text:
– Koki and Junno being themselves.
– Nakamaru stealing Ueda's song.
– Kame liking strawberry pants and randomly singing about them.
– Jin being popular with the others, to the point Junno wants to marry him.
– KAT-TUN praising each other's voices
– Jin talking about food.
– Ueda being random, as always.
Your 4th album "Break the Records -by you & for you-" has been released. Including the four singles, there are 16 songs, and it turned out a work full of speed and groovy feeling. Especially, the members' solo songs give out their personality, but what have you felt listening to each of them?
-T: I still haven't heard them a bit!
T-: Speaking of the whole album, I've heard it just now.
Akanishi-san's solo "care", since it's a song he's sang before the debut, all of the other members has listened to it before, right?
-T: It's quite a long ago, that one. If I remember right…was it the one you sang holding your guitar?
A: *Nods*
N: Eh? Eh? Eh? That one that one!
K: If I remember right, didn't you change the title in the middle of a tour MC?
A: Right. At first, I named it suitably "I know", but along the way I thought that something was off, and I changed it to "care".
-T: Even though it was "I know", actually you didn't understand anything (lol).
Did you just say "I change it" during the MC?
A: I think….., yeah.
N: What an original idea.
-T: Then, this time, did you change the lyrics?
A: Just in the D melody, I changed them.
-T: My impression of him singing it holding the guitar is really strong, but I don't even remember what kind of song it is. Because, you know, that one was really a long time ago. And also, when the others sing their solos, we are in the back of the stage, we can't see them!
T-: I watch also the other solos, everyday, from the wings.
Among the fans, it seems it's called "The legendary title", there are also a lot of comments that say "It makes me feel better".
A: Is that so?
N: Then, you did good changing it into "care"!
As for Ueda-san, how did you think you wanted your solo to turn out?
U: I, regarding the solos, I've heard before only Nakamaru's. Or better, Nakamaru's solo was the song I originally wanted to sing. Before, it was listed among the candidate songs, and I said "Since eventually I'll do this one, consider it taken.", and then, at some stage, it has become Nakamaru's solo (lol).
N: No, I-I said "If Ueda wants to do it, I'm fine with another song".
So it started like that, and in the end, you decided to write the lyrics to a song you composed before?
U: That's right.
T-: It has a really cheerful feeling, hasn't it. Since your previous solo had a calm feeling, I think this one has a totally different image from that.
-T: As for my solo, it was listed before in the candidates for my previous solos. Then, this time I do a song that I left out that time……So, it should mean that I changed from the end of last year.
T-: You shout threatening "Whoooo"♪. I thought it will be funny if the whole audience at the live will shout together "Whoooo"♪.
Nakamaru-san's song is really catchy. Considering what Ueda-san has said just now, it was a popular song, wasn't it?
N: That's right.
Is there anything you watched out for when singing it?
N: When I listened to the demo, it was really good. And so, when it came the time I had to sing it in practice, I thought that it would have been good if it'd turn out similar to the demo.
T-: My "WIND", since at the beginning it starts with an intro of a quiet piano, it seems like, there, it changes the flow of the album all at once. That's why, instead of listening only to one song, I'd like you to listen properly to the album consecutively. In the whole, it gives the feeling it stands out in a good way.
-T: Stand out you say, in your case, it's show-off badly (lol).
T-: At least say Individuality. Come on? Let's be positive (lol).
What about Kamenashi-san's solo?
K: At first, since I wanted to do a medium ballad, among the demos I kept "On My Mind". But that became one of the coupling songs for "ONE DROP"….. If that's the case, I thought that I should go with a song that gives priority to the live performance. Since we started to choose the songs, in three days they were all already decided. Like an intensive short-term course. Actually, I wanted to have more fun with the sound effects, but since I didn't have much time, I think I will try out those things in the live.
T-: When I first saw the title, I wondered what kind of meaning does it have, you know.
K: Ichigo Pants (Strawberry pants)!
T-: Eh? Really?
K: Yeah. Ichi-Go-Pan-Tsu (1-5-8-2).
N: Does that even have a meaning?
K: It's beacause I love strawberry pants (lol).
-T: Is it that kind of song?
T-: For real?
K: Yeah. *At the notes of "Kurarinetto o kowashichatta"*(1) "Boku no daisuki na pantsu wa ichigo~♪" (lol). (My beloved pants are the strawberry ones)
Real facts aside (lol), this album, it shows clearly the image of the live. The pattern of releasing an album and then doing a live is the same as last year…..
-T: This year, the live comes with the album, or better, we made an album for the sake of the live, it's something like that. Anyway, it has the feeling is was based on the live. But, we were brought up with lives since a long ago. And so, it's certain that a live like this one, it's easy to be done.
K: For example, it's the same when we pick a coupling song. Usually, we don't sing the couplings in TV, but when we show it at a live, the distance between us and the audience squeezes. There is a strong sense of closeness, of unity. And so, for us, speaking of music activities, releasing an album it's not the maximum peak. We think a lot about how we can show and let the things we come up with there be heard in the live. Recording and releasing albums and singles, these KAT-TUN's music activities find their realizations in the lives.
T-: Simply, in order to enjoy the live, it's absolutely a must to give an album to listen to. This album has 6 new songs, and you're not familiar with hearing each of them, and, well, so…listening only to the new songs might give a heavy feeling, but I think it's good that it gives out gaudiness, since we included the singles.
Well then, use this moment to praise each other, I'd like you to make comments on each of your vocals. Just now, reading the speech Tanaka-san has written in his j-web, I was moved…
-T: Eh, what did I write again?
Messages to all of the members, like "I love how Kame does his best".
-T: *Embarassed* Aaaah.
Everyone, haven't you read it?
All: We haven't.
A: AH! I haven't written my entry on the j-web! *As he says this, he slowly picks up his mobile and starts to write something*
N: Ah? Ah (lol).
-T: Too late, in any case, the update will end up being tomorrow.
K: *Suddenly* I like Nakamaru's voice! Somehow, it has a delicate feeling.
T-: Ah? Indeed. Nakamaru-kun, it seems like he understands his own voice. Everytime, he matches properly his voice with the song. He has also low tones. Speaking of low tones, he's the number one in KAT-TUN.
-T: How can his speaking voice and his singing voice be so different, it's a mistery (lol).
And speaking about Ueda-san, how is it?
N: As for Ueda, with his voice it's the same, you see, doesn't he write himself his songs and lyrics? He has his own personal world.
-T: I think he has good sense. Regardless if it's good or bad (lol), he has sense.
And Tanaka-san?
N: Of course, I think no one but him can do KAT-TUN's rap.
-T: If you say that, then I think that no one but Nakamaru can do Beat-box (lol).
T-: As expected, very manly.
N: Like, it seems like a gun (lol).
U: Koki, since he has passion, I think he's fine with the offensive aura. And motorbikes suit him.
-T: Bikes? It has nothing to do with singing (lol).
How are Taguchi-san's vocals?
T-: Well, me too, as a musician, even though I'm an idol, but, being in a position where I'm able to release songs, makes me happy. That being the case, I'll try to make use of this valuable opportunity.
How about Akanishi-san?
K: Akanishi, you know, recently he sings more softly.
A: *Looking at Kamenashi who is by his side, after making a slightly surprised face, he nods*
K: You see, I've been told at the recording from the director. "Since Jin is singing a bit weakly, could you please sing a bit weakly too, Kame?"
-T: But when Akanishi sings, as always, it adds depth to the song.
N: He thinks over and over, let's make this song good, let's make this song good, he's great at that.
In Tanaka-san's j-web I was talking about before, he wrote in english about the episode when you sang "Garasu no Shounen" together, and he said that, regarding music, he always trusts you.
A: Ah? "Garasu no Shounen", we sang it, didn't we? At the karaoke.
-T: *Laughs in embarassement*
Ehm, I think you should all read Tanaka-san's j-web, really (lol). Well then, lastly, about Kamenashi-san.
T-: As always, his voice is high, isn't it. From low-tone-Nakamaru-kun to high-tone-Kame, I think KAT-TUN's vocal range is really wide.
Was it high from the start?
K: It's not high. Moreover, in the past I was really tone-deaf, you know.
N: Weren't you called "Mosquiton Boy"?
T-: But now that you've become adult, didn't you start to like calm songs? At the karaoke, you sing ballads, don't you.
K: It's not like that! It's just that, when there are a lot of lively songs, I choose on purpose that kind of songs. What about Taguchi? When we went to the karaoke before, even though you choose our own songs, you ask "Excuse me, I'll go one key lower!" (lol).
T-: At the closing of dramas, before, I ended up singing things like "Real Face" or "Yorokobi no Uta". Since I have a predisposition of being AD (lol).
U: At the closing of dramas, do you usually go at the karaoke?
K: Karaoke is common. Ueda too, you better start memorizing SMAP-san's songs now. *For the closing of "Konkatsu!"*
U: That's right. With the dance steps (lol).
Lastly, how does this live seem to turn out?
K: Actually, we ourselves, until we try doing the real thing, we don't know how it will be. But, I think that is where the fun is. Since we've been conferred with a great "seed", that being the rare opportunity of performing 8 consecutive days at Tokyo Dome, we will properly expose that seed to the sun, give it water, and I'd like to make bloom a flower that will amaze everyone!
KAT-TUN, with the debut single "Real Face", has achieved the million record. What kind of memories do you have regarding that?
T-: For me, the lyrics "Giri giri" left a great impression.
U: The lyrics were by Suga Shikao-san and the music by Matsumoto Takahiro-san, I thought we were offered a masterpiece by great arrtists, at first that startled me.
N: When our debut was decided, we were right in the middle of a play, right.
K: Ah, Doribo. ("DREAM BOYS")
T-: Suddenly, they took us to the recording, and on the last day of the play, we had a conference.
K: Suddenly a crowd of important people surrounded us, saying good luck, good luck, good luck (lol).
As for Akanishi-san, do you have any memories of the "Real Face" period?
A: I really don't remember.
-T: Well, you see, since we had already done recordings before that. With the debut, our surroundings suddenly changed, but the things we were doing themselves didn't change that much. And so, I didn't really realize, until the music video. Going all the way to Ibaraki, shooting for 2 whole days. With that, I thought "Ah, we are really releasing a CD".
K: Of course, we are happy we're keeping the first places, but from now on too, I want us to Break The Record by ourselves.
Solo Interviews
Kamenashi Kazuya
Q1. Are you thinking of what kind of hairstyle you want to have for the next concert?
For now, I think I want it to grow. Ah, but that depends on work, you know. Because I have to check that time and the work I'll have in the future.
Q2. I've heard that Kame-chan's solo this year has the image of "Tradition"(2). For Kame-chan, when saying "Tradition", what is the very first thing that comes to your mind?
Kimono. The kimonos both men and women can wear.
Q3. What is the most important thing you want to tell to the KAT-TUN fans with your music?
You might think I give great importance to the performance, but actually there are ballads, there are a lot of romantic lyrics, each and every song has its own different direction. Freely, but I'd like everyone to face some or another. From my part, I don't want to force what I want to tell on others.
Q4. Apart from your own solo, what is your favourite song in the album?
"Shunkashuutou". I like the lyrics' view of the world.
Q5. Have you ever thought of trying a new genre in the future? Or an instrument you want to try out.
I want to try a lively song. Something like a foolish song.
Q6. If KAT-TUN was to go out altogether, where would you go?
Uhm, if I should say something, maybe staying leisurely at the onsen.
Q7. Are you strenghtening your body to face the Tokyo Dome live?
I plan to. Petit Diet.
Q8. What do you do just before the concert starts?
Shower! It's a must! Absolutely!
Akanishi Jin
Q1. Have you ever cooked something other than pasta?
Let's see….Yakisoba. I cook things like that.
Q2. I think you go often abroad but, is there a dish you found particularly delicious?
A potato dish I ate in Spain. You only put Ali Oli sauce on the potatoes, but it was simply good.
Q3. You seem to listen a lot to Western music but, who are the artists or songs you would recommend?
Recently, I listen a lot to a song called "Knock you down". It's a collaboration between Neyo, Kanye West and Keri Hilson. The music video is cool too.
Q4. If you were put together in a unit with someone inside KAT-TUN, who would it be?
I don't want to (lol). It's either six or one.
Q5. Have you ever thought of trying a new genre in the future?
Something like HIP-HOP, since I've never done it, I'd like to try.
Q6. Please tell me a way to enjoy more the concerts!
I want you to enjoy it freely in your own favourite way. Because, when I see girls that dance unfazed by the fact that we are so close, I think it's great and I feel good. Then, if you come having listened to the album! You can enjoy it!
Q7. What do you do just before the concert starts?
*Laying his body on the sofa* Like this. Leisurely, eating or drinking something.
Taguchi Junnosuke
Q1. What Cosplay you want to do?
Something like a cool doctor. I think it will be good to act as a doctor in an afternoon drama.
Q2. Is there a record you want to make in the future?
Since records are things that the people surrounding us seem to make for us, I can't think of any record I want us to make. As for a record in a different meaning, since usually the 6 of us never go to eat out together, someday I want to break the record and go eat yakiniku with the others (lol).
Q3. When you first heard you were going to do concerts at Tokyo Dome for a week, what did you think?
"Seriously?". More than being surprised, I was completely speechless. After 5 seconds, it dawned on me. Like, I'm taking a run towards the Dome.
Q4. Please tell me a way to enjoy more the concerts!
I think that it's okay that way.
Q5. Are you strenghtening your body to face the Tokyo Dome live?
Usually I don't do it much, but since this time I want to do my best in the preparations, I think I'll do jogging and vocal training.
Q6. If you were to become married to someone in KAT-TUN just for one day, who would you want it to be? On the other hand, who you wouldn't ever want it to be?
If it was Akanishi-kun, I have the feeling I can bear it if it's just one day (lol).
Q7. What is the greatest pride of your life?
I'm one of KAT-TUN, you know.
Tanaka Koki
Q1. Is there anything you want to challenge in the future?
Jet skiing. Because I've done it in America, but never in Japan. I also want to get the licence.
Q2. How come you're so handsome?
I think because I was born like that (lol).
Q3. If you were put together in a unit with someone inside KAT-TUN, who would it be?
If it was Akanishi we could do something like R&B and Rap, if it was Ueda Rock, if it was with Nakamaru it will be Rap and Beat-box, no matter who it is, I have confidence I can adapt to the other one.
Q4. What is the most important thing you want to tell to the KAT-TUN fans with your music?
I think, our challenging trait.
Q5. Are you strenghtening your body to face the Tokyo Dome live?
I don't do anything at all, I have never. Since during the live I'm full with stamina, I can do it till the end.
Q6. What do you all do just before the concert starts?
I listen to music and swing my head. That's why, when I step on stage, it seems like I feel dizzy (lol).
Q7. If you were to become married to someone in KAT-TUN just for one day, who would you want it to be? On the other hand, who you wouldn't ever want it to be?
It would be impossible with anyone, but since he's a good guy, maybe Kame. It seems he will do a lot of things for me. The one I don't want, Taguchi. He seems a bother, doesnt' he (lol).
Q8. What is the greatest pride of your life?
More than a pride, it's an aim: to live like a rock.
Ueda Tatsuya
Q1. Are you getting along with the other actors of the drama?
Yes. (Are you the one starting the conversation?) That's right. But also the others are starting the conversations.
Q2. This is the first time you appear in a drama, what is the most difficult thing in filming?
Since it was right after finishing the play, it's difficult to switch from acting in a play to acting in a drama. For example, in a play you have to express the emotions through the body. But, in a drama, since there are mics, there's no need of over-reactions. That, the difference in the ways of acting is really big. I'm not really getting used to it.
Q3. What did you do last night?
Boxing practice. I went to the gym for about two hours.
Q4. If you were to write lyrics for one of the other members, who would you write for and what kind of lyrics would they be?
Maybe Akanishi. If he asks me, I'll write for him. (What kind of lyrics?) I'll stay faithful to the image Akanishi asked for.
Q5. Apart from your own solo, what is your favourite song in the new album?
"Shunkashuutou". I like the lyrics.
Q6. What do you do just before the concert starts?
Sinew training, stretching. I move the body quite seriously.
Q7. If you were able to be reborn for one day only?
*Immediate answer* Dolphin!
Q8. What is the greatest pride of your life?
Entering Johnny's. If I didn't, I wouldn't be doing this now.
Nakamaru Yuichi
Q1. Does you mouth ever hurt when you do Beat-box?
When I overdo the practice it does hurt, but more than the mouth, my jaw and my throat start hurting right away. But, since I use my facial muscles, with a lift up I can do as expected.
Q2. If you will be able to bunjee-jump till the end (he's rumored to have to do bunjee at the live), what have you decided now to give yourself as a reward?
It's okay, since I think I won't jump (lol). But if I have to jump for the sake of the audience, I think I want to try as hard as possible.
Q3. It seems you've been to Okinawa with Masuda-kun, how was it?
We ate Okinawa's cuisine and we were refreshed. With Massu, we've also been together in the drama, but we entered in the same period and we've been occasionally going out shopping from the start, and so we are relaxed. That's why, when we're the two of us, I'm really at ease.
Q4. Apart from your own solo, what is your favourite song in the new album?
"Shunkashuutou". I like the melody.
Q5. If you were put together in a unit with someone inside KAT-TUN, who would it be and what kind of song would you want to have?
Whoever I did it with, it seems fun but, if I have to say which I prefer, maybe a Rap with Akanishi.
Q6. When you first heard you were going to do concerts at Tokyo Dome for a week, what did you think?
I was shaking with happiness.
Q7. What do you all do just before the concert starts?
About 30 minutes before the show, I have a consistent meal and then take a shower.
Q8. What is the greatest pride of your life?
Knowing Johnny-san. It's quite a pride (lol).
Comments on the Solos
Tanaka Koki – Solo Song: PIERROT
The song theme is simply "I'm not a pierrot!", I sang about my own rebellious spirit. It's my usual short-tempered lyrics (lol). I think that since I'm short-tempered I'm able to sing Rock. Because, you know, I, if some guy bumps into me while walking, I can make a song just with that. Since I think I don't want to ever lose that rebellious spirit of mine, for that reason, I say things straight, without thinking strangely in my head. That's why I don't use any trick and I don't lie. I'm a guy who's reaally easy to understand.
Taguchi Junnosuke – Solo Song: WIND
Regarding the lyrics, since it's the first time I write, it's like it expresses, just as they are, the things I'm thinking at the moment. I think it will be good if everyone that listens to it will feel it as their own cheering song. With the arrangement of the Jazz pianist Ozone Makoto-san, the song was completed as a perfect Jazz. I met Ozone-san when Tokito Saburo-san, that acted with me in "Hanayome to Papa", introduced him to me, and since I've always thought that someday I'd like him to play for me, I'm happy we could work together this time.
Akanishi Jin – Solo Song: care
I've sang it just one time during a live before the debut, and I've always wanted to include it as my solo in an album someday. The fact that the time was this one, it's not like it has a particular meaning or something, it just happened. By the way, I was the one writing the lyrics. Now I use the computer, but at that time I wrote it using pen and paper. If I remember correctly, it was like that. The recording, well, it was the usual tension. Since I changed only the D melody, there, adapting it to the song, the lyrics are changed too.
Ueda Tatsuya – Solo Song: Hana no Mau Machi
Regarding this solo, I wanted it to give out a gentle, refreshing feeling. Then, by chance, I had a melody I composed six months ago, and it was recorded as part of the album… Then, later I attached the lyrics to that melody. This song "Hana no Mau Machi", since I recorded it right in the middle of the play "Romeo and Juliet", I had lost my voice and my pollinosis was awful, I had disastrous parts and it was very very hard.
Kamenashi Kazuya – Solo Song: 1582
Actually, what makes the songs in this album grow, is only the live. I think it will be good if all the members could get as fast as possible into live-mode. As for the solo, regarding my own songs, I like the simplicity. This time, since I told what kind of image I wanted my song to have, I was given some demos, and when I listened to "1582" I had the feeling "I'll do this one!". It's a really easy song to sing, but as for the show in the live, I want it to be quite a flashy one.
Nakamaru Yuichi – Solo Song: WHITE WORLD
I chose this song because I wanted to sing a medium tempo that you could calm down listening to. At first I was given the written lyrics, and I thought of adding something of my own to that but, when I saw the completion, it was too perfect and I didn't fiddle at all. The lyrics were good the way they were, I especially like the part "My feelings towards you, who quietly taught me the meaning of life". This means that they were able to find a reason to live thanks to the other person. I sang considering that there are also these emotions.
(*) Notes:
(1) "Kurarinetto o kowashichatta" is a japanese nursery ryhme. KAT-TUN has sang it before, in Okyakusama wa "Kamisamaa".
(2) The kanji is "和", wa, which means everything that is Japanese, in this case I translated it as "Tradition". The kanji can be read also as "Kazu", it's the first character of Kazuya.
credits to nyctea62442


