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July 7, 2022 July 7, 2022 devonsegoLeave a comment
Motivational platitudes make me grumpy, so what a perfect opportunity to play with some text in Photoshop to create a slightly irreverent and silly riff. Feel free to download and use as a desktop background. Bear is a composite of a photo by Karen Arnold from Public Domain Pictures and an image from Adobe Stock.
June 29, 2022 June 30, 2022 devonsegoLeave a comment
Replica of the Greek Parthenon in Nashville, TN with the golden ratio applied
In case you're unfamiliar, the Golden Ratio (or Golden Section) is an irrational number in mathematics represented by the Greek letter phi and- for our purposes- expressed numerically as 1.618. It can be seen in countless places in nature, architecture, and especially art. It is said to be aesthetically pleasing to the human eye and so it's a superb tool to consider when designing.
Today we'll be using circles defined by the ratio to design a fish in Adobe Illustrator. Rather than go through all the trouble of making golden rectangles, we can get there using numbers from the Fibonacci sequence, where each number is the sum of the two that come before it. Starting at 1 we get 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc. By creating circles with those diameters, we create for ourselves a useable template of curved lines with aesthetically pleasing relationships to one another
Step one: sketch
Although you could just start throwing circles around to see what you can make out of the madness, it's generally a good idea to have a goal to work towards. I start with a thumbnail sketch. Nothing fancy, just a tiny pen scribble on some scratch paper. When I think "fish" my first thought is of salmon dramatically leaping out of the water. This presents a great opportunity for twisting forms, squash and stretch, and a clear silhouette: all important elements to consider in a dynamic design.
Step two: place circles/find rhythms
Next, drop the opacity of the sketch down so it's still visible but not distracting while you work on building your illustration. Grab the circles you made and start fitting curves to your sketch. IMPORTANT: Do not resize your circles individually, as that will ruin your ratio. It doesn't matter what size these circles are, only the size relationships between them. If you need a circle that's bigger than your largest one, copy it and multiply the size by 1.618. To make one smaller, divide by 1.618.
Once you have your guides in place, it's time to make your illustration. You can use the shape builder tool to build out shapes, the scissor tool to cut lines, or you can set your circles as guides and draw your paths with the pen tool (make sure you have snap-to grids turned on). This may sound a little bit like step two of "How to Draw an Owl" but it really is up to you as a designer to decide what fits your workflow and your (or your client's) vision best.
Step three: Build your vector
And that's it! The possibilities from here are only limited by your (and your client's) imagination. Let me know in the comments if this is something you decide to try. I'd love to see what other people create!
Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Review
January 16, 2021 devonsego2 Comments
I started seriously getting into digital art and tablet displays a few years ago while in college. Although I'd owned a Wacom Bamboo and Intuos Pro 4 previously, I was never able to truly overcome the disconnect between looking at a screen while drawing on my lap. Everything changed for me in 2016 when I bought a Wacom Mobile Studio Pro. I'm sure it's true for the individual artists who say that drawing on a tablet display isn't any different than drawing on a cheap digitizer, but it was night and day for me and I'm willing to bet that's true for others as well. Since then I've added a Huion GT-221 Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro 6 to my drawing arsenal. Last month I decided to upgrade my Huion to the new 2020 Kamvas Pro 24, which is what I'll be reviewing today.
GT-221 Box and Pro 24 Box side by side
Opening the box, the packaging felt very similar to my old Kamvas GT-221 Pro, although this time there weren't panels of masonite helping protect the tablet. Still, everything inside was fine despite the obvious knocking around it received in transit. Out of the box, the Pro 24 looks exactly like a scaled-up version of the 221. I've always liked the minimalist look of the 221, so I'm not sad that they didn't feel the need to make any drastic changes there.
Physically, this thing FEELS big, and 2 more diagonal inches is nothing to sneeze at. But the real size improvement is with the resolution. The 221 only offered 1080p, which made swapping windows back and forth to my QHD monitor a little obnoxious. Also, the nature of a drawing tablet is that you're working with it much closer than you would an ordinary monitor, so those pixels really made themselves visible. The Pro 24 has QHD 2560 x 1440p resolution, which works better for working up close.
I was never able to get very accurate colors out of the 221. Everything skewed green and slightly desaturated no matter how I tried to adjust the settings, so I'd often have to drag my finished artwork over to my other monitor and adjust colors in post. I'm super fuzzy on the differences between color gamuts, but the 221 used a 72% NTSC colorspace, while the Pro 24 has switched to 120% sRGB. The color accuracy and display range on my Huion is now (theoretically) superior to that of my regular desktop monitor, so I don't need to do as much window shuffling. The display is an IPS panel, offering super wide viewing angles so colors remain accurate no matter how the screen is tilted. It should be noted that I haven't done any professional printing of projects from this tablet yet, so all of my comparisons have been between various devices. Also, I am a layman lacking professional color testing or calibrating equipment.
Pro 24 (top) and 221-Pro (bottom)
Just like the Kamvas GT-221 Pro, the glass is lightly etched. This gives the surface a matte appearance, helping reduce glare and – most importantly- creating an enjoyable surface to draw on. It's real glass too, which will keep its texture longer than the textured plastic layer that many other budget tablets utilize. This gets reflected in the asking price, but even at $900, the 24 Pro is less than half of what you'd pay for a comprable Wacom.
One of the most common complaints about the 221 was regarding parallax, or the distance between pen tip and onscreen cursor. There was a very obvious gap, which I mostly compensated for by paying attention to the cursor rather than the pen. Lamination fixes the issue by physcially adhering the glass to the display, so the only gap is the thickness of the glass itself. With the 221, accuracy and parallax got exponentially worse near the corners and edges of the screen, making it hard to click things in the corner (like the x to close a window). The driver for the Pro 24 seems to overcompensate for this old issue, throwing the cursor nearly off the screen once you get within an eighth of an inch of the corners. The rest of the screen seems perfectly accurate, so I have to wonder if this compensation was even necessary. Parallax isn't totally eliminated with the Pro 24, but it is considerably better than the 221, and well within expected and acceptable limits especially at this price point.
Huion's new battery-free stylus and donut holder with extra nibs
Another big leap for Huion is moving to a battery-free stylus. I was never bothered by having to recharge the old pens; the battery lasted a very long time and I could use the pen while it was plugged in. But it's hard to deny that going battery-free feels a little luxurious. The new stylus offers the same 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity that the old pens had, but the PW 507 supports up to 60 degrees of tilt. It's not a feature I consciously use much, but I did experiment with a few tilt-specific brushes and can confirm that it at least works. The programmable 2-button rocker on the stylus will be familiar to anyone who's used Huion or Wacom's previous pens. The one thing missing that would've made this feel premium for me would've been the addition of an eraser like the Wacom or Surface Pro styluses. But it's hardly a dealbreaker and this is a "budget" tablet.
The pen comes with a donut stand that holds the pen horizontally or vertically. Inside, there are 10 extra nibs and a nib remover. Huion doesn't include any fancy felt or rubber nibs; they're all the same hard plastic. Huion's stock nibs feel great on the etched glass and I've never felt like I needed other options (unlike on my Surface Pro – but more on that in a future post). I don't really use the donut to hold the pen and I actually miss the hole in the back of the 221 that held the stylus right there on the tablet. But that's a minor gripe and entirely subjective.
Express Keys
The Kamvas 221-GT Pro had 20 buttons but they were mirrored, meaning only 10 discreet functions. Huion took the obvious next step with the Pro 24, and now each hotkey is individually programmable, making for 20 available shortcuts right there on the device. I never used the shortcut buttons on my 221, preferring to keep one hand on my keyboard. I may have to teach myself some new habits, however, as the 24 is big enough to make it uncomfortable to reach under. The touch strips are the same as the 221, again mirrored on both sides to accommodate left or right-handed users.
The stand looks like it might be the exact same one that came with the 221. I liked that stand for its stability, versatility, and ease of use. I've since upgraded to an off-brand Ergotron arm, so I didn't even bother with the stand on the Pro 24. I have seen in other reviews that some of the available angles lift this larger tablet's feet off the table, making it wobbly to work on.
I've also seen other reviews complain about build quality. The express keys are a little wobbly compared to the 221, sure. Tactile feedback isn't as nice as my Wacom Mobile Studio Pro. Otherwise this feels like a solid, quality tool worthy of its asking price. Huion is head of the pack when it comes to Wacom's competition and they keep getting better.
Mine also came with this radical artists' glove
The higher resolution and wider color gamut alone made the upgrade justifiable to me. The extra size, customizability, tilt support, and battery-free pen are all just icing on the cake. Performance on this has been exemplary, although I should add that it seemed to need a warm up period for the first day or so before it started behaving. The Pro 24 absolutely feels like a professional tool and not a toy (although it's still fun to use). If you're considering upgrading from an older tablet or buying your first, you could do much worse than the Huion Kamvas Pro 24.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


