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This incredible short film explores how the 'ideal body' has changed over time
Moya Lothian-McLean
From fertility goddesses to Nineties supermodels, Anna Ginsburg's short film is a must-see.
Anna Ginsburg's What Is Beauty is a labour of love. Clocking in at nearly three minutes, the animated short film – commissioned by CNN for International's Women Day – is entirely hand-drawn, with 12.5 drawings making up each second.
Each frame shows dusky blue bodies in constant motion, capturing over 30,000 years of changing beauty standards. Mayan fertility goddesses morph into reclining Renaissance women with thick thighs and dimpled stomachs; the recognisable hourglass silhouette of Marilyn Monroe mutates into to the familiar big-boobs-and-bum look that's currently in vogue. The pressure to look a certain way never ends, Ginsburg's mutating figures silently say: it only changes shape.
It's that perpetually raised bar that inspired the 28-year-old animation director to make the visuals in the first place.
"My little sister has really extreme anorexia," Ginsburg tells stylist.co.uk. "It made me think about her perception of the ultimate beautiful woman when she was 12, which is when she started suffering. Yet my other sister is now looking at what [body image] she wants and her ideals are totally different, only [eight] years later. She wants a big bum and boobs and a non-existent waist, whereas her older sister wanted to be skeletal.
"It gave me a newfound love and appreciation for my relationship with my own body but it also made me feel incredibly protective, especially over young women. I wanted to communicate something about how quickly this ideal [of female beauty] is changing and how trying to keep up can have devastating consequences."
Watch: What Is Beauty by Anna Ginsburg
She's succeeded. The short is beautiful but it also hits like a quiet punch to the stomach. It's one thing to be vaguely be aware how fickle and fleeting our appreciation of different types of women is; it's another to see the evidence laid swirling in front of you.
Ginsburg is keen to emphasise she's not trying to point the finger at any of the bodies referenced in the video (among others, there are clear references to notables like Grace Jones, Kim Kardashian and Twiggy). The women are not to blame; it's the society that puts them on a pedestal that's at fault.
"I was very aware that throughout history, the ideals changed but within those changes, the ideal is still unattainable," she explains. "I remember an image of a Renaissance woman from when I was young. The boobs were perfectly pert circles that were really far apart and even though looking back we celebrate the curves [in those images], the pear shape looked physically impossible. It really stuck with me."
When asked if she picked up on any patterns in the evolution of beauty during her arduous creation process, Ginsburg pauses.
"I think the main thing I could draw from [the project] is the power of imagery," she says slowly. "What you consume every day is what you are told to believe is beautiful. In Ancient Greece, the male image was the pinnacle of beauty – sculptures were men and male athletes were put on a pedestal. So if you were a women with small breasts and large hips and shoulders, that was the body type ideal. Women were binding their boobs and trying to make themselves have V-shaped bodies."
"There's no rhyme or reason to what's beautiful": What is Beauty creator Anna Ginsburg
Beauty, Ginsburg believes, doesn't really exist. "It's a set of [selected images]. It's not that one thing is beautiful and another isn't – there's not much rhyme or reason to [what's considered beautiful]. It just seems to be influenced by the loudest voice in the culture at the time. As human beings, we like to copy. It's about being aware that the images we're consuming are not reality."
"Maybe there could be a self-imposed diet of images where you feed yourself diversity to keep yourself healthy or realistic," she wonders. "You can find imagery all over the internet of people with different body types looking beautiful – they're just not necessarily the people with 100 million followers."
As for the film itself, Ginsburg says the weight of the subject matter makes it unlike her previous work, which includes shorts like Private Parts – a talking heads documentary made for Channel 4 and fronted by animated genitals.
"I do tend to make joyful, funny things," she observes. "This is a lot more serious, it feels more like a piece of art, so it's quite new. It was a really emotional process because I feel so protective of young women at the moment. It's basically for my sister who's ill – it's her birthday today. I'm going to call her and show her."
Ultimately, she says, What Is Beauty is "a love letter to female bodies".
"The main thing I want is to provide context to the bigger picture of objectification. I'm not saying 'love yourself' because society makes that almost impossible as a woman. I'm [saying] remember how fast the definition of beauty evolves. At one point your body was the pièce de résistance."
Images: Anna Ginsburg
Beauty Standards
Moya Lothian-McLean is a freelance writer with an excessive amount of opinions. She tweets @moya_lm.


