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Matt Maeson – The Day You Departed Tour – Tickets – U Street Music Hall – Washington, DC – October 30th, 2019
OTW & 9:30 Club Presents...
Matt Maeson – The Day You Departed Tour
Moby Rich
U Street Music Hall
This event is all ages
https://www.impconcerts.com/event/1862574/
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Growing up in Virginia, Matt Maeson got his start performing for inmates at maximum-security prisons across America at age 17. "I'd get up and do these acoustic songs on my guitar, and they're still the best shows I've ever done," says the Austin-based singer/songwriter. "You're playing for all these people who are treated like they're monsters, and it feels like spreading some light into a really dark place."
On his debut album Bank on the Funeral, Maeson uses his deeply incisive songwriting to explore the tension between light and dark in his own life. The album redefines the limits of the classic singer/songwriter's sensibility and shapes a sound that's richly textured and gracefully experimental. And with his soulful vocal presence, Maeson again reveals the raw-nerve vulnerability that prompted TIME to praise him as "never afraid to investigate his past and his demons, resulting in songs that are clear-eyed in their honesty and raw around the edges."
Centered on Maeson's candid storytelling and gritty poetry, Bank on the Funeral takes its title from its closing track: a quietly hypnotic number written for a beloved uncle, who was murdered when Maeson was six-years-old. "He was a criminal when he was younger, but once he got himself together he'd go out and minister to the people he used to hang around with -- the people the church would never try to reach -- and then one of those guys ended up going crazy and killing him," says Maeson. "What inspires me about him is how he'd go to the places no one else would go and talk about the things no one else would talk about."
Throughout Bank on the Funeral, Maeson brings a similar courage to his songwriting, imbuing every track with an often-brutal self-awareness. On the album-opening "I Just Don't Care That Much," he fires off a litany of confessions ("Maybe life was just a bet/That I lost to drugs and cigarettes"), brilliantly offsetting all that heavy-hearted deliberation with his bright melodies and upbeat rhythms. Later, on the fast-paced and horn-laced "Legacy," Maeson's spirited and sometimes-howled vocals relay some borrowed wisdom about self-salvation. "That song's about a night in Virginia Beach when I was drunk on the street with my friends, and an old man came up to us and started talking about life," Maeson explains. "The lyrics are basically me writing out everything I remember him saying." But for songs like "The Mask," the album shifts into moodier and more darkly ethereal terrain, a potent backdrop to his gently urgent vocal performance. "'The Mask' is about how everybody has a mask they wear and how that always roots back to something -- some point in your life where you started pretending, and then eventually started believing that's who you really are," Maeson says.
One of the most arresting tracks on Bank on the Funeral, "Beggar's Song" begins in hushed guitar tones and softly pleading vocals, then unfolds into a stubbornly hopeful epic with gospel-like intensity. "I wrote 'Beggar's Song' when I was broke and hungover at SXSW, and everybody was partying and I was just over it," Maeson remembers. "It's about spending the last two years on the road and what that's felt like -- that line 'I'm a beat-down, washed-up son of a bitch' has definitely been true on multiple occasions."
In the making of Bank on the Funeral, Maeson drew equally from his instinct-driven songwriting process and from the natural musicality he's honed since he was a little kid. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, he was born into a music-loving family, including parents who played in heavy metal bands throughout his early childhood. The same uncle who inspired "Bank on the Funeral" gave Maeson a drum set when he was a toddler, then left his nephew his own drums after he died. At 15, Maeson learned a few guitar chords from his father and soon began writing songs, playing his first live gig at a Chick-fil-A open-mic night and then moving on to the penitentiaries. "My dad was a criminal growing up, but he ended up turning his life around and becoming a youth pastor," Maeson says. "Later on my parents started a prison ministry, and I went along with them to play my songs in the prisons."
As he built up his body of work, Maeson increasingly relied on songwriting as an emotional outlet. "I started getting into a lot of trouble, doing a lot of drugs, getting arrested," he says. "Music became a way of getting things off my chest, and I started writing with more honesty." In addition to working construction 12 hours a day and doing community service on his time off, he began traveling the country with a notebook and a guitar, often going back to play in the prisons where he got his start. In 2015 he began posting his songs online and quickly drew attention for "Grave Digger," a starkly powerful track about "trying to figure out how to navigate life after realizing that everything you were told growing up isn't necessarily true," according to Maeson. He soon signed a joint deal with Neon Gold/Atlantic Records, then made his debut with Who Killed Matt Maeson -- a 2017 EP featuring his breakthrough single "Cringe," which hit #12 on Spotify's US Viral 50. With his sophomore EP The Hearse arriving in spring 2018, Maeson next headed out on tour with Bishop Briggs and took the stage at major summer festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.
In bringing Bank on the Funeral to life, Maeson continued to tap into the cathartic power of making music. "Songwriting's always been very therapeutic for me," he says. "Wherever I've lived, there's always been a secluded closet or bathroom where I could sing really loud and not bother anybody." And though he regards his songs as "conversations with myself," Maeson's underlying mission is to include others in that catharsis. "What I try to do is help people know that, even if their problems feel so specific to their lives, everyone's going through something that feels just as specific," he says. "If I can write about what's upset me or what I've learned from, and somehow help other people feel recognized and understood, that's always the ultimate goal."
LA two-piece Moby Rich turn melancholy song craft into bold, pop hooks and visuals. Their debut single, Yoko Ono, is a euphoric-by-way-of-ethereal burst of joy; a love song (or at least their version) about finding someone to match your strange.
The pair -- Maxwell Joseph and Connor Pledger -- relocated to LA in 2015 from Indianapolis and Atlanta respectively in search of, well, anything. Connor initially made the move after a music mogul stumbled across a cover he uploaded on YouTube and invited him to Hollywood to join a "folk boyband" he was putting together.
Quickly realizing that was a bad idea, Connor began to do the rounds as a pop songwriter. "I'm living out here and I'm writing for pop artists and thinking something's going to happen, then a year goes by and I'm getting terrible depression. I don't know what the fuck to do with myself," he describes. "I've moved out here, I'm songwriting, nothing's happening, I have nowhere to stay. So I decide I need to do something, I need to get out of this funk."
In a moment of synergy, Connor began attending open mic nights around the town in which Maxwell was living. "I found this one particular night and the first time I went there was the time I met Maxwell," he describes. "We had a mutual friend who it transpired knew him from Indianapolis. So we meet and the first reaction we had was, 'Yeah that doesn't look like a guy I want to hang out with'."
"I think there was a little bit of facade on both of us," agrees Maxwell, who'd been attending the nights in the hope of finding somebody -- anybody -- to hang out with. "A lot of people go through that when they move to a town like LA. You just put on a very cold aesthetic. But it didn't take long for us to warm up."
The two began writing together and, as Maxwell puts it, realized "semi quickly, that we had this identifiable sound between the two of us." "The funny thing is, the music that we actually like, doesn't sound like the music we used to make," continues Connor. "And one of the cool things about this project is that it's the first project I would actually, honestly buy and listen to. Before I don't think I would have bought my own music."
The majority of the pair's tracks are written on acoustic guitar, the thinking being that if a song sounds good acoustic, it probably sounds good full stop. "Sometimes when you strip all the production from a song, you aren't left with much," says Connor. "We want to be able to play everything from just a guitar, all the way up to a full band show." While either one of them can bring the genesis of an idea, what's important is that they always both vibe on it. "If we don't, there's probably nothing to it," Connor simply states.
The pair sing every song in unison, (a sort of whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-parts attitude) which speaks volumes of their close, almost twin-like, friendship. "Where my vocal lacks, his vocal picks up the slack and vice versa," says Connor. "Almost like a yin and yang of vocal qualities."
Their writing process has always been a collaborative one. "I think we know when to take and give and it just speaks to how we balance each other out," states Maxwell. "There's a trust in the process that we have developed over writing together for a long period of time." Maxwell admits that while he may a bit more simplistic than Connor's "theatrical and grandiose" musical tendencies, it's this balance that makes Moby Rich the most exciting project either of them have worked on.
"We did all the vocals for this project, even up to today, on an iPhone 5," explains Connor. "We took those vocals and pan them hard left and right. We used old Fruity Loop plugins to create some of the sounds we have. We created samples of random noises we found while creating the project and used those with the iPhone to create sounds that would be absolutely original (i.e. a guitar solo performed by my refrigerator). So between the accidental sounds we made, and the absolutely deliberate sounds we wanted, it created the sound we have now."
The first insight into their unique sound comes in the shape of Yoko Ono, a melancholy pop banger that combines the euphoria of early MGMT with the laidback beat making of N.E.R.D. "Yoko Ono was the last song to be written for our EP," Maxwell explains. "I'd made a little track and sent it to Connor and we just started writing to it. We had a moment when we were doing the chorus where I was like, 'wow, this is really good'. And usually you don't have moments like that."
While neither can remember who came up with the "be my Yoko Ono muse" lyric, Connor describes how the song is basically "about finding the person that matches your weirdness. Whatever you attract in life, you want that other person to be your match. And you look at John and Yoko and you know the rest of the world didn't matter. The whole planet could have exploded and gone off into space and they'd still have been in love forever."
The video – directed by L.A. filmmaker Scottie Cameron – depicts the pajama-ed pair in motorized beds, driving through the streets of Los Angeles with sheets billowing in the air. You can read it as a reference to John and Yoko's famous "bed-ins" of 1969, or even the two of them living out their dreams. Really though, you get the impression it was just a good excuse to goof around. "We wanted something that shows our personalities," Maxwell admits, of the perfect foil to the bands occasionally moody synthetics. "Something that's a bit ridiculous."
"Humor, plain and simple, is what allows us to cope with life," Connor continues. "We don't enjoy writing bubblegum pop or songs about how everything is perfect. It's not. So, why write about a world that doesn't exist?" This level of honesty allows the duo to say what they want in a way that helps friends and fans cope with the realities of life. "Obviously, there is a lot of bullshit going on in the world right now. The way we often connect with people on that is through our lyrics but we also want to tap into the joy that music can bring."
The chance for that will come with an EP later this year. Maxwell describes how the band wants to use it to tour, to travel, to have fun. They want to connect with a fan base and say, as Connor describes, "'this is how I feel' within this weird gesture of creating a song."
"We try to let people know, in the music, that we don't know everything. We're not here to give answers," Maxwell says, as Connor picks up the theme. "We just want to say, hey, we feel the same way you do. I think that's where the beauty lies."
Washington, DC, 20009
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New Alpine A110 vs Audi TT RS vs Porsche Cayman | What Car?
All three cars are priced within £3000 of each other, and after you've factored in the bills you're likely to face during three years of ownership – fuel, tax, servicing, insurance and depreciation –the cost difference shrinks to less than £100. Not much to help you decide there, then.
Of course, few will have the wherewithal to walk into the dealership with a cheque for £50k, so PCP finance deals are also an important consideration. Alpine was unable to provide a quote at the time of writing for reasons that will become clear when you read our verdict. However, if you put down a £6000 deposit on a three-year deal, the Cayman will cost you £613 a month, compared with the whopping £743 you'll need to shell out for the TT. But consider what you get for your money and the picture becomes rather different.
Whereas the A110 and TT come with climate control, cruise control, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers and parking sensors all round, all of these items cost extra on the Cayman. In fact, to bring the Cayman close to the same specification as the others, you'll need to stump up £7000 or so extra on options (or roughly £850 a month on a PCP deal).


Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are plants that cause a very itchy skin rash when they come in contact with your skin. The rash is caused by an allergic reaction to an oil (urushiol) found on the plant. Most commonly the allergic rash occurs on the arms, legs, neck, or face but can be seen anywhere on the body. The red, itchy rash is very uncomfortable and often forms fluid filled bumps or blisters in a linear pattern. It typically presents within a day or two of contact with the plant and can linger for weeks if left untreated. The rash is not contagious. Treatment with topical or oral medications such as anithistamines and steroids is effective. Sometimes a shot of cortisone may be needed.


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More U.S. adoptions of Russians fail
Corruption, lack of regulations have resulted in troubled orphans
By Cindi Lash, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
In the early 1990s, Russia opened its orphanages to Westerners looking to adopt. The experience has been painful for some parents; a few have even sent children back to Russia. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines the issue in special reports today and tomorrow.
Beth and John Wilson used to pop the precious tape into their videocassette recorder three or four times a day, hardly breathing as the image of the tiny, dark-eyed boy emerged on the TV screen.
Although they'd had just one brief visit with the toddler they'd christened Alexander, they cherished his smile and the nuggets of information they'd acquired about him -- his healthy constitution, his desire to be picked up as much as possible, his two emerging teeth.
A boy they couldn't raise
A reform in the works
'New Families, Old Heartbreak,' Day Two
Since they received the tape in February, the Wilsons had been making plans to fetch him from an institution for abandoned children in St. Petersburg, Russia, and whisk him home to Oakmont.
But due to new adoption laws in Russia, the Wilsons, and thousands of others like them across the United States, aren't sure when they'll be able to make that happen.
"Now we watch [the tape] maybe once a week.. It's too hard. You have to put it away and not think about it all the time or you'd go crazy," said Beth Wilson, 39, a sales representative for Hewlett Packard. "I have to believe that there's light at the end of the tunnel, that eventually he'll be with us.
"But there have been a few weeks there where you wondered, will I ever have the child?"
Although the Wilsons are frustrated, their resolve to adopt Alexander and their confidence in their adoption agency remain unshaken. But other families who have had negative experiences after adopting Russian children say that what's happening today in Russia is a necessary overhaul of its adoption system.
Once the top provider of children to adoptive parents from the U.S., Russia in May began enforcing laws barring adoption agencies from operating, thus suspending nearly all international adoptions.
The Russian Parliament passed the laws two years ago, but former President Boris N. Yeltsin never signed them. After Vladimir V. Putin was elected March 26, he signed the laws, starting a series of reforms to eliminate corruption in a little-regulated system.
Cilla Whatcott swings her adopted daughter, Lily, 4, while her biological son Gus, 9, rushes to join the play at their home on Whidbey Island, near Seattle. The Whatcotts are dissolving their adoption of an older, Russian-born daughter, Inga, because of the girl's increasingly violent behavior. (Robin Layton, photo for the the Post-Gazette)
That corruption, U.S. and Russian officials maintain, has led to increased costs for prospective parents, who pay up to $30,000, plus travel costs and cash "donations," to adopt a Russian child.
Corruption also has been blamed for an increase in complaints from parents who said they adopted children who were represented to be relatively healthy or afflicted with correctable medical conditions. Only after getting home did those parents learn that their children were impaired by fetal alcohol syndrome, mentally ill after years of neglect in orphanages, or both.
As those children have grown older, an increasing number have been turned over to foster care, placed in institutions or returned to Russia. Their demoralized, financially burdened families say they no longer can handle youngsters who've beaten playmates, stomped and choked siblings or tried to burn down their homes.
Several of those cases have drawn international attention as parents resorted to drastic action to dissolve adoptions. As word of those cases reached Russia, its leaders decided they no longer could ignore flaws in their system.
"From time to time, there have been Russian press reports about things that have gone wrong. Because children are involved, the public takes it very painfully," said Mikhail Shurgalin, a spokesman at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
"We also have heard the reports of bad people trying to make money off of adoption," he said. "That's what prompts the new rules. No one wants children to be hurt."
Some international adoption professionals say they believe the new rules stem as well from Putin's sense of nationalism and his belief that Russia should not ship its children to other nations. Others speculate that the Russian government, in the guise of making reforms, is making a grab for profits once enjoyed by private agencies.
The approximately 180 U.S. agencies that had been working in Russia have had to suspend operations until they comply with the new regulations.
Some agencies have helped clients independently complete adoptions that already were under way, but most are advising clients that it may be months or even a year, given Russia's plodding bureaucracy, before they can openly help again.
Fertile ground
Before the breakup of the former Soviet Union in 1991, Russian orphans were placed in government-run homes. With the onset of a free-market economy, Russia faced the responsibility and costs of caring for up to 300,000 children in hundreds of orphanages.
As it relaxed its borders and increased its contacts with the West, Russia became an attractive destination for adoption agencies, particularly those that had been operating in Romania.
Before he was deposed and executed in 1989, former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, trying to increase his nation's population, had prohibited birth control and abortion.
To families that didn't want to languish on U.S. agencies' long waiting lists for infants, Romania suddenly offered an irresistible supply of white children. Adoptions were completed before families left the country, eliminating the risk of birth parents demanding the return of the child before the process was finalized.
A flood of prospective parents, adoption agencies and brokers with shadowy credentials converged on Romania. They created a child-selling market so wide open that parents who didn't want to bother working with an orphanage could sit in hotel lobbies and wait for a parade of babies to be carried in for review.
After two years and about 10,000 adoptions, the new Romanian government suspended international adoptions in 1991. Would-be parents and adoption professionals shifted to Russia.
In that first year, Russia surpassed 15 other countries to become the sixth-most- popular destination for would-be parents from the United States, according to U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service statistics. Of the 6,472 children adopted from other countries by U.S. families in 1991-92, 324 were from Russia.
By contrast, U.S. families adopted close to six times that many children, or 1,840, that year from Korea, the No. 1 country of origin for children adopted outside the United States.
In 1992-93, Korea remained No. 1, releasing 1,775 children for adoption by U.S. families. But Russia had jumped to second place, with 746 children joining U.S. families.
Russia remained at No. 2 until 1996-97, when it topped the list by releasing 3,816 children to U.S. families. Russia has continued to hold that spot, with 4,491 children adopted in 1997-98 and 4,348 in 1998-99.
Baby brokers
As demand for Russian babies grew, both long-established and new agencies set up programs and developed relationships with orphanages.
Unlike China and Korea, countries that also provide large numbers of children to U.S. families, Russia had no central agency to oversee or license agencies that arranged adoptions.
Instead, it allowed officials and judges in each of its regions to approve adoptions, leaving the process open to corruption and bribery. It also allowed agencies to increasingly rely on facilitators, or free-lance intermediaries, who helped to guide adoptive families through bewildering Russian bureaucracy.
Most facilitators were not formal employees of agencies and some had simultaneous relationships with multiple adoption agencies and attorneys. That led to situations where unscrupulous facilitators shopped children to different agencies, then placed them with the client and agency able to pay the highest fee -- or willing to tack on a bribe.
