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Old heads, young shoulders

Mixing Americana with English folk, Fleet Foxes are not your average Seattle rock group. Sylvie Simmons meets a band wise beyond their years
"America's next great band" ... Fleet Foxes

"Seattle is getting expensive," says Robin Pecknold, Fleet Foxes' lead singer and songwriter, opening the front door to a small wooden house painted Teletubby purple. There are tulips in the front yard and a few tufts of grass in the roof tiles currently being watered by a shower of rain. "Like, I had to move out of my apartment in Capitol Hill - which is, like, the cool neighbourhood, it's where all the venues were and my job was - because my rent went up from $450 a month to $600 and it was tiny. So I moved into my girlfriend's place."

This is not Seattle's hippy quarter, he says; his girlfriend's place is an exception, it's more a "dogs-and-babies place with a lot of organic toy stores area. But this year I'm going to be on tour so much it's just good to have time with my girl."

Fleet Foxes have just got home from a US tour and, I was told, were pretty burned out. Not a long tour by US rock standards - just two or three months, including the South by Southwest festival-conference, where they got buzz-band status and accolades from the press. (Mojo magazine hailed them as "America's next great band".) Nor can they blame their age for being so fried. It's more that they're new to this. As 22-year-old Pecknold, when pondering something I've asked, says: "I've never been interviewed until a couple of months ago." It's not been that many weeks since they signed a record deal - with Seattle indie label Sub Pop in the US and, in the UK, former Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde's Bella Union. Their self-titled debut album, which they recorded late last year, paying for the sessions on Pecknold's credit card, doesn't come out till June, preceded by a self-made EP, Sun Giant, last month. Both were made at home.

You quickly gather that home and community are a big deal to Pecknold. Though Seattle's population has expanded greatly since the 1990s - more from the impact of Starbucks and Microsoft than the city's other successful export, grunge - Pecknold makes it sound like a small town, with a close-knit musical community, where everyone knows each other and are often as not in multiple bands. Two of Fleet Foxes, Casey Wescott and Christian Wargo, have their own group, the mellow, electronic Crystal Skulls. And newest member Joshua Tillman is also a solo singer-songwriter.

There's a very strong sense of family, too. Robin's sister Aja, 29, a music journalist, also works as a facilitator for the band, and his brother Sean, 27, a film-maker, is shooting their first video. Their father Greg, who in the 60s played in Seattle soul-garage band the Fathom, bought each of his kids an identical guitar for Christmas one year and taught Robin some chords. Robin in turn taught his high school friend, Skye Skjelset, "who took off way beyond me, he's awesome". Skjelset duly became Pecknold's musical companion as they stumbled towards their calling.

There are, apparently, a lot of people of Nordic stock in Seattle. Pecknold and Skjelset are two of them. Pecknold, who looks as much Norwegian fisherman as neo-hippy with his beard, woolly hat and sleeveless jacket, relates how he, Aja and Sean took a trip to Norway last year and visited the island of Hidra, where there was a village named after his mother's side of the family, Valaas. "But when we got there it had been torn down to build vacation condos for all these German people who want to live there. The Hidra that my mum remembers was just sheep." The rest of the country, he says, laughing, "looked just like Seattle". His childhood, he says, was "like, rad. My mum was a school teacher - she worked on a commune in Israel once - and my dad used to build guitars and boats. My brother's five years older than I am and my sister seven years, but we would hang out and were like as good of buddies as you'd allow yourself to be as a kid when there's that age difference."

And then the family moved, with his mother's job, to a "boring" town east of the city, and his brother and sister both left to go to college. "So I was almost like an only child, which was kind of weird, and I wasn't really making new friends at school, until I met Skye," who by Pecknold's description sounds a lot like himself - "soft-spoken and kind of deep". Pecknold gives a shy laugh. "I was, like, the fat kid on my own, reading Lord of the Rings, and that was when I started playing music and went into the guitar."

The first song he learned to play was The Times They Are A-Changin' - partly because it was simple, mostly because it was Bob Dylan, whom Pecknold describes as "an obsession. He was such a comfort to me. Those were the only records I would listen to late at night or doing homework."

One of the teachers at his junior high school - "the greatest guy and really into Yes and ELO" - let Pecknold and Skjelset hang out in the science room during their lunch break, where the pair would talk music and practice guitar. Pecknold says they took it seriously from the outset. "We always thought of it as a band. We'd say, 'Let's have band practice now,' although it was just us two sitting around watching movies or whatever, or I'd say, 'Let's record music this week.'" They recorded just about everything they wrote. Pecknold listened back to their old tapes recently and says that "if music is a language, they sound like a toddler making up their own words".

Over time, as they grew tired of the limitations of their group being just the two of them, it turned into a full band. When Pecknold was 18 he left home and got a job in a Capitol Hill restaurant called Bimbo's, staffed almost entirely by Seattle musicians. Says Pecknold, "John Atkins from 764-Hero worked there, and for a kid growing up in Seattle, if I could just talk to John Atkins it was mind-blowing." It also made it very easy to find people to play in the band that now had a name: Pineapple. Only it was also the name of a 70s US punk band who sent them a cease-and-desist email. "I'm like, 'You can take it, we're not really using it anyway.' " Pecknold renamed the band Fleet Foxes.

"I just love the word 'fleet' as an adjective," he shrugs, "and I love England. So much English music is just so great - Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Steeleye Span, they're so good, I can't get enough of them. I read online that the girl in that band, Maddy Prior, works at some Wellness centre and gives classes." He beams. "You can pay to have a class with Maddy Prior!"

Fleet Foxes' heady sound leans heavily on the records of the late 60s and early 70s - you can hear the English folk revival groups he has mentioned, the American artists who were turning towards folk and gospel, such as Karen Dalton, and harmony rock from both sides of the Atlantic (the Beach Boys, Crosby, Stills & Nash, the Association, the Zombies and Fleetwood Mac) - but it is as filtered through the brains of a generation raised on computers. On the band's MySpace page they describe their music as "baroque pop, music from fantasy movies, Motown, block harmonies, hymns, a couple moments approaching shaggy rock stuff, but mostly rather tempered and restrained. Not much of a rock band."

Harmonies play an enormous part in Fleet Foxes' music - four, sometimes five, male voices, sometimes churchy and a capella, other times woven into the music alongside the other instruments (which include banjo, piano, mandolin, autoharp, cello and guzheng, an oversized Chinese zither). It is oddly timeless - the sound of an imagined, perfected America that never existed - without ever sounding dated. It shares with REM's Murmur the sense of having emerged fully formed from the backwoods, without ever sounding like the Georgia band.

Leafing through the stack of vinyl albums beneath the turntable, I spot LPs by Van Dyke Parks, Procol Harum, Karen Dalton, Joni Mitchell, Simon & Garfunkel, as well as Renaissance harp music - all music that came out long before Pecknold was born. His tastes, he says, were informed partly by his parents' record collection but more so by stuff he discovered on Napster. A bootleg of the then unfinished Beach Boys' album Smile, for instance, that "just blew my mind. For me it was Bob Dylan and then after that Brian Wilson."

For Pecknold, the best part of being in a band is "singing with people. It's so super fun we would just want to incorporate it more. It's ..." he searches for the word, "human. There's a certain sense of togetherness. Because a guitar is, like, your hands and your brain, but four people singing is just as close as you can get musically, because you're all standing next to each other and you're all just an interval away. It just reminds me," he smiles warmly, "of family."

· Fleet Foxes tour the UK from June 9 to June 18. Their album Fleet Foxes is released on June 2, and the Sun Giant EP is out now, both on Bella Union


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Government 'denying sexually abused children compensation'

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority refused payments to almost 700 children on grounds they gave consent, say charities

A coalition of charities has written to David Lidington, the justice secretary, demanding he review guidelines on compensation for sexually abused children. Photograph: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA

Sexually abused children as young as 12 are being denied compensation by a government agency on the grounds that they gave consent, according to a coalition of charities.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) has refused payments to almost 700 child victims even if their attackers have been jailed, freedom of information requests have revealed.

Five charities – Barnardo’s, Victim Support, Liberty, Rape Crisis and the National Working Group (NWG) – have written to the justice secretary, David Lidington, demanding he reviews CICA guidelines.

It is illegal to have sexual activity with anyone under 16 but CICA does not automatically make payments to all victims. In some cases, the charities allege, individuals have been told they consented to the abuse.

The coalition is calling for the rules to be changed so that “no child groomed and manipulated into sexual abuse is denied compensation because they complied with their abuse through fear, lack of understanding, or being brainwashed into believing their abuser loved them and developing feelings for them”.

In one example, a gang of older men were jailed for 30 years after being convicted of raping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Her case was taken up by Victim Support; she was denied compensation by CICA on the grounds that “she had not been the victim of non-consensual sexual acts”.

She was devastated and left with the feeling that she was somehow responsible for the abuse she had suffered, the charity said. The coalition also commissioned a YouGov poll that showed two-thirds of people believe the rules should be amended so that a child cannot be found to have “consented” to activities involved in their sexual exploitation.

A CICA spokesperson said: “Child sexual abuse is abhorrent, and victims can apply for taxpayer-funded compensation awards through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

“Our guidelines are intended to make sure that controlling and abusive behaviour is taken into account when handling compensation applications.

“We are urgently reviewing our guidelines to ensure they are robust enough to deal with cases where grooming may be a factor.”

Javed Khan, the chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “For children to be denied compensation on the grounds that they ‘consented’ to the abuse they have suffered is nothing short of scandalous. The very rules that are supposed to protect children are actually harming them.”

Dawn Thomas, co-chair of Rape Crisis England & Wales, said: “It’s not only bizarre but also inappropriate and harmful that [CICA] applies a different definition of consent from the law and, as a result, routinely tell victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation that they consented to the sexual violence perpetrated against them.”

