text:
nineNet.org
Author's Name: Bob Fulstone
Title: "Vietnam Experience"
My Dad was in the Army and worked at Curtis Wright during World War II.
I grew up in South St Louis and my Dad died when I was 16! This changed my life big time. I had a great teacher at Southwest High who got me a small track scholarship to Wayne State Teachers College in Nebraska. After two years I transferred to University of Missouri in Columbia as my high school sweetheart was attending there. So I had 2 years to complete my Bachelor's and 2 years more of graduate school to get my Masters in Speech Radio/Television, Film. As Vietnam was really in full swing, even though I was married, I decided enrolled in ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corp). But ROTC was four years and I had only two years to get my Masters. So the Army, needing bodies for the war, offered a new ROTC plan. I could go to Basic training at Ft Knox KY, home of the armor, to make up for two years of ROTC and finish with two years while getting my Masters.
Basic training was one of the best things that ever happened to me! You learn a lot about yourself and I learned the importance of NCO's (Non Commissioned Officers). Of course our DI (Drill Instructor) wanted to flunk us all, as "you men's were going to be officer's!" I took basic in the summer of 1966 and lived in the old WWII barracks. It was HOT. As I was on the track team at Mizzou, I did very well in the Battalion mile run championship. I set the record at the time for running it boots. So then my DI was a little kinder to me and also liked that I made "Expert" badge with auto rifle bar and with rifle bar. The last week of basic, they got up a pool to have my head shaved, as they knew I was getting married. Nice. So they had the biggest guys take me to the barber shop to get my head shaved, ha, ha. No I couldn't out-run them as they blocked doors from the barracks.
The summer of '68, I was subject to a 9-week officers training, living in a tent with a mud floor, outhouse, lister bag water (water kept in canvas bags). It was VERY hot and we had artillery shells flying overhead most of the time. On the last night they had an exercise to get from point A to point B. Well you were never going to get to B. They had set up a POW type camp. They kept us in a footlocker and would bang it with a BB bat and did other fun things throughout the night. The next morning I drove home with a Mizzou buddy. He said as we got closer to Columbia, Bob you don't look so good. Why you ask, I had crawled through poison ivy in the dark the last night and had poison ivy everywhere! By the time I got to our apartment, Kathy almost didn't recognize me as my eyes were like slits. All she remembers is me saying, "blue carpet," as I had been living on a dirt floor for nine weeks. So a trip to the hospital for cortisone shot was next.
There was also training at Ft Gordon, GA Signal School and Ft Monmouth, NJ in 1968.
In June of 1968 I completed my Masters and was commissioned as a 2nd LT Signal Corps. It was a six-year commitment; two years active duty, two years active reserve, and two years inactive reserve. I was considered kind of a "maverick" (enlisted who becomes officer) as many ROTC people had not been to basic training. My first orders were to go to New York and work at the Army Pictorial Center in Long Island City. So Kathy and I drove our Chevy Impala to New York. We really enjoyed being there and the USO had last minute tickets to Broadway plays. But in the background I knew that Nam orders were coming. Due to the draft, New York had many draftees in New York and very few officers. So that meant NOK (notification of next of kin). So we would be subject to a 24 hr on-call notice to carry out this task with as much dignity as possible. In those days they sent a driver and you went by yourself! As soon as you knocked on the door, they knew why you were there!
So as expected Nam orders came. You got a 30-day leave we before shipping out to Nam. So my wife & I decided to go to Europe, why not. We went to Mc Quire AFB in NJ and waited for "space available" to Europe. After a few days we got seats on a Pennsylvania Air National Guard Constellation (48 vintage). Maybe about twenty of us on board and of course you sit backwards on military planes. Had to land in the Azores, to overnight and re fuel for England. We flew into Mildenhall AFB and took the train to London. We also did France were American's were not popular. Wait a minute we are picking up your mess in Nam and you don't like us! Road signs had US equals SS! Flew back from Germany to New York and packed up. We drove straight though to St Louis. I left via Ft Lewis in Washington State. I sat next to an Airborne Ranger (lerp) who was going back for his second tour, who the whole trip keep saying, "young Lt better eat all your ice cream as you may not get any in Nam"!
Yes, they were called "butter bars", as our 2nd LT brass would melt walking off the plane in Nam. I was assigned to the 221st Signal Company of the 1st Signal Brigade USARV at Long Binh, where I served as a liaison to MACV. Only the Army could have two commands in one war zone! The 1st Signal Brigade was formed in 1966 and had over 20,000 troops in it's organization in 300 sites in Nam and Thailand. All Army commutations from and to Vietnam went through the 1st Signal Brigade. Primary mission, "keep the shooters talking" but will "perform as infantry" when required. The 1st Signal Brigade was the main communications platform for the Vietnam combat zones.
Our unit was also considered a combat photo unit. Sadly due to the fact that the camera guys are looking through a view-finder, they often were exposed to injures or death. It was the same in most other wars. Sadly the month after I left we lost five of our company when a Huey was shot down in Cambodia. We lost others, but this was the most lives lost in a day for our company. Our company earned the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm Unit Citation and Army Meritorious unit citation (I was awarded the usual Vietnam campaign medals with two bronze service stars). We had locations throughout Vietnam. One of my jobs was as a pay officer. So I would carry a bag that said I have a lot of money and a 45 pistol, to quote protect the money and me. Was promoted to 1st LT in country.
Perimeter defense duties, especially at night, was one of my duties. The quote was, "we owned the day, they owned the night". They would use bamboo polls tied together to get satchel charges around our bases. We were subject to "in coming" but this activity was more specific, mainly targeting med-a-vac hospitals. One night as officer of the day, the MP and I patrolled the perimeter at night. We approached this one pill box, and when we got out of the jeep and walked in, the army guys were all stoned! We captured all of their weapons and charged them. I was getting "short", not much time in Nam. I was more concerned about being fragged (a grenade gets somehow tossed at you) by one of these guys, than incoming!
There was a chance meeting in Vietnam with my college roommate Kim Krueger (FO). He and I ran into each other in Long Binh just by chance. The country looks small on the map, but it is a big place. Neither of us knew the other was in Vietnam. We have a photo of the two of us when we met and that Kim found. I was going to nominate Kim for the Missouri ROTC Hall of Fame, but he nominated me. We were able to be there together for the induction at Mizzou.
After my nine-month tour in Vietnam, I returned to St Louis and had the two years active reserve and two years inactive reserve. I was hired by KMOX-TV then owned by CBS. I did not have to attend reserve meetings, but was called up for two weeks for reserve camp at Ft Mc Coy, Michigan. So I took my wife, Kathy, and drove to the Camp Mc Coy. I reported to the 1st Sergeant (they really run things), and waited for him to salute me, many LT's saluted them first! He said why are you here young LT? I said I got orders "Top." He said it looks like you have done some time. I said Nam 69/70 and of course he wanted to know where. He said well what do you want to do young LT? I said I have my wife at a motel and want to set up a perimeter defense. He almost smiled.
I was honorability discharged in 1974.
Helping with Veteran activities is still very important to me. I was honored to be named the "Veteran of the Year" by the Missouri Athletic Club in 2014. Others include: USO of Missouri (20+ yrs), Co Founder of the Veterans Business Resource Center, Salvation Army Veterans Residence Center, Gateway Warriors, Vietnam Veteran's Roundtable, Veterans Consortium, Company Of Sergeant's Stand Down Project, and co-chaired our 221st Signal reunion in 2012.
As I say, "many have done more and some gave ALL"!
Speaking with the students at Clayton High School has been a good experience. We and other RVN veterans are able to give first hand knowledge about the war.
Explaining the differences of what the media says about the war and what actually happened are two different stories. That famous photo of the young girl running with napam was NOT done by Americans. Yet we are blamed for it!
General VoNguyen Giap (one of the top leaders for the North) said in his memoirs about the battle of TET, "You defeated us! We knew it and thought you knew it. But we were elated to notice your media was helping us (VC)!"
These are just two examples of the biased coverage about the war.
Other poorly covered issues by the media are the following:
There were 2.5 or 2.8 million of us who served in Vietnam and sadly 58,000+ lives were lost. The numbers indicate that two thirds of those who served in Vietnam were volunteers, not draftees. And the numbers (real people) represented the same percentages of the population, not as the media tries to make look as only one segment. Of those killed in Vietnam, 86% were Caucasians, 12.5% African American, and 1.2% other races.
These are some of the "facts" about the RVN war that are never reported. And yet we are looked as having lost the war. Why? - Because of the media's coverage of the war. It will be interesting to see if ANY of this kind of information is part of the up-coming series?
3655 Olive Street | St. Louis, MO 63108
Find and Read Stories from the Community in the Story Archive
About the Story Collection Project
Share a Story or Memory to the Story Collection Project
Learn more about "The Vietnam War" documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick


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Špionica Donja är en ort i Bosnien och Hercegovina.   Den ligger i entiteten Federationen Bosnien och Hercegovina, i den centrala delen av landet,  km norr om huvudstaden Sarajevo. Špionica Donja ligger  meter över havet och antalet invånare är .

Terrängen runt Špionica Donja är kuperad österut, men västerut är den platt. Den högsta punkten i närheten är Golo Brdo,  meter över havet,  km öster om Špionica Donja. Runt Špionica Donja är det ganska tätbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer.. Närmaste större samhälle är Srebrenik,  km söder om Špionica Donja.

Omgivningarna runt Špionica Donja är en mosaik av jordbruksmark och naturlig växtlighet.  Trakten ingår i den hemiboreala klimatzonen. Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är juli, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är februari, med  °C. Genomsnittlig årsnederbörd är  millimeter. Den regnigaste månaden är maj, med i genomsnitt  mm nederbörd, och den torraste är november, med  mm nederbörd.

