text:
« 檜瞪啗樓 »
tana, who guessed the truth, and who intuitively felt that her generous heart would find, in devotion to Eleanora, means of withdrawing her attention from her unfortunate passion. "Do with' her as you please. When the Countess Clorinda, only child of my generous patron, calls my wife her sister, my wife is hers for life."
The result was natural. Paolo Zustana ceased to be suspicious and restless. Eleanora was universally admired; and when, ten years later, the artist, after finishing the paintings for the gallery of the Palace Bembo, took up his residence permanently in Venice, his wife had become an accomplished and unaffected lady, capable of holding her position in the elevated circles to which the genius of her husband, and the friendship of Clorinda, established her right to belong. Clorinda remained true to her friendship all her life; delighted and happy at being the ensurer of permanent happiness two loving hearts, which, under the system of suspicion, fear, and seclusion adopted by one of them, must ultimately have been utterly wretched.
No one can be happy and useful in this world, who is not of it. If it were not our duty to be of it, we may be very sure we should not be in it.
BEHIND THE LOUVRE. ." T)EOPLE may wish to know why I pull up
-L here, and begin to play the fool. I am a pencil manufacturer; nothing more. I know that my pencils arc good: look here! (Exhibits a medal.) This medal was given to mo, as the manufacturer of these superlative penpls, by the promoters of the Great Exhibition uvfcdndon."
With this preliminary address, a very fasliionable-looking gentleman, who has drawn up his carriage at the roadside behind the Louvre in Paris, opens an address to a number of persons who begin to gather about him. His equipage is handsome; and people wonder what he means by this curious proceeding. Presently they perceive that in the buggy there is an organ, and that the individual perched behind the gentleman fulfills the double functions of footman and organgrinder. They perceive also that the servant wears a magnificent livery, part of it consisting of a huge brass helmet, from the summit of which immense tricolor feathers flutter conspicuously in the breeze. The gentleman suddenly rings a bell; and forthwith the footman in the buggy grinds a lively air. The crowd rapidly increases. The gentleman is very grave: he looks quietly at the people about him, and then addresses them a second time, having rung the little bell again to stop his footman's organ: "Now I dare say you wonder what I am going to do. Well, I will begin with the story which led me to this charlatan life—for I am a charlatan—there's no denying it. I was, as you all know, an ordinary pencil merchant; and, although I sold my pencils in the street from my carriage-seat, I was dressed like any of you. Well, one day, when I was selling Bay pencils at a rapid rate, a low fellow set up his puppet-show close by me—and all my customers lushed away from me. This occurred to me
many times. Wherever I drew up my carriage to sell my pencils in a quiet way some charlatan came, and drew all my customers from me. I found that my trade was tapering away to a point as fine as the finest point of my finest pencil; and, as you may imagine, I was not very pleased. But suddenly I thought that if the public taste encourages charlatans, and if I am to secure the patronage of that publie, I too must become a charlatan. And here I am—a charlatan from the tips of my hair to the heel of my boot, selling excellent pencils for forty centimes each, as you shall presently sec."
This second speech concluded in the most serious manner, the gentleman produces from the carriage-seat a splendid coat embroidered with gold: this he puts on with the utmost gravity— then tums to the crowd to watch its effect upon them. Then he takes his hat off, picks up a huge brass helmet from the bottom of the carriage, and tries it on. Again he looks gravely at the crowd, suddenly removes the helmet, and places, singly, three plumes representing the national tricolor, watching the effect upon the spectators, as he adds each feather. Having surveyed the general effect of the helmet thus decorated, he again puts it on; and, turning now full upon the crowd, folds his arms and looks steadfastly before him. After a pause, he rings his little bell, and the plumed organist behind him plays a soft and soothing air. To this tunc he again speaks:
"Well, here I am,: as you see, a charlatan. I have done this to please you: you mustn't blame me. As I told you, I am the well-known manufacturer of pencils. They are cheap and they are good, as I shall presently show you. Look here—I have a portfolio!"
The gentleman then lifts a large portfolio or book—opens it, and exhibits to the crowd three or four rough caricatures. He presently pretends to perceive doubts floating about as to the capability of his pencils to produce such splendid pictures. Suddenly he snatches up one of them, brandishes it in the air—tums over the leaves of the book—finds a blank page—then places himself in an attitude to indicate intense thought. He frowns; he throws up his eyes; he taps the pencil impatiently against his chin; he traces imaginary lines in the air; he stands for some seconds with upturned face, rapt—waiting, in fact, to be inspired. Suddenly he is struck by an irresistible and overpowering thought, and begins to draw the rough outlines of a sketch. He proceeds with his work in the most earnest manner. No spectator can detect a smile upon that serious face. Now he holds the book far away from him, to catch the general effect, marks little errors here and there; then sets vigorously to work again. At last the great conception is upon the paper. He tums it most seriously, and with the air of a man doing a very great favor, to the crowd. The picture produces a burst of laughter. The pencil manufacturer does not laugh, but continues solemnly, to the sounds of his organ in the buggy, to exhibit his production. Presently, however, he closes the book with the appearance of a man who is satiated with the applauses of the world. A moment afterward he opens it a second time; puts the point of the pencil to his tongue, and looks eagerly at the people. He is selecting some individual, sufficiently eccentric and sufficiently prominent to be recognized by the general assembly when sketched. He has caught sight of one at last. He looks at him intensely, to the irrepressible amusement of the spectators, who all follow his eyes with theirs. The individual selected generally smiles, and bears his public position very calmly.
"For Mercy's sake, do not stir!" the artist fervently ejaculates, as he sets vigorously to work. This proceeding, in the open street, conducted with the utmost gravity, and with the most finished acting, is irresistibly ludicrous. As the portrait advances toward completion, the organ plays a triumphant melody. In five minutes a rough and bold sketch has been produced, resembling only in the faintest manner the original, yet sufficiently like him to be recognized, and to create amusement. As the artist holds up the portrait, to be seen by the crowd, he again rings his little bell to silence his musical attendant in the buggy.
