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Frank Bello – Anthrax 'Becoming Charvel's Signature Bassman'
Posted on December 6, 2022 by duanejames
Timezones are a thing. While I'm having my morning coffee at my work, Skin Fantasy Tattoo in sunny Bathurst NSW, on the other side of the world in New York City, sits one of the icons of Thrash Metal. Frank Bello is camped out in his basement on a particularly chilly NY afternoon surrounded by Wolfman action figures, KISS posters and vinyl copies of his latest EP Then I'm Gone. Lucky for this middle-aged fanboy, he's up for a chat on the million things he's got going on right now. Begin the fanboying.
Frank Bello has that frontman energy. While other bass players are often chained to the back of the stage, tapping their foot and occasionally reminding the drummer when to count in, Bello is known to throw himself around on stage and sing along to every word with his band, the thrash titans Anthrax. So it's hardly surprising, given the energy he puts into his live performance, that Charvel decided that Frank would be the musician to release their first signature bass model, the CHARVEL FRANK BELLO SIGNATURE PRO-MOD SO-CAL BASS PJ IV. That energy and stage presence shouldn't come as a surprise, given the list of bassists who have influenced him from day one.
"Well my early influences, Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), Geddy Lee (Rush), Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) those for the main part. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy), Gene Simmons (KISS), there's so many. A great list of people I still look up to quite honestly. Even Phil Lynott… I mean, I have to say this and I'll go I'll go the shameless plug version of this…"
Frank trails off as he reaches down and I already know what he's going to show me. I was going to ask him later in the interview about this, but there's no masking his excitement.
"Here's the bass we're talking about. It's a beautiful bass I have to say because, look, I'm a fan of bass."
Bass. He holds up his new sig bass and it is stunning. A big 4 string beast with a solid black finish, but it's the mirrored pick guard he alludes to, a tribute to his hero.
"So the first thing when I started to think about this, is a complete tribute to Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. Listen to a Thin Lizzy song and listen to the beauty that Phil Lynott plays in his bass, in his songwriting and in his voice and I promise you it will take you to a different place. Rest his soul. He's been that guy forever for me. Now you can see the mirror pickguard. That's a Phil Lynott special right there. It's completely a tribute to Phil. I tip my hat with love. I wish he was alive so I could give him one."
"I've had this bass in my head for about eight years. Charvel gave me everything I wanted. Everything I asked to have in this bass, they put in there man. We have the big Fender Precision headstock, the big open tuning pegs. I love that we have the maple neck because it has a bit of a high end vibe to it. Then we have the poplar wood, which is really important for the body. So there's a nice little combination, a nice little blend. There's a great sustain with this bass."
"We have my Frank Bello signature EMG pickups, which I'm very proud of. EMG and myself; we went through a long process of experimenting, and we got it right. So this bass sounds like me. This is clarity. It's punch. We have the high mass bridge and the great thing about this bridge, we don't go out of tune. I've been testing this bass. I mean, honestly dude, I've been kicking the shit out of this bass. I've done two tours. I gave it a run. I really wanted to make sure it's a good product, before I put my name on it. It's a great durable bass that sounds incredible and stays in tune."
Anyone that has seen Frank play live with Anthrax knows that he isn't particularly kind to himself or the instruments he carries. But a career of 40-odd years starts somewhere. What was the first bass guitar growing up?
"My first bass guitar was a Fender 72 Jazz Bass, and funny enough, I still have this bass. My grandmother, rest her soul, when she was cleaning out a closet she calls me up and says "Frank, I found this guitar here". I'm like, what kind of guitar? and she goes, "Oh, it's beige. It says Fender…" and it's like "Don't throw it away. I'm coming down there, picking it up right now". I got right down to the Bronx. I picked up. It was like seeing an old lost friend that I thought was gone forever. It was so beautiful and I still have it. Dude, I haven't changed the strings on that thing. There's a knob broken off. It's part of my youth. The exploration of bass and how I started, it means so much to me. It plays great because it's a Fender 72 Jazz. It's awesome. But it means so much more to me. That's why I kind of I don't want to change the strings. Those are the strings I kind of grew up on and it means a lot to me."
A lot of musicians I get to talk to, no longer have their first instrument and it guts them.
"You know, it's funny because you when you think it's gone, you kind of put it out of your head. Then to know I can actually pick it up whenever I want, just go right back to that place and learn my Iron Maiden, Rush songs, whatever I was learning at the time. It brings me right back. It's like a little taste of home. It's a beautiful thing."
So when did he first get his hands on a Charvel?
"Charvel all through the years, they never really did the bass thing, right? My first touring bass with Anthrax, I got in the band at 17 years old, I had a black Jackson Explorer bass. So back then you didn't see a lot of the Charvel guitars. But on 48th Street in Manhattan, there was the music store block. They had all these wonderful music stores, like a kid in a candy store. You look through the mirror their window is. So they had all these great guitars, Charvel, Fender, Jackson."
So now Frank Bello has the dubious honour of being the first artist to ever have his own signature Charvel bass guitar.
"To be the first signature bass artist for Charvel, I'm so proud of it. Years back, I had a couple of Fender signature models that were great. But Charvel, It's a great family to be back with. It's great to go back to see so my old friends. They were very open to everything that I wanted to do. So my friend Mike Tempesta is in charge of Jackson. He brought me in with Charvel. I grew up with him in high school. So he's my guy at Charvel. When we were putting this bass together, if I didn't remember something that I wanted, he would insert it. He goes, what about this (pointing to the mirror pick guard) because he's also a diehard Thin Lizzy fan. So to have Mikey Tempesta there having my back, it's pretty great. We've worked hard on this bass, I'm a player first and player to player I say check this out. I guarantee you're gonna dig it."
The bass isn't his only new release. Frank has gone and released a new 3 track EP Then I'm Gone. Was his new bass used in the making of his new solo material?
"On this on this? No, I didn't have it yet. This thing has been on the new Anthrax demos, and I'm not even supposed to talk about that right now. But all the demos we've done, from my stuff at home, has incredible clarity."
What seems to be the driving point for all musicians when it comes to these signature models, is that it has to be able to survive a life on the road, as well as great in the studio.
"This bass is my companion, I bring it everywhere. It's a comfort level, especially when I'm doing demos. I just flew out to LA writing some Anthrax songs with the guys and it's just right there, man. I don't want to have to think. The whole thing is play. I just want to play. I know where I'm at with this bass. It's a really good place to be in right now."
Not to digress too far, but I was talking about the new EP…
"OH YOU MEAN THIS DUANE!!!" As he reaches around and picks up one of the many vinyl copies he has on display behind him. "You just happen to be talking about the new Frank Bello EP available on all streaming outlets and at rarebirdlit.com. I'm so used to doing this now because I've been promoting it."
The guy is genuinely hilarious and not shy about spruiking whatever he has to promote at any given opportunity, but Frank starts to reflect on the process of developing the EP and becomes serious for a moment.
"I finished my book with my co-writer Joel (McIver) and the things I brought up in the book were very emotional. Aside from being a lot of great rock and roll stories, it caused a lot of angst and me, it left a lot of reaction. I couldn't get rid of this gut feeling like something wasn't finished and when I'm in a bad way like that, the best way to get out of it for me, and depression and anger and all that shit is to pick up a guitar. It's always been my outlet. Music has always been my outlet. So when I'm in a bad way, I'll just pick up a guitar and whatever comes out comes out. I'm telling you, man, that's where the songs came from, because it just felt like I had something to say and I had to get this out. I thought I left it all with therapy man after my brother's death, [and] abandonment issues when my dad took off when I was young. I thought I squashed it and I thought I had it compartmentalised in somewhere else and man, when I finished the book, that shit came full front and centre, man."
"Then the guitar came into play. I just started playing and the songs came out so they're very, for me, they're all from the gut. Just this song, 'See Me Now' it's about, I brush myself off, and I went on to another day. Pretty much all three songs are about feeling good about yourself, brushing yourself off if you get knocked down 1000 times. Everybody can relate to that. It's like, Fuck this. I'm moving on with my life and I'm gonna be better for it. It's a lot of angst. It's a heavy Rock EP, that's what's going on. So I hope everybody gives it a chance."
Well I'd been giving it a flogging over the last couple of days and thought if I hit the road with this music playing, I'm gunna drive accordingly and get done speeding.
"I'm getting a lot of great messages about that. People want to drive with the songs and I love that, because that's what I do. I just drive man, I just crank it. I go out. So I love I could be included with that, man. So thank you. That's a that's the ultimate compliment for me.
"I know it's different. The bass player from Anthrax is singing in front of a microphone with a guitar. But the thing that people don't know is I started guitar before I was ever touching a bass. So that's what I've always done. A few years back, David Ellefson from Megadeth and myself had this side project called Altitudes and Attitude and I did the frontman stuff there. The bottom line is, as a musician, as a writer, I have to get this stuff out."
Going back though, Frank mentioned the book Father, Brothers and Sons that he wrote with celebrated music writer and author Joel McIver. Despite McIver's long list of bestselling books, it's the Foreword written by KISS icon Gene Simmons that has Frank truly excited.
"Yeah, that's a big deal for me. We were coming up with names for the foreword. Joel comes up with the name, Gene Simmons, because obviously he's a big influence. If you read my book, you know, he's a big deal to me. Joel gave him a call and he was happy to do it. I actually couldn't believe it.
"When Joel sent me the foreword that Gene wrote, it was so beautifully written and spoken. I've never heard Gene speak like [that]. I've known Gene a long time. I've never heard him speak about his dad. His mom I met, God rest her soul. But I never heard him talk about family that way, which is a really beautiful thing. He gave me some great compliments in the foreword, which I didn't even know he knew about my bass playing. You have to understand from a die hard KISS fan, having your hero say he likes my bass playing, I get chills when I talk about it. It was a big deal to me."
As well it should be, being honoured in such a fashion by one of the hugest rock stars of all time. Now the last time we saw Anthrax in Australia was back in 2019 for the Download Festival and I'm wondering when we'll see the lads again?
"As you know, we love it there. There's been a few conversations about when after COVID and all that stuff. We're ready. We want to bring this show we have. It's like a best of. It's great big staging. It's a really great big production thing going on with a lot of great songs from our past and current. So I want to bring it everywhere. It's a crazy time right now in the world. That's the problem with COVID. Promoters are afraid because if somebody goes down, and it's another scare and all that stuff. So look, I'm ready today to go. We have a great fan base there. We're ready, but believe we will, we will not forget about you."
That's all understandable, and I think we're fortunate that so many artists are flooding our shores this summer, especially with the considerable recent rise in the cost of touring at the moment.
"It happens. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our European tour. Of course, we didn't want to do that. But the budget became like triple the budget [of] what we originally planned. So this doesn't work for anybody because you literally can't afford to go over when the bus is triple the price, the gas and food, all that stuff, hotels, everything's triple the price. There's no money to do that. You know, it just doesn't work that way. But we'll make up for it. When things get better, you know we'll be back."
Well Anthrax is just about to embark on a tour with Black Label Society and Exodus, which is a huge line up in itself. But what are the chances of eventually bringing that lineup down under, getting Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante to pull double duty and bringing Pantera with them?
"I'm excited to see that. It's gonna be a lot of fun. They're great. It's gonna be fun. I'm friends with Phil and Rex too. So it's gonna be a great tribute to Dime and Vinnie. I think it's a wonderful thing."
I think that's important, that it's the hugest tribute to The Abbott brothers, conducted by former bandmates and also their closest friends. I remember throughout Anthrax's John Bush era that Dimebag would often pop up in the credits as having played on a few songs on each album.
"Dimebag was the sixth member with Anthrax. I mean, we were very, very close to him as you know. Some of the finest times I've had in my life was being on tour with Pantera and also some of the scarier, because my liver was not keeping up. But some of the best times of my life is laughing and having a great time with Dimebag and Vinnie and the Pantera guys. I'm really happy in my life that I got a chance to become close with them and be able to go on the road with him and watch those amazing shows every night. I was on the side of stage every night. So it was wonderful."
There are still legions of fans that were too young to see Pantera, some of who weren't even born when Pantera were around. Like the 19-year-old bloke I tattooed the cover of Pantera's Great Southern Trendkill on a couple of weeks back.
"Wow. That's why I think it's great. People like him, will get a chance to see it now. There's a new generation that has never seen Pantera, right. So why not see these songs live, being played by some great players? I mean, Charlie, I grew up with Charlie. So I know how great of a drummer he is. And Zakk is an incredible guitar player. They got the two right guys to play the songs with them. I think they're going to nail it. I think that's going to be awesome."
But at the moment, Australia is just going to have to wait, and that's fine. We're more than used to it. It's the price of living in this great nation, miles away from the rest of the world. But while we wait, we can suss out Franks's new EP Then I'm Gone, his new book Father, Brothers and Sons and his incredible new signature bass guitar, the CHARVEL FRANK BELLO SIGNATURE PRO-MOD SO-CAL BASS PJ IV.
Interview by Duane James @duanejames666
Take a closer look at the FRANK BELLO SIGNATURE PRO-MOD SO-CAL BASS PJ IV right here
Poplar Body
Bolt-on Maple Neck with Graphite Reinforcement
12″-16″ Compound Radius Maple Fingerboard with Rolled Edges and 22 Jumbo Frets
Black Block Inlays
Graph Tech TUSQ XL Nut
EMG Frank Bello Signature P/J Pickup Set
Dual Volume Knobs
Charvel HiMass Bridge
Open Gear Tuners
Mirror Pickguard
Heel-Mount Truss Rod Adjustment Wheel
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About duanejames (57 Articles)
Wall of Sound's resident Heavy Metal Bogan. Father. Husband. Professional Tattooer. Untrained Artist. Part time writer. Full time fanboy.