The practice of extracting bribes from parents in the guise of fees or gifts and the unreliability of records provided to them became so common in some regions of Russia that Holt International Children's Services of Eugene, Ore., one of the world's largest and best known adoption agencies, stopped taking clients there years ago, Holt Vice President Susan Soon-Keum Cox said.
A 1998 Whatcott family photo shows Russian-born Inga, then 12, with Lily, then 2, Gus, then 7, and Max, then 10. While Inga could be affectionate and charming, her increasingly violent behavior later drove her adoptive family to sever its ties with her.
Observers and parents who've been through the Russian adoption system also maintain that some intermediaries and agencies were concerned more about fees they received for placing children than with giving parents factual information about them.
"Those people have only one idea, to earn more money. Some don't have very clean records," Shurgalin said. "They were not out to help children and prospective families. They were just plain and simply trying to get a quick buck out of it."
Adoptive parents have charged in lawsuits that agencies or facilitators gave them records that had been translated inaccurately or that omitted crucial negative details about the child's background.
Only after returning to the United States did some parents discover that their children had serious physical ailments that would make it impossible for them to live a normal life. Others learned that their increasingly violent children suffered from one or more psychological syndromes triggered by early abuse or long stays in orphanages.
"She was beautiful, she could be so charming, and she nearly destroyed us," said Cilla Whatcott, 46, of Coupeville, Wash., who, with her husband, Neal, is disrupting the adoption of Inga, who they adopted in 1997 when she was 12. "The experience caused me to question everything I believed in -- love, trust, faith."
Inga, who has developmental delays, reactive attachment disorder and fetal alcohol syndrome, told the Whatcotts she had been placed twice with Russian families, but was returned to her orphanage because of her behavior. The Whatcotts, who have three other children, two of them adopted, severed their relationship with Inga after the girl repeatedly attacked siblings and playmates and tried to kill Cilla while she was bedridden after a hysterectomy.
"You keep thinking it'll be different when she finally feels it, what it is to have a home," said Whatcott, who has submitted written testimony to Congress and is writing a book about her experience. "But we had to make a choice between keeping Inga and keeping the rest of our family safe."
Some parents sued, charging that agencies failed to disclose information about their children that might have affected their decision to adopt.
Among them are Michael and Susan McMullen of Franklin, Venango County, who earlier this year filed a lawsuit against European Adoption Consultants Inc. of North Royalton, Ohio, in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh.
In their suit, the McMullens charge that EAC and its director, Margaret Cole, committed breach of contract, fraud, intentional nondisclosure and negligent misrepresentation and intentional infliction of emotional distress when it placed a 5-month-old boy with them in 1992.
The McMullens contend that EAC told them only that the boy had a correctable cleft palate. He later was found to be mentally retarded and affected with a severe form of epilepsy and is likely to require institutional care, according to the suit.
In court documents, Cole has argued that she personally should not be a party to the suit because the McMullens' contract was with EAC. She also has argued that the suit was not filed in the correct jurisdiction and that she was not served with it in a timely fashion.
EAC has not filed a response to the suit pending the resolution of the jurisdiction issue. EAC representatives did not return calls seeking comment.
Stung by criticisms and bad publicity, Russia cracked down in April.
Its new regulations call for representatives of the Ministry of Education and five other ministries to form a committee to oversee adoption issues and to draft accreditation standards for adoption agencies. Only nonprofit agencies that have been in business for at least five years will be considered.
Those that achieve accreditation will be required to open offices rather than operate from their owners' kitchen tables. They'll be required to report and pay taxes on their income.
Most significantly, they must formally hire employees and no longer will be permitted to use free-lance facilitators. Agencies also will be required to make post-adoption checks and provide Russia with periodic updates on the welfare of adopted children, who retain Russian citizenship until they are 18.
Russia's Ministry of Education released accreditation standards and began accepting accreditation applications June 19. The ministry said it would take up to three months to review and rule on applications.
In Western Pennsylvania, officials at International Assistance Group of Aspinwall, one of two local agencies specializing in adoptions from Russia, submitted their application last month.
Adopt-A-Child in Squirrel Hill also has submitted its accreditation documents, the agency's clinical director, Laura Ellman, said.
But agency officials admit they don't know just how long it will take before they learn whether they can resume operations in Russia.
Spence-Chapin, a large New York City agency, is telling clients it doesn't expect to operate again in Russia for at least six months.
"We would be happy if it were sooner than that. It's difficult for people who [already had started sending] materials to Russia. But we can't tell them the time frame," said Jill Cole, Spence-Chapin's director of international adoptions.
Parents who aren't willing to wait can go to Russia on their own and try to negotiate the complex adoption process. Or they can try to adopt in other countries.
Some U.S. agency operators and parents who've already completed successful adoptions of Russian-born children decry the delays caused by the new regulations.
Some believe the regulations were prompted by news reports that exaggerated cases of disrupted adoptions but ignored thousands of other flourishing adoptive families. They fear the delays will mean that as many as 1 million Russian children will wait even longer to move from grim orphanages to homes.
"When there are moratoriums, you're not shutting off mining or an industry. You're dealing with kids, and these kids are getting older every day," said James Georgalas, 52, a Ben Avon Heights lawyer who, with his wife, Jane, has adopted three daughters from Russia.
But critics of the old Russian process and officials from other agencies say the reforms are overdue.
"I'm very much for accreditation," said Larisa Mason, the Russian-born executive director of the International Assistance Group in Aspinwall. "I hate to have kids sitting there because we could not move their bodies.
"But [accreditation] puts more responsibility on agencies to do a better job. It would bring stability and I think we will hear much less negative news."
Cindi Lash biography
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text:
Straight No Chaser Sound Bites: A Cappella, Cocktails, and Cuisine (Hardcover)
By Straight No Chaser Inc
Available for Pre-Order Now
Food, Drink, and Behind-the-Scenes stories from everyone's favorite a cappella group, Straight No Chaser.
With 15 years in the music business, eight albums, and more than 1.5 million concerts tickets sold, Straight No Chaser treasures two things: family and food. Straight No Chaser Sound Bites features a collection of their favorite food and drink recipes combined with behind-the-scenes stories as they welcome their fans into the family.
Formed in 1996 at Indiana University, Straight No Chaser's story has been replete with twists and turns. Sound Bites deliciously recounts members' memories of moments from an unlikely yet wonderful cascade of events that propelled forward their career of creating music, touring, and becoming part of countless family traditions.
Steve, Jerome, Charlie, Randy, Walt, Mike, Jasper, Seggie, and Tyler each offer their own (sometimes contradicting) stories of their adventures, as well as sensational recipes for cocktails, such as the Honey Lavender Greyhound, Grapefruit Jalape o Cilantro Shrub, and SN-Tini, and foods, including Choose Your Own Adventure risotto, Great Grandma Erma's Apple Crisp, SNC M&C, Momma C's Fried Chicken--and many more.
Straight No Chaser Sound Bites invites the group's many fans, old and new, to celebrate the harmony of music, food, and drink in their own homes. So settle in and enjoy.
Straight No Chaser is a musical phenomenon with a massive fan base and a long list of accomplishments, including two RIAA Certified Gold albums, more than 1.5 million concert tickets sold, 1 billion streams on Pandora, and 1 million albums sold worldwide. Straight No Chaser is the real deal: the captivating sound of unadulterated voices making extraordinary music that moves people in a fundamental sense . . . and with a sense of humor.
Publisher: Red Lightning Books
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Entertaining - General
Beverages - Alcoholic- General
Genres & Styles - Pop Vocal


