text:
Jury Selection To Begin For Trial Of Madoff Employees
Jury Selection To Begin For Trial Of Madoff Employees
Almost five years after Bernie Madoff was arrested for fraud, some of his former employees are about to go on trial in New York. The case is expected to focus on how much the employees knew about Madoff's Ponzi scheme.
Nearly five years after Bernie Madoff was arrested for fraud, some of his former employees are about to go on trial in New York. The trial is expected to focus on how much the employees knew about Madoff's multibillion dollar Ponzi scheme. Jury selections gets under way today.
NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.
JIM ZARROLI, BYLINE: The five former Madoff employees all had lucrative jobs at Madoff's firm. For instance, Daniel Bonventre was director of operations in the back office, while Joanne Crupi and Annette Bongiorno managed client accounts. All five have pleaded not guilty and maintain they didn't know about the fraud taking place at the firm. And Madoff himself has backed them up in interviews from the federal prison in North Carolina where he now lives. But a lot of people are skeptical about that.
Ron Stein is president of the Network for Investor Action and Protection, which represents Madoff victims. He says many of them have trouble understanding how Madoff could have pulled off such a complex scheme by himself.
RON STEIN: So many are very anxious to see what exactly took place with this and how it is such a scam was able to evolve and capture so many people.
ZARROLI: The star prosecution witness is expected to be Frank DiPascali, Madoff's longtime chief financial officer, who pleaded guilty to fraud in 2009. Defense attorneys are expected to try to undermine his credibility by arguing that he lied to and misled employees for years about what was happening.
Jim Zarroli, NPR News, New York.
Copyright © 2013 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio record.


text:
Prestige Real Estate Agency
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Tel.+387 61 927 729
Tel.+387 61 092 290
Send us your details and we will contact you shortly.
Apartment For rent
Novo Sarajevo
Apartment for rent in Sarajevo. This beautiful 1 bedroom apartment for rent is located on 12th floor (elevator) of new residential building in Novo Sarajevo, steps away from Mercator shopping center and 5 minutes by car from city center. Apartment has 62 m2 floor area and consists of living room with dining area and fully equipped kitchen, bedroom, bathroom with bath tub, small storage room, hall and terrace with nice view. It is completely furnished. Apartment has own heating system on gas, air conditioner, security door, washer, dishwasher, LCD TV, cable TV and high speed internet access. Utility bills are not included in the monthly price. There is possibility of renting secured parking space for additional price.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The BinaryOps.io platform that lets you define the Backend for your app and turn it into full-featured cloud-hosted REST API instantly. BinaryOps backends are powerful solutions for:
The BinaryOps backend is designed to work with multiple clients in one account, allowing you to gain economies of scale while providing excellent service to your clients.
Our data upload and download features help you get setup easily with the data you need in the cloud. Use the webhook and server side code features to automatically integrate your internal systems.
Every Backend API on the BinaryOps service has multi-tencancy built in. When
you sell your app to another client, you just create a new tenant in the dashboard.
The tenant get's the same API, but has it's own users and data.
It's all done, right from the start.
Data and Systems integration is easier, with a BinaryOps backend, without needing a complete new skillset in-house. See our blog for more details on this subject.
For startups it is important to be able to collect feedback, pivot and iterate. That requires a backend for your app that is as nimble as you are, while keeping costs down. Use BinaryOps for your next big idea!
Easily add a large group of developers to your account. Give them access to their own API, and revision management. Let them make magic!
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Quickly create new revisions or even try multiple versions side by side.
Create a secure API that you can use to populate with the data you need to share. Setup the security so that only reading data is allowed publicly and anonymously. Deliver the data in machine readable formats to allow your audience to work with it.
Using comple queries, social logins, group based security, webhooks and serverside code. There is no limit to what you can build using a BinaryOps backend.
Just static web hosting will do when your dynamic content comes from a BinaryOps backend. Deliver all the features and content without the cost and complexity of hosting your own database and server side functionality.
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Create the API using the spreadsheet upload feature in the Dashboard. Easily secure and share access to your data. Leverage everything the cloud has to offer, using the data you already have!
Setup your own API to collect exactly the data you need from your front-ends, devices and applications. Extract the data and get the answers you can't get anywhere else.


text:
Events for April 30, 2020
Events Search and Views Navigation
DPHCA Walks; Whale Talk & Walk
Every second Saturday, join a naturalist for a presentation on whales, other cetaceans and marine mammals that can frequently beFind out more »
Boating & Seamanship
Mar. 5- Apr. 30, 7-9 p.m. Orange County Sheriff Dept - Harbor Patrol, 1901 Bayside Dr., Corona Del Mar SueFind out more »
Sailing Skills & Seamanship
Mar. 25- May 6, Weds. 7-9 p.m. Dana Point Yacht Club, Dana Point Eric Gritzmacher, email@example.com , 949-632-2378 Cost: $65Find out more »
Marine Communication Systems
April 2-June 4, Thursdays 7 p.m. Oceanside Yacht Club, Regatta Room, Oceanside Registration: americasboatingcluboceanside.org/classroom/ Cost: $77 for members, $97 forFind out more »


text: Ok. Will a hartke 3500 be enough power to power an avatar b410 and a b115??? Anyone have this setup. I NEED SOME RESPONSES HERE. IS THERE A BETTER SETUP I COULD GET? o yea, i checked out ebay and they had a gk 400 for 350$. It looked ok , but ive never tried it. And dont know how it sounds


text:
CV Resume
"CV Resume Template" is professional, clean and modern cv/resume to assists you achieve desirable job. Flexible designs of the pages are easy to use and customize, so for any opportunity you can tailor your resume. The resume files is in 6 color and are in Photoshop, Illustrator and MS Word, so you can use the software which is easy for you. This resume files are organized, fully layered, and labeled, so you can get better result in quick possible time.
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You will find this resume useful. Please,do not forget to rate and shear it, it's highly appreciated. Thank you


text:
Clan Of Xymox
Hidden Faces
Clan Of Xymox
Hidden Faces
Release Date: 11/9/2010
Since their formation in their native Holland, Clan Of Xymox's music has been constantly changing, always challenging and often quite breathtaking. Formed in the 1980's, CoX has always been a uniquely evolving band. The act earned a huge fan base with their early releases on the legendary 4-AD label, and later under the moniker Xymox for a Polydor subsidiary. With the album Hidden Faces, Clan Of Xymox released what many believe to be their finest work of that era. Lush layered guitars, pounding rhythms, shimmering keyboards and dark, melancholy vocals blend seamlessly. The singles "Out of the Rain" and "This World" are now considered club classics and were in the top 10 of the German Independent charts and numerous Indie charts all over the world. Metropolis Records is proud to re-release this modern classic, remastered and expanded with three additional songs.
Related Items


text:
Audio System
Installation and sales for businesses and vehicles fleet. We offer a complete line of services including sales, consulting, installation and training services. We have mobile units that are operated by trained and experienced professionals.
Since 1972, we are dedicated to in-vehicle and marine integration. We can transform and optimize your driving experience. Discover a few of our projects.


text:
The Last O.G. centers on Tray ( Tracy Morgan), an ex-con who is shocked to see just how much the world has changed when he is released from prison for good behavior after a 15-year stint. Returning to his newly gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, he discovers that his former girlfriend, Shay (Tiffany Haddish), has married an affable, successful white man (Ryan Gaul) who is helping raise the twins (Taylor Mosby & Dante Hoagland) Tray never knew existed. Wanting nothing more than to connect with his kids, but having neither the money to support them nor himself, Tray falls back on the skills he learned in prison to make ends meet while treading unfamiliar territory.
PREMIERES: Projected Premiere 2018 E/P
Episode Count: 10
Finale: TBD
Target Demo: M18-49, M35-64


text:
Sonntag, 11. September 2011
This is what I found on the fleamarket today: Some glasses, because I broke some of my wine-glasses, a lamp for the alpine hut, a kanu-boat and a balance tower - you all know that I can use the wooden bricks in many ways - don't know the name of that doll that is more agile than Fran and a polly-pocket set. This earrings seems very nice to me.
Eingestellt von Petra um 20:29 Kommentare:
Have a nice sunday! Today is our fleamarket again, I'll have look and hope to find some Playmobil-treasures.
Eingestellt von Petra um 06:21 Kommentare:
Abonnieren Posts (Atom)


text: Christine is a certified CPR/BLS instructor by the American Heart Association, and by the American Red Cross greater Houston Chapter. Christine founded Imperial CPR Training Center in hopes of providing a needed and valuable service to many people the community. Since many health professions, businesses, schools, and daycare facilities require their staff to hold current CPR certification as a condition of their ongoing employment or continued licenses to practice in the State of Texas; she recognized a basic need for a conveniently located Life Support Training Center in the Sugar Land /Missouri City area. Christine enjoys teaching CPR, because while the learning material is of a serious nature, the classes are entertaining, require a great deal of energy, group effort, and hands on participation.


