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Emulex, Dynatrace Offer NetPod Network Performance Platform
Network connectivity, monitoring and management specialist Emulex and application performance management (APM) company Dynatrace announced the launch of NetPod, an integrated solution combining Dynatrace's Data Center (DC RUM) analysis with Emulex's EndaceProbe Intelligent Network Recorders.
NetPod provides network teams with high-fidelity network and application transaction-level visibility and long-term packet storage.
The NetPod hardware-based EndaceProbe INRs are designed to provide 100 percent packet capture, nanosecond time stamping, and "back-in-time" playback capabilities, as well as a platform for user experience monitoring.
"Businesses that would find this platform useful include run network-centric applications, and rely on those applications to support revenue generation," Mike Heumann, vice president of product marketing and alliances for Emulex, told eWEEK. "This includes most large businesses–since most rely on their network to interact with customers, as well as to run business intelligence applications–and 'new era' medium businesses that are heavily network-centric."
The platform also enables optimization of the performance, scalability and predictability of all applications in the data center, including Citrix, SAP, Oracle, Siebel, Microsoft Exchange and many others.
NetPod combines several technologies to simplify and automate application transaction analysis, including continuous assessment of user experience and business impact of performance and availability issues and a comprehensive set of application protocol decodes, combined with application logic and user context.
Heumann noted the cost varies based on the speed and number of inputs to the system, the amount of storage required, and the application decodes purchased, but said pricing is competitive with current solutions in the market.
The platform is designed for high-speed 10/40/100Gb Ethernet networks to provide complete visibility across multiple tiers, infrastructure components and web and non-web applications.
NetPod intelligently monitors and records real-time application transactions across the most complex application delivery infrastructures spanning all leading load balancers, firewalls, servers, wireless area network (WAN) accelerators, and middleware.
The platform also boasts compatibility with third party products that require access to packets for security and compatibility with Dynatrace APM technologies for deep transaction tracing at the code level, synthetic monitoring, or mobile device monitoring.
"A recent survey conducted by Emulex showed that 73 percent of IT staff have unresolved network issues, and furthermore, 52 percent of respondents stated that network outages and performance degradations cost their business more than $500,000 per hour," Heumann said. "Given the advances of server virtualization, private or hybrid clouds, software-defined networking, and the growing number of network-centric applications, this complexity, and the challenges associated with it, will only increase."
NetPod will be available from select Emulex and Dynatrace partners with the requisite expertise in AA-NPM and APM. Forsythe and WWT were chosen as launch partners in North America because of their expertise in AA-NPM and APM, and ability to support NetPod customers.
"The key to mitigating these sorts of issues is to understand the context of the issue as shown by the network traffic, and understanding how these impact the applications that the businesses run on their networks," he said. "NetPod is exactly the type of tool that allows users to accomplish this, and eliminate unsolved network issues quickly. The savings can be huge – avoiding one multi-hour outage can save millions of dollars in revenue and avoided opex, not to mention the damage to the enterprise's reputation."


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Home » News » Nintendo Direct April DELAY: Smash Bros and Persona 5 Switch games news pushed back?
Nintendo Direct April DELAY: Smash Bros and Persona 5 Switch games news pushed back?
There's another great reason to have a Nintendo Direct this month – and that would be to say farewell, to Reggie Fils-Aime, outgoing CEO of Nintendo America.
Fils-Aime's last day is April 15 before the aptly named executive, Doug Bowser, takes his place in charge.
"Nintendo owns a part of my heart forever," Fils-Aime told fans when announcing he was stepping down.
"It's a part that is filled with gratitude — for the incredibly talented people I've worked with, for the opportunity to represent such a wonderful brand, and most of all, to feel like a member of the world's most positive and enduring gamer community.
"As I look forward to departing in both good health and good humour, this is not 'game over' for me, but instead 'leveling up' to more time with my wife, family, and friends."
We wouldn't rule out Nintendo using the Direct to honour and bid farewell to their very own industry icon, no doubt with a collection of his best Meme worthy clips.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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UCU general secretary Sally Hunt has today updated members in USS on the intransigence of the employers in their refusal to continue negotiations on the future of the scheme.
The Pensions Regulator has made clear that the December deadline being imposed by the employers to conclude talks is not fixed and that even the statutory deadline in June next year could see some slippage if it would lead to a 'better outcome'.
In the last few days I have made three different proposals to Universities UK (UUK) aimed at providing the time needed for serious negotiations about your pension.
I regret to say that UUK's response, acting on behalf of your employer, is to continue to insist that it will not negotiate beyond 18 December.
The employers are hiding behind the Pensions Regulator (tPR) even though tPR wrote on 7 December to state that this self-imposed deadline of 18 December is 'not within our remit' but rather is a matter for the stakeholders (e.g. UUK, UCU and USS).
It is just such a 'better outcome' that UCU is seeking on behalf of thousands of staff like you who as things stand will lose a substantial proportion of your retirement income.
No doubt you will remember that UUK promised the press last month that they would 'soon' produce modelling on the impact upon staff of their proposals, yet these are still not forthcoming. The only conclusion I can draw from this is that UUK have done the calculations and that they confirm UCU's analysis that, taken side by side, the average member of staff would lose more than £200,000 from their retirement if these proposals went through.
In my view it is the height of irresponsibility that UUK - acting on behalf of your employer - are prepared to invest so little into discussions which are crucial to so many staff. They won't even tell you how much they think you will lose from their proposals; they seem oblivious to the anger that staff feel.
Well, I do promise you that whatever the odds UCU will try, try and try again to persuade UUK to negotiate properly now and after 18 December.
But if the current appalling proposal is imposed by UUK, UCU will immediately move to seek recompense directly from your employer for your pension loss.
We will use any ballot mandate you give us to do this and the dispute will deepen, not dissipate until we get justice for staff.
I have to say that it looks more than ever like it will take industrial action on an unprecedented scale to persuade the employers to engage properly.
Well if that is what it takes, then that is what we are determined to do.
The union is your voice.
PS. I am writing an FAQ on the dispute for later this week. Please send me any questions you have.


This Shimano Dura Ace C24 wheelset offers sublime performance in regards to a faster, smoother & more responsive ride. Also, being tubeless compatible, they offer exceptional comfort & being constructed with a mix of alloy & carbon are lightweight also.
This wheelset is an upgraded version of their standard Dura Ace 9000 C24 Clincher Wheel and gives you the option of either running a normal Clincher setup or the Tubeless Ready setup.
These alloy/carbon C24 tubeless wheels are a great choice for any road machine wanting to display nothing but the best. Not highly aero, but very light, they and extremely responsive and provide phenomenal cornering grip especially when fitted with tubeless tyres. But, if you still want the choice of running a clincher setup (tyre and inner tube) you can. The tubeless setup does however provide a more comfortable ride with less weight.
Also, low rim weight is achieved by reducing the alloy wall thickness from 1.3mm down to 0.7mm, then a patented phosphoric acid anodising process is used to bond the carbon fibre to the alloy giving an excellent combination of low weight, strength and rigidity.
If you are looking for a shallow wheelset that delivers sublime rider performance these C24's are the choice you are looking for.
what tubeless sealant is safe to use with these rims? The instructions simply say no alkaline sealants but which ones are neutral pH?
I would contact Shimano direct but it's impossible to find a contact email or phone no. so I assume they want customers to channel questions through their authorised dealers. I've seen lots of conflicting opinions on the web so I'm looking for an official view from Wiggle who supplied me with the wheels. Thanks.
I agonized over this as well since I didn't want to void the warranty. I did some research and ended up with Continentals sealant which I bought but still haven't squirted in. I carry an innertube as insurance and I am wondering if I will ever end up using the sealant. Apparently lots of folks don't.
Additional information about Chuck55 could not be loaded.
There does seem to be a lot of mis-information out there regarding sealant and Shimano's road wheels. In this case, Shimano do not recommend the use of sealant with their rims and specifically states that alkali based sealants may cause corrosion.
will my 10 speed cassette fit straight on or do I need to purchace anything extra?
Additional information about tricky20 could not be loaded.
You may need a 1mm spacer but this should arrive with the wheelset.
Additional information about WiggleAndyF could not be loaded.
Do you sell removable core valves that will fit Dura Ace 9000C24 tubeless rims?
I'm very keen to try some Dura Ace tubeless C24 wheels. I note that they don't have removable cores in the rims as my Racing 3s have - this is a big problem! Do you sell a removable core that will fit please?
Additional information about HectorH could not be loaded.
Just be remember when removing the original valves that there is a rubber o-ring (front and read) and a seating collar (on rear only - the rear rim is shaped, so you want to re-use this), which fit between the rim and the valve locking nut to ensure a good airtight seal.
Additional information about SiKron could not be loaded.
Try the Stans universal ones for sale on the site.
The Campag ones won't seal properly.
It is better using a valve with a removable core but don't worry too much as they will go up just fine if you put the sealant in just before you pop home the last bit of bead.
Additional information about srrc could not be loaded.
what does the wheel comes supplied with?
Additional information about SCBND could not be loaded.
No wheel bags ... the rest you get.
Additional information about Broken could not be loaded.
These wheels should be supplied with skewers and the tubeless valve pre-installed.
I'm looking to replace the Shimano valves with Stan's No Tubes vales so that I can have a removable core but wanted to check if I should get the 35mm or 44mm valve? Many thanks.
Additional information about BigEddy could not be loaded.
I would recommend a 44mm valve.
Additional information about WiggleKris could not be loaded.
what tyres will work with the tubeless system?
Additional information about DickyB could not be loaded.
Schwalbe One Tubeless works great.
Additional information about MrLou could not be loaded.
I've been using Hutchinson R3 700X25's, and combined with the wheels, they are a dream.
Additional information about Vajra could not be loaded.
Please contact sales@wiggle.co.uk for further assistance on this question.
Hi, yes. I have these wheels and use them with a Dura Ace 9 speed cassette, you just need to use the spacer that comes with the wheels. They are really nice looking robust rims.
Additional information about Serkta could not be loaded.
I can confirm that a 9-speed cassette will be compatible with these wheels with the spacer provided with the cassette. I hope this helps.
Hi - can I fit 25mm or even 28mm wide tyres to these rims?
Additional information about JohnACitizen could not be loaded.
This should be fine. Fitting a 28mm tyre would be suitable for these however any larger would not be recommended.
Unlike the CL's, given the inside of the rim is smooth do I need to apply rim tape if I fit Tubes/Clinchers?
Additional information about marky333 could not be loaded.
Additional information about lee64 could not be loaded.
On smooth wheels, you will not need to use rim tapes.
Do the wheels come with skewers? If so, what sort of construction/material are they?
Additional information about morgyface could not be loaded.
Skewers are included with these wheels.


