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As this is the first post of BlogMyLife, I feel like it would be best if it was about me. This will help you get to know me. However, I do want to point out that I won't be sharing my name or anything to personal as I want to stay anonymous for the time being.
You may be wondering why I started this blog and why I want to stay anonymous. But its not a really interesting reason why. Its just because I thought it would be a good hobby to have and I'm just not confident enough to share who I am. I want to change this one day though.
So now all thats out the way, lets begin with the actual post, the facts....
1. Most people would normally start with their name, but as this is anonymous, ill start with where i'm from. So I live in Wales, which is in the UK for those who didn't know. I live in the south/west in Pembrokeshire. I have lived here my whole life.
2. Even though I live in Wales, I cannot fluently speak Welsh. Pembrokeshire, is also known as 'Little England Beyond Wales' because the majority of people speak English.
3. When I was a baby I managed to crack my head open from climbing out of my crib. However, if I hadn't have turned when falling I would have broken my nose. I also removed the stitches that were put in so I had to have them done again and I ended up walking on the same day.
4. I want to travel when I'm older. I defiantly want to visit places like Toronto, New York, South Africa, Bali and Los Angeles. Ive been to London before and I would like to go back.
5. I love taking pictures, especially of sunsets and nature. Thats pretty much what my Instagram consists of. A lot of the time I will just stop in the street to take a picture.
6. In the UK we do GCSE's at the age of 15 and 16. I've completed mine and thankfully achieved all of mine at grade C and above. This was in all my subjects including Maths, English and Science.
7. My favourite singer/song writer is Shawn Mendes. If you don't know who he is, you have to check out his music. For those of you who do know who he is you have to agree that he is amazing.
8. I LOVE to watch YouTube. I've started to prefer watching smaller channels and not just Zoella, PointlessBlog and RomanAtwood. My favourite YouTubers are Ellie and Jared, SacconeJolys, ThatcherJoe, ThatsSoDorothy and Sam and Nia.
9. I am very clumsy and can easily trip over anything including thin air. I always seem to do it at the wrong time, including in front of my whole class on the second day of being there....
10. This was meant to be 10 facts, hence the title, but i really cannot think of 10. I am not the most interesting person so 9 was hard enough. Im not one of those people who can easily write about themselves so 9 will have to do.
So thats all the "interesting" things about me. I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you want to live my life in written form, you can subscribe or find me on twitter - @BlogMyLife321 - to know when I will next post.
I also want to put a quote at the end of every post I do, in hope that it may inspire just one person that may be reading this or someone who has actually made it to the end of the post.
So the QOTP (Quote Of The Post) is "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get" - Forest Gump
Until next time...


