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The Humble Bumble: Four characteristics that make bumble bees some of Canada's best native insect pollinators!
by Pollinator Team | Jan 18, 2019 | Native Pollinator Initiative, Pollinators, Rusty Patched Bumblebee, Species at Risk, Yellow Banded Bumblebee
Pollinators aid in the successful reproduction of nearly 75% of flowering plants, plants whose capacity to reproduce is either entirely dependent on this animal-assisted service, or whose productivity is substantially increased when pollinator communities are present. Aptly named after this essential ecosystem service, pollinators are vectors in the transfer of pollen from one plant to another of the same species, in a sort of accidental mutualistic relationship, or a relationship that is beneficial to both the pollinator and the flower. Bumble bees, specifically, visit flowers to collect nectar and pollen resources for themselves and their colony, and while their intention is not to help flowers, the plant's reproductive success is benefitted when pollen is moved from flower to flower as a side effect of this foraging behaviour. Nature works in pretty interesting ways sometimes, doesn't it?
Visual representation of the three major steps of animal-assisted pollination. Photo © Little Bumblebees, https://sites.google.com/site/littlebumblebees15/
There are many types of animal pollinators, including bees, butterflies, flies, and beetles, but some of the most effective pollinators in our Canadian landscapes are our bumble bees! But what makes them so effective compared to some other insect pollinators? Here are four easy-to-see characteristics that make bumble bees one of the best-suited insects to get the job of pollination done!
1. They have big, hairy bodies!
One of the most noticeable physical traits of bumble bees is how big and hairy they are. Bumble bees are some of the largest bees and are covered in thick hair, and together this makes them great pollinators, without even trying! Bumble bees accumulate a positive electric charge on their hairs as they fly. But wait, who cares about that? We all build up charge on our bodies as we walk… Well, pollen is negatively charged making it electrostatically attracted to the bee, so pollen grains get stuck more readily all over their positively-charged, hairy bodies, and are transferred from flower to flower while the bee forages for pollen and nectar. Being big also means that there is more surface area that contacts the flowers and picks up pollen, especially if they have to squeeze themselves deep into a tight cone-shaped flower to access the nectar source!
A yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola) queen covered in dandelion (Taraxacum officionale) pollen grains and with full pollen loads in the corbicula, or pollen basket, of her hind legs! Photo © T. Harrison
2. They are biologically adapted to our Canadian climate!
Bumble bees make for good pollinators because they're tolerant of our Canadian climate—which is more than a lot of us Canadians can say! The bumble bee's size and hairiness doesn't only make it better at collecting and transferring pollen passively, these are also characteristics that help to keep it warm. Aside from the hairs acting as natural insulators, a bumble bee's large body size makes for large flight muscles which it can vibrate at high enough frequencies to generate its own metabolic heat—pretty darn impressive for an insect!
Like bumble bees, other native bee species do also have to survive the long, cold Canadian winters in diapause, but the bumble bee's ability to stay warm sets it apart from other bee species when conditions are less favourable in the early spring and fall months. Bumble bees are capable of flying at much cooler temperatures (even around 10°C!) than most other insect pollinators, and this means that plants blooming at these times will also be pollinated. Sometimes even on cloudy days, very windy days, and during a light drizzle!
Our Ontario field crew might be all bundled up for spring surveys, but it doesn't mean the bumble bee queens aren't out foraging! Here is Aisa holding a yellow-banded bumble bee (B. terricola) queen she collected at Paddle-to-the-Sea Park, in Nipigon on May 17th when it was only 9°C! Photo © T. Harrison
3. They can buzz pollinate!
Bumble bees set themselves apart from many other native insect pollinators with their ability to perform what's known as buzz pollination. Some native plant species, including Canada's delicious native blueberries, trap pollen within their anthers that can only be released through small pores (imagine the holes of a salt shaker) when vibrated at a certain frequency. Bumble bees use buzz pollination to access these pollen resources! To do this, the bumble bee will grasp the flower with its legs, place its thorax close to the anthers of the flower, and will rapidly vibrate its flight muscles, producing a strong vibration that shakes the pollen free from inside the anther. Below, you can see a common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) foraging on rose using her special buzz pollination technique! (Note: turn up the volume so you can hear that wonderful buzz!)
4. They have long colony life cycles!
Of the insect pollinators we have in Canada, bumble bees are some of the earliest to emerge in the spring and are some of the last still out into the fall months. This means that bumble bees are critical players in the maintenance of important plant-pollinator interactions that many early and late-blooming plants depend on for reproduction. Outside of the warmest summer months, when insect pollinator diversity and abundance is usually at its highest, bumble bees are one of the most abundant insect pollinators! In the spring, take a closer look at some of the early-flowering willows, or at the goldenrod and asters in the fall – bumble bees will be some of the most common species you're likely to see visiting these flowers!
Picture depicting the annual life cycle of a bumble bee colony. © Bumble Bees of Wisconsin – UW-Madison
We hope you've enjoyed learning more about what makes bumble bees some of the pollinators our Canadian landscapes depend most upon. Don't forget to keep your eye out for big, hairy bumble bee queens foraging on the few plants blooming early this spring, like willows and ephemeral spring wildflowers — they are always a welcomed sight in an otherwise quiet early spring landscape.
– The Bumble Bee Recovery Program
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Solar Panel Cost Guide in Ridge, NY (Jan 2023)
Ridge Solar Installation Cost: $8,033
HOME > SOLAR PANEL COSTS > NEW YORK > RIDGE
Average Cost of Solar Panels in Ridge
Find out what the average cost of solar panels are in Ridge.
The average cost of a solar panel system in Ridge is $3 per watt. To account for the typical energy needs of the average home in Ridge, most homeowners require a 3.9-kilowatt system. Using the per-watt figure above, a solar installation costs about $8,033, or $5,944 after the federal solar tax credit of 30% is applied.
These figures are just estimates, and how much solar costs for you will most likely look different based on your energy needs and what company you choose to go with. But, after you've paid the upfront cost of installation, the payback for most homeowners is typically rewarding, with a net average savings of about $22,000 over 20 years on energy bills.
For a customized quote from a local solar installer that has been pre-vetted by EcoWatch, click the button below.
Solar savings over time in Ridge
Top Solar Installers in Ridge
Putting up solar panels on your own can be a stressful task, which is why using a solar installer is a good option for many homeowners. The payback period of solar panels will vary depending on factors like your roof configuration and energy use, but working with a solar installer can shorten that period. Your provider will be able to help you get the most out of incentives available in your area.
Working with a professional solar company can help your solar project go smoothly. Here are our recommendations:
See all of the solar companies in Ridge
Factors that Affect Solar Panel Costs in Ridge
The cost of installing a solar system in Ridge can vary by more than $10,000 from home to home. Your actual cost is dependent on several factors. The most significant one is your system size, and other factors include equipment choices, financing options and the solar installer you choose.
The size of the solar system you need for your home, which is measured in kilowatts, is the most important cost factor to consider. For every additional kilowatt you need, you can expect your total to increase by nearly $2,950. The kind of solar panels and equipment you want is another factor that will substantially affect costs. Solar panels that are more efficient, like monocrystalline panels, tend to come at a higher price. Plus, solar equipment consists of more than just the solar panels themselves. You'll also need to think about the kind of racks used to mount the panels, inverters, solar batteries, etc. It's important to take all of this into consideration when searching for a solar system that falls within your budget.
If paying for a solar system in cash is out of reach, solar loans are an affordable route because they decrease your upfront costs and allow you to pay for your system over five to seven years on average. It's a good idea to include the interest you'll pay in your final cost estimate. If you can afford to pay a higher down payment, you can reduce your total costs and how long it'll take to pay off the loan.
The solar installer you opt for to handle your switch to green energy can play a part in your total costs. There are about 3 solar installation companies in Ridge, and each can charge varying amounts for labor and equipment. Additionally, some companies in Ridge are more knowledgeable about local solar incentives and can help you take advantage of additional rebates or tax exemptions. However, they may charge more for walking you through the whole process. Even if they cost more upfront, they could help you save more money in the long run.
The company that does your solar system installation will affect the warranties and brands available to you, and it will also have an impact on your total cost. Since choosing a company can be difficult, we have some tips to help you, such as:
Warranty: A high-quality company rises above other companies by providing the gold standard warranty — a 25-year, all-inclusive warranty covering parts, labor and performance.
Reputation: Make sure your solar company has a good reputation by verifying it has certifications and licenses, checking its work history and reading reviews by past customers and solar experts like EcoWatch.
Contract: Although reading through a contract can take a lot of time, it's important to do it thoroughly so you can be sure you understand what services your solar company will provide and the terms of the warranty.
Solar Panel Brands: The type of solar panel you'd like to install plays a part in which installer you should opt for, since different companies have access to different panels.
EcoWatch's Ridge, NY Solar Cost FAQs
How much does it cost to install solar panels in Ridge?
The average cost of solar panels in Ridge is about $14,750 for a 5-kW system and $29,500 for a 10-kW system before the ITC, but the actual cost will depend on certain factors such as the kind of solar panels you want, what size system you need and how much energy you consume.
Is cost the most important consideration when buying solar panels?
Cost is certainly one of the most important factors you should consider when buying solar panels, but other important factors include efficiency, durability, and quality.
Do solar panels increase your home value?
Solar panels can increase your property's value significantly as long as you buy or finance your panels and don't opt for a solar lease or power purchase agreement (PPA). According to research done by Zillow, the average home value increases by about 4.1% after installing a solar system."
How often do you have to replace solar panels?
On average, the lifespan of solar panels is about 25 to 30 years. Some even last up to 50 years, but their efficiency goes down by about 0.8% each year. You can choose to replace them sooner if you want to maintain a larger level of energy production.
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Don't Let Syria Play Out Like 2009 Iran
By Ryan Mauro 2011-03-29T11:11:57
The West is rightly fretting over where the Arab revolutions will bring us, but there's one we can be thankful for in Syria. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had it right when he said that the Syrian military should follow the example of Egypt's that "empowered a revolution." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had it wrong -- amazingly wrong -- when she said that members of "both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said that they believe he [Bashar Assad] is a reformer."
Bashar Assad's regime is anti-American to the core and is tied at the hip to Iran. It has supported elements of al-Qaeda; preaches radical Islam despite its secular governance; is a major backer of Hamas, Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad; and has the blood of countless U.S. soldiers and Iraqis on its hands. The Iraqi government even tried to build support for a UN tribunal to prosecute Syrian officials for destabilizing Iraq in 2009. You'd be hard-pressed to find an uprising more worthy of the West's support, at least politically.
The only argument that exists to oppose U.S. support for the uprising is that it could benefit Islamists. After all, Hafez al-Assad had to carry out a massacre at Hama in 1982 to crush the Muslim Brotherhood. At the same time, it is unlikely that the Islamists will be the sole leaders of a post-Assad Syria. They will have to share power with secular democratic forces, and it must be remembered that Assad already vigorously supports the terrorist groups that, it is feared, an Islamist-governed Syria would.
Assad is well-aware of this fear and uses it to his advantage. For example, he did not arrest the late Abu Qaqa, an anti-American cleric who called for establishing Sharia law. While secular demonstrations for freedom were prohibited, Qaqa was allowed to hold anti-American rallies for Western consumption. His right-hand man believes he was a government agent, and his funeral was attended by Baathist officials. The goal of using Qaqa was two-fold: to have a front with which to connect with anti-American jihadists and to encourage the illusion that the only alternative to Assad is rule by Islamic extremists of the worst kind.
The same thinking was behind Assad's orchestration of riots in Syria in February 2006 in reaction to the publication of the cartoons mocking Mohammed. As a confidential source told the U.S., the message was: "This is what you will have if we allow true democracy and allow Islamists to rule," and that "we are the only thing standing between you and the Islamist hordes." Now, one of Assad's advisors is attributing the uprising to the influential Muslim Brotherhood theologian Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, and of the approximately 270 political prisoners released, only 14 were not Islamists. The regime made the decision that it works to its advantage to showcase its Islamist opposition, rather than the secular activists (especially women) like Suhair Atassi.
https://pjmedia.com/blog/dont-let-syria-play-out-like-2009-iran/


