text:
Musical Mathematics
on the art and science of acoustic instruments
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Part IV: Arabian, Persian, and Turkish Music
Section 11.53
The most famous and complex Arabian
treatise on music is a work entitled Kitab al-musiqi al-kabir (Major Book
on Music),
Section 11.53
The most famous and complex Arabian treatise on music is a work entitled Kitab al-musiqi al-kabir (Major Book on Music),[1] by Al-Farabi (d. c. 950). Although the author does not describe the construction of a canon in his Instrumentarium,[2] he makes this pivotal observation:
* * ↓ * *
We will start by giving a concise . . . description of the lute, because, of all the stringed instruments, it is the most popular. It belongs to the family of instruments that are equipped with strings on which one plays different sections to produce different notes.
On the neck of this instrument, frets pass under the strings and delimit on each one of them the different sections that produce the notes. These frets play the role of bridges; one places them parallel to the lower part of the instrument known as the [bridge].[3] (Bold italics mine. Bold italics in brackets my correction of the "cordier" translation error in La Musique Arabe.)
* * ↑ * *
I interpret the statement, "These frets play the role of bridges," as a reference to canon bridges. As discussed above, canon bridges may be moved and repositioned anywhere along a string's length. By now, this observation seems redundant, but a careful reading of the Kitab al-musiqi al-kabir reveals that Al-Farabi defined many scales and modes that are not playable given the notes of his 10-fret and 12-fret 'ud tunings. For example, a tetrachord discussed in Section 11.56 requires ancient length ratio 81/70. Because this ratio does not exist on the latter 'ud, Al-Farabi accurately describes the exact location that, when provided with a moveable fret, produces the desired tone. So, we must be extremely cautious not to begin this discussion on Al-Farabi by assuming that his fret descriptions represent inflexible tuning systems. Unlike a modern guitar that has rigid metal frets embedded in the fingerboard, an authentic lute built in either the Middle East[4] or in Europe[5] has moveable frets that consist of gut strings tied around the instrument's neck. Consequently, a lute player tunes and retunes a lute by moving its frets in the same manner as a canon player tunes and retunes a canon by moving its bridges.
Al-Farabi describes the 10-fret 'ud tuning in the following manner:
* * ↓ * *
The most commonly used frets are four in number; they are placed on the neck [of the lute] so that the fingers may reach them as easily as possible . . . The first [fret] is that of the index finger, the second, of the middle finger, the third, of the ring finger, and the fourth, of the little finger. The sections we generally use on each string of the lute are, of course, equal in number to the commonly used frets. The first note generated by each string is rendered by the whole string; it is known as the open string. The second [note] is called that of the index finger; the fret that delimits the string section which generates it is placed at 1/9 of the distance between the meeting point of the strings [the nut] and the bridge.
[ Fret 5: → 9/8 = 204 ˘ ]
The third note is that of the middle finger; we will not discuss here the fret that delimits the string section which produces it. We will return to it when we deal with that note. The fourth is that of the ring finger; the fret that delimits the section which produces it is placed at 1/9 of the distance between the index finger fret and the bridge.
[ Fret 9: → 81/64 = 408 ˘ ]
The fifth note is that of the little finger; its fret is placed at 1/4 of the distance between the meeting point of the strings and their other ends attached to the bridge.
[ Fret 10: → 4/3 = 498 ˘ ]
We see that the notes produced by one of the strings of the lute played open, then with the little finger fret, are at an interval of a fourth; those generated by the open string and the index finger fret are at an interval of a tone; and those rendered by the open string and the ring finger fret, at a ditone. The notes produced by a string stopped at the ring finger fret, then at the little finger [fret], are thus separated by the interval called a remainder [limma].
[ Interval ratio: 4/3 ÷ 81/64 = 256/243 = 90 ˘ ]
The most commonly used frets of the lute therefore delimit the intervals of the strong diatonic genus.
The strings of the lute are stretched, according to common practice, so that the second [Mathlath] produces, when it is played open, a note identical to that given by the first [Bamm] stopped at the little finger fret; the third open string [Mathna] must produce a note identical to that of the little finger fret of the second [Mathlath]; and the open fourth [Zir] gives a note like that of the little finger fret of the third [Mathna].
Each open string therefore produces a note that is at an interval of a fourth from . . . the string placed below it. . . .
Let us call the meeting point of the strings A. . . .
Let us also label the points of contact of the strings with the frets: the points of contact of the index finger fret will be respectively Z, Ĥ, Ţ, Y; those of the ring finger fret: K, L, M, N; and those of the little finger fret: S, 'A, F, Ď. . . .
We sometimes place the middle finger fret above that of the little finger, towards the nut, at a distance corresponding to 1/8 of that which separates the latter fret [the little finger] from the bridge.
[ Fret 6: → 32/27 = 294 ˘ ]
The note of the middle finger fret and that of the little finger fret are then in the ratio of 1 + 1/8 [9:8].
[ Interval ratio: 4/3 ÷ 32/27 = 9/8 = 204 ˘ ]
We use this middle finger when the intervals of the strong diatonic genus are arranged [descending] from the upper [note] . . . [as in descending from 4/3, or 4/3 ÷ 9/8 = 32/27]; in that case, the note delimiting the second interval of the diatonic genus inverted [as in descending from 32/27, or 32/27 ÷ 9/8 = 256/243] falls between the open string [1/1] and that of the index finger fret [9/8]; we sometimes use this note [256/243], but more often it is omitted.
Other musicians place the middle finger fret halfway between that of the index finger and that of the [ring finger]; it is then called the Persian middle finger.
[ Fret 7: → 81/68, = 303 ˘ ]
Finally, others place it halfway between the Persian middle finger we have just discussed and the ring finger fret; it is then the fret of the middle finger of Zalzal.
[ Fret 8: → 27/22 = 355 ˘ ]
The middle finger fret that results from the inversion of the intervals of the strong diatonic genus is not considered by musicians to be a middle finger fret; when they use it, they call it the neighbor of the middle finger, but they recognize as a true middle finger only the fret of the Persian middle finger, or that of the middle finger of Zalzal.
We again represent the four strings of the lute, but this time we show the fret of the [Persian] middle finger; the points of contact of this fret with the strings will be respectively: Q, R, Š, T.
In the playing of the lute, we also use frets placed between that of the index finger and the nut; they are called the neighbors { sing. mujannab, pl. mujannabat } [or, anterior frets] of the index finger. [Al-Farabi does not give instructions for calculating the location of the first anterior, which I call Fret 1, and which is the first fret in Al-Farabi's table below; in the context of ratios, he only mentions the following interval ratio between Fret 1 and Fret 10.] One of these is at an interval of a ditone [or, 9/8 × 9/8 = 81/64] from the little finger;
[ Fret 1: 4/3 ÷ 81/64 = 256/243 = 90 ˘ ]
another is placed halfway between the nut and the index finger fret;
[ Fret 2: → 18/17 = 99 ˘ ]
another [is] halfway between the nut and the fret of the Persian middle finger,
[ Fret 3: → 162/149 = 145 ˘ ]
or [halfway between the nut and the fret] of the middle finger of Zalzal.
[ Fret 4: → 54/49 = 168 ˘ ]
If we count the notes provided by all the frets we have just discussed, plus those given by the strings in their open length, we find that each string produces [eleven] notes. In the table below, we give the numeric value of each of these notes, using the smallest integers that allow us to express their ratios exactly.
We will again represent the four strings of the lute, and mark on them the two frets of the middle finger, the neighbor of the middle finger, and the neighbor of the index finger resulting from the inversion of the diatonic genus. The points of contact of the fret of the middle finger of Zalzal with the four strings are labeled: Th, ħ, Dh, Ş; those of the neighbor of the index finger: B, J, D, H; and those of the neighbor of the middle finger: Ďh, Ġ, W, LA.[6] (Text, numbers, and ratios in brackets mine. Bold italics in brackets my corrections of unedited errors in La Musique Arabe. Mujannab in braces in Farmer's The Music of Islam.)
* * ↑ * *
Figure 11.47 illustrates these ten divisions in the order described by Al-Farabi, Table 11.23 gives detailed ratio calculations, and Figure 11.48 is a fret diagram of the tuning. In the quote below, Al-Farabi explains that these frets do not belong to an actual instrument, but rather, that they represent the maximum number of tones utilized by practicing musicians. Furthermore, Al-Farabi probably neglected to include the note names of Frets 2, 3, and 4 because "certain musicians" did not use them:
* * ↓ * *
The frets we have enumerated are nearly all those that one ordinarily uses on the lute. However, one does not find them all together on the same instrument. There are some that are essential to the playing of the lute and used by all musicians. These are the index finger fret [9/8], that of the ring finger [81/64], that of the little finger [4/3], and one among those that are placed between the index finger and the ring finger frets and which everyone calls middle finger frets; for some this will be the middle finger of Zalzal [27/22], for others the Persian middle finger [81/68], for still others the fret that we have called the neighbor of the middle finger [32/27].
As for the frets called the neighbors of the index finger, certain musicians reject them and do not use any of them. Others use one of the middle finger frets and employ with it the neighbor of the middle finger, which they consider to be a unique entity and not as a middle finger fret, but they don't use any of those called neighbors of the index finger; still others use all together one of the two middle finger frets, the neighbor of the middle finger, and one of the frets known as neighbors of the index finger, namely, the one that is separated by an interval of a limma from the index finger fret.[7] (Ratios in brackets mine.)
* * ↑ * *
Al-Farabi does not include the last fret — 9/8 ÷ 256/243 = 2187/2048 = 114 ˘ — which produces the Greek apotome. However, it does appear in Al-Farabi's 12-fret tuning. (See Section 11.54.) In his commentary on the 10-fret tuning, Al-Farabi also describes a second extra fret that functions as an alternate middle finger of Zalzal.
* * ↓ * *
The fret of the middle finger of Zalzal is sometimes placed above that of the ring finger, towards the index finger, at a distance corresponding to an interval of a limma.[8]
* * ↑ * *
This unusual fret — 81/64 ÷ 256/243 = 19683/16384 = 318 ˘ — represents D#, or the ninth "fifth" in the ascending spiral of "fifths" in Chapter 10, Figure 16(a). Although this tone may be found on the traditional tunbur of Khurasan (see Figure 11.70), it does not appear in any other 'ud tuning.
Figures 11.47 and 11.48 include several historically significant ratios. As discussed in Chapter 10, Section 31, length ratio 18/17, which results from an arithmetic division of length ratio 9/8, was first defined by Claudius Ptolemy (c. a.d. 100 – c. 165) in his great work Harmonics. Al-Farabi's descriptions of "semitone" 18/17, and of just "quarter- tones": 36/35, 35/34, 34/33, and 33/32 appear in Chapter 10, Section 31, as well.
Al-Farabi is the first theorist to record two second finger frets called the Persian middle finger and the middle finger of Zalzal. The former, ratio 81/68 [303 ˘] is slightly higher than the Pythagorean "minor third," ratio 32/27 [294 ˘], of the Old Arabian School. A factorization shows that composite number 68 is a product of primes 2 × 2 × 17.[9] As a result, the denominators of the Persian middle finger fret, ratio 81/68, and of the Ptolemaic index finger fret, ratio 18/17, have prime number 17 in common. Consequently, the interval of a "whole tone" exists between these two frets: 81/68 ÷ 18/17 = 9/8.
The middle finger of Zalzal was named after the famous lutenist Mansur Zalzal (d. 791).[10] He is credited with the implementation of length ratio 27/22 [355 ˘], known in the West as the "neutral third" because it approximates the average between the Pythagorean "major third," ratio 81/64 [408 ˘], and the Pythagorean "minor third"; or (408 ˘ + 294 ˘) ÷ 2 = 351 ˘. Throughout the following discussions on Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, we will use the modern Persian koron sign: , which indicates a tone that is approximately 30–70 ˘ flat of a given standard Pythagorean pitch, and the modern Persian sori sign: , which indicates a tone that is approximately 30–70 ˘ sharp of given standard Pythagorean pitch. In his book and dissertation entitled The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music, Hormoz Farhat[11] distinguishes between such tones and the notorious tempered "quarter-tone" — 50.00 ˘ exactly — of Western music:
* * ↓ * *
In our notation, the neutral step above c is shown as d, and the neutral step above d is shown as e, after the accepted system of notation in Persia today. Even though the signs and were invented by A.N. Vaziri [1886–1981], and were to suggest a quarter-tone flat, and a quarter-tone sharp, respectively, and although we have discussed and rejected the quarter-tone system, we see no reason why these signs which are now part of the Persian alphabet of notation, cannot be used to good advantage.[12] (Dates in brackets mine.)
Koron stands for the half flattening of a pitch, or, shall we say, for the lowering of a pitch by a microtone. ...
[Sori] stands for half sharp, or [the] raising of a pitch by a microtone.[13] (Text in brackets mine.)
* * ↑ * *
Note, therefore, that in the context of Al-Farabi's 10-fret tuning, the descending chromatic sequence that includes Fret 8 appears as 81/64 [E], 27/22 [E], 32/27 [Eb]; similarly, the descending chromatic sequence that includes Fret 3 appears as 9/8 [D], 162/149 [D], 18/17 [Db].
Al-Farabi also identified the just "quarter-tone," interval ratio 33/32, in his commentary on the 10-fret tuning. He gives this description in the context of the alternate middle finger of Zalzal, ratio 19683/16384 [D#], discussed above. Al-Farabi criticizes the use of the latter fret because the interval between the ring finger, ratio 81/64, and the middle finger of Zalzal should not be a limma: 81/64 ÷ 19683/16384 = 256/243 = 90˘. Instead, the interval between the ring finger and the middle finger of Zalzal should be a just "quarter-tone," which can only be produced by the standard middle finger of Zalzal: 81/64 ÷ 27/22 = 33/32 = 53 ˘.
* * ↓ * *
But we say that this procedure [which produces ratio 19683/16384] is bad, because the fret of the middle finger of Zalzal, placed in this manner, is necessarily at an interval of a limma [256/243] with that of the ring finger, and not at a quarter-tone [33/32] as it should be according to what was said above . . .[14] (Bold italics, and text and ratios in brackets mine.)
* * ↑ * *
Section 11.54
Before we continue with Al-Farabi's 12-fret 'ud tuning — which results in a 22-tone "double-octave" scale — let us first consider his intellectual reasons and musical motivations for creating this scale:
* * ↓ * *
Let us now proceed to the instruments which give us the natural notes, and to the one of them which gives us the greatest quantity and the most perfect of notes — namely, the 'ud.
Evidently, if we assume pitches separated by definite intervals, we may equally assume within those intervals, other pitches. However, since our purpose is to select therefrom the pitches of a single jins { Arabicized from the Greek "genus"; Arabic pl. ajnas } (from which alone natural tunes are composed) we would not need to consider those, { or } all the pitches which can emerge between these intervals. The first intervals are natural; the [other] intervals in between them which might be used are considered unnatural, even though they are similar.
It may happen that some of the intervals between the notes of a jama'ah ["collection" or scale] are natural while others are unnatural. For the most part, the well known intervals used on the instruments are those which should be regarded as essentially natural. On the other hand, it is also necessary to count as somewhat natural those intervals which are sometimes or rarely regarded as natural. This results from the fact that much of that which is unnatural in itself would become natural if it were combined with something else. Let us then consider all [the intervals] that are used in the tunes reproducible by the 'ud, even if they are only used rarely.[15] (Bold italics, and text in braces mine. Text in parentheses and brackets in Al-Faruqi's dissertation.)
* * ↑ * *
Al-Farabi's perspective on the presence of "other pitches," on the possibility of "intervals between notes," and on the process by which the "unnatural becomes natural" expresses the conviction of a powerful intellect and the expanse of a limitless imagination. He then continues with this 'ud tuning description:
* * ↓ * *
Let us tune the lute in the usual manner, and assign the lowest tone to the open string Bamm. Its octave equivalent is the note produced by the index finger on the Mathna string. Evidently, this instrument is not meant for a single octave, but also [includes] those notes which are beyond the limits of the first octave collection.
If, thereafter, we seek the upper octave equivalent of the index finger on the Mathna string, we would not find it in the finger positions of the 'ud. In order to complete the second of the octaves of pitches, let us stretch a fifth string. We would then find completion of the second octave in the ring finger tone of the Hadd or fifth string.
It is evident that the notes in the second octave ought to be notes [equivalent to] the first octave and vice versa. Whenever the notes of a melody are found in one of the octaves produced by certain instruments, and not in the other octave, we would conclude that the latter octave has some notes missing and that one octave had been made shorter than the other. The two octaves should be made equal in the number of notes [they contain] so that every note from one octave matches one from the other octave . . .
If we compare the notes of the first octave and those of the second, we find that the tone produced by the index finger on the Mathna { 2/1 } has the same pitch as that of the open string Bamm { 1/1 }. And if we move from the open string Bamm to its index finger position { 9/8 }, we find an equivalent [for the latter] produced in the second octave by the ring finger on the Mathna. We may then conclude that the interval between the tones produced by the open string Bamm and its index finger fret is equal to that between the index finger fret on the Mathna and its ring finger fret.
Of the three middle finger positions used, let it suffice for us to consider one of them, the wusta al Zalzal. If we descend to the Zalzal middle finger position on the Bamm { 27/22 }, we would find no note equivalent to it in the second octave. The same is true of the ring finger position on the Bamm { 81/64 }. If we were to establish equivalencies for them in the second octave, the pitch of the ring finger on the Bamm would be found above the index finger position, close to the 'anf on the Zir string. The note equivalent to that produced by the middle finger on the Bamm is above that found near the 'anf of the 'ud on the Zir string.
The note equivalent to that of the little finger on the Bamm { 4/3 } and the open string Mathlath { 4/3 } is the index finger note on the Zir. That comparable to the index finger note on the Mathlath { 3/2 } is found by the ring finger on the Zir. Finally, for the middle and ring finger notes on the Mathlath { 18/11 and 27/16 }, we do not find any positions in the second octave. If we sought to reproduce them, we would find an equivalent to the note produced by the ring finger on the Mathlath { 27/16 } above the index finger on the fifth string. The { equivalent of the note } of the . . . middle finger { position } on the Mathlath { 18/11 } { is } still farther up on the fifth string. The note of the open string Mathna { 16/9 } is equivalent to the index finger note on the fifth string. The note produced by the index finger on the Mathna { 2/1 } is equivalent to that produced by the ring finger on the fifth { 4/1 }. The second octave therefore includes all the notes of the first octave.[16] (Bold italics, and text and ratios in braces mine. Text in parentheses and brackets in Al-Faruqi's dissertation.)
* * ↑ * *
Although Al-Farabi begins by stating, "Let us tune the lute in the usual manner . . ." not until this last sentence are we able to deduce his original set of frets that produce the lower "octave." In Figure 11.49, circles indicate that his original tuning consists of a 9-tone scale: 1/1 [C], 9/8 [D], 27/22 [E], 81/64 [E], 4/3 [F], 3/2 [G], 18/11 [A], 27/16 [A], 16/9 [Bb], 2/1 [C'].[17] The latter nine tones are located on the following four frets: 9/8, 3/2, and 2/1 on Fret 6; 27/22 and 18/11 on Fret 9; 81/64 and 27/16 on Fret 11; and 4/3 and 16/9 on Fret 12. Consequently, to realize upper "octave" equivalents for 27/22 and 81/64 on the Bamm, and for 18/11 and 27/16 on the Mathlath, Al-Farabi installs Frets 1 and 4 across the Zir and Hadd. All the tones marked with circles in the lower "octave" now have equivalents marked with circles in the upper "octave."
With respect to the tones contained in the upper "octave" but missing in the lower "octave," in Figure 11.49 diamonds indicate five such scale degrees. Al-Farabi continues his description by observing that ratios 12/11, 16/11, and 64/33 on Fret 9 have no equivalents, and ratios 32/27 and 128/81 on Fret 12 also have no equivalents. To remedy these deficiencies he installs Fret 5 to match the three former tones of Fret 9, and Fret 7 to match the two latter tones of Fret 12. He then decides that ratios 256/243, 1024/729, and 4096/2187 on Fret 7 should also have equivalents, and therefore installs Fret 2. Next, he decides that ratios 8192/6561 and 32768/19683 on Fret 2 of the Zir and Hadd, respectively, should have equivalents, and so he installs Fret 10. Then, Al-Farabi states that if one includes the Persian middle finger fret, which produces ratios 18/17, 24/17, and 32/17 on the Mathna, Zir, and Hadd, respectively, one must also install Fret 3 to realize equivalents for these three degrees in the lower "octave."[18] Al-Farabi concludes
* * ↓ * *
After these, no note of the 'ud remains which needs to be reproduced. In each octave, there are twenty-two notes; and these are all the notes used by the 'ud. Some of them are more frequently used than others.[19]
* * ↑ * *
An examination of Al-Farabi's 22-tone "double-octave" scale reveals that it contains all the degrees of Al-Kindi's 12-tone "double-octave" scale. Al-Farabi's comments regarding the tuning of two identical "octaves" is a lesson he undoubtedly learned from Al-Kindi. Throughout his writing, Al-Farabi demonstrates a capacity to assimilate the knowledge of masters who lived before him. As discussed below, he fully incorporated the works of Aristoxenus and Ptolemy into his theory of tetrachords. Moreover, he always interlaced such discussions with his own ideas and interpretations. Like Marin Mersenne in the West, Al-Farabi consistently contemplated the possibility of expanding his experiences through instruments and tunings designed to transcend ordinary musical standards.[20] This explains why we will encounter minor contradictions in his description of customary practices. (See Section 11.55 and Figure 11.53.)
Section 11.55
Reminiscent of Al-Munajjim's statements that describe permissible tone combinations of eight ancient modes, Al-Farabi continues the discussion by defining compatible and incompatible notes, and ends his analysis with three standard modes.
* * ↓ * *
Groupings of compatible notes and scales
Among these frequently used notes, those of the ring finger and the middle finger on the same string cannot be used together in the same melody as basic notes. The same applies to their upper and lower octave equivalents. On the other hand, the notes produced by the strings played open and those produced by the little finger fret on each { string }, as well as their octaves, are combined with all the notes in the composition of modes. The index finger note on a string will agree with that of the middle finger or the ring finger; likewise, the octave equivalents of these notes. The ring finger and the middle finger notes of the same string are therefore not compatible.
In the same cycle (scale), the notes of the strings played open { C, F, Bb }, those of the little finger { F, Bb } and the index finger { D, G }, will agree either with those of the middle finger { E, A } or with those of the ring finger { E, A }; they { the notes C, D, F or F, G, Bb } are (compatible) in the same genus with the notes of one or the other of those two frets. When one (scale) contains the ring finger notes and the degrees that are of the same genus { C, D, E, F or F, G, A, Bb }, to associate other notes to it would not always be to add to its perfection; the same is true when the mode is formed of the middle finger notes and the degrees that are of the same genus { C, D, E, F or F, G, A, Bb }.
Taking into account only the notes produced by the ring finger fret { E, A } and their compatible degrees { C, D, F, G, Bb }, or only the middle finger notes { E, A } and their compatible degrees { C, D, F, G, Bb }, the two cycles (the two octave scales) altogether will include fourteen notes, i.e., seven degrees for each { scale }.
The Persian middle finger notes { Eb, Ab } are not compatible either with the ring finger notes { E, A } or with those of the middle finger of Zalzal { E, A }, but they are of the same genus as those of the index finger, the little finger, and the strings played open. Taking into account only the Persian middle finger notes { Eb, Ab } and their compatible degrees { C, D, F, G, Bb }, each cycle (each octave scale) will include seven degrees of the same genus.
These are the various kinds of compatible notes used by the aforementioned peoples to compose their melodies. As a result, there are three categories of compatible notes that we can organize in each of the two cycles of the scale [of the double octave].
The first kind of notes of the same genus will include the following notes: that which is produced by the first open string of the lute, the index finger note of this same string, that of its ring finger, and that of its little finger, which is identical to that of the second open string; then the index finger of the second string, its ring finger and its little finger { C, D, E, F, G, A, Bb }.
The second will include the following degrees: the note of the first open string, that of its index finger, its middle finger of Zalzal, and its little finger; then the index finger of the second string, its middle finger of Zalzal, and its little finger { C, D, E, F, G, A, Bb }.
Finally, the third kind of compatible notes will include: the note of the first string played open, that of the index finger of this same string, that of its Persian middle finger, that of its little finger; then those of the index finger of the second string, its Persian middle finger, and its little finger { C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb }.
These are the three categories of natural and compatible notes used in the composition of melodies. We could admit others, but they would give birth to a weakly consonant and non-harmonious music.[21] (Bold italics, and text in braces mine. Text in parentheses and brackets in La Musique Arabe.)
* * ↑ * *
Figure 11.50 shows that all three modes consist of seven tones, or two identical conjunct tetrachords that span the intervals from 1/1 to 4/3, and from 4/3 to 16/9. In response to Al-Farabi's repeated use of "equivalents," this figure also includes the "octave" of each mode. Finally, I named these genera the 'Diatonic Mode', the 'Mode of Zalzal', and the 'Persian Mode' to emphasize the musical quality that gives each mode a unique identity. In the context of scales, the 'Diatonic Mode' is distinguished by a "major third" and "major sixth," the 'Mode of Zalzal' by a "neutral third" and "neutral sixth," and the 'Persian Mode', by a "minor third" and "minor sixth." The latter two tones, 81/68 [303 ˘] and 27/17 [801 ˘], are aurally indistinguishable from the "minor third" [300 ˘] and the "minor sixth" [800 ˘] of 12-tone equal temperament.
Given a tuning where the tonic sounds C, Al-Munajjim and Al-Farabi both agree that the note of the ring finger — 81/64 [E] — and the notes of the middle finger — either 81/68 [Eb] or 27/22 [E] — are incompatible in the same melody. We are here again reminded of the profound consequences of these ". . . three categories of compatible notes . . ." The 'Diatonic Mode' and the 'Persian Mode' are essentially identical with the major tonality and the minor tonality, respectively, of Western music. In contrast, for most occidental musicians the 'Mode of Zalzal' remains unknown.
Al-Farabi concludes this discussion on the three standard modes with the following observations:
* * ↓ * *
We therefore say that a cycle will always include seven degrees of the same genus. This is derived from the statements of certain skillful musicians { like Al-Kindi }, who have long practiced this art and who have investigated the natural notes, contrary to what may be taught by certain masters incapable of furnishing tangible evidence for what they assert in their books, not having educated their ear by listening to music. What the latter say may be partly true; but the notes they include between the two ends of the scale are not all compatible. Their statements enable us, however, to prove that these degrees can be but seven in number, neither more nor less, { although the number of degrees } of the { octave } in general is infinite.
The majority of theorists known to us do not seek to establish the compatible notes within octaves. Some are solely concerned with the notes capable of having an octave equivalent; others want to establish the number of all the musical notes, whether or not they have an octave equivalent. These theorists therefore cannot agree upon the number of musical degrees. Among those who wanted to establish in books the number of all the notes reproducible at the octave, we have to count the Greek mathematicians of antiquity and the Arab empire theorists of our time. Among the latter, some followed the way of the Greek mathematicians, others disregarded it; as skillful practitioners, trained in music, they trusted only their ears. Their vast experience dictated to them what to assert in their writings. Their musical instinct, driving them to the realization of the aforementioned three musical forms, led them to assign a number to the degrees of the scale. They are thus closer to the truth than those theorists of our time who wanted to follow the way of the ancient Greek mathematicians. They followed them, but they did not possess their knowledge or the experience and esthetic sense of more recent practitioners. Confident in the science of the ancients, they merely repeated their words; but one sees that they are incapable of explaining or proving what they assert. In a work where we report the opinions of all authors who have dealt with music, we mention those writers of whom we have just spoken, by pointing out the questions they could solve and those they were unable to solve.
It is evident that, for instruments with open strings, the number of notes in octaves will still be that which we have established. If a string of one of these instruments is tuned to the ring finger [of one of the strings] of the lute, one cannot tune another to the middle finger [of this same string], and if one tunes to the middle fingers, one cannot tune at the same time to the ring fingers. The scale of sounds produced by instruments with open strings will thus contain no more than seven degrees.[22] (Text in braces mine. Bold italics in braces my correction of the "dynamis" translation error in La Musique Arabe. Text in brackets in La Musique Arabe.)
* * ↑ * *
[1] Farmer, H.G. (1965). The Sources of Arabian Music, p. 28. E.J. Brill, Leiden, Netherlands.
This work consists of an annotated bibliography of 353 Arabian texts on music from the eighth through the 16th century. Throughout my text, book titles in parentheses refer to Farmer's English translations of Arabian titles.
[2]Ibid., p. xx.
Farmer observes, "The first description of instruments of music in any language was contributed by Al-Farabi, and that was six hundred years before any other land had considered the subject sufficiently interesting for serious study."
[3](a) D'Erlanger, R., Bakkouch, 'A.'A., and Al-Sanusi, M., Translators (Vol. 1, 1930; Vol. 2, 1935; Vol. 3, 1938; Vol. 4, 1939; Vol. 5, 1949; Vol. 6, 1959). La Musique Arabe. Volume 1, p. 166. Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner, Paris, France.
(b) Farmer, H.G. (1978). Studies in Oriental Musical Instruments, First and Second Series. Second Series, p. 65. Longwood Press Ltd., Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
The Arabic term for a bridge–string holder is musht. This simple part consists of a long, narrow, and flat piece of wood that has numerous notches and holes through which one threads and fastens the strings. As such, a musht functions exactly like the bridge–string holder of a modern acoustic guitar. It is glued directly to the top plate near the round end of the 'ud, and therefore transmits mechanical energy from the vibrating strings to the soundboard. On an 'ud, the measured length of an open string is defined by the distance between the nut — or 'anf (lit. nose) — and the bridge — or musht (lit. comb).
Before we continue with this discussion on scales and modes, we must first address several problems with respect to modern French and English translations of ancient Arabic texts. The treatises of the six theorists mentioned at the beginning of Section 11.45 comprise the first four volumes of a six-volume work entitled La Musique Arabe, published posthumously by Baron Rodolphe D'Erlanger (1872–1932). Regrettably, with regard to mechanical instrument components, the translations of critical words in these volumes are often incorrect. For example, the translators consistently translate the Arabic word musht with the French word "cordier." The modern term "cordier" refers to the "tailpiece" found on all instruments of the violin family. On a violin, a cordier consists of a tapered piece of curved wood to which one fastens the strings at the ends opposite to the tuning pegs. The cordier is situated between the bridge and the lower end of the violin, and the tension of the strings suspends the cordier above the violin's top plate, or soundboard. Consequently, the cordier does not contact the top plate, which means that it does not transmit mechanical energy from the vibrating strings to the soundboard. Furthermore, with the exception of a few plucked instruments like mandolins and banjos, the vast majority of instruments that have Western-style tailpieces are bowed instruments. Finally, note that on an instrument equipped with a cordier, all strings have two different lengths: a measured length between nut and bridge, which defines the critical vibrating length of the open strings, and an extended length between nut and tailpiece, which is completely irrelevant to the tuning and playing of the instrument.
[4]Studies in Oriental Musical Instruments, Second Series, pp. 64–65.
[5]Crookes, D.Z., Translator (1986). Syntagma musicum II: De organographia, Parts I and II, by Michael Praetorius, p. 69. The Clarendon Press, Oxford, England. The first edition of this work was published in 1618.
[6](a) Forster Translation: in La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, pp. 166–174.
(b) Farmer, H.G. (1957). "The Music of Islam." In New Oxford History of Music, Volume 1: Ancient and Oriental Music, E. Wellesz, Editor, p. 460. Oxford University Press, London, England, 1960.
[7]Forster Translation: in La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, p. 179.
[8]Forster Translation: in La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, p. 174.
[9]See Chapter 10, Section 1.
[10]Studies in Oriental Musical Instruments, Second Series, p. 49.
[11](a) Farhat, H. (1965). The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music. Ph.D. dissertation printed and distributed by University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan.
(b) Farhat, H. (1990). The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.
[12]The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music (1965), p. 26.
[13]Ibid., p. 44.
[14]Forster Translation: in La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, p. 174.
[15](a) Al-Faruqi, L.I. (1974). The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture: A Theoretical and Empirical Study of Arabian Music, pp. 406–407. Ph.D. dissertation printed and distributed by University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In Appendix III, pp. 404–455 consist of translated excerpts from Al-Farabi's Kitab al-musiqi al-kabir.
(b) La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, pp. 44–45.
[16](a) The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture, pp. 407–411.
(b) La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, pp. 45–48.
[17]Note that Al-Farabi's original 9-tone scale is similar to the 10-tone scale of the Old Arabian School in Figure 11.42(b).
[18](a) The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture, pp. 411–412.
(b) La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, pp. 48–49.
[19](a) The Nature of the Musical Art of Islamic Culture, p. 412.
(b) La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, p. 49.
[20]Comparisons to Marin Mersenne (1588–1648) are truly striking. For example, Chapter 10, Table 29, shows Mersenne's expansion of the trumpet marine tuning, which in principle resembles Al-Farabi's expansion of the 'ud tuning. Also, in the last quotation of Chapter 10, Section 54, Mersenne acknowledges the importance of embracing new musical intervals, which resembles Al-Farabi's desire, " . . . to count as somewhat natural those intervals which are sometimes or rarely regarded as natural."
More than thirty years ago, I coined the term ambisonance. From the Greek amphi as in amphibian, and the Latin ambi as in ambidextrous, these two prefixes literally mean on both sides. For me, figuratively, they mean partaking of two worlds. Ambisonance describes hearing a musical interval for the first time with the sudden realization that such an interval produces neither a consonance nor a dissonance. Experiences of ambisonance inspire new ways to hear, and then new ways to tune and to compose.
[21]Forster Translation: La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, pp. 49–51.
[22]Forster Translation: La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, pp. 51–52.
In La Musique Arabe, Volume 1, p. 313, D'Erlanger explains why he translated the Arabic word quwwah, — literally "power," "force," or "strength," — with the Greek word dynamis, also "power," "force," or "strength." Furthermore, D'Erlanger arbitrarily interjects the French word puissance — also "power" or "force" — in places where the original Arabic is not given.
In An Annotated Glossary of Arabic Musical Terms, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, 1981, p. 269, L.I. Al-Faruqi gives the following three definitions for quwwah:
"1. The relationship or identity that occurs between two tones one octave apart, i.e., either the upper octave equivalent or the lower octave equivalent of a tone. 2. The term also referred to any tone produced on the 'ud which had one or more octave equivalent tones within the range of that instrument. Other tones, which had no octave equivalents within the range of the 'ud were termed mufradah. 3. Tension of a string, therefore pitch."
Note, therefore, that in a musical context, the hierarchical meaning of the word quwwah is octave, then octave equivalent, and finally pitch. Although quwwah may connote the "power," "force," or "strength" of an octave, of an octave equivalent, or of a pitch, in the context of tuning descriptions, quwwah specifically refers to ancient length ratio or frequency ratio 2/1, which is the octave of 1/1; similarly, it may refer to ancient length ratio or frequency ratio 9/4, which is the octave equivalent of 9/8; etc. (See Chapter 9, Section 4.)
D'Erlanger gives the following three reasons for using the Greek word dynamis: (1) Dynamis means quwwah because an octave or an octave equivalent acts to give "power," "force," or "strength," to a given lower tone. (2) D'Erlanger states that since the Greeks used dynamis to describe the function of a tone, dynamis also means the "place" or "position" which a given tone occupies in a tetrachord or scale. (3) D'Erlanger claims that because one may express a progression of octaves and octave equivalents through a so-called power series of ratios, as in
there exists a mathematical justification to translate quwwah as dynamis. Finally, consistent with the first and third reasons, D'Erlanger also interjects the French word puissance where the topic under consideration centers on such a "power" series.
I categorically reject D'Erlanger's use of dynamis and puissance as explained by the first and third reasons. In a musical context, and in the context of tuning descriptions, the Greek word dynamis and the French word puissance do not mean octave or octave equivalent. Since the Arabic word quwwah does mean octave or octave equivalent, I have consistently translated dynamis and puissance as either octave or octave equivalent. For example, in Section 11.59, Ibn Sina's highly accurate tuning description of two extra tones on the fourth string of the 'ud does not refer to puissance, but to two octave equivalents, namely, ancient length ratios or frequency ratios 32/9 and 4/1. Readers who, through no fault of their own, fail to understand this sentence as a reference to two highly specific scale degrees will also fail to comprehend the meaning of Ibn Sina's description. Finally, D'Erlanger's utilization of dynamis to mean the function or position of a given tone in a tetrachord or scale is correct. However, to minimize confusion and to avoid costly mistakes, a translator should never translate a given foreign language (Arabic) into another foreign language (Greek) that the reader of the translation (French) may not understand.