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Microsoft's hardware business has always felt like something of an also-ran, with the notable exception being the Xbox of course. It's not that the products were bad per se, indeed many of my friends still swear by the Microsoft Natural ergonomic keyboard, more that it just seemed to be an aside that never really saw much innovation or effort. The Surface seemed like an attempt to change the perception, pitting Microsoft directly against the venerable iPad whilst also attempting to bring consumers across to the Windows 8 way of thinking. Unfortunately the early years weren't kind to it at all with the experiment resulting in a $900 million write down for Microsoft which many took to indicate that the Surface (or at the very least the RT version) weren't long for this world. The 18 months that have followed however have seen that particular section of Microsoft's business make a roaring comeback, much to my and everyone else's surprise.
The Microsoft quarterly earnings report released today showing that Microsoft is generally in a good position with revenue and gross margin up on the previous quarter of last year. The internal make up of those numbers is a far more mixed story (covered in much better detail here) however the standout point was the fact that the Surface division alone was $1.1 billion for the quarter, up a staggering $211 million from the previous quarter. This is most certainly on the back of the Surface Pro 3 which was released in June 2014 but for a device that was almost certainly headed for the trash heap it's a pretty amazing turn around from $900 million in the hole to $1.1 billion in revenue just 1.5 years later.
The question that interests me then is: What was the driving force behind this comeback?
To start off with the Surface Pro 3 (and all the Surface Pro predecessors) are actually pretty great pieces of kit, widely praised for their build quality and overall usability. They were definitely a premium device, especially if you went for the higher spec options, but they are infinitely preferable to carting around your traditional workhorse laptop around with you. The lines get a little blurry when you compare them to an ultrabook of similar specifications, at least if you're someone like me who's exacting with what they want, however if you didn't really care about that the Surface was a pretty easy decision. So the hardware was great, what was behind the initial write down then?
That entirely at the feet of the WinRT version which simply failed to be the iPad competitor it was slated to be. Whilst I'm sure I'd have about as much use for an iPad as I would for my Surface RT it simply didn't have the appeal that its fully fledged Pro brethren had. Sure you'd be spending more money on the Pro but you'd be getting the full Windows experience rather than the cut down version which felt like it was stuck between being a tablet and laptop replacement. Microsoft tried to stick with the RT idea with the 2 however they've gone to great lengths now to reposition the device as a laptop replacement, not an iPad competitor.
You don't even have to go far to see this repositioning in action, the Microsoft website for the Surface Pro 3 puts it in direct competition with the Macbook Air. It's a market segment that the device is far more likely to win in as well considering that Apple's entire Mac product line made about $6.6 billion last quarter which includes everything from the Air all the way to the Mac Pro. Apple has never been the biggest player in this space however so the comparison might be a little unfair but it still puts the Surface's recent revival into perspective.
It might not signal Microsoft being the next big thing in consumer electronics but it's definitely not something I expected from a sector that endured a near billion dollar write off. Whether Microsoft can continue along these lines to capitalize on this is something we'll have to watch closely as I'm sure no one is going to let them forget the failure that was the original Surface RT. I still probably won't buy one however, well unless they decide to include a discrete graphics chip in a future revision.
Hint hint, Microsoft.
It may seem like scientists spend an inordinate time studying water but there's a pretty good reason for that. Water is fundamental to all forms of life on Earth so understanding its origins and what roles it plays is crucial to understanding how life came to be and where we might find it. The vast majority of Earth's water is contained in its oceans which were thought to have formed when comets bombarded its surface, seeding them across the world. However recent research has shown that the oceans may have formed in a different way and that Earth may have much more water contained in it than previously thought.
A recent study done by Steven Jacobsen and his team at Northwestern University has revealed that Earth has a subsurface reservoir that may contain 3 times the volume of the Earth's surface oceans. They discovered this information by using data from a wide variety of seismometers, those instruments that measure the intensity of the pressure waves of earthquakes, and figuring out how the waves travelled through the Earth's interior. This is nothing new, it's how we've figured out the rough compositions of the different layers of the Earth's inner layers previously, however Jacobsen postulated that water in ringwoodite would slow the waves. After testing a sample of ringwoodite to confirm this theory (shown above) his team found data to support the existence of a large layer of ringwoodite in the Earth's mantle. Whilst this isn't a subsurface ocean like some heavenly bodies in our solar system have it is a rather interesting discovery, one that supports an entirely different theory of how our surface oceans formed.
The initial hypothesis (at least the one I'm familiar with) is that the Earth bound itself together out of all the varying bits of debris that existed after the sun had formed itself. At this point Earth was a ball of lava, a fiendishly unfriendly environment devoid of any kind of life. Then, as the planet cooled, comets rained down on its surface, supplying the vast amounts of water we now see today. The discovery of this layer of ringwoodite on the other hand suggests that the water may have been present during the initial formation and that instead of other comets providing all the water it instead seeped up, filling all the crevices and crags of the Earth's surface. It's interesting because it now links Earth more directly to our other celestial neighbours, those which you'd never consider Earth-like at all.
Saturn's Europa and Jupiter's Ganymede for instance are both hypothesized to have vast bodies of water under their surfaces. Up until this discovery you would be forgiven for thinking that their initial formation was likely due to their immediate environment (I.E. those massive gas giants right next to them) however it's more likely that all heavenly bodies form along a similar path. Thus oceans like ours are probably more likely than not for planets of similar size to ours. Of course there are also numerous other factors that can push things in one way or another (see Mars and Venus for examples of Earth like planets are nothing like Earth) but such similarities really can't be ignored.
In all honesty this discovery surprised me as I had always been a subscriber to the "comet bombardment" theory of Earth's oceans. This evidence however points towards an origin story where water formed a core part of Earth's structure, only to worm its way to the surface long after it cooled. Come to think of it this probably also explains (at least partially) how Earth's atmosphere likely came to existence, the gases slowly seeping out until it was blanketed in carbon dioxide, only to be turned into the atmosphere we know today by plants. I'm keen to see what other insights can be gleaned for this data as I'm sure this isn't the only thing Jacobsen's team discovered.
Correction: My good friend Louise correctly pointed out that our atmosphere started off being almost completely carbon dioxide and only had the composition we know today thanks to plans. She also pointed out I used the wrong "it's" in the title which, if I didn't know any better, would say to me that she wants to be my copy editor 😉
In the time that Microsoft has been a company it has only known two Chief Executive Officers. The first was unforgettably Bill Gates, the point man of the company from its founding days that saw the company grow from a small software shop to the industry giant of the late 90s. Then, right at the beginning of the new millennium, Bill Gates stood down and passed the crown to long time business partner Steve Ballmer who has since spent the better part of 2 decades attempting to transform Microsoft from a software company to a devices and services one. Rumours had been spreading about who was slated to take over Ballmer for some time now and, last week, after much searching Microsoft veteran Satya Nadella took over as the third CEO of the venerable company and now everyone is wondering where he will take it.
For those who don't know him Nadella's heritage in Microsoft comes from the Server and Tools department where he's held several high ranking positions for a number of years. Most notably he's been in charge of Microsoft's cloud computing endeavours, including building out Azure which hit $1 billion in sales last year, something I'm sure helped to seal the deal on his new position. Thus many would assume that Nadella's vision for Microsoft would trend along these lines, something which runs a little contrary to the more consumer focused business that Ballmer sought to deliver, however his request to have Bill Gates step down as Chairman of the Board so that Nadella could have him as an advisor in this space says otherwise.
As with any changing of the guard many seek to impress upon the new bearer their wants for the future of the company. Nadella has already come under pressure to drop some of Microsoft's less profitable endeavours including things like Bing, Surface and even the Xbox division (despite it being quite a revenue maker, especially as of late). Considering these products are the culmination of the effort of the 2 previous CEOs, both of which will still be involved in the company to some degree, taking an axe to them would be a extraordinarily hard thing to do. These are the products they've spent years and billions of dollars building so dropping them seems like a short sighted endeavour, even if it would make the books look a little better.
Indeed many of these business units which certain parties would look to cut are the ones that are seeing good growth figures. The surface has gone from a $900 million write down disaster to losing a paltry $39 million in 2 quarters, an amazing recovery that signals profitability isn't too far off. Similarly Bing, the search engine that we all love to hate on, saw a 34% increase in revenue in a single quarter. It's not even worth mentioning the Xbox division as it's been doing well for years now and the release of the XboxOne with it's solid initial sales ensures that remains one of Microsoft's better performers.
The question then becomes whether Nadella, and the board he now serves, sees the on-going value in these projects. Indeed much of the work they've been doing in the past decade has been with the focus towards unifying many disparate parts of their ecosystem together, heading towards that unified nirvana where everything works together seamlessly. Removing them from the picture feels like Microsoft backing itself into a corner, one where it can be easily shoehorned into a narrative that will see it easily lose ground to those competitors it has been fighting for years. In all honesty I feel Microsoft is so dominant in those sectors already that there's little to be gained from receding from perceived failures and Nadella should take this chance to innovate on his predecessor's ideas, not toss them out wholesale.
There's no question that Microsoft's attempt at the tablet market has been lacklustre. Whilst the hardware they have powering their tablets was decent the nascent Windows Store lacks the diversity of its competitors, something which made the RT version of it even less desirable. This has since resulted in Microsoft writing down $900 million in Surface RT and associated inventory something which many speculated would be the end of the Surface line. However it appears that Microsoft is more committed than ever to the Surface idea and recently announced the Surface 2, an evolutionary improvement over its predecessor.
The new Surface 2 looks pretty much identical to predecessor although it's a bit slimmer and is also a bit lighter. It retains the in built kick stand but it now has 2 positions instead of one something which I'm will be useful to some. The specifications under the hood have been significantly revamped for both versions of the tablet with the RT (although it's no longer called that) version sporting a NVIDIA Tegra 4 and the Pro one of the new Haswell i5 chips. Microsoft will also now let you choose how much RAM you get in your Pro model, allowing you to cram up to 8GB in there. The Pro also gets the luxury of larger drive sizes, up to 512GB should you want it (although you'll be forced to get the 8GB RAM model if you do). Overall I'd say this is pretty much what you'd expect from a generation 2 product and the Pro at least looks like it could be a decent laptop competitor.
Of course the issues that led Microsoft to write down nearly a billion dollars worth of inventory (after attempting to peddle as much of it as they could to TechEd attendees) still exist today and the upgrade to Windows 8.1 won't do much to solve this. Sure in the time between the initial Surface release and now there's been a decent amount of applications developed for it but it still pales in comparison. I still think that the Metro interface is pretty decent on a touch screen but Microsoft will really have to do something outrageous to convince everyone that the Surface is worth buying otherwise it's doomed to repeat its predecessor's mistakes.
The Pro on the other hand looks like it'd be a pretty great enterprise tablet thanks to its full x86 environment. I know I'd much rather have those in my environment than Android or iPads as they would be much harder to integrate into all the standard management tools. A Surface 2 Pro on the other hand would behave much like any other desktop allowing me to deliver the full experience to anyone who had one. Of course it's then more of a replacement for a laptop than anything else but I do know a lot of users who would prefer a tablet device rather than the current fleet of laptops they're given (even the ones who get ultrabooks).
Whilst the Pro looks like a solid upgrade I can't help but feel that the upgrade to the RT is almost unnecessary given the fact that most of the complaints levelled at it were nothing to do with its performance. Indeed not once have I found myself wanting for speed on my Surface RT, instead I've been wanting my favourite apps to come across so that I don't have to use their web versions which, on Internet Explorer, typically aren't great. Maybe the ecosystem is mature enough now to tempt some people across but honestly unless they already own one I can't really see that happening, at least for the RT version. The Pro on the other hand could make some headway into Microsoft's core enterprise market but even that might not be enough for the Surface division.
Just like any new tech gadget I've been ogling tablets for quite some time. Now I'm sure there will be a few who are quick to point out that I said long ago that an ultrabook fills the same niche, at least for me, but that didn't stop me from lusting after them for one reason or another. I'd held off on buying one for a long time though as the price for something I would only have a couple uses for was far too high, even if I was going to use it for game reviews, so for a long time I simply wondered at what could be. Well whilst I was at TechEd North America the opportunity to snag a Windows Surface RT came up for the low price of $99 and I, being able to ignore the fiscal conservative in me and relent into my tech lust, happily handed over my credit card so I could take one home with me.
It's quite a solid device with a noticeable amount of heft in it despite its rather slim figure. Of particular note is the built in kick stand which allows you to sit the Surface upright, something which I've heard others wish for with their tablets. It's clear that the Surface as been designed to be used primarily in landscape mode which is in opposition to most other tablets that utilize the portrait view. For someone like me who's been a laptop user for a long time this didn't bother me too much but I can see how it'd be somewhat irritating if you were coming from another platform as it'd be just another thing you'd have to get used to. Other than that it seems to be your pretty standard tablet affair with a few tweaks to give it a more PC feel.
The specifications of it are pretty decent boasting a WXGA (1366 x 768) 16:9 screen powered by a NVIDIA Tegra3 with 2GB RAM behind it. I've got the 64GB model which reports 53GB available and 42GB free which was something of a contentious point for many as they weren't getting what they paid for (although at $99 I wasn't going to complain). It's enough that when using it I never noticed any stutter or slow down even when I was playing some of the more graphically intense games on it. I didn't really try any heavy productivity stuff on it because I much prefer my desktop for work of that nature but I get the feeling it could handle 90% of the tasks I could throw at it. The battery life also appears to be relatively decent although I have had a couple times where it mysteriously came up on 0 charge although that might have been due to my fiddling with the power settings (more on why I did that later).
Since I've been a Windows 8 user for a while the RT interface on the Surface wasn't much of a shock to me although I was a little miffed that I couldn't run some of my chosen applications, even in desktop mode, notably Google Chrome. That being said applications that have been designed for the Metro interface are usually pretty good, indeed the OneNote app and Cocktail Flow are good examples of this, however the variety of applications available is unfortunately low. This is made up for a little by the fact that the browser on the Surface is far more usable than the one on Windows Phone 7 enabling many of the web apps to work fine. I hope for Microsoft's sake this changes soon as the dearth of applications on the Surface really limits its appeal.
The keyboard that came with the Surface gets a special mention because of just how horrid it is. Whilst it does a good job of being a protective cover, one that does have a rather satisfying click as the magnets snap in, it's absolutely horrendous as an input device, akin to typing on a furry piece of cardboard. Since there's no feedback it's quite hard to type fast on it and worse still it seems to miss key presses every so often. Probably the worst part about it is that if your surface locks itself with it attached and then you remove it you will then have no way to unlock your device until you re-attach it, even if you've set a PIN code up. I've heard that the touch cover is a lot better but since it was going for $100 at the time I wasn't too keen on purchasing it.
The Surface does do a good job of filling the particular niche I had for it, which was mainly watching videos and using it to remote into my servers, but past that I haven't found myself using it that much. Indeed the problem seems to be that the Surface, at least the non-pro version, is stuck halfway between being a true tablet and a laptop as many of its features are still computer-centric. This means that potential customers on either side of the equation will probably feel like they're missing something which I think is one of the main reasons that the Surface has struggled to get much market share. The Pro seems to be much closer to being a laptop, enough so that the people I talked to at TechEd seemed pretty happy with their purchase. Whether that translates into Microsoft refocusing their strategy with the Surface remains to be seen, however.
The Surface is a decent little device, having the capabilities you've come to expect from a tablet whilst still having that Microsoft Windows feel about it. It's let down by the lack of applications and dissonance it suffers from being stuck between the PC and tablet worlds, something that can't be easily remedied by a software fix. The touch cover is also quite atrocious and should be avoided at all costs, even if you're just going to use it as a cover. For the price I got it for I think it was worth the money however getting it at retail is another story and unless you're running a completely Microsoft house already I'd struggle to recommend it over an ultrabook or similarly portable computing device.
I don't know what it is about holidays or trips away but I seem to spend the first half dreading everything about the place I'm in and then once I'm past the halfway point I seem to yearn for it not to end. This trip is no different as I wasn't too crash hot on the whole idea but late yesterday I felt like I hit a turning point. My article that I dreamed up went down a treat and today the vague layout I had given myself helped to focus me on the important points of the sessions I was attending. Now I feel like the little amount of time I have left here isn't enough and I curse my former self for being so impudent.