text:
Australia has fallen from the top spot for British expats abroad to seventh place globally with China, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore now taking the top places, the latest quality of life index shows.
It is a change in the profile of the average expat that has seen Asian countries climb the annual quality of life index compiled by NatWest International. It is the first time that Australia has been outside the top three since the index began eight years ago.
In addition to Singapore climbing four places to claim the top spot, China has risen to third place from fifth and Hong Kong has risen to fifth place from eighth.
The report says that it is no coincidence that there has been a 34% increase in the number of temporary expats working in China and Singapore and a 29% increase in those living in Hong Kong.
By comparison, over the same period, temporary expats living in the United States have fallen by 17%. This has impacted the ranking for similar countries outside Asia also, such as the UAE which rose to second place and also saw a 34% increase in temporary workers.
The report suggests that the shift in temporary expats' destination is largely due to the growing demand for British professional skills in a number of prominent Asian and Arabic countries, following rapid economic growth and a greatly improved standard of living.
The vast majority of expats in Asia, for instance, experienced an increase in disposable income after relocating, particularly in Singapore at 83%, Hong Kong at 78% and China at 72%.
This in stark contrast to European countries included in the index, which indicated that around a quarter of all expats now felt nervous or anxious about their economic situation, most notably 22% in Portugal, 26% in Spain and 28% in France.
As well as Australia, the US, France and Spain, all once very popular with British expats, have all fallen down the rankings. The US, in fifth place in 2012 is now ranked ninth while France has fallen from fourth in 2009, 2010 and 2011 to eleventh. Spain is now 12th, down from seventh in 2008 to 2011.
Looking ahead, the study indicates that the average profile of an expat will continue to shift in the coming years. Currently just over half of all British expats, 54%, are working on temporary assignments abroad but six years ago this percentage was just 11 and this is likely to shift further as working overseas becomes more expected in the UK's working culture.
Other trends are also likely to continue due to the changing expat culture. Younger people, for instance, are already significantly more likely to live abroad than they were in the past, with those aged 25 to 35 making up 27% of all expats compared to 16% in 2011.
The gender gap is also closing for the average British expat with women now making up nearly half of all expats at 46% compared to 33% in 2011.
"Our eight year Quality of Life Index has seen your typical expat change significantly. Previously, moving abroad was a huge life commitment which would entail a complete upheaval for all involved," said David Isley, head of NatWest International Personal Banking. "With the advances in remote working and new means available to keep in touch with family, people are more prepared than ever to pack their bags in search of both adventure and a way to improve their career prospects."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst & MMK Zollamt
60311 Frankfurt/Main
MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst Frankfurt/Main is one of the world's most important museums of contemporary art and, despite being a relative newcomer on the scene, has in the space of less than two decades established a firm place for itself in the international museum scene.
Ever since MMK first opened in 1991, it has played a major part in the cultural and social life of the city. With its post-modern architecture, which is today considered quite exemplary, the MMK likewise offers a major platform for culture in Frankfurt, ensuring the city will never again lack a museum for contemporary art.
Today, the MMK Collection includes over 4,500 works of international art, ranging from the 1960s to the immediate present. In terms of its quality, diversity and incomparable profile, the MMK Collection stands out clearly from other museum collections. From the very outset, MMK has had to rely on the support of patrons and friends. In other words, over the last 20 years or so very close links have been forged to the citizens of Frankfurt, to whom the MMK is deeply indebted. It has likewise enjoyed the patronage of countless national and international corporations based in Frankfurt. It is this generous support that has enabled MMK to fulfill its duties as an educational institution and a museum.
The website will be permanently closed shortly, so please retrieve any content you wish to save.


