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Nokia Lumia Icon & Lumia 930 Review: Windows Phone, Premium
by Don Woligroski April 28, 2014 at 1:00 AM
Page 1:Windows Phone Gets A New Flagship
Page 2:Design, Look, And Feel
Page 3:Windows Phone 8 And Nokia Software Tour
Page 4:Availability, Options, And Accessories
Page 5:Camera Features And Example Photos
Page 6:Microphones And Video
Page 7:Benchmark Suite, Methodology, And Test System Specs
Page 8:Results: System And Graphics Tests
Page 9:Results: Web And Battery Tests
Page 10:Results: Brightness, Black Level, Contrast Ratio, And Gamma
Page 11:Will The Icon Convert You From Android Or iOS?
Camera Features And Example Photos
Nokia is synonymous with a superlative "cameraphone" experience, and the Lumia 1020's 40 MP sensor, xenon flash, and six-element lens represent a high water mark in the industry. The Lumia Icon/930 is actually a step back in that regard.
Even still, the Icon's 20 MP sensor, dual-LED flash, f/2.4 aperture, and Carl Zeiss optics with optical image stabilization are top-tier specifications, and they combine to yield impressive results.
Being a Lumia phone, the Icon comes with Nokia's excellent Camera app as the default for image capture. This software combines the functionality of Nokia Pro Cam and Nokia Smart Cam in one package, creating a more convenient experience. While automatic settings are what you start with, there are options to manually set white balance, focus, ISO, shutter speed, and exposure through an intuitive radial menu interface.
The integrated Smart Cam functionality lets you record a sequence, rather than a single photo. This feature snaps 10 pictures in a row at a rate of four per second. But the magic happens after the fact when you're presented with the ability to remove objects, change faces, create a layered action shot, add blur to stationary parts of the scene, or simply select the best picture to save.
Given that the platform is processing all of this in real-time, the results can turn out to be quite impressive. But there's a tradeoff: image quality suffers, presumably as a result of a short exposure. You'll want to limit Smart Cam use to sunlit environments.
You also get the option to take 5 MP images, 5 MP JPG plus 16 MP (16:9)/20 MP (4:3) JPG image sets, or 5 MP JPG plus 16 MP (16:9)/20 MP (4:3) RAW (DNG) image sets.
The 5 MP images are the ones you have total access to from the camera; they're the ones you can post to social media and send to your friends. If you choose to store the larger versions as well, they're only used as reference in case you want to, say, un-zoom a zoomed in picture, or reframe. Full access to the 16/20 MP files is only granted when you hook up to your PC to download them.
Purists may lament the lack of absolute control over the larger images from the camera's interface. Realistically, though, even five megapixels is overkill for viewing on a 5" display or posting to Facebook. In fact, we've had issues attaching larger images to MMS messages on other phones, so Nokia's approach could be seen as a feature, even.
On the plus side, a large native resolution allows you to losslessly zoom in with a finger swipe on the display.
Where the Icon falters is its speed. Compared to other high-end phones, its camera takes longer to focus, and then to shoot as well. Snapping pictures in rapid succession isn't as bad; this is accomplished by holding down the camera button. Still, that first shot takes longer than I'd expect on a Snapdragon 800-powered platform. The process feels like an eternity compared to the iPhone's seemingly instantaneous response time in bright-light situations (although the iPhone is surprisingly slow to focus when the flash is enabled, according to Basemark OS II's camera test).
Of course, you can take a series of rapidly-captured shots using Nokia's Smart Sequence or a lens app like Microsoft's Blink. But you need time to set it up, and you have to be willing to tolerate the loss of quality. That's a painful limitation when you're scrambling to take a shot you don't control. In essence, the Lumia Icon's camera is at its best when you have the opportunity to think about and frame the scene. Then again, isn't that true for any camera? The ones able to also react quickly are what we consider special.
Let's take a look at the camera's output quality compared to HTC's new One (M8).
HTC One (M8) Nokia Lumia Icon
In our first low-light shot, the HTC One (M8) picks up more light, while the Lumia has an edge when it comes to detail.
Both cameras do a better job assisted by the flash. The Icon's detail remains crisper, though seemingly warmer as well. HTC's One tends more toward green.
Nokia Lumia Icon
In this shot, the One (M8) struggles with the mediocre light source, while Nokia's Lumia Icon produces a brighter picture with finer detail.
When it comes to colors, the Icon delivers more saturation than HTC's One, which appears muted.
Nokia's 20 MP sensor picks up a lot more detail in this overcast outdoor shot, which is especially obvious when you look at the building in the pop-up version. The Lumia's picture appears to have more saturation, too.
Both cameras suffer from quite a bit of noise at night. Again, the One (M8) produces a brighter image, but loses detail. Nokia's Lumia Icon doesn't incur the yellow tint.
Comparing the cameras on these smartphones, which employ completely different specifications, is interesting. While the HTC One (M8) has a relatively low-resolution 4 MP sensor, it's built for quick response times and light-gathering. That's a reasonable approach for a smartphone, which most folks whip out quickly in social situations.
The Lumia Icon and 930, on the other hand, use a high-resolution 20 MP sensor that doesn't have the same fast response time, but instead offers fine detail. If you value nuanced photography and the ability to reframe and zoom into high-resolution photos after you take them, Nokia's camera would be your weapon of choice.
Windows Phone Gets A New Flagship
Design, Look, And Feel
Windows Phone 8 And Nokia Software Tour
Availability, Options, And Accessories
Microphones And Video
Benchmark Suite, Methodology, And Test System Specs
Results: System And Graphics Tests
Results: Web And Battery Tests
Results: Brightness, Black Level, Contrast Ratio, And Gamma
Will The Icon Convert You From Android Or iOS?
Don Woligroski
Amdlova
only problem on this phone is (verizon)... if you wanna spend 150us and a 1000 years contract. =) is right that numbers on benchies ? direct 3d working?
silverblue
Sorry for the possible double post, but this comments section is bugged to hell, so...
I'm surprised by the bloat. My 1020 (with Windows Phone 8.1) has 32GB, of which 29 is available, after O2's (slight) footprint.
vaughn2k
I have a Lumia 925. I will wait for the Windows Phone 8.1 update, that it seems promising... So the question if I will switch from IOS/Android to WP, then I guess I did, the 925 seems also a great phone, and the 'Store' has already a quite considerable amount of programs (or Apps)....
Wait, a "flagship Windows phone" powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. Intel push into the smartphone market is certainly doomed.
tomfreak
We just need Lumia 1020 sucessor = Lumia 1030 with snapdragon 800 to handle the 40MP picture. A 40MP Lumia 1030 with snapdragon 800 CPU + 2GB RAM + 32GB storage + SD card expansion + a 3000mah battery will be the killer phone that no one is able beat it. Photography takes a lot of battery drain, since thats how Lumia 1020 good at, I just hope Nokia/Microsoft put a much bigger battery inside for successor.
megamanxtreme
All is well, I still got my Lumia 1520, and it still reigns the king. 920/930 with bigger screen, for the win.
Aoyagi
Yeah, nice toys. About what the reviewer wanted, by the looks of it. But using these things as tools rather than toys for consuming media and maybe reading mail? No way.
(I had been using Lumia 920 before I returned to 808 PureView. I still have it for testing purposes)
267802 said:
Most of that is the OS itself.
satish12321
Dude, how could you forget LIVE TILES. This single handedly put Lumia ahead of its competitors. Especially the new updates that will make it more informative.
Android and iOs are like a graveyard of dead icons. If they font adapt, their fingerprint sensor, eye recognition and waterproofing wont be able to protect it.
Au_equus
Don, the specs listed in the table (first page) do not match the description given in the article.
jasonelmore
why the hell does Verizon think they must put their logo on the phone? my god i would never buy a phone that had carrier branding on the front or back of the phone. Plus Verizon's logo is Fugly
cknobman
My comment sucks. (Happy to edit out unnecessarily hostile sentiments for you. Keep it a little more pleasant or the comment will disappear entirely.
You did not even mention one of the coolest and most useful features that this phone offers that no other on the market does.
The icon/930 comes with software that adapts every element on screen to the lighting conditions it is exposed to. Whether picture, text, or video it will analyze every pixel displayed and either lighten/darken/change contrast to make it perfectly view-able in any lighting condition.
I saw this feature in person against my own GS4 and an iPhone 5s and it absolutely annihilates the other phones. I took a picture with my own GS4, sent it to the other phones (iphone, nokia) and then compared side by side. In shade the picture was visible. In bright light both the GS4 and iPhone 5S the picture was washed out and darker parts not visible. The 930 software detected the light, analyzed the picture, and dynamically adjusted the picture to make it look the exact same in bright light as it did in the shade.
Hands down the coolest and most useful feature I have seen on a phone in the last couple of years.
shaun_shaun
still Windows Phone has long way to go. windows apps store still needs lots of improvements with official app support from big developers, optimized apps and regular updates.
RedJaron
Um, because Intel and MS are supposed to be attached at the hip? So, just because Intel isn't in the newest WP product, it's doomed? Surely that means nVidia is also screwed since their Tegra didn't make it into the 930.
Nearly every carrier puts it's logo on all its phones. Verizon is no different here.
59464 said:
You did not even mention one of the coolest and most useful features that this phone offers that no other on the market does. The icon/930 comes with software that adapts every element on screen to the lighting conditions it is exposed to. Whether picture, text, or video it will analyze every pixel displayed and either lighten/darken/change contrast to make it perfectly view-able in any lighting condition.
This has been in most Lumia phones, and I'm a fan of it. The auto-brightness setting works very well regardless of the lighting situation you're in. My 925 is perfectly legible in just about any conditions.
Yeah, nice toys. About what the reviewer wanted, by the looks of it. But using these things as tools rather than toys for consuming media and maybe reading mail? No way. (I had been using Lumia 920 before I returned to 808 PureView. I still have it for testing purposes)
My original post was wrong; on my 1020, there's 29 of the 32 available to start with, of which 2.82GB is taken up by the system. Assuming a couple of gigs of apps and data, that still seems a bit better than what you get on the Icon. I suppose the lack of O2 bloat on my phone is because I didn't get it directly from them, though had I done so, it would've been the 64GB version... :|
You are in for a treat then because they have enhanced it and it is even better for the 930.
They had a 920 and 925 on display there as well and while they did a decent job of auto adjusting it was 10x better on the 930. The representative said they reworked the software's algorithms to do a better job.
BranFlake5
What's the appeal of a windows phone over an android counter part?
In the case of this device: Perfectly smooth performance no matter what you do. You can forge the phone all the time and with how many apps you want, this thing will not slow down, compared to Android. Plus the scrolling is butter smooth. Flawless 100% of the time.
It's also easier and in my opinion more fun to use.
Also, like iOS, you can't screw you device installing/running too many apps.
too many Windows fanboys talking nonsense about Android. just try a custom ROM like CyanogenMod without bloatware if you think Android is slowing down in mulch-tasking. I'm sure Win Phone 8.1's notification center and other improvements will bring much more improvement in the near future. but as I said before you cant deny the fact that windows phone store still lags far behind compared to the competition. yes there are some good apps but overall its like a deserted island.
KungMagnus
Very sad about this review. Was looking for a reason to replace my 4s which I was never very happy with, not yet I guess.
nebun
this phone has so much junk on it...this is one reason why i love my iphone 5s, clean and junk free
red77star
Great device with a wrong OS on it.
agnickolov
Icon is of little interest to me since it only works on Verizon. The real question for me is whether Lumia 930 will work on T-Mobile and will it be offered in the US.
DragonSage
I own the Icon and would like to add some things here:
The OS takes up about 3GB, most of the space used on the phone when its purchased is HERE maps. All of the US maps came installed but you can delete them and just download what you need. Verizon's crapware is almost all either removable or able to be easily disabled as well.
The Icon is not as bulky as they make it sound, in fact I find it to be rather thin, light, and well balanced.
I highly recommend it, its the perfect Windows Phone and I have no complaints with it. Installing WP8.1 makes it much more usable as well.
Antonio Java
More accurately, based on Nokia's naming convention, the Lumia 930 is the successor of the Lumia 920, if that much isn't obvious. The 930 is the "full-featured, high-end smartphone" of Nokia, as with all 9XX models (like the 920 and its variants the 925 and 928, and the older Lumia 900 running Windows 7.8). The 8XX (820, 822, 800) are the medium-high, the 7XX are the middle, 6XX for the med-low, and the 5XX as entry level. The four-digit models are specialized niche-market models, the 1020 catering to the photography niche, the 1320 for the business users (similar role to the venerable Nokia Communicators and E-series), and the 1520 for the multimedia phablet user.
Therefore, a true successor to the 1020 would expectedly be named the 1030, likely sporting an improved version of the 41-MP sensor, just as the 1020 was the successor to the old 808 (that one used the old, pre-Lumia naming scheme).
Microsoft Now Owns Nokia's Smartphone Business
OnePlus One Revealed: A $300 Snapdragon 801 Smartphone
Next Google Nexus Device Could be $100 Android Phone


