Mark Twain aka Samuel Longhorne Clemens aka Josh aka, (and this is my personal favourite) Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass, was in all possible respects, a Dude. You just need to read one of his novels, or travelogues, or short stories, or letters to find out why 🙂 What's infinitely interesting though is to go through the man's bibliography, and look at the manner in which his writing actually evolved through the years, and all the different layers it kept on acquiring.
So, essentially, the greatest humourist of his generation would have us believe that happiness isn't truly a tangible entity. Moreover, its so inconsequential that it can be defined only by taking recourse to an allied, and an entirely contradictory, concept. And so, the only way you can be happy, is if you ain't sad. Bit sad, na. Its a little like defining light as the opposite of darkness, you know.
But then again, light isn't merely the opposite of darkness. Light can also be the absence of darkness. For there to be light, darkness isn't necessarily the logical precursor.
Happyness is when you read the likes of Pratchett and Wodehouse. And have a stupid grin plastered across the middle of your face.
Happyness is, and here's another law school digression, spending some 40 odd straight hours on research paper submissions, and then going to a deserted library, reading Porterhouse Blue, and howling your head off.
Happyness is going to sites like this. And reading posts like this.
And at times, Happyness is about watching a certain guy score a double hundred in an ODI.
Every once in a while, something comes along which makes one go WOW. If you're listening to a song, it might be a sudden chord progression or perhaps, some nifty lyrical arrangement. Or, as is often the case with me, a simple matter of Uilleann pipes. If yer reading a book, some kind of word play, perhaps some literary technique; perhaps a dénouement, perhaps Chekhov's celebrated rifles.
Now, multiply that image by forty, and have them arranged in parallel formation. Pretty good naa, but not yet cult. So, why am I raving about it? Is it because I am a prat? Is it because I am over-caffeinated? No, no, I won't spoil it for ya. You've got to see the three minute odd long sequence for that. You've got to see the way it bloody ends. And then you can decide, whether or not to go WOW.


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Brian Cohen
Ed Tech Day showcases the best in Pittsburgh and beyond
Brian Conway
The launch of a new Sprout Fund program caps a daylong showcase of the region's most innovative ed-tech programs at Thrival Festival's Ed Tech Day at the Energy Innovation Center next Wednesday, September 23rd.
The Ed Tech Refinery, which will be formally announced at the event, will be led by The Sprout Fund.
"It is a program that will provide resources to startup companies in the ed-tech space by connecting them with nonprofit service providers that can provide them with free services,"says Ryan Coon, program officer at The Sprout Fund.
Ed-tech startups can benefit from partnerships with local schools or libraries for user testing, or with professional development agencies to create teacher workshops, Coon adds. "These are all really important, valuable services that ed-tech companies need in their early stages but often, being resource-strapped, they might not have the time or finances to devote to them.
"The Ed Tech Refinery fills that gap."
The free, daylong Ed Tech event features sessions hosted by local education innovators, including Schell Games, Thrill Mill, and Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center and CREATE Lab.
There will also be a presentation by the U.S. Department of Education, which will look at the current landscape of education technology and learning innovation.
The Department of Education seminar, which is part of a larger national tour, will also discuss the department's new guide for developing digital tools and apps for learning.
"It's essentially a compendium of tips and tricks and resources that local app developers and others can use to make sure they're designing their product not only to high standards, but so that they're aligned with the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Education," says Dustin Stiver, program officer at The Sprout Fund.
While Coon doesn't believe there is a "Pittsburgh model" for education technology, he does say that a Pittsburgh model exists for what he calls learning innovation.
"For the past several years, Sprout has been working with hundreds of local organizations, mostly in the education sector . . . to generate some new ideas and new thinking and approaches to learning and teaching, and the local education technology companies have been involved in that work to a certain extent.
"As a community this network we've built – the Remake Learning Network – really has become a model for spreading innovative learning practices throughout the region, and we hope a model for other regions as well. The ed-tech aspects – this is an opportunity to expand for us."
"We're excited to partner with Thrill Mill and the Thrival Festival to help create more connections between the existing members of the Remake Learning network and the burgeoning ed-tech scene in Pittsburgh," adds Stiver.
Here is a quick look at the day's events. A full schedule and description of the day's events can be found at the Remake Learning website. All events take place at the Energy Innovation Center, 1435 Bedford Avenue.
Games in Education: Improving Teaching and Learning Outcomes Through Gamification
9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Presented by Schell Games
Tactile Tech: New Approaches to Experiential Education
10:45 – 11:45 a.m. Presented by Thrill Mill
Transforming Game Jams
1 – 1:45 p.m. Presented by CMU's Entertainment Technology Center
Advancing Tech Fluency: How the CREATE Lab at CMU supports Ed Tech
2 – 2:45 p.m. Presented by CMU's CREATE Lab
U.S. Department of Education Ed Tech Developer's Guide Tour Stop in Pittsburgh
3 – 4:30 p.m. Presented by The Sprout Fund and Remake Learning
Ed Tech Refinery Happy Hour
4:30 – 6 p.m. Presented by The Sprout Fund and Remake Learning
NEXTpittsburgh is the official media sponsor of Ed Tech Day at Thrival 2015.
educationSprout FundtechnologyThrival
Brian Conway is a writer and photographer whose articles have appeared in the Chicago Tribune and local publications. In his free time, he operates Tripsburgh. Brian lives in the South Side.
Fox Chapel kindergarteners are coding with help from Digital Dream Labs
Ward Home provides supervised independent living for foster teens' future success

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Last week, IFI noted in its national survey of U.S. patent grants for 2008 that foreign companies edged out their American counterparts in patenting—with 50 percent of total awards, compared with 49 percent for U.S. firms. Asian tech companies such as Samsung Electronics of South Korea and Japan-based Toshiba led the way. But Armonk, NY-based IT giant IBM topped IFI's list with a record-high 4,186 patent grants.


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Hawaii News | Kokua Line
Kokua Line: Limited licensing services leave new drivers in the lurch
By Christine Donnelly cdonnelly@staradvertiser.com
Question: If I had made an appointment for August before the DMVs closed due to the pandemic, will I be able to keep that appointment?
Answer: No. All reservations made before the pandemic shuttered Honolulu County driver's licensing centers and satellite city halls have been canceled, more than 44,000 appointments in all, according to the city. You'll need to make a new appointment in the AlohaQ online reservation system, at alohaq.honolulu.gov.
AlohaQ is taking reservations again because driver's licensing centers reopened May 26 by appointment only. However, as of Tuesday the system approved appointments only for renewal of driver's licenses or state IDs that bear expiration dates in March, April, May, June or July of this year. Still, that's an expansion since the initial reopening, when only licenses or state IDs bearing March or June expiration dates could be renewed.
We emphasize that appointments are available only at driver's licensing centers — all of Oahu's satellite city halls remain closed; no reopening date had been announced as of Tuesday.
Pandemic-era rules apply: Customers must wear a face mask or facial covering and stay 6 feet away from others. As we mentioned, no walk-ins are allowed; service is by appointment only.
The city has said that all appointments made before the pandemic were canceled so that it could focus on providing urgently needed service once the DMVs reopened, and because it had to build time in between appointments for cleaning regimens not in effect before the pandemic.
Q: I went online to make an appointment, but the satellite city hall in Kaneohe was not listed.
A: As we mentioned, only driver's licensing centers are open for driver's license or state ID renewal at this time. Your closest option would be the Koolau driver's license center, but all its appointments were booked as of Tuesday. The AlohaQ system said to check back later for cancellations. The other driver's license centers are in Kapalama, Kapolei, Wahiawa and Waianae, according to AlohaQ.
Q: What about road tests? My son needs to get his full driver's license so he can get a job as a delivery driver. It's one thing that is hiring right now.
A: All road tests "remain suspended until further notice," according to the city. Written and verbal tests for driver's licenses aren't being offered yet, either.
The lack of testing is why driver's licenses are only being renewed right now, not being issued for the first time. It's a problem for many readers, several of whom mentioned that they or their children or grandchildren hoped to be hired as delivery drivers, for such companies as Uber Eats, but need to obtain a valid driver's license first.
We've asked the city and the HGEA when road tests would resume, but have received no updates. The public workers union has expressed COVID-19 concerns for the examiners, who are members of the union and would be in an enclosed space (the car) with the applicant during the road test.
At this point we'd advise Oahu residents who are concerned about the lack of services for initial licensing (no written or road tests) to contact their Honolulu City Council representative and the mayor's office to ask how this problem can be solved.
Q: My license expired in late February. I was laid up with a broken leg and couldn't get in to renew before everything closed down. When will I be able to get in?
A: The city said that the appointment system will open up soon to those whose licenses expired prior to the pandemic closures, but didn't specify an exact date. For more information, call 768-4177 or check honolulu.gov/csd.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
Hawaiian Airlines adopts virus-stopping policies
Young Brothers lays out dwindling-cash predicament
More Coronavirus Outbreak
Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11
Hawaii visitors in 2022 down 11% from pre-pandemic level
China announces resumption of visas for Japanese
U.S. population center trending toward South this decade
COVID vaccines targeting omicron should be standard, panel says