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Jaskinia w Bramie Kobylańskiej – jaskinia w skale Bramy Kobylańskiej we wsi Kobylany, w gminie Zabierzów, w powiecie krakowskim, w województwie małopolskim. Znajduje się w skale Ponad Gnój Turnia, położonej w wylocie Doliny Kobylańskiej, w jej orograficznie prawym zboczu, tuż nad potokiem Kobylanka. Pod względem geograficznym jest to obszar Wyżyny Olkuskiej wchodzący w skład Wyżyny Krakowsko-Częstochowskiej.

Jaskinia ma otwór o wysokości 3,5 m znajdujący się u podstawy wschodniej ściany skały zbudowanej z wapieni pochodzących z jury późnej. Za otworem jest stromo wznoszący się korytarzyk, który po 5 metrach zmienia kierunek, a po dalszych  czterech kończy się szczeliną zbyt ciasną dla człowieka.
W jaskini występują nacieki w postaci mleka wapiennego i grzybków naciekowych. Dno wypełnia rumosz skalny. Jaskinia jest sucha i w całości poddana wpływom klimatu zewnętrznego. Na ścianach otworu rozwijają się glony i porosty, a otoczenie otworu zarastają krzewy. Ze zwierząt obserwowano kosarze i pająka sieciarza jaskiniowego.

Jaskinia znana była od dawna. W piśmiennictwie po raz pierwszy wzmiankowali ją w 1983 r. K. Baran i T. Opozda w przewodniku wspinaczkowym. Dokumentację i plan jaskini sporządził J. Nowak w grudniu 2003 roku.

W tej samej ścianie Ponad Gnój Turni, w odległości kilku metrów po prawej stronie znajduje się jeszcze otwór Szczeliny w Bramie Kobylańskiej.

Przypisy

Jaskinie Wyżyny Krakowsko-Częstochowskiej
Kobylany

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Tap The Thumbnail Bellow to See Related Gallery of "Green Comforter Sets King Buy Pink And Comforters From Bed Bath Beyond 10"
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Phelps honored for honesty on mental health, helping others
by: DAVID GINSBURG AP Sports Writer
Posted: May 22, 2019 / 09:42 PM UTC / Updated: Jun 21, 2019 / 05:04 PM UTC
FILE – In this Aug. 9, 2016, file photo, Michael Phelps has tears in his eyes as he shows off his gold medal after the men's 200-meter butterfly final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While swimming to Olympic glory, Phelps found comfort in the pool and […]
BALTIMORE (AP) — While swimming to Olympic glory, Michael Phelps found comfort in the pool and quite a bit of angst out of it.
His bout with depression reached its nadir in 2014 after a second DUI arrest. That's when the most decorated Olympian of all time checked himself into a rehabilitative center in a desperate effort to make sense of it all.
"When I was in my room and not wanting to talk to anybody for a number of days and not wanting to be alive, I wanted to see what other roads I could take to see if there was help," Phelps recalled.
The treatment he received — and continues to receive — charted his post-Olympic course.
"I know it's something that changed my life and saved my life and allowed me to be able to be where I am today, enjoying the platform of talking about something that's so important," Phelps told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday.
Because he is willing to share his story of depression and raise awareness of mental health issues, Phelps was given the fifth annual Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion on Tuesday night in Boston.
After participating in four Olympic Games and collecting 28 medals, including 23 gold, Phelps has dedicated his time and energy to promoting the importance of water safety and advocating for the de-stigmatization of mental health problems through the Michael Phelps Foundation.
"When I first really opened up about the struggles that I had in '15, obviously I dreamed of being able to get more publicity to this and to really share my journey and have other people share their journeys with me as well," Phelps said. "Honestly, I never thought it would be as big as this, but it's been a true dream to be able to watch the growth that mental health has taken, almost being at center stage."
To say this endeavor has been fulfilling is an understatement.
"Through this, if I can save one life, two lives, five lives, a thousand, a million, to me that's so much more important than winning a gold medal," he said.
The 33-year-old Phelps believes his bout with depression is a story that many can share, including CEOs and other retired athletes. After accomplishing every goal he set for himself, what was left to do?
"Probably my first real depression spell was after 2004, then the next big one was after 2008," he said. "When you set out to be an Olympian, your whole life is put on hold. All the eggs are in one basket. I would say 2004, 2008, 2012, partly after '16 (all Olympic years) I've dealt with pretty severe depression spells. I was kind of lost at that point."
The Baltimore native is in a far better frame of mind now.
"To have my wife (Nicole Johnson), who's always by my side, two amazing little boys at home and a third one on the way, I'm extremely thankful of the support I've had to get me through these times," Phelps said.
The Ruderman Award is given to individuals who are passionate about providing opportunities for others. Phelps certainly fits that description.
"Michael Phelps is a unique leader who has used his fame and status as the greatest swimmer of all time to challenge our society to remove stigma surrounding mental health," said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation.
"For me, this award means everything because this is where my passion is and the next chapter of my life is really heading," Phelps said. "We're kind of scratching the surface of what can be done, and I'm looking forward to continuing this journey and accomplishing some of the goals that I have — de-stigmatizing mental health and just getting the point across that it's OK to not be OK."
More Mental Wellness Wednesday Stories
by KEITH RIDLER Associated Press, The Associated Press / Jul 15, 2019
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Shane Del Grosso spent some 30 summers crossing smoke-shrouded mountains and forests to fight increasingly devastating wildfires in the U.S. West.
Toward the end, his skills and experience propelled him to lead a federal multi-agency team that responded to large-scale national disasters. On some days he directed a thousand firefighters and helped coordinate aircraft attacks on massive blazes.
Skopje zoo's chimp returns after recovering from depression
by KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES Associated Press / Jul 11, 2019
SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Koko the chimpanzee, once a star in Skopje's zoo, has returned home after spending 10 years in the Netherlands recovering from depression, the zoo says.
Koko was reunited with his keeper, Dragan Trajkovski, on Thursday, who said he was overjoyed to see the chimp again.
Mental Wellness: Residential mental health care for kids
by Caitlyn Lorr / Jul 4, 2019
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – Mental health issues can impact people of all ages, including children. Sometimes family therapy or individual counseling can be enough to help, but other times more constant care is needed.
"I was getting in trouble in school, in trouble with my family, I was very belligerent/ defiant, I had depression issues," former Boys and Girls Home residential patient Melinda Bond said.
Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden speaks to large Sioux City crowd
Shot in May by a suspect, South Sioux City police officer talks about returning to the force
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These mini bubble gum machines are the perfect little treat for any bubblegum fan and great for sharing!
1 Small bubblegum machine of varying colour, 10cm tall.
Bubble Gum Machine: Sugar, Dextrose, Gum Base, Glucose Syrup, Flavourings, Humectant, Glyserin, Modified Starch, Glazing Agents, Carnauba Wax, Shellac, Colours: E101, E120, E150d, E160e, E163, E171; Antioxidant E321.