During the marshaling phase, you may spend gold on The Iron Bank as if it were in your gold pool.
Reaction: After you collect income, move X gold from the treasury to The Iron Bank. X is the number of gold on The Iron Bank.


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Q: Extending lemma 3.9 - Rudin's functional analysis to infinite dimension I was wondering if there's an infinite dimensional extension somewhere of the following.

Lemma 3.9 Suppose $\Lambda_1,\ldots,\Lambda_n$ and $\Lambda$ are linear functionals on a vector space $X$. Let
$$
N=\bigcap_{i=1}^n \left\{ x : \Lambda_ix =0\right\}
$$
the following three properties are equivalent

a) There are scalars $\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_n$ such that
$$
\Lambda = \sum_{i=1}^n \alpha_i \Lambda_i
$$

b) There's a $\gamma<\infty$ such that
$$
\left| \Lambda x \right| \leq \gamma \max_{1\leq i \leq n} \left| \Lambda_i x \right|
$$

c) $\Lambda x = 0$ for every $x \in N$

The proof of the theorem relies at some point on the Riesz representation theorem in finite dimensions to determine the existance of the $\left\{ \alpha \right\}_{i=1}^n$, I wonder if this can somewhat be replaced with the usage of the Riesz representation theorems using measures or the dual of $L^p$.
Spefically in the lemma $\Lambda = \sum_{i=1}^n \alpha_i \Lambda_i$, I wonder if this can be extended to representations like $\Lambda = \sum_{i=1}^\infty \alpha_i \Lambda_i$, or even $\Lambda = \int_Q \Lambda_i d\mu$ (the latter maybe using some vector valued integration).
Any paper or reference would be useful. Thank you

A: Yes, this lemma has versions for infinite sequences of linear functionals $\Lambda_i$ on a vector space, at least the equivalence of a) and b):

Asuume that $\Lambda_i(x)\to 0$ and, for some constant $c\ge 0$, $$|\Lambda(x)|\le c\sup\{|\Lambda_i(x)|:i\in\mathbb N\}$$ for all $x\in X$. Then there are scalars $\alpha_i$ with $\sum_i|\alpha_i|<\infty$ and $\Lambda(x)=\sum_i\alpha_i \Lambda_i(x)$ for all $x\in X$.

The proof is a combination of Hahn-Banach and a representation theorem: The set $$L=\{(\Lambda_i(x))_{i\in\mathbb N}: x\in X\}$$ is contained in $c_0$ by the first assumption and it is a subspace by the linearity of all $\Lambda_i$. Moreover, the linear functional $\varphi:L\to \mathbb K$ defined by $(\Lambda_i(x))_{i\in\mathbb N}\mapsto \Lambda(x)$ is well-defined, linear and continuous by the second assumption and the linearity of $\Lambda$. By Hahn-Banach, there is a continuous linear extension $\phi:c_0\to \mathbb K$ which is represented as $\phi((z_i)_{i\in\mathbb N})=\sum_i\alpha_iz_i$ for a sequence $\alpha\in\ell^1$. For $x\in X$ we thus get $$\Lambda(x)=\varphi((\Lambda_i(x))_{i\in\mathbb N})=\phi((\Lambda_i(x))_{i\in\mathbb N})=\sum_i\alpha_i\Lambda_i(x).$$
Replacing the simple representaion theorem for the dual of $c_0$ by other ones (e.g., for the Hilbert space $\ell^2$) you can easily get other versions of this theorem, also for families of functionals indexed, say, by $t\in K$ for a compact set $K$. Then you have to require the continuity of all $t\mapsto \Lambda_t(x)$ and $|\Lambda(x)|\le c \sup\{|\Lambda_t(x)|:t\in K\}$ to get a Borel measure $\mu$ on $K$ such that $\Lambda(x)=\int_K\Lambda_t(x)d\mu(t)$ for all $x\in X$.
I don't know whether such theorems are explicitely stated in the literature. But I consider this as an important principle exemplifying the slogan domination implies representation.
Edit. Condition (c) of course follows from (a) and (b) also for infinte sequences of $\Lambda_i$ but, in general, it is not sufficient: The existence of a Hamel basis on $X=c_0$ implies that there are discontinuous linear functionals $\Lambda:c_0\to\mathbb K$ and for $\Lambda_i(x)=x_i$ one has $N=\{x\in X: \Lambda_i(x)=0$ for all $i\in\mathbb N\}=\{0\}$.

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La Bund für Gesamtdeutschland (BGD) () fue un pequeño partido político en Alemania, de ideología derechista y revanchista. Era calificado como un partido de extrema derecha y fue vigilado por la Oficina Federal para la Protección de la Constitución.

Programa e ideología
Su principal objetivo era la restauración de las "fronteras internacionales" perdidas después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Por ello, la BGD se veía a sí misma como el brazo político de los alemanes expulsados.

Abogaba por la restauración de la Constitución de Weimar y la salida de Alemania de todas las organizaciones internacionales, incluida la OTAN, la ONU y la Unión Europea. Como partido revanchista, abogaba además por la restauración de todas las antiguas fronteras alemanas perdidas tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial, incluyendo los Sudetes y las fronteras del Imperio alemán. Sostenía que el Tercer Reich continuaba existiendo y por lo tanto la República Federal de Alemania no era su sucesora legal.

Historia
La BGD fue establecida el 12 de agosto de 1990. Presentó un candidato directo en las elecciones federales de 1994, así como en las elecciones de Baden-Wurtemberg de 1996 y en las Elecciones de Renania del Norte-Westfalia de 2000; en este estado el partido también participó en las siguientes elecciones de 2005. A pesar de haber presentado esta vez candidatos en dos distritos electorales, alcanzó sólo 56 votos, mucho menos que los 178 votos en 2000. También participó en las elecciones de 2010 y 2012 en el mismo estado.

La BGD presentó varias campañas sin éxito para la devolución de los bienes expropiados en lo que hoy es Polonia y República Checa.

Desde mediados de la década de 1990, en repetidas ocasiones el partido intentó fusionar a todos los partidos y asociaciones de extrema derecha en uno solo, sin éxito.

Su presidente era Horst Zaborowski, exmiembro de A partir de ahora... Democracia a través de Plebiscito.

En las elecciones federales de Alemania de 2013, el partido presentó solo un candidato directo, obteniendo 1431 votos, equivalentes al 0,0%.

El 15 de julio de 2017, la BGD se fusionó con el pequeño partido Aus dem Lande stammende Deutsche, que a partir de ese momento pasó a llamarse Aus Gesamtdeutschland stammende Deutsche (AGsD).