To many people, fall isn't just about the gorgeous leaves on trees or the chilly weather. Instead, it's about one thing: football. The fall is all about getting together with your buddies and watching your favorite team stomp the opposition into the ground! It's also about having amazing tailgating parties. Everyone gets to hang out eating great food, enjoying a few drinks, and getting ready for the game. Hosting your own tailgate can be fun, too, especially if you have an RV. You'll be able to change this pre-game ritual into something truly amazing.
Why Tailgate with an RV?
Why tailgate in an RV instead of using a truck or other vehicle? When you tailgate in your truck or SUV, you only have access to what you brought with you. Often, that's a small grill and an ice chest. With an RV, you have your entire kitchen at your disposal. You can stock up on a lot of different foods and drink without any worry about space. You can also carry a good number of folding chairs and tables, too. An RV allows you to have everything at your fingertips, while tailgating in a smaller vehicle is much more limiting.
With an RV, you can greatly expand the amount of food you make. You're not limited to what you can fit on your grill or what food you make and bring from home. Instead, the sky is the limit. If you want to keep it simple, you can—there's nothing wrong with hot dogs and chips. But if you want to add more to the menu, you're free to do so.
Another great advantage to hosting your tailgate party out of an RV: you have your own private bathroom. You don't have to deal with those nasty portable bathrooms that often appear at these events.
Now that you have decided to throw the party, it's time to start looking at how to put together your tailgate event. You can't just drive the RV up and expect everything to fall into place. It takes some planning. Here are some tips for making your RV tailgate party the best it can be.
While most tailgate events are held at the stadium's parking lot before the game, some of those stadiums may not allow RVs to park there. Make sure you know where you can park and if you're going to have to pay an extra parking fee for driving a large vehicle.
Of course, you can make plans to hold your RV tailgate party somewhere else. Just make certain that you have a designated driver to get you all to the game in one piece if you decide to serve alcohol at your tailgate. You could always crash in the RV and watch the game on the TV, of course, but that's not always as exciting as being in the stadium with everyone else.
Tailgating is all about the great food you prepare and share with your friends. You'll want to hit up the grocery store before the event and make sure you have everything you need. Most people grill for their tailgate party, and that's certainly an option. Just remember that, unlike others, you also have access to your full kitchen. Don't limit yourself if you don't want to—you've got the capability of making anything you can think of!
Also, don't forget to get extra snacks, especially if you're going to be watching the game in your RV. You'll want chips, dips, and anything else you and your friends enjoy while cheering on your team. Be sure you have enough drinks, too. There's nothing worse than running out of beer and other beverages halfway through the game! On the plus side, though, if you need to run to the supermarket, you can fire up the RV and drive there.
Besides all the great food and drink, you don't want to forget your foam fingers and other items. You want to be able to cheer on your team, after all, and you can't do that if you're not prepared. Face paint, jerseys, and other items are a necessity to truly make your tailgate party complete. This is especially true if you're heading into the stadium after you eat. You don't want to be the only fan there without a foam finger!
Don't Forget the Lawn Chairs!
One of the best features of tailgating with your RV is popping open the awning, mounting a TV, and relaxing outside while watching the pregame show. Make sure to bring plenty of lawn chairs and a folding table to set up your food spread. It's great to be able to sit and relax while others are playing tailgate games such as ladder golf and corn hole.


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Here are the top 8 one way smokes on overpass for 2018, All of the smokes will work both on 64 tick and 128 tick.
In this video I'm going to be showing you all the newest smokes for dust 2 in 2018. These smokes work both on 128 tick and 64 tick.


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Fakhrul to uphold country's 'real scenario' to UN chief: BNP
Published: September 14, 2018 16:15:05 | Updated: September 16, 2018 17:32:17
BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed has said their party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam went to the UN Headquarters in New York at the invitation of its Secretary General to present the country's "current real scenario", not to make any complaint.
"Our secretary general didn't go to the UN on his own. He went there at the invitation of the UN Secretary General," he said while speaking at a discussion.
Turning down the ruling party leaders' allegation that Fakhrul went to the UN to lodge complaints, the BNP leader said, "Our secretary general went there to depict the country's real scenario, not to the make complaints."
Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said Fakhrul will also present before the UN the prevailing situation of the country, oppression and repression on opposition leaders and activists, and on common people and violation of human rights.
Bangladesh Youth Forum, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, reports UNB.
On September 12, Mirza Fakhrul along with party executive committee member Tabith Awal went to New York reportedly at the invitation of UN Secretary General António Guterres'.
Moudud said the UN Secretary General invited their party leaders to its headquarters as he could not mange time to meet them during his recent visit to Bangladesh.
Moudud said there is no atmosphere for credible polls in the country, though only three months are left for arranging the election. "Is it a complaint to talk about election atmosphere?"
He said the government has got nervous and envious as the UN Secretary General invited the BNP leaders to New York. "They (AL leaders) are now making unguarded remarks (on Fakhrul's tour) out of their jealousy."
The BNP leader said the government's intention is very bad as it is trying to hold another 'unilateral' election to cling to power. "But they won't be able to hold another 2014-like election in the country."
He warned that that their party together with people will give the government a befitting reply on the streets by creating a national unity if it does not reach an understanding to hold the next polls under a non-party neutral administration by dissolving the current parliament and cabinet.


