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The Pop Blitz
July 29, 2012 Pop Bitez	Leave a comment
Happy Monday Popsters, it's time once again to take a look at all the news that's fit to POP for this week!
I hope the weekend was all you wanted and needed it to be, mine was, as usual, waaaay too short!
I'm heading off to Hollywood again later this week for a fast, furious and fun extended weekend and I'm sure I'll have lots to report next Monday so be sure to check back next week for all the poptastic dirt and details.
And without further yada, yada, yada, let's get this party started!
• The Muppet Teens
College Humor recently asked the question; what were the Muppets really like during their teen years?
I have to admit, if this were a reality show I'd never miss an episode, this is so much better than that awful movie last year. If there's a sequel I'm thinking they need to let the guys that put this one together reboot the whole thing, (I know, I know, but still, I can dream can't I?)
It should go without saying but, as a warning, this is definitely NSFW, check it out!
• Here Comes Killer Joe!
I've been a big fan of actor/playwright Tracy Letts, (Bug, Man from Nebraska, August of Osage County) for quite a few years now and I'm really looking forward to seeing the big screen version of one of his most famous plays, Killer Joe, now in limited release.
Letts recently spoke to Playbill.com about the process of taking his play from stage to screen and it's definitely worth a read when you have some time.
If this is the first you're hearing about this one you'll want to check out the trailer, this sure looks like some twisted, weird-ass fun!
• The Inch is Back!
Actor/ Director/ Writer John Cameron Mitchell has announced he'll be giving audiences and early look at his sequel to Hedwig and the Angry Inch at this year's Afterglow Festival in Provincetown this September.
On Sept. 16 Mitchell will join Hedwig collaborator Stephen Trask for a work-in-progress reading of a sequel to the iconic, cult Off-Broadway musical about a transgender rocker, which premiered in 1998 at the Jane Street Theatre and made it's way to the big screen in 2001.
The new sequel is reportedly the next chapter in Hedwig's story. "We spend so much of our early lives trying to figure out who we really are," Mitchell said of the show's themes. "And we spend the rest of our lives preparing ourselves to let it go."
For more info on the afterglow fest check out their website!
Hedwig is easily one of my all time favorite rock musicals and I'm psyched to hear more about this sequel!
Here's a brief scene from the film adaptation for your listening and viewing pleasure!
• The New Music PopCast for August 2012 is Here!
We've got a lot of great new music for you in this week's PopCast featuring Citizen Cope, Aimee Mann, Gold Motel and a whole lot more, just click the spinning disc and tune in, turn it up and POP out!
• The Pop Buzz
♦ Many of the survivors of the Aurora Colorado Dark Knight Rises Massacre have said when the lunatic first began to fire his guns they thought it was "part of the show" and I immediately thought of this article that ran in the L.A. Times a week before the tragedy. Something tells me this company is going to have some trouble moving forward, what a difference one night can make.
♦ You've got until September 21st to enter the Prairie Home Companion Duets Contest, I'd suggest you start warming up those vocal chords A.S.A.P Popsters, you can go here for all the details and the official entry form.
♦ Love it or hate it, there's one thing you have to admit when it comes to the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics, that soundtrack ROCKED! If you're curious to know the full set list the Telegraph has 'em all for you!
♥ Bob's Fluffy Little Clouds
Before we wrap it up today I wanted to leave you with a smile that will hopefully carry you through the rest of your week. As you know, I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, LOVE this, you will too, enjoy!
• Have a great week Popsters, I'll be thinking of you while I'm checking out the stars, sand and surf in L.A., see you next week, until then, as always, Cheers!- Scott
Welcome to the weekend Popsters, and not a minute too soon, right?! We've got a lot to cover today so, without further yada, yada, yada, let's get this party started!
• Hey Detroit, Eat Me!
As bizarre as the concept of Z World Detroit may seem, what else is to be done with the ruins of this once great city, (it really was great, seriously, like, back in the 1940s, or so I hear). It's either this or we have to level all the buildings, plant some seeds and create another national park which, as quaint as that may seem, sounds just a little too pricey in today's financial climate. No, I say, give the zombies a chance! After all, they've been there for decades now, might as well put their flesh hungry asses to work and, hey, it's just a bones throw from Lake Erie! Now, how perfect is that?
• If the Sub is Rockin', Don't Come a Knockin'
Alright, I admit, that's a very silly headline, (what do you want from me, it's late).
We can't all really live in a Yellow Submarine but now we can spend a night or two if we want. Let's just hope the cleaning staff aren't made up of illegal Blue Meanies, a Yellow Submarine is one thing but if the sheets match the exterior Frommer's will chew 'em like a Bulldog!
For all the details and a look inside check out this story from The Daily Mail!
• Jessie Biel Takes on Jackman
Is there a pun badly hidden in that headline? I'll leave that for you to decide.
There's been a lot of Wolverine 2 news lately as Hugh Jackman prepares to let his side burns grow wild once more and the latest buzz has brought a pretty big smile to the faces of geeks worldwide, (myself included)!
It was announced this week that Jessica Biel has signed on to play Viper aka: Madame Hydra, one of the hottest feme fatales in the history of Marvel Comics! The film is scheduled to open on 7/26/2013, (a highly coveted weekend for big superhero releases) and begins production in Japan next month.
It's going to be a long year Jessica but something tells us you'll be worth the wait!
* Editors Note 7/18: We've just learned Jessica has decided not to join the cast, we are not amused, it's a sad day in the Marvel Universe.
• Simpsons Comic Book
Doh! Digital comic book platform comiXology has joined forces with Matt Groening's Bongo Comics to bring The Simpsons to the iPad.
The new app, available today, is free and currently features a selection of digital versions of some of Bongo's most popular titles. ComiXology are also offering a digital copy of Simpsons Comics #100 on its website for a limited time to mark the release of the app.
New Bongo comics will be released on the iOS app for purchase within a month of their publication. Readers will be able to buy and download at least two digital releases a week through the app. "Our plan is to help Simpsons comic fans to experience the fun of collecting our comics in the digital world the same way they would collect printed comics," said Bill Morrison, head of digital development for Bongo.
[story via Mashable]
• Beauty and the Beat
Apparently since last we saw her, Belle has become a bit of a bougie girl! This would have to be the funniest thing I saw online this week, enjoy!
• 5 Films for Fall
Yes, I know, it's only July but, trust me, the leaves will be falling again before you know it. Autumn has traditionally become the season when we put away our blockbuster capes and masks and collectively begin to look inward with more substantive indie entertainment.
As much as I'm enjoying the big budget onslaught of superheros this Summer, I have to admit there are a few titles I'm really looking forward to catching on the big screen this Fall. These would be the films I'm anticipating the most.
♦ Compliance
8/17/2012 (limited, opens wide in Fall)
♦ The Words
♦ Argo
♦ The Sessions
♦ The Master
• The Pop Bitez PopCast
This week we're taking a break from the new releases and giving you a Special Edition we're calling Classical Goes POP! Just give it a listen, you'll figure out what we're doing pretty quickly. As a sample here's a minor hit from 1982 that borrowed it's melody from Beethoven. Got it? Good!
• Pop Nuggets
• Every once in awhile there comes a story that has me praying the Mayan predictions will come true. For the record- I really enjoyed the movie Ted– in all it's raunchy glory, that being said this article from the L.A. Times really twists my panties. When you find yourself asking "what's the matter with kids today?", you should know, there can only ever be one answer; their parents.
• Have you seen the new trailer for Disney's Oz The Great and Powerful yet? What do you think? Is James Franco the "great man" they've been waiting for?
• Jimmy Fallon premiered a new Dark Knight Rises trailer this week…wait, is that Pee Wee?
And that's All the News That's Fit to POP for this week Popsters, thanks for stopping by, see you next time and remember: everything has it's beauty but not everyone sees it, keep your eyes and hearts and minds open and enjoy the show!
The Blitz 7/1
July 1, 2012 Pop Bitez	Leave a comment
The Blitz for 7/1/2012
Happy Independence Week Popsters! Are you ready for that extra day off? Strange, I know, that it falls smack dab in the middle but, hey, it'll break up the schedule a bit and the weekend will come just two days later! I myself am looking forward to walking that very fine line of drinking and blowing shit up, all while trying NOT to freak out my Schnauzer, (she's a very sensitive little girl, this would not be her favorite holiday.)
Alright, we've got a lot to cover today so, without further yada, yada, yada, let's get the party started!
• Ted
♦ ♦ ♦ 1/2
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Mark Walberg, Seth MacFarlane and Mila Kunis
Every Summer there's always one action flick that stands out above all the rest, my instincts tell me we've already seen that one, (The Avengers), likewise you can usually count on one solid comedy to sneak up and surprise us during the blockbuster season. I could be wrong but my best guess is, that comedy opened this weekend.
Fans of Seth MacFarlane's twisted sense of humor, featured weekly on the popular animated series Family Guy, are sure to love this one and, if like me, you're not a fan of the cartoon, (I'm more of a South Park/ Simpsons guy myself), take heart, MacFarlane's irreverent and often just plain bizarre jokes work exceptionally well coming from a magical & filthy stuffed teddy bear.
After having seen Ted and also taking into consideration The Other Guys, The Departed and The Fighter, I am now willing to forgive Mark Walberg for his hideous work in The Happening, (it's now safe to say the blame for Walberg's awful performance in that flick falls mostly on the artistically challenged M Night Shyamalan and a very bad editor).
Of course the real star of Ted is MacFarlane himself, who also wrote and directed this perfect vehicle for himself, which showcases each of his talents brilliantly. I have a new found respect for his abilities and humor.
Mila Kunis supplies the appropriate amount of eye candy but, as in all of her previous roles, really doesn't show me anything I don't believe a hundred other actresses could do. Is she hot? Sure. Is she talented? Sure, reasonably so. Are her performances memorable? Ummm, no, not especially.
Ted is an instant cult classic in the same way films like Anchorman and Animal House were and, like those flicks, I expect it will be quoted for many years to come. Allow me to be one of the first: "Y'know, somewhere out there are four terrible fathers I wish I could thank for this great night!"
• Pop Bitez DVD Pick of the Week: The Artist
If you haven't had a chance to catch this year's Best Picture/ Actor Oscar Winner now's your chance, turn down the lights, crank up the sound, (yes, it's silent but it's got a great score that also won the Academy Award), and enjoy! I can't tell you how much I love this flick or how many times I've seen it, (I've actually lost count).