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Dancehall is More than Raunch and Homophobia. It's Politics, Culture, and a Rejection of Colonialism.
by musingandrea · Jamaica, Music, musing andrea, musingandrea, Reggae, Reggae-Dancehall · 07 Jan 2015
(Christopher Pillitz / Photonica World)
A friend recently asked me whether I listen to reggae and dancehall music and if so, which artists I enjoy listening to. My response was that I do listen to reggae and dancehall, mostly old school reggae but my answer was short and I believe I gave her an inadequate explanation as to why I continue to listen to those genres. Dancehall, more so than reggae, is especially violent, homophobic, and serially objectifies women. What I should have told my friend, is that the topic is as nuanced and complicated, as hip-hop's relationship to black women and feminists. Michelle Denise Jackson recently pinned a piece over at For Harriet about her love of ratchet music, while still subscribing to feminist ideals. Issa Rae creator of Awkward Black Girl, isn't quiet about her love of everything ratchet as it relates to hip-hop and reality television. Even Tracy Ellis Ross of Girlfriends and Black-ish has a love-hate relationship with the polarizing genre. Similarly to these ladies, I enjoy a wide range of reggae and dancehall music but navigating through the murky waters can be a bit complicated. To say I totally abstain would be complete hypocrisy, and I try to live as authentically as possible, even when there are eyebrow-raising contradictions.
My Love Affair With Reggae and Dancehall
My love affair with music, particularly reggae and dancehall, started at an early age. I grew up in a Pentecostal household in Jamaica, in which it was seen as "ungodly" to listen to "the devil's music," so naturally, like most young people growing up in church, I was curious about the prohibited and appeased my curiosity whenever I was outside the home. Reggae and dancehall music are ubiquitous in Jamaica. I had my fill in taxis and buses on the way to school and our neighbors BLASTED music every weekend from Friday through Sunday. Songs like Beres Hammond's – "Pride & Joy," Garnett Silk's- "Oh Me Oh My," "Hello Mama Africa," and a host of songs from 90's-singer Sanchez were among my favorites growing up. As I got older, my taste widened and I came to love bands like UB40, legendary singer Bob Marley, and the smooth sounds of Maxi Priest. I also really dug Sean Paul and his music was a fixture that got me in the zone before my high school basketball games. On one of my latest trips to Jamaica, I was introduced to some more recent dancehall songs. While on our way to a party, my cousin blasted a host of dancehall artists from his car speakers. I enjoyed listening to tracks like, Wayne Wonder's "No Letting Go," Demarco's "I Love My Life," and Popcaan "Party Shot." The electrifying sounds coupled with my Red Stripe and rum buzz while the cool night air hit my face was pure ecstasy.
In a recent NPR interview, Solange Knowles chatted about hip-hop and her love for the genre. She talked about her love of Nas, early Cash Money and a plethora of other rap artists. A question was posed in the interview about when the music gets to be "too much." And by this the interviewer was specifically addressing issues like the objectification of women, violent lyrics and among other problematic issues associated with the genre. Interviewer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, formerly of A Tribe Called Quest, cited Dr. Dre's song, "Xxplosive," as his "I can only take so much" track. He states, "Such a great sounding record but lyrically — I don't know, it pushes against me a little bit too much." Solange's take on the issue is summed up in the following statement: "Well, I mean, there's definitely truth to a lot of those stories which you can't deny and disassociate from, which is the way that I try to look at it — that's a lot of people's truth. That's a lot of people's environment, whether it's right or wrong. As an artist, everybody has the opportunity to celebrate and speak their truth." This is precisely where I stand with some, certainly not all, of reggae and dancehall music.
Where We Come From
Like hip-hop, dancehall and reggae was birthed out of the ghettos — hip-hop started in the Bronx, New York and reggae and dancehall from impoverished neighborhoods in Kingston, Jamaica. From the get go, both mediums set out to verbalize the social and economic injustices of everyday people. Carolyn Cooper, author of Sound Clash: Jamaican Dancehall Culture At Large States, in Jamaica, states that reggae and dancehall were ways of "defying the Eurocentric values of respectability." This is evident in Popcaan's song, "Where We Come From." In the song, the young artist talks about the struggles of poverty, the experience of having a friend murdered, and how he ignored nay-sayers to push through, even when the odds were against him. Jamaica is a third-world country. There's hardly a middle class — you are either filthy rich or very poor, and unfortunately there are many though ghettos that house the less affluent. So when Popcaan croons about never forgetting where he comes from, I totally relate, although I wouldn't categorize myself as a "thug" as the artists self-identifies throughout the song.
I had a mixed bag of experiences and lived all over the island of Jamaica before I migrated to Georgia at ten years old. I got my street education from living in Flankers, Montego Bay — one of the most dangerous "hoods" in Jamaica. We heard gun shots on the regular, my best playmate's mom was a well-known prostitute, and bloody and violent altercations weren't uncommon. Like Popcaan, I will never forget where I come from. My deep Jamaican roots and varied experiences have shaped my worldview. Listening to these songs brings back memories of my childhood on the island. Songs like "Summertime" by dancehall artist Vybz Kartel's, remind me of the glorious summers spent with a host of my cousins and siblings in the deep Jamaican countryside. My summers were spent freely roaming the hills picking fruit, soaking in the river (some of us couldn't swim), and enjoying everyone's company — from my twin great uncles who always brought us treats, to our grandmother, who always had three meals prepared everyday for us kids (how did she do it?). My great grandmother, granny she was called — her loving hugs and wise words continue to warm my spirit. So much love, quality time spent, and fond memories. These experiences and more have shaped how I continue to view family and familial bonds. So when Vybz sings, "Summer time inna Portmore/Summer time inna Kingston/Summer time inna Country/Summer time inna my scheme," he evokes a feeling of nostalgia and familiarity that I can't help but connect to. Other songs like "Party Shot," "One by One," and Major Lazer's, "You're No Good For Me," are fun songs that are in no way offensive or demeaning.
Push back when necessary
With all that said like Solange and Ali, I do have my limits. While much of the reggae music I listen to is connected to a sense of nostalgia, there are songs and artists that often give me pause as a listener. Songs like, "Boom Bye Bye" by Buju Banton and artist Tommy Lee Sparta are like fire to my ear drums. Navigating the reggae and dancehall world can be difficult, uncomfortable, and troublesome at times. But, reggae and dancehall will forever be a part of the Jamaican culture, as I will forever be a Jamaican by birth. Even the language used in reggae and dancehall (patios or patwa) represents a push back of the colonial English that was brought to the country during slavery. As author Carolyn Cooper again states, when juxtaposing the musical genres to Karl Marx's quote, "religion is the opium of the mass," she asserts then that "reggae is the ganja of the massive." I definitely do not hold the same values and sentiments as some of these artists but there's genuine love for the music and furthermore I won't subscribe to respectability politics that suggests what is or isn't "respectable" music. Neither, will I hold a Eurocentric attitude that labels the culture of dancehall as "backwards" or "uncultured." This isn't to say that a healthy dose of awareness isn't necessary. It's all about comfort levels and doing what's right for you.
Andrea Dwyer
Black Women Writers
Dancehall Culture
Jamaican Writers
by musingandrea
Andrea resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She's a lover of her very Jamaican family, music, cinema, different cultures, travel, basketball, and down to earth folk. She's especially passionate about equality in the LGBTQ community particularly as it relates to people of the African Diaspora. Contact Andrea here: andrea@superselected.com.
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said on March 25, 2015
[…] previously shared my relationship with reggae music, particularly dancehall and its contradictions. Over the weekend I relished in a few videos that highlighted the resurgence […]
Kendra Dennis
said on October 9, 2015
Well written, and I totally agree!! I have the same polarizing views but must admit Dancehall (old and new) is my favorite genre of all time!