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The Queen's Head
At some time in the past my wife's grandparents kept the Queen's Head. I can remember her grandmother saying how the farmers used to drive their cattle and sheep to the market at Newmarket. The cattle market used to be behind the Waggon and Horses pub in the High Street, Newmarket.
This was done early in the morning. Two or three men would be in front closing gates or standing in gaps in the hedges so as not to let what they were taking to the market escape. If one sheep left the flock, the rest would follow. Not too good if it was into someone's garden! Although I must say sheep always had a shepherd who had one or two dogs. These kept them moving. I have seen a dog running over the backs of sheep to get them to go where they were supposed to go. Mostly pigs would be taken in a cattle float drawn by a horse.
As this was done early to get to the market and on cold mornings, it didn't go a miss to have a hot mug of tea with a tot of something in it to warm them up. If they had a good price for the stock, a stop on the way home for a pint or two made the day.
The Queens Head Kirtling
In my time living in Kirtling, the Queen's Head was the only pub in the village to have bar billiards. The landlord then was Mr George Bixby. He ran the pub with his wife and they kept chickens in the small meadow. When it was closing time, George would stand behind the bar, a half smoked home-made cigarette in his mouth. Placing both thumbs under his trouser braces, he would nod his head towards the door and say "Opp it!". You knew what he meant, no arguments – drink up and go!
Sometimes in the summer in the meadow, which we called Dan Bridge (now the car park behind the Queen's Terrace bungalows) would be a travelling fairground run by 'Stinger' Wright from Westley Waterless. He would, together with some of his family, work in the harvest fields during the day and run the fairground at night. On Saturday he would open in the afternoon.
As the Queen's Head was on a main road it used to be a good stopping off point for some who had biked from Newmarket to have a pint. Quite often some of the racing people from Newmarket would love to call in for an evening to have a game of cards and a friendly chat and a drink or two with whoever was in there.
George Bixby had a small caravan down the bottom of his meadow, and when there was racing at Newmarket some of the on-course bookmakers, who always carried their money bags with them, would get a lift to the Queen's Head, take their bags to the caravan where Jack Orris senior would be waiting to look after them. They kept Jack topped up with beer which meant everybody was happy.
Sadly George Bixby died and the licence was passed on to his widow who ran it until she had to give up.
Next came Doug Storton. When he took over the old pub stepped up a gear or two. We had dances in the barn. Some cooked meals were served.
Queens Head Land Lady Shirley Storton and husband Doug in 1972
Doug, together with wife Shirley, used to have Country and Western singers perform there. One in particular was Wendy Travers. None of this ear-splitting can't talk – just good singing of songs you knew the words and could sing with it.
My favourite beer then was Worthington E – very moreish! I remember biking home and thought I will stop and have a pint. Doug Storton came to the counter, pulled the pump handles and filled the glass. "Bit pale – this one" I said. "Oh it must be a new barrel". "Doesn't smell all that" I said. "Shirley" said Doug S. "What's wrong with the E?" "Sorry" she said "I have cleaned the pipes and I didn't get a chance to finish that one".
On another time I visited it was my birthday. "You'll have to have a drink with me. Have a whiskey", says Doug Storton. "Not my usual, but thank you very much," I say. Up goes the glass to the optic. "That's from me, this one's from Shirley, this one's from Shirley's mum", says Doug Storton. I think he had 3 children.
They were included in the toast to me. Thank God he never had any grandchildren – I think he would have emptied the bottle. How I got home that night I don't know, but that was the kind of man Doug Storton was.
Lastly the dart board – this was one game which all pubs had. Apart from 301- or 501, a very popular game was Shanghi. This you played with as many players as you liked. The idea was from 1 to 7. You had 3 darts to try and get a single, double, and treble starting a 1 then 2 etc. When you got to 7 you aimed for 25 or bull (50). This one particular time my luck was in with my darts and I got a very high score, winning about 15/-. This score was so good that we wrote the score in chalk on the beam over the dart board. From then on anybody that played Shanghi would put 6d in a jar behind the bar and whoever beat it collected the cash. No-one ever did. I think the cash went to charity, but which one we never did find out.
Queens Head Land Lady Shirley Storton's Birthday 1972
Queens Head Land Lady Shirley Storton in 1972
Then Doug and Shirley moved out and it was as if the crowd moved out with him…
The Queen's Head remained a public house until about 4 years' ago when it was sold off as a private house – the end of an era.


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Q: azure CreateNotificationHub with Sandbox programmatically I have to create a notificationhub programmatically with Sandbox mode for iOS devices(for development and testing). Not sure how to configure that. Below is the code I am using for creating the hub
                NotificationHubDescription notificationHubDescription = new NotificationHubDescription(hubName);
            notificationHubDescription.ApnsCredential = new ApnsCredential(certificateFile, certificatePassword);

            if (!namespaceManager.NotificationHubExists(hubName))
            {
                notificationHubDesc = namespaceManager.CreateNotificationHub(notificationHubDescription);
            }

A: Got solution - Need to set following in the code. Weird that this is not mentioned in the document by Azure
                if (!isForProduction)
                apns.Endpoint = "gateway.sandbox.push.apple.com";

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Why should you use the Asset Protection Service?
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We cover all areas of legal advice that might be relevant to you or your family. Typically, advice relates to finances, homes and care.
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This level of service is often difficult to obtain. When you use our services you are not on a conveyor belt; you are treated as an individual.


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Mumbai Mirror / Updated: Mar 18, 2018, 00:00 IST
By Aman Parmar
As the country's first ever sneaker fest gets underway in Delhi, we explore the world of sneakerheads.
Before Kanye rocked his Yeezy kicks or Drake strutted around in his OVO x Air Jordans, there was Run DMC. The seminal group from Queens, New York, were one of the first few hip-hop acts to adopt what we now consider the classic hip-hop look: comfy track pants, a dash of bling, and, of course, flashy sneakers. Thanks to their hit single My Adidas, in 1986, they bagged a $1 million endorsement with Adidas — a deal which was not only a first for hip-hop, but which ended up propelling the sturdy sneaker from the world of athleticism on to a more global stage. With the American hip-hop revolution underway, the sneaker sub-culture hit the mainstream in the 1980s. This movement opened the aural and visual flood gates for the rest of world, including Asia. However, it wasn't until the early 2000s that things really caught on in India and folks realised there is more to sports shoes than the all-white and all prevalent 'PT shoes'.
Soon, brands started noticing people walking into their retail stores and asking for kicks that were not on the wall. Sneaker enthusiasts began to expand their radars and connect with people from different corners of the country, in the hope that they may help them source a pair. Friends and families living abroad became conduits to sneak prized sneakers into India from far-off places. Retail outlets slowly started turning into meeting spots. The next thing you knew, the customs department realised that Indians were importing pairs by the dozens. The sneaker scene in India had started to take shape. Fast forward to 2018, and just like everywhere else in the world, the phenomenon has struck a chord with the Indian youth and given them a platform to express themselves. While the popularity of the sneaker can be attributed to the fact that all the 'cool artistes' wear them — such as b-boys, graffiti artists, DJs, skaters and musicians — its appeal, ultimately, lies in the fact that it is more of a lifestyle choice than fashion. They do realise now that others just like them exist within the same space, providing both, a sense of belonging and security against the forced lifestyle appropriation. With the country's first sneaker and street culture fest starting today in Delhi, Mirror takes a look and the life and loves of the country's sneakerheads.
Arendu Ghosh, Delhi
One of the better known faces in the Indian sneaker scene, the Delhi-born fashion lover's collection consists of some eclectic choices. Working as an Assistant Marketing Manager, Arendu has been collecting sneakers since 2006. When asked what he prefers in terms of sneakers, his simple answer is "SB over everything." He's referring to a popular sports label's skateboarding shoes. Arendu hopes that brands would continue to show more love to the people who appreciate their products. "The good thing about the current sneaker scene is that we are now getting sneakers we could once never have dreamed of releasing in India. Thanks to the people in the sneaker industry who made it possible," he adds.
Nishant Fogaat, Delhi
Nishant loves sneakers so much, he cuts them open and makes hats and toys out of them. As part of his day job, he looks after the 'experience' at a clothing store and also helps support design as well as ideations. Apart from that, he also likes to create innovative products. "The Indian sneaker scene is undoubtedly on a surge, and the need of the hour is to nurture it properly," he says. Nishant also feels that the salaries of Indian fashion lovers and streetwear enthusiasts is no match when it comes to their global peers. But, he is pleased about the rise in awareness about upcoming trends and sneaker releases. "New stores, frequent events and meet-ups; these are proof that sneakers aren't a passing fad at all," he adds.
Shaun Das, Delhi
Shaun Das needs no introduction. Hailing from Delhi, the sneaker and watch collector works for a notable watch brand and even runs one of their social media accounts. He has been into shoes ever since he was a kid. An ardent James Harden supporter and a basketball fanatic, his latest pick-up (LPU) was a sought after Dame Lillard 4. "The sneaker scene here has improved greatly. We have had four high profile events in two months. More brands are starting to enter India which makes stuff more accessible," he says. But Shaun feels "there's still a long way to go when it comes to availability of certain releases" and that "the prices need to go down" for everyone to be able to afford what they want.
Anand Ahuja, Mumbai/London
Entrepreneur, sneakerhead, collector, traveller and basketball buff — Anand Ahuja definitely wears more hats than one. Apart from being the CEO and managing director of a clothing brand and India's largest export house, Anand who's dating actor Sonam Kapoor is also the co-founder of India's first independent sneaker store, located in New Delhi. He has also worked as a product manager for one of the largest e-commerce and cloud computing companies in the world. This Delhi based businessman is no slouch on the basketball court either.
Mia, Delhi
The creative director of India's first street fashion and urban culture magazine and a collector, Mia has already collaborated with three major sneaker brands which includes knocking out a 45th anniversary look book for one of them. When asked where the Indian sneaker scene is headed, she says "Indian heads are taking note of what their European and American counterparts are wearing and with social media pushing that excitement and pressure, the game is on."
"With social media being your portfolio these days and the Indian youth digging art, fashion and history of brands, sneakers are an obvious choice as they are all about history, art and collaborations," she adds.
The writer blogs at thatshoeguy.com
SPEAKING SNEAKERS: IN LAYMAN'S TERMS
Sneakerheads: In short, it is someone who loves sneakers. The moment they bag and tag a coveted pair, you will fi nd these enthusiasts hunting for the next one on the list.
Collectors: While some might collect everything in their size to rock them — as a sneakerhead might — serious collectors take it one step further. They may want the whole package: They may want the whole package: the original box, original store receipt (even if its from 1985), all sets of laces, certifi cate of authenticity and printed advertising cuttings from the past. For them, the quest is not about just acquiring a pair of shoes. It's about preserving a snapshot frozen in time, that tells the story of an era and/or a person. Think of it as a fossil, ready for carbon dating. If a rare pair surfaces, collectors will strive to acquire it, even if it doesn't match their shoe size. They also may go out of their way and invest in sneaker cleaning accessories, use custom storage boxes and maintain appropriate room temperatures. After all, what kind of collector would one be if they didn't rock squeaky clean kicks?
Hypebeast: While sneakerheads pride themselves on their knowledge about the history and meaning behind a particular sneaker, a hypebeast is someone who puts the popularity and cool factor of the shoe above everything. His/her sole mission is to buy anything and everything that's new and popular in order to impress others, preferably on social media. Hypebeasts need to have the latest in fashion apparel, accessories and kicks at all times. They usually follow trends and don't mind paying higher prices so long as they can get stuff that's #trending.
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FOVA 2000 is a tray erector able to process large trays with dimensions up to 1200x1000 (and higher). The flat cardboards are stored horizontally in a motorized tray magazine were the cardboards are lifted up to the pickup height. The cardboard is then transferred to the forming area. During the transfer glue tracks are applied in the proper position. When in the forming area the side walls are formed by pneumatically activated bars.