Check out this clip, one of my favorites, have you ever seen two people falling in love communicated with so much expertise in such a small amount of time? Brilliant!
• Super Mario 3D
So cool, I love stuff like this! This guy is seriously gifted, I've rarely seen better!
• Eytan and the Embassy- Everything Changes
I've been saving and meaning to include this video for weeks now and decided to just get it out of the way today. You're going to love this one, especially if you grew up in the age of MTV. I'm digging the tune but, is it just me or do these guys sound a lot like Squeeze? Ah well, there are a lot worse bands to be influenced by I suppose. Enjoy!
• HBO'S The Newsroom?
Haven't seen it, nor do I intend to, which is why, you'll be happy to know, I won't be reviewing it. Why? With the possible exception of the STAGE version of "A Few Good Men", I am not one of those fawning admirers obsessively slobbering over Aaron Sorkin's witty repartee'. In fact, I can't actually think of a more overrated writer in the last twenty years, (Stephen King and M Night Shyamalan come close but I still think Sorkin is king.)
If Aaron Sorkin is the smartest person in the room, (and word is he really believes this is the case), you're probably in the wrong room and need to find yourself another party.
Sorkin has been infamously vocal regarding his feelings towards the internet and writers like myself, apparently he finds those who keep themselves electronically informed a little intimidating. I refer you to Hans Christian Anderson's classic short story, The Emperor's New Clothes, as a possible explanation for his seemingly paranoid fears.
Kudos to the guy who put this together, no doubt it had to be a pretty painful task.
• Is Anybody There?
"I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace; that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a Congress! And by God, I have had this Congress! For ten years, King George and his Parliament have gulled, cullied, and diddled these colonies with their illegal taxes! Stamp Acts, Townshend Acts, Sugar Acts, Tea Acts! And when we dared stand up like men, they have stopped our trade, seized our ships, blockaded our ports, burned our towns, and spilled our BLOOD! And still, this Congress refuses to grant ANY of my proposals on independence, even so much as the courtesty of open debate! Good God, what in hell are you waiting for?"
In what has become a bit of a holiday tradition here in the states, Turner Classic Movies is broadcasting the classic movie musical 1776 this July 4th at 5:00 pm, (check your local listings for exact times).
I can think of no better way for you and your family to avoid the blistering heat this Independence Day than to sit yourselves down in front of the tube in the comfort of your air conditioned homes and enjoy this funny, classic and educational film. Who knows you might actually learn a thing or two about your country and the real reason for this season? It's as important today as it was in 72 and 76, enjoy!
• Captain America
We can't really have a July 4th Pop Bitez Blitz without having at least one reference to Captain America, now can we?
At this point I'm sure most of you have seen last Summer's big screen version as well as this Summer's monster hit The Avengers, (out on Blu-ray 9/25) but how many of you know about the previous attempts to bring the Captain to the screen in 1990 and 1944?! Take a look at these two clips and tell me you don't appreciate last year's flick even more than you originally thought you did!
• Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance
I'm sure you'll find this one floating around on Facebook again this year, I encourage you to share it yourself. It's a television classic definitely worth repeat viewings.
• Madison Rising- Star Spangled Banner
And what better way to wrap it up today than with a tribute to old glory herself? A special shout out and thank you to my buddy Jonathan who turned me on to this one recently, you've got some excellent taste my friend!
I promise you Popsters, you've never heard our National Anthem done quite this way! Turn it up, it ROCKS!
*And with that Popsters, I wish you all a very happy and safe Independence Day! Celebrate, Rejoice and try not to blow up the neighbors house, m'kay? Until next time, Cheers!- Scott
June 25, 2012 Pop Bitez	Leave a comment
Happy Monday Popsters and welcome to the scorching Summer of 2012! Are you ready for another sweltering week of work and sweat?! Yeah, me neither.
The good news is, here in the states, we' ve got a holiday just around the corner! Soon it will be time once again to grill some steaks, drink ourselves stupid and blow some shit up or, as we like to call it in Phoenix, AZ, Friday night!
We've got some fun stuff for you this week so, without further yada, yada, yada, let's get this party started!
• Brave (2012)
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ out of a possible 5
Pixar/ Disney
Directors: Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell and Brenda Chapman
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson
So much has been written about the groundbreaking history of Pixar's success throughout the years that a critical backlash was bound to come, sooner or later. No doubt the disappointing cash grab and extended toy commercial that was last year's Cars 2 invited much of this derision and, sadly, it seems to have carried over a bit to the studio's latest release, the beautiful and heartwarming Brave.
For the record, the critics, (and sometimes the public), and I haven't always agreed on the Pixar flicks. As an example, I did not love Toy Story 3, (oh no, sacrilege!!), I found it unnecessary and felt they were rehashing a theme already covered- to much better effect- in Toy Story 2, (essentially extending the heartbreaking montage from 2 showing Jesse's owner growing up and moving on to a 90 minute sequel for 3). I was also more than a little disturbed and offended by that would be "holocaust moment", as the toys surrender to their fate on their way to the incinerator. If I had to pick a single moment when I fell out of love with the animation house that Steve built, that was it.
As for Cars 2, I did the one thing I NEVER would have expected I'd do at a Pixar movie, I walked out. The horrible and cloying misstep was just too painful to witness and felt like a complete betrayal of everything I'd come to expect from the people who brought us Finding Nemo, Up and The Incredibles.
Cars 2 was Pixar's attempt, (and most likely the board of suits at Disney), to join the ranks of the abysmal franchises that are Shrek, Ice Age and Madagascar, (all of which I loath). It was filmmaking at it's lowest common denominator and made the investors fat and happy but left the true fans befuddled and depressed.
Which brings us to Pixar/ Disney's 13th feature film release, Brave, which, naysayers be damned, is a nice return to form for the animation giants.
Unlike many of the other reviews I've read, I'm not going to compare this film to any of the others in Pixar's library, quite frankly I find those reviews incredibly lazy. I believe, as always, each film needs to be accepted on it's own merits. "Is it as good as (fill in the blank)? Please. Enough. Get over it.
From the first frame of Brave you know this is a Pixar film, the quality is more than evident and, on their weakest day, their talents are head and shoulders above the wannabes at Dreamworks and Nickelodeon. Their attention to detail is, I believe, the secret to their massive success and Brave is no exception. After watching the trailer for the cringe inducing Madagascar 3, (which played immediately before Brave), it struck me that the Pixar films, (with the exception of Cars 2), don't force laughs and most often have a depth of substance you won't find in an animated film from any of the other studios currently producing the big titles.
One of the other things I've always admired about Pixar is that when it comes to casting the voice talent, unlike their competitors, they have never really been star f*ckers. They tend to simply hire the best actors for the job, instead of chasing "big box office names". The star of Up? Ed Asner. The star of Finding Nemo? Albert Brooks. The Star of Ratatouille? Patton Oswalt. Brave is no exception, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson and Kelly Macdonald are far from being blockbuster names and yet I can't imagine a better cast. Just listening to Connolly deliver his lines with his thick, AUTHENTIC Scottish accent made me want to immediately find Mike Myers and waterboard him until he willingly admits his accent in Shrek was pure shite.
I won't give you a synopsis of Brave, for those that have read my previous reviews, (which, admittedly, I don't really enjoy and don't often do), you know that's just how I roll. I'm not paid per word like so many of the other goofball critics out there so I've got no need or reason to take up space with that stuff here. I will tell you that the trailer for this film doesn't really do it justice and I believe- in part- that may have something to do with the fear of giving too much away, this is one of those movies where the less you know going in, the more you're sure to enjoy the ride. The trailer itself showcases the more broad moments of humor from the film, (which, oddly enough don't feel nearly as broad in context), and really is only showing you scenes from the first reel of the flick.
In lesser hands-(cough, Dreamworks, cough)- the "cute" factor of this story would have been dialed to eleven but, as is the case with nearly all of the Pixar movies, the filmmakers have done a nice job of keeping the whole thing smart and grounded. As an example; from what you've seen in the film clips, you'd expect Merida's brothers, a trio of "wee red haired devils", to steal the show with precocious over the top mugging and mischief but the directors have done a really nice job of keeping them in check and allow them just enough to keep your 5 year old engaged. That restraint is, in the end, what I think separates Pixar from their competitors.
Now, as for the 3D, skip it, actually avoid it at all costs! It's common knowledge that 3D effects diminish light by up to 30 % and with Brave taking place largely in the dark woods and a dimly lit castle there are moments in the 3D version that are almost too dark to fully take in. The bottom line is, the artwork in this film is exceptional and you don't need to watch it as if it were somewhere near the tip of your nose. There are some films I have enjoyed in 3D, (Hugo, Avatar, Tangled), this is definitely not one of them.
As always, the Pixar feature was proceeded by a short film, this time around it's La Luna, which was actually nominated for a Best Animated Short at the Oscars earlier this year. I'm happy to report that nomination was more than warranted, in fact La Luna may actually be one of my all time favorites. It's one of the few that feels like it could be expanded into a feature, (though I know it never will).
Next up from Pixar is Monsters University, the sequel to Monsters Inc. From the trailer it looks like it might be fun but, still, I'm not going to lie, I have never been all that excited about seeing the words "Pixar" and "Sequel" in the same sentence.
By the way, stay until the end of the credits for Brave, for what I believe is the first time, Pixar has added a stinger at the end that you will definitely want to see.
• The Pop Bitez PopCast for 6/25
It's here! The first official PopCast for the summer of 2012! Prepare to be rocked! This week we've got new music from Smashing Pumpkins, Fiona Apple, Hot Chip and a lot of hot new indie bands you might not know yet but definitely should and will!
So, what are you waiting for? Tune in, Turn on and POP out!
• Disneyland's Cars Land Opens