Referencias

Partidos políticos desaparecidos de Alemania
Partidos políticos fundados en 1990
Partidos políticos disueltos en 2017
Extrema derecha en Alemania
Partidos de extrema derecha

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Billy Sherwood's The Fusion Syndicate came to be after he delivered The Prog Collective to Cleopatra Records. Founder Brian Perera suggested Sherwood do the same for a jazz/rock fusion album. The result is seven songs composed by Sherwood and performed by an A-list of musicians from the world of rock and jazz. A complete list of players and the track listing follows at the end.
Billy Sherwood: stares you down.
The formula for The Fusion Syndicate is rather basic: guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and a horn of some kind, usually a saxophone, but Randy Brecker adds trumpet on At the Edge of the Middle. The arrangements are structured by with ample room for some improvisation. Sherwood wrote all the songs, and the produced, recorded, and mixed everything himself.
I've always loved the whole jazz/rock fusion thing, having been introduced to it the late Seventies and early Eighties. While The Fusion Syndicate is sophisticated, it's not overly technical. Sherwood gives every song a lively accessibility, without being either overtly high brow or deceptively pedestrian. If you like melodic progressive rock, you'll find this music an agreeable cousin. If you've never considered jazz/rock fusion, then The Fusion Syndicate is a fine introduction. Easily recommended.
If you've never considered jazz/rock fusion, then The Fusion Syndicate is a fine introduction. If you like melodic progressive rock, you'll find this music an agreeable cousin.


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Home Music Reviews Album Reviews Nico: The End – album review
Nico: The End – album review
Jim Lawn
Nico – The End (Universal/Island)
CD/DL
A welcome double CD reissue of the 1974 solo album by the late chanteuse. Jim Lawn has been listening to it for Louder Than War, see what he thinks below.
The story of Christa Paffgen aka Nico is highlighted by incredible musical and creative highs alongside long periods of adversity, drug addiction and poverty. That she was also deaf in one ear was another mountain for her to climb.
Whilst she is perhaps best known for her work with the Velvet Underground on classic albums such as 'The Velvet Underground and Nico' which rates at Number 13 in the Rolling Stone Greatest Albums of all time, her solo work was no less valid and enigmatic.
The highlight of this solo work is 'The End' which was released on Island Records in 1974.
This album has been remastered and reissued to include 9 bonus tracks and demonstrates her ability to write her own material and command the services of John Cale as producer alongside the session contributions from Brian Eno and Phil Manzanera.
'The End' was Nico's fourth solo release and her fifth collaboration with fellow Velvet Underground member John Cale.
The album was recorded relatively quickly for the time using the legendary Island Studio Sound Techniques and the engineering prowess of John Wood.
Producer John Cale chose Eno and Manzanera of Roxy Music to work on the album with him, between them providing all the instrumental framework to Nico and her harmonium.
The most intriguing Eno contributions come on 'Innocent and Vain' where his free form electronic noise acts as a counterpoint to Nico's harmonium and on 'The Valley of the Kings' where the vocal arcs are countered by repetitive looping drones.
A surprise on the album is Nico's ability to structure her own arrangements so that the trio of Manzanera, Eno and Cale added elements to the songs and didn't take over the music.
The real rarities and gems come on Disc 2 of the reissue. The first track 'Secret Side' comes from her 1971 John Peel session and is previously unreleased. Peel was a great champion of her music and asked her back on 3rd December 1974 where she performed, 'We've Got The Gold', 'Janitor Of Lunacy', 'You Forget To Answer' and 'The End'.
Her fragility and quiet intensity shine through and perhaps hint at her personal demons which she confronted through drink, drugs and songwriting.
Finally comes 'The End', Nico's sole contribution to the John Cale, Brian Eno, Kevin Ayers live album '1st June 1974' and an unreleased live version of 'Das Lied Der Deutschen' which has become the definitive Nico anthem.
Although the album was critically well-received, it sold so poorly that she was dropped by Island and it took nearly 10 years later before she was offered another record contract. By the time of her death in 1988 only two more albums had been added to her body of work.
'The End' sits within a trilogy which includes the previously produced John Cale albums 'The Marble Index' and 'Desertshore' and perhaps represents not only her best solo work but a tantalising glimpse of what might have developed musically had she not battled so much adversity.
All words by Jim Lawn.More work by Jim on Louder Than War can be found here.
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John Wood July 15, 2018 At 11:56
I have just come across this review of Nico's "The End" and would point out that although Sound Techniques had Island Records as one of it's many clients it was not any part of Island Records. Sound Techniques was started as an independent studio in 1965 and expanded to become a manufacturer of Mixing Consoles until 1976.

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Lock in a great price for Bed and Breakfast Villa Klaic – rated 9.4 by recent guests!
The owner is very friendly, helpful. He is everything. Room is clean. Location is not far from the city.
The excellence of the property is only exceeded by the warmth and graciousness of Milo and his family. Dubrovnik is wonderful, but they are what made our visit truly memorable.
Milo and his family make you feel like you are at home from the minute you arrive. Everything from the breakfast in the morning to a wind down beer in the evening was done with care and class. We stayed for three days and by the time we were to take off to our next destination I felt a little sad like I was leaving an age old friend behind. Thankfully, this was the first place we visited on our two week vacation because the information, the travelling tips and the general kindness put us in a position to truly enjoy our vacation. Thank you Milo and the Klaic family. Živjeli!
Great location, value, and service. Of course, the beer too!
Great place! Wonderful and very helpful hosts. They even threw a party on one of the evenings for the guests with lots of drinks, food and live music! Our room could have been a bit bigger, but breakfast was inadequate (eggs and some pastries would have been nice). Overall, good stay!
The view was incredible, as were the hosts, the breakfasts, and the happy hour.
The facility was clean, the view was great, and the host was very knowledgeable and kind. Can't as for much more then that!
We had a room with a little kitchenette and terrace, and it was charming. It's located up the hill from town, so you should plan on walking; it's a great way to see town. We also had an opportunity to meet other guests, which we enjoy. Milo was able to provide a ride from the airport, and he also had beer available which we appreciated. Milo provided some recommendations for sights and restaurants, and breakfast was great too. We had a perfect stay here.
Offering a sun terrace with a small outdoor pool, Bed and Breakfast Villa Klaic is located 0.6 mi from the Old Town of Dubrovnik. Free WiFi is available.
The spacious, air-conditioned rooms come with a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom.
뀐 Located in the top-rated area in Dubrovnik, this property has an excellent location score of 8.5!
When would you like to stay at Bed and Breakfast Villa Klaic?
This studio has a balcony, kitchenware and private entrance.
This double room features air conditioning, sea view and private entrance.
House Rules Bed and Breakfast Villa Klaic takes special requests – add in the next step!
The parking, you have to park on the street, then walk across the street to the guesthouse. Fortunately rhey have a very strong owner who can carry our luggage across the street, and the owner help to reserve a parking spot for us. Should have two blanket in each room.
The pool was too cold to swim in. All the steps up and down into town - keeps you fit though!
Great welcome; nice room; good breakfast.
Mosquitoes, but that's not the hotels fault. A lot of climbing uphill from the town in the heat.
Friendly owner, Milo, made us feel really welcome. Comfortable room and a good breakfast. Nice patio area to relax and drink a free beer or two. Swimming pool was a good way to cool off after the walk up from the town. Glad we organised the transfer to and from the airport with the hotel as it took away any pressure. I would stay here again when in Dubrovnik.
Host was great. Friendly family and area.
The fabulous host Milo! He and his family make sure everything is taken care of!
This was our second stay at Villa Klaic, having previously stayed in 2012, and we wouldn't think of staying anywhere else in Dubrovnik. We LOVE Milo and his family who run the villa - nothing is too much effort and the place is so clean and comfortable. We will definitely be back again.
I never usually write reviews but from the moment we arrived at villa klaic the owner Milo greeted us with a big smile and instantly made us feel at home. He took our luggage and got us comfortable and offered us a drink. He has a beer pump on the sun terrace which he welcomes guests to help themselves to free of charge during their stay. He talked to us for over an hour and then settled us into our room. The rooms are very comfortable and modern. The showers are hi tech and very powerful. The beds are very comfortable. The pool area is lovely with views over Dubrovnik. The breakfast is lovely and all of the guests that we're staying were lovely and we all sat by pool during the day and on the terrace on a night. Milo always makes an effort to sit with you and ask about your day. Home away from home. Definitely recommend. The hotel is up a fair few steps from the old town but well worth it for the views and all hotels seem to be up steps. Would not stay anywhere else! Big thanks to milo for making our holiday!


text:
Hockey, or more specifically, field hockey, was first introduced to the Australian Youth Olympic Festival as a men's and women's tournament at the 2007 Games.

History
After being introduced in the 2007 Australian Youth Olympic Festival, field hockey as become a permanent feature at every edition since.

Australia are the most successful team in the men's competition, having won gold at every edition of the tournament. Great Britain are the most successful women's team, having one the tournament twice, followed by Australia who have won the tournament once.

Men's tournament

Summaries

Team Appearances

Women's tournament

Summaries

Team Appearances

Medal table

Total

Men

Women

References

External links

Australian Youth Olympic Festival
International field hockey competitions hosted by Australia
Australian Youth Olympic Festival


i'm pretty sure that most of the danish women, and girls have or have had one of these classic tops from mads nørgaard. i've had many cool colors back when i was a kid. after i got one in black for my birthday in january, it brought many memories from my childhood, and i love wearing it with my levi's 501 jeans. so which color should i choose for my next purchase?