CHELSEA, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities say icy Michigan roads were a factor in at least one fatal crash as freezing rain brought hazardous driving conditions.
Chelsea Fire Department Capt. Chris Smyth tells MLive.com that a man died after crashing into a jackknifed semi on Interstate 94 near Chelsea about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Smyth says the semi-truck had lost control due to slippery road conditions caused by ice and freezing rain.
The crash happened as icy roads were reported in a wide portion of the state during the morning hours.
A number of school districts canceled classes for the day because of the road conditions.
Michigan State Police in the Detroit area reported on Twitter that troopers responded to about 100 crashes during part of the morning alone.
They urged motorists to be cautious.


text:
Home / The Deception Continues
Herbalife Distributors are already violating the FTC order. Click HERE to see the violators
**Click HERE to Pershing Square's July 20, 2016 Herbalife presentation: No Longer "Business" as Usual*
The FTC filed a complaint in Federal Court that concluded Herbalife distributors "are primarily compensated for successfully recruiting large numbers of business participants." Under Koscot, Omnitrition, Vemma and other cases, that finding means the company is a pyramid scheme. While it seems that Herbalife negotiated to avoid being formally labeled a "pyramid scheme," the FTC's conclusion is obvious. When some tried to claim that the company had been declared not to be a pyramid scheme, FTC Chairwoman Ramirez responded at a press conference: "I do not endorse that statement." Without question, the FTC found that Herbalife uses pervasive unfair and deceptive practices to mislead victims about the existence of retail sales and a profitable business opportunity.
As part of the settlement with Herbalife, the FTC imposed a number of restrictions on Herbalife's business. By eliminating illegal behavior at the company, Herbalife's pyramid business will be crippled. Nevertheless, Herbalife has continued its misinformation campaign and has spun this outcome as a victory. Notice how the FTC, Herbalife's main regulator, discusses the strong settlement compared with Herbalife CEO Michael Johnson's explanation:
On July 15, 2016, following the FTC press conference, FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez spoke at the 2016 LULAC National Convention and further articulated the FTC's enforcement action against Herbalife.
So what did the FTC conclude?
Herbalife's "program does not offer participants a viable retail-based business opportunity. Defendants' compensation program incentivizes not retail sales, but the recruiting of additional participants who will fuel the enterprise by making wholesale purchases of product." FTC vs. Herbalife, Complaint, par. 17.
"The overwhelming majority of Herbalife Distributors who pursue the business opportunity make little or no money, and a substantial percentage lose money." FTC vs. Herbalife, Complaint, par. 20.
"To confuse participants and the public about distributors' poor financial outcomes, defendants understate the percentage of distributors who are pursuing the business opportunity." FTC vs. Herbalife, Complaint, par. 95.
"The retail sale of Herbalife product is not profitable or is so insufficiently profitable that any retail sales tend only to mitigate the costs to participate in the Herbalife business opportunity." FTC vs. Herbalife, Complaint, par. 18.
Despite claims from Herbalife that retail sales are profitable, the company does not "track either the existence or profitability of Distributor attempts to retail Herbalife products. FTC vs. Herbalife, Complaint, par. 52.
Amount of compensation received "is not based on retail sales of Herbalife products, but rather is based on the volume of product purchased by the Distributor's recruits, and by their recruits, and so on." FTC vs. Herbalife, Complaint, par. 105.
"In sum, Defendants' compensation structure incentivizes Distributors to purchase thousands of dollars of product to receive recruiting-based rewards and to recruit new participants who will do the same." FTC vs. Herbalife, Complaint, par. 145.
In short, Herbalife was violating the law and must drastically revamp its business moving forward.
Under the FTC-imposed changes, Herbalife can only pay distributors based on verifiable retail sales. Herbalife can only pay its distributors at current levels if at least 80% of the company's sales are to real customers.
This change reflects the FTC's conclusion that profitable sales of Herbalife products are a fiction.
Herbalife distributors will be required to collect and maintain Retail Sales information.
In the past, Herbalife claimed that collecting such information would be unduly burdensome and would violate customer privacy.
Herbalife distributors can't be required to make minimum qualifying purchases.
Before, distributors often purchased large volumes of products to advance in the marketing plan regardless of retail demand.
Distributors won't be able to make misleading income and lifestyle claims.
The days of distributors promising recruits mansions, yachts and planes are over.
Herbalife would like you to ignore the truth above. The company's spin machine has been working overtime. Here are some misleading claims about the settlement that have been floating around:
Claim: CEO Michael Johnson: "The FTC is an acknowledgment that our Herbalife's business model is sound."
Truth: The FTC settlement requires a "top to bottom" restructuring of Herbalife's business model to "dismantle the alleged deception" and "start complying with the law" https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2016/07/its-no-longer-business-usual-herbalife-inside-look-200
Claim: Controlling shareholder Carl Icahn: "The FTC settlement announced today, coming after a two-year investigation concluded that Herbalife is not a pyramid scheme."
Truth: FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez disagrees:
https://factsaboutherbalife.com/documents/Chairwoman_Ramirez_clip.mp4
Claim: Herbalife would not have agreed to these terms if they couldn't live with them.
Truth: If Herbalife had not settled, they would have been involved in litigation with the FTC for years and would have been labeled a pyramid scheme.
Claim: Herbalife: The settlement with the FTC only impacts ~20% of Herbalife's business.
Truth: The FTC works with more than 100 foreign competition and consumer protection authorities around the world. We intend to work with regulators around the world to enforce similar requirements.
FTC: It's no longer business as usual at Herbalife – Blog Post by the Bureau of Consumer Protection
FTC: The overwhelming majority of distributors who pursue the business opportunity earn little or no money. – FTC press release announcing the Herbalife enforcement action
FTC: Chairwoman Edith Ramirez Press Conference on Herbalife
FTC: Complaint For Permanent Injunction and Other Equitable Relief (240.43 KB)
FTC: Stipulation To Entry of Order For Permanent Injunction and Monetary Judgment (1.15 MB)
FTC: Statement of the Federal Trade Commission FTC v. Herbalife International of America, Inc.
Pershing Square: Herbalife Release