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Top 10 List: Worst Songs of 2012
February 14, 2020 March 14, 2020 B-HOP
Ah, yes. 2012. The year I graduated from high school and Obama was re-elected for a second term as President. Out of the entire decade, 2012 is easily one of the best years of the 2010s for popular music. This was the beginning of the indie boom where songs from the alternative side of folk, rock, and pop would notch hits that would define the year. Hip-hop was in a transitional period heading towards what would become the dark, dreary sounds of trap that would dominate the latter half of the decade. R&B, pop, and country were also pretty solid this year. While 2012 was a good year, it's not perfect, either, as it still has some real stinkers. So let's begin our look at the worst songs that 2012 had to offer. But first, some dishonorable mentions.
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS I
So this year, I gave Carly Rae Jepsen another chance after not initially buying into the hype and I can safely say that I'm a fan. While she's not one of my favorites, her brand of catchy synthpop hooked me in and I was just enjoying it for what it is. Her last two albums are really good, though I prefer Emotion, which I might review sometime this year. While this has softened my stance on Call Me Maybe, which originally was in the Top 10 due to annoying the piss out of me through overplay and memes, it's still an idiotically immature "love at first sight" song where Carly Rae gives a guy she like her phone number and waits for him to call like a hormonal teenage girl (BTW, she was 26 when this song was released, so ponder on that). The most egregious part is where she says she misses the guy even though they just met. It reminds of I Knew I Loved You from Savage Garden, which had a similar premise in loving somebody whose name you don't even know. The reason this song isn't on the list proper is because I can see its appeal and it is catchy enough for some people to forgive (not forget) the shitty writing. It's still a shame that Carly Rae Jepsen's biggest hit sucks ass because I know she's capable of doing better.
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded is a terrible album, a garish mish-mash of mediocre rap tracks and overproduced dance gunk for the clubs. It was clear that Nicki Minaj sold out to appeal to the lowest common denominator and no track from that disaster is more indicative of this than Starships. It's horribly mixed, the drop sounds like synthesized ass, and Nicki turns the annoying brainlessness up to eleven with nonsensical lyrics. It isn't the worst Nicki Minaj song in 2012 since the public was smart enough to not make Stupid Hoe a hit (remember that one?). No amount of personality could save this starship from crashing and burning.
Ah, here's the Maroon 5 that we all love to hate. The soulless shell that now operates as an Adam Levine vanity project released Overexposed in 2012, which featured One More Night. The production features stiff guitar riffs co-opting a reggae groove that has been watered down and Adam Levine's falsetto has gotten worse through the years. The same can be applied to his douchebaggery as this is another bad relationship song where Adam wants this girl to stay because he enjoys the sex so much. Even worse is that this song is the reason why Gangnam Style never hit number one on the Hot 100. I know this was before Billboard made it easier for viral songs to become bigger hits, but did anyone outside of soccer moms really wanted to hear this screeching turd? This won't be the last time that I'll talk about Maroon 5 on this list, though, so stick around for that.
At this point, it was clear that the public would eat up anything with Drake's name on it regardless of the fluctuating quality of said material. This brings us to The Motto, which popularized the phrase Y.O.L.O. (you only live once), which had been repeated by obnoxious numbskulls chasing trends. That is the only noteworthy thing about this song as the production is dull and flaccid, both Drake and Lil Wayne sound bored, and the lyrics don't really say anything that profound or deep, it's just a bunch of bragging. You could play Rap Mad-Libs with this song and get the same result every single time, that's how utterly worthless it is. Here's a motto to go by: make better music.
I never got a chance to talk about Jason Mraz here, so this is a perfect opportunity to do so. I'm not a fan. His brand of doughy, whitebread acoustic guitar music has never been that appealing to me. I've listened to I'm Yours and I did not need to listen to that again, especially the Lil Wayne remix. He scored his second biggest hit with I Won't Give Up. In it, Jason Mraz is trying to get back into a relationship that didn't work out and it comes off very pushy when you analyze the lyrics where he goes "God knows we're worth it," and how he'll wait until this woman decides to be with him again. Bro, move on. Also, the music is a saccharine snoozefest that sounds at home on adult contemporary radio. So, yeah. This isn't good. Let's move on.
Now onto the list.
The number 10 song goes to Justin Bieber. At this point, the Biebs had turned 18 and is at the point of his career where he wants to be taken seriously as an adult. This is one of those attempts at maturity, but as you'll find out, it ultimately falls flat on its face.
Aside from taking its title from a much better Backstreet Boys song, As Long As You Love Me is a mess of a song. First, the production uses a dubstep sound and like a lot of dubstep, it does not hold up. Bieber is selling a love that could never be broken, even through the roughest times and it doesn't hold weight because of how awful the writing is. It's full of cliches and empty platitudes.
We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke
I'll be your platinum, I'll be your silver, I'll be your gold
You could be my Destiny's Child on the scene girl
Oh, but Bieber's not the only one subjected to bad writing because we also have the featured artist Big Sean and his corny ass dad jokes. Get a taste of this.
If you have to say that you don't know if your comment makes sense, chances are high it doesn't make sense. Oh, and that last line? Kinda undercuts the whole "love is forever" message that this song is trying to push. Yeah, no. This is insufferable. Get it out of here.
Number 9 is an obvious choice for a list like this. Nearly every worst songs of 2012 list that I've seen has included it somewhere. It's an easy target, but it's earned its scorn for a reason.
Let's get the obvious out the way: the chorus is one of the most obvious blowjob innuendos in music history. Seriously, blow my whistle? What else could that mean? The rest of the chorus is also poorly thought-out as it implies that Flo-Rida is going to demonstrate to this girl how to do it. What, is he gonna pull a banana and fellate it? That'd be a sight to hold. All joking aside, Whistle has other problems outside of the chorus. The production is a slimy mess of acoustic guitars and over-compressed drums. And let's not forget the whistling because that's what a song called Whistle needed. While analyzing the lyrics to a Flo Rida song is mostly pointless because it's more of the same empty content, there is a lot more doozies within the verses than I realize. This dude said he pulled a hamstring "trying to put it on ya," which makes me think that Flo Rida has a dick so big, he has a hard time lifting it up. He also says his whistle is "ready to blow," which is disgusting, and that his girl hits the same notes as his Bugatti. Do I even need to know what that means? This song was evidence enough for why we don't need Flo Rida around.
The number 8 spot to a song that isn't just boring, but it further enabled the career of a sexual predator. You're damn right, I'm not letting that one go.
I can make a case that Rack City by Tyga has done some significant cultural damage not just to hip-hop, but to popular music as a whole. Let me explain why. For one, it was the first hit song produced by DJ Mustard and he introduced a formula that would be repeatedly imitated throughout the rest of the decade involving a minimalist beat with gang vocals. There's also Tyga, who seems to mistake monotone non-interest with cool as he raps with the enthusiasm of going to the DMV. If he doesn't care, why should we? The lyrics contain terrible punchlines relating to Michael Jackson, weed, and having a girl's grandmother on his dick. Lovely. There's also the fact that half of the song consists of the phrase "rack city" being repeated over and over. This is one city that I would never visit and you shouldn't, either, especially if you want to avoid catching STDs. So I ask again, why did the music world let Tyga stick around?
I've mentioned several times how disappointed I was in Nicki Minaj and 2012 was one of the breaking points for me. And it's not limited to the Roman Reloaded album. Here's my number 7 pick.
At this point, David Guetta was starting to overstay his welcome. Without You with Usher was decent enough, but he was working on a limited formula that's starting to dry. I got sick of hearing Titanium with Sia constantly and that song does not hold up well. But it's nothing compared to Turn Me On with Nicki Minaj. Sweet buttery Moses, Turn Me On is awful. The production is a barrage of shrill synths and migraine-inducing percussion that dilutes into incoherent noise. Then, there's the copious amount of Auto-Tune and other effects put on Nicki Minaj's voice that transforms her from an eccentric character to a generic pop diva wannabe. In the very little rapping she does, it's just incoherent nonsense. Annoying sounds like this are a complete turn-off to me.
For the number 6 spot, I initially struggled with what Maroon 5 song was going to be on the list, One More Night or what eventually did make the list. I eventually went with the song that bothered me more.
Payphone was one of the earliest songs I did a Target Practice on and looking back, it deserves all the scorn it has gotten. It's another song where Adam Levine is trying to get back with an ex-girlfriend who clearly wants to move on and the big turn-off of this song is how pissy Adam is, forced profanity and all. Geez, I wonder why things didn't work out between you two. There's also Adam's singing and this is where his falsetto dives straight into tedious territory, especially with the Auto-Tune used here. It makes him sound more like an entitled whiny douchehole. The music does nothing to help, being this bland keyboard-driven glob that sounds like it was made by a studio producer rather than a band. Then there's Wiz Khalifa, who aside from not trying to rhyme anything, comes in with an completely unrelated verse about his car and haters. It's like they told him what the song was gonna be about and he said, "man, fuck that shit," and dropped this. It's not the worst song that Maroon 5 have ever made, but it's one of many soulless cash cows that signified the creative bankruptcy of Adam Levine.
Before we continue, here are the final dishonorable mentions.
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS II
This song was doomed from the moment it started. Bieber worked with Mike Posner for Boyfriend, which is an attempt to emulate Justin Timberlake's early hits like Like I Love You, but watered-down and all of the cool elements of that song gone. This leaves us with an empty, unconvincing, wimpy, charisma-free counterfeit that features some embarrassing lyrics where Bieber compares himself to Buzz Lightyear and constantly says "swag," tryin way too hard to be cool. Did I ever mentioned that he raps in this and he sucks at it? Did I also mentioned that this is how he begins the song? That was his first step forward and he instantly fumbled it. Like I said, doomed from the start.
One of the biggest conceptions about Taylor Swift is that she just makes music about boys and breakups, which is missing the big picture when it comes to her discography. She's made songs about other subject matters if you bother to dig deeper. However, with her first number one hit, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, she became the stereotype of what her detractors view her as, employing the voice of an annoying teenage valley girl who broke up with her boyfriend and is throwing unsubtle shade at him, going at his indie record that's cooler than hers (it probably is) while dipping her feet into making straight-up pop music, though I've always viewed her as a pop artist. With this song, Taylor began her metamorphosis into Regina George from Mean Girls, with the same vindictive cattiness. It's just sad and immature.
Honestly, the main reason Blow Me (One Last Kiss) is on here is because of the chorus, which is a blaring, overproduced clusterfuck of synths and punchy drums that don't mix well with Pink's over-singing, which makes listening to this song a chore to get through. And when you look at the writing, it's sloppy and it's sending mixed messages as a kiss-off to an ex where Pink exclaims that both parties had a "shit day." As someone who is a Pink fan, I'm disappointed in this track. She's capable of doing so much better.
So Fortune was a thing that happened. It was Chris Brown's fifth album and it's not just his worst album, but it's one of the worst albums of the entire decade. Turn Up The Music is a good representation of what most of the album is like. The production consists of gaudy, overblown synths, and thin percussion that's horribly mixed. It's just rampant, unlistenable noise. Chris Brown is drowning in Auto-Tune that amplifies his obnoxiousness up to maximum levels with his constant yelping and interpolating a nursery rhyme. Seriously. This is supposed to be a song to dance to, yet I don't get the feeling of wanting to dance, I want to leave the place immediately.
And on the subject of club songs that doesn't sound any fun, we have We Run The Night from Havana Brown. The original is a forgettable club song with Havana Brown's nasally Auto-Tuned voice, empty content, and a shrill drop, but then it became a hit thanks to the RedOne remix with Pitbull. That version compressed the vocals even more, added more pulsing synths, and made the drop even more shrill. And you'd expect Pitbull to be this song's redeeming factor, but he does not sound enthusiastic here, especially when he ends his verse with, "now fuck you, pay me." Yeah, I sympathize with Pitbull here. I'd want my money quick if I had to contribute anything to this shitty song.
In 1996, Men In Black was released in theaters. It had the title track in its soundtrack performed by Will Smith and it was awesome. In 2002, Men In Black II was released and had Black Suits Coming (Nod Ya Head), also performed by Will Smith. It was alright, but it was no Men In Black. In 2012, Men In Black III was released and had the number 5 song on this list performed by you all know where this is going.
This was long overdue, but now, I can finally talk about Back In Time by Pitbull, which ties in to the third Men In Black movie that you've all mostly forgotten about (be honest). It's an example of how not to do a song for a soundtrack. First, the sample. The stiff production samples a guitar riff from the 1956 hit Love Is Strange by Mickey & Sylvia, which doesn't make sense since MiB III takes place in 1969, a whole 13 years after that song. A lot can change in that timespan, so they got the wrong decade. Seriously, you couldn't sample anything from the 60s? There's plenty of sample-worthy material to go around. Second, Pitbull is phoning it in. He spends the entire song bragging about himself and what little references there are to Men In Black are peripheral at best. If you removed those lines, you wouldn't think that this was a song for Men In Black. And finally, the dubstep bridge. Yeah, it's one of those last-minute additions that tonally doesn't fit the song at all and makes it even more dated. Clearly, Pitbull didn't give a NUMBER TWO about making this a good song. Let's not go back in time for this mess.
Number 4 is a tie from two near-identical songs from a band who have overstayed their welcome. Train, ladies and gentlemen.
I had a hard time picking which song was going to be on this spot, so I went with both because they suck in similar and different ways. In Drive By, Pat Monahan falls in love with a girl he had a one-night stand with and wants to pursue a relationship with her. Like a lot of bad Train songs, it suffers from bland instrumentation and some truly asinine lyrics.
Just a shy guy looking for a two-ply
Hefty bag to hold my love
On the upside of a downward spiral
My love for you went viral
I didn't need you until I came to
Oh, and there's also this little gem.
'Cause you moved to west LA
Or New York or Santa Fe
Or wherever to get away from me
