Large marine protected areas (>30,000 km2) have a high profile in marine conservation, yet their contribution to conservation is contested. Assessing the overlap of large marine protected areas with 14,172 species, we found large marine protected areas cover 4.4% of the ocean and at least some portion of the range of 83.3% of the species assessed. Of all species within large marine protected areas, 26.9% had at least 10% of their range represented, and this was projected to increase to 40.1% in 2100. Cumulative impacts were significantly higher within large marine protected areas than outside, refuting the critique that they only occur in pristine areas. We recommend future large marine protected areas be sited based on systematic conservation planning practices where possible and include areas beyond national jurisdiction, and provide five key recommendations to improve the long-term representation of all species to meet critical global policy goals (e.g., Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Targets).
The recent increase in establishment of large marine protected areas (LMPAs), here defined as larger than 30,000km2 1, has brought international conservation goals, including the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Target 11 and the Sustainable Development Goal 14.5, within reach2 but has also led to much debate about their contribution to biodiversity conservation. The contention about LMPAs stems from a lack of understanding of their contributions to biodiversity conservation. Proponents for LMPAs argue that they are essential because they can protect wide-ranging species e.g., seabirds, tunas3, 4, mitigate threats over larger areas or maintain pristine areas, and capture shifts associated with climatic changes5. Conversely, others argue that LMPAs are driven by political targets, situated in remote areas with minimal threats, and thus have limited conservation potential1, 6, 7.
Despite this contention, LMPAs remain a prominent strategy for marine biodiversity conservation. In order to address this debate and move forward with large-scale marine conservation we need to understand how LMPAs contribute to representation of species. In this paper we provide the first quantification of their potential contribution to marine biodiversity conservation now and under a climate change scenario (year 2100, IPCC SRES A2 scenario)8 by assessing the overlap of LMPAs (Fig. 1) with all marine species for which modelled distribution data exist9 (n = 14,172). We use our results to identify five key recommendations to improve the long-term representation of all species and assist in meeting key global policy goals.
Overview of species representation
The LMPAs we assessed covered 4.4% of the ocean and at least some portion of the range of 11,800 species (83% of the species assessed). Of the species within LMPAs, 26.9% had more than 10% of their range represented within LMPAs thereby meeting international conservation targets for these species, with the remaining 73.1% of species falling short of these global targets within LMPAs.
For future distributions, LMPAs are projected to represent a higher proportion of species’ ranges in the future than today due to the projected range retractions of many species, despite this not being an explicit design intention. The percentage of species with at least 10% of their range represented in LMPAs is projected to increase to 40.1% in 2100 (Fig. 2).
Threatened species (www.iucnredlist.org) are similarly captured by LMPAs today (77.8%, n = 291) and in the future (73.5%, n = 275 in 2100). Currently 19.9% of threatened species have at least 10% of their range represented in LMPAs, with this proportion increasing to 41.5% in 2100.
The range of the majority of species (89.7%) is projected to decrease due to climate change over the next century, with a projected average range loss of 23.3%. Sharks, skates and rays (Elasmobranchii) are projected to have the largest decrease in range size, with an average loss of 39.8%, followed by birds (Aves; 29.5%), and mammals (Mammalia; 27.4%) – all higher than the average across all species (23.3%).
Species representation by phyla
Currently, arthropods are the best represented phylum (median 8.7% of species’ range represented), and molluscs the least (median 6.1%; Fig. 2; Supplementary Table 2). Of the Chordates, ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) are the best represented (median 6.8%), and birds the least (median 3.6%), closely followed by mammals (median 3.7%).
The best represented phyla in 2100 are jellyfish, corals and other stingers (Cnidaria), and starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers (Echinodermata), both with a median of 10.4% range representation in LMPAs. Of the Chordates, the ray-finned fishes remain the best represented with an increase in their range representation (median 8.1%), and birds remain the least well represented with a slight decrease in the median range representation (3.2%; Supplementary Table 2).
Because of these projected range retractions, the current set of LMPAs are projected to represent a higher proportion of many species ranges in the future than today, but some – sharks, skates and rays, and birds – are projected to lose protection (Fig. 3).
Representation of wide-ranging species
Species with the largest ranges had the highest median range representation in LMPAs (>4,490,000 km2; median 9.31%, and 7.53% for large and extra large category respectively), with species with medium ranges (1,570,000–4,490,000 km2; median 3.12%) with the lowest median range representation (Supplementary Fig. 1 & Supplementary Table 3). In the future, many species are projected to experience range retractions and so the number of species within the medium range category increases, as did the median range representation of species in this category (10.5%). Species with the largest ranges generally maintain a good level of representation, with species in the large range category increasing their median representation (9.3% to 11.0%), although there was a decrease in the median representation for species in the extra large range category (7.5% to 5.5%; Supplementary Fig. 2 & Supplementary Table 3).
Cumulative impacts in LMPAs
Overall cumulative impacts10 in LMPAs were significantly higher (3.11 ± 1.00) than the global average (2.43 ± 1.71; Welch’s two sample t-test: p < 0.0001, t = 5101.737; df = 20,912,753; Supplementary Table 4), indicating that LMPAs are not only located in regions with minimal threats.
The conservation value of large marine protected areas (>30,000 km2) is a source of much contention e.g., refs 1, 6 and 7 stemming from a lack of understanding about how these large areas contribute to marine biodiversity conservation. Yet despite this, large marine protected areas are increasingly being established, and now dominate areal statistics2. In order to address this debate and move forward with large-scale marine conservation in a productive manner, we need to understand how LMPAs contribute to the long-term representation of species. Thus, we provide the first quantification of the potential conservation value of large marine protected areas both currently and under a climate change scenario. Our empirical assessment found that LMPAs have a higher potential conservation value than might be expected by area alone. LMPAs cover 4.4% of the ocean, yet capture 83.3% of some portion of species ranges; of these, 26.9% had at least 10% of their range represented, and this was projected to increase to 40.1% in 2100. However, gaps remain, and the global set of LMPAs has not been identified in a coordinated, systematic fashion. The representation of LMPAs could be improved through using best practices in systematic conservation planning. To improve the long-term conservation benefits of LMPAs, we identify five key recommendations that should be employed to identify new LMPAs that:
Provide protection for species currently under-represented
In contrast to many small-scale MPA networks or marine spatial planning processes, designation of LMPAs to date has been opportunistic rather than systematic, resulting in uneven representation (Fig. 2; Supplementary Table 2). To create a representative network of LMPAs - rather than the current ad hoc set - decision-support tools such as Marxan11 can be used to ensure representation when identifying new sites. Internationally recognized political targets, including the Sustainable Development Goal 14.5 and Aichi Target 11, call for 10% of ecologically representative marine areas to be protected by 2020. While somewhat arbitrary, such targets are useful for monitoring and evaluating global conservation efforts and are crucial in guiding conservation policies worldwide – with representation a key biodiversity conservation strategy12. Strategically selecting new LMPAs through a systematic approach to fill representation gaps, including increasing the representation of molluscs, birds and mammals, will increase their conservation value.
Explicitly consider climate change
Considering the present and also projected future distributions of species in identifying new LMPAs will be critical to ensure species’ persistence. Because of projected range retractions, the current set of LMPAs is projected to represent a higher proportion of species’ ranges in the future than today, but some - sharks, skates and rays, and birds - will lose protection (Fig. 3). Coverage of sharks, skates and rays is particularly critical because they also had the largest projected decrease in range size, and these are species postulated to benefit from LMPAs13, 14. Identifying areas that are important to these species, such as high-use areas both now and under climate change scenarios15,16,17, will be important for targeted protection and improving the long-term representation of these species under climate change. Explicit consideration of species’ future range shifts and retractions is critical to effective representation and a number of Aichi Targets, particularly Strategic Goal C to safeguard species and Target 12 to prevent extinctions.
Represent species with varying distributions
LMPAs had the highest representation for species with the largest ranges but species with medium ranges are not currently as well represented - highlighting additional gaps in LMPAs that can be filled with a systematic site selection approach. If LMPAs are to be beneficial for species of all ranges, explicit consideration of their representation now and in the future is necessary (Supplementary Fig. 2). Furthermore, a better understanding of the movement of individual species in relation to LMPAs will aid in designing LMPAs that will effectively capture the most important habitats. This is particularly true for highly mobile species which are purported to benefit from LMPAs. However, the benefits of LMPAs to species both with large ranges and high mobility has not yet been comprehensively assessed.
Explicitly consider threats in priority setting processes
The mean cumulative impact score was significantly higher within LMPAs than outside (Supplementary Table 4) – refuting the critique that LMPAs protect only pristine, non-contested spaces. While protection of ‘pristine’ habitats is an important consideration18, future LMPAs should also be sited and managed to ensure that they reduce threats that can be spatially-mitigated such as overfishing and incidental take of vulnerable species in areas that support key life history stages or function (e.g., breeding, feeding, gestation)19. Reducing such key threats would enable LMPAs to be an essential element for nations to meet other Aichi targets (e.g., Target 12, threatened species; Target 6, sustainable management of fish stocks; and Target 10, minimize anthropogenic pressures on vulnerable ecosystems) and play an active role in stemming biodiversity loss.
Move from opportunistic to systematic identification of LMPAs
Systematic identification of future LMPAs could be guided by a number of current international and regional groups or processes that employ some elements of systematic conservation planning, including the identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity or several of the United Nation’s Bodies or Programs: the UNEP World Commission on Protected Areas, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, UN Regional Seas Programme. International NGOs with capacities to analyze species distribution data can also play a role in assisting with systematic conservation planning and making these data available to support policy- and decision-making20. In June 2015 the UN adopted a landmark resolution that commenced negotiations toward a treaty to better manage and protect biodiversity on the high seas which comprise 64% of the world’s oceans. One potential goal is to establish a framework for implementation of MPAs on the high seas21. The new UN Treaty, once established, will provide an unparalleled opportunity to systematically plan LMPAs in areas beyond national jurisdiction22. Within the exclusive economic zones of countries, LMPAs can be placed to fill species representation gaps. Although LMPAs are subject to political realities, conservation science can help guide their placement and management to make them as effective as possible.
Effective and equitable management of LMPAs
Representation of species ranges indicates the potential contribution LMPAs are able to make to marine biodiversity conservation. However, in order to be effective, sites need to be effectively and equitably managed. LMPAs are an important conservation strategy that have brought the 10% protection goal within reach5, but they are not a panacea. Complementary strategies that enhance these efforts, including smaller MPAs and appropriate fisheries management, remain critical21, 23. Management of LMPAs is in its infancy and data do not currently exist to assess their management effectiveness, highlighting the importance of improved monitoring and evaluation24. For example, global databases on MPAs have insufficient detail to classify categories of protection (e.g., whether they are no-take, or allow commercial fishing, and the spatial data of any zoning), many LMPAs lack sufficient enforcement capacities, and many IUCN listed marine species are data deficient or have not yet been assessed. Efforts to improve management are underway and should be supported, including the Big Ocean network - a peer-learning network of LMPA managers established to enhance the professional standards of practice, and long-term, effective management of large-scale marine areas25. Such efforts can help to share strategies to improve management effectiveness and equity, including technologies for enforcement, and stakeholder engagement26. In addition, prior to expansion or designation of new areas, the capacity of MPAs needs to be considered and maintained in the long-term to ensure such areas are able to deliver on the ecological and social benefits they are designed to produce27.
We used modelled species distribution data, which represent predicted relative probabilities of species occurrence (from 0.0 to 1.0) at 0.5 degree latitude-by-longitude cell resolution, and are the best data available on the distribution of marine biodiversity globally. We used a probability threshold value of 0.5 or greater to define actual species presence (or the realized niche) to improve the robustness of our findings28. Using a 0.5 probability reduced the chance of capturing marginal or edge habitat of species and reduced the likelihood of overestimating species range representations29. Previous studies have found a 0.5 threshold to be appropriate, with species distributions relatively robust across a range of thresholds28, 30. We determined the proportion of LMPA in each 0.5 degree cell, and because the exact distribution of species within each cell in unknown, we assumed that the area of a species range represented in LMPAs was equal to the area of LMPA coverage for grid cells where the species were present in. But where the actual species’ range is only a portion of the cell and does not overlap with the MPA the representation will be overestimated. However, we found that in 73% of the cells containing MPAs, the MPA covered more than 90% of the cell’s ocean area meaning that such overestimation is likely to be minimal. Future analyses with actual – rather than modeled – species distributions and finer resolution will be able to provide better estimates of species’ representation by LMPAs. Given the limitations of the data we used, our results can only be interpreted at the resolution of the input data, 0.5 degree cells30. We used one future climate scenario to model the future distributions of species, because although multiple climate scenarios exist, modeled species distribution data were only available for one scenario. We used all LMPAs that were officially designated as of December 2015 (defined as having a legal boundary; n = 53, Fig. 1 and Supplementary Table 1). We do not differentiate between varying levels of implementation, management, or enforcement because this information was not readily available. When improved data (species distributions, climate projections, management effectiveness) become available in the future, the analysis should be repeated. Additionally, as improved data becomes available it would be useful to evaluate the size and location of LMPAs for the optimal representation of biodiversity.
We used modelled species distribution data for 14,172 marine species (28 phyla, 1256 families) derived from AquaMaps, an online species distribution modelling tool that produces standardized digital range maps of aquatic species www.aquamaps.org9. This is the most comprehensive and highest resolution data available on the distribution of marine biodiversity globally. The species distribution maps represent predicted relative probabilities of species occurrence at 0.5 degree latitude-by-longitude cell resolution. AquaMaps is an environmental envelope model that generates predictions about relative environmental suitability/species occurrence by relating species habitat preferences to local environmental conditions within a GIS framework. Species-specific habitat preferences with respect to five environmental parameters (depth, temperature, salinity, primary production and sea ice concentration) are derived from occurrence records available from online databases such as GBIF (www.gbif.org), supplemented by expert knowledge29. The subsequently calculated relative probability of occurrence of a species for each cell represents the product of probabilities for different environmental parameters based on the preferred and tolerated habitat preferences (environmental envelopes) of each species. It is assumed that the preferred range is where probability is 1, outside the range limits is where probability is 0, and between these two thresholds the relative environmental suitability decreases linearly. We used a probability threshold value of 0.5 or greater to define actual species presence (or the realized niche), as per Klein et al.19. Previous studies using AquaMaps data have found species distributions to be relatively robust across a range of thresholds28, 30. A higher probability of occurrence restricts species presence to species-specific areas of high environmental suitability, which corresponds to what may be considered the core range for most species, and thus a threshold of 0.5 represents a relatively conservative threshold of probability.
We used both current species distribution data and projected species distributions by the year 2100. The future species distributions are based on projected global climate conditions described under IPCC SRES A2 scenario. Predictions from this scenario are based on the assumption of independent, self-reliant countries, an increasing global population, regionally oriented economic growth, and with slow and fragmented technological change8.
MPAs greater than 30,000km2 were downloaded from MPAtlas.com21 and clipped to land area. Our size cut-off for large marine protected areas (LMPAs) is arbitrary; it is smaller than some25, and larger than others31, and is four magnitudes larger than the median value of MPAs globally 3.3km2 2. We used all LMPAs that were officially designated as of December 2015 (defined as having a legal boundary; n = 53, Fig. 1 and Supplementary Table 1). We do not differentiate between varying levels of implementation or management because this information was not readily available. We consider two additional sites – East Antarctic and Ross Sea – that have been proposed for a long time (Ross Sea has since been designated (October 2016)). However, we focused our results on the designated LMPAs as of December 2015, but note the contribution of these proposed LMPAs. The MPA data were aggregated to 0.5 degree grids to match the resolution of the species range maps. We determined the proportion of the MPA in each 0.5 degree square. Because we do not know the exact distribution of species within each grid, we assumed that the area of a species range represented in MPAs was equal to the area of MPA coverage for grid cells that species were present in, and therefore we likely over-estimate species representation in LMPAs30. However, in 73% of cells containing MPAs, the MPA covered more than 90% of the cell’s ocean area, and in 84% of the cells containing MPAs, the MPA covered more than 50% of the cell’s ocean area (Supplementary Fig. 3). We summarize the data by the five largest phyla (Arthropoda, Chordata, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, and Mollusca), with Chordata split into its six largest classes (Actinopterygii, Aves, Ascidiacea, Elasmobranchii, Mammalia, Reptilia), because it had the largest number of species, and many of them are of conservation importance.
To assess the conservation of wide-ranging species we divided the distributional range (which is the area where species are predicted to occur, hereafter range) into four categories with an equal number of observations for the current distribution, and assessed the average representation of species by phyla in these categories for both current and future projected distributions.
We used data from Halpern et al.10, to assess the cumulative impacts within and outside of LMPAs, calculating the means and standard deviations of impact and change in impact (Supplementary Table 4).
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Figure 2 was created by Terra Communications. We thank B. Pike at Marine Conservation Institute/MPAtlas.org. NCB was funded by SSHRC and NSERC. CG was partially supported by the Cluster of Excellence 80 “The Future Ocean”.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Davies, T.E., Maxwell, S.M., Kaschner, K. et al. Large marine protected areas represent biodiversity now and under climate change. Sci Rep 7, 9569 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-08758-5
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Police say a fight in downtown Windsor, Ont., that claimed the life of a Toronto man doesn't appear to have been a random act.
Chief Al Frederick says 19-year-old Gautham (Kevin) Kugathasan was with one of two groups of young men who clashed in a fight early Saturday morning that stretched over a city block.
Kugathasan was in Windsor to attend university and was fatally wounded in the melee, which also saw five other men suffer non-life-threatening stab wounds.
Frederick says about 10 people were involved in the brawl, and that several members of the rival groups knew each other — with almost all known to police except Kugathasan.
Police say they are reviewing video evidence, and have arrested one suspect allegedly involved in the brawl.
Windsor resident Ali Mahmoud Ahmed, 30, is charged with possession of weapon for a dangerous purpose.

