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December 11, 2017 by farlefty
Republican Voters Love Their Monsters In Alabama
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/09/roy-moore-praise-putin-russia-alabama
Donald Trump is not the root of the problem that's sending America to hell. These stupid, moronic, phony Christian people from Alabama in this video who are so easily manipulated by monsters like Trump and Roy Moore are at the root of this country's problems. They're the smiling, thoughtless masses depicted in 1984. The monsters of the world like Putin, Trump, and Roy Moore are good, decent people to be admired because they've been told that by the monsters themselves.
They believe evil is good because they don't recognize it as evil. They believe that even if a political candidate is really a pedophile it doesn't matter because he's one of the them and the Democrat isn't. They believe Trump is one of them because he speaks their language in simple, visual terms they can comprehend. You will never change the minds of such people because their simple minds, once set, will never change. And these are the people that vote in the same Republicans year after year who screw these simpletons. The Republicans could bludgeon these people to death, all the while spouting quotes from the gospel, wrapping the baseball bat in barbed wire and Jesus, and these simpletons would smile as they day, believing it was God's will and that the Republican is just returning them to their Heavenly Father.
And that's how monsters like Donnie and Roy Moore manipulate these people. The problem with the Democratic Party is that it has never understood these people and never will. They will never understand their simple minds and will never learn how to talk to them. The Democrats don't even know how to talk to their own people anymore.
And so…we have this. Trump, whose popularity is the lowest of anyone whos's sat in the White House over the past several decades, will remain there because that's where the GOP wants him. Roy Moore will be elected because he's a God-fearing Alabamian, while his Democratic opponent is a godless demon. These Alabamians love Putin because he's not a Communist, just a Russian leader to be admired because Trump says he's an ally of America. They detest and fear politicians like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren because they're told by the monsters that they ARE communists and socialists committed to destroying America by turning it communist and socialist.
The Democrats helped create this. The GOP exploits and perpetuates it. You can't fix stupid, but stupid will create a lot of damage that may also never be fixed. And there's not a thing any of us can do about it. It's God's will.
Posted in 2016 presidential election, 2020 Presidential Election, Politics, The Presidency
Tagged Alabama, Alabama special US Senator Election, Bernie Sanders, Democratic Party, Donald Trump, elizabeth warren, GOP, republican party, Republicans, Roy Moore, Vladmir Putin
November 25, 2017 by farlefty
Me Too–The New McCarthyism
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/two-more-women-accuse-sen-al-franken-of-inappropriate-touching/ar-BBFvYfm?li=BBnb7Kz
If your goal is to drive a Democratic senator from office, you don't get to be anonymous. What a coincidence that there are two of you and somehow you both decide to contact HuffPo on your own at the same time while insisting you remain anonymous.
The first accuser claims to be "a liberal person…I voted for him after this happened." This sounds more like a government-ordered propaganda whispering campaign of the type used in Nazi Germany or the USSR than a "liberal person".
This isn't freedom of speech, this is libel when written, slander when spoken. When this country gets to the point where anonymous sources contacting an online newspaper can make accusations with absolutely no shred of evidence, then Trump has indeed won.
"In a statement to HuffPost, Franken said, "It's difficult to respond to anonymous accusers and I don't remember those campaign events."
Damn right, Al. You don't respond to anonymous accusers. Let them step forward and identify themselves and exactly which campaign events those alleged events occurred. There's a thing called the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution and it covers anyone accused of sexual misconduct–or worse–so that their lives are not destroyed by unfounded accusations or innuendos. It gives every single person in this country the right to face their accusers in a court of law, to have all evidence presented, and to have their case decided by a jury of their peers. This whole Me Too thing has turned into a lynch mob with the media supplying the rope and torches. There are men who appear to be legitimately guilty of some accusation and some of them have admitted their guilt. Some of voluntarily quit their careers while others have had theirs ended by a unilateral decision by their employers based entirely by accusations totally unsupported by evidence, other than those men who have in part admitted their guilt.
This is the new McCarthyism and it has to stop. This has to stop now. Our country is being run by men who have complete disregard for the rule of law, for our Constitution. We cannot afford to allow ourselves to follow suit or the last shred of democracy that still faintly breathes on life support will die. And to be brain dead would make us all like the orange-headed moron in the White House.
So ladies, if you set out to ruin a man's career and life, you better have the guts to step up and identify yourself and provide proof. Otherwise, you have the credibility of that orange-headed moron in the White House.
Posted in 2018 Midterm Elections, Commentary, Legal, Politics, Social issues
Tagged ;libel, Al Franken, democratic, HuffPo, McCarthyism, Me Too, s;ander, senate, sexual misconduct, Trump, White House
With Sincere Apologies From The Butt-Grabber/Groper-In-Chief
So, 41's press spokesman, Jim McGrath, is once again issuing the statement that was created in response to the accusation from the first teenage groping victim: ""George Bush simply does not have it in his heart to knowingly cause anyone harm or distress, and he again apologizes to anyone he may have offended during a photo op." Well so far we've got six women (not all were teenagers when he groped them) who've come forward, and Bush's blanket apology is supposed to do for all of them.
The now-beleagured press guy has tried to explain it all away on Bush Sr's. attempt to make women standing next to him during a photo op feel more at ease (while he was feeling their tookus) "At age 93, President Bush has been confined to a wheelchair for roughly five years, so his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures. To try to put people at ease, the president routinely tells the same joke — and on occasion, he has patted women's rears in what he intended to be a good-natured manner. Some have seen it as innocent; others clearly view it as inappropriate. To anyone he has offended, President Bush apologizes most sincerely." Hmm, then I suppose Bush thought that by telling each young groping victim that his favorite book was "David Cop-a-Feel" it would make him look like harmless, silly ol' Grandpa to them. "Oh don't mind him. You know how Grandpa is."
None of that worked either so they bring on talk show surrogate Ben Shapiro who tries to sweep it all under the rug by floating the image of Bush as helpless, harmless ol' Grandpa, so feeble that he's confined to his wheelchair and and can no longer control where his arms fall. Look at most of the photos the corporate media are posting when they post these stories. There's George H.W. looking old and feeble, and looking somewhat Parkinson's-like in his facial expression…in a wheelchair. Yes, Bush has an actual debilitating disease, and his people are playing it for all its photo-op, explanatory worth.
However, look at the photo that is being posted by some media news organizations–God love the British–of Bush's physical condition when this latest alleged teenage girl butt groping occurred. This was back in 2003. There's George H.W. at 79, looking full of vigor, in full control of his arms, standing tall and erect. And at the exact moment this photo was taken, grabbing a 16 year old girl's buttocks.
And now Laura Bush to daddy-in-law's rescue yet walking it back at the end: "I'm just sad that we've come to this. That was something that was very, very innocent that he's been accused of. But I know he would feel terrible."
Yes, Laura, Bush feels terrible. Feels terrible at being caught. Too bad you can't know how terrible his sixteen victims (and most likely counting) feel.
Posted in Commentary, Legal, Media, Politics, Social issues
Tagged Amanda Staples, Ben Shapiro, Bush photo ops, butt groping, Christina Baker Kline, george h.w. bush, Heather Lind, Laura Bush, Liz Allen, Roslyn Corrigan, teenage girls
November 2, 2017 by farlefty
The Buying Of The Democratic Presidential Nomination And The Selling Out Of The Democratic Party
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/brazile-hillary-rigged-dnc-against-bernie/ar-AAumfqZ
It really doesn't matter how Donna Brazile is framing her role in how last year's Democratic primaries went down, and I'm not giving her a pass in that role. She helped Clinton attain the nomination as surely as the DNC did, which in fact Brazile took over as interim chairwoman in July 2016. Facts is facts. though, and the facts (OK–allegedly) are these: Hillary Clinton through her campaign bought and paid for the Democratic presidential nomination, along with funds provided by the DNC (via Debbie Wasserman Schultz). How ironic that Donnie essentially did the same thing on his side but using other people's money and virtually none from his own campaign finances, which were relatively minuscule.