Mark Castle, Victim Support’s chief executive, said: “It is ridiculous, nonsensical and morally wrong to pretend that a child has consented to sexual abuse and to then use this as an excuse not to pay compensation. Any child that suffers sexual abuse is a victim – full stop.”

Martha Spurrier, director of Liberty, added: “Grooming is brainwashing – perpetrators manipulate children into situations that look like consent. No child can consent to abuse, which is why the criminal law rightly says they are simply unable to do so.”

Richard Burgon MP, Labour’s shadow justice secretary, said: “This is deeply disturbing. Children can never consent to be abused and should never be made to feel like they are to blame for any abuse they’ve suffered. The Government needs to urgently review the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority guidelines to ensure that compensation reflects the law around child sexual abuse.”

CICA is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. Compensation payouts for sexual assault cases range from £1,000 to £44,000.

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Hands on with Super Mario Run for iPhone

Nintendo’s legendary platformer runs and jumps on to smartphones on 15 December, but will it spring to new heights or plumb the depths?

Super Mario Run will be released on 15 December.

Quirky social app Miitomo wasn’t the “proper” game fans were looking for when Nintendo announced its long-anticipated move into smartphone games. Super Mario Run almost certainly is that game though.

Unveiled at Apple’s WWDC event in June, it will be an iOS exclusive when it launches on 15 December, although an Android port is expected to follow in 2017.

In November, Nintendo revealed the launch date and confirmed that Super Mario Run will be free to download and try, with a single $9.99 in-app purchase (likely £7.99 in the UK) unlocking the rest of the game.

That month, Nintendo also gathered journalists for a hands-on demonstration of its first iPhone game, with one line in particular repeated several times by the company’s reps: “A true Mario platformer that you can play entirely with one hand.”

The messaging around Super Mario Run isn’t a surprise, with Nintendo hoping to scotch two fears for fans: first, that the classic Super Mario gameplay will be dumbed down for a massively mainstream mobile audience, and second that the translation from joypads to touchscreens will be botched.

Based on the almost-finished code, it’s looking good on both fronts.

From the finely tuned jumping mechanic to the level design, Super Mario Run feels like a proper (and new) Mario game, with plenty of nods back to earlier games for hardcore fans, but a well-crafted one-tap control system to suit its new medium.

Super Mario Run’s World Tour levels.

There are three main parts to Super Mario Run: its main World Tour mode; its Toad Rally challenge mode; and the Kingdom Builder mode that sits between the other two. The free download will let you play the game’s first three levels in both World Tour and Toad Rally modes, as well as a 20-second demo of the fourth.

Once you’ve paid your £7.99 to unlock the full game, there are no more in-app purchases. While spending virtual coins is a key part of the game, they’re only earned by playing, not by paying.

Taking the Tour

Super Mario Run is a blend of traditional Mario platformers and modern endless-runners. Mario automatically runs from left to right and clambers over small obstacles, while you tap lightly for a little jump and harder for a bigger leap.

There’s more to it than that: you can wall-kick your way up shafts, while strategically placed blocks help you stop for a few seconds, jump backwards or take bigger leaps forward.

The interface has been designed so that you tap on the bottom fifth of the screen below the level window, so as not to obscure any action with your thumb. The iPad version has a thinner tap zone to keep more of its screen free for the levels.

As with all Mario games, replayability is key. Each level initially includes five pink coins among the regular gold ones. Collect the five, and a harder “purple coin” version of the level is unlocked.

Collect all five purple coins in that, and an even harder “black coin” version unlocks where, in the words of Nintendo’s demonstrator, “they expect you to be a bit more fancy” with your acrobatics to collect everything.

There are plenty of alternative routes and secrets to find as you play through the game, while a bubble button can be tapped twice per level to float Mario backwards for a while: useful if you’ve missed a crucial coin, or just want to maximise your score by taking another route.

Super Mario Run’s Kingdom Builder mode and its shop.

Rally to the challenge

As you play through the World Tour mode you’ll earn gold coins and rally tickets, which are used in Super Mario Run’s other two modes: Toad Rally and Kingdom Builder.

Toad Rally is a challenge mode that costs one rally ticket to enter. You choose a level, then another player whose performance you want to try to beat. Your score is a combination of the coins you collect and the watching Toad characters that you “impress” by pulling off acrobatic leaps.

Beat the player you’ve challenged, and you’ll earn a bunch of colourful (red, blue, green, purple and/or yellow) Toads, but like spread betting, if you don’t beat the other player, you’ll lose Toads.

What do Toads mean? Prizes. Or rather, you need a certain number of each to unlock items in the game’s Kingdom Builder mode, where you spend your coins buying items to place in your mini-kingdom – some of which are purely decorative, while others … are not.

(Nintendo is keeping some features of the game, the contents of its shop included, under wraps until it launches.)

Coins, raffle tickets and Toads may sound like a potentially confusing system of interlocking virtual currencies. That said, it all seems to make sense within Super Mario Run, and many mobile gamers have already encountered similar systems in freemium games.

Reason for optimism

Given 2016 was a year of unpleasant surprises, Nintendo’s fanbase would be forgiven for fretting about Super Mario Run being a crashing disappointment. Based on the preview code, it’s looking more like one of the year’s silver linings.

Its developers appear to have walked the line between casual and hardcore players with success: you can play your way through the levels fairly easily at your own pace, albeit with the odd moment that may test the reflexes and rhythm of players whose experience is more Candy Crush than classic platformers.

If you’re a speed-runner or a collect-everything completist, though, Super Mario Run looks to have plenty to challenge you, including additional characters to unlock – Luigi and Yoshi are the ones we’re allowed to mention for now.

One question concerns whether Nintendo is planning to expand on the game’s six worlds in the coming months with the new levels and characters that mobile players have been trained to expect from their freemium games.

If Nintendo does follow suit, it will have to decide whether to charge for them, although based on the quality of the first few worlds in Super Mario Run, it will have a good case for doing so. Come 15 December, we’ll get a sense of whether players agree.


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Iran says it could quit nuclear deal if US keeps adding sanctions

President Hassan Rouhani says Trump has shown the world that Washington is ‘not a good partner’

Hassan Rouhani in parliament on Tuesday. ‘We will return to our previous situation very much stronger.’ Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

The Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, has warned that his country could abandon its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers within hours if the United States keeps on imposing new sanctions.

In a speech to parliament outlining plans for his new term, Rouhani also hit out at his US counterpart Donald Trump, saying he had shown the world that Washington was “not a good partner”.

Rouhani’s comments come with the nuclear deal under mounting pressure after Tehran carried out missile tests and strikes, and Washington imposed new sanctions – with each accusing the other of violating the spirit of the agreement.

Rouhani warned that Iran was ready to walk out of the deal – which saw the lifting of most international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme – if Washington persisted.

“Those who try to return to the language of threats and sanctions are prisoners of their past delusions,” he said in the televised address.

“If they want to go back to that experience, definitely in a short time – not weeks or months, but in the scale of hours and days – we will return to our previous situation very much stronger.”

He said Iran did prefer to stick with the nuclear deal, which he called “a model of victory for peace and diplomacy over war and unilateralism” but that this was not the “only option”.

Rouhani said Trump had shown he was an unreliable partner not just for Iran but for US allies as well.

“In recent months, the world has witnessed that the US, in addition to its constant and repetitive breaking of its promises in the JCPOA [the nuclear deal, officially called the joint comprehensive plan of action], has ignored several other global agreements and shown its allies that the US is neither a good partner nor a reliable negotiating party,” he said.

He highlighted Trump’s decisions to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and international trade deals.

Washington’s United Nations envoy Nikki Haley said in a statement: “Iran cannot be allowed to use the nuclear deal to hold the world hostage. Iran, under no circumstances, can ever be allowed to have nuclear weapons... The nuclear deal must not become ’too big to fail.’”

US state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Washington was in full compliance with its side of the deal.

But she confirmed the US administration was reviewing its policy toward Iran and that it believes the nuclear deal did not put an end to Tehran’s other “destabilising activities” in its region.

On Sunday, Iran’s parliament approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country’s missile programme and foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards in response to the new US sanctions.

In talks with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, Rouhani vowed to build on their joint military efforts across the region.

“Tehran welcomes the active presence of Russia’s investors ... in major infrastructure projects including in the fields of industry and energy,” his office said.

Rouhani was addressing lawmakers as deliberations start over his new ministerial lineup, which must be approved by lawmakers in the coming days.

The president started his second term a fortnight ago under fire from reformists over his elderly and all-male cabinet.

“I wanted to nominate three women ministers but it did not happen,” he said, without explaining why.

“All ministers must use women in high-ranking positions... and especially female advisers and deputies.”

Rouhani, a 68-year-old moderate cleric, won a resounding re-election victory in May in large part due to the backing of reformists who supported his message of greater civil liberties and equality.

Many felt let down by the lack of women ministers, saying he had bowed to pressure from the conservative religious establishment, although he did appoint two female vice presidents and a senior aide – positions that do not require parliamentary approval.

He defended his cabinet selections on Tuesday, and pointed to his pick for telecoms minister, 35-year-old Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, as “our first experience in choosing from the youth, someone who has grown up after the revolution.”

Rouhani promised a more targeted approach to social welfare and job creation, responding to attacks during the campaign that his neoliberal agenda was mostly benefiting the rich.

He promised to eradicate absolute poverty and improve the conditions of the poorest “by five times” by the end of his term in 2021.

“The government is determined to carry out structural reforms. It sees the all-out fight against corruption as an absolute prerequisite for progress and social justice,” he said.