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Electrochemical Reduction Using Glassy Carbon Electrode in Aqueous Medium of a Potential Anti-Chagas Drug: NFOH
La-Scalea, Mauro Aquiles [UNIFESP]
Trossini, G. H. G.
Menezes, C. M. S.
Chung, M. C.
Ferreira, E. I.
Is part ofJournal of the Electrochemical Society
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Nitrofurazone (NF) presents activity against Chagas' disease, yet it has a high toxicity. Its analog, hydroxymethylnitrofurazone (NFOH), is more potent against Trypanosoma cruzi and much less toxic than the parent drug, NF. the electrochemical reduction of NFOH in an aqueous medium using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) is presented. By cyclic voltammetry in anacidic medium, one irreversible reduction peak related to hydroxylamine derivative formation was registered, being linearly pH dependent. However, from pH > 7, a reversible reduction peak at a more positive potential appears and corresponds to the formation of a nitro radical anion. the radical-anion kinetic stability was evaluated by Ip(a)/Ip(c) the current ratio of the R-NO(2)/R-NO(2)-redox couple. the nitro radical anion decays with a second-order rate constant (k(2)) of 6.07, 2.06, and 1.44(X 10(3)) L mol(-1) s(-1) corresponding to pH 8.29, 9.29, and 10.2, respectively, with a corresponding half-time life (t(1/2)) of 0.33, 0.97, and 1.4 s for each pH value. By polishing the GCE surface with diamond powder and comparing with the GCE surface polished with alumina, it is shown that the presence of alumina affects the lifetime of the nitro radical anion. (C) 2009 the Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3130082] All rights reserved.
CitationJournal of the Electrochemical Society. Pennington: Electrochemical Soc Inc, v. 156, n. 7, p. F93-F97, 2009.
SponsorshipFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)
- Em verificação - Geral