The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) is a scientific organization devoted to improving the lives of those living with epilepsy by promoting research, education, and training. They have recently developed a new way of classifying seizures to help us better diagnose and treat epilepsy. The new system has new terms for seizures that didn't fit in the old classification.


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This museum is an utterly impressive collection of arms, arms and more arms - dating from the 15th to the 17th century with a core of late Medieval and Renaissance armour. For housing a collection that could be easily boring after the first few thousands of arms, the museum does a very good job in teaching visitors about technical innovations in warfare and how they influenced the design of arms. The seed for the collection came from Duke Ernst, who ruled Austria around 1400.
Another focus lies on weapons from the time of the legendary Emperor Maximilian I, which includes representative armour that was good for checking out the girls, but not suitable for combat. The "Rathausmann", Vienna′s odd mascot on the top of the Town Hall, was inspired by Maximilian′s costume armour. Another big collector in the Habsburg family was Ferdinand II of Tyrol. For his arms collection in Schloss Ambras near Innsbruck, he gathered a vast array of exquisitely crafted shields, helmets and weapons - including the "Adlergarnitur" (Eagle Armour) for himself.
Thanks to Viennese centralism, the collection was removed from its original site in Tyrol and incorporated into the Hofjagd- and Rüstkammer. Other items include Oriental loot from the Turkish wars and a famous "rose petal garniture" show armour made for Emperor Maximilian II and his two sons in the 16th century. You don′t have to like historical arms to enjoy this collection - there are museums a lot less impressive in the Hofburg, so I recommend keeping this one in mind at least as a rainy-day-option.
Similar to the arms collection, a fair share of the Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments was accumulated by Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, one of the great collector of the Renaissance. Many of the most bizarre oddities in this museum are not suitable for actually playing them.
There is a set of 16th century shawms that are shaped like dragons, an elaborately decorated clavicytherium and a violin that was made from the shells of a tortoise and owned by Empress Maria Theresia. Somewhere between a gallery dedicated to Joseph Haydn and his days, the glass harmonica invented by Benjamin Franklin or the crystal flute every visitor will realise two things: The whole music thing in Austria is not just made up for the tourists, but deeply rooted in the local culture; and that this museum is one of the most neglected and most charming museums in Europe.
I will not go through the many other interesting items on display, but leave it will you to explore it yourself. Only that much: Even somebody totally failing to use any musical instrument at all (like me) just has to enjoy a visit to the Sammlung.


