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Brain Hype
"Successful human-to-human brain interface" screamed the headlines – and so there I was clicking my way around the internet to read about it.
Those who know me also know that this is the kind of stuff what makes me tick, ever since learning about the pioneering work of Miguel Nicolelis. A bit over a decade ago I first heard of him, a Brazilian scientist working at Duke University in the Department where I spent a short tenure before moving to New Zealand. What I heard at the time was that he was attempting to extract signals from a brain and use them to control a robotic arm. I was quite puzzled by the proposition, I had been trained with the idea that each neuron in the brain is important and responsible of taking care of a specific bit of information. so thought I'd never get to see the idea succeed within my lifetime.
Nicolelis' paradigm was relatively straightforward. He was to record the activity of a small area of the brain while the animal moved his arm, and identify what was going on in the brain during different arm movements. Activity combination A means arm up, combination B arm down, etc. He then would use this code to program a robotic arm so that the robotic it moved up when combination A was sent to it, down when combination B was sent, and so on. The third step was to connect the actual live brain to the robotic arm, and have the monkey learn that it had the power to move it himself.
What puzzled me at the time (and the reason that I thought his experiment couldn't work) was that he was going to attempt to do this by recording the activity from what I could best describe as only a handful of neurons, and with rather limited control over the choice of those neurons. I figured this was not going to give him enough (or even the right) information to guide the movement of the robotic arm. But I was still really attracted to the idea. Not only did I love his deliberate imagination and how he was thinking outside the box,, but also, if he was successful, it would mean I'd have to start thinking about how the brain works in a completely different way.
It was not long before the word came out he had done it. He had managed to extract enough code from the brain activity that was going on during arm movements to program the robotic arm, and soon enough he had the monkey control the arm directly. And then something even much more interesting (at least to me) happened – the monkey learned that he could move the robotic arm without having to move his own arm. In other words, the monkey had 'mapped' the robotic arm into his brain as if it was his own. And that meant that it was time to revisit how I thought that brains worked.
I followed his work, and then in 2010 got a chance to have a chat with him at SciFoo. It was there that he told me how he was doing similar experiments but playing with avatars instead of real life robotic arms. how he saw this technology being used to build exoskeletons to provide mobility to paralyzed patients, and how he thought he was close to getting a brain to brain interface in rats.
A brain to brain interface?
Well, if the first set of experiments had challenged my thinking I was up for a new intellectual journey. Although by now I had learned my lesson.
I finally got to see the published results of these experiment earlier this year. Again, the proposition was straightforward. Have a rat learn a task in one room, collect the code and send that information to a second rat elsewhere and see if the second rat has been able to capture the learning. You can read more about this experiment from Mo Costandi here.
So when I heard the news about human to human brain interfaces, I inevitably got excited.
But then….
The paradigm of this preliminary study (which has not been published in a peer reviewed journal) is simple. One person is trying to play a video game imagining he pushes a firing button at the right time, and a second person elsewhere who actually needs to push the firing button for the game. The activity from the brain of the first person (this time recorded from the scalp surface) is transmitted to the brain of the second person through a magnetic coil (a device that is becoming commonly used to stimulate or inhibit specific parts of the brain.)
But is this really a bran to brain intterface?
Although the brain code of the first subject 'imagining' moving the finger was extracted (much like the Nicolelis group did back a decade ago), there is nothing about that code that is 'decoded' by the subject pressing the button. That magnetic coils can be used to elicit movement is not new. What part of the body moves depends on where on top of the head the coil is placed, and the type of zapping that is sent through the coil. So reading their description of the experiment, it seems that the signal that is being sent is a turn on/off to the coil, not a motor code in itself. The response from the second subject does not seem to need the decoding that signal – rather responding to a specific stimulation (not too unlike the kicking we do when someone tests our knee jerk reflex, or closing our eyelids when someone shines a bright light at our eyes).
I am also uncertain of how much the second subject knows about the experiment and I can't help but wonder how much of the movement is self generated in response to the firing of the coil. Any awake person participating whose finger is put on top of a keyboard key and has a piece of metal on their head wouldn't take too long to figure out how the experiment is meant to run.
There are a few comments (here and here for example) from readers identifying these weaknesses and even Nicolelis himself is quoted as saying it is too early to declare victory.
Which brings me back to the title of this post.
There is nothing wrong with sharing the group's progress, In fact I think it is great, and I wish more of us were doing this. But I am less clear about what is so novel and what it contribute to our understanding of how the brain works to justify the hype.
This is a missed opportunity. There is value in their press release: here is a group that is sharing preliminary data in a very open way. This in itself is the news because this is good for science This should have been the hype.
Did you know?
- In 1978 a machine to brain interface (says Wikipedia) was successfully tested in a blind patient. Apparently progress was hindered by the patient needing to be connected to a large mainframe computer
- By 2006 a patient was able to operate a computer mouse and prosthetic hand using a brain machine interface that recorded brain activity using electrodes placed inside the brain. Watch the video.
- In 2009 using brain activity recorded from surface scalp electrodes to control a computer text editor, a scientist was able to send a tweet
- Carmena, J. M., Lebedev, M. A., Crist, R. E., O'Doherty, J. E., Santucci, D. M., Dimitrov, D. F., … Nicolelis, M. A. L. (2003). Learning to Control a Brain–Machine Interface for Reaching and Grasping by Primates. PLoS Biol, 1(2), e42. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0000042
- Pais-Vieira, M., Lebedev, M., Kunicki, C., Wang, J., & Nicolelis, M. A. L. (2013). A Brain-to-Brain Interface for Real-Time Sharing of Sensorimotor Information. Scientific Reports, 3. doi:10.1038/srep01319
- O'Doherty, J. E., Lebedev, M. A., Ifft, P. J., Zhuang, K. Z., Shokur, S., Bleuler, H., & Nicolelis, M. A. L. (2011). Active tactile exploration using a brain-machine-brain interface. Nature, 479(7372), 228–231. doi:10.1038/nature10489
That pesky BRAIN
When a President annouces a scientific project as publicly as President Obama did, the world listens. The US is planning to put signifcant resources behind a huge effort to try to map the brain. There has been a lot said about this BRAIN project [1], and I have been quietly reading trying to make sense of the disparate reactions that this 'launch' had – and trying to escape the hype.
I can understand the appeal – the brain is a fascinating invention of nature. I fell in love with its mysteries as an undergraudate in Argentina and I continue to be fascinated by every new finding. What fascinates me about the discipline is that, unlike trying to understand the kidney for example, neuroscience consists of the brain trying to understand itself . That we can even ask the right questions, let alone design and perform the experiments to answer them is what gets me out of bed in the morning.
Trying to understand the brain is definitely not a 21st Century thing. For centuries we have been asking what makes animals behave the way they do. And yet we still don't really know what it is about our brains that makes us the only species able to ask the right questions, and design and perform the experiments to answer them?
Many of us neuroscientists might agree that how we think about the brain came about from two major sets of finding. Towards the end of the 19th Centrury it finally became accepted that the brain, like other parts of the body, was made up of cells. It was Santiago Ramon y Cajal's tireless work (with the invaluable assistance of his brother Pedro) that was fundamental in this shift. This meant that we could apply the knowledge of cell biology to the brain. The second game changer was the demonstration that neurons could actively produce electric signals. In doing so, Hodgkin and Huxley beautifully put to rest the old argument between Volta and Galvani. This meant we had a grip on how information was coded in the brain.
From this pioneering work, neuroscience evolved directing most of its attention to the neurons and their electrical activity. After all, that is where the key to understanding the brain was supposed to be found. Most of what happened over the twentieth century was based on this premise. Neurons are units that integrate inputs and put together an adequate output passing the information to another neuron or set of neurons down the line until you get to the end. In a way, this view of the brain is not too different from a wiring diagram of an electronic circuit.
Trying to understand the wiring of the brain, however, is, not easy. There are thousands and thousands of neurons each with a multitude of inputs and outputs. You can quickly run out of ink trying to draw the wiring diagram, It is because of this complexity that neuroscientists (just like scientists in many other disciplines) turn to simpler models. We have come to know some secrets about learning from studying the sea slug Aplysia, about how the brain gets put together from flies and frogs, and even about how neurons are born in adult brains from singing canaries. What all these models have in common is that we can tie pretty well a very specific aspect of brain function to a circuit we can define rather well. And we have learned, and keep learning, heaps from these models. The main thing we learn (and the reason why these models continue to be so useful and fundamental for progress) is that the 'basics' of brains are quite universal – and once we know those basics well, it is a lot easier to work out the specifics in more complex brains.
Trying to understand the architecture of circuits has proven to be of major value (and this is what the connectome is about). But building the connections is not just about drawing the wires – you need to build in some variability – some connections excite while others inhibit, some neurons respond in predictable linear ways, others don't. And when you are done with that, you will still need to start thinking about the stuff we have not spent a lot of time thinking about: those other cells (glia) and the stuff that exists in between cells (the extracellular matrix). More and more, we are being reminded that glia and extracellular matrix do more than just be there to support the neurons.
So it is not surprising to find some skepticism around these large brain projects. Over at Scientific American, John Hogan raises some valid criticisms about how realistic the ambitions of these projects are given the current state of neuroscience (read him here and here). Other lines of skepticism center around the involvement of DARPA in the BRAIN project (read Peter Freed's views on that here or Luke Dittrich's views here). Others criticize the lack of a clear roadmap (read Erin McKiernan's views here). Others have expressed their concerns that too strong expectations on advancing our knowledge of the human brain will overlook the importance of exploring simpler circuits, something that had been stated clearly in the original proposal [2].
Is now the right time?
Back in the '90's the decade of the brain had insinuated it would solve many of these problems, I don't think it did. Despite the neuroscience revolution from about a century ago and the work that followed, we still have not been able to solve the mysteries of the brain.
But this decade is somewhat different. I am reading more and more stuff that has to do with the emergent properties of the brain – not just the properties of the neurons. And for the first time since I started my road as a neuroscientists I am being able to ask slightly different questions. I did not think that successful brain machine interfaces would be something I'd get to see in my lifetime. And I was wrong. Even less did I think I would get to see brain to brain interfaces. But the works is moving forward there too.
The BRAIN project is not alone. In Europe the Human Brain Project received similar attention. We all expect that such boosts in funding for multidisciplinary research will go a long way in making things move forward.
It is inevitable to think of the parallels of the approach to these Big Brain projects and the National Science Challenges – which are wonderfully expressed by John Pickering here.
I think that Erin McKiernan's cautionary words about the BRAIN project might be quite appropriate for both:
Investing in neuroscience is a great idea, but this is not a general boost in funding for neuroscience research. This is concentrating funds on one project, putting many eggs in one basket.
[1] Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies,
[2] Alivisatos, A. P., Chun, M., Church, G. M., Greenspan, R. J., Roukes, M. L., & Yuste, R. (2012). The Brain Activity Map Project and the Challenge of Functional Connectomics. Neuron, 74(6), 970–974. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2012.06.006
Opening up [I think]
What does it mean, in science, to be open?
I don't know.
I wrote a while back, that while I endorse the principles of 'openness', I struggle with the issue of 'how'. Since then I have been trying to listen and learn. [Or, better said, shut up and listen.] I started trying to see what hurdles I encountered trying to work exclusively on Open Source Software. I joined the Learning4Content course at WikiEducator. I started looking into platforms that would fit my needs as an open lab notebook. I tried to follow the Open Science Summit. I listened hard at sessions at SciFoo Camp. I went to some New Zealand open data discussions. I became an Academic Editor at PLoS ONE. I joined the panel of the Creative Commons Aotearoa New Zealand.
And after several months of 'listening' the one thing that keeps popping in my head is:
kubke, you ain't gonna figure it out by yourself.
The loudest message that I heard is, perhaps, that there is not a single, simple, one-size-fits-all answer, and that it just may come down to fumbling through until we figure it out.
So, I decided to fumble.
I am taking in Summer students this summer to work on a project that I will try to make as 'open' as possible.
I am leaning towards a few things:
- I am pretty sure I want to give Mahara a go as a platform for the day-to-day 'lab' stuff.
- I am pretty sure I want to regularly put as much as I can into my space in OpenWetWare.
- I am pretty sure I want to try to shift my imaging to Open Source Software (e.g., Osirix, ImageJ, Cell Profiler)
- am pretty sure I want to put the work out there as it is being gathered.
What I am not so sure about is how this will work. It will be a steep learning curve, but one thing that I am hoping is that by giving it a go I may begin to get the answers.
And hopefully some of the smart people out there might give me a hand and help me steer the boat in the right direction.
#SciFoo lightning talk [Reloaded] – Part 3
(Slides 6,7)
I have always been fascinated by the series of studies in electrophysiology that led to our current understanding of how electrical signalling takes place in neurons. And no collection of classical electrophysiology is complete without the 1952 article by AL Hodgkin and AF Huxley on the sodium and potassium currents in the giant axon of the squid.
Saying that Hodgkin and Huxley were brilliant minds would be an understatement. But I was always fascinated by the following phrase in this paper:
'These results support the view that depolarization leads to a rapid increase in permeability which allows sodium ions to move in either direction through the membrane.'
The reason it fascinates me is that this phrase would not look out-of-place in any modern neurophysiology textbook. But the state of knowledge at the time about how cell membranes were organised was quite different to that of today. Back at that time, cell membranes were thought to be formed by a layer of lipids 'sandwiched' between 2 layers of proteins. That meant that for ions to move in and out of the membrane they would have to break through the protein layers and move through the non-aqueous fatty acid layer (something that would be thermodynamically hard for ions to do). Or, something had to 'open up' in the membrane to create an aqueous path for the ions to move.
The idea of pores was not foreign to cell biologists at the time, but the demands of Hodgkin and Huxley's model of ionic movement in neurons could not be easily reconciled with the (then) current model of the cell membrane structure. Hodgkin and Huxley knew ions had to move rapidly and selectively and that the properties of the membrane changed dynamically for this to happen.
In 1972 Singer and Nicolson published a classic model of the cell membrane. In it they propose that rather than 'sandwiching' the lipids, proteins are found in the membranes in two forms: as partially embedded proteins, or as intrinsic proteins that traverse the entirety of the cell membrane. It would not take long to see how these intrinsic proteins could form aqueous channels that would allow ions to move from one side to the other of the membrane. That proteins were able to change their shape had already been shown, and so similar mechanisms could be envisioned for the gating of ion channels.
Neurophysiology would never be the same. By 1976 Neher and Sackmann had published their patch clamp method which allowed them to record currents from single channels (and later won them the Nobel Prize), and only two years later Bertil Hille had written and extensive review on ion channels.
It has never been clear to me (or my friends) how much thought Hodgkin and Huxley put into the structure of the cell membrane and how their work fit into the models of the time. But I like to think that they did and chose to trust and follow their data, regardless of the conflicts and lack of sleep that may have raised for cell biologists.
- Hodgkin, A. L., & Huxley, A. F. (1952). Currents carried by sodium and potassium ions through the membrane of the giant axon of Loligo. The Journal of physiology, 116(4), 449.
- Singer, S. J., & Nicolson, G. L. (1972). The fluid mosaic model of the structure of cell membranes. Science (New York, N.Y.), 175(23), 720-731.
- Neher, E., & Sakmann, B. (1976). Single-channel currents recorded from membrane of denervated frog muscle fibres. Nature, 260(5554), 799-802. doi:10.1038/260799a0
- Hille, B. (1978). Ionic channels in excitable membranes. Current problems and biophysical approaches. Biophysical Journal, 22(2), 283-294. doi:10.1016/S0006-3495(78)85489-7
#SciFoo lightning talk [reloaded]
#SciFoo lightning talk [reloaded] – Part 2
(Slides 3,4,5)
One of the articles we read in my biophysics class was a 1942 article by Curtis and Cole. At the time, those working on the electrical properties of neurons were in agreement that during the action potential the membrane did not simply 'depolarize' (i.e., lost its electrical polarization) but that it rather reverted its potential: during the action potential the inside of the neuron became more positive than the outside.
Researchers were looking at how this happened, and looking for the ions involved in setting up both the resting potential and the action potential.
In 1942 Curtis and Cole reported on an experiment in which they changed the extracellular concentration of potassium and measured the effects this had on resting and action potentials:
What they saw when they measured the amplitude of the action potential was that as they increased the concentration of potassium outside the cell, the amplitude of the action potential was reduced. But they failed to control for what turned up to be an important variable: Sodium. The way they reduced the concentration of potassium was by replacing it with sodium. Their data could be interpreted in two ways: that the amplitude of the action potential was decreased as potassium concentration was increased or that the amplitude of the action potential was decreased as sodium was decreased. This may not have been a huge oversight on their part given the state of knowledge of the time, but turned out to be a big mistake (and one that they should have controlled for).
A few years later, Hodgkin and Katz published a paper in which they showed that the second explanation was the correct one.
In 1949 they showed that the ion carrying the current during the action potential was indeed sodium, something that would become known as the sodium hypothesis. Future work by Hodgkin and co-workers would define the mathematical functions that described the electrical properties of neurons, models that continue to be used today.
In 1963 Hodgkin shared the Nobel prize with his collaborator Andrew Huxley and John Eccles. My friends from the biophysics course always wondered how things would have turned out had Curtis and Cole realized the effect of sodium.
- Curtis, HJ and Cole KS (1942) Membrane Resting and Action Potentials from the Squid Giant Axon. Journal of Cellular and Comparative Physiology Vol 19 (2) 135-144
- Hodgkin AL and Katz B (1949) The effect of Sodium Ions on the Electrical Activity of the Giant Axon of the Squid. J. Physiol. 108, 37-77 (PMID: 16991839)
#SciFoo lightning talk [reloaded]


