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This die set coordinates with many of the rectangular shaped die sets by Spellbinders.
The difference between die template sizes within a Nestabilities® set is ½″, which becomes a ¼″ border when layering. The difference between LG and SM Nestabilities sets is ¼″. Combining both the LG and SM sets of Nestabilities will allow for ⅛″ borders when layering.
Spellbinders® Nestabilities cut, emboss and stencil with a single die template.
Approximate Die Template Sizes:
1: 1⅛ x ⅞″
2: 1¾ x 1⅜″
3: 2⅜ x 1⅞″
4: 3⅛ x 2⅜″
5: 3¾ x 2⅞″
Rectangle Nesties
Copyright (c) 2011 The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store
Web Design by: Up and Running Technology Solutions


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Wonderful news this month!
The Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County awarded a grant which will cover the cost of all our plant materials for the student-designed pollinator garden.
The "To Bee or Not To Bee" project at MNSA is multi-faceted. It is organized in such a manner that students learn many different "design elements" as they work together to solve the "problem" of designing a pollinator garden. This past month, the final steps of that process took place, leading up to the actual "public presentation", which in this case is the planting of the garden. In particular, as a group, the students reviewed the draft design and then made a final critique of the design. In Project Based Learning parlance these two stages are known as "Critique and Revision" and "Public Project".
It was great to partner with United Way again for the spring Days of Impact.

subset: commoncrawl


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Travel reviews by Mr A Spain from Spain
Great trip to Southern Tanzania !
On this trip, I visited Tanzania between 1-Nov-2013 and 10-Nov-2013 and I travelled with 1 other person.
Do not obfuscate just with the Northern Circuit , If you want great wildlife viewing with far fewer crowds then go to the south , Selous and Ruaha are wild and beautiful .
I stayed at and have reviewed:
|Overall rating
|Siwandu, Tanzania
1-Nov-2013 review: Siwandu, beautiful area in Selous.
|Mwagusi Safari Camp, Tanzania
4-Nov-2013 review: Mwagusi Camp , serious about safaris !!!
|The Slipway, Tanzania
9-Nov-2013 review: The Slipway, nice restaurant by the Ocean !
Very nice overall
On this trip, I visited Botswana between 2-Nov-2007 and 12-Nov-2007 and I travelled with 1 other person.
Our whole trip was excellent, very well organised.
We did not have any problem at any camp or with the services we had contracted and our experience in Botswana was again wonderful . The camps, the people, the wildlife and the landscape where overall VERY VERY GOOD.
I stayed at and have reviewed:
|Overall rating
|Lebala Camp, Botswana
3-Nov-2007 review: Excellent experience at Lebala Camp
|Zibalianja, Botswana (this camp has since closed)
5-Nov-2007 review: A little under our expectations.
|Little Kwara, Botswana
8-Nov-2007 review: The highlight of our trip


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WhatsApp is taking over at work: Are contextual apps the answer?
The promise of unified collaboration and communication in the workplace is an empty one; instead we're seeing greater fragmentation as we use more tools and apps than ever.
Day to day I use any combination of Skype, Keevio, SMS, IRC or Slack, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, any one of Google's three messaging apps, and let's not forget good old phone calls.
People are more engaged with apps they use socially and in their home...


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MILL VALLEY: Location is everything at the intersection of redwoods, bay shore, shopping, and dining
If there were a place that epitomized the intersection of the best of Bay Area living, Mill Valley might be tops on many insider's lists. Mill Valley's backyard is the Muir Woods National Monument, an attraction so popular you now need reservations just to park there. Mill Valley's front yard is Richardson Bay, opening to panoramic views of the Golden Gate, San Francisco, Alcatraz and Angel Island. And towering above it all is the iconic 2,572-foot Mount Tamalpais, birthplace of the sport of mountain biking, iconic in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson novels, and occasionally dusted with snow on rare winter mornings. All this just a short drive or ferry ride from San Francisco.
Mill Valley has repeatedly been named among the nation's best small towns, including a ranking from Smithsonian Magazine and CNN Money, and accolades from the New York Times.
Mill Valley, of course, once had mills, turning those cherished redwood forests into lumber. John Reed built the first sawmill in 1836 along Cascade Creek, shipping wood to San Francisco.
In 1892, the Chronicle reports, Robert Dollar opened Dollar Lumber Co. near the first mill at what is now 129 Miller Avenue, along the Old Mill Creek where it intersects with the Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio stream.
Dollar Lumber shipped redwood lumber by boat from Sausalito to San Francisco to help rebuild the city after the great 1906 earthquake and fires. Over the years, the property changed hands eight times and is now owned by Jan and Matt Mathews. The pair owns a development company specializing in restoring and re-purposing historic buildings. From 2017-2018, they turned that historic lumber yard into a picturesque destination featured in the photo above, with retail, a restaurant and bakery, offices, and event space.
The proximity to streams, trees and hills makes Mill Valley an iconic location for trail adventures from bicycling to hiking, or even running. The grueling Dipsea trail race over the hills to the sea started in 1905. It includes 7.4 miles of trails, from downtown Mill Valley to Stinson Beach, but it's quite exclusive. Only 1,500 runners are allowed, mainly locals.
Despite its idealized adventure-sports location and picturesque views, Mill Valley is even more widely known for encouraging visitors to stay indoors and stare at a screen, as long as that screen is at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
The festival, now in its 42nd year, spans eleven days and brings in 200 film makers from 50 countries. The festival, and the aforementioned sort of refined rustic chic dining and retail, draw celebrities to Mill Valley by the droves — but some have always been here.
Mill Valley hairstylist Alessandra Nociaro recalls going to the Throckmorton Theatre comedy club years ago when Dana Carvey and Robin Williams would just pop in for an unannounced set on Tuesday nights.
As a hairdresser with At The Top Salon And Gallery, unexpected connections with celebrities like Sammy Hagar, the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, and actor Pete Coyote became routine. She cut Sammy Hagar's son's hair, and styled Craig Chaquico from Jefferson Starship.
Weir played with Jerry Garcia and Bonnie Raitt at Sweetwater, and in 2012 Weir helped revive the bar as today's Sweetwater Music Hall. Hagar used to own El Paseo steakhouse, though it recently closed.
Nociaro confirms Mill Valley is evolving and diversifying, and while celebrities are still there, it's more refined now.
"It's not as crunchy, not as hippy," she said, adding that the changes create challenges. "My experience is it's a struggle to afford this lifestyle, and you have to have a strong sense of self to not get a sense of entitlement."
"You get used to this beautiful place," she added. And although she says parking is harder to come by, every type of organic, sustainable, free-range gourmet food is not.
The tourism agency, Visit Marin, describes Mill Valley as, "…reminiscent of a charming European village." Appropriate, given the multinational nature of the iconic film festival.
While it may not be an affordable part of the Bay Area, Mill Valley is idyllic, iconic, and incredibly close to everything, including fame and fortune.
More Information
Population: 14,392 people
Median Age: 46.7 years old
Education: 98.4% high school graduate or higher education
Median Home Price: Around $1,500,000
Median Household Income: $141,698
Housing Units: 6,452
Fun Fact: The "crookedest railroad in the world" up Mt. Tam began in Mill Valley
Data: Census.gov


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Buchwert von Gala Coral per heute: NULL
Gala Coral is 'worthless' as private equity counts costs
The private equity owners of Gala Coral have conceded that their investments in the gaming group, which was once valued at £5 billion, are worthless, only a year after pumping £125 million into the company in an attempt to prop it up.
Candover, one of Gala Coral's three owners, said yesterday that it had written down the value of its holding in the company to zero, having previously written it down by 50 per cent about a year ago.
The Times has learnt that Cinven has also written off its investment in Gala, while SVG Capital, the listed feeder division of Permira, the gaming operator's third owner, wrote down its investment to a nominal figure in December.
Kommentare: 0


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Feb. 20
The correct answer is:559 miles of unspoiled coastline. Among the world's best beaches are those along the Cape Cod National Seashore, which boasts a 40-mile stretch of pristine beach. The area's marshes, ponds and uplands also support various species, according to the National Park Service. The shore also offers a glimpse into the Cape's past with its lighthouses, landscapes and more.


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Once again, the headlines are filled with claims that student loans are bad. Several articles have highlighted results from a Gallup poll that shows that college graduates who borrow for college are less happy, healthy and wealthy than debt-free graduates. The Gallup report (which is cautious in its interpretation of the data) has been drawn into a rising chorus of news media reports on the negative consequences of borrowing: Student loans not only make you sick but also hamper homeownership and delay marriage.
Student loans need reform. But recent reports obscure the key benefit of borrowing for college: a college education.
The highlight of the Gallup report is a comparison of the well-being of college graduates who did not borrow and those who borrowed more than $50,000. As I discussed in this New York Times article in June, 43 percent of undergraduates borrow nothing, and 98 percent borrow less than $50,000. The report is therefore comparing the 43 percent of undergraduates who borrow nothing with those with the highest debt loads.
Here is an uncontroversial proposition: If you take $50,000 away from a college graduate, she will be less happy. She could have used that $50,000 to make a down payment on a house, or buy a car, or to do the many other things that people do with their money.
I am happy to yield the point that, everything else held constant, a person will be happier without debt than with it. The key phrase here is "everything else constant." I have a mortgage because I have a house. I would be less happy with no mortgage and no house.
Graduates with student debt used it to buy something valuable. To state the obvious, you can't have student debt without having gone to college. Without a student loan, these borrowers may not have been able to get a degree at all. And that benefit is missing from this poll, which surveyed only college graduates. Their alternate-universe selves, who did not go to college because they had no loans to turn to, are not in the survey.
We can claim college education as a benefit of student loans only if student loans truly increase college education. Do they? There is little good evidence on this, none of it from the United States. The best evidence comes from South Africa and Chile.
In these countries, students are offered loans only if they have a minimum credit score (South Africa) or test score (Chile). The papers that analyze these loan programs compare the college attendance of students right above and below these cutoffs, capturing the causal impact of loan availability.
This research approach is referred to as "regression-discontinuity" (RD) design. RD analysis assumes that it's random whether someone ends up right above or right below the cutoff. Of course, it's not at all random that some students have very high test scores and others very low ones, and we'd expect more of those with high scores to go to college. That's exactly what we see in the Chilean case, below: At the top of the score distribution, almost everyone goes to college. What RD analysis relies on for causal inference is the big, discontinuous jump in college attendance at the cutoff score that is required for a loan:
This figure shows that right below the test-score cutoff, 20 percent of students went to college. Right above, it's 40 percent. The difference — 20 percentage points — is the estimated causal effect of loan availability on college attendance.
The South African study reaches a similar conclusion. Right below the credit-score cutoff, 50 percent of students went to college, compared with 70 percent right above. Again, the estimated effect is a 20-percentage-point increase in college attendance.
These are enormous effects. The papers show that student loans make college possible for many students, at least in these two countries. The effect may be smaller in the United States, or it might be larger. I'd wager that student loans open the doors of college for millions of American students who could not otherwise attend.
If we want to know the benefits of offering loans (versus not offering them), we need to take this enrollment effect into account. The relevant question to ask is not: Would you be better off with another $50,000 in your bank account? Rather it's: Would you be better off with no debt and no degree?
My guess: "No." The payoff to college is enormous, and much larger than the typical student debt.
There are some students who would have gone to college even without a loan. They took one anyway so they could attend a more expensive college (or to work less). Are they worse off with loans than without? For these students the relevant question is: Would you be better off with no debt, having gone to a cheaper college?
Here, the answer is less clear. If the pricier college is much better at teaching and getting students to graduation, the debt could be worth it. If the pricier college is no better (or even worse), then the debt is not worth it. In the latter case, I have in mind students choosing between community colleges and for-profit colleges, which offer similar types of courses but differ vastly in price. The jury is still out on whether for-profit colleges are much worse than community colleges, but the evidence we have so far definitely doesn't suggest that they are much better.
I will end with another uncontroversial proposition: Students would be happier, all things equal, if college were free. In the not-so-distant past, prices at public colleges, particularly at community colleges, were close to zero. Taxpayers made those low prices possible, with states using that tax revenue to keep prices low at their public colleges. Taxpayers and states have cut back on their support for public colleges, and students now pay a higher share of their college costs than they once did. They're not happy about it.


