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The Q at Parkside
News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
New Coffee Shop Opens and The Q's Guide To Gentlemanly Behaviour
It has come to the Q's attention of late that many male titans of arts, politics & industry regularly read The Q at Parkside (too many to list, I'm afraid. too too many...) It has also come to the Q's attention that many of these powerful men (and they are nearly all men, let's admit) have allowed their God-given sexual appetites to cloud their moral vision. Any man of sound mind should understand the difference between consent and non-consent, and yet these very "sane" men often claim that they were engaging in consensual behaviour - over years and years and dozens of occasions -- only to find that "whoops," they're knee-deep in legal and professional scandal. My guess is that most of them loosened their definitions of consent over time to meet their fetishes and, receiving no push-back from their colleagues, media or law enforcement, came to the jaundiced conclusion that their behaviour was well within the limits of reasonable, though naughty, behavior. They were just being bold, taking the bull by the horns (so to speak), behaving with rough masculinity, or maybe they even managed to convince themselves that this was all well within the realm of kinky but normal sexual behavior.
So for those of you - ye great men of overflowing passions and enviable success - if you seem befuddled by the outcry, I would like to offer some advice from the heart. The Q is no Lothario or great lady's man, or even a particularly adept suitor. He has, however, mostly handled his personal and carnal affairs with a degree of dignity, and so I offer these few "Q" tips for your edification.
Business is Business: When conducting business, even informal or "after-hours" business, do not attempt to negotiate matters of the flesh. That is to stay - keep your jimmy in its cage. Don't refer to it. Don't engage it. In fact, don't press your luck by going in for anything more than a handshake where warranted. You are in a place of work, even when that place LOOKS like a place of play. If there is a current, past or potential business relationship involved, always err on the professional, the dignified, the gentlemanly.
Why? It is illegal, unseemly and abusive to use your professional standing to push your advantage sexually. That's it! Simple. Doesn't matter if you're a Senator or Manager of a Burger King. No sex, or even flirtation. If the woman is interested in pursuing something she will do so, and you will not miss the signs. Promise.
Done? Hardly.
Sex, if you hadn't noticed by your own predilections and histories, is a barely understood and somewhat distant bi-product of reproduction. At best. What turns you on is no one's businesses and anybody's guess, unless you come out and say it (or in frightfully many cases, SHOW it without so much as a warning.) But even the most taboo fetishes are difficult to contain, particularly for men I think. Some are relatively banal - guys who are turned on by this part of the anatomy or another, or tall or short or dark-skinned or platinum blondes or legs or fingers or, I dunno, nostrils. Then there are the somewhat socially acceptable fetishes - positions, activities, orientation, role playing. It gets kinkier of course, but even those things (so I hear) become erotic and playful within consenting situations. Some of them might even LOOK like illegal or inappropriate behavior. But again, the consenting adults have made plans and safe words and maybe even a list of do's and don'ts. Fair enough. Rules within rules.
All of that requires enormously clear communication and trust. And while many of us engage in or say we're fine with "casual" sex, particularly when participants are single, the words "casual" and "clear communication" don't really line up. What's the result? Lots of unwanted "hookups" and awkward, perhaps even demeaning experiences to relay down the road to friends, therapists or fellow inmates. Why, women might ask, would it be so hard for men to remain dignified in the sexual realm, to know how to keep their libidos in check, to recognize the signals accurately and to proceed only when given the clear green light? Ever seen a guy go uber-ape when he IS given the green light? There's your answer. The floodgates unleashed, watch out downstream. Same for women of course. Once the gloves are off, it's a fool's bet to figure what's to come of it.
Not for a minute would I excuse ungentlemenly behavior, in any way shape or form. But I have two young daughters, and I'm not going to leave them in the dark. Men want sex. They are clever animals, but animals nonetheless, with not a particularly noble ancestry. And they have but one primary biological imperative. To say that we have somehow moved beyond that basic animal fact is ludicrous. Try telling a horny teenager to better manage his hormones. Not bloody likely.
If we've decided (or perhaps I should say if we decide FOR REAL) that we want our boys to grow up understanding what's happening to them, sexually, when biology and maybe their buddies are telling them one thing but morality says another...we're going to have to do a hell of a lot better job explaining something that for many of us adults is barely comprehensible. The blind leading the blind; or the libidinally confused leading the pubescently challenged.
Are you, my male reader, fully in charge of your sex drive? If you do you must have an extra special chromosome that I've yet to encounter in the real world. Perhaps you've found a good mitigant - religion or some spiritual practice, some tonic or potion, maybe anti-depressants. Maybe you've been castrated (nothing wrong with that of course!) Or perhaps you've got one of those socially taboo fetishes that have forced you to push it all down, way way down, like so many Catholic priests have done to the detriment of legions of young boys (and girls) again and again and again and again. On some level, I can't believe this conversation hasn't been decided. There are temptations that will leave even the best-intentioned man to wander far from his supposed morals. Unchecked, by power or station, we have Mr. Hydes to contend with.
Biology does NOT favor women in the species when it comes to sexual coercion. Size, patriarchy, testosterone and physical strength conspire, as does the tendency for men to band together with like-minded brothers to reinforce the worst in behaviors. There is no progress without an open dialogue in the home, with boys, with colleagues, about the true power of the sex drive, and like absolute power, its ability to corrupt absolutely.
There are those who will say that these high-profile cases from C.K. to Harvey to Cosby to Trump to Roy "Dick" Moore are about power, not sex. And I will take heat for what I'm about to say next I'm sure. I will say they are about sex first - but that the men are using their power to get the sex. That is, they do what all men do at every station in life. They use whatever tools they have available to convince a woman to have sex with them. Good looks, nice bod, hot car, good sense of humor, good father instincts, good timing, liquor...yes, yes any man who tells the truth will tell you he uses whatever advantage he can find to attract a mate (and I do mean mate in the most carnal sense, as well as the more Victorian rituals of pair-bonding). OF COURSE there are also other aspects of mating that are special and outsized in our species - including love and friendship and a desire for lifelong mating and shared child-rearing. But when sex happens, it happens with a spark that's absolutely insane, counterintuitive, bizarre, and many times far beyond our control. I really don't think we can control the fantasy or the urge, any more than we can control our first thoughts on just a bout anything. We can only seek to choose the right action. But to deny that the urges are there only makes matters worse.
Take Bill Cosby, for example. One of things most people thought and said when they found out that he had essentially been a roofy rapist for years was...gee whiz, the guy is rich and famous and funny. He could have any girl he wants! Really? Well, what if the sex he wants must allow him to drug his partner and have his way with her? How many women might be turned off by that fact? Sure he could have, and probably DID have sex with lots of ladies consensually. But that's not what consumed him (of course I don't know this for a fact; this is conjecture). What drove him crazy to the point of acting out was immoral and illegal, and unlike homesexuality (which was and in some places IS both of those things) I don't see society deciding that roofie rape is suddenly hunky dory. There are probably tens of thousands of Bill Cosby's out there. To think otherwise is foolish. He had the enablers and resources to get away with it for longer than most. But I doubt his predatory predilection is that much different than the average necrophiliac, the pedophile, the person with desire for beasts or family members or any other horrendous sexual deviation that seems to happen in hundreds of thousands or who knows how many people worldwide. You can't lock them all up for their thoughts. You have to figure out how to prevent the acting-out in the first place.
How do we change a culture that encourages, or at least doesn't DIScourage, coercive sex? I don't know to be honest. But it will involve vigilant reporting and authority figures empowered to do something, to SAY something, whenever and however it happens. Men must stand up against other men. Much as I've argued here previously, Trump is WHITE AMERICA'S PROBLEM. He is a symptom of a deep sickness in a fearful and manipulated electorate. 60% of whites voted for the guy. That is ASTONISHING. Take that home to Thanksgiving, and remember to go easy. Screaming at the Trump voting relative is not going to change minds. Appeal to their hearts, to their sense of decency and patriotism. And if that doesn't work, kick them hard and fast in the groin.
It will require all women to recognize they cannot allow a man to get away with the behavior, since not doing so is just kicking it down the hall to the next victim. Women AND men can venerate the truth tellers and castigate the belittlers.
But we also have to tell our boys that they're not sick or immoral for having the fantasies or urges to control women or worse. We have to differentiate between fantasty and reality, and build empathy for those who are vulnerable as an opportunity to own our dignity as modern men, men capable of knowing the difference between right and wrong and then acting accordingly.
Men: cop to your own darkest fears and fantasies about sex. Then relay your strategies for dealing with them. Your son is not weird for his fetishes. But his dignity, and ours, is in danger if he behaves badly to women. It's really that important, and our daughters deserve it.
Every victim deserves our attention. Every son is a potential sexual assaulter. Let's see that it's not ours, because ours is ALL of ours.
3 comments:
What is this new restaurant? I'd love some details.
- November 16, 2017 at 11:25 AM
You were going along okay till you lost your mind sputtered: Men must stand up against other men. Much as I've argued here previously, Trump is WHITE AMERICA'S PROBLEM. He is a symptom of a deep sickness in a fearful and manipulated electorate. 60% of whites voted for the guy. That is ASTONISHING. Take that home to Thanksgiving, and remember to go easy. Screaming at the Trump voting relative is not going to change minds. Appeal to their hearts, to their sense of decency and patriotism. And if that doesn't work, kick them hard and fast in the groin.
The Kennedys, all of them, Clinton, even FDR. The lion's share of Hollywood. Hilarious. And then there's that part about Trump as white America's problem, which means you believe the problem of sexual misconduct in black America deserves its own special place, because -- it's worse. But you want to separate the two groups the way anti-gun people separate, which is to focus on the one small segment of gun violence where whites are over-represented.
- November 19, 2017 at 12:32 PM
- jhon said...
The coffee seems to be from Guatemala and they blend it themselves (you can also buy it to bring back home btw). commercial business for sale Calgary
- March 10, 2019 at 7:21 AM