Most of today was fairly uneventful as I had managed to choose a few sessions that had significant overlap with each other. This is despite them claiming that "no one else has seen this content yet" so I ended up spending an undue amount of time on Reddit just waiting for it to finish so I could move onto the next one. Thankfully I had 2 sessions that were really quite awesome, especially the Azure Internals one done by Mark Russinovich who's fast becoming my favorite presenter for everything Microsoft. I'm less worried about what I'm going to see tomorrow since I can do a reflective post about everything and I expect the chances of me finding out anything amazing on the last day are slim to nil.
I finally decided to brave the line for a Surface¹ as I knew I'd kick myself if I didn't take them up on the offer. Like most I was planning to go for the duo, getting one of both to take advantage of the price difference, however thinking about it I have no need for 2 tablets (my wife swears by her Macbook Air and I my Zenbook) but for $99 I figured the RT was cheap enough for those rare times I've found myself thinking "Hey a tablet would rock here". All told I was in the line for about an hour or so when all I would've been doing otherwise was surfing the web so it wasn't time wasted and the short line for lunch afterwards was a nice bonus.
We all managed to catch up for beers and dinner after we'd all finished writing our posts which was bloody fantastic and was most definitely one of the key things that had been missing from this trip. It was also very interesting to hear the journos war stories about the various tech press and the media in general and even better still being able to relate to them as a blogger (and not be ridiculed for it, omg). I did feel a little bad for the other guys though as whilst they we were all talking shop I felt like we might've been excluding them a little bit, but thankfully the conversation didn't circle around journalism for the whole night.
Tomorrow is shaping up to be a pretty excellent day with the sessions stopping early and the big Microsoft piss up happening shortly after. I know we're all looking to exploit this for all its worth so it should be a good time to get loose with everyone after a hard week's blogging. Whilst that might preclude doing anything particularly interesting the day after it'll all be worth it if we enjoy ourselves. I'll just have to make sure to not get too wrecked as we'll be shipping out the next day and flying hungover isn't exactly one of my most favorite things to do.
¹For those not in the know they're offering them to TechEd attendees at a ridiculous price point, $99 for the RT and $499 for the Pro.
I've been using Windows 8 for a good 6 months now and as someone who's use all previous Windows versions going back to 3.1 it's easy for me to say that it's the best of the lot so far. Sure I don't use the Metro interface a lot but that's mostly because it's not designed for the current platform I'm using it on (a PC that doesn't have a touch interface). Still it seems I can't go a day where someone, usually an executive from a large OEM, is bashing Windows 8 in one way or another. Considering that nearly everyone I talk to, including people who aren't that technically inclined, seems to say the direct opposite of what they say I figured it was something worth looking into.
A lot of the criticisms seem to stem from the awkward launch that Windows 8 had. Now I'm not going to try and be an apologist for this as it's well known that even Microsoft was disappointed with the initial release. For those of us who endured the Vista launch however it's pretty obvious why this occurred as whenever a new Windows release deviates heavily from the previous one (whether in terms of interface or underlying architecture) the sales are always lackluster as their biggest customers, the enterprise buyers, don't want to take the risk until all the teething issues have been sorted out. More crucially though is that whilst the launch might have been an all round disappointment it didn't take long for Windows 8 to gain some significant steam, getting on par with Windows 7 after 90 days.
Several other high profile people have gone on record saying that the Surface is also seeing lackluster sales. This coming not long after many people have called the ultrabook market a failure (which is not unjustified) makes it look like Windows 8 's introduction can't have any impact on what looks like a declining PC market. Now I'm not going to argue against those numbers however if you look at past Windows releases, take 7 for instance which was released in Q4 of 2009, you'll see that whilst there was a small boost (which wasn't out of line with current trend growths) the previous quarter it was back to where it was before. What this means is that while you'd expect people to be buying a new computer in order to get the latest version of Windows many in fact don't. This doesn't come as much of a surprise as the system requirements between Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 aren't that great and indeed any PC bought during the time that these operating systems has been available would be more than capable of running them. Indeed many computers have reached the level of good enough half a decade ago for the vast majority of the population so the lackluster growth isn't surprising, nor is it anything to worry about in my point of view.
I think the reason for the backlash is due to two reasons, both of which the blame does actually lie with Microsoft. The first is a bit of speculation on my part as I think Microsoft promised a boost in PC sales to the various OEMs in order to get them on board early with Windows 8. This is pretty much par for course when you're working with OEMs on a new and risky product as otherwise they'll be waiting until the product catches on before they throw their hat in the ring. Now whilst Microsoft could probably handle Windows 8 not getting a lot of OEM support for a while it would have been likely that Windows 8 wouldn't have caught up to 7's sales in the first 90 day period, severely stunting its future growth. Whilst they wouldn't have a Vista level disaster on their hands it would've been much worse than what they're dealing with now.
Secondly I get the feeling that many of the OEMs aren't too enthused about the Surface and I don't blame them. I said a while back that Microsoft needed to keep their product in the premium range in order to not piss off their partners and they've done that to some extent however with the exorbitant license cost for OEMs it's incredibly hard for them to make a comparable tablet for the same cost as the low end Surface RT. This has no doubt generated a bit of animosity towards Microsoft with many OEM executives bashing Surface at every chance they get despite it selling out almost immediately upon release. Whether Microsoft can repair this relationship remains to be seen however as the platform's long term survivability will be made or broken by their OEMs, just like it has been in the past.
Microsoft took a risk with Windows 8 and by most accounts it appears to be paying off for them, unlike their previous experience with Vista. It might not be the saving grace of the PC industry nor might it be a runaway success in the tablet market however Microsoft is not a company that plays the short term game. Windows 8 is the beginning of a new direction for them and by all accounts it's creating a solid foundation with which Microsoft can further build on. Future Microsoft releases will then be able to deliver even more capabilities on more platforms than any other ecosystem. This isn't the first time they've been on the back foot and then managed to managed to dominate a market long after it has established itself (Xbox anyone?) and I'd be really surprised if they failed this time around.
As far back as I can remember the differences between the full version of Windows 8 and the tablet version, now dubbed Windows RT, were made pretty clear. Whilst the Modern UI section of them was going to be essentially identical the full version of Windows wasn't going to run on anything that wasn't x86 compatible and RT would be the version that could run on low power systems like ARM. This, logically, came with some draw backs the largest of which is the omission of the desktop environment on Windows RT devices. In all honesty this didn't bother me as Microsoft is making a version of their Surface tablet (and I'm sure others will as well) that would run the full desktop anyway.
The delineation also made a lot of sense due to the different markets that both versions were targeting. The full version is squarely aimed at the desktop/laptop space whilst the RT version is strictly for mobile computing. In terms of functionality there's a lot of crossover between these two spaces but the separation essentially meant that you had your desktop with its oodles of backwards compatibility that Microsoft is known for whilst also getting that nice, highly focused tablet environment should you want it.
However as it turns out Windows RT is far more full featured that I first thought and is capable of running Win32 applications:
Thanks one intrepid user, Clrokr, over at XDA Developers it has been found out that Microsoft actually included full Win32 compatibility in Windows RT devices that run on the ARM architecture. Whilst this doesn't mean you can straight up run those executables on said platform it does mean that any Windows application that you have the source of can be recompiled to run, without issue, on Windows RT devices. The above screenshot is from another user, peterdn, who has recompiled PuTTy to run on ARM and it appears to be functioning quite fine. Other applications have also been tested as well and shown to work as you'd expect.
Thinking about it more clearly this shouldn't have come as a surprise as the architecture diagram for Windows 8 clearly shows that C/C++/C# are fully supported on both platforms and the inclusion of the desktop on Windows RT devices (again something I wasn't aware of) would have you thinking everything was there to support this. As it turns out the only thing that was stopping this from working in the first place was runtime authentication level that was hard coded to only allow Microsoft signed applications to run in such an environment. The jailbreak that Clrokr details in this post is simply an in memory overwrite of this value which will allow any application to run. From there you just need to recompile your application and you're golden.
The reasons for the lock out make sense from a business point of view: Microsoft was trying to create a pristine tablet environment that was tightly controlled in order to create a better experience. However at the same time porting all of the underlying architecture to ARM would have required quite a bit of effort and locking this functionality away from people seems like a strange idea. Whilst I'm not going to say they should unlock it for everyone having it as a configurable option would have meant that most users wouldn't know about it but power users, like the ones who discovered this, could take advantage of it. I haven't seen if Microsoft has made an official response to this yet or not but I'm sure they'd win more than a couple fans if they did this and it doesn't look like it would be that hard to implement.
I was genuinely surprised by this as I hadn't caught on pretty much all of Windows, including everything that makes it tick under the hood, had been ported across to the ARM architecture. I had believed that it was just a port of the core functionality required to support the WinRT framework but as the above screenshots prove Windows RT devices are pretty much fully fledged copies of Windows, they just need their applications recompiled in order to work. Of course questions of how those applications fair vs their modernized counterparts in a tablet environment remains to be seen but it's interesting that the option is there and that Microsoft has gone to such lengths to keep people from fiddling with it.
I've been using Windows 8 as my main system for the better part of 2 months now and, whilst I'll leave the in-depth impressions for the proper review, I have to say I'm pretty happy with it. Sure I wasn't particularly happy with the way things were laid out initially but for the most part if you just blunder along like its Windows 7 you're not going to struggle with it for very long. I might not use any of the modern styled applications, they don't feel like they're particularly well suited to the mouse/keyboard scenario if I'm honest, but everything else about it works as expected. Of course whilst Microsoft has already sold 40 million licenses of Windows 8 most people are focusing on Windows RT, care of the Surface tablet.
For the technically inclined the differences between the two are pretty stark and we've known for a long time that the Surface is essentially Microsoft's answer to the iPad. The lines are a little bit more blurry between Surface/RT and the full version of Windows 8, thanks to the Modern Styled UI being shared between them, but the lack of a desktop made it pretty clear where the delineation lay. It seems however that there's a feeling among some the bigger media outlets that Windows 8 is suffering from an identity crisis of sorts which has been perplexing me all morning:
What we're seeing, I think, is Microsoft dancing around an uncomfortable reality: Windows RT just doesn't have much to offer, so it's hard to explain how it's different from Windows 8 without making it look inferior.
The only distinct advantage for Windows RT is its support for "connected standby," a power-saving mode that lets the device keep an eye on e-mail and other apps while it's not in use. It's a nice feature to have, but on its own it's a tough sell compared to Windows 8′s wider software support. (UPDATE: As Eddie Yasi points out in the comments, the Atom-based chips that Windows 8 tablets are using, codenamed Clover Trail, support connected standby as well.)
The main thrust of the article, and another one it linked to, is that there's been no real information from Microsoft about the differences between the fully fledged version of Windows 8 and its RT cousin. I'll be fair to the article and not use anything past its publication date but for anyone so inclined I wrote about the differences between the two platforms well over a year ago and I was kind of late to the party on it too. Indeed the vast majority of the tech press surrounding the Surface release understood these differences quite clearly and it appears that both Time and The Verge were both being willingly ignorant simply to get a story.
Granted The Verge has something of a point that the retail representatives didn't know the product but then again why were you asking in depth technical questions of a low wage retail worker? Most people who are looking for a Surface/iPad like device aren't going to want to know if their legacy applications will run on it because, to them, they're not the same thing. You could argue that the customer might have seen the Modern UI at home and then assumed that the Surface was exactly the same but I'd struggle to find someone who had installed Windows 8 this early in the piece and wasn't aware that the Surface was a completely different beast.
Indeed the quote paragraphs above imply that Jared Newman (writer of the Time article) isn't aware that the RT framework, the thing that powers the Modern UI, is the glue that will join all of Microsoft's ecosystem together. Not only does it underpin Windows 8 but it's also the framework for Windows Phone 8 and (I am speculating here but the writing is on the wall) the upcoming Xbox. What Windows RT devices offer you is the same experience that you'll be able to get anywhere else Microsoft ecosystem but on low power devices. Newman makes the point that they could very well run them on Atom processors however anyone who's actually used one can tell you that their performance is not up to scratch with their i3/5/7 line and is barely usable for desktop applications. They're comparable in the low power space, meaning they would have made a decent replacement for ARM, but considering that 95% of the world's portable devices run on the ARM it makes much more sense to go with the dominant platform rather than using something that's guaranteed to give a sub-par experience.
I don't like doing these kinds of take down posts, it usually feels like I'm shouting at a brick wall, but when there's a fundamental lack of understanding or wilful ignorance of the facts I feel compelled to say something. The Windows8/RT distinctions are clear and, should you do even a small amount of research, the motives for doing so are also obvious. Thankfully most of the tech press was immune to this (although TechCrunch got swept up in this as well, tsk tsk) so there's only a few bad apples that needed cleaning up.
I have a confession to make: I never took the plunge and bought a Windows Phone 7 handset like I said I would. It's not because I didn't want one, new gadgets are something I have a hard time turning down, it's just that my desire to get one was overcome by the notion of spending several hundred dollars on a handset I wouldn't use every day. I still kept my eye on them thanks to several people I work with having them but even their raving reviews of it weren't enough to pull me away from my now Ice Cream Sandwich blessed Galaxy S2. In all honesty I had pretty much given up on Microsoft's mobile efforts as they didn't look like they'd be able to retake the crown they've lost to Google and Apple.
News comes today however that Microsoft has announced their latest version of their mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8. Unlike Windows Phone 7 which was more of a preview of Windows 8 than anything else WP8 keeps the same aesthetic that's won them significant praise whilst firmly bringing their mobile platform into the Three Screens vision. WP8 also brings all the other improvements we've come to expect from new release such as support for faster phones, bigger screens, NFC and an upgraded browser that. The biggest improvement, from my point of view at least, is that WP8 devices will be running the full WinRT framework essentially elminating the gap between their tablet/ARM devices and their mobile line.
Now this isn't anything that hasn't been done before, Apple has long had a similar level of platform ubiquity between their tablet and handset platforms. However WinRT does provide the capability for applications to run on desktops as well, something Apple (or anyone else for that matter) has yet to achieve. Whilst the 3rd screen, the TV, has yet to receive the WinRT treatment from any Microsoft product it would seem to be a safe bet that the next generation Xbox will feature the framework. This is of course wild speculation on my part however Microsoft would be foolish not to take advantage of the foothold they already have in the home entertainment space and I'm sure the people inside Microsoft think in the same way.
Interestingly enough the announcement of Windows Phone 8 comes hot off the heels of another announcement from Microsoft: that of their new Surface tablet. Now this isn't to be confused with the original Surface table as that's now been renamed to Microsoft PixelSense. No this tablet is a lining up to be a direct competitor to the iPad having very similar styling and identical use cases. The differences appear to be however that the Surface will come in two versions, one WinRT only and the other a full blown x86 PC. The delineation isn't made lightly and it's obvious that the x86 model is going to be aimed more at corporate users who need all their applications and the WinRT version will be meant for the consumers. It looks like a solid product however I can't help but shake the feeling that it might not be the greatest step forward for Microsoft.
You see whilst Microsoft does need to do something about getting into the tablet space they've already done most of the legwork with Windows 8. They already have great relationships with OEMs and this is why you don't see a whole bunch of Microsoft branded devices around the shop: they make the software and others provide the hardware. Getting into the tablet business means they're kind of thumbing their nose at the OEMs, especially when each license for Windows 8 will cost them $85. As long as Microsoft makes their tablet a premium price range product though this won't be so much of an issue but they could really do some damage to their OEM relationships if their tablets debut in the $200~$400 range. Since there's not a whole bunch of information about it now I'll have to play wait and see with this one as things could change significantly between now and launch day.
Microsoft's mobile platform has been taking a battering from every side but with the unification between all of their platforms they might just be able to tempt people away from their Android and iPhone comfort zones. Certainly the unified platform provided by WinRT will be attractive to developers and that will hopefully see more killer applications find their way onto Windows Phone 8. The next year of Windows 8 related releases will be key for Microsoft's future and will be telling if their vision for platform unification is the direction they need to be heading in.