• Engineered in Italy and manufactured in Vietnam to exceed the ECE 2205 standard while also meeting the USA's DOT standard.
• Five (5) year warranty from manufacturing date, which equates to the full usable life of the helmet.
• Attractive exterior shell with clean lines.
• The exterior shell is constructed of a lightweight yet incredibly strong carbon fiber – aramidic – fiberglass blend.
• Two different sized exterior shells cover the five sizes offered. Small thru XXL.
• The Geo helmet features a double density high-impact inner EPS shell.
• Padded chin strap with double D-ring closure system for maximum safety.
• Removable and washable ultra-plush non-deformable high density expanded polyurethane cheek pads and liner which are manufactured from a technical fiber that provides life-long treatment against odor, fungus and bacteria, and extraordinary wicking capabilities that result in enhanced rider comfort.
• Removable and washable chin curtain is standard.
• The Geo helmet features a more round shell shape which offers a more generous fit front to back and ear to ear.
• Superbly detailed, high pixel count, multi-color and affect graphics.
• An anti-fog, non-scratch 2.2mm-thick, clear, smoothly operated and easily changed Pin lock-equipped shield is standard.
• The Geo helmet version features a sleek 50-percent tint interior retractable shield that can be moved into position at the rider's discretion via an easy-to-access lever on the exterior left side of the helmet.
• A small Geo helmet weighs only 1550 grams, or 3.41 pounds.
• Features the exclusive "Vemar Klima" adjustable full ventilation system with three intake vents on the top and front of the exterior shell and a large exhaust vent in the rear.
• Every Vemar helmet comes with a high quality helmet bag and a detailed user guide.


Will my baby be born overweight at birth?
I went to an ultrasound when I was about 27 weeks and 1 day. According to reports the average baby weight at that time is 2 pounds 4 ounces. My baby girl weighs 2 pounds and 10 ounces! will that mean she will be born on the bigger side?


The southern end of Venice is home to the 1,300 foot Venice Pier, and an upscale area known to locals as Washington Square. The crowds are good looking and the party is steady. Great restaurants, bars, surf and skate shops, and people watching are the main activities in this neighborhood. The Venice Pier, beach, and parking is located at the south end of Washington Blvd. The Venice Canals are located one block north of the corner of Washington Blvd. and Pacific Ave.
Grab a coffee or juice at the The Cow's End Cafe, and walk the 1,300 foot Venice Pier.
Enjoy the fresh air, and breath taking ocean and beach views from the Venice Pier!
Shopping, bike rentals, surf and skate, and souvenir shops!
Rent a skateboard, take a lesson and skate the bike path! Maui and Sons is the only place in the V that gives full on skate lessons. They will equip you and show you how it done! And, they also do full package surf lessons!
Try Sunny Spot's version of shrimp bruschetta!
Take a leisure stroll along the Venice Canals. The Venice Canals are a block away from Washington Blvd. and Pacific Ave.
Drink a 36 oz. Patron Margarita and catch a game or people watch at Cabo Cantina. Tasty mexican favorites, two floors, juke box, outdoor patio, fire pit, 2 for 1 drinks 4-8 daily, $9.95 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Mary's, and more!
Take a surf lesson from the folks at Maui and Sons!
Watch the surf action from the beach or Venice Pier!
Live music, burgers, and pool tables at at Hinano's.
Italian food and yummy garlic rolls at C & O Trattoria.
Check out this list of food and dining options on Washington Square!
Free Beach Shuttle in the summer. Bus stop in front of Mercedes Grill. Don't miss out on the free bus shuttle that will take you around beautiful Marina Del Rey!
City Lot -3100 Washington Boulevard, Venice, Ca 90291 (By the Venice Pier) Cost of parking: $5-15 depending on time of year. Metered street parking along Washington Blvd. Click here for more parking info!


Frankfurt Germany -- A youth organization Thursday appealed for a boycott for Tom Cruise's movie Mission Impossible, because the American actor is a Scientologist.
The call came after a leading politician said German authorities should put the Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology under observation as an extremist group.
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl's government says the organization has aims that threaten democracy and is not a church but a business enterprise with some traits of organized crime.
A youth organization belonging to Kohl's party said its members would go to the movie theaters where the German-dubbed version of Mission: Impossible starts playing Thursday, and pass out fliers alleging "dangerous wheeling and dealing of the Scientology organization."
"The tactic of Scientology is to connect it with the notion of success," said Burkhard Remmers, head of the Christian Democratic Union Youth Organization in Lower Saxony state. "That is aided by the many US stars who go on publicity tours in Europe. But Scientology does not mean success."
When Cruise made a publicity tour in Germany last month to promote the movie, he refused to talk about his religious beliefs.
"I'm a Scientologist, but that's an entirely personal matter," he said when the subject was raised at a news conference in Hamburg, where the city found an anti-Scientology information office.
Franz Riedl, a spokesman at Scientology's German headquarters in Hamburg, said the boycott call was "a rebellion of midgets" and part of politicians' attempts "to exploit Scientology's fame for their own careers."


I've been practicing yoga for over ten years now, and all the customs, terminology, and traditions have become deeply embedded in my life.
When I started dating my partner, who had never even done asanas before, it never occurred to me that he'd have no idea what I was talking about half the time.
I have since learned how to explain what I'm talking about and he has learned the power of Google. If your partner is a yogi, here are some things you can expect.
1. You may be a victim of yoga jargon.
After a meeting at the studio where I teach, I went back to home to my man with a mountain of things to tell him. I went on about the new ashtanga instructor and how I had found a new mala specific to my pitta dosha. When I finally looked into his eyes, I noticed the glazed over expression and realized he had no idea what I was going on about.
When a yogi gets excited about something, we just want to share it with the world; but sometimes we forget whom we're sharing it with. Don't be afraid to stop us and ask questions. We are more than happy to explain, we just forget sometimes!
We fall…a lot. It's a normal part of the practice. Sometimes the only way to quiet the ego is to face plant. We have new bruises show up all the time with no idea of how they got there.
You need not worry though. If something, serious happens we're not above seeing a doctor. Until then, don't worry about all the crashes you hear in the other room. It's when you hear nothing that you may want to check in.
Even Yogi's need a little self-esteem boost every once in a while. We'll be looking to you for that. If we get discouraged about an asana we're having trouble with or a meditation practice we can't focus on, we may need you to give us a little push.
A simple reminder for us to "listen to our bodies" never fails! Other times, we may just need you to listen so that we share and work things out ourselves.
In the same sense, we want you to get excited about our accomplishments. When we finally get into an asana we've been working on or we have an epiphany during our meditation, we want to share it with you. You may not understand why it's such a big deal, but just know that it's a big deal to us. We want to include you in our triumphs too.
4. You will try too.
We don't expect you to chant, meditate, and have a daily asana practice, but we do expect you to try it. Yoga is such a huge part of our lives and has done so much for us; we just want you to have the opportunity to have it benefit you as well. We won't force it if you really don't enjoy it, but one class or DVD won't do any harm.
5. Can you take my picture?
We take pictures of our poses EVERYWHERE! Don't worry though, it's not to inflate our ego. We take part in monthly challenges, give advice on how to get into certain poses, or just want to share our accomplishments with our fellow yogis. We want to share our passion with other, and these photos and videos have the power to inspire others.
I certainly would not have achieve headstand one year after having cervical spinal surgery had it not been for my best friend's encouragement every time I posted a photo of my progress.
Furthermore, handstands would still terrify me had it not been for Kino McGregor and Kerri Verna breaking it down in their March 2015 #journeytohandstand challenge. Sharing pictures and achievements helps to encourage and inspire, and sometimes we need you to help with that simply with the push of a button.
6. It's not just a workout.
When I asked my partner what advice he would give to a friend who was about to date a yogi he said, "Respect the practice because it's a part of them. It's a lifestyle deeply embedded within, making them who they are." My best friend's partner equates it with his love of working on cars. It gives him peace and a sense of quiet just as yoga does for his wife.
It is so much more than a physical practice for us. It is our way of life, our belief system, our passion, our everything. We practice almost daily, we attend classes and workshops, and we read everything we can get our hands on. We are a dedicated people who only want to better ourselves and the world we live in.
Yogis do their best to keep open hearts and open minds. If you find yourself lucky enough to call one your partner, know that you are truly special.
You have been accepted in to a yogi's heart, which to us is one of the most sacred places. Be patient and be mindful, and you will be rewarded with the greatest love we have to offer.