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I'll be honest, today won't be a regular Clip of the day and this is as far as my internet will go.
Let's be resonable - and by that I mean I was thoughtful enough to show you a picture for all of you connect clippers around the globe to help illustrate my line of thought for you. This is where I'm clipping you from right now and this is my hometown: Portugal. It's Saturday, it's hot, I'm a nice person, and I can't wait to catch up with my friends. (fair enough I think). Guicho beach is in Cascais, a beautiful seaside village 20 mins away from Lisbon. Despite having been raised in Rio de Janeiro as a kid, this is where my grandparents had a house and where I spent most of my European summers. Its a special place to me, and one I really suggest you come and visit. From June until September, Guicho beach (when its not windy) its surrounded by young surfers, the local Teen Vogue cover girls, mingled with some of the most influencial names of Portuguese society. Don't be surprised if you also bump into world champion surf super star Kelly Slater (a regular) or hollywood actor Jared Leto, Cameron Diaz's ex and Annabelle Wallis's good pal. Its precisely this blond bombshell rising actress that Im about to meet for a most attecipated catch up. Although we are both working in New York, we seem to travel more often and faster than the speed of light, so Portugal its just perfect for some quality time. Yesterday we emailed each other and Cascais was of course the meeting point. Annabelle is in town with her beau (she was raised here) and resting from two big movie productions and is due back in NYC very soon to continue shooting ABC's newest tv series: PAN AM with Christina Ricci by the same producers of E.R. Pan Am will actually air on ABC this fall, so stay tuned clippers!
CASCAIS CLIP EAT a snack at Bar do Guincho PRAY that it wont be windy and that you will find a place to park LOVE and become addicted to Santini in Cascais village. The best ice cream in the world - (really). CASTANHEIRA CONNECT -If you need to rent a car, my dear friend Antonio Castanheira owns Portugal's largest car rental Budget.

subset: commoncrawl


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This article was co-authored by Ashley Adams. Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.
There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 288,648 times.
Having soft, healthy hair is something almost everyone desires, but it can be difficult to know how to achieve it. Healthy hair that has a nice shine and softness comes from daily maintenance and care for your hair. If your hair is dry or damaged it's not likely going to feel soft, but you can restore life and shine back to your hair by taking care of it and giving it the moisturizing and conditioning it needs. Then, over time your hair should feel smooth and soft.
Part 1 of 3:
Softening Hair through Daily Maintenance
1Shampoo and condition with the right products. Many hair care products can strip your hair of the natural oils it needs, and sometimes you aren't using the right products for your hair type. Figure out what your hair type is and try to choose products that will improve the quality of your hair. If you can, go for all-natural or organic products as these will be less damaging to your hair.
- Your hair type may be fine, oily, dry, thick, coarse, etc. There are shampoos for every type of hair, so explore different products and find what works best for you. There are also shampoos and conditioners that increase the natural shine and smoothness of your hair, so you may try out one of those to help you achieve softer, smoother hair.
- Try to avoid shampoos and conditioners with sulfate as this can suck moisture out of your hair. Search for hair products that have hydrolyzed proteins, which make strands stronger and healthier over time.[1] X Research source
2Rinse hair with cold water. Hot water can strip protective oils from your hair that act as a natural conditioner, leaving your hair cold and dry. When you are in the shower, wash with lukewarm water, and then finish off by rinsing your hair with cold water.[2] X Research source
- Just as stylists will blast your hair with a blow dryer on a cool setting to create shine, a cold water rinse will also create shine. Cold water does the best job of sealing the natural moisturizers in your hair, which will make your hair feel softer.[3] X Research source
3Avoid brushing wet hair. After you have showered, take a wide-tooth comb and gently comb through your hair. Start from the ends and work your way up to your head, trying not to tug or snag any of your hair. Never brush your hair as this can really damage it, especially if it is already dry. If your hair is especially tangled after a shower, apply a detangler to your hair before you comb it out.[4] X Research source
- To make the combing job easier post-shower, consider running a brush or comb through your hair before you get into the shower. Then, when you apply shampoo and conditioner, your hair will be less prone to tangling.
4Refrain from washing your hair every day. Some people feel that they have to wash their hair every day to keep it clean. However, washing your hair too much can be bad for your hair because it strips your hair of the natural oils it needs and doesn't leave much time for the oils to be restored. Try washing your hair every other day or every 3 days to allow the natural oils and shine to return.[5] X Research source
- If you are worried about your hair looking greasy or oily, you can always use dry shampoo on your roots. Simply apply the spray and rub it in gently with your fingertips. Baby powder is a great product for this as well. Wearing your hair up on the second day is always a good idea too, because it may be harder to style down.
- If you have always washed your hair daily, it may take your hair some time to get used to the exposed oils. You may experience very oily hair at first, but after a few weeks, your hair will naturally produce less oil between washes. When you wash it daily, it's trying to make up for the oil lost so it produces it faster. Once your hair is used to going a few days without a wash, the oil production will slow down and become manageable.
5Avoid heat styling tools. Blow drying and using styling tools like wands, straighteners, and curling irons can wear away hair's cuticles, resulting in dry or frizzy hair that breaks easier. If you really want softer hair, try to let hair dry naturally and try to avoid overexposure to heat.[6] X Research source
- If you must use heat styling tools, make sure you spray heat protectant on your hair first. Then, when blow-drying your hair use a cooler setting and don't keep the blow dryer in the same place for more than a second or two so that it won't scorch your strands.
Part 2 of 3:
Maintaining Health and Shine
1Use a deep cleansing conditioner. Once a week, apply a deep cleansing conditioner to your hair. This conditioning treatment will help restore life and moisture back to your hair but don't overdo it. If your hair starts to feel weighed down, or you are noticing build-up, deep condition your hair less. Apply this conditioner mainly to the roots, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then, rinse it out with lukewarm water.[7] X Research source
- You can also use a leave-in conditioner once a week to restore moisture back to your hair and bring health to the ends of your hair. Squirt a pump or 2 into your hands and then scrunch it into the ends of wet, freshly washed hair. Then, style your hair as usual. You can use leave-in conditioner as a styling product, or solely as moisturizer.[8] X Research source
2Get a trim regularly. Hair naturally begins to split around 3 months, and once you have reached that mark your hair will feel drier, get easily tangled, and will not grow as quickly. Aim for getting a trim or haircut every 3 to 4 months to keep your hair healthy. Keeping the ends of your hair trimmed will help your hair feel softer and it will be easier to style and manage.[9] X Research source
3Use proper sun prevention. When you spend time in the sun, you might protect your skin with sunscreen, but you also need to protect your hair. Your hair can be damaged by overexposure to the sun, so when you head outside for a long period of time, make sure it is protected. Wear a hat or apply a light hairspray with SPF protection to keep your hair from being damaged by the sun.[10] X Research source
- After you have been outside for a while, apply a hair mask to restore moisture and life back to your hair. Even if you protect your hair from the sun, it couldn't hurt to do some conditioning to keep it from drying out. This is especially helpful if you have spent time in a pool.
Part 3 of 3:
Making Hair Masks
1Use coconut oil. Coconut oil is a natural product that can restore moisture and life back to your hair, leaving it soft and shiny. Warm up 1/4 cup of coconut oil. Then, apply evenly through your hair and leave on for about an hour. Rinse it out with lukewarm water once you have allowed it to sit.[11] X Research source
- Coconut oil can stain clothing and linens, so be careful when using it! Make sure to have an old towel around your shoulders or put your hair up in a shower cap as you let the coconut oil sit.
- Your hair can be wet or dry when you apply this mask, but it may be easier to apply over wet hair.
- For an even deeper treatment, put on a shower cap and aim a blow dryer at your hair for about 5 minutes. The heat will help the oil to penetrate deeper into your hair.
2Apply a honey, olive oil, and egg mixture. Egg yolks can provide silkiness and softness to your hair as well as restoring strength to your roots. Olive oil is a natural moisturizer that can add shine and repair damage in your hair and honey has similar effects. Mix 1 egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and honey and apply it to damp hair by massaging it into your scalp and through your strands. Then, rinse out with very cool water after 20 minutes.[12] X Research source
- In place of an egg you can also use yogurt or buttermilk. There are many ingredients that are good for your hair, so it doesn't matter so much which ones you mix together.[13] X Research source
- In place of honey and olive oil you can add an avocado. This ingredient works much like the other ingredients by bringing shine and moisture to your hair.[14] X Research source
3Make a banana honey mask. Combine 1 ripe banana, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon almond or olive oil, and 2 to 3 drops of lavender oil. Blend these ingredients until smooth and then saturate your hair with the mask, massaging it into your scalp for extra hydration. Wrap your hair with a warm towel and allow the mask to sit on your hair for 15 minutes. Then, rinse it out.[15] X Research source
- The protein in bananas improves the elasticity of your hair, while the honey can provide hydration to your scalp.
- Wrapping your hair in a warm towel provides extra heat to your hair, which will help create more penetration.
4Create an aloe vera mask. Mix 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel, juice from 1/2 a lemon, and 3 to 5 drops of argan oil. When you are in the shower, after you have washed your hair with shampoo, apply this mask evenly through your hair. Allow it to sit on your hair for 3 to 5 minutes and then rinse it out.[16] X Research source
- This mixture is great for your hair because it replenishes moisture and shine to your hair, and is especially helpful if you have just spent a lot of time outside. You can also apply it to your skin if you are looking to moisturize especially dry, sun-exposed skin.
Community Q&A
QuestionHow can I soften my hair at home?Laura MartinLaura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Licensed CosmetologistLicensed CosmetologistExpert Answer
QuestionHow do I get my hair soft and silky?Laura MartinLaura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Licensed CosmetologistLicensed CosmetologistExpert Answer
QuestionMy hair is thick and dry. What should I do?Ashley AdamsAshley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.
Professional Hair StylistProfessional Hair StylistExpert Answer
QuestionHow often should do this?Ashley AdamsAshley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.
Professional Hair StylistProfessional Hair StylistExpert Answer
QuestionDoes this work if you are African?Community AnswerIt works for all hair, yes!
QuestionWhat if it doesn't work even after applying it for a long time?Community AnswerTry a different recipe -- it's also possible you may be doing something wrong. Remember, hair just doesn't change overnight. You have to be patient.
QuestionIs it okay for me to dry my hair with a towel?Community AnswerYou shouldn't rub your wet hair with a towel because it causes frizz. Try wrapping your wet hair in a T-shirt and letting it dry that way.
QuestionDoes it really work?Community AnswerYes, as long as you continue moisturizing it regularly and carefully deal with it.
QuestionMy hair is dry and thick - what should I do?Community AnswerTry using coconut oil once a week and braiding it every night before bed. Sulfate free shampoos are perfect for dull and dry hair too!
QuestionWould the olive oil make my hair greasy? Would I have to separate the yolk from the whites?Community AnswerDepending on your hair type, olive oil and other oils can make it greasy if you don't wash them out well. So it's best to just use it as a mask and then thoroughly shampoo and condition your hair. Yes, you should separate the yolk; as the instructions say, you're just using the yolk for the mask.
Things You'll Need
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Deep cleaning conditioner
- Leave-in conditioner
- Wide-tooth comb
- Ingredients for a hair mask
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Recipe Ratings and Stories
- ↑ http://www.redbookmag.com/beauty/hair/advice/a16244/pro-tips-for-soft-and-shiny-hair/
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-repair/ss/slideshow-best-kept-hair-secrets
- ↑ http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy-hair-type-2/how-to-wash-your-hair-hot-or-cold/
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-styling/scalp2tip-13/dry-hair
- ↑ http://michellephan.com/train-your-hair-to-be-grease-free-and-gorgeous/
- ↑ http://www.redbookmag.com/beauty/hair/advice/a16244/pro-tips-for-soft-and-shiny-hair/
- ↑ http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/kinky-hair-type-4a/the-dos-and-donts-of-deep-conditioning/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snOOLg_D8sg
- ↑ http://www.naturalhairrules.com/often-trim-natural-hair/
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-repair/ss/slideshow-best-kept-hair-secrets
- ↑ http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-hair-masks
- ↑ http://www.newhealthguide.org/Egg-Yolk-For-Hair.html
- ↑ http://honeyfanatic.com/401/honey-good-hair/
- ↑ http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-hair-masks/
- ↑ http://stylecaster.com/beauty/diy-hair-masks/
- ↑ http://stylecaster.com/beauty/diy-hair-masks/
About This Article
To make your hair softer, apply ¼ cup of warm coconut oil to your hair from root to tip, then rinse it out with lukewarm water after 1 hour. Alternatively, mix 1 egg yolk with 3 tablespoons each of olive oil and honey, and massage it into your scalp and through your hair strands. Then, rinse it out with cold water after 20 minutes. Make sure to use either treatment at least once a week, and try washing your hair every other day to give your hair time to restore its natural oils. For more advice from our Cosmetology reviewer, including how to soften your hair by choosing the right products for your hair type, keep reading.
Reader Success Stories
"Happy to know there are plenty of hair masks. I will try to use all one by one to see which makes my hair soft."
"The coconut oil massage is very helpful."


