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'advertising','english','Exclusive: U.S. government seeks Facebook help to wiretap Messenger - sourcesThe U.S. government is trying to force Facebook Inc to break the encryption in its popular Messenger app so law enforcement may listen to a suspect’s voice conversations in a criminal probe, three people briefed on the case said, resurrecting the issue of whether companies can be compelled to alter their products to enable surveillance.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/go9TIEzv7RI/exclusive-u-s-government-seeks-facebook-help-to-wiretap-messenger-sources-idUSKBN1L226D '
'advertising','english','Trump asks SEC to mull half-year corporate filings vs. quarterlyU.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he had asked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to study the impact of allowing companies to file reports with the financial regulator every six months instead of every quarter.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/KQ4r5LeHEgA/trump-asks-sec-to-mull-half-year-corporate-filings-vs-quarterly-idUSKBN1L217G '
'advertising','english','Wall St. up on trade hopes, S&P equals longest bull runThe benchmark S&P 500 edged closer to a record high on Tuesday, matching its longest-ever bull-market run, as U.S. stocks rose after some encouraging earnings reports and on hopes that the United States and China could resolve their tariff dispute.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/u_KgfuVECJE/wall-st-up-on-trade-hopes-sp-equals-longest-bull-run-idUSKCN1L6160 '
'advertising','english','Asian shares hit one-year low on Turkey, China worriesAsian shares hit fresh one-year lows in early trading on Thursday, while oil and precious metal prices also tumbled as Turkey’s currency crisis and fears of an economic slowdown in China fanned worries about global growth.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/1ts1tPlJINM/asian-shares-hit-one-year-low-on-turkey-china-worries-idUSKBN1L105B '
'advertising','english','Asian stocks weaken as Turkey worries weigh, dollar stands tallAsian stocks sagged on Wednesday, failing to track Wall Street’s gains and with the dollar near a 13-month high as concerns about Turkey’s financial crisis weighed on investor appetite, despite the lira’s move away from an all-time low.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/po7A0nT75xk/asian-stocks-weaken-as-turkey-worries-weigh-dollar-stands-tall-idUSKBN1L002H '
'advertising','english','Most Asian shares edge up after Wall St. gains, but China downAsian stocks eked out gains on Wednesday, with sentiment boosted by Wall Street’s rise and a record intraday high for the S&P 500 index on Tuesday, but fragile Chinese markets retreated after two days in the black.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/2YnJE3PYWjQ/most-asian-shares-edge-up-after-wall-st-gains-but-china-down-idUSKCN1L702X '
'advertising','english','Musk bid for Tesla: no formal offer, no firm deals with advisersTesla Inc’s board named a special committee of three directors on Tuesday to decide what to do about Chief Executive Elon Musk’s potential offer to take the electric carmaker private, although Musk has yet to make a formal offer and is still negotiating to hire advisers needed to do a deal.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/6dtuTYwRdTI/musk-bid-for-tesla-no-formal-offer-no-firm-deals-with-advisers-idUSKBN1KZ1EW '
'advertising','english','Wall St. rallies on solid earnings, U.S.-China trade talksU.S. stocks rebounded on Thursday with the Dow posting its biggest percentage gain in over four months, as positive earnings and waning trade jitters buoyed investor confidence.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/WEZxUl4Tf_0/wall-st-rallies-on-solid-earnings-u-s-china-trade-talks-idUSKBN1L11AH '
'advertising','english','Iran says no OPEC member can take over its share of oil exportsIran told OPEC on Sunday no member country should be allowed to take over another member’s share of oil exports, expressing Tehran’s concern about Saudi Arabia’s offer to pump more oil in the face of U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil sales.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/ISSx1JlDt8o/iran-says-no-opec-member-can-take-over-its-share-of-oil-exports-idUSKBN1L406G '
'advertising','english','Online courses in data science that could help you snag a new job Posted onMove over, software developers. The sexist job title award now goes to data scientists. SEE ALSO: Take this online class and learn how to make Insta-money You might be thinking — there’s absolutely nothing sexy about dissecting monstrous hordes of data sets in the hopes of finding trends and patterns that can inform new products, features, or services. Or is there? Companies large and small are now playing a game of tug of war on qualified data science pros, and with the proper training and tools, you just might be one of the lucky few that employers are tripping over themselves to hire. Lucky'
'advertising','english',"VW's CEO was told about emissions software months before scandal: Der Spiegel 18/08/2018Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess was told about the existence of cheating software in cars two months before regulators blew the whistle on a multi-billion exhaust emissions scandal, German magazine Der Spiegel said.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/qzUl9bnrAP8/vws-ceo-was-told-about-emissions-software-months-before-scandal-der-spiegel-idUSKBN1L30EI "
'advertising','english','U.S. retail sales rise solidly; productivity acceleratesU.S. retail sales rose more than expected in July as households boosted purchases of motor vehicles and clothing, suggesting the economy remained strong early in the third quarter.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/2dtlFIaSkcE/u-s-retail-sales-rise-solidly-productivity-accelerates-idUSKBN1L01D7 '
'advertising','english','Uber hires CFO after lengthy search, paving way for IPOUber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] has hired a chief financial officer, the ride-services company said on Tuesday, filling a long-standing vacancy and clearing the way for a much-anticipated initial public offering next year.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/Luynxk6TQzs/uber-hires-cfo-after-lengthy-search-paving-way-for-ipo-idUSKCN1L61O6 '
'advertising','english','Asian shares fall as U.S. tariff deadline on China loomsAsian shares slipped on Thursday as a deadline loomed for fresh U.S. tariffs on China and amid speculation U.S. President Donald Trump’s political position could be threatened by the legal woes of two former advisers.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/dw03Iofs2eU/asian-shares-fall-as-u-s-tariff-deadline-on-china-looms-idUSKCN1L8028 '
'advertising','english','Why Nike’s 30th Anniversary Ad Featuring Colin Kaepernick Is a Worthwhile Risk by Adweek September 10, 2018While those lucky enough to be off on Labor Day across the country sat in airport terminals, in traffic or waited on train platforms, Nike quietly dropped one of its biggest ads of the year—or perhaps, of the past 30 years.Said ad stars Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quarterback and former San Francisco 49er, and it’s part of a milestone campaign for the brand to mark the 30th anniversary of Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” slogan. The campaign also features ads starring Odell Beckham Jr., Serena Williams, LeBron James and other groundbreaking athletes.“‘Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything’ is as good as it gets for brand slogans, and it couldn’t come from a more fitting and relevant athlete,” noted Chris Allieri, principal at New York-based communications and marketing consultancy Mulberry & Astor. “Their intention is to be timely and likely to do the right thing. Sometimes that outweighs any potential brand fallout.”The timing of the ad, of course, is somewhat poignant, as Kaepernick is currently suing the NFL for allegedly pushing him out of the league and systemically preventing him from signing with a new team. Kaepernick is arguing that this move is a punishment for the on-field protests against police brutality, which he first began in 2016. The Nike ad makes a direct nod to Kaepernick’s ongoing legal battle with the words “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” printed across the black-and-white headshot of the athlete. Kaepernick’s suit against the NFL argues just that: since he engaged in a protest fueled by his beliefs, a halt was put on his football career.Those protests of police brutality began at the start of the 2016 season, when Kaepernick sat—rather than standing, as is traditionally done—as the Star-Spangled Banner was played ahead of a preseason game. Following the game, Kaepernick explained his decision, saying, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.” Later on in games during that season, he kneeled as the national anthem was played. As the season went on, other players started to join him. Even in 2017, when Kaepernick became a free agent, more and more players kneeled for the national anthem, and the move caused controversy throughout the NFL, from the top levels of its leadership to its sprawling national fanbase. Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaOJust as Kaepernick’s protests garnered a mixture of attention, praise and blowback, Nike’s ad received much of the same. On social media, some users shared videos of themselves burning Nike shoes or cutting the Nike logo off their socks in response.But any backlash is likely worth it. Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consulting firm Metaforce, said that in today’s world, a brand must take a stand—even if it means alienating some of its customers—in order to not only to remain relevant but to capture consumers’ attention. “Brands that try to please everybody become invisible in today’s marketplace,” he said. Backlash, he said, is inevitable, no matter what you do. “No matter what you stand for, you’re going to ruffle feathers and upset users. Some consumers will disappear, but others will become even more passionate. It’s better to have people passionate one way or the other than people ignoring you.”Brian Salzman, founder and CEO of relationship marketing agency RQ, agreed. He said that the ad made a moment for Nike, calling it an “epic example of brands creating culture.” He added that “just like people, brands have to have a purpose and soul—and this is what Nike continues to do.” Having this consciousness often further endears people to the brands they already love and can introduce them to new ones, too.“People are looking for brands not to just be purveyors of product—they want to know what brands stand for,” David Srere, Siegel Gale co-CEO and chief strategy officer, agreed.And making sure that soul really shines through is key to making an ad like this work, according to Adweek Advisory Board member and editor-in-chief of Allure Michelle Lee. “We’ve all seen big corporations try to latch onto movements in a phony way but this feels wholly authentic to Nike,” she said. “They’re a huge global voice in sports, and a statement from them has the power to influence culture at a time when so many others are trying to play both sides.”Nike is also a brand with a strong foundation and a loyal—and large—customer base, which makes withstanding any criticism it gets easier. As Salzman said, “Nike has a brand purpose that resonates time and political issues, and this communication will live on light years beyond this time.”This ad doesn’t mark the first time Nike pushed the envelope in its marketing, either. In the ’90s, Michael Jordan served as the face of the brand at a time where few black men did in the sports world. The brand’s past and internal resources also mean Nike is well-prepared to take any negative feedback in stride.“Nike knows exactly what they are doing,” Allieri said. “Any blowback should not and will not come as a surprise.”It’s a good thing Nike had the ability to prepare, as the company was facing a ticking clock when it came to putting out the ad. Kaepernick has been Nike-sponsored since 2011 (five years before he first kneeled during the national anthem), and while he’s been in Nike ads in the past, he hadn’t been used in marketing materials for a few years. According to Yahoo! Sports, Adidas and Puma both engaged in internal talks about the possibility of signing Kaepernick if Nike didn’t renew his endorsement deal.Going forward with the renewal, and subsequently, this particular campaign, is likely not only a safe bet for Nike in the short-term but also in the long haul. “Brands getting involved in public discourse isn’t just good for the brand, but good for business,” Yadira Harrison, co-founder of marketing consultancy Verb, said. Plus, “it takes a lot for a piece of advertising to generate enough conversation that it trends across social media,” noted Taco Bell CMO and Adweek Advisory Board member Marisa Thalberg. “Featuring Kaepernick was certainly a calculated risk for Nike. The lens I put to it is: Was it a risk that fits the equity and voice of the brand? My take is that it really is, and in that sense, [is] well worth it. It didn’t seem opportunistic to me; it felt like a bold expression of their DNA.”Predictions for the campaign’s long-term impact on the brand also serves as a reminder of that old adage: There’s no such thing as bad press (further proved by the fact that Nike’s social media mentions were up 135 percent after debuting the ad, according to social media analysis firm Talkwalkwer ). Even if some fans walk away, ultimately, the ad puts the Nike name at the center of the conversation—and clearly, Nike is confident the ad will stand the test of time.“[Nike has] a long history of challenging people’s conventions to push both athletes and culture further,” Luke Bonner, owner of sports consultancy Power Forward Sports Group, said. “Ultimately, they know that long-term, they will have a place on the right side of history by being a Kaepernick ally, who stands to be one of the most influential athletes of this generation.”This article was written by Diana Pearl from Adweek and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to . Dig Deeper'
'advertising','english','Google One officially launches with cheaper storage plans Posted onIn May this year, Google announced Google One, a rebranding of its Google Drive online storage service. It offered cheaper plans, which were automatically enabled for Drive users, but it wasn’t opened for sign ups. On Wednesday, Google opened up Google One memberships for everyone in the U.S. SEE ALSO: Google never really left China: a look at the Chinese website Google’s been quietly running Google One is currently not very different from Google Drive; the most important change is the cheaper storage plans. 15GB of storage is still free. 100GB will cost you $1.99 per month, 200GB is $2.99 per month, and 2TB'
'advertising','english','Soros Fund Management adds popular tech names, BlackRock in second quarterSoros Fund Management LLC added Facebook Inc, Apple Inc and Twitter Inc, but trimmed stakes in Alphabet Inc and Amazon.com Inc in the quarter through June, according to a regulatory filing on Tuesday.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/EAbof5G5eAY/soros-fund-management-adds-popular-tech-names-blackrock-in-second-quarter-idUSKBN1KZ2KF '
'advertising','english',"A look at Tesla's nine-member boardTesla Inc’s board has named a special committee of three directors to negotiate with Chief Executive Elon Musk on taking the electric car maker private, although it said it was yet to see a firm offer from him.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/Z9l8TyLCTHY/a-look-at-teslas-nine-member-board-idUSKBN1KZ1SG "
'advertising','english','Whistleblower accuses Tesla of spying on employees at Gigafactory: attorneyAn employee fired from Tesla Inc’s Nevada battery factory filed a whistleblower complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, accusing the company of spying on employees and failing to act after learning that a Mexican cartel may be dealing drugs inside the plant, his attorney said on Thursday.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/DoUScOfdkcU/whistleblower-accuses-tesla-of-spying-on-employees-at-gigafactory-attorney-idUSKBN1L201X '
'advertising','english','Major Tesla shareholders trimmed stakes last quarter: filingsTwo major Tesla Inc shareholders cut their stakes in the electric automaker during the second quarter, before Chief Executive Elon Musk announced he would try to take the company private earlier this month.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/17IJd9ahM3Q/major-tesla-shareholders-trimmed-stakes-last-quarter-filings-idUSKBN1KZ2AX '
'advertising','english','Nasdaq dragged lower by chip stocks, energy stock bolster S&PThe Nasdaq Composite opened lower on Friday as weak forecasts from Applied Materials and Nvidia weighed on chip stocks, while gains in energy stocks due to rising crude prices helped the S&P and the Dow Industrials cut their losses.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/CzHjWjFlCs4/nasdaq-dragged-lower-by-chip-stocks-energy-stock-bolster-sp-idUSKBN1L215L '
'advertising','english','As Nvidia expands in artificial intelligence, Intel defends turfNvidia Corp dominates chips for training computers to think like humans, but it faces an entrenched competitor in a major avenue for expansion in the artificial intelligence chip market: Intel Corp .Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/uGlg__wyg58/as-nvidia-expands-in-artificial-intelligence-intel-defends-turf-idUSKBN1L2051 '
'advertising','english','https://ift.tt/2P5QpXcOn May 5, 2018, the University of Würzburg in Germany hosted a Ted Talk on the topic “Future Societies”. Among the speakers there was also Mirjam Heine, a medical student who made a controversial speech entitled “Why our perception on pedophilia must change”. by Eugenia Fiore Bennato “Pedophilia is a natural sexual orientation” In his […]Vía Veterans Today | News – Military Foreign Affairs Policy https://ift.tt/2OzSNEt'
'advertising','english','Checkout Peter Elvys – Our God is Holy new song.Peter Elvys drops new song entitled Our God Is Holy .Peter Elvys , who was in the past a mainstream music, vocalist, yet in the wake of having an experience with God turned a gospel music serve and announced his affection for the kingdom.He is an indigene of Umunede kingdom, Ika North-Eest nearby government Area Delta state Nigeria, Peter Elvys who is presently a devotee is on an order to achieve the world for God through Gospel music.Peter’s new song titled, Our God Is Holy is roused by the Bible verse Psalms 99:5 which peruses “Exalt the Lord our God and worship His foolstool He is Holy,” The melody was delivered by Sik One.Listen & get Peter Elvys – Our God is Holy .'
'advertising','english',' Look at that itty-bitty little notch!While it can be fun to look at OnePlus as an underdog in the smartphone space, it’s important to remember that its parent company is Oppo — one of the largest phone manufacturers in the world. OnePlus phones often take a lot of inspiration from Oppo handsets that come out before them, and should that pattern continue this year, the recently announced Oppo R17 looks like an excellent foundation for the OnePlus 6T.At first glance, the Oppo R17 impresses with its design. The back of the phone has a stunning multi-color paint job that appears to shift hues based on how the light hits it, and around front, we’ve got a large 6.4-inch 2280 x 1080 screen with one of the tiniest notches we’ve ever seen.There’s still a chin at the bottom of the display, but it’s also so small that most people likely won’t be offended by it.Under the hood, the R17 is packing a Snapdragon 670 processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a 3,500 mAh battery.There’s still no word as to when the OnePlus 6T will be announced or how much it’ll cost, but should OnePlus use the R17 as inspiration for the handset, upgrade its internals with more powerful specs, and keep the price around the $530 marker of the OnePlus 6 , we could be in for a real treat later this year.'
'advertising','english','By TheTegaFormer Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is in the running to become the club’s first ever director of footballManchester United are reportedly planning to incorporate the new position as part of a backroom reshuffle following complaints from Jose Mourinho during the summer transfer window.Acorrding to The Independent the four-man shortlist has been written up, with Van der Sar – a four-time Premier League winner with the Red Devils – among those being considered for the job.Roma chief Monchi and Fabio Paratici of Juventus are also said to be under consideration, as is the less-heralded Domenico Teti , who is currently employed by Serie B side Novara.The report suggests that the search is ongoing, with Monchi and Paratici currently viewed as the favourites for the position.'
'advertising','english','List Of Nigeria APC Senators 2018 Published List Of Nigeria APC Senators 2018 PublishedThe below list of Nigeria APC Senators was gathered by vanguard News Nigeria, please note that the list is currently for the Month of Agusut 2018. List of Nigerian APC Senators 2018 Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto),'
'advertising','english','adminEntrepreneurs perceive the important thing to profitable enterprise is cross-channel advertising because it makes it simple for purchasers to finish any desired exercise on no matter medium they’re most comfy with.Nonetheless, the precise implementation of cross-channel advertising is a unique story. In actual fact, for a lot of, communications are nonetheless siloed and these manufacturers are lacking out on a 43x uplift in advertising efficiency and lead era from cross-marketing efforts.The newest Eloqua Buyer Consumer Discussion board tackled this very topic, listening to from Oracle Advertising and marketing Cloud consultants on the best way to efficiently broaden cross-channel advertising to drive actual outcomes.Kim Barlow, director of strategic & analytical companies EMEA, opened the day by discussing why cross-channel advertising is simply as vital for B2B manufacturers as B2C ones. She careworn that “the success of a cross-channel technique depends on a powerful buyer journey map.”So, what’s buyer journey mapping and why is it so vital? Put merely, it’s a highly effective device that teaches manufacturers about their clients. It visually illustrates clients’ processes, wants and perceptions all through their interactions and relationship with a model. It tells a narrative in regards to the potential frustrations and experiences of shoppers.It’s possible you’ll discover the thought of beginning a buyer journey map intimidating. It’s actually an eye-opening course of, and there may be a while funding required. Nonetheless, in the event you observe this course of you could be really efficient: Create an preliminary map that features personas, behaviors, touchpoints, attitudes, feelings, and enablers. Consider these attitudes, prioritize the main target and largest ache level. Then decide the influence. Discover and make clear wants and drivers and study your capabilities (roles and processes). Brainstorm the specified transformation and innovation. Design a brand new expertise. Earlier than going full steam forward, do a actuality verify earlier than designing the expertise.Finally, buyer journey mapping places the client within the bull’s eye of a marketer’s pondering and demonstrates the necessity for your complete model to adapt. Nonetheless, to actually influence the client expertise, learnings from buyer journey mapping have to be taken and applied. This may guarantee cross-channel advertising efforts attain customers successfully with the message in the suitable place on the proper time.With that in thoughts, there are three key takeaways to make sure true success: Cross-channel methods are solely efficient when the client journey for various personas are mapped out (information analytics is vital). Buyer journey mapping needs to be optimized constantly so entrepreneurs are giving the most effective expertise to prospects and potential clients. Every touchpoint must have a KPI that matches to the general goal and is measurable the place attainable.'
'advertising','english','Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. %d bloggers like this:'
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / Gaming star Ninja sparks outrage by refusing to stream with women – TechCrunch Gaming star Ninja sparks outrage by refusing to stream with women – TechCrunch admin 9 mins ago Tech NewsAt a Samsung event last week, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins explained why he doesn’t stream with female gamers.“If I have one conversation with one female streamer where we’re playing with one another, and even if there’s a hint of flirting, that is going to be taken and going to be put on every single video and be clickbait forever,” said Ninja, who is married, in an interview with Polygon .As you might expect, this stance was met with plenty of backlash. dont it get it why so many ppl defending ninja over not playing females? Imagine going to your work and saying i dont wanna work with females..— Badman Hendrik (@Handigeharrie23) August 13, 2018Ninja then doubled down on his stance, clarifying that it comes down to an issue of online harassment.— Ninja (@Ninja) August 13, 2018First and foremost, everyone has the prerogative to make decisions for their own personal life. If Ninja believes that the online harassment suffered (by just about any internet celebrity) is too much for him and his family to deal with, and that playing with women will exacerbate that harassment, then that is his choice.The problem is that it goes against his usual stance of taking responsibility for his position as a role model.As Kotaku aptly points out, Ninja has made real moves toward being a role model for his 10 million+ Twitch followers, from cutting down on cursing on stream to giving to charity and other important causes. In fact, Ninja sees his commitment to charities and his role as an activist as one of the most amazing things he’s done in his life.And he’s well aware of his influence. He often “raids” less popular Twitch streamers’ channels, including some women, to give them exposure.So why be a role model who doesn’t include women?Yes, being a celebrity comes with an inordinate amount of online harassment. And that sucks. But it also comes with a level of responsibility. Not everyone has the platform to make an actual difference in this world. And when our Vice President, and other influencers, have decided that being alone in the same room (virtual or otherwise) with women opens them up to too much vulnerability, they make it that much harder for women to achieve the same influence.Remember, gaming is about as extreme a culture as a woman can find herself in. Not only are women excluded in this male-dominated community, but they’re often sexually and verbally harassed, which isn’t helped much by the fact that games themselves portray women as props moreso than protagonists.Ninja is the most influential gamer of our generation, the likes of which have never been seen before. The success of female streamers and gamers surely isn’t reliant on him. But he could very well change the hearts and minds of a generation of young men who may stop thinking of women as less, and might start thinking of them as equals.'
'advertising','english','By Oil Price – The rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran is becoming increasingly evident in the oil pricing policies of the two large Middle Eastern producers. The two countries are currently reigniting the market share…Vía Financial Sense https://ift.tt/2MLAiwt'
'advertising','english','By BitSquare has expanded bitcoin support in its Cash App to all 50 US states, the company said in a tweet on Monday . The expansion comes after Square revealed in its earnings report that bitcoin had a profit margin of $420,000 in Q2 , after the company spent $36.6 million to gain bitcoin support on the app but only made $37 million back.The Cash App let users make purchases with bitcoin starting in January , but it didn’t offer support in New York, Georgia, Hawaii, and Wyoming because those states have more restrictions on cryptocurrency transactions. States like Wyoming and Hawaii previously required cryptocurrency companies to hold cash reserves equal to the amount of cryptocurrency funds held for customers, which made it difficult for…from The Verge – All Posts https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/14/17689156/square-cash-expands-bitcoin-support-to-all-50-us-states'
'advertising','english',"Home » Computer Repair Service News » Tiger Direct Taking the Computer Age to the Next Level Tiger Direct Taking the Computer Age to the Next Level August 13, 2018 By gregmasleyWhether you are a computer gamer building your extreme machine, the IT professional, looking for hardware solutions for your networks, the Audio Visual, or lighting, technician on the road looking for hard drives, routers, wire, or connectors, all have come to know Tiger Direct.But for the beginners or intermediates that do not know Tiger Direct, this is a store that can offer all your computer solutions from a hardware prospective right down to the nuts and bolts. While other store chains offer accessories, very few offer the vast amount of solutions that this store can with competitive pricing, that will match, or beat, the big stores chains with their shear bulk, and volume, buying.With that being said, although it is evident that the stores grass roots came from building computers to accessorizing them with peripherals, and networking hardware, for communications optimization, with all the necessary tools, and supplies, to complete the task through its entity. But what is truly unique about the store is the wealth of accessories, gadgets, and brand names, such as Microsoft, HP, Compact, Logitech, Iomega, and NETGEAR, to mention a few.Also unique is this stores ability to think outside the box by offering offbeat solutions like USB to HDMI converters, VGA to TV converters, wireless HDTV options, CD and DVD duplicators, to video surveillance, options for home owners, and small businesses all from one camera to multi camera packages. So if you are a do it yourself person, or a handyman, these options are very attractive, and simplistic, to install. For the person who wants small to large networking, or to incorporate both entertainment, and communications devices together wireless, or Ethernet, based, it's all there for you with a multitude of options for you to choose from.If you are interested in checking it out and can not find a store location close to you Tiger Direct also has a large online presence in North America, and is specific to the United States and Canada, but also offers international solutions as well. The online store offers customer tracking on all orders, one, and two day, door to door shipping, and free shipping, on orders over a certain amount, however there is a weight restriction limit applied to the offer. For international shipping please check with representative as this may take longer due to international compliance, and customs.So if you are looking at expanding on your entertainment needs to include communications, or doing home renovations and looking for options or a small business looking for presentation tools, or quick and easy IT solutions this store is an incredible resource to have now or reference to for your future growth.Just recently they have included the full line of the power house series of HP, DV7, G70, and G60, laptops and Elite, dc series, Pavilion, and Compaq, desktop computers to choose from. As well as great deals on GPS units from Garmin, TomTom, Magellan, and Motorola, with some pretty incredible discount pricing that can not be matched anywhere.On a Personal note! This store has saved my life and got me out of some pretty sticky technical situations in the past with my extensive travel through North America, and they have never let me down by not having what I needed in stock at the time I have needed it. So, with that being said, I highly recommend that if you have not heard of this store get to know it as it will be the best friend you ever had in times of technical adversity."
'advertising','english','By johnibIsrael reopened its only goods crossing with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after closing it to most deliveries on July 9 over months of border tensions, as relative calm returned and truce talks pressed ahead.The crossing is a vital lifeline for Gazans and their crippled economy, but Israel had closed it to goods except for food and medicine to pressure Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the blockaded Palestinian enclave.The opening came as speculation increased over negotiations mediated by Egypt and UN officials to reach a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas.© AFP | A truck carrying goods for Palestinians arrives at Kerem Shalom crossing in the southern Gaza Strip on August 15, 2018Israel’s security cabinet was reportedly meeting Wednesday to discuss the indirect talks, but Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said any deal must include Hamas returning the remains of two soldiers it is believed to be holding — a major sticking point.Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, including Hamas, have fought three wars since 2008 and tension since late March has led to fears of yet another full-blown conflict.There have been three severe military flare-ups since July, the latest occurring on Thursday, when Israel responded to some 180 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza with widespread air strikes.– ‘In your hands’ –Lieberman warned that the crossing would again be closed if there was further violence and called on Gazans to pressure Hamas.“Our message is that you must put pressure on the Hamas leadership,” he told Israeli public radio.“It is all in your hands. If calm prevails, you benefit. If the violence resumes, you will lose.”An AFP journalist at the goods crossing, known as Kerem Shalom, said dozens of trucks carrying various types of goods began passing into the Gaza Strip.Israel also returned the fishing zone it enforces off the strip to nine nautical miles in the south of the enclave. The limit is six nautical miles in the north, which borders Israel.On July 9, Israeli authorities closed the crossing to most deliveries, partly in response to kites and balloons being flown across the border carrying firebombs to burn Israeli farmland, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.Food and medicines have been allowed through, but fuel and cooking gas had been intermittently blocked, including since August 2. All other goods were turned away.The fuel ban exacerbated an electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip, which already suffers from severe power shortages and relies on generators in many cases.UN officials have repeatedly called for the blockade to be lifted, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave of two million people.Israel says it is necessary to stop Hamas from obtaining weapons or materials that could be used for military purposes.Gaza’s only other goods crossing is at Rafah on the Egyptian border.That checkpoint had largely been kept closed in recent years, but Egypt opened it in mid-May and it is has mostly remained so since.At the moment, the crossing is only open to people, according to Egyptian sources, but a Hamas source said goods such as cement and fuel have passed through since the May reopening.– Truce talks –Gaza border protests broke out on March 30 and have led to months of tension.At least 169 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli fire since March 30, mostly during clashes and protests.One Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper in July.The efforts by Egypt and UN officials to reach a long-term truce face major hurdles.Officials from Hamas and its allies Islamic Jihad travelled to Egypt on Tuesday for talks, a Hamas source said.The negotiations have led to political recriminations in Israel.Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the far-right Jewish Home party said Tuesday he would oppose a deal based on “a temporary calm.”It was the first explicit public comments by an Israeli minister on the negotiations.Bennett, who has ambitions to be prime minister in the future and is a member of the security cabinet, also used the statement to criticise Lieberman, a political rival.He said he opposed a ground offensive into Gaza, but noted he had put forward an alternative plan to exact “a decisive price from Hamas.”Lieberman said Wednesday “we have never spoken with Hamas and we will never do so. We receive proposals from the UN.”Regarding Bennett’s comments, the defence minister dismissed them as “slogans.”AFP'
'advertising','english','By Nnamdi EzekuteFormer world number one, Serena Williams crashed out of the Cincinnati Open after losing to Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in the Second Round on Tuesday. The 32 year old, Williams lost 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. It was Serena’s second-round loss comes on the back of her heaviest career defeat, a 6-1 6-0 loss to […]'
'advertising','english','https://ift.tt/2BdX2UBAugust 15, 2018MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s government said on Wednesday it has set a sugar export quota to the United States of 750,876.9 tonnes for the cycle that runs from Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019.Mexico is the top foreign sugar supplier to the United States, a coveted 12 million-ton market where the U.S. government doles out export quotas to about 40 sugar-producing countries each year.(Reporting by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)Vía One America News Network https://ift.tt/2vMYeZR'
'advertising','english','https://ift.tt/2OFaByiAugust 15, 2018WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. business inventories barely rose in June and the inventory-to-sales ratio fell to more than a 3-1/2-year low, suggesting businesses would need to ramp up the accumulation of stock, which would boost economic growth in the third quarter.The Commerce Department said on Wednesday that business inventories edged up 0.1 percent after a downwardly revised 0.3 percent increase in May.June’s gain in inventories, which are a key component of gross domestic product, was in line with economists’ expectations. Inventories were previously reported to have increased 0.4 percent in May.Retail inventories nudged up 0.1 percent in June instead of being flat as reported in an advance estimate published last month. Retail inventories increased 0.4 percent in May. Motor vehicle inventories slipped 0.1 percent in June rather than 0.3 percent as reported last month.Auto inventories rose 0.9 percent in May. Retail inventories excluding autos, which go into the calculation of GDP, rose 0.2 percent in June rather than increasing 0.3 percent as reported last month. They gained 0.1 percent in May.There was an outright inventory liquidation in the second quarter. Inventories subtracted a full percentage point from gross domestic product in the April-June quarter. The economy grew at a 4.1 percent annualized rate during that period, the fastest in nearly four years, following a 2.2 percent pace in the first quarter.Business sales rose 0.3 percent in June after rising 1.3 percent in May. At June’s sales pace, it would take 1.33 months for businesses to clear shelves. That was the smallest inventories-to-sales ratio since October 2014 and was down from 1.34 months in May.(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani Editing by Paul Simao)Vía One America News Network https://ift.tt/2B9Aap4'
'advertising','english','By OluwaFemiChelsea midfielder, N’Golo Kante has revealed the secret behind the success of his football career.According to Kante, the secret behind all his successes and achievements so far was ‘Allah’s blessing’.Kante won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France in Russia last month, after beating Croatia 4-2 in the final.The 27-year-old also won two Premier League titles in four years, one with Leicester City (2016) and the other one with Chelsea (2017).The France international also won several individual awards including the Premier League player of the Year award.“We are lucky to be playing football for a living. For me, this is what I have always wanted to do. To get to this level is all down to Allah’s blessing,” Kante told The Mirror.“There are millions of \xadpeople out there, who every day want to get the opportunity to do the work we are doing and it’s a short career.“That is why I give it my all at every given opportunity. I am lucky to get the \xadopportunity to play for France and that alone is a huge motivation for me, whenever I go on the pitch. To represent one’s own country is one of the biggest achievements a \xadfootballer can get.”Kante played the full 90 minutes for Chelsea as they defeated Huddersfield Town 3-0 in their Premier League opener last weekend.'
'advertising','english','Essential Oils are beneficial in more ways than one, but today we’ll delve a little deeper into how these oils can nourish and beautify the skin. Read on for more! Patchouli OilIf you summer from regular acne breakouts and blemishes then this essential oil should be at the top of your list. For centuries patchouli oil has been used in countries such as Japan, China and Malaysia to treat skin problems such as dry skin, eczema and dermatitis. When used consistent it is also known to help eliminate stretchmarks. Image via Country Life Natural Foods Lavender OilThese essential oils are renowned for their stress relieving benefits but many don’t know that lavender can soothe the skin and even help to fight acne. You can add a bit of water to your lavender oil then apply it directly on the acne breakout. Lavender contains potent antioxidants that can also help to counteract environmental toxins that can affect the skin. This oil can protect your skin against the damaging rays of the sun as well. If you suffer from horrible sunburn after a long day at the beach you can also apply some lavender oil mixed with coconut oil to sooth the affected areas. Palmarosa oilThis oil is obtained from a tropical grass which grows in India. It is also known as Turkish geranium, rosha, motia, or Indian geranium. Whichever name you know it by, the main lesson is that it is very beneficial to skin health . It can be used to treat acne, psoriasis, as well as boils, abscesses and eczema. It is also commonly used to moisturize the skin. Image via Edens Garden Are you a fan of essential oils? Which one is your all time favorite? Tell us in the comment section below! More skincare tips you might have missed?'
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'advertising','english','Sport: Mata To Leave Manchester United Manchester United midfielder, Juan Mata could leave the club and return to Valencia next summer.The Spaniard has 12 months left on his existing deal with Manchester United, but there are no talks yet to extend it.The Spaniard looks set to be a key player under Jose Mourinho this season and played the full 90 minutes of United’s 2-1 win over Leicester in their opening Premier League game on Friday night.There have been reports suggesting that the player was happy with life at Old Trafford even though the Red Devils are yet to exercise the option to extend his stay. Related: Ex-Spurs boss Jol: Eriksen better than IniestaThe Sun UK reports that Valencia are eager to pave the way for his return as long as he’s available on a free transfer.The newspaper quoted a source at Manchester United as saying, “It is well known Juan is wanted by Valencia. There is a strong connection between the two.“His deal is up next summer and it looks likely he’ll leave unless something changes soon.“We know Juan’s motives are not related to money and there’s a very strong emotional attachment to take into account.”'
'advertising','english','By Ugwu LucyThe National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, promised legislators loyal to the party that the APC under his leadership would reward loyalty noting that the party’s reward system would be one that would ensure that those who stood with the party in trying times did not regret it.This was part of the decisions taken at a meeting between the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, senators and members of the House of Representatives, in Abuja, on TuesdayIn what some have interpreted to mean a promise to grant automatic tickets to lawmakers, Oshiomhole said the party stood to benefit from the experience of members of the legislature who had spent time on the job.He said, “High turnover of legislators is not a value to be celebrated. What we should celebrate is experience which cannot be read in books, but can only be acquired on the job.“I want to reassure you that we will do everything possible to change the old narrative of heavy turnover every four years and the politics of ‘you have done enough’ will change over time for the good of Nigeria and for the sustenance of democracy.”While reiterating his earlier call for the impeachment of Saraki as Senate President, Oshiomhole told the legislators that it was an aberration to allow an individual who was a member of a minority party to preside over members of the party in the majority.He said, “Democracy teaches us that the minority have the right to have their say but the majority must have their way.“So, if we have 56 senators and they have 49 senators, I insist that 49 senators cannot preside over the affairs of a house in which the APC has 56 senators. And I ask them to tell us anywhere in the world where the minority rules over the majority.“Often times, we take flights to Washington and other places to understudy the American presidential system of government.“Once you lose the majority, without further ado, you step down. Let me restate that we cannot be subjected to minority rule in the Nigerian Senate and, therefore, whether it is convenient for Distinguished Senator Saraki or not, the truth is whether by morality or by law or by convention, Senator Saraki can only avoid impeachment by toeing the path of honour, step down so that the APC can take over the leadership of the House.“I want to repeat, Sen. Saraki as President of the Senate will be lawfully and democratically impeached. It will not be illegally done. It will be done according to law and tradition.”Oshiomhole accused a section of the media of pandering to the whims of the opposition in such a way that the APC was painted in a bad light.According to him, the party will continue to insist that the right things are done and that no amount of blackmail can deter it.He stressed that when Saraki was lawfully and democratically impeached, his lawyers would be free to go anywhere to contest the legality or otherwise of the action.The party chairman reiterated that there was no longer a hiding place for the Senate President because according to him, “Saraki’s time is up.”He noted that the abrupt manner in which the presiding officers of the National Assembly adjourned plenary indicated that they had placed their personal interests above those of the nation.Oshiomhole said, “Let me assure all of us that the National Working Committee is making this promise publicly and we are doing you no favour. Legislation and the legislature require experience because nobody can give what he does not have. We see people like Senator McCain, when they speak American people listen.Earlier, the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, asked the party leadership to reconsider its reward policy to give those who had shown fidelity to its course a true sense of belonging.He said, “This has been a season of defection, reflection and sacrifices. Most of our colleagues here have sacrificed their friendship to remain where they are and to do exactly what the party wants.“I am sure that this season is also a season of regrets because some of our people who left have already seen the real sign.”He said he had reports that those who had left the party for another were not finding it easy where they had gone to and were already full of regrets.Lawan said, “Every senator or House of Representatives member in the APC fold today deserves very gentle handling and good treatment.”He advised the party leadership to move swiftly to address some of the problems between legislators and governors to enable it to prepare adequately for the forthcoming elections.He said the meeting which was earlier arranged to involve governors on the party’s platform did not hold as planned because of the problems associated with logistics but he advised the party leadership to hold a similar meeting with them.On the call for the National Assembly to reconvene, he said, “We are insisting that the National Assembly reconvene and reconvene quickly so that we pass the budget request of Mr President for INEC to start its preparation for 2019 in earnest.“We also need to pass the request of the Federal Government to take a loan from foreign countries which will be the only basis for now for the funding of our capital budget.“To do otherwise would amount to sabotage because we are in a very unusual time because we have the leadership of the National Assembly divided between the opposition PDP and the APC. We have to work hard to ensure that our government is not sabotaged.“If we don’t pass the budget request, it serves the PDP very well, but it doesn’t serve us well at all because it will negate what we stand for and all the promises we made to Nigerians.”In response to a direct question from The PUNCH as to whether he and his colleagues had written to Saraki and Dogara to reconvene the National Assembly, he said, “I have not written.”Also, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuff Lasun, while speaking earlier, stated, “I am not particularly happy that we are not able to reconvene the Assembly today because we decided a few days back that we were going to sit and consider those items that are very important and may likely hamper the function of INEC and other programmes without which the implementation of the capital component of the 2018 budget would have been slightly difficult.We are party members and I must say that I like the assurance of the chairman that members are not going to be abandoned because it is always very hot outside there.”In his remarks, the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said, “We have to find a way of reconvening the Assembly because as it is, we are heading for a constitutional crisis and an inevitable government shutdown because the two things that need to be done if the budget for the election must be passed and the funding of the capital project and without the approval, that will be difficult. I was with the Minister of Finance a couple of weeks ago and she told me in no uncertain terms that if she did not get the necessary approval from the National Assembly by the end of August, we should forget funding for the capital budget.“That is why I said it is a task that must be done. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the Presiding Officers to allow us to reconvene the House for this singular purpose. It is just a one-day exercise so that we can all go on our break.“I know that these members will be rewarded for their unalloyed loyalty to the party. We have 196 members in the House and that is about 40 members more than the PDP. With that number, we can do the party’s agenda in the House. Even within the PDP, we also have some members who will join us.”Meanwhile, a prominent member of the Parliamentary Support Group, a body of APC members in the National Assembly loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has said the APC Caucus was insisting on reconvening of the National Assembly.When contacted, the Special Adviser (Media) to the Senate President, Yusuf Olaniyonu, said, “The Senate is governed by rules which are not dictated from outside the chamber.“By the rules of the Senate, two-thirds of 109 is what is required and like the Senate President said, the day he loses the confidence of that number of his colleagues, he will bow out. Oshiomhole needs to be educated.”'
'advertising','english','Apple has a tendency to shock people when it unveils new iPhones. The phones themselves aren’t surprising at all to those of us who keep an ear to the ground and hear about every leak and rumor that hits the web. But that’s only a very small percentage of iPhone users. Most of Apple’s customer base doesn’t pay much if any attention to rumors. They might see a report or two on a mainstream news show that fumbles through a few of the more common rumors, but much of what Apple announces each September is new to the majority of Apple’s customers. And when they first learn that Apple has done something like removing the headphone jack, they immediately begin to panic.That’s exactly what happened last year when Apple took the wraps off of its tenth-anniversary iPhone, the iPhone X. The phone was a complete reimagining of Apple’s iPhone line, and most of the changes were positive. The new design was novel, the stainless steel and glass construction was stunning, and the new OLED display was the best the world had ever seen. But there was one change that instantly caused mass hysteria, and we’re sure all of our readers will recall exactly what it was: Face ID. Apple ditched the home button on the iPhone X and Touch ID vanished along with. A new facial recognition system was introduced in its place, and people were not happy at all.iPhone users love Touch ID. In fact, all smartphone users love fingerprint authentication. Apple wasn’t the first smartphone maker to add a fingerprint scanner to a smartphone, but its implementation was a cut above everything else that was available at the time. Android smartphone makers rushed to add similar features to their smartphones, and now every new phone in the world has a fingerprint sensor aside from extremely low-cost phones for emerging markets.Then Apple went ahead and ditched the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone X.There is still some debate regarding exactly how it happened. Rumors suggested that Apple had tried to build an in-display fingerprint sensor into the iPhone X in addition to Face ID, but it couldn’t get the tech ready for mass production in time. Apple says it never planned to add any type of fingerprint scanning feature to the iPhone X, but still, not everyone believes that to be true.In the end, all that matters is that the iPhone X doesn’t have a fingerprint reader. Making matters even worse for Touch ID fans is the fact that when Apple unveiled Face ID on the iPhone X at last year’s press conference, it said that Face ID is the future and it’s moving away from Touch ID on all it’s devices. Before you panic, however, there’s something important you should keep in mind: Apple says a lot of things and then ends up backtracking down the road. Remember when Jobs said Apple would never make an iPhone phablet? Yeah, we all know how that turned out.So, Apple continues to insist publicly that Face ID is replacing Touch ID. We also know that all three of the company’s new 2018 iPhone models will have Face ID instead of Touch ID, as will the new iPad Pro the company plans to launch next month. But while all this is going on in public, Apple continues to work behind closed doors on different ways to bring fingerprint sensors back to its devices. And now, it may have found the perfect solution that will allow it to bring back Touch ID on devices that still have “all-screen” displays, like the iPhone X.As covered in a recent report from Patently Apple , the company has invented a new technology that could allow Apple to add fingerprint reading capabilities to devices without the need for a home button.A couple of China-based smartphone makers already offer phone models with optical fingerprint readers embedded in the display. Next year, Samsung is expected to become the first company to use an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy S10, and it will also be embedded in the display. Apple’s new patent covers technology that is different from either of the aforementioned solutions, but the end game is the same: A user would be able to unlock an iPhone, open a secure app, or authenticate a mobile payment simply by placing his or her finger on the phone’s display.Image Source: Patently AppleAs Patently Apple explains , Apple’s solution is similar to the optical in-display fingerprint readers currently available on some Chinese smartphones. It utilizes several cameras that are positioned beneath one of the layers of the display itself. These cameras would not be visible to the user, but they would be able to capture 3D image data of a fingerprint through the display in order to authenticate.“In patent FIG. 27 above we’re able to see that the multiple cameras can determine the 3D structure of the fingerprint pattern of the user’s finger, with the controller cooperating with the image sensors to measure the slope of the skin surface across the ridge and valley pattern,” Patently Apple wrote .It goes without saying that Apple cooks up plenty of different technologies in its labs that never see the light of day. That might also be the case with the technology described in this patent. But despite what Apple says publicly, we now know that the company continues to work on finding ways to add fingerprint authentication to its products without the need for a home button, and that will certainly come as good news to iPhone users who miss the consistency of Touch ID. Teilen mit:'
'advertising','english','facebook profile, under relationship status it will read ‘In a relationship with Lai Mohammed and @ Garshehu ‘. The two of them are the human manifestation of Fake News. Especially Garba Shehu who said ‘Buhari has exceeded his promise to Nigerians’“Yesterday, Lai Mohammed complained about # FakeNews and today he says ”FG has no hand in the calls for Saraki’s resignation or impeachment”. Make up your mind Lai. You either hate fake news or you date fake news. Right now, you are dating FAKE NEWS!'
'advertising','english','Kaohsiung gears up for business event visitors Nature trails, fishing expeditions and waterfront cafés await in this charming port city. whatsapp 0 whatsapp 0 Facebook 0 Tweet 0 linkedin 0 Google+ 0Kaohsiung may not match Taipei’s flash and pomp as a business events destination, but the southern Taiwanese city is slowly coming to the fore as a serious contender. And proof is in its recent win to host the 2020 International Congress and Convention Association ICCA World Congress in its first bid attempt.The harbour city’s most important meetings facility is the Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre KEC, which was launched in 2014 and has since tried... '
'advertising','english','In Startups — 14 Aug, 2018HQ Trivia’s app store ranking has continued to sink the past three months, but it’s hoping a new version on your television could revitalize growth. HQ today launched an Apple TV app that lets users play the twice-daily live quiz game alongside iOS Android players. “Everything about the game is still the same – same questions, same time, same rules” says a spokesperson, except you’ll play with the Apple TV remote instead of their phone’s screen. But that might not be enough to get HQ’s player count rapidly growing again.According to App Annie’s app store ranking history , on iOS HQ has fallen from the #1 US Trivia game to #10, from the #44 game to #196, and from the #151 overall app to #585. It’s exhibited a similar decline on Android.The question is whether this is just a summer lull as people spend time outside and students aren’t locked in the schedule of school, or if HQ is in a downward spiral beyond seasonal fluctuations. But if we zoom out, you can see that HQ has been in dropping down the charts through the school year since peaking in January. At one point it climbed as high as the #3 game and #6 overall app. The app’s record high of concurrent players has also declined from a peak of 2.38 million in late March.Meanwhile, new clones keep popping up. After the initial wave of Chinese live trivia apps, now US television studios are getting into the mix. This week Fox unveiled ‘FN Genius’ which looks and works almost exactly that same as HQ. There are also new 1-on-1 trivia games like ProveIt that let players bet real money on whether they can outsmart their opponent. Fox’s FN Genius. Image via DeadlineWith themed games, celebrity hosts, big jackpots like a recent $400,000 prize, and new features like the ability to see friends’ answers, HQ has tried to keep its app novel. But it’s also encountered cheaters and people playing with multiple phones that make normal players feel like they’ll never win. While the live aspect adds urgency, it can also feel interruptive with time as users aren’t always available for its noon and 6pm pacific games. HQ may need to come up with some new viral hooks or ways to revive lapsed players if it’s going to make good on the $15 million its parent company raised in March .'
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / We talked to Overwatch League’s franchise director about the future of esports We talked to Overwatch League’s franchise director about the future of esports admin 10 mins ago Tech News Leave a comment 1 ViewsThe future of esports is looking particularly bright these days. Not only are live events drawing record crowds , but millennial are putting them on even grounds with more traditional sports in terms of what they plan to watch on a given evening. There’s even talk among officials with the Olympic Committee to see if esports is a viable candidate for inclusion in future Olympic games.One of the most recent, major events to draw the eye of both fans and curious onlookers was the Overwatch League finals. Airing on ESPN, it was both an event and an experiment with bringing competitive gaming to an audience that hadn’t yet experienced it — Wired called it a potential “crossover moment.” Do you want to be a cryptocurrency millionaire?Don’t get your hopes up.I had the opportunity to speak with Jon Spector, the Director of Franchises and Competition with the Overwatch League, about the future of esports and whether it has a place in the Olympics.The Overwatch League, the finale especially, was a really big hit, so my congratulations. What was the final attendee count, both in person and on livestream?Jon: In person, Barclays Center was sold out, which… north of 10,000 fans a day in the setup that we had. It was pretty incredible. I’ve been to a lot of events there and I’ve never seen that level of energy in the building. We were super happy about that. From a live viewership perspective, we just released recently it was around 11 million unique viewers over the course of the event worldwide.And it was also broadcast on ESPN and the Disney Channel, wasn’t it? [Note: Disney XD is what I meant.]Jon: Yeah. Friday night of the finals was on ESPN-1, the flagship, which marks the first time that an esports event has ever been on ESPN’s flagship channel in primetime. That was a pretty exciting milestone. For me, certainly, all of my friends and family seeing it on ESPN at seven pm on a Friday was really special.So that was a major coup for you, I take it?Jon: I wouldn’t call it a coup. (laughs) We’ve been talking with ESPN and Disney about Overwatch League for a while now, and they’ve been really excited about the potential as well. As we were working through with them on a scheduling perspective, when everything fell into place where it made sense for Friday night of the finals to be on ESPN-1, obviously everyone involved was really happy about that.I would say the Overwatch League was one of the first major esports shows I’ve seen that was so much like an “ordinary” sporting event. There was the energy, the spotlights, the blow-by blows. Do you think that will become common at all levels of esports, that sport-like atmosphere?Jon: There’s obviously a lot that each of the esports properties can learn from each other. We certainly feel really good about what we did with finals, and expect there are things other esports as they continue to grow can learn from the event for sure. I think, having sat through all the preparation, it was a massive endeavour on our part. We pulled in expertise from all over our organization. Barclays Center was a fantastic partner to us on it and really spent a lot of time and energy with us to make sure the show was as well-done as possible. A lot of work went into it, and I don’t think it’s the sort of thing where you can flip a switch and magically you’ve got a sold-out, high-energy arena with a great show. But that’s the path that works for us, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see other esports efforts look to do similar things.As somebody who’s on the inside looking out, do you think esports has ascended that niche of being “just people playing video games?”Jon: One of the things we think is really special about Overwatch League, there’s more than 40 million people around the world who play Overwatch, and there’s just north of 100 — I think 120 players who have made it to the top of the world to compete in Overwatch League. You’ve got the same ingredients you have with any sport. I grew up playing Little League baseball and wanting to be Derek Jeter. I think you’ve got the same sort of phenomenon now where millions of people who love Overwatch and want to see who’s the best in the world and learn from them and aspire to that. Our feeling has been, if you look at the fandom we’ve built up and the passion of the fans, even a league that’s been around for one season … it’s been really energizing and exciting for us. There’s clearly so much skill and teamwork and coordination and hard work and preparation that goes into this. These players have done an incredible job, and we’re really proud of what they’ve accomplished.The International Olympics Committee met to discuss the possibility of esports collaboration. They said one of the things that would keep esports out of the Olympics is that there’s no organization that represents esports globally. Do you think that’ll ever change?Jon: We’ve obviously been really excited about the conversations with the IOC and others around the possibility of bringing esports to the Olympics in future. It seems to make a lot of sense. There’s a lot of appetite from fans, and a lot of esports — and Overwatch in particular — is a really global game. I think it potentially fits really well with that model. As far as a governing body goes, I’m not gonna try to speak for all of the other folks in our ecosystem about that. We feel on our side of things that, if you look at the way this works for traditional sports, you have a governing body for soccer, and one for basketball, and hockey. I think lumping all those esports together and saying “This is one thing” potentially misses some of the nuance. Overwatch is a specific esport versus… Counter-Strike looks very different or Dota looks really different or Hearthstone looks really different. My own point of view is it makes sense to think of esports as individual, specific games as opposed to lumping them all together and saying “This is one thing.”Is that something you, as a pro esports organizer, aspire to — the Olympics? Or is esports in general content to stay as it is, with its own competitions?Jon: Personally, I think it would be really cool. We’re about to start our Overwatch World Cup again this year — that kicks off this coming weekend. Our fans love the drama and excitement of rooting for their favorite country. “Hey, how is the US gonna do this year?” We had a great underdog story last year with Japan doing surprisingly well on the World Cup. That format seems to be really engaging and fun. The players like it. The fans love it. I do think there’s a real opportunity for things like that.Sports exist as games first, but at the highest level, it’s less about the game and more about what the player or athlete is capable of. What do you think esports champs bring? What’s there version of a gymnastics flip or a shot put?Jon: You mean in terms of testing specific skills?Well, here’s an example. I’m a Genji main, so look at the best Genji player in the world. What is a demonstration of their skill? What is their version of a killer gymnastics twist?Jon: I think you’ll see some of that with our all-star weekend in a couple of weeks where the Saturday is more about those types of skill contests. [ Note: This is the event Jon is referring to. ] One of the things I think has been really cool about this season has been the extent to which … consistently one of the themes has been that teamwork and great communication matter perhaps more than anything else. It’s been the best teams that have been successful. Even if you have the best player in the world on your team in Overwatch, that’s not enough to win a match. You play some Overwatch, so you have a sense of when you go into a comp game with a new team, working together — seeing the coordination in the next level of what these player can do. Even as you headed into the middle of the Overwatch League season, you started to see things like perfectly-timed ultimate combos, where split-seconds matter. I’m a horrible Overwatch player myself. I can only dream of that level of coordination and teamwork.What do you see the Overwatch League specifically, and esports generally, looking like in the future?Jon: We’re one season old now, so there’s a ton we can do as we continue to grow. We’ll be adding new cities, which is exciting for fans around the world who’ll have a home team. I think the big focus for us, moving forward, is going to be bringing esports into that sort of home-and-away format where, when you have a match between Shanghai and Seoul, they’re playing it for thousands of fans in Shanghaii. Or the New York-Boston rivalry takes place in Boston or in New York instead of out here in LA. That’s going to be a huge focus for us in the next couple of years, helping to make that transition and creating a live event experience. We feel good about what the broadcast looks like and if you tune in on ESPN or Disney, we’ve honed that experience. Now one of the areas we’re really going to turn our attention to — and Finals was a great launch point for this — is what that great live experience looks like, where thousands of fans come out and support their local home team.It’s worth noting that, for the moment, the Overwatch teams aren’t tied to cities by geographic location or players’ national background, but by who owns the team. For example, Robert Kraft , the same person who owns the New England Patriots, owns the Boston Uprising Overwatch team. The Overwatch League’s city-based competition is relatively new , with most esports competitions divided up into teams.'
'advertising','english','https://ift.tt/2KUdGrDAugust 15, 2018(Reuters) – Serena Williams was beaten 6-3 2-6 6-3 by Petra Kvitova in a thrilling second-round match at the Cincinnati Open on Tuesday, ending the American’s bid for a third title at the event.Williams looked rusty in the first set, struggling to handle the Czech’s booming left-handed serve and never created a break-point opportunity.But the 23-times grand slam champion dug deep in the second, thumping serves and blasting returns to the delight of the supportive crowd under the lights.Williams appeared to be in command when she broke Kvitova to start the deciding third set but the two-time Wimbledon champion elevated her service game and was defensively resolute to set up a third-round clash with Kristina Mladenovic.For former world number one Williams, the loss is another setback as she attempts to get back to the top ranking after a difficult childbirth last year.France’s Mladenovic had earlier defeated qualifier Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3 6-0, while her sixth seeded compatriot Caroline Garcia defeated fellow power hitter Victoria Azarenka 6-4 7-5 to advance to the third round.Former world number one Azarenka, who on Tuesday was given a wildcard for the U.S. Open, never found her stride and committed her fifth double fault on match point to hand Garcia the win.Big-serving Czech Karolina Pliskova fired an ace on match point to dispatch Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3 6-3 in their first-round match.Pliskova had never won a set against Radwanska in seven prior meetings but cruised to the win over the 29-year-old Pole, who is working her way back from injuries.Greece’s Maria Sakkari edged 20-year-old Naomi Osaka in a closely contested second-set tiebreak to dispatch the Japanese 6-3 7-6(8) in their first-round match.Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens cracked eight aces and won 90 percent of her first serves as she strolled to a 6-2 6-0 win over American Coco Vandeweghe.Fifth seed Elina Svitolina outlasted Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6(1) 4-6 6-4 in their second-round clash.(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)Vía One America News Network https://ift.tt/2PaVrBQ'
'advertising','english','https://ift.tt/2P3RdvPAugust 15, 2018NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India will launch its first manned space mission by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, which could make it the fourth nation to do so after the United States, Russia and China.In his last Independence Day speech before a general election early next year, Modi also said the government would launch a medical insurance scheme for the poor from Sept. 25.“It is high time we ensure that the poor of India get access to good quality and affordable healthcare,” Modi said in an address from the ramparts of the Mughal-era Red Fort in Delhi in India’s 72nd year of independence.(Reporting by Krishna N. Das and Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)Vía One America News Network https://ift.tt/2BdR1Hu'
'advertising','english','Determined diplomacy needed to mend relations between Canada and Saudi Arabia, experts sayIn the wake of those actions and tough words from Saudi’s foreign minister, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared that Canada would always speak out about human rights concerns around the globe.The poll found that progressive voters were more likely to approve of the government’s stance on the issue, which was not surprising since the issue involves human rights, said Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research. Those who said they supported the Green Party, the NDP and the Liberals were approving of Ottawa’s handling of the file.The diplomatic drama has also given Trudeau a bit of bump, similar to what he enjoyed in June after U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at the prime minister after the G7 meeting in Canada, he said.“In these international controversies … there’s a bit of rallying around the flag,” Bozinoff said.But he said a diplomatic dispute with Saudi Arabia doesn’t rank as a serious concern for most Canadians.“I’m not sure how much people really care about this issue. A dispute with the States? That’s big news. But a dispute with Saudi Arabia, I don’t think that’s really big news for a lot of people,” Bozinoff said.The poll of 1,777 Canadians was done using an interactive voice response telephone survey between Aug. 10 and 12. It is considered accurate plus or minus three per cent, 19 times out of 20, according to Forum.Bruce Campion-Smith is the Star’s Ottawa bureau chief and a reporter covering national politics. Follow him on Twitter: @yowflier'
'advertising','english','By johnibDenmark is set to build a fence along the Denmark is set to build a fence along the German border in an attempt to keep out swine flu. Critics say it won’t work, harms wildlife and may only be a symbolic gesture to cater to farmers and anti-immigrant sentiment.Denmark gave final approval to the building of a controversial 68-kilometer (42-mile) fence along the border with Germany to protect its giant pork industry from wild boar that could carry African swine flu.Critics say the €11 million ($10 million) fence is a waste of money that doesn’t work against a problem that doesn’t exist, while environmentalists have raised concerns about its effect on the ecosystem. The fence may also be symbolic for the Danish right-wingers keen on hard borders and keeping migrants out.Read more : Hundreds march against ‘burqa ban’ in DenmarkThe 1.5-meter tall and half-meter deep fence will run along the entirety of the Danish-German border, from the Wadden Sea in the west to the Flensburg Fjord in the east.The fence, slated to be finished by the end of 2019, was approved by the parliament in June with the support of the government, Social Democrats and right-wing populist Danish People’s Party. The Environment Ministry gave final approval to the project on Monday following public consultations.The fence is intended to stop wild boar from infecting pig farms with swine flu virus. Around 5,000 pig farms export 28 million pigs annually, accounting for half of Danish agricultural exports and 5 percent of all exports, according to the Danish Agriculture and Food Council.Read more : Wild boars terrorize northern German city of HeideThe deadly swine virus, which does not affect humans or other animal species, has been found within EU member states Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. A swine flu outbreak in Denmark would halt all non-EU pork exports.No swine flu has been detected in Germany, raising questions as to why the fence is even being built.Endangering animal migrationEnvironmental groups are concerned that construction of the fence will disturb the migration of wild animals and birds, some of which are protected by Danish and EU legislation.“We know from experiences around the world that physical barriers such as a fence impact animal migration,” Thor Hjarsen, senior biologists at World Wildlife Foundation in Denmark, told DW.Deer, wolves, otters, foxes, golden jackals and cranes are among the species that could be impacted.There is also the question of whether the fence will be effective against its stated purpose.“The problem with the fence is that there is no documentation that it works,” Hans Kristensen, a hunter, wildlife author and expert on wild boar migration who lives along the border, told DW. “On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence it won’t work.”Wild boar are distributed along the eastern coast of the Danish-German border and are very rare in the west, Kristensen said. In the east, the wild boar can swim across the Flensburg fjord, a body of water separating Germany and Denmark.“A fence can’t be erected there. That is part of the border where they cross,” he said. Wild boar are good swimmers.Denmark is part of the EU’s border-free Schengen Zone. Roads and railroads crossing the border won’t be impacted by the fence. That leaves dozens of openings in the border through which wild boar could pass, rendering the barrier useless, Kristensen said.Critics like Kristensen and Hjarsen say the biggest risk of swine flu spreading isn’t from wild boar crossing the border. Instead, the threat is from trucks transporting infected swine or spreading contaminated food.Rather than tackling swine flu, the fence may have a symbolic effect to show the powerful pig farming industry that the pro-agriculture government is doing something and to appease the right-wing in Denmark. THE CRACKDOWN ON DANISH IMMIGRANT ‘GHETTOS’ Center of the immigration debate“Cracks have appeared in the map of Denmark. […] Throughout the country, there are parallel societies.” With these words, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen announced his government’s new “ghetto plan” during his 2018 New Year’s address. The plan was presented in one of Copenhagen’s so-called “ghettos,” Mjolnerparken.Politicians from the right-wing populist Danish People’s Party, the second-largest party in parliament, have in the past suggested erecting a tall, barbed-wire fence with motion detectors along the German border as Europe has witnessed an influx of migrants in recent years.“You won’t see anyone admit it, but one reason why the fence could get votes in parliament was because of the right-wing in Denmark,” Kristensen said. “The fence won’t keep wild boar out and it won’t keep migrants out, but the symbolic value is immense for the right wing.”“We are ahead of Donald Trump, we have built a fence and I’m not proud of it,” he said'
'advertising','english','By The Canadian PressA search analytics firm has found that the number of online searches for payday loans far outranked mortgage-related queries over the past year in Canada.New data from SEMrush shows that payday loans came in first out of 10 different types of loans, garnering an average search volume of 29,000 a month on search engines such as Google.That’s more than 50 per cent above what would-be borrowers wracked up in mortgage searches, which hit 18,800 a month between June 2017 and June 2018.The data comes after a year of slumping residential home sales across the country.The Canadian Real Estate Association said June sales were down 10.7 per cent compared to a year earlier, a five-year low for the month.SEMrush said student loan searches clocked in at a close third with 17,800 a month, followed by consolidation loans and car loans.'
'advertising','english','August 14, 2018By Tina BellonNEW YORK (Reuters) – Bayer AG unit Monsanto faces long odds on an appeal blaming an “inflamed” jury and “junk science” for a verdict of $289 million in damages to a man who said the company’s Roundup weed killer caused his cancer, according to some legal experts.Last week’s verdict ended the first trial over whether glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, causes cancer. Monsanto, which says decades of scientific studies have shown Roundup and glyphosate are safe, is facing about 5,000 similar lawsuits nationwide.Bayer stock fell sharply on Monday following Friday’s verdict in San Francisco Superior Court.Monsanto said on Monday it planned to challenge the verdict on the grounds that the judge should have barred scientific evidence presented by California school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson’s lawyers as insufficient.“Plaintiffs are putting forward junk science that is not based upon the 40 years of safe glyphosate use and studies,” Scott Partridge, Monsanto’s vice president of global strategy, told Reuters. “They attempted to color science with very emotional arguments designed to inflame jurors.”The company also said statements by Johnson’s lawyers, designed to paint the company in a malevolent light, inappropriately influenced the jurors.Monsanto could have difficulty getting the verdict thrown out on those grounds, according to some legal experts who said the judge carefully considered whether to allow Johnson’s scientific evidence under California law and reached a defensible conclusion that the jury should hear it.“This is one of those difficult questions at the margins of science and the judge found the evidence simply wasn’t inadmissible,” said Lars Noah, a law professor at the University of Florida.Johnson, 46, said in his lawsuit filed in 2016 that frequent use of Roundup caused him to develop lymphatic cancer.Expert testimony is highly influential in product liability cases, and evidentiary standards exist to prevent juries from making decisions based on theories unsupported by science.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in September 2017 concluded a decades-long assessment of glyphosate risks and found the chemical not likely carcinogenic to humans. However, the cancer unit of the World Health Organization in 2015 classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”Monsanto said the plaintiff’s experts should have been excluded because although they mainly cited respected, peer-reviewed studies, they inappropriately cherry-picked results and used unreliable methods to support the position that glysophate causes cancer in humans.But Alexandra Lahav, a law professor at the University of Connecticut, said it was common for experts to rely on the same studies and reach different conclusions to present to a jury during trial.Legal experts said a federal judge overseeing other Roundup cases has allowed the same experts to go forward with testimony, even though the standard in federal courts is generally thought to be higher than in state courts.The evidence rulings might draw the attention of higher courts, both in California and the U.S. Supreme Court, to use the Roundup cases as a way to clarify expert admissibility standards, other legal experts said.A major question for appellate courts could be whether it is enough for an expert to simply analyze widely accepted peer-reviewed studies to support his own opinion, or whether the expert’s analysis must also be reviewed or otherwise subject to stronger scrutiny, said two California-based defense lawyers, who requested anonymity citing potential conflicts of interest.Monsanto also took issue with statements by Johnson’s lawyer, Brent Wisner, and some expert witnesses comparing Roundup to tobacco. Wisner told jurors the company would “pop champagne corks” if the verdict was too low.He also said in court that a Monsanto unit made so-called Agent Orange, a highly toxic herbicide mixture used by the U.S. military 50 years ago in the Vietnam War. The harmful impact included cancers and birth defects.Wisner on Monday rejected Monsanto’s claims that the jury made its decision on emotional grounds.“This was a considerate, thoughtful and well-educated jury that looked at the science to conclude glyphosate causes cancer,” Wisner said.Monsanto’s arguments that remarks by witnesses and lawyers inflamed and prejudiced the jury would likely fall flat, some legal experts said.David Rosenberg, a professor at Harvard Law School, said editorializing by lawyers in a courtroom needed to be truly egregious for a judge to even consider throwing out a verdict.“Such remarks are part of the game during trials and I can’t see a single reason why Monsanto would think an appeal would be helpful on those grounds,” Rosenberg said.(Reporting by Tina Bellon; Editing by Anthony Lin and Grant McCool)Vía One America News Network https://ift.tt/2Med59U'
'advertising','english','By peoplestrusttorontoJapanese and US authorities are investigating allegations that Apple pressured Yahoo Japan to pull back from a game platform which competes with the App store, according to Nikkei .The move is the latest effort by regulators to address suspected anti-competitive behavior by American tech titans.The Fair Trade Commission and the industry ministry began receiving reports from Yahoo last fall about issues surrounding its Game Plus platform. The web-based service, launched in July 2017, lets users play games without needing to download apps . For developers, the service features much looser restrictions surrounding sales, fees and software updates than Apple’s App Store.…Yahoo told multiple business partners that it was forced to cut back because of pressure behind the scenes from Apple . The Japanese company relies on the U.S. tech giant for part of its profits in the form of sales through the App Store. – NikkeiA total of 52 companies agreed to participate in Yahoo’s platform, including role-playing game maker Square Enix Holdings, while Yahoo would offer the companies value-added data from its more than 60 million monthly active users – “such as search history, ads and payment information” which could help game makers sell merchandise and create new titles. Yahoo sought to expand the platform into non-gaming applications, such as business software.Last fall, however, Yahoo abruptly slashed its budget for Game Plus, and has virtually ceased all promotion of the service. Square Enix, meanwhile, pulled a title developed exclusively for the platform, “Antique Carnevale,” from Game Plus.In 2017, Japan’s app market reached $13 billion, according to American research firm App Annie. Apple’s app store is a large part of that, and a cash cow for the Silicon Valley behemoth. Yahoo’s model posed a direct threat.The FTC has been gathering information on the situation, which it believes may constitute interference in Yahoo’s business prohibited by the Anti-Monopoly Act. But its investigation seems to be getting bogged down.…In many cases like this, businesses often hesitate to work with authorities, prioritizing their own interests instead. “If the parties involved don’t cooperate, it’s hard to prove” wrongdoing, said an attorney with experience at the FTC. – NikkeiSoftBank, meanwhile, has stepped in to mediate according to a Nikkei source. As Yahoo’s largest shareholder, the investment powerhouse collects payments made by its cellular subscribers to the App store for Apple while keeping a portion of the revenue as an intermediary.Antitrust authorities around the world have taken aim at the “big four” tech titans; Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon – however progress has been slow.AAPL shares are still outperforming the broad market for now (helped by filings that showed Buffett continuing to pile in) and holding above the magic trillion dollar market cap level…'
'advertising','english','1 day ago Dentsu wants in on driverless cars The company does not want to be left behind as mobility innovation opens up new ways to reach consumers.As driverless cars, trucks and other forms of transportation continue to stimulate flights of imagination as well as controversy, advertising and media agencies have been unusually quiet about the new business potential this technology opens up.According to forecasts by UBS earlier this year, autonomous vehicle revenue in the US alone will be worth around $2.3 trillion by 2030. The bank predicts in-car monetisationthe delivery of advertising and other experience’-related serviceswill be worth... '
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / We now have an idea of what the ‘budget’ iPhone 9 will cost We now have an idea of what the ‘budget’ iPhone 9 will cost admin 4 mins ago Tech News Leave a comment 1 Views For the 2018 iPhones, it appears it will be all about the notch.Image: lili sams/mashable By Jake Krol 2018-08-14 15:58:19 UTCThe latest rumor about Apple ‘s 2018 iPhones is that the lineup will have the first iPhone models to support the Apple Pencil. The precise pricing is also coming into better focus.TrendForce , a market analysis company, is reporting the rumored “budget” LCD iPhone will cost around $699 with Face ID . The more feature-filled OLED models will supposedly start at $999 with better displays and hardware.This latest report reaffirms that this 6.1-inch LCD model will have an iPhone X -like design with a front-facing TrueDepth camera. It will also stick with two storage sizes that the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus offer: 64GB or 256GB. TrendForce says this model will be Apple’s main phone for the masses and should help to compete with Android phones.The predicted lineup shows that Apple is sticking with the iPhone X design language.With the OLED iPhones, Apple wants to pack more features in for the higher price. Apple is seemingly taking a page from the Note 9 with a 512GB storage option as well as 64GB and 256GB models. Of course, the OLED iPhones (said to be 5.8- and 6.5-inch) will also have the TrueDepth camera for Face ID — hopefully with a smaller notch. The larger OLED model will likely have dual-SIM card slots in select markets.If you have been waiting for an iPhone to support the Apple Pencil, 2018 might be the year. Both OLED models should support it, but the Pencil, which is almost 7 inches long, might feel a little weird to use with the iPhone. (You’ll also have to endure constant teases of, “Hey, Samsung!”).The new OLED phones would signal the end of the product cycle for 2017’s iPhone X. Discontinuing the previous model would be a new strategy for Apple, as that model typically sticks around as a more affordable option.For now, keep the bets placed on three iPhones for 2018 ; a 6.1-inch LCD, a 5.8-inch OLED, and a 6.5-inch OLED, all with Face ID. However, guessing the naming strategy is an entirely different story.'
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'advertising','english'," August 15, 2018 Every summer at this time, it is the sworn goal of the TV Blog to somehow get quoted in Syfy’s promo spots for its annual “Sharknado” movie.This summer’s installment is “Sharknado 6” (if you can believe it) -- subtitled “The Last Sharknado: It's About Time.” It premieres this coming Sunday night (August 19).Whether or not this will really be the last “Sharknado” movie remains to be seen. The other half of the title -- “It’s About Time” -- refers to this year's main plot line, which has the sharknado fighters traveling back in time to battle tornado-borne sharks throughout history, including prehistory, the late 1300s in England, the American Revolution, the Old West of the 19th century and a southern California beach in the early ’60s.All of the principal stars are back -- Ian Ziering (seen riding a giant shark in the photo above), Tara Reid, Vivica A. Fox, Cassandra Scerbo and Judah Friedlander. And they are joined as usual by a bevy of surprise guests in a variety of offbeat roles.Actually reviewing this movie is unnecessary because it is obviously awesome. You might even say that “Sharknado 6” is: “The feel-good shark-tornado movie of the year!”Attention, Syfy promotion department: Please feel free to use the above quote in your ads and if you do, please sign it: Adam Buckman, MediaPost.com , or just MediaPost.com will do just fine. Here are nine more tantalizing options for your consideration:“Syfy's time travelin’ sharknado fighters’ message for their finned foes: You're history!”“What makes ‘Sharknado 6’ succeed? It's the science!”“Possibly the best special effects of airborne shark attacks you'll see on TV Sunday night between the hours of 8 and 10 Eastern on basic cable.”’Who you gonna call? Shark busters!”“ ‘Sharknado 6’: Could it happen here? Sure, why not!”“In ‘Sharknado 6,’ the legend becomes myth … a universal survival story for the ages.”“The critics agree: It's a TV movie!”“Only Syfy would have the guts to make this series of ‘Sharknado’ movies. In any case, no one else has ever attempted it.”“ ‘Sharknado 6’: The best ‘Sharknado’ movie since last summer!”You can thank me later.“Sharknado 6: The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time” airs Sunday (August 19) at 8 p.m. Eastern on Syfy."
'advertising','english',' August 14, 2018"Unhinged" is a hilarious title choice for Omarosa Manigault Newman\'s new memoir of her time working in the campaign and subsequently the White House of Donald Trump.She apparently meant the title to describe Trump and the way he runs his administration. But it is also a word that many have associated with Omarosa herself since she first became famous as a villainous contestant on the inaugural season of “The Apprentice” in 2004.For Omarosa to call anyone else unhinged is a prime example of the pot calling the kettle black (it\'s an old saying; you can look it up).The word “unhinged” might not even be an inaccurate description of President Trump and some of the decisions and Twitter pronouncements he has made ever since bursting into our political life with the launch of his presidential campaign in June 2015.Whether or not the President is unhinged is not for me to say. It is also not for Omarosa to say. Where she is concerned, a less credible witness and interpreter of President Trump\'s statements and actions would be difficult to find. Anyone who would believe Omarosa might possibly be unhinged as well.Let the record show that I do not know Omarosa personally nor have I ever met or interviewed her. But her various actions and deeds since first becoming famous indicate that she will do or say just about anything to elevate her position, get attention and remain in the public eye.Her most recent association with Trump encompassed a portion of his campaign and subsequently his first two years in the White House. This period lasted roughly from July 2016 to December 2017, when the White House announced her “resignation.”According to subsequent stories, she had to be physically removed from the White House, giving an impression that she was dragged literally kicking and screaming from the place.Well, if Trump truly is unhinged, then Exhibit A could be his decision to bring a flake like Omarosa into the White House to work for him in the first place. In various accounts of her time there, action after action on her part gives evidence that she was clueless about how she was supposed to comport herself. By all appearances, she had none of the qualifications or experience that would seem to be necessary to work for the President.One gets the feeling that Omarosa had somehow formed the impression that she was to become part of the inner circle of advisers to the President of the United States.This did not happen, and some months after current chief of staff John Kelly took office in July 2017, Omarosa was swept away, along with others.Now Omarosa is on a promotional tour talking up various claims in her book (and at least one that is not) that are intended to position her as the smartest, most rational person in a White House occupied by kooks.According to her, the head kook is the president himself. On “Meet the Press” this past weekend, she complained that Trump rarely understands the complexities of issues he is presented with. As a result, according to Omarosa, President Trump is a danger to America.Of course, the implication here is always that Omarosa herself would do a much better job than the president in the consideration of these very same concepts and issues.Omarosa is also going around claiming she has heard a tape recording of Trump using the n-word. In the book, she reports on the rumored existence of the tape. But she is saying in interviews this week that she did not actually hear this recording until after the book was finished.The fact is, it is easy to accept many of the complaints leveled at Trump and his administration. But when the source is someone like Omarosa, it is wise to take what she says with a grain of salt. Or better yet, to just dismiss what she says altogether.In time, others will write their books about their experiences in the Trump White House. Just about any of them would likely be more credible than Omarosa.File photos courtesy of ABC: Omarosa Manigault on “The View,” April 2, 2017; Donald Trump on “Good Morning America,” January 29, 2016.'
'advertising','english','Square’s Cash App Now Supports Bitcoin Trading in All 50 States August 15, 2018 9 ViewsMobile payment company Square is expanding its bitcoin trading support to all 50 states through its Cash App. This means that residents in all corners of the U.S. can utilize the platform to purchase and sell the digital currency.The company was co-founded in 2009 by tech entrepreneur Jack Dorsey, who also heads Twitter. Last March, Dorsey was quoted as saying that bitcoin will likely serve as the world’s “ single currency ” in roughly 10 years.Square’s announcement is particularly intriguing in that most bitcoin- or crypto-trading apps do not offer their services in every state. Robinhood , for example, only offers bitcoin and ether trading in 19 states including Arizona, California, Florida, Utah, Mississippi and Indiana, while other apps, such as Coinmama and CEX.io , are available in 23 and 24 states respectively. Entities like itBit — which also holds a New York–issued BitLicense — operate in every state except Texas.Square originally launched bitcoin-trading capabilities on its app in November 2017 to only a handful of users. In January of this year, the company expanded the app’s trading services to virtually every state except Wyoming, Georgia, Hawaii and New York due to restrictions that placed limits on cryptocurrency transactions. In June, the company acquired a BitLicense to operate in the Big Apple and later announced that it had more than doubled its crypto-based income between quarters one and two from $34 million to $70 million.“We are thrilled to now provide New Yorkers with Cash App’s quick and simple way to buy and sell bitcoin. Square and the New York State DFS share a vision of empowering people with greater access to the financial system and today’s news is an important step in realizing that goal,” stated Brian Grassadonia, head of Square’s Cash App, yesterday regarding the venture’s new relationship with New York.Cash App downloads have grown three times faster than its competitors and later surpassed the company’s figures for the first time. The app now boasts an impressive 33.5 million users — about 3 million more than Venmo. It is also expected to top $100 million in sales by the year 2020.'
'advertising','english','Check out this year’s winners of The Art of Neuroscience competition-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com '
'advertising','english','Taraji P. Henson Creates Foundation To Combat Mental Health IssuesPublished TweetTaraji P. Henson wants to break the stigma surrounding mental health … especially in the black community.Henson just launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in honor of her late father, who battle mental illness for many years until his passing in 2006.“I named the organization after my father because of his complete and unconditional love for me; his unabashed, unashamed ability to tell the truth, even if it hurt; and his strength to push through his own battles with mental health issues,” Henson told People. “My dad fought in the Vietnam War for our country, returned broken, and received little to no physical and emotional support. I stand now in his absence, committed to offering support to African Americans who face trauma daily, simply because they are black.”The Empire star first chronicled her relationship with her father Boris, who died at the age of 58 after battling liver cancer, in her 2016 memoir, Around the Way Girl .“My dad fought in the Vietnam War for our country, returned broken, and received little to no physical and emotional support,” she said. “I stand now in his absence, committed to offering support to African Americans who face trauma daily, simply because they are black.”And with stars like Kanye West, Mariah Carey and even Jamie Foxx coming forward about their mental heath struggles, Henson is right on time.Henson, who just got engaged in May, is celebrating the foundation’s launch with a fundraising event, Taraji’s Boutique of Hope, on Sept. 22 in Los Angeles. Funds raised for the foundation will help provide resources to increase mental health support in urban schools. BLHF will also partner with school districts help to provide mental health therapists, social workers and counselors to African-American children in need and other nonprofit organizations that offer mental health wellness programs as well.“BLHF is breaking the silence by speaking out and encouraging others to share their challenges with mental illness and get the help they need,” said Tracie Jenkins, executive director for the foundation. “African-Americans have regarded such communication as a sign of weakness and our vision is to change that perception.”For more information about BLHF, visit www.borislhensonfoundation.org .'
'advertising','english','TweetLooks like there may be a silver (hair) lining after all for Safaree Samuels after his recent feud with ex-girlfriend Nicki Minaj.After Minaj revealed on Twitter that she paid $12,000 for the Love & Hip Hop Hollywood star’s hair transplant surgery (and also put Tyga’s hidden hairline procedure on blast) Samuels has now been offered a book deal, an endorsement deal with hair club for men.“Wow. woke up to a book deal offer for over 500k and an endorsement deal for a hair club for men,” Samuels said on Twitter followed by three cry face emoji’s. “And that was the 1st offer, THANK YOU BABY guess imma add author to my long list of hustles.” Wow. woke up to a book deal offer for over 500k and an endorsement deal for a hair club for men \uf602\uf602\uf602 and that was the 1st offer \uf60d\uf60d THANK YOU BABY \uf607 guess imma add author to my long list of hustles— @IAMSAFAREE (@IAMSAFAREE) August 15, 2018Can you say ‘look a gawd’?On Tuesday after the “Queen” rapper revealed her boyfriend of 12 years had hair plugs folks quickly inundated Samuels’ Twitter mentions with a photo of his pre-surgery hairline, to which he responded , “No joke I made 30k today just by referring ppl to the doctor who did my hairline … Thank youuu all.. the funny thing is it’s never been a secret dat pic is 7 years old but I’ll be posting more info about my doctor later.. thank y’all internet.” Dawggg How You Let Them Get The Picture Safaree \uf602\uf602\uf602臘\uf3fe\u200d♂️ pic.twitter.com/ZZ5dUZYS6Y— Topp✈1Hunnna (@ToppFlight100) August 14, 2018The “Hunnid,” rapper didn’t reveal if he would be taking either deal but we are certainly waiting with baited breathe for Samuels’ first HCFM infomercial featuring Tyga (insert winking face emoji).'
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / Wikipedia-inspired streetwear is now a thing Wikipedia-inspired streetwear is now a thing admin 14 mins ago Tech News Leave a comment 1 ViewsHypebeasts: You’re in luck. Thanks to a new shirt collaboration between a streetwear brand and the internet’s encyclopedia, looking cool and doing good just got easier.In an effort to raise money for the donation-fueled Wikimedia Foundation, the brand Advisory Board Crystals released a shirt emblazoned with the Wikipedia logo across the front. The back reads “INTERNET MASTER” in bold letters surrounding a picture of the site’s spherical puzzle logo.“Knowledge is power and awareness is survival,” reads the shirt description . “In addition to being a large source of inspiration and information for our projects, Wikipedia leads us to a place in which you can imagine a world where every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.”To celebrate and support that free access to knowledge, the shirts run for $85 — with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the foundation.“Free information is a privilege. One of the ideals of the Abc. Studio is that there are many ways to save the world,” the shirt description reads, before pleading with customers to help them “keep knowledge free.”While the shirts are currently sold out, Abc. Studio confirmed to Mashable that it is planning to restock, as it is “looking to make as large of a contribution as possible.”'
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / Mining startup dumps unprofitable users, blames it on Bitcoin price drop Mining startup dumps unprofitable users, blames it on Bitcoin price drop admin 3 mins ago Tech News Leave a comment 0 ViewsPopular cloud based cryptocurrency mining service, Genesis Mining, is calling it time on lower tier Bitcoin mining contracts after claiming they’ve become a pointless endeavor.In a Genesis Mining blog post (spotted by Cryptovibes ), the cloud mining firm stated that it will no longer continue to support its lower tier Bitcoin BTC contracts. With the continued drop in the value of cryptocurrencies since January, mining has become a lot less profitable.“Unfortunately, Bitcoin went into a downward trend around January,” Genesis wrote on its blog. “This trend combined with the heavily rising difficulty around April and May reduced mining outputs even further.”The announcement stated that, “[a]s a result, some user contracts are now mining less than the daily maintenance fee requires to be covered, and thus they entered the 60 days grace period, after which open-ended contracts will get terminated.”To anyone that has read the Genesis Mining’s FAQ section on its website, it won’t come as a surprise. When entering a cloud mining contract the client agrees to the fact that if the contract returns less than it costs Genesis to maintain the required infrastructure, the contract will enter a 60 day default.If the market does not pick up during those 60 days to make the contract profitable again, the contract will come to an end.It was reported around a month ago that one of Gensis Mining’s main competitors, HashFlare, was experiencing similar problems, and subsequently began terminating unprofitable Bitcoin contracts, Litecoin, Ether and Dash were unaffected. However, at the time it was reported that Genesis remained profitable. It seems this is no longer the case.This doesn’t mean that Genesis Mining is shutting down, though. Rather, it has taken the opportunity to offer a $105 discount to existing customers after upgrading to its premium service, known as Radiant. Here’s what Genesis Mining had to say about this on Twitter. 1/3 Thank you everyone for your feedback! Our business model is to produce and deploy the latest hardware, then rent its hashpower and keep it running as long as the BTC price and difficulty enables. Your hashpower is bound to a set of hardware/infrastructure.— Genesis Mining (@GenesisMining) August 16, 2018 2/3 Our latest #GMRadiant tech has enabled us to significantly cut down the maintenance fees. When you’re asking us to upgrade you for free, technically you’re asking us to connect you to the new set of miners we built out and unplug your current hardware. This isn’t sustainable.— Genesis Mining (@GenesisMining) August 16, 2018 3/3 With this offer we want our old customers to get a fair price for new capacities, but we also understand if this is not feasible for everyone. We really hope the Bitcoin price will recover, and with it, your open ended BTC contracts. Thank you.— Genesis Mining (@GenesisMining) August 16, 2018There is a catch though, you’ll have to sign up for five years, with no opportunity to terminate the contract in that period.Given the decrease in profitability and the increased difficulty of mining in recent months, it makes logical sense for Genesis to default unprofitable contracts – like they always said they would. If they’re able to secure more five-year long memberships to their premium offering, it will deliver some level of financial stability in a market that cannot be controlled.But will its updated business model last? That is yet to be seen. Published August 16, 2018 — 13:34 UTC'
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / Google Search’s new featured snippet panel saves you more clicks – TechCrunch Google Search’s new featured snippet panel saves you more clicks – TechCrunch admin 19 mins ago Tech News Leave a comment 0 ViewsGoogle is introducing an additional format for featured snippets in its search results today. For years, these snippets have appeared at the top of the search results page and featured both images and text that Google thinks are relevant to your query. They are all about Google saving you a click. Today, Google is going beyond this single answer for some queries and introducing a panel that also features relevant subtopics, saving you even more clicks.Google’s canonical example for a query to trigger this new panel is ‘ quartz vs. granite .’ This query brings up the usual snippet, plus subtopics like cost, benefits, weight and durability. Those topics are automatically chosen based on what Google’s algorithms understand about this topic.You don’t need a [vs.] query to trigger this, though. If you look for something like ’emergency funds,’ you’ll also see a similar panel.For now, I was only able to trigger these new panels on mobile, but Google says it is rolling this feature out over the coming days, so it may be a while before you spot one in the wild. I was also unsuccessful in triggering them with any other query I tried, but maybe you are luckier than me.Google notes that today’s announcement is part of an ongoing effort to provide more comprehensive results to your questions. This February, for example, Google started showing multiple featured snippets when its systems think that a query has multiple interpretations.'
'advertising','english','August 16, 2018, 4:41 am 0 SHARESOmar Ameen was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento where he settled after being granted refugee status, the US Justice Department said. Authorities allege he was a member in terrorist groups al Qaeda in Iraq and ISIS before he fled to the United States.Ameen, who was in the process of attaining a green card, is wanted in Iraq on a murder charge. He’s accused of the 2014 killing of a police officer in the town of Rawa. An Iraqi warrant for his arrest was issued in May.Ameen, 45, made an initial appearance in court in the Eastern District of California on Wednesday. His next court date is Monday afternoon. He is being held in the Sacramento County jail.CNN reached out to Ameen’s attorneys Wednesday night but was unable to get a comment. The Sacramento Bee reported federal defenders Benjamin Galloway and Douglas Beevers told a judge that they received the case minutes before Ameen appeared before a judge.“He’s aware of the basic nature of the charges,” Beevers said in court, according to the Bee. CNN affiliate KCRA reported FBI agents and local authorities searched Ameen’s apartment Wednesday. Neighbor Greg Hutson told CNN affiliate KTXL that Ameen seemed like a “family guy.”“The gentleman that got arrested, he kept to himself. A very friendly guy,” Hutson said. “He’s got like a wife and children.” Police officer shot dead in 2014ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, took control of Rawa in 2014 as its fighters were sweeping through much of Iraq. The US government’s complaint and a petition to detain the suspect say Ameen was part of a group that opened fire on the police officer’s home one day after ISIS captured Rawa.“Ameen then shot the victim,” the court document says.Authorities also allege in the documents that Ameen took part in “numerous acts of violence,” including the planting of homemade roadside bombs.Ameen already applied for refugee status to the United States when the killing took place, authorities say. He had gone to Turkey in 2012 and applied to US Customs and Immigrations Services there.According to the court documents: “Ameen concealed his true identity as a member of (Al-Qaeda in Iraq) and ISIS to immigrate to the United States. He lied about his background and the circumstances of his departure from Iraq in order to evade detection, seeking to blend into the flow of legitimate refugees fleeing the conflict zone.”Ameen said then that his father had been killed for cooperating with the military and also claimed that he and a brother had been kidnapped by a Shiite militant group in 2012. Both were lies, authorities now allege, saying that Ameen’s father died from a blood clot. Ameen said he escaped the abductors and the brother was never heard from again. The court documents say the brother was the subject of a warrant in November 2012 and Ameen changed his story later, admitting his brother was alive.Ameen was the subject of three prior warrants in Iraq, the documents say. Two were issued before he came to the United States. One from 2011 involved a killing not described in the US filings.His refugee application was approved in early June 2014, just before the police officer was slain. Came to US in late 2014Ameen arrived in the United States on November 4, 2014. In the court documents, federal prosecutors say a resume shows Ameen held jobs as a truck loader and a laborer in Salt Lake City before starting as an auto mechanic in Sacramento in February 2016.The FBI said it has been investigating Ameen since 2016, the court document says.“As part of this investigation, the FBI has interviewed at least eight witnesses, and received documents from Iraq, which corroborate Ameen’s involvement with AQI and ISIS, including the murder that is alleged in the extradition request,” the court document says. It alleges that Ameen was a “main local figure” in the terror groups affiliates in Rawa, where he was born and lived.Rawa is in Anbar province about 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of Baghdad. About 20,000 people lived there at the time of the officer’s killing, the court document says. Rawa was the last Iraqi town liberated from ISIS, the Baghdad government said in November.CNN’s Sarah Moon contributed to this report. '
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'advertising','english','August 16, 2018, 5:38 pm 1 SHARESThe jury Thursday morning began deliberating the 18 counts of tax evasion, bank fraud and hiding foreign bank accounts facing Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman. Manafort has pleaded not guilty to all charges. For the first time, jurors will see pictures of the $15,000 ostrich jacket, $18,000 python jacket, and other high-end clothes Manafort purchased using foreign wire transfers. They will also debate the testimony of Rick Gates, Manafort’s former deputy who admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars. And they can pore over reams of emails, tax forms and financial documents that prosecutors say are the “star witness” in their case.But the courtroom drama will be nothing compared to the political earthquake the verdict will bring, regardless of which way it comes down.The President has repeatedly called Mueller’s investigation a “witch hunt” that hasn’t found evidence of Russian collusion with his campaign, and Trump’s allies in and out of the White House say the special counsel should wrap things up. “If he doesn’t get it done in the next two or three weeks we will just unload on him like a ton of bricks,” Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani told Bloomberg News.“Looking back on history, who was treated worse, Alfonse Capone, legendary mob boss, killer and “Public Enemy Number One,” or Paul Manafort, political operative & Reagan/Dole darling, now serving solitary confinement – although convicted of nothing? Where is the Russian Collusion?” Trump tweeted earlier this month about Manafort.An acquittal would only add to criticism that Mueller’s investigation hasn’t been worth the time and expense.A conviction, meanwhile, would allow Democrats and Mueller’s supporters to say ending the investigation would be premature given the special counsel’s results, having previously collected several guilty pleas. It could also boost Mueller’s position as he negotiates with Trump’s lawyers over a potential interview. ‘This is a case about lies’The trial has not touched on Russia or the 2016 election. Instead, the focus has been entirely on Manafort’s finances.Prosecutors say that Manafort collected $65 million in his foreign accounts from 2010-2014 and spent more than $15 million on luxury purchases in the same time period, including high-end clothing, real estate purchases, landscaping and other big-ticket items.They also alleged that Manafort lied to banks to take out more than $20 million in loans after his Ukrainian political work dried up in 2015 and accused him of hiding foreign bank accounts from federal authorities. Manafort also was charged with receiving loans from the Federal Savings Bank after one of its executives sought a position in the Trump campaign and the administration, according to prosecutors.“Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and he lied to get more money when he didn’t,” prosecutor Greg Andres said told jurors during closing arguments. “This is a case about lies.” RELATED: Manafort emailed Kushner with recommendations for senior administration postsDefense attorney Richard Westling said Manafort became the special counsel’s victim in a “selective process of pulling” his financial records to concoct a narrative of an “elaborate fraud scheme.” (Judge T.S. Ellis, who has been a colorful, and at-times controversial, presence during the trial, later instructed the jury not to consider such characterizations of Mueller’s team’s motives.)Manafort defense attorney Kevin Downing told reporters that his client was “very happy” with how closing arguments went. “His defense team got to address the jury, point out the shortcomings in the government’s case and explain that the government has not met their burden of proof,” Downing said.Manafort faces up to 305 years in prison if convicted on all charges.CNN’s Aaron Cooper and Devon Sayers contributed to this report. Please Donate to help the site Grow. Many thanks (Visited 1 times, 1 visits today) Share this:'
'advertising','english','Home / Gaming / Thanos’ Black Order Rally for New Marvel Series Thanos’ Black Order Rally for New Marvel Series admin 19 mins ago Gaming Leave a comment 2 ViewsShare.By Colin StevensThe Black Order, Thanos’ personal squad of super villains, is getting its own limited comic series.As reported by CBR , the limited series will simply be called Black Order, and it is being worked on by writer Derek Landy and artist Philip Tan. The first of five issues in this limited series, Black Order #1 goes on sale November 7.Also known as the Cull Obsidian, the Black Order is comprised of Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, Black Swan, Ebony Maw and Black Dwarf, and in the limited series they are following commands of the Grandmaster (notably portrayed by Jeff Goldblum in Thor: Ragnarok). However, they may just encounter an even more menacing figure on their mission.Credit: Marvel“Springboarding from their last appearance in Avengers: No Surrender, Black Order sets the flagitious five on a bloody, brutal, head-rolling take-no-prisoners tear that will pit them against the forces of an entire Galactic Empire – and where they’ll encounter some familiar Marvel faces as well as some bonkers new faces along the way!” said Marvel senior vice president of publishing Tom Brevoort.The Black Order was featured prominently in Avengers: Infinity War as the Children of Thanos. If you’d like to know more about this motley crew, check out our thorough explanation of the Black Order .For more of the latest Marvel comics, read our review of Infinity Wars #2, which we said “is a disappointing follow-up to the first, one that features strong characterization for Gamora but does little to advance the larger narrative.”Colin Stevens is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter .'
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / Cops rescue a group of women stranded on a giant rainbow unicorn float Cops rescue a group of women stranded on a giant rainbow unicorn float admin 21 mins ago Tech News Leave a comment 1 ViewsOn August 11, the Chisago County Sheriff’s department in Minnesota stepped in when a rainbow unicorn pool float got stuck in the weeds and left a group of women stranded on a lake. Read more…'
'advertising','english','Home / Tech News / Inside MORE, the Las Vegas nightclub with its own cryptocurrency Inside MORE, the Las Vegas nightclub with its own cryptocurrency admin 27 mins ago Tech News Leave a comment 1 ViewsIt’s 11:15 p.m. on a Friday night and a man in a white button-down shirt named Joey just ordered me a shot of Fireball. It’s a little hard to hear him over the music blasting from the other side of the velvet ropes, but the club’s director of services leans in close to make sure I can hear him.“Excellence and hospitality in the crypto world,” Joey says in response to my request that he describe just what, exactly, is going on here.I’m sitting on a spacious couch in a private club, inside of another nightclub, inside of a casino, and we’re discussing Las Vegas’s first cryptocurrency nightclub: MORE Las Vegas . Launched in April by Peter Klamka — a man known for, among other things, his involvement with The Legends Room gentlemen’s club which allowed patrons to tip performers in bitcoin — the nightclub comes with all the trappings of a typical VIP Vegas destination. There’s the $250,000 bottles of champagne, high-heeled cocktail waitresses, and view of the Bellagio fountains that’s to die for.Unlike every other club in Las Vegas, however, this one has its own cryptocurrency — a currency you need to HODL to even get through the front door. Party through the Crypto WinterIt has not been a good year for the price of cryptocurrency.Bitcoin and ether are way down from their late 2017 and early 2018 highs, and most altcoins have fared significantly worse. Meanwhile, in the background, ICOs are revealed as scams at a disturbingly regular clip, and the SEC keeps dragging its heels on a proposed bitcoin ETF .The much-maligned talk of Lambos has shifted to progressively less convincing explanations as to why all of this is actually good for bitcoin.Still, some people are getting — or, if they sold at the right time, remain — undeniably rich. It is often that crew, the group who either through dumb luck or skill managed to retain its newfound wealth while the market bled, who feels the most committed to its bitcoin maximalist or Ethereum-world vision.Their livelihood depends on it, after all. And they like to party with each other. MORE CoinIt was with all this in mind that I accepted an invitation to check out MORE Las Vegas. I’d be in Vegas anyway for DEF CON , and this seemed like a great opportunity to see what a city that practically defines opulence does when it sticks its toes into the world of cryptocurrency.Well, what is does is MORE Las Vegas — a club with its own token that doubles as a de facto membership fee. Owning 5,000 MORE Coins or more makes you a MORE Las Vegas member.“[MORE Coin is] the intersection of nightlife and crypto demonstrating a real-world application of blockchain tech,” Klamka told me later that night.The coin trades on the , and was created at the behest of Klamka. At the time of this writing, the ERC-20 token built on the Ethereum blockchain is listed at just over 15 cents with a 24-hour trading volume of $201.For coin holders only.MORE Las Vegas is essentially a special VIP area inside of the Hyde nightclub, which itself is located inside of the Bellagio hotel and casino. To get in, you have to first reach out to Joey. This both gives you an opportunity to let the club know you’re coming, and to prove your stake in the coin.The floor staff is trained to accept cryptocurrency as payment, though interestingly all the prices on the bottle-service menu are listed in USD. And the staff isn’t picky about how you pay. Want to send them $100,000 worth of bitcoin for that 15-liter bottle of Ace of Spades champagne? They’re happy to take it.Want to pay in MORE Coin? Well, that’s fine too.According to a MORE Las Vegas spokesperson, the club has around 1,500 members — though, she emphasized, as the only thing that makes you a member is coin ownership, the number changes all the time.The place was about a third full when I arrived at 11 p.m. on Friday, which, in all fairness, is well before a Las Vegas club gets going. A look around at the clientele revealed what appeared to be typical Vegas nightclub goers: They were well-dressed and young with money to spend.Essentially, just like every other place on the Strip. Had crypto finally hit mainstream adoption?But that changed shortly after we went outside to the club’s stunning private patio. Directly at ground level, it overlooked the Bellagio fountains and was clearly a big selling point for Klamka. Shortly after our interview concluded, Klamka left the patio to soon return with a group of young men that much more closely aligned with the stereotype of someone all in on crypto.One of the group, covered in various crypto tattoos, had a scrolling LED hat that brightly read “BITCOIN.” Below his shorts, high bitcoin-themed socks complimented some form of fuzzy slipper.The club had a strict dress code, and while it wasn’t clear if this new arrival’s garb fell within it, that clearly hadn’t stopped him from getting in.We struck up a conversation, and soon realized we were both in town for the DEF CON hacking convention. When I asked him if he was worried that his tattoos might make him a target for hackers, he shrugged off the possibility.He kept most of his crypto in cold storage, he assured me. His blinding hat made conversation difficult.When his friends settled the bill later in the night, they appeared to pay with a credit card. Big PlansIn many ways, MORE Las Vegas is just another luxury nightclub in a city full of them. But, in the world of cryptocurrency, it is possibly something more. It’s an actual brick-and-mortar business, after all, in an industry that is flush with grand ideas but lacking in execution.Klamka spoke of plans to open additional locations in Miami and elsewhere, and described a business model where people buy and sell club memberships on the blockchain. This was a real-world application, albeit an extremely boozy one, of an ERC-20 token.It may not have been what Vitalik Buterin had in mind, but I can’t imagine that would bother Klamka too much.After all, he’s got a business to run and a coin to promote — and you’d better believe he’s HODLing.'