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Tech selected
China replaces PUBG with patriotic game
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-48200065
Image copyright Tencent
Image caption Tencent had been testing a mobile version of PUBG
Chinese internet giant Tencent has scrapped the launch of a hit video game in China, after failing to get regulatory approval.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PubG) is a battle-royale video game, similar to the global hit Fortnite, in which 100 players fight for survival.
PubG was developed in South Korea but Tencent had licensed the game and was testing a mobile app version in China.
Players in China have been offered a state-approved alternative instead.
Socialist themes
PubG is already a popular game around the world. It was named as one of the highest-grossing titles on the Steam video game store in 2018.
Tencent had been testing a mobile version of the game in China and said 70 million people were playing daily.
But the company failed to get the necessary approval to offer in-app purchases and could not make money from the game.
Announcing the closure on micro-blogging site Weibo, the company said players could download the state-approved Force for Peace instead.
The game is similar in style to PubG but removes some depictions of violence and adds some socialist themes.
"It's almost exactly the same," games analyst Cui Chenyu, from IHS Markit, told the Reuters news agency.
"The game-play, the background, the graphic design and the characters, they're almost the same."
Force For Peace will even let players carry over their ranking and in-game items from PubG Mobile.


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Californa to Nevada - we are happy if the lift on sovereign immunity works our way, but not your way
In 1979, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision, Nevada v Hall, by which it declared that the concept of the so-called "sovereign immunity" does not apply when a state is sued in the courts of another state.
The case was when Californians, victims of a motor vehicle accident that happened on a road in California, in a collision with a vehicle belonging to the State of Nevada, sued and obtained over a million dollars in damages against the State of Nevada.
The State of California was happy with the outcome and did not budge at that time.
The State of California started to budge when a citizen of Nevada (and a former citizen of California) sued California in the state court of Nevada and applied the same principle of Nevada v Hall - that California does not have sovereign immunity from suit in a tort action.
And NOW California is not happy.
Now California is filing briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Franchise Board of the State of California v Hyatt asking to overrule Nevada v Hal. By the way, Franchise Board case already was in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 before trial (the litigation spans decades) and was decided against the State of California.
California advances arguments like these:
Remember, Nevada v Hall was decided in favor of citizens of the state of California to sue the State of Nevada in California State court.
California was happy at that time, and did not think that a million-dollar verdict against the State of Nevada was unfair.
Yet, it is not happy when the same rule was applied to the State of California as a defendant and the verdict is now payable to the citizen of the State of Nevada by the State of California.
So, now California is asking to overturn Nevada v Hall where Californians were the winners over the State of Nevada, to prohibit a citizen of Nevada to do in Nevada state courts exactly the same things as Californian citizens did to the State of Nevada in California state courts in Nevada v Hall.
If the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to uphold California's frivolous argument and overturn Nevada v Hall, what will be the next step in the circus - another lawsuit for a motor-vehicle accident in California against Nevada where Californians will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn "Franchise Tax"?
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Members of privileged class, New York City attorne...


text:
Q: How "i++" is more efficient than "i = i + 1"? Is there is any difference between these two statements performance wise ?
i++;
i = i + 1;

A: Depends on the optimisation. i++ can, on most processors, be represented as a single machine language instruction. i = i + 1, on the other hand, could be represented by up to four: load i, load 1, add, store to i; although, even a middling smart compiler should be able to recognise it can rewrite it into the former.

A: no, there is no difference. The compiler will compile these into the same assembly


That sounds pretty amazing I totally want some. I haven't had shawarma exactly but I have had other meats served in the same manner. Either way I still feel like I'm missing out on something and I want some.
I love that stuff! In Germany there are these little sidewalk shops that have the huge cuts of meat skewered and rotisserie-ing right in the windows ... they're called Donar - so good!
The variety in your plate is mast!!


Clean, fresh citrus notes within a floral blend.
A traditional indian fragrance. Made from various aromatic compounds having a citrus top note to create a refreshing blend. The name Jannat is the arabic word for Heaven, whereas Firdaus means Garden. Literally translated it means garden of heaven.


TECNO MOBILE IS SET TO THRILL FANS WITH A MEGA SPARK PARTY!!!
After an amazing first edition, TECNO Mobile in partnership with Google is set to host fun loving Lagosians to another edition of the TECNO Spark Party-an event which is simply aimed at entertaining and celebratingsmartphonebut most especially TECNO fans.
The Spark party, which is a free event, comes just weeks after the leading mobile phone maker, unveiled its new SPARK 2device and days after it gave four talented Nigerians ONE Million Naira each to chase their dreams.
The TECNO Spark Party which is slated to take place on Friday 10th of August 2018 at the Muri Okunola park, Lagos. Last year's party was talked about for a long time and trended on various social media platforms. This year's event promises to be one of the best parties of the year as musical artists such as SlimCase and Solid Star, Dj Consequence and Celebrity OAP and Hype King Dotun will be there to Spark up your night!
Follow all of TECNO Nigeria's Social Media platforms for more information and to win yourself invites.
In the photo is a Nigerian celebrity, guess who?