Canon. Authored by paarthurnax. Word created on April 18, 2014. #5928.
Semi-Canon. Authored by Ziilsunvaar. Word created on February 25, 2014. #5402.
Edited from "Yirtiilaar" to fit the canon "Mindol".
Semi-Canon. Authored by Mirkrilaar. Word created on April 18, 2014. #5935.
Related to "Mindol", "trick" and "Lo", "deceive". Means "to trick/deceive".
Semi-Canon. Authored by Mirkrilaar. Word created on February 10, 2015. #9101.


This is a vocal music lesson for people who want to learn opera, etc.
We'll start with breathing and vocalization warm ups and then continue on to the song lesson. Let's have fun going through everything step by step.
Vocal music lessons just for you!
Are you an active singer preparing for an audition? Or are you a complete beginner? No matter what your experience level or age is, as long as you are interested in vocal music you are encouraged to attend.
We will go over everything you wouldn't learn in general lessons, such as body posture, detailed explanations on how to breathe correctly, chin and tongue positions. I will help bring out your most natural and beautiful voice. Learn real techniques that are being applied overseas! Gain international knowledge!
We will practice pronunciation and vocalization using pronunciation symbols that are used by the world community. We will also master pronunciation so that it does not become an obstacle once it's time to sing. You will gain a firm understanding of all the different ways to express different styles of music and learn to do so with your voice.
Speaking voice Pack Lesson !


The resistance in the play, Bring the Beat Back, begins with the venue. The Jack theatre which hosted the play, is not a spacious venue and only seats 50 people. This is a form of resistance against large scale productions that seat hundreds of people. I feel as though the size of the venue gave a vastly more intimate feel to the performance. There were times where the actors even made eye contact with me and held it. The size of the theatre also allowed for the actors to encourage people in the audience to join them and dance at the conclusion of the play. This would not have been possible had it not been for the quant size of the venue. This is another form of resistance as this play encourages audience participation, as opposed to larger productions. Another interesting thing about the Jack theatre is that it does not charge for the use of the venue. This allows creators to showcase their work when they may not have had the opportunity otherwise. Many venues, especially in a city like New York, charge astronomical prices for renting which makes the Jack very resistant. The Jack gives small shows the chance to perform to an audience that another venue may have turned away due to the content. This encourages diversity and the exposure of plays that are different and discuss sensitive topics. This is what makes the Jack the perfect place to host Bring the Beat Back.
The play itself was very eccentric from the moment you walked through the door. The walls were lined with tin foil which gave the place a very futuristic feel. With its eye grabbing, loud, costumes, the play immediately captivated the audience. The protagonist of the play is homosexual and we follow him along on his journey to self discovery and acceptance by not only his family and elders, but also himself. The discussion of homosexuality in the play is resistant in that it's a topic that many people shy away from. Though the play is set in the future, the same issues were brought to light and there was much overlap to how homosexuality is viewed and treated today. The cast also made the play resistant as it was a wholly black cast. This future that features people of color at the center is what afro futurism is all about. This strain of resistance is what most interested me during the performance. This future only showed people of color, it depicted a future where this was the norm and where people of color were the ones at the center of attention and authority. The mainstream media rarely focuses on content such as this. It is always white people seen depicted in television shows and movies. Overall, the play was very interesting and held my attention for its entire duration. There is no shortage of resistance in this play.


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Nightmare #81, June 2019
Wednesday, 19 June 2019 16:39	Jason McGregor
"The Night Princes" by Megan Arkenberg
"The Taurids Branch" by Alanna J. Faelan
Reviewed by Jason McGregor
Batul is telling three kids some random snippets of Story about three kids being pursued by Death and is also living the story (sometimes in random snippets of backstory) in which they and she are pursued by death, currently in the form of combat outside their door.
This evokes a mood of oppression and fear but has the dull aspect of a dark fairy tale rather than the sharpness of horror. Despite that, it's more akin to a strain of horror than dark fantasy in that there's nothing fantastic about it at all—just a dominant prosaic thread interlaced with a subordinate thread of metafiction. The prosaic thread is vague, the metafiction is unconvincing, and neither fully coheres or—oddly, for a story about death—concludes.
You are the (apparently female) lover of a woman who has written you a letter. In this letter, she tells you some things you surely already know but some extremely important and probably shocking things you don't. It details her unhappy relationship with a man and the misery of her raising a newborn alone, set against the backdrop of the end of the world.
There is a powerful, disturbing story in here but it's not without glitches (for example, in a story in which the fantastic may be present, it's important to make clear that a silently burning woman is mundane if she's intended that way) but the thing which most harms the story is that it's written in at least three styles, two of which veer outside the ordinary. One produces ornate 19th century lines like
It had been three weeks and Ray still hadn't come back. He was never an audacious man. His inflexibility, his aversion to risk or conflict of any sort, was the raw spot at the center of our relationship.
I imagine most other people would have kept Ray at arm's length, but I threw all of myself into the endeavor of us.
while others are plain 21st century:
Nothing I did worked. Nothing in the books, on the web, on the mommy vlogs.
I shut the nursery door, curled up on the sectional with my laptop, and put on my noise-cancelling headphones.
For more extreme examples, the 19th century may be responsible for lines like
Down on the street, a mandorla of orange flame parted the blue twilight.
while the 21st may claim
I grabbed him by the ankles, removed the diaper, and placed it in the trash. His entire lower body was covered in shit.
Another problem involves flaws triggered by the narrative device (a frequent problem in "Lightmare" where narrative strategies which have shown enduring power are rarely used). The story doesn't start until the second paragraph and we get lines like, "Bring Ray and the baby, you said." Did I? I had no idea!
These issues obscure what might have been a powerful tale of a mother's misery, a world's madness, and fleets of ships passing in the long night.
More of Jason McGregor's reviews can be found at Featured Futures.
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Current Art Exhibition
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Hanna Supetran to Exhibit in Madrid Station Exhibition in Spain
Hanna Supetran is one of the 65 International Artists chosen by Contemporary Art Station to exhibit in "Madrid Station Exhibition" in Spain. ...
Loretta Ana Kaufman to Exhibit in the National Association of Women Artists It's A Colorful Life
Loretta Ana Kaufman's acrylic diptych "Little Jewels (Ruby Throat): Ensemble Series" if one of five paintings and photographs selected to be part of NAWA's exhibition in New York City January – March 2023....
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7th Annual Black & White Art Competition
"Colour is everything, black and white is more." ~Dominic Rouse
Fusion Art invites submissions for the 7th Annual Black & White art competition for an online exhibition during the month of March 2023.
For this competition, both 2D and 3D artists, worldwide, are invited to submit their best art and photography using black & white & the nuanced shades in between. Any subject matter and any media are acceptable for this competition. The artwork can range from realism to surrealism to abstraction and artists, regardless of location or experience, are encouraged to submit their best representational and/or nonrepresentational art and photography.
Here is a link to the 6th Annual Black & White Art Exhibition in order to help artists see what type of art was accepted in the past.
Best in Show and 2nd through 5th Place awards will be given. The Best in Show winners will receive a cash prize or the option of a one-year complimentary membership to Fusion Art's Featured Artist Members Gallery, as long as they meet the eligibility listed HERE. In addition, Best in Show winners receive an invitation to Fusion Art's Biennial Group Show in Santa Fe, NM in 2024.
Depending on the number and quality of all submissions received, Artistic Excellence and/or Honorable Mention awards may also be given. Please see further information below under the Awards section.
The exhibition and winning artists will be marketed and promoted extensively through the gallery's website, in hundreds of online press release announcements, email marketing campaigns to over 8,500 buyers, collectors, galleries and art professionals, online event calendars, through art news websites including ARTFIXdaily, Artweek/Artjobs, Art Guide and Art.base.co and through our extensive and continually growing social media network.
Call for Artists Announced: January 4, 2023
Deadline for Entries: March 1, 2023
Opening of Online Exhibition: March 7, 2023
Online Exhibition Closed & Archived: June 6, 2023 (remains on website under "Archived Exhibitions" for 5 years)
A nonrefundable entry fee of $25 for 1 image.
A nonrefundable entry fee of $40 for up to 5 images (average of $8 per image).
Artists may enter the competition more than once if they have more than 5 works they want to be considered.
Artists are encouraged to enter the maximum number of images allowable for the entry fee. All images entered are not guaranteed to be accepted.
ENTRY FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE
Payment is required at the time of entry. Entry fees are inclusive of New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax.
IMAGE LABELING: Image should be labeled as FirstName_LastName_Title.jpeg. Example: John_Smith_Untitled.jpg.
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"Traditional" is open to the following 2D mediums: painting, drawing, pastels, inks, pencil, printmaking, encaustic, fabric, and mixed media.
"Photography & Digital" is open to the following mediums: analog photography, digital photography, digital photo artwork, digital painting, digital manipulations, digital collage, photopainting, vector drawing, digital mixed media (integrated art). Digital Art that is a derivative work, created from another original artwork, must be significantly different as to constitute a new original work. The gallery reserves the right to request a copy of the original artwork if copyright infringement is suspected.
"3-Dimensional" Art is open to the following media: relief, pottery, sculpture, installation, kinetic, and conceptual 3-D artworks created in metal, paper, wood, stone, fiber, plastics, glass, ceramics, or any other material which can be used to create 3-dimensional art. All 3D entries now require front, back and side views to be considered and properly juried. There is no additional fee for these additional images. Please see entry form for instructions.
There are no size limitations on the artwork.
Artwork does not have to be for sale to be entered into the competition.
Cash prizes will be given to the Best in Show winners in each category (Traditional, Digital & Photography and 3-Dimensional (if the gallery receives 3D entries).
In lieu of the cash prize, Best in Show winners can to choose a complimentary one-year membership to our Fusion Artist's Members Gallery, as long as they meet the eligibility listed HERE.
The Best in Show winners will be the "Featured Artists" on the website for the duration of the exhibition. The Best in Show winners will also receive an invitation to participate in Fusion Art's biennial group show in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2024.
2nd through 5th Place awards in each category will also be given. Depending on the number and quality of all submissions received, Artistic Excellence and/or Honorable Mention awards may also be given.
All award winning artists will receive a digital award certificate, event announcement and copy of the press release for their art portfolio.
Video slideshows of the group exhibition will be created and available on the website and Fusion Art's YouTube channel.
Links to the artist's website will be listed on the exhibition page and should result in increased traffic to the artist's website.
Fusion Art's objective is to promote the artists, worldwide, to art professionals, gallerists, collectors and buyers.
All inquiries from potential buyers who see the artwork on the Fusion Art website will be directed to the artist for negotiation.
Fusion Art utilizes the Submittable platform to receive, process and jury all competition entries.
Submittable is an international platform that is used for administrative processing by over 9000 organizations that specialize in art, photography, publishing, music, film-making, education and grants. It provides artists with a free, secure and easy-to-use system to apply to a wide variety of national (and international) juried art exhibitions 24 hours a day. There is no cost to the artist to register on the site and all payments processed through Submittable are secure. Submittable accepts both credit cards and PayPal.
Artists who submit an entry and images to Fusion Art must agree to Fusion Art's Terms of Service and Use, Privacy Policy and Competition Rules. Read the full Competition Rules on the submission page.
Please note that Submittable is a 3rd Party Submission Management Platform. Therefore, if you have any issues submitting and/or technical issues with the platform, including password resets, please reach out to Submittable Support directly at submittersupport@submittable.com. Submittable Customer Support hours are Monday-Friday 9am-5pm MT (Mountain Time). Thank you.
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Dame Catherine Elizabeth Bingham  (born 19 October 1965), known as Kate Bingham, is a British venture capitalist. She is a managing partner at a venture capital firm, SV Health Investors.