Full Moon Dreaming: some people love it, other people hate it. This blog gives you three facts about full moon dreaming you did not know before.
whose hull is defeated and sad?
who loafs in the sky, shedding poems like tears!
The moon and dreams are old romantic companions. In "A Branch from the Lightning Tree" Martin Shaw tells the story of how the Moon-man wants to capture a deer-woman and take her with him in the sky. Shaw explains: "In European myth we normally associate the Sun with the masculine -rationality, activity, thrust and vigor- with the Moon connected to intuition, stillness, receptivity and mystery.
The first way the Moon influences dreams is as an initiation deity. The Moon is a witness of the darkness and it disappears each month to be born again.
I think we love the moon so much because there are times in our lives when the world is a hostile place. In that night of dark loneliness, looking at the full moon fills your soul with joy.
You know you are going to blossom again during the full moon. Remember when Inanna had to strip down to her bare essence before she was rescued? The full moon is a promise.
Every initiation is painful. It is like a death. The full moon promises the new light of another phase of life.
If you look back at your life, you can clearly see how you have been initiated, often without realising it. Initiation rituals have disappeared in our current society. But there is an initiation into manhood, womanhood, into love, parenthood, an initiation into old age.
And the moon witnesses them all.
The light of the full moon interferes with your body clock. In the Hypothalamus, is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN regulates your body clock. It does so by the neurotransmitter melatonin and the nonvisual ocular photoreceptor melanopsin found in the neurons of vertebrate inner retina.
In ordinary language: light regulates your inner body clock!
In the pineal gland serotonin is converted into melatonin when the light diminishes.
In ordinary language: talking a walk in the dark can enhance your melatonin level. That promotes sleep.
A research done in 2013 by Dr Silvia Frey, of the University of Basel in Switzerland showed that "persons selected to be tested on average slept for 20 minutes less when compared with the rest of the month, and their sleep was poorer. The researchers also found that, at the moon's zenith, volunteers had a lower level of melatonin, the hormone which regulates sleep cycles.
Scientists believe it may work in conjunction with the light-regulated circadian clock, which regulates body functions. Evidence of the phenomenon has been found in marine midges and iguanas in the Galapagos islands. It has long been thought that the full moon has an effect on humans, from influencing fertility to our mental state. In fact, the term lunatic derives from luna, the Latin word for moon.
Psychologist Richard Wiseman has found out in a research of 1000 persons that people have weird dreams during full moon.
'Sacred Defoliation' that you have at the beginning. I have searched all over the internet for this specific translation, which I absolutely love! But cannot find. Other translations of it seem dry compared to this one. Could you please let me know who this translator is? Or perhaps I have the name of the poem wrong..? Thank you very much.
Hi Liane, I found this poem in Martin Shaw's book, A brannch of the Lightning Tree.
This is lovely Susanne thank you … the moon, now waning, is still visble, peeking in and out from the night clouds ..