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Footrest Desk Hammock
- Adjustable to accommodate different desk sizes
- 25.8 x 6.1 inches
Bestazy Verdict
Sitting a desk all day can be tiring. You never know where to put your feet. Do you stretch them out? But what happens if you touch Nigel's feet under the table? He'll think you're hitting on him! And nobody wants to hit on Nigel. He's awful. He thinks that saying "wasssup" is still hilarious, and granted, it's kiiiiinda funny in a retro nostalgic way, but he enjoys it way too much.
The answer is to get yourself a foot hammock. It's like your feet are having a tropical holiday while you're busy stuck at work. Lucky feet. But because your feet are connected to the rest of your body the goodness will flow up to your hands, face and brain and make you feel relaxed and prepared to take on the world, right from the comfort of your own desk.
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Sleeping on the floor while hiking is a drag, and bringing a hammock can be so tiresome – but not anymore! This great 25L backpack has space for all your gear, and it also has a built-in hammock which is easy to install and use. You won't ever have to worry where you're gonna sleep!
What says class better than a feces pun proudly displayed in your guest bathroom? This lavatory mist features jasmine and red tea, but the real star is the image of Pootin sitting on his horse, with a caption above him saying "I cover your filthy secrets. I bring odor to its knees".
You're really not supposed to drink more than a glass of wine, but you feel like you could gulp down the entire bottle? This wine glass was made to help with that exact problem! Big enough to hold a whole bottle, this glass has I Only Have Time for ONE Glass of Wine written on it in huge, block letters.
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If regular journal keeping just isn't something you can see yourself doing, Keri Smith has the right task for you. In Wreck This Journal, she invites you to poke holes through pages, deface scrapbook photos, and the like. If you're wondering what exactly you'd end up with, you know what to do.
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Learn how to take truly stunning photos without having to memorize any technical terms. This book contains only information that's useful to you when you're ready to snap that perfect shot. Not to mention that it's packed with gorgeous examples of professional photography.