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November 21, 2019
This will most likely go down as the most magical, wintery, Christmas-filled engagement session of all time and I am not mad about that! Lindsey & Kevin decided to do their engagement session downtown Detroit and they could not have picked better locations. I had been wanting to go down to Cadillac Lodge the past few years, so I was so excited when Lindsey suggested the location. We had the best time together and I am so excited to share some of my favorite from their session!
Interested in booking an engagement session with Samantha Rice Photography? Click here!
Follow along on Instagram: @samantharicephotography


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The former Sparta queen has joined TELL-TALE, the contemporized version of Edgar Allen Poe's macabre short story "The Tell-Tale Heart". The movie, from director Michael Cuesta (DEXTER, SIX FEET UNDER), stars Josh Lucas as a heart transplant recipient compelled by his new organ to seek revenge on the donor's killer. Brian Cox is a crusty cop on the confounding case.I'm pretty sure that rates near the top of worst pitches for a film I've ever heard. It's almost as bad as the film Donald pitched to his brother Charlie in Adaptation.
This is just silly.


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A seasoned Software Architect with a strong Computer Science background, Anurag Kapur shares an exclusive and detailed account on— How to become a Software Engineer & land a top job.
In this video and article, he gives in-depth insights and invaluable advice on—the most crucial areas to focus on in order to excel as a Software Developer, choosing a niche, the best MOOCS for aspiring programmers, the key steps/strategy to bagging a top job in a leading tech company, the best study resources and interview preparation platforms, along with pragmatic tips on deciding for or against a Master's degree.
About Anurag Kapur: After teams as a Technical Architect at Financial Times, London, one of the world's leading business news and information organisations, he moved to Boston Consulting Group(BCG) as a Software Architect.
Education: MS, Software Engineering, University of Oxford
A McKinsey & Company report says, nearly half of the workforce in the IT services firms will be "irrelevant" over the next 3-4 years. There will be 1.75-2 lakh job cuts annually, for the next three years due to "under-preparedness" in adapting to new technologies.
At a time like this, it is absolutely imperative for students and young professionals to ensure they're on the right track, in order to keep up and find top roles in startups or leading companies.
Tune in, to find answers to some of the most crucial questions, aspiring Software Engineers grapple with, straight from the expert, in this compendious account.
Competitive Programming; Code jams and Hackathons
Anurag enjoyed coding since his high school days. At the time, he revelled in building his class projects and being the first one to finish all his coding assignments. This was when he first dabbled with programming fundamentals and slowly began to learn the finer nuances of Software Development. Given he really loved programming made it a pretty easy choice for him to choose his undergraduate course.
In addition to his coursework, he actively participated in programming competitions & overnight code-jams. Also, he found that participating in Hackathons is an incredible way to learn.
"I still participate in hackathons where a group of people meet over a weekend and build a product from scratch in literally 48 hours. This gives you the experience of building a product; taking something to completion, as well as pitching it to potential investors."
Thus, students and working professionals are recommended to get started with competitive programming and continuously challenge themselves in order to learn.
Practice problem-solving in coding challenges, hackathons and online competitive programming websites. Some platforms to get started are; TopCoder, CodeForces, Spoj, Codechef, HacekerRank, HackerEarth.
This can not only be an effective way to up your skills and improve your problem-solving ability but also help you get hired by some of the best recruiters who select top rankers from these platforms.
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Software Engineering Career Path: Choosing A Niche
Software Engineering is a wide career choice, and there are myriad specialist roles that a Software Engineer can take up over the course of his professional journey.
Students often get baffled by the various options available and are unable to decide on which specific career path to set out on. They are unaware of all the different niche roles a Software Engineer can pick up, and more importantly, what exactly each of them entails.
Anurag suggests that to start with, ensure you get a good breadth of things, see what opportunities exist and not worry about going into a very specific niche right at the outset.
For your first job, don't be picky and focus on getting, say, an Android Developer role or a Back-end developer role, instead, go for an organization where you can really build up experience as a Software Engineer, get a breadth of knowledge, and then proceed further.
Instead of making presumptions about different roles, without actually knowing what they entail in the real world, explore the different facets of Software Engineering, see which one excites you the most and then go on to make a thoroughly informed decision on choosing a niche.
"Irrespective of what specialism you think you would want to pick up in a few years' time, the fundamentals that you need to know, remain the same across all of these specialist roles. Whether you want to be an Android Developer, an iOS app developer, a Machine Learning Specialist, or a Data Scientist, you first need to focus on Data Structures and Algorithms, become a good Software Engineer, and then become a specialist."
Focus on Programming Fundamentals: Data Structures & Algorithms
In order to become a successful Software Engineer, it is vital to build strong foundations. Master your university coursework with a special emphasis on subjects like Data Structures, Algorithms, Operating Systems and also ensure that you build expertise in at least one programming language.
Recommended Courses
- Stanford's Algorithms Specialization
- Data Structures and Algorithms by UC San Diego
- The Coding Interview Bootcamp: Algorithms & Data Structures(Udemy)
Students who sign up for Free Mentorship from top Software Engineers on our Free Mentor Platform often have questions on which technology and programming language they should build proficiency in.
Anurag says, "Learning programming is important, but new programming languages come and go. The things that stick, are the basics. The fundamentals that you learn in Data Structures and Algorithms apply to all fields and all work done by all programmers, working in all sorts of programming languages."
Top companies like Google, Twitter, Facebook etc.. require candidates to be masters in Data Structures and Algorithms. This is because, when you are working on problems at scale, it is essential that you choose the right Data Structure to solve a given problem. A problem could be solved in multiple ways, but to solve it effectively, and at scale, the right choices need to be made, which wouldn't be possible unless you have strong mastery in Data Structures.
He further explains that different companies use different programming languages.
For example, Anurag shares that Scala is very popular at Twitter these days, at Facebook a lot of code is still written in PHP, while Google used to be a fan of Python and recently Go. Thus, if these companies try to filter candidates based on the programming languages they are proficient in, they are likely to be losing out on a lot of talent.
Also Read: 10 Hot IT Skills In Demand For Software Engineers Eyeing Top Jobs
Tapping Into Computer Science MOOCs
It is now possible, more than ever, to acquire new skills and hone existing ones with leading universities of the world offering world-class education to the masses, online. With their interactive technologies, massive online open courses can deliver top-tier education and learning from leading institutions, free of cost, or at a fraction of their on-campus counterparts.
Online platforms like Coursera, Udemy, Edx, MIT Open Courseware, Udacity, MIT OpenCourseWare etc. offer open source material available from top universities delivered by pioneers of the industry, in core subjects, as well as courses on hot technologies like Data Science, Cyber Security, Blockchain, Web Development etc.
For those interested emerging technologies say, Data Science, there is an excellent series of courses available on Coursera in the form of a Data Science Specialization by John Hopkin's University with a special emphasis on applying skills by building a data product using real-world data. Thus, such courses give you a real feel of actually attending the university lecture, right from the comfort of your home.