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Why Budweiser's practices are under federal investigation.
There is no doubt there has been an explosion in the craft beer industry. It seems the market grows exponentially every year from 354 breweries in 2005 to nearly 4000 in 2014. While this growth is a good thing for those of us who love these imaginative creative gems, it appears that the big kid on the block is more than a little nervous. So nervous in fact they seem to be resorting to one of the oldest tactics known to man, bullying.
That's right, Budweiser and its parent company AB InBev are apparently spooked enough by the numbers that The Feds have taken interest in some of their alleged business practices. The overall beer market grew an estimated .5% last year with craft beers increasing 17.6% and capturing 11% of the U.S. market. Budweiser has bought out several craft breweries including Goose Island, Golden Road and Blue Point as they smartly should. They have absolutely every right to ETHICALLY grab their piece of the craft beer pie, and why shouldn't they?
AB InBev has also incorporated some alleged questionable tactics to push craft breweries out of the market
If that's how they went about trying to put a stranglehold on the beer market so be it, there wouldn't be a problem. But, there is a problem. AB InBev has also incorporated some alleged questionable tactics to push craft breweries out of the market. In a vast majority of the country breweries are not allowed to sell their beers directly to grocery stores, bars and beer stores. They must go through a distributor to get their product out the public. There are roughly 500 distributors nationwide and of these AB InBev has begun to snatch these companies up, owning 17 at the most recent count. With the distributors they own allegedly they have either outright started to cut craft brews they don't own out of the picture or are not offering these products on a level playing field with their products. There are also reports that with the distributors they do not yet own, they have threatened to pull their products if these companies do not stop offering craft brews.
If this is in fact the case, aren't these tactics, minus the bloodshed of course, not all that dissimilar to the Prohibition era which Anheuser Busch should be all too familiar with? They sat handcuffed by the Federal Government and watched Al Capone almost exclusively take over the Chicago beer market using similar strategies. Fear. Intimidation. Bullying. In the modern era we go by the more politically correct name of anti-trust, but the theory is the same. While this is still very much under investigation it would appear AB InBev is trying to put a chokehold on small breweries by force rather than having a superior product to stand on.
The fact is this industry will continue to grow because of the passion that is behind it regardless of how the big kids push. I say to all the craft breweries out there, whether you are well established or just trying to get your foot in the door in this expanding industry, keep brewing good beer my friends, keep brewing.