text:
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak we are no longer accepting or fulfilling NATIONAL orders for the time being.
If you are looking for New York City Grocery Delivery please click here.
Your Bag (0)
The Saucey Sauce Co. is a family owned and operated company specializing in making outrageously savory, delicious, and all-natural sauces based on their mom's tried and true recipe. Sibling founders Ken and Toan got the idea to bottle their sauces when friends kept asking to take sauce home after dinner parties they hosted in Brooklyn, New York. Thus, The Saucey Sauce Co. was born!
Our savory sauces are made with fresh ingredients. We use premium "first press" Vietnamese fish sauce, carefully blending it with fresh and natural ingredients such as garlic, chilies, lemon, and ginger. The result are some delicious and unforgettable sauces that are great as a savory salad dressing, marinade, dipping sauce, or simply as flavorful sauce to complement any meal!
We believe food, like life, doesn't have to be bland.
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We know that using natural ingredients and whole foods is better for us, for the earth, and for business.
The Saucey Sauce Co. prides itself in making the very first "ready-to-eat" condiment based on the traditional Vietnamese "nuoc cham." Created from a family recipe, these unique and vibrant sauces are ready to use right out of the bottle, unlike many other seasonings. Our sauces pack a ton of flavor as a dipping sauce, marinade, or light salad dressing.
They are truly proud to be the very first company to bring all natural, gluten and fat free Vietnamese sauces and Ketjaps to chefs, restaurants, fans, and fellow foodies.
No products found in this collection.


text:
Employment Opportunities
Picture yourself working in a collaborative, innovative, intellectually curious environment. A place where you are challenged to expand beyond your current abilities. A place where senior leaders support your ambitions to grow personally and professionally.
If you can picture this, then you can picture yourself at Sagence. Visit our leadership page to get to know our founders and partners. Spend time on our services page to better understand the type of work we do. Read our case studies to get a feel for our day-to-day client interactions. Learn about how we support our local community. After you've done a little reading, check out our employment opportunities and apply to join our team. We'd love to have you.
You can also visit our Glassdoor page to get a better feel of life as a "Sagent."


text:
An Introduction to DominoesPar domino99online2 dans Accueil le 21 Décembre 2016 à 03:41
Domino 99 online
The phrase dominoes (or dominos) refers to the pieces (or tiles) that constitute a domino established. These sets can be found in various various variations, from double 6 and double 9 dominoes, all the strategy to double-18. These quantities signify the highest number of pips (inlaid figures) over a tile while in the set. The target of most domino game titles is to block your opponent from emptying their hand while productively doing this your self. It is one of the worlds most popular desk prime online games, with many versions, like Mexican dominoes.
domino qq
Whenever you engage in dominoes, one of the most simple policies in the table use to the double 6 dominoes block type recreation. Listed here a line of perform is developed utilizing a series of tiles in which adjacent tiles have an equivalent benefit. Players alternate turns, extending the line of enjoy till a participant who cannot, passes. The winner is the player who plays their last tile, unless the domino desk gets blocked simply because neither participant is able to continue. Within this circumstance the participant with the least expensive cumulative variety of pips on their remaining tiles will be the winner. The sport is mathematical in its character, and is also played at a large degree in locations close to the globe. Professional domino online games are played nowadays in corporations such as the International Federation of Dominoes. Amateur gamers, alternatively, typically get domino tables, and domino trays to be able to take pleasure in the sport at home with household and friends. Picket domino tables are one particular from the most widely used variations nowadays, as are colored dominoes. In areas like Puerto Rico, dominoes are a single on the most widely used desk prime video games, as evidenced by the higher income of those tables while in the region.
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text: Get in Touch!For concrete pump trucks, stone slingers, or dump truck services, call us or email us today! Call: (502) 254 0883 Name* First Name Last Name Phone*Email* Subject*MessageNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms.


text:
Photo of the Month: April 2016
Hey all. This was a busy month for me, or at least it felt that way. The first months of the year always race by, which is rather disappointing. My photograph this month is a self portrait. I decided last year that I would take one around this time every year until someday I have a substantial collection. A very gradual project but I think it will be interesting to view my own growth in the future. So this is me, at 22, in 2016. This is my third or forth month living in Oregon and everyday I'm happier, when I'm not worried about money. The trees get fuller and more green every single day, more than I've seen in my entire life and it's mesmerizing. I'm so grateful. It's also been very warm and sunny with a few rainy days, which back at home it's still been snowing, something that I'm also glad to be away from. It's wonderful to be able to experience Spring for what feels like the first time. This month I didn't get to explore as much sadly, but I did get to photograph my friend Rachel for her blog quite a bit which allows me to explore parts of Portland that I haven't seen yet! Will I ever see the whole city? I didn't get to do much shooting outside of that which is never my favorite, but I did get to see Courtney Barnett at the Crystal Ballroom! This was my first time getting to attend a concert at this grand venue with strange and lovely architecture and it was spectacular. I met friends and everyone danced while the floor shook. A band called Alvvays opened for them, which was also a treat since I had been wanting to see them live for awhile too, they are so fun. I'm ready for May, ready for roses, ready to get out and explore more, ready to see more shows and meet more people.
Here are some photographs that I took this month!
Each month I will be posting a Photo of the Month! Also I'll try to work in any requested posts or things I find interesting to post! Enjoy!
October 2018


text:
News : Insider
Iran Attempts Ban of Telegram Messaging App, Citing Threat to National Security
- Details
- Published: Wednesday, 02 May 2018
By INU Staff
INU - The Telegram messaging app was built by Russian tech guru Pavel Durov. Because Telegram messages are heavily encrypted, it is the most popular social network in Iran, boasting some 40 million users, roughly half the population.
According to Mizan Online, the judiciary's news agency, Iran's judiciary banned the hugely popular Telegram, on Monday. A judge in Tehran gave "the order to interrupt Telegram," Mizan Online reported.
Earlier this month, after the messenger app concluded the second round of its record-setting $1.7 billion ICO to develop a full-service block chain ecosystem, Government officials publicly called for Telegram to be banned. The secretary of the government's High Council for Cyberspace, Hassan Firouzabadi, warned that the company's new cryptocurrency will undermine the local economy if left unchecked.
Recently, a presidential directive banning all government workers from using foreign messenger apps to communicate was announced.
Authorities have accused Telegram of allowing armed opposition groups to fuel unrest, during the protests that hit dozens of Iranian cities across the country at the start of the year. At that time, Telegram was temporarily banned for enabling so-called foreign-based "counter-revolutionary" groups to stir tensions.
Following those protests, authorities have begun to develop Iranian social media networks and limit reliance on foreign-based platforms. Tehran accuses some hosting sites of being hostile to the Islamic Republic. Services similar to Telegram have emerged in recent months on Iranian platforms, such as the Soroush network, which claims to have five million subscribers.
In mid-April Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani both announced that they would stop using Telegram. Khamenei's final message on the Telegram channel directed users to accounts on Iranian messaging services, including Soroush and Gap.
Reportedly, the tribunal in Tehran accused Telegram of "inciting rebellion" and allowing "terrorist groups" to threaten national security.
Citing the judge's decision, Mizan Online wrote that all internet providers and phone operators now have "a duty to completely block access to Telegram." They added that those disobeying the order will be considered in violation and face prosecution.
Interestingly, Iran's telecoms minister, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi's said on Tuesday that it was "impossible to block citizen's access to information." Jahromi's comments on Twitter highlighted differences of opinion between the government of reformist President Hassan Rouhani and ultra-conservatives who control the judiciary and security services. "Even if we ban the use of software, other software will be found and information will start to circulate freely again," according to Jahromi. "Technology is not intrinsically guilty, corrupt, or deviant," he added. "It is human beings who misuse it to promote crime and corruption in the virtual world, just as they do in real life.


