text: Thousands of rival supporters attended Sandri's funeral in Balduina, Rome [AFP] 'Tragic incident' "Gabriele was not violent, he was gentle and serene. So I ask all you young people not to commit any more violence," Tammi said. Police have called the shooting of 26-year-old Sandri after a brawl between fans a tragic accident. But the incident has fuelled hatred between "tifosi" (fans) and police in the country which won the soccer World Cup last year. Family and friends of Sandri, senior politicians and thousands of fans wore blue and white Lazio scarves, and also the colours of city arch-rivals Roma and other clubs, as his coffin arrived at the church in the north-west quarter of Balduina to traditional applause. Francesco Totti, the captain of Roma and one of Italian football's biggest names, also paid his respects. Giuliano Amato, Italy's interior minister, promised a thorough investigation into why a policeman fired two shots across a busy motorway at a carload of Lazio fans leaving a rest stop after a brawl. One of the shots killed Gabriele. Vincenzo Giacobbe, police chief of the central city of Arezzo, near the spot where Sandri was killed, said tougher charges might be laid, with numerous witnesses saying the policeman had "probably" aimed at the tyres of the car that Sandri was in. The policeman said that he accidentally fired the fatal shot as he was running, seconds after firing a warning round in the air. One former high school classmate of Sandri's said at the funeral: "The policeman's gunshot was a man's mistake. Football has nothing to do with it." Football hooliganism Amato has also accused fans of using the incident as an excuse to go on the rampage around the country, setting fire to cars and attacking police stations, for which two Roman youths may face terrorism charges. At least 40 police required hospital treatment after the running battles in several cities on Sunday which newspapers dubbed the return of the "nightmare" of hooliganism. Italian police have made 25 arrests in the wake of the shooting death. It was the second violent death linked to top league soccer this year after a policeman died in rioting outside a stadium in Sicily in February. Some politicians want tougher action than the soccer federation's suspension of second and third division games this weekend. No top-flight matches were scheduled anyway, as Italy were playing Scotland in a European championship qualifier. In February, all matches were suspended pending tougher security measures at stadiums after a policeman was killed in rioting at a match in Sicily. The disparity in measures taken has led to accusations that officials take a policeman's death more seriously than a fan's. SOURCE: Agencies


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Cuba's digital destination
Carlos, Ele & the kids – The Alfonso family
Carlos meets me at the front door and chats as if we were old friends. Ele (L) arrives and asks what's going on. She is casually dressed but when she finds out that the interview will also be about her, she immediately leaves to get dressed up. She brings over one of Carlos' favorite T-shirts and dries his forehead with a napkin so that the camera won't pick up on the sweat. He lets her fuss over him with all the naturalness of someone who is part of a well-practiced ritual. It's that kind of marriage dynamic which over the course of many years has granted each partner their specific role and function. And it looks like they love it. They have been together for over forty years. They have founded one of the most highly respected groups on this island of musicians. Together they have created a family with children named after the alphabet just like their mother—Eme (M), their daughter, and Equis (X), their son—who have turned out to be artists in their own right.
The kids, as they still call them, have by now left the family nest and started their own lives and careers but they still have projects in common. "I like to think that Eme is still a part of Síntesis even though she isn't always playing with us," confesses Carlos. Right away he starts to talk about the recently inaugurated (February 13, 2014) Fábrica de Arte Cubano, the multicultural brainchild of X, set up to mingle all the art forms. "In a way, they are part of all our projects and we are also a part of theirs. So we are a very united family even if we don't all live under the same roof." He speaks frankly, with Ele pitching in with a reminder or a date. She is the one who brings us some of their personal file material to illustrate the interview. "She's been keeping it all organized," Carlos says with admiration.
In 1974, Carlos Alfonso founded the Tema IV Quartet which had Carlos as its band leader and guitarist along with Ele Valdés and some other musicians. Two years later in 1976, wanting to expand their sound, Carlos got together with Mike Porcel to start up Síntesis, a vocal-instrumental group based on keyboard, guitar bass guitar and Cuban percussion. In its long trajectory, the group has undergone many changes determined by the entry of different musicians such as Lucía Huergo, José María Vitier, Amaury Pérez and Ernán López-Nussa, just to name a few. The changes were also inspired by Carlos' experimentation. He has been the undisputed musical leader whose esthetic concerns have been one of the basic cornerstones of Síntesis.
Carlos firmly believes that there is an extremely close relationship between African music, Rock and Jazz. That is the fountainhead of the fascinating rhythmical mixtures of African origin that per se were also a cultural amalgam of different ethnic groups and their cultures, with the more contemporary electronic sounds of Rhythm 'n Blues, Jazz, Rock, Rap and Techno. When the music world hadn't even thought of the word "fusion," there it was in the heart of Síntesis. "It's work that can't be done without any planning. It takes lots of research and study," Ele says and she goes on to tell us how when they were attempting to record their first album on Afro-Cuban chants, they encountered countless difficulties. One day they showed it to a practitioner of Regla de Ocha, the most important and well-known religion of African origin in Cuba, also known as Santeria. His reaction was: "You're crazy!" He suggested they change the order of the numbers on the album to more closely follow the ritualistic liturgies "because some Orishas can't be together," And Ele, who is not a follower of the religion, concluded with a smile: "Naturally we followed his advice and as of that moment everything started going great, just as if the gods were really on our side,"
Besides their numerous recordings, during its long lifetime, Síntesis has participated in the most important Jazz and Rock festivals around the world. They have shared the stage with soloists and groups such as Iron Maiden, Swing, Oasis, Guns and Roses, Milton Nascimento, Britney Spears, Fito Páez, Juan Carlos Baglietto and many more. Their music has been used in documentary and feature films and in 1990, they received the Coral Award for the Best Soundtrack at the New Latin American Film Festival for the Humberto Solás film Miel Para Ochún. In 2002, Carlos Alfonso was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category of Best Contemporary Tropical Album for Habana a flor de piel.
At one point, Silvio Rodríguez who is the most prolific and well-known proponent of the New Cuban Trova said about them: "They are consistent with their work and have enough talent to make real, in terms of sound, everything they have set out to do as philosophy and line of thinking: a cultural synthesis. That's something very few people can achieve." And after these words by Silvio, there is not much else to add. Except perhaps to emphasize what a great time I had in the company of this couple who, besides their incredible professional success, seem to have found what we are all looking for: Happiness.
March 2014 This article formed part of the March 2014 issue of What's On Havana The definitive monthly travel & culture guide to Havana Download our current issue of What?s On Havana, your definitive travel, culture and entertainment guide for all things happening in Havana, Cuba?s bustling and enigmatic capital city. We include features from around Cuba written by the best international travel writers covering Cuba. Our monthly online digital magazine is also available in Spanish and French.
What?s On Havana What?s On La Habana What?s On La Havane March, 2014
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subset: commoncrawl


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Closely paired with the SXSW music festival as it is, seems only fitting that the Film Festival dedicates a swathe of programming to films about music. If writing about music, though, is like dancing about architecture, than making a movie about music is like building a novel. To help you chew over that little pensee, here's a celluloid mixtape highlighting the ethno-funk of David Byrne, the poison pen of Magnetic Fields, the rock 'n' roll riot of Tehran, the continental drift of Broken Social Scene and the prune juice of Levon Helm. Click on the titles for trailers where available.
Read our SXSW Headliners Preview.
Read the first part of our SXSW Spotlight Premieres preview.
Read the second part of our SXSW Spotlight Premieres preview.
Read our SXSW Narrative Features Competition preview.
Read our SXSW Documentary Features Competition preview.
Read the first part our SXSW Emerging Visions preview.
Read the second part our SXSW Emerging Visions preview.
Read our SXSW Lone Star States preview.
Ain't in It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm
With Robbie Robertson gone Hollywood and both Rick Danko and Robert Manuel plucking harps, it's up to drummer Helm to shoulder The Band's cosmic Americana spirit. This EPK highlights the creation and promotion of Helm's acclaimed 2007 album Dirt Farmer. The irascible coot spices the brew with stories from the frontlines of addiction, pestilence and bankruptcy. Directed by Jacob
Hanley Hatley.
Beyond Ipanema – Brazilian Waves in Global Music
Brazil often seems like America's reflection on the other side of the equator. The two countries have enjoyed an uneasy cultural relationship where we give them Homer Simpson in return for Joao Gilberto. Guto Barra's tuneful documentary charts the musical exchange, from the early days of Carmen Miranda and her fruit basket titfer to Talking Heads' promotion of the tropicalia movement led by Caetano Veloso. Formerly known as Beyond Ipanema – America's Love Affair With Brazilian Music.


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Vitamin of the Week: Nick Balée (Houston)
Nick Balée
Here's a photo of Nick showing you the difference between him, a friendly Vitamin T Business Development Manager, and a shark.
Nick helps companies find amazing creatives so they can hit their timelines, budgets, and business goals. A shark eats people.
Nick = good. Shark = not so much.
Now that you can tell them apart, sink your jaws into Nick's answers to our 7 Quick Questions. We promise they're all dolphin safe!
The biggest myth about being a recruiter/salesperson/staffing industry? That staffing companies only provide contractors and don't consult and partner with their clients. Not true! We go to great pains to make sure all of our people are subject matter experts in their craft and can consult on the service we're providing.
What app do you use regularly that provides great user experience? It has to be the Facebook App.It was really the first one to allow you to upload pictures, chat with friends instantly, and connect to almost every other popular social media application. I say it's still the best.
Best creative/digital event in your city? Web Analytics Wednesdays. The brightest minds in Houston come to share the advancements they're making in web analytics.
Who is your creative or digital hero? No contest: Steve Jobs. He was able to facilitate the proliferation of a global technological revolution in terms of how we interact with technology and communicate with the rest of the world itself.
If you had to pick two celebrities to be your parents, who would they be? Leonardo Dicaprio and Angelina Jolie. Leonardo because of the way he cultivates his personal brand by carefully selecting the kinds of projects he's associated with. I'd pick Angelina Jolie because here humanitarian initiatives align with my own beliefs on giving back to the world and focusing on doing/being good.
What's your favorite interview question? "What are your strengths?" It allows someone to show what their intangibles are and then try to demonstrate why they are the best person for the position.
What's the name of the last book you read? Quarterback Drew Brees' Coming Back Stronger From Adversity. I loved how he demonstrates how any negative experience (a career-ending shoulder injury, Hurricane Katrina, etc.) can be turned into a positive one. It's a great read.
Looking for a great job in Houston? Connect with Nick!