In 2020, Bingham chaired the UK Government's Vaccine Taskforce, steering procurement of vaccines and the strategy for their deployment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early life and education
Kate Bingham was born in London, the only daughter of the barrister and judge Tom Bingham (later Lord Bingham of Cornhill) and Elizabeth ( Loxley) and the eldest of their three children. She attended St Paul's Girls' School, London, before going on to study at Christ Church, Oxford, where she graduated with a first-class degree in Biochemistry (MA).

Bingham then pursued further studies at Harvard Business School, taking the degree of MBA.

Career
Bingham worked in business development for Vertex Pharmaceuticals and consultants Monitor Company before joining Schroder Ventures in 1991 (now SV Health Investments). She became a managing partner specializing in biotechnology, and has served on the boards of companies in the UK, US, Ireland, Sweden and Germany, including Autifony Therapeutics, Bicycle Therapeutics (named for their specialism in bicyclic peptides), Mestag Therapeutics, Pulmocide, Sitryx, and Zarodex Therapeutics.

As of January 2021 she is listed as being a director of the following active companies: Mestag Therapeutics Ltd; Cybele Therapeutics Ltd; Bicycle tx Ltd; Bicycle Therapeutics plc; Sitryx Therapeutics Ltd; Pulmocide Ltd; Autifony Therapeutics Ltd; Bicycle RD Ltd; SV Health Investors Ltd (whose subsidiaries include the Dementia Discovery Fund); and SCV Health Managers LLP.

She is also a Trustee of the Francis Crick Institute.

HM Government appointment
In May 2020, Bingham was appointed Chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, without a recruitment process. The Taskforce was set up to manage the path towards the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine in the UK and its global distribution. In this temporary unpaid role, which finished at the end of the year, she reported to the prime minister. In October, she was one of the participants in a trial of a vaccine by Novavax. According to leaked documents seen by The Sunday Times, Bingham charged taxpayers £670,000 for a team of eight full-time boutique consultants from London PR agency Admiral Associates.

Dame Kate's work on the UK's vaccination rollout programme has been praised by scientists and international media, particularly for securing 350 million doses of six vaccines and setting up infrastructure for clinical trials, manufacturing and distribution.

Honours
In January 2017, Bingham received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the BioIndustry Association UK.

Appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for "services to the procurement, manufacture and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines", Bingham was also admitted to the Freedom of the City of London in that year.

Personal life
Bingham married Jesse Norman in 1992; the couple have two sons and a daughter. Norman was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hereford and South Herefordshire in 2010. He was Financial Secretary to the Treasury in the administrations of Theresa May and Boris Johnson from 2019 until 2021. They live near Builth Wells in the Brecon Beacons. Bingham went to school with Boris Johnson's sister, Rachel Johnson.

References

External links

1965 births
Living people
Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
British biochemists
British businesspeople
British women biochemists
Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Daughters of life peers
English people of Northern Ireland descent
Francis Crick Institute
People educated at St Paul's Girls' School
People from London
Harvard Business School alumni
Kennedy Scholarships
Venture capitalists


