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Tag: Edward Dillon
A Dash through the Clouds (1912)
This early Biograph short by Mack Sennett stars Mabel Normand and seems to demonstrate the influence of mentor D.W. Griffith on Sennett's work, although it could also be intended as satire of his style. Like many movies of the time, it relies on the speed of a modern vehicle to bring action and excitement to a fairly simple story line.
The movie wastes no time in introducing us to our love triangle – Arthur (Fred Mace) is married to Martha (Mabel Normand) and they meet dashing pilot Philip Parmalee (a real life pilot who worked for the Wright Brothers). Philip offers Martha a spin in his airplane, and she eagerly accepts, despite Arthur's objections. Arthur tries to stop the flight by sitting on the lightweight plane, but an assistant pushes him off and helps Philip and Martha get under way. Arthur makes a futile attempt to pursue them across a field that is serving as a runway. As Martha and Philip soar overhead, Martha drops Arthur a note – "I'm in heaven." Philip and Martha come in for their landing, and a very consternated Arthur remonstrates with her all the way home.
An intertitle now explains that Arthur is a "tutti frutti salesman" and that he is leaving on a business trip. He climbs on a horse and rides off, giving Martha another chance to visit with Philip in his absence. He goes to "the next town," which is populated by vaguely ethnic types – possibly Gypsies or Mexicans. He hands out samples of tutti frutti, which seems to come in small cylinders, and attracts the attention of a large woman (Sylvia Ashton). They take an opportunity to sit on a bench together, something which infuriates her family and indeed most of the rest of the town. The movie cross-cuts between the two philandering couples, but soon two of the woman's relatives come to protest. Arthur rebuffs them with some awkward slapstick fighting, but they run to get guns and arouse the rest of the town. Now desperate, Arthur bribes a boy with a stick of tutti frutti to jump on his horse and get help, giving him a note for Martha. Martha, of course, goes to Philip, who thinks to grab a couple of pistols before they take off together. Arthur is now hiding in a shack as the posse (or lynch mob) fights to get in, but the plane arrives just in time, with Philip and Martha firing off their guns to frighten them. Obviously, they lack the stomach for a two-sided gunfight, so they flee en masse. Arthur thanks Philip and all is forgiven – for a moment – until Martha decides she'd rather ride back to town with Philip, leaving Arthur stranded and forced to walk home alone.
Although there are some elements of Sennett's later comedy (especially the ending), this movie can't seem to make up its mind how serious it is. In structure, it resembles such films as "The Lonedale Operator" and other race-to-the-rescue stories that Griffith had pioneered, but it isn't pulled off as effectively. The first half seems to be either a domestic drama or a situational comedy, depending how you look at it, and very little of what humor there is is physical, which was really Sennett's strong suit. The shot of Fred Mace running across the field reminded me of a sort of reversal of "North by Northwest" – almost certainly fortuitous, though it's remotely possible Alfred Hitchcock saw this movie in boyhood. When I hear "tutti frutti," I think of ice cream, but that can't be what Arthur is selling here, since he carries it in sticks in his pocket, so it must be some kind of candy or gum. The silliest part of the whole movie is Arthur giving the kid his horse, instead of just riding off to safety himself, although in context it could have been explained that the mob knew where he lived, so that would be no refuge and he would be endangering Martha. At any rate, while Fred does reasonably well, it is really Mabel's commitment to her flirtatious character that carries the film. Philip Parmalee mostly looks like he wants to know what to do with his hands when he's not manipulating the controls of his aircraft.
Director: Mack Sennett
Camera: Percy Higginson
Starring: Fred Mace, Mabel Normand, Philip Parmalee, Sylvia Ashton, Jack Pickford, Kate Bruce, Edward Dillon, Grace Henderson, Harry Hyde, Alfred Paget
Fatty and Minnie-He-Haw (1914)
This two-reel comedy from Keystone shows Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle as he was still honing his craft, though he tries out some gags that would be put to better use in later movies. True to the Keystone spirit, it is fast-paced and incoherent.
The movie begins similarly to the later movie "Out West," with Fatty riding the roof of a train, only to be abandoned in the middle of a Western desert with no apparent resources. In this case, Slim Summerville comes along to kick him off the train, and unfortunately that's his only appearance. Fatty spots Minnie-He-Haw (played by Minnie Devereaux), a Native American woman of about Fatty's own girth. He decides to pretend to be dying of thirst to get her help, and she calls over some braves from a nearby camp to drag him home. Of course, since she's now "saved his life," she expects him to show his appreciation by marrying her. She takes him into her teepee and there's a bit of funny business about the challenge of kissing when both have such large bellies. Then Minnie goes out to announce her betrothal to the tribe, and Fatty spots Minta Durfee having trouble with her horse nearby. He sneaks over to help her out and when Minnie finds out, the "green-eyed monster" takes over and she drags him back to a feast in their honor. Fatty eats a little and then either becomes ill or fakes it and makes another attempt at a getaway.
Minta rides into town up to the saloon and tells her father (Josef Swickard) about her adventures. He defends her from a funny drunk played by Harry McCoy, who does some good stunts, getting tossed around a bit. She then goes over to the corner to prepare dinner on a convenient stove. Fatty now arrives and also heads to the saloon and pushes McCoy down before spotting Minta and eating most of her dinner. McCoy tries to start another fight and gets shoved again, but now Swickland sees what's going on and gets out his gun. At the same time, Minnie, also armed, shows up in town looking for Fatty. Swickard tells Fatty to keep away from Minta and shoots at his feet to make him dance, which is so amusing all the local cowhands join in. When he runs outside, Minnie is shooting at him also, so he runs back inside to further gunfire. After this has gone on awhile he runs out of town, winding up back at the Indian camp, where the Indians tie him to a stake and start a fire to punish him for his betrayal of Minnie. Minnie has a change of heart and frees him, but again he uses the opportunity to escape, and now the whole tribe mounts horses to pursue him. He evades them by crossing a skinny rope bridge that won't hold the horses, but now they fire arrows at him. Several hit him in the behind and he runs off into the distance as the image irises in to indicate the end.
As we might expect from Keystone, the movie is short on plot and big on excesses, and your capacity to enjoy it depends on your comfort with Native American stereotypes and jokes at the expense of fat people. At least Minnie-He-Haw is a person with her own motivations, which is more than some Western dramas were managing at the time. Devereaux definitely fits right in to the madcap atmosphere at Keystone, even if she isn't wearing bizarre facial hair, and plays her role with gusto. Arbuckle is also committed, even if we don't get many of his famous stunts, and his run across the rope bridge looks genuinely hazardous. It was fun spotting various Keystone regulars in their Western garb, given a break from always playing cops. I sort of wanted Fatty and Minnie to end up together, but I suppose a mixed-race marriage would have been controversial in a comedy at the time.
Director: Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
Starring: Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Minnie Devereaux, Minta Durfee, Slim Summerville, Josef Swickard, Harry McCoy, Frank Hayes, Edward Dillon.
The Lonedale Operator (1911)
This is one of the most talked-about of D.W. Griffith's early shorts, in terms of his contributions to film "grammar" and especially editing. It is a fast-paced action film in which a pair of non-descript hobo thieves threaten Blanche Sweet, who manages to use her wits and high technology to save herself.
Blanche knows how to keep a man.
The movie begins when "the young engineer" (Francis J. Grandon) is assigned to take out a locomotive. He seems to be hanging around the railroad tracks, hoping for work, and he gets up quickly to head out to the station, but not without stopping by to see his girl, Blanche Sweet. Sweet is shown reading a book, letting us know she's smart, and her house fronts on the tracks, giving us a sense of her class and the likelihood that her family are railroad people. She walks to the station with Francis, but refuses him a kiss. When they arrive, Francis takes over his train, but Blanche stops in to visit her father (George Nichols), the wireless operator. He's not feeling well, so Blanche offers to take over for him. He agrees, and offers her the revolver in his pocket, but she assures him she'll be fine, and he leaves her alone and unarmed. She waves goodbye to her beau, excited to have this great responsibility thrust on her.
No, I probably won't need it!
Soon, we see the arrival of the payroll for the local mine, which is delivered to her care, and the simultaneous arrival of two tramps (one of them is Dell Henderson, a Griffith favorite) who've been riding under the train. They hide out until the train has gone, and then try to get into the office to take the money. Blanche realizes what they are up to and locks the door, but with no gun, it's only a matter of time until they break in. She quickly telegraphs the next station that there's an attempted break-in going on and arms herself with a wrench. The boyfriend, hearing of his girl's distress, now jumps on his engine and hightails it back to the station, but can he make it in time? Well, the tramps do break in, but Blanche turns the wrench around to look like a gun and holds them at bay until the train arrives and she is rescued. The tramps go to jail, and the money goes to its rightful payees. Presumably Blanche and Francis get hitched.
Competant and capable.
Now, this is a good movie, but I think its significance has been rather over-stated. For example, the Wikipedia entry says, "Unlike most films at the time which had a simple plot line set in one location, The Lonedale Operator "intercuts three primary spaces—the telegraph office interior, the criminals outside, and the rescue train." Although audiences in 1911 were not used to such editing, the use of the telegraph helped them understand the crosscutting between scenes in such a way that they could follow the plot." I think this kind of thinking comes about because the only movies people ever see from this period are D.W. Griffith and Georges Méliès. I mean, come on! Intercutting of primary spaces goes back to at least "Life of an American Fireman" (1902) and it's done with greater sophistication in "The Great Train Robbery" (1903). Admittedly, neither of those depends on THREE simultaneous spaces (just two at a time), but I hardly think audiences were too dumb ten years later to figure it out. Even the claim that "most films" used only "one location" is ridiculous – by 1911, many films were shot on several sets, although I'll grant you that many plots still unfolded sequentially.
So, while it's maybe not so innovative as is suggested, it is a good example of what could be done with established technique, and I'm even willing to grant that in terms of editing it was better than what most audiences were seeing up to then. Griffith understood the potential editing offered, and used it well. But, he didn't invent sliced bread. One of his major (real) contributions to film was his use of very young actresses. Blanche Sweet was only 15 at the time. Griffith seems to have understood that, with the greater intimacy the camera offered over the stage, audiences would be aware of the facial details of the stars, and so he shot for a kind of personal ideal that obviously had mass popular attraction. While that has some creepy or even misogynist undertones, note that in this movie the female star is not portrayed as utterly helpless. Even without a gun, she figures out a way to save herself and tricks the bad guys with a wrench. She's obviously well-read, and knows enough about Morse to send a clear distress call. She's not quite tough enough to clobber the tramps by herself (and that would have been a bit hard to believe), but she's the equal of any boy her age, at least. One other thing stuck out to me on my latest viewing of this movie: there's a stunt that most people probably don't think twice about. Seconds after the train pulls into the station, Dell and his buddy crawl out form underneath it – showing that they were riding that way, clinging to the bottom of the car, for at least some distance. That's a dangerous way to ride a large vehicle like a train! If one of them had slipped, no one could have stopped the train until the whole thing had rolled over them, easily removing an appendage or worse! Never let it be said that actors took no risks on these movies.
Director: D.W. Griffith
Camera: Billy Bitzer
Starring: Blanche Sweet, Francis J. Grandon, George Nichols, Dell Henderson, Joseph Graybill, Verner Clarges, Edward Dillon, Wilfred Lucas, W. Chrystie Miller, Charles West.
The Fugitive (1910)
No, this is not a movie about a man on the run seeking a one-armed assassin. Instead, it is another of D.W. Griffith's pre-"Birth of a Nation" explorations of the Civil War. This time, we start with not one, but two tearful farewells, as a Confederate (Edward Dillon, also in "What Shall We Do with Our Old" and "In the Border States") and a Union soldier (Edwin August, who appears in "The House with Closed Shutters" and "The Eternal Mother") depart for the front in one of many examples of parallelism the movie provides. In a typical coincidence, they both get separated from their units and the Yankee kills the Reb, only to find himself on the run when his fallen foe's enemies find the body. Stretching that coincidence even further, now the survivor seeks shelter in his enemy's home from his victim's mother (Kate Bruce, also seen in "The Red Man's View" and "The Unchanging Sea")! She nearly turns him in, but "thinks of another mother, awaiting her son's return and does the decent thing. Dorothy West (who starred in last night's "The House with Closed Shutters") is the fiancé who loses her beau, and her while exuberance worked on the battlefield, it seems out of place in a bereaved lover.
This movie was shot on a limited number of sets in New Jersey in the winter, and that may have limited the use of outdoor setups. There are some nice panoramas, I assume of the Hudson River area, but the porches of the two homes appear to simply be the same set shot from the opposite angle. The editing is less taut than we saw in "The House" or than would be the case in other Griffith shorts. Overall, it seems that the story suffers from a rather conventional approach, and there isn't much here to pull it out of its banality. One historical footnote is that the original story was written about the fighting in Ireland, and that the writer himself died in 1916 during the Rising there, fighting for the Green side against the Orange.
Starring: Kate Bruce, Edward Dillon, Edwin August, Dorothy West