text:
How Should Canadian Conservatives Vote In This Election?
by Samuel Sey
Samuel Sey
Gabby Petito And Missing White People Syndrome
For the first time in almost 20 years, a significant number of conservative voters in Canada will not be voting for the Conservative Party. Instead, they will be voting for the new People's Party.
Just a couple of days before the federal election on Monday, recent polls suggest Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party holds a slight lead over Erin O'Toole's Conservative Party.
According a Nanos Research poll, 31.3% of Canadians support the Liberal Party. Another 29.2% of Canadians support the Conservative party, followed by 20.9% support for Jagmeet Singh's New Democrats party (NDP), and 7.3% support for Maxime Bernier's People's Party.
The Conservative Party is losing the election because they're losing conservatives.
If the Conservatives lose the election on Monday, it will be because a significant number of conservative voters switched their votes to the People's Party.
If Maxime Bernier didn't leave the Conservative Party three years ago to create the People's Party, the 7.3% of Canadian voters supporting the People's Party in this election would probably be supporting the Conservative Party. That 7.3% of additional voters would give the Conservatives a 36.5% to 31.3% lead over the Liberals heading into the election.
If the PPC didn't exist, the Conservative Party would probably win a minority government on Monday. That is frustrating to some conservatives. They are frustrated with Bernier and his supporters. They are ready to blame the PPC when Justin Trudeau gets re-elected on Monday.
Yesterday, the front-page of one of Canada's biggest conservative newspapers, The Toronto Sun, featured an article saying:
"Without an extra boost of support at the ballot box, Trudeau will be Prime Minister once again. Yes, I'm looking at you, PPC voters…When conservative-minded people divide the vote, Liberals win. If you want Justin Trudeau out of office, voting for Bernier and the PPC is the last thing you should do. Vote for the only team that can replace Trudeau, O'Toole and the Conservatives."
That kind of reasoning is exactly why the Conservative Party elected a leftist like Erin O'Toole as the leader of the party. Canadian conservatives have become more committed to voting Liberals out of office than voting (real) conservatives into office.
Erin O'Toole is indeed a better option than Justin Trudeau, but that isn't saying much. O'Toole's platform is relatively more conservative than Trudeau's, but Trudeau's platform is also relatively more conservative than Jagmeet Singh's NDP platform—if the election was a near tie between the Liberals and the NDP, would the author of the Toronto Sun article recommend voting for Trudeau's Liberal Party, instead of the Conservative Party?
Is conservatism in Canada nothing more than being less leftist than the "progressive" Liberals and socialist NDP?
Erin O'Toole is relatively more conservative than Justin Trudeau, but that doesn't make him a conservative. He's a "progressive" or leftist, not a conservative. He isn't like Stephen Harper or Andrew Scheer—and he doesn't want to be.
O'Toole recently said:
"I know some of you may be hesitant [on voting for the Conservative Party] because of things you may have heard or impressions that are a little out of date…From the first day of my leadership, my priority has been to build a Conservative movement where every Canadian can feel at home…We're not your dad's Conservative party anymore."
However that broad "conservative" movement doesn't include real conservatives. Earlier this year, O'Toole unjustifiably kicked out one of the real conservative politicians remaining in the party.
O'Toole is also the first leader of the Conservative party who openly supports abortion. And although he says he dislikes the wording on the Liberal Party's Bill C-6, he supports a ban on conversion therapy. His positions on other social and political issues are also similar to Justin Trudeau's, including his strong support for vaccine passports and mandates.
Since the results of the last election, the Conservative Party have consistently suggested they believe real conservatism isn't a viable option for political success in Canada. That's why they elected a "progressive" as their new leader. If they win the election, wouldn't that reinforce their opposition to real conservatism? If Erin O'Toole wins the election, wouldn't that move the Conservative Party even deeper into leftism?
Shame On The Ontario Government
If Trudeau wins, it's bad for Canada. However, if O'Toole wins, it's bad for conservatism.
That doesn't mean it's wrong to vote for the Conservative Party. However, real conservatives are in a lose-lose position whether Trudeau or O'Toole wins on Monday.
For too long, the Conservative party have taken real Canadian conservatives for granted. Though they're consistently unreliable, they know we're consistently reliable votes for them. They know they are our only real options—well, until now.
The Conservative Party has become so leftist, they've left conservatives behind. So perhaps it's time we leave them behind on this election—to make a point. Maybe it's time we make it known to them we're loyal to conservative principles, not the Conservative Party.
So how should Canadian Conservatives vote in this election? It's not wrong to vote against Justin Trudeau by voting for Erin O'Toole. It's a legitimate short-term strategy to protect Canada from Trudeau.
However, voting for the People's Party might be the better long-term strategy to protect real conservatism in Canada.
So maybe the most anti-Trudeau vote isn't a vote against Trudeau—but a vote against the conservatives.
If you want Trudeau to lose, vote for the Erin O'Toole's Conservative Party. However, if you want Trudeau's ideas to lose—then vote for Maxime Bernier's People's Party.
Samuel Sey September 18, 2021
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Slow to Write is a weekly blog by Samuel Sey.
This year marks 5 years since I created SlowToWrite.com. That's 5 years since I committed to blogging for you and Christ. That's 5 years since I made a vow to become quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger—slow to write.
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Your Vaccine Passports/Mandate Stories
Christian Livig
Your Vaccine Mandate Stories


text:
Why Baby's Hungry Cry Tugs at Women (But Not Men)
By Karen Rowan 30 May 2013
(Image: © Max Kim | Dreamstime.com)
The idea that women are hard-wired to respond to babies is supported in a small new brain scan study from Italy.
Women in the study who listened to the sounds of a baby crying in hunger showed a change in activity in certain brain regions, but men showed no change.
The study included nine men and nine women, some of whom were parents. Most participants were in their 30s. Researchers at the University of Trento asked participants to let their minds wander, and then played a recording of about 15 minutes of white noise, interrupted with periods of silence and the sounds of a hungry infant crying.
In women's brains, there was a decrease in activity in two areas known to be active during mind wandering — the dorsal medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate areas. By contrast, these regions in men's brains remained active when they heard the baby's cries, according the study.
The study shows that "women interrupt mind wandering when exposed to the sounds of infant hunger cries, whereas men carry on without interruption," the researchers wrote.
The brain patterns were not different between parents and nonparents in the study, the researchers said. This suggests that women may be predisposed to care for infants other than their own, the researchers said, though more study is needed to see whether this idea is held up.
Previous studies have shown that women are more likely than men to say that hearing an infant cry evokes feelings of sympathy and caregiving, while men are more likely to say that crying evokes irritation and anger.
Other work has shown that mothers' suffering from postpartum depression have muted brain activity patterns when they hear their baby cry, compared with nondepressed women.
The study was published in the February issue of the journal Neuroreport.
Pass it on: Hungry baby's cry affects the mother's brain, and evokes sympathy and caring.
Follow Karen Rowan @karenjrowan. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily @MyHealth_MHND, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on MyHealthNewsDaily.