text:
Released last month and only available for a limited time, the Nioh demo for PlayStation 4 was downloaded over 850,000 times worldwide, developer Team Ninja revealed today.
Thanks to your feedback, they'll be making some changes to the main game, which is scheduled to be available later this year. As you can see below, their plans include tutorials, balancing to make the opening sections fairer, improved controls and camera system, improved graphic performance, and improved usability of the UI:
- Implement a training stage for tutorials on basic controls and core game actions.
Action & Controls
- Improve player & camera behavior during lock-on.
- Change the conditions under which the player character becomes unresponsive when the Ki Gauge is empty.
- Expand item shortcut slots.
- Revise the objects which require holding a button and the response to the hold input.
- Improve detection for the half-circle analog stick input.
- Adjust attack and defense parameters of enemies.
- Revise enemy pursuit of the player.
- Revise superarmor (stagger/no stagger) for each enemy and attack.
- Adjust Revenant AI.
Level Design/Stages
- Improve exploration elements such as shortcuts, etc.
- Add hints to guide players to boss areas.
- Revise the display of objects that block the view of the player character.
- Adjust fire area damage.
- Improve layout and displayed information.
- Adjust text size.
- When making an offering at a shrine, allow the player to perform all actions at once.
- Improve online synchronization.
- Allow the host to use the Shrine menu during co-op play with a Visitor.
- Adjust the rate at which enemy parameters increase during co-op play.
- Remove durability stat for weapons and armor.
- Adjust the drop rate for equipment.
- Add a new control type.
- Implement a flow to allow players to exit a mission.
- Fix other bugs.
In the survey sent out to players, Team Ninja asked players in each region about the difficulty and game balance. Just 14% of North American gamers said it was bad or very bad, compared to 19% of European gamers and 45% of Asian gamers.
If you're keeping the Nioh file on your PS4, Team Ninja said, "In addition, it is safe to delete the Nioh Alpha Demo game data and save data. Deleting these data will not affect the Mark of the Conqueror."
What did you think of the Nioh demo?
[Source: Team Ninja]


text:
Police and Occupy Oakland marchers clashed in the streets of the East Bay city today as protesters attempted to reach an unidentified abandoned building. Occupy Movement protesters said they would make the building their new base of operations after they were forcibly evicted from a small park near the Oakland Civic Center late last year.
"We can't just let people move into abandoned buildings" a city spokesperson said. "Sure, this is Oakland and we have literally hundreds and hundreds of abandoned buildings. But if we let people move into them where will the crack and meth addicts go?"
The city also expressed concerns for the homeless: "We get state and federal money based on the number of homeless people on our streets. If they move into abandoned buildings that revenue will dry up!"