And now he dwells emphatically upon the virtues of his pencils. He declares that they are at once black and hard. He pretends, once more, to detect an air of incredulity in the crowd. He is indignant. He seizes a block of oak—informs his imaginary detractors that it is the hardest known wood—and, with a hammer, drives the point of one of his pencils through it. The wood is split, the pencil is not injured: and he tells his imaginary detractors that even if they are not in the habit of using pencils for art, they are at liberty to split wood with them for winter firing. All they have to do is to buy them. This is of course a very popular point in the performances. The next is the display, to the melancholy grind of the organ in the buggy, of a huge box full of silver money.
This box is opened and exhibited to the crowd as the astonishing result of these wonderful pencils. And then the charlatan goes through all that pantomime which usually describes a man utterly tired of all the enjoyments wealth can give him. He seizes a handful of the money, and then lazily drops it into the box. He throws himself back and pushes the box from him, to indicate that he is tired of riches. At last he jumps up, and, seizing a five-franc piece, raises his arm to throw it among the spectators: but he is prevented, apparently, by a sudden impulse.
"Once," he explains, "I threw a five-franc piece in the midst of my customers, when it unfortunately struck a man in the eye. That accident gave me a lesson which I should do wrong to forget to-day."
So he closes the box, throws it to the bottom of the carriage, and calls upon the crowd to become purchasers of pencils, which will never break, and which arc patronized by the most distinguished artists. The droll thing about this per
formance is that the pencils sold really are good, and that they actually did obtain honorable mention from the English Exhibition Committee in eighteen hundred and fifty-one.
The crowd having decided to purchase or to reject the merchandise of this extraordinary pencil manufacturer, are soon drawn away to the occupant of another elegant carriage. Truly; this little licensed space at the back of the Louvre presents odd pictures to strangers.
This is a serious business. The crowd are listening to a lecture on teeth,* and on the virtue of certain drugs for the teeth, the composition of which the lecturer alone knows the secret of—a secret that has been rigidly handed down in his family from the time of the ancient Gauls. He is a well-known dentist in Paris, and is in partnership with his father. The senior dentist remains at home to perform operations of dental surgery which are the result of the remarkable advertising system pursued by the young man in the carriage. The business, I am led to believe, is a most nourishing one in the cite; and, when the father was young, he himself was his father's advertiser.
The scientific gentleman now haranguing tho crowd is certainly the worthy representative of his parent. It is reported indeed that the man is a skillful dentist. At the present moment he offers to prove his dexterity upon any individual present who may bo troubled by a refractory tooth. He looks about eagerly for a patient. Presently a boy is thrust forward to be operated upon. The poor little fellow is rapidly hoisted into the vehicle. To suffer the extraction of a tooth in an elegant drawing-room, or in the privacy of a fashionable dentist's apartment, is not a pleasant operation, even for a man with the strongest nerve; but to have a singularly happy illustration of the ills to which teeth are subject, drawn from your head, and exhibited to a crowd of curious strangers, is an ordeal from which all people, save philosophers and small French boys, would shrink with horror. The little victim, however, does not seem to be ashamed of his public position. He seats himself in the presence of the crowd, and allows the operator to fasten a towel about his neck, without displaying the least nervousness. The business-like manner of the operator is very amusing. Ho looks upon the boy only as a model. When the patient is fully prepared, he displays him to the crowd with much the same expression as that adopted by all parental exhibitors of wonderful little children. The operation is then performed, and the boy's head is rapidly buried in a convenient basin. This accomplished, the dentist, with an air of triumph, begins to sell his tooth-powders, and other toilet necessaries, and to refer the crowd to his father's establishment.
We pass the conjuror as an old and wellknown friend, to enjoy the performances of the sergeant of the old guard. This sergeant is represented by an old, care-worn looking poodle— a poodle that appears to be utterly tired of the world—to have exhausted all the enjoyments of two ordinary poodles' lives, and to take good and evil fortune now with equal calmness. This canine representation of the old guard is dressed— so far as his poodle's proportions can be adapted to those of the human form—in the regimentals of the old Imperial soldiers, and his long gray mustaches and shaggy beard give to his head an appearance not altogether dissimilar to his assumed character. He stands upon his hind legs; he carries his musket with military precision; his nfost conspicuous fault, which he seems to have abandoned as quite insurmountable, is his tail. True it is a very little tail, but there it is, and he can not help it. His master, or superior officer, is an old man, with silver hair, enjoying the advantages of a singularly even pair of silver mustaches. The master and the subaltern appear to have a family likeness. The master is dressed in a blue blouse and wide trowsers, and wears a low, half-military cap. In his hand he carries a little drum and a whip.
The poor old guard as he walks round the circle formed by the people, to the time of the drum, looks wistfully at his officer, and sadly at his officer's whip. To describe the military movements through which the old guard passes would be as tedious to the reader as they arc certainly tedious to the poodle; but the officer is really impressive. He is a serious old man, with a military severity in his look. He talks to the poodle in a voice of thunder, and comments on the slightest laxity of discipline with tremendous earnestness. He reminds the old sergeant (who absolutely looks conscious of his disgrace) that he is an unworthy representative of the Emperor's noble veterans. He tells him that he has twice been fined for drunkenness, and that he spends every sous he gets in Cognac. The sergeant looks Very much ashamed. And then the anger of his officer rises to a terrific pitch. The end of the matter is, that the sergeant goes through all the forms of a military trial, and is condemned to be shot. The severe old gentleman then solemnly beats his drum, and with a mournful look, places the condemned soldier in the position he is to occupy while his sentence is carried out. The poodle, with a hang-dog look, then suffers his master to fire a percussion cap at him, and falls dead. But the business does not end here. The old man proceeds with the utmost gravity to bury the sergeant with military honors. Aided by a little boy, he carries the defunct slowly round the circle, and then sings a dirge over his grave.