text:
Insights Bear Market Rally?
Bear Market Rally?
July saw a rally in major developed markets, which had their best month this year, despite the U.S. going into a technical recession. The S&P 500 (TR) (USD) was up 9.2%, the MSCI Europe (TR) (EUR) followed at 7.6% and the MSCI Japan (TR) (JPY) was up by 4.0%1. Emerging markets did not receive the same boost, with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (USD) marginally down -0.2%1. The last week of July saw a broad-based decline in yields globally. The U.S. 10-Year Treasury yield moved down from 3%2 at the end of June to 2.64%3 by month end. The VIX index also moved down to 213.
Despite the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) surprising to the upside at 9.1%4, a lot of pessimism over inflation prospects appears already to be priced in. There is evidence that demand may come down, and has already done so for gasoline5, as consumers feel the impact of high inflation and a slowing economy. A technical recession, with U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) coming in negative for the second consecutive quarter at -0.9% (Q2 2022)6, did not deter markets, which rallied. With the Federal Reserve hiking 75bps7, as expected, in the same week, markets may be sensing peak hawkishness. Remaining in the U.S., Q2 earnings have beaten expectations and guidance for the next quarter appears not as bad as markets feared. However, though we have seen a substantial derating in valuations, we do not think equities have priced downward revisions in earnings. Depending on the depth of the slowdown to come, our estimates suggest earnings for the S&P 500 should be 12% – 19% lower than current levels8. This supports our belief that recent strength in developed markets is a bear market rally, so we could still see further downside.
Investment Implications
We remained defensive throughout the month, seeing earnings revision downgrades as the next major potential headwind for equities. Our overall fixed income exposure also remained unchanged, in an environment of high inflation, rising rates, continued geopolitical concerns and intensifying threats to global growth. However, within equities, commodities and fixed income, we made a number of tactical changes:
We reduced our overweight to energy. While supply constraints persist with U.S. producers, demand destruction is evident in the U.S.. As global growth continues to slow, cyclical headwinds will likely intensify, which should be negative for oil prices and the energy sector.
UK, Value and Growth Equities
We moved from overweight to neutral UK Equities, an overweight we had held since February 2022 and, likewise, moved from overweight to neutral Value Equities. For both, economic cycle dynamics warrant a reduction in cyclical exposure. Instead, we allocated to broad-based equities, to maintain stable equity exposure. For portfolios which have active funds, we continued to reduce allocations to growth-oriented active funds.
China A Equities
We added to our overweight China A, first implemented in June 2022, which we continue to believe should benefit from improving growth prospects and supportive policy backdrop, whilst the rest of the world experiences monetary tightening and slowing growth.
Broad Commodities
We moved overweight to neutral broad commodities due to slowing growth and signs of less supply-demand imbalance. We took profits on this position, held since the beginning of February 2022. This was initially an explicit hedge against escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions, which we held given the tight market.
First initiated in early May, we moved overweight to neutral agricultural commodities. Inventories are greater than expected, leading to less support for prices in the second half of the year.
We reduced our overweight to gold. Near-term upside potential is limited based on its long-held relationship with real yields and our view that real yields should stay in positive territory.
European Investment Grade Credit
We moved from neutral to overweight European Investment Grade Credit. Spreads appear already priced for material growth slowdown. This, coupled with slightly cheap Bund yields, should lead to a more favourable risk/reward set up, as the global economy is in the late stage of the cycle.
U.S. High Yield
We moved from neutral to underweight U.S. High Yield, given our cautious outlook on U.S. growth and consumption. We believe U.S. High Yield may suffer more from a potential economic shock over the coming months compared to higher quality credit.
We moved from underweight to neutral, as the euro is pricing in bearish economic growth in the eurozone and we may have reached peak fear on Russian gas supply. Likely elevated energy prices should maintain pressure on the European Central Bank (ECB) to be hawkish in forthcoming months. This should support interest rate differentials, which are already inferring higher EUR/USD. With downside risks likely largely priced in the eurozone, the euro could start to revert to fundamentals in 2H 2022.
We moved first from underweight to neutral, then to overweight, as the downside to JPY against the USD appears to become more and more limited. Interest rate differentials, oil prices and other fundamental drives indicate the JPY is undervalued.
The index performance is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not meant to depict the performance of a specific investment. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. See Disclosure section for index definitions.
Source: MSIM GBaR team, as of 31 July 2022. For informational purposes and does not constitute an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell any particular security or to adopt any specific investment strategy. The tactical views expressed above are a broad reflection of our team's views and implementations, expressed for client communication purposes. The information herein does not contend to address the financial objectives, situation or specific needs of any individual investor. The signals represent the GBaR team's view on each asset class. A negative signal indicates a negative or underweight relative view, a positive signal indicates a positive or overweight relative view. Light blue indicates the tactical view before the change, with dark blue indicating the view as of 31 July 2022.
1 Bloomberg, 1-month returns, as of 31 July 2022.
2 Bloomberg, 30 June 2022.
3 Bloomberg, 31 July 2022.
4June 2022 US Headline CPI rose 9.1%, core (ex food and energy) rose 5.9%, year-on-year, seasonally adjusted www.bls.gov/cpi/. Released 13 July 2022.
5 Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand below every other year going back to 2000 on a seasonal 4-week moving average.
6 US Bureau of Economic Analysis, US GDP second quarter 2022, advance estimate. www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gross-domestic-product
7 27 July 2022. Federal Reserve issues Federal Open Market Committee statement. www.federalreserve.gov
8GBaR estimate as of 26 July 2022
There is no assurance that the Strategy will achieve its investment objective. Portfolios are subject to market risk, which is the possibility that the market values of securities owned by the portfolio will decline and that the value of portfolio shares may therefore be less than what you paid for them. Market values can change daily due to economic and other events (e.g. natural disasters, health crises, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) that affect markets, countries, companies or governments. It is difficult to predict the timing, duration, and potential adverse effects (e.g. portfolio liquidity) of events. Accordingly, you can lose money investing in this portfolio. Please be aware that this strategy may be subject to certain additional risks. There is the risk that the Adviser's asset allocation methodology and assumptions regarding the Underlying Portfolios may be incorrect in light of actual market conditions and the Portfolio may not achieve its investment objective. Share prices also tend to be volatile and there is a significant possibility of loss. The portfolio's investments in commodity-linked notes involve substantial risks, including risk of loss of a significant portion of their principal value. In addition to commodity risk, they may be subject to additional special risks, such as risk of loss of interest and principal, lack of secondary market and risk of greater volatility, that do not affect traditional equity and debt securities. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Fixed-income securities are subject to the ability of an issuer to make timely principal and interest payments (credit risk), changes in interest rates (interest-rate risk), the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (market risk). In a rising interest-rate environment, bond prices may fall and may result in periods of volatility and increased portfolio redemptions. In a declining interest-rate environment, the portfolio may generate less income. Longer-term securities may be more sensitive to interest rate changes. Equity and foreign securities are generally more volatile than fixed income securities and are subject to currency, political, economic and market risks. Equity values fluctuate in response to activities specific to a company. Stocks of small-capitalization companies carry special risks, such as limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and greater market volatility than securities of larger, more established companies. The risks of investing in emerging market countries are greater than risks associated with investments in foreign developed markets. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) shares have many of the same risks as direct investments in common stocks or bonds and their market value will fluctuate as the value of the underlying index does. By investing in exchange traded funds ETFs and other Investment Funds, the portfolio absorbs both its own expenses and those of the ETFs and Investment Funds it invests in. Supply and demand for ETFs and Investment Funds may not be correlated to that of the underlying securities. Derivative instruments can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses and may have a potentially large negative impact on the portfolio's performance. A currency forward is a hedging tool that does not involve any upfront payment. The use of leverage may increase volatility in the Portfolio.
Andrew Harmstone
Global Balanced Risk Control Team
Manfred Hui
Global Balanced Risk Control Fund of Funds
ISIN: LU0706093803 | Class Z
Rebalancing Acts
The Global Balanced Risk Control team discuss the three key trends they foresee for 2023 and the investment implications.
Transitional year for energy markets
Expected transitional year for the energy markets is key to the inflation story, which is likely to determine asset performance in 2023.
2023 Investment Outlook
In our 2023 outlook, our macro strategists and investment managers across equity, fixed income and alternative asset classes share their diverse views on key themes, where they think markets are headed after a turbulent year, and how they are positioning their respective strategies.
INDEX DEFINITIONS
The indexes shown in this report are not meant to depict the performance of any specific investment, and the indexes shown do not include any expenses, fees or sales charges, which would lower performance. The indexes shown are unmanaged and should not be considered an investment. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
"Bloomberg®" and the Bloomberg Index/Indices used are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM). Bloomberg is not affiliated with MSIM, does not approve, endorse, review, or recommend any product, and. does not guarantee the timeliness, accurateness, or completeness of any data or information relating to any product.
China A Shares: These are shares of companies based in mainland China denominated in Renminbi and traded in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. They are available to purchase by qualified foreign institutions, where historically they were only available to investors in mainland China.
Consumer Price Index: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food and medical care. The CPI is calculated by taking price changes for each item in the predetermined basket of goods and averaging them; the goods are weighted according to their importance. Changes in CPI are used to assess price changes associated with the cost of living.
MSCI Emerging Markets Index: The MSCI Emerging Markets Index (MSCI EM) is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure equity market performance of emerging markets.
MSCI Europe Index: The MSCI Europe Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 15 developed markets (DM) countries in Europe.
MSCI Japan Index: The MSCI Japan Index is designed to measure the performance of the large and mid-cap segments of the Japanese market.
S&P 500 Index: The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index tracks the performance of 500 widely held, large-capitalization U.S. stocks.
VIX©: This is a trademarked ticker symbol for the Chicago Board Options Exchange Market Volatility Index, a popular measure of the implied volatility of S&P 500 Index options. Often referred to as the fear index or the fear gauge, it represents one measure of the market's expectation of stock market volatility over the next 30-day period.
There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will work under all market conditions, and each investor should evaluate their ability to invest for the long-term, especially during periods of downturn in the market.
A separately managed account may not be appropriate for all investors. Separate accounts managed according to the particular Strategy may include securities that may not necessarily track the performance of a particular index. Please consider the investment objectives, risks and fees of the Strategy carefully before investing. A minimum asset level is required.
For important information about the investment managers, please refer to Form ADV Part 2.
The views and opinions and/or analysis expressed are those of the author or the investment team as of the date of preparation of this material and are subject to change at any time without notice due to market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Furthermore, the views will not be updated or otherwise revised to reflect information that subsequently becomes available or circumstances existing, or changes occurring, after the date of publication. The views expressed do not reflect the opinions of all investment personnel at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively "the Firm"), and may not be reflected in all the strategies and products that the Firm offers.
Forecasts and/or estimates provided herein are subject to change and may not actually come to pass. Information regarding expected market returns and market outlooks is based on the research, analysis and opinions of the authors or the investment team. These conclusions are speculative in nature, may not come to pass and are not intended to predict the future performance of any specific strategy or product the Firm offers. Future results may differ significantly depending on factors such as changes in securities or financial markets or general economic conditions.
This material has been prepared on the basis of publicly available information, internally developed data and other third-party sources believed to be reliable. However, no assurances are provided regarding the reliability of such information and the Firm has not sought to independently verify information taken from public and third-party sources.
This material is a general communication, which is not impartial and all information provided has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell any particular security or to adopt any specific investment strategy. The information herein has not been based on a consideration of any individual investor circumstances and is not investment advice, nor should it be construed in any way as tax, accounting, legal or regulatory advice. To that end, investors should seek independent legal and financial advice, including advice as to tax consequences, before making any investment decision.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Charts and graphs provided herein are for illustrative purposes only.
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Heartbreaking photo series about infant loss shows 'the aftermath of stillbirth'
"We were so close, but didn't get to hear her coo, celebrate her first birthday, send her to kindergarten — we missed it all."
Oct. 17, 2019, 3:01 PM UTC / Source: TODAY
By Terri Peters
At 39 weeks pregnant, Kristin Naylor visited her obstetrician for a routine visit and learned that her daughter, Abby, had died in her womb.
Naylor says the moment she received the news divided her life into "before and after." In the hours that followed the heartbreaking news, Naylor's husband, Dan, met her at the hospital and Abby was delivered via C-section on July 13, 2018.
Kristin Naylor's daughter, Abby, was stillborn in July 2018. After their loss, Naylor and her family allowed photographer Meg Brock to capture what life in their home looked like after losing an infant.Meg Brock Photography
"At some point during our C-section, I realized that she was born," Naylor told TODAY Parents. "And, I recognized she wasn't crying. Even though we knew they were saying she was gone, we were both holding out some kind of hope that they were wrong, or that God would do a miracle right there on the operating table and she would come out crying. But she didn't."
After spending 36 hours with Abby in the hospital, surrounded by family and friends, the Naylors said goodbye and prepared to return to their Norristown, Pennsylvania home with their sons, Isaac and Eli, who were 3 and nearly 2 at the time.
Today, Naylor's sons, Isaac and Eli, are 4 and 3.Meg Brock Photography
Naylor says she arrived home to find her mother and mother-in-law had packed away several of Abby's things. Life with their two small sons went on, and family and friends occasionally dropped by to visit.
"It began to feel like Abby never was," Naylor recalled. "Our life looked just like it did before — no diaper changing table downstairs, no third car seat in the car, no pink girly clothes in the wash. Every minute was another reminder of our loss."
The Naylors say coming home to Abby's unworn clothing was one of the heartbreaking parts of beginning to grieve.Meg Brock Photography
"In those times, I would find Kristin crying on the floor of Abby's room, clutching her clothes or teddy bear or picture," said Naylor's husband, Dan. "I hated seeing her stuff, still wrapped or folded or untouched ... grief is unavoidable and uncontrollable. Our family is no longer who we used to be. I am a different man, Kristin is a different woman, and it breaks my heart to realize that our boys are different, too."
Naylor says as she grieved Abby's death in the weeks after her delivery, she became convinced that our culture is terrible at dealing with the grief and pain of others.
"People started telling me to 'be strong,' she said. "That made no sense to me. Be strong? I'm devastated. My daughter just died. They were asking me to be strong because they couldn't bear to see my pain."
After her death, Kristin and Dan Naylor planted a tree in their daughter's memory.Meg Brock Photography
So the couple decided to openly share their pain in many ways, including posting on social media about their walk through the grieving process. Photographer Meg Brock, who the Naylors had booked to take Abby's newborn photos, saw the posts and reached out to the family.
"Meg approached me about the idea of doing a shoot that visually showed the aftermath of stillbirth in a way," said Naylor. "I agreed because I believe talking about pregnancy loss and the devastation of stillbirth will help others understand how to compassionately walk alongside someone who has experienced it."
Naylor says she agreed to the photo shoot to help shed light on what grieving families are going through, and to help friends and family understand ways to support them.Meg Brock Photography
Brock's photo series shows the Naylor family moving through life in their home without Abby, from reading books together to eating meals at their dining room table. Brock also captures poignant images of Kristin and her sons in Abby's room, surrounded by her belongings.
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"From afar, I admired Kristin's vulnerability, courage and faith," said Brock. "I hoped that through creating this series of images, we'd both honor Abby's life and lift up the veil of what every day looks like after you've lost a child."
Brock says she approached the Naylors about the photographs in hopes of "lifting up the veil of what every day looks like after you've lost a child."Meg Brock Photography
Since Abby's death, the Naylors have celebrated her first birthday by asking friends to donate items to bereavement boxes for families facing a loss, renting a local theater to invite friends to screen a documentary about infertility and infant loss and having a small gathering in her honor with close friends.
Today, Naylor says she's working to accept a "new version" of herself after losing her daughter and to help others understand how to support friends and family members going through similar situations.
"I'm not the same person I was before and there's no going back," said Naylor of her life since Abby's death.Meg Brock Photography
"I'm not the same person I was before and there's no going back," said Naylor. "There is so much stigma and so many misconceptions about stillbirth. We face those backwards ideals every day. People think the pain of stillbirth is somehow less than other kinds of loss, since Abby had yet to take her first breath."
"I will always argue it's the opposite — we were so close but didn't get to hear her coo, celebrate her first birthday, send her to kindergarten — we missed it all."
Learn the story behind 1 woman's miscarriage tattoo
June 24, 201600:55
Terri Peters
Terri Peters is a writer and editor for TODAY.com. She lives in a small beach town on the Atlantic coast of Florida with her husband and two kids. When she isn't writing, she can be found at the beach or exploring Florida's theme parks with her family.