This implies that this woman has moved away in order to get away from Pat Monohan because he wouldn't stop stalking her. And this is framed as romantic. No. This isn't romantic, this is creepy. I wouldn't be surprised if this woman filed a restraining order against this dude. And then there's 50 Ways To Say Goodbye, where Pat admits he can't accept getting dumped, so instead of facing reality, he lists off all the outlandish ways that his girlfriend died and we're supposed to find this funny. Considering its place on this list, it didn't work because Pat Monahan portrays himself as an idiot. Also, the mariachi horns is flaccid and the melody rips off Phantom Of The Opera. Well, the one upside to this is that after these two songs, Train never got another Top 40 hit again, though they came close with 2016's Play That Song, which peaked at number 41. It's for the best because I don't think we can tolerate any more Train like this.
If you want a song to get on my bad side, annoying the shit out of me is a good way to do so and that's exactly what my number 3 pick did the moment I first subjected my ears to it.
How appropriate that this song starts with the sound I make whenever I hear it, a pain-induced grunt. Get used to that when you listen to the song in full, BTW. Cher Lloyd was a contender on Simon Cowell's X-Factor where she finished in fourth place. Afterwards, she signed to Cowell's label Syco where she released songs like Swagger Jagger, which thankfully didn't make a dent here in the US, and Want U Back. Want U Back is the sort of insufferable, unlistenable pop music that I can't stand. Cher Lloyd comes off REALLY unlikeable here as she disses an ex-boyfriend after seeing him in town with his current girlfriend. A reminder that she was the one who dumped him in the first place because, in her own words, he had no game and now, she wants him back because she felt some type of way about him moving on. It's that petty, childish sense of entitlement that kills any enjoyability for this song. It's the music equivalent of Stan Twitter at its worst. Also doesn't help that the production is complete garbage, a mesh of cheap synths burying the guitar riff in the mix. It's not pleasant to listen to. There is an audience for this type of pettiness, but I'm not in that audience.
I've seen people defend what would become my number 2 pick as a "so-bad-it's-good" song. That's fine, people have their opinions and I can see where they're coming from. I just want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that a rose-shaped and tinted turd is still a turd at the end of the day.
I mean, look. The title of the song is the real punchline here. I've always been lukewarm when it comes to Big Sean. He's capable of making some great music, but he's also got a bunch of stinkers under his belt, including Dance (A$$). The main reason this song is as high as it is on this list is because it's repetitive as fuck. The word "ass" is repeated ad-nauseum (dance in the clean version) like a torture technique that even the people who run Guantanamo Bay would consider too inhumane. As for the production? What production? It's just 808 bass, hand claps, and a sample of MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This used in the drop and pitch-shifted to chipmunk levels on the verses. While we're on the verses, there's not much to talk about. It's about asses, end of story. And because this song isn't annoying enough, there's a remix with Nicki Minaj at her worst, who decided to stretch out the last syllable of one line and while I was already checked out from the rest of the song, this sealed it for me. This shit is a cartoon and not even a good cartoon like Avatar: The Last Airbender or Samurai Jack, but one of those cheap Spongebob knockoffs that amplifies the worst, most annoying aspects of that show up to its limit. Long story short, Dance (A$$) is ass.
Once again, my number one pick is an obvious choice. Most people have this song on their worst list, some topping them. But like I said in the past, there are moments where the general consensus is correct and this is one of those moments. A collaboration that should have NEVER happened. Even the artists involved viewed this as a colossal mistake and have furthered distanced themselves from it as the years go by, hoping it'll be forgotten in the cracks of history. Ladies and gentlemen, Birthday Cake.
Decades from now, music historians will look back upon Birthday Cake and ponder, "how did we get to that point in time?" Birthday Cake was an interlude on Rihanna's Talk That Talk album that was a minute and 18 seconds. Then, she worked with her ex Chris Brown on an extended remix. Both Rihanna and Chris Brown hit career lows at this point, so they thought working together was a good idea. Big mistake that was because sweet mother of Mary, this song is atrocious. The production is a disaster of buzzing synths that sounds like a dentist drill burrowing into your brain along with some horribly mixed drums and alarm sounds like they're warning you to bail out while you still can. This can generate migraines and just as migraine-inducing is the word "cake" being repeated numerous times on the hook. This is more like a collection of noises rather than a complete song. Let's talk about the content. It's one thing if Rihanna wanted to make a sexually provocative song that pushes a few buttons on taste, but there is such a thing as going too far, especially when you use cake as a metaphor for sex. And they go super explicit with the metaphors to where it's not even sexy, especially with how checked-out Rihanna sounds. We also have Chris Brown, who can't seem to stop making himself look worse with the ways he wants to fuck Rihanna. He's been missing her body for a long time and he wants to do it in the worst way. Not the kind of words one wants to hear from an abuser. Yes, I know she forgave him for what he did, but not everyone has nor will they forget. This is gross, cheap controversy bait that shouldn't have even made it outside of the studio it was made in. In a better world, this would have ended the careers of everyone who was involved in its creation. But sadly, we don't live in a better world. Let's dump this expired cake into the black hole of obscurity. Birthday Cake, the worst hit song of 2012 and possibly the worst hit song of the entire 2010s decade.
And those were the worst songs of 2012. In two weeks, I'll be doing the Worst Songs of 2013.
Peace!!
Something-The Beatles
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11 thoughts on "Top 10 List: Worst Songs of 2012"
Daniel Smedley says:
10. I remember watching this song be in Buckley's Worst Songs of 2012 list at #9 and everything he said about it was spot on, especially the starving, homeless and broke part.
9. One of the most obvious songs about fellatio ever. (Seriously, what else could 'Blow my whistle' be about?)
8. I can thank this song for the slog of lifeless, monotonous club songs that came after it. Also, 'got your grandma on my dick'… eww…
7. What you said about David Guetta reminds me of Marshmello now, because they both use the same tired formula for their songs. Also, Nicki Minaj, the epitome of wasted potential. She could have been so much better, but songs like Stupid Hoe and Anaconda are terrible.
6. This was when I started to REALLY hate Maroon 5, with Adam Levine's screeching voice being extremely annoying to put up with. If you took out Wiz Khalifa's verse, nothing in the song would change; that's how out-of-place it is.
5. Yeah, the Men In Black song this is not. At least that song is about the movie instead of just a few passing lines, unlike Back In Time.
4. While Drive By is only a bit more tolerable than Hey, Soul Sister (after all, what can top 'so gangsta, I'm so thug'?), it still annoys me. I haven't heard the latter song, but it fails at being a joke.
3. The way Cher Lloyd is grunting in this song makes it sound like she's either playing tennis or taking a long dump. The ex is probably very happy with his current girlfriend because she wasn't bitchy, unlike Cher here.
2. I'm just grateful I never heard this song, especially the awful Nicki Minaj version.
1. Ugh… Rihanna, what were you thinking? This song, plus Pour It Up and BBHMM, represents her at her worst, plus, if I were Rihanna, I definitely wouldn't forgive Chris Brown after he nearly killed me. And as for this song being possibly the worst of the decade, I think that honour goes to Anaconda IMO.
2012 was what I like to call the indie year of the 2010s, as artists like fun. and Gotye would end up having one or more hits. Somebody That I Used To Know is still one of my favourite songs, and Gangnam Style was probably the best viral sensation of the decade next to Old Town Road.
I look forward to the next two lists, because 2013 was an interesting time for music, and 2014 was kinda meh to me. I reckon UOENO with its date rape line is still gonna be Number 1.
Richard D'Orazi says:
2012 is definitely one of the more enjoyable years for music in the 2010s with the club boom music beginning to fade as dubstep/EDM replaces it as well as the indie boom bringing out a lot of left-field hits like the #1 single of the year. Music critic Chris Molanphy described it best about 2012 in that it was the year of the "snowball smash" where viral hits became more mainstream than ever before even though YouTube wouldn't be measured yet for Billboard until the next year. I remember not going anywhere without hearing Call Me Maybe in 2012 and it's that overplay and overexposure that's largely the reason for why I don't like it all that much today. The production is catchy but as you point out the immature lyrics and the fact that Carly Rae Jepsen was 26 yet acting half her age here doesn't work for me. It's one of those songs I don't want to hear anymore. I have heard good things about Jepsen's recent music so I'm sure she's better than this but I can easily do without Call Me Maybe. I also remember hearing Starships at the time and I will say the main melody is fun but that's the only good thing about. Nicki Minaj is annoying in her delivery and that breakdown after the chorus is annoying as hell. This was clearly Nicki selling out to the club music of the time. 2012 was when Maroon 5 cemented their reputation as sellouts we all known them as today. One More Night is meh though Adam Levine's falsetto does get annoying and I couldn't care less about the lyrics. I'm amazed the song was as big as it was on the Hot 100 to where it kept Gangnam Style from the top cause I don't recall hearing it that much during that fall. Though as you mentioned, YouTube activity wasn't counted yet for the Hot 100 and I'll get into those issues more in my The Ones of the '10s column eventually. For the longest time, I didn't realize YOLO had come from a song and it's probably a good thing cause The Motto is boring and stupid. Jason Mraz is one of those artists that just exists for me. He's not the worst or the best but for the most part doesn't get much of a reaction out of me. I Won't Give Up is no different, just another boring adult contemporary ballad even though the lyrics are very clingy. As Long As You Love Me is annoying with the dubstep production and I don't like the way Bieber stretches out love on the chorus. Like some of the other songs, the production on Whistle is easily the best part with the summery feel but everything else sucks. The blowjob metaphor is stupid but also funny and my favorite stupid line is "I bet you I'm guilty your honor. That's just how we live in my genre." Rack City sucks and having my grandma on Tyga's dick is exactly the type of imagery I want in my head. Turn Me On is more annoying EDM of the time and Nicki Minaj is really insufferable with all the Autotune and electronic effects put on her voice. Payphone is another mediocre and stupid Maroon 5 song. Also, I know the joke's been made but who was still using a payphone in 2012. You couldn't have updated it for the smartphone age. Boyfriend is just embarrassing all around. This is Beiber trying to be all grown up and sexy and failing at it. Back then, songs like We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together were the main reasons for why I didn't like Taylor Swift that much especially considering my sister and my best friend were and are still big fans of her. Listening to her music now, I wouldn't say I'm a fan but I get her appeal and she does have talent and has made some songs I liked but We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together still annoys me. Just the whole mean girl vibe of the song annoys me along with the phone call on the bridge and the pop production. Funny enough, my guitar teacher once said that Taylor Swift's country music was just pop music with fiddles which is a good way of describing it cause you're right that even in her early music there was still a pop appeal to it. I don't hate Blow Me One Last Kiss but it's definitely not P!nk's best. Turn Up The Music is mediocre and if I hear this song I'm going to turn the music down. We Run The Night is another mediocre and annoying club song of the time. I didn't really hear Back In Time a lot back then even though I heard about the Men In Black 3 movie a lot and for good reason. I do think the Love Is Strange sample could have worked with the guitar riff but it's all wasted with the production and Pitbull's annoying and off-topic delivery. I actually do like the instrumentation on 50 Ways to Say Goodbye though the lyrics are stupid which saves it from being among the worst of the year. Drive By sucks though. Want U Back has the musical maturity of a middle schooler going through a breakup. I think the title of Dance (Ass) Remix explains how the song is. I do admittedly find it as so bad it's good with the MC Hammer sample and hilarious lines but I do agree it sucks hard. Birthday Cake (Remix) is one of those songs that makes you questions why anyone thought it was a good idea. Who thought it was a good idea to have Rihanna and Chris Brown on a song knowing what happened between them? I don't have much else to say about this than from what you and others have said. Screw this! Agree once again with your best list though I'm not that big on Mercy and Scream and Good Time I think is just alright.
B-HOP says:
Rule of thumb from here on out: if you're gonna ask me my thoughts on a song, check the comments and make sure someone else hasn't mentioned it already. Makes it easier for me so I don't have to repeat myself.
What are your thoughts on the following songs?
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
Feels So Close
International Love
Pound The Alarm
Love You Like A Love Song
Die Young
5 O'Clock
I know in the past, Love You Like a Love Song was on the original version of B-Hop's worst list for 2012 back in 2014 (though I'm uncertain if that point still stands) and he mentioned in the past not being a fan on One Direction, even being surprised he put Sign of the Times by Harry Styles as an honorable mention for his best of 2017 list.
Meh, good, okay, bad, bad, bad, meh, okay, okay, meh, bad, good, good, bad, bad, okay, meh, okay.
And what about Home, Too Close, and Skyfall?
Okay, bad, good.
It's a toss up between 2012 and 2015 as my pick for favorite year of the 2010s. Thoughts on these songs:
We Are Young by fun ft. Janelle Monae
Glad You Came by The Wanted
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson
Good Time by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
Give Your Heart a Break by Demi Lovato
International Love by Pitbull ft. Chris Brown
Not Over You by Gavin DeGraw
Rumour Has It by Adele
Good Girl by Carrie Underwood
Even If It Breaks Your Heart by Eli Young Band
Burn It Down by Linkin Park
Chris Pearson says:
2012 worst
Justin Bieber Boyfriend and international love Pitbull & Chris Brown
Don't Wake Me Up Chris Brown
We are Young Fun
Fly Over States Jason Aldean
Burn it Down Linkin Park
Rumor Has It Adele
These Days Foo Fighters
Meh (they seriously wasted Janelle Monae's talents), meh, good, it's an HM on my Best list, okay, meh, okay, good, good, okay, good.
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Padre Pio, Vatican II, and the New Mass
From very early in the revolution, Modernist apologists have presented Padre Pio as a devotee of the changes. This really satanic campaign included a grainy video of the holy man offering the Holy Sacrifice in a setting which made it appear that he was offering versus populum. Later, some Novus Ordo apologists claimed that this video showed Padre Pio offering the New Mass, which was astonishing, as he died before the New Mass was promulgated. Numerous other lies have been propagated since, all with the aim of making Padre Pio a poster child for the revolution. Recently, it was claimed that Padre Pio was a "member" of the New Church, and his manifest holiness employed to prove that the Conciliar Church is holy and productive of holiness. So the campaign continues.
The Society of St. Pius X USA district has an excellent article on Padre Pio revealing his true dispositions, and it is worth revisiting.
http://sspx.org/en/padre-pio-vatican-ii-new-mass
Padre Pio: on spirituality, Vatican II and the Novus Ordo Missae
By Fr. Jean, OFMcap and printed originally in the May 1999 issue of The Angelus magazine.
Padre Pio (May 25, 1887-September 23, 1968) was beatified on May 2, 1999, by Pope John Paul II. He is the only priest known to have received the full stigmata. He never celebrated the Novus Ordo Missae.