for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) through the 12th grade are numerous in the metro Denver area. In these schools students will find traditional classroom settings, innovative learning centers, accelerated programs and special college preparatory classes. Financial aid is offered at most private schools.
they would have in traditional public schools.
listing for more information and resources.


How much does it cost to install a brick paver driveway?
We know how it is. Before you even think about going on vacation or making a big purchase, you wonder: "How much money will this all cost, anyway?" We get it! Budgets are important to us too, and we want to help you find the best solution. So how much are you looking at spending if you update that ugly old concrete to a new paver driveway?
BEFORE: A cracked concrete driveway doesn't just look bad, it is expensive to repair... and you'll need to repair it often!
AFTER: These clients made the wise choice to invest in low-maintenance pavers. They are enjoying the cost savings and the beautiful new look!
Paver Driveways are more affordable than you may think!
The price range starts around $10.00 a square foot, depending on the paver type. The price between pouring concrete and installing brick pavers is closer than you would think... but the benefits that come with brick paver driveways make the choice much clearer!
What is the main factor in determining the cost of a paver driveway?
Paver selection. The cost of installing your paver driveway will depend on the materials you select. From classic 4 x 8 brick paver to a large three piece cobblestone, the size, color, and texture will make the biggest difference in your costs.
We always start with a detailed plan so you can see exactly what you'll be getting. We can include walkways, stairs, and any other features you'll need to make your driveway look complete.
One of the many beautiful pavers we offer.
When we estimate the costs for a paver driveway installation, we review every detail to make sure that our materials, excavation, and labor are competitively priced. We offer an array of manufacturers and carry multiple lines of paver products to give you as many options as possible. We constantly check in with every factor to make sure that our clients are getting the very best quality and value for their money. We also offer you the option to integrate walkways, stairs, or any other unique features for a completely new look and feel!
BEFORE: Let us show you how we can integrate walkways, stairs, and other features for a completely new look!
AFTER: The new walkway looks so much better, and isn't prone to dangerous cracks and gaps like the old concrete!
What are you waiting for? Get rid of that old, cracked concrete. Pavers are a much more affordable solution for long-term use.
These cracks are only going to get worse... and how long will the latest repairs last before you have to do it all over again?!
Over the years, concrete driveways are a headache to maintain and often create safety concerns as well. Who needs that? Aged concrete surfaces begin to crumble and erode, with cracks and emerging tree roots leading to an unsightly, uneven, and dangerous mess! Although they are simple and inexpensive to pour, concrete driveways will only become more costly to repair further down the line... and repairs will need to happen often.
Many of our clients have turned to us for brick pavers after they realized how expensive it would be to constantly repair their old concrete driveways. We've been able to give them the pleasant surprise that their paver driveway installations are much more affordable than expected! Especially when they compared pavers to the constant maintenance and mess that came along with their old concrete. When you install pavers, you're not just getting a cosmetic upgrade— you're getting a surface that is easy to maintain, creating cost savings for years to come.
You won't be sorry you chose pavers- especially when you look at the low maintenance costs!
So if you're even thinking about pouring concrete on your driveway, consider the installation of brick pavers instead. The cost of installation is more competitive than you think and the long term expenses more than pay for the initial investment when you compare the two.
Go Behind the Scenes on a Pool Deck Renovation!


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limithill8

 You'ven't played Minecraft for a long time. After you've reached the bottom of the game's rather bare tech tree, there's the fun to be had making things with blocks.
 MINECRAFT BEDWARS SERVERS

 There's a different way to have fun with Minecraft mods. Mods that'll let you build huge factories in the sky, survive a shuttle crash into an alien world, become a powerful sorcerer, live with nature in the peace of the forests or all of it simultaneously.

 The majority of articles claiming to offer the top Minecraft mods will provide you with an endless list of incompatible downloads that you can download from questionable websites, but we're going to be doing things a different way. We'll offer you a selection of five custom-curated packs of mods that work together to provide a unique experience.

 Learn how to unblock Minecraft at school or at the office All the modpacks below include a video or in-game guide that will show you how things work - though you may at times need to rely on Google to discover a few things.

 You will need the Twitch Desktop app (opens in the new tab) to download the modpacks. This will guide you through the entire installation process. Just click the Minecraft tab, then click "Browse All Modpacks", and then use the search bar to find each one.

 One note on hardware: To run these mods, you'll need to have the desktop version of Minecraft installed on your computer. Minecraft isn't exactly what you would call a well-optimized video game. Mods can put an additional load on it, and therefore low-end systems may have trouble running some of the larger packs.
 MINECRAFT BEDWARS SERVERS

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To prevent users from linking to one version of a URL and others linking to a different version (this could split the reputation of that content between the URLs), focus on using and referring to one URL in the structure and internal linking of your pages. If you do find that people are accessing the same content through multiple URLs, setting up a 301 redirect32 from non-preferred URLs to the dominant URL is a good solution for this. You may also use canonical URL or use the rel="canonical"33 link element if you cannot redirect.
Some search engines have also reached out to the SEO industry, and are frequent sponsors and guests at SEO conferences, webchats, and seminars. Major search engines provide information and guidelines to help with website optimization.[18][19] Google has a Sitemaps program to help webmasters learn if Google is having any problems indexing their website and also provides data on Google traffic to the website.[20] Bing Webmaster Tools provides a way for webmasters to submit a sitemap and web feeds, allows users to determine the "crawl rate", and track the web pages index status.
Influencer marketing: Important nodes are identified within related communities, known as influencers. This is becoming an important concept in digital targeting. It is possible to reach influencers via paid advertising, such as Facebook Advertising or Google Adwords campaigns, or through sophisticated sCRM (social customer relationship management) software, such as SAP C4C, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage CRM and Salesforce CRM. Many universities now focus, at Masters level, on engagement strategies for influencers.
We still seem to have PageRank as an important ranking factor from Google, but have been told that Google is using a machine learning approach called RankBrain. The focus of this RankBrain approach is to help the search engine understand the meaning of queries better, and provide answers that (still) focus upon meeting the situational and informational needs of searchers.
By 2004, search engines had incorporated a wide range of undisclosed factors in their ranking algorithms to reduce the impact of link manipulation. In June 2007, The New York Times' Saul Hansell stated Google ranks sites using more than 200 different signals.[26] The leading search engines, Google, Bing, and Yahoo, do not disclose the algorithms they use to rank pages. Some SEO practitioners have studied different approaches to search engine optimization, and have shared their personal opinions.[27] Patents related to search engines can provide information to better understand search engines.[28] In 2005, Google began personalizing search results for each user. Depending on their history of previous searches, Google crafted results for logged in users.[29]
Search engine optimization (SEO) is often about making small modifications to parts of your website. When viewed individually, these changes might seem like incremental improvements, but when combined with other optimizations, they could have a noticeable impact on your site's user experience and performance in organic search results. You're likely already familiar with many of the topics in this guide, because they're essential ingredients for any web page, but you may not be making the most out of them.
Digital marketing became more sophisticated in the 2000s and the 2010s, when[13][14] the proliferation of devices' capable of accessing digital media led to sudden growth.[15] Statistics produced in 2012 and 2013 showed that digital marketing was still growing.[16][17] With the development of social media in the 2000s, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, consumers became highly dependent on digital electronics in daily lives. Therefore, they expected a seamless user experience across different channels for searching product's information. The change of customer behavior improved the diversification of marketing technology.[18]
In some contexts, the term SEM is used exclusively to mean pay per click advertising,[2] particularly in the commercial advertising and marketing communities which have a vested interest in this narrow definition. Such usage excludes the wider search marketing community that is engaged in other forms of SEM such as search engine optimization and search retargeting.
There has been an increase in social media marketing in sport, as sports teams and clubs recognise the importance of keeping a rapport with their fans and other audiences through social media.[112] Sports personalities such as Cristiano Ronaldo have 40.7 million followers on Twitter and 49.6 million on Instagram, creating opportunities for endorsements.[113]
Keyword research and analysis involves three "steps": ensuring the site can be indexed in the search engines, finding the most relevant and popular keywords for the site and its products, and using those keywords on the site in a way that will generate and convert traffic. A follow-on effect of keyword analysis and research is the search perception impact.[13] Search perception impact describes the identified impact of a brand's search results on consumer perception, including title and meta tags, site indexing, and keyword focus. As online searching is often the first step for potential consumers/customers, the search perception impact shapes the brand impression for each individual.
Creating high quality content takes a significant amount of at least one of the following: time, effort, expertise, and talent/skill. Content should be factually accurate, clearly written, and comprehensive. So, for example, if you describe your page as a recipe, provide a complete recipe that is easy to follow, rather than just a set of ingredients or a basic description of the dish.
Paid search advertising has not been without controversy and the issue of how search engines present advertising on their search result pages has been the target of a series of studies and reports[23][24][25] by Consumer Reports WebWatch. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also issued a letter[26] in 2002 about the importance of disclosure of paid advertising on search engines, in response to a complaint from Commercial Alert, a consumer advocacy group with ties to Ralph Nader.
Off page SEO: This type of SEO focuses on all of the activity that takes place "off the page" when looking to optimize your website. "What activity not on my own website could affect my ranking?" You might ask. The answer is inbound links, also known as backlinks. The number of publishers that link to you, and the relative "authority" of those publishers, affect how highly you rank for the keywords you care about. By networking with other publishers, writing guest posts on these websites (and linking back to your website), and generating external attention, you can earn the backlinks you need to move your website up on all the right SERPs.