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Q: Exactly what are you all about? Who are you?
We are a FUN, private adult social club for adventurous adults…MODERN COUPLES. We're an upscale club, one that offers an alternative to mainstream nightclubs and underground sex clubs. We're based on a foundation of respect, discretion, comfort and safety. We are not a sex/orgy club although we do welcome open, swingers, poly, same sex relations D/s and those curious about it.
The majority of our members are experienced lifestylers or curious or relatively new to swinging, bi-sexuality, polyamory, etc, while other members enjoy dressing sexy, nudity, exhibitionism/voyeurism, fetishes, etc. Our philosophy is that sexuality is healthy and should be explored in a consensual and safe manner. Our focus is on friendship and mutual respect and no pressure or expectations are placed on other members.
Admittance is by invitation only. This enables us to grow a membership of like-minded individuals. Some of our members are not into swinging or D/s, but they love to dress sexy and have a place to go to be seen and have a little fantasy, playful fun through various theme parties. Other members enjoy meeting like-minded people for friendship and possible relationship.
Q: Does the Club have any polices or rules?
Yes, the following are the Club Policies and Rules:
We have a zero tolerance policy at CAPC events and functions. We will not tolerate Excessive Drinking or Drug Use.
We expect that everyone be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. We do not promote pressure or aggressive behavior.
Please respect other people's rights. NO means NO!!
Uninvited and/or non-consensual touching or grabbing will not be tolerated .
No illegal sexual activity will be allowed.
If you encounter any problems or difficulties while at the club, please bring it to the attention of management immediately. (Management will deal with the issue in a discrete fashion.)
Wear what you feel comfortable in; cleanliness is a must. (No baseball caps, sweats material, ripped jeans, no runners) Management reserves the right to refuse entrance to anyone we feel might offend other members by their appearance. We are offering a friendly no hassle environment to our guests. Please respect each guests desires or non-desires as they might be your own.
Q: What do you offer?
We provide three nights of events Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Each event has it's own theme from Adult Socials to Gang Bangs. Refer to ur calendar often to make sure you donot miss an event that you aree interested in.
Wednesday Nights – a middle of the week break fronm the hectic lives that we live, meet Adults that are alos looking for a time to unwind, meet new people and share in lifestyles and if you are into it connect for some Adult fun. Wednesday nights your place to be in the middle of the week. We look forward ot meeting you.
Friday Nights – Fetish Friday's have a little spicier side. The membership is made up of couples single females, single males, females and Open (partners of couples who play alone), Couples, (Couples looking for singles), Gay, Lesbian, Cross dressers, Transgender, Dominants, submissives and anyone who wishes to explore their alternative side. This group enjoys monogamous, swinging and often have an open and or polyamorous lifestyle
Saturday Nights – Swinger Saturday's. The membership is made up of couples. single females and single males in the accompaniment of member couple or single female. The members are everything from straight, swingers, bi and or are in poly relationships. Each enjoying a number of open lifestyle relationships and interactivity including Fetish Friday genres. Single Males are only permitted in the company of a member couple or member female.
Q: Do you provide connections?
Sorry, we are unable to provide after club hours connections. If you wish to connect with a couple of interest please make your intentions known when you meet. CAPC is connected to a form Social Site, please check out www.Community.GTFORadio.com and connect with the social site finding your group to connect with.
Q: Do we have to do anything we're not comfortable with?
No one is expected to do anything they are not comfortable with. By all means, feel free to be playful and be yourself as long as you feel comfortable and we ask all members to be respectful of others in turn. We actively maintain a non-threatening, NO-PRESSURE environment. We ask all members to not do anything to make anyone else feel uncomfortable. You might see a lot of flirting, varying degrees of nudity and playfulness. If other people are touching each other that does not mean anyone else can get involved. There also is no pressure to dress according to theme. Some people enjoy wearing sexy outfits but for those who do not, they are still in good company as not everyone enjoys the clothing aspect, we are all members that accept each other for who they are.
Q: How do I become a member?
We'll first need to get to know you better. Please write a little paragraph about yourself answering the brief Q & A. We may respond with additional questions and we encourage you to do the same.
Applicants will be sent an invitation via email to one regular function. Note: We only allow couples and single females to attend our Saturday Night events. A female or couple must accompany all males; no single males will be admitted (Saturday Night events)
Once you receive your invitation we will ask you to come earlier in the evening before regular members arrive. When you arrive you will be greeted by your hosts and be given a tour of the club this will provide you more information about the club and give you an opportunity to ask any questions.
You will be required to complete a membership form (containing full name, age, form of contact (email is preferred)). We need to see identification, sorry no false names will be accepted, the membership form will be maintained on file and you will be registered electronically. Please note attending as a guest does not guarantee that membership status will be granted, acceptance is a mutually agreed upon process by CAPC and yourselves.
If you think the club is right for you, just express your interest to the hosts that evening that or drop us an email that you would like to come back again and become a member, it is that simple.
Once membership is requested and dues are paid, you will receive a membership card. Members will be sent newsletters to all upcoming club events and offerings or you can check out our website for the latest news. You are required to present your membership card at the door when you attend each function.
Q: What does membership to this club include?
Membership holders are entitled membership rates at all of our events.
We do not sell alcohol. We supply water, pop, juice, ice, glasses, utensils, bottle openers, corkscrews, snacks, etc.
Your membership is valid for Intimate Times in Edmonton Alberta, Risque Vegas Estate , Las Vegas Nevada. (Ask for Details). We are always working on other benefits for our members.
Q: How many members are there?
Currently, we have more than 900 members. Naturally, however, not all members make it out to each event. On average 20-60 people come out to these parties, there is no way of predicting this. For popular events such as Halloween and New Years we typically have 100 people come out for the evening.
Q: What are your existing members like? Who are they?
Our members are adults from all walks of life, nationalities and backgrounds. Generally, our members are avant-garde and sexually adventurous couples, single females or committed triads. Ages range from early 20s to 60s. Generally, our members are respectful couples and single females. Also, almost all of our members who are couples tell us they are in a stable, loving relationship with each other and because they are able to have open and honest communication, they are able to explore their sexuality and/or fantasies with each other. The majority of members who join us come with no expectations other than to mingle with sexy people and have a good time.
Q: What if we belong to other clubs? Can we join?
Absolutely! Variety is the spice of life! Some of our members also belong to other clubs. Also just as we're not for everyone, everyone is not for the other clubs. But it's a good idea to check out all your options and feel free to enjoy the other clubs.
Q: Will I fit in?
Most people are nervous attending their first few functions. After that, they usually realize that they are under no pressure to do or participate in anything they are not comfortable with. We strongly urge people to come with no expectations. Simply come to have a relaxed social evening, maybe dance a little, maybe meet nice, sexy people and see the group having a nice evening out. If you're not too shy or nervous, try introducing yourself to others and they'll in turn introduce you to more people. You'll have more fun that way rather than sitting quietly in a corner. Unless, of course, you're content being a voyeur!
Q: Can I bring a friend or another couple to a function?
We are a private membership-based club. All functions are by invitation only, we are not open to the public, therefore, we do not permit anyone to walk in off the street. Everyone who attends a function must present either an invitation, a full membership, or must be in the immediate company of a MEMBER, We pride ourselves on our application process, and our members have strongly indicated that they do not wish to see strangers freely walking in off the street. If you know of someone who is interested, please have them approach us through the regular channels, that is, have them visit this website and contact us as you have. It helps if they let us know who referred them to us.
Q: Where and when are the parties and events held?
All functions are held at a privately owned location. The location is kept confidential from the general public. This clean facility is tastefully furnished, has a dance floor, a quieter upper level, seating on both levels, a bar, a fridge and basically everything you need for a fun party. We are a smoke-free facility, members who wish to smoke are welcome to partake outdoors. The address of the club is divulged only to members and prospective members who are provided with invitation. Our door opens at 9 PM on the nights of our functions and we close around 2 am.
Click here to see our Events Calendar.
Q: What are the parties like? What can I expect?
As a rule of thumb, it's a good idea to come with no expectations other than to have an enjoyable, no-pressure time. Generally, you won't find people talking about where they work or what they do because everyone is there to escape reality and explore that 'other side' of themselves. Some of the evenings can be sexy, wild and lots of friendly interaction erotic, while others are a little more on the mild, gentle side. Mostly, people meet and mingle, some might dance. No two evenings are alike. Sometimes you'll be in a real energetic party and other times you'll notice the evening is somewhat more subdued and intimate. It all depends on how many people come, who is there, what mood they're in. One thing is for sure – how much fun you have all depends on YOU.
Q: What's the acceptable way to dress up for club nights? What's the scoop on attire?
Dress however you feel comfortable. First-timers sometimes feel more at ease dressing as they normally would going out for a nice dinner or to a nightclub. You won't be out of place having some wardrobe fun and dressing according to theme. Everyone is open-minded and some are outright addicted to wearing the sexiest outfits that will grab attention. Put some creativity into it. Your evening is an escape from reality.
However please remember these simple rules: cleanliness is a must. (No baseball caps, sweats material, ripped jeans, no runners) Management reserves the right to refuse entrance to anyone we feel might offend other members by their appearance. Dress to impress.
Ms. Stacey


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Hudson Musty on stage at the 2017 Sydney Eisteddfod. Photo: WinkiPoP Media
Bravo to the 2017 Acting Champions
Published: 15/08/2017 11:00am
Huge congratulations to Hudson Musty who emerged victorious in the Sydney Eisteddfod Actor's Championship (15-18 years) on Sunday 13 August. Hudson stole the stage with his memorised solo performances of Gwen Harwood's poem The Speed of Light, Peter Shaffer's Equus and Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 2.
Hudson won $1,000 and in addition to the cash prize, NIDA generously provided him with a choice of two introductory through to advanced weeklong courses during the school holidays.
Hudson impressed judges Noel Cislowski AM and Simone Whetton with his mature performance and insightful acting.
The overall standard of performance in the event was incredibly high with Alex Chorley finishing a close second and Anna Coles claiming third place.
In the younger age group, Ruby Alexander was awarded first place in the Sydney Eisteddfod Actor's Championship (12-14 years) with her performance of Sarah from Donald Margulies' Time Stands Still and Kathryn Stocker's novel The Help .
Ruby Alexander won $300 and also received two weekend school holiday courses valued at $320 from NIDA.
Callum Treanor won second place and Breteil David was awarded 3rd place for their beautiful performances.
Sydney Eisteddfod congratulates all performers on their efforts in both events and thanks NIDA for their support as venue partner.