After the funeral, the dog wakes to a lively air, and performs a country dance with his serious old master. The animal is a character, but his master is a study. His age, his dignified manner, the imperturbable seriousness with which he goes through the military forms, the well-acted pathos with which he pronounces the old sergeant's sentence, the severity with which he rebukes any levity in the people, and the insensibility to ridicule with which he dances the country dance, are perfect in themselves. And, as he talks to the dog, his ingenuity in carrying round his discourse to money matters, and to the duty
which his spectators owe to themselves not to forget the little ceremony of throwing a few centimes into the arena, is a matter which gives zest to the performance. He never appeals directly to the people—he seldom recognizes them in any way; he talks at them in an incidental way, to the old sergeant.
Another public exhibitor claims popular attention behind the Louvre. He is said to share a goodly proportion of Parisian patronage, and to be rewarded with an indefinite number of centimes. His performance is at once rapid and astonishing.
All he does is to break a huge stone—to crumble it up into small pieces. He begins by declaring to the crowd that this process may be performed by a blow of the hand. He lets the crowd examine the stone he is about to crush with a blow of his mighty arm; all are satisfied that it is a solid mass. He places it upon another stone, and, with one blow with his naked hand, shatters it to atoms. This performance is, of course, both rapid and astonishing; and sagacious men have endeavored to account for it by explaining that the underneath stone is so arranged that the whole force of the blow falls upon one point, and so acts like a sharp instrument—a pickax, for instance. This may be the right or it may be a wrong interpretation of the performance; but that it is a legitimate thing—that there is no cheat about it—I am well assured.
I might linger here to watch other performances of this class; but my attention is drawn to a gentleman dressed quietly and well, who has just taken his hat off, and is bowing to us from the high curb-stone. His expression is serious, even sad. He has an intellectual face, a high forehead, a thoughtful look. People flock about him very fast; evidently he has something to say. He has a bundle of papers under one arm. He remains, while a crowd gathers, looking sadly round, and still holding his hat respectfully in his hand. Presently he murmurs a few words; and, by degrees, bursts into an oratorical display, at once dramatic and effective. He is a poet. He felt the soul of poetry within him when he was an obscure boy in his native village. He longed to be known—to catch the applauses of the world. At last he resolved to travel to Paris; Paris, where generous sentiments were always weleomed ; Paris, the natural home of the poet. Full of youthful hope, he presented himself to a publisher, offering his poems. The reply he obtained was, that he was unknown. He went to a second publisher, to a third, to a fourth; all were polite to him, but all rejected his works. He was in despair. Was he, with the Roui of poesy burning within him, to starve in Paris, the cradle of poesy? He was tempted often in that dark time to sully the purity of his muse. But ho said, no; he might be poor, but he would be without stain. At last he was compelled to write songs for obscure cafes chantants; but he should be unworthy to address that assembly could he not assure them that all these songs breathed a high moral purpose. Well, one of these songs became last year the rage—thousands of copies were sold. And what did the author get for that most popular production? Here the orator pauses, and looks sternly about him. Presently he raises his arm, and, shaking it in the air, shouts, with the countenance of a roused fiend," Trois franes!"
After this burst, he proceeds, in a subdued voice, to describe his struggle. How he resolved to fight his hard battle bravely; and how, at last, stung by the neglect of publishers, he resolved to place himself in the streets, face to face with the Paris public. He knew that they reverenced posts. He believed that, while his muse was pure, he might appeal to them with confidence. They may judge by his language that he is no common impostor; and ho confidently believes that the time will come when it will be a popular wonder that the known man once in that way sought a public in the streets of Paris. To that time he looks courageously forward; and only asks his audience to buy a number of his works 'which he has under his arm, and which may be had for three sous each, in confirmation of all he has said. And, forthwith, the poet bows to the crowd, who press about him to buy his works.
This last exhibition behind the Louvre sent me away, thinking seriously of the strange things to be seen in the by-ways of Paris, where few strangers penetrate. Indeed, these licensed street performers form a class peculiar to the French capital. Their ingenuity is as extraordinary as their knowledge of French taste and sentiment is truthful. From the prosperous pencil manufacturer down to the old man who carries a magie-lantern about the neighborhood of the Luxembourg every night, for hire, all the people who get their living in the streets of this giddy place are worth loitering in a by-way to see and to hear.
THE preparations had been made for a grand festival in the Church of the Magdalen, at Girgenti, and, according to the usage on such occasions, the whole interior was decorated with flowers and tapestry. The workmen had quitted the sacred edifice in a body at mid-day; and throughout reigned that solemn and peculiar stillness which, in the temples of the Catholic faith, is felt to exercise an influence the most edifying and sublime.
Two gentlemen paced to and fro in the long aisle which skirts the north side of the building; they were conversing in subdued tones, and seemed to regard the cool, shady church as being well adapted for the purposes of a public promenade. One of them, who might be of the age of about fifty, was of robust frame, tall, and strongly built, with a countenance thoughtful and somewhat stern, but in which no single passion seemed to have left a trace. The other, of slender figure, and in the first bloom of manhood, whose handsome features were characterized by an expression the most intellectual and refined, turned his dark and almost feminine eyes with an earnest
glance in every direction, as if he had something of especial interest to communicate. It was the architect who had designed and superintended the decorations for the fete of the ensuing day. He had but recently completed his studies at Rome. His name was Giulio Balzetti. On a sudden the younger man stood still. "Marquis," he said, in that confidential tone which is used in addressing a person with whom one is in habits of daily intercourse—" I will impart to you—half in jest—a secret which, I believe, is known to no human being except myself. You have perhaps heard of the strange tricks which are sometimes played upon builders by that law of nature which regulates the transmission of sounds, and which modern science has denominated 'Acousties'— played upon us, indeed, when we have the least reason to expect or deserve them. Through an every-day occurrence—by the merest accident— I was lately made acquainted with the singular fact that from this spot, on the very slab of white marble on which we are standing, the slightest whisper at the other extremity of the aisle—I mean in the last of the confessional boxes which you see—is distinctly audible, though a person stationed on any other part of the intervening ground—how near soever to tho place whence the sounds proceeded—would not be able to catch a single word. Remain where you are for a few minutes, while I proceed to the confessional which I have indicated—and you will indeed be wonder-struck by this extraordinary freak of Nature."