subset: commoncrawl


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If you network, lead teams, are a people manager, this is one webinar you do not want to miss. As a business professional, have you every wondered how you show up in your conversations? Do you lean towards being highly transactional or are you playing for long-term relationship building? Neither? Wouldn't it be nice if…[Read more]
How To Build An Effective Team By Shifting From "Me" to "We"
How can managers change their conversations from "Me" to "We" to build more effective teams? Managers must step outside of themselves to understand and reflect upon the benefits of their teams. There must be boundaries – including communication, empathy, and respect – to allow for the Me to We shift. These areas will jumpstart the conversation and mindset shift.…[Read more]
Unlock Your Business Value To Be Relevant And Competitive
Constant marketplace changes are often difficult to manage. When business owners' heads are buried in day-to-day pursuits, they tend to miss trends and market clues. As a result, the unexpected can take business owners out of their game. A proactive business owner remains relevant, competitive, and able to see opportunities in turbulent times. Concurrent reflection and research can…[Read more]
How To Stay On Track To Design The Business You Love
What will propel you to step out of your business comfort areas? You will need to be bold, strategic, and optimistic. As you create your business roadmap, here are three key concepts that can help you to lay the foundation for a transformative year defined by growth, achievement, and personal satisfaction.…[Read more]
Is Your Team Emotionally Intelligent? What Investors Should Know.
Investors and investment management firms should place the same value on behaviors as they do on results. A company's culture is its brand. As Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb explained, a company's culture is the foundation for future innovation. An entrepreneur's job is to build that foundation. Although entrepreneurs are busy applying for capital, handling rapid growth, and taking…[Read more]
Pivot Your Business to Become More Competitive
Identifying business opportunities has become increasingly challenging. Today, there are constant shifts in marketing, as well as consumer tastes and preferences. Vertical integrations are occurring among large businesses. Consider Amazon, for example. As business owners, we can choose to stand still and be a result of change, or we can choose to ignite our…[Read more]
Drive Your Business to Success and Ask for What You Want
Does asking for a sale, contact, or reference make you uncomfortable? Whether you are networking, pitching your business, or engaging someone in a conversation around your needs, it creates opportunities for you which could fundamentally change your business for the better. Defining what you want, being confident with your message, and practicing your message are…[Read more]
Take Your Company to the Next Level as a Business Leader
In running any organization, small business owners must decide how they wish to operate: as a leader or as a boss. A leader develops a strategy and provides direction for the business to thrive and grow. A boss implements the strategy, come what may. To run a small business effectively, one should decide to be…[Read more]
4 Ways to Create Accountability Structures to Achieve Your Business Goals
Now is the perfect time to think about your business growth. If you have not yet developed your business road map, do so now. Assess your business processes, the structures you need to establish, and your revenue model for growth. Look back at your most recent years in business — What were your beliefs, experiences,…[Read more]
Expand Your Global Tribe & Rapidly Increase Your Social Currency (Podcast)
https://www.yourchoicecoach.com/wp-content/uploads/Tribe-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download…[Read more]


text: Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "fronk-en-steen") reluctantly inherits his infamous family's estate in Transylvania. Urged on by a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced "eye-gore"), and a leggy lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself honoring his grandfather's corpse-raising legacy. This musical stage adaptation of the Mel Brooks film promises to leave you in stitches!