text:
"She stole a life. Now she must pay with her heart."
By the Cauldron, where to begin?
I should start by saying that I've had friends telling me to read this book for quite some time, but unfortunately, the never ending University reading list got in the way. But now I've ended my second year and in the midst of planning my dissertation, an opportunity arose. A Court of Thorns and Roses became the perfect source of my primary reading!
The story is a combined re-imaging of Beauty and the Beast and the lesser known Celtic folktale, The Ballad of Tam Lin.
Feyre is a 19 year-old huntress caught in the web of poverty. With the responsibility of taking care of her family, she must hunt down food for the table, or allow herself and her father and sisters to starve. From the beginning her character is strong willed and believable; not a natural born hero, but a decent and noble woman willing to push herself to the limits in the name of her family.
'The forest had become a labyrinth of snow and ice. I'd been monitoring the parameters of the thicket for over an hour, and my vantage point in the crook of a tree branch had turned useless. The gusting wind blew thick flurries to sweep away my tracks, but buried along with them any signs of potential quarry.'
Accidental or not, there are echos of Katniss Everdeen in Feyre's character, but she is by no means a copy. Her motivations and story are different; her promise to her mother to keep her family safe keeps her in Prythian, dreaming for a better life, a life of riches.
She thinks nothing of shooting a wolf to capture its prey. Nor does is faze her to skin it, after all, it's pelt would bring in a lot more money to her family. Poverty is not for the squeamish.
The forest is a dangerous place and it takes a tough heart to survive it. But, like all mortals, Feyre fears what lingers beyond the borders of the forest, something worse than a wolf…
However, the wolf is not any ordinary wolf, and Feyre's actions come with a high price to pay.
Maas' world building is superb; the land of Prythian felt dangerous and believable. The opening of the book in which we are invited into Feyre's mortal world is dark, the metonymy of gloom. What lingers past the borders of the forest is surprising. Considering how feared it is, I was expecting dungeons and, quite frankly, the epitome of Hell. What I got was something far more beautiful. The Faerie realms.
'The next afternoon I lay on my back in the grass, savouring the warmth of the sunshine filtering through the canopy of leaves, noting how I might incorporate it into my next painting […] there were no enchantments here – no pools of starlight, no rainbow waterfalls. It was just a grassy glen watched over by a weeping willow, with a clear brook running through it. We lounged in comfortable silence, and I glanced at Tamlin, who dozed beside me. His golden hair and mask glistened against the emerald carpet. The delicate arch of his pointed ears made me pause.'
After the initial refusal from Feyre to accept her imprisonment (an attribute of her stubbornness and sense of hatred towards the immortals who savaged the mortal realms), she seems to fit into the Spring Court, as though she is destined to be there.
It is obvious from their first interaction at the Spring Court that Tamlin will become Feyre's love interest. She wants to hate him, wants to resist him, but despite herself, her beliefs, she can't. She's drawn to him and the pair have a tender yet humorous dynamic. Both strong willed and stubborn, but its one of the factors that invest the reader in their relationship.
With that being said, can a mortal and immortal really succeed?
Plus, there a secrets being kept from Feyre, half truths, segments of unfinished stories, and an ever-looming threat which is being kept from her. Taking a Faerie life should have resulted in Feyre giving her own, but instead, Tamlin offered her freedom; the rest of her life to be lived at his court. But what was his motivation? Tamlin claims to never want to be like his father who kept mortals as slaves, but is this the full story?
And there's another thing. Despite the stories, Faeries can lie…
I thought each character was complex, each with their own backstory and traits which made them unique and likeable. Signs of their personality are revealed slowly, and they become drawn to each other (despite being enemies) just as the reader becomes drawn to them. Just like the Faerie realms, the main characters are vibrant and mysterious. They drive the story and make you eager for more!
Feyre is hard, driven, yet in a constant battle with her true emotions.
Tamlin is strong, powerful, a force to be reckoned with, yet there is a softer side to his position as High Fae.
Lucien is full of snark. A right bastard really, and yet, he becomes the perfect friend and ally. Without him, the Spring Court would be a far less humorous place.
With that being said, Feyre's family are far less under-developed, particularly her father. He's a wimp and I couldn't take to him. He was reduced to the background, not really playing a part in any of the narrative. However, considering the way Maas has built the rest of the characters, it leads me to wonder whether this is a deliberate attempt to conceal his true nature and position within the story?
Now, putting my enjoyment of the story aside, I should focus a little on my research. I liked how there wasn't just one species of Faerie, but multiple subordinates such as the Suriel, Attor, Bogge, Puca and Naga. The inclusion of these specialised names shows an attention to the origin of the tales used in the novel. Therefore, despite moving very far away from the true Ballad of Tam Lin, the book was able to retain the beauty and authenticity of the original tale through the use of language.
This along with the Celtic (Wiccan) elements such as Summer Solstice and Calanmai made my enjoyment of the novel and research so much better!
I was late to the party, but I'm so glad I arrived! Can't wait to see what the next book has in store!
Laura Marie
Copyright: Laura Davis © 2018, all rights reserved.