subset: commoncrawl


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Spring Branch ISD Council of PTAs (CPTA) is a collaboration of all SBISD PTAs/PTSAs unified in making every child's potential a reality. The CPTA partners with our Spring Branch ISD leadership, and the Spring Branch Education Foundation with the common goal of ensuring every student reaches their full potential.
The CPTA supports all SBISD PTAs/PTSAs in the following ways:
-advocacy with local policy, state laws, and as directed by the Texas PTA
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-regular meetings
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-encouraging a strong partnership with local campus leadership


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Public invited to comment on Interstate 11 study
LAS VEGAS — The public can participate in a virtual meeting on the Interstate 11 project, reviewing the latest project information and providing feedback online through July 18. There is also a public hearing scheduled on improvements to Highway 160 from Red Rock Canyon to Mountain Springs.
LAS VEGAS — The public can participate in a virtual meeting on the Interstate 11 project, reviewing the latest project information and providing feedback online through July 18. There is also a public hearing scheduled on improvements to Highway 160 from Red Rock Canyon to Mountain Springs.
This month-long virtual meeting on I-11 will be hosted on the project website, i11study.com. Different routes are proposed for the new interstate, including one that will run north on Highway 95.
Two years ago, the Nevada and Arizona departments of transportation launched a study to determine the feasibility of building a new multi-modal interstate corridor linking Las Vegas and Phoenix, while stretching south to Mexico and potentially north to Canada. That study is now nearing completion and will include one more opportunity for the public to get involved and provide comments.
Three public meetings and a month-long online virtual meeting are scheduled for the Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study to gather comments for the draft Corridor Concept Report, a document that will outline the vision for the corridor, reinforce the justification for building a new multi-use interstate corridor and define an implementation plan to move this project forward.
The Corridor Concept Report and the supporting technical reports and work products will determine whether sufficient justification exists for a new multi-modal transportation corridor. It will also establish potential alternatives for the new I-11 and Intermountain West Corridor. The report will outline four chapters: the need for a high-capacity, multi-modal corridor to link economies; corridor alignment recommendations that link metro areas and connect communities; the economic value of investment in the corridor; and a call to action, emphasizing the need for continued collaboration to move the I-11 and Intermountain West Corridor forward. Below is information on the Las Vegas area public meeting and the virtual public meeting:
NDOT and ADOT have been working together since the summer of 2012 on the Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study, which includes detailed corridor planning of an interstate link connecting the Las Vegas and Phoenix metropolitan areas, while extending the corridor through southern Arizona to Mexico and potentially north to Canada. In 2012, Congress designated the future I-11 corridor between Phoenix and Las Vegas as part of the current surface transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).
The Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study is a two-year, multiphase, high-level study examining the feasibility, benefits, opportunities and constraints of a proposed new interstate highway corridor. The study is expected to be completed this summer. Funding to construct this new corridor has not been identified. In addition to the Nevada and Arizona departments of transportation, other study partners are the Maricopa Association of Governments, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Federal Highway Administration and Federal Railroad Administration.
For information about the I-11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study and to sign up for updates, visit i11study.com.
On the other project, NDOT, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service, will take comments on the environmental assessment for the improvements to Highway 160 from the Red Rock Canyon turnoff to Mountain Springs. The project will improve 11 miles. Proposed improvements will widen the roadway from two lanes to four lanes, adding a 14-foot-wide median and an eight-foot wide shoulder and bike lane on both sides.
The EA can be viewed at the Pahrump Community Library, 701 East Street or online at the NDOT website www.nevadadot.com/Meetings. Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. July 25. Anyone who wants to comment may submit them to Steve M. Cooke, P.E. Chief Environmental Services Division, Nevada Department of Transportation, 1263 S. Stewart St., Carson City, NV 89712. Comments may be sent by e-mail to email@example.com
More information may be obtained from Lynnette Russell, NDOT project manager, at 702-761-6601, by e-mail, to email@example.com or by mail to Lynnette Russell, project manager, Nevada Department of Transportation, 123 E. Washington St., Las Vegas, NV 89101.
A presentation on the project is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., July 8 at Frias Elementary School, 5800 Broken Top Avenue, Las Vegas.


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Over pigmentation is normally seen on sun exposed areas such as face, neck and decolte area and back of hands. Liver spots are common problem women tend to get, contributing factors are genetic background, sunlight and hormones. Mechanical irritation can also cause darkening of the skin.
The dark areas can be treated with local topical medication, superficial chemical peel and light impulse-radiofrequence treatment. The tendency for skin darkening is usually continuous and needs to be prevented from renewing by using home remedy- program. It is also very important to use sun protection, factor 50.


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It's 2016 and that can only mean one thing: time again to look back at the past year in M*A*S*H. I've been doing this annually since 2002, although unfortunately several of the earliest examples are missing in action.
The big news in 2015 was M*A*S*H being added to Netflix. The news broke in January, the first five seasons began streaming in February, and the remaining seasons were added in April. "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" wasn't made available until July.
"Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" celebrated its 32nd anniversary in February. "Abyssinia, Henry" marked its 40th anniversary in March. And in September, M*A*S*H fans observed the 43rd anniversary of the series premiere.
Sadly, there were also a few deaths in 2015. John Chappell, who played Mike D'Angelo on AfterMASH, passed away on March 2nd at the age of 75. Gerald S. O'Loughlin, who played General Schwerin in "Bombshells," passed away on July 31st at the age of 93. And Wayne Rogers, who played Trapper John McIntyre, passed away on December 31st at the age of 82.
In February, Super Bowl XLIX became the most-watched TV program of all time in the United States, pushing "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" to seventh on the most-watched list. On May 3rd, MeTV aired a special three-hour presentation of "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" on Sunday, May 3rd featuring exclusive interviews with members of the cast and creative team, including Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, and Gene Reynolds. It was repeated on November 11th.
2015 was another relatively slow year for the website. I wasn't able to add much content. I launched the Great 2015 M*A*S*H Episode Poll in January, which every month asked visitors to vote for their favorite episode from a season of M*A*S*H, culminating in a final poll pitting the favorite episodes from all 11 seasons against one another in December. The results will be published later today. In March, I added archival news content from 2000 to 2007 to the site, although I doubt anyone has read any of it.
For the better part of a decade, I ended my annual Year in Review posts with a quote from "A War For All Seasons":
Colonel Potter: "Here's to the new year. May she be a damn sight better than the old one, and may we may we all be home before she's over."
It always felt too depressing but the only other mention of the New Year from M*A*S*H I've been able to find is this exchange from "Hot Lips and Empty Arms:"
Margaret: "Did either of you ever kiss Frank?"
Trapper: "Not me. How about you?"
Hawkeye: "I was hoping maybe this New Year's Eve.
Margaret: "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but Frank Burns is a lipless wonder."
It's not great, either. Maybe one day I'll come up with something a little better.
Happy New Year, everyone.