Prof. Edward "Rocky" Kolb has been appointed dean of the Division of the Physical Sciences for a five-year term, President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Thomas F. Rosenbaum announced. Kolb's appointment will take effect July 1.
Kolb is the Arthur Holly Compton Distinguished Service Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the College and former Chair of Astronomy & Astrophysics. He is a member of the Enrico Fermi Institute and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics. In 1983, Kolb was a founding leader of the Theoretical Astrophysics Group and in 2004 the founding Director of the Particle Astrophysics Center at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. He presently serves on the boards of the Giant Magellan Telescope and the Adler Planetarium.
"In filling this position, we sought an outstanding scholar and leader to work with the faculty of the Division to fulfill its intellectual and educational aspirations, as well as to become a significant contributor to defining the academic directions of the University as a whole," wrote Zimmer and Rosenbaum in a joint e-mail to the division faculty. An elected advisory committee of division faculty members recommended Kolb for the post.
Kolb succeeds Robert A. Fefferman, the Max Mason Distinguished Service Professor of Mathematics, who is returning full time to the faculty. Zimmer and Rosenbaum praised Fefferman for leading the Division with dedication and accomplishment over the last decade.
A native of New Orleans, Kolb earned his bachelor's degree from the University of New Orleans in 1973 and his doctorate in physics from the University of Texas, Austin, in 1978.
Kolb's research applies fundamental particle physics and general relativity theory to the very early universe, including cosmic inflation models, gravitational production of particles, particle dark matter, ultra-high energy cosmic rays, and high-energy neutrino astronomy. In addition to more than 200 peer-reviewed papers, he co-authored The Early Universe, the standard textbook on particle physics and cosmology. In 2010, the American Astronomical Society and the American Institute for Physics recognized his research, along with his colleague Michael Turner's work, with the 2010 Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics. .
Kolb is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He was the recipient of the 2003 Oersted Medal of the American Association of Physics Teachers for notable contributions to the teaching of physics, a 1993 Quantrell Prize for undergraduate teaching excellence at the University, and the 2009 Excellence in Teaching Award from the University's Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies.
In great demand as an international scientific and public lecturer, Kolb has been a Harlow Shapley Visiting Lecturer with the American Astronomical Society since 1984. His book for the general public, Blind Watchers of the Sky, received the 1996 Emme Award of the American Aeronautical Society. In the autumn of 2012 he was in residence at the University of Heidelberg as the recipient of the J. Hans D. Jensen Prize.


text:
Vans Warped Tour 2018 Announced as Its Final Tour
Miguel November 17, 2017, 6:40 am
The legendary Vans Warped Tour has announced a 2018 tour as its final run stating that "All Things Must Come to an End." The founder of the tour, Kevin Lyman had this to say:
Kevin Lyman, Founder of Vans Warped Tour
"I have been a very lucky person to have traveled across the country and sometimes around the world as one of the founders and producers of the Vans Warped Tour. Today, with many mixed feelings, I am here to announce that next year will be the final, full cross-country run of the Vans Warped Tour. I sit here reflecting on the tour's incredible history, what the final run means for our community, and look forward to what's to come as we commemorate the tour's historic 25th anniversary in 2019.
In 1995, I had already worked many years in the music business, including spending four summers on the Lollapalooza tour, and I thought, 'for one summer I would like go out and put on my own show' mixing music and action sports. With the support of so many people, I have now spent the last 23 summers bringing that show to a city near you. We have brought that show to over 11 million people around the world and watched that same world change while doing so.
I have been proud to work with so many artists who have grown to be some of the largest stars in the world. Countless bands have played in hot parking lots and through summer storms for you at some point."
Read Lyman's full statement at the official site for Vans Warped Tour.
There are so many bands that started out on the Warped Tour stage throughout the years. From bands like Sublime, No Doubt, Social Distortion, and Bad Religion to Green Day, Rancid, Less Than Jake, blink-182 and The Offspring to Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and so many more. There are countless artists whose careers have started or developed on Vans Warped Tour.
blink-182 at Vans Warped Tour 1999
The tour established a platform for lesser known artists to propel themselves into the hearts of so many music fans. The Warped Tour will be missed dearly after its final run in 2018, but hopefully there will be shows that attempt to recreate what it did.
Green Day at Vans Warped Tour 2000 with Billie Joe Armstrong Interview
You can find out how you can get tickets to Vans Warped Tour 2018 HERE.
Vans Warped Tour 2018 Dates
p style="text-align: left">6/21 Pomona, CA 7/10 Nashville, TN 7/24 Indianapolis, IN
6/22 San Diego, CA 7/12 Virginia Beach, VA 7/25 Darien Center, NY
6/23 Mountain View, CA 7/13 Camden, NJ 7/26 Scranton, PA
6/24 Ventura, CA 7/14 Holmdel, NJ 7/27 Mansfield, MA
6/26 Phoenix, AZ 7/15 Hartford, CT 7/28 Wantagh, NY
6/29 Las Vegas, NV 7/16 Pittsburgh, PA 7/29 Columbia, MD
6/30 Salt Lake City, UT 7/17 Toronto, ON 7/31 Charlotte, NC
7/01 Denver, CO 7/18 Cincinnati, OH 8/01 Atlanta, GA
7/03 St/ Louis, MO 7/19 Cuyahoga Falls, OH 8/03 Orlando, FL
7/05 Bonner Springs, KS 7/20 Detroit, MI 8/04 Tampa, FL
7/06 Dallas, TX 7/21 Chicago, IL 8/05 West Palm Beach, FL
7/07 San Antonio, TX 7/22 Minneapolis, MN
7/08 Houston, TX 7/23 Milwaukee, WI
How do you feel about the next Warped Tour being the last one? Will you be going to to Warped Tour 2018? Let us know by tweeting us @CelebMix!
Written by Miguel
Linkin Park Announces One More Light Tour 2017 Live Album
Review: Fox's Rent, the live event soundtrack
War Child Announce Full 'War Child Presents… Safe And Sound' Line-Up
HRVY Releases 'I Wish You Were Here' Music Video
Exclusive Interview: Percy Hynes White of 'Age of Summer' and 'The Gifted'
Exclusive Interview: 'Last Man Standing' star Jet Jurgensmeyer
Nicky Romero releases "I See" and announces EP "Redefine"
EXCLUSIVE: Social Media Influencer Sean O'Donnell Talks Goals for 2020, Creating Videos, Photography and More