He also detailed a range of economic challenges, particularly the need to clean up the banking system, which is riven with toxic debt, and reform taxation to end the country’s reliance on unstable oil revenues.


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Connect with us

DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 Portable Speaker heavily discounted

Doss Touch Wireless Bluetooth
The original price of the Doss Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 portable speaker was $90.

Looking for a cheap replacement for your old portable speaker? In that case, you should probably check out the DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 portable speaker that is currently selling for a heavily discounted price on Amazon. Speaking of, you can get this one for just $33.99 against the original price of $89.99. Woah, that hella a deal right there!

In addition to the ultra portability factor, the Doss Touch Wireless Bluetooth speaker has touch-sensitive buttons on top that lets you play, pause and skip music accordingly. There is also a touch sensitive button that lets you change the volume level of the device.

The speaker looks simple and sleek and can be easily slipped into your backpack or bag. There is no questioning on the clarity of the sound coming through this speaker as the company promises less than 1% total harmonic distortion. Now, that’s impressive!

Worried about the battery life? Well, the Doss Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 packs a 2200 mAh battery that gives you over 12 hours of music playback. After the battery goes off, you can recharge the speaker in just 3 hours using a micro USB cable.

With this ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker, you can enjoy 360-degree surround sound thanks to dual high-performance drivers and a uniquely enhanced bass. Besides playing music from a Bluetooth supported device, you can also make the soundbox play music from a microSD card or from any device via the Aux-In port.

Note: The links to Amazon included in this article are affiliate links. If you click or purchase an item via these links, we may get a small commission. You pay no extra, and Amazon may sling us a few bucks that can help us keep our light on.

Abhin’s love for all things tech started when he got his first smartphone, Galaxy S (the first), in 2010. Since then, he has been crazy about technology and tried out all major Android flagships from Samsung, and HTC. However, he currently uses a OnePlus 5 as his daily driver.


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3 answers

Backpacking in Japan?

almost 6 years ago about Japan

What are some good places to go backpacking in Japan? I will be in Japan until November and I am trying to get out and see as much as I can. I am also trying not to spend a lot of money.

Asked by Cory via Site_iconAsk a Nomad iPad app

3 Answers

  • 0

    Beside ryokans, you'll have to stay at tube hotels. Cheap and it's an experience you'll never forget. Travel by train and buy your train pass in your home country = much cheaper ! Japan is not as expensive as people say, just spend your cash wisely ;) almost 6 years ago

    Answered by Zartega via Site_iconAsk a Nomad iPad app
  • 0

    Actually, there are many more options than there used to be. We found quite a few very economic backpacker type accommodations, perfect for a family, even in the middle of Kyoto and further south in Beppu.

    (see my other answers on Kyoto for links)

    Also, they might be boring, but we found business hotels were impossible to beat for value: simple, clean and ultra efficient for as little as $40 a night for a room.

    Not a capsule in sight. almost 6 years ago

  • 0

    I've stayed in ryokans and while it's a traditional Japanese custom, they're probably too expensive for your needs. almost 6 years ago

    Answered by via Site_iconAsk a Nomad iPad app

Answer this question

Map of Japan


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Blast in Pakistan’s Peshawar kills 49

Fri Oct 9, 2009 9:31am EDT

By Faris Ali

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – A suspected suicide car-bomber killed 49 people on Friday in the Pakistani city of Peshawar in an attack that the government said underscored the need for an all-out offensive against the Pakistani Taliban.

There was no claim of responsibility but Interior Minister Rehman Malik said “all roads are leading to South Waziristan,” referring to the headquarters of the Pakistani Taliban in the northwest.

“One thing is clear, these hired assassins called Taliban are to be dealt with more severely,” Malik told reporters in Islamabad.

“We think we have no other option except to carry out an operation in South Waziristan,” he added, while declining to say when that might happen.

The suspected car-bomber set off his explosives as he was passing a bus, police said. The blast hurled the bus onto its side on a road in a commercial neighborhood of the northwestern city. Several cars were destroyed.

“The bus was making a turn when the blast occurred and it threw the bus into the air,” a witness told Duniya Television.

An official at Peshawar’s main hospital said 49 people had been killed including seven children. About 100 people were wounded.

The bomb dented trade at Pakistan’s main stock market, which has gained about 66 percent this year after losing 58.3 percent in 2008, although it ended 0.28 percent up at 9,768.63.

Islamist militants who have set off numerous bombs in towns and cities including Peshawar over the past couple of years, most aimed at the security forces and government and foreign targets.

Early this year, the militants pushed to within 100 km (60 miles) of Islamabad, raising fears for nuclear-armed Pakistan’s stability. An exasperated U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the government appeared to be “abdicating” to the militants.

The United States needs Pakistani help against militants crossing into Afghanistan to battle U.S.-led forces there.

But in late April the security forces launched a sustained offensive in the Swat valley, 120 km (80 miles) northwest of Islamabad, largely clearing Taliban from the region although six militants were killed there in the latest clashes, the army said.

The militants suffered another big blow on August 5 when their overall leader, Baitullah Mehsud, was killed in an attack by a missile-firing U.S. drone aircraft in South Waziristan.

Mehsud’s death and reports of infighting over who would take over as leader raised hopes that the militants were in disarray.

But in recent weeks violence has been picking up after a relative lull following Mehsud’s killing.

A soldier was killed by a bomb in North Waziristan and four soldiers were wounded when militants fired 24 rockets at a checkpost, the military said.

The government ordered the army to go on the offensive in South Waziristan in June and security forces have been launching air and artillery strikes, while moving-in troops, blockading the region and trying to split off factions.

The army has declined to say when it would send in ground troops.

(Additional reporting By Kamran Haider and Augustine Anthony; Writing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Sugita Katyal)

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A valid billing zip code and CVV number is required for all credit card transactions. Should your bank be unable to validate this information, the Clerk's office may be unable to process your payment.


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Baxter Personnel Logo

Manual Lathe Operator Hartlepool, England

View Job Description

Our client is a long established engineering company/ machine shop Innovative and dynamic, they are constantly pursuing new ways to improve the services and products they offer. An opportunity has arisen for a Manual Lathe Operator to join their team.

This is the ideal role for a Manual Lathe Operator looking to develop their career with an award-winning company.

As a Manual Lathe Operator, you will be responsible for setting and operating a manual lathe.

Your duties will include:

  • Milling
  • Centre lathe turning
  • Conventional machining
  • Machine set up / programming
  • Reading and understanding technical drawings
  • Ensuring components reach the required quality standard

To be considered for the role of Manual Lathe Operator, you must have:

  • Experience in a similar role
  • Ability to work with close tolerances

Rates of pay  are £12.00 - £14.00 ph depending on experience.

Shift pattern

08.00am - 16.30pm (Mon-Thur)

08.30am - 15.30pm (Friday)

The company welcome overtime

Additionally, you must possess high levels of accuracy with good numeracy and organisational skills.

To apply for the role of Manual Lathe Operator, please apply via the button or link shown. If your skills and experience meet with this requirement, we will contact you to discuss the position in further detail.

Additional Keywords: Engineering, Miller, Milling, Centre lathe turning, Conventional machining, Manual Lathe

Baxter Personnel, Middlesbrough Branch, Suite 21, Boho 6, Linthorpe Road,

Middlesbrough, Teesside, TS1 1TX

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Hutch sponsorship

SponsoredHutchThe idea of hutch sponsorship was put to us by a recently bereaved pet owner, who wanted to do something to remember her guinea pig. We suggested sponsoring a hutch in the Lodge and she was delighted. The donation paid for a new hutch and a gold coloured metal plaque. Her plaque read “This Hutch is Sponsored by J. Rogers in Memory of Ginger, Dover. 2004 – 2010” and is a permanent fixture. The image opposite shows an example of a sponsored hutch.

You can sponsor a hutch by making a donation of £95.00 to April Lodge Guinea Pig Rescue. If you would like to remember your treasured pet in this special way, please contact us by telephone or email.


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Sweden’s Turtle Renderer Turns 5!

Illuminate Labs updates Turtle Rendering Plugin for Maya to version 5.0. New rendering technology, based on proprietary LiquidLight technology, provides state-of-the-art rendering for game developers.

Illuminate Labs AB, of Gothenburg, Sweden, has announced this month the fifth generation of its Turtle rendering technology for Autodesk Maya. Turtle 5 brings substantial improvements to its capabilities thanks to a new, redesigned global illumination engine and algorithm improvements. It also fully supports Autodesk Maya 2009.

Turtle 5

A new redesigned user interface streamlines the unified workflow for easier handling of applying surface transfers and texture/vertex baking. Performance has been heavily optimized throughout Turtle 5, especially for global illumination calculations, which together with a new adaptive anti-aliasing scheme allows for superfast previews as well as very high quality images.

“We are very happy to see the result of Turtle lighting in titles like Gran Turismo, Mass Effect, Killzone 2 and Tomb Raider Underworld” says Magnus Wennerholm, chief executive officer of Illuminate Labs. “Turtle 5 raise the bar even further, setting a new standard for pre-computed lighting.”

Turtle, its product for Autodesk Maya, is the only product on the market that combines advanced rendering technology with sophisticated baking functionality in one integrated toolset.