Cook this: Chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce – Our cookbook of the week is Cook Like a Pro: Recipes & Tips for Home Cooks by Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. Over the next two days, we'll feature another recipe from the book and an interview wit.
(CNN)– Place a tennis ball into a yellow sock and tuck it into the back of your pants. Now start running. Congratulations! You are a snitch. Don't get caught, or the game ends. This is quidditch, as.


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Alekséi Bartsaikin () es un atleta ruso especializado en marcha atlética.

Bartsaikin consiguió la medalla de oro en la Copa del Mundo de Marcha Atlética celebrada en la ciudad rusa de Cheboksary en 2008. Otras participaciones destacadas a nivel internacional han sido los dos cuartos puestos conseguidos tanto en el Campeonato Mundial Junior de Atletismo de 2008 (sobre 10.000 metros) como en la Copa del Mundo de Marcha Atlética de 2014 celebrada en Taicang (sobre 50 kilómetros).

Mejores marcas personales

Véase también
 Marcha atlética en los Campeonatos Mundiales Junior de Atletismo
 Copa del Mundo de Marcha Atlética

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Perfil IAAF - Alekséi Bartsaikin.
 Perfil EA - Alekséi Bartsaikin.

Bartsaikin
Bartsaikin

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


WHO SHOULD ATTEND: If you are a leader in your department (Fire Chief, Chief Officer, Company Officer, Senior Leader or you aspire to be), you need to be here!
WHY MUST I BE THERE: Because this course is facilitated by today's fire service leaders with real life expertise and because you won't get a more thorough education anywhere…PLUS it's local, lodging and mileage is covered by SAFER grant if you live 50 miles or more away.
More firefighters are seriously injured and killed while operating at residential building fires than any other building type. This dynamic and interactive six-hour lecture will address 25 critical firefighting issues common to the residential building. The program will discuss areas of firefighters preparation, response and operations, all of which are vital to successfully mitigating these potentially deadly incidents. Students will learn "street-smart" tips, tactics and take-home practical company drills to remedy the commonly encountered errors allowing the students to bring back more than just what they heard.
On Wednesday, August 10, 2016, at 2355 hours, units were dispatched to a report of fire from the third floor of an apartment building at 8644 Piney Branch Road. The corrected address was 8701 Arliss Street with an explosion, heavy fire throughout, and building collapse. This incident also had a mass casualty component and operations were divided between fire and emergency medical services (EMS) once the MCI was discovered by Command.
Contact the Clarion Hotel 1-800-638-2100 to make your reservations and use the code "Maryland Fire Chiefs Association". Reservations must be made by November 9, 2018. The room rate is $79 per night, you will need to place the room on hold with a credit card. If you do not show, your card will be charged.


Enhanced landscaping improves property value, and water features make your property stand out from the rest. A waterfall in the front yard provides curb appeal, while a backyard Ecosystem Pond increases a home's value much like a deck, patio, or gazebo. The sound of a water feature will drown out noise from traffic or neighbors. In addition, water features provide an interesting backdrop for entertaining while adding aesthetic appeal to your landscape. Waterfront property is a prized commodity and you can easily incorporate water into your outdoor living space without having to move near a lake or ocean.
Backyard ponds create a gathering spot for family and friends. Young children, teenagers, parents, and grandparents enjoy relaxing by the pond's edge, and water features act like a magnet pulling the family together. Enjoy family meals outside near the pond and spend the evening unwinding with your loved ones. Educate young children on the wonders of nature with an ecosystem pond. All ages love watching the fish glide underneath lily pads, and enjoy the surprise afforded by a frog poking its head above the surface of the water.
Water features provide soothing sights and sounds that help you relax and de-stress in today's busy world. Lower your blood pressure and improve your physical and mental health as you prop your feet up and enjoy the therapeutic effects of Mother Nature.
Environmental sustainability has taken center stage in today's world, and water plays an important role as the world's greatest resource. An ecosystem pond is self-sustaining with very little maintenance. Although it takes many gallons of water to fill initially, over the long haul it requires less water than the expanse of lawn it replaced. Water features attract wildlife of all kinds, from birds to butterflies, to frogs and salamanders. Certified wildlife habitats are growing in popularity, and water is one of the elements required to achieve certification. Water gardening becomes your new hobby as you feel yourself drawn to its beauty and natural elements. A pond provides opportunity to have fish as pets, without the mess and maintenance of an aquarium. Aquatic plants give you the chance to broaden your gardening horizons with choices that go beyond the standard petunia and rose. In addition, bird lovers will delight in the new variety of feathered friends that flock to a water feature. Nature lovers simply can't go wrong with water features.
This pond is approximately 1 1/2 acres. It was designed as an entire eco-system. The area has been fully landscaped and it has had approximately 6 seasons to mature. It makes for a wonderful area to relax, go fishing, or gather with some of your family and friends.
This pond is an example of a small private lake that we constructed. The deep end is approximately 13′ deep. The body of water comprises approximately 3 acres of land. Check back throughout the year to view updated photos as the seasons change.