The final year of this dying, decaying century will see the beatification of Padre Pio, the holy monk whom God sent as a sign for our age. For, while everyone wants to make us believe in a new "charismatic" Church, strangely we do not find there any wonderworking saints like the ones we meet throughout the Church's history starting with Pentecost. Padre Pio seems to close the procession of their number, doing so magnificently, being the only priest to have borne the stigmata of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Much has been written about Padre Pio—more than 600 works, it seems—and the authors always stress the extraordinary side of his life: not only his particular charisms (reading souls, healing, raising people from the dead, bilocating, ecstasies, exuding perfume, prophesying, etc.), but also the incredible sufferings which he endured from his earliest childhood, the persecutions undergone from some churchmen and even brothers in religion, as well as his two great charitable works: the founding of the House of Suffering, and prayer groups.
In short, they present him to us as a "saint" more to be admired than imitated, so that, ultimately, we miss the most interesting lessons to be learned from this life, and the practical applications that could transform our own. We shall try, therefore, however imperfectly, to set forth a few of these lessons, hoping that we shall all be able to profit from them, and that the Padre, from high heaven, will himself succor us, as he has promised to all those who would like to become his "spiritual children."
At the dawn of this life totally sacrificed to God and to souls, there is to be found a pious, poor and numerous family, where the abnegation of each member softens and transforms the harsh realities of daily life. Here we see confirmed the saying of Bishop de Segur that it is in families where the spirit of sacrifice is lacking that vocations are most at risk. Baptized the day after his birth—a grace for which he was grateful all his life—Padre Pio was christened Francesco, presage of his Franciscan vocation, which was to be discovered on the occasion of a visit from a Capuchin monk begging food for the convent. Even so, his vocation was not decided without struggle:
"I felt two forces clashing within me, tearing my heart: the world wanted me for itself, and God called me to a new life. It would be impossible to describe this martyrdom. The mere memory of the battle that took place within me freezes the very blood in my veins..."
He was not yet 16 years old when he entered the novitiate. Above the door of the cloister, as a welcome, he read the sign: "Do penance or perish." The daily rule of life included very many prayers, enough work, and little reading, being restricted especially to the study of the Rule and the Constitutions.
Brother Pio made himself conspicuous by the abundance of the tears he shed during the morning period of mental prayer, which in Capuchin houses is consecrated to the meditation of the Passion; tears so abundant that it was necessary to spread a towel in front of him on the floor of the choir. As with St. Francis, it was to this loving and compassionate contemplation of Jesus crucified that he was to owe the grace to receive later on the painful stigmata in his body. Even so, as he confided to his spiritual director, Fr. Agostino: "In comparison to what I suffer in my flesh, the spiritual combats that I endure are much worse."
Atoning for sinners: interior trials
It would seem that God expects the just to expiate in a special way, by means of temptation, the public sins of their contemporaries. At a time when psychoanalysis, with its knack for explaining away guilt and sin, was gaining sway, Padre Pio—like the little Theresa—had to undergo an almost unbearable crisis of scruples, which tormented him for three long years. Then after the storm came the night, a night of the soul which lasted for dozens of years, with only occasional glimmers of light:
"I live in a perpetual night... I find myself troubled by everything, and I do not know if I act well or ill. I can see that it is not a scruple: but the doubt I feel about whether or not I am pleasing the Lord crushes me. And this anxiety recurs to me everywhere: at the altar, in the confessional, everywhere!"
It is with the thought of his mystical experiences in mind that his maxims should be meditated:
"Love is more beautiful in the company of fear, because it is in this way that it becomes stronger.
The more one loves God, the less one feels it!"
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus opposed to the proud rationalism of her day the little way of spiritual childhood, but she also expiated it by terrible temptations against faith. Her cry, "I will believe!" is well known. Padre Pio also experience violent and prolonged temptations against faith, as his letters to Fr. Agostino testify:
"Blasphemies cross my mind incessantly, and even more so false ideas, ideas of infidelity and unbelief. I feel my soul transfixed at every instant of my life, it kills me... My faith is upheld only by a constant effort of my will against every kind of human persuasion. My faith is only the fruit of the continual efforts that I exact of myself. And all of this, Father, is not something that happens a few times a day, but it is continuous... Father, how difficult it is to believe!"
What precious lessons for us, should we, for example, be surprised at finding ourselves tempted to such a degree.
Padre Pio overcame these terrible trials by following what had been taught him in the novitiate: perseverance in prayer, mortification of the senses, unshakable fidelity to the demands of one's duty of state, and, finally, perfect obedience to the priest in charge of his soul. His painfully acquired experience allowed him to draw to himself souls desirous of perfection, and to be demanding.
To the souls he directed, he gave a five-point rule: weekly confession, daily communion and spiritual reading, examination of conscience each evening and mental prayer twice a day. As for the recitation of the rosary, it is so necessary it goes without saying....
"Confession is the soul's bath. You must go at least once a week. I do not want souls to stay away from confession more than a week. Even a clean and unoccupied room gathers dust; return after a week and you will see that it needs dusting again!"
To those who declare themselves unworthy to receive Holy Communion, he answers:
"It is quite true, we are not worthy of such a gift. However, to approach the Blessed Sacrament in a state of mortal sin is one thing, and to be unworthy, quite another. All of us are unworthy, but it is He who invites us. It is He who desires it. Let us humble ourselves and receive Him with a heart contrite and full of love."
To another, who told him that the daily examination of conscience seemed useless, since his conscience showed him clearly at each action whether it was good or bad, he replied:
"That is true enough. But every experienced merchant in this world not only keeps track throughout the day of whether he has lost or gained on each sale. In the evening, he does the bookkeeping for the day to determine what he should do on the morrow. It follows that it is indispensable to make a rigorous examination of conscience, brief but lucid, every night.
"The harm that comes to souls from the lack of reading holy books makes me shudder... What power spiritual reading has to lead to a change of course, and to make even worldly people enter into the way of perfection."
When Padre Pio was condemned to not exercise any ministry, he spent his free time, not in reading newspapers—"the Devil's gospel"—but in reading books of doctrine, history and spirituality. Despite this, he would still say: "One looks for God in books, but finds Him in prayer."
His counsels for mental prayer are simple:
"If you do not succeed in meditating well, do not give up doing your duty. If the distractions are numerous, do not be discouraged; do the meditation of patience, and you will still profit. Decide upon the length of your meditation, and do not leave your place before finishing, even if you have to be crucified... Why do you worry so much because you do not know how to meditate as you would like? Meditation is a means to attaining God, but it is not a goal in itself. Meditation aims at the love of God and neighbor. Love God with all your soul without reserve, and love your neighbor as yourself, and you will have accomplished half of your meditation."
The same holds for assisting at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: it is more concerned with making acts (of contrition, faith, love...) than with intellectual reflections or considerations. To someone asking whether it is necessary to follow the Mass in a missal, Padre Pio answered that only the priest needs a missal. According to him, the best way to attend the Holy Sacrifice is by uniting oneself to the Virgin of Sorrows at the foot of the cross, in compassion and love. It is only in paradise, he assures his interlocutor, that we will learn of all the benefits that we received by assisting at Holy Mass.
Padre Pio, who was so affable and pleasant in his relations with people, could become severe and inflexible when the honor of God was at stake, especially in church.
"The whispering of the faithful would be authoritatively cut off by the Father, who would openly glare at anyone who failed to maintain a prayerful posture... If someone remained standing, even if it was because there were no places left in the pews, he would peremptorily invite him to kneel in order to participate worthily in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass."
Not even an inattentive choirboy would be spared: "My child, if you want to go to Hell, you don't need my signature."
The post-war fashions fell under the same censure:
"Padre Pio, seated in his open confessional, all year round would ascertain that the women and girls who confessed to him were wearing skirts not too short. He would even cause tears to be shed when someone who had been waiting in line for hours would be turned away because of an offending hemline... Then some kind souls would step forward and offer help. In a corner, they would unsew the hem, or else lend the penitent a coat. Finally, sometimes the Father would allow the humiliated penitent to go to confession."
One day his spiritual director reproached him for his harsh conduct. He replied: "I could obey you, but each time it is Jesus who tells me how I am to deal with people." His severe manner, then, was inspired from above, uniquely for the honor of God and the salvation of souls.
"Women who satisfy their vanity in their dress can never put on the life of Jesus Christ; moreover they even lose the ornaments of their soul as soon as this idol enters into their heart."
And let no one reproach him for lack of charity:
"I beg you not to criticize me by invoking charity, because the greatest charity is to deliver souls held fast by Satan in order to win them over to Christ."
Padre Pio and the Novus Ordo Missae
He was a model of respect and submission towards his religious and ecclesiastical superiors, especially during the time when he was persecuted. Nonetheless, he could not remain silent over a deviation that was baneful to the Church. Even before the end of the Council, in February 1965, someone announced to him that soon he would have to celebrate the Mass according to a new rite, ad experimentum, in the vernacular, which had been devised by a conciliar liturgical commission in order to respond to the aspirations of modern man. Immediately, even before seeing the text, he wrote to Paul VI to ask him to be dispensed from the liturgical experiment, and to be able to continue to celebrate the Mass of St. Pius V. When Cardinal Bacci came to see him in order to bring the authorization, Padre Pio let a complaint escape in the presence of the pope's messenger: "For pity sake, end the Council quickly."
The same year, during the conciliar euphoria that was promising a new springtime to the Church, he confided to one of his spiritual sons: "In this time of darkness, let us pray. Let us do penance for the elect"; and especially for the one who has to be their shepherd here below: All his life, he immolated himself for the reigning pope, whose photograph was among the rare images that decorated his cell.
Renewal of religious life?
There are other scenes from his life that are full of meaning, for example, his reactions to the aggiornamento the religious orders concocted in the wake of Vatican II. (The citations here are taken from a book bearing an imprimatur):
"In 1966, the Father General [of the Franciscans] came to Rome prior to the special Chapter on the Constitutions in order to ask Padre Pio for his prayers and benedictions. He met Padre Pio in the cloister. 'Padre, I came to recommend to your prayers the special chapter for the new Constitutions...' He had scarcely gotten the words 'special Chapter'... 'new Constitutions' out of his mouth when Padre Pio made a violent gesture and cried out: 'That is all nothing but destructive nonsense.' 'But Padre, after all, there is the younger generation to take into account... the youth evolve after their own fashion... there are new demands...' 'The only thing missing is mind and heart, that's all, understanding and love.' Then he proceeded to his cell, did a half-turn, and pointed his finger, saying: 'We must not denature ourselves, we must not denature ourselves! At the Lord's judgment, St. Francis will not recognize us as his sons!'"
A year later, the same scene was repeated for the aggiornamento of the Capuchins:
"One day, some confreres were discussing with the Father Definiteur General [The counselor or adviser to the general or provincial of a religious order—Ed.] the problems in the Order, when Padre Pio, taking a shocked attitude, cried out, with a distant look in his eye: 'What in the world are you up to in Rome? What are you scheming? You even want to change the Rule of St. Francis!' The Definiteur replied: 'Padre, changes are being proposed because the youth don't want to have anything to do with the tonsure, the habit, bare feet....'
'Chase them out! Chase them out! What can you be saying? Is it they who are doing St. Francis a favor by taking the habit and following his way of life, or rather, isn't it St. Francis who is offering them a great gift?'"
If we consider that Padre Pio was a veritable alter Christus, that his entire person, body and soul, was as perfectly conformed as possible to that of Jesus Christ, his stark refusal to accept the Novus Ordo and the aggiornamento should be for us a lesson to learn. It is also noteworthy that the good Lord desired to recall His faithful servant just before they were implacably imposed on the Church and the Capuchin Order. Noteworthy, too, is the fact that Katarina Tangari, one of Padre Pio's most privileged spiritual daughters, so admirably supported the [SSPX] priests of Econe until her death, one year after the episcopal consecrations of 1988. [as was Don Francesco Putti, founder of the Disciples of the Cenacle and the international publication, SiSiNoNo].
Final lesson: Fatima
Padre Pio was even less obliging towards the prevailing social and political order, or rather, disorder (in 1966): "the confusion of ideas and the reign of thieves." He prophesied that the Communists would come to power, "by surprise, without firing a shot... It will happen overnight."
This should not surprise us, since the requests of Our Lady of Fatima have not been listened to. He even told Bishop Piccinelli, that the red flag will fly over the Vatican, "but that will pass." Here again, his conclusion rejoins that of the Queen of Prophets: "But in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph." The means by which this prophesy will come to pass, we know: by the divine power; but it must be prompted by the two great powers in man's hands: prayer and penance. This is the lesson which our Lady wanted to remind us of at the beginning of this century: God wants to save the world by devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and there is no problem, material or spiritual, national or international, that cannot be solved by the holy rosary and our sacrifices.
This is also the last lesson that Padre Pio wanted to leave us by his example, and especially by his "prayer groups," which he established throughout the world. "He was never without a rosary, there was even one under his pillow. During the day he recited several dozens of rosaries." A few hours before he died, as those around him urged him to speak a few more words, all he could say was: "Love the Blessed Virgin and make her loved. Always say the rosary!"
The imminent elevation of Venerable Padre Pio is certainly going to arouse in many souls both curiosity and admiration. We could take advantage of the opportunity to remind them of these few lessons, if indeed we know how to put them into practice ourselves, in the merciful love of the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Translation by Angelus Press of an article that appeared in the Letter to the Friends of St. Francis, publication of the Capuchin Fathers of St. Francis Monastery, Morgon, France, a traditional community which supports the work of Archbishop Lefebvre.