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VIDEO: NASA’s NICER Mission Maps ‘Light Echoes’ of New Black Hole 10 Times the Size of the Sun
By Jeanette Kazmierczak, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center // February 6, 2019
observations give scientists new insights into how material funnels in to the black hole
ABOVE VIDEO: Scientists have mapped the environment surrounding a black hole that is 10 times the mass of the Sun using NASA’s Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload aboard the International Space Station.
(NASA)– Scientists have charted the environment surrounding a stellar-mass black hole that is 10 times the mass of the Sun using NASA’s Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload aboard the International Space Station.
NICER detected X-ray light from the recently discovered black hole, called MAXI J1820+070 (J1820 for short), as it consumed material from a companion star.
Waves of X-rays formed “light echoes” that reflected off the swirling gas near the black hole and revealed changes in the environment’s size and shape.
“NICER has allowed us to measure light echoes closer to a stellar-mass black hole than ever before,” said Erin Kara, an astrophysicist at the University of Maryland, College Park and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who presented the findings at the 233rd American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle.
“Previously, these light echoes off the inner accretion disk were only seen in supermassive black holes, which are millions to billions of solar masses and undergo changes slowly.
Stellar black holes like J1820 have much lower masses and evolve much faster, so we can see changes play out on human time scales.”
A paper describing the findings, led by Kara, appeared in the Jan. 10 issue of Nature and is available online.
Click here to read more of this story on NASA.gov>>>
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Now showing items 1-5 of 5
A third order of accuracy difference scheme for Dirichlet type overdermined problem with mixed boundary value conditions
(Amer Inst Physics, 2016)
Approximation of Dirichlet type overdetermined multidimensional elliptic problem with Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions are discussed. A third order of accuracy difference scheme for its approximate solution is proposed. ...
Approximate Solution of Inverse Problem for Elliptic Equation with Overdetermination
(Hindawi Ltd, 2013)
A finite difference method for the approximate solution of the inverse problem for the multidimensional elliptic equation with overdetermination is applied. Stability and coercive stability estimates of the first and second ...
Approximation of the inverse elliptic problem with mixed boundary value conditions
(Amer Inst Physics, 2014)
The inverse problem for the multidimensional elliptic equation with Neumann-Dirichlet conditions are presented. For the approximate solution of this inverse problem the first and second order of accuracy in t and in space ...
Approximation of the inverse elliptic problem with mixed boundary value conditions and overdetermination
(Springer International Publishing Ag, 2015)
In the present study, the inverse problem for a multidimensional elliptic equation with mixed boundary conditions and overdetermination is considered. The first and second orders of accuracy in t and the second order of ...
Approximate solution for an inverse problem of multidimensional elliptic equation with multipoint nonlocal and neumann boundary conditions
(Texas State University - San Marcos, 2017)
In this work, we consider an inverse elliptic problem with Bitsadze-Samarskii type multipoint nonlocal and Neumann boundary conditions. We construct the first and second order of accuracy difference schemes (ADSs) for ...

