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The Reality of Virtual Reality (Part 3)
2016 will bring an avalanche of Virtual Reality products to the market this year. There will be the Oculus Rift, Playstation VR and the HTC Vive just to name a few. Will VR really take off like the makers of these products think it will?
For now I do not think so. Remember a few years ago with the push for 3D. There were 3D glasses at movie theatres, and a number of 3D TVs were available for your home. How did that work out? Not so well. In my opinion, the only reason people bought those TVs was because, in general, they were cheaper than the regular models.
My experience with VR is limited, but I did have a few experiences. When I was about 10 years old, I went to our local amusement park called La Ronde. There was a setup there, where you could play Doom in VR. I believe it was 15 minute instalments because longer than that it could have caused headaches and nausea. Did I like the experience? Yes I did, but I know that I could not play that for hours on end. It would have given me a headache.
When I went to see Avatar in 3D, I had the same issue with the headache. I was unable to watch the full movie in one sitting.
So all that to say that not sure if this will pick up or not. I believe that right now, people do not have the space to work with these devices. If you are in an apartment, you would need a dedicated room just for this. Also, in most cases, to really use the full power of these devices, you need to buy a powerful PC which can cost upwards of 800$. The Playstation VR which uses the Playstation 4 will cost about 400$ (not including the actual Playstation 4 which goes for another $400). I think the cost is slightly better than it was, but it is still a little too expensive for the average consumer for a technology and product that has not been tested for a long period of time.
I will not be one of the ones that will buy these products. I do not think that I will have fun on those. Also, I like to play games for more than half an hour in some cases. This will not be good as after a while they advise that it can cause nausea and other side affects.
One must also remember that these devices, trick your brain in thinking that you are seeing 3D and seeing something imitating realism. There are studies that advise that long term exposure to VR can cause physical illness.
Now that I outlined the negatives, do I think there are positives? Yes there are positives to be said. These technologies are incredible when you think about it. The ability to immerse yourself in a world where you can walk around and explore is just incredible. Done right, VR can give a new dimension to movie watching and game playing. It could also benefit the medical and any other field for training and education. That is how VR originated. One of the first iterations was to simulate an aircraft flying from the cockpit in a flying simulator. However at the present time, I do not think that it will grow in popularity until VR will be avaiable without the headsets. I think that it will really pick up when something similar to the holodeck in Star Trek is created. The equipment is very complex and costly. The average peson does not have that kind of money. Yes it is cheaper than it was 30 years ago, but we have a long way before it becomes mainstream.
I am sure that E3, Tokyo Game Show and PAX will show off new games that will play on these devices. I just do not see it succeeding. Will this sell more PS4's, no it will not. Will this propel the PC market for more PC sales. I do not think so. I honestly think that we are heading in a good direction, but we are not ready to use this as our entertainment just yet. Just like 3D, it will be there, but no one will notice if it is removed from options to view movies or play video games.
What do you think? Let me know at the coordinates below and tell me what you experience is with VR.
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A Tribute to the People that we Lost in 2022 (RIP)
The aftermath of losing Henry Cavill as Superman
Is Henry Cavill Superman?


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Diane Gashumba – rwandyjska pediatra i polityk, minister promocji płci i rodziny w 2016 roku, minister zdrowia od 2016 roku.

Życiorys
Gashumba przez 3 lata była dyrektorką szpitali w Muhimie oraz Kibagabadze. Uczestniczyła w finansowanym przez USAID programie wsparcia zdrowia rodzinnego w Rwandzie, skupiającego się na poprawie jakości i dostępu do usług w zakresie zdrowia matek, dzieci i noworodków, planowania rodziny, zdrowia reprodukcyjnego, żywienia, równości płci, a także ograniczania HIV oraz malarii. W 2009 roku została wybrana na Prezydenta Krajowej Rady Kobiet. 29 marca 2016 roku objęła stanowisko ministra promocji płci i rodziny, które pełniła do 4 października tegoż roku, gdy została ministrem zdrowia. W 2017 roku wezwała do decentralizacji systemu zdrowia i stworzenia nowych placówek w celu zwiększenia dostępności usług medycznych dla mieszkańców.

Posiada tytuł magistra Uniwersytetu Rwandyjskiego oraz magistra medycyny ze specjalizacją w pediatrii.

Gashumba jest mężatką, ma dwie córki i syna.

Przypisy

Rwandyjscy ministrowie
Rwandyjscy lekarze

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The Mission of the Young Adult Ministry shall be to unify the young adults of Logos Baptist Church through the study of God's word and fellowship and use that bond to provide Christian service to Logos members and the community at large.
1. To establish and promote unity and a cooperative spirit among the young adults of Logos.
having social gatherings at each others home, etc.
2. To learn, build, and practice effective leadership skills.
Members of the Young Adult Ministry will take turns conducting the monthly meetings.
upon to head different events as needed.
3. To learn more of God's word and it's application and relevance to our daily lives.
repetition, this will become a learned skill that can be applied continuously.
4. To assist other Logos ministries in their endeavor to render praise, worship, and service.
often times feels overlooked. This will lead to participation in other ministries at Logos.
YAM members are willing to assist the other ministries as needed. For example we will be on hand to help prepare holiday food baskets, service as chaperones/ transporters for the youth ministry, and in any other capacity where needed.


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Democrats call for independent Russia probe in wake of Comey firing
Bartholomew D Sullivan
WASHINGTON — President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey in the middle of several investigations of possible Trump campaign ties to last year's Russian meddling in U.S. elections caused a firestorm of protest from Democratic members of Congress, with many calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor.
Some equated the firing with events known as the "Saturday Night Massacre" during the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon.
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said he told Trump that he had made a "big mistake" when informed of the decision.
Schumer wondered aloud whether the firing meant Comey's investigation was "getting too close to home," and he said the handling of a credible investigation depends on Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein naming a "fearless, independent" special prosecutor.
"Mr. Rosenstein, America depends on you to restore faith in our criminal justice system which is going to be badly shattered after the administration's actions today," Schumer said, who called for Democrats to be on the Senate floor Wednesday to see if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will address the fallout of Comey's firing, Politico reports.
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona called for the creation of a special congressional committee on Russia, while Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan said he and his staff were "reviewing legislation to establish an independent commission on Russia."
"James Comey is a man of honor and integrity, and he has led the FBI well in extraordinary circumstances," McCain said.
Comey, a Republican who had served in the George W. Bush administration as second in command in the Justice Department, was the surprise choice of President Barack Obama for the FBI post.
He had established his independence in March 2004 when then-White House counsel Alberto Gonzales sought to get Comey's boss, Attorney General John Ashcroft, to sign off on a secret National Security Agency wiretap program. Ashcroft, seriously ill in the hospital with pancreatitis, had turned his duties over to Comey, who told Gonzales in Ashcroft's hospital room that he refused to authorize the program.
Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the troubled House intelligence committee, said the firing raised profound questions about White House interference in a criminal probe.
"The decision by a president whose campaign associates are under investigation by the FBI for collusion with Russia to fire the man overseeing that investigation, upon the recommendation of an Attorney General who has recused himself from that investigation, raises profound questions about whether the White House is brazenly interfering in a criminal matter," Schiff said, likening the event to the Watergate firings.
Tweets fly fast and furious following firing of FBI head Comey
President Trump fires FBI Director James Comey
5 key points in memo calling for FBI Director James Comey's firing
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., suggested Trump's action poses serious constitutional issues, while others called the development "Nixonian."
"The termination and removal of James Comey as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation raises the critical question as to whether the FBI investigation of Russian interference in the last presidential campaign will continue," Durbin said.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a member of the Senate committee probing the Trump-Russia connection, called the firing "outrageous."
"I have been long been a critic of Director Comey ... but Donald Trump's decision to fire him now, in the midst of an investigation into Trump associates and their ties to Russia, is outrageous," Wyden said. He said Comey should be called to testify before Congress about the status of the Trump-Russia investigation.
"The president would do well to remember that in America, the truth always comes out."
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who questioned Comey at a hearing before a Judiciary subcommittee this week, said the way Trump is handling the firing "is shocking."
"No one should accept President Trump's absurd justification that he is now concerned that FBI Director Comey treated Secretary Clinton unfairly," Leahy said. "The president has removed the sitting FBI Director in the midst of one of the most critical national security investigations in the history of our country. This is nothing less than Nixonian."
Leahy also noted that Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whom the president consulted before the firing, was supposed to have recused himself. He said Rosenstein now has no choice but to appoint a special counsel.
A long list of others calling for an independent probe included Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Ben Cardin, D-Md., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., along with good government advocacy groups MoveOn.org and Common Cause.
FBI Director James Comey 'mildly nauseous' Clinton email probe decisions may have impacted election
How did we get here? A James Comey timeline
James Comey is one of several officials President Trump fired
Clinton officials respond to Comey firing with suspicion, not satisfaction
Others reacted with more measured tones. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, said simply that she had been informed by the president of his decision by phone, adding, "the next FBI director must be strong and independent and will receive a fair hearing in the Judiciary Committee."
One of the earliest Republican reactions came from Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn.: "While the case for removal of (FBI Director Comey) laid out by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein was thorough, his removal at this particular time will raise questions."
News of Comey's departure came near the end of an hourlong telephone town hall meeting that House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., was having with constituents. "Lisa in Mendham" said she wanted to know what Congress was going to do now to hold Trump accountable "for his potentially breaking the law in dealing with Russia."
Frelinghuysen didn't answer that question directly but gave a positive appraisal of the job Comey has done.
"He had the reputation ... like his predecessor Robert Muller, of being a sort of straight-arrow guy," Frelinghuysen said. "I do think he was an honorable man and represented an amazing department. I'm surprised he's gone. But in this business, I guess nothing is too surprising."
Reporters Herb Jackson and Eliza Collins contributed to this story.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