text:
home | tasmania by road and track | flinders island | sydney | sailing the channel
Panshanger original driveway
Tasmania by Road and Track - by E T
Emmett was originally published by Melbourne University Press.
The images on this site belong to Kelvin Markham and may only be reproduced with permission.
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text:
The following contains shocking information from the Institute for Bio-Acoustics Research (IBAR):
"In October 1984, a nineteen-year-old teenager named John M. shot himself in the head, while listening to Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution". When the coroner entered the room, he found the headphones still on John's head. This would be one of the tragedies that caused Ozzy immeasurable grief.
In 1986, Ozzy had just gotten off a plane at LAX airport when people began asking him about the "lawsuits". Ozzy knew nothing about any lawsuit but the details quickly emerged. Three lawsuits had been launched against Ozzy, claiming that his lyrics had caused youths to commit suicide. The family of John hired attorney Thomas Anderson in a lawsuit against Ozzy. Mr. Anderson claimed on the "Don't Blame Me" Ozzy video, that the song contained tones known as 'hemisync' and would cause a person to be unable to resist what was being said in the song.
The Institute for Bio-Acoustics Research, Inc. (IBAR) was hired to evaluate the song. They claim to have found subliminal lyrics that weren't included in the lyrics sheet. These subliminal lyrics were sung at one and one-half times the normal rate of speech and are not recognized by a first time listener. The IBAR institute claimed the subliminal lyrics, "are audible enough that their meaning and true intent becomes clear after being listened to over and over again." The subliminal lyrics in question were "Why try, why try? Get the gun and try it! Shoot, Shoot, Shoot", followed by a hideous laughter.
Further analysis by IBAR revealed the hemisync tones, which result from a patented process that uses sound waves to influence an individual's mental state. The tones have been found to increase the rate at which the human brain assimilates and processes information. IBAR claimed these tones made John vulnerable to the suggestive lyrics which Ozzy sang.
Ozzy's lawyer claimed that this was nonsense and relied upon the First Amendment of the Constitution to argue that Ozzy could write about anything he wanted. Three people had now taken their lives, and in each case it was Ozzy's 'Suicide Solution' song which was the focus as the cause of the deaths. Mr. Anderson claimed that the words, "shoot shoot, get the gun, get the gun" were audible in the song. There is an effect which can be heard on the song, that could be interpreted as that if one tried hard enough. The sounds were just Ozzy messing around with the soundboard."