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Tuesday, March 3, 2009
New Look
So, what do you think of the new look? I'm LOVING it! And I just wanted to take a minute to give a HUGE shout out to Debs from Debs Craft Blog! This is one extremely talented lady, who was a joy to work with! Thank you so very very much Debs, absolutely LOVE everything! Debs has a great blog backgrounds site where you can find free blog backgrounds, how awesome is that! Take a trip over, you'll be happy you did!
Hope to add some new stamped projects today too. Life is getting back to normal after school vacation, so I hope to have some extra crafting time today! Have a great day! Happy Stamping!! :)
16 comments:
- Unknown said...
Love your new blog babes! Lol Lynn ♥
- March 3, 2009 at 9:35 AM
- Lauren said...
Great new look lady!
- March 3, 2009 at 9:39 AM
- Stampin Mindy said...
This is adorable love the colors and of course the images! Have a great day!
- March 3, 2009 at 9:47 AM
- mudmaven said...
WOW - great new look and I love the blinking froggy! Very, very nice! ~chris
- March 3, 2009 at 10:10 AM
- Carol said...
LOVE the new look!!
- March 3, 2009 at 10:13 AM
- Pop's Cards said...
It looks brilliant hun, the frog blinking is so cool, hugs Pops x x x
- March 3, 2009 at 10:16 AM
- Marilyn said...
Wow - your new blog header is amazing!! Love the soft "whimsical" look!!!
- March 3, 2009 at 10:24 AM
I adore the new graphics! Deb is fabulous!!
- March 3, 2009 at 10:56 AM
- Unknown said...
Denise, too stinkin' cute!!!!
- March 3, 2009 at 11:03 AM
- JenMarie said...
Oh so adorable, awesome new look!
- March 3, 2009 at 12:09 PM
- DebsCraft said...
So glad you like it Denise ♥ The images are just the cutest :o)
- March 3, 2009 at 1:08 PM
- Deb said...
I love the new look! The background is so pretty and the banner is amazing with the blinking frog!
- March 3, 2009 at 1:58 PM
- Cheri said...
I love the new look! And the new blinkie was a must-have on my blog! ;o)
- March 4, 2009 at 1:53 AM
- Mephisto said...
Wow, great! I love your new Blogdesign very much!!!!
- March 4, 2009 at 9:45 AM
OMGOSH!!! Denise...your blog looks so AWESOME!! I totally LOVE this!! Brilliant!!
- March 4, 2009 at 11:48 AM
- Samantha said...
LOVE LOVE LOVE the new look! How in the world do you do it all- even the little frogs eyes blink- way too cute!
- March 4, 2009 at 11:01 PM


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Samsung S7 Cover - Black
R 1.00 Regular price
Dazzle the onlookers with opulence and audacious luxury. Dress up your phone to match the life you wish for. Bold, luxurious croc-skin texturing sets the tone for this design, trimmed with gold edging ensure further sheen.
Colour: Black
Item Code: MS001466/SCS7


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Administering Deflux
Endoscopic treatment with Deflux takes about 15 minutes on an outpatient basis and usually allows the child to go back to normal activities the day after it's done.
The patient is first placed under general anesthesia. With the patient properly positioned, a cystoscope is inserted, and the Deflux needle is inserted in the working channel of the cystoscope. Deflux is injected according to the recommended technique, after which the needle and cystoscope are withdrawn, and postoperative care is given.
There are three approved techniques for administering Deflux: : the HIT procedure (Fig. 1.), the Double HIT procedure (Fig. 2.) and the STING procedure (Fig. 3.).


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Media Pool
Downloading images, brochures, software and
technical documentation
Spare Parts Online Centre
Order spare parts and cleaning products
Training of technicians
Schaerer Coffee Link
The digital kick for your coffee business
With the innovative Schaerer Coffee Link digital solution, Schaerer is launching a new chapter in the digitalization of professional coffee machines. The Schaerer Coffee Link gives you an unprecedented wealth of analysis and control options for increasing efficiency and cost effectiveness across the entire value chain: from adjusting the assortment of beverages to optimizing the supply chain through to predictive planning of service and maintenance. Extensive additional services, including a Know-how Center and a Media Pool, complete the powerful range of support services of the Schaerer Coffee Link.
Find out how you can optimize your coffee business with Schaerer Coffee Link.
Media Pool
You can find operating instructions, programming instructions, technical information, software, spare parts catalogues, assembly instructions, electrical diagrams and much more in our new Media Pool, which is replacing the existing MediaCentre.


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The goal of the association's social work in schools is to make students and teachers perceive society as a room for social engagement. We strive to cooperate with educational institutions and other partners from teaching contexts.
The social space school is also understood to be:
- A resource for solving social problems
- An integral part of public democratic life
- A place for diverse development opportunities
- A place for diverse educational offerings
To put these into practice, a variety of methods and approaches is required. The focus of our efforts is strengthening and supporting pedagogues, parents and pupils as well as educating teachers and parents about extracurricular issues and topics of children's aid.


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Features & Facilities
* Two levels
* Four bedrooms (sleeping up to 8) with quality linen provided
* Living areas to both levels
* Designer kitchen
* Separate walk-in pantry
* Contemporary dining facilities
* Open wood fireplace
* Outdoor hot / cold shower
* Outdoor entertaining balcony off both levels
* Weber BBQ on level 1 deck
* Undercover parking with direct access to home
* Fully equipped laundry room with washer/ dryer and washing products
* Arcade Games Table with over 40 classic games e.g. pacman, space invaders, galaga, donkey kong, frogger, gyruss.
* Three large plasma televisions with DVD players
* Stereo system to both levels
* Split system heating and cooling
* Fully equip kitchen including electrical appliances and fridge with freezer, microwave, dishwasher
* Weber BBQ
* Bedroom composition
Master Bedroom 1 x king size zip bed (2 persons)
Bedroom 2 - 2 x single king size zip beds (2 persons)
Bedroom 3 - 1 x queen size (2 persons)
Bedroom 4 - 2 x single (2 persons)
For Families with Children
* High Chair
* Security gate/fence for the stairs
* Plastic bowls, plates, cups and cutlery
* Second living area with separate TV and DVD player
* Children's DVD's, games, toys and books
* 2 Boogie boards
* Beach cricket set/soccer balls
* Arcade Games Table
* Adjoining forest to run around in and explore when it's not beach weather
Specific Detail
Level 1
> Living Area
Polished floor boards
Open fireplace with firewood provided
50" plasma TV with DVD/ CD player and surround sound
Luxurious leather lounge suite and club chairs
Split system heating/cooling
> Dining Area
Contemporary dining table with seating for ten
> Kitchen
Stone bench tops
Walk in pantry with ample food storage space
Two drawer dishwasher
Fridge with freezer
Sandwich press
Cutlery, crockery, glassware, saucepans, roasting dishes,
baking dishes/ trays, serving platters/ salad bowls and
appropriate utensils
fully equiped broom cupboard and ironing board
> Outside Entertaining Area – Level 1
Weber BBQ
Outdoor furniture with seating for six
Steel frame balustrade with toughened glass
> Master Bedroom
King size (2 persons)
32" LCD TV with inbuilt DVD
Side tables with clock radio
Over bed downlights for reading
Walk-in-robe with hanging space and shelves
Vaccum hose stored in walk-in-robe
Ensuite with double shower, basin and separate toilet
> Laundry
Washer and independent condenser dryer
Sink and storage space
Portable drying rack
Iron and ironing board
> Powder Room
Toilet with vanity basin
> Under Cover Parking
Two cars
Concrete sealed driveway
Ground Level
> Living Area
Polished floor boards
Arcade Games Table with over 40 classic games
42" plasma TV with DVD/ CD player/stereo
Lounge suite
Coffee table
Split system heating/cooling
Assortment of children's toys, board games, DVD's
> Bedroom 2
King size zip bed (2 persons or convert to 2 x singles)
Side table with reading lamp
Built-in robes with hanging space and shelves
> Bedroom 3
Queen size bed (2 persons)
Side tables with reading lamps and clock radio
Built-in robes with hanging space and shelves
> Bedroom 4
2 x single beds (2 persons)
Chest of draws
Side table
> Bathroom
Bath, basin and shower
Separate toilet
> Other
Block-out (bedrooms) or sheer roller blinds provided in all rooms
Books and board games provided guests to enjoy
Ducted Vaccum System
L'Vista Specifications
Property Type House
Living Areas 2
Kitchen With separate walk-in-pantry
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2 (plus 2 powder rooms)
Laundry 1
U/cover parking 2
Year Built 2008
Construction Integra Group
Floor Plans To view floor plans click here