On a recent sunny Sunday fall morning in Eastmoreland, eight people affiliated with nonprofit "Eastside Village" helped homeowner Saida Kupel with the yard work she is no longer capable of doing. "I have incurable cancer and I'm living alone. I've always been really independent, but now I'm needing a lot more help."
Kupel has only been a member of Eastside Village – not exactly a village, but an organization that helps people in Southeast Portland "age in place" – since early September. She says when a Village volunteer came to her home to assess her situation the volunteer remarked diplomatically, "I see your front yard needs some tender loving care."
One of the volunteers on hand that day to help rake fall leaves and sweep Kupel's driveway was Anne-Marie Dallaire, who just moved with her husband Lucien from Connecticut in August, to be closer to their sons in Portland and Seattle. They are now living in the Woodstock neighborhood, where they can happily "walk to everything", as she says.
Asked how they found out about Eastside Village, Anne-Marie said, "We had friends move from Connecticut to California and they had joined a 'village'. They said to check and see if there was one in Portland.
"We found Eastside Village and we already feel like we know all of these people," Anne-Marie commented, referring to all of the Eastside Village members they have met through the social outings and volunteer work.
Woodstock resident Jin Darney, who is part-time office manager of Eastside Village, has been a member since the organization began in 2015. She says, "It is fun to get together and work on a project [with other Village people]. We have a once-a-month slot for work parties."
Darney's husband Craig Johnson reported that in 2015 two villages had merged to form Eastside Village. He volunteers most often as a driver, making it possible for people like Kupel to get to doctor's appointments. "I also help in work parties every so often," he added. "We can do a lot in a couple of hours with a big-enough crew."
Autumn Carroll is not a member of Eastside Village, but volunteers for it because in her home health care work she saw a need. "I thought, 'I could help with that'."
There are two types of membership for Eastside Village. One is primarily just to join in its social activities; and the other is full-membership, which makes it possible to receive help from village volunteers. "We can even go to members' homes to help replace a ceiling light bulb, or a smoke detector battery," related Anne-Marie. Volunteers do a variety of tasks to help people continue to live in their homes.


I couldn't be more proud of our FUEL students. Last week they stepped up at our BGBC VBS proving they can set up more than tables and chairs. This week they are valiantly serving the LORD in the Lafayette Launch VBS, despite numerical discouragements. They are trucking through as though their were 150 kids. God is not impressed with numbers, but He is interested in faithfulnes of hearts. They have encouraged my heart more than they know.


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Esteban Gutiérrez
Formula 1 driver
Credit: Sauber
Vital statistics for Esteban Gutiérrez
Nationality MEX
Birthplace Monterrey, Mexico
Born 5 September 1991
F1 debut Australian Grand Prix, 2013
Driver number 21
Recent fastest laps
2013 Spanish Grand Prix
Gutiérrez endured an on-again, off-again relationship with Formula One, first joining the Sauber F1 team for two seasons before moving to Ferrari to become test and reserve driver for 2016. Ahead of the 2016 season, Gutiérrez was signed to the new Haas F1 team but was replaced at the end of the year. Instead, Esteban moved to the Formula E series for the 2016/17 season.
F1 biography
Esteban Gutiérrez started his adventures in motorsport with karting in various Mexican championships. He was signed to the young driver programme by Escudería Telmex which gave him the backing he needed to push his racing career forward. He made the step up to Formula BMW in 2007, finishing the season second in the championship and picking up a rookie of the year award.
In 2008, he moved to the European Formula BMW series, winning the championship in a dominant fashion. The following year, he progressed to Formula Three and then in 2010 he was signed to the ART Grand Prix team for the GP3 championship. Gutiérrez secured the title in its first year, and thus was promoted to ART's GP2 team for 2011 and 2012. He had mixed results throughout the two seasons, but was granted a test drive for the Sauber F1 team in late 2012.
After participating in the young driver running, he was signed for the 2013 season, alongside Nico Hülkenberg. The mixed results continued, to the point where team principal Monisha Kaltenborn was forced to defend their rookie driver as he was "doing all his learning in public" due to the lack of testing available for potential F1 stars. Gutiérrez picked up his first points in Japan towards the end of the season, and secured himself a race seat with Sauber for 2014, lining up alongside the more experienced Adrian Sutil.
He endured a quiet 2014 campaign, missing out on any points through the year but not embarrassing himself along the way. The Sauber team opted for a total overhaul for 2015, leaving Gutiérrez without a race seat, but he moved to Ferrari to become a test driver instead. The link with Ferrari allowed him to make the switch to the brand new Haas F1 Team, joining Romain Grosjean for their inaugural F1 season.
It was a solid, if unspectacular, season with the new US team, but Gutiérrez hadn't done enough to impress. Haas hired Kevin Magnussen for the 2017 season, leaving Esteban without a race seat. Instead, he joined the Formula E series for the 2016/17 season.
Learn more about Esteban Gutiérrez with the Pocket F1 Handbook.
Filed under Formula 1 drivers
04/12/2016 Which drivers crushed the official paddock quiz this year?
23/11/2016 Race information - Abu Dhabi 2016
09/11/2016 Race information - Brazil 2016
27/10/2016 Race information - Mexico 2016
19/10/2016 Race information - United States 2016
05/10/2016 Race information - Japan 2016
28/09/2016 Race information - Malaysia 2016
14/09/2016 Race information - Singapore 2016
01/09/2016 Race information - Italy 2016
25/08/2016 Race information - Belgium 2016
25/10/2016 Spaniards show their flare in Texas showdown
04/04/2016 Romain disproves beginners' luck theory
16/03/2016 Are Haas heading straight for the midfield?
26/05/2014 Bianchi the toast of Monte Carlo
12/05/2014 World Champs get back on form
18/11/2013 Young guns show their worth
30/10/2013 The Hulk is a beast
14/10/2013 Grosjean comes of age
07/10/2013 Hülkenberg steals Vettel's limelight
23/09/2013 Driving through the pain barrier
11/11/2016 Magnussen joins Haas to race alongside Grosjean
24/10/2016 Championship gap reduces as Hamilton dominates in Austin
07/10/2016 Rosberg ahead in Suzuka practice as several drivers spin
03/09/2016 Hamilton takes pole as Ferrari settle for second row in front of home crowd
08/07/2016 Hamilton dominates practice at Silverstone as Rosberg sits out a session
11/06/2016 Hamilton comfortably fastest as Canada weekend begins
16/04/2016 Rosberg earns China pole position as Hamilton fails to qualify
15/04/2016 Massa suffers double tyre failure during China Friday practice
03/04/2016 Rosberg takes second victory of 2016 in Sakhir
20/03/2016 Rosberg wins chaotic opening race as Alonso walks away from huge crash
29/07/2014 The art of travel
17/07/2014 Wagon wheel
Mentions during live coverage
Close up replays of Esteban Gutiérrez having words with team principal Guenther Steiner in the Haas garage. The Mexican driver isn't happy at all.
Felipe Massa and Esteban Gutiérrez under investigation - overtaking before the safety car line.
5 second time penalty for Esteban Gutiérrez - ignoring blue flags.
Incident involving Esteban Gutiérrez under investigation - ignoring blue flags.
Verstappen gesticulates as he makes his way past Esteban Gutiérrez, the Haas one lap down.
Carlos Sainz tucked under an umbrella: "Exactly what we needed." Hülkenberg under his own giant umbrella: "I like full wet conditions, so keep it coming, keep it coming."Esteban Gutiérrez sporting a Haas umbrella: "This is going to be exciting, isn't it?"
Esteban Gutiérrez, starting from 14th on the grid, says: "We are optimistic. This race, it's a new track, there could be plenty of opportunities up front."
Drive through penalty for Esteban Gutiérrez - causing a collision.
All drivers are starting on the red sidewalled supersoft tyres except for Nico Hülkenberg in 13th, Esteban Gutiérrez in 16th, and Marcus Ericsson bringing up the rear of the field.
Esteban Gutiérrez has passed Marcus Ericsson, but both are a lap down and that was for 14th place.
Rankings gains and losses
08/11/2016 Aww, yay for the happy couple! +2
08/11/2016 Very good round of Grill the Grid, and love that he's still competitive with Grosjean right to the end. +3
12/07/2016 Esteban taking the initiative in a equal driver status interview question. +2
05/07/2016 Just a bonus point here for thinking particularly highly of himself in this comparison with Robert Downey Jr. +1
21/06/2016 Baby Esteban is very cute, squinting into the sun. +1
07/06/2016 Making an appearance at an F4 event. +1
26/04/2016 Risking life and limb by standing next to Pastor Maldonado for Felipe Massa's birthday photo. +1
26/04/2016 Nice little Twitter Q&A, if you don't mind him filling up your timelines - but also yay for picking Ricciardo as the funniest driver. +1
12/04/2016 Hashtagging just as Jimmy Fallon would want. +2
20/03/2016 Bless Esteban so much for his slight Yoda Moment. "Races we have many..." +3
Discover Formula 1
Driver biographies
Circuits past and present
Grand Prix seasons in depth
Individuals working in F1
Officiating race stewards
Key product suppliers