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Biology Articles
Chemistry Articles
Waking up to the cosmic dawn
Across Europe, some 10 000 antennas stand to attention: they are in a sense an incredibly powerful time machine.
By Jon Cartwright.
LOFAR_Potsdam_Bornim.jpg
CC-BY-SA - Haplochromis (Own work)
Across Europe, some 10 000 antennas stand courtly, like squat flag poles. They may not look like much, but they are in a sense an incredibly powerful time machine.
Known collectively as the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), the antennas are receiving radio signals that have travelled billions of years to get here, from the depths of the cosmos. That means they are looking billions of years into the past, when the universe was almost featureless - and when planets, stars or galaxies didn't exist.
Because light travels at a finite speed, all telescopes look into the past to some extent. But astrophysicist Professor Dominik Schwarz of Bielefeld University in Germany, who helped to plan the telescope, said the 'cosmic dawn cannot be seen with any other instrument'.
The LOFAR antennas are concentrated in the Netherlands - indeed they are run by the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, and are mostly funded by the Dutch government. But the EU and several other European countries have also backed the project to host some of the instrumentation - Prof. Schwarz's group operates a LOFAR station in Norderstedt, Germany, which is the size of a football pitch and contains nearly 200 LOFAR antennas.
Metal sticks
LOFAR is not a telescope in the familiar sense. It is not a big tube with glass lenses and mirrors, nor is it one of those latticed cones that look like huge satellite dishes, pointed up to the heavens. Instead, it is an array of what are, essentially, metal sticks. These are omnidirectional antennas, which do not point in any one direction but receive radio signals from anywhere and everywhere.
By combining the signals coming from individual antennas in different ways, however, it is possible to point the antennas computationally. That requires some clever mathematics and a hefty supercomputer - the latter is situated at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
The radio signals of interest are emitted by hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. Given its predominance, an observation of hydrogen is an observation of matter more generally.
Hydrogen emits radio waves with a wavelength of 21 centimetres. But the universe is expanding, meaning that the radio waves of distant hydrogen atoms are stretched en route to us.
By focusing on the most stretched radio waves - up to two metres in wavelength - LOFAR can focus on the most distant hydrogen and, therefore, the oldest regions of the cosmos.
Of course, it is not quite that simple. The sparseness of the LOFAR antennas means that they cannot give a complete map of the heavens by themselves.
In their calculations, therefore, the astronomers must make certain assumptions about what the sky looks like. For instance, they know that it is mostly black, that the patches of light are not totally random, and that objects such as galaxies have familiar shapes like spirals and ellipses.
To an extent, plugging these assumptions into the maths allows a complete image to be formed. But it is not perfect, as the actual appearances of certain astronomical phenomena do not have a simple relationship with the data recordings.
Astrophysicist Dr Jérôme Bobin and his colleagues are hoping to solve this problem, and help give a more accurate picture of the cosmic dawn, by developing new algorithms to interpret radio data. Their LENA project, backed by the EU's European Research Council, will draw on advances in various aspects of applied mathematics, such as machine learning.
Dr Bobin believes the work will be particularly helpful for the study of the oldest, most distant phenomena. 'This cosmological signal will be a really good probe of our universe's evolution, precisely at a barely known period called the dark ages,' he said.
LOFAR became operational in 2012, and the hope is that it will help scientists understand how the universe's first structures began to form.
One of the first observations was of a giant elliptical galaxy, Messier 87, located in the centre of a cluster of galaxies in the Virgo constellation. The observations revealed that the super-massive black hole at the galactic centre is continuously sucking in nearby matter and firing it out to create a galaxy-sized bubble of plasma.
The study of Messier 87 was made possible thanks to RadioNet3, an EU project bringing together research infrastructures that gives astronomers from non-partner states free access to LOFAR and other radio telescopes.
'It allows us to pull together all the radio telescopes we have, and offer access under one umbrella,' said Dr Izabela Rottmann, an astrophysicist at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, and RadioNet3's project manager.
Providing EU-wide access to world-class radio telescopes is key to maintaining the quality of European astronomy, says Dr Rottmann, as European funds are not enough to build one on their own. And there is nothing else quite like LOFAR.
Scientists hope that the telescope could also boost the inventory of known galaxies by several million, and probe the universe's magnetism, which is thought to affect how galaxies have evolved over time.
The observations could also tackle very specific issues. For example, by timing the regular radio-bursts of pulsars - which are thought to be dense, rapidly rotating stars - LOFAR could accurately test that pillar of modern physics, Einstein's general theory of relativity.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package net.akehurst.application.framework.common;

import org.jooq.lambda.function.Consumer0;
import org.jooq.lambda.function.Consumer1;
import org.jooq.lambda.function.Consumer2;
import org.jooq.lambda.function.Consumer3;

public interface ActiveProcessor {

	<T, P1> MessageBuilder send(Class<T> contractInterface, Consumer2<? super T, P1> message, P1 p1);

	<T, P1, P2> void send(Class<T> contractInterface, Consumer3<? super T, P1, P2> message, P1 p1, P2 p2);

	<T> void receive(Class<T> contractInterface, Consumer0 message);

	<T> void receive0(Class<T> contractInterface, Consumer1<? super T> message, Consumer0 task);

	<T, P1> void receive1(Class<T> contractInterface, Consumer2<? super T, P1> message, Consumer1<P1> task);

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Youth is for young adults aged 13-18. The youth group meet on a Friday evening (1st & 3rd Friday of the month) and during the Sunday services. They are taught from the Bible, enjoy plenty of food, social gatherings and annual away trips.


HP's acquisition of EDS a month ago reflected a clear and cohesive strategy: take the number 1 plate from rival IBM in the IT services business. HP combined with EDS, it moved them up to a quick second place with $40B in revenue against IBM's $54B. HP is a good decade behind IBM IT services strategy, which Lou Gerstner used to turn the company around. HP first followed IBM under Carly Fiorina and so far the company has not proven a serious challenge. Now the strategy makes sense, but the announced tactics go against this strategy. He's already downsizing the company he just bought for $13.9B. Find out more by following this link.


A small evergreen shrubby plant from the Canary Islands, Isoplexis canariensis is the best known species however a number of other garden worthy varieties are also offered by wholesalers. Related to foxgloves they are a brilliant flowering perennial.
Easy to grow in a well drained soil they are becoming increasingly popular with Australian landscapers for their tough drought tolerant nature.
Species to differ in foliage and flower structure, Isoplexis sceptrum being a softer look in the garden than others.
All species grow well in full sun to part shade and all require protection from frosts. Flowering in summer a little additional water in long dry spells may be required, mulching around plants is usually sufficient.
All species add a sculptural aspect to landscaping projects including good flower displays.
Isoplexis sceptrum- Large textural foliage, a flower that looks like a pineapple before it opens to a large mass of orange to creamy yellow blloms.
Isoplexis isabelliana – Narrow foliage with a red flower spike, excellent in a dry sunny to part shaded position.


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PD '22 Premieres
Pando Days '22 projects premiered December 6, 7 and 9. Fifteen Southland colleges and universities showcased the work they had developed in courses, studios, and labs to implement LA County's sustainability plan.
This year's premiere week saw the unveiling of sustainability innovations, with plans, prototypes, and next steps. Hosted by Matthew Manos, founder of the Los Angeles design design firm verynice and Director of Challenge-Based Learning, USC Iovine and Young Academy.
See all Pando Days '22 projects in the premiere week lineup.
THREE PREMIERE EVENTS showcased 5 projects per day
TUES., DEC. 6, 12:00 – 2:10 pm, PT.
Premiering institutions in the Habitat Category: Mount Saint Mary's University of Los Angeles; University of Southern California; California Lutheran University; Los Angeles Community College District; ArtCenter College of Design. Respondents: Alex Mitchell, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator; Rodrigo Rodarte, Mia Lehrer Studio, Mark VanderSchaaf, National Chair, Regional Intergovernmental Planning Division, American Planning Association.
WED., DEC. 7, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, PT.
Premiering institutions in the Health, Communications, and Spirit Categories: Los Angeles Trade-Technical College; ArtCenter College of Design; Santa Monica College; College of the Canyons; Pepperdine University. Respondents: Steve Baule, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; Cassie Rauser, UCLA Sustainable Grand Challenge; Chris Rhie, Buro Happold (frmr.).
FRI., DEC. 9, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, PT.
Premiering institutions in the Climate/Water Category: California State University, Long Beach; California State University, Northridge; Harvey Mudd College; Pomona College; California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; California Institute of the Arts. Respondents: La Ronda Bowen, California Air Resources Board (ret.); Maribeth Larkin, Sisters of Social Service; Cris Liban, Metro.
Don't miss the Pando Days season Finale, April 16, 2023 on the campus of Caltech. Watch for details.
Return to Pando Days '22


The first thing you'll notice about Labirinto's debut (provided you buy a physical copy) is the stunning artwork. Fostering such high expectations could lead to setting oneself up for a fall, but the 70 epic minutes that make up this debut album are varied, engrossing and enthralling. Each of the six tracks passes the 10-minute mark and harbour several different passages à la Godspeed. However, each is linked with an obvious tonal vision more akin to Mono's slow builds and grand crescendos. Mourning cello, mystic sitar, Old West banjo, whirring synthesiser and lonesome Mariachi guitar flesh out this unfolding post-rock opus.