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Business Statistics Publishing Company Limited

Scope and Content

Register of members and share ledger 1909-1926; finance 1909-1939; sales books 1903-1921; book of news cuttings of reviews of publications 1920-1935; publications 20th century; correspondence, mainly concerning the South Wales Collieries Committee 1908-1909

[Former reference: DCOMC/20]

Administrative / Biographical History

Business Statistics Publishing Company Limited were commercial and statistical publishers. The secretary was Joseph Davies

Publications: South Wales Coal Annual; Business Prospects Year Book; Hints to Coal Buyers; South Wales Coal and Iron Companies; South Wales Shipping and Dry Dock Companies; Coloured maps of South Wales Coalfield, No 2 Rhondda and other bituminous seams of the South Wales Coalfield; Durham Coalfield and Northumberland Coalfield


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Working on the Sphinx in 123D Catch

The other day I was talking with one of the guys at work and while chatting about Photogrammetry an idea came to mind. There are millions of photographs online taken by tourists who are visiting archaeological sites, and famous monuments like the Parthenon or the Pyramids surely have their photograph taken many times a day. Therefore there is an enormous bank of images of archaeology available at our fingertips, and if it is possible to reconstruct features and structures using as little as 20 images, surely there must be a way to reconstruct through Photogrammetry these monuments without the need to even be there.

As a result of this pondering I decided to test this idea by choosing a building that would be simple enough to reconstruct, yet famous enough to allow many images to be found. A few months ago I had started working on the reconstruction of Stone Henge from a series of photographs I had found online, but with scarce (yet useful) results. Hence I decided to try with something solid, like the Great Sphinx.

I then proceeded to find all possible images, collecting approximately 200 of them from all angles. Surprisingly the right side of the monument had many less pictures than the rest of it. I then run the photos in different combinations in an attempt to reconstruct as accurate as a model as possible.

The following is the closest result I have had yet:

Agreed, much more work is needed. But honestly I am surprised that I managed to get this far! The level of detail is quite surprising in some places, and if half of it has worked the other half should also be possible. The matter is finding the right combination of images.

So far I have tried:

  • Running only the high quality images.
  • Running only the images with camera details.
  • Running 20 photos selected based on the angles.
  • Creating the face first and then attaching the rest of the body.
  • Running only images with no camera details (to see if any results appeared, which they did).
  • Increasing the contrast in the images.
  • Sharpening the images.
  • Manually stitching the remaining images in.

All of these have produced results, but lesser than the one above. Also, I have tried running the images in Agisoft Photoscan with similarly poor results.

The model above was done by pure coincidence by uploading 100 of the images, so I’m hoping by going through the images selected I may be able to find a pattern of selection.

I shall post any updates here, so stay tuned!

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Date Gardens

When I was a graduate student at the University of Minnesota Library School in, I had an assignment to select books that would be appropriate for a medium-sized public library.  I pored over book reviews, making my decisions, watching not only for books for my imaginary library but also for myself.  I found the cookbooks especially interesting.  Gerald and I had been married only a few months and I had never learned to cook.  Now I was 1200 miles away from my New York home and my mother and struggling with this new life.   One cookbook in particular caught my eye.  It was Dolores Casella’s A World of Baking. A whole world in one book!  All the recipes and instructions that would make me the equal of the yeast-baking Midwestern graduate-student wives we met.  I bought a copy and after my Library School assignments were done at night, I read it devotedly.  I never mastered yeast baking, but I did make some wonderful cakes.  What was most intriguing, and what stayed in my memory more than Casella’s cakes, were her comments about her friends and family. Dolores Casella lived in California, although she never named the town.  She did talk about being able to grow fruits and vegetables all year round, and from this I thought that she must live in Southern California.  Her brief descriptions put me in mind of a warm, sunny place, and a mother who spent her days harvesting her garden, preserving, canning, and baking for a large and hungry family. Wasn’t that the life that I wanted too?  I wasn’t sure. The story that remained most vividly in my memory over the years started off “Once a year we make the long trip from our home in a valley near the ocean to the hot, bright desert floor of the Coachella Valley and its exotic ‘date gardens.’ We try to make the trip during the month of February for the annual Date Festival in the town of Indio.” She then went on to describe, in the most loving and mouth-watering detail, the various types of dates with their exotic Middle Eastern names.  I had an image of those date gardens in my mind’s eye for years. Someday, I knew, I would see them.

In 1990, Gerald and I had an opportunity to live, temporarily, in San Francisco.  We were there from July to December of that year.  San Francisco was not the world of Dolores Casella, but now I knew she must have been out in the Central Valley, where the acres of irrigated fields produced so much lush fruit.  I told my husband, that if we were still in California in February, I wanted to go to Indio for the Date Festival.  He laughed at me, but by then I knew there were camel races at the festival and I could make allies of my children.  Unfortunately, we had to return to the east coast too early to see the Date Festival, but on our last trip before leaving the state, we went down to Palm Springs, close to the Coachella Valley.  I would make it to Indio!  Our second day in Palm Springs, at my urging, we headed east and south along the desert highways.  We stopped at several date gardens: cool, lonely places with clusters of dates hanging from the dusty palms.  We bought dates; they were luscious. We shared a bowl of date ice cream.  There were no camels, just roadside stands, and none of the romance I had read into Casella’s few words. But it was very satisfactory. I had made it to Indio after all those years. It was the end of the road for my date garden fantasy, or so I thought.

The transition back to the east coast was not easy.  Something about California had captured us and wouldn’t let go.  The skies were bluer, the tensions of everyday life less, the wilderness so much more accessible and spectacular. It left us with an angst about our lives: what we had done, what we had not done. The other day I was at my suburban New Jersey produce market.  For the first time this spring, the out-of-season fruits were from California, not Chile.  California apricots, nectarines and peaches were displayed for shoppers anxious for edible signs of the summer to come.  I took a plastic bag and began sorting through the fruits, picking out the ones to eat today, the ones to put aside to ripen.  Suddenly, Casella’s words came to my mind, “Once a year we make the long trip…”  My eyes filled with tears.  We too had made a long trip that started in the stacks of a Minnesota library years ago. And someday, we’ll see the camels race too.

Rosalind Reisner, April, 1991

3 responses to “Date Gardens

  1. Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!

  2. Delores Casella and her family were neighbors of mine in the 60s and early 70s in the beautiful city of Simi Valley, California. I have remained friends with Delores’ youngest child, Teresa. Unfortunately, Delores is not in good health at this time.

  3. Thank you for the post! I am reading Dolores Casella’s A World of Baking and I am so happy to have been able to learn more about Casella. I really appreciate Miki,s comment, too, about where Dolores was from. When I read great, older cookbooks, I wonder about the authors, illustrators, and publishers. Sometimes an Internet search reveals details and it just makes the whole experience of reading a cookbook richer.

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Excellent Analysis!

It is a shame that Hillary is using the Baltimore tragedy to pander for votes.  This is just one more signal that this woman has no shame.  Her Democratic Party has turned Baltimore into a jungle and she just doesn’t let up.  Even when the city is down on the ground groping for air she has no mercy – she continues to beat the drums of hate and division.

Peter King: Hillary ‘Off Mark,’ Gave ‘False Narratives’ in Race Speech

Thursday, 30 Apr 2015 01:48 PM

By Drew MacKenzie

Republican Rep. Pete King has slammed Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton’s criticism of race relations as she condemned a criminal justice system that she claims targets black communities.

The New York congressman says the former secretary of state’s remarks “were entirely off the mark” and she “ignored basic truths and perpetuated false narratives based on political correctness and liberal ideology.”

View original post 936 more words

A Thug is a thug……period, it isn’t the N-word as a city councilman in Baltimore claims it to be.   A thug is a single word that describes a persons action against its community, like looters, arsonists etc. etc. etc.   Here we go again……political correctness crap.

If you knock out a window intentionally, you are acting like a thug.   You loot, you are a thug.  Destroy property, THUG.   There are other words we could use, idiot, moron, social animal……on and on.

If you behave consistently in a manner of destruction, you are a THUG.

Don’t act offended when  you act offensively, it is what it is, and if you behave in a way that merits a one word description, you might be a THUG.

Published: April 29, 2015
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As documented here on several occasions of late, there are new questions surrounding charitable contributions to the Clinton Foundation. Most notably, a Reuters investigation revealed that the Clinton family charities may have suffered what we called a “Geithner moment” when they failed to report tens of millions in contributions from foreign governments on tax documents. The foundation will now refile five years worth of returns and hasn’t ruled out the possibility that it may need to amend returns dating back some 15 years.

This prompted acting CEO Maura Pally to pen a lengthy blog post in which she explains the “mistakes” and attempts to reassure the public that the Clinton Foundation is taking special care to guard against “conflicts of interest” as Hillary begins her run for The White House. Pally also notes that similar measures were taken when Clinton was Secretary of State although, as we noted, the charity accepted donations from the likes of Kuwait, Qatar and Oman while she was the nation’s top diplomat.

Now there are new questions as IBTimes suggests there may be a connection between a $200,000 payment made to Bill Clinton by Goldman Sachs in 2011, and the bank’s efforts to lobby the State Department ahead of legislation involving the Export-Import Bank which was set to provide a loan that would end up financing the purchase of millions of dollars in aircraft from a company partially owned by Goldman. Here’s more:

Goldman Sachs paid former President Bill Clinton $200,000 to deliver a speech in the spring of 2011, several months before the investment banking giant began lobbying the State Department, then headed by Hillary Clinton, federal records reviewed by International Business Times show.

Goldman’s objective in lobbying the State Department could not be immediately discerned. The lobbying disclosure filings note only that Goldman sought to “monitor deficit reduction issues” — specifically, a bill known as the Budget Control Act — and the bank declined to answer questions about the precise nature of its interests…

In recent days, attention to overlapping interests that have donated to the Clinton family’s private interests while also allegedly seeking to influence State Department policy has reached a fever pitch amid leaks from a forthcoming book on the subject, “Clinton Cash,” by Peter Schweizer.