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For me, the fact that a new season is the opportunity to tidy up and revisit my dressing room. Why ? For renewal and novelties! So, what about you? Are you more [Accessories] or [Essentials]? Deciphering sequence for a look at the top!
1. Accessories and essentials, definitions
Accessory: adj. and nm. Who opposes the main thing, the complete and the sublime.
Essential: adj. and nm. Which is indispensable, which we can not do without.
So, as presented, an accessory can be as essential as a hat or a bracelet by giving a personal touch to your look. And vice versa, an essential that you accessorize will make the difference! You follow me ?!!! Here is a list of my favorite 5 essentials or basics to fashion your look!
2. The blazer
Because the blazer is plain or plaid and it can be worn casual or chic. Especially not to be mistaken because the most classic blazers can stand out: cool blazer, Parisian blazer, Boston blazer, or blazer with Doc Martens … Any style is possible! As for accessories, bet on a unique jewel of bright color such as a leather cuff Eden trimmed with a 60s loop. This designer jewel will highlight the beautiful dark blue or brown checkered tweed of your blazer.
3. The trench
Always in Autumn, this is the classic piece of our essentials. Even Burberry did not make a mistake. The brand revisits the raincoat in a sharp fashion angle … And without going so far, take a look at your trench. Because here you can also create an assertive look just by changing its buttons … !
4. The suit
Contrary to what we think, a suit is anything but nerdy! In addition, I'm sure we have one! Inspired by the men's wardrobe, the suit is an indispensable piece. Always in the act, suit skirt or pants, it's a basic safe!
Again, do not hesitate to accessorize it in an original way with an iconic necklace with acid colors.
5.The pencil skirt
Especially for a basic without false note, go for the pencil skirt! A classic for a stylish look. In addition, the pencil skirt has a particular advantage if your vacation has been greedy: it refines the silhouette.
And to customize it, nothing better than an oversized ring. It brings the necessary fancy touch that softens the strict side of your skirt.
Arghh elegance, when you hold us …
6. The poncho
Even more to see and discover on the
To discover our couture buttons & fashion accessories,
visit our e-shop or showroom
15, rue Saint Guillaume, Paris 7
#fashion #FashionTips #style #design #collar #FalseCollar
#fashionista #passion #luxury #FashionDetails #FashionBlogPost


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What if the most significant obstacle to Internet radio's efforts for royalty relief is broadcasters' fight against on-air royalties?
When the Internet Radio Fairness Act was given a hearing by the relevant House Subcommittee in November (RAIN coverage here), the bill itself got very little attention. Instead, music industry witnesses and sympathetic lawmakers steered the converstation nearly entirely to AM/FM's exemption from paying sound recording royalties. The message: Until radio pays, webcasters' obligation will not change.
The IRFA has yet to be re-introduced since the new Congress began. What has been introduced in the new Congress is the Local Radio Freedom Act. It's a resolution "That Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station." The resolution now has the support of 105 House members and four Senators. While it's not actual legislation, it's still a line drawn in the sand and shows how these lawmakers lean.
In the past, lots of webcasters felt broadcasters were pitted against them. Online only radio providers assumed broadcast groups wanted to maintain the competitive edge that the royalty inequality gave them. It's now obvious that most broadcasters seem to understand the potential, if not the current value, of webcasting, and understand their businesses will become more and more reliant on the Internet as time passes. Some (Clear Channel, Entercom) have even struck deals with record labels which will have them pay royalties for on-air use of those labels' music in exchange for online royalty discounts. Some broadcasters support the IRFA (some publicly, some more indirectly).
It's clear the strong broadcast industry is a vital ally to webcasting.
Webcasters need some reform (the IRFA or something else) that would afford webcasters to pay something less than 60% (like Pandora did last quarter) or more of their revenues in royalties to operate. But is it possible to achieve this, independent of efforts to impose a sound recording royalty on radio? Will broadcasters need to choose between fighting royalties for on-air, and attempts to control royalties online?
At RAIN Summit West, April 7 in Las Vegas, we'll feature a panel called "The Song Plays On" to take up the ongoing Internet radio royalty discussion. It'll be moderated by the industry foremost authority on webcasting royalty and legal issues, David Oxenford. Panelists Brad Prendergast of SoundExchange, BMI's David Levin, artist Patrick Laird, TAG Strategic's Ted Cohen, and SomaFM's Rusty Hodge will all their views on this issue to the table. Register for RAIN Summit West here (and look in your RAIN daily e-mail for a discount code!).


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Security guard did not stop suspect
Beheading of M'sian toddler
The Malaysian woman whose two-year-old daughter was beheaded seemed to be homeless.
A sales promoter at Kota Raya Mall in Petaling Jaya told The Star that she would see them loitering there almost daily.
Siti Soffea, two, was beheaded on Thursday by a man who is believed to have taken her away from the mall. Her decapitated body was found by the banks of the Klang River.
The sales promoter, who did not want to be named, said of the toddler: "She was a cute girl. Most of us liked her. Some of the people working here would sometimes buy her food and drinks."
She said Ms Siti Salmy, 32, and her daughter even showered in the toilets there.
"Sometimes they would be here from morning until night. Most of the people who work here can recognise them."
She said the mother would usually spend time with her friends on the fourth storey of the mall, which houses the games arcade and karaoke area.
The sales promoter said Ms Siti Salmy was usually seen walking with plastic bags containing her clothes, and also used to bring her two other children to the mall.
"When we asked her about her other two children, she said she had sent them back to her kampung," she said.
News portal Malaysian Insider reported that the father of the child is in jail. It also quoted a police source on Friday as saying that a security guard at the mall did not attempt to stop the man from taking away Siti Soffea.
Malaysian netizens reacted with horror and disbelief after the news of the beheading broke.
Tweeted Mr Peter Cheong: "Security guard did nothing. This is criminal."
Facebook user Sivamalar Thevagar said: "Severe punishment should be imposed on those related to this case... How could this fella be so cruel. Worse than devil."
Meanwhile, the body of the man believed to be the kidnapper was found floating near the banks of Sungai Petaling Jaya, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department said.
He is believed to have jumped into the river while being chased, and drowned.
Go to tnp.sg to see video showing the suspect taking the toddler away
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now