'advertising','english',"Basic PLUS Author | 42 Articles Joined: June 12, 2016 How To Know When It's Time To Change Careers By Peter Mangini | Submitted On August 03, 2018Thinking About A New Career?There are a lot of people who are unhappy with their employment situation and often think about the steps that they should take to successfully change their career. That's the reason why I'm writing this article, to encourage you to not let anything keep you from moving forward and bettering your life situation.Many have successfully changed their careers and greatly improved the quality of their lives and you can too.There's some good news in that we all have the ability to learn and it's never been easier to successfully change careers due to the enormous amount of research that can be done on the internet on just about any topic. Is a career change really a good idea right now?Here are 4 things that make people think about doing something different with their lives:They are bored at work - Are you bored once in a while or every day? Is there a more fulfilling job available in your workplace that you can do? Is there a change in the daily routine available that can get rid of the source of boredom? Do you need another company or another career, or both? Not enough income - Can you check out the possibilities for advancement in your present job and career situation? Would a better position and a rise in income, in the same field, be all that's needed? Talents not being used - Is there another position available where you can better use your talents and do something more fulfilling? You might consider talking to the boss to see if you could make some changes to use those talents and perhaps even get a pay increase in the process. Health issues - Are you physically unable to comfortably perform the present duties at work? Is it harder because of the age factor and stress on the body? Maybe it's time to evaluate yourself for the years ahead, what would you like to be doing 5-10 years from now? Sometimes after considering these things one can tell for sure if the idea of completely changing careers is right for their situation. Of course you must take family into consideration.I would say that most often there is a real learning curve that takes place with your new career choice and the income might take many months to build up to what the person is currently earning. It's a must to have a good plan in place so that you can make it through the growing period and still maintain a certain comfort level.You Gotta Have a PlanMany would like to change their careers and they might go out looking for another job and find themselves in the same situations in a few years time. This is serious business due to the fact that we only have so many years in our working careers, and they go by quickly.It's very important to have more than just an idea but a plan to follow that will bring you where you want to be in your older years. Think about how you can help others in your current or new career. See the rewards in their getting what they need and you being financially rewarded for your service.Make Sure Of What You WantDo you have a real desire or a short-lived and poorly thought out idea that gets replaced every so often with another great idea? Most people fail for lack of planning and a short-sighted view. Will the change bring you happiness and fulfillment or simply more money, and stress to go along with it?My name is Pete, internet business entrepreneurs generally have multiple websites which are continuously attracting multiple sources of income. If you would like to learn about making money in your own online business, making your own websites, increasing site traffic, writing content-rich articles, it would be a great idea to take advantage of an absolutely FREE opportunity 10 FREE Certification Course Lessons and get 2 FREE WordPress websites to create, step by step, your own sites. There is No Card Required - Nothing To Lose. Come to see for yourself >>>NewCareerAt40.com"
'advertising','english','Malaysia sets sights on legacy and impact “When we talk about legacy and impact, it’s beyond CSR." whatsapp 0 whatsapp 0 Facebook 0 Tweet 0 linkedin 0 Google+ 0“Meetings are not just about economic impact and visitor expenditure we want to go beyond that,” says Ho Yoke Ping, general manager, business events, Malaysia Convention Exhibition Bureau MyCEB, at the recent Malaysia Business Events Week.The beyond that Ping speaks of refers to legacy, a concept that defines the societal and cultural impact of events on communities. Examples of this are a greater awareness around a medical issue, or the addition of... '
'advertising','english','Coming from Teamsaxo is their new 1/10th scale high downforce body shell for formula pan cars. It is made of 0.6mm polycarbonate and features a wide nose to provide more front end grip, balanced by side winglets that help to plant the rear of the car. Towards the back of the body, a rear deck area featuring a spur gear cover directs airflow efficiently towards the rear wing. Each package includes a clear body, helmet and stickers.Source: Teamsaxo [saxoracing.com]'
'advertising','english','ArndtCraft have introduced their new Extreme Cool fan shroud for the Yokomo BD8-2018 and 2017 touring cars. The part is purpose designed for the BD8 and uses a standard 30mm fan such as the ones from ArndtCraft, R1 or WTF. The outlet will improve motor cooling when running indoors or in high ambient temperatures and it is compatible with ArndtCraft’s High Velocity inlet for even greater cooling performance.Source: ArndtCraft [arndtcraft.com]'
'advertising','english','Government Slow to Adopt Digital Recruiting 16/08/2018 | Filed under: News | Posted by: adminGovernment contractors in the private sector are twice as likely as their public-sector counterparts to use online tools and social media for their recruitment needs, according to a recent survey.Source:: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/shrm/hrnews/~3/W5hg10LLVXk/government-slow-adopt-digital-recruiting.aspx '
'advertising','english','The Georgia Bulldogs have picked up another verbal commitment for the class of 2019, this one from four-star defense tackle Tymon Mitchell of Nashville, Tennessee (Franklin Road Academy).Mitchell announced his commitment to the Dawgs this afternoon via his Twitter account.COMMITTED #GODAWGS pic.twitter.com/5gbdf97aio— Tymon Mitchell (@Tmitch1567) August 16, 2018Tymon Mitchell (6-3, 309) committed to the Georgia Bulldogs over offers from Alabama, California, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and others.Rivals.com rates Tymon Mitchell as a four-star recruit and the No. 19 defensive tackle for the 2019 class.In the 247Sports Composite , Tymon Mitchell is rated as a three-star recruit, the No. 24 defensive tackle, and the No. 400 recruit for the 2019 class.The addition of Mitchell gives the Georgia Bulldogs 19 total commitments for the class of 2019. Georgia’s class is currently rated the best in the nation by 247Sports.UGA Football CommitmentsGo Dawgs!— Coach Kirby Smart (@KirbySmartUGA) August 16, 2018#CommitToTheG— Georgia Football (@FootballUGA) August 16, 2018The post Four-star DT Tymon Mitchell commits to UGA for 2019 appeared first on SicEmDawgs.com .'
'advertising','english','By johnibChina’s military has expanded its bomber operations in recent years while “likely training for strikes” against the United States and its allies, a Pentagon report released on Thursday said.A B-6K strategic bomber aircraft of the Chinese Air Force is seen before the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, October 25, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer. The assessm ent, which comes at a time of heightened U.S.-China tensions over trade, was contained in an annual report that highlighted China’s efforts to increase its global influence, with defense spending that the Pentagon estimates exceeded $190 billion in 2017.“Over the last three years, the PLA has rapidly expanded its overwater bomber operating areas, gaining experience in critical maritime regions and likely training for strikes against U.S. and allied targets,” the report said, using an acronym for China’s People’s Liberation Army.FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis gestures during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, U.S., May 19, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo In January the Pentagon put countering Beijing, along with Russia, at the center of a new national defense strategy.The report comes as China and the United States plan to hold trade talks, offering hope they might resolve an escalating tariff conflict that threatens to degenerate into an all-out trade war.The report said that while the PLA had continued to extend operations, it was not clear what message Beijing was seeking to send by carrying out the flights “beyond a demonstration of improved capabilities.”The Chinese embassy in Washington could not immediately be reached for comment.This year China’s air force landed bombers on islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of a training exercise in the disputed region.While Washington and Beijing maintain a military-to-military relationship aimed at containing tensions, this has been tested in recent months, notably in May when the Pentagon withdrew an invitation to China to join a multinational naval exercise.In June, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis became the first Pentagon chief to visit China since 2014.The Pentagon report said that despite a projected slowdown in economic growth, China’s official defense budget would be more than $240 billion by 2028.The Pentagon report also said China’s space program was progressing rapidly.“The PLA continues to strengthen its military space capabilities despite its public stance against the militarization of space,” it said.This month, President Donald Trump’s administration announced an ambitious plan to usher in a new “Space Force” as the sixth branch of the military by 2020.One of the arguments in favor of developing such a force is that American rivals like China appear increasingly ready to strike U.S. space-based capabilities in the event of a conflict.Reporting by Idrees Ali; additional reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Tom BrownReuters'
'advertising','english','Keyshia Cole Shares Heartbreaking News That Her Mother Is Still On DrugsPublished TweetA year ago R&B star Keyshia Cole shared a painful message with her fans, acknowledging that her mother Francine “Frankie” Lons, had relapsed. Now, Cole is updating fans on her mother’s status and sadly it has not improved.On Wednesday Cole took to her Instagram to lament about the pain of watching a loved one go through a battle with drugs. The video shows Cole with her mother in happier times when she was sober.“This was 2 1/2 years ago. Every time my mom relapse, it breaks my heart more than it’s already been broken. I’m hoping, if any of u are dealing with a family member who’s battling with drug addiction, that you, yourself are learning how to cope with the struggle of it all,” Cole wrote.While Cole has been very open with her family’s struggles, stemming back from their BET reality series, “The Way It Is,” she says she is still holding out hope for her mother’s recovery and wants Frankie to know that she has her love.“I really miss you! And will always love u,” Cole concluded. A post shared by Keyshia Cole (@keyshiacole) on Aug 15, 2018 at 3:03pm PDTFans sent Cole their prayers and well wishes for her mother in her comment section. Meanwhile Cole also sent her prayers to Aretha Franklin’s family and also shared a video of the late soul singer singing one of her hits. A post shared by Keyshia Cole (@keyshiacole) on Aug 15, 2018 at 11:48am PDT'
'advertising','english','In Startups — 16 Aug, 2018Food delivery startup DoorDash announced this afternoon that it has raised $250 million, just five months since the company announced a $535 million round .Why raise more money so soon? CEO Tony Xu told Axios that he wasn’t actively looking for additional investment, but was open to investor interest because it could help the company expand more quickly. (Maybe he’ll have more to say about those plans at Disrupt SF next month.)The new funding was led by Coatue Management and DST Global. It sounds like the terms were pretty appealing too, with the valuation growing from $1.4 billion to $4 billion.In a blog post , the company said it’s had a good 2018, with deliveries increasing 250 percent year-over-year, restaurant chains like Chipotle and IHOP signing up and last week’s launch of the DashPass subscription service , where you can pay $9.99 per month to get unlimited free deliveries.“As we grow, we will stay true to our values and our mission of connecting people with possibility\u200a —\u200a and, trust us, we’re just getting started,” DoorDash wrote.'
'advertising','english','adminThe report from video platform VidMob additionally discovered that regardless of a waning curiosity in superstar tie-ins, influencers nonetheless impact Gen Z.The publish Report: Conventional strategies of personalization don’t work for millennials and Gen Z appeared first on Advertising and marketing Land.Please go to Advertising and marketing Land for the complete article.'
'advertising','english','Nvidia forecast lags Wall Street as crypto demand evaporatesNvidia Corp shares fell as much as 5 percent in after-hours trading on Thursday after the chip maker said cryptocurrency-fueled demand had dried up and it forecast sales below Wall Street targets, overshadowing quarterly results that otherwise beat expectations.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/gNOQ2LvBUHM/nvidia-forecast-lags-wall-street-as-crypto-demand-evaporates-idUSKBN1L12FJ '
'advertising','english','By Olugbenga Ige INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood YakubuTwitterThe Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed speculations that the logos of some parties had been removed from the ballot paper to be used for the Sept. 22 governorship election in Osun state.The speculations followed the release of a poster of specimen ballot paper which left out the logos of some political parties.But INEC’s spokesperson in the state, Olusayo Adedokun, said in a statement on Friday that what was released was the poster of a specimen ballot paper for education purpose only.“The attention of the commission has been drawn to the misconception as regards one of our voter education materials, especially the poster on specimen ballot paper for the Sept.22 governorship election.“The essence of the poster is to show what the ballot paper will look like for the election.“The omission of some political parties that are fielding candidates for the September election was not intentional.“The specimen ballot paper was just for the purpose of educating the electorate on how not to cast invalid votes.“A new poster of specimen ballot paper containing the logos of all political parties fielding candidates for the September governorship election will soon be published,” she stated.'
'advertising','english','In Startups — 17 Aug, 2018Mutiny , which is part of the current batch of startups at accelerator Y Combinator, helps business-to-business, software-as-a-service companies present a message that’s customized to each visitor on their website.Co-founder and CEO Jaleh Rezaei said this concept is alive and well in the analog world: When she was at VMware, sales reps were given materials to help them tailor their pitch for each prospective customer. Then, when she was one of the early employees at HR services startup Gusto , she tried to do something similar online, only to find that existing software wasn’t quite up to the task.There are landing page optimization tools , but Rezaei asked, “Who wants to create a thousand versions of your website?” And there are A/B testing tools , but Rezaei argued that they’re really designed to test “generic content” and use “very little audience intelligence.” And as for creating your own personalization tools, many companies will find that it requires “way too much engineering effort.”That’s where Mutiny comes in. It integrates with existing data sources to allow businesses to divide their customers into segments. Then they can use Mutiny’s graphical interface to create personalized elements of the webpage for each segment.For example, when you visit the homepage of Mutiny customer Amplitude , things like the customer testimonials and the call to action will change depending on the size of the company. Or when Brex customers click through from an email marketing campaign, they’ll see a credit card offer tailored to their name and company.These kinds of changes might not seem all that significant, but Rezaei said that when someone visits a B2B website, they’re probably interested in the product or service already. If they’re not converting, it’s probably because “they didn’t find what they wanted right away.” Mutiny can help surface the right content or the right message for the right customer.The startup will also compare the personalized results to the generic webpage to help determine what does and doesn’t improve the bottom line. Rezaei said some of Mutiny’s early customers (who include Gusto, Infusionsoft and Brex) have seen conversion rates improve by 20 to 180 percent.“That’s not to say that every test performs better, but the nice thing here is that you immediately see how something is performing,” she added.Eventually, Rezaei is hoping to expand Mutiny’s technology so that it can personalize every aspect of the B2B purchase experience, including email and ad retargeting.“Our passion as a founding team is growth,” she said. “Progress occurs not when you just build something, but when that product makes it into the hands of the person for whom it was intended to help.”'
'advertising','english','By peoplestrusttorontoWe’re almost there: in just 4 trading days, the S&P 500 “bull market” which has purchased by central banks with trillions in liquidity and by companies with even more trillions in buybacks, will become longest of all-time.And yet away from the S&P, BofA’s Michael Hartnett notes that “ there have been so many grizzly bond, commodity & equity market returns this year”: for example, global bonds are annualizing their worst price return (-3.5% local currency) since 1999; 11 of 21 commodity markets have experienced “bear” markets; 1254 ACWI constituents out of a universe of 2273 are in bear markets (i.e. down >20%).Just as ironically, less than a month after the record bull run anniversary comes September 15th, which marks the 10-year anniversary of Lehman bankruptcy & Global Financial Crisis; what happened next is precisely why the bull market is about to be longest in history:central banks immediately adopted extreme & unprecedented monetary policies (705 rate cuts, $12.4tn QE, lowest global rates in 5000 years) successfully preventing debt default & deflation, reflating Wall St…catalyzing one of the greatest credit & equity bull markets in history.Meanwhile, just as fascinating are all the assets that 10 years later actually remain below their Sept 14th 2008 levels …oil, industrial metals, equity markets in Italy, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Turkey, global equity sectors such as energy & utilities, and most glaring of all, the European& the Japanese banks; the central banks prevented debt deflation, but they did not inflate indebted assets.And while the S&P has so far been spared, “ the end of the excess liquidity regime in 2018 has been the main factor behind the grizzly bond, commodity & equity market returns this year” (with the very conspicuous exception of the US dollar, the NASDAQ & the S&P500) : YTD global returns of US dollar 5%, commodities 2%, stocks 1%, cash 1%, high yield -1%, government bonds -2%, investment grade -3%…truly disappointing given global synchronized recovery, multi-decade unemployment lows in US, UK, Japan, Germany, 4% US GDP growth, record global EPS, $1tn US stock buybacks, $1.5tn US tax cuts Global bonds (as measured by the $51tn ICE BofAML global fixed income index) are annualizing their worst price return (-3.5% local currency) since 1999 11 of 21 commodity markets have experienced “bear” markets (i.e. >20% peak-to-trough decline) and a further 9 “corrections” (i.e. >10% peak-to-trough declines) 12 of 45 MSCI country indices are in “bear” markets and a further 17 equity indices have experienced “corrections” The MSCI World Index (equal-weighted) is down 14% since its Jan highs (Chart 3); 1254 ACWI constituents out of a universe of 2273 are in bear markets (i.e. down >20%) And the S&P500 summer surge had been unambiguously led by defensives (top 5 performing US sectors past 3 months = staples, utilities, REITs, health care, telecoms, in that order)Yet even as the S&P has managed to decouple from the rest of the world, the clouds are gathering as the stealth bear market of 2018 threatens to spillover into the US.Here Bank of America once again resorts to the 3P – Positioning, Profits, Policy – that dictate tactical and cyclical shifts in credit & equity markets.Of the three, Positioning is the #1 positive for risk assets according to Hartnett. In January, BofA’s Bull & Bear Indicator hit 8.6 indicating a “euphoric” market; in contrast by June the same indicator was signaling very-close-to-but-not-quite-Despair, having dropped to 2.3.Currently we are only marginally above (3.0) the “extreme bear” levels, hence our view that summer “pain trade” was up. Sadly contrarian upside has been limited to the market with the buybacks: the US.At the same time, thanks to Trump tax reform, corporate profits have surged in 2018: 23% in the US, 10% in the rest of the world. However, corporate bonds & equities have played “buy-the-rumor, sell-the-fact” with EPS in 2018 and in recent months lead indicators of global profits, such as Korean exports (note Japanese export growth negative in July in the chart below)…… European & Chinese PMIs, and global trade volumes…… confirm that global economic momentum & profit growth peaked in March.Meanwhile, the US yield curve is now <25bps from inversion ( has signaled 7 out of past 7 recessions ). We suspect the weak US housing market portends a shift in the US macro narrative to peak US GDP, yields & US dollar in the next 3-6 months.At the same time, there is a growing need political and social need to transition from QE to PE (“Populist Easing” via Keynesianism, Redistribution, and Protectionism) which is already proving less asset-price friendly. This trend is likely to worsen as politicians voice support for central bank subservience, Occupy Silicon Valley policies, and regulation/taxation of stock buybacks in the name of wealth inequality.And of course monetary policy stimulus has also peaked: Central bank asset purchases were $1.60tn in 2016, $2.30tn in 2017, but are just $0.16tn thus far in 2018, and by year-end global liquidity will be contracting.The imminent contraction of global liquidity has already been sniffed out by the “canary-in-the-coalmine” asset class of Emerging Markets. Picking up on what SocGen noted three weeks ago, when it highlighted a “near unprecedented” divergence in the FX market between EMs and Developed Markets, BofA shows that EM volatility relative to G7 FX vol is now at a 10 year high.What happens when EMs finally crack, with or without the developed markets: according to BofA, “ultimately, the Fed will work out that a levered financial market and economy can’t cope with higher rates and they will stop “:Share buybacks with borrowed money is leverage, private equity are leveraged equity portfolios, tax cuts financed with Treasuries is leverage, pension fund liabilities in excess of assets is leverageUltimately, a cynical if accurate argument for financial assets is simply that “US policy makers cannot take the risk of letting asset prices cause a recession”: US financial asset prices as a share of US GDP are now at a record high.And since Wall St deflation, rather than Main St inflation, is the quickest route to recession, the Fed will have no choice but to prop up markets once more.The question is when… here is BofA’s forecast:Until the Fed blinks (likely December at the earliest) and until KOSPI & copper indicate that Chinese policy makers have eased big to stimulate Asian growth, we believe the double-whammy of Peak Profits & Peak Policy stimulus will overwhelm Bearish Positioning; we retain defensive, bearish recommendations.'
'advertising','english','August 17, 2018, 2:01 pm 0 SHARES After a full day Thursday, the jury hadn’t yet reached a verdict on the 18 counts of tax evasion, bank fraud and hiding foreign bank accounts brought by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.The trial carries major implications for the future of the Mueller investigation. The President has repeatedly called the probe a “witch hunt” that hasn’t found evidence of Russian collusion with his campaign, and Trump’s allies in and out of the White House say the special counsel should wrap things up.An acquittal of Manafort would add to criticism that Mueller’s investigation hasn’t been worth the time and expense.A conviction, however, would allow Democrats and Mueller’s supporters to say ending the investigation would be premature. A Manafort conviction could also boost Mueller’s position as he negotiates with Trump’s lawyers over a potential interview.The trial has not touched on Russia or the 2016 election. Instead, the focus has been entirely on Manafort’s finances.Prosecutors said Manafort had collected $65 million in foreign bank accounts from 2010 to 2014 and spent more than $15 million on luxury purchases in the same period, including high-end clothing, real estate, landscaping and other big-ticket items.They also alleged that Manafort had lied to banks in order to take out more than $20 million in loans after his Ukrainian political work dried up in 2015 and accused him of hiding foreign bank accounts from federal authorities. Manafort also was charged with receiving loans from the Federal Savings Bank after one of its executives sought a position in the Trump campaign and administration, according to prosecutors.“Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and he lied to get more money when he didn’t,” prosecutor Greg Andres told jurors during closing arguments. “This is a case about lies.”Defense attorney Richard Westling said Manafort became the special counsel’s victim in a “selective process of pulling” his financial records to concoct a narrative of an “elaborate fraud scheme.” (Judge T.S. Ellis, who has been a colorful, and at times controversial, presence during the trial, later instructed the jury not to consider such characterizations of Mueller’s team’s motives.)Manafort faces up to 305 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Jury questionsBefore leaving for the day Thursday, the jury sent Ellis four questions, including one asking whether he could “redefine” the meaning of “reasonable doubt,” the legal threshold for acquitting a defendant. Ellis responded that the prosecutors had to prove their case not “beyond possible doubt,” but beyond “doubt based on reason.”Two of the questions — when a person is required to file a foreign banking disclosure and the definition of “shelf” companies — related to tax and banking disclosures from memorable moments in witness testimony during the trial.Former Manafort deputy Rick Gates testified that shelf companies — the type of company Manafort allegedly used to set up bank accounts in Cyprus — were those that had been already set up on Cyprus’ corporate registry so a person would not have to create and name a new company. It’s as if they “are already on the shelf,” Gates said.Gates previously pleaded guilty to financial charges brought by Mueller, and he is cooperating with the special counsel. On the witness stand, he admitted to embezzling several hundred thousand dollars from Manafort, his former business partner.The foreign banking disclosure question goes to one of the defense team’s most effective examinations of a witness in the trial.In that testimony, an agent from the federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said multiple people could be required to file foreign banking disclosures on an account. But she also said that if a corporation owned a foreign banking account, it could have its own filing requirement and people who owned less than 51 percent of the company may not have to file.Manafort and his wife, Kathleen, each owned 50 percent of his Ukrainian political consulting business, DMP International, which held some of the bank accounts. DMP International itself was not indicted — though as a company it could have been, Ellis had told the jury previously.Ellis instructed jurors to use their collective recollection for those two questions.Some of the questions the jury asked Thursday may be answered by the instructions the judge gave them before they began deliberating, which they are able to listen to again. Please Donate to help the site Grow. Many thanks (Visited 1 times, 1 visits today) Share this:'
'advertising','english','Google employees demand more oversight of China search engine plan 16/08/2018 | Filed under: News | Posted by: adminGoogle is not close to launching a search engine app in China, its chief executive said at a companywide meeting on Thursday, according to a transcript seen by Reuters, as employees of the Alphabet Inc unit called for more transparency and oversight of the project.Source:: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/businessNews/~3/GhZxtEcV2MM/google-employees-demand-more-oversight-of-china-search-engine-plan-idUSKBN1L128O '
'advertising','english','Campaign Edge merges with local NT agency Sprout to form Campaign Edge Sprout in Darwin Friday 17, August 2018 at 12:27 PM by Ricki Comments (1) Campaign Edge is now in Darwin, having merged with local Darwin agency, Sprout to form Campaign Edge Sprout.Sprout was started 18 years ago by Anya Lorimer and is the Territory\'s largest design agency, while Campaign Edge has offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne and is led by creative director Dee Madigan (left). The agency\'s recent campaign \'No one Deserves a Serve\' was a finalist for the 2018 Ad of the Year. Campaign Edge Sprout, Darwin will capitalise on Madigan\'s 20 years\' experience in the advertising industry and success in developing integrated campaigns for some of the world\'s largest brands, including HSBC, Coca-Cola, J & J, Unilever and Nestle. Madigan is also one of the nation\'s most experienced political campaigners. She has been creative director on 12 election campaigns. Says Madigan: "I spent six weeks working in Darwin for the 2016 election and fell in love with the place. I have been back and forth numerous times since, looking at business opportunities. I was so impressed with the quality of work that Sprout offers its clients, and we are excited to team with Anya and her crew to make NT advertising the best in the country." Campaign Edge Sprout will work across a range of brand, corporate, government and social marketing clients, offering the NT clients the best in advertising, digital, branding, design and production.'
'advertising','english','By Information NigeriaPhoto used as an illustrationA woman, Sinqobile Sibanda, 25, has told a divorce court that her husband has a “big but useless organ”, hence he fails to fulfil her sexual urge.Sibanda, who dragged her husband before the court over sexual abuse revealed that her husband, Thando Sengwayo, 29, becomes physically abusive every time they have a dispute.“Your worship, this man has sexually abused me for a long time. He has big genitals which would make one assume it works to expectations but it’s useless. He is lazy and does one round and a short one for that matter then he sleeps,” complained Sibanda, reports iHarare.Sengwayo admitted that he abuses his wife but promised to change, he went on to blame his job, which he described as “strenuous and physically demanding.”“I promise this court that I will refrain from being abusive and try to be a good husband,” he said.Magistrate Ndumo Masuku ordered Sengwayo not to physically and sexually abuse his wife again. And he granted Sibanda a protection order.'
'advertising','english','By peoplestrusttorontoSouthwest Airlines has revamped their policy for travelers who need to fly with unconventional “emotional support animals,” following similar moves by JetBlue, United, American and Delta – which have all cracked down on those traveling with everything from motherfu*king therapy snakes, to supportive spiders, to peacocks trained to stow one’s emotional baggage. Cats and dogs are still allowed.One animal Southwest hasn’t restricted, however, is miniature horses . Because why not?Each passenger will be allowed one Emotional Support Animal (ESA) – which we imagine will be the ultimate Sophie’s Choice for those hoping to smuggle their emotional ant farms past security. Also, a note from a licensed medical doctor or mental health professional will be required on the day of departure.For everyone not bringing an emotional support cat, dog, or miniature horse – looks like you’re just going to have to go to your happy place – or take a road trip.'
'advertising','english','https://ift.tt/2vRDobCAugust 17, 2018FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Thyssenkrupp’s workers are prepared to do their part in the ongoing restructuring of the embattled conglomerate, its interim chairman and trade union secretary Markus Grolms told a German magazine.Thyssenkrupp’s conglomerate structure has been heavily criticized by some shareholders who argue that a more focused set-up would unlock value, stoking fears among workers that the company could be broken up.“Of course we are prepared to help shape changes. For us no organizational structure is sacrosanct,” Grolms told Focus magazine in an interview. “Over the past seven years, the group – with the approval of the labor side – has sold a dozen enterprises with about 70,000 employees.”“What matters to me is whether something like that makes economic sense and can be realized in a way that is fair to employees,” said Grolms. “We are opposed to the logic of exploitation, which implies the sale of valuable parts to fund a special dividend for shareholders.”Grolms, of trade union IG Metall, is heading Thyssenkrupp’s supervisory board until a permanent successor can be found for former Chairman Ulrich Lehner, who resigned in July over what he said was insufficient backing from the committee.Grolms, who Focus said moved into Lehner’s office at the start of August, said there was a high level of uncertainty among workers in light of the current crisis, which also included the resignation of CEO Heinrich Hiesinger and a profit warning.Shareholders Cevian and Elliott have been impatient for change and want more radical restructuring of the elevators-to-submarines group.The nomination committee of the company’s supervisory board is currently working on finding a successor to Lehner.Grolms is not a member of the committee but he said the issue was still keeping him occupied around the clock: “We are preparing ourselves for a debate about the company’s strategy.”Grolms said any candidate should be able to live with the fact that Thyssenkrupp is a company whose different owners have their own ideas about its future and whose employees, too, have justified claims.“If I could make a wish I would appoint a person who can skillfully draw these threads together,” he said.(Reporting by Christoph Steitz; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Elaine Hardcastle)Vía One America News Network https://ift.tt/2vPr4Zo'
'advertising','english',"By Men’s HealthSo far, 107 people have been effected during this recent outbreak – and this number will likely exceed last year's number of 118 cases, according to USA Today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday that people in 21 states and the District of Columbia have contracted measles. So far, 107 people have been effected during this recent outbreak – and this number will likely exceed last year’s number of 118 cases, according to USA Today . All this talk about measles might have you wondering whether there’s a chance you could contract the disease, even if you’ve been vaccinated. Here’s everything you need to know about the measles vaccine. When was the measles vaccine invented? The measles vaccine became available in 1963, according to the Immunization Action Coalition. In 1971, the measles vaccine was combined with the mumps and rubella vaccines to form the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. How old do you have to be get the measles vaccine? The CDC recommends the vaccine be delivered in two doses. Kids should get their first shot between 12 and 15 months old, and their second between four and six years old. Unvaccinated adults born after 1957 should get at least one dose. People born prior to 1957 were likely exposed to the measles and are therefore considered immune. Can you get measles if you’ve been vaccinated? First things first: The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. One dose is around 93 percent effective at preventing measles, and two doses are around 97 percent effective. That means it’s possible, but extremely rare , to contract measles after you’ve been vaccinated, as the Mayo Clinic pointed out. When the U.S. was hit with a record-breaking 667 measles cases in 27 states in 2014, the majority of people who got sick were unvaccinated . How long does a measles vaccine last? If you already got the government-recommended dosage of the MMR vaccine, the CDC says you don’t need to re-up. “CDC considers people who received two doses of measles vaccine as children according to the U.S. vaccination schedule protected for life, and they do not ever need a booster dose ,” the organization says."
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'advertising','english','https://ift.tt/2wcE4bfAugust 17, 2018(Reuters) – China will continue its cooperation and relations with Iran, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday, citing a statement from Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi.The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 deal in which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for the lifting of most Western sanctions, is in line with the international community’s “common interest”, the Chinese diplomat said in a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, according to Xinhua.“We have openly indicated that we oppose the wrong practices of unilateral sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ in international relations,” Wang Yi was quoted as saying.Beijing has cultivated close commercial links with Tehran, especially in the energy sector.China’s ties with Tehran are open, transparent and lawful, its foreign ministry said earlier in August, after U.S. President Donald Trump said companies doing business with Iran would be barred from the United States.Earlier this year, Trump took the call to pull the United States out of the JCPOA, ignoring pleas from the other world powers that had co-sponsored the deal, including Washington’s main European allies, Britain, France and Germany, as well as Russia and China.(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Brown)Vía One America News Network https://ift.tt/2KYHO5q'
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'advertising','english','By johnibAlready burdened with jihadist violence in the north of the country, the fragile Sahel state of Burkina Faso must now confront the reality of an escalating threat in its east.Experts say the spread is the result of a squeeze on the insurgents in neighbouring Mali and Niger — but to roll the rebels back, one of the world’s poorest countries will have to dig deep into its threadbare pockets.Islamist attacks on Burkina Faso began in 2015, starting with cross-border incursions in the north.© AFP/File | Burkina Faso is on the front line of the jihadist revolt in the Sahel, with gunmen launching coordinated attacks in March on the French embassy, cultural centre and the Burkinabe military headquarters in OuagadougouA toll released in April found that 133 people had died in the north in 80 attacks in three years, many of them state officials. Hundreds of schools and town halls have been closed.The capital Ouagadougou, in the centre of the country, has suffered three attacks in two years, leaving 60 dead.The east of the country is now in the firing line. Last weekend, five gendarmes and a civilian were killed when their convoy was ambushed at Fada N’Gourma, the main town of the Eastern Region.The lead vehicle in the convoy struck a mine, and those behind it came under heavy fire.“The method of attack isn’t new — we have had a number of this kind in the Sahel region. But this is the first in the Eastern Region,” said Abdoul-Karim Sawadogo, a West African security expert.“The Eastern Region has been in the eye of the storm for some time. It was already reputed for attacks by criminals but now it is starting to be targeted for terrorist attacks,” said Paul Koalaga, a consultant in geopolitics and security.On June 17, a policeman was killed in the town of Comin-Yanga in a simultaneous attack on the local police and gendarmerie stations.– In retreat? –Ironically, the attacks in the east could be a result of pressure exerted on the jihadists in Mali and Niger by France’s Barkhane force and the new G5 Sahel force, which pools troops from five states, said Sawadogo.“These repeat terrorist attacks in the east seem to be the work of Abou Walid al-Saharaoui, a warlord in the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara group,” he said.“He and his men have been routed in northern Mali and Niger, and ever since then, many people have been thinking that they may have retreated to the Eastern Region” in Burkina Faso.“The incidents there are consistent with his type of fighters, who specialise in ambush-style attacks, explosive devices and suicide attacks.”Koalaga said the combatants were mainly “Boko Haram remnants who are falling back from Niger.”Boko Haram is a hardline jihadist group that has caused the deaths of at least 20,000 people since it took up arms in northeast Nigeria in 2009. Its insurgency has spilt into neighbouring countries, including southern Niger, Chad and northern Cameroon.“Eastern Burkina is a sparsely-populated area and there are many forests where you can hole up,” a military specialist said, speaking condition of anonymity.– Challenges –The expert said Burkina Faso’s anti-terrorism strategy was “not up to speed.”Its weak point, he said, was in the intelligence services, which were based on the Presidential Security Regiment — a unit that was dismantled after an attempted coup in 2015 that implicated its former chief, General Gilbert Diendere who also served as the country’s spymaster.“There has been a lot of effort, genuine will and reassuring talk by the government, but terrorism has clearly advanced,” said Koalaga.“Burkina has to commit major resources to tackle the problem and to stand on its own feet, and not just rely on the G5 Sahel.”AFP'
'advertising','english','By Tosin AbayomiObafemi Martins is gradually working his way back to full fitness after a surgery from a serious injury. Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins has resumed training in Lagos Nigeria , after a long-term injury he suffered in April 2018.The 33-year-old Martins suffered the injury which was expected to keep him out for seven months in an Asian Champions League game played between Shanghai Shenhua and Kashima Antlers club played on Wednesday, April 4.The veteran forward was considered by Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr for a place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia , for his fine form during the season but the injury ruled him out of contention.However, according to a report by Complete Sports , Martins is trying to get back into shape before the due date of his anticipated return.According to the report, Martins who had a successful surgery in London is making his gradual recovery and rehabilitation procedures after his injury.In the report, Martins stated that he is working in the gym and is already eyeing a comeback to the pitch with his teammates.He said, “My rehabilitation is going very well. I work at the gym every day. I can’t wait to resume with my teammates.”Martins had a successful surgery after the injury and will hope to continue his good form since he moved to Chinese Super League (CSL) side Shanghai Shenhua in 2015 where he has contributed goals in a total of 40 league appearances before his injury.'
'agriculture','english','Home » Beef » First consignment of Northern Irish beef lands in the Philippines First consignment of Northern Irish beef lands in the PhilippinesThe first consignment of Northern Irish beef under the new trade agreement has arrived in the Philippines and is now on sale.The produce is likely to be used for foodservice in the country.The Filipino authorities announced in August 2017 that beef exports from the UK to the Philippines could recommence, alongside existing exports of pork, chicken and lamb.The first consignment of beef from Northern Ireland has now cleared customs in the Philippines and has the potential to become a major trade opportunity for the local beef industry.Welcoming the progress, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) deputy chief veterinary officer, Dr. Perpetua McNamee said: “We have been working in partnership with Defra and the industry to identify new markets and opportunities for our local meat sector.This process began in 2015 and it is welcoming to note that the Filipino people will now have the opportunity to sample the fine quality beef produced by our farmers. The approval processIn March 2015, DAERA and Defra officials travelled to the Philippines to highlight the high standards of animal welfare, traceability and official controls in the UK, which results in the production of a high-quality meat product. AdvertisementFollowing on from this visit, officials from the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Meat Inspection Service in the Philippines conducted a UK systems audit, covering beef, lamb, pork and poultry species in November 2016. The UK audit focused heavily on official controls and production methods in Northern Ireland, both on-farm and at processing-level.The Filipino authorities recognised the high standards in place and announced in August 2017 that beef exports from the UK to the Philippines could recommence, alongside existing exports of pork, chicken and lamb. Pork approvalDr. McNamee also welcomed the announcement that the pork industry in Northern Ireland will now have access to the Taiwanese market after authorities agreed to accept pork imports from the UK for the first time. Defra forecasts that additional trade to these new markets may be worth £34 million and £50 million to the UK beef and pork industries respectively over the next five years.McNamee added: “This market is of particular significance to the pork industry because it will provide opportunities for pork processors to export much of the less marketed ‘fifth-quarter’ products which have a limited outlet more locally.“Gaining access to the Philippines and Taiwanese markets is further recognition of the rigorous standards we have in place to produce our high-quality, safe and wholesome meat. We in DAERA will continue to invest much time and energy into opening new markets across the globe to expand the agri-food industry in NI.” RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','Home » Agri-Business » Tractor stolen in overnight raid in Co. Kildare Tractor stolen in overnight raid in Co. Kildare Next StoryA tractor has purportedly been stolen in Co. Kildare in recent days.The tractor – believed to be a Deutz-Fahr AgroPrima 6.16 – was taken from a premises in Kilshanroe, Co. Kildare, on Saturday night last (August 11) or in the early hours of Sunday morning.The tractor has a registration plate bearing: 94-LH-4067.Anyone with information should contact their local Garda station or Crimestoppers Freefone on: 1800-250-025. Meanwhile, in Co. Antrim, a cattle trailer has also been stolen. The trailer in question is a Tuff tri-axle trailer which was stolen on Sunday night, August 12.Its owner, Leanne Workman, has issued an appeal on social media for its recovery. Advertisement Image source: Leanne Workman Facebook pageThe trailer’s registration number is KRZ 1335. Anyone with information should contact the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) or An Garda Siochana. Stolen tractor recovered in DownIn related news, a tractor which was stolen from a field in Co. Tyrone recently was recovered by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) last Friday, August 10.Issuing a statement on social media, the PSNI said: “Thanks to our colleagues in PSNI Newry, Mourne and Down, police have recovered a stolen New Holland tractor which was taken from a field in the Ardboe area recently.“The farmer was greatly relieved to get his tractor back – as you can imagine,” the statement said. RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','Next StoryAs grass continues to recover across the country, so to is the mart trade. Mart managers, the length and breath of Ireland, have noted an improved market and larger sales in recent days.Although mart prices are below where they stood this time last year, this is welcome news for farmers as some sort of improvement in prices has been achieved.Where quality continental stock have been presented for sale, these lots have achieved the best prices; however, dairy-influenced stock are more difficult to sell.Stores are a good trade, with good demand for short-keep types. Good-quality weanling bulls remain steady and heavier types – suitable for finishing – are in demand from farmers; exporters are also in the mix for weanling bulls. However, poor-quality weanlings are struggling.Moreover, some mart managers have noted that the cull cow trade has also steadied in the last week. Mart managers are also confident that sales will increase in the coming weeks; autumn weanling sales are also starting to commence across the country. Kilkenny MartGeorge Candler – Kilkenny Mart auctioneer – noted that “for the first time in weeks, it’s nice to report something positive about the cattle trade”.Continental beef and forward bullocks were reported to be in demand, with continental beef steers peaking at €2.50/kg, while coloured forward lots sold to a top call of €2.85/kg.Friesian store bullocks made a top price of €1.85/kg, while poorer-quality types made €1.40/kg. George noted that plain Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bullocks – with dairy influence – met a difficult trade.Lighter heifer lots peaked at €2.35/kg. In general, the heavier lots made €2.05-2.30/kg, €2.00-2.45/kg was paid for the forward store lots and the lighter store classes (<400kg) made €600-870/head. Sample heifer prices : Limousin: 840kg – €1,720 or €2.05/kg; Charolais: 700kg – €1,550 or €2.21/kg; Limousin: 485kg – €1,175 or €2.42/kg; Hereford: 440kg – €920 or €2.09/kg; Aberdeen Angus: 365kg – €695 or €1.90/kg; Charolais: 265kg – €600 or €2.26/kg.In addition, Friesian cull cows sold for €0.60-1.70/kg, while continental lots traded at €1.25-2.80/kg on the day. Sample steer prices : Simmental: 710kg – €1,500 or €2.11/kg; Charolais: 690kg – €1,590 or €2.11/kg; Friesian: 585kg – €960 or €1.64/kg; Hereford: 510kg – €900 or €1.76/kg; Belgian Blue: 490kg – €1,300 or €2.65/kg; Charolais: 475kg – €1,350 or €2.84/kg; Simmental: 355kg – €725 or €2.04/kg; Limousin: 315kg – €660 or €2.10/kg. Ennis MartNumbers were reported to have doubled on the previous week’s sale at Ennis Mart on Friday last – especially in the bullock ring.The calibre of stock was also reported to be very high, with some excellent continental beef cows on offer. The number of customers operating around the ring also increased and a much more positive atmosphere was reported. Sample bullock prices : Charolais: 552kg – €1,420 or €2.57/kg; Limousin: 451kg – €1,185 or €2.63/kg; Hereford: 770kg – €1,350 or €1.75/kg; Aberdeen Angus: 675kg – €1,385 or €2.05/kg.The mart’s spokesperson noted that stock improved by €40-50 head on average – especially for good-quality types. Forward cattle were in demand, with a big improvement in prices achieved. Advertisement Belgian Blue: 405kg – €1,175 or €2.90/kg; Charolais: 565kg – €1,280 or €2.27/kg; Limousin: 635kg – €1,420 or €2.24/kg; Hereford: 500kg – €1,170 or €2.09/kg.Looking at the cow trade, €2.00/kg was reported to be broken on numerous occasions, while aged bulls were reported to be a good trade and these lots made a top call of €1.85/kg. Sample cull cow prices : Limousin: 630kg – €1,470 or €2.33/kg; Charolais: 570kg – €1,080 or €1.89/kg; Aberdeen Angus: 845kg – €1,500 or €1.78/kg; Friesian: 570kg – €570 or €1.24/kg. Raphoe MartA larger sale took place at Raphoe Mart on Thursday last, according to the marts Anne Harkin. The trade was reported to be similar to the previous week’s sale, with quality being the main factor affecting prices.Again, similar to other marts across the country, plainer cattle met the most difficult trade.Top-class bulls sold for €905-920 over and beef bullocks made €600-1,650 over; lighter store steers sold for €400-760 over.Meanwhile, in the heifer ring, beef lots made €500-570 over and store heifers traded at €350-675 along with their weight; dry cows sold at €835-1,425/head. Balla MartApproximately 800 lots were on offer on Saturday sale at Balla Mart. The mart manager reported that good-quality cattle were a good trade, but plainer types were harder sold.Bullocks weighing 300-400kg averaged €2.35/kg, while good-quality store bullocks weighing in the region of 450kg made approximately €1,200/head. Steers falling into the 400-500kg category sold for €2.24/kg on average.In addition, heavier bullocks (500kg upwards) averaged €2.12/kg on average. Sample steer prices : Limousin: 360kg – €1,165 or €3.24/kg; Charolais: 275kg – €815 or €2.96/kg; Charolais: 630kg – €1,580 or €2.51/kg; Charolais: 710kg – €1,650 or €2.32/kg; Limousin: 445kg – €1,500 or €2.56/kg.180 heifers went under the hammer and the trade was reported to be steady; lots weighing up to 400kg sold for an average price of €2.18/kg. The heavier lots (400-500kg) traded at €2.26/kg on average, while heifers (upwards of 500kg) made an average price of €2.25/kg. Sample heifer prices : Limousin: 280kg – €770 or €2.75/kg; Limousin: 390kg – €1,025 or €2.63/kg; Charolais: 460kg – €1,380 or €3.00/kg; Limousin: 510kg – €1,450 or €2.84/kg.In addition, some 90 cows went under the hammer last week; these lots averaged €1.75/kg. The best of the dry cows was a 960kg, March-2007 born, Charolais cow; she made €2,060.Moreover, 200 weanlings were also on offer. Generally speaking, bulls traded for €2.35-2.62/kg. A top call of €1,150 or €3.19/kg was paid for a July-2017 born, Belgian Blue bull. RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','Dry bean growers want USDA purchase August 14, 2018 By Nicole Heslip Filed Under: Crops , Michigan , News , TradeDry bean growers are requesting USDA purchase dry beans after retaliatory tariffs from the European Union have essentially halted trade.Michigan Bean Shippers President Jim Byrum tells Brownfield one to two thirds of Michigan’s navy bean crop is exported to the European Union, but since a 25 percent tariff from the EU was announced in June, trade has stopped. “We’ve already seen some price impacts that have been highly negative so we’re going to have to see what we can do to figure it out.”The nation’s largest dry bean growing areas in the MinDack region and Michigan are requesting USDA make immediate purchases of pinto, dark red kidney and navy beans impacted by EU tariffs.Byrum says farmers would rather make their money in an open market but they need help with the current trade environment. “Nobody wants to contract for 2019. There’s a lot of concern out there about stability and what kinds of issues may impact crops. There’s some real hesitance on the part of the sellers and buyers to look beyond this current crop year.”He says navy beans are canned for products like baked beans and two of the three major buyers are in the EU. Michigan is second largest produce of navy beans behind North Dakota.AUDIO: Interview with Jim Byrum'
'agriculture','english',"Weed management © A Davidson /REX/ShutterstockA Defra minister has come under fire on Twitter for pledging her support for Monsanto’s weedkiller Roundup.A landmark case in California last week saw a jury rule in favour of Dewayne Johnson, a former gardener who claimed his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was caused by exposure to glyphosate in Monsanto’s Roundup and RangerPro weedkillers.The court awarded Mr Johnson $250m (£193m) in damages and ordered a further $39m (£30m) be paid in costs. Monsanto is appealing the verdict.On Sunday (12 August), two days after this ruling, Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey took to Twitter to write: “Getting ready to deploy the amazing Roundup” alongside a picture of the product. Getting ready to deploy the amazing Roundup! pic.twitter.com/i9oUScNK38— Therese Coffey (@theresecoffey) August 12, 2018The tweet attracted nearly 500 comments, many calling the response “inappropriate”, prompting Ms Coffey to add: “Like a lot of chemicals and pesticides, you handle appropriately to manage the risk. Just like you do with bleach and other household chemicals. Roundup is just the same.”In response, Green MEP Keith Taylor, member of the European parliament’s environment and public health committee and long-time anti-glyphosate campaigner, posted online: “A government minister tweeting just days after Monsanto paid out $289m in the US after a court found Roundup causes cancer. This isn’t a coincidence. This is corporate shilling.” A Government Minister tweeting just days after Monsanto paid out $289m in the US after a court found Roundup causes cancer. This is isn't a coincidence. This is corporate shilling. Find out more about glyphosate the underhanded corporation behind it: https://t.co/cHDUqLWZHg https://t.co/5YhcS8nbPB— Keith Taylor MEP (@GreenKeithMEP) August 13, 2018Mr Taylor, who called the Dewayne Johnson case a “historic victory for science, our environment and public health”, added that Ms Coffey’s support was an example of “corporate corruption” and an “extremely worrying omen”.He said the Green Party will continue pushing the UK government to drop its support for glyphosate.In November 2017 the EU Commission voted to extend the licence for glyphosate for another five years. See more"
'agriculture','english','Farmer Podcast Club: Ornithology (BIRDS) with James Maley Posted by Lilli Klamke on August 14, 2018 Enjoy listening to your weekly Farmer Podcast Club episode.Ornithology (BIRDS) with James Maley- Ologies By Alie Ward Released Nov 07, 2017Birds! Horned screamers! Winged pirates! Professional bird-person and all around cool dude James Maley joins Alie to talk about bird mating, monogamy, the cult of ornithology, absurd birds, parrots that are smarter than your friends’ kids, a surprising fact about owl ears and history’s most tragically zealous bird nerds. If you love birds, you’ll be at home. If a bird did you dirty, you’ll open your heart and learn to love again.'
'agriculture','english','Florida Orange Crop Bouncing Back Post-Hurricane Dan Citrus , Industry News ReleaseFlorida orange growers appear to be catching a break this year, following last year’s devastating hurricane season and declines due to citrus greening.The state may harvest 70 million boxes of oranges this year, compared to just 44.9 million last year, which was the smallest crop since 1945.Highlands County Citrus Growers Association executive director Ray Royce told Bloomberg “a lot of trees are looking very good,” adding “things are turning around.”Hurricane Irma last year damaged a significant portion of the crop. If production forecasts hold true, this year would be the largest crop in three years. Over the last year, orange juice futures have jumped 17 percent. Even with the increased production, prices could still find support from falling production in Brazil at a time when U.S. demand is increasing.Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service. Share this:'
'agriculture','english','Livestock © Tim ScrivenerThe dry conditions farmers have experienced this summer bring into focus the value of the grass grown on farm for both grazing and silage.All dairy systems are dependent on a supply of high-quality forage to underpin profitable milk production. With rents and land values creeping ever higher, it is vital that farmers remain focused on the productivity they achieve from each hectare.When farmers have to look at replacing high-quality forage due to shortfalls caused by the conditions, the true cost becomes apparent. See also: How to deal with mineral deficiency when rain follows droughtOf course, in times of drought, all grass growth struggles, but many will find that their recent reseeds have fared a lot better than older pasture this summer, according to Andrew Marlow from Kite Consulting.He says investment in grass reseeding programmes and switching to a multicut system can really pay dividends, even in a challenging year.A scheduled investment in a grass reseeding programme is vital to the long-run quantity and quality of forage that a farm produces. Tips for selecting grass species in multi-cut system Move away from Italian ryegrasses, as they can be difficult to manage, hard to dry at first and can run to seed later. Instead use perennial ryegrasses that produce persistently good yields of high-quality forage. Use the Niab Recommended Grass and Clover List to select the latest grass seeds that are most appropriate to your system.Considerable progress has been made in the breeding of new grass varieties.These can really boost a farm’s output of both tonnes and total energy and protein from grassland, in turn reducing reliance on expensive bought-in feeds.The economic benefit of reseeding is well documented. On average there is a 33% increase in tonnes of dry matter yield for the first couple of years after reseeding, with declines in benefits thereafter depending very much on sward management.The financial returns from reseeding pasture can be very significant, but the turnover rate and productivity premiums are very much down to how the investment is managed.Whether a farmer can make the most of the improved potential of grassland through reseeding depends on the quality of farm management and timeliness. Why multicut?From a forage conservation perspective, harnessing the full potential of grassland is best done via a multicut silage system where grass is cut more regularly at a younger stage throughout the season, using the same principles of rotational paddock grazing.This year’s drought has had profound effects in most quarters (even maize), so although many farmers will have missed their third cut in the multicut system, they will still have as much volume in the clamp from the first and second cuts, so it does not discredit the system.Benefits include: Multicut reduces your risks, as it limits exposure to weather (you need shorter windows) It usually improves contractor availability It delivers high yields It can improve slurry and fertiliser use The higher cutting levels recommended with a multicut system can also help in dry conditions, as it leaves more leaf and growing point on the plant, meaning grass plants can spring back into action more rapidly, giving a significant head start for the development of the next silage cut. Economic benefits of adopting multi-cutThe economics of adopting a multi-cut system makes sense when you look at the feed value and cost per MJ of energy – see “Growing costs” and “Yield and dry matter” below. Growing costs (£/acre)'
'agriculture','english','APHIS Finalizes Conditions for Paying Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Indemnity Dan Funding , Industry News Release , PoultryThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing a final rule outlining the conditions under which USDA will pay indemnity to farms affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). It includes updates to USDA’s February 2016 interim rule. This final rule does three things: Allows indemnity payments to be split between poultry and egg owners and their contracted growers and provides a formula for the split; Adopts biosecurity principles established by the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP); and Requires auditable biosecurity plans to be in place for larger-sized operations to receive indemnity payments.The split payments for HPAI in the final rule are in line with the split payments for indemnity in the existing low pathogenic avian influenza program.In the final rule, USDA addressed concerns about the interim rule raised by stakeholders, including whether self-certification of biosecurity was adequate. As a result, USDA is now requiring audits to ensure optimal biosecurity is practiced by large poultry facilities. The National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP), a cooperative state, federal and industry program for controlling certain poultry diseases, developed a set of 14 biosecurity principles. USDA published the 14 principles in May 2017, and they now serve as the minimum biosecurity principles that any poultry operation should follow.In the final rule, a facility that meets the minimum size requirements must have an auditable biosecurity plan. To be eligible for HPAI indemnity, the plan must address all 14 biosecurity principles in compliance with NPIP requirements.View the final rule here .'
'agriculture','english',"I can't understand why so many farmers believe that reneging on agreements and extorting friends and foes will produce positive long-term results for the U.S. Have they asked themselves how they would respond to such tactics?"
'agriculture','english','Tariffs Could Cost California Growers Billions Tariffs Could Cost California Growers Billions Posted by Christina Herrick | August 15, 2018A new study from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Agricultural Issues Center finds that tariffs on 10 fruit and tree nut exports alone are estimated to cost the U.S. $3.4 billion annually. AdvertisementAccording to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, fruit and tree nuts account for more than half of the state’s agricultural exports. Fruits and nuts are unlikely to receive direct payments through the Market Facilitation Program and will be limited to the Food Purchase and Distribution Program as part of the Trump administration’s $12 billion relief package.The study was released as USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue visits California’s Central Valley at a time when farmers are paying the price of the trade war and potentially losing their markets to foreign competitors, says Farmers for Free Trade Executive Director Brian Kuehl.“The trade war comes with a steep price for farmers in California and across the country,” he says. “Producers and growers have spent years cultivating markets for commodity exports, only to see foreign competitors capture those markets overnight.”Tariffs hurt American farmers by depressing prices and taking away their ability to compete, Kuehl says.“We hope Secretary Perdue hears from farmers who are experiencing the pain caused by tariffs firsthand and urges the president to change course before any more damage is done,” he says.As part of its Tariffs Hurt the Heartland Campaign, Farmers for Free Trade is hosting agribusiness roundtables this week in Bakersfield and Fresno to discuss the importance of trade, the costs of the trade war, and its negative impact on American exports, particularly in the agriculture and manufacturing industries.Not limited to California, Farmers for Free Trade has been hosting bipartisan roundtables with members of Congress all across the U.S.“Lawmakers are advancing policies that hurt the very people who drive our economy,” Kuehl says. “These roundtables will share the stories of farmers, manufacturers, workers, and families who have been hurt by the trade war through lost jobs or canceled contracts. The UC study only further drives the point that tariffs are hammering America’s heartland and the trade war comes with heavy costs for American producers and businesses that rely on exports to pay their bills, put people to work, and drive our economy.”'
'agriculture','english','Matt Smith 15 August 2018 >More in Livestock © Jim WilemanWe are pleased to say our second son George has arrived safe and well whilst in the car on the way to Exeter hospital at traffic lights.I was still driving in the bid to make it to the hospital and Pip did amazingly well. I can now add rally driver and midwife to my CV. Dusty loves him to bits and is a very proud big brother.We finally had some rain, which has made a bit of a difference to the colour of the grass. Over in Australia they are having to destroy animals in some areas, so it puts it into perspective – plus, it’s Britain so we know it’s going to rain at some pointWe started feeding ewes silage in one paddock to stop overgrazing and avoid any inhibiting of regrowth because it takes a long time to bounce back if you graze too hard. We also put a little bit of extra nitrogen on a couple of fields that we hope to get another cut of silage off. See also: What does it cost to set up a deer enterprise?I recently went on a ‘Safe and effective use of medicine‘’ course at the vets to comply with new Red Tractor Guidelines. It’s alarming the rate of resistance to the drugs we are currently able to use, and a gentle reminder that trying to breed more resistant animals has a brighter future than relying on drugs.I helped with Alan Derryman’s charity shear at Home Farm near Sidbury, which was a great success. He has always wanted to shear 400 ewes, and reached 413 – a great number for any man, let alone someone who is 60. He managed to raise over £7,500 for a charity close to his heart – Exeter Leukaemia Fund.The deer are doing well in the dry; we started to give most of the hinds a bit of concentrate just to keep them milking well while the calves are still feeding. The stags have mostly rubbed their antlers too hard after being in velvet since February, which is a really great sight.I see a lot of hype about getting into deer and making your millions. If you are thinking about it, get real advice. If you don’t do your homework and talk to people already doing it, you can come unstuck if you’re not careful.There are some really good people you can talk to, but there are also a lot that have the sight of a bat for building the future of the deer industry.Matt and Pip Smith are Farmer Focus writers from Cornwall. Read their biography . See more'
'agriculture','english','0 60Friday, USDA released the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report (WASDE) and the U.S. Crop Production estimate for August. The market reacted with a groan.In the reaction, December corn futures closed 11 cents lower, November soybeans closed down 421⁄4 cents, and Chicago December wheat futures closed down 17 cents. Monday’s market followed through with losses, but a strong bounce on this Turnaround Tuesday has corn up almost 2 cents and beans up 8.The report reaction took away the bounce in prices we had seen in the last few days and cast a negative tone for the balance of the summer.The corn crop is now expected to give us a record yield, at 178.4 bushels/acre, up from 174 bpa forecast in the July report. Because of reduced acres, this will not give us a record crop, but it will be second to the crop of 2015-2016. The result is an ending stocks estimate of 1.68 billion bushels, up from the July estimate of 1.55 billion.The negativity continued with the soybeans. We now look for a crop of 4.59 billion bushels, up 4 percent from last year, and a record. The yield of 51.6 bpa comes as July’s estimate was only 48.5 bpa. The ending stocks would increase to 785 million for next year’s crop, 250 million more than the biggest pre-report trade guess.This is the shock that drove the prices down Friday.Our wheat crop is now estimated to come in at 1.88 billion bushels. That is a little below the July estimate, but still 8 percent better than last year.The spring wheat is still being harvested, so the U.S. total crop of all classes is still an estimate. The spring wheat harvest is at 35 percent, well ahead of the average of 27 percent. Dry weather In the Northern Plains has helped harvest.Wheat prices also dropped the last two sessions, partly in sympathy to the bean drop, and partly because of world Supply and Demand Report news. The world crop, although with problems, did come in ahead of estimates.This has been a weird year for weather, yield projections, and price action. Markets rallied sharply in May, as we struggled to get the crops planted. We caught up the end of May, then had a good June. The better weather took the negatives out of production, and prices declined.The decline was acerbated by politically driven export news that tariffs would hurt our exports.Now, we have further production news that the crops are getting bigger. The prospects of better prices that we had seen from the early August bounces in price now seem gone.Now the outlook is for yet again a huge crop, our third in a row. At the same time we have China buying beans from South America, and the news that the Brazilians will continue to expand their acres. In the last two years they have increased 4.9 million acres, partly by reducing sugarcane production.Disciplined farmers sold a chunk of new crop corn and beans in May. Nobody I know sold very much. All I talk to lament that they did not sell more, but it was early and the prices were still not that good.Now we look forward to what is projected to be an early harvest for many, with the USDA Crop Condition report showing early maturity. The amount dented now is double the five-year average, at 26 percent versus a normal 13. Ohio is at 16 percent, versus an average of 7 percent dented.I continue to say that, if we can just get the yields, high yields and low prices give more income than low yields and high prices. It’s just, higher prices are better.At this point, higher prices seem like a corn-cob pipe dream.Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox! Sign Up'
'agriculture','english',"David Marit , Lyle StewartAugust 15, 2018Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced changes to his cabinet on Wednesday following the resignation of Lyle Stewart as Minister of Agriculture.David Marit has been appointed to the agriculture portfolio. He previously served as Minister of Highways and Infrastructure.Marit was elected as MLA for the southwest Saskatchewan riding of Wood River in 2016, and previously served as president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) from 2006 to 2014. According to the Saskatchewan Party website, Marit owns and operates a farm with his brother. David Marit (courtesy Saskatchewan Party website)Lori Carr is replacing him as highways minister.“I am confident that both Dave and Lori will bring an important perspective to their new portfolios, and I look forward to working with them as we stand up for Saskatchewan” says Moe, in a statement.Stewart announced last week that he would step down to focus on treatment for cancer.Moe says Stewart “will remain a strong mentor and advisor to our cabinet when it comes to supporting our agriculture sector while we stand with him in his battle against cancer.” RealAgriculture News Team A team effort of RealAgriculture's videographers and editorial staff to make sure that you have the latest in what is happening in agriculture. Trending Wheat prices jump into August — This week in the grain markets This week, winter wheat prices touched a three-year high, but it didn’t last. Chicago SRW wheat prices for September 2018 gained 5 per cent or about 26 cents US/bushel to close at $5.56. While the December 2018 contract was up 5.4 percent — or nearly 30 cents — to finish a tad under $5.80. In… Read more » Related"
'agriculture','english','Next StoryReduced grass growth rates and a shortage of feed on many farms – caused by this summer’s drought – forced some farmers into culling cows earlier than desired.Although the rumour mill suggested that individual dairy farmers were culling cows in the hundreds, the facts really need to be looked at before such conclusions are jumped to.When it comes to getting a firm understanding of how the summer’s drought actually impacted on cow slaughterings, we need to look at the most-reputable source of facts at our disposal – the Department of Agriculture’s beef kill database.From the information freely available, we can clearly see that some 35,049 cows were slaughtered during the month of July 2018 (July 2 to July 29 inclusive). During the corresponding period in 2017, cow slaughterings stood at 29,713 head; the differential between the two comes to 5,336 head or 17.96%.However, a 17.96% increase in cow slaughterings tells us very little about where these cows actually originated; were they from the beef or dairy herd?The most accurate way of assessing this information is by looking at the carcass grades produced from the animals upon slaughter. Although there will be outliers, as some dairy cows will come into the higher grade categories and other beef cows will have poorer conformation, it’s the best tool currently at our disposal.For the purpose of this analysis, we’ll first assess how cows graded during July of this year and the corresponding period in 2017. As the combined total of E and U-grade cows represented just 1.94% and 1.77% of the grade-reported cow kill over these respective periods, we’ll leave them to one side. R, O and P-graded cow killFocusing on R-grade cows first – the majority of which originated from the suckler herd – official figures show that 3,165 of these were slaughtered this July – down 208 head on the corresponding period in 2017.O-grade cow throughput also dropped during July. In July 2017, just over 9,560 O-grade cows were slaughtered in approved plants, while that figure stood at 9,106 last month.However, when it comes to P-grade cows – the lion’s share of which originated from the dairy herd – there was a marked increase this July compared to last July; it climbed by 4,844 head.Another area of interest is the condition of these cows at slaughter, which is detailed in the table below. The changes witnessed in the R and O-grade categories can be largely attributed to throughput changes, but the P-grade category warrants further study.Looking solely at the P-grade kill on a percentage basis, 16.6% of all P-grade cows slaughtered in July 2018 were at fat score 1, while just 9% of the P-grade cow kill was at fat score 1 in the corresponding period in July 2017. AdvertisementIn addition, more P2 cows were slaughtered this July, while the percentage of P3, P4 and P5 cows all dropped. This data does in fact illustrate that some dairy farmers opted to cull cows earlier, but it falls a long way short of the reports that were circulating through the grape vine over recent weeks.To put the additional throughput of P-grade cows into context, what we’ve witnessed isn’t the colossal increase in dairy cow culling that’s widely been rumoured; an additional 4,844 P-grade cows were slaughtered during the month of July, 2018 – not even a third of a cow for every dairy farmer operating in the country. Price pressureOver the course of the month in question, beef processors were accused of being opportunistic in relation to beef pricing. In some cases, this criticism was warranted, as some buyers paid as little as 131c/kg for under-fleshed P-grade cows.A quick analysis of the data collected by the department does in fact show that cow prices were down considerably this July when compared to the corresponding period in 2017.Firstly, to look at base cow returns, official figures show that base cows averaged 345.7c/kg over the course of July 2018 – down 13.8c/kg on the corresponding period in 2017.Price reductions were also witnessed in the P and O-grade categories, with O3 returns falling by 15.3c/kg and P3 returns back by 21.4c/kg as opposed to the same time in 2017. CommentFrom the above, it’s clear that we have witnessed an increase in dairy cow slaughterings during the month of July; although it’s not as severe as the rumour mill may lead you to believe.Before dairy farmers are made ‘enemy number one’, it’s worth remembering that the challenges posed by the summer of 2018 have been unprecedented.Some farmers have been quick to cast criticism and, at this stage, high stocking rates have been chastised to death as the cause of the problem, when in fact it was simply down to a lack of rain. Remember, highly and lowly-stocked farmers in the worst-affected areas were all hit.The next time you hear one of these rumours circulating, don’t spread it; ring the farmer in question to see is everything OK. No dairy farmer makes the decision of sending cows to slaughter lightly. But to make the matter worse, they’re being kicked when they are down. How would you feel if the shoe was on the other foot? RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','Thursday BASF officially closed on Nunhems, Bayer’s vegetable seeds business. This is one of many assets the company has acquired from Bayer this past year.Nunhems which includes 24 crops and about 2,600 varieties of seeds. BASF also gained its research and development information and breeding systems with more than 100 unique breeding programs in more than 15 crops.BASF says adding the vegetable seeds business enhances its global offer to farmers, strengthens its seed platform and complements the Agricultural Solutions portfolio. Closing this transaction completes the company’s acquisition of a range of assets from Bayer with combined 2017 sales of 2.2 billion euros.BASF paid 7.6 billion euro for all assets combined, including the field crops businesses, xarvio digital platform, certain herbicides, vegetable seeds and other assets.\u200b'
'agriculture','english','USDA Forest Service Announces New Strategy for Improving Forest Conditions Dan Forestry , Industry News ReleaseThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS) announced a new strategy for managing catastrophic wildfires and the impacts of invasive species, drought, and insect and disease epidemics.Specifically, a new report titled Toward Shared Stewardship across Landscapes: An Outcome-based investment Strategy (PDF, 3.7 MB) outlines the USFS’s plans to work more closely with states to identify landscape-scale priorities for targeted treatments in areas with the highest payoffs.“On my trip to California this week, I saw the devastation that these unprecedented wildfires are having on our neighbors, friends and families,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “We commit to work more closely with the states to reduce the frequency and severity of wildfires. We commit to strengthening the stewardship of public and private lands. This report outlines our strategy and intent to help one another prevent wildfire from reaching this level.”Both federal and private managers of forest land face a range of urgent challenges, among them catastrophic wildfires, invasive species, degraded watersheds, and epidemics of forest insects and disease. The conditions fueling these circumstances are not improving. Of particular concern are longer fire seasons, the rising size and severity of wildfires, and the expanding risk to communities, natural resources, and firefighters.“The challenges before us require a new approach,” said Interim USFS Chief Vicki Christiansen. “This year Congress has given us new opportunities to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with state leaders mitigate to identify land management priorities that include mitigating wildfire risks. We will use all the tools available to us to reduce hazardous fuels, including mechanical treatments, prescribed fire, and unplanned fire in the right place at the right time, to mitigate them.”A key component of the new strategy is to prioritize investment decisions on forest treatments in direct coordination with states using the most advanced science tools. This allows the USFS to increase the scope and scale of critical forest treatments that protect communities and create resilient forests.The USFS will also build upon the authorities created by the 2018 Omnibus Bill, including new categorical exclusions for land treatments to improve forest conditions, new road maintenance authorities, and longer stewardship contracting in strategic areas. The agency will continue streamlining its internal processes to make environmental analysis more efficient and timber sale contracts more flexible.The Omnibus Bill also includes a long-term “fire funding fix,” starting in FY 2020, that will stop the rise of the 10-year average cost of fighting wildland fire and reduce the likelihood of the disruptive practice of transferring funds from Forest Service non-fire programs to cover firefighting costs. The product of more than a decade of hard work, this bipartisan solution will ultimately stabilize the agency’s operating environment.Finally, because rising rates of firefighter fatalities in recent decades have shifted the USFS’s approach to fire response, the report emphasizes the agency’s commitment to a risk-based response to wildfire.The complete strategy is available at www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/toward-shared-stewardship.pdf . Photographs of the event are available at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskGkVYkNThe mission of the USFS, an agency of the USDA, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.'
'agriculture','english','China Attempts To Contain Swine Disease Outbreak, Shuts Down Major SlaughterhouseWH Group, the world’s largest pork producer and group that owns Smithfield, has been ordered by the Chinese government to shut down a slaughterhouse in Zhengzhou for 6 weeks to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF). ASF does not affect humans but is fatal to hogs that have not been vaccinated against the disease. The virus can be transmitted through ticks, contaminated feed, or direct contact with an infected hog or waste. Following the news, Lean Hog futures have hit 6 week highs, trading up to $55.475 per cwt in the overnight session.Rumors Of Russian Export Limits Boost Wheat In The OvernightThe Russian ministry of agriculture met today with traders to discuss amounts of grain destined for export for the 2018/19 crop year. These traders then reported that the ministry is said to have considered capping grain exports at 30 MMT. Russia’s ag ministry denies that they discussed limiting exports. This news now puts the both the USDA and Russian agriculture ministry’s projections of 35 MMT of wheat exports in doubt.The Sep Chicago SRW contract gained nearly 15 cents in the overnight session on this news.Storms Expected Over Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri TodayThe National Weather Service reports that parts of S Missouri and along the Kansas-Missouri border can expect storms bringing a few inches of rain later today and through the weekend. Areas of E Iowa and W Illinois will also see some thunderstorms in the area, with 2-3 inches of rain in the forecast for today and into early next week.The risk of trading futures, hedging, and speculating can be substantial. FBN BR LLC (NFA ID: 0508695)'
'agriculture','english','0 132 A group of farm leaders met to discus the opioid crisis with the USDA office of Rural Development.COLUMBUS — When we think about “rural development,” we usually think about things like new buildings, jobs, utilities and access to modern technology, including the Internet.And while those things are all part of what make a rural community successful, there’s a single issue that threatens everything else: opioid abuse.Farmers may not always think about opioids as a rural development issue, said Anne Hazlett, who leads the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Rural Development. But as she sees it, opioids are directly tied to the success of our rural communities.“We can’t talk about quality of life and economic opportunity in these (rural) places without talking about this issue,” said Hazlett, who spoke during a roundtable discussion on opioid abuse Aug. 17, at the Ohio Farm Bureau office in Columbus. Similar issueThe issue in rural communities is often the same: a lack of resources, a long drive to get help, and denial that opioid abuse is even happening.A group of 17 rural leaders spent two hours discussing what is being done in their communities to help people of all ages understand the issue, and solve the problem.Related: Read Farm and Dairy’s award-winning series on rural addiction.Todd Davis, who runs Ohio’s FFA Camp Muskingum, a camp for FFA members, said campers and adults were recently polled about their experience and opinion regarding drug use, and the results revealed a high number of students whose parents apparently aren’t discussing the issue with them on a regular basis.According to the poll of 961 people, 392 said their parents never talk to them about substance abuse, and 330 said their parents only talk about it once a month.“It was very overwhelming to see that a lot of parents and kids aren’t having the conversation about drug abuse,” said Davis. Effective deterrentsStudents were also asked about their participation in 4-H, FFA and Farm Bureau, and whether they felt those activities helped deter them from substance abuse. Some 364 said that belonging to those groups “definitely” makes a difference, and 299 said that it “probably” does.The roundtable included a number of teachers and school resource faculty, who shared what they’re doing to reach students of all ages.Karen Yanico, a Cambridge City Schools social worker, said she’s leading efforts to help students whose parents have addictions, and to help students get help when it’s needed.“They (students) are accustomed to living in chaos,” said Yanico, adding that rural youth often face a high percentage of poverty and lack of nutrition, in addition to issues with drug abuse.Roger Rennekamp, OSU Extension associate dean and director, said it’s important to not only educate youth about the dangers of drug abuse — but also train them to be resources in their own communities and their families.He said major social changes are often led by young people, and he sees significant potential for young people to step up and lead the fight.Four of the panelists hailed from Tuscarawas County, where educators are working in schools and the community to make a difference.Michele Specht, Farm Bureau organizational director, said it’s important for people to “stay in their lane.”She said there is a time to reach out to professionals, when dealing with addicts, but she said people can often do a lot on their own when it comes to prevention.“We cannot solve the problem for people who are addicts, but we can help prevent it,” she said.Rita Lahmers, a Farm Bureau leader in Tuscarawas County and a retired school teacher, is part of an effort called the Newcomerstown Community Action Network, which brings local services like the schools and library together for monthly meetings, to discuss solutions.Lahmers said the meetings give community members a chance to discuss everything from treatment options, to faith-based efforts. Ultimate lossRoger Winemiller, a Montgomery County farmer whose own children have struggled with addiction, said it’s important to remember it is a disease, and that it takes a comprehensive effort to defeat.He said addiction is a “brain disorder” that becomes your “A No. 1 priority,” once it takes over.Winemiller, who lost two of his three children from overdoses, said his goal in life is to do something positive for the world, after losing so much.“You want to know what hell is like?” I can tell you,” he said. Going forwardHazlett said the roundtable helped “reaffirm” the complexity of the opioid issue and also the fact that it spans all parts of Ohio.She said farmers are uniquely situated to fight against opioids because they know how to get thing done, and they know what needs done in their own communities.They know what it takes to make things happen, to bring solutions,” she said. “They’re respected and not only are they impacted by this issue, but they can be a key cornerstone to bring those leaders together and work toward a solution.”She said the input from the panelists would be used for developing the USDA’s community action guide, which is currently being formed, and will soon be released.The meeting also included Ohio Farmers Union President Joe Logan, who talked about what his organization is doing to stay involved with the issue, and improve the quality of life for rural Ohioans. STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox! Sign Up'
'agriculture','english','Land degradation, causes and effects August 17, 2018 8 Views By Nita Karume :Land degradation happens all over the world, but is a particular problem in parts of Africa. Its consequences can be devastating for people and wildlife. It is often closely linked with other environmental and social problems such as climate change and poverty whose remedy is tied up with them.The term land degradation describes the process through which the earth’s character changes for the worst. The most extreme evidence of land degradation is the presence of deserts. This process of loss is often called soil erosion. This then leads to the damage of the soil structure of the soil.Land degradation is known to happen both on a local scale and over vast areas. Furthermore, reports indicate that deserts are currently spreading at an alarming rate in dry areas around the world. The existence of deserts way before human activities made any impact reveals that land degradation has been taking place for millions of years. Be as it may, the accelerated soil erosion taking place today is always as a result of human activities.This is because demands on the land for economic development and pressures from rapid population growth are leading to unprecedented land use change. As a result, unsustainable land use is driving land degradation, leading to loss of land productivity with a direct imoat on livelihoods as well as the economy.Symptoms of land degradation and desertificationThe UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) recognizes land degradation as a global development and environment issue; whose severe form leads to desertification. The CCD defines desertification as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and as drylands. This is resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities.Pressures that lead to land degradationUnsustainable human activities that take place in already fragile areas and that are aggravated by natural disturbance such as drought or flooding lead to land degradation and desertification.For instance, according to Kenya’s 2002 National Action Program on desertification; the existing ecological conditions in drylands are worsened by frequent drought and the migration into the drylands.Additionally, practices such as overgrazing and subdivision of land into uneconomic land parcel sizes have further worsened the situation. These circumstances then leave the drylands vulnerable to desertification.The direct impact of land degradation and desertification include a reduction in crop and pasture productivity. These are closely linked to poverty and food insecurity. The damage to soil, loss of habitat, water shortages, and siltation reduce biodiversity and ecosystem services and have economic consequences.Land degradation manifests itself in many forms; among them are soil erosion, increased sediment loading of water bodies loss of soil fertility, salinity, reduced ground cover, and the reduced carrying capacity of pastures.'
'agriculture','english','2 packed tablespoons fresh oregano leaves ½ teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds Zest of 1 lemon 1 small clove garlic, mashed to a paste ¼ cup olive oil 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt, to taste2 tablespoons plain, full fat Greek yogurtPREPARATIONTo prepare the salad: Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut the squash into large, irregularly shaped pieces. Preheat a heavy, wide oven-safe sauté pan over medium high heat. When it is very hot, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and place the squash in the pan. Make sure the sides of the squash that are cut are making contact with the pan. Cook the squash on top of the stove for about 2 minutes, flip all of the pieces over (there should be a little color on the first side), season with salt and then put the pan in the hot oven. Roast the squash for 5 minutes. Check to see if it is tender - if not, leave it in the oven for another 2 minutes. When it is tender, put the squash into a big bowl, discarding any oil that is left in the pan.Cut the cherry tomatoes in half through the stem and place in a small bowl. Season with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt to taste.To prepare the salmoriglio: Finely chop the parsley and oregano leaves and transfer to a small bowl. Add the dried oregano, sesame seeds, lemon zest, garlic paste and ¼ cup olive oil. Stir in fresh lemon juice, and salt to taste.To serve: Scrape the salmoriglio into the bowl with the squash and toss gently. Spoon the yogurt onto 4 small plates and divide the squash between the plates on top of the yogurt. Divide the tomatoes and any oily juice that has accumulated on the bottom of the bowl between the 4 plates over the top of the squash. Drizzle any extra salmoriglio over the tomatoes. Farmers Market Ingredients'
'agriculture','english','Cash fed cattle traded at $109 to $110 per cwt., and $173 to $174 on a dressed basis, mostly $1 to $2 lower than last week. The trade occurred in the North, with no trade reported from the South at press time.Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $3 lower. AMS reporters noted continued large numbers of cattle going to market due to drought conditions.“Year-to-Date auction receipts are 7.7% larger than the previous five year average,” AMS said.Drought conditions producing low water levels and poor hay production are the culprit for motivating producers to sell cattle at this time year.“Missouri is the epicenter of drought in the Midwest as parts of the state have had very hot and dry weather in recent weeks and months, and some parts have been dry for the last year or longer. As of the latest report near 98 percent of the state is showing on the drought monitor,” AMS said.Compared to last Friday, Choice beef cutout closed at $5.32 per cwt. higher at $211.38, and Select closed $2.83 higher at $200.92, putting the Choice-Select spread at $10.46.'
'agriculture','english','Tim Relf 20 August 2018 >More in Young farmers Jack Oughton (left) with Charlie Langston“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” says Jack Oughton. The 23-year-old is referring to the agricultural engineering business he launched with his best friend Charlie Langston.Both farmer’s sons, the duo make, refurbish, service and repair machinery for the agricultural, horticultural and industrial markets from their base in Aston Sommerville near Broadway in Worcestershire.An idea that originally came to them when they were 17 years old, having spotted a demand in the local area, has grown rapidly and is now a thriving venture about to expand into its own purpose-built premises.See also: Buckinghamshire young farmer deploys his agri-skills in IraqThe pair have built up the business alongside other commitments – Jack, studying agricultural engineering at Harper Adams University and graduating this summer with a 2:1; Charlie working as an engineer at Claas UK after graduating from the firm’s apprenticeship scheme.“We’ve had a lot of 100-hour weeks, but we just knew the idea had legs,” Jack says. “It really feels we’re going somewhere. We’re getting more and more business. The phone rings constantly.”The hardest battle, he says, has been getting would-be customers to see beyond their age. “They look at us and think: ‘you can’t have enough experience’. But some have given us a chance and we’re building up a track record.” Complementary skillsInitially, the work tended to be relatively simple tasks, but they are now getting bigger, more complicated requests.“We do everything from a tractor service or a full machine overhaul to sourcing hard-to-find parts and designing and making bespoke kit,” says Charlie.“Agriculture is a small world – and a very vocal one. No one’s afraid to say it if work’s done poorly, but that has its benefits because, if you do a good job, people tell their friends and there’s no better advertisement than word-of-mouth.”The pair, he says, have complementary skills, with Charlie particularly skilled on the mechanical side and Jack adept on the computer side, honing his computer-aided design skills at Harper and during his placement year. Jack Oughton (left) with Charlie Langston“Uni was great – not solely because of everything you learn but because of all the contacts you make,” says Jack. “You meet people from across the country. They all farm differently too, so it broadens your knowledge and your perspective on the world. ExpansionTheir new unit is 100ft x 70ft and it will allow them to scale up, be more efficient and make the outfit more professional.“The new shed going up feels like a real milestone and a game-changer for our business,” says Jack.“Until now, we’ve been working in a unit at Charlie grandfather’s farm, which gave us a brilliant start, but it isn’t high enough to get a tractor in.” Dream supportMeanwhile, they’ve had help from the Henry Plumb Foundation – a grant of £2,000 and support from a mentor. “It’s been brilliant. I can discuss anything with my mentor – he’s honest and frank and gives a different, unbiased opinion.”Looking ahead, the entrepreneurial pair want to build their brand, Mocho (they took the name from Charlie’s grandfather’s farm), and carry on expanding, both in terms of the amount of work and the range of kit they work with.“I love what I’m doing,” Jack says. “Every day is a different challenge and I’m learning all the time.“Hard work is the backbone of agriculture and everyone does it, but I’m a great believer that if you’re willing to work hard and make sacrifices you stand a good chance of being successful.” The Henry Plumb FoundationGot a great idea for a business start-up? Maybe you’d like to do an internship? Always fancied going on an overseas exchange? Is your heart set on pursuing a course or attending an event?If you’re aged between 18 and 35 and have an idea that could foster a career in the agricultural or food industry, there could be support available from the Henry Plumb Foundation.Funding ranges from £500-£3,000 and every successful applicant is appointed an experienced farmer or businessperson as a mentor.You don’t necessarily need a farming background, previous agricultural experience or academic qualifications – the foundation is looking for people who have the ambition to become part of the future of agriculture, a great idea and the drive to make their plans a reality.'
'agriculture','english','Rising healthcare more and more a burden on Minnesota farmers August 20, 2018The president of Minnesota Farmers Union is frustrated because elected officials aren’t doing enough to bring healthcare costs down.Gary Wertish accuses the state and federal government of playing politics at the expense of many.“We don’t fix it unless we work together, and that’s the whole issue. Healthcare costs have been rising even before Obamacare. Obamacare tried to do some things, was it done right? No, maybe not. But you’ve got to put the politics aside, sit together, and work on what’s best for the people and not worry about what’s working just to keep me elected.”He tells Brownfield some Minnesota farmers are spending as much as $45,000 dollars a year on healthcare.'
'agriculture','english','0 22 Clinical signs of virulent Newcastle disease include open mouth breathing with moderate swelling of the comb and wattles.Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed thirteen additional cases of virulent Newcastle disease in backyard exhibition chickens in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, California.Over the past few weeks, the response team has intensified its efforts and identified additional cases of vND within existing disease-control areas. Once identified, the affected flocks are quickly euthanized. Together, these actions will help prevent continued disease spread and eradicate the disease more quickly.USDA is announcing confirmed vND cases weekly. Cases are still being tested and confirmed as they are identified. If there is a finding in a new state or a different segment of the industry, USDA will issue an announcement for that case immediately. A complete list of confirmed cases is available on USDA’s website . More informationVirulent Newcastle disease has not been found in commercial poultry in the United States since 2003.No human cases of virulent Newcastle disease have ever occurred from eating poultry products. Properly cooked poultry products are safe to eat. In very rare instances, people working directly with sick birds can become infected. Symptoms are usually very mild and limited to conjunctivitis. Infection is easily prevented by using standard personal protective equipment.Samples from the flocks were tested at the California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS). The APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, confirms all findings. APHIS is working closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to respond to these findings and to conduct an epidemiological investigation. Federal and State partners are also conducting additional surveillance and testing in the area.In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at Biosecurity for Birds . Related Content'
'agriculture','english','Farmer Podcast Club: Mike Callicrate Posted by Lilli Klamke on August 21, 2018 Enjoy listening to your weekly Farmer Podcast Club episode.Mike Callicrate: Down to Earth- The Planet to Plate Podcast Released Oct 17, 2017Mike Callicrate left industrial feedlot agriculture to raise meat animals in a way that is healthier for everyone, including the animals and the people who eat them.'
'agriculture','english',"The Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour kicked off today. Scouts on the Eastern Leg of the tour started in Western Ohio. AgDay Anchor Clinton Griffiths caught up with Pro Farmer editor Brian Grete to discuss what he’s seeing.“[There are] very good crops [here],” Grete says. “You know, the plant health is good, the crops are uniform. That isn't always the case when we get out here to Ohio.”According to Grete, Ohio can be prone to weather issues that cause significant variability in the crop, but that doesn’t seem to be the case this year.“It looks very good so far with the handful of stops that we've made on my route,” he says.The corn they’ve looked at so far is very mature, most of it in the dent stage and ear populations have been high.“[High ear populations are] not surprising because USDA told us in their August report that 10 objective yield states where they pull objective samples from had record ear counts,” Grete explains. “So not surprising to get out there and see in those 2, 30 foot of rows a total ear count of 100 plus.”Similarly, the soybean crop is very uniform and lush, he says.“Looks like green carpet when you look out over the field,” Grete says. “You can tell it's had some rains here recently.”According to Grete, to finish strong Ohio soybeans need late season rains to have the energy to fill out pods and plump up the soybeans inside of them.Follow along on AgWeb.com for continued coverage of the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour."
'agriculture','english','Warm, wet conditions help Ohio crops August 20, 2018The USDA says corn and soybean crops in Ohio continue to develop faster than average because of warm and wet conditions.Corn is 77 percent good to excellent, with 81 percent in the dough stage.Soybeans are 75 percent good to excellent, with 90 percent setting pods.Oats were nearly all harvested by the end of the week.'
'agriculture','english','Minnesota corn, soybeans maturing 10 days ahead of normal Minnesota , NewsWeather across much of Minnesota has turned from hot and wet to warm and dry.The consistent heat has pushed crop development, with corn and soybeans maturing about 10 days ahead of normal.University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Dave Nicolai tells Brownfield some crops have succumbed to too much rain.“And it was these heavy rain impulse showers, thunderstorms, whatever you want to call them, that really impacted and caused a lot of variability.”Corn and soybean condition ratings declined slightly again last week, with 74 percent of corn and 67 percent of soybeans rated good to excellent.The recent dryness has allowed the harvest of small grains to accelerate.Spring wheat harvest, at 76 percent complete, is almost two weeks ahead of average. The oat and barley harvests are also progressing more than a week faster than normal.'
'agriculture','english','Meat markets and pricesGB new-season lamb (NSL) prices are expected to drop back as demand from the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha falls away.Lamb prices took a dip in the week ending 18 August as throughputs in GB hit their highest level since September 2017 off the back of the celebration.Muslims traditionally sacrifice a lamb during the five-day festival, which runs between 21-25 August this year, splitting it into thirds for friends, family and the poor.The NSL SQQ price fell by 5.2% on the week to 182.2p/kg – 4% behind a year earlier.SQQ throughputs hit their 2018 high at 123,166 head, a 41.6% increase on the week, while total sales through markets hit 156,903 head, up 40.6%. Peak has passedHowever, peak buying for the festival hits three weeks before the event and throughputs had begun falling in recent days.The latest daily AHDB Beef & Lamb statistics for Monday 20 August saw liveweight prices fall by 5.5p/kg for SQQ animals.NSL SQQ throughputs fell away by 42.2% compared with the week before and 46% behind its position 12 months ago.Currently, 20% of UK sheepmeat goes into the halal sector and countries with high Muslim populations are key customers for UK lamb exports as they eat a disproportionately high amount of the red meat.The most recent deadweight prices for the week ending 11 August showed a small 2.1p increase to 423.6p/kg. See more'
'agriculture','english','Outbreak in China could be supportive of pork prices August 21, 2018 By Meghan Grebner Filed Under: Livestock , News , Pork ProfitabilityThe recent outbreak of African Swine Fever in China could bring good news to US pork producers’ bottom line.University of Missouri livestock economist Scott Brown says this could be a total game changer – at a time when pork prices have been plummeting. “We certainly would talk about higher hog prices as a result,” he says. “I will say we’ve been talking about 4 to 4.5 percent increases in US pork production and the need to export that additional production if we wanted to keep prices higher.”Brown says the significant distance between all of the reported cases suggests producers are having trouble containing the outbreak. Because there is no vaccine, the industry relies on heightened biosecurity, rapid diagnosis, isolation, and culling to contain the spread of the disease. “One has to ask themselves how much depopulation do you have to talk about to get that under control,” he says. “You can really look at those cases and it is the beginning of what could be a lot of problems in China.”China’s sow herd has between 44 and 45 million sows, compared to the US sow herd which has about 6-million-head. On Monday, China reported its third case of the disease. Three cases have now been found in three different provinces of the country.Brown says long-term if the US pork industry begins to increase exports as a result of declining production in China, consumers in the US could eventually see higher prices at the meat case.AUDIO: Scott Brown, Livestock Economist'
'agriculture','english','LivestockMaize growers are being advised to check maize crop maturity now as the high temperatures throughout the growing season have resulted in extremely early maturity and some well-grown crops are ready to harvest.Despite this, Neil Groom, technical director at Grainseed, is cautioning that farmers may need to let crops reach higher maturity this year, as dry stalks could be giving a higher dry matter reading yet plants haven’t turned sugar to starch.Mr Groom says Met Office data confirms that maize heat units were 30% higher at the end of July and rainfall was down by at least 50%, with rainfall averaging just 120mm in May, June and July.Maize requires at least 300mm of rain distributed throughout the growing season and consequently some regions have really suffered, with plants less than 1m tall, explains Mr Groom. Advice for assessing maizeTarget whole-plant dry matter (DM) for most growers in a normal year will be between 30% and 32%.However, Mr Grooms cautions that this year dry matter may be given a higher reading because the stalks are very dry.“But the grain is still only milky ripe and, although meeting the target dry matter of 30-35%, the energy in the plant is still as sugar rather than starch.“When you clamp sugar it turns to lactic acid,” he warns.Therefore, he believes growers should wait to harvest for about another week, until dry matter readings climb to 36-37% to ensure the crop contains good levels of starch.Although this makes clamp consolidation more difficult, he says steps can be taken to minimise the risk, including: Chopping to a shorter length of 12mm Loading the clamp in shallow layers Using an additive On farmJohn Hancock, sampling for Farmers Weekly near Petworth, Sussex, has booked his contractor for this week (20 August) as his crops have reached full maturity.“We are fortunate that we have irrigation and some fields have had two applications of an inch of water to keep the maize growing,” he says.“This year I have learnt that we need to apply water within one week of the leaves rolling to preserve water in the plant. Where I left it longer than one week before watering we greened the plants up again, but they stopped growing taller whereas fields irrigated within one week just kept growing and I have some maize 12in high with a big cob.” Maturity on six sampling sitesSiteHeight above sea level (m)Crop dry matter 15 AugustIncrease from last week'
'agriculture','english','New Consumer Study Reveals Growing Interest in Lamb August 21, 2018A recent survey conducted by the American Lamb Board (ALB) assessed US consumers’ knowledge and preference levels of domestic and imported lamb. The data collected from the lamb usage and attitude study will assist industry stakeholders in making strong, strategic decisions about how to market U.S. lamb.“The American Lamb Board has devoted more than a decade to building awareness and demand for Lamb,” said Megan Wortman, ALB executive director. “As we work through our 2018 strategic plan, advancing American Lamb’s value proposition is a core element. Understanding consumer attitudes and product usage patterns are also critical components.”The online study was conducted during 2018 among 2,084 U.S. adults aged 18-74 years. The American Lamb Board has three target audiences including: Infrequent Lamb Users (those who eat lamb less than four times a year and/or only in restaurants), Thoughtful Eaters (those who are concerned about where their food comes from and how it’s grown) and Millennials (those who were born between 1980-2000 and who are also interested in food and where it comes from).“This study revealed positive trends for lamb in the US,” said Jim Percival, ALB board chairman and sheep producer from Xenia, Ohio. “Among the General Population, 24% reported eating lamb in the last year, up from 20% in 2011 and 21% in 2006. This is significant progress,” he added.“What’s more, we are seeing a positive trendline of consumers attitudes with 35% of people who eat lamb saying they like everything about it, compared to just 19% in 2011. For those who eat lamb, the most important attributes are flavor, unique taste and tenderness,” said Percival.“Nearly seven in ten (68%) said they have a strong desire to purchase American-raised lamb,” said Percival. “Consumers say they perceive US lamb as being fresher and safer. In addition, they desire to purchase lamb produced by U.S. producers. In fact, when asked about pricing, people feel U.S. lamb would still be a good value, yet not too expensive, if it was priced 10% to 15% more than imported lamb.”Survey participants said they pay attention to country of origin and indicated a preference for lamb produced in the US.While consumer interest and enjoyment in lamb is growing, respondents said price and availability are the leading barriers to purchasing lamb in the meat case. The study also showed that learning more about preparing lamb, along with increased availability, could increase lamb usage. “This helps us further fine-tune our messages to our target audiences. It also indicates to us that our current strategies should resonate with Millennials and Thoughtful Eaters,” says Wortman.“Half of General Population respondents indicated a willingness to learn how to cook lamb; this is even higher among the target groups as 79% of Infrequent Lamb Users, 59% of Thoughtful Eaters and 56% of Millennials showing an interest in learning about lamb cuts and cooking methods,” said Wortman.In addition to preparation information, survey respondents desired to hear about locally raised, animal care, and assurances of antibiotic-free and no added hormones.For additional information on this study and American Lamb, visit LambResourceCenter.com.Links to additional information:'
'agriculture','english','Why Bamboo Might Be Worth the Climb for Florida Farmers Why Bamboo Might Be Worth the Climb for Florida Farmers By Frank Giles | August 21, 2018 The bamboo market is strong due to the many different products that can be produced with the plant.Photo courtesy of OnlyMoso USADiego Cespedes believes in bamboo. In his role as Grower Advisor for OnlyMoso , he is spreading the word about the crop’s potential to growers in Florida. The Italian-based company started planting in 2014 with more than 1,000 grower partners in Europe and has grown more than 6,000 acres with the first partial harvest this past spring.But, Cespedes says there’s plenty of room to grow, and Florida is a good location to raise the crop. The market demand for bamboo shoots and trunks is strong due to the surprising number of uses for the crop. AdvertisementBamboo is used in more than 1,500 products. The OnlyMoso Commercial Division has more than 30 different product offerings that contain bamboo, including teas and a wide array of food items.According to Cespedes, bamboo represents a $60 billion global industry that is growing. The U.S. is the largest importer of bamboo products, accounting for 95% of its current consumption. The U.S. imports $519 million worth of bamboo shoots annually. China is the largest exporter of bamboo, shipping $32 billion annually.“Until now, the U.S. was not capitalizing on this sustainable industry,” Cespedes says. “So, OnlyMoso USA was incorporated in late 2015, and in May 2016, opened for business and started developing nurseries in the state. Last year, we planted the first native tropical bamboo in Central Florida. In September, we are importing our first 20-foot container of bottled shoots from OnlyMoso Italy to start warming up the food industry, showing what we will be producing in a couple of years from our own domestic harvest with our U.S. farmers partner alliance. We have a strong and ambitious marketing plan, through our OnlyMoso Harvest company, to go after multiple markets. But the first market we will pursue is the food industry.” Bamboo trunks and its shoots (center) grow fast in Florida’s climate. The plants also are relatively low maintenance to manage.Photo courtesy of OnlyMoso USAA Fit for Florida According to Cespedes, to fill the current import demand for bamboo shoots in the U.S., growers would need to plant 26,000 acres of the crop. He says Florida and other southern tier states are prime locations for planting.About 250 acres have been planted in Florida, through OnlyMoso USA, and 300 acres in other states. But, given the demand and good growing climate, he expects acres to ramp up quickly.“The plantings we have in Florida are doing really well,” Cespedes says. “There is one planting near Ocala where the grower’s two daughters go out every day just to check and see how much the bamboo has grown. It is growing really fast.”In Florida, citrus, vegetable, blueberry, and row crop growers have put in plantings. OnlyMoso USA has a grower-partner program to provide certified bamboo plants for planting and to purchase the product, and thru their 10-year guaranteed crop buyback agreement, they will pick up the shoots and trunks on the farm after harvest. Traditional financing programs can be utilized as well.As part of the grower-partner program, the initial planting is about $20,000 per acre, or a $10,000 per acre investment with a 50% deferral program, until year three. Annual costs include $600 per acre for fertilizer and about $500 per acre for irrigation. Cespedes says there is no need to apply insecticides or fungicides on the crop.Once the bamboo is established, the plantings can produce gross returns of up to $30,000 per acre for the Moso variety and up to $40,000 per acre for the ‘Asper’ variety. The crop is harvested twice per year, and the plants have a 50- to 80-year production lifespan.“It is relatively low-maintenance and highly productive,” Cespedes adds. “And, our company will develop and market bamboo products in various industries, including food, bio-energy, textile, construction, and paper. With the human health benefits of the plant and its positive environmental profile, we believe bamboo has big potential here in Florida and many states.”'