text:
Where's Dom?By Dawn Corrigan
November 05, 2009
As I've written about here on TNB previously, in August my 89-year-old grandmother fell and broke her hip. She had surgery, during which her hip was pinned, and did a month of physical therapy. At the beginning of October she returned to the assisted living facility where she lives with her husband.
Yesterday she fell and broke her other hip. I'm sitting in the ER waiting room right now while she has surgery on her other leg.
Since the surgery was scheduled for late afternoon, we had the whole day to kill. "C'mon," she told me earlier in her hospital room. "Let's get out of here."
Then: "Put this down," indicating the bed rail. When I ignored her–my new strategy for anything short of pulling her IV out–she said, "Come on! Put it down and let's go. Don't make an ass of yourself!"
Then she offered to carry my laptop if we could leave. Even with severe dementia, her negotiating skills remain formidable.
I don't really have much else to report, but it seems she's the only TNB topic I have right now. My last post, over a month ago, was about her, and though I've made sustained efforts to write others since, they all came to naught. During our wait in the Emergency Department last night, in an effort to occupy my mind, I wrote down everything she did and said for about 90 minutes. I reproduce part of that transcript here.
THE PATIENT: My 89-year-old grandmother. Dementia and a broken hip.
THE NARRATOR: Me.
DOM: My 86-year-old grandfather. Does not appear onstage.
DR. A.: An emergency-room doctor.
DR. B.: Another ER doc. Associate of The Patient's GP.
Gulf Breeze Hospital. Monday, November 2, 2009. THE PATIENT, however, imagines this to be the main floor of the assisted living facility where she lives with DOM.
A curtained room in the Emergency Department. THE PATIENT lies in a hospital bed beneath the Skytron surgical lights, which are off. THE NARRATOR sits beside the bed on a tiny stool.
Where the hell is this?
The hospital.
Who's here?
You are.
I've loved you a long time. (Pause) I thought Dom would be here. I'm surprised at him. (Pause) I'll fix him. I'll fix him good. (Pause) I'm so lonesome. I can't go down. They leave me here alone all the time. (Pause) When you go down, tell Dom to come on up.
I hit my knee, bad. (Pause) Where the hell is Dom? (Pause) He's down there. Dom's down there. You tell him I said come up. (Pause) I broke my hip.
That's right.
You tell him come up here.
(The Patient begins scraping her face with her fingernails. Then she attempts to lift herself out of bed. She grabs the bed rail with both hands, and pulls hard. Then she falls back.)
I shouldn't be up here. (Licks finger and begins rubbing face again.)
(DR. A. arrives.)
The CT scan confirmed it, the hip is broken.
Am I going to get better?
You bet.
(Dr. A. leaves.)
He said I would be better. (Pause) Oh God, how will it get better?
You're going to have surgery.
(The Patient attempts to lift herself out of the bed.)
Here, this here, hurts me. (Touches right hip.) When you go downstairs, will you tell Dom to come on up?
Tell him you did all this for me. Tell him I want to see him. (Attempts to get up.) Oh, I can't move. You notice Dom is not here. You tell him to come on up. (Rubs face) What did I do with my hip?
You fell in the bathroom.
(The Patient resumes face rubbing.)
Dom's down there. You just tell him to come up. And what do I do when I have to pee?
You have a catheter. You just pee.
There's nothing here.
There is–it's in you.
How did I get here, anyway?
The ambulance brought you.
Because of my leg?
But you notice you didn't see Dom here? I want you to tell him, please, to come up. (Attempts to get up.) They all went down. (Rubs face using the hospital blanket. Attempts to get up. Sighs. Fusses with blankets. Attempts to get up.) It really hurts.
I'm sorry to hear that.
(The Patient attempts to get up.)
It's so slow up here. I bet you Dom's down there. Tell him to get up here. (Runs fingernails along the bed railing. Scrapes fingernails on nose.) I shouldn't be here. How will I go down to eat?
Are you hungry?
Did I slip on the floor?
Uh huh.
(The Patient rubs her face, licking her fingers and scraping her fingernails along her mouth and upper lip. She rubs her face with the hospital blanket.)
Where the hell is my husband?
I don't know.
(Scratches nose) You tell Dom to come up here. (Scrapes nose some more.) When you go downstairs tell Dom to come up here. (Pause) You're the best thing that ever happened. (Pause) I hit my leg. (Pause) What happened?
I don't know, I wasn't there. What happened?
(Scratches nose) I banged my knee terrible. (Attempts to get up. This attempt somewhat less strenuous than previous attempts.) When you go down will you tell Dom to come up here? (Brief nose scratching. Attempts to get up, then wraps arms around bed rail in a hug.) I hurt that knee. You will tell Dom to come up? Even my sore … even my sore …
Don't forget to tell Dom. Dom's downstairs. (Patient yawns. Scrapes fingernails along bed rail.) Make him very emphatic, to come up. Bring him here. Not bring him–just tell him. Or you can just tell him where he is. He knows where he is. (Scrapes nose.)
(Narrator longs for one of her own Husband's cigarettes. Narrator yawns. Patient smiles. Runs nails along the bed rail. Compared to the other obsessive behaviors she's engaging in, this is soothing as a lullaby.)
When my … when my toe … (Points at foot). They get better …
(The Narrator yawns and puts on a sweater.)
You look great. You really do. I wish I could go down with you. When you go down, tell Dom to come up. That you have some things for him. That I banged my … leg.
(Ten minutes' worth of nose scraping, attempts to get up, finger licking, and rubbing of face with blanket.
Tell Dom to come up right away … with you. (Attempts to get up) I guess we'd better go. (Renewed effort to get up. Nose scratching.) Dom? (Adjusts covers.)
What are you doing, Nan?
Putting this cover over my knee. (Adjusts blankets. Rubs nose with blankets. Scrapes nose with fingernails.) When you go down there, see if Dom's there, tell him to come.
(Five more minutes of scraping, adjusting, and attempting to get up.)
I bet Dom's sitting down there, playing. Nurse! (Nose scraping) Dom's downstairs. Tell him … tell him to come up. Tell him I have something to tell him … liar that I am. Just because of my leg. How the hell did it happen to my leg. (Attempts to get up.) Will you tell Dom to come up there? Right away. Tell him to come right away.
(Dr. B. arrives.)
Hello, Beautiful!
(Patient smiles. Dr. B. speaks to Patient as though she is five years old. Narrator is annoyed by this, then immediately misses Dr. B. terribly when she's gone. Notes to self how much faster five minutes with Dr. B. passes than any five minutes during the previous hour spent alone with Patient.)
You're going to stay with me tonight, aren't you? My Creep downstairs …
What's the matter, Nan?
I want Dom! To get … Dom is downstairs. If you see him downstairs tell him I need him immediately. (Attempts to get up.)
(DR. B. is paged. Narrator longs for Dr. B.)
(Continue for several more hours.)
Not The Patient, but a similarly pinned hip.
UPDATE, 6:35 PM – The Patient is out of surgery and doing well.


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So as you may already know, I am forever working on my "Cloffice" (which by the way I discovered that I'm not a genius who invented this word, many people have already used it, but usually in regards to making a hall closet into an office. But in my case, since I made a spare bedroom into a closet/office combo, I'll take partial credit). I was writing a French paper last Thursday and realized that I needed to do something about the big empty wall above my desk. Sooo drab, sooo plain, sooo blah. I immediately marched down to my local craft store, picked up some cork tiles of various sizes, and set to work creating a little inspiration wall. Although this wall is far from complete, I took some before and after pictures so I could see my progress. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Take some before pictures so you can compare them with the finished project when you're done. Preferably using the Camera+ app on your iPhone so you can fade the color and convince yourself that the transformation is even more drastic. Look at that silly mess all over my desk and that plain wall. Papers everywhere, not acceptable!
Step 2: Open your boxes of thumb tacks and mmediately spill both containers all over the desk.
Step 3: Use wall mount tape (it comes with the cork tiles), and arrange a pattern that you like along the wall. Try not to push too hard when sticking the cork to the wall in case you need to rearrange (that tape is STICKY).
Step 4: Start posting! For me, I like to stick things to the inspiration board that inspire me, or that I would lose if they weren't there. For example, I hate having business cards in my wallet, so I stick some of the more important ones on this board (and by important I mean the shoe salesman at Nordstroms and the manager of the Louboutin store in Las Vegas). I also like to post articles from magazines, inspirational quotes, and photo booth photos that never fit correctly in frames.
Step 5: Don't worry if you don't fill up every available space, it's better to leave some room for future cork-board-worthy finds.
P.S. Did you notice the Paris and London pin boards that got demoted? I was raving about them a couple months ago and was originally planning on mounting them above my desk but they are quite heavy! Cork board is way easier, so I will have to find a new home for these ones.


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The Importance of History: Reflections from a Foreign Correspondent
Free Public Lecture
Kathleen Fitzpatrick Theatre
Arts West
More information
Shaun Walker reflects on the uses and abuses of history in Russia and the former communist countries of Eastern Europe, and on how an understanding of history can help us understand the present in this part of the world. Walker will discuss his 2018 book, The Long Hangover, which explores the use of history to create new national identities in Russia and Ukraine, as well as his recent work in central Europe.
This lecture is part of the launch of the new history curriculum at the University of Melbourne, which has been made possible by the Hansen Trust. The new curriculum is being offered to students for the first time in 2019. If you'd like to support teaching and research in History at the University of Melbourne, visit the History Trust Fund webpage for more information.
Shaun Walker
**Shaun Walker** has been a Moscow correspondent for the Independent and The Guardian, and is now the latter's 'roving correspondent' in Eastern Europe. He has an Oxford University degree in Russian and Soviet history and has written a book combining his interests in history and journalism: The Long Hangover: Putin's New Russia and the Ghosts of the Past (Oxford University Press, 2017).


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Showing 1 - 2 of 2
Report Capital Spending
Planning After PLANYC: A Framework for Developing New York City's Next Ten-Year Capital Strategy
December 06, 2013This report reviews capital planning and spending during Mayor Bloomberg's tenure in order to suggest principles that can guide the development of a new long-term capital plan and financing strategy.
Report Capital Spending
Three Key Steps for Improving New York State's New Statewide Capital Plan
September 25, 2013This brief assesses New York State's first-ever 10-year capital plan released in June 2013 by the New York Works Task Force. It offers steps to more effectively and strategically allocate State capital investment funding.