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Precisely on 30th September 2018, I did an article titled: LAMENTING THE SLOW DISPENSATION OF JUSTICE. On 17th October 2018, the Lagos Sate Judiciary organized a seminar to shed light on the proposed amendments to the Lagos State High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2012 as part of the activities marking its 2018/2019 Legal Year. Although I have not been opportune to see the draft of the proposed new Rules, but from the available information here and there one can deduce some features which the new Rules are coming up with. While I am adopting my earlier submissions contained the said article, I want us to here look at some of these proposed amendments. But first let me link this article to the previous one where I had said:
"…Some years later, precisely in 2012, Lagos State Judiciary further improved on its frontloading rules wherein it changed the Pre-Trial Conference (PTC) under the 2004 Rules to the Case Management Conference (CMC) under the 2012 Rules. With all these changes and innovations made to improve on the speedy dispensation of justice, the desire for quick dispensation of justice is still found wanting. You can only know when you institute an action but cannot be sure when it will actually come to an end."
The desire for quick dispensation of justice must be a serious concern to everyone. Among the proposed amendments to the 2012 Rules are that
- failure to comply with the Pre-action protocol will render the originating process null and void;
- a party that is not ready to participate in a matter already fixed for trial without valid reason will have a cost of not less than N100,000 awarded against him;
- if a lawyer frustrates the hearing of an interlocutory application, he will have a cost of not less than N50,000 awarded against him;
- a case that is abandoned by a lawyer for six months can be struck out by the Court suo motu;
- daily default payment will increase from N200 to N1000;
- a matter of extreme urgency may not need to comply with the Pre-action protocol if the Court is satisfied;
- substituted service by electronic means especially in fundamental human rights matters is now acceptable;
- video conference is now allowed during the taking of evidence;
- page limit is now introduced as final addresses of each party should not be more than 20 pages while reply on point of law should not be more than 5 pages.
The above are just the tip of the iceberg that I have been able to come up with. While one must still accept the fact that the Lagos State Judiciary is usually the pacesetter in most things that are innovative in our judicial system in Nigeria, it must be noted that some of these proposed amendments have been in practice in some other Courts like the increased daily penalty fee, service by electronic means and page limit which are now in vogue at the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court. If all these would checkmate and put an end to all the lamentations against slow dispensation of justice, that will be a very welcome development.
If the truth must be told, one of the problems that confront the successful operation of some of these Rules of Courts is lack of unanimity in the understanding of a particular set of Rules. Now let us start with the Pre-action protocol. By the amendment being proposed, it seems the status of Pre-action protocol as it is today under the 2012 is not certain, that is to say whether failure to comply with it is an irregularity or a nullity; hence the proposal being made that failure to comply with it as set out in Form 1 would render the Court processes null and void. In reality, some Courts before now have struck out cases that they believe did not comply with the said Form 1.
For instance, I was involved in a case where a customer sued his banker on the allegation that the Bank manipulated his account on a loan transaction between him by the Bank building into his account illegal interests that could not be justified. The customer got a forensic expert to audit his account with the Bank. The expert eventually came up with a comprehensive report which was sent to the Bank with the demand to rectify the same but the bank ignored the demand. When I was briefed by the customer and I read through the forensic report as well as other correspondences, I wrote to the Bank clearly stating our demand based on all the documents made available to me and that if the Bank failed to meet our demand, we would be left with no option than to approach the Court of law for appropriate remedy.
The Bank despite being in receipt of our letter did not reply the same. We subsequently filed an action in Court against the Bank. In the processes we filed before the Court, we accompanied them with the Pre-action protocol stating all the steps we had taken before coming to Court but did not attach to the sworn Pre-action protocol form, the last correspondence which was the letter summarising all the steps we had taken before filing the suit since we believed we have pleaded them in the Statement of Claim, listed and frontloaded them as part of the documents we were to rely on at the trial. The Counsel to the Defendant filed Preliminary objection with written address along with their Statement of Defence contending that we did not comply with the Pre-action protocol and that as such the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear our case. The Court did not buy our arguments contained in our Counter-Affidavit and written address in support that when issue of jurisdiction is raised the appropriate process to look into is the Statement of Claim and that the Defendant rather than allowing the matter to proceed to trial and put up their defence were indulging in technicality. Even our reference to Order 3 Rule 2 (2) did not save our suit from being struck out by the presiding Judge on the ground that our suit was a nullity and incompetent. There are Courts that do not entertain such preliminary objections and will have such objection dismissed.
I am personally of the view that the requirements expected to be complied with by the Claimant under the preamble to the Rules as far as pre-action protocol is concerned seem to put the Claimant at the mercy of an arrogant Defendant. It is more or less asking the Claimant to be begging the Defendant to have settlement with the Claimant on a matter of obligation on the part of the Defendant. Perhaps this is the reason why the amendment is being proposed that some urgent matters may be exempted from complying with the pre-action protocol forms if the Court is satisfied that compliance will occasion great harm.
Before the introduction of Pre-action protocol form, there are laws that make it mandatory for a Claimant who wants to institute legal action against statutory bodies to issue out pre-action notices to such bodies before Court proceedings are commenced. In an action for the recovery of debt, the Claimant is expected to first issue a letter of demand. This has now become settled law as in the case of Kolo Vs. First Bank of Nigeria PLC.[1]
"It is trite law that in an action for the recovery of debt, the cause of action accrues upon demand for the payment of the debt. If no demand is made, a cause of action does not arise and no action can be commenced."
Also in tenancy matter where the landlord wants to recover possession of his premises from the tenant, he is expected to issue statutory notices as prescribed by the law. Where all these are done as stipulated by law and relevant materials are placed before the Court, I am of the view that there should be an easy access to the Court for those who desire justice through court proceedings without further hindrance. For a Court to insist that a suit is null and void merely because those materials are not particularly attached to the Pre-action form will amount to nothing but a high level of technicality. Can a Pre-action protocol form take the place of Writ of Summons, Statement of Claim and the accompanying processes in a suit? Such an omissionn should be seen as mere irregularity rather than for the action to be declared null and void.
While people should be encouraged to embrace the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, the right of people who think otherwise must be equally respected. There are several instances where parties go to the Mediation Centre and after arriving at settlement and come up with Memorandum of Understanding, you later see some of them defaulting by refusing to discharge their part of the obligations. You then see the aggrieved party going back to Court seeking for the Memorandum of Understanding to be entered as the judgment of the Court for the purpose of enforcement.
Another aspect of the 2012 Rules on which there seems to be is no unanimity on its proper application is Order 6 Rules 6 and 7 relating to the life span and the renewal of a Writ. While some Judges are of the view that the application to renew a Writ can only be brought before the expiration of Writ and not thereafter, some Judges are of the view that a Writ can equally be renewed after its expiration upon application to the Court. The Judges in the former category will never grant any application brought after the expiration of the Writ. I have extensively discussed this issue in a paper yet to be published wherein I submitted that a proper understanding of the position of the Supreme Court in the case of Kolawole Vs Alberto[2] on the interpretation of Order 5 Rule 6 of the Lagos State High Court Civil Procedure Rules 1972 which is similar to Order 6 Rules 6 and 7 of the Lagos State High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2012 now in force will clearly show that the decision in that suit is still applicable and binding today as far as renewal of Writ is concerned, that the application for renewal can be brought after the expiration of the Writ. All the learned Justices of the Supreme Court in that case were unanimous on this point. Hon. Justice Craig in his lead judgment observed that:
"I think the provision about applying for renewal within the valid life of the Writ may have led many to assume that unless the application is made within twelve months, it cannot be made afterwards but it is obvious that if the Rule were interpreted in that manner, it would work hardship on the Plaintiff. It seems to me that the provision has been inserted in the Rule in other to distinguish a vigilant Plaintiff from the lethargic one. Obviously a vigilant litigant would in accordance with the Rule, apply before the Writ actually expires, but this does not mean that a litigant who applies soon afterwards should not be heard".
Hon. Justice Nnamani in his own contribution to the judgment held that:
"I am of the view that by the combined effect of Order 5 Rule 6 and Order 47 Rule 3, a Plaintiff can apply to the Court for renewal of a Writ of Summons either before or after the expiration of 12 months. Such an interpretation accords too with my conception of doing substantial justice between the parties, for in a proper case in which a Plaintiff has good reasons for having not served the Defendant, it would seem to be inequitable if the Court were to refuse renewal and shut out a Plaintiff because the Plaintiff perhaps applies for renewal one day beyond the 12 months."
Apart from those areas where amendments have been proposed, there are some other things we need to address if we truly want to achieve quick dispensation of justice in our judicial system. If N100, 000 is awarded as costs against a lawyer for his refusal to participate in a matter set down for trial or N50,000 is awarded against him for frustrating the hearing of an interlocutory application, then what happens to the presiding Judge who refuses to sit to conduct the proceeding or ask you to come back another day when the parties have shown readiness to go on with the trial? I was in a Court in May this year and was given a trial date in October on which day I brought all my witnesses telling the Court that I was ready for trial only to be told by the Court that I would have to be given another date as my matter was just on the list of cases awaiting to be allotted a trial date. I was again asked to come back in March 2019 for trial. Then if I may ask, who should I complain to? Now let us say a matter is pending before a Judge and the parties are ready for the matter, but suddenly his Lordship goes on official assignment, say for instance Election Petition Tribunal only to return after about 6 months, then what should happen?
There is no doubt that the Lagos Sate Judiciary is living up to expectation and its vision to improve the training and welfare of its judicial officers and staff through organizing of seminars, workshops and retreats. But it needs to be suggested that such activities should be done in such a way that they would not have adverse effect on their primary duty of dispensing justice. If programmes being organized are allowed to affect Court sittings, this will equally contribute more to the delay in the dispensation of justice. The retreat being organized for Judges overseas could be shifted to the period when the Court is on vacation. One wonders sometimes that in those foreign jurisdictions where we borrow some of these innovations like the frontloading regime, cases are concluded within a very short time unlike here where cases take several years before being concluded. We may equally need to critically look at how they are doing it and incorporate it into our judicial system. I think it is high time we assigned time within which categories of cases must be concluded, as if such thing can work in election petition cases, why not in the other categories of cases?
Remarkable pronouncement on speedy hearing of cases
"The best Judge in trial proceedings is undoubtedly the trial Judge. He sees it all because he closely watches the proceedings and all that. He feels the pinch when parties try to dilly-dally the proceedings or adopt tricks to overreach or outsmart the adverse party. If the trial Judge fails to take a position in the light of the Rules of Court and takes or tows the line of sympathy, then he will have a plethora or load of cases in his cause list to the extent that he cannot get out of a mounting backlog of cases. That will reflect on him adversely, and in these days of continuous assessment of the performance of Judges he will be in for it. While a trial Judge cannot throw away the constitutional provision that parties should be given a hearing in a matter before the Court because of repercussion of performance assessment, a Judge owes the administration of justice a duty to facilitate and ensure the speedy hearing of a case before him. The notoriety that delayed justice attracts to the Judiciary is such that Judges must work towards the speedy dispensation of justice. Judges must do their best to facilitate the speedy hearing of cases."[3]
On purpose and status of Rules of Court
It is well settled that a rule of Court regulates the practice of the Court in the exercise of a power derived ali unde and does not confer a power. In that sense, it seems that the rule is adjectival and its purpose is auxiliary: to give effect to the specific provision of the law conferring power in much the same way as the inherent powers of superior Court of Record.[4]
Abdulrasheed Ibrahim may be reached on 08055476823, 08164683735 or email:firstname.lastname@example.com.
[1] (2003) FWLR (Pt. 179) 1315G
[3] Per Tobi, JSC in Banna Vs. Tele-Power (2006) 15 NWLR (Pt. 1001) 200B-E.
[4] See Ogunremi Vs. Dada (1962) 1 ALL NLR (Pt. 4) 663, 670-671; Guinness Vs. Udeani (2000) 18 WRN 50.


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notes for october
EDITED: Stefano Marchionini (thanks ming for providing the source!)
I have a little ritual on days like these - when my body is leaden and my mind a fog. I lie in longer than I should and let my thoughts run until something crystallises - a task to tackle; the company of friends; breakfast; a song; the promise of fresh air outdoors.
A few events of late reminded me of other things I had taken for granted: I am awake, able, alive. These are great reasons for getting out of bed, and I should not forget them.
Other things to take pleasure in:
- "The Luminaries" by Eleanor Catton and "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt. Books you can tumble into. I haven't finished "The Luminaries", but I love it.
- "Gravity". Thrilling and contemplative all at once.
- A trip to Taiwan next month for a cousin's wedding. My mother is from there and I haven't been in five years.
- A new pair of shoes and a new bag on their way to me.