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Barry Manilow extends Las Vegas residency into March 2020Music News September 10, 2019
Barry Manilow has extended his residency at the Westgate Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, where he's been performing since May of 2018.
Manilow, who just wrapped up a New York City run on Broadway, will launch his 2020 Vegas dates on February 13. Right now, he has a total of 12 shows scheduled through March 28. The performances will feature nearly all of the entertainer's top 40 hits, augmented by video walls and special effects.
Tickets for the newly announced dates of his show Manilow: Las Vegas — The Hits Come Home! go on sale this Monday, September 16, at 10 a.m. PT, via Ticketmaster, online or at the Westgate box office.
Manilow's next concert is September 14 in London's Hyde Park. Starting September 19, he'll start another run of shows at the Westgate, which are scheduled to wrap up October 19.
Here are all of Manilow's newly announced 2020 dates:
February 13-15, 20-22
March 5-7, 26-28
Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.


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VAT Announces Next Round of Community Presentations
The Government of the Bahamas is continuing its public education efforts on the impending Value Added Tax (VAT) implementation with a full month of community presentations.
Meetings are scheduled in the month of March, in conjunction with the Exuma Chamber of Commerce at the Church of God of Prophecy, East Street, Nassau.
Presentations will also be made at Wesley Methodist Church, Baillou Hill Road on March 1 at 10am, Bahamas Faith Ministries on Saturday, March 1 from 9 – 11am and again at 12:45 pm, Killarney Community Development Association at Casuarinas Resort on Cable Beach on March 3 at 7pm, Bahamas Veterinary Association at the IICA Conference Room, Village Road, on March 5 at 6:30pm, Ministry of Tourism retirees on March 6 at 4pm, the Bahamas Bar Association on March 11 at 1pm, and Church of God of Prophecy on March 13 at 2 pm.
The Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis will speak on the implementation of VAT at 9:30 Saturday, March 1 at Bahamas Faith Ministries. Other presenters for this series include Senior Customs/ Revenue Officer at the Minister of Finance Livingston Ferguson, VAT Consultant Pauline Peters, Ministry of Finance official Lucine Mingo and various other members of the finance sector.
All sessions are free of charge and include an interactive question and answer period.
For more information on the VAT implementation please call the Ministry of Finance VAT hotline between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday-Friday at 225-7280.
You can also visit the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/vatbah242.
Value Added Tax has been the 'choice' taxation method for over 160 countries worldwide since it was first implemented in 1950.business, financial, government, law, tax, VAT


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'Degrassi' Recap: Fiona Chooses Girls & Anya Rejects Owen… Again!
Lots of changes this week! Should Anya give Owen a chance? Will Alli get back with Drew? Read on & tell us!
Just as Annie Clark hinted in our interview, the April 8 episode of Degrassi brought the end of "Fadam," as Fiona finally realized she only liked the girl-half of transgender boyfriend Adam (Jordan Todosey.) And while the announcement came as a shock to Mama Coyne (aka the classiest woman of all time), I think everyone's a little relieved to hear Fiona's not into guys — at least this means she won't be kissing her brother again!
And even though Fiona's dreams were full of "Folly J" action, she decided not to act on her impulses with Holly J (Charlotte Arnold) — not yet, at least. Maybe Fiona isn't as attracted to girls on dialysis as she thought she did.
Meanwhile in Degrassi-land, Alli (Melinda Shankar) continued her mission to tutor the school's less-scholarly types in the hopes of getting in good with the teachers. Bianca (Alicia Josipovic) was thrilled at the prospect of getting a school dance as a reward, but was none too pleased to see Alli getting close with Drew (Luke Bilyk) again. Is the Queen of the Boiler Room worried about losing her King?
And then there's Anya (Samantha Munro), who can't seem to do anything right with guys lately. She got Owen (Daniel Kelly) a second chance in CRP class after his big emotional apology last week, only to be greeted with a super-awkward bear hug from him at The Dot. In typical Anya fashion, it didn't take long for her to put the jerky jock in his place.
Am I the only one thinks she needs to get back with Sav (Raymond Ablack?) Her dating history since breaking up with him — if you can count boner-fiend Wesley, the ever-statutory Dr. Chris, and now bear-hugger Owen as "dating" — has been a disaster. Besides, Holly J. admitted to being more in love with Declan (Landon Liboiron) than she is with Sav.
…So what's the problem here?


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Teachit started off as a tray in the corner of a staffroom (to allow teachers to share their resources with each other) and has grown into a thriving community of teachers contributing resources, discussing ideas and finding inspiration. We'd love you to join in – if you haven't already!
"Teachit resources are innovative and creative and offer real inspiration – especially in week six of a seven and a half week term!"
Find secondary English teaching resources for poetry, prose, plays, non-fiction, media and skills.
Choose from titles including Revise unseen fiction, Macbeth and Challenging grammar.
Resources written specially for the new GCSE poetry anthologies.


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Flash News of the Week—Adobe Promises to Patch Vulnerability of Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash Pro
After a complaint from outraged users and security experts alike, Adobe has changed direction and promised to provide free patches for older versions of Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash Professional to close eight critical vulnerabilities. The company didn't specify when the free updates would be available for users.
Adobe will fix vulnerabilities in Flash Professional CS5.5, Photoshop CS5, and Illustrator, according to an email from its spokesperson sent late in the evening on May 11. The announcement came after users and security experts lambasted the company for telling customers to upgrade to the latest CS6 editions in order to close serious security flaws in the software.
"We are in the process of resolving the vulnerabilities addressed in these security bulletins in Adobe Illustrator CS5.x, Adobe Photoshop CS5.x and Adobe Flash Professional CS5.x, and will update the respective security bulletins once the patches are available," wrote David Lenoe, head of Adobe's Product Security Incident Response Team.
The company had warned users of eight serious vulnerabilities in those three applications as part of its Patch Tuesday update on May 8. An attacker could possibly take remote control of a computer by exploiting the vulnerability in Photoshop via a maliciously crafted .TIF image file. Adobe originally told users that the latest CS6 versions, released in April, fixed the issues and users should upgrade.
The upgrade versions come with a steep price tag, ranging from $99 for Flash Professional to $249 for Illustrator. Customers upgrading to CS6 Design & Web Premium, which has the latest CS6 version of Flash Professional, Photoshop and Illustrator, would have to shell out $375.
Considering CS5 was launched in 2010 and CS5.5 in 2011, requiring users to make another pricey investment to upgrade within two years outraged customers.
"So it looks like Adobe is going to patch Photoshop CS5 after all. Maybe they listened to all the mad people?" Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle, wrote on Twitter.
Low Risk of Attack
Adobe originally claimed it wouldn't release a free patch for these applications because historically, attackers have not attacked Photoshop, Flash Professional, or Illustrator. The risk wasn't big enough to make a free patch worthwhile. Users who didn't upgrade to CS6 should "follow security best practices and exercise caution when opening files from unknown or trusted sources," the company said.
It seems a little disingenuous to assume attackers won't attack a vulnerability because they haven't done so before. In fact, a proof of concept exploit code appears to already exist for the Photoshop flaw.
"Adobe customers who feel nervous opening .TIF files will judge the level of risk for themselves, and prefer to seek alternatives from companies that take better care of their users," Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, wrote on Naked Security.
VIA: http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/vulnerabilities/297841-adobe-backpedals-will-patch-photoshop-illustrator


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I have been meaning to do this haul for yonks but let's just say life kept getting in the way.
This is everything I picked up on sale over the last three months.
New Look
So first up is what I picked up in the new Look sale.
As you can see a lot of office wear, as I always try to buy work clothes on sale.
Black high waisted was €29 now €9, grey strip trousers was €24.99 now €8, Black bell sleeve blazer was €39.99 now €12, suit jacket was €44.99 now €19 and matching suit trousers was €29.99 now €11. Sadly everything I picked up is sold out.
Jumper was €34.99 now €13 and jeans was €29.99 now €14.99
River island
I wanted this knitted tracksuit when it was full price, I have also repurchased both items.
Jumper was €50 now €20 Click here to buy joggers was €45 now €18 Click here to buy
Happy Shopping
Lots of love


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Good afternoon! It's a beautiful, sunny Saturday here in Southeastern Wisconsin. Probably nothing like the weather they are experiencing on the East Coast right now.
After clocking out of work at 12:05 a.m. and not getting to sleep until about 1 a.m., I slept in this morning, meditated, and went for a long walk with Craig. My legs were really sore from walking about 5 miles at work last night, but I think the walk actually helped a lot.
I really wanted to make it to the Eat Local Resource Fair at the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee, but walking around at a fair and being so tired after work last night didn't sound like it would mix too well. Plus, I didn't want to feel so rushed today.
So instead, I painted my nails this morning.
Eek, my nails/cuticles look like they need a proper manicure. Hmm…maybe on my b-day on Wednesday?
Got excited to check out the package I received yesterday.
I won some Cascal fermented soda from Jessica at Healthy Living in America's Dairyland. Never tried it before, but I will definitely let you all know how it is or you can head over to Jessica's site to check out her opinion.
The sodas came in this adorable lunch bag!
Lots of yummy flavors to try out!
Then we went to Barnes and Noble to get my nephew a gift card. I'm glad he is getting into reading and I want to encourage it with this gift card. I definitely was very into reading at his age (going into 2nd grade) and now I am a lifelong reader. It also helped my spelling skills!
And to the grocery store to pick up some good deals.
I picked up two Protein Plus PowerBars that ended up being totally free with coupons I found in Women's Health magazine.
I used a $1.50 off coupon for some Seattle's Best coffee.
And I used one of my free Chobani coupons the company sent after I had a bad experience with a raspberry flavored yogurt a couple of weeks ago. Great customer service on Chobani's part–I was impressed. Now I get to have one of my favorite flavors, pomegranate, for lunch this week.
I'm quickly writing this post while watching America's Test Kitchen. It's an episode focused on chicken, which is sort of grossing me out. I still like learning things from the show though, even when it is very meat based cooking featured most of the time.
We're off to a cookout for my nephew's 8th b-day party this afternoon! Can't wait to sit outside and enjoy a hamburger. I think this flexitarian is actually going to have a burger and hope it doesn't affect my stomach. I have been craving meat all week.
Hope your weekend has been relaxing and fun so far!