Clinton's problem was that she didn't have enough money to buy the election, which is besides the point because the Russians wouldn't have sold it to her at any price. But now Bernie's motive in knuckling under to the Clinton campaign now becomes understandable and forgivable. After Brazile told him about that August 2015 which gave Hillary Clinton control of the DNC and therefore the entire party and nomination, Bernie saw the game was rigged against him. He had no choice but to fall in line like the good foot soldier they had made him, throw his support and voter base her way, and hope for the best. Unfortunately for him and all of us, the election was already rigged for Trump by the Russians. (If anyone still doubts this, continue to view and listen to that vile scum. There is no way someone that inarticulate and that stupid could ever be elected president because NO ONE that inarticulate and stupid has EVER been elected president in our lifetime. And that includes George W. Bush, who was appointed president in 2000 by the Supreme Court and beat out John Kerry in 2004 by some very questionable vote tabulating in Ohio. But that's a whole other story I've written about at length over the past years.
I have no idea whether Bernie was surprised, gratified, or dismayed by the number of us liberal Democratic voters who refused to march behind him last November. But in an un-rigged election Clinton had more than enough popular–which also translated into electoral votes–to win the election. Show me where in modern times the candidate with three million more votes lost in the electoral college fair and square. It didn't happen because it's never happened.
But I admit that all of this is as may be, which means meaningless. Bernie is once again an Independent, as he always intended to be had he lost the nomination. The Democrats are as polarized in fractionated (yes, the definition of that word provides the exact imagery I've intended) camps as the Republicans. The difference being, the GOP virtually controls the entire political process and the corporate media in this country. And the GOPers who oppose Trump are dropping out of their political careers like flies on a rotting corpse. But the ones who take their place will continue to march in goose step, I mean, LOCKstep behind whoever is in the White House. So don't be expecting any major Democratic victories next year or in 2020, much less a unified Democratic Party. That was the price we all paid for the Clinton presidential nomination.
Posted in 2016 presidential election, 2018 Midterm Elections, 2020 Presidential Election, Commentary, Politics, The Presidency
Tagged 2000 Presidential Elections, 2004 Presidential Elections, Bernie Sanders, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democratic Party, DNC, Donald Trump, Donna Brazile, george w. bush, GOP, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, republican party, republican politicians, Russians, US Supreme Court
Your Average White Supremacist – A Rebel Without A Thought
http://www.npr.org/2017/10/30/560767446/in-shelbyville-tenn-proud-to-be-white-and-hate-is-not-the-solution
This is the kind of mind with its limited thinking we're up against in our battle against white supremacists. Not only listen to what the woman attending the white supremacist rally has to say but also the WAY she says it. She's fairly inarticulate in expressing exactly what her ideology is, falling back on right wing hate speech talking points. But listen to her nervous laughter as she speaks them. She sounds embarrassed to speak her mind. Is she not so sure her point of view is right? Does she fear she's coming across as a typical white supremacist instead of someone instilled with pride of the South?
"We just want to be left alone. That's it." She's asked who isn't leaving her alone and she can't articulate a coherent answer that isn't a talking point. These aren't her own ideas; they were given to her. She really has no identity or ideology of her own. I would imagine she isn't well-read or up on any issues of any kind other than keeping immigrants away from her and demanding no federal controls over the guns she chooses to own. And that she should be free to discriminate against whoever she chooses. All she knows is that she wants the federal government to leave her alone, without thinking of the implications and repercussions of what would happen if the feds left her alone and withdrew every single bit of federal money that keeps the meager economy of where she lives alive. In my opinion, people like her just fail to think things through. It's much easier to be told what to think if it sounds right (in other words, simple and easy to understand) to them.
"We just want to be left alone". Keep in mind, she wants to be left alone yet she DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM HER UNSPECIFIED TOWN IN SOUTHERN VIRGINIA TO SHELBYVILLE, TENNESSEE to tell NPR and anyone else who might listen that she just wanted to be left alone. If she did just want to be left alone, she should've stayed home. No one was bothering her there, right?
"Well, today you have people who, you know, I'm a Christian, you know, Christian background, so I have virtues and values. And things that they are promoting out, you know, like on commercials and stuff like that, you know, that stuff's not right to me. I mean, I'm not…
NPR: Like what? Like, what's something that really bothers you?
"You know, the LBGT stuff. I don't agree with that stuff. I mean, I don't hate those people, but if they want to be that, that's fine, but don't shove it down my throat, you know? And as far as multiculturalism – you know, every commercial you see on TV, it shows that multiculturalism. Why? Why is that? What – are they trying to paint a picture (laughter)?"
Didn't Jesus preach that we should accept and love everyone? Doesn't this form the basis of the Christian religion? So exactly what virtues and values does she have? She never says. She expands only on what she doesn't like. And she says in another paragraph "I'm proud of what my ancestors made me and I'm proud of what my ancestors did because they fought for my state, my homeland…"
What she's saying is that she's proud her ancestors made her white and that they fought to preserve slavery. Don't know about you but when anyone talks about their homeland, visions of Adolph Hitler and the Nazis come to mind. And what a coincidence that the NPR reporter states that at that white supremacist rally "There were chants that conjured Nazi ideology." It is not only the "liberals" making the connection between white supremacist ideology and Nazism.
Posted in NPR, Politics, Social issues, Uncategorized
Tagged adolph hitler, Christian. Nazism, hatred, homophobia, LGBT, Racism, Shelbyville TN, white supremacists
What About Bill Cosby?
Concerning Netflix's cancellation of "House of Cards": think of the millions and millions Netflix will be paying out to cast and crew on that show either just starting or in the middle of their contracts. Netflix knew it will be taking a financial bath over this decision. But, they saw public reaction to Harvey Weinstein, Mark Halperin, James Toback, Bill O'Reilly and others take down their careers so Netflix followed suit.
But this brings a thought to mind: why wasn't this same firestorm of public and media vehement outrage brought to bear on Bill Cosby? Most of the women who have come out with their accusations of being drugged and on some occasions raped have been met mostly with suspicion; their word against hiss. True, Cosby's career has also been destroyed, but look how many years it took, and he's still fighting lawsuits. And he still has his reputation and fan base in some regions of this country. Why does he get a pass? Every one of the men I mention has been quickly convicted for their alleged acts of sexual harassment and rapes.
With Cosby, for the most part the jury is still out. Why? If all the allegations are true, he is as much or more of a monster than any of those men because he drugged those women to have his way with their unconscious bodies. And like Weinstein and O'Reilly, he has paid out millions of dollars in civil lawsuit settlements with non-disclosure clauses. It's time to throw him on top the garbage heap, too.
Posted in Legal, Media, Social issues, Uncategorized
Tagged Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, House of Cards, James Toback, Mark Halperin, Netflix
A Fake World Series For The Fake News Network Who Helped Elect The Fake President-In-Chief?
I'm lovin' me this World Series. It is THE best series we have ever watched. But two nagging concerns are starting to dampen my enthusiasm.
1. Fox HAD two trot out the two Bushies–Dubya and his dad, the Female Posterior Pincher-In-Chief ("Know who my favorite magician is? David Cop-A-Feel". True quote from GWHB) to throw out the first pitch. As I saw Astros players applauding for the "now" 2nd worst president in modern history and his daddy, the sexual harasser (he thinks his jokes put women at ease and according to one of his aides, some women don't mind being goosed by the ex-prez when they're trapped next to him during a photo op) I changed my allegiance and started cheering for the Dodgers. But then the Astros are SO scrappy and competitive and combative I had to swing back to them, damn it!
2. The ball is definitely juiced. Home runs just don't fly into the stands in those numbers in inside ballparks (the Minute Maid Park roof has been closed) in those numbers, even though there have been a few WS where homers were hit in almost as great a volume. But what is definite (pitchers and pitching coaches from both teams agree) is that the ball is slicker than during the season. It's made from a different cowskin and the grain is different. Consequently, pitchers can't grasp it as tightly, even when it's mudded down by their pitching coaches. So what this means is that for every pitcher where the slider is their bread and butter, they can't can't it over the plate for a strike so…they're not throwing it. Instead we're seeing only fastballs (including cutters), changeups and curves. And curves have been out of the MLB pitchers' repertoire for years according to John Smoltz on TV last night. In fact all through the Series he's been talking about how pitchers haven't been able to throw sliders. So, the batters basically have only 3 pitches to look for, the ball is juiced, and so they're jacking more long balls out into the stands.
It makes for an exciting series but now I feel like I've been played, as in manipulated. I love home runs but it feels like there are way too many of them in this Series. It lends an aura of fakeness to this Series, but what a metaphor for the guy in the White House that we all have to endure right now, and how ironic that Fox's "news" division with ITS fake news coverage helped put him there.
Posted in Commentary, Media, Politics, Sports, The Presidency
Tagged 2017 World Series, Astros, Dodgers, Donald Trump, Fake news, fox, george h.w. bush, george w. bush, home runs, juiced ball, sexual harassment