The involvement of Goldman Sachs seems certain to amplify that scrutiny. The bank brings a reputation as uniquely well-connected in Washington given that many of its former executives have landed in the uppermost ranks of the Treasury Department…

State Department records show that Bill Clinton’s $200,000 Goldman Sachs speech was delivered April 11, 2011, to “approximately 250 high level clients and investors” at a United Nations dining room in New York.

In federal disclosure documents, the Duberstein Group is listed as lobbying the Clinton State Department on behalf of Goldman Sachs between July and September 2011. Goldman Sachs paid the Duberstein Group $100,000 during that time.

Those records show that the firm was specifically lobbying the department on “proposed legislation” linked to a series of budget bills. One bill continued congressional authorization for the Export-Import Bank, a government-backed lender whose financing was critical for the prospects of a company in which Goldman owned a stake.

The original budget bill was introduced in July and did not include an extension of the Export-Import Bank, but the bank reauthorization was added in late September, during the same period Goldman was lobbying the State Department on the bill.

In August 2011, the bank authorized a $75 million loan enabling a Chinese firm to purchase aircraft from Beechcraft (known before emerging from bankruptcy in February 2013 as Hawker Beechcraft), a company that was part-owned by Goldman. Beechcraft had lobbied the Clinton State Department on issues relating to foreign military sales in 2009 and 2010, according to its lobbying disclosures.

Readers can draw their own conclusions here, and we don’t think it’s any surprise that Wall Street lobbyists wield considerable power in Washington, but the takeaway is that, as we’ve said on a number of occasions recently, you can expect to learn much, much more in the coming months about the degree to which the Clinton Foundation — and any other avenue through which foreign governments, Vampire squids, and a whole host of other state and non-state actors can channel money — is used as a means of buying influence with America’s maybe next President.

And because we can’t help ourselves, here is how we imagine Hillary would respond to the above:

Clinton Proposal Could Allow Feds to Ban Book Critical of Clinton Foundation | Washington Free Beacon

Clinton proposal? Who does she think she is, oh I know Hillary Clinton. So, now she is proposing a constitutional amendment that would keep publishers, authors from publishing books that criticize candidates. A book such as “Clinton Cash” that exposes the corruption of the Clinton’s. This is censorship, ripping us of our freedom of speech. This proves Hillary Clinton is a socialist, that will go to any extent to cover-up her’s and Bill’s corruption. Pure arrogance.

They say they are protesting in Ferguson in support of the protests in Baltimore.   Lets call it what it is “The continuation of unlawfulness by idiots in a high crime area”.    The pretentious protesters in Ferguson are only using the riots of Baltimore as a lame excuse.

Shots were fired, and at least one man was wounded.

These people have no cause except to act in a way that is already character within them.  It has become difficult to find new words to describe what is repeatedly happening in Ferguson.  As Hillary would say “It’s old news.”     It is the norm in Ferguson, and yes it now defines them.   When outsiders hear the name “Ferguson” what do they associate it with?  Violence and rioting, unlawfulness, that is Ferguson.

The only words I have, Ferguson, it’s the same old crap.


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Arnold Palmer Accepts Deacon Palmer Award from PGA of America

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- The PGA of America has established the Deacon Palmer Award, named after Arnold Palmer's late father who overcame personal obstacles to succeed as a PGA Professional. The Deacon Palmer Award bestows special recognition upon a PGA Professional who personally displays outstanding integrity, character and leadership in the effort to overcome a major obstacle in his/her life.

The inaugural award, presented today at the 98th PGA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, was bestowed posthumously upon Deacon Palmer. The award was accepted by Arnold Palmer, whose only coach was his late father.

â€œI am most appreciative that the PGA has chosen to honor my father with this award," said Arnold Palmer, a PGA member since 1960. "It recognizes the outstanding work of the golf professionals of the PGA of America, and I know that my father would appreciate that. He was very dedicated to the game of golf and to the people who work in the golf profession."

After being stricken with polio as a child, Deacon Palmer developed a strong upper body. He walked with a limp, but that did not hinder his love and passion for golf. He loved to play with club members and developed his own strong and sturdy golf swing.

Deacon Palmer worked on the construction of Latrobe (Pennsylvania) Country Club as a teenager in 1920. He became grounds superintendent in 1926 and was named golf professional in 1932. Deacon Palmer was elected to PGA membership in 1946. He died in 1976 at age 71.

"Deacon Palmer was more than the father of a son who ascended to the pinnacle of golf," said PGA of America Interim President Derek Sprague. "He became a shining example of the golf profession. In the spirit of this humble man from Western Pennsylvania, the PGA of America is extremely proud to establish the Deacon Palmer Award and to have Arnold Palmer accept on behalf of his late father."


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A.R. Turner Elementary School

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Welcome to 4th grade! I'm so excited to have the opportunity to work at A.R. Turner and teach your child new things this year.
This is my 7th year teaching and four of those years have been in Willis. I'm originally from Pasadena, Texas where I lived for the first 18 years of my life. From there I went to a junior college in Kansas for my first two years of college on a track/cross country scholarship. After finishing school in Kansas and earning my Associates degree I made my way back to Texas where I attended Sam Houston State University. I spent another five years at Sam Houston State before finishing and earning my Bachelors in Education.
I started my education career in Conroe ISD where I was a TAKS tutor and then an instructional aide while I waited for a teaching position to come available. I was hired as a teacher and spent three years in Conroe ISD before making my way to Willis ISD. My last three years had been at C.C. Hardy where I taught 4th grade language arts for a year and then two years of 3rd grade language arts.
I made the move to Turner this year and have been loving every minute of this campus. We have wonderful people who care for your child during the week and I'm fortunate to be able to be here and work alongside so many wonderful teachers.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me at skeener@willisisd.org or you're welcome to schedule a conference at 9:35 - 10:10 Monday, Tuesday, or Friday. I'm also available after school if the school day is not convenient for you.

Recent Posts

Pumpkin Project

This was sent home with child on Tuesday Oct. 4th. This project is meant to be a creative way for your child to comprehend a story as well as sharing their creativity with our school. We would like for the finished products to be on display in the library. Your child will be able to take their pumpkin home after its had time in the library.
This project should be fully completed and turned in by Friday Oct 28. If your child's project is too large or delicate to bring on the bus I would recommend that it be brought to school by an adult. If you're not able to make it to school during regular school hours please feel free to send a note the day before and a time that you'd be arriving and I'd be happy to stay and wait for it's delivery.
Please know that this is meant to be completed by your child and your assistance is allowed but this project should not be fully completed by you the parent. I ask that you guide where you're able to guide and assist with adult only parts of the project (ex: spray painting or us of a hot glue gun).
Thank you so much for all the help you've provided your child this year and the help you'll be providing during this project. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to send a note or a quick email.
                                                                               Mrs. Keener

Spelling Words for September 6- - 9

These spelling words should be added to your child's planner if they aren't already. Your child should be completing their spelling homework using the spelling menu in their homework folder. They have responsibility to complete 20pts total and should be turned into on Friday morning.
If you have further questions please feel free to email me at skeener@willisisd.org and I'd be happy to answer any of your questions.


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BMW eyes 100,000 electric car sales in 2017: Sueddeutsche

MUNICH: BMW wants to boost sales of electric cars by two-thirds next year to 100,000 vehicles as the luxury automaker is offering more battery-powered models, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Harald Krueger.

Munich-based BMW expects to increase its deliveries of fully electric and hybrid vehicles to around 60,000 units this year, Krueger said in an interview published on Monday. Sales of battery-powered BMW models have totaled about 100,000 cars since 2013, he noted.

“Electric mobility will come, but demand is not going through the roof at the moment,” the newspaper quoted Krueger as saying.

To help improve sales, BMW is also increasing the battery range of its i3 city vehicle by 50 percent this year. The i3, BMW’s only fully battery-powered car, sold only 25,000 units last year.

The company, which has dropped behind Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz in global luxury-car sales rankings, wants to expand the share of electric cars and hybrid models to between 15 percent and 25 percent of sales by 2025, the newspaper reported.

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BMW eyes 100,000 electric car sales in 2017: Sueddeutsche

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Trouble Coming Down the Pipeline

So many thoughts after today’s column, in which I wrote about the Keystone XL pipeline. If it’s approved by President Obama, it would carry diluted bitumen — acidic crude oil — 1,700 miles from the tar sands in Alberta to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. The Times has already come out against the pipeline, citing the risk of spills, spikes in greenhouse gas emissions and massive destruction of Canada’s boreal forest. Proponents cite job creation and “oil security.”

Oil security suggests that by getting more oil from our peaceful upstairs neighbors and less from our suppliers in the Middle East — sometimes seen as volatile or even hostile, though the supply has been steady — our national security is enhanced. We’re only “safe” if we can reliably obtain all of the oil we “need.”

This is an infuriatingly shortsighted and self-destructive position. This is the behavior of addiction, and the only people who can justifiably — though still incorrectly — argue otherwise are those who truly believe that the oil that gives us such comfort now won’t be causing catastrophic harm later. As far as I know, President Obama isn’t one of those people, but if he doesn’t block the pipeline he will be acting just as ignorantly as if he were. (He thinks this is what voters want?

(Read the rest of this post here.)

Zucchini and Dill Soup

By Alaina Sullivan

There comes a time around the end of August when I feel an urgency to take advantage of the produce that, come autumn, will cease to overflow at farmers markets. It is during these dwindling days of summer that I crave the season’s fruits, vegetables and abundant herbs in their pure, unadulterated states. Meet a simple soup that embodies the freshness of summer: pureed zucchini, delicate and light, hosts handfuls of freshly chopped dill—it’s a combination that highlights the strengths of its core ingredients without unnecessary frill.