The architect hastened away; but he had not proceeded many paces, when the Marquis heard a significant whisper-—the purport of which sufficed in an instant to agitate his whole frame with the most fearful emotions. He stood transfixed to the ground, as though he had been touched by a wand of enchantment—his features pale and rigid as the marble; while the extreme of attentiveness portrayed in his ordinarily tranquil visage betokened that some tidings of awful import wero falling upon his ears. He moved not a limb; he scarcely breathed—he was like one standing on the brink of a precipice, in all the horror of an impending fall into the abyss—and his rolling eyeballs and visibly throbbing heart were the only signs of existence.
Balzetti was now seen returning. "Tho experiment can not be tried at present," he said, with a smile, before he had rejoined his companion. "The confessional is at this moment occupied, and as far as I could observe, by a lady closely vailed ;—but, gracious heavens—Marquis —what has come over you on a sudden V
The Marquis pressed one finger upon his lips, in the manner usual with Italians, and continued in the same unmovable position. At the end of a few minutes he drew a deep sigh—the statue then became instinct with life, and stepped forth from the magic circle.
"It is nothing, my dear Giulio," he said, in his usual familiar tone. "Above all things do not imagine that I am superstitious; but, to speak candidly, the surprising and mysterious nature of your communication has affected me in a way I can not explain. Let us be gone. I shall soon recover myself in the open air." As he spoke, he took the arm of Balzetti familiarly, and accompanied him beyond the city gate to the public walk, when, after a few tums, the two gentlemen separated.
"We shall sec you to-morrow, after the ceremony, at the villa," said the nobleman. "Farewell."
* *' # * *
At an early hour on the following morning the Marquis opened the door of the ante-chamber of his wife's apartment. At the same moment the femme-de-chambre, her looks betraying the utmost astonishment and alarm, entered the room by a door on the opposite side.
"Has your lady rung the bell!" asked the Marquis.
"Not yet, your Excellency," answered the girl, curtseying and blushing deeply.
"Then wait here until you arc summoned," returned the Marquis, opening the door which led from the dressing-room into the bedehamber. He was On the point of stepping within the latter, when his young and beautiful wife stood before him in a morning robe, hastily thrown on, as she had risen from her bed. The Marquis paused— it might be in a momentary resistless transport of admiration of her charms; but without betokening the least observation of her uneasiness— of the inward tempest which had already chased the color from her cheek, and was yet more sensibly manifested as her bosom began to heave tumultuously beneath the snowy night-dress.
"You arc up unusually early this morning, Antonio," she said, in a voice scarcely audible, and with a faint smile, blushing significantly at the same moment.
"Can you wonder, Lauretta, my heart's treasure," said the Marquis, in the most endearing tones, "can you wonder that I seek your presence early and late? And yet, my beloved, the present visit has an additional object. You arc aware that this is the fete of the Holy Magdalen, and that a grand ceremony will be solemnized in honor of the day. It has occurred to me that I might prepare myself for my devotions by the contemplation of that exquisite Magdalen of Guido which hangs in your chamber. May I venture!" he continued, with the extreme of deference in his manner, approaching the door slowly but with determination, as he spoke.
"All is in disorder within," said the young wife, casting a hurried glance through the halfopen door: "but go in for a few moments; I will meanwhile begin to dress in this room."
"How beautiful!" he exclaimed, in a voice of simulated rapture. "How bewitching is this disarray! These robes carelessly scattered about—these tiny slippers that protect and grace the most delicate of feet! There is a balminess in the air—something celestial and eestatic. The spirit of poetry breathes around me."
He fixed a scrutinizing glance on the bed, the silken coverlet of which appeared to have been
taken up and then carefully spread out, while underneath he could discern the contour of a human figure, which, to be as little observable as possible, was stretched at full length.
"I will sit down for a short time," said the Marquis, in a tone the most gentle and composed, "and feast my eyes at my leisure on this master-piece of genius."
As he uttered these words he took the large whito pillow, profusely trimmed with Brussels lace, and deliberately placed it on the part of the bed on which he judged that the head of the intruder must be resting—then flung himself upon it with the whole weight of his stalwart frame, pressing at the same time with his right hand and with his utmost strength on the breast of the concealed author of his dishonor. Without seeming to bo in the least degree aware of the convulsive death-struggles of his victim, the Marquis proceeded in unfaltering tones:
"How absolutely perfect is this work of art! With what a chaste and dignified reserve the lovely penitent is striving to conceal her bosom and snowy neck with her finely-moulded arms and long auburn tresses; while, with a tearful glance of pious remorse, she gazes upward to the throne of mercy and forgiveness! One almost becomes a poet in the contemplation of such a master-piece! Alas! that I am without the gift of the Improvisatore! Lauretta, as. I know not how to poetize on this inspiring theme, I will relate to you an incident which occurred yesterday. Our young friend, Giulio Balzetti, accompanied me to the Church of La Maddalena, and as we were promenading in one of the aisles he made me remark a particular point of the floor, on which he requested that I would stand still, for from that spot, he said, I should distinctly hear a whisper uttered at the remotest part of the building. And, indeed, so it was! At the other point stands the confessional box, Number 6. I had scarcely stationed myself on the slab of marble which he had indicated to me, when I heard a whisper of angelic sweetness—whose whispered voice is known to Heaven above!— heard the fair penitent unbosom herself to the father confessor of her heart's pain and her little venial sins.