'agriculture','english','WeedsAhead of drilling for the upcoming season, grower David Lord considers the best strategy for tackling blackgrass on his mainly heavy Essex soils.The Essex grower is already four years into a long-term plan to keep on top of blackgrass which includes direct-drilling and spring cropping.But he acknowledges it is an ongoing battle, and after suffering a late spring flush of the grassweed following the cold, wet spring this season, and poor competition from wheat, he is already adjusting his control strategy for next season, and into the future.He was joined at Earls Hill Farm, Clacton-on-Sea, by soil and cultivation specialist Dick Godwin, and Ben Coombs, from Bayer, to discuss the best approach. Long-term strategyAfter min-tilling on his primarily London clay soils for 15 years, Mr Lord switched to no-till using a cross-slot drill four years ago as a response to the combined pressures of trying to cut labour costs and increasing blackgrass populations.With poor drainage and heavy soils it was also proving difficult to achieve good seed-beds by cultivating.A six-year rotation with more emphasis on spring cropping was brought in after 12ha were sprayed off in patches one year in an attempt to control the grassweed. Farm facts Farms 648ha across five farms Six-year rotation of wheat, either spring barley or spring oats, oilseed rape, wheat, spring cereal, winter beans Soil is a mixture, but mainly London clay Moved from min-till to no-till with a cross-slot drill four years ago“We knew we couldn’t carry on like that so we moved to spring cropping before we were eventually forced to,” he says.“We are trying to look ahead and get a system which will work for the next five or 10 years.”The farm now grows wheat, either spring barley or spring oats, oilseed rape, wheat, another spring cereal and then winter beans.Mr Lord had kept the worst blackgrass areas in spring barley for four years to try and compete out the weeds, before deciding to re-drain 14ha last year.“We were still getting a blackgrass seed return from spring barley. It’s not the panacea people claim it is, and herbicides are limited.” Late flushMr Lord generally applies glyphosate to stubbles before drilling, with a contractor brought in to apply Avadex (tri-allate) on 20-24ha where there is a known grassweed problem, which Mr Lord says has helped.Flufenacet is also a key part of the farm’s herbicide programme, but increasingly higher rates are being needed.However, dry conditions this autumn meant pre-emergence herbicides were not as effective and when drilling was finally carried out in mid-October, a good weed-kill had not been achieved.Despite this, when Mr Lord walked one of his farms this spring blackgrass did not appear to be much of a problem.However, a late flush was allowed to take hold while wheat was slow to get going in the cold wet spring.The blackgrass has also taken advantage of the lack of competition by producing high tiller numbers.In an attempt to get on top of the problem, Mr Lord had hoped to employ a team of roguers to spray out the blackgrass with glyphosate, but due to staffing issues this never happened.“In the past when we saw a little bit of blackgrass we wouldn’t have done much, but now we are on it.” Tickling the surfaceMr Lord’s main aim for the upcoming season is to find a way of successfully stimulating the blackgrass to grow so stale seed-beds can be created ahead of drilling.With cultivation not an option in his no-till system, he instead plans to rake the soil a few times to try and get the blackgrass to grow.For spring crops, drilling the proceeding cover crop should be enough to stimulate the blackgrass, advises soil specialist Dick Godwin.His analysis of Mr Lord’s soil reveals the benefits of having min-tilled on the farm for the past 20 years.Despite the wet spring and droughty conditions later in the season, the roots on Mr Lord’s winter wheat had reached a good depth of 71.12cm when Mr Godwin measured them in early July.The soil was also well-structured, with plenty of cracking. “There’s not much you can do with a machine to improve on the structure,” he says.Blackgrass seed should be confined to the top 5cm of soil, but in a situation of a huge blackgrass population, ploughing to bury the seed would be unwise.Unless soil conditions were just right, a plough is more likely to mix rather than fully invert the soil.While Mr Lord could try and cultivate the top two inches, if conditions are at all wet, this is likely to result in the creation of a layer of slop due to heavy soils and poor drainage. DrainageThis is where the channel created by the disc on Mr Lord’s cross-slot drill, which pulls the water away from the seed, is especially useful.He is clear that for all his efforts in the short-term, to get on top of blackgrass long-term he must improve drainage.“All the worst land for drainage is the blackgrass land. We re-drained a field with a mole plough system and straight away we got a yield gain.”Yields improved by 20% due to being able to drill at the right time and being able to apply chemicals in the right conditions.“Drainage is the underpinning thing for us. If you have well-drained land it is the place to start for sure,” says Mr Lord. FutureBut at £1,750/ha, drainage is only viable on the land Mr Lord actually owns, as with the rest on short-term lets, there is no incentive to make such a long-term investment.Another way of achieving marginal gains long-term that Mr Lord is considering is by using a mechanical hoe, but is costly at £30,000 for a 5m hoe.“It’s a big investment and I want to see results,” says Mr Lord, but if he does he would consider combining hoeing with precision application of flufenacet when the technology becomes available in the future.Ben Coombs of Bayer agrees getting the right foundations in place is key.“Blackgrass control needs to be about adding together different elements for marginal gains to get to the point where you are successful.“Where the marginal gains come from doesn’t really matter,” says Mr Coombs. “But from a resistance strategy the addition of mechanical weeding is actually good.“Chemistry is still a key part. Flufenacet at pre-emergence followed by a post-emergence when you have blackgrass in the field can take a good programme to the 98% level of control needed.“But they are only ever the last throw of the dice, especially spring products, so anything that can be added to that is great.” Herbicide strategy'
'agriculture','english','Wheat © Tim ScrivenerLater drilling dates are being successfully used to achieve high yields and good blackgrass control on many UK farms, with crop management being altered to take account of the risk to establishment.As there is a link between drilling delays and poor establishment, experts stress the importance of minimising any risk by choosing the right variety and seed rate, as well as having a suitable seed bed and an appropriate agronomy programme.Regardless of when drilling takes place, a proportion of viable seeds always fails to emerge due to pests, diseases and poor soil conditions.This increases as sowing gets later; it is well known that establishment declines if it is delayed after mid-October, and for seeds sown in mid-November it will be around 50%.See also: 3 farmers share their wheat establishment cost-cutting tips Soil conditionsAgronomists are agreed: soil conditions are critical and far more important than the calendar date when it comes to drilling, especially on heavier ground.Good seed-to-soil contact is required and seed should be drilled to a depth of 4cm, both to minimise slug damage and to reduce any adverse effects from pre-emergence herbicides.Sowing too deep or too shallow can delay or reduce establishment, as can a cloddy seed bed. Soil type also has an effect – average establishment on sandy soils is 90%, but on loams and clays it is 65%.Otherwise, soils must be able to hold water and allow the creation of a fine seed bed. Good consolidation after drilling is important too, to reduce slug feeding and any early take-all development. Thermal time Sowing to emergence (150C days) September: 11 days October: 15 days November: 26 daysAll wheat crops require approximately 150 day degrees C to get from sowing to emergence, regardless of when they were drilled. In September, this is likely to be around 11 days, by October it is 15 days, and by November this stretches out to nearer 26 days.As a result, later sown crops are at greater risk from soil pests, diseases and adverse soil conditions, as they take longer to emerge. However, they can also bring benefits in the fight against grass weeds, disease and lodging – taking the pressure off chemical controls and spray timings. Seed rates © Tim ScrivenerCrops drilled in September and October in good conditions achieve establishment rates of 60-80% – but by mid-November this has often fallen to 50%, dropping at a rate of 5% a fortnight from early October onwards.Raising seed rates can help. By mid-October, they should have gone up to a minimum of 350 seeds/sq m, with rates of 400-450 seeds/sq m being used at the later November dates.“Tillering potential is reduced by later drilling, so higher plant populations are needed to hit target ear numbers,” explains Colin Lloyd of Agrii. “You need 320 plants in the spring with later drilled crops, compared with 260-280 plants with earlier drillings.”Delayed sowing reduces the tillering period and for each month the operation is delayed, an extra 50 plants/sq m are needed to compensate for reduced tillering. This will help to achieve the 400 fertile shoots/sq m (400 ears/sq m) that are required for maximum yields.As a result, seed rate calculations should be carried out to achieve a target plant population in the spring, adjusting for expected establishment after overwinter losses:Seed rate (kg/ha) = target plant population/sq m x thousand grain weight (g) / expected establishment Plant populationsPlant population can be counted when the crop is fully established, using a 0.5m x 0.5m quadrat placed diagonally in 10 representative areas of the field.Count the plants in the quadrat, then take the average of all the counts and multiply that figure by four to get the sq m figure. For overwinter survival, count again after the winter but before its starts to warm significantly and growth starts.According to the AHBD Wheat Growth Guide, the benchmark to aim for is 260 plants/sq m. AgronomySeed treatments can play an important role with later drilled crops. Although neonicotinoids can’t be used after the end of this year, the Deter (clothianidin) dressings help to protect against slug hollowing and barley yellow dwarf virus. © Tim ScrivenerThe SDHI-based Vibrance Duo (fludioxonil + sedaxane) is also claimed to be suited for late drilling, as it helps with speed of establishment and rooting development. Phosphite and manganese treatments are other options for root growth, while Latitude (silthiofam) is available for take-all situations.Late drilling can be extremely valuable in the battle against blackgrass, so it is vital to spray off flushes of the weed with glyphosate as close to drilling as possible.The next stage is to maximise the performance of pre-emergence herbicides. Late October sowing gives better flufenacet residuality, but it must go on before emergence as spray days become increasingly limited as the season progresses. This is another reason why seed beds are so important.Slug control, if required, should be carried out before drilling. If faced with a pellet and a wheat seedling, the slug will always choose the latter.An early dose of nitrogen is often needed for tiller retention – so applying 60-80kg/ha of N in mid-February is often ideal. Tips for late-drilled wheat Drill to a consistent depth of 3-4cm and consolidate well Soil conditions are paramount – cloddy seed beds will adversely affect establishment Later sown crops are at greater risk from soil-borne pests and diseases Increase seed rates as the season progresses, using 400-450 seeds/sq m in November Aim for 260 plants/sq m in the spring Spray off weed flushes as close to drilling as possible Assess slug pressure ahead of drilling See more'
'agriculture','english','Do you prefer to eat meat, vegetables or some of each? Regardless of how you answer that question, now you can have your, umm, burger, and eat it, too. While beef, pork and chicken are still the protein mainstays in the U.S., so-called meatless meats are showing up routinely in supermarkets, restaurants and, increasingly, on our dinner tables.Here’s just a handful of the data and details I found regarding the development of meatless meat:Sales of plant-based proteins in the U.S. totaled $670 million this past year, according to the Plant Based Foods Association. For comparison, the beef market in the U.S. is a $200-billion-plus industry, according to John Nalivka, Sterling Marketing. About 43 million people, which is 14% of U.S. consumers, regularly use plant-based alternatives such as almond milk, tofu and veggie burgers, and 86% of these consumers don’t consider themselves vegan or vegetarian, according to The NPD Group, an information company. Development is underway of so-called “clean meat,” which is meat grown from animal stem cells. It’s called clean because no animals are slaughtered. There are approximately half a dozen start-up companies based in Silicon Valley working on developing clean meat. Faunalytics, a nonprofit research company “dedicated to helping animals,” says its research of 1,200 consumers shows “66% of people would try clean meat, 53% would eat it as a replacement and 46% would be willing to buy it regularly.” In July, the Food and Drug Administration gave its stamp of approval to the Impossible Burger, an all-plant-based burger that “bleeds and sizzles just like meat.” To date, the burger is served in more than 1,000 restaurants around the country. There’s no denying many of the consumers we serve today are looking for alternatives to traditional protein resources. As a beef producer’s daughter that reality stings. On the other hand, as the Editor of Farm Journal, I realize many of you with crops might look at Americans’ embrace of plant-based proteins as a market opportunity that could help sustain the future for your farm. That makes total sense to me.I’m also a proponent of animal agriculture. Fortunately, for those of us who love raising livestock and producing meat, the future for traditional protein is not all doom and gloom. The 2017 Mintel Plant-Based Proteins report states, “more than two thirds (67%) of Americans agree meat is essential to a balanced diet, and just over half (51%) believe a meal is not complete without meat.”You can read more about this issue in our cover story on page 11 and at AgWeb.com . If you have thoughts on meatless meat, pro or con, drop me a line. I’d like to hear from you.'
'agriculture','english','All presidents take heat for their actions, although not since Jimmy Carter has a president challenged trade and eroded support with the same magnitude. More than 80% of farmers voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, yet the latest Farm Journal research shows only 54% would vote for him again and 43% view him unfavorably. In addition, 36% view him “less favorably” than they did before the trade wars.This research, which captured sentiments of 2,300 farmers, shines a bright light on facts that contradict mainstream reports that “farmers remain with Trump for now,” as recently proclaimed by Bloomberg.As you can imagine, feelings about Trump and his trade decisions are strong from both sides.What is Known About Tariff Aid? In mid-July, USDA announced a $12 billion tariff aid package to help farmers bear the brunt of the trade war. The funds will be paid out through three programs administered by USDA under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act. The market facilitation program would result in farmer payments, which will be based on actual 2018 production data, so payments won’t be able to be calculated until after harvest. The food purchase and distribution program would purchase surplus goods going to nutrition programs, and the trade promotion program will provide private sector assistance to new markets. The funds will not be equally distributed among crops and products.To keep up with details from USDA, including the sign-up process likely to be released closer to Labor Day, visit AgWeb.com .'
'agriculture','english','Your father used to say, “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” That was then, and this is now. We still can’t change the weather, but using technology can fortify crops to better cope with whatever Mother Nature throws at you—and she’s throwing even more curveballs these days.“Especially with today’s weather, farmers can no longer rely solely on preventive treatments or reacting after a weather disaster is upon them,” says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. There are numerous ways to weatherproof your crops, from hybrid selection through harvest, in wet, dry and normal seasons.Let’s start with water. “Long-term water management practices include surface and subsurface drainage,” Ferrie says. “Once installed and managed, they last for years. Other practices, which often are specific to individual fields or management zones, must be done every year.”Begin by examining yield maps and weather history. “If some fields or areas are excessively wet seven out of 10 years, you need to install drainage,” Ferrie says. “At the opposite end of the spectrum, if a lack of water causes crops to fail in seven out of 10 years, you need to think about installing irrigation. No short-term management practice will help if the crop is standing in water or if the soil can’t provide the 3,000 gal. of water needed to produce a bushel of corn.”Long-term solutions are the most expensive to apply, so take plenty of time to figure out how to get the most bang for your buck. “With drainage, you want only to remove excess water, while retaining the rest for your crop,” Ferrie says. “Here’s where new technology can help. Today we can install controlled drainage systems, using gated tile to lower the water table to the depth we choose and when we choose to do it.”Your system must relieve crops from saturated soil within 48 hours of a rainfall. “Managing drainage requires knowing where your water table is located,” Ferrie says. “You can do this relatively cheaply with inspection wells, made from PVC pipe extending below the tile line, or embedded sensors in the soil.”The more time you spend designing your drainage system, the more efficient it will be, Ferrie adds. Maximizing efficiency benefits crop yield and reduces the amount of nutrients leaving your fields in drainage water.Variable-rate technology (VRT) makes irrigation more efficient. “You don’t want irrigation water to run off and be wasted,” Ferrie says. “To use VRT, you need to know and monitor the infiltration rate and water-holding capacity of every soil management zone. You can do that by digging in the soil or burying moisture sensors. Sensors have the advantage of letting you monitor soil moisture remotely with your computer or smartphone.”What if you don’t own the land that needs improvements? “You might offer to pay part of the cost of improvements in return for lower rent or a longer-term lease,” Ferrie says. “To protect both parties, hire an attorney to prepare the agreement.”Now look at short-term water management practices . “With weatherproofing, the biggest water management issue I see is soil compaction,” Ferrie says. “Compacted layers cause soil to become saturated in rainy years, and a shortage of water when the weather turns dry, by restricting water movement up and down the soil profile.”Knowing how and when to remove compaction, and keep it out, is the key. “I’ve seen farmers spend the fall tearing out compaction, only to put it back in the following spring,” Ferrie says. About 80% of the compacted layers Ferrie finds were put in during the first spring tillage pass. Another source of compaction is wheel tracks.Working soil wet is a leading cause compaction. “Let your soil conditions, not the neighbors, tell you when to till,” Ferrie says. “With horizontal tillage, apply the ribbon test: In the wettest area of the field, dig 1" below where you run your sweeps. If you can ball up the soil in the palm of your hand and then make a 1" ribbon between your thumb and forefinger, doing tillage will put in compaction.”In a vertical tillage system, the primary compaction concern is the wheel tracks. “Before you till, pause and ask yourself if the ground can support a tractor without causing compaction,” Ferrie says.Once horizontal layers are removed, converting to vertical tillage will make it easier for water to move down to the tile line after a storm and back up to the surface when the crop needs it. “Farming vertically means using no-till, strip-till or vertical tillage tools rather than horizontal tillage,” Ferrie says. “You need to eliminate horizontal sweeps and disk blades.”A basic step in water management involves getting soil into shape for planting. In a system that involves primary tillage, this process begins in the fall. “Your fall tillage tool needs to leave the surface level enough you enter spring with less than 3" peaks and valleys,” Ferrie says. “The tops of the peaks dry out in the spring, while the valleys stay moist. If the peaks are too tall, you fill the valleys with dry soil. It will take time for the moisture levels to even out.”Patience is a weatherproofing tool. Possibly the worst situation that can arise is when a field has poor drainage and the operator lacks patience. “We often hear someone say he had to work the soil—cut it open and dry it out—to make it fit for planting,” Ferrie says. “What he’s really saying is, ‘I need to loosen the surface soil so water evaporates away, and put in a compacted layer to keep more water from moving up through the profile.’“While working soil to dry it out lets you plant earlier, it backfires in July and August when you need water to percolate upward through the soil and crop roots to grow deep.”The enemy of patience is peer pressure. Upon discovering stressed corn resulting from compaction caused by wet tillage, Ferrie is often told, “Everyone else was tilling, so I figured the soil must be dry enough.“The first farmer’s fields might be drier because of better drainage. Or, he might have run a vertical tool that worked only the surface but created so much dust it looked like the soil was dry from a distance,” Ferrie says.Examine your own fields—every management zone, not just a few areas close to the farmstead, he adds.What if exhibiting patience, while neighbors are running hot and heavy, results in a phone call from your farm manager or landlord? “If you explain tillage was delayed because of poor drainage, it might help persuade the landowner to install tile,” Ferrie says.“Once growers stop worrying what the neighbors think, they tend to move in the right direction in weather-proofing their water supply,” Ferrie says. “With tillage, knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em requires discipline. Keep reminding yourself what you do in the spring will affect your crop all season.”'
'agriculture','english',"Chinese officials are racing to control the country’s outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) that has put the largest pig herd in the world under threat. There have been three documented cases in one month and more are likely industry leaders say.WH Group Ltd , the world’s top pork producer, was ordered by Chinese officials to close a major slaughterhouse on Aug. 16 for six weeks to help control the disease spread.Though often fatal to pigs, with no vaccine available, ASF does not affect humans nor does the virus travel through consumption of pork, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).WH Group said in a statement that Zhengzhou city authorities had ordered a temporary six-week closure of the slaughterhouse after 30 hogs died of ASF Aug. 14. The plant is one of 15 controlled by China’s largest pork processor Henan Shuanghui Investment & Development, a subsidiary of WH Group. Shuanghui said in a separate statement on Friday it culled 1,362 pigs at the slaughterhouse after the infection was discovered.Zhengzhou city authorities have banned all movement of pigs and pork products in and out of the affected area for the same six weeks.Beijing Dabeinong Technology, another large Chinese pork producer, told Reuters Monday a large portion of their newly expanded pig farming capacity sits idle because of the disease risk—increasing production costs and pushing the company into its first loss in years. The second factor, it says is higher cost of soybean meal due to tighter feed supplies .Pigs Travel Long Distances Each of the three reported cases are considerable distance from each other, potentially increasing the risk of the disease spreading to other areas, including Japan, the Korean Peninsula and other parts of Asia.<br />Each case of African Swine Fever reported in China are located in different provinces—putting a large number of pigs at risk of contracting the disease. Here are the distances by road from each of the different points: 1: = 870 miles (1,400 km); 2= 1,400 miles (2,253 km); 3: 350 miles (563 km); 4: 800 miles (1,288 km).“The areas of concern now involve multiple Chinese provinces and heighten the likelihood of further cases,” the Swine Health Information Center , a U.S. research body, said in a note.ASF has been detected in Russia and Eastern Europe as well as Africa, though never before in East Asia.The discovery continues to affect hog prices in the country, although WH Group said Friday it did not expect the Zhengzhou slaughterhouse closure to adversely affect its business, citing it is only a small part of the company’s operations.Neighbor Countries Take Precautions South Korea doesn’t import pork or pigs from China, but the government has stepped up checks at airports on travelers from the country, and recommended visitors there avoid farms and live markets, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday, Reuters reports.In Japan, authorities have ramped up checks on travelers from the affected regions, its Ministry of Agriculture said. It bans imports of raw pork from China.Does This Up the Need for a Secure Pork Supply? U.S. pork leaders say a disease outbreak such as this could be more efficiently managed with use of the Secure Pork Supply program . The program at it’s most basic would allow for digital recordkeeping, and increased communication between producers, veterinarians and processors.“As bio-secure as we are, at some point we will have a foreign animal disease—as much as we try to prevent it. Secure Pork Supply is a program to better enable us to respond to when that does happen. We've got to be ready , and producers need to be involved ahead of time,” said Dave Pyburn, National Pork Board vice president of science and technology, during the 2018 World Pork Expo.Find more details at www.securepork.com . Further details of the Secure Pork Supply program were announced during the 2018 World Pork Expo .\u200b"
'agriculture','english','AMVAC Gearing Up for Farm Progress Show Cindy Zimmerman Leave a CommentLike pretty much everyone in the corn and soybean belt, AMVAC Chemical is gearing up for Farm Progress Show next week in Boone, Iowa.Neil DeStefano, AMVAC director of portfolio management and marketing communications, is really excited about this year’s show and what they will have on display for farmers. “We’re really going to have two booths in one – our traditional product portfolio and then our SIMPAS exhibit,” said DeStefano during an interview at Ag Media Summit. “SIMPAS stands for Smart Integrated Multi-Product Prescriptive Application System…so we’re going to have a really cool interactive exhibit at Farm Progress.” Watch a video about SIMPAS here.Learn more from Neil in this interview. Interview with Neil DeStefano, AMVAC, about SIMPAS and Farm Progress previewOn the product side, ImpactZ™ Herbicide for control of glyphosate-tolerant weeds and grasses in corn will be in the spotlight. Jim Lappin, AMVAC Chemical marketing manager for corn and soybean portfolio, says ImpactZ™ has had a very successful first year on the market. “One of the segments that has been growing very quickly is adding more residual herbicides in an early post-emergence application,” said Lappin, who explains that the combination of Impact and atrazine provides two modes of action and can be tank mixed with other residual herbicides.Listen to Lappin explain the benefits of ImpactZ.'
'agriculture','english','Leave a Comment Syngenta announced the registration of Vibrance® Trio seed treatment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The premix of three fungicide active ingredients – mefenoxam, fludioxonil and sedaxane – is recommended for soybean growers whose main early-season concerns are strong stands and disease protection. The American Farm Bureau Federation , in partnership with Farm Credit, has opened online applications for its 2019 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Entrepreneurs will compete for $145,000. The competition provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations in agriculture. Competitors are invited to submit for-profit business ideas related to food and agriculture online at http://fb.org/aginnovationchallenge by Sept. 24. Cargill Animal Nutrition is celebrating the launch of a new line of advanced calf and heifer nutrition, HerdFirst™ , with a new Facebook campaign to support The Great American Milk Drive. Cargill will donate three servings of milk — the recommended daily amount for Americans — for every person who shares how much they care for their dairy animals using the HerdFirst™ Facebook frame and hashtag #putyourherdfirst, from now until October 31. Shefali Mehta is the new executive director of the Soil Health Partnership , a long-term data project that measures and quantifies the impact of farm management practices known to promote healthy soils. Smart Ag Inc. , an Iowa-based technology company, will conduct in late August the first-ever Farm Progress Show field demonstration of a driverless tractor system. Throughout the three-days of Farm Progress, Smart Ag will introduce to farmers AutoCart® , a software platform and aftermarket kit that fully automates an existing grain cart tractor for use during harvest. Michael Stebbins, Director of External Engagement for GMO Answers , joined Kaci Creel of Dairy MAX and Allison Garriga of US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance to discuss consumer attitudes and how to reach them at the annual Agriculture Media Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. In a session entitled, “Managing Information in the Consumer Digital Space” the three panelists shared their experiences, successes, and shortcomings when sharing stories and consumer messages digitally. UrtheCast Corp. and Land O’Lakes, Inc. announced they have entered a binding term sheet for the purchase of Geosys Technology Holding LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, for a purchase price of US$20 million.'
'agriculture','english','Old MacDonald Had a Daughter Cindy Zimmerman Leave a CommentFemale farmers have a new anthem thanks to the efforts of Land O’Lakes, song writer Liz Rose, and songstress Maggie Rose who collaborated to re-imagine the children’s song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” introducing “She-I-O” for a new generation.The song and video featuring women on the farm is the cornerstone of the new All Together Better initiative from the farmer-owned cooperative that’s owned and run by 1,791 farmers, many of whom are women.Land O’Lakes has also partnered with Feeding America to raise awareness around the issue of food insecurity and will donate $1 to Feeding America for every share, tag or comment on any of the “She-I-O” music video content on Land O’Lakes social channels , as well as the “She-I-O” music track, up to $100,000. Use the hashtag #AllTogetherBetter when you share!'
'agriculture','english','Google +Today looks similar to yesterday in nearly every way, shape and form. High pressure drifts central to southeast Indiana today, working into SW OH late this afternoon. This will keep temps pleasantly cool (for late august) as north and northwest breezes will be seen over most of Ohio along with dominant sunshine. As we transition onto the backside of the high tonight, south winds pick up, and funnel warmer, more humid air back into the region. This will set the stage for our next round of precipitation.We see clouds increase tomorrow, and we are now confident that we will see rain in here faster on Friday. In fact, we likely see rains moving into NW Ohio and perhaps west central Ohio before sunset, and then the action continues off an on through Saturday and Sunday. The bigger frequency and coverage of rain out of those two days comes Saturday. We also are not ruling out thunderstorms yet, especially Saturday, but they still seem to be widely scattered. We will put combined rain totals for the 2 and half day period (Friday afternoon through Sunday) at a few hundredths to a quarter of an inch on the low end, and .75” on the top end. If thunderstorms do develop, 1”+ rains would be possible in highly isolated areas. These thunderstorms will not be a feature that a lot of people get…the atmosphere looks much, much more stable before this boundary moves in, and will not be a good catalyst to convective action. The map at right is an estimate of combined rain fall from late Friday through the weekend.So, with the precipitation moving in sooner, we are in fact going to move it out faster. We are going dry in our forecast now for next Monday and will continue to project the dry pattern through the rest of the week. We are looking for our next minor system to arrive late next Friday, the 31 st , but it also looks to affect only far northern and perhaps even only NW OH areas. We will keep an eye on scattered showers for next Friday from US 24 northwest-ward, but the southern drive of this system seems to be waning, and that could lead to the dry weather holding all day Friday over the rest of Ohio. In those northwestern areas, there could be up to half an inch of scattered showers, with coverage at 50% of the area from US 24 northward, and the best action, at least the way it looks this morning, will be closer to the MI line.The extended period we are less keen on precipitation around the Labor Day weekend. There likely still is a boundary there, but if we end up going drier for most of next week, we think it will be more difficult to source moisture in the atmosphere for any kind of mediocre front, which the Labor Day system seems to be trending toward. Before taking action completely out, we will just pull amounts back, as the front is still nearby, and also pull coverage back to nearly 40%. Rain totals will be no more than a few hundredths to half an inch as it stands right now. With no changes in the dynamics of this system, look for that to dwindle in future forecasts. The rest of the 11-16 day window should be precipitation free.Pleasant temps in the short term, and we climb to near normal levels for the weekend and early next week. Later in the week if south winds roll back in, a move to slightly above normal levels is expected, but no excessive heat is likely. Share'
'agriculture','english','136 “If you can’t be a good example, you should at least serve as a horrible warning.” The alternate title of this column could very well be “If I die like this, please fabricate a much more dignified cause of death.” Back(side) story: Since reaching a certain age, I have found that my body has betrayed me. Through childhood and into my 20s, I didn’t worry about my weight. I ate what I wanted without consequence. A few decades later, it is as if every potato chip or cookie I had ingested without a care in the world suddenly came home to roost. On the bright side, it’s nice to know that should Armageddon come, I am going to last longer than most based entirely on stored body fat alone. Or, I am going to be killed and eaten first. Either way, my extra weight will have obvious benefits. Through thick and thin On the day-to-day, however, being thick around the middle isn’t always the look I’m going for. Enter shapewear. Shapewear is to our generation what girdles and corsets were to our well-endowed ancestors. Having lost the whalebone and lacing, today’s shapewear is marketed as a more “comfortable” and “breathable” solution to smooth and shape (i.e. “squish) less-than-firm body areas into a more suitable shape. This allows for looking cuter in clothing or, at the very least, having hope of buttoning one’s pants. Shapewear is very stretchy. Imagine an elastic stretch bandage with leg holes. To put them on is deceptively simple. You step in and tug up the shapewear. If you’ve purchased a standard shapewear garment, it should cover the vicinity of your armpits to knees. If you’ve ever stuffed a sausage into a casing, it’s kind of the same process. Presuming you are well rested and in fighting form, you can usually get all the extra flesh jammed and tucked into the thing. Once everything is firm and your muffin top has been pressed into a solid column of shaped flesh, simply slide your clothing on over top and you are good to go! This isn’t my first rodeo, so I knew better than to eat much. I was afraid of exploding like a busted can of refrigerator biscuits if I so much as glanced at a french fry. I figured I could handle standing, or better yet sitting, in the shade. My shorts looked cute and that is what matters right? Suffer for beauty. Fast forward a few hours at an outdoor event, a few bottles of ice water and a 90-plus degrees-even-in-the-shade day. Suddenly, I had to, you know, go. This is where we find our heroine, aka me, learning a valuable life lesson. I was using a portable toilet roughly the size of a pack of gum while valiantly attempting to peel off boa constrictor tight undergarments all WITHOUT TOUCHING ANYTHING IN THAT SPACE. I balanced on one foot while simultaneously attempting to slide out of most of my garments. Removal of compression shapewear under these conditions should really be an Olympic event. Sliding was not happening — I wasn’t even sure I could chisel them off. The rubber grips and elastic fabric had become one with my overheated flesh. I grasped. I pulled. I was losing feeling in my lower extremities. At one point I had managed to shimmy it down to a point where the garment had twisted into an ironlike grip lashing both thighs together. I almost could not get my fingers between the fabric and flesh. I was light-headed and sweat was literally dripping down my brow. The end So this is how it ends. I was going to die in a portable toilet hung by my fleshy stretch undies. I spent my whole life trying NOT to appear on the news in a compromising position and yet here I was. Obviously, if I somehow survived, this would go viral — it’s too ridiculous not to. At that point, if I haven’t already I definitely would die. Vanity kills, friends. I did finally break free and manage to get out of that toilet (and shapewear) with my flesh and most of my dignity intact. Since then I’ve considered toning up the old-fashioned way. I might try walking, light stretching, maybe working out. Someone asked if I had ever done yoga. Yoga? Not intentionally, but there was this one time I wore shapewear into a port-a-potty … STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! '
'agriculture','english','3 Takeaways From MERL Tech Jozi in South Africa content/uploads/2018/08/merl-tech-... Recently, MERL Tech Jozi, our first MERL Tech on the African continent, brought together a wide range of experts for two days of sharing, learning and exploring what’s happening at the intersection of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) and technology. Register Now for MERL Tech DC on September 6-7, 2018 Participants spanned backgrounds and types of institutions – one of the things that makes MERL Tech unique – and it was really exciting to learn about the work that is happening in South Africa and nearby countries. The conference vibe was energetic, buzzy and friendly, with lots of opportunities to meet people and discuss this area of work. Thanks to all our sponsors – Genesis Analytics, Praekelt.org, The Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL) and JoziHub! Tech Savvy Newcomers vs. Established Evaluators One key take-away for me was that there’s a gap between the ‘new school’ of younger, more tech savvy MERL practitioners and the more established, older evaluation community. Some familiar tensions were present between those with years of experience in MERL and less expertise in tech and those who are newer to the MERL side yet highly proficient in tech-enabled approaches. The number of people who identify as having skills that span both areas is growing and will continue to do so. It’s going to be important to continue to learn from one another and work together to bring our MERL work to the next level, both in terms of how we form MERL teams with the necessary expertise internally and how we engage with each other and interact as a whole sector. As one participant put it, we are not going find all these magical skills in one person — the “ MERL Tech Unicorn ” so we need to be cognizant of how we form teams that have the right variety of skills and experiences, including data management and data science where necessary. Increasingly, evaluations require research, eval, tech & sector experience. Helping Evaluators to build networks with data scientists or survey- & other tech experts, is a better capacity dev strategy than trying to get know-it-all Evaluators — Benita Williams It is critical that we all have a better understanding of the wider impacts of technologies , beyond our projects, programs, platforms and evaluations. If we don’t have a strong grip on how technology is affecting wider society, how will we understand how social change happens in increasingly digital contexts? How will we negotiate data privacy ? How will we wrestle with corporate data use and the potential for government surveillance? If evaluator understanding of technology and the information society is low, how will evaluators offer relevant and meaningful insights? How do diversity, inclusion and bias manifest themselves in a tech-enabled world and in tech-enabled MERL and what do evaluators need to know about that in order to ensure representation? How do we understand data in its newer forms and manifestations? How do we ensure ethical and sound approaches?We need all the various sectors who form part of the MERL Tech community work together to come to a better understanding of both the tangible and intangible impacts of technology in development work, evaluation, and wider society. What questions should evaluators ask about technology? How can the tech forerunners bring the crowd with asks Victor Naidu from SAMEA content/uploads/2018/08/merl-tech-... We Need to Develop MERL Tech Skills for Evaluators A second takeaway, as highlighted by Victor Naidu from the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA), is that we need to focus on developing the competencies that evaluators require for the near future. And we need to think about how the tech sector can better serve the MERL community. SAMEA has created a set of draft competencies for evaluators, but these are missing digital competencies. SAMEA would love your comments and thoughts on what digital competencies evaluators require. They would also like to see you as part of their community and at their next event! ( More info on joining SAMEA ). What digital competencies should be added to this list of evaluator competencies? Please add your suggestions and comments to the Google Doc . MERL Tech will be collaborating more closely with SAMEA to include a MERL Tech Track at SAMEA’s 2019 conference. We Need MERL for ICT4D A third key takeaway is that we need to do a better job of documenting and evaluating the use of technology in development and in MERL (e.g., the MERL of ICT4D and MERL of tech-enabled MERL). I learned so much from the practical presentations and experience sharing during MERL Tech Jozi. In many cases, the challenges and learning were very similar across projects and efforts. We need to find better ways of ensuring that this kind of learning is found, accessed, and that it is put into practice when creating new initiatives. We need to also understand more about the power dynamics, negative incentives and other barriers that prevent us from using what we know.As MERL Tech, we are planning to pull some resources and learning together over the next year or two, to trace the shifts in the space over the past 5 years, and to highlight some of the trends we are seeing for the future. Please get in touch with me if you’d like to participate in this “MERL of MERL Tech” research with a case study, an academic paper, other related research, or as a key informant! Register Now for MERL Tech DC on September 6-7, with pre-event workshops on September 5 on Big Data and Evaluation and Blockchain and MERL!'
'agriculture','english','Almond Update: Free Irrigation Audits Available Taylor Hillman Almond Update , News from our SponsorsSeveral Resource Conservation Districts’s around the state are teaming up with various groups to offer free irrigation audits for growers. The Almond Board of California is partnering with several groups to fund interns in the Northern San Joaquin Valley to perform the audits. ABC’s Senior Manager of Field Outreach and Education Spencer Cooper said the audits are a great free tool for growers who often don’t have the time to perform the practice themselves.Listen to Cooper’s interview. Share this:'
'agriculture','english','Egg Production / North America / Industry News & Trends One-third of US Senate ready to write off King Amendment Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, has proposed the Protect Interstate Commerce Act, which is included in the early draft of the 2018 farm bill. | Photo courtesy of Rep. Steve King Group, mostly consisting of Democrats, urges agriculture committee leaders to not support inclusion of amendment into next farm bill August 23, 2018As we await the eventual passage of a new farm bill, there are many questions about what it will include.Among those questions is: Will it include the King amendment ? About the King amendmentThe King amendment, formally known as the Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA) was introduced within the House version of the farm bill. The bill was designed to prevent states from regulating farm animal production in other states.For Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who introduced the legislation, this would protect the state’s egg industry from laws in other states, such as California and Massachusetts , that have laws that set restrictions on how hens that lay eggs that are sold in in their state are raised, regardless of where they are raised.King argues this is unconstitutional.“States do not have the Constitutional authority to regulate interstate commerce; the United States Congress does,” he said in a press release. “If California, or any other state, wants to regulate how products are made within their borders, they can do so. But Iowa’s producers should not be held hostage to the demands of California’s vegan lobby and California’s regulatory agencies.”King attempted similar legislation during the drafting of the existing farm bill, but when that bill was signed into law in 2014, it did not include the King amendment. Opposition from SenateIf 32 members of the United States Senate have their way, the next farm bill will also lack the King amendment.Earlier this month, a group of 32 Senators, led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-California, wrote to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, urging them to not support the King amendment, which was included in the version of the farm bill that passed the House.“If enacted, this amendment would undermine numerous state laws and infringe on the fundamental rights of states to establish regulations within their own borders,” the senators wrote. “We want to thank you for not including this provision in the Senate bill, and strongly encourage you to reject this provision in any form in the final conference report.” Signing senators and their party affiliationsIt is worth noting that both of California’s senators, Feinstein and Kamala Harris, as well as both of Massachusetts’ senators, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, signed the letter .But it is also evident that most signatures on the letter are those of Democrats, including agriculture committee members Patrick Leahy, Kirsten Gillibrand, Robert Casey Jr., and Tina Smith. However, the letter also includes the signature of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine; Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont.Given that the moderate Collins often votes at odds with her party, and Sanders actually campaigned for the presidency during the last election cycle as a Democrat, the partisan nature of the signatures isn’t surprising. Nor is it surprising, considering the partisan nature of the farm bill deliberations.But what if others see things the way that Feinstein and Co. do?Thirty-two is hardly a majority since each of the 50 states elects two to the Senate, but it is enough that anyone who views the King amendment as a good thing should be concerned about its fate.Roy Graber is a staff reporter at WATT Global Media. Contact Graber via email at rgraber@wattglobal.com. Related Blog Posts'
'agriculture','english','Home / Blogs / Opinions & Columns / How Deere Survived the 1980s Farm Crisis How Deere Survived the 1980s Farm Crisis August 23, 2018 | Posted in Best Practices , Data & ForecastsBy Stan JacksonI am happy to add a few observations to “ Looking Back: What Happened to Equipment Manufacturers in the Early 1980s Farm Crisis .” Of course I must disclaim any authority to act or write in Deere’s name. I can only report my observations and opinions while employed by Deere for 34 years.Of many reasons Deere was able to survive the 1980s in the black while others suffered, these three were of major importance:1. Deere senior management (Hanson, Becherer) and many subordinate managers, insisted that the excellent earnings of the 1970s be used to pay down debt, update factories with latest technology and launch a company-wide initiative to become the highest quality, low-cost producer. Deere spent lavishly on latest manufacturing techniques, just-in-time assembly methods and computer aided design and manufacturing and many other R&D projects. These cost savings allowed survival in the ’80s with a small but adequate profit. Simultaneously, they diversified into a very strong consumer products division, an expanding industrial market (world-wide) and a powerhouse financial services company.2. With these efficiencies, laid in the 1970s, Deere executives built a strong balance sheet. With this strength they could borrow needed funds, issue corporate paper and fund modernization at very favorable rates in the 80s while others were paying extreme rates. For example, in the income statements below (and included in “ Looking Back: What Happened to Equipment Manufacturers in the Early 1980s Farm Crisis ”), notice that in 1980-1981, Deere’s interest and overhead costs were less that 5% of sales. These same costs for the nearest manufacturer were 14%.3. Significanlty, Deere did not turn its back on customers and dealers. Throughout the 1980s Deere used its financial and marketing clout to continue developing dealers and customers. They developed excellent incentives for farmers to continue to upgrade their equipment during these tough times. Dealers were given inventory and interest incentives that helped them survive until better times. Brand loyalty was thus built at dealer and customer level.In short Deere leadership practiced good fundamental business principles: frugality in good times; save for downturns, manage the balance sheet not just the income statement; invest in continues improvement (efficiency); AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR DEALERS AND CUSTOMERS REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC TIMES!'
'agriculture','english','Home / Blogs / Opinions & Columns / Ask the Expert: Filling the Used Equipment Manager Position Ask the Expert: Filling the Used Equipment Manager Position By Casey Seymour posted on August 22, 2018 | Posted in Used Equipment RemarketingCan you share a sample job description for a fully dedicated (100%) USED EQUIPMENT REMARKETING MANAGER? An ag dealer with a couple of locations. Also, who they report to and what kind of training they will need to be successful in job.Thanks for the Question. I do have a Job Description I would be happy to share. If you can send me your contact information I will send it your way. I report directly to the Sales Manager and I have a couple of other folks that report to me as well. Formal training is tough.In my opinion, to be a good Remarketing Manager/Used Equipment Manager you have to understand how to read and react to trends. You also need to be able to forecast trends based on the current environment so you can predict the future. A successful Used Equipment Manager will be able to divorce themselves from the emotions of the sales deal and the evaluation of current inventory. This is a position that has to have discipline! It is very black and white when looking at the data. That being said, they have to understand there is art and science to machine values and each have their place.The Ask the Expert: Remarketing Used Equipment series allows dealers to regularly ask questions and get them answered in real time. It is brought to you courtesy of Iron Solutions .More from this seriesAt Iron Solutions , we provide used equipment valuations, market intelligence and a suite of integrated, cloud-based business systems custom-tailored for the equipment industry. Our proprietary model is built on actual dealer sales transaction data. Learn more…There is not really any training for this position. This is really a “Trial by Fire” learning curve. Each market is little bit different from machine demands and hours of use. The Remarketing Manager needs to adjust to the local market first and then compare to the national market. What did the last X number of units sell for? Then compare data sets to the national market and adjust up or down.From what I have encountered, the best Remarketing Managers in the business are very analytical by nature and have a high understand of how to structure sales programs and deals. They are a rare breed but they do exist. The best advice I can give is look at the past 2 years of auction data, in house retail data and internet retail Listings data. Compare that to what the current market looks like and start making some assumptions about what will happen in the next 3, 6 and 12 months.The other key piece of data this position must understand is what is their washout cycle in units and how long does each new sale take to washout. If you can combine the auction, retail and internet data with a clear washout cycle, this will be a very strong foundation for any Remarketing or Used Equipment Manager to grow from.I hope this answers your questions. Please be sure to listen to Moving Iron Podacst on iTues, Google Play, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, and MovingIronLLC.com. You can also hit me up on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @MovingIronLLC or you can’t send me an email at .KEYWORDS 21st century equipment ask the expert Casey Seymour Moving Iron LLC remarketing manager job used equipment manager job Casey SeymourCasey Seymour has spent his entire career in used equipment remarketing at 3 different dealership groups, currently serving as the remarketing manager for 21st Century Equipment. He also operates Moving Iron LLC, which includes meetings, a longer format podcast series and other opportunities for remarketing managers. He can be reached at Farm Equipment thanks these sponsors of our digital content: Related Articles'
'agriculture','english','Next StoryThe recent wet weather has decreased soil moisture deficits and allowed grass growth levels to turn in favour of farmers in some parts of the country.As the weather is now cooler and pastures are lush in certain parts of the country, there is an increased risk of bloat in all types of cattle. There is also an increased risk of bloat when dew is present on grass in the morning time.Bloat commonly occurs when cattle graze pastures dominated by lush, immature, rapidly-growing legumes – such as clovers.This results in the build up of gases within the rumen as fermentation takes place; it is common from August on, when sward clover content is at its highest. The animal finds it difficult to excrete this rapid build up of gas in the rumen and this leads to swelling on the left-hand side of the animal.It is important to be aware that any change of diet in a herd can cause digestive challenges and new diets should be introduced gradually.It should also be noted that clover growth may increase quickly after the prolonged dry period and due to the lack of nitrogen (N) fertiliser spread on land over the last few months. Signs of bloat in cattle: Advertisement'
'agriculture','english','Missouri’s Cooper County passes manure handling ordinance August 25, 2018 By Tom Steever Filed Under: Beef , Crops , Dairy , Livestock , Missouri , NewsThe Cooper County Public Health Center Board of Trustees passed an ordinance Friday regulating livestock manure. The ordinance, which was pared back significantly from its original draft, requires a nutrient management plan from anyone applying manure. Cooper County farmer Dean Gibson opposed the ordinance, because, he tells Brownfield, it makes it difficult to use what he considers a valuable resource.“What’s that going to do with our supply of manure,” asked Gibson, during an interview with Brownfield Ag News following Friday’s vote. “The supply of manure that we have to get rid of in the poultry operations is going to stay in Moniteau County or other counties rather than come up to Cooper County where we need it desperately as a nutrient right now.”AUDIO: Dean Gibson (1 min. MP3)It’s on Gibson’s property that a proposed concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) is to be built.Susan Williams , who lives about a mile from that CAFO site, pushed to have the ordinance passed because of her concerns about how waste from the facility would be handled.AUDIO: Susan Williams (3 min. MP3)“We spent months working with land owners who are going to receive the manure and we still didn’t have an agreement on land application,” Williams told Brownfield, “so we’re pleased that the county has put that in place to make us feel more assured of that.”The lone ‘no’ vote – there were four votes cast – came from board member Susan Felton , who tells Brownfield state regulation of nutrient application is adequate.AUDIO: Susan Felten (5 min. MP3)“I feel like we’ve already got a regulating body that’s doing a good job,” said Felton, referring to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that currently oversees manure handling and livestock operations in Missouri. “I didn’t see a need to double-regulate an industry.”That’s not the view of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC), which intervened on behalf of Cooper County residents who favored putting an ordinance in place.“What we have found, and what we know to be true, is the DNR cannot protect us,” said Tim Gibbons , a representative of the MRCC, who contends that Missouri laws are less effective than environmental regulations passed at the local level.AUDIO: Tim Gibbons (1 min. MP3)The ordinance as passed Friday is less stringent than what was first drafted. The original proposal, for instance, to regulate Class II CAFOs, those with fewer animal units, was dropped.Cooper County farmer Nathan Alpers , who regularly fertilizes fields with poultry litter, tells Brownfield enforcement of environmental regulations should not be at the county level.AUDIO: Nathan Alpers (1 min. MP3)“It’s DNR’s job,” Alpers told Brownfield. “It should be done at a state level.”The board has been grappling with the issue for months after Pipestone Systems announced plans to build a large hog operation, known as Tipton East, in Cooper County.Attorney Brent Haden , representing several farmers in the county, questions whether this type of regulation is in the board’s jurisdiction.“They’re not supposed to be in the environmental regulatory business,” said Haden. “They have not shown and cannot show that any of the regulations they’ve put in effect here are going to matter one bit to the prevention of any of the diseases that they are in charge of preventing.”AUDIO: Brent Haden (7 min. MP3)Consideration of the ordinance divided county residents, some of whom want greater regulation of CAFOs, while others feel restrictions beyond state laws will discourage agricultural economic development.“I think that the average operation, to look at (Cooper) County versus a county that’s actually friendly to livestock operations, it’s going to make a difference,” said Haden.The ordinance takes effect immediately.'
'agriculture','english','Next StoryIrregardless of the farming sector, one of the toughest tasks being faced is bringing enthusiastic, young people into the fold. However, one area that seems to be breaking the mould is pedigree sheep breeding and especially Suffolk sheep breeding.AgriLand recently sat down with three young breeders to hear their thoughts on sheep farming and what they’d change if they were given the opportunity. The next generation to enter the frayLong associated with success in the show and sales rings, Mallow’s O’Keeffe family has been synonymous with Suffolk breeding for decades; Patrick O’Keeffe is the next generation to enter the fray.“I’ve been raised up with Suffolk sheep. My father has them and my grandfather had them, so I was just born into them,” Patrick said.Everyone has their own opinions on different breeds and every breed has its pros and cons; I just happen to like Suffolks.“I find Suffolks easy to work with. Some people have a perception that Suffolks are dopey when they are born; there are lazy Suffolks, but I think it’s wrong to paint them all with the one brush.“We’d lamb a couple of hundred ewes at home and if the lambs were slow to get going that would be a disaster for us. If they don’t get up and start sucking at home, we haven’t the room to be minding them.“We’ve 150 dairy cows and a couple of hundred sheep and we just haven’t the time to get every lamb to suck,” he explained.When it comes to problems with the breed, Patrick said: “For a few years, breeders were all about big heads and legs and the Suffolk breed lost its carcass.“The breed is definitely focusing more on carcass again and the heads and bone are not as extreme as they once were.I think that’s a big positive. A couple of fancy prices are achieved every year, but the bread and butter is the commercial trade.“If you’re not breeding rams suitable for commercial farmers, they’re a dead duck because that’s the bulk of the trade. The rams have to be suitable.”Along with breeding pedigree Suffolks, Patrick plays a key role in the family’s Annakisha Texel Flock.When questioned why they keep sheep of two competing breeds, he said: “The Texels would traditionally be a well-shaped sheep, but they don’t weigh as well as the Suffolk. Now, I think, the Texels have made serious strides in terms of weight gain and are closing the gap.“From year-to-year, however, with the Texels and Suffolks, one will have a good year and one will have a bad year and that’s purely down to ewes getting too white or too black. If a farmer’s ewes are getting too white he/she will go for a Suffolk ram; if the ewes are getting too black, he/she will go for the Texel.“It’s in moderation. Some people buy both a Suffolk and Texel ram and let the Suffolk off with the whiter ewes and the Texel off with the blacker ewes,” he said. New entrants to Suffolk sheep breedingIt was through an admiration of the Suffolk breed in their commercial flock that brought Kilkenny’s Quinlan family to the decision of commencing a pedigree Suffolk flock.From Paulstown, David Quinlan – a student at Borris Vocational School – is actively involved in the family’s sheep and beef farm. AdvertisementCommenting on his involvement with the Suffolk breed, he said: “We are only breeding Suffolks a few years and we have 13 pedigree ewes.We always had sheep and we liked Suffolks, so we said we’d try a few pedigrees. They’re fierce animals to finish and when you cross them, you can’t beat them for meat.To further grow the flock, David is trying embryo transplant for the first time this year.“Instead of buying a dear ewe, you could have one dear ewe and make her produce to her maximum. We’ll have less pedigree ewes and more pedigree lambs.”When it comes to weaknesses, David feels that the way some farmers present their sheep for sales is a negative.“The lambs are kind of getting very fake now with trimming and a lot of farmers don’t know what they are buying. To make it a level playing field, we should look at letting rams into sales as they stand in the field.” The balance between work and farmingCurrently a fourth year engineering student in the University of Limerick, Brian Pearse is hoping to find full-time employment close to home once his studies are completed. This will allow him to remain actively involved in the family’s sheep and beef farm.Breeding under the Priorview Suffolks prefix, Brian said: “My father started with pedigree Suffolks in 1992, when he bought a ewe lamb off the Jefferies and I’ve grown up with Suffolks.“I’ve seen them change over the years and they’ve gone to a taller, more framed sheep, with bigger legs and heads.“Some of the lambs could do with a bit more carcass; but some of the lambs have a very good carcass and that’s what the factory buyers want and that’s the direction any sheep breed should take.The main point I want to highlight to farmers is – when you’re buying a ram, make sure you buy a fleshy ram and the head is not too big.“If you put your hand on the ram’s back and you can feel the backbone, that ram’s not going to produce fleshy lambs.”When it comes to the Clare-based operation, the family currently has 40 pedigree ewes. Over recent years, they’ve twice travelled to Scotland to purchase stock rams.“We sell ram lambs in sales in the west, such as Roscommon. Every weekend after the Premier Show and Sale, we’re selling rams and hopefully there’s customers for them this year after the summer we’ve just had.“The pedigree trade is going to maintain and there’s going to be some big prices; but we need to maintain the commercial trade as well so that the commercial farmers might want to buy off Suffolk breeders.“The heads may have got too big, but that’s driven by showing and looks. The entire breed isn’t suffering with that problem and if breeders could keep the head smaller that would help.” RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','By Nicole Heslip Filed Under: Crops , Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , News , OhioAn agronomy manager says harvest is not too far off for parts of the Eastern Corn Belt.“Our planting season was extremely difficult, it was one of the wettest on record. If a guy planted early to on-time, we’re far ahead of schedule. For folks that got pushed into late June, they’re relishing this heat with grain fill.”Stephanie Smith with 360 Yield Center tells Brownfield recent hot weather is drying the corn crop down quickly. “In Kentucky, Tennessee, and southern Illinois—they’re starting to harvest, so given the heat this year, we’re just not that far way if we were able to plant timely.”Smith says she’s seen more grey leaf spot in corn fields with humid weather this year, but white mold in soybeans hasn’t been an issue.AUDIO: Interview with Stephanie Smith'
'agriculture','english','Farm Progress Show 2018 is Underway Cindy Zimmerman Leave a CommentThe 2018 Farm Progress Show is officially underway now with the opening press conference in the media tent.Don Tourte, Farm Progress Sr. Vice President, Sales & Events Advertising, kicked off the show saying it may be the best show he has seen in his over 20 years with the event.Once again, the media is being kept cool thanks to BASF, which sponsors the media tent that provides food and fun in air conditioned comfort.Listen to welcoming remarks from Tourte and BASF – #FPS18 Opening Press ConferencePhoto album is started and will be constantly updated:'
'agriculture','english',"August 28, 2018 The newsSouth West Ag Partners, the Chatham-based ag input and grain dealer, has reached an agreement to sell its subsidiary Veritas Farm Management to Deveron UAS, a drone-derived data company. The detailsThe sale includes South West Ag Partners’ 100 percent share of Veritas Farm Management Inc., but this is a separate deal from the pending transaction between Cargill, La Coop fédérée, and South West Ag Partners. Cargill announced in March that it was selling its 50% stake in South West Ag Partners to La Coop fédérée, a deal that also included another 13 grain and crop inputs retail locations in Ontario.Finalization of the transaction with Deveron will take place upon the completion of definitive agreements and any required regulatory reviews, the company says in a release. The sale is expected to close in Q3 of 2018. Quotes “Data, analytics and insights have always been the driving factors of our vision in building Deveron as a leading drone data company in North America. Veritas has built an insights business deeply rooted in understanding the needs of farmers and what can be implemented on the farm today. We look forward to growing our mutual customer base by providing complementary product offerings that are all rooted in increasing yields and reducing costs,” — Deveron’s president & CEO, David MacMillan“Veritas was born out of the need for better management tools for Ontario farmers. Drone imagery has become one of the tools that allows for better management decisions. This partnership will enable Veritas to continue to develop and deliver measurable solutions to our current and growing geographical footprint of customers, in a way that is easy for farmers to implement. By working with the South West Ag team, Veritas Farm Management has been able to position itself within the Ontario market in a way that is both strategic and unique. This new relationship with Deveron will only enhance our ability to execute for our customers,” — Aaron Breimer, business manager of Veritas Farm Management Inc. RealAgriculture News Team A team effort of RealAgriculture's videographers and editorial staff to make sure that you have the latest in what is happening in agriculture. Trending Wheat prices jump into August — This week in the grain markets This week, winter wheat prices touched a three-year high, but it didn’t last. Chicago SRW wheat prices for September 2018 gained 5 per cent or about 26 cents US/bushel to close at $5.56. While the December 2018 contract was up 5.4 percent — or nearly 30 cents — to finish a tad under $5.80. In… Read more » Related"
'agriculture','english','Tariffs cost dairy farmers 64 cents/cwt August 28, 2018 By Nicole Heslip Filed Under: Dairy , News , Trade , USDAA new report says retaliatory tariffs imposed by China and Mexico could cut dairy farmer revenues by $16.6 billion, or 64 cents per hundredweight, over the next five years.The U.S. Dairy Export Council commissioned the study which says tariffs could lower dairy exports by $2.7 billion and cut economic output by at least $8 billion between now and 2023.In the short-term, dairy farmers are projected to lose $1.5 billion this year and at least $3 billion next year from lost exports.USDA’s trade aid package will provide dairy farmers with 12 cents per hundredweight for half of their highest annual production over a period of time and includes payment limits.Tariffs from China account for more than 70 percent of losses while less than 30 percent is from Mexican tariffs.The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office says the new U.S. and Mexico trade agreement would have zero tariffs on ag products for both countries if ratified. Mexico is currently imposing 20 to 25 percent tariffs on U.S. cheeses.'
'agriculture','english','0 37 A 1919 International Harvester Company booklet shared letters from satisfied IH tractor owners, including one 1912 International 12-25 owner who plowed 3,000 acres and powered a separator for 150 days of threshing that included a one-day record of 1,500 bushels of wheat. This illustration of a 1917 International Mogul 10-20 tractor came from a sales brochure. (Image courtesy of Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki) In 1919, the International Harvester Company published a 48-page booklet titled, A Collection of Real Life Sketches from Here and There. In it were 48 letters from satisfied tractor users describing how they used their tractors and how reliable they were. Some of the machines described had been sold or traded by previous owners as worn-out junk, and had been fixed up at a nominal cost and were still giving good service. The point, of course, was that with good care a tractor would last a lot longer than the conventional wisdom of the day had it. Workhorse While not the oldest machine mentioned, probably the hardest used was a 1912 International 12-25 tractor belonging to George Laird, Webster, N.D. The tractor had plowed 3,000 acres, plus breaking 200 acres of new ground, and discing some 1,000 acres. The article points out that to plow this much ground with a team and a 14-inch walking plow, the horses and the plowman would have needed to tramp 23,345 weary miles. Besides all the plowing, the 12-25 had powered a separator for 150 days of threshing, during which was set a one day record of 1,500 bushels of wheat. A Duluth, Minnesota, man bought an IH tractor seven years earlier that had, besides doing all his own work, earned him about $700 a year threshing for others. In October 1918, a forest fire burned up the machine, but it was repaired because, “we can’t be without it,” and it was still in use. Few repairs Rost Brothers of Truman, Minnesota, bought a 40 HP tractor in 1910 and every year since then had plowed 250 acres, driven a thresher for two months of each year, filled innumerable silos, moved buildings, pulled stones weighing up to 30 tons and graded roads, all with a total repair bill of about $30. Jim Owen from Chemung, N.Y., bought an IH tractor in 1911 and used it each year to plow 60 acres, cut 30 to 40 acres of ensilage, threshed, husked corn and did other work with the total repair expense for the seven years not more than $25. Last year he sold the tractor to a man who was now using it to power a sawmill. Ohio report The 10-20 tractor bought in 1910 by Harold Cooke of Lebanon, Ohio, has since threshed 13,400 bushels of wheat, baled 5,420 tons of hay, filled silos with 12,630 tons of ensilage, husked 82,800 bushels of corn, crushed 1,560 yards of stone, ground 2,600 bushels of corn, plowed and disced 225 acres of land and graded 4,800 miles of highway. Mr. Cooke says that he overhauled the tractor himself at least once each year and sometimes twice, but his meticulously kept records claim but $197 total repairs. Parts were definitely cheaper then, although it isn’t known just what he meant by “overhauled.” Big load Quinn Rose, of Astoria, Illinois, reported that he bought a 10-20 tractor in October 1911, and it was used a great deal. During the plowing season, Rose said the little 10-20 hauled four plows, a big load for a 10 drawbar HP tractor that was ordinarily rated at two bottoms. He also said the machine drove a 28-by-48 Racine separator, a 32-inch clover huller, a six-roll McCormick husker-shredder, a 52-inch lumber saw, cutting 3,500 feet of oak timber a day; a feed grinder grinding 70 bushels of corn and cob an hour. He states that he had plowed 1,000 acres, threshed 125,000 bushels of grain, hulled 2,000 bushels of clover seed, sawed 40,000 feet of lumber and husked and shredded corn for 210 days. His cost for repairs was about $50 and “the machine is in excellent condition, showing little evidence of wear.” Saved from junk In 1913, A.J. Prince of Grass Lake, Michigan, saw a 10-20 tractor in a pile of junk because the owner thought it no longer serviceable. He bought it cheap, took it home and tinkered a little with it and had been using it ever since to run a large silo filler, a buzz saw, shingle mill and sawmill, and a six-roll corn husker. He wrote that in 1914, he and one man husked 12,000 bushels of corn in 37 days. To date, the cylinder had been rebored once and the total repair cost had been $260. A Colorado farmer bought a new tractor and plowed about 300 acres before, for some reason, leaving the machine sit in the field for a year. R.B. White of Denver bought it and drove the thing 75 miles to his place where he used it for six years plowing and threshing. White said the tractor “paid for itself several times over” before he sold it “and the machine is still in use.” A Maryland farmer reported that he bought, fourth-hand, a 12-25 tractor nine years previously and it had hard usage ever since in general farm work, threshing some 5,000 bushels of grain each year, baling many tons of hay, and sawing about 200,000 feet of lumber, along with sawing cord wood. The latter three stories illustrated that even though one person may think a tractor is worn out and unserviceable, “it has substantial value in practical hands.” Take-home message. International Harvester meant the booklet to help convince skeptical farmers that the investment they made in a tractor would be worthwhile because the machines would, with careful use and good maintenance, last a lot longer than was generally believed. And this is still as true today as it was 100 years ago. STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox! Sign Up'
'agriculture','english','Boll Weevil Battle Nearly OverYou know, cotton is one of the oldest crops grown in this country. Especially in the southern states. It was one of the costliest crops too. What cost so much was fighting the Boll Weevil. That has changed now.All cotton regions, except the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, has been declared free of the insect. The effort is almost complete there. It took years, and millions of dollars, but, the effort was worth the result. It didn’t happen all at once. Mississippi and Louisiana were the last 2 states to be declared weevil free. Mississippi in 2009. Louisiana in 2012.Now, that small region in Texas is the only part of the cotton country still fighting. The battle is almost over there. One expert says, it has saved growers 10 times what it cost already.Just give them a little more time. Texas can be declared Boll Weevil free too. That is the day cotton growers everywhere are looking for.That’s Agri View for today. I’m Everett Griner… Share this:'
'agriculture','english','Agri-food economist and former chairman of Meat Industry Ireland, Ciaran FitzgeraldIrish beef exports will require EU supports post-Brexit, according to leading agri-food economist and former chairman of Meat Industry Ireland (MII) Ciaran Fitzgerald.Fitzgerald detailed the difficult position Ireland finds itself in, in terms of its beef exports, as a result of Brexit.Speaking on the premiere episode of FarmLand , he said: “Obviously, there’s a huge difficulty in terms of looking at alternative markets. I mean there are obvious markets.When you look at where we currently export, there is 250,000t that goes to the UK. There is about another 200,000t that goes to the rest of Europe and then there is about 50,000t that goes worldwide.“If you go back 20 years ago, we would have exported an awful lot of beef to north Africa and the Middle East. There are markets that will take beef, but the real issue is at what price will that return.“To be honest with you, what’s really needed is a transitional arrangement above and beyond the EU/UK exit strategy,” he said.The leading agri-food economist outlined that there needs to be a “market transitional arrangement” that looks at the way the Brexit situation is evolving. Finding new marketsContinuing, he added: “There needs to be EU supports put in place that deal with orderly marketing that creates a situation where – over a five to 10-year period, if the UK is now going to be a market that returns way less than it did consistently – you are given time to find new markets.Other than dumping product, you cannot find new markets in two or three years of a scale we’re talking about here.“From a European perspective, they don’t want the rest of the EU – which is a surplus beef area – to have to absorb 200,000t of Irish beef ; that will bring down the price of beef right across Europe. Nobody in Europe really wants that,” he said. AdvertisementFitzgerald highlighted that most markets Ireland has access to – even new markets like China – won’t take significant quantities overnight.“There needs to be a mix of what is actually happening, whereby there is a lot of investment in new markets – which, in the case of international markets, a major part is played by the Government in terms of the minister and that whole relationship piece whereby you open up a market at a state-to-state level.“The pace at which that can happen is not going to absorb the quantities we are talking about here in five years, never mind in a year or overnight,” he said. Russian exampleThe leading agri-food economist detailed a situation which occurred about five years ago, where the Russian market closed to European products.“That was a huge knock right across commodity markets, particularly in dairy and pork for instance, and we had some impact on the beef side.What the European Union did was they introduced a fund – it was under the commissionership of Phil Hogan at the time – that introduced a number of market supports.“That fund, I think it was €600 million , was based on support for those countries most affected by the impact on trade.“So in the case of Russia, when they stopped importing European product, it was Finland, Latvia and Estonia that got a big share of the supports – because, on a trade-weighted basis, they had traded most with Russia and then everyone else got something on that basis.“That’s what is needed here in the sort of short-to-medium term,” Fitzgerald concluded. RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english',"Making steps toward an inclusive community By Vanesa Salgado-Perez on Aug 30 2018 - 7:43amGladys Godinez contributed to this blog.Inclusion needs to be part of every community, as we all are part of this world. A little bit of understanding and willingness makes each community more inclusive and diverse. Last month in Norfolk, Nebraska, a few steps forward were taken toward achieving this goal; a more united community.The Mayor’s Diversity Council and the Norfolk Arts Center, among other organizations, have been working tirelessly on making the city more inclusive and diverse. This is ongoing work. Every individual could take action by simply being willing to talk and listen to others. Thanks to The Sherwood Foundation , staff from the Center for Rural Affairs was able to participate in this process and expand the Center’s community inclusion work to a new city, where a new journey begins.Norfolk residents from all backgrounds have come together for these diverse activities and events. Data was collected from individual and group interviews to community workshops hosted by The Improve Group , which will help the consulting agency and the Center to know more about the community and its needs. This valuable input will allow Center staff to design and customize future projects that will benefit Norfolkans, including a new project that uses food as the key for inclusion to bring people together.But, inclusion does not end there. On July 20, the community came together to celebrate the 2018 ‘Fork Fest in downtown Norfolk, where everyone got involved and connected. Nearby the Johnny Carson mural on third and Norfolk Avenue, a local food truck rumble and live music from Nebraska musicians started the night and enlivened the evening.Bringing people together is simple, some would say. Unfortunately, political controversies and fabricated news blind the opinions of many who don’t have access to resources that accurately describe the reality. How can we make this process easier and accessible to everyone? Very simple. Put any prejudice behind us, and enjoy meeting new people, talking to your neighbors, and knowing others’ cultures and traditions. And, don’t forget to always be respectful. What’s the worst that can happen? We may not get along with everyone, but race and ethnicity aren’t the reason for that incompatibility.Social events that include food and music may be the perfect situation to make Norfolk more inclusive. Collaboration among organizations, local businesses, and communities was necessary to make it happen.Great things occur if we all hold hands, so let’s build up more inclusion in our communities.Feature photo: The Center's inclusion work has been expanded to Norfolk, Nebraska, where residents came together last month to take action. | Photo by Kylie Kai Small Towns"
'agriculture','english','Google +No change in today’s forecast, but we are going drier overall for the weekend and next week.Today we start to see south winds build on the backside of high pressure. This will be enough to take temps slightly warmer than yesterday, but we remain rather pleasant overall. We keep mostly dry weather in for Saturday as well. A strong front comes out of the Dakotas this morning and moves across the upper Midwest and parts of the corn belt through tomorrow. This brings heavy rains to MN, WI, IA and northern IL, but everything seems to stop and fall apart right about there! We won’t rule out some scattered showers trying to ramp up across Ohio on Sunday, particularly later in the afternoon and evening, but still, even Sunday looks less impressive than we earlier thought. Since we are kicking off a holiday weekend here, we are going to go ahead and be a little more optimistic in our forecast. Sunday action will be limited to a few hundredths to no more than half an inch, with coverage at 50% of the state.We then go back to a mostly dry pattern for Monday through Wednesday. This is also a change drier in our forecast. We think temps will be above normal, but humidity levels will not be as high as early this past week, and that should keep instability significantly lower. So, we are leaving good precipitation out of the forecast. Then later in the week, scattered showers are still in for Thursday on through into the weekend. We can add another half inch or less over 40% of the state out of that. The map below at right shows cumulative precipitation potential through end of next week.The extended period remains wet, especially to start. The front we have been talking about for the 10 th through the 12 th looks more impressive this morning and potentially can tap into the Gulf of Mexico for further strengthening and moisture development. If this can happen, it will take our rain totals higher, with half to 2 inches possible combined over the 3-day period. Behind that system we see strong high pressure coming in over the great lakes for the balance of the 11-16 day forecast window. This should still allow for cooler air and a significant change in air mass coming for mid-month. Share'
'agriculture','english','“A sense of curiosity is nature’s original school of education.”– Smiley Blant onTime, the most precious commodity.Summer spinning into early autumn. Cooler mornings. Goldenrod and Joe Pye weed in bloom. Chicory that cornflower blue. Hickory nuts and black walnuts overhead on branches. Apples. Pears. Amaranth in gardens, once removed as a “weed”– now picked and steamed as a delicious green addition to meals. September, possibly the most perfect weather of a yearly cycle. Gardens producing, the chip-chip of a goldfinch and daylight that still lingers. Time to think, in a garden or on a walk. Parallels in the natural world apply to life and business. Tiny predator on a coneflower. Crab spider or flower crab spider, common names for this arachnid that can change colors, too.September is a season of spiders – arachnids seem to fill every niche, crevice or cranny. An orb weaver web can be spectacular sight adorned with morning dew.Yes, a spider will bite if provoked or cornered – or when unknowingly slept upon – but they’d really rather be left alone. Indoors, it is a good idea to regularly sweep walls and ceilings plus flap comforters and quilts to air them this time of year. (Spiders do seek shelter inside.)As some humans have a crush-kill-destroy mindset when dealing with any unfamiliar life form, consider that Yale University researchers study toxins contained in spider venom to develop and deploy as a pain medication or to treat cardiac patients. (Access is gated to this scholarly article; a Google search will produce related news reports.) So. Respect. Leave them to their hunting, marvel at the engineering and tensile strength of a spun web. Ponder for a moment that the keys to unlock human problems may right in front of us – plants, fungus, and a wild array of (not large) critters.Springtails for instance. Overlooked by big stomping humans, these not-sexy miniscule animals in the soil “act as the soil’s champion compost makers . . . and seem to enhance the mycorrhizal association between fungi and plant roots.” More simply put – they are “like cows on a pasture, regulating the growth of their food by continuous clipping and by fertilizing the ground with their droppings,” according to The Forest Unseen: A Year’s Watch in Nature , by David George Haskell, published by Viking/Penguin Group.All this rather remarkable springtailing and spidering (just two species) goes on unceasing as you mow the lawn, tend a garden, sit still – or savor an ice cream cone. Fried clams, fresh sea scallops. Having traveled extensively due to military service and then as a military spouse, access to good water, great fresh food – and the ocean – will never be taken for granted. Connecticut is a small-in-size state with shoreline, rivers, farm markets, airports, train service – culture, history, great libraries, innovative schools, colleges and universities – and nearly everything imaginable is within an hour’s drive. (Less by air.) In other states, it takes an hour’s drive one way to get groceries.Look sharp because September is also when a bumper crop of fungi appears. Woods, fields, pastures – lawns. (Former cow pastures, lush with a variety of plants and flowers here. resilient greens and many pollinators even though it’s regularly mowed. No sprays.) But how to know what is edible and what is deadly? Don’t consume any. For those who want to learn more and gain knowledge, apprentice to a master. Spend the time absorbing a lifetime of information first hand.Mycologist Connie Borodenko of Connecticut Valley Mycological Society, will lead a foray Saturday, Sept. 8 , 10 a.m., eastern CT. Advance registration required ; fee is $20. Mushrooms are fungi usually found growing on soil or decaying matter. The mushroom is the fruiting body of mycelium, which is usually hidden underground or throughout the host that it is growing on. Participants will seek out edible mushrooms such as the sweet chanterelles, spicy trumpets, slippery honeys and, Hen of the Woods. Identifying dangerous and nonedible mushrooms such as the deadly destroying angel and death cap will also be identified.Bring a basket and paper bags for gathering these denizens of the shadows during the first part of the program. Then learn about the fascinating world of fungi, collection techniques, and important safety considerations as we discuss the findings with our mushroom expert. This hike may be challenging for some and will include hilly areas. This is a Connecticut State Museum of Natural History program; more information linked here . Ah, summer. Zinnias show off color.Noteworthy event:Another resource is the Connecticut Westchester Mycological Association (COMA), established in 1975 as a volunteer organization of committed amateur mycologists. “Our mission is to stimulate further interest and study in the amazing world of fungi. Together we share in the joy of foraging wild mushrooms and gain a deeper understanding of the local ecology.”COMA members lead mushroom walks in Westchester County, Southern Connecticut and a few other places. Events take place into November; here is a link to learn more.“The breezes taste'
'agriculture','english',"September 1, 2018On Friday’s show, with host Shaun Haney: Top ag news with Jessika Guse, including Statistics Canada’s crop production estimates, harvest updates, a canola funding announcement to be made next week, Premier Notley’s reaction to the halting of the Trans-Mountain Pipeline, new data on oil movement by rail, and a new elevator opening in central Alberta JP Gervais of Farm Credit Canada on the latest economic data, Argentina’s inflation, and more. Peter Johnson joins Shaun to discuss StatsCan’s Ontario yield and production estimates Kelvin Heppner breaks down the overall StatsCan numbers, and up-to-the-minute developments on Canada-U.S. trade talks, with negotiators planning to resume on Wednesday.RealAg Radio airs every weekday afternoon at 4:30 pm eastern (2:30 pm mountain) on Rural Radio 147 on SiriusXM. RealAgriculture News Team A team effort of RealAgriculture's videographers and editorial staff to make sure that you have the latest in what is happening in agriculture. Trending Wheat prices jump into August — This week in the grain markets This week, winter wheat prices touched a three-year high, but it didn’t last. Chicago SRW wheat prices for September 2018 gained 5 per cent or about 26 cents US/bushel to close at $5.56. While the December 2018 contract was up 5.4 percent — or nearly 30 cents — to finish a tad under $5.80. In… Read more » Related"
'agriculture','english','Home » Environment » Cooler, drier conditions this week with some showers Cooler, drier conditions this week with some showers Next StoryWeather over the coming days is expected to turn cooler and drier – though some showers are expected, interspersed by sunny spells – according to Met Eireann.Any lingering cloud or drizzle in the south-east will clear quickly this morning, the national meteorological office said.It will then be a dry and bright day nationwide with a mix of cloud and good sunny spells. Feeling cooler and fresher than in recent days with top temperatures of 15° to 18° in light to moderate north or north-west breezes. It is expected to be dry and clear in most areas overnight with just a few mist patches. However, cloud will thicken in Atlantic coastal areas later with patches of mist and drizzle possible here.It will be a chilly night for early September with lowest temperatures ranging from 3° to 7° in mostly light northerly breezes.Following recent humid spells, a fresher airmass, which developed overnight, is expected to last for much of this week.There will be good opportunities for spraying, outside of any showers, during the early days of this week, the office forecasts. Regarding field conditions, soil moisture deficits are still high in central, eastern and southern areas, between 35mm and 55mm.However, deficits are much lower over Connacht and west Ulster, with a surplus even over much of Connacht, according to Met Eireann. Advertisement TomorrowTomorrow will be dry and bright with long sunny spells across the eastern half of the country. It will be cloudier in the west with the chance of a few light showers – but with some sunny spells developing also.Highest temperatures of 15° to 18° in light northwest breezes are expected for the day.Tomorrow night is forecast to be dry across much of the country – but patchy rain may affect the north-west for a time. Minimum temperatures will drop to 6° to 9°. OutlookEastern counties will be dry for much of the day on Wednesday with sunny spells expected. However, cloud and patchy rain will move in from the Atlantic to affect western coastal areas in the morning, extending gradually eastwards during the afternoon.Maximum temperatures will peak at between 15° and 19°.Wednesday night will be cloudy across the country with a few patches of rain. Temperatures will drop to 6° to 9° in mostly light, variable breezes, Met Eireann says. RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','© Kandace GriffinGood riddance to a terrible summer.August is supposed to be the hottest, driest month of the year for us at temperatures of around 40C for days on end and no rain.August 2017 to August 2018 was one of the driest years on record. We got a third of our average rainfall and scorching temperatures.We’ve been battening down the hatches to survive. We early weaned all of our spring calves – some as young as 110 days.The neighbours’ corn crops were all complete failures so we harvested it as 7,000t of silage for the cows. Never before have we fed silage – we feed hay – but this year is different.See also: Worst drought in living memory decimates Australian farmsThe average yield was 0.86t/ha. Our hay prices have more than doubled so we were happy to have it.Then it rained. We have had 11.5cm of moisture and the average temperature has been about 4C below normal.Grass has come to life and is greener than it has been in a year – such strange weather but welcome for sure!The drought and low commodity prices we are experiencing have started to transform the land. We have marginal clay ground and unpredictable weather so arable has never been this area’s strong point.Current conditions have made it impossible for most to continue. One neighbour told me that he had total costs of £385/ha in his soybean fields this year.Currently, US soy is trading around £78/tonne below the world market because of the Chinese tariffs – next year my neighbour will grow alfalfa.Another farmer is planting gamagrass (the queen of grasses) instead of arable, and ground that had the maize and beans we just silaged is going into grass.I’m sure the big companies don’t really care about what happens in our little part of the world – it doesn’t break my heart that we are cutting them out of our production models either.It’s easier to be profitable without a $300,000 combine sitting around 11 months of the year depreciating.Rain has made me wonder if maybe we all panicked and things will change. Will Trump be out of office? Will the Chinese go hungry?Daniel Mushrush is a Farmer Focus writer from Kansas. Read his biography . See more'
'agriculture','english','Farm Bill Conference Committee Meets This Week Farm Bill Conference Committee Meets This Week cindy zimmerman PrintThe 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee will hold its first public meeting this week on Wednesday, September 5 at 9:30 am Eastern.Agriculture Committee Chairmen Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Members Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., announced the meeting last month , saying that they are “committed to working together on a Farm Bill that delivers certainty and predictability to our farmers and families as quickly as possible.”The Farm Bill Conference Committee is composed of 56 members, including nine Senators and 47 Representatives.Faced with the lowest farm income in 12 years, the presidents of the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union are asking Senate and House conferees to move quickly.AFBF and NFU, together with more than 150 other organizations, also sent a letter to the Senate and House Agriculture committees asking the farm bill conference committee to pass an on time, five-year farm bill before the September 30 expiration of the 2014 farm bill.The hearing will be webcast live on ag.senate.gov. Related'
'agriculture','english','WheatThe end is in sight for the Scottish harvest, with spring barley continuing to disappoint in terms of yield, although quality remains strong.In East Anglia harvest has restarted for some farmers near the coast, as their crops finally ripened, delivering good yields.See also: Job profile: What’s it like to be a field trials manager? ScotlandThe Scottish harvest is 80-90% finished, according to Robin Barron, general manager at East of Scotland Farmers. “It’s amazingly easy when the weather is good,” he said.Yields have been disappointing, particularly on spring barley. “Concerto seems to have yielded lower than Laureate,” Mr Barron said.The weather had also created a problem with nitrogen. “We have seen much higher nitrogen than usual which is problematic – we won’t know the full extent until the harvest has finished.”There were also concerns that the dry weather would cause other quality problems, such as thin grains, Mr Baron added. “However, the screenings have been fine.” Tyne and WearWheat harvest is at least 90% complete around Tyne and Wear, according to Gary Bright, managing director at Grainco. Yields have averaged 8.6t/ha, with feed wheat specific weights between 74kg/hl and 80kg/hl and moistures no higher than 17.5%. “Everything has been unseasonably dry,” he said.“It’s been interesting to see how well things have generally done it terms of yields,” he said. Although crops had been about 10-15% down on the average, this was better than had been expected earlier in the summer.“The worst crop regardless of land type has been oilseed rape,” he said.Spring barley, oats and bean harvesting had mostly begun, with crops beginning to come into store.He said oats had been a bit disappointing in terms of yield, “but it’s not the Armageddon we expected”. East AngliaIn Norfolk, harvest had a second coming as the coastal strip of crops ripened after most inland fields had been combined, said Andrew Dewing, chief executive at Dewing Grain.“Harvest had finished inland, as the weather had been fantastic and dry, but then it rained on and off. Then as of Saturday (1 September), it dried off and people were able to get into their coastal crops.”Although quality had been good, yields were disappointing on the inland crops, but the coastal strip had benefited from light winds and sea fret, Mr Dewing explained.This meant that while temperatures soared into the 30s inland, it remained a balmy 18C on the coast, with crops getting moisture from the sea mist.“This has meant very pleasing yields in the crop,” he said. Yields of wheat inland were 10-20% down on the average, but were about 5% up on the coastal strip. “It’s been very pleasing on the East coast.” KelsoHarvest has finished for John Jeffrey at Caverton Mill Farm near Kelso. “The great thing is almost everything came in dry,” he said. “The drying costs were minimal.”However, yields are down and the straw is minimal, which is frustrating for Mr Jeffrey. “Everyone is desperate for straw this year.”His 141ha of Lili, Barrel, Skyfall and Revelation wheat averaged 7.4t/ha, performing better on heavier land in comparison with the light land, which suffered in the dry weather, said Mr Jeffrey.He was pleasantly surprised by his 90ha of Palmedor high erucic acid (Hear) oilseed rape which achieved 4.2t/ha.However, the Talisman and Pearl winter barley yields are slightly back on last year, averaging 6.6t/ha. Harvest progress Scottish harvest is 80-90% finished Wheat harvest was at least 90% complete around Tyne and Wear Cutting restarted in East Anglia in coastal areas Coastal crops yielding wellStill deciding which winter wheat and barley varieties to grow based on this season performance? Check out our yield maps and see which varieties have performed in the Recommended List trials at your local site this summer. See more'
'agriculture','english',"The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal Media. The opinions expressed below are the author's own. Dairy Gross Margin RSS By: Ron Mortensen , Farm Journal's MilkManage and minimize the risk for your dairy operation. Dairy RP is Coming: What is it? Sep 04, 2018 Dairy RP is coming – What is it? Dairy RP is a new RMA-backed crop insurance product which allows you to protect against falling milk prices. Dairy RP is subsidized from 44% to 59%. The 95% coverage level will receive a 44% subsidy. Dairy RP can be purchased any business day except holidays and 3 USDA dairy report days per month. There are no milk production limits. It can be used even if you have MPP. The pricing options include Class III, Class IV and components. You can buy quarterly coverage for 5 quarters. For example, the first 5 quarters offered will be: Jan, Feb, Mar 2019 -- April, May, June 2019 -- July, Aug, Sept 2019 -- Oct, Nov, Dec 2019 and Jan, Feb, Mar 2020. Dairy RP is a new RMA/USDA product. RMA implements and underwrites this and other crop insurance policies. There are no commissions or fees paid by you.What will Dairy RP (DRP) do for me?This is not just another acronym. It is a risk management tool that is highly subsidized and premium payment is deferred.The best thing is this product will leave the top open. If prices rally, you will benefit. It can create a win – win scenario. If milk prices go down enough to cover the premiums and deductible, you will get paid. If milk prices go higher, you win. Dairy RP creates a floor price.The next best thing is you can get revenue protection out 15 months. This could be the best long-term planning tool in the industry. If/when we get higher prices, you can put together a long-term revenue guarantee. This should allow you more comfort in planning the expense side of your operation. If you have used crop insurance, remember it is basically only 8 ½ months of risk management.Ron Mortensen is principal of Dairy Gross Margin, LLC, an agency that specializes in Dairy risk management products--Dairy RP and LGM-Dairy, and owner of Advantage Agricultural Strategies, Ltd., a commodity trading advisor. "
'agriculture','english','Nebraska’s crops are in good shape, overall Ken Anderson Filed Under: Crops , Nebraska , NewsNebraska’s crops are in good shape, overall, heading into September.The good to excellent ratings for corn, sorghum and soybeans continue to run above 80 percent. As of Sunday, nine percent of corn and seven percent of sorghum were mature and 15 percent of soybeans were dropping leaves.Pasture and range conditions rated 77 percent good to excellent.'
'agriculture','english','Home >> Blogs >> The people in national wildland fire management are the best in the world Blog The people in national wildland fire management are the best in the world Fire Aviation and Management August 31, 2018 at 11:00am NIFC’s official logo. (NIFC graphic.)Boise, Idaho is famous among college football fans for the blue turf on the Boise State University Broncos’ field. But in wildland fire management circles, the city is just as well-known as home of the National Interagency Fire Center, or NIFC . In fact, NIFC is the nation’s support center for wildland fire management and other types of incidents. Some even refer to it as the Pentagon, or nerve center, for national wildland fire management.Collaboration is the name of the game at NIFC, which isn’t an organization, but rather a place where the Forest Service and eight other federal, state, tribal, and local agencies work together to coordinate national wildland fire management planning and operations to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.The agencies represented at NIFC share assets and work together to set priorities to allocate them. And effectiveness and efficiency are especially critical because no wildland fire management agency has enough assets, including firefighters, fire engines, aircraft, or other equipment and machinery, to respond to all the wildfires that occur on land under their jurisdiction.Additionally, the National Interagency Coordination Center , or NICC, based at NIFC plays a key role in ensuring that wildland fire managers receive as many requested assets as possible. Caption: The situation room at NIFC.For strategic purposes, wildland fire managers divided the U.S. into ten geographic areas. All agencies located within these geographic areas have assets that they can mobilize to respond to wildfires, but during periods of high fire activity, they typically require more. The geographic areas place orders for additional assets to the NICC, which obtains them from other geographic areas, the military, and even from other countries.NIFC is the envy of wildland fire and emergency management experts around the world because of its seamless interagency cooperation. Each year, wildland fire and emergency management experts from countries such as Greece, Norway, and Morocco, visit NIFC to learn how it operates to improve their operations.But the highly successful structure of NIFC was not mandated by law, regulation, or policy. What motivates government agencies to work together to ensure that wildfires in the U.S. are managed as effectively and efficiently as possible is simply that this type of cooperation has been proven, time and again, to be a best practice that delivers the benefits of good government and works for all Americans. Tags: '
'agriculture','english','Hog, cattle futures higher on wholesale support Meghan Grebner Filed Under: Closing Futures & Livestock Briefs , Livestock , Livestock Markets , Livestock Markets , Market News , Market NewsAt the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, cattle futures started the week off with solid gains on the strength in the wholesale values. Export beef demand and an improving restaurant performance index also provided support. October live cattle closed $1.10 higher at $109.87 and December live cattle closed $1.42 higher at $114.40. September feeder cattle closed $2.27 higher at $151.72 and October feeder cattle closed $2.70 higher at $151.82.Direct cash cattle trade started the week off in a standstill. Showlists appear to be mostly smaller than last week, with Kansas the only state with a larger number of ready steers and heifers. Significant trade volume isn’t expected to develop until the latter part of the week. This week’s Fed Cattle Exchange has an offering of 455 head.In Nebraska last week, receipts were down on the week and the year. Compared to the previous week’s numbers steers over 800 pounds were steady to $5 lower, heifers under 800 pounds were $1 to $2 lower. The USDA says demand was good for all offerings of calves and yearling feeder cattle. Feeder supply included 51 percent steers and 77 percent of the offering was over 600 pounds. Medium and large 1 feeder steers 500 to 600 pounds had a weighted average of $181.05 and feeder steers 600 to 700 pounds averaged $160.81. Medium and Large 1 feeder heifers 500 to 600 pounds averaged $157.97 and feeder heifers 600 to 700 pounds averaged $149.54.Boxed beef cutout values closed higher on fairly good demand and heavy offerings. Choice up $1.13 at $210.82 and Select up $.94 at $202.21. The Choice/Select spread is $8.61. Estimated cattle slaughter is 119,000 head – even on the week and up 2,000 on the year.Lean hog futures ended the day higher on support from wholesale values, stronger cash trade, and ongoing concerns about the spread of African Swine fever in China. October lean hogs closed $.65 higher at $51.07 and December lean hogs closed $1.85 higher at $55.25.Cash hogs ended the day firm to higher. Processing margins have improved significantly. We’ve seen seasonally large slaughter runs – so we know supply is ample. But the demand picture has been struggling. However, buyers had to work a little higher to move numbers today. The industry continues to watch the movement of African Swine Fever in China. That could eventually provide some support to prices. Barrows and gilts at the National Daily Direct closed $.52 higher with a range of $34 to $38 for a weighted average of $37.52; the Western Corn Belt closed $.67 higher with a range of $34 to $38 for a weighted average of $37.51; the Eastern Corn Belt was not reported due to confidentiality; and the National Daily Direct closed $.18 higher with a range of $34 to $38 for a weighted average of $36.75.Butcher hogs at the Midwest cash markets are priced at $26. Dorchester, Wisconsin is the only market available. Zumbrota, Minnesota is not established yet and Garnavillo, Iowa is closed today. At Illinois, slaughter sow receipts are up on the week and down on the year. Prices are steady at $14 to $29 with light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Barrows and gilts are $2 lower at $15 to $25 with light to moderate demand for moderate offerings.Pork cutout values closed higher – up $1.39 at $68.60. The primals were mixed with sharp gains in the bellies. Loins and Hams were firm. Butts were weak and picnics were sharply lower. Estimated hog slaughter is 463,000 head – down 5,000 on the week and up 15,000 on the year.'
'agriculture','english','GSI , Jon PetersonSeptember 5, 2018Tired of brooms and shovels and all that dusty work to clean out grain bins after they’ve been emptied?Farmers who’ve had enough of the ‘clean out’ grind will want to take a look at the new Z-Series bins from GSI. The Z-Series, featuring Flexwave technology, will be available this fall. GSI demonstrated how the technology works last week at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa.In this video, GSI marketing communications manager Jon Peterson takes us inside a 24-foot bin for a look at Flexwave in action. Standard grain bins are typically emptied through a combination of gravity and sweep augers, but there’s always remaining grain on the bin floor that needs to be removed. GSI’s Z-Series bins utilize two large liners made of durable fabric that alternately inflate and deflate, gently pushing the remaining grain into a central reclaim for removal. The result is 99.9 percent clean out, without the need to enter the bin, says Peterson.Story continues after video.marketing and statistics cookies to view this content.Each inflatable liner can unload more than 100 tons of grain at a time using less than one psi of air pressure. The liners are constructed of durable, commercial-grade material designed to last over 30 years under normal conditions, says Peterson. He adds that the liners can easily be repaired in case of accidental puncture with a simple glue patch.The 24-foot Z-Series bin has storage capacity ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 bushels, depending on height. “This model size can also be a higher-capacity and more cost-effective alternative for similar-sized hopper tanks with cone bottoms,” Peterson adds. “A flat bottom storage tank that sits on the ground not only holds more grain, but also eliminates the need to install legs.”Z-Series bins include an easy-to-use touchscreen control to automate the process and a unique aeration system that maintains uniform grain quality comparable to conventional systems. Air is distributed through the central reclaim to flexible tubes that move with the liners.For 2019, GSI expects to expand its Z-Series bin offering with larger-capacity sizes.Click here for more Farm Progress Show Coverage.'
'agriculture','english','September 4, 2018 15 ViewsTime is that one elusive commodity we all need more of. So, devices like the Cellfastâ water timers, which allow us to water the garden effectively while getting on with other things, are such a bonus.There are two water timers in the multi-award winning Cellfastâ garden range.The Cellfastâ manual water timer prevents overwatering of vulnerable plants by switching off your sprinklers after a set period, up to 120 minutes. It is made from high quality plastics, sells for around R350 and is perfect for anyone wanting to be waterwise and not waste this scarce resource.At a recommended retail price of R735, the Cellfastâ digital water timer is a great garden manager, getting the job done while you are at work or watering in the middle of the day during winter and during the cool of the morning or evening during summer. It has an easy to read display that allows for two individual cycles of watering per day, lasting from one to 99 minutes. And each day of the week can run an individual watering programme. It can operate as either a digital or manual timer and will even tell you when its battery is low.Both timers connect to all other components in the Cellfastâ watering system. They are also compatible with other brands on the market.The Cellfastâ range is available from selected Builders Warehouse, Chamberlain, Stodels, Build It stores; and independent hardware stores and nurseries.Visit cellfast.co.za for more information.'