Group fun with a keepsake for the album.
Capture real moments with your friends, family, and party-goers having fun together with a photo booth at your event. People enjoy being silly and sharing those memories... just check out our Facebook page or Flickr and see for yourself! Give you and your guests an experience to remember - contact us to learn more and reserve your photo booth.
People enjoy being silly and sharing those memories... just check out our Facebook page or Flickr and see for yourself!
Give you and your guests an experience to remember - contact us to learn more and reserve your photo booth.


Hi there everyone! Erum here with a new card. Today, I will use the A Cup of Thanks Stamp Set and alter it a bit to use it differently.
If you hopped along with us during the release, you must have seen THIS card of mine where I used the same stamp set differently by stamping the image again and selecting just the florals from the second image to add to my card.
This time too, I stamped the image twice. Next, I coloured just the flowers with Prismacolor pencils. After I was done colouring, I fussy cut the flowers out only and layered the two pieces in a way to build a floral bouquet.
I wanted all the focus on the flowers so I kept my card base very simple by adding fine black paint splatters and stamping the sentiment "Thanks".
I adhered the flowers onto the card base with foam tape and in the end, I added a few, very gorgeous, Midnight Blue Crystals with the help of my new best friend the Studio Katia Glue and the Jewel Picker Tool. This glue dries clear (and fast) AND it's NOT glossy! This is why it's my new best friend!
If I had not mentioned which stamp set this was from, you would've not guessed it at first glance. You have already seen two very different cards with this stamp set from me and the design team has made quite a few samples as well. A Cup of Thanks is quite a versatile stamp set! You need to add this to your collection STAT!
See you all soon lovelies! Thank you for stopping by.
So beautiful ! Loved the color combo!
Beautiful card by stretching stamps!!
Creative use of the stamp. Thanks for showing it can be versatile. The card is gorgeous.
Thank you for showing Erum, I did see in the blog hop that you did this also. I love that you show how we can use the stamps in an other way then they are. The card is beautiful and I love the colours you have used.
Gorgeous card. Thank you for sharing that advice with us all, very much appreciated & needed.