"YOUCH!" My back again! Do you hear that from family customers when they stand up, or say it yourself when you depart a chair? If you are struggling from back ache, you want to know how to correctly take care of your situation. The adhering to paragraphs have wisdom and knowledge you can use to do all you are capable to in purchase to control your back discomfort.
Try out not to anxiety the very same muscle teams over and in excess of once again, no matter of the stance or position you might be in. When you are doing any items in excess of and above once more, try out to mix it up. Usually change your stance and adjust positions, this sort of as from standing to sitting, each and every twenty to thirty minutes.
Anytime you really feel the onset of again soreness, lie down and area your hips as effectively as your knees at right angles. This comfy situation will decrease the anxiety that is on your back again. Do not stay in the very same situation also prolonged. Appear for a comfy place and be watchful not to twist your backbone.
In get to prevent unneeded back again ache, you need to ensure your posture is excellent, even when sitting down. Many men and women wrongly presume that back again injuries are only induced by strenuous actual physical exercise. In truth, even sitting the improper way for hours on stop – like numerous individuals do when they stoop more than their computer systems – can result in cumulative harm to back muscle tissues.
Regular visits to a chiropractor can help avoid again soreness, and are crucial if you have genetic tendencies to back issues, or have a stressful way of life that helps make you prone to injuries. Consulting a chiropractor on a regular foundation could help you in fixing the small difficulties before they turn into significant accidents.
As was said previously in the report, you need to know every thing you can about back again pain so that you can consider to stay away from it. You can make intelligent back pain alternatives and devise powerful treatment routines for oneself or your household members by using this article's guidance.
Hundreds of thousands of people close to the globe are currently suffering from pain in their backs. Every day routines can become almost not possible owing to back again pain, and there are not always simple answers. Struggling with again ache is not the stop of the entire world. There are numerous treatments offered to support you overcome this soreness. The subsequent report will instruct you how to greater manage your again pain.
Since you invest a great portion of your day sleeping, it is important to use a comfortable mattress. Extremely delicate mattresses are normally not a good selection for again discomfort victims. A firm mattress is the best selection nevertheless, just take treatment not to select one particular that is overly firm. Make sure to shop all around and try out a great deal of distinct mattresses to uncover the correct one for you.
It can take a tiny time to get in to see a doctor with a sore back again, and it can be difficult even sitting down or lying down. The most typical resting placement for individuals with back again accidents, this sort of as ruptured discs, is to lay with the back again flat and bent knees. The relieves any pressure in your tendons and muscle tissues that operate down your again and through your legs.
If you have problems with your again, deal with them. Some individuals refuse to pay focus to the warning alerts their human body sends them. Again soreness is not something that someone must hope will "just go away." You can make your soreness worse if you transfer also considerably. Sit down, relax and never do a lot until the discomfort lightens.
Will not let your back ache consider in excess of your daily life. Do every thing you can to make your soreness far more manageable so that you can live your daily life the way you want to. Now that you've got go through this post, get the guidance that you feel will function for you and use it to your daily life.
Muscle mass harm is the root trigger of most back again ache. Muscular strain or ligament injury can injure the back again in various methods. The following article presents you some wonderful tips on taking care of back discomfort. Again discomfort is usually not everlasting, even though at occasions, it can be hard to handle.
Are you a again soreness sufferer? Try to keep away from actions which cause too much twisting of your again. No make a difference what you happen to be undertaking, way too significantly twisting your back again can injure it. When engaging in challenging actions such as sports activities, be informed of how designs of movement have an effect on the spinal locations, and decrease exercise if you commence to knowledge tightness and discomfort.
If you are going through back accidents, either via your existence selections or through genetics, be positive to safeguard oneself by habitually checking out your chiropractor prior to you experience discomfort. Significant back afflictions can often be averted if you consider care of little issues as they occur.
Stick to a wholesome diet program with a lot of drinking water, generally 62 ounces a working day. A healthy nicely-balanced diet that is full of important nutrition will assist your entire body operate better. This will help you get a leaner human body and can avoid strain on the again, and there are needed vitamins and minerals that can eradicate your back again discomfort.
You can safeguard your again during those long days at the desk by simply having walks on your breaks. Standing up and stretching your legs and human body at standard intervals will also support to stretch out the muscle tissues in your back, and this can aid you to steer clear of again pain and injuries related to cumulative compression concerns.
Most individuals know what again discomfort is. The know about it from knowledge, or they may be experiencing it correct now. This article has provided you the resources and now battling your back again ache is your work. Established aside time to find out how to manage your again soreness, and commence providing by yourself the appropriate treatment.
One particular of the most widespread injuries that impact folks these days is back ache and back injury. You can get these sorts of troubles, irrespective of regardless of whether you are energetic or not. The tips in this article will support you stop and cope with again discomfort.
Simply because you spend a great part of your working day sleeping, it is important to use a comfortable mattress. A agency mattress will provide higher assist for your again and aid minimize some of your again soreness. Mattresses that are company give the ideal help stage, but also considerably firmness can have the opposite influence. Don't wait to shop about until finally you track down the actual mattress that satisfies your distinct requirements.
You can spare by yourself the distress of back pain by usually maintaining correct posture. A lot of men and women believe that back again accidents take place as the outcome of strenuous exercising, but they would be wrong. Sitting stooped over a laptop all day lengthy can sooner or later result in harm to your back again muscle groups over time.
Avoid soreness brought on by doing work at a desk by getting breaks and strolling about, or even stretching in your chair. Stand up and extend your entire body and legs routinely to aid extend your again muscle tissue. Undertaking this could aid you lessen again ache, damage, and compression issues.
Back again accidents and back again discomfort can be really serious. If you do not consider your again problem severely and postpone acquiring it handled, you could build a extended-time period incapacity that will entirely change your daily life. Back again pain is specially hard to get well from, so try out to stay away from it if you can. If you do have again soreness though, it is crucial to understand how to offer with it. This report can demonstrate you how to hold from acquiring back concerns in the first spot, and how to treat them if you do find it taking place to you.


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Soamachaerota appendiculata is een halfvleugelig insect uit de familie Machaerotidae. De wetenschappelijke naam van deze soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1926 door Hacker.

Machaerotidae


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4.3.1 What leads an individual to fund a tech startup? 1/2
Creating and Developing a Tech Startup
4.1 (69 ratings) | 18K Students Enrolled
This course will allow you to identify and evaluate opportunities for creating a tech business, and to better understand its principal issues on a human, technical, commercial, environmental and financial level. As such, you will obtain solid foundations either for building your own tech business, or for joining one. Deciding to create or to join a tech business in these early years is an out-of-the-ordinary adventure, and it certainly won't be straightforward: you need to be ready to accept that not all "good" ideas will lead to success, and that only a very small number of projects lead to great success. You must learn to overhaul your relationship with failure, which is a valuable source of experience and should be managed according to the logic of "acceptable loss": the entrepreneur loves uncertainty, not excessive risk. The creation of tech businesses gives you a genuine opportunity to change the world, but requires you to adopt a particular state of mind and to be able to acquire knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills. You will have the chance to work alongside passionate and exciting people from a whole multitude of backgrounds. From a technological point of view, these women and men have constructed numerous companies of a global scale. The development trajectory of a tech business is full of mishaps which require you to be both agile and greatly prepared to build on a strong idea, choose your market, develop your proposal, assemble a team worthy of the task in hand, and finding financing. The course is made up of methodological sessions as well as first-hand accounts from entrepreneurs and people who have succeeded in creating tech businesses themselves. You will thus be able to get to know the essential dilemmas with which high-tech business creators are confronted with, beginning with the initial decision to set up your very own structure, which itself represents a significant life decision. You will also see that the creation of a tech business is much more a collective adventure than an individual one. In the English version, all of the reading content, quizzes and assesments will be in English, whilst the videos will have French audio and English subtitles.
Business Plan, Business Model, Innovation, Entrepreneurship
How to calculate your financing needs and to find funding
The development of an innovative technology is an exciting adventure that is often like an obstacle course when it comes to finding the first sources of financing. Though new technologies are fascinating, many investors are reluctant to finance them because there are real technical, sales and human risks at stake.
Even so, many sources of financing exist and tech entrepreneurs demonstrate tremendous creativity to successfully move forward from the development stage of a breakthrough technology to the commercialization of an innovative and profitable offer. This session deals with the financing of the innovation and will show you how to assess your financing needs and how to find the corresponding resources. You will also gain insight into the reasoning of venture capitalists, who sometimes finance companies at a very early stage.
4.1 Introduction0:54
4.2.1 An overview of your financing needs and financial sources for innovation 1/44:05
4.3.1 What leads an individual to fund a tech startup? 1/27:45
4.3.2 What leads an individual to fund a tech startup? 2/213:22
4.4 From wavelet theory to the "Let It Wave" startup: financing the launch.18:52
4.5 How does a venture capital fund decide to finance a breakthrough technology?10:25
Romain Beaume
Chargé Mission chaire MIX
Etienne Krieger
Affiliate Professor
Good morning. My name is Didier Tranchier. I am an engineer, from the Polytechnic School. I went to Polytechnic School and then Télécom Paris, and I have started the first part of my career as a conventional engineer, a serious pupil, very interested in the new technologies. I have worked in research and development, in the implementation of technologies until 2000. In 2000, I was in the United States where, I witnessed a true revolution in place, which was the Internet bubble. At that time, my life changed completely, and I left the comfort and the security of large groups to go to entrepreneurship and the creation of companies. In 2000, I therefore created a first company in the technology field, company which has had its ups and downs, and which finally, the technology was taken over by a large group. But I did not stop there. I had a real passion for this ecosystem and the emergence of the new economy, and I gradually became Business Angel. So what is a Business Angel? It is a providential investor. A providential investor, it is just that, in this world of new economy, it is necessary to have at the time money, that is the concept of the investor, but also the concept of welfare, as it happens, in the field of the new economy, many things which means that we sometimes need to have support. Personally, in 10 years I have invested in 40 technological companies. Out of these 40 technological companies, two have been bought by two large groups. Five have come to a, let's say, difficult end, and stopped their activities, and 33 today are in the development phase, and I spend most of my time looking after these companies. As a whole, the two releases, helped me to get back the totality of my 40 investments, plus a little of capital gain, which means that I am better off financially. However in reality, money is certainly important, but the adventure just by being an investor is almost exactly what is the most important. What is a Business Angel? We have seen that, it is a providential investor. And in fact, it is noticeable that in most large companies, each has actually come across, often at the beginning, a providential investor, a Business Angel. Let's take Apple as an example. Apple, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak both starting up in a garage, and they had help from Mike Markkula who came to see them and who invested 250 000 dollars in Apple in 1977, just after its creation. Mike Markkula, thanks to both his management skills, and also his money, allowed Apple to start and develop its technology. And we know the success of Apple nowadays which is the first world development. Google has lived, in a way, the same story. Google, both Sergey Brin and Larry Page. And for them, is is almost more exceptional as they have enticed their first providential investor, their first Business Angel, even before the creation of their company. They convinced Andy Bechtolsheim who was one of the founders of Sun Microsystems to help them. And it is said that Andy Bechtolsheim wrote a 100 000 dollar cheque on the bonnet of his Porsche in the Silicon Valley. Naturally, Sergey Brin and Larry Page felt a little awkward as the company did not exist and they did not know quite what to do with this 100 000 dollar cheque. So finally, they created the company, they were able to pay the cheque in and open an bank account, and then the Google adventure was ready to go. Closer to home, Daniel Zumino, HEC, was himself on of the first Business Angels in France, he was one of the first investors at Vistaprint. Vistaprint started at first in France, and continue to develop in the United States, which today is a highly-rated company and one of the biggest world editors. And you probably know the Vistaprint business cards. Let's continue, everyone knows the Social Network and Facebook. And there, Facebook would not have existed without a providential investor or without several providential investors. We know about the Sean Parker's contribution, himself founder of Napster who changed, who offered to change the name of Facebook to The Facebook or simply Facebook. But he also brought his friend Peter Thiel, who paid the first 500 000 dollar cheque into Facebook for 10 % of the value-creation of Facebook. When we obviously look at the promotion of Facebook nowadays, we realise that the investment was more than profitable. But outside of the cost-effectiveness and the investment, which was the most influential, and it is from there, Facebook, thanks to this money were able to properly set up an industrial plan and invest in its development. Most recently, in 2009, Bono, the U2 singer, has himself, invested 90 millions dollars. Bono has always been interested in startups. He had already previously invested in several startups, but sometimes resulting in mixed success. Which means that he was known, at the time, as an investor, the worst investor in the United States. But obviously, with his 90 million dollars invested in Facebook, in reality, his comeback as an investor was such that not only he was not treated as the United States worst investor any longer, but also, he earned a lot more money simply with this investment in Facebook than in his whole career as a singer. Closer to home once more, the most active Business Angel in the world is French. He is Xavier Niel who, according to Business Insider is actually the world champion of the investment of startups. Xavier Niel has already invested in more than 300 startups. He has invested in companies such as Deezer, one of the world leaders in music, in Devialet, the makers of hybrid music amplifiers, very top of the range and which probably will be one of the revolutionary company in the music world, or also in American companies such as Square which is revolutionising methods in which to make payments. But Xavier Niel has also, other than creating his training schools for Internet jobs and for the Internet entrepreneurs, is going also to create the biggest world incubator which is going to regroup more than 1000 startups in the Halle Freyssinet. Therefore, we have in France, what we don't always know, among the world most active ecosystems, and in particular on the providential investors side.