Though mild in taste, zucchini, especially grated, has a texture well-suited to soup – its natural moistness is further softened by a quick simmer with onion and vegetable broth, and a final puree brings it to a light, pulpy consistency. Dill supplies the flavor – simple, clean and savory – it is a perfect herbal companion to the zucchini. I found the soup most delicious served cold—a cooler temperature emphasizes the freshness of the zucchini and elevates the flavor of the dill.

Though simple in its ingredients and preparation, it is the type of soup that can be infinitely tweaked according to personal taste. A few dollops of Greek yogurt provided an added creaminess in my version, and, as someone who craves a crunch in my pureed vegetable soups, I garnished the bowl with toasted pistachios before diving in. As with most simple recipes, the quality of ingredients is key. When the zucchini and dill are fresh, this soup makes the impending arrival of fall feel more distant with each spoonful. Recipe from Mark Bittman’s Kitchen Express.

Zucchini and Dill Soup

Add fresh ricotta, sour cream, or yogurt while pureeing, for richness.

Grate a couple of zucchini. Cook a chopped onion in butter until softened, then add the zucchini and stir until softened, five minutes or so. Add vegetable or chicken stock and bring to a boil; simmer for about five minutes, then puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and lots of fresh chopped dill.

Profits First, Environment. . . Later

I wasn’t surprised when the administration of George W. Bush sacrificed the environment for corporate profits. But when the same thing happens under a Democratic administration, it’s depressing. With little or no public input, policies that benefit corporations regardless of the consequences continue to be enacted.

No wonder an April 2010 poll from the Pew Research Center found that about only 20 percent of Americans have faith in the government (it’s one thing upon which the left and right and maybe even the center agree). But maybe this is nothing new: as Glenda Farrell, as Genevieve “Gen” Larkin, put it in “Gold Diggers of 1937,” “It’s so hard to be good under the capitalistic system.”

(Read the rest of this article here.)

(Photo: South Dakota Tar Sands Pipeline/Flickr)

Last Week in Food

Thank you, Anna Lappe, for writing what so many of us non-GMO-Kool-Aid-drinkers have been thinking about Nina Fedoroff’s Times Op-Ed.

When it comes to food safety, the F.D.A. has more than ever to do – but not a lot of resources with which to operate.

The U.S. is becoming a food stamp nation. But we’re still a soda nation, and we’ll stay that way for a little while longer at least: the U.S.D.A. rejected New York’s proposal to ban the use of food stamps for sugar-sweetened beverages. The U.S.D.A. prefers healthy incentives to outright restrictions, but I have to think the U.S.D.A. could be a little more forceful in attempting to reduce soda consumption among food benefit recipients, and everyone else.

More on the most sensible basic way to change our eating habits: A Vienna University of Technology study says if you want to help the environment switching to organic is a lot less productive than just eating less meat. Different story, same ending: Tufts food economist explains why not all food price increases are bad (spoiler alert: they can lead to drastic forms of moderation like. . .gulp. . .eating a little less meat.)

I guess I can’t talk about eating less meat without including this shout out to Bill Clinton, now America’s most famous vegan. (You gotta think he cheats, though, no? Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

(Read the rest of this post here)

Lobstah, 12 Ways

The pleasure of eating lobster is intense, and the reward-to-work ratio is unsurpassed, all of which is fun to talk about. What’s not so fun to talk about is lobsters and pain, which is why I’m going to avoid it. All of us lobster eaters do. (If you want a full consideration of the lobster/pain issue — one that resolves absolutely nothing but grapples with it beautifully — read David Foster Wallace’s hilarious essay “Consider the Lobster.”)

(Read the rest of this article here)

Flash-Cooked Curried Salmon

By Alaina Sullivan

This unique salmon preparation involves a cut of fish that falls somewhere between razor-thin smoked salmon and a robust wild Alaskan filet. I rarely think to slice fresh salmon filets horizontally, but one of the beauties of preparing it this way is the speed of its execution – it can go from pan to plate to palate in a matter of minutes. (Shorter if you skip step two like me). The most time-consuming part was removing the tiny bones from my fresh Coho, but speed bump aside, a swift slice down the middle, a generous seasoning and the fish is ready to go. The cooking, as the name suggests, is over in a flash: a brief touchdown in the hot skillet and the salmon slivers are cooked to perfection with a rosy hint of rareness in the middle.

Though robed in curry powder and delicious on its own, pairing the salmon with a creamy chickpea raita rounds out its Middle Eastern flavors. I rarely pass up an opportunity to use yogurt as a condiment – I love that its subtle tang adapts to sweet or savory, and its creamy texture is an invitation for ingredients to nestle within. It is no stranger to being used as the base of sauces to adorn meat, poultry and fish – the Indian raita being no exception. This cool condiment, spiked with cumin and mustard and textured by chickpeas, minced cucumber and red onion, takes as little time to assemble as the fish. A dash of red pepper gives it the perfect dose of heat to compliment the curry-spiced salmon. I recommend having a warmed pita or naan bread nearby to mop up any sauce that lingers at the end. Recipe from How to Cook Everything: Bittman Takes On America’s Chefs.

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The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh (ASE) has been holding meetings in Edinburgh to inform members and the general public about astronomy since 1924.  We meet monthly, usually on the first Friday of the month at 8pm, and are always happy to see new faces at our meetings.  Our website, with further information on the society, can be found here: http://www.astronomyedinburgh.org/

The journal was previously a quarterly publication distributed to members of the society.  As it was no longer an option to continue in this form, it was decided that we would adopt an online journal which would allow members to keep up to date with news of the society and updates on events we have been involved in, as well as providing members with a forum in which to publish articles on their interests and research undertaken in the field of astronomy.  We all hope that this will prove a useful tool for members and that it will allow us to continue the journal, albeit in a new form.

If you are a member and have news or an article you would like to have published in the journal, please contact journal @ astronomyedinburgh.org

  1. As a former member – one who used to help Dave and Ray with the photocopying – I have to say it’s nice to see this online version; may it continue at least as long as Dave’s. Just found the “Speed of Light” article while searching for something almost entirely unconnected with ASE, and enjoyed it very much (but am ashamed to say I’d forgotten about the aberration of light…). Looking forward to returning to Auld Reekie some day, and coming to an ASE meeting.

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text:
Controller uses 100% cpu without anything to do

asked 2014-12-15 06:30:56 -0800

Lorunification gravatar image

updated 2014-12-15 07:02:30 -0800

Hello everyone,

As soon as i start my controller (hydrogen release) it consumes 100% cpu even though there is no traffic to handle at all. I already tried to stop some modules that may possibly cause this (like the one i am developing) but i did not find anything yet. I thought this might help as i think it is some kind of infinit-loop in one of the modules or something like that.

Did anyone else experience this issue and knows how to solve this?

Following is a list of installed modules i got from the osgi console:

osgi> ss
"Framework is launched."

id  State       Bundle
0   ACTIVE      org.eclipse.osgi_3.8.1.v20120830-144521
1   ACTIVE      org.apache.felix.fileinstall_3.1.6
2   ACTIVE      org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.batch_3.8.0.I20120518-2145
3   ACTIVE      org.eclipse.equinox.ds_1.4.0.v20120522-1841
4   ACTIVE      org.eclipse.equinox.util_1.0.400.v20120522-2049
5   ACTIVE      org.eclipse.osgi.services_3.3.100.v20120522-1822
6   ACTIVE      org.eclipse.equinox.console_1.0.0.v20120522-1841
7   ACTIVE      slf4j.api_1.7.2
8   ACTIVE      ch.qos.logback.classic_1.0.9
9   ACTIVE      ch.qos.logback.core_1.0.9
10  ACTIVE      com.sun.jersey.core_1.17.0
11  ACTIVE      com.sun.jersey.jersey-server_1.17.0
12  ACTIVE      jcl.over.slf4j_1.7.2
13  ACTIVE      org.sdnhub.odl.protocol_plugins.openflow13_0.1.0.SNAPSHOT
14  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.topology.web_0.4.1
16  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.arphandler_0.5.1
17  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.flows.web_0.4.1
18  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.forwardingrulesmanager.implementation_0.4.1
20  ACTIVE      org.apache.commons.lang3_3.1.0
21  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.configuration_0.4.1
22  ACTIVE      org.springframework.beans_3.1.3.RELEASE
23  ACTIVE      org.eclipse.virgo.util.osgi_3.6.0.RELEASE
24  ACTIVE      org.springframework.transaction_3.1.3.RELEASE
25  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.switchmanager.implementation_0.4.1
26  ACTIVE      org.springframework.web.servlet_3.1.3.RELEASE
27  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.usermanager_0.4.1
28  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.containermanager.implementation_0.5.1
30  ACTIVE      controllermanager.northbound_0.0.1
31  ACTIVE      javax.servlet.jsp.jstl_1.2.0.v201105211821
32  ACTIVE      org.apache.el_7.0.32.v201211081135
34  ACTIVE      org.eclipse.gemini.web.tomcat_2.2.0.RELEASE
35  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.statisticsmanager.implementation_0.4.1
36  ACTIVE      org.springframework.core_3.1.3.RELEASE
37  ACTIVE      javax.ejb_3.1.1.v201204261316
38  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.commons.northbound_0.4.1
39  RESOLVED    org.apache.tomcat.util_7.0.32.v201211201952
40  ACTIVE      com.fasterxml.jackson.core.jackson-annotations_2.3.0
41  RESOLVED    org.opendaylight.controller.security_0.4.1
42  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.connectionmanager.northbound_0.1.1
43  <<LAZY>>    org.eclipse.equinox.http.servlet_1.0.0.v20070606
44  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.hosttracker_0.5.1
45  ACTIVE      org.opendaylight.controller.statisticsmanager_0 ...
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Yes I also see this. Sometimes, ODL (Helium-SR2) seems to get really busy using over 350% CPU with > 190 threads. This often goes on for > 10 mins. Most recently, I eventually got: "java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded at at akka.dispatch.AbstractNodeQueue.<init>"

avoellmy ( 2015-02-02 13:46:18 -0800 )edit

2 answers

Sort by » oldest newest most voted

answered 2014-12-15 06:58:33 -0800

It takes a while for ODL to get up and running after you start it. Its CPU usage should calm down to a few % after <90 seconds. This is why we have to wait a bit after starting ODL in perf tests.