"' She had a husband,' she said, 'whom she loved; yes, and he loved her in return—he was so kind to her—he allowed to her the utmost liberty—in short, she was disposed to do him justice—she would requite his affection as far as lay in her power—God help her! but, the truth must be declared, she loved another.' She did not mention his name; it would have amused me to hear it—some one of our handsome young cavaliers, no doubt. Well—she loved another— 'It was impossible to do less,' she said; 'but she had room in her heart, she believed, for her husband besides. He was so noble of soul— so intellectual and refined—so handsome—she meant the other—so worthy to be loved. Then, he pressed his suit with such a passionate ardor. No! it was impossible to deny him any thing. Besides, if her husband should know no


text:
Roaming around Da Lat with motorbike the other day, I dropped by Linh Phuoc Pagoda on the way back from the Tiger Waterfall. The architecture is impressive, very creative. The ten-foot high dragon standing in the middle of a great Pagoda and the Temple.
There is a statue just at the front of the temple too. Taking photographs is prohibited inside the temples, in respect to the sacred place. Pagoda is currently under renovation at the moment but it is majestic when it's done. It will probably done by February.
I was quite tired from riding all day, so I didn't get to stay there too much but I'll be going back there for a good visit probably before Christmas. 😀
Lyndsay is the mind behind this fashion blog, she also blogs about her travels on Discount Travel Blogger giving tips on how to explore the world as cheap as possible. She has earned units in Masters in Psychology, designs websites and graphics, online marketer, YouTuberand a singer by heart.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Keeping you abreast of the news on all your favourite satellite and cable adult channels across Europe, the providers behind them and what they have in store, each and every month in Ultimatetvguide's Hot News!
September, 2014
Daring! TV Channel Is Rebranding For A Second Time To Private TV
Private TV from September 1, 2014. It's the second rebranding of the channel, which began life as XXX Xtreme back in 2005. We will, of course, carry daily listings for the rebranded channel. Check out our Private TV programme guide
January, 2014
Private Spice Channel Gets A Rebranding To Brazzers TV Europe
Popular hardcore channel Private Spice has undergone a rebranding to reflect its new owners. Now known as Brazzers TV Europe, its content remains essentially unchanged. Ultimate TV Guide continues to provide daily listings here: Brazzers TV Europe guide
October, 2010
Daily Programme Listings For Daring! TV Added To Ultimatetvguide
Classy adult channel Daring! TV has taken over from XXX Extreme and now appears as a prime adult offering in a number of packages on various satellites across Europe. We have now added Daring! TV to our regular listings. Check them out Daring! TV guide
December, 2009
TV Cabo Swap Venus TV For Channel Hot
TV Cabo has replaced Argentine based channel Venus with a new adult channel called Hot. We have now added Hot TV to our regular listings. Check them out Hot TV Guide
June, 2008
Dorcel TV Added To Our Adult Listings
French producer/director Marc Dorcel is known for producing some of the classiest and hottest porn in Europe. We have now added Dorcel TV to our regular listings. Check them out Dorcel TV Guide
The End Of Multivision Pay-Per-View
Multivision PPV channels have ceased broadcasting as of June 2, 2008. Customers of the merged French Canalsat and TPS package now get their pay-per-view from the existing A La Carte channels on Astra. See our listings for A La Carte PPV.
January, 2007
Canal Digital Shut Up Shop On Kiosk
Scandinavian broadcaster Canal Digital has ceased transmission of its pay-per-view movie service Kiosk from January 3, 2007. Falling orders have seen the company take the decision to use the former ppv transponder capacity for planned extra main package channels expected to be added in coming months.
Mediapark/Tueve Cable Uplink Moves From Hispasat
The Mediapark/Tueve cable uplink, which includes the popular nightly XXX channel Canal 18, has left Hispasat and moved to PAS 3R at 43W. It has also changed its encryption system from nagravision to irdeto 2.
July, 2006
Full X Channels Stop Broadcasting Following Court Case
FullX 1-3 channels have abruptly stopped broadcasting following a decision in the French courts over the channel owners finances. The company have released the following statement: "Further to a decision (Ordonnance) dated 18/07/06 by the commercial court of Marseille (tribunal de commerce de Marseille) notifying Nedersat company that 'Neotion company considers that the contract between them has been terminated', as such Nedersat Company will temporarily be unable to broadcast Full X TV channels."
April, 2006
Spice Platinum Becomes Private Spice TV
Spice Platinum has been rebranded to Private Spice TV, merging Spice Platinum's popular brand of predominantly British-produced hardcore programming with many of the top titles from famed European hardcore content supplier Private.
As ever ultimatevguide.com has all the daily program schedules for this new adult channel for you. Keep up-to-date with daily program listings for Private Spice TV Private Spice TV Guide
November, 2005
Private Gold Becomes Hustler TV
The long-running and popular European adult channel Private Gold has been re-branded to Hustler TV. Hustler TV, part of the Larry Flynt empire, will transmit high quality adult entertainment featuring many of the biggest names in porn. Besides producing its own output, Hustler took control of the legendary VCA Pictures adult studio in 2004. It also has exclusive deals with Red Light District Video and Sex-Z Pictures, with all new releases from these studios being exclusive to Hustler TV.
As ever ultimatevguide.com has all the daily program schedules for this new adult channel for you. Keep up-to-date with daily program listings for Hustler TV Hustler TV Guide
May, 2005
Hot Summer Ahead For UK Adult TV Regulators?
The recent proscribing of hardcore European broadcaster Exstasi in the UK for unsuitable adult content might suggest it is business as usual for attitudes to sex on TV within the strict UK regulatory regime, but many long-time observers of the situation in regard to adult broadcasting in the UK scent a distinct whiff of change in the air.