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This Summer Zee Talkies brings to you the best of Disney and Disney-Pixar Films in Marathi
Thu, April 2015 12:02pm
Zee Talkies today announced a special summer line up of Disney and Disney-Pixar animated films as part of their Animation Film Festival. For the first time ever in the history of Marathi the blockbuster animated films will be dubbed in Marathi especially for the audience of Maharashtra. The crème de la crème of the Marathi industry have dubbed for the characters in these films. Zee Talkies aims to provide families with the most loved animated titles including Disney's 'The Lion King', Cinderella' and popular Disney-Pixar titles such as 'Brave', 'UP', 'Finding Nemo' and 'WallE'.
Leading Marathi actors including Mahesh Manjrekar, Adinath Kothare, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Apeksha Dandekar and many more will be lending their voices for these blockbuster films. While Mahesh Manjrekar and Adinath Kothare have dubbed for 'The Lion King', Ketaki Mategaonkar has lent her voice to 'Cinderella'.
Bavesh Janavlekar, Business Head, Zee Talkies said, "Zee Talkies is one of the leading channels in the country with an established presence across Maharashtra. The channel has always lived up to its promise of continuous innovation and non-stop entertainment. Our programming ranges from critically acclaimed movies to the best of comedy films and we are delighted to offer viewers popular titles from Disney's catalogue. This is going to be very exciting for kids and the entire family can experience Disney and Disney-Pixar's magic. I hope that this unique initiative will scale newer heights."
The films will be telecast from 3rd May onwards at 12pm and 6pm.
Zee Talkies a 24 hour movie channel, launched with the exclusive objective to build reach of Marathi cinema across Maharashtra, today also stands as the No.1 Marathi movie Channel of Maharashtra. The channel reaches out to about 20 million people across Maharashtra on a weekly average basis. Zee Talkies owns the biggest library of Marathi masterpieces. Right from the old classics like 'Sadhi Manase', 'Jagachya Pathiwar', 'Chhatrapati Shivaji', 'Molkarin', 'Gulacha Ganpati' to the most critically acclaimed movies like 'Natrang' and 'Shwaas'. It showcases all the following blockbusters from the world of Marathi Cinema ranging from 'Ashi hi Banva Banv'i to 'Duniyadaari' to 'Lai Bhaari'.
Disney Media Distribution (DMD) distributes more than 30,000 hours of programming in multiple languages to over 1,300 platform partners in 240 territories worldwide. DMD works closely with Indian broadcasters to provide dubbed content in local languages that appeal to local audiences and is the exclusive regional distributor of Disney Channel, Disney XD and Hungama TV. In 2010, DMD signed a multi-year agreement with Sun Distribution Services for channel distribution of Disney Channel, Disney XD and Hungama TV, taking Disney content across multiple platforms including Cable TV, Direct-to-Home (DTH) and IP-TV.
Tags: zee talkies, new animation movies, animationchi jadui duniya, Disney movies on zee talkies, zee talkies animation movies in marathi
कट्यार काळजात घुसली टॅाकीज प्रीमियर
श्रवणीय संगीताच्या जोरावर आजवर अनेक रसिक प्रेक्षकांची मने जिंकणारं हे नाटक चित्रपटाच्या माध्यमातून मराठी संगीत रंगभूमीवरचं मानाचं पान असलेलं अजरामर नाटक म्हणजे संगीत कट्यार काळजात घुसली.
झी टॅाकीजवर 'नटसम्राट'
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A Load Cell & PLC Solution
An agricultural company Grand Rapids Metrology has a long-standing relationship with contacted us with a need for a customized solution. Based near Grand Rapids, MI, they previously had four silos in place that incorporated a fast load out system which was originally crafted by Grand Rapids Metrology. Throughout the years as technology advanced, the system needed updating. The customer trusted Grand Rapids Metrology to continuously work with them and update the fast load out system numerous times.
In recent years, the company invested in eight more silos each with a capacity of roughly 225,000 pounds. GRM partnered with a third-party contractor to install the eight new silos and solely installed four new load cells under each silo with indicators, one dedicated for each group of four silos. The previously updated fast load out system was replicated and implemented twice during this project totaling to three systems with twelve silos. Our extensive relationship and knowledge of this company has allowed us to scale to their growth and continue to implement such projects.
One of the company's biggest requirements for the new system was the desire for printed tickets to include the product name and product code. GRM has vast experience with Ethernet IP and PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) communication as well as incorporating PLC's and indicators. We were able to create communication between the PLC and the scale indictor utilizing Ethernet IP which allowed the printed weight tickets to include the product code and product name, just as the company had hoped.
A challenge encountered during the process was working to certify the company's outgoing products on their trucks for Legal for Trade. GRM worked closely with the customer and the State of Michigan to fulfill the requirements of having products Legal for Trade, one of those being an accurate weight measurement. The new communication system and load cells produced extremely accurate results. Our Solutions Team also integrated an auto- adjusting and auto-learning pre-act system that allows the measurements of product to become more and more accurate as time goes on.
The use of load cells has applications in numerous industries as does a communication system similar to the Ethernet IP and PLC one utilized here. For inquiries about our custom engineered solutions, please contact of Director of Operations, Terry Benjamin by email at terry.benjamin@grmetrology.com or by phone at 616.249.1210.
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Dogs Bite Decatur Al: PIT BULLS - THEY MAKE GREAT FAMILY PETS !!!
PIT BULLS - THEY MAKE GREAT FAMILY PETS !!!
It's so absurd that people still believe this kind of behavior is "forced" and that aggressive dogs secretly hate maiming.
That little dog is on a leash. It makes me furious that most people in these videos stand around and do practically nothing to stop an attacking pit.
One of the comments on Facebook says that "any breed" could do this...yet there are zero videos of poodles, retrievers, setters, collies, etc. acting in such a way. Fancy that.
Who is filming that crap? How can you not act? Tackle that mf, throw the motor cycle at it. Do something!!!!! I can't take it, these stupid beasts are killing our loved ones. FIGHT!!!!
Sorry, I was angry and emotional watching that... I know it would be terrifying and dangerous to get involved in an attack. I just can't stomach the suffering that pitbulls inflict. I've been struggling thinking of all the victims.
I struggle with this, too, I want a cute purse. I think the ??MEN?? don't want to stop these attacks. They want the other dog to be ripped up and killed. Why else would it continue with them just standing around? I believe it is a form of terrorism. As when ISIS beheads 50 young men or drowns men by lowering them in a cage. It's power and control over those who are powerless and can't do anything about it. In my next life I'm going to have the powers needed to save every little pet that has been killed by pit bulls and to seek vengeance on their owners. I also believe after watching nutters and their pits next door for almost 7 years that the viciousness of these mutants elicits a hedonistic sexual arousal for these perverts who like to watch them rip and maul and then procreate more mutants...IT'S ALL SO DARK AND UGLY!!! AND THEN THERE'S THE WOMEN WHO ARE ATTRACTED TO BOTH THE DOGS AND THE MEN.
We must see these videos and remember....these dogs kill children the same way they kill animals of their own kind. We must prepare ourselves for all scenarios. What if the 100 pound frankenmauler breaks through the fence and I fall down trying to get back in the house? I could not get back up and no one would hear after about 30 seconds of it gripping my neck!!! How many hours would it take for someone to find me? It would be the same if I went walking or walked across a parking lot and one jumped out a car window and I didn't hear it coming until it knocked me down. THINK OF THE TERROR!!! WHY AREN'T MEN PROTECTING CHILDREN AND ELDERLY HUMANS AND SWEET LITTLE HOUSE DOGS INSTEAD OF BREEDING MORE AND MORE GENETICALLY MODIFIED MONSTERS? THEY ARE EVIL AND IN THIS WORLD THERE IS GOOD AND THERE IS EVIL !!!!!!!!!!
I agree with you. The souls behind this world of breeding/fighting/watching are the devil on earth. They are past the point of no return. As for the women who tolerate and champion this behavior... Well it's the same type of woman who will let a man abuse her own children because she loves him. Sick!
I hope you have someone who takes care of you and your husband to help keep you safe. It bothers me to hear about your situation.


Mark Wahlberg hasn't been shy about showing off his insane body and last year sent fans into a spin with his crazy workout routine.
And now the Hollywood hunk has taken his gym obsession to a new level, by making a sizeable investment in the Australian fitness franchise F45.
With his company, the Mark Wahlberg Investment Group, and FOD Capital, the 47-year-old has bought a minority stake in the gym chain, which started as a single Australian studio and has grown to 1,500 studios across 40 countries.
"The founders of F45 Training have done an incredible job building a global brand, and with this partnership, we hope to continue disrupting the fitness industry," Mark Wahlberg said in a statement.
Some of his other fitness-related investments include StockX, water brand Aquahydrate, and workout supplement Performance Inspired Nutrition.
Back in September Mark took to his Instagram stories to share his typical daily schedule.
It revealed the actor's routine includes a 2:30am alarm call, two epic workout sessions, an hour in a cryo chamber and bed by 7:30pm.
Mark decided to share the information with his 10.3 million Instagram followers, after he revealed he's constantly asked about how he keeps in shape.
After his 2:30am alarm goes off, Mark takes half an hour for prayer time, after which he grabs breakfast, at 3:15am.
By 3:40am Mark's in the gym for his first workout of the day, which ends at 5:15am.
Then, at 5:30am he grabs a post-workout meal before getting into the shower at 6am.
At 7:30am it's time to play some golf with friends, during which he grabs a snack at 8am.
After his time on the course, at 9:30am, Mark spends one hour in a cryo chamber for muscle recovery.
He grabs another snack at 10:30am and sets aside two hours from 11am until 1pm for family time with his wife Rhea Durham and his children, Ella, 15, Michael 12, Brendan, nine and Grace, eight.
He also spends this time catching up on work calls or attending meetings.
Then 1pm means it's time for lunch, after which it's back to work for the star from 2pm until he has to pick up the kids from school at 3pm.
His last snacks comes at 3:30pm, just before his last workout of the day at 4pm.
After an hour in the gym, Mark hops into the shower at 5pm and has dinner with his family from 5:30 until bedtime at 7:30pm.