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"Mercy For" Series - set of 6
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Beach Treats
The sunscreen won't come off. I've showered with soap and I've scrubbed with washcloths, and I still feel it on my skin.
So it didn't rain in East Hampton yesterday. That means I went with my family to the beach. No, I still haven't had my fried chicken. Aunt S. is already suggesting that the last batch she had from her favorite place wasn't quite up to snuff, and perhaps the joint isn't what it used to be. That's not stopping me from driving out to Herb's Market in Montauk to pick some up for lunch shortly.
I did hear that Herb's is for sale, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Let this be a lesson to you. When you hear something is amazing, make a special trip out to eat it right away. Don't wait for a return visit. Because you never know when things might take a turn for the worse.
For what it's worth, Young Mater Fussy and Little Miss Fussy loved the beach. Me? I love other kinds of beaches. You'll never guess what they all have in common.
That last line was a rare moment of sarcasm. Naturally they all have to do with food.
Take for example the Florida Keys. I love the beaches of the keys. Not in the heat of summer, but in the comfort of winter. Lounging out in the shade of a chikee hut, listening to the high notes of the wind through the palm fronds and the bass notes of the waves rolling into shore is one of life's great pleasures. Moments like this call for Frozen Rum Runners. And it's even better if you are at a place where someone will bring it out to you and charge it to your room.
But elsewhere in Florida there are restaurants right on the beach. I remember one in particular where there was a delicious and cooling gazpacho with one extra-large and delicately tender, poached shrimp. They also made an amazingly refreshing iced tea with just a hint of mango.
As a kid I remember vendors strolling along beaches, pushing along carts filled with refreshing lemon ices that you would scrape up with that little wooden spoon.
These days I look for clam shacks as I explore more of Rhode Island. My mother has a thing for lobster rolls. But there is something about the salty sea air that always gets me in the mood for fried foods. Those are pretty nice beaches.
There was even an amazing beach in the California town of Pacifica that had a Taco Bell right on the sand. They had a wood deck, and a walk up window so surfers could order their seven layer burritos. Or you could sit inside and warm up by the fireplace while watching the sun sink beneath the horizon.
I suppose to some these pristine and undeveloped beaches are a rare and beautiful thing. Probably I'm a heretic for suggesting otherwise. But I've never been into picnics either. Which isn't to say I haven't had my fair share of amazing ones. It's just that I never find they are worth all the effort.
August 10, 2012 9:26 am
I agree that salt air and fried food go together. My memories of the Keys include trying to eat as many conch fritters as possible. Some are clearly better than others. If you ever want to take a tour on the road…Tour de Conch Fritters in the Keys.
Not sure if the weather will cooperate, but there are some good whale watches in that area.
August 10, 2012 9:28 am
That area meaning Montauk.
August 10, 2012 11:22 am
I've never really gotten eating on the beach. I'm hot, I'm on sand, I'm sticky with sunblock… and I want to eat? Eh, no. I'm lucky if I can get myself to tote along a bottle of water. I'll eat once I leave the beach, after a shower if I can fit one in.
Mr. Dave permalinkAugust 10, 2012 1:15 pm
I am the complete opposite. Give me a dreary, gray, chilly day on a deserted beach in Cape Cod. This is about the only time I enjoy the beach. I have an aversion towards brightly colored "tropical" sorts of things.
August 11, 2012 2:09 am
I'm deeply biased here, because I think Long Island beaches–inundated as they've become with more people (ten years or so ago when I was a middle schooler and early teen they were noticeably less populated than now)–are up there with the best ones ever. A lot of it has to do with how the island itself is shaped by the water–you don't get beaches that look like that anywhere else. But then, I was born on Long Island Sound, and I've got that very particular brand of sea in my bones. I have a lot of beach feelings, but I'm a summer baby born on the coast.
We're very particular about beach food in my family. First, if you can't carry it half a mile out to get away from the crowds, you're not bringing it, so that limits a few things. Normally we pack some sandwiches–I prefer chicken salad or ham, sometimes cold chicken cutlets with mayo, a bag of chips or pretzels for a side, soda or bottled water for drinks. Simple, basic, nothing too complicated. I like to sneak some M&Ms because the outside doesn't melt in the sun but the chocolate does. The beaches I frequented did normally have a snack stand, but like I said, we're beach loners so it was a hike back. All the same there is pretty much nothing I love so much as salty fries with warm ketchup on the beach. But then, hungry from the waves, everything tastes better out there.
Also, you'll want to use oil-based cleansers to get off the tougher sunscreens. It feels weird, but as someone who wears heavy-duty SPF on my face everyday, it makes a huge difference in getting all that stuff off!
August 11, 2012 10:01 am
I lived in Hawaii until I was almost ten, so my beach memories are a little different. The nearest beach was Kailua Beach Park, and there was a little stand up near the showers and parking lot where they sold saimin and shave ice – so that's what I always associate with beach cuisine. Saimin with fish cake and a little shoyu and maybe a 25-cent cone – heaven. There were places nearby that offered plate lunches, and we sometimes stopped at one of them on the way home. Nowadays on trips to the beach, we pack some sandwiches and sodas, or if it's New England we stop at a clam shack or some such place. Beach cuisine really seems to differ from region to region, which I suppose makes sense. It's all about maintaining your sense of a vacation – that temporary suspension of reality – and that, to me, involves indulging in foods you might not ordinarily eat on a regular basis.
Kerosena permalinkAugust 13, 2012 10:59 am
Mmmm, saimin by the beach! I didn't know that was a thing until I went to Hawaii, but it seemed like such a natural pairing I decided to go with the flow. I've attempted to make it at home, and I've come pretty close, but it's not exactly the same.
It's so much better than the bologna and cheese SANDwiches I remember from growing up!


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Stone groove: Fanfare for the uncommon fan
"I'm in that rock and roll spirit," declares C.J. Bell (right) who flew in to the Charlottesville Airport from Boca Raton. She, however, was here not for the Stones, but for a four-day silent retreat at the Yogaville ashram. Matt Smith (left) flew in from Princeton University for the Stones.
Over at the Doubletree Hotel (where busloads of concert tech crews were also staying) James and Tracy Epperson of Newport News were planning their tailgate party for the Fontaine Research Park. "We haven't had a vacation this year," says Tracy, "so we took the week off."
"I saw their very first tour in 1964 at the D.C. Armory– with Brian Jones," says Ron Clifford, who owns a music store in Blacksburg. "The opening act was the Standells." Clifford explains his t-shirt: "AC/DC is the best rock 'n' roll band; the Stones are the greatest rock 'n' roll band." Clifford and his wife, Lana Juarez Clifford, were meeting friends at the Holiday Inn with plans to take a limousine to the concert.
On a rooftop porch of the Zeta Psi fraternity house on Rugby Road, Michael Prentiss and Seth Collins enjoy a few pre-concert brews. "We're living the life," says Prentiss, admittedly savoring his last six months of college. His parents and sister were driving down from Northern Virginia for the concert. Collins last saw the Stones when he was in the 8th grade in Dallas.
Exchange students from Scotland's University of St. Andrews hang out on the steps of the Rotunda. "My brother actually lives a couple of doors down from Mick Jagger in London– at least that's what he claims," says Harriet Andrews. She and David Jones, Fergus Neville, and Gordon Jones won a prestigious competition to be Bobby Jones Scholars at Emory University in Atlanta. They're crashing on floors of friends in Charlottesville.
"Trey's been saying he's dying to play with the Stones," says John Bartlett, left, who attended the muddy final Phish festival in Coventry, Vermont last year. "If it rains today," he says, "I'm glad there's no mud." He and Amit Khosla are Northern Virginia-based environmental consultants discussing the finer points of stadium shows while visiting Khosla's brother, a UVA Lawn resident. "Indoor shows aren't the same," says Khosla. "People just enjoy music outdoors."
This group of Fredericksburg baby-boomer Stones fans, riding in a 16-passenger SUV-limo, calling themselves "The Bobs," stopped off for a cookout at a Stadium Road student complex called the Woodrow Apartments.
Thirty-three years ago, Hope Wood (left) was pregnant and due to deliver her baby girl on July 4, the same date as her ticket to see the Stones in D.C. But Hurricane Agnes and its low barometric pressure came along, and the baby was born June 22, 1972. "So I had to give my ticket away," says Wood. Thirty three years later, she's getting her chance to finally see the Stones. And so is the baby: her 33-year-old daughter, Nicole Truxell (right).
Dan Goff, the general manager of A. Goff Transportation, the largest limousine company in town, ended up with 12 Stones tickets by the day of the show. He'd offered them on eBay at prices up to $10,000 (with a limo ride). Although there were no takers, he pulled two silver linings from his effort: 1) he comped 12 of his chauffers who got chauffered for a change and 2) the media frenzy (at least two Daily Progress stories plus thousands of eBay views) over his proposed auction resulted in $30,000 uptick in limo rentals.
Until 6pm, Brenda Smith, an organic farmer from Richmond, had no idea that Trey Anastasio was opening. Once she found out, she was willing to give away the $95 ticket she and her husband, Skip, were selling after a relative cancelled. But within their self-imposed time limit, they'd sold the ticket at face value. Others would not be so fortunate.
The plane carrying Charlie and Caroline Echols from Atlanta was delayed over an hour. Says Caroline: "The pilot said, 'For all you Stones fans, we'll make it to Charlottesville on time."