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Stephanie Messel
September 5, 2017 by Macomb Community College
Alumna pays it forward with teaching career
In eighth grade, a teacher cautioned "think smaller" when Stephanie Messel shared what she hoped would be her life's work. She credits a few Macomb faculty, as well as author Stephenie Meyer, for convincing her that there was no limit to what she should dream or could do.
"I've wanted to be a teacher since I was in second grade," says Messel, who earned a bachelor's degree in education from Wayne State University last year and teaches middle school at My Virtual Academy (MVA). "My learning disabilities left me behind in many areas, but they also helped me succeed in others. Today, I am able to connect to my students on their learning levels because I have been there."
Students attending MVA often experience difficulty learning in a traditional classroom, as Messel once did. Assigned early on to special education classes, she worked through her memory and comprehension issues and "grew out of them" by high school. Still, one learning obstacle still lingered. Enrolling at Macomb, she met with Counselor Patricia Dolengowski and disclosed a debilitating test anxiety. Dolengowski arranged for Messel to take all of her tests at the Learning Center, and soon the education major was outperforming her own, and one former teacher's, expectations.
"By the time I transferred to Wayne State (at Macomb's University Center), I no longer needed test-taking accommodations," says Messel. "Macomb helped me make that transition. I love that school."
The daughter of two teachers and sister of a John Hopkins professor, Messel also loves teaching. This year, she is teaching seventh graders math, science, language arts, social studies and history, as well as two electives: journalism and health, which she creatively customized based on the MVA syllabus.
"One of my students asked me if I like my job, because I always sound so happy," relates Messel, who conducts her classes via computer, Skype and weekly telephone calls to all of her students. "And I do, but I one hundred percent want to experience teaching in a classroom."
And she is also one hundred percent certain that working at DisneyWorld helped her develop the confidence she needed to teach others.
"What a great experience. That was my living away from home," says Messel, who spent over a year in the Magic Kingdom, on three different assignments through Macomb's Career Services. "It opened me up to different cultures. I even learned a little bit of Portuguese from one of my roommates."
Messel also took American Sign Language at Macomb and as many social science and history courses as she could, after discovering in a class on Egypt and from the Twilight books, that she has a passion for both learning facts and reading fiction. "As long," she says of the later, "that it has a happy ending."
And, like her student's learning issues, happy endings are another thing she knows a little bit about.
"I'm living my dream," says Messel, who will soon be pursuing a master's degree in education. "Macomb helped me prove some people wrong. You can't let anyone bring you down. Whatever you want to do, you just have to try."
Daniel Palmeri
August 17, 2017 by Macomb Community College
Macomb provided soft landing for Disney on Ice star
It couldn't teach him how to control a jump with his toe pick, but Macomb did make it possible for Daniel Palmeri to triple axel his way around full time-work, school and Olympic-level training as he entered figure skating competitions following six tours with Disney on Ice.
"It worked into my already crazy schedule," said Palmeri, who continues to train every day but Tuesday and works full time as the skating director at Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester Hills, averaging 10 to 15 hours a day on the ice. "Everyone at Macomb has been so supportive."
This spring, Palmeri was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in Colorado and earned his second gold medal in the Adult Figure Skating Championship – master's junior/senior men's division. Prior to the two golds, the 2015 Macomb graduate won a bronze and silver, respectively, in the 2013 and 2014 U.S. Collegiate Figure Skating Championships.
"It all started when I was six and my parents took us to see Disney on Ice," relates Palmeri. "I was a big Disney kid growing up and that was our first Disney experience. I didn't know much about figure skating, I just wanted to be in Disney on Ice."
And, indeed, he has, performing roles as Pinocchio, Buzz Lightyear, Prince Frog and Jack Skeleton on tours that have taken him to Europe, Asia, and Australia, and across the U.S. Following two months of training and preparation, each tour averaged 12 shows a week and nearly the same number of rehearsals, "to keep the numbers clean."
"When I got time to do anything touristy, I did," said Palmeri, who rates Mount Fuji and Seattle among his favorite places. "I've gotten to see so many things and do something I love at the same time."
Palmeri is now attending Wayne State University, where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in public relations, minor in broadcast, preparing for his second career.
But, the 27-year-old said, "I'll skate until my body doesn't let me any more."
Cheryl Sacrates
Discovering design made all the difference
If not for an immediate dislike of technical drawing and an ongoing relationship with Macomb, Cheryl Sacrates may never have discovered that happiness, as Charles Schultz once assured us, is a warm puppy, or two or three or more.
"I started (at Macomb) in 1991 when I was still in high school," relates Sacrates, who was offered a partial scholarship as one of the top 50 seniors in her Roseville High School class. "I was going to be an architect but I found that instead of doing the mathematical calculations, I just wanted to make things look pretty."
That was the first clue that she would be better suited for a career in graphic design, but, at the time, she didn't know a thing about it. After earning an associate degree in general studies and stepping hesitantly into an unsatisfying career in accounts payable, Sacrates returned to Macomb and its Career Services Department for help researching and assessing her career options. She then entered the Media and Communication Arts (MACA) program and earned subsequent degrees in Web Design and Digital Design and Layout.
"It's an amazing program with wonderful instructors," relates Sacrates, communications coordinator for Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester Hills. "Just last month, I called Frank Lombardo (her former photography instructor) and asked him to recommend a camera for our department to buy."
Sacrates joined Leader Dogs in 2011 on a part time basis. Three months before she graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications from Oakland University in 2013, she was offered full time and accepted it enthusiastically.
"I love my job, it's always changing," says Sacrates. "I might work on a newsletter this week and an advertisement next week. I get to go on photo shoots to help set up dogs/puppies for shots I take myself."
Sacrates also appreciates the casual dress code at Leader Dogs and the shared commitment to the organization's mission, both of which she attributes for the "high morale" that characterizes her work environment. And she never minds taking her work home with her.
"I have raised three Future Leader Dogs and will pick up my fourth on June 10, a male golden retriever," relates Sacrates. "I get them at seven weeks old and return them for formal training when they are 12-15 months old. Yes, it's hard to turn them in."
There was one, however, that Sacrates didn't have to say goodbye to after all. Aizyn, a two-year-old golden retriever, was "career changed" after a few months of training. She is now a certified therapy dog, as well as a permanent member of Sacrates' family, and she and her mistress visit Beaumont Hospital every other week to the delight of patients and staff. Aizyn also gets to accompany Sacrates to work, as does any Future Leader Dog in the latter's care.
"How many people," asks Sacrates, "get to bring their dogs to work?"
A fringe benefit, acknowledges the lifelong animal lover, not extended to most architects or accountants.
"I could never have gotten the job I have now without the MACA program. It taught me everything I needed to know as far as design goes," says Sacrates. "Now, I get to enjoy my job every day instead of dreading going to work. I am extremely lucky to have found a career that makes me happy!"
Greg Trzaskoma
Macomb alumnus starring in "Hockey, The Musical!"
In his second-grade Christmas pageant, Greg Trzaskoma was the only kid who didn't need a microphone. That booming voice and personality would do him well after coming to the conclusion, while selling television sets at Montgomery Ward, that he wanted to be an actor.
"So I went back to Macomb," says Trzaskoma, who had briefly attended here after high school with less than stellar results, "But something changed in me and I loved it."
Perhaps it was because he had found his calling.
Trzaskoma took acting classes and won lead roles in Macomb theater department productions of Jesus Christ Superstar (Pontius Pilate) and Grease (Teen Angel). He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre from the University of Detroit (Mercy) and Master of Arts in Theatre from Wayne State University, followed by awards and critics' praise while performing at the Hilberry Theatre, Jewish Ensemble Theatre, Planet Ant Theatre and other local venues. And, then, there was that gig with the Pistons in the early 2000s.
"After years of Shakespeare, Sophocles and Moliere," mused Trzaskoma, at the time, "I am the 'O' guy."
That's "O" as in the red one Detroit Pistons' guard Jerry Stackhouse painted on Trzaskoma's stomach as part of a popular series of television commercials that paired him with local blues legend Thornetta Davis. Now, the University of Detroit Mercy and Macomb theater instructor and founder/director of the Warren Civic Theatre is starring in the much heralded Hockey, The Musical!, written by Mitch Albom, Detroit sports-journalist and bestselling author.
"He's very hands-on," says Trzaskoma of Albom. "His brother, Peter, is directing it but he was in England during the auditions, so Mitch ran auditions here and Peter watched and directed via Skype. Very 21st century.
However, Hockey – The Musical!, thinks Trzaskoma, is timeless.