After a round of golf at Portland Golf course in the summer of 2000, Beau Doherty, President of Special Olympics, Al Pollock and Nick Foligno were enjoying lunch when the topic of holding a Special Olympics Connecticut (SOCT) golf tournament came up. This started the planning for a fundraising event in support of SOCT that has grown into the weekend event hosted by Foxwoods.
That first Golf Tournament was held in 2001 at the Portland Golf Course and it raised $12,000 for SOCT. In those first few years, interest was obviously keen while it consistently turned in a profit ranging from $10-20,000. Soon, the Tournament outgrew the Portland facility and the Tournament joined forces with Foxwoods. The event was moved to the new Lake of Isles Golf Course in Stonington. With two five star rated golf courses, it allowed the Tournament to take a big step forward to a top quality event for SOCT. This event has continued to sell out for the past fourteen years.
In 2007, the Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament hosted by Susan Saint James was added completing a weekend of events that raise money to support Special Olympics Connecticut athletes. To date, this Event has raised $1,600,000.
This year marks the 18th Anniversary for the Tournament. Special Olympics Connecticut and Foxwoods would like to thank all who have supported this event over the years and helped it grow from an idea over lunch, to the gold medal event it has become.
Full payment must be received to reserve your participation. Deadline is September 4th.
All Player's Names must be complete! Cut off for any changes is September 9th.


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Wondering Where to Go on a Family Holiday in October? Ras Al Khaimah Is a Perfect Choice
Many people discount the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for family holidays due to the scorching heat in the summer holidays. But if you're wondering where to go on a family holiday in the October half term, this is the perfect time to visit Ras Al Khaimah (RAK). With an average temperature of 24°C, it will feel plenty hot enough for days at the beach. Humidity levels drop from their highest — around 87% on 20th August — to an average of 48% in October, making an autumn trip much more comfortable for the whole family. RAK is an easy, seven-hour direct flight from London, so it's a great choice for families with limited time seeking a little summer sun. You can pack a lot into a week and be back in time for the first day at school. So why is Ras Al Khaimah the perfect choice for a family holiday in October?
Family Excitement and Adventure at Jebel Jais, the World's Longest Zipline
Jebel Jais is part of the stunning Hajar mountain range and is the UAE's highest peak. You could fill an entire week's holiday with fun family activities staying in this one location. From hiking, cycling, sightseeing and camping, there's plenty for an active family to enjoy.
The biggest draw is the Guinness certified World's Longest Zipline. The brave-hearted thrill seeker can zip over the mountain range 1,680 metres above sea level, reaching speeds of up to 160kph. A certified guide will accompany you at all times and everyone who takes part is given a full safety briefing before setting off on the ultimate adventure. This is a great day out for all family members aged between 12 and 65. The most popular time to visit RAK is December to February when this attraction books up quickly — families visiting in October should find it less crowded. However, if this is top of your "must do" list, it's a good idea to book online to secure your slot.
To wind down after the adrenaline rush, why not grab a bite to eat and enjoy the breath-taking views at one of the seven viewing decks on the top of Jebel Jais? There's even an ice rink which sits 1300 metres above sea level! This is open to children over the age of three, so for those too young to join in the zip line adventure, this is a great alternative.
Take a Day Trip to Dubai
Dubai is less than an hour's drive from RAK and it's well worth a visit. If you've already braved the World's Longest Zipline, why not go for another record-breaking holiday adventure by shooting to the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building or sliding down the world's longest water coaster at the Aquaventure Waterpark?
There are a variety of ticket options for the Burj Khalifa, but all experiences include a thrilling ride on the world's fastest double-deck elevator, which will speed you to the top observation deck at 10m/s. Relax and enjoy the incredible views or try out the new immersive experience — stand on the glass-floor and feel the glass crack beneath your feet!
The Atlantis The Palm's Aquaventure Waterpark is currently undergoing expansion and will become one of the biggest waterparks in the world by 2020. The water park already offers 30 water slides and attractions. By next year, there will also be a 34-metre tall Trident Tower and 12 new rides — including the world's longest ProSlide MammothBlast water coaster. All ages are catered for and a new children's area will be introduced in 2020 to include mini versions of the ProSlide rides for the younger members of your family.
Outdoor Adventures and Relaxation on the Beach
October is an ideal time to enjoy all the outdoor adventures and activities that Ras Al Khaimah has to offer. Temperatures are more comfortable and there is likely to be fewer crowds. If you're seeking a little relaxation amidst the whirl of family adventure activities, there is no shortage of expansive white sandy beaches to choose from. Temperatures are perfect for sunbathing, swimming and building sandcastles at this time of year. Over the last few years, more luxury beach resorts have sprung up, each with their own privately owned sandy beach. Many have natural lagoons and there's a huge range of watersports to choose from. Most of these friendly hotels offer fantastic amenities for families, such as kids clubs and activities.
Away from the beach, the Al Wadi Equestrian Centre provides horseback and camel treks through the desert for riders of all capabilities. Enjoy stunning views of the dunes while riding an Arabian camel and see who is the first to spot some of the native desert creatures that thrive in this environment. Children can also take part in an interactive lesson in caring for the horses, including grooming, washing and riding these beautiful creatures.
If you prefer to travel on 4-wheels, a 4×4 adventure through the sand dunes could be the perfect holiday adventure for you and your family. There are countless tour operators to choose from. Many create a package, including entertainment and food. There's also the option to camp overnight in the desert, enjoy a sunset barbeque and watch the stars above as you settle down for the night — a truly magical experience for the whole family.
Visit Ras Al Khaimah This October Half Term
Ras Al Khaimah is a perfect family holiday destination for the October half-term. Temperatures drop from the dizzy heights reached in August by at least 10 degrees and it will feel much less humid. A straight forward flight from the UK makes RAK an easy destination to get to if you only have time for a week away or even a short break before school starts again. Whatever the age of your children and whether you're seeking adventure, relaxation or both, in Ras Al Khaimah you'll be spoilt for choice.
Why not check out our extensive range of resorts in Ras Al Khaimah and find the perfect family holiday package for your October half term getaway? We have a number of family hotels and inclusive holidays for your half-term holiday. Need some further travel advice? Get in touch and one of our friendly advisors will be glad to help.
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Browse here to seek out the best Rental Automotive Offers in a few of our prime travel locations. His trailers have been put in the marketplace long earlier than the pricing for RVs turned expensive, but mockingly, there isn't any brand on the market as we speak that may match his for quality and sturdiness. Now, it will probably value you something (journey to the placement, perhaps meals when you're there), but don't let them charge you to work. Travel works greatest if used alongside online greatest practices to maximise your web presence. Journey enables you to be identified as a travel related enterprise with out having to dilute your company title and URL. Open: The Gastro Bar & Terrace is open from 12pm – 3pm for lunch, from 5pm – 9pm Mon – Thurs, or till 10pm on Fri and Sat. Journey when pregnant can be unpredictable, so that you all the time want to be inside attain.


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Well | Eat Your Heart Out
March 7, 2013 12:01 am March 7, 2013 12:01 am
Credit Ben Wiseman
Over the last several decades, it has become accepted wisdom that consuming saturated fat, the type found in meat and butter, is bad for you. Starting in the 1960s, studies showed convincingly that saturated fat raises cholesterol levels and that these elevated levels, especially of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL (the so-called bad cholesterol), increase heart disease. Studies also showed that consuming polyunsaturated fats — safflower, corn and soybean oils — reduced people's levels of overall cholesterol and LDL and should be encouraged.
But new studies may be upending those assumptions. Researchers with the National Institutes of Health and other organizations recently resurrected the results of a long-overlooked Australian study conducted from 1966 to 1973, in which one group of men with heart disease increased omega-6-rich polyunsaturated fat intake to 15 percent of calories, while reducing saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent. Another group of men with heart disease continued their normal diets.
The men were followed for an average of 39 months, and those on the polyunsaturated-rich diet lowered their cholesterol levels by an average of 13 percent. But they also were more likely to die, and in particular to die of a heart attack, than those who stuck with their usual diet, which consisted of about 15 percent saturated fat.
This study — the results of which weren't fully analyzed when it was conducted in the early days of enthusiasm for polyunsaturated oils — adds to a small but unsettling body of data suggesting that consuming polyunsaturated oils, even though they reliably lower cholesterol, may nevertheless increase your risk of heart disease.
In broader terms, the new analysis muddies the already murky issue of just how diet affects heart-disease risk and health in general. Polyunsaturated oils, while decreasing cholesterol, may simultaneously promote inflammation throughout the body, says Philip C. Calder, a professor of nutritional immunology at the University of Southampton, in England, who wrote an editorial accompanying the new analysis. This inflammation may initiate heart disease and "outweigh any possible good effect" of the oils.
More fundamentally, we don't fully understand how high cholesterol levels contribute to heart disease. Some would argue, Calder wrote in an e-mail, that "the link between cholesterol and heart disease is not actually as strong as we think." That possibility, while startling, lends credence to other studies showing that assiduously sticking to a diet rich in fish oils, another heart-healthful fat, doesn't necessarily protect people from heart attacks or strokes; and that those who carry extra pounds, even to the point of being slightly obese, may live longer than people who weigh less.
None of this is to say that there are no links between diet and heart disease or longevity. We know that synthetic trans fats seem particularly risky. And that the interplay between what you eat and your particular genetics may be primary. But the truth is, at this point, we don't truly understand how it all works. Calder said the new analysis might prompt some people to recommend lowering the use of vegetable oils, substituting animal fats instead, but that he wasn't ready to come to that conclusion.
A version of this article appears in print on 03/10/2013, on page MM14 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Eat Your Heart Out.
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Civil Court-
Family Court+
Contempt: Not Following a Court Order+
Government » Clerk of Circuit Court » Civil Court
If you are not satisfied with a court decision, judgment or order made by a Circuit Court Judge, you are entitled to appeal that decision to the Court of Appeals. An appeal asks the Court of Appeals to look at what the Circuit Court Judge did to determine if they made the right decision and/or followed the correct procedure.
Guide to Appellate Procedures for the Self-Represented:
http://wicourts.gov/publications/guides/docs/proseappealsguide.pdf
Filing an Appeal FAQs:
http://wicourts.gov/courts/appeals/filingfaqs.htm
DeNovo Reviews
When you want a judge to review a decision that was made by a Circuit Court Commissioner because you disagree with what the Circuit Court Commissioner decided you must file for a New (DeNovo) Hearing. Either party may request a DeNovo Hearing, but the request must be made within specific time limits. DeNovo Reviews in Civil Court include reviews of Restraining Orders and Small Claims matters.
Reviews of Restraining Orders:
Once a restraining order has been granted or denied by a Circuit Court Commissioner any party may request a review of their decision before a Circuit Court Judge. This request must be made in writing (using form CV-503) and filed with the Family Court on the 3rd Floor of the County Courthouse. The court will schedule a date and send notice to all parties.
Review of Small Claims Orders:
In hearings conducted court commissioners in small claims matters, the court commissioner's decision becomes a judgment unless one or both parties demand a trial before a circuit court judge within 10 business days of an oral decision or within 15 calendar days of the mailing of a written decision. The party demanding the trial must complete form SC-517. The original is filed with the small claims division on the 8th floor of the County Courthouse. The party demanding a trial must mail or deliver a copy of the demand for trial to the other party. Proof of mailing or delivery must also be filed with the small claims division.