domain: mathematics


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Marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, this display includes handwritten scores and period instruments to show how he composed key works. Through prints and paintings it also looks at the changing society in which his music was performed. Find out more from the Bundeskunsthalle’s website.
Preview the exhibition below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here
François Rousseau of Bonn was court painter to the electors of Cologne in the decades before and after Beethoven’s birth in the city in 1770. This painting, with its typically illusionistic rendering of space, shows a masked ball in the court theatre of Bonn – the kind of aristocratic scene which, the exhibition contends, would gradually come to be replaced during Beethoven’s day by public opera and concert halls, reflecting the rise of the middle classes and the corresponding growth of popularity in orchestral music.
Beethoven moved from Bonn to Vienna in 1792, initially establishing a reputation as a virtuoso pianist in the salons of the nobility, before the wildly successful performance of his First Symphony in 1800 established his reputation as Mozart’s heir. In 1803, he was appointed composer-in-residence at the Theater an der Wien – a new, lavishly built venue, at which his Second Symphony received its premier in 1803. This paper theatre – a form of entertainment popular in the early 19th century, sold at performances as souvenirs – depicts a scene from Fidelio, the composer’s only opera, which premiered at the Theater an der Wien in 1805.
Sometimes called the ‘Stradivari of Vienna’, Franz Geissenhof was the leading luthier during Beethoven’s day. As the city became the focal point of music on the Continent, Geissenhof adopted and adapted the Italian model for string instruments. This quartet, featuring a rare example of a Geissenhof cello, was made in 1820 – when Beethoven was working on his Missa Solemnis.
By 1811, Beethoven’s hearing had deteriorated to a point of almost complete deafness, and he had ceased all public performances – though he continued to compose. This ear trumpet was made for him by the inventor Johann Nepomuk Mälzel, with whom Beethoven put on several concerts – Beethoven’s music performed by Mälzel’s musical automatons – before the composer initiated legal action against him for staging unlicensed performances of Beethoven’s work.
This famous portrait depicts the composer working on his Missa Solemnis – his last great choral work, completed in 1823, which preceded his Ninth (and final) Symphony. It is said that the artist, Joseph Karl Steiler, had to paint the hands from memory, since the composer refused to sit for his portrait any longer.

domain: artistic


The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development has commenced the construction of QADIS storage Dam in Badghis province
The Acting Minister of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and development Alhaj Mullah Muhammad Yunus Akhundzada along with delegation inaugurated the storage dam project in Qadis district of Badghis province, and its work has actually started.
In this delegation Maulavi Bakht Munir Muhammad head of water supply and sanitation, The intelligence chief of Badghis province Maulavi Muhammad Essa, Director of rural rehabilitation and development of Badghis Maulavi Ruzi Muhammd Mansour, Director of rural rehabilitation and development of Helmand province Mullah Muhammod Sani, the commander’s representatives , The scholars and intellectuals also participated in the inauguration.
Qadis reservoir dam is a vital and crucial project that have the main role in controlling the water of Qadis river, preventing floods and strengthening the water resources of Qadis.
The water capacity of this dam is 1.82 million cubic meter and it will at a height of 32 meter.
This project will implement on budget of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and development at a cost of 12,500,000 US dollars by the Department of water supply and sanitation.
With the construction of this dam, 1400 hectares of land will be irrigate and provide employment opportunities in the field of agriculture for 60,000 residents in the area.


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By Elmer Whittaker
The night before the Dallas attack on “white” Police Officers I was seriously upset about the police murders of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Jamar Clark in Minneapolis. Those murders, like the Erik Scott murder in Las Vegas by the LVMPD concern me personally very deeply, as I carry a firearm usually open on a daily basis.
I have been a victim of police and judicial corruption in 2009/2010 living in Mohave County, Arizona which has tossed me into the shocking realization of how corrupt our police and (in)justice system really is. I am white and was in good financial standings with a newly founded business, a nice house and property and supporting family along with three dogs working to become self-reliant and living off the grid.
I was able to fend off the fabricated charges from our (in)justice system which eventually had to dismiss both cases just days before the court date. Much to my dismay and misfortune fending off the fabricated charges against me, ultimately cost me everything including my family and I was forced to move back to Las Vegas and have been fighting police and judicial corruption ever since, knowing full well, that if “they” could do this to me “they” could do this to everyone especially to black people or other minorities. To me it really confirmed all the complaints the black community has made for now decades.
Then the Mike Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Freddy Gray and many other police murders and instances of police brutality have brought the issues finally into the face of the entire nation, twenty some years after Rodney King, thanks to the technical advances and everyone having a video camera nowadays.
It felt like the Walter Scott murder in North Carolina was a real vindication for all those who have been the victim of police and judicial corruption but were unable to get proper recognition for their plights. The Walter Scott murder really had it all, and clearly showed the modus operandi of many police corruption cases.
Out of Ferguson and the Mike Brown killing the #BlackLivesMatter movement was born. Undoubtedly, the movement must have been named by a government or police infiltrator, because people with properly functioning brains would never name their movement with such a self-defeating name, as it gave the majority of our citizenry a perfect reason and excuse not to become part of this movement against injustice in America. Not even I wanted to be part of it.
Although racism is clearly behind and a part of police and judicial corruption, I do not believe that racism is the foundation of injustices against a large number of our citizenry. Many police abusers are black themselves. I do not even believe that minorities are targeted because they are minorities or of a certain ethnical background.
I truly believe that minorities, especially blacks are the main target of police abuse, brutality and murders because of their vulnerabilities and lacking financial resources allowing the abusing police and authority figures to abuse their powers without usually facing any consequences.
Look at other countries. Police and judicial corruption happens everywhere, just not to a degree as it happens here in the United States. It happens in countries without a large black population. Look at Abu Ghraib. None of the abused victims of our everyday and normal soldiers, were really black.
It’s the absolute power, that corrupts absolutely. As long as our police forces and judicial system is not held accountable for their misdeeds and actions and virtually gets away with murder, the abuse will continue.
If we as a people cannot come to an agreement and arrangement on how to curb police and judicial corruption, the oppressed and abused people will eventually rise up. There are innumerous examples in history that show this to be true. A people can only be pushed that far, before they break.
The misguided Dallas murders of Police Officers by an obviously crazed but well trained black man might have been a symptom of a people reaching their breaking point. Let us not continue down the path of racial war and killing each other. We all need to sit down together and find solutions to our crisis.
I am afraid an abandoning or at least a renaming of the #BlackLivesMatter movement so all citizens who believe and want to advance the cause of justice can join in and get behind the movement for “Justice for All”, might be a required step forward and create an unstoppable and united force for good.
United we (might) stand. Divided we will fall (further).

domain: politics


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The Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) has officially appointed In.Corp Group as a Partner under its Corporate Services category.
In.Corp Group, with Rikvin as its key subsidiary, is Singapore’s leading corporate solutions company, with presences in multiple countries and serving thousands of clients around the world.
This appointment recognises and demonstrates In.Corp Group’s expertise in company incorporation, accounting, tax, payroll, immigration and corporate secretarial services. Since 1998, its subsidiary company Rikvin has helped thousands of companies get started and grow at every stage of their business.
The partnership comes alongside ACE’s upcoming ACE International Centre (ACEIC), a 4,000 square feet international co-working and event space for local startups looking to access overseas markets, and foreign companies to expand their business into Singapore. Slated to launch in Q3 this year, ACEIC will be located at Singapore’s very own Silicon Valley, aka JTC Launchpad @ one-north.
In.Corp will hold a corporate desk space in ACEIC and maintain close proximity to resident startups and the community in Launchpad. In addition, clinic sessions that provide corporate services advisory will be conducted by In.Corp on the grounds of ACEIC.
CEO of In.Corp Group, Atin Bhutani, will also be speaking at the ACEIC launch ceremony, scheduled to take place in Q3 this year.
Get started with Rikvin, official corporate services partner of ACE
Rikvin’s expertise is unrivaled in Singapore. With 20 years of know-how in company incorporation, accounting, tax, payroll and immigration services, you can count on us to be your dedicated one-stop business solution.
Rikvin’s content team includes in-house and freelance writers across the globe who contribute informative and trending articles to guide aspiring entrepreneurs in taking their business to the next level in Asia.