Country music singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves has positioned herself perfectly. Not necessarily in the seat where most people will learn her name, but up on a hill where she can successfully do whatever she damn well pleases.
When local Celtic band Good Foot took the stage at Circular Church Wednesday evening, the audience could hear 21-year-old lead singer Karin McQuade, but they couldn't see her.
3 GENERATIONS is a movie about transitioning, but it isn't a movie about a transgender teen. Read the full, published review here.
BLAME, a challenging new film centered around a high school production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, depicts a bold narrative about villains, victims, and how to tell the difference between the two. Read the full, published review here.
It gets cringeworthy—like cover-your-eyes-and-peek-through-your-fingers cringeworthy. Read the full, published review here.
Even Lady Gaga's most loyal fans havenWe Watched Ellen DeGeneres's 'First Dates' So You Don't Have To: BUST Review't met Joanne. Read the full, published review here.


Thomas Attwood (1818) and John Rooke (1819; 1824) appear to have been the first to suggest that the central bank attempt to maintain a stable aggregate wage level. They argued that since nominal wages tend to be sticky in the short run, deflation can result in substantial periods of unemployment. The best way to avoid long and painful adjustments in the aggregate nominal wage rate is to establish a monetary policy that precludes the need for such adjustments. In this view, the (presumably more flexible) price level would act as a shock absorber to accommodate required changes in the aggregate real wage rate. The nominal wages paid by individual firms would still be allowed to fluctuate according to local conditions.
More recently, Hawtrey (1932), Glasner (1989), and Selgin (1990) have discussed several other possible advantages of wage index targeting. Hawtrey and Selgin evaluate a broad range of policy targets ranging from a policy of stabilizing total income (GDP targeting), to a "productivity norm" (stabilizing income per capita), to a policy of stabilizing factor prices. Glasner proposes a "labor standard" that would explicitly target the aggregate nominal wage rate.
Memo to young economists: Don't ever think you've come up with a new idea. Unless your last name is Coase, you are almost certainly wrong. Everything in macroeconomics keeps get rediscovered with each new generation. I don't even know if Attwood and Rooke are the first. Of course ideas are continually refined and developed, and I don't doubt the Mankiw and Reis paper is far better than mine.
In the previous post I argued that expectations of future monetary policy are what really matters. Everything the Fed does (QE, IOR, inflation or NGDP targets, level targeting, etc.), needs to be understood in that context. And although the optimal target is a nominal wage index, I don't think we have accurate hourly wage data for many jobs, and I don't believe this target is politically feasible. So NGDP targeting is the next best thing. These two posts lay the groundwork for my monetary policy analysis.
BTW, Matt Rognlie has a related post.
This entry was posted on July 05th, 2011 and is filed under Monetary Theory. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or Trackback from your own site.
I regard Ronald Coase as the most important (and original) economic thinker of the C20th. It is instructive to look at how many Nobels have been handed out for work building on his key insights.
Changes in money wages kept Phillips busy, why not lesser minds? But in earnest, Scott, futures contrects require some form of arbitrage to be successful. What king of arbitrage would you see for wage futures. Or more important, NDGP futures. What would be the cash financial instrument people would use?
Rather than nominal wages, that should be average income and thus including unemployment money and other social transfers. Otherwise you might overstate inflation in case uneducated, low paid workers lose their jobs. The average wage might actually raise as unemployment raises in times of export of unqualified jobs to emerging countries.
Lorenzo, I agree, it's even more true in philosophy.
lostgen, Composition bias might be a problem, but I'd guess it would be manageable if nominal wage growth was stable. You need to use hourly wage rates, hence social transfers would be difficult to include.
And a link from Mankiw!
Does Sweden do NGDP targeting as you recommend above?
It sounds like what the profession needs is not people coming up with new great ideas, but someone who can communicate the best ideas in an intuitive way. I've always thought that as the stock of human knowledge increases, communicating old ideas will become ever more important relative to creating new ideas. Reducing the time it takes for students to get to the frontier of knowledge increases the productive time they have to advance that frontier. Macroeconomics education is quite poor in my experience (Bentley excluded, of course).
Bob, Not explicitly, but Beckworth also argues that they come close.
James, That's a very good point.
do you think it's politically feasible for the fed to target nominal wages?
I agree that including social transfers will be less straight forward. However, I think that will be necessary work. As Krugman points out only looking at wages might lead to a rather significant bias.
lostgen, That's an excellent Krugman post. But I still don't see much relationship to benefits.
Scott, thanks for your reply. My feeling is that the skewed left-hand side of the graph is not only covering people that (from the employers perspective) should have a drop in salary but didn't as salaries are sticky. People on that side of the graph will also have a higher probability of losing their jobs and thus will start living on benefits. That, for the individual, might even be lower pay than the salary would have been if it wasn't sticky.
Bottom line: USA might be in a quite deflationary state, but the average wages are still on the raise. Just the average income of the people is falling as more people live on benefits.
lostgen, To sum up, for each purpose there is a different optimal index.


text:
Hebenstretia hamulosa is a species of plant from South Africa. It belongs to the figwort family.

Description
This erect annual grows  tall. It has many hairy branches growing from the base. The hairs are coarse and curve backwards. The leaves are linear with margins that range from being entire to being obscurely toothed. White flowers are found in spikes between August and October. The calyx is hairy and the hook-shaped bracts curved downwards. The two mericarps making up the fruit are of equal size. They are both round in cross-section.

Distribution and habitat
Hebenstretia hamulosa is endemic to the Northern Cape of South Africa. It grows on slopes between Steinkopf and Bitterfontein at altitudes of .

Conservation
This species is considered to be of least concern.

References

Plants described in 1838
Flora of South Africa
Scrophulariaceae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Depression or mental disorders have been in the news recently not only in the old debate about whether the root causes lie in our genes and brain chemistry or whether, instead they are to be found in our environments, but also as it appears that there is a rise in the number of people presenting with General Anxiety Disorder.
Depression and anxiety affect people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of physical and psychological symptoms, but what seems to be common are continuous and unrelieved feelings of hopelessness and despair.
We all experience stress and anxiety from time to time, most of the time we are able to pick ourselves up and move on. Sometimes though, we can't. As each person experiences depression in their own way so each person needs to find their own way out. Some will chose chemical assistance in the form of anti-depressants, some may turn to the talking therapies and others still have found bodywork such as Craniosacral Therapy to be supportive and beneficial. Some people employ mixtures of all three and perhaps more.
Simply, if we can let go some of the physical tension we may be able to allow more space and ease which makes us feel better. It may not be a universal panacea, but it can be a helpful support at a difficult time.
Craniosacral Therapists offer unparalleled stillness in which to listen to your body.


Search your dilemma pile for a Species 8472 dilemma and place it in the opponent on your right's core, then shuffle and replace your dilemma pile. Remove this event from the game.
"I'm detecting two residual weapons signatures in the debris. One is Borg, the other is of unknown origin."


In the last few weeks we've had a procession of bonkers films with baffling plots. Terry Gilliam's "Zero Theorem" and the Scarlett Johansson's "Under the Skin" are two that spring to mind. Well add "The Double" to that list.
"Submarine" director Richard Ayoade's second film stars Jesse Eisenberg ("Now You See Me"). Eisenberg plays Simon James a socially awkward meek office worker who is so unremarkable that even his co-workers and mother have trouble remembering or recognising him. The only light in his life is watching his favourite TV show about a space cop called Jack (Paddy Considine) and spying on his neighbour and co-worker Hannah (Mia Wasikowska).
Simon goes to work one morning only to discover that he has been replaced by a doppelgänger called James Simon. James is an exact physical copy of Simon, even down to his clothing. However James is everything that Simon is not. He's charismatic and is able to charm not only his co-workers but also every woman that he meets.
The strange thing is, other than Simon, everyone else is oblivious or unperturbed by the startling likeness. James then encourages Simon in his pursuit of Hannah but inevitably James comes between them leading to an air of confrontation and mistrust.
Ayoade's world is full of weird characters that seem to be filmed from no more than six inches from their faces giving the whole film a dark and claustrophobic feel.
To say that "The Double" is bizarre is not an exaggeration. It's also confusing making it difficult to know exactly what's going on. Unfortunately a confusing film more than often leads to a confused audience and I would imagine that's going to be how most people feel after seeing "The Double".
There's obviously an audience for Ayoade's work but mainstream cinema it most certainly is not.


Thursday Richard and I headed out with Princess to go camping. As I was packing up things I thought about Kathryn. Her little poke-a-dot bag would be with us filled with Princess things and games. She would be sitting with Princess as we drove out and making sure we had good music to listen to. When we arrived we had a choice of sites. There were not too many people there. The sites with plugs were almost all taken but the tent sites were wide open. I hope they never make those middle tent sites set up for RVs and such. We set up pretty darn fast. Richard and I headed to the beach to check things out and he taught me how to play some cribbage. I think I had finally gotten the hang of it. A bit later his girlfriend joined us. We popped popcorn over the campfire and had a very nice evening. My brother stopped by and sat around the campfire for an hour or two with us. He shared some interesting stories with us. It was a good evening.
One group of campers were really interesting. The Mom and Dad yelled at the kids constantly. The kids screamed and cried like I have never heard before. It was awful. We didn't sleep well at all because of these neighbors. They were loud all night yelling at the kids. We were thinking that maybe they should take the kids to the beach! That would be a novel idea. I think a bunch of people complained to the ranger. They were much better Friday night and Saturday night but during the day and early, very early morning there they were yelling at the kids and using their wonderful parenting skills to create a great camping experience for their children. Why do people like that even have kids? Our other camping neighbor actually asked them one morning if they needed assistance. She was really upset with this situation. It bothered everyone. It was a display of how not to be as a parent.
Friday morning I was greeted with "Happy Birthday" Richard and Bee. Also Scott had left a card under the floor mat of the truck. We took a nice hike in the morning. Princess loved that. We let her off the leash so she could stop and sniff whenever she wanted to. I remember taking the kids on this trail when they were small. I would end up carrying one of them. When I just had Richard I would have to carry him and then when Kathryn was small I would end up carrying her. It is a long trail for a little one. We would find cool things along the way like mushrooms, huckleberries and sticks. After our walk and lunch we launched the boat and went for a boat ride. We found a cool inlet that we explored a bit. As we left and headed back we came across a ton of crab pots. There was a whole bunch that we had to go through. My friend Robyn came out to spend the night with us. Scott and my Mom came out too. We all had dinner and celebrated my birthday. Scott and my Mom went home but Robyn stayed and spent the night. Mitch and Pat came in after 10pm. They drove down from Bellingham.
Saturday was a beautiful day. We spent the entire day on the water. The kids went wakeboarding and we swam, floated and did stand up paddling. Our camp neighbor also let us drive his seado. This was really fun. He even took my Mom for a ride. Robyn went home in the afternoon but my Mom spent the night.
It was really good to go camping. I thought about Kathryn and as we talked around the dinner table Kathryn was in the stories that were shared. It was good to know that we still talk about her and have fond memories of her. I know last year I was really concerned about her when we went camping. She wasn't feeling well and she used the heat as a reason but I knew in my heart that it was her tumor. We had gone over Labor Day weekend and by mid September her tumor was back and affecting her stride. They said at that time they were not sure if it was tumor or radiation damage. I didn't know what to say or do at that time. I was so lost as how I could make this go away. I have never been so uncertain of what to do in my entire life. Trying to help Kathryn was so confusing and stressful. I didn't know where to turn. All of the places I could go I had gone. I just felt so helpless. I couldn't do anything to make her better. I still pray for her to be brought back. I miss her so much. It still feels so unreal.
Sunday we came home. All the kids worked well to pick up camp after a wonderful breakfast. Then they all helped clean up once we got home. Many hands make for light work. It is true. Once we were all settled and had most everything done I went through the mail. There was our Verizon bill. As you may have remembered I finally called and canceled Kathryn's phone about a month ago. It was so hard to do. Well they had told me at the time they would not charge me for early cancellation for Kathryn's phone since she passed away. But there it was, an $80 charge for early cancellation. So I called. The young lady first told me they were fair charges and then I told her that Kathryn had passed away and of course my tears just raced down my cheeks. I tried not to cry because I know it bothers Richard but I couldn't hold it back. They did reverse the charge, but we will see on the next bill if that is truly the case. I also received more medical statements. You would think that they could have had this all done by now. Just a couple of weeks ago I got 5 or 6 pages of medical stuff from the insurance from August of 2011. Now they send me another 3 or 4 pages from November of 2011. This one I could have used for taxes or my flex plan but they sent it way late. Actually I can still use it for flex plan. It's so frustrating to get things like this in the mail. Or the bank sending a credit card for Kathryn. That one really made me mad. I cancelled it back in November because someone stole her number and charged illegally on it. I told them not to send another ever. After she passed away I closed her joint account with me. She didn't even have an account to do with this card. Money is just too important to big institutions. I tell you I felt like going to the bank and letting them know that they made a big mistake. I felt like cancelling everything I had with them and moving somewhere else. But I know any other bank would be the same. It would just be a big hassle for me.
Today is a beautiful day. I was hoping Richard would stick around this week and work with Scott but I think he will head up to Bellingham today. I will miss him. I love having him around and Bee too. I will be getting busy with school and all so my mind will have other things to think about. My walking friends and I are joining the gym so we can exercise when it rains. Spin classes…. Richard told me he took one once. That was enough for him. Well, I will do it and hopefully drop about 15 pounds. It should be good. I'm looking forward to it.
I hope you all get to go out and enjoy this beautiful day.