"I know what is the matter with me. It is a coolie disease from Sumatra -- a thing that the Dutch know more about than we, though they have made little of it up to date. One thing only is certain. It is infallibly deadly, and it is horribly contagious."
"Contagious by touch, Watson -- that's it, by touch. Keep your distance and all is well."
"Good heavens, Holmes! Do you suppose that such a consideration weighs with me for an instant? It would not affect me in the case of a stranger. Do you imagine it would prevent me from doing my duty to so old a friend?"
"You won't take the key from me by force, Watson. I've got you, my friend. Here you are, and here you will stay until I will otherwise. But I'll humour you." (All this in little gasps, with terrible struggles for breath between.) "You've only my own good at heart. Of course I know that very well. You shall have your way, but give me time to get my strength. Not now, Watson, not now. It's four o'clock. At six you can go."
But it was destined to be resumed long before that hour, and in circumstances which gave me a shock hardly second to that caused by his spring to the door. I had stood for some minutes looking at the silent figure in the bed. His face was almost covered by the clothes and he appeared to be asleep. Then, unable to settle down to reading, I walked slowly round the room, examining the pictures of celebrated criminals with which every wall was adorned. Finally, in my aimless perambulation, I came to the mantelpiece. A litter of pipes, tobacco-pouches, syringes, penknives, revolver-cartridges, and other debris was scattered over it. In the midst of these was a small black and white ivory box with a sliding lid. It was a neat little thing, and I had stretched out my hand to examine it more closely when -- It was a dreadful cry that he gave -- a yell which might have been heard down the street. My skin went cold and my hair bristled at that horrible scream. As I turned I caught a glimpse of a convulsed face and frantic eyes. I stood paralyzed, with the little box in my hand.
"Put it down! Down, this instant, Watson -- this instant, I say!" His head sank back upon the pillow and he gave a deep sigh of relief as I replaced the box upon the mantelpiece. "I hate to have my things touched, Watson. You know that I hate it. You fidget me beyond endurance. You, a doctor -- you are enough to drive a patient into an asylum. Sit down, man, and let me have my rest!"
"Ah, too few! Too few! How very unfortunate, Watson! However, such as they are you can put them in your watchpocket. And all the rest of your money in your left trouserpocket. Thank you. It will balance you so much better like that."
I give Holmes's remarks as a consecutive whole and will not attempt to indicate how they were interrupted by gaspings for breath and those clutchings of his hands which indicated the pain from which he was suffering. His appearance had changed for the worse during the few hours that I had been with him. Those hectic spots were more pronounced, the eyes shone more brightly out of darker hollows, and a cold sweat glimmered upon his brow. He still retained, however, the jaunty gallantry of his speech. To the last gasp he would always be the master.
"You will tell him exactly how you have left me," said he. "You will convey the very impression which is in your own mind -- a dying man -- a dying and delirious man. Indeed, I cannot think why the whole bed of the ocean is not one solid mass of oysters, so prolific the creatures seem. Ah, I am wandering! Strange how the brain controls the brain! What was I saying, Watson?"
"Ah, yes, I remember. My life depends upon it. Plead with him, Watson. There is no good feeling between us. His nephew, Watson -- I had suspicions of foul play and I allowed him to see it. The boy died horribly. He has a grudge against me. You will soften him, Watson. Beg him, pray him, get him here by any means. He can save me -- only he!"
"I am sorry," said I, "but the matter cannot be delayed. Mr. Sherlock Holmes --"
"Why?" he asked. "Why should Mr. Holmes think that I could help him in his trouble?"
"Oh, that's it -- is it?" said he. "I trust the matter is not so grave as you suppose. How long has he been ill?"
"I fear there is no alternative, Watson. The room does not lend itself to concealment, which is as well, as it is the less likely to arouse suspicion. But just there, Watson, I fancy that it could be done." Suddenly he sat up with a rigid intentness upon his haggard face. "There are the wheels, Watson. Quick, man, if you love me! And don't budge, whatever happens -- whatever happens, do you hear? Don't speak! Don't move! Just listen with all your ears." Then in an instant his sudden access of strength departed, and his masterful, purposeful talk droned away into the low, vague murmurings of a semi-delirious man.
"I should imagine not," he said. "And yet, you see, I am here. Coals of fire, Holmes -- coals of fire!"
"It is very good of you -- very noble of you. I appreciate your special knowledge."
"Well, I shouldn't be surprised, Holmes. I shouldn't be surprised if it were the same. A bad lookout for you if it is. Poor Victor was a dead man on the fourth day -- a strong, hearty young fellow. It was certainly, as you said, very surprising that he should have contracted an out-of-the-way Asiatic disease in the heart of London -- a disease, too, of which I had made such a very special study. Singular coincidence, Holmes. Very smart of you to notice it, but rather uncharitable to suggest that it was cause and effect."
"Oh, you did, did you? Well, you couldn't prove it, anyhow. But what do you think of yourself spreading reports about me like that, and then crawling to me for help the moment you are in trouble? What sort of a game is that -- eh?"
"Do what you can for me. Let bygones be bygones," he whispered. "I'll put the words out of my head -- I swear I will. Only cure me, and I'll forget it."
"You can forget it or remember it, just as you like. I don't see you in the witness-box. Quite another shaped box, my good Holmes, I assure you. It matters nothing to me that you should know how my nephew died. It's not him we are talking about. It's you."
"The fellow who came for me -- I've forgotten his name -- said that you contracted it down in the East End among the sailors."
"I can't think. My mind is gone. For heaven's sake help me! "
"I'm fainting -- I'm gone!"
"Listen, Holmes!" There was a sound as if he was shaking the dying man, and it was all that I could do to hold myself quiet in my hiding-place. "You must hear me. You shall hear me. Do you remember a box -- an ivory box? It came on Wednesday. You opened it -- do you remember?"
"Yes, yes, I opened it. There was a sharp spring inside it. Some joke --"
"I remember," Holmes gasped. "The spring! It drew blood. This box -- this on the table."
I nearly called out in my joy and my amazement. He was speaking in his natural voice -- a little weak, perhaps, but the very voice I knew. There was a long pause, and I felt that Culverton Smith was standing in silent amazement looking down at his companion.
"But your appearance, Holmes -- your ghastly face?"
This page was last edited on 1 October 2015, at 05:26.


"I have been using many 10 Performance for about 8 months now. All of the products I have been taking have significantly changed my life. My FAVORITE product would be the RPM. I have always had sleeping issues. Where my issues lie are falling asleep and once I am asleep, staying asleep.
After about 3 or 4 nights of taking the RPM consistently, I have noticed a major change! I am actually sleeping throughout the night without waking up. I am waking up feeling refreshed. I was very skeptical and nervous that it would make me feel groggy and sluggish like the most sleep aid type of products does. RPM is the complete opposite of that!


Developments in regenerative medicine are making it possible for patients or athletes to live without debilitating heart disease, to re-grow cartilage in an injured knee, for injured soldiers to recover and return to normal life, for children with congenital heart defects to receive a heart or valve patch that will grow as they do, and for researchers to finally understand the initiation and progression of various diseases of organs and other connective tissues. With a keen eye toward non-embryonic stem cells and their abilities to restore the body, regenerative medicine applies tissue engineering strategies — together with other biological, engineering, and computational techniques — towards the replacement or repair of biological tissues. If Houston and the greater Southeastern Texas researchers and physicians join efforts through this GCC Cluster in Regenerative Medicine, the TMC can lead the nation in discovery and treatment in regenerative medicine.
This cluster represents an unprecedented opportunity to place Houston and the Texas Medical Center at the forefront of regenerative medicine. Faculty will work together under this cluster to establish an inter-institutional, multi-disciplinary 'Center of Excellence'.
This group is continually building in membership as well as in concept; if you are interested in participating, please contact Suzanne Tomlinson.