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Availability: In stock
It was only supposed to last one night…
Roxanne Stokes doesn't believe in love. She does, however, believe in the sexy-as-sin stranger who literally knocks her off her feet in front of a nightclub. The chemistry sparking between them takes her breath away, and she'll do anything to ease the pain in his eyes…until she realizes the handsome stranger is her best friend's older brother who's just come home from war.
Ian Walser had no idea the gorgeous woman he slept with the night of his homecoming party was his little sister's best friend—or that she'd be gone before morning. Roxanne's touch soothes him in a way nothing else can, and he's not ready to walk away from that yet. Not when spending time with her gave Ian a glimpse of everything he's ever wanted.
When his sister unwittingly pushes them together, he sees his chance. But convincing a woman who doesn't believe in love that she's his Mrs. Right might be harder than any mission Ian's undertaken. Good thing this soldier likes a challenge…
Chasing Mrs. Right is the second installment in Katee Robert's adult contemporary romance series titled Come Undone. This novel starts off as a one-night-stand with characters who will unknowingly be seeing each other again. You see, she's his sister's best friend and he just came back from depl ...more
I received this arc from Netgalley for my honest review
Holy Heck, this was a sizzling steamy book and it starts you off with a bang!
Ian is just back from his final tour of Afghanistan. A return soldier, he only wants to be alone to deal with his PTS, but he is whirled straight from the Airport to a ...more
"Sometimes there really is a happily ever after without any strings attached. You just have to be brave enough to face it."
AHHH, this book was really good!! This review is probably not going to be like my normal reviews due to the fact I can't post pics and that has put me in a mood, (Yes, I'm p ...more
We have all read that book where boy-meets-girl, fell in lust/love but the hero tries to keep the heroine at arms length because he has commitment issues right? Right. Well, this book has that same trope but only this time, it's the heroine, Roxanne, who has an issue with commitment. No, she's not f ...more
**3.5 - 4 Stars**
I really enjoyed getting to Rox's story. I loved the depth to her character and more importantly Ian's!! I've been wanting to know more about Ian since he first made a very brief appearance in the first book. I enjoyed the build up to their relationship and the problems they faced. ...more
Loved, loved, loved this one!!!!
I first discovered Katee Robert earlier this year when I had the chance to read Wrong Bed, Right Guy. Right away, I knew I had found a fun little contemporary romance series to read. When an early review copy of Chasing Mrs. Right became available, I was very excited ...more
Omg. OMG. Where do I start with this book. Ok. I know. If you don't like reading about hot, steamy sex...stop reading this review now. Chasing Mrs. Right was seriously everything I look for in an Erotic novel. Now, I really enjoyed Wrong Bed, Right Guy, but this book....had it all.
Roxanne and Ian m ...more
A chance meeting between Ian and Roxanne leads to a night of passion...
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Ian is back from his second tour in Afghanistan. He barely gets off the plane and he is bombarded by a welcome home party from his baby sister. Ian finds himself unable to handle it and flees the scene.
[image error] ...more
Krank sein ist echt scheisse aber immerhin kann man die Zeit im Bett liegen und lesen. Ablenkung ist ja angeblich die beste Medizin ...more
"Sometimes there really is a happily ever after without any strings attached. You just have to be brave enough to face it."
Roxanne doesn't believe in love. But Ian - Ian believes in love. And after what they just experienced together, there's no way he's just going to let her go.
Chasing Mrs. Rig ...more
First thing... holy crap - Ian.
I mean, I wasn't expecting him when I first picked up this book. Ian has just returned home from his last tour in Afghanistan to a welcome home party thrown by his sister. He has an aversion to crowds and loud noises and hanging out in his little sister's fiance's clu ...more
4 Stars...
This book was the second installment to
Wrong Bed, Right Guy . I really enjoyed this series. It was the perfect beach read. Light, SEXY, HOT, YUMMY, with a good story line. This summer I have been reading a few Brazen books and they have NOT disappointed :-) . So if you are looking for tha ...more
Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review.
4.5 Stars
This is one of those really feel good romances. That's not to say it wasn't filled with some melt your panties hot sex because oh baby it was, but the relationship that develops between these two ...more
Ian's just come back from living his life in the military. Due to circumstances while being deployed he no longer can tolerate huge crowds and loud noise. So when his family throws a welcome home party for him in a club filled with people, it doesn't take long for him to bolt out of there and plow d ...more
Oh my gosh! Totally not what I expected! Adorable!
At some points it was downright adorkable!
He was such a broken soul but he was the golden boy hero.
She saved him. She just did it in style, hehe.
He wouldn't let her go...
4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book a lot.
After spending one unforgettable night with Roxanne, Ian feels things he hasn't felt in a long time.
The war has left Ian with nightmares and other demons but when Roxanne is near Ian feels whole ...more
Let me start of by saying... I am a huge fan of Katee Robert! I read "Wrong Bed, Right Guy" and to be honest, it is one of my favorite books! I loved the writing, story and characters! Although, I could have done without all the GD's. But that is just a preference. Now after reading "Chasing Mrs. Ri ...more
Second book in the series lived up to my expectations and more!! Ian's finally home after his tour. Having been in war really affected him mentally, having a hard time with crowds, trying to get use to civilian life. Roxanne, Elle's best friend, swore off love due to things that happened in her past ...more
The story starts off with lots of promise, but along the way it loses some steam. Overall I enjoyed it. I didn't much care with how easily the h/h say I live to you each other there was no build it. Another thing that I didn't quite like was how fast h leaves h after spending time with his family. O ...more
When I saw that there was going to be a sequel to Wrong Bed, Right Guy, I was beyond excited and anxious to get my hands on a copy. I was a fan of the first book in this series by Katee Robert, and I am most definitely a fan of this book, too.
To be honest I was thinking that it would have been Natha ...more
Ian has just returned home from a tour of Afghanistan, he is suffering from PTSD and just needs some peace and quiet to unwind and get used to civilian life. He finds it difficult to be in enclosed spaces or around large crowds so the surprise party his family have organised for him is actually his ...more
Chasing Mrs Right. Katee Robert.
I received this from the author in return for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.
I loved Katee's book Wrong Bed, Right Guy, with the sometimes annoyi ...more
ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGallery for an honest review
I absolutely loved this book. It was hot, funny and sweet in equal doses.
Ian has just finished his second tour and wants nothing more than to go home and relax with a beer. Unfortunately his little sister Elle (from ...more
I got a free copy from Entangled Publishing in exchange of an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading Chasing Mrs. Right.
Both the hero, Ian and the heroine, Roxanne have a lot of baggage from their past that makes it harder for them to be in a relationship.
Ian got back home after being in the army f ...more
REVIEW: CHASING MRS. RIGHT is the second storyline in Katee Roberts' Come Undone contemporary romance series. This particular story focuses on former military soldier Ian Walser and party planner Roxanne who accidently meet at Ian's welcome home party thrown by Ian's sister Elle, whom we first met i ...more


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An insider's view of what is really happening in the Harris County Criminal Courts
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Tonight's Reasonable Doubt (2/9/12)
As always, you can tune in at 8 p.m. on Houston Media Access, or watch it live streaming by clicking here.
19 comments:
"We are eager to show the public all the evidence in this case." - Patricia R. Lykos (2/1/12)
Still looking forward to all the evidence being posted.
- February 9, 2012 at 8:10 AM
Lycos is to your blog what bill Clinton was to SNL. The gift that just keeps giving.
- February 9, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Pat Lycos claims to want to bring transparency to the office of DA. She did! I see through her, I do not like what I see.
Day 8 the only evidence we will ever see is more lies. What a sad day when the office administration of HC DA is known as nothing but liars.
For all of the good people still employed there, this comment is not directed to or about you. My heart and prayers go out to you. I'm sorry that you have to be drug thru the fallout. Just keep doing your jobs, protecting us, the citizens of HC. Better days are coming.
- February 9, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Should all prosecutors be taking comp time when dealing with or discussing the investigation by the Rangers and/or Feds? Is that county business or a personal issue? Can Lykos or any other ADA be charged for preparing their defense on county time?
- February 9, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Zach will do much better than poor Mikey did on Red, White and Blue.
- February 9, 2012 at 1:56 PM
If all your readers want a change,then Zack is the man.He is not a career county employee and has actually had a real job. He has many new,good ideas.
- February 9, 2012 at 6:57 PM
Geez, Todd needs to shave. He looks terrible.
- February 9, 2012 at 8:11 PM
Really mature "coming out of the closet?" question by your co-host on tonight's show.
- February 9, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Mike will eat Zachs lunch in a head to head. Lykos too, especially if she gets the questions ahead of time..
- February 9, 2012 at 9:12 PM
Please post a link to the show. Thanks
- February 9, 2012 at 11:09 PM
1:56 p.m.-
As an elected official, Lykos is not required to fill out a time sheet or account for her work hours. She is paid whether she works or not and can come and go as she pleases legally.
Not so for her employees. They must still account for their time. If they are witnesses, they can be on the clock. If they are a target, they should be taking comp time. Wonder what Rachel carried on her time sheet when she was sitting in the Grand Jury taking the 5th?
Taxpayers shouldn't be paying the salary of a suspected criminal.
- February 10, 2012 at 6:27 AM
Murray - thanks for having Zach on. It was the first time I really got to hear some of his thoughts and changes for the office. I remember Zach when he started, he was a good ADA. However, I'm slightly worried about his lack of experience and some of his ideas for change. The fact he has been out of the office loop for 5.5 years isn't helping him and also I don't believe he ever rose above Felony #3.
Maybe you could do an interview with him and have a question and answer and post it on the blog for all to see?
I think he would do a good job, but it all depends on who he surrounds himself with. Shitty 1st asst, budget person, etc means shitty DA's office.
I wasn't thrilled about his idea of mirroring the office like HPD. HPD has over 60 divisions and 5400 personnell. The DAs office has 350ish. Also, his thoughts of dividing the office in to 4-5 divisions won't hold. There is too much turnover and not enough staff.
The intake critique and making DA's try what they take charges on.... this has always been an issue at the office. There is so much associcated with this, you could to a ten page post. How many cases change from the moment a DA takes charges until it gets to trial. ADAs are relying on officers on the phone and usually at the scene to give an interpretation of what is really going on, sometimes that can't happen. If its found that there is an ADA who constantly is taking bad charges, then they need to be taken off intake. Also, what about those stationed at intake who are taking 8000 charges a year, there are going to be bad cases in those numbers.
I do agree that too many ADAs in specialized divisions work intake and don't know what they are doing. There are also Chiefs who got there by some defacto promotion and don't know what they are doing, and possibly never tried a murder/asac/agg rob before they made chief.
Ultimately, I think Zach would do a great job but I think some of his ideas may need tweaking. I would also like to see him come out and say that he will personally go to Commissioners Court and request more DAs, because ultimately, that is what is needed at the office and that would result in better communication with victims and continuity of cases.
That's just me opinion.
A former ADA.
- February 10, 2012 at 8:53 AM
Mikey Anderson has been away from the office a lot longer than Zach.
Patsy will beat Mikey in the primary and lose to Zach in the general. Zach will get all the dems and the educated repubs.
- February 10, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Will you post a link to the video? Couldn't DVR the show on U-Verse. Thanks
- February 10, 2012 at 2:20 PM
- Murray Newman said...
Will post Zack's video as soon as Franklin puts it on the web.
- February 10, 2012 at 2:31 PM
- Murray Newman said...
And to the person posting under "Zach Fertitta for DA", it is spelled "Zack". And I'm not sure you are helping his cause by alienating Anderson voters in the event Lykos wins the primary.
- February 10, 2012 at 2:33 PM
Red White & Blue is listing next weeks topic as "Grand Jury Wrap-up." Maybe someone from the office can still be indicted for perjury if they say something different on TV than they did in Grand Jury. Of course the questions will be prescreened and the answers scripted.
- February 10, 2012 at 2:36 PM
Somebody need help spelling something?
- February 10, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Anon 2:39 p.m.,
Funniest thing I've read/heard/seen all day.
Thank you!
- February 10, 2012 at 8:26 PM


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Take One Action Film Festival 2010
- Tony McKibbin
- 22 September 2010
Sweet Crude, Climate Refugees and Budrus among highlights
Now in its third year, the Take One Action! Film Festival offers a rare opportunity to watch activist documentaries and politically-orientated films at the cinema. This excellent festival concentrates on the agenda-setting and eco-documentary sub-genres that have grown exponentially over the last decade, showing films as varied, worrying and fascinating as A Crude Awakening, The End of the Line, An Inconvenient Truth and Darwin's Nightmare.
Many of the films showing this year are vigorously propagandist, in that they fight for a cause as if going in to battle. Indeed, one of the highlight films of this year's programme, Climate Refugees, draws this comparison directly, when filmmaker and narrator Michael P Nash attempts to answer the question of future generations dealing with a collapsed environment: 'What did you do in the war, daddy?'
This propagandist element is no bad thing. Nero's Guests is another fine example; following the journalist P. Sainath, Deepa Bhatia's film works from Sainath's anger and despair about the 200,000 Indian farmers who have taken their own lives in the last ten years.
Full of facts, figures and indignation, the film highlights the fatuousness of remarks made by some well-known names in the fashion world. One young woman notes that we need the poor – how else would she get a manicure and her hair done?
Other documentaries include Budrus, which is getting a broader release, and Persona non Grata, a hagiographic account of Frans Wuytack, a Belgian priest who went to Venezuela and gave up his official residence in Caracas to live among the poor in the slums.
Sandy Cioffi's Sweet Crude details the recent history of the Niger Delta, where the average life expectancy has been reduced from over 60 to 40 years because of oil companies spewing out waste into the region. The Garden asks if a community garden in south central LA, where the locals grow their own food and feed their families, can survive or whether big development will take over. 'I don't like their cause and I don't like their conduct,' says the mega-rich, activist-hating developer in the film. Take One Action! stands for the opposite: it likes people's causes and their conduct.