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Customers who arrive at Thunderpaws Pet Shoppe in Ketchum when 16-year-old Calder Zarkos is working could be greeted with a strange sight: a pigeon cuddling with a human.
That pigeon is named Hubert, a white and red homing pigeon that Zarkos has raised from an egg and who has had very little contact with other pigeons.
"If you could see it, your heart would melt," said Roberta Blodgett, whose lovebird goes to daycare at Thunderpaws, where she first met Hubert and Zarkos. "This pigeon doesn't even know he's a pigeon. You can cuddle him and coo at him and he loves it."
Zarkos, a Community School junior, has been bringing up Hubert by hand since he was born in Zarkos' pigeon loft this spring. Early one spring morning, Zarkos entered the pigeon coop to find Hubert in his nest, freezing and abandoned.
"I guess the mom got scared off of him," Zarkos said. "She didn't sit on him one night, and I found him in the morning."
Raising a pigeon by hand has its challenges, among those being feeding. Zarkos said he raised Hubert based on previous reading and what he's gleaned from other pigeon breeders he knows.
"There wasn't really a formulated step-by-step raising for him," Zarkos said. "It was just whatever I felt was necessary to keep him going."
Necessary measures included feeding Hubert a mixture of Purina pigeon pellets and water. Though now that the little bird is weaned, Zarkos' mother, Jody, said the high school student has been feeding Hubert just as his mother would.
"Calder's been feeding him out of his mouth for weeks and weeks," she said. "He's so dedicated to those birds."
Hubert is one of Zarkos' flock of 34 pigeons that live in a coop behind the family's Board Ranch home. Half the pigeons are "rollers," stunt pigeons that instinctively roll and do flips while flying, a trait that evolved as a way to avoid predators.
The other half are homing pigeons, trained to return home at the sound of a whistle.
Homing pigeons are famous for being the "carrier pigeons" of yore, mostly notable for their role in carrying important messages and airmail.
A homing pigeon named Cher Ami was even awarded the French Croix de Guerre for delivering 12 important messages while severely injured in World War I. Three pigeons won the Dickin Medal for carrying messages that saved lives during World War II.
Use of pigeons for carrying messages has fallen off in more recent times, but numerous associations across the country are dedicated to the breeding, showing and flying of these birds.
Zarkos first became interested in pigeons three years ago when visiting pigeon expert Jim Jenner in Montana, the uncle of a close friend. Jenner has made several documentaries about pigeons and pigeon racing.
When Zarkos returned home to Ketchum, he contacted a Bellevue pigeon breeder who helped him fill his coop.
Jody Zarkos said she was less than thrilled about her son's new hobby.
"I'm not a bird fan at all, so I was like, 'Ooh, I don't know about that,'" she said. "Then I went away for a weekend and when I came back, there was a coop in my backyard."
Jody said she's mostly made her peace with the birds since the coop appeared three years ago.
"He only flies them at certain times, so it's not like they're wandering around the house or anything," she said, adding that her son's enthusiasm helped win her over. "It's hard to say no when they are that excited about something."
Backwoods Mountain Sports owner Andy Munter and his wife, Janet Kellam, former director of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center, live a few doors down from the Zarkos family, and Munter said they've greeted the pigeons with enthusiasm, too, thanks in part to Zarkos.
"It's really neat that a kid like that has a passion that deals with such responsibility," Munter said.
He said he and his wife haven't had any adverse affects from the pigeons, either with noise or other problems.
"Maybe their next-door neighbors have a poop problem, but we don't," he said with a laugh. "It's a real pleasure to drive home and see a flock of 30 to 40 pigeons, the sun glistening off their wings, knowing they're going home in a few minutes."
Zarkos said that contrary to pigeons' reputation, his birds are far from the "rats with wings" that city-dwellers are used to dealing with.
"They're not as dirty as people see in cities," he said. "They give themselves baths and they preen their feathers."
The pigeons are also remarkably friendly, he said, and more than willing to approach humans—especially if food is imminent. But in that respect, Hubert is more lovable than others.
"Most pigeons will come up to you, but not like he does," Zarkos said. "He'll land on your shoulder, you can pick him up and walk around with him, and it doesn't bother him."
The bird's current abode is a small box in the Zarkos' garage, but he's soon to move into his own small house near the other pigeon coops.
Zarkos said pigeons flock in the air, but are fiercely territorial when at their home loft, which could make it difficult for the orphaned Hubert to join the flock.
Zarkos said Hubert will be free to join the other birds if he wants to, but he may not choose that path. Hubert has only encountered Zarkos' other pigeons twice, which may explain his affinity for humans.
"Either he thinks we're pigeons or he's us," Zarkos said.


Here is a brand new single from the GhOne Next Big thing in Gh Hiphop finalist "Mzta ilygal" titled AntiClockwise.
The Ghanaian rapper/dancehall artiste features his fellow mate and winner of the GhOne Next Big thing in Gh Hiphop "Strongman" on an instrument produced by the hottest producer in Kumasi TubhaniBeatz.
Mzta ilygal has over time proven his versatility by fusing rap and dancehall music. He makes it refreshing to hear something different and yet so relevant. Looks like Mzta ilygal is really here to stay.


The wide range of modular spaces that we can provide for all kinds of medical spaces sets us apart from our competitors. We can provide your medical facility with a modular neonatal unit to ensure that you can provide a high-level of emergency medical care to newborn children and their mothers. Our team have extensive experience when it comes to delivering high-performing and reliable modular buildings for both NHS hospitals and private healthcare facilities.
Over the past few years, we have worked with medical spaces across the UK to deliver industry-leading spaces to suit their needs. Our bespoke buildings are the perfect choice for a wide range of medical spaces, including neonatal units for emergency care.
Thanks to the benefits allowed by bespoke modular design, you will be able to offer the most effective medical services to your patients. It is important that neonatal units are some of the most secure and sterile environments and, thanks to modular designs, you will be able to create this space to suit your needs and the needs of your patients.
It is important that the new modular neonatal unit for your medical space is a calming environment, for both the children themselves and new parents. After all, seeing your new born child surrounded by a range of large medical equipment can be distressing, so it is important that the environment feels as safe and calm as possible to prevent distress.
A good or bad neonatal unit doesn't just come down to the equipment and the attitudes of the staff. A great modular neonatal unit will be designed to soothe and calm the parents of these patients and allow your staff to monitor and treat these new born babies as required.
Modular design is far more effective than traditional, brick-and-mortar design in any kind of medical space. The entire project time is far shorter than alternative building methods and offers a much wider range of customisation options for our clients.
Utilising the latest in smart building approaches, we can erect a comprehensive range of high-quality spaces for a wide range of medical facilities. An important part of our service is that we manufacture all the components for the medical space off-site in factory conditions. We also ensure that each piece of equipment has undergone extensive testing before it arrives at your site – that means you can be assured of completely reliable space.
Our professional team have worked on a wide range of medical spaces over the years. We are specialists when it comes to minimising on-site disruption, allowing your medical facility to continue to operate as normally while we undertake our work.
Today's medical spaces need to offer flexible treatment to their patients as well as the ability to fluctuate their design to suit their ever-changing needs. Thanks to a modular neonatal unit, you will be able to adapt and evolve your medical facility's design are required.
Here at Cotaplan, we have been delivering premium modular construction services for many years. We specialise in creating high-performing, bespoke medical spaces for all kinds of facilities including both NHS and private hospitals. All our modular buildings are designed to meet all relevant building regulations, including local authority and council building regulations, NHS standards and all disabled access and equality act guidelines.
Our professional team can work with you to create a modular neonatal unit. We can help to design a space which has been built directly around the needs of your patients to provide an outstanding level of medical care. Thanks to the fantastic benefits provided by modular neonatal units, you'll be able to treat all your patients efficiently whilst providing comfort to both patients' families and staff.
For more information on our wide range of bespoke modular spaces, don't hesitate to get in touch with our team today. You can reach us directly by calling 0800 7999049 today. If you prefer, you can email any queries you have to info@cotaplan.co.uk and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.


text:
*BREAKING NEWS* Next Slate Of Star Trek Films Announced; George Lucas Rumored As Writer
With the relasee of Star Trek Beyond looming in the very near future, news is leaking out of Paramount Studios that the next slate of Star Trek films are currently being developed with an entirely fresh creative direction in mind. Producer JJ Abrahms is looking to a familiar source to help him go back to Star Trek's roots. The Fanbros street team was able to get a quote from the popular director about who he wants on his side for the future of Star Trek. \
"We're looking to focus more on the exploration, discovery and imaginative spirit of the original Star Trek series. They boldly went where no one had gone before. And we wanted to work with someone who changed the scope of what a film could be." Abrahms wouldn't give us a direct answer but hinted at who will scribe the next trilogy of Star Trek films. "He created one of the greatest stories ever told about a group of kids, and a few robots, in space fighting for peace. And we'd like him to lend us his… force, if you will, to help us make these stories great again."
George Lucas could not be reached for comment, he was too busy taking a money bath.
Tags : April Fools, George Lucas, Star Trek, Star Wars
*BREAKING NEWS* Ink Dries On Top Secret Deal Between Marvel & Fox.
Adult Swim Producing New Seasons of FLCL
TyTheRobot
Magical Space Negro


I declare Motion No. 160 lost.
The next question is on Motion No. 161. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
I declare Motion No. 161 lost.
The next question is on Motion No. 162. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
I declare Motion No. 162 lost.
The next question is on Motion No. 163. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?


text:
<?php declare(strict_types=1);

namespace Koldy\Db\ModelTraits;

use DateTime;
use DateTimeZone;
use Koldy\Exception;

/**
 * Trait DeletedAt
 * @package Koldy\Db\ModelTraits
 *
 * @property string|null deleted_at
 */
trait DeletedAt
{

    /**
     * @return bool
     */
    public function isDeleted(): bool
    {
	    return is_string($this->deleted_at) && strlen($this->deleted_at) > 0;
    }

    /**
     * @return string|null
     */
    public function getDeletedAt(): ?string
    {
        return $this->deleted_at;
    }

	/**
	 * @param string|null $timezone
	 *
	 * @return DateTime|null
	 * @throws \Exception
	 */
    public function getDeletedAtDatetime(string $timezone = null): ?DateTime
    {
        if (!$this->isDeleted()) {
            return null;
        }

        return new DateTime($this->getDeletedAt(), new DateTimeZone($timezone ?? 'UTC'));
    }

	/**
	 * Get the timestamp of the created_at value
	 *
	 * @return int|null
	 * @throws Exception
	 */
    public function getDeletedAtTimestamp(): ?int
    {
        if (!$this->isDeleted()) {
            return null;
        }

	    $timestamp = strtotime($this->getDeletedAt() . 'UTC');

	    if ($timestamp === false) {
		    throw new Exception("Unable to get timestamp from \"{$this->getDeletedAt()}\"");
	    }

	    return $timestamp;
    }

    /**
     * Sets the deleted at value
     *
     * @param DateTime|string|null $deletedAt - Pass the SQL's Y-m-d H:i:s or Y-m-d value, or leave undefined
     */
    public function setDeletedAt(DateTime | string | null $deletedAt): void
    {
		if ($deletedAt instanceof DateTime) {
			$this->deleted_at = $deletedAt->format('Y-m-d H:i:s');
		} else {
			$this->deleted_at = $deletedAt;
		}
    }
}


We're no cookie-cutter cloud provider. We know how unique CPA firms are and develop custom cloud solutions to fit your needs. Cetrom's experience dates back to 2001, when we first began providing IT services to accountants like you. We understand the challenges of providing IT solutions to the accounting industry during peak tax season, which is why we have the ability to scale up your capacity for when you need it the most. With our CPA cloud solutions, you no longer have to maintain outdated in-house IT systems or spend more valuable time and resources than necessary.
You don't have time to be down – which is why we make your data security our #1 priority. We have the IT expertise, available 24/7/365, to take the pain of managing your own system away, and make IT easy.