Paul Tavener of ofwatch.org.uk, which has long campaigned for the interests of adult subscription service viewers in the UK, pointed ultimatetvguide to a recent interview he had with Tim Suter from Ofcom, the UK broadcasting standards watchdog. A decision on whether the UK will loosen its hardline stance to R18 content is expected this summer. No concrete decisions are made, but reading between the lines Paul thinks the omens look promising for change.
The Ofcom content board and the Ofcom executive board have recently held detailed discussions over R18 broadcasting, Adult services and the Premium subscription watershed. "The notes and agenda from these board meetings don't usually reveal much, however it is interesting to see the tense that has been used when referring to R18 content: 'Under the current Broadcasting Code the transmission of such material on television was prohibited.' Shouldn't that have been 'is' prohibited?" notes Paul.
A full transcript of his interview with Tim Suter of Ofcom can be read by clicking HERE. Many within the UK will follow the movements of the regulatory machine with great interest over the next few months.
"As porn is so often at the forefront of technological advances expect to see major changes very soon. The regulatory Titanic has struck the Internet iceberg. On the surface everything remains calm and tranquil, but below decks water is pouring in. The regulators know that it won't take long," argues Paul. At long last, he may well be right.
April, 2005
TPS Add Spice Platinum To Their Channel Line-Up
French subscribers to TPS have been offered the option to add a little 24-hour XXX to their nightly Multivision PPV choice options. The 24-hour high quality XXX channel Spice Platinum, with a penchant for UK and European adult content, has been added to the package. It is already up and running in Viaccess 1 and 2 TPS idents ahead of an announced May 2 launch. Ultimatetvguide has daily listings, as ever, in the main adult TV guide.
January, 2005
Paris Hilton Makes It To Satellite
Sexyhot viewers get something of a satellite exclusive this month with the airing of the infamous 'celebrity' heiress Paris Hilton doing her stuff in the home video that was a google search favourite for much of 2004. The video 'One Night In Paris' premieres on Sexyhot on Saturday, January 8 at 23.30 CET.
August, 2004
Demise of Ultra Blue TV
Yes, one of the longest surviving adult TV channels, which has being knocking out a rich mix of varied adult programming for many years, has ceased to be ... it is an ex-adult channel. Ultra Blue customers are being compensated with a subscription card which gives them access to Don't Panic and 247 Sex TV. The swap is free for Ultra Blue subscribers who have had their current card for under three months, but will cost 40 or so euros for customers whose subscription has run longer. Both Don't Panic and 247 Sex TV can be found on the popular adult transponder at 12.092 Ghz on Hotbird.
July, 2004
Transponder Change For Canal 18
Popular Spanish favourite Canal 18, which knocks out a lively three hardcore offerings per night on Hispasat, has moved. The channel can now be found at 11971V, SR-27500, FEC-3/4 on the 30W satellite.
April, 2004
A Double Dose Of Full-X
Sharing a transponder with the God Channel, Full-X1 and its sister channel Full-X2 have now been pumping out an eclectic and decidely hot new choice to the adult subscription market for a couple of months. Full-X1 mixes it up with a random selection of programming, while Full-X2 concentrates on themed outputs (from exhibitionists to transsexuals) through various periods of each day. You can now find full daily listings for both channels in ultimatetvguide's main daily listings. Check out transponder details HERE and how to get yourself a sub for the two channel package HERE
March, 2004
Hopes High For Campaign To Bring Hardcore To UK Domestic TV
Devoted fans of hardcore broadcasting in the UK have long thought themselves the poor men of Europe. Broadcasting regulations in the UK have always deemed the depiction of explicit sex between consenting adults a taboo for domestic audiences. Indeed, UK governments have a well-documented history of turning the screw on pan-European adult channels which attempted to bypass strict UK regulations by broadcasting by satellite from outside the UK. The bad old days of British politicians leaning on adult satellite channels like the old D2MAC Eurotica Channel have long since passed, however, and fans of adult TV can now legally obtain subscriptions to a veritable embarrassment of European-based hardcore adult fare. But a campaign continues strong to liberalise the rules for channels broadcasting adult content from within the UK itself.
Ofwatch is an independent organisation that represents the interests of those who wish to see less censorship of UK subscription television services and who want to take more responsibility for their own viewing. Paul Tavener, who heads up the campaigning group, told ultimatetvguide that the signs are looking promising that the UK broadcast regulator will bring Britain in line with much of the rest of Europe (Norway is another non-hardcore exception) and allow hardcore on UK domestic subscription services at the end of this year.
If you'd like to learn more about Ofwatch - which runs a lively website with much debate, letters and tips on how to get your opinion heard - you can pop over and pay a visit here: Ofwatch. Ultimatetvguide wishes them more power to their elbow.
January, 2004
Itchy Feet For FreeX TV
The increasingly popular one-off purchase sub channel FreeX TV has been transponder moving on both Astra at 19 east and Hotbird. The latest in a series of moves sees the 24-hour channel move from 12226H to 10832H on Astra, and from 11137H to 12207H on Hotbird.
New Adult Channels Come to Hotbird
The adult competition on Hotbird is about to get a little, um, stiffer. Three new hardcore content channels are due to launch shortly on the bird. All at present are there in promo format only. 247Sex TV has appeared on the old favourite adult transponder at 12.092 Ghz horizontal on Hotbird 2. No confirmed date on when they go to full encrypted programming is available at present. The channel will simulcrypt in Viaccess2 and Irdeto2 intially, with a promise of conax to follow. Subscriptions for 12 months are being sold at 99 euros, although a taster sub for the channel will be added to the on the way 'ultimate' cams, as part of a four adult channel deal. 247Sex promises a mix of English and foreign language films with content featuring straight, orgies, ebony, fetish, lesbian, inter-racial, anal and S/M.
Another two hardcore channels have begun promo broadcasting on a Hotbird transponder shared with God TV. Full X-1 and Full X-2 promise a launch on January 17. They are touting a varied line-up, featuring everything from exhibitionism to transsexuals, and S/M to amateurs. The promo for them can be found on Hotbird at 12577H, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.