"It should be called Detroit and Red Wing Hockey – The Musical," muses Trzaskoma, shown here on stage at The City Theatre. "It's very Detroit-centric with many references to our city and special appearances by celebrities and Wing greats like Steve Yzerman via video clips. But Mitch has done a nice job making it not too inside. Non-hockey fans seem to be enjoying the heck out of it as well."
So much so, in fact, that the musical's run at The City Theatre in Detroit, which began in May, has been extended by three weeks – through July 10. Albom calls his first musical, "Spamalot with hockey sticks." While Trzaskoma, who plays the dual roles of Stanley/Terry, says that unlike Albom's previous work, "There's no message, no deep theme. Just laugh."
Mitchell Oliver
New alumnus is blazing an old trail
In his first job after graduating from Macomb's Police Academy, Mitchell Oliver finds himself enjoying the peace he has been sworn to protect as one of 13 officers entrusted with 3.8 square miles of pure Michigan.
"As soon as I stepped off the ferry, the whole pace of my life slowed down," says Oliver, 21, whose move to Mackinac Island to live and work marked his first visit there as well. "The downtown set up, no cars, the horses, it's completely different from where I grew up in Shelby Township."
Oliver graduated from Eisenhower High School and earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Law Enforcement from Macomb. He followed that up with 17 weeks of Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards academy training, which, he says, prepared him well for his first job – with one exception.
"The academy definitely covered a lot of the aspects of police work, except the part about not many officers walking a beat anymore," muses Oliver. "But that's what I do nine hours a day."
Oliver works 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. in a rotation that includes every other weekend off. The first half of his shift is spent downtown, assisting visitors, un-impounding bikes and gently directing patrons toward their hotels after the Pink Pony, Drought House or other similar establishments close. After 3 a.m., he travels to the other side of the island, patrolling the wooded areas and looking for anyone who may have inadvertently strayed from the beaten path.
"I am surprised by how fast 12 hours go," says Oliver, who joined the Mackinac Island force in May and will remain there until the fall colors fade in October. "After I graduated from the academy, I wanted to work in northern Michigan. It would be nice to find a year-round job up here, but, at this point in my career, I'll go anywhere in the state."
Oliver lives with four other Mackinac Island police officers in provided housing on Market Street not far from headquarters. On his days off, he may ride his bike to the ferry, pick up his truck in Mackinaw City and head to Cheboygan to go grocery shopping. Recently, he also enjoyed showing his family around the island, when his mom came up to compete in the Lilac Festival 10K run in early June.
"But my very favorite thing to do here is ride my bike out to the uninhabited areas – by Arch Rock or Devil's Kitchen," offers Oliver. "By the end of the season, my goal is to hit every trail on the island."
Megan Paquette Stepe
For museum curator, the adventure began at Macomb
Unsure of a major, Megan Paquette Stepe wanted to "ease into the college experience." After graduating from Mount Clemens High School, she began taking classes at Macomb in literature, ceramics, anthropology and art history, unaware she was preparing for a future career as a museum curator.
"I very much enjoyed my classes at Macomb and I met some great people," says Stepe. "If I hadn't moved out of state, I would probably still be in touch with some of them."
Stepe moved to Florida shortly after graduating from Macomb with an Associate of General Studies Degree.
"I wanted a bit of an adventure after that and to be closer to the ocean," says Stepe. "And I was still going back and forth between art history and archeology as a major."
Ultimately, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Anthropology from the University of Central Florida, which she followed up with a Master of Arts Degree in Art History, Theory and Criticism, from Florida State University. A mixed media and ceramic artist in her own right, she also continues to study painting conservation.
"It's not only about fixing the damage done though the decades or centuries anymore," explains Stepe, "sometimes its about undoing the fix so that more advanced stabilizing measures can be used."
Stepe taught art history and oversaw the art gallery at Seminole State College for nearly seven years before accepting her current position as curator of South Florida State College's Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) in June.
"I oversee and take care of over 600 pieces of art and artifacts, which includes jewelry and objects from the Seminole Indians that lived on this swath of land," offers Stepe. "This was the original Florida, when it was an island not a peninsula. There is just a wealth of history here."
With her husband Kyle Stepe, a horticulturalist, and dog Larry and cats Paul and Clara still in Orlando, Stepe is living out of hotel in Sebring until the rest of the family can join her. Once they get their home, she will be reassembling her studio where she will resume her work in pottery and mixed media, including assembling aprons out of vintage fabric.
"Sewing is meditative," she says, "and aprons are a lost art form. I would love to bring back the tradition of wearing them."
Meanwhile, she is contemplating earning a Ph.D. and preparing to teach art history at the Florida college this fall, in addition to her curator duties at MOFAC.
"Taking those classes at Macomb was the beginning," says Stepe. "I am so happy to be here."
Kenneth Hafeli
Alumnus shares stories from the White House
Kenneth Hafeli, Macomb alumnus, has shook hands with Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter many times, is Facebook friends with former first daughter Susan Ford and counts the archivist at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California as one of his best friends.
It was all part of the job for Hafeli, who served as head archivist at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library in Ann Arbor until his retirement last May. He shared his interesting perspective in a talk: Growing up Grand: Gerald R. Ford's Michigan, on Oct. 6 at the Lorenzo Cultural Center, as part of its The President's Photographer exhibit.
"I really enjoyed helping someone find a letter they sent to President Ford when he was in office, or a photo of a particular day when they visited the White House," relates Hafeli. "People are so excited when they discover that stuff is still here."
Following his presidency, seven Roadway trucks with a military escort brought Ford's papers and photographs from Washington, D.C., to the library in Ann Arbor. There was much that was still classified as confidential at the time and Hafeli had to have security
clearance before accepting the delivery.
"Still," he said, "I couldn't see two thirds of it."
Hafeli worked at the Ford Library for nearly 39 years, arriving there fresh from Michigan Technological University, which he transferred to from Macomb. And as easily as he can relate significant moments in Ford's presidency, Hafeli can list Macomb faculty who influenced his intellectual development while a student here.
"Jacobs, Hannert, Barrons, Ritas," offers the 1973 Macomb graduate. "I enjoyed their classes and still have some of their handouts."
As department head at the Ford Library, Hafeli was part of an elite group of 3,600 that constitute the federal National Archives and Records Administration. And, as one might expect, it's the type of job that can leave you speechless now and then.
"I was awed sometimes," acknowledges Hafeli, "touching something that the president once held in his hands."
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text:
Man jailed for 30 months for delivering antique musket
If kept as a curiosity or an ornament, the weapon isn't illegal to possess, but Jay Haggerty had been couriering it to pay off a drug debt.
Wilma Riley
The High Court in Glasgow (Image: John Linton/PA Wire)
A thug caught red-handed delivering an antique musket from Clydebank to East Kilbride was today jailed for 30 months.
Jay Haggerty, 21, from Clydebank, was nabbed with the weapon in Juniper Avenue, East Kilbride, on August 29, last year, after police received a tip-off.
He said that he was couriering the weapon to pay off a drug debt.
Police release image following serious assault in Shawlands
Today at the High Court in Glasgow judge Lady Stacey told Haggerty: "This court has to take a very serious view of this. I'm sure you appreciate what devastation such firearms can cause and the alarm they cause to the public.."
Prosecutor Michael Meehan said that police were informed the gun was in the silver Volkswagen Polo in which Haggerty was a passenger.
The court heard that he paid a friend £30 to drive him to East Kilbride. On the way he asked her to stop and another man got in after placing a black holdall in the boot.
They gave the driver a postcode destination and as they approached East Kilbride the second man called someone to advise they were five minutes away.
When the car was searched by police the gun - a muzzle-loading musket of unknown age with a shortened barrel – was found along with a butterfly knife.
Haggerty asked the police to let his companions go saying: "It's nothing to do with them, it's mine, let them go."
Mr Meehan said of the gun: "It was a muzzle-loading single shot percussion musket of unknown age or origin. It was not a modern reproduction and was not in working order owing to a trigger fault. The barrel had been shortened to less than two feet.
"If kept as a curiosity or an ornament it may be considered an antique and may be freely possessed," said Meehan.
But this legal get-out did not apply to the man in the dock because of his custodial record.
Mr Meechan added: "The accused accepts it was not possessed as a curiosity or an ornament."
He pled guilty to two offences under the Firearms Act and a further charge of having a knife in a public place.
Haggerty has since been jailed for 12 months on a separate matter.
Defence counsel Lorraine Glancy said that Haggerty had had a troubled childhood and added: "He was approached and told he could pay off a drug debt."
For news and all that's going on in your city, head to the Glasgow Live homepage - or you can check us out on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .