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Friday, Jul 24, 2020
Please call before attending any community events. It is likely that they will be postponed or canceled as a result of the coronavirus. You can find CDC coronavirus information at cdc.gov/coronavirus; AARP has additional resources at aarp.org/coronavirus.
Planes, Trains, Automobiles, boats, buses....all of these options were used to bring people to Michigan and ultimately to Clawson. Here is a sampling of some of the things people used to get around Clawson.
Additional Dates:
This event listing provided for the Clawson community events calendar. Community events are not associated with or sponsored by AARP, but may be of interest to you. If you have an event to share, let us know!
Images provided by AmericanTowns.com, Ticketmaster
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2020 at 7:30pm Eastern Time
Wednesday, Aug 19, 2020 at 5:30pm Eastern Time
Streaming online via One Day University
Tuesday, Aug 25, 2020 at 2:00pm Eastern Time
Virtual Event
You can find CDC's latest coronavirus information at cdc.gov/coronavirus; AARP information and resources are at aarp.org/coronavirus. En español, visite aarp.org/elcoronavirus.


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We first hit a local neighborhood bar with karaoke. I sat around for one drink while watching others sing. There was a perfect 2-set - both cute, sitting alone, and glancing our direction once in a while. MM didn't want to approach at the time and I hit some serious approach anxiety, so we skipped the set and started walking down street for the next bar. While walking down the street, we both were talking about how we should've approached the set, and didn't.
We then saw two really hot girls just chilling outside on the sidewalk. Both around 20 yrs old, HB8.5's - tall, skinny, sexy. We approached with the "I'm new here and where're the best places to hang out" routine, asking where the best bars and clubs were, etc. The conversation went on for 2-3 minutes but never left the "what're the best bars and clubs" subject. I negged them a little saying "You know what, you two are really tall for girls". Didn't get much of a reaction, but at least I tried. A cop rolled by on his bicycle and wanted to smell one of the girl's OJ bottle (which still has juice in it). He busted her for having alcohol in public, and was starting to ask something like "Hmmm.....smells like peach schnapps". I looked at MM and say "Wanna hit up the bar they suggested?" and walked away. They might've been under 21 and we don't need risking getting random tickets for things we didn't do, such as giving alcohol to the under aged.
We went to a wine bar down the street. It was fairly crowded, but no sets without guys - until we went outside to the patio and saw a group of 5 girls sitting on a table. On the outside patio, most tables were taken and unused chairs were scarce. My friend and I hesitated and drank standing up on the other side of the bar for about 15 minutes, then we decided we shouldn't be waiting any longer. I went in there and I started to lift the only open chair among them pretending I'm about to take the chair away (5 girls, 6 chairs). I asked "Is this seat taken?" They said "No" and I just sat down at their table. They gave a surprised and weird face towards each other, and I followed up with "We think you girls were cute and thought we'd come and hang with you for a while". They gave a comforting smile, no longer shocked, started intros, we opened the set.
By now, I was sitting down at the table with the girls while MM was standing up, but we all were "in" and chatting. At the table, there were 3 girls on one side; 2 girls and myself on the other side. They "qualified us" by giving us a compliment, "yeah, most guys just went around us, we're glad you guys came and sat down". We chatted for about 15 minutes - all of us in the same conversation at the table, we didn't divide the set. After the girls finished their wine, and they decided to leave. They were going to leave around this time anyway, but we didn't really do much to engage them to stay longer than they planned. The said "you should've come talk to us sooner". The 3 girls on the other side were getting up first, and I looked at all 3 of them and said "write down your number and we'll get together some other time". One of them said "I'm sorry, but I have a boyfriend". I busted out the anti-boyfriend-defense line MM told me, "And I have a dog, so what did that have anything to do with you giving me your number?" I stuttered a little saying that, she didn't understand the first time and I had to repeat it, the line lost its "smoothness". The girl sitting next to me said "here's mine" as she was leaving after the 3 girls on the opposite side of the table. This is the first number close I got in a couple of weeks.
In my mind, there were 2 possibilities why she volunteered her number:
1. She didn't want to "leave me dying on stage", gave me an easy out to be nice, which will result in her not picking up when I call.
2. She subconsciously got jealous that her friends were getting more attention, a competitive thing.
I'm hoping it was possibility #2, but I'm guessing neither of them will result in a 2nd meeting, because we weren't there long enough to build "rapport" or "comfort".
After that, we went down to 2 more bars with only one possible set we didn't open - they seemed to be intensely focused on their conversation and had no breaks in between. They then left as soon as they finished. Even though we didn't approach the set at the end of the night, I felt great. I was 4 drinks deep and fully awake; I felt the "vibe" radium was talking about - the super social, will talk to anyone without concentrating on a mission vibe. I'm going to try to get some good rest before every night of sarging from now on.
Things I did well:
- Opened the 5-set - direct approach after the "chair joke" routine.
- Number closed aggressively when the 5-set was leaving
- Finally felt the "vibe" that I haven't felt in months - super sociable, talking to everyone without focusing on the pickup
- Early approach anxiety, passed up a 2-set for no reason
- Needed to be more confident and enunciate pre-rehearsed lines (such as the anti-boyfriend-defense line) more confidently and clearly without stuttering
- Be less "considerate" when approaching sets at the end of the night - passed up a 2-set just because they seemed to be chatting with each other without breaking. I ended up leaving without approaching them - yielding the same results as if I was to rudely interrupt and got shut down, but at least I would've known that I tried.


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Studios are adopting a new strategy for standing out in the hyper-competitive free-to-play game market: They're acquiring major properties on which to base their titles. Gamasutra lists a couple of examples in a recent feature about licensed massively multiplayer games: Three Rings, the studio behind Puzzle Pirates, is working on a free-to-play multiplayer version of the hit sci-fi show Dr. Who. And Bigpoint, a studio based in Germany and acquired by NBC Universal in 2008, is developing free-to-play titles based on The Mummy and Battlestar Galactica.
The development process behind these games obviously won't be as simple as scribbling out the name of a generic fantasy game and writing in "Narnia RPG" with an accompanying trademark stamp, but it's still worth wondering what these licensed free-to-play games are going to offer. Hopefully, we'll get more than the mediocre gaming experience that's common to free-to-play titles: A big name won't be enough to draw us from the fact we've already played a billion farming sims and Civilization rip-offs online. We don't need more.
If that sounds pessimistic, consider this a Gloom Warning. Think back on the history of licensed games on consoles stretching back to the Atari 2600. There are a cluster of gems, to be sure, but they're lost in a mire of bad cartoon-to-game ports and digital tragedies like the Home Alone NES disasters. We'll need to see some hard evidence that studios like Bigpoint and Three Rings will do right by the properties we love–especially cherished sci-fi classics like Dr. Who and Battlestar Galactica. These are properties for grown-ups (disclaimer: said grown-ups may be children at heart), and should be treated respectfully. These are not properties are suitable as as templates for disposable games like "Barbie' Pony Adventure," or "Diego Gets a Rabies Shot," or similar dreck meant to be shoveled on unfortunate six-year-olds.
However, Dan Fiden, the VP of Publishing for Gazillion Entertainment in California, told Gamasutra that gamers should rest easy: The licensed trash that ends up on consoles were developed according to an old formula, whereas the free-to-play market must constantly change, update, and improve–or at least that's what Gazillion hopes to prove with its upcoming massively multiplayer online game based on the Marvel Universe.
"The current F2P games are constantly being updated and frequently don't launch in the same way that a package goods game launches," Fiden said. "For example, we're not tied to the release of the latest X-Men movie. Tying directly to a specific date isn't the reason we're working with this license; that would be a little short-sighted."
"This is a broad license that allows us to take advantage of lots of opportunities and Marvel events in the movie, TV, or comic world after the game is up and running. Our biggest priority isn't meeting a certain deadline; it's making sure the basic game and basic service are as good as we want them to be."
Theoretically, a free-to-play game based on a popular property can be a huge draw. In fact, brand familiarity can be the crucial element that keeps players coming back to play.
"The developer needs to convince the gamer to stay longer than five minutes, play a bit, and give the game a chance which then makes the likelihood of converting them to a paying user later on much, much higher," Bigpoint founder and CEO Heiko Hubertz told Gamasutra. "The way we do that is with third-party franchises which the gamer may already know, he's familiar with the character and the story, he trusts in the IP, and he gives the game a longer shot."
Hubertz plans to do right by Battlestar Galactica, not just for the fans' sake, but for Bigpoint's well-being: Hubertz understands that in order for Bigpoint to break into the American market, it must produce a professional-looking game that would seem at home on consoles.
"So we invested a lot of money in technology, we pegged Unity as our developer engine, we put a lot of extra effort into the look and feel and, in the end, it was well worth it for us," Hubertz said.
The studios behind some of these big-name free-to-play games say things that inspire confidence, but as far as licensed content goes, it's easy to have your hopes shot down. While licensed free-to-play games are a good idea in theory–that license is indeed the edge most developers need to get people to notice their games against the tangle of free titles online–it's best that we wait and see what gets released into the wild before we knock ourselves out celebrating the existence of Dr. Who Online.