'agriculture','english','On Wednesday, Laura Loomer a far-right internet figure attempted to protest a House Energy and Commerce hearing. Shortly after she started accusing Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey of having a bias against conservatives, her shouting was interrupted and drowned out by Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.).Long leaned on his previous career as an auctioneer to regain control of the meeting room until Loomer was escorted out. At which point lawmakers erupted in laughter.Check out the video from CSPAN below:As a protester interrupts hearing with @Twitter CEO @Jack Dorsey, Rep. Billy Long ( @USRepLong @auctnr1 ), a former auctioneer, takes action.Watch full hearing with here: https://t.co/Gh099bDc9w pic.twitter.com/e4bRzvtBe1— CSPAN (@cspan) September 5, 2018 \u200b'
'agriculture','english','MachineryHeader maker Kemper has developed a chopping system that fits beneath a regular maize header to cut stubbles tight to the ground.The Stalkbuster is designed to obliterate the habitat of the corn stalk borer – an insect which can wreck maize yields and makes its home in old cigar-shaped maize stalks – by chopping and mulching in one pass, so there’s no need to follow the harvesting job with a mower or mulcher.Central to the system is a row of rotating flattened knives that spin at 1,700rpm, pulverising the stubble just above the ground so that the remains rot quickly after cutting.See also: High-hour Horsepower: 26-year-old forager still going strong in HerefordshireKemper reckons that up to 40% of all corn stalks are driven over by the chopper and the carting tractors and trailers, so cutting them before that happens makes sure they’re destroyed, particularly as the corn borer can still survive in flattened stubbles.There are extra benefits for crops drilled after maize, says Kemper, as the residues within the stalk rot down better, so a following crop of wheat should have less exposure to diseases such as fusarium. Rotating blades cut the stubble at ground levelThe rotating blades – each with a 73cm diameter – are suspended independently under the header and smash the stubble to the floor in four to five strokes.Because all of the stubble is standing upright at the time of cutting, the knives sap surprisingly little power from the central drive shaft of the header. Each row needs about 4hp, so an eight-pronged header draws just 32hp, far less than the 200hp needed for a 6m wide mulching machine. Cutting heightPneumatic pressure cylinders help keep a constant cutting height maintained across the field regardless of ground conditions. Kemper says it tried using compression springs, but found that they pressed too deep in sandy soils and were too weak to make an impact on a clay land.The advantage of pneumatic cylinders is that the pressure can be controlled. And, when the forage harvester goes in reverse, the cylinders collapse and the trailing soil sampling units are lifted so that they don’t bury into the ground and get damaged. The advantage of header mounting is that stalks are chopped before they can be driven over during harvestContractors also have the option of raising the Stalkbuster out of work if customers don’t want the stubble chopped to save costs. AvailabilitySeveral customers have been testing the Stalkbuster this year, with production set to start properly for next season. Only an eight-row version is available initially, which is married to the 6m 460 Plus corn head with large drums.A standard 460 Plus corn header costs about £71,000, and the Stalkbuster adds roughly £20,000.Although that is a significant investment, Kemper says it avoids the need for a secondary pass with a mulcher after the forager and so cuts out extra diesel and labour costs associated with mulching. Maize header specs Model 460 Plus (8 rows) Working width 6m Weight 3,100 kg (incl. 350kg Stalkbuster) Price £71,000 (approx) Stalkbuster price £18,000 to £22,000 (approx) What is a corn stalk borer?The corn spear borer or common stalk borer lays its eggs on the maize plant at the end of June. After 10 days the eggs are released and the caterpillars chew their way down the stem, causing the plant to become severely weakened and all but stopping cob production.The plant can also buckle and cause fungal infestations in the cob. A heavily affected crop can give a yield loss of up to 40%. The caterpillar then overwinters in the chopped stalk pipe just above the ground, after which it pupates into a butterfly in the spring and the cycle repeats itself. See more'
'agriculture','english','Meat markets and prices © Tim ScrivenerThe UK is set to come under renewed pressure to open its post-Brexit beef market to more imports from the US, following an announcement on Monday (3 September) by the European Commission that it will renegotiate its own import quotas for US beef.Britain has identified the US as a key target for a free trade deal once the UK leaves the EU. American ranchers are expected to put pressure on the Trump administration to push for improved access to UK beef markets as part of those talks, and they will be encouraged by Monday’s promise of better access to the EU.At present, US beef exports to Europe are limited by a 45,000-tonne quota for grain-fed, hormone-free beef. The quota was created in 2009 as part of the settlement of a long-running World Trade Organisation dispute over the EU’s continuing ban on hormones in beef.See also: How to review your farm business to prepare for BrexitThe quota is not exclusive to the US, however, and in recent years Australia and South American countries have taken a growing share of the quota. Now the commission has promised to open talks on reserving a share of this quota specifically for the US.This could encourage more US cattle producers to produce hormone-free beef, which represents a small specialist niche within the US beef sector. Also, US exporters will view the UK – which will be out of the EU by March 2019 – as a promising additional market.The commission has promised to maintain its insistence that all imported beef must be hormone-free, and the UK is expected to do likewise.The EU and UK have provisionally agreed that Britain will in effect remain covered by the provisions of EU trade agreements until the end of 2020 – although this agreement would be null and void if Britain were to leave the EU next March without an overall deal in place. See more'
'agriculture','english',"The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.The seed industry landscape is changing dramatically. For retailers, AgPro assembled usable insights into the key trends of the seed industry with our annual Seed Guide.One such example comes from the annual survey our parent publication Farm Journal conducts, where they asked almost 800 farmers about their seed choices in 2018. You’ll find the results shared throughout the AgPro September issue in addition to other key research about the seed business .Here, I want to dive a bit deeper into one particular question. When asked if they were trying a new seed brand in 2018, 80% of farmers said no, and 20% said yes. The three top responses for why that 20% was trying something new were:Wanted to do business with someone else Bought cheaper seed, which meant switching Last year’s brand yielded poorly If a customer gave you any of the three above reasons for changing business, then do you have a response?Recently, when I’ve been challenged with a question, I’ve tried to intentionally shift my reaction . Rather than coming from a defensive position, I inform my response with creativity. For example, instead of providing a list of excuses to answer why a particular idea didn’t perform up to expectations, I’ve been taking a step back—and perhaps a deep breath—and answering with some additional ideas informed by data or research that share what I want to try next.We have more insights to share than we could fit in these pages , so you’ll find many links for more information or interactive graphics online. The goal for this annual Seed Guide is to provide creative and informed ways to improve your seed business in 2019.\u200b"
'agriculture','english','US And Canadian Trade Officials Continue To Work On New NAFTA DealUS Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland worked late into the night yesterday as the two countries seek to make a deal to modernize NAFTA. No deal has been put forth yet but both parties express optimism and say progress has been made. President Trump expects to know whether or not there will be a deal as early as this week. Some of the points of contention are that President Trump wishes to see an end to the protectionism of the Canadian dairy market while Canada wants duty free exports of lumber to the US and to be exempt from steel and aluminum tariffs. The US Commerce Department also announced that the trade deficit with Canada increased to $3.1 billion, potentially a boost to the Trump Administration during these talks.China Discovers African Swine Fever On Four Separate Farms In One DayThe Chinese government has reported the presence of the African swine fever virus on 4 different farms across the eastern portion of the country. The largest of these infected farms had 203 hogs, while the smallest had only 30. This brings the total number of outbreaks up to 13 since the virus was first detected in swine herds in early August. The ASF virus has been uncovered on farms and slaughter facilities nearly 1,900 miles apart. The Chinese government seeks to halt the outbreak by banning transport of live hogs, which has left hog barns too full and slaughterhouses idle.Argentina Export Taxes On Corn May Lead To Less Acres PlantedFollowing financial troubles in Argentina, President Macri has announced an export tax while be placed on corn and wheat at 10.5%. Soybeans will continue to be taxed at the previous rate of 28.5%. There was previously no export tax for either wheat or corn. Wheat planting has finished in Argentina but corn planting won’t begin until October. Gustavo López of Agritrend, a private consultancy based in Buenos Aires, Argentina says that this move by the government will lead to more planted acres of soybeans and that profitability on corn could fall by as much as 50%.Heavy Rains Anticipated In The Wake Of Tropical Depression GordonAs Tropical Depression Gordon cuts a path north, areas along the Mississippi River valley can expect heavy rainfall and potential flooding. The NWS warns of the potential for floods particularly in Arkansas and Mississippi. Further west, most of the state of Missouri is currently under flood warnings and watches, as rivers swell past their banks due to heavy precipitation since last weekend. The forecast calls for nearly another 6 inches of rain on Friday and Saturday. Areas along the Ohio River in S Illinois, S Indiana, S Ohio, and N Kentucky are expecting 5-6 inches of rain over the next few days as well.The risk of trading futures, hedging, and speculating can be substantial. FBN BR LLC (NFA ID: 0508695)'
'agriculture','english','Iowa project will showcase modern farming practices September 6, 2018 Bill CouserAn Iowa farm family has launched a project to showcase modern farming practices.It’s called the Modern Ag Experience Farm, a 220-acre field near Nevada, Iowa, owned by the Bill Couser family. Bill Couser says they’ll use a variety of farming practices on the farm to show the non-farming public what modern agriculture is all about.“It’s important now that we bring the urban families out here and show them how we are taking care of our farms—building soil health, protecting water quality, putting in the cover crops—all the different new practices that we’re doing today and the technology we’re using to do it with,” Couser says.The water quality aspect of the project is especially important to him, says Couser.“We’re going to do some tiling here the next few years and see what’s actually coming out of that tile with different farming practices that we’re doing on our farm,” he says. “Is it right? Is it wrong? I can’t tell you today. I want the facts and the science behind it now, so that we can give those numbers of what’s in that water.”Couser says one of their main goals is to help bridge the information and communication divide between farmers and non-farmers, including state, county and community leaders.The farm is located about 40 miles north of Des Moines.AUDIO: Bill Couser'
'agriculture','english',"Home » Dairy » Princess Royal talks cows, robots and grass on Lakeland Dairies visit Princess Royal talks cows, robots and grass on Lakeland Dairies visit Image source: Shane O'Neill, SON PhotographicHRH Anne, The Princess Royal, made many friends among Lakeland Dairies’ staff and suppliers as she opened the firm’s new £5 million high-tech product packing facility today (Wednesday, September 5) in Co. Down.Princess Anne was received on arrival by the Lord Lieutenant of Co. Down, David Lindsay, and greeted by senior representatives from the co-operative – including chairman Alo Duffy and group chief executive Michael Hanley.Those who met her said they were impressed by her interest in farming and knowledge of the industry’s biggest challenges.Among those to speak to her was Co. Longford supplier Andrew McHugh.McHugh, who milks 200 cows in a spring-calving system, said the princess was “very engaging” and had a “great level of interest” in the dairy industry.Vice-chairman of Lakeland Dairies’ board Colin Kelso, who runs a 300-cow herd in Co. Tyrone, agreed with McHugh’s sentiments.“She understood the huge advantages of a grass-based system for both farmers and processors,” he added.“Lakeland needs high-quality milk, so this is right at the centre of the business’ values.”Others said that she took a great interest in asking about robotic milking systems, and it’s understood there was even a bit of friendly banter about the pros and cons of different breeds – of course, followed by a spirited discussion on which one The Princess Royal favours.Lord Dunleath – who farms in Ballywalter, Co. Down – explained: “It was a great conversation starter. She explained that she drinks milk directly from her brother’s herd of Jerseys. We were talking about the cream content of the milk and the high yields of our pedigree Holstein cattle.She is a real country person through and through with a good understanding of farming; she knows fine well it’s not all a bed of roses. Production capabilityThe new packing hall will increase production capability at the site by around 50% and is part of an overall £27 million investment by Lakeland Dairies in Newtownards over the past 10 years. AdvertisementIt follows the opening in 2015 of a major new Global Logistics Centre in Newtownards, which is among the most technically-advanced in Europe.Lakeland Dairies brings together over 750 family farms producing 600 million litres of pasture-based milk in Northern Ireland. The co-operative employs 225 people at Newtownards and the operation supports some 700 further jobs among suppliers and contractors across Northern Ireland.Alo Duffy, chairman of Lakeland Dairies, said: “The driving aim of Lakeland Dairies is to create a vibrant and sustainable future for co-operative dairy farmers and to support them with the highest possible milk prices in line with market conditions. We are also intent on promoting the well-being of rural communities and the environment in which we operate.“The opening of these excellent new facilities by The Princess Royal provides great encouragement for our co-operative ideals of ‘Better Farming, Better Business and Better Living’ for all of our milk producers and the provision of exceptional service and delivery for our customers throughout the world.”Michael Hanley, group chief executive, added: “Lakeland Dairies is an internationally recognised supplier of superb dairy ingredients and foodservice products underpinned by outstanding, high-quality raw materials in the milk that our dairy farmers send to us for processing.“We serve the dairy product needs of leading customers in key food industry sectors worldwide.“Together with modern, large-scale processing facilities and a highly skilled workforce, we are addressing many opportunities for growth and development in line with continuously strong global demand for dairy products.“Our Newtownards base will continue to play a key role in the ongoing export success of Northern Ireland long into the future.” RELATED STORIES"
'agriculture','english','Home » Featured » 10 steps to reach finishing weight faster 10 steps to reach finishing weight faster Next StoryBy Richard Dudgeon, regional manager, Alltech, Northern IrelandMany people will remember 2018 as a year of extreme weather challenges, including an extended winter and a very dry summer.As a result of these abnormal events, many people are facing issues regarding forage supply and those fortunate enough to conserve enough forage are still not immune to what will be a costly year for finishing cattle.We have also seen the price of straw and concentrate feeds increase to levels not seen over a number of years. This has led to reports of beef finishers not purchasing cattle and deciding to cash in on fodder they have in stock.I was speaking to a farmer recently about this and he said: “The cattle will be there and someone will feed them.”I would encourage every farm to consider their options this winter, especially which ones will make the best financial sense for their business.For those who decide to finish cattle indoors this winter, the challenge – as ever – is to maximise performance, finish cattle faster and spend fewer days on-farm with a reduced feed bill.To assist with this challenge, Alltech and its technical team have developed a unique beef programme that can help ensure your cattle reach target finishing weights up to 21 days faster. With feed costs currently sitting around €280/t of dry matter (DM), a typical finishing diet for a 550kg finishing animal will cost approximately €3.10/day .Finishing cattle 21 days faster will result in a feed cost savings of €65/head alone. Achieving this faster finish is no mean feat, and to do so, a number of points should be considered. The key points are summarised in our beef programme 10-point checklist below. 1. Defined finishing programmeKnow your finishing system, the farm’s capabilities and what has worked well in the past. Purchase cattle that fit in with your system, feeds purchased and availability.We are all aware of the end specifications required by processors; achieving the best beef price requires hitting these specifications. 2. Arrival period and procedureThe first three-to-four weeks of an animal’s time on your farm are of the utmost importance. Mixing with new cattle, dealing with changing surroundings and a new diet are all challenges.Minimising these challenges and reducing the stress they put on your animals can help ensure they perform to their highest level. Separate housing and a specific arrival diet will lead to the best results. 3. Correct finishing periodFeeding for the shortest period possible to achieve the correct finish will ensure that your system is the most profitable.It costs over four times as much to put on 1kg of fat as it does to put on 1kg of lean beef. Those finishing traditional breeds, such as Angus and Hereford, should be targeting 70 days or less to finish.Continental breeds can be fed for longer periods of time, as they don’t lay down fat as fast. However – bear in mind – the longer animals spend on a finishing diet, the more their performance starts to decline.As such, the target finishing period should be 80-100 days for heifers and steers and 120-140 days for bulls, depending on their age and weight. 4. Clean and accessible waterWater is one of the most important ingredients in any beef finishing programme. If water intakes are restricted due to dirty drinkers, the animal’s intake of concentrate and forage also declines.Simply, if animals don’t eat enough, their energy intakes are reduced and their performance suffers. Clean the drinkers regularly and ensure they are properly accessible to animals in the pen. 5. Correct housingEnsure that animals are not overstocked and – for those using traditional feeding practices – ensure that all animals can feed at once.This helps reduce competition within the group and gorging on concentrate, ensuring that every animal has an equal opportunity to perform at maximum levels. AdvertisementAnyone working with various bedding options should know that wet, dirty bedding does limit an animal’s performance. It will be a difficult year in this respect, with the higher price of bedding material like straw, but other options – including peat – are available. 6. Rumen health planThe concept of being able to finish cattle 21 days earlier largely comes from better performance. In other words, making the rumen or stomach more efficient at converting the diet into weight gain.From a nutritional perspective, rumen health is the single biggest challenge on farms. Confronting this challenge, as well as the conversion of feed into weight gain, necessitates providing optimum levels of forage.We need this forage at the correct chop length, as well as utilising technologies like Yea-Sacc®, which has been scientifically proven to improve rumen health and lead to a 10% improvement in daily live weight gain (See reference table 1). Table 1: The effect of Yea-Sacc® on daily live weight gain 7. Consistent dietIn beef finishing, consistency is key. Ensuring that animals cannot select between ingredients in their diet will also ensure that a more consistent level of performance is achieved within the group.Additionally, providing animals with the same diet every day will protect against upsets to rumen health. 8. Animal health planThe best animals can be fed the best nutrition programme, but if the animals are compromised with health challenges, targets still won’t be met.As such, before any animals are purchased or moved indoors, a clear plan to deal with such issues as fluke, worms, lice (internal and external parasites) and respiratory disease should be put in place. 9. Balanced nutrition planHumans are not so different to animals in that, the more we eat, the more weight we are likely to gain – especially if energy-dense feeds are included in our diets.With finishing cattle, a balance must be struck that ensures a high-level of intake over a sustained period of time.To do this, work with your nutritionist to incorporate the maximum amount of energy into your animals’ diet, balanced with a sufficient amount of protein, fibre and minerals. 10. Mould-free feedsAn issue that has been at the forefront recently is the effect moulds and toxins have on animal health and performance.We now know more about moulds and toxins and the effects they can have on beef cattle, including such symptoms as: loose manure; poor performance; immunity issues; swollen legs; and higher incidence of lameness — all of which could seriously impact profitability.Excluding mouldy feeds from the diet is a must; however, toxins can be present even when mould is not visible.If you suspect toxins may be causing an issue on your farm, talk with your feed advisor, as they may be able to point you to labs that can run tests for toxins and for mycotoxin binders, which reduce their effects in the animal.These are the 10 key areas to focus on to ensure that your cattle meet the 21 day faster finish challenge. Our team of technical representatives, based throughout Ireland, is available to discuss each of these areas with you further.Alltech solutions are proven to help beef cattle achieve a higher health status and optimise feed use, resulting in increased and efficient weight gain, leading to a faster, younger finish. More informationFor more information, call the Alltech team today to plan your winter finishing diet at: +353 59 910 1320 or email: [email protected] Sponsored by Alltech'
'agriculture','english','0 17 Are you scouting your forage crops for disease this fall? This may not be the first item on a producer’s to-do list, but it’s important. In order to have disease occur, a pathogen, a susceptible host, and favorable conditions need to be present. Not all plant problems are linked to pathogens, which is all the more reason to avoid automatically applying pesticides. Many problems are often linked to nutrient availability and uptake (don’t guess, soil test!), drought or flooding, light availability, soil compaction, insect damage, etc. Pastures that are stressed can be more at risk for pathogens to invade. For example, poor soil drainage provides adequate conditions for soil-borne pathogens like Phytopthora root rot to infect plants. In these cases, the stress needs to be removed in order to improve the health of the plant. Getting it started Diseases can often crop up during forage establishment. During germination and emergence, plants are more susceptible to damping-off, a condition that generally occurs in excessively wet conditions and results in collapse and death of seedlings. Legumes, in particular, tend to be more susceptible during the initial year after planting. Fall is a great time for seedlings to become established in a pasture, and it is, therefore, a good time to keep an eye on seedling emergence. Did seed fail to germinate? Seed viability, seedbed conditions, and the presence of herbicide residue may be the cause rather than a particular pathogen. Did the seed germinate but not emerge or did the seedling emerge but not survive? While planting depth, compaction, and environmental conditions can play a role, a pathogen could very well be the culprit. Legume diseases Legumes have many diseases that affect yields. Common root and seedling issues in alfalfa, for example, include bacterial wilt and Phytophthora root rot. These result in damping-off symptoms, yellowing, decaying roots, and stunting. Often, these diseases are related to poor soil drainage. Diseases such as anthracnose, lepto leaf spot, black stem, and verticillium wilt are also present in this crop and can appear during the fall months. Check the lower leaves of alfalfa plants as this is usually where symptoms will first occur. Other legumes, including clovers, are susceptible to similar diseases. Fusarium root rot and Cercospora affect the crowns and roots of legumes, while symptoms of diseases such as powdery mildew and mosaic viruses will typically appear on leaves. Management Management of diseases in legumes will often depend on good management practices for that crop. Avoid planting in poorly drained fields when possible, use a soil test to check soil pH and fertility needs, use crop rotations in pure stands of alfalfa, make sure equipment is clean, mow younger stands first and after dew has dried, and take cuttings at the right heights. With some leaf spot pathogens, mowing earlier in the season before leaves fall off may prevent significant yield loss. Many issues with diseases can be resolved by planting resistant varieties. For example, many varieties of legumes sold today are resistant to wilts. Grasses Both warm and cool season grasses are susceptible to a variety of pathogens as well. Ever walked through the field and notice your shoes turning orange? This is a good indicator plants in your field are infected with rust, a group of fungi that can reduce yields, quantity of seeds produced, forage quality, and palatability. Another disease is brown stripe of orchardgrass, which can cause tip dieback in stands and impact nutrient value of the grass. There are currently some varieties of orchardgrass available that are resistant to brown stripe. And the list of diseases goes on. Control, prevention Control of the aforementioned relies on avoiding excessive nitrogen application (some diseases have been linked to over application of fertilizers), seeding fields with a diverse seed mixture, using good grazing practices, and using resistant cultivars and only good quality, certified seed. Risk to livestock A few plant pathogens, particularly those belonging to the fungi group, may cause illness in the livestock that consume them. Many fungi produce mycotoxins that can vary in toxicity depending on the concentration, exposure, and environment the fungus developed in. Deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, which are produced by Fusarium fungi, are a couple of examples of mycotoxins that can affect livestock digestion and reproduction. Commercial mycotoxin tests are available to check for presence and concentrations of these substances as well as other mycotoxins in feed. Using a good nutrition program that includes adequate amounts of protein, effective fiber, and antioxidants (vitamin E, selenium) as well as reducing stress for the animals can help mitigate the effects of some mycotoxins. Other management strategies for mycotoxin-contaminated forages will depend on the pathogen and host present. The fungal pathogen, Rhizoctonia leguminicola (now Slafractonia leguminicola), that causes black patch in clover and alfalfa produces the alkaloid slaframine. Slaframine is known to cause excessive salivation (slobbers) and reduced weight gain in equine. The fungus also produces swainsonine, which has been linked to neurological issues in livestock. Management of black patch involves separating the animal from the contaminated feed source — this may include removing hay containing infected plants and applying a general broadleaf herbicide to kill infected clovers and alfalfa in the field. When the disease cycle is broken by the removal of the host and when brown spots no longer appear on the leaves of legumes that have since grown in the field, these forages are safe to graze again. A different strategy is used to control another alkaloid-producing pathogen that is well known — ergot. While ergot is mostly associated with rye, the fungus can also infect many other grass species found in pastures. Symptoms of ergotism in cattle can include a rough coat of hair, vasoconstriction, lameness, weight loss, necrosis in the extremities, and extended stays in the shade or water. Inspecting seed heads for thin, elongated black structures, known as sclerotia, is important in identification. Mowing fields before grass goes to seed and removing seed heads by clipping before grazing can reduce the risk of ergotism occurring in livestock. Keep watch This is by no means a full list of diseases found in forage crops or the strategies used for controlling them. We always recommend an integrated pest management (IPM) approach for disease control in crops. The first step in IPM is accurate diagnosis — be 100% sure of what is going on in the field. Knowing what is causing plant disease and the life cycle of that disease-causing organism will increase the effectiveness of disease control. Control strategies will be based on the organism identified, site conditions, costs, and weather predictions. Know what your fields look like in a good year — a glance is not enough to get an idea of whether or not there is a disease problem that warrants treatment. Scouting needs to occur regularly throughout the growing season. Use a GPS unit to mark the location of suspect plants and take pictures or drop off samples at your local Extension office for identification and site-specific management recommendations. Keep in mind the presence of a disease could be a symptom of a much larger issue within a field. STAY INFORMED. SIGN UP! Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox! Sign Up'
'agriculture','english','I can bleat on about how much I love Zoflora for hours days. It really is the most versatile cleaning product I have found.While many people love the stuff, it is on the farm that it really comes into its own. Farm life can be very mucky-for everyone, human and animal alike.You need something to be hard on germs yet kind for kids and animals and, for this, Zoflora comes up trumps every time.Here are my top ten things to use Zoflora on-on the farm.1. Mop floors. Ordinary households do this too but nowhere gets more traffic than our kitchen. Muddy welly prints, paw prints, you name it, it ends up on the kitchen floor. Using Zoflora not only disinfects everything but the pleasant smells make me actually look forward to mopping.2. Animal bedding. Animals smell. All of them. Imagine your dog rolling in fox poo or something dead. You can bath them all you want but if you don’t address where they sleep, the odour will linger. I add a capful of Zoflora when I wash the dog’s bed and I am confident that when the children inevitably join the dog for a cuddle, they are less likely to pick up a deadly disease.3. The farmer (and the rest of us) need to wash our hands when we come in from caring for animals or any other delightful task which involves getting your hands dirty. Keeping a bottle of Zoflora handy by the sinks means I can give the sinks a quick clean when the hand washing is done.4. Puppies, toddlers and other baby animals have accidents. Even Rosie the old girl still has the odd accident so having the Zoflora handy to clean up anything is great for me. I have it in a spray mop and a spray bottle for any occasion.5. Farm clothes-coats especially, often have a bit of a smell about them. Especially if it’s particularly wet. Thankfully, by wiping a bit of Zoflora on the radiators means the whole house smells nice and not like horse, sheep or wet dog.6. I’m sure you get the picture about the mucky nature of farming but nothing can prepare you for lambing. The farmer quite often strips off at the washing machine after getting blood and other delights on his clothing. I put a capful of Zoflora in with this kind of washing to ensure no germs linger.7. After a particularly bad wash (see 6), I often put a cap of Zoflora straight into the drum of my washing machine ad run a quick wash to disinfect the washing machine.8. As long as you follow the instructions and allow to dry completely, Zoflora is safe to use around animals (except for feed bowls). If there is a particularly mucky area outside, I often swill it out with a bucket of hot water and some Zoflora just to make sure everywhere is clean. It helps with odour outside too.9. I suppose this would apply to any household but, before bed or if we are going out for the day, I put a bit of Zoflora neat into my toilets and sinks and leave either overnight or for the day. Not only are the sparkling clean on waking or my return but the room smells delightful too.10. Like the people and clothing, farm vehicles can get a bit grubby. A quick wipe with a cloth rinsed in Zoflora will have your tractor or quad bike looking as good as new. My car has leather seats and my children eat in the car (no matter how many times I’ve banned it) so a quick wipe with a Zoflora cloth makes me feel slightly better that they won’t catch anything off the six month old chicken nugget they found down the seat.Are you a Zoflora addict? Where do you use it? Share this:'
'agriculture','english','distilled white vinegar (5-percent acidity) 5- to 10-gallon bucket or tub (large enough to submerge the piece) #0000 steel wool (or a non-metallic scrubbing pad, if you prefer) cooling rack paper towels Step 1: Remove the GrimeFirst, the built-up grime needs to be removed from the cast iron. Follow the instructions on the oven cleaner, and work in a well-ventilated environment. Working over the disposable aluminum pan and wearing rubber gloves, spray the cast iron piece with oven cleaner. Spray until it’s generously and evenly coated. If there’s no buildup, skip to Step 5. Step 2: Bag ItPlace the cast iron piece and aluminum pan in the trash bag, and loosely tie the bag. This prevents the cleaner from evaporating and allows it to work, removing the grime. Let the cookware sit in the bag in a well-ventilated area or outside in dry weather for about two days. Step 3: Repeat if NeededCheck the cookware piece after two days, and spray again if any buildup or grime remains. Repeat the process until the cookware is clean. This can take as long as a week for some pieces. Step 4: Wipe and WashWipe the oven cleaner away with a clean rag. Wash the cast iron with warm, soapy water, and towel dry. Discard the used disposable aluminum pan. Step 5: Remove the RustNext, remove any rust. Fill the bucket or tub with a mixture of one part vinegar to eight parts warm water. Use enough to submerge the cast iron. Leave the cast iron in the solution for 30 minutes. Step 6: Prepare the OvenPreheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Step 7: Scrub the CookwareWith gloves on, remove the pan from the vinegar. Use the steel wool or scrubbing pad to thoroughly scrub the cast iron, removing any rust. Wash the piece with warm, soapy water, and towel dry. Step 8: Season the CookwareNow it’s time to season the cast iron piece. Place the cast iron, upside down, in the hot oven. Leave for 30 minutes. Step 9: Turn Up the HeatIncrease the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Let the cast iron bake for an additional 45 minutes. Carefully remove the hot piece and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes. Turn off the oven. Step 10: Apply Olive OilWhile the cast iron is still hot but cool enough to work with, use paper towels to generously rub it with olive oil. Saturate the surface. Use a clean paper towel to rub off any excess liquid, leaving the surface with a nice sheen. Step 11: Gradually Cool It DownPlace the cast iron back in the oven with the heat off and the door cracked. If restoring smooth-surfaced cast iron, wipe away any excess oil that builds up on the pan every 5 minutes until the pan is cool. If restoring a rough-surfaced piece, it can be left in the oven undisturbed until it cools. Once the pan cools it is ready for cooking and continued seasoning.To learn more about cast iron, see Hobby Farms stories including 8 Foods That Taste Better in Cast Iron, 3 Recipes that Flaunt Cast Iron’s Versatility, Clean and Refurbish Cast Iron, and 4 Cast Iron Kitchen Accessories . Was this article helpful? YES | NO Filtered Under Homesteading Lori Rice is a writer, photographer and nutritional scientist. Her love of agriculture led to her past work in cooperative extension and to her current passion for capturing the story of small-scale food production through her writing and photos. Find her recipes on Fake Food Free: http://www.fakefoodfree.com and follow her on Instagram and Pinterest: https://www.instagram.com/Lori_Rice/ and https://www.pinterest.com/fakefoodfree/'
'agriculture','english','Home » Rural Life » Man charged with handling stolen livestock in Donegal Man charged with handling stolen livestock in Donegal Next StoryA man in Co. Donegal was charged with multiple counts of stealing sheep this week.Gardai in the Milford District of Donegal have been working closely with the farming community recently due to concerns of sheep theft in the Milford Garda District.Due to this, a man was charged with 35 counts of handling stolen livestock on Wednesday (September 5) and appeared at Letterkenny District Court yesterday, Gardai said in a statement.Gardai were assisted by the Department of Agriculture in their investigation, and also expressed gratitude to the local farming community for their assistance in the investigation. The Garda statement also issued a reminder to the general public and the farming community that: Thieves need a working knowledge of livestock; Not every criminal can steal livestock; They need a market and they need to be familiar with the area; A criminal involved in livestock theft will have visited a number of times before they strike.The police force also stressed the message to always report suspicious activity to your local Gardai. Advertisement Offaly dog attackMeanwhile, yesterday a warning was issued to dog owners following a dog attack in the midlands that resulted in the deaths of sheep.Gardai attended an incident at Shannon Harbour, Birr on Wednesday morning, in which a dog was allegedly shot after the owner of the sheep discovered his sheep injured and two dead.Gardai requested the assistance of the dog warden, and investigations are ongoing, a Garda representative confirmed.Speaking on local radio station Midlands 103 on the issue, crime prevention officer for Laois and Offaly, Sergeant Graham Kavanagh urged dog owners to keep their pets under control.You need to take control of your dog; you need to ensure that they cannot escape outside your property.“Just leaving your dogs to roam around without any proper effective control on them will probably mean your dogs will roam – and they will attack animals,” the sergeant added. RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','Heavy rains on parts of the Plains, Corn Belt September 7, 2018 By Greg Soulje Filed Under: UncategorizedAcross the Corn Belt, lowland flooding persists in parts of the upper Midwest, despite a return of dry weather. Rain continues, however, along and south of a line from southern Iowa to northern Ohio. On September 2, topsoil moisture was rated at least one-fifth surplus in Wisconsin (37%), Michigan (26%), and Iowa (21%).On the Plains, showery weather persists across the southeastern half of the region. Except in areas where flash flooding or lowland flooding is occurring, the rain is generally benefiting rangeland, pastures, and immature summer crops. Meanwhile on the northern High Plains, hot, dry weather is promoting fieldwork, including winter wheat planting preparations.In the South, the remnants of Gordon are producing a few heavy showers in Arkansas and environs. Early Friday morning, Tropical Depression Gordon was centered about 30 miles south of Little Rock, Arkansas, drifting northward at 5 mph. Elsewhere, hot, humid weather prevails in the Southeast.In the West, hot weather prevails, except in the southern Rockies and along the immediate Pacific Coast. Northwestern heat favors fieldwork, including late-season small grain harvesting.'
'agriculture','english','Home » Rural Life » UCC launches new agricultural science degree specialising in dairying UCC launches new agricultural science degree specialising in dairying Next StoryThe new agricultural science degree programme – which specialises in dairying – from the University College Cork (UCC), in association with Teagasc, will be launched at UCC today (Saturday, September 8).The joint initiative between UCC and Teagasc has been in development for the last two years, according to Dr. Pat Dillon, head of the animal and grassland research and innovation programme at Teagasc.“In response to feedback from industry stakeholders, new challenges and opportunities arise in graduate education – especially in the dairy industry where we have seen rapid expansion and are likely to see continuous growth in the future as well as the need to supply high-class food for a discerning consumer.This food must be produced within systems of production on dairy farms which are low-cost, animal welfare-friendly, as well as being environmentally sustainable.“The high-level of training required can uniquely be provided for graduates coming mainly from the south of the country by combining the internationally recognised expertise in dairy science and technology uniquely located at UCC and at Teagasc,” Dillon commented. Advertisement“We would see graduates from this degree ending up at all levels in the agri-food industry, including dairy farming; especially in a leadership capacity,” he said.“Teagasc Moorepark brings unique expertise in the three key cornerstones in successful dairy production technology. These include: grassland science; animal breeding and genetics; and sustainable milk production systems.” IASTA WelcomeWillie White, PRO of the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers’ Association (IASTA) said the association always welcomes any new courses or opportunities that allow students to further their study of agriculture after they leave school.The introduction of this new course in UCC reflects the growing interest in the study of agriculture at second-level.IASTA would like to wish UCC, Teagasc and all their staff the best of luck with the introduction of the course and thank them for their continued support.” RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','Price paid £80,000 How does it work?There are three metering units – two for the split main hopper and one for the micro granules. From the two distribution heads, I can switch off each row individually for wider spacing or change individual coulters to drill different products. Twin outlets on the coulter discsEach notched disc has two coulter outlets for the different products. That means that when I drill cover crops, the main hopper will have spring beans applied at 40kg/ha, the rear hopper has arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi blended with buckwheat at 16kg/ha and, in the micro hopper, is a phacelia and berseem clover blend at 5kg/ha.The coulters work in pairs that can operate at different depths to their neighbours. Depth is adjusted manually from the front press, while the rear steel press wheels are angled to close the slot and pressures are tweaked hydraulically. How has it performed?Last autumn I drilled a companion crop of clover and phacelia with the oilseed rape, as well as laying down some fertiliser at the same time. I didn’t have to spray a drop of insecticide during the autumn and the pigeons have stayed away, too.The phacelia acted as a shield for the OSR before being killed off by the frosts, which left room for the crop to get growing.The clover remains in the ground after harvest, acting as a weed suppressant and living mulch before I drill winter wheat straight into it. In the long term, this should hopefully minimise the number of herbicide sprays on stubbles.The calibration is great as guide settings are pre-loaded into the cab box to give a rough idea of the settings for each crop. It’s still a manual bag-holding process under the hopper to fine-tune it, though.I drilled 145ha of oilseed rape and a companion crop last year. There was only around 500kg of companion crop seed at the start and, by the end of the job, I was left with less than a teacup full in the hopper.The drill has covered over 1,800ha so far and I haven’t had to purchase any wearing metal. However, Sky recognised a problem with the original discs and have replaced them for larger 415mm ones. What could be improved?There aren’t many bad points, but the standing area around the hopper is tight – especially as the micro granule hopper is mounted up there – and the steps are very steep, which makes coming down awkward. Front press wheels, with manual pressure adjustment above each wheelOn the box, the on/off switch is far too easy to hit – early on I did this a few times and the shut the drill off. It was a challenge to know where I stopped but there’s now some tape over the switch to prevent this happening.I’ve also installed a couple of cheap cameras in the main tank to keep an eye on the seed level. The readout on the drill screen in pretty accurate, but I would like to see it compatible with John Deere’s AMS.If I was being really critical then the depth control could all be hydraulic, but that’s me being lazy rather than a genuine bugbear.The only other catch is that Sky doesn’t make a 9m model. It would fit with my CTF system and one has been talked about. It’s still in the design stages at the minute. Likes and gripes'
'agriculture','english','My thought exactly Craig. They want to know what farm the calf came from. Then refuse to say what country the farm is in.'
'agriculture','english',"Chris BrunsonEditor’s note: The past is present. One question about what was seen on a beautiful day walking near Wethersfield Cove, and that led to a dedicated and self-motivated researcher and scholar who has amassed reams of news clippings, books. His stories and observations about the property and people, interwoven with his life and travels. What drives some to document details soon to be pass into time – people, buildings, events? Nearly every community has at least one person that is self-driven to capture these portions of history – in words, images, artifacts. A reminder to always ask questions.“Along the Wethersfield Cove Yacht Club, there was a white picket fence and I would see inmates especially during September and October, go along the fence picking Concord grapes. The prisoners would put the grapes underneath their shirts and they would take them back to the prison, from what I understood, they would put the grapes in fruit jars and let them ferment,” recalled Frank Winiarski, who grew up in the 1950s through the 1970s in Old Wethersfield, Connecticut. Frank shares one page of his collection. The typed caption below the old image is as follows: “The burying ground is in the rear of the prison, a little less than midway from it to the main road between this city and Wethersfield, and can be really seen from the horse cars. Although there are no slabs to mark the resting place of the prisoners, yet the spot where the friendless convects are interred overlooks a scene of great beauty.”“Our house was right across from the warden’s house,” he recalls. “That’s now known as the Solomon Welles House. So I lived right across the street from it.” His boyhood home is still there, though Frank now lives in East Hartford. His interest in town history – and the Wethersfield Prison – in particular, is no surprise. But his recall of details and documentation is exceptional.“Used to be Fridays, in particular, they would deliver large steel milk cans for the warden along with various fruits and vegetables from a prison farm at another location. It was very interesting in that during the summer months, they were cutting the grass with hand mowers and would do a lot of maintenance along the perimeter of the prison. The walls there were covered with ivy and periodically they would take ladders and would trim the ivy within 6 feet of the top of the wall. The guards with this small group of prisoners were not armed.” The sight of what appears to be a well-trodden pathway is what provoked a question – what happened here? Turns out, the answer led to stories of a now-vanished state prison complex, see the image below for what was once were here.“Bugler Jimmy Rondinone would play Reveille in the morning and Taps at night, most people don’t know that.”Of course, Winiarski recalls the sound as part of his observations while growing up in town. The arrow points to what is now known as the Solomon Welles House at 220 Hartford Ave. The Cove is at bottom right; the image of the extensive complex is a detail of interpretive sign number 15 that sheds light on the state prison and a cemetery.The Solomon Welles House, a stately white two-story structure at Cove Park, now serves as the backdrop for many community events in Wethersfield, including festivals, sports activities, the Wethersfield Farmers Market, picnics. Walkers can skirt the edge of the cove using a path to the popular inlet of the Connecticut River that features a boat launch. And nearly everyone in the state knows the location of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on State Street and/or has been on site for registering a vehicle, boat, or for a driver’s license update or renewal and other vehicular necessities. What most don’t know is that the land on which they walk is the same ground as what once was a state prison facility. Remnants remain for those who look, the land remembers and serves as an overlay of human history.Back to the grapes that ripen to perfection in September. “From time to time, the deputy warden said too many of these guys were getting drunk and he wondered how that could be. So the guards would take these 8-foot-long rods and there was a coal pocket within the prison itself on the east side where the boiler room was – and the guards would take these steel rods and poke a coal pocket, probing. Every now and then you could hear a loud ‘pop’– that was a hidden fruit jar with the wine fermenting, it would just break.”Curious about his surroundings, Winiarski knows much about town and state lore, including Native American history and where artifacts have been found in fields and by walking and looking. He has compiled clippings, photographs, books, uniforms, objects, his own research into a thick file of information. He has also presented lectures on the guards who worked at the Connecticut State Prison while in Wethersfield, 1827 through 1963 at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, worked with Wethersfield Historical Society for an exhibit Castle on the Cove .“Wethersfield State Prison …later demolished and the site turned into a park on the banks of the Connecticut River.”– Wikipedia“During the fall there would be groups of prisoners outside the warden’s house and they would have the old steel rakes, they were raking. I was watching from my house window and they would take two prisoners, they would take usually two prisoners to the guard tower called the warden’s tower. It had a steel door 24″ in width, very narrow. A guard would open the steel door and the guard would follow the prisoners up the spiral stairs and once they were in the tower one guard opened another door and they just walked along the top wall which was anywhere from 8 to 25 feet in height, depending on the topography. In the winter, they were shoveling snow with old-style steel snow shovels. The trustees would take their steel shovels and ice choppers and they would have to clear the entire perimeter of the prison, all the walks. This was an ongoing process with any storm so that the guards had to make their round every 30 minutes to make sure there were no escapes. They had to make sure the walks were clear so the guards could walk the catwalks.”“The prison also had their own laundry where the inmates did the laundry. When we were kids we would go down to the Cove with our sleds or ice skates. The guards would always blow a whistle from the wall, warning us to keep away – it was around the middle, to the rear of the prison where the laundry pipe emptied out. All the water around there was open – on a cold winters day you could see the steam rose from that water, just rising above the ice of the Cove. It was really something. After the structure was vacated, Frank and his camera captured this detail of a tower on the wall with a photograph dated 1964.“This site was so historic. It started off as just one principal building in 1826; the state legislature and the house authorized the building of this prison. Formal construction began on July 1, 1826. A lot of local farmers took part in the construction of the prison, everything was done by hand. There was no mechanization whatsoever.“The brownstone for the prison came from Portland quarries. The brownstone was taken up the river by barge from Portland, Connecticut, to what at the time was known as Steamboat Landing – what is now the dock I believe where Hess Oil unloads the oil for the tank farms. Wethersfield has the only tank farm on the west side of the river from Long Island Sound up to Massachusetts. Anyway, the brownstone was off loaded by teams of oxen or draft horses and was brought up what was then known as Fort Street because there was a fort constructed in the 17th century on the banks of Wethersfield Cove. The term fort actually is misleading, it was actually a palisaded safehouse from the Indians.“Because in the 1630s, the tribes were still active in the area. Even after the Pequot tribe was destroyed at Mystic, there were a lot of other local Indians up to time of the King Phillip’s War in 1675. So these safehouses were important. Newington had one, Rocky Hill had one, Saybrook had the fort down on the sound.“Now back to the prison, the iron bars were forged in Salisbury (Connecticut). The locks were fashioned by the inmates at Newgate prison in Granby. The windows were of solid oak with Salisbury iron for the bars. Iron sort of like pegs for corners to the windows.”To be continued. The law applied, due process, good and evil – and a few legends (did the lights flicker on one fateful day?) brought to life. Then & Now: Wethersfield Real Life Matters • Grow With Us Exploring to tell stories about business and life is our passion at Moo Dog Press Magazine and our news community. Change, adapt, use common sense, apply intelligence. Maybe that's old-fashioned in a digital world, but so is thinking for yourself. To send us a comment or idea, visit our contact page. Search For Stories Or By Topic Search for:"
'agriculture','english','Marketing tips: How quality improves fresh produce sales By Digital team | 10 September 2018 Photo: Thevoicebw.comIt has been shown many times that people don’t mind paying more for fruit or vegetables – as long as the quality is good.Most people are familiar with the saying “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. In agriculture this could be changed slightly – to “quality is in the eyes of the beholder”.Quality in fresh produce is judged in various ways, but the simplest is the way in which we see a product. Another could be how we plan to use the product; for example, if you’re looking for baby potatoes to make a potjie, even the most beautiful large potatoes are not going to appeal to you. But what does product quality mean to a farmer? BETTER SALESI remember a time, years ago, when the market was hopelessly oversupplied with onions. At the Joburg Market there was hardly space to move on the sales floor and unloaded trucks stood outside.Salespeople were only too grateful to get whatever price they could – down to R2 a pocket in some cases. Thousands of poor-quality onions were condemned and discarded.Buyers could pick and choose, and most simply walked past the salespeople, ignoring them. But top-quality onions were still selling at R10 – R12 a pocket.I’m not saying those farmers made money, but they certainly covered some costs and nothing was discarded because of quality. There is always a demand for good quality fruit and vegetables. PREMIUM PRICESTop brands sell themselves. Salespeople become order takers (no disrespect intended) as buyers queue to buy quality products at above-average prices. Top brands always get better prices than the average.Ask a buyer why he pays more for one tomato than for another and his answer is likely to be, “because I can sell them all”. And what he won’t tell you is that he can probably charge a bit more because of the quality.Consumers are happy to pay that bit extra because they know they’re getting value for their money. LOWER COSTS PER UNITFarmers who don’t try to grow good quality products and pick whatever they can off a piece of land are throwing money away and eventually cause their own downfall.I will show you how by using a simple financial example: You have 1 ha planted to potatoes. You harvest 4 500 pockets (the average for potatoes under irrigation). It costs, for example, about R28 per pocket to grow and market those potatoes. So 4 500 x R28 = R126 000.You sell as follows: 2 000 pkts Class 1 @ R30 each (average) = R60 000 2 000 pkts Class 2 @ R25 each (average) = R50 000 300 pkts Class 3 @ R15 each (average) = R4 500 200 pkts discarded – no sale Total income = R114 500'
'agriculture','english','Reflecting costs and benefits; Applying the principle that prevention is better than cure.The forum is made up of representatives from the department; farm organisations; veterinary profession; agri-food industry; and the farming and research communities. AdvertisementReflecting on the first meeting of the forum, Minister Creed said: “The Bovine TB Eradication Programme is an example of a shared animal health programme where progress and improvement is to the benefit of all related stakeholders.“Thanks to the efforts of all stakeholders, bovine TB levels have reduced significantly in recent years. While herd incidence stood at 8% in 2000, it was under 3.5% in 2017. This represents considerable progress.“In the absence of a robust TB eradication programme, many more farmers would have suffered a TB breakdown and the associated significant mental and financial stress.While much progress has been made in reducing bovine TB levels, I believe greater efforts are required to achieve eradication by 2030.“In this respect, I welcome the commitment of all forum members to work together in drafting proposals that can achieve this ambition to the benefit of all stakeholders. I look forward to closely considering these proposals in due course,” the minister said.People who wish to contact the forum can email: [email protected] . RELATED STORIES'
'agriculture','english','Google +We fared pretty well. We got a little over 2 inches. A lot of the Cincinnati area and north and south of us had 3 to 5 inches. We didn’t flood. It rained over two-and-a-half days and we fared better than most. South of us is pretty flat and they got 5 to 6 inches and that is a lot of water to deal with right before harvest.I have not heard of anyone around here running anything. I think we are going to start with corn first. It is turning fast and with the disease pressure we’ve got and the heat units we’ve had, I’d say in the next 7 to 10 days we’ll be running corn. Right now everything is holding up pretty well. We didn’t get much wind with the rain and I haven’t seen any stalk issues yet.When we get this much rain and the ears are still upright, it can be a perfect storm for grain quality. I am more concerned with the corn than I am about the beans. I have not seen as much bean leaf beetle feeding as I thought I would see.We got the third cutting hay in. I was happy with that, but with the delay in the third cutting we won’t get a fourth cutting this year. I like to typically get a fourth cutting if I can but we won’t this year.The cover crops we planted after wheat look great. We have radishes and clover that, by winter, should be huge. We’ll plant more right behind the combine in the corn and bean fields.Farmers hopefully have storage because the basis is so bad. Hopefully guys have stuff sold ahead and they can store it. We are going to have to sit on things with all of this political chatter going on. Hopefully we can get some of this sold at profitable levels in late winter or spring.Normally down this way we have a strong basis down at the river with ethanol and corn syrup. Soybean basis I think is 60 under and, for a river market, I have never seen the basis this bad. When you stick that on an $8.20 to $8.30 futures market that is below what we need.The markets are bad, but farmers always get excited over a big crop and I am excited to see what this season brought us. Share'
'agriculture','english','Google +We got 4.75 inches of rain this weekend. It is still sprinkling but it looks like it is pretty well done. There is a little flooding here and there but nothing really widespread. It was a pretty slow rain up until Sunday morning.I think the late soybeans still needed some rain — they didn’t need that much but they needed some. Now we need a dry spell to get the crops out of the fields. The short season beans that were planted early are losing quite a few leaves. They will get started in a week or two I’d guess.Guys who are chopping are about on a normal schedule. There is maybe a week or two of chopping yet and they were chopping quite a bit of corn before the rain. I think once it dries back out, corn silage chopping will start back up. I have been hearing that guys are getting the best tonnage and quality they have seen in a while, so that will help the dairy guys out. Dairy guys are just plugging along hoping something good will happen. Good yields will help.We have quite a ways to go yet on field corn before harvest, I would guess it will be at least the end of September. I noticed a little end rot when I was walking fields. There is a little here and there but not a lot yet.We planted quite a bit of cereal rye and triticale for spring forage and we are running into a big issue not being able to get seed for those crops. It is either not available or really high priced. The rain will help any of the seedings we had out. It wasn’t too heavy to wash seeds away.It seems like a lot of guys I talked to forward contracted beans early on when they were $10, but it sounds like almost nobody sold everything. I think they were hoping it was still going up. Now we’ll have to see what happens. Share'
'agriculture','english','One Reply to “Brainfood: Campesino maize, DELLA proteins, CC response, Nematodes, Collection duplication” Dave Wood says: September 10, 2018 at 4:23 pmMaize in Mexico: This is an odd paper. It claims: `… it is likely that different alleles are being favoured by different selection pressures’. That is, it supposes `ongoing maize domestication’ but provides no actual measure of it. It also says: `… evolution under domestication continues to occur in other crops in other countries…’ but gives no references to support this. The fact that campesino varieties are being lost – that is what genetic erosion is all about – seems to suggest that `ongoing domestication’ is not happening fast enough, that is, we have backwards evolution on farm, with local variation and selection pressure not being enough to maintain varieties over the longer term. In contrast, institutional plant breeding does have enough variation (from genebanks) and can exert enough selection pressure (through screening) to surpass in a measurable way the efforts of farmers.'
'agriculture','english','Sugar beet © Tim ScrivenerBritish Sugar is to delay the opening of its four sugar beet processing plants after warning this season’s crop would be “much lower” than the previous year.The first beet plants to open will be Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and Wissington in west Norfolk, both on 26 September, then Newark in Nottinghamshire on 2 October, and Cantley in east Norfolk on 10 October.Last season, the factories opened just over a week earlier than normal because of a big crop to harvest, with Newark being the first to open on 14 September, 2017.The beet processor warned on Monday (10 September) that this autumn’s harvest is set to be “much lower” than last year’s 1.37m tonnes of sugar, due to a wet spring and very dry summer.See also: British Sugar warns of ‘much lower’ beet harvestThe sugar beet area this season is largely unchanged at 105,000ha, so yields for Britain’s 3,500 beet growers are set to fall from the record set last season at 83.4t/ha.“The dates are aimed at striking a balance between supplying our customers with a quality product, allowing time for the crop to mature, and giving growers and hauliers time to plan their harvesting and delivery schedules,” said Colm McKay, the group’s agriculture director. See more'
'animation','english','PRIVACY POLICY※2010-2018 (♥) -::[robot:mafia]::- .ılılı. die kunst ist tot ★ es leben die maschinen .ılılı.Mit der Nutzung dieser Seite erklärst Du dich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden | This site uses cookies. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are ok with it. Accept Read More'
'animation','english','1 About the Author / MarBelle MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the decade long incarnation of this disorder and remains so much cheaper than film school. What to Read Next...'
'animation','english','https://vimeo.com/236495825The Academy established the Student Academy Awards in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 46 Oscar nominations and have won or shared eight awards. They include John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Trey Parker and Spike Lee. Last year, Beth David and Esteban Bravo (Ringling College of Art and Design) won the Gold Award for their short In a Heartbeat , which was also nominated in the Best Animated Short category.For more info, visit. www.oscars.org Continue Reading'
'animation','english','PRIVACY POLICY※2010-2018 (♥) -::[robot:mafia]::- .ılılı. die kunst ist tot ★ es leben die maschinen .ılılı.Mit der Nutzung dieser Seite erklärst Du dich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden | This site uses cookies. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are ok with it. Accept Read More'
'animation','english'," CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR THE 44TH ANNUAL HUMANITAS PRIZE AWARDSHave you written a script that embraces our common humanity? Well, don't just sit there! Enter it! Deadline: October 15, 2018 By Jeffrey Scott 5:01pmHUMANITAS is pleased to announce a Call for Entries for the 44th annual HUMANITAS Prize Awards. The winners will be announced at the HUMANITAS Prize Awards held in February 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Submissions open: September 1, 2018 Deadline: October 15, 2018 *Teleplay or film must air or be released between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. *Episodes that air AFTER submission period are eligible for consideration and will be kept confidential.The winners receive both a trophy and a cash prize at our annual HUMANITAS Prize Awards. Winners designate a nonprofit engaged in nurturing the next generation of storytellers to receive their prize money. Past beneficiaries have included Young Storytellers, The Writers Guild Foundation, Rosie’s Theatre Kids, Film2Future, ARC, The Remix Project, P.S. Arts, IDA, Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press, Sundance Institute, Inside Out Writers, We for She and The Heidelberg Project .Eligible categories Children’s Teleplay (animated or live action)Submission Guidelines ● Teleplay or film must air or be released between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. ● Teleplay or film must be written and produced in the English language. ● Teleplay must have had a national release on Television (Broadcast, Cable, Internet and Satellite). ● Feature films must have had a U.S. theatrical release. ● Independent Feature films must have had a festival release. ● Documentary entrants must submit digital content through web-based award judging portal. ● Credits must be redacted from script. ● $100 entry fee per submission. ● No limit to the number of submissions.For over four decades, the HUMANITAS Prize has empowered writers to tell stories which are both entertaining and uplifting. HUMANITAS encourages writers who create contemporary media to use their immense power to: ● Encourage viewers to truly explore what it means to be a human being. ● Challenge viewers to take charge of their lives and use their freedom in a responsible way. ● Motivate viewers to reach out in respect and compassion to all their brothers and sisters in the human family.“HUMANITAS exists to recognize, encourage and empower writers who teach us how to embrace our` common humanity by way of their unique and powerful voices. These storytellers help us to consider our place in the world, and examine our own moral compasses. In this day and age, now more than ever, it is a noble mission.” —Cathleen Young, HUMANITAS Executive DirectorSubmissions will be accepted on our website www.humanitasprize.org starting September 1, 2018.If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at or 310-454-8769. Tags"
'animation','english','0 commentAn alien wildlife mockumentary set on a distant planet.Travel with us to the furthest reaches of our galaxy, where for the first time in history, we bring you documented footage, of an alien planet, and it’s wildlife…never…seen…before.Planet Tobler heavily references BBC’s Planet Earth series, presented by David Attenborough. It brewed from admiration of wildlife documentaries such as Planet Earth but also takes a cheeky interpretation of the natural world where naughty bits and quirky misfits engulf this foreign land. It’s a personal project that was made without distributors or funding. A passion project made for the love of making animation, having fun, and portrays how out-of-touch most human’s are with nature.Directed by Aran Quinn • Written by Aran Quinn, Eric Chang, Alex Trierweiler.Narrated by Christopher Lloyd • Animated by Aran Quinn, Damien Bastelica and Ray Quigley.'
'animation','english','CommentMila Livitz has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Business Affairs, Disney|ABC Cable Services. The announcement was made today by Adina Savin, EVP Business Affairs, Disney|ABC Networks Group, to whom Livitz reports.In addition to overseeing negotiations for original live-action productions and co-productions and acquisitions across Disney Channels, Livitz’s responsibilities will expand to oversight of the Business Affairs at Disney Television Animation.“Mila is a gifted, highly strategic executive and this promotion recognizes her significant contributions to the company and her ability to evolve with the rapidly-changing media landscape,” said Savin. “A proven leader, Mila’s tenacity, industry savvy and smart negotiating skills make her well-positioned to oversee Disney TVA’s Business Affairs team and TVA’s increasing slate of quality animated programming for kids and families.”Livitz said, “This is an exciting time to be in the world of kids’ programming and I am thrilled to now be working with the Disney TVA team. I look forward to collaborating with each of them on out-of-the-box approaches to deal-making across our multiple platforms.”A 20-year veteran of the entertainment industry, Livitz joined The Walt Disney Company in 2009 and was most recently VP, Business Affairs, Disney|ABC Cable Services. Prior to Disney, Livitz was director, Business and Legal Affairs at E! Entertainment Television and a production attorney at Bunim-Murray Productions. Earlier in her career she worked as a trial attorney in entertainment litigation.Born in Bobruisk, Belorus, and raised in Denver, Colorado, Livitz graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communications. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from the UCLA School of Law, where she was honored with an American Jurisprudence Award and the Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for pro bono legal services. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','➲ North Atlantic Drift “ Departures, Vol. 2 ” ★ Label: sound in silence ★ Released 01 August 2018 ★Sound In Silence is happy to announce the return of North Atlantic Drift, presenting their new album Departures, Vol. 2 .This is their sixth full-length album and second on Sound In Silence, after the highly acclaimed album Monuments back in 2013.North Atlantic Drift is the ambient/post-rock duo of Mike Abercrombie (aka Transits Of Mercury) and Brad Deschamps (aka Anthéne), based in Toronto, Canada. Since their formation in 2011 they have released five albums, four EPs and a split album with Northumbria, while they are also running Polar Seas Recordings label.Departures, Vol. 2 is in line with last year’s Departures, Vol. 1. , showcasing North Atlantic Drift’s atmospheric side of minimal ambient and presenting eight new impressive tracks in a running time of about 50 minutes. Moving away from the melodic post-rock orientation of their earlier releases, North Atlantic Drift have stripped away most of the percussive elements, glockenspiel and more prominent guitars and have achieved a captivating sound of subtle textures, overlapping tones and slowly evolving soundscapes. Built around washes of sustained and reverberant electric guitars, warm and comforting synths and glacial drones, and expertly mastered by George Mastrokostas (aka Absent Without Leave), Departures, Vol. 2 is an intimate, relaxing album with a truly immersive quality, bringing to mind the works of Brian Eno, Stars Of The Lid, Loscil and other artists of similar mien.Departures, Vol. 2 comes in two distinct editions.The first one is a deluxe limited edition of just 50 handmade, hand-stamped and hand-numbered collectible copies. The disc of this edition includes an exclusive ninth bonus track entitled Vast, not included in the other edition or the digital download. It is packaged in a lovely sewn fabric envelope, which includes a 4 panel insert sheet containing tracklist and information printed on a 180 gsm raf blue cardboard and the front cover image printed on a polaroid style photo paper. It also comes bundled with a download code coupon and a Sound In Silence card.The second one is a limited edition of 150 handmade and hand-numbered collectible copies. It is packaged in a lovely hand-stamped 127mm x 127mm 280 gsm cadet blue cardboard envelope with the front cover image printed on a polaroid style photo paper and an insert sheet containing tracklist and information printed on a 180 gsm gray cardboard. It also comes bundled with a download code coupon and a Sound In Silence card. Tracklist'
'animation','english','0Barcelona, Spain-based Nomada Studio is getting ready to release its first game, a 2d-animated platformer called Gris.The game’s illustrative watercolor and ink style was created by Conrad Roset who is a partner in Nomada.Here’s how Nomada describes the game:Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality. As the story unfolds, Gris will grow emotionally and see her world in a different way, revealing new paths to explore using her new abilities.Nomada makes clear that Gris is designed to be more of a “narrative experience” than game; the girl character can’t die in the game, and though there’s conflict, there aren’t conventional enemies to fight. Early reviews of the gameplay have been positive .Gris will be published by Devolver Digital for PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch this December.'
'animation','english','© 2004-2018 Cartoon Brew, LLC. All Rights Reserved. About Cartoon BrewEvery day since 2004, Cartoon Brew has delivered the latest news, trends and ideas in animation to over 25,000 different artists, entertainment execs and cartoon aficionados. Subscribe to our newsletter.'
'animation','english','‘Gravity Falls’ Creator Alex Hirsch Inks Overall Netflix DealBy CommentNetflix continues to roll like a relentless juggernaut toward the heart of the original animation scene with the news that the streaming giant has signed a multi-year overall deal with Alex Hirsch, created of stand-out Disney TV series Gravity Falls . The agreement will see Hirsch create and develop new series and features exclusively for Netflix.“I couldn’t be more excited to join the amazing roster of talent coming to Netflix,” said Hirsch. “Plus it couldn’t hurt to be on The Algorithm’s good side before The Singularity hits. Awesome things are coming!”Hirsch has won Annie and BAFTA Awards for Gravity Falls , which ran for two seasons on Disney Channel and Disney XD and recently launched a continuation graphic novel, New York Times bestseller The Lost Legends . The talented 30-something’s writing credits also include The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack , Fish Hooks and the upcoming live-action Detective Pikachu movie. He also contributed story work to Sony’s all-animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse .“Alex is an imaginative storyteller with new ideas who’s quickly developed a reputation as a fresh new voice in animation,” said Netflix Originals VP Cindy Holland. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with him as we continue expanding our adult animated slate.”Netflix’s original animation slate includes Emmy-nominated BoJack Horseman (and has ordered Tuca & Bertie from alums Lisa Hanawalt and Raphael Bob-Waksberg); the recently launched new series from Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Disenchantment ; Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg’s Big Mouth ; Castlevania ; F Is for Family ; and many others.[Source: Hollywood Reporter]'
'animation','english','Spain’s 3D Wire Spotlights ‘Back to the Moon,’ ‘Gumball’ in OctoberBy CommentThe 3D Wire confab in Segovia, Spain has quickly become of the fall season’s must-attend events for CG animation, gaming and new media professionals in Europe. The 10th edition of the show, which takes place October 1-7 this year, promises to be an impactful and inspirational event for those who want to learn more the latest innovations and developments in our industry.Festival director José Luis Farias was gracious enough to answer a few questions about the upcoming edition of 3D Wire:Animag: What are some of the big highlights of the show this year? José Luis Farias: Mariano Melman Carrara will be one of the headliners of this edition of 3D Wire. The London-based Argentinian expert will give the presentation “Production applied to VR, a case study of Back to the Moon,” during which he will talk about his experience as a producer at Nexus Studios for Google Doodle’s VR experience commemorating the anniversary of the artist, director and cinematographic icon Georges Méliès. In addition to the aforementioned project, Melman Carrara will also talk about the other VR projects he has worked on, such as the outstanding Rain or Shine for Google Spotlight Stories.Along with Mariano, we will have the presence of Eva Figueroa and Juan Pedro Arroyo, supervisors of 2D animation for four years on Cartoon Network’s The Amazing World of Gumball of Cartoon Network Studios in London. They both will discuss working with mixed techniques in an audiovisual production of these characteristics.In addition, we will focus on some innovative projects such as Plastiek with RRR1 , a mix of app, digital comic and animation that pushes the limits of visual storytelling that will be shown and explained by one of its creators, André Bergs. This digital comic for tablets and phones combines 3D and 2D animation inside a game engine that allows the reader to control the camera. RRR1 delivers an unique reading experience that brings comics into the 21st century. Plastiek is founded by André Bergs from The Netherlands and Thawatchai Chunhachai from Thailand.What do you think makes 3D Wire a special experience? We really explore the synergies between animation, video games and new technologies. Our event is unique in the way it really connects professionals in these three industries. By merging both gaming and animation with digital technologies, 3D Wire is facilitating innovation and cross pollination which is needed in the industry. Our panels focus on innovative IPs, next technological advances and new finance models and investors.We believe in quality, not in quantity, and that’s why we have created a cozy and friendly environment to make business connections, far away from stressful events and daily deadlines. 3D Wire is a place to enjoy, relax, have fun and make great connections.How is the animation and vfx market faring in Spain this year? Many things are happening, now we are starting to see the results of the “silent revolution” of the last years, where new, young producers began to enter into the industry with fresh and risky ideas in all kinds and formats. Our country is getting very competitive thanks to the quality of our work, our track record and the tax rebate in some regions that makes Spain sexy to coproduce with and to invest in. For the first time in many years, we are attracting talent instead of exporting it.For more info about this year’s edition of 3D Wire, visit mercado3dwire.es/home . Run Ran Run'
'animation','english','Warner Schemes Up Wile E. Coyote Movie with Chris McKayBy CommentOne of cartoondom’s most creatively incompetent antagonists is heading to the big screen with the news that Warner Bros. is developing Coyote vs. Acme — an animated feature starring Wile E. Coyote and produced by The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay. Siblings Jon and Josh Silberman ( Living Biblically , Bordertown ) have been hired to write the script.Wile E. Coyote first appeared in the Chuck Jones Looney Tunes short Fast and Furry-ous in 1949 (written by Michael Maltese) and became a staple of the Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodies universe. The hungry desert predator is in constant pursuit of Road Runner, the world’s fastest bird. Coyote tries to even the odds by relying on weapons and near Rube Goldberg-level contraptions mail ordered from Acme Co., but is always outwitted by the bird with violent slapstick consequences. He has appeared in numerous TV projects, video games, comics and a series of stereoscopic 3D theatrical shorts.Wile E. Coyote was originally a mute character, but found his voice in 1952 with Mel Blanc, and later Joe Alaskey, Maurice LaMarche, Dee Bradley Baker, Daran Norris, and presently JP Karliak ( New Looney Tunes ).Chris McKay made his mark as animation co-director on WB’s widely acclaimed 2014 feature The LEGO Movie , and marked his feature directorial debut on LEGO Batman for the studio in 2017, which grossed $311 million worldwide. He shared an Emmy win for Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program with his Robot Chicken colleagues in 2010. Previously, he directed and co-produced for Titan Maximum and Moral Orel . He also served as producer on The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017) and is exec producing The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part , coming next year.[Source: Variety]'
'animation','english','‘The Day Henry Met’ Coming to Milkshake! in DecemberBy CommentChannel 5’s Milkshake! preschool block is set to become the exclusive UK free-to-air home for Irish studio Wiggleywoo’s hit preschool series The Day Henry Met… The animation will premiere later this year on the country’s No. 1 commercial destination for kids 4-6.In every episode, Henry meets something new — The day Henry met a whale! The day Henry met the moon! The day Henry met a Car! These charming adventures now run to four seasons, each 26 x 5’. The Day Henry Met… originally premiered on RTE in Ireland and then on Nick Jr. in 178 countries, prior to moving to Free TV and SVOD.Existing Free TV partners include RAI (Italy), ABC (Australia), SVT (Sweden), YLE (Finland), TVO, TFO and Knowledge Network (Canada), TVP (Poland), Eesti (Estonia), LTV (Latvia) and RUV (Iceland). SVOD rights have sold to Amazon, Svensk (Scandinavia), TF1 (France), Telefonica (Spain), BT (Great Britain), Jetsen Huashi (China), Horng En Culture (Taiwan) and others.The series has also sold to 20 airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Qantas Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France, Norwegian Air and Cathay Pacific.Commenting on the UK deal Louise Bucknole, VP of Programming at VIMN Kids said, “We’re delighted to be welcoming The Day Henry Met… to Milkshake!, which showcases the very best in British and Irish preschool content.”The Day Henry Met… is distributed internationally by Monster Entertainment which has just made its first publishing deals with the O’Brien Press for the UK and Ireland and New Frontier in Australia and New Zealand.The series continues to enjoy terrific ratings. In Italy, The Day Henry Met… is ranked fifth among the most viewed programs on free children’s channels in the 13:00-18:00 time slot, with a 13.32% share of viewers aged 4-7. The Day Henry Met… is performing similarly to Albero Azzurro and Peppa Pig and has also received a morning timeslot on RAI YoYo. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Like About the Author / MarBelle MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the decade long incarnation of this disorder and remains so much cheaper than film school. What to Read Next...'
'animation','english','Like About the Author / MarBelle MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the decade long incarnation of this disorder and remains so much cheaper than film school. What to Read Next...'
'animation','english','24 Welcome to Ms. Pott’s Magical World26 7 Big Questions for The Amazing Venture Bros. Duo28 Dawn of a New Era30 Your Comic-Con 2018 Tip Sheet32 CG Immersion Days for Everyone36 Building a Bridge Between the East and West38 Unleashing the Hidden Beasts40 Creating Glitch-Free Androids'
'animation','english','September 4, 2018 SPONSOREDMove over Disney, Roye Okupe is producing an African princess/queen animated film and it’s a true homage to the continent. Out from a collection of fantastical African tales comes the re-enactment of the life of the 15th Century African Queen Malika by YouNeek studios, an American-based comic company popular for its unique serving of African comics .Set in fifteenth-century West Africa, Malika: Warrior Queen follows the exploits of Queen and military commander, Malika, who struggles to keep the peace in her ever-expanding empire. Growing up as a prodigy, Malika inherited the crown from her father in the most unusual of circumstances, splitting the Kingdom of Azzaz in half. After years of civil war, Malika was able to unite all of Azzaz, expanding it into one of the largest empires in all of West Africa.Roye Okupe is a superstar on the African comics scene and for good reason. Roye is passionate, committed and a darn good storyteller; from his comic universe down to his goldmine of marketing chops! You should read his newsletters . Roye Okupe of YouNeek StudiosRoye is a Kickstarter darling. His first comic, E.X.O. – Legend of Wale Williams was successfully funded amid torrential buzz from industry players and fans alike. He followed this up with Malika – Warrior Queen . And now, he has a short film, Malika – Warrior Queen Animated Pilot under his belt. 314 backers pledged 20,555 USD to help bring the project to life. SPONSOREDAdding to the rich tapestry of Nigeria’s visual storytelling, it Malika – Warrior Queen will be a 3D animated episode (7-minutes long) written and directed by Roye Okupe , the CEO of YouNeek Studios who first entered the industry about three years back. According to Niyi Akinmolayan (CEO), popular Nigerian based animation company Anthill Studios ( Plaything )will be handling pre-production and production, while YouNeek will handle post-production. Sample page from Malika: Warrior Queen Part TwoAccording to Roye Okupe, “ Malika – Warrior Queen showcases the majesty and awe that is medieval West Africa. The costumes, character design, and set pieces all serve to highlight a robust diversity of culture and tradition based on real history. While Malika and her empire of Azzaz are fictional, they are surrounded by actual African states and rulers: bordered to the south by the Oyo, Nri, and Benin Kingdoms; to the west by the Songhai Empire and Timbuktu; and to the east by the Kingdom of Kongo”.After the gushing success of their first kickstarter, they have extended their plans, making arrangements for the initiation of perhaps a second episode of the series.It is interesting to note that, Roye Okupe began his comic making journey while trying to produce an animated film for EXO. The lessons learned set him on his comic making path. This has helped him and his YouNeek Studios imprint build a YouNiverse of diverse stories and worlds. Today, Roye Okupe is in a better position to produce what promises to be a truly incredible masterpiece. YouNeek YouNiverseSee below for what the Malika: Warrior Queen animated pilot is shaping up to be.Stay tuned…the plot thickens.Malka – The Warrior Queen comic book is made possible byRoye Okupe (Writer/Creator) |Chima Kalu (Pencils/Inks) | Raphael Kazeem (Colors) | Ayodele Elegba (Editor) and published by YouNeek Studios .Written by Cassandra Mark & KaDi Yao Tay Share this:'
'animation','english','Posted on Thursday, September 6, 2018 · Leave a CommentRousing, heartwarming, and nostalgic all in one go, this spectacular grade school take on Queen’s 1975 operatic hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” finds Blink director Dougal Wilson and the MPC VFX crew together again and bound for awards glory.'
'animation','english','Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 Continues with ‘Totoro’ 30th Anniversary!By CommentGKIDS and Fathom Events continue their collaboration bringing treasures of Japanese animated cinema to fans in the US with Studio Ghibli Fest 2018. The next gem to hit theaters across the country is Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved, touching and magical My Neighbor Totoro — celebrating its 30th anniversary!(Check out the re-released vintage Japanese trailer! )My Neighbor Totoro is the story of Satsuki and her sister Mei, who move with their father to a new home in the countryside where they find country life is not as simple as it seems. They soon discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Cat Bus, in this all-ages animated masterpiece featuring the voices of Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, and real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning, in a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family.Screenings will be held Sunday, September 30 at 12:55 p.m. (English dubbed); Monday, October 1 at 7 p.m. (English subtitled); and Wednesday, October 3 at 7 p.m. (English dubbed).Get your tickets for the My Neighbor Totoro 30th Anniversary theatrical event at www.fathomevents.com or www.ghiblifest.com , or at participating theater box offices. The film will be running in more than 700 select theaters. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','CommentSqueeze Studio, the Quebec-based creators of hit shortform comedy Cracked , have unveiled their latest animated creation at Cartoon Forum in Toulouse, France: JAX. The studio presented the first images from the new, stylish 3D CG series for industry players from across Europe and around the world.Aimed at audiences aged 6-12 (core target 8-12), the 26 x 22’ series will be full of action, suspense and plot twists, punctuated throughout by humor. Squeeze intends to kick off production in 2019 for a 2020 launch.“Since founding Squeeze, we have always pushed the envelope by creating work that leaves an impression,” said Denis Doré, studio co-founder and series co-creator. “ JAX is no different. This large-scale 3D animation action-adventure series carries our signature: the story is complex and compelling, and our characters each have that special something that makes them truly unforgettable.”JAX was presented last year at Cartoon Connection, where it caused a stir with European broadcasters and was named one of the most promising series at the event, which opened the doors for the Canadian studio to enter the 2018 Cartoon Forum.“The Cartoon Forum is an extraordinary platform for independent creators like us,” Doré noted. “It’s a full week chock-full of encounters and discussions with a wide range of partners from the animation industry, including broadcasters, distributors and investors. It’s the perfect time to share the first images of our new original work.”Learn more at whoisjax.com .'
'animation','english','NFB Launches Torill Kove’s ‘Threads’ Free OnlineBy CommentThe National Film Board of Canada has made award-winning animated short Threads — the latest from Oscar-winning filmmaker Torill Kove ( The Danish Poet , My Grandmother Ironed the King’s Shirts ) — free to view online, on demand at NFB.ca , Facebook and YouTube , one year after the heartfelt film was selected at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Threads is available to view worldwide, excluding Europe.Synopsis: An intimate story with universal appeal, Threads eloquently portrays the notion of emotional attachment — the bonds that we all need and form but that can also cause pain, making us feel alone or abandoned. Through her two protagonists, Kove, a Montreal-based filmmaker originally from Norway, illustrates various rites of passage to explore the bond between mother and daughter, until that inevitable moment when the child leaves the nest. In the spare visual style she’s known for, Kove manages to capture all of the beauty and complexity of parental love.The film made selection lists at prestigious international festivals including Berlin and TIFF, and earned a Special Prize at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival.Following the adaptation of Kove’s My Grandmother Ironed the King’s Shirts , a children’s book version of Threads will be published by NFB’s official English-language publisher, Firefly Books, this fall. A public launch will be held Sept. 14 at La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly in Montreal, with Kove in attendance to sign copies from 5-7 p.m. Threads will be widely available in bookstores on Oct. 1 Continue Reading'
'animation','english','14. August 2018 0 commentBeautiful Idiot takes you on a ride through the mindset and motivations of those who feel driven to pursue greatness, how it can feel to fall short, and the consequences of reaching a lofty goal when the struggle to get there has defined you for so long.Featuring professional freeride mountain bike rider Brett Rheeder.Directed by Harrison Mendel and Robb Thompson.Written by Anders J. Svensson.'
'animation','english','Toonbox Ent. and GAMA Ent. Announce Production DealBy CommentToronto-based animation studio Toonbox Entertainment has made a new production deal with producer Galen Walker and his production company GAMA Entertainment. Toonbox and Galen Walker will co-develop and co-produce intellectual content. Projects under GAMA have been carried over to work in tandem with Toonbox. The initial kick-off of their first feature film project has been scheduled for production this month.The studio announced the move as part of their growth strategy after releasing The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature , last year. The film was distributed domestically by Open Road Films, now known as Global Road Entertainment. It was sold worldwide by The Weinstein Co. with eOne Films handling Canada, Warner Bros. handling the UK, to name a few.“Galen possesses a wealth of experience and a track record in this industry,” says Hong Kim, CEO and founder of ToonBox. “We are very proud to welcome Galen Walker’s collaboration and leadership as part of our creative fold and process to produce high-quality animation content worldwide.”Galen Walker, producer and founder of GAMA Entertainment, adds: “I am thrilled to partner with Toonbox Entertainment, a leading animation studio dedicated to creating extraordinary original feature films, which aligns with my vision. In addition to the creative talent of their studio, I have never seen a more innovative technical pipeline offered to an animated filmmaker, it is simply brilliant!”Known for working on the theatrical feature rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Highlander franchises, Galen Walker has over 30 years of experience in the industry. Galen Walker produced Michael Bay’s and Platinum Dunes’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 reboot with Paramount Pictures, which grossed over $485 million worldwide. Additionally, he produced the 2016 sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows . Walker produced the CG-animated TMNT in 2007, which was financed and distributed by Warner Bros. and The Weinstein Co.ToonBox Entertainment has released the animated hits The Nut Job (2014), Bolts and Blip (2010), The Beet Party (2012), Spark (2017) and The Nut Job 2 (2017). For more info, visit toonboxent.com. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Squeeze’s ‘Cracké’ Hatches Over 100 Million Views OnlineBy CommentQuebec-based studio Squeeze announced today that its animated series Cracké has registered over 100 million views on YouTube and partner platforms in various territories, including the U.S. and China. “From the beginning, we knew it was important that the series be distributed on digital platforms,” notes Denis Doré, president and cofounder of Squeeze. “This strategy naturally lines up with our vision and the global deployment plan for our franchise. Youth spend 72% of their time viewing content on digital platforms, and 69% of 7–12-year-olds are exposed to visual content on electronic devices like tablets and smartphones.”He adds that when demand, distribution platforms and high-quality content combine, there are no limits for developing an original property: “This original creation is short—only one minute—and doesn’t contain dialogue, making it perfect for this type of platform. And since the humor we use is universal, we can draw a huge audience. This is just the beginning of Cracké’s wacky adventures.”The CG-animated series, created by Squeeze’s Québec City studios, features Ed, an over-anxious ostrich dad who will do anything to protect his precious eggs from the dangers of a harsh world. However, he doesn’t always use the best approach, leading him into dangerous but funny situations.Cracké aires in 210 territories around the world. Squeeze is currently working on a second season of the show, which is expected to be released in fall 2019. The new episodes will run for 3 minutes instead of 1, allowing creators to pace Ed’s adventures differently and include more complex scenes.'
'animation','english','Disney’s D23 Expo Tickets Will Be Available Aug. 28By CommentD23: The Official Disney Fan Club will begin selling tickets for the next D23 Expo, which will take place August 23-25, 2019, at the Anaheim Convention Center. The largest Disney fan event in the world, D23 Expo celebrates all the wonderful worlds of The Walt Disney Company under one roof, including the best of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars across film, television, theme parks, products, online, music, live entertainment, and more. D23 Expo 2019 marks the sixth biennial Expo held in Anaheim.The colorful event will celebrate the past, present, and future of Disney with signature entertainment, celebrity appearances, panels, presentations, sneak peeks, and immersive experiences. A massive show floor will feature exhibits, shopping, and photo opportunities from all across Disney and its partners. D23 Expo 2019 marks the return of fan favorites, including the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, honoring the talented men and women who have made indelible contributions to the Disney legacy; an all-new exhibit from the Walt Disney Archives; Talent Central, where fans can meet their favorite Disney stars; and a daily parade on the show floor.The Mousequerade costume contest is back with actress Yvette Nicole Brown and fashion designer Ashley Eckstein returning as judges for the popular event, which includes dozens of eye-popping creations from fans around the world.In addition, the D23 Expo 2019 Design Challenge will be themed to the popular Haunted Mansion , which first opened at Disneyland in 1969 and will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year. Fans are encouraged to create ghoulishly delightful designs, from paintings and drawings to sculptures and models, inspired by the beloved attraction and its 999 happy haunts. Twenty-three pieces of finalist artwork will be on display throughout the D23 Expo weekend at a gallery on the show floor. The winning artist will be chosen prior to the start of the D23 Expo and will receive a cash prize of $2,300. Details for Mousequerade and the Design Challenge will be revealed this fall.D23 Expo 2019 will showcase all of the latest stars in the Disney universe. In 2017, celebrity appearances included Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Whoopi Goldberg, Jordan Fisher, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Hamill, Kristen Bell, Chris Hemsworth, Mandy Moore, and the stars of Disney’s Descendants . Additionally, Disney executives and creative talent came together to deliver special presentations, announcements, and experiences to Disney fans throughout the three-day extravaganza.This year, discounted single-day and multi-day tickets for D23 Expo 2019 will be available exclusively to D23 Gold Members, and Gold Members who purchase their tickets from August 23–November 20, 2018 will enjoy an additional special “Early Bird” discount. D23 Gold Family Members can save as much as $288 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Gold Member “Early Bird” rate. General admission tickets are $89 for a one-day adult admission and $69 for children. Three-day money-saving tickets are also available. Discounted hotel and Disneyland Resort park tickets are available to all Expo ticket purchasers. For more information on tickets and the ticket prices for Gold Members and general admission, visit D23expo.com .D23 Gold and Gold Family Members will also be entitled to special benefits throughout the weekend including exclusive discounts and offers at select Disney retail and partner locations; a commemorative gift; and limited priority queueing for Hall D23 and the Expo Arena. Look for announcements about these opportunities in the coming months. To join D23 and enjoy these benefits, visit D23.com/join .For the latest news and updates about D23 Expo 2019, visit D23expo.com . D23 Expo'
'animation','english','Judge Orders Restraining Order Against Stan Lee’s ManagerBy CommentA judge has ordered a restraining order against memorabilia dealer and one-time advisor to comic-book icon Stan Lee for three years, after reports of elder abuse surfaced in the media. The order was issued by L.A. Superior Court Commissioner Laura Hymowitz against 42-year-old Keya Morgan, who had involved himself with Lee’s affairs. Deadline reports that Morgan has to stay at least 100 yards away from Lee and his immediate family until Aug. 17, 2021.Last February, Morgan took control of Lee’s business affairs and personal life and was accused of isolating him from the people Lee was closest to. He allegedly embezzled or misappropriated $5 million of assets, according to court documents.Morgan, who had been serving as Lee’s manager and personal advisor was accused of taking advantage of 95-year-old Lee, who suffers from impaired hearing, vision and judgment.“Mr. Lee has a large estate worth over $50 million and therefore is vulnerable to financial predators,” the court documents state.This is the latest development in Lee’s business and fortunes since his wife of 69 years Joan died last year. Police have been investigating reports of elder abuse against Lee since at least February, and had issued an emergency order keeping Morgan from Lee .Lee has millions of fans all over the world for his contributions to the comic-book universe and pop culture. He has helped create beloved characters such as The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man and other major Marvel characters. In more recent years, he has become a regular staple of the Marvel movies, showing up in charming cameos in the blockbuster pics.Source: Deadline.com'
'animation','english','‘Miraculous’ Nabs Best Animated Show Prize at Teen Choice AwardsBy CommentIntl. indie animation studio ZAG won the Best Animated TV Show award at the recent Teen Choice Awards for its show ZAG HEROEZ Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir , winning more votes than series such as Family Guy , Rick and Morty and The Simpsons . Winners of the Teen Choice Awards are selected by teens across the U.S. who hold the voting power to select their favorite movies, TV shows, video games, music and animated series among others.“We are so thrilled that Miraculous has been chosen by fan vote as Choice Animated TV Show,” says Jeremy Zag, CEO and Founder for ZAG. “I want to give a special thank you to my magical teams and incredible partners in EUROPE, USA, LATAM and ASIA. We couldn’t have made it without their support. Most importantly, special big love to the best fan base in the world!!!”Miraculous was created by ZAG/Zagtoon in collaboration with Method Animation. The popular toon airs over 120 countries worldwide, regularly scoring top rankings and lifting overall network ratings with key broadcast partners such as Netflix and KidsClickTV in the USA, Disney EMEA & Latin America, France’s TF1, UK’s POP, Italy’s Super! and Brazil’s Gloob!ZAG HEROEZ Miraculous , Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is a 133 x 22’ series that follows he adventures of two seemingly typical teens with secret identities, Marinette and Adrien, who transform into superheroes, Ladybug and Cat Noir, when evil threatens Paris. Season’s two and three of the show are co-produced by Zagtoon, France’s Method Animation, South Korea’s SamG Animation, SK Broadband, Japan’s Toei Animation and Italy’s DeAgostini Editore S.P.A., in collaboration with Disney Channel EMEA, French broadcaster TF1, Brazil’s Globosat and AB. The series is distributed internationally by PGS Entertainment, Groupe AB, Zagtoon, Method, and SamG Animation. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Turn the other cheek may well be the noble ideal of a progressive society but what if the people hurt by the wanton actions of another were those closest to you, would you really find forgiveness so easy? Exploring the weight of consequence which befalls a man pushed to the brink and facing a situation far beyond the scope of his everyday life, Justin Suttles joins DN today with the release of disquieting short A Quiet Morning and reveals the ways in which a desire to capture the unease of stillness informed his approach to production.Interestingly enough, the development of A Quiet Morning was somewhat backwards compared to the average filmmaking process. Most stories are written far before the physical specifics of the execution are addressed. Our film, by contrast, was the auspicious intersection of multiple factors. More specifically, I had access to a wonderfully stark, empty house, and my lead actor had a very tight schedule before moving far far away. In short, we needed to make a film and we needed to make it fast! Luckily, after years of collaboration, my team and I felt equal to the task. So then we only had one question to answer; “What are we making, anyways?”This was an interesting way to back into a project because it made us aware of our limitations going in. Limited cast, two days, one location – what can we do with it? I immediately starting thinking of grounded human scenarios that could play out in a satisfying way. One through-line I was drawn to from the beginning was the idea of a narrative resulting from the character’s actions alone, rather than characters reacting to outside circumstances happening TO them. Almost every project we have done up until this point has followed the structure of the latter. It’s a fine way to tell a story, but it felt like sufficiently well-trod territory for us, in this particular scenario.From that point, it seemed to me that the idea of characters navigating quandaries of their own making lent itself to drama; something heavy, something brutal, but most importantly, something human. Over the last decade, David Yazdiya has served not only as the lead actor in almost every film we’ve ever made, but he’s also a valued creative interlocutor. The process of bouncing ideas back and forth with him has become almost sacrosanct and A Quiet Morning was certainly no exception.Over a couple days, we pitched a few ideas back and forth containing various degrees of morbidity, depravity and pathos. However, it wasn’t until I saw a harrowing viral video of a father lunging at a man (who had molested his three daughters) in court, that the idea for the short film began to take form. In the viral video, before the man lunges he asks the judge permission to be “locked in a room with this demon for 5 minutes”.The weight of that video was sobering to me. I started asking myself what if, in lieu of a conviction, the justice system had failed that father? What if the man had been allowed to go free? What would the father have done? What would the man have done? These questions became the essential DNA that led to A Quiet Morning . I’m not in any way asserting that the film is based on that situation, but rather it prompted us to start asking the right questions.Someone once told me that a good short film is like a joke; there’s a setup and a punch line. That particular methodology seemed to be very fitting here, as I began endeavoring on a narrative that would hopefully subvert expectations while also delivering what viewers have come to expect from the genre. A few days and far too much coffee later, the screenplay was finished and it was time to get this project underway.As the title suggests, I really wanted to explore the idea of stillness in every aspect of the film. As I told my cinematographer and long time creative compatriot Bryan Tan, where our previous endeavors have been more about the immediate action, I wanted this film to focus on the negative space; those valleys in between the big movie moments that we don’t usually see. This was a creative bent that we carried through all aspects of production, in hopes of achieving that patina of stillness.I really wanted to explore the idea of stillness in every aspect of the film.For the cinematography in particular, I wanted a highly static, measured aesthetic; almost like a tableau. Circling back around to the idea of a film that’s rooted solely in the character’s decisions with no outside interference, it became hard for me to imagine any manner of flashy cinematography as anything more than just that; outside interference. We also decided to shoot in the 4:3 aspect ratio, because it seemed to appropriately mirror the austere interior of the empty space. Hopefully, these aesthetic choices further the idea that we’re simply privy to this situation, watching from a distance as it unfolds.I discussed with David that we wanted to reign the performance in. Similar to the cinematography, I didn’t want it to look like we were reaching for anything. It seemed to me that some kind of maudlin outpouring of emotion would have felt forced or alien from such a detached perspective. Rather, all I wanted from the performance was honesty; It could be quiet, it could be internal, it could be unevenly delivered, but as long as it felt honest, that’s all I cared about this time around. I shared the same thoughts with the Composer Tristan Seewer and Sound Designers Brittany Ellis and Kyle Lammerding, that we wanted the dramatic arc of the piece to grow organically out of this uneasy stillness and blossom into a much heavier emotional resonance.All things considered, our gear package was pretty light – a Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera, Voigtlander (10.5mm & 17.7mm) and Tokina (11-16mm) lenses, O’Connor Fluid head tripod, and a Dana Dolly. This was due to a conscious decision to keep the budget as low as possible, and the inherent time constraints of the shoot itself. The hardest thing to acquire by far on the production was a cast iron radiator that was big enough to be convincing, but small enough to move into the location. Luckily, we found a local prop rental house that had exactly what we needed, and it was only 400 lbs. A definite win/win as far as I was concerned.The project officially began on February 23rd, 2018, when I texted David Yazdiya the following message: “So the way I see it, we’ve got about 2 months until you leave. And I just so happen to be living in Jax during that time. So what would you say to knocking out a little micro short just for old time’s sake? I’m talking a day of shooting or less”, to which he aptly replied: “1000% in. I’d like nothing more”. And the rest, as they say, was history.Filmmaking and patience are part and parcel to one another.From that point of inception to our release date, the entire process of realizing A Quiet Morning has taken roughly 6 months. Hard to imagine that such a small film could have taken half a year of our lives to see through to completion, but if I’ve learned anything as a filmmaker, it’s that filmmaking and patience are part and parcel to one another. When making a film, it’s always worth it to take as much time as you need to get it right, because once it’s released, it’s out of your hands. Not only does it push the limits of your personal endurance, but the process itself is an excellent litmus test to determine if filmmaking is right for you. In most cases, when you commit to even the smallest project, you’re recognizing that it will become your life for the foreseeable future, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.At the end of the day, A Quiet Morning is the result of many factors coalescing at the perfect moment, resulting in a film; a film that absolutely would not have been possible without the effort and enthusiasm from everyone involved, to all of which I’m greatly thankful. Sure we had the setting, the people, and the window of opportunity, but all of that is tantamount to the simple and honest desire to tell a story.'
'animation','english','0American Greetings Entertainment, the IP licensing and entertainment arm of American Greetings, has changed its name to Cloudco Entertainment. The name change follows the recent spinoff from its parent company into a stand-alone business.Besides the name change, everything else remains the same from an operational perspective. Long-time owners, the Weiss family, retain 100 percent ownership of Cloudco, and all current key Cloudco executives and management remain in place.Cloudco’s IP includes ownership of the following kids brands: Care Bears, Holly Hobbie, Madballs, Buddy Thunderstruck, and Tinpo.Cloudco announced that it is developing a hybrid animation/live-action Care Bears feature film with a soon-to-be-announced major Hollywood studio.The comapny is also producing a Holly Hobbie live-action tv series with Aircraft Pictures and Wexworks Media for Hulu, Family Channel in Canada, and The Universal Kids Channel, as well as an original animated series, Tinpo, for Cbeebies in partnership with OLM/Sprite Animation and Dentsu Inc.Cloudco will continue to work closely with American Greetings, the 112-year-old Cleveland, Ohio-based company, on marketing initiatives, content development, and consumer product programs. “American Greetings is in the DNA of our company and our brands,” said Sean Gorman, president of Cloudco Entertainment. “But it’s also undeniably exciting to spread our wings, and with a slew of forthcoming announcements across several brands, it feels like now is the hour to leave the nest and take flight.”'
'animation','english','CommentThe future is looking bright for fans of Adult Swim’s animated hit Rick and Morty , as Cartoon Network Enterprises has announced more than a dozen new licensing partners contributing to a diverse range of products across multiple categories, which will be available soon!Home Décor B&D Group will launch inflatable furniture in November at specialty stores and pool floats will be released in the spring of 2019 Beeline Creative is introducing a Rick and Morty -themed Geeki Tikis collection this fall, featuring creative, colorful drinkware Additional houseware products will be introduced in spring 2019. NECA is debuting Rick and Morty Chia Pets , available this holiday season across multiple retail channelsFood/Beverage An assortment of confections and beverages are being introduced this summer from Boston America , with several FYE store exclusives and additional items available at specialtyApparel This fall, Briefly Stated will launch Rick and Morty underwear and sleepwear for men and women at mid-tier and mass Stance , an American sock and underwear brand, will offer Rick and Morty themed socks This fall, Palamon will release a variety of Rick and Morty Halloween costumes and accessories across mass retailers, specialty stores, Halloween specialty stores and online retailers Accessories Concept One will offer bags, luggage, small leather goods, headwear and other Rick and Morty -inspired accessories Accessory brand Loungefly will introduce a wide variety of Rick and Morty items including backpacks, bags, purses, wallets, hand and compact mirrors, lunch tins, beanies, luggage tags, keychains, cell phone cases and more PopSockets is now offering a Rick and Morty line of the trendy phone accessories at Target, specialty stores, electronic stores, online retailers and popsockets.com Toys Just Toys is producing a line of Rick and Morty SquishMe squeeze toys available during the holiday season at mass retailers and specialty stores Kidrobot will release Rick and Morty Slippery Stair figures this month, available at kidrobot.com with a glow-in-the-dark exclusive colorway available at Hot Topic Fuckjerry launched the Rick and Morty expansion pack of their popular “What Do You Meme” adult party game exclusively at Spencer’s stores this past July with expansion into mass starting in OctoberWhen the Adult Swim Festival takes over Downtown LA’s ROW DTLA from Oct. 5-7 with amazing musical and comedy acts, fans will be cramming the stage for an incredible “Musical Ricksperience” — a first-time-ever chance to see series composer Ryan Elder and special guests bring songs from the show to life with a 37-piece live orchestra, synced to a Rick and Morty episode.Adult Swim Festival will showcase more than 24 hours of live entertainment, with 42 performers headlined by Run the Jewels and Mastodon. Final lineup:Friday: T-Pain performing tracks from Freaknik: The MusicalSaturday:'
'animation','english','PRIVACY POLICY※2010-2018 (♥) -::[robot:mafia]::- .ılılı. die kunst ist tot ★ es leben die maschinen .ılılı.Mit der Nutzung dieser Seite erklärst Du dich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden | This site uses cookies. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are ok with it. Accept Read More'
'animation','english',"How To Succeed in Animation The Early Bird Gets the Worm on iBooksKevin Geiger’s award-winning children’s e-book, ‘The Early Bird Gets the Worm,’ now available on iBooks from Peewee Frog! By Kevin Geiger | Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 1:17pm In Art , Books , Technology , Virtual Reality | ANIMATIONWorld , Blog Post | Blogs: Reality Bites AllAnother shameless plug, but for a good cause: the children in your life. :)My award-winning children’s e-book, THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM, is now available on iBooks from Peewee Frog.THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM... and changes his world.Willie the Worm loves digging in the dirt, but wonders if there is more to life. A chance encounter with Earl Lee Bird provides the answer for children age 0-8, in a tale of unexpected friendship, changed perspectives and renewed purpose.More relevant to territory of this blog, check out DJ Pangburn’s fascinating FastCompany piece on how the Smithsonian is turning its art exhibitions into virtual reality experiences.Kevin is the author of AWN's Reality Bites blog, his musings on the art, technology and business of immersive media: AR, VR and MR. You can find Kevin's website at www.kevingeiger.com and he can be reached at holler@kevingeiger.com. Tags"
'animation','english','Animated Doc ‘Chin Up’ Joins MOFILM Many Voices Female Diversity ProgramBy Comment“People-powered” video content network MOFILM has commissioned three films from the UK, US and South Africa as part of its “Many Voices” global initiative. Led by ECDs Trak Ellis-Hill and Lee Margolis, the program generated hundreds of filmmaker proposals originating from 26 countries inspired by the question, “What does the Year of Women mean where you are?”“Diversity comes in many forms, from gender and ethnicity to experiences and ideas. We are all different but key passions, topics and beliefs unite us. We launched Many Voices to show there is no one answer to a question, which was reinforced by the range of important stories, crying out to be told, that we received in response,” said MOFILM Global CEO Rebecca Sykes. “The challenge to create content that’s locally authentic, globally consistent, and resonates with people is real. These three commissioned films prove how important it is to give local creators a global voice and show the challenge can be overcome. I’m immensely proud of these films and I hope they make people stop, think and reflect.”One of these commissions is Chin Up , from Bournemouth, UK-based animation studio/production company LoveLove Films. The piece follows LoveLove Films animator JoAnne Salmon ’s story, from being one of 50,000 babies born with Treacher Collins Syndrome — a genetic condition characterized by deformities of the ears, eyes, cheekbones and chin, which causes breathing problems and hearing difficulties — to currently living her dreams as an animator.Throughout her childhood, Salmon loved to draw herself as heroic characters, from mighty warriors to mystical mermaids, to escape the insecurity and feeling of being different that came with her condition. However, she never drew her facial features any differently. The documentary touches on poignant milestones that have impacted Salmon and made her the strong and inspirational woman that she is today, highlighting on the female empowerment that is giving 2018 the great “Year of Women” status. Her story fits into a much larger story of women in today’s society, and the way positive change is happening.“ Chin Up is at its essence a story of hope and self acceptance. My story. It’s about following your dreams and persevering in the face of adversity and embracing all the quirks that make you, you!” said Salmon. “I have learned that being different is not always about outside appearances, it can be on the inside too and everyone wants to feel accepted. I hope that people, no matter of age, gender, race or ability, will be inspired to know that they can be whatever they want to be.”Georgina Hurcombe, Producer and Founder of LoveLove Films, said: “It’s great to see MOFILM using their vast network to fund and commission their own initiatives like the wonderful Many Voices series, which is such an exciting opportunity for women filmmakers. Last year, of the top 100 grossing films, only 8% were directed by women, so it’s fantastic to have an organisation actively addressing this. We were delighted to be commissioned to produce Chin Up about JoAnne’s touching and heartwarming journey, and hope that it acts as a source of inspiration to many.”Many Voices presents &#039;Chin Up&#039; from MOFILM on Vimeo .In addition to Chin Up , MOFILM Many Voices has commissioned New Tribe Rising (Patrick Mason, US) in which Native American Rene White relates how life is being breathed back into forgotten tribal traditions and a lost heritage where men and women were equals; and Hidden Queens (Okuhle Dyosopu, South Africa) which shines a light on an “invisible” generation of women working as domestic workers — the backbone of South Africa.Film pitches for Many Voices were judged by a panel of industry experts, including Roshni Goyate, Founder of The Other Box; Aline Santos Farhat, Unilever EVP Global Marketing & Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion; Kate Robertson, Founder of One Young World; Tope Oshin, TV & film director and producer; Elisha Smith-Leverock, director and Free The Bid Ambassador; and Patrick Veering, Global Marketing Director, Chivas Brothers Ltd. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','GIPHY Launches Ultra-Micro Film FestivalBy CommentAnimated GIF sharing/hosting platform GIPHY is building on its commitment to the micro-entertainment medium by launching the first GIPHY Film Fest. The challenge put to content creators: can you grab an audience’s attention and deliver an entertaining story in under 18 seconds? The contenders will be screened one night only on November 8 in New York City’s Metrograph Theater, where the grand prize winner will be announced and an afterparty will follow.via GIPHYThe inaugural GIPHY Film Fest judges are artist and filmmaker Mukunda Angulo ( Window Feel , Mirror Heart , The Wolfpack ), Spotify Global Creative Director Alex Bodman , The Animation Guild’s Director of Communications & Culture (and Animation Instructor at CalArt) Brooke Keesling , Squarespace creative David Lee , producer Mona Panchal , comedian Joe Pera ( Joe Pera Talks You to Sleep for Adult Swim), and Julia Rothman ,illustrator/author/educator and co-founder of Women Who Draw.The Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000 as well as a five-year website subscription to supporter Squarespace, and an opportunity to guest curate an official playlist on Spotify.Submissions are open now through the September 27, 2018 deadline to US residents age 18 and over. Creators can submit up to three pieces of work (up to 18 seconds of loopable content each) with or without sound in the categories of Narrative, Stop-Motion, Animated, Experimental, and Wild Card/Other.Submit your work and learn more at www.giphyfilmfest.com . Continue Reading'
'animation','english','PRIVACY POLICY※2010-2018 (♥) -::[robot:mafia]::- .ılılı. die kunst ist tot ★ es leben die maschinen .ılılı.Mit der Nutzung dieser Seite erklärst Du dich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden | This site uses cookies. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are ok with it. Accept Read More'
'animation','english','Ottawa’s 15th TAC Welcomes Brent Butt, Fred Seibert & Return of the Pitch This!By CommentOttawa Int’l Animation Festival’s industry-driven sister event TAC (The Animation Conference) celebrates its 15th edition this September 26-28 at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. Geared toward inspiring and creating opportunities for animation producers and creatives, TAC offers topical discussions, networking and pitching programs. Returning to TAC in 2018 are the wildly successful Pitch This! and Fast Track events in addition to a interview with media innovator Fred Seibert and the Conference keynote address from Brent Butt, the comedian and showrunner behind Corner Gas Animated .Pitch This ! gives emerging creators the chance to get their projects seen. A selection of pitches are paired with industry mentors to fine tune projects in hope of making it to the final round: a pitch in front of a panel of broadcasters and a TAC audience of more than 300 potential partners. The winner receives a development award of $5,000, Toon Boom Animation software licenses and training, and entertainment legal services from Edwards PC, Creative Law. The submission deadline is August 31, 2018 at 5PM EDT.Fast Track is a sort of speed-pitching program, where creatives meet with production companies and buyers looking for content during a 12-minute session. Production companies include YTV, Industrial Brothers, Teletoon, Portfolio Entertainment, Big Jump Entertainment, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Guru Studio, DHX Studios, Entertainment One Family and Brands, Radio-Canada, Boat Rocker Media, Mercury Filmworks, and more.Programming at this year’s TAC also features a glimpse into the exciting new Crunchyroll Originals , catching up on the European animation market and 3D for the small screen , a partnership with the Computer Animation Studios of Ontario (CASO) and a dedicated seminar for animation writers .Also highlighting this year’s TAC is Fred Seibert Tells All: Confessions of a Serial Innovator . As the Chief Creative Officer of WOW! Networks, Seibert will be heavily involved with a new Canadian kids and youth channel. The multi-Emmy winning producer, and founder of Frederator Networks, will provide helpful tips on producing successful animated shows and how he’s managed to build countless popular incubators and launch pads for creative talent all over the world.Closing this year’s Conference is Brent Butt . Brent has been producing and writing for television and feature films since the early ‘90s. He became a household name as the creator and star of of the Canadian TV hit Corner Gas , winning numerous accolades including an International Emmy. This year, Corner Gas Animated – an animated version of the iconic comedy franchise re-imagined by Butt became the highest-rated show in the history of The Comedy Network. Insight: definitely. Laughs: guaranteed!For more info, registration and to submit to the Pitch This! or Fast Track events, visit the TAC homepage. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','SCADFILM Reveals SCAD AnimationFest Atlanta LineupBy CommentThe Savannah College of Art and Design has announced the second annual SCAD AnimationFest, put on by SCADFILM. The toon celebration will gather leading experts and the next generation of talent from the industry September 27-29 at SCAD Atlanta. Screenings will be held at the university’s state-of-the-art theater SCADshow in the heart of Midtown Atlanta.“After a monumental first year, SCAD AnimationFest returns with even more programming intended to offer industry professionals and students alike new perspectives on a genre we all know and love,” said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. “These days, animation is everywhere, and SCADFILM’s AnimationFest will share the latest, from developments on Sesame Street to the wildly popular Animation Show of Shows. And this year we’ll get more insights from the folks at Adult Swim, which has all but reinvented animated storytelling. Only at SCAD can students meet the luminaries behind the lines, commune with creators, and advance animation!”The opening day’s program will feature a special preview screening of Warner Animation Group’s upcoming feature Smallfoot . Starring Channing Tatum, Zendaya, Common and James Corden, the movie tells the story of a Yeti who must prove to his community that the fantastical “smallfoot” creature (a.k.a., human) is real — with plenty of humor, sparkling snowy animation, and original songs.Other screenings will celebrate classic Saturday Morning Cartoons, the 20th anniversary of Disney’s Mulan and Adult Swim’s Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell , which integrates CG visions of the Inferno into its live-action production.Special guests will share their wisdom and thoughts on the dynamic facets of the animation industry — including character development, small studio animation, inclusion & diversity, voice acting and the growth of Atlanta-based production houses. Scheduled this year are: Andrea Miloro, co-president, Twentieth Century Fox Animation; Mark McCray, author, The Best Saturdays of Our Lives ; Christina Elefante, production coordinator, Sesame Workshop; Lisa LaBracio, animation director, TED-Ed; Franz Palomares, animation director, TED-Ed; Ashley Kohler, executive producer, Awesome Inc.; Joan Baker and Rudy Gaskins, co-founders, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences; and Tony Bancroft, director, Mulan .Animation is the largest of SCAD’s preeminent degree programs, and is considered a top program for preparation of a growing field that encompasses film, television, interactive media and video games. Of the nearly 17,500 SCAD alumni from entertainment and digital media disciplines, more than 2,800 work in the Georgia film industry. SCAD students, alumni and faculty have won Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Reels, Tonys, Annies and more.Full schedule and ticketing available at scad.edu/animationfest Smallfoot Savannah College of Art and Design Continue Reading'
'animation','english','0After dominating the theatrical box office earlier this year, Disney is bringing Black Panther’s act to television.The fifth season of Disney XD’s animated series Avengers Assemble will focus exclusively on the King of Wakanda, and will be presented under the title Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest.Here’s the trailer:Disney-Marvel has offered this synopsis of the season:The Black Panther must decide his loyalties. Is he an Avenger first or King of Wakanda? As the mysterious Shadow Council rises to challenge Wakanda, T’Challa teams up with his sister Shuri to go on missions that no other Avenger can. It’s a globe-trotting journey of espionage and mystery as old foes resurface and new friends are made. In the end, Black Panther must balance defending his home and stopping threats before they start. Is he a sword or a shield? Only he can decide.Black Panther’s Quest will premiere on Disney XD on Sunday, September 23, at 9 pm. It will also be available on the Disneynow app.'
'animation','english','Industry Guru Mary Bredin Joins TeamTO as Creative Development ProducerBy CommentTeamTO, a leading European kids’ entertainment studio, has brought on Mary Bredin (formerly EVP of Content & Strategy, Guru Studio) to its senior creative team in the newly created position of Creative Development Producer. This team-up is part of TeamTO’s push to establish itself as a leading creator of ground-breaking content for all global markets — initiated with the establishment of offices in L.A. (2011) and Beijing (2016).In her new role, Bredin ill focus on finding truly unique, up-and-coming talent for TeamTO’s extensive development slate, with an emphasis on telling original stories from unconventional points of view. She will concentrate on expanding the studio’s formidable pool of writers, artists and directors with exciting new creative voices. In pursuit of these objectives, Bredin will work closely with TeamTO’s SVP of Development & Production, Corinne Kouper, a renowned leader in French Animation with a slate of international awards and industry recognition to her credit.“I am very happy to welcome Mary on board to drive our production slate. She is smart, focused and very talented in show development and writing, with unique industry knowledge and skills,” said Kouper. “Mary and I have shared a passion for telling great stories ever since we worked together twenty years ago on Disney’s first CG preschool show Rolie Polie Olie .”“I am very excited to work with Corinne and the development team that have created so many entertaining, original shows like Angelo Rules and Oscar’s Oasis ,” added Bredin. “I am also thrilled to work with Corinne as head of Les Femmes S’Animent, France’s Women in Animation, as she really is at the forefront of these timely and important changes in Europe.”Mary Bredin is an Emmy nominated talent who most recently served a 10-year stint at Canada’s Guru Studio where she was instrumental in driving its growth from a service and commercial studio to a globally renowned producer of original, premium content. Bredin developed and co-executive produced their first original show, Justin Time , which attained global recognition and critical success, winning the 2014 Canadian Screen Award, and nominations for a Daytime Emmy Award and six Annie Awards. Prior to returning to her native Toronto where her career kicked off at Nelvana, Bredin spent nine years at Disney International headquarters in London, ultimately heading up Programming & Acquisitions for the worldwide team. Previous positions during her time in France include leading French Pay TV channel Canal + and Telefilm Canada.TeamTO has grown from a boutique Paris-based production studio in 2005 to a world-renowned creator of original, premium IPs – with a singular roster of accomplishments to its name: visually and technically groundbreaking TV series; two state of the art studios in France with 300+ full time animators; offices in three continents; a slew of international awards for its productions; a recently launched, free animation school to train domestic talent for the booming industry; and unparalleled R&D division leading to revolutionary new animation software. Its projects include original IP Angelo Rules , My Knight and Me , Oscar’s Oasis , the feature film Yellowbird , and the upcoming series Mighty Mike and Jade Armor . Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Academy Reconsidering New Popular Movie Oscar CategoryBy CommentFrom AMPAS:While remaining committed to celebrating a wide spectrum of movies, the Academy announced today that it will not present the new Oscars category at the upcoming 91st awards. The Academy recognized that implementing any new award nine months into the year creates challenges for films that have already been released. The Board of Governors continues to be actively engaged in discussions, and will examine and seek additional input regarding this category.“There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “We have made changes to the Oscars over the years — including this year — and we will continue to evolve while also respecting the incredible legacy of the last 90 years.”Changes to the 91st Oscars (2019) include restructuring and shortening the length of the telecast to three hours. To honor all 24 award categories, six to eight categories will be presented live, in the Dolby Theatre, during commercial breaks. The winning moments will then be edited and aired later in the broadcast. Selected categories will be rotated each year. The Academy will collaborate with the show producer(s) to select these categories.The Board of Governors also voted to move up the date of the 92nd Oscars telecast to Sunday, February 9, 2020, from the previously announced February 23. The date change in the timeline will not affect awards eligibility dates or the voting process.The key dates for the 2019 awards season are as follows:Saturday, November 16, 2019'
'animation','english','Superprod, Atmosphere Media to Co-Pro Six Animated Kids’ SeriesBy CommentFrench production house Superprod Animation and newcomer Atmosphere Media (Berlin/Zurich/New York) have inked a co-production agreement for six animated TV series aimed at kids over the next three years. Atmosphere will co-produce internally with Digital Graphics, the Belgian animation/VFX studio it took co-ownership of earlier this year.Production begins this month on 3D comedy Joker Joe (52 x 11’), based on based on Thierry Copée’s hugely successful comic books; followed later in fall by kid’s adventure Osmond (52 x 13’) and preschool series Ana & Froga (65 x 5’). Following in 2019 will be the kids’ action-comedy My Spooky Family (52 x 13’); adventure series Octopus’s Garden (52 x 13’), based on Ringo Starr’s classic children’s book and the eponymous Beatles song; and new project Kid Paddle (52 x 11’).All six series will be fully produced at Superprod Studio in France and Digital Graphics Studios in Belgium, with work also done at Atmosphere Media in Germany. Superprod and Atmosphere will represent French-speaking and German-speaking rights, respectively, while Superights will be in charge of international sales (exc. Benelux). Broadcast partners will include M6, France Television, BBC Worldwide and various prominent Belgian channels and German-speaking and international broadcasters.“We are proud to team up with Atmosphere Media and Digital Graphics. The impressive track record of Peter Voelkle and his team will greatly contribute to our shows,” said Clément Calvet and Jérémie Fajner, founders of Superprod. “Germany and Belgium have always been key territories for us and an audience we cherish. Our partnership with Atmosphere Media is a major step and will speed up the launch of those in-house developed productions, three of which already have major French and international broadcasters attached.”Peter Voelkle, founder of Atmosphere Media and Co-CEO of Digital Graphics, said: “When I set up Atmosphere Media earlier this year we scanned the market and defined who we would like to work together with. Superprod moved very quickly to the top of our list. I am extremely pleased that today, only a few months later, we signed this significant collaboration. Superprod is an incredibly creative and fast-growing company and produces great work. This is a great fit. Atmosphere Media and Digital Graphics will contribute a lot to the partnership, and each of the projects is completely unique. Together we will produce six fantastic series and each one of them will be different and amazing.” Superprod'
'animation','english','0In the first part of our multi-part series about tips for pitching and selling an animated series, we explored some of the fundamentals of setting up a pitch presentation.With that foundation established, we can now layer on the next step, which is learning how to communicate ideas clearly. Oftentimes at pitching forums and markets, a creator has only 10 to 15 minutes to present their entire idea. The quality of the idea is important, but equally important is communicating that idea to the audience in as clear and concise a manner as possible.As noted in the first part, please remember that pitching practices vary all over the world, so not every pitch tip will apply to every pitching situation. For example, in the United States, most animated series are not pitched at production forums in the presence of distributors and broadcasters. It is important to do your research beforehand and understand to whom you’ll be pitching your project and in what format. Though these tips are based on experiences at European markets specifically, you will find that most of the tips will be applicable to other pitching situations as well. PART 2: BEING CLEAR Keep it briefMake your pitch as compact as possible. If you try to communicate too much at once, you’ll end up communicating nothing at all. Stick to the programWhen you have a lot to say about your project, pitching can easily become messy. Make sure that you stick to the program and are not all over the place.If you pitch with several people, think about ways to divide the talking, like bouncing between each chapter. Use your slides to communicateMake your slides support what you say. Thoughtful design choices can help the audience absorb information more easily. Explain if something is tempMention it when something you show is not indicative of the final product, like the visual style. Then explain what it is going to be like. Make your designs fit your target groupEven if your visual materials are just temporary sketches, make sure they fit your target group. Find the right toneThe tone of your pitch should correctly reflect the tone of your project.If you’re pitching a dark/gloomy/serious project, then lead towards the happier/lovely/beautiful side of it. Otherwise it can scare off the audience, especially when you’re doing a project for kids. Choose your words carefullyThe way you describe your project sets expectations, so choose your words carefully. Be especially careful with generic, subjective words (‘funny’ for example). Rather, use very specific words. Share the endingTell your audience how your story ends. Keeping the ending a secret is not cool – it’s just inconvenient. Keep repeating the formatKeep mentioning the format, at every chance you get. People tend to forget easily.Next week, we’ll continue the series with a look at building trust in a pitch.'