The Chicago Cubs are NOT cursed! A barnyard animal has nothing to do with the team's continued futility. There are rational and logical reasons why the Cubs have the longest championship drought of any professional sports franchise. Beyond Bartman, Curses, & Goats will take you through 104 of them…to match the 104 years it has been since the last Cubs' World Series title in 1908. For example: •	Many Cubs' near misses such as the entire decade of the 1930s, 1945, 1969, 1984, and yes…2003. (sigh) •	Years and years of poor drafting…consistently missing out on Hall of Famers and All-Stars that could have been Cubs. •	The uncanny successes of Cubs' players…after the Cubs traded them. •	Poor financial decisions that had catastrophic effects on long-term success. •	Historical blunders, such as having one of your young "ace" pitchers throw 141 pitches in a game…in April! If you love the Cubs, you will enjoy this analytical look at 104 years of the team's history…and you will gain a vast knowledge of why this team continues to fail.
CHRIS NEITZEL has been a teacher and coach for 23 years in his hometown of Oswego, Illinois. He still lives in Oswego with his wife, Krista, of 21 years and their three children, Kara, Olivia, and Scott. A lifelong Cubs' fan, Chris began contributing to the Cubs' blog, Bleacher Nation, in 2011. While he has always aspired to be a writer, Chris credits his exposure to Brett Taylor's Bleacher Nation for giving him the forum and the audience to get his creative juices going. This is his first book.