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When an immigrant is arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), perhaps after cross the border into the U.S. without any documents, or after being encountered within the U.S., ICE will normally place the person into a detention facility. There, the person will meet with an immigration judge, who will set a bond amount so the can be let go pending the outcome of immigration court proceedings.
It can take months or years before those court proceedings are over. Assuming the person does, indeed, show up for all of them, and comply with the judge's orders (including any deportation order), whoever paid the bond money is allowed to get it back. But how do you go about doing so?
Bond is money paid to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which allows a detained alien to be released from detention but gives the court leverage to make sure that the person shows up for immigration court proceedings.
The amount of the bond is determined by the immigration judge at a bond hearing. (For more about bond hearings, see What Happens at a Bond Hearing in Immigration Court.) If the foreign-born person (referred to as an "alien" in U.S. immigration law) fails to appear at court hearings, or does not comply with orders of the court, the bond is revoked, meaning that the federal government keeps the bond money.
By contrast, if the alien appears for all court hearings and follows all the orders of the court, the person who posted the bond (the obligor) gets his or her money back. Be aware that the obligor must either be an American citizen or an immigrant with legal immigration status.
After your family member or friend met all the conditions of the bond (attending all hearings and complying with any deportation order) ICE should send a notice of immigration bond cancellation (Form I-391) to both the obligor (we're assuming that's you) and to the Department of Homeland Security's Debt Management Center.
If, however, you moved between the time you paid the bond and the time of your relative's deportation, it's probable that the notice was sent to your old address.
Assuming you eventually receive Form I-391, you must send that form, along with your original immigration bond receipt (Form I-305) to the Debt Management Center, Attention: Bond Unit, located at P.O. Box 5000, Williston, Vermont, 05495-5000. Also send along a copy of the bond contract (Form I-352) if you still have it.
If you can't find or otherwise misplaced your original Form I-305, don't panic. Go to the forms section of the ICE website and select Form I-395, Affidavit in Lieu of Lost Receipt of United States ICE for Collateral Accepted as Security.
Print the form and bring it to a notary public, where you will sign it. Once Form I-395 has been signed and notarized, send it, along with Form I-391 (the notice) and a copy of Form I-352 (the bond contract) to the Debt Management Center.
Again, send the following items to the Debt Management Center:
If you lost your original I-305, get Form I-395 notarized and send it instead of the I-305.
When the Debt Management Center receives your forms, it will process your bond refund. You should then receive a refund of the original bond amount along with any interest that accrued. This process usually takes a couple of months. If you have questions concerning your immigration bond refund, call the Debt Management Center at 802-288-7600, then select option 2.