'animation','english','CommentNever fear, the savior of Etheria is ready to take up her sword and wage an epic battle for peace in the new Netflix original series, DreamWorks She-Ra and The Princess of Power — premiering exclusively on the platform on Friday, November 16. Eisner-winning author and executive producer Noelle Stevenson ( Lumberjanes , Nimona ) and exec producer Chuck Austen ( Dawn of the Croods , Steven Universe ) have given the ‘80s girl power icon a modern warrior princess update for this story of magic, friendship and loyalty.She-Ra and the Princesses of Power tells the story of an orphan named Adora, who leaves behind her former life in the evil Horde when she discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior princess, She-Ra. Set in a world where women are unabashedly at the forefront, the series brings forth indomitable female characters each with their unique abilities and flaws to empower and entertain audiences everywhere.The voice cast stars Aimee Carrero ( Elena of Avalor ) as Adora/She-Ra, Karen Fukuhara ( Suicide Squad ) as Glimmer, AJ Michalka ( The Goldbergs ) as Catra, Marcus Scribner ( Black-ish ) as Bow, Reshma Shetty ( Royal Pains ) as Queen Angella, Lorraine Toussaint ( Orange Is the New Black ) as Shadow Weaver, Keston John ( The Good Place ) as Hordak, Lauren Ash ( Superstore ) as Scorpia, Christine Woods ( Hello Ladies ) as Entrapta, Genesis Rodriguez ( Time After Time ) as Perfuma, Jordan Fisher ( Hamilton: An American Musical ) as Seahawk, Vella Lovell ( Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ) as Mermista, Merit Leighton ( Katie and Alexa ) as Frosta, Sandra Oh ( Killing Eve ) as Castaspella, and Krystal Joy Brown ( Motown: The Musical ) as Netossa. DreamWorks She-Ra and The Princess of Power DreamWorks She-Ra and The Princess of Power DreamWorks She-Ra and The Princess of Power Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Posted on Wednesday, September 12,Madrid architectural animation studio Beauty And The Bit channel their talents for creating seductive structures and environments into their first personal narrative film, a stark and atmospheric work called “Landmark.”Director Victor Bonafonte: “The project was made with the intention of exploring other languages in architectural animation. It is our attempt to add emotional content, strong storytelling and art direction to it.“We have tried to achieve a cinematographic experience to show that a solid narrative is not at odds with architecture films. ‘Landmark’ is not an architecture animation but an architecture movie.”'
'animation','english','0Netflix has released a trailer for the Chinese cg animated feature Next Gen, previously announced in May .In competitive bidding, the streaming service paid a hefty $30 million for rights to the film, which marks the feature directorial debut of animation and vfx veterans Kevin R. Adams (art director, Free Birds, 9 ) and Joe Ksander (animation director, Yogi Bear, 9 ).Watch the trailer below:The film launches on Netflix September 7. The English cast includes John Krasinski, Charlyne Yi, Jason Sudeikis, David Cross, Michael Pena, and Constance Wu.Based on the online comic 7723 by ‘Wang Nima,’ Next Gen was financed and produced by his company Baozou Manhua, which popularized “rage comics” in China. A few months ago, Nima’s online media empire was targeted by Chinese authorities and he was accused of “insulting” and “slandering” the names of Chinese heroes and martyrs. According to this in-depth report on the situation , Nima has offered “profound apologies” for bringing an “unhealthy influence” on Chinese society.The animation for Next Gen was made using Blender software at Canada’s Tangent Animation, which also made the animated feature Ozzy .Here is the Chinese poster. Alibaba and Wanda are scheduled to release the film in Chinese theaters next month.'
'animation','english','Posted on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 · Leave a CommentMegan Palero, a motion designer/animator based in the Philippines, crafts a complex geometric world populated with surreal and gentle characters in this dreamy music video for “Caterpillar Motion” by Philadelphia rapper/producer Sudo Williams.'
'animation','english','PRIVACY POLICY※2010-2018 (♥) -::[robot:mafia]::- .ılılı. die kunst ist tot ★ es leben die maschinen .ılılı.Mit der Nutzung dieser Seite erklärst Du dich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden | This site uses cookies. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are ok with it. Accept Read More'
'animation','english','PRIVACY POLICY※2010-2018 (♥) -::[robot:mafia]::- .ılılı. die kunst ist tot ★ es leben die maschinen .ılılı.Mit der Nutzung dieser Seite erklärst Du dich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden | This site uses cookies. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are ok with it. Accept Read More'
'animation','english','21. August 2018 0 commentA cantankerous, iceberg-dwelling witch is taken by surprise when a relentlessly cheery merman gets caught in her net and attempts to befriend her. Before long he begins to uncover a secret, long kept buried in the ice.A stop-motion animated fairytale from the National Film and Television School.Nominee for the 44th Annie Awards’ Best Student Film. Winner of the Verna Fields Award at the 64th MPSE Golden Reels.With the voices of Natalia Tena and Sam Apley.'
'animation','english','Titmouse Appoints Jennifer Ray to Head Vancouver StudioBy CommentEmmy Award-winning animation company Titmouse has announced two key executive appointments and plans to move into a new Vancouver location to support its continued growth across North America. The new office is in Mt. Pleasant (a few blocks from the current location) and will open early next year, bringing nearly 300 artists under one roof.Relocating from Los Angeles to supervise Titmouse Canada animation production — including three key series — is Jennifer Ray, Vice President and Head of Production, who will train up a new generation of producers while optimizing productivity and operational efficiency. During seven years at Titmouse, Ray has amassed an animation production credits list including The Venture Bros., Turbo FAST and Son of Zorn.“I’m excited to bring my 14 years of animation experience to Vancouver and foster Titmouse’s reputation of promoting artist advocacy and creativity,” said Ray. “As the first female to be promoted to this role in our Canadian studio, I am honored to help advance Titmouse’s exceptional brand of quality, both in animated content and production service.”As the Vancouver studio has grown since its establishment in 2013, so has the role of Kevin Gamble, who was recently promoted to Vice President and Supervising Producer. In this position, Gamble will focus on sales, overall studio growth and management strategy.“With three major animated series in production, we are on track to have over 300 artists in-house by the end of the year. This is a significant staff increase, having started with 30 artists five years ago,” said Gamble. “Having Jen Ray here to help guide the ship as head of production is fantastic. She is a great asset to our production workflow, and we couldn’t be more excited!”Titmouse founder and owner, Chris Prynoski. added, “From Superjail!, Motorcity, Turbo FAST, Son of Zorn, Tigtone to Venture Bros., and many more, Jen is an incredible leader. I’m incredibly excited to have her oversee the Titmouse Canada animation pipeline and implement her producing expertise with the ever-expanding Canadian team!”Learn more at titmouse.net .'
'animation','english','FUN Union Series Head to UK, NorAm & AsiaBy CommentGlobal kids’ animation content creator/rights owner FUN Union announced new deals with key partners across a range of territories for three of its popular series: BabyRiki , KikoRiki and PinCode .The company has inked an exclusive deal with ITV , the most popular commercial television network in the UK , for preschool series BabyRiki . The five-minute episodes combine 3D CGI and live video to entertain young viewers and help them learn age-appropriate concepts through play. Each bite-sized adventure also includes a song to help children process the lesson through kinaesthetic learning. Seasons 1 & 2 (104 eps.) will form part of ITVBe’s new weekday morning block starting September 3.“We are thrilled to be bringing BabyRiki to preschoolers in the UK. It is a fun and visually outstanding show, and an excellent addition to our growing slate of new preschool content on littleBe,” said Darren Nartey, ITV’s Program Acquisitions Executive.In the US , the only independent top 10 kids’ free on-demand network Kabillion has also snagged BabyRiki S1 & 2 for its VOD services, to launch in mid-September. Kabillion reaches more than 60 million homes across the States.“We are excited to be working with FUN Union as both a broadcaster and a distributor for BabyRiki for North America and believe that US audiences are going to love this wonderful series!” said David Di Lorenzo, President of Kabillion.BabyRiki , KikoRiki and PinCode will feature on educational SVOD app PlayKids (launched in 2013 by Brazil-based Movile) in North America , starting August 23. PlayKids has a global reach of 10 million monthly average users.“PlayKids is committed to contributing to children’s education and development by offering curated content and helping families to use technology in the favor of kids’ education. The new titles have been selected by our team of curators, and will provide content aligned with the concepts of cognitive development, education and learning that we advocate across all platform products,” said Fernando Collaço, Head of Content Management for PlayKids.These new agreements are the latest in a series of international distribution deals. In Asia , FUN Union signed an agreement with NOW TV (Hong Kong-based PCCW Media’s pay TV platform, and one of the world’s largest commercial deployments of IPTV and Hong Kong’s largest pay TV provider) for BabyRiki to be part of its SVOD service “Watch & Learn” targeting kids (launched August 9). Recently, FUN Union also partnered with POPS Worldwide to launch BabyRiki , KikoRiki and PinCode in Vietnamese language on its POPS Kids channel (launched August 17, 18 and 19).“Our series are celebrated for bringing entertaining and educational content to children worldwide,” said FUN Union CEO, Christine Brendle. “These latest deals, from North America to the UK and Asia, are testament to the series’ global appeal, resulting from the close cooperation with education experts, child psychologists, parents and an exceptional team of creative talents.” BabyRiki'
'animation','english','CommentGerman media companies Studio 100 Media and m4e have partnered with entertainment conglomerate Viacom18 Media for an extensive deal for hit CGI-animated preschool series Wissper (52 x 7’) in India. India’s leading Hindi entertainment channel has secured all rights for TV, digital and home entertainment as well as for licensing and merchandising for its subcontinent including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The show will be premiering on Nick Jr. India this fall.Additionally, Viacom18 Consumer Products is now in charge of bringing the Wissper brand to shelves in India, and is already developing a licensing program. The foundation will be an extensive toy lines, with Simba Toys India ramping up for a fall 2018 launch.“Our partnership with Viacom18 will be introducing Wissper to kids and families in India, which is a key territory within our international broadcasting and licensing strategy,” said Peter Kleinschmidt, International Commercial Director at Studio 100 Media | m4e. “We have chosen Viacom18 as a local expert for guiding Wissper and us into this extremely interesting market. We are very excited about the commercial perspectives this huge market has to offer.”Saugato Bhowmik, Business Head, VOOT Kids, INS and Consumer products, commented, “Viacom18 Consumer Products has always introduced and brought to life for kids in India, characters that are globally loved and valued. We have created a wide array of product experiences around kid’s favorite characters that allow them to engage with their much-loved toons outside of the television screens. ‘Wissper’ is loved by kids all around the world and we are happy to be Studio 100 Media’s and m4e’s partner of choice in bringing the brand to India. We are sure that the kids in India will love this enthralling character and make her a part of their daily lives.”Wissper follows the adventures of a little girl of the same name who has a very special talent: she can communicate with animals, which allows her to understand their problems and help solve them. Wissper the “animal whisperer” is a beloved character for young viewers all around the world.The series is produced by m4e AG and London-based animation studio Cuckoo, in coproduction with Telegael (Ireland), Discreet Art Productions (India) and the German BASTEI Media GmbH (a subsidiary of publisher Bastei Lübbe AG. Season 2 (52 x 7’) is currently in production and episodes 1-26 will be available this fall. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)It’s been a while since filmmaker Jon Dunleavy joined DN with his abandoned mobile phone short Obsolescence In Love , but the UK animator returns today to give us an insight into the creation of his latest film The ALT Guide to Character Design – a subversive initiation into the art of character design principles as delivered by a malevolent, yet insightful, artificial intelligence guide. You can watch the film below, after which Jon reveals how a desire to be more forthright and nimble in his work informed the style, structure and tools of this new animation.The idea for the film came about from research into the art of character design which I had never been formally taught. There are rules or principles which can be applied in your search for an appealing character. These principles are key to understanding how to control your visual character design, but like any artist, you should always have a sense of wanting to subvert the norms and question any teaching even if the teaching is completely sound and reasonable. I soon found myself writing sassy one-liners on the principles of Character Design and the film idea was born.Characters are of course ubiquitous in stories, from books to live action films, animation, games and even our day to day verbal anecdotes. They are designed to represent a type of person we recognise or even an abstract idea. Character creation and representation is also culturally important and these ideas are what I wanted to play with.My silly one-liners were never going to be enough to sustain a whole film, the joke would soon wear thin. So I fleshed out the concept with even sillier random liners (Tom Hanks) tackled more sensitive issues such as gender and race and added a crescendo of an ending to give the film a form.You should always have a sense of wanting to subvert the norms and question any teaching even if the teaching is completely sound and reasonable.I have always been drawn to deeper themes within my films, regardless of how silly and comically toned they are. But I had a long gap between making short films and with time (and age) I have felt the urge to be a bit more blunt, fuelled somewhat by the political and cultural climate. This film was intended to be provocative and go for the jugular, taking aim at hypocrisy or unbalanced ideals such as gender in mainstream media.The film takes a ‘how to’ video format, developed from an increasing amount of learning from online tutorials, which felt appropriate to the idea of delivering a ‘Guide’ to Character Design. Because of the format, with its bite-sized lessons, I had a lot of freedom to edit the sections and play with the flow of the film, adding, subtracting and tweaking sections until it became both rhythmically pleasing as well as purposely disjointed.In fact, I like the lumpy structure, the film is intended to never have the audience comfortably guided along a sweeping narrative but rather grind through the gears. This staccato rhythm goes against all my previously developed filmmaking instincts and years in advertising. This isn’t necessarily something new and amazingly innovative, but new for me. I also equate the style of juxtaposing silly, serious and random tones to our consumption of social media, namely Twitter and Facebook. A random browse online exposes the viewer to a haphazard experience.This is the first film I have made without an obvious central character, ironically given the title of the film. The voice over representing an artificial intelligence is the closest thing to a lead character. Having scanned the internet the A.I. presents its findings, representing the gamut of human thought process. This character is usurped in the finale by the human spirit, which rises up with a message of hope and love. The battle is between the brain and heart, with the web-based research of the A.I. showcasing the weird, wonderful and unbalanced world it finds online and the human spirit conversely represents hope and kindness.Another notable change in my filmmaking style has been to not throw the kitchen sink at the design within each scene. Finding a confidence in a visual style which is refined and reduced and a bit loose has been liberating and added to the flexible filmmaking process, moving away from the tight animatic and allowing quick rewriting and tweaking. Of course, the ability to endlessly tweak can be a hindrance on personal projects and can breed self-doubt. So a deadline was called for, and if you don’t know that tip then find a festival or competition you want to enter and aim for that.Another tip that all filmmakers will know is to work with a great sound designer, it will multiply the end result no end. I have a love of sound design and how sound can influence and drive the rhythm so I build up a temp track myself, but I know my limits. Bringing in a top sound designer like Phil Archer was the icing on the cake in the production.The ability to endlessly tweak can be a hindrance on personal projects and can breed self-doubt.As with many personal films made in spare time, finding a family life friendly process became important. A solution became to work on iPad using drawing software Procreate to make characters and assets, where I would typically work on Photoshop. This meant I didn’t need to be in an office at a tablet in the hours when I should be being a Dad. I could work in pockets of spare time or on a bus or train. It would then have to go in After Effects on a laptop, so all very portable.This film is definitely the start of a series of films with a tone that is more obviously socially aware. My work in progress tackles internet and social media addiction, but there will always be room for silliness along the way.'
'animation','english','0 commentExcessive competition between countries has created a perfect artificial intelligence.Artificial intelligence has excellent learning ability, but they have no imagination ability. Therefore, A.I. plans to steal the human’s as imagination makes everything possible. But at the same time, A.I. concludes that it is a human error as the ability can limit people due to the over imaginative mind. It makes humans to be afraid of death and leads people to believe in God which becomes a religion. Thus, A.I. creates a new religion by combining the characteristics of all gods so that every single human being can worship. All that faith has become energy sources that gives a power to A.I. to absorb the imagination ability from humans. Finally, artificial intelligence becomes perfect.In the end, the excessive desire of man toward information and technology causes the destruction of a mankind.A full CGI film produced at the School of Visual Arts, class of 2018.'
'animation','english','Shaun the Sheep Finds New Theme Park Pasture in AustraliaBy CommentShaun the Sheep and his friendly flock will soon make their Australian home at Paradise Country on the Gold Coast, through a new themed entertainment partnership between Aardman Animations and Village Roadshow Theme Parks, secured by Merchantwise Licensing.Paradise Country offers an authentic Australian farm experience, giving domestic and international visitors the chance to experience farm life and outback adventure. The new Shaun the Sheep -themed partnership will launch December 2018, including specially created sculptures and interactive attractions such as Shaun’s Tractor Ride, Shaun’s Adventure Camp, The Pig’s Playground and Shaun’s Scraps & Taps. There will also be a twice daily Shaun’s Aussie Adventures live show and a themed retail outlet, Mossy Bottom Memories. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Shaun the Sheep and have their photo taken with him.“Australia has 75 million sheep – around three per person! So what better place in the world is there for Shaun the Sheep to make his home than Paradise Country, Australia’s number one farm-based attraction! We are thrilled to have facilitated this partnership between Aardman Animations and Village Roadshow Theme Parks, which we know will be a hit with domestic and international tourists alike,” said Merchantwise Managing Director, Alan Schauder.Shaun the Sheep is a worldwide brand success, loved across 170 territories with over 6 million fans on Facebook and 2.3 billion views on YouTube as well as being an incredibly popular brand in China and other leading Asian markets. In Australia, Shaun the Sheep and its related preschool series, Timmy Time , have long been mainstays on ABC TV and iView digital platforms, attracting more than 130,000 daily viewers. September 2019 will also see the big screen premiere of Shaun The Sheep 2 in cinemas across Australia. Shaun the Sheep: Paradise Country Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Named after one of the greatest arcade games of all time (well, as far as I’m concerned!) Victor Velasco’s Shinobi for Danish electro band Code Elektro , pays homage to the spirit of 80s anime and video games with a high adrenaline, futuristic music video about a Japanese psychic warrior on the hard road of revenge and destruction. I spoke to Victor about the creative possibilities 3D technology opened up for this video and his wider approach to filmmaking.How did you come on board to direct this futuristic music video for Code Elektro? Was there a particular jumping off point which influenced Shinobi’s look and structure?Everything started with an Instagram post from Code Elektro looking for a director for his new track. It had a lot of energy and was heavily influenced by 80s video games and cyberpunk (the song title itself is a reference to the 80s game Shinobi made by Sega). I’m very familiar with the genre and I still love it so I expanded it with elements of Akira , Escape from New York and Goku: Midnight Eye .While I was doing it I felt like a child enjoying an action film with anime elements, so it was really liberating in that way. 80s anime is so well directed that if you literally take their storyboards and make them in live action, they would perfectly work, and that’s what we did.One of the most interesting things is how the references helped us to shape the story. At first, Miko’s eyepatch was just an aesthetic choice and a reference to Escape from New York . But then I questioned, “Why an eyepatch?” The answer shaped the theme of the video with some obvious “an eye for an eye” and “in the land of the blind the one-eyed is king”. But it also shaped the plot and the motives of the characters.It was difficult to manage the balance between the original idea and improvisation.Given the extensive use of green screen on set how did you work with your actors to ensure their performances would match up to the world you’d create after the fact?Every shot was already planned before on the storyboard so the crew and I knew what we were aiming for. For the actors I prefered they didn’t know exactly where the camera was so they could focus more on their performances. I showed them the concept art so they could imagine the world and then I became a sort of narrator of the story on the day of the shoot. Almost all the shots were like this except for the two fight scenes. For them, we had a fight coordinator that helped us to make the movements of Miko more believable. I did Karate for around 13 years and Kara had practiced martial arts before so that helped us get some great Miko fighting poses.Aside from the green screen of course, what gear did you use on set to capture and help ease the integration of the live action footage into the CGI environment? To what extent were you locked into a predetermined plan on set?We used trackers in a couple of shots but nothing else. What was tricky was the lighting and blocking. If for example, we wanted a reverse shot of the previous one, the camera position and the background were the same but we had to move the lighting and the actors.About the predetermined plan on set, it was difficult to manage the balance between the original idea and improvisation. I was concerned that the actors might look too tight on screen, like robots following cues. To combat this, we captured a series of long takes and I narrated the beats like a storyteller. Also at the end of every set of shots, the actor was able to do their own approach to the scene and most of the time that’s what we used.I was seeing how the technology was helping me to create shots I never imagined.Clearly post was a particularly important stage in the creation of Shinobi , could you walk us through the processes you used to create this sci-fi future and integrate your actors within it?All the post production was handled by me and my partner in crime Ginaris Sarra (she was the production designer, editor and did VFX on Shinobi ). As far as the software we used: Cinema 4D, Octane render, After Effects and Daz Studio.We first created the main locations and the car in Cinema 4D and Octane Render to figure out the look of the locations. Then, when we shot the music video, the 1st Assistant Camera took specific notes of the shots: lens, focal distance, frames per second, etc… in order to replicate that in 3D. Finally, we created the 3D shots and composed them with the footage we shot using After Effects. For the Shinobi, we took a model from Daz3D, dressed it and placed it in Cinema4D. For his straw hat I actually downloaded the 3D model of Raiden from Mortal Kombat . Finally, we animated him on Mixamo (a free website with motion capture animations) and rendered it on Octane with post effects like flares in After Effects.Right now 3D technology is really accessible. I previously worked on simple VFX but I was a traditional filmmaker and had no expectations in doing something like this. That changed 2 years ago. One afternoon I shot something with Ginaris and played with it for a while. The result was great. It’s this short called Gina . After that, I just keep learning while I was seeing how the technology was helping me to create shots I never imagined. My goal with this story is to encourage filmmakers to try out new things. Right now if you dedicated just a bit of time to it, you can do amazing things. I’m not planning to do something as ambitious in VFX as Shinobi in the future, but definitely, the learning of these tools opens a wide range of possibilities.What’s next?I’m focusing on a couple of music videos while writing a feature and we’ll see where that leads. Also, I was creative director on a PS4 narrative driven game a couple of years ago called Klaus and I’ll finally have time to do the PC port in the next few months.'
'animation','english','“The beauty and complexity of parental love, the bonds that we form over time, and the ways in which they stretch and shape us.”Directed by Torill Kove, Canada/Norway, 2017. Produced by Mikrofilm AS and National Film Board of Canada.'
'animation','english','EmailSince we’ve shifted Cartoon Brew’s home base a little farther north , we’re looking for a Canadian writer based in Montreal — or at least someone who spends a lot of time in Montreal.The position is for a freelance writer who will be able to contribute stories consistently to the site. The stories will cover both the creative and business aspects of animation production. The ideal candidate will have at least two years of experience writing about film/animation for a digital or print publication.A few other necessary skills: Working with editors to develop and pitch new story ideas Fluent understanding of animation, vfx, vr, and film Ability to meet deadlines Commitment to accurate reporting and excellent English writing Experience interviewing leading artists Fluent French a plusEven if you don’t exactly meet all of these requirements, but still think you’re a solid candidate, you can apply and tell us why. Go HERE to submit a letter expressing interest, links to clips, and short bio.'
'animation','english','0Animation may not be able to save our planet, but at least it can draw attention to how corporations like Nestle, Unilever, and Mondelez are destroying the planet.A new 90-second animated short commissioned by Greenpeace shows the reckless destruction of rainforest habitat in Indonesia to grow palm oil. The spot will start playing in U.K. theaters this Friday.Narrated by Emma Thompson, it tells the story of a young orangutan, ‘Rang-tan,’ who has been displaced from her forest home. In the real world, the orangutan is a critically endangered species; half of the orangutan population has been wiped out in the last 16 years due to deforestation and habitat destruction.According to Greenpeace, around half of our supermarket products contain palm oil, ranging from shampoo to chocolate. But palm oil can be produced without destroying rainforests. In fact, a decade ago, corporations like Nestle, Unilever, and Mondelez, signed global commitments to stop buying palm oil from forest destruction by 2020, but with a little over a year to go until they have to meet their pledge, they’ve done almost nothing to follow through on their promise.“Amongst the many stupid things human beings are doing to the environment, bad palm oil deforestation sits right at the top,” says Hermeti Balarin, partner at Mother, the ad agency that developed the spot with Greenpeace. “It destroys huge areas of the rainforest as well as contributing to endanger some of our closest relatives, the orangutans who inhabit those places.”Production on the spot was handled through London’s Passion Animation Studios. The animation, which combines hand-drawn, cg, and vr techniques, was directed by Lip Comarella and Simon Griesser at Salon Alpin, which has studios in Lisbon, Portugal, and Vienna, Austria.Lead character animator was Borja Montoro, who has done character development on Disney’s Zootopia, Moana, and Ralph Breaks the Internet, in addition to animating on Tarzan, Hercules, and numerous other features.Actress Emma Thompson, who is the campaign ambassador in addition to narrating the piece, says: \u200b“For too long big brands and the palm oil companies they buy from have been getting away with murder. And for too long our response to orangutans has been ‘ohhh, the poor thing’ as we’re shown photographs of them orphaned, thin and at death’s door. But change is possible – we can make it so. When Greenpeace asked me to narrate Rang-tan, I didn’t hesitate. It’s just the start of a new global campaign to tackle this problem once and for all.Development art from the spot can be seen on Salon Alpin’s website .Creative credits Initial character development:Therese Larsson, Thibault Leclerq Lead character animator: Borja Montoro Character coloring: Daniel Damm, Drazen Ink-and-paint: Laura Barić,Lea Kralj Jager, Martin Nyberg, Petra Balekic Additional animation: Sasha Vernik, Mark Vallis, Pablo Miro, Daniel Damm Sound design: Lennert Busch'
'animation','english','0Isao Takahata, the director of contemporary classics like Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, and My Neighbors the Yamadas, was notoriously difficult to work with, and his harsh treatment of film crews “destroyed so many people,” according to new comments made by one of the people who knew him best, Studio Ghibli co-founder and producer Toshio Suzuki.Suzuki, who produced all of Takahata’s films from Grave of the Fireflies onward, made the comments in a newly published book, The Ghibli Textbook #19: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (Ghibli no Kyōkasho 19 Kaguya-hime no Monogatari). The comments were first reported by Anime News Network .The respected Ghibli producer also suggests that Takahata was indirectly responsible for causing the death of character designer and animation director Yoshifumi Kondō, who died in 1998 at age 47. Kondō told Suzuki after the production of his Ghibli film Whisper of the Heart that Takahata had “tried to kill him,” and he would physically tremble upon hearing Takahata’s name.More details from the Anime News Network report:Suzuki, Miyazaki, Takahata, and another animator that Suzuki refers to as “S-san” all attended [Kondō’s] cremation. S-san had worked with Takahata and Miyazaki since their time at Toei Animation. During the cremation, Suzuki says that S-san said aloud, “It was Paku-san [Takahata’s nickname] that killed Kon-chan, wasn’t it?” The air in the room froze until Takahata quietly nodded.According to Suzuki, Miyazaki has claimed that he’s the only person to survive Takahata. The studio continued to lose potential artistic successors due to Takahata’s work expectations.“You are overworked and exhausted. You have to prepare for yourself to break,” Suzuki said.Publisher Shinchosha’s was involved with the production of The Grave of the Fireflies. Its representative Takashi Nitta told Suzuki he had worked with writers like Seichō Matsumoto, Renzaburo Shibata, and Kōbō Abe, but compared to Isao Takahata, they all seem normal. Suzuki also described him as someone who never thanked any of the Ghibli staff for their contributions.Takahata died last April at the age of 82. His last film was The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013).The Japanese animation industry is notorious for its demanding and inflexible pace, which leads to health problems – and occasional death – for the artists who work in the business. A few years ago, an American artist who works in Japan described the conditions at some studios as “ illegally harsh .”(Isao Takahata photo © Hubert Niogret)'
'animation','english','Ottawa Fest Announces Special Animation Expose TalksBy CommentThe Ottawa Animation Intl. Festival (Sept. 26-30) has announced a series of special panels and talks under the “Animation Expose” banner. These talk series showcases artists form a variety of media talking about their careers and showcasing the unsung heroes of the art form.The series includes:“You Got the Gig, Now What” Sept. 28, 10 a.m. (NAC) To kick off Animation Exposé’s professional development talk series, three esteemed animators talk about what happens after you land that dream job. Speakers will share their insight on navigating this new environment, learning the ropes, managing expectations and setting goals. Take notes on challenges and successes they’ve experienced along the way, plus tips on rocking the new gig and personal dos and don’ts that have helped them flourish.“Isle of Dogs: Behind the Scenes” Sept. 29, 11:20 a.m. (NAC) Puppet Supervisor, Andy Gent and Co-Production Designer, Paul Harrod will offer an in-depth discussion of the design and development of the characters and environments seen in Isle Of Dogs . They will show how Wes Anderson’s distinct artistic sensibilities informed every step of the process from design, through fabrication and ultimately shooting and performance. Drawings, animatics, maquettes and behind-the-scenes photos will provide a detailed background for a variety of clips from the final film. A Q&A will follow.“Walt Disney Animation Studio: Career Development” Sept. 29, 2:30 p.m. (NAC) Each Animation Exposé presentation will kick off with career tidbits blast from Kelsi Taglang (recruiter and outreach supervisor), Walt Disney Animation Studios, covering preparing reels & resumes, getting the interview, following up after, and how to show up if you get the job.Juan Pablo Reyes (Creative Executive), Walt Disney Animation Studios, partners with writers, artists, and filmmakers during the development of animated features. Reyes will share the philosophy behind creative development and how their partnership with the directors supports the filmmaking process.“The Anatomy of an Action Sequence” Sept. 29, 3:55 p.m. (NAC) Mahyar Abousaeedi (Director of Photography – Camera, Pixar Animation Studios) will share insights to the Camera & Staging department, and the cinematic strategies in crafting action sequences on Incredibles 2.“An Invisible History: Trailblazing Women of Animation” Sept. 29, 5:20 p.m. (NAC) From the earliest pioneers of hand-rendered animated films, to the advent of digital technology, women have been at the forefront of the animation medium, yet their extraordinary contributions have largely gone unrecognized, undocumented and unknown. Join author/animation historian Mindy Johnson ( Ink & Paint – The Women of Walt Disney’s Animation ), whose groundbreaking research widens the lens to reveal the invisible half of our collected animated past.You can purchase Festival passes are available here . Individual tickets are available online or at the door 30 minutes before showtime.Previous coverage:'
'animation','english','0The Disney Channel has announced it will premiere Star Wars Resistance on October 7, at 10pm.Created by Star Wars Rebels EP/ Star Wars: The Clone Wars supervising director Dave Filoni, the “anime-inspired” series centers on young Resistance pilot Kazuda Xiono ( Days of Our Lives’ Christopher Sean), who has been assigned to spy on the First Order’s growing threat to the galaxy. The events of the show take place prior to the events in The Force Awakens. Oscar Isaac and Gwendoline Christie reprise their roles as Poe and Captain Phasma, respectively.Here’s the trailer, which shows the toon-shaded cg style used for the series:Says Filoni of the series:“The idea for Star Wars Resistance came out of my interest in World War II aircraft and fighter pilots. My grandfather was a pilot and my uncle flew and restored planes, so that’s been a big influence on me. There’s a long history of high-speed racing in Star Wars, and I think we’ve captured that sense of excitement in an anime-inspired style, which is something the entire team has been wanting to do for a long time.”Other members of the voice cast include Donald Faison, Jim Rash, Bobby Moynihan, Myrna Velasco, and Rachel Butera.Lucasfilm Animation produced the series. Athena Portillo, Justin Ridge, and Brandon Auman are executive producers. Amy Beth Christenson is art director.The show will also be available on Disneynow and Disney Channel VOD, with subsequent airings on Disney XD.'
'animation','english','Disney Criticized for Tiana’s Hair in ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’By CommentIt looks like Disney has found itself in another hairy situation. Some audiences are taking issue with the way Princess Tiana ( The Princess and the Frog ) has been depicted in the new trailer for Ralph Breaks the Internet . The trailer shows Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) chilling with a group of Disney princesses, including Cinderella, Aurora, Mulan, Moana. But it’s Tiana who is at the center of the storm, as her hair looks different and more Eurocentric than she was originally seen in her 2009 movie.Twitter users were definitely not appreciating Tiana’s new hair and overall appearance: “Y’all don’t understand how important Princess Tiana is to Black girls,” said one Twitter user. “We finally had a Disney princess that looked like us, and now, she doesn’t. They gave her Eurocentric features and turned her into a racially ambiguous woman. It’s a no from me, dawg.”Author and cartoonist C. Spike Trotman pointed out on Twitter: “Black hair is complicated, political, and not something one thread on Twitter can explain.” Trotman offered a “cheat sheet” for Disney, animators, cartoonists, and others about black women’s hair via a string of tweets giving tips including basic information that could be helpful in the future.“For the benefit of folks who might wanna do better: if Image One is a kinky-haired black girl’s formal look? Image Two, or something like it, has a 99.9% chance of being her ‘lounge look’,” Trotman added. Taylor Goethe tweeted an image of what Tiana look like if she was accurately imagined. All in all this is what I feel a more culturally accurate Tiana should look like.”Trotman also retweeted a video of mostly white male animators at Disney celebrating the end of production for Ralph Breaks the Internet .Sources: Deadline.com, Buzzfeed.com'
'animation','english','Palm Springs Intl Animation Fest Announces LineupByThe 2018 edition of the Palm Springs Intl. Animation Festival has announced its lineup of animated features and shorts for the event, which takes place Aug. 22-25 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.Among this year’s highly anticipated screenings are: The Wall. Cam Christiansen’s rotoscoped NFB documentary is inspired by British Oscar-winning screenwriter and playwright David Hare’s trip to the wall separating Israel and Palestine. Marnie’s World. The latest CG feature by Oscar-winning German brothers Christoph and Wolfgang Lauenstein ( Luis and the Aliens ) about a naive house cat who joins three other animals on a road trip. Mission Kathmandu: The Adventures of Nelly and Simon. Directed by Nancy Florence Savard and Pierre Greco, family adventure film about an apprentice detective and a research assistant in search of the legendary Yeti. North of Blue. Award-winning Portland-based indie animator Joanna Priestley’s stunning abstract take on natural beauty of the Yukon. Hoffmaniada. Russian master Stanislav Sokolov’s much-anticipated stop-motion epic based on tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann has been in the works for 17 years. Cowboys and Indians. Farbrice du Welz’s documentary follows the careers of talented Belgian animation duo Vincent Patar and Stephane Aubier ( A Town Called Panic, Ernest and Celestine ). Kikoriki Déjà vu. The third installment of the popular Riki Group’s animated franchise finds the gang traveling through different time periods, directed by Denis Chernov.The festival also features numerous showcases of the best of animated shorts (CG, 2D, stop-motion, family projects, abstract, LGBTQ themes, special needs, etc.). Among some of the better-known titles are: E-Delivery by Young Gul Cho Garden Party by Florian Babikian, Vincent Rayoux, Victor Caire, Théophile Dufrense, Gabriel Grapperon and Lucas Navarro Lux by Eva Campin Hybrids by Florian Brauch, Kim Tailhades, Matthieu Pujol, Yohan Thireau and Romain Thirion. Le Mort, Pere & Fils by Vincent Paronnaud and Marc Jousset Egg by Martina ScarpelliTo find out more about the festival and purchase tickets, visit www.psiaf.org Mission Kathmandu'
'animation','english','0Patrick Osborne (Disney’s Feast, Google Spotlight Stories’ Pearl ) is developing a live-action/cg hybrid feature based on Ustwo Games’ hit mobile game Monument Valley, which has recorded over 160 million downloads.Paramount Pictures and Weed Road Pictures are producing the film. If the idea reaches production, Osborne will also direct. The news was reported on Tuesday afternoon by Deadline.Paramount and Weed Road will next bring aboard a screenwriter to work with Osborne on crafting a story around the game. The game itself doesn’t have much of a story – it’s basically a princess walking up a bunch Escher-esque buildings – which presents an interesting opportunity to craft an original story while tapping into the equity of an established IP. What remains unclear is whether fans of Monument Valley will be receptive to a narrative story centered around something designed to be an interactive visual experience. Here’s a look at the gameplay:Osborne tells Deadline: “Monument Valley is a one of a kind experience, at once small in its meditative, simple gameplay, as well as enormous in its sense of history. I’m privileged to be handed the reins to Ida’s mysterious kingdom, to play in her world of impossible architecture where seeing things differently is everything.”Weed Pictures’ Akiva Goldsman will produce the film, and Paramount’s president of production Elizabeth Raposo and Weed Road president of production Greg Lessans are overseeing the project.Osborne is currently directing Nimona for Blue Sky Studios and Fox. He is repped by WME and Anonymous Content.'
'animation','english','Created by Christopher Dormoy .“Aquakosmos is a personal video which allowed me to experiment the effect of ink and paint in water. I wanted to create an abstract and artistic envrironment with simple elements as water, ink, paint, oil, vinegar… Most of the results was unexpected and surprising.”Music by A. Taylor “A late nights wandering”.'
'animation','english','1 About the Author / MarBelle MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the decade long incarnation of this disorder and remains so much cheaper than film school. What to Read Next...'
'animation','english','0It’s hard to believe that it’s been 30 years since audiences first visited Toontown . And now, the seminal Who Framed Roger Rabbit is finally getting its due with a definitive production history scheduled to be published next year.The book, Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat, is written by Canadian author Ross Anderson, who spoke with over 140 people involved with the production, from the project’s first version at Disney in the early 1980’s to the iconic final version directed by Robert Zemeckis and animated by Richard Williams’ studio in London. To support the book, Anderson has created a fascinating site that is being updated regularly with never-before-seen artwork and information about the film.If there’s any eighties animated film that I’m personally interested in learning more about, it would have to be this one, not only because it was such a singular creative and technical accomplishment, but also because of the impact it’s had on the development of feature animation. Roger Rabbit was the film that lifted animation out of Hollywood’s kiddie/family ghetto of the seventies and eighties, and set the model for the all-ages animated feature that could appeal equally to children and adults. Thirty years later, for better and worse, the all-ages approach remains the de facto model for Hollywood feature animation.The film has left a huge mark on American animation, and the story of its production promises to be a must-read. Until Anderson’s book is released, it’s worth spending some time at his book’s companion website .'
'animation','english','chibird :A message to all artists out there! By creating art, you are an artist. There’s no milestone you have to hit or skill level you need to be at. You can draw once every few years or finish writing a chapter a week. You can crochet goods only for your family or sell your music to hundreds. Nothing qualifies or disqualifies you, so you are most definitely an artist. \uf3a8✨'
'animation','english','Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)A film we first had our eye on back when we covered the 23rd Encounters Short Film & Animation Film Festival in Bristol last year. Renata Gasiorowska’s humorous, but by no means distasteful, animated short Pussy is a vibrant and refreshing take on one girl’s evening act of solo pleasure. It’s a short that carries a lot of vitality in today’s climate of gender and sexuality discussion, and one which embraces desires, instincts and, above all else, liberation. We spoke with Renata as part of Pussy’s inclusion in Peccadillo Pictures’ latest instalment of Girls On Film about her development process, the audience reaction so far and offending teachers.Where did the idea for Pussy come from?I wanted to make erotic film and when I started doodling and thinking I really quickly got an idea to make a film about masturbation. The pussy character naturally appeared in my drawings and sketches and I thought this can be a funny, relatable erotic comedy but also more general story about liberation. I was inspired by some internet ‘guides’ I found on sex-positive blogs and websites about female masturbation. Some of them advised to take a bath, light candles and create a suitable mood and treat your solo session as ‘a date with yourself’. I didn’t want to ridicule this whole idea, since it can indeed be a useful help and encouragement for people who are too ashamed to masturbate for various reasons, but I found it interesting as a starting point for the comedy. So, my girl tries to have this beautiful sexy alone time but she is too clumsy and distracted and everything goes in an unexpected direction.A teenage school group accidentally came to a screening in a small Polish town and the teachers were super offended and it almost ended up being a tiny scandal!With that in mind, how are audiences reacting to it?So far, I’ve mostly heard from people at film festivals and I was surprised with many positive responses. Some people even said the film was educational. Some people wanted to show it to older kids. One time, a teenage school group accidentally came to a screening in a small Polish town and the teachers were super offended (I wasn’t there but I really hope those teens could watch it until the end) and it almost ended up being a tiny scandal! So far, so great!Could you talk about your stylistic choice, why did you opt for this particular type of animation?2D hand drawn animation is my favourite technique. I wanted wobbly lines, smooth animation and cartoonish ‘gummy’ bodies that can be deformed for comedic effect. I try to make characters and art as simple as possible, but still charming. The backgrounds are very minimalistic because I didn’t want them to distract viewers from the characters. The orgasm scene is abstract and very much inspired by Norman McLaren.Pussy is included on the latest Girls on Film , a selection of shorts specifically highlighting queer women. What are your thoughts on the state of queer cinema at the moment? And, more broadly, what mainstream cinema can be doing to better represent LGBTQ people?I admit, I never thought about Pussy as queer film or having specifically queer themes, more like general feminist and human themes I guess? But I see how feminism, sexual liberation, rejecting the typical male gaze, owning your body and sexuality and exploring it on your own terms align with LGBTQ+ themes. I think there is already no more excuse in the modern world for not including all kinds of interesting LGBTQ+ characters in mainstream movies, series or games, similarly to not including capable, complex women. Straight and cisgendered creators can really avoid lazy screenwriting and put more research into their work, writers working in teams include LGBTQ+ people and so on, and LGBTQ+ artists being empowered to make films and other art about whatever they like and show the world from their point of view.Pussy is available to watch as part of Peccadillo Pictures’ Girls on Film 3: Goddesses collection available here .'
'animation','english','Wizart Announces ‘Snow Queen 3’ US Release, TIFF SlateBy CommentWizart Animation’s The Snow Queen 3: Fire and Ice will receive a theatrical release this Friday via Vertical Entertainment. The sequel, which continues the adventures of brave young heroine Gerda and her friends, will hit screens and major VOD platforms on August 31.“We are thrilled to be back in business with Wizart on the third Snow Queen film,” said Vertical Ent.’s Co-President Rich Goldberg, “The company’s dedication to improving upon an already fantastic product continues to amaze us.”Vertical handled the distribution of the first Snow Queen feature in 2013.The third installment in the globally successful Russian franchise, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale, is bolstered by the talents of Hollywood animation veteran Robert Lence ( Beauty and the Beast , Toy Story , Shrek ) and Italian composer Fabrizio Mancinelli, who has also worked with Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros.“I have been fortunate and honored to work on the score and the song for Snow Queen 3 , with the whole creative team at Wizart. During the working process, I found myself whistling a tune that got stuck in my head right away. That became part of the ‘hook’ of the song. Then we recorded [ X Factor performer] Drew Ryn’s vocals, who, by the way, recorded her vocal part in Nashville, with me being in Los Angeles,” Mancinelli recalled.“The final result which you can hear in the movie The Snow Queen 3: Fire and Ice is one of my favorite pieces I have ever written, which makes me really proud. That’s one that my nephew and niece wouldn’t stop listening; my daughter is still too little, but I’m sure she will enjoy it too.”Fire and Ice continues to roll out to new territories around the world, having achieved notable success in France, Andorra & Monaco, and French-speaking Belgium, Switzerland. Luxembourg and African countries. It was the first Russian animated feature ever released in French-speaking territories — building on this success, the next film The Snow Queen: Mirrorlands will be released in France and French-speaking territories in 2019 by Universal Pictures Video. The third flick also set a record for the best box office for any Russian film ever shown in China, with $12M. A Portugal release is set for later this year.Visitors to the Toronto International Film Festival can meet with new Wizart International Representative Shelley Page to learn more about the studio’s next two films:The Snow Queen: Mirrorlands – Wizart plans to finish production on Mirrorlands by the end of the year; the fourth installment is directed by Aleksei Tsitsilin and Robert Lence, produced by Yuri Moskvin, Vladimir NIkolaev, Boris Mashkovtsev and Pavel Stepanov. Central Partnership and Soyuzmultfilm were co-producers. The Snow Queen: Mirrorlands will arrive in Russian theaters January 1, and many Eastern European and Asian countries over the winter.Synopsis:The powerful king Harald nearly lost his family due to the Snow Queen’s evil deeds. He finds a way to ban all the magic from the world – all the possessors of magic powers are now trapped in Mirrorlands. The only one who can stop him and keep the fairytale in our world is Gerda – as her own biggest power is not magic but her faith in kindness and friendship. In Gerda’s new adventures, she will be helped by trolls, pirates and even the Snow Queen herself.Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal – This sequel will reintroduce audiences to Grey the wolf, Mami the hare and Zico the ram with a slew of new characters as they embark on a “new advOINKture” in theaters January 24. Sergey Selyanov, Yuri Moskvin and Vladimir Nikolaev are producers; Nikolaev also directs from a screenplay by Aleksei Tsitsilin, Nikolaev and Robert Lence. Co-produced by CTB Film Company. Several Eastern European countries will also get a release in the spring.Synopsis: The steady and peaceful life of the village is disturbed by the arrival of two unexpected guests – a Polar fox and a small ewe. No one has expected them to bring along the mortal danger that the villagers can overcome only if they all cooperate. You can deal with any big problems or serious challenges only by working together – because power is in unity! Continue Reading'
'animation','english','0Disney-Pixar’s Incredibles 2 hit a couple of new milestones today.At the domestic box office, it surpassed $600 million, becoming just the ninth film overall, and first animated, to reach the mark. No animated film prior to the Incredibles sequel had even breached $500 million, so this record may stand for a while.To help get to $600 million, Disney added 1,830 screens this weekend for the Brad Bird-directed film, presenting the film on a total of 2,890 screens. That’s an abnormally large number of screens for a film in its 12th weekend, but it allowed the film to gross $3.1m, putting its overall domestic at $601m.Internationally, Incredibles 2 has now earned $562.5m, lifting its global total to $1.16 billion. This weekend, the film slipped by Minions ($1.15 billion) to become the second-highest earning theatrical animation release of all-time. The only animated film ahead of it is Disney’s Frozen with $1.27 billion.The last two remaining international releases for Incredibles 2 are Italy and Germany. It will open in both countries later this month.'
'animation','english','Like About the Author / MarBelle MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the decade long incarnation of this disorder and remains so much cheaper than film school. What to Read Next...'
'animation','english','Academy Governors Awards Honor Kathleen Kennedy, Frank MarshallBy CommentThe Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted Tuesday night (September 4) to present Honorary Awards to publicist Marvin Levy, composer Lalo Schifrin and actress Cicely Tyson, and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. The three Oscar statuettes and Thalberg Award will be presented at the Academy’s 10th Annual Governors Awards on Sunday, November 18, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center.“Choosing the honorees for its awards each year is the happiest of all the Board of Governors’ work. And this year, its selection of five iconic artists was made with universal acclaim by the Academy’s 54 spirited governors,” said Academy President John Bailey.Marvin Levy began his career in publicity working for MGM in New York City before joining Columbia Pictures in Hollywood, where he guided the advertising for films including The Deep and Kramer vs. Kramer . His work for the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind marked the beginning of a four-decade-long partnership with Steven Spielberg. Levy has held positions at Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Studios and Amblin Partners, and has worked on publicity campaigns for such films as E.T. The Extra Terrestrial , Back to the Future , Who Framed Roger Rabbit , Schindler’s List , Saving Private Ryan , American Beauty , Gladiator and Lincoln . Levy is the first publicist to receive an honorary Oscar.Born and raised in Argentina, Lalo Schifrin studied classical music and jazz in France before beginning to compose for film in Buenos Aires in the mid-1950s. He has written scores for more than 100 films, including The Cincinnati Kid , Bullitt , Dirty Harry , Enter the Dragon and Rush Hour . His memorable theme for the television series Mission: Impossible has been a hallmark of the recent film series. He has received six Oscar nominations, for the original scores for Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Fox (1968), Voyage of the Damned (1976) and The Amityville Horror (1979), the original song People Alone from The Competition (1980) and the adaptation score for The Sting II (1983).Raised in Harlem, Cicely Tyson began her career as a model and a theater actress, appearing both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. After playing small roles in feature films and television, she was cast as Portia in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter in 1968. Four years later, she received an Academy Award nomination for her leading performance in Sounder . Her other notable film credits include The River Niger , Fried Green Tomatoes , Diary of a Mad Black Woman , The Help , Alex Cross and Last Flag Flying .The Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall producing partnership, formed in 1991, has generated Best Picture nominations for The Sixth Sense (1999), Seabiscuit (2003), Munich (2005) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). Kennedy/Marshall Company productions also include Congo , all five Bourne films, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly . Prior to forming Kennedy/Marshall, the duo co-founded Amblin Productions with Steven Spielberg, sharing a Best Picture nomination for The Color Purple (1985). Additionally, Marshall received a Best Picture nomination for Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), while Kennedy was nominated in the same category for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), War Horse (2011) and Lincoln (2012). Kennedy is the first woman to receive the Thalberg Award.The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.” The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, a bust of the motion picture executive, is presented to creative producers “whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production.”The 10th Annual Governors Awards is proudly supported by Rolex, the Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween Brings Back Burton’s ‘Nightmare’By CommentFreeform — Disney|ABC’s young-adult-targeted TV and On Demand channel — will be getting into the spooky spirit in a big way this year, extending its usual 13-night programming spectacular into “31 Nights of Halloween” ! Starting October 1, fans will have an entire month of classic animated and live-action tricks and treats.The 2018 event will be the exclusive television home for the live-action icon Hocus Pocus , marking its 25th anniversary this year, and will end with an all-day Sanderson Sisters marathon. Another highlight is Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas — the stop-motion classic and gothy pop culture phenomenon also celebrates its 25th anniversary on October 29. (You can snag a special anniversary home video release starting Oct. 2!)via GIPHY31 Nights of Halloween animation highlights also include the LAIKA gems ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls ; Gil Kenan’s 2006 ImageMovers pic Monster House ; the Freeform premiere of Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania ; Illumination-Universal’s Despicable Me ; Disney and Pixar faves Monsters, Inc. , Monsters University , Frozen , Bolt , The Hunchback of Notre Dame , Mulan and the seasonal special Toy Story of TERROR!You can get more Tim Burton madness with his surreal and fantastical adaptations of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Alice in Wonderland (2010). Dark Shadows (2012) and the Freeform premiere of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007). Go more retro with the original film adaptation of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory , The Addams Family (1991), The Goonies and the Freeform premiere of The Witches of Eastwick . More highlights include the VFX-rich fairytale retelling Maleficent (another Freeform premiere), Rob Minkoff’s take on The Haunted Mansion , Jurassic Park and The Lost World . Continue Reading'
'animation','english','© 2004-2018 Cartoon Brew, LLC. All Rights Reserved. About Cartoon BrewEvery day since 2004, Cartoon Brew has delivered the latest news, trends and ideas in animation to over 25,000 different artists, entertainment execs and cartoon aficionados. Subscribe to our newsletter.'
'animation','english','0Mexico’s Pixelatl Festival , taking place this week in Cuernavaca, has bolstered the country’s up-and-coming animation industry talent, and become a breeding ground for some of Latin America’s most exciting animated projects. One such project is the web series Kleptocats, born of an original concept from Mexico City-based mobile game creator Hyperbeard Games . Antonio Uribe, co-founder and director of Hyperbeard.Hyperbeard’s co-founder and director, Antonio Uribe, first started to develop a concept for a Kleptocats web series before last year’s Pixelatl, where he had initially planned to pitch it to networks. Instead, he met Thalia Machuca of Platypus Animation , a studio based out of Guadalajara. She was immediately interested in his idea for a series, and so Uribe started to consider having Hyperbeard fund the project, and therefore retain sole ownership of the IP.“Luckily our games were doing okay, so we had some spare money that we wanted to [use to] experiment [with] other things, so animation [seemed like] something interesting to do,” says Uribe.Instead of taking the plunge to greenlight a whole series right off the bat, however, Uribe asked Machuca’s team to produce just one short to start. Hyperbeard was so impressed with the result that they then ordered an additional five episodes, the last of which will premiere tomorrow at Pixelatl, and will be on HyperBeard’s Youtube channel some time next week.From the beginning, Uribe took a hands-off approach when it came to the production of the series. He says he would send Machuca a rough script for an episode, supplemented by a Skype conversation that involved a lot of acting. Often, he would avoid watching a new episode until it was essentially completed, to avoid being “spoiled.”“The first thing I said was, ‘I don’t know anything about animation or production in reality.’ So why [would] I push my perspective on them if they are the ones that know what they’re doing?” explains Uribe of his mindset.He told the artists at Platypus, “I know my IP, I know my game, I know [what our fans] will like to see, other than that, you are the guys that know what you are doing.”Machuca says that she greatly appreciated the creative freedom the project afforded Platypus. “It was really cool because we had to develop the universe. Sometimes we were like, ‘We have this proposal,’ and we showed them, and they were like, ‘Whatever you please.’ The storyboard department has freedom to add some things, and then the animators have this freedom as well. It’s pretty cool, actually, to have this trust. I think we work pretty great together.”None of this would have been possible without the breakout success of the original game, which has been downloaded over 1 million times from the Google Play Store, and has since spawned a sequel, Klep2cats, as well as a spin-off, Kleptodogs.Hyperbeard has also launched a line of Kleptocats toys with Funko, and a book willl be published by Scholastic in early 2019. The web series, Uribe says, is part of a larger plan to expand the Kleptocats brand, and he hasn’t completely abandoned the idea of getting distribution through a network or streamer.“It is important when we show the series at events or to people that want to do something with the brand,” he says. “It’s a bigger impact, because they see it as something more robust instead of just a mobile game.”Uribe says the team at Hyperbeard doesn’t really pay attention to comments on Youtube or on the app stores–he calls it “noise”–but Machuca has enjoyed keeping up with fan response, which has been plenty. The pilot episode, for example, has reached almost 800k views on Youtube.“I really like the comments on Youtube,” she says. “There is one guy that is always asking, ‘Please, please, please make an episode of my favorite cat.’”'
'animation','english','6. September 2018 1 comment“No Blue Without Yellow” opens luring closer and closer to discover the possibility of stepping inside a fantastical sphere.The observer is slowly drifting into Van Gogh’s world, carried by the rhythm of a waltz. Van Gogh’s memories are sculpted within his paint strokes. His memories are alive within the film, but just for a fleeting moment.The fantasy lasts simply two minutes, but within that short time the observer is immersed in a painters lifetime.Directing, Animating, Modelling: Maciek Janicki • Music: Jordan Meltzer.'
'animation','english','“ Enough centers around impulses we all feel but never act upon. Showing glimpses of emotional anarchy and moments of lost self-control.”First-year film at Royal College of Art directed by Anna Mantzaris , U.K., 2017.Screened at over 45 film festivals, including GLAS, Stuttgart, Anima Mundi, Klik, and Fantoche.'
'animation','english','HuLa Studios India & True Motion Brazil Team for ‘Tamas and Rajas’By CommentIndian 3D CG content producer-distributor HuLa Infotainment Studios and 18-year-old Brazilian film/animation prodco True Motion Studios have inked their first animated content co-production agreement, for the production of new episodes of the series Tamas and Rajas (52 x 4’).Tamas and Rajas centers on two funny pals who do everything together: live, eat, travel, fish, clean the house, make lemon pie or put a Christmas Tree. Everything would be great if they did not have completely different personalities: An unusual team-up of a lazy, laid-back chubby kid with a thin, anxious, agitated guy. The lighthearted series that provides conflict resolution through humor, promoting values \u200b\u200bsuch as friendship and ethics. Produced in 3D CGI animation, its target audience is children between 3 and 9 years old, and their families.The show has distribution agreements in Canada, US, UK, France, Spain and Portugal, and has aired across Latin America on Nick Jr./Nickelodeon since October 2017, becoming the No. 3 most-watched program.Bangalore-based HuLa acquired Tamas and Rajas through a co-production deal, and holds distribution rights in the African Continent and Middle East as well as India.“For True Motion, the deal is a bit of the essence of how the animation market works. We are adding, uniting and expanding strategically to promote the growth of our intellectual property. For a strong brand develops day after day to meet market expectations, catch the public and achieve a quality standard for manufacturers of licensed products,” said Ricardo Romin, exec producer of Tamas and Rajas and Director of New Business at True Motion Entertainment. “With HuLa, the gain in quality will be imminent, with the work of a super-qualified team, which brings new breath to Tamas and Rajas .”“We are thrilled to be working with our global partners to bring this new feel and breath to Tamas and Rajas , further connecting these two countries through a popular show. The show is an exciting story that will not only capture the hearts and minds of audiences, but will also have a mass worldwide appeal as a classic adventure,” said Bhanu Prakash, CEO & Creative Director of HuLa Infotainment Studios. Continue Reading You may also like...'
'animation','english','chibird :One trick that I like is to limit your to-do lists to a small amount of the most important things for each week! That way you’re not overwhelmed by an incredibly large amount of things you can’t get done (and would feel guilty about even when you realistically couldn’t have done it all).'
'animation','english','Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Most definitely our new favourite director name, Sydney-based filmmaker Julian Tuna joins us today with infectiously energetic music video Romani created for English electro house DJ and Producer Kryder. DN invited Julian to share how he bested a tight deadline and limited budget for this spirited mix of tradition and youthful exuberance.The brief came from Spinnin Records, through YBY who represent me. Nima Nabili Rad, the owner and EP is a bit of a living legend in the music video scene, having directed over a hundred MVs himself. YBY have a close relationship with the label. I had the opportunity to pitch, and this time, we won.The idea for the clip was a combination of the song, which is a great blend of EDM and traditional and my own personal experiences. The title, Romani refers to Gypsies which is both an ethnic group across Central and Western Europe and of a certain way of living. From my own life, my cousins growing up were heavily involved in the Polish community in Sydney. I would often watch them dance at the Polish club in Ashfield so the idea of three boys, dancing the traditional dance and then going out driving, partying, lighting fires very much came from that.The timescale from getting the green light to the final delivery was extremely tight, I think about three weeks. I’m lucky to have some great collaborators in Gregoire Liere (Cinematographer), Lauren Sillato (Production Designer) and Nima who produced it, who were available in that window.I wanted it to feel real, yet heightened.The budget was also extremely tight, especially because we wanted to shoot over two days and in a variety of locations. It wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of Panavision Sydney. We shot everything handheld, on Arri Amira with Panavision Ultraprimes. We used a few interesting filters to get a great look in camera. I wanted it to feel real, yet heightened. There is minimal slow-motion and a lot of the lighting is practical. Greg is a great camera operator, which you can see in the dance sequences. We had no wireless monitor so I had to trust him while he weaved his way through the Syrenka dance crew.Lauren’s design is great and you would be forgiven for not noticing a lot of it. Her work is very grounded and when you walk into a set she has built, it feels that it has always been there. Of the boys in the clip, two are actors, Terrell Carden-Reynolds and Ari Friedgut, and Dominik Pasternak is a dancer at the Syrenka dance group. The three boys are total legends and got along like a house on fire.In post, we were lucky to get Stewart Arnott at The Editors, who pulled together something very tight out of some very doco-style shooting (no slates, often long takes) in a short deadline. I had an idea of where scenes should go, but he really pulled it together and elevated what it could be. The colour grade was done by Fergus Rotherham, whose work is always sublime. It’s tough with an edit like this, because there are a million ways to skin a cat, and we could have edited for days and days. But luckily, we had a deadline.'
'animation','english','Comment“Art is the key to the troubles of the mind.” One of the characters actually says that line in Milorad Krstic’s highly original new Hungarian animated feature Ruben Brandt, Collector.He may also be talking about Krstic’s beautiful new work, which is unlike anything you will probably see on the big screen this year.The plot centers on a famous psychotherapist who sets out to steal 13 of the world’s most famous paintings to stop the nightmares that haunt him at night. He and his gang of thieves, accompanied by four of his patients, manage to steal some of the most prized works of art from the Louvre, Tate, Uffizi, Hermitage and MoMA.As the film’s writer-director puts it, “It’s an exploration of art, from the point of view of a serial robber,” according to Krstic. “I didn’t want an art-house film about art. Instead, I wanted a crime film about art.”The multi-talented artist, who grew up in Slovenia and lives in Budapest, tells us his goal was to use animation to create an action-thriller or a noir movie, free from cartoony exaggerations. “About eight years ago, I put together some of the first graphic images from the movie on my blog,” says Krstic. “That was my method to create the interesting graphic images, and then find appropriate places for them in the storyboard.”He says he knew from the beginning that his film was going to be told from the art thief’s perspective. “I also wanted my graphic world to be distinctive and unusual,” he adds. “But at the same time, I wanted the characters to move in a standard way, following the usual rules of anatomy and the natural world. Otherwise, the movie couldn’t be really persuasive as a crime film.”In 2011, Krstic wrote a play based on the concepts that would emerge as the moive. “The play, which was also titled Ruben Brandt, Collector , premiered in Kunsthalle, Budapest,” he notes. “The director and the choreographer was Csaba Horváth. The performance was fantastic, and at that time, my script was significantly different. Later, we started to develop the animated film.”2D Is KeyWith a price tag of $4.2 million, the movie was funded by the Hungarian National Film Fund (75%) and the Hungarian Film Incentive (25%). It took Krstic and his team of about 110 artists four years to complete. “We had to build a team for this production, so we found several very good animators and other experts in the field. Thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of everyone on the team, we were able to finish the project. We used several animation techniques as hand-drawn animation (TVPaint), computer animation (Anime Studio), digital compositing (After Effects), 3D animation (Maya, Blender). Throughout the whole process, our intention was to sustain the feeling of 2D animation.”Filmgoers may notice a wide variety of familiar artistic influences on display in Ruben Brandt. Krstic says he grew up drawing and painting and absorbing all the many different artistic masterpieces he encountered. “I mean everything from Lascaux and Altamira cave paintings to Rembrandt to Picasso, from Venus of Willendorf to Michelangelo to Henry Moore,” he says. “In this movie there are tens of remakes of famous paintings, and tens of references to movies I like. It was always a challenge for me to repeat the power and the energy of the originals, and to give them fresh forms and put my own personal stamps. I’m not satisfied to just copy other artists works.”For Krstic, whose previous foray into animation was the award-winning 1995 short My Baby Left Me, one of the main challenges of the project was experimenting with a longer format, while still keeping an auteur’s touch. “It had to do with whether I was able to make an animated film which could keep attention of the audience for 90 minutes,” he explains.When asked about his animation influences, Krstic says he considers the scene in which Bambi calls for his dead mother one of the most heartbreaking ones in the history of animation. “I grew up watching Tom and Jerry , Peter Pan and Popeye cartoons on TV,” he says. “Some of my all-time favorites are Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Pink Panther and [Osvaldo Cavandoli’s Italian series] La Linea .”Ruben Brandt, Collector debuted at the Locarno festival and will be released in Hungary in November and in China (through Lemon Tree Media) later this year. Krstic hopes the film finds a wide audience around the world in the months ahead. “People sometimes laugh during screenings, but at the end they seem to be seriously affected by it,” notes the director. “Most of them tell me that would like to see it one more time. Jacque Tati once said that he wants the film to start when moviegoers leave the theatre. That is the ideal result for me as well. I would like it if the movie inspires people to discuss it afterwards.” He adds modestly, “And I do hope they won’t feel as if they had wasted an hour and a half of their lives!”Now that he has this major stylish feature under his belt, does he have any tips for future filmmakers? “I have a litmus test or indicator which easily shows whether you were born to be an animated or a live-action movie maker,” he offers. “If you prefer vintage posters of, for example, French Riviera more than actual photographs of that location, you are destined to work in animation! Don’t forget that in the animation world, imagination and beauty are beyond logic and truth.”Ruben Brandt, Collector premiered at the Locarno Festival this month.“If you prefer vintage posters of, for example, French Riviera more than actual photographs of that location, you are destined to work in animation!”Writer/director Milorad Krstic'
'animation','english','Long before the 2015 merger joining animation companies Six Point Harness (6PH) and Mondo Media, 6PH co-founder and CEO Brendan Burch had admired what Mondo was trying to do in the world of animation, especially in terms of unorthodox distribution. Brendan Burch, Six Point Harness founder and CEO.The Los Angeles-based studio Six Point Harness, which just celebrated its 15-year anniversary, is known for its work on The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! and Adult Swim’s Apollo Gauntlet. Its relationship with distribution and production company Mondo Media began in 2010, when Ed Skudder first pitched Dick Figures as part of a development program at 6PH. Burch was certain he had a hit on his hands, but knew he couldn’t take it the traditional network route. Instead, he took it to Aaron Simpson, then vice president of animation development at Mondo.“At that point,” Burch says, “you would develop something and you would have three kids’ places to take it to, or three adult places to take it to. It was always frustrating because there was this number that you would spend—and it was always in the tens of thousands—to get an idea ready, and if you got three ‘no’s,’ it was like, well, that’s it.”Simpson loved the idea. Eccentric comedy Dick Figures was perfectly in line with Mondo’s output, which already included Happy Tree Friends, the hyper-violent cartoon that first premiered online in 1999 and has grown to be one of the most popular animated web series of all time. Unfortunately, Simpson said Mondo couldn’t pay for an original series – but that didn’t deter Burch, who was committed to producing Dick Figures. He greenlit 10 episodes, to be distributed on Mondo’s Youtube channel, but funded by 6PH, which meant the animation studio would be able to retain full ownership of the property. A tiered distribution model allowed “Dick Figures” to be viewed online for free, but many fans chose to buy the movie.As Dick Figures took off, 6PH and Mondo grew increasingly closer. After the success of the Dick Figures: The Movie Kickstarter campaign in 2012, the companies devised a way to make the film available to all their fans and still turn a profit. They gambled – wisely – that a significant portion of their audience would be dedicated enough to shell out the money to buy the film, even if it was available to view for free.“We came up with this plan to give [ Dick Figures: The Movie ] away for free on Youtube over 12 episodes, and the bet was that the viewing pattern was so disruptive that some [fans] would just be like, ‘Ah, screw it,’ and buy it. But, ultimately, all our fans would get to watch it,” says Burch. “It totally worked out. We ended up making all of our money back within three weeks. Youtube used to call it the Dick Figures model. The thing I always loved about Mondo was they were always out front, they were always figuring out these models.” Six Point Harness studio.When the merger was being negotiated, it was important to both parties that neither company sacrifice its brand – after all, Mondo’s Youtube channel has accumulated over 2.5 billion lifetime views, and 6PH has made a respectable name for itself, especially in the work-for-hire arena.“We also didn’t want to confuse people, but we did,” Burch says of the merger. “The studio is Six Point Harness, but our client is like, ‘Wait, who are we hiring?’ Mondo’s studio is Six Point Harness. On some productions, we’ll just call it Mondo Studio. It didn’t make sense to kill the goodwill of the Six Point Harness brand after all those years. As we evolve, one could become the other, depending on a number of things.”A big impetus for the union was Burch’s interest in establishing a library of content for his company. Having control over the audience-facing side of the business certainly puts the studio in a unique position, differentiating it from other service studios, which often have difficulty when it comes to establishing a personal brand.“I think owning a library is really, really important. When you just sell a tv show to a network, they own everything. Unless it’s a hit, there’s not really a lot of upside in it for us as an animation studio,” explains Burch, who is now CEO of the joined Six Point and Mondo. (John Evershed, co-founder and former CEO of Mondo, remains on the board.)“ Dick Figures was a huge light bulb moment for us, where it was like, [we can] own and develop something new. We can own it, and we can build an audience around it, and we can wield more [control].” 6PH is known for its service work on productions like Adult Swim’s “Apollo Gauntlet.”It’s clear, however, that Burch isn’t eager to put all of his IP eggs in one distribution basket quite yet. While Mondo’s Youtube channel is overflowing with 6PH content like Dick Figures, the studio has also continued to take on projects like animation sequences for AMC’s Dietland and Fox’s Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. The studio even worked on the elusive Legend of the Three Caballeros for Disney Interactive.Around the same time as the merger was finalized, 6PH and Mondo entered into a deal with VRV, the aggregate SVOD service owned by Crunchyroll parent Ellation, part of AT&T-TimeWarner. VRV aims to be “ Netflix for geeks ,” and offers premium access to multiple channels, such as Crunchyroll, Drama Fever, Rooster Teeth, and of course, Mondo Media, for a flat monthly fee. Six Point Harness-produced shows such as Gary and his Demons and Cat Agent are now available exclusively on the Mondo VRV channel.“The VRV deal – they’ve been amazing partners,” says Burch. “They’ve evolved a lot in the two years that we’ve been connected with each other. I think they’re going to be an important partner for years to come. If they push out and expand internationally, they keep betting on the Mondos of the world, I think that’s the big opportunity – it’s international.” Mondo’s VRV channel is now the home of original 6PH productions like “Cat Agent.”One of Burch’s primary goals as Mondo and 6PH move forward as a combined entity is to exploit and expand Mondo’s already existing international fanbase. In fact, Mondo’s content has long been available in German , as a result of the enthusiastic support from German-speaking fans.“It frustrates me, this whole notion that adult animation doesn’t travel well,” Burch says. “Animation, especially, [travels] better than anything, even in foreign language territories. Mondo has some crazy fans all around the world. Twenty percent of Dick Figures’ revenue came from Germany alone.”Burch wants not only to expand outward in terms of international appeal, but is also interested in learning from overseas projects, especially when it comes to adult animation. Mondo recently acquired the French adult animated action-adventure series Lastman, produced by Everybody on Deck and Je ne suis pas content. The English-language version of Lastman is to be found exclusively on Mondo’s VRV channel, and Burch says the series is a good example of the niche he would like his company to explore. Burch believes that there’s an untapped market for non-comedy series like the French production “Lastman” which it distributes in English through VRV.“The other thing that I love about VRV is that they were big fans and supporters of a creative theory that we’ve always had, which is [that] there is a huge, huge untapped [market] for adult non-comedy animation. Western-style storytelling for adult animation is going to be a major space, and I think the French are ahead of us. When we acquired Lastman, it was like connective tissue between what the Japanese are doing really well, and what we really want to do. That’s a big creative goal of the company.”'
'animation','english','0The Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles, in conjunction with Warner Bros., has opened the new pop-up exhibition “The Get Animated Invasion,” celebrating the music of Warner Bros. animation films and television shows.The exhibit includes everything from classic Looney Tunes through the upcoming Warner Animation Group film Smallfoot , which opens in theaters next month. The Tom & Jerry MGM shorts and Hanna-Barbera tv characters like Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones are also included in the exhibit, since Warner Bros. owns those characters.The exhibition is made up of nine interactive spaces, five of which are designed in partnership with artists and designers who have created homages to select musical elements of Warner Bros. cartoons. Memorabilia, artwork, and film clips are also displayed alongside the interactive exhibits.The first Get Animated Invasion pop-up was presented last fall in Manhattan during the New York Comic Con, though that exhibit was not music-related, and appears to be significantly different from this new exhibit.“We have created an innovative experience within the Grammy that truly captures the rich history and pop-culture appeal of our most treasured animated stories,” said Maryellen Zarakas, senior vice president of franchise management and marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Product. “The integration of music, art, and storytelling infused with the kinetic energy of our characters will captivate today’s generation of Warner Bros. animation fans and music enthusiasts.”Adds Scott Goldman, Grammy Museum artistic director: “Whether you know the cartoons by heart or will experience them for the first time through this interactive exhibit, this is a fresh new music-first experience for all.”Here are the official descriptions of all the different components that make up the exhibit at the Grammy Museum: Looney Tunes will feature interpretations of three classical music-driven episodes: What’s Opera Doc?, Rabbit of Seville, and Long-Haired Hare. Scooby-Doo is inspired by the sounds of the ’60s and ’70s and will include a psychedelic stage experience in collaboration with artist Sam Taylor to celebrate the music heard on the series. Space Jam will pay homage to ’90s R&B inspired by its iconic soundtrack as well as the ultimate Monstars vs. Tunesquad showdown from the film. Artist Joshua Vides reinterprets the 2-D world with a galactic half-court space in his signature style. Animaniacs will highlight notable tongue-twisting and wacky songs from the show through an interactive karaoke booth designed by artist duo Confetti System. Smallfoot will immerse visitors in a winter escape inspired by the September 28th feature release; and featuring new music written by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick and performed by Tatum, Common, and Zendaya, along with a new song from Niall Horan. Fine artist Crystal Wagner brings her signature larger-than-life structure work into the space to create a snowy dome-like environment reflecting the story’s beautiful mountain setting. Tom and Jerry is known for its classical compositions. To bring a modern and interactive element to the genre, guests will have the opportunity to dive into the episodes and celebrate the musical moments with a private experience. The Flintstones will showcase a reinterpreted stone age-inspired instrument from the series and guests will be able to physically play the instrument as well. The Jetsons brings the experience into Judy Jetson’s bedroom and her love of music and teenage heartthrob jet screamer. The mid-century meets futuristic aesthetic is curated by creator Amelia Muqbel to help bring the ultimate fan-girl world to life. Get Animated records will celebrate all the musical elements across our highlighted animations with our own take of a get animated record shop with re-imagined vinyl artwork inspired by our characters.The exhibit started this weekend and will run through September 9. For info on tickets and exhibit hours, visit the museum’s website .'
'animation','english','Posted on Monday, August 20,A finalist at the 2018 Student Academy Awards, “EMUNAH” is an intense full-CG film about the dystopian results of creating a supreme artificial intelligence – directed and scored by Sang Hyoun Han (aka DOMCAKE) at SVA.Sang Hyoun Han on “EMUNAH”: “Excessive competition between countries has created a perfect artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence has excellent learning ability, but no imagination.“Therefore, A.I. plans to steal the human’s imagination to make everything possible. But at the same time, A.I. concludes that it is a human error as the ability can limit people due to the over-imaginative mind. It makes humans afraid of death and leads people to believe in God which becomes a religion.“Thus, A.I. creates a new religion by combining the characteristics of all gods so that every single human being can worship. All that faith has become energy sources that give a power to A.I. to absorb the imagination ability from humans.“Finally, artificial intelligence becomes perfect. In the end, the excessive desire of man toward information and technology causes the destruction of mankind.”'
'animation','english','0The internet’s great promise for filmmakers was that it would revolutionize the world of distribution, opening up untold new opportunities for creators to distribute their films to the global masses without having to go through the traditional gatekeepers like film distributors, tv channels, and movie studios.It hasn’t quite worked out that way though. There are new gatekeepers, and unlike before, filmmakers have no idea who the gatekeepers are, what they’re looking for, or whether they’re even human.Out of curiosity, we did a little research on what the ten most-viewed animated videos currently are on Youtube. The results were surprising to say the least.Each of Youtube’s most-viewed animation videos has anywhere between 1.1 to 3.2 billion views. The videos range in length from under two minutes to over one hour long. The earliest video was posted back in 2007 and the newest one in 2016. What they all share in common is that they are directly targeted to very young children – or contain content that could be enjoyed by very young children.The top two videos are distributed by channels which are both among Youtube’s top 10 most-viewed channels. The Little Baby Bum channel (the name alone tells you everything you need to know), which produced Wheels On The Bus, has 17.38 billion views across all of its videos, while the Get Movies channel, which hosts Masha and the Bear and specializes in Russian children’s animation, has 17.18 billion views across all of its videos.Possibly the most surprising aspect is the lack of production standards in the most-viewed animated films on Youtube. While there are a few professional productions among the batch – a “Let It Go” sing-along from Disney’s Frozen and multiple episodes of Masha and the Bear, produced by Moscow’s Animaccord Animation – most of the videos contain amateurish cg and digital 2d animation that falls below the standards of any professionally produced preschool series that might air on a preschool or children’s network.What’s interesting about this deficit of production values is that there is no similar correlation on the live-action side. The vast majority of the most-viewed live-action videos are music videos, and nearly every single one of them is a song by a professional musician with an accompanying video produced by professional filmmakers.It’s also important to note that none of these most-viewed videos became popular organically. Youtube has played a role in making each of these films popular. No one understands how their algorithms work or if there is a human factor involved in the curation of their most-viewed content – the Google-owned company’s methods are completely opaque to creators – but there has been enough information published by now that makes it clear that success on Youtube is not entirely based on the pure popularity of a work.Here’s an amazing story recently told to me by an animation filmmaker who has films on Youtube, which illustrates how completely random and illogical Youtube is as a platform for creators. This filmmaker had accumulated 10 million Youtube views on a single short film over a four-year period. Then, one day last June, Youtube suddenly started promoting the short film as a suggested video.In just the last two months, the video has accumulated an additional five million views, 50% of all the views it received in the previous 48 months. If Youtube had promoted the film from the beginning, the film’s views would have been around 120 million rather than its current 15 million.This filmmaker further explained that their account had been dormant for the last six months. The filmmaker is not regularly posting new content to their account, and they had done nothing to encourage Youtube to promote the video. It simply happened with no explanation.It’s unfortunate that Youtube, the biggest platform for online video in the West, has made it virtually impossible for animation filmmakers to use as a platform for building an audience to generate consistent income. How can an animation creator who doesn’t want to create content for 2-4 year olds use Youtube as a platform to grow an audience that could, in turn, generate reliable revenue? The company offers no guidance on how to do so. And how do preschool creators who want to create quality educational content compete with the hundreds of thousands of shoddily produced content that Youtube’s algorithms seem to favor?The internet didn’t destroy the gatekeeper, but it did create a new gatekeeper, and this one may be worse than any of the ones that preceded it.Here’s a list of the ten most-viewed animated videos on Youtube, as of this afternoon. 1. Masha and the Bear “Recipe for Disaster”Year: 2012'
'animation','english','Patrick Osborne to Direct Hybrid ‘Monument Valley’ Based on Mobile GameBy CommentParamount Pictures and Weed Road Pictures have tapped Oscar-winning animation filmmaker Patrick Osborne ( Feast , Pearl ) to develop and direct Monument Valley , a live-action/CG animation hybrid family franchise based on the mobile game hit by Ustwo Games which challenges players to traverse a surreal, Escher-esque world where the laws of physics don’t necessarily apply. The feature film project will put live actors into this memorably convoluted world.“ Monument Valley is a one-of-a-kind experience, at once small in its meditative, simple gameplay, as well as enormous in its sense of history,” Osborne told Deadline . “I’m privileged to be handed the reins to Ida’s mysterious kingdom, to play in her world of impossible architecture where seeing things differently is everything. I am thrilled to bring this unique world to theaters with the talented storytellers of Paramount and Weed Road.”The game launched four years ago and has since racked up more than 160 million downloads around the world, as well as industry honors such as the Apple Design Award 2014, Apple iPad Game of the Year, and two BAFTA Game awards for London-based Ustwo.Osborne is currently working on the feature film adaptation of Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona for Fox/Blue Sky, due in 2020.[Source: Deadline] '
'animation','english','PRIVACY POLICY※2010-2018 (♥) -::[robot:mafia]::- .ılılı. die kunst ist tot ★ es leben die maschinen .ılılı.Mit der Nutzung dieser Seite erklärst Du dich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden | This site uses cookies. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are ok with it. Accept Read More'
'animation','english','0It’s getting harder and harder nowadays to produce an animated feature that looks and feels completely original, but the Brazilian film Tito and the Birds fits the bill.Shout! Studios, the distribution and production arm of Shout! Factory, has acquired North American distribution rights to the timely film. The company is planning a strategic rollout of Tito across multiple entertainment distribution platforms in the U.S. and Canada, beginning with a theatrical launch later this year.The 2d film with a distinctive painterly style follows the story of a shy 10-year-old boy named Tito who lives in a world on the brink of pandemic, where fear is crippling people, making them sick and transforming them. Tito realizes, based on his father’s past research, that there may be a way to utilize the local pigeon population and their songs to create a cure for the disease, and as he tries to find a cure, he also begins the search for his missing father.Here’s the festival trailer:Tito is directed by Gustavo Steinberg ( End of the Line ), Gabriel Bitar ( Cidade Cinza ), and André Catoto ( Say I Am Only Seventeen ), and written by Eduardo Benaim and Gustavo Steinberg. Production was handled by Bits Productions and Split Studio.“Unfortunately, it seems that the ‘fear epidemic’ that the movie dwells on is not exclusive to Brazil – it has been affecting the whole world,” says filmmaker Gustavo Steinberg. “So I hope that the movie inspires North American kids to face it – just like Tito and his friends do.”The film premiered in competition earlier this year at Annecy, and won best feature for children at Anima Mundi. It will have its North American festival premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.Brazilian filmmakers have been pushing the boundaries of feature animation in recent years with original projects like Luiz Bolognesi’s Rio 2096 and Alê Abreu’s Oscar-nominated Boy and the World . In fact, the music for Tito is composed by Gustavo Kurlat and Ruben Feffer, the same team that made the standout music for Boy and the World. “Tito and the Birds.”Shout! acquired the film through Paris-based Indie Sales, which reps worldwide distribution rights for Tito. The deal was negotiated by Jordan Fields, and Shout’s vice president of business affairs, Vanessa Keiko Flanders, and Nicolas Eschbach of Indie Sales on behalf of the filmmakers.“We’re incredibly excited about this opportunity with Indie Sales and Gustavo,” says Melissa Boag, Shout’s senior vice president of family entertainment. “ Tito and the Birds is a strikingly artful and gorgeously animated movie. It’s a stunning work of storytelling and a socially relevant film for the times we live in. This movie will spark dialogue and impact everyone who sees it.” Stilll from “Tito and the Birds.” “Tito and the Birds.”'
'animation','english','The Television Academy has announced the juried animation and motion design award winners for the 70th Emmy Awards, which will be presented at the 2018 Creative Arts Awards ceremonies on Saturday, September 8, and Sunday, September 9.This year’s juried winners for outstanding individual achievement in animation are: Lindsay Small-Butera, character animation Adventure Time “Ketchup” (Cartoon Network Studios) Stu Livingston, storyboard artist Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie (Nickelodeon) Jeff Scher, production designer The Number On Great-Grandpa’s Arm (HBO Documentary Films) Justin Martin, background designer The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular (Disney Television Animation) Caroline Cruikshank, character animation The Simpsons “Springfield Splendor” (Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television) Patrick Bryson, background painter Steven Universe “Jungle Moon” (Cartoon Network Studios)The following two projects are the winners in the category of outstanding motion design: Broad City “Mushrooms” (Jax Media) Mike Perry (animation director), Isam Prado (supervising animator), Eric Perez (animator), Maya Edelman (animator), Barbara Benas (animator) Wasted! The Story Of Food Waste (Zero Point Zero Films) Mike Houston (design and graphics director), Daniel de Graaf (art director), Naoko Saito (motion graphics and visual effects artist), Ryan Frost (motion graphics and visual effects artist), Chris King (motion graphics and visual effects artist)Pictured at top: “Mushrooms” sequence from “Broad City”'
'animation','english','Like About the Author / MarBelle MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the decade long incarnation of this disorder and remains so much cheaper than film school. What to Read Next...'
'animation','english','Disney Channel Introduces ‘Star Wars Resistance’ Squad in First LookBy CommentThe new animated series Star Wars Resistance is gearing up to take fans into the events preceding The Force Awakens , with a one-hour premiere launch set for Sunday, October 7 at 10 a.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel, DisneyNOW and Disney Channel VOD, with subsequent airings on Disney XD. A first-look video (below) just released introduces the intrepid crew of heroes piloting the show’s action, Team Fireball. (Check out the previously revealed trailer here .)Star Wars Resistance will roll out on Disney Channels Worldwide following the US debut.The series follows the high-flying adventures of Kazuda “Kaz” Xiono (voiced by Christopher Sean of Days of Our Lives ), a young pilot recruited by the Resistance for a top-secret mission to spy on the growing threat of the First Order.In the premiere episode, “The Recruit,” Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and BB-8 assign newly-appointed spy Kaz to the Colossus, a massive aircraft refueling platform on an outer rim water planet, home to colorful new aliens, droids and creatures. While undercover, Kaz works as a mechanic and lives with Poe’s old friend Jarek Yeager (Scott Lawrence), a veteran pilot who operates a starship repair shop run by his crew: Tam Ryvora (Suzie McGrath), Neeku Vozo (Josh Brener) and their old battered astromech droid, Bucket. Kaz soon finds himself in over his head with his new friend BB-8 as competes in dangerous sky races, keeps his mission a secret from his newfound family, and avoids the dangerous First Order.The voice cast also includes Myrna Velasco as Torra Doza, Donald Faison as Hype Fazon, Jim Rash as Flix, Bobby Moynihan as Orka, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, and Rachel Butera as General Leia Organa.Lucasfilm Animation veteran Dave Filoni ( Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels ) created the series; Athena Portillo ( Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels ), Justin Ridge ( Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels ) and Brandon Auman ( Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ) serve as executive producers; and Amy Beth Christenson ( Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars Rebels ) is art director. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','’Frozen 2’ Adds Oscar-Nominated ‘Hidden Figures’ Writer Allison Schroeder Co-director Jennifer Lee will continue to be lead writer for the sequel, as well as tackling her new duties as Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation. Schroeder also worked on the script for Disney’s live-action Christopher Robin . Voice recording for Frozen 2 is currently underway, with returning stars Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad and Idina Menzel joined by Evan Rachel Wood and Sterling K. Brown. (Otu Nov. 27, 2019).postPerspective Announce Impact Award Winners from SIGGRAPH 2018 Topping the post-prod publication’s list from the Vancouver, BC confab are: MVP – Nvidia for Quadro RTX raytracting GPU; Maxon for Cinema 4D R20 3D design and animation software; StarVR for STarVR One headset with integrated eye tracking; Allegorithmic for Substance Alchemist tool powered by AI; and OTOY and Epic Games for the OctaneRender 2019 integration with UnrealEngine.“Our awards celebrate companies that push the boundaries of technology to produce tools that accelerate artistry and actually make users’ working lives easier, and our winners certainly fall into that category, particularly our MVP winner, Nvidia. We are also pleased to be introducing our Horizon Award at SIGGRAPH to celebrate the next wave of impactful products being previewed at the show,” said founder/editor-in-chief Randi Altman.“While SIGGRAPH’s focus is on VFX, animation, VR/AR, AI and the like, the types of gear they have on display vary. Some are suited for graphics and animation, while others have uses that slide into post production. We’ve tapped real-world users in these areas to vote for our Impact Awards, and they have determined what tools might be most impactful to their day-to-day work. That’s what makes our awards so special.”'
'animation','english','Digital ProdCo MediaMonks Launches R&D LabBy CommentStockholm-based MediaMonks has launched a new research & development division to service agencies, brands and technology companies with a focus on innovation and rapid prototyping. Dubbed MediaMonks Labs, the branch is helmed by Sander van der Vegte, formerly Head of Games for MediaMonks.The international team of core Labs leaders includes creative director Nilla Juvas, Partner and CCO of MediaMonks Stockholm Pasi Helin, and creative technologists Joe Mango and Samuel Snider-Held.The team aims to “transform clients’ questions into tangible answers, tackling briefs with innovation workshops that result in prototypes.” MediaMonks Labs is working on a variety of projects using machine learning, AI, AR, VR and voice technology for international clients such as Google, Nickelodeon, Stockholm Exergi and Furhat Robotics.“MediaMonks takes on challenges and opportunities at high speed and we understand what drives digital trends like no other,” said CEO Victor Knaap. “Embracing data, content and technology in this new age of brand communications is exactly what we are here to do. With MediaMonks Labs we are boosting our existing client offering.”Van der Vegte added: “By watching new developments and trends, we can tell what will be hot before it’s happening. MediaMonks has always stayed ahead of the curve, dedicating our time and talent to mastering new technologies and platforms. With MediaMonks Labs we reinforce our reputation as the ‘industry’s go-to player for ambitious digital ideas,’ as Ad Age put it.”MediaMonks has build a reputation of being first to apply new tech in creative brand creations. This includes creating the first creative Google Maps integration, the first interactive YouTube overlay, the first outdoor hyperreality VR experience, and the largest mixed reality experience. Continue Reading'
'animation','english','FlixProducers: Eye Present (U.K.), Pictor Productions (Ireland)This charming, 2D-animated series about the adventures of an outgoing dog who lives in a town full of cats is based on a popular book by children’s author Tomi Ungerer. “This is the first time one of Tomi’s books has been adapted into an animated series,” says Genevieve Dexter , the show’s exec producer. “Like many of his works so much more than a fish out of water story. We are very lucky to have Nicole Paglia ( Amaz ing World of Gumball story editor and 101 Dalmatian Street writer) as our script writer and bible development guru. Even more amazingly, we are working directly with Tomi and his daughter Aria on the visual adaptation and loved visiting Tomi’s studio in Ireland.”Dexter says they will use a blend of 2D and CG to produce the animation. “We have both pipelines in house and enjoy implementing them in creative ways. Our director Daniel Britt is working away on the pilot of Cartoon Forum, so it is all happening as I write … We believe that the blend between classic and modern writing and illustrative style has produced something I think is quite unique. Think Tintin meets Gumball !”She also says that she loves the fact that the agenda at the Forum is different from other markets. “It successfully blends business people and creatives using a closely honed structure which encourages international co-production. I also love the exhilarating process of live pitching and look forward to taking Flix to the stage with our exec producer Jules Coke and Aria in Toulouse.”www.eyepresent.co.uk Chad and ClarkProducers: AnimAlps (France), Nippon (Japan), Montblanc (Japan)Friendship, acceptance and fun adventure are the three main ingredients of the beautiful new (26 x 7 min.) preschool show from AnimAlps, Nippon and Montblanc. This French-Japanese CG-animated co-pro centers on two friends who find themselves in all kinds of interesting situations as they teach younger viewers about getting along in the world despite our difference. “Chad the little wild monkey and Clark the pet dog form a fantastic pair,” says producer Fabrice Beau . “At the same time, becoming best friends, although they are worlds apart.”Beau adds that he believes in the project because of its humor, the tone of the characters and the amazing design. He is also a great fan of the Cartoon Forum. “When you have a project to pitch at the Forum, it’s a very helpful and exciting exercise,” he notes. “When you are just a spectator, it provides a wonderful way to see all the current trends and popular themes.”www.animalpsproductions.com Little Grey WolfyProducer: Ulvenfilm (Norway)The charming animal characters in Little Grey Wolfy know how to make the most ordinary days fun and exciting. The new Norwegian animated preschool project by Ulvenfilm is a 2D cut-out show, created with Moho software, that celebrates its traditionalism.“Appreciation of good old familiarities of children’s animation is what makes this show stand out,” says director and producer Natal ia Malykhina. “The characters are recognizable and dear to every child. The ideas of a children’s shows are traditional: kindness, friendship, loyalty and good humor. I think many children’s animations over-excite them and therefore have a negative impact on children’s behavior and psychological well-being. As a parent, I am sure it’s important to think not only about the commercial side of the project, but also about its psychological impact on the target audience.”Malykhina originally started the series as a short, and later developed it into a four-part miniseries, with each episode focusing on a season. “I feel that the project has more potential,” she says. “New stories continue to emerge. A wonderful universe has been built, where the heroes carry on with their lives beyond the credits. They have more stories to tell, and I believe the TV series format will provide them with the opportunity to do so.”Cartoon Forum will be Malykhina’s first major pitching experience. “I hope it will give my Little Grey Wolfy a good start in the big world of production, taking it to the next level. It’s very inspiring that not only big studios and experienced producers with their big projects can participate, but newcomers such as my Little Wolfy and I are also welcome.”'
'animation','english','SC Films Boosts TIFF Slate with Spain-China Co-Pro ‘Dragonkeeper’By CommentLondon-based sales co. SC Films International has snapped up international rights to Dragonkeeper , an upcoming animated family feature from Spain & China, based on the first novel of Carole Wilkinson’s series. The author is adapting her own text with director Ignacio Ferreras ( Wrinkles ), Rosanna Cecchini, Pablo Castrillo and Xiamping Wang — Jianping Li is co-directing with Ferreras.The pic was a popular In Development project at the 2018 Cartoon Movie event earlier this year, and will be made available for presales at the Toronto Int’l Film Festival market (Sept. 6-10) for all territories, excluding Spain and China.Synopsis: In ancient China, dragons were once friends of men, but men’s greed and lust for power ended their alliance, and these wise and magical creatures were hunted down by the Empire. Years later, in a remote fortress, a young slave girl named Ping strikes up an unlikely friendship with Long Danzi, the last of the imperial dragons. Learning the power of Qi, Ping helps the dragon escape from captivity and together they journey across the Empire in order to save his lineage, chased by the Emperor’s men and pursued by even darker powers.Dragonkeeper is produced by Dragoia Media, Movistar+, Atresmedia Cine and China Film Animation, a member of China Film Group. Delivery is anticipated as Q4 2020. China Film Group is releasing in China. Early visual development has been created by Sergio Pablos ( Despicable Me franchise) at SPA Studios. Borja Montoro will act as character supervisor. Ilion Animation Studios, the Spanish shop behind Planet 51 and Paramount’s forthcoming Wonder Park , will handle production alongside China Film Animation and Dragoia Media.[Source: Screen Daily]'
'animation','english','EmailThe latest animated feature worth catching isn’t screening in a movie theater — it’s on the streaming service, Netflix. The action-packed sci-fi film Next Gen premiered on Netflix September 7 and can be viewed here .Next Gen follows rebellious young girl named Mai who meets a high-tech combat robot called 7723 in the futuristic city of Grainland. The story of this unlikely friendship is a conglomeration of ideas for a futuristic feature from writer/directors Kevin R. Adams and Joe Ksander, and from ideas generated at popular ‘rage comics’ Chinese multimedia company Baozou.Cartoon Brew takes a look at how those elements were combined to make Next Gen – a Canada/China co-production – and build a unique animated world.Adams and Ksander met while working on Shane Acker’s 9 (released in 2009), where Ksander was animation director and Adams was art director and cinematographer. “We found we had a similar taste and style, and approached writing and story in much the same way,” says Ksander. The pair would later craft a live-action short film called Gear in 2014 that happened to also be about a rebellious young girl and a robot.It was around the same time that Baozou, a well-known Chinese name in online comics, web, and television shows, was looking to expand to films. One of the company’s series features Wang Nima, an actor hidden behind a ‘radish’ head mask (this inspires a similar character in Next Gen ).Nima’s series had presented an online comic with a robot called 7723 with a unique feature: it is so severely damaged that, to ‘stay alive’, must decide which of its memories to erase and which to keep. That became a key part of the story in Next Gen . “It was a great seed of an idea, of somebody who had to choose what to remember and what to forget,” says Ksander.After the story was initially developed by Baozou producer Olivia Hao as a film idea, Adams and Ksander were eventually brought on to write a version of the script. They were tasked with expanding the early ideas with ones of their own. Says Adams: “There was a bigger appetite for different types of stories than could possibly fit in one film. We were trying to incorporate all of those things together, and then Olivia simply asked us, ‘What would you do if you got to do your own thing?’” Next Gen features John Krasinski as 7723 and Charlyne Yi as Mai.At that point, Adams and Ksander became Next Gen’s directors. To make the film, Baozou partnered with Alibaba Pictures and Wanda Group, with Netflix buying worldwide distribution rights earlier this year. Canadian studio Tangent Animation handled production.As the story process progressed, many elements were added. This included incorporating an evil CEO of a tech company that sells robots to millions of homes, and giving some background to the main character Mai’s anger and her initial loathing for robots. “We wanted who she was to be really specific, not just an ‘angry teenager,’ with nothing behind it,” notes Ksander. “She and her mother have experienced the same tragedy, regarding Mai’s father. It’s safe to say, we just know her dad’s not in the picture, and has left Mai with some darkness and some damage inside her. And that’s a challenging character in an animated film.” Mai and 7723 soon develop a close bond, but not before Mai uses the robot take out as many other robots in the world of future city Grainland as she can.“She has a particular type of pain,” adds Adams. “She’s angry and she misses [her father]. She’s not just angry and glad he’s gone – she’s angry and wants him back. And that’s a complex place to be.”The filmmakers hired a diverse voice cast to add nuance to the characters. Voicing Mai is Charlyne Yi, with her mother, Molly, played by Constance Wu, who recently starred in Crazy Rich Asians . It was important for the filmmakers to hire Asian-American actors to voice these roles. “Since Mai was an Asian-American – or Asian-Grainlandian, I should say – character,” says Ksander, “we wanted to make sure we didn’t whitewash the role. We gave opportunities to Asian- American actors.” Meanwhile, John Krasinski, star of The Office and director of A Quiet Place , voices 7723; Jason Sudeikis plays the evil tech creator Justin; David Cross takes on the chief scientist Dr. Rice; and Michael Pena has a star turn as Mai’s dog, Momo, probably the best swearing dog you’ve ever heard.The directors continued to build the world of Next Gen with more complex story elements, too, including the fact that the robot 7723 or ‘7’ – would develop a close bond to Mai, and struggle to delete his memories of her in order to remain functional. 7723 is a secret combat robot built by Dr. Tanner Rice (David Cross).The complex emotional relationship is at the heart of Next Gen , while at the same time the film has hearty helpings of high action, drama and humor (look out, in particular, for the toothbrush scene). Ultimately, it’s the relationship between robot and girl that matters. Mai even says, as their bond grows, ‘Look at us, a broken robot and a broken little girl.’“We’re all broken,” says Ksander, examining this point. “The robot is literally broken – he can’t save his memories. And even though that’s a fantasy, science fiction conceit, it’s like a metaphor for what we all go through at various times in our lives. As they become friends, at one point, 7 advances further than Mai does, and becomes more emotionally aware than she is. He understands her pain before she even does. He’s the perfect person for her – and she’s a perfect person for him, as well.”'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Gifts become that much sweeter when you wrap them into cakes and ice cream cones! We've recycled some packaging to use as our paper! "
'arts_and_crafts','english','Leave a replyOne of the most beautiful suites in the upcoming Holiday Catalog is the Frosted Floral Suite , and here is a First Frost All-Occasion Card I made with the stamp set and a strip of the designer series paper. All the paper is printed on shimmery white paper which gives a beautiful elegant look to every sheet. I chose not to use the most dramatic of the papers with the gorgeous flowers but instead chose another pattern that would kind of go with the stamp. You can see the beautiful patterns of the paper below on both sides.For the card base, chose Blackberry Bliss and then a layer of Pear Pizzazz. I added a one inch strip of designer paper on the side. The stamp is from the First Frost Stamp Set. I colored the stamp with various Stampin’ Write Markers. I had quite the selection of markers I was using so I’m not sure what ultimately made it on the stamp. I think I used Merry Merlot for the stems, maybe Blackberry Bliss and Night of Navy for the flowers on the stems. I used the “thumping” technique with the two colors, which means tapping the markers on the stamp. The leaves are colored with Pear Pizzazz and Mossy Meadow with a bit of yellow applied first. The stamp has that look to it that you see (can’t think of a descriptive word at the moment) that looks like maybe you missed some spots but you did not. It is stamped on Shimmery White Cardstock to match the shimmery designer paper.The stamped image of the flowery sprig is die cut with the Stitched Shapes Framelit Die and layered on the Blackberry Bliss scalloped oval piece.The greeting on the card is from the First Frost Stamp Set. I stamped it directly on the card front with Blackberry Bliss ink. This is where the Stamparatus can come in handy! If you don’t want to stamp the greeting crooked or miss a part that didn’t get inked well, etc. use the Stamparatus and a clear window sheet. Put the window sheet over the paper in the Stamparatus so that you can stamp on that and see how you have the stamp placed for alignment. Once you have it how you like it, remove the window sheet and stamp directly on the cardstock. If you need to re-ink and re-stamp you can with the Stamparatus! It’s great!This month would be a good time to purchase the Stamparatus if you haven’t already! It will really come in handy for making multiple Christmas cards. I remember last Christmas thinking I wished I had my Stamparatus to use at that time! This Christmas I have it and it will make stamping Christmas cards much easier and quicker. I say this is a good month to purchase the Stamparatus because it is just under $50 and with every $50 of product you order during August, you earn a $5 coupon to use in September! Add an ink pad or buy more products from the new this month to get your Bonus Days coupon(s), then you will have those to spend on the Holiday Catalog in September!Put this Frosted Floral paper and Suite on your Holiday Catalog Wish List now so you can make some beautiful cards like this First Frost All-Occasion Card and many, many more!'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Oh I want to taste this! It sounds delicious. I'm saving the recipe & looking for an opportunity to make it."