Thanks Ginz. You are so right about it being about control. After i read your comment I thought harder about a connection I made earlier but didn't include in the post. The figurative meaning of "in the dark" and how it's just another way of saying "uncertain." And, for sure, I struggle with uncertainty too!
I think many would lie who say they don't struggle with uncertainty. Don't you think we sometimes confuse that with change. Change is one thing – uncertainty another and "in the dark" sums it up entirely.
I don't care for the dark, if only for stubbing my toes, stepping on objects, or trying to find the toilet. It's more a nuisance than anything, but there's always the wonder of home invasions and whatnot.


Internet of Things Thames Valley Meetup talks include: Digital Buildings, Smart Hives Network, Smart City £1.73m Challenge Fund, Wireless Mesh for commercial & industrial applications, euicc/esims, connectivity and ecosystem integration and Cyber Security Academic Start-up Accelerator Programme.
Richard Kinder,Wirepas, will be showcasing a number of sensor devices powered by Wirepas Mesh designed for commercial and industrial IoT applications such as smart building and factory systems. Also a live demo of indoor location capabilities and how to build from sensor to cloud using Node-RED and AWS will be shown.
You can follow @tv_iot on Twitter and tweet about this event using #IoT.


Every photographer hits a wall at one point or another. Here are a few tips to keep things fresh and new.
1. Try something new, get out of your comfort zone. You've been photographing nature for years? Try some street photography!
2. Meet other photographers and go on photo walks. It doesn't have to be a large group. Get together with two or three other people who share the same passion and experiment with different photography genres. Meet regularly and choose a different theme each time: Street photography one week, landscape photography the next! You will learn something new from fellow photographers and getting together will help keep the passion for photography alive.
3. If you own a DSLR, try renting a new lens for a weekend to experiment with something totally different. It can be a fisheye or a macro lens, a special effect lens or a super telephoto. They are big investments and renting for a weekend or a few days is quite affordable and the best way to know if you are ready to make the investment. Try your local camera store or any reputable online rental services such as borrowlenses.com. Check for special deals.
4. Write a list of things you've never photographed before and make it a point to learn the techniques to achieve those shots. I've been doing this for a while and my list still includes a lot of interesting things to discover such as panoramic photography or time lapse. I recently discovered macro photography and it opened a whole new world of possibilities in my own backyard. I discover something new every time I put the macro lens on my camera! There are many techniques you can learn that don't require any new equipment and such as light trails, light painting, etc. Just be open to trying new things.
5. Get you hands on a film camera and a roll of film and limit yourself to 36 exposures for a day. You will learn the importance of getting it right in camera. If nothing else, you will realize how incredibly flexible digital really is!
6. Pick a theme and get out on your own. You can pick to only shoot things that are yellow, just feet, people with hats, dogs… The sky is the limit. This exercise will help you see things differently and the results may surprise you.
7. Mentor someone. Give a camera to a child. Take them out to shoot. You may spark a life-long passion and you may learn a thing or two about yourself in the process.
8. Give back to your community, volunteer to photograph a local event for a charity for example.
9. If you can afford it, sign up for a photography workshop in a field you are passionate about or to learn something completely new.
10. Start a project that will force you to shoot more, such as a 365 day project. Share your project through social media or a blog. The more you shoot, the more you are going to want to shoot. Push yourself and set a goal to put all those images in a book when you are done. Pat yourself in the back, it's a big accomplishment!
11. Look at the work of others. They may be famous or unknown, the goal is not to copy their work but to draw inspiration from it.
This list is non exhaustive, please add some suggestions in the comments. Happy shooting!
@ Valerie jardin - Thanks for being generous to inspire us .
We have been in our back yard with a macro lens 100mm f2.8 and had hope to share a picture but I can't work out how to upload a jpg here?
But we had great fun taking pictures of butterflies, bees and other bugs. really impressed with the picture at the top Valerie. Thank you.
@ Arthur Thanks! I will give that a try next fireworks we go to.
Regarding #5 above on using film, an alternative is to get yourself a very small capacity card, I still have my 256Mb that came with one of my cameras, don't take extras and it'll force you to focus on fewer but higher quality shots.
The only thing wrong with this is that you can still delete and re-shoot. Actually, you could shoot a thousand shots in a day.
Can't be done with film. Once you push the shutter release, you're committed. No going back.
Great tips! I really believe in No. 7. Showing someone and explaining photo basics sometimes renews your own thoughts and creativity. I recently gave an old PnS camera to my 13 year old daughter and went on a nature photo shoot to show her the basics. Her eagerness and unbiased creativity captured some amazing shots. It was fun and refreshing!
I loved this article, as it is easy to get into a rut and do the same things over and over. I recently bought my son a camera, and we have had some fun trying out his ideas.
Also, a 365 day project, and even a 52 day one have been a bit much for my boy to try out (he is only 9), so we came up with what he calls 'a plant project'. He has put a bean in some wet cotton wool to germinate, and is photographing the changes every second day. When the bean has sprouted we will put all the photos on a fast slide show to see the changes.
@ED You might want to try this for capturing fireworks; ISO 200 @ f16, set speed for 30 sec., WB @ daylight or flash or 5000K. This will record 30 sec burst of fireworks, the typical show will release 3-5 mortars in that 30 sec. time frame. With this method you can create your own finale. If mortars are being shot at a faster pace, cut exposure time to 20 seconds or less. A 20 minute show can now be captured by only taking 80-100 exposures using these longer exposure times. I've tried this method several times with good results. Of course this method requires a steady tripod. ENJOY!
I was pretty much hitting the rut and your article just gave me the push i needed to go out and explore further.
Excellent article! Renting a lens is something that you don't always think of, but it can really help. It's super cheap at my local camera shop, and they even apply the cost of the rental to a new lens if you end up wanting to invest in it. Love tip #4 too - my next technique to master is panning.
I also love to flip through fashion and magazines - I always get ideas after looking at images.
When I am going on a trip, I look through flickr, tourist books, and all over the internet to find pictures of the area I'll be visiting. Then I try to find those spots to duplicate those pictures. Along the way, I find other things, other areas that I didn't expect to find. So it's not bad to try to copy what you see in photos that you like, because in the process of figuring out how to make the copy, you are likely to see your own exciting pictures.
Great article, we all get in a rut from one time to another.
I recommend joining up with one or more of the free photography groups or clubs in your area. I belong to several and most have an event such as a photowalk or free instruction on a monthly basis which is a great way to learn and network with others who love photography.
Always nice to move out of your comfort zone - thanks for the new ideas!
ok, thanks for telling me. Reminds me when I tried taking photos of lightning. It was very tiring.
@Madison It wasn't that bad. I failed to mention that one of the other keys to getting these shots was the use of sequential shooting which accounts for the high number of photos but especially with fireworks a shot a fraction of a sec earlier or later can make a big different.
I only have a 35mm slr with an old 28-80 lens. Thankfully, It's the good one with half decent optics! It can't do macro work though, and as a student I'm stuck for money! However, I have found that since ditching the digital, my photos are much, much nicer. Having only 36 shots, which cost money to process, really makes you think about the composition. I've never run out of ideas since!
I recently did #4, Time Lapse. I had always liked watching time lapse videos and wondered how hard it would be to do. I ended up getting an intervalometer and researched how to make the videos. I wrote a post on my blog, describing how I did it: http://adventurecolorado.blogspot.com/2011/02/creating-time-lapse-videos.html It was a lot of fun!
@Beth regarding the picture in the article: Canon 100mm f/2.8 handheld, natural light ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/40 sec. Hope this helps! If you shoot handheld, set your camera on rapid fire to avoid camera shake when you press the shutter. You will miss some but, if you are really steady, you will get some sharp shots. I use a tripod for work everyday so I enjoy the flexibility of handheld when I shoot for fun!
it must of been tiring to take all those photos. I can't wait until next year to try again on taking pictures of fireworks.
Thanks, I think I saw that article before but I'll go back and look again. Thanks.
Experiment with different situations and settings and learn more about the capabilities of your camera.
Set yourself a different theme each week or fortnight and find images to match that theme. It could even be the letters of the alphabet - a new one each fortnight.
Posted link on my Fanpage :-) Nice ideas we sometimes forget about. Is not only about photography, but sometimes we need get out of comfort zone in our life with other things too.
@Madison It was easy just took over 600 photos using every possible setting on the camera, went home and looked through them all and found 10-15 that were good :-) As I mentioned under my favorite one the actual photos of the fireworks were pretty boring until I started to look inside the photos and found parts to crop to. Then I started finding lots of cool stuff.
When I feel I'm in a rut, I go to my public library and start digging around in the photography, the visual art Section and The Glamour/Fashion section. Never fails, as I come out with a few new projects in mind.
These are great ideas! I think challenging yourself as a photographer is very important. If you normally take street photography, macro or landscapes try something different outside of your genre. Not only will it make you a more versatile photographer but it might rekindle the passion that has since waned.
Great pieces of advice. Soon, I will also do my own 365 project, and i might start on my birthday, 8th August.
Actually have a bit more to add. Don't really have friends that are serious in photography.
@Ed, I took a quick glance at your flickr page, and those photos of fireworks are amazing! How did you shoot them? When I tried shooting I turned the ISO down and had a firework setting witch was like 8 seconds of long exposure but they're nothing compared to yours, but I didn't use a SLR. But next year I will be. But how did you do that??
well I do want to invest my money in lens next. I was worried about the MP because the camera I have now is 9.5, but I saw your photos so I think I'll listen to you. The cheapest way for me to get the camera I want I by buying a packaged deal, it comes with a lens and bag case thing and memory card. Witch all I care about is the camera and lens buy it's pretty much getting a free bag and I don't mind having extra memory cards. Thankyou again. You've been very helpful. Your photos are very beautiful.
@Ed, that's a good idea, doing a 52 week project instead. Very good idea.
A 365 day project is out of the question for me. 20 days in I'm frustrated that I'm so far behind and I abandon the project. What's been working for me now is more like a 52 week project. I try to come up with at least one photo a week worthy of posting to my flickr. For me that means shooting a bunch of photos all week whenever I can and critiquing them weekly to find one I really like. This has been much more doable.
What a great Photography website. I spend hours on the net reading webs, about tons of various subjects. I have to first of all give praise to whoever created your theme and second of all to you for writing what i can only describe as an fabulous article. I honestly believe there is a skill to writing articles that only very few posses and honestly you got it.
@Madison, I would not worry so much about the pixel count of the camera body to decide to buy. Good lenses are far more important than the camera itself. If you can, buy the camera body only, without the kit lens. I would recommend spending $ in a good lens, even a used one. Good luck and have fun!
I love these articles that encourage people to get out there and shoot more.
It can be tough, at times, for us non-Pro's with busy schedules to shoot more.
Regarding #5 above on using film, an alternative is to get yourself a very small capacity card, I still have my 256Mb that came with one of my cameras, don't take extras and it'll force you to focus on fewer but higher quality shots.
thanks, I'll look into it once I get my camera. I was going to get a Nikon D3000, because all I have is less than $500 dollars to spend, and I really can't save up money, do you know where I can get the D3100, as cheap as the D3000? If you don't know, that's fine. I'm just trying to see if I can get a camera with more megapixel than 10.2.
If anyone else can help, I will be very happy.
@Madison, if you are in the US, Borrowlenses.com is an option. There are other reputable camera gear rental companies. Your local camera store may also be able to help you.
Not sure exactly where you're located, but my local camera shop in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, rents lenses all the time. I have never rented one, but I know people that have. Additionally, I know of a US-based website that rents lenses, too >> www.borrowlenses.com. Check with your local shop and look on the internet . Or the US site might know of other international sites for you.
Great article, Valerie! I've definitely been thinking about renting a lens.
This is a wonderful article with excellent suggestions. I opften find myself taking the same genre of images over and over...same lens, angle, vision...a Rut! To snap it, sometimes I throw all preconceptions out the window and head to the studio for some experimental fun. No pressure, no expectations other than discovery.
The Macro suggestion is superb! There is no need to travel far, just look around you and try different angles on one subject until magic happens. I shot this simple butterfly not far from my home - I think it is just cool!
Great article with tons of super suggestions! I often find myself taking the same genre of pictures over and again. Sam perspective, lens, angle....I would call it a Rut! I often try to snap it by going to th studio and trying some experimental work. I have no expectations or pressure, just discovery.
The Macor suggestion is great as well - not travel involved, just look around and you can find any number of things to shoot! This butterfly was from the San Diego Zoo....not too far from home! Cool!
This is a wonderful article with great suggestions! I often find myself taking the same picture over and again although perhaps different locations and subject...same technique. RUT!
I try to snap that with a bit of experimental work in the studio - here I have no expectations except discovery.
As suggested, looking at the Macro world helps too - no need to travel far if anywhere. It is all around! For example, this simple butterfly was close to my home at the Zoo. Cool!
I love this article and the excellent suggestions! Often I find myself taking the same genre of images over and over, same angles, lens, perspective but perhaps a different location. RUT!
To snap out, I head to the studio for some play time - experimental stuff. No expectations other than learning and discovery. Also, as suggested, look Macro! No need to travel, just got outside and look around! This image was taken at a local Butterfly Exhibit...I think it is cool. Just look at ordinary things through with a different view and amazing things will happen!
I love this article. It is easy to find yourself in a rut, or repeating the same genre over and over. I like to travel and most of my shots are from interesting domestic and international locations. However, without an unlimited bankroll this is not possible full time.
Often I turn inward and head to my Studio and set up some experimental shots. I can spend hours just playing around and trying new things. This is energizing since I dont need to travel and am in control of the set.
Also, as suggested above, Macro. You do not need to travel far if at all for killer Macro shots! This one was from a Butterfly exhibit not far from my home in San Diego. Just look around, use unique angles and you will execute amazing pictures!
#3 says rent a lens, how do you rent a lens?
I would defilently want to rent one, oneday.
#4, I actually did do, I created a list, and now I'm just waiting to get my DSLR.
I might join a photography club next year, so I can shoot with other people. I think it would be fun.
#10, I tried doing a 365 project, but I just couldn't take a picture everyday. But now I'm inspired to do it again, but not until Augest.
#11, I look on flickr at others peoples work, mainly so I can see how in portraits peoples faces are lit up. And the shading and all that good stuff.


The following errors might occur on the Windows operating system if the wrong Java Runtime Environment (JRE) was used during the SAS 9.3 installation process or if something has happened to the JRE that is installed.
ERROR: File(s) are missing from the Java repository.
ERROR: Unable to initialize the ODS classpath during SAS startup.
no matching Plugins were found in repository.
ERROR: Failed to attach to Java during SAS startup.
ERROR: Unable to load the java virtual machine.
ERROR: Proc javainfo did not run correctly.
ERROR: The ODS initializer failed to instantiate during SAS startup.
the installation instructions or system administrator.
ERROR: The Java proxy is not responding.
ERROR: The Java proxy's JNI call to start the VM failed.
ERROR: Java failed to start during the SAS startup.
Verify the JRE that was used during the installation process: Open the sassw.config file in Notepad. This file is located in the !SASHOME directory. The default location is C:\Program Files\SASHome\sassw.config.
Click Start ► Run and type cmd.
If this is successful, go to the next check.
From the Control Panel select Add/Remove Programs and select Java(TM) 6 Update 24 and remove the program. If you are using Windows 7 or Windows 2008, perform this action from Programs and Features.
Note: Both of these are 32-bit JRE installations, which is what SAS needs. Even if you have a x64 operating system, SAS needs the 32-bit JRE.
You can also install this from our Third-Party Software page.
Using Windows Explorer, make sure that the path for the jvm.dll file is correct and that this file exists. Also verify that there are no extra lines of code in the JREOPTIONS section; it should look very similar to the lines shown above.
IMPORTANT: In SAS 9.3, the JRE must be a 32-bit version of 1.6.0_24 or higher in the Java 6 release.
Verify the Windows short name (8.3 filename convention) in the sasv9.cfg file. Here is an example: Progra~1.
Based on the above two settings, 8dot3 name creation is enabled on C:.
If short names are not enabled on your system, you will need to contact your IT department for assistance or contact Microsoft. Additional information can be found in this Microsoft article.
NOTE: As a SAS system requirement, the 8.3 filename convention must remain enabled.