text:
Corbyn's 1980s Socialist Newspaper Published Pro-Paedo Articles
Socialist Organiser – a newspaper very closely associated with Jeremy Corbyn – published pro-paedophilia articles in the 1980s, Guido can reveal. At the time of the articles' publication the early 1980s, Corbyn was one of the most senior members of the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory (SCLV). Socialist Organiser was their official newspaper.
Not only did Corbyn regularly write for the paper, he was also listed as a patron, and in December 1979 was elected to the number one spot on SCLV's Steering Committee, topping the ballot. Socialist Organiser's mailing address was the office of Hornsey constituency Labour party, where Corbyn served as chairman…
In January 1981, Socialist Organiser published an article by Gerry Byrne, entitled 'Stop the PIE trial', which called for the trial of four Executive Committee members of the notorious Paedophile Information Exchange to be halted. The article described the proceedings as "a show trial, where what matters…is the creation of an atmosphere of hysteria, sensationalism, and a public cry for blood". Corbyn remained closely associated with the paper for years after…
It went on to complain that "digging up an ancient and arbitrary law in order to prevent paedophiles from communicating with each other is in no way a contribution to protecting children, or to dealing with paedophilia constructively and rationally".
The following edition of Socialist Organiser saw a letter published which went even further. Les Hearn's letter, entitled "Children's sexuality", was an openly pro-paedophilia piece. In it he claims "in this present offensive against paedophiles, the strength of the right lies in the widespread denial of children's sexuality".
He went on to write "If the Left is to associate itself with the demand for sexual freedom for the young…then it must take up and discuss the question of paedophilia, since if given a free choice on sexual matters many children might choose to have relationships with adults".
Finally in the publication, Hearn called for "a full discussion on the Left and in the movements of oppressed groups on the question of child sexuality and whether/how the rights of children can be protected in sexual relationships with adults".
After Tom O'Carroll, of the Paedophile Information Exchange, was convicted, Socialist Organiser published an editorial defending him. O'Carroll joined the Labour Party in 2016 having been inspired by Corbyn, and was only expelled after a media outcry…
mdi-tag-outline PIE Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory Socialist Organiser
mdi-timer December 9 2019 @ 12:30 mdi-share-variant mdi-twitter mdi-facebook mdi-whatsapp mdi-telegram mdi-linkedin mdi-email mdi-printer


With the data of sales during March of 2017 of Lion Box Office, two managers John and Mansfield were required to find information about factors that affect the sales performance in five representatives in Canberra. This report will analyze thoroughly the statistics and discuss the problems for two managers. As the company want to improve sales, some recommendations and advices may also be suggested in order to promote the performance.
The graphs above illustrate the total sales of each representatives including Amy Apple, Benny Bernanke, Corey Johns, Danica Mohen and Leandra Moles under the direction of two managers Mary Mansfield and John Joes. Corey Johns was the salesman who had the highest revenue with $77,986.75, which accounted for 24% of total sales, while Amy Apple and Benny Bernanke had the lowest sales, with $56,150.16 and $56,396.88 respectively. Ranked second was Danica Mohen with sales of $66,080.4 (21%), followed by Leandra Moles, whose revenue made up 19% of total sales. Besides, it is clear from the chart that Benny Bernanke and Danica Mohen had better performance under the management of Mary Mansfield. Meanwhile, with the administration of John Joes, the remaining representatives did greater business. Fascinatingly, Mary Mansfield made higher results ($160,965.16) than John Joes ($156,946.16).
People in different regions in Canberra have different needs for ticket about going to the theater. Specifically, postal code 3016 and 3034, which saw the ticket sold of 726 and 871, had the largest records. At the same time, people in postal code 3023 seem to be least likely to purchase with just 231 tickets (Graph 4). The potential reason behind the poor performance of 3023 might be because there are not many theater there.
Looking at the data from the spreadsheet, it mentions that the ticket code 33 and 67 brought the highest number of ticket sold with 436 and 438 respectively. On the other hand, ticket code 41, 43 and 65 were those that had the least quantity. Talking about sales, 38 was the one which made the highest revenue (%25,860.72) while 53 was the lowest with just $281.2 received.
The bar chart above indicates the sales of two managers over the weeks of March. According to the graph, both managers made the highest sales in week 4 with $108,754.16, accounting for approximately 34% of the total sales of Lion Box Office. This may be because of the coming out of many good performance in week 4. Week 3 had the second largest total sales $96,644.08, followed by week 2 with just $44,081.16, about $50,000 less than week 3. The worst weeks of two managers were week 1 and week 5. The main reason for this is that both of those only have 5 days each.
"Lion Box office Sales Analysis Report" EssaysForStudent.com. 08 2018. 2018. 08 2018 <https://www.essaysforstudent.com/Technology/Lion-Box-office-Sales-Analysis-Report/109726.html>.
"Lion Box office Sales Analysis Report." EssaysForStudent.com. EssaysForStudent.com, 08 2018. Web. 08 2018. <https://www.essaysforstudent.com/Technology/Lion-Box-office-Sales-Analysis-Report/109726.html>.
"Lion Box office Sales Analysis Report." EssaysForStudent.com. 08, 2018. Accessed 08, 2018. https://www.essaysforstudent.com/Technology/Lion-Box-office-Sales-Analysis-Report/109726.html.


text:
Q: How to create wheel picker for my custom object? I want to let the user choice an element from ArrayList<MyObjectType> via a wheel picker that looks similar to the wheel picker that gets used to pick the day/month/year in the data picker. While the date picker obviously has three variables, I only care about having one.

What's the most straightforward way to implement such a picker?

A: NumberPicker is provided in Android Widgets. That is what you are looking for.
Solution
<NumberPicker
    android:id="@+id/numberPicker"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>

and in Java
NumberPicker np = findViewById(R.id.numberPicker);
String[] months3char = get3CharMonths();
np.setMaxValue(months3char.length - 1); // important
np.setDisplayedValues(months3char); // custom values

private String[] get3CharMonths() {
    String[] months = new DateFormatSymbols().getMonths();
    String[] months3char = new String[months.length];
    for (int i = 0; i < months.length; i++) {
        String month = months[i];
        months3char[i] = month.length() < 3 ? month : month.substring(0, 3);
    }
    return months3char;
}

A: Well, you can simply use NumberPicker as mention here
Or go for a library, WheelView
Here is the implementation with more than 1 picker

A: Try this way using recyclerview

Main2Activity

public class Main2Activity extends AppCompatActivity {

    Button btnShowPicker;

    PickerAdapter adapter;
    LinearLayoutManager linearLayoutManager;
    RecyclerView picRecyclerView;

    ArrayList<MyObjectType> arrayList = new ArrayList<>();

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main2);

        btnShowPicker = findViewById(R.id.btnShowPicker);

        btnShowPicker.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                showPicker();
            }
        });
    }

    private void showPicker() {

        Dialog pickerDialog = new Dialog(this);

        pickerDialog.setContentView(R.layout.dialog_layout);

        picRecyclerView = pickerDialog.findViewById(R.id.pickerRecyclerView);
        picRecyclerView = pickerDialog.findViewById(R.id.pickerRecyclerView);

        genArray();

        linearLayoutManager = new LinearLayoutManager(this);
        picRecyclerView.setLayoutManager(linearLayoutManager);
        picRecyclerView.setHasFixedSize(true);
        picRecyclerView.setLayoutManager(linearLayoutManager);

        adapter = new PickerAdapter(Main2Activity.this, arrayList);
        picRecyclerView.setAdapter(adapter);
        picRecyclerView.smoothScrollToPosition(3);

        picRecyclerView.addOnScrollListener(new RecyclerView.OnScrollListener() {

            @Override
            public void onScrolled(RecyclerView recyclerView, int dx, int dy) {
                super.onScrolled(recyclerView, dx, dy);

                int firstItem = linearLayoutManager.findFirstCompletelyVisibleItemPosition();
                int lastItem = linearLayoutManager.findLastCompletelyVisibleItemPosition();

                if (arrayList.size() == 1) {
                    adapter.setSelecteditem(0);
                } else if (lastItem == arrayList.size() - 1) {
                    adapter.setSelecteditem(arrayList.size() - 2);
                } else {
                    adapter.setSelecteditem(firstItem + 1);
                }