Speaking of Pixar's Cars, (I didn't hate the first one), Disneyland's California Adventure in Anaheim opened their multi million dollar Cars Land last week which features FOUR new rides!
Depending on how you felt about the flick, (or more importantly I suppose, how your KIDS felt about it), this looks like it might be a lot of fun.
It's clear they spared no expense and their attention to detail, as always, is impressive and inspired.
Here's a few vids that will give you a nice overview.
• Transformers: The 3D Ride
Well aware that their biggest competitors over in Anaheim were spending big bucks on several new attractions, Universal Studios Hollywood opened a new multi million dollar ride this week as well.
I'm not a big fan of the Transformers flicks but this still looks like a pretty cool ride.
Of course, if they had created an attraction called Megan Fox: The 3D Ride I would have been there yesterday. (Yeah, I know, but still…).
• Let's Pizza?
Given I've spent time living in both NYC and Chicago, the two biggest pizza hubs in the U.S., the prospect of a vending machine pizza is a dubious thought to say the least. That being said, compared to Pizza Hut, Dominos and Papa Johns, how bad could this pie really be? After all, they emphasize in this video the pizzas are never handled by "human hands", which is comforting when you consider some of the folks you've seen behind the counters of your typical neighborhood pizza parlors.
I'll say this for them, they look pretty tasty in this video. As you might expect, I'm also a fan of their spokesmodel… though they might want to work on the dubbing a bit.
Let's Pizza is due in the states sometime this year.
• Hughes the Force
There have literally been thousands of Star Wars fan films at this point, all of them in varying degrees of insanity and brilliance but this one has to be the best I've ever seen.
Hughes the Force asks the question: what would happen if the world of John Hughes suddenly collided with the universe of George Lucas? It's essentially Weird Science with a slave Lea action figure, something I might add I tried several years ago, (my experiment however resulted only in a mound of melted plastic and a broken heart).
Make some time for this one, you're going to love it!
♠ Have a great week, stay cool, until next time Popsters, Cheers!- Scott
June 8, 2012 Pop Bitez	Leave a comment
Welcome to the weekend Popsters, thanks for stopping by! I hope the week was kind to you and you're ready for some more Poptastic frivolity!
We've got a lot to cover this week so, without further yada, yada, yada, let's get this party started!
• The Perfect Father's Day Gift!
Have you been wracking your brain trying to figure out what to give the dad who has everything? Why not show him you think he's the real king and buy him an iron throne, or rather, THE Iron Throne!
The HBO Store is offering life size replicas of the famed throne featured on the hit series Game of Thrones and it'll only set you back 30,000.00! Yeah, it's a little on the pricey side, I'd love to know how many they're actually going to sell, my guess is it's a fairly limited market. Ah well, we can dream, can't we?
If you want it, here it is, come and get it!
• Disney World's Art of Animation Resort
The House the Mouse built opened their Art of Animation Resort this past week in Orlando, Florida and it looks, as expected, pretty freakin' amazing! The Finding Nemo and Cars suites are available and ready for occupancy and the Lion King and Little Mermaid rooms will be ready by the end of the summer.
Go here to make your reservations and check out this nice video overview courtesy of the folks at AllEArs.Net!
• Prometheus: The Paper Trailer
Ridley Scott's long awaited Prometheus opens this weekend and definitely looks like one I'll have to brave the crowds to see! (The truth is, I've actually been waiting to see this flick since I first heard about it two years ago.)
An artist who is obviously even more excited than I am about this movie took it upon themselves to put together a shot for shot recreation of the trailer using only construction paper. It's pretty brilliant, check it out!
• Movie Simpsons
A very dedicated fan of The Simpsons has put together a very cool site featuring all of the movie parodies featured in the show's 23 year history.
The Simpsons is the longest running sitcom/ animated program in U.S. television history.
Check out the site, it's AWESOME, DUDE! DOH!
• Disney's Wreck It Ralph
Disney released the trailer for their holiday season feature, Wreck It Ralph, this week and it sure does look like a lot of fun. It also appears that the line between Pixar and Disney is continuing to blur more and more these days. Of course, this was to be expected since Pixar's John Lassiter is now the head of Disney's entire animation division.
Wreck It Ralph opens in theaters 11/02/2012
• A Brief History of Video Games
Speaking of video games both old and new, check out this brief history of the medium that once eat all of our quarters and now just eats most of our time. I really love stuff this, you will too, check it out!
• The Black Keys Are Creeping Me Out!
The Black Keys have released a second video for their new single, "Gold on the Ceiling", and this one really creeps me out. Great tune, really strange vid. I apologize in advance if this one gives you nightmares, sweet dreams.
• New Tunes for June!
To help kick off the month we've got a brand new PopCast for you this week featuring some great new tunes from Garbage, Beck, Plaster, Kimbra and Guided By Voices, to name but a few. It's the perfect mix to play by the pool as we inch closer and closer to the official start of Summer 2012!
Tune in, Turn it up and POP Out!
• The Wiyos- Twist
I've been a pretty big of The Wiyos for quite awhile now and I'm absolutely loving their new album, Twist, a collection of songs inspired by, of all things, The Wizard of Oz. You'll hear them in this week's PopCast and I strongly encourage you to check out this short documentary about the making of their new concept album. I've got a feeling we're going to be hearing a lot more about these guys in the not too distant future, the cream is clearly rising to the top!
• Sexy Jedi Bubblebath! Saber 2: Return of the Body Wash
The Geek & Gamer Girls from The Nerdist Channel delivered yet another inspired video last month, this time featuring light sabers, wet tank tops and a damp Wookie. Who could ask for anything more?
• It's a Shame About Ray
We really lost one of the greats this week with the passing of Ray Bradbury. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I had this damn song stuck in my head ever since I heard the sad news. Regular visitors of Pop Bitez first saw this one almost two years ago. It's still damn funny and a nice tribute to the legendary author, even if it's one I'm sure he never expected.
• The 2012 Tony Awards
The 2012 Tony Awards are this Sunday night and- as always- will be broadcast on CBS, (check your local listings for exact times.)
It should be a fairly entertaining show this year with Neil Patrick Harris once again hosting and live performances from the nominated musicals including Evita, Newsies, Jesus Christ Superstar, Porgy and Bess, Nice Work If You Can Get It and Follies, to name but a few.
If I'm betting I'm going to put my money down for Once to take home the coveted Best Musical of 2012 Award. There really was no other show this year that received the rave reviews like they did and, judging from the clips I've seen, I think I can understand why. I really loved the film the musical is based on and I hope to be seeing this one on the "Great White Way" before the end of this year, until then, I'll just have to settle for the videos, (and Glen Hansard's concert in Phoenix two weeks from today!)
• Bunheads
I caught the pilot to the new series Bunheads a few weeks ago and, much to my surprise, I really liked it! It's actually hard NOT to like.
The premise is almost ridiculous and highly implausible but the writing is smart and funny and the cast is great, particularly Broadway darling Sutton Foster.
I have to say I was more than a little shocked by the end of the premiere episode and a little disappointed by the conclusion,( you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it), I didn't see that plot shift coming and you won't either.
I don't know about you but I'm setting my DVR for this show. I'm very curious to see where this one goes, it's a real charmer, even if it feels like they might "jump the shark" at any minute.
Bunheads premieres on ABC Family, Monday 6/11 9pm/ 8pm Central
Pop Nuggets
• Check out these Star Wars iPhone cases, I can't decide between R2 or the Wookie.
• I love a good opening title sequence, my current favs would have to be Game of Thrones and Dexter. Art of the Title is a way cool website that goes in depth with the creators and filmmakers behind some of the best, check it out when you have some time.
• As I've always suspected, there really is no such thing as a "sold out" concert, check out this interesting piece from NPR that explains it all.
• Are you ready for the return of that cat eating alien? It seems like it's about that time.
• The Django Unchained Trailer is Here!
So, what do you think? Are you going to be spending your Christmas with Quentin Tarantino this year? I can promise you we are, can't wait!
• Mr. Rogers Wants to Get in your Head
I'm loving this new remix from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood! Man, this really takes me back, like a melancholy acid flashback! Fred is digging in the garden of your mind, whoa, awesome!
♥ Alright Popsters, that's all the news that's fit to POP for this week! Thanks again for stopping by, have a great week! Until next time, Cheers!- Scott
The Pop Blitz for 5/14/2012
May 15, 2012 Pop Bitez	Leave a comment
Wazzup Popsters?! How's the world treating you this week?!
It's warming up again here in the valley of the sun, tomorrow's expected high is 106! I can't tell if I'm weeping or just sweating through my eye sockets, either way, YIKES!!
Alright, enough with my seasonal whining, let's get this party started!
• Cocktails with Stan
Stan Lee debuted his new web series Cocktails With Stan last week and, as you might safely assume, it's a lot of fun. New episodes are scheduled to premiere every Friday. I can only hope I have a tenth of this man's energy when I'm 89 years old, but then I think the secret to Stan's success is that he's always been a 13 year old boy at heart. Peter Pan ain't got nuthin' on Stan the Man! Excelsior indeed!
• Disassembled!
As long as we're talking about the "House that Stan Built" today, I thought you might appreciate this fun little tribute to the inhabitants of the Marvel universe, it's hilarious, enjoy!
• New Music PopCast For May
It's beginning to sound a lot like Summer! Check out this week's brand new PopCast, you are seriously going to dig this one Popsters!
Tune in, Turn on and Pop out!
• Batman's Tumbler Tour
Head's up Batfans the Tumbler is coming to a town near you very soon as part of the promotion for The Dark Knight Rises, due in theaters 7/20/2012!
Here's the schedule, for more info check out the official website
Bentonville, Arkansas May 12
Tulsa, Oklahoma May 15
Overland Park, Kansas May 19
Kansas City, Missouri May 21
Chicago, Illinois May 25
Washington, DC May 27
Baltimore, Maryland May 28
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 30
Buffalo, New York June 1
Toronto, Canada June 7
Montreal, Canada June 10
Purchase, New York June 12
Columbus, Ohio June 13
Lansing, Michigan June 15
Detroit, Michigan June 16
Brooklyn, Michigan June 17
Indianapolis, Indiana June 19
Nashville, Tennessee June 21
Knoxville, Tennessee June 22
Atlanta, Georgia June 23
Dallas, Texas June 25
San Antonio, Texas June 27
El Paso, Texas June 29
Albuquerque, New Mexico July 1
Phoenix, Arizona July 2
Los Angeles, California July 7
• James Hance