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Took a little time for the story to build but ended up being a rather satisfying read.
This will be short because my hand is a hurtin'!
This story is a mix of old and new and leaps back and forth in the telling. Part war story, part crime fiction. The war story involves the Norwegian's fight against the Russians which leads up to the creation of a neo-Nazi movement in Oslo right around the turn of the 21st century.
In the present day, Officer Harry Hole accidentally shoots a secret service agent and is given a "promotion" which basically means that he is assigned to a glorified desk job. However, when he realizes that the shell casings from that day appear to be from a weapon that is no longer around, he digs deeper and what he finds goes all the way back to WWII.
The Redbreast is the third book in the series featuring Detective Harry Hole but it was not my first time meeting Harry. No, I started with book #5 The Devil's Star and have been reading them out-of-order ever since. The books are wonderful but they have been translated out-of-order which makes it difficult impossible to read them in order. In fact, the first two books are not available anywhere so you make do with what you can get.
However, the evolution of Harry as a person is what keeps me reading and I don't mind taking these trips back into his past to see how he started out. The latest books in the series seem tighter and more fast paced whereas the older books include quite a bit of set-up. The first half of The Redbreast was very slow and tedious for me, but once I passed the halfway mark I was in familiar territory and loving every minute.
Nesbo's books contain a sophisticated air that I don't normally detect in American crime fiction. The tone is a bit different and although I can't quite put my finger on why, it works for me. If you enjoy well-written crime fiction, you cannot go wrong with this series. Even if you have to read them out-of-order.
This sounds like one Anna would like for its WWII connection.
I have been hearing so many good things about this series from Sandy and a few others, and think that if I am going to invest in any of the many crime fiction books out there, these will be the ones that I read. I do so wish that the first few were translated and available, but I guess I will have to start with whatever is at hand. I really liked your review today, Ti, and I will remember that the beginning of this read is a little slow.
Hmmm…I've heard good things about this author but having to read them out of order would drive me nuts!
I've been reading a Danish crime author who is being translated out of order as well — what is up with that? Totally maddening. I'm not totally wild about Scandinavian crime fic but now and then, I get a hankerin' — I'll have to keep Nesbo in mind.
I wonder why they translated the books out of order? I really do need to try some Nesbo.
ah another rave about Jo Nesbo, deservingly so. I may take Jill's advice to ignore the first 3 but you are right in saying I think the Scandinavian crime suits my taste buds better than any other!
I have had an interest in this author but I have not done a thing about it yet!
You will love The Devil's Star but getting there will take some work as that is book #5.
I've avoided this series precisely because the first two haven't been translated, and I love to read series in order. Hearing it's still worth it does make me think it might be worth it.
I've been collecting Nesbo books and haven't read a single one yet. SAD….Thanks for sharing with us, sounds like a descent story.
I have yet to read any Nesbo. But my mom is getting a few of the books from me for her birthday. Hopefully she won't mind the out-of-ordernish.
I was wondering if reading the books out of order was a problem. I did the Maisie Dobbs books that way and it was a bit disconcerting to do them that way. Glad to hear that doesn't happen with these since there's no other option!
It's a little weird because he is drinking and then not drinking or you know the outcome of a character and then see them alive in the earlier books but the cases aren't really related so it's ok.
This is an author that I have been meaning to read for a long time. But when it comes time to buy books, I consistently forget. Need to remember.
Definitely a writer you need to try!
I'm trying to read these in order as best I can after Sandy gave me the order and this probably wasn't the best place to start as it did kind of drag in the beginning. Glad to hear the rest are more fast-paced and tighter.
I have all of his books but have read only one so far. I like Nesbo!
I agree, the beginning of this one was painful. Maybe it is a good thing that we are getting them out of order? While I enjoyed this because it deepens my understanding of Harry, if this had been my first Nesbo I wouldn't be as hooked on him as I am.
If I had to put a reason as to why I seem to enjoy most Scandinavian (and many British) Crime fiction, I think it would be because the books are much less about the sensational crimes and more cerebral and focused on the detective/main character.
Before someone says, "but what about XYZ American author?" There is a subtle difference for me. Take Reichs' Temperance Brennan, while we know a lot about her the further in the series we read, much of the info is superficial. With Nesbo's Hole or Mark Billingham's Tom Thorne, we really get a view into their complicated psyche.


text:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

#include "py/builtin.h"
#include "py/objmodule.h"

#if MICROPY_PY_BUILTINS_HELP

const char mp_help_default_text[] =
    "Welcome to Pycopy!\n"
    "\n"
    "For online docs please visit http://docs.micropython.org/\n"
    "\n"
    "Control commands:\n"
    "  CTRL-A        -- on a blank line, enter raw REPL mode\n"
    "  CTRL-B        -- on a blank line, enter normal REPL mode\n"
    "  CTRL-C        -- interrupt a running program\n"
    "  CTRL-D        -- on a blank line, exit or do a soft reset\n"
    "  CTRL-E        -- on a blank line, enter paste mode\n"
    "\n"
    "For further help on a specific object, type help(obj)\n"
;

STATIC void mp_help_print_info_about_object(mp_obj_t name_o, mp_obj_t value) {
    mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, "  ");
    mp_obj_print(name_o, PRINT_STR);
    mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, " -- ");
    mp_obj_print(value, PRINT_STR);
    mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, "\n");
}

#if MICROPY_PY_BUILTINS_HELP_MODULES
STATIC void mp_help_add_from_map(mp_obj_t list, const mp_map_t *map) {
    for (size_t i = 0; i < map->alloc; i++) {
        if (mp_map_slot_is_filled(map, i)) {
            mp_obj_list_append(list, map->table[i].key);
        }
    }
}

#if MICROPY_MODULE_FROZEN
STATIC void mp_help_add_from_names(mp_obj_t list, const char *name) {
    while (*name) {
        size_t l = strlen(name);
        // name should end in '.py' and we strip it off
        mp_obj_list_append(list, mp_obj_new_str(name, l - 3));
        name += l + 1;
    }
}
#endif

STATIC void mp_help_print_modules(void) {
    mp_obj_t list = mp_obj_new_list(0, NULL);

    mp_help_add_from_map(list, &mp_builtin_module_map);

    #if MICROPY_MODULE_FROZEN_STR
    extern const char mp_frozen_str_names[];
    mp_help_add_from_names(list, mp_frozen_str_names);
    #endif

    #if MICROPY_MODULE_FROZEN_MPY
    extern const char mp_frozen_mpy_names[];
    mp_help_add_from_names(list, mp_frozen_mpy_names);
    #endif

    // sort the list so it's printed in alphabetical order
    mp_obj_list_sort(1, &list, (mp_map_t *)&mp_const_empty_map);

    // print the list of modules in a column-first order
    #define NUM_COLUMNS (4)
    #define COLUMN_WIDTH (18)
    size_t len;
    mp_obj_t *items;
    mp_obj_list_get(list, &len, &items);
    unsigned int num_rows = (len + NUM_COLUMNS - 1) / NUM_COLUMNS;
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < num_rows; ++i) {
        unsigned int j = i;
        for (;;) {
            int l = mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, mp_obj_str_get_str(items[j]));
            j += num_rows;
            if (j >= len) {
                break;
            }
            int gap = COLUMN_WIDTH - l;
            while (gap < 1) {
                gap += COLUMN_WIDTH;
            }
            while (gap--) {
                mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, " ");
            }
        }
        mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, "\n");
    }

    #if MICROPY_ENABLE_EXTERNAL_IMPORT
    // let the user know there may be other modules available from the filesystem
    mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, "Plus any modules on the filesystem\n");
    #endif
}
#endif

STATIC void mp_help_print_obj(const mp_obj_t obj) {
    #if MICROPY_PY_BUILTINS_HELP_MODULES
    if (obj == MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_modules)) {
        mp_help_print_modules();
        return;
    }
    #endif

    const mp_obj_type_t *type = mp_obj_get_type(obj);

    // try to print something sensible about the given object
    mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, "object ");
    mp_obj_print(obj, PRINT_STR);
    mp_printf(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, " is of type %q\n", type->name);

    mp_map_t *map = NULL;
    if (type == &mp_type_module) {
        map = &mp_obj_module_get_globals(obj)->map;
    } else {
        if (type == &mp_type_type) {
            type = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(obj);
        }
        if (type->locals_dict != NULL) {
            map = &type->locals_dict->map;
        }
    }
    if (map != NULL) {
        for (uint i = 0; i < map->alloc; i++) {
            if (map->table[i].key != MP_OBJ_NULL) {
                mp_help_print_info_about_object(map->table[i].key, map->table[i].value);
            }
        }
    }
}

STATIC mp_obj_t mp_builtin_help(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
    if (n_args == 0) {
        // print a general help message
        mp_print_str(MP_PYTHON_PRINTER, MICROPY_PY_BUILTINS_HELP_TEXT);
    } else {
        // try to print something sensible about the given object
        mp_help_print_obj(args[0]);
    }

    return mp_const_none;
}
MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(mp_builtin_help_obj, 0, 1, mp_builtin_help);

#endif // MICROPY_PY_BUILTINS_HELP

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Moms group meets every Thursday from 1:30pm-2:30pm. This group is a wonderful way to get out with your baby, meet other moms and learn about different topics each week. We frequently have guest speakers to discuss topics such as optimal health after baby, sleep, pediatric dentistry, mom and baby yoga, newborn care, and much more. Moms group is free and open to the public!


text:
import React, { Component } from 'react';
import { connect } from 'react-redux';

import Spinner from '../../../../../components/Spinner';
import { RECENT_RAIDS_CONTAINER_HEIGHT } from '../../../../../constants';
import { RootState } from '../../../../../store';
import { getFetchingActivities, getRecentRaidActivities } from '../../../../../store/raid-report/selectors';
import { RaidProps } from '../../../../../types/raid-report';
import AllRaids from './AllRaids';

const mapStateToProps = (state: RootState, ownProps: RaidProps) => ({
    raid: ownProps.raid,
    recentActivities: getRecentRaidActivities(state, ownProps),
    fetchingActivities: getFetchingActivities(state),
});

type Props = ReturnType<typeof mapStateToProps>;

class RecentRaids extends Component<Props, {}> {

    public render() {
        const { fetchingActivities, recentActivities, raid } = this.props;
        if (fetchingActivities || !recentActivities.length) {
            return (
                <div style={{ height: RECENT_RAIDS_CONTAINER_HEIGHT }}>
                    {fetchingActivities && <Spinner />}
                </div>
            );
        }
        return <AllRaids raid={raid} />;
    }
}

export default connect(mapStateToProps)(RecentRaids);


Gaming is great as some people value it as their hobby while others use it during their relaxation time after a long working day. Introduction of Teyemas resource pack has made Minecraft more interesting. Teyemas is a recently launched textures, and since its release, it has been gaining popularity. As per now, people have executed thousands of its downloads. In fact, it's the first Meyeswat's successful resource pack attempt as it provides some exceptional visuals that current players will appreciate. It is important to note that other packs such as Dandelion pack has really inspired Teyemas style of art making it easily accessible to users who are used to Dandelion kind because they both have closely related features. Teyemas resource pack ability to have incredibly clean textures and free from the usual clutter and noise makes it emergence one of the best within Minecraft world.
In other words, Teyemas is clean and free from clutter and noise that accompanies other familiar textures. Teyemas uniqueness in terms of smoothness particular comes with a price tag that was established to tone down these textures' amount of detail. Even with the detail customization, Teyemas still produces stunning textures which are enhanced by a vibrant color palette that will never disappoint at all. Teyemas resource pack is able to produce textures of 16×16 resolution meaning that their prettiness meets Minecraft standards. As long as you execute Minecraft on your computer, Teyemas will never hassle you if the computer or laptop possesses hardware that is compatible with vanilla games versions as it runs smoothly. Make sure that you have a machine that is in good working condition to effectively enjoy Teyemas great features. Make every second count when playing Minecraft on your computer by opting to use Teyemas resource pack. In everything quality matters and with Teyemas textures this applies.
*Credit for creating and developing Teyemas goes to meyeswat. It is designed and compatible with the following minecraft versions: 1.14, 1.13, 1.12. Right now Teyemas has 244898 views.


