up as Valentine's cupcakes.)
350g of sifted powdered sugar (first sift, then measure)
230g of soft butter
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tbsp of milk
2 tsp of Wilton Red Food Colouring Gel
In a medium bowl mix the butter and the vanilla extract with electric mixer until it's smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and the milk and mix them in on a slow speed. Add the food colouring gel and with a paddle spoon mix it into your frosting. Add more food gel for deeper colour or less for a vintage look. Done! I normally pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to avoid too runny frosting. Using a frosting bag and a nozzle you can now decorate your cake.


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The NIST Chapter of Sigma Xi invites all NIST staff to join us for the Twenty-Fourth Annual NIST Sigma Xi Postdoctoral Poster Presentation (PPP). The PPP will take place on Wednesday, February 17th, 2017 in the Front Hall, and Lecture Rooms A and B of the Administration Building (Building 101). There will be two sessions: Session I (9:00 am to noon) featuring categories B (Biology), Bt (Biotechnology), C (Chemistry), E&M (Electronic and Magnetic Materials, and E (Engineering); and Session II (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm) featuring categories C&S (Computer Modeling and Simulation), EWE (Energy, Water and Environment), Ph (Physics) and Po (Polymers). Refreshments will be provided during both sessions. Please take this opportunity to meet NIST's newest researchers and to learn about the excellent work that they are doing.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: August 1540th Anniversary
Later Event: February 1425th Annual Postdoctoral Poster Presentation


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House bowl
Acai / Banana TOPPED WITH House Made Nut Butter / House Made Almond Granola / Banana
Native to the Amazon rainforest, acai has been nicknamed the "beauty berry" because of its many amazing benefits. It has a unique combination of antioxidants, amino acids, and omega fatty acids not found in any other fruit. Topped with our house made granola and nut butter for a satiating, protein packed bowl of yum.


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I am finding that advertising is a little harder than I originally thought. You really have to stick with your advertising efforts and some of those efforts have to be duplicated montly, such as website submissions. I am fining however that I get a lot of page views consistently with Posterous and that's why I keep coming back. Let's face it...if your advertising is not getting you traffic....then why are you using that advertising platform?
I however do love advertising because it's the "wind beneath my wings", or beneath my business growth to be more accurate. What I have found is that I need to always be original and have unique content, or my advertising will not work. I want to brand myself and to be recognized as the hard internet marketer that I am. I get off from work (I am not able to quit my job yet) and I start advertising. I have a fatal fault and I don't mind calling it fatal. I don't take a product through the whole advertising process completely. I get so excited because I know I have a winning product, so I take short cuts. Short cuts and internet marketing are not compatible.
I learned my lesson and so now I am taking my websites, through the whole advertising process. That means that I have to do all the work for one website and not get so excited. I am going to practice with two of my websites first and my blog. Okay, the sites I am going to work with are......drum roll....http://www.squidoo.com/text-ad-brokers, http://www.squidoo.com/iboltoolbox and also, http://richandrichentrepreneurs.biz. This is me just scratching the service. I will update you when I have completed the full advertising cycle.


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My predictions for the NHL Playoffs: Road to the Stanley Cup
As a born and bred Canadian, I breathe hockey. My entire life I have cheered for every Canadian team in the NHL. I started following the league in 1996 at just seven years old, which means that I've never seen one of my teams win a championship, despite four Stanley Cup Finals appearances. Well, maybe this year's the year … maybe.
Only two Canadian teams made the postseason this year: the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. The Senators are a true Cinderalla, probably fortunate to have made it this far at all. The Canucks, though, own the league's best record and came within one game of winning the Stanley Cup last spring. Needless to say, I am placing my hopes and reams with Vancouver this year in seeing Lord Stanley's trophy return to it's rightful home.
The following are my predictions for which teams will advance out of the first round. I will be making a fresh wave of these for each round of the best tournament in sports. And for those of you who read these prognostications and declare my obvious bias for the Canucks … well, ok, you're probably right.