domain: finance


The Logo Slide in Black and White by C&M is an effortless, cushioned flat slide designed with a contrast C&M logo. Wear yours on sandy beaches or on busy days running around the city. This style features a rubber upper and sole and has contrast white C&M logo.
72% Polyurethane Fibre, 18% Viscose Rayon, 4% Polyester 4% Cotton, 2% Metallic
Julia wears size 39


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This is the first comprehensive account in English of the development and operation of one of Russia’s lesser known post-war jet fighters. Only ever operated over the former Soviet Union’s vast northern territory by an elite group of Soviet Air Force aircrew, it was little known even to most Russian military personnel and the majority of Soviet citizens. Although never flown ‘in anger’, the Tu-128 played a hugely important part in protecting the nation’s Arctic approaches against foreign incursions for almost a quarter of a century. The reader will discover the rationale behind its selection as the principal Soviet air defence fighter of the day in a critical period of the Cold War.This includes selection and training of aircrew, operation of quick reaction alerts, manual and automated ground controlled intercepts and cooperation with the Soviet Union’s first AWACS, its stable-mate the Tu-126 Moss. With numerous previously unpublished photographs, diagrams and expert text, the Tu-128 Fiddler will prove indispensable to enthusiasts and historians alike.
|248 x 172 mm
|15 November 2014
|140 black-and-white and and 30 colour photographs
Alan Dawes is a former staff writer on Air Forces Monthly and Air International , having previously had a long career in the Royal Air Force as an in intelligence analyst, where he was able to develop his Russian translation skills. He has specialised in the study of modern Russian military aviation and written on a wide range of related military and civilian topics, being shortlisted twice for the Royal Aeronautical Society Aerospace Journalist of the Year award. He is married and lives in Cambridgeshire, England.


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Sunday Oct 04, 2020
Science and technology minister Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said that the Opposition's Pakistan Democratic Movement is more like the "Pakistan incitement movement" and is about to fizzle out before taking off.
“This movement is nearing its end before taking off. Their narrative is so flawed it’s full of holes. No one believes in it,” said the minister, at a press conference in Karachi.
Chaudhry said that it is "sad to see" that Benazir Bhutto's party has to work under Maulana Fazlur Rehman's leadership.
The JUI-F chief was appointed the first leader of the anti-government Pakistan Democratic Movement, in what will be a rotational arrangement from party to party. The duration of appointment has yet to be decided.
"PPP workers must be not liking the fact that the party has to make do with the killers of Benazir Bhutto," said Chaudhry.
The minister went on to say that it is "Pakistan's misfortune that PML-N and PPP today have to seek support of extremist groups for their politics", in a reference to the religious parties that form the Opposition alliance against the government.
"Yesterday, in Lahore the PML-N workers had gathered but they weren't able to gather many.
"I had advised Bilawal and PML-N that they should just book marriage halls so that it'll be convenient and people won't suffer (from road blockages) [...] because it is only these few numbers they are able to draw," Chaudhry said.
The minster criticised the Opposition for "looking to madressah students for their politics" and to ramp up their numbers.
"And they have a very interesting model for the movement.
"Nawaz Sharif says he wants to live in London in Mayfair, his sons have the world's most expensive property where they seek to live, his daughter's father in law Ishaq Dar fled when Shahid Khaqan was in power and is now in London," the minister said.
He said all the while Nawaz has decided to live in London with his loved ones, PML-N workers "have to take to the streets and launch a movement for the government not to take away Maryam (Nawaz)'s and her daddy's money".
Chaudhry said the movement is "Pakistan Incitement Movement" and will fail badly like the earlier "save my father" movement. "It has no future, this grand alliance of corruption with Fazlur Rehman at the helm."
The minister questioned why it is that Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq, who is also a government critic and says anti-government things every day, but "doesn't have the resources to live a luxurious life".
"This JI leader's roof is leaking," he remarked.
"Fazlur Rehman is from KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and so is Siraj. Why does the former have billions while the latter nothing?"
He said "both are leaders of religious parties" so it begs the question why this is, without elaborating any further.
Chaudhry said that this (Opposition) movement has no moral currency, ethical justification or constitutional justification.
He said that the two narratives being pushed by the PML-N are that "the army is bad" and that the elections were rigged.
The minister then went on to detail how the claims are “flawed”.
“In the last election, 346 applications were filed. In Punjab, where they allege rigging took place, 13 were from PTI and 11 were from PML-N.
“Our candidates, for 15 seats, lost with a margin of 2,500 to 3,000 votes. Of those, five are such in which the margin was less than 1,000,” Chaudhry said.
He said that Atif Khan lost by 50 votes, and in another place PTI lost by 117 votes.
“If the establishment was tilted towards us as they say, we would have won these 15 seats.”
“They talk about RTS going down that day, but those were constituencies where PTI lost,” the minister said.
He went on to add that in 2013, when Imran Khan spoke in the assembly for the first time as opposition leader, he launched a movement to probe four constituencies and rigging was proven in all four. “And then PTI fought the election from those and won.”
Chaudhry said that when Imran Khan became prime minister, he told Shehbaz Sharif if he thinks rigging took place then let’s form a committee. A committee was formed.
“Two-and-a-half years have passed and the PML-N has yet to provide a single shred of proof in even one constituency where they say rigging took place.”
The minister said that rigging is not the issue and it isn’t the election either.
“Nawaz Sharif has no issue with the army or judiciary. The only issue is: ‘Why don’t you cooperate with us in hiding our corruption?’,” Chaudhry said.
He alleged that Nawaz “even bought judges and established this accountability system”.
“[Nawaz] is only annoyed that the institutions did not cooperate with him,” the minister said.
He said it was the PPP and PML-N who had asked the army to assist in the polls during the caretaker government, adding that the accountability act was also made in PML-N’s tenure and all NAB employees were hired by Nawaz.
“A probe was conducted into those cases which PPP have opened against PML-N and vice versa. PTI has nothing to do with this (launching an accountability drive),” he said.
The minister claimed that 70% of PML-N members have chosen not to stand with Maryam and Nawaz because they have taken money from such institutions.
“They will come back and start working on their old salaries if PTI says it will stop all this accountability business.”
“In Punjab five MPAs have broken off and I hope more PML-N members will show courage and reject Nawaz Sharif's narrative,” he said.
The minister said he “found out three seniors held a meeting and called media”. “They said they (top leaders) want to project like we have a fight but we only wish to negotiate.”
Chaudhry, addressing the Opposition, said: “You can criticise us (the government) but when you criticise the institutions it means you wish to shake the foundations of the state. You want to push the enemy's narrative. And if you wish to go that far for your cases (it will only yield bad results).”