BW ATHLETICS INFORMATION: Cameron "Cam" Kuhn played his first season of basketball at Baldwin Wallace University in 2014-2015. The 2015 Ohio Athletic Conference Co-Freshman of the Year and honorable mention All-OAC selection earned his first varsity letter.
ATHLETICS HONORS: As a freshman in 2014-2015, Cam was an honorable mention All-OAC selection and the OAC Co-Freshman of the Year. He also named as the OAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week on January 12 for his efforts in wins versus Fisher (Mass.), Pine Manor (Mass.) and Capital.
GENERAL BASKETBALL INFORMATION: As a freshman in 2014-2015, Cam played his first season of basketball and earned his first varsity letter. He was the OAC Co-Freshman of the Year and an honorable mention All-OAC selection. Cam played in all 27 games, including 23 starts, and averaged 14.0 points (second) and 3.0 rebounds-per-game (tied for fourth). He also had 57 assists, 24 steals and 21 three-pointers. He shot 50.4 percent from the floor (125 of 248), including 37.5% of his three-pointers (21 of 56), and canned 89.1% of his foul shots (106 of 119). At one point, he made 37 straight foul shots. Cam was the OAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week on January 12 for his efforts in wins versus Fisher (amss.), Pine Manor (Mass.) and Capital. He scored a career-high 25 points in a 111-79 win versus Pine Manor on January 6, 2015. BW finished 18-9 overall.