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Whether your adding an RV pad or pouring a major commercial landmark, we're here to help with your flatwork needs every step of the way.
The management of Commodore Construction has been working in the industry since 1971, so we really mean it when we say we're here to help you.
At Commodore Construction, we've built our livelihood on bringing peoples projects to life. From the simple to the lavish, we've experienced it all and we can help you every step of the way. No job is too small or too big for our knowledgeable crews. We'll happily do it all. On time and under budget!
Copyright © Commodore Construction | All Rights Reserved
22 S. Main Payson UT 84651 US +1.801-427-7484 (text) email@example.com


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Paving Design Ideas Using Popular Garden Paving Patterns. This article discusses paving design ideas for your garden, with the most popular paving designs illustrated for laying pavers along a path, under a verandah, for a driveway and around a pool. You'll also read about the steps licensed paving contractors "Visual Landscape Gardening" use with suggestions you can adopt for having pavers laid in your garden. Paving Pattern … [Continue]
Home ⇒ paving designs


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Transparency bug in superfly?
joker last edited by joker
Hello Poser fans
I have this problem. Often I get this strange black arterfacts in superfly if I make some parts transparent of a cloth.
This is a DSON imported sleeve for M6. I only want the forearm part of this sleeve and made the part I don't want transparent. But you see, in superfly it doesn't render correctly. In Firefly it works.
Any ideas why or is this a bug?
ghostship last edited by
@joker have you tried the physical root or Cycles root yet? You can have a go with my shader if you don't want to learn the cycles stuff but want to use the nodes.
ghostship last edited by
you might first try setting transparency edge to 1 as well and see if that clears up your problem.
joker last edited by joker
@ghostship Thank you for your ideas, but I tried with physical and cycling root and transparent edge now. It's always the same. this small parts don't get transparent.
I think it's if transparent different objects are crossing each other. The crossing points or lines leave this black atrifakts. I obseerved this in other renderings also. Is it possible that the crossing points or lines of transparent objects make this black artefakts in superfly?
Maybe it's only if DSON imported objects are crossed?
joker last edited by
Here I use a transparent head for growing hair on M6. You see this black lines on his face. I think this lines are where the tranparent head is crossing the surface of the head of M6.
In this case it's not a problem, I just can make the head on which I grow the hair invisible, then the black line are gone.
amethystpendant last edited by amethystpendant
How many transparency bounces (and Max bounces) are you setting in SuperFly render settings?
For the "invisible head" have you set it to not be visible in camera, ray trace and not casts shadows?
joker last edited by
@amethystpendant Yeahh! Thank you :-)
To uncheck "visible in camera" and "cast shadows solved the problem with the head! :-)
For the the sleeve I needed to increase the max transparent bounces from 8 to 20 and now this black atrifakts ate away :-)
thank you very much for your help :-)
amethystpendant last edited by
@joker Glad I could help.


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Jonathan Ive – Apple's Chief Designer
Who Is Jonathan Ive?
An in-depth look at the man behind Apple's design magic
It's funny, after Apple's announcements this week I found myself wondering what the Apple design team is like, as if by magic I came across this Business Week article profiling Jonathan Ive – Apple's Chief Designer. Great read, offering a quick peak inside Apple's design studio and the creative minds that make it work.
Related posts:


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Mary's Month (May) is a beautiful time and opportunity for grace! St. Catherine Laboure recorded in her diary in 1843,
"Imitate Mary.
Place everything in her Immaculate Heart, in this sanctuary in which our Lord deigned to live. The three virtues of our holy state: humility, simplicity and charity . . . are the basis of our vocation. . . ."
This is beautiful -- as women representing the Church, we want to let Mary love people through us! People need a "mother's" love, and sometimes spiritual mother's can give some of that love . . . .
St. Catherine refers to the month of Mary for herself and her Community as a great source of grace! This is for us too! In these last days of May, let us entrust everything to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our awesome spiritual mother.
Mary, pray for us! Lead us always closer and closer to the Holy Trinity of unbelievable Love!!! Help us to trust Him and to abandon ourselves to Him every day! Amen.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Be Not Afraid - Open Wide the Doors to Christ!
Today is the "World Day of Prayer for Vocations"!
In Father's homily this morning (it was a great homily by the way), he said something like this, "The Sisters lose themselves for the good of the Community."
I pondered those words, and they are true. But the higher truth is that the Sisters also FIND THEMSELVES in their vocation. It is precisely in us "losing" ourselves that we find ourselves.
Isn't this true of every vocation? As we die with Christ we rise with Him?!
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Mt. 10:39; Lk. 17:33; Mt. 16:25)
It's the paradox of the Gospel! It may sound grim, but it isn't. God is so good and so full of life and love! We will never be sorry for following Him and trusting Him (to whatever vocation that is). He's where's it's at!
John 10:10 -- "I came that they might have life, and have it to the full!"
John 10:10 -- "I came that they might have life, and have it to the full!"
Saturday, May 14, 2011
You are a Priest Forever!
Another ordination for a priest for our diocese!!! Fr. Haider was ordained last evening at St. Mary's Cathedral. It's always touching to see someone donate their lives to their vocations! His parents were there from Columbia. Wow. They too are donating . . . they are giving their son, in a certain sense, to the diocese of Amarillo and to her people.
Top picture -- part of the ordination ceremony.
2nd picture -- the bishop is the first to receive the new priest's blessing.
3rd picture -- our Sisters asked him for a blessing right after Mass!
4th picture -- out for ice cream on the way home!
God is SO good!!!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Mother's Day! (sorry - thought this was posted last week!!!)
[sorry - thought this was posted last week. We had Internet problems when trying to upload it and it obviously didn't go through. . . oops!]
Dear Friends,
It has become our custom to do a "May Crowning" on Mother's Day to celebrate our awesome Mother Mary! We also process in with candles with our own earthly mother's name on it, praying for her and in great gratitude for her life and everything she was for us. Mom's are SO special!
Bottom picture is from a little skit we did for Sr. Jean Marie for Mother's Day -- we took Francesca Battistelli's "This is the Stuff" and converted it to a convent song. You'd have to live in one to understand it....
According to the truth of the Theology of the Body, every woman is a "mother". Every woman is called to be a spiritual mother! Some are called to be a physical mother. May all women remember this. May Mary teach us more and more every day what it means to be a woman of faith and a true mother in our vocation.
God bless you all! We remain united in prayer.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
We Were Blown Away
We didn't get to go to all of it, but we were able to hear one speaker . . . he "blew us away". His name is Sal Solo. He grew up in England, went to Catholic School, and thought that church was boring and that a life of sin would be the place to find fun and fulfillment. His ultimate dream was to become a rock star.
We thought he meant like Elvis Presley or something. No, he proceeded to show us an MTV video of himself. Ooh. It wasn't pretty.
He said, "I had everything. I was driven around in limosines, stayed in the best hotels in the world, women that I had never met wanted to marry me . . . but I wasn't happy."
He said, "I had everything. I was driven around in limosines, stayed in the best hotels in the world, women that I had never met wanted to marry me . . . but I wasn't happy."
"One day in my hotel, I cried out to God, 'God, if you're there, I want to know you.'"
Wow. The power of a sincere prayer! (I've heard several conversion stories like this where people cry out to Him and He somehow reveals Himself! He is SO awesome!)
One thing that amazed us was his creative video integration during his talk.
Another thing that was insightful (is that a word?) was how he today is raising money for the poor. On a YouTube video that we found of him, he said that when he was traveling the world as a rock star, God was touching his heart by showing him the poor. He wasn't prepared to see people living on the street and hungry. Now he does a lot of social work for the poor of the world. Check him out on his website. Very interesting person! He's using his musical and technology talents now for God. No one is beyond God's reach and grace!
Last Sunday was Divine Mercy Sunday!!! We always celebrate that awesome day!
So much going on with end of school banquets, awards ceremonies, preparing final exams, etc. Also, so much to pray for in the world -- let us stay united in the Mercy of God and His Infinite Love for us!
God bless you all!
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Cleanse and refresh your energetic system with Aura-Soma Pomanders. The vibrational qualities act to strengthen, protect and re-energise the aura, to empower you and elevate your awareness. Besides restoring balance, these infusions can help you to focus on your intent every day.
Please see the individual product descriptions for each Pomander included in the set:
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Alison Effting and the Biochemic Tissue Salts and Aura-Soma communities. The website content is based upon the opinions of Alison Effting and the writings of Dr WH Schuessler, Dr GW Carey, Vicky Wall and John Michael Booth unless the authors are otherwise noted. This information is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, nor intended as medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Please do not take yourself off any prescription medication before consulting your doctor.
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Radnage Parish Council meet on the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 8:00pm in the Village Hall.
Visitors are welcome to attend and are invited to address the Council during the first 10 minutes of the meeting.
For more information about Radnage Parish Council please contact the Clerk.
Contact: Radnage Parish Clerk
Address: Hinds Hill, Sprigs Holly Lane, Chinnor, Oxfordshire OX39 4BY
Phone: 01494 485017
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Standing orders
Please click here to view the Radnage Parish Council Standing Orders


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PERSIA GRILL BGC: The Best of Persia Grill with Kian Kazemi @PersiaGrillPH
PERSIA GRILL serves Middle Eastern cuisine using heirloom recipes from Kian Kazemi's grandmother's kitchen in Tehran, Iran (formerly Persia). The restaurant also offers Filipino favorites of the Kazemi family.
I had a food trip with Kian at Persia Grill BGC. He shared with me his favorites and the best way to enjoy the food at Persia Grill.
Persia Grill BGC
Blue Sapphire Residences, 2nd Avenue Corner 30th Street,
Near Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Telephone: +632 519-9300
Facebook: Persia Grill
Twitter: @PersiaGrillPH
Instagram: @PersiaGrill
Website: http://www.persiagrill.com.ph/
Operating Hours: Open 24 hours


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See below for a list of tablets that campus partners have used with the OrgSync card swipe system. This list is not intended to be comprehensive and there may be other portable devices that will work with card swipe.
|Price Range
|Adapter needed?
|Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
|Yes - Example
|Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (8.0 & up)
|Yes - Example
|Microsoft Surface Tablet
|Check website
|No, comes with a standard USB port.
Important: We recommend that you purchase one device and test it with card swipe before ordering a large quantity. OrgSync is not a hardware distributor and will not refund purchases made for devices that are not compatible with the OrgSync platform.