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Certificate of Music Teaching. Musical Instrument Appraiser. Qualified Technician. Qualified Piano Tuner. Experienced in Buying, Selling, Restoring and Valuing Pianos for more than 20 years.
What is a musical instrument's value, whether it's a modern instrument or an antique? A musical instrument is any object that produces musical sound, but the in general, the more complex and the finer the work that went into creating the instrument, the more valuable it is.
As with any object, estimated musical instrument appraisals are only estimates and that price might not be obtained when the instrument is sold. The area where you're selling a vintage or antique instrument plays a large part in selling price, such as selling in a high-end shop in a large city versus a shop in a small town.
Questions on JustAnswer cover instruments from baby grand pianos and Stradivarius violins to collectible guitars and clarinets. Customers seeking musical instrument appraisals on JustAnswer appreciate being able to get an answer at any time and without taking a valuable instrument out of the home.
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text:
Industry Technology 3 mins
Meet Blockchain Report, The Crypto Show For Millennials
Nick Chong 10 months ago
Next Article: Ripple Eyes Mainstream Expansion as Swell Event Goes Live Today
Due to the relative complexity of blockchain technologies and crypto assets, nearly every single person in this industry today likely had trouble understanding this technology when they first stepped foot in the cryptosphere. Although this issue is rapidly changing, some optimists believe that easy-to-digest, accessible crypto education resources can't come fast enough.
Digital Multimedia Legend And Crypto Startup Tackle Education Scene
Crypto is inherently digital, as an internet-connected device is a must when interacting with this nascent ecosystem. As you are likely aware of, the millennials of today, are, like cryptocurrencies, digital beings, who are open to utilizing technology to better themselves and the world around them. Obviously, there is a lot of overlap between the aforementioned generation and crypto assets, resulting in mass adoption rates with millennials in comparison with 'generation X' and 'baby boomers.'
But again, there is still a glaring issue with education, as even millennials, with all their technological prowess, may fail to fully comprehend how crypto works and why it should (and has) gained traction. And even the sites that offer such education today haven't helped much, as there are some resources that are hard to access, while others are boring to read and sort through.
Meet the Blockchain Report, a newfangled, online show that intends to revolutionize how users, specifically millennials, digest information pertaining to this industry. As revealed by Forbes, the new show, which will be filmed in Santa Monica, California, is a collaborative effort between crypto information provider ICO Watchdog and What's Trending, a world-renowned, Emmy-nominated digital multimedia startup that has garnered over three million active followers from across the globe.
The Blockchain Report will provide an informative look into cryptocurrencies, as aforementioned, through a five-minute segment that will air near-daily, save for weekends. As alluded to earlier, this isn't any old foray into the cryptosphere, as What's Trending founder Shira Lazar and Shawn Newsum, the CEO of ICO Watchdog, will evidently be able to meld their skills of media creation and crypto respectively to produce an attractive, well-rounded show to appeal to their audience's needs.
The first episode will be hosted by social media influencer Taylor Nikolai, who is a famous Snapchat star that will hopefully tap into his social media prowess to connect with the viewers of Blockchain Report. Speaking on his aspirations for this project, which is evidently unique in its own right, the CEO of the cryptocurrency startup backing this project explained:
"As the blockchain and crypto space become more mainstream, we plan to bring viewers a quick look at the latest developments and important news each day so that millennials can become better informed about a space that is unnecessarily complex and fraught with misinformation."
Kelly Curtis, a former Apple executive and banker at Merrill Lynch, alluded that the millennial appeal of the show is likely to garner traction. The former institutional investor stated:
"Millennials will be most affected by this type of currency during their times. Cryptocurrency and the underlying blockchain technology on which it operates, will go through a maturing phase that millennials will be most responsible for shaping so they will continue to be interested in information and trends that pertain to this space."
Coinbase, crypto's golden child, has also recently made a move to tackle education, introducing Coinbase Learn, a series of informative, well-designed web pages that highlight the technology behind certain crypto assets. Along with the pages highlighting specific cryptocurrencies, Coinbase has also done its best to produce content that aims to answer frequently asked questions from the common consumer, which include "what is Bitcoin" and "how can crypto make the world a better place."
While there are still some hurdles for this space to bound over, namely volatility as pointed out by Curtis and a lack of informational resources, the younguns of this world still seem prepared to allocate time and capital to crypto assets. As reported by NewsBTC at a previous date, a survey conducted by eToro revealed that the younger the investor, the more into crypto they are. So despite their youth and relative naivety, this generation shouldn't be counted out in the race for crypto mass adoption, which is a matter of when, not if.
Featured Image from Shutterstock
Meet Blockchain Report, The Crypto Show For Millennials was last modified: October 1st, 2018 by Nick Chong
Tags:blockchainBlockchain Reportblockchain technologycryptoNewstechnology Play BTC Games, ETH Games, USDT Games, BCH Games, LTC Games


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The orbitofrontal cortex: neuronal activity in the behaving monkey
Exp Brain Res. 1983;49(1):93-115. doi: 10.1007/BF00235545.
S J Thorpe, E T Rolls, S Maddison
Single unit recording of neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex of the alert rhesus monkey was used to investigate responses to sensory stimulation. 32.4% of the neurons had visual responses that had typical latencies of 100-200 ms, and 9.4% responded to gustatory inputs. Most neurons were selective, in that they responded consistently to some stimuli such as foods or aversive objects, but not to others. In a number of cases the neurons responded selectively to particular foods or aversive stimuli. However, this high selectivity could not be explained by simple sensory features of the stimulus, since the responses of some neurons could be readily reversed if the meaning of the stimulus (i.e. whether it was food or aversive) was changed, even though its physical appearance remained identical. Further, some bimodal neurons received convergent visual and gustatory inputs, with matching selectivity for the same stimulus in both modalities, again suggesting that an explanation in terms of simple sensory features is inadequate. Neurons were also studied during the performance of tasks known to be disrupted by orbitofrontal lesions, including a go/no go visual discrimination task and its reversal. 8.6% of neurons had differential responses to the two discriminative stimuli in the task, one of which indicated that reward was available and the other saline. Reversing the meaning of the two stimuli showed that whereas some differential units were closely linked to the sensory features of the stimuli, and some to their behavioural significance, others were conditional, in that they would only respond if a particular stimulus was present, and if it was the one being currently rewarded. Other neurons had activity related to the outcome of the animal's response, with some indicating that reinforcement had been received and others, that an error had been made and that a reversal was required. Thus, neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex possess highly coded information about which stimuli are present, as well as information about the consequences of the animal's own responses. It is suggested that together they may constitute a neuronal mechanism for determining whether particular visual stimuli continue to be associated with reinforcement, as well as providing for the modification of the animal's behavioural responses to such stimuli when those responses are no longer appropriate.
Appetitive Behavior / physiology
Association Learning / physiology
Avoidance Learning / physiology
Conditioning, Operant / physiology*
Discrimination Learning / physiology
Evoked Potentials, Visual
Extinction, Psychological / physiology
Frontal Lobe / physiology*
Macaca mulatta
Neurons / physiology
Reinforcement Schedule
Reversal Learning / physiology
Taste / physiology
Visual Perception / physiology*


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Q: Apply a function that manipulates a dataframe to a groupby I have a dataframe that has an index and a couple of other columns. The value in the index are not unique (in fact they repeat many times. Each index can be repeated ~10-20 times). Basically imagine something like this:
import random
random.seed(4)
arr = [[random.randint(1, 4)] + [random.random() for _ in xrange(3)] for i in xrange(5)]
df_ = pd.DataFrame(arr, columns = ['id', 'col1', 'col2', 'col3']).set_index('id')