Inspired by modern Estonian cuisine, à la carte restaurant NOOT is open every day. Our head chef Rudolf Visnapuu, the recipient of the highest order of chefs - Le Cordon Bleu, has put together a menu which includes local ingredients and seasonal sea food.
During summers, our summer terrace is open.
Tables should be booked at least 24 h ahead of time by e-mailing at noot@spaestonia.ee or by calling us.


As technology grows, there are updating opportunities for oneself through the use of online modes of communication and networking. One can effectively build a website if they have the right skills and platform. One of the most significant characteristics of getting a website done is accessibility and hence let us look at the top ten easy site building options.
Wix is a free website builder developed by Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI). Wix gave its entry after supporting for the event Super Bowl 2017 Campaign. Now Wix is one of the biggest web designing platforms which is handling more than 90 million websites. The easy to use site has both free and paid plans. It has online booking widgets, chat software, and newsletter tools. The in-house editor is present with latest tools like adding images, and graphics to your websites. There are more than 500 themes with adding social media and contact forms. Wix comes with cloud support for unlimited storage and automatic data backup functions.
Webnode is a free and easy to use site builder that has 27 million customers worldwide. Webnode supports many e-commerce pages, online ventures, and digital stores. Webnode is compatible with Android, Mac, and Windows. It is an international platform that has multiple languages option. Its main page is divided into many segments where that has individual elements. You can customize the page as per your choice. It has both free and paid plans. One even creates a checkbox, date box, and contact forms.
'Webs' is a free website builder for entrepreneurs and designers. Even beginners can operate comfortably. The multipurpose platform supports website building to e-commerce and blogging. There are big collections of templates, customizable themes, and graphics. The free package has 500 MB bandwidth and with 40 MB storage limit.
Webstart is a free website builder, and it is easy to use even by beginners. Webstart is systematic, and an organized one. The Blank Canvas editor of Webstart allows the user to add and delete the elements in the way they want. It also supports blogging. With this site, you can easily create portfolios and contact forms within a minute. The MailChimp in Webstart offers e-mail marketing support.
5. WEBSITE BUILDER: The Website Builder is a free website, and it has no hidden cost or trial version. You can easily access the service free of price. The advanced functions can operate when taken as premium and paid packages are also available here. The user can build multiple web pages that are compatible with Android, Mac, and Windows. The website builder also has the option to update your websites even after publishing it.
IM Creator is suitable for artists, and designers. The IM has more than 11,240, 766 websites worldwide. IM creator comes with SEO tools, CMS integrations, e-commerce solutions, and other editing options. One can use IM creator to start portfolios and blogs with no complicated coding or technical stuff.
Jimdo is a free and easy to use website building platform for beginners and professionals. Jimdo launches 20 million websites with the latest technology and unique creativity. It offers unlimited storage, cloud backup, and bandwidth. Whatever you post in Jimdo is already protected by SSL encryption.
Weebly is a free website builder for beginners, professionals, and entrepreneurs. It gives 500 MB storage with unlimited bandwidth. The website you create supports all the devices and includes the features of Paypal integration, digital gift cards, and automatic tax collector. The in-built editor comes with all essential tools and customization features.
Duda is a free website builder with clear interface and social media integration. The user can sell products online. It is compatible with all the devices. Duda even supports e-commerce and has decent SEO tools.
Hostgator is a well-designed and attractive website builder. It has yearly plans that include domain name and SSL certificate. It has only limited apps. The only con is the inability to post blogs. There are massive collections of modern site templates and themes.