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This article was first published at Christianity Today, on August 14. Ending 27 years of schism, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians in their homeland and in America reunited the two feuding branches of one of the world's oldest churches. Ironically, the push came from the Horn of Africa nation's new evangelical prime minister. "It is impossible to … Continue reading
Tagged with Orthodoxy …
Mideast Christians See Russia–not the US–as Defender of their Faith
This article was first published in the July print edition of Christianity Today. War was swirling in Syria. Rebels were pressing. And Maan Bitar was the only hope for American help. "Because I am evangelical, everyone thinks I have channels of communication," said the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Mhardeh. "Syrians believe the … Continue reading
Spanning the Great Schism between Evangelical and Orthodox Christians
This article was first published in the June print edition of Christianity Today. Three brief excerpts in the efforts to unite evangelicals and Orthodox believers. Four years ago in Istanbul, a humble Turkish book partially reversed the 11th century's Great Schism. Catholics joined Eastern and Oriental Orthodox—alongside Protestants—to publish a slim, 12-chapter treatise on … Continue reading
How Do Copts Endure their Martyrdoms?
From my article published at Providence Magazine: "On a day like today," Fr. Samaan Shehata was murdered in Cairo. The day was October 12, but he likely read those very words in mass just one day earlier, introducing the lives of the saints. Hunted down and stabbed repeatedly by a Muslim extremist, his name now … Continue reading
More Martyrs: ISIS Executes Dozens of Ethiopian Christians in Libya
A few excerpts from my article for Christianity Today, published April 20: Once again, ISIS has orchestrated and filmed the dramatic mass killing of African Christians who refuse to deny their faith. This time, the approximately 28 men targeted by the Libya affiliate of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (also known as Daesh) were Ethiopian Christians. … Continue reading
Who are the Copts?
World attention has turned to the Coptic Christian community of Egypt, following the beheading of 20 of their migrant workers in Libya at the hands of the so-called Islamic State. The Coptic Orthodox Church considers them martyrs. A new icon venerates their death and their names have been added into the Synaxarion, the liturgical church … Continue reading
Libya Offers the First Coptic Martyrs Outside Egypt in the Modern Era
On December 29, 2012, an unknown assailant killed two Egyptians praying in a service building attached to a Coptic Orthodox Church in Misrata, Libya. Located to the west of Tripoli, the attacker threw a homemade bomb into a midnight prayer service of 150 people, injuring two others. According to Fr. Marcos, the Coptic priest in … Continue reading
Bishop Tawadros Selected by Lot to Become the 118th Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Mid-Sunday morning, after three days of fasting, the Coptic Orthodox Church selected Bishop Tawadros of the Diocese of Baheira to be its 118th patriarch, succeeding Pope Shenouda III, who passed away in March of 2012. Tawadros' name was drawn from a wax-sealed glass ball by a blindfolded child, supervised by the acting patriarch Bishop Pachomious. … Continue reading
Applying the Cross (On Your Wrist)
One of the distinctive marks of a Coptic Christian is the cross tattoo worn on the wrist. Sometimes applied as early as forty days after birth (and following baptism), the tattoo is a permanent identification marker signaling to all the faith and community belonging of the bearer. Girgis Ghobrial is an electrical engineer by training … Continue reading
Egyptian Wisdom and Easter Hope
In Egypt, Easter is celebrated today according to the Orthodox calendar. It is a rather strange holiday as it sets off a bit of schizophrenia in the country. Unlike Christmas, which is a national holiday, Easter is a regular day. Except it isn't. Christians are allowed the day off, and many Muslims take it also. … Continue reading
Reflecting on the Papal Shrines
Five people were killed yesterday at St. Bishoy Monastery, crushed to death visiting the shrine of Pope Shenouda. I was nearly there, along with my three year old daughter. It was meant to be part two of my visits to the shrines of the most recent popes. The second leg was not planned with the … Continue reading
Selecting the Next Pope
Near thirty journalists gathered at the Cairo Foreign Press Association headquarters to gain insight on the process involved in selecting a successor to the recently deceased Pope Shenouda. Arab West Report presented its research on the subject, accepting also further inquiries. The March 27 meeting was opened by FPA board member Sayid Ghuriyat, and presided … Continue reading
Pictures, Video, and Observations from Pope Shenouda's Funeral
The atmosphere at Pope Shenouda's funeral today was not what I expected. At first it was dull, and then sympathetically chaotic. Entrance to the church itself could only be secured with a personal invitation, so I made my way early to the courtyard of the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to witness the swelling throngs. Over the … Continue reading
Christianity Today on Pope Shenouda
Just a short post today to direct to the article I contributed to Christianity Today on why the death of Pope Shenouda is also mourned by Egypt's Protestants. If you click on the link above today you will see it highlighted as the lead story. Afterwards, please click here for the permanent link. I hope … Continue reading
A Few Thoughts and Links on Pope Shenouda
Living here in Egypt as a writer, I have long worried over the looming death of Pope Shenouda, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Speaking only personally, it seemed a daunting task to try and summarize his life, as long, influential, and controversial it has been. This mostly has to do with my preference for … Continue reading
St. John the Short
The Coptic Orthodox Church is filled with the stories of saints, so much that the production of their movies has become a cottage industry. They are not always the best acted or of the highest Hollywood production value, but they open a window into the worldview of Egyptian Christians. I first heard of St. John … Continue reading
Remembering Alexandria
One year ago this evening Egypt was rocked by an explosion in Alexandria, killing twenty-one and injuring over 170, at the Two Saints' Church in the Sidi Bishr region. One year before that, at Coptic Christmas on January 7, six Christians were killing along with a Muslim security guard at a church in Nag Hamadi, … Continue reading
Coptic Iconography: From the Pharaonic Age to the Arab Spring
Magdy William is one of the world's premier Coptic iconographers, having studied under the renowned reviver of the long neglected art, Isaac Fanous. William discussed his craft, its history, and spiritual impact during an exhibition hosted by St. John's Episcopal Church in Maadi, Cairo, on October 21, 2011, under the sponsorship of Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler. … Continue reading
Rebuilding the Social Fabric: Muslims and Christians in Community Service Organizations
Civil society is one of the hallmarks of a strong nation. Conspicuously, it was rather absent in pre-revolutionary Egypt. President Mubarak did his best to depoliticize the people, with even extension of social services neglected. While religious groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and the Orthodox Church picked up the slack on both counts, this … Continue reading
John, the To-Be Monk, Eventually
Becoming a monk in Egypt is a long process, one I have not studied completely, but encounter often on visits to various monasteries. This weekend my family and I visited St. Toma Monastery to the northwest of Cairo, about two hours away. It is among the newer monasteries in Egypt, but is a sister monastery … Continue reading


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Spotlight On - June 2014
Date: 19th June 2014 | Posted by: Airedale Team | Posted in: Newsletter
The summer is here and our spotlight this month shines on low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and Chillventa 2014, which takes places in Nuremburg, Germany, 14-16 October. When the heat is on our spares department can help you eliminate downtime, and in this issue we profile this highly skilled team. Finally, if you haven't already noticed the FIFA World Cup 2014 is now in full flow. Our free to download wall planner will help you keep up to speed with all the action in sunny Brazil.
To receive regular newsletters and updates from Airedale, you can subscribe at the bottom of the page.
Read the online version of this newsletter
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Event managers and experiential marketers have found a new way to keep sponsors and event attendees happy – to save them from that sinking feeling of low phone battery.
Chargebar is a unique service to keep visitors tweeting, talking and texting throughout an event. Sponsors love the new platform as it creates brand goodwill and rapport with clients and guests.
Will Sackville from Wingman Marketing has received great feedback about the chargebars at the International Vodafone Test Cricket 2012-13 series in Australia, where the service has been provided for the media and corporate hospitality spaces at each venue on the tour.
"Vodafone has been stoked with the chargebars, and think they're great way to look after their clients and guests. The media have been especially grateful due to their heavy reliance on smartphones for work demands and tight deadlines" said Mr Sackville.
Specifically designed for maximum presence at any event, chargebars come with a variety of ad formats including backlit poster screens and potential for full branding.


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Tullamore DEW 12 Year Old Special Reserve
70cl / 40% abv
Tullamore DEW 12 Year Old Special Reserve Description
A carefully crafted blend of old Irish whiskeys, all aged at least 12 years old, Tullamore DEW Special Reserve is triple distilled and matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks for 12-15 years.
Hamish Says
Nose: spice and nuts with a red wine character and woody notes.
Palate: deep spice flavour with creamy, chocolate notes, before dried fruits and nuts.
Finish: long and rich with citrus, chocolate, raisin and marzipan.


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Street Date: 11/14/17
Patricia Ross (Alexa Grace) wants to empower women with her new book, but her manuscript has to survive the criticisms of a raging male chauvinist (Ricky Johnson) who could make or break her career. This unlikely pair has to rewrite the rules in order to see eye to eye. Who will end up on top?
Starring: Alexa Grace, Misty Stone, Mya Mays and more!


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When staying in Los Angeles, it might seem that there are nearby attractions everywhere. One of these are escape rooms, which are fun experiences that have been growing in popularity. From date nights to birthday parties to team building experiences, Escape Rooms seem to be popping up everywhere. You and your group of friends only has one hour to complete a series of clues that will allow you to escape from a locked room. Check out some of these escape room Los Angeles experiences.
This escape room location offers 5 different themed escape rooms. Try your luck at Escape the X Corporation. You've volunteered to be a part of the mysterious X Corporation's new experimental program. The next thing you know you've awoken in a strange room filled with strangers. None of you know how you got there or what is happening, but the door is locked, there's a timer counting down from one hour, and a sign tells you to "continue the test."
Located at various locations throughout Los Angeles, LA Maze Rooms offer themed rooms in varying difficulties from medium, hard and impossible. Do you think you have what it takes? If so, try out Portal, an escape room that is set an an impossible difficulty level. Located at 14429 Ventura Blvd. in LA, this maze room is good for 2-6 players. Try your skills today! Visit the official website for more information.
Escape Room Gamez
What sets apart Escape Room Gamez from other Escape Room companies is that this location not only offers real life escape rooms, but virtual reality escape rooms too. Virtual reality escape rooms will take things to the next level, in this 60 minute experience that is good for 1-12 people. Do you have what it takes?