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Posted on June 17, 2016 by Toby
Taking after Gang of Four, Joy Division, Dead Kennedys and more recently Viet Cong, Savak stir up the pot right from the get go by naming themselves for the Iranian secret police under the Shah of Iran. They probably won't be invited to play at Oberlin College in Ohio, but I doubt they care. Featuring members of Obits, Nation of Ulysses, the Cops, Holy Fuck, Edsel, et al, these punk rock veterans know what they're doing and will not be dissuaded or deterred.
Former Obits guitarist and Edsel front guy Sohrab Habibion and former Cops front guy, Mt Fuji records proprietor and Seattleite Michael Jaworski share vocal duties throughout. Their styles mesh well and lend themselves well to the earnest and tempestuous songs. You can hear the old DC punk influence of the Dischord sect mixed in with some good old fashioned That Petrol Emotion acerbic energy on Alive In Shadows, Drop the Pieces, Call It a Night and Early Western Traders. Traders also features some great skronky saxophone that makes it an easy highlight of the record. Elsewhere you can hear some REM influence on Reaction and Burned by a Fever which should keep listeners with fainter hearts engaged. Best of Luck In Future Endeavors is a solid record with something on it for old punks, new punks and punks in training.
You can stream and buy the download at Savak's bandcamp page, or buy the vinyl and CD version from the record label Comedy Minus One.
Best of the Rest: Favorite Albums of 2009
Posted on January 1, 2010 by Toby
As I said previously in my list of top Seattle albums of the year, my favorite three records came out of Seattle this year. Because of that, this list begins at number four. Judging from the number of contenders I cut from this list, it was a pretty good year for the album. They may not be selling like they use to, but more people are making them than ever before. Here's to a year in which it was truly a task to keep up.
4. Crayon Fields – All the Pleasures of the World (Chapter)
Album number two from Australia's Crayon Fields tripped the light fantastic not tripped since the Zombies' Odessey and Oracle. Watery guitars and feathery strings mixed with precious vocals to make a record that I handled with care so as not to damage its frail pop songs. That's an exaggeration of course, but these songs will have you floating like a feather in the breeze. Everything on this record is in it's right place. The Crayon Fields have attempted and intricate balancing act and gracefully succeeded.
mp3: Disappear
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/CrayonFields-Disappear.mp3
5. Brilliant Colors – Introducing the Brilliant Colors (Slumberland)
The cup definitely spilled over with C-86 inspired girl groups this year, but the Brilliant Colors were my favorite of the lot. Instead of going for the twee-er side of things, they leaned more towards the punks with their Raincoats, Slits who were precursors to the whole C-86 movement. Every song on Introducing adheres to strict punk rock rules of two minutes, super catchy, and blistering.
mp3: Absolutely Anything
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/BrilliantColors-AbsolutelyAnything.mp3
6. At Swim Two Birds – Before You Left (Vespertine & Son)
Not since the Trembling Blue Stars' Her Handwriting has their been a breakup album this raw, this heart-wrenching, this desolate, or this beautiful. If you are Montgolfier Brothers fan, then Robert Quigly's warm, melancholic voice will not be new to you. If you are unfamiliar, then you will be enveloped by this record. It has elements of Babybird, early Spiritualized, Simon Raymond's unheralded solo album Blame Someone Else and some Blue Nile. Before You Left is a slow burner, that will burn brightest on those lonely nights when you are all alone. Sometimes sad albums are the best things to listen to when you are sad.
mp3: The Night We Ran Away
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/AtSwimTwoBirds-TheNightWeRanAway.mp3
7. Obits – I Blame You (Sub Pop)
One part Hot Snakes, one part Edsel, one part killer rhythm section. This album rocked like elder statesmen giving the kids a lesson in how to actually rock. It's primal enough to get your blood pumping, but complex enough to keep your interest (all year long as is the case since this came out way back in March). In a year where tons of bands were at the beach making laid back sun in your face tunes, the Obits were kicking sand in everyone's faces mixing Gang of Four funk with Dick Dale guitars. Yow!
mp3: Two-Headed Coin
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/Obits-TwoHeadedCoin.mp3
8. Tyvek – Tyvek (Siltbreeze)
It's kind of funny, the amount of attention that this record's cover has gotten. It must be a real threat to a would-be punk's sense of punk mentality to like a record who's cover looks like it was designed by Nick Park. To my mind post-punk was always a ton more interesting than anything punk ever wrought, and Tyvek are decidedly post-punk, pulling influences from disparate places to make a tour de force. From the Joy Division like instrumental interludes to the Gang of Four-like guitars, or the way Kevin Boyer shouts out the address in the song Hey Una reminding me of Grant Hart's 2541, or the two part Building Burning bringing back memories of early Fall. Tyvek are the best parts of geek, intellectual, punk, and they have a sense of humor.
mp3: Summer Things
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/Tyvek-SummerThings.mp3
9. Tap Tap – On My Way (Stolen)
If anyone has captured the essence and spirit of the Chills (besides Martin Phillips himself of course) it's Thomas Sanders. Sanders' other band Pete & the Pirates were a top pick last year and I'm looking forward to their new album in the coming year, but Tap Tap nearly made me forget about his other band. Tap Tap doesn't sound a whole lot different from Pete & Pirates, except that it's a little more moody and introverted with quiet vocals and slithering guitars. On My Way will literally sneak right up on you and wrap itself around you. Compared to this, the first Tap Tap record sounded like half finished demos. Thomas Sanders really hitting his stride as songwriter.
mp3: El Gusano
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/TapTap-ElGusano.mp3
10. Cerys Matthews – Don't Look Down (Rainbow City)
Cerys Matthews, the former Catatonia singer has been quietly putting out solo albums since her band called it a day back in 2001. Don't Look Down is her fourth album and it's really the first one I've taken note of since her Catatonia days. She recorded two versions of the record with slightly different running orders and a few different songs on each one. One versionis sung in her native Welsh and and another in the more familiar English. No matter the language you choose to hear Don't Look Down in, it's a delight as Matthews goes from lush orchestral songs, to ones that sound like some long lost show tune, to more straightforward pop numbers. The album sometimes walks a fine line between sugary sweet pop and the vapid kind that seems to dominate the charts in the UK. To my ears, it's the former, and I can't seem to get some of these songs out of my head.
mp3: A Captain Needs a Ship
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/CerysMatthews-ACaptainNeedsaShip.mp3
mp3: Mae Angen Llong Ar Gapte
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/CerysMatthews-MaeAngenLlongArGapten.mp3
11. Jacuzzi Boys – No Seasons (Florida's Dying)
On the surface, Florida's Jacuzzi Boys appear to be just another garage tinged rock band, but upon further examination you start to realize that it's a little bit more complex than that. For starters this album was recorded at the Living Room, not a garage. No Seasons has a distinct Feelies vibe. Like the Feelies, Jacuzzi Boys like to whip their songs up into a maelstrom and they also seem to dig the Velvet Underground, Television and the Byrds. Just listen to Komi Caricoles and tell me I'm wrong. But they also have a love of the 13th Floor Elevators that gives the record a more wild and unpredictable feel to it.
mp3: Komi Caricoles
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/JacuzziBoys-KomiCaricoles.mp3
12. So Cow – So Cow (Tic Tac Totally)
Technically this is a compilation or reissue, but really it's the first many of us ever heard of Brian Kelly's one man band So Cow. Tic Tac Totally cherry picked the best tracks from Kelly's self-released CDr's and put them down on a slab of vinyl. So Cow songs are short blasts of DIY pop, parts Television Personalities, Beat Happening and Pastels These 18 songs may grab, jar or caress you and sometimes all three at once.
mp3: Casablanca
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/SoCow-Casablanca.mp3
13. Pants Yell! – Received Pronunciations (Slumberland)
It's the little things that makes some things so special. Little things like the guitars in the song Rue de la Paix sounding like Felt, the packaging with Japanese obi strip, or the crisp, yet simple production of this record. Attention to detail is the bookish Pants Yell! forte. They've simplified their sound a little, (gone are the horns of last year's Allison Statton) stripping down to guitar, bass, drums and Andrew Churchman's smooth croon. A near perfect little record. I don't even mind it when Churchman sings "I never trusted Toby, or his long hair".
mp3: Frank And Sandy
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/PantsYell-FrankAndSandy.mp3
14. The Clean – Mister Pop (Merge)
You would think that with the number of times I've seen some new band get compared to the Clean that their latest album would have gotten more accolades, especially when Mister Pop is arguably the best album the band has made (remember that Compilation is just that, a compilation). Mister Pop is the Clean at their most sanguine with all three members contributing top notch songs. Asleep in the Tunnel could be one of my favorite Robert Scott songs ever, David Kilgour gives us the beautiful In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul and Are You Really on Drugs, while his brother Hamish contributes one his best in years Back In the Day. Every song leads into the next, there are no non-sequiter instrumentals (Moon Jumper is perfect and integral) or throw-away half songs. It's a concise well thought out album that floats along putting you into a dream-like warm euphoric state. At least it does me.
mp3: In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/Clean-InTheDreamlifeUNeedARubberSoul.mp3
15. Taken By Trees – East of Eden (Rough Trade)
This has to be one of the best surprises of the year. Victoria Bergsman had left the Concretes a few years back to go solo with her Taken By Trees project. Album number one had many thinking (myself included) that although she had a great voice, she missed the songwriting of her former band. No such doubts on album number two. A complete rethink with Bergsman traveling to Pakistan to record East of Eden, and taking on an entirely different feel to anything she's done previously. Her child-like, angelic voice is still here, but this album of songs has a earthy eastern feel to it that doesn't feel forced at all. Her songs easily meld in with the eastern influences and at times are completely immersed, coming out all the better for it.
mp3: Anna
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/TakenByTrees-Anna.mp3
16. The Horrors – Primary Colors (XL)
I nearly didn't pay this record any mind, because their debut was a non-melodic record with a bad a Birthday Party fixation. Primary Colors is like the Radiohead's the Bends, a sophomore album that leaves the debut in the dust. The Horrors have moved on to more melodic territory, mining the rich vein of Chameleons, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Sound and the Comsat Angels, straddling the line of stadium rock, goth, and pop. Not only do they get the feel right, they do it with great songs.
mp3: Who Can Say
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/Horrors-WhoCanSay.mp3
17. Real Estate – Real Estate (Woodsist)
This New Jersey band's debut came off sounding like a long lost David Kilgour album (Sugarmouth or A Feather In the Engine anyone?). I don't know where exactly in New Jersey Real Estate is from, but my guess would be somewhere along the shore where you can kick back around a bonfire on the beach after the sun has just set with the fire crackling and the constant rhythm of waves crashing to the sand.
mp3: Beach Comber
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/RealEstate-BeachComber.mp3
18. The Spires – A Way of Seeing (Bee House)
If you've hung out at this blog for any amount of time you've probably figured out that the Chills are one of my favorite bands. With this album, the Spires pretty much made up for the MIA Chills. It's uncanny how much singer Jason Bays sounds like Martin Phillips and how the music takes on this jangly sing-song thing that Chills did so well. A Way of Seeing is such an accomplished record that it's hard to believe it was self-released. Thank god for DIY!
mp3: The Afterlife
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/Spires-TheAfterlife.mp3
19. Girls – Album (True Panther/Fantasy Trashcan)
This record has a distinct 50's vibe mostly due to Christopher Owens' emotive voice. He reminds me of Danny Zuko, this big masculine, leather jacket wearing guy with a voice that betrays his sensitive side. Musically, it hops around a little more from Beach Boys to My Bloody Valentine and places in between. The style doesn't really matter though, because every song is packed with memorable hooks, the best of which is the epic centerpiece Hellhole Ratrace. A real beauty.
mp3: Hellhole Ratrace
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/Girls-HellholeRatrace.mp3
20. Mannequin Men – Lose Your Illusion, Too (Flameshovel)
About ten years ago a band like the Mannequin Men would have been hailed as potential saviors of rock n' roll. Since rock doesn't need saving these days, they flew under the radar. The Mannequin Men like the Strokes before them and the Replacements before them can't decide if they want to be snotty or sensitive. The album cover and songs like Rathole and WTF LOL argue for the former, but Exquisite Corpse and Judy go for the latter. That's what makes the Mannequin Men so essential, they can do both.
mp3: Massage
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/MannequinMen-Massage.mp3
21. The Clientele – Bonfires on the Heath (Merge)
With each new Clientele record, the vocal reverb gets turned down further and the smooth pop thrills get turned up. I remember back in the day, you would have to strain to understand Alasdair MacLean's lyrics because of the echo on his voice was so great. The Clientele are the perfect example of a band that have developed into accomplished and confident musicians along the road of their career. This is the fourth proper album, and I don't know if I could say it is the best one, but it's as good as any that came before which is saying something. It has an autumnal sound and feel to it, but turning it up as loud as you can will enhance your ability to soak in the sounds and pleasures that Bonfires on the Heath serves out listen after listen.
mp3: I Wonder Who We Are
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/Clientele-IWonderWhoWeAre.mp3
22. Summer Cats – Songs for Tuesdays (Slumberland)
One of my biggest musical regrets of this year was that I missed Summer Cats when they played in Seattle this summer. It was a house party, and I can only imagine how they shook the joint with their energetic, anthemic indiepop. This was the year that we finally got a full album from these feline Australians after many singles and eps. Songs for Tuesdays plucked the best songs from their previous releases and injected some new songs as well as styles into the mix. The ace Stereolab-ish singles Let's Go and Lonely Planet are included, but there were new favorites to be found like the lovely duet In June, the Triffids-like Maybe Pile and St. Tropez. A record that is perfect any day of the week or year for that matter.
mp3: In June
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/SummerCats-InJune.mp3
23. Let's Wrestle – In the Court of the Wrestling Let's (Stolen)
These guys seem to get pegged as Fall fans, mostly because of Wesley Patrick Gonzalez's off kilter, slightly tone-deaf vocals, but Let's Wrestle are a whole lot goofier than the Fall ever were. In the Court of the Wrestling Let's is a strangely titled record, but it gives you an idea of this bands slanted and enchanted take on life. Decidedly lo-fi, lo-budget, but spot on. Gonzalez has tons of bon mots, but the line No matter How many records I buy, I can't fill this void could be the best lyric to describe record collector geek types ever.
mp3: I Won't Lie To You
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/albums09/LetsWrestle-IWontLieToYou.mp3
Definitely Not Dead: Obits at Neumo's
Posted on May 18, 2009 by Toby
Obits | Lights | Unnatural Helpers at Neumo's | 16 May 2009
Neumo's felt like a greenhouse Saturday night, partly from the 75 degree day we had and partly from the blistering sets from all three bands which kept the temperature quite tropical throughout the night. I arrived mid-way through Unnatural Helpers' sweaty opening set. The band just singed to Sub Pop spin-off label Hardly Art but have released an album and single on Seattle label Dirty Knobby. The band do post punk/hard core that reminds me of bands like Holy Rollers and Candy Machine from back in the 90's DC/Baltimore scene. Guitarists Leo Gebhardt and Brian Standeford do time in Idle Times and bassist Kimberly Morrison has another gig in the Dutchess and the Duke, leaving drummer/singer Dean Whitmore the defacto head helper.
The Lights were very good, so good, I wondered as they steamed through Victims of the Pleasure of the Sense of Hearing from their first album if the Obits could match the intensity of these Seattle angular noise-nicks. The Lights played mostly all new songs, with a few old favorites thrown in to string us along. The old songs weren't really necessary to keep me interested, but everyone, myself included certainly appreciated hearing the afore mentioned Victims, probably their most straightforward pop song. I shouldn't have really doubted the Obits' ability to rock. Their pedigree for rocking is unmistakable considering Rick Froberg's former face blistering bands Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes. I mentioned how it was hot, well at least hot for Seattle. During the Lights' set there was a woman at the front with a hand fan that she waved the entire set. The Lights played faster, she danced and waved the fan faster. I don't think it was doing much good, and she was probably making herself hotter as fast as she was waving it. I lost track of her during the Obits set, but I'm guessing she may have passed out sometime during their ripping, heat inducing set. The Obits started off a bit wobbly with the first two songs not really hitting on all cylinders, but they owned the room by third song. Oddly it was the only one in which former Edsel front-man Sohrab Habibion sings lead. Something seemed to click with the band at this point, whether it as them just taking a couple songs to get warmed up, or if it was the first song in which Froberg and Habibion combine not only guitar but voices as well for the chorus. From then on the band were on it with lightening hot Pine On, the tense eeriness of Light Sweet Crude, and the just plane fun Back and Forth. Now that the album has been out for a few months I had a better familiarity with the songs that I was missing last summer at SP20 and earlier this year down in the ID. My familiarity also made the way Froberg's and Habibion's intertwined guitar riffs play off each other become much more apparent. Their styles are different, Froeberg delivers his surf-punk licks juxtaposed with Habibion's post-punk, but they combine to create a tense wallop. The other half of the band are no slouches either, bassist Greg Simpson drummer Scott Gursky laid down some pretty amazing riffs as well, the best being the intro to Two-headed Coin which starts with Simpson's bouncing bass line over Gursky's shaker's and drums. The way these guys play together you can tell that they're totally digging and exploring their sound, It seems like a simple straightforward formula, but the Obits add an experienced complexity to it that is easy to miss because they make it look so easy. It's almost as if they rock without even trying.
mp3: Obits – Military Madness (Graham Nash cover found on their Record Store day 7″)
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss3/chansons/Obits-MilitaryMadness.mp3
Here are the rest of the Obits' west coast dates with the Lights:
May 19 – Blue Lamp, Sacramento CA w/ The Lights
May 20 – Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco CA w/ The Lights
May 21 – Cellar Door (CA), Visalia CA w/ The Lights
May 22 – Spaceland, Los Angeles CA w/ The Lights
May 23 – Casbah, San Diego CA w/ The Lights
The Basementcast, Part Deux
Posted on March 7, 2009 by Toby
Here ya go, something for the weekend. It's the March installment of the the Finest Kiss Basementcast. If this is going to become a regular thing, I guess I should get a theme song and some back ground music for the talking parts. A real microphone might be nice too, one of those big foamy ones would be perfect. Maybe I should get some advertisers too. Naah, I kind of like the furnace as my background noise, at least until I sell out.
basementcast: download
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss4/chansons/finestKissBasementcast_march09.mp3
Obits – Two Headed Coin
France Has the Bomb – Invisible Angle
Coconut Coolouts – The Spinaround
Lime spiders – Just one Solution
Vic Godard – Vertical Integration
Wake the President – Professor
Comet Gain – You Can Hide Your Love Forever
Rakes – Muller's Ratchet
Intelligence – 16&17
A Frames – Death Train
Dead Mellotron – Dress Rehearsal
Crocodiles – Neon Jesus
Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground – Diggin
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Pale Sunday – The White Tambourine
Mayfair Set – Desert Fun
Liechtenstein – Everything's for Sale
Jane Wiedlin – Cool Places
Smittens – the Interstate
Blue Jungle – I'm a Ninja
Rose Eleanor Dougall – Another Version of a Pop Song
Crystals – Then He Kissed Me
Richard Hawley – Rockabilly Radio
Johnny Kidd and the Pirates – Shakin All Over
Pete & the Pirates – Blood Gets Thin
Obits in Seattle
Posted on February 3, 2009 by Toby
Apparently the Obits were in town strategicating with their label about the upcoming release of their debut long player due on 24 March on Sub Pop. They must have been really itching to play because they took over a half-constructed restaurant dubbed Fen's Party Palace in the ID and threw what to amounted to a big house party. There was no cover, no stage, no bar (bring your own beverage), a single dangling light bulb for light and a fiery, take no prisoners set from the band. Fen's was very full, especially considering the circumstances of a Monday night, no promotion and vague location details. I'm guessing when they return for their May 16th date at Neumo's, it will be packed.
Probably the most recognizable thing about the Obits is Rick Froberg's angst ridden, screaming drawl. Froberg's former bands, though never insanely popular, each of them (Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes) definitely garnered rabid cult followings with their complex and aggressive sounds. In all of his former bands Froberg's foil was guitarist John Reis (who also fronted Rocket From the Crypt and now is in the Night Marchers). In the Obits, Froberg's foil is Sohrab Habibion formerly of Washington, DC band Edsel. Back when I used to live in the nation's capitol, Edsel were one of my favorite DC bands. They never really fit in with the Slumberland, Teenbeat, Dischord or Simple Machines scenes, don't get me wrong, they were rooted in the DC scene, but their taste for UK post punk made them stand out from the hard core or indie pop scenes and set them apart in my mind. Edsel was fronted by Sohrab Habibian and Steve Raskin, they both sang and played guitar. The guitars and voices played off of one another whirling it all into tight tense songs.
Going back and listening to both Hot Snakes and Edsel you can really hear the similarities in how the guitars play off of one another. Dueling guitars seemed to dominate in both bands so it's pretty damn cool that these two guys are in a band together. Last night the PA was non existent so Froberg's voice was difficult to make out and on the song Habibion sang it was doubly so, but it didn't really matter, the Obits were lighting up the room with their playing. Froberg's guitar played the straight man most of the night, while Habibion's danced around at odd obtuse angles. The Obits' guitar interplay relies heavily on its super tight rhythm section. Greg Simpson looks like he owns the bass, even when it's not his own and drummer Scott Gursky exuded power and control even while drumming with a maraca. The set got off to a dubious start when Simpson broke a string during the first song, the Unnatural Helpers (naturally) offered up their bass to set things right again. As I said, the vocals were low in the 'mix', but the songs jumped out at you. So much so that they could have all been instrumentals and the set still would have killed. They did both songs from the currently sold out Stint 7 inch which are both excellent, but they weren't even the highlights of the set. Definitely looking ahead to 24 March when the full length hits the streets!
The Stranger, Seattle Weekly and Seattle Sound were also at the show.
mp3: Obits – Put It In Writing (b-side from the Stint 7 inch)
http://home.comcast.net/~finestkiss3/chansons/Obits-PutitinWriting.mp3