I lead a lot of the ODL perf testing and I've never seen ODL peg like this except when first starting and when it's being hammered with flows. If it doesn't calm down like I described, you should file a bug.

Also, please use Helium SR1 if at all possible. We'd prefer not to support Hydrogen.

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I just realized, that the cpu load rises once i start mininet and stays high even after mininet gets closed. Every time i restart mininet the cpu load rises around 50% and stays like this. At the osgi console i get SwitchHandler-2 at fist start. Second start SwitchHandler-4 and so on.

Lorunification ( 2014-12-15 07:06:56 -0800 )edit

That's still with Hydrogen I assume? Again, it'd be more realistic to try Helium SR1 and/or master.

dfarrell07 ( 2014-12-15 07:36:02 -0800 )edit

I would use SR1 but unfortunately i am not able to use my self-written module (that was created with hydrogen) with helium since i don't know, and neither do i find infos on, what to do with my old project to make it work.

Lorunification ( 2014-12-15 10:28:52 -0800 )edit

^^Might be worth asking that in another question.

dfarrell07 ( 2014-12-15 11:55:46 -0800 )edit

answered 2014-12-17 02:55:35 -0800

pskhanapur gravatar image

It could be a that some L2 packets are looping, happens if you have loops in your topology. Try comparing with loopless topolgies.

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Asked: 2014-12-15 06:30:56 -0800

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Last updated: Dec 17 '14


text:
Naming Your Fantasy World

As if naming our characters wasn't hard enough. On top of that, we have to name lands, buildings, foods, cultures, mountains even treaties and wars. The list goes on and on. How can we possibly come up with so many?

1. Pay attention to everything around you. You may come across a perfect name in a restaurant sign or even in graffiti. I once got a town name from an item in a craft store.

2. Think about what you want to name, a landmass for instance. What does that land represent to your story or to the people who live on it? Write down a few words. Then, go to a dictionary and a thesaurus and look up those words. Look at how the pronunciation is spelled, even the etymology- the origin of that word. Something in there may speak to you.

For instance, my race of beings can shadow but I didn't want to call it that. Instead, I looked up the word shadow and its origins. Now, my characters sceadu. It's pronounced the same, just spelled differently.

If the words you listed aren't working for you, find their synonyms and try again. Also, I like to use Latin Translations. I wanted a name for my race of being so, I wrote down words that represent them then, I looked up those words' Latin translation. After that, I pulled parts from each translation until I created a name I liked.

3. Remember, fantasy writers have amazing imaginations. Think of a letter and create a made up word from that. I thought of "B" and came up with Borterain. It doesn't have to be the perfect name. It could be incredibly silly. But, at least you have something you could work with. Play around with it. Take some letters out- put new ones in until you create something you like.

4. A comment from a Google+ group drew my attention to Random Name Generator. I do a general name search then, I keep reloading the page. Each time, the name changes. I reload and reload until I come across one I like.

5. Don't try to name everything at once. You'll only make you head explode. Instead, group them. For instance, start from big to small. Work on the names of all the landmass in your world, then the different territories within those landmasses- towns within those territories- any mountain ranges, deserts, forests, rivers near those towns.

Don't try keeping them all in your head. It won't work. I've mentioned my World Building Journal and Evernote in other posts. All names go in either of those places. I also have a colored world map on my wall with territories, cities, towns and geography.
6. The names don't have to be complicated or even made up. I have towns called Sovereign and Shepherd's Hook.

World Building is supposed to be fun. Enjoy it. The world you're creating comes straight from your imagination. It doesn't have to be anything other than what you want it to be.


text:
A Chronicle of Chaos by D.M. Cain

Title: A Chronicle of Chaos
Author: D.M. Cain
Genre: Fantasy

“The new book in DM Cain’s epic Light and Shadow fantasy series certainly plunges us in at the deep end. The heart of this book—its true essence—is prejudice and love, persistence, and stubbornness.” Stewart Bint, author of In Shadows Waiting and Timeshaft.

A brutal war has raged for centuries. The Brotherhood of Shadow and The Children of Light each yearn to rule the planet and will stop at nothing to defeat the other. Now, from the deepest bowels of Hell, the Brotherhood has summoned demons to fight for them. The demons could end the war once and for all, if only the Brotherhood can keep them under control. Prophecy, destiny, honour, and glory: Chaos, a soldier in The Children of Light, fights in the name of all these things and could achieve them if he wasn’t so arrogant. He believes he is the best warrior in the land, until a fateful coincidence puts him at the mercy of the demon, Anathema. The two warriors, demon and human, strike up an intense rivalry, but their obsession to destroy one another only leads them closer together. When the forces of Heaven and Hell collide, where will their loyalties lie?

The angel soared towards the Temple of Nirvana, his heart hammering in his chest, pumping glittering dust through his body. The palace of the Almighty towered on the horizon, a grand fortress of silver and white.

Today, he would deliver a message to the ruler of the Kingdom of Heaven, a message that would shock them into action and would once again reignite old battles. The wind blew through his wings, his feathers ruffled and his muscles strained. He swooped over the mountains and finally dropped into a run at the palace gates, great clouds of dust mushrooming at his feet. He threw himself into the arched doorway and thundered into the courtyard of the Temple of Nirvana. Marble pillars spread around the vast courtyard, encircling the open space. The messenger ran across the yard, heading directly for the silver temple ahead. He sprinted the thirty steps to the doorway at full pelt and then halted for a second to regain composure. With a deep breath in, he opened the heavy doors.

Inside, a hall of brilliant light blinded him. He paused and allowed the light to wash over him. He
bathed in its magnificence and gradually his sight returned to him. In an immense cathedral of white walls and floors, a single silver pathway led to an arch. Flanked by other angels who seemingly materialised from nowhere, he made his way slowly down the pathway until he was beneath the arch. The aisle opened into a circular hall with a round, white table in the centre. Around it, silver thrones were placed at equal intervals, and upon these thrones sat the Council of Original Angels. The elders were the first beings of pure goodness, made by the Creator aeons ago.

The messenger had never seen an elder before, but their prestige was legendary across the Kingdom of Heaven. He dared not stare at them, unworthy to be in their presence, but he cast a quick glance around the room. Faith, Hope, Justice, Compassion. All of them were here. The ancestors of every angel in Heaven today. Were his forefathers in here somewhere?

With another deep breath, the messenger fixed his eyes on the grand throne at the head of the table. In a chair made of pure gold sat an awe-inspiring angel who held himself with nobility. Providence was the leader of the angels; his long, golden hair flowed down his back, parted by impressive wings of the whitest feathers.

The messenger opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. Providence gave a smile.

“There is no need to feel afraid. Come, sit with us.” He gestured to an open throne.

The messenger took two rigid steps to the open seat and forced himself down. He was overcome by a tangible sense of calm and basked in the positivity that Providence exuded for a moment, then began to speak.

“Your Exalted Highness, I bring terrible news. The equilibrium in the Human Realm has shifted. A group of humans has allied with demons, and if we do not fight back soon, all will be lost!”

Providence tilted his head calmly to one side and examined the messenger.

“Do not worry, young angel. Humans are free beings, allowed to choose their allegiance as they wish. All we can do is to send them our influences, but in the end they will do as they please. The demons may send influence too, but they cannot hurt the humans. Nothing is lost.”

The messenger felt a wave of panic.

“No, Your Highness, it is not so! I wish the demons merely sent influence, but they have gone beyond that. The demons have sent a group of commanders to the Human Realm itself.”

Providence paused a moment, clearly taken aback.

“It cannot be so. For a demon to enter the Human Realm is simply impossible.”

“I know, Your Highness. I do not understand how they have passed beyond the seal, but I can assure you, the offspring of Wrath and Malice walk the planet.”

Darkness passed across Providence’s face, and his eyes flickered as comprehension dawned on him.

“But demons are tied to Hell. It is impossible for them to leave.”

The messenger’s chest tightened with anxiety again.

“Your Highness, I am sorry, but the Human Realm has been compromised.”

Providence closed his eyes for a moment as murmurs of disbelief and shock rose from his council. He opened his eyes and they shone with renewed clarity.

“My council, the time has come for us to once more guide the lives of those in the Human Realm.”

“We do not interfere with the disputes of humans!” The angel Faith rose from her seat. “We can only send strength to them, but their battles are their own.”

“Yes, Faith, but this is not an equal battle of humans. This is a fight the world will not win without our support. This messenger is correct. All will soon be lost if we allow demons access to the Human Realm. We must send our own commanders to the humans before the planet falls to evil.”

D.M. Cain is a dystopian and fantasy author working for US publisher Booktrope. She has released three novels: The Phoenix Project - a psychological thriller set in a dystopian future, Soren – a middle-grade fantasy, and A Chronicle of Chaos – the first in a dark fantasy series. She is currently working on the next novel in the series, 'The Shield of Soren', and a novella to accompany it.

D.M. Cain is also a member of the International Thriller Writers and is one of the creators and administrators of the online author group #Awethors. Her short story ‘The End’ was published in Awethology Dark – an anthology by the #Awethors.

Cain lives in Leicestershire, UK, with her husband and young son, and spends her time reading, writing and reviewing books, playing RPGs and listening to symphonic metal.


text:
Food Journal Day 9

Pretty solid day in regards to food, but really hectic in the life aspect. Running between work, class and studying for finals has left me drained.