text:
Night Swim, scary "fish" and magical bioluminescence – The Crazy Canucks take on Catalina
The sun! Pretty stoked to see it. You would be too.
The Crazy Canucks, a relay team of six Canadian swimmers, followed a successful English Channel crossing in 2016, with a bid to swim North America's equivalent. Thirty one kilometres from Catalina Island to mainland California's San Pedro just north of LA, the swim has its own unique set of challenges, in particular the pitch black sea and sky lit only by the moon. The area is the most popular dive spot in the U.S. so it's well known for its large variety of marine life. So, inky black ocean teaming with life and a swimmer with only a regular bathing suit, cap and goggles swimming away hoping to blend in.
It's been 40 years since I've stayed up all night, watched a friend puke, shed most of my clothes and had an absolute blast. Won't wait another 40 to do it again.
Jump in…Looks inviting right?
Our swim began at 10:56 p.m. Friday, September 13 under a full moon. What could go wrong?
Pretty dark eh? That's me.
Within minutes of the start, after I had rendezvoused with my kayak paddler, my brother Dean, and our support boat, The Bottom Scratcher I saw something.
Heading into shore so I could stand on dry land and begin our Channel crossing.
Something big and grey and slow moving was visible in the water beneath me because of the cluster of lights from the Bottom Scratcher. It glided away and while I was telling myself that I hadn't really seen it, it made a second pass going in the other direction. Big enough to displace the water under me and big enough to be terrifying.
During our rules debriefing aboard the Bottom Scratcher by our two Catalina Channel Swimming Federation observers, we were told to call out for advice if we saw anything disturbing rather than head for the kayak or the boat and touch either which would disqualify our entire endeavour, two years of training, hours of logistics, thousand of kilometres of air travel, three kayakers and five family and friends who came to help and cheer us on… A team earlier in the season had suffered this fate the observers told us.
I chose not to phone a friend and put one arm in front of me and then the next and next until the grey phantoms receded from my thoughts. A few moments later I clearly heard dolphin squeaks underwater. Kayaker Dean later reported he had seen two dolphins and a big seal at the beginning of my leg. Dolphins! I had wanted to swim with dolphins, so wish comes true, even though I didn't see them.
The next bit of magic was bioluminescence. The bubbles from your hand entry and exit were a vibrant blue and green. We were all enchanted by it.
Before I knew it, a whistle blew and it was time to tag off to John Ostrom and it was time for Dean to paddle faster as John is speedy.
Does this light make my butt look bigger eh?
"Jumping into the ocean in the dark was made a lot easier in the moonlight," says John. "The water was way warmer than I expected, there were no jellyfish like in the English Channel, although I occasionally brushed into bits of seaweed. The first one in the dark and the biggest chunk were disconcerting at first but then became routine."
Peter Sinclair, my Canadian cousin who now lives in Brisbane, Australia, getting psyched.
"It was different swimming at night," says Peter. "This is well out of what I normally do as I am almost always asleep at 1 a.m. and definitely not swimming in the Catalina Channel so that aspect really made it a grand adventure. "
"Dean getting in the kayak and then you in the water swimming to shore at Catalina to start our swim made a very strong impression on me. As for swimming at night, it was pretty comforting to have cousin Dean in the kayak right beside me.
"It was a really fun experience having all of the 20 people on the boat including my sister Gail and her husband Doug and the boat captain Kevin and Chef Ro."
Peter and his sister Gail, who came from Toronto to be a part of our adventure.
Some of us and friends and family along for the ride on the wonderful Bottom Scratcher. See our flag flying next to the American flag? That was cool to spot from the water.
"The mighty night swim was very much anticipated," says Janice Johnston who tagged off from Peter in the relay. "It was like the nervous excitement of a small child on Christmas Eve. I talked about doing this for the last two years and everyone said, 'Wow, that's really crazy.' I really questioned what I had signed up for and was encouraged by you saying, 'You are going to love this!' (I was right eh?)
"After almost losing my goggles by diving in (not a great choice) I was very scared to start but I had to with the team needing my leg of the relay. It took about five minutes to settle in to a nice pace and I couldn't believe how beautiful the bioluminescence was. Green and blue lights with every stroke! The water was giving me a nice warm hug and the waves seemed to have flattened out. I felt like I was swimming strong and fast only to find out later that we were in a very strong current and no-one was swimming their usual distances. When I heard the whistle, I couldn't believe it and felt I could have kept going and going."
The heroes of our venture were our paddlers including my brother Dean. He even went for a few dips himself as the kayak exchanges were tricky.
Isobel did some paddle shifts and got to paddle for her husband John.
Mel, my sister, overcame seasickness to do her two shifts including the last that took us into land. She is self-dubbed our kay – yak – er.
Jill, Chris' wife was our alternate, whom we didn't have to employ but she was an invaluable, calm presence on our deck crew and she looks pretty fabulous in hats.
Husband Al, pictured with brother Dean, was also a key deck hand helping with the kayak exchanges and sampling the caterer's brownies.
Chris Lough, next swimmer up, said the dark made an impression on him too. "Swimming in the dark, the full moon shining on the bubbles, the sunrise when it finally came and the whole crew having such a good time (except for the seasickness episodes) made the biggest impression. The warmth and calmness of the water surprised me. Once I got my head straight, which took about 10 minutes, I really enjoyed it. As for sharks, so many folks had been swimming previous to me and had no issues so it was not really a concern."
Chris rocking our team colours.
Our anchor swimmer Janet Robertson, had selected the last leg as she had incorrectly anticipated it would be dawn by then. "The hardest part for me is always getting in the water. Sitting down on the platform and looking into the dark water at night and the blue water of the day made me wonder what might be out there," she says. "My head going under water after the push off was not a happy place."
Janet says, "Its wonderful how we all worked toward the success of the swim. Everyone was so supportive of each other and seemed to enjoy each other's company. Dean's determination to get us through our swims, his supportive comments from time to time were very much appreciated. He had to work harder than any of us. The beauty of the surroundings was something else I won't ever forget. The full moon, calm ocean, the quiet… I also loved it that we all got to swim into the beach to join John, who like in England, got to touch land at the end of our channel swim."
Chris and Catalina Channel Swimming Federation observer Steve who noted our wind and water conditions and ensured we followed the channel swimming rules such as not touching the boat, keeping our swim order throughout the swim, handling the exchanges properly and so on.
We were all happy to see the dawn.
"It's the bacon."
With the dawn the kayak exchanges became easier and for me the shark fear shrank. For John they amped up. "It was cool to be swimming at dawn when the sun came up. The downside was I could start to see shadows further down in the water. I had a few anxious moments with my imagination starting to go wild on me. I kept seeing a shark, whale, submarine, shadows? I focused on the kayak and settled down."
Peter in Jan's belly dancing skirt? taking in the sunrise.
Isabel and John at dawn.
How cool is this note from the Queen of open water swimming Lynne Cox! "Congratulations you Crazy Canucks: Elaine, Chris, John, Janet, Peter, and Janice on your Courageous Catalina Crossing! I Loved seeing your photos, reading about your swims, seeing how much support you had from: Dean, Jill, Isobel, Al, Gail, Mel, Chris and Doug on your swim. So happy you had such a grand adventure, a wonderful time, and made some unforgettable memories. You must feel so proud of yourself and your team! Congratulations!"
The channel, officially the San Pedro Channel, is a busy shipping lane.
Pretty darn magical swimming next to my sister. She was thinking of me and at that moment I chose to give her a little wave. Yup, makes me tear up. Dean and Mel (cousins Peter and Gail and husband Al on the boat), family that paddles and swims together stays together.
We plastered the Bottom Scratcher with Canadian flags
Dean on a rare coffee break
Chris checking his distance, Jill and Janet's husband Chris
Mel and my cousin Gail's husband Doug in the galley. Looks like Mel is all good to go now.
Peter, Janet, Janice, me, Chris…John is swimming the last leg. We jumped into join him. Janice looks a bit "enhanced" as she has a giant Canadian flag in her upper suit.
That's us doing victory handstands and Mel in the kayak having a weep.
Fun to be the first Canadian team!
Pretty proud of us. As we were having breakfast at our hotel in our swag a woman came up to us to ask what we were up to. Upon hearing our story she said, "Don't know if it is proper to point this out but you guys aren't spring chickens."
Thanks to my swim buds for life, our kayakers, friends and family on the boat and back home cheering us on, our Penticton swim coach Diane, The Bottom Scratcher crew and captain Kevin, Caterer extraordinaire Ro, observers Steve and Roxanne, the dolphins, bioluminescent plankton and California.
Up next? Looking like a double crossing of Lake Tahoe in 2021. Can't wait!
And then this happened…just three weeks after our swim…
A San Diego resident is fortunate to have emerged unscathed after a massive great white shark chomped his kayak Saturday as he paddled off Santa Catalina Island.
Danny McDaniel and Jon Chambers were enjoying a break from a commercial scuba-diving trip and paddling in separate kayaks toward Ship Rock, near the island's east end, when the shark bit the back of McDaniel's vessel.
"My very first thought was that my buddy, who was 25 feet behind me to my left, was messing with me," McDaniel, 51, told For The Win Outdoors. "But then I looked down and saw this giant snout completely over the kayak, and then I saw its huge body stretching beyond the bow."
The shark, estimated to measure nearly 20 feet, turned McDaniel's 9-foot kayak until he was facing a wide-eyed Chambers.
"I remember him saying, 'Oh crap. Oh crap,' " McDaniel recalled. "My primary thought, meanwhile, was to stay on the kayak no matter what."
Chambers told NBC 7 that the shark "was in attack mode" and "thought we were prey."
McDaniel and Chambers waited briefly in eerie silence before paddling back to Emerald Bay, where the rest of the dive group had been hanging out.
On the way McDaniel discovered that the shark had left two of its teeth as souvenirs. "One was laying inside the kayak under seat, and the other was in the cargo hold behind the seat," he said
A week before McDaniel's encounter, (so two weeks after our swim) photographer Jami Leslie Feldman captured footage of a 13- to 14-foot great white shark swimming 70 feet below the surface at Ship Rock, and posted the clip to the Underwater Paparazzi Facebook page.
Swimmer Chris says, "I am glad I was in the water and NOT in a kayak.
Mel, Doug & Is – whew!"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The 2018 vintage was an unusual one in the vineyards of the Côtes du Forez. With the pre-mature start to the vegetative cycle and a rainy spring, the wine makers and their entire teams needed to be extremely attentive watching over each step of development of the vines, to assure the ultimate quality of the harvest. The very hot and dry month of August posed a real test to achieving proper maturation of the grapes. In the end, in reward for attentive and hard work in the vineyards, the harvest resulted in very good quality and quantity, Nature gave us a lovely 2018 vintage.
At The Cellar Verdier Logel there are changes to announce for 2019. Jacky, the founding winemaker will be retiring as he passes on his savoir–faire to his daughter Julie and nephew Maxime, who continue the Adventure, with the support of Odile. A tasting and welcoming cellar for vistors is under construction. The Winery remains in pursuit of it's beautiful adventure and continues to evolve over time, passing on skills from one generation to another, to always offer wines of quality for the pleasure of its consumers.
The year was a late one, the harvest having taken the whole month of October. Spring was rainy and the month of August really dry. Happily September rains helped to ripen the grapes. In the end the vintage was very good for Gamay. The whites had more difficulty ripening.
With a very cold month of January, the evolution of the wines is slow so far, we think we will not bottle the cuvée Volcanique until April.
Hail at the start of Spring, which was completely unexpected, then successive frosts followed by a very rainy Spring, too rainy, provoquing vine related diseases, above all mildew, which instead of attacking the leaves, attacked the grapes, leading to significant loss of quantity. These phenomena have not been seen in 20 years ! We had to to be very vigilant ; a lot of oversight and work in the vineyards.
By contrast, the summer was beautiful and hot withuout any hail, September was magnificent, ideal. The nights were cool, short of frost, and the days beautiful and hot, conditions which resulted in the concetration of polyphenols and natural sugars. Still, there remains a significant loss of yields.
So, in terms of climate, 2016 was an unbelievable and formidable year, leaving one to think that the 2016 vintange was one to forget, but for those who carefully monitored and worked the vines to protect the grapes, the results were truly unexpected, but in the positive.
*For the reds : A good concentration of tannins, deep rich color. In substance, chew, rich wine, ample and supple, fresh at the same time. Aromas are of freshness, small black fruits (blackberry, blueberry, cassis). On the palate, a clean attack, straightforward, good ample structure, full.
*For the whites : As in all vintages, the climatic difficulties had less impact on the quality, but , of course, affected the quantity.
- Climactic year : a beautiful winter reasonably cold, but wet. A Spring without frost, quite beautiful and wet. A Summer with a very hot July, too hot, causing a surficially important drought in the vineyards. Thus, no treatment, because no maladies, the positive side.
End of July, the vines like many other plants suffer ; negative side.
They slowed down their progress, to the point of stopping vegetal development, to protect themselves. We feared for the the development of the berries. Happily, in August, the weather became more clement : hot, but with beneficial rains, no storms, nor hail! The vegetation restarted .
In autumn, warm, then cold, but no hail. We began harvest the 9th of September (earlier than usual ; about 3 weeks in advance) under beautiful sunshine. The 12th and 13th it rained heavily ! The harvest finished on the 17th of September.
For the 2015 harvest we have beautiful quality with an average yield.
The 2015 Sec has a lovely brilliance and pale gold reflections.
We have a subtle nose with notes of fleshy fruits, like pear and silex mineral notes.
On the palate we have volume and richness on the attack, white fruits in middle palate, the finish is on citrus, with delicate acid typical of Chenin which gives us beautiful length. Minerality and finesse.
The year 2015, after a slightly wet Spring, was hot and dry. The harvests came early : beginning the 9th of September, with excellent ripeness ( betwee 13 an 13 % alcohol) and very successful aromas.
There is very present richness on the palate. The 2015 Pouilly Fumés reveal complex aromas of white fruits (peach, pear…) with some exotic notes (mango, litchee). The balance is good with a preserved acitidy giving harmony to the roundness.
How to qualify 2015? A "sun" year?
This hot and arid year brought us very mature grapes in perfect healthy state and with exceptional alcoholic degrees.
The wines are warm and round, less fresh and lively than our usual production. On the other hand, they are very easy drinking and ready to drink young.
The 2014 vintage is very promising. After a depressing summer, we had the great luck of benefitting from an excellent month of September, beautiful, sunny, with quite cool nights. The healthy condition of the grapes allowed us to wait to harvest until as late as possible, we started the 29th of September, and in beautiful weather.
The fermentations are now finished. The wine is well balanced, round and fruity. But there is still work to do in the cellar before the wine achieves its full expression of the vintage.
The 2014 grape harvest is completed and the quality and quantity of this years crop is excellent thanks to a beautiful September which was sunny and hot . Summer weather continued on through an equally beautiful October.
The first bottling of La Cuvée des Gourmets 2014 will be at the beginning of December. Maxime's [first] cuvée, 2013, was bottled at the beginning of September and is called "Apprendre à Lyres".
Maxime Gillier, will be a full time wine grower starting this 2015 season. Jacky and I will continue to work with him for 5 years.
2014 is a great vintage for us. We have excellent quality and quantity, which is comforting for us after having had two years of bad, unpredictable weather.
Until the last week-end in june, the weather was excellent for the vines.
In July and August, we had more than 40 days of rain. But, happily September and October were beautiful.
On Sepember 19 a hailstorm damaged 25% of the vineyards. I decided to not harvest this part, too damaged.
Concering the reds, 2014 is on its fruit with good body. For the whites: A lovely aromatic freshness, good persistence with notes of citrus.
2014 is an excellent vintage.
The dry wine, which will be the base wine for the Brut non-vintage, is at least as good as preceeding vintages.
I produced a late-harvest wine, of about 80 grams of residual sugar which is very good quality.