text:
Watchlist 2010
Operation of longer, heavier trains
Added to Watchlist on August 16, 2010
Inappropriate handling and marshalling can compromise the safe operation of longer, heavier trains.
Freight trains cross the country every day. The length of each train, as well as the manner in which its cars are marshalled, or put together, affects the forces involved during train handling. Lighter cars, for example, slow down and speed up more quickly than heavier ones, generating disruptive push/pull forces that can derail the train.Footnote 1 This effect is more pronounced in longer trains, particularly when empty cars are located at the front. Since 2000, the TSB has investigated at least 12 derailmentsFootnote 2 where these in-train forces have been a causal or contributing factor, and the problem is growing. Not only are trains involved in main-track derailments heavier than ever, they are longer, too—over 25 per cent from just 15 years ago.Footnote 3 Some of today's longer, heavier trains stretch over three kilometres in length and contain 150 cars or more. These trains are seeing expanded use across Canada, including into the country's busiest traffic corridors.Footnote 4 The consequences of any derailment, therefore, can become magnified, and it is important that those who identify and monitor the risks be able to mitigate them.
Following the 2007 derailment of a freight train near Cobourg, Ontario, the TSB once again drew attention to train configuration and braking, expressing concern that effective measures have not been taken to reduce the continued risks of derailment.Footnote 5
The TSB has issued four other safety communications since 2001Footnote 6 all dealing with the safe operation of longer, heavier trains. Despite these efforts, some railways have not taken sufficient steps required to safely manage these in-train forces.
Railways need to take further steps to ensure the appropriate handling and marshalling of longer, heavier trains. Detailed risk assessments are required whenever operating practices change.
TSB Investigation Report R01M0061 and TSB Occurrence Summary R01T0026
TSB Investigation Reports R00Q0023, R01M0061, R01T0006, R02C0050, R02W0060, R05C0082, R07T0110 and R07D0009 and TSB Occurrence Summaries R01T0026, R05T0070, R05D0039 and R05T0051
Between 1995 and 1999, average mass of trains involved in main-track derailments was 5130 tonnes, average length was 4097 feet, and average number of cars per train was 66. Between 2005 and 2009, average mass increased to 7163 tonnes, average length increased to 5173 feet, and average number of cars per train was 79.
Rail Safety Advisory (RSA) 02/06
Rail Safety Information letter (RSI) 14/07, RSA 08/07, RSA09/07, Safety Concerns (i) R07T0110 and (ii) R07T0110
Recommendation R04-01, Safety Concern R02C0050, RSI 08-02 and RSA 02-06


text:
Q: Supporting HTTP 100 Continue with PHP I'm working on a PHP webapp that accepts large POSTed file uploads from specific clients and would like to accept or reject these uploads (based on various headers and other factors, not just size) before the file is uploaded by using HTTP/1.1 100 Continue.
Some quick background from HTTP/1.1 spec 8.2.3:

The purpose of the 100 (Continue) status (see section 10.1.1) is to allow a client that is sending a request message with a request body to determine if the origin server is willing to accept the request (based on the request headers) before the client sends the request body. In some cases, it might either be inappropriate or highly inefficient for the client to send the body if the server will reject the message without looking at the body.

The problem is that Apache sees the Expect: 100-continue from the client, returns a 100 Continue and accepts the file upload all before PHP begins processing...  However I need PHP to begin processing immediately after the Expect: 100-continue.  I'm not sure if this is possible so I have two questions:

*

*Is it possible to make PHP begin processing immediately after the Expect: 100-continue?

*If not, what is a good alternative?

I'm currently thinking of emulating 100 continue by specifying the client first send a HEAD request with the same headers as the POST.  The webapp can then return a response to continue with the POST or an error code.  Other suggestions are welcome!

A: Unfortunately I don't think this is possible. If this is a real requirement, I think it's best to simply look at other languages. I think today heterogeneous environments are more common than when this question was written, so why not create a small service written in some other language that just deals with the upload.
But yea, the way PHP works is that the script only starts when the entire request is sent by the client.

A: Trying to do this on the HTTP level seems too difficult.  It is important as a developer to not get hung up on a specific solution.  The problem is you want to do a series of checks before you handle the upload.  All you need to do is put a qualifying page before the upload.  This qualifying page will only show them the upload form if they pass the series of checks and qualify.  That is exactly what you are trying to do only you can do it in code PHP.  If it is possible, the HTTP 100 thing will always require lots of additional configuration, thus creating a headache for support later on.  If you do it in the code those that come behind you (or yourself in a couple of years) will be able to clearly understand what the app is doing.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
These are the 10 best Edinburgh schools in 2020 as ranked by Highers results
Edinburgh Council: No plans to axe teachers following 'frightening' Glasgow budget plan
Edinburgh University paid more than £17,900 to run Principal's £1.7m house last academic year
A Freedom of Information Request has revealed that the University of Edinburgh paid £17,910 last year to maintain and run the Chancellor's £1.7 million townhouse.
By Anna Bryan
7th Oct 2022, 4:45am - 2 min read
Over the 2021 – 2022 academic term, the world-renowned University spent £5,799 on gas and electricity for the property – more than four times what the average UK household spends, according to Glide.
The property, which was donated to the University in 2015, has an estimated market value of £1,750,000.
Edinburgh buildings: Here are eight of the ugliest buildings in the Capital acco...
The 11 best Lothian schools according to Sunday Times Guide, including Linlithgow Academy
Edinburgh schools: Stewart's Melville boarding house for boys to permanently close its doors
Edinburgh University also paid a £4,243 council tax bill for the four-storey 200-year-old building in Ccntral Edinburgh, which has five bedrooms, four reception rooms, a kitchen, and a garden.
Other significant costs included £1,080 on cleaning, £4,932 for joinery works, £665 for landscape and gardening services, £300.55 for an aga cooker service, and £270 for window cleaning.
Professor Peter Mathieson, who is the current Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, had a salary of £342,000 when he was first appointed in 2018.
Jonny Dennis, a PhD researcher at the University of Edinburgh, who is also a UCU representative, submitted the Freedom of Information request. He said: "Principal Mathieson lives rent and bill free in a mansion on the most expensive street in Scotland.
The University of Edinburgh Principal's Residence is located on Regents Terrace - one of Scotland's most expensive streets.
"It is frustrating finding out that the university is paying the bills for someone earning more than any other public sector figure in Scotland. Currently, many of the Principal's students have no suitable accommodation, and the university pays almost £20,000 extra for council tax, energy, cleaning, and an Aga.
"Mathieson has openly supported 35% pension cuts for university staff, claiming it is the financially responsible thing to do. The excessive pay and benefits for the top executive of a charity is deeply unfair and embarrassing for the university, especially in the midst of austerity and the cost-of-living crisis."
A University of Edinburgh spokesperson said: "In common with most other universities, accommodation for the University of Edinburgh's Principal and their immediate family is provided as part of the role. The Principal's residence is not used solely as a family home but also frequently as a venue for hosting formal university events, and as such, the institution covers fuel costs and costs for maintaining the building. The residence is used for official events to welcome international guests and dignitaries which strengthens the University's global reputation and increases our partnerships and potential funding streams.
"We are acutely aware of the issues facing some of our students, and have significantly increased our hardship funding to provide more support to those who are experiencing financial difficulties. To protect students from rising bills, we have chosen to not increase prices for our accommodation since rent levels were agreed in November 2021. Our students pay a standard rent that includes all utilities and the University has absorbed recent additional costs; our rental rates remain some of the lowest in the sector.
Professor Peter Mathieson, the current Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh.
"All students who met the requirements of our accommodation guarantee have been offered a place in University residences this year. We have also been in a position to provide offers of accommodation to more than 2,600 students over and above our guaranteed places."


Casual Shoes From Clarks. The Upper Part Is Produced From Genuine Leather - Full Grain Leather. The Breathable Lining Is Made Of Textile. Comfort Is Provided By The Insoles Made Of Textile. Great Version Of Urban Style.


Airlines may never again see the golden era for business traffic enjoyed before the credit crisis, the chief executive of British Airways has cautioned.
The warning from Willie Walsh, as the industry assembles for an annual gathering in Malaysia, comes as the flag carrier embarks this week on a series of meetings with unions designed to reach agreement on cost cuts to help it weather the economic downturn.
Unpaid leave and part-time work are all options on the table and BA hopes to make significant progress by the end of the month.
The continued slide in lucrative passenger traffic, especially among profitable first and business-class passengers, is likely to inject greater urgency into the discussions. BA's premium traffic slumped 17.2pc in May and it has now fallen for 13 out of the last 14 months.
Mr Walsh will join other airline executives in Kuala Lumpur at the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which kicks off on Monday.
IATA is expected to predict even bigger losses for the airline industry this year than the $4.7bn (£2.9bn) it forecast in March. Giovanni Bisignani, the group's director general, said that despite some signs the global economy is stabilising, there has been no sign of a recovery in business travel.