'arts_and_crafts','english','Monday mindfulness – Summer Holidays {Week 3} Posted on August 13, 2018Happy Monday everyone. Hope you had a great weekend and are enjoying the school summer holidays. What a difference a week makes. We started off the week with a heatwave, experienced torrential rain and storms and are now enjoying decent summer temperatures. Each week I start off by writing my Monday mindfulness – 5 happy things blog post . It’s a great chance to reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures – it’s a post I always enjoy writing. Monday mindfulness – Summer holidays editionOn Monday we popped to Hobbycraft to take part in one of their kids craft workshops . We’ve been to a few but this time they made foam animal masks. They had lots of fun trying something new, the workshops are always really good. My son made a superhero mask and my daughter chose the fox design.We’ve had time for lots of crafting which has been good. We really enjoyed the latest mud + bloom nature and gardening sub box and have been making our own squishies with the Smooshins Surprise Maker Kit (which I can’t wait to tell you more about). We’ve also been busy with Duck Tape, crafting colourful luggage labels .We’ve been hiding some of our stash of painted rocks in our local area, mainly to make room to craft some new ones! I love seeing them posted on our local Facebook page, especially when our friends post them! My 8 year old has been busy making a new set of painted rocks to celebrate which is the theme for Roald Dahl Day this year.The children were both invited to a really fun l aser tag party last week. It was really lovely for them to catch up with friends and they had great fun running around soft play and shooting each other!We’re currently away enjoying our first Eurocamp holiday . I’ve scheduled a few posts this week but won’t be around much so see you all soon!Have a great week,'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Date: August 14, 2018 Author: Rick Adkins 0 CommentsToday I’m going to share with you how to put together one of the cards from this month’s card kit. I designed this kit to help you get a jump start on your Christmas Cards. The kit uses the Under the Mistletoe Designer Series Paper. Here’s a look at today’s card.Christmas cards need to be quick and easy to reproduce in my opinion since the normal person needs to make on average about 50 cards. Stampin’ Up! makes creating your own handmade cards so easy with the coordination of products. I first picked the designer series paper. My colors came from that. I also picked this paper one because it was in the Annual catalog and I could get it now and start working on my cards, and not have to wait for the Holiday catalog that releases in September. The other reason I picked this paper was because it had some wonderful designs. It has plaid, geometric, traditional, and fun images so it’s great for all types of Holiday Cards. image by Stampin’ Up!Once that was picked I could then use the coordinating stamp set cardstock pack and embellishments to create the cards. When everything’s that easy it makes it super quick to do your cards. I knew I wanted to use the new Real Red Rhinestones also in the Under the Mistletoe Suite. They are the perfect little embellishment to add the holiday bling to these cards. I love the sparkle they give off. images by Stampin’ Up!I went with the Mistletoe Season Stamp Set not only because it coordinates with the suite but it also has a lot of different images that can be used for different types of cards. I used the bow on my card today as a background image on my card. You will see other examples on the other cards later on.I used the 3/8″ Real Red cotton ribbon to add to the bottom part of the card. I tied a simple knot for the front of the card. This ribbon ties really easily. images by Stampin’ Up!By using the coordinating Under the Mistletoe cardstock pack and a little extra cardstock you can create your cards easily. That’s one of the great things about the matching cardstock packs you can get everything you need to make the coordinating card bases and elements to your cards. I used mine to make the card base and the mat for the designer series paper. images by Stampin’ Up! Video Tutorial:If you are viewing this post by email you may have to click here to view the video. Some mail servers will not show the embedded videos.Thanks for dropping by today, if you would like your own kit to make this and the three other cards this month it’s super easy. All you have to do is place a $50 order before shipping and taxes in my online store using the this month’s host code. I know that you are going to want to make more of these cards so I have listed all the supplies I used to create this card. If you were to purchase these items it would qualify you for the card kit and a Bonus Days Coupon Code to be used in September. Supply List:'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Wednesday, September 5th, 2018 at 6:00 PM - Geuda Springs, KS - Collectible Tractors, Trucks, & Pickups, Tillage, Planting, Hay & Forage Equipment, Collectible Parts Online Only Auction 2018-09-05 18:00:00 2018-09-05 19:00:00 America/Chicago Estate Auction - Theurer Auction/Realty Collectible Tractors, Trucks, & Pickups, Tillage, Planting, Hay & Forage Equipment, Collectible Parts http://www.theurer.net/auction/340673/gaylord-holman-estate-online-only-bidding/ 1495 222nd Rd Geuda Springs, KS Theurer Auction/Realty'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Saturday, September 8th, 2018 at 10:00 AM - Topeka, KS - Two bedroom bungalow style home in Highland Park. Covered front porch. Auction Sale Bill 2018-09-08 10:00:00 2018-09-08 11:00:00 America/Chicago Real Estate Auction - Simnitt Real Estate & Auction, Inc. Two bedroom bungalow style home in Highland Park. Covered front porch. http://www.simnittauction.com/180908-real-estate-auction-2706-se-minnesota-topeka-kansas/ 2706 SE Minnesota Ave Topeka, KS Simnitt Real Estate & Auction, Inc.'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Wow, what a sale! I would have thought that I died and gone to heaven. I've never been lucky enough to find such a fantastic sale. Thanks for sharing with SYC.hugs,Jann"
'arts_and_crafts','english','17 Camping Recipes that are Much More than S’moresIn my opinion, the best time of year to go camping is during the Fall.Whether you are pitching a tent, rolling out a pop-up camper, or parking your RV, these camping recipes will satisfy even the strongest cravings for delicious food while away from home.I consider myself a foodie, and that means that I appreciate food, even more than the average person.No matter where I find myself I want to make delicious recipes for my family, even if that means cooking over a campfire.Luckily these camping recipes make it easy to enjoy great tasting foods while on a fun camping trip with the family.I am super excited to try out these Campfire Marinades, I know the rest of the campers will smell the enticing aroma from our grill and we will quickly become the most popular campers at the campground. Sometimes the food we enjoy while camping is so delicious I get a craving at home and whip them up in my backyard firepit. These Cheesy Potato & Sausage Foil Packets are a perfect example of a meal that can be made while camping or at home.That also goes for these Foil Packet Potatoes and this Chocolate Covered Cherry Magpie Recipe.Sometimes camping even brings out the exotic foodie in me and I want to try my hand at creating some Camping CurryThen there are those times that I want to enjoy traditional foods like Pizza Magpies , One Skillet Chicken Asparagus, and this Cast Iron Cookie Recipe.When you roll out of your sleeping bag and want something sweet, this Campfire Coffee Cake is the perfect way to start your day.A healthy way to enjoy foods while out camping is this Grilled Pineapple or this hearty One Skillet Sausage and Egg Breakfast Hash Recipe.If you are looking for a camping dessert that is better than the overdone s’more everybody eats while camping, these 3 Ingredient Blackberry Campfire Cobbler, these Banana Boats , and these Grilled Apples with Caramel Sauce are perfect.It’s also a good idea to prepare some foods before heading out to camp with the family and there is nothing more delicious to enjoy while camping than this Easy Southern Potato Salad.Some of my favorite campfire cooked foods to enjoy while camping with the family is this French Bread Pizza on the Grill and this Dutch Oven Cheesy Potatoes.Be sure to save these recipes for your next camping trip and share with your camper friends on social media, maybe they will share these tasty campfire recipes with you! You May Also Like'
'arts_and_crafts','english',' Japanese Obon Festival at Como Park August 15, 2018 by Kristi Leave a CommentThe 20th annual Como Park Japanese Obon Festival , formerly known as Como Park Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival takes place this Sunday August 19th from 3-9pm.Some of the activities include: Bonsai, martial arts, Ikebana, singing, dancing, drumming, delicious food and other aspects of Japanese culture will take center stage. This is a family friendly event and tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids 3 – 12 and those 65+ (ages 2 and under are free) . *advance tickets are only sold until noon on the day of the event.You can find out more information about the festival here on the website. The schedule, as well as the reason for the name change can all be found there as well. There are shuttles available or you can get a free metro passes. Share this:'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"I've always thought this was such a sad time of year. I never want summer to end. Thanks for the link up."
'arts_and_crafts','english','You are here: Home / Entertainment / Current Giveaways / August Nordstrom Insta Giveaway ~ Ends 9/4 August Nordstrom Insta Giveaway ~ Ends 9/4 August 14, 2018 by Krystle Leave a Comment Note: This article contains affiliate links (hyperlinks, widgets, or through images), which means I receive compensation if you purchase a product through them. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will add value to my readers. Visit my disclosure page for more information. GIVEAWAY DETAILS Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck! Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 9/4 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email. Please email [email protected] with any questions regarding the giveaway. WANT TO GROW YOUR BLOG WITH GIVEAWAYS? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN JOIN OUR AWESOME GROUP OF BLOGGERS! GOOD LUCK & Enter More Giveaways On The Sidebar or Header! a Rafflecopter giveaway Also, we all love if you “follow us” on Instagram ! If you have any questions or are a brand/company and would like to work with Home Jobs By Mom please contact me . Thank You So Much For Visiting Home Jobs By Mom Today! Leave Some Comments Below, I’ll Love You Forever Get parenting tips, giveaways, and more directly to your inbox * indicates required'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Saturday, August 25th, 2018 at 9:00 AM - Concordia, KS - 1992 Honda Twinstar, Antiques, Furniture, Household Auction Sale Bill 2018-08-25 09:00:00 2018-08-25 10:00:00 America/Chicago Living Estate Auction - Kearn Auction House 1992 Honda Twinstar, Antiques, Furniture, Household http://www.kearnauction.com/saturday-august-25th-2018/ 220 W 5th Concordia, KS Kearn Auction House'
'arts_and_crafts','english','After seeing Emma’s faux living wall , I knew I just had to replicate the look in my own home. The problem was, I don’t really have a good focal wall that could take that sort of treatment that wasn’t already wallpapered, covered with art, or full of windows. Besides, I am not sure I have the dedication to complete a full wall! But I still loved all that greenery. When I saw this coffee table at Ikea thought it would make the perfect faux living coffee table. That extra shelf under the glass top was perfect to house the greenery and the glass top meant I could view the plants from all angles! And since it only measures 2′ by 4′, it was a lot more budget friendly than a whole wall.Supplies:-two tier coffee table, preferably one with a glass top ( I used this one )– faux grass turf-faux greenery (I bought all of mine at the craft store in the floral department when it was on sale, also check out this list )– E6000 or other industrial adhesive like liquid nails-scissors-2 cans spray paint in your choice of colors. I used a light pink by Rustoleum.Step 1: Assemble your table and spray paint in the color of your choice (you can also leave it as is, but I like the pink against the green).Step 2: Once the spray paint has cured overnight, cut the faux grass turf to fit the bottom shelf of your table. Use the E6000 or liquid nails to add a dab of glue to the center of each flower and press your grass mat into place. Then let the glue dry for a few hours.Step 3: Next, start to arrange your greenery onto the grass top to get a feel for the best layout. Once settled on a look remove the pieces of greenery and use a pair of pliers or wire cutters to cut the stems leaving 1″ of stem at the end. Use the scissors to cut a slit into the turf and press the stem of the greenery into the hole. On the underside of the grass turf, use the pliers to bend the stem upwards and flat against the underside of the shelf. Feel free to add a dab of glue to the hole where the stem pokes through to give it extra security.Step 4: Repeat with all your greenery until the coffee table shelf is filled and then move into place and add the glass top.The whole table (minus drying time) was complete in about 2 hours, which is perfect for me! A touch of green plants and a quick turnaround time! I love the way the greenery pops out from the table and hangs over the edges too. Now let’s just hope my kids are old enough to keep it nice. Ha! Xoxo. KaraCredits // Author and Photography: Kara Whitten. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop . '
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Wednesday, August 29th, 2018 at 1:00 PM - Lone Jack, MO - Combined Collections For Him and Her: Jewelry, Perfume Atomizers, Firefighting Antiques, Cowboy and Other Advertising, Watch Fobs. Online Only Auction 2018-08-29 13:00:00 2018-08-29 14:00:00 America/Chicago Estate Auction - Soulis Auctions Combined Collections For Him and Her: Jewelry, Perfume Atomizers, Firefighting Antiques, Cowboy and Other Advertising, Watch Fobs. https://dirksoulisauctions.hibid.com/catalog/140974/aug-29-2018-august-online-estates-auction/?utm_source&#61;KansasAuctions&utm_medium&#61;online%20ad&utm_campaign&#61;2018-08-29-Advertising 529 W Lone Jack Lee's Summit Rd Lone Jack, MO Soulis Auctions"
'arts_and_crafts','english','Barbie Love Seat from Eyeglass Case and Pom-Poms August 16 , by Larissa Coleman . Leave a CommentThis Love Seat for Barbie is a fun way to put an old eyeglass case to good use! It’s an easy (and colorful) craft that anyone can make for themselves. Pop on over to the aptly named DIY Barbie Blog for this and more fun and easy Barbie recycled crafts . I love that the large white pom pom looks like a modern fluffy throw pillow. Related Posts:'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Louise BourgeoisLouise Bourgeois (1911-2010) was a French-American artist, born in Paris to a family of tapestry restorers.She is renowned for her large-scale sculptures and installation art, though she was also a painter and a printmaker. Bourgeois’s artistic journey, which spanned most of the 20th century, began in Paris in 1932. After she married an American art historian, she and her husband moved to New York in 1938 where she enrolled at the Art Students League. Initially, Bourgeois concentrated on painting and printmaking, turning to sculpture only in the late 1940s. Bourgeois’s creations draw their inspiration from her troubled childhood, and explore a variety of themes, including loneliness, jealousy, anger and fear. Figuration and abstraction became a basic part of Bourgeois’s vision. She used objects such as spirals, spiders, cages, medical tools and sewn appendages to represent feminine essence, beauty and psychological pain.Bourgeois was not associated with a specific artistic movement, even though her work was often categorized as Abstract Expressionism and her early work reflected traces of Surrealism and Feminist Art.Her style of sculpture always remained uniquely individual, and her best-known sculptures were those she created in her later years, namely her ”Spider” series of sculptures, which were inspired by her mother. Bourgeois ranks among the world’s top-selling women artists. Here is a performance analysis of Louise Bourgeois ’s artworks in the auction market: 1. Sales Trend in the Past 20 Years The graphic below indicates an increasing trend in terms of sale value and volume,for the artist, reaching a high of $38.3 million in 2015 for 59 lots. In that year, her bronze “Spider,” which sold for $28.2 million— set an auction record for a post-war work by a female artist, shattering the previous high held by a work of art by Joan Mitchell, that was sold at Christie’s in May 2014 for $11.9 million.Bourgeois’s work (from Spider series) also marked a history for the sale of a sculpture by a female artist.In 2016, however, the sales of 77 artworks, the most sold in the past two decades, her sales for the year totaled only $16.8 million, because more than 70 percent of her works sold for below $50,000. But in 2017, sales climbed to a total $36.8 million, bolstered by the sale of her Spider series: “Spider IV,” which fetched $14.7 million, and “Spider II,” which sold for $11.7 million. 2. Volume of Artworks on Offer vs. Bought-in Rate A trend of artworks offered at auction and the bought-in rate can be observed in the graph below. While 2015 was a record-setting year for the artist in terms of sales, the bought-in rate still remained high at 33.7 percent. Overall, the lots offered in the past decade for the artist, have shown a growth and reached a peak of 107 lots in 2016. 3. Bought-in by Auction Houses The graphic below represents the artist’s lots and bought-in rates at the top two auction houses. In the past two years, a high bought-in was registered at Christie’s (25 percent in 2016), whereas at Sotheby’s all the lots that were offered in 2016 were sold; in 2017, the bought-in was 24 percent. Since 2014, the artist’s works have been offered more at auction houses other than Christie’s and Sotheby’s combined. 4. Average and Median Sale Price Trend in the Past 20 Years In 2008, Bourgeois’s sale price average was an all-time of $872.304, helped by the low bought-in rate of 11 percent in that year when 19 of the 21 offered lots sold for a total $16.6 million. After this spike in 2008, the average price for the artist surpassed $600,000 three times in the following years – 2011($699,175), 2015 ($648,655) and 2017 ($602,887). In contrast, the median price has remained relatively low since 2009, except for 2011, when it reached $101,228. 5. Highest-Priced Artworks Bourgeois’s top 10 sold works occurred at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. All the works except one in her top 10 sold list were from her “Spider” series.Her highest-ever sale was “Spider,” a bronze work executed in 1996, which sold for $28.2 million at Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Evening Sale in New York on November 10, 2015. This work can be stretched upward over 10 feet.“Spider IV” was her second-highest sold work, when it brought in $14.7 million in 2017 at Sotheby’s.“Spider II” fetched $11.6 million at Christie’s New York on November 15, 2017. 6. Price Band in Which Her Works Have Sold in the Past 10 Years Most of her works, or 24.4 percent, sold in the price band of $10,000 to $50,000; followed by the bands less than $5,000 at 21.4 percent, and $5,000 to $10,000 at 20.1 percent. A significant 10 percent of her works (40 lots) sold for more than $1 million in the past 10 years. 7. Where Have Her Works Sold the Most in the Past 20 Years More than 90 percent of her total sales occurred at the top two auction houses, Christie’s and Sotheby’s in the past 20 years. In terms of volume, 55 percent of the artist’s works were sold at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, while a significant 45 percent were sold at other auction houses.From a geographical perspective, the United States leads with $161.3 million, followed by United Kingdom at $33.4 million. 8. Top Selling Media in the Past 20 Years Later, in the 1990s, Bourgeois focused on her bronze sculpture works and made large spider sculptures of more than 9 meter highs, which recorded the sale of $135 million for 72 lots. '
'arts_and_crafts','english','“Design Views Vol. VIII. Sanghyeok Lee. Domestic Architecture” at Kunstgewerbemuseum, Berlin BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 17, 2018 “I’ll Be Your Mirror,” 2018, Sanghyeok Lee ( © Sanghyeok Lee) Kunstgewerbemuseum “Design Views Vol. VIII. Sanghyeok Lee. Domestic Architecture,” the eighth installation of the exhibition series “Design Views” at Kunstgewerbemuseum, will be unveiled on August 29, 2018. The exhibition series is a collaboration between the Kunstgewerbemuseum (The Berlin Museum of Applied Arts) and the International Design Center Berlin, to celebrates the former’s 150th anniversary and the latter’s 50th anniversary. The exhibition series is focused on showing the current developments in design while creating a public space for networking, exchange, and discourse in Berlin. The participating artist for this edition is Sanghyeok Lee, a Berlin-based designer, whose work and interest are related predominately to space, surroundings, and relationships. The South Korea-born artist graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven, Netherlands, in 2011. Since then, the artist has displayed his works at various international platforms. “The objects that Sanghyeok Lee creates awaken curiosity. They encourage contemplation and use. At first they seem to be utilitarian objects — a mirror, a table, a shelf or a chair. But if you come closer and enter into the dialogue that the objects propose, then you notice that something is hidden behind the perfect finish, the minimalist design, the harmony of form and function, something that only reveals itself in the interaction with the objects and in the sensual experience of them,” writes Kunstgewerbemuseum. For “Design Views Vol. VIII,” Sanghyeok Lee will feature a total of five stunning objects, spread over at different places throughout the museum. The exhibition will be on view from August 29 through September 19, 2018, at Kunstgewerbemuseum, Matthaikirchplatz, 10785 Berlin, Germany. For details, visit: http://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/kunstgewerbemuseum/home.html'
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'arts_and_crafts','english','Drawing a Line Between Monet and Abstraction in Paris BY Cody Delistraty | August 17, 2018 Claude Monet, "Le Pont japonais, (The Japanese Bridge)," 1918-1924, oil on canvas, 73x100 cm Huile sur toile, 73 x 100 cm (Private collection, courtesy of Blondeau & Cie, Genève Photo : © Studio Sebert, Paris) Related Mark RothkoEven after the American Abstract Expressionist Joan Mitchell moved so close to Claude Monet ’s former home in Giverny that she was able to overlook both it and the Avenue Claude Monet , she largely refused to admit her interest in him. Whether she was being ironic or not has been hard to tell, as when she continually referred to him in her 1991 interview with Deborah Solomon as “Monet,” rhyming it with “bonnet,” while also firmly telling Solomon, “I bought this house because I liked the view, not out of any love for Monet.”But walking into the exhibition “The Water Lilies. American Abstract Painting and the Last Monet” at the Orangerie Museum in Paris, it is Mitchell’s seven-meter, multi-paneled “The Goodbye Door” that welcomes you first; and, from formal, spatial, and color standpoints, it is irrefutably indebted to Monet. One of her greatest achievements, the painting appears like a door, slightly ajar, allowing for a quick glance into a blossoming, lush garden — not unlike the view she might have had from her home in Vetheuil — while its gestures (aggressive) and even its intentions (to evoke a feeling rather than to record a place) are deeply similar to Monet. The question of whether she felt a kinship with him seems to have been put to rest.It is not only Mitchell, though, who took from Monet; it is, as the exhibition’s curator and the director of the Orangerie Museum, Cecile Debray, so successfully shows, the entirety of the American Abstract Expressionist movement that might be seen to derive from the Frenchman’s work.“In Monet we find a world of art with the variety and spaciousness and ease of a world,” wrote the critic Clement Greenberg in “American-Type Painting,” his seminal essay first published in Partisan Review, which serves to anchor this exhibition.For decades, critics and the public alike largely derided Monet’s water lily paintings. They were neither avant-garde nor realist and thus seemed implacable within any historical context. Installed first in Paris in 1927, then shut away after bomb damage from the Second World War in 1944, Monet’s water lilies were largely ignored until Alfred Barr, the first director of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, purchased one for the museum in 1955.That same year, Greenberg drew a parallel between Monet and Abstract Expressionism in “American-Type Painting,” challenging the existing notion that it was Paul Cezanne’s flat, daubed paintings that were the conduit to Modernism and Expressionism. It had always been assumed that Cezanne’s work led to Cubism but within this idea it had also been implicit that through Cezanne came Jackson Pollock , Clyfford Still, Mark Rothko , and other Abstract Expressionists. But with a Monet now installed at MoMA, Greenberg rightly contested this idea.“As the Cubists resumed Cezanne, Still has resumed Monet,” Greenberg wrote.Even a decade earlier, in 1944, Barnett Newman had been on to something similar, writing, “[Cezanne] did not trigger the so-called modern art revolution. The credit goes to the Impressionists. They freed artists from the influence of the Renaissance and its academic aftermath, providing the world with far more than a new arsenal. They freed artists from the shackles of traditionalism.”Still earlier than that, the French critic Roger Marx, writing in La Gazette des Beaux-Arts, perceived Monet’s Modernist genius in June 1909. “Here the painter has deliberately distanced himself from the dominance of the western tradition: he does not seek out lines which form a pyramid or draw the eye to a single focal point,” Marx wrote: “everything that is fixed and unchanging seems to him to run counter to the very principle of fluidity; he wants our attention to be diffuse and dispersed in all directions.”Looking back on it, Monet’s influence on Abstract Expressionism might seem clear, but the exhibition at the Orangerie completes the rarely tried task of plainly drawing the link.Monet spent his career moving painting away from what might be considered “sculptural drawing” and toward what Greenberg termed both “area drawing” and having an “all-over quality.” In the current exhibition, on until August 20, Debray has selected ten Monets and 20 works by American Abstract Expressionists, which show the manifold affinities between the Frenchman and the New York-based artists.There is, firstly, the use of the canvas for action and abrupt gestures, but there is also that “all-over” composition Greenberg pointed out, not to mention the sheer grandeur of the works so that looking at Monet’s water lilies or, say, a painting by Pollock, provides a similar feeling of falling into an abyss — an existentially charged experience caused by the artists’ similarly flat spatial choices.Specifically, in Monet’s “The Weeping Willow,” his dynamic, curving lines create the perception of a tree rather than of the tree itself, not unlike Pollock’s “The Deep,” to which Monet’s painting is placed near, which uses clashing, colorful, interwoven lines that create the feeling of multidimensionality with a two-dimensional space. Side-by-side videos of both Monet and Pollock in the act painting show how their physicality and movement was deeply similar as well — mostly: aggressive, hard, abrupt strokes to create non-geometric, energetic paintings.Rothko, who said, “We are for flat forms because they destroy illusion and reveal truth,” regarding the Abstract Expressionists, has one of his paintings “Blue and Gray” in the exhibition — a silver and gray rectangle composition that looks not unlike a pair of winter lily pads. Likewise, Still’s harsh slashes — like a jagged version of a Newman “zip” painting — in “1965 (PH-578)” again resound with the same spatial and dimensional nature of Monet’s water lilies.In Helen Frankenthaler ’s large-scale, four-meter-wide “Riverhead,” whose colors appear to have been washed out, the painting looks as though it had been submerged, its blue, orange, and purple oils turned to watercolors. And in Morris Louis’ “Vernal,” his greens and golds are streaked and dripping, coming to appear similarly thin and transparent, like Frankenthaler’s colors but also like the green reflections in Monet’s painted ponds.The end of the exhibition is the reason the show could only be done at the Orangerie; walking upstairs, one ends on Monet’s massive, wall-bending water lilies, which now come to appear not simply beautiful but also brimming with fresh significance. As an originator and progenitor of Abstract Expressionism, a single Frenchman influenced all of mid-century American art and, eventually, the world with only a water lily."The Water Lilies. American Abstract Painting and the Last Monet" is on view at l\'Orangerie in Paris through August 20. More information: http://www.musee-orangerie.fr'
'arts_and_crafts','english','O&A London and Gazelli Art House’s “Afterspace” Art Project for London Design Festival BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 16, 2018 O&A London and Gazelli Art House collaborative art project “AFTERSPACE” for London Design Festival (Courtesy: London Design Festival) Related VenuesO&A London and Gazelli Art House have announced a collaborative art project “Afterspace” that will be held from September 15 through September 23 during London Design Festival. The project aims to explore the links between revolutionary digital art forms and traditional elements of space organization.“Afterspace” project aims to integrate new virtual experiences with physical spaces created by designers. “Two floors of the gallery will be integrated into one exhibiting space. The visitors can enjoy the physical space created by designers presenting the O&A London furniture collection and the VR art-works of Michael Takeo Magruder, Eran Tsafrir, Tom Szirtes, Alexander Adderley, Xavier Sole, and others. The artists work with new media including real-time data, digital archives, immersive environments, mobile devices, and virtual worlds to explore our media-rich world,” says O&A.O&A London brand was created by the talented duo of architect Oleg Klodt and designer Anna Agapova. The design team created a furniture collection that completely transforms the idea of the role that furniture plays in interiors. Oleg and Anna hope to bring to light to the world wonders that are more precious, more beautiful, and more everlasting than life itself.Gazelli Art House is a contemporary art gallery that supports a wide range of international artists, presenting a broad and dynamic programme to a diverse audience through global public projects and exhibition spaces in London and Baku.Oleg Klodt and Anna Agapova say, “In our throw-away society, when not only the value of possessions but also real human connection is being lost, we wanted to make something that would stand the test of time. Within 20 to 30 years, functionality and so-called ‘digitality’ could completely replace the decorative and aesthetic aspects of interior design. Nevertheless, we are sure that architects and designers will continue to create spaces that link us to the past. And there’s no doubt people will continue to desire spaces that leave them calm and comfortable; places where they can explore real human connection whilst enjoying innovative visual experiences.”'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Ten Minute Tasks to Get Your Home Everyday Clean August 17, 2018 by Elizabeth VoylesEven the busiest mom can find ten minutes a day to clean. But if all you have is 10 minutes what do you do? Here are some suggestions for cleaning tasks that you can do in 10 minutes! Over time your house will become everyday clean!One of the reasons so many of us put off cleaning and organizing tasks for so long is because we think we don’t have time. There is an idea out there that unless you have a huge chunk of time to get it ALL done there is no point in starting a cleaning or decluttering project. So, you put it off. But the truth is you may never get that big chunk of time you think you need. An everyday clean house is much more attainable if you break tasks into smaller chunks. There is no need to spend all day cleaning. You can do it in just ten minutes a day. Check out this list of ten-minute tasks to get your home clean and organized. Get Clean & Organized in Ten Minutes a Day! Start with a ListKeeping your house clean and organized in ten minutes a day does take a few minutes of prep work. But you can do that in ten minutes too.The next time you find yourself with a free ten minutes, make a list of all the areas of your home that you would like to clean and organize. If you can, consider and make note of how you could break these areas down into smaller chunks for cleaning. The examples below of ten minutes tasks may help.Now post this list somewhere you can find it easily. This is an important first step. If you don’t make a list, you will likely spend the first half of your next free ten minutes trying to decide what to do and where to start. Make the list! Gather SuppliesIf your list of ten-minute cleaning tasks includes a quick bathroom wipe down or kitchen cleanup, have your cleaning supplies ready. Make organizing your cleaning supplies one of your first ten minute tasks so that you have everything close at hand at the start of your ten minutesIf you’re planning a drawer by drawer dresser declutter over time, have bags or boxes ready for things you’re planning to keep, things you’re planning to donate and things to throw away. Use a TimerA timer is a great way to accomplish more in ten minutes. You’ll be amazed by how easy it is to focus when you have a timer ticking telling you only have ten minutes.You’ll find yourself trying to beat the clock. And if you want your kids to help, the timer is a great motivator. Make it a race to see who can pick up the most toys in ten minutes. Create a Cleaning ScheduleIf you struggle with cleaning maintenance tasks create a cleaning schedule. Make a schedule of which ten-minute task you will accomplish each day of the week. Or over a two week period for tasks that don’t need to be done weekly.One of the most frustrating things about completing a major decluttering or house cleaning is watching all your hard work be undone as your family reverts to sloppy form.Stop the backslide in its tracks with a schedule of ten-minute tasks to keep your home clean and organized for the long haul. Ten Minutes Tasks for Organizing Your Home 1. Clean Off Your DeskIf you have a home office, take ten minutes to put things away so that your office is ready for you to sit down and go to work. File papers, throw out anything you don’t need and empty the trash can. 2. Declutter Your Clothes One Drawer at a TimeDecluttering your clothes can feel like a monumental task. But if you break it up into ten-minute tasks you can get it done in no time. Try tackling one drawer at a time when you have ten minutes. Or one small section of your closet. 3. Clean Out Your Medicine CabinetTake ten minutes to sort through your medicine cabinet. Throw out expired medications and organize your shelves. 4. Organize Your RefrigeratorThrow out old and expired food. Wipe down the shelves and drawers. 5. Clean Out Your Junk DrawerThrow out anything you no longer need. And put everything away in its proper place if the junk drawer isn’t really where it should be. Ten Minute Tasks for Cleaning Your Home 6. Make the BedSeriously, make your bed. It doesn’t even take 10 minutes. More like two minutes. And it immediately makes your bedroom look neater and more pleasant. 7. Wipe Down Your BathroomYou may not always have time to deep clean your bathroom but you can take ten minutes to do a quick wipe down . Wipe down sinks, faucets, tubs, the toilet. And immediately feel better about the cleanliness of your bathroom. 8. Sweep & Vacuum High Traffic AreasWhen ten minutes isn’t enough to sweep or vacuum the whole house, focus on the high traffic areas most in need of a quick clean up. 9. Start the DishesRather than tackle 30 minutes worth of dishes after dinner, if you have ten minutes during the day, wash a few dishes. Or wipe down the kitchen counters to give you a headstart for after dinner. 10. DustDusting is a never-ending chore. Pick an area of your house to focus on and spend ten minutes dusting your shelves and knick-knacks.Spending ten minutes a day cleaning and organizing your home will yield big results over time. And when you’re looking for it, ten minutes can be found at least once in even busy days.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','New Fendi Summer Accessories (Courtesy: Fendi ) Fendi recently launched new summer cult accessories for that perfect seasonal look. The collection includes leather bags in different shades and styles. The highlight begins with multicolor leather belt bag. “Pouch made of black leather with FF pattern created in a raised print on the flap and hand-painted in tones of black. It is decorated with the new Fendi logo clasp and details in red leather. It can be worn both as a belt bag by using the leather belt or as a bag, thanks to the chain shoulder strap. Available with magnetic clasp and gold-finish metal accessories,” says the Fendi website about the bag that’s made in Italy. The bag can be teamed with white cashmere pullover, blue leather booties, Can Eye gold colored sunglasses and Touch of Fur black silk Foulard. Another significant product in the collection is a black leather flat card holder. As per the Fendi website, crayons card holder with central compartment and six card slots is finished with Fendi Roma logo and internal tag. It is made of black calfskin and is decorated with gold-finish metal appliques in the shape of Bag Bugs eyes. This too has been given shape in Italy. Crayon card holder goes well with Kan I black leather ladies bag and compliments “Run Away” watch with F is Fendi logo. It also accentuates Wrappy black silk bandeau. The sheen comes to the collection with gold colored bracelet having F is Fendi logo. It is a rigid bracelet with spring closure on the back. It is made of metal with gold finish. The band is decorated with zircons in their natural color. It can be styled well with black silk and wool dress, black leather high sandals, Kan I multicolor fabric and leather bag, or multicolor mink charm bag. Mon Tresor pink leather mini-bag can become your personal favorite too because of its cute appeal. “The small bucket bag with drawstring fastening and metal decoration in the form of the Fendi logo has two detachable shoulder straps — one long and one short — to wear it over the shoulder or cross-body. The bag made in Italy comes in pink cruise leather and gold metalware,” says the website. Pair it with Mini Strap You leather shoulder strap or Wrappy multicolor silk bandeau. Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the collection'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Saturday, September 8th, 2018 at 11:30 AM - Topeka, KS - 3 for 1 special! A great investment opportunity! Auction Sale Bill 2018-09-08 11:30:00 2018-09-08 12:30:00 America/Chicago Real Estate Auction - Simnitt Real Estate & Auction, Inc. 3 for 1 special! A great investment opportunity! http://www.simnittauction.com/180908-real-estate-auction-3026-ne-seward-ave-topeka-kansas/ 3026 SE Seward Ave Topeka, KS Simnitt Real Estate & Auction, Inc.'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Learn how to make the most of your watercolors by making a paint mixing chart! You'll save time & money and create more beautiful paintings. "
'arts_and_crafts','english','We’ve had so much fun celebrating our cookbook’s one-year anniversary with you this week! We wanted to close out the week with a little bonus recipe for you all—it’s from our cookbook, Weekday Weekend . And this would be a great recipe to make before summer winds down.As you know, our cookbook is a mix of healthy and indulgent recipes. This mango ice cream is from the weekday section—which means it’s on the healthier side. This ice cream contains no dairy or added refined sugar; but it’s still ultra creamy and will certainly satisfy a sweet craving.I love mango in this recipe as it’s one of my favorite fruits, especially in the summer when it’s fresh (but you can always buy frozen in other seasons). But you could also swap out the mango for other fruit you may have on hand. I think this would be delicious with strawberries or peaches, for example. Enjoy! xo. EmmaMango Ice Cream16 ounces 454 g frozen, cubed mango 1 can coconut milk, 13.5 oz (382 g) ((make sure to use the full fat version for this recipe)) 1 vanilla bean 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)In a blender or food processor, add the coconut milk (cream and liquid) and the seeds from the vanilla bean. Simply use a sharp knife to cut down the center of the bean and then scrape out the seeds. Blend until very smooth. See how well yours blends and you decide what’s needed here, the goal is a super smooth liquid with no lumps!Add the frozen mango and honey (or maple syrup) if using. Pulse until you get a soft serve consistency. If the mixture is too thick to blend well add another tablespoon of unsweetened almond milk or water. You can enjoy some of this right then if you like. What you don’t consume freeze in a small airtight container until you are ready to scoop it out and enjoy.Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Recipe from the Weekday Weekend cookbook . '
'arts_and_crafts','english','Home » Family Life » Easy Dinner Ideas for Parents: Gorton’s Shrimp Bowls Easy Dinner Ideas for Parents: Gorton’s Shrimp Bowls This post may contain affiliate links. PinI have an announcement to make. WE’RE BUSY. Yes, it’s true. We’re at the start of what sometimes feels like the busiest time of the year for our family and I know we’re not alone. So I’m focused on sharing some of the things that make our lives easier as we transition from summer into the routine and packed schedules of fall! One of my latest discoveries is NEW Gorton’s Shrimp Bowls .We’re partnering with Gorton’s to share about our experience so read on to learn more about why these are a staple in our freezer these days! GORTON’S SHRIMP BOWLSI love to cook up easy recipes for my family but there are nights when it just doesn’t happen, especially once baseball starts and we have to head over to the fields for the evening. The kids are easy to please when it comes to a quick dinner but I find that I burn out fairly easily without some variety. MY LATEST VIDEOSI love our busy life because it’s packed full of so much fun and we always end up with a ton of great memories, but I am also one of those people who gets HANGRY easily. Dinner has to happen early in the evening or I will be snacking on concessions all night long.So, on these busy nights dinner has to be quick and easy, but I also want to be able to have flavors I enjoy as an adult. I’ll do my fair share of macaroni and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. But sometimes I want to feel a bit more grown up.This is where Gorton’s Shrimp Bowls have found a place in our kitchen. GORTON’S SHRIMP BOWLS = FLAVORGorton’s Seafood has always been a brand you can find in our freezer. My kids (even my picky eater) enjoy the Crunchy Breaded Fish Sticks while I love how the Grilled Fillets make it convenient for me to make better choices. Oh, and the Beer Batter Fish Fillets are perfect for making fish sandwiches at home!So the NEW Gorton’s Shrimp Bowls were a no-brainer when I spotted them in the frozen food section. They’re a complete meal that you can have ready in under six minutes! That is perfect for even the busiest of nights!Plus, they come in two very different varieties that all pack some great flavor! Stir Fry with Soba Noodles Shrimp Bowl Black Garlic & Wine Risotto Shrimp BowlThe flavor options are great for when I’m craving something a bit more than a sandwich and chips before we head out the door!It’s a hard decision to make but right now my favorite flavor is the Stir Fry with Soba Noodles Shrimp Bowl. I have a noodle craving every few weeks and I’ve discovered that Gorton’ Shrimp Bowls kick it to the curb when I have the Stir Fry with Soba Noodles Shrimp Bowl for dinner!Taking care of those cravings is also important if I’m headed to the ball fields because otherwise I’m tempted by all the snack food there that aren’t really the makings for a meal. But the combination of Shrimp, soba noodles, perfectly seasoned veggies, and a delicious soy ginger sauce is definitely delicious and filling! GORTON’S SHRIMP BOWLS = CONVENIENCEI’ve found myself reaching for Gorton’s Shrimp Bowls this week because of the convenience factor. You pop one in the microwave and have dinner for one in minutes. The individual bowl keeps the cleanup factor low too. When you’re walking out the door and won’t be home until after dark, it’s nice to have an option that doesn’t a lot of prep or cleanup.I can also whip up peanut butter sandwiches for my kids while my dinner is cooking and we can even sit together at the table before we go! By saving time in the kitchen, I’m less stressed out and can enjoy my time with the kids.We all need to give ourselves a break sometimes! Anything that prevents that hangry feeling and helps me spend more time with my family is something I want to try! If you’re looking for the same, then Gorton’s Shrimp Bowls could be a great dinner option for your busiest nights!Learn more about the new Shrimp Bowls and all of the Gorton’s Seafood products at gortons.com . They’ve got easy dinner ideas for the whole family that are great for any time of the year, but especially during the transition from summer to fall! '
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Weekends with the Wigglesworths- Second to Last Weekend of the Summer! Saturday, August 18, 2018 Happy Saturday, friends. We are on our second to last weekend before school starts back up, which means I'll be slightly freaking out making sure that we are ready with the school supplies while still trying to drink in every last moment of summer vacation. Overall, we've had a pretty wonderful summer, but I'm still not ready enough for it to be nearly over. We're going to have to review our summer bucket list and make sure we can cross off just a few more items.... A Few Things Will HAVE to Wait! So, there are a few things on our list that are pretty unlikely to get done before school starts. Heading to Niagara Falls and visiting the Statue of Liberty seem a little unattainable this close to the start of the school year, at least for me. I'm not one to venture too far from home without another adult around, and since the one adult I prefer to be there the most (Matt, of course) will be at work, trips to New York are currently off the table. There's always next year, or maybe even sometime this fall! We Did Get Some Great Things Checked Off! We were able to do so many fun things this summer. We went geocaching a few times (we still have to hide our own), learned how to blow bubbles with our bubblegum, visited the Barker Character Comic and Cartoon Museum, and visited a castle (even though it wasn't the one on our bucket list, it was still awesome)! Our visit to the Barker Character Comic and Cartoon Museum was so much fun and the girls loved posing with many of the characters, including The Jetsons! The girls loved checking out Castle Craig and the views were pretty phenomenal! We also got to hit the beach this summer, with some great friends. Nothing beats the feeling of your feet in the sand, fresh air, and great company! Well, What's Next? There are still a few things on our list that we can get done over the next 9 days of vacation. Today will be a little busy for us since we have a birthday party and a potential soccer practice to attend (depending on the weather). but I think we can either hide a geocache or maybe even visit the drive-in later on this afternoon. Whichever one we aren't able to accomplish today, we'll be able to do tomorrow after visiting with Gram. During the week, we'll have to fit in a visit to our local aquariums, take a trip to the arcade, go bowling, visit an amusement park, go camping, and maybe throw in one or two more beach days. We'll also have to be sure that we make ourselves available for the ice cream social at R's school (D's is after school starts) and the meet and greet for the new superintendent. It's going to be one BUSY week. I hope you have a great weekend!"
'arts_and_crafts','english','“Witness” at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Salem BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 17, 2018 “Nisei Trilogy: The Camps,” 2015, Roger Shimomura (American, b. 1939), Lithograph, 18 1/2 x 27 inches (Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer, 2015.794b. Photo: Strode Photographic LLC) Related Hallie Ford Museum of Art The Hallie Ford Museum of Art will host “Witness: Themes of Social Justice in Contemporary Printmaking and Photography from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation,” a new exhibition, scheduled to go on view from September 15 through December 21, 2018. The exhibition will take place at the museum’s Melvin Henderson-Rubio Gallery and the Maribeth Collins Lobby. The Hallie Ford Museum of Art houses one of the most remarkable collections of contemporary prints in the United States. Drawn from its own collection, ”Witness,” will have on display a selection of 82 prints by 40 nationally and internationally recognized artists. This includes works by artists such as Enrique Chagoya, Lalla Essaydi, Mildred Howard, Hung Liu, Nicola Lopez, Wendy Red Star (Apsaalooka), Roger Shimomura, Kara Walker, and Marie Watt (Seneca). Through the unique selection of works, the exhibition will explore issues of race, identity, and social justice in contemporary printmaking and photography. “The theme represented in this exhibition, social justice, is the most important discussion all of us in the country need to have with each other,” says Jordan D. Schnitzer. “We continue proudly support the Hallie Ford Museum and our numerous collaborations together.” The exhibition is grouped into four thematic sections: Stories and Histories, Pressures of Pop Culture, Challenging Expectations of Place, and Unconventional Portraits. It is organized by Portland, Oregon, art historian and scholar Elizabeth Bilyeu. The exhibition is supported by Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation and the Hallie Ford Exhibition Fund. The exhibition will be on view from September 15, 2018, through December 21, 2018, at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St, Salem, OR 97301, USA. For details, visit http://www.blouinartinfo.com/galleryguide/hallie-ford-museum-of-art/overview'
'arts_and_crafts','english','“IAM project at Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. Moscow,” 2018 Exhibition view, Photo: Ivan Erofeev, (© Garage Museum of Contemporary Art) Related Garage Museum of Contemporary Art The Garage Museum’s tenth-anniversary experimental exhibition “IAM” is on view through August 26, 2018 at the museum’s Garage LAB. The project “IAM” aims to explain questions about the nature of the contemporary museum, and the additional competencies that museum workers, curators, artists, and even visitors might need to possess. The closing episode showcases a new multimedia installation “code-verse” by Ryoji Ikeda. “The installation, created in collaboration with Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, explores one possible answer to the question about possible interactions between artists and the digital world,” says the museum. Ryoji Ikeda (b. 1966, Gifu, Japan) has been working in digital art since the 1990’s. “Having started out in electronic music, he later moved on to experiments in video and through them, to the making of large audio-visual installations based on the mathematical code. Using musical pitch as a medium, he translates various kinds of data into an almost abstract code — a perfect sequence of ‘phrases’ that create audio-visual compositions like those in code-verse,” the Garage Museum says. The installation transforms mathematical code into an independent symphonic or polyphonic work. “’Code-verse’ has no narrative: it communicates with the viewer’s senses. Immersed in white noise, viewers are invited to contemplate the poetry of mathematical relationships and variations in code in the same way one listens to music,” the museum adds. The exhibition is on view through August 26, 2018 at Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. 9/32 Krymsky Val, 119049, Moscow, Russia. For details, visit: http://www.blouinartinfo.com/galleryguide-venues/291800/museum-overview'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Home » parenting » Back to School » How to Save on Back to School Shopping How to Save on Back to School Shopping YummlyHow to save on back to school shopping is a paid collaborative post in conjunction with My Voucher Codes . I would love to think that I am an organised Mum but half the time I am a fly by the seat of my pants mum, however, when it comes to saving money I am on it! Raising children is expensive and any penny I can save means that I can spend it somewhere else, preferably on something fun.One of our biggest expenses on an annual basis is the dreaded back to school shop. I would love to say that as the boys’ have got older it has got less expensive but alas it wouldn’t be true. What has happened is I am the boss of shopping effectively and efficiently to get the most for my money. Both of the boys’ are now in adult sized shoes (which you pay VAT on). They also have very clear ideas on what they do and don’t like. Like me they both adore stationery and My Voucher codes have some great discounts from Paperchase , WHSmith , Ryman , The Works and PC World.So after over ten years of back to school shopping, I am something of an expert on getting the best value school stuff from a number of shops. I thought I would share with you my top tips. Brilliant Back to School Money-Saving TipsPart of the reason I seem organised is that I have a set order for back to school shopping. And guess what? I am willing to let you into my secrets.Make a list and stick to it. Knowing what I need for the boys makes shopping so much easier and also stops me buying things that they do not need.Shop what you have . Once I know what I need then I shop the boys’ wardrobes. I pass down anything that I can and see what will last another year. There is no point in buying things if they do not need them.Second Hand is not second best. Does your school have a second-hand uniform sale? Children grow like weeds so often second-hand uniform can be in really good condition and you can pick it up for a great price. Also don’t be afraid to ask friends who have older children if they have any you can buy from them.Check out all savings. Once I know what I need I make sure I check online for back to school voucher codes . This takes a couple of minutes and can save so much.Buy generic and get embroidered. I have always found that it is much cheaper to buy unbranded generic or personalised school uniform (without the school badge) and then use a local embroiderer to do it rather than buying it directly for the school, especially in primary school. However, this year the boys’ senior school had a great deal on prebadged blazers.Stamp it rather than label – Sometimes time is money and I have always found sewing in labels really time-consuming. I have never had much success with iron-on labels either, but a permanent stamp works really well for me. I just use our surname (perfect when handing down).Cost versus value – It’s about finding the right balance between the two. Sometimes longevity is as important as saving money – that way you’ll reduce your costs in the long run. Look at things in a cost-per-wear way. Often less expensive items might not last the whole year.Stock up throughout the year – I often find late September and early October a brilliant time to get some bargains, especially with stationery and school stuff as they will be on sale. I get the boys stationery for the year and pop it in my cupboard and shop what I have. I get them extra gloves at the end of winter and often get their next years school coat in the sales. I just need to make sure that I do not forget I have them! I find that shops like TKMaxx a fab place for buying out of season items.Sometimes it is the little things that really add up and I remember my Mum telling me to make sure that I stuck to one style and colour of socks and then with the same socks to select from, even the odd socks will eventually end up as a pair!Both of my boys’ overheat when wearing school jumpers so for most of the primary school years they wore a zip-up fleece from picked up from Sports Direct school colours with the school logo embroidered on. It washed and dried so fast that they only needed one and it doubled up as a lightweight coat too, so a double saving.If you have girls then Next is the place for stylish shorts and cullotes which work for maximum comfort, modesty and durability. Plus they can be worn during the summer with socks and all winter with tights.I used to advocate buying things as early as possible, however, both boy’s underwent a growth spurt which left the clothes (and shoes) too small!I would love to know your back to school money-saving tips as I am always up for saving money. Please do share them in the comments. Related Posts'
'arts_and_crafts','english','“Sonic Territories” at Beishan Broadcast Wall, Taiwan Beishan Broadcast Wall (Courtesy: David Ulrichs) Augustin Maurs and Ada Kai-Ting Yang will mark the 60th anniversary of the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis on August 26 with “Sonic Territories” at Beishan Broadcast Wall. The performance exhibiting sound works resulting from a week-long artist-run workshop on Kinmen Island in Taiwan will feature works of artists Hsia-Fei Chang, Wang Fujui, Augustin Maurs, Ada Kai-Ting Yang, and Li-Ping Ting. The Beishan Broadcast Wall on Kinmen Island, Taiwan, consists of a large-scale loudspeaker built in 1967 on the Beishan Cliff, facing the sea and only about six kilometers away from China. The three storey Wall, which holds 48 individual loudspeakers, stands at the edge of the beach, on the site of the battle of Guningtou (1949) — a crucial historical event that laid the foundation for the current status quo relationship between Taiwan and China. "It was used to broadcast propaganda messages across the Taiwan Strait to the mainland until the late 1970s with an estimated maximum reach of 25 kilometres. Many of the documented voices of the loudspeaker were women, including the iconic Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng (1953 - 1995), whose songs, punctuated by spoken messages were used to attract listeners across the ocean. Still partially functioning today, the Beishan Broadcasting Wall is one of the biggest loudspeaker structures ever built,” said the curators. "During ‘Sonic Territories,’ five Taiwanese and international artists will re-invent and embue the Beishan Broadcast Wall with new life in the course of an artist-run research residency.” The final performance will include Ada Kai-Ting Yang’s transformation of the broadcasting wall into a commemorative chapel; Hsia-Fei Chang’s re-enactment of a concert by the iconic singer Teresa Teng; Augustin Maurs’s composition for propaganda loudspeakers and singing voices, and an immersive sound performance by Wang Fujui. Construction of the loudspeaker will become a polyphonic instrument in which past and future merge through the voices of contemporary artists and local actors. From an innovative sound installation, to performances and a live concert with the Kinmen Country Choir, “Sonic Territories” will show how sound can blur boundaries and that while standing on a border, the broadcast wall overcomes it by reaching beyond it igniting new creative territories.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Around the holidays last year, I made a batch of mitten sugar cookies that I decorated to look like embroidery stitches. I loved those cookies so much and wanted to find a way to incorporate even more icing “yarn” stitching into cookies that could be made any time of year. Emma and I were chatting about ideas and I thought that it would be fun to make wall weaving cookies using the royal icing to get the telltale yarn tassels, chunky weaves, and roving balls. While the tassel part was a little difficult to master, I can’t tell you how fun the cookies were to make. And they would be perfect for that friend in your life who is obsessed with yarn. I know I have a few!Not to worry if you aren’t that much of a baker or cake decorator. I consider myself a beginner in that world and I was still able to make semi convincing wall weaving sugar cookies. The key is to make sure that your icing is stiff so that it holds its shape when piped. Then it’s just a matter of making dots, lines, fringe, and swirls with the icing.To begin, I made a batch of rolled sugar cookies and cut them into rectangles using a knife, then baked until just golden brown. Then I made my favorite royal icing recipe. Once mixed, I divided the icing into small bowls, added a drop or two of food coloring and mixed to make my “yarn” colors.Once I had my colors mixed, I made parchment icing bags for each of my colors. To do this, cut a triangle out of parchment paper, then fold the two end points up and around to the top point. Fold the tip down and fill. This tutorial helps quite a bit. If you prefer, you can also use regular disposable piping bags with a small piping tip, too. For the white icing, I used a piping bag with a grass tip to get the strand look of real yarn.Now that all your pieces are in place, use the piping bags to pipe the yarn weaving components onto the cookie, starting at the bottom with a few fringe strands and working your way to the top of the cookie.With the grass tip, I pulled the piping bag away from the cookie and downward to create a fringed yarn look. The key to making the weaving look realistic is to make sure the icing is asymmetric and varied. Each component separately may not look like yarn or a weaving, but all together the look is perfect!Now it’s time to eat all these hard earned cookies! Xo. KaraCredits // Author and Photography: Kara Whitten. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop . '
'arts_and_crafts','english','No Prep Fraction Games: Roll and Cover August 20, 2018Ready for some No Prep Fraction Games ? I know I am!This the TENTH and FINAL set of games from our No Prep Math Games series.*This post contains affiliate links. **The free download can be found at the END of this post. Scroll down and click on the teal download button. No Prep Fraction GamesThese no prep fraction games are super simple to play. Learners roll a die and read one of the fractions associated with the number they roll. Depending on the game board you choose, learners either find the fraction that matches, find the shape that shows that fraction, shade in their own shape, or divide/shade in the shape.The 12 No Prep Fraction Games Include: Read and Match Fractions to Shaded Shapes (2 boards) Read and Match Fraction Words to Shaded Shapes (2 boards) Read and Match Fraction Words to Fractions (2 boards) Read the Fractions and Shade the Shapes (2 boards) Read the Fractions and Divide/Shade the Shapes (2 boards) Equivalent Fractions (2 boards)Try it! Slip the fraction games into a dry erase pocket and use dry erase marker or cover with counter s to make them reusable. {The game pictured above is from our no prep addition games , but the idea is the same.} I have more ideas for modifying the games on our introduction page .Grab a copy of our free Roll & Race Shape Games , too!Find all the printable packs in this No Prep Math Games series and more ideas on how to use them!'
'arts_and_crafts','english','An Easy Hat to Knit Before it Gets Cold August 20 , by Sarah White . Leave a CommentFor some reason we’ve been having a somewhat cool and really rainy August here in Arkansas, so as much as I want to hang onto the warm weather I’m also already thinking about fall and winter.I love to do a few quick knitting projects at the beginning of the season or a little before it starts to get cool so I know that I have some nice new things for the new season.If you want a few new knit accessories for fall (or spring, for that matter), the Park City Knit Beanie from Stitch and Hustle would be a great choice.It’s a simple design worked in Seed Stitch in the round and uses a super bulky yarn and big, size 13 US needles. It’s a little slouchy, so it will fit a variety of people, and it only uses one skein of yarn, so you might want to add this one to your list of projects to make for gift knitting.[Photo: Stitch and Hustle.]'
'arts_and_crafts','english','X 8/31 | Easy DIY Back To School Cards – Cricut CraftIt’s back to school season! That means it’s time to get creative and think of fun ways we can say hello to our new or returning teachers. It’s a great way to introduce yourself or just to make a teacher feel loved. Maybe you have a friend graduating and you want to make a fun and thoughtful homemade card for them as well. Today I want to show you a few different ways to make fun and Easy DIY Back To School Cards. If you have a Cricut this is perfect for you. We got all of these cute card designs from Makers Gonna Learn . It’s the ultimate crafting membership made for die cutting lovers like you. Not only do you get access to the hundreds of files when you become a member, but new files are added every month! Be sure to check it out! I hope you enjoy learning about these fun cards.Some of these cards are as simple as printing and sticking, while others require some layering, vinyl, and creativity. You can make all of these cards a number of different ways so be sure you’re creating one that’s in your comfort zone. Cricut Cutting MatsThis is a super easy card that you print and cut. You can use your Cricut to cut out the card template yourself or simply use scissors. You can make this card very easily. Who doesn’t love a simple homemade card?This card is so creative! It actually uses two different files from Makers Gonna Learn’s Back To School collection. They compliment each other so well. It’s a simple folded card with printed lockers and a cute “have a great year” sign. It’s a great card to try if you’re feeling more confident in your card making skills.This card looks hard, but it’s really not. The Cricut cut the base of the card from white cardstock then cut the apple outline and text from red cardstock. Then finally it cut little leaves from green cardstock. You simply use your handy dandy ATG gun and assemble. So easy! Overview of Different Cricut MembershipsI’m not going to lie. This one is a doozie. Super fun to make, but not for the faint of heart. I would leave this one to the confident paper crafters, but if you want to try your hand then be our guest! It’s a fun multi-layer multi-material tri-fold card. You’ve got textured paper, cardstock, and vinyl. A lot of things go into making this card, but it does look fantastic once it’s finished.It doesn’t get much easier than hand cutting a simple square card, and adding some vinyl text with some transfer paper. It looks like a high-end card but in reality, it just helped you use up some vinyl scraps! I hope you’re not afraid of making DIY cards with your Cricut anymore. There’s a wide range of designs and there are some for everyone. I hope you enjoyed this roundup! Author'
'arts_and_crafts','english','40 Things to do this Fall {Bucket List w/free printable} August 19 Be Inspired Enjoy this bucket list of fun Fall activities for families -- perfect inspiration for family time together!And there\'s so much to do in the fall (along with yummy new recipes to try - I\'m a big baker) so we made a list of festive Fall Activities that I wanted to share with you.I\'ve included a free printable version below too in case you want to keep one at your home this season -- it\'s fun to use as a \'bucket list\' or even as seasonal artwork to decorate the house! 40 Fun Things to do this FallEnjoy some of these super fun seasonal activities this year!I\'m including links to many of the items so you can easily find all the details along with affiliate links for some of our favorite items ( hope it helps to save you time so you\'ll have more to spend with the family ).I should have included "Read Fall Books" but that\'s just a given if you have kids, right ;) so here are some of our recommended Books to Cozy up with this Fall if you\'re looking for suggestions.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','2 cloves garlic – whole or chopped salt/pepper to taste 2 carrots chopped 2 lemons – juicedHeat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat Add the celery, carrot, potato and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened Stir in the garlic. Salt and Pepper to taste and stir.Add the water, lentils, bay leaf and stir. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low stir and simmer covered, until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes more. Taste and season as needed, then stir in the lemon juice. Serve and enjoy.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Head shoulders knees and toes Knees and toesWith toddlers, you can get them to touch their body parts copying you as they sing but with a baby it’s time to do some little gentle stretching and tickling. Easy Newborn Activity – Head Shoulders Knees and ToesYou won’t need any equipment for this just you and your baby. If you have an older child they can join in to.Whilst they are on the floor mat, changing mat or even on your lap it’s time to stretch their arms out and as you sing. Lift their arms towards their head. Cross the arms as if touching their shoulders Bring their arms down as if you were going to touch their knees Then tickle their toesWhen it comes to their eyes and ears and mouth and nose touch each body part and don’t forget to “beep” their little nose as you finish off that verse of the song. Mum playing with smiling baby via ShutterstockYou can play like this until your baby reaches the rolling over stage, but what I discovered that as we started this easy changing mat activity when they were newborn they giggled and laughed throughout and anytime they started to roll and wiggle I would start the song and they would stop and play along with me as well. More Newborn Activities for you and your Baby'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Amazon Unlimited ReadFor the Love of Spumoni authors, Mary Lou Piland and Jenna Barrett Bernstein have crafted a multi-layered confection that rivals the sweetness of that Italian treat. Based on a true story, this comedic and heartwarming tale proves the search for love is the longest journey of all. Mary Lou is full of hopes, dreams and the innocence of young love. In walks Anthony. He’s funny, gorgeous and whip-smart, but doesn’t even know she’s alive. But Mary Lou is no shrinking violet. She’s bold, sassy and determined to get her way. She has her eye on the prize, and that price is Anthony. Caught between love and a family that will stop at nothing to protect its own, she’s bound to disappoint one while pleasing the other. When a long-lost truth arises in a journal from her family’s past, it shines a new light on her predicament. The past follows one path, while the present offers another. Both are marked by conflict, but two things are for sure: the heart knows no color and everything is at stake when love and prejudice go to war.When Mary Lou Piland stepped onto the Moth stage in Boston to share a simple story from her past, she had no way of knowing she was about to become an overnight, viral sensation.She stood before the crowd and spoke of a fiercely protective Italian family, her Nonna Maria and a young woman with an iron will and a forbidden love that would not be controlled or contained. The response was nothing short of cataclysmic. Mary Lou’s message of acceptance, forgiveness and freedom would connect her with 12 million fans from Bali to Bulgaria and Kentucky to Kenya. She was left sorting through thousands of messages, emails and speaking invitations. This is only the beginning.For the Love of Spumoni is Mary Lou’s debut novel, inspired by real events and brought to life with humor, candor, and a good dose of Italian drama. Share this:'
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'arts_and_crafts','english','Traverse TheatreThe main batch of awards is coming in this week at the world’s largest arts festival in Edinburgh. It is time for the final part of the BLOUIN ARTINFO pick of the best of 5,000 events scattered over 300 venues.This critic has already recommended ( click here for article ): “NewsRevue,” “For Godley’s Sake!,” “Private Peaceful,” “Revenants,” “Shift,” Cirque Berserk!, Circus-Cision, Circolombia, “It’s True, It’s True, It’s True” and “Century Song.” Also ( click here for second article ): “A Sockful of Custard,” “After The Cuts,” “Drenched,” “Waiting for Godot,” “Little Death Club,” and Tamar Broadbent: “Best Life.” Third weekly picks: “Angry Alan,” “3 Years, 1 Week and A Lemon Drizzle,” “Ulster American,” “The Song of Lunch,” “Paddington Bear’s First Concert”. Click here for third article.1. “Underground Railroad Game”Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped to move slaves to free states before and during the U.S. Civil War. This story looks at history through the eyes of a 21 st -century school group role-playing both sides. Differences emerge between pupils and their teachers. London’s Soho Theatre presents this Ars Nova production before it comes to Soho itself in September. It has picked up a Fringe First alongside its Obie Award and more.At Traverse Theatre, times vary (good luck in getting tickets); through August 26. Theater .2. “Ken”Following runs at Hampstead Downstairs and The Bunker, Terry Johnson’s “Ken” marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Ken Campbell, a maverick writer and theater director.At Pleasance Dome (Ace Dome) at 3:20 p.m. Theater.3. “Check Up: Our NHS at 70”The Fringe First award may surprise you. It is less of a play and more of an eye-opening talk by Mark Thomas. He points out that he is 54, the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) is 70, and British national average life expectancy is 84. If he makes it to 84, the NHS will be 100. He bases his diagnosis on the views of experts, though not everyone will revel in the politics. The show is still thought provoking, timely and relevant — along with other shows about the NHS at Edinburgh, such as “After the Cuts.”At Traverse Theatre, times vary; through August 26. Theater/ talk.4. “The Journey”This romantic drama, written by the stand-up comedian Stuart Laws, stars Will Brown and Phoebe Sparrow. Every relationship has to balance self-love and love for your partner, attraction and ego, sweetness and bitterness; which wins here?At Pleasance Dome (Ten) at 5:40 p.m. Theater/ comedy.5. “Tobacco Road”We jump back 100 years here to events after World War I. A group of ambitious men and women are bidding to sink or swim in the underworld of London.At Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs) from at 3:15 p.m. Theater.6. “Baby Face”Katy Dye explores the world where women are made to look like little girls and what consequences it has for sexualization.At Summerhall (Demonstration Room) 1:30 p.m. Theater.7. “The Political History of Smack and Crack”This look at heroin and inner-city problems is written by Ed Edwards. The early 1980s riots in Moss Side, Manchester, and other cities had many causes and this story is told from a perspective that is based on Edwards’s own experiences.At Paines Plough’s Roundabout @ Summerhall from 5:30 p.m. (not 21 st ). Theater.8. “On the Exhale”The Traverse Theatre has scooped up quite a few Fringe First awards. Here is another. The British premiere of Martin Zimmerman’s play looks at the aftermath of a school shooting and was inspired by the Sandy Hook murders of 20 Connecticut children and six staff members in 2012.At Traverse Theatre 2, times vary; through August 26.The 2018 Edinburgh Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival run through August 27.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','©DISNEY. PHOTO BY Addie Mauldin FOR DISNEY FAMILYHow to Make It Download, print, and cut out the Flower printable. Next, preheat oven to 350°F Make cake mix according to the instructions. Place tinfoil into cupcake tins so that your cones don’t move around while they’re baking. Then, lightly push cones into tinfoil. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the cones, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Then remove cones and let them cool. Add food coloring to your frosting and mix well. Add frosting to piping bags, then pipe onto wax paper making flower shapes. Place the frosting flowers in the freezer to harden. Pipe frosting onto the cupcake cones and place the flowers on top. Finish with a few edible flowers and add the paper Flower in one of your cones. ©DISNEY. PHOTO BY Addie Mauldin FOR DISNEY FAMILY Bambi Silhouette CupcakesThese enDEERing cupcakes are so elegant (and extra delicious!). With a simple stencil and some cocoa powder, you can create the perfect dessert for the Bambi Baby Shower.What You’ll Need'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Flip 0 SharesThis is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boar’s Head . All opinions are 100% mine.Make lunchtime fun for your kids with this easy Kid Friendly Cucumber Sushi recipe. Perfect back-to-school lunchbox idea for kids, this delicious combo will have your children gobbling “sushi” in no time! Kid Friendly Cucumber Sushi for Back-to-SchoolStrong opinions and even stronger taste buds! Got a picky eater heading to school this year? Me too! My kindergartner is more stubborn and independent than ever. With a week of school under her belt, she all of a sudden has become an expert when it comes to packing her lunchbox. And she’s not scared to speak her mind, especially at 7 o’clock in the morning. “Mo-om, I don’t want a sandwich today.” “My fruit needs to be cut into smaller pieces. I eat like a lady.” “Don’t forget my love note!” (Ok, I admit that I kind of love that she loves her little notes from Mommy. )PB&J just won’t cut it for this little foodie, but I’m not afraid of a little school lunch challenge. Borrowing a little inspiration from my daughter’s favorite utensil, we’re taking chopsticks to kindergarten this year. Make sushi for kids even more fun with this Kid Friendly Cucumber Sushi for Back-to-School! Perfect lunchbox idea for little hands, your kids will definitely be asking to eat more “ sushi ” for lunch. Maybe it’s the Asian part of me, but I don’t mind using a little cucumber sushi inspiration to make lunches more fun for my little girl. She definitely needs ALL of the nutritious calories she can get for her big kindergarten year. Growing up, Boar’s Head was always the go-to brand for my school lunches. So heading to my local grocery store, I grabbed some fresh Boar’s Head Meat and Cheeses from our deli to fuel my daughter’s growing brain. Sweet ham and cheese is always a winning kid-friendly combo. Lucky for me, it’s also a combo that she loves too. Kid Friendly Cucumber Sushi Recipe for Back-to-SchoolHealthy, colorful and fun – when I pack chopsticks in my girl’s lunchbox, you know it’s going to be a good lunch! What I love about this kid friendly cucumber sushi recipe is that it’s packed with lots of flavors that my daughter loves – sweet ham, creamy cheese and a big crunch! Gluten free and sandwich free, it’s a great alternative to the “usual” school lunches and allergy friendly too! Ready to kick your lunchbox up a level? What You Will Need: 2-3 Slices of Boar’s Head American Cheese, white (1) Fresh Cucumber Handful of fresh matchstick carrots Optional: toasted sesame seeds for garnish Directions: Slice cucumber into large ¾-1 inch thick slices (removing peel if desired). Hollow out center of cucumber using a melon baller. Leave about ½ inch of cucumber from the edges. Stuff cucumber with small rolls of ham, cheese and carrots until center is filled. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve cold. Refrigerated leftovers in tightly sealed container.These kid friendly cucumber sushi rolls are a perfect sandwich-free lunch idea. My daughter definitely approves! Whether using little fingers or little chopsticks with her school bento box, we’ve got a fresh new school lunch for kindergarten. Now if we can get her to agree on school appropriate wardrobe choices… Looking for more back-to-school lunchbox ideas like this kid friendly cucumber sushi? Check out the Back to School with Boar’s Head website for more delicious and fun inspiration. Look for Boar’s Head products in your local supermarket, gourmet stores and fine eateries. To find a location near you, call Boar’s Head customer service at 1-800-352-6277. What kid friendly cucumber sushi combo would your kids love this back-to-school season? more delicious recipes, kid crafts and travel tips. Looking for more delicious back-to-school ideas?'
'arts_and_crafts','english',' Health and Beauty / 5 Things You Need To Know About Invisalign 5 Things You Need To Know About Invisalign August 22, 2018 Share 0 SharesChances are, you’ve thought about trying Invisalign either for yourself or you’ve thought about it for your children. Invisalign is a set of clear aligners that straighten teeth with custom clear trays that are almost unnoticeable. Clear, durable plastic is custom molded into a set of nearly invisible aligner trays that snap into place, perfectly fitting over your teeth. They’re a great option for teens and adults who want to transform their smiles without the noticeable metal wires in braces. Since being embarrassed of your smile can have extremely adverse psychological and social effects , it’s only natural why we’d think about our options to fix our teeth. Regular braces are distracting, visually unappealing, and can cause psychological and general lifestyle barriers for the wearer. Invisalign not only looks better than braces, it also will suit your lifestyle more. Invisalign won’t get in the way of your day-to-day activities as much as braces will. The length of time you wear Invisalign depends on how much straightening and adjusting your teeth need, and most dental offices offer payment plans or financing. Here are 5 more things you need to know about Invisalign: You Can Eat and Drink NormallyInvisalign is removable, which means you can take the trays out to eat or drink. With braces, you have to worry about food getting stuck in the braces, and certain foods must be avoided. Invisalign doesn’t require you to change your eating habits or adjust your diet. With Invisalign, the simplicity of removing the trays allows you to eat and drink like normal, and you can brush your teeth normally as well. You Get A New Set Of Aligners Every Two WeeksA dentist in Canton MI informed me that every two weeks, you exchange your custom aligners for a new set that are more adjusted, to slowly straighten your teeth to their correct position. It makes sense if you think about it. You’ll likely exchange the old set for a new set that is a little bit tighter, a little bit more adjusted, and over time the constant upgrading to a new and tighter set allows for the finished result to be perfect. Keeping Your Aligners Clean Is CrucialIf you have Invisalign, you take off your aligners to eat, drink and clean your teeth. Although you might think it’s ok to drink with Invisalign on, it’s not. It’s crucial to keep your aligners clean because you want your custom aligners to remain clear. If they get stained, they’ll discolor and they’ll no longer be as clear, which means they’ll no longer be as invisible. If you’re a coffee drinker, for example, your Invisalign aligners could yellow over time, making the invisible plastic less invisible. To avoid discoloring and staining your aligners, take them off when you drink and eat, and brush your teeth after eating and drinking so that when you put the aligners back on, they won’t absorb food products and discolor. You Might Notice a Difference In The Way You SpeakFor awhile, you might notice a difference in the way you talk when you’re wearing Invisalign. You might notice a slight lisp, or a difficulty pronouncing certain words. This is normal since you suddenly have an object in your mouth. Your tongue has to adjust to having a tray in your mouth, and a temporary speech impediment might happen, but it won’t be that noticeable. Most people are able to get used to their aligners and get rid of their lisp. This means that you’ll probably have no difficulty talking once you get used to them. The Pain Is Not As Bad As Braces, But There Will Be Some PainInvisalign is more comfortable and less painful than braces, but there will be some pain. The first few weeks on Invisalign can be quite painful. Your teeth will hurt from being moved and adjusted, so toothaches are normal. The tightness can cause headaches as well. Your tongue and cheeks might also get some sores and scratches because it takes some getting used to when it comes to having a tray in your mouth. The tray can cause sores on the inside of your cheeks while your mouth gets used to it. All in all, though, the pain is manageable and much more comfortable than braces.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Tuesday, September 4th, 2018 at 7:00 PM - Arkansas City, KS - Vehicles, Welder, Antique Scales, Metal Shop Tables Online Only Auction 2018-09-04 19:00:00 2018-09-04 20:00:00 America/Chicago Internet Auction - Theurer Auction/Realty Vehicles, Welder, Antique Scales, Metal Shop Tables http://www.theurer.net/auction/341047/vehicles-welder-antique-scales-metal-shop-tables/ Arkansas City, KS Theurer Auction/Realty'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Sometimes you just need a cookie, right? It could be unexpected company you want to impress, a bad day, a good day, or a fun activity for yourself (or some kiddos in your life). My personal favorite excuse is if you happen to be visiting your sister—that’s enough excuse for me to bake a batch of cookies. Ha! With summer winding down you probably want something quick and easy too, so having an easy recipe on hand is key, and that’s the inspiration behind these cookies.We are excited to be partnering with KitchenAid for this post, Elsie recently got a Mini Stand-Mixer in the brand’s color of the year, Bird of Paradise. Maybe you saw me showing off the 5-quart version of this mixer? Well, the mini stand-mixer is just as pretty and can still make up to 5 dozen cookies in a single batch so it was perfect for this recipe!This is the first year Kitchen Aid has done a color of the year collection and we just love the fun and vibrant shade they chose! It’s super cute in all their appliances like their mini food chopper , hand blender , blender , hand mixer and the 5-quart and mini stand-mixers. Too cute!So about these cookies. 🙂 Essentially this is a great cookie dough base. Think chocolate chip cookies but without the chocolate chips. You can mix in all sorts of different things based on the seasons or what you may have on hand. You can bake a batch right away or freeze to use later.One mix-in idea we love is chopped up cookies like Oreos. The mini food chopper is perfect for this kind of add-in because of it’s multiple speed settings for coarse or fine results. Plus it’s light and compact so it doesn’t take up too much counterspace. Use cookies to make more cookies? Yes, I think there are times this is called for. 🙂And here’s a quick video version of this recipe!Here are some other mix-in ideas we love:-Golden Grahams, Chocolate Chips, and Mini Marshmallows-Mini Peanut Butter Cups or Chocolate Kisses-Sprinkles!!!!-Chopped Nuts (especially love macadamia nuts with white chocolate chips)-Dark Chocolate and Potato Chips-Crushed Cookies (like Oreos)You really can mix in ALL sorts of delicious things to make any kind of cookies you like!Then just bake for 8-10 minutes at 350°F and you’re ready for dessert! These are great to make to bring to a party, for an at home movie night, or an outdoor event. We especially love the s’mores version we made (Golden Grahams, chocolate chips, and marshmallows) and it just feels like the perfect end of summer treat!Grab a friend and get to baking—enjoy! xo. Emma (+ Elsie)Anytime Cookies1/2 cup softened butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 to 1 1/2 cups mix in ingredients (see post)In a KitchenAid stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Then add the vanilla extract and egg and mix until combined. Then add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms. Stir in your mix in ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.Spoon onto a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Then gently remove to a cooling rack. If you don’t plan to bake your cookies within a day or two you can freeze the prepared dough for use later.Credits // Author: Emma Chapman. Photos: Emma Chapman and Elsie Larson. Video and Music: Jeremy Larson. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop . '
'arts_and_crafts','english','You are here: Home / Kids Crafts / Paper Crafts / Make Your Own Easy Paper Apple Craft with Free Printable Template Make Your Own Easy Paper Apple Craft with Free Printable Template By Melissa Lennig 11 Comments . This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Pin 9K 10K SharesInside : Just in time for fall, kids of all ages will love this easy paper apple craft . This simple craft includes a free printable template, making it perfect for home or school.Tonight at dinner I sighed, “Watermelon season is almost over.”“But Mommy,” my oldest son started, “when watermelon season is over, that means it’s apple season. You like apples, don’t you?”“I do. I do like apples. But I really, really love watermelon .” MY LATEST VIDEOSRelated: Paper Strip Pumpkins Easy Paper Apple Craft for KidsYou see, 1 month ago we moved to a new city. And if you’ve ever moved before, you know exactly what we are going through. Getting the kids adjusted to their new school …unpacking (ugh)…and trying to find our new favorite places.So until we find our new favorite apple farm, we will keep a bowl of these colorful paper strip apples on the table. Not quite edible, but oh, so darling! To Make This Apple Craft You Will NeedRelated: Simple and Fun Apple Crafts for Kids Paper Apple Craft Directions1. Download and print the paper apple craft template. We printed the templates on colored card stock, but you can also print them on white paper and invite kids to color in their apples and leaves with crayons or markers.2. Next, cut out the templates. We used 6 rectangular strips and 1 leaf/apple. If you want your apple to have more solid coverage, simply use more paper strips.Tip: When you are printing this template, be sure to have “actual size” checked in your printer menu.3. Invite kids to punch a hole on both ends of the paper strips with the single hole punch. They should also punch 1 hole at the end of every leaf.4. Stack 6 paper strips with the ink side facing down. Push a brass fastener through each end, being sure to add a leaf to one side. Secure the fasteners.5. Gently bend the stack of papers and separate each strip to form a sphere.6. Carefully tug the paper strips until you are satisfied with their appearance.Related: Apple SuncatchersAren’t they pretty?My kids made apple after apple. They filled up an entire bowl and it looks lovely resting on our kitchen table.This craft would also make an adorable ornament. Simply wrap a piece of twine around the brass fastener and hang the apple on a hook or your Christmas tree. Video Tutorial: Paper Apple CraftWatch the video below to be guided through each step of this craft. You can view more easy kids craft tutorials on our Facebook Page , Teachers Pay Teachers Page , or right here on our website. Save This Craft craft More Fall Crafts for KidsClick the images below to view more creative fall crafts for kids. Sweet and Simple Felt Apple Craft 25+ Beautiful Fall Nature Crafts for Kids Scrap Ribbon Apple Suncatchers'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Poliform to Launch New Collection at London Design Festival 21, 2018 “Bellport,” 2018 by Jean-Marie Massaud (Courtesy: London Design Festival )Poliform will launch their new collection of products at London Design Festival 2018 that were exclusively displayed in Salone del Mobile 2018. French Architect JM Massaud will take the centre stage with a host of new products.For 2018, Massud has drawn on the influence of an industrial area outside New York. “Bellport,” is a collection of sofas devised to recreate the bright and sprightly atmosphere that inspired its name. Famous for its well-being and superior quality of life, “Bellport” is not only a place where former factories and warehouses are being renovated, but most of all where new ideas are springing up.“The collection consists of several components such as sofas, day beds, poufs, and armchairs devised to blend in seamlessly with the remainder of Poliform's living room collection. Extremely versatile, just like a close-fitting or loose garment, ideal for the city and for a holiday, warm or light-weight, suitable for every situation, whether in summer or in winter, in the Hamptons or in Chelsea,” writes the design house.Graduated from the ENSCI in 1990, Jean-Marie Massaud has run a quest for synthesis, reduction, and lightness since his first intuitions. He has been working in all kind of design fields, from furniture to industrial product and equipment. In 2000, he found Studio Massaud and expanded his expertise to architecture and brand development.It has been nearly 10 years since Massaud collaborated with Poliform. He has designed over 40 pieces in the collection. His “Mondrian sofa” with complementing accessories of the Cosmos tables was the highlight of 2017. This collection was inspired by the Dutch painter of the same name encapsulating the clean lines and asymmetrical balance of his paintings.Massaud has collaborated with various brands such as B&B Italia, Axor Hansgrohe, Dior, Poltrona Frau, Lancome, or Renault.“Denying trend and fashion, Jean Marie prefers questioning the existing, working out on progress and eventually proposing answers to contemporary stakes. It is this symbiosis between Man, his creations and his natural environment, that Jean Marie Massaud strives to reach, as a catalyst to innovation, as an economic model and as a life project,” adds Poliform ."
'arts_and_crafts','english','Marci,Thank you for hosting this party. I am sharing my Dachshund Welcome Sign.Hope you have a great week.Hugs,Bev'
'arts_and_crafts','english','OH how fun to do a shopping day! I am over 40 and my mom and I still do that each year for my birthday.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Saturday, September 22nd, 2018 at 10:00 AM - Lecompton, KS - Tools & Misc, Ammo & Bayonet, Household Auction Sale Bill 2018-09-22 10:00:00 2018-09-22 11: Public Auction - Edgecomb Auction Service Tools & Misc, Ammo & Bayonet, Household https://kansasauctions.net/edgecomb/09/22/ 209 Hwy 40 Lecompton, KS Edgecomb Auction Service'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Back to School Teacher Gift August 23 , by Heather Holbrook . Leave a CommentWith the kids heading back to school you can make a sweet gift for your child’s new teacher using your paper crafting supplies. Designer Amy added school supply themed die cuts to an apple shaped wooden frame for this fun back to school project.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','August 23rd, 2018· 2 CommentsI have been blogging a series through the month of August about my journey to health at the Sport Science Institute of South Africa. The first thing that people think about when they they see “fitness journey” is exercise… but just as important in a fitness journey is the food that you eat and the sleep that you get. In the first post I wrote about how we have learned to eat rainbows. In the second week I wrote about getting more sleep. This week I am going to write about working out. I have to say I am just a mom, squeezing in workouts whenever I can… A year and a half ago I started working out with a goal to move. I felt like I had collapsed in a heap and I just couldn’t get moving again… turns out with small steps and just sticking at it, and tons of encouragement, I can actually move. I am no super athlete there no awesome times, no fancy gear, no extreme workouts, no special formulas, it is simply getting up and getting to the gym day after day after day. Remembering to rejoice at the improvements and not despair at the plateaus and just getting moving again. A Week of Workouts got quite a surprise when I started putting this post together and I realised just how much exercise I do, compared to a year and a half ago when I was doing almost nothing. I can hear a lot of you saying how even… well the morning workouts I do before my kids wakeup… I get home from gym as they start to stir and the evening runs happen just two nights a week and on those nights I delegate dinner making to the kids… if your kids aren’t there yet, they will be. Remember we are all in different seasons of parenting… at this stage we have five teenagers and one of the perks to that is a presentable dinner two nights a week. So if I look at the workouts I do right now, and yes it is always changing (!)… Tuesday and Thursday mornings I have gym class. I love these classes, they are always challenging and I always push harder than I think I can at them. On Mondays and Wednesday’s I could join a class but I choose to do my own workout: I swim a km, I cycle on the Watt bike for 10 minutes and then I do all the weights in the super circuit. That’s all my gym mornings filled up. I run two nights a week… I can’t run the night before a gym class – my legs are always too dead for class the next day, so I have to run the nights I have an actual class in the morning, it works for now. We do live on a mountain, so wherever I run there will be hills, I grab a couple of kids and on one night a week we do a shorted hilly run, and the other night a week we do a longer (read very slow) run. And on Saturday we all Parkrun together… and it took a year and a half, but now I actually run those… and again… I am going to say by running I mean really slowly. Let’s Talk About the JourneyI didn’t wake up one day and decide that I was going to exercise almost every day of the week and I certainly wouldn’t start saying what everyone should or shouldn’t be doing. When I began working out I was really doing a weekly walk with my kids on the mountain, and that was it in terms of exercise. Then I started the Beginner Healthy Weight Programme and I had a gym class three mornings a week, I thought I would complete the eight week course, I would suffer the early morning wake up call for just eight weeks and then I would go back to my regular life. But I started to feel so much better from working out that I didn’t want to stop what I had started. After a while I started doing the Parkrun as a walk on Saturday mornings… and that has evolved into three runs a week. The big lesson here is “slowly but surely…” I am definitely not a super athlete, but tiny step by tiny step I am getting better and better at working out. Then I went to a triathlon workshop, and thought, “hmmmm remember when I used to swim…” Now I swim two mornings a week. Who knows what will inspire me next… Just Keep GoingA couple of things have really helped me to get closer to my “Goal to move…” Firstly, consistency is key… gym classes are non-negotiable for me, I have to be there, there is no decision to make. My swimming day workouts at gym I consider to be a gift to myself… (see how I market gym to myself!)… I love swimming, it totally energises me and I never feel like I have done a workout, also I can’t measure swimming because my fitbit isn’t waterproof… so it really is a free gift to myself. Otherwise, I try and move all day everyday… and since I got my fitbit and I realised that I could actually accumulate footsteps all day long and not just at “gym o’clock” thats exactly what I do. I walk all day long… walk while I talk to kids, walk to the mailbox, walk to the store for one thing, walk to the store for another thing… walk, walk, walk all day long. In fact whenever I sit down for a while, I remember and get up again. The more you move the easier it is to move. I almost never get less than 10000 footsteps, and if we add a hike into the day, then 20000 footsteps is easy. I don’t count hiking as exercise… it is way too much fun to be called a workout!!! What I can say is, don’t think you can’t do it… even with kids underfoot. Just start moving – you will feel better for it. Honestly, I really thought I would never run again, I really thought I was way past swimming lengths… and as for lifting weights or walking 10000 footsteps on a daily basis… it seems crazy that I could even think about doing that… and a year and a half later… I can’t imagine not doing this. I feel so much better for it, I feel stronger than ever and I never want to go back to just watching everyone else workout again. It really can be done… even when you totally don’t believe it. Find something that you enjoy and stick with it… very soon you will think of something else you enjoy and before you know it, you actually can be moving.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','How to Crop A Photo – Tips and Helpful Dimensions Lets talk about how to crop a photo to create the perfect image! Learn some helpful tips about photo dimensions, pixel sizes, and how to edit and crop a photo online the EASY way! Crop Photos Like a Pro! Editing photos can be hard and tedious, but cropping an image is easy! Whether you’re looking to crop a photo for social media, or you’re trying to find the perfect aspect for a print or enlargement, we’ll send you on your way with some great tips and tools! How to Crop A Photo Online Many businesses and tech-savvy people use Photoshop… but that is a bad word in my home! (Have you tried it? I get so lost!!) If you’re like me and you’re looking for something that won’t make your head spin, I suggest trying PicMonkey . MY LATEST VIDEOS I use this website literally EVERY day. PicMonkey has a free 1-week trial, and after that it is $5/month. I think it is worth every penny since I use it so often, but give it a try and see if you like it. (And if you’re looking to use it just for a single photo, do the free trail and cancel before you get charged.) Cropping a photo online with PicMonkey has never been easier! The image cropper tool allows you to clip and modify your image literally by dragging an outline and clicking “APPLY” Photo Cropping Dimensions and Ratios Think of wide-screen movies versus full-screen movies. The wide-screen ratio is more narrow from top to bottom and wide from side to side. The full-screen ratio is a bit taller, but not as wide. Similar differences exist in standard photo sizes. Pretty much any point-and-shoot or DSLR (with the exception of a medium-format or large-format camera) shoots in the 4×6 ratio. This means that when you make a 4×6 print, it will look exactly the way it’s framed in-camera. But if you enlarge it to a 5×7, you can see that some of the height will get cropped off. With an 8×10, even more height is lost. So if you had something important at the very top or bottom of the frame, it would get cut out. And you can see the ratios of other common sizes in the diagram as well. In the 20×24 size, all of the pretty hanging lanterns get cut out of the image. This is definitely something to keep in mind while taking pictures. I usually try to frame my photo the way I want it, but then zoom out a bit to leave some extra cropping room. If you’ll be making enlargements, that foresight will really pay off in the end! Picture Print Pixel Sizes The more pixels you have, the clearer your image will be, so use these numbers only as a guideline to know the shape and sizes of the images you plan to crop: 4×6: 3265 x 4898 (original image size) 5×7: 3265 x 4571 8×10: 3265 x 4082 11×14: 3265 x 4156 Tips for Cropping Your Images There are no set limits or rules to follow to determine what to crop out of your images, but here are a few helpful guidelines to make the best photo composition: 1. Crop a picture to better focus on the subject. The before image of this family portrait is fine, but cropping out just a bit of the background (no matter how pretty!) really draws your attention to the family. White the background often adds some texture or color to an image, it can also add some unnecessary “noise”. Cropping out some of the background on a picture can lessen that noise and highlight the important parts. 2. Keep the Necessary, Crop the Clutter Don’t cut out the details of a photo that alter the overall caption! Without the soccer ball in the image above, the boy looks like he is doing some sort of weird dance or something! Make sure you keep all the necessary elements so the photo makes sense.On the other hand, anything that takes attention away from the subject should probably be cropped. 3. Don’t Always Center Your Subject Unless you’re taking a mugshot, centering your subject isn’t always necessary, and usually a photo will look so much better if you follow the rule of thirds. 4. Don’t Crop People’s Bodies at their Joints Cropping arms and legs at the wrist or knees, and cropping out fingers and even ears can often make the subject look like an amputee. Instead, crop bodies at the waist, upper arm, thighs or shin to make them less awkward. 5. Don’t Crop Out or Center Your Horizon Thinking back to the rule of thirds, it is important to keep the horizon in your photos at the top line, or bottom – not in the center. Also, use caution when editing landscape images. If you crop out the horizon too much or completely, the photo will look like a zoomed in picture of the biggest object in the photo. 5 Tips on How to Crop a PhotoAgain, there are no set rules to cropping photos. In fact, none of the photos above marked with a red X are necessarily bad , we just feel that they can be improved with a few photo cropping techniques and guidelines. Hope that helps! HERE ARE A FEW MORE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS YOU MIGHT ENJOY –'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Leave a replyThis cute little Party Animal Dog is front and center on a Halloween card and all dressed up in his spooky Halloween costume! I just love the colors and the fun images for Halloween!My main purpose for this card was to use the Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Pencils and Blender Pen . I selected this image that needed to be colored in from the Trick or Tweet Stamp Set in the upcoming Holiday Catalog. As far as the Watercolor Pencils, the Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog has a set just called Watercolor Pencils . We’ve had those for a while. But if you would like some additional colors, during August you can order the Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 . It’s part of the Color Your Season Suite going on during August only! The pencils are not included in the Blended Season Bundle that includes the stamp set and framelits dies. But all of these products go away August 31 so don’t miss out! Stampin’ Up! “may” bring back the pencils in another publication, but we don’t know so if you want them and don’t want to have to wait until another catalog, go ahead and order them now!Watercolor pencils are easy to use, especially with a Blender Pen. Just lay down some color (you don’t even have to color in every space) and the Blender Pen will sort of “melt” the color and you can smooth it out beautifully. You can also pick up the color from the pencil itself with the Blender Pen just by touching the tip of the Blender Pen to the pencil. That probably gives a little darker shade of color. You can also use an Aqua Painter or a small paintbrush. I’ve always like Watercolor Pencils for coloring!The card is made with a base of Gorgeous Grape Cardstock. The designer paper is from Toil & Trouble. When I saw the ghost paper, I thought that would be a cute background. I wondered if it would be too much, so I checked and the back of the paper was purple-striped so I just used that different pattern at the bottom of the card layer. To cover the seam of the two papers, I adhered a piece of Basic Black 3/8″ Shimmer Ribbon .The little dog is stamped on Thick Whisper White Cardstock with Stazon Ink since it is waterproof. That means it will stand up to the moisture of the Blender Pen. I also used some Sponge Daubers to sponge on some color on the tag so it wouldn’t be so stark white. The tag is made with the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch and popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals . I also tied on a piece of the black ribbon. You might be able to see the shimmer a bit in the photo.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)We’ve turned the corner on beef consumption and it’s back on the rise after more than a decade of falling like a sack of hammers. I attribute beef’s decline to the plethora of diets urging folks to skip the meat in favor of melba toast, coffee enemas and colonic cleansings.Sometimes it seems like half the world is starving to death while the other half is on a diet. It is estimated that 80% of ten year old girls in this country are on some sort of diet. And they have so many to choose from. There’s the diets named after places where no one is fat, like the Hollywood, Beverley Hills, Scarsdale and South Beach diets. A lot of good the Scarsdale diet did its inventor, Herman Tarnower, whose so called “friend” lost 185 pounds of lover when she murdered Herman, probably because he made her eat too many pineapple chunks with cottage cheese and kept telling her how fat she was. We also had the no-white-food diet, eat only when hungry diet, the milk diet, and the drinking man’s diet, which consisted of martinis and whipped cream. Actually, the drinking man’s diet has been with us for centuries because in 1087 William the Conqueror only consumed alcohol in order to lose weight. Forever after he was known as William the Drunk.Most of the diets were dreamed up by doctors who had something to sell and wanted to appear on Oprah. (She purchased Weight Watchers not long ago, probably to get the wholesale price on Weight Watchers cream puffs.) There were diet books by Robert Atkins, The Doctor’s Weight Loss Book by Dr. Irwin Stillman, and the No Breakfast Plan by Dr. Edward Hooker Dewey. Some people got seriously rich from fat, like Jennie Craig, and the people behind Nutri-Systems and Metrecal, which was all the rage when I was a kid. And in 1961 Royal Crown Cola introduced the first diet soft drink, Diet Rite, which started a flood of diet drinks. I had an uncle who was hooked on Diet Rite and he offered me a taste one time. That was over 50 years ago and I still haven’t got the bad taste out of my mouth.There’s a long history of folks creating new food in order to get rich. In the 1830’s Reverand Sylvester Graham said being fat made people full of lust and so he invented Graham Crackers as a solution. The Good Reverand was known as “Dr. Sawdust” after that. When Dr. Harvey Kellogg became a Doctor at the Battle Creek Sanatorium in Michigan he pushed a vegetarian diet and invented granola and toasted flakes of grain to help patients lose weight. We now refer to them as Corn Flakes and the company as Kelloggs. Dr. James Salisbury created a concoction of minced meat and water to help people lose weight, thus giving us the Salisbury Steak.There were diet gadgets too, like the fork that lit up when too much food was on it, a headband that filled your brain with negative thoughts about food when you sat down to eat, and a suit you filled with crushed ice which was supposed to burn calories by increasing metabolism.Some of the diets the quacks came up with were deadly. In 1976 Dr. Robert Linn invented “The Last Chance Diet” and for many who drank his protein drinks it was. There were 58 deaths associated with the drink before it was pulled from shelves. In the 1980’s The Cambridge Diet, so named because a Cambridge professor heartily endorsed it, was a pyramid scheme that caused at least 30 people to have heart attacks.Although I don’t need to lose any weight I have considered writing a diet book as a way to get rich. Among the titles I’ve toyed with are: “The Prison Diet: Living on bread and water on death row while waiting for Old Sparky to warm up; The Beer Diet: how to lose weight by switching from craft beer to Coors Light; The Bangladesh Diet: Go live there for two months. And my favorite: The Mob Diet. Two Chicago hit men will come to your house, beat you up so your jaws have to be wired shut and you’ll have to drink out of a straw for six months.I guarantee you’ll lose weight.'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"I Love My Ipsy Bag! (And You Will Too!) Thursday, August 23, 2018 Subscription boxes are The Thing right now. It seems like there is a subscription box for everything - books, tea, treats for your dog, I even found a fishing subscription box when looking for gifts for my grandfather. At Christmas last year, I couldn't think of a single thing to buy for my mother. My aunt suggested getting her a subscription to Ipsy, a personalized makeup bag that you receive every month. I had literally no other ideas so I took the plunge. For $10 a bag and no commitments, what did I have to lose? How's this for a quick spoiler alert: She LOVED her monthly Glam Bags so much, she returned the favor and got me my very own subscription for my birthday! Here's why I love my Ipsy Glam Bags: 1. They're customizable When you start your subscription, your first step is to take Ipsy's beauty quiz. Here, you tell Ipsy what color your eyes, hair, and skin tone are, and what products you are comfortable using, what you would like to receive more or less of, what brands you love or would love to try out, etc. My favorite part is that you can edit these preferences at any time. 2. You get a cute bag Each month you receive 5 new products, all in a cute cosmetic bag! They are perfect for storing beauty items and even for re-gifting! Their makeup bags are unique each month and they are great quality. 3. You can review your products Once you receive your Glam Bag, you can log onto the website or download the app and review the products Ipsy chose for you. Your reviews this month will help further customize next month's choices. This is definitely a subscription box that you get out what you put in. 4. You can compare and contrast with a friend Since my mom also has an Ipsy subscription, we wind up on video chat comparing our monthly gifts. We've never gotten the exact same products and oftentimes, we swap each other and I get to try the products she received as well! 5. You can buy more ! If you like what you've been sent, you can buy full-size items directly from Ipsy in the Shopper tab of their website! You can earn 10-30% cash back on all products and cash out on the 10th of each month. You're also privy to deals and offers from leading cosmetic brands just for being an Ipsy member. This is such a fun goody to buy for yourself and it's even more fun to give it as a gift! For only $10 per month, you get 5 awesome new products to try from top cosmetic brands, most of which are full-sized products, not just a small trial size. In addition to your personalized picks each month, you receive access to articles and videos with fun tutorials and how-to's. I look forward to my sparkly pink package every month! I know this is going to be a gifting tradition my mom and I continue on with for a long time! Posted by"
'arts_and_crafts','english','Leave a replyThis Halloween Favor Clear Tiny Treat Box is so fun and easy to make if you need a little party favor or treat! It’s a good idea to always keep a package of these Clear Tiny Treat Boxes on hand for little gifts or treats. You never know when one might come in handy at the last minute! They are so easy and fun to decorate for whatever occasion, not just Halloween, of course!These little clear plastic boxes come flat so you just assemble them by opening up and creasing the score lines to form the box. Be sure to take off the extra plastic that protects them. Then decorate away, inside or outside!For this box, I just cut a strip of the Toil & Trouble Designer Series Paper , coming in the Holiday Catalog in September. I wrapped it around the box, barely creasing it on the corners, just to see how it would fit. You can start with the 12″ strip, however wide you would like it, and then see how much excess length you can cut off. Decide if you want that overlapping in the back of the box or in the front, hidden by whatever you decorate the front with. Then you can take it off and crease the folds with a Bone Folder to get a good, crisp crease.For the front of my little Halloween favor box, I stamped the little bird ghost from the Trick or Tweet Stamp Set in the Holiday Catalog and colored it in with Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. There are new colors coming in the Holiday Catalog, too! Love these!!! Then I punched him out and layered him on various circle punches and the small 1 1/8″ Scallop Circle Punch . I could have done even more, maybe tied ribbon around the box or added a greeting, but I just stopped here and put some candy inside!Another idea to consider for Halloween treats is to join Paper Pumpkin before September 10th to receive the September papercrafting kit that is definitely going to be Halloween but not too spooky! I cannot wait! Click to sign up!If you would like to make a little Halloween favor box like mine, these Clear Tiny Treat Boxes are fun to have available, whether or not you join Paper Pumpkin! Be sure to put them on your order and be ready for the holidays!'