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Davao City is a haven for tourist destinations catered for the whole family. There are many places to see, many things to learn and eat.
I know, the Philippines is hardly anyone's first choice for a holiday destination. If you decide to go to the beach, for example, I would think you'd either drive to Mexico (if you are from the US), fly to the Carribean, the Mediterranean, Hawaii, Bora Bora maybe the Maldives. So, why come to the Philippines then? Our beaches are just as beautiful, the people friendly, there are a lot of fun and funny things you can experience and everything is relatively cheap. As we Filipinos like to say, "It's more FUN in the Philippines."
Anyway, for all of you who make the courageous decision to visit the Philippines ( I assure you, you won't regret it), and are deciding on an itinerary on where to go in the archipelago besides the ever popular Manila, Boracay, Tagaytay, Baguio, Cebu...I would like to invite you and your family to come to the city I call home and the "home" of our current president, Davao City.
Davao City is known as the King City of the South, the Crown Jewel of Mindanao, and the Durian and Eco-Adventure Capital of the Philippines. It is the largest city in the Philippines (in terms of area) and the most populated city outside Manila (but, based on the metropolitan populace, Metro Davao is 3rd after Metro Manila and Metro Cebu). Davao City is cleaner than most Philippine cities, traffic is not as bad, establishments provide good customer service (this is according to my parents and relatives who often visit) and is mostly child-friendly (except for my brush with Marco Polo Hotel last December with regards to my son). To top all of these, although Davao City is described to be highly urbanized, you can still see a lot of GREEN. Seems that there is still a lot of space that remains untouched by developers and contractors.
Davao City is a great city that has a lot of diverse family attractions to choose from. You can enjoy nature without leaving the city. This is one of the main reasons why my family often makes return visits. While some of my relatives come to Davao City to go scuba diving, my other relatives come to go SHOPPING. They have complained that although Manila is close to them, the traffic is something they hate enduring. Also by gracing Davao City, you will be able to catch a glimpse of Mt. Apo, the tallest peak in the Philippines. And if you are able to arrive in March and August, you will be able to enjoy the festivities that Araw ng Dabaw and Kadayawan Festival have to offer.
Aside from being known for durian, crocodiles, Mt. Apo, the Philippine Eagle and the Kadayawn Festival, Davao City is now also known for...CHOCOLATE. Yes, Davao City is positioned to be the country's cacao capital devoting 6,000 hectares to cacao farming.
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The Andre Bonifacio Rotunda. Museo Dabawenyo is nearby.
Museo Dabawenyo (literally translated as Museum of the People of Davao) is one of the 4 museums in Davao City; the others are Davao Museum of History and Ethnography, D' Bone Collector Museum, and Mindanao Folk Arts Museum. It is located in the heart of the city and is near San Pedro Cathedral and Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Davao (Davao City Hall). If you are staying within the downtown area, are pressed for time and cannot visit all of the museums in the city, Museo Dabawenyo is enough to cater to your need to learn about Davao City, its history, culture, and its people.
Located along the Andres Bonifacio Rotunda, the Museo Dabawenyo (formerly the Court of First Instance) showcases the rich history and diverse cultural heritage of the Dabawenyos (people of Davao). The museum was first opened during the 71st Araw ng Dabaw (Day of Davao) on March 14, 2008, and this year, 2018, will mark its 10th year.
Painting made from durian skin at the entrance of Museo Dabawenyo.
Admission to Museo Dabawenyo is free, is fully air-conditioned and provides guides who tour guests along the displays and exhibits of interests and are happy to answer any of your questions. Photography is allowed in limited areas of the museum; guests are asked to refrain from taking pictures inside the main galleries.
The Indigenous People's Gallery- houses a collection of artifacts from arts and crafts, musical instruments, to weapons from the different tribes of indigenous people of Davao.
The Moro People's Gallery- exhibits a collection of miniature houses, lamps, miniature boats, chairs, musical instruments, weapons, armor, and other important memorabilia such as crowns of the Muslim people of Mindanao.
The Contemporary Gallery- showcases a collection of classic and modern art from wood carvings to paintings.
The Memorabilia Gallery- an exhibit that showcases a collection of antiques and artifacts used in the past such as clothing, old coins and paper bills, musical compositions, porcelain, and other memorabilia.
It was established by the Zonto Club of Davao City in 1977 on a parcel of land donated by the philanthropist brothers Don Enrique and Don Jaime Zobel De Ayala and is the only museum of Ethnography in the Davao Region. The museum houses hundreds of artifacts of the indigenous people of Southern Mindanao namely: the B'loan, Bagobo, Mandaya, Tagacaolo, Manobo, Maranao, Mansaka, and T'boli. The exhibits hold collections of old maps of Mindanao and the Philippines, tribal clothing and jewelry, weaponry, trade jars, musical instruments, handicrafts, Artwork, and burial urns. In addition, showcased is a chronological timeline of Davao's long and rich history beginning from the first ever settlers of Davao to current events. The Museum of History and Ethnography provides an opportunity for visitors, both local and foreign, to discover the traditional arts and rich culture of the various tribal communities of the Davao region.
Whenever I go to new places, I usually look for the highest spot to get a scenic view of the city (without having to go trekking or hiking) and if possible, have dinner, a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine while enjoying the view. You can do all that with a scenic view of Davao City and entire Gulf of Davao atop Jack's Ridge.
The Iconic Davao of Jack's Ridge.
Image copyright: The Tired Mama.
Jack's Ridge was once the headquarters of the retreating Japanese Imperial Army during World War II and served as the watchtower against the advancing American forces during the end of the war. Here, the Japanese had a commanding view of the Davao Gulf where the US Naval Ships were anchored.
Today, reminders of the events of WWII are being preserved at Jack's Ridge: Japanese-dug tunnels and caves that are said to be the hiding spots of gold bullion and treasure left by the Japanese Forces, the warplane crash site, bullets and other WWII materials. Sometimes, people still stumble upon bullets and other WWII materials buried in the soil around the grounds. In addition, as proof that the area was once underwater eons ago, Jack's Ridge showcases an exhibit of prehistoric clam shells that were found on the property.
A brief history of Jack's Ridge.
I love the vantage point that Jack's Ridge offers its guests. Aside from the view, there's a restaurant, a cafe, a videoke bar, a pool and is spacious enough to host an event. You can do a lot while soaking up the view.
They were just so cute...I just had to take a picture.
I took this outside their cage; scared I might get scratched.
Davao Crocodile Park has been open since 2005 and is the beloved wildlife park of Davao City that showcases a known reptile: the crocodile. After the death of Lolong, the biggest living crocodile to ever been captured in history, here and around the world, Crocodile Park now houses the Philippines' biggest living crocodile Pangil. Of course, this makes Pangil the star attraction of the park.
Currently, Philippines' biggest living croc in captivity.
But, it doesn't end there. Aside from the numerous crocodiles (big and small), The Crocodile Park is home to a variety of exotic animal species such as exotic birds, monkeys, Bearcats, tigers, snakes, and other reptiles; it caters as a mini-zoo of the city and a leisure park at the same time.
Crocodiles basking in the sunlight.
Tour of Crocodile Park to view the exotic wildlife it takes care of.
After 3PM on the weekends, entrance to regular shows including the Super Bird Show, Crocodile Feeding, Crocodile Dancing, Tightrope Walking, Wildlife Encounter Show, and maybe if you are lucky the tiger's feeding.
One of the many exotic birds of Crocodile Park.
Tour of the Butterfly House- Part of the Crocodile Park Complex is the Butterfly House which is one of the many butterfly preservation establishments in the Philippines. It is right beside the Crocodile Park crocodile and wildlife sanctuary and the tour is included as a package of your admission fee. The Butterfly House also serves as a breeding station and is a great educational tour for the kids. Inside the butterfly sanctuary, amidst the abundant flora that the butterflies help pollinate, are hundreds of butterflies as well as crickets, tarantulas ( in jars), scorpions (in jars), and a pond of fish. Best time to view these beautiful creatures as they (the butterflies) get intimate with nature is in the morning on a sunny day. Unfortunately, if the day is cloudy or you happen to come late in the afternoon, you won't be able to catch a glimpse of the butterflies since they tend to hide under these conditions. This the reason why the Butterfly House Closes at 5PM.
Tour of Tribu K' Mindanawan- The other part of the Crocodile Park Complex, a few meters away from the crocodile and wildlife sanctuary is the Tribu K' Mindanawan Cultural Village. Yes, this tour is part of the package as well. It's a village that showcases 100% authentic houses built by the indigenous people of Mindanao(the indigenous people built the houses themselves). This village allows visitors to explore the vast richness of the culture of these people of the various tribes, who have lived and have become an integral part of not only Davao but the whole of Mindanao. On the weekends, at 5:45PM-6:30PM, the Tribu K' Mindanawan perform a cultural fire dance show to the delight of the visitors at the Bantawan or Amphitheater which features traditional dances of Mindanao.
After all of those activities and if you have a stomach for exotic food and want to sample Mindanao delicacies, Kaonanan sa K'Mindanawan goes highly recommended. They serve Crocodile Sisig and Ostrich Omelette. Of course, exotic food such as these are pricey ( the balut (fertilized duck egg) although exotic is mainly categorized as street food thus, cheap).
The King of the Birds (also the Philippine National Bird), the Philippine Monkey-eating Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is a critically endangered species, whose numbers hover between 200-400 pairs. This is due to massive deforestation and the continued hunting of the Philippine Eagle as game despite laws being enforced to prohibit this. Because of the belief of the Philippine Eagle Foundation that the fates of Philippine life and the Philippine Eagle are inextricably linked, it (PEF) has made it its sole mission and commitment to promote the survival of the King of the Birds and conserve the Philippine Eagle for our future.
Thus, a captive breeding program for the Philippine Eagle was established that has evolved into the Philippine Eagle Center that serves as both a wildlife nature park and a nursery. It focuses all of its efforts on breeding the Philippine Eagle, increasing their numbers, and eventually introducing them into the wild. Unfortunately, one eagle, Pamana, who was released and re-introduced into the wild in 2015, was found dead 6 days after its release. The eagle was shot. On a lighter note, an active Philippine Eagle Nest was found in Apayao, Luzon showing promise that all has not failed. ( for more information about this discovery read this: World's First Active Philippine Eagle Nest on Luzon Island Found in Apayao).
Cage of one of the popular Philippine Eagles, Pag-asa.
Although the Philippine Eagle Center is an 8-hectare property, most of it is alotted for the Conservation Breeding Area and Food Stock Area and access to these areas are restricted to the public.
The Close Canopy which is the part of the park that is covered by dense trees as seen in a natural rainforest setting to mimic the natural habitat of the Philippine Eagle and the other endemic animal species being housed by the Philippine Eagle Center.
The Plaza or the open canopy area which is a wide area with benches, kiosks, and gazebos that visitors can rest and soak up all that nature.
Near the entrance and exit point of the Philippine Eagle Center is the Lounge Area where guests may either take photos, feed the fish in the pond or grab a snack or refreshment at the canteen after touring the center.
Named after the mother of Philippine Eagles Pag-asa (Hope) and Pagkakaisa (Unity), Diola's Forest is an exhibit area where visitors can learn more about the Philippine Eagle.
Visitors attending the Philippine Eagle Center in groups can have a packaged guided-tour of the facilities as well as access to the Audio-visual Room to watch educational films, videos, and documentaries regarding the Philippine Eagle and the reality of the struggle of this majestic bird in today's world.
Souvenirs are available at the Gift Shop. All proceeds help fund the Foundation's research, education, and conservation programs.
Want to leave a mark that will forever be seen at the Philippine Eagle Center? The Wild Trail allows visitors to leave their mark/names engraved in the cemented paths of the center for a fee of 500Php. My relatives did this when they visited the center.
By donating 100Php to the Tree of Hope project, you can support the growth of one seedling dedicated to the Arakan Forest Corridor Development Project.
If you are lucky, you will be able to chat with one of the Bird Keepers or caretakers and they will give you a lecture about the Philippine Eagle and share some of their ways on helping with the conservation.
One of the newer attractions of Davao City is the 26-hectare D' Leonor Inland Resort and Adventure Park. D' Leonor is continuously being developed to become Davao City's ala-Disney-themed amusement park. Coming from the airport, it is quite near but, if you are traveling from the downtown area, it is a bit far but, it is worth the trip. Most especially for the kids.
Inside D'Leonor Resort and Park.
D' Leonor highlights amusement park themed rides for the kids, a zip line, a mini-zoo of sorts, a hanging bridge, a cable car ride, pools, a surf rider pool, fishing area, a badminton court, basketball court, tennis court, and the notable, wave pool with a raging river. Aside from the Park's amenities, D'Leonor has a 3-star hotel where you and your family can stay overnight to enjoy the full expanse of what the park has to offer. Rooms are affordable and the food is reasonably priced. I had the pleasure of trying their Margherita Pizza (250Php) and it is good for 3. Staff was polite and the restrooms were clean.