Artist James Hance's "Relentlessly Cheerful Art" is really one of my favorite recent discoveries on the net, his pop mash-ups are beautiful and inspired and I can't wait to own a few of these myself. When you have some time head on over to his site and surf for a bit, you are truly going to LOVE this guy's stuff!
• Tron Uprising
Tron: Uprising is scheduled to debut Thursday June 7th at 9:00pm on Disney XD. As a bit of a tease the producers released this 30 minute preview online this week and, I have to admit, this looks pretty damn AWESOME! I've got a feeling the animated series is going to win over a whole new legion of fans. I already think this episode is better than last year's big screen version.
Tron: Uprising features the vocal talents of Elijah Wood, Mandy Moore, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Lance Henriksen Paul Reubens and Bruce Boxleitner
• Dilla
I'm a sucker for a great animated short, you're going to really enjoy this little gem, check it out!
• Tom Waits Coffee & Cigarettes Portrait
What are the best materials to combine for a portrait of Tom Waits? Java and Smokes, of course! This is nothing short of brilliant!
♦ I just found out I'm 25 years old…..on Mars. If you're curious to know what your age would be on other planets, this site is for you, (if nothing else it's a great conversation starter in the bars.)
♦ Even if you've never made it yourself to the most famous crossing on the planet, it's still fun to watch all the other tourists attempting to recreate that magic moment on Abbey Road, right?!
♥ Alright Popsters, that's all the the news that's fit to POP for this week! Check back this weekend for another helping of Pop Bitez and have yourself a spectacular week! Cheers!- Scott
May 4, 2012 Pop Bitez	2 Comments
Are you ready for the weekend Popsters?! Lord knows I am!
The Avengers have assembled and, for now, all is right with the world!
With the release of The Avengers this weekend the Summer movie season of 2012 has officially begun!
So? Is the latest release from the house that Stan the Man built the greatest? Maybe! Read on!
Director: Joss Whedon
Writers: Joss Whedon, Zak Penn, based on characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Sam Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evens, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ out of 5
Look out Batman and Spidey, The Avengers have officially set the bar for the Summer of 2012 and man oh man, is it ever high! As you can tell from my 5 diamond rating, though the potential for disappointment was always a factor, I am very happy to report, I loved this movie! By the end of this weekend Director Joss Whedon will be officially elevated to Geek God status, (true, in some circles he already has been for quite sometime).
For comic fans, the cinematic assembling of The Avengers has been one of the most anticipated moments in fanboy/girl history and Whedon understands this better than most other directors in Hollywood ever could. That's because, with nearly every shot and frame of this film it is more than clear; Joss is not a pretender but rather a true, lifelong comic book fan. The glorious 360 shot (that comes about three quarters of the way through the film), with The Avengers standing together in the middle of the street, at last fully assembled, could only be realized in the way that it is by a comic fan who has Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's ink in his blood, (a shot I might add that delivered goosebumps for your's truly and elicited a massive cheer from the audience at the midnight screening last night.) Whedon's ultimate Marvel mash-up has more than it's share of those moments and, as a result, often transcends the typical Hollywood Summer blockbuster and becomes more like an event, an experience to be cherished by comic book fans world over for many years to come.
Though the effects are, as expected, off the hook and groundbreaking, it's the strength of the dialog and relationships and the expert blend of humor and heart that makes this movie something very different and special. No surprise, many of the laughs come from Robert Downey Jr.'s perfect delivery of Tony Stark's patented snark, but the biggest gut buster of the night belongs to, (arguably), the last character you'd expect, (which actually makes the moment all the more hilarious). The writers also do a brilliant job of maintaining the characters developed in the previous films, (Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk) while at the same time appropriately fleshing out the characters previously limited to mostly cameos, (Black Widow, Hawkeye, Agent Coulson and Nick Fury).
I'm not one to ever offer any kind of plot synopsis and, quite frankly, you don't need them. They often include spoilers, however minor, and usually tell you more than you need or should know. So… moving on.
The performances, across the board, are solid. Scarlett Johansson, (one of the newest additions to the Fanboy Aqua-Dream Society which includes Natalie Portman, Milla Jovovitch and a young Carrie Fisher), is a lot of fun as the tortured bit of hotness known as Black Widow, Tom Hiddleston's Loki is a preening, posing rock God wannabe and is in turns appropriately menacing and hilarious and Clark Gregg as the put upon Agent Coulson, the scrawniest man in a room full of muscle, represents the fanboy in all of us to perfection. Chris Hemsworth adds some new dimensions to Thor and Chris Evans is the perfect man out time as the slightly befuddled Captain America.
I'm not sure what exactly happened in the negotiations between Ed Norton and the producers that kept the actor from recreating his role as the Incredible Hulk, but I am sure we are the lucky benefactors of that contractual breakdown. Mark Ruffalo is a revelation as the big green guy and darn near steals the whole show, no small task when you consider that out of all the Marvel franchises The Hulk has been the weakest and most problematic. Much of the success of Ruffalo's performance can be attributed to the actor but should also include major kudos for Whedon's smart script and direction.
For my money The Avengers, simply put, is the best super hero flick I have ever had the pleasure of seeing and I'm looking forward to catching again one day soon…..after the crowds thin out a bit.
• The (Not So) Fantastic Four
So we've talked about the best from Marvel today but have you ever seen the worst? If you haven't seen schlock king Roger Corman's Fantastic Four you just might want to take an hour out of your day and check it out, it's so bad it's brilliant. Honestly, this is hilariously awful.
• Phoenix Comic Con 2012
I gotta tell ya Popsters, I'm pretty psyched about attending the 2012 Phoenix Comic Con this coming Memorial Day Weekend (5/24- 5/27), this year's line up is looking crazy good! Not only will there be a Special 25th Anniversary Celebration for Star Trek: Next Generation but, the man, the legend, the Captain himself, William Shatner is coming to town as well! I would drop to my knees right now and exclaim "we're not worthy!" but the truth is, we are. The Phoenix Comic Con is growing by leaps and bonds every year and it's a fair bet the convention's previous attendance records are going to be broken this year.
And lest you mistake this year's event for a Trekkie convention, get a load of some of the other celebrity guests scheduled to be spending their holiday weekend in the Valley of the Sun; Jon Bernthal (Shane from The Walking Dead), Ed Asner (Mary Tyler Moore, Up), Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett from Empire..and Return…), Gil Gerard and Erin Gray (both from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century), Colin Ferguson (Sheriff Jack Carter on Syfy's Eureka) and the original Hulk himself, Mr. Lou Ferrigno!
If you're in the area put this one on your must-do list! For more info check out their website! Hope to see you there!
• Star Wars Fan Film
I've seen a lot of Star Wars fan films in my time but this one is beyond impressive. We've come a long way from the Super 8 and Camcorder days, haven't we? (yes, it is subtitled, deal with it, it's mostly action anyway)
• I Know That Voice
If you love showbiz documentaries as much as I do you'll want to keep an eye out for I Know That Voice, the trailer is pretty self explanatory so…check it out!
• Patterned by Nature
If you're a regular Pop Bitez reader you know I always love to throw a little art and nature into the mix every week, (this one actually reminds me a bit of the camouflaged airship in The Avengers)
Patterned by Nature was commissioned by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (naturalsciences.org) for the newly built Nature Research Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The exhibit celebrates our abstraction of nature's infinite complexity into patterns through the scientific process, and through our perceptions. It brings to light the similarity of patterns in our universe, across all scales of space and time.
10 feet wide and 90 feet in length, this sculptural ribbon winds through the five story atrium of the museum and is made of 3600 tiles of LCD glass. It runs on roughly 75 watts, less power than a laptop computer. Animations are created by independently varying the transparency of each piece of glass.
The content cycles through twenty programs, ranging from clouds to rain drops to colonies of bacteria to flocking birds to geese to cuttlefish skin to pulsating black holes. The animations were created through a combination of algorithmic software modeling of natural phenomena and compositing of actual footage.
An eight channel soundtrack accompanies the animations on the ribbon, giving visitors clues to the identity of the pixelated movements. In addition, two screens show high resolution imagery and text revealing the content on the ribbon at any moment.
Patterned by Nature was created by
Plebian Design – plebiandesign.com
Hypersonic Design & Engineering – hypersoniced.com
Patten Studio – pattenstudio.com
Sosolimited – sosolimited.com
• Jack White in Concert
If you missed the Jack White concert on Youtube last week no worries, it's still available for a limited time. White plays a perfect mix of the old and new stuff and it rocks hard! You might also be interested to know the concert film was directed by 2012 Oscar Nominee Gary Oldman, (Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight Trilogy, for those with a limited knowledge beyond the popcorn flicks.)
• Awesome App Alert!
Here's a $1.99 worth of fun for your iPad2, I downloaded it myself the other day, it's very soothing, check it out!
And here's a few tasty nuggets for ya before we wrap it up today…
• As we approach another Mother's Day, (5/13 for all you slackers out there), I thought I might nominate this woman for Coolest Mom of the Year, (seriously, this mama's lunch packing is a work of art!)
• Now that we've become a world of iPads and Kindles, what are we supposed to do with all of those book?! Well, this guy has some interesting ideas!
• What's the perfect cocktail to enjoy while grooving to the latest release from The Black Keys? Well, you might go with the libation created in their name, "The Black Key" is a combination of " 8 oz. Canadian Club Whiskey, 8 oz. Rose's Lime Juice and 10 oz. of Rum, Fucking Rum". If The Chairman of the Board is more your style you might go with "The Sinatra", which is simply "A Bottle of Cabernet, served at room temperature and garnished with salt". Get your drink on with the hilarious and fun Drinkify!
• Before you jump into your weekend why not take a moment, (or to be specific, two minutes), to chill and collect your thoughts? Repeat after me, Ommmmmm.
And that's all the news that's fit to POP for this week! Thanks for stopping by, until next time Popsters…Cheers!- Scott
*Pop Shots!*
ComicFest
SIFF
Pop Bitez Greatest Hits
* Gary Sinise
Cast of Camelot
Cast of The Walking Dead
Chrysta Bell
Don Black, Lyricist
Ed Amatrudo, Nashville
Gold Motel
IAMDYNAMITE
Jonathan Flora
Matt Noveskey
Tommy Wiseau
All the News That's Fit to POP!