text:
ARTICLES HISTORY TED BUNDY'S EXECUTION PARTY WAS COMPLETELY NUTS
Ted Bundy's Execution Party Was Completely Nuts
E. Reid Ross
While Ted Bundy still evoked some instinctual residual disgust in America's collective psyche as recently as a few months ago, for the most part, he had fallen out of the consciousness of the average person who didn't spend an inordinate of time watching serial killer documentaries on basic cable and YouTube. But then Netflix released Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, and suddenly his creepy eyes and creepier eyebrows were all the rage again.
The new Bundy craze is so powerful that Netflix actually decided to publicly address a problematic issue whereby people were going on and on about his "alleged hotness." Which is pretty damn gross, even though the man did have enough game to father a child while locked up in a prison with a strict "no conjugal visits" policy.
Florida Dept. of Corrections
"Hey there! I like long walks on the beach, dismembering coeds on the beach, and disposing of corpses in the waters off the beach."
After a solid career of heinous criminality and justice evasion, Bundy finally wound up in Florida State Prison and won a front-row seat on their electric chair ride. On January 24, 1989, his passing was a solemn affair which saw him receive his just reward in grim silence, while the nation pondered the depths of mankind's capacity for evil and the ramifications of capital punishment.
LOL, kidding! The prison was surrounded by hundreds of hooting rubberneckers, who'd decided to turn the state-sanctioned homicide of one of the world's worst serial killers into a gigantic tailgate party that even Raiders fans would find a bit distasteful.
Fittingly, the day involved the same number of deaths as many Florida fraternity hazing rituals.
Among the swarms of revelers getting turnt in the adjacent cow pasture were a number of off-duty police officers, random drunks, fireworks-shooting tourists, and frat boys who had been maybe all of ten years old when Bundy was actively killing people. Attendees chanted things like "Burn baby, burn!" while banging on pots and pans and holding up placards. They generally made the event into Burning (Dead) Man. Opportunistic vendors and roadside entrepreneurs were also on hand to hawk T-shirts (such as the one featuring a cartoon Bundy getting electrocuted), in addition to other equally tasteless tchotchkes commemorating a day when the families of an obscene number of victims were getting some closure. No word on whether they were offered any "friends and family" discounts.
KOMO 4 TV News
"Get your hot dogs on a Bun-dy and sizzlin' psychopath brats, freshly prepared and fried up on this here electric grill!"
Being the narcissistic jackass that he was, you'd suppose that the star of the show might have taken some pleasure in all this attention. According to reports, Bundy and his jailers could clearly hear the commotion going on outside. But even the slayer of dozens of innocents apparently found the spectacle disconcerting. "They're crazy. They think I'm crazy? Listen to all of them," remarked the necrophiliac murder.
When 7:16 a.m. finally came and an anonymous executioner pulled a lever to send electricity coursing through his body, word soon trickled out that Bundy had finally been executed before even the "small puff of smoke" that arose from one of his legs even had time to dissipate. The news triggered an outpouring of emotion from all the Reagan-mask-wearing, homemade-tinfoil-electric-chair helmet-making members of the crowd outside. They let loose wild cheers and yelled in the faces of the many journalists in attendance things like, "Thank God it's Fry-Day!" (It was a Tuesday.)
Even a hardened law enforcement professional like Jim Sewell, the police chief of Gulfport, Florida, was taken aback by the unabashed merrymaking he witnessed from the masses outside the prison. Despite admitting he had zero sympathy for the now-dead murderer, he pointed out that, "Regardless of what Bundy did, he was still a human being." Meanwhile, the crowd squealed in delight like tweens at an Ariana Grande concert as the coffin containing Bundy's corpse was transported away in a white hearse. They surrounded and chased it all the way to Gainesville, where he was cremated. (His ashes were later dispersed at an undisclosed location in the Pacific Northwest.)
So maybe you think the people of today, with all the horrors of the world ready for their viewing pleasure right there on their phones, are exceptionally callous. Well, just remember the image of a mulleted guy piggybacking on a girl while holding a frying pan and wearing a tie-dyed shirt with "The Bundy-BBQ" written on it. We're not saying that Theodore Robert Bundy deserves any sympathy whatsoever. In fact, feel free to spit on the ground like a superstitious grandmother after speaking his name. But at least try to have a little dignity about it.
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Related: The Internet's Debating Who's Sexier: Venom Or Ted Bundy?


The Israeli Interior Ministry says the new immigration rules are intended to benefit the migrants and asylum seekers, whom the government refers to as illegal infiltrators. However, Ruvi Ziegler, Associate Professor of International Law at the Reading University says it is a calculated plan to make people understand that they are not welcome.
Listen to his interview by 'Voice of the Cape', Cape Town, South Africa.


This cup has been handcrafted by MATSUI. He kneaded two kinds of clay both Bizen clay and white clay together. They have same contraction percentage in firing. There is change by appearing hiiro pattern red color. This comes with a signed wooden box.


Cougar Mountain is a hilly horseshoe-shaped mountain sharing a regional park with the same name, in Washington State. Located south of I-90 between Bellevue and Issaquah, Cougar Mountain is the western region of the Issaquah Alps. Cougar Mountain has the unique ability of being located very close to a metropolitan area while maintaining much of its natural state. As a result, Cougar Mountain is one of the most hiked peaks in the entire state of Washington.
Although many areas of the western and north sides of the mountain are developed, Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park was created in 1985 to help preserve the forested landscape and wildlife of the region. The park currently encompasses over 3000 acres. More than 36 miles of trails are available for walking, hiking, and running, as well as over 12 miles of trails available for horseback riding.
Cougar Mountain has multiple highpoints. The highest point, appropriately named "Wilderness Peak", is found near the southeastern corner of the mountain. Wilderness Peak is heavily forested and has no views, but does have a register for visiting hikers. Another hill on the mountain is "Anti-Aircraft Peak", a highpoint found on the north side of the mountain near "Radar Park", the site of a former military base. Another popular hill on the mountain is "Long View Peak", which, despite its name, has few long-range views as a result of the dense treecover along its slopes that obstruct views.
Despite a close proximity to big cities, the mountain maintains much of its original flora and fauna. Forests of alder, Douglas fir, maple, and oak fill the hilltops. Old-growth and second-growth Douglas fir can be found along the Wilderness Cliffs, a steep hillside found on Wilderness Peak. Groundcover such as ferns, salal, and salmonberries are also common throughout the area. Wildlife is also abundant in the park. Animals such as squirrels, skunks, long-tailed weasels, porcupines, mountain beavers, bobcats, coyotes, mule deer, black bears, and, appropriately, cougars all live on the mountain.
In addition to trails, plants, and wildlife, Cougar Mountain offers visitors other notable features. Multiple streams, marshes, and waterfalls are found throughout the area. Multiple large glacier boulders are found at various locations along the mountain. The largest such feature is "Fantastic Erratic", a massive moss-covered and fern-covered boulder located in the northeastern section of Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. Visitors can also hike to the entrance to a large mine shaft in the middle of the park, a leftover reminder of the region's past coal mining industry.
Cougar Mountain has significance in the local peakbagging community, too. The mountain has over 1000' of prominence ("P1K"). With 1145' of clean prominence despite only 1610' of elevation, Cougar Mountain is considered a "Napoleon" (a peak of large prominence for its limited stature). The peak is the closest P1K to the Seattle metropolitan area. During July 2015, due to its prominence and its close proximity to the Seattle metropolitan area, Cougar Mountain was chosen as a site to hold a memorial service for the late prominencian Edward Earl, who had lived within miles of the peak for several years until his death the previous month during an Alaska mountaineering expedition.
Cougar Mountain formed as a result of tectonic uplift that occurred between 5-20 Million years ago during the Miocene Epoch. The Seattle Fault is still an active tectonic fault that resides along the lower northern edge of peak. The tectonic uplift exposed sedimentary and volcanic stratigraphy that had formed during the Eocene and Oligocene Epochs (between 20-55 Million years ago). Those rock layers gradually eroded to form what is the surface of Cougar Mountain today. In fact, Paleogene Period fossils and deposits can still be found at Cougar Mountain today, including gastropods, echinoderms, scaphopods, and bivalves. Glacial activity during the Pleistocene Epoch (11,000-2 Million years ago) further altered the geologic landscape of the mountain, most noticeable today on the eastern slopes of the peak, where open talus and glacial erratics can be found.
Native Americans had resided near Cougar Mountain for thousands of years. European settlers discovered coal on the peak during 1863, leading to one of the first successful Puget Sound coal mines being created there. Coal Creek, one of the main tributaries of the peak, got its name because of the coal discovery nearby. During 1869, the Whitworth family (F.H. Whitworth, J.E. Whitworth, Reverend George F. Whitworth) discovered a major coal vein on one of the western hills of the mountain. The Whitworth family named the area Newcastle, based upon an old English phrase "taking coals to Newcastle" in reference to a famous English coal mining town of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne which prospered during the 16th Century. The Newcastle coal mining community existed along the western slopes and hills of Cougar Mountain until midway through the 20th Century. Today, at least one grate-covered mine shaft can still be seen up-close, along the Shaft Trail between the North & East Forks of Coal Creek.
During the middle of the 20th Century, the United States military realized the advantageous location of Cougar Mountain in relation to Lake Washington and urban areas east of Seattle. During 1953, in the final months of the Korean War, the hills of Cougar Mountain, to guard Puget Sound from possible enemy attacks from overseas. Later, between the years 1957-1964, the anti-aircraft guns were replaced by the Nike Ajax Missile Defense System (located at Point 1184', nicknamed "Radar Park"). The military complex persevered at the site until 1983, when King County acquired the land and facility from the military as part of a plan to develop what would ultimately become Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. "Anti-Aircraft Peak" (Point 1483') has its name as a lasting tribute to the historical significance of military operations in the area.
2) Head south on Lakemont Blvd SE.
3) After 3.0 miles, the Red Town Trailhead parking lot will be on the left side of the road, at a bend in the road.
3) After 2.2 miles, turn left onto SE Cougar Mountain Way.
4) After 1.1 miles, veer right onto SE Cougar Mountain Drive.
5) After 0.9 miles, veer right into the entrance of Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.
6) After 0.3 miles, arrive at the Anti-Aircraft Trailhead parking lot.
2) Head south on 17th Ave SW, which turns into Hwy 900/ Renton-Issaquah Road SE.
3) After 3.1 miles, the Red Town Trailhead parking lot will be slightly uphill on the right side of the road.
HOURS: 8:00 AM - Dusk, daily.
Beginning during 2011, parking areas and trailheads within and for the Issaquah Alps region require a Discover Pass to be in each vehicle during the visit. Failure to have a Discover Pass visible within a parked vehicle at these locations can result in a substantial fine. For more information regarding the Discover Pass, please visit the official website.
All dogs must remain on-leash while in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.
Official King County Parks Department website for Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.