text:
India source
Indian Railways : Faster Pace Of Innovations Required
indianrail.gov.in 0 Comments
Today, railways in India are one of the most important sources of transportation – for people, for freight. In fact, Indian Railways (IR) have been the back bone of transportation in the country for a very long time now. According to information available, IR is one of the world's largest railway networks comprising 115,000 km (71,000 mi) of track over a route of 65,000 km (40,000 mi) and 7,500 stations. IR carries about 7,500 million passengers annually or more than 20 million passengers daily (more than a half of which are suburban passengers) and 2.8 million tons of freight daily. In 2011-2012 Indian Railways earned Rs. 104,278.79 crore (US$ 18.98 billion) which consists of Rs. 69,675.97 crore (US$ 12.68 billion) from freight and Rs. 28,645.52 crore (US$ 5.21 billion) from passengers tickets. The first railway on the Indian sub-continent ran over a stretch of 21 miles from Bombay to Thane. The idea of a railway to connect Bombay with Thane, Kalyan and with the Thal and Bhore Ghats inclines first occurred to Mr. George Clark, the Chief Engineer of the Bombay Government, during a visit to Bhandup in 1843.
The safety of more than 13 million passengers that Indian Railways serve every day is of paramount importance to the system. Over the years, apart from the regular safety norms followed, the network has taken a number of steps to enhance safety standards through innovative use of technology and stepped up training of its manpower. Constitution of a Rs.17,000 crore non-lapsable Special Railway Safety Fund (SRSF) to replace the arrears of aging assets of Railways for six years starting from 2011 has been a historical move in this direction. A number of distressed bridges, old tracks, signalling system and other safety enhancement devices will be replaced during this period. Extensive field trials of the Anti-Collision Device (ACD), indigenously developed by the Konkan Railway, is going on and once deployed across the Zonal Railways, this innovative technology will help railways reduce accidents due to collision between trains.
Focus and Long Term Goals
Decongestion and capacity augmentation
Modernisation.
Annual Plan 2012-13
Highest ever plan outlay of Rs. 60,100 crores
Gross Budgetary Support – Rs. 24,000 crores
Railway Safety Fund – Rs. 2,000 crores
Internal Resources – Rs. 18,050 crores
Market Borrowing – Rs. 15,000 crores.
75 new Express trains to be introduced
21 new passenger services
Run of 39 trains to be extended
Frequency of 23 trains to be increased.
725 km new lines, 700 km doubling, 800 km gauge conversion and 1100 km electrification targeted in 2012-13
Rs. 6,872 crores provided for new lines, Rs. 3,393 crores for doubling, Rs. 1,950 crores for gauge conversion, and Rs. 828 crores for electrification.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railways
Darjeeling Himalayan Railways attained the World Heritage Status from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Fairy Queen, the oldest functioning steam engine in the world, which finds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, got the Heritage Award at the International Tourist Bureau, Berlin in March, 2000. On operational front, the New Delhi railway station entered the Guinness Book for having the world's largest route relay interlocking system.
Passenger Business : During April-December of 2011-12, the number of originating passengers on Indian Railways was 6,211 million while it was 5,906 million during the corresponding period of 2010-11, registering an increase of 5.15 per cent. The passenger earnings during this period was Rs. 20,593.32 crore up by Rs. 1,683.41 crore (8.90 per cent ) compared to the earnings during the corresponding period of last year.
Freight Operation : Total Freight Earnings (including 'Other Goods Earnings' such as wharfage, demurrage, etc.) in the first 9 months (April-December) of 2011-12 stood at Rs. 49,542.63 crore which shows an increase of Rs. 4,627.88 crore (10.30 per cent ) over the earnings in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Problems and Challenges
The Indian Railways have done a good job in improving the transportation facility for the country but it also comes in for criticism for a number of reasons. The main criticism which has always been associated with the Indian railways has been the service provided to the passengers. The service provided to the passengers has not been up to the mark and the passengers face a lot of trouble due to this. A stinking smell at the railway stations, waiting rooms that lack facilities and hygienic problems have been the main issues of negligence in terms of service. Provision of food is another criticism which Indian Railways have faced. The food provided to the passengers is often not hygienic and the price set for it is higher in comparison to the food provided. The other criticism which is in fact a very major concern is the number of accidents and loss of human lives that have taken place due to collisions of trains, unmanned crossings, bad signals and driver error. All these areas and several others need urgent attention.
Source: www.indianrail.gov.in
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Shoot Or Not To Shoot? : The Army'S Dilemma in Kashmir


Indoor 2013: McGorty 8:55 3200m!! Michael Cherry 1:02.61 US4 AT 500m! Mary Cain 9:38.68 2 mile!
Sean McGorty (Chantilly VA) had an amazing triple over a few day, running the 1000m in 2:30.81 and the 1600m run in 4:11.52. Tonight he added the 3200m run with a blazing 8:55.38 clocking!
Michael Cherry (Oscar Smith) destroyed the VA state record and set a US#4 All-Time mark of 1:02.61 in the 500m dash!
Christian Brothers Academy (NJ) blew the doors off the DMR today with a US#1 time of 10:15.5 off of a 4:22 leg by Jack Boyle. Pope John XXIII finished 2nd with a US#2 time of 10:18.5 and Don Bosco Prep was 3rd with a US#3 clocking of 10:19.2. Tony Russell (West Chester Henderson) blasted a 3:02 for the 1200m leg after roaring through 1000m with a time of 2:30.
Mary Cain kicking hard toward the HS record with Galen Rupp eagerly watching!
Mary Cain taking a well deserved victory lap after her HS record of 9:38.68.
Mary Cain absolutely crushes the race as she ran a new National Record of 9:38.68 over 2 miles to finish 3rd behind world record holder Tirunesh Dibaba, 9:13.17 and Sheila Reid, 9:37.97! An absolutely thrilling performance with Mary showing extreme patience early in the race and then kicking hard over the last 2 laps to put herself in a position to top all but Dibaba who ran solo from the front starting with the first lap. The time is 17 seconds faster than the previous indoor record of 9:55.92 by Melody Fairchild in 1991 and also 16 seconds faster than the outdoor record of 9:52.03 by Kim Mortenson in 1996.
Henry Wynne takes the junior boys mile with a time of 4:11.73, closing with a 2:03 last 800m and 58s last 400! James Randon took 2nd in 4:12.89 and Rob Napolitano was 3rd in 4:13.81.
Wesley Frazier won the junior girls mile with a time of 4:48.95!
Richard Rose (Boys & Girls) won the boys 600m dash with a blazing US#1 1:19.41, a new National Sophomore Class Record! The old record was 1:19.68 by Lionel Williams from 2004.
Kadecia Baird rocked the 300m dash, running a US#2 All-Time clocking of 37.54, showing she is back from her early season injury. In second place, Deajah Stevens rolled to a US#8 All-Time mark of 37.90. Precious Holmes (CT) was 3rd with a US#12 clocking of 38.22. What a deep field!!
LaSalle boys won the 4x800m relay with a US#1 clocking of 7:48.36. Splits: Magee 1:59.3, Stone 1:54.5, Bilotta 2:00, Coyle 1:54.
Emma Gallagher torched the 600m dash with a US#9 All-Time clocking of 1:30.35. Emma Keenan (PA) was 2nd with a US# 2 clocking of 1:31.46.
Sabrina Southerland (Benjamin Cardozo NY) won the 1000m wire to wire with a blazing US#6 All-Time mark of 2:47.44 while Hidden Valley VA's Carolyn Bethel closed hard for 2nd with a US#9 All-Time clocking of 2:47.70! What a great race!!
Forest Park (VA) rolled to a US#1 time of 1:28.25 in the 4x200m relay with Union Catholic (NJ) 2nd with a US#2 time of 1:29.44.
Ben Malone (Pascack Valley NJ) came up short of snagging Robby Andrew's HS record but did manage to run a US#8 All-Time mark of 2:25.82.
Lenape (NJ) led a strong showing in the 4x800m relay, running a US#1 time of 9:09.03 to hold off Warwick Valley in 2nd with a time of 9:09.52 for US#2. In third was Academy of the Holy Names with a US#3 clocking of 9:09.87.
Medgar Evers won the girls 4x200m relay with a time of 1:38.59, coming just short of their meet record.
Columbia (NJ) won the girls 4x400m relay with a big US#1 clocking of 3:47.48! Medgar Evers (NY) closed hard for 2nd in 3:52.02 with a huge 53.2 split from Kadecia Baird.
In the boys 4x400m relay Union Catholic led the whole way and held off a late charge by Elmont to win with a US#1 3:18.88 to US#2 3:19.47!
Robby Andrews has some history at the Armory, and made some more tonight! Bouncing back after a 4:11 mile Andrews looked super fresh, running 2:17.90 for the 2nd fastest 1000m time in the US, just .04 off of David Krummenacker's 2002 American Record!
Villanova's women looked great in the DMR, running 10:56.76 for the top time in the nation as Emily Lipari ran 4:34 for the anchor split!
The Humphreys are all smiles after a record day in Alabama!
Carmen Carlos (McGill-Toolen) won the 800m run with a blazing US#3 clocking of 2:11.28!
Carmen then came back today to win the 1600m with a time of 4:49.17! She also won the 3200m run yesterday with a time of 10:54.53.
Simone Charley (Spain Park) won the triple jump with a leap of 40-4.25.
Caitland Smith (Pelham) won the 60m dash with a time of 7.57 (7.55 prelims) and the 400m dash with a time of 56.93.
Auburn boys won the 4x200m relay with a US#2 time of 1:28.71.
Marlon Humphrey (Hoover) won the 60H with a time of 7.80 and the 60m dash with a clocking of 6.89. Humphrey added the trifecta by winning the 400m dash with a quick 48.11 clocking.
Brittlee Humphrey, Marlon's sister, also won big setting a meet record in the 60H with a time of 8.75, also a US#6 time.
Felecia Majors (South County) won the 500m dash with a US#7 All-Time clocking of 1:22.57!
Tyra Lea (Wakefield) rolled to a US#4 in the 300m dash with a quick 38.98 clocking.
Wakefield (NC) girls won the 4x200m relay with a US#2 clocking of 1:39.44 and they also won the 4x400m relay with a US#2 clocking of 3:50.63.
Anna Williams (Thomas Edison) won the triple jump with a US#3 leap of 40-3.
West Springfield won the girls 4x800m relay with a US#4 time of 9:22.84.
Breanna Bygrave (Wakefield) won the 55H with a US#7 clocking of 8.11.
Kendall Baisden won the 60m dash with a quick 7.56 and the 200m dash in 25.10.
Hannah Meier won the 1600m run in 4:49.30 with sister Haley 2nd in 4:50.22.
Emily Stites won the 6k race with a time of 20:27.2 over prep Erin Finn (West Bloomfield) who was timed in 20:48.6. Carrie Verdon (Colorado) was 3rd in 21:08.8 and Katie Knight (North Central) was 4th in 21:09.3. Rounding out the team were Samantha Nadel (Georgetown) 5th in 21:10.3 and Sydney Scott (West Virginia) was 6th in 21:11.3.
Craig Nowak (Oklahoma State) won the boys title in 24:47.0 as Malachy Schrobilgen (Wisconsin) finished 2nd in 24:51.2. Matt McClintock (Purdue) was 3rd in 24:51.9 and Darren Fahy (Georgetown) was 4th in 24:51.9. Thomas Graham (Stanford) was 5th in 24:51.9 and prep Andrew Gardner (Mead) also qualifed in 6th with a time of 24:52.2.