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Ahhhh, it must be nice having a handset that Samsung acutally pays attention to. We are getting work that Nexus S owners are getting an update already for their device. If you haven't already received the new OTA update, you can manually get it. We'll give you the directions after the break.
According to androidcentral, The update (GRH78) contains "important bug fixes plus the latest version of Maps."
So wanna put that update on manually? here's how:
- Download the file from Google right here
- Rename it to update.zip, and place it on the root of your internal storage
- Shut down your phone, and reboot into the bootloader by holding volume up and powering back on
- Use the volume buttons to choose "recovery" from the list, and select it with the power button
- When you see the triangle on your screen, press volume up and power once more and you'll have a list of options, choose to update


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Cynthia Kohler has been a national consultant, trainer and public speaker with Imagine Consulting Group since 2009. She has had the privilege of speaking at many conferences and symposiums including Smile Source, American Orthodontics, and the Power to Reason Symposium at Disney World.
Cynthia has worked with countless businesses providing team building workshops, marketing strategies, leadership coaching and customer service trainings.
Applying her graphic design, videography and journalism experience, Cynthia specializes in assisting businesses with their online presence. From website design and optimization to using social media to market and engage customers, Cynthia is passionate for helping businesses tell their story and attract new customers.
Cynthia lives in Rockford, Michigan where she and husband Chad enjoy the great outdoors with their three busy little boys.


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Meticulously constructed of high-pressure urethane using the finest materials available. High pressure urethane allows the part to be constructed with superior strength with a wall thickness less than half that of low pressure urethane constructed parts and provides an OEM quality product. The Grand Prix Inferno Front Air Dam is proudly made in the USA. The quality and craftsmanship is second to none. Comes unpainted, ready to prep and paint.
The complete Grand Prix Inferno Appearance Package is available by clicking on the Inferno Appearance Package link in the Related Products list on this page.
Click here for more Grand Prix Inferno pictures.
SHIPPING NOTE: The air dam is expensive to ship. To calculate shipping costs, click Add to Cart and use the Quick Shipping Estimate tool in the cart. Yes, it will be well over $100 and in some cases approach $200. While shipping weight is about 10 lbs or so, it is large and shipping companies charge what is called Dimensional Weight because it takes up so much room. Usually you can have the full Appearance Package or at least a Hood shipped with it for the same price. Yes, we have looked high and low for other shipping options as our profit on this piece is on the part price, not on the shipping and we're well aware that we would sell more air dams if the shipping costs were lower. If it were up to us, they would ship for free but we do not have that luxury. If you're interested in checking shipping costs on your own, make sure you enter the dimensions when calculating shipping costs. They are 70x32x12. Your best option is to purchase the Appearance Package or a Hood with it.
Fits 2004-2008 Grand Prix Only (does not fit GXP)! Does not fit 1997-2003 Grand Prix.
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J-Fall Videos and NightHacking at Devoxxsteveonjava | November 7, 2013
Next week at the Devoxx conference I will be live streaming from the pavilion with an all-star cast of Devoxx speakers.
To register for the live-stream, sign-up here:
And here is the line-up:
- 2PM CET – Luke Daley – We will do some hacking on Geb, Spock, Ratpack, etc.
- 3PM CET – James Ward – Some Scala and Play Framework
- 4PM CET – Brian Goetz – Lambdas (of course)
Join the live chat to hang out and ask questions of our presenters.
Oh, and I had some really great interviews at J-Fall with Saskia on Devoxx4Kids Netherlands, Kees Jan on Bytecode Hacking, and Gerrit on his new sensor network project for Raspberry Pi. Here are the videos inline:
Interview with Saskia… they did a great job organizing this kids event!
And Kees Jan had the most geeky talk about bytecodes and compilers:
Finally, I am always impressed by Gerrit's mad design skillz!


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GRAND HAVEN, Mich.—A bill that would boost federal funding for harbor maintenance is on its way to the U.S.
Four West Michigan cyclists are back home after traveling more than 270 miles to ensure others have bicycles.
On June 20, Derek Rust and Ben Hyink of Grand Haven and Todd Stelma and Doug Crysler of Rockford rode from Rockford to Mackinac City to raise funds and awareness of the non-profit organization, Freedom In Motion. Freedom In Motion volunteers take in donated bicycles, repairing them and redistributing them to those in need.
During their more than 15 hour journey, the four cyclists maxed out a $1,500 donor match, thanks to last minute donations. Rust says calls are still coming in from potential volunteers, donors and clients.
For more information about Freedom In Motion, click here.
SPRING LAKE, Mich.--Are your kids already looking for something to do this summer?
Spring Lake District Library has a variety of fun activities planned for the younger set. Childre ages 5 to 12 are invited to play video games at Spring Lake District Library on Wednesday, June 26, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The library will provide a variety of age appropriate Xbox, PlayStation, and Wii games for participants. Come with a friend to play or meet a new one.
Free refreshments will be served. Children ages seven and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information or to see a complete list of summer activities for kids, visit www.sllib.org or contact the library at (616) 846-5770, ext. 134. The library is located at 123 E. Exchange St. in Spring Lake.
GRAND HAVEN, Mich.-- Grand Haven State Park will be filled with bikers and skateboarders Saturday, June 22, as the AGA Nation's fifth annual Skateboard/BMX Championships play out.
This great competition features more than 30 amateur sports that are part of the State Games of Michigan Festival, showcasing the top skateboarders and BMX athletes in the Midwest.
The AGA Nation's fifth annual Skateboard/BMX Championships will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call (248) 660-2215 or visit http://www.aganation.com/ for more information.
The weather is cooperating for four West Michigan cyclists riding 250 miles to ensure all children have bicycles.
Derek Rust and Ben Hyink of Grand Haven and Todd Stelma and Doug Crysler of Rockford began their three-day ride June 20. The journey to Mackinaw City is meant to raise funds and awareness of the non-profit organization, Freedom in Motion. Freedom In Motion volunteers take in donated bicycles, repairing them and redistributing them to those in need.
"Some don't realize that bikes are more than toys for people who can't afford the expense of a vehicle" Stelma said.
Rust adds, "We've seen real people with real needs. The bikes we give out make sustainable reliable transportation possible for those who need to get to work, the store or a job interview".
Rust says a donor has agreed to match pledges and donations dollar for dollar, up to $1,500.
LANSING, Mich. (AP & WZZM) - State parks in Michigan are offering outdoor fitness classes such as yoga and tai chi this summer.
The Department of Natural Resources' Fresh Air Fit program has instruction tailored to workout veterans as well as newcomers. Examples range from a "martial arts outdoor boot camp" at Bay City State Recreation Area to low-impact aerobics and Warrior X Fit kickboxing at Interlochen State Park in Grand Traverse County.
From June 10 through August 14, Grand Haven State Park will be hosting a "Zumba Beach Party" every Monday and Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Muskegon State Park is hosting its own "Beach Boot Camp" and Eco Trek Fitness throughout the summer.
The classes are taught by local instructors.
All anglers can fish for free June 8 and 9.
As part of Free Fishing Weekend, the state is waiving all fishing license fees for residents and out-of-state visitors. Free Fishing Weekend applies to all species of fish in inland waters and Michigan's Great Lakes. All other fishing regulations still apply.
Michigan is home to more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, over 11,037 inland lakes and 36,350 miles of rivers and streams. To find inland lakes in your area, click here.
Devos Performance Hall
The Intersection
PFC Grocery & Deli
WZZM 13, 645 Three Mile, Grand Rapids, MI 49544
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With support from the Ontario Partnership for Innovation and Commercialization (OPIC), Brock University's online interactive writing tutorial Essay-Zone™ has become an international commercialization success story. Essay-Zone™ was recently developed by Brock's Learning Skills Services to cost-effectively teach university students how to write original, organized, well-researched essays. The tutorial offers individualized writing instruction through game-like, self-directed online modules and activities. More than 8,000 Brock students have used the tutorial since its inception in 2008. Essay-Zone™ is not only a hit at Brock, in just three short years, 12 post-secondary institutions both in Canada and internationally, licensed the resource.
OCE©2011 Last updated 11/2011


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Natural resources in New York State include harbors, the Great Lakes, forests, soil and minerals. Niagara Falls, the most powerful waterfall in North America, helps provide electricity for the state's population.
New York State's water not only provides electricity, but is used as waterways for shipping and transporting goods. These bodies of water also provide much of America's seafood and fish. The state boasts a booming mineral business and minerals like salt, gypsum, talc and garnet are often found there, as well as salt, clay and sand. One-half of New York State is covered in forests, much of which are used for timber and paper manufacturing.