How much sleep is enough? Americans are finding out.
How much sleep is enough for American adults? After a long and difficult debate, the American Sleep Disorders Association finally agreed on a number last year. Their answer – seven hours or more in 24, including naps, will make the cut. So how do Americans stack up?
In a report that appeared recently in the Center for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, nearly 445,000 randomly selected adult Americans were surveyed through both landline and cellphone. Of the group, 65.2% reported they slept seven hours or more. Fully 11.8% said they were obtaining less than five hours sleep , and 23% six hours or less each 24 hour period. Donald Trump happily claims three or four hours a night, which curiously some blame both for his politics and the fervency of his support.
Where Do They Sleep Least?
Given the huge size of this data set, the variation is large. The great non-sleeping area of the nation is the Southeast, coinciding with its long established role as the "stroke belt" and the region with the nation's greatest incidence of obesity. Yet among states, Hawaii was least sleep friendly at 56.1% obtaining seven or more hours. The "best" sleeping state turns out to be South Dakota, a whopping 71.6%. Not a huge surprise – the area with the greatest concentration of "good" sleepers was the northern Midwest, where overall public health measures tend to do well. The Sunshine State of Florida was about average at 64.2%, higher than any state in the south outside North Carolina.
As one would surmise, different groups sleep very, very differently. The worst group for obtaining adequate sleep were the disabled – only 51% slept more than seven hours per 24. Amongst the unemployed, getting the suggested required sleep appeared at a relatively low 60.2%. Considering different ethnic groups, Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, non-Hispanic blacks, and multiracial Hispanics were all around 54%. Non-Hispanic Whites came in at 66.8%, with Hispanics at 65.5%.
Who slept best? Married folks, with rates at 67.4% compared to divorced/separated at 55.7%, and college graduates, of whom 71.5% claimed to sleep more than seven hours total per 24 hours – a possible surprise to sleep evading undergraduates.
Why Do People Sleep Less?
The reasons for lesser amounts of sleep are legion. Clearly sleep disorders are part of the picture, with some estimates that 15-20% of the population suffers from frequent insomnia. People who weigh a lot sleep loss, even if they experience no sleep disorders. Though predominantly overweight sleep apnea sufferers are classically thought to sleep too much, the majority in fact suffer from insomnia. People working multiple jobs, parents with young kids, are also groups who obtain far less sleep. Certainly the quarter of the population that does shift work adds to sleepless numbers. Work, school, and parenting schedules are significant factors on a global scale.
Not to be left out is money. Though some political leaders may believe poor people have "greater sleep opportunity," the truth is the opposite: the poor do not sleep well.
Given studies that show people sleeping more than eight hours of sleep a night have higher mortality, the number of people sleeping nine hours or more is nationally a high 8% – with 3.6% sleeping ten hours or more. The CDC report is careful to separate out those who sleep longer because of illness as opposed to those who just sleep long. They authors point out that some studies in otherwise healthy people show them sleeping long with no apparent ill effects. Parsing out genetic factors versus clinical problems that have yet to become "diagnosable" makes this type of study really difficult.
Are There People Who Sleep Short or Long Hours Naturally?
Yes. Lots. There are many in the population who can sleep three or four hours – or less – and perform well, just as there are long sleepers who function very admirably. When it comes to total sleep times, genetics is powerful. Both amount of sleep and time of sleep differ greatly in the general population. Certainly there are "functional hypomanics" who are notably energetic and require little sleep – Donald Trump appears to place himself in that category. However, most sleep clinicians would argue that those who can healthily sleep less than five hours are perhaps 3-4% of the population – and in this survey 11.8% report themselves sleeping less than that.
Why Should We Care About Sleep Duration?
Because it's a big factor in overall health. When it comes to human survival, we regenerate or we degenerate. When people sleep less than 6 hours – and we've got close to a quarter of the "healthy" US population claiming that – they are more prone to heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and depression. They have higher blood pressure. They die earlier. They got colds more often. They're crankier. They're more prone to poor moral decisions.
Sleep may be a little less than one third of life. It's required for survival and health. And at least a third of the country does not appear to get enough of it.