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The trailer for this 30-minute film, which premiered at Sundance and is loosely-based on the music video for the classic track 'Fight for Your Right', is now available to watch online. The plot is widely unknown, as the teaser only gives a few hints away: "After the boys leave the party …"
The film's incredible cast includes: Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Rashida Jones, Will Arnett, Ted Danson, Roman Coppola, Amy Poehler, Alicia Silverstone, Steve Buscemi, and many many more. Oh, and the Beastie Boys themselves, of course.
The entire film will be available with the release of their upcoming album, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2, which drops May 3rd.
Check the trailer below:


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A Missouri man has won all the Big Macs, McNuggets or whatever else he wants from the McDonald's menu after sinking a three-point shot at halftime of a College of the Ozarks basketball game.
Michael Quin, a blind man from Springfield, Mo., connected on a three-pointer at a recent game to the absolute delight of the crowd. Here's the video of Quin's achievement, which was featured on SportsCenter's Top Plays on Feb. 16.
According to a KSPR news report about Quin, the 54-year-old went blind and lost much of his mental capacity after a series of falls several years ago. As it turns out, the shot he hit wasn't out of the ordinary for Quin.
Here's more about the incredible man and his heartwarming story (via Joanna Small, KSPR):
As for how much the shot was worth, well, maybe not as much as you might expect. Certainly less than Quin deserves for making the basket.
$420 value MT @SportsCenter Michael Quin, who's blind, hits 3 at college halftime to win a McD's extra value meal every week for a year.
— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) February 17, 2014
(H/T to Bob's Blitz)


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Age is just a number right? Can playgrounds be for adults too? Peckham-based Studio PSK think so.
There was no age limit to Studio PSK's collaborative project with Fashion Space Gallery (London College of Fashion) and beatboxer Reeps One.
The 'Polyphonic Playground' is an interactive sound installation that brings together design, music and textiles. Conductive paint and thread was used on elements of the design (climbing frames, slides and swings) to turn the structure into one big soundscape made by the visitors to the gallery.
Watch the video of Wayne McGregor's dance collaboration with the 'Polyphonic Playground'
In the video, the Director of the Fashion Space Gallery, Ligaya Salazar, explains that the gallery is about 'interdisciplinarity'. You'll hear this word again and again as you make your journey to a creative career. She's interested in making projects and curating exhibitions that bring people together from different disciplines, to see how you can create something new by breaking down the traditional boundaries between art, design and the fashion world. We love the way the gallery ran with the idea of working across disciplines- it's definitely not what you might expect from a gallery at London College of Fashion.
We think this is one of the most inventive uses for the conductive thread and paint created by Bare Conductive.
Explore more projects that have used these materials on the Bare Conductive website


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On Saturday June 11th, we are hosting our 3rd Financial Wellness Day of 2016. This event is open to the public. We will also have sessions specifically set aside for military personnel and their families. If you are active, transitioning, veteran, spouse, military agency, support personnel or just someone who works within the military community; we invite you to attend. If you have questions about budgeting, credit, retirement, investing, buying a home, starting a business, leaving a legacy, saving for college, or anything personal finance related; we invite you to attend.
We have secured volunteer financial professionals who will provide free and confidential 45-60 minute sessions with attendees covering any manner of personal finance topics. All of our financial professionals have committed to providing an educational opportunity to assist our community and we are excited to provide this event at the North Inland Live Well Center / Military and Veterans Resource Center in Escondido.
Additionally, we will have workshops occurring as well as part of our ongoing insurance education series. Insurance 101 covers everything insurance about car, home, life, renters, fire, earthquake and more.
The event begins at 10:30am and runs until 2:30pm. RSVP's are required and can be made here.
We will provide snacks, refreshments and childcare for all attendees as well and again, there is no cost to attend.
Please visit our webpage to view videos and photos of the last two events.


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|Mod-WoT.com » Hangars for 1.3, 188.8.131.52 World of tanks (WOT) » Creation hangar from any location on map for World of tanks 0.9.22.0.1
Creation hangar from any location on map for World of tanks 0.9.22.0.1
Interesting modification, create European community world of tanks. It will allow you to create a hangar from any location on any map in just one click for World of tanks 0.9.22.0.1. Works mod is quite simple. During the battle you can go to any place, to put your car under a beautiful angle and press the key combination left ALT+NUM7. After that, data about the current position of your machine will be processed by the mod and will be available for use as a hangar. If you need a map does not come across in random battles, you can just invite your friends in a training battle, and choose the appropriate location.
Change hangars by special buttons, which will be located in the top left corner of the client near information about the current server and your nickname.
The list of hot keys, which are used in mod, you can look in the file
Related Materials
|Total comments: 0


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Sedona Vacation - Reality is better than fiction.
1/Tried to book UFO tour as prep for an interview on Wendy's Coffeehouse. Fail. The only date available was the night of the day we were leaving.
2/Tried to schedule visit with a Channel who recently relocated to Sedona to open a new book store. Again, the timing was off. Fortunately, they were extracurricular options and not deal breakers.
My real goal was a reconnect at Boynton Canyon. This is the 20 year anniversary of my connection with the Nightlight Energy and that was the incentive. (All part of that intuitive thing.)
Deadline: Intuition said the trip needed to be concluded by July 1. So there were other factors. We stayed across the lot from the casita I lived in for a few brief months.
Highlights: Owls.
On the day we left for the trip an owl was outside the house, perched in the tree above the driveway.
Checking into our condo - a happy synchronicity - an Owl motif. From the doormat, 'Who's there?', to wall hangings, cookie jar, salt and pepper shakers and figurines, including a small, white owl figurine hanging above the kitchen window.
The nightlight (from home)? Plugged in and interactive from the moment we checked in.
|Lizard cameo, Boynton Canyon Trail.
Groggy and wondering how the dog got out. Thinking that dog must be causing other dogs to bark as the noise continued and finally registered.
It was actually a very loud (and close by) pack of coyotes. I opened the door to see them, heard a final yip and then complete silence. Gone...
On the hike at Bonyton Canyon, I stood under a tree for a pic and then realized there was a lizard on the rock beside me. I have had some incredible moments with animals on previous stays in Sedona, including a lizard at the Airport Vortex. This lizard graciously obliged us with a photo op. Unlike me, the lizard is perfectly color synced to the environment.
Reviewing pictures from the trip, I noticed some anomalies in a picture from the Dry Creek Road Trail parking lot. I took that picture to capture the view of the clouds and the beautiful red rocks to remember my meditation in the space. Only when I reviewed the images did I notice the five orbs/dots.
I googled for similar scenes and discovered a few videos related to the paranormal/UFO activities at the Bradshaw Ranch in Sedona. This video highlights cloud anomalies. Orbs. Look close and the dots appear and disappear.
This video/YouTube/UFO Turkey is an example of moving orbs. My image was a single photo. I have no idea if the orbs were stationary or mobile.
Given the very brief appearance on the featured film, Wilbur Allen says the orbs/dots would not have registered to the naked eye. I don't believe the dots in my image were visible either.
More information:
Wilber Allen: UFOdc
YouTube Bradshaw Ranch Paranormal
'Galactic Park' aka Bradshaw Ranch
Bradshaw Ranch and Skinwalker Ranch have much in common. Unexplained.
[Listened to KAZM - spent a few months as a News Reporter there in 1998. Time flies.]
I have not yet reviewed my 360 cam images. But the owl is back and she let me take a better picture.
|Owl in the morning. She stayed perched as the rabbit I spooked scurried to a new hiding spot beside the tree …
directly underneath her.
It's going to be a busy summer.
Looking forward to my next interview: Avrel Seale, Monster Hike: A 100-Mile Inquiry Into the Sasquatch Mystery. Avrel's Blog. Interview link: Wendy's Coffeehouse Archives.
Amazon Review: By an Austin reader on May 30, 2018
You don't have to be a Bigfoot believer to enjoy this, but if you are--or you are open-minded on this subject--this is the book for you! Avrel Seale shares 100 miles of humor, insights on the natural world, and observations on the human condition. I found myself laughing aloud and reading passages to my wife from the safety of our comfy bed. However, his story didn't inspire me to want to go roaming around the Big Thicket in the dark. I don't know if Sasquatch exists, but Avrel Seale's sense of humor is alive and well!
Thank you for listening!
Stay Curious.