text:
Bases Loaded 4, known in Japan as , is the fourth installment for the Bases Loaded series for the NES.

Summary
This video game was released in November 1991 in Japan and April 1993 in North America. The game is the fourth installment of the Bases Loaded series, and the last of the original NES series.

Ending
When the player completes the game in the US version, they are treated to a one-screen ending. In the Japanese version, the player is treated to a credits screen which reveals the faces of five of the game designers (two designers, one composer, one programmer, one planner), along with their quotations in Japanese (except sound composer Tatsuya Nishimura, whose quotation is in broken English).

References

External links

1991 video games
Bases Loaded video games
Jaleco games
Nintendo Entertainment System games
Nintendo Entertainment System-only games
Tose (company) games
Video game sequels
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Video games developed in Japan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Saudi Arabia will normalise its relations with Israel if the latter accepts the Arab Initiative, the Director of the Middle East Centre for Strategic and Legal Studies, Anwar Eshki, said.
After the peace and normalization processes, relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel will be established based on common interests and reciprocity.
He added that once the islands of Tiran and Sanafir are handed to Saudi Arabia by Egypt, the Kingdom will recognize the Camp David Accords.


Forty-one of the victims have been confirmed as Chinese nationals, including 13 children, 10 men and 18 women, Xinhua reported.
On Sunday afternoon, the Ram Union team first mapped the 20 kilometers around the capsized boat, with a sophisticated sonar device.
Police on Saturday said they have charged the captain of sunken ship Phoenix with negligence leading to damages, injury and death.
The ministry also called for the creation of emergency mechanisms so that action can be taken in a timely manner, if needed.


Come and learn how to create on-brand, engaging Instagram Stories in this 2.5 hour workshop. It is the perfect extension to our Instagram for Business workshop and is designed to get you using all the features that the Instagram platform has to offer.
Learn how to craft beautiful visual content specifically for Instagram Stories as well as tricks and tips for using some of the content you already have from your Instagram feed or website. We delve into how Instagram Stories works and why it has become an integral part of any social media marketing strategy.
You will walk away with ready-to-use techniques to create video and still images.
What is Insta Story and how does it work?
I have never used Instagram Stories before. Is this workshop suitable for a complete beginner?
Yes. This workshop starts by reviewing how instagram stories works so that you can immediately get an understanding of the feature. There is no need to have prior knowledge. This workshop is suitable for beginners through to the users who are looking to improve their use of this feature.
Will I be able to create an Instagram Story during the workshop?
Yes. We will practice creating an Instagram Story in class that you can put in your feed.
I am completely new to Instagram. Can I attend this workshop?
We recommend that you start with Instagram for Business as a first workshop before you attend the Instagram Story workshop. However, it is not a requirement.
I am not a business but I still want to know how to use Instagram Stories, is this workshop suitable for me?
Yes. Whilst the focus of this workshop is aimed at small businesses needing to use Instagram Stories for marketing purposes, anyone can attend and benefit from the tip and tricks.


August is growing up so fast! Here are a few of my favorites from his 9 month and 1 year sessions including his fun cake smash in the studio. There's just something about seeing those adorable chubby baby hands covered in frosting that makes me smile.


View more >Aim: The purpose of the present study was to explore factors cited by metropolitan dietitians as being critical to their workforce satisfaction in the literature and a previous study. Methods: Twenty dietitians from three metropolitan hospitals in Brisbane, Australia, were recruited by convenience sample to participate in seven focus group sessions. Group discussion transcriptions were thematically analysed by two independent researchers. Results: Participants identified career progression, professional development, resource availability, team and physical environment, reward and recognition as impacting upon their satisfaction. Overwhelmingly, they identified the availability of flexitime arrangements as symbolising workplace flexibility, which was considered the most influential of satisfaction factors. Intangible forms of reward and recognition were also desired and highly valued. Conclusions: Workplace satisfaction among this sample of metropolitan dietitians is multifactorial. Increasing perceived flexibility in work hours may increase satisfaction. Provision of intangible reward and recognition is likely to be well accepted. Future research should involve another survey of a representative sample of practitioners and managers, with the view to developing practical initiatives to improve satisfaction and maintain service delivery.


Eliseo Zuñiga, Jr. is a partner in the Employment and Dispute Resolution Practice Groups. He is also a member of the Technology, Media & Telecommunications industry group in Manila. He has 18 years of experience advising clients on general employment issues, employee termination, executive compensation, benefits transfers and terminations, and labor litigation. He actively participates as a speaker and presenter in various regional and local seminars and conferences on labor and employment-related issues. He serves as a Chairperson of the People Management Association of the Philippines' Labor Policy Reforms and Industrial Relations Committee. He has been cited as a Leading Individual in Employment by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2019) and the Chambers Asia Pacific (2018-2019).
Eliseo's practice focuses on procedures, strategies and negotiations for employee termination; illegal dismissal and labor standard litigation; retrenchment, redundancy and downsizing of operations; labor relations/trade unions; executive transfers; and employment contracts, employee handbook and other employment-related documents review.
Assist a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company in responding to and addressing the issues on contractualization found by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) during the audits it conducted on the client's offices.
Assist a utility company in investigating anomalies in its operations and financial reports that led to the dismissal of key officers.
Represent a global manufacturer of industrial equipment and tools in the various proceedings that have arisen as a result of the retrenchment of 87 employees and the formation of a labor union.
Represent a multinational company manufacturing wire die in collective bargaining negotiations with the members of the union.
Represent a leading Japanese global research-based pharmaceutical company, in notice of strike proceedings before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board.
Successfully obtained a favorable resolution from the Supreme Court for the Philippine subsidiary of a US-based pharmaceutical company, upholding the dismissal of a union president who was dismissed by the company.
Represent the main coordinating entity of a global accounting firm network in an illegal dismissal case filed by a former partner.
Advise a US-based insurance, reinsurance and risk management services company on a labor complaint filed by employees of a local BPO against client. Assist in the mediation conference and negotiating and settling claims.
Successfully defended a German wholesaler of hardware accessories, tools and retrieval systems in the illegal dismissal complaint filed by the client's Chief Executive Officer.


text:
JIM SULLIVAN
"Endurance is not an accident, you have to decide daily to quit or keep going. We keep going."
Jim is the Founder and President of The Endurance Group, which is celebrating its 20 year anniversary this year. Jim initially founded the company in July 1999 as a next-generation call center for the emerging e-commerce sector.
However, in early 2000, several clients began asking for B2B outbound sales support and lead generation, in addition to traditional customer services. The initial campaigns were successful and convinced Jim to pivot the company away from customer service support to outsourced business development. Jim believed focusing on outsourced sales with a team of innovative sales professionals committed to regularly exceeding client expectations would be a better business model.
Since that time, Jim has built the Endurance Group into a highly successful company that consistently generates outstanding returns for its clients. Jim also has continued to push the company to continually be innovative and implement the latest technologies and strategies to drive revenue for clients.
The Endurance Group was one of the initial customers of SalesForce.com and regularly implement Salesforce.com CRM as part of its business development initiatives. Jim is currently working closely with several clients to implement cutting edge social media campaigns, which are yielding outstanding returns.
Prior to founding the Endurance Group, Jim already had more than 20 years of consulting and business development experience with Arthur Andersen and other consulting firms. He sold and managed large valuation and underwriting projects on national real estate transactions for major clients including Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse First Boston, and Tishman Speyer.
Jim received a B.S. in Finance & Economics from the Stern School of Business at New York University and also earned a M.S. in Real Estate Development and Investment from New York University.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
{-# LANGUAGE CPP                        #-}
{-# LANGUAGE ForeignFunctionInterface   #-}
{-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses      #-}
--------------------------------------------------------------------
-- |
-- Module     : System.Random.PCG.Unique
-- Copyright  : Copyright (c) 2014-2015, Christopher Chalmers <c.chalmers@me.com>
-- License    : BSD3
-- Maintainer : Christopher Chalmers <c.chalmers@me.com>
-- Stability  : experimental
-- Portability: CPP, FFI
--
-- Unique variant of the PCG random number generator. Guarantees the
-- sequence to be unique by using the pointer address to select the
-- output sequence.
--
-- There is no way to freeze the state  because then it wouldn't be
-- unique anymore. Also, generators can't be initialized in ST because
-- we don't know what pointer reference they'll get.
--
-- See <http://www.pcg-random.org> for details.
--
-- @
-- import System.Random.PCG.Unique
--
-- three :: IO [Double]
-- three = do
--   g <- create
--   a <- uniform g
--   b <- uniform g
--   c <- uniform g
--   return [a,b,c]
-- @

module System.Random.PCG.Unique
  ( -- * Gen
    Gen
  , create, createSystemRandom, initialize, withSystemRandom

    -- * Getting random numbers
  , Variate (..)
  , advance, retract

    -- * Type restricted versions
    -- ** uniform
  , uniformW8, uniformW16, uniformW32, uniformW64
  , uniformI8, uniformI16, uniformI32, uniformI64
  , uniformF, uniformD, uniformBool

    -- ** uniformR
  , uniformRW8, uniformRW16, uniformRW32, uniformRW64
  , uniformRI8, uniformRI16, uniformRI32, uniformRI64
  , uniformRF, uniformRD, uniformRBool

    -- ** uniformB
  , uniformBW8, uniformBW16, uniformBW32, uniformBW64
  , uniformBI8, uniformBI16, uniformBI32, uniformBI64
  , uniformBF, uniformBD, uniformBBool
  ) where