Recommended Courses
- The Most Recommended Stanford Machine Learning Course By Andrew Ng(Coursera)
- Complete Python Bootcamp(Udemy)
- Machine Learning A-Z Hands-On Python & R In Data Science(Udemy)
- Deep Learning Specialization(Coursera)
- Complete Java Masterclass(Udemy)
- The Complete Web Developer Bootcamp
- Python Specialization From University of Michigan(Coursera)
- Java programming and software development in 5 online courses from Duke University(Coursera)
- The Complete JavaScript Course: Building A Real-World Project(Udemy)
- The Complete Ruby On Rails Developer Course
- Android App Development from Vanderbilt University on Coursera
- Learning and Understanding NodeJS(Udemy)
- AngularJS The Complete Guide
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals in 5 online courses from the University of Maryland on Coursera
- The Complete Android 7 Developer Course: Building Real Apps Including Uber, Whatsapp & Instagram(Udemy)
- Big Data Specialization From University Of California San Diego(Coursera)
- Specialization: Data Visualization With Tableau By UC Davis(Coursera)
- Statistics for Business Analytics A-Z(Udemy)
- Full Stack Web Development in 6 online courses(Coursera)
Making effective use of MOOCs:
Even with the kind of educational experience that MOOCs offer, they have a very high drop-out rate. It is said that over 90 percent of those enrolled, don't finish their courses. Hence, it is important that students don't overburden themselves by signing up for too many courses. It is advised that you enrol in one course that is related to your undergrad area of study, and another to fulfil your interests in an unexplored subject.
Furthermore, when you sign up for MOOCs, remember that the objective is not just to complete the course and earn a certificate. Instead, the purpose here is to actually ensure that you understand the content & build mastery in a subject. Thus, focus on implementation and actually applying your learnings in order to get ahead.
Focus On Building Things
Invest your time in building things and showcasing your skills as a Software Engineer. Having your own blog, website, GitHub profile and sample projects that you can demonstrate, set you apart from your competition.
There are various free cloud platforms available these days, where you can build and host sample applications. Anurag advises aspirants to pick one, say, Amazon Web Services; sign up for an account, start by reading their online documentation and host a few simple example applications.
He also adds that to be a good programmer, an often overlooked method is to read good code in addition to writing your own. Open source projects can be a great source to read quality code from. So, have a profile on GitHub, and get exploring.
Additionally, take up internships while at college to further your skills in a real industry setup. Use them as an opportunity to learn more, apply your knowledge under experienced industry professionals, and actually understand how products are built from scratch in a company.
"If you can demonstrate knowledge, instead of just claiming it, you would instantly become much more employable. Imagine yourself in the shoes of a recruiter, on one hand, you have a CV of a person claiming that he knows a lot. On the other, you have a resume that lists down a LinkedIn profile, which has links to their blog, their sample projects, as well as GitHub profile.
You can actually go to their GitHub profile and see the quality of code that they've written. Thus, building an understanding of the mastery that they have in their coursework as well as the additional effort that they've put in to learn new things."
Master's Degree: To do or not to do
According to Anurag, if you're unsure about what you really want to do and think of a Master's degree as a means of landing a better package or help you move to a particular country, then you should probably think again.
The core reason why you pursue a Master's is that you genuinely want to learn more; there are specific areas of specialism that you want to build your expertise in.
In order to make the right decision, it is crucial that you think long term. Ask yourself why you really want to go for higher education. It is really important to have an answer to this questions, and if you can't explain it to yourself, then you will struggle to convince the admission committee. And even if you get accepted, it is unlikely that you will receive the return of investment that you're expecting.
Think long-term, and ask yourself what it is that you want to do in the next 5 years. Consequently, do some research to find out what people, who are currently doing what you want to do, did 5 years ago, to reach where they are today. Find out about the journey they took, and exactly how they became successful.
"If you really want to study, enjoy learning and have made up your mind around a specific niche that you want to build a specialism in, then, by all means, do a Master's. However, don't try to use a Master's as a vehicle to land a better package. Large organizations like Google, Facebook, Apple, don't really care about where you've done a Master's from, or if you've done it. What they care about, is your aptitude, which they will assess in the interview process."
However, if you're looking to switch fields after some extensive research and are considering a Master's degree in the field that you now want to specialize in, or start working in, then yes, it may prove to be helpful. But if not, it is recommended that you first try and gain some solid experience rather than going in for an MS, straight after your Bachelor's.
Landing A Top Job
The skills that you need to land a job at a company like Google, are skills that you can acquire by doing online courses, participating in code-jams & hackathons, practicing a lot of problem-solving exercises, practicing coding problems on a whiteboard, using online resources like CareerCup, HackerRank, InterviewBit, LeetCode, HackerEarth, GeekforGeeks that are filled with questions to help you prepare for top company interviews.
Additionally, there are books like Programming Interviews Exposed and Cracking the Coding Interview that contain detailed explanations around the interview process, the various stages, and how you can prepare yourself.
Interviews at these companies tend to be essentially of two types; there are 3-4 rounds where your problem-solving skills are assessed and 1-2 rounds where your System Design skills are evaluated.
Thus, not having a Master's degree or where you went to college doesn't affect your chances of making it to a top company, so long as you have the requisite skills, that you can demonstrate during your interview.
Related read: For a more detailed guide, read— How To Get A Job At Google And Other Top Tech Firms.
Video— How To Become A Software Engineer & Land A Top Job:
Your Turn:
Have something to add to our account of— How to become a Software Engineer & land a top job? Let us know, in the comments below!
Do you have questions around any of the steps mentioned, that you'd like to discuss directly with an Engineer in your dream company?
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As a mom and a teacher I know how important it is to help our schols raise money for different thing sthat they may need to benefit the student body. I love when my children come home from school with their ditto asking to fill in the spaces with the Box Tops that we readily collect.
This Summer, get ready for school in the Hefty and Reynolds Box Tops for Education "School Supplied" sweepstakes and daily instant win game. They're giving away thousands of product prizes PLUS 10,000 eBoxTops to 5 lucky schools!! Just think about how much you can help your school if you win that sweepstakes!
Most schools have these programs established and each Box Top is worth .10 cents. SO the more that you clip, the more that your school can benefit from this! We created a quick and easy DIY jar that I keep these Box Tops in on the kitchen counter so that when the school requests them to come in- they are ready to go.
It really is so easy to compile a lot of these Box Tops because so many of the Reynolds Consumer Products participate in the Box Tops program. Here are a few: Reynolds® Parchment Paper, Reynolds® Cooking Baking Sheets, Reynolds® Bakeware Pans, Hefty® Easy Flaps® Tall Kitchen Bags and Large Trash Bags, Hefty® Renew® Tall Kitchen Bags and Trash Bags, Hefty® SteelSak® Trash Bags and many more!
I used a recycled jar with a lid and spray painted the top and simply hot glued a handle to the top. SO cute! You can use these jars for a variety of things, but I find when I have the jar on the counter the BoxTops go in so much faster!
Get started today collecting your Box Tops and make a difference in your box tops, education school.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.