text:
namespace EasyNetQ.Topology
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents an AMQP queue
    /// </summary>
    public interface IQueue : IBindable
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// The name of the queue
        /// </summary>
        string Name { get; }

        /// <summary>
        /// Is this queue transient?
        /// </summary>
        bool IsExclusive { get; }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Size Matters Myth Disproved by Latest Flashlight Release
NIGHTSTICK® Introduction of Mini-TAC MT-100 Series Flashlights
Wylie, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/06/2014 --Today's announcement of MT-100 Series flashlights from NIGHTSTICK®, a leading innovator in professional lighting solutions, proves a flashlight doesn't have to be large and heavy to deliver superior results. The NIGHTSTICK Mini-TAC MT-100 Series is a product line of four flashlights measuring no longer than 5.6" in total body length. Each model features a CREE® LED and a deep parabolic reflector to create a tight, long throw beam for unbelievable distance illumination.
The individual specifics of each product in the line are as follows:
- MT-100: At a length of 5.4 in (137 mm) and a weight of only 0.8 oz (23 g), the MT-100 is powered by 2 AAA batteries. Rated at 100 lumens, the light produces a beam distance of 44 meters.
- MT-110: At a length of 3.9 in (99 mm) and a weight of only 1.5 oz (43 g), the MT-110 is powered by 1 AA battery. Rated at 90 lumens, the light produces a beam distance of 48 meters.
- MT-120: At a length of 5.6 in (142 mm) and a weight of only 2.3 oz (65 g), the MT-120 is powered by 2 AA batteries. Rated at 140 lumens, the light produces a beam distance of 68 meters.
- MT-130: This gooseneck, hands-free with magnet version has a total length of 15.6 in (396 mm) (5.6 in for the body) and a weight of only 5.2 oz (147 g), and is powered by 2 AA batteries. Rated at 140 lumens, its light produces a beam distance of 68 meters.
Despite its size, the NIGHTSTICK MT-100 Series of flashlights offers a high level of functionality, providing both constant-on, momentary-on, and off settings with the press of the tail switch. Made from aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum with Type II hard anodized finish, these discrete lights are virtually indestructible. Not only are they impact tested at a drop distance of 2 meters, but they are also chemical and water resistant.
"What users will appreciate most about the Mini-TAC MT-100 Series is the amount of concentrated light they receive for the size of the light itself," says Russell Hoppe, Marketing Manager for Bayco Products, Inc. "The four Mini-TAC MT-100 products deliver a tight, long throw beam one might expect from a much larger flashlight, yet it discreetly fits in any size pocket. It's one of those products that makes you want multiples, and the best part is...we priced it where you actually can afford to get them!"
All four NIGHTSTICK MT-100 Series flashlights include batteries and are backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. The MT-100, MT-110, and MT-120 models each come with a removable sturdy metal pocket clip. The MT-130 Gooseneck model comes with a removable clip-on magnet for hands-free use. The MT-110, MT-120, and MT-130 also include a removable wrist lanyard.
To find a retailer near you, visit: http://www.baycoproducts.com/where-to-buy
About NIGHTSTICK®
Designed and manufactured by Bayco Products, Inc., NIGHTSTICK is a global brand of professional lighting products, including flashlights, headlamps and Intrinsically Safe lighting solutions that continue to exceed industry standards in performance, quality, user-safety, and value. NIGHTSTICK's vast line-up of LED lighting products deliver optimal performance with real-world applications in mind. With an unwavering commitment to product quality and exceptional Customer Service, NIGHTSTICK is the professional's only choice. Life Depends On LightTM.
About Bayco Products, Inc.
For 30 years, Bayco Products' vast array of portable and corded lighting products, have been the preferred choice of professionals and discriminating consumers. In its 110,000 square foot facility, located in the Dallas, TX area, Bayco's dedicated engineering team continually seeks out innovative new product solutions that provide exceptional day-to-day utility and help maximize user safety. The NIGHTSTICK and BAYCO brands are established and recognized world-wide as high-performance, high-quality, high-value lighting solutions across virtually every industry.
Find us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube.
Russell Hoppe
Bayco Products, Inc
Email | Web | Profile
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Source: Nightstick
Posted Tuesday, May 06, 2014 at 10:41 AM CDT - Permalink
For information regarding the content of this press release please contact the media relations contact listed above directly.


text:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas | Review
Posted August 7, 2017 by Cristina (Girl in the Pages) in Reviews / 9 Comments
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Also by this author: On the Come Up
Published by Balzer + Bray on January 1st 1970
Format: E-Book •Source: Overdrive
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
I'll be totally honest with you. I think I put off reading The Hate U Give for quite a while because I was intimidated by all of the hype. Diversity is such an important and such a needed topic in YA right now, and I wanted to go into The Hate U Give when I 1) Had enough time to devote to reading it in as few sitting as possible and 2) When the hype had died down and I could really focus on it. This course of action proved fruitful because I finished The Hate U Give in less than one weekend (a rare occurrence for me) as I could not put it down. I spent most of Friday and Saturday night curled up on the couch with one of the most important narratives I've read in YA.
Angie Thomas' debut novel focuses on a lot of topics that are not only relevant, but burning issues in today's United States and current change in administration. Racism. Classism. Police Violence. Rioting. Death. There's so much that's packed into one contemporary novel, yet it never felt heavy handed- it still managed to be a YA book about family, friendship, relationships and self discovery amid all of the chaos of the plot as well. Starr, the novel's protagonist, has her story begin with a horrifying situation that happens all too often recently: her and her friend are stopped by a police officer under the guise of a traffic stop, and the police officer shoots and kills her friend. What ensues is a landslide of violence and anger, growth and resilience. Starr grapples with her friend's death and what her role as a witness can do to help shed light on the situation and other similar situations. She deals with making very real decisions about what is best for her and her family's own safety vs. what could help more people in the long run. There's an enormous amount of weight to the situations and decisions made in this novel, yet Thomas crafts it in a way that doesn't pass judgement on Starr and her family, no matter the route that they take.
However, what I found most striking and compelling about The Hate U Give is that it didn't divide the world into right and wrong- most topics were written in shades of grey. For instance, there is constantly the anxiety surrounding police violence and police brutality, as Starr's childhood friend is murdered before her very eyes over a perceived threat that wasn't there. Yet Starr's uncle is a police officer who has had a successful career and lives an upscale lifestyle that often provides comfort and safety to Starr and her siblings when her own neighborhood cannot. Showing the dichotomy of these complex issues and how one stance is not completely right or wrong and how Starr grapples with these issues was such an important part of the novel. Her growth and the growth of the entire cast of characters, who felt like a fully fleshed out community, was absolutely phenomenal.
At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.- The Hate U Give, Kindle Edition, 62%
Overall: The Hate U Give is an incredible novel that takes so many issues and explores them while still focusing on strong relationships, dispensing wonderful wisdom, and making one feel as if there's still hope as long as people are willing to fight against injustice. I hope that this is the first of many novels by Angie Thomas, who has proven with one book to be one of the most important YA writers on today's shelves.
The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu- Review
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge- Review
Blanca Y Roja by Anna- Marie McLemore | Review
The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia | Review
The Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett- Mini Review
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas | ARC Review
Book Buddies: The Young Wives Club
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater | Review
The Beautiful by Reneé Ahdieh | Review
The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle | ARC Review
Just One Year by Gayle Forman- Review
Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot | ARC Review
My Favorite Half-Night Stand | Christina Lauren Does It Again
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton | ARC Review
A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti | ARC Review
Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton | In Which I Trust NO ONE
9 responses to "The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas | Review"
You're so right about how it deals with the various topics it tackles–and it sure does tackle a lot! It doesn't get preachy and I think it accurately reflects how these issues are in real life. It never felt biased because Star isn't entirely sure herself.
Definitely! It really explored so many sides to all of the issues presented and even showed how Starr's mind can change and waver on things.
So so glad you enjoyed it!! I was SO pleased that it was worth and lived up to all the hype. 😀 And I like how it actually had funny/sweet moments, but still dealt with such heavy topics that nearly had me crying several times. Like, wooow, Angie Thomas is a phenomenal writer.🎉
She's incredible! I couldn't believe this was her debut novel! I honestly was in a bit of a slump after finishing this one because it was hard to top!
Anisha @ Sprinkled Pages
I can totally see why you'd be hesitant to read it but I'm so glad you did! It is one of my favourite books of 2017 and such an important and moving read! And I loved, as you said, it wasn't divided and she discussed topics so respectfully! Thank you so much for sharing Cristina <3 <3
Hi Anisha! Thank you for the lovely comment! I am so glad I read it too and cannot wait to see if the author writes more- I also can't wait to see the movie adaptation, I think it's going to be even more powerful!
Laura @BlueEyeBooks
I really hope that I'll be able to read this soon! It covers such a relevant topic and I'm so glad to hear that you thought it didn't divide the issue, it simply spread it out for all to see. Lovely review, Cristina!
Thank you, Laura! This book has definitely been SUPER hyped but I think it's so well deserving of all of it. It opened my eyes to a lot and I really respect the author's ability to address multiple sides of the many hot topic issues in the novel. I can't wait to see the movie adaptation!
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas | ARC Review – Girl in the Pages
[…] the Come Up by Angie Thomas Also by this author: The Hate U Give Published by Balzer + Bray on February 5, 2019 Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Pages: 447 […]