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Three Full Day Classes: July 29thth, August 9th and 16th, 2019
9:00 am – 4:00 pm, downstairs studio
Oregon Society of Artists
$285 for three days ($95 per day) / $110 per drop-in
Model fee included in price
Please register online at https://public.osartists.org/public/classes
Note: You must be an OSA member to register for classes.
Many artists struggle with rendering flesh tones when painting the figure – too many color choices can lead to confusion and frustration. But working in a more limited palette allows greater control in color mixing, and also increases the painting’s color harmony.
Working from the live model we will sharpen our figure painting skills while using the Zorn palette of Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, and Ivory Black.
We will use the Zorn palette to help you:
- Simplify color mixing. With fewer colors, it’s easier to choose the best color to add to any given mixture.
- Better understand how your colors work together.
- Achieve color harmony. Fewer colors means fewer color variations.
- More easily see and control values.
- Learn to recognize and use warm and cool color temperatures.
Questions? Email the instructor at email@example.com

domain: painting


text:
by Basia Wilson
Basia Wilson is a poet. She holds a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing from Temple University. In addition to working as an independent bookseller, she is associate poetry editor at Platform Review. Basia enjoys baking, gardening and laughing at the neighborhood blue jays in South Jersey, where she lives. Her latest work is forthcoming from bedfellows magazine.

domain: literature


Free Dolphin PowerPoint Templates
Dolphins are man-loving sea creature that is liked and loved by all around the world. This free Dolphin PowerPoint Template is an awesome background design for presentations. You can download it free of cost and place it in the main slide design or in the background of the presentation. The playful image of dolphins is …
Share facts and information about dolphins, such as their habitat and reproduction through free mammals PPT templates. Explain how dolphins breath air and how many years are dolphins kept in captivity through free Educational PPT slides.
Download Dolphin PowerPoint slides to share pictures of dolphins found near the gulf of Mexico using the picture placeholders to insert pictures and animations.


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Competitions Personality: Contemporary Portraiture
NOTE: This opp listing has expired and may no longer be relevant!
International Deadline: January 11, 2021 – PH21 Gallery invites photographers to submit their work for a group exhibition themed Personality: Contemporary Portraiture.
Portraiture emerged as one of the most prominent genres of depictive media early in the history of the visual arts, and the tacit or explicit rules, conventions and cultural expectations have always influenced the ways by which artists approached the genre. Photography is no exception; numerous different and characteristic styles of portraiture emerged throughout the history of the medium. Today we live in an exciting new era for portraiture. There has never been a time in human history when so many portraits and self-portraits were produced day after day as in the era of digital technologies. Photographers have responded to the cultural, social and technological changes by reinterpreting the age-old genre of portraiture, and it is always an exciting and rewarding task to organize an exhibition for some of the recent achievements in the field.
We are looking for submissions from all photographers who are interested in this genre, and who would like to share their work with a wider international audience through the exposure of PH21 Gallery. The theme is broadly construed; from traditional fine art portraits to selfies, people may be portrayed in countless unique ways. Indeed, we are interested in all possible creative photographic interpretations of the theme.
Exhibition dates: March 11 – April 3, 2021.
All photographers 18 years or older worldwide may enter the competition by submitting their own, original work. PH21 Gallery welcomes submissions from, and exhibits work of emerging and established photographers as well.
CURATOR: Zsolt Bátori
Zsolt Bátori is a philosopher of art and photographer, living in Budapest. He has taught philosophy of art, photography theory and photography courses at various universities in Hungary, the United States, and Argentina, and has exhibited his photographic work internationally. Zsolt is also the founder and artistic director of PH21 Gallery… see more
AWARDS & BENEFITS
One juror’s choice and up to three honourable mentions will be announced. The juror’s choice receives three free entries for any upcoming themed group exhibition calls at PH21 Gallery. (Each free entry includes up to 15 images.)
PH21 Gallery archives all photography exhibitions electronically, allowing us to promote our exhibiting photographers to curators, collectors as well as the viewing public. Our website also functions as a virtual gallery site, and all photographs included in our exhibitions are published on the dedicated page of the exhibition.
Early bird entry fee is €20.00 for the first 3 images. There is a special rate for maximum 5 images for students and unwaged persons as well as for applicants from low-income economies.
All entrants will be notified 10-15 days after the final deadline.
PH21 Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space established in 2012 in Budapest, Hungary. The mission of the gallery is to provide group and solo exhibition opportunities and international exposure for contemporary photographers around the world.
55 Ráday St.
PH21 Gallery Project Room
52 Ráday St.

domain: photo


More info on Rain, ice impacting travel in North Alabama, southern Tennessee
Maryland Weather: Sunny & Cooler Weekend Ahead
If rain can clear out early enough in the day, and the warm front lifts far enough north, we could see highs in the lower 70s for Wednesday afternoon. Chances for showers will return to the area ...
Winter Storm impacting Southern Colorado today, banding snow will lead to some locations seeing higher totals
Another major winter storm is impacting southern Colorado ... with the highest totals in the southern tier counties. A brief changeover to rain or a mix may occur during mid afternoon on the ...
SATURDAY: Rain and a sneaky cold front impact weekend plans
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Weekend plans? Plan on rain. A disturbance sliding east-northeast out of Mexico will kick off a widespread round of rain across the Brazos Valley Saturday. Not only are we ...
New golf tournament hopes to make an impact in north Alabama
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Organizers hope a new golf tournament will make waves right here in North Alabama. Bank Independent has partnered with the Kerryon Johnson Impact Foundation for the first ...
MOST ACCURATE FORECAST: One more storm to go this week! More rain and snow on the way
PHOENIX — A series of winter storms are moving through Arizona this week bringing Valley rain, high-country snow, gusty winds, and a big dose of cool air. The wet weather is impacting travel and ...
Tennessee man who was working with militias planned to act as a sniper and attack Southern border, feds say
A Tennessee man who planned to travel to the southern border with an arsenal of weapons and explosives to “stir up the hornet’s nest” was arrested Monday, NBC News reported Wednesday.
Impact rain overnight through Sunday morning
IN FACT, YOU MAY BE RAIN FREE. AS FOR THIS ENTIRE SEASON OF FOR THE ENTIRE EVENING AS YOU HEAD OUT THIS EVENING, THOUGH, IMPACT HOURS WILL REMAIN AS TEMPERATURE DROPS DOWN ABOUT 49 DEGREES.
IMPACT DAY: Widespread Rain and Cooler Conditions
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Today and tomorrow are impact days due to widespread rain over the area. While none of these storms are expected to be severe, we can't rule out a few rumbles of thunder and ...
Tennessee man killed in Monday morning North Alabama crash
Senior Trooper Brandon Bailey with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said the incident happened at about 10:40 a.m. on U.S. 231 near Hunter Road, approximately 10 miles north of Huntsville.


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BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) - German consumer inflation eased more than expected in May to fall below the European Central Bank’s price stability target of just under 2 percent, data showed on Tuesday, taking some pressure off the ECB to wind down its monetary stimulus soon.
German consumer prices, harmonised to compare with other European countries (HICP), rose by 1.4 percent on the year after inflation accelerated to 2.0 percent in the previous month, the Federal Statistics Office said.
The reading was the lowest since November and came in below the Reuters consensus forecast of 1.6 percent.
On the month, German consumer prices fell 0.2 percent on an EU-harmonised basis, the data showed.
A breakdown of non-harmonised data showed energy costs rose less sharply given the fall in oil prices while food price inflation increased.
Services inflation also slowed, reflecting cheaper prices for leisure and package holidays as special factors related to the Easter holidays in April were reversed in May.
With euro zone growth on its best run since the bloc’s crisis took hold a decade ago, pressure from Germany and other countries has been mounting on the ECB to start planning an exit from its policy of aggressive bond purchases and sub-zero rates.
However, ECB President Mario Draghi said on Monday that euro zone growth may be improving but inflation remained subdued and still required substantial stimulus, tempering expectations for the central bank’s June 8 policy meeting. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Paul Carrel)

domain: statistics


A limited number of nasal H1N1 vaccine doses will be available at the Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King St., on Friday morning, October 23.
Beginning at 8 a.m., numbers will be given to people wishing to receive the vaccine, with vaccination administration starting at 8:30 a.m. The Health Department will stop giving out numbers once the limit of the vaccine supply has been reached.
This vaccination clinic is focused on providing vaccine to young children (including pre-school children) and parents of young children, especially those with babies less than 6 months old. The nasal form of the vaccine can be given to healthy children and adults between 2 and 49 years old who are not pregnant, are not immunosuppressed and do not have asthma. No injectable vaccine will be available at this site at this time.
Students in the Alexandria City Public Schools and many private schools in the City will have vaccine available in the schools over the next two to four weeks; consent forms will be sent home with students close to anticipated vaccination dates. The schedule for school vaccinations will be adjusted depending on availability of vaccine.
Once additional doses of H1N1 vaccine are available, information on vaccination clinic sites will be posted on the City of Alexandria Web site.
For more information, contact the Alexandria Health Department at (703) 838-4400, ext 352.