There are a lot of statues that you can take photos of and if you are into hiking, you and your family can go for a hike through the property. One issue that I hope they have fixed was cell signal. Although WiFi is available in certain areas around the resort, it would be nice if I didn't have to search for a signal to make a call.
Eden Nature Park and Resort or simply Eden opened in October 1997 as an eco-tourism site. Last year marked its 20th year in business. Although it did formally open 20 years ago, the concept of the Eden Nature Park and Resort humbly began in 1971 when thousands of pine tree seedlings were planted over the 80-hectare property.
With over 100,000 fully grown pine trees that spread throughout the vast property, Eden is a haven of nature showcasing hydroponically-grown vegetables, flowers and herbs gardens, row and rows of dragonfruit trees, a serene-looking wishing well, a butterfly garden, a cultural village and a spectacular view of the city. You can enjoy the view of the city at their highest vantage point amidst gardens of fruits and vegetables.
Today, Eden is ranked number 1 on Tripadvisor as a go-to destination in Davao City. Aside from hotel or cottage accommodations, it offers its guests a number of activities that Eden solely provides namely: Skycycle where one rides a bicycle through a zip line and Skyswing where a guest is seated in a swing seat whilst zipping through a zip line.
A garden at Eden with a view of the city.
My family and I were able to enjoy their buffet lunch which consisted of fresh vegetables picked from their gardens ideal for a salad, seafood entrees, and other special Filipino cuisines. Their romaine lettuce was absolutely delicious. I couldn't get enough of it.
The tour around the park lasted for an hour and thirty minutes. The tour guide allowed us a 5-minute stop at the highlights of the park to take pictures and if needed, restroom breaks. The restrooms were clean and well-kept.
A beautiful well with flowers at Eden.
Make sure you put Eden on your itinerary when visiting Davao City.
The People's Park of Davao City is an urban park that is hailed as one of the cleanest and greenest parks of the Philippines. It has an area of 4 hectares and 10,000 sqm (roughly 1 hectare) is allocated to the 1,101 species of plants and trees both indigenous to the country and non-indigenous ( some flora originate from Madagascar, Africa, Australia, other SE Asian Countries, Central and South America and New Guinea) which are planted along the avenues of the park. The "Durian Dome" of the park hosts a "Bambusetum" where different species of bamboo are kept. The Shady Plaza of the park, on the other hand, houses African Tulips.
The People's Park was a project of then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and was formerly the Palaruang Panglunsod (City Playground). It was formally opened on December 15, 2007, and last year marked its 10th year. The name People's Park was chosen among 918 entries of the "Name the Park" contest of the government. The winning name was the entry of retired engineer and seaman, Romeo Sardon.
A sculpture at People's Park.
The People's Park is a great place for the family to have a picnic, watch the dancing fountain at the Promenade, take photos of the many statues/ sculptures (done by Mindanao artist Kublai Millan) that adorn the park, read a book on a bench underneath the thick luscious trees of the "Philippine Rainforest" section, walk around to examine the many species of flora or play with your children at the Children's Playground. CCTV cameras surround the park and there is always policemen/women in the vicinity so, it is a safe place for the family. Plus, the amenities (the restrooms) are well-kept. At the entrance, guards check bags before entering so, make sure you don't have anything sharp in your bag.
The Malagos Garden Resort was established almost 24 years ago by the Puentaspina Family whose matriarch was catapulted to fame by her love of orchids. Bit by bit, over the years, they expanded the resort adding attractions such as their petting zoo, butterfly sanctuary, bird park, science park, children's playground, they also added more cottages and buildings, and their most recent the Malagos Chocolate Museum. The Malagos Garden Resort is now a go-to destination of Davao City proving that their campaign to "Rediscover Malagos" has been successful.
One of the attractions offered at the Malagos Garden Resort.
The Malagos Garden Resort is a hop, skip and a jump from the Philippine Eagle Center so after seeing the Philippine Eagles at the center, you and your family can head to the Malagos Garden Resort for a buffet lunch, a dip in the pool, go on an educational science tour, see the butterflies, play board games (human-sized versions), or make your own chocolate at the Malagos Chocolate Laboratory. Yum!
Although the Malagos Chocolate Museum and Laboratory is part of Malagos Garden Resort, it is considered as an attraction all on its own because of their CHOCOLATE! Recently, the Malagos Chocolate of the Puentaspina Family has been recognized as one of the 50 best chocolates in the world at the 2017 Edition of the Cocoa Excellence Programme in France out of 166 entries from 40 countries all over the world.
The Malagos Chocolate Museum is the Malagos Garden Resort's most recent addition and is the only chocolate museum in the Philippines. It opened last March 8, 2017, and is centered on providing its visitors a definitive guide to all things chocolate- from its conception down to its consumption. Hence, The Tree-to-Bar Experience was born.
The Malagos Chocolate Museum offers its guests a guided tour through the Puentaspina's Cacao Farm situated at the foothills of Mount Talomo, an educational tour on how the cacao beans undergo transformation to become delicious chocolate ending with a sample of their world-class chocolate with a glass of wine. Overall, you will be more than satisfied because the tour ends with chocolate.
You can also make your own chocolate at the Malagos Laboratory (450Php) which they provide you with a small pitcher of liquid chocolate (200g), molding trays, and a choice of "garnishes" to add to your chocolate. Create, wait, and eat...so simple.
If you do run out of Malagos Chocolate and are in the City Proper, you can get more at Malagos Chocolate Shop at Bolcan St., Puentaspina Compound, Agdao.
D' Japanese Tunnel circa 1942, is a tunnel of the Japanese Imperial Army that was dug in the hilly section of Balusong Matina, dating back to World War II. It was used by the Japanese as a hideout and a means of transporting their artillery and mobilizing their soldiers against the Allied American liberating forces. This tunnel was accidentally discovered during the construction of the national highway in the 1960's and is currently owned by the Lim family, a Filipino-Chinese family that owns RDL beauty/whitening products as well as D'Leonor Inland Resort and Adventure Park. The Lim family currently has expanded development in the area and has established a family resort equipped with a hotel, restaurant and swimming pool. They also named the resort after the tunnel itself and opened the tunnel to the public as a tourist destination in 2001.
D' Japanese Tunnel Family Resort.
Although only 300 meters of D' Japanese Tunnel is accessible to the public, it is said that this tunnel was originally connected to underground passageways (similar to the Chi Chu Tunnels of Vietnam) that head out to Samal Island, the foothills of Mt. Apo, and of course, Mintal (which has been declared as the Japanese Heritage Site of Davao City). Mintal is of great interest because it is believed that some of the Yamashita Treasure is buried in the area.
Inside D' Japanese Tunnel which narrows and darkens as you go further into the tunnel, are small prison cells which were said to house 3-4 Filipino Prisoners of War or Filipina Comfort Women, a conference room for meetings, cubicles as quarters for the Japanese soldiers, as well as a storage for ammunition and weapons.
One delicacy that you shouldn't miss at D' Japanese Tunnel Family Resort is their Bird's Nest Soup. Near the entrance of D' Japanese Tunnel are many swiftlet bird's (balinsasayaw in the local dialect) nests perched on top of the tunnel's ceiling. The management says they regularly harvest the saliva of these birds to make their Bird's Nest Soup.
Although it is not the longest ( the longest zip line is at Delta Discovery Park at Butuan), the Xcelerator Zipline at the Outland Adventure is the fastest in the country. Located in front of the Gap Farming Resort it rates #2 on TripAdvisor for fun and games after White Water River Rafting of the Highland Adventure (at the Davao River).
The Iconic "Land of Promise" at the Gap Farming Resort.
After zipping away through Davao's skyline in less than a minute, you can head towards The Gap Farming Resort where the legendary marble imprint of " Land of Promise" (seen from an airplane) is located. It is a 10-hectare mountain resort and orchard, with an Olympic-size swimming pool, a Japanese-dug cave (from World WarII), and statue/sculptures/busts of the Philippine Presidents, Philippine National heroes, animals, and popular Philippine monsters as well. You can sit back and relax at the resort after the heart-racing zipline at Outland Adventure.
Worthy of Mentioning: White Water Rafting of the Highland Adventure (Registration and short lecture at the Davao Crocodile Park Complex. White Water Rafting along Davao River) I believe this is an activity for adults and not for young children. This is an adventure of sorts since your raft may capsize or you might lose a flip-flop or hit your head (unknowingly) on a boulder (helmets are provided and other safety gear). In the end, there's that feeling of accomplishment and sore arms...this is the reason that the White Water Rafting attraction is #1 on the TripAdvisor for fun and games.
For the Pinoys, I guess you all have heard about Pastor Quiboloy's brush with authorities in Hawaii regarding a sizeable amount of money and the presence of "firearms" in his private jet. I know, not a lot of us agree with Pastor Quiboloy, most especially with regards to a scandal such as this, but you will agree with me that the Tamayong Prayer Mountain (also known as The Garden of Eden Restored) of his religious group is a spectacular piece of property to behold. It's like one of those meditation resorts abroad- a place of serenity and surrender.
The Tamayong Prayer Mountain is open to the visiting public of any religion and because they have opened their gates to everyone, Prayer Mountain is now a popular tourist destination. Located in the foothills of Mt. Apo in Brgy. Tamayong, Calinan, this 8-hectare property of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is a European-inspired paradise with most of its flora coming from countries around the world.
Prayer Mountain has its own coffee shop, restaurant (by reservation only) and gift shop. My family loved their turon (banana lumpia/roll) and other Filipino snacks and their brewed coffee is really good too.
Admission and registration fee (250Php) for Prayer Mountain is paid at the Jose Maria College (located beside the airport). There is a dress code- basically nothing that reveals skin (no spaghetti, halter, tank tops, no shorts nor miniskirts, nor tattered jeans and no flip-flops). To summarize, the dress code is smart casual. Remember it's a religious sanctuary so act accordingly.
Worthy of mentioning: Lon Wa or Long Hua Buddhist Temple (Cabaguio Ave, Agdao, Davao City. Operating Hours: 730AM-430PM, Admission is free) This is another place of spirituality and serenity in Davao City. The Lon Wa or Long Hua Buddhist Temple is the biggest Buddhist Temple in Mindanao and the most popular in Davao City. Its name means Temple of the Dragon and is the home of monks and nuns of the Philippine Academy of Shakya. Many Chinese come here to pay their respects to Buddha, to pray, and meditate.
The Island Garden City of Samal or Samal for short is not part of Davao City. It is a city on its own and a part of Davao del Norte. Once you come to Davao City, it is a must that you visit Samal Island since it is nearby. By boat/barge, it is only a 15-minute trip. Just head to Sasa Wharf for the barge that will take you to Samal Island.
Samal has many attractions of its own and hosts many resorts along its shoreline. Its beaches are of white sand and its waters a clear blue.
You can go scuba-diving at Talicud Island, head over to watch the bats at Monfort Bat Sanctuary, visit the Vanishing Island (by boat), see the Hagimit Waterfalls (Samal's Pride) on ATV, check out their own Japanese cave house or go resort hopping along the way. The more popular resorts are Paradise Resort, Blue Jazz (hosts a giant water slide), Punta del Sol, Pearl Farm and Maxima Aqua Fun. You can stay overnight in a tent and watch Davao City's lights at night at the beach. All in all, there is a lot of activities to do in Samal Island and you might not be able to finish all of them in a day.
For families, I recommend bringing your children to Monfort Bat Sanctuary (near Babak Port, Brgy. Tambo, Babak District; admission is 100Php) to educate your children about bats and their role in the ecosystem (these bats play a key role in the production of durian). Currently owned by Norma Monfort whose family has been maintaining the area since the 1900's, this bat sanctuary is home to 2.3 million Geoffrey's Rousette Fruit Bats (Rousetteus amplexicaudatus) and is included in the Guinness World Records for the largest single bat colony of its kind. Norma Monfort, on the other hand, was named 2011 Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Hero for her dedication to protect and conserve these bats. If you do decide to visit this 75-mile long cave, make sure to bring a towel, hanky, or scarf- the pungent odor of the sanctuary may be a bit too much for you.
Davao City, since it is such a large city has many attractions that I myself haven't had the opportunity to do it all. Plus, I understand the fact that tourists, both foreign and domestic, have a limited time of stay here in Davao City. This is why I made a list of priority Davao City destinations that you and your family can enjoy. Do come and visit...you will have an experience that you and your family will never forget. By the way, Araw ng Dabaw ( literally translated Day of Davao) has officially started yesterday March 1. For the list of activities for Araw ng Dabaw, you can read this Araw ng Dabaw kicks off March 1 by SunStar.
It's a pretty long post but it has all the top destinations in one post. Next you should do is food or restaurants that are exclusively Davao. That'll be a good reference piece.