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The first specimen of Type H will be exhibited in Italy on the 23rd of June during the Ristoranti in Piazza Cremona in piazza Stradivari. Web Site: w...Read
Frenetic work for the guys of Caselani Automobiles. Still a few days, and we'll have to leave for Nimes ......Read
If the colors in nature are so many .... and all beautiful ......... why should we delete somebody? We promise to impress you on the variety of choic...Read
The New Type H Van goes to France! You can see the prototype of the New Type H Minibus at the 24th French National 2CV Meeting. Nîmes - Fr...Read
The project was born from the collaboration of Fabrizio Caselani and David Obendorfer. A tribute to Flaminio Bertoni and his Citroen HY presented exactly 70 years ago, reinventing the legendary van in an up-to- date way, developed on Citroen Jumper chassis. The Type H 70th Anniversary Van will be produced by Caselani Automobili, located in the area of the Italian motor valley, in a limited and numbered edition of 70 units for each version.
Type H participates in the RetroMobile Show in Paris at the Mehari Eva...
Type H participates in AutoMotoRetrò from January 30 to Februar...
CASELANI Srl


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Is SmartCar a Smart Choice?
In a word, no. But it depends. I'll let you be the judge.
Consider the following, before wasting your hard-earned money.
Firstly, the SmartCar Fortwo is a 2-seater car with almost zero luggage space according to their own website. And there's nothing wrong with that if you intend to treat the car like a motorcycle with a sidecar. But the environmentally conscientious should stop reading now, as this car is more suited towards the poseur environmentalist.
Think it's just for running errands around town, maybe a little grocery shopping? Think again. There's no space for groceries, especially if you have someone in the passenger seat. The trunk only has room for "two small shopping bags" according to the Smart Car website, and with no spare tire, a nail or construction debris blowing the tire out could leave you completely stranded.
I hear what you're saying.... "Waitaminit - There must be something special about the car. The engine? The amount of pollution it creates?" Sorry, wrong again. If you thought it was created by an environmentally proactive company with an electric or hybrid engine, the wool has been pulled over your eyes. The engine is nothing more than a 3-cylinder diesel. That's right, a common diesel engine. That point alone should make you sit up and say "Wha?!?" or even "Zha?!?"
41 hp / 60 mpg
The 2005 Honda Insight, a gasoline/electric hybrid, is still the most fuel efficent car in North America, despite what the SmartCar website says. For the same price as the 'Passion' SmartCar, you get better mileage, more luggage space, and a better warranty, not to mention 26 more ponies.
In a bare-knuckled match, the Insight reigns supreme.
67 hp / 66 mpg (manual)
What's fun about the SmartCar is that the plastic body panels can be popped off, and replaced with another colour. It's a very customizable car which totally appeals to me. Mercedes claims that 80% of the Smartcar is made from recyclable materials. This seems like the company's saving grace. But, like all other cars, it is still made from steel, plastic and rubber, which are all recyclable.
I used to think the SmartCar was the most innovative car design in the last 50 years, until I learned the facts. Once my eyes were opened to the truth about this European car, I've done a complete about-face on my opinion of its non-electric self. Hopefully I've opened your eyes too.


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Forget the reindeer decorations — folks in some parts of the world adorn their Christmas trees with spider ornaments, instead.
The unusual arachnid ornaments are part of a centuries-old Eastern European Christmas tradition. The legend of the Christmas spider is believed to have originated in Ukraine, and according to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, goes something like this:
"A poor family had no decorations for their Christmas tree, so while the children were sleeping, spiders spun webs of silver around its branches. When the family awoke Christmas morning, the tree was sparkling with silver webs."
There are several versions of the tale, but the spiders are always portrayed as friendly or beneficial for humans. In each story, the spiders come in at the last minute to save the holiday.
This rendition tells of a widow whose spirits were lifted by a benevolent spider when she couldn't afford decorations:
"The widow went to bed on Christmas Eve knowing that the tree would not be decorated. Early on Christmas morning, the woman was awakened by her children. 'Mother, mother, wake up and see the tree, it is beautiful!' The mother arose and saw that during the night a spider had spun a web around the tree. The youngest child opened the window to the first light of Christmas Day. As the shafts of the sun crept along the floor, it touched one of the threads of the spider web and instantly the web was changed into gold and silver. And from that day forward the widow never wanted for anything."
Want to join in on the fun? Easy. Just bring your Halloween decor out of storage and stretch some webbing over your evergreens to celebrate the Ukrainian tradition!


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Let there be difference between travelling and trouble. Tourists begin their journey with great excitement but they mostly end up with the same great agony. It happens because they found themselves in a circumstance where they have less or no information about their stay, road, market, locality and even language.
But travelers are not that much helpless. Most of them today use smart devices to locate various things while they are in a foreign land. On the flip side, if information of local stays, roads and markets have not been optimized or customized for mobile devices then travelers and tourists are really in problem.
So who can do this? Of course hotels. Hotel industry plays a major role in a traveler's journey. First of all hotels provide travelers and tourists stay to live and relax. Then they inform them about local market, roads, different places etc. But hotels can help their guests in better way if they go mobile.
Firstly, going mobile by hotels and hospitality industry is nothing new. Big players have initiated and implemented dedicated mobile application development projects to help their guests and boost themselves since they discovered that future of computing, whether it's online or offline, is going to be mobile, but mid and small sized hotels have still to put mobile app technologies into practice to deliver high quality experience to their guests from around the world.
Having a mobile app development for mid & small hotels and restaurants is a vital move because there are more tourists who like to stay in mid & small hotels than those who want to stay in big hotels.
Travelers too expect that their mobile devices provide them the best of the assistances wherever they are and for whatever they are searching. According to an estimate of 2012, 35% of leisure travelers clearly used their smartphones to access travel information. About 85% of same travelers used their smart devices during tour to difference places. Almost 30% of these travelers used mobile apps to find best of the hotel deals and details. So it's clear that hotels have pretty good reasons to initiate a mobile application development project and go online.
Let me share some reasons why hotels should have a mobile application development:
Mobile is future of computing.
Gartner says that by the end of 2017, there would be more tablets than PCs. It has revealed a 14% of decline in the purchase of traditional PC. On the other hand, it has been estimated that between the years of 2013 and 2017, there will be an incredible rise of 140% in the usages of tablets.
E-commerce is changing into M-commerce
The so called e-commerce has visibly changed its face and now more online selling buying activities are being seen on mobile devices. With change of device, the term e-commerce have changed into m-commerce. Hotels can actively become the part of flourishing m-commerce industry by providing dedicated apps for their guests.
Multiple channels of communication
Smartphones and tablets are certainly better than desktop or laptop computers. They provide a lot of features in a handheld or pocket-sized device. Apart from communication and text messaging, a present day smart device offers camera, GPS, high-speed internet connectivity, maps, push notification, capability of cloud computing, various sensors straight in our hands. Hotels can use these features to offer more convenient traveling experience to their guests.
Brand creation and competitive advantage
With a dedicated mobile app development hotels can easily create their brand and win customer loyalty. Hotels can attract customers to collect points which can later be converted into rewards. Other than this, an app of course gives a hotel business competitive advantage over others. Dedicated mobile app keeps a hotel ahead of competitors and lets it be believed by more guests.
So mobile apps can change the way travelers and hotel staff interact with each other. It can change the way tourists reach their destinations and explore places. A dedicated mobile app development can really thrive hotel business.
More information @ Rapidsoft Technologies


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Google Announces New LEGO Project: Build With Chrome
Ever wanted to build something out of LEGOs but avoid the danger of accidentally stepping on one of those foot-destroyers? Well, the Chrome team and LEGO Group sure have a treat for you: Build With Chrome.
Build With Chrome is a program that can run on Chrome (desktop or mobile) thanks to the 3D rendering technology WebGL. The mobile version, pictured below, relies on touch for navigation, whereas the desktop version uses mouse controls. Users can select from a wide variety of LEGO bricks, change the color, and rotate the bricks or the entire board.
For a little help getting started you can check out the Build Academy, a series of tutorials featuring characters from the upcoming LEGO movie. Of course, Build With Chrome also supports Google+ sign in so that you can save your creations as well as share them to your friends.
Like many Google projects, Build With Chrome started off as a side project just for fun. Originally built by a Google team in Australia, the Build With Chrome project is finally being opened up to everyone.
Will you be taking part? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to share your creations with us on Google+ [no longer available].
Source: Google Blog
Related topics: Google Chrome, LEGO.
Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.