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Hawkesbury HeatingClient Testimonials
Hi David,
We are sitting in front of our Jotul fireplace enjoying its warmth and ambience and wanted to say thank you for a fantastic job on its installation! We couldn't be happier with our fire and your friendly and prompt service made the process so smooth and enjoyable. We look forward to many years of satisfaction. Thank you for a job well done! We will highly recommend Hawkesbury Heating to all our friends and family looking for a fireplace.
Kind regards,
Jonathan and LeanneJonathan & Leanne Shanks
Unable to find a suitable wood heater in Adelaide we broadened our search interstate and were fortunate to come across Hawkesbury Heating.
We were able to find a heater that suited our needs at an extremely competitive price, and David arranged for it to be delivered to our door with minimal fuss.
We highly recommend Hawkesbury Heating!
Geoff Rogers and Deborah BoltGeoff and Deborah
Please pass on my compliments to Daryl for a job well done in installing my new Eureka Pearl wood heater.
Daryl's business manner and workmanship was first class along with his attention of protecting my wooden floor with mats during the dismantling of the old heater flue and the installation of my new heater.
I am very pleased with my purchase and the installation, and I recommend Hawkesbury Heating to anyone who expects good service and fine products.Johan Verhagen
Hi Tiarna,I just wanted to say thank you, the fire was installed yesterday and I am extremely pleased with it. I have been very appreciative of your excellent and prompt communication, and customer service, it certainly sets you and your company apart!!Kind regards,CarolineCaroline Janzen
Great friendly service and excellent prices! Worth the 2hour drive.Paige Beck
Hi David, Thanks for your product knowledge and assistance when we recently purchased a new wood heater. We had been to a number of showrooms in and around the Hills District but we were drawn to Hawkesbury Heating because of your comprehensive range. We are looking forward to the installation of the heater this week!Paul & Lyn Toohey
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A good question. What is it about quotations that captivate those of us who like them? I have books of quotations -- by the Founding Fathers, by Abraham Lincoln, by various theological authors, etc. Why? What is it about the words of others that is so appealing? Partly it is authority -- the use of words by notable authors to support my own contentions. It allows me to speak without using my own voice. But that, I think, isn't the main reason. The main reason is joy in the phrasing and wisdom of others. What I like about quotations is the ability to reference a particularly well-put point or insight, and to share that literary or verbal excellence with others. That to me is why quotations are so interesting.
As Lincoln once quipped, "For those who like that kind of thing, it's the kind of thing they like."
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Why do we quote?
Posted by Mark D. at 16:37
Labels: education, knowledge, literature
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In our morning reading: interviews with Deborah Levy and Matana Roberts, new writing by Natalie Eilbert and Bud Smith, and more.
Weekend Bites: Chris L. Terry, Natalie Eilbert Poetry, Annalee Newitz and Charlie Jane Anders, Janaka Stucky Interviewed, and More
In our weekend reading: thoughts on Chris L. Terry's new novel, poetry from Natalie Eilbert, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Dorothea Lasky on Creativity, Natalie Eilbert, John Domini Interviewed, "Unknown Pleasures" at 40, and More
In our afternoon reading: new writing from Dorothea Lasky, looking back at a classic album from Joy Division, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn's Best of 2018: Poetry
2018 brought with it a lot of great poetry. Some revisited older forms or older stories to create something vital and new, while others took bold risks with language in order to illuminate aspects of the present sociopolitical condition. Whether they were causing us to rethink the quotidian or leading us to unexpected places, here are some of our favorite examples of verse that emerged this year.
Afternoon Bites: Maria Dahvana Headley Fiction, Natalie Eilbert Poetry, Golnaz Hashemzadeh Bonde, and More
In our afternoon reading: new fiction by Maria Dahvana Headley, new poetry by Natalie Eilbert, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Diana Arterian and Natalie Eilbert, Keith Buckley Interviewed, James Baldwin on Screen, Matthew Binder, and More
In our afternoon reading: Diana Arterian and Natalie Eilbert in conversation, a review of a recent Shellac show, and more.
Morning Bites: Natalie Eilbert's Latest, Chiwan Choi Poetry, Mary Lattimore, Lance Olsen Fiction, and More
In our morning reading: thoughts on Natalie Eilbert's new book, new writing from Chiwan Choi and Lance Olsen, and much more.
Morning Bites: A "Welcome to Lagos" Excerpt, Rachel Slade Interviewed, Shy Watson, Stephen Malkmus's Latest, and More
In our morning reading: an excerpt from Chibundu Onuzo's new novel, an interview with Shy Watson, and more.


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Angie's List Answers is the trusted spot to ask home improvement and health questions and get answers from service companies, health providers and consumers. For ratings and reviews on companies in your area, search Angie's List.
*Updates every 4 hours
Railing needed on right side only.
Hi, This is James W. from Member Care. Thank you for reaching out! We'd be happy to help you find a highly rated provider to do your railing work. However, it looks like your subscription expired. You can renew online at any time by signing in to your old account at www.angieslist.com. Once logged in, you'll be asked to rejoin, and you can just follow the prompt. If you need any further assistance with this, you can email email@example.com or call (888)944-5478 between 8am and 9pm EST, Monday through Friday, or 8am to 5pm on Saturday. We look forward to welcoming you back to the List and assisting you with your upcoming projects and services!
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World Vision Children
November 1, 2013
For a number of years Paterson & Dowding has proudly sponsored two World Vision children. Each month we have a casual dress day and staff members make a donation, the proceeds of which are contributed to the children.
If you are in our office on casual dress day and would like to make a donation, please feel free to do so.


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Bike Apparel
The All-New 2015 Liv Avail Endurance Bike
July 14th, 2014 by Suzanne Zelazo | Posted in Bike Apparel, Bike Equipment, Bike Gear, Bikes & Frames | No Comments »
It's been 42 years since the passing of Title IX in the US. Although it went far in equalizing funding and sport infrastructure among genders, truly equal opportunity has eluded us. The launch of […]
Trek launches the 10-lb. Émonda
July 3rd, 2014 by Triathlon Magazine | Posted in Bike Apparel, Bike Equipment, Bike Gear | No Comments »
On Tuesday, Trek made it official. The Waterloo, Wis.-based company announced the release its light climbing bike, the Émonda. The bike has been a poorly kept secret: photos of the machine at the Critérium […]
ITU World Triathlon Championship Tickets Sell Out in Record Time
April 17th, 2014 by Triathlon Magazine | Posted in Bike Apparel, News | No Comments »
Audiences for triathlon are growing fast. Today it took under an hour for over 1,000 tickets for the ITU World Triathlon Championship London Grandstand race in London's Hyde Park to sell out. The event attracts […]
Review: Fall/Winter Cycling Clothes
October 1st, 2010 by triathlon | Posted in Bike Apparel | No Comments »
This year's crop of fall/winter cycling clothing offers outstanding technical features.
Ongoing review: Shimano Di2
July 15th, 2010 by Kevin Mackinnon | Posted in Bike Apparel, Bike Gear | No Comments »
We raved about Shimano's impressive Di2 in our March issue.
Feels Good, Looks Good: 2010 Running and Cycling Wear
May 28th, 2010 by triathlon | Posted in Bike Apparel, Run Apparel | No Comments »
We've got the latest clothing options for spring and summer!
Gear Review: Winter Cycling Clothing
January 22nd, 2010 by triathlon | Posted in Bike Apparel, Gear | No Comments »
Unlike other aerobic winter training, staying warm during winter bikes rides is tough.


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Oumier Gragas rdta tank, made of stainless steel and pyrex glass, black and silver colors available, can hold 4ml e juice, easy unplug the base and the Gragas rdta will change to RDA tank,the oumier Gragas tank comes with easy handing RDA build deck with top refill and anti-leak design, 17mm diameter inner cap, and 2.1mm*3.0mm post holes let the tank fit for most common vape wires, the Gragas rdta can power from 1w to 300w, inner cap and glass tube can be replaced easily and clean.
check the magic winds rta tank
- Material: Stainless steel + pyrex glass
- Colors: Black, Silver
- Height: 51mm
- Outside diameter: 25mm
- Capacity: 4.0ml
- Top refill anti-leak design
- Top airflow design
- Free refueling
- The inner cap fits for 17mm diameter vape wires
- 2.1mm*3.0mm post holes
1*gragas rdta
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Note: please ensure you have basic knowledge on how to properly to use it.
1)If the tanks use sub ohm coils, vapers must be sure that your device and batteries can handle sub ohm coils, only recommend experienced users order this, extra safety precautions should be practiced when using a sub ohm tank. the tank only work with the mod that can support the atomizer and coil.if you have a tank and resistance is 0.3ohm, you must sure that the mod or battery can support resistance low to 0.3ohm.improper use and lead to injury or damage.use the OHMS LAW Calculator to check.if you have question,please feel free to contact us.
2) Smokstore will not responsible or liable for any injury, damage, defect, permanent or temporary that may be caused by the improper use of Li-ion battery, coils, tanks, mods etc.please have a basic knowledge of vape.welcome to contact us anytime to get help.