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'People' magazine announced Bradley as this year's winner early Wednesday morning.
Renee Zellweger is probably adding some Baileys into her coffee right about now. It was announced this morning that her ex, Bradley Cooper, is officially People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" for 2011. Yeah, that must sting a little bit.
When the hunky 36-year-old actor from The Hangover and The A-Team learned of his new title, his first thought (after realizing he wasn't being "Punk'd" by Ashton Kutcher) was, "My mother is going to be so happy," reports People.
That's partly the reason why he won the coveted spot over other leading men like Ryan Gosling, Justin Theroux (Jennifer Aniston's main squeeze) and Chris Evans — not only is he extremely close to his parents (his dad passed away in January), but he can also cook, speak fluent French, and goes to great lengths to get the girl of his dreams. The 12 Hottest Single Men In Hollywood
When People asked him what's the "sexiest thing he's done to woo a woman," Cooper answered: "Getting on a plane to go get them." Swoon! Was that for you, Renee?
Although we've spotted him out with Jennifer Lopez as of late, Bradley says he's single, single, single! "If you're a single man and you happen to be in this business, you're deemed a player," he says. "But I don't see myself as a ladies' man." Is Bradley Cooper's New Mystery Woman Actually Jennifer Lopez?
So... you're saying there's a chance for us, hey Coop? Just say the word and we'll be the one on a plane to go get this year's "Sexiest Man Alive"!
Congrats on the win, Bradley!
More Juicy Content From YourTango:
- Did You Miss These Celebrity Sex Tape Scandals?
- Pick Lingerie That Guys Love
- Hacked Naked Pictures of 10 Celebrities
Photo Credit: Getty