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Heavy metals, like arsenic, lead, mercury, and others, are all around us. They're in the ground we walk on, in the water we drink, and in the products we use every day. But high levels of most heavy metals can make you sick.
True heavy metal poisoning is rare in the United States. And experts say you should be careful about unproven heavy metal tests or "detox" treatments you find online. They may waste your money, and some could be dangerous.
Heavy Metal Basics
Scientists group these elements based on their higher density, or atomic weights. Many heavy metals exist, including:
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Copper
- Iron
- Lead
- Mercury
- Zinc
Not all of these metals are bad for you. We need small amounts of some of them, such as copper and iron, to keep our bodies healthy.
Who Gets Heavy Metal Poisoning?
This can happen if you eat or drink something tainted with heavy metals or if you breathe in contaminated dust or fumes.
You might get heavy metal poisoning if you:
- Work in a factory that uses heavy metals
- Breathe in old lead paint dust when you fix up your home
- Eat fish caught in an area with high levels of mercury
- Use herbal medicines that have heavy metals in them
The signs can vary depending on the metal and the amount.
Acute poisoning. This happens if you get a high dose at one time, like in a chemical accident in a factory or after a child swallows a toy made with lead. Symptoms usually come on quickly and you may:
- Feel confused
- Go numb
- Feel sick and throw up
- Pass out
Acute poisoning is an emergency. Call your doctor or local poison control center right away. The national Poison Help Line is 800-222-1222.
Chronic poisoning. You get this after contact with a low dose over a long time. As the metal builds up in your body, you can get sick. Symptoms come on slowly and can include:
- Headache
- Weakness and tiredness
- Achy joints and muscles
- Constipation
Different tests can check for different types of heavy metals. Some might test your blood or pee. Others might require an X-ray. Your doctor will also ask you about your job, hobbies, diet, and anything else that could have put you in contact with dangerous substances.
Tests for heavy metals aren't routine. Your doctor would test you only if you show symptoms and there is a history of exposure or a good reason to suspect they are related to heavy metals.
The main step is to stay away from whatever made you sick so you don't make the problem worse. Your doctor can help you figure out how to protect yourself.
Sometimes you might need to have your stomach pumped to get the metals out.
If your poisoning is serious, one treatment option is chelation. You get drugs, usually through an IV needle, that go into your blood and "stick" to the heavy metals in your body. They then get flushed out with your pee.
Chelation can be an important part of treatment. But the therapy can be dangerous, and it doesn't work with all heavy metals. So doctors only use it only if you have high levels of the metal and clear symptoms of poisoning.
Unproven Tests and Treatments
Experts say that heavy metal poisoning is rare. But lots of websites claim it's common and blame it, without proof, for all sorts of health problems. Many businesses sell unreliable tests and expensive or even dangerous treatments.
Hair analysis or chelation challenge tests ("provoked urine" tests). They're inaccurate. They can't tell you if you're sick or need treatment.
Over-the-counter chelation treatments. These are not approved by the FDA, may not be safe, and there's no evidence that they work.
If you think you have heavy metal poisoning, don't try to diagnose it or treat it on your own. See your doctor instead.
If you're worried about heavy metal poisoning, your doctor can give you personalized advice. General tips include:
- If you work with heavy metals, always wear masks or other safety equipment.
- Check local fish advisories to make sure the fish you eat is safe.
- If you live in a home built before 1978, hire an expert to test it for lead paint, and if found, to do lead abatement.
- Check labels on products for heavy metals.


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Apitherapy: Beehive Benefits to Human Health including Bee Sting or Bee Venom Therapy
UPDATE 3pm 2/24
Apparently the main roads are fine, so we will proceed with the evening's activities! Please drive safely and perhaps allow a bit more time to get there.
This talk is planned during the first half (7-8 pm-ish) of the February Bee Discussion Group gathering, regularly held the last Wednesday of the month.
Presenter: Bee Group member Sandy VonAllmen
Sandy VonAllmen is a retired RN who has kept a few beehives since 1998 in order to make good use of some of the health benefits associated with keeping bees. As her interest in bee venom therapy grew, she took an online Apitherapy Course with a Romanian doctor that expanded her awareness of its benefits. Sandy will discuss the many benefits to health of many byproducts of the hive and, of course, the most interesting to her being the Bee Sting (Bee Venom) Therapy that she also has the most experience with.
Small donation appreciated.
Betty Evans Community Room in the new wing (left hand door) of the E.J. Noble Medical Bldg., 80 E. Main Street, Canton, NY. (next to the Best Western, across from the Price Chopper on Rt. 11, Canton.) Usually we post an orange 'Local Living Workshop Site' lawn site near the door.
The monthly Disussion Group gatherings are a place where novice to advanced levels of beekeepers (or wanna-bees!) are welcome to attend and share their questions, successes and challenges in a casual group setting. Last Wednesday of each month, 7 PM, 1 to 2 hours.
"Bee" in touch -- join us! Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com to receive notice of workshops and events. Also, check out "The BeeHive," our Resource Page!
CANTON, NY -- "Apitherapy: Beehive Benefits to Human Health including Bee Sting or Bee Venom Therapy" is a talk that is planned during the first half of the upcoming Bees & Beekeeping Discussion Group monthly gathering, hosted by the Local Living Venture. A free will donation for the presentation is appreciated.
Bee Discussion Group member Sandy V. Von Allmen will discuss the many benefits to health of the byproducts of the beehive. She will cover propolis, royal jelly, pollen, and of course honey itself during this presentation at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the presentation will focus on "Apitherapy", which is commonly referred to as bee sting or bee venom therapy.
"Bee venom therapy sounds scary to people but it's actually a lot fun." states Von Allmen, "In 1998 I had a severe case of arthritis, it took me ten minutes to get from the car into the house. At that time it took three months of weekly treatments but I have a normal life and have been fine ever since!"
After the remarkable success of her own therapy, Von Allmen took an online Apitherapy Course with Dr. Stefan Stangaciu that expanded her awareness of the benefits of these treatments. She is a retired RN and has kept a few beehives since 1998 in order to make good use of some of the health benefits associated with keeping bees.
Von Allmen states that consuming local raw honey is "more than just a sweetener." It is believed to help with seasonal allergies and also has antiseptic and antibacterial properties that modern science has found useful in chronic wound management.
The possible health benefits of consuming raw, un-pasteurized honey are documented as far back as ancient Greek, Roman, Vedic, and Islamic texts and many scientists and philosophers throughout the ages have referenced the healing qualities of honey, including Aristotle, though some of honey's health claims have not yet undergone rigorous scientific studies to confirm them.
The presentation will be during the first hour of the event, followed by the usual open format discussion and then finalizing the co-op bee order the group is arranging in order to re-stock local hives in the Spring.
All are welcome to attend at the Betty Evans Community Room in the new wing of the E.J. Noble Medical Bldg. at 80 E. Main Street in Canton, NY. The entrance is on the left side, at street level, next to the E.J. Noble Hospital Guild's butterfly and pollinators garden. The building is next door to the Best Western and across from the Price Chopper on Rt. 11 in Canton, and will have an orange 'Local Living Workshop Site' lawn site near the door.
The monthly Discussion Group gatherings are a place where novice to advanced levels of beekeepers are welcome to attend and share their questions, successes and challenges in a casual group setting. It is held the last Wednesday of each month.
For more information, call (315) 347-4223 or email to email@example.com. There is also a resource page on the web at www.LocalLivingVenture.org/
# # #
See other upcoming Local Living Venture events HERE!
The Local Living Venture coordinates near-weekly resourceful Living Skills Workshops sharing traditional rural and simple living skills for a healthy and capable community.
We collaborate in presenting life-long learning events with generous community members who have skills and knowledge to share.
Our brand new website, at www.LocalLivingVenture.org, is made possible by a grant from the Northern New York Community Foundation.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"New" Building Entrance on Left
Second Floor - Community Room
Canton, 13617
United States


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MVC Rodeo Competing at College National Finals
MARSHALL, MO -- The Missouri Valley College rodeo team is currently competing at the 2012 College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming.
Vikings representing the MVC rodeo team at the National competition are Tanner Aus, bareback riding; Jordan Corrigan, saddle bronc riding; Will Crain, bull riding; Hunter Lewis, steer wrestling, Ben Runyon, team roping (header); Korah Agre, breakaway roping; Lauren Struxness, breakaway roping, Mason Ormesher, bull riding, and Cody Metsker, steer wrestling.
With the first two go-rounds complete and the third underway, the Viking men's rodeo team sits in 11th place overall with 220 points. MVC Senior Will Crain is currently leading in bull riding and has yet to ride in the third go-round.
The Vikings are coached by Ken Mason and assisted by Kari Mason and Krista Staley.