(Not just for GHOST GiRL GOODS products, but for most clothing items!)
If you need help figuring out how to care for some of your clothing, look no further! Pompoji is here to share some helpful tips on cleaning clothes and helping them last longer!
There is the standard "Darks, Lights, and Reds", but upon that, there are some items of clothing that you might find difficult to decide where to put it in with!
> Check the INSIDE of your garments to see what they should go with.
EXAMPLE: A printed tee with mainly dark prints might actually be white on the inside. You should flip this shirt inside out and put it in with the light colours!
DO NOT put this garment in with dark colours though or else it might have the chance of picking up stains!
Before washing your clothes, ensure that your garments are flipped out (especially things like socks or pant legs!) For shirts/garments with prints on them, beading, sequins, etc., you should flip those inside out. It will help to keep those prints and beads lasting longer! Its a good idea to wash clothing via cold/warm water settings.
The safest way to dry your clothing is to hang them! There are certain things that cannot be hung though and should lay flat to dry. (this includes garments that are knit, like knit sweaters) For me, I hang any sort of printed shirts, alongside my skirts, tights, and pants, while things like pajamas, socks, and undies can go into the dryer. Putting things in the dryer may be safe, but some clothing made with natural fibers will shrink (cotton). If something is a poly/cotton blend or any blend with cotton, it is best to simply hang the garment to ensure it's safe!
FOLDING AND HANGING
Here is the way that I usually fold my shirts. Start by having the back of the shirt facing you:
For things like shorts and skirts, I usually just fold them in half at the waistband (folding vertically) and store them in storage bin that fits under my bed. If you have a drawer for skirts and shorts, you can do this! Some skirts should not be folded and should be hung. Most pants can be both hung and folded (but pants usually take up more space if they're folded)
DO NOT HANG: knit sweaters that are heavy, dresses and shirts made with light knit fabric.
Some knit garments will stretch/sag if you hang them! Be sure the fold these.
CARING FOR WRINKLES
If an article of clothing is wrinkled, you can simply iron it (Take precautions with your iron heat settings! Test a small edge whenever you are adjusting heat settings before placing the iron in the center or wrinkled area. Always start from the lowest and work your way up ). A steamer is a safe way to also care for wrinkles for any type of garment. Some irons have a steamer setting available. Fabrics like satins and some chiffon can sometimes pick up water marks, so be extra careful when using a steamer with those fabrics.
A trick that you can do to care for wrinkled garments is to keep it inside the washroom when you take a hot shower (that creates steam)
GHOST GiRL GOODS Care Code System: Product Care Code 1: Basic Care (Washer and dryer friendly.)
Product Care Code 2: Special Care (Machine washable. Hang to dry.)
Product Care Code 3: Delicate Care (Hand wash/spot clean if needed. Air dry)


MUSIC NEWS: Hollow Front Release New Single ‘Breaking Teeth’
Hollow Front have released their new single Breaking Teeth, taken from their upcoming third album The Fear of Letting Go.
“This song is just pissed,” says vocalist Tyler Tate. “It’s one of the heaviest songs on the record, if not the heaviest. When I wrote the lyrics, I was just so fed up with the world and my life in general. It felt like no matter what I did, I could never get ahead. Set back after set back, problems around every corner. It’s annoying having to cope all the time. Living should be simpler. But the society we live in prevents that. We should all be pissed about it.”
The Fear of Letting Go is due for release on 27th October 2023 via UNFD, available to pre-order HERE.


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Video Lessons, Tutorials and thoughts about many Art related subjects.
This is my first post using the blogger app on my phone. The painting is in gouache again which is becoming my preferred medium. So many ways to work with it.
Lovely painting, Roy, and happy memories of us all being together in your conservatory last summer. Summer will be coming around again, very soon! Regards to all x
Thanks Josie! We are looking forward to it!
Post a Comment


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My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for DC Central Kitchen, Inc., Washington, DC, USA
They are most known for the work they do preparing nearly 5000 meals for the homeless every day.
But their most important mission is a job training program through their kitchen. They have graduated more than 80 classes (of mostly ex-cons), given them job skills, life skills, help interviewing, and job placement in local restaurants and hotel kitchens.
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Seeing the graduates of the program working in the kitchen, and at local restaurants.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
nothing - I can't imagine what they could be doing better.
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

domain: sociology


No lights or codes on comes to indicate any problems. Very frustrating!!!
Won't shift into park or reverse. It does it occassionally. on 2006 Nissan Armada
This week's top 10
Recent Nissan Armada Questions
- Smells like alcohol in the cab after I start the engine, no check engine light.
- How much does it cost to change the radiator
- when I have to press the gas pedal til the rpm is high for truck to move?
- Need help finding out if I have a electrical problem
- After changing rear brakes a brake light sensor on dash is still on.
2006 Nissan Armada Estimates
- Oil and Filter Change ($27 - 61) in Cedar Crest, NM
- Heater Blower Motor Replacement ($266 - 322) in Julian, CA
- Shock Absorber Replacement - Rear ($226 - 359) in Camden, ME
- Ignition Lock Cylinder Replacement ($211 - 242) in Genoa, AR
- Horn Replacement ($128 - 137) in Burkeville, TX
- Axle Shaft Seal Replacement ($119 - 149) in Buhl, MN