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As veterinary medication is more and more using costly medical techniques and drugs, and homeowners have higher expectations for his or her pets' well being care and way of life than previously, the marketplace for pet insurance has increased. Once this limit has been reached, no cowl will be provided for that situation or illness in later years.
Accident and Illness: An insurance coverage that covers a pet for harm, illness, sickness or disease.
Tesco Bank Pet insurance is organized, administered and underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Plc.
Fortunately, this text offers a variety of information about quite a lot of the highest pet insurance firms.
All new medical situations are insured, up to a set whole financial restrict each year, as long as the insurance policy remains in pressure.


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Dr Meg Davis
Sara L.M. Davis (known as Meg) is the coordinator for the Thematic Seminars on Sexual Violence in Conflict Settings and Emergencies. In addition to her role with us she is also a visiting scholar with the Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University School of Law.
Her research focuses on global health aid, measurement of impact of human rights on health, and health and human rights in Asia. She was the first senior human rights advisor at The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. At the Global Fund, she led the process of establishing minimum human rights standards for grant agreements in 140 countries that receive Global Fund support; launched a human rights complaints procedure at the Global Fund Office of the Inspector General; and published and implemented grant guidance on funding human rights programs as part of Global Fund HIV, TB, malaria and Health System Strengthening grants.
As a long-time human rights practitioner, Meg has worked with dozens of community-based organizations and networks in Asia and Africa on community-led human rights documentation, advocacy, strategic planning and organizational management. She was the China researcher at Human Rights Watch, where she authored four human rights reports, and then founded human rights group Asia Catalyst, where she is now a member of the board. She is also a member of the advisory committee for China Development Brief.
Meg earned her Ph.D. at University of Pennsylvania, and has continued active engagement in scholarship through research. Now she consults for UNAIDS, the Developing Country NGO Delegation to the Board of the Global Fund, Global Philanthropy Projects, and African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR), among others.
She is fluent in Chinese, and also speaks French, Thai, and Tai Lue. She has a blog, and posts on Twitter @saralmdavis.
- Coordinator - Sexual Violence in Conflict Setting and Emergencies Thematic Short Course.
Fields of Interest
- Global health aid
- measurement of impact of human rights on health
- health and human rights in Asia.
Selected Publications
- Song and Silence: Ethnic Revival on China's Southwest Borders. Columbia University Press, 2005.
- Measuring the Impact of Human Rights on Health in Global Health Financing – from Health and Human Rights 17/2, December 2015.
- Human Rights and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – from Health and Human Rights 1/16, January 2014.
- with Mark Heywood, Prejudice Mars China's AIDS Record, Wall Street Journal Asia, November 2011.
- with Li Dan, Emerging Human Rights Issues in China's Response to HIV/AIDS – in HIV/AIDS Law and Policy Review, 15/1, October 2010.
- with Agus Triwahyuono and Risa Alexander, Survey of Abuses Against Injecting Drug Users in Indonesia — from Harm Reduction Journal, 6/28, Oct 2009.
- Dance, or Else: The Politics of Ethnic Culture on China's Southwest Borders – from The Asia-Pacific Journal/Japan Focus, February 2007.
- The Writing on the Wall: Marking the Limits of Ethnicity on China's Borders – from Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia 7, September 2006.


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15 May Weather Forcast – Monday 6.30am
Regional Forecast for East Midlands
Rain at times, some heavy. Breezy.
Perhaps dry at first in the east, however rain will soon spread to all parts and become persistent and heavy at times mainly on the hills. Some drier spells for the afternoon though still some rain at times. Breezy. Maximum temperature 16 °C.
A very mild night plenty of low cloud giving some patchy rain at times, though there will also be some decent dry spells. Still breezy. Minimum temperature 13 °C.
Cloudy with further patchy outbreaks of rain for much of the day. Perhaps turning drier, brighter and fresher from the northwest late in the day. Winds easing. Maximum temperature 19 °C.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Wednesday cloudy with rain likely affecting the south through the afternoon. Thursday and Friday a mixture of sunshine and showers, these heavy and slow moving with a risk of thunder.
We will water as necessary.
Updated: 06:05 on Mon 15 May 2017 BST


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The Notley NDP just won't admit the truth.
No matter how often it's spoken. No matter how many speak it. No matter how loud and clear the speech.
In a statement read on Sunday in many pulpits throughout Alberta, the province's Catholic bishops make it crystal clear, as others have made it crystal clear before them.
The bishops have had enough with those who believe Catholics have no problem with spousal rape.
Then there's David Eggen, the NDP education minister. You have to assume he's not clueless. You have to assume he grasps reality.
But yet Eggen persists going down a rabbit hole, falling deeper and deeper into an upside-down world where true is false and false is true.
On Monday, Eggen still says the following of Catholic school superintendents: "They were taking some exception with teaching consent and that's just not on."
The above sentence is not true. They were not taking exception.
Catholic schools teach consent before sex as the bare minimum. They also teach the importance of sex within marriage.
"We support teaching about legal consent," says a sex-ed document sent many months ago by Catholic school superintendents to the NDP government.
"Legal consent is important," it says.
"Consent is always necessary," it also says.
But, adds the document, Catholics believe sexual relationships aren't based only on "ongoing consent and pleasure." That's where the document mentions marriage.
Catholics believe in MORE than consent. Hope the NDP caught those capital letters.
Alas, we all know where this firestorm started.
A recent news story said Catholic school superintendents took issue "with sexual consent by a partner in marriage."
In the same story, immediately after that statement, Notley sounded off about how no child would be taught to accept illegal behaviour in a sexual relationship.
Notley then said she won't condone a sex-ed course "that normalizes an absence of consent."
These words of Notley are all part of an interview about Catholic sex education and no Catholic educator is normalizing an absence of consent before sex.
Notley is way off-base. Either the premier didn't read the words of the Catholic superintendents or she somehow didn't understand them.
Sadly, Eggen mutters along Monday and to hell with the facts.
The Catholic position was not clear, he says. Consent is "very closely tied in with criminal law."
Down that rabbit hole.
Sunday's statement signed by Alberta's Catholic bishops quite rightly slammed the "media frenzy" based upon "inaccurate reporting" and "a misrepresentation of our moral teaching."
They gave kudos to the Catholic school superintendents for "clarifying the issues and allowing the facts to speak for themselves."
The NDP don't care. They stick to their talking points. When in a hole they keep digging.
The bishops point out Catholic schools teach the province's course of study "through a Catholic lens" and will continue to do so.
They also mention the calls to dismantle Catholic schools are growing louder. They say it's important Catholics stand up for their faith and schools.
"We are proud of who we are as Catholics," reads the statement from the bishops.
"We do not and we shall not apologize to anyone for our faith or for our schools.
Those schools have a constitutional right to exist and, say the bishops, the Catholic church will "vigorously defend that right."
Yes, the NDP are in quite the spot of bother.
Eggen is oblivious, telling reporters the government's relationship with Catholic boards has never been stronger. Yikes.
Ric McIver of the United Conservatives thinks Notley and the NDP have "an anti-faith agenda" and want a one-size-fits-all school system.
McIver says he's heard from people of other faiths besides Christianity concerned about where the NDP could be going.
McIver says Notley should apologize. He says he knows what it's like to say something stupid in the political ring and have to say sorry.
"It hurts for a moment. It does hurt."
"But it's the right thing to do, and better to have it hurting for a moment than have it go on and on and on for months and potentially years.
"So far, the premier and the education minister and their government seem to want this to go on right through the next election."
If the Notley NDP dig in and won't step up and clear the air, they've got to realize one thing.
They'll be fighting someone who has been around a whole lot longer than they have.