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This appendix reviews recent developments in official measures of international reserves and liquidity. Changes in the main components of official reserves are briefly examined. The curreney composition of foreign exchange reserves and their distribution across different groups of countries are also analyzed.
During 1996, total international reserves increased by 11 percent and stood at SDR 1,320 billion at the end of the year (Table I.1). Nongold reserves increased by 15 percent to SDR 1,088 billion, while the market value of the official holdings of gold declined marginally to SDR 232 billion. The rates of increase for both total and nongold reserves were similar to those observed in 1995 and much higher than the rates of increase in the early 1990s. The growth of nongold reserves tan be attributed primarily to increases in foreign exchange reserves held by both industrial and developing countries. Fund-related assets remained essentially unchanged during 1996.
Note: Components may not sum to totals because of rounding.Source: International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics (various issues).
1 "Fund-related assets" comprise reserve positions in the Fund and SDR holdings of all Fund members. The entries under "Foreign exchange" and "Gold" comprise official holdings of those Fund members for which data are available and certain other countries or areas.
2 One troy ounce equals 31.103 grams. The market price is the afternoon price fixed in London on the last business day of each period.
Foreign exchange reserves constitute the largest component of nongold reserves, accounting for 91 percent of total nongold reserves for industrial countries and 98 percent for developing countries. Total foreign exchange reserves were valued at SDR 1,032 billion at the end of 1996, representing an increase of 15 percent relative to the level at the end of 1995. Developing countries held 51 percent of total foreign exchange reserves in 1996. During 1996, the stock of foreign exchange reserves rose by SDR 61 billion (an increase of 14 percent since 1995) for industrial countries and by SDR 77 billion (an increase of 17 percent) for developing countries. Net debtor countries accounted for about 75 percent of foreign exchange reserves held by developing countries. Reflecting private capital inflows, the stock of foreign exchange reserves held by net debtor countries grew by 22 percent in 1996, an increase similar to the average annual rate of increase for these countries since 1990. Foreign exchange reserves of countries without debt-servicing problems, which represent 70 percent of net debtor countries' reserves, increased by 20 percent. Foreign exchange reserves of oil exporting developing countries rose by SDR 11 billion during 1996 (a 26 percent increase), after remaining essentially unchanged over the previous four years, Non-oil exporting developing countries increased their foreign exchange reserves by SDR 67 billion (16 percent).
The ratio of Fund-related reserve assets to total nongold reserves has declined steadily during the 1990s. Fund-related reserves represented about 5 percent of total nongold reserve assets at the end of 1996 compared with an average ratio of about 11 percent over the previous decade. Total holdings of Fund-related assets remained unchanged during 1996 and stood at SDR 56 billion at year end. Industrial countries currency hold about 83 percent of total Fund-related reserves. Members' reserve positions at the Fund, which comprise their reserve tranche positions and their creditor positions, increased by about SDR 1 billion to SDR 38 billion at the end of 1996, representing an increase of about 4 percent during 1996.
Members' holdings of SDRs, which had been drawn down substantially during 1992 to pay for the reserve asset portions of quota increases under the Ninth General Review, appear to have stabilized after a sharp increase from 1992 to 1995 resulting from the Fund's policy of decreasing its SDR holdings in order to replenish members' holdings. Fund member countries now hold 18.5 billion of the total of 21.4 billion SDRs allocated by the Fund in two allocations since 1970. At the end of 1996, the Fund held 1.7 billion SDRs, compared with 8.6 billion SDRs at the end of 1992, and other prescribed institutions held the remaining 1,2 billion SDRs.
The market value of the stock of official gold reserves declined by 2 percent during 1996 and stood at SDR 232 billion at the end of the year. The stock of gold reserves declined by 3.8 million troy ounces during 1996. In addition, the SDR market price of gold declined marginally during this period. The share of gold as a ratio to total reserves has declined steadily since the 1980s, when the average for the decade was 44 percent, to 18 percent in 1996. Industrial countries hold 83 percent of the world's gold reserves; gold holdings accounted for about 26 percent of their total reserves in 1996. Gold holdings accounted for only 7 percent of the total reserves of developing countries in 1996.
In the first quarter of 1997, total international reserves increased by SDR 37 billion. Nongold reserves rose by SDR 45 billion, almost entirely attributable to an increase in foreign exchange reserves. Fund-related assets fell by SDR 2 billion, reflecting a decline in industrial countries' reserve positions at the Fund. Foreign exchange reserves rose by 3 percent for industrial countries and by 6 percent for developing countries since the end of" 1996. The market value of official gold holdings fell by SDR 8 billion, reflecting a 1 percent decline in the quantity of gold holdings and a 6 percent decline in the SDR price of gold.
During the past ten years there have been few significant changes in the degree of diversification in the currency composition of foreign exchange reserves (Table I.2). The U.S. dollar remains the dominant international reserve currency, accounting for 59 percent of the identified foreign exchange reserves in 1996.1 The U.S. dollar share of total foreign exchange reserves declined from 1987 through 1990; this decline had been reversed by 1993, and the share has remained relatively stable since then. The shares of the deutsche mark and the Japanese yen in total foreign exchange reserves have declined gradually from their respective peaks of 18 percent and 9 percent in the early 1990s to 14 percent and 6 percent, respectively, in 1996. The increases in the share of unspecified currencies in foreign exchange reserves in 1995 and 1996 principally reflect data problems.2 In particular, many transition economies that have become members of the Fund in recent years report only their total holdings of foreign exchange reserves and do not provide information on the currency composition of those reserves. The unspecified currency component of foreign exchange reserves stood at 10 percent at the end of 1996, indicating that the evolution of currency shares discussed below needs to be interpreted with considerable caution.
1 Note that European currency units (ECUs) are treated as a separate currency except in the last column. Only Fund member countries that report their official holdings of foreign exchange are included in this table.
2 This column is for comparison and indicates the currency composition of reserves when ECUs issued against dollars are assumed to be dollars and all other ECUs are ignored.
3 The residual is equal to the difference between total foreign exchange reserves of Fund member countries and the sum of the reserves held in the currencies listed in the table.
4 The calculations here rely to a greater extent on Fund staff estimates than do those provided for the group of industrial countries.
At the end of 1996, the share of U.S. dollars in the foreign exchange reserves of the industrial countries was 56 percent, representing an increase of 12 percentage points since 1991. The U.S. dollar share of developing country foreign exchange reserves has been relatively stable during the 1990s and stood at 63 percent at the end of 1996. The shares of the deutsche mark and the Japanese yen in foreign exchange reserves have declined gradually during the 1990s for both industrial and developing countries. Their combined share in industrial country foreign exchange reserves stood at 22 percent in 1996 compared with 29 percent in 1990; their combined share in foreign exchange reserves of developing countries stood at 17 percent in 1996. The shares of other identifiable national currencies in total foreign exchange reserves have not changed significantly during the past ten years.
In the calculation of currency shares in Table I.2, the European currency unit (ECU) is treated as a separate currency. Official ECU reserves, which are held mainly by European countries, are in the form of claims both on the private sector and the European Monetary Institute (EMI). The ECU reserves that represent claims on the EMI are issued in exchange for deposits equal to 20 percent of both gold and dollar reserves. These swaps are renewed even three months, and changes in member's holdings of dollars and gold, as well as changes in the market price of gold and in the foreign exchange value of the dollar, affect the amount of ECUs outstanding.3 Quantity changes in ECU holdings therefore depend in part on the evolution of the two components of the EMI swaps.4 The other component of ECU foreign exchange reserves is official claims on the private sector, usually in the form of ECU deposits and bonds.
The share of ECUs in total foreign exchange reserves of industrial countries has declined gradually from 19 percent in 19S7 to 12 percent at the end of 1996. Most of the recent fall in the share of ECUs is a result of the decline in official ECU reserves in the form of claims on the private sector.
In the last column of Table I.2, the SDR value of ECU swaps issued against dollars is counted as a part of the dollar component of foreign exchange reserves. This increases the share of U.S. dollars to 64 percent of total foreign exchange reserves tor all countries and to 65 percent for industrial countries. However, the broad trends in the currency composition of Foreign exchange reserves are unaffected by this alternative treatment of ECU reserves.
Changes in the SDR value of foreign exchange reserves can be decomposed into quantity and valuation (price) changes for each of the major currencies as well as the ECU (Table I.3). In 1996, total official holdings of reserves in the major identifiable currencies increased by SDR 127 billion, reflecting a quantity increase of SDR 119 billion and a valuation increase of SDR 8 billion.
1 The currency composition of foreign exchange is based on the Fund's currency survey and on estimates derived mainly, but not solely, from official national reports. The numbers in this table should be regarded as estimates that are subject to adjustment as more information is received. Quantity changes are derived by multiplying the changes in official holdings of each currency from the end of one quarter to the next by the average of the two SDR prices of that currency prevailing at the corresponding dates. This procedure converts the change in the quantity of national currency from own units to SDR units of account. Subtracting the SDR value of the quantity change so derived from the quarterly change in the SDR value of foreign exchange held at the end of two successive quarters and cumulating these differences yields the effect of price changes over the years shown.
2 Each item represents the sum of the eight currencies above.
3 Includes a residual whose currency composition could not be ascertained, as well as holdings of currencies other than those shown.
Official reserves held in U.S. dollars increased by SDR 101 billion in 1996, attributable to an increase of SDR 84 billion in the quantity of dollar holdings and an increase of 4 percent in the SDR value of the U.S. dollar during 1996. The quantity of reserves held in deutsche mark increased by SDR 24 billion during 1996, although this was partially offset by a decrease of SDR 6 billion in the value of those reserves. An increase of SDR 9 billion in the quantity of Japanese yen reserves was partially offset by a 9 percent decline in the SDR value of the Japanese yen. Of the other major currencies, only the pound sterling rose in value relative to the SDR during 1996; the quantity of pound sterling reserves rose by SDR 2 billion. French franc and ECU reserves experienced both quantity and valuation decreases during 1996, resulting in total declines of SDR 2 billion and SDR 1 billion, respectively.
Table I.2 includes European currency units (ECUs) as a separate currency except in the last column, where the dollar-swap component of ECU liabilities of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) is classified as dollars and all other ECUs are omitted from the calculation.
Unspecified currencies include currencies other than those listed in Table I.2 as well as foreign exchange reserves for which no information on currency compoisition is available from the reporting country or from other sources. For developing countries as well as transition economies that have recently become members of the Fund, a large share under this classification probably indicates a lack of information on currency composition.
In calculating the value of the gold holdings of the EMI in terms of ECUs, the ECU swap price is set equal to the lower of two values: the average of the prices recorded daily at the two London price fixings during the previous six calendar months, and the average price at the two price fixings on the penultimate working day of die period.
The quarteriy swaps are arranged at the end of the first weeks of January-, April, July, and October. Changes in the number of EC Us outstanding thus depend on the exchange rate and the gold price on these dates, whereas changes in the SDR value of HCU holdings are calculated at the SDR-F.CU exchange rate at the end of each quarter.


No. I am your father!
Warning! This page contains MAJOR spoilers from a recently released or soon-to-be-released product. Caution is advised.
Vader - Dark Visions 3 is the third issue of the canon comic book miniseries Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions. It was written by Dennis Hallum, illustrated by David Lopez, and published on April 24, 2019 by Marvel Comics.
THE STAR-CROSSED LOVER! DARTH VADER, a name that strikes fear in the hearts of countless across the galaxy…but there is one lonely heart that beats just for him. What is it like to be in love with LORD VADER? And what fate will befall one who is infatuated with the tall, dark mystery behind the mask?
Wookieepedia has 3 images related to Vader - Dark Visions 3.


Sync was a set of activities designed to support cultural organisations in Scotland develop a more progressive relationship with technology and technologists. It had three central elements: the annual Culture Hack Scotland event, a Geeks-in-Residence programme and the Sync Tank magazine. It was part of Creative Scotland's Cultural Economy programme for 2012-14.
There is currently a great deal of conversation about digital innovation in the cultural sector. We established Sync to emphasise making over talking and to create experimental spaces so that organisations can take risks, explore the unknown, work with exciting talent in new ways and test ideas quickly and cheaply.
Sync was designed and made by a team of producers: Suzy Glass, Rohan Gunatillake, Erin Maguire, Emmie McKay, Chris Sharratt and Devon Walshe.
It was supported by Creative Scotland.