            }
        });

        pickerDialog.show();

    }

    private void genArray() {

        // add first dummy item to first position let user select first item
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("", 0));

        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Jan", 1));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Feb", 2));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Mar", 3));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Apr", 4));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("May", 5));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Jun", 6));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Jul", 7));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Aug", 8));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Sep", 9));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Oct", 10));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Nov", 11));
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("Des", 12));
        // add first dummy item to last position let user select last item
        arrayList.add(new MyObjectType("", 0));
    }

}

layout.activity_main2

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:gravity="center"
    tools:context=".Main2Activity">

    <Button
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:text="Show Picker"
        android:id="@+id/btnShowPicker"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />

</LinearLayout>

PickerAdapter

public class PickerAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<PickerAdapter.ViewHolder> {

    private Context context;
    private ArrayList<MyObjectType> arrayList= new ArrayList<>();

    private int selectedItem = -1;
    int pos=0;

    PickerAdapter(Context context, ArrayList<MyObjectType> arrayList) {
        this.context = context;
        this.arrayList = arrayList;
    }

    @NonNull
    @Override
    public PickerAdapter.ViewHolder onCreateViewHolder(@NonNull ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {
        View view= LayoutInflater.from(context).inflate(R.layout.custom_picker_layout,parent,false);
        return new ViewHolder(view);
    }

    @Override
    public void onBindViewHolder(@NonNull PickerAdapter.ViewHolder holder, int position) {

        holder.tvValue.setText(arrayList.get(position).getTitle());
        if (position == selectedItem) {
            Log.d("CenterPosition", "center" + position);
            holder.tvValue.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.tv_bg);

        } else {
            holder.tvValue.setBackgroundColor(Color.BLACK);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public int getItemCount() {
        return arrayList.size();
    }

    public MyObjectType getSelectedItem() {
        return arrayList.get(selectedItem);
    }

    public class ViewHolder extends RecyclerView.ViewHolder {

        TextView tvValue;
        public ViewHolder(View itemView) {
            super(itemView);

            tvValue=itemView.findViewById(R.id.tvValue);

            tvValue.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
                @Override
                public void onClick(View v) {
                    Toast.makeText(context, "Clicked : "+arrayList.get(getAdapterPosition()).getTitle(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                }
            });
        }
    }
    public void setSelecteditem(int selecteditem) {
        Log.d("POSITION",String.valueOf(selecteditem));
        this.selectedItem = selecteditem;
        notifyDataSetChanged();
    }
}

layout.custom_picker_layout

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/tvValue"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:gravity="center"
        android:background="@drawable/tv_bg"
        android:padding="10dp"
        android:textColor="#FFFFFF" />

</LinearLayout>

android:background="@drawable/tv_bg"

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item>
        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
            <solid android:color="#08bfdf" />
        </shape>
    </item>
    <item android:bottom="2dp"  android:top="2dp" >

        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
            <solid android:color="#000000" />
        </shape>
    </item>
</layer-list>

OUTPUTS

Normal selection

to let user select first item

to let user select Last item

if list has only one item

To get selected item from this custom picker use this

MyObjectType myObjectType=adapter.getSelectedItem();

A: You can use custom  DialogFragment to display a dialog like the date picker.
so, for example, if your MyObjectType has 3 fields and you want the user to select it.
1- create a 3 recyclerview, each recycler to display a field from your MyObjectType.
2- in your dialog create for loop for your arraylist of your MyObjectType and make 3 custom arraylist, each field has its own arraylist. we will use the arraylist to display the value of the field in recyclerview.
in the for loop add each field to its arraylist. e.g arraylistField1.add(MyObjectType.getfield1());
3- create 3 adapters, each adapter for a recyclerview to display the custom arraylist.
4- when user click ok, get the selected value from each adapter.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Rooting may not be extremely safe, but it's one of the fastest ways to get your device updated known to man. For those geeky fellas, who have rooted their Galaxy S IIIs, there will be a reward soon.
Thanks to the good people of Cyanogen, there will soon be a custom Android 4.2.1 ROM that you will be able to install on your GS IIIs. There's not that much info at the moment, but CyanogenMod's Steve Kondik has teased us with a screenshot of the About page of the Samsung T999, which is the T-Mobile version of the handset. Somehow, we're far from thinking that CM will develop the ROM for this version only.
You hear that, guys, it'll be super smooth! And it's within just a few days, so make sure to have everything ready - a rooted Galaxy S III, USB cable that's long enough and a wrench should be enough!
hopefully the fix the mobile network connectivity on the Sprint rom. i just went back to my stock ROM yesterday from my CM10 rom on my Sprint Galaxy s 3 because as everyone knows sprints 3g service is miserable, and yes i read the connectivity issues with CM 10 but i was getting 143 kbs down load on average. i ran about 19. after a few baseband flashes and a rom later i have 1.7 Mb download 1.9 upload.
I've been using the 4.2 gapps for a month now, hopefully this will fix all the current issues with them.


text:
Taylor Swift to do Live Stream August 18th!
Helen Trieu
T-swift fans rejoice! The country pop icon has dropped clues and teasers here and there of some upcoming event regarding her music, but now the news has finally been announced. Swift will appear on live stream worldwide with Yahoo! August 18th in New York City at 5pm. She will be debuting a new single off her new album and possibly announcing the release date. Get ready to mark your calendars! There is also a hashtag associated with the event, #TaylorSwiftYahoo so make sure to tweet, facebook, and instagram accordingly. For those too eager to just sit around and wait, you can go the live stream pagenow where there is a countdown clock that appears over footage of Swift. We can't wait, can you? Let us know what you hope to see on the live stream in the comments below!
Unique Independent Artists from Around the World
I am an advent Spotify user, and one thing Spotify helped me with was discovering new talents and artists from around the world.
We live in a Hollywood-saturated industry, and it's often so hard to find good non-American artists.
This is a shame because diverse artists will open our minds and ears to new instrumentals, kinds of music, and melodies. These are my favorite artists from around the world who offer truly unique talents.
Shakira Realized Ex Allegedly Cheated Due to Jam Jar, Referenced in Music Video with Head in Fridge
Shakira fans believe the singer realized her ex Gerard Pique was cheating on her when she returned to their home from touring to find an empty jar of strawberry jam. She eats strawberry jam, but her husband and kids reportedly do not like it. The Columbian singer also seemingly referenced the incriminating jam in a music video she released around the time of their split last year that shows the disembodied head of her collaborator on the song "Te Felicito" inside a refrigerator that she opens.
Should People Gatekeep Music?
Gaslight, gatekeep, girl boss. It's all fun and games until someone actually does either of the two formers. While it is perfectly fine to joke about gatekeeping things like music (the act of preventing general access to something or withholding it to prevent it from becoming mainstream or popular), in practice, it can actually be a toxic and harmful thing to do. Gatekeeping music from mainstream audiences can be harmful to musicians, listeners, and society as a whole, because of the dangerous mentalities and limiting experiences and worldviews it promotes.
Coachella 2023 Lineup Released: BLACKPINK, Frank Ocean, Bad Bunny, and Many More
Get ready, festival-goers! Coachella has officially released its 2023 lineup with headliners like BLACKPINK, Frank Ocean, and Bad Bunny. Pre-sale tickets are currently going on sale as of Friday, January 13th, and it's sending fans into a frenzy. The 2023 Coachella festival is set to take place on the weekends of April 14-16 and April 21-23 in Indio, California. It will also feature performances from Pusha T, Burna Boy, Rosalia, Metro Boomin, Kaytranada, Gorillaz, Kid Laroi, Charli XCX, 070 Shake, Kali Uchis, Latto, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Rae Sremmurd, and many more.
How the TikTok Algorithm can Help Independent Artists
TikTok is one of today's most popular social media apps, and new artists are finding in it a more organic way to promote their art while also growing their fanbase. Because TikTok provides a constant flow and slightly addictive flow of content, younger artists are turning to it to build their highly successful small businesses.
Stereotypes of Music Genres are Harmful
Music has always been a huge part of our society and our identities. It's everywhere, and most of us are very particular about what kind we want to listen to. It's also been the case that different genres produce diverse reactions. We identify parts of our personalities based on what we listen to, which in turn makes us insinuate things about other people based on their personal music preferences. Some of the basic stereotypes that come to mind are: people that listen to rap music are troublemakers that like to do drugs, people who listen to country music are dumb and drink a lot of beer, and people who listen to classical music are boring and usually very smart.
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text:
Trap music is a music genre that originated in the early 1990s in the Southern United States. It is typified by its aggressive lyrical content and sound, where the instrumentals are propelled by 808 kick drums or heavy extended sub-bass lines, double-time, triple-time and other faster time division hi-hats, layered synthesizers, and "cinematic" strings.
Trap music incorporates an extensive use of multi-layered hard-lined and melodic synthesizers; crisp, grimy and rhythmic snares; deep 808 sub-bass kick drums or heavy sub-bass lines; double-time, triple-time and similarly divided hi-hats; and a cinematic and symphonic utilization of string, brass and keyboard instruments creating an overall dark, harsh, grim and bleak atmosphere for the listener. These primary characteristics would go on to be the signature sound of trap music originating from producer Shawty Redd. The tempo of a typical trap beat is around 140 BPM.
Trap music is also defined by its ominous, bleak, gritty and belligerent lyrical content which varies widely according to artist. Typical lyrical themes portrayed include observations of street life, poverty, violence, hardship in the "trap" and harsh experiences in urban surroundings.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Trap_music