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Revision as of 16:03, 25 August 2017
- 1 Loadout Strategies
- 2 Important Advice for New Players
- 3 Performance Tweaks
- 4 Misc Game Tips and Tricks
- 5 How to Stream/Record Onward
Loadout Strategies
AP and Body Armor
AP ammo and body armor are almost always worth using. You carry more ammo if you use FMJ, but usually you won't need it. Being able to deal torso damage through body armor—which is extremely common—is a very big deal. While most other players use AP ammo as well, body armor is still very powerful. Automatic riflemen, pistols, and knives will rarely break through armor, not to mention those that simply choose to run with FMJ. FMJ can be used in place of AP fairly safely on Tanker—due to the fact that nearly every player will be running night vision and not body armor—but even then the extra ammo isn't usually useful. If you're fairly certain that the other team is all running AP, then body armor can be replaced with something else, but taking off AP ammo is a huge risk.
General Marsoc Weapons
The Marsoc armory has a selection of great, versatile weapons. The AK5C and MK-18 stand out quite well with 30-round magazines, full-auto and semi-auto firing modes, access to the Marsoc's amazing red dot sight, drop free magazines (one button to remove magazine), lock-open bolts (one button to chamber a new round after running a magazine dry and putting a new one in), and access to AP ammo. With a red dot sight and foregrip, these weapons are extremely powerful. When it comes to pistols, the M9 and G17 are both excellent pistols with large magazines (15 rounds for M9 and 17 rounds for G17) and usable iron sights.
General Volk Weapons
The Volk armory isn't quite as great as that of their enemy. Most of their rifles lack both drop free magazines and lock-open bolts, so reloading tends to be slower and more difficult with most Volk weapons. The rifle that stands out easily from the rest of the Volk weapons is the specialist's G36, which has a 30-round magazine, full-auto and semi-auto firing modes, a lock-open bolt, and access to AP ammo. It doesn't have a drop free magazine, and its sights are a bit high above the barrel—which can make it difficult to shoot over cover at times—but it is quite potent when combined with a foregrip and holographic sight. Another commonly used Volk weapon is the SKS Rifleman, which—while it is limited to a 20-round magazine and semi-auto—has shown itself to be a great tool. The best pistol for Volk is easily the USP, which has by far the largest magazine capacity of the Volk handguns and also great iron sights.
Weapons to Avoid
First of all—due to how powerful guns are in this game—anything can potentially be used effectively, and so you may see a player doing well with any weapon. With that having been said, there are weapons that put you at a disadvantage.
- The MP5 currently shoots much lower than it is sighted in for. At the shooting range, you can feel this at even the closest target. To hit the furthest targets, you nearly have to aim at the skyline.
- The P90 doesn't shoot as low as the MP5, but it still shoots noticeably low. This weapon at least has the advantage of a 50-round magazine, but you're better off using something that is sighted in correctly.
- Both shotguns are currently the worst weapons in the game. This will change, but they only have access to slugs; these slugs do the same damage as the assault rifles, but you have to deal with a lot of bullet drop, considerable recoil, a small ammo capacity, and a tedious reload process. Both shotguns also seem to have problems with a bug that causes them to hit something in front of their barrel, effectively cancelling the shot.
- The MK-14 Rifleman is a very odd weapon. Every Marsoc rifleman weapon is very powerful, with the exception of the MK-14 Rifleman. It has a tiny 15-round capacity and lacks both features that make reloading faster. If you use AP ammo—which you should—you will have a whopping total of 30 rounds of ammunition with the MK-14 Rifleman, which you can easily burn through. UPDATE: This weapon with FMJ now has the advantage of quickly breaking body armor, but this weapon still usually isn't worth using, especially with AP.
- Pistols are in an odd spot right now. For the most part, it's really never worth spending points on pistols, since the 2-point pistols are almost never noticeably better—and even tend to be worse—than the other pistols.
Important Advice for New Players
- Please do not go straight into your first match before ever testing things out in the shooting range. Know how to grab and use rifles, pistols, grenades, syringes, your tablet, your radio, and your knife. Things get hectic in real matches, and you won't have much of a chance to learn the basics. If you need help figuring these out, the Gameplay section of this wiki should have all of the information you need, or you can ask questions in the Onward Discord!
- On top of learning the controls, it is highly recommended that you never go into a match with a weapon that you have never used in the shooting range. Nothing is more embarrassing than being the last one alive and fumbling with your gun until you are shot. Different rifles are reloaded in different ways. Some require you to grab the magazine, while others let you drop the magazine with a simple button press. Some require you to manually chamber a new round with your nondominant hand, others have a bolt that locks open so that you can chamber a round with a simple button press. The belt-fed machine guns are famous for getting new players killed. Also, some guns shoot higher or lower at different ranges, and this can even vary by the sights you are using. The MP5 shoots extremely low, the M16A4 with iron sights shoots high, and the M16A4 with red dot sight shoots slightly low at close range and dead on at long range. Knowing how to use your weapon and how it behaves at different ranges is extremely important.
- Many new players worry about upsetting their team, but there are really only two things you can do that can be a problem: team killing and prolonging the match. It is better to not shoot than to kill a teammate. If you are Marsoc—especially if you're the last one alive—you need to play the objective. If you sit all the way across the map from the objective as Marsoc, the round will not end until the time runs out or an impatient Volk stumbles across you, which means that everyone is waiting. Prolonging the match is less of an issue for Volk, since letting the time runs out is a win for your team.
- Although Volk do win if time runs out, they have a huge reason to watch the objective. Allowing Marsoc to complete their objective in Uplink mode doesn't just mean you lose the round, it gives them two points instead of one, which is equivalent to losing two rounds through other means. If it's possible for Marsoc to be on/near the objective, you need to relocate yourself so that you can ensure that they do not enter the code. If you're the last one alive on Volk, it is literally twice as bad for the other team to enter the code than it is for you to die, and they can't enter the code if you force them to kill you (although your goal should be to kill them first, of course).
- When you're starting out, being able to quickly tell the difference between a friend and foe is quite difficult, and you're bound to kill your teammates every now and then. There are four main things to pay attention to that prevent friendly fire: your gloves, your weapon, the other player's character model, and your tablet. Marsoc has brown gloves and Volk has black gloves. Marsoc and Volk also share none of the same weapons, so you know that if you're using an M16A4, you're definitely on Marsoc. Obviously Marsoc is brown while Volk is black, but also try learning the other differences between the character models. Finally, you can use your tablet to check for friendlies, since they show up as green/yellow/red dots on your map, depending on their health.
- One of the advantages of being on Marsoc is having a random spawn that Volk doesn't know. If you're on Marsoc, do not shoot your weapon at the start of the round. This is especially bad on Downfall, since Marsoc desperately needs to be as stealthy as possible on this map.
- There are some terms and mechanics that new players should take the time to learn about. Body Armor is very commonly misunderstood, which causes huge issues for players with certain loadouts. Parallax is a mechanic that even many experienced players do not know about, despite its huge effect on scopes. Even Health and Damage can be a bit confusing, especially regarding what exactly the Syringe does.
Performance Tweaks
Here are a collection of tweaks, settings, how-tos and things you might have questions on.
Optimal settings
Onward uses SteamVR and as such much of the tweaking for performance and image quality is done there. It is recommended to install the SteamVR Plugin: [Advanced Settings] which is a utility that makes many settings very easy to adjust
The [Tray Tool] application also has some useful features for Rift users like automatically disabling ASW when Onward loads.
Oculus Tray Tool Note: currently the OTT (as of Oculus Home 1.13 and OTT 0.68) cannot set SuperSampling if you make a profile for Onward.exe due to the way the Oculus Debug Tool which the OTT uses to apply the settings. The profile based setting of SS for Onward.exe applies its SS settings after SteamVR has already loaded, and the Oculus Debug Tool does not implement the SS change. ASW works correctly however, as it can be enabled/disabled at any time.
Reprojection settings
- Asynchronous Reprojection: Enabled
Both HTC Vive and Oculus Rift platforms should have this setting enabled.
- Interleaved Reprojection: Disabled
Both HTC Vive and Oculus Rift platforms should have this setting disabled. Due to how this feature works (forcing the application to render at 45fps) this interferes with the physics engine in Unity that operatings things expecting 90fps.
Oculus Home
- Asynchronous Spacewarp: Disabled
Oculus Rift platforms should have this setting disabled. Due to how this feature works (forcing the application to render at 45fps) this interferes with the physics engine in Unity that operatings things expecting 90fps. The Oculus Tray Tool is a very handy application for this to be done automatically.
Performance/Image Quality
Onward graphics tweaks
If you are having performance issues you can see some small improvements by enabling low-quality mode in the Settings section of the Onward main menu. You can also adjust your SuperSampling settings, see the section below.
Reducing the resolution of the desktop Onward window can also improve performance a little by lowering the load on your GPU. To do this simply resize the Onward window on the desktop to be smaller.
Onward and VR games in general are very CPU intensive games. Increasing the Onward.exe priority to above normal during gameplay can help prevent other applications from impacting your gaming performance. A modern quadcore or better processor is highly recommended.
- SuperSampling Image Quality
SuperSampling is a form of antialiasing and it can be used to increase the clarity of the graphics in Onward by internally increasing the resolution of the game and then downsampling, at the cost of reduced performance. Both SteamVR and Oculus Home natively do this without applying any additional settings to increase supersampling. The Vive and the Rift both have a resolution of 2160x1200 but apply a default 1.4x supersampling to everything making the effective resolution 3024x1680. Further increasing supersampling can have a noticeable improvement in fine details making long distance visibility better, and there is diminishing returns of improvements beyond supersampling at about 1.6/2.5 old/new levels.
Systems with latest generation video cards (GTX1070/1080 and newer) can increase SuperSampling substantially, while previous generation video cards (GTX970/980) can often see a modest increase.
Recently Valve changed the supersampling figures in SteamVR to be a more linear representation of increased pixel depth. The below chart reflects both old settings, which are still analogous to changing it in the Oculus Debug Tool and the "new" SteamVR Supersampling Settings. Note that SteamVR has an option to enable/disable "Advanced Supersample Filtering" and many people are indicating they prefer it to be disabled.
|Video Card
|Old Supersampling
|New Supersampling
|Effective one-eye Resolution
|2289x2725 - 2366x2817
|1993x2373 - 2125x2530
|1752x2086 - 1901x2263
|1590x1893 - 1752x2086
|1472x1753 - 1532x1824
Onward PhysX settings
Onward uses a lot of physics via PhysX and this can potentially present performance problems. If you have an NVIDIA GPU you can offload the PhysX processing to the GPU where it is done at much higher speed than can be done on a CPU. To access this setting open up the NVIDIA Control Panel, go to 3D Settings, Configure Surround, PhysX and there should be a dropdown menu on the right half of hte page. It is titled PhysX settings and you can select your CPU or GPU for your PhysX processor. Select your GPU and then apply and close this window.
Increase Onward.exe process priority can help with performance issues
For the most part, Onward is reliant upon GPU performance in order to have a smooth gameplay experience. However, VR games in general take more CPU to run and you can find yourself hitting CPU contention and causing some frame rate drops/slowness even on modern powerful quadcore i5/i7 processors. This is doubly true if you are streaming/recording your gameplay or running other processes in the background.
Chances are most processes run on your system at the 'normal' priority level, meaning every process gets scheduled equal CPU time as they demand it, and when you reach very high CPU utilization levels you can run into contention that will cause some apparent slowdowns in Onward.
- Increase Process Priority
To fix this problem, start Task Manager while you have Onward running, go to the process under details/processes, sort by name and then right click on Onward.exe and click Set Priority -> High. Now the Onward.exe process will get "first dibs" on CPU time and the other applications will no longer interfere.
Unfortunately, this setting only persists until you close Onward. There are applications out there that claim to be able to help make this persistent, but many of them no longer work in Windows 8/10, and those that do require MORE CPU to implement their process controls.
Persisting the Priority change
- Changing the executable launch priority with a registry change
You can also change how Windows treats the executable by making the following registry key.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\Onward.exe\PerfOptions]
You can also download a reg file with the change you can get here: https://github.com/ragesaq/OnwardTweaks
- Oculus Tray Tool
Recently the Oculus Tray Tool reached release 0.80 which includes some enhancements that allows configuring process priority for a game in a profile along with the ASW or SuperSampling settings. Use this to set Onward to High Priority. Additionally, there is a checkbox for increasing the process priority of OVRServer_x64.exe. This is one of the key processes that Oculus systems use in processing various things like tracking, etc. Increasing the process priority can help as well. This is a great addition to the OTT because the above detailed registry key does not work for this process due to how the process is instantiated.
Misc Game Tips and Tricks
Playing stealthily
While playing Onward, your interaction with your equipment and weapons can make all manner of sounds. There'll be times when you might want to try and stay as quiet as possible to avoid detection from the enemy. In these moments knowing the distinction between which sounds you can make can be heard by the enemy can be extremely useful.
While playing stealthily, and if you think you're near one of the enemy team, crouching and going prone can reduce the volume of your footsteps/movement sounds. Crouching will reduce it significantly (further reduced by moving slower) and going prone will make your movement sounds completely silent. Any sound being picked up by your microphone can and will be transmitted as proximity voice so nearby enemies can hear anything you say (but not what comes through on your radio).
For a full list of which audio is sent over the network and which is kept local, see below -
- Equipping/unequipping weapon
- Equipping/unequipping tablet
- Firing sounds from guns (live or dry)
- Cooking/Releasing spoon of grenade
- Throwing grenade
- Movement sounds when audible (volume is respected)
- Proximity voice
- Putting in and taking out a mag
- Gripping/ungripping a weapon with either hand (whilst it's still held in the other)
- Pin pull from grenade
- Tablet button interaction
- Radio transmissions and radio squelch
- Grabbing ammo belt on LMG
- Cycling/releasing the bolt on a weapon
- Switching firing mode on a weapon
How to Stream/Record Onward
Streaming Onward, like other VR games, is a little bit trickier than your average game. This is compounded a little by the fact that the Onward desktop rendering window is only from your left eye, so if you aim a scoped weapon with your right eye you will not be able to capture the view down the scope.
Fortunately the fix is not that complicated. See the below sections for some specifics to Vive/Rift.
Beware: Streaming Onward, or other video games, can increase CPU utilization by a considerable amount if you do not use GPU encoding. This might lead to lower FPS than the 90FPS to maintain an optimal Onward experience, and when your FPS drop below 90FPS you experienced reduced movement speed and other issues.
Increasing the process priority of Onward.exe to High can prevent this from negatively impacting your gameplay performance. If you have and some GPU headroom and the ability to use a hardware encoder, this is advisable over the software one as it will take a lot of the load from the CPU for the capture. See the Misc#Persisting_the_Priority_change section for tips on this.
Configuring the Source for Capture
SteamVR Display Mirror
In the SteamVR settings (the dropdown from the desktop monitor window) enable the Display Mirror option, and then in the Display Mirror window you can change the view to the right eye. Using your broadcasting/recording application of choice select the SteamVR mirror window and you should be set!
Note that the SteamVR display mirror has somewhat poor visual quality. No SS is applied, in addition there is an interpolation "mask" that causes additional jaggies. Complaining on the SteamVR discussion hub might help get someone to improve this particular problem!
- Notes
The native aspect ratio of one eye in a Vive/Rift is 1080x1200, which is very unusual to say the least. The SteamVR mirror outputs in this aspect ratio, so you will want to manipulate your OBS Studio canvas/output to capture a 16x9 aspect ratio (1280x720) for your stream/recording. This does end up cropping a lot of the SteamVR mirror so it cannot be seen, however, the SteamVR fov is such that much of the display output cannot be seen in your HMD, so it ends up being kind of a wash. To do so shrink the SteamVR mirror source in OBS until it fills the window side to side and then experiment with adjusting the height slightly until you find a good center.
Note that I need some supporting comments from a Vive owner for the above section, I only have experience with doing the same thing for a Rift.
OBS OpenVR Plugin
A very excellent OBS-Studio plugin was released on 7-8-2017 and is both easier and provides superior image quality to the SteamVR Display Mirror. You can download it here, along with some installation tips. https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/openvr-input-plugin.534/
Note, the first release didn't seem to fill a 16x9 canvas when you go to settings and pick from the dropdown options. Adjusting the sliders manually a little bit allowed it to fill the canvas properly.
Oculus Mirror
The Oculus Mirror application is a CLI process that is located in the Oculus Diagnostics folder. The fov / aspect ratio of the Oculus Mirror is fixed, so while you can (as of 1.15) change the Height and Width of the mirror, the aspect ratio remains the same. The aspect ratio seems to be made for 16x9 output, with variances in a 16x9 resolution in the settings just stretching/cropping that aspect ratio. However, the aspect ratio provided is great for streaming AND it is a high quality output!
Navigate to your Oculus Diagnostics folder, under c:\program files\oculus\support\oculus-diagnostics\, right click OculusMirror.exe and select Send-To->Deskto(Create Shortcut).
Then navigate to the desktop, go to properties on the OculusMirror target, and change the Target to look something like this:
- For Oculus Home 1.15
"C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-diagnostics\OculusMirror.exe" -Width 1280 -Height 720 -RightEyeOnly"
- For Oculus Home 1.16
"C:\Program Files\Oculus\Support\oculus-diagnostics\OculusMirror.exe" --RightEyeOnly --Size 1280 720"
- Notes
The Oculus mirror outputs in a fixed 16x9 aspect ratio at a fixed fov, which is a little lower than what can bee seen in the HMD. However, considering you would have to morph the resulting window for OBS/etc to pick up, its kind of a wash. The greatly increased output quality make this a much better option for a capture source than using SteamVR Display Mirror if you are an Rift owner.
Example OBS Setup
This guidance is intended for OBS Studio v19 or newer, which includes NVENC encoding by default. There are some addons for AMD GPU encoding you can find if you search the internet, the configuration of which I believe will follow very similar settings. You can download that here: https://obsproject.com/download
Encoding with an NVIDIA GPU
Using GPU encoding for your OBS capture can greatly reduce the CPU load on your system, which should yield a better gameplay experience. You might need to lower your SuperSampling level a little bit to make sure you maintain good framerates.
Experiment with your Output bitrate and your video resolution/FPS to find an optimal balance between quality and performance overhead.
Example NVIDIA Shadowplay Setup
This tutorial is going to explain you how to install and configure NVIDIA's shadowplay through GeForce Experience. this is a NVIDIA product so this will not work with an AMD GPU.
downloading and installing the latest beta build
Let's start of by make sure you have GeForce Experience installed on your PC if not, download it from the following link : https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/geforce-experience/
- Once you've downloaded GeForce Experience, log in using your NVIDIA account, Facebook account or Google account.
- After you've logged into GeForce Experience, click on the settings icon and tick "enable experimental features".
- Now fully close GeForce Experience, and reopen it again for it to download the latest beta build.
configuring Shadowplay (recording)
- Now that you have the latest build of GeForce Experience installed, we're going to configure the recording settings.
- We're going to start with opening NVIDIA Share by clicking on the top right triangle like icon. (pressing ALT + Z will do the same)
- Now you will see four different buttons : "Instant replay", "record", "stream" and "broadcast". left click on the "Record" button and then click on "Customise".
- we're going to start off setting the Quality to "custom", the Resolution to "In-game", the Frame rate to "60 FPS" for max comfort for the viewers. The Bit rate should be set between 50Mbps to 70Mbps for max quality to file size ratio. after you've done this click "save"
- now we're going to the audio settings by clicking on the microphone and then by clicking on "settings"
- here we select the right microphone, in this case i've selected the Rift microphone. i've also changed the Rift microphone level to around 90 for a less loud microphone quality.
- we're going to set System Sounds to 100%. this is the audio we get from the game. Shadowplay ALWAYS records the default audio device as the game audio capture.
- For more control over your audio, we're going to click "Separate both tracks". this will make the microphone audio separate from the game audio. after all this click save.
(not done yet)