Dr. Sarah White led an effort to develop a web-based Solar Career Map that describes the many job opportunities available in the solar industry. Readers are encouraged to visit the highly interactive map.
The map is divided into four industry sectors and three job levels. The four industry sectors are: 1) component production; 2) system design; 3) marketing, sales and permitting; and 4) installation and operations. The three job levels are entry, midlevel, and advanced. For each occupation on the career map, the web site provides information about the job—including desired skills, competencies, education, and career pathways.
The interactive career lattice lets users explore opportunities for entering into a specific solar occupation as well as identifying possible routes for lateral career changes and career advancement. Rather than being restricted to just one sector, routes for career advancement often cross into one or more sectors. With the proper experience, education, and training, for example, a solar site assessor (in the marketing, sales, and permitting sector) may advance to a residential PV installer (in the installation and operations sector) or to a residential PV system designer (in the system design sector).
Figure 4 lists all 36 occupations on the Solar Career Map by sector and job level. Each one of the 36 occupations is discussed in the following sections with respect to desired and preferred level of education and training (from the interactive solar career map) and options for solar content integration.


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Photo Credit: Jamie McCarthy
Before Jason Derulo Built His Massive TikTok Following, He Built A Diverse Portfolio And A $16M Net Worth
Bernadette Giacomazzo Sep 21, 2021
In 2017, Jason Derulo gave an interview where he promised to own 100 businesses by the end of the following year.
"It's a goal that I believe is achievable," Derulo told The Daily Mail, at the time. "I have always wanted to diversify and the whole thing is about having this brand and platform but what do you do with this platform? Do you stay or do you continue to spread? I choose to use my money on not just things I like but things that can be useful in the future."
Later that same year, he told The Street that he doesn't invest in anything he's unfamiliar with. Therefore, at the time, that meant he didn't invest in cryptocurrency or Wall Street (He did, however, say that he had "his eye" on the latter).
While he hasn't quite earned the 100 separate businesses goal, he's done a great job of diversifying his investments. Jason Derulo, who got his start writing songs for other artists, has been so smart with his money that he's netted himself an estimated $16 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth. What's more, his investments aren't just in music, either — even though his impressive music catalog is worth a tidy sum.
From TikTok to Rumble Gyms, let's take a look at how Jason Derulo has made smart money moves.
LVL XIII Clothing
Photo Credit: Rob Kim
Back in 2017, Jason Derulo told People that he'd invested in LVL XIII (pronounced "Level 13") Clothing, which was founded by Antonio Brown in 2013. Derulo told the outlet that his investment into the line was all about building himself, as a brand.
"Through everything that I've been doing, it's about building Jason Derulo the brand," he said to the outlet. "It's not like I'm not going to be a singer, of course – that's my passion. But this is just another one of my passions. I love creating this stuff."
Rumble Gyms
Photo Credit: Caroline Cunningham Kevin Mazur
In 2017, Jason Derulo told Men's Health Magazine that he'd invested in a series of Rumble Gyms across the United States. Sylvester Stallone and Ashton Kutcher are also investors in the gyms.
"Credit for his fit physique is partially due to hopping in the ring, but also from being resourceful with his workouts when he can't find a boxing gym," reported the outlet.
Bedlam Vodka
Courtesy of Get Engaged Media
In January 2021, it was announced that Jason Derulo would join the management team of Bedlam Vodka. Specifically, he was recruited by Bedlam's distillery, Graybeard, to help with the branding of the up-and-coming spirit.
"Teaming up with the executives of such an amazing brand and being able to be an integral part of the marketing team was a no-brainer for me," said Derulo in a statement to The Spirits Business. "It's truly a unique vodka and the smoothest I've ever had. I want to help introduce people all over the country to Bedlam so they're able to cheers with me."
TikTok Career Renaissance
Photo Credit: Jason Derulo TikTok
In April 2021, Newsweek revealed that Jason Derulo's TikTok account was the tenth most-followed account on the platform.
"He also managed to parlay TikTok fame into chart success, as his hit 'Savage Love' and its dance were born on the app after he built a song around Jawsh 685's 'Laxed (Siren Beat),'" reported the outlet.
Photo Credit: Realtor.com / Danielle Venturelli
Jason Derulo has also invested in various real estate properties through the years.
Realtor.com reports that back in 2016, Derulo unloaded his Coconut Creek, FL, mansion for just under $2 million. The 11,000-plus-square-foot mansion sold for $1 million less than its original listing price, but Derulo originally purchased the property for $1.75 million. So, he did turn a small profit on the sale.
In 2014, Derulo purchased a home in Tarzana, CA. He paid $3 million for the "castle," according to Trulia.com.
Celebrity Net WorthCelebrity Net Worth 2021Jason DeRulonet worthNet Worth 2021
Bernadette Giacomazzo
Bernadette Giacomazzo is the SEO Manager at Blavity, Inc. She is also a NYC-based editor, writer, photographer, and publicist with a career spanning more than two decades in the entertainment industry. Her work has been featured in People, Teen Vogue, BET, HipHopDX, XXL Magazine, The Source, Vibe, The Los Angeles Times, and more. Giacomazzo is also the author of The Uprising Series and is the CEO of G-Force Marketing & Publicity, which has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter and has obtained film, television, radio, and print placements for blue-chip clients all over the world. She will release "In Living Color: A Cultural History" on Rowman & Littlefield Press in February 2023, and "The Golden Girls: A Cultural History" on Rowman & Littlefield Press in August 2023.