Hokkaido Izakaya has potential. Not everything I tasted was great, but there's enough to make me happy enough to want to make a repeat visit.
Certified by the Hokkaido City Council to promote Hokkaido produce in Singapore, Hokkaido Izakaya gets its produce from just four cities – seafood from Yakumo Town (a town which faces both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean); vegetables and cheeses from Furano City (that lavender place!); wines and beef from Kamishihoro City (where cows outnumber people); and oysters from Akkeshi Town, the leading oyster producing area in Japan.
Authentic or not, two appetizers didn't agree with my palate – scallop liver with sesame oil and cubes of cream cheese marinated with miso. Too creamy but to be fair, if you like shirako and ankimo etc, you will probably enjoy these.
Actually, make that three unimpressive appetizers. The cucumber slices dressed with konbu were fine but certainly nothing interesting to warrant an order.
Served warm, the potato salad uses Hokkaido potatoes and is mixed 'live' with egg, shredded vegetables and a generous spoonful of mayonnaise. Check out the video here haha.
Chicken wings = essential bar grub I suppose.
I love tamago so naturally I love this! So soft and fluffy, good stuff. Will have to ask for butter on the side next time because smothering it with butter is overkill after a few bites.
While not the best value-for-money dish in the house, the grilled scallop was tasty nonetheless.
I'm usually not a fan of starchy food but Hokkaido potatoes are really delicious! Especially when fried like these croquettes.
Hokkaido is famous for its milk and other dairy products so don't be surprised when your hotpot comes with a milky broth. This comforting pot overflowing with salmon and vegetables is perfect for a cold rainy day. We also had smoked salmon belly (not pictured) which was excellent too!
The lunch menu comprises of their signature soba, handmade in the restaurant using 100% buckwheat flour imported from Hokkaido. The kakiage tempura soba has a great presentation but the kakiage was quite a letdown as it was not as crispy or airy as expected.
By the end of dinner, I had enough of potatoes but dessert also involved this prized commodity! Served with butter and vanilla ice cream, the steamed potato was a heavy ending, not recommended unless you are still hungry. There's vanilla ice cream with corn sauce on the dessert menu which I'll try next time and report back.
My thanks to the Food News team for hosting dinner!
Bochinche may be an Argentinian restaurant but trust me when I say that pescetarians (and even vegetarians) can dine very well here too. It's not all about meat on the dinner menu as Head Chef Fabrice Mergalet has added several new items, including three vegetarian small plates. Granted, they may be intended to complement Bochinche's popular meat dishes but the sweet roasted beetroot with goat's cheese and grilled pumpkin with braised kale and yogurt are tasty enough on its own. There's also a refreshing salad of watermelon paired with mozzarella cream and sun-dried tomato.
Other new small plates menu items include the Hokkaido scallops tiradito with an intriguing pairing of tomato water and for meat eaters game for bold flavours, perhaps go for the crispy chicken skin with liver parfait, candied walnuts and grape chutney – I wish there's a pescetarian version! Old hot favourites such as the classic provoleta with almonds and oregano honey (a must for cheese lovers!) as well as the signature veal sweetbreads are still available on the menu.
Please don't leave without ordering the crab croquettes – moreish fried balls of tightly packed crab meat with spot on seasoning, major love! It was my favourite that evening and that alone makes me decide that dinner is indeed more exciting than brunch! Don't get me started on the tender meaty grilled octopus and delicate dover sole. Just go!
My thanks to Pamela for inviting and hosting dinner!
It's all about girls and dolls on Hina Matsuri, a day traditionally celebrated in Japan on 3 March when families wish their daughters success and happiness in life. In line with this time-honoured festival, Mikuni pays tribute for the 4th time through Executive Chef Moon Kyung Soo's culinary interpretation – an impressive lunch bento thoughtfully arranged to be a feast for the feminine eye and palate that's only available from 1 to 10 March.
Priced at $120++ per person for lunch, the Hina Matsuri bento features an array of elegantly crafted dishes in a dainty tiered box and a complimentary glass of amazake (sweet rice beverage). When the three tiered boxes were carefully served, everyone went "waaaaaaa!" as they were indeed a sight to behold. I wanted to take mine home but Chef Moon said the box is really expensive lol. What I could take home was the menu – prettily printed and designed as a bookmark.
Pulling out the three drawers was like opening a treasure box filled with edible gems! The top drawer housed a beautiful layer of Mikuni's signature truffle kanpachi served with a distinctively indulgent black truffle sauce. I've tried this before during the past Savour events and the top notch quality has never changed. If it's your first time at Mikuni, this is a must try!
The second drawer is a showcase of eight traditional Japanese appetizers with my favourites such as grilled miso cod, unagi and tamago. Be on the lookout for one quail egg – it's been cutely disguised ha. The most surprising element for me was the abalone. I usually don't like abalone because of the chewy texture but I have to say that this slow-cooked version was not rubbery at all. In fact, quite delicious I say.
I felt sad when the third drawer was revealed as that meant that the end was near. The default chirashi don unveiled is Miyazaki wagyu beef on rice but Chef Moon pampered me with uni instead since I'm a pescetarian. So fresh and creamy! The medley of colours artfully decorated atop sushi rice was lovely too.
The tempura was not oily but not as impressive as the other dishes for sure. I'm generally a big eater (when I want to) and this bento filled me up nicely about 80%. Just right for lunch without the food coma afterwards, I guess.
Rounding off the meal is Chef Moon's rendition of a sweet ending with premium Shizoka musk melon and salt ice cream. The tinge of saltiness in the ice cream seamlessly enhanced the sweetness of the melon, interesting!
My thanks to Chef Moon and the Fairmont team for hosting us!


in libraries today. As we know the library has now moved into the age of digitized information with online databases and guides to legal information worldwide. Following his enlightening address there was a Q & A session.Awards were then presented to the three winners who wrote an essay on 'How a book changed my life.' Mao commented that they had a similar program in the Library in Washington DC too. Peter Pirritano, Carolyn Pirritano and Mahendra Garg Board Members of Diamond Bar Community Foundation (DBCF) attended the event hosted by the Friends of the Library & DBCF in the AQMD building . Diamond Bar Friends has been working in support of the Diamond Bar Library for over 34 years. DBCF supports and funds programs for the residents of Diamond Bar. DBCF provides sports scholarships and equipment for youth in the community, funds concerts in the park each summer, supports youth program, provides art scholarships, and awards cash prizes for City of Diamond Bar Photo Contest. These are a few contributions DBCF makes in order to make the community a better place. Congressman Ed. Royce was instrumental in bringing Mao to speak at the event.


I would like to adjust what my manually drawn dimensions locate, such as walls, cabinets, fixtures, openings, etc. Where do I need to go to make this change?
You can choose what dimensions locate by modifying the Default Settings.
Select Edit> Default Settings .
In the Default Settings dialog, expand the list next to Dimension.
Click on Dimensions to highlight it, then select the Edit button.
In the Saved Dimension Defaults dialog that displays, choose the appropriate Available Dimension Default, then click on the Edit button.
Select the Locate Objects panel of the Dimension Defaults dialog and make your desired changes.
To learn more about the options in this dialog, click on the Help button at the bottom.
Once you have finished, click OK. These changes will not update any existing dimensions that were drawn manually, but will apply to new dimensions that are created going forward.


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Дидия Клара (; * 153) е дъщеря на краткия римски император през 193 г. Дидий Юлиан и на Августа Манлия Сканцила.

Тя е омъжена за Корнелий Репентин, който за малкото време на господството на баща ѝ е градски префект на Рим.

Жени от Древен Рим
Римски императрици
Дидии

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I am still sorting through the gazillion or so photos I took during my South America trip so they're coming, but not before we post another titallating Tuna Toast Ten! Thanks to Nicole Landau, who was gracious enough to do the TT10 a couple of weeks back, we had the chance to talk with Troy Smith, Sommelier at Montage in Laguna Beach. It seems appropriate to have a sommelier do this version since it falls on the 3rd anniversary of this blog, so a toast is in order...for Tuna Toast! Three years ago on 11/11, I posted my very first entry after discovering that I could post my nonsensical food ramblings and people would actually be interested. Whodathunkit??
Uh, ok, lame jokes aside, thanks to the two faithful readers who have stayed with me through both blogging and non-blogging spells and lots of awful photography (and there's lots more of THAT to come, folks!). So thank you!
Now, onto more important things....another action-packed Tuna Toast Ten!
Website/blog/thing you'd like to pimp:http://www.newmedici.com/ A media and lifestyle holding company put together by sommelier Bonnie Graves and her partners, which in part provides Beverage program consulting and wine event coordination.
1. The best restaurant meal I've had recently is: Craft, Los Angeles. Served in an unfussy style without pretense, an attractive combination of refinement and rusticity. Each element of the meal was prepared flawlessly, but save your pennies, because nothing on the menu is inexpensive.
2. If money wasn't an issue, I would want to eat at: Alinea in Chicago, the El Bulli of the U.S.
3. The food I eat most often is: Pasta. Incredibly versatile, easy to make (even from scratch) and nearly universal.
4. No great meal is complete without: People to share it with. What's the point of having a great meal all by yourself?
7. My go-to dish I'd cook for guests is: I make a conscious effort to cook something different each time I entertain, so I don't really have a go-to dish.
8. Man can't live on food alone, so my favorite libation is: I'm pretty much obliged to say "wine" since I am a sommelier, but it really depends on where I am, what I'm eating, and quite frankly, what's on hand. I guess when it really comes down to it, I'll drink almost anything with alcohol in it.
10. My favorite food-related website/blog is (no obligation to list TT, we're completely objective over here!): Inasmuch as wine is a food: http://www.thewinedoctor.com/. The site has a tremendous amount of information, but the producer profiles are outstanding. Well-written and informative without being to geeky. All things being relative, of course. A great resource overall.


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This is just a sweet petite piece even perfect for a bathroom too. I have loved this piece but time to still clean house and change looks. The three drawers are handy and all works well. It is old so has a shabby chic vibe to it. It makes me smile.