It's not a giant emerald. Kurion's innovative vitrification process turns radioactive nuclear waste into stable — even beautiful — glass.
The Wasteland. It's where we went seven years ago in search of new ideas and opportunity. What we found was an unmet, inevitable need with no solution in sight.
Against the odds and with multiple trials along the way, including being first responders to Fukushima Daiichi, the largest nuclear disaster the world had seen in 25 years, we founded and built Kurion, a cutting-edge startup that uses advanced robotics and state-of-the-art engineering techniques to clean and contain nuclear waste. Today we celebrate with the entire Kurion team as we announce its successful acquisition by Veolia, a water, waste and energy company based in Paris, France, which carries a $13.7 billion market cap.
At Lux Capital we believe in the primacy of contrarians and outsiders. Throughout history we have seen that they are the source of all things new and original, and all things we will see and experience in the future. These rebels of science proactively pursue the most vexing problems of their time, and are inexorably drawn to solve them. At Lux our mission is to unearth, fund and support such inventors, scientists and entrepreneurs.
Occasionally, however, we find ourselves in their position.
We started from a first-principles discussion about the types of problems we wanted to address. The world was reeling from its massive consumption and limited supply of fossil fuel. From 2007 to mid-2008, crude oil shot up from $60 to $140. We knew the world's population and economic growth would continue to demand even more energy over time. The questions on our minds: What sources of energy would people realistically use in the future, how could we contribute to more available, less expensive options, and where is there an opportunity to build a profitable business?
The industry raced to provide alternative fuels — chasing sunbeams and moonshine (solar and ethanol). We analyzed those approaches and found that while consumers might benefit from solar, the sector was already overcrowded. Biofuels looked to be a backward race toward an agrarian society and/or commoditization.
The energy industry was buzzing about a renaissance in nuclear. But it was fraught with problems. The business of uranium mining was filled with fraudsters. Building small modular reactors was too expensive and risky. How could we win if the industry grew, as well as if it shrank?
We tracked down and interviewed more than 300 experts in the industry. We poured through every research report and scoured every industry trade booth for intelligence. We discovered there were 440 nuclear reactors in the world, as well as another market few seemed to know about: American nuclear bomb-making operations. All these sites shared a common conundrum: What to do with all that waste? And what if there was another Chernobyl?
It turns out $1 of every $4 spent by the U.S. Department of Energy spent wasn't on "green tech," but nuclear waste cleanup — $6 billion a year. Such cleanups could take 50 years or more to complete. Yet very little new technology had been introduced to solve the problem.
Like so many startups, talent was a real pain point. Wall Street lured many nuclear engineers with the promise of riches. We were relentless in our quest to get the very best and brightest in the industry. We were fortunate to attract a team that included CEO Bill Gallo, who brought in Jacques Besnainou, former President and CEO of AREVA Inc., the French nuclear giant; former White House official Jon Foster as CFO, Ralph DiSibio of URS and Washington Group; Mike Steuert, former CFO of Fluor; Aris Candris, former CEO of Westinghouse; John Raymont; Gaetan Bonhomme, an MIT hotshot PhD in materials science.
We started our mission by building and acquiring new tools. We developed world-class robotics that could be sent into sites that are too dangerous for people to enter. We discovered a new chemical process that would allow us to grab the most dangerous and radioactive isotopes and turn them into a stable substance. We also engineered complex machines that would permanently store the new solid waste. The process, called vitrification, produces a gem-like form of glass that looks like a cross between an emerald and a hunk of Kryptonite.
And then on March 11, 2011 at 2:46 pm, Japan's largest earthquake on record — a magnitude-9.0 — struck 231 miles northeast of Tokyo, unleashing a tsunami. Nearly 16,000 people died. Thirty-foot waves lashed at the shore, severing roadways and washing away homes. The force of the waves wiped out the power and caused the cooling systems to fail at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It was a meltdown of epic proportion.
Kurion was one of a small handful of companies around the world with the expertise to contain the disaster. The team successfully designed, built and delivered a complete technology system to treat 68 millions of gallons of radioactive waste. The only way we could get the technology across the world fast enough was to load it in the middle of the night onto Russian military cargo planes.
The Kurion team stepped out of their bus in head-to-toe hazmat suits and gas masks. They passed overturned trucks, still smoldering, as they marched into bombed-out buildings. Other than the hissing of the reactors, it was silent — radiation had eviscerated all life nearby, including the birds. The environment was so radioactive the team could only stay for minutes at a time. Between shifts, they slept on floors in their suits.
By the time the job was complete, Kurion had removed nearly all the radioactive isotopes, including Cesium, from the disaster site.
After Kurion's team and technology got Fukushima under control, we turned our attention back to the U.S. and Europe to target commercial and weapons waste. We hired quickly, built offices around the world and made a few acquisitions. The pace and scale of growth was astounding.
Several months ago Veolia reached out with interest to buy Kurion. They were looking for a complete solution for waste cleanup in nuclear as well as oil & gas and pharmaceuticals. Our team was attracted to Veolia's global reach and resources to grow more quickly and positively impact more people around the world. For Lux's part, we returned our fund — more than 40 times our total investment.
The future is a wild and unpredictable place. Some of the changes we encounter will be downright terrifying. But if we challenge ourselves to identify and tackle the biggest problems and opportunities before us, and if we seek out and partner with the bravest, most creative thinkers in the world, the future can also be filled with light.
If you are a scientist, inventor or entrepreneur with a contrarian idea that will lead the world into a brighter future, we hope you will reach out to us at Lux.


text:
Q: Tableview icon into Navigation bar I was wondering, do i have to make a tableview icon as an image, to use it into the navigation bar? I can't find the icon im looking for when i go through Xcode's "System Items". The icon im looking for, is shown on the picture below on the right and left in the navigation bar.

A: Yes. There is no such default icon provided by XCode. You have to create the icon and then set on left and right barbuttonitem.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Climate Futures is managing communications for the Afri-Flame Network, a team of researchers and developers from Universities, Institutes and technology companies. The consortium is setting up active research centres with biogas digesters and fuel saving stoves, in 'Energy Villages' in Uganda, Ethiopia and Cameroon.
Biogas technology provides clean gas for cooking and lighting, makes effective use of food and other organic waste and animal manures to produce a nutrient rich fertilizer for farming. The technology is spreading fast in Asia but uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa has so far been slow. Afri-Flame will provide policy makers and promoters of biogas technology with invaluable information for the development of the economic measures and technical tools needed to enhance technology uptake.


text:
Home Nascar
Matt Kenseth wins in Phoenix for first season victory
Ed Berti
Matt Kenseth winner of the CAM-AM 500 in Phoenix.
Matt Kenseth in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota obtained his first Monster Energy Cup Series victory of the season by winning the Cam-Am 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
This race just might be the second to last cup race for Kenseth in his fabulous NASCAR career. "Just one more race left and everybody dreams of going out a winner," said Kenseth after the race.
The No. 20 passed Chase Elliott with 10 laps remaining on Sunday to achieve the win by 1.207 seconds. Thus knocking Elliott out of the final four drivers to qualify for the championship finale next Sunday in Homestead-Miami Speedway. Elliott has finished in second place for the seventh time this season.
Kenseth led 60 laps of the 312 to achieve is 39th career victory in NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series racing. The 45 year old has had a solid career and currently plans to take a break from competition.
Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski will join Truex, Harvick and Kyle Busch who are all vying for the championship title in next Sunday's Ford Eco Boost 400 in Miami. Both Busch and Harvick clinched their berths with wins in the Round of 8, while Truex, the regular season champ, advanced on points.
Elliott, Blaney, Hamlin and Johnson were all eliminated from the NASCAR Playoffs by their finishes. Hamlin's exit from the final four was the most dramatic when he crashed into the wall on Turn 3 on Lap 275 ending his day and hopes. Both Hamlin and Elliott competed aggressively all day and repeatedly made contact.
The two drivers apparently settled their differences today in the Round of 8 two weeks ago in Martinsville, where Hamlin made contact with Elliot sending him spinning out from the lead with a 27th place finish. The crash opened the door for Keselowski to have a shot at the championship next Sunday who qualified on points.
Jimmie Johnson the seven time champion just continued to have bad luck and race car troubles toward the end of the season which ranked him last among the final top eight postseason drivers.
The season finale will take place next Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway for all the marbles. The highest finishing driver of the four remaining contenders will be declared this years 2017 champion. Race fans should expect to witness a tremendous season ending thrilling NASCAR race next weekend in Florida.
Previous articleVeterans Day Celebration in Matthews
Next articleNovant Health Med Flight takes to the air
Ed is retired and remains active as a freelance writer, local journalist and independent contractor. He is engaged in print and electronic media writing stories covering business, sports, hometown news and veteran's affairs including articles of interest to various media outlets. Ed is a graduate of Wagner College where he earned an MBA and holds a BBA from Pace University.
Ed can be reached at ed@minthilltimes.com, eberti7777@gmail.com and linkedin.com.
Martin Truex Jr. 2017 Monster Energy Cup Series Champion
Kevin Harvick wins in Texas going to Homestead
Kyle Busch wins Thriller at Martinsville in Overtime
Martin Truex Jr. wins in Kansas, Round of 8 set
Christopher Bell wins first XFINITY Series race of career at Kansas
Brad Keselowski wins NASCAR Playoff race at Talladega

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Characters only on commutative unital algebras? I saw the following definition of a character:
Let $A$ be a commutative unital Banach algebra. Then a non-zero homomorphism $\chi : A \to \mathbb C$ is called a character.
For this definition to make sense does $A$ have to be commutative? It seems to me that it shouldn't make much of a difference for the homomorphism whether $A$ is commutative or not.
Similarly, it's not quite clear to me if $A$ really has to be unital.
Is it possible to define characters for a not necessarily commutative, not necessarily unital Banach algebras $A$ to be homomorphisms $A \to \mathbb C$ or would it not make sense?