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(Making it hard to maintain the weight loss I started in Italy...sigh.)
Clint and I arrived up there on Wednesday evening, and the rest of the gang (sister + her brood, and 3 aunts/uncles + dog) came on Thanksgiving Day. There was quite a lot going on up there this time...
Sophia and Charlotte were in fine form - both with their quick mouths. The former was entertaining us with her retorts and the latter was keeping us on our toes with her regurgitation skills. I don't think Mom & Dad figured they'd have to worry about stains on their brand-new carpet...but, such as things are, little Charlotte has QUITE the "reflux" capacitator!
But, you just learn (or, sometimes, have to be violently reminded) to put down a big baby blanket and have PLENTY of burp rags on hand :) She's so darn perfect of a baby there has to be SOMETHING 'normal' about her!
Dad & Clint bonded by acting as mechanics to my car...trying to figure out why on earth there would be oil getting into my radiator. My poor little Honda Accord has passed its 10-year mark (in fact, we're marching towards 11!) and things have been slowly declining.
Mom wanted help with getting their Christmas tree, so she, Sophia and I bundled up and headed out to a cut-your-own lot in search of "the perfect Christmas tree." Sophia's words, not mine. Of course, it's a lot with very pretty trees, but they're also small - some of them QUITE diminuitive, as Sophia found out! I always say you can't take home the first one that catches your eye...but wouldn't you know, after marking it and moving on to look at everything else, we ended up getting it after all.
The dogs got plenty of exercise, too...they went from hyper-activity on Wednesday night to needing a quick cat-nap (or, dog-nap, as it were) during the afternoon to keep going through 'til bedtime. The old cliché still rings true - A tired dog is a good dog! Of course, having a couple of "new" dogs in the mix certainly helped. My aunt & uncle brought their extremely bouncy/hyper/energetic German short-haired pointer up, plus the neighbors' dog - a 9-month-old black lab - decided to visit a few times and give Zada a run for her money.
We had some good hikes out in the backwoods...lots of snuffling of scents, chasing of sticks, and tongues lolling. Oh, and the dogs had fun, too :) We only had one near-incident where the 2 "nose" dogs (Tesa & Zada) flushed a couple of deer and gave chase for a few bounds before I - thankfully - recalled them. Thank goodness for dog obedience classes!
Of course, it wasn't until the last day that Zada finally realized the lake was frozen, thus offered a whole new avenue of adventure...we'll see if she remembers right away when we head back up the next 2 weekends.
Speaking of Zada, I had quite the hard time relinquishing my spot as "First Master" this weekend. For some reason or other, Zada was entirely focused on Clint. On our walks, she was still well aware of where I was, but if he left the house (we stayed at the neighbors'), she was VERY intent on where he was. In fact, she even missed breakfast one morning because he left for the gym and she wouldn't stop staring out the screen door. So much for shepherds being one-person dogs!!
I feel so betrayed :)And, last but certainly not least - Clint bought got a "new" vehicle! Evidently my sister was in the market for a new (2008) half-ton Ford pick-em-up truck, so instead of trading in her Durango (2003, purchased new in 2004) she sold it to Clint for a good price. Now at least between the 2 of us we have one rock solid car. It's pretty sweet - tow package, hitch (you know, for all the stuff we haul around), remote start, 4WD, power seats, nice stereo...it's a winner!


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Clinical Models
The following information is in reference to Chapter 17, page 229 of The Power Of Sound.
Clinical Models Using Soundwork
I have compiled a list of clinics that are exemplary of how healthcare providers and educators integrat soundwork into—or built entire practices around therapeutic sound techniques. In each case, sound occupies a different setting within the standard protocol.
Online presentations give a fuller picture than space in this chapter permits.
• Bancroft Center of Chinese Medicine (Acutonics)
• Brain Music Therapy Center (Brian Music Therapy)
• Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute (arts and healthcare)
• Cymatherapy
• Equine Cymatherpy
• Davis Center for Hearing, Speech, and Learning (AUDIOLOGY)
• Guided Imagery and Music (get Anne's referral)
• Mitch Gaynor, M.D.(ONCOLOGY)
• National Academy for Child Development (Neurodevelopment)
• New Visions (Faber, VA) (Neurodevelopment /Feeding issues)
• NMT ? (JL find)
• Dr. Fred Schwartz, Piedmont Hospital (Anesthesia)
• Pediatric Therapeutics (Chatham NJ) (Pediatric Neurodevelopment)
• The Center for Communication and Learning Skills (Sound Stim)
• The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (Music Therapy)
• The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine/ (Music Therapy)
• The Swain Center for Listening, Communicating and Learning (Sound Stim)
Institutional Venues and Soundwork
In addition to clinics and individual practices, soundwork has been incorporated into institutional venues as well. From birthing to hospice, dentistry to surgery, psychotherapy to treatment of Alzheimer's, soundwork has been extremely effective. I have chosen a few research studies to demonstrate how it is being used.
A study from Australia titled "My Room—Not Theirs! A Case Study of Music during Childbirth" addresses the use of music to minimize confusion during labor. Due to the exacerbating circumstances, especially for first-time mothers, the experience of hospital labor wards can be stress producing and difficult. This study determined that listening to music—especially familiar music—during the birthing process enhanced feelings of security and comfort as well as increasing the sense of self-esteem and personal control in what is often a disconcerting experience.62
The work of Therese Schroeder-Sheker is becoming legendary. She is an academic musicologist, religious scholar, and founder of the field known as musical thanatology. Schroeder-Sheker's descriptive, musical-sacramental midwifery speaks of the sacred quality of helping a dying person to "unbind" with the aid of music. Headquartered at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana, the Chalice of Repose Project resides next door to the Oncology Department. Musicians trained in a two-year graduate-level program wear beepers and stethoscopes; their tools consist of a patient's medical records, harp, and voice. The work of the Chalice of Repose is based on eleventh-century French monastic practices for the dying. As a scholar, Schroeder-Sheker has painstakingly reconstructed the theories of medieval infirmary music and applied this wisdom to modern-day life transitions.63
Also highly recommended: Music Thanatology International Association (MTAI)
Music has been used in dentistry and oral surgery for more than fifty years. According to an impressive 1960 study,64 sound stimulation was the only pain reliever required in 90 percent of five thousand dental operations. Forty-five hundred dental operations were accomplished without drugs! The suppression of pain by sound may be due to the release of endorphins, which are the body's own natural painkillers. In the field of dentistry, soundwork is called audio analgesia. The use of sound in dentistry is widely documented.
A German study of ninety-thousand-plus patients in the peri- and postoperative phases of surgery found that 97 percent were significantly relaxed during recovery with the use of music. For some, the relaxing effects of music resulted in less anesthesia. Soft, tonal music was found to be most effective. Postoperative disorientation was also minimized when patients listened to classical or slow baroque music a few days prior to surgery and then had it piped into the operating room.65
As early as 1954, medical research was being done on the effect of music in the mental health arena. Researchers documented the use of music to moderate feelings of depression or anger. They also found that music could evoke a range of emotions from joy to sadness.66 Since that time, contemporary therapeutic pioneers—including Stanislav Grof, M.D., Helen Bonny, and Jean Houston—have shown that the combination of music, breathing, and guided imagery goes far beyond strong emotional releases to tap into the realms of the unconscious. Apparently, the use of all three elements allows entrance to subconscious regions that had previously been accessible only via powerful drugs.67 One of the foremost pioneers in the use of music and guided imagery is Dr. Helen Bonny. Her method, Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), is used in conjunction with psychotherapy.
Patients who are unable to initiate movement or cannot communicate verbally have increased needs for sensory stimulation. Such stimulation helps remote memory. Music therapy is widely used and quite effective with Alzheimer's patients.68 Music therapy (as distinguished from the neurologically oriented soundwork) is psychologically based and used most often in hospital and group contexts. (See appendix F for a broad description of the definitions and applications of music therapy.)