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Last night we saw an absolutely stunning production of Macbeth, put on by GRADS, with Stephen Lee in the title role,...
Last night we saw an absolutely stunning production of Macbeth, put on by GRADS, with Stephen Lee in the title role, and directed by Grant Malcom.
Alicia Smith has written a brilliant review of the show.
If you are in Perth and can get to UWA, it is well worth the effort.
Originally shared by Alicia Smith
Shakespeare's MACBETH
Directed by Grant Malcolm
Dolphin Theatre, University of Western Australia
8pm Wed 6 – Sat 9 June 2018
2pm Saturday 9 June 2018
Opening on a midweek night where the weather decided to emulate that of Scotland you'd expect that there wouldn't be much of an audience but the Dolphin was at about half capacity, and they were lucky because this was a great show.
This is a production in which GRADS is once more looking more slick and in the groove than some professional troupes I've seen. With a huge cast – 26! spangled with experienced performers like Stephen Lee and Jenny Howard, directed with Grant Malcolm's the sure touch it's a substantial offering. Even on the first night there's an enormous frisson between the actors, quite sizzling at times!
But there's too many to mention, even though I want to because even the smallest roles – a child stacking blocks - Isaac McCann's humour and pathos, – a servant – Neve Havercroft's studied expression - Tim Prosser's doctor's concerns both for his patient, and tellingly, more for himself all played with clarity, passion and dedication. Jeff Watkin's ability to bring forth real tears in the throes of Macduff's grief is very moving. There's a driving force to this production and it seems at times to be wringing the very best out of the actors.
For purists complaining that they've made Duncan a Queen, not a King, pah – Sue Lynch has proved that she's a fine Duncan and clearly has earned respect and loyalty. She's just not going to get it from Macbeth, who, like the audience, is clearly captivated by the amazing Weird Sisters.
Grace Edwards, Sylvia Cornes and Anka Cikic were very clearly of the Other, frightening and manipulative, compelling with their cult-choreography and obscure warnings.
Stephen Lee as Macbeth and Jenny Howard as his ambitious wife were an amazing pair, and the way the dynamic see-sawed between them as one of them would be set by uncertainty or the odd vision of a bleeding ghost at the banquet, and be shored up by the other.
Kristine Lockwood's Porter was a welcome and hilarious relief from the brooding atmosphere and some great physical comedy.
Shivas Lindsay's Angus got the first laugh of the play when his genuine Scottish accent (amid so many acted in this play that I can be no judge of) announced that "We are sent To give thee from our royal mistress thanks; Only to herald thee into her sight, Not pay thee."
Eddie Stowers and Davis McCann you wouldn't want to meet, well, anywhere, in their roles as Murderers.
I've seen Banquos in the past that have been real walking bloodbaths, almost slaughterhouse visions, where it's so over the top that the effect is over, heh, saturated, if you'll pardon the expression. But when Banquo's ghost comes on, it looks like he's been murdered professionally, with no mucking about, a straightforward job, which is all the more chilling. Very realistic moulage.
Quite in keeping with the play, this is not a tame production – there is real fire and smoke, there are metal weapons and there's stage fighting. And witches. The well tempered sound effects gather us into the play, and the music – original score by Myles Wright was very evocative. The actors are playing passionate roles of madness, violence, murderous death and anger and other overwhelming emotional conflicts.
If they had trigger warnings in Elizabethan times the ones for this one would be plastered all over the door. There's one thing I've never seen done before in a stage play to quite that extent. (You'll know it when you see it.) It's really quite exciting.
Beautiful props – the Weird Sisters' enormous Cauldron had a presence all of its own, and it was wise to let it have the stage to itself for a while, to allow us time to adjust to it. This must have taken a while to construct and it looks like antique cast iron. The thrones are beautiful pieces of work, I just hope that Banquo's ghost didn't bleed too much on them.
If you want to introduce someone to Shakespeare this production would be the one I'd pick – clarity, vision, terrible passion, fine acting, stage fighting, witches, great lighting and sound and stage. If you want to see some blood and thunder Shakespeare this is it too.
9/10 Indomitable and finding the Royal Shakespeare Company and Bell Shakespeare are juggling fire and duelling soliloquies at your local community theatre on the Sid and Nancy Scale.
http://www.ticketswa.com/event/william-shakespeares-macbeth
Stephen Gunnell 7 June 2018 at 10:28
I see no mention of the props mistress.
Rob Masters 7 June 2018 at 10:38
The indomitable Pamela Smith ? She did an amazing job! A whole feast, thrones, torches, and more! It was just stunning!
Pamela Smith 7 June 2018 at 14:29
Thank you! I wish I could take credit for the thrones and the torches (I only lit them).
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Rights & Democracy presents a roundtable discussion on "Turning the Tide: How We Can Build A Movement Towards a New Social Contract and a Real Democracy" with Ady Barkan, Cathy Albisa, Ana Maria Archila, Tracey Corder, Jennifer Flynn Walker, James Haslam, and moderated by Shay Totten.
Given the rise of the radical right and the increasing instability in our country, pundits and business and political leaders have started to talk about the need for a new social contract. Join Rights & Democracy for this roundtable discussion exploring what kind of new social contract is being shaped by social movements and community efforts and what it will take to build a movement to ensure any new social contract gives us a true and fair democracy.
Ady Barkan is a senior staffer at Center for Popular Democracy where he directs Local Progress and the Fed Up Campaign. Right before the 2016 election, he was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, and recently gained national media coverage for confronting the Republican Congress and Senator Jeff Flake about his support from Trump's push to slash health care programs his family relies on so he can fund massive tax cuts for billionaires. When those cuts went through, Ady has launched a national effort called Be A Hero tour to build voter mobilization to elect Representatives and Senators who are with working families. The programs he directs at CPD are Local Progress a network of hundreds of progressive local elected elected officials across the country and Fed Up is a national campaign for full employment and a reformed Federal Reserve.
Cathy Albisa is the Executive Director and Co-Founder at the National Economic & Social Rights Initiative, which is committed to a community-centered and participatory human rights approach that is locally anchored, but universal and global in its vision. She has a background in constitutional and human rights, and significant expertise in reproductive justice, corporate accountability and economic and social rights. She has published extensively and served on boards as diverse as the Center for Constitutional Rights, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, the International Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Network, and the Center for Social Inclusion, among others.
Ana Maria Archila is the Co-Executive Director at the Center For Popular Democracy, which she joined from their sister organization, Make the Road New York, where she served as Co-Executive Director since its formation in 2007. Before that, Ana María was the Executive Director of the Latin American Integration Center. She has led in shaping the organization's electoral vision, organizing model, expansion to Long Island, and LGBTQ organizing work. Ana María emigrated to the U.S. from Colombia at the age of 17 and has become a leading advocate for civil rights, health care access, education equity, and immigrant rights in New York State, and nationally.
Tracey Corder serves as the Racial Justice Campaign Director for the Center For Popular Democracy (CPD), building deep and close relationships with core affiliates who are focused on driving racial justice work as well as working with other CPD staff to develop effective intersectional campaigns. She came to CPD from Oakland Rising where she worked as the Field Director. There she was responsible for developing short and long term electoral strategy and helping to sustain intentional relationships with partner organizations, elected officials, city staff, labor, community leaders and other key stakeholders in Oakland. Prior to this, Tracey worked as the Deputy Field Director for CO Victory in the 2014 federal midterms elections and served as the Wisconsin African American Vote Director for the 2012 Obama re-election campaign. Tracey has also worked to elect candidates on every level of government throughout the country.
Jennifer Flynn Walker directs CPD's Mobilization and Advocacy program, working closely with the Fightback and Field Initiatives Programs. Jennifer is responsible for federal healthcare, tax policy and advocacy. At the same time, she is developing new ways to mobilize our affiliates in federal campaigns, while experimenting with innovative methods for building new and broader constituencies who can join our campaigns, including building CPD's Opioid Network. Jennifer joins CPD after serving for 10 years as a co-founder and Executive Director of CPD affiliate, VOCAL-NY. She was the director of Health GAP, a global AIDS advocacy organization, expanding the organization to 3 countries on 2 continents. Jennifer was the first US based and focused human rights activist selected for Columbia University's Human Rights Advocates Training Fellowship, a recipient of the Union Square Award, Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Award and New York City Council Hero Award and received a NYC Council proclamation in 2016 for her leadership on LGBT issues. She was named one of the most promising AIDS activists in 2001 by Poz Magazine and most was highlighted as one of the leading 25 LGBT AIDS Activists in 25 years by HIV Plus Magazine in 2009.
James Haslam is the co-founder and executive director of Rights & Democracy after serving as the Executive Director at the Vermont Workers' Center for over 15 years. He has extensive experience in running grassroots legislative advocacy campaigns, labor, and political community organizing. From 2008 - 2015, with the VWC James helped lead a grassroots organizing campaign called Healthcare Is A Human Right. He has served on a number of boards from organizations around the country including People's Action and Resource Generation.
Shay Totten (moderator) grew up in the Northeast Kingdom and as a writer and publisher has worked to give voice to people organizing on a variety of issues, from labor, LGBTQ and disability rights to the environmental justice and anti-war movements, and more. A graduate of Bennington College, he has served on the boards of the Renewable Energy Vermont Education Fund, CCTV, Vermont Press Association, the Peace & Justice Center, the Keep BT Local Coop, Burlington Friends of Education, and was a founding board member of RAD.
What is a New Social Contract towards a democracy that belongs to everyone?
What do we need to do in our movements to ensure the next social contract is written by and for all people in our country?
For more information on RAD-TV, please visit radvt.org.


The consumer may be searching for a product or service that they are willing to buy outside city. In other words, the location of your business is likely irrelevant to them. These keyword phrases can be more competitive and business owners often struggle to rank well here, without professional SEO consulting services.
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Like most starving artists, I am not privy to the beauty of dining out every evening…except when TM and TF come to town. They enjoy good food, the experience of dining out, and having me along for the ride. So once every couple of months my nights are filled with sumptuous foods from all over New York. This trip, these are the places we've had the pleasure (and not-so-pleasure) of taking in.
Nancy Lee's is a Chinese restaurant on the Upper East Side, decorated on the outside with a sprinkling of alfresco seating and red paper lanterns. On the inside, it is pink pink pink and decorated with pigs pigs pigs, in reverence of the menu item for which it is best known—pig. In fact, it appears on the menu in the form of "Hot Pig," "Cold Pig," "Hot No Pig," and "Cold No Pig," among others. Of the most famous items for which Nancy Lee's is known, however, are the spareribs, featured on the Travel Channel's Food Paradise series in their Ribs episode. A connoisseur of spareribs, TF had written down Nancy Lee's on his to-do list after TM saw it on television. I am not an active sparerib worshipper myself, mostly because I don't like to get my hands dirty (how bourgeois, I know), but I am certainly open-minded when it comes to food. Away to Nancy Lee's we went.
The spareribs arrived, thick strips of meaty bones reddish black and crispy, almost candied, with barbeque sauce. So far they were better than the standard sparerib fare I had seen, mere bones with a scrape or two of meat that must be gently gnawed loose with the front teeth. But these you could really bite, and bite we did. Each mouthful was sweet but not too sweet and perfectly savory. I don't remember ever enjoying spareribs before. And TF, the rib connoisseur, was floating away on a rib-flavored cloud. After one bite, he looked at TM and I as if to say "My goose is cooked. These ribs have my heart and they're never giving it back." Though married to TF for 25 years, TM was quite a fan of the ribs herself and happily agreed to share him. Thankfully, though, I am not married and won't have to split my love between the ribs and anyone else. I will doubtless be returning to Nancy Lee's in the future.
Because the SoHo/NoLita overlap is one of my favorite places in the city, I was always walking past Ed's Lobster Bar, a small white and yellow storefront with a bright red lobster logo, never really able to go in. At the behest of TF and TM, though, I was finally able to go this week. Done up nautically but intelligently, with white wood-paneled walls, booths and porthole-like mirrors, we made our way through the narrow restaurant and took our seats. As there are only lobster and seafood items on the menu, I plied myself with the aforementioned crustacean in the form of a lobster bisque appetizer and a lobster roll entrée. The bisque arrived, thick but not too thick, with just the perfect balance of lobster and sherry. It was accompanied by two small but mighty lobster ravioli floating in the soup, packed with shredded lobster. I swore to myself if I didn't walk out with claws it would be a miracle. I happily made my way through the soup, leaving only the bowl, the dish, and the spoon behind. The lobster rolls were next, filled with thick chunks of tender lobster that practically overflowed from their sweet, butter-lined hot dog roll nest. The meat was dense but the roll was soft and somehow the combination melted in my mouth. Each bite of the roll was fresh, sweet magic. Though my budget does not often permit such dining, perhaps on a day when I am celebrating something wonderful or just on a day when I want to eat a fabulous lobster roll, I will be back.
I originally wanted to eat here because I thought it was cool that the restaurant had a pawn shop front, but I soon realized that would be one of the few things I liked about it. I thought the cool, grungy pawn shop vibe would be reflected in the restaurant, but I was mistaken. Filled with people who go to be seen, not necessarily to eat, the restaurant had a pretentious atmosphere that was just not for me. I had delicious merguez rigatoni, but wouldn't eat there again unless I could get take out.
I remember always hearing wonderful things about Balthazar until I was talking about the restaurant with MA as we walked through the East Village. I wondered aloud what it was like and a grumpy man walked past us and said, "Overrated." I was disappointed to hear it, and I wondered how that could be true—it's been so well-reviewed over and over. I finally got a chance to see for myself, though.
A well-crafted French Bistro in the heart of SoHo, upon first glance Balthazar conjures visions of an aged French brasserie, with splotchy, darkened mirrors, red leather booths, and white tablecloths. Tables are packed tightly together but still intimate. A wait without a reservation runs about an hour and a half on weeknights, probably even more on the weekends. I booked our reservation about a week in advance, just for good measure.
The food could have easily been traditional French, but what's nice about the menu is that it takes a thoughtful spin on the classics, sometimes by adding global influences (chorizo, grits!) to their offerings. Highlights from our dinner in particular include French Onion Soup, Duck Shepherd's Pie, and Profiteroles. Most French Onion Soups I've had are savory, but this soup was slightly sweet, and had a Vidalia onion flavor amplified by a creamy gruyere. TF ordered Duck Shepherd's Pie which I decided upon tasting I would very much like to take intravenously. Tender, savory shredded duck mingled with creamy, almost puree-like potatoes, a single forkful of it melting in my mouth. Out of sheer politeness I had to stop myself from licking the plate. And then the profiteroles. Because Balthazar makes all of their own pastries (in fact, many restaurants across New York feature breads and pastries from Balthazar), I knew they would be even more delicious than they might have been normally. The profiteroles arrived, vanilla ice cream sandwiched by flaky pastry. The waiter poured warm chocolate over them. I sliced into them with the side of my fork, mashing the ice cream into the pastry a little bit more, and tasted the concoction. It was spongy and flaky, sweetly cooled by the vanilla ice cream. After each bite I felt the need to close my eyes and chew, turning my attention only to the chocolaty, pastry-y, creamy, vanilla-y parade happening in my mouth. That is what dining is supposed to be like.