A: You can certainly consider nonzero homomorphisms $A\to\mathbb C$ for any Banach algebra $A$. The thing is that they often don't exist: for example $M_n(\mathbb C) $ has no characters for any $n\geq2$.


The sequel to Radical Entertainment's best-selling open-world action game of 2009, PROTOTYPE 2, gets released next week and a new live action trailer is here to help whet your appetite.
PROTOTYPE 2 is set to continue the shape-shifting weapon experience as you take on the role of Sgt James Heller, husband to a deceased wife and child and a soldier left to die.
Having been infected by the original's protagonist, Sgt James Heller has become a new kind of biological terror on New York, cutting a bloody swathe through the debris of the city equipped with unparalleled new shape-shifting powers. Your ultimate goal – to kill Alex Mercer.
Keep up to date with all the latest PROTOTYPE 2 news here at Midlife Gamer.
This entry was posted on Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 at 09:00 and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.


text:
A unified theory for quasiparticle interference in two-dimensional materials
Kristen Kaasbjerg
Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology DTU NANOTECH
Mercredi 21/02/2018, 11:00-12:00
Invité par Cyrille Barreteau (GMT)
Quasiparticle interference (QPI) measured by low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) accompanied by a Fourier transform analysis (FT-STS) provides unique insight into the effect of atomic defects on carrier scattering inside and between valleys in two-dimensional (2D) materials. Here I present a general T-matrix based framework for the calculation of FT-STS spectra which in combination with atomistic DFT calculations of the defect scattering potential allows for detailed FT-STS modeling of "realistic" defects such as, e.g., atomic vacancies, adatoms and substitutional atoms [1].
In monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TDMs; MX2), atomic vacancies are commonly believed to be a source of pronounced intervalley scattering, thereby presenting a serious obstacle for applications exploiting their unique valley-contrasting properties. However, as I here show, the symmetry of the defect site gives rise to selection rules which may protect against intervalley scattering. In the conduction-band FT-STS spectra this manifests itself by a K ↔ K' intervalley peak which is missing for X vacancies, while appearing clearly for M vacancies. These findings put the recent observations of absent K ↔ K' intervalley peaks in QPI experiments [2,3] in a new perspective.
In graphene, the chiral nature of the states leaves clear fingerprints in the FT-STS spectra [4,5]. For example, the q=2kF ring due to backscattering is strongly suprressed near the Dirac point where trigonal warping is small -- this in spite of the fact that atomic defects often break the A,B sublattice symmetry thus allowing for backscattering. The explanation for this apparent paradox emerges straight forwardly from our unified theory.
[1] K. Kaasbjerg et al., Phys. Rev. B, 96, 241411(R) (2017).
[2] H. Liu et al., Nature Commun. 6, 8180 (2015).
[3] M. Yankowitz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 136803 (2015).
[4] P. Mallet et al., Phys. Rev. B 86, 045444 (2012).
[5] D. Dombrowski et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 116401 (2017).
Coffee break served at 11h. The seminar will be given in English.
Seminaire_K.KAASBJERG-_02212018.pdf (376 Ko)
Contact : Guenaelle JASMIN-LEBRAS


text:
A gene for smooth running joints
Andrew Cope1
Although the genetic susceptibility to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been well documented, twin studies indicate that the contribution of inherited genes to RA may be as little as 15%. The data indicate that, for OA and related conditions, the genetic contribution is likely to be much higher. Animal models have been useful for dissecting the molecular mechanisms that contribute to arthritis. Kingsley and co-workers have studied the ank/ank mouse, an autosomal recessive model of arthritis, characterised by an abnormal flat-footed gait and loss of joint mobility due to deposition of hydroxyapatite crystals in articular surfaces and synovial fluid. This process is accompanied by joint space narrowing, cartilage erosion and osteophyte formation, features resembling OA and ankylosing spondylitis in man. Until now, the genetic defect was not known. To identify the gene product encoded at the ank locus on mouse chromosome 15, and to define the mutation in ank/ank mice.
The ank gene product is a 492 amino acid protein with an expected MW of 54.3 kD, carrying three N-linked glycosylation sites and multiple putative phosphorylation sites. There are 9-12 hydrophobic stretches consistent with transmembrane domains of a multipass transmembrane protein. No other consensus sequences or motifs were identified. Northern blotting demonstrated the gene to be expressed in many nonskeletal tissues, but in situ hybridisation revealed strong signals in the cartilage of developing limbs in mice. Immunofluorescence detected protein expression at the cell surface, but also in the cytoplasm in 30-50% cells. Ank/ank mice carry a single nucleotide G to T substitution which leads to a nonsense mutation in the open reading frame. This leads to truncation of the carboxy-terminal region of the protein with greatly reduced activity. The characteristic metabolic defect in skin fibroblasts from mutant mice is a twofold increase in intracellular PPi, together with a three- to fivefold decrease in extracellular levels. Reconstitution of mutant fibroblasts with wild-type ANK reversed this defect, leading to a decrease in intracellular levels. This could be blocked with probenecid, indicating that ANK functions through a probenecid-sensitive anion transport mechanism.
This study provides significant insight into the biochemical basis of the arthritic process in ank/ank mice. To some extent it might also explain the ectopic calcification, mineral deposition, osteophyte formation and vertebral fusion characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA) and ankylosing spondylitis in man. In the mouse model, which perhaps most closely resembles familial chondrocalcinosis in man, defects in the ank gene (which encodes an anion transporter) lead to imbalances of intracellular and extracellular pyrophosphate (PPi) levels (raised levels intacellularly). As PPi is a potent inhibitor of calcification, the model predicts that the presence of mutant ANK protein leads to drastic reductions in the capacity to maintain extracellular tissue in an unmineralised state. Although the study provides an important link between crystal deposition and the development of arthritis, it should be noted that increased, rather than decreased, levels of PPi are commonly found in osteoarthritic joints. Other mechanisms must be playing a role in these patients.
The following methods were employed to identify and characterise the ank gene product: linkage analysis with microsatellite markers; isolation of the relevant interval in bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC); in vivo complementation through the generation of BAC-transgenic mice; shotgun sequencing of BACs; expression of the gene product in COS-7 monkey kidney cells; immunofluorescence; northern blotting of murine tissues; assays for intracellular and extracellular PPi using skin fibroblasts from wild-type and mutant mice (+/- reconstitution); and cloning of the human orthologue using the murine exon/intron map and available human expressed sequence tag clones.
Details of the ank/ank arthritis model can be found in these articles: Sweet et al, J Hered 1981, 72:87; Hakim et al, Arthritis Rheum 1984, 27:1411-1420 (PubMed abstract); and Hakim et al, Arthritis Rheum 1986, 29:114-123 (PubMed abstract).
Ho AM, Johnson MD, Kingsley DM: Role of the mouse ank gene in control of tissue calcification and arthritis. Science. 2000, 289: 265-270.
Kennedy Institue of Rheumatology, London, UK
Search for Andrew Cope in:
Cope, A. A gene for smooth running joints. Arthritis Res Ther 3, 66827 (2000) doi:10.1186/ar-2000-66827
caclification


text:
Vianna steht  für

 Vianna (Kentucky), ein Ort im Clark County (Kentucky) im US-Bundesstaat Kentucky

Vianna ist der Familienname folgender Personen:

 Aliéksey Vianna (* 1975), brasilianischer Musiker
 Antônio Mendes Vianna (1908–1976), brasilianischer Diplomat
 Gil Vianna (1965–2020), brasilianischer Politiker und Polizist

Siehe auch:

 Viana


text:
Magazine covers in a Stockholm supermarket
THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Timberwolf
Graham Reid | Jun 26, 2015 | 2 min read
Australian singer-songwriter Timberwolf -- aka Chris Panousakis -- got some very good news recently. He was invited by Gin Wigmore to open for her in Melbourne and Sydney . . . and on her forthcoming New Zealand dates (see below).
That will mean some big crowds, but the Adelaide-based musician is familiar enough with that: He has played Womadelaide, the Big Pineapple Groovin the Moo and other major events across the Tasman.
With his roots in classic Sixties rock and blues, but pushing into indie-folk, Timberwolf first came to attention in Australia with his debut EP Man and Moon (songs picked up by Triple J among others) and most recently has been back in the studio, this time with a full band, to record another EP, Flux.
Time then for Timberwolf to answer our Famous Elsewhere Questionnaire . . .
The first piece of music which really affected you was . . .
Crossroads by Cream.
Your first (possibly embarrassing) role models in music were . . .
Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Buckley.
Lennon or Jagger, Ramones or Nirvana, Madonna or Gaga, Jacko or Jay-Z?
Lennon, Nirvana, Madonna, Jacko – Any day of the week!
If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .
Well I'd always still write and play, but hopefully something still in music. I'd love to own my own studio filled with vintage guitars and equipment.
The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear are . . .
Stranded by Timberwolf, Loyal Lover's Waltz by Banjo Jackson, and World of Sun by Stolen Violin.
Any interesting, valuable or just plain strange musical memorabilia at home?
I've got a vintage Selma valve amp from the 50s, it was my dad's from when he used to play and it's so beautiful.
The best book on music or musicians you have read is . . .
If you could get on stage with anyone it would be . . . (And you would play?)
Fleetwood Mac, it would be a dream to sing a duet with Stevie.
The three films you'd insist anybody watch because they might understand you better are . . .
Donnie Darko, Harry Potter, Forrest Gump.
The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include . . .)
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Colour, also listening to a lot of Marika Hackman at the moment
One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you in that case would be . . .
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, I think Jeff Buckley's version is a beautiful interpretation.
The poster, album cover or piece of art could you live with on your bedroom forever would be . . .
The Kramer snapshot from Seinfeld.
You are allowed just one tattoo, and it is of . . .
I can't give that away because I haven't got it yet, and then people would steal it. Trust me it's cool though.
David Bowie sang, "Five years, that's all we've got . . ." You would spend them where, doing . . .?
Falling in love and dancing with as many people and coastlines as I possibly could around the world.
And finally, in the nature of press conferences in Japan, "Can you tell me please why this is your best album ever?"
I haven't made one yet! But I know it will be my best, because it will be sincere.
More from this section The Famous Elsewhere Questionnaire articles index
THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Jeff Boyle of Jakob
New Zealand three-piece Jakob have patiently carved out an impressively wide niche for themselves since their debut album Subsets of Sets back in 2002. Their broad sonic palette across their albums... > Read more
THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE JAZZ QUESTIONNAIRE: Mark Robinson
Jazz advocate and radio host Mark Robinson started buying 7" singles as a 10 year old back in 1974. He was born in the Home Counties west of London and lived there until 27 then move up... > Read more
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT . . . BERT JANSCH: The most reluctant hero
Few musicians have recoiled from the glare of fame as assiduously as British guitarist and singer Bert Jansch. This solo artist and founder member of the seminal UK folk group Pentangle... > Read more
HAP WORKING THE WORLD by HAP CAMERON
Told with all the enthusiasm of a man on his third beer at the barbecue, Cameron recounts his free-wheeling globe-trotting adventures after deciding, at 23, to see all seven continents before he... > Read more


text:
If a company makes a trading loss of no more than £200,000 in an accounting period, it is now possible to claim relief for that loss even though the corporation tax return CT600 has not been submitted. This will enable the company to carry back the loss to earlier years and obtain a repayment of tax previously paid. HMRC will, however, need evidence of the loss to support the claim, in particular, a PDF of the company's management accounts for the period.
In determining whether the loss is no more than £200,000, the company must claim all available reliefs, particularly capital allowances. Where companies are members of a group, the £200,000 limit applies to each individual company. Note that for members of a group, the £2,000,000 limit on the temporarily extended carryback applies to the group as a whole. The extended carryback allows companies to carry back trading losses two further years in addition to the standard one-year carryback. We can, of course, advise you on the best use of trading losses.
Losses carried back will result in a repayment of corporation tax at 19%, whereas if carried forward against profits, the losses may save tax at up to 25% after April 2023.


text:
Q: Perl socket visibility I have a Perl script that creates a daemon listening from a socket. When I execute the client to send data to the socket gets connected without problems. But the daemon should be queried from other users and it is not possible.
This is the daemon Perl script (assume that readFile() returns a predefined string):
#!/usr/bin/perl
use POSIX qw(setsid);
use strict;
use warnings;
use IO::Socket;
use Term::ANSIColor;

&daemonize;

my $port = '7070';
my $sock = new IO::Socket::INET(
    LocalHost => '127.0.0.1',
    LocalPort => '7070',
    Proto     => 'tcp',
    Listen    => 1,
    Reuse     => 1,
);
die `date` . "Could not create socket: $!\n" unless $sock;

while (1) {
    my $new_sock = $sock->accept();
    my $data     = "";
    $new_sock->recv( $data, 1024 );
    print $data;
    my $result = &readFile($data);
    $new_sock->send($result);
    shutdown( $new_sock, 1 );
}
close($sock);

sub daemonize {
    chdir '/' or die "Can't chdir to /: $!";
    umask 0;
    open STDIN, '/dev/null' or die `date` . "Can't read /dev/null: $!";
    open STDOUT, '>/home/bsc99/bsc99871/ACCO/pid' or die `date` . "Can't write to SDTOUT: $!";
    open STDERR, '>>', '/home/bsc99/bsc99871/ACCO/ACCOUNT_ERROR.log' or die `date` . "Can't write to STDERR: $!";
    defined( my $pid = fork ) or die `date` . "Can't fork: $!";
    exit if $pid;
    print $$;
    setsid or die "Can't start a new session: $!";
}

This is the client:
my $sock = new IO::Socket::INET(
    PeerAddr => '127.0.0.1',
    PeerPort => '7070',
    Proto    => 'tcp',
    Timeout  => 3,
) or die "Could not create socket: $!\n";

# data to send to a server
my $req  = $ARGV[0];
my $size = $sock->send($req);

# notify server that request has been sent
shutdown( $sock, 1 );

# receive a response of up to 1024 characters from server
my $response = "";
$sock->recv( $response, 1024 );
print $response;

$sock->close();

if I login as other user different than the one who start the daemon. I can run netstat command and see:

user@login4:> netstat -putan or lsof | grep 7070
(No info could be read for "-p": geteuid()=1801 but you should be root.)

I understand the message but my doubt is if there is any solution like a creating a public socket other than running the daemon as root, because I haven't root access.


Cynthia W. Toles, ED.D is serving her second term on the City Council, chairs the Council's Education and Recreation Committee, and represents the City Council on the Planning Commission. She is active in the Alabama League of Municipalities and has completed 40 hours of necessary training to receive the designation of Certified Municipal Official. Councilwoman Toles is also active in the National League of Cities, serving on the Community and Economic Development Advocacy Committee. Councilwoman Toles also serves on the Board of Directors of NLC's Women in Municipal Government constituency group.


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This is an IHRSA featured article, brought to you by Life Fitness.
Why Your Health Club Needs Small Group Training
Small group training is essential in building non-dues revenue and member engagement. Here's how you can build your program.
Jim Schmaltz
If your health club doesn't have small group training (SGT), you're missing out on one of the most powerful engagement and retention tools in the industry.
The statistics on the SGT phenomenon tell the story. According to the IHRSA Fitness Training Report, nearly 18 million health club members engaged in SGT in 2016, which includes more than 26% of members in fitness-only facilities. Among multipurpose club, almost 20% of members engage in SGT. For studios, that number jumps to 36% of members.
What's more important than those totals, which continue to climb, is the demographic being drawn to these classes. The IHRSA Fitness Training Report found that almost half of all Generation Z members (ages 6-17 years old) signed up for SGT classes, and Millennials account for 37.4% of all SGT participation. SGT classes are predominantly female, with 61% of attendees being women. IHRSA's report also found that SGT penetrates into every ethnic category.
Many studios base their entire programing on SGT and larger group X classes. This includes the enormously successful Orangetheory chain. Recently, it was reported that Orangetheory global revenues had surpassed $1 billion in 2018. Considering that those who belong to studios spend more money on their clubs than those in multipurpose facilities, you begin to understand how SGT can be a revenue engine for clubs of all types.
It's also important for recruitment and retention. With younger demographics choosing SGT options, your future could depend on providing these workouts on a regular basis.
What Makes a Successful Small Group Training Program?
In an IHRSA video called "Beating Back Boutiques," Chris Stevenson, owner of Stevenson Fitness, and Marisa Hoff, general manager of Stevenson Fitness, explain how they benefitted from their investment in SGT.
"One thing we noticed industry trend-wise was that one-on-one training was starting to decline and there was an emergence of small group training," says Stevenson. "So as soon as we caught on to that trend, we made sure to put it into our program because we knew that was a big part of where the industry was headed."
They found that after introducing SGT into their schedule that the social interaction encouraged by the classes increased member retention, engagement, and referrals.
"Group exercise is absolutely huge for member retention," says Stevenson. "It's a great way for people to interact with each other, to get instruction, and it's often more cost-effective."
While some owners worry about the investment into SGT, especially if they have limited space, Stevenson and Hoff found that it's a revenue engine for their club.
"One of the great things about having the boutique studios in our marketplace is that it made it OK to charge for additional services," says Hoff. "Before it used to be one price, you get everything. But now members are used to paying for Orangetheory, SoulCycle, and additional services. So, it made it OK for us to start doing that, and that really helps to build revenue."
Stevenson also believes that you can learn a lot from your local community's boutique clubs.
"You have to do a lot to stay relevant, and I think incorporating things like small group training and taking some of the best practices of these more successful studios are key for you to continue to be successful," he says.
Instead of being at a disadvantage when competing against studios, you're actually in a better position because you can give your members the best of both fitness worlds.
"The one thing that boutiques don't have to offer are those things that you as a bigger club can offer," says Stevenson. That means locker rooms, showers, numerous equipment options, and a greater diversity of large group X and SGT programming.
The Easy Way to Bring Studio-quality SGT to Your Club
The formula for creating a thriving SGT program can feel challenging considering the extraordinary range of concepts available. Carrie Kepple, an IHRSA board member and owner of Styles Studios, recently wrote an update on some of the group trends currently taking hold in studio clubs. These workouts all had an interesting twist, including classes using electric muscle stimulation and aquatic barre sessions. One new concept, KOBOX, is a high-tempo boxing class with the tagline: "Where Fight Club Meets Nightclub."
Innovation is important in the industry, but studio startups are the place for experimenting with unusual trends. Your investment in SGT needs to fit with your membership. You need to choose wisely.
So how do you build an SGT program if you don't have one, or if you need better SGT services than what you already have?
A brand-new initiative by Life Fitness is ideal for clubs looking for an SGT solution with multiple programming options. Life Fitness offers 13 different modules using a variety of its products, including HIIT Cardio, Synrgy, Hammer Strength, and accessories. These carefully designed and comprehensive product modules can be organized to meet your facility's needs while optimizing your floor space.
There are four different programming categories:
Cardio modules focusing on HIIT cardio training
Accessory modules featuring variable movement training options
Synrgy modules, an optimal blend of station, accessory product, and bodyweight exercise for more of a functional training experience
Hammer Strength modules for power and strength
All 13 modules offer three difficulty levels, which is important for multipurpose facilities that have a varied membership with a wide range of ages and abilities.
Life Fitness knows it can be a daunting task to create a comprehensive and effective SGT program. Their space-saving wall system, Synrgy 180, is one example of how their experts can help you seamlessly blend a thriving SGT program into your facility without an expensive redesign. And to satisfy the tech features that help make SGT successful, Life Fitness has partnered with Functional Solutions, a custom content platform that provides visual instruction to help guide both instructors and participants.
You'll not only have an SGT offering that fits your club's space limitations and member demographics, you'll be using durable, top-of-the-line equipment from Life Fitness and Hammer Strength, two of the most trusted names in the industry.
SGT is the type of workout experience people want today. It's social, technology-based, led by coaches/trainers, and focused on results. Ask Life Fitness how they can help bring the revenue-generating power of SGT to your club.
To learn more about the SGT options from Life Fitness, visit Life Fitness' website or send them an email.
Related Articles & Publications
IHRSA Fitness Training Report
This report, which is sponsored by Power Systems, aims to help health club owners and operators to better understand personal and small group training clients. This product is a PDF download.
Make Small Group Training Your Health Club's Revenue Superstar
Small group training is a surging fitness trend. Learn how to maximize opportunities—and revenue—for your business.
Is Your Health Club Targeting These 5 Digital Goals?
Your club can boost engagement and retention with an integrative digital strategy. Here's what to do.
Jim Schmaltz is a contributor to IHRSA.org