text:
Q: Formula to update a number field on the same day of every month I need to add a certain number of minutes to a number field on the same day every month, i.e., on the 14th day of every month.  The 14th Day is being pulled from the closedate field on the Opportunity Object.  So, I need to add 120 to custom field Minutes_Available__c (Opportunity Object) on the 14th day of every month, as pulled from the closedate
I'm a Salesforce novice and I'm having trouble.

A: You have to create a scheduled batch class like the below code and schedule it to run everyday.
    global class BatchUpdateMinutes implements Database.Batchable<sObject>, Schedulable{

    global Database.Querylocator start(Database.BatchableContext BC ){
        //gets all opportunity with CloseDate as 14th.
        //Also change this criteria as per your needs
        return Database.getQueryLocator([SELECT Id FROM Opportunity Where DAY_IN_MONTH(CloseDate) = 14]);
    }

    global void execute(Database.BatchableContext BC, List<Opportunity> oppList )
    {
       //loop through opp list and update fields as per your needs
    }

    global void finish(Database.BatchableContext BC){

    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Editor and cartoonist living in California.
15 years ago a dance craze swept through my hometown, and me with it.
Getting through the long winter night.
The early bird dispossesses himself.
A hot night in East Hollywood.
How to drink in the desert.


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Connected TVs, cord cutting, Digital Media Receivers, market research, movie servers, Netflix, News, OTT services, smart TV
Survey Finds Interest Awaiting Disney+ Service
Get ready to start shelling out for another monthly subscription video service.
Disney's forthcoming new subscription streaming service, Disney+, generated strong interest from surveyed potential customers, providing the price is right, according newly released research conducted by The Diffusion Group.
TDG's eighth annual "Video Behavior in the Age of Quantum Video," survey of U.S. connected consumers, found the direct-to-consumer (DTC) subscription over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, received strong interest among surveyed adult broadband users when asked their likelihood to sign up for "a Netflix-like service from Disney."
Disney has been stockpiling rights to a large library of movies and television programs that will be available exclusively on the new service. It has also started pulling the rights to its own content from soon-to-be Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) competitors like Netflix in order to lock up exclusive access.
When it launches, Disney+ will have the largest collection of Disney TV shows for children.
Disney owns or controls the rights to a diverse range of libraries from such entities as Disney, National Geographic, Pixar, and Marvel (including Star Wars movies). It is also expected to add the rights to various 20th Century Fox properities through its recent acquisition of that studio.
Disney+ is also expected to have an assortment of original shows and movies.
The Diffusion Group study said survey respondents "were randomly assigned one of three price points for the service, either $5.99, $7.99, or $9.99 per month. On average, 43% of adult broadband users are to various degrees likely to sign up, 27% moderately or highly likely to subscribe."
"Based on our research, Disney+ will enjoy strong early demand," stated Michael Greeson, TDG President, in a announcement of the research. "The amount of high-quality content being packed into the offering will make it not only appealing, but very sticky."
TDG called Disney+ "a major test for the direct-to-consumer model, as it differs from both subscription aggregators like Netflix and streaming 'channels' like HBO Now."
"This is a major studio pooling what is arguably the largest library of high-value content on the planet to populate a single-branded subscription service," said Greeson.
Notably, to further fortify the service, Disney is pulling select content from third-party SVOD providers like Netflix, suggesting a tribalism of sorts, with big-name studios reserving their best content for their own DTC services. As such, Disney+ will be under a microscope; a running case study of what DTC can be, and a real-time measure of what impact, if any, such tribalism may have on the value chain.
While Disney+ appeals to a wide range of consumers, interest varies within several key segments. For example:
Among the findings, the study revealed:
Legacy pay-TV subscribers are more strongly interested in Disney+ than both cord-nevers and cord-cutters;
Hulu subscribers are more likely to sign up than are Prime Video and Netflix subscribers;
Those under the age of 35 are twice as likely as their older counterparts to be strongly interested in Disney+, as are those with children under 18 living in the home.
Tags #consumer survey #direct-to-consumer video streaming #Disney #over-the-top #The Diffusion Group
2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Blu-ray Players, Front Projection, front projectors, ...
Value Electronics To Give Advanced 4K Projector Demo
LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, smart TV, Vizio
Vizio, Media Interests `Address' Ad Standard


Fleeting Parts by Milena Naef at Studio Oliver Gustav, Copenhagen.
Institute of Advanced Study of the University of Amsterdam by HOH Architecten.
Secret Garden: An Outdoor Design Exhibition by Scholten & Baijings.


text:
The Wall Street JournalOpinion
Watch: Eric Schmidt & Paul Gigot on AIThe Real Cost of Biden SpendingManchin's Inflation VindicationA Tax the Rich DebateRefunding the San Francisco Police
Wsj.com/opinion
Jan. 10, 2008 11:59 pm ET
Everyone knows that Joseph Schumpeter's "creative destruction" is roiling the newspaper world, and today we'd like to announce something on the creative side. We're rolling out a new destination for the Journal editorial page offering free access to all of our editorials and op-eds, video interviews and commentary. It's as close as we'll get to conceding there is such a thing as a free lunch.
Since 2000, we've operated in a dual world on the Web. The majority of our daily editorial offerings have remained behind a paid subscription wall at wsj.com/opinion, while our free site, OpinionJournal.com, offered select stories plus a few Web-only features. As of today, those two sites will merge and become a single free site for all Journal opinion, both in the U.S. and overseas editions, book reviews and leisure and arts.


text:
More Parochial Roads to be Repaired
Cabinet has awarded three contracts valued at $47.9 million for the rehabilitation of eight parochial roads in the parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland through the Parish Infrastructure Development Programme (PIDP).
Minister of Information, Burchell Whiteman, made the announcement at Monday's (Nov. 3) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
The eight roads to be rehabilitated are Pell River Road and Wharf Road in Hanover; Carawina Road, Strathbogie Road, Truro Road, Chateau Road, Mint Road and Old Hope Road in Westmoreland.
The scope of work to be done on the roads are the realignment and reshaping of the carriageway, including initial clean up and desilting of the road reservation, provision of base course and double surface dressing as well as asphalted concrete paving in selected locations, contraction of new side drains, culverts, catch basins and retaining walls and the provision of streetlights.
Meanwhile, contracts were also awarded for the rehabilitation of 17 parochial roads and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) roads in the parish of Clarendon.
The roads to be rehabilitated include, Palmyra to Mears, Windsor Road, Santa Hill to Bullock, Piece River, Collington Road, Chocolate Road, Orange Road, Wiltshire Park Road, Pennant Wood, Coxwan Road, Dank Land Settlement, Scotts Pass Road, Breeze Hill to Kraal Pass, Rhymesbury Settlement, Longwood, Rymesbury to Ebony Park and Rose Hall to Sandy Bay. The contracts are being awarded under the European Union/Stabex Programme (EUS) at a cost of over $88 million.


50% Say Financial Industry Bailouts Were Bad for U.S.
Fifty percent (50%) of Likely U.S. Voters still believe the government bailouts of the financial industry were bad for the country, but voters are now almost evenly divided on the effectiveness of the auto company bailouts.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 11-12, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.