text:
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Here's How To Help The Parkland Community In Wake Of The High School Shooting
Since the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last week, Broward County hasn't quite been the same. But in times of darkness, people come together and become stronger.
Our Broward County community and its businesses are no exception, and there are a number of ways to show your support and help those directly impacted. Here are eight ways to give back to the Parkland victims and community as a whole:
Broward Education Foundation's GoFundMe
The organization dedicated to raising funds for Broward County Public Schools set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the shooting. Donate to the official fundraising campaign at gofundme.com/stonemandouglasvictimsfund.
Benefit Concert for Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Revolution Live is hosting a benefit concert on Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. and all ticket proceeds will be donated to families of the victims and first responders. Performers include Austin Mahone, Saigon Kick, Jack & Jack and the Reis Brothers. For more information, visit jointherevolution.net/2018/02/benefit-concert-marjory-stoneman-douglas-hs/.
Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954.449.1025; jointherevolution.net
I Heart Mac & Cheese
On Feb. 25, from noon to 4 p.m., the Parkland, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Pembroke Pines I Heart Mac & Cheese locations will donate a portion of all proceeds to the victims' families.
1489 SE 17th St., Ste. A, Fort Lauderdale; 954.533.4195; iheartmacandcheese.com
7867 University Drive, Parkland; 754.229.6279; iheartmacandcheese.com
15999 Pines Blvd., Ste. 102, Pembroke Pines; 954.544.2588; iheartmacandcheese.com
3111 N. University Drive, Ste. 114, Coral Springs; 954.800.3780; iheartmacandcheese.com
Donate Blood
Florida blood donation center OneBlood partners with hospitals to help those being treated after tragedies. You can donate blood to help replenish its supply by visiting oneblood.org/donate-now to find locations and to schedule an appointment.
MSD Strong Shirts
The Parkland PTA/PTO created shirts in the school's colors and are selling them online. All the profits will go to the victims' families, first responders and the Stoneman Douglas High School Memorial Fund. To purchase the apparel, visit lovemsd.com.
Cabo Flats
The Pembroke Pines Cabo Flats location is having a fundraiser lunch on Feb. 25, from noon to 4 p.m. and a portion of proceeds will benefit the families of the victims.
15995 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines; 954.404.9680; caboflats.com
Pints for Parkland
The team at Riverside Market has partnered with Abita Beer and Wandering Wines to raise funds for the Stoneman Douglas community. On Feb. 28, the Riverside Market Plantation location will donate 100 percent of proceeds from its $5 pints of Abita Beer on draft and any glass of Wandering Wines to the school. On March 1, 100 percent of $5 pints of Abita Beer purchases made at its Fort Lauderdale location will also be donated.
608 SW 12th Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954.358.8333; theriversidemarket.com
6900 Cypress Road, Plantation; 954.306.6819; theriversidemarket.com
Write a Letter
Diane Wolk-Rogers, a Stoneman Douglas High School history teacher, posted on Facebook encouraging the community to send letters of support to her students for when they return. The post was also published to Twitter. You may send your letters to:
Diane Wolk-Rogers
Stoneman Douglas High School
5901 Pine Island Road
Parkland, Florida 33076
Related articles
Parkland, Weston make list of safest cities
The Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting, As Told By A Parent
3 Broward County High Schools Ranked Among Top 20 Public High Schools In Florida


text: Many people are becoming more earth friendly. And one way to show your green side is by using reusable shopping bags. Well now you can create your own and have your personality, your pets, kids, grandkids or anything else on your shopping bags. We also have a great selection of ready made bags with everything from cute sayings to manatees. Bags measure approximately 15" X15" and have 20" handles.


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NOTE: Many of our upcoming events have been postponed or canceled. For information about a specific event, please contact the event organizer(s). Thank you!
July 2020
Phelps 4th of July Celebration
Phelps has the Ultimate Small-Town American Independence Day Celebration! Held throughout downtown Phelps, enjoy a parade and celebration including food, refreshments, live music, inflatables and...Find out more »
August 2020
6th Annual Twin Triathlon
Cap out the summer at this fun event, unique in the Northwoods—an 8K paddle on North Twin Lake, followed by a 16K bike ride, then...Find out more »
September 2020
11th Annual Scarecrow Fest
Drive up north for the Fall Colors. Enjoy the atmosphere of autumn in an 'Up-North Wisconsin' town for The Scarecrow Fest in Downtown Phelps on...Find out more »


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26 North Yachts sells Horizon motoryacht Belle Mare
by Risa Merl
26 North Yachts has announced the sale of the 23.7 metre Horizon motoryacht Belle Mare.
Delivered in 2005 by the renowned shipyard Horizon, the luxury yacht boasts a 7.14 metre beam and a 2.24 metre draft. She has a top speed of 24 knots.
Belle Mare accommodates eight guests in four staterooms. She features an enclosed flybridge, aft access to rear open air bridge seating and a spacious sky lounge.
The climate controlled motoryacht also benefits from dual electric helm chairs with full navigation on the upper helm and a built in work area. Entertainment facilities include a 15" LCD TV.
Belle Mare is currently lying in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.


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On this weeks show we go from Red to Black, but along the was we pass through Tangerine, Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Indigo and Purple. Artists this week incude, Con Docherty, Len Rawle, Doreen Chadwick and many more.
If you have enjoyed this, why not donate?
You can use the above player to listen Dropbox download no longer available
Happy Listening!
Music played –
Robin Richmond – When The Red Red Robin – Acorn 1974
Con Docherty – Tangerine – Deroy 1974
Keith Beckingham – Yellow Bird – COCD 2004
Doreen Chadwick – The Green Cockatoo – Audicord 1997
Bryan Rodwell – Blue Moon – COS 1989
Phil Kelsall – Tango: Pink Carnations – Grasmere 2003
Louis Mordish – Mood Indigo – Excelsior Music 1995
Nigel Ogden – Deep Purple – Grasmere 2011
Len Rawle – Black & White Rag/A Whiter Shade Of Pale/That Old Black Magic – BFCD 2004


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Contact Us – Get Stephens" Limousine Service's contact info ... address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
Stephens Limo Fleet – fet information on our fleet seerving northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Rquest a Quote – Submit our request a quote form for your transportation needs in northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.
Privacy Policy – Stephens' Limousine Service Privacy Policy statement covering information collected from browsing this site.
Site Map – Links to content within this site.
Home Page – Stephens' Limousine Service landing page.