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Chess South Africa (CHESS SA, previously CHESSA) is the national governing body for the sport of chess in South Africa. Chess South Africa is affiliated to the World Chess Federation (FIDE), and to the African Chess Confederation (ACC). Chess South Africa administers the official national chess rating system based on the elo rating system and grants national titles to players that distinguish their ability. CHESS SA is affiliated with SASCOC, and organises national competitions such as the South African Closed Chess Championship and the South African Open Chess Championship. CHESS SA was established in 1996 following unification discussions among several chess ruling bodies in existence during the apartheid era.

South Africa produced its first chess grandmaster in 2015 through Kenny Solomon. Kenny Solomon did not attain the required rating of 2500, but he earned the accolade by winning the African Chess Championship in December 2014.

Players

See also

 Chess in South Africa
 List of chess federations

References

External links
 Official website

 World Chess Federation website

National members of the African Chess Union
Chess in South Africa
Sports governing bodies in South Africa
Chess organizations


Here is a discovery which might help the push for a faster legalization of marijuana across all of the United States. As a matter of fact, those states in the US which have introduced medical marijuana have noticed a significant drop in obesity rates – ranging from 2% to 6%, compared to the states which are yet to legalize cannabis. This is supposed to be a short-term result, and it is believed that over longer period of time the drop in obesity rates could be even more significant, which in turn would mean a drastic annual reduction in medical costs for obesity-related issues, ranging anywhere from 58 USD to 115 USD per person per year. According to the San Diego State University-led research, such considerable drops in obesity rates in states where medical marijuana is being used might indicate that cannabis has probably got weight loss properties.
To help with the study, economist Joseph Sabia carefully studied all the public health surveys taken nationwide between the years of 1990 and 2012 and discovered that indeed a drop in obesity rates was noticed in those states where medical marijuana was being used, this, despite the fact that marijuana is known to make people feel more hungry (in fact, there have been a number of uses of this drug for the purpose of stimulating the appetite of those who are suffering either from cancer or HIV). Even the researchers themselves acknowledged that randomized intake of marijuana, even if the intake is controlled, can lead to increase appetite which in turn would lead to a higher calorie intake.
To reach their conclusion, the team of researchers behind this study carefully scrutinized the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System which interviews around four million citizens of United States every year in order to find out whether there has been any kind of difference in the states which have far more lenient marijuana laws than others. The researchers then made up mock profiles of those people who live in states where marijuana is still banned and considered illegal.
In states where marijuana has been legalized, it is an often prescribed drug for older people suffering from chronic pain. Due to chronic pain, these people cannot take part in an active lifestyle, such as exercising. When these people are relieved of the chronic pain, thanks to the application of marijuana, they can take part in exercises again and this in turn can help them burn the extra calories.
The reason for drop in obesity is not however so cut and dry when it comes to younger people who lead a far more active and dynamic lifestyle in general compared to their older counterparts. A lot of people take to binge drinking in their youth which often leads to obesity problems later on. Chances are, with the introduction of medical marijuana, some people might prefer using cannabis over drinking alcohol. Quite interestingly, one of the arguments put forward for the purpose of legalizing marijuana is that it can lead to significant drops in alcohol consumption which in turn would make for a better society as marijuana is far less harmful compared to alcohol.


Any average person has about 100,000 strands of hair and every day 100 strands of hair will fall out. Each strand of hair is 4.5 years old, with growth of about 1 cm / month. Usually in the year to 5 hair will fall out and within six months will be replaced by new hair. When hair loss is more than 100 strands per day then this indicates you are experiencing hair loss.
Some diseases such as lupus, syphilis, kidney failure or the effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients can cause hair loss.
Hormonal imbalances can also cause hair loss. An example of this is a woman's menstrual cycle. Hormonal changes occur during ovulation which can cause some hair to become thinner.
Free radicals, exposure to sun themselves, and pollution can lead to hair loss.
Habits women who tie their hair could be the cause of hair loss when the bond is too tight or tie your hair in a long time.
If your parents often experience loss problem, chances are you also have the risk of experiencing loss problems anyway.
The phenomenon of loss of hair that occurs after pregnancy, major surgery, and weight loss is called telogen effluvium. Women who experience hair loss telogen effluvium realized after 6-12 weeks of pregnancy usi.
Unhealthy scalp can cause inflammation which results in hair difficult to grow. Dandruff and shampoos that do not fit are some of the causes of the scalp becomes unhealthy.
Apples contain polyphenols which can overcome the problem of hair loss. Puree apple skin, then Put on the scalp. Let stand for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
The content of antioxidants in green tea can overcome the loss , improve hair growth and hair keep it healthy.
Puree onion or garlic. Then apply on your hair before you go to bed, during the morning wash off with shampoo to clean.


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Kaweweta is a settlement in Nakaseke District of the Central Region of Uganda.

Location
Kaweweta is located in Ngoma sub-county, Nakaseke District, approximately  northwest of Luweero, in Luweero District, the nearest large town. This is northeast of Butalangu, the location of Nakaseke District headquarters and about , by road, northwest of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda. The coordinates of Kaweweta are: 01°14'45.0"N, 32°10'46.0"E (Latitude:1.245833; Longitude:32.179444).

Overview
Kaweweta is the location of the "Oliver Tambo School of Leadership", an installation of the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF). Established in 1989 to house freedom fighters (Umkonto we Sizwe) of the African National Congress (ANC), the installation, over the years turned into a training camp for both the ANC from South Africa and the National Resistance Army (NRA) from Uganda. By 1994, it housed 3,000 South African soldiers, of whom 14 died of natural causes and are buried at Kaweweta.

During the 2000s, the present-day school was constructed at a cost of US$4.5 million, with South Africa contributing US$3 million (about USh6 billion) and Uganda providing US$1.5 million (about USh3 billion) for the construction. The school consists of 13 buildings, a water supply system, an electricity supply network that runs on solar energy and diesel generator power, a hospital, staff houses, an administration block and a hall which can hold up to 600 people. This school, which is expected to be a regional ideological and leadership institution officially opened in March 2010.

The second military installation in Kaweweta is the "Samora Machel UPDF Special Forces School", which opened in 2016. The infrastructure was erected by the Special Forces Command engineers led by Major Emmanuel Odongo and Lieutenant Chabo.

See also
List of cities and towns in Uganda
List of roads in Uganda

References

External links

Nakaseke District
Populated places in Central Region, Uganda
Cities in the Great Rift Valley


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Q: AWS EB: Unresolved resource dependencies My Django app is deployed and working thanks to this fantastic article: https://medium.com/@justaboutcloud/how-to-deploy-a-django3-application-on-elastic-beanstalk-python3-7-and-amazon-linux-2-bd9b8447b55
I'm to the end of the project and am setting up HTTPS. To do that, I've created a config file in my .ebextensions folder called 02_https.config
In this file, I copy and pasted the code from the article:
option_settings:
  aws:elbv2:listener:443:
    SSLCertificateArns: <YourACMCertificateARN>
    Protocol: HTTPS
Resources:
    AWSEBV2LoadBalancerListener:
      Type: 'AWS::ElasticLoadBalancingV2::Listener'
      Properties:
        LoadBalancerArn: { "Ref" : "AWSEBV2LoadBalancer" }
        DefaultActions:
          - RedirectConfig:
              Port: 443
              Protocol: HTTPS
              StatusCode: HTTP_301
            Type: redirect
        Port: 80
        Protocol: HTTP

When I deploy the app, I get this error message:
Service:AmazonCloudFormation, Message:Template format error: Unresolved resource dependencies [AWSEBV2LoadBalancer] in the Resources block of the template

I have two theories:

*

*I'm not pasting the ARN Certificate in the correct format, which is throwing off my YAML formatting

*There is something wrong about this code's formatting.
Could someone please provide some input?