November, 2003
Little More Of What You Fancy From Multivision
The French Multivision pay-per-view package has now extended its nightly adult output. Multivision 6 and 7 have begun airing after dark adult movies in addition to the long-established adult fare on Multivision 1 to 3. Vive la choix!
Transponder Change for FreeX
FreeX have switched their transponder on Astra at 19 east. The channel can now be found on the same transponder as Austrian free-to-air grolch channel TV6 at 12227H.


text:
Monday, April 29, 2013
Delaware courts and liability of independent directors of Chinese companies
I'll be the first the first to admit that the whole reverse merger situation with Chinese corporations really reveals the most cynical aspects of our capital markets. For those of you who haven't been paying attention to this issue, towards the end of the credit bubble and early on during the financial crisis there were a large of number of reverse mergers in the US involving Chinese corporations. The reverse merger is a back door way to take a company public. A privately held foreign company, in this case Chinese, acquires a publicly listed, but thinly traded, US corporation, usually a Delaware corporation through a reverse merger (the acquirer is the disappearing corporation and the target is the surviving corporation). The suriving corporation then changes its name to the Chinese corporation and presto, you have a publicy traded Chinese corporation incorporated in Delaware.
OK, so far so good. The next step is where things start to get 'hinky'. The newly public Chinese corporation then raises additional equity on US markets through a public offering. The money is transfered back to China and then ... it disappears. Surprised? There are lots of people who you might point a finger at in this exercise. The lawyers and investment bankers who arrange the reverse merger, the lawyers, investment bankers, and accountants who sign off on the public offering, the analysts who recommend shareholders buy shares in these companies. The list is very long. Now add to that list, the independent directors, usually US persons, who are required to sit on the boards of these companies (pursuant to the listing rules).
Reuters' Tom Hals points us to an opinion handed down late last week by Vice Chancellor Glasscock (Rich v Fuqi):
[Fuqi] listed its shares on Nasdaq through a reverse merger and in 2009 it raised $120 million through a public stock offering. Less than a year later, the company said it found accounting errors and uncovered transfers of cash out of the company totaling more than $130 million to entities that Fuqi has yet to verify were legitimate businesses. Fuqi has said the cash was recovered.
Fuqi's audit committee started to investigate, but its work stalled when management stopped paying the lawyers and accountants hired by the audit committee. The company said the lack of payment stemmed from a dispute with its insurer.
In protest, [independent directors] Brody and Hollander resigned from the board.
Shareholders sued the directors of Fuqi, including Brody and Hollander, who resigned in protest. Prior to suing, the shareholders had made demand, but the corporation sat on the shareholders' demand for over two years. The shareholders argued that notwithstanding the fact that they had previously made demand, it was futile because of the two year delay in responding. The essence of the shareholders claim was a Caremark oversight claim - that directors failed in the duty to monitor the corporation's activities and permitted more than $130 million to disappear. Glasscock sided with shareholders.
Glasscock found:
... lead me to believe that Fuqi had no meaningful controls in place. The board of directors
may have had regular meetings, and an Audit Committee may have existed, but there
does not seem to have been any regulation of the company's operations in China.
The Vice Chancellor noted that independent directors had ignored several 'red flags' with respect to problems with internal controls and that directors did nothing to ensure that reporting mechanisms were accurate. The lack of internal controls was so bad that $130 million was transferred out of the company in Novermber 2010, but it wasn't found out by the directors until March 2011.
Also, and this is critically important for independent directors, a strategy of "noisy withdrawal" will not immunize independent directors from liability for bad acts that took place on their watch. Glasscock's ruling in Fuqi and Chancellor Strine's earlier in re Puda decision make two things clear: first, Caremark is alive - although it's a difficult standard to meet, there are facts that will meet that standard; and second, if you are an independent director, remember that it is serious business. Resigning in protest won't help. Better stick around and clean up the mess you created by your own inattentiveness.


text:
- Details
- Description
Acrystal thixotropic agent is used as a thickener for acrylic resin system (for example, ACRYSTAL PRIMA ACRYLIC RESIN). In addition, it increases the adherence of lamination resin when it is being used to coat or laminate the walls of the intended object. The ratio of the agent being added should be between 0.2 and 0.3 (maximum 1) to 100. When up to a maximum of 0.5 parts per weight has been added to the mixture, the mechanical attributes of the end product will not be changed. An excess of thixotropic agent can extend the working time for as much as many hours or even completely prevent any curing at all. More detailed information regarding working with this product can be found under "Casting and Laminating Resin".


text:
Ashley Gong, age 15, of Sandy Hook, CT is a junior at Newtown High School and your Northeast Region National Student Poet representative! She grew up surrounded by language, as her parents, first generation immigrants, would often read Chinese poems to her when she was a toddler. Despite this early exposure to poetry, her first venture into writing came in the form of prose. It wasn't until more recently that she discovered her passion for poetry, which is currently her go-to medium for creative expression. She has learned to always keep a pen at hand, as she can often be found bursting into spontaneous spurts of poetry at any given place or moment. A junior at Newtown High School, Ashley channels her love for writing, reading, reaching out, and leading into all aspects of her life, including instilling a love of Latin among middle school students.
Favorite Quote About Writing:
"Fiction is a lie that tells us true things, over and over." -Neil Gaiman
Fun Fact:
"I draw upon a wide variety of topics for inspiration, including music, history, science, and even math."
The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers partner to present the National Student Poets Program (NSPP), the country's highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. Five outstanding high school poets whose work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise are selected annually for a year of service as national poetry ambassadors. Find out more about the National Student Poets Program by clicking here.