The PBS series American Masters, which has been profiling prominent American artists (along with the occasional athlete and journalist) since 1986, is generally awesome, and not enough people talk about how awesome it is. Last month, the show spotlighted Sammy Davis Jr., and Charley Pride during the same week. Davis, whose array of talents is matched by very few in the history of American showbiz, came off as a man always desperate for approval, not just of the audience but of his peers, and willing to make questionable choices in hopes of receiving it. That he stoically endured countless hours of racist abuse onstage from Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin indicates to me that he felt it was part of the price he had to pay for their friendship, and by extension, for his popularity with white America. His literal embrace of Richard Nixon feels as if it came from the same needy place.
As for Pride, somebody said on Twitter the other day that the only person who doesn't think Charley Pride is one of the coolest cats on Earth appears to be Charley Pride himself. His music is the essence of country, and his journey—from Mississippi sharecropper to Montana-based professional baseball player to stardom in a genre where he literally stood alone—is the kind of biography nobody will ever have again. His American Masters profile was one of the best hours of television I've watched in ages, and you can watch it right here.
Back in 2011, I wrote about one of Pride's iconic hit records, and how it told a truth that a lot of today's country-music fans don't want to acknowledge about themselves. What follows is a piece of that post.
There's a whole subgenre of country music devoted to songs about the simple pleasures of small town or rural life, songs that idealize the places where the high-school team nickname is painted on the water tower, where everybody believes in Jesus, etc. It's easy to view the popularity of this sort of thing as a reaction to the world we live in. Compared to our harried urban existence, with its tenuous prosperity and impermanent personal relationships, and the way it randomly deals out fortune and tragedy, a world bounded by solid, simple, unchanging values is extremely attractive. It's no wonder people caught in the former might want to gravitate to the latter. Because music has such power in our lives, songs about those values grab hard and hold on tight.
But, if given the chance, would people really give up modern urbanized life for a country idyll? Would they give up satellite TV and the Internet for sitting on the front porch at sunset? Would they give up the multiplex for the fishing hole, the megamart for the small-town general store, the sports bar with HD flat-screens for the Dew Drop Inn? Some might, but others may find that in their souls, they're not so down-home after all.
"Wonder Could I Live There Anymore" isn't a postmodern song recorded recently—it was a #1 country single for Pride in the summer of 1970. And it's a cautionary tale for anybody who finds themselves tempted by what looks like the simple life.
The days we romanticize as simpler and easier were neither. A lot of the trouble we get into, both in our personal lives and as a nation trying to govern itself, comes from our failure to remember.
It's time again to plunder my drafts file for fragments that never added up to a full post.
If you read the history of modern stand-up comedy, you'll notice how many major stars, up to Steve Martin and Jerry Seinfeld, mention Robert Klein as an influence. His most famous of several albums is Child of the 50s, which came out in 1973. Comedy does not always translate over time. Styles change, context gets lost, new comics shift the paradigm of what's funny. But Child of the 50s is still consistently hilarious 45 years after its original release. Although Klein's growing-up stories are set in a faraway time and for many of us, a faraway place—the Bronx—they're still relatable, because we all dealt with school discipline, subtitute teachers, and lunch ladies. We all watched TV shows that annoyed us, listened to the radio, dealt with surly retail clerks, and tried to get a date. The reference points have changed, but the experiences remain universal.
You can hear all of Child of the 50s here. It's observational like Seinfeld and absurdist like Martin, but at the same time firmly in the stand-up mainstream of the early 1970s. Klein's act wasn't so foreign that a network variety show couldn't book him.
The CBS reboot of Murphy Brown was big news at our house because we loved the original series. But boy is the new Murphy not good. At its best, the original series delivered uprorariously funny takes ripped from the headlines; the reboot just can't. The show's attempts to mock and/or parody Trump, Republicans, and conservative media come off either too broad or just toothless. Yes, our current reality is hard to satirize. But the new Murphy Brown is positively wheezing; you can almost see the cast worrying that it just ain't funny.
It seems obvious that Murphy Brown's audience will be people who watched the show 25 years ago, but the producers, and possibly CBS too, are reluctant to accept it. In fact, the single best joke in the entire reboot so far was ruined because of that reluctance. Tyne Daly, who plays the crusty owner of Phil's, the bar where Murphy and her colleagues hang out, delivers a speech about her toughness that ends with "I spent 20 years in one of the toughest divisions of the NYPD." The audience in the studio—and in the living room at our house—laughs uproariously at the cleverness of the callback to Daly's role as a detective on Cagney and Lacey. Instead of leaving well-enough alone, however, the writers add the line, "Parking enforcement." Which turns a funny bit of fan service into a lame joke that could have been on Sgt. Bilko 60 years ago.
And finally: last summer, somebody tweeted a record chart from 1974 and asked, "Worst year ever?" This bit was a response that never went anywhere.
When the list of #1 hits includes "The Streak," "Billy Don't Be a Hero," "Annie's Song," "The Night Chicago Died," and "You're Having My Baby," all of which topped the Hot 100 between Memorial Day and Labor Day 1974, it makes you wonder. American taste had gotten mushy during that Watergate year. It would take somebody smarter than me to explain what happened between the spring of 1973 and the summer of 1974 to make this happen to the Top 40. Soul music was turning to disco, novelty records and earworms with the artistic depth of commercial jingles were becoming massive hits, and straight-up rock 'n' roll was scarce. Maybe the news from Washington was so bad that we thought silly, non-threatening music could take our minds off of it.
I was about to say that if that last bit had been true in 1974, we'd be up to our ears in silly, non-threatening music in 2018. But a recent piece at Pitchfork argues that today's hits actually reflect our morose times and our uncertain future pretty well. But those reflections are far more passive than those of two generations ago. In a world of streaming, shuffling, and skipping, music doesn't get in our faces like it used to. Neither do the people who make it. Their main job, and the job of their music, is simply to be there when we turn it on.
Please tune in again next time for another edition of Short Attention Span Theater, or whatever the hell this is.
In 2009, I wrote about It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and every year in October that post gets a little bump in traffic. So here's a reboot of it, with some additional stuff added.
Every time I watch The Great Pumpkin, I wonder how much of it goes sailing over the heads not merely of today's kids, but of their parents', too. . . . "I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." Never mind the vocabulary itself; today, placing such high stakes on sincerity versus hypocrisy seems about as quaint as worrying about the commercialization of Christmas, which is the point around which A Charlie Brown Christmas revolves.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was the third animated Peanuts special, following A Charlie Brown Christmas and the little-seen Charlie Brown's All Stars, and like its two predecessors, it was among the highest-rated programs on television the week it aired—nearly 50 percent of the viewing audience watched the premiere on October 27, 1966. It won't draw that kind of numbers when it's rebroadcast on ABC this year, although it does well enough. If you plan to watch the network broadcast, keep in mind that when the show was originally produced, it ran 25 minutes. The standard for commercial TV today is 21 or 22, and sometimes less in "children's" programming, so you may not be seeing the whole thing. According to Wikipedia, ABC once cut out the scene in which Lucy tries to get Charlie Brown to kick the football, one of the classic bits in the history of the Peanuts strip. That's like trying to shorten "Stairway to Heaven" by taking out the guitar solo.
There's a lot to love about The Great Pumpkin—the early scenes featuring golden fall leaves are gorgeous, and all throughout the show the backgrounds are rich with shades of gray and purple. And of course, there's the music. Like A Charlie Brown Christmas, the soundtrack features of Vince Guaraldi's cool, contemporary jazz. The choice to score the Christmas special with jazz hadn't pleased CBS when that special was first delivered, but its success ensured that all future specials would feature the same sort of thing.
The soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas is an album that sounds good even in July. It has always been a mystery to me why there has never been a Great Pumpkin soundtrack album. The full-band version of "Linus and Lucy" that backs the kids' search for a Halloween pumpkin has been on my most-wanted list for years; the atmospheric music that underscores Snoopy's World War I adventure behind enemy lines (a piece called "Breathless") is much-sought-after by fans of the specials and of Guaraldi. Although Guaraldi recorded a version of "The Great Pumpkin Waltz" for the 1968 album Oh Good Grief!, nothing else from the special ever saw official release.
Here in 2018, however, The Great Pumpkin soundtrack is finally out—but buyer beware. According to the Peanuts-centric website FiveCentsPlease, the soundtrack is just that: the music and effects track from the special, and not original master tapes from the soundtrack sessions like A Charlie Brown Christmas. That means you'll hear Linus rolling the giant pumpkin and Lucy stabbing it; when the kids are getting their candy, you'll hear it dropping into the bags; Snoopy's trek across the French countryside will have all the accompanying sound effects with it as well. Tapes of the original soundtrack sessions from 1966 are apparently lost, so the soundtrack release has been sourced from the TV audio. That means it's in mono, and although it's been cleaned up as much as possible by Craft Recordings, the quality is still not great. The CD is being sold at Amazon for $11.98, but it runs only about 20 minutes. So there are lots of reasons not to buy it, and you don't need to. It's on various streaming sites and at YouTube in its entirety.
But the disappointment of its official soundtrack doesn't detract from the greatness of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. While it lacks the philosophical heft of A Charlie Brown Christmas, it has a level of sophistication and subtlety that's missing from broadcast TV today. When it's rebroadcast this coming Friday night, it'll be the smartest thing on any of the broadcast networks—by a mile.
If you read this blog regularly, you are probably old enough to remember when TV stations signed off the air at night, although you don't have to be all that old. It was the early 90s before 24/7 operation became the norm in most places across the country. Before that, it didn't make economic sense to stay on all night, given the difficulty of selling advertising in that time slot and the perception that the audiences would be tiny.
But how tiny were they, really? In 1972, producer Burt Sugarman realized that half of the people watching TV late at night watched Johnny Carson on NBC, and surely not all of them wanted to turn off their TVs when the show was over. Sugarman pitched NBC on a late-night music show featuring the best acts he could get, but NBC turned it down. So Sugarman taped a pilot, sold the show to Chevrolet, and bought the airtime himself. The August 19, 1972, broadcast of what Sugarman christened The Midnight Special was a hit and caused NBC to take a second look. In February 1973, the show began its regular run, Friday nights at 1AM Eastern.
Over the next eight years, nearly everybody who was anybody appeared on the show. None of the solo Beatles, the Rolling Stones, or the Who ever appeared, but the show welcomed a wide variety of acts nonetheless, including some who were not your typical TV fodder, from Black Oak Arkansas to King Crimson to Aerosmith (in 1974, two years before they became major stars) to AC/DC (in 1978). Country, R&B, and disco acts also appeared, as did standup comics including Andy Kaufman, George Carlin, and Freddie Prinze. Most performances were recorded live at NBC in Burbank, although some were taped elsewhere, most famously David Bowie's 1980 Floor Show, his last performance as Ziggy Stardust, recorded in London and aired in November 1973. Most acts performed live, although sometimes they sang live to recorded backing tracks, and every now and then somebody would lip-sync. Acts were not discouraged from changing things up or stretching them out, as the Edgar Winter Group did on "Frankenstein," which runs nine mind-blowing minutes. Fleetwood Mac's extended "Rhiannon," in which Stevie Nicks transforms into a rock goddess, is also an all-timer.
It wasn't just the artists who were encouraged to experiment: if you watch the "Frankenstein" video, you'll see that the director got into the act, too. Some of the directors' choices don't look so great now. They frequently filled the screen with head shots of performers, and if a band had multiple members, they often called for a split-screen head shot, as when Orleans did "Dance With Me" in 1975. The close head shots were often unflattering. Many performers wore no TV makeup, and many of the top bands of the 70s had members who were dumpy-looking and/or poorly groomed. The close head shots could be frustrating. In the case of Orleans, the three singers are shown close up, but the poor drummer bangs away anonymously in a wide shot. (I keep thinking of his mom, staying up late, excited to see him on TV, and then seeing that.) In this performance by Heart, the camera focuses on Ann Wilson and ignores Nancy Wilson completely.
It wasn't MTV that killed The Midnight Special; it was the changing landscapes of popular music and television, and the fragmenting of the audience. Beginning in the fall of 1980, the show featured many more country and light pop acts than rock stars, along with movie clips and celebrity profiles, as producers flailed around trying to find a formula that would stay relevant. In the end, going for mass appeal was no longer the way to score big ratings, even after midnight. On March 27, 1981, the final original episode of The Midnight Special aired on NBC. It was replaced in May by another underrated television classic, SCTV Network 90.
Clips from The Midnight Special are valuable not just to fans but to students of history. The show preserves a lot of the most popular and influential music ever made (and some of its most ephemeral, too) in its natural habitat. Historians don't often have the luxury of seeing the past exactly as it was.