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View Purchase ConditionsOK
Purchase Conditions
- General Terms
- All trademarks and service marks are the property of, or licensed by, Bounce Media Group, Inc. or the indicated owner. All rights are reserved. Price: GA $79 VIP $149 plus credit card processing fee. See Section 25.291 PLEASE ARRIVE AT LEAST 45 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SAILING TIME TO ASSURE BOARDING. 1 § 25.29. Unlawful charges in connection with Tickets. 1. No operator of any place of entertainment, or his or her agent, representative, employee or licensee shall, if a price be charged for admission thereto, exact, demand, accept or receive, directly or indirectly, any premium or price in excess of the established price plus lawful taxes whether designated as price, gratuity or otherwise; provided, however: (a) nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit a reasonable service charge by the operator or agents of the operator for special services, including but not limited to, sales away from the box office, credit card sales or delivery; and (b) nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit an operator or its agent from offering for initial sale Tickets by means of an auction. HF 9940120v.1 TERMS AND CONDITIONS Please arrive 45 minutes prior to the sailing time and bring this Ticket to exchange it for a Bounce Boat boarding pass. Late arrival may result in you forfeiting your right to board without refund or any exchange. Please make sure that you have everything you need before you board. This Ticket represents a limited, non-renewable, revocable license (the "License") and is issued by Bounce Media Group, Inc. ("Bounce Boat") to the owner of this ticket pursuant to certain terms and conditions, including those set forth below. Owner may receive a boarding pass to board the vessel for the cruise described on the face hereof. License is for the public passenger areas of the vessel during the specified cruise times. There is no guaranty of any specified seat unless otherwise agreed by owner and Bounce Boat. Bounce Boat will not delay the time for the departure of the cruise. The time for that the vessel will return to the dock is approximate. The License will be revoked, without refunding the established price or any service or other fees, and no boarding pass will be issued to any person that is under the age of 21, that attempts to bring on board any weapon, drugs or alcohol, who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol or is deemed by Bounce Boat or the crew to be disorderly, who uses abusive language or is a menace or interferes with any performance, member of the crew or passenger. Proper dress and compliance with Bounce Boat code of conduct and behavior is required. The captain of the vessel may order any violator be detained and remanded to the custody of the proper authorities. Participation on the cruise is subject to terms and conditions that are available from Bounce Boat at no charge. Any violation of the terms and conditions gives Bounce Boat the unrestricted right to revoke the License without notice or obligation to refund all or any of the established price or any service or additional fees. This Ticket may not be used for any advertising, promotion (including contests, giveaways or sweepstakes) or other commercial purposes, and no passenger may advertise or promote any product or service, in each case, without the prior express consent of Bounce Boat. Any such use is a violation of the License and the owner shall remain absolutely and unconditionally responsible for any violation of the License. Accordingly, the owner should control and supervise the use of this Ticket so that the License is not violated. The owner is absolutely responsible for any violation. Bounce Boat reserves the right to investigate violations or any alleged violations of the License. The failure of the owner or any person in possession of this Ticket to provide this Ticket upon request of any member of the crew or to fully cooperate in any such investigation is a violation of the License. NO PERSON ACQUIRES ANY RIGHTS TO ANY PERFORMANCE OR THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF ANY BOUNCE BOAT. BY USING THIS TICKET YOU AGREE TO NOT RECORD AND REPRODUCE (IN ANY MEDIA) ANY PERFORMANCE IN WHOLE OR IN PART AND THAT BOUNCE BOAT AND ITS LICENSEES HAVE THE UNRESTRICTED RIGHT AND LICENSE TO USE THE BEARER'S LIKENESS IN ANY BROADCAST, RECORDING, PHOTOGRAPH OR OTHER IMAGE TAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE CRUISE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART. This Ticket may only be transferred in accordance with applicable law. Any resale or attempted transfer of this Ticket in violation of applicable law revokes the License. HF 9940120v.1 REFUND POLICY. THIS TICKET HAS NO CASH VALUE. REFUNDS AVAIABLE TO EACH PERSON ENTITLED TO BOARD FOR EVENTS CANCELLED UPON PRESENTATION OF THIS TICKET to the office of Bounce Media Group, Inc. within ten days after the event date. Under no conditions will Bounce Boat be responsible to refund any service or other fee paid in excess of the established price. If the captain of the vessel determines that due to navigation hazards, or an act of GOD or other reason that the cruise may not be undertaken, then this Ticket will constitute a rain check that can either be (1) used for the rescheduled cruise, or (2) exchanged for credit for a subsequent cruise that sails within 12 months from the date of the cruise for which this Ticket is issued. Bounce Boat, in its sole discretion, will determine when an event is cancelled. See www.bounceboat.com for additional terms. MEDICAL WAIVER. The cruise takes the vessel off-shore and emergency medical attention may not be available on a timely basis. The captain or any member of the crew may order that first aid or emergency medical attention be provided to any passenger but has no obligation to do so except to the extent required under applicable law. Each person that boards the vessel agrees to hold any person that administers first aid or emergency medical attention on board the vessel shall not be liable for any civil damages as a result of his or her acts or omissions in rendering first aid or emergency care, nor shall he or she be liable for any civil damages as a result of any act or failure to act to provide or arrange for further medical treatment or care for the injured person. SECURITY POLICY. ALL PERSONS SPECIFICALLY CONSENT TO THE AND SUBJECT TO METAL DETECTORS AND PHYSICAL PAT DOWN INSPECTIONS PRIOR TO BOARDING AND ANY PERSON OR PROPERTY THAT COULD AFFECT THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE CREW OR PASSENGERS SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO BOARD AND THEIR LICENSE WILL BE REVOKED. Only soft-sided bags that are no larger than 16"X 16"X8" will be permitted on board. Briefcases, coolers and hard-sided bags / containers shall not be permitted on board. No items may be stored on board. Each person and their belongings are subject search. Bounce Boat may change its security policy at any time without prior notice. WARNING. FOLLOW ALL SAFETY REGULATIONS POSTED ON BOARD. SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS GENERAL INFORMATION. Bounce Boat may take appropriate action against any individual that violates the terms of this License. Bounce Boat does not make any representation or warranty regarding the vessel or the dock facilities, each of which will be used by the holder of this Ticket "AS IS". The user of this Ticket and each person that board the vessel agrees that none of Bounce Boat and its respective agents, officers, employees, affiliates or owners shall be liable for any injuries or loss of personal property resulting from the use of the vessel or participation in the cruise. THE VALIDITY, CONSTRUCTION AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THIS LICENSE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WTHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPALS THEREOF. THE EXCLUSIVE VENUE FOR ANY DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF THE LICENSE OR TICKET SHALL BE THE UNITED STATES DISCTICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK OR THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY (MANHATTAN). HF 9940120v.1 IN NO EVENT WILL BOUNCE BOAT BE LIABLE TO THE TICKET HOLDER FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR FOR LOST PROFITS, REVENUES OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES EVEN IF BOUNCE BOAT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. By using this Ticket you agree to the terms and conditions posted on our website.
Fetty Wap live in concert on Bounce Boat on June 30th! Sail around NYC on this one of a kind cruise with the international sensation, Fetty Wap. Get your early bird tickets while they last!! 21+
Boarding at Pier 36: 9:00pm
Set sail: 10:00pm
Return: 2:00am
Fetty Wap
A hip-hop / rap artist from Paterson, New Jersey. He is known for his song Trap Queen. Much discussion surrounds Fetty Wap's missing left eye. Contrary to rumours of a sho... View Artist
Friday, June 30, 20179:00pm - 2:00am EDT
Pier 36299 South Street, New York, NY 10002
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The World's Premier Dance Cruise


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Wow. I meant to get this up sooner but what can I say...some re-entries are harder than others. My plane got me in yesterday, but a flurry of appointments and Mum-type responsibilities kept me from the keyboard. (You would be surprised how little leeway "but I've got to blog" gets you on these things. There is much work left to be done in the world, let me tell you.)
Halifax was, without a doubt, a burning whack of big fun. It's a great city, and even though I only had an hour free there, I made the most of it. Some of you may remember when our stalwart friend Tim flew the big city and a Harbour Captain job to pursue the shining waves of Halifax harbour and become The Master and Commander of The Tall Ship Silva...(still, I insist, the hottest job title EVER) and since I hadn't seen him since Joe and I were married last September, the first person I wanted to put my eyes on was he.
Ship and harbour behind him, he looks for all the world like Halifax agrees with him. Tim took the time to point out a wonderful bit of trivia, which will likely only be poignant for Canadian caffeine types. This is The Tall Ship Silva.
This .....this is the "taller than the tall ship" ship belonging to the guy who owns Tim Hortons.
I'm not sure what that says, but hold on while I get myself another cup of coffee. (I wonder how much of that ship I bought?)
After wandering the docks for an hour it was back to The Lord Nelson where the knitters were beginning to mill about. I abandoned Tim to the bar and went up to my room to change, wash my face and have a complete nervous breakdown. That accomplished (I am nothing if not efficient) I went back downstairs and faced up to this:
Halifax's finest knitters my friends, all organized to flip out the staff of The Lord Nelson, who in the long and fancy history of the hotel had (and I quote) "never seen anything like it." (I think there are many knitters there who can attest that while the staff was absolutely generous and helpful, they were pretty freaked. Alison has some great pictures, of the whole thing, including one of some of the Halifax Knitting Out Loud group (who are decidedly unruly - you know, in that wonderful Canadian way that still doesn't piss anyone off.) using a sign at the Lord Nelson as a battering ram to get into the ballroom. I'm thrilled that her pictures are so grand, since my camera has apparently "corrupted" some of the ones I took.
One of the pictures that did work was of Joe's Aunty Madeleine...
who's claim to fame is not just that she lives in Halifax, but that she sang a rap at our wedding. (I could try to describe it, but it will never come off as well as it did in person.) There are Halifax McPhee's too....but they were MIA for this event. (The McPhee's of everywhere are notoriously hard to pin down. It's a family trait.)
Steph brought the esteemed Mr. Happy.
As long as Mr. Happy exists my travelling sock is not so silly....
Lesley brought her baby....
I love me a little baby action, and a baby in a Metallica tee-shirt is beyond cute. Beyond.
There were washcloths, one from New Brunswick, courtesy of May, and one from Janey, who gave it representing the blogless knitters of Nova Scotia. (This is where the politically active Rachel H. steps up and yells "BLOG-FREE! Not blog-less!) and although their pictures are corrupt...they are lovely.
There were designers, like the incomparable Ilga Leja
and Deb Barnhill, (also corrupt, apparently) designer of the most Canadian knitted thing EVER.
This is just for Lene, who has wondered what Barbara in Nova Scotia looks like...
she looks mostly like that, except I seem to have captured a manic look I assure you was not there in real life.
The camera decided to eat a picture of Sophie, and of Heddy (sorry guys.) but decided to let me keep this picture,
The Halifax Knitters in their matching tee-shirts. (They may have been a little excited - as well as being enabled by Rhonda, who is the brainchild behind those fashion statements.) They made me one, and I love it. (Mine's green. You know how I love green.)
I was also allowed to keep this picture:
of Hope the hat lady with her haul, which included, rather unbelievably, many pairs of warm socks...
which shall certainly warm needy feet in the middle of a maritime winter. Brilliant. The whole thing was freaking fantastic (especially drinking the pride of Nova Scotia afterwards) and I just want to say a quick word about Mimi from the Loop in Halifax. If Mimi from the Loop was my local yarn store lady? I would never leave. (You can check that little detail with Megan, who is my local yarn shop lady and is a lot like Mimi and...well. I don't hardly leave.) I adored her.
The next morning I had an hour to see a little Halifax before I caught my plane, but it was not to be....
The gardens,
The Citadel,
and the whole Harbour were gone
...swallowed by the infamous Halifax fog.
It was hard to leave anyway.


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Thanksgiving Prayer
by Rebecca Strecker
As our family gathers
we're reminded of the past
of how Grandma came from Russia
across the sea so vast.
How she made due with so little.
How she struggled all her life,
how she taught her children values
in spite of all her strife.
Her children were our parents,
and they too have left the earth.
our children now have have children
in our family's rebirth.
We are grateful for those present
and for those no longer here.
We remember Uncle Izzy
and Aunt Marion so dear.
We are blessed to have each other,
Family love precious as gold;
Surrounded by protective walls
that keep out the winter's cold.
We are thankful for our health
and the ability to pay
for medicines and treatments
that help us every day.
We're reminded of the beauty
and the eyes with which to see
the blessings God has granted
upon which we all agree.
With Faith we share our bounty
and know Thy will be done
as surely as we witness
each rising of the sun.


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How to Select Roofing Contractors for Your Home in Liberty, MO, or a Surrounding Area
Are you beginning to notice broken or damaged shingles on the roof at your home in Liberty, Missouri, or a surrounding area? If so, it may be time to start considering which roofing contractors will be the right choice for a replacement or repair. For the majority of homeowners this is going to feel like an overwhelming decision. There are many companies in the area and they all promise different things, so what is actually important when comparing contractors?
First of all, you will want a company that understands the vision you have for your roofing project. If you only need a simple repair then you will want a company that is able to handle the job and get your roof looking like new as soon as possible. If you require a whole roof replacement, you'll likely want a company that is able to provide you a wide variety of roofing materials so that your upgrade will enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home. Some of the popular chooses in the industry include:
- Asphalt
- Stone-coated steel
- Synthetic slate
- Concrete tile
- And more
Top-Tier Customer Service and Reliable Installations
Thankfully, homeowners in Liberty, MO, and the surrounding areas can turn to the experts at Bordner for these roofing materials and reliable service. Our dedication to excellence has earned us the trust of over 80,000 satisfied customers and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau that we continue to maintain. We start each project by assigning a project manager who will act as the single point of contact and be readily available to answer any questions that come up along the way.
Once the installation begins, you can rest assured that everything will be installed correctly the first time because our dedicated team of installers are highly trained and experienced. We stand by the work they perform so much that we offer a lifetime workmanship warranty for the roofing work they perform. This allows you to rest easy knowing that your investment remains protected.
For more information about what makes us stand out from the rest of the roofing contractors in Liberty, MO, and the surrounding areas, contact Bordner today.