'arts_and_crafts','english','How People Watching Turned into an Act of Kindness Friday, August 24, 2018 Happy Friday, friends! I have been debating whether or not to share this story, mostly because I didn\'t want anyone to think I was sharing merely for applause or kudos. I made the decision to share because I want people to be inspired to listen to "that voice" or "their gut" a little bit more. I think the world would be a much greater place if we did that instead of questioning it. What seems to you like a small, inconsequential action, could mean so much to someone else. So, without futher ado, here\'s how a few minutes of people watching turned into an act of kindness.... I took the girls to the grocery store on Monday. I would rather go to the grocery store alone, but since it\'s still summer, I didn\'t have much of a choice but to bring them. I always park in the same general area, near the lone sidewalk in the middle of the parking lot. The reason why I park here is two-fold: 1. I park here so that we can walk on the sidewalk straight to the door, instead of through the parking lot. 2. I park here so that I can remember the general area where I parked. So, I parked the car, got the girls out and the three of us start heading for the store when I notice this older couple who seem to be pretty confused. They are both looking around, the gentleman is pressing the key fob and walking on either side of the parking lot next to the sidewalk. It\'s quite clear they forgot where they parked. I thought to myself, it was no big deal, they would find their car and be on their way, but as I continued walking, something wasn\'t sitting right. In And Out The girls and I enter the store and walk to retrieve a shopping cart, all the while I am watching this couple out the front window. The woman is looking in the same few spots and the gentleman is still going up and down the sidewalk, looking for his car on either side. I pause a few seconds longer and then look at the girls, who are also watching, and tell them we have to go and help this couple. We turned around and walked back outside. Excuse Me, Sir... I walk up behind the gentleman, asking if he needs help. He doesn\'t respond. I notice that he is wearing hearing aids. I gently tap him on the shoulder and ask if he needs help. His wife comes over and they explain what I already knew, they can\'t find where they parked their car. She remembers entering near the welcome sign, but their car is simply not there. I ask if he can press the button, but there is so much noise in the busy parking lot, we can\'t hear the beep. He is starting to believe his car is long gone so I am trying to alleviate his fears by letting him know that the same thing has happened to me (on several occasions) and it ended up being that I had just parked somewhere different than I had remembered. Happy Ending! After things had quieted down in the parking lot, the gentleman pressed his key fob again and we heard the beep! I noticed that the sound came from the other side of the parking lot, so we start heading over. Low and behold, there was his silver Chevy, across from the other entrance to the store, where there is also a welcome sign. I could see the relief on both of their faces, even though they mentioned feeling a little silly for forgetting. I reminded them that it happens to all of us, from time to time. The couple thanked us for our help, we all said our goodbyes, and then the girls and I headed back into the store to get our grocery shopping done. I really hope this moment sticks with the girls. I want them to always remember that no matter how busy they are, there is always time to help someone out who needs it, even if it doesn\'t seem like it\'s that big of a deal. I want them to remember to trust that voice inside of them that is trying to guide them to do the right thing. Posted by Vanessa W at 9:00 AM Share:'
'arts_and_crafts','english','©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | K’NEX – © 2018 AND ® K’NEXPaid partnership with Babybel®.My 4-year-old daughter Liv and I just got back from one of the best vacations ever at Walt Disney World® Resort ! We visited the brand spanking new Toy Story Land inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios® , and had SUCH an amazing time.It was so fun to essentially become the size of a toy. Everything in this section of the Park is giant to make you feel itty bitty. We sure made some lasting memories with just us girls—enjoying so many exciting attractions, marching with the Green Army Patrol, eating yummy snacks, and even getting to meet Buzz Lightyear himself (Liv’s favorite character)! ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | K’NEX – © 2018 AND ® K’NEX | TINKERTOY – © 2018 AND ® HASBRO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | YAHTZEE – © 2018 AND ® HASBRO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.To make the most of your visit, I’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks—from the planning phase to day-of—to ensure your vacation is as smooth and fun-filled as possible for the whole family. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK – © 2018 AND ® PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Packing Made EasyYou’ll be walking throughout the day, having a blast! So, be sure to bring a pair or two of comfortable, already broken-in shoes—and the same goes for the kiddos. ©DISNEY. PHOTO BY LAURA SCOTT FOR DISNEY FAMILYTo make sure you’re prepared for all the magic, I recommend bringing a backpack to the Park to keep your hands free for fun (and carrying a baby). Bonus points if the pack can easily attach to your stroller with a hook, which can easily be purchased ahead of time. Make sure to keep a water bottle, snacks, sunscreen, wet wipes, and a poncho inside. You never know when you might need these. But don’t overpack your Park bag. You want to be kind to your back, plus leave room for souvenirs! Have a Game PlanIt’s nice to count on your little ones getting to experience their most anticipated attractions. And thanks to Disney FastPass+ *, you can secure up to three per day…in advance! Parenting is all about planning—which is why it’s a lifesaver that you can do all this prior to even leaving home. With a ticket or annual pass purchase, you can make selections 30 days before. Disney Resort hotel guests can even make reservations 60 days from their hotel check-in. You can secure your experiences online , on the mobile app, or on the same day at an in-Park Disney FastPass+ kiosk. For a complete list of experiences for tykes, click here .To keep track of everything day-of, I’d recommend using the My Disney Experience app **. You can view your Disney FastPass+ selections, the height requirements for attractions, previews of your Disney PhotoPass photos, and even order food. The interactive maps are also another priceless feature. When your toddler tells you they need to use the bathroom with no time to spare, you can use the app to search for nearby restrooms. You’ll be ready for anything! ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY An Early Bird Catches the WormImagine attending an (almost) empty Park, with little lines, and riding some of your favorite attractions at sunrise. We got to do just that at Toy Story Land . Since we stayed at a participating Walt Disney World Resort hotel, we took advantage of the Extra Magic Hours benefit. With a valid Theme Park admission and Resort ID, you can experience select attractions before regular Park hours. So naturally, we rode the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster—and it was unlike any experience. You can find the early hours for your specific vacation dates here . ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILYBonus Tip: On occasion, Disney’s Hollywood Studios allows guests to start their magical journey sooner—opening up the Park to Hollywood Boulevard. You may be able to get Disney PhotoPass pics taken, shop at select stores, and (critical to the success of any mission) grab some coffee! I was so grateful for my morning blonde roast to start the day. Get to the Park in a JiffyOnce your family is ready to hit the Park for a day of adventure, knowing the best route makes it effortless.From where we stayed at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort , it was only a 10-minute walk along the canal, which made it SO convenient and a beautiful stroll. But in the evening when we were tired from all the fun, the Walt Disney World® Bus Service was exactly what we needed. Just remember that while you can take strollers on board, they have to be folded. This is yet another reason to bring a backpack to carry your items. (My fellow mommas know the difficulty of trying to fold a packed stroller—impossible!)If you want something a little more special, you can also board a boat from select Disney Resort hotels. Talk about magical! Essentials for the Whole FamilyWalt Disney World Resort has so many family-friendly amenities—from facilities to help your baby to stroller rentals for ease of traveling.If you’re on the fence about bringing a stroller to the Park, remember that if your little ever gets tired on walks and asks to be carried, you definitely want one! You also have the option to rent a stroller for the length of your stay, throughout the Walt Disney World Theme Parks and Disney Springs. You can even save money by prepaying for all the days you’ll need it. But be sure to get there early as they can go fast.When heading to Toy Story Land , pick yours up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios . Then look out for the convenient signs by the stroller parking areas—available at all of the Land’s attractions!Next to the stroller rentals, you will also find lockers that can be used throughout the day for a one-time charge—so you can store your personal items with ease.And if you’re traveling with a little one, note that there are facilities in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (and within all four Theme Parks) to care for your baby. Inside Guest Relations, near the main entrance, you’ll find everything you need to feed or change the littlest member of your family. There’s an Attraction for EveryoneWhen your family is ready to enjoy the magic, head to one of the three main attractions at Toy Story Land . No matter your kiddo’s age, there is something for everyone. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | K’NEX – © 2018 AND ® K’NEXWhat’s great about Toy Story Mania! is that it’s truly for all ages. It’s a 4D action-packed game starring our favorite Disney•Pixar Toy Story characters. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | TOY STORY PIZZA PLANET – © 2018 AND ® MATTEL. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | TRIO BLOCKS – © 2018 AND ® MATTEL. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | K’NEX – © 2018 AND ® K’NEXBut my personal favorite is Alien Swirling Saucers . It features the adorable little green aliens that swirl you around. Liv could not stop laughing during the entire ride. I think we rode this about six times. Seriously! ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | TINKERTOY – © 2018 AND ® HASBRO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | SLINKY DOG – SLINKY® DOG © POOF-SLINKY, LLC.Then, there is the super fun roller coaster Slinky Dog Dash . As soon as you walk into the Land, you can hear Slinky Dog laughing as he buzzes by over you. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | SLINKY DOG – SLINKY® DOG © POOF-SLINKY, LLC.Children and adults will love it! If both you and your partner want to experience the attraction but have a little one who doesn’t fit the height requirement, you can utilize the Rider Switch , taking turns waiting with them. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | MR. POTATO HEAD – © 2018 AND ® HASBRO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Meet the CharactersThroughout the new Land, you may get the chance to encounter some of Toy Story ’s beloved characters, including Sheriff Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | MR. POTATO HEAD – © 2018 AND ® HASBRO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | K’NEX – © 2018 AND ® K’NEXAlso be on the lookout for Sarge and his Green Army Patrol, who will march around several times a day and play “Sarge Says” with guests. Liv had such a fun time, and it was cute seeing her up there marching with the Patrol! If you have an older kiddo, they can even join in on the interactive boot camp to see if they have what it takes to become an official recruit in Andy’s backyard. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY Take a BreakAfter a morning of running from attraction to attraction experiencing some of our favorites, a nice break is in order. Woody’s Lunch Box in Toy Story Land is a perfect little pit stop. You can rest your feet at the cute Mini Babybel® picnic tables, which offer some much-needed shade under their umbrellas.I also use a break as a time for the family to reapply sunscreen and lip balm with SPF, as sun protection is super important to us! ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK – © 2018 AND ® PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.We couldn’t help but take a pic by this adorable Mini Babybel cheese (that’s in fact not so mini). Get RefueledIt’s also important to eat and stay hydrated to keep your energy up throughout the day. Woody’s Lunch Box offers delicious eats, too. So, we grabbed some yummy Mini Babybel® cheese to recharge. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILYMy daughter loved it! The cheese was such a fun midday snack. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK – © 2018 AND ® PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Strike a PoseThere are so many fun photo opps at the Park, and Toy Story Land is no exception—offering the perfect colorful backdrops to capture your family memories. These are some of Liv and my top picks: ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY ASHLEY JINKS LARSON FOR DISNEY FAMILY | K’NEX – © 2018 AND ® K’NEXPose in front of the Toy Story Land sign with the 20-foot Sheriff Woody statue, right at the front. Another option is standing on Andy’s giant footprint. ©DISNEY/PIXAR. PHOTO BY LAURA SCOTT FOR DISNEY FAMILYLiv also had a blast trying to push the huge Luxo Ball. So cute! Reflect on the DayAfter a full day at the Park, I love talking with my daughter about her favorite parts of the vacation and reflecting on all the fun. We take as many pictures as possible while we’re out, as long as it doesn’t interfere with our enjoyment, of course. And at the end of the day, we get cozy in bed or on the couch and scroll through the pictures from the day. It really is an incredible way to relive the trip. And though my feet may be throbbing, so is my heart!There isn’t much that’s more magical than experiencing joy through your child, and I hope all of you have the chance to do so. Happy planning!You can enter for a chance to win a Walt Disney World® Resort Vacation from Babybel and see the new Toy Story Land! Visit Babybel’s One Magical Mission website to learn more. No Purchase Necessary. US 18+ only. Ends 9/30/18. See the Official Rules for details.*Valid Theme Park admission and online registration required. Disney FastPass+ attractions and entertainment experiences, the number of selections you can make, and available arrival windows are limited.**App includes products for purchase. Availability subject to device limitations and features may vary by device or service provider. Message and data rates may apply. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you’re under 18, get your parents’ permission first.No related posts.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Kevin Beasley at The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 24, 2018 “Kevin Beasley,” May 9 – August 26, 2018, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Installation view, ( Photo by Charles Mayer. © Kevin Beasley) Related Kevin Beasley The stunning sculptural works of New York-based Kevin Beasley are on view at The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. On display through August 26, 2018, the exhibition, the artist’s first in Boston, features a selection of 16 works created over the past five years. It illustrates the artist’s expertise in working with a wide range of materials — sound, clothing, and more — to create immersive and imaginative visual and acoustic experiences. “Beasley’s early works harnessed the physical qualities of sound, deploying vibrations and echoes that penetrate the bodies of both performers and audience, the museum writes. “Found objects and clothing, often the artist’s own, are central in Beasley’s diverse sculptural work, ranging from compositions of shredded t-shirts and hoodies to fitted hats, do-rags, and basketball jerseys. More recent works are constructed from colorfully patterned housedresses stiffened with resin that stand on the floor and protrude from the walls, at times hardened over sound-baffling foam panels or concave forms that Beasley refers to as ‘acoustic mirrors.’” Kevin Beasley (b. 1985, Lynchburg, VA) is a relatively young artist to emerge and earn acclaim. He holds fine-art degrees from the College for Creative Studies, in Detroit, and Yale. His works were featured in the Whitney Biennial in 2014, and in a landmark show on electronic and new-media art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition is on view through August 26, 2018, at The Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210, USA. For details, visit https://www.icaboston.org/'
'arts_and_crafts','english',' Big Thrill Factory Discount All-Day Play Passes August 24, 2018 by Laura W Leave a CommentSummer is winding down, but there’s still plenty of time for fun! Enjoy a day of fun at Big Thrill Factory in Minnetonka or Oakdale and get a great deal on discount All-Day Play Passes with this offer from Groupon.Options include: All-Day Play Passes for Two: $47 ($23.50 each) All-Day Play Passes for Four: $90 ($22.50 each) All-Day Play Passes for Six: $130 ($21.67 each)These All-Day Play Passes are normally $35.99 each, so this is a nice discount! Be sure to purchase the Groupon for the correct location as attractions are slightly different at each one. Passes are valid for all-day play on the following attractions: Laser tag Bump-n-spin cars (Minnetonka) or Drop tower (Oakdale) Time challenge Kids’ fun factory X-rider motion simulator – one ride (Minnetonka) or Mini bowling (Oakdale) 40 play points to use on the choice of arcade games and zombie blasters (Minnetonka) or arcade games, go karts, and axe throwing (Oakdale)Your Groupon is good through 11/18/18, so if you don’t have time to use it before school starts, consider saving it for MEA break or a weekend indoors as the weather cools down. There is a limit of 2 per person and you may buy 2 additional as gifts. Limit 1 per visit.Venture out for a day of fun at the #1 family entertainment center in North America. Make the most of state-of-the-art games and attractions including Laser Tag, Go Karts a Ropes Course and more! Sample stellar menu selections, wine, craft beer and enjoy great gathering spots for groups large or small. Big Thrill Factory is the ultimate place to eat, play and celebrate! Located in Oakdale or Minnetonka and online at BigThrillFactory.com.Get your Groupon for the Minnetonka location HERE or the Oakdale location HERE ! Share this:'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Multicultural Fairy Tales + Unit Study August 24, 2018 by The Jenny Evolution Leave a CommentAs the mom of boys, I quickly discovered pink princesses weren’t going to cut it. And honestly, as a mom, I wanted something with more flair. So we went on a search for multicultural fairy tales that would give a broader and different look at the world of fairy tales to keep us all entertained.In addition to offering a reading list of multicultural fairy tales, I’ve teamed up with some fellow bloggers to offer you homeschool and in-class learning fairy tale unit study resources . You can find these multicultural fairy tale books for kids at your local library or use the affiliate links provided for your convenience. Multicultural Fairy TalesAdelita : Hace mucho tiempo —a long time ago—there lived a beautiful young woman named Adelita. So begins the age-old tale of a kindhearted young woman, her jealous stepmother, two hateful stepsisters, and a young man in search of a wife. The young man, Javier, falls madly in love with beautiful Adelita, but she disappears from his fiesta at midnight, leaving him with only one clue to her hidden identity: a beautiful rebozo —shawl. With the rebozo in place of a glass slipper, this favorite fairy tale takes a delightful twist. Tomie dePaola’s exquisite paintings, filled with the folk art of Mexico, make this a Cinderella story like no other.The Egyptian Cinderella : This Egyptian spin on the classic Cinderella tale was initially recorded in the first century by a Roman historian. Poor Rhodopis! She has nothing—no mother or father, and no friends. She is a slave, from the far-off country of Greece. Only the beautiful rose-red slippers her master gives her can make Rhodopis smile. So when a falcon swoops down and snatches one of the slippers away, Rhodopis is heartbroken. For how is she to know that the slipper will land in the lap of the great Pharaoh himself? And who would ever guess that the Pharaoh has promised to find the slipper’s owner and make her queen of all Egypt?The Princess and the Pea : Determined to find the perfect princess to call his own, an African prince gives all his suitors a special test to see if they are as noble as they say, yet after so many fail the test, the prince falls into despair–until one night a knock on the palace gate introduces him to a woman that will forever change his life.Rapunzel (Once Upon a World) : The classic tale of Rapunzel gets a fresh twist in this third book of a brand-new board book series, Once Upon a World. With India as the backdrop, and vibrant artwork from illustrator Archana Sreenivasan, Rapunzel is still the same girl who lets down her beautiful hair—but she’s totally reimagined. Once Upon a World offers a multicultural take on the fairy tales we all know and love. Because these tales are for everyone, everywhere.Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China : Caldecott Medal Winner . The now-classic Chinese retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, and one of the most celebrated picture books of our time.Brothers of the Knight : This modern, hip retelling of the classic tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses bursts with vibrant artwork and text that’s as energetic as the twelve toe-tapping Knight brothers themselves. Reverend Knight can’t understand why his twelve sons’ sneakers are torn to threads each and every morning, and the boys aren’t talking. They know their all-night dancing wouldn’t fit with their father’s image in the community. Maybe Sunday, a pretty new nanny with a knack for getting to the bottom of household mysteries, can crack the case.La Princesa and the Pea : Children will be enchanted by this Latino twist on the classic story, and captivated by the vibrant art inspired by the culture of Peru. El príncipe knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn’t agree. The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princesa , but the prince might just have a sneaky plan, too.The Ghanaian Goldilocks : Set in Accra, Ghana, The Ghanaian Goldilocks is a modern twist on the classic Goldilocks fairytale. Like traditional kente cloth, West African culture and themes are woven seamlessly into the story of a boy with sun lightened hair named Kofi, better known to his friends and family as Goldilocks. Like the Goldilocks in the traditional tale, Kofi has been known to get into some trouble here and there, but it’s an unexpected visit to a neighbor’s house that teaches him a valuable lesson of a lifetime.Hansel and Gretel : Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora gives readers a stunning new interpretation of this classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, setting the infamous witch’s cottage deep in a lush African forest. Hansel and Gretel’s plight feels all the more threatening as they’re plunged into the thick, dark jungle of Isadora’s rich collages.Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion : Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion is a fractured fairy tale version of Little Red Riding Hood . It’s a classic fairy tale with a safari twist! Little Red is on her way to visit Auntie Rosie with a basket of goodies and some spot medicine. Along the way she meets the Very Hungry Lion. The Lion is eager to gobble up Little Red. The Lion’s plan doesn’t work out the way he wanted.The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes : Ming Da is only nine years old when he becomes the emperor of China, and his three advisors take advantage of him by stealing his stores of rice, gold, and precious stones. But Ming Da has a plan. With the help of his tailors, he comes up with a clever idea to outsmart his devious advisors: He asks his tailors to make “magical” new clothes for him. Anyone who is honest, the young emperor explains, will see the clothes’ true splendor, but anyone who is dishonest will see only burlap sacks. The emperor dons a burlap sack, and the ministers can’t help but fall for his cunning trick.The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece : Children will love this fanciful folk retelling of the Cinderella story, accompanied by luminous watercolor illustrations by Giselle Potter. Once upon a time in Greece, fate left a young girl an orphan. Her stepmother was so hateful that she counted every drop of water the orphan drank! But with the help of Nature’s blessings, the orphan was showered with gifts: brilliance from the Sun, beauty from the Moon, gracefulness from the Dawn—and even a tiny pair of blue shoes from the Sea. When the prince comes to visit their village, he only has eyes for the mysterious beauty.Like these multicultural fairy tales? Find even more engaging book lists for kids with more than 100 book-themed reading lists! FAIRY TALES UNIT STUDYIn addition to offering a reading list of fairy tale books from other cultures, I’ve teamed up with some fellow bloggers to offer you homeschool and in-class learning fairy tales unit study resources . Some of these resources may contain affiliate links.'
'arts_and_crafts','english',', by Shellie Wilson . Leave a CommentWe are all ready for Halloween here, how about you? These 8 Cricut crafts all come with free SVG files. I have tried to include all different Halloween projects to give you a nice variety. You can see all these DIY Halloween crafts below. I have linked to each Halloween craft individually.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Five Australian Women Artists at Gaffa, Sydney BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 24, 2018 “Miles from Nowhere” Harriet Loneragan (Gaffa Sydney)Gaffa, Sydney, will showcase works by five Australian women artists around the theme of responding to landscape. The exhibition will be on view from August 30 through September 10, 2018.“The works range from the abstract to figurative, and include painting and drawing, exploring tensions and emotions that exist in natural and urban settings in a range of places and contexts,” says the gallery. The participating artists are Elesa Bennett, Harriet Loneragan, Carol Roche, Kaye Shumack, and Jo Willcocks.In her description of her paintings Elesa Bennett says, “In my paintings, I try to capture the colors, feelings and atmosphere of places I visit through mark, line, color, texture and composition. These paintings from Morocco explore the mystical feelings in the medinas; the colors of Quarzazite and small villages; the textures of the farmed landscape and the serenity of the people.”Harriet Loneragan’s large oil paintings are based on her remembered landscapes and responses to the land, sea and sky. She says, “I take into account the fragility and intimacy of the landscapes and their relationship to our emotions and memories. I aim to convey the energy, vibrancy and feeling of a place, and to inspire those who see my artwork to look more carefully at the world around them, and discover beauty in unusual places.” The large oil paintings in this exhibition are in response to landscapes in New South Wales. The smaller gouaches and drawings are from her recent travels to Marrakech and rural areas in Morocco.Carol Roche’s artworks are inspired from her recent trip to Morocco, traveling into the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert and back to Marrakech. She says, “I completed paintings in my studio, based on small en pleinair drawings and paintings which I had documented during the trip. During this process the work changes and shifts from documentation to my reminiscence of the place. Color and line are key aspects towards balance and harmony in my work.”Kaye Shumack developed her series of paintings and drawings based on sketches and observations from time spent on Goat Island (Me-mil), Sydney earlier this year. “This enigmatic island has a rich colonial and indigenous history. Themes include the fragility and beauty of the island environment, the ravages of nature on historic buildings, the everyday passing of all types of boats in the harbour, and the dynamic plays of light, wind and water on waterways and jetties around the island,” says the artist. The exhibition is on view from August 30 through September 10, 2018, at Gaffa, Sydney, 281, Clarence Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.For details visit: http://www.gaffa.com.au/'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Cracking Art Indianapolis Museum of Art has partnered with Italian art collective Cracking Art to install hundreds of colorful animals at its Newfields campus this summer. The installation exhibition titled “Summer Wonderland: Spectacular Creatures” is on view at the museum through August 26, 2018. The environment continue project consists of animal sculptures recyclable plastic, spread throughout the campus. Through the sculptures, the museum aims to address the environmental issues the earth faces, and how the world is becoming increasingly artificial. There are colorful snails in the museum’s Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion, and penguins inside the IMA Galleries. There are giant alligators spread around the campus, a yellow-hued wolf pack and its leader made, penguins, rabbits, giant shallow pair, small sea animals and birds, bears and large elephant sculptures. Nearly 500 spectacular creatures, of varying colors and sizes, located both inside the museum and in the external areas, seek to create a strong bond of continuity between Art and Nature. “Summer Wonderland: Spectacular Creatures” is on view through August 26, 2018, at Newfields, 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, Indiana. For details, visit https://discovernewfields.org/'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Mary Wong & Ariane Goh\'s "People & Stories" at The Esplanade, Singapore Mary Wong & Ariane Goh (Courtesy:Esplanade)The show titled ‘People & Stories’ will have Wong and Ariane Goh belt out some of their latest music creations on August 24. It was a chance encounter at a song-writing competition that led to a fruitful collaboration between the Singapore singer-songwriters Wong and Goh. Their individual and collective original music is inspired by the perspectives and stories theyv’e drawn from observing everyday lives. They together find music even in the mundane. The Esplanade website describes their musical influences. Both Wong and Goh believe in exploring the strong connection between people and storytelling. They tell musical stories in such a way that it helps us identify with ourselves, thus enabling us to transcend time and space and feel beyond ourselves. The endeavor is help people reach to the deepest parts of our their souls.Wong and Goh are mostly self taught and one can say about them that their biggest teacher is life.Mary Wong got interested in music at a very young age. Since the age of 7, Wong has been actively participating in singing competitions. She was awarded ‘Best Female Singer’ of Ocean Butterflies’ V-Singer 4, and was also the voice behind ‘Hu Xi,’ the famous theme song of MediaCorp Channel 8 hit drama ‘Beyond X.’ In 2914, Wong began writing songs and won the third prize in a nationwide songwriting competition. Her first single as a songwriter is ‘Miss You Crazy.’ In 2017, Wong released two original singles. Since then, she’s been actively promoting her originals at different platforms throughout Singapore, including ‘Esplanade’s Huayi Festival’ at the Esplanade Concourse and Switch at Timbre-Xin Chuang. Wong has also done live performances on YES933 and UFM100.3. Her work can be viewed on YouTube.Ariane Goh has been on a self imposed hiatus for some time. A singer and songwriter, Goh has been writing behind the scenes for television programmes and regional artists. This is an entirely new journey for Goh and she finds joy in the process. Like Wong, Goh too is a keen observer of life and her professional work reflects the same. Her style of music was mostly self-taught before she opted to pursue a Diploma in Music Performance at LASALLE College of the Arts in 2014. R&B, soul and pop music have been Goh’s steady influences. She also admires the work of Tamia, Lianne La Havas and Khalil Fong.The show is on August 23, 2018 at The Esplanade Co Ltd, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981For details, visit https://www.esplanade.com'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Augustin Hadelich at The Esplanade, Singapore BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 24, 2018 MahlerThe Esplanade is elated to host Hadelich and Litton together for their \'Familiar Favorites\' event on August 24. Hadelich plays Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 and Andrew Litton conducts Mahler ’s Symphony No.1 in D major "Titan". The Washington Post has said about Hadelich that "The essence of Hadelich’s playing is beauty." His music is said to be laden with resplendent beauty and genius.Born in Italy’s Cecina’s Italy Augustin Hadelich began studying the violin at the tender age of 5 with his father, an agriculturalist by profession and also an amateur cellist. Hadelich made progress in the craft by learning from violinists who would be traveling near the Hadelich farm in rural Tuscany. Some of these violinist were Igor Ozim, Norbert Brainin, Uto Ughi and Christoph Poppen. Hadelich excelled as a rising star of the piano, violin and composition in Germany.In 2006, Hadlich won the first prize at the International Violin Competition held in Indianapolis. It appeared that finally he was ready for the world stage. He began as a substitution playing with some major orchestras. In 2008, Hadlich filled in for Julian Rachlin who was slated to play at the Hollywood Bowl, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Next year, Hadelich made his New York Philharmonic debut substituting for violinist Nikolaj Znaider at the ‘Bravo! Vail Festival.’ Since then, he has played as a soloist with almost every major orchestra of North America. Few of Hadlich’s recent appearances include concerts with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.Andrew Litton, the American orchestral conductor is a graduate of The Fieldston School. John DeMaio was one of his early teachers. He started his conducting career with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Here he served as the conductor between 1988 and 1994. Litton was Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director from 1994 to 2006. Since 2003, he has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of Norway’s Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Litton\'s most notable recordings include William Walton\'s Belshazzar\'s Feast with Bryn Terfel and the Bournemouth Symphony; which won him a Grammy. His live performance recording of Sweeney Todd with the New York Philharmonic, again fetched Litton a Grammy nomination. His other recordings include the complete Tchaikovsky Symphonies with the Bournemouth Symphony, a Decca Walton Centennial boxed set, the complete Rachmaninoff Symphonies with the Royal Philharmonic, Sergei Prokofiev\'s Romeo and Juliet with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, and numerous Gershwin recordings.The concert is on August 23, 2018 at The Esplanade Co Ltd, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981For details, visit https://www.esplanade.com'
'arts_and_crafts','english','“Les Pêcheurs de Perles” at The Metropolitan Opera House, New York BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 24, 2018 A scene from the show ( Courtesy: The Metropolitan Opera ) “Les Pecheurs de Perles” will be on stage at The Metropolitan Opera House, New York, from November 14 through December 8, 2018. “Penny Woolcock’s breathtaking production, a highlight of the 2015-16 season, makes its much awaited return with an all-star cast. Soprano Pretty Yende is the beautiful priestess Leila, with tenor Javier Camarena and baritone Mariusz Kwiecien as rivals for her forbidden love. Emmanuel Villaume conducts Bizet’s sensual score,” says the The Metropolitan Opera website. The opera is originally set in Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka) in non-historic “ancient times,” signifying an exotic land with a mythical and romantic aura. The The Metropolitan Opera House’s production places the action in an unspecified locale in the Far East. The production is a gift of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa. Additional funding has been sourced from The Annenberg Foundation; Mr. William R. Miller, in memory of Irene D. Miller; and American Express. Co-production was originally created by English National Opera. “World premieres at Theatre Lyrique, Paris, 1863. Few operas can match the sheer lyric beauty of Bizet’s youthful ‘Les Pecheurs de Perles.’ Critics at the time were not in favor of it — the composer was accused, bafflingly, of imitating both Verdi and Wagner — but the audience was swept up in the ravishing score tinged with the allure of a mythical South Asian setting. The opera employs the same blend of exoticism and eroticism that would find such indelible expression in Bizet’s subsequent masterpiece, “Carmen,” but the sensual scope of the music is perhaps even wider in the earlier work with its deliberately vague setting,” says the website. French composer Georges Bizet (1838–1875) was known as a brilliant student and prodigy, but his works only found lasting success after his untimely death. His final opera, “Carmen,” which premiered to very mixed reactions three months before he died, became a hit shortly afterward and is acknowledged today as one of opera’s greatest achievements, according to the website. “In addition to its striking lyrical expression, the score is filled with surprising and delightful features throughout. The important role of the chorus is evident from the opening number. The orchestral writing is equally sophisticated, especially in the subtle touches of instrumentation, but the highest honors of the score must go to the remarkable solos and duets that have made the opera impossible to forget. The most famous moment in the work comes with the justly celebrated duet between the tenor and baritone, the ravishing ‘Au fond du temple saint” in Act I,’” adds the website. The opera will be on stage from November 14 through December 8, 2018, at 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, USA For details, visit: https://www.metopera.org/season/2018-19-season/les-pecheurs-de-perles/'
'arts_and_crafts','english','coffee beans glue stem and leaf from a plant in your garden or from a sprig of artificial flowersWe were set up under a large tree in the backyard on this beautiful fall day. It’s a wonderful place to sit and craft when the weather is nice.I gave the hooligans their paper plates and several shades of red and green paint.The hooligans love blending colours even if the colours are in the same colour family. Using several shades of the same colour teaches the children about highlights and shadows, and it adds depth and interest to our projects.To begin, we painted the rims of the paper plate with either our red or green paint.Then, we cut a semi-circle into each side of the paper plate to create our apple core shape.The hooligans added “seeds” to their apple cores, gluing them over the unpainted center of the paper plate.To complete our apples, we snipped a few stems with leaves from our garden, and we glued those to the tops of our paper plate apples.What a simple and delightful fall craft for little hands. If you enjoyed this fall apple craft, you’ll also like:'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Wednesday, September 5th, 2018 at 6:00 PM - Whitewater, KS - Online Only Auction! Golf Carts, Vehicles, Household! Online Only Auction 2018-09-05 18:00:00 2018-09-05 19:00:00 America/Chicago Internet Auction - Equip-Bid Online Only Auction! Golf Carts, Vehicles, Household! https://www.equip-bid.com/auction/4276 201 S Main Whitewater, KS Equip-Bid'
'arts_and_crafts','english','This looks and sounds delicious! I love chai tea, and never had a chai tea cupcake! I totally need to try these! 🙂'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Tina TurnerLondoners seeking entertainment in this bank-holiday week are spoiled for choice.There’s Notting Hill Carnival, celebrating the best of Caribbean culture and mourning the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower Disaster.Music fans can listen to Dizzy Rascal at the South West Four festival, Britney Spears at the O2 or Bernstein being celebrated at the Proms. “Swan Lake” from Russia brings superb ballet to the Coliseum. A revival of “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice” has just opened at the Park Theatre. “Dinosaur World Live” is at Regent’s Park. The latter is not the only children’s show on offer. Others include “The Star Seekers” at the National Theatre and “Meet the Teaspoons” at Chiswick’s Tabard Theatre.On the Shakespearean front, “King Lear” with Sir Ian McKellen and “Othello” with Sir Mark Rylance as Iago are both highly recommended.Many serious theater-goers may be in Edinburgh, of course. (See three picks of the festival, a preliminary one here , an update with extra shows here and the latest with award-winners here .)The format of these weekly short capsule previews is to list newly opening and one-time shows; others highly recommended, and those near the end of their run. We also continue to review the best and most noteworthy in depth and separately.“The Rise and Fall of Little Voice”At Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, through September 15.The unique selling point here is a real-life mother and daughter playing the two main roles. Sally George is excellent as the ditzy, brassy, boozy, man-mad mom. Rafaella Hutchinson is the angel-tongued Little Voice. For a full review, click here .“Dinosaur World Live”At Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, through September 9.A late-late back-to-school show, just in time for the holiday weekend and beyond. This show is ideal for children, especially those into dinosaurs. One T. Rex would be enough but this show has several – scary and fun at the same time. They are like War Horse puppets on a larger scale.“Swan Lake”At London Coliseum, through September 2.The St. Petersburg Ballet returns to the Coliseum. Irina Kolesnikova, prima ballerina since the age of 21, leads the company. This is a full version of the ballet in a traditional production. A full review will follow on Blouin Artinfo.Notting Hill CarnivalAll over Notting Hill, August 26 and 27.One of the largest street carnivals. The musical, food and drink event celebrates Caribbean culture; artistic talent; community spirit and diversity. There are 72--second silences at 3 p.m. both days to remember Grenfell people who died in the inferno nearby a year ago.South West FourAt Clapham Common, August 25 and 26.London now has many summer festivals that specialize in electronica, dance, EDM and all related fields. This holiday weekend shindig is one of the best and usually sells out fast. It is one of the last summer events before that back-to-school feeling takes over. And, more importantly, it has one of the best line-ups, this time including Dizzee Rascal, Craig David and Idris Elba.Britney Spears: Piece of MeAt The O2, August 24 through 26.Tickets have been snapped up for these dates, but more are available for purchase online. Spears, 36, started her current tour in July, with plenty of hits and material off her last album, “Glory,” released in 2016.BBC PromsAt Royal Albert Hall and other venues such as Cadogan Hall and Hyde Park, through September 8.The musical festival continues to broaden its remit, to the delight of some and dismay of classical purists. There is plenty more Bernstein coming up, to mark the 100 th anniversary of the composer’s birth. John Wilson conducts “On the Town” on August 25, and there is a staging of Bernstein’s “The Sound of an Orchestra” and his unfinished ballet “Conch Town.” There is plenty of typical, traditional Proms fare too, with music by Bach, Strauss, Shostakovich, Mozart and Bruckner.LAST CHANCE TO SEE“Meet the Teaspoons”At Tabard Theatre, 2 Bath Rd, Chiswick, London W4 1LW, through August 26.This weekly column’s previews are often of big West End shows. So, for a change, here’s a recommendation of a fun family show that’s worth a visit. The utterly charming story and lyrics are by Nick Bromley, inspired by Lote Moore’s book “The Teaspoon Family.” The play, about the antics of the loveable Teaspoon Family and their naughty neighbors the Knives, works well on two levels for children and adults and is a sheer joy.“Hamlet”Shakespeare’s Globe, through August 26.Purists have long been carping against casting directors changing sex, race or age of characters in classic plays. The politically-correct changes sometimes make little sense: black parents cast with white children or old people playing youngsters. These revisions can also work, as with all-female “Julius Caesar” or female King Lears. Gender swapping as was normal in the Bard’s time, with boys often playing girls. Now we have Michelle Terry bravely assuming the central role in “Hamlet” as she takes on the part of Artistic Director at The Globe. Reviews have been mixed, while many would say that the Globe is best with Shakespeare plays done as authentically possible.“A Monster Calls”At Old Vic, through August 25.This is a powerful combination of heart-rending plot and spectacular effects. This story about sickness and dreams and monsters is based on the novel by Patrick Ness, envisaged for stage by Sally Cookson.ALSO WORTH SEEING“The Star Seekers”At the Dorfman, Royal National Theatre, through September 1.For a children’s show, you can’t go far wrong with “Meet the Teaspoons” (below), though this interactive romp has a lot of comedy too. The audience needs to help a trio of astronauts save their space station.“Silk Road (How to Buy Drugs Online)”At Trafalgar Studios, through September 1This minimalist one-man show by Josh Barrow, written by Alex Oates, is about a student whose geeky obsession with the Internet leads him into temptation, the dark web and drug dealing.“Emilia”At Shakespeare’s Globe, through September 1.Emilia Bassano, a court member and poet, is one of those who may have been the “Dark Lady” to whom Shakespeare addresses his sonnets. She became the front runner for the title after Oxford scholar A.L. Rowse identified her, under her name Emilia Lanier. This new play ticks all the boxes for the Globe’s new artistic director Michelle Terry alongside her female Hamlet. “Emilia” has an all-female cast with Charity Wakefield as Shakespeare. In many shows, characters are increasingly changing sex or race or age and we are still supposed to suspend our disbelief. The play, by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, has been cheered along by partisan crowds though not everyone looks convinced. Especially the men.“Aristocrats”At Donmar Warehouse, previews from August 2, through September 22.The National Theatre has recently finished staging a play by Brian Friel, “Translations.” The Donmar picks up the Friel relay baton with its third revival of the late writer’s work. This is one of his best scripts.“Little Shop of Horrors”At Regent’s Park Theatre, previews from August 3, opens August 10, extended through September 22.Whether it is “Jesus Christ Superstar” for the past two years, “Porgy and Bess,” “The Sound of Music,” “Ragtime,” or “Crazy for You,” the open-air venue always stages a big, fun, summer spectacular. This year it is a revival of a famous horror musical.“Home, I’m Darling”At National Theatre, through September 5.Laura Wade made her name with “Posh,” the play seen as a satire of the David Cameron’s Etonian set, the Oxford Bullingdon Club and all its excesses. This new play is very different, shunting 1950s suburbia into retro reverse. One thinks of phrases such as “your dinner is in the dog.” Why anyone would want to give up the mod cons of today to revert to 1950s basics is another matter, but this is a subtle meditation on feminism, masculine power and more.“Othello”At Shakespeare’s Globe, through October 13.This is in huge demand given the names alone. Sir Mark Rylance is Iago (arguably the most interesting and complex character) and Andre Holland is Othello. The director is Rylance’s wife Claire van Kampen. This is an outstanding version, beating for example the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse production of last year. Rylance, a former artistic director of the Globe, is particularly outstanding.“King Lear”At Duke of York’s Theatre, through November 30.Sir Ian McKellen, now 79, takes to the West End stage again, this time for the title character in King Lear. He previously said that this is likely to be his “last big Shakespeare part.” He earlier won acclaim in Jonathan Munby’s production at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2017, with a superb performance of Lear’s descent into madness. A Blouin Artinfo review of the London show be found here.“The Lehman Trilogy”At National Theatre, playing in repertoire through October 20.There are times when it seems hard to believe there is just one Sam Mendes rather than many clones, given the large number of shows he is involved with. Here he directs three fine actors — Simon Russell Beale, Ben Miles and Adam Godley. They play the founders of the financial giant Lehman and their subsequent heirs. The Italian writer Stefano Massini has written a three-part, two-interval show, reworked by Ben Power. We see the first Lehman arrive from Bavaria in 1844 and the bank’s rise, decline and fall. A Blouin ArtInfo review can be found here .“The Lieutenant of Inishmore”At Noel Coward, through September 8.Michael Grandage’s company is reviving Martin McDonagh’s play with Aidan Turner of “Poldark” in the main role. There is plenty of violence and the mad anti-hero manages to be convincing on how he can happily kill people and yet flip out when his beloved cat is badly treated. For a full review, click here .“Imperium”At the Gielgud, through September 8.The Royal Shakespeare Company has won praise for its adaptation of “Cicero” by Robert Harris. Now it comes to London. Epic two-part plays are everywhere: “The Inheritance,” “The Divide,” “Harry Potter” and now this one. They have nothing in common apart from their marathon length. For a full review, click here .“Bat Out of Hell: The Musical”At Dominion Theatre, London, booking through January 5, 2019.The Meat Loaf musical is back in town for a long run after sell-out dates last year in a short period at the London Coliseum. The songs are as over-the-top as possible and the plot is crazy. As a piece of fun spectacle it is hard to beat. The 2,000-seat venue has a lot of seats to fill. May this one run as long as “We Will Rock You.” It deserves to. Review of its previous incarnation here and interview with the stars here . Andrew Polec has been outstanding as Strat and is reported to be leading the show’s tour. Jordan Luke Gage will be taking on the lead role in London from September 3.“Allelujah!”At the Bridge Theatre, through September 29.Alan Bennett, 84, is in strangely familiar territory with a satirical look at a Yorkshire hospital’s battle for survival. (It is very apt amid the National Health Service’s 70 th anniversary events and worries for its future.) It’s not-so familiar-territory in that this is at the Bridge, Bennet having moved with Nicholas Hytner from the National Theatre. It has sold well given Bennett’s national-treasure status, it is good he is still going. This critic has now seen it and reports that it is both comic and deeply, darkly depressing, full of good moments though not a patch on his best work such as “The History Boys.”“Spamilton”At Menier Chocolate Factory, through September 8.The British premiere of the off-Broadway spoof hit has many selling points, not least that it is a lot easier to get to see than “Hamilton” itself. It makes marginally more sense though if you know the plot of “Hamilton” and sundry other musicals to get the preponderance of in-jokes.“Exit the King”At National Theatre, through October 6.The Eugene Ionesco play is in a new version by Patrick Marber. The story has a 400-year-old king clinging for life, played by Rhys Ifans (“Notting Hill”) and Indira Varma (“Game of Thrones”) as his first Queen.“Dreamgirls”At Savoy Theatre, through January 12 2019.The Motown musical, based on The Supremes, Shirelles and more, was first a hit on Broadway.The Book of MormonAt Prince of Wales, through October13The plot has two missionaries arriving in Uganda to preach the Mormon religion. This is, let’s face it, not the strongest basis for a night out, let alone for one of the most successful musicals of all time with more than $500 million taken at the box office worldwide. Some people think it hilarious, however; others find it offensive and scatological.“The King and I”At London Palladium, through September 29.This musical has got a lot going for it. The score is splendid; the Broadway production is big and glossy; it has star names in Ken Watanabe and Kelli O’Hara. The show was written in 1951 but to criticize it for being outdated is to miss the point. One might as well criticize “Show Boat” and “Porgy and Bess” and dozens more. To the open-minded this is a magnificent show.“Fun Home”At Young Vic, through September 1.A much-admired American musical adaption gets its British premiere, directed by Sam Gold though with a new British cast. The piece won five Tony Awards and is based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel.“Chicago”At Phoenix Theatre, Covent Garden, through October 6.Not quite a new opening of course. This is the 1997 production of the Kander and Ebb 1975 musical that is back in London after a tour. Basically it has been going strong for decades. Now Cuba Gooding Jr is Billy Flynn. The show has dance, song, a breathless murderous plot, lots of girls in fishnets and guys in hats. It’s not quite as hot as it was, but if you haven’t seen it – do give it a go. Gooding is especially impressive.“Hamilton”At Victoria Palace Theatre, booking through December 15, 2018.The first thing to say is “Hamilton” is a huge Broadway hit, with plenty of political relevance even now, and even with unofficial Off-Broadway spin-offs such as “Spamilton” for those who can’t get to see the real thing. The second thing to say is that this rap musical is a superb show. Third, it’s not easy to get tickets and, if you do, expect tight ID checks, with original card and government photo ID needed. But it is worth it. The British production works well.“Tina: The Musical (The Tina Turner Musical)”At Aldwych Theatre, now booking through February 2019.With rock musical bios still doing well over the last few years – Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Queen, the Kinks, ABBA, Carole King and many more – a work covering Tina Turner ’s life makes perfect sense. This London production is the world premiere. The girl from Nutbush, her strained marriage, her fight against prejudice and abuse all sit with songs such as “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Proud Mary,” “The Best,” “River Deep Mountain High” and “Better Be Good To Me.” Turner is played by Adrienne Warren.“42 nd Street”At Theatre Royal Drury Lane, booking extended through December 1, 2018.Another Broadway blockbuster. “Shuffle Off To Buffalo,” dream along with “Lullaby of Broadway,” hope along with “We’re In The Money,” and hum along with “I Only Have Eyes For You.” Dorothy Brock has been played by Sheena Easton and more recently Lulu, who is back on the West End stage after 30 years.“Strictly Ballroom – The Musical”At Piccadilly Theatre, extended through October 20.Like “Bat Out of Hell,” this is a very strange musical with a weird plot and many bizarre scenes. It is also a Romeo-and-Juliet type story of star-crossed lovers. It is based on Baz Luhrmann’s movie “Strictly Ballroom.” Will Young does most of the big singing in a role written especially for him. The bizarre collection of songs seems assembled randomly with no purpose but just to entertain: sometimes that is all that is needed.Click on the slideshow for images of some of the shows'
'arts_and_crafts','english','DIY Acorn Necklace Step by Step Video TutorialRelated: Acorn Peg Dolls Acorn Marble Necklace Nature Craft Step by Step Directions Step 1 – Play with the marbles and acorn caps to see which acorn caps will fit a marble to make a pendant for an acorn necklace.Not all acorn caps will work. Some will be too small while others will be too large for your average marble. Large acorn caps can be fit with a shooter marble . My husband loves his! Step 2 – Cut hemp cord for acorn necklaces.Cut hemp cord in sections 26 to 32 inches long. Cut as many sections of hemp cord as you need for the number of acorn caps and marbles that you have paired together. Step 3 – Drill acorn caps for marble necklaces.Drill two holes into each acorn cap on either side of the stem, or where the stem was. You can see daddy and daughter working below.We are raising a helper so we have our daughter help us with everything. She loves working with us!Either hold the acorn cap like my husband in the photo below or place it down on a piece of wood scrap so it won’t matter if you drill into it a bit. Please don’t forget to wear safety glasses like these two did! Step 4 – Thread the hemp cord through the holes in each acorn cap and tie the ends of the cord together to create a necklace with an acorn marble pendant. Step 5 – Glue a marble to the inside of each acorn cap.Use a glue gun to place a dollop of glue inside each acorn cap and quickly place a marble into it before the glue dries. Unfortunately, we have discovered that some marbles pop out over time when a glue gun is used.If you want to be sure that this does not happen I recommend you use E6000 Craft Adhesive . It is EXTREMELY toxic, so please follow the manufactures directions if you choose to use it. I only use it outside and allow it to dry outside without any children nearby. Safety first!Look how proud my little girl is of the acorn marble necklaces that we made on her DIY Outdoor Art Table and Mud Kitchen .Related: The Best Fall Nature Crafts Marble Necklace Acorn Craft and Gift IdeaAcorn marble necklaces make wonderful party favors and gifts. They make beautiful necklaces and unique ornaments you can hang in your window or on your Christmas tree. Click on the link for all the DIY details to make your own rustic acorn marble ornaments ! My daughter is so enamored with her handmade acorn marble necklaces she loves to wear them and hand them out to anyone that admires them. We have turned it into a pay it forward kindness project of sorts. I was so proud of her the first time she spontaneously gave one away, I encouraged her to do it again. I told her that we have plenty and we can always make more. She happily agreed. Since then it has been a magical experience watching someone receive one. Both young and old wear them with pride. They make a gorgeous piece of handmade jewelry when worn as a necklace. They also make wonderful window decorations and are great gifts and birthday party favors too!You may also like this gorgeous collection of gifts kids can make . Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE! If You Liked This Acorn Necklace, You May Also Like'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Today, we’re rounding up our favorite meal prep recipes. Easy + healthy recipes that you can make on the weekend (like soup, chili, or stir fry) and reheat for lunch or dinner that week.We’re also going to share some breakfast options in case you need a new smoothie recipe. Let’s get to it!Get your greens first thing in the morning with Emma’s favorite green smoothie . This recipe can be made super fast in the morning—here’s how: Spinach cubes! All you have to do is blend your favorite greens (like kale or spinach) in a food processor with a little water and spoon the mixture into ice cube trays. Anytime you’re ready for a smoothie, grab a few cubes.Emma’s pancake recipe is packed with protein and whole grains, so you can feel good about eating these anytime of the day. Breakfast for dinner? (Raises hand). Be sure to make your dry mix ahead of time and keep it in a cute jar. 🙂Chocolate for breakfast? Oh yes. This smoothie bowl is dairy-free and filled with yummy ingredients like peanut butter, bananas, and dark chocolate. You can make the smoothie mixture in a blender and keep it in the fridge for up to four days. Add toppings like banana slices or coconut flakes when you’re ready to dig in.We love overnight oats. What’s better than adding everything to a jar the night before and waking up to breakfast?Make a big pot of soup on Sunday and keep your leftovers for lunch or dinner. We have so many amazing soup recipes on the blog that are easy, healthy, and full of flavor, like 10-minute creamy tomato soup .Another go-to? Curry. Just like chili, it’s even better when the weather starts cooling off. Vegetable curry is no exception.If you’re curious, these glass containers are perfect for leftovers. Click here to see a full list of our favorite meal prep tools!Vegetarian chili: 3 ways. These recipes dan be made in a crockpot or on the stove. Don’t be surprised if they taste even better the next day!Creamy white bean, dill, and vegetable soup . This one should definitely be in the comfort food category. 🙂Even though our chili recipes are vegetarian, you can easily sub the “meat” for ground turkey or beef.But, speaking of vegetarian options, Emma’s high-protein “ground beef” recipe is a must-have if you’re into food prepping. It can be made ahead of time and added to SO many things, like spaghetti, brown rice, tacos, and more.Instead of opting for take-out, make your own pineapple fried rice with tofu . You can even make a breakfast option with quinoa and wild rice if you’re feeling fancy.Stir fry—it’s one of the easiest things to prepare and your ingredient options are pretty much endless! It’s also a great way to incorporate leftovers. Here’s everything you need to know about making the perfect stir fry, along with some of our favorite recipes.Sometimes soup needs carbs. Like in the form of gnocchi. We LOVE gnocchi. You totally need to try this recipe.We won’t blame you if you decide to eat Emma’s Massaman curry or red curry for lunch multiple days in a row.We knew cauliflower was good for you, but have you looked at all of its health benefits? One head of cauliflower packs a serious punch! Get the nutrients you need with this delicious soup.It’s almost grilled cheese and soup season. Make a big batch of roasted red pepper soup and dip away. Sometimes you need a veggie burger and fries. Or, one without the bun because you ate fries two days in a row. 😉 Either way, they’re a meal prepping dream since you can freeze them. We suggest red beans and rice veggie burgers or this recipe made with black beans, rice, and corn.Salad can either be good and flavorful or … really boring. That’s where salads in jars come in. Customize your ingredients and make lunches for an entire week. It’s a win-win!Speaking of salad, this pasta salad has the perfect ratio of carbs, protein, and veggies. Emma had it for lunch AND dinner that day she made it, if that tells you anything. 🙂Let us know your favorite meal prepping recipes in the comments! xo.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Activity Pages Printable Comic Book Panels These printable comic book panels are sponsored by The Brand Connection and Pentel. Create your own one of a kind comic books with pens from their Pop collection!I’ve been drawing for as long as I’ve been able to hold a pen. Even as an adult, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a lecture or a meeting where I wasn’t drawing something . I won’t bore you with the studies, but trust me-drawing is good for your brain! If your little ones love to doodle, encourage their habit by helping them turn those doodles into comics with this collection of printable comic book panels.Start with the retro fun pens found in the Pentel Pop collection . Yep, those colorful gel pens we loved in the 90’s are back and better than ever! The Milky collection pens are the ones that started it all. Their smooth gel ink will appear on all types of paper-light, dark, even photo paper, creating colorful pastel lines. The Solar collection combines that smooth gen ink with vibrant neon colors that actually glow under blacklight. Pens in the Sparkle collection add sparkling iridescent magical ink unlike anything you’ve seen before. The ink actually changes color when writing on black or white paper!Ready to get your little comic book artist started? I created three basic printables with comic book panels they can use. Download all three comic book panels here , here , and here . There’s a 3×3 panel to get them started on their basic ideas, then two Sunday paper styles that can be combined to create your own comic books! What can they create? The sky’s the limit!After you print out the comic book panels, it’s time for the kids to get to work. They can sketch in their designs. They can color them. They can even combine the Milky, Solar and Sparkle pens to create one of a kind effects.Each pen contains an extra long barrel and a latex-free grip for comfortable writing and drawing. That means they can work on their comic creations for even longer! This might keep them busy enough to let you finally take some time for yourself. Read a book. Take a nap. Watch your favorite TV show. Maybe even start work on your own comic book? It’s just a thought!Want to save these printable comic book panels for later? Click on the photo below to add this post to Pinterest! Related Posts'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Optional: coloring supplies if you will print the black and white versionStep by Step TutorialPrint out the templates (heavier print paper or cardstock is recommended, you can also laminate the spinner).We recommend printing the top parts (with big letters) on colored cardstock.Cut out the spinner parts, for one spinner you will need the top with the big letter and bottom with 6 images and words).Poke a hole in the middle. The hole needs to be smaller than the head of your brad (or simmilar).Place the top over the bottom part, align them and push a brad through both holes.Flip around, spread the brad legs apart.All done! Your alphabet spinner is ready to be used by your kids. Become a Member and Get Alphabet Spinner (and other cool printables)This printable is available in our members area. Become a member and gain unlimited aces to our growing collection of educational and crafty printables.Why become a member: unlimited access to alphabet spinner and all other printables in our membership library new quality resources added multiple times per week save time searching for quality resources spend more quality time with your kids Become a Member Unlock VIP Printables - Become a Member Become a member of Easy Peasy and Fun membership and gain access to our exclusive craft templates and educational printables. With brand new resources added on weekly basis you will never run out of fun things to make with your kids (either as a parent or as a teacher). '
'arts_and_crafts','english','Blog How to Encourage your Children to Eat More FruitGetting your children to love fruit (and veg for that matter) is no mean feat! And with childhood obesity rates rising to unforeseen levels, you are probably keen to encourage your children to eat well and move more. Obese children are more likely to be obese in later life making them more prone to developing weight related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, back pain, increased risk of certain cancers, low self-esteem and depression. One of the key factors contributing to the increase in childhood obesity is the shocking amount of hidden sugar in food like ready meals, salad dressing, soups and sauces like pasta sauces, breakfast smoothies, breakfast bars and yoghurts and surprisingly bread. With all of these foods containing hidden sugar, it is no wonder that people are consuming well over the recommended daily amount of sugar.It’s recommended that women should not consume more than 25 grams of sugar per day and that men should exceed 36 grams. On average people in the UK are consuming about three times the recommended daily sugar intake . There’s also the significant rise in the consumption of high fat and salt foods due to the prevailing popularity of junk food to contend with too. So, how can you go about fighting against the growing obesity statistics? And, more importantly, how can you protect your young family from developing weight related diseases in their adulthood? One of the best ways to keep your family fighting fit and healthy is to encourage them to eat better. Combined with regular exercise, having a good diet is one of the most certain ways to live a long, full life. First Tunnels is passionate about making sure that people eat more fruit and veg, and we know that getting your children to eat more of these essential foods can sometimes be a marathon-esque challenge, so we’ve put together our Top Ten Tips to help you get your children to eat more fruit.Set a good exampleAs every parent knows, young children love being like mummy or daddy, so setting a good example by eating lots of fruit and veg yourself and by being adventurous with your food is a great way to start your children on the right path in life.Make fruit excitingThere are all sorts of ways to make fruit interesting for children. From cutting up and arranging different types of fruit into elaborate and fun shapes to arranging a wide variety of different coloured fruit on a bowl, making fruit look as beautiful as possible will certainly get your children excited about eating their recommended daily portions of fruit.Encourage them to try new foodThere are all sorts of ways to encourage your children to eat more fruit and veg. From being a good role model for them to emulate by snacking on fruit and veg yourself to setting up a reward chart with star stickers for every time they try something new, there are lots of ways to encourage your children to try new food and to leave their fussy eating days behind them.Serve fruit and veg with every mealThis is such a simple, no nonsense approach to getting your children to eat more fruit and veg. This will also mean that your consumption of fruit and veg will increase making the whole family healthier and happier. There are all sorts of ways to add more fruit and veg to your meals, try topping cereals with plain yoghurt and fruit, add watermelon or apple chunks to your salads or make a colourful fruit salad for pudding.Make fruit a fun snackSlicing up fruit like apples and pears as a quick, nutritious snack seems to attract children to fruit more than simply making the fruit available as a whole. In a study of “14 elementary and middle schools, cafeterias that sold sliced apples saw a 71 percent jump in sales compared to schools that sold whole apples”.Grow your own fruit and vegetablesGrowing fruit with your children will definitely make them excited about eating more fruit. As soon as they start seeing ‘the fruits of their labour’ appearing, they’ll be desperate to tuck in. Take a look at our fabulous fruit cages from First Tunnels and see how easy growing your own fruit and veg can be.Visit farmer’s marketsTrips to farmer’s markets or pick your own fruit and vegetable farms will get your children all fired up about getting a more balanced diet. Young children particularly will love seeing where their food comes from and finding out about the journey that their food makes before it comes into your kitchen and lands on their plate.Let them help you with the cookingLike being a good role model for your children, letting your children help you with the cooking, is yet another way that your children can get excited about fruit as children love doing anything that makes them feel closer to you or like a grown up!Study Science TogetherFinding out about the science behind nutrition and why it is important to eat well and move more is another brilliant way to get your children eating a more varied, nutritionally balanced diet.Have family mealsFamily meals not only help your children to eat a more balanced diet where they can see what you are eating and be encouraged by you eating a wide variety of fruit and veg, but they are a fabulous way to spend time together. If eating together every night is difficult due to you or your partner’s working hours, then having a family meal night once or twice a week will still help your children to eat more fruit. Try incorporating family meal night with some family bonding activities like card and board games.Employing these handy tricks will have your children happily chomping on fruit in no time!Pin for later …'
'arts_and_crafts','english','PinThese hot glue projects make the perfect parent child craft for moms and dads and their tween aged kids. Who knew you could make these out of glue!I’ve always been a fan of hot glue as an easy way to glue things together. But then I went to Creativation earlier this year and realized it’s a fantastic creative medium in its own right! Surebonder generously sent me a glue gun and a bunch of glue to play with after the show. I spent months planning things to make without actually making them! Last week I decided it was time to stop planning and start making. A good friend was in town, and she joined me and the kids in a fantastic hot glue crafting session! Cool Hot Glue Projects to Wow the KidsIf you’re trying out a new craft material (or a new way of using a craft material, like this hot glue project), I highly recommend finding a friend who can join in! It was really fun to experiment different ways to use the hot glue I was sent, and both my friend and the kids inspired a few ways of playing with glue that I would not have come up with on my own. Hot Glue Project #1: Necklace and Bracelet CharmsMy friend Gwen and I spent a lot of time playing around with the glue, looking for new ways to use it. The bubbles of hot glue that we were pouring onto parchment paper (a great surface to play with hot glue on, since the glue won’t burn the paper or stick to it) reminded me of bubble magnets . I started off by pouring glue on top of my kids’ extra stickers , but then Gwen recommended sticking the stickers on top – before the glue cooled. That worked much better, with the added bonus of not having a sticker backing to deal with.I think that these would make super cute fridge magnets, but since I used my six-year-old’s stickers I turned them into necklace charms for her. I used an 1/8th inch hole punch to punch a hole. Then I used needle nosed pliers to attach a jump ring . I didn’t have any spare jewelry chains , so we used a little bit of fancy twine to turn the charms into necklaces for her. I think these would also make fun and unique charms for a charm bracelet. Hot Glue Project #2: LEGO MinifiguresI have a few different silicone molds that I’ve collected over the years, and soon we turned to playing with those. Fridge magnets were still on my mind. I pulled out this LEGO minifigure mold I got years ago for my son’s LEGO themed birthday party , and decided to try making some hot glue minifigures.Clear minifigures with magnets on the back didn’t sound super exciting to me, but luckily Surebonder sent us some of their incredible colored hot glue to play with as well! The molds worked beautifully, with each minifigure taking up about one stick of hot glue. I added some small magnets on the back, and the kids are now hiding these all over the house. Hot Glue Crafting DetailsWe played around with changing glue sticks midway through, and especially alternating a colored glue stick with a clear one. Sometimes I cut a glue stick in half to alternate colors more quickly. All of my kids like the resulting orange minifigs the best.Did you notice the tiny circles? Those are paper scraps that I cleaned out of my 1/8th inch hole puncher when I was working on my daughter’s necklaces. We dumped them into the minifig molds for a fun textural effect.I originally bought the mold to make crayon LEGO minifigures . Those are fun, but the hot glue is easier to work with than melted crayon. This is especially true if you want to try textural effects. And the hot glue LEGO minifigures make great magnets!What are your favorite hot glue projects? I’ve got a more sophisticated craft coming up soon, but would love to hear any of your ideas! Share your recommendations in the comments below, on my Facebook page , or by tagging me on Instagram . We would love to see photos if you use this tutorial to build a tiny clay house of your own! Sign up for my newsletter to receive book recommendations, crafts, activities, and parenting tips in your inbox every week. '
'arts_and_crafts','english','Home Kansas News Agriculture Have another slice of cheese Have another slice of cheeseWhat would a sweltering summer day be like without an occasional stop at the local ice cream parlor for a couple scoops? Can you imagine eating piping hot chocolate cookies without a frosty glass of milk? Imagine sipping a buttery glass of chardonnay without aged cheddar. Every day in this great country of ours we can partake of these wholesome, nutritious dairy products; but if there were no dairy farmers, dairy cows or dairy industry, there would be none of these tasty treats. Dairy products remain a major source of nutrients in our daily diets. If they’re not, they should be. To find another source for the 300 milligrams of calcium found in either an eight-ounce glass of milk, a cup of yogurt or 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese, the average person would have to graze on eight cups of spinach, six cups of pinto beans or two and one-half cups of broccoli, according to the Midwest Dairy Association. The primary nutrients found in milk and other dairy products are calcium, vitamins A and D, carbohydrates, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin and high-quality proteins. U.S. dairy farmers provide an estimated $140 billion annually to this nation’s economy. Dairy farmers help sustain rural America. Even considering this nation’s continuing economic challenges, dairy farmers and companies are a lifeline to 900,000 jobs in this country. Dairy is local. Dairy farm families are business owners. Every glass of milk and each dairy product produced by these family businesses brings vitality to local and state economies. Kansas farms generate approximately $537 million in milk sales annually. In Kansas, the average dairy cow produces about seven gallons of milk per day. That’s more than 2,585 gallons of milk over the course of a typical year. Growth in the Kansas dairy industry means economic growth and access to safe dairy products for local communities and the state. The Kansas ag growth dairy strategy has identified the expansion of the influence, presence and professional standing of the Kansas dairy industry as a priority. This development has been fueled by the arrival of large-scale dairy operations, primarily in western Kansas. Milk production has doubled since 1994 and grown more than 25 percent in the last five years. There are now approximately 290 dairies in the state, milking 154,000 cows. It takes about 48 hours for milk to travel from the farm to the dairy case. As in nearly every sector of the agricultural industry, the United States has more milk production than any other country in the world. This country has six major breeds of dairy cattle: Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn. Dairy cows begin producing milk after they calve, when they are about two years old. Most cows are milked twice a day in modern milking facilities that incorporate gentle machines attached and removed by dairy farmers. Today, all milk sold in grocery stores is pasteurized during processing. During pasteurization, milk is briefly heated to a temperature high enough to destroy bacteria without affecting its flavor or food value. Yes, since the first cow arrived in the Jamestown Colony back in 1611, America’s dairy farmers have been helping provide a healthy, nutritious food product. So, fill your glass with milk every day. Dip a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream on that piece of apple pie. Cut another slice of cheese for a summer snack. And give thanks to Kansas and America’s dairy farmers. John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. Born and raised on a diversified farm in northwestern Kansas, his writing reflects a lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion.By John Schlageck, Kansas Farm Bureau Share this:'
'arts_and_crafts','english','This is a sponsored post sharing tips to help you choose the perfect mattress . As a parent, you probably struggle to get enough sleep. Whether you’re up late cleaning up the house after a long day or waking up in the night to care for your little ones, there are plenty of reasons that sleep may get pushed onto the back burner. When you finally get the chance to fall into bed, you want to get a good night’s sleep every time without fail. To feel more rested each day, use these tips for finding the perfect mattress for your unique needs.Tips to choose the perfect mattressFigure Out Your Sleeping StyleThe position you sleep in may play a role in what type of mattress works best for you. For example, people who sleep on side generally need a soft, thick comfort layer at the top of the mattress to support their body. Back sleepers and stomach sleepers, on the other hand, may need a firmer mattress with more support to eliminate back pain.Compare MattressesThe key components of a mattress will help you determine its quality along with whether it’s a good fit for your needs. Here’s what a good mattress should have:Support : Both spring/coil systems and foam mattresses are acceptable, so choose yours based on what level of support you need and personal preference.Padding : Some mattresses feature extra padding on top for comfort. People who are overweight may need a thicker layer on top to avoid feeling the springs inside the mattress.Ticking : Be sure to inspect the quality of the stitching on the mattress surface.Foundation: Find out what foundation the mattress needs, whether it’s a box spring or a slatted base.Read the Fine PrintIf you’re buying your mattress in the store, try it out for at least 10 to 15 minutes and ask about returns and guarantees. Online orders should have a trial period where you can return the mattress if you decide it’s not a good fit for you. Regardless of where you buy your mattress, you should try to find one with at least a 10-year warranty .Consider Other Sleep FactorsEven with the perfect mattress, you can still experience sleep issues due to other factors. Be sure to address the following issues if you believe they may be affecting your sleep quality:Screen time: Using electronics before bed can make it harder to fall asleep.Sleep disorders: See a doctor if you think you have sleep apnea, insomnia, or any other type of sleep disorder.Diet: A low-carb diet can help you sleep better, so try using a low-carb diet tracking app to make sure you’re cutting back on carbs responsibly.Anxiety and stress: Find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety so they don’t keep you awake at night.Lack of exercise: Work out during the day and you’ll likely find that it’s easier to fall asleep at night.Use these tips to find the right mattress and get more rest each night. In addition, be on the lookout for other lifestyle and health factors which may be affecting your sleep quality.« » Filed Under: Health & Fitness'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Sunday, September 30th, 2018 at 7:00 PM - Chanute, KS - Complete Warehouse of Gift Wrapping/Boxes Liquidation Sale! Gift Boxes, Wrapping Paper, Bows, Ribbons and So Much More!! Online Only Auction 2018-09-30 19:00:00 2018-09-30 20:00:00 America/Chicago Internet Auction - Equip-Bid Complete Warehouse of Gift Wrapping/Boxes Liquidation Sale! Gift Boxes, Wrapping Paper, Bows, Ribbons and So Much More!! https://www.equip-bid.com/auction/4205 1102 S Katy Ave Chanute, KS Equip-Bid'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Patravi ScubaTec from Carl F. Bucherer features in “The Meg” BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | August 28, 2018 The Patravi ScubaTec from Carl F. Bucherer (Courtesy of Carl F. Bucherer)As “The Meg” took a huge chunk of the global box office this summer, the Patravi ScubaTec from Carl F. Bucherer got screen time on the wrist of star Li Bingbing.The Patravi ScubaTec has impressed with its solid reputation as a professional quality diver’s watch and its capabilities were fully on display when the timepiece was featured in the film “The Meg.” Released this month, the science fiction film centers around a Megalodon, the largest shark ever thought to have lived. Among the film’s main characters are Jason Statham who plays Jonas Taylor and Chinese actress Li Bingbing who portrays Suyin Zhang, an oceanographer.Li Bingbing, who is a Global Brand Ambassador of Carl F. Bucherer, sported the Patravi ScubaTec in every scene that she appeared in the movie. The timepiece which has become a diver’s favorite since it released in 2015 meshed well with Bingbing’s role in the movie and allowed her to tackle challenging scenes below or above water. Describing her job and the associated role in the movie Bingbing stated that it was an “exciting” experience and that the watch helped her take away a sense of accomplishment.The Patravi ScubaTec is a sublime mixture of functionality and high fashion and comes with a case that is made of eye-catching rose gold. Featuring an Automatic, CFB 1950.1 caliber movement, which is COSC-certified as a chronometer, the timepiece has a depth rating of 500m and is targeted specifically at divers.Click on the slideshow to check the timepiece.'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Chinese Tibetan Gilt Bronze Stupa. Description: Height: 16.7 inches. Height: 42.5 cm. Est: $ 8,000 - $ 15,000 (Courtesy: Bernards Auction Gallery)What: \u200bAugust Estates and Collections SaleWhere: Bernards Auction Gallery, PO Box 61424, Staten Island, NY 10306 United StatesWhen: August 31; 10.00 am ESTTop lots of the sale:- Chinese Tibetan Gilt Bronze Stupa. Description: Height: 16.7 inches. Height: 42.5 cm. Est: $ 8,000 - $ 15,000- Chinese Bronze Shakyamuni. Description: Height: 18.5 inches. Height: 47 cm. Est: $ 6,000 - $ 8,000- Chinese Tibetan Gilt Bronze Yamantaka. Description: Height: 7.9 inches. Height: 20 cm. Est: $ 6,000 - $ 8,000- Chinese Bronze Elephant Censer. Description: Height: 10.8 inches. Height: 27.5 cm. Est: $ 6,000 - $ 8,000- Chinese Bronze Buddhist Figurine. Description: Height: 21.7 inches. Height: 55 cm. Est: $ 5,000 - $ 6,000- Chinese Tibetan Bronze Shakyamuni. Description: Height: 12.6 inches. Height: 32 cm. Est: $ 5,000 - $ 8,000- Chinese Tibetan Gilt Bronze Amitayus. Height: 10.8 inches. Height: 27.5 cm. Est: $ 5,000 - $ 8,000For details, visit: https://www.invaluable.com/'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Home » Easy Fall Leaf Projects For Toddlers And Preschoolers Easy Fall Leaf Projects For Toddlers And Preschoolers Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox. Thank you for subscribing. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriouslyxFall is in the air…… What better way to transition into the changing of the season than a couple of easy Fall leaf projects to decorate the home with! First, we will show you how to make multi-colored coffee filter leaf suncatchers. Then, we are sharing a simple Fall painting idea that’s perfect for toddlers and preschoolers – sponge painted paper leaves. You can use the same leaf templates for both art projects. This post was originally published on Nov 21, 2011, and updated on August 28, 2018. Coffee Filter Leaf Suncatcher Craft IdeaThis coffee filter craft is perfect for beginning art projects for toddlers and preschool aged children. They will be mesmerized watching the markers bleed together to create beautiful multi-colored coffee filters. Supplies: scissors How To Make The Suncatchers:First, color the coffee filters with markers. There’s no right or wrong way to color them.Next, place them on a baking sheet, tray, or shallow dish. Spray with water. Kids really love this part! Set aside to dry or place in the sun to speed it up a bit.Once the coffee filters are dry, make leaf shapes from them. I used these leaf templates as stencils. Cut them out and then trace one onto each coffee filter. Finish by cutting the traced leaf shapes. Finished coffee filter suncatchers, ready to be displayed in the windows for all to see.Here are the finished suncatchers before hanging them in the window. They turned out very colorful and pretty! Easy Sponge Painted Leaf Art ProjectAnother super simple Fall art project for younger kids is this leaf sponge painting idea. Supplies: leaf template leftover from first project) masking tape How To Create The Sponge Painted LeavesI kept the outer part of the leaves I cut for the above suncatcher craft because it made a nice stencil.My son picked two of the leaf stencils which I taped to a piece of paper. Masking tape works best for this because most easily can be pulled off without ripping.I gave him a sponge and a plate with small blobs of paint on it in fall colors. Make sure to have your child gently blot off excess paint onto another sheet of paper or a different area of the plate before dabbing them inside the leaves. Create a textured look by stamping layers of different colored paints. Finished sponge painted leaf art, ready to be hung up on the refrigerator.Help prewriters practice letter formation by lightly writing ‘Happy Fall!’ with pencil. Have them trace over it with a marker. If doing this fall leaf project with a toddler, you could place your hand over theirs to guide them, saying the name of each letter as you write it.These Fall leaf projects are perfect for budding artists because they are open-ended enough to allow them to freely explore and observe what happens. Yet, they can still have an end result to inspire them, ignite their imagination, and have the proud smile little ones often have after creating something they recognize. More Leaf Crafts For KidsHere are a few more leaf craft ideas to try with the kids: Handprint Leaf – Includes a fun song! Make as part of a handprint calendar or as a separate craft. Leaf Silhouette Art Project – Made with fingerprints, I LOVE how this turned out! Welcome Fall Sign – Fun fall decoration to hang on the door! Watercolor Fall Wreath – Love this idea! More Activities That Celebrate Autumn '
'arts_and_crafts','english','Reading and Writing Skills Every 1st Grader Needs #BacktoSchool August 27, 2018 by Patti Barnes Leave a Comment Reading and writing are essential for your first grader. Your child was taught the basics back in kindergarten, but now that first grade is here, you can expect even more emphasis to be placed on the language arts. This year, your child will be taught reading and writing skills that every first grader needs to know. Story ComprehensionYour child learned to read last year in kindergarten, and in first grade, your child will be expected to read and understand more complicated text. When reading with your child, make story comprehension a priority. Ask your child questions about the characters, setting and major events. Your child should basically be able to retell the story using the text and any pictures. Long VowelsAlthough your child might have learned the long sound vowels can make, this year your first grader will learn different patterns and letter combinations that make those long sounds. Words that have a CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) pattern but end in a final –e will all make the long sounds. These final –e words include lake, bake, pile, etc. In addition to the final –e, your child will learn vowel teams that make long sounds. The vowel team –ea will make the long –e sound in “team.” Knowing these phonics rules will help your first grader become a better reader. Decode WordsMost likely, your child read single syllable words in kindergarten. In first grade, your child will be expected to read more challenging text that contains multi-syllable words. Your first grader will need to use basic patterns and phonics rules to decode both one-syllable and two-syllable words. WritingWriting expectations will be higher in first grade. In kindergarten, most writing was done with the assistance of the teacher or an aide. In first grade, your child will need to learn how to write independently. This includes different writing pieces such as opinion, informative and narrative. While writing, your first grader will need to use details, reasons, and facts to support the main idea.Although your first grader will be expected to be more independent this school year, knowing these skills will make the transition much easier. Take some time throughout the school year to figure out where your child needs more help, and then practice the skill so that your child will be successful.'
'arts_and_crafts','english',"Each year around June, Christian and I start preparing ourselves to receive a new theme to present our children at our Back to School Feasts in August. This take a lot of effort because we want the theme to speak to The Little Nies and carry them as they face the upcoming school year. We've been doing this for twelve years now. It's a cool process for both of us and when we agree on the theme (sometimes it takes us weeks to feel right about it), we feel the Spirit testify of its truth, and the power it will have on our family. It usually takes us a solid month before all of us can all memorize and pass it off. For now, we hold up the a framed theme and read along. For your information,(and because I do this every year), here are all the Nielson family themes from 2000 to 2018: * * * * * * * * * * *"
'arts_and_crafts','english','Link Suggestion: Free pattern – Chevron lace cuffed fingerless gloves August 28 , by Larissa Coleman . Leave a CommentThese lovely lace cuffed fingerless gloves from the Feminine Touch are a breeze to knit up. Once you are past the first few rows of lace then it’s plain sailing.They are knit on straight needles and sewn up afterward. You can make them with a single skein of yarn of whatever sort you like, though wool is of course great for winter and those of us who have cold hands all year.[Photo: The Feminine Touch.]'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Mermaid Peek a Boo Card August 28 , by Heather Holbrook . 1 CommentI recently reviewed some fabulous products from Whimsy stamps . If you missed those be sure to check out part one and part two .And I just had to make one more card with the adorable Let’s Be Mermaid set! Click here to visit my Youtube channel for a video tutorial for my Mermaid Peek a Boo Card. Or check it out down below.-Heather'
'arts_and_crafts','english','Craft Book LinkThey’re hiding under the bed. And in the closet. And anywhere else you’ve stashed yarn. They’re friendly little monsters, and they’re ready to come out and play!Popular designer Rebecca Danger presents 20 patterns for the most adorable monsters ever to climb off a pair of knitting needles. All are shown in two colorways, and most are done in two yarn weights, to help you pick the perfect yarn to suit your monster’s personality. Share this:'
'entertainment','english','Politics News Gun control, teacher groups threaten legal action against DeVos over possible firearms funding The Education Department could face a legal challenge if it moves forward with a plan allowing states to spend federal funds on guns for school employees. by Adam Edelman / Aug.24.2018 / 7:32 PM ET Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks during a visit of the Federal School Safety Commission at Hebron Harman Elementary School in Hanover, Maryland on May 31, 2018. Jose Luis Magana / AP file Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBEA coalition of prominent gun control, teacher and civil rights groups is threatening legal action against the Department of Education if it moves forward with a controversial proposal that would allow states to spend federal funds on guns for school personnel."We are extraordinarily concerned with this dangerous, and what we believe to be unlawful, proposal under consideration to supply teachers with federal funds to buy gun for their classrooms, instead of books and school supplies," said Giffords Law Center chief counsel Adam Skaggs, whose group, which was co-founded by shooting victim and former Rep. Gabby Giffords, is taking the lead on the potential suit.Other members of the coalition are the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest teachers\' union; the Southern Poverty Law Center; and Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan legal group targeting executive branch overreach. Betsy DeVos considers using federal funds for guns in classrooms Aug.23.2018 05:11NBC News reported this week that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos began deliberating the controversial move earlier this year after Texas and Oklahoma asked the agency if schools could buy weapons using federal funds known as Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants, which are part of Title IV funding. The Education Department is still weighing the issue and "no decision is imminent," a senior administration official told NBC.But if the agency moves forward with the proposal, the coalition is prepared to fight it."In essence, our complaint will seek a declaration that allowing these federal funds to be spent on guns instead of activities meant to make schools feel safe is unlawful, as well as an order from the court enjoining the Department of Education from approving such funds," Skaggs told NBC News.Skaggs explained that the suit is based on the fact that "nowhere in federal law has Congress authorized the use of education funds for the purchase of guns or to arm teachers."Citing the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, which bans unauthorized individuals from bringing loaded and unsecured guns into school zones, as well as the definition of school "drug and violence prevention" under federal law (it includes the phrase,"the creation and maintenance of a school environment that is free of weapons"), Skaggs said federal law "in various ways makes clear" that "guns are disfavored in the education environment."The Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBE '
'entertainment','english'," Mac Miller's Home Was Cleaned Before Investigation Into His Apparent Overdose : Report Mac Miller's Home Was Cleaned Before Investigation Into His Apparent Overdose : ReportThe sources told the outlet that they believed Miller suffered a fatal drug overdose but that only a small amount of white powder was found in Miller’s … Read more:"
'entertainment','english','Hugh Jackman & The Greatest Showman Ensemble 5:49 11 Songs, 39 Minutes Released: Dec 8, 2017 ℗ 2017 This compilation Atlantic Recording Corporation for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States. Motion Picture Artwork, Photos, and Fox Trademarks and Logos TM and © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Also Available in iTunes'
'entertainment','english','Congress Sen. John McCain, independent voice of the GOP establishment, dies at 81 "With the Senator when he passed were his wife Cindy and their family," McCain\'s office said in a statement. by Elizabeth Chuck / Aug.26.2018 03:40 Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBEJohn McCain, who shed a playboy image in his youth to become a fighter pilot, revered prisoner of war and both an independent voice in the Republican Party and its 2008 presidential nominee, died on Saturday, little more than a year after he was told he had brain cancer. He was 81.McCain’s office said in a statement "Senator John Sidney McCain III died at 4:28 p.m. on August 25, 2018." He announced on July 19, 2017, that he had been diagnosed with a glioblastoma , an aggressive type of brain tumor. On Friday his family announced he was discontinuing treatment ."With the Senator when he passed were his wife Cindy and their family. At his death, he had served the United States of America faithfully for sixty years," McCain\'s office said in the statement.His daughter, Meghan McCain, said in a statement that "I was with my father at his end, as he was with me at my beginning.""All that I am is thanks to him. Now that he is gone, the task of my lifetime is to live up to his example, his expectations, and his love,” she said. I love you forever - my beloved father @SenJohnMcCain pic.twitter.com/Y50tVQvlVe — Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 26, 2018McCain’s wife, Cindy McCain, tweeted : “My heart is broken. I am so lucky to have lived the adventure of loving this incredible man for 38 years. He passed the way he lived, on his own terms, surrounded by the people he loved.” She said he died in "the place he loved best."In his 36 years in Congress, McCain became one of the country\'s most respected and influential politicians, challenging his fellow lawmakers to reach across the aisle for the good of the country, and often sparring with reporters with a biting if self-deprecating wit.On a variety of issues — torture, immigration, campaign finance, the Iraq War — McCain was often known as the moral center of the Senate and of the Republican Party. Meghan McCain remembers her father Sen. John McCain Aug.26.2018 02:48Last year, in his last act of defiance, McCain returned to the Capitol less than a week after his cancer was diagnosed to cast his vote on the Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act — the biggest legislative achievement of President Barack Obama, the man who defeated him in the 2008 election.McCain first voted in favor of debating the bill, giving his fellow Republicans hope that their long-sought goal of repealing Obamacare was in sight. McCain then dashed those hopes by casting the decisive vote against repeal.Before the vote, McCain denounced the rise of partisanship in a heartfelt speech from the Senate floor on July 25, 2017."Why don’t we try the old way of legislating in the Senate, the way our rules and customs encourage us to act?" McCain said. "Merely preventing your political opponents from doing what they want isn’t the most inspiring work." 2017: Senator McCain Speaks On Senate Floor Following Health Care Vote Jul.25.2017 15:09But in recent months, the man who had been a mainstay on Capitol Hill for more than three decades was noticeably absent.He missed a White House ceremony on Dec. 12, 2017, in which President Donald Trump signed the annual defense bill into law — one of McCain\'s signature achievements.A statement issued the following day by the senator\'s office said he was at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland receiving treatment for the "normal side effects of his ongoing cancer therapy" and looked forward to returning to work as soon as possible.John McCain was a man of deep conviction and a patriot of the highest order. He was a public servant in the finest traditions of our country.McCain\'s life was punctuated by wild highs and lows, from the horrific conditions he endured for nearly 2,000 days as a prisoner of war to subsequent professional successes that brought him to the forefront of American politics.Over the course of his career he rallied against pork-barrel spending and went against his own party\'s president, George W. Bush, on strategy for the Iraq war. He earned a reputation as a party maverick by advocating campaign finance reform, lending his name to the bipartisan McCain-Feingold Act of 2002, and supporting overhauling the nation\'s immigration system over the yearsBush said in a statement Saturday: "Some lives are so vivid, it is difficult to imagine them ended. Some voices are so vibrant, it is hard to think of them stilled. John McCain was a man of deep conviction and a patriot of the highest order. He was a public servant in the finest traditions of our country. And to me, he was a friend whom I\'ll deeply miss," and he and Laura Bush expressed their condolences to the McCain family. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) leaves the the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol after voting on the GOP \'Skinny Repeal\' health care bill on July 28, 2017 in Washington, DC. Justin Sullivan / Getty ImagesThe pinnacle of McCain\'s political career came in 2008, when he clinched the Republican nomination for president, only to lose to Obama amid the global financial meltdown and dragged down by Bush\'s low approval ratings. His contentious choice for a running mate, Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska at the time, was also believed to have contributed to the loss, and is still seen by some as a tarnish on his reputation.But long before then, McCain was a Navy brat who had little interest in being studious.John Sidney McCain III was born on Aug. 29, 1936, to a prominent naval family steeped in patriotism. Both his father and grandfather were four-star admirals, with his father, John McCain Jr., advancing to commander in chief of Pacific forces during the Vietnam War.While McCain followed in his family\'s military footsteps, he did so with his own flair: When he graduated from the Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1958, he was ranked 894th of 899 graduates.In a speech to midshipmen at his alma mater in October 2017, McCain joked about his abysmal academic performance."My superiors didn’t hold me in very high esteem in those days," he said. "To be honest, I wasn’t too thrilled to be here back then, and I was as relieved to graduate — fifth from the bottom of my class — as the Naval Academy was to see me go." Related Photos From POW to presidential contender: John McCain\'s life in picturesHe became known for "going over the walls" of the academy with classmates to carouse at bars and parties, and compiled so many demerits for these activities that supervisors regularly threatened to kick him out. After graduating, The Washington Post reported in 2008 , he was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and lived in a beach house "with a few other pilots who shared his zest for after-hours life." As he wrote in his autobiography , the house became known for "the most raucous and longest beach parties of any squadron in the Navy."When learning to fly at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, McCain "dated everyone from schoolteachers to the strippers at Trader John’s, the fabled airdale raunch bar, often returning to base just in time to change clothes and drag himself out to the flightline,” according to his biographer , Robert Timberg, in "The Nightingale\'s Song."But McCain volunteered for combat duty in the Vietnam War and, as a lieutenant commander, got orders to ship out in 1967. He narrowly escaped death in July of that year, when, while preparing for a routine bombing mission, an explosion on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal engulfed his plane in flames, killing 134 men on board.Only three months later, on Oct. 26, 1967, McCain\'s plane was shot down over North Vietnam. Both of his arms and his knee were broken, and McCain was knocked unconscious and taken as a prisoner of war.That began a five-and-a-half-year nightmare inside a prison where Vietnamese soldiers, upon learning that McCain was the son of an admiral, set out to use him for propaganda purposes. They tortured and beat him, but McCain refused an early release, denying communist North Vietnam a propaganda victory, and followed a code of conduct that POWs must be released in the order they were captured.When the war ended in 1973, McCain finally returned to a hero\'s welcome.In 2008, he spoke passionately about the patriotism he maintained while imprisoned in Hanoi."I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else\'s," he said in accepting the Republican presidential nomination. U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) listens as he is introduced at a campaign rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Sept. 6, 2008. Brian Snyder / Reuters fileObama on Saturday said in a statement : "John McCain and I were members of different generations, came from completely different backgrounds, and competed at the highest level of politics. But we shared, for all our differences, a fidelity to something higher — the ideals for which generations of Americans and immigrants alike have fought, marched, and sacrificed.""Few of us have been tested the way John once was, or required to show the kind of courage that he did. But all of us can aspire to the courage to put the greater good above our own. At John’s best, he showed us what that means. And for that, we are all in his debt," Obama said.President Trump tweeted : "My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!" Related News Prayers, respect, honor: Political world mourns McCain\'s deathMcCain was first elected to office in 1982, when he won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona. Four years later he was elected to the Senate, and he was re-elected five times.He first ran for president in 2000, becoming the main GOP challenger to George W. Bush, who went on to win the nomination and the White House.In October, he reflected on his life in an interview with GQ Magazine ."I have had the most fortunate life of anybody you will ever talk to, and I have nothing but gratitude, gratitude and joy, because I\'ve had the most fortunate life that anybody has ever had," he said. "So I spend my time in gratitude and work as hard as I can to get done what I can get done while I can." Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBE'
'entertainment','english','9 Songs, 38 Minutes Released: Jun 16, 2018 ℗ 2018 S.C Enterprises, under exclusive license to Roc Nation LLC and Parkwood Entertainment LLC, under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment. Also Available in iTunes About THE CARTERS Beyoncé and Jay-Z co-headlined a second stadium tour in 2018 and during its first leg released a triumphant collaborative album, Everything Is Love, under the name the Carters. At the conclusion of the duo\'s London Stadium performance on June 16, the video for "Apeshit," a new song recorded with Quavo, Offset, and Pharrell Williams, was premiered for the crowd, who were also the first to be informed, via LCD display, "ALBUM OUT NOW." Everything Is Love was immediately available for streaming and download on Tidal, and was available elsewhere two days later. The personal and largely celebratory album, balanced between contemporary R&B and rap with contributions from the likes of Cool & Dre, Boi-1da, and Ty Dolla $ign, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, as Beyoncé and Jay-Z eased into the second half of their tour\'s European leg. The U.S. tour ran from late July to the first week of October. GENRE'
'entertainment','english','Good, but needs a lot of improvements Nov 12, 2017 Alexander Mayeux I use this app all the time and for the most part it works really well! The videos load up fairly quickly and they can be watched without any trouble when watching in a high resolution. And in its simplest form, that’s it! It works well! However, there are some bugs and some flaws that need to be fixed. While the videos are watchable, at times it will freeze and the app will just crash. This can get really annoying when you’re watching something and then all of a sudden it just crashes on you. Thankfully, once you head back into the app, it will let you start off from where you were. But there is one last flaw that really should be fixed, connecting to the TV. While videos do work well on the TV, half of the time I’ll be watching a video, and then all of a sudden I may accidentally tap the icon to connect to the TV and then it will just connect. You can exit out of it, but sometimes I won’t notice and it will connect to my TV without me even knowing. And I feel like when you tap on the icon, it should say “Are you sure that you want to connect to this TV?” And then you could either tap Yes or No, instead of it just automatically connecting with very little time to cancel the operation. Other than these though, the app isn’t all that bad and I would recommend it, as long as the flaws don’t mess with your time watching videos, then it is a passable app. Good, but needs a lot of improvements Nov 12, 2017 Alexander Mayeux I use this app all the time and for the most part it works really well! The videos load up fairly quickly and they can be watched without any trouble when watching in a high resolution. And in its simplest form, that’s it! It works well! However, there are some bugs and some flaws that need to be fixed. While the videos are watchable, at times it will freeze and the app will just crash. This can get really annoying when you’re watching something and then all of a sudden it just crashes on you. Thankfully, once you head back into the app, it will let you start off from where you were. But there is one last flaw that really should be fixed, connecting to the TV. While videos do work well on the TV, half of the time I’ll be watching a video, and then all of a sudden I may accidentally tap the icon to connect to the TV and then it will just connect. You can exit out of it, but sometimes I won’t notice and it will connect to my TV without me even knowing. And I feel like when you tap on the icon, it should say “Are you sure that you want to connect to this TV?” And then you could either tap Yes or No, instead of it just automatically connecting with very little time to cancel the operation. Other than these though, the app isn’t all that bad and I would recommend it, as long as the flaws don’t mess with your time watching videos, then it is a passable app. Two bugs you really need to fix (sorry for this being WAY to long) Oct 11, 2017 Yuuriip Alright, I\'m giving this four stars I would\'ve put five but these two bugs have bin going on for awhile and it\'s annoying me.1.when I\'m watching I video I want to get out of full screen and all of a sudden it switches me back into full screen and it wouldn\'t let me leave it this has been going far to long and it\'s getting annoying 2.Now this one hasn\'t been going for a long time but this is getting in my nerves when I type a comment on a video and then I think to myself *nah I shouldn\'t type that* so I tap the screen to get out of the comment and it shows the keyboard this is confusing the way I\'m typing this but let me explain for people reading, for iPhones, iPads and tablets you have to tap on your screen to get out of your comment but of course people may have done that by mistake and then they have to type it all again so it tells *do you want discard your comment or keep typing* simple but NOW when I want to get out of the comment the thing shows BUT MY KEYBOARD DOESNT DISAPPEAR AMD IT BLOCKS THE *do you want to discard the comment or keep typing* SO THEM I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE APP SO I CAN WATCH A DIFFERENT VIDEO THIS IS SUPER ANNOYING Two bugs you really need to fix (sorry for this being WAY to long) Oct 11, 2017 Yuuriip Alright, I\'m giving this four stars I would\'ve put five but these two bugs have bin going on for awhile and it\'s annoying me.1.when I\'m watching I video I want to get out of full screen and all of a sudden it switches me back into full screen and it wouldn\'t let me leave it this has been going far to long and it\'s getting annoying 2.Now this one hasn\'t been going for a long time but this is getting in my nerves when I type a comment on a video and then I think to myself *nah I shouldn\'t type that* so I tap the screen to get out of the comment and it shows the keyboard this is confusing the way I\'m typing this but let me explain for people reading, for iPhones, iPads and tablets you have to tap on your screen to get out of your comment but of course people may have done that by mistake and then they have to type it all again so it tells *do you want discard your comment or keep typing* simple but NOW when I want to get out of the comment the thing shows BUT MY KEYBOARD DOESNT DISAPPEAR AMD IT BLOCKS THE *do you want to discard the comment or keep typing* SO THEM I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE APP SO I CAN WATCH A DIFFERENT VIDEO THIS IS SUPER ANNOYING Solution: 3D Touch fauxguinae Great app, I use it every day. Just ONE THING (and a real sensible solution):--THING: (Users with shaky hands, whether through the effects of caffeine or neurological disorders, or while walking or in a moving vehicle, may experience this more often.) While a video is playing and the user is browsing comments or other videos to play next or later, it is way too easy to unintentionally tap, even slightly touch, another video link that will immediately stop the existing video and start playing another. It\'s an inconvenience that\'s happened many times here, often with videos that I\'ve had no interest in viewing, and have had to remove from viewing history to keep any others like them from showing up in the feed. --POSSIBLE SOLUTION: incorporate the iOS features of 3D Touch into the app, requiring a bit more pressure on a video link if a video is already playing and the user wants to play another video before it\'s finished, and ensuring that the action is done with definite intent.--ANOTHER idea, and for systems without 3D Touch, could be a request for confirmation, with a tiny, semitransparent pop-up asking something like, "Do you want to stop (current video) and play (next video)?" without disrupting the current video.Five stars for sure if this could be added to a future update. Solution: 3D Touch fauxguinae Great app, I use it every day. Just ONE THING (and a real sensible solution):--THING: (Users with shaky hands, whether through the effects of caffeine or neurological disorders, or while walking or in a moving vehicle, may experience this more often.) While a video is playing and the user is browsing comments or other videos to play next or later, it is way too easy to unintentionally tap, even slightly touch, another video link that will immediately stop the existing video and start playing another. It\'s an inconvenience that\'s happened many times here, often with videos that I\'ve had no interest in viewing, and have had to remove from viewing history to keep any others like them from showing up in the feed. --POSSIBLE SOLUTION: incorporate the iOS features of 3D Touch into the app, requiring a bit more pressure on a video link if a video is already playing and the user wants to play another video before it\'s finished, and ensuring that the action is done with definite intent.--ANOTHER idea, and for systems without 3D Touch, could be a request for confirmation, with a tiny, semitransparent pop-up asking something like, "Do you want to stop (current video) and play (next video)?" without disrupting the current video.Five stars for sure if this could be added to a future update. Information'
'entertainment','english','RedditPhoto by Autumn AndelCharles Bradley , the veteran soul singer whose exuberant live performances propelled him to stardom later in life, has died following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 68 years old.“Always a fighter, Charles battled cancer with everything he had,” according to a statement released through his representative.”He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2016 and underwent treatment. Bradley headed out on the road earlier this year after receiving a clean bill of health but the cancer recently returned, spreading to his liver .”“Thank you for your prayers during this difficult time,” the statement adds. “Mr. Bradley was truly grateful for all the love he’s received from his fans and we hope his message of love is remembered and carried on.”In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the All-Stars Project and Music Unites in Bradley’s honor. Photo by Phillip RoffmanLike Daptone Records label mate Sharon Jones, Bradley’s musical career began later in life. Prior to being discovered, he worked a series of odd jobs, including as a professional James Brown impersonator. Eventually he met Gabriel Roth, a co-founder of Daptone, who put out his debut album, No Time For Dreaming , in 2011. Bradley released two more albums, 2013’s Victim of Love and 2016’s Changes , but he was most celebrated for his high-energy live performances.Consequence of Sound contributor Collin Brennan wrote of Bradley in a 2016 concert review , “The man’s voice is a force of nature, the kind that recording engineers get paid millions to capture but never quite do. Every syllable sounds strained to the point of breaking, though at no point does Bradley seem at risk of losing control of his most precious instrument. This is frankly incredible, as he leaves everything on the table in practically every song, whether he’s expelling his soul through the mournful verses of ‘How Long’ (during which he also carried the mic stand on his back, as if to symbolize his burden) or getting frisky during Victim of Love standout ‘You Put the Flame on It’.”Watch Bradley’s 2016 appearance on CBS: This Morning — a performance that earned him an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding On-Camera Musical Performance in a Daytime Program.” Artists'
'entertainment','english','in Psychology | August 31st, 2017 7 Comments 13.8kIt is generally accepted that the standard deck of playing cards we use for everything from three-card monte to high-stakes Vegas poker evolved from the Tarot. “Like our modern cards,” writes Sallie Nichols , “the Tarot deck has four suits with ten ‘pip’ or numbered cards in each…. In the Tarot deck, each suit has four ‘court’ cards: King, Queen, Jack, and Knight.” The latter figure has “mysteriously disappeared from today’s playing cards,” though examples of Knight playing cards exist in the fossil record. The modern Jack is a survival of the Page cards in the Tarot. (See examples of Tarot court cards here from the 1910 Rider-Waite deck.) The similarities between the two types of decks are significant, yet no one but adepts seems to consider using their Gin Rummy cards to tell the future.The eminent psychiatrist Carl Jung, however, might have done so.As Mary K. Greer explains , in a 1933 lecture Jung went on at length about his views on the Tarot, noting the late Medieval cards are "really the origin of our pack of cards, in which the red and the black symbolize the opposites, and the division of the four—clubs, spades, diamonds, and hearts—also belongs to the individual symbolism.They are psychological images, symbols with which one plays, as the unconscious seems to play with its contents.” The cards, said Jung, “combine in certain ways, and the different combinations correspond to the playful development of mankind.” This, too, is how Tarot works—with the added dimension of “symbols, or pictures of symbolical situations.” The images—the hanged man, the tower, the sun—“are sort of archetypal ideas, of a differentiated nature.”Thus far, Jung hasn\'t said anything many orthodox Jungian psychologists would find disagreeable, but he goes even further and claims that, indeed, “we can predict the future, when we know how the present moment evolved from the past.” He called for “an intuitive method that has the purpose of understanding the flow of life, possibly even predicting future events, at all events lending itself to the reading of the conditions of the present moment.” He compared this process to the Chinese I Ching, and other such practices. As analyst Marie-Louise von Franz recounts in her book Psyche and Matter :Jung suggested… having people engage in a divinatory procedure: throwing the I Ching, laying the Tarot cards, consulting the Mexican divination calendar, having a transit horoscope or a geometric reading done.Content seemed to matter much less than form. Invoking the Swedenborgian doctrine of correspondences , Jung notes in his lecture, “man always felt the need of finding an access through the unconscious to the meaning of an actual condition, because there is a sort of correspondence or a likeness between the prevailing condition and the condition of the collective unconscious.”What he aimed at through the use of divination was to accelerate the process of “ individuation ,” the move toward wholeness and integrity, by means of playful combinations of archetypes. As another mystical psychologist, Alejandro Jodorowsky, puts it, " the Tarot will teach you how to create a soul ." Jung perceived the Tarot, notes the blog Faena Aleph , “as an alchemical game,” which in his words, attempts “the union of opposites.” Like the I Ching, it “presents a rhythm of negative and positive, loss and gain, dark and light.”Much later in 1960, a year before his death, Jung seemed less sanguine about Tarot and the occult, or at least downplayed their mystical, divinatory power for language more suited to the laboratory, right down to the usual complaints about staffing and funding. As he wrote in a letter about his attempts to use these methods:Under certain conditions it is possible to experiment with archetypes, as my ‘astrological experiment’ has shown. As a matter of fact we had begun such experiments at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, using the historically known intuitive, i.e., synchronistic methods (astrology, geomancy, Tarot cards, and the I Ching). But we had too few co-workers and too little means, so we could not go on and had to stop.Later interpreters of Jung doubted that his experiments with divination as an analytical technique would pass peer review. “To do more than ‘preach to the converted,’” wrote the authors of a 1998 article published in the Journal of Parapsychology , “this experiment or any other must be done with sufficient rigor that the larger scientific community would be satisfied with all aspects of the data taking, analysis of the data, and so forth.” Or, one could simply use Jungian methods to read the Tarot, the scientific community be damned.As in Jung’s many other creative reappropriations of mythical, alchemical, and religious symbolism, his interpretation of the Tarot inspired those with mystical leanings to undertake their own Jungian investigations into parapsychology and the occult. Inspired by Jung’s verbal descriptions of the Tarot’s major arcana , artist and mystic Robert Wang has created a Jungian Tarot deck , and an accompanying trilogy of books, The Jungian Tarot and its Archetypal Imagery , Tarot Psychology , and Perfect Tarot Divination .You can see images of each of Wang’s cards here . His books purport to be exhaustive studies of Jung’s Tarot theory and practice, written in consultation with Jung scholars in New York and Zurich. Sallie Nichols’ Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey is less voluminous and innovative—using the traditional, Pamela Coleman-Smith-illustrated, Rider-Waite deck rather than an updated original version. But for those willing to grant a relationship between systems of symbols and a collective unconscious, her book may provide some penetrating insights, if not a recipe for predicting the future.Related Content:'
'entertainment','english',"Engineers will deploy a trash collection device to corral plastic litter in an attempt to clean up the world's largest garbage patch in the heart of the Pacific."