The precise method to measure your torso for a backpack or a swimsuit, is provided here.
Measurements matter a lot when it comes to clothes, or buying anything like a backpack, to ensure the right fit.
When it comes to buying swimsuits, measurements matter even more. You want to buy just the right one that will accentuate those curves. So, before shopping for a backpack or a swimsuit, what you need to do is measure the torso. You need very specific measurements for this purpose.
The human torso or trunk is the part of body excluding the head, legs, and arms. So technically, the length of the torso extends from hip bone to the knuckle at nape of the neck.
Swimsuit sizing up for ladies requires three measurements of the body. One is the measurement of your bust, followed by measurement of your waist, and torso. These three measurement will help you choose the right size swimsuit.
The first two measurements are easy enough. Get a tape measure like the one used by a tailor. First, encircle your bust with the tape, take a measurement and note it down. Next, let the tape encircle your waist and then make a measurement. Note it down. Now comes the torso measurement.
Let the tape measure's endpoint rest on one of your shoulders and then let it extend through the center of the crotch and back on the other side, up to the neck. Make the measurement and note it down. Better take help from a friend for this measurement.
Take help from a friend who can carry out the measurement for you. Stand erect and lower your chin. Let the end point of the tape measure extend from the prominent vertebra bone at the base of the neck to the hip bone at the base of your spinal cord.
Ask your friend to extend the tape measure along a line extending between these two points and measure the length between them. Note down the measurement.
Measuring your torso is a simple exercise. All you need to do is measure the length between the right endpoints to ensure that you get the right swimsuit or backpack.


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Disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, may occur for employees who do not follow the CSX Code of Ethics or knowingly give a false report.
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Gloriously, ecstatically dark music, drone metal-influenced sound that relies on a very special pipe organ.
One of the largest instruments of its kind in city of Piteå, Anna von Hausswolff uses its Acusticum Pipe Organ equipped with 9,000 pipes, built-in percussion (including vibraphone and glockenspiel), recording/looping tools, and nefarious sounds produced by submerging the pipes halfway underwater. Von Hausswolff lets out an ascendant wail at the start of "Evocation", the pipes swell up around her like the nightmarish offspring of a THX sound test, and often pits Pipe drones against vicious electric guitars, "Come Wander With Me / Deliverance".
The Miraculous evokes Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Swans, Black Sabbath and Sunn O))), with siren-like vocals reminiscent of Diamanda Galas, or Kate Bush. A neat package, which unfortuately loses some steam on sides three and four, where the movements start to meander and become slightly dull. The first two sides however… man, after several listenings, the power and the dramatic arcs make me hold my breath.
Double LP in gatefold sleeve, sound is really good, especially the deeper drones from the organ. Get yout THX certification here!


text:
Repositioned and Revitalized for the Future of Work, NYC Building Gets LEED Cert and a Gracious Marble Entrance
How do you get to 2 Rector Street? You head to Greenwich Street and look for the well appointed 26 story building shaped like a U.
Follow the veins of the American marble pavers of the arcade at No. 101 and you'll step into the stunning new lobby of what is now a LEED Silver Certified mixed use office building and home to a hot new workplace called Convene.
Architects Montroy Andersen DeMarco recently completed an ambitious redevelopment and repositioning of 101 Greenwich Street (formerly known as Two Rector Street) that included a redesign of the lobby and arcade which were formerly cut off from one another. A floor-to-ceiling glass wall opens up the arcade, essentially extending the lobby to the outside.
The original design of the building was by Clinton and Russell. It was built in 1905 for a freight shipping conglomerate. In 1923, three more stories were added, for a total of 26. For its recent redevelopment, the architects worked with the classic Beaux Arts building's owners to reposition the property from a class B to a class A office tower through architectural and infrastructure upgrades. The 481,000-square-foot office building is targeting tenants in TAMI (technology, advertising, media, and information) as well as the financial and hospitality sectors.
Of the $75 million construction budget for the redevelopment of the building, 75 percent went toward technology and mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades, refreshed common areas and new elevators. The property was redesigned to achieve a LEED Silver rating.
Owned and developed by Cove Property Group and Bentall Kennedy, the building is an excellent example of adaptive reuse for the trend in workplace environments to small boutique spaces supported by high end communal amenities. As an example, the existing entrance along Trinity Place was enclosed to offer tenants a lounge area equipped with a small library of books relating to New York City real estate and history. Inside office tenants enjoy high speed internet, gourmet food options and event support.
The building is now home to Convene's NYC flagship location a multi-floor, flexible workspace that boasts full-service meeting and event spaces powered by five-star hospitality and seamless technology. The flagship is one of Convene's 13 New York venues, with more in other major cities. For a fun look back at the history of the building all the way to the covered wagon, read this Convene blog post.
Visitors will immediately notice the completely redesigned lobby and arcade where the architects used Pearl Grey marble pavers to create a seamless transition from exterior to interior. The pavers were sandblasted for improved slip resistance, replicating the tooth of a flamed granite. Miller Druck Specialty Contracting, Inc.performed the installation.
Though marble is not always an architect's immediate choice for exterior application, Pearl Grey quarried at Polycor's Tate, GA quarry, is often selected for New York City projects for its refined vein character and ability to withstand the freeze thaw cycle of the harsh northeast climate. You can see the material at Vornado Realty Trust's Seventh Avenue headquarters in the plaza and lobby, and at the Museum of Modern Art's sculpture garden.
See more New York City marble projects in our lookbook.
"The owners chose the stone," said Barbara Cohen, president of Miller Druck. "They wanted something light in color, not a granite appearance and we presented mock ups of several stones. The Pearl Grey patterning and color fit the bill."
Polycor owns and operates its Tate, Georgia marble quarry and production facility.
The architects, the general contractor and installer traveled to the Tate quarry to inspect the stone and perform dry lay mock-ups of the pavers prior to install. The architects were particularly interested in the movement and pattern of the veining and how it would translate on a large scale at the final installation. The Tate quarry is vast and includes a wide variation of vein color, pattern and movement. Quarry workers used drones to visually inspect the quarry benches to determine the locations that would yield the professionals' ideal vein pattern.
With time the stone will develop an even wear and patina, but unlike other lightly colored stones like Travertine, Georgia marble will maintain its integrity in high traffic environments. The superior density of Pearl Grey prevents a lesser dense stone's tendency to abbrade, dislodge in some areas or leave voids.
Georgia marble's interlocking minerals make it really resilient in an abusive application like a busy downtown office building. Here in downtown NYC the look of the stone helps bridge the historic nature of the 111-year-old building with the high-tech modern workplace it is now.
Pearl Grey marble with sandblasted finish
101 Greenwich has some trendy brand neighbors including Refinery29, Oscar Healthcare, XO Group, Zocdoc, and Warby Parker who all call Downtown NYC home. According to Convene's blog, the neighborhoods in Downtown NYC are growing in residents too—the Financial District saw its population nearly double from the year 2000 to 2014.
"Set amongst this scene is 101 Greenwich Street," the post reads, "Convene's new headquarters and flagship location. It's a building steeped in history, and filled with new innovations that make it the perfect place for the future of work."
From modern marvels to historic restorations, see the projects Polycor powers with American marble. Download the lookbook.
Topics: Architecture & Design Trends, American marble, Pearl Grey Marble


text:
Carroll County awards contract to plan airport expansion
An expansion of the Carroll County Regional Airport is now a step closer to reality with the awarding of a contract for planning the project.The Carroll County Times reports that the County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 Thursday to hire Charlotte, North Carolina-based Delta Airport Consultants for planning, design and engineering work on the project.Joe McKelvey, the manager of the airport, says the company has been hired for past airport projects. It also received the highest ranking out of the five companies who bid on the project, as judged by a three-person airport committee.Construction of a new runway, which is set to begin in 2020, is expected to cost about $78 million, with 90 percent of the project being paid for by the Federal Aviation Administration.
WESTMINSTER, Md. —
An expansion of the Carroll County Regional Airport is now a step closer to reality with the awarding of a contract for planning the project.
The Carroll County Times reports that the County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 Thursday to hire Charlotte, North Carolina-based Delta Airport Consultants for planning, design and engineering work on the project.
Joe McKelvey, the manager of the airport, says the company has been hired for past airport projects. It also received the highest ranking out of the five companies who bid on the project, as judged by a three-person airport committee.
Construction of a new runway, which is set to begin in 2020, is expected to cost about $78 million, with 90 percent of the project being paid for by the Federal Aviation Administration.


Hotels in Axos are traditional apartments and houses offering accomodation of high quality, ideal for those who wish to spend their vacation time close to the nature and work on activities related to agrotourism.
Most traditional apartments in Axos have kitchen, fireplace and veranda with a view, built in farms, at areas of immense natural beauty and bio-diversity.
Axos is a village on Mt Psiloritis over the springs of Mylopotamos that gave its name to the region.
This area stands out due to its mountainous character and the particular landscape, with the herbs and plants that characterize the fertile Cretan Land. Axos is 44km away from Heraklion and 42km away from Rethymno, 28km from Panormos and 30km from Stavromenos in Rethymno.
Traditional Apartments Enagron in Axos lies in a ranch, which covers an area of more than 50.000 m2 with cultivations such as olive groves, vineyards, vegetable gardens and fruit trees but also with the wild vegetation of Crete.


text:
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var run = function() {
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  var bitcore = require('../bitcore');
  var networks = bitcore.networks;
  var Peer = bitcore.Peer;
  var Transaction = bitcore.Transaction;
  var Address = bitcore.Address;
  var Script = bitcore.Script;
  var coinUtil = bitcore.util;
  var PeerManager = require('soop').load('../PeerManager', {
    network: networks.testnet
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  var createTx = function() {
    var TXIN = 'd05f35e0bbc495f6dcab03e599c8f5e32a07cdb4bc76964de201d06a2a7d8265';
    var TXIN_N = 0;
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    var VAL = '0.001';

    var txobj = {
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      lock_time: 0,
      ins: [],
      outs: []
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    var txin = {
      s: coinUtil.EMPTY_BUFFER, // Add signature
      q: 0xffffffff
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    var hash = new Buffer(TXIN.split('').reverse(), 'hex');
    var vout = parseInt(TXIN_N);
    var voutBuf = new Buffer(4);