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Performer Athiya Shetty trusts that Indian ladies are honored with excellent almond-molded eyes which get upgraded with the utilization of kohl. " Kohl is the first make-up item that I began utilizing. Indeed, even in school, that was the main make-up we were permitted to utilize," Athiya said.
The other eye make-up item that she swears by is the lash volumising mascara. "When I am not shooting, I go moderate in light of the fact that I believe it's essential to let the skin inhale also. Thus, I simply utilize a tinted lip emollient. I likewise get a kick out of the chance to wear mascara. I can't go out without a mascara. It just lights up your eyes," said the "Saint" performing artist.
For hair too, she jumps at the chance to keep it basic. "My grandma makes me take a seat even today on a Sunday and puts coconut oil on my hair. I have been doing this for as long as I can recollect. So that is my hair mystery. I needn't bother with a spa or anything," she said. In any case, she gets a kick out of the chance to try different things with make-up on occasion.
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Urdu News Earn Money Online Jobs In Pakistan 2016
Apple iPhone 7 Price and Hands On Review
Pakistan Super League Live Streaming
"I am new in the field so testing is something worth being thankful for. It's about experimentation. I let the make-up craftsman assume responsibility, however yes I do have a say. Testing is an extraordinary thing as I have to recognize what looks great on me and what doesn't. I never used to do dull lips. Be that as it may, now, I am testing a ton with distinctive dull shades of lip hues,"
SHE REDUCED HER film appearances out of decision when parenthood happened, however in the wake of making a rebound with Dilwale, Kajol is enthused to tackle more work in the film world now that her little girl and child are mature enough.
"I trust I will be seen on screen more… I'd like to work all the more at this point. I enjoyed a reprieve directly after My Name Is Khan (2010) on the grounds that my child was conceived and afterward he was still exceptionally youthful. Presently my child is five years of age," Kajol said in New Delhi. "I will be beginning a film in mid-2016, yet no, I am not wanting to do three movies a year like Shah Rukh Khan, in any capacity. I can't fill in as hard as him," included the performer, whose bubbling is in place at 41.
Kajol and Ajay, who got hitched in 1999, are folks to two youngsters – girl Nysa and child Yug. After the conception of her girl in 2003, she did few movies like Fanaa, U Me Aur Hum, My Name Is Khan, We Are Family and Toonpur Ka Superhero. What's more, once more, after Yug's introduction to the world, Kajol chose she would give her an opportunity to parenthood.
Truth be told, already, she had admitted that the main reason she surrendered movies was her kids. "I have not brought forth them to simply dump them and go off to work. I am not that sort of a man," Kajol said prior.
Be that as it may, when Dilwale came her direction, Kajol, a Padma Shri grant champ, said it was her little girl Nysa who asked her to venture out of the house and come back to confront the arclights.
"I genuinely believe it's exceptionally educative for youngsters to have working folks, and to have a working mother for the most part, on the grounds that that is the place the impact goes ahead the young lady child.When I was a tyke, I did detest in some cases that my mom went to work, and I used to advise her, 'Mother, why wouldn't you be able to be similar to different moms who are at home and cooking?' She used to be similar to 'No, I need to work. I have to work'. By then, perhaps I felt a disdain towards her work, yet when I began working, I understood that the hard working attitude I have, the way I work, the measure of diligent work that I did was simply because I had seen my mom do that all my life."
"In this way, henceforth and thusly, I feel that my girl ideally will comprehend that when she sees her mom go for work… when she grows up, she will understand that it's essential for her to fill in too for her own autonomy and advancement," said the little girl of veteran performing artist Tanuja.
She included, "In whatever region they pick, ladies ought to work. Furthermore, it doesn't as a matter of course must be about going out of the house and working. In any case, the hard working attitude must comprehended that it's not just a man's business to be the provider for the crew. That is the place our ladies' uniformity needs to begin." IANS