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Tearful Buboy admits: I convinced Manny to fight despite injury
May 6, 2015 3:20pm
An emotional Buboy Fernandez admitted that he was the one who convinced Manny Pacquiao to push through with the fight against Floyd Mayweather despite his shoulder injury.
In an exclusive interview on "News to Go" on Wednesday, Pacquiao's assistant coach and childhood friend said Freddie Roach proposed the idea of delaying the fight to allow the eight-division champion to heal.
"Nung pagbitaw ni coach na sabi niya i-popostpone natin ang laban, one week, two weeks, na-shock ako," Fernandez said.
"Tumingala ako sa langit sabi ko Lord, wag naman," he added. "Di talaga ako pumayag, pumagitna talaga ako."
Fernandez said he thought about the fine that would be imposed and the reaction of Mayweather's camp, a sentiment that Roach understood and changed the trainer's mind.
He said, however, that it was not easy for him after witnessing Pacquiao fighting hurt and with one arm.
"Nung fourth round kasi, 'yung nakuha, biglang umatras e," Fernandez said.
"Nakita ko nung fourth round pag upo niya sabi ko, Manny, may nangyari? Masakit, sabi niya."
Pacquiao won the fourth round after landing a straight left to Mayweather's face, but could not follow it up apparently because of the pain in his shoulder.
"Pumikit ako sabi ko Lord, sana huwag naman," Fernandez said. "Bawat round nagdadasal ako. Sana kahit isang round lang mawala lang 'yung sakit niya."
The Filipino ring icon would then go on to lose the fight via unanimous decision, and could also be facing charges for failing to properly disclose his injury.
With Pacquiao is set to undergo surgery to fix his torn rotator cuff, Fernandez could only pray for his speedy recovery.
"Alam ko naman na malapit ka kay Lord e, hingin natin na sana biglang mawala 'yung naramdaman mo sa balikat mo." -- Marisse Panaligan/JST, GMA News


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Epidemiology is a fundamental science for understanding the health status of individuals and populations. It is an essential discipline to unravel individual risks and improve clinical care as well as understand determinants of public health and how to prevent the burden of disease.
Section of Epidemiology contributes to the development of the field of theoretical epidemiology, with a specific focus on causal inference, complexity and life course epidemiology. The dynamic interplay between genes, environment and health across the life course and across generations are objects of research in the section. We aim to exploit and enrich the existing population data and we benefit from the unique ability to link registers in Denmark. Our research is interdisciplinary and we leverage knowledge and insights from other disciplines.
Section of Epidemiology coordinates teaching and training in epidemiology at various levels. Our aim is to empower the students with the critical thinking and methodological skills they need to address future public health challenges. Education is a lifelong process and we offer qualified training and mentoring at all levels from undergraduate and graduate teaching to post graduate training of researchers and clinicians with an interest in, or need of epidemiology.
The section ultimately aims at improving public health by contributing to development of the knowledge base about the determinants of health and disease, the modifiability of these determinants, and the potential utility of transferring this knowledge to public health actions. To this end, the Section is engaged in integrating the knowledge with that of other pertinent disciplines in close collaboration with public health professionals.
Mail address:
Øster Farimagsgade 5
DK-1353 Copenhagen K
Address for visitors:
Bartholinsgade 6, entr. Q, 2nd floor
DK-1356 Copenhagen K
Phone: 35 32 79 04
Find us here: Map
Head of Section:


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Man Arrested In Connection With Shooting
A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the shooting on Sunday [May 14] in the Court/Elliot Street area.
The police previously said that it "appears that a 34-year-old male was involved in a confrontation with another man and during this confrontation the 34-year-old male was shot at, receiving a superficial wound."
A police spokesperson said, "A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the confirmed firearm incident that occurred around 6pm Sunday, May 14th in the Court Street, Elliot Street Pembroke area.
"A search warrant executed Monday evening in the King Street, Pembroke area – part of a proactive police investigation into the matter – led to the suspect being apprehended without incident.
"He remains in police custody and a file will be prepared for consideration by the DPP.
"Any witnesses to Sunday's shooting that have not already come forward are encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Jason Smith at 441-717-0864, e-mail email@example.com or call the independent and anonymous Crime Stoppers hotline 800-8477."


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Stylishly Comfortable
Some days are made for simplicity and comfort, especially rainy days and travel days. Don't get me wrong – I absolutely love dressing up and accessorizing until my heart's content (and my wrists and neck can't hold anymore jewelry), but some days comfort pieces, just like comfort food, are just what the doctor ordered.
I snapped these pics a few weeks ago during a major rainstorm and today I'm headed to NYC. What do these two facts have in common? That's right – a rainy day and a travel day – a perfect outfit to keep me warm and cozy!
A few months ago I introduced you to Jaleh Clothing, a Seattle-based brand whose designs are created to be wearable and versatile, without compromising style, for the modern woman. Last time you saw me wearing Jaleh I styled the beautiful Debi Draped Jacket – a key piece for fall with faux leather accents and one of my fall staples. Today on the blog and traveling to NYC, I am wearing the Lily Crossover Jacket. It's so cozy and warm I feel like cuddling up by the fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa and a good book. And if a jacket can make you feel that amazing, both while traveling and in a torrential downpour, you know it's a keeper! What are your favorite comfort pieces?
And, don't forget to check back to my blog tomorrow morning – I'm launching a brand new contest with Jaleh Clothing that I know you'll love!
Top: Evans; Sweater: Jaleh Lily Crossover Jacket (c/o Jaleh Clothing); Leggings: Jaleh Leggings (c/o Jaleh Clothing); Boots: Frye Veronica Slouch Boots; Necklace: Kate Spade; Earrings: Kate Spade; Headband: France Luxe; Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs


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I have an event coming up in July (I'll reveal what/where it is once it is completely official!). One thing that I love to do at any kind of event is have a door prize! Not only does giving away something for free attract people to my booth, but it also makes me feel good to give things away and share in the excitement of the winner!
But before I can pick a winner, I first need to have people fill out an entry form. And when filling out a form, it's always nice to have a hard surface to write on. Well, as a paper crafter, I can't just hand someone a boring old clipboard to write on, can I? Enter… the altered clipboards.
I fancied up four Dollar Store clipboards, to make them a little more pleasing to the eye. While I could have definitely added a lot more elements, remember that these boards were designed to actually be used; therefore, any bulky 3-D items would make them virtually impossible to write on. I kept them as flat as I could, while still adding some color and pizazz!
Here is an owl clipboard made with the Lollydoodle papers and stickers:
And another owl board (owls are VERY trendy right now), made with different patterned papers from the Lollydoodle packet and sticker sheets:
A bird-themed board made with the Skylark papers and hand-stamped elements:
An finally, an outdoorsy board made with the Timberline papers and stickers:
All of the boards were sealed with matte Mod Podge glue/sealant, and adorned with ribbons and/or textiles. Unfortunately, CTMH doesn't carry Mod Podge (which I use in boatloads!), but you can find it here:
I'll see you in the craft room,
*This page contains affiliate links for products that I have hand-chosen and recommend. If you purchase anything through my affiliate links, I will receive a small referral fee. Please see my Disclosure Policy for a full explanation. Thank you for supporting my site!


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Has anyone actually got iFollow to work on an Android Box?
Fine on ipad but cant mirror that to a tv.
Have the app on an android box and can sign in etc fine but it just wont playback video or stream.
TBM Strange that ticket office not doing it
How they will be able to stagger sales I don't know so reckon it'll be something like 5 per person or something
How many tickets do play off finalist normally get?
Gordons Cumming What can Stam say in the dressing room now?


text:
Product Description
Low Flow Series cartridges: 50 µL through 250 µL are interchangeable and fit in all Low Flow Series In-line, Binary tee and Ternary tee housings.
Delay volume specified below was calculated based on an ASI engineering drawing. The delay volume can be verified by injecting a sample at a known flow rate, then measuring the time this sample first appears at the exit of the mixer.
Back pressure varies directly with flow rate. For example, if the back pressure is 2 PSI at 1 mL/min., it will be .2 PSI at 100 µL/min. At flow rate less than 100 µL/min., the back pressure is negligible.
Port size: 10-32 CPI (standard HPLC fittings for 1/16″ tube)
Compatible with Thermo Scientific™ nanoViper™ Fingertight Fittings
Maximum Operating Pressure: 6,000 PSI
Delay volume: 50 µL
Back pressure: < 2 PSI @ 1 mL/min. with water


text:
a photo from a few years back
when The Awakening was at Hains Point
when The Awakening was at Hains Point
so often I am talking to a parent and they say...
"little billy does not want to play soccer this season... so we are taking a break"
"little billy does not want to play soccer this season... so we are taking a break"
to this I ask... if little billy wants to take a break from vegetables... are they free to make this decision?
more than likely not
yet... so many parents let their kids make decisions on these things
when really... the kids are not making informed decisions
their rationals may be valid to themselves or to that moment
but they are not looking big picture
I deal with these sorts of issues every day with my just turned ten year old and his soon to be 13 year old older brother
so... I try to break the code
I try to anticipate the answer and cater the question appropriately
last night I had a little encounter with my older son
both the boys had been home sick from school
which of course had them on a VIDEO GAME MARATHON
the boys were both entranced by their screens
it was not near their usual bedtime... but on a sick day they could use more rest
so I gave them a 20 minute warning
some families run an egg timer and have the kids on a 30 minute video game max
some families run an egg timer and have the kids on a 30 minute video game max
so I feel I am not just being liberal... but accepting
yet my statement was met with some objection
then when I gave the two minute warning then the directive to POWER DOWN AND SHUT THE LID my older son mumbled something about how he was not sure if he would be able to find this point in the game again
to which I coldly said, "I don't care"
then as I ushered the boys out of the room I toned it down
recalling that I played video games and understood the importance of the game of the moment
but then altered things to try and give Dean a better understanding of my positioning
"Dean... it is odd the emotion you have about the video game but you lacked any response to missing tomorrow's ski trip. Tomorrow your class is going skiing, you were scheduled to go, but because you are sick... you will miss this. This would have been a chance for you to 'show off your skills' An opportunity for peers to witness one of your strengths... yet you showed no care\no concern.. did not even shrug your shoulders. You did not respond to the topic of missing the class ski trip... yet having to shut off the computer and lose some progress in your game... well... that is important. I must say.. I think your priorities are skewed"
this is why I take the roll of drill sergeant
this is why I tell my boys what they are doing rather than ask them if they want to do something
this is why I cut the video games off and push their momentum in my direction
because they do not know what is best for them
it is up to us as parents to help them do what is best for them
if given the choice... most kids would not wash their face and brush their teeth
kids would take candy and ice cream over fruits and vegetables
and of course
video games over physical activity
don't ask... tell
try and break the code
why do they not want to do something?
why are they giving me the answer that they are giving me?
and of course
and of course
what is best for the child?
ask yourself... what is best for the child?
then do that
then do that