It's the start of the Chinese New Year. The celebrations for the new year usually continue until the Lantern Festival which is the 15th day of the New Year.
Personality characteristics of those people born in the year of the monkey include being curious and quick-witted as well as being mischievous. They are also considered to be the most intelligent of the signs, especially adept at wealth creation. But don't make a monkey angry as they can be quick tempered.
Outside of Asia the biggest celebrations of the Chinese New Year will be in London but other major celebrations will be in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. Click on the links below if you want to check out the various activities in these cities.
using knives – any accident that occurs is thought to be an omen of inauspicious things and the depletion of wealth.
wearing black or white – these colours are considered to be mourning colours and wearing them on New Year's day is felt to bring bad luck.
visiting your parents' home if you are female and married as this is believed to bring luck to the parents particularly in the area of money.
sweeping – you should avoid housework (we don't see a problem with that). It is believed that if you sweep you will sweep your wealth away.
However, try to wear red and gold on the first day of Chinese New Year. These are lucky colours.
If you would like a little monkey to keep you company now it is the Year of the Monkey why not check out our range by clicking here.


text:
Mokropsy je název dvojice vesnic nacházející se v dnešním okrese Praha-západ. Dolní Mokropsy jsou součástí katastrálního území Černošice města Černošice. Horní Mokropsy (v minulosti též Velké nebo Větší Mokropsy) jsou nyní součástí katastrálního území a obce Všenory.

První písemná zmínka o vsi Mokropsy (bez rozlišení, zda jde o horní, nebo o dolní) je z roku 1088, kdy král Vratislav daroval vyšehradské kapitule "dvoje popluží a rybáře Modlatu a Šumu v Mokropsech″ (falzum z 12. století, jehož věrohodnost není popírána). Dolní Mokropsy byly připojeny k Černošicím roku 1950.

V Dolních Mokropsech je železniční zastávka Černošice-Mokropsy. Horní a Dolní Mokropsy spojuje přes Berounku železniční most na trati 171 s chodníkem pro pěší a cyklisty. Nedaleko železniční zastávky Černošice-Mokropsy býval přívoz ke Kazínu. V roce 2007 byl jeho provoz zrušen. U železničního mostu je na Berounce jez.

Vesnice v okrese Praha-západ
Vesnice v Česku rozdělené do více obcí
Sídla na Berounce

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I've heard this term before: The "Goodbye Dream." (Some call it the "Farewell Dream.") It is the dream that you have after somebody passes away. It is a dream where you both connect and say goodbye in some way. You are given some kind of closure or are re-assured that the person is okay.
Last night I had a dream about my uncle who recently passed. He passed less than a month ago.
I think that I had my very first goodbye dream when I was 17 or 18 years old. At least that is the first one that I can actually recall. It was a visit from a co-worker. I remember after waking up from the dream, feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted.
Last night I had a dream about my uncle who recently passed. He passed less than a month ago. I hadn't seen him in nearly five years. His daughter and her family moved him out of state to live with him. We didn't keep in touch via phone as he was hard of hearing and deaf in one ear. I'd send photos of the kids and gifts at Christmas, and cards on his birthday, but never heard if he received them. Loved them. Or hated them. I never took offense to it, as I know that the lack of feedback on the items sent weren't his doing.
I had a premonition of when I thought that he'd be passing. I thought that he would pass around the Christmas holiday. I pictured it to be a holiday when people were together. He actually passed on Thanksgiving instead. When I had the vision of him passing, I actually saw my sister being there.
Though we hadn't talked or seen each other in a while, I didn't think that anything was wrong between us. No hard feelings. No grudges. Others who were around him might have their own opinions, but I never thought of anything being left on a sour note. However, after my uncle visited me in his Goodbye Dream, I was FOR SURE that all was good between us!
The dream seemed to unfold so fast once it got started. It was a very vivid dream and one that every detail stuck with me afterwards. I recall feeling cold, though I was under the covers when I started to fall asleep. Then I remember the chill going away as I fell into the dream. The dream started with my uncle coming out of a garage. This total made sense as he loved to work on cars. Old cars. He was wearing a light colored sweater and light colored pants. Not necessarily something he normally wore, but I remember thinking while dreaming that the light colored clothing looked very angelic.
He sat on a bench that was running alongside where he and my aunt's front deck step was at their old house. It was like we were in the driveway of their old house, yet it was different. And though he was 76 and ailing when he past, in my dream, he was built like an old football player (which he was), he had an athletic build, and he looked to be in what I think was his late 50s. He had a head full of white, thick hair, and his beard was really dark and thick, like the color I remember his hair and beard to be when I was a young child. He looked strong and healthy.
We sat on the bench together and hugged and snugged. It was as though I was sitting on his lap like a small child at times. He kept kissing my repeatedly on the cheek and kept calling me by the nickname that my aunt gave me. We both told each other "I love you" and then the dream was done.
….. And then I fell back to sleep for the night.
This morning I awoke with excitement yet felt contentment. Trying to replay the dream over and over again in my mind so that I wouldn't forget any details. I felt that I had closure since we got to connect like that last night.