Breakfast: A pineapple, banana and coconut milk smoothie. Yum!

Lunch: I went out to lunch with my mother to my favorite little cafe with the best salads and sandwiches, The Rolling Pin in Westwood, NJ (I’ll do a restaurant review at some point). Following veganism here is easy, simply stick to a salad and ask for no cheese. Though every time I come in I see the tasty sandwiches I once devoured.

Contents of the salad: mixed baby greens, candied almonds, strawberries, blackberries, and a white wine vinaigrette.

Dinner: I ended up having my night class tonight despite this week being dedicated to finals. I took with me this cool new bar that was at Whole Foods on Sunday. They were giving out samples and it was so delicious I had to grab one. A bit pricey though, roughly $3.50 a bar.

The bar happens to be dairy free, gluten free, vegan, and packed with super fruits. Very tasty health bar.

When I got home from class, around 21:00 (I hate eating this late), I helped myself to some of the sides my mother made for the family dinner. A huge scoop of carrots and a huge scoop of sting beans. There are about 4 super ripe avocados sitting on my counter, so I mashed one up with some salt, pepper and lemon juice and made celery logs with it. Very tasty.

It just came to my attention that other than smoothies, I have not made anything since starting this Food Journal. As I have mentioned before, my last two finals are this Wednesday. I work a full day Thursday, but Friday I will be off and free to hit the gym, record my workout, as well as cook up some tasty meals and provide you guys with some really good recipes. Looking forward to it!

2 thoughts on “Food Journal Day 9

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2007 TOYOTA COROLLA CE for sale in Aurora, CO

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All prices are plus $599 Delivery and Handling. plus applicable sales tax. Each vehicle comes with a 3 month/ 3000 mile limited power train service contract at no additonal cost to the buyer...
  • Year: 2007
  • Make: Toyota
  • Model: Corolla

Don't Be Fooled

  • When selling, do not put your home address in your ad.
  • To avoid scams, buy and sell with people you can meet locally, in person.
  • When meeting with someone you don't know, meet in a public place. If that's not possible, have a buddy with you. Also, carry a cell phone; if you feel unsafe, you can call a trusted friend, and stay on the line.
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  • If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is. Walk away!

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2006 Toyota Corolla CE
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2018 Toyota Corolla LE
Aurora, CO $18,590


text:
2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited for sale in Aurora, CO

2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited 30/34 Highway/City MPG...
  • Year: 2018
  • Make: Toyota
  • Model: RAV4 Hybrid

Don't Be Fooled

  • When selling, do not put your home address in your ad.
  • To avoid scams, buy and sell with people you can meet locally, in person.
  • When meeting with someone you don't know, meet in a public place. If that's not possible, have a buddy with you. Also, carry a cell phone; if you feel unsafe, you can call a trusted friend, and stay on the line.
  • Never give out financial or private information like account numbers, PayPal login, or social security number.
  • If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is. Walk away!


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20 November 2011 – Revolution continues in Tahrir Square, Cairo.

The following are images taken from the streets of Cairo today, mostly Tahrir Square. These pics really don’t show how intense and awful the violence was, but I felt it worth putting them up to ad what I can to … Continue reading

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Please spread the news about Austin Play Garden.  You can like us on Facebook, write a review on Yelp or on our Google Business page.

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We’ve added some photos to the website, please check them out here!

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Tag Archives: Jeremy Messersmith

The 10 best albums of 2010

As 2010 comes to a close, I’ve collected the 10 best albums of the year. A lot of people have told me this was a pretty weak year musically, but I have to disagree. I’ve compiled 10 albums that all have at least 30 listens through on my iTunes and who knows how many more on my iPod. Beyond this list, there were great releases from Interpol, LCD Soundsystem, The Dead Weather, Brandon Flowers, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, Hot Chip, and The Roots. Not a shabby list, I must say.

With that, here are the 10 best albums of 2010.

10. Yeasayer Odd Blood

Yeasayer’s follow-up to their debut All Hours Cymbals resulted in multiple singles amongst indie circles in the first half of 2010. Perhaps the most eclectic album of the list, Odd Blood continues on the run of pop-synth success but leads off the album by exploring the darker side of electronica with “The Children.” An up and down listen, but enjoyable the whole way through.

Key track: “Ambling Alp”

9. Jeremy Messersmith The Reluctant Graveyard

Another sophomore release makes it to number nine on the chart, with Jeremy Messersmith’s follow-up to The Silver City. Messersmith stormed the Twin Cities music scene in 2008 with his Elliott Smith-like vocals, but The Reluctant Graveyard signals a departure from the desperate sound of Smith. Hints of The Beach Boys can be heard in the first single, “Violet,” while “Lazy Bones” and “Dillinger Eyes” give us a glimpse of what Messersmith is capable of in a pop sound. But his bread and butter remains in haunting melodies like “John The Determinist.”

Key track: “A Girl, A Boy, And A Graveyard”

8. Phantogram Eyelid Movies

Phantogram’s debut album is possibly the most fun album to listen to on the chart. Radio friendly “When I’m Small” gives us a taste of what this New York-based band is all about and “As Far As I Can See” keeps your head nodding perhaps better than any other track on the album. Phantogram closes out with “10,000 Claps,” an experimental track that has the ability to calm even the most coffee-fueled stresser.

Key track: “Mouthful Of Diamonds”

7. Sleigh Bells Treats

Sleigh Bells are probably the most hyped debut act of 2010, and Treats didn’t disappoint. Listening at proper volume, or at a live show, Sleigh Bells should cause your ears to bleed. But the king and queen of noise pop will leave you at least smiling while bloodied. “Tell ‘Em” is a statement of intent to kick off the album, and it never slows down.”Kids” and “Infinity Guitars” further illustrate how intense and fun this band really is. Easily the best combination of volume and ingenuity of 2010.

Key track: “Crown On The Ground”

6. Dessa A Badly Broken Code

The first full-length release from the Doomtree star and former slam poet was a smash hit amongst indie hip hop circles in the US. The best lyricist on the chart, Dessa catches your attention with her poetry seamlessly intertwined with beats that are hard not to nod your head to no matter how stoic you want to look. The lyrics are most beautiful in “Children’s Work” and the beats are most infectious in “Dutch.”

Key Track: “The Chaconne”

5. Gorillaz Plastic Beach

The most adventurous album yet from Gorillaz, Damon Albarn has enlisted the likes of Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Mos Def, and a handful of other hugely famous artists to guest on tracks from start to finish. Plastic Beach’s first single, “Stylo,” is probably the most catchy Gorillaz single since… well, their last album, but great nonetheless. Snoop’s cameo on “Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach” gives you the impression that this is still a Gorillaz album based in hip hoppy goodness. While “White Flag” features the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music and pushes the boundaries of what is possible for this band. Think Albarn’s take on George Harrison’s obsession with Indian instruments.

Key track: “Rhinestone Eyes”

4. Gayngs Relayted

Quite likely the most interesting release of 2010, think smooth jazz/easy listening goes electronic. Add a beat here and there and you get Gayngs. You can find yourself hypnotized by the vocals in “No Sweat” and “Crystal Rope” and just as easily bewildered and enthused by the accompanying synth sounds. In Relayted, Gayngs has released the baby making music for 2010.

Key track: “Gaudy Side Of Town”

3. Atmosphere To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy

As one of the leading acts in indie hop hop, Atmosphere is no stranger to being high up charts. But To All My Friends is easily the greatest release from the Minneapolis-based act. The piano and guitar pieces of “The Major Leagues” and the aggressive and humorous lyrics of “Commodities” make it hard not to nod your head with a wry smile. And that really applies to the entire album, although the wry smile may turn genuine.

Key track: “Scalp”

2. The National High Violet

The latest release from The National is the best haunting electric guitar album in quite some time. Like Interpol or Bright Eyes, but better. Matt Berninger’s voice will seduce you in “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and from there, you’re at the mercy of High Violet. “Afraid Of Everyone” is perhaps the most catchy track on the album in a haunting way, but still isn’t the best. High Violet is where you can find the best track of 2010, “Conversation 16.”

Key track: “Conversation 16”

1. Arcade Fire The Suburbs

The undisputed album of the year, The Suburbs has everything you could want from an album. A track to rock out to in “Month Of May,” a track to get you ready to rock out in “Ready To Start,” and everything you’d expect from Arcade Fire in tracks like “City With No Children” to successful experiments in “Sprawl II.” It’s hard to tell you what’s good in this album. There is really something for everyone in here, no matter your tastes.

Key track: “We Used To Wait”

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Behind the Scenes at Science Meets Parliament 2016

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Behind the Scenes at Science Meets Parliament 2016

  Last updated June 1, 2017 at 3:46 pm

Every year during Science Meets Parliament, scientist from around the country travel to Canberra to meet politicians and policy makers. During the two days, there is a lot at stake for the participants, as politicians can influence budgets and policy priorities. It is like 'Australia Got Talent' for scientists! In 2016, we followed 4 up-and-coming scientists (Mel McDowall, Christopher Chan, Hannah Brown and Vanessa Moss)  around Parliament House. Our host, Simon Copland, is there for the action as we show their journey from when they prepare their pitches, the meetings with politicians to straight after the meetings. We even take you into the Prime Minister's room as he meets with one of the scientists! Special thanks to Science and Technology Australia.

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Science and technology is as much a part of our cultural fabric as art, music, theatre and literature. They play a significant role in our daily lives, yet, in a world dependent on science, we often take them for granted. Australia’s Science Channel believes every citizen has a right, and a responsibility, to be informed, and our mission is to create programs to bring that about.