Now I need to calculate some values based on id. These values are:

*

*percentage of 0 in the some particular column

*percentage of values that fall into some ranges

*something similar to the previous questions

Let's for simplicity assume that I need only values in the range [-inf, 0.25], [0.25, 0.75], [0.75, inf] and I will use only col1
What I currently have done is:
Created a function that takes a dataframe and returns these 3 numbers.
def f(df):
    v1 = len(df[df['col1'] <= 0.25])
    v2 = len(df[(df['col1'] >= 0.25) & (df['col1'] <= 0.75)])
    v3 = len(df[df['col1'] >= 0.75])
    return v1, v2, v3

Now I am iterating all values in the index, extract data related to this index and applying this function to it. This way I create the new dataframe with the statistics I need.
data = []
for id in set(df_.index.values):
    v1, v2, v3 = f(df_.loc[id])
    data.append((id, v1, v2, v3))

res_ = pd.DataFrame(data, columns=['id', 'less_25', '25_75', 'more_75'])

Now everything works (I believe correctly), but it is incredibly slow. I need to calculate this data on approximately 1M rows df, where there are ~50k unique ids. My approach will most probably take a day.
I believe that with a smart groupby or may be something else this can be achieved way faster.

A: Let's start by using pd.cut across the entire df_ to start.
cat = pd.cut(df_.values.flatten(), [-np.inf, .25, .75, np.inf])
cat_arr = cat.get_values().reshape(df_.shape)
cat_df = pd.DataFrame(cat_arr, df_.index, df_.columns)

Take a look
pd.concat([df_, cat_df], axis=1, keys=['df_', 'cat'])

Get Counts of cat per id
cat_count = cat_df.stack().groupby(level=[0, 1]) \
                  .value_counts() \
                  .unstack().fillna(0)
cat_count

Get frequency of cat per id
cat_count = cat_df.stack().groupby(level=[0, 1])\
                  .value_counts(normalize=True) \
                  .unstack().fillna(0)
cat_count

A: Reposting my comment as answer. It uses group by index with a custom agglomeration function based on numpy.
from __future__ import division
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
import random

random.seed(4)
arr = [[random.randint(1, 4)] + [random.random() for _ in xrange(3)]\
    for i in xrange(10)]
df_ = pd.DataFrame(arr, columns = ['id', 'col1', 'col2','col3']).set_index('id')

# Percentage of zeros in col1
res1 = df_.groupby(df_.index).agg({'col1':lambda x: np.size(x[x==0])/np.size(x)})
# Percentage of values in given range in col1
res2 = df_.groupby(df_.index).agg({'col1':lambda x:\
     np.size(x[(x>0.2) & (x<0.5)])/np.size(x)})

Output:
In [22]: res1
Out[22]:
    col1
id
1    0.0
2    0.0
3    0.0
4    0.0

In [23]: res2
Out[23]:
        col1
id
1   0.333333
2   0.000000
3   0.000000
4   0.200000

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Home Education and families Starting at a secondary or upper school in September
Starting at a secondary or upper school in September
If your child is due to transfer to a secondary or upper school you can apply on this page
How to get more information
How you find out which school you've been offered
What happens if you miss the deadline or want to change your preferences after the closing date
Important tips for making your school place application
Applying for University Technical Colleges and studio schools
Fraudulent school place applications
The School Admissions Team will not regularly be receiving post. If you need to send us any documentation or applications, if possible, please email them to schooladmissions@somerset.gov.uk. If you have sent information to the team through the post, please be aware that it may take longer for the team to receive it.
Pupils start at a Secondary school at the beginning of Year 7
Pupils start at an Upper school at the beginning of Year 9
All applications for a secondary or upper school place in September 2022 must be made to your home authority – if you are unsure if your child lives in Somerset, you can check whether we are your local authority for school admissions.
If your child is due to start at a secondary or upper school in September 2022 we strongly suggest you carefully read the Secondary Admissions Guide before making your application. This contains everything you need to know in order to make your school place application including information on the different types of school, published admission numbers and the criteria used to allocate places at schools and academies.
GOV.UK school admission information
The closing date for secondary and upper school applications was 31 October 2021. Please use the button below to make a late application.
This form has 3 pages and should take 6 to 8 minutes to complete.
Make a late application
If you are applying for a place at a primary, infant, first, middle or junior school the closing date is not until 15 January 2022 and you can apply here
We only offer one school place for each child. If you submit 'new' preferences and it becomes possible to offer a place at one of these schools, any place we have offered you previously will be withdrawn.
For the criteria used to allocate places at schools and academies please see the Admission policies page
If you would like information on how places were allocated at your preferred schools in previous years please see our School Place Allocation Summaries page.
If you applied online by 31 October 2021 you will receive an email with the outcome of your application on 1 March 2022. If you applied using a paper application form your outcome will be sent out by second class post on 1 March 2022.
Outcomes will not be given out over the phone or in person at the Council offices.
From 1 March 2022, you can view the outcome of your application by logging into the online application system.
Please note, it is the parent or carer's responsibility to make an on-time school place application. If you are making an application after the closing date, it will be classed as late and your application will be considered according to the dates below.
For applications received by 21 March 2022 we will send outcomes on 3 May 2022.
Applications received after 21 March 2022 will be processed in strict date order of receipt, and outcomes will be sent out after 3 May 2022.
We would strongly advise that you carefully consider the following when making your school place application.
It is strongly advised you put three school preferences on your form especially if you live in an urban area. You are not given a higher priority for any school by stating it as your only preference and may be more likely to be allocated a school you have not chosen. This could also be some distance from your home address. Although it is unlikely it could even be the case that it is not possible to allocate your child a school place and you need to make a further application in the second round.
All preferences are considered equally and a place is offered at the highest preference possible.
If you wish to be considered for your catchment school you must include it as one of your preferences. You can check your school catchment area on a map on the School Catchment page. The map is a representation of the catchment areas and cannot be relied upon for purchasing a property. If you are considering purchasing a property or if you live near a school border then please contact us.
There are no guarantees that siblings will be allocated the same school when the school is over-subscribed. You are advised to put other preferences, especially if you live outside the catchment area.
Carefully read the over-subscription criteria for the schools you have chosen. This can be found further up this page under the heading How to get more information
If your preferred school requires a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) or further proof (for example, proof of regular church attendance), it is essential that this is sent in with your application form if you would like your child to be considered under the appropriate criterion. You can upload any supporting information, such as a SIF onto your online application. All SIFs can be found on the school website.
If you have recently moved address or are due to move please provide proof of your new address. This can be the 'exchange of contracts' letter from the solicitors on a house purchase or a minimum six month tenancy agreement.
You will be responsible for transporting your child to any school you name as a preference unless you have a statutory entitlement.
Please ensure you fully complete the applicant details section of the application form including supplying a phone number and email address. School Transport use a texting service to notify parents of changes to transport arrangements and require accurate and up to date details.
The information on this page also applies to applications for University Technical Colleges (UTC) and studio schools which take pupils from Year 10. Normally, you apply through your home local authority or directly to the school for a place.
If the studio school or UTC you are interested in requires you to make an application through your local authority please use the online form on this page. We will tell you the outcome of your application.
There are no UTC or studio schools in Somerset, only in neighbouring authorities.
We thoroughly investigate all potentially fraudulent or misleading applications we are made aware of and welcome information from schools and the public.
If you know or suspect that someone is trying to or has gained a school place fraudulently please let us know. You can send us this information anonymously if you prefer and rest assured that your details will remain completely confidential.
Supplementary Information Form for Voluntary Controlled Schools
Somerset school admissions Facebook
Schools on a map
Last reviewed: 10 December 2021