A: To me, none of your theory seems to be correct for the error you're receiving due to a couple of reasons.
First of all, let's read the error carefully.
Service:AmazonCloudFormation, Message:Template format error: Unresolved resource dependencies [AWSEBV2LoadBalancer] in the Resources block of the template
The CFN stack backing the EB environment complaining about the unresolved dependency "AWSEBV2LoadBalancer". This means that the stack being created doesn't know what this logical id "AWSEBV2LoadBalancer" is for.
This can only happen if your beanstalk application is either:
A single instance application (no LB)
or
Using ELB (classic V1 LB) whose logical id in EB CFN stack is "AWSEBLoadBalancer" and not "AWSEBV2LoadBalancer".
The later "AWSEBV2LoadBalancer" is being used as logical id for application and network LBs.
From the medium article link you shared, I see that the author created his environment with application load balancer. Did you miss this?
eb create django3 --elb-type application --region eu-west-1

Also the code snippet you shared is a valid YAML.

A: You are trying to use the Load Balancer for redirecting HTTP requests to HTTPS. But you are using a EB Environment type: Single instance which does not come with a load balancer.
Either switch to EB Environment type: Load balanced or stop using the Load Balancer for redirecting HTTP requests to HTTPS.


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2 Democrat Senators Support Gorsuch Confirmation
In a surprise move that is certain to create ire with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, two Democratic Senators have announced their support for the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. If only six more Democrats follow suit and jump on board, Republicans will have enough votes to confirm Gorsuch to the High Court.
Sens. Joe Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp on Thursday became the first Senate Democrats to announce their support for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch — breaking with their colleagues who have blasted President Trump's pick.
"Senators have a constitutional obligation to advice (sic) and consent on a nominee to fill this Supreme Court vacancy and, simply put, we have a responsibility to do our jobs as elected officials," Manchin, of West Virginia, said in a statement Thursday. "I will vote to confirm him to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court."
Shortly afterward, Heitkamp released a statement announcing her support. "He has a record as a balanced, meticulous, and well respected jurist who understands the rule of law," the North Dakota senator said. She added that her vote "does not diminish how disturbed I am by what Republicans did to Judge Garland," former President Barack Obama's nominee who was blocked by the GOP-led Senate.
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Home Daily Worship There was no smell of fire on them
Theatre of Faith - It all makes sense
Image credit: J Cathcart
Proverbs 29: 18
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction.
The final scene of a play can often appear to be ridiculously formulaic. The hero takes time to explain to the people on stage all the actions that have led to this point, pulling together plot lines and narrative arcs with pin point precision in a way that wouldn't happen in real life. However, without this seemingly strange theatrical trope many people would leave theatres up and down the land confused as to how anything happened and disgruntled at not finding out whether or not the "will they won't they" love interests got together. In all of this, of course, the most important revelation is the murderer in murder mystery plays.
Without revelation our play would be frustrating and we would not understand half of what had happened and the same is true in the Theatre of Faith. Revelation of God is found in many places and not just a potentially obvious summing up at the end. Through the histories and prophecies of the Old Testament to the Gospels and letters of the New, the Bible in its completeness reveals the drama of the Theatre of Faith to us, with the narrative arc returning to one of justice and love that favours the marginalised and oppressed. Alongside the Bible, the traditions of the Church and the wonders of creation can also teach us of God, the beauty and intricacy of the nature and the desire of the Church to always open her doors further gives us a better understanding of God.
The Revelation of God to each one of us happens in a different way but in all who encounter it there is a response that changes the way we live.
Reveal yourself to us, open our hearts to hear of your love for us and all people. Help us to respond to your revelation to us and then share it with the world.
by Dan Harper, Parish Minister, Bridge of Allan Parish Church
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This Week in Piano History: The Premiere of Tchaikovsky's Ballet "The Nutcracker" | December 18, 1892
Written By Curtis Pavey
The original production of The Nutcracker, Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg,1892
THIS WEEK IN PIANO HISTORY, we celebrate the premiere of Tchaikovsky's ballet, The Nutcracker, on December 18, 1892. Although the premiere performance of the ballet was not well received, it has become one of Tchaikovsky's most beloved compositions.
The History of The Nutcracker
Based on a story by E.T.A. Hoffman, Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker tells the story of a young girl named Clara (Marie in Hoffman's story). Clara is gifted a beautiful nutcracker by her godfather, but it breaks after a fight with her brother Fritz. Waking at midnight to check on the toy, Clara is swept away into a magical story involving battles with mice and toy soldiers and fanciful travels. Some of the most famous music of the ballet comes in Act II, where a divertissement consisting of the "characteristic dances" occurs. The ballet ends with a final waltz in which Clara wakes up in her own bed.
Varvara Nikitina and Pavel Gerdt in The Nutcracker, 1892
The premiere of the ballet was rocky and not everyone approved of the work. One critic wrote: "First of all, Nutcracker can in no event be called a ballet. It does not comply with even one of the demands made of a ballet. Ballet, as a basic genre of art, is mimed drama and consequently must contain all the elements of normal drama. On the other hand, there must be a place in ballet for […] dances, made up of the entire essence of classical choreography. There is nothing of this in Nutcracker. There is not even a subject."1 The ballet, revived in 1954 by George Balanchine, later became a huge success. Today every major ballet company in the United States routinely performs Tchaikovsky's ballet every holiday season to sold-out crowds.
Keyboards and The Nutcracker
Ballerina Lauren Cuthbertson performs the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, a piece featuring the twinkling sounds of the celesta.
One of the most notable moments of the ballet score is the use of celesta in the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy." Writing to his publisher, Tchaikovsky announced, "I have discovered a new instrument in Paris, something between a piano and a glockenspiel, with a divinely beautiful tone. I want to introduce this into the ballet and the symphonic poem. The instrument is called the 'Celesta Mustel,' and costs 1,200 francs. You can only buy it from the inventor, Mustel, in Paris. I want to ask you to order one of these instruments […] Have it sent direct (sic) to Petersburg; but no one there must know about it. I am afraid Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazounov might hear of it and make use of the new effect before I could. I expect the instrument will make a tremendous sensation."2 The instrument did make quite a sensation and has become prominent in movie scores of the last few decades including its use in the Harry Potter movies (Hedwig's Theme).
Due to the popularity of the Nutcracker, many have written arrangements of the suite for piano. Tchaikovsky himself arranged the suite for solo piano in 1892 and other popular arrangements were written for piano four hands by Eduard Langer and two pianos by Nicolas Economou. Listen to the following recording of Martha Argerich and Lilya Zilberstein performing Economou's masterful arrangement.
Pianists Martha Argerich and Lilya Zilberstein performing Economou's arrangement of The Nutcracker Suite.
Roland John Wiley, Tchaikovsky's Ballets: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1985), 221.
Modeste Tchaikovsky, Life and Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, trans. And ed. Rosa Newmarch (New York: Haskell House Publishers Ltd., 1970): 663.
Kodat, Catherine Gunther. "Dancing Through the Cold War: The Case of 'The Nutcracker.'" Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal 33, no. 3 (2000): 1–17.jstor.org/stable/44029692.
kusc.org/culture/staff-blog/classical-california-ultimate-playlist/tchaikovsky-nutcracker/
npr.org/2013/12/25/257139160/the-dark-roots-of-the-nutcracker-and-the-man-who-wrote-it
Dr. Curtis Pavey is a pianist, harpsichordist, and educator. A performer of works from the 16th through the 21st centuries, he feels equally at home performing or teaching at the piano and the harpsichord. He is currently based in the Cincinnati area and maintains a private piano studio.


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The Republic of East L.A.: Stories by Luis J. Rodriguez
Hardcover - Secondhand Books - Very Good Condition
9780066212630 From the award-winning author of Always Running comes a brilliant collection of short stories about life in East Los Angeles. It is a life brimming with hope and vitality, the depiction of which reaffirms Luis J. Rodriguez as not only one of America's keenest urbanists but as a writer with a perfect blend of humanist empathy and poetic soul. Behind this famed enclave's notorious gang violence its well-documented and stereotyped poverty rates, and the supposed desperation of those who live in East L.A. without any hope of escape, lies one resounding element: real people, with real strength, in very real predicaments. Whether hilariously capturing the voice of a philosophizing limo driver in his late twenties whose dream is to make the most of his rap-metal garage band in "My Ride, My Revolution," or the monologue-styled rant of a tes-ti-fy-ing! tent revivalist named Ysela in "Oiga," Rodriguez squeezes humor from the lives of people who are not ready to sacrifice their dreams due to circumstance. In so doing, he allows readers to enter into the hidden and hope-filled chambers of an individual's spirit, only to artfully balance this with the more serious intonations of life's grimmer realities. In "Finger Dance," Rodriguez pays tribute to the slow death of a violent and harsh father who, in his last days, is rendered physically and mentally helpless. In "Pigeons," we are shown a world where Mexican-Americans ironically and hypocritically distrust Mexicans, while in "Sometimes You Dance with a Watermelon," we meet a mother who finds momentary relief from her life with a good mambo, a hot sun, and a juicy piece of fruit. In these stories, Luis J. Rodriguez gives eloquent voice to the neighborhood where he spent many years as a resident, a father, an organizer, and, finally, a writer: a neighborhood that offers more to the world than its appearance allows. The Republic of East L.A. is unforgettable fiction from a true talent.