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Injuries In Sports Despite the high prevalence and potentially serious outcomes associated with concussion in athletes, there is little systematic research examining risk factors and short- and long-term outcomes. Objectives To assess the relationship between concussion history and learning disability (LD) and the association of these variables with neuropsychological performance and to evaluate postconcussion recovery in a sample of college football players. Design, Setting, and Participants A total of 393 athletes from 4 university football programs across the United States received preseason baseline evaluations between May 1997 and February 1999. Subjects who had subsequent football-related acute concussions (n=16) underwent neuropsychological comparison with matched control athletes from within the sample (n=10). Main Outcome Measures Clinical interview, 8 neuropsychological measures, and concussion symptom scale ratings at baseline and after concussion. Results Of the 393 players, 129 (34%) had experienced 1 previous concussion and 79 (20%) had experienced 2 or more concussions. Multivariate analysis of variance yielded significant main effects for both LD (P*.001) and concussion history (P=.009), resulting in lowered baseline neuropsychological performance.
A significant interaction was found between LD and history of multiple concussions and LD on 2 neuropsychological measures (Trail-Making Test, Form B [P=.007] and Symbol Digit Modalities Test [P=.009]), indicating poorer performance for the group with LD and multiple concussions compared with other groups. A discriminant function analysis using neuropsychological testing of athletes 24 hours after acute in-season concussion compared with controls resulted in an overall 89.5% correct classification rate. Conclusions Our study suggests that neuropsychological assessment is a useful indicator of cognitive functioning in athletes and that both history of multiple concussions and LD are associated with reduced cognitive performance. These variables may be detrimentally synergistic and should receive further study. JAMA.
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1999;282:964-970 The management of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI; eg, concussion, defined as a traumatically induced alteration in mental status not necessarily resulting in loss of consciousness) in athletics is currently one of the most compelling challenges in sports medicine. Despite the high prevalence1 and potentially serious outcomes2, 3 associated with concussion, systematic research on this topic is lacking. Many sports medicine practitioners are not satisfied with current return-to-play and treatment options, which do not appear to be evidence based.4-6 There is also little research examining whether long-term cognitive morbidity is associated with concussion. Past research with nonathletes revealed that repeated concussions appear to impart cumulative damage, resulting in increasing severity and duration with a second MTBI occurring within 48 hours.7 No data were presented which addressed more long-term outcomes. Although survey data have shown that a prior history of head injury increases the risk for sustaining subsequent MTBI,8 other potential risk factors associated with sports-related concussion have not been identified. Learning disability (LD), the etiology of which is presumably secondary to central nervous system dysfunction,9 refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, writing, reading, reasoning, or mathematical abilities and which is traditionally diagnosed in early childhood.10, 11 The incidence of diagnosed LD is 11.8% in the general university population.12 However, no study to date has addressed whether LD may represent a risk factor (such as that seen with prior head injury) for poor outcome following sports-related MTBI in college athletes.
Previous research has outlined the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of neuropsychological tests in assessing the specific cognitive areas associated with MTBI in the general population.13-15 To date, 3 published studies have examined the use of neuropsychological testing in US football players.16-18 The only multicenter study16 was conducted in the mid-1980s and was designed to address the acute effects of concussion. The current study was designed to address 2 issues: first, to investigate whether a relationship exists between prior concussion and diagnosed LD among college football players and determine the influence of these variables, in isolation and combination, on baseline neuropsychological performance; and second, to evaluate the use of a neuropsychological test battery in diagnosing concussion and delineating recovery of cognitive function following MTBI in athletes. METHODS Subjects Participants in this study consisted of 393 male college football players from 4 Division IA football programs: Michigan State University, East Lansing (n=119); the University of Florida, Gainesville (n=106); the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa (n=85); and the University of Utah, Salt Lake City (n=83). At the initial preseason baseline session, the following self-reported data were collected: age, playing position, SAT/ACT scores (Scholastic Aptitude Test/American College Testing, ie, college entrance examination scores), history of LD, neurological history (eg, central nervous system neoplasm or epilepsy), history of psychiatric illness (eg, depression and/or mania or anxiety), history of alcohol and/or drug abuse, prior sports played, and history of concussion. Educational records at each institution were used to verify a documented history of diagnosed LD. A standardized concussion history form was administered at baseline to obtain detailed information regarding previous concussions, year of concussion, description of incident, nature and duration of relevant symptoms (eg, confusion and/or disorientation, retrograde and/or anterograde amnesia, and loss of consciousness), neuroimaging results (if any), and days lost from participation in football (if any).
Athletes who reported amnesia were asked to provide any known collateral information from the athletic trainer, sports-medicine physician, or other source familiar with the details of the incident. All previous concussions were classified using the practice parameter of the American Academy of Neurology.19 Protocol and Outcome Measures Preseason Baseline Evaluation Appropriate review for research with human subjects was granted separately from the 4 institutions at which the participants were enrolled. Each participant provided written informed consent for voluntary participation. All data collection was completed by the research team of clinical neuropsychologists (clinicians with PhDs or doctoral-level students) or team physicians or athletic trainers who were thoroughly trained in the use of the measures. Each examiner was required to attend a 2-hour workshop and was supervised during test adminstration (by M.W.C.) to facilitate the appropriate standardized administration of the test battery.
All measures were administered and scored in a standardized manner to minimize differences between test administrators and institutions. Project investigators trained in neuropsychological assessment completed all data scoring and interpretation. Baseline data collection at 3 universities (Michigan State University, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Florida) was completed prior to the 1997/98 and 1998/99 football seasons during the months of May to August. Baseline data collection at the University of Utah occurred during February 1999 for the 1999/2000 season (only baseline data from the University of Utah were used for analyses). Approximately 95% of all roster football players (scholarship and scout team players) voluntarily participated in the project. At these baseline sessions, demographic and player history information was obtained via interview.
Each athlete was then administered a battery of neuropsychological tests (approximately 30 minutes in length) that is used by the National Football League.17, 20 Tests in the battery were the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT; verbal learning, delayed memory); Trail-Making Tests, Forms A and B (Trails A and Trails B; visual scanning and executive functioning); Digit Span Test (attention and concentration); Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT; information processing speed); Grooved Pegboard Test, dominant and nondominant hand (bilateral fine motor speed); and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT; word fluency). This test battery, described in detail elsewhere,17 was constructed to evaluate multiple aspects of cognitive functioning. In addition to neuropsychological testing, athletes also completed the Concussion Symptom Scale17 to assess a baseline level of self-reported symptoms. This Likert scale consists of 20 symptoms commonly associated with concussion (eg, headache, dizziness, and trouble falling asleep), with symptoms ranging from none (score, 0) to severe (score, 6). Postconcussion Evaluation Athletes who sustained a concussion during the course of a season underwent serial neuropsychological evaluations following the incident (within 24 hours of the incident, and at days 3, 5, and 7 postinjury). Concussion was defined according to the American Academy of Neurology practice parameter.19 Thus, players experiencing a traumatically induced alter …