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Packaging EJB 3 Applications
Packaging session and message-driven beans
A car manufacturer has to assemble all essential parts of a car before it can run. As an EJB developer you build core classes that make your application, and you have to assemble them as an EJB-JAR and deploy them into your application server before your customers can execute the application.
Throughout this article we have used annotations and avoided deployment descriptors. The EJB deployment descriptor (ejb-jar.xml) describes the contents of an EJB-JAR, such as beans, interceptors, the resource they use, security, transaction settings, and so forth. For every annotation we have discussed in this article there is an element in the descriptor. Deployment descriptors can be used to override settings in metadata annotations. Let's now uncover the elements of ejb-jar.xml and explain how you can define default interceptors. We'll conclude this section with a discussion on vendor-specific descriptors and annotations.
Packaging EJB-JAR
jar cvf adventure-ejb.jar *
This will create a JAR file containing all class files in the current directory, and any subdirectories below the current directory. You can automate building JAR files using several tools. Most modern IDEs support building EJB-JAR modules, and make the creation of JAR modules somewhat transparent to you. A number of specialized utilities in addition to IDEs also support the build process. Today, the most frequently used tool to assist with builds is Apache Ant (http://ant.apache.org/), although there is a strong movement toward Apache Maven (http://maven.apache.org/). Listing 2 shows a sample Ant build script that was created to automate building an EJB-JAR module. Ant build scripts are provided with our code examples and can be downloaded from Manning's (my publisher) website (www.manning.com/panda).
Listing 2 Sample script for building an EJB-JAR file
Click here for a larger image.
The EJB-JAR file must include the interfaces and bean classes. It may also include any helper classes. Optionally the helper classes may be packaged in a separate JAR file in the EAR file. You have two options:
- The JAR containing helper classes may be packaged in the lib directory of the EAR file. Using this approach, the packaged classes will be automatically visible to all modules in the EAR module.
- If you want to limit the visibility to only a specific EJB-JAR or WAR module, you can create an entry in the Manifest.mf file of the module that contains a Class-Path attribute to the JAR file.
Now that you know the structure of EJB-JAR and how to package it, let's look at the elements of ejb-jar.xml.
Deployment descriptors vs. annotations
An EJB deployment descriptor (ejb-jar.xml) describes the contents of an EJB module, any resources used by it, and security transaction settings. The deployment descriptor is written in XML, and because it is external to the Java byte code, it allows you to separate concerns for development and deployment.
The deployment descriptor is optional and you could use annotations instead, but we don't advise using annotations in all cases for several reasons. Annotations are great for development, but may not be well suited for deployments where settings may change frequently. During deployment it is common in large companies for different people to be involved for each environment (development, test, production, etc.). For instance, your application requires such resources as DataSource JMS objects, and the JNDI names for these resources change between these environments. It does not make sense to hard-code these names in the code using annotations. The deployment descriptor allows the deployers to understand the contents and take appropriate action. Keep in mind that even if the deployment descriptor is optional, certain settings such as default interceptors for an EJB-JAR module require a deployment descriptor. An EJB-JAR module may contain
- A deployment descriptor (ejb-jar.xml)
- A vendor-specific deployment descriptor, which is required to perform certain configuration settings in a particular EJB container
The good news is that you can mix and match annotations with descriptors by specifying some settings in annotations and others in the deployment descriptor. Be aware that the deployment descriptor is the final source and overrides settings provided through metadata annotations. To clarify, you could set the TransactionAttribute for an EJB method as REQUIRES_NEW using an annotation, and if you set it to REQUIRED in the deployment descriptor, the final effect will be REQUIRED.
|Annotations vs. XML descriptors: the endless debate
|Sugar or sugar substitute? It's a matter of choice. Zero calories versus the risk of cancer? The debate may well be endless, and the same applies to the debate between annotations and deployment descriptors. Some people find annotations elegant, while they see XML as verbose, ugly, and hard to maintain. Others find annotations unsightly, and complain that annotations complicate things by making configurations reside closer to the code. The good thing is that you have a choice, and Java EE allows you to override annotation settings in the code with deployment descriptors if you desire. We suggest you weigh the pros and cons of these options with a clear mind.
Although we won't delve deeply into deployment descriptors, let's look at some quick examples to see what deployment descriptors look like so that you can package a deployment descriptor in your EJB module if you need to. Listing 3 shows a simple example of a deployment descriptor for the BazaarAdmin EJB.Listing 3: A simple ejb-jar.xml
Click here for a larger image.
If you are familiar with EJB 2, you may have noticed that the only notable difference between this deployment descriptor and one in EJB 2 is that the version attribute must be set to 3.0, and the home element is missing because EJB 3 does not require a home interface.
Editor's Note: The bracketed numbers in the following paragraph refer to the callouts in listing 3.
If you are using deployment descriptors for your EJBs, make sure that you set the ejb-jar version to 3.0 [1] because this will be used by the Java EE server to determine the version of the EJB being packaged in an archive. The name element [2] identifies an EJB and is the same as the name element in the @Stateless annotation. These must match if you are overriding any values specified in the annotation with a descriptor. The session-type element [3] determines the type of session bean. This value can be either stateless or stateful. You can use transaction-type [4] to specify whether the bean uses CMT (Container) or BMT (Bean). The transaction, security, and other assembly details are set using the assembly-descriptor tag of the deployment descriptor [5] and [6].
Table 3 lists commonly used annotations and their corresponding descriptor tags. Note that as we mentioned earlier there is an element for every annotation. You will need only those which make sense for your development environment. Some of the descriptor elements you'll probably need are for resource references, interceptor binding, and declarative security. We encourage you to explore these on your own.
Table 3 One-to-one mapping between annotations and XML descriptor elements
|Annotation Element
|Corresponding Descriptor Element
|EJB type
|EJB type
|EJB type
|Interface type
|Interface type
|Transaction management type at bean level
|Transaction settings method
|container-transaction trans-attribute
|interceptor-binding interceptor-class
|Custom interceptor
|Lifecycle method
|Lifecycle method
|Lifecycle method
|Lifecycle method
|Security setting
|Security setting
|Security setting
|Security setting
|Security setting
|security-identity run-as
|Resource references
(DataSource, JMS, Environment, mail, etc.)
env- ref
|Resource injection
|Setter/field injection
|EJB references
|Persistence context reference
|Persistence unit reference
You can find the XML schema for the EJB 3 deployment descriptor at http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/ejb-jar_3_0.xsd.
Page 3 of 4
This article was originally published on April 9, 2007
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"Quick clue: President Snowflake is a compulsive liar"
Shock front page news: A Politician Lies!
Film at 11:00.
On January 6, president-elect Donald Trump had a meeting with the heads of the intelligence services and came out with one action point: cybersecurity. "Whether it is our government, organizations, associations or businesses we need to aggressively combat and stop cyberattacks," an official statement read. "I will appoint a …
Quick clue: President Snowflake is a compulsive liar
As in:
"If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it"
- President Snowflake
Not me. I can't quite figure out why Kieren keeps referring to a hard case like Trump as a "snowflake," a term reserved for young people who never learned about the harsh realities of life. Can't Kieren call him names that are at least comprehensible, like "Orange monkey" or "Drumpf, as the real snowflakes do?"
We call him Pres Snowflake because he can't take a single word of criticism or humor without a meltdown or throwing a strop.
It's ironic that Team Trump refer to liberals as snowflakes when it's Donald blowing up on Twitter whenever he doesn't get his own way.
It's ironic that Team Trump refer to liberals as snowflakes when it's Donald blowing up on Twitter whenever he doesn't get his own way.
No. A "snowflake" is slang for someone who means well, but is naive and/or very inexperienced. I'm a Kennedy Liberal and I'm not a snowflake.
An example of a snowflake is someone who thinks if there are starving people in a country that just sending them food solves the problem. That's well-meaning, but false. Sending a country free food to feed starving people creates more starving people. That's because the influx of free food drives down market prices of food, which depresses the economy, which drives up unemployment, which creates more hungry people.
A snowflake thinks that people who come to the USA illegally are well-meaning families that want to eat. For the vast majority of them, that's not true. Anyone who can get into the USA legally, can do that. Many illegals are people that don't pass the border checks, so they some to the USA illegally. My personal experience with illegals in the USA have all been criminals - one lawsuit and one court case, in both cases illegals taking advantage of technicalities that hurt U.S. citizens and benefit themselves. I sat on a jury trial where a woman here illegally tried to avoid deportation by making false claims of rape, which got her a temporary green card. She had been doing this for years, and never tried to become a U.S. citizen. We the jury found out women here illegally do this all the time. There are other legal loopholes illegals take advantage of that hurt U.S. citizens, meanwhile they have no intention of becoming U.S. citizens because the loopholes give them benefits.
Sanctuary cities are where illegals are basically used as slave labor, paid sub-minimum wage, taking jobs away from lower- to middle-class people. This is why sanctuary city governments don't want these illegals to become citizens, once they are citizens they can operate above-board and have the protection of the law.
A snowflake is someone who draws naive conclusions about people they have never met.
Excellent point; but, you have to admit Marmalade Mandarin, Orange Monkey, and Tweeting Tangerine are all pretty good.
This bumbling buffoon simply lends himself to so many monikers though:
Pumpkin Puss, Limp Lump, Misogynist Mutt, Tweeting Twerp, Callow Creep, Pompous Prat, Odious Oaf, Narcissistic Ninny, Little man with little hands, Fascist Fool, Pouty Face, Egomaniacal Eel, Ignominious Imbecile, Puny Punk, Cheating Chump, etc, etc.
Pumpkin Puss, Limp Lump, Misogynist Mutt, Tweeting Twerp, Callow Creep, Pompous Prat, Odious Oaf, Narcissistic Ninny, Little man with little hands, Fascist Fool, Pouty Face, Egomaniacal Eel, Ignominious Imbecile, Puny Punk, Cheating Chump, etc, etc.
Ah, yes, Bill Clinton. You forgot Cheater-In-Chief, Liar-In-Chief, Arkansas Asshole, Redfaced Redneck.
Slick Willie, the Sink Emperor. And don't forget the one for Obama, "Magic Negro," as applied by a liberal black LA Times columnist.
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yes, if you look at who the "snowflakes" *REALLY* are, they're not Trump - they're those whiny college students that have to do primal scream therapy because Mrs. Clinton lost an election.
And OBAKA as well.
Actually, I'd venture to guess that Trump has been very very busy, having gotten MORE done in the first 90 days or so than pretty much any other president. "Oh, you FOUND one thing!" Congrats. *yawn*
I'm still looking forward to the end of OBAKA-"care", some well needed tax breaks for EVERYBODY, and a reasonable analysis of cybersecurity that's not just a "Harumph harumph our sorry jobs are on the line, we gotta DO something" kind of response.
You want alternative facts? I'll give you alternative facts...
A catchy tune (the music kicks in at 18s) ripping the piss out of Trump and co. using their own words (mostly). Uses a DSP app to turn speech into singing, so it's a good idea to turn on closed captions (especially if your hearing is a bit iffy or you have problems with Merkin accents).
Contains a couple of NSFW words. But the extra-NSFW one isn't really audible so you have only the captions to worry about if you're at work.
Giuliani warned that "I have no idea what I'm doing. So, I'm in good company in this administration. Furthermore, I know about security. I cheated on my wife, sometimes right in front of her, and got clean away, so trust me, I know about security. Siber? Yeah, that's what I do now, at least that's what my personal assistant told me earlier."
The administration further mentioned some new policy decisions designed to get right to the bottom of all cyber security issues; "We're hiring a licensed Soothseer/Seeker to search for evil sibor-doers, and a team of highly trained divining rod searcher guys that can find hackers dudes using specially designed "searchy sticks." There's also a guy who says he's a wizard, can't be bad, and another team this one made entirely of raccoons, and you KNOW those little dudes are more cleverer than hackers and whatnot. We are ready for anything! Including hostile alien invasion where the aliens might have a suitable USB 2.0 upload port for us to download our Stuxnorb virus. We are on target to hit those hacker aliens right in the bulls-eye, and then those dominoes are gonna fall like a house of cards. Checkmate."
The aliens are now using a wireless tech similar to Blue Tooth called Green Finger, named after that "Phone Home" dude, so the USB 2 attack is already outdated. It all depends on if that wizard dude is Potter or Dresden, and whether the aliens have some really tasty garbage in their cans, coz that will distract team raccoon and we are all f!@#$%^&
why trust a private company to be safe if you let them access your network?
Because when you try to make them secure their systems, they complain to their bought-and-paid-for elected officials. Said officials then quash the new "job-killing" security rules, because they "stifle innovation."
If he talks about it, inevitably the press will mention the whole Russian hacking into the election thing, which he desperately wants to avoid talking about. So better to distract us with gigantic bombs and lies about "armadas" being sent towards Korea.
No administration has done much about cybersecurity except talk about it, so if Trump's doesn't talk about it I don't think things will be all that different in the end. Actually fixing things would require someone who knows what they are doing (i.e. not an idiot like Guliani) and the willingness to spend money (which the republican led House doesn't have, unless it is on "real" defense, not "cyber" defense)
FWIW other countries are not quite so lax. A few years ago in Germany it became a requirement for companies in "strategic" industries (banking, insurance, etc.) to report any attacks to the state prosecutor's office (LKA). That in itself doesn't guarantee anything but, of course, failing to do so could void any insurance claims and this will inevitably spread along the side chains and to suppliers.
So, slowly awareness about cybersecurity and the willingness to do something about it is growing. Not without the usual pointless PR ops such as Ursula von der Leyen's "cyber army" stunt. In summary, it's easy to get the ball rolling on this without lots of reports.
... and an utter noob.
The next four years* are going to be interesting, indeed.
* A second term seems out of the question, either because anyone who voted for him and has an IQ greater than eighty will never vote for him again, or because Global Armageddon. Place your bets! ;^)
Did anyone ever bother to consult with businesses with regards to cyber security? You know the the ones that employ the "experts"?
Probably not... so much for the business-government partnership.
Because the first thing they would tell them is to encrypt everything (as a starting point) and that's not what the politicians want to hear.
I wonder if Mr. Trump has bitten off more than he can chew now that he has the thing he thought he wanted.
He seems like a fairly typical child of inherited money, I am sure he has never been told "no" in his life, and up until now that really hasn't mattered much.
Aside from the difficulty any president has with herding all the various cats together in an attempt to get his programme through all the legislative hoops built into the US system, with cyber security he will also smash his face into the brick wall of reality as there are plenty of things he would like to do that either won't work or be illegal or won't be in the interests of the private companies that own most of the infrastructure.
My guess is that when he finds some aspect of the presidency hard, he will just ignore it.
My guess is that when he finds some aspect of the presidency hard, he will just ignore it.
He's already done this many times. Just not quite enough yet to start impeachment proceedings, which is possibly why he's holding on so tightly to those tax returns.
What we're now seeing, however, is a bit like the Reagan years with policy being handed over to the generals and the VP with Trump interrupting his golf games every now and then to give a rousing speech to the base.
Good team.
1)Has a plan in case things go wrong (may be sketchy but at least an idea of the first thing to do next)
2)Starts to collect information.
3)Works out what is possible and how to do it.
4)Does it.
Bad team
1)Runs round like headless f**king chicken.
2)There is no 2.
If the D never really expected to win he has a team that's likely mostly window dressing and in way way over their heads.
And is it my imagination or does Steve Bannon think he's channeling Henry Kissinger (without the prodigious academic and intellectual skills)?
Might be time to see if that Doomsday Clock has crept a bit closer to Midnight.
And we are off - PM changes mind so obviously doesn't have a clue - running around like a headless chicken. Sack her, sack the government, sack everybody, the world is about to end. AAAAaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Truth is that it perhaps wasn't the smartest idea to keep saying she wouldn't have an election, but the election should be a good idea. Why?
1) If the SNP lose seats - they have effectively reduced their mandate for a referendum that Sturgeon has as the sole central point in her life and won't shut up about.
2) Conservatives increase their majority - this gives the PM the mandate to proceed with Brexit without all the stupid little delays from opposition and the Lords
3) We have a bit of stability whilst the process occurs
4) If the Tories lose or reduce their majority it arguably signals that the country has thought again about leaving the EU
5) If the SNP gain the last few seats they didn't get in the last election they can then sod off and take Scotland out the UK and try to stay in Europe (this is by no means a given) if they can win a referendum that this result would indicate Scotland want.
6) If 5 happens we can stop all the arguments about how much money goes in which direction between Scotland and the rest of the UK. Sturgeon can keep her nose out of English affairs as she will no longer be able to extend and argument further and further until she can justify how it impacts on Scotland and Scottish MP's have a right to vote, although she adamantly refuses to let the reverse happen.
I could go on but you get the idea.
Disclaimer: I should point out that I am not anti-Scottish but I am anti-Sturgeon who has broken the once in a generation promise she and Salmond made and will use any excuse to justify another Scottish referendum. Additionally my wife is Scottish, and Iive very close to the border so theoretically could get extra benefits from exchange rates by jumping across it to get goods more cheaply.
So, it's acceptable for May to change her mind about an election? I agree. I think "u-turn" is one of the most toxic terms in politics. We should welcome politicians who are prepared to change their minds and respond to evolving circumstances.
But then, I'm afraid, I can't see how you can object to Sturgeon saying the very different circumstances that now prevail mean that the previous "once-in-a-generation" promise also has to be revisited.
Or are only politicians you like allowed to change their minds?
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I have had such a productive day with regards to sewing and blog stuff that I have decided to update just to let you know where I am.
I managed to break through a build up of NEARLY finished Items… Mainly odd trims and ALLLLLLLLLL the buttons. It took FOREVER but it is nice to end up with 5 complete items on one day.
Black Friday saw me invest in some new patterns that needed to be printed and cut, I even forced myself to print off some I had been putting off that I had. Now all those are in a line with their chosen fabric, awaiting the chop and ultimate sew.
The blog drafts to the completed Items are finished, they just need photos and to be re-read and a type up. (Jobs I like to save for when the child is present) I am a bit unsure when a nice fashion shoot of photos will be taken, but If I am desperate, I may just take some (nice-ish) ones on a hanger and go from there.
I also took a mad turn and got some fabric from IKEA to make a curtain for the balcony door… this will fit nicely in a post I have been working on about sewing around the home.
I am also very excited about my Christmas outfit I have planned. I bought the most BEAUTIFUL pattern from DP studios to use my leopard print fabric with. I am a bit worried as i might have to enlarge it slightly around the but area… but i am determined to do it and wear it over Xmas.
At present I am forcing myself not to go to the fabric shop as I know that can triple my work load, my brain works faster than my ability to sew. So for now I am writing a list of what I need… basically i need about 40 metres of black jersey.
Watch this space for the flood of sewing madness that is about to spill out onto it.