text:
Editor's Corner
Nota in Brevis
Catholic Insight
Literary Digressions
Terrorism in France: The Enemy in their Midst
John Paul Meenan, Editor - November 14, 2015
Political 'Knifing'?
John Paul Meenan, Editor - September 25, 2015
Liberal Complaisance
Feminine Genius
Reason and the Refugee
Following on my last post on the 'refugee crisis': One danger in a situation like this, especially one of its global impact, is to...
The future of the Church
Michael Coren - September 8, 2013
I speak a great deal at Catholic and pro-life venues in Canada, the United States, and Britain. It's perhaps the aspect of my professional...
The hub of Christianity
We really have to take back our history. In other words, Catholics have to know about their collective past and be prepared to explain...
Nine challenges for the next papacy
As I write this column, Pope Benedict is about to conclude his pontificate, the conclave is about to begin, and critics of the Church...
No compromise on love or truth
Newman Centre's St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Toronto has had its share of controversy. When I first attended Mass there in the late 1980s...
Why we need the Church
I read the story beneath the title with trepidation but, truth be told, with more than a little resignation. A Montreal deacon had been...
It's Church teaching that matters
A first column for a new year for a Roman Catholic magazine. Let's ask a few basic questions about what it means to be...
Words can hurt, but abortions do kill
If you know anything about Ann Coulter you will know that she adores controversy and likes nothing more than to annoy her critics—and that's...
A gentle, thoughtful man
Meet Father Zakaria Boutros—a gentle, thoughtful man, one of the leading figures of the Egyptian Coptic Christian community and now obliged to live in...
No gold medal for truth and justice
The Olympics are over, so a tale of two athletes. In 2011 America's most successful gymnast, Peter Vidmar, a man who had won more...
Thomas Aquinas: The Common and Universal Doctor
John Paul Meenan, Editor - January 28, 2023
Saint Thomas, Abortion and Dr. Adasevic's Conversion
The Enduring Value of Saint Thomas Aquinas, in Three Parts
Pope Benedict XVI - January 28, 2023
Saint Angela Merici's Ursulines
M.D. – Doctores Mortis, Which is to Say, Doctors of Death
Catholic Insight - January 26, 2023
Bill 89: Whose Children Are They?
John Paul Meenan, Editor - June 5, 2017
Saint John Paul II's Pentecost
Pope Saint John Paul II - June 4, 2017
Skeptical Trump and the Paris Accord
Double standards: the EU, seals, and abortion
David Beresford - January 7, 2014
Saint Boniface
Catholic Insight seeks to enlighten hearts and minds by proclaiming the splendour of truth and the sanctity of life. It endeavours to foster the culture of life by reporting truthfully, critically, contextually, and comparatively with a view to history and guided by a cultural vision inspired by Catholic doctrine and the classical liberal arts.
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© 2017 Catholic Insight | All Rights Reserved


text:
KCL Big Question
Netanyahu to fly to London on brink of settlement freeze
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is close to agreeing a moratorium on building in Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories during his upcoming trip to London.
Benjamin Netanyahu Photo: EPA
By Dina Kraft in Tel Aviv
12:14PM BST 24 Aug 2009
Mr Netanyahu is to meet with both with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Mideast Envoy George Mitchell in London.
After months of wrangling over an issue that has damaged US-Israeli relations, Mr Netanyahu is preparing to concede a freeze on construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank for one year.
Israel would resume direct negotiations with the Palestinians in the wake of an announcement and America would put moderate Arab countries under pressure to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel.
The White House has put unprecedented pressure on Israel to halt settlement building. It views the settlements as a major stumbling block to the drive to establish a future Palestinian state. Israel has objected to the American approach, claiming it had no plans to expand its settlements but had to accommodate for the "natural growth" of existing communities.
Last week government officials confirmed a de-facto freeze in which no new building projects had been approved since Mr Netanyahu came to office in late March, an apparent concession to the strong pressure from the United States.
Peace talks between the sides collapsed last December after Israel launched a massive ground operation into the Gaza Strip in a bid to end rocket-fire into its bordering southern towns and communities.
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president has said he would only resume negotiations once Israel stopped building in the West Bank.
Mr Netanyahu told his cabinet that he hoped to resume talks at the end of September. The idea being floated is for a three-way summit in New York between Israel, the Palestinians and America following the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
Avigdor Lieberman, his nationalist foreign minister, however, inflamed the situation by dismissing the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough.
"In the sixteen years since the Oslo Accords, we haven't managed to bring peace to the region and I'm willing to bet that there won't be peace in another sixteen years, either. Certainly not on the basis of a two-state solution," he said.
World News »
Middle East »
Ultra Orthodox Jewish wedding
Horses under the knife
Israeli-Palestinian clashes
Jerusalem snowbound
Jerusalem synagogue axe attack
Gaza's rubble runners
Clashes in Jerusalem as suspect gunman killed


text:
Rodney Carrington Tour Dates & Show Tickets
This performer has been marked mature level 10 due to the following, "bastards".
Rodney Carrington Tour Dates and Show Tickets
Comedian / Country Musician
Rodney Carrington is a multi-talented comedian, actor, singer and writer who has recorded eight major record label comedy albums, which have sold millions of copies, including two albums that have been certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA. Recently, Rodney released two new albums on his own L... read more
Rodney Carrington Tickets
Jan 24 Rodney Carrington at the Beau Rivage Theatre Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Biloxi, Mississippi
Jan 31 Rodney Carrington Arkansas State University Jonesboro, Arkansas
Feb 1 Rodney Carrington (17+ Event) Show Me Center Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Feb 6 Rodney Carrington Paramount Arts Center Ashland, Kentucky
Feb 7 Rodney Carrington Secrest Auditorium Zanesville, Ohio
Feb 8 Rodney Carrington: Live Louisville Palace Louisville, Kentucky
Feb 14 Rodney Carrington (18+ Event) Ameristar Casino Kansas City, Missouri
Feb 21 Rodney Carrington Knoxville Civic Coliseum Knoxville, Tennessee
Feb 22 Rodney Carrington Tennessee Performing Arts Center - Andrew Jackson Theater Nashville, Tennessee
Mar 13 Rodney Carrington Dena'ina Center Anchorage, Alaska
Mar 15 Rodney Carrington Grey Eagle Resort & Casino Calgary, CAN
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Rodney Carrington is a multi-talented comedian, actor, singer and writer who has recorded eight major record label comedy albums, which have sold millions of copies, including two albums that have been certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA. Recently, Rodney released two new albums on his own Laughter's Good Records: the re-mastered C'Mon Sing You Bastards with 3 new previously unreleased songs, and a brand new album and DVD: Laughter's Good. Rodney's newest TV special, Laughter's Good, which premiered on CMT in 2014, can now also be seen on Netflix.
According to Pollstar, Rodney has been one of the top ten highest grossing touring comedians for the last ten years and among the top 4 or 5 the last several years.
He starred in his own TV sitcom Rodney, which ran for two seasons on ABC, and he also co-wrote and co-starred with Toby Keith in the feature film Beer for My Horses which won the Tex Ritter Award from the ACM.
Categories: Comedy
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House and Senate Journals, Series 1
A chronicle of the early U.S. Congress' proceedings
A fully searchable digital edition of the record of floor action from the early U.S. Senate and House of Representatives
Chronicles matters considered on the floor, votes and other actions taken, executive department communications and more
Digitized from the original printings of the journals
From their inaugural sessions, both the United States House and Senate have kept journals of their proceedings, as required by the Constitution, to record the minutes of floor action. House and Senate Journals, Series I, 1789-1817, chronicles matters considered on the floor, votes and other actions taken, as well as excerpts from executive department communications and member responses. To create this digital edition, Readex has used the original printings of the House and Senate Journals, rather than the Gales and Seaton reprints from the 1820s.
A variety of historically significant topics
The historically rich House and Senate Journals document important issues, events, organizations and people, including the Constitutional Convention, the Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments, Alexander Hamilton and the Fugitive Slave Act. Capturing the U.S. government in its infancy, these fully searchable publications also cover such subjects as:
Cotton industry
Northwest Ordinance
Cabinet Departments
Ohio territory
Judiciary Act
Tariff Acts
Tobacco and smoking
Jay Treaty
Franco-American Convention
Public Land Act
Impeachment of William Blount
Post-Revolution British-American relations
America's Historical Government Publications
As an essential part of America's Historical Government Publications, House and Senate Journals is cross-searchable in full-text with American State Papers, House and Senate Journals, and the U.S. Congressional Serial Set. Additionally, these four collections are also cross-searchable with all other Archive of Americana collections, offering unprecedented depth for research on nearly any topic in American history.
"...an important primary source…"
"These early Journal volumes bring alive discussions of early important events in U.S. history…"
Reference Reviews (2008)
Frequently acquired with House and Senate Journals, Series 1, 1789-1817
American State Papers, 1789-1838
Legislative and executive documents of the first 14 U.S. Congresses
Senate Executive Journals, 1789-1980
A record of the Senate's proceedings in Executive Session
"[House and Senate Journals] … give a real flavor for how the daily life of Congress was spent, and are an important primary source for historians. These early Journal volumes bring alive discussions of early important events in US history, including the Constitutional Convention, the Bill of Rights, development of the first Bank of the United States, the early US Navy and early treaties made by the young nation. Those researching early laws such as the Fugitive Slave Act and the Alien and Sedition Act will find information here. And, of course, by reading the Journals the reader can also examine early interaction of several famous American forefathers such as Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, John Adams and John Jay."
— Barbara Miller, Associate Professor and Documents Librarian, Oklahoma State University in Reference Reviews (2008)