text: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said that the Hezbollah-dispatched unmanned aerial vehicle that flew over Israel was sent at Iran's behest, and was not a Lebanese decision, a statement issued by Siniora's press office said on Sunday."Sending the drone over Israel is not a Lebanese decision, however the move was made at an Iranian behest. Such act needs techniques only available in Iran," Lebanese news site The Daily Star quoted Siniora as telling his visitors at his Sidon's office. The former prime minister did not condemn the infiltration, stating instead: "We are proud of any triumph against the Israeli enemy, however Hezbollah Chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah hasn't consulted the Lebanese state about sending a drone over Israel." He added in the official statement that such behavior implicates Lebanon in possible military operations and Israeli reactions that threaten the security of Lebanese citizens. "Nasrallah hasn't asked the Lebanese if they are prepared to get engaged in such battle or into a war against Israel," he said in his statement.The former prime minister's comments come as a response to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's confirmation for sending a drone aircraft into Israel which was then shot down by the IDF.Nasrallah said in a televised speech on the Al- Manar station that the drone was Iranian-made and that it was shot down near the Dimona nuclear reactor."The drone flew over sensitive installations inside southern Palestine," he said.Nasrallah claimed the Ayoub drone was designed and manufactured in Iran and assembled in Lebanon, denying reports that the drone was a Russian design.The Hezbollah leader said the drone was sent as a response to what he referred to as Israel's violations of Lebanese airspace since 2006.Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.


text:
The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), through the Pipelines Division of IOCL, Govt. of India, has invited online applications from eligible Indian nationals for engaging 64 Technician Apprentices in technical trades comprising Electrical, Mechanical and Civil to be posted in the City Gas Distribution Geographical Areas (CGD GA's) in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Interested candidates can submit their applications on or before June 24, 2019
|Name Of The Posts
|Technical Apprentices (Electrical, Mechanical, Civil)
|Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
|Educational Qualification
|Diploma/ITI in relevant trade/discipline
|Freshers can apply
|Skills Required
|Job Location
|Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
|Salary Scale
|As per the apprenticeship rules
|Application End Date
|June 24, 2019
Age Criteria And Fees
Desirous candidates applying for Technical Apprentices post through IOCL Recruitment 2019 must have attained 18 years of age as on May 31, 2019 and not be more than 24 years, with a relaxation in the upper age limit for SC/ST/OBC (NCL) candidates as per the norms.
For details regarding remittance of fee towards application processing, visit https://www.iocl.com/PeopleCareers/Apprenticeships.aspx
NLC Recruitment 2019: Applications Invited For 170 Technician Apprentices
Region Wise Vacancy Details
|No. Of Vacancies
|Western Region
|Eastern Region
|South Eastern Region
|Southern Region Pipelines
Educational Criteria
Desirous candidates applying for Technical Apprentices post through IOCL Recruitment 2019 must possess Three-years Diploma in Electrical/Mechanical/Civil discipline.
Selection And Pay Scale
The selection of candidates as Technical Apprentices through IOCL Recruitment 2019 will be done based on the candidate's performance in the Written Test and Personal Interview.
Candidates selected as Technical Apprentices will be paid a monthly consolidated stipend as per the apprenticeship rules.
SBI Recruitment 2019: Apply Online For Specialist Officers Before June 12
How To Apply
Candidates applying for Technical Apprentices post through IOCL Recruitment 2019 must submit their application through online mode only on the official website at https://www.iocl.com/PeopleCareers/Apprenticeships.aspx or Pipelines Division of IOCL portal at https://plis.indianoilpipelines.in/
Read detailed notification about IOCL Recruitment for Technical Apprentices here https://drive.google.com/file/d/15AvOxfFxF736zRxd--5uih7KBcdqidRt/view


text:
Eventually we'll want to have top of the line tools in our kits. I'd start by making a list of everything that should go into the kit. I need to remember that I am going to be lugging this around with me so I need to optimize as much as possible. I'll pick an adjustable-end wrench instead of a complete set of wrenches, a flat file with two grades of abrasiveness instead of a set. the same goes for knives and flashlights. Then as I check out forums and stores I can begin to get an idea of where I want to go with a particular tool. I have one and am saving up for another. This way I am able to take care of certain tasks and at some point the tool I began with becomes a backup after I've upgraded.
While you're making the step from a lower priced item to something better made you may see something you like at Walmart. Depending on what it is you might go ahead and grab it because Walmart has a habit of discontinuing things.


text:
Update: it appears that Surkov Twitter account is a fake. Which is unfortunate, since we are confident it captures his real feelings accurately. We do have this response, however, from the Russian house speaker, which is certainly real: RUSSIAN UPPER HOUSE SPEAKER MATVIYENKO SAYS U.S. SANCTIONS AFFECTING HER ARE "POLITICAL BLACKMAIL" - INTERFAX
* * *
Earlier we showed what Russia's deputy Prime Minister thought of Obama's sanctions (not much). Now, it is the turn of the first and allegedly most important person on the White House's list of sanctioned Russians in response to the Ukraine referendum, the infamous Vladislav Surkov, also known as the "gray cardinal" of the Kremlin, to opine. His "statement" to Obama needs no clarification.
All I can say to US is that... pic.twitter.com/BGJHh8zZzB— ??????? (@SurkovRussia) March 17, 2014
And this surprisingly accurate statement:
With their "terrible sanctions" against Russia US & EU have said to Ukraine loud & clear: Fuck you! Too bad Ukraine's new rulers are deaf.— ??????? (@SurkovRussia) March 17, 2014
For the general amusement and entertainment of everyone, we hope that the twitter wars continue. We also truly hope that all this trolling gets Obama to Tweet something more than just relentless Obamacare propaganda.