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So I just got through watching this depressing documentary called zero degrees of separation, on a two men who were lovers in isreal. One was jewish and the other was arab. You may have noticed I said arab and not palestinian. Well that is because palestinian is a modern made up word with no historical validation. Arab on the other hand is a very old word indeed. I have mixed thoughts on the state of isreal. So these are my random thoughts on this issue. Muslims have over thirty countries that they can live in, and jewish people don't even get one whole country to themselves. They only get one state and people want to take even that away from them. This is wrong! However there are also other issues to be considered. How you treat people when you come into power is one such issue. The state of isreal has treated the arab peoples who live there beyond horrible. Their actions against arab peoples have been horrific. I don't see why they have to arrest and torture arab people, or why they had to round them up like cattle and get them out of the state. This is just ridiculous. Two wrongs don't make a right. In the past jewish people have been abused so they should know better than to become abusers themselves. And before anyone starts calling me an anti-semite, I am most certainly not! I am all for jewish rights, including the right of a free jewish state to exist. I think it should be a humane one however!in fact anyone who knows me, knows of my vast admiration for the jewish people and the hebrew spiritual traditions. i think that isreal has done a lot to help humanity evolve! The jews and the arabs could have lived together in peace and created a new generation of middle eastern people who understood tolerance and knew how to coexist. They could have created a lasting peace, love, and friendship. Instead they are taught to hate and kill each-other. At some point this may have been the fault of the muslim world. However america has played its part in helping create terrorists. But isreal itself is the real source of creating terrorists at this time. If I grew up an arab child in isreal or the surrounding areas I would probably hate the state of isreal too! The two men in the video were ripped apart because of vague laws and another waste of space cop with a god complex who did all he could to have the arab man deported. Maybe the cops wife should be deported as well, so he could know how it feels to loose the one you love! I think it is wrong that America is even in the middle east to begin with. We are out there trying to police the rest of the world when we can't even take care of ourselves. And we do all this while holding ourselves up as some sort of example as how the rest of the world should live, when our gay citizens don't have the basic, equal, human, civil right to get married. We feed the worlds starving kids and don't feed our own. We help out underprivileged families in other countries but don't even help our poor neighbors here. In fact it is out of the ordinary where i live to even know your neighbors or have interaction with them. The state of isreal is a cruel and merciless beast. Much like the muslim terrorist groups. Is america really so ignorant as to think our presence there will stop their problems? Their problems started a few thousand years ago and never stopped. They have been fighting amongst themselves forever and will continue to do so until their children grow tired of it and say "No More" whether we are there or not! Evangelicals have made it their mission to demonize the arabs like they demonize gay people. Such is the nature of the evil evangelical agenda. In christian teachings being a part of spiritual isreal has nothing to do with being born jewish any longer. After Christ came, those people that accepted him are spiritual isreal. Being a christian is being part of the kingdom of God or spiritual isreal. This is at least the traditional Christian standpoint. I know it is unpopular to say so however, and that this line of thought will not be shared by all, and that is alright! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion! Physical Israel; well that has deteriorated to a whole new level of degradation. They have began to erect a barrier to keep out arab peoples. This is nonsense! Didn't we learn a lesson from the falling of the berlin wall. We as humans need to be knocking all the barriers between us down, not erecting more of them; as if we needed or could survive anymore! The state of isreal will be judged just like the rest of us for how it treats people. It needs to come to terms with that, and begin to make up for all its wrong doing. The muslim countries of the world need to stop picking on everyone else and get a life! America needs to get real with itself and realize that we are helping generate and perpetuate the problems in the middle east, as well as all the ones here. Many jewish people that I have listened to in isreal don't have problems with their arab brothers. In fact they seem to have a real genuine, and general affection for them. There are many cases where an arab and a jew fall in love. And then the state of isreal or extremist family members on either side, have to stamp out that love. And because the poor people over there are so beaten down already they don't have the strength to tell the world to go to hell, and their love fails. In fact it feels to many of them as if they are already in hell! I was sad to see these two men who had been through so much, ripped apart. I was sad to see them loose all contact with each other. This war; all the wars need to stop. Will this happen? Most people will say no! I prefer to have hope where none can be seen! If an arab and a jew can fall in love inside hell, then I think there is hope for the entire world to fall in love with life itself once again. I believe future generations will live in love, tolerance, and peace!
I want to personally thank Elle Flanders for having the courage to make this film, to tell their story, and stand up against the bigotry that has appeared in this country since 9/11. I want to thank you for reminding us that no issue is one sided. Jewish people are not always victims, and arab people are not all terrorists, and love can and sometimes does exist between these two peoples. I want to thank you for standing up to the people who have called you anti-semetic and saying No I am not! I do not believe for one second the Elle is an anti-semite. I believe that she told two stories of destroyed love, which reflect a war torn section of the world! I believe that there is hope, that jewish people and arab people can demonstrate the very best of human nature, and that one day they will. I believe that children on both sides will lead the way to a better tomorrow, and I want to thank Elle for rekindling my hope for the future once again! Your film is an inspiration because it is four peoples truths! These four individual truths can help show us all THE TRUTH! And after all The Truth shall set us free!
Bright Blessings! And Bright Hope for the future!
Elle F.
The O'Raven Chronicles! Hear The Cries of The Raven; my thoughts on a variety of issues ranging from Religion, spirituality, metaphysics, political issues, health issues, alternative (natural and w-holistic) medicine, entertainment, the arts and sciences, literature, energy healing, history, culture, and sexuality! MY MISSION STATEMENT is as follows; "I am devoted to the ideology and practice of helping people through natural and ancient methods of healing Body, Mind, and Spirit"! BLESSED BE!
Disclaimer; I do not own nor claim to have done most of the artworks that appear on this site, they were obtained through random internet searches and I take no credit for them unless otherwise stated; this same principle applies to all videos as well. Also this blog site contains adult oriented material that is not suitable for most children and probably not suitable for work. further this site contains some pornographic images and text. I would also like it clearly understood that I in no way make money from this blog in any way!
About Me
- Rev. Lucien O'Corvi; The Shamanic Minister, A Voice in the Crowd!
- I am an Ordained Minister, a Shaman, a Reiki Master Teacher, an Aromatherapist, a Massage Therapist, an Herbalist in training, & a Crystal Healer in training! I am also a Writer! I am one of the Neo- Celí Dé (a form of Celtic christian mysticism based on original early Christianity, & certain Celtic philosophies, perspectives, & certain Druidic elements). I am also a proud member of Clan MacKay. NO PARTIES, JUST PATRIOTISM!
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Arabian Jewish gay love inside hell!
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The importance of campus security grows every year. Crimes are becoming more common in educational institutions, causing fear and concern among staff, students, and their family members. Campus safety and security is now listed as one of the top deciding factors when choosing a college or university. It's crucial that campuses implement a reliable and effective security solution.
Monitoring Campus Activities
Protecting students, staff, and property requires constant monitoring. Unfortunately, many campuses simply do not have the resources needed to maintain security teams around the clock. This creates issues as problems often occur when no one is looking. Without proper monitoring, security teams cannot locate responsible parties. Crimes may even go unreported, due to embarrassment or other reasons. It's important that campuses do all they can to prevent crimes and prosecute criminals.
Mint Controls' campus security system provides reliable monitoring of people and activities. Our system utilizes advanced technologies and predictive analysis to locate potential problems before they occur. This allows security teams to take a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to a wide range of security threats.
Reliable Campus Security
We provide installation, maintenance, and repair of a variety of security systems including LIDAR systems, security cameras, gates, access control systems, and more. Integration of IOT security devices allows our system to provide constant, reliable monitoring of campuses without human intervention. Automatic alerts notify management and/or security teams of potential issues on or around campus. When requested, we also provide configuration of our security system to include automatic notification of local authorities.
Custom Security Systems
When you work with Mint Controls, we work directly with you to develop a solution, customized to your needs. We provide all necessary hardware, software, integration, maintenance, training, and support to ensure proper use of the system. Users can view all information collected by our security systems including live video feed, alerts, and access from any device that connects to the Internet. Our campus security system is easy to use and understand, making it possible for anyone to use the system regardless of their knowledge or previous experience with similar technologies.
Please contact us for more information about our campus security systems. We look forward to hearing from you.


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UN, Please tell us a little bit about this new book project you are working on?
We are proud to bring our story of The Underground Network to print in a beautiful 10 X 12 inch coffee table style book that will be available in the fall 2019. The book will tell the story of our contributions to House Music with amazing photos and great quotes from industry pioneers & professionals who were there. Not only will this book touch all the people who have attended our events but to all the people who haven't you will get a slice of NYC House Music History that has travelled and touched the masses worldwide. The book will also have a CD of some of the great tracks and songs we exposed to the world in the early 90's as you browse through the 150 plus pages.
Just a small taste of NY House Music History below!


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Helping India Build its Infrastructure
Fluor Corporation is a publicly owned engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction organization. The company employs more than 60,000 personnel worldwide and maintains offices in over 25 countries. The company has been operational in India since 1995 and currently employs approx. 3,400 personnel.
Fluor's corporate citizenship is focused on four strategic areas: Education, Social Services, Community & Economic Development and Environment. Since its inception 60 years ago, Fluor and the Fluor Foundation have contributed millions of dollar worldwide in support of the communities in which it has a presence. Fluor India has been an active participant in community programmes for over a decade through its Fluor Cares employee volunteer program.
In 2016, Fluor India volunteers supported 31 CSR projects with the help of more than 700 volunteers who contributed ~7,000 volunteer hours to benefit the underprivileged in multiple domains.
Amongst the key projects executed were:
Teaching: Project Saksham is the longest sustainable project of Fluor Cares India, with 35 volunteers contributing 2000 hours for imparting 8,000 hours of computer & STEM classes. This project covered underprivileged children between grades four to ten in last 3 years. In addition, Fluor successfully completed 'Adding Wings' project to impart English, Health and Life skills to 700 underprivileged kids in two communities. Fluor India has been devoted to improve the state of education of underprivileged communities so that the people from these communities get equal opportunity and they can raise their self-esteem.
Meals: Under-privileged students often go without adequate food and improving the nutrition levels of kids can be an enabler in improving attendance levels in schools. In accord with this, Fluor in consultation with the nutrition consultant provided 12,000 hot and nutritious meals for more than 130 school children in association with NGO Aman Biradari over the entire year.
Backpacks: Fluor India provided support to underprivileged children who lack in resources but are committed for education. Under Building Backpack Futures, 669 backpacks were distributed filled with academic stationery requirements and books for the needy students. School noticed improvement in student's attendance later to back pack distribution indicating rising interest in education.
Laboratory equipment and classroom infrastructure: Fluor has been actively involved in improving classroom and laboratory infrastructure of undergraduate engineering institutes that have students enrolled from underprivileged society. On an average INR 4 million has been donated towards providing computers, CPU machines, drafting equipment, Auto-CAD software etc.
Social Services
Blind Students: Fluor supported 120 students of the All India Confederation of the Blind's school in Gurgaon navigate the world better with improved facilities such as talking software, desktops, and building Infrastructure material including access to clean Power from Solar PV panels and back-up system
Differently Abled Children: Fluor participated in Delhi Half Marathon to support two causes for differently abled kids – therapeutic services for special children, and braille resources for the blind. To support these causes, Fluor witnessed largest participation this year with 160 runners fundraising INR 7,76,000 through individual donations. Under the banner of 'Mission Humanity', this event received huge participation and enthusiasm from both volunteers and beneficiaries.
Blood Donation: 3 camps for employee blood donations were arranged for thalassemic patients in collaboration with 6 blood banks and 2 NGOs. A record high of 774 employees donated an equal number of units of blood in a two-day event. To facilitate this camp, more than 160 volunteers ran a sustained campaign to raise awareness about the cause.
Medical Camp: A total of 250 volunteers from Fluor New Delhi Office organized and managed 24 camps of the "Doctors at the Door Steps" project run by Mahavir International, a non-governmental charity. The project provides free medical consultation and preventive and interventional eye care at the door steps of under-privileged individuals deprived of normal medical care and sustenance. 6500 patients were screened by general practitioners, eye surgeons and ear, nose and throat specialists and offered medicine. 85 patients were detected with cataract and provided medical support for surgery and post-operative care.
Community & Economic Development
GCPF: Fluor India is proud to support two projects under Global Community Project Fund. By providing clean drinking water in old age home, Project 'Neer' supports 450 people to fulfill their water needs. Clean water is a basic need of humans which is not available to underprivileged communities, resulting in bad health and sanitation issues. As part of this project, a water tank is storage tank and a water filter unit is installed to serve the drinking water requirements of the community.
Women Self Sufficiency: Fluor India promotes all-round community development by strengthening and upgrading the infrastructure of NGOs working for various segments of society such as women, children, senior citizens, and the economically disadvantaged. Fluor volunteers reached out to NGOs to identify their needs. As a result, Fluor distributed a paper sublimation machine to Literacy India, a nonprofit organization that promotes women self help groups earn a living by themselves.
Jaipur Foot Camp: As a global company in tune with the communities in which it operates, Fluor recognizes how important it is to ensure that people have access to basic needs. This year again, Fluor Cares India, in partnership with Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti (aka Jaipur Foot), organized a camp of Hope & Joy, a two day event that fitted 200 custom-made prostheses manufactured in a mobile workshop onto needy recipients in this veritable Collective of Optimism. Fluor also contributed in improving the productivity of the manufacturing of prosthesis by supplying new equipment.
Triangular Park & Sector 43 Park Upgradation: More than 100 Fluor volunteers have been involved in cleaning of litter from the park and planting new trees and shrubs. Fluor has also sponsored the park by providing funds for improving the park infrastructure.