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Because skates in this region live in the same kinds of habitat and fishing gear doesn't discriminate between them, seven species are managed as a complex. Although recent analyses have a great deal of uncertainty, it appears that a few of these species (even the barndoor skate which was once feared to be nearly extinct) appear to be rebuilding to healthy levels. These species are fished for a large foreign skate wing meat trade. The meat is also used as bait for the region's lobster fishery.
One species, the thorny skate, is classified as Critically Endangered in U.S. waters under the IUCN Red List. Two recent petitions (from the Animal Welfare Institute and WildEarth Guardians) aim to get thorny skates protected under the Endangered Species Act.
It's been illegal for skate fishermen to land thorny skates since 2004, but they're still often caught as bycatch. Additionally, monitoring is generally quite poor and fishermen usually do not report landings by species despite efforts to gather species-specific data by the skate fisheries management plan.
Unless species-specific reporting improves and fishermen come up with a way to avoid catching thorny skates, I join the American Elasmobranch Society, Shark Advocates International, and the Project AWARE Foundation in opposing this increase in the skate fishery.
I agree with your comments, think extending the quota also sets a dangerous precedent. Also, what about the creatures skates eat and keep under control. I'm not certain but don't they eat jelly-fish? Given the current explostion in jelly fish populations across the globe and the pressure it's put on the fish populations, coupled with over-fishing, the proposal could only add to that problem.
Skate diet is not my field, but I'm reasonably certain that they do not eat jellyfish. I think skates live on the bottom and mostly eat molluscs and crustaceans.
To my knowledge skates don't eat jellyfish, though they do eat plenty of squid and herring, which is surprising for a benthic fish with a mouth on the underside. Spiny dogfish do eat comb jellies, and have been identified as a possible major predator of them.
These fisheries complexes are a real catch-22; you have a group of species, each with their own individual tolerances of fishing pressure but all in the same area and therefore being caught at the same time. I know skates do have a pretty decent bycatch survival rate (depending on fishing method, temperature, etc.) but offhand I don't know that anything specific to thorny skates has been done in that area. I guess we'd have to assume that their survivability is about on par with other better-studied species in the complex and hope keeping them as a no-take species is enough.
I live in a marine environment too!
I will like to support each activity that helps to save nature. Also very worried about the reduction of forests in various parts of the world.
I thought Chuck's comment was right on. Concern is justified, but one needs to ahe nore information on these kinds of environmental issues to make an informed judgement – that is to say the forces for good often paint an unbalanced picture. Perhaps some of your colleagues might want to see what the assessment actually says and what the distribution of thorny skates is outside of US waters and let us know.
Frank, the IUCN Red List claims that thorny skates are Critically Endangered in U.S. waters, and are doing slightly better (only "Vulnerable") globally. However, conservation policies often focused on endangered subpopulations, as they should, and that's what's happening here.
Oh i forgot to mention, the fact that quotas are being increased could mean that other species normally caught are under threat!!
Another issue with skate fisheries is the brutality associated with 'winging' the skates. It's the most brutal thing I've seen in commercial fisheries – the skate (which is often very much alive) is held up on a hook and their 'wings' are cut off with a large knife. They're very tough things, skates, and they often show strong signs of being alive as their de-winged bodies are shoved back overboard.


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Emilia Clarke Emilia Clarke is a British actress. She was born in London and grew up in Berkshire, England. She is best known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO series Game of Thrones, for which she received two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013 and 2015.


This is a personal essay, and the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of Yahoo Lifestyle.
As I watched the shocking footage of unarmed asylum seekers in Mexico fleeing for cover as the U.S. government unleashed tear gas and rubber bullets this week, I felt as if someone had reached into my chest and squeezed my heart. That could be me, I thought. I felt weighed down by my privilege as a 36-year-old New York professional, replaying in my mind, over and over, the story of my mother — Cilia de Jesus Bustillo, who fled Honduras back in 1975 as a frightened teen, my sister secretly in tow.
Five years before her journey, when Cilia was just 12 years old, her mother, Beatrice, left her behind in Honduras after convincing the local consulate to give her a U.S. tourist visa. My grandmother settled in Morristown, N.J., where a diaspora of Central and South American immigrants had formed, creating their own colorful community. She outstayed the visa and began working at a local factory, and soon met and married Manuel Oliveras, which allowed her to become a U.S. citizen, entitled to request residency for her minor children: my mother and uncles Xavier and Hugo.
But it would take five years for that paperwork to be processed. In the meantime, my mother was orphaned. She struggled to survive poverty and the wrath of her brother, Jamie, who molested and abused her. In one incident, Cilia asked him for permission to go to a summer carnival with friends, but he forbade it. Desperate to escape, she snuck out of the house, believing she had done so undetected. But she returned home to find him waiting outside on the porch, standing with a bucket of scalding hot water at his feet, swinging a thick leather belt. She begged for mercy.
"Pero no hice nada!" "I didn't do anything!" she cried out, as he beat her with the drenched leather strap. The blasts from each lashing rang loudly in the night, like firecrackers. "La vas a matar!" "You're going to kill her!" an alarmed neighbor shrieked, running to her house and returning with a machete. "Deja esa nina o te corto en pedasos!" "Let go of that little girl or I will cut you into pieces!" she told my uncle. So he did. He dropped my mother's body, inches from death, and walked away.
After that night, at 13, Cilia became hardened and ornery. The neighbor nursed her back to health but couldn't have her stay for long. Abandoned and without protection in a lawless country — where a postwar civil unrest would soon lead to military rule — she had nothing but her mother's promise that she'd soon join her in the United States. She kept to the streets, finding generosity in the local grocer, Ana Luz, who gave her food and small jobs. But she longed for her mother. When hope failed her, she'd look to her grandmother — who, unbeknownst to her, pilfered the money and gifts Beatrice sent, keeping the letters and photos that my mother needed most.
Years passed without change until she fell prey to a young man named Jamie, the son of wealthy cow farmers whose family controlled the town. Although she was shy and defensive, having endured countless acts of sexual violence by age 16, he convinced Cilia, who lived a life without love or affection, to go on a date.
Weeks later, my mother learned she was pregnant and was kicked out of her grandmother's home. When her rapists' family learned of her condition, they kidnapped her. They held my mother on their farm, hours away from home, and promised her safety in exchange for a contract to turn the baby over at birth. My mother agreed to sign in the morning. But once everyone had gone to bed, she stole as much money as she could find and escaped. Back on the streets of La Ceiba alone, now six months pregnant, she feared retaliation.
My mother was hopeless and prepared to cross the border by any means when her admission to the United States miraculously came through. A path to salvation seemed sure, until her brother heard that all incoming visitors had to pass a health examination. No pregnant minors would be allowed entry. But my uncle, Hugo, recruited a girl in town to impersonate my mother, giving a blood sample, and they were cleared. A local seamstress fashioned a dress that would hide her growing belly, and they were off. For the entire five-hour flight, she never moved from her seat. She barely breathed.
Cilia arrived in this country on April 4, 1975. My sister Karina was born in June at Morristown Memorial Hospital, an American citizen. "No matter what," she thought, "my daughter is safe." Five years later, she had a second daughter, Karla, with my father Carlos, an immigrant from Ecuador. They married in 1981 just before my birth, in November of 1982, in San Antonio, Texas.
I was raised in a humble home peppered by the consistent foot traffic of migrants whom my parents were eager to help. Through their commitment to the Latinx community, I learned that abundance is multiplied by generosity. I understood the meaning of humility and witnessed the rapid progress of so many hard-working families who have become an integral part of the American fabric.
In today's political climate, families like mine could cease to exist. The essence of what it means to be Latin American, our collective history of migration, is being criminalized, used by fellow Americans to label and shame, and manipulated by our current administration to violate international treaties protecting human rights.
As a first-generation Honduran-American woman, I see myself in these migrants. Only luck and timing separated me from being one of those mothers or one of those children. This week, with the arrival of asylum seekers surging, the United States shut down its border crossing. The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security recently announced a new 78-page rule amending the process, barring some from eligibility completely, and effectively turning racism into policy.
Immigration and the absorption of refugees are complex issues, but at the heart of these dilemmas are human lives. And humanity should never be politicized.
When I ask my mother now to name the driving force in her survival, she says, "You never give up on your child." I don't know one person who cannot relate to that.


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