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Twitter Demands Black Surgeon General Stop Talking Like a Nigger
Andrew Anglin April 13, 2020
On Friday, the Black Surgeon General gave a speech about how colored people are dying of the corona flu virus more than whites. This is very simply because they are fatter. It's not some mystery. Every year more black people die of the flu than whites (2018 study here), and for whatever reason, not very many liberal publications have thought to complain about this before. But now they are complaining about it, so the Trump Administration felt they needed to respond, because they're trying to form a vague narrative that Donald Trump is using this virus to kill minorities.
General Jerome Adams, who usually goes by "Mister Jerome," is trying very hard to be white-presenting. He has a gay-sounding lisp. And he is of course married to a fat white woman with bleached eyebrows.
This homely blob could be taking care of one of our divorced boomers who has been forced to marry a Southeast Asian scam artist. But the black man done stole her.
During Jerome's speech on Friday about how this is affecting blacks, he advised his kinsmen to stay home and not do so many drugs, using a few black slang words including "big momma" and "pop pop." I guess "pop pop" means "dad," but you don't hear that one very often for some reason.
This was maybe funny, or cringe, or whatever, but it was such a brief line that I probably wouldn't have thought anything of it. When I first heard about it, I thought he recorded an entire video in full-on ebonics, but he just slipped it in. I suppose it is weird to use language he doesn't usually use, during scripted remarks, because whoever wrote that speech had to have thought "we need to send a message directly to the blacks – let's talk about big momma and pop pop." In fact, I think the speech writer might have invented "pop pop." He probably asked Mister Jerome what black people call their fathers, and Mister Jerome just stared at him blankly, so he said "we'll just call him pop pop."
Twitter, however, has gone apeshit over this.
It's a relatively bizarre dynamic at work here, which is hard to grasp initially. But what they are saying is that he is not really a true black, because no true black would work for Donald Trump, so by betraying his race he's given up his right to use black slang. At least, that is the sentiment as I understand it.
But who knows. I feel like I've got a pretty good handle on neo-leftist thought, better than most people and certainly better than most neo-leftists, but it is getting so esoteric so quickly that it is going to reach a point where no one is able to explain what the rules are, it will just be a vague feeling.
I can tell you right now that not a single one of those people posting those tweets could explain the sentiment behind it.
Breitbart's Nolte: Get Vaxed to Own the Libs, Libs are Trying to Trick You to Avoid the Vax
Some Conservatives Actually Say Something About Abuse of Protesters in Australia
Australia: Hundreds of Construction Workers in Melbourne Protest Against Forced Vaccinations


New Delhi: The Congress on Monday said the Rafale deal is "unravelling" faster than the government thought, with issues such as "parallel negotiations" by the PMO and changes in the standard defence procurement procedure coming to the fore.
The opposition party's attack on the government came after a report in The Hindu newspaper claimed that the deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Indian government, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA).
"First, it was the loading of the India Specific Enhancement costs on 36 aircraft instead of 126 aircraft giving a bonanza to Dassault. Then it was the revelation that 'parallel negotiations' were being carried on by PMO undermining the efforts of the Indian Negotiating Team," he said in a series of tweets.
"No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance," Chidambaram alleged.
The whole country is abuzz that "chowkidar chor hai", he said.


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Study outlines five thermal energy grand challenges for decarbonization
by Mark Golden, Stanford University
Iron being smelted in a steel mill furnace at 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,732 degrees Fahrenheit). Credit: Eugen Nosko
Solar and wind power are an important part of solving the problem of climate change, but these renewable technologies on their own probably will never provide the energy for many industrial processes, like making steel.
Approximately 90 percent of the world's energy use involves generation or manipulation of heat, including the cooling of buildings and food. Maintaining modern economies and improving life in developing economies while mitigating climate change will require five major advances in how we convert, store and transmit thermal energy, according to a new paper in Nature Energy from Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
"Modern renewable technologies are the most inexpensive source of electricity we have today, but solar and wind power are intermittent and account for a small percentage of the world's energy," said Arun Majumdar, one of three co-authors and a Stanford professor of mechanical engineering. "We need to increase this percentage, but we also must decarbonize heat and use heat to store electricity from solar and wind."
The analysis underscores the urgent need to research and develop thermal technology breakthroughs that potentially could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least one gigaton, which is about 3 percent of annual energy-related GHG emissions globally.
"We as a species are endangering ourselves with the infrastructure we have erected to improve our quality of life," said co-author Asegun Henry, associate professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. "There are a few instances in history when scientists and engineers have come together and achieved something very remarkable in very short timeframes. This must be one of those times."
Heat as energy storage
One major challenge in thermal engineering is to store excess wind and solar power as heat energy over multiple days and then convert it back into electricity when needed. The full decarbonization of electricity would reduce man-made, global GHG emissions by about a fourth. Getting 70 percent or more of our electricity from intermittent renewables will require massive additions of electricity storage. Expanding the most common current technology, pumped hydroelectric storage, is limited by geography, and lithium-ion batteries are too expensive for storing excess renewable power over multiple days.
"The key advantage for thermal energy storage is its potential for low cost at large scale," said co-author Ravi Prasher, associate laboratory director for energy technologies at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
"While it is relatively easy to convert electricity to heat," Prasher explained, "the key challenge for thermal energy storage is the large efficiency penalty when converting heat back to electricity."
Several thermal energy storage technologies at large scale are still in early development, so competing technologies using other thermal storage materials and mechanisms must continue to be explored, the researchers conclude.
"Even though the round-trip efficiency maybe only 50 percent to 60 percent, the cost could be within the needed range of less than $10 per kilowatt-hour," said Majumdar, who is also a co-director of Stanford's Precourt Institute for Energy.
Industry and refrigeration
Another grand challenge is generating the extreme heat needed in industrial processes, like making cement, steel, aluminum and hydrogen. GHG emissions in the industrial sector comprise more than 15 percent of global emissions, the majority of which are associated with providing heat at temperatures of 100 to 1,000 degrees Celsius, (212 to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit).
With the rapidly decreasing cost of renewable electricity and potentially GHG-free hydrogen, the industrial sector could conceivably be decarbonized by using either resistive heaters or hydrogen combustors, according to the analysis. Significant science and engineering challenges, however, still remain. For intermittent renewable electricity, either cheap high-temperature storage or low capacity factor furnaces need to be developed.
A third grand challenge is on the opposite side of the thermal spectrum from heat: refrigeration. The goal is to invent refrigerants for both food and air conditioning without today's leakage of hydrofluorocarbons, a set of extremely powerful greenhouse gases. Successful new refrigerants must be non-flammable, non-toxic and affordable, as well as preferably drop-in solutions to today's systems, said Majumdar.
"With the rise of refrigeration and cooling in emerging economies, this is a major challenge," Henry said.
In many developing economies the growing demand for air conditioning is about reducing humidity as much as temperature, so new refrigerants will have to accomplish this as well, said Prasher. Alternatively, new technologies could be developed to decouple dehumidification from cooling.
Buildings and heat transport
Space and water heating in both residential and commercial buildings are responsible for more than 6 percent of U.S. GHG emissions. New building materials that can both conduct heat and block it—on demand—are needed to reduce energy for heating and cooling. The ability to control thermal conductance in a building's shell could save 10 percent to 40 percent of GHG emissions, so this represents another worthy challenge to tackle, the researchers say.
Lastly, a particularly large challenge is to develop the ability to transmit heat over long distances with little loss of energy. This is achieved with steam today, but that is not at the scale or distance needed. The goal here is to develop the heat equivalent of an electrical power line—an effective method for transporting large megawatt-scale heat using minimal equipment and materials. The discovery of a thermal superconductor could enable this, but the practicality of deploying one on a large scale is not clear. Another potential research avenue, according to the researchers, is to discover new pumpable fluids with reversible chemical reactions to transmit energy in chemical, rather than thermal, form.
"Deep decarbonization without breakthroughs in thermal science and engineering seems inconceivable, but attention from researchers and funders hasn't reflected that," said Majumdar. "We hope this analysis will be a call to action for the broader R&D community."
Asegun Henry on five 'grand thermal challenges' to stem the tide of global warming
More information: Asegun Henry et al. Five thermal energy grand challenges for decarbonization, Nature Energy (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-0675-9
Journal information: Nature Energy
Provided by Stanford University
Citation: Study outlines five thermal energy grand challenges for decarbonization (2020, August 13) retrieved 18 January 2021 from https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-outlines-thermal-energy-grand-decarbonization.html
How heat can be used to store renewable energy
Scientists build high-performing hybrid solar energy converter
Geothermal energy storage system to reduce peak electricity demand
Unique technology surpasses conventional heat storage options in flexibility and efficiency
Two-sided solar cells can collect scattered light to gather more energy