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We proudly serve the upper Boston space together with Belmont, MA, Newton, Cambridge, Waltham, Harmony, Lexington, Watertown, Somerville, Arlington, Brookline, Brighton, Medford and Winchester. Lowe and Tennant have since reputed this claim by mentioning since the rise of House, Rave and Disco, they are not so in opposition to rock as said in numerous interviews when requested about it.
Worth to your cash is what you need, not essentially the bottom value. That is the place our impartial product testing and expertise helps. Many merchandise merely do not work as claimed. Low cost products normally worth extra in the long run. For instance, must you purchase low cost grocery retailer cat litter, but have to use twice as a lot as our helpful litter, you paid too much. Within the event you feed low-value dog meals, chances are you'll need to feed additional to get barely sufficient vitamin, and you'll have further poop to pickup, more shedding fur, and doubtless extra vet payments.
Blythe Baxter: This teen woman is the main character on LPS. She works on the pet store, which is located throughout the basement of her apartment constructing, and he or she loves all animals. March launches our pond and water backyard season. Come see us for crops, fish, additives, and knowledge. Penny: The peacekeeper of the LPS group is this type, thoughtful pet panda who helps her animal associates remedy their issues without battle.
We've got every thing you want on your pets! We are Kent Island's ONLY fish supplier! We work with native rescues for our small animals which might be up for adoption. We now have: FREE pet meals pantry, delivery on our island, water testing, particular orders, and value matching. Cease in and go to! To get the non-revenue off the bottom (and pay the overdue lease),we want a direct donations and commitments of $6k per thirty days for at the very least six months. The Adoption Middle would also put collectively to be self-adequate on the finish of the funding interval by getting pledges from totally different donors, holding fundraisers, making use of for grants, and so on. A serving to hand right now will accomplish a lot for thus many homeless pets this year and in the future. We are able to unfold the idea of adoption for all pets fairly than often breeding extra and euthanizing the excess and undesirable at shelters.
The Adoption Center will probably be a 501(c)3 non-revenue firm with a board of administrators. The Adoption Coronary heart would work with non-revenue rescue groups to get pets adopted, set up volunteers to take care of pets in the coronary heart, host adoption gala's, current pet proprietor coaching and educational lessons. Andy's Pet Store would proceed within the equivalent constructing as a for-income enterprise selling pet provides for the subsequent six months. On the end of that time, we'll choose to continue as separate firms or to change the pet provides enterprise to the 501(c)three non-revenue.
Call (408) 297-0840 or send e-mail to [email protected]
Our hope is that you will spread the phrase by telling your mates about our distinctive pet retailer. Assist us and our rescue efforts by coming to our retailer to your pet supplies and meals and to undertake your subsequent pet too! Sign-up here for particulars! Please notice: If you do not acquire a response inside 48hrs please name 313-885-1560.
Whether or not you understand what you need or need help selecting a pet, whether or not you've bought cared for animals all your life or are new to pet possession, our educated workers is joyful to reply your questions, work with you, and supply help to realize success as a pet proprietor. We significantly wish to see youngsters be taught accountability and have fun by proudly proudly owning pets, whether at home or in class!
Toys and mirrors are also good ideas.
Adoption fees fluctuate, relying on the pet you choose. We work with a wide range of rescues and shelters, and sure animals need additional care than others earlier than they are often adopted, resembling puppies. Please contact us for more data. Tortilla chips, flooring beef,†refried beans, roasted poblano, crimson bell pepper cheese, pico, sour cream.
We offer all kinds of kibble and moist meals in your four-pawed member of the family. These embrace restricted diets that don't cost a fortune! We moreover provide (ahem) potty supplies, collars, grooming supplies, toys, dental aids, and supplements. Need one thing we do not have? Allow us to order it for you – fast turnaround and at no additional worth.
The design maintained many sides used on the earlier web site made by London-based mostly design firm Airside. On 15 November 2010, tickets went on sale for the Pet Store Boys' second foray into British theatre, this time for a ballet. Preuss Pets has a wide selection of merchandise to help in giving your pet the care it deserves.


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Route Sydney to Singapore.
Aircraft Boeing 777-200, a refurbished aircraft from parent Singapore Airlines.
Class Economy, seat 42G.
Flight time Eight hours and 15 minutes. Despite a one-hour delay on the plane's maiden flight arrival from Singapore due to a mechanical fault and medical emergency, we leave Sydney on time at 12.50pm. Arrival time is spot on.
Seat width and pitch This is budget flying so regular blue seats are a tight 43 centimetres wide with a 78-centimetre pitch. Scoot also has bright yellow "Super" seats for an extra $24, with an 81-centimetre to 89-centimetre pitch, and "S-t-r-e-t-c-h" (aka bulkhead row) seats for $79.
Seat configuration 3-4-3 layout for 370 economy class seats.
Service Celebratory complimentary sparkling is handed out after take-off, but a glass of water an hour later is harder to come by. Three presses of the call bell are unheeded and passing cabin crew are scarce. I'm later told that because the call bells are positioned low, passengers are accidentally bumping them with their hips, which explains the incessant "bings" throughout the flight. When I do get served, however, it's with a smile.
Food and beverages My "FlyBagEat" ticket comes with a meal and drink, plus 15 kilograms of checked luggage. The menu offers four hot options (normally $10 each on board), but because it's the maiden voyage and we've pre-ordered, we are given the choice of chicken with noodles or lamb stew with mash. I opt for the latter and it hits the spot, despite being quite small. Thankfully, peaches in apple juice are part of the package, and I buy snacks later in the flight — water crackers with Laughing Cow cheese and a small tube of Pringles ($3 each).
Luggage Carry-on allowance of seven kilograms plus laptop for economy, and 15 kilograms plus laptop for ScootBiz fares. Pre-booked checked baggage costs from $28 for 15 kilograms, up to $60 for 40 kilograms.
In-flight entertainment For $17 I can rent an iPad2 with a small selection of movies, TV, games and music preloaded.
Comfort The high ceilings of the 777 aircraft give a feeling of spaciousness, and the spare seat beside me does help (although the child with a penchant for kicking the back of my seat doesn't). Blankets cost $9 and eye masks and pillow sets $8.
Flight frequency Scoot flies daily at 12.50pm from Sydney to Singapore. The return flight departs Singapore at 2.10am. It costs from $360, return, low-season, including tax.
Online See flyscoot.com.
Tested by Nina Karnikowski, who flew courtesy of Scoot.


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Symptoms, Signs and Diagnosis of Disease
What is a symptom?
In medicine, a symptom (Greek symptoma = a happening, befall) refers to a change in body function or sensation, like weakness or pain, as experienced by a patient (1). It is subjective meaning that it cannot be verified or measured independently and has to be reported by the patient.
A patient's description of the symptoms, its intensity and duration is recorded in the medical history, but the signs of the disease has to be monitored and assessed for accurate diagnosis and monitoring the progression of a disease. To establish a diagnosis a physician will, apart from subjective symptoms, often need to check for objective signs of disease with physical examination of the patient and medical investigations.
Symptoms may be acute (sudden, newly appearing), chronic (long lasting), remittent (temporary decreasing in severity), intermittent (ceasing completely and beginning again; from Latin inter- + mittere = to let go), or relapsing (recurring after a period of improvement; from Latin re- = back + labi = to slip). Symptoms may also be imagined (psychogenic) and to the patient can be as real as symptoms associated with actual disease. This should be differentiated from signs of disease that are due to the effect of the mind (psychosomatic). For example – thinking of a stressful event in one's life can raise the blood pressure and this high blood pressure can be verified independently.
Common Symptoms in Disease
- Pain : feeling of severe discomfort which can be excruciating.
- Nausea : feeling of wanting to vomit.
- Fatigue : state of extreme tiredness.
- Bloated : sensation of feeling full in the stomach or abdomen and must be differentiated from distension which is visible enlargement of the abdomen.
- Itching : the sensation of discomfort, but not pain, that urges a person to scratch the affected area. It is best described as a sensation similar to a crawling insect of the skin although the exact term for this sensation is formication.
Symptomatic disease appears with symptoms, and asymptomatic disease without symptoms.
What is a sign in medicine?
Sign of disease, such as rash or high blood pressure, refers to an objective evidence of a disease as detected by a physician during a physical examination of the patient, or by a medical investigation. With regards to disease and medicine, the word 'sign' needs to be differentiated from 'symptom'. A sign can be confirmed, assessed and monitored by others. A symptom is only experienced and therefore reported by the patient and cannot be independently verified. It is subjective.
For example, nausea is a symptom because the patient feels like they need to vomit. This cannot be verified independently. However, vomiting is a sign because it can be seen independently by others.
Some Common Signs of Disease
Different diseases will present with a wide variety of signs and even symptoms. These signs depend on the organ or system affected in the disease and any other concomitant effects. Some of these signs include :
- Fever : a higher than normal body temperature usually exceeding 37.8 degrees Celsius.
- Lymphadenopathy : swollen or enlarged lymph node usually greater than 1 centimeter in diameter.
- Edema : visible swelling of a part of the body due to fluid accumulation.
- Rash : an inflamed area of the skin usually dry, red and raised. Various skin rashes may differ in presentation.
- Hemorrhage : bleeding from a blood vessel, usually an artery, due to a tear or rupture.
- Discoloration : variation from the normal color and may refer to the skin, sclera of the eyes or mucous membranes of the mouth, anus or genitalia.
- Pallor : paleness of the skin often due to impaired blood circulation.
- Cyanosis : bluish discoloration of the areas mentioned under discoloration due to reduced oxygen availability.
What do signs of disease mean?
Signs of a disease means that the body is not functioning at the optimal level and some pathogenic process has begun in the affected area. Since signs of a disease can be independently verified, it should be monitored closely by a physician as it is a reliable indication of the progression of a disease or improvement due to successful treatment. The absence of any signs of a disease, despite the report of symptoms, should not mean that a diseases state is not present. In various diseases, a patient may first experience symptoms and only later as the disease progresses will various signs become evident.
What is a medical diagnosis?
A medical diagnosis (Greek dia = apart; gnosis = knowledge, insight), short Dx, is the physician's conclusion about which disease, disorder, injury or state his patient is affected by. Only a registered physician or appropriately qualified health care practitioner can make a medical diagnosis.
Based on the diagnosis, the physician will the decide on the most appropriate treatment and commence with it accordingly. However, not every diagnosis is accurate. With the scores of different medical conditions, may of which with similar clinical features, a misdiagnosis can be made by even the most experienced physician. This is where the advancements in technology related to medical science has proved to be the greatest asset to the physician. Various diagnostic investigations helps a doctor make the final diagnosis.
Diagnostic procedures includes clinical assessment asking a patient for symptoms by taking a medical history, finding signs of the disease by a physical examination, checking results of medical investigations and making a diagnosis from the collective data.
Diagnostic investigations include blood, sputum, urine or stool tests, imaging studies like X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI or more invasive techniques like a biopsy. The purpose of these investigations is to accurately assess the disease process at a cellular or even molecular levels and correlate this data with the medical history and physical examination.
Differential diagnosis, short DD, is a list of diseases that seem to be possible causes of a patient's symptoms at certain in the process of diagnosis. By excluding each disease on the differential diagnosis list one by one, the final remaining disease is the most likely diagnosis. This process of elimination or exclusion is often necessary when a disease cannot be confirmed by diagnostic investigations. For example, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a diagnosis reached when other diseases are excluded as possible causes of gastrointestinal symptoms.
On the other hand, medical diagnostic investigations these days have advanced to a stage where a physician can accurately diagnose a condition without eliminating all other diseases. For example, a DD in a patient coughing blood includes: chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, pulmonary embolism, injury of the chest and a combination of a chest X-ray, sputum sample, related blood tests and a biopsy will conclusively confirm the diagnosis.


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