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Your Wedding Photography
International Award Winning Wedding Photograper
It's everything we love about life, what we value about relationships, our children, our family and friends. We imagine you feel the same. Those fleeting moments - the loving glances, tender kisses, shared laughter and joyful tears – the connections between people; this is the foundation of Studio Impressions Photography. It's how we would capture your day. It's the love of witnessing sincere emotions, and perfectly capturing them, creating lasting impressions. Our aim is to tell a story through our lens; understanding what is important to our bride and groom, what is most valued, and reflecting this through our lens.
We want to capture a succession of imagery that kindles emotion through raw intimacy, atmospheric beauty, authentic connection, and above all, love – in its purest form. Our work is not contrived, nor posed; from the first consultation, we develop a strong and genuine connection with each couple – ensuring a sense of ease on the day. We aren't obtrusive or demanding, rather we blend into the celebrations seamlessly – and with our attuned sensitivity to noticing the subtle details, we capture life's precious moments and preserve lasting memories, as they unfold around us. Our work doesn't alter with trends; rather it emanates a classic elegance, unworn by time.
While there is an array of terms used to describe different photography styles, it is hard to summarise exactly what we do and how we capture your day in a single phrase. What we can say is that our photography style is honest, beautiful, natural, timeless and above all, it's directly connected to you, and the people dearest to you. For us, capturing weddings is our art – we pride ourselves on creating tangible recollections of a celebration heightened by love, emotions and meaningful connections. We know how special this day is to our couples, and share in your excitement, which is why we put our all into capturing each moment in a way that best reflects you. Relaxed and romantic, our photography lends itself to record the whole story; we shoot the intimate and memorable moments and create lasting impressions for each couple we work with. Our signature style allows us to capture the true essence of our couples, and what is most important to them – we are not about staging or contriving moments, rather we encourage couples and their guests to just be themselves, and through our revered documentarian-style, photojournalistic approach, capture every spontaneous, natural and candid moment shared. Of course we don't forget the fundamentals at weddings, such as family portraits, we just simply do them for you in an effortless manner maximising the precious time you have.
We ensure we cover off a number of key shots throughout the day, including pictures with your family, mother, father, siblings and closest friends – catching these genuine connections in a way that is not forced, so that each shot resonates and evokes feelings that can be framed and experienced forever. Our work has also become synonymous with what others have dubbed "weddingscapes". Twenty years ago, Marcus first combined his two loves of photography together, weddings with landscapes. He began placing couples in expansive and dramatic landscapes, playing with the element of scale – creating breathtaking imagery that was akin to works of art. Marcus' unique approach has since changed wedding photography forever. Today, we continue to push the creative boundaries and the art of photography, working in all sorts of environments from the hills of Tuscany to the urban terrain of New York or Brisbane, as we create signature weddingscapes for each of our couples,personally tailored by Marcus.
Because our signature style and approach to wedding photography is so distinct, we find couples that have a love for art and photography naturally gravitate to us – these people are our kindred spirits. Our clients are grounded, and value their relationships with family and friends above anything. The couples we work with are drawn to our deeper observation of what is happening around them, our ability to capture telling moments and hone in on what matters most. They don't wish to pose for their photographs; rather they seek wedding photography that is natural, relaxed and overflowing with genuine beauty. They love, what we love most about photography, and it is their heart-felt words that are a true testament to our work.
We will treasure the pictures of us sharing intimate moments, sneaking a kiss and holding our family members close.
Marcus from Studio Impressions captured all of the magic and emotion in the real moments of our day. He was amazing.
Marcus went over and beyond what was expected of him. The pictures reflected the beauty and the emotion of the day.
Couples are continually feeding back to us what they loved most about our work. One recurring praise we receive, is Marcus' natural ability to make people feel instantly relaxed, calm and completely at ease in front of the camera. This is because Marcus – down to earth and a true romantic – strongly believes who you are as a person, reflects who you are as a photographer. He genuinely cares about his clients, and is passionate about people and their relationships, families and touching moments. Marcus knows just how important it is for his couple's to feel comfortable with him, as this in turn allows him to capture their individual character and spirit – free of nerves or insecurities. Marcus develops strong relationships with every couple he works with, from the initial consultation through to their special day, and works tirelessly to create distinct imagery reflective of who they are and what matters to them most. He loves it, everything about it, as it's his way of giving people a record of their love and their lives to share for generations. On the day, Marcus and his team adopt an unobtrusive approach, blending in and deeply observing what is happening around them, capturing memorable, off-the-cuff moments between the couple and their guests. Marcus with a patience and a watchful eye, holds the strong belief that the best photos come from spontaneous moments you didn't even know were being photographed.
The moment I first fell in love with Marcus Bell was when I opened my inbox to find THESE pretty pictures I actually gasped out loud which I rarely do these days as I spend most of my days looking at beautiful wedding imagery. It's not that I'm desensitized to gorgeousness. Quite the opposite actually (just ask my husband who hears the squeals of wedding glee from
the next room over). It's just that a wedding photograph rarely leaves me speechless.
Marcus always uses his magic touch to capture the mood of the wedding, time and time again.
The incredible talented Marcus Bell captured every moment perfectly. The pictures speak a thousand words.
Studio Impressions captures the hearts and minds of couples across Australia.
The images are pretty much as gorgeous as you can possibly get. With a sense of romance, of mystery, of total passion tucked into each and every one.
One of the biggest names in wedding photography today with more awards than we have room to list here.
One of the top ten wedding photographers in the world
One of the top 10 wedding photographers in the World
To create our collections, we asked real brides and grooms what they wanted most from their photography. Then we designed our premium packages to give you just that – everything you want, adding in a few little things you won't receive from anyone else. Starting from $4000, we've kept things simple and very flexible. If you want more or something different, we can tailor our packages to suit. Most importantly, our photography comes with a guarantee of quality that few can offer. From the first consultation, through to your special day, Marcus and the team at Studio Impressions ensure your every need is met. Marcus' mission is to get to know you, and what matters most to you as a couple. This is done through a series of personalised planning and preparation sessions with Marcus, before your big day. You will also get to have a one on one design session with Marcus, to discuss how you would like your images captured and create your 'signature look'.
On the day, Marcus and his team are attentive, patient and observant; they blend in seamlessly and capture every memorable moment through their lens. To us, it is so much more than taking pretty wedding pictures – it is about telling a story, through our imagery, that overflows with romance and meaning, and captures the very essence of who you are. Then, even before your honeymoon is over, you get to relive every moment, through the series of stills we've captured for you. We hope to meet you to find out more about your wedding. From small services to multi-day wedding events, we'll provide you with beautiful photography in a package that best reflect you. When you have decided that Marcus is the right photographer for you, to secure us for your wedding, a 20% deposit is required. Prior to booking we will send you our full terms and conditions and discuss any additional potential travel costs in detail, so there are never any surprises. We do book out well in advance, so if we are the right photographer for you, please be sure to book as early as possible.