#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ < 710
import Data.Functor
#endif
import Foreign

import System.Random.PCG.Class

-- | Standard initial seed.
seed :: Word64
seed = 0x4d595df4d0f33173

-- | Create a 'Gen' from a fixed initial seed.
create :: IO Gen
create = initialize seed
  -- do
  -- p <- malloc
  -- poke p seed
  -- return (Gen p)

  -- Note that this does produce a unique sequence but if two generators
  -- are created in sequence they'll have the similar pointer references
  -- and the first couple of numbers are likely to be the same. Since
  -- this is undesirable we run initialise to randomise it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Generator
------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- | State of the random number generator
newtype Gen = Gen (Ptr Word64)
  deriving (Eq, Ord)

-- | Create a generator from two words. Note: this is not the same as the
--   two words in a 'Seed'.
initialize :: Word64 -> IO Gen
initialize a = do
  p <- malloc
  pcg32u_srandom_r p a
  return (Gen p)

-- | Seed with system random number. (\"@\/dev\/urandom@\" on Unix-like
--   systems, time otherwise).
withSystemRandom :: (Gen -> IO a) -> IO a
withSystemRandom f = sysRandom >>= initialize >>= f

-- | Seed a PRNG with data from the system's fast source of pseudo-random
--   numbers. All the caveats of 'withSystemRandom' apply here as well.
createSystemRandom :: IO Gen
createSystemRandom = withSystemRandom return

-- -- | Generate a uniform 'Word32' bounded above by the given bound.
-- uniformB :: Word32 -> UGen -> IO Word32
-- uniformB u (UGen p) = unsafePrimToPrim $ pcg32u_boundedrand_r p u
-- {-# INLINE uniformB #-}

-- | Advance the given generator n steps in log(n) time.
advance :: Word64 -> Gen -> IO ()
advance u (Gen p) = pcg32u_advance_r p u
{-# INLINE advance #-}

-- | Retract the given generator n steps in log(2^64-n) time. This
--   is just @advance (-n)@.
retract :: Word64 -> Gen -> IO ()
retract u g = advance (-u) g
{-# INLINE retract #-}

------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Foreign calls
------------------------------------------------------------------------

foreign import ccall unsafe "pcg_unique_64_srandom_r"
  pcg32u_srandom_r :: Ptr Word64 -> Word64 -> IO ()

foreign import ccall unsafe "pcg_unique_64_xsh_rs_32_random_r"
  pcg32u_random_r :: Ptr Word64 -> IO Word32

foreign import ccall unsafe "pcg_unique_64_xsh_rs_32_boundedrand_r"
  pcg32u_boundedrand_r :: Ptr Word64 -> Word32 -> IO Word32

foreign import ccall unsafe "pcg_unique_64_advance_r"
  pcg32u_advance_r :: Ptr Word64 -> Word64 -> IO ()

------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Instances
------------------------------------------------------------------------

instance Generator Gen IO where
  uniform1 f (Gen p) = f <$> pcg32u_random_r p
  {-# INLINE uniform1 #-}

  uniform2 f (Gen p) = do
    w1 <- pcg32u_random_r p
    w2 <- pcg32u_random_r p
    return $ f w1 w2
  {-# INLINE uniform2 #-}

  uniform1B f b (Gen p) = f <$> pcg32u_boundedrand_r p b
  {-# INLINE uniform1B #-}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Glean è il tredicesimo album in studio del gruppo alternative rock statunitense They Might Be Giants, pubblicato nel 2015.

Tracce

Collegamenti esterni


Canada Goose celebrates the people, culture and heritage of the Canadian North with the Resource Centre program. Working with First Air Airlines, the Resource Centres were established across the Arctic from Kuujjuaq in northern Quebec to Pond Inlet, Nunavut. They give traditional Inuit sewers access to free fabrics and other materials to hand-make canada goose montebello and clothing.


text:
On & For
Niels Van Tomme
Recently a colleague asked for permission to sleep in the next day and consequently show up late for work. After carefully considering her request, I realised I couldn't find a good reason to not accommodate her appeal. After all, we all need sleep.
To show solidarity, I decided to also sleep in the next day. And the day after, and the day after…in fact, I'm currently still sleeping in. And to be honest, I don't feel the urge to stop doing this anytime soon.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Some of you may be familiar with the TV episode entitled Never Smurf Off 'Til Tomorrow (1984). In this favourite Smurfs episode of mine, we find the little blue creatures eagerly preparing for a hurricane. When Handy Smurf, the prolific workman/inventor of the community, heads to the village windmill to check up on Lazy Smurf, he finds him sleeping, resting on the sails of the windmill he was assigned to protect.
As Lazy is rudely awoken by Handy, he is told about the urgency of securing the windmill. Lazy, in a rebellious act that marks him as my all-time favourite Smurf, decides to go back to sleep, before Handy reawakens him with a splash of cold water. Realising the urgency of the situation, Lazy tries to get the windmill shut down, but as the storm is unleashed, he gets hit in the head and falls unconscious. The windmill goes airborne.
As the Smurf community is based on cooperation and sharing, with each Smurf contributing to society to the best of their abilities, Lazy's antics incite outrage and blame. However, towards the end of the episode, Lazy miraculously saves the day by accident and is touted as a hero despite himself.
This basic misrepresentation of Lazy's actions as heroic goes to the core of his emblematic power. By falling asleep, he intentionally brushes against the grain of omnipresent Smurf ethics centred on non-stop productivity. His is a knowledge absent from the all too eager Smurfs. It is a knowledge defined by sleep and virtue. The fact that the other Smurfs falsely present his actions, while he is mainly sleeping and doesn't contribute anything particularly meaningful to the events, only reinforces his subversive quality. Only through sleep, Lazy knows, one holds the potential to overthrow the status quo.
Like Lazy Smurf, the late Croatian artist Mladen Stilinovíc was a devout sleeper. Stilinovíc famously slept as an artistic gesture. First in his studio, gracefully captured in the now iconic photo series Artist at Work (1978), later on in exhibition spaces across the globe. To say it with his own words, he was at all times in praise of laziness, merging these two related acts of inactivity.
At the time of conception, Stilinovíc lived and worked in socialist Yugoslavia. Doing nothing, the artist deliberately presented himself as a parasite in a working society. Stilinovíc's non-action should thus be read as a refusal to participate in the fetishization of labour as a foremost propaganda tool in Tito's Yugoslavia.
However, from a contemporary perspective, Artist at Work can just as forcefully be understood as a conceptual critique on capital's relentless demand for production and activity. It is in Stilinovíc's refusal to actively participate in events that many find inspiration to affront late capitalism and to make use of the artist's subtle yet disruptive non-act.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
To be asked to contribute the opening text to a reflection on models of audiovisual production felt a bit odd at first. After all, I've been uncharacteristically unproductive lately, busy sleeping and napping, inspired by my colleague's initial request. Why then add yet another motivation to be productive or to be a good producer?
In his seminal book 24/7 (2013), John Crary paints a bleak "non-stop life-world" of global exchange and circulation in which individuals are calculatedly broken through sleep deprivation. This worrisome reality is only emphasized by hip worker trends, such as "sleeping on the job": the quick nap that makes us more efficient and thereby boosts productivity even further. Sleep, in this way, gets fundamentally detached from its potential as a gesture of resistance to corporate work ethics. Instead, it becomes activated within the workplace similar to other forms of leisure, from work meetings disguised as communal coffee breaks to organised game sessions meant to unleash the flow of creative thoughts.
In an attempt to move away from this dystopian reality in which all conceivable forms of inactivity get tied into yielding tangible results, I'm wondering if it would be possible to reclaim sleep as a necessary tool to make space in our shared neoliberal sphere for something other than productivity. As such, it would be a way to undo capital's elimination of what John Crary describes as the "useless time of reflection and contemplation," with napping and resting providing a meaningful variant to non-activity.
Perhaps we can discover in Mladen Stilinovíc's and Lazy Smurf's deep sleep the secrets necessary to counter omnipresent productivity. Sleep thus becomes a means to be awake only when it truly matters, vehemently subverting society's relentless demand to place everything at the service of efficiency, including states of unproductiveness.
Niels Van Tomme (he/him/his) is director at ARGOS centre for audiovisual arts in Brussels. As a curator, lecturer, and critic, he works on the intersections of contemporary culture and critical social awareness.
He would like to thank Sonja Simonyi for her invaluable editing input throughout the writing process of this text.
Image credit: screengrab The Smurfs official YouTube channel.
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I have to be perfectly honest with you in that I never thought that I would ever write a blog! I had heard about them but was not even sure exactly what they were. What do you do on a blog??? All of that changed when I picked up a copy of Stampington and Co's, Artful Blogging and I was blown away. All of the beautiful images…page after page, along with articles written by the bloggers themselves revealing what got them hooked on blogging, inspired me. The urge to create and communicate with other creative souls was overwhelming!
Creativity has been a part of me for a very long time. From my earliest attempts at decorating my room for the Holidays out of my stash of goodies in a shoe box to teaching elementary school to raising our own children; creativity has always been an integral part of my everyday life. Those shoeboxes have doubled, tripled and so on so that a Holiday does not go by without the proper adornment. Birthday parties have been huge fun for me as well as for my children. Speaking of the kids (we have five), who range in age from 19 to 9, they are used to me always working on a "project." Those "projects" have been creative in nature including decorating, gardening, scrap booking, planning parties, school projects, school Benefits, cooking etc.
I am now pursuing the biggest creative "project" that I have dreamed about for a couple of years. It combines many of my creative passions into one venue. The shoe boxes have turned into much larger boxes but the idea remains the same; to instill in life a vibrancy of celebration and beauty. We are here for a short time so incorporate a feast for your senses in your everyday life. I would like to share with you how I have tried to do that in our home. I hope that you can glean some inspiration from my blogs as I have from so many of yours! Stay tuned!


There are literary craftsmen who spend a lifetime writing in one particular genre, and there are others who possess a creative and literary zeal, which allows them to expand their interests and their writing styles. Robert Fleming is an author who is an esteem member of the latter group. The author has written two books, Gift of Faith, and its sequel, Gift of Truth, both Christian novels.