text:
The Israeli's tough take on tech house has made him a regular on the likes of Ovum and Renaissance (outside of his own Be As One label), but don't pass judgement yet—"Takeover" is Nonplus through and through. In the vocal loop and generally threatening demeanour resonates Boddika, Joy Orbison and some of the hits they've concocted together. But Shlomi Aber hasn't denied his roots altogether here: there are tech house allusions, all beefed up and made to carry a weapon. It's a mean track, bossy and overbearing, too—just "don't fucking screw up." On the B-side, "Street Works" is less of an affront, a dark, itchy house number that rolls with little fuss.
Published /
Fri / 2 Oct 2015
Words /
Holly Dicker
Tracklist /
A1 Takeover
B1 Street Works


text:
Hanging Your Electric Bill out to Dry
By Jeff from SLN More Blogs by This AuthorFrom the Fashionably Broke Blog Series
Bills. They're a fact of life, or at least adulthood. It's inevitable that the things we need - let alone the things we want - come with a cost, and so we accept a growing list of bills for the things that add convenience to our lives, which isn't to say anyone would miss them if they were to disappear. And that's what I plan on doing for you: I'm going to make part of your electric bill…disappear! How?...Through the dryer.
Losing more than socks
The Colden Valley Electric Association asserts that your dryer uses about $ .75 worth of electricity every time you dry your clothes on the medium cycle. That may not seem like a lot, but if you ran your dryer once a day that would add up to $21.08 over the course of a month. And what about the people you live with? How much money are they adding to your bill each month?
Quit using it
Who says you even need a dryer? Why do people always assume when they hear mention of a washing machine that there is a dryer next to it? I say it's time to split the combo! Hang those clothes up to dry!
Sound old fashioned? It might be, but sometimes it's best to go with the method that's tried and true. There are other reasons to go with the Little House on the Prairie technique. People rave about the fresh scent they get when they forgo the dryer. Others like the reduced carbon foot print. For me, it's a more of a public service announcement: I want the neighborhood to know that I wear Fruit of the Loom - not just because of their classic look, but because I'm proud to have found a brand that is cost effective and comfortable. Let the heavens resound.
Preparing a traditional clothesline
I'll keep this short and sweet. You know how to tie a rope, right? So do it.
Preparing indoor hang-dry options
Whether you rig your own drying setup or purchase one, remember the following:
- Use hangers on any shirts that won't be stretched under their own weight (i.e. sweaters).
- You can set up curtain rods in locations to suit your needs.
- Consider purchasing a drying rack. A simple wood/metal rack should cost around $30.
Whatever you use to keep your clean clothes off the ground, keep in mind that access to circulating air will help. If you have a window available, your clothes would appreciate the breeze, just ask them. Dehumidifiers to keep the air from getting too humid aren't a bad idea either. If you have a spare moment mid-dry, you may consider flipping your clothing over to expose the damp side to the air and speed up the process.
Clothing a little stiff?
You might notice a little extra posture with some of your fabrics. But don't worry if your pants start to stand on their own, there are a few things you can try:
- Adjust your detergent. When your clothes are left stiff, it could be a sign that you're using too much detergent and it isn't rinsing out in the wash.
- Add some soft. Fabric softener can reduce the crispness of your clothes.
- Shake 'em! Whipping your clothes out once or twice helps promotes the fabric to move freely while drying.
Additionally, I've heard that drying your clothes for 5-10 minutes in the dryer and finishing them off on the line will take care of any rigidity. I know, I know... Using the dryer to just kind of dry your clothes sounds silly, but you can if you want to.
Hope you enjoy your lower electric bill! But a word to the wise, you may want to have an iron on hand. Just in case you have some extra wrinkles.
Duke, Deanna. "Keeping the Crunch out of Air Dried Laundry - Crunchy Chicken." Keeping the Crunch out of Air Dried Laundry - Crunchy Chicken.N.p., 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 02 July 2013. .
Jill. "Air Drying Clothes Without A Clothesline." Save Money And Get Out Of Debt Living on a Dime. Kellam Media and Publishing, Inc., 2 Oct. 2012. Web. 02 July 2013. .
What did you think?
A blog series by Jeff from SLN.
More from Jeff from SLN Others Are Reading
2 Comments
I totally use the dryer for 6 minutes, then hang everything up. I used to use 5 minutes, but found that the extra minute really helps with releasing any hard wrinkles from the washer. Everything is pretty much hanging from the ceiling in our basement, right next to one of the windows, with a tiny fan on more humid days. Can't even begin to tell you how nice this is in the winter when all the humidity is put into the super dry air!


text:
The Royal Oak Foundation is moving into a new office in the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen on W. 44 Street this Friday, March 27While our phone numbers and email addresses will not change, as of Friday our mailing address is:
The Royal Oak Foundation
20 W 44th Street, Suite 606
New York, NY 10036-6603
To accommodate the move, our office will be closed on Friday, March 27 and will not reopen until Tuesday, March 31. During this time our website will remain active, but staff will be operating at limited capacity.
If you are trying to purchase a membership during this time: You can use our website to purchase a membership just as you ordinarily would. That means your membership card and other membership materials will not be mailed until our offices reopen on March 31, regardless of the shipping option you select.
If you're traveling during this time and have a question for Royal Oak staff, please leave a voicemail on our Membership Services Associate's phone: 212.480.2889, ext. 205. Any inquiries will be handled ASAP the week of March 30.
If you are trying to purchase a Program Ticket: Use our website to purchase tickets as you ordinarily would.
Starting Thursday morning, ticketing for events being held between March 27 and March 30 will not be processed online. To purchase a ticket to an event being held during this time, please either complete your online purchase before this Thursday or pay at the door.
Thank you for your understanding as we make this transition. We look forward to using this new space to serve you better in the future.
You can read more about the great community we'll be joining in our new office building here.


text: I got my Droid yesterday and Verizon moved over my contacts for me. I noticed they did not sync with Google. I learned (not from Verizon) that they transfer them to the sd card, and not actually to the phone's internal memory. I had to import them from the sd card, then everything synced well. Contacts -> menu -> import