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Yale Grammatical Diversity Project
English in North America
Q: Some of your pages refer to "standard English." What does that mean?
A: Standard English does not refer to a specific dialect — there is no area of the country or group of people where everyone speaks "standard English." Standard English also does not refer to the most commonly spoken form of English, or to the "best" or "most correct" kind.
Linguists use this term (and similar terms like Mainstream American English or Standard American English) to refer to the kind of spoken or written English that is taught in schools and is used in the workplace, in newspapers, on news broadcasts, and by politicians. In our pages, standard English is often used as an umbrella term for dialects that don't allow the phenomenon in question.
Q: Your page on fixin' to says that it is characteristic of Southern American English — but I'm from the South, and I would never say that. What's going on?
A: There are a number of reasons why someone from a certain region might not use all the constructions that we identify as features of that region's dialect. First of all, the dialect regions linguists use are meant to be broad generalizations — not everyone from a Southern state necessarily speaks Southern American English. Instead, the term "Southern American English" captures a pattern where people from Southern states are more likely to use certain features than people from Northern states.
Secondly, not all speakers of a certain dialect use the exact same grammatical constructions. For example, both dative presentatives and personal datives are said to be features of Southern American English &em; however, many speakers accept dative presentatives but not personal datives.
Q: Do all Black people speak African American Vernacular English? Do any people of other races speak it?
A: Not all Black people are speakers of African American Vernacular English — in fact, because AAVE is highly stigmatized (often due to implicit, thinly-veiled, or overt racism), many African Americans consciously avoid using features of AAVE. Many Black Americans are also fluent in both AAVE and standard English and codeswitch between the two. There are many great resources to learn more about this topic, both for laypeople and for those interested in academic research on the subject.
Many features of AAVE (like finna and stressed BIN) have been adopted by English speakers of all races, especially younger people. Because the use of AAVE features and words is often stigmatized for Black speakers and celebrated for speakers of other races, some people consider use of AAVE by non-African Americans to be a form of cultural appropriation.
Q: Why do people who speak with a Southern accent sound uneducated?
A: There is no correlation between someone's intelligence and the dialect they speak or accent they have. However, many people assume otherwise — speakers of British English are often thought to be smarter or more cultured, while speakers of Southern English and AAVE are thought to be ignorant or uneducated.
However, linguists have shown that all dialects are equally systematic, rule-governed, and expressive — no dialect is truly better or more correct than any other.
So why are there negative attitudes about certain dialects? This kind of discrimination is often a way of expressing negative attitudes about certain racial or socioeconomic groups, rather than about dialects themselves. Many dialects, such as African American Vernacular English or Appalachian English, are stigmatized not because they are "worse" than standard English (they aren't!) but because of who speaks these dialects. Calling speakers of AAVE or Southern English stupid or uneducated is a way of covertly expressing racist or classist views — sometimes unconsciously.
Q: I use a grammatical construction that isn't mentioned on this website. Does that mean it's wrong or that I'm speaking incorrect English?
A: No! This website is far from comprehensive, and we encourage you to submit any interesting grammatical constructions that you've heard or use yourself. You can contact the YGDP at ygdp-mail[at]yale.edu.
Q: Linguists might say that all of these grammatical constructions are correct, but they aren't taught in school and people who use them sound ignorant and uneducated. Shouldn't people learn to speak "proper English"?
A: There are a number of reasons why people might speak in their native dialects rather than in standard English. First of all, it's very difficult to learn a dialect of English that is not your own — as difficult or more difficult than it is to learn a foreign language. Many people also speak both their native dialect and standard English, and switch between the two depending on the setting and context. This is called codeswitching, and there are many interesting articles on the topic.
Q: What's a dialect? How is a dialect different from a language?
A: The linguist Max Weinreich famously observed "A language is a dialect with an army and navy." There is no clear distinction between a dialect and a language, although the term "language" is often used to describe a group of mutually intelligible dialects. Often, dialects are classified as languages or vice versa for political reasons. For example, Croatian and Serbian are mutually intelligible (speakers of Croatian can understand Serbian, and vice versa), which might lead us to classify them as dialects of the same language. However, for political reasons, they are now considered separate languages, although before the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s Serbo-Croatian was considered to be a single language. Similarly, Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish are largely mutually intelligible but have for centuries been described as distinct languages. On the other hand, we may hear references to "Chinese dialects", when the varieties referred to are mutually incomprehensible although their speakers share the same written forms and nationality (and a single army and navy).
Q: How is dialect variation different from slang?
A: There is often overlap between features of dialects and slang, especially because characteristics of certain dialects, in particular those features relating to words or expressions rather than grammatical constructions, may be adopted by other speakers as slang (this is particularly true of AAVE).
However, dialects are not simply slang — they follow a much more regular and varied set of grammatical patterns. They are also learned from the previous generation, unlike slang, which is usually learned from peers. Dialectal features are also so intrinsic to language that they are difficult to stop using or to learn, unlike slang, which is usually limited to words or phrases that are temporarily adopted. Slang is also generally restricted to an informal speech style (or "register"), which is not necessarily true of the phenomena we discuss. In addition, some slang expressions — for example "cool" (as a positive evaluation of style or behavior), "pot" (for marijuana), or "high" (for intoxicated) — have endured in slang usage for many generations within informal or colloquial English without obvious restrictions to particular regions or social groups.
YGDP Published
On African American Language and Grammatical Diversity in 2020


text:
CDC Stories: A Flourishing Story – Jasleen's Journey with the CDC
Jasleen and her family had experienced a tough time since Jasleen was born with additional needs. Stumbling on the learning path, they found the CDC where Jasleen's learning needs were fulfilled and the family was supported. Now, Jasleen flourishes as a bright and energised young girl who enjoys singing and dancing!
Jasleen, a CDC ex-student, is a cheerful girl who loves singing and dancing. As a child, she faced a lot of difficulties even before she was born. Avi, the mother of Jasleen, recalls the memories during her pregnancy, "Jasleen was diagnosed with special needs in the first scan. My heart broke when I learnt the news, but we still wanted to keep the baby. After she was born, problems were coming one by one, and she immediately received surgery after birth."
In early childhood, Jasleen experienced speech and physical difficulties which involved complicated treatments. She could barely talk and was always lying down. Before Avi and the family could address a problem, more would arise. "We went through a really difficult time," Avi said.
In 2008, Jasleen joined the CDC through referral by the Social Welfare Department when she was 6 months old. Before joining the group programme, she started physiotherapy first. Avi remembers the time when her precious daughter was making huge progress, "after 6 years, she improved a lot, particularly in her social skills. When she graduated from the CDC, she entered a new school and she didn't cry in the new environment!"
"I would like to thank the CDC. This is the place where my daughter started talking and walking. I still remember the moment when she held the table and took a few steps in the CDC. That was so emotional for me. I was so happy to see her improvement and would like to thank all the staff who taught and helped Jasleen over these years."


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CareFirst Announces $15 Minimum Wage And Benefit Equity Changes For All Employees
Updated on 2019-04-22 09:38:12
Health benefit costs will be linked to employee compensation
Baltimore, Md. — CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), the region's largest health insurer, has set a $15 per hour minimum wage standard for all employees that went into effect earlier this year.
CareFirst has always met legal minimum wage requirements and has been committed to paying competitive wages. However, until this year, there remained some associates who fell below the $15 per hour rate that the company now recognizes as a minimum "living wage."
While this change wasn't legally required, it is consistent with CareFirst's commitment to equitable treatment and the financial well-being of its employees.
Effective this month, CareFirst also introduced a new benefit premium structure for employees, in which the cost of health benefits will vary depending on an employee's compensation. Under this new structure all executives and higher-paid employees will pay more for their benefits while employees who earn less will pay less for their benefits.
"CareFirst is dedicated to increasing access to health care, and we know an important factor in giving people access to care and keeping them healthy is making sure they have the means to secure housing, adequate nutrition and meet other basic needs", said Brian D. Pieninck, President and CEO of CareFirst. "Core to our employees' ability to meet their basic needs is making sure they are paid a living wage.
"Equally important is ensuring that the benefits we offer as a company -- including health insurance -- are structured through a lens of equity that strives to make the premium each employee pays are affordable. We are committed to continuously reviewing our policies to ensure they meet the test of providing our employees the ability to secure their basic needs."
This new structure will result in approximately 70 percent of the organization's 5,500-person workforce paying the same or less for coverage than they did in 2018.
In addition to the wage and benefit changes, CareFirst employees will continue to receive other benefits offered by the company, including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage, matching employees' 401(k) contributions, company paid life and disability insurance and tuition reimbursement.
More information about benefits offered to CareFirst employees is available on the company's Careers website.
About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
In its 82nd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.2 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2018, CareFirst invested $38 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at www.carefirst.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
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للغة العربية
Serving Maryland, the District of Columbia and portions of Virginia, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is the shared business name of CareFirst of Maryland, Inc. and Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. In the District of Columbia and Maryland, CareFirst MedPlus is the business name of First Care, Inc. In Virginia, CareFirst MedPlus is the business name of First Care, Inc. of Maryland (Used in VA By: First Care, Inc.). First Care, Inc., CareFirst of Maryland, Inc., Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc., CareFirst BlueChoice, Inc. and The Dental Network are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Names and Symbols are registered trademarks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
CareFirst of Maryland, Inc. and The Dental Network underwrite products in Maryland only.