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Home / Get Involved / Student Sustainability Council / Meet the Council
Meet our 2022-2023 Student Sustainability Council and learn more about how they're improving sustainability efforts both on-and-off campus.
Abul Bashar Rahman
Abul Bashar Rahman (he/his) is a first-generation Bangladesh settler learning, working, and living between the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm [Musqueam] people. He is a junior at the University of British Columbia studying in the Bachelor of International Economics (BIE) program representing the Sustainability Ambassadors. Creating bridges through means of technology and innovation is how he initiates different poverty intervention measures. He is very passionate about people and climate – starting ventures and movements that mobilize folks toward collective actions. He is also the undergraduate representative for The University of British Columbia in Conference of Parties (COP 27) taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Bashar is always up for discussing new innovative ideas, anything about development economics, social procurement initiatives, effective altruism, axiology philosophy, empathy, and education. He hopes to use the tools and network of Student Sustainability Council in using his voice towards climate action across different initiatives at the university.
Ali El-Tanamly
Ali El-Tanamly is a second-year Egyptian student studying Cognitive Systems in the Faculty of Arts. In his free time, he enjoys music production, DJing, or watching shows (currently watching House of the Dragon). Ali is representing 'Vegans of UBC', who have been present on this council a few times before and are concerned with how food systems and diets directly tie into sustainability. As a representative of 'Vegans of UBC', Ali hopes to make it clear that the environmental benefits of adopting vegan diets are well-substantiated and deserve to be discussed in the council. Ali believes animal rights and environmentalism are intersectional and hopes to contribute by bringing forth a perspective of sustainability that honors that. Lastly, 'Vegans of UBC' supports vegan and sustainable food security initiatives like 'Sprouts', which have been defunded. It's one of the group's priorities to bring attention to such food projects and advocate for their support.
Alyssa Yu
Alyssa Yu is a fifth-year student studying Environmental Science with a minor in Political Science. She is representing Vegans of UBC and is excited to work alongside others in the Council! She grew up in the Philippines and moved to Canada in 2014 and loves to veganize Filipino food! She grew up volunteering in an animal shelter and with many pets (cats are her favourite), which is what pushed her to go vegan 4.5 years ago. She hopes to be able to advocate to increase plant-based food options on campus and increase student engagement in sustainability initiatives.
Bernadette De Vera
Bernadette De Vera is in her final year of studying Environment and Sustainability through the Geography Department. She is the AVP Sustainability at the AMS of UBC and is interested in climate change mitigation, circularity initiatives and impact investing. Her previous internship experience includes ESG engagement, sustainability reporting and environmental research. Through being a part of the Student Sustainability Council, she looks forward to engaging in meaningful dialogues around climate change while connecting with a community of passionate students. Outside of university, Bernadette can be found at a pilates class, cooking food for her friends or hiking across the BC mountains.
Cara Chapman
Cara is a third-year student in the environmental engineering program. She is representing Sustaingineering, a UBC design team focused on powering change in communities through sustainable solutions. Cara is a co-captain of the team, collaborating with each project (tiny home, rainwater harvesting, wind turbine, etc) to achieve community-focused solutions for housing problems. Her studies and work in the design team highlight her passion for integrating design processes with social justice. Cara looks forward to working with a dedicated and passionate group of students to make actionable impacts on our community.
Ian Caguiat
Ian (he/him/his) is a fourth-year student in Political Science with a minor in Law and Society. He is currently the President of UBC Alpha Phi Omega, which is an international coeducational service organization that provides its members the opportunity to develop leadership skills as they volunteer on their campus and community. As this year's President, one of his goals is to highlight the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through their events and workshops in APO. Ian is also the AVP University Affairs of the Alma Mater Society and the VP Administration of the Arts Undergraduate Society, and is interested in sustainable land use and green spaces, campus food insecurity, and sustainable event planning.
Julia Savage
Julia Savage is representing the UBC Botany Enthusiasts Club, serving as their President this year. Julia is in her third year of the Urban Forestry program while completing her third WorkLearn term with the UBC Farm. Growing up on the Sunshine Coast, Julia developed a deep connection to the natural environment and an interest in sustainability. Outside of school, she can be found at the pottery studio or playing beach volleyball. Julia hopes to use her diverse connections on campus to bring fresh perspectives to the council, and she is excited to work alongside passionate individuals to promote sustainability initiatives at UBC.
Moloud Mazaheri
Moloud Mazaheri (Molo for short) is a fourth-year student studying the integration of Biochemistry and Sustainability through the Integrated Sciences major. Her passion for sustainability and working in wet labs has led her to pursue great opportunities such as working in research labs, co-authoring a chapter in The Carbon Almanac book, being involved with a startup sustainable fashion company called SEGAN (Sustainable and Vegan) and so on. Moloud is the VP External at World Vision Club. Given her experience, execs selected her as the WV representative on this council. Although UBC WV is known for raising funds for underprivileged kids across the globe, their main office in Toronto is also involved with other ongoing global issues such as climate change and child labour. Hence, Moloud hopes to collaborate with another representing group on the council to initiate a sustainability program at UBC using resources from WV's main office. Fun but annoying fact about Moloud: She loves bubble tea but would refuse to drink it if she didn't have her reusable straw:) earth > bubble tea
Rynn Zhang
Rynn Zhang is a Materials Engineering student, returning to the Council to represent UBC WasteNauts, an engineering design team focused on the principles of a circular economy, for the third time! Rynn hopes to become a leader in sustainable development by combining her technical knowledge, ability to empathize, and genuine passion to inspire others to care for the planet and the people. She is currently the VP Sustainability at UBC WasteNauts and will be attending COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt as an Official Observer!
Sarah Pudritz
Sarah Pudritz is a fifth-year student pursuing a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Political Science. As a member of the council last year, she enjoyed contributing ideas that helped shape how sustainability looks like at UBC. Sarah is excited to continue representing the UBC Environmental Policy Association (UBC EPA) this year on the council. The UBC EPA is a student-run club that analyzes the political and economic impacts of environmental policymaking, from the municipal level to the global level. Sarah grew up in Vancouver and has seen climate change taking place in her own backyard through the shrinking of glaciers on coastal mountains and the rising temperatures in summer months. This has sparked her interest in learning about sustainability and getting involved in the council. When Sarah is not studying, you can find her in the mountains hiking with her dog. Sarah is looking forward to hear about all the exciting projects that students and staff are working on to make UBC a more sustainable place, and she hopes to contribute ideas that can enhance the success of these initiatives even further.
Shreyansh Manchanda
Shreyansh is a 5th-year student at UBC Sauder specializing in Business Technology Management. He is the founder of NNECT, a social ordering platform that helps local businesses in getting group orders in advance, enabling them in improving their margins and transferring the saving to customers as discounts when they subscribe or order together with their friends. NNECT has saved over 100k+ kg of CO2 emissions related to food delivery on campus by delivering over 30k meals in just 150 trips since launching last year. Shreyansh is looking forward to devising, supporting and implementing projects and policies on campus that help students in becoming more sustainable in their day-to-day lives!
Sofie Doig
Sofie is a third-year student in the Bachelors+Masters of Management program majoring in Geography: Environment and Sustainability. She is the Secretary of the Student Environment Centre, a resource group providing support for sustainability-focused and initiatives by student's part of the UBC community. Growing up in Northern California, Sofie loves spending time outdoors at the beach, hiking, or swimming, and has a deep appreciation for the environment that she translates to her studies and daily life. Sofie is passionate about making sustainability practices, resources, and knowledge accessible to more people, especially youth. As part of the council, she is excited to contribute to a group of dedicated individuals on campus and continue to improve UBC's sustainability actions!
Sofya Babak
Sofya Babak is a 3rd-year student in Natural Resources Conservation, representing the Faculty of Forestry and Sustainability Ambassadors in the Sustainability Council. She is passionate about community planning, nutrition, and ecosystem resilience. She came to UBC specifically to engage with climate justice and environmental issues, because they were not known where she grew up. Sofya was one of the first people to start up the environmental conversation back home, by organizing educational lectures in Russian schools. She now hopes to engage in more tangible conservation and sustainability projects in all of the environmental, social and economic domains. She is currently working on a project with the Center for Community Learning to improve UBC's food security and is also growing her portfolio as a fashion and travel photographer. Sofya hopes that the Sustainability Council will be the place to meet like-minded leaders in sustainability and push forward important projects.
Sushmita Mahadani
Sushmita Mahadani (she/her) is a third-year student at UBC pursuing an Honours in Psychology with a Masters in Management (Dual Degree). She is thrilled to represent the UBC Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) where she serves as the society's Sustainability Director and strives to lead AUS toward a more sustainable future. Her ongoing projects within the society comprise revamping the internal AUS Sustainability Strategy and introducing various incentives to urge members to reuse and repurpose items from the inventory for all AUS-related events. She also spearheads the "Greenify the ASC Project" to equip the new Arts Student Centre at UBC's Vancouver Campus with plants and promote a sustainable and healthy working environment, as well as increase engagement within the AUS through sustainability-related events. While her background lies in Psychology and Management, some of her hobbies include hiking and art, and she tries to inculcate transferable skills from academic and recreational sectors to foster a personally and professionally sustainable lifestyle. Sushmita is eager to be a part of the Council and learn from the discussions along with contribute to future sustainable practices.
Zhenyi Tsai
Zhenyi Tsai is a third-year student doing a double major in Geography and Political Science. His upbringing encompassed two places; the outskirts of British Columbia and a remote region of northwestern China, and so he was raised with both Buddhist and Indigenous values about the inseparability of humanity from the earth, cosmos, and nature. From this, he developed his love for, sustainable living and the environment. Aside from his extensive experience in executive and facilitation for organizations such as the BC Blind Sports Association as a lead facilitator, UNICEF UofT as Co-Director, and the UofT G20 Research Group as compliance analyst on climate and environmental policy, Zhenyi has specialized in sustainable procurement processes, equitable sustainability development and a climate policy analytics. Drawing on his experience with the G20 Research Group, he is well-versed with current sustainability and climate issues, being able to accurately translate and engage in necessary climate mitigation initiatives and sustainable development goals. Having done this, he is well-positioned to do the same for the Sustainability Student Council at UBC in the future. His goal is to inspire greater attention to climate justice, environmental sustainability, and equity by embodying cooperative values, healthy communication, and engaged justice initiatives.