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The Age of Viral
Episode #1 of the course How to make a viral video by Carlos P. Beltran
In 2006, a couple of guys released an amateur, single-take video shot on a cheap handy-cam. Wearing lab coats and protective goggles, they concocted an elaborate (and almost grotesque) mix of Mentos and Diet Coke. In just three minutes, they managed to create mesmerizing carbonated explosions and fizzling patterns. The Mentos and Diet Coke Experiment video was born. By the end of the first day, they had 14,000 unique views on YouTube. A week after the upload, they'd been invited to several nation-wide talk shows, and their video had become a worldwide sensation. Stephen Voltz and Fritz Grobe had effectively started the conversation on what makes videos go viral.
Since then, many have attempted to emulate the style behind the Mentos and Diet Coke experiment in the hopes that their home videos would also go viral. The hunger for instant online stardom has fueled some of the quirkiest attempts, but it has also brought us classics like the viral music videos from the world-renowned band Ok Go.
But the need to understand and make viral videos is not reserved for your neighbor—or your 16-year-old cousin trying to become the next Justin Bieber. Worldwide heavyweight companies like Coca-Cola and Red Bull were first adapters of the power of social media when it came to "viralizing" their content.
What is a viral video?
Let's first understand that the word "viral" has been liberally thrown around for years. Most people use it when referring to "cool" videos they have seen on more than one social medium. In the beginning—when Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were just being introduced to the world—a video would be considered viral if it reached a measurable amount of 1 million unique views (usually on YouTube). Today, the concept of time has come into play. A video in 2016 is considered viral if it manages to reach anywhere from one to three million unique views in the first three to seven days of its publication. So, if you published a video in 2006 and today it reached one million views, it is, by definition, not considered viral. However, if you publish a video tonight and three days from now it reaches the million mark, then it has effectively gone viral, meaning that it has appealed to a vast audience and that it is quite shareable. We'll talk about "shareability" later in this course.
In the next few lessons, we will address the 4 Principles behind making viral videos. Always keep in mind that, although no one can truly guarantee that a video will go viral, you can structure your videos in a way that will make them much more likely to be shareable, and hence, viral.