'entertainment','english','Khalid, Bleachers, and Amy Shark soundtrack the acclaimed film. Love, Simon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Various Artists'
'entertainment','english','Sep 8 2018, 8:47pm Mac Miller Wasn\'t Done The rapper, who died on Friday, was constantly reinventing himself, searching for an identity. He had much more to give. TWEET Seven years ago, a scrawny half-Jewish kid-rapper from Pittsburgh had the best-selling record in America. He earned it by gurning and grinning his way through verses that made sense to the underage drinkers who packed out his shows on college campuses, then laying those rhymes over palatable, poppy beats. Born Malcolm McCormick, he was exuberant, hedonistic, hard-working, confident, lyrically messy, and totally unprepared for the future.But most of us won\'t remember Mac Miller, who died yesterday at the age of 26 , for Blue Slide Park, his 2011 debut album—even if it was the first independently released LP to rise to the top of the charts since Tha Dogg Pound\'s Dogg Food in 1995. Most radio stations won\'t play his buoyant-but-sloppy early mixtapes, the ones that gained him a cult crowd in the first place—and the withering critical response to his early output will barely be a footnote to his legacy.Instead, we’ll remember him as a dextrous rapper, a powerfully candid lyricist, a meticulous and original producer, an obsessive musician, and an unlikely master of the album format at a time when everyone thought the album was a thing of the past. Where so many artists responded to criticism by lashing out, turning in, or continuing to hack away at the same stale style, Mac Miller learned, grew, and evolved. He became one of hip-hop\'s most magnetic presences, an unlikely star who, alongside his friends in Odd Future and The Internet, would prod at the mainstream from the gooey edges. Even Jay-Z gave him a pass . When Miller said he wanted to move people with his music , he meant it. As he grew up (and he grew up fast), he succeeded.And Swimming, Miller\'s fifth album, released just last month, was his best yet—soulful, introspective, and confessional but still lyrically taut. It was, gut-wrenchingly, his attempt to fully reckon with addiction and its aftermath. He established his thesis on "Come Back to Earth," the opener—"I was drowning, but now I\'m swimming / Through stressful waters to relief"—but then played with the metaphor, rapping that it wasn\'t always that easy to stay afloat. This candour made it easier to believe that he was getting better after years of depression and public scrutiny. He was working on himself. He had a song called "Self-Care." "I want to be able to have good days and bad days," he told Craig Jenkins at Vulture in an interview published on Thursday.Swimming felt like the culmination of years of difficult work. Following Blue Slide Park and 2012\'s more psychedelic and substantive Macadelic, Miller struggled with fame and drugs, disheartened by critics who dismissed him as another entry into the frat-rap canon. "Mac took the bad reviews to heart," Insanul Ahmed wrote in a cover story about Miller for Complex in 2013. "They didn’t just piss him off; they sent him into a personal tailspin." He pushed back on that in later interviews, but the backlash to a record he\'d made as a 19-year-old clearly hurt.When it came out in 2013, though, Watching Movies With the Sound Off caught fans and critics almost completely off-guard with its existential crises, apparent disinterest in day-drinking, and genre-agnostic production (Pharrell Williams, Clams Casino, and Tyler, The Creator were all credited.) Nobody who listened to his early stuff could have imagined hearing Miller alongside Earl Sweatshirt on a song called " I\'m Not Real, " pondering "hieroglyphics, pyrotechnics, metaphysics"; none of his detractors expected a young guy who\'d hit the top of the charts to start again from scratch. He seemed to be constantly reinventing himself—whether he was recovering from depression or addiction or heartbreak—but he brought his fans along with him, never shying away from the pain of it all.But he was 21 years old, still figuring out who he was. Jordan Sargent, who famously panned Blue Slide Park at Pitchfork , went to profile him at SPIN around Watching Movies and found a guy who was more than willing to open up about the struggles from which he was only just emerging: an unhealthy embrace of narcotics, an undersold tour, a bruised ego. He defined himself by that openness. An artist looking for a shortcut to respect would\'ve made their second album more superficially "serious" or "brooding." Miller, instead, made a record that was, at its root, honest.He made that honesty his signature. On GO:OD AM in 2015, he took an unsparing look at fame and addiction and all the outside forces that were governing his life. "Drugs just aren’t the way," he told Noisey back then . "You don’t wanna be married to it. I would rather sleep with my girl than with a bag of dope.” The Divine Feminine, released the next year, was a wildly ambitious tribute to womanhood that could have fallen flat on its face, but oozed warmth instead. He seemed to be constantly reinventing himself—whether he was recovering from depression or addiction or heartbreak—but he brought his fans along with him, never shying away from the pain of it all.I only got to see him live once, in New York, just after the The Divine Feminine. (I called him "an odd, sexually charged Dean Martin for a generation that never thought it needed one," and I\'ll stand by that now.) There was a sense then, four albums in, that Miller was still getting it together, one foot in his past and one in his future. That Swimming has to be the end of that journey feels impossibly cruel. There were so many more versions of Mac Miller to come: new experiments and refinements in his music, new setbacks followed by fresh perspectives. Maybe, eventually, when he said he was swimming just fine, he would have believed it.In the absence of recovery, the wide-grinned kid who topped the charts ended up making a wealth of wonderful, ambitious, original music—music that millions of people will take solace in now that he’s gone. But great records only get you so far. Working towards brilliance, trying desperately to be honest, committing to your art above all else might be something greater still.Follow Alex Robert Ross on Twitter . '
'entertainment','english','in Literature , Writing | April 10th, 2015 28 Comments 15.9k Subscribe Vk Print Xing Yummly Telegram Flipboard AdvertisementWhen it came to giving advice to writers, Kurt Vonnegut was never dull. He once tried to warn people away from using semicolons by characterizing them as "transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing." And, in a master\'s thesis rejected by The University of Chicago , he made the tantalizing argument that "stories have shapes which can be drawn on graph paper, and that the shape of a given society’s stories is at least as interesting as the shape of its pots or spearheads.” In this brief video, Vonnegut offers eight essential tips on how to write a short story: Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water. Every sentence must do one of two things--reveal character or advance the action. Start as close to the end as possible. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them--in order that the reader may see what they are made of. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.Vonnegut put down his advice in the introduction to his 1999 collection of magazine stories, Bagombo Snuff Box . But for every rule (well, almost every rule) there is an exception. "The greatest American short story writer of my generation was Flannery O\'Connor ," writes Vonnegut. "She broke practically every one of my rules but the first. Great writers tend to do that."Now if you want to learn to write with style, that\'s another story. And Vonnegut has advice on that too here .via BrainPickingsFollow Open Culture on Facebook and Twitter and share intelligent media with your friends. Or better yet, sign up for our daily email and get a daily dose of Open Culture in your inbox.If you\'d like to support Open Culture and our mission, please consider making a donation to our site . It\'s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your contributions will help us provide the best free cultural and educational materials.Related Content:'
'entertainment','english','Search Trump Blasts Social Media ‘Censorship\': ‘Discriminating Against Republican/Conservative Voices’“Speaking loudly and clearly for the Trump Administration, we won’t let that happen,” POTUS says in Saturday tweet-storm Thom Geier | August 18, 2018 @ 4:51 AM Last Updated: August 18, 2018 @ 12:57 PMPresident Trump on Saturday issued a tweet-storm following the removal of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his InfoWars shows from most major social media platforms earlier this month.“Social Media is totally discriminating against Republican/Conservative voices,” the president wrote in the first of several tweets. “Speaking loudly and clearly for the Trump Administration, we won’t let that happen.”The president did not indicate what steps his administration might take to prevent private companies from setting up and enforcing terms of service that have allowed them to discipline or shut down accounts for reported abuses. Also Read: Alex Jones Suspended for Seven Days by Twitter“Too many voices are being destroyed, some good & some bad, and that cannot be allowed to happen,” he wrote, without naming any specific accounts.“Censorship is a very dangerous thing & absolutely impossible to police,” the president wrote, suggesting that social media companies may be politically motivated in enforcing their rules about hate speech and direct calls for violence.He also seemed to equate the recent moves to remove content from InfoWars — which has peddled widely debunked claims about Democrats running a child molestation ring out of a Washington, D.C. pizzeria and that the Sandy Hook massacre was staged with child actors — with his own attacks on mainstream media outlets over what he has called “fake news.” Also Read: Alex Jones\' InfoWars Terms of Service Makes the Same Argument Companies Used to Ban Him“If you are weeding out Fake News, there is nothing so Fake as CNN & MSNBC, & yet I do not ask that their sick behavior be removed,” he wrote.The president’s Twitter storm comes a week after Facebook , Apple , Spotify and YouTube removed from their services most of the content posted by Jones and his InfoWars network, citing what they said were violations of their terms of service. Also Read: Could Alex Jones\' InfoWars Face Gawker\'s Fate With Multiple Defamation Lawsuits?Earlier this week, Twitter followed suit with a seven-day suspension of Jones’ personal account.Last week, Twitter also suspended accounts associated with former Vice co-founder Gavin McInnes and the far-right Proud Boys group; the latter had participated in last summer’s deadly Unite the Right rally of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.See the tweets below. Social Media is totally discriminating against Republican/Conservative voices. Speaking loudly and clearly for the Trump Administration, we won’t let that happen. They are closing down the opinions of many people on the RIGHT, while at the same time doing nothing to others…….— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2018 …..Censorship is a very dangerous thing & absolutely impossible to police. If you are weeding out Fake News, there is nothing so Fake as CNN & MSNBC, & yet I do not ask that their sick behavior be removed. I get used to it and watch with a grain of salt, or don’t watch at all..— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2018 ….Too many voices are being destroyed, some good & some bad, and that cannot be allowed to happen. Who is making the choices, because I can already tell you that too many mistakes are being made. Let everybody participate, good & bad, and we will all just have to figure it out!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2018 Trump\'s Relationship to Alex Jones: A Breakdown (Photos)The recent backlash against Megyn Kelly and NBC for interviewing Alex Jones has renewed the spotlight on the host of conservative show "Info Wars." Kelly said in a statement Tuesday that she wanted to interview Jones because of his ties with President Donald Trump. Here\'s a breakdown of their relationship. VariousTrump and Jones began a relationship on Trump\'s campaign trail, and have peddled some of the same conspiracy theories, according to Mother Jones . Perhaps Trump\'s most popular conspiracy theory is that President Barack Obama wasn\'t born in the United States (he was), a theory also perpetuated by Jones. NBCIn December 2015, Trump was a guest on Jones\' show . Jones introduced Trump as "a maverick" who "tells it like it is." Jones opened the show by praising Trump for taking attacks from media outlets like the Washington Post and the New York Post. Jones theorizes that the attacks on 9/11 were a hoax; it was surprising that a Republican candidate would go on a show whose host postures that the previous Republican president was part of such an elaborate hoax. YouTubeAt a January 2016 campaign event, Trump called Jones " a nice guy ." InfoWars YouTubeIn February 2016, senior policy advisor to Trump Stephen Miller appeared on "Info Wars," and repeatedly spoke to Jones\' audience asking for support. "If you want to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership, if you want to close the border, if you want to protect American jobs and wages, then you have to support Donald J. Trump," Miller said . thewrap"Hillary for prison" became the rallying cry at the 2016 Republican National Convention. The phrase was initially found on merchandise on the "Info Wars" website. Jones was a " special guest " at the convention. Getty ImagesTrump continued to parrot Jones\' ideas. Last August, Jones said, "It is surreal to talk about issues here on air, and then word-for-word hear Trump say it two days later." InfoWarsAlso last August, Jones said on his show that he personally talked to Trump and encouraged him to push the idea that the election would be rigged. Trump did end up pushing this idea. "I\'m afraid the election\'s going to be rigged. I have to be honest," Trump said at an Ohio campaign stop . Getty ImagesIn November 2016, Trump\'s advisor Roger Stone told the Washington Post that Jones would be a " valuable asset " to Trump. InfoWars YouTubeAfter the election, Jones said in an " Info Wars" video that Trump called him to thank him. "I wanted to talk to you to thank your audience," Jones said the then-president-elect told him. YouTubeEven Hillary Clinton weighed in on Trump\'s reliance on Jones for ideas throughout the campaign, and released an attack ad featuring Jones. "This is what Trump listens to," says the ad as Jones talks about chemicals put in the water to make people gay. YouTubeJones\' website is full of references to " presstitutes ," and discredits news organizations like NPR and CNN. Trump is known for discrediting several news organizations. For example, in February he called the media "the enemy." Getty Images '
'entertainment','english',"First ATM opens for business URL PublisherA+E NetworksOn this day in 1969, America’s first automatic teller machine (ATM) makes its public debut, dispensing cash to customers at Chemical Bank in Rockville Center, New York . ATMs went on to revolutionize the banking industry, eliminating the need to visit a bank to conduct basic financial transactions. By the 1980s, these money machines had become widely popular and handled many of the functions previously performed by human tellers, such as check deposits and money transfers between accounts. Today, ATMs are as indispensable to most people as cell phones and e-mail.Several inventors worked on early versions of a cash-dispensing machine, but Don Wetzel, an executive at Docutel, a Dallas company that developed automated baggage-handling equipment, is generally credited as coming up with the idea for the modern ATM. Wetzel reportedly conceived of the concept while waiting on line at a bank. The ATM that debuted in New York in 1969 was only able to give out cash, but in 1971, an ATM that could handle multiple functions, including providing customers’ account balances, was introduced.ATMs eventually expanded beyond the confines of banks and today can be found everywhere from gas stations to convenience stores to cruise ships. There is even an ATM at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Non-banks lease the machines (so-called “off premise” ATMs) or own them outright.Today there are well over 1 million ATMs around the world, with a new one added approximately every five minutes. It’s estimated that more than 170 Americans over the age of 18 had an ATM card in 2005 and used it six to eight times a month. Not surprisingly, ATMs get their busiest workouts on Fridays.In the 1990s, banks began charging fees to use ATMs, a profitable move for them and an annoying one for consumers. Consumers were also faced with an increase in ATM crimes and scams. Robbers preyed on people using money machines in poorly lit or otherwise unsafe locations, and criminals also devised ways to steal customers’ PINs (personal identification numbers), even setting up fake money machines to capture the information. In response, city and state governments passed legislation such as New York’s ATM Safety Act in 1996, which required banks to install such things as surveillance cameras, reflective mirrors and locked entryways for their ATMs. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Get This Day In History every morning in your inbox! By submitting your information you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. More details:"
'entertainment','english','RedditIn 2016, Axl Rose pulled double duty, not only reuniting with Guns N’ Roses classic lineup, but also replacing Brian Johnson as frontman of AC/DC . And it appears he’ll continue to split time between both bands for the foreseeable future. GNR has another leg of tour dates lined up for Europe this summer, and according to AC/DC biographer Murray Engleheart, there are plans for additional touring with AC/DC. What’s more, Engleheart claims AC/DC’s Angus Young intends to record new music with Rose in tow.“Speculate all you want but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: AC/DC will continue with Axl on vocals – new album, touring, the whole nine yards,” Engleheart wrote in a Facebook post (via Alternative Nation ). “What was a massive gamble by Angus turned out to be an equally enormous triumph that has set the scene for the future.”Last year, Brazilian journalist Jose Norberto Flesch reported of similar plans : “Angus Young will not retire and will continue with the band. He will hire new musicians, and Axl Rose will continue as vocalist. Axl and Angus are also rumored to want to record new AC/DC material following Guns N’ Roses’‘Not In This Lifetime’ world tour.”We’ve reached out to representatives of Rose and AC/DC for comment.AC/DC’s last studio album came in 2014 with Rock or Bust . Artists'
'entertainment','english','Bishop Apologizes for How He Touched Ariana Grande at Aretha Franklin\'s Funeral Service Music By TooFab Staff | Getty More Photos from Inside Aretha\'s FuneralIt was Aretha Franklin\'s day, but Ariana Grande started trending for numerous reasons during the legendary singer\'s funeral.Bishop Charles H. Ellis III is apologizing after he was criticized for how he touched singer Ariana Grande , as well as a joke he made about her name during Aretha Franklin\'s funeral.The bishop, who officiated the service, was just one of the reasons Grande went viral on Friday, as she was criticized as well for her dress being too short and for bringing Pete Davidson with her to the memorial.But let\'s start with Ellis, who came under fire for appearing to touch her inappropriately after her performance of ("You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." Those watching the service quickly took to Twitter to sound off on how uncomfortable she appeared as he held onto her above her waist. I don’t care what you think about Ariana Grande, her music or her dress. This is wrong. That bishop’s hand should not be on her breast: I just saw this because I’ve been working and not watching pic.twitter.com/ixVhgYBJTN — Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) September 1, 2018"It would never be my intention to touch any woman\'s breast," he told the Associated Press after the complaints surfaced. "I don\'t know I guess I put my arm around her. Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar but again, I apologize.""I hug all the female artists and the male artists," he continued, saying he hugged everyone throughout the service. "Everybody that was up, I shook their hands and hugged them. That\'s what we are all about in the church. We are all about love. The last thing I want to do is to be a distraction to this day. This is all about Aretha Franklin."He also said he was sorry for offending anyone with his joke comparing her name to something you\'d find on the menu at Taco Bell. "I personally and sincerely apologize to Ariana and to her fans and to the whole Hispanic community," he told the AP. "When you\'re doing a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there."Grande caught flack of her own for the black dress she wore during the service, which went down to her upper thigh. Even Smokey Robinson, a longtime friend of Franklin\'s who also performed at the funeral, told TMZ he thought it was inappropriate .See some of the other reactions below: Ariana Grande’s ponytail is longer than her dress. #ArethaFranklinFuneral — Megan Roberts (@stellarmj) August 31, 2018 I know the church mothers are upset with how short @ArianaGrande dress is. #ArethaHomegoing pic.twitter.com/h0s0djbEJG — Denisha J. Thomas (@favoredjthomas) August 31, 2018 Jennifer Hudson in funeral chic. Take note Ariana Grande. This is how you dress for a Black funeral, not like you going to da club. #ArethaHomegoing — Linda Bain (@LindaBain) August 31, 2018 I’m just going to say it: Ariana’s dress was disrespectful. Way too short for a pulpit. You dress for the ocassion and the venue. Govern yourself accordingly. When in doubt, let the hem of your garment at least touch your knee. #ArethaHomegoing — Wendi C. Thomas (@wendi_c_thomas) August 31, 2018 Aretha in heaven looking at Ariana dress like #ArethaHomegoing (She sound good though) pic.twitter.com/PP3eGZwXoY — GodFearing Nerd (@SageofTruth) August 31, 2018Many also defended her outfit, however, after the backlash -- saying people should be more focused on the bishop\'s actions or simply telling them to shut up in general. I think every woman can look at Ariana Grande\'s face and body language and viscerally feel what she\'s feeling. The tension. The nervous laughter. Not wanting to make a scene or make him angry. Every woman knows this feeling.But google her and everyone\'s talking about her dress. https://t.co/VYikD43RnM — Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) September 1, 2018 Y’all are talking about @ArianaGrande ’s dress being too short when we could be talking about this groping and how uncomfortable Ariana is? & the look on his face? Dear Jesus. pic.twitter.com/HO7i9y9WFP — Nicholas Liddle (@NLiddle16) September 1, 2018 If Ariana Grande\'s dress makes anyone uncomfortable, I\'d suggest you check that demon within yourself and not blame that young lady for YOUR perverted mind and or the perverted minds of others whom for whatever complicit reason you choose not to check instead. #ArethaHomegoing pic.twitter.com/b0TBnWHloS — (June·Ya Boon·Ya) (@junyabunya) August 31, 2018 Fake woke twitter spent hours hating on Ariana because her dress was apparently "too short and disrespectful" yet they don\'t say a word about a grown ass man that supposed to be a "pastor" touching her like that in front of all these people #RespectAriana — Willa Crave (@BeConfidxnt) August 31, 2018 Ariana Grande\'s dress was not inappropriate or that short. Y\'all just love to sexualize attractive women. — TAKING SLAVES!? TO FREEDOM!? *EXPLOSION* (@Mariah_Cara) August 31, 2018Others were also taken aback by Pete Davidson, Ariana\'s "SNL" star fiancé, attending the funeral with her. While it certainly makes sense she\'d bring him, some found it surprising to see regardless. watching ariana grande, pete davidson and bill clinton take a selfie together at aretha franklin\'s funeral is something even mad libs couldn\'t have predicted — Ashley Nelson (@_ashleynnelson_) August 31, 2018 Ok we all have limits and my limit is Pete Davidson sitting VIP at Aretha Franklin’s funeral https://t.co/njiGLBUQtA '
'entertainment','english','10 Songs, 42 Minutes Released: Mar 1, 1973 ℗ 2016 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Pink Floyd Music Ltd., marketed and distributed by Sony Music Entertainment Also Available in iTunes About Pink Floyd Some bands turn into shorthand for a certain sound or style, and Pink Floyd belongs among that elite group. The very name connotes something specific: an elastic, echoing, mind-bending sound that evokes the chasms of space. Pink Floyd grounded that limitless sound with exacting explorations of mundane matters of ego, mind, memory, and heart, touching upon madness, alienation, narcissism, and society on their concept albums of the \'70s. Of these concept albums, Dark Side of the Moon resonated strongest, earning new audiences year after year, decade after decade, and its longevity makes sense. That 1973 album distilled the wild psychedelia of their early years -- that brief, heady period when they were fronted by Syd Barrett -- into a slow, sculpted, widescreen epic masterminded by Roger Waters, the bassist who was the band\'s de facto leader in the \'70s. Waters fueled the band\'s golden years, conceiving such epics as Wish You Were Here and The Wall, but the band survived his departure in the \'80s, with guitarist David Gilmour stepping to the forefront on A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell. Throughout the years, drummer Nick Mason and keyboardist Rick Wright appeared in some capacity, and the band\'s sonic signature was always evident: a wide, expansive sound that was instantly recognizable as their own, yet was adopted by all manner of bands, from guitar-worshiping metalheads to freaky, hippie, ambient electronic duos. Unlike almost any of their peers, Pink Floyd played to both sides of the aisle: they were rooted in the blues but their heart belonged to the future, a dichotomy that made them a quintessentially modern 20th century band.That blues influence, quickly sublimated and only surfacing on the occasional Gilmour guitar solo, was the foundation for the band\'s very name, as the group decided to splice the names of two old bluesmen -- Pink Anderson and Floyd Council -- as a tribute to the American music they loved. These members of the early Floyd -- guitarist/singer Syd Barrett, bassist Roger Waters, keyboardist Rick Wright, and drummer Nick Mason -- were all architecture students at London Polytechnic, with the exception of Barrett, who was an art student and a friend of Waters since childhood. This version of the band started gigging regularly in 1965, with Barrett becoming the group\'s lead singer quite quickly. During this time, the group relied on blues and R&B covers, not unlike many of their British peers, but they wound up extending the time of their sets through extended instrumental jams, planting the seeds of space rock that would come to fruition not much later. In 1966, the group\'s increasingly adventurous sets became something of a sensation in the London underground, leading to a contract with EMI early in 1967. Their first single, "Arnold Layne," backed with "Candy and a Currant Bun," appeared in March of 1967, and it was banned from some radio stations due to its gender-bending lyrics, but the single wound up in the U.K. Top 20, and the group\'s second single, "See Emily Play" -- a menacing, mincing stomp with a profound, lasting influence -- went into the Top Ten, paving the way for the release of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. On their full-length LP, Pink Floyd veered toward the experimental and avant-garde, particularly on the elastic, largely instrumental vamps "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive," resulting in an album that had a significant influence not only upon its release but well beyond. It was also a hit in the U.K., reaching number six on the British charts.This was a sudden rush to stardom and complications arose nearly as quickly. Not long after the release of Piper, Barrett began showing clear signs of mental illness, to the point he would often freeze on-stage, not playing a note. At this point, David Gilmour -- a friend and associate of the band -- was brought in as a second guitarist, with the intention that he\'d buttress the group\'s live performances while Barrett continued to write and record new material. This soon proved to be an impossible situation, and Barrett left the group, at which point the band\'s management also jumped ship, leaving them without any kind of leader.In the wake of Barrett\'s departure, the remaining members of Pink Floyd developed a different musical identity, one that was expansive and eerie, characterized by the band\'s spacy, somber explorations and, eventually, Waters\' cutting, sardonic lyrics. This transition took some time. In 1968, they released A Saucerful of Secrets, which contained Barrett\'s final composition for the group, "Jugband Blues," and it found the group moving forward, particularly on the instrumental sections. A Saucerful of Secrets also saw the group begin a long, fruitful collaboration with Storm Thorgerson\'s design team Hipgnosis; they\'d wind up designing many iconic album covers for the band, including Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. Hipgnosis emphasized album art, and albums are where Pink Floyd concentrated from this point forward. After the soundtrack to More, the group moved to EMI\'s progressive rock imprint Harvest and became the label\'s flagship artist beginning with the 1969 double-LP Ummagumma. Divided between live performances and experimental compositions from each member, the record wound up in the Top Ten in Britain and sowed the seeds of a cult following in the United States.Pink Floyd\'s next album, Atom Heart Mother, featured extensive contributions from composer Ron Geesin and wound up as the band\'s first number one album in the U.K. The band embarked on an extensive supporting tour for the album and when they returned they delved even further into studio experimentation, learning the contours of the studio. Their next studio album, 1971\'s Meddle, bore the fruit of this labor, as did 1972\'s Obscured by Clouds, which was effectively a soundtrack to Barbet Schroeder\'s film La Vallee. All the experiments of the early \'70s were consolidated on their 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon, an album for which there simply was no precedent in their catalog. Deepening their music while sharpening their songwriting, Floyd created a complex, luxurious album with infinite space and depth. Partially helped by the single "Money," it was an immediate success, reaching number one on the U.S. Billboard charts and peaking at number two in the U.K., but what was striking was its longevity. Dark Side of the Moon found space on the Billboard charts and then it just stayed there, week after week for years -- a total of 741 weeks in all (once it finally dropped off the charts, Billboard began the Catalog charts, where Dark Side was a fixture as well). Dark Side of the Moon was a staple on classic rock radio but it also was a rite of passage, an album passed down to teenagers when they were turning to serious music, and it was an album that stayed with listeners as they aged.Now established superstars, Pink Floyd dug deep on Wish You Were Here, their 1975 sequel to Dark Side of the Moon, which functioned as an album-long tribute to Syd Barrett. Compared to Dark Side, Wish You Were Here wasn\'t quite a blockbuster but it was certainly a hit, debuting at number one in the U.K. and reaching that peak in the U.S. as well. Floyd continued to tour steadily, often working out new material on the road. This is particularly true of 1977\'s Animals, which had its roots in several songs aired during the 1975 tour. During the Animals tour, Waters had a difficult experience with a Montreal crowd where he spit on a heckler, and he used this incident as the genesis for 1979\'s rock opera The Wall. Co-produced by Bob Ezrin, The Wall may be Floyd\'s most ambitious album, telling a semi-autobiographical story about a damaged rock star, and it\'s one of the band\'s most successful records, topping the charts throughout the \'80s and turning into a pop music perennial along the lines of Dark Side. Part of its success in 1980 was due to "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2," where an instrumental motif from the album was given a disco beat and an anti-authoritarian spin, leading to a genuine number one hit single from the band. Certainly, the single had more to do with the album\'s success than the live production of the album, as Pink Floyd only did a handful of dates in major cities. Nevertheless, these shows, consisting of a wall being built across the stage during the first act and the band performing behind it during the second, were legendary (Waters would revive and update the production years later to great success).Pink Floyd did attempt to film The Wall for a documentary film, but the footage was botched, so they decided to pursue a feature film directed by Alan Parker and featuring Boomtown Rat Bob Geldof in the lead role. The Wall arrived in theaters in 1982 and turned into a midnight movie staple. A year later, The Final Cut -- a further autobiographical work from Waters, its title a sly dig to his battles with Parker on the film -- arrived, but it didn\'t come close to matching the chart success of any of its predecessors. Behind the scenes, things were tense. Rick Wright had been fired during the making of The Wall -- he was hired as a contract player during the recording and tour -- and Waters split after the release of The Final Cut, assuming that it was the end of the band. Waters released his debut solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking -- a piece that was pitched to Floyd in 1978, but the band chose The Wall instead -- in 1984, and not long afterward, Gilmour and Mason indicated they intended to carry on as Pink Floyd, so the bassist sued the duo for the rights to the Pink Floyd name. Waters lost and Pink Floyd released A Momentary Lapse of Reason in 1987, just months after Waters released his own Radio KAOS. Bad blood was evident -- T-shirts on Waters\' tour bore the question, "Which One\'s Pink?," an old lyric that now had greater resonance -- but Pink Floyd emerged victorious, as A Momentary Lapse of Reason turned into an international hit, and racked up some hit singles, including "Learning to Fly," which was supported by the band\'s first music video. Most importantly, the band racked up significant box office returns on tour, playing to sold-out stadiums across the globe. This tour was documented on the Delicate Sound of Thunder live album.The success of A Momentary Lapse of Reason allowed Pink Floyd to dictate their own schedule and they took their time to return with a new album, eventually emerging in 1994 with The Division Bell. Greeted by warmer reviews than its predecessor, The Division Bell was another international success, and the accompanying tour -- which featured a performance of the entirety of The Dark Side of the Moon -- was a smash success. As before, the tour was documented with a live album -- this one was called Pulse, packaged in eye-catching artwork with a pulsing LED light -- and it performed respectably. After that, Pink Floyd went into effective retirement. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, while Gilmour released some solo albums, including the acclaimed On an Island, but most of their efforts were devoted to managing their catalog. Long a beloved band of audiophiles, the group saw their catalog boxed and remastered several times, including 5.1 mixes on SACD in the early 2000s.As the new millennium progressed, a détente arose between the Floyd and Waters camps, culminating in an unexpected reunion of the original lineup of Waters, Gilmour, Mason, and Wright at the 2005 charity concert Live 8. The reunion was a rousing success, sparking rumors of a more permanent arrangement, but Gilmour declined. Instead, Waters ramped up his touring -- he performed Dark Side in its entirety, then turned his attention to The Wall, touring that for years. Gilmour and Mason wound up appearing at a 2011 show in London, signaling that there was no ill will between the members. Barrett passed in 2006 from cancer and in 2008, Wright also died from the disease. In 2011, Pink Floyd launched an ambitious reissue project called Why Pink Floyd…? spearheaded by multi-disc, rarity-laden box set reissues of Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall. Among the newly released exclusives was the original Alan Parsons mix of Dark Side, heavily bootlegged live tracks like "Raving and Drooling," and demos. Three years later, in 2014, The Division Bell was reissued to celebrate its 20th anniversary, but the bigger news was the announcement of a new album called The Endless River. Constructed using outtakes from the recording sessions for The Division Bell, the primarily instrumental album was co-produced by Gilmour, Roxy Music\'s Phil Manzanera, Youth, and Andy Jackson, and featured heavy contributions from the late keyboardist Rick Wright along with new work from Gilmour and Mason. The Endless River saw release in November of 2014. Two years later, Pink Floyd released the mammoth box set The Early Years 1965-1972, which combined 28 CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays to tell a complete audio and visual picture of the band\'s first act. Released alongside this box was Cre/Ation: The Early Years 1967-1972, a double-disc compilation of highlights from this set. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine ORIGIN'
'entertainment','english','ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 31: Rapper Scarface performs onstage at 2016 Old School Hip Hop New Year’s Eve Festival at Philips Arena on December 31, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)Houston Rapper Diagnosed With Cancer Scarface is fighting for his life against an aggressive and deadly form of cancer, BOSSIP has learned.The veteran Houston rapper is battling lung cancer after years of “chain-smoking” cigarettes and marijuana, according to a source close to the star.Scarface, whose real name is Brad T. Jordan , has been receiving treatment for the lung disease in his native Houston at Memorial Hermann Medical Center, which is renown for exceptional oncological care, the source said.We’re told his condition has been up and down, and he had a close call a few months ago, telephoning a loved one in tears to complain that he was having trouble breathing and he believed it was the end.However, the former “Geto Boys” member was able to bounce back and has booked a number of performances and other engagements since. He is now set to be in New York City this weekend for a show at the Source360 Conference and Festival in Brooklyn.Scarface has not commented on the diagnosis, and we’ve also repeatedly reached out to his lawyer for comment.Lung cancer disproportionately impacts the African-American community compared with other ethnic groups, and African-Americans are more likely to develop the disease and die from it, according to the American Lung Association.'
'entertainment','english','We’re shocked to report that Mac Miller has died of an apparent overdose.Law enforcement sources told TMZ that the Divine Feminine rapper was found unresponsive at around noon on Friday at his home in San Fernando Valley, California and was pronounced dead at the scene.Miller has had a long history with substance abuse, especially following his breakup with Ariana Grande earlier this year. She’s now engaged to Pete Davidson .In May, the 26-year-old was arrested in connection with a DUI crash. He fled the scene, but authorities say he later confessed at his home and blew 2 times the legal limit.Miller spoke on overcoming some of these demons in Self Care , one of the songs from his new album Swimming . The music video for Self Care , what would be his final video, showed the artist buried underground in a coffin — an homage to a similar scene in Kill Bill vol. 2 .One shot in the video is particularly chilling, as it shows Miller carving the phrase, “Memento Mori” — Latin for, “remember that you have to die” — into the wood. Watch it (below):We’ll keep you updated on his death as more details come to light.[ Image via WENN ]'
'entertainment','english','in Literature , Theatre | January 1st, 2016 20 Comments 84.5kIn the graduate department where I once taught freshmen and sophomores the rudiments of college English, it became common practice to include Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus on many an Intro to Lit syllabus, along with a viewing of Julie Taymor’s flamboyant film adaptation . The early work is thought to be Shakespeare’s first tragedy, cobbled together from popular Roman histories and Elizabethan revenge plays. And it is a truly bizarre play, swinging wildly in tone from classical tragedy, to satirical dark humor, to comic farce, and back to tragedy again. Critic Harold Bloom called Titus “an exploitative parody” of the very popular revenge tragedies of the time---its murders, maimings, rapes, and mutilations pile up, scene upon scene, and leave characters and readers/audiences reeling in grief and disbelief from the shocking body count.Part of the fun of teaching Titus is in watching students’ jaws drop as they realize just how bloody-minded the Bard is. While Taymor’s adaptation takes many modern liberties in costuming, music, and set design, its horror-show depiction of Titus ’ unrelenting mayhem is faithful to the text. Later, more mature plays reign in the excessive black comedy and shock factor, but the bodies still abound. As accustomed as we are to thinking of contemporary entertainments like Game of Thrones as especially gratuitous, the whole of Shakespeare’s corpus, writes Alice Vincent at The Telegraph is “more gory” than even HBO’s squirm-worthy fantasy epic, featuring a total of 74 deaths in 37 plays to Game of Thrones ’ 61 in 50 episodes.All of those various demises will now come together in a compendium play being staged at The Globe (in London) called The Complete Deaths. It will include everything “from early rapier thrusts to the more elaborate viper-breast application adopted by Cleopatra.” The only death director Tim Crouch has excluded is “that of a fly that meets a sticky end in Titus Andronicus .” In the infographic above, see all of the causes of those deaths, including Antony and Cleopatra ’s snakebite and Titus Andronicus ’ piece-de-resistance, “baked in a pie.”Part of the reason so many of my former undergraduate students found Shakespeare’s brutality shocking and unexpected has to do with the way his work was tamed by later 17th and 18th century critics, who “didn’t approve of the on-stage gore.” The Telegraph quotes director of the Shakespeare Institute Michael Dobson, who points out that Elizabethan drama was especially gruesome; “the English drama was notorious for on-stage deaths,” and all of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, including Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson, wrote violent scenes that can still turn our stomachs.Recent productions like a bloody staging of Titus at The Globe in 2014 are restoring the gore in Shakespeare’s work, and The Complete Deaths will leave audiences with little doubt that Shakespeare’s culture was as permeated with representations of violence as our own—and it was as much, if not more so, plagued by the real thing.'
'entertainment','english','℗ 2018 Macon Music, LLC under exclusive license to Broken Bow Records Also Available in iTunes About Jason Aldean A Macon, Georgia-born singer/songwriter, Jason Aldean quietly turned into a genuine country superstar in the back half of the 2000s. His parents separated when he was three years old, and he spent his childhood with his mother in Macon through the school year while spending the summers with his father in Homestead, Florida. Early on, he fell under the spell of country music and made his first public appearance as a singer at a VFW hall in Macon when he was 14 years old. Soon he was a regular at area talent contests, and a year later he joined the house band at Nashville South in Macon. Aldean began pursuing a music career on a full-time basis following his graduation from high school and, with his father as a booking agent, was soon gigging in college towns throughout the Southeast and up and down the Eastern Seaboard.Aldean privately financed an eight-song CD during this period to sell at shows, recording it in Nashville in 1996. Michael Knox spotted Aldean at an Atlanta showcase a year or two later, and signed the singer to a songwriting contract with Warner-Chapell Publishing, which allowed Aldean to move to Nashville in 1998. When a couple of recording deals fell through and his songwriting contract was about to expire, Aldean was on the verge of giving up on the music business when he attracted the attention of the independent label Broken Bow Records, which released his debut album, simply called Jason Aldean, in 2005. Aldean returned to the studio in January 2007 to work on his sophomore release, Relentless. The album, featuring the single "Johnny Cash," hit stores in May of that year. Wide Open followed in 2009 and its success established Aldean as a major country star. It had three number one singles -- "She\'s Country,""The Truth," and "Big Green Tractor," which crossed over to the pop Top 20 -- and "Crazy Town" was nearly as big, peaking at number two. Aldean upped the ante with 2010\'s My Kinda Party, an album that was even bigger than its predecessor thanks to the number one singles "Don\'t You Wanna Stay,""Dirt Road Anthem," and "Fly Over States," plus "Tattoos on This Town" and "My Kinda Party," both of which peaked at number two. All of this raised expectations for Night Train, Aldean\'s fifth album, which arrived in the fall of 2012. Featuring the hit singles "Take a Little Ride,""Night Train," and "When She Says Baby," Night Train was another number one hit for Aldean. He followed it up in 2014 with Old Boots, New Dirt, which also entered the Billboard Top 200 and country charts at number one, partially due to the momentum of the hit single "Burnin\' It Down." Old Boots, New Dirt generated three other Top Ten hits -- "Just Gettin\' Started,""Tonight Looks Good on You," and "Gonna Know We Were Here"-- that kept it on the charts into 2015. The next year, he delivered his seventh studio album, They Don\'t Know, whose September 2016 release was preceded by the singles "Lights Come On" and "A Little More Summertime." In October 2017, while Aldean was on-stage performing at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on the Las Vegas Strip, a gunman began firing on the assembled crowd, resulting in the deadly mass shooting that took the lives of many of the singer\'s fans. Aldean managed to escape unharmed and appeared the following weekend on Saturday Night Live performing a cover of Tom Petty\'s "I Won\'t Back Down." In January 2018 he released "You Make It Easy," the lead single from his Rearview Town album. Completed prior to the Vegas tragedy, Rearview Town appeared in April 2018. ~ Steve Leggett HOMETOWN'
'entertainment','english',"PublisherA+E NetworksOn this day in 1835, the first in a series of six articles announcing the supposed discovery of life on the moon appears in the New York Sun newspaper.Known collectively as “The Great Moon Hoax,” the articles were supposedly reprinted from the Edinburgh Journal of Science. The byline was Dr. Andrew Grant, described as a colleague of Sir John Herschel, a famous astronomer of the day. Herschel had in fact traveled to Capetown, South Africa, in January 1834 to set up an observatory with a powerful new telescope. As Grant described it, Herschel had found evidence of life forms on the moon, including such fantastic animals as unicorns, two-legged beavers and furry, winged humanoids resembling bats. The articles also offered vivid description of the moon’s geography, complete with massive craters, enormous amethyst crystals, rushing rivers and lush vegetation.The New York Sun , founded in 1833, was one of the new “penny press” papers that appealed to a wider audience with a cheaper price and a more narrative style of journalism. From the day the first moon hoax article was released, sales of the paper shot up considerably. It was exciting stuff, and readers lapped it up. The only problem was that none of it was true. The Edinburgh Journal of Science had stopped publication years earlier, and Grant was a fictional character. The articles were most likely written by Richard Adams Locke, a Sun reporter educated at Cambridge University. Intended as satire, they were designed to poke fun at earlier, serious speculations about extraterrestrial life, particularly those of Reverend Thomas Dick, a popular science writer who claimed in his bestselling books that the moon alone had 4.2 billion inhabitants.Readers were completely taken in by the story, however, and failed to recognize it as satire. The craze over Herschel’s supposed discoveries even fooled a committee of Yale University scientists, who traveled to New York in search of the Edinburgh Journal articles. After Sun employees sent them back and forth between the printing and editorial offices, hoping to discourage them, the scientists returned to New Haven without realizing they had been tricked.On September 16, 1835, the Sun admitted the articles had been a hoax. People were generally amused by the whole thing, and sales of the paper didn’t suffer. The Sun continued operation until 1950, when it merged with the New York World-Telegram . The merger folded in 1967. A new New York Sun newspaper was founded in 2002, but it has no relation to the original. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Get This Day In History every morning in your inbox! By submitting your information you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. More details:"
'entertainment','english','The Bob Newhart Show PinterestActor Bill Daily , the jocular sidekick to Larry Hagman on I Dream of Jeannie and later the star of a short-lived series of his own, has died. He passed at age 91 on Sept. 4 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, according to his son. Bill Daily Tributes Tweeted By Barbara Eden, Bob Newhart, Paul Feig And MoreDaily was on all five years of the I Dream of Jeannie sitcom, playing the supportive friend to Jeannie (and genie) master Hagman.He later was a neighbor of Bob Newhart on The Bob Newhart Show , playing pilot Howard Borden, and then appeared as Dr. Larry Dykstra, a psychiatrist on ALF. He also appeared on the TV shows Bewitched, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Love American Style, Aloha, Paradise, and Starting from Scratch .Daily’s own TV series, Small & Frye, lasted just three months into its 1980 run. He rounded out his career by serving as the director of the New Mexico Film Commission in the late 1980s.He is survived by his son J. Patrick Daily, who worked as a key grip for films. '
'entertainment','english',"First televised Major League baseball game URL PublisherA+E NetworksOn this day in 1939, the first televised Major League baseball game is broadcast on station W2XBS, the station that was to become WNBC-TV. Announcer Red Barber called the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York .At the time, television was still in its infancy. Regular programming did not yet exist, and very few people owned television sets–there were only about 400 in the New York area. Not until 1946 did regular network broadcasting catch on in the United States, and only in the mid-1950s did television sets become more common in the American household.In 1939, the World’s Fair–which was being held in New York–became the catalyst for the historic broadcast. The television was one of fair’s prize exhibits, and organizers believed that the Dodgers-Reds doubleheader on August 26 was the perfect event to showcase America’s grasp on the new technology.By today’s standards, the video coverage was somewhat crude. There were only two stationary camera angles: The first was placed down the third base line to pick up infield throws to first, and the second was placed high above home plate to get an extensive view of the field. It was also difficult to capture fast-moving plays: Swinging bats looked like paper fans, and the ball was all but invisible during pitches and hits.Nevertheless, the experiment was a success, driving interest in the development of television technology, particularly for sporting events. Though baseball owners were initially concerned that televising baseball would sap actual attendance, they soon warmed to the idea, and the possibilities for revenue generation that came with increased exposure of the game, including the sale of rights to air certain teams or games and television advertising.Today, televised sports is a multi-billion dollar industry, with technology that gives viewers an astounding amount of visual and audio detail. Cameras are now so precise that they can capture the way a ball changes shape when struck by a bat, and athletes are wired to pick up field-level and sideline conversation. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Get This Day In History every morning in your inbox! By submitting your information you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. More details:"
'entertainment','english',"Thurgood Marshall confirmed as Supreme Court justice URL PublisherA+E NetworksOn this day in 1967, Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African American to be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. He would remain on the Supreme Court for 24 years before retiring for health reasons, leaving a legacy of upholding the rights of the individual as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution .From a young age, Marshall seemed destined for a place in the American justice system. His parents instilled in him an appreciation for the Constitution, a feeling that was reinforced by his schoolteachers, who forced him to read the document as punishment for his misbehavior. After graduating from Lincoln University in 1930, Marshall sought admission to the University of Maryland School of Law, but was turned away because of the school’s segregation policy, which effectively forbade blacks from studying with whites. Instead, Marshall attended Howard University Law School, from which he graduated magna cum laude in 1933. (Marshall later successfully sued Maryland School of Law for their unfair admissions policy.)Setting up a private practice in his home state of Maryland, Marshall quickly established a reputation as a lawyer for the “little man.” In a year’s time, he began working with the Baltimore NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and went on to become the organization’s chief counsel by the time he was 32, in 1940. Over the next two decades, Marshall distinguished himself as one of the country’s leading advocates for individual rights, winning 29 of the 32 cases he argued in front of the Supreme Court, all of which challenged in some way the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine that had been established by the landmark case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). The high-water mark of Marshall’s career as a litigator came in 1954 with his victory in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. In that case, Marshall argued that the ‘separate but equal’ principle was unconstitutional, and designed to keep blacks “as near [slavery] as possible.”In 1961, Marshall was appointed by then-President John F. Kennedy to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a position he held until 1965, when Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon B. Johnson , named him solicitor general. Following the retirement of Justice Tom Clark in 1967, President Johnson appointed Marshall to the Supreme Court, a decision confirmed by the Senate with a 69-11 vote. Over the next 24 years, Justice Marshall came out in favor of abortion rights and against the death penalty, as he continued his tireless commitment to ensuring equitable treatment of individuals–particularly minorities–by state and federal governments. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Get This Day In History every morning in your inbox! By submitting your information you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. More details:"
'entertainment','english','12:03pm PT by Maureen Ryan Louis C.K. Has Clearly Learned Nothing — and I\'m Done (Guest Column) Ben Gabbe/Getty Images Maureen Ryan: Once the industry has stopped enabling toxicity and begun prioritizing the needs of survivors, we can talk about paths to rehabilitation for abusers. Hard pass on Louis C.K. though: He used his comeback to do more damage.I\'m done with Louis C.K.Yes, that\'s right — I\'m done with him forever. No more chances. No more second and third and 97th chances. I\'m fresh out of chances. No.All of you out there trying to engage me or other fed-up women regarding what Louis C.K. needs or why his professional career should be salvageable — nope. After what\'s come to light about his recent actions, if you\'re defending him, do it somewhere else. If you read this piece to the end, and you think what he did this week is OK, we\'re never going to agree. Good luck with those conversations about everything except assisting survivors and changing toxic power dynamics. If you bring up what abusers need right out of the gate, I\'m opting out of those discussions.There are roads to restitution, reparation and change for those who have violated others, broken the law and ignored codes of ethical, compassionate and moral behavior. Those who do the hard work, those who do what they can to improve poisonous institutions and communities, well, I can be patient with those folks, even when the process is messy. Up to a point. As a woman once said , "Compassion without accountability and boundaries is a form of enabling." Yep.That said, I no longer care about whatever road Louis C.K. is on. At this point, I\'d be happy if I never see his name again, anywhere. This wealthy, famous, connected man had so many chances — more than most people will ever get — and he fucked them all up.For the 87 millionth time, if you\'re frothing at the mouth to talk about what he might require, what you\'re actually doing is consistently de-centering survivors and what they might need (again). Survivors of abuse, assault and harassment are often at risk for depression, PTSD, anxiety and other mental and physical issues, and there\'s every chance their ability to pay for treatment is hampered by a lack of resources and support. Especially if survivors\' ability to work was affected by what they went through (and it usually is).If you\'re standing for the unrepentant powerful and not for the powerless who were mistreated and sidelined, you are part of the problem. Let the millionaires who hurt people figure out their own roads to redemption — there are thousands of works of moral philosophy and ethics out there. Let the well-connected abusers who actually want to change read all the #MeToo reporting from the past year, hire consultants, Google "restitution," pay therapists and life coaches, read the Wikipedia entry on "restorative justice." Let the consistent abusers and transgressors enact a small, or large, percentage of the suggestions in the hundreds of think pieces that people — many of them survivors of harassment, abuse and assault — have written not just this past year but for decades.If you want to defend an unrepentant man who didn\'t just make women feel unsafe but who has proved that he\'s learned nothing over the past 10 months, if you want to prioritize the ability of a rich man to do comedy over the safety of every human being in his path, do you. But you are not helping.If there\'s one thing I wish people (many but not all of them men, judging by my Twitter mentions) would understand, it\'s that the mental health repercussions of harassment and assault are bad — but the career repercussions can be just as insidious, long-lasting and damaging. It\'s the same story with so many harassers and abusers, not just those harmed by Louis C.K.: The survivors who came forward were shamed and blamed into silence, and those who attached their names to their stories — and I do not judge the ones that don\'t — have been derided, bullied, threatened and terrorized. The women Louis C.K. hurt — and he admitted he harmed them, they\'re not mere "allegations"— continue to suffer serious professional repercussions.That\'s on him. He hasn\'t informed the world of sincere, ongoing efforts of any kind to right a years-long pattern of wrongs. He may have taken private actions. But he should have told the fan army that hangs on his every word what he did wrong, why it was wrong and how not just he but the whole culture needs to change. He didn\'t. That\'s his choice, and he has to live with the consequences of it.Let me be absolutely crystal clear about what\'s brought me to this moment of pure rage. One word. On top of all the chances he\'s squandered.I was taken aback when I learned he took the stage at a comedy club a few days ago (and I\'m not mentioning that club, because its management team is reprehensible for putting patrons and staff in that situation). I was angry when I found out that he took the stage without warning, which meant that workers and patrons didn\'t get a chance to decide whether they wanted to be present when a man who admitted to terrorizing women got on a stage a few feet away from where they sat (or served drinks).In one sense, this almost didn\'t surprise me, because that is Louis C.K.\'s thing: Having control. He made comedy specials and an entire TV series on his own and dropped them on his website. He had total mastery of those rollouts. Creative control is something a lot of artists long for. I don\'t have a problem with that.Here\'s what I do have a problem with: He controlled, in a monstrous way, the manner of his professional return — and then he used the word "rape" in his set. For laughs. For a "joke" about how rape whistles are "unclean."What the fuck? What the FUCK?He\'s not done narcissistically inflicting pain on unsuspecting people. This past week proves that beyond a doubt.It\'s not as though these issues — shitty behavior, performative self-flagellation and a frequent lack of actual repentance — haven\'t bubbled up in the past.Long before the New York Times account came out last November — the story in which it was confirmed that he talked about whipping out his dick and masturbating in front of women over whom he had professional power, or went ahead and whipped out his dick and masturbated in front of women whose careers he could make or break — there were media accounts of his behavior that seemed to mesh with things I saw on screen. I was thoroughly skeeved out by the dynamics in some storylines on Louie . There are a couple moments that stand out in my memory: On two different occasions in season four, the Louie character would not let a distressed woman exit the door of the apartment Louie and the woman were in. He loomed in front of the door, blocking their exits.Both moments involved women Louie was interested in romantically who wanted to escape his presence. I didn\'t write about how fucked up I thought these scenes were at the time, because six months before these scenes played out on TV, I was assaulted by a TV executive . For a while there, the whole thing made me unable to write about sexual violence on TV, which has been a huge component of my job, unfortunately.But those two moments stood out as red flags, and made me feel that he was trying to not just excavate, but excuse a tendency to say and do dark, scary, controlling things. Whatever you think of the intention or execution of those storylines, speaking more broadly, we were supposed to sit with his character every week, for years. On some level, we were being asked to like Louie — or to at least care about who he was and what he wanted. It worked, for a while. Then it didn\'t. I stopped watching Louie not long after those scenes aired. I just couldn\'t do it anymore.The fact is, a lot of the TV of the last couple decades has been designed to make us feel sorry for monsters and sociopaths. I have zero regrets about my choice of profession , and a lot of those shows were good. But one thing I and other critics have had to point out an infinite number of times is that these stories of predation, exploitation, assault and rape are usually told from the point of view of perpetrator — or maybe the (male) white knight whose motivation is saving or avenging a woman who is attacked.The survivors of the violence? Eh, who cares about them? So few do. So few.What a smart, cleverly arranged long con Louis C.K.\'s career has been. He skillfully built a world in which he — via Louie or his stand-up routines —"excavated" faults and "examined" the shittiest parts of various attitudes, impulses and actions. But it was all really part of a long-term effort to get us to think, "Hey, at least he\'s trying. He\'s giving it some effort." He adopted a pose of brutal honesty so that he could seem like a good bro, a man who\'s working on being better than his worst moments. I bought it. For a while. I don\'t believe it anymore. And it\'s not just about what five women were brave enough to tell the New York Times not even a year ago.Just this week, he failed to act as a role model for the men in our society who are grappling with the challenge of trying to be better, who are trying to rise above the sexist, racist, size-ist, homophobic and transphobic programming we were all raised with. Men — including some men with toxic tendencies — might have listened to him.Even after everything, I\'d held out a bit of hope that Louis C.K. might be the one who would actually come clean, who would use his formidable intelligence to delve into what he had come to understand about how his choices affected the women he hurt. Maybe he would show other perpetrators how it\'s done — the process of change, the active and sustained effort of trying to be truly better, the attempt to put good into the world, not more pain and humiliation and disrespect.Where is the interview in which he sits down with someone who would really challenge him and not let him off the hook — not just for heinous actions, but also for the way the women he harassed and hurt were mistreated for years, by him, by those with whom he worked and by his fans? What has he done to change a comedy community and a wider culture that is deeply misogynist, biased and unequal? How has he atoned for a pattern of harmful actions, and how has he modeled that sincere atonement in order to make the entertainment industry just one tiny bit better?I\'m done with his "edgy but honest" act. I\'m not buying it. Just last year, he wrote, starred in and almost released a movie that involved middle-aged men and sexual entitlement. Critic Matt Zoller Seitz said in his review that it "is not a film about individuals who have lost their moral compass, but a movie that lacks one, by a director who also lacks one but for many years did a convincing impression of a man who never lost sight of true north."In the process of watching and assessing I Love You, Daddy , Seitz wrote that he "realized [Louis C.K.] been playing the entire world for a bunch of suckers." I know the feeling. But a year ago, C.K.\'s film was pulled and his TV career went away because his actions caught up with him. He said he\'d go away and listen. What a crock.He could have released a comedy special on his site. It could have been an hour of real excavation. It could have been, just possibly, with the right approach, painfully tinged with humor, as he grappled with his history and damage. Damage done to multiple women and their careers, absolutely. But to the world, too. Because people looked up to him. People — myself included — at one time thought he was doing fine, vigorous work as he examined what it was like to be a father and a man and a citizen of the world at a weird time.But this week, I feel like a rube. At that club, he appeared to just want 15 minutes of glory. How small and shabby. How disappointing. And ultimately, how infuriating.He could have given advance warning to the comedy club patrons and staff (which, going by statistics, almost certainly included survivors of sexual assault), so that they could have chosen whether to stay in the room with him. But whether anyone liked it or not — and how some folks cheered! — he made sure he was calling the shots. He obviously just wanted to soak up the glory and the applause again as he made an unearned return to the stage.Even then, even then , he could have made a different choice when it came to his material. But no, all the audience got was average comedy club bullshit, as if nothing had happened. Like the last year was a waking nightmare that had no impact on anything. He didn\'t take even one step down the road to a new chapter. Instead, he twisted the knife.He told a joke about rape whistles . He actually invoked sexual violence in that set.Louis C.K. menaced and hurt the careers of women in real life, he exhibited creepy and questionable attitudes about women in his work, he didn\'t do jack to reckon with any of that (aside from releasing a self-aggrandizing letter that is an object lesson in how manipulative narcissists cover up their sins while pretending to claim them). And then he told a "joke" involving the word "rape."I\'m not going to explain how fucked up that is any more, to anyone. I\'m over the conversation. No more debates.When it comes to Louis C.K. and all his works, I am done .'
'entertainment','english',"Lindsay Kimble August 25, 2018 08:27 PMSen. John McCain , the former POW and outspoken Republican politician nicknamed The Maverick for being unafraid to disagree with fellow members of his party, has died. He was 81.“Senator John Sidney McCain III died at 4:28 p.m. on August 25, 2018,” his family said in a statement Saturday, according to NBC News .In an emotional tweet , his wife Cindy, 64, wrote, “My heart is broken. I am so lucky to have lived the adventure of loving this incredible man for 38 years. He passed the way he lived, on his own terms, surrounded by the people he loved, in the place he loved best.”His daughter Meghan McCain, 33, was among the people praising McCain on social media in the wake of his death. “In the thirty-three years we shared together, he raised me, taught me, corrected me, comforted me, encouraged me, and supported me in all things,” she wrote in part. “He taught me how to live. His love and his care, ever present, always unfailing, took me from a girl to a woman — and he showed me what it is to be a man.” I love you forever – my beloved father @SenJohnMcCain pic.twitter.com/Y50tVQvlVe— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 26, 2018On Friday, his family announced that McCain, “with his usual strength of will,” decided to stop treatment for the he had been battling since its diagnosis last summer.RELATED: President Trump Sends ‘Deepest Sympathies and Respect’ to McCain Family After Senator’s Death“In the year since,” the McCain family said, “John has surpassed expectations for his survival. But the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict.” My family is deeply appreciative of all the love and generosity you have shown us during this past year. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers. We could not have made it this far without you – you've given us strength to carry on. pic.twitter.com/KuAQSASoa7— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 24, 2018In July 2017, McCain revealed that he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, just days after he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot above his eye.RELATED: From POW to Political Powerhouse: Sen. John McCain’s Life Through the YearsMcCain later revealed during a September 2017 interview with 60 Minutes that he asked doctors to be forthright about his health.“Some say 3 percent, some say 14 percent. You know it’s — it’s a very poor prognosis,” he said. “So I just said, ‘I understand. Now we’re going to do what we can, get the best doctors we can find and do the best we can, and at the same time celebrate with gratitude a life well lived.’”Months later, as McCain continued his battle against brain cancer, his daughter Meghan paid tribute to her father and his “Viking” fighting spirit in a touching Instagram post in May.“My Mother calls me ‘John McCain in a dress’– my relationship with my father has always been magic – we are fiercely and protectively forever on each other’s team,” Meghan captioned a smiling photo with her father. “Love with your complete and whole heart in this life. We keep fighting because we are all McCains, we are a family of a long lineage of Vikings – fighting is what we have always done, and what we will always do.”VIDEO:Born in August 1936 at the U.S. air base in Panama, McCain was the son and grandson of two four-star U.S. Navy admirals. He ultimately followed in their footsteps, enrolling at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1954.As a naval pilot , he was deployed on the USS Forrestal to the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam, where he was ultimately taken as a prisoner of war in October 1967. McCain was captured by the North Vietnamese after his plane was shot down by a missile. According to McCain, the plane entered an “inverted, almost straight-down spin,” and he ejected, breaking both his arms and his leg in the process. The McCain family Photo by REX/ShutterstockWhile held captive at Hanoi’s Hoa Lo prison, McCain was denied medical attention and repeatedly tortured by his captors. “They left me on the floor of a cell for four days, during which time I lapsed in and out of consciousness,” McCain told PEOPLE back in 1992 . “Their policy was that they wouldn’t provide any medical treatment unless you gave them military information. I would only give them my name, rank, serial number and date of birth. And so, after about four days on the floor of the cell, they got nothing out of me because I kept passing out.” McCain GettyMcCain refused to cooperate, and remained at the prison for more than five years – spending much of that time in solitary confinement.He recalled to PEOPLE, “they treated me pretty badly,” revealing further that he was suffering from dysentery and was being beaten every two hours in order to get him to sign confessions and make audio recordings trashing America.He was released in March of 1973, but still bore some of the injuries from his harrowing ordeal.“Unlike some, I was fortunate that I was able to put it all behind me when I came home,” he said . “People ask me how long did it take to readjust? It took me about 45 minutes. I never had a nightmare or a flashback or anything like that. I know a lot of my friends were not so fortunate, who never fully came back from that experience. But I did.” McCain (right) with his mother (center) REX/Shutterstock McCain returning from Hanoi in 1973 APAfter returning home, McCain regained his naval flight status and was named the naval liaison to the U.S. Senate in 1977 before ultimately retiring from duty in 1981. During his service, McCain was awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross, among other honors, according to his website .McCain was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona in 1982, serving two terms before being elected as state senator in 1986. McCain Terry Ashe/The LIFE Images Collection/GettyAfter more than a decade in the Senate, McCain ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 but lost to primary opponent George W. Bush. Visions of America/UIG via GettyMcCain went on to become the 2008 Republican nominee for president alongside running mate Sarah Palin; he lost to Barack Obama. While McCain continued to defend Palin’s performance in a new book and documentary set to be released in May, he also said he regretted not picking former Senator Joseph I. Lieberman as his running mate in 2008, according to The New York Times . McCain said “my gut told me” to choose Lieberman instead of Palin and “I wish I had.” McCain in 2008 Isaac Brekken/APLeading up to his death, McCain served as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.In July, McCain underwent surgery to remove a blood clot above his eye.The surgery went well but had massive reverberations in Washington, forcing GOP Senators to postpone a vote on the controversial Republican bill to replace Obamacare until McCain could return. Win McNamee/GettyThe senator revealed his diagnosis in July, and one day after doing so he returned to Twitter and promised he’d be back on the Senate floor.“I greatly appreciate the outpouring of support — unfortunately for my sparring partners in Congress, I’ll be back soon, so stand-by!” He said. Just five days later, he kept his promise and returned to thunders applause from people in both parties.While he was welcomed back, he proved to still by The Maverick when he refused to support the Graham-Cassidy bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act in September, which drew sharp criticism from President Donald Trump as others hailed him a hero .After the vote, McCain went back to receiving chemotherapy treatments in Phoenix, Arizona, to slow the progression of the disease. He completed his first round of radiation in August 2017.In December, McCain was hospitalized for “normal side effects of his ongoing cancer therapy,” his office said. But to the excitement of his family, he was able to come home to Arizona for Christmas.In February, Meghan said that her father had a “crazy amazing recovery.”“He is in Sedona, Arizona, right now at our ranch doing physical therapy and he has amazing doctors and he’s doing really well,” she said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “He had a sort of rough time at Christmas and he’s made this crazy amazing recovery which I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at, he is so resilient in so many different ways. He’s a tough bastard.”He continued physical therapy at home in Arizona for the next few months, until he had to return to the Mayo Clinic in April for an emergency surgery. John McCain and Cindy McCain on daughter Meghan's wedding day“On Sunday, Senator McCain was admitted to Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, and underwent surgery to treat an intestinal infection related to diverticulitis,” his office said. Meghan added that he was in “stable” condition.Later that month, McCain shared an excerpt from his new book, in which he admitted that his brain cancer diagnosis gave him an “ungentle persuasion” to realize that his current term in office would be his last, and pushed him to change the way he votes.“I’m freer than colleagues who will face the voters again. I can speak my mind without fearing the consequences much. And I can vote my conscience without worry,” McCain said. “I don’t think I’m free to disregard my constituents’ wishes, far from it. I don’t feel excused from keeping pledges I made. Nor do I wish to harm my party’s prospects. But I do feel a pressing responsibility to give Americans my best judgment.”Before his death, McCain enjoyed spending time on the deck at his Arizona ranch, visiting with a constant flow of friends, including former Vice President Joe Biden , The New York Times reported in May. Biden said the two reminisced about the “crazy senators” they had served with, the overseas trips they took together, and the friendship between McCain and Biden’s two sons. Biden’s son Beau died of glioblastoma, the same rare brain cancer McCain had, in May 2015.Biden also said that, even as McCain battled brain cancer and the debilitating side effects of his treatment, the senator was still worried about the state of the nation under President Trump’s administration.“Here John knows he’s in a very, very, very precarious situation, and yet he’s still concerned about the state of the country,” Biden said in an interview with the Times . “We talked about how our international reputation is being damaged and we talked about the need for people to stand up and speak out.”According to the same Times report, people close to McCain allegedly told the White House “that their current plan” was to invite Vice President Mike Pence to the funeral service, but not Trump , citing the pair’s “ rocky relationship .”During the visits, friends told McCain they loved him and how much he’d meant to them but didn’t explicitly say goodbye. The senator “doesn’t like overt sentimentality,” his friend, the former chief of staff Grant Woods, said. Nevertheless, the visits often ended with McCain saying, “I love you,” the Times reported.McCain also enjoyed quiet moments sitting out on his deck with his wife, listening to the hummingbirds and the burbling stream that runs through their 15-acre ranch.“He finds real solace there,” Biden said.McCain is survived by wife Cindy, and his children: Douglas, Andrew, and Sidney (all with first wife Carol McCain) and Meghan, Jack, James, and Bridget, with Cindy.Just days before Thanksgiving, McCain gave away daughter Meghan, a co-host on The View , at her wedding to conservative pundit Ben Domenech at the family’s ranch in Sedona, Arizona.Opening up to PEOPLE about the wedding and his legacy, McCain said in late November , “I have been so fortunate to have the life that I have had, full of time and adventure and excitement.“I’ve been a small bit of American history, so I think if there’s something on my tombstone, it’ll be ‘He served his country,’ and hopefully you add one word, ‘honorably,’ ” he also said. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve lost races. I’ve caved in to what seems to be the easy way out and wasn’t. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I have nothing but gratitude for a life fully lived, and you can’t ask for anything more than that. And you can’t deny that I am the luckiest person that you will ever talk to.” You May Like"
'entertainment','english',"Sea Otters in HD - Monterey Bay Aquarium 2,970,620 total views Thank you for taking our poll! Sorry, the poll has ended 0 videos ( 0 ) Kelp Forest Live StreamSea Otter Exhibit at the Monterey Bay AquariumEnjoy the antics of our playful southern sea otters as they romp, tumble and wrestle like their brethren in the bay. Watch them participate in fun enrichment activities with artificial kelp, ice and other toys—it all helps keep them healthy and stimulated!The mission of the nonprofit Monterey Bay Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans. Located at the ocean's edge, the Aquarium is your window to marine life, home to sea otters,penguins, sharks, jellies and thousands of other marine animals and plants."
'entertainment','english',"Jason Hairston's Wife Speaks Out After Former NFL Player's Suicide: 'He Was the Love of My Life' Jason Hairston with his son Cash, daughter Coco, and wife, Kirstyn Courtesy Kirstyn Hairston Jason Duaine Hahn September 08, 2018 12:47 PMJust weeks before his suicide on Sept. 4 at age 47, former NFL player Jason Hairston struggled with worsening symptoms associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), his wife, Kirstyn Hairston, tells PEOPLE.“We were sitting in our bedroom, and Jason’s a tough guy, but he finally had a vulnerable moment with me,” Kirstyn, 46, shares. “He said, ‘It’s bad, I can’t remember anything anymore, I can’t remember people’s names.’ Then he said, ‘Please don’t leave me.’ I told him I never would — I told him, ‘I promise you, I will always take care of you.’”Jason — who spent much of his early life playing football in high school, college and briefly in the NFL — first showed symptoms of the degenerative brain disorder a few years following his retirement from professional football in 1996. When he became concerned about the fluctuating emotions he would experience after consuming even a small amount of alcohol, Jason asked his wife to closely monitor him one night as he sipped a drink in their home in Dixon, California.“He wanted me to see what happened to him,” Kirstyn says of that moment, more than a decade ago. “He had two drinks, and he was 100 percent different. He just started crying. I looked at him and I said, ‘My god, this isn’t alcohol. There’s something wrong with you.’”For the next two days, Kirstyn combed the Internet for answers, until she finally came upon a site detailing the symptoms of depression, impulsive behavior, short-term memory loss and emotional instability that are signs of CTE. They closely resembled what her husband was gradually experiencing. Jason Hairston in 1995 as a player on the San Francisco 49ers Jason Hairston InstagramRELATED : What Is CTE? All About Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, the Disease Plaguing Former American Football PlayersJason soon underwent brain scans that revealed his frontal lobe — the part of the brain that controls impulse, judgment and memory — was “completely compromised.” He then participated in hyperbaric oxygen therapy (which may have some benefits for people with brain injuries) for 80 straight days, but a scan following the treatment showed his brain’s deterioration had progressed. By then, Jason had shown signs of dementia.“Over the years, I could see things change,” Kirstyn, who shares two young children with Jason, recalls. “They told me the hardest part is that they don’t know they’re changing, it’s their normal.”CTE has long been at the center of controversy within the NFL. The condition is caused by repeated concussions and trauma to the head, which frequently occurs among the league’s hundreds of players throughout the season. This included Jason, who was subjected to numerous hits as a middle linebacker during his career. While not all football players develop CTE, it is prevalent — in a 2017 study of the brains of 111 deceased NFL players , a Boston University researcher found 110 of them had the disease.Suicide is also prominent among players who suffered from CTE. It is the cause of death of players like San Diego Chargers legend Junior Seau, Philadelphia Eagles safety Andre Waters and former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez , who took his own life in 2016 while serving a life sentence for murder .While Jason hasn’t been officially diagnosed with CTE — a determination can only come after a brain is examined following death — Kirstyn says the evidence is there. Dr. Bennet Omalu , who brought the issue of CTE to the national stage, has agreed to perform his autopsy.RELATED VIDEO: Late BMX legend Dave Mirra suffered from CTEIn the hours leading up to Jason’s death, there were no obvious signs things were amiss. The couple had spoken over the phone that evening while Kirstyn was visiting New York — a trip Jason encouraged her to take since she typically preferred to stay home with him. But just two hours after the call, their 10-year-old son, Cash, phoned Kirstyn and said his father was “acting really different.”Jason then picked up the phone with Kirstyn on the line, only to remain quiet. Without ever saying a word, he abruptly hung up the phone, walked upstairs, and shot himself.“I don’t know what flipped all of the sudden, he wasn’t depressed, we didn’t have any sort of those troubles going on,” Kirstyn says through tears. “I don’t know. I think that’s the hardest part. I don’t know what happened to him those two hours after I talked to him and we were laughing on the phone. I keep trying to piece it together, going through emails and going through his phone. There’s nothing.”While she remains a fan of the NFL, Kirstyn says she is now compelled to raise awareness about the dangers of the game. She is calling on the league to do more to help current and former players, from offering better health care to investing in CTE research. The family also hopes to raise funds for studies led by the Boston University Concussion Legacy Foundation . Jason Hairston with his son, Cash, and his father, Mike Paul Bride/Courtesy Kirstyn Hairston“This has to get out, and this has to stop. People have to know what they’re signing up for when they put their kids in football,” Kirstyn says. “You think it’s not going to happen to you and you think it’s not going to happen to your kid, but it might. Is it worth your kid being suicidal for the game of football, and to kill themselves for it? Is it f–king worth it? It’s not.”Despite the symptoms he endured, Jason remained a fan of the game and regularly mentored players at his alma mater, the University of California, Davis. Kirstyn says it was the camaraderie he found in football that kept Jason’s admiration for the game alive. He found this same enjoyment in the wilderness, far from the skyscrapers, freeways and traffic of city life.“He found an extreme amount of harmony in the outdoors,” Kirstyn says. “He felt more at home and at peace out there than anywhere. He absolutely loved the outdoors.”RELATED : Jason Hairston Had CTE Symptoms Before Death — Here Are Other Football Players Who Had the DiseaseJason would go on to found the massively successful hunting gear company KUIU , driven by this love of adventure and campfire conversations with his dearest friends.“He was brilliant, he was the most amazing businessman. But he was also a great father and such a good husband. He was the nicest person I have ever known. He was so nice to me,” Kirstyn says. “He was the love of my life. I just want him back, I want him back so bad.”If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You May Like"
'entertainment','english',"Aug 19, 2018 coolgirl4u Ok, the first thing I have to say is this game is better than fornite I mean some people would this game is a ripoff of fortnite and I can see why people can think that I mean graphics to guns it's the same but this game has lots of more potential then the other games like this including fortnite like this game is for older version phones which I think is cool because i have an iPhone 5 and I wanted download fortnite on my phone but the game couldn't download because of my iOS but one day I was playing a game and I found an ad for cd and o thought hey that looks like fortnite I had trouble finding the name a bit but eventually found it and when I downloaded it I was really amazed that it worked on my phone when I got into the game immediately started playing and it was awesome I also love that you can actually talk with your teammates but I do wish I can actually type instead of just using that chat button I also love the little intro I really also love the little hammer guide guy and sometimes help me feel like I'm not alone idk if that weired or not😂🤣 I also want to point out if you wanna make the game not seem as much as a ripoff you should really try mixing some stuff up a bit so people won't ignore the game and feel like your just making money if of someone else's work Awesome Aug 19, 2018 coolgirl4u Ok, the first thing I have to say is this game is better than fornite I mean some people would this game is a ripoff of fortnite and I can see why people can think that I mean graphics to guns it's the same but this game has lots of more potential then the other games like this including fortnite like this game is for older version phones which I think is cool because i have an iPhone 5 and I wanted download fortnite on my phone but the game couldn't download because of my iOS but one day I was playing a game and I found an ad for cd and o thought hey that looks like fortnite I had trouble finding the name a bit but eventually found it and when I downloaded it I was really amazed that it worked on my phone when I got into the game immediately started playing and it was awesome I also love that you can actually talk with your teammates but I do wish I can actually type instead of just using that chat button I also love the little intro I really also love the little hammer guide guy and sometimes help me feel like I'm not alone idk if that weired or not😂🤣 I also want to point out if you wanna make the game not seem as much as a ripoff you should really try mixing some stuff up a bit so people won't ignore the game and feel like your just making money if of someone else's work Banned from matching for no reason. Aug 7, 2018 alexdemonslayer Got the game soon as it came out to try it out I thought it was just another knock off game trying to be Fortnite but where I feel Fortnite failed I think creative destruction succeed which was in controls. Anyways I’m not that high in rank or anything I’m level 13 and silver rank. It’s been about a week so, but I logged on that evening and spent $10 I didn’t spend the jems yet though wanted to save them to get one of the new permanent costumes from this last update. Well right after that I qued myself for a match and it didn’t work I kept trying I thought it was my signal maybe so I closed the app and tried again and I noticed after I tried starting any match it gave a super brief text saying “you are banned from starting a match.” So my question is, first of all why was I banned for no reason? Secondly, why wasn’t I notified that I was banned and lastly why wasn’t I given a reason for the ban ? I want a refund of my $10 (jems still unused) because I can’t even play that’s unacceptable. I’ve already put in several reports and haven’t gotten any replies in a week. As for anyone reading this don’t spend any more what so ever in this game, there is no “RESTORE PURCHASES” option in this game, don’t get me wrong the game is fun but don’t spend any money it’s not worth it people are getting banned left and right for no reasons just poor programming and it isn’t fair to the player. Developer Response Aug 8, 2018 Dear Explorer, we need more details to confirm your problem. Please contact via our in-game support center and our support team will help you. Thank you for your support. Banned from matching for no reason. Aug 7, 2018 alexdemonslayer Got the game soon as it came out to try it out I thought it was just another knock off game trying to be Fortnite but where I feel Fortnite failed I think creative destruction succeed which was in controls. Anyways I’m not that high in rank or anything I’m level 13 and silver rank. It’s been about a week so, but I logged on that evening and spent $10 I didn’t spend the jems yet though wanted to save them to get one of the new permanent costumes from this last update. Well right after that I qued myself for a match and it didn’t work I kept trying I thought it was my signal maybe so I closed the app and tried again and I noticed after I tried starting any match it gave a super brief text saying “you are banned from starting a match.” So my question is, first of all why was I banned for no reason? Secondly, why wasn’t I notified that I was banned and lastly why wasn’t I given a reason for the ban ? I want a refund of my $10 (jems still unused) because I can’t even play that’s unacceptable. I’ve already put in several reports and haven’t gotten any replies in a week. As for anyone reading this don’t spend any more what so ever in this game, there is no “RESTORE PURCHASES” option in this game, don’t get me wrong the game is fun but don’t spend any money it’s not worth it people are getting banned left and right for no reasons just poor programming and it isn’t fair to the player. Developer Response Aug 8, 2018 Dear Explorer, we need more details to confirm your problem. Please contact via our in-game support center and our support team will help you. Thank you for your support. Stop banning innocent people Aug 4, 2018 Car10srdz Look you guys can investigate all you want. You can say lies and say that I hacked. I didn’t hack you guys just need to fix the game. It’s not my fault your game does this, but blame it on me and say I hacked. If I hacked I would win ever single game. By the way I lost that game. It would teleport me to the storm and I would lose health then I wouldn’t be in the storm and I wouldn’t lose health. Then it said network is poor. Next thing I knew I got second place. Then later I logged back in and it said I was banned from matching. I love playing this game with my friends and it is very addicting. Now I can’t play. Once this ban is over, I will be happily playing this game. But you can also help me by not banning me. I know I’m not the only one that was wrongfully banned. You should fix this major problem. I can’t wait to play this game again. But you better fix the game now. Like right now because it’s happening to so many people. After my 7 day ban, I don’t want to go on their to see that I got banned again. Please don’t this ok. Fix the game now. I want change now. I mean now. All these people that are banned probably never hacked in their life’s and you’re wrongfully accusing them. Please fix it now. Pronto ok. Got it. U better do it ok. Lift all these bans but you need to fix the game. You understand. Ok good please and thank so we can all play this game happily and not falsely accused of hacking.-BALLSDEEP69 Developer Response Aug 6, 2018 Dear Explorer, we need more details to confirm your issue. Please contact via our in-game support center and our support team will help you. Thank you for your support. Stop banning innocent people Aug 4, 2018 Car10srdz Look you guys can investigate all you want. You can say lies and say that I hacked. I didn’t hack you guys just need to fix the game. It’s not my fault your game does this, but blame it on me and say I hacked. If I hacked I would win ever single game. By the way I lost that game. It would teleport me to the storm and I would lose health then I wouldn’t be in the storm and I wouldn’t lose health. Then it said network is poor. Next thing I knew I got second place. Then later I logged back in and it said I was banned from matching. I love playing this game with my friends and it is very addicting. Now I can’t play. Once this ban is over, I will be happily playing this game. But you can also help me by not banning me. I know I’m not the only one that was wrongfully banned. You should fix this major problem. I can’t wait to play this game again. But you better fix the game now. Like right now because it’s happening to so many people. After my 7 day ban, I don’t want to go on their to see that I got banned again. Please don’t this ok. Fix the game now. I want change now. I mean now. All these people that are banned probably never hacked in their life’s and you’re wrongfully accusing them. Please fix it now. Pronto ok. Got it. U better do it ok. Lift all these bans but you need to fix the game. You understand. Ok good please and thank so we can all play this game happily and not falsely accused of hacking.-BALLSDEEP69 Developer Response Aug 6, 2018 Dear Explorer, we need more details to confirm your issue. Please contact via our in-game support center and our support team will help you. Thank you for your support. Information"
'entertainment','english','Also Available in iTunes About Kane Brown Tennessee\'s Kane Brown is a contemporary country singer/songwriter blessed with a rich baritone voice. Raised by a single mom, Brown grew up in Redbank, Tennessee, where he first became interested in music while in high school. Initially attracted to R&B, Brown decided to focus on country after winning an 11th grade talent contest with his rendition of Chris Young\'s "Gettin\' You Home (The Black Dress Song)." Buoyed by that success, Brown began posting videos online of covers of songs by Brantley Gilbert, Alan Jackson, and others. He quickly developed a loyal following of viewers, a fan base that helped his own single, "Don\'t Go City on Me," go viral upon its release in 2014. In 2015, Brown released his debut EP, Closer, which reached the Top Ten of the Billboard Country Albums chart. Following Closer, he also released the stand-alone single "Used to Love You Sober." In early 2016, Brown signed a recording contract with RCA/Sony Music Nashville. That December, he returned with his eponymous full-length debut, Kane Brown, featuring the singles "Ain\'t No Stopping Us Now" and "Thunder in the Rain." The album debuted at number one on the country charts and peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200. Two more singles, "What Ifs," featuring Lauren Alaina, and "Heaven" appeared in 2017. A third non-album track "Lose It," arrived in 2018. ~ Matt Collar HOMETOWN'
'entertainment','english','RedditA very special guest was in attendance for Jack White ’s concert in San Francisco on Thursday night: The great of Tom Waits , whose public appearances have become a rarity in recent years, came out for the Boarding House Reach tour stop at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.“Tom Waits came to Jack White’s performance in San Francisco and made all the musicians in the band confirm and pay testament to their love of the religion of music,” captions an Instagram photo of the music legends together. “He also stole Jack’s watch.”“A million thanks and tributes to Saint Tom from Jack and the band.”'
'entertainment','english',"I Dream of Jeannie Star Bill Daily Dies at 91: Read Barbara Eden, Bob Newhart's Moving Tributes Bill Daily and Barbara Eden Getty Images Dave Quinn September 08, 2018 10:31 AMBill Daily, the comic actor who found breakout success as Major Healey on the hit 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie and also had notable roles on The Bob Newhart Show and Alf , has reportedly died. He was 91.Daily’s son, J. Patrick Daily, confirmed the news to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter , saying that his father died of natural causes on Sept. 4 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “ He loved every sunset, he loved every meal ,” J. Patrick told Variety of his father. “He just decided to be happy about everything.”I Dream of Jeannie title star Barbara Eden remembered Daily on Twitter. Major Healey was a supporting character on all five seasons of the show, as the goofy best friend to NASA astronaut Anthony Nelson (the late Larry Hagman ).“Our favorite zany astronaut, Bill Daily has passed,” Eden, 87, tweeted, captioning a photo of them. “Billy was wonderful to work with. He was a funny, sweet man that kept us all on our toes. I’m so thankful to have known and worked with that rascal. Until we meet again Billy, xo.”Bill Daily on I Dream of Jeannie NBCU Photo BankAfter Jeannie , Daily would spend all six seasons (and 140 episodes) on The Bob Newhart Show, playing Newhart’s dotty neighbor, airline pilot Howard Borden.“Bill Daily & I go back to Chicago in the 50s,” Newhart, 89, wrote on Twitter. “He and I were both trying to get into standup.”“Later, he joined The Bob Newhart Show. He was our bullpen guy — you could always go to him,” Newhart remembered of their time on the show, which wrapped in 1978. “He was one of the most positive people I’ve ever known. I will miss him dearly.”Bill Daily and Bob Newhart on The Bob Newhart Show CBS/Getty Images Bill Daily & I go back to Chicago in the 50's. He and I were both trying to get into standup. Later, he joined the Bob Newhart Show. He was our bullpen guy – you could always go to him. He was one of the most positive people I've ever known. I will miss him dearly— Bob Newhart (@BobNewhart) September 8, 2018Born Aug. 30, 1927 in Des Moines, Iowa, Daily’s first credited television role was 1964’s Bewitched.He would also have credited roles on Mary Tyler Moore ; CHiPs ; The Love Boat ; My Mother the Car ; Getting Together ; Love, American Style ; Aloha Paradise ; Starting from Scratch ; Caroline in the City ; and two of Newhart’s other shows, Newhart and Bob .From 1987 to 1989, he recurred as psychiatrist Dr. Larry Dykstra on ALF.Daily would also have his own short-lived sitcom called Small & Frye. The 1983 series lasted for three months.Bill Daily Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesAs himself, Daily would become a staple on game shows like Match Game and Hollywood Squares over the years. He also hosted several magic specials.The star is survived by son J. Patrick, who works as a key grip for motion pictures. News RIP TV "
'entertainment','english',"in Music | June 2nd, 2017 70 Comments 75.8k Subscribe Vk Print Xing Yummly Telegram Flipboard AdvertisementIt may be that familiarity breeds contempt, and if that’s so, we should all be very glad of the wealth of excellent documentaries correcting the monolithic commercial story of punk, which goes something like this: The Sex Pistols and The Clash explode into the world in 1977 purveying anarchy and revolution and designer BDSM gear, and the status quo freaks out, then discovers many savvy marketing opportunities and here we are at our local punk boutique before the punk arena show at Corporation Stadium.That's a boring story, mostly because all the most interesting parts, and weirdest, most violent, gross-out, angry, experimental, queer, black, radical, feminist, etc. parts get left out, along with nearly all the best bands. Even if we date punk from the early seventies in New York with Patti Smith and the Ramones, we’re missing key progenitors from the 60s, from Detroit, Germany, Tacoma, Washington... The brackets we snap around decades as though each one popped into existence independently may blind us to how much history folds back in on itself, as do musical eras and genres.Even before Crass arrived in ‘77 as “the missing link between counterculture hippies and punk’s angry rhetoric,” the MC5 ruled Detroit stages and bloody political conventions in 1968 Chicago . Though they’re credited—along with fellow motor city natives Iggy and The Stooges—with the invention of punk, they played hippy music: loose, bluesy, soulful, filled with long jams and solos. But they played it harder and with more speed, raw metal edge, and intensity than anyone, while adopting the politics of the Black Panthers. It's refreshing to see both the MC5 and The Stooges represented in the Spotify playlist below, “The Evolution of Punk in Chronological Order.” (If you need Spotify's software, download it here .)What may sound didactic is in fact pleasantly surprising, and maybe essential as far as these things go. No, of course, “not EVERY punk band will be listed here,” the playlist’s creator concedes on Reddit . Not only is this impossible, but, as he or she goes on, “I am constructing this list by my own personal beliefs of what makes a band punk.” (Sorry, Blink 182 fans.) I’d be intrigued to know what those beliefs are. They are discriminating, yet ecumenical. Not only does the MC5 get much-deserved inclusion, but so do seminal 60s garage rock bands like The Monks , an American band from Germany, and The Sonics from Tacoma.We begin with a little-known, quaintly-named act called Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads , who in 1965 recorded “ Goo Goo Muck ,” a novelty track that delivered for The Cramps sixteen years later. Early 60s rockabilly, surf-rock, and bubblegum (all products of the previous decade), are of course essential to so much punk, but the novelty act is also a punk staple. I’m pleased to see here serious experimentalists like Suicide and NEU!, two bands without whom so much of the 2000s could not have happened. I’m also pleased to see eighties pranksters The Dead Milkman, who wrote deeply offensive novelty songs like “Takin’ Retards to the Zoo” and sounded like a comic book.Do we not hear of the Dead Milkmen, and bands like Choking Victim, Cock Sparrer, or the Crucifucks, because of political correctness run amok? That seems like an anachronistic way to look at things. I can assure you they pissed people off just as much at the time, and everyone argued endlessly about free speech. It's true, the most offensive punk figure on the list, G.G Allin, became a minor celebrity on the daytime circuit after his extreme indulgences in masochism and coprophilia onstage. But most punk bands played for limited audiences, released on tiny labels, and attached themselves to particular regions. Playing punk rock was not always a very popular thing to do.There are too many fragments, too many offshoots, tribes, divisions and affiliations for a monoculture summary. But if you were to write an account of punk using only the tracks on this playlist, it would be a comprehensive overview most people do not know, and a fascinating one at that. Maybe punk died–in '77 when it signed to CBS , or in 1979 at the dawn of the eighties, or last year, who knows. But this list insists on covering over fifty years–from “Goo Goo Muck” to SKAAL’s 2016 “Not a Fan,” an almost classical slab of hardcore, with a chorus that provides the ideal coda: “Your rules / I’m not a fan.” Is punk dead? You tell me.Related Content:"
'entertainment','english','Hurricane Lane brings torrential rains to Hawaii\'s Big Island "It\'s still a dangerous storm, and it\'s not even close to being done yet." by Phil Helsel and Elizabeth Chuck / Aug.23.2018 / 9:57 PM ET / Updated Aug.24.2018 / 3:45 PM ET Chelsea Jitchaku watches a small stream overflow onto Akolea Road in upper Kaumana, near Hilo, Hawaii, on Aug. 23, 2018. Bruce Omori / EPA Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBENearly two feet of rain fell on parts of Hawaii’s Big Island as Hurricane Lane approached the state early Friday, causing heavy flooding and landslides that blocked roads — with the worst still yet to come, according to forecasters.Lane weakened to a Category 2 storm on Friday but is still a powerful, slow-moving system that meteorologists say could be devastating to Hawaii, a state that hasn\'t been pummeled by a hurricane in nearly a quarter-century."Hawaii is going to be impacted by Hurricane Lane. The question is how bad," Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long said earlier in the week. On Friday, Long urged Hawaiians to heed warnings from emergency officials, and said that FEMA was prepared to provide food, water and shelter.At 5 a.m. local time Friday (11 a.m. ET), Lane had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. The hurricane\'s center was around 180 miles south of Honolulu, and was moving north at 5 mph toward Hawaii\'s main islands.But the concern surrounding Lane is not about the winds; it\'s about the heavy rain."Excessive rainfall associated with this slow moving hurricane will continue to impact the Hawaiian Islands into the weekend, leading to catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and landslides," the National Weather Service said in its 11 a.m. ET bulletin, adding that tropical storm conditions were already thrashing the Big Island, Maui County and Oahu. Watch Live: Tracking Hurricane Lane Aug.25.2018 00:03Hurricane-force winds were extending outward up to 35 miles from Lane\'s center with tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 140 miles, the weather service said.Even if Lane does not make a direct hit on Hawaii, it could prove life-threatening."You don\'t have to have an actual landfall to have major problems," said NBC News\' Al Roker. "It\'s still a dangerous storm, and it\'s not even close to being done yet."The slow movement of the storm could mean that heavy rain and other effects are prolonged for Hawaii, officials said."Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Lane is expected to remain a hurricane as it draws closer to the islands," the NWS said.Hawaii County Civil Defense said heavy rainfall was already occurring on the Big Island, and flooding and landslides forced the closure of Highway 19 in Hilo and Honomu, as well as several other roadways, NBC affiliate KHNL of Honolulu reported .Route 270 on the Big island was also closed due to landslides and flooding, the Hawaii Department of Transportation said.The last Category 5 storm to even come close to Hawaii was Hurricane John in 1994, which skirted 345 miles south of the islands. The last severely damaging hurricane was Iniki, a Category 4 storm that killed six people in September 1992.President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued an emergency declaration for Hawaii, which authorizes federal assistance to the region.The president tweeted on Thursday: “Our teams are closely coordinating with the state and local authorities. You are in our thoughts!”Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe said five people were rescued from a flooded house in Hilo after a nearby gulch overflowed. No injuries were reported. Although the ctr of #HurricaneLane will not make a direct hit over the islands at this time, we will still see heavy rain/large surf as the storm passes near the islands. As a Cat 3, we can already feel the strong wind on Oahu tonight. Please cont to take necessary precautions. pic.twitter.com/BzcXhJhg4p — Hawaiian Electric (@HwnElectric) August 24, 2018United Airlines said it was canceling flights for Friday in and out of Kahului Airport on Maui due to weather conditions. It scheduled to additional flights from Honolulu to San Francisco on Thursday, and encouraged people who are traveling to or through affected areas to take advantage of policies where change fees and differences in fares are waived.The storm brought with it the potential for large swells that could produce damaging surf along southern shorelines, and storm surge and large waves could raise water levels by 2 to 4 feet along south- and west-facing shores. Most impressive flood video I\'ve seen yet from Big Island of Hawaii. #HurricaneLane https://t.co/9sCCVlTKC6 — Bill Karins (@BillKarins) August 24, 2018Counties in Hawaii have been opening shelters, although there have been fears that there are not enough , and some of those opened were not designed or reinforced to withstand forces greater than a tropical storm. However, officials have said they are safer alternatives for those in flood-prone areas, on ridge lines or in older homes with wood frames or single-wall construction. Bracing for Hurricane Lane: How to protect your home from floods Aug.23.2018 01:11Brad Kieserman, vice president for disaster operations for the American Red Cross, said "the state of Hawaii, the counties in Hawaii, and all of their partners have been planning for this type of event now for years."He added: “Whether it makes landfall or not, it is a dangerous event, and we are ready for it.” Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBE'
'entertainment','english',"An Aftermath/Shady/Interscope Records Release; ℗ 2018 Aftermath Records Also Available in iTunes About Eminem On 1999's “My Name Is,” Eminem entered the public imagination with a mandate: “God sent me to piss the world off.” From his provocative early work to the redemption narratives of 8 Mile and beyond, he’s more or less stayed true to form, holding a mirror to the American psyche—and his own—with an incisiveness rarely matched before or since. Raised in working-class Detroit, the artist born Marshall Mathers in 1972 got his start as a battle rapper, reaching the ears of then-Interscope Records CEO Jimmy Iovine and future mentor Dr. Dre; only months before, he had been fired from his job as a line cook, where he worked nearly 60 hours a week to support his infant daughter—an origin story that set the tone for his career. Dark, funny, and frequently violent, his breakthrough albums ( 1999’s The Slim Shady LP and 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP ) established him as pop culture’s premier bogeyman, a bleach-blond devil traumatized by circumstance who rapped about killing everyone from his mentor to his mother with such ferocity and wit that you’d almost forget he had the wrong idea. The result was a sound that reached beyond hip-hop into the heart of suburban America: rap not as social reportage but as primal-scream therapy; punk for a generation addled by reality TV. Even as he's matured—fame, stability, sobriety, an Oscar (for the 8 Mile centerpiece, “Lose Yourself”)—he's retained his edge, taking shots at politics and society (2017’s Revival ) with a frustration that's bordered on relentless. Still, however tough he's been on the world, Em has also tended to reserve his harshest words for himself, refracting his insecurities—about his family, his music, his cultural relevance—into verses that have only made him seem more human. HOMETOWN"
'entertainment','english',"OUT News Pope Francis urges parents not to condemn their gay children Instead of condemning, ignoring or kicking out their gay children, parents should try to understand them, Pope Francis told reporters in Ireland. by Associated Press / 'Don't throw them out of the family,' Pope tells parents of gay children Aug.27.2018 01:29Pope Francis says parents of gay children shouldn’t condemn them, ignore their orientation or throw them out of the house. Rather, he says they should pray, talk and try to understand.Speaking to reporters after closing out a Catholic family rally in Ireland, Francis said: “There have always been gay people and people with homosexual tendencies.” Related"
'entertainment','english','DENVER (CBS4) – An unusually cold late August storm system is bringing a chilly rain and some high altitude snow to parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Summer snow was showing up on the Cody Bowl cam at Jackson Hole Monday morning. (credit: jacksonhole.com)The National Weather Service says as much as 4-8 inches could fall in elevations above 9,000 feet in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming.Some areas have been placed under a Winter Weather Advisory.Colorado is on the extreme southern edge of this weather system and will be windy as it passes by.Some colder air will filter into northern and northeast Colorado by Tuesday with highs dropping 20-30 degrees from Monday.Meteorologist Chris Spears travels weekly in the CBS4 Mobile Weather Lab reporting about Colorado’s weather and climate . Check out his bio , connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4 .'
'entertainment','english','11:00 AM The Price Is Right 12:00 PM KDKA-TV News at Noon 12:30 PM The Young and the Restless 1:30 PM The Bold and the Beautiful 2:00 PM The Talk 11-Year-Old Dying From Leukemia Wants To Cover Casket In Racing Stickers August 18, 2018 at 8:57 pmFollow KDKA-TV : Facebook | TwitterDES MOINES, Iowa (KDKA) — An 11-year-old boy dying from leukemia wants to cover his casket in racing stickers.CBS affiliate KHOU reports 11-year-old Caleb Hammond was diagnosed with leukemia at age 9.After about a year and a half of trying various treatments that weren’t helping, Caleb and his family had to decide whether or not to try more treatments, knowing they wouldn’t cure him.On a GoFundMe page , Caleb’s family says what Caleb wanted to do most was go home and spend time with his family and siblings.Now, Caleb is asking people to send him racing stickers to put on his casket after he dies.Team Kids With Cancer Racing 46-7 even organized an event called “KWC Racing for Caleb” at a speedway near Caleb’s uncle’s house.Stickers and cards can be sent to Caleb Hammond’s family at 314 North J Street, Oskaloosa, IA 52577 .'
'entertainment','english','in Creativity , Life , Philosophy | October 3rd, 2013 21 Comments 44.8k Subscribe Vk Print Xing Yummly Telegram Flipboard AdvertisementEver wonder how famous philosophers from the past spent their many hours of tedium between paradigm-smashing epiphanies? I do. And I have learned much from the biographical morsels on “ Daily Routines ,” a blog about “How writers, artists, and other interesting people organize their days.” (The blog has also now yielded a book , Daily Rituals: How Artists Work .) While there is much fascinating variety to be found among these descriptions of the quotidian habits of celebrity humanists, one quote found on the site from V.S. Pritchett stands out: “Sooner or later, the great men turn out to be all alike. They never stop working. They never lose a minute. It is very depressing.” But I urge you, be not depressed. In these précis of the mundane lives of philosophers and artists, we find no small amount of meditative leisure occupying every day. Read these tiny biographies and be edified. The contemplative life requires discipline and hard work, for sure. But it also seems to require some time indulging carnal pleasures and much more time lost in thought.Let\'s take Friedrich Nietzsche (above). While most of us couldn’t possibly reach the great heights of iconoclastic solitude he scaled---and I\'m not sure that we would want to---we might find his daily balance of the kinetic, aesthetic, gustatory, and contemplative worth aiming at. Though not featured on Daily Routines, an excerpt from Curtis Cate’s eponymous Nietzsche biography shows us the curious habits of this most curious man: With a Spartan rigour which never ceased to amaze his landlord-grocer, Nietzsche would get up every morning when the faintly dawning sky was still grey, and, after washing himself with cold water from the pitcher and china basin in his bedroom and drinking some warm milk, he would, when not felled by headaches and vomiting, work uninterruptedly until eleven in the morning. He then went for a brisk, two-hour walk through the nearby forest or along the edge of Lake Silvaplana (to the north-east) or of Lake Sils (to the south-west), stopping every now and then to jot down his latest thoughts in the notebook he always carried with him. Returning for a late luncheon at the Hôtel Alpenrose, Nietzsche, who detested promiscuity, avoided the midday crush of the table d’hôte in the large dining-room and ate a more or less ‘private’ lunch, usually consisting of a beefsteak and an ‘unbelievable’ quantity of fruit, which was, the hotel manager was persuaded, the chief cause of his frequent stomach upsets. After luncheon, usually dressed in a long and somewhat threadbare brown jacket, and armed as usual with notebook, pencil, and a large grey-green parasol to shade his eyes, he would stride off again on an even longer walk, which sometimes took him up the Fextal as far as its majestic glacier. Returning ‘home’ between four and five o’clock, he would immediately get back to work, sustaining himself on biscuits, peasant bread, honey (sent from Naumburg), fruit and pots of tea he brewed for himself in the little upstairs ‘dining-room’ next to his bedroom, until, worn out, he snuffed out the candle and went to bed around 11 p.m.This comes to us via A Piece of Monologue , who also provide some photographs of Nietzsche’s favorite Swiss vistas and his austere accommodations. No doubt this life, however lonely, led to the production of some of the most world-shaking philosophical texts ever produced, perhaps rivaled in the nineteenth century only by the work of the prodigious Karl Marx.So how did Marx’s daily life compare to the morose and monkish Nietzsche? According to Isaiah Berlin, Marx also had his daily habits, though not quite so well-balanced. His mode of living consisted of daily visits to the British Museum reading-room, where he normally remained from nine in the morning until it closed at seven; this was followed by long hours of work at night, accompanied by ceaseless smoking, which from a luxury had become an indispensable anodyne; this affected his health permanently and he became liable to frequent attacks of a disease of the liver sometimes accompanied by boils and an inflammation of the eyes, which interfered with his work, exhausted and irritated him, and interrupted his never certain means of livelihood. "I am plagued like Job, though not so God-fearing," he wrote in 1858.Marx’s money worries contributed to his physical complaints, surely, as much as Nietzsche’s social anxiety did to his. Not all philosophers have had such dramatic emotional lives, however.Smoking plays a significant role as a daily aid, for good or ill, in the daily lives of many philosophers, such as that of giant of 18th century thought, Immanuel Kant. But Kant suffered from neither penury nor some severe case of unrequited love. He seems, indeed, to have been a rather dull person, at least in the biographical sketch below by Manfred Kuehn. His daily schedule then looked something like this. He got up at 5:00 A.M. His servant Martin Lampe, who worked for him from at least 1762 until 1802, would wake him. The old soldier was under orders to be persistent, so that Kant would not sleep longer. Kant was proud that he never got up even half an hour late, even though he found it hard to get up early. It appears that during his early years, he did sleep in at times. After getting up, Kant would drink one or two cups of tea -- weak tea. With that, he smoked a pipe of tobacco. The time he needed for smoking it "was devoted to meditation." Apparently, Kant had formulated the maxim for himself that he would smoke only one pipe, but it is reported that the bowls of his pipes increased considerably in size as the years went on. He then prepared his l