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Allwinner to demo new 64-bit tablet processor
- Author:Andrew
- Release on:2014-09-02
Zhuhai-based Allwinner has announced that its next APs for tablets will be 64bits, an expected move that follows the industry trend of 64-bit processing.
In a press release, AllwinnerCMO Jack Lee said, "The 64-bit era is absolutely the new trend. As one of the most important strategic partners of ARM, Allwinner will team up with ARM to take the lead in providing highly cost-effective 64-bit tablet solutions."
Android has partly supported 64-bit processors in its kernel for some time, but the expectation is that Android L, the next version of the operating system, has it fully integrated and that 64-bit tablets will be available in October at the earliest. The key advantages of 64-bit chips are increased power and battery efficiency, as well as the ability to encode and decode high-resolution video more quickly.
IDC has estimated that Allwinner was the second-highest tablet processor manufacturer by revenue in 2013, behind only Apple, and shipped 18.2 million units that year, more than any other. The market for tablet processors was $3.6 billion in 2013 according to Strategy Analytics.


text: aaddzz123 Posted September 12, 2014 SEPTEMBER TIME!I thought it would be a good idea to write up some clear rules for the Pic Of The Month Competition (POTM), to save confusion!- One photo allowed per competition per member- Only landscape photo orientation!!!!- The photo can be of any style as long as its starlet related, i.e motion, landscape, nighttime, interior, macro close ups, set in a scene, car half built etc. Try and be creative!- Please only enter high quality photos - some could be used in the annual UKSO calender! - The closing date for submissions will be the LAST DAY of each month. If you post AFTER the last date, even 00:01 the next day, I'm afraid it will not be entered and you will have to post it in next months POTM.- Please keep comments to a minimum, preferably none.- Post your photo in the corresponding monthly thread- A poll will be started at the start of the next month and again close on the last day of the month.- Photo editing allowed to adjust tone, depth and colour, make small adjustments etc. Nothing obvious or over the top!Have fun guys ;)!Adam. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Shows are plentiful around Austin for the new Cultural Arts Season. Check out TODO Austin's recommendations below.
The Long Center for the Performing Arts
The Kraken Quartet. Saturday, September 8, 8 p.m. A massive force of percussion and electronics, The Kraken Quartet is a genre-crossing group known for its highly energetic and engaging performances. Since their formation in 2012, the Austin-based group has been heralded for merging elements of math rock, minimalism, indie, post-rock, electronica, and the avant-garde. Comprised of members Chris Demetriou, Andrew Dobos, Taylor Eddinger, and Sean Harvey, the group is proud to use Vic Firth sticks and mallets, and Grover Pro Percussion and Hammerax instruments. The Kraken Quartet has been featured on several festivals and broadcasts including South by Southwest, Fast Forward Austin, Audiotree Live, Austin Instrumental Music Festival, WNYC, KUTX, SoundSpace, and more.
Ballet Folklórico de México. Thursday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. The award-winning folkloric ballet ensemble from Mexico City, Ballet Folklórico de México, returns to the U.S. this year for an extended multi-city tour and will take the stage in Dell Hall for one night only. Recognized internationally for its presentations of traditional Mexican dance, this world-famous company presents a spectacular show the whole family can enjoy. Called "captivating" by The New York Times and a company with "extraordinary flair" by the Chicago Sun-Times, Ballet Folklórico "sets the stage ablaze with vibrant color and engaging rhythms" (The Boston Globe) as it honors Mexico's rich cultural history. Founded in 1952 by dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández, Ballet Folklórico brings together the music, dance and costume of Mexican folklore from pre-Columbian civilizations through the modern era.
Vicente Amigo. Sunday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. A transcendent performer, composer and producer, Vicente Amigo burst onto the major stages of flamenco in his native Spain while still a teenager. Since then, he has earned a shelf full of awards, including a Latin Grammy in 2001 for Ciudad de Las Ideas (City of Ideas). Four years after his last album, and recently awarded with the Gold Medal of the Fine Arts by the Spanish government, Vicente is back with his most traditional flamenco album Memoria de los Sentidos—the class of flamenco which is felt and expressed by very few artists.
Marcia Ball. Wednesday, May 8, 7:30 p.m. Texas-born, Louisiana-raised pianist, songwriter and vocalist Marcia Ball has had a long and storied career. As the 2018 Texas State Musician of the Year and a 2018 Austin City Limits Hall of Fame inductee, she's won worldwide fame and countless fans for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she takes the stage. Her rollicking Texas boogies, swampy New Orleans ballads and groove-laden Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of-a-kind favorite for music lovers all over the world.
Texas Performing Arts
Taylor Mac, "A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (Abridged)." Thursday, Sep. 27 and Friday, Sep. 28, 8 p.m. Playwright, actor, singer-songwriter, performance artist, director, producer, and "Critical darling of the New York Scene" (New York Magazine), Taylor Mac has performed in hundreds of venues across the globe. Named "one of the most exciting theater artists of our time" by Time Out New York, Mac creates extravagant performance events that provoke and embrace diverse audiences. Taylor Mac will escort you through an abridged version of this epic piece that was originally performed as a one-time 24-hour event and was recognized on The New York Times 2016 lists of Best Performances, Best Theater, and Best Music. "A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (Abridged)" interprets the social history of the United States—all 240 years and counting—through popular songs ranging from murder ballads to disco, Walt Whitman to David Bowie, and beyond. The show is a dazzling experience that reflects our nation's diverse and sometimes dysfunctional story so as to bolster a uniquely American sense of possibility.
Ragamala Dance Company. Thursday, Oct. 18. 8 p.m. Minneapolis-based Ragamala Dance Company "is providing some of the most transcendent experiences that dance has to offer," (The New York Times) and have created a genre of performance that brings together a contemporary Western aesthetic with an Indian ethos. Sharing the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam with audiences for over 25 years, Ragamala brings their multidisciplinary work "Written in Water" to the Bass Concert Hall stage. Inspired by the second century Indian board game, Paramapadham (the precursor to Snakes and Ladders) and the 12th century Sufi poem, "A Conference of Birds," the show explores parallels between ecstasy and longing in Hindu and Sufi thought. With original artwork and a score by composer Amir ElSaffar, "Written in Water" brings together internationally celebrated artists and features a live music ensemble with a unique alchemy of Iraqi, jazz, and Carnatic instruments.
Eddie B – Teachers Only Comedy Tour. Saturday, Dec. 22, 8 p.m. Eddie B is comedy on steroids. While others waited in the wings for a shot at becoming a top standup comic, the Houston native soared to new heights by creating his own opportunity with the blockbuster "Teachers Only Tour." Shattering attendance records, this tour has established Eddie as the official voice of teachers across the globe. Educators from America to Africa, Dallas to Dubai, New York to New Delhi (and beyond) are getting a lesson in the funniest ways to express their worst frustrations and they are loving every second of Eddie B's uncensored, raw, and hysterically realistic portrayal of a teacher's hectic life, from the point of view of an actual teacher. The phenomenon, which began with a series of videos entitled "What Teachers Really Say" (written, produced, and starring Eddie B) has tapped into a niche only this multi-faceted comic/teacher can comprehend. Eddie B says what teachers everywhere are thinking but couldn't quite say out loud, until now.
Teatro Línea de Sombra, "Amarillo." Friday, Mar. 29, 8 p.m. "Amarillo" tells the story of a man who departs Mexico for a land of dreams: Amarillo, Texas—but vanishes before reaching his destination. Far away, a woman reconstructs his journey, imagining what might have transpired not only for him, but for the other thousands of faceless men and women who have taken the same path—and for those who were left behind. Combining stunning multimedia projections, visceral imagery, and poetic storytelling, this renowned theater company from Mexico City creates a rich, poignant meditation on the harsh realities faced by immigrants and their families. Amarillo is performed in Spanish with projected English subtitles. Jorge A. Vargas and Alicia Laguna are the artistic directors.
Austin Symphony Orchestra
"Oz with Orchestra." Saturday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m. One of the most beloved films of all time, The Wizard of Oz can now be seen and heard in a magical new production. John Goberman, Emmy-Award winning producer of "Live from Lincoln Center" and the creator of the acclaimed "A Symphonic Night at the Movies" presents "Oz with Orchestra." See this classic film projected on screen while your Austin Symphony Orchestra performs along with the film. Come in costume as your favorite character!
"Creative Expressions" – Celebrating Women Composers. Friday, Mar. 22 and Saturday. Mar. 23, 8 p.m. A real musical treat served up by your Austin Symphony Orchestra, celebrating the treasures composed by women through the ages. The evening's banquet begins with "Overture in C Major" by Fanny Mendelssohn and continues with expressive works by "Lili" Boulanger, Clara Schumann, Vítězslava Kaprálová and award-winning American composer Jennifer Higdon. Joined by the famed group Time for Three and prominent pianist Michelle Schumann, ready your taste buds for a palette of artistic decadence. There will also be a pre-concert talk given by Bob Buckalew at 7:10 pm.