Even funnier that they misspelled School !
I once saw a garbage truck that said "Satisfaction guaranteed or double your garbage back!".
Yup, them's funny I don't care who you are.
We have one over/under here that proudly claims to be " NUMBER ONE IN THE NUMBER TWO BUSINESS"


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Prince Charles chats farming with Rathfriland man at MBE investiture
Barbara Boyd
editor@outlooknews.co.uk
Wednesday 28 November 2018 10:28
RATHFRILAND farmer and Co-Op manager Jim McCrum has been awarded with an MBE at Buckingham Palace.
Jim has been at the helm of Rathfriland Co-Op since it was set up in 1987 and has dedicated his life to its success.
He was awarded an MBE for services to the Rathfriland Farmers' Co-op Society and the farming community back in June in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
The Rathfriland man flew to London last Tuesday (20 November) with his daughter Claire and met up with his other two children for the ceremony.
He said: "We then joined up with my other daughter Heather who lives in London and then met up with my son William who works in Glasgow.
"We stayed in the Hilton Hotel which is convenient to the palace and went to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday (21 November) for the ceremony in the Ballroom.
"The ceremony started at 11am but for an hour before that all the recipients mingled together in the Great Hall.
"We were not allowed phones or iPads inside here so it meant that we could really chat to one another and had really good craic between ourselves and I spoke to people from all over."
Jim says he saw Ireland rugby player Rory Best and former DUP MLA, Brenda Hale receive their OBEs.
A livestock farmer from the Lisnacroppin area, Jim says overall "it was a terrific day".
He added: "Prince Charles presented me with the MBE. He was so lovely and down-to-earth and chatted away with me and I can only compare it to chatting to your next door neighbour.
"He asked me if I was still farming and asked me about my family and if any of my family were going to take the farming on."
Jim also enjoyed spending time with his children being a tourist in London following the prestigious ceremony.
"It was my first time in London and we stayed until the Thursday night and made a real break of it.
"We went to Hyde Park and the underground and Shepherd's Bush and walked around the streets of London. It was a lovely break.
"However, it was awful hustle and bustle in London and just a different way of life. It never stops. And I wouldn't change it for Rathfriland anyway."
Although receiving the MBE won't make any difference to Jim, he says "it's a lovely honour."
"It won't change me, that's for sure. I have been a farmer for my whole life and I love it.
"Receiving the MBE has been not just a lovely honour for me, but an honour too for the farming community," he said.
Meanwhile, Ireland and Ulster captain Rory Best from Poyntzpass has spoken of his 'immense pride' after being awarded an OBE at Buckingham Palace.
The British and Irish Lions hooker is Ireland's most-capped forward with 113 appearances and led the team to the 2018 Six Nations Grand Slam.
The veteran hooker was joined at the palace by his parents, who have both been decorated with MBEs, as he received his honour from the Prince of Wales.


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First quarter of state Legislature a snoozer
Jim Tharpe, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If law-making were football, the first quarter at the state Capitol was a yawner.
The Legislature finished the 13th day of its 40-day session last week with little to show for lawmakers' labors. Given, the House got a new Speaker and elected the first woman Speaker Pro Tem. And there has been a lot of chatter about ethics reform.
So far, however, it has been slow-going under the Gold Dome.
It could be that lawmakers are more consumed than usual with the state budget, which, by law, must be balanced ever year. That's a real problem with revenues plummeting. The gravitas of the gloomy financial news could really hit home this week at the 2010 supplemental budget arrives on the House floor.
Tax relief on the horizon?
At least one major piece of legislation did get off the ground last week. Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) introduced a 47-page bill that features more than 40 changes in the current property tax system and would, according to Rogers, grant homeowners more power.
"The collection of taxes should be fair, transparent and easy to understand. Sadly, the property tax system in Georgia accomplishes none of these things, " Rogers said. "This legislation attempts to bring fairness to an unfair system."
Rogers added that changes are needed because of the recent downturn in the housing market. He said that while home values have dipped across the state, property tax assessments have remained artificially high. His bill, for example, proposes that homeowners can be taxed only for the price of their home.
The bill, SB 346, includes:
Year-round property appeals.
Making sure that every property receives an annual notice of assessment.
Statewide uniformity of assessment notices and appeal forms.
Allowing counties to accept payment plans for property taxes and discounts for early payments.
Establishing time limits for assessor action in response to appeals.
Requiring a unanimous vote by Board of Equalization members to increase assessed value.
In announcing his bill, Rogers acknowledged that some counties might bring in less money on appraisals --but added that as long as taxpayers were being taxed fairly, he could live with it.
Bad-tasting antifreeze
In 2008, 241 Georgians were poisoned by antifreeze, said state Rep. Tommy Benton (R-Jefferson), who has proposed legislation to require that a bitter-tasting chemical -- denatonium benzoate -- be added to antifreeze sold in the state beginning in 2011.
The Georgia House quickly approved Benton's proposal 142-25, sending House Bill 219 to the Senate. Ten states have passed similar laws.
A former teacher, Benton said he was moved to propose the legislation by a student, whose dogs had been poisoned, and by the case of Lynn Turner, who is serving two life sentences for using antifreeze to kill her Cobb County police officer husband and, several years later, her boyfriend, a Forsyth County firefighter.
Two Chips chipping away at microchips
The Senate voted to protect Georgians from evildoers, covert corporations and rogue doctors, seen and unseen, with the passage of a bill that would make it illegal to implant a microchip into someone without their permission.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) and Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, would make it a misdemeanor to implant individuals against their will with a microchip, sensor, transmitter or other tracking device. The Senate passed the bill 47-2.
Governor tries to restructure government.
Gov. Sonny Perdue, meanwhile, announced a major restructuring of state government that would make four constitutional offices appointed, rather than elected.
Perdue's plan, which would require approval of voters in November, would allow future governors to appoint the state's insurance, labor and agriculture commissioners, as well as the state school superintendent.
A new chief
Spiro Amburn, the legislative affairs director for the state Department of Juvenile Justice, has been tapped to be House Speaker David Ralston's chief of staff.
Amburn's political background includes a stint as deputy legislative affairs director for Gov. Sonny Perdue. He has his undergraduate degree from Kennesaw State University and his master's degree from the University of Georgia.
This week: The House reconvenes Monday at 1 p.m. and the Senate at noon.