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Philly Fair Trade Roasters
We've Got New Menu Updates!
Our Most Wanted
· All Inclusive Lunch
We've made a lot of new changes to the menu and added new items!
We now proudly serve Philly Fair Trade Roasters!
· All Inclusive Breakfast
Promotions & Updates
Check back here and subscribe to us to stay up to date on our latest news, menu updates and promotions!
A complete lunch package including a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and paninis
Served with a side green salad, side deli salad, individually bagged chips, pickles, and a dessert tray
Assorted miniature pastries, including muffins, Danish, and Belgian sugar waffles
Assorted miniature bagels served with butter, jam and cream cheese
Seasonal fruit salad and fresh orange juice


text: White wine. Mosel, Germany. Sustainable. 100% Riesling. "This develops a beautiful nose of white peach, pear and grapefruit, all wrapped into some earthy spices. The wine proves beautifully balanced on the palate and leaves an airy feel in the persistent and elegantly spicy finish. This is a gorgeous wine in the making." — 91 Points, Jean Fisch and David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines #35 (June 2017)


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Welcome to Broadhill Pre-School, we are a purpose built setting, established in 1974. Broadhill provides childcare for children between the age of 2 and 4 ½ years old. Here at Broadhill we aim to encourage children to learn, play and develop in a safe, happy and stimulating environment. We build on the learning that takes place in your home and begin to prepare your child for Primary school.
We offer flexibility to meet individual requirements (subject to availability) to include either, sessional care or full days – we except both 15 and 30 hour funding.
During the sessions there are lots of resources readily available for the children to access, the children are allowed to make their own choices in activities and we offer free-flow into our vast garden facility including our new Sensory garden. The Preschool Staff encourage and support the children to extend their ideas. We mark the end of each session with carpet time when we share a story, sing together and run phonics sessions.
We comply with the requirements of the Prevent Duty Guidance and its aim to protect children from radicalisation, extremism and being drawn into terrorism. We have taken appropriate training (See Prevent Duty Certificates on display in the hallway).
We have spaces available from September 2020 – Please contact us to arrange a visit.


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Find Where to Watch Movies Online
TV Movie, we can also called it television film, TV film, television movie, telefilm, telemovie, made-for-television movie, made-for-television film, direct-to-TV movie, direct-to-TV film, movie of the week, feature-length drama, single drama and original movie. It is a feature-length motion picture that is produced for, which originally distributed to a television network, in contrast to theatrical movies, which are made explicitly for initial showing in movie theaters. In 2018, there are some best TV Movies, if you want to watch free TV Movies online, you can search your favorite TV Movies on 123movies.guide and then watch and download full movies free.


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Everything, Now!
Passages From Bible Universe/Passages To Bible Universe
Jon Rogers has always been concerned with the big questions. Among his favorite topics are urban alienation, paranoia, loveand ultimatelyreligion. But until Everything, Now!s latest release of demos, Bible Universe, Rogers has never fully confronted the latter.
The Bible Universe demos, released by Everything, Now! through Indiana bootleg collectors Musical Family Tree, sees Rogers confronting those issues head on, as opposed to contemplating them with just a cursory glance.
The demos serve as a glimpse into a band in transition. The band recorded on the demos isnt necessarily the band that exists today. Former members of the band who were present at the time of the recordings no longer play in the band. Consistent with the bands ever-shifting lineup is an ever-shifting artistic direction. This change is natural, but it must make recording an album difficult.
The Bible Universe demos opens up with "Exile in Bible Universe," a rollicking song with classic Everything, Now! tempo changes and T-Rex to Bowie transitions. Featuring a vocal chorus of "ooh wah wah wah's" and propulsive drumming from Erick Sherman, the track would be a suitable opener for any album.
"Freedom Sex with Bible Women" follows the opener, and immediately makes its presence known. It has all the trademarks of classic Jon Rogers songwritingthe opulent choruses, the themes of sexual aggression and religious uncertainty, and an immense wall of sound that on repeated listens only enhances the song. Easily the best track on the album, Freedom Sex with Bible Woman opens with a bouncing piano into before segueing into an arching, shimmering Bowie-esque exit. Freedom Sex is everything that makes this band so great.
The two other demos availableSearching for the Invisible Man and Uncle Kerry Uare equally energetic and explosive. While Searching for the Invisible Man never really gets off of the ground, Uncle Kerry U is a driving, bouncing song with a great bass line and another one of those fantastic outros that made Fishbowl Prank so great in their 2005 release, POLICE, POLICE.
Overall, the Bible Universe demos offer an enjoyable glimpse into the possibilities of Everything, Now!s forthcoming release. The productionthere really isnt anytends to mute the beeps, whistles, and whirrs that generally populate Everything, Now!s songs and the bass tends to overpower the rest of the recordings.
In terms of demos, this is an enjoyable package. The most exciting aspect of the Bible Universe demos is the promise they offer: Four good songs that given the kind of production on Everything, Now!s previous recordings, could be great.
And thats exactly what these demos are: a sketch of a band in transition, where they will go and who they will be. These are just demos, and the cracks are visible. An entire album with this production and these songs wouldnt work and would probably be viewed as a failure. But as far as demos go, this is a good start.
Release date: May 2006
Label: none
Rating: 7.9 / 10
On the web: http://www.everythingnowmusic.com
© Copyright 1998-2005 RockMusicReview.com. All Rights Reserved.


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The Every Game's an Adventure campaign, which is now in its third year, features a GoPro-style self-shot video (see below) of four young people attending an FA Cup game.
According to Matta, the video is designed to modernise perceptions of the FA Cup, promote attendance among a younger audience and highlight the way 16-24-year-olds see the world through their phones and through social media.
As part of the campaign, Mischief is handling an influencer programme that will be promoted on social.
The song 'Where are you now' by the band Royal Blood is the soundtrack to the film.
The third round commences this weekend, with teams from the Premier League and Championship playing their opening matches.


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On June 5th, 64 students from Tahoe Truckee Unified School District participated in a Leadership Summit specifically for athletes who had been identified by coaches and faculty as emerging leaders from the district's Athlete Committed program. The summit was supported in part by the Nevada County Public Health Department's work to reduce youth alcohol use and abuse and the department's investment in Athlete Committed programs across the county. The summit was designed to physically and mentally challenge students, place a high value on character development, build connections and teamwork, and promote communication within groups by exploring and utilizing restorative justice practices and mindfulness-based activities.
Athlete Committed (AC) is nationally recognized for promoting youth leadership while decreasing teen alcohol and drug use. In 2015 the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, in partnership with the Tahoe Truckee-Future Without Drug Dependence Coalition and Public Health's substance use prevention program, implemented the AC program district-wide. AC programs are also supported at Nevada Union High School. AC provides support to athletes, coaches and parents and urges athletes to renew their commitment to living a life of excellence. This leadership program is unique in that is supports athletes' positive choices with education on nutrition, fluids, sleep, and stress recovery. It reinforces a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle and provides an opportunity for athletes and student to be recognized for their outstanding character, integrity, and dedication to a healthy lifestyle.
For more information about this program, contact Nevada County Health Education Coordinator, Devin Bradley at (530) 550-2309, email@example.com.


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Jindal Naturecure Institute Reviews
This hospital is really nice, especially the campus with the beautiful gardens and vegetable farm. It is really a lung space outside Bangalore. Actually, I am coming here for nearly a year for diabetes treatment. My consulting doctor is good and patiently talking with me helping me with my diet, questions about exercise and all that


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A missile test was conducted at Pokhran in Rajasthan. Cruise missile has been successfully test-fired by the Air Force Sukhoi Warfare in 2017. The Brahmos missiles were jointly developed by India and Russia, and the missile was named after India's Brahmaputra and the Russian Mosque River.
The Brahmos, a medium range ramjet supersonic cruise missile, can be launched inland, sky, and seas. The missile was put into Pradhan at the air show in Dubai last year.
India Has successfully Tested the supernatural cruise missile Brahmos, The Brahmos Supersonic Cruise missile is a successful test.
Get Latest news and Trending, Tech news, Entertainment News Sports News. Stay updated with us for all breaking news from NowPs Tech and more news in English. Like and Follow on Facebook and Instagram or simply download our Android App


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**Products are listed only in Oregon markets. Availability may vary depending on your delivery zone.


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Dragados has played a major role in the development of the high speed rail (HSR) network in Spain which, with more than 2,660 kilometres of network, is the second largest in the world. We have constructed 1,016 kilometres of the Spanish HSR network, completed 126 kilometres of HSR tunnels and numerous HSR stations. Our involvement in HSR began in 1988. Since then, we have completed 41 major HSR projects and in the last 10 years we have designed and constructed 12 major projects in Spain, France, and Portugal with individual project costs in excess of £1.2bn and an overall project cost of more than £6bn.
Our experience in the development and execution of significant HSR and major infrastructure projects has given us a thorough understanding of the preparation, planning, specification and contract requirements that make these huge projects a success.
In the last 10 years our major HSR projects have included main HS stations as Madrid Atocha and Barcelona Sants.
We have completed more than 270 km of HS infrastructure including tunnelling, viaducts, track, electrification:
The scope of this PPP contract includes the Design, Build, Finance, Maintenance and Operation of the High Speed Rail (HSR) Infrastructure link between Figueras (Spain) and Perpignan (France). Dragados was the lead partner of the design-build joint... View »
The 28,7 km long, twin-bore Guadarrama tunnel is the longest railway tunnel in Spain and the fifth in the world. These tunnels are the first and only high speed tunnels of that length excavated without intermediate access shafts. The tunnels were ... View »
Puerta de Atocha station is the largest station in Madrid. It is the primary interchange serving commuter trains, intercity and regional trains as well as AVE high speed trains from Barcelona, Seville and Valencia. The station had a capacity of 16... View »
The addition of Barcelona to Spain's high-speed railroad network placed significant demands on the city's already overburdened and busiest station, thus requiring a major refurbishment to serve 1,000 trains per day and 45 million passe... View »


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As your wedding photographer, my mission will be
to capture as many natural precious moments as possible. You and your
guests won't really notice me running around searching for these moments
that maybe not many people notice during the wedding day. I won't be
staging too many photos.
If you decide to consider me for your wedding photographer my request is that we meet or at least video chat, to see if we feel comfortable enough together for me attend this very special day for you.