We can't change the world, we can only change that part of it that we occupy – that part we each call call "me".
But when we change that part we also change the whole.
I need a world that's easier for me to live in.
What I do is just me doing my part, and the best way I know how, to help that world come about.
This entry was posted in Ideas, sh!t is f#cked and tagged a world that's easier to live in, difference, diversity, live. Bookmark the permalink.


The front page of today's Irish Examiner reports that AIB still offers to cover €2,500 per year in gym or golf club expenses on the part of its employees.
AIB is offering to pay employees' golf club fees and leisure club memberships worth millions of euro every year despite being crippled with debt and facing massive job losses and a likely state takeover.
The piece goes on to say that the scheme is offered to each of the bank's 12,500 employees in Ireland, as well as the 2,500 it employs in Britain. Up to €2,500, it says, is offered to each employee.
Meanwhile, the bank increased its variable mortgage interest rate from 2.75% to 3.25% yesterday, which will (it is reported) hit about 50,000 mortgage holders with a monthly repayments increase of about €27.
So this morning, after seeing the Examiner's lead, I decided to crunch some figures.
In the results it filed in March, for the year ending 31 December 2009, AIB said it had a residential mortgage book valued at about €27.1bn. In layman's terms, that means that homeowners in Ireland collectively hold mortgages, from AIB, to the tune of €27,100,000,000.
How much of this €27.1bn is lent at a variable rate? Well, that depends on who you ask. This morning's Irish Times estimates that about 30% of the bank's mortgages are lent at a variable rate (thanks to Aaron Quigley for alerting me), while Karl Deeter from Irish Mortgage Brokers suggested to me that the variable portfolio amounts to about 20% of the total.
This is where it gets interesting. Yesterday's Irish Times posited that the 0.5% increase in the interest rate would result in the monthly repayment increasing by €26.96 for every €100,000 outstanding on a borrower's mortgage.
So, if 30% of AIB's mortgages are lent at a variable rate (€8.13bn), then AIB stands to make an extra €2,191.848 a month from the increased interest rate – that's €26.17 million a year. If as Karl suggests the rate is closer to 20% (€5.42bn), it will make €1,461,232 extra per month, or €17.44 a year.
Now let's go back to the gym membership scheme. Though it's unlikely, let's suggest – as well most employees might want to – that every single employee claims their €2,500, there's a chance that AIB is faced with 15,000 bills for €2,500 every year. That's €37,500,000 a year for AIB employees to go to the gym or the golf club.
So, if 20% of AIB's mortgages are at a variable rate, then the amount by which AIB is hitting mortgage holders – the vast majority of whom, we can guess, are in negative equity – doesn't even cover half of its bill for sending its employees to the gym or golf club.
Let me repeat that. AIB is increasing its mortgage interest rates, when potentially more than double the amount it will make is being offered to send its employees to the gym every year.
It will take at the very least 17.10 months, and at most 25.66 months, for the increased mortgage rates to cover AIB's annual cost for the scheme.
This is the bank that got a €3.5bn recapitalisation bailout from the taxpayer last year, will probably need another one to the same amount this year (according to JP Morgan, anyway) and which has been able to offload billions in loans to NAMA that it otherwise would probably never be able to get back.


The roof is the first line of defense to protect homes from severe weather. Making sure it is installed correctly with all the necessary components to keep water out and the roof deck attached are critical. By keeping the roof system in place and water out, we can break the cycle of hardship and speed up recovery after severe weather by minimizing the damage to homes, protecting personal mementos like photo albums and family heirlooms, giving you the ability to get back to a more normal life quicker. To help roofers install roof assemblies that meet FORTIFIED requirements, we have developed a series of short, easy to follow videos and one-page "how-to" guides (in English and Spanish) called "Inside FORTIFIED". Based on the more than 20 years of cutting edge research and science done by IBHS, these videos cover the installation and documentation of key FORTIFIED components to help installers successfully meet FORTIFIED requirements for steep slope roof assemblies. These resources were developed to work in conjunction with our FORTIFIED Wise Roofer training program.


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Mar 19, 2019 - Health
Trump: "I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be"
Marisa Fernandez
President Trump attacked the late Sen. John McCain again during an Oval Office pool spray with Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, claiming he's still "very unhappy" with McCain for killing the GOP's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act in July 2017. McCain passed away 7 months ago.
"I'm very unhappy he didn't repeal and replace Obamacare, as you know. He campaigned on repealing and replacing Obamacare for years then he gave a thumbs down. We would have had great health care. He campaigned, he told us hours before that he was going to repeal and replace. And then for some reason, I think I understand the reason, he ended up going thumbs up. And frankly had we even known that we would have gotten a vote because we could have gotten somebody else. I think that's disgraceful. Plus there are other things. I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be."
Go deeper: Trump attacks late John McCain for 2nd time in two days


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CURSE OF THE RED RIVER
The Finnish metal super group Barren Earth debuted in 2009 with the respectable Our Twilight EP, and 2010 saw the release of their debut full length album Curse of the Red River. Their EP consisted of four tracks of melodic death metal with epic prog tendencies, and on the album the tendencies are expanded into a significant factor in the music.
One does only need to listen to the opening title track with its shifts from deathy verses to cleaner soaring choruses to an intricate-yet-super heavy instrumental section to an acoustic passage complete with a gorgeous flute solo to see that this is not a one trick band. While some comparisons can be drawn at times to for example Opeth or Type O Negative, they are only spices thrown in their very original cooking. The cherry on top of this cake of great musicians is Kasper Mårtenson whose piano gets a lot of space even in the heavier sections, not to mention the various softer parts of pure beauty, and who brings a lot of vintage prog spirit with his flying keyboard solos, naturally in addition to choosing just the right tones to enhance the mood of each section.
It could be said that both of the Mårtenson composed pieces, Forlorn Waves and the Ritual of Dawn are album highlights, but that brings out the problem of how many tracks can one name as highlights. The brightest of them all might be the only track composed by guitarist Janne Perttilä, Flicker, which has some of the most brutal and most beautiful parts of the album in perfect harmony, and even some very balalaika sounding guitar work during the instrumental section. The most prolific composer of the group is the ex-Amorphis bassist Olli- Pekka Laine, who brings in four tracks, from which especially the aforementioned opening title track, co-composed by Kreator guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and the fast pased, quite rocking The Leer deserve an affectionate special mention.
The best new metal album I've heard in a long while, absolutely recommendable for friends of progressive death metal. The final half star is only a matter of standing the test of time.
****½
Go to Curse of the Red River page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews


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It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Justin Trudeau!


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Ishrat Husain is a Pakistani banker and economist who served as the dean of the Institute of Business Administration (2008-2016) and the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (1999-2006). He presently serves as Advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan for Institutional Reforms & Austerity, in office since August 2018.

Life

He received his M.A in development economics in 1972 from the Williams College and his PhD from the Boston University in 1978. He joined the World Bank in 1979, working initially as the country economist for Liberia. In 1994, Husain became the chief economist for Asia-Pacific region and between 1997 and 1999 headed World Bank's operations in Central Asia. He ended his World Bank career in 1999, and was appointed as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and remained until December 2005.

In 2008, he was appointed as the Dean of IBA Karachi, in 2015 he was awarded the Nishan-e-Imtiaz by President Mamnoon. He resigned as the dean of IBA in 2016, however remains the Professor Emeritus of the institute. During his tenure, IBA expanded from a solely business school to an interdisciplinary university. In 2016, Hussain joined the Woodrow Wilson Center as a resident policy fellow.

Awards and Achievements

Jinnah Award (2005) for services to people as Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

References

Publications
Papers & Articles
Books & Monographs
Refereed Journal Articles

External links
Official website of State Bank of Pakistan
 IBA site profile

Williams College alumni
Boston University alumni
Governors of the State Bank of Pakistan
Recipients of Nishan-e-Imtiaz
Living people
Muhajir people
Pakistani civil servants
1941 births
People from Karachi
Executive Directors of the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi


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Crytek closes five of its seven game studios
Posted on Wednesday, December 21 2016 @ 15:13:25 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Recently there were a number of rumors about financial problems at Crytek, including reports about employees not getting paid. As Kotaku wrote a couple of days ago, it sounded a lot like what the company was going through just two years ago. At the time, the cash bleed was resolved by selling Homefront and entering a license deal with Amazon.
With the company in trouble again, a new round of restructuring is put in motion that will return the game developer to its core competencies. The Crytek studios in Frankfurt, Germany and Kiev, Ukraine will remain, but the five other studios in Bulgaria, China, Hungary, South Korea and Turkey will be closed.
Rumors are also flying around that Crytek sold the rights of its free-to-play game Warface to a Russian company.
Here's the official PR from Crytek:
Crytek today outlined a series of changes to its future business plans that will see the company refocus on its core strengths of developing innovative games and game-development technology.
As part of the changes, Crytek will concentrate on development in its Frankfurt and Kiev studios and continue to develop and work on premium IPs. CRYENGINE will remain a core pillar of Crytek's overall strategy, with enterprise licensees and indie developers alike continuing to be served by regular engine updates. All other development studios will not remain within Crytek and management has put plans into action to secure jobs and to ensure a smooth transition and stable future.
Crytek Co-Founder and Managing Director, Avni Yerli, said: "Undergoing such transitions is far from easy, and we'd like to sincerely thank each and every staff member – past and present – for their hard work and commitment to Crytek. These changes are part of the essential steps we are taking to ensure Crytek is a healthy and sustainable business moving forward that can continue to attract and nurture our industry's top talent. The reasons for this have been communicated internally along the way. Our focus now lies entirely on the core strengths that have always defined Crytek – world-class developers, state-of-the-art technology and innovative game development, and we believe that going through this challenging process will make us a more agile, viable, and attractive studio, primed for future success."