Eastern Conference
1) New York Rangers vs. 8) Ottawa Senators
Ottawa might have been a trendy pick for a first round upset if it hadn't experienced a disconcerting three game slide to close out the season. You have to wonder how worn out this team is psychologically after overachieving all season to reach the playoffs. Predicted as cellar dwellers this season, coach Paul MacLean has accelerated the rebuilding process in Ottawa and helped his young stars to play efficient hockey. Chief among them is Erik Karlsson, who has a very good chance at finishing as a Norris-candidate for best defenseman.
On the other side of the coin, the Rangers face all of the pressure in this series after their best regular season in almost twenty years. This squad has also done its fair share of overachieving, but a loss to the Sens in the first round would be catastrophic. Ultimately, I believe the Rangers' style of play is more built for the playoffs than Ottawa's high risk, high reward attack. I believe New York will grind the Senators down and prove that they simply want this series more.
Prediction: Ottawa has already performed beyond everybody's expectations, and no matter what happens in this series, they've had a successful season. The Senators steal one early and everyone starts talking upset, but New York takes care of business the rest of the series. Rangers in 5
2) Boston Bruins vs. 7) Washington Capitals
This was the hardest series of the first round to pick. It's hard to pick against the defending champion Bruins, even with their well-publicized ups and downs this year. Boston owns the best goal differential in the league, and in the middle third of the season looked absolutely scary to play against. The controversy that erupted over Tim Thomas refusing to visit the White House cooled the team down in a hurry. Over the last ten games, the Bruins and perhaps most importantly Thomas seemed to return to form. But despite the fact that they are defending Lord's Stanley's Cup, that brutal stretch in the early part of 2012 likely lost them a lot of their intimidation factor.
The Washington Capitals, on the other side, have endured a turbulent season to say the least. After firing coach Bruce Budreau and hiring Dale Hunter and enduring an injury to highly-valuable center Niklas Backstrom, the Capitals managed to stay afloat despite playing mostly uninspiring hockey throughout the 82-game schedule. Over the past ten or fifteen games, the Caps have played likely the best they have all year, though, and with Backstrom in the lineup and Ovechkin playing like a 60 goal scorer, they certainly have a chance to make some waves in the postseason. One hiccup to that prospect, however, are injuries in net– Tomas Voukun and Michael Neuvirth are both indefinitely, leaving young but promising Braden Holtby as the starter.
Prediction: The Capitals fluster the Bruins early in the series, ride a suddenly famous Holtby to a couple of close wins and finally finish off Boston in the first round's biggest upset. Capitals in 7.
3) Florida Panthers vs. 6) New Jersey Devils
This is a classic example of a three seed benefitting from a weak division and going into the first round as underdogs. The Florida Panthers are in the postseason for the first time in eleven seasons, but are not expected by anybody to make any sort of serious run. While they may be fueled by an us-against-the-world mentality, the reality is that they benefitted from seventeen of what fans deride as "loser points." From losing frequently in overtime and the shootout, the Panthers padded their place in the standings without winning a ton of hockey games.
This may help to explain why the red hot New Jersy Devils are favored in this series. The Devils have successfully flown under the radar all season long, partly because they finished fourth in a stacked division including the Rangers, Penguins and Flyers, all of which enjoyed superb seasons. But Ilya Kovalchuk has produced, the anxiety of Zach Parise leaving has been put on hold, and future hall of famer goalie Martin Brodeur may have his best and final chance at making another deep playoff run. That the Devils put so many distractions behind them and finished with more than 100 points (due in part to six straight wins to close out the schedule) in their brutal division speaks to the hidden strength of this team.
Prediction: The Devils, winners of six straight, stay hot against the Panthers and finally get people's attention after outplaying Florida in every facet in the series. Congratulations to the Panthers on ending their playoff drought, but they'll have to wait at least another year to advance past the first round. Devils in 4.
4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5) Philadelphia Flyers
This will likely be the best series in the first round. It has every element, including two strong division rivals, animosity (between players as well as coaches) and the league's best forward, Sidney Crosby, back in the playoffs. The Penguins are the media's darling to ride their new momentum to a deep playoff run and another crack at the Stanley Cup. Right wing Evgeni Malkin is the clear favorite for regular season MVP, the team is scoring at a high clip and the Penguins finished the season on an 18-4-1 tear, part of that with Crosby but managing most of it without him. Everyone and their bandwagon friend seems to like this squad and their chances at some hardware this spring. Unfortunately for them, they have one of the most difficult draws of the first round, rival Philadelphia, which has owned them this season.