When: Through April 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Trilogy Art Group presents a fundraiser for the Friends of the Nipomo Library with an exhibit of multi-media 2d and 3D artwork. Reception and silent auction on April 6 from 2 to 4 p.m.


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Still coughing and get winded fairly easily, though I think it's getting better.
I told my friend J. that I would visit every large bookstore in Seoul by the time I left, and I am working on it! I think J. half thought I was kidding, but after two weeks, five bookstores, six volumes of manhwa and one book later, she has caught on to my dead seriousness. For those curious, the book loot is Carla Kelly's Libby's London Merchant and Miss Chartley's Guided Tour; Kim Yeon Ju's Nabi the Prototype, so I can compare it with my English translation at home; Nabi 1, 2, and 4; a collection of her short stories titled Fly; a totally random manhwa called Annyeong, Pi, which I thought would be a fairly easy read before of the cute fluffy chick on the front but turns out to have a cute fluffy chick that is the reincarnation of the main character's past life's servant (of course a random manhwa I pick up will have reincarnation!); and the Korean translation of Yotsuba 9, on the grounds that the vocabulary Yotsuba uses shouldn't be too hard. Unlike, say, ALL of the Kim Yeon Ju. But her art is so pretty! I could not resist!
If anyone has information about the following manhwa, I would be extremely grateful!
I feel vaguely guilty about going to Book Off even in Korea, but they have used manhwa!
On the plus side, knowing Chinese is invaluable. It also means a lot of my vocab sounds strangely formal, because the more formal vocabulary tends to be the Sino-Korean vocabulary, which I find easier to remember. I also was very startled to find quotes from various Chinese historical sources about Korean history in the National Museum of Korea.
By the way, one thing I love about Korea? The National Museum of Korea? FREE. Awesomesauce, especially since I only made it through the Three Kingdoms period this trip.
And I haven't even gotten around to describing Seoul, which I adore. Or how there is 팥빙수/shaved ice everywhere here and how J. showed me an awesome little bakery and how cheap and tasty the food here is and how Busan made me homesick and how I am still not an adventurous eater for an Asian person (did not try the live octopus or the fried silkworms, did try the raw sea cucumber and am still really not feeling it) and how there is all this street food that I haven't been eating because I am so full from other meals. But I had 호떡, this round flatbread with melted sugar and some nuts I think on the inside, and I suspect it was not the best 호떡 (I should have lined up in Busan at that stand, but we had to catch a train), but OMG I must get more when I go to Insadong on Wed.
Oh! And we made 다식/tea snacks in class and learned a teeny weeny bit of 택견/taekkyeon and walked around a 한옥/hanok (traditional style Korean houses) village. Someone had a brand-new beautiful shiny hanok, and they parked a brand-new beautiful shiny orange Porsche under it. It looked a bit out of place, to say the least.
And now I must go, even though I still haven't gotten to Busan and Shanghai and the World Expo and Seoul proper, because Coffee House is starting, and even though I can't understand a thing going on, I'm watching just for Kang Ji-Hwan in glasses. He is adorkable!
And after that is the new horror sageuk Gumiho, which is sadly much easier to follow than Coffee House, since it's much more action oriented. Also, yellow contacts + fangs + women turning into foxes = entertaining even when you can't understand!
I read volume 1 quite some time ago, and I was amused when my old post on it noted that I wanted to see more of Che-Kyung having to deal with palace politics and etc. Ha, no such luck!
Overall, I don't think I'll keep reading. I love the clothes, but I still haven't connected with the main character or the hero, and I don't seem to have the same sense of humor as the manhwaka does.
I really hope a) reading these in English and b) without jetlag makes it make more sense. That said, despite my having no idea what's going on with the plot and suspecting that the characters are probably not particularly well-rounded, the absolutely gorgeous art keeps me reading anyway and lends the story a mythic quality that it otherwise might not have.
I am so embarrassed I read this. After I had watched the entire drama too!
Tae-Woong is a scruffy boxer who used to be a genius mathematician until a traumatic event. Bora is a chronically ill and suicidal girl who closes herself off from everyone to keep herself from getting hurt. This is amazingly less melodramatic than the drama based on it, but that is probably only because there are only two volumes of manhwa and 16 episodes of drama. They had to fill those hours with something, preferably something as tear-jerking as possible!
Um. I do not even know what to say about this! I am not objective at all. I love the use of "The Snow Queen," and outside of that, I largely roll my eyes at the various twists and turns Bora and Tae-Woong go through even as I eat it all up with a spoon! This includes things like Bora thinking, "I hate you for being nice to me! If you hadn't been nice to me, I wouldn't have had to... feel!" or Tae-Woong thinking, "I always thought falling in love would be comfortable, not... like this!"
Also, there are shenanigans in which Bora runs off and Tae-Woong must run after her as her trusty chauffeur, last-minute tear-jerker plot twists, multiple suicide attempts, and several collapses.
I probably had entirely too much fun reading this, but I don't care!
I love Kim Yeon-Joo's art. It's gorgeous, her kids are adorable, and I love the clothing. I also love her characters. Unfortunately, her storytelling skills aren't so great.
I read Nabi: The Prototype, which is a prequel to Nabi and has three stories about Aru, Ryu-Sang, and Myo-Un, the main characters in Nabi. Ah-Ru is an adorable girl, Ryu-Sang is a grumpy guy who used to be Myo-Un's friend before smashing a vase over her head for reasons yet unknown, and Myo-Un is one of the orphanage's more mysterious inhabitants, at least in terms of origin. Nabi begins at the orphanage; a noblewoman has gathered orphans together and fostered them, again for unknown reasons. Soon, the orphans must disperse, and we get more vague hints as to Myo-Un's specialness.
As you can tell, I have very little idea of what is going on. I suspect I would just give up on the manhwa if it weren't for my emotional investment in the characters from reading the prequel. I'll probably keep reading, but I don't have high hopes for the plot. I think Kim may excel at creating brief character interactions and at invoking emotion in the short form, but she doesnm't seem to be very good at building things out over time, be it in terms of plot or characterization. That's really too bad, because I very much want to know what is going on with Ryu-Sang and Myo-Un.
Ohhhh, it's nice how it's so much easier to figure things out when one reads two volumes at a time, as opposed to waiting a year or so in between volumes.
Apologies, my spellings of all the names are off as my volumes are elsewhere and I am not sure if Wiki's are the same as the English translation's.
Woe! I want these out in English now, as I am sure it will make more sense than in Chinese, since I have a hard time figuring out who is saying what.
This is a version of Little Women in which the March sisters go to an English boarding school: Meg's a teacher, Jo's the much-squeed-over fencing club president, Amy's pretty much herself, and Beth is a resentful girl jealous of being the ugly duckling among her accomplished sisters.
I am not sure why making Beth resentful and jealous horrifies me in a way that making Triptaka a gun-wielding, foul-mouthed misanthrope does not. Wait, actually, it's probably because I've read enough retellings of Journey to the West to see any changes as playing with the story, whereas I don't think I've ever really seen an adaptation of Little Women that wasn't done straight. On the other hand, I am completely amused by Jo as the gender-bending crush object of all the girls in school and her swooping ponytail. I think the manhwaka took most of the internal conflicts we see with Jo and give them to Beth instead, with less of an emphasis on wanting to be good and more of an emphasis on wanting to rebel.
That said, the manhwaka does know the book very well from her notes, which almost makes the changes odder for me. Also, I cannot tell at all how accurate her representation of clothing and etc. is... I am constantly shocked to see people's knees and calves exposed because their skirts stop a little below their knees, and then it's nothing until the boots start. But! That may just be my own preconceptions about Victorian clothing. And I think the manhwaka moved the time so it's post-Civil-War.
Anyway! This was just a bizarre reading experience for me, since I grew up reading Little Women and am highly unaccustomed to having assorted shirtless bishounen, grumpy clumsy shoujo-manga-heroine Beth, and Utena-like Jo in it. And Laurie has a crush on Beth!
I bought this purely on the basis of the cover and the face that it was about fairy tales. The cover doesn't lie: the art inside is just as gorgeous, if not moreso, with beautiful Art Nouveau lines and lots of stylization. Sadly, you can't seem to preview the art or see more of the interior at the official website.
I think the premise is that the Grim Peddler (nameless) sparks fairy tales into being or narrates them or somehow controls the flow of the story, and he does this by providing seeds that grow into people. Sleeping Beauty is one of these seeds, given to a desperate queen who wants a child. He lives with a young black-haired man who is occasionally a cat (also nameless), and said man/cat tends to get shoved into stories by the Peddler to make things go as they should. Unsurprisingly, each of the retold fairy tales is very different from the ones we're used to. The ones in this volume include Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, the Little Mermaid, and an original fairy tale, which is sadly the most incomprehensible.
I don't think the manhwaga is doing anything particularly revisionist with any of the retellings, but I was rather amused by the twist on Hansel and Gretel. Also, did I mention the art was gorgeous? I'm guessing the rest of the series will be just as incomprehensible, but I may end up getting it anyway just for the pretty.