text:
package org.door43.obs.mta.model;

import java.util.Set;

/**
 * ITranslation note object:
 *

 *
holds translation notes for one frame

 *

 */
public interface ITranslationNotes {

    /**
     * Identification of related {@link org.door43.obs.mta.model.IFrame}
     * @return Frame ID.
     */
    String getFrameId();

    /**
     * Sets related frame ID
     * @param frameId
     */
    void setFrameId(String frameId);

    /**
     * @return Notes string.
     */
    String getNotes();

    /**
     * Set notes.
     * @param notes Can be string or HTML or whatever for now.
     */
    void setNotes(String notes);

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Paris-based customer experience platform Contentsquare raises €589M at €5.5B valuation
in (Crowd)funding, AI and chatbots, News, Startups
Image credits: Contentsquare
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Paris-based Contentsquare, a customer experience platform, announced on Thursday that it has secured $400M (approximately €393M) in equity in a Series F round of funding and $200M (approximately €196M) in debt financing, totalling $600M (approximately €589M).
The latest investment round doubles the company's valuation to $5.6B (approximately €5.5B) and brings the total funding raised to $1.4B (approximately €1.37B).
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The Series F round was led by Sixth Street Growth, which joins new and existing investors Bpifrance, Canaan, Eurazeo, Highland Europe, KKR, LionTree, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and funds and accounts managed by BlackRock.
The debt facility contributions came from BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Société Générale.
Fund utilisation
Contentsquare says it will use the new capital to scale investments in innovation organically and through M&A. The company also plans to support long-term growth in key markets and expand to new territories.
In the past three years, the company has made a total of six acquisitions to accelerate geographic, segment, and product expansion
"This new round of investment is a testament to the boundless ambition of our team, who is laser-focused on helping businesses of all sizes deliver more human digital experiences — experiences that are seamless, frictionless, rewarding, and inspiring," says Jonathan Cherki, CEO and Founder of Contentsquare.
"We're excited to keep dedicating ourselves to raising the standards of digital customer experience everywhere, and we feel this is just the beginning," he adds.
As a part of the funding round, Sixth Street Managing Director Benjamin Johnston will join Contentsquare's board of directors.
Contentsquare: What you need to know
Founded by Jonathan Cherki in 2012, Contentsquare develops an AI-powered platform that enables businesses to track online customer behaviour. The French company addresses a Total Addressable Market (TAM) of $34B (approximately €33.4B).
Its AI engine analyses trillions of digital customer interactions to surface critical insights that provide businesses across industries to drive greater business growth.
Contentsquare says it analyses 3,200B customer interactions monthly and $2.5B (approximately €2.45B) in transactions daily across verticals, including retail, luxury, entertainment, telco, travel, automotive, B2B, and finance.
The company serves 1,000 enterprise customers, including 30 per cent of the Global Fortune 100. Customers include BMW, Breitling, Clarins, Decathlon, Giorgio Armani, Samsung, Sephora, and Virgin Atlantic.
The company employs 1,500 people and has offices in 17 locations across the world.
Sixth Street is a global investment firm with over $60B (approximately €58.9B) in assets under management and committed capital. The company has invested over $5B (approximately €4.9B) in more than 40 companies in its growth investing strategy since its inception. Some of the investments include Airbnb, AvidXchange, Datavant, Gainsight, Heap, MDLIVE, Spotify, and Sprinklr.
"Contentsquare is uniquely positioned within the growing customer experience sector as it continues to provide customers with more advanced tools to scale their businesses and create deeper brand connections," says Bo Stanley, Partner and Co-Head of Sixth Street Growth. "We have tremendous confidence in Jonathan and his team, and are thrilled to be joining an incredible cohort of existing and new co-investors in support of a business poised for its next phase of growth."
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Weak data out of Germany and a dovish Fed is causing some concern among market participants, says Jack Bouroudjian. Meanwhile, the yield curve has inverted. Jack covers the role sovereign debt is playing ahead of what could be an eventful week for the markets.


Create fun in the home with this positive, decorative word art.
Downloadable digital A4 PDF file. Place in a frame ! Or a great gift idea to frame for a loved one.
Garden, Eat, Sleep, Repeat Digital Download.
This Digital Download includes a high-resolution A4 PDF file for you to download and print from the comfort of you own home or to upload to a professional print shop.
After purchase your, Garden, Eat, Sleep, Repeat digital art print you can print your art print as many times as you like for your personal use. Put it in a frame and your good to go !
Why digital download? Well the beauty of printable art is that it is a simple and cost-effective way to add decoration into your home. You can change your decor quickly and easily to suit your mood. Pop your digital download in a frame, or upload to a professional online print shop to have your art put on canvas.
This listing is for a printable art, digital download. NO physical product will be shipped to you.
You will receive a high-resolution (300 dpi) A4 PDF file, which will be sent to you electronically after purchase is complete. Click the download link sent to you, save to your computer and print ! Super easy !
The quality of the art printable will vary depending on the type of printer and quality of paper you use. Colours may vary slightly due to different monitors.
Check out this inspiring post after you have framed your fun picture !


Laura A. Grimm, Arlene A. Schmid, Karen E Atler, Tara C. Klinedinst, MattP. Malcolm; Fall Rates and Risk Factors for Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Am J Occup Ther 2018;72(4_Supplement_1):7211505092p1. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2018.72S1-PO2015.
We aimed to identify fall risk factors that contribute to an increased likelihood of self-reported fall rates in a sample of people with Type 2 diabetes. We also sought to detect fall risk factors that were significantly different between self-reported fallers and nonfallers in this sample.