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Lorin Cohen's "Home" -- His Debut Album
Lorin Cohen - Home - Origin Records (Origin 82693)
You might remember Lorin Cohen as the bassist with the Hip-hop/Jazz group Vertikal You may certainly recall his sojourn with pianist Monty Alexander or with vibraphonist Joe Locke (who appears on this album). Now, however, Coehn has released his debut album in the role of leader, composing and arranging every track on the album "Home." And it is certainly where his heart is.
The musical influences of his life are in full array here. From the Caribbean sounds of South Florida where his family vacationed to bluesy Chicago his hometown to hard edge of New York City's fables Jazz scene where he now resides—all of these places are home to him.
This is not your typical ensemble of piano-bass-drums with an added guitar or horn. This is a mallet-rich recording which means that it is rhythm-rich, as well.
My interest was piqued with the chosen instruments and musicians of vibes (Joe Locke), harmonica (Yvonnick Prene), Steel Pan (Victor Provost), piano (Ryan Cohan) and percussion (Samuel Torres). Expectancy was replaced with excitement when I saw that it was Donald Edwards on drums. Edwards has proven again and again that he can fulfill any need or desire from the music and the musicians around him. I could not wait to hear him alongside Lorin Cohen's double bass.
It is Edwards' rolling thunder that opens the album on "Crossings." Ryan Cohan on piano and Joe Locke on vibes pull back the curtain to reveal what is to come.
"Crossings" is a heavy-hitting piece and it is clear that rhythm is going to trump melody from the beginning. Don't misunderstand me—there are extraordinarily beautiful passages of melody throughout the whole album but rhythm carries the day. It is the swing that captivates. Joe Locke and Ryan Cohan are marvelous together on this first track. Lorin and Donald are riveting. Yeah, riveting.
Yvonnick Prene's harmonica and Cohan's piano introduce "Always in My Heart." It is charming and wistful. The Steel Pan of Victor Provost joins in with piano and vibes to create an international meeting of Trinidad-France-Chicago before the New York ambassadors—Cohen and Edwards—come to play.
What must always be in Lorin Cohen's heart are the styles and venues where he heard the music that he loves/ Especially the Caribbean textures of Steel Pan and Edwards' Latin licks. This is a fabulous piece.
"Finding Center" gets the listener back to New York City quickly, even with the Steel Pan of Provost. There is a great groove here and Cohen and Edwards are just the guys to exploit it. Locke contributes the lighter percussion to offset the deep rhythms of Edwards.
Cohen's bass solo on "Finding Center" is direct and to-the-point. Samuel Torres fills out the percussion section and the outcome is a work of great precision and propulsion.
That doesn't relent on "Anthem," another piece painted in the Jazz clubs of New York City. "Anthem" is a showcase for Ryan Cohen on piano and Joe Locke's vibraphone. Cohan's left hand provides some of the most memorable pulses of deep melody. Again, Cohen and Edwards are remarkable. Edwards absolutely puts on a clinic here. The broken rhythm at the end is short but staggering.
It is "The Sweetest Soul" that is the most reflective piece on the album. It is dedicated to Lorin Cohen's father—"My wonderful father," Cohen calls him. It is a reminiscence on bowed bass. The piano is sweet and the Steel Pan is warm and relaxed. Surely, Cohen was remembering poolside music in South Florida and I'm not certain but I thought I caught a nod and wink to "Young at Heart." If the piece is a description of Mr. Cohen, Sr., he must have been sweet indeed.
"Saudade" is another Caribbean excursion. Provost and Prene with Cohan create an early Spyro Gyra mood. But Lorin's bass is a thing all his own. The light-handed rhythms and cymbals of Edwards are tight on it with Torres' percussion. This is a track that is fun and free. A complete treasure.
"The Hero's Journey" could be subtitled "Joseph Campbell Goes to Gotham." It is a quest, certainly, but in great company. Cohen is on fire and Edwards lets fly with some of the most intriguing and rewarding drumming of the whole album and that is saying something. The bass solo shows Cohen as the true leader that he is—even in a debut album. This just may be the hottest piece of all.
The album ends with "Brighter Day." It is idealistic and optimistic. It is filed with hope and life, energy and love. Cohan, Provost and Prene mix it up finely between and with each other. Edwards and Torres are exciting. But Lorin Cohen is the anchor to it all.
"Home" is one of the most autobiographically descriptive albums ever. The travels, the influences, the hopes, the loves of Lorin Cohen are on full-colored display. He leaves you feeling like you have been friends since childhood. It is a well-developed album with an enlightened self-awareness. And this is his debut.
Visit Lorin Cohen's web site at: www.lorincohen.com
Like him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/lorincohenbassist?fref=ts
Purchase "Home" on CD or MP3 at Amazon by clicking on the links below:
"Within Sight" by Damian Erskine; a Vision of Jazz Wonder
This is the album I have anxiously awaited for some time. It is Damian Erskine's fourth recording as a leader and it is surely a high-water mark in his career. He wrote or co-wrote every song on the album and his performance with his quartet is absolutely stellar.
Erskine has worked with Gino Vannelli, his own uncle Peter Erskine in the New Trio, the Portland-based band MPEG and many more. Joining Erskine is long-time friend and collaborator Reinhardt Melz. Erskine and Melz are in several musical ventures together and they form the most formidable rhythm section is modern Jazz. I'm not kidding. In fact, Erskine credits Reinhardt with improving Damian's bass playing. In the liner notes, Damian states that he is "pretty sure I'd be half the bass player I am today if I hadn't met" Reinhardt.
On piano is George Colligan. Colligan is one of the most prolific and prodigious Jazz artists around. He has released scores of albums as a leader/pianist, has played drums on his wife Kerry Politzer's album and has recently released an album as leader/drummer. He is a trumpet player, as well, and is now developing his bass skills. It is his sense of percussion that makes him the ideal fit for Erskine and Melz.
Tom Guarna on guitar is also a frequent band-mate with Erskine and Melz (and Colligan). Do a YouTube search with any combination of those four names and you will discover a treasure trove of live performances at Portland's famed Jazz venue Jimmy Mak's. The brilliant guitarist Byron Fry has just such a look and exclaimed, "These guys are gonna put us all on the street!"
Guarna is a brilliant guitarist himself and works magnificently with Colligan in holding the melodic front. His solo recordings are worthy of great notice and he is a seamless addition to this incredible lineup.
The inaugural piece is "To the Rest." Erskine and Melz start straight in with a demanding rhythm that is fascinating. Colligan and Guarna show from the very beginning that they do not keep their best for their own recordings. The near-telepathy between Erskine and Melz is electrifying and Colligan and Guarna are a splendid pairing. Time changes, complex rhythms and ambient guitar with Colligan's mastery create a work of sheer brilliance.
"Who by Now" is a work of melodic precision and passion. Both Colligan and Guarna are exquisitely lyrical and virtuosic. The rhythm section, however, keeps up the funk in one of the coolest grooves this side of the mothership.
"Begin Within" is sweetly melodic. Piano, guitar and even bass all get a turn on carrying the melody and Melz is fittingly subdued. Guarna's solo is a thing of pure delight. Colligan plays it cool in support and the result is one of the truly lovely tracks on the album.
Melz sets a demanding rhythm from the opening of "Bestowal." Joining Melz is Miguel Bernal on congas and chekeré. The chekeré is the 19-20 inch gourd that is covered with netted beads and is shaken, slapped or whatever is necessary to produce the desired effects. Together, Melz and Bernal set a strident and imaginative pace that Erksine handles perfectly. Guarna, then Colligan, springboard into sizzling solos from the foundation of this stupefying rhythm section.
Colligan's piano approach moves from the melodic to the percussive and then in tight with Guarna. The interaction of piano and guitar is the double-helix of this mutated musical gene. It is an absolutely rich and rewarding track.
Bernal stays about for "Stumptown Stumble" with congas and batá. The batá is a double-headed drum that is almost hourglass shaped. It is especially used in Afro-Cuban and Nigerian religious ceremonies. "Stumptown" is one of the many nicknames of Portland, Oregon. Apparently, land clearing was expanding so quickly at one point, that Portland was known for all of the stumps left by the tree-cutting.
The Afro-Cuban rhythms of Melz and Bernal simply defy stillness. The lilting melodic introduction is an excellent metronome for Erskine's bass. Every instrument becomes part of the percussion and one point or another in the piece. It is as if every player is thinking in terms of time over key.
"Altitude adjustment" is Melz' showcase, playing at his most ferocious and intricate. Atop that, Colligan turns in some of his most exciting piano work. Guarna contributes magnificent guitar imagery. Erskine has composed a work of delicious variety. A Middle Eastern motif weaves in and out of the composition that is enhanced by the drive of Damian's bass. My only wish is that this track lasted about 15 minutes longer.
"Song for Zoey" was co-written by Vardan Ovsepian with Damian. It is the most romantic piece on the album and is a total surrender to melody. Damian's bass is sweet and even touching against the soulful piano of Colligan. The bass solo is almost a serenade on its own; it hums a lullaby. Reinhardt's brushed are gentle to the point of soothing. This is a treble track.
"Within Sight" jump Starts with a great groove from Erskine and Melz that is undeniably intoxicating. Tom Guarna's guitar is lush and warm while George Colligan is cool and wide-eyed.
It is Erskine and Melz, however, who play with understated eloquence and continue to pull the listener toward them. That is doubly true on "50 Out of 1" in which Reinhardt's mastery of Afro-Cuban rhythms is on fantastic display. It is Erskine's foray into Latin Jazz and it pays off huge dividends.
Colligan is simply fascinating, even captivating as Guarna carries the lead. Tom Guarna is far too underrated. He has been impressive time after time and is never anything less than impressive and spot-on.
It is impossible to get enough of this track. This piece displays the best at their best. Colligan is remarkable. Seriously, he plays like a piano deity. It must be because throughout the piece I kept saying, "Oh, my God!" Guarna is a Titan. Erskine and Melz are simply unbelievable. Erskine definitely saved the best for last. I confess. I put the track on repeat for many, many replays.
I have admired Damian Erskine's work in every performance, every setting, I have ever heard. "Within Sight" is the culmination and display of all that he has developed as a composer and performer. He has an evolved vision of music and artistry and—with Colligan, Guarna and Melz—has made that vision plain to those with ears to hear.
Visit Damian's website at http://damianerskine.com/.
Like him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Damianerskine2?fref=ts
Purchase "Within Sight" by clicking on the Amazon button below.