This series keeps enraging me, but I read on because the art was so gorgeous. Thankfully, I have been released, since the author's note in volume 4 annoyed me so much that I refuse to pick up more! Ha, freedom!
I still like the stories being told between the main story, but the main story is so frustrating, especially because it's taking a source famous for its heroine and making it something in which all the women are ineffectual and unimportant or evil.
ETA: I realized I must have accidentally skipped vol. 3 and shoujo!Caesar.
This is a collection of interrelated short stories that the manhwaga used as a sort of prologue to her current series Nabi. Alas, I've heard sales of this volume weren't great, so TokyoPop isn't planning on releasing the series. That's too bad, because the art in this is simply gorgeous, and though some of the stories are confusing, her characters are charming and intriguing and I want to see more of them and the world.
The first two stories don't seem to be connected at all. The first is on a young girl who's a political hostage; she's been temporarily blinded to prevent her from ever seeing her captives. The second is on a somewhat tomboyish girl being married off for a political alliance; both have a nicely bittersweet feeling, not much resolution, and a sense of a wider world going on around the heroines. The next few stories are about two orphans at different ages. We first meet them when they're kids—incredibly adorable kids! So cute!—and then we watch as their relationship doesn't quite develop as expected, thanks to a vase.
On a side note, I wish TokyoPop put blank pages or dividers or something between the stories instead of an easily-missed title; I had to flip back several times before I realized that I was in a new story.
Really lovely art and atmosphere, and I pout to think we might not get more in English.
Sunbi is the granddaughter of a powerful shaman, although she's never really learned to exercise her own powers. But when her grandmother dies, she moves into the big city with her father, stepmother and stepsister. But this doesn't mean she's left the spirit world behind.
I had a very hard time getting into the first volume a year or so ago because the art style put me off; the spirits and monsters are appropriately scary, but there's stiffness to the human figures that I found annoying. But after trying a reread, I was fascinated by the world in the first volume, particularly of Sunbi and her grandmother's connection to their village. This may be why I wasn't as enthusiastic about latter volumes, which are set in the city. Also, though this may just be because my brain is on vacation, I could not for the life of me figure out a plot arc. Sunbi has to deal with the spirit world influence even as she's trying to do mundane things like stay awake in class. And then the whole "bride" part of the title came in, only more as comedic relief, and I was even more confused.
I do like the exploration of Sunbi's mother and how she died, and when the manhwa focuses on that, it's wonderful and creepy and strange. But I'm not overly fond of the new dokebi hanging out with Sunbi, and I still can't figure out what's going on, so I'm not sure if I'll keep reading.
I really need a manga/manhwa/manhua icon instead, huh?
All in all, not as good as the first volume and the series ended a little too fast for me—I could have actually read at least a volume or two after the ending. Still, the art is absolutely gorgeous, and I still like the slice-of-life-ness and the stillness that the manhwaga likes to focus on.
I keep reading these so far apart that I can't keep track of the plot.
I have no idea what's going on with the story!
On the other hand, I don't care because the clothes and architecture are GORGEOUS. Just... gorgeous! And there are flying ships and spreads of Korean cosmology and maids who turn into birds and tattoos and did I mention the beautiful clothes?
I have no brain today, so everything under the cut is very mish-mash.
In conclusion: tattoos and wet shirts.
ETA: here, have pictures of a guy in a wet shirt (if you look closely, you can see the dragon tattoo under it. Also, while you're there, flip through the excerpt because it is just that pretty.
Jang Yun-Ook is an illustrator who just got her latest credit card bill, prompting her to try to rent out a room to someone who will only sleep there. Lee Bum-Moo ends up as her roommate, and though the two argue a little at first, they soon establish a rhythm.
Not much happens in this volume: Lee Bum-Moo goes about on his random part-time jobs, Jang Yun-Ook illustrates, and they talk about cigarette brands and sometimes he tries to get her to bring him an umbrella when it rains.
This is by the same manhwaga who did "The Poet Who Buys Words," and I really love her art. There's not actually that much to this volume, but I just like the little moments and the age difference between Yun-Ook and Bum-Moo (she's seven years older), and, of course, I am a sucker for the pretty.
Sadly, I don't think I'll like the second half as much, as there are some reveals near the end that had me rolling my eyes a bit. They detract from the slice-of-life, quiet melancholy of most of the volume. Then again, I don't even know when the second half will be out, as it looks like Ice Kunion was bought out by Yen Press and Amazon's date of release is from 2007.
Ok, I think I'm done! Whoo!
Lord Baek Un and his companion/swordsman/servant Ho Yeon go around putting ghosts and other such spirits to rest in Tang Dynasty China, though Baek Un's clients usually find out that they're better off not asking for his help in the first place.
Some of the stories remind me of early xxxHolic; they're morality tales in which people get what they ask for but not what they want. Baek Un is particularly uninterested in educating people before they talk to him; he'll make a brief attempt to dissuade him, but not much after that. Some other stories don't have Baek Un or Ho Yeon in them at all.
We also get hints at Ho Yeon and Baek Un's Tragic Backstories (I am certain they are tragic); I'm looking forward to getting more.
I sort of wish Baek Un and Ho Yeon were female -- they would be Yuuko and Chae-Ohk from Damo! It would be awesome! But oh well. At least later on, two potentially cool women show up, even though they're side characters.
Definitely going to keep reading this for more Asian mythology and folk tales, especially because the appendices for each volume explain where the author got the stories. And I like the art and am looking forward to Tragic Backstory, especially because I am sure it will explain why Ho Yeon is so loyally devoted to Baek Un.
octopedingenue recently posted some manhwa recs, of which this was one.
Eun Myoryong and Jung Euimoon are the only two members of their school's defunct biology club; Euimoon grows vegetables in the old lab and cooks over Bunsen burners while Myoryong tells morbid fortunes with her tarot cards. They're eventually joined by two other students, the rebellious Banha and gay Chunpa.
There's some love quadrangle stuff going on; Banha likes Euimoon who likes Myoryong who likes Chunpa, but that's not really the focus of the series.
Instead, it seems to be a series of shorts on the students and how odd they are. Some of them are touching, some are just wacky and have frogs. I think I would have liked it much better had I gone in with the expectation of that and not an actual plot, but a reread will be a lot of fun.
What I like the most is how odd everyone is and how different aspects of each character get illuminated in different chapters; it reminded me a lot of Kare Kano even before octopedingenue said so.
This is pure fluff, but it's fun fluff, and hey, it's got cross-dressing, heaven, hell, and the king of hell! Dong-Young (orig. Chun-Yoo the angel princess) is naturally clueless about most things, the guardians are probably going to be overprotective, and I am betting at least one develops a crush on her. Bi-Wal (the male friend who I am guessing is the king of hell. Given the way the series is going, that is so not a spoiler) is hot and overprotective and has a smirky smile that he uses to torment pretty much everyone.
I am fairly certain that absolutely nothing that happens will be surprising, but the art is pretty, and did I mention that whole angels and demons thing?
This is a retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights, only this time, Scheherazade is the boy Sehara. I was excited about the gender bending until I learned that the sultan was still played by a man.
So far, the story is following the frame fairly well. The sultan (I forgot his name in this version) marries his father's old wife, who then goes on to betray him. In return, he decides to marry a woman every day and execute her the next morning. To stop the carnage, Sehara steps in and begins to tell stories.
Well, actually, I can't remember if the sultan's wife was originally his stepmother in the original. Also, instead of doing it for the sake of the murdered women, Sehara steps in because the sultan rescued him (or he rescued the sultan) a while ago, and he fell in love with the sultan. We also get the stubbly, glasses-wearing, extremely hot vizier, now imprisoned, and not Sehara's father, and a near-incestuous relationship between Sehara and his sister.
Honestly, I found the frame story to be rather boring, which is sad because I like the original so much. But they removed the women! So instead of getting a contrast to the sultan's evil wife in Scheherazade, you get the sultan's misogyny having him accept a male wife instead, which I feel reflects poorly both on a feminist and on a glbt level.
On the other hand, I may read the next one because the art is so gorgeous. Also, instead of staying with the tales from Arabian Nights, the manhwaga is adapting tales from all over. I really loved the story within this volume, which stars a cold, icy princess. I would read an entire series about her if there were one!
On a side note, when I was reading this at rachelmanija's, I noticed that the manhwaga had a thing for Chinese culture. The younger sister notes that Chinese people eat "dirty" things like pork -- I bristled at that, until another character refuted it or said it wasn't forbidden for them. There were other random mentions of Chinese culture worked in, like a Romance of the Three Kingdoms reference, along with the Chinese influences (sideways, given that it's Turandot) in the story. I was very amused by this, given that the manhwa is still set somewhere in Baghdad (I think).