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NOTICE: Many events listed here have been canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 emergency. It is best to call ahead or check with organizer's websites to verify the status of any local event.
|Other Tour Dates (1)
|Oct 3
|Wolf Parade
|La Botanique Brussels, BEL
Wolf Parade is an indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec.
Wolf Parade began in April 2003, when former Frog Eyes member Spencer Krug was offered a gig by Grenadine Records' Alex Megelas. With only a 3-week deadline to form a band, Krug contacted a fellow Canadian guitarist Dan Boeckner (formerly of British Columbia band Atlas Strategic) and began writing songs in Krug's apartment.[1] Initially using a drum machine for their rhythm section played through computer speakers, Krug later invited Arlen Thompson to the lineup as the drummer;[2] however, the newly formed trio rehearsed as a full band only the day before their first show.[2] During the tour, Wolf Parade recorded and released their self-titled debut EP (referred to as the 4 Song EP).
In September 2003,[3] Hadji Bakara joined Wolf Parade, contributing his synthesizer and sound manipulation skills to the lineup.[1] By the summer of 2004 the band released its second independent, self-titled EP, commonly referred to as the 6 Song EP.
In September 2004, the band traveled to Portland, Oregon to record with Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock. Brock had recently signed the band to Sub Pop; Brock was an A&R man for the record label at the time. He had been following Dan Boeckner as Boeckner's old band, Atlas Strategic, had toured with Modest Mouse and were offered a Sub Pop signing just before the band split up. Wolf Parade spent two and a half weeks working 14-hour days in Portland. After some remixing, the band returned to Montreal to finish recording. The album was scheduled for a May release, but then pushed back.[4] On its new record label, the band released its first widely-distributed EP, Wolf Parade, in July 2005. In September 2005, the band's debut album Apologies to the Queen Mary was released on Sub Pop Records to critical acclaim, earning a 2006 Polaris Music Prize nomination.[5]
Dante DeCaro (formerly of Hot Hot Heat) joined sometime in 2005 as a second guitarist and percussionist.[1]
The second album, At Mount Zoomer, followed in June 2008.
An on-stage announcement[6] in November 2008 that Dante DeCaro would no longer be playing with the band was later revealed to have been a joke.[7]
Wolf Parade will get together in October 2009 to work on their third album.
(From Wikipedia)
Categories: Music | Alternative
All video content is provided by Youtube, and any questions, comments, or concerns regarding such content should be directed to Youtube


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When I first saw Gillette's "We Believe" ad, I was quite sceptical. How is that a brand known for its razor-sharp machoness suddenly take a stand against toxic masculinity, bullying and sexual harassment? By engaging with the #MeToo movement, the company's new advertising campaign plays on its 30-year tagline "The best a man can get", replacing it with "The best men can be".
Topics: marketing strategy, brand purpose, woke marketing
Gone are the days when marketing communication was about pitching strategically thought out product benefits in witty consumer-speak and well-crafted visuals. I can hear marketers breathe a collective sigh of relief at its demise. Because, clearly, its replacement, the cause marketing campaign is an easier beast to tame, right?
Topics: brand purpose, brand vision, cause marketing


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Get your book 'Words about Deeds'. Our publication to celebrate 100 years of international volunteering for peace.
SCI Pool of Trainers and Facilitators – call for new members
SCI is very active in the field of non-formal education, and Branches and SCI International organise numerous related events every year, such as seminars or training courses. To address existing needs in the non-formal education field, in 2013 the International Executive Committee established the SCI Pool of Trainers and Facilitators (TP). Due to the arising vacancies, the SCI Pool of Trainers and Facilitators is now in the position to invite new trainers to join the TP.
Deadline: 19 February 2018
The purpose of the Pool is as follows:
1. Strengthen the capacity of SCI in non-formal education;
2. Maintain the expertise of SCI;
3. Increase the level of coordination with regards to educational projects and events in SCI;
4. Support SCI in implementing its project strategy;
&6. Enable exchange of expertise between the TP members.
TP is a self-coordinated body that can work effectively thanks to the initiative and self-responsibility of its members. You can read more about the Pool here. The Pool also runs its Facebook page. The new team can decide how to use these communication channels.
The International Secretariat gives priority to TP members when it comes to developing training activities for SCI, and invites the trainers to run activities whenever a training activity is managed by the International Secretariat. The trainers receive a fee for running training courses for SCI-International Secretariat (the amount dependent of the project budget, not less than 100 euro/day gross). In addition, the trainers are listed on the SCI website and can be contacted individually by SCI Branches and Groups. There is some level of support foreseen from the International Executive Committee (IEC) to TP, especially in the first months of the new TP operation, but the main responsibility for organising itself and conducting activities and projects will stay on the trainers' team.
Who are we looking for?
1. An eligible candidate must be a trainer / educator / facilitator, and we are especially searching for specialists in the following topics: capacity building of teams and organisations, intercultural dialogue and peace education, social inclusion, environment, sustainability and climate justice, and volunteerism and participation.
2. There is no age or geographical limit but as TP is an internal SCI body, only trainers and facilitators from SCI member organisations are eligible to apply.
3. Candidates should be highly motivated to actively contribute to the team's activities and ready to take part in remote team work (including one physical meeting per year, Skype meetings every 2 months, and ongoing email communication).
Important notice:
The applicants should bear in mind that the number of training offers from the SCI-International Secretariat side is limited, and on average a TP member runs not more than 1 event in a year. The number can increase if the trainer is proactive and supports SCI in writing project proposals for new educational activities. TP members also work on a pro bono basis while developing and implementing the TP Plan of Action – commonly agreed priorities that correspond with the TP purposes. These can be: maintaining a calendar of educational activities in SCI, enlarging the SCI library of educational resources, advising the IS regarding the planned educational projects, liaison with the IEC/IS for specific actions, etc. These specific actions are always worked out by the TP members and depend on their expertise, interest, and availability.
How to apply?
If you are interested in joining the TP please fill in the online application form before 19th February 2018. The selection will be made by the International Executive Committee in consultation with the current Pool of Trainers, and will be based on the quality of the applications of candidates, as well as matching the current needs of SCI and the TP. All candidates will be notified before the end of February 2018.


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UK drug delivery group SkyePharma has posted a solid set of results for the first half of 2009, which saw net loss fall 10.3% to £6.1 million.
The firm booked revenues of £25.5 million, down 10.2%, hurt by the impact of currency. Royalties from Solaraze (diclofenac) for actinic keratosis, which is licensed to Almirall and Nycomed, and Requip (ropinirole), the Parkinson's disease/restless legs syndrome drug sold from GlaxoSmithKline, only partially compensated for reduced cash coming from SkyePharma's pacts with GSK for Paxil (paroxetine) CR and Schiele Pharma for Triglide (fenofibrate).
Most interest in SkyePharma, however, is firmly focused on the prospects for the asthma combination drug Flutiform (fluticasone and formoterol). Two months ago, the firm received a 74-day letter from the US Food and Drug Administration concerning a regulatory submission for the treatment, which is licensed to Abbott Laboratories, asking for "further clarification" of the filing.
SkyePharma says that a meeting has been arranged with the FDA and acknowledged that "it appears likely that some additional clinical work may be required to provide more data on dosing". In Europe, partner Mundipharma expects to file Flutiform in the first quarter of 2010.
The London-based company noted that it had a cash balance of £22.1 million at the end of June and since then has banked £5 million from Novartis and a sub-contractor in respect of the termination of the Foradil (formoterol) Certihaler contract. It added that headcount has been reduced by over 10% at an R&D facility in Muttenz, Switzerland and at its manufacturing facility in Lyon, France, the workforce of over 120 employees has been reduced by a third. These moves led to a charge of £1.5 million but will result in annual savings of £2 million from next year.
SkyePharma also said it continues to seek new partnerships for its proprietary technology, and is "actively seeking" potential applications of its SkyeHaler dry powder inhaler.
UK drug delivery group SkyePharma has posted a solid set of results for the first half of 2009, which saw net loss fall 10.3% to £6.1 million.


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April 05, 2016
Arguably the funniest comedian alive will try out some new material in Philadelphia Tuesday night.
Helium Comedy Club announced they're adding a second late show for Louis C.K. at 10:15 p.m. after their 8 p.m. show quickly sold out.
Here are the details via Helium:
One of the most influential and respected comedians of his generation, Louis C.K. is set to deliver a slew of new material here in the City of Brotherly Love.
Tickets are only available IN PERSON at the Helium box office beginning at 1:00PM - Tuesday, April 5th. Maximum purchase of 2 tickets per person. Tickets are $30. Cash Only - Credit Cards will not be accepted.
Tickets are non-transferable. Purchaser much present ID when picking up tickets prior to showtime. Tickets purchased through secondary vendors (Stubhub, Craigslist, etc.) will not be honored.
This show is 21+ (18+ with parent). Tickets will be available for pick up at the box office 2 hours prior to showtime.
Helium is located at 2031 Sansom St. in case you're thinking about bolting out of the office to rush and try and grab a pair of tickets. Good luck!


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Chances are, your understanding of science is largely dictated by movies. Unless of course you wear a white lab coat and a pair of glasses. Case in point, the Hover Board from "Back to the Future 2". This particular piece of movie magic, which has been referenced more than a handful of times in the last few months thanks to a variety of magnetically floating objects, such the Light Light and that magnet that floated through a cooper tube, is theoretically viable but not really doable in really world terms. Or is it?
What this video depicts is something called Quantum Levitation. Don't ask us, because we really don't know how it works. However, we can tell you that what you're about to see doesn't seem to include any special effects or strings. The puck sized device floats – the science student says otherwise – above a metal tray and "locks" into place. It's a bit hard to describe so we suggest you just watch the video. But if you watch closely, the puck doesn't really float as much as it just sits there, fixed in mid air. Later in the video its placed on a metal disc and with a slight push rotates effortlessly in circles. It's a stunning effect, though replicating this at home might take some seriously expensive equipment, and even then it might not get you laid.


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Do you get nervous before a date? Maybe your thoughts are not as positive as you would like them to be. Do you need help getting excited about whatever is going to unfold? This meditation is quick and easy and designed to help you get into the best mindset possible before a date so you can have the best experience possible!
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