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01 April 2019
Harmonica Neck Holders But iPhones
Just a thought…
01 April 2019
Just a thought…
17 January 2019
The Django Rest Framework (DRF) is the leading REST API library for Django projects. It has fantastic and comprehensive documentation, much like the Django project. However, with all the classes, mixins, and other options it provides, the abstractions can get a bit confusing.
Whenever I use a library I like to have a clear picture of its main concepts and how the pieces fit together, so I ended up plotting this out for the DRF to show how the URLs, REST operations, and CRUD layer all fit together to make an API. This is intended for someone who has read over the DRF documentation and feels like they kind of get it, but starts to feel lost in all the different layers of abstraction.
Behold, the Django REST Framework - Abstraction Grid:
(click to view full size: svg | pdf | png)
The big things to see here are:
If some of this is outdated, let me know! I have it in a sketch file that is easy to update.
05 January 2019
20 December 2018
07 December 2018


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Hello! My name is Maverick, but my mom and dad call me fatty! I will answer to either or. I am 50 lbs of love! Please don't be turned off by my scars, everyone calls them beauty marks once they actually look at them, They don't hurt me or bother me at all, actually I love when my mom smooshes my fat cheeks and pulls on them. Although I have had a real tough path medically, I am 100000% healthy!
When I was first adopted I was very cautious of my new family. I would not let my guard down and would never think of cuddling. BOY WAS I MISSING OUT! I love cuddling now! If you aren't paying attention to me and I want to cuddle I will waddle on over and plop myself right on your chest! And don't worry about making room for me, if you are laying down watching tv I will simply lay on your legs and rest my head right on your stomach. Because I love cuddling so much I NEED to sleep in bed with you at night. Mom says I am the perfect alarm clock! 7 am everyday I lick her until she wakes up! If that doesn't work I jump off the bed and stomp around until she HAS to get up. And as much as I love cuddling I LOVE FOOD! If you say "Mav you hungry?" WATCH OUT! I will steam roll right thru you to run into my crate! (I have to eat in my crate because I eat too fast, and I don't like to share my food) The vet told my mom to put a brick in my food to slow my eating down, some people try to put a ball but I just picked that up and moved it. I love food of all kind so be careful, if you are opening the fridge I will be right behind you (dad sometimes closes the door without looking first and my head is still in there)
Playtime is ALL the time! I will play with anything and everything! Cardboard, bouncy balls, ropes, ANYTHING! I am really silly and throw things up and the air (mom doesn't know if its on purpose or if I am just so excited that it just happens) I am not very graceful when I run (Mom has literally peed her pants at the sight of me running, she says its like a weird gallop that all my feet leave the ground at once) I don't always play the nicest, but I am learning! If you say "mouth" I tend to stop using my mouth to play. I love wrestling, mom and dad pick me up and slam me on their bed and wrestle with me, I love it! I also love learning! I know sit, down/off, lay down, look, leave it, stay, drop it (can I have it), and I am learning more! I am very food motivated, but sometimes I have an A.D.D moment just get my attention back and I am ready to go!
Hygiene is very important to me. So much so that I will jump in the shower with you when you are taking a shower! I also sit nice in the bath and love LOVE LOVE when I am having lathering shampoo all over me. I need to get my nails cut often because we are in the process of cutting the vein back. I am not such a big fan of this, but if you keep playing with my paws I will get better at it.
I hope you don't need privacy because NOONE goes to the bathroom without me watching. I love to just awkwardly sit right in front of who ever is going potty and stare. If you try to go in without me I will just push the door open and let myself in. Also make sure you close the toilet seat cover when you are done, I have drank ALL the water out of the bowl before. And make sure the toilet paper is high up because I am known for taking the rolls and running off with them. (Mom has this on video)
Unfortunately, I don't get along well with other dogs. I am too scared! My blood pressure goes up so fast that my whole head turns red, literally my scars and my ears. I have tried but I get too scared and start acting really bad. Because of this is why my mom and dad can't keep me anymore. They love me and I know they do, but their lifestyle and what I need just don't mix right now. They don't have a yard and they live a very active life style (which is what we originally thought I needed). As I get older we realize that I need to stay in a comfort zone of never leaving MY HOUSE. I need a yard to run in and roll around in the grass (I love it so much) and I need a family who will let me be as silly as I love to be. Mom and dad have been told that they can try mood stabilizers but they love my personality and they don't want to change that. People think that I am dangerous because I don't play well with others, this couldn't be MORE WRONG! I am a people LOVER mom and dad have had people over and I love every single one of them (Sometimes too much!) I lick them all over until they cant breath because they are covered in slober!
I really need a family who will keep working with me, because I love life so much! I have fought so hard to be able to live and I want to keep enjoying the life that so many people have fought for! Mom and Dad know I deserve that and know that I will be okay and happyish at their house, but they know I will have an even better life with someone who will never make me leave home.
If interested please email us at [email protected]