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Lost Horizons | In Quiet Moments Album Review
Album, In Quiet Moments, Lost Horizons, Review
Yes, I know, it's far too early to call out contenders for the Top Ten Albums of 2021 but, if In Quiet Moments by Lost Horizons doesn't feature I'll be more than a tad amazed. In Quiet Moments, Lost Horizons second album, and their follow up to 2017's Ojalá, is an epic 16 track record of quite stunning beauty and crafted with an amazing array of disperate creativity.
The completion of In Quiet Moments sees the second installment of the double album arrive on February 26th, the first part having been released towards the end of last year on December 4th. Each part contains eight songs, and both are as brilliant and beguiling as each other. The artistry that has been brought to bear here is quite breathtaking at times. There are tracks throughout the sixteen that are worth the price of the entire album on their own, they're that good.
The duo of former Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde, and Dif Juz drummer Richie Thomas have combined on their latest record to produce something truly outstanding. The attention to detail on each of the tracks that make up In Quiet Moments is one of the albums many qualities. The production and arrangement is near faultless and the performances that have been delivered by the stellar line-up of guests is beyond compare.
Last year saw Lost Horizons release five of the eight tracks from part one of the album as singles. John Grant gave us a standout vocal performance on the Cocteau infused Cordelia, Midlake's Tim Smith was in reflective mood for the more Folksy Grey Tower and Kavi Kwai closed out Lost Horizon's single releases of 2020 with a sublime, multi-layered and wonderfully harmonised gem with Every Beat That Passed. (The evocative top-draw dream pop can't help but give you spine tingling memories of Elizabeth Fraser).
2021 has seen Lost Horizons pick up where they left off with no let up in quality as the album's release date draws ever closer. The band's first single release of 2021 and the title track to the album, In Quiet Moments, is a particular highlight of the entire album. The track features the vocals of octogenarian Ural Thomas and it is flawless. The jazzy inflections, relaxed piano, sutble snare beat and delicious vocal are a combination made in heaven. Thomas said of the song, "At times I feel strong and one with the world. At other times I feel tiny and solitary. In a way they're two parts of the same feeling. That sense of being closed in and defined by walls became more real just a short while after we worked on the song".
The song, In Quiet Moments, feels timeless, but at the same time you almost feel like you should be wearing 'Sta Press' drainpipe slacks, a slim fit turtle neck and winkle pickers as you head into a dimly lit basement Jazz club and order a Bourbon on the rocks. The inspired spoken word ending, suggested by Raymonde as a nod to Gil Scott-Heron, and the heavenly backing vocals provided by Spiritualized's Wendi Rose did as Simon says, take "it all to the next level".
This years second single features former collaborator Marissa Nadler on Marie. The duo previously worked with Nadler on I Saw The Days Go By and said "I don't think there was ever a second I wasn't going to find a song for Marissa to sing on the new LP". Nadlers subtly soulful and evocative vocals suit the soundtrack that Raymonde and Thomas are able to deftly conjur up just perfectly.
Lost Horizons latest single features the angelic vocal talents of KookieLou on Heart Of A Hummingbird. The revolving and mesmeric score are combined effortlessly with KookieLou's velveteen voice to deliver up a hypnotic and melodic treat.
Of the album's remaining tracks, Blue Soul is a sumptous slow burner featuring Laura Groves, Circle, a more up beat, breezy track featuring C Duncan and the final track, This Is The Weather just a fabulous way to sign off on a quite spectacular album. With vocals provided by The Innocence Mission's Karen Peris and little more than a delcate piano and string arrangement Lost Horizons conclude a masterful sonic journey of discovery and delight that will be nigh on impossible to surpass.


Tonight's weak disturbance is showing up on the regional radar as rain moves into Pennsylvania and pushes east southeastward. It is a very narrow band of rain about 100 or so miles wide so it is quite possible that areas 50 miles north of NYC and 50 miles south of NYC see very little out of this.
We should see clouds give way to sunshine on Wednesday though sometimes these systems can be tricky. Clouds should shift southward during the day only to come back northward late in the day into Wednesday night so hopefully we get some sun in between with highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Then we will begin the transition over to a more humid air mass and a developing southerly flow along the East coast. Clouds and a few showers will be around later Wednesday night but should be gone by Thursday morning. Then clouds will be around with some sun possible just south of the warm front which will cut across Northern New Jersey, NYC & Long Island. Areas north of the frontal boundary will be in the 50s to near 60. Central and South Jersey & Southeastern Pennsylvania have a chance to see temperatures reach into the 70s if the sun succeeds.
Now let us move on the Friday and the Easter Weekend which at this moment is not looking especially promising. A deep upper trough is going to move into the Ohio Valley and set up a strong southerly flow along the East Coast.
With the low tracking northward it is likely that the heaviest rains will be west of the coast where a widespread area of 2 inches of more is likely. Along the coast with the rain more showery in nature there will be more variability in the rainfall amounts. Early model forecasts are in the 2 to three inch range from Western New Jersey westward with less to the east.
With the upper low lingering into Sunday it creates an issue regarding scattered lingering showers along with clouds. The good news is that the strong system weakens as it moves northeast so this could keep shower activity to a minimum and keep it more inland than at the coast. Some sun could break through the clouds Sunday in this sort of scenario.
This is how it plays out for Friday. South southwest winds will be rather gusty, we will see clouds with some breaks of sun and temperatures reaching into the 70s. Showers and thunderstorms will move in Friday night and continue into Saturday afternoon before the cold front swings through. Right now it would seem the threat for severe weather will be from Southern New Jersey southward into the Middle & South Atlantic states but we will watch this closely as there is a chance we could wind up with the northern fringe of severe weather further north. We should get a break in the rain later Saturday afternoon with clouds and lingering scattered showers for Sunday. Temperatures Saturday and Sunday will be mostly in the 60s.


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Desert X Names Artists Commissioned for 2023 Edition, Including Torkwase Dyson and Tschabalala Self
Beeple NFT Fetches Unprecedented $69.3 M. at Christie's
By Angelica Villa
Angelica Villa
More Stories by Angelica
Beeple's Everydays: The First 5,000 Days (2021), a non-fungible token that sold at Christie's. Christie's
Christie's closely watched sale of digital artist Beeple's The First 5,000 Days has resulted in an unprecedented $69.3 million sale.
Following Christie's announcement of their plans to auction off their first NFT (non-fungible token) by Beeple (aka Mike Winkelmann) in an online sale two weeks ago, attention around the crypto art market surged to staggering heights virtually overnight.
The sale has drawn widespread attention among audiences both in and beyond the art world for its novelty. Over the course of the 10-day online sale, 33 bidders competed for Beeple's digital work comprising 5,000 images that the artist, a graphic designer based in North Carolina, made over 13 years. The auction drew an unforeseeable level of bidding that moved the hammer price up to the millions, despite bidding beginning at $100 with no estimate assigned to the work.
The winning buyer of the piece was Singapore-based crypto investor and co-founder of NFT fund Metapurse, who goes by the pseudonym Metakovan. The anonymous buyer put in a bid of $250,000 over the underbidder, Chinese multimillionaire Justin Sun, founder of cryptocurrency platform Tron.
Last Friday, bidding was at $4 million; by Tuesday, it was up to $9.75 million; and by this morning, it had risen to $14.75 million. Within the last few minutes of the sale, bids drove up the price from $37.5 million to $50 million, then up to a final unprecedented hammer price of $60 million.
Christie's reported that among the bidders, 55 percent were based in the U.S., 27 percent in Europe and 18 percent in Asia, with 64 percent of those participants in the Millennial and Gen Z age group (under 40 years old).
At the end of February following Christie's launch of the sale, another work by Beeple sold for $6.6 million through Nifty Gateway, an online cryptocurrency marketplace for digital art, at the time a price record for a Beeple piece and then the most expensive digital work ever auctioned.
Beeple has amassed a cult following in the crypto art market. In December, one of his digital works made $3.5 million in the artist's second appearance on the market. Within the first few minutes of opening, the auction at Nifty Gateway broke records for digital art sales. Many of the works were resold at inflated values—some at more than 1,000 percent of their original purchase price.
The nascent market for NFTs—encrypted works that are authenticated using blockchain technology and tagged with a unique digital signature—is on the rise, capturing the attention of celebrities and tech moguls. Last week, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey offered the first tweet on the NFT platform Valuables, and is now sitting on an offer of $2.5 million.
Today's Beeple sale is a coup for the old-school auction house— it has long been known as the market share leader and not, rather, for its tech-forward experimental edge. But with the current sale, the house aimed to target a new base of younger buyers while recognizing changing times. "We're at this moment in time where there could be a drastic shift—a demographic shift, a generational shift—when it comes to what excites younger collectors," said Noah Davis, a specialist in Christie's postwar and contemporary art department, in an interview.
As the internet reacted to the record price, Beeple weighed in on the result via Twitter, writing, "holy fuck."
*Correction (3/12/2021 1:15 pm): A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Justin Sun was the buyer as reported by Bloomberg. Sun was the underbidder.
Facial Recognition Technology Reveals That Painting of…


Fresh off the boat. Yum.
Oasis of peace and calm – Nan Lian garden. A must-visit for any wanderers in Hong Kong.
Fitting last look of Hong Kong while dining at Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung, a convenient 15-minute drive from Chek Lap Kok International Airport – which itself is a spectacular piece of architecture.