The Flyers are a scoring machine, led by seven players with at least 18 goals this season. Scott Hartnell has transformed into a prolific scorer and Claude Giroux led the team and points with 93. Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov has been through a roller coaster season, including some brutal stretches early in the year. But before he went down with a foot injury in late March, Bryzgalov looked like he was finally getting comfortable in Philly, and he will be back for the first round. This Flyers team will be a pain in ESPN's side, as the network has almost unilaterally declared the Pittsburgh Penguins as the inevitable Stanley Cup Champions.
Prediction: The series does indeed become an instant classic as many expect it to be. Neither team is able fully wrest momentum from the other in a see-saw series, and most of the games will be won on the road. It's one of those match-ups where you hate that somebody has to lose, but Philadelphia finally ruins Sid the Kid's triumphant return to hockey and spoil's the Penguins chances at another parade. Flyers in 7.
Western Conference
1) Vancouver Canucks vs. 8) Los Angeles Kings
Ryan Kesler's line has not been productive, captain Daniel Sedin's status is unsure for the playoffs after missing the last nine games with a concussion, and Roberto Luongo was recently booed off the ice at home after a subpar performance. And with all of this surrounding the team, the Canucks won eight of their last nine contests and finished in sole possession of the league's best record. If the Canucks are this good when operating at 75%, how good might be the postseason if they play the way they're fully capable of? However, the Canucks are beatable, and the following must fall into line if they expect to advance through a balanced Western Conference again: 1) Daniel Sedin, at some point, needs to return. It's tough to envision Vancouver hoisting the Cup without their high-scoring captain. 2) Ryan Kesler's second line needs to score. Kesler was crucial to the Canucks' success last spring and will need to regain his playoff scoring touch. 3) Roberto Luongo needs to stay psychologically strong after a meltdown in last year's finals. When Luongo is good, he's as good as any goalie in the league. When he's bad, particularly in the postseason, he can be downright awful. Backup Corey Schneider is currently a fan favorite for his consistently strong performance in net, and the odds are that both goalies will be called on to backstop the Canucks in the coming weeks. 4) The Canucks will need to avoid looking past the current series in their eagerness to return to the finals. I see this as possibly the biggest obstacle, mentally, for this team– being patient and cranking out one series win after another rather than thinking of the next challenge.
As for the Kings, this team was expected to get into the postseason in a much better position at the beginning of the year. But the Kings should be praised for making the playoffs after a coaching change early in the season, undergoing a major trade at the trading deadline with Columbus, and simply struggling to score all season long– Los Angeles scored the second fewest goals of any team in the entire league, non-playoff teams included. Goalie Jonathan Quick is clearly the team MVP, and he's certainly capable of stealing a game or two if he gets hot, but it seems he would need a series reminiscent of J.S. Giguere circa 2003, or Dwayne Roloson circa 2006 to steal four games against a deep Canucks team.
Prediction: The Kings take either game 1 or game 2 in Vancouver, and the hysterics begin north of the border. But the Canucks sweep the Kings in L.A., and after another hiccup in Vancouver against a stingy Jonathan Quick, the Canucks triumph again in California and take the series. Canucks in 6.
2) St. Louis Blues vs. 7) San Jose Sharks
In the year 2000, the President's Trophy-winning Blues were shocked by the upstart Sharks in seven games. This year, the Blues were in contention for the league's best record up to the final week of the regular season, but nobody would be nearly as shocked if these Sharks could pull off the "upset" again. The Blues were never expected to play this well, but since Jack Adams award shoe-in Ken Hitchcock took over as coach early in the season, the Blues have led the league in goals against and claimed first place in a stacked Central Division. They are led by goaltenders Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott, who have each enjoyed career years, and went 30-6-5 at home despite not being very potent offensively; only David Backes and David Perron have scored more than twenty goals this year. The Blues are in the playoffs for only the second time in the past seven years, so a lot of pundits are predicting that their lack of experience will hurt them and that it will take another year or two to carry that success to the post-season.