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|Luna - November, 2011
|Legacy on the front cover of Animal Tracks!
I was so happy to receive an email tonight from Emily and Stan (Luna's adoptive family!):
Co-founder, Leech Lake Legacy
My name is Emily. I recently received an email from Carrie from AHS and found out that you and your organization saved our pup Luna and that her brother, your pup Legacy, was on the cover of Animal Tracks!!! My husband Stan and I then did some internet searching on your organization and ended up finding some pictures of Luna and her 12 siblings, as well as blog posts about their rescue. What a cool thing to learn about Luna's history.
We cannot thank you enough for saving our Luna and so, so, so many other animals.
Luna is such an awesome dog - she is so sweet and loves absolutely everything!! She has a dog sister, Roxi, our 5 year old Yellow English Lab. Luna loves being outside and loves to run and sprint or prance after squirrels. We have a fenced in backyard and she could stay out there all day long...even in the winter. It always amazes me that she doesn't get cold out there when it's frigid or blizzarding. Roxi wants to come in right away and Luna is still running around completely unaffected! We went out West several times this winter on ski trips and she was in absolute heaven in the mountains. Luna also just loves the dog parks that we go to frequently. She loves playing and running with the other dogs. The second we enter the fence, she is just gone! She'll run and run and run and finally come back to us. Roxi has always stayed within eyesight of us, if not 10-20 feet away, but not Luna, she's gone, but she'll always come back :)
She also loves toys of all kinds - stuffed animals (that she carries around everywhere), nylabones, balls (that she will play with even by herself), and especially toys that crinkle or that have little squeekers that she can squeek rapidly. When I vacuum and put the toys on a table/couch/chair, she drags them all back down by the time I'm done. It's funny because Roxi was never particularly fond of toys. I bought so many toys to find the type of toy Roxi would like, but she was always like "thanks but no thanks". So it's great that Luna loves them. Now whenever Roxi wants to play with Luna, or visa versa, she grabs a toy and then Luna will steal it from her...Roxi lets her and then they start their 'dog play'...it's so funny. Luna will also tell you that she wants attention or wants to play by bringing you one of her toys and dropping it in your lap as a gift.
In the summer, we spend as much time as we can on the water - swimming and boating - and Luna loves it. Roxi's favorite thing to do is swim and Luna is right there beside her. Roxi likes to float on inflatible floaties and has taught Luna how to as well...everyone thinks it's so funny. Luna is great around all our neices and nephews too. She is so light on her feet...she'll sneak right up on you! I often wake up in the morning to Luna's sweet face about 1/4 of an inch from my face..somehow she manages to not touch her nose to my nose and subliminally wake me up! She'll also often lay her head on your lap...she's so sweet.
I've attached some pictures of Luna!
Also, we were curious about what kind of dog Luna was, so as a little Chistmas present we did a doggy DNA test (just a saliva swab) and found out what type of dog she is. It's kind of fun and nice to know since everyone asks. If you're interested, I've attached the details.
Thanks so so so much for all that you do!!
Emily & Stan
|Luna and her sister Roxi


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Until the 1980s, using a computer program meant memorizing a lot of commands and typing them in a line at a time, only to get lines of text back. The graphical user interface, or GUI, changed that. By representing programs, program functions, and data as two-dimensional images — like icons, buttons and windows — the GUI made intuitive and spatial what had been memory intensive and laborious.
But while the GUI made things easier for computer users, it didn't make them any easier for computer programmers. Underlying GUI components is a lot of computer code, and usually, building or customizing a program, or getting different programs to work together, still means manipulating that code. Researchers in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab hope to change that, with a system that allows people to write programs using screen shots of GUIs. Ultimately, the system could allow casual computer users to create their own programs without having to master a programming language.
The system, designed by associate professor Rob Miller, grad student Tsung-Hsiang Chang, and the University of Maryland's Tom Yeh, is called Sikuli, which means "God's eye" in the language of Mexico's Huichol Indians. In a paper that won the best-student-paper award at the Association for Computing Machinery's User Interface Software and Technology conference last year, the researchers showed how Sikuli could aid in the construction of "scripts," short programs that combine or extend the functionality of other programs. Using the system requires some familiarity with the common scripting language Python. But it requires no knowledge of the code underlying the programs whose functionality is being combined or extended. When the programmer wants to invoke the functionality of one of those programs, she simply draws a box around the associated GUI, clicks the mouse to capture a screen shot, and inserts the screen shot directly into a line of Python code.
Suppose, for instance, that a Python programmer wants to write a script that automatically sends a message to her cell phone when the bus she takes to work rounds a particular corner. If the transportation authority maintains a web site that depicts the bus's progress as a moving pin on a Google map, the programmer can specify that the message should be sent when the pin enters a particular map region. Instead of using arcane terminology to describe the pin, or specifying the geographical coordinates of the map region's boundaries, the programmer can simply plug screen shots into the script: when this (the pin) gets here (the corner), send me a text.
"When I saw that, I thought, 'Oh my God, you can do that?'" says Allen Cypher, a researcher at IBM's Almaden Research Center who specializes in human-computer interactions. "I certainly never thought that you could do anything like that. Not only do they do it; they do it well. It's already practical. I want to use it right away to do things I couldn't do before."
In the same paper, the researchers also presented a Sikuli application aimed at a broader audience. A computer user hoping to learn how to use an obscure feature of a computer program could use a screen shot of a GUI — say, the button that depicts a lasso in Adobe Photoshop — to search for related content on the web. In an experiment that allowed people to use the system over the web, the researchers found that the visual approach cut in half the time it took for users to find useful content.
In the same way that a programmer using Sikuli doesn't need to know anything about the code underlying a GUI, Sikuli doesn't know anything about it, either. Instead, it uses computer vision algorithms to analyze what's happening on-screen. "It's a software agent that looks at the screen the way humans do," Miller says. That means that without any additional modification, Sikuli can work with any program that has a graphical interface. It doesn't have to translate between different file formats or computer languages because, like a human, it's just looking at pixels on the screen.
In a new paper to be presented this spring at CHI, the premier conference on human-computer interactions, the researchers describe a new application of Sikuli, aimed at programmers working on large software development projects. On such projects, new code accumulates every day, and any line of it could cause a previously developed GUI to function improperly. Ideally, after a day's work, testers would run through the entire application, clicking virtual buttons and making sure that the right windows or icons still pop up. Since that would be prohibitively time consuming, however, broken GUIs may not be detected until the application has begun the long and costly process of quality assurance testing.
The new Sikuli application, however, lets programmers create scripts that automatically test an application's GUI components. Visually specifying both the GUI and the window it's supposed to pull up makes writing the scripts much easier; and once written, they can be run every night without further modification.
But the new application has an added feature that's particularly heartening to non-programmers. Like its predecessors, it allows users to write their scripts — in this case, GUI tests — in Python. But of course, writing scripts in Python still requires some knowledge of Python — at the very least, an understanding of how to use commands like "dragDrop" or "assertNotExist," which describe how the GUI components should be handled.
The new application gives programmers the alternative of simply recording the series of keystrokes and mouse clicks that define the test procedure. For instance, instead of typing a line of code that includes the command "dragDrop," the programmer can simply record the act of dragging a file. The system automatically generates the corresponding Python code, which will include a cropped screen shot of the sample file; but if she chooses, the programmer can reuse the code while plugging in screen shots of other GUIs. And that points toward a future version of Sikuli that would require knowledge neither of the code underlying particular applications nor of a scripting language like Python, giving ordinary computer users the ability to intuitively create programs that mediate between other applications.
January 20, 2010
AutoHotkey supports image recognition and macro recording. I don't see much here that is new. The bus proximity and lasso search examples are both great ideas, but could each be easily implemented using either AutoHotkey or AutoIt.
I'm just a user, not associated with AutoHotkey.
January 21, 2010
It's a good new way coding. Keep going!
Sargis Dallakyan
January 31, 2010
This is terrific news! I've been waiting for this for a long time. I just checked AutoHotkey and besides being for Windows only, you need to tell AutoHotkey what buttons to press pragmatically so you can't do picture-driven computing like Sikuli does. This is definitely a Breakthrough!
George Macfleur
January 31, 2010
I like hotkey, but screen size shape, and hiddenness is often a problem. The promise of a screenshot process is that as long as the identification is unique (maybe relative placement is also used)it finds the correct image on the screen to click on. I am trying it out for the first time today, with hope and caution.
Robert McIntyre
January 31, 2010
This is the future of computer programming -- it doesn't make sense to describe complex non-linguistic problems with gibbering stacks of text; sometimes another modality really is best. I'm so glad people are finally thinking about this stuff.
Frederick Lüthcke
February 2, 2010
Fully developed, this application has the potential to a breakthrough of great magnitude, such as the GUI.
This application is to the GUI, what the GUI was to an ordinary command line!
Chad Russell
March 10, 2010
Excellent work! I love it when people post "nothing new here, I've seen all this before". That's a sure sign that you're on to something!
Depinder Bharti
March 9, 2011
Its high time we develop such a Programming interface which is easy for anyone to understand and program in it.
Take an Example earlier we used to write code to create a button now many languages IDE support to drag and drop to create a button along with backend code. Like that we need to drag n drop pre created logics to make programming easy and fast.
Well this news.. so called Picture driven Computing is very exciting and cool. Keep up the good work.
April 5, 2011
Sikuli sounds amazing. The fact that it impressed a researcher at IBM is pretty cool.
I can't wait to get my hands on this!