Florida Southern College hosted the 2016 Moccasin Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17 at Holloway Park in Lakeland. This is the second year in a row that Florida Southern has hosted the event.
The Moccasin Invitational was originally held around Lake Hollingsworth from 1981-1983 but in 1997 the race was moved to the San Lan Ranch and was held there for four years. In 2001, the race was then moved to Geroge Jenkins High School. The race took a year off and Florida Southern returned to hosting the event in 2003 at the Circle B Bar Ranch. After taking another few years off again, Florida Southern did not host again until 2010. Florida Southern showed their excitement of hosting the race again this year by dominating in the event.
Both the men's and women's team cleaned up in this past weekends race. The men's cross country team finished with the top five spots, with FSCs own Festus Kemboi winning the race. It was his first home race win of his career. From the beginning of the race to the very end, Kemboi led the way in the men's 8k. He finished with a time of 26:35.20, which was almost two minutes ahead of FSC's own Bobby Ormsby and Evan Quinines. Both finished with a time of 28:09.50. Ormsby was awarded second place after looking at the finish line photo.
Quinones came in third, Dean McGregor finished in fourth place with a time of 28:09.70 and Cody Van Natter finished in fifth place for the Mocs with a time of 28:15.30.
On top of having the top five runners be from FSC, Warren Grajalez finished in ninth place with a time of 29:03.90, giving FSC six of the top-10 finishers. Altogether, the men's team finished with a total 15 points. Florida Southern's rival, Southeastern, finished in second place with 49 points and Warner finished in third place with a score of 71 points.
The lady Mocs had an equally fantastic weekend, as they took home six of the top-10 finishers as well. Florida Southern freshman, Allison Wright took home third place for the lady Mocs with a time of 20:32.70. Hannah Nelson came in fifth place with a time of 20:47.20. Jolene Vergauwen, Molly Price, Amanda Slattery and Anna Brooke Opalinski came in sixth, seventh, eighth and 10th place for the lady Mocs. The lady Mocs scored a grand total of 29 points to finish in second place.
They were just one point behind from Southeastern who came in first place by winning three of the top four spots in the race. Southeastern finished with a total of 28 points. South Florida State College finished in third place, well behind Florida Southern, with a total of 83 points. Lynn came in fourth place with a total of 103 points, and Warner finished in fifth place with a total of 142 points.
Both the men's and women's cross country team will compete again on Saturday, Sept. 24 at the University of Florida Mountain Dew Invitational.