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On January 8, 2010, The Public Relations and Marketing Group (PRMG) will hold its "PR and Marketing for Lawyers" lecture at PRMG's newly opened Manhattan office, located at 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 500. The lecture is from 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. and is free of charge for attorneys. Attorneys will receive one (1) Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit for ethics and professionalism for this three-hour program. The course is appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys.
The CLE lecture will be presented by PRMG's Founder and President, John Zaher '98, an attorney. It will cover marketing; advertising; press conferences and press releases; public relations; practice development techniques; relationships with existing clients; Web site design, marketing and optimization; professionalism requirements, including an update on New York's advertising rules; and the impact of Web 2.0 concepts — such as blogs and social networking — on lawyer marketing.
This program will provide attorneys with strategies to grow their practice while conforming to ethical requirements. In addition, those in attendance will gain practical tips for choosing marketing methods that are suited to their practice, personality and their means.
Pre-paid registration is $35, $45 at the door, which includes materials and lunch. For those who attend without registering, the cost is $55. Registration and lunch will begin at noon. Please note that this lecture is open to attorneys only. Seating is limited to the first 35 persons. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
To register, call (631) 207-1057, or e-mail: email@example.com


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After leaving Xiaomi, Hugo Barra joins Facebook to lead VR business
Just three day after resigning as the Global VP of Xiaomi, Hugo Barra now joins Facebook to lead its virtual reality business.
11:53 am
Just three days after announcing his resignation as the Global Vice President of Xiaomi, Hugo Barra is now joining Facebook. In a post by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg he said that he is excited to see Barra joining Facebook to lead the company's virtual reality team.
"I'm excited that Hugo Barra is joining Facebook to lead all of our virtual reality efforts, including our Oculus team. Hugo's in China right now, so here we are together in VR. It seems fitting," said Zuckerberg.
He further said that he has known Barra for a long time and shares his belief that virtual and augmented reality will bbe the next majort computing platform.
I've known Hugo for a long time, starting when he helped develop the Android operating system, to the last few years he's worked at Xiaomi in Beijing bringing innovative devices to millions of people.
"They'll enable us to experience completely new things and be more creative than ever before. Hugo is going to help build that future, and I'm looking forward to having him on our team," he said.
Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014, believing it to be the next major computing platform.
However, the news of Barra joining Facebook does not come as a surprise as he said that he would be heading home to Silicone Valley. While he had given the reason of his departure from Xiaomi as being away from home taking "a huge toll on his life and started affecting his health" and him missing his family and close friends, there was only speculation as to where he could be heading next.
Barra had worked at Xiaomi for nearly three-and-a-half-years. In this short span of time, Barra an ex-Googler who worked on Android platform, took the company from a start-up in China to now one of the fastest growing smartphone brands in the world.
A year after he joined he managed to bring Xiaomi to the top 3 in the world smartphone market behind Samsung and Apple.
Barra was however successful in cracking international markets like India. Xiaomi India managed to clock in $1 billion in annual revenues from the country in a very short time since its launch. It has grown by 72% in the two years since it entered the very competitive Indian market.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.


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UK Beauty Blog, Scottish Blogger, Makeup, Beauty, Style, Looks
Sunday, 22 December 2013
Holly Jolly Tag
5 comments
I've just scheduled a Christmas tag but this one has some great questions! I'd love to be in Muppets Christmas Carol too! Singing with Kermit the frog... oh to dream!ReplyDelete
Jenn | Photo-Jenn-ic
Merry Christmas, beautiful lady!ReplyDelete
Hey little "Peeker" :P Thanks fr participating in this tag. It's fun, isn't it?!ReplyDelete
Hope you have an amazing Christmas with your family this year!
xo, Luchessa.org
Such an interesting tag. If only I knew of this earlier.ReplyDelete
I was wondering if you would like to swap blog buttons for the month of Jan?Starting Jan 1 I am swapping buttons with a few bloggers so we can all gain some exposure. If would like to then email me at email@example.com
Happy New Year! :)
~ Shivani (GlamDiaries.com)
I love your blogReplyDelete
Thank you for leaving me your comment, I read every one, I will try and respond to everyone, though if you have a specific question, do not hesitate to contact me @laurziecooper on twitter. xxx Also leave your links if you wish i love to find new reads ;-)


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Punk music has changed a lot since its inception 40 years ago. If you're a definitive punk band, you're bound to change with each and every release, while hopefully growing your sound in the process. That seems to be what Houston's Giant Kitty is up to with their second release Rampage. The band still exhibits plenty of punk leanings while growing their sound to something that's more diverse and dare I say, grown up. Complete with features from Kelly Hogan and Fat Tony, the album produced by Ruben Jimenez also known as DJ Baby Roo, showcases how far the band has come since their debut release.
Since album reviews are about honesty, I should note that while I've always liked the energy of this four piece, I really wasn't too fond of their debut release. However, that had little to do with the band and more to do with its production, which isn't the case here at all. The way this album is paced, it's a louder and stronger sound from start to finish.
Opening with a skit from Kelly Hogan, the album quickly heads into the first track "You Suck" with the intensity and fevered strength you'd hope for with a song carrying that title. The vocals come across with the strength that you've come to expect from the band at their live performances, while they aren't as abrasive as they were on the band's debut release. The backing group vocals on the chorus are an added bonus, but the guitar tone and snappy drums are the clear winners here as the band seems to keep their potency while cleaning up the tone in the process.
This continues on the second track, "Pretty Little" where the howl of the guitar that opens things up gets met with a thuddy bass line and crisp drum sound. The sound is more of a straight rock vibe, with these little hooks that hop in and out of the song. There's a notable harmonic shift on the guitar that shouldn't go unnoticed, though it steers from the hair metal harmonics of the eighties.
While the four piece doesn't mind mixing things up by adding synths to the third track "Asking," it's the sixth track or fourth song, "Et2YT" that really sticks out here. The song mixes the snappy stride of their earlier work and culminates it with a better production to give listeners a true standout track. There's a power struggle sometimes between singers and the band that can exist where it feels like the two will never find meeting ground, however that's not the case here by any means.
On "328," the band embodies a bit of an L7 vibe with an almost metal sounding guitar that kicks things off. However that gamble pays off and actually keeps a bit of the punk vibes the band made part of their sound in their earlier works. Distorted vocals that come in add a nice touch, though it's Miriam K's vocals on their own that have the most weight. This followed up by the pop punk infused and catchy sounds of "Geo Metro," where the band still holds on to their earlier works, yet the focus here seems to be more balanced. Sing song vocals, traffic sound effects, and a step that works from start to finish; the song will definitely stay in your head after one listen.
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Following a skit featuring Fat Tony and Kelly Hogan, the band keeps things going with the darker notes of "Barf City" while addressing gentrification before dropping another stand out with "Disorder Girl." Falling under three minutes, the band seems to be putting their best feet forward when they use the strengths and range of K's vocals. Leaving behind the shouted elements and allowing a harmony from her lips plays well and pays off here while the band adds little notes that give the overall sound a noteworthy feel. Several tracks later the band gets a little funky on "Chemtrails," opening with a funk inspired bass before adding a wah wah pedaled guitar to mix things up.
The band keeps things punky on "Benadryl" before closing the album out with the more funk opening of "Like Girls Do." While the bass stays on the song, things quickly change direction and have a more ominous tone. There's a mix of soft vocals with harsh guitar and succinct drums that make the track go further than most songs that close off albums. The production of the song gives it a different element than you may be expecting, but it works in the best possible way.
The end opinion is that this a a stronger representation of the band than their debut. With better tone and production qualities, and stronger, more focused songwriting, Giant Kitty proves that punk bands can grow without completely ditching their roots. You can stream Rampage on all digital places, as well as purchase digital versions in those places as well. You can also pick up a vinyl from the band when they perform in person at Cactus on Saturday February 3. The all ages in-store performance will also have gratis drinks for the adults. Doors at 3 p.m.; Free.


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Last Sunday morning, we had an unhappy surprise: we discovered we were out of checks. Using up the last of our checks is not a bad thing, considering we moved back in May. (We only write one, maybe two checks a week, so it took a while to whittle down the last of the old ones. But somehow I missed the important REORDER NOW reminder when I snagged the last batch. Oops.
Checks are fast becoming a throwback to the good old days. Our adult children have checks, but they almost never have to write one. Everything is swipe-and-go these days. Except writing one on Sunday morning, and the occasional check to a friend for something-or-other.
But I still like checks – I always have. At least I like picking out checks. Before it was de rigueur to personalize every. stinkin. thing. you own, your personal checks were one way to express something unique about you. We have never had plain blue security checks. I've always tried to take into consideration that Mr. Official has to use the checks, too and pick out something that was expressive but not too girly. Pre-internet I would hold onto the glossy Sunday newspaper inserts and pore over them until I found the "right" design for the next order – that was back in the day when I actually had to write a half-dozen checks each month to pay our bills.
The internet has made it simultaneously easier and more difficult to choose a design; there are dozens of places to order from, and they all have a plethora of designs to choose from.
This time, I vacillated between some gender-neutral graphic design, a landscape scene, or just a monogram. But in my heart I really wanted something more "me." Like Twitter-page swirly branches. Or owls. Yes….owls. But Mr. Official is not a lover of swirly branches or graphical owls.
And then I had an epiphany. We have a joint account, but where is it written we have to have just one kind of check? Move over, "his 'n hers" checks. Make room for "his checks." and "her checks."
I can't believe it took me this long to reach that conclusion but it certainly opened up a whole world of wonderful possibilities. And so I dug around and found these checks:
|Referee checks from checksadvantage.com
But after looking at the 2nd and 3rd checks, I knew were really too European and/or Canadian football-looking.
So I chose these instead for him:
|Collegiate checks from currentcatalogchecks.com
And for me, I chose these:
|challis and roos design from bradfordexchange.com
So no more dithering. The checks are in the mail and hopefully one set or the other will arrive by Saturday!