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NEWS Could your business be next to win work with NHS trusts?
It is no secret that the public sector wants to work with suppliers that can offer innovative, digital services.
Most recently a group of London NHS trusts awarded a range of IT suppliers a place on a framework contract worth up to a total of £3bn.
Whether your business wants to supply hardware, software, cloud services, AI services or security opportunities to the public sector, it is vital that your finger is on the pulse when these tenders and framework agreements arise.
Learn more about this opportunity and how you can use business intelligence to find contract opportunities like this with Tracker.
Framework opportunity with London NHS trusts
This latest NHS framework was led by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, as hosts of NHS London Procurement Partnership.
The trust wanted to find suppliers that could provide support in the following areas: information management, governance and technology consultancy, transformation consultancy, data access, security, helpdesk, device management, IT hardware, asset management, general IT software, finance software, procurement software, CRM, and project management software.
Within the contract award notice there was a lot for "innovation", which covered several innovative and modern solutions such as chatbots, blockchain, RPA, and AI.
A framework opportunity like this is incredibly desirable. Frameworks are often agreed for a period of four years, so winning a place on a public sector framework like this supports businesses in building long-term relationships with buyers.
The NHS London Procurement Partnership includes trust and commissioning groups from across London, including London Ambulance Service NHS Trust and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, as well as members in other parts of England (for example, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) and NHS Blood and Transplant.
Contract winners included a diverse range of suppliers, including not only large firms such as Deloitte LLP, Capita Business Service, Fujitsu Services, Atos IT Services but also SMEs 4net Technologies, Adappt Ltd and Aimes Management Services; proving again that businesses of all sizes can win big with the public sector.
Missed out on this opportunity?
Gaining the kind of credibility offered by winning a place on a framework could expand the opportunities available to your business as it will enhance your reputation with both public and private sector buyers.
The Market Intelligence offered by Tracker can often be used even before the contract notice advertising the chance to apply to join a new framework is published. Contract award notices from the type of frameworks your business wants to join can give you information like the kind of suppliers that are part of the framework, the duration of the contract (something which also gives you a potential renewal date) and how much will be spent by the buying organisation.
Gaining this insight will prepare your organisation for when the framework will be tendered again and will allow your business to begin the early engagement process.
The government's investment into connectivity, digital and training has opened opportunities to SMEs looking for IT tenders. With prospective business out there and showing no signs of slowing down, organisations looking to grow their business and increase their share of public sector spend in this field must stay competitive using business intelligence.
Learn about how business intelligence can support your efforts to win more tenders with the public sector during a free live demo with a member of our expert procurement team.
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The snowdrop brings a cheerful reminder that spring is on its way, and Hestercombe's Head Gardener Claire Greenslade explains how and when to plant snowdrops.
Already we are seeing the snowdrops popping up in gardens and glades, thanks to a largely mild winter. Snowdrops, or galanthus as they are botanically known, are one of the most optimistic flowers, poking their heads above the parapet in all weathers and announcing that spring is not far away.
The snowdrop keeps flowering into March when the other spring flowers are ready to take over. Six years ago a team of Hestercombe gardeners, staff and volunteers planted over 50,000 snowdrops in an area known as Rook Wood. Although some were lost to greedy squirrels there is now have an amazing swath of snowdrops through the trees.
The best way to plant snowdrops is 'in the green'. This just means whilst in leaf and actually it makes life easier as you can see where you have planted. Snowdrops are really good at self-spreading and a few bulbs quite quickly become a good-sized clump which can then be lifted, split and replanted (the next year/season).
Wait until the snowdrops have flowered and the foliage is just beginning to die back. This allows the leaves to photosynthesize for as long as possible and means that all that energy has been transferred back to the bulb. Dig around the clump and lift it out of the ground. Depending on your soil you will probably find that you can split the clump into pieces by hand.
It is best to replant the new clumps or bulbs straight away. Galanthus bulbs hate getting dried out so planting right away will reduce moisture loss.
When you replant your snowdrops, plant to the same depth they were before. You will be able to see this, as any leaf/stem that was below ground will be blanched and white where it wasn't able to photosynthesise. Firm the plants in and water (well).
Snowdrops prefer to be in semi-shade and in fairly moist, but well-drained soil. Make sure that they don't dry out too much in a hot summer.
Follow this simple guide of how and when to plant snowdrops and get planting – it is such an easy way of establishing such a pretty carpet of flowers. Remember that it is illegal to dig up snowdrops in the wild!
See Hestercombe's snowdrops in bloom until March. Find our opening times and prices.


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Les locomotives Ouest 120 621-635  sont des locomotives à tender séparé de la compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest affectées à la traction des trains de voyageurs.

Histoire
Une série de 14 machines de type 120 est livrée en 1888 à la compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest. En 1890, le 20 juin, la 120-635 a atteint la vitesse de 132 km/h lors d'essais organisés par le PLM et auxquels participent plusieurs grandes compagnies de chemin de fer.

En 1900, toutes ces locomotives sont transformées en type 220 du fait du remplacement de l'essieu avant par un bogie. En 1909, la série est intégrée au parc des chemins de fer de l'État et les locomotives deviennent les 220-101 à 220-114. Elles disparaissent entre 1925 et 1928.

Production
N° 621 à 635, livrées par Fives Lille en 1888.

Caractéristiques
 Diamètre des roues motrices:
 Pression dans la chaudière:
 Diamètre des cylindres :
 Course des cylindres :
 Surface de grille:
 Surface de chauffe:
 Empattement des roues motrices:
 Empattement total:
 Poids par essieu:
 Poids de la locomotive:

Notes et références

Voir aussi

Articles connexes
 Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest

Liens externes

Locomotive à vapeur française
Matériel roulant de la Compagnie de l'Ouest


Fluoride Action Network | Tennessee: Fluoride issue back on table?
Tennessee: Fluoride issue back on table?
District 57 State Rep. Susan Lynn says in a newsletter the public may have an opportunity to vote on the fluoridation of community water if an upcoming proposed bill passes – and after listing possible side effects from over-consuming fluoride – hopes those citizens will vote with caution if such a project is presented.
The Wilson Post reported in a January 2010 article that the City of Lebanon stopped fluoridating its water supply with powdered sodium silica fluoride in 2007; however, in an article from May 2012 it was reported that dentist Dr. Chad Williams was igniting a campaign to once again add fluoride to the local water supply. City of Lebanon officials in 2012 determined not to change its water filtration and purification process, which remains without any added fluoride.
Williams had stated that while he has been aware of the benefits of fluoride in the public water supply, he was reminded of the importance of the process in an article published by the American Dental Association. He said that the ADA pointed out that over the past few decades, tooth decay has been reduced dramatically and that fluoride was the key reason.
"Many people are misinformed about fluoride and fluoridation. Fluoride is like any other nutrient; it is safe and effective when used appropriately," he said, in the article.
During an interview on Tuesday, Williams said he stands by the information he offered last year in the article.
"All the local dentists and pediatricians agree that there should be fluoridated drinking water in a community," he said, adding that it gets topically applied to both children and adult teeth.
Williams sparked the campaign after seeing the increase in decay among many patients "who weren't typically people who had decay – and I attribute it to the lack of fluoride in the drinking water.
In addition, other professional groups, such as the American Dental Hygienists' Association, said community water fluoridation is an effective, safe and inexpensive way to prevent tooth decay.
Lynn noted in her newsletter that "anyone can understand that a one-dose-size-fills-all approach for any medication is irresponsible – and it is simply never done – except with fluoride.
Health issues including fluorosis, arthritis and osteosarcoma were also listed as possible side effects related to the consumption of too much fluoride.
"The ADA and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) in 2006 issued a warning that baby formula should not be made with fluoridated water but many mothers do not know this – and even those that do can't easily avoid it without expense. People undergoing kidney dialysis should not drink fluoridated water but many do not know or cannot obtain non-fluoridated water," she added.
Lynn was unavailable for additional comment on Tuesday due to a committee meeting at the State Legislature – see the Friday, March 15, edition of The Wilson Post for an update.


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IF anyone deserves the title of resident "Artistic Disruptor" in Eshowe, it is Peter Engblom (left). His connection with the area goes back several generations, when his Norwegian forebears arrived as missionaries and founded the mission station between Eshowe and Entumeni.
After formal art studies at the Bavarian State Institute in Munich, Peter "took the road less travelled" and has been experimenting with various statements and forms of art ever since.
He is possibly most famous (infamous?) for his collection entitled "Zulu Sushi", which purports to tell the story of Mpunzi Shezi, the first Zulu missionary to the Japanese. Although much of his photographic work attempts to look as though it was shot "on the fly", each shot is meticulously planned and several different shots are often fused together in a sort of digital collage – what the artist himself describes as "the Celestine Prophecy meets Mad Magazine".
He has a gallery at the George Hotel.


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Deep Field colt tops Classic sale so far
A Deep Field colt is the sale topper so far at the Inglis Classic sale, fetching $380,000 on the second of three selling days.
Consigned by Torryburn Stud, the colt out of Raheights will head to leading Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu's stable.
Despite wild weather and localised flooding in south western Sydney, Tuesday's auction was strong with 10 of the top 12 lots sold so far going through the ring.
"I didn't expect him to go for that much. I thought maybe half of that figure but obviously the stallion is doing a good job and the horse has been brilliant the whole time here," Torryburn's Mel Copelin said.
"The sale has been brilliant. Despite the weather our inspection rates are up and our vet inspection rates are up."
Yiu is a fan of Deep Field and said the stallion was popular in Hong Kong as he is in Australia.
"They are a very versatile kind of a horse. This one is a very nice individual, very athletic and I really liked him,' he said.
The second top lot went to Caulfield trainer Andrew Noblet with the Newhaven Park colt by Nicconi out of Poison Ivy fetching $370,000.
Day Two ended with an average of $89,339 and a gross of $36,450,500.
Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith is the leading buyer with 11 lots so far on behalf of his clients.
At the end of the second session, 137 lots have sold for $100,000 or more, compared with 107 at an equivalent stage last year.
The sale continues on Tuesday with the final session of Book One followed by the Book Two Highway session.
The sale is usually held in conjunction with the rich Inglis race day at Warwick Farm but the main races, the $2 million Millennium and $1 million Sprint have been rescheduled to Wednesday after Saturday was washed out.