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Best Horse Saddle Bags Yeti
We are positive to have a saddle to please your dreams at a charge to match your spending plan. Best Horse Saddle Bags Yeti With our entire variety of extremely stunning and homemade Western saddles gotten ready to provide to you inside 2 days, you‘re guaranteed to get hold of pinnacle –notch outstanding for utilizing pride. An skillfully designed, exceedingly outstanding leather-based with hand tooled workmanship could make a big result to your pride using, show ring general performance cattle ranch and paintings and path experiences. Horsesaddleshop.com crosses the borders to deliver you the really remarkable in Western, English Utilized and Saddle pads at extremely less expensive costs.
Additional– Strong fibreglass bushes with wood reinforcement underneath those appealing saddles can help you experience security and stability on even the maximum mountainous terrain. All round, barrel, cutting, endurance, taking images ranch, reining, roping, display screen, course and education saddles are all discovered appropriate right here at horsesaddleshop.com. We try to supply top class excellent saddles and tack at one‘s to suit everybody‘s spending plan. All our compounds are handpicked right here in order that we will develop the remarkable excellent for the cost. With outstanding client offerings for all your dreams, our crew of informed agents are extremely well notified to respond to any concerns. Our money once again guarantees you with pride for all of your saddle purchases.
Budget-friendly costs and extraordinary excellence can be found online or near you through internet, we pass in opposition to the repute quo and are continuously making every effort to supply the subsequent exceptional seller! Our team of in-residence saddle designers‘ paintings are tough year-spherical to create new saddles and add-ons that fulfill the call for our customers. Client satisfaction is our very first goal.Best Horse Saddle Bags Yeti
In the main section of fitting, you need to think about the fundamental distinction of the saddles primarily based totally on their objective use. Therefore, we have actually got the subsequent types:
Types of different saddles:Best Horse Saddle Bags Yeti
Western saddles are utilized for using withinside the west and withinside the United States, especially withinside the west, to paintings horses on animals farms. This saddle became developed to use protection and luxury to the rider at the same time as costs lengthy hours on horseback, taking a trip in tough terrain.
Different Western saddles Types:
All round saddles
Here a variety of which might be defined below:
All round saddles:
All round saddles; Room to move, electrical energy to resist. With notable functions for loads of agricultural activities. All spherical saddles are a spectacular saddle. Big and comparatively heavy. It is generally (ideally) produced from a wood tree that might resist ropes and pulling pressure. This saddle is likewise developed for cushty use for lengthy hours.
Horse Saddle Shop Barrel Racing Saddles helps you to shave and stay (and win) rapid and cushty in seconds. Features of the barrel saddle to be explored include a suede top with a suede pocket to protect it, a “hip hug“ guard in the back of the seat, a lengthy horn to protect, quick skirts and skirts. Control to make a saddle lighter and lighter.
Cowboys and cowgirls‘ setup taking images of saddles. Get on the spontaneous shocks with extra stability. The Lone Ranger did not appear so true. You need to search for a sloping heel on the front to supply you extra space to yank your weapon, an excessive courtyard, a suede seat, and a tough bumper/ jacket to assist preserve you peaceful. Although created to be robust, the installed taking images saddles likewise are light-weight.
Cattle ranch Saddle:
Take a look at our exceptionally-promoting agricultural saddles. You‘ll discover plenty of feline ready supper saddles, nevertheless Circle Y and Dakota in addition make real buckwheat and looking saddles! They are big and heavy, with a robust tree for tough farming paintings. You can presume an classy and robust set that is cushty to use all the time. And, in phrases of comfort, they typically have managed plates which can be extra cushty on your workhorse that maintain the saddle throughout the day.
We‘ve prepared all of the course saddles which have 5-famous individual rankings. These are, for a few reasons, the exceptionally-promoting saddle. Leading makers like Circle Y, Tucker, Cashel and a lot of additional. The opportunity is paved for autumn leaves, cool breezes and spring discoveries. These saddles are made to symbolise the enjoyments of the path and the paintings. What existence needs to be like.
The routine workout saddle is made on an help shaft with equivalent leather-based cuts. You just ought to be additional discriminating with the assist you render in the direction of various individuals. Discover suede seats and rugged saddles.Best Horse Saddle Bags Yeti
A light-weight hornless burden a metal head headband and scabbard, a leather-based pad set, and element straps typically connected to the front. saddles called English saddles (instead of western saddles) are now no longer handiest in England or in English speaking nations all over in the world.
A saddle secures the horse‘s again from being torn with the aid of using direct touch with the horse‘s hair and skin. It furthermore helps with guarding the burden the help of using soaking up a variety of the horse‘s sweat.
What‘s the benefit of purchasing saddles on this site?
Did you understand that you may collar an excellent saddle at a quick look? The quality of substances used in its design and the strategy of manufacture are real ideas.
A customized design:
At Arion HST, we encourage custom production due to the reality it‘s miles the handiest way to get you an ideal saddle for you. The design from the measurements of your horse and yours is for this reason the handiest one which permits you to attain the pinnacle of the variety.
Our leather-based artisans are official about it: an excellent saddle is developed with leading class substances. Because the development of our business, we‘ve got centred on the choice of noteworthy leathers.
To achieve the absolute best degree of perfection, our artisans understand the method to have fun with compounds. The skins of numerous animals are intermingled to supply a frame to our remarkable saddles. Make the choice of your end and discover the extraordinary in country broad workmanship.
Every saddle goes to suit your requirements in a different way. You should find one which suits you comfortably. Frequently, manufacturers consist of more than one layer at the seat to make it softer and offer extra cushion. If you find that riding horses has a tendency to feel uneasy to your backside, then you absolutely may need to search for the saddles that offer the optimum padding withinside the seat.Best Horse Saddle Bags Yeti
Horse saddles are readily available in all sizes, shapes, styles, and materials. They‘re planned for riding in extraordinary disciplines and might be made for kids or adults. If you‘re simply beginning out in horse riding, then you certainly do not wish to overcomplicate things. You just want a superior saddle that matches you and your horse perfectly so that you can neglect approximately finding greater tack and get to riding. Hopefully, our opinions have actually helped you discover it.

domain: hobby


- New unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – faster, smarter and more accurate
- Live video stream, ultrasonic testing and 3D laser scanning capabilities
- Next phase of the project will develop a confined space UAV
Air Control Entech (ACE) and the Oil & Gas Technology Centre have reached a major milestone, with the launch of three state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which aim to reduce offshore oil and gas inspection costs by up to 50%.
While UAVs are typically used for visual inspection, ACE’s next generation technology delivers a step change in capability and functionality, delivering faster, more accurate and cost-efficient inspection.
Rather than modifying an existing design, ACE has worked with industry partners to design these new UAVs to meet specific requirements and tackle real challenges companies face in the inspection of offshore facilities.
Provides a real-time, high-definition video stream and data transfer from offshore inspections to onshore teams. This can reduce the size of offshore inspection teams and significantly improve the speed and efficiency of reporting.
Delivers faster, smarter and repeatable non-destructive testing. Using electromagnets to lock onto a structure, the UAV uses less power, enabling longer flight times and repeated readings at a single location. Advanced cameras accurately position the UAV and a bespoke data management system provides clients with instant access to results.
3D laser scanning
Cutting-edge technology enables the scanning of offshore structures to within 2-millimetre accuracy, significantly improving the accuracy of re-engineering projects by obtaining point cloud data from inaccessible locations.
ACE has already secured early-stage technology trials with a number of major operators, that will see the new UAVs deployed on North Sea facilities. These trials will provide valuable feedback that will be used to further improve functionality and capability.
The next phase of the project will see the development of a UAV for use in confined spaces, as well as research and development into flight control systems and improved flight performance through battery technology.
Kieran Hope, Managing Director for Air Control Entech, said:
“We are delighted to have completed the initial milestones for our project with the Oil & Gas Technology Centre. We now have three cutting-edge UAVs which are ready to be deployed. The support from the Centre has been excellent and it’s helped us deliver technology that makes essential inspection work smarter, faster and safer.
“We look forward to continuing our UAV development with the Centre and delivering technology that adds value to the industry and reduces costs for operators.”
Rebecca Allison, Asset Integrity Solution Centre Manager, said:
“We’re pleased with the progress of our project with Air Control Entech and it’s great to see three new UAVs ready to be deployed. Our goal is to eliminate the impact of asset integrity on operational uptime by 2026 and developing advanced UAVs is vital.
“The feedback and support of our industry partners has been instrumental, so it’s no surprise that there is already wide-spread interest in trialling the technology.”


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The Hartwick Seal
In February 1992, the College’s Board of Trustees voted to amend the Hartwick seal by adopting a pictorial representation of the original seal of Hartwick Seminary (1797-1947).
Developed in the early 19th century, the Seminary seal depicts the sower of the seed of knowledge. The most recent rendition of the seal combines the College seal with that of the Seminary using a revised image of the seed sower based on Vincent van Gogh’s many paintings titled “The Sower.” The wording from the original Hartwick seal was retained and the Latin motto Ad Altiora Semper (Ever Upward) from the