text:
Saturday, October 30, 2004
The Clicks at Shimokitazawa Que
The Clicks at the Que.
This is my third time seeing all-girl rock 'n' roll trio the Clicks, tonight at the Shimokitazawa Que, in western Tokyo.
They were playing with three other bands at an event organized by K.O.G.A. record label owner Mr. Koga, who, vague rumor has it, likes good-looking women.
The Clicks are certainly a pleasure to see as well as listen to. They all wore striped tanktops and mini-skirts, each with her theme color (green, red and blue, I think). They play basic, uncomplicated, pop-ish rock. The band probably won't change the world. They probably won't end up in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame either (though, one never knows). But still, I listen to their album a lot, and always have fun at their shows.
I mean, if you are three pretty girls, are in a rock band, can play your instruments well and have a lot of spirit, it's hard to go wrong.
UPDATE: Just realized this is my 100th Japan Live post.
Punk band Jr. Monster at the Que
Jr. Monster at the Que.
Jr. Monster is a humorous, testosterone-driven, pop-punk rock band that I last saw open for the Osaka band Moga the Five Yen. They were playing tonight at Tokyo's Que with the Clicks and two other bands.
Punk rock subdivisions sometimes confuse me, but Jr. Monster isn't one of those groups that inspire its fans to slam-dance, stage-dive, crowd-surf and engage in other punk antics. Instead, most of their fans seem to be girls who hop around in place to their songs and shoot up their arms once in a while. The fans are well-behaved.
But Jr. Monster's (what a wonderful band name...) music itself is fast and energy-packed. Sweat pours off the band members as they head-bang to the music.
Jr. Monster at the Que.
I like their stately plump guitarist, who has a bleached Kurt Cobain haircut and plays an eye-hurting day-glo orange Gibson Les Paul. He's the guy to keep the crowd entertained between songs, saying crazy things and kissing the microphone.
"Do you love punk?" he asks the crowd at one point.
The girls in the audience murmur 'yes' and giggle.
The guitarist pretends to be taken aback by the crowd's modest response, and says, "OK, this time, when I ask you if you love punk, say 'YES!' in your head!"
He asks again, "DO YOU LOVE PUNK?"
A split second of silence later, as the girls think 'YES!' in their heads, he shouts, "Thank you!!", and the band moves on to their next song.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Stay Tuned For Orange Plankton TV Commercial
Orange Plankton single 'Ai no Youna'.
Tokyo pop band Orange Plankton's singer, Yumi, e-mailed me tonight to tell me her song, 'Weather and Music', which I translated from Japanese into English, will be used in a TV commercial to be aired from early next year in mountainous Yamanashi prefecture, Wakayama prefecture, famous for its tangerines, Shizuoka prefecture, renowned for its green tea, and other parts of central Japan.
The song will be the background music for a commercial that advertises, of all things, a chain of pachinko parlors. Pachinko is the name for stand-up pinball machines that too many Japanese spend hours sitting in front of in hopes of winning buckets-full of silver balls, which they can then convert into cash in little trading stations down the street from the parlors. (In other words, it's a form of gambling, a mindless time-killer like slot machines.)
To think that the song 'Weather and Music', which sparkles and flows like molten snow from a mountain, will help promote pinball gambling... It's actually amusing, and makes me wish I could see the commercial (though it won't be airing in Tokyo, from what I hear).
Speaking about amusing things, this passage from the book Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris by A. J. Liebling, made me smile:
Following the publication of some of the foregoing papers I had an avalanche of letters–perhaps a half a dozen–asking scornfully whether, in my student days in Paris, I did nothing but eat.An avalanche of half a dozen letters. I know the feeling.
Friends sometimes tell me they read Japan Live often. But they hardly ever leave a trace in the form of comments or e-mails. Which is fine, and I don't expect a tsunami of comments, but if you do have a question or you feel like saying something about, oh, anything in the whole entire world, don't be shy! Just click the word 'comment' under this or other posts and go from there. (Between Meals, by the way, is classic, a tiny feast of 185 pages for anyone who loves food and good writing on it.)
Monday, October 25, 2004
Plectrum Unplugged... Or, Rather, Amplified Lite
Plectrum at Mona Records.
Japanese rock quartet Plectrum was playing tonight at Mona Records, a combination café and record shop in Shimokitazawa, western Tokyo.
The show was billed as an acoustic set, a sort of Plectrum Unplugged, but a more accurate way to describe it was Plectrum Amplified Lite: although it wasn't as loud as a typical rock show, all the guitars were still connected to amps.
Whatever you'd call it, the show was another excellent one by Plectrum, one of the best live bands in Tokyo. At moments, when the band was ripping up the joint playing great songs of theirs like '3pm Lazy' and '30 Boy', I felt it made little difference where these guys played. They could be playing in a big concert hall, or a small rock club, or outside of the southern exit of the Shimokitazawa train station among all the people waiting to get drunk with friends, and wherever they are they'd rock the crowd.
IN THE AUDIENCE: was Jang Yaeri, a music lover from Seoul and organizer of the 'P is for Pop' Seoul shows last month featuring Plectrum and Swinging Popsicle from Japan. She's visiting Tokyo, and said the crowds here are too quiet compared with those in Seoul (and she's correct).
Also in the audience were all four members of piano pop band Orange Plankton. Actually, I invited them to the show, because I found out the bands knew each other from back in the days a few years earlier when both Plectrum and Orange Plankton were based in Osaka. With the two bands' meeting tonight, will this mark the historic start of a long and fruitful musical collaboration? We shall see.
And, as I expected, Dr. I, a psychiatrist who has frighteningly similar musical tastes to me, came to see Plectrum too.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Hi-5 at the Shibuya O-Nest
Hi-5 at the Shibuya O-Nest.
Playing tonight at the Tokyo rock club Shibuya O-Nest were Hi-5, School Girl 69 and Condor 44. The first two of those bands are both from Kita-Kyushu, an industrial city in the southern island of Kyushu. (Wonder what the deal is with Japanese bands and their love of adding numbers to their names, by the way?)
The musicians in Hi-5 and School Girl 69 all went to the same Kita-Kyushu university, where they were members of a school rock music club (a common place for rock musicians to meet and form bands in Japan).
Hi-5, a synthesizer-guitar-drums trio, was School Girl 69's sempai in the university club, that is to say, they are older and began university before School Girl's guys did. It's a very Japanese concept – the sempai is supposed to lead by good example the kouhai, the younger ones, and give advice about how to succeed in school, club activities, and so on.
So, tonight, Hi-5's singer and synthesizer player said: "Since we were School Girl 69's sempai in university, we feel we have to set a good example" by playing a rocking show. Which they did, but they played so hard the guitarist was panting by the end of the third song. It was great rock 'n roll.
Throughout the show the singer gave something like a Black Power salute, pounding his chest with his fist and then raising the fist in the air. I have no idea what's behind that.
School Girl '69, Condor 44, Kao at O-Nest
School Girl '69 at the Shibuya O-Nest
School Girl '69 is a quartet from Kita-Kyushu that plays pop-punk-New Wave tunes. Their main singer, a guy, has such a high, helium-ingested-sounding voice that when I first heard one of their CDs, I wasn't sure whether it was a guy or a girl. But that voice goes well with their cute pop sound. And they are a good live band. It's always a pleasure to see them when they visit Tokyo.
(For some reason, I think this blog might get more search engine hits after this post gets published about a JAPANESE band named SCHOOL GIRL 69 playing in TOKYO. Just a wild hunch.)
Pianist/singer Kao playing between sets.
Between sets, a girl named Kao played solo piano songs. Listening to her tunes was a nice way to pass the time while bands set up on stage.
Condor 44's bassist.
It took longer than usual for the last band of the night, Condor 44, to set up, because they had to move the drum set to the right side of the stage. Condor 44's musicians like to be positioned in a semi-circle on stage, with the drums on the right, keyboard in the center, and guitar and bass on the left. The website Rock of Japan describes their sound well – "thoughtful spacy pop". They are an understated band. At the end of their good set, they shuffled off the stage, and when the applause became a modest request for an encore, they shuffled back onto the stage to play one more song.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Orange Plankton at the Shibuya Plug
Orange Plankton at Shibuya Plug.
Tuesday night's Orange Plankton show at the Shibuya Plug wasn't the most dazzling performance I'd seen of the Japanese piano pop quartet, compared with past shows. There were some sound problems, and maybe the band wasn't completely fired up because they were up first, there weren't that many people in the audience, and the women sitting at the tables in front of the stage looked bored.
But Orange Plankton on a not-best night is still very, very good. A friend I took to see them for the first time was excited enough about the show that he bought two albums by the band on the spot.
The Plug is a relatively new and comfy club underneath the McDonald's in Shibuya on the way to Tower Records. The staff is very friendly. They had created a cocktail called Orange Plankton just for the night, mixing orange juice with several different liquers. It wasn't bad.
Art-School Plus Three Sold Out at the Loft
I knew that Monday night's show at the Shinjuku Loft wouldn't be a comfortable one as soon as I saw the number on my ticket. Number 381. I thought about my previous visits to the Loft, and had a hard time imagining more than 200 people in the hall. But the number 381 meant there were at least 380 more people planning to be there. It was going to be like the rush hour train.
The sold-out show featured four popular bands: Art-School, Bloodthirsty Butchers, Fuji Fabric and Meringue.
When I arrived at the Loft, it was even worse than I expected. The crowd filled the hall all the way to the back door. And because of the (stupid) layout of the club, with a big pillar between the stage and the back door, people standing near the door couldn't see the stage at all. We instead watched the action on two small TV's on the pillar. I could also see shadows of the musicians on the left wall of the stage.
It reminded me of Plato's cave. I hear loud music and see a band playing on two small TV's, but is there really a band playing behind the pillar? Is that shadow on the wall actually that of a member of the band shown on the TV? Or is it, in reality, the shadow of a ballerina maybe, or a mime, or Butoh dancers, and the music and TV images recorded? There was no way to know for sure.
After the first band, Meringue, finished their set, however, I was able to creep up closer so I could see half of Fuji Fabric. By the third act, Art-School, who I had come to see, I had a complete view of the singer Riki Kinoshita.
Kinoshita, who looks a bit like a praying mantis, shuffled wearily onto stage. Why do I like Art-Shool? Kinoshita is a Rimbaud-reading, Kobain-copying, fragilely-sensitive rock star stereotype come-to-life, whose pronouncements in his Internet diaries are sometimes laughably pretentious. His fans mostly look much younger than me – in their late-teens to early 20's. I liked Art-School's latest single, but I haven't listened to it much. I wondered, before the show got underway, whether I had outgrown this band.
That thought vanished as soon as Kinoshita began singing. He has a stellar voice. The voice is an adolescent-sounding one, but one that grabs you and fills the hall with its presence. I feel, listening to his voice, that this moment, when he's singing, is all that concerns him.
I like Kinoshita. He is funny, without maybe intending it always. He can't speak very well on stage. There are silent moments between songs as the band tunes up. Tonight when he does decide to say something to the audience, his words are: "Ehhh... It's hard to live. So... a song should be about what doesn't matter... Please have fun tonight." OK, Riki. Yet, the lyrics he writes are heart-felt and full of vivid images.
He wrote in his Internet diary that his sound guy told him that there are always cute girls and model types at the back of the audience at Art-School shows, which, as someone who was standing in that location, I can say isn't an entirely inaccurate picture. But Kinoshita went on to write that he wasn't sure whether this was true, because he always sang with his eyes closed.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Sloppy Joe at the Shibuya O-Nest
Sloppy Joe.
Sunday was guitar pop night at the Shibuya rock club O-Nest. Playing were the Japanese bands Swinging Popsicle, Sloppy Joe, Bowlie Weekender, and the headlining band, the Starlets from England.
Guitar pop is a not very well defined sub-genre of rock that is popular among some bands in Tokyo, especially those in Shimokitazawa. As the name suggests, it's pop where the guitars get the spotlight. Bright, twangy-sounding guitars like Fender Telecasters are favored, and the musicians tend to be down-to-earth types who don't stand out in crowds. This isn't teen angst music. It's more like young adult happy music lovers' music.
Bands that are called guitar pop groups don't always agree that's what they are. There's the, 'We're just playing music, we don't want what we do constrained by convenient labels'-mentality at work. But it's clear these bands are approaching music and life differently than, say, a hardcore punk band or a visual-kei group.
Sloppy Joe at the O-Nest.