The best bathroom sconces ideas on pinterest bathroom. The best bathroom sconces ideas on pinterest bathroom. Best bathroom sconces ideas on pinterest bathroom lighting. Bathroom with white vanity and wall sconces choosing the best.


Cannot help wonder what came first: the name Lavender Pond Farm and then the bee boxes, or vice versa. Regardless, the bee boxes are beautiful in their own way.
I am fortunate to have three wonderful friends in my life.


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The Connoisseur (by Mr. Town [pseud.], Critic, and Censor-General. 2 vols. 140 nos. (31 January 1754 – 30 September 1756)), was a London weekly eighteenth century newspaper founded and chiefly run by George Colman the Elder and the parodist Bonnell Thornton as a 'plebeian' counterpart to Edward Moore's The World, a periodical of about the same time, which dealt more with the interests of aristocrats. James Boswell says in his Life of Johnson:

Further reading
 The Connoisseur. v.1 (1754)
 A. Chalmers. "Historical and biographical preface to The Connoisseur." British Essayists, v.30. London: 1817

References

Defunct newspapers published in the United Kingdom
Defunct weekly newspapers
Publications established in 1754
Publications disestablished in 1756
1754 establishments in England
Newspapers published in London

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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I put up my owl tree again this year. I had about 15 new owls to add to it. If I add anymore owls I will have to get a bigger tree. Thinking I might put my owl tree up in the entry and do a more traditional tree in the living room next year.
Did my owl table décor. I had gotten this really neat birch wood ribbon. That is what is wrapped around the candles.


Penhaligon's Violetta was created in 1976 but has the scary blue shade of a 1990's club cocktail. The perfume house describes Violetta as a "dark, dusky and mysterious" violet soliflore fragrance. I disagree. Violetta is an amplified, potent violet. It's like looking at violet with a magnifying glass and there isn't anything dark or mysterious about that.
Violetta opens up as very sweet candied violets. So, how is it different than other violet candy scents? It has a hint of citrus and minty geranium. The top is more sour than other candied violet perfumes. It's a little hesperidic. There's enough green violet leaves in this to make it fresh and cool. The scent smells very much like amplified violets without any distortions. The scent becomes a greener violet, less sweet. The dry-down is very pretty. It's a mix of greens, powdery violets and musk.
Give Violetta a try if you want a stronger than average violet fragrance or if you like Sonoma Scent Studio Voile de Violette, Annick Goutal La Violette, L'Artisan Parfumeur Verte Violette, and/or Violetta di Parma. Try it if you want to smell like violets!
Violetta has above average projection and below average to average longevity.
The 1.7 oz bottle of Violetta retails for $80 at Beautyhabit. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria's Final EauPINION – A "fresh" sweet violet soliflore. I don't dislike Violetta but I don't love it and I can't describe why. I should love this fragrance but I don't. I still like Annick Goutal La Violette better. Or maybe I'm just talking myself out of buying a bottle of the Penhaligon's because I have too many violet soliflores in my collection.
*Sample from Knows Perfume Seattle perfume class. Product pic from Penhaligon's. Post contains affiliate links. Thanks!
I always felt curious about Penhaligon's fragrances but they are almost impossible to find in B&M stores around here. I even bought a couple of samples! Nice but not too impressive to justify a FB purchase of any of those that I tried so far (Violetta wasn't one of them but it can explain why I'm not running to find it and try).
Penhaligon's is a very extensive line. And honestly the only one that I love is Elixir. They have a style. And the style doesn't work for me. I think of them like Annick Goutal. They either work for you or they don't.
I discovered this scent in 1995 in a shop in France. The only two fragrances I've had have been among the ingredients violet flower and I think this is because my nose instinctively highlights that flower.
I've always used perfume on special occasions and weekends when I had a night out, I do not like to wear perfume daily and anyway I think that perfume is not for everyday use.
In late 1995 my aunt held her wedding was the fragrance I used of course, I have the feeling that this scent as romantic and special luck could have given. She did not put my perfume, but I not declined from it and even read about it in the church ceremony. My aunt takes all these years married with two children and is more in love than ever.
Now, she always brings me when the perfume bottle of Penhaligon's Violet ends because he knows that's my trademark.


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Johnny Depp to return to big screen with French film
Golden Globe Awards: RRR wins 'Best Original Song'
Taylor Swift to make her film directing debut
Manipur urges Bangladeshi filmmakers to choose it as shooting location
Enola Holmes 2: A fun watch with a feminist overtone
Pepsi launches football film "Nutmeg Royale" in Bangladesh
Johnny Depp's French-language film "Jeanne Du Barry" will be launched for pre-sales at this month's Cannes market
Johnny Deep. Photo: EPA via Irish Times
Amid the high-profile publicised trial between Hollywood actor Johnny Deppand his ex-wife Amber Heard, Deppis set to return to the big screen with the French film "Jeanne Du Barry."
The film will be launched for pre-sales at this month's Cannes market, reports the Deadline.
The actor will be seen as King Louis XV, alias Louis the Beloved, in the French-language movie helmed by French director Maïwenn.
The filming of the project will start this summer in France, across Parisian landmarks, including the Versailles Palace.
"Jeanne Du Barry" would mark Johnny Depp's first feature since 2020's Minamata, reports Vanity Fair.
Deppinsists Hollywood has started boycotting him since his ex-wife Amber Heard accused him of domestic violence.
Depphad to resign from the Fantastic Beats franchise upon a request from Warner Bros after losing a libel battle with The Sun newspaper over an article that called him a "wife-beater."
Johnny Deppsaid he has "lost everything" due to the allegations made by Amber Heard.
"When the accusations were made, they circled the world, saying I was a threat to hitting women - suddenly at 50, it's over," said the Pirates of the Caribbean famed actor.
Meanwhile, as Johnny Deppand Amber Heard's trial began on April 2022, there has been renewed interest in a Change.org petition calling for Warner Bros and DC Entertainment to remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2. The petition has received over 3 million signatures.
Johnny Deep / Film
Self and Others: Looking inward to reflect on the world outside
Jon Kabir and Oni Hasan collaborate on Pantera cover
The Last of Us renewed for a second season
National Film Award: 'Lal Moroger Jhuti', 'Nona Joler Kabbo' win best film
President to distribute 'Jatiya Shishu Puroshkar Protijogita' prizes today


You could be right, but I'm hopeful something will click and they will implement something basic, as you say to stop prying eyes in the office. I use EN at work all the time, but it does have a lot of personal (to me) stuff that I wouldn't want the casual passer by looking at, they are my memories after all.
Completely! So any chance of this making it's way to a dev team?