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Joshua Thomson
Joshua is a Fieldsman at Ibbotson's Produce along with coordinating the Colton Potato Grower McCain Group, based in North Yorkshire.
In Joshua's current role, his primary responsibilities include coordinating tonnage for the Colton group growers alongside monitoring and sourcing high quality stock destined for the pack house.
Joshua has a number of qualifications, including a National Diploma in Agriculture, a Degree in Science in Agriculture and completed a BASIS Soil and Water Management course.
At Harper Adams University he studied Agriculture with a keen focus on potatoes, and as a placement student for 18 months with Cooperative Farms, developed his knowledge and experience in agronomy, storage, crop husbandry and quality and grading.
Outside of work he is an active member of Amotherby Young Farmers, helping to judge competitions, and take part in and organise social events, industry tours and visits.
'Whilst my current and previous roles have helped me to understand the scale of the industry, by being part of the Next Generation Programme I hope to network and develop my interaction with new & old candidates within the industry, and strengthen my knowledge and experience in those remaining sectors I have little or no exposure to.
I'd like to take advantage of any opportunities to discuss business development ideas and explore topics that I believe are important. Climate change and environmental impacts, sustainability and food security are all areas I am passionate about debating with my peers and developing my knowledge on.'


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Eva Ferjan, a psychologist, business coach and Joy of Business facilitator joins Enterprise Radio. She coaches business owners and their employees, with the help of outdoor activities, to establish more functional workplaces.
Listen to her interview with the EPodcast Network here where she discusses:
- Can you tell us about your journey from psychologist to team building facilitator and then business trainer & coach, owning business of personal & professional development?
- What are some tools or advice you learned through your work that can help someone in business?
- Can you describe some issues you handled through team building activities, that have helped people establish more functional workplaces?
- What led you to Joy of Business and what is Joy of Business?
- What is an important Joy of Business tool you believe everyone should use?


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While home delivery has always been a selling point for a business, it seems the last few years this has become extremely big business in its own right. Of course, Amazon do lead the way in this and in multiple regional markets with their Prime delivery service. However, Amazon has also been expanding their deliver service to offer more than just the delivery of products. One area in particular the company seems intent on embracing, is the delivering of groceries to consumers. Although, they are not the only company that seems to be setting its sights on the perishable market.
Google has its own delivery service in the form of Google Express, although, it has never really competed with the likes of Amazon for various reasons. Most notably, as it only offers the service in select areas and from select third-party companies. Not to mention, the news on Google Express has been pretty limited since its initial 2013 launch. However, today has seen Google make a move which does indicate they are pushing forward with the service as they are now offering same-day deliveries for groceries. This was a feature which had already been rumored to be on the way, although it was expected to begin slightly earlier with the initial reports stating the service would launch before the close of 2015.
Those hoping to make use of Google Express for groceries will have to be residents in either Los Angeles or San Francisco and in select parts of the two cities, as these seem to be the only areas currently being served by the latest expansion. According to the details, the third-party companies offering the grocery deliveries through Google Express include the likes of Costco, Whole Foods and Vicente Foods. In terms of cost, this does depend on whether you are a subscriber or not. If you pay the subscription charge for Google Express already, then you will be looking at $2.99 for your same day grocery delivery, while those willing to pay on a per-use basis will be charged $4.99 for the pleasure. While this is still a low-key move on Google's part and certainly not one to trouble Amazon and their efforts, it does still highlight Google's commitment to entering the lucrative, albeit quickly becoming crowded, home delivery market.


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Working on a continuous improvement of the intranet could be a dream for many internal communications professionals. Susanne Rolf, Process Leader, Knowledge & Information Sharing at IKEA has the opportunity to do just that.
Deployed in 41 different countries, IKEA's intranet – IKEA Inside – is one of its main internal communications channels used as a business tool. It has a common landing page that includes global, national, local and personalized information. On the rest of the intranet, employees see different content depending on their location. There are 3,500 publishers in total and the site averages 70,000 visitors per month. The most traffic is generated in Sweden, the United States and Germany, followed by the United Kingdom, China and Spain.
Since the re-launch of its global intranet in 2009 – when IKEA merged more than 100 local intranet sites and fine-tuned the design and structure – the Swedish furniture company decided to support an ongoing development of new functionalities.
"Changes that require technical development are released four times per year, but we run continuous improvements in content and information structure. We have a dedicated budget for it so we gather requirements from the business, prioritise them and decide if they should be developed and when," Rolf explains.
Some of the features that IKEA has added to its intranet in last releases are the ability to comment on news articles and photo albums, web survey translation, and usage tracking capabilities based on an employee's country and office location. Improvement to the search function was also implemented – results can now be filtered according to a person's profile.
In good company
I had the chance to see Rolf explain the growth of IKEA Inside at the recent Interaction Intranet Conference in London which brought together 200 intranet professionals from across Europe to learn about best practices at multinational companies. IKEA is a longtime member of the Intranet Benchmarking Forum (IBF). "As part of our membership we are able to participate in two benchmarking studies per year," Rolf points out.
The IBF allows companies to run four types of studies: Usability, Strategy and Governance, Metrics and Performance, and Communication and Collaboration. The detailed results of an IBF member's benchmarking study are confidential to that member and they are fully aware who they are being benchmarked against. This enables IBF members to exchange best practice openly as a follow up to benchmarking. The full list of IBF members is open knowledge to all members, although some choose not to share IBF Membership publicly.
The benchmarking study I witnessed Rolf present at the London conference had to do with Usability. The study consisted of an evaluation conducted by an IBF intranet expert, as well as a user testing which entailed several tasks performed before the expert. The intranet was rated according to design, search-ability, coherence, engagement, accessibility, effectiveness and efficiency. The results were compared with other IBF members and placed in classification tables. IKEA received the third best score in 2009 and ranked second in 2011.
The benchmarking study worked as a complement to IKEA's internal surveys and meant an input into continuous development. "We participated because we wanted to score and compare our intranet against established good practice of other companies, and we think that this comparison puts things in a different perspective," stresses Rolf.
After the 2011 benchmarking study, results showed that IKEA needed to improve the navigation and design of some parts of its intranet. For example, it was concluded that the home page didn't make effective use of screen space. Users had to scroll down excessively to find useful links. Too much time was also spent scanning large lists of menu items. Therefore, IKEA Inside underwent a re-design which included new tabs and drop-down menus for easier navigation. The search page and landing pages also received a facelift.
Enhanced productivity
According to Rolf, the changes largely improved the usability and overall navigation on the intranet. Also fundamental to the intranet overhaul: supportive executives who recognized the internal communications tool as an essential resource for the company. Improved search and navigation leads to better time management for employees thus making the intranet a cost-effective tool.
Rolf explains that the sections most visited on the intranet are 'People on the Move' (which provides information about co-workers in new positions), job vacancies, company news (with its comments' capabilities), information on sales figures and people search. What drives employees to the site depends on which role they have or what project they are working on.
Rolf points out that they created several categories depending on this aspect. For instance, purchasers access the intranet to check out information about new store openings, the travel procurement system, raw materials, IKEA locations or daily sales. Meanwhile, product developers visit the intranet to read information about product matrix and sales packages, pattern samples, work orders, materials or training courses.
As a result of constant housekeeping to IKEA Inside, employee feedback on the company's bi-annual co-worker attitude survey has been quite favourable. Approximately 2,200 employees took part in the 2012 survey; nearly 70 percent stated they agreed or strongly agreed that IKEA Inside keeps them "informed of news and development within IKEA."
Getting social
Another factor largely contributing to the intranet's success has been social media features. In addition to the aforementioned commenting capabilities, IKEA has just introduced blogging capabilities. Use of video continues to be on the rise as a way to motivate and engage staff. Employees can also have a voice through various discussion forums and via integration with Yammer which was launched this summer.
"We introduced Yammer in June to selected business cases. Since then, the network has grown organically. We now have close to 10,000 employees using Yammer inside the company," Rolf points out.
Watch this space for a follow-up case study on the use of Yammer at IKEA.


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It's Bits N' Pieces time at SNP and Wendy Tunison Designs has a beautiful new set of minis for you as well as a fantastic new template set! You can pick up any of these 6 minis for just $1.00 during the first week of August. After that, she'll be bundling this all up into a full size kit at an even higher price so grab them while you can at the special price!
Check out what our CT made with these minis. They are so talented!
Wendy also has a new template set for you as part of the Bits N' Pieces promotion so it will be $1.00 for the first week of August as well! Whoot! She has been working her way back through her Templates and adding PSD files to them and making them CU okay too! So keep an eye on the store for those changes!
Our CT worked their magic with this set too...
Its a new month and new goodies are ready for you from the SNP Design Team! This month the Designers at SNP came up with a fun new kit, called "Locker Talk" You can pick up the full kit for $7.99, the QPs for $5.99, or for some bonus savings, pick it all up with the Bundle option for only $10.99
They also have a brand new designer CU Grab Bag this month full of Scatters and Swirls. Look at the full reveal below. You can grab this for 25% off if you hurry and get it the first week.