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Calland Metts and Sarah Lawrence decided to make Duluth their home after performing with Colder by the Lake in the smash hit, Les Uncomfortables in 2001. They had been living in Chicago, where Cal was singing with regional opera companies and symphonies as well as with the Lyric Opera of Chicago's chorus, and Sarah was beginning a professional singing career with regional companies, as well.
Since moving to Duluth, they have continued to perform with theatres, opera companies and symphonies around the U.S. Sarah also spent several years on the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera playing the role of Christine.
When Ruth Jacobson founded Lyric Opera of the North, she hired Sarah and Cal to sing the roles of Pamina and Papageno in The Magic Flute. Since then they have appeared with the company in other roles, and after Ruth's death in winter of 2010, Cal and Sarah were asked to share the role of General Artistic Director for LOON.
Local audiences may have seen Sarah & Cal in last summer's The Pirates of Penzance at the Bayfront Tall Ships Festival, or maybe Cal tap-dancing as Billy Flynn in the Playhouse's production of Chicago. They've also been seen locally in other Colder by the Lake shows, as soloists with the DSSO, and in Playhouse productions of The Secret Garden and My Fair Lady. For more information about Sarah, please visit sarahelawrence.com.


text: Professor Philip Taylor has secured the Brooke Astor International Travel Fellowship for New York City Teachers. A generous gift from the Astor Estate to NYU Steinhardt has resulted in public school teachers studying special education in Argentina (2015) and science education in China (2014). Next summer, the third year of the Fellowship, 10-12 public school teachers will experience "Arts Education Downunder." The program will be based at NYU's Sydney campus with a site visit to Melbourne. All principal expenses are covered by the award. The Astor Fellows need to have three years of full time teaching experience and be committed to global education. Keep watching this space for application details, but in the meantime do read more about this glorious gift.


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Feasibility Studies / Consulting
Prior to the beginning of a comprehensive IT project, minimizing the risk and evaluating the achievability of the aims at target is required. The expected budget and time requirements must safely be estimated in order to obtain important criteria for project decisions and avoid misjudgements. This work is unquestionably conducted in an impartial and loyal manner.
It is both the objective and the result, to recommend the customer the optimum solution path, taking into account all criteria and opportunities. Unicontrol analyses the technological feasibility, examines and evaluates different solution approaches and paths, determines time, resources and budget demand, creates risk assessments and issues recommendations to minimize risks.
Many years of experience and the methods used enable us to draw up sustainable scenarios and to prepare realistic project plans as well as expenditure and cost estimates.
Based on reliable feasibility studies, we significantly contribute to well-founded project decision, realistic project terms of reference and project plans and ensure, at the same time, important criteria for the economic project evaluation.
Experienced staff and the expertise in the field of feasibility studies ensure the success of your projects.


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The news story below hit a chord with me not only on a personal teacher level, but also as a consultant having worked in schools where not only one person lesson was judged inadequate, but the whole school. When schools are judged to be inadequate this same reaction holds true for the teacher in questions, the teachers as a whole, the auxiliary staff, the parents and the community.
The demotivating effect was instantaneous. I was so upset that I couldn't go back into the classroom that afternoon. Instead, I went home and proceeded to do absolutely zero planning for the next day. For the rest of the week, my teaching was somewhat lacklustre because I was so wrung out by the distress of the observation. I felt ashamed of myself and unworthy of the responsibility of teaching a class of children. I started to feel overwhelmed by the possibility that I might be letting my students down. By the weekend, I was experiencing symptoms of anxiety.
This teacher was lucky as was I when a very similar incident happened to me. Thankfully a headteacher who knows the staff and school can make much better judgements.
At the time of my incident not only was I marked down by the lesson observer but was told to take a leaf out of one of my colleagues books. I was in disbelief, did he really mean the same colleague who before this planned pre-OFSTED observation had not planned but got myself and the head of department to do it for him, had the worst results of all of us and had the least respect of the students?
As you can imagine I did the same withdrew and wondered what to do, after a four page A4 handwritten letter to the headteacher and a subsequent interview I began to feel better, but all the time could not believe the system had let me and the school down so badly.
I keep reminding myself that, at the end of the day, I'm only in my second year of teaching. I will make mistakes in the classroom, miss things I should have picked up on and pitch the odd activity wrongly. But as long as my students are learning what they need to (and they are), my classroom is safe (and it is), and I am providing appropriate interventions for those children whose progress is less than ideal (which I am), then I know that I am doing my job – and doing it very well. Secret Teacher, Guardian
In my case I kept going for the students as for me that was why I was there, I believed in them and though sometimes I did things that were different (being the first female in the school teaching DT Resistant materials I had to sometimes), it was always about getting the best from my youngsters.
At the end of the year I was vindicated as my classes results were the best in the LA. To this day I have had no apology like the data protection act – everyone stood behind – it was what he saw in that 30 minute lesson! My classes results were also a shock in the wider area as we had many selective schools within our group, this gave me back my confidence.
Hence when this happened again a second time, as before I had been observed by an external assessor as excellent then the next lesson observation made (by a consultant) was equally as negative as the first about all aspects of the lesson, I could have been left thinking I was useless. What was equally interesting was the same lesson was observed weeks later by another teacher who didn't change anything and they received a 1. I realised the one thing that both the teachers who did really well had, that I didn't, (and still don't) is the gift of the gab. It was therefore at this point that I decided it was not worth worrying about as I knew my classes results were always the best, or in the top and that was my job.
Later on my confidence and experiences meant that I looked past lesson observation and looked for other things like genuine planning, understanding of curriculum areas, the rapport of the children and the work achieved to date, as well as observing over a period of time what is really happening in classrooms. In my consultants role to schools in Special Measures, serious weaknesses or needing improvement, I was always sad when the LA did not support the head, but used them as a scapegoat by sacking them. In my view this created even more confusion for everyone involved, it lowered the self-esteem of the whole building and anyone associated with it. It was like a fog over the whole area of the town.
Maybe this story will make people realise that one just one observation can crush the very people we want to inspire and be role models to our learners, our parents and our communities. Using just one lesson observation as a yardstick for everything else is very dangerous. Having targets and expectations are great, but remember when writing or delivering any policy at the end of it there is a child or teacher doing their utmost.
As I go around schools now delivering EAL support I am very concerned that the new guidelines by OFSTED (September update) means that most schools will naturally fall by one grade due to the criteria. Where will it leave them?
These schools are doing the same as they always did, but suddenly they will find as it unravels that they are not at the top or are very close to needing some intervention. The only reason being because the criteria has changed, surely this isn't a good enough reason to put more lives at risk of feeling inadequate, and all those mental health problem that then start feed into this system i.e. people with stress related illnesses, children self harming etc.
Only last week I was out with a group of people (supporting the national issue Time to change, Time to Talk). I began talking to one person who was at the time on their way to an appointment to their child's school, they had been told their child will be excluded because they do not do failure. I was really surprised and ask for more detail but was then horrified that the school knew the child was self harming but their 99% pass rate was more important than the child just in case they had an OFSTED visit. Surely this is all the wrong way around, we have a duty to our children so lets start doing it.
What do you think?


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Sometimes, working in a big international organization you have to perform a certain kind of work which will involve collaborating with various customers, vendors, and clients. This will definitely involve sharing your site and documents. In such a case, you will have to use features for external sharing. SharePoint Online has great features for sharing your documents and site with people outside your organization. Sharing is possible even for people who do not have subscriptions for Microsoft Office 365.
There are three efficient ways to accomplish this task:
• Your entire site can be shared by sending the invitations to external users. They will be requested to sign in to your site using the account on Microsoft.
• Your individual documents and files can be shared by sending the invitations to external users. They will be requested to sign in to your site using the account on Microsoft.
• It is also possible to send external users a so-called guest link. Following this link they wll be able to view your shared documents on the site in an anonymous way.
It is important to mention that only a single person can log in to access yur document/site with the help of sent invitation. The person whom you sent your invitation may forward it to other people who may log in to Microsoft account using their data. That is why it is desirable to enable such external sharing. The best what you can do is to set the permissions before you start sharing your documents/sites.


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Author: Sarah Lamb
I'm a gadget lover who worked as a software engineer for 10 years and has since worked at Microsoft and a couple of startups. I now work at digi.me as their influencer and partner manager. I run a community network called Girl Geek Dinners to support women in tech during my spare time (not that there is as much of that as there used to be as I have two toddlers to look after as well).


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I'm sorry but this is going to be really short and to the point. I did not enjoy this show at all. I found the first three episodes to be boring, incredibly predictable, and completely lacking in compelling story telling. Judging by the ratings, none of you really like this show either.
All I kept thinking the whole time I was watching was "why is all of this happening in King Henry's palace" and "boy I really miss The Tutors!!!"
Needless to say, I won't be reviewing the Borgias because I won't be watching it anymore. I am terribly disappointed because I love historical fiction and I thought from the previews that this show had a lot of promise. Well I am going to check out Game of Thrones and Camelot instead. Maybe they'll be better.