text:
NC Central University
To better address the state-wide shortage of nurses, NC Central University expanded its nursing program with the new 65,000 square foot building featuring a 250-seat auditorium, labs, classroom and family room. The state-of-the-art facility is located on the site of a former church, acquired by the school and relocated across the street. Adjacent to the law school, the site design clarifies pedestrian and vehicular circulation. An entry plaza offers spaces for social gathering and a terraced lawn provides an opportunity for an outdoor classroom. On the opposite side of the building, a small courtyard provides a space for solace and contemplation. The courtyard design takes its inspiration from the relocated church, paying respect to and reflecting the sacred elements of the former use of the site.


text:
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View shopping bag
29 February 2012
are justly famous for their stylish range of handbags, but don't forget
you we also stock Radley purses and wallets, as well as accessories
including washbags, cosmetic cases and more.
The history of Radley
is a true rags-to-riches story of an accidental entrepreneur. Lowell
Harder began selling her designs on Camden market in 1984. Inspired by
leather bags her cousin brought back from India, the busy
mother-of-three began to design and import her own bags under the name
Sales grew, and when department stores began to take an interest in Harder's designs, she got backing from handbag maker Tula. She established Radley, choosing the iconic Scotty dog motif because of her love of dogs.
Since then, the Radley range has risen stratospherically to become
possibly Britain's best-loved maker of handbags. The brand has expanded
to include everything from umbrellas to prescription glasses. As well as
making designs that women love, the Radley Man range includes Radley wallets, briefcases and holdalls for the men in your life. Why stop at handbags, when you can bring that Radley style to everything else?
Fiore are an authorised stockist of Radley, and you can request our Radley catalogue by filling out our form. You will be emailed a copy of our catalogue, with full details of all our pricing and promotions.
No comments posted


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Want to send kids home from a birthday party with more than a sugar high? Crafts are a great way to entertain young guests and provide a fun alternative to the traditional birthday goodie bag.
First, a few starter tips:
- If you decide to pencil in craft time during a party, it's probably smart to sandwich it between a more physical activity, such as a series of relay races or a scavenger hunt, and before cake and ice cream to offer an incentive for finishing the project.
- For older kids, it's also important to check if the birthday boy or girl is interested in crafting at all. If the birthday tween doesn't want to make a tie-dyed T-shirt, for instance, it'll be challenging to entice the friends to follow your lead.
The following 10 craft ideas can work for a range of ages and skill levels. Some require more guidance and supervision than others, so keep that in mind as you plan out the party. Also, to help you stay on budget, encourage parents to RSVP early and to let you know if any siblings will be tagging along. You want to have plenty of supplies to go around, but not overspend.
Custom T-shirts
There are many varieties of kids' craft T-shirts, and whichever one you choose, it's a smart idea to ask children to bring their own blank shirts to the party. Otherwise, you risk running out of certain sizes and spending a lot of money purchasing them.
Four- to 6-year-olds will probably do better with fabric painted shirts. You'll need the following supplies for these:
- plain T-shirts
- fabric paints
- stencils
- tape
- paper bag
- smocks or aprons
Prepare a large, flat space, and lay shirts out flat for the young participants. Slip a paper bag inside each shirt to prevent paint from soaking through to the other side. Help kids pick out colors and any stencils they'd like to use. Tape stencils in place. Then, assist with painting inside the stencils and allow the shirts to dry. Or, you could also have them decorate with handprints or fingerprints for a more free-form project.
Older partygoers might like to try out tie dye instead. For these funky threads, you'll need the following:
- T-shirts
- a bag of strong rubber bands
- clothing dye
- squirt bottles
Pour the different colors of dye into individual squirt bottles. For each T-shirt, wrap rubber bands around it at intervals a couple of inches apart. Squeeze a different dye color on each separate section of the T-shirt, and wring out the excess dye. Allow it to set for about three hours, then rinse thoroughly, remove the rubber bands and let dry. Just remember that fabric dyes stain easily, so take extra caution with this project.
Paper Crafts
If you're a scrapbooker, you probably have plenty of ideas about how to personalize a card or photo frame. Those wavy cut scissors, stamps, paper scraps and punches will make party craft time almost irresistible for the kids, too. We know you want to protect your precious tools, but there are still lots of kids' crafts that use construction paper, glitter and stickers to create one-of-a-kind art works that will grace even the most discriminating refrigerator doors. We've pulled together a group of paper craft how-tos that will produce projects to be proud of. One even makes the key component in a tabletop football game the boys will love:
Friendship Bracelets
If you're throwing your daughter a girly, glamorous birthday party, why not make friendship bracelets? Supplies for this project can be as minimal as multicolored embroidery thread; or, you can really glam it up with beads, string, clasps and other doodads. For an extra special touch, pick up a special charm for each girl to string on her bracelet, such as her first name initial.
Unless girls already know how to make this kind of bracelet, it's wise to have someone on hand who can walk them through the different steps. Hobby stores also carry a variety of beading and bracelet kits that should have everything you need, including instructions. Depending on the size of the group, you may want to set a limit on how many bracelets girls can craft to ensure that you don't run out of string or beads before everyone finishes one.
There's a wide variety of friendship bracelets girls can bead and weave with various types of materials. To get an idea of which ones would suit your birthday party the best, check out How to Make Kids' Bracelets.
Bead Crafts
For kids with the dexterity (and maturity) to handle small objects, bead crafts offer flexible options for both boys and girls. They're colorful and tactile, and beading projects typically go together fast, which keeps kids interested. Bead crafts can be refreshingly tidy, too, depending on the projects you choose.
Try having the materials on hand for three or four bead crafts, and let each guest choose his favorite. It's probably a good idea to assemble a few of the projects in advance as samples -- or have your older kids do it. That way you'll be able to provide a good visual as well as experienced guidance. We have a variety of how-tos to get you started, but your local craft store will likely have a good selection to choose from, too.
Craft Projects that Focus on Recycling
Kids are a lot more environmentally savvy these days, and crafts that showcase Earth friendly practices like repurposing are timely and almost certain to inspire an enthusiastic response. Even better, you can start gathering the materials weeks or even months ahead, and many of them won't cost you a cent. We've assembled some options below that won't have you dumpster diving -- much, anyway:
Memorable Magnets
Magnets are a solid bet for children's parties since they're things that parents can enjoy and easily display. For the host, the great part about craft magnets is their versatility; you can think up some kind of magnet art that will fit most common birthday party themes. For example, kids can make sea creature magnets for an ocean-themed party or T-rexes for a dinosaur theme.
Stock up on these supplies:
- craft foam, sponge shapes, craft paper or clip art cutouts to fit the party theme
- glitter, sequins, wiggly eyes, stickers and other decorations
- crayons or markers
- magnetic backing
- glue sticks
First, write the children's names on each magnet to personalize the crafts. Then, have them decorate the paper or foam cutout. If coloring with markers, children should wear smocks or aprons, since parents might not be happy about their tyke coming home with stained clothes. Lastly, glue the magnet to the back of the decorated shape and leave the finished products to dry during cake time.
Remember how amazing it was to look through a kaleidoscope when you were younger? These neat gizmos are especially suitable for older age groups since they require more advanced cutting skills and involve more detailed directions. You can find many variations for constructing kids' kaleidoscopes online, but according to the article on Science Projects for Kids, you'll need the following supplies:
- 3 small mirrors of the same size
- tape
- waxed paper
- pencil
- scissors
- construction paper (multiple colors)
First, kids can snip up the construction paper into small pieces, taking care to include a rainbow of colors. Tape the mirrors together in a triangle shape to form a prism. (Have plenty of tape on hand for this step, since they'll need to use a lot to hold the mirrors together.) Next, cover one end of the prism with wax paper and tape it in place. Once that's done, pour the bits of construction paper inside. Standing the kaleidoscope upright with the closed end on the table, look inside the other end of the prism and, presto, behold the dazzling spectrum!
Nature Crafts
The budding environmentalists in the group will also love the colors and textures in nature crafts. One big advantage to using natural materials in crafts is that pine cones, flowers, stones and seeds all have a story to tell. Putting together a card describing what the material is and where it comes from adds to the fun -- and could impart one or two lifelong lessons about the natural world.
Another plus is that you may be able to gather some of the materials from your own backyard. We've selected some nature crafts that are easy and educational:
Weaving is an ancient art and one that is uniquely satisfying for kids and adults. Your guests can weave simple placemats to get started, but don't stop there. With some adult supervision, the older kids can make paper baskets to store their party favors in. Try some of the other weaving projects on our list, too. Once they realize how fun and productive weaving can be, children often move on to weaving potholders and even rugs. This is an interest that can last a lifetime.
- Paper Weaving Craft
- Nature Weaving Crafts for Kids
- How to Make Paper Baskets for Kids (This one is for older kids or will require adult help and precut paper.)
Cool Clay
If you're having a hard time coming up with a craft for a boy's birthday party, this may do the trick. There are many different kinds of homemade play dough and silly putty that anyone from tykes to tweens can have a good time squishing and squashing around. Just let parents of guests know about the craft project beforehand -- that way, they'll be thoroughly warned in case of a play dough surprise in the car seat or a putty stain on the carpet.
Play dough recipes usually call for flour, oil, alum, water and salt. Simply mix together the dry ingredients and bring the water and salt to a boil. Once the water begins to boil, add the dry mixture and stir.
For silly putty, all you'll need is white glue and Borax. Mix the two ingredients together and, voila, you have a clump of bouncy, moldable silly putty. No heat or stove required.
How to Host a Trivia Night
Hosting a trivia night can spice up a slow bar night or be a great fundraiser. Learn how to host a trivia night to get started.
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- Busy Bee. "Kids Crafts." (1/3/12). http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Kids-Crafts-Index.html
- Enchanted Learning. "Crafts for Kids." (1/3/12). http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/
- Kaboose.com. "Classic Kids' Crafts." 2010. (1/3/12). http://crafts.kaboose.com/gifts/classic-crafts.html
- Rhatigan, Joe and Rain Newcomb. "Paper Fantastic. Lark Books. 2004.
- Ziggity Zoom Parents. "Kids Craft Projects Out of Household Recycled Materials." 2/20/09. (1/2/12). http://www.ziggityzoom.com/parentsguide/content/kids-craft-projects-out-household-recycled-materials