The Sharks, meanwhile, suffered from the reputation as underachievers in the playoffs for several seasons, but recently have shed that label somewhat by making two consecutive trips to the Western Conference Finals. However, after being ousted in the semis by Vancouver last year, the Sharks turned around and provided one of their least inspiring regular season campaigns in years. San Jose didn't clinch a playoff berth until the last week of the season and their streak of four consecutive division titles was snapped. Still, the Sharks by now are regular participants in the playoffs and have become a trendy pick to knock off St. Louis.
Prediction: It was tempting to take the Sharks, especially because they're about as savvy as it gets for a No.7 seed with their recent playoff success. The Blues, however, have been playing a playoff-style game for a long time now. So despite their slump toward the end of the regular season, I believe the Blues have the balance and the goaltending to prove they're here to win and not just happy to be here. Blues in 7.
3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. 6) Chicago Blackhawks
The Phoenix Coyotes are consistently dealt a terrible hand by the city of Glendale's negotiations with the franchise. The controversy there is embarrassing for all parties involved. But coach Dave Tippett has masterfully, for the third straight season, got this club to play for each other and reach the playoffs– this time, with a division title and home ice advantage. After falling to Detroit in the past two years, the Coyotes will rely heavily on goaltender Mike Smith to get them past the Chicago Blackhawks. Smith has registered three consecutive shutouts at one point in the last two weeks of the season and is a popular pick to be the first round's stingiest and most frustrating goalie if keeps up his play.
The Blackhawks themselves are possibly the most enigmatic team in these playoffs. You don't really know what you're getting with this Chicago team. The Blackhawks are dangerous as always on offense, but have been dangerously streaky, losing nine straight at one point. Captain Jonathan Toews, in many ways the motor to this team, is still recovering from a concussion heading into the first round, which can't be good news. Kudos to this team for staying afloat in the Central Division, but the Blackhawks don't intimidate anyone this year, partly because goaltender Corey Crawford regressed this season and the team has surrendered the second most goals of any in the tournament.
Prediction: The Phoenix Coyotes are actually underdogs in this series despite their home ice advantage. Fresh in the memories of hockey prognosticators is the Blackhawks' championship run two seasons ago, and the near miracle series comeback against Vancouver last year. However, this Chicago team is more vulnerable than even last year, when they rode Corey Crawford's hot hand to a near-upset as a No. 8 seed. This year's Blackhawks will not come that close this time around. Coyotes in 6.
4) Nashville Predators vs. 5) Detroit Red Wings:
Nashville returns to the playoffs yet again and will square off with their old nemesis, the Detroit Red Wings. While the Predators are 0-2 in their playoff series' against Detroit, they are favored in this series. Coming off their first series win last season against Anaheim, they are picked by many to make a deep run. They are led by workhorse goaltender Pekka Rinne (he leads the league in wins with 43) and two elite defensemen in Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. After being aggressive buyers at the trade deadline, a lot is on the line for the Preds in what promises to be a taxing first round series.
Detroit, like Chicago, is a very difficult team to wrap your head around. They've had stretches this season when they play typical Red Wings hockey that we've come to expect– outshooting opponents, making them tire themselves about by chasing the puck all game long. This included an incredible 23 game winning streak at Joe Louis Arena, setting a new NHL record. But the Red Wings struggled mightily on the road all year and fell from contending for the President's Trophy as late as the first week of March, to beginning the playoffs on the road. This inconsistency had the Red Wings slowly sliding down the standings and put them in an unfamiliar position by season's end– that of the underdog.
Prediction: It's impossible to feel totally comfortable picking against the Red Wings, but I'm a true believer in the Nashville Predators this season. The defensive abilities of this team are simply too overwhelming to ignore. The Predators, much like their division rivals St. Louis Blues, play playoff-type hockey all season long– and in a series where it's tough to make any prediction, their consistency over the last two months gives them a slight edge in my mind. Predators in 7.