Take Sloppy Joe. I'd seen this quintet once before a few ago, but had forgotten how good they are. They play driving rock with hints of rockabilly, though the singer says he was influenced by the Smiths. Between songs, the lead guitarist walks back to pick up his mobile phone that's lying on an amp. The singer asks him what's up. He says he got an e-mail from his mom on his mobile phone. What's it say?, the singer asks. "It says, 'relax, have fun and show a nice smile on stage'," the guitarist says.
I love guitar pop shows!!!
Swinging Popsicle at the O-Nest
Swinging Popsicle at the O-Nest.
Swinging Popsicle were sensational. Their singer, Mineko Fujishima, can SING. It's like seeing an R&B superstar in a small Tokyo rock club, in tonight's case the O-Nest .(For what it's worth, the Chinese characters that spell out her first name, Mineko, literally means 'child of beautiful sound.) The band is tight and their music is catchy.
Compared with when I saw them in Seoul, however, they seemed subdued between songs, not saying much more than 'arigatou gozaimashita (thanks very much)'. Probably tonight I was seeing a more typical Popsicle, while in Seoul they were high off the crowds' adulation.
Bowlie Weekend at the O-Nest.
Other bands playing tonight: Bowlie Weekender was a big group that included a cellist, a trumpeter and a flutist. They were ok. The Starlets, up last, seemed good, and the guy singer had a nice tenor voice, but by the time they started I was hungry and tired so I left after a couple of songs (wimp).
Saturday, October 16, 2004
In the Mail - Seoul Band Julia Hart's New Single
Julia Hart's Miss Chocolate (from juliahart.com)
I returned home today to find in my mailbox a padded envelope from Seoul containing something very cool -- the new single by Korean rock band Julia Hart. The sender was Wonyul Lee, Julia Hart's bassist. I'd met and become friends with Wonyul in March, when I went to Seoul to see the Japanese bands advantage Lucy, Plectrum, Miniskirt, Lost in Found, and Korean band Linus' Blanket play live. Wonyul plays bass for Linus, but his main band is Julia Hart.
This was the first time I heard Julia Hart's music, and I found it utterly charming, exciting and fun. The title track, 'Miss Chocolate', is a catchy 3-minute pop song that could have been a 1950's radio hit. It has a Korean and an English version, and the latter contains the delicious lines, "I'm the kind of boy who thinks we'll get married when you just smile/Well, I know I'm semi-stupid/But I guess you are my cupid".
The other two songs' titles are both written in Hangul and sang in Korean so I don't know what they are called, but they're both good too. Song two is a more rocking number than 'Miss Chocolate', and song three has a 60's Flower Children feel because the guitar uses the echoey effect pedal which I think was popular during the latter part of that decade [help me out here, Wonyul -- what's that effect pedal called??].
I'd really like to see Julia Hart play live sometime. If you, for some reason are in Seoul and are reading this and don't know about Julia Hart, you should try to check them out and also buy 'Miss Chocolate' while you are at it.
I was flipping through Julia Hart's home page (which includes MP3 files of their songs, including a cover of Cheap Trick's Surrender, if you are curious to know what they sound like), and I found this photo of the band below that I liked. The combination of the blue sky, the trees in the background, and the mysterious huge white screen at the back of the stage is aesthetically very satisfying, wouldn't you agree?
Julia Hart of Seoul (from juliahart.com)
Friday, October 15, 2004
Luna & Primrose at Astro Hall
Tonight I was alone, and Primrose blew me away. Guitarist Keiji Matsui began the show solo, playing trance-inducing repetitive parts that gradually built up in intensity. By the time the other band members joined him and started to rock, the music, combined with the trippy stage lights, had transported me to another level of consciousness, like I was on drugs. Matsui used two microphones, one of which I guess was connected to some sort of special effect, and a whole pile of effect pedals for his guitar. My only wish was that the show be longer -- it was only about half an hour, but they were the opening band, so c'est la vie.
On their web page Primrose says that both their bassist and drummer had decided to quit the band, leaving only Matsui, the guitarist. Sounds like a disaster, but Matsui says he will continue with the band with the others helping out when needed. I hope he keeps at it, because Primrose is creating very exciting music.
I was interested in Luna of the U.S. because one of its members was formerly of Galaxie 500, a band I listened to over and over and over in my college days. But their show didn't really do it for me. Like an old car, it seemed they took a long time to get warmed up but they didn't drive that fast even when they did. To be fair, I'm not the biggest fan of breezy rock like theirs, and the fans certainly seemed ecstatic to see the band.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Hartfield's First Solo Show, At The Shelter
Life rocks.
The rain has finally stopped. A cool autumn breeze is blowing outside. I'm drinking a beer at a soccer bar in Shimokitazawa called Palazzo, and Velvet Underground is playing in the background. And I've just been to the historic first solo live show of Tokyo rock quartet Hartfield.
Doing a one-band show for the first time is a rite of passage for Japanese bands, a sign that a group is becoming successful. Fans come to the show en masse to celebrate. True to form, the small but prestigious Shelter was packed tonight with Hartfield fans, who were a jovial bunch.
Hartfield's Komine and Kagawa.
Hartfield hit the stage about 7:30 and played two joyful hours. They're a good-looking band. Particularly striking is guitarist Yukari Tanaka, a long-haired Japanese woman who wears a white dress and plays a pale Flying V guitar.
Their sound reminds me of My Bloody Valentine – the same combination of feedback and distortion (singer and guitarist Takateru Kagawa uses about a dozen effect pedals) and catchy melodies. And like My Bloody Valentine, a guy, Kagawa, and a girl, Tanaka, share the singing duties. I love such duets because they have the potential to create gorgeous music, and Hartfield's two do.
Hartfield Unplugged.
Tonight, for this special occasion, there was a treat: we got to listen to what might be called Hartfield Unplugged. Like the MTV show, for two songs Hartfield went acoustic, and they sounded wonderful.
When Hartfield's sound was stripped of amplified, feedback-laden electric noise, what was left was straightforward, satisfying music. Without feedback, you could clearly hear what strong, pretty voices Kagawa and Tanaka have.
Not that they should become a folk music group or something... Every night they play a rock show they have thrilling moments that make it worth going to shows.
The two songs they played during the Unplugged session were 'Merchen' and 'My Christiana' from their mini-album L.I.B.R.A. (which I figured out recently means 'Leave It Before Ruins Again').
Leave Hartfield Show, Get G-Ampere CD
I take all their fliers and study them later. I feel sympathy for these people trying to promote something to strangers.
Tonight, however, leaving the Hartfield show, in addition to the usual fliers I was handed a four-song CD-R containing music by the band G-Ampere. I didn't even realize it was a CD until later -- I thought it was just another flier. They want people to come to their show so much that they are handing out CDs of their music, which seems an expensive way to promote themselves but is very cool from the CD listener's point of view.
I've actually seen G-Ampere before, with Hartfield. They've convinced this music fan to check them out again. (Be sure to check out the band's home page, linked above, by the way. It's pretty wacky.)
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
The Tokyo Rock Show of the Year
Ad photo for Nov. 26 show.
The Tokyo rock show of the year hasn't happened yet, but I know it will be an incredible music experience. There are wonderful shows every night in Tokyo, I know, but this will be MY rock show of 2004.
Performing at it will be some of my favorite bands, bands that I've praised in the pages of Japan Live – advantage Lucy, Vasallo Crab 75, Apila, Orang, Lost in Found and others. These groups will all gather on November 26 at the clubs Shimokitazawa Que and Shinjuku Loft.
When I first found about the show, I was moved. I'd been thinking about how to spend November 26, and this was the perfect answer.
November 26 marks a year since Takayuki Fukumura, guitarist of advantage Lucy and Vasallo Crab 75, passed away of heart disease. He was in his late 20's. I didn't know Fukumura personally, and only knew him through his music, but his death ended up changing me in some ways.
Less than two weeks after his death, advantage Lucy was scheduled to do a show in Ikebukuro. I wasn't sure whether they'd go through with it. It was clear the loss of a close friend and band mate was weighing heavily on them.
But they played. And it was one of the most moving show I'd ever been to, one I'll never forget.
Starting with the song 'Red Bicycle', whose dazzling opening arpeggio was Fukumura's creation, it was nearly two hours of beautiful and intense rock music, humor befitting Fukumura's personality, and also, of course, sadness.
It was a great show that made me wish I could also have such a final send-off one day.
It also made me want to know more about these musicians. That desire pushed me to meet them, listen to more of their music and write about it.
I wanted to mark the one year's time in some way on November 26. Then I heard about the show. Of course! He was a rock musician and would have wanted us to play music and dance to it, to remember him.
All the bands playing that night had worked with Fukumura at some point.
The evening will start at the Que around 6:30 and run until about 10, then the venue will change to the Loft in Shinjuku, where the second part of the show will begin at midnight and last until the morning. We'll take the Odakyu train from Shimokitazawa to Shinjuku, to continue the all-night party, in honor of a great musician.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Braving the Typhoon For Lucy and Plectrum
Singer Aiko of advantage Lucy.
A powerful typhoon hit Japan today and was due to land in Tokyo right about the time a show featuring Tokyo rock bands advantage Lucy and Plectrum was to start. Authorities were advising people to stay indoors. I ignored them. It would take a lot more than mere wind and rain to keep me away from a Lucy/Plectrum show.
Still, when I left my apartment to leave for the Shimokitazawa Club Que, the scene outside was grim. Gusts of wind blew the rain sideways, and rain flowed in the gutter like a river. I curled under my umbrella and dashed for a cab.
But even if I became sopping wet going to Club Que, I knew that the club at least would be dry, and more importantly, I'd be surrounded by Lucy and Plectrum true believers. Those fans who would rather be wet and miserable than miss a show.
Amazingly, the Que was packed tonight, with more than 100 people in the audience despite the storm. I felt camaraderie.
Braving the Typhoon For Lucy and Plectrum 2
Advantage Lucy
I've gushed frequently and at length about the Tokyo guitar pop band advantage Lucy in the pages of Japan Live, but up until now I didn't have any photos of their live shows. Part of the reason for that is they haven't played much in the last half a year. They've been busy recording a new album. In any case, here's a glimpse of what they look like.
The members of Lucy said after the show that, at the rehearsals, their playing was a mess and everything came together only tonight. I wouldn't have known if they hadn't said so. It was another fantastic Lucy show, the sort that lets me forget all worldly concerns.
Advantage Lucy's rhythm section.
Lucy Singer Aiko's voice is distinct, one that is high and slightly whiney in an attractive way. There's no mistaking that voice on the radio. She sings to beautifully melodic pop music crafted by guitarist Yoshiharu Ishizaka.
They played several new songs tonight, including 'Glider', Everything' and 'Is This Love'. I've listened to their old songs so much, if they were vinyl records the surfaces would be worn down. So, it's refreshing to listen to these new, good songs. And it was nice to hear once again that they are in the final stages of putting together their new album.
Braving the Typhoon For Lucy and Plectrum 3
Akky Fujita of Plectrum.
The final act tonight at the Que was Plectrum.
What more can I say about Plectrum? I'm always recharged fully spiritually after I listen to this outstanding Tokyo rock quartet.
Someone once said that Plectrum may be the band that most seasoned Shimokitazawa scene rock musicians secretly consider their favorite live band. Whether that's true or not, there's no doubt a lot of people love Plectrum.
They played a lot of old songs tonight (Plectrum has been around for about ten years), because lead guitarist Akky Fujita felt the band was getting too comfortable playing numbers from their latest album, Prom Night, and they needed to keep their edge by playing a wide variety of rock music. For we audience members, it was a chance to hear how good the old stuff was, songs from records that are now mostly hard to find.
The best moment of the night was a mini-jam session that ended their song 'Les Paul Master'. Singer Taisuke Takata left the stage with his Fender Jazzmaster on the floor still ringing distortion. (But he soon returned and turned it off to do a ballad for an encore.)
Listening to them rock, I forgot that my socks were still wet and my jeans chilled and moist because of the typhoon.
Plectrum at the Que.
Also performing tonight was a good trio called Sparky (they were one of those bands that might have brought down the house if they playing anywhere other than Tokyo, but people here are spoiled by the abundance of top-notch groups), and playing solo, Toshiaki Yamada of Gomes the Hitman. Yamada played an acoustic guitar and sang. I'm not usually interested in that sort of thing, but his music was good.
Yamada said he'd been in a hospital until a couple of months ago, undergoing surgery after they found a hole in one of his lungs. He said breezily that he thought he'd be able to write more songs while he was in the hospital recuperating, but he became obsessed anytime he ran across words like 'lung' and 'death' while he was reading magazines in bed, and so, wasn't able to focus on song-writing. But he did write one song about looking out the window from his hospital bed, and played it tonight. It was a moving song.