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    txobj.ins.push(txin);

    var addr = new Address(ADDR);
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text:
RoyalDish.com > Other Royal Families > Sweden > Topic: Carl Philip & Sofia - 2017 News & Events
Author Topic: Carl Philip & Sofia - 2017 News & Events (Read 240487 times)
Gigantic Member
Re: Carl Philip & Sofia - 2017 News & Events
I think Sofia looks fine in the red dress and grey coat. My problem is with her husband, whose jacket does not fit him. It shouldn't be stretching across his gut like that when the button is done up.
AddiesGirl
"I am aware that you believe me insane" - Sisi
Quote from: creativenoble on December 23, 2017, 08:01:22 PM
been lurking this site for a while finally decided to make an account.
About Sofia I don't think she's pregnant. She's just turning into her mother.
Welcome to RD! I don't think she's pregnant either, but I don't think it will take her long to get that way again. And I totally agree, she is turning into her mother and grandmother, thick waist and an out of control bosom. Keeping that pre-baby shape takes real effort and discipline which I don't think she has in her, plus the older people in her family are large (to be charitable) and I think Snaky is too lazy to successfully fight her genes.
Medium Member
My first thoughts on seeing that photo of them on the sidewalk by the car - he's bursting his buttons; she looks like a sack of potatoes tied in the middle
Lady Adelaide
Princess Sofia on Metoo: it will make an incredible difference
https://www.expressen.se/...er-gora-otrolig-skillnad/
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia have been strongly affected by this fall's MeToo movement.
In an interview with SVT, the princess predicts a significant change in society after the campaign.
- "I really think there will be a change after the metoo campaign that has been incredible," Princess Sofia says.
In an interview with SVT, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia say that The Metoo movement that characterized the fall of 2017 has deeply affected them.
- "It has created a movement in a short time that will make a marked difference to society," Sofia says, adding:
- A change in society on how to look at women. How we view ourselves, the problems we grow up with and the objectification of women. I really think there will be a change after the incredible metoo campaign.
Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip have followed the movement during the fall in the media and social contexts. The important thing is to highlight the problems, the prince couple say, and describes the MeToo movement as an enormous force.
- "But I would also like to highlight the issue of respect for the average citizen," adds Prince Carl Philip in the interview with SVT.
Sondra Finchley
Huge Member
Heh. I swear every time I look at a new photo of Sof these days I like to note how far my eyes have to travel to finally find her bosom. She's practically got them tucked into the waistband here!
pixiecat
Board Helper
Most Exalted Member
Pixiecat loves to Dish!
Quote from: Lady Adelaide on December 28, 2017, 06:44:15 PM
Get out your muck boots, girls. The bullshit is deep in here.
Oh, the hilarious irony of a former Miss Slitz and rape victim shamer telling the public about the problems that arise when society magazines like Miss Slitz and shows like Paradise Island objectifies women.
And shut up Greaseball. You literally met your wife purely because of Miss Slitz and Paradise Island.
I'd rather see them make a difference by calling out their past behavior and explaining all the ways in which they were wrong and how they're part of the problem. Until then, they can shut TF up.
That "objectification of women" phrase really jarred!
Large Member
Quote from: Sondra Finchley on December 28, 2017, 06:52:10 PM
I was just thinking the same and she's only in her early 30s....karma is a bitch!
Passing Stars
Small Member
Quote from: pixiecat on December 28, 2017, 06:58:02 PM
This is so insulting....
To allow yourself to be objectified to gain material benefits and then put yourself out there as a spokesperson on the dangers of society objectifying women AFTER you state you regret nothing
What an effin idiot! And it's insulting to women everywhere and to all the courageous people that have come forward to tell their stories
Is she surrounded by so many fools that she believes the whole world is stupid enough to buy her sh!t?
Quote from: Passing Stars on December 28, 2017, 08:34:23 PM
Back at you, PS.
I strongly suspect that she lives with a very large amount of delusion in her head and this is the latest example of it. I think she really does think the world is stupid enough to believe her. She's conned her way through life, so why should she stop now? It's the second of the two things she only knows how to do (using her body to gain advantage and conning people). Her husband may be stupid, but the rest of the world isn't.
This is the most outrageous BS that's come out of her mouth yet; and we've had more than a decade of stupid shit she's done and said.
Princess BlueEyes
Oh the hypocrisy of Sofia weighing in on this. Hasn't she said she isn't ashamed of anything she did in her past? She can't possibly been so dense, that she does not understand that she was a willing participant of what the Metoo campaign is against, can she?
I can't even begin to wrap my brain around what she 'supplement' she is ingesting.
Quote from: Princess BlueEyes on December 28, 2017, 09:41:21 PM
Yep. She regrets nothing-she's said so herself-more than once.
Duchess of Verona
Quote from: Eve on December 28, 2017, 08:17:25 PM
I was just thinking that they are at the level of her elbows.
Lady Lurker
Mini Member
LOL , that is funny and true! That is an unfortunate picture. I would burn that coat, it is not doing her any favors.
proud moron thx Scooby Doo
Sofia, just shut up. SHUT UP.
I wonder if she will ever be confronted about the incongruity of all of this. She sold her body to get where she was.
writing angry fauxminist letters in the Lesbaru


Hello, this is my first post , I am Alessandro, from Rome,Italy.
Plese I need to chose a scope, it's main purpose is to decode CAN Bus frames running at 1Mbit; it is mounted in a new bike model so I need to decode the protocol to build some interfaces "talking" with it.
I seen Picoscope 2204, do you think it is ok?
To decode CAN, do I need 2 channels to decode CAN+ and CAN- or 1 channel will be sufficient?
Do you think that also Picoscope 2105 will be suitable for my needs?
Last but not least, I am not a professional so the price should be very low.
Hi any of these scopes will be able to do CAN decoding, perhaps one of the 220x ranges would be more useful as they have two channels.
How long do you want to do CAN decoding for? In which I mean on one screen?
Hi Ziko, thanks for your answer.
Sincerely I don't know for how long it takes to decode all the payload flowing into the bus.
My intention is to put the scope between the bus and the official service tool and "sniff" all the frames that will pass over the can. I will log all the things, and piece after piece, I will try to decode commands and responses. I will try also to decode the frames that contains RPM, Temperatures, Speed etc.,probably a single screen is sufficient to do these things, or not?
After I have some frames decoded, I will try to build an interface to talk with the ECU, I am an experienced Microchip controllers programmer.


Roxanne Bowen never wanted to have a baby. That is, until she realised she couldn't. Now it's all she can think of. She had everything she could ever want, the fulfilling career, the doting husband, but now he can't stand to touch her and her perfect life is falling to pieces.


The Riley resort in Cairns opened in November.
CBRE Hotels Asia Pacific national director Wayne Bunz said the Sunshine State remained the "jewel in Australia's tourism crown".
He said Queensland accounted for 22 of the 56 hotels that opened nationally in 2018.
"Queensland now has some of the best luxury brands in Australia," Mr Bunz said.
"In Brisbane, the luxury gap has been filled by a number of new openings this year, many of which represent true 5-star offerings not previously seen in Australia.
"This is clearly evidenced by new hotels in Brisbane, including The Calile Hotel, W Hotel and The Emporium."
Mr Bunz said the Cairns hotel sector continued to gain momentum, opening its first major international hotel product in more than two decades.
As part of the Dubai-based GA Group's $500 million 5-star Crystalbrook Collection, the Riley resort opened in November. The Bailey and the Flynn will open next year.
"The entry of 5-star, luxury, boutique and lifestyle hotels in Cairns will raise the bar considerably and help to attract a new wave of travellers to the already popular tourism spot," Mr Bunz said.
"The customer appetite for luxury product is here; people are willing to pay a premium as long as the service delivers. With more and more entrants in this top end of the market, Australia now has the product to meet this demand."
Mr Bunz said The Whitsundays would be back on the "luxury destination radar" with the reopening of Hayman and Daydream islands next year.
The rebuilt Hayman Island resort will be opened next year.
"Rebuilding these resorts after Cyclone Debbie in 2017 has been a silver lining, providing an opportunity for these operators to reinvest insurance money, substantially improve these resorts and truly capitalise on a location that is regarded as one of the world's greatest luxury destinations," he said.


text:
és una pianista clàssica canadenca. Especialitzada en els repertoris clàssics i romàntics, durant més de trenta anys ha aparegut regularment amb orquestres professionals de tot el món, sovint interpretant la música de compositors polonesos contemporanis, inclosos Lutosławski i Panufnik.

Biografia
Fialkowska va néixer a Montreal, Quebec, de mare canadenca (Bridget Todd Fialkowski) i pare polonès (Jerzy Fialkowski), enginyer i oficial de l'exèrcit polonès que va emigrar al Canadà el 1945. La seva mare, d'origen escocès-irlandès i Cree, va estudiar piano a la classe d'Alfred Cortot a "l'École Normale de Musique" de Paris (1935–1939). Fialkowska és neta de John Todd, primer professor de parasitologia del Canadà, i besneta d'Edward Clouston, president de l'Associació Canadenca de Banquers. És cosina de l'exministre de gabinet canadenc David Anderson i cosí de l'actor Christopher Plummer.

Fialkowska va començar a estudiar piano als quatre anys amb la seva mare i el 1960 es va matricular a "l'École Vincent-d'Indy" de Mont-real. El 1963, als 12 anys, va debutar com a solista a l'Orquestra Simfònica de Montreal i va començar a estudiar amb Yvonne Hubert. Va cursar els seus estudis secundaris a l'escola de noies de Montreal, "The Study", i es va graduar el 1967. L'any següent, als 17 anys, va obtenir simultàniament estudis universitaris (Baccalauréat) i Maitrise de la Université de Montréal. Durant aquest període, també va estudiar a París amb la virtuosa i professora Yvonne Lefébure (1966, 1968-1969). El 1969 va ser guardonada amb el 1r Premi al "CBC National Radio Competition for Young Performers" (Canadà) i va viatjar ocasionalment a Nova York per estudis privats amb Sasha Gorodnitzki. El 1970 es va establir a Nova York i es va inscriure a la "Juilliard School of Music" com a alumna de Sasha Gorodnitzki, convertint-se posteriorment en la seva ajudant docent del 1979 al 1984.

El 1974, mentre estava inscrita a la facultat de dret de la seva ciutat natal, Mont-real, Fialkowska va participar en el primer Concurs Internacional de Màster de Piano Arthur Rubinstein a Tel Aviv. Sense saber-ho, un dels jutges li va donar un zero per ajudar el seu propi estudiant a avançar. Però el mateix Rubinstein, que aleshores tenia 87 anys, va quedar impressionat per la seva interpretació. Quan es va assabentar del zero, va amenaçar amb retirar el seu nom de la competició a menys que Fialkowska avançés. Rubinstein es va convertir en el seu mentor i va iniciar la seva carrera internacional, aclamant-la com a "nascuda intèrpret de Chopin".