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Biden tells Kishida U.S. strongly supports defense of Japan
January 13, 2023, 11:41 a.m.
U.S. President Biden welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Kishida at the White House in Washington
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on Friday and told him that the United States strongly supports the defense of Japan.
In their Oval Office meeting, Biden also thanked Kishida for strong leadership in working closely on technology and economic issues.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Writing by David Brunnstrom)


Catherine (nee Hinickle) Hayes Nissen of Middleton, Wis., a former resident of Evanston, died Jan. 3 at Clarebridge Assisted Living in Middleton. She was 86.
She married Keith J. Hayes in 1940 in Madison, Wis. Mr. Hayes preceded his wife in death.
Her second husband, Henry W. Nissen, also preceded his wife in death.
In addition to both spouses, she was preceded in death by a nephew.
Survivors include daughter Diana (Kermit) Hovey, three grandchildren, brother Fred and one niece.


How to Live and Teach Abroad.
A lot of my friends and acquaintances who keep up with my Instagram posts are really curious. You go to all these cool places. How do you do it? No, I'm not secretly rich. No, I don't have a job as an International Spy of Mystery (although if I did, I wouldn't tell you.) The short answer is: I teach.


According to the US financial website CNBC, Wing, the subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alpha's drone distribution service, launched a commercial drone delivery service in Canberra, Australia. Wing said in a blog today that the service will allow users to order items such as fresh food, coffee and over-the-counter drugs through mobile apps (APPs). Once the order is placed, the drone can complete the delivery in "a few minutes."
Wing said that they have been testing drone delivery services in Australia since 2014. In the past 18 months, Wing has shipped more than 3,000 items to Australian families.
The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) said in a statement today that Wing "has satisfied us and their operations have reached an acceptable level of safety."
CASA also said: "After evaluating the safety, we have allowed Wing to provide this service over northern Canberra."


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The incredible 'Martin Brothers' Bring an 80's Sheen back to life with 'So Cold'
Posted on December 8, 2020 by kifffm
Posted In Music News from Discover Media DigitalTagged In 80's, american 21, Bangkok, Dance, discover media digital, House, londonfm, Los Angeles, Martin Brothers, Music Blog Promotion, music blogs, music blogs europe, music blogs uk, music blogs usa, music news, music pr, music promotion, new romantic, new york fm, Pop, so cold, synth pop, Synthpop
While the days are getting cooler and darker, so does the new single of the Two Brothers. "So Cold" is the name of the new hot track that takes the listener right into the heat. It's a kind of the cold and darker answer to their previous single "Looking For Continue Reading
'Sexjacket' arrives on the scene in a Soulful Trap Haze as he drops the big and dreamy 'October'
Posted In Music News from Discover Media DigitalTagged In artist, audio engineer, CA., Los Angeles, October, record producer, Sexjacket, Trap Soul
Who Tf is sexjacket? Sexjacket is a 23 year old record producer, artist, and audio engineer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Sexjacket has just released his new single "October" which is 100% produced, written, performed, mixed, and mastered by sexjacket himself. (You don't see that too often nowdays!) Sexjacket Continue Reading
LA's 'Shani' returns with the beautiful 'Sade' esque ballad 'Changing Tides'
Posted In Music News from Discover Media DigitalTagged In 2020, actress, American artist Shani, American Wrestler, and songwriter, as well as a gifted performer, Call of the Wild, Crash, Crossworlds, director, discover media digital, El Llamar de Pasión, Jack Black, Jack Black movie, Los Angeles, music blogs, music blogs usa, producer, RISE, Shani, singer, TV appearances
These days, it's rare enough to find an artist you truly love, be it an actor, musician or director. It's even more rare, however, to find one who is naturally skilled in all three sectors and manages to produce a delightful result every single time. That's right, in this article, Continue Reading
DISCOVER BEST NEW COVERS: 'Lucy Lee' is on fire as she releases her awesome Bruce Springsteen Cover of 'I'm on Fire'
Posted on October 5, 2020 by kifffm
Posted In Music News from Discover Media DigitalTagged In alternative rock band, American Rock song, Anya Boyer, Bruce Springsteen Cover, EVOLOVE, Garry Marshall, Garry Marshall Film "Mother's Day"., I'm on Fire, Los Angeles, Lucy Lee, Mother's Day film, Music Rights activist, Novel Coronavirus Outbreak of 2020., Pretty Little Liars, singer/songwriter, The Royal Tea
(Los Angeles, CA) Singer-Songwriter and Music Rights activist, Lucy Lee has released a new music video for her single "I'm on Fire" (Bruce Springsteen Cover). From her debut album "The Royal Tea", this classic American Rock song has been reimagined from the female perspective. The saucy boudoir themed video was Continue Reading
'Tiana Kocher' is ready to 'Take Over' as she joins 'Sage the Gemini' on hot new single
Posted on September 19, 2020 by kifffm
Posted In Music News from Discover Media DigitalTagged In Ali Zamani, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Candace Wakefield, Chris brown, Dance, DEEZER, Faith Evans, female artists, Flo Rida, Google news, Google Play, GRAMMY award-winning, iHeartRadio, Laney Stewart, Latin reggaeton J. Alvarez, Leon "RoccStar" Youngblood, Los Angeles, Manila Music, music, Music Blog Promotion, music blogs, music news, music pr, music promotion, new music, Pandora, Pop, R&B, Sage the Gemini, SoundCloud, Spotify, Take Over, Tiana Kocher, Tidal, Tinashe, Tyga, Tyler Reynolds, Warren Kurtiss, Xbox Groove, YouTube Music
Tiana Kocher teamed up with multi-platinum recording artist and rapper Sage the Gemini for her latest single release, 'Take Over', which she wrote with GRAMMY award-winning writer Candace Wakefield, and Sage the Gemini. Releasing through Manila Music, the 'Take Over' music video was directed by Ali Zamani and produced by Continue Reading
DISCOVER POP INTERVIEWS: British Pop Artist and Actor 'Alexander James (AJ) Rodriguez' talks about his fun catchy debut music video and infectious fresh falling in love pop single 'Your Smile'
Posted In Music News from Discover Media DigitalTagged In Alexander James (AJ) Rodriguez, Alexander James Rodriguez, Amazon Music, Apple Music, BBC Radio 1, Capital Radio, COVID-19 filming, DEEZER, Devin Alpanian, Google news, KISS FM UK, Los Angeles, Los Angeles lockdown, My Crew (Tempo Elektrik Remix), Pandora, Spotify, Tempo Elektrik, TikTok, Up To You, Your Smile', Your Smile' – quarantine style, YouTube Music
Alexander James (AJ) Rodriguez has dropped his debut music video for his second single 'Your Smile' – quarantine style. MUSIC INTERVIEW: We met with teenage pop and acting sensation Alexander James (AJ) Rodriguez who just dropped his debut music video for his second single 'Your Smile' – quarantine style. Can Continue Reading
DISCOVER NEW GLOBAL POP STARS: British actor turned pop singer 'Alexander James Rodriguez' writes and records warm, catchy, bouncy debut R&B Pop Gem 'My Crew' with Chris Brown, Jason Derula, Madison Beer, Kehlani, Kanye West and Madonna hitmakers during Covid-19
Posted In Music News from Discover Media DigitalTagged In 2020 Golden-Globe winner, Alessia Cara, Alex Jacke, Alexander James AJ, All-Stars, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Appropriate, Bee and Puppycat, California, Cardamon, Cartoon Hangover, Centre Theatre Group production, Chris brown, DEEZER, feature-film, Flock of Four, Greg Caruso, Jason Derulo, Kanye West, Kehlani, Lance Kinsey, Laney Stewart, Liz Rodriguez, London, Los Angeles, Madison Beer, Madonna, Makossa Magic, Mark Taper Forum, music blogs, music promotion, My Crew', North Hollywood, Pandora, Rodriguez, SAG-AFTRA, Spain, Spotify, TikTok, Up To You, Viva, Your Smile', YouTube Music
British actor turned pop singer Alexander James (AJ) Rodriguez has dropped his first single 'My Crew' produced by hit makers Laney Stewart, who has sold over 50 million records producing, writing, and publishing artists such as Chris Brown, Alessia Cara, and Madonna to name a few, and writers Alex Jacke, Continue Reading


In a hospital, safety plays an important role for patients. Due to the patients' state of health, accidents can occur in many everyday situations that endanger the life of the patient. Up to now, patients have only been able to make themselves noticed via emergency call switches or calls for help. In an emergency, both options may be difficult or impossible for the patient to access, so that the emergency situation is quickly discovered by chance.
Another problem is bedridden patients who get out of bed prematurely and without permission and endanger your health. There is a risk of heart failure, hypotension or circulatory collapse. In this case, too, nurses must be informed quickly and reliably.
Infrared (IR) sensors are installed on the ceiling of each room to protect patients. They scan the surroundings and in the event of a fall, an alarm is triggered so that the nearest nurse can come to the patient's assistance. The detection of a fall is based on the thermal image of the person to be monitored and its geodata. The combination with Beacon wristbands, which are equipped with acceleration sensors, also works and increases recognition reliability.
In the case of bedridden patients, the system can also detect from the thermal image whether the patient is standing up. In this case, an immediate message is triggered.
In the presented solution, the thermal image is recorded by infrared (IR) thermopile sensors. These measure the surface temperatures of objects and create a grid-like environmental sketch. If the patient wants to get up and is already in a vertical position on the bed frame, the IR sensor reacts to the change in the grid-like environmental sketch and sends a signal to the nearest infsoft Locator Node, which in turn transmits the signal to the Automation Engine.
The same applies to the detection of a fall. The room is illuminated by several IR sensors, whose areas are linked with different logics and derived actions. The data packets are sent from the sensor to the infsoft Locator Nodes via Bluetooth Low Energy. The status information is provided with conditions in the Automation Engine and forwarded to the reporting systems, which then inform the personnel. Existing alarm systems can continue to be used and are thus brought up to the latest technical standard.