Carrera
Les gires de recital en solitari de Fialkowska l'han portat a sales de concerts de tota Europa, els Estats Units, el Canadà i l'Extrem Orient. A Europa, Fialkowska va actuar com a solista amb la "Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra" d'Amsterdam, l'Orquestra Hallé, la London Philharmonic, la "Royal Philharmonic of London", la "BBC Symphony", l'Orquestra Nacional Escocesa, la "Bonn Philharmonic", la "Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra", la La Filharmònica de Varsòvia i "l'Orchester National de France".

Les actuacions de concerts a Amèrica del Nord han inclòs l'Orquestra Simfònica de Chicago, l'Orquestra de Cleveland, l'Orquestra de Filadèlfia, l'Orquestra Simfònica de Pittsburgh, la Filharmònica de Los Angeles, l' Orquestra Simfònica de Montreal, l'Orquestra del Centre Nacional d'Arts del Canadà, la Filharmònica de Calgary, la Simfonia d'Edmonton Orchestra, i la Vancouver Symphony.

Al llarg de la seva carrera, Fialkowska ha actuat amb molts directors coneguts, com Sir Georg Solti, Zubin Mehta, Lorin Maazel, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Andrew Davis, Bernard Haitink, Hans Graf, Charles Dutoit, Kyril Kondrashin, Leonard Slatkin, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Thomas Dausgaard i Eiji Oue.

El 1986, per commemorar el centenari de la mort de Franz Liszt, Fialkowska va ser convidat a realitzar els seus estudis transcendentals complets a Nova York, Chicago, Los Angeles, a Londres per a la BBC i al Canadà per a la CBC. El 1990 va ser escollida per interpretar, amb la "Chicago Symphony", l'estrena mundial del recentment descobert Tercer concert per a piano de Franz Liszt.

Fialkowska també ha presentat a l'estrena mundial concerts de piano del compositor nord-americà Libby Larsen, amb l'Orquestra de Minnesota (1991) i del compositor canadenc Marjan Mozetich, amb la "Kingston Symphony" (2000).

El 1992, la Simfonica de Colorado la va convidar a interpretar l'estrena nord-americana del concert per a piano de Sir Andrzej Panufnik. També el 1992, la "Canadian Broadcasting Corporation" va produir un documental televisiu sobre la seva vida i carrera, titulat The World of Janina Fialkowska, que es va emetre a tot el Canadà i que va rebre un premi especial del jurat al Festival Internacional de Cinema de San Francisco.

El gener del 2002, a la vigília d'una gira de concerts europea que englobés vuit països, la carrera de Fialkowska es va aturar de sobte amb el descobriment d'un tumor cancerós agressiu al braç esquerre superior. Després de l'eliminació de la massa maligna el maig del 2002, posteriorment es va sotmetre a un procediment quirúrgic innovador dissenyat per reconstruir el braç que l'excisió del tumor havia fet quasi inútil. Durant els seus divuit mesos de convalescència, va oferir molts concerts a Europa i Amèrica del Nord, interpretant música escrita especialment per a la mà esquerra per Ravel (Concert per a la mà esquerra) i Prokofiev (Concert per a piano núm. 4).), que va adaptar per actuar amb la mà dreta. Tant el públic com la crítica van elogiar el seu coratge i el gran calibre d'aquestes actuacions, per exemple amb l'Orquestra Simfònica de Houston dirigida per Stanislaw Skrowaczewski.

El 2004, Fialkowska va tornar a l'escenari com a pianista a dues mans, primer amb un recital a Alemanya, seguit del quart concert de piano de Beethoven a Toronto. Des de llavors, ha reprès les gires actives al Canadà, els Estats Units, Europa i l'Extrem Orient actuant entre d'altres amb la Filharmònica de Varsòvia, la Simfonia de Montreal, la Simfònica de Toronto, la "Suk Chamber Orchestra Praga", la Simfonia de Vancouver, la Simfonia de Detroit, la Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, l'Orquestra Estatal de Mèxic, "L'orchestra di Camera Italiana", la "Badische Staatskapelle", la Filharmònica d'Osaka i molts altres.

A l'estiu de 2010, Fialkowska va acollir una celebració de les obres de Chopin al Festival del so. El 2018, el seu àlbum Chopin Recital nº. 3 va guanyar el premi Juno a l'àlbum clàssic de l'any.

Fialkowska també ha obtingut elogis per les seves interpretacions de les obres de Chopin i Liszt.

Vida personal
Janina Fialkowska està casada amb el director musical alemany Harry Oesterle (des del 2001). Tenen llars als Estats Units (Connecticut) i Alemanya (Baviera).

Piano Six i Piano Plus
Janina Fialkowska va ser la fundadora i primera directora artística de Piano Six, un programa de divulgació educativa sense ànim de lucre dedicat a donar suport a la música clàssica en petites comunitats de tot el Canadà. El 1993, Fialkowska va convèncer cinc coneguts pianistes clàssics canadencs per unir-se a ella en una gira per comunitats perifèriques que poques vegades acullen músics de renom internacional. Per servir al màxim de comunitats possibles, Fialkowska i els altres artistes de Piano Six van acordar actuar per una fracció de les seves tarifes habituals.

Durant la seva dècada de funcionament (1993-2003), aquest programa va enviar els seus artistes a més de 60 gires regionals, arribant a més de 100.000 canadencs de totes les edats amb actuacions en directe, classes magistrals i tallers de professors. El 2004, per tal d'ampliar l'abast de les seves activitats, la llista de Piano Six es va ampliar per incloure músics canadencs dels camps de les cordes i la veu, així com del piano. Sota la bandera de Piano Plus, els artistes associats del nou programa continuen fent gires al Canadà cada temporada.

Premis i distincions
 Primer premi al concurs de ràdio nacional CBC per a joves intèrprets, 1969.
 Tercer premi al Primer Concurs Internacional de Mestres de Piano Arthur Rubinstein, celebrat a Israel, 1974.
 Oficial de l' Ordre del Canadà, 2001
 Doctorat honoris causa (música), Acadia University Wolfville (Wolfville, Nova Escòcia), 2006
 Paul de Hueck i Norman Walford a la carrera professional per al teclat, 2007.
 Premi del Governador General d'Arts Escèniques a la realització artística de tota la vida, 2012.

Carrera d'enregistraments
Els enregistraments de Tow of Fialkowska van ser nominats per la indústria musical canadenca per a un premi Juno: el seu CD Fialkowska de 1997 interpreta Szymanowski (ODR 9305) i el seu recital de 1998 de virtuoses peces de saló La Jongleuse (CBC MVCD 1114). El seu enregistrament de Transzendental Études de Liszt (ODR 9332) de 2001 va obtenir el premi Critics "Choice de American Record Guide". També ha enregistrat la Sonata Liszt per a RCA Red Seal i discos de diverses obres de Chopin per a Atma Classique.

El 2007 es va descobrir que alguns enregistraments atribuïts originalment a la pianista difunta Joyce Hatto (1928-2006) contenien temes, inclosos Mephisto Waltz i Venezia e Napoli del CD de Fialkowska de 1990 de les obres de Franz Liszt, que havien estat plagiats d'enregistraments altres artistes. El descobriment d'aquests temes plagiats va provocar un dels majors escàndols del negoci de la gravació de música clàssica.

Discografia
Orchestral / Concerts
 WAMozart: Concerts per a piano, núm. 11 i 12 (versió de cambra). Amb The Chamber Players of Canada. Atma Classique SACD2 2531. (2007)
 Frédéric Chopin: Concerts (versió de cambra). Amb The Chamber Players of Canada. Atma Classique SACD2 2291. (2005)
 Franz Liszt: Concerts per a piano. Amb la Filharmònica de Calgary, cond. Hans Graf. CBC Records, SMCD 5202. (2000)
 Paderewski: Concert per a piano; Fantaisie polonaise. Naxos 8.554020. (1999)
 Memòries de Polònia: Chopin, Moszkowski, Koprowski. CBC Records, SMCD 5140. (1995)

Àlbums en solitari
 Chopin: Llibre II (sonates, impromptus) (2001)
 Transcendental Liszt: Transcendental Études (complet). Openings Day Recordings, ODR 9332. (2000)
 Fialkowska interpreta Chopin: The Études, opp. 10 i 25. Openings Day Recordings, ODR 9312. (1998)
 La Jongleuse: peces i salons del saló CBC Records, MVCD 1114. (1998)
 Fialkowska interpreta Szymanowski: 4 études; Variacions sobre un tema folklòric polonès; Métopes; 2 Mazurques. Openings Day Recordings, ODR 9305. (1995)
 Franz Liszt: Peces per a piano sol. CBC Records MVCD 2-1035. (1990)
 Presentació de Janina Fialkowska: obres de piano en solitari de Liszt. Segell vermell RCA FRL1-1042. (1977)
 Janina Fialkowska interpreta Chopin. Segell RCA RL-37071 (1977)

Col·laborador
 Cap però el cor solitari: romanços russos. Amb la soprano Joanne Kolomyjec. CBC Records, MVCD 1144. (2001)
 Brahms / Schumann: Lieder. Amb el baix baríton Daniel Lichti. Openings Day Recordings, ODR 9311. (1997)
 Schubert: Schwanengesang. Amb el baix baríton Daniel Lichti. Openings Day Recordings, ODR 9302. (1994)

Referències

Pianistes de Montreal
Alumnes de la Juilliard School


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text:
Call for more weaponry against 'neglected malaria'
The World Health Organization has called for more research on ways to battle malaria caused by the Plasmodium vivax parasite, in the wake of a surge of infections in Western India.
According to the WHO, the parasite is spreading fast in the Indian cities of Ahmedabad, Bikaner and Mumbai. It still kills fewer people than its relation P. falciparum, but is harder to prevent and treat.
Poonam Khetrapal Singh, director of WHO's South-East Asia Region, said in a statement that more work should be done on combatting vivax malaria, which contributes "a large proportion of global malaria burden." But traditionally, most malaria research funding has gone to P. falciparum, says a 2011 paper in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Source: SciDevNet (link opens in a new window)
Education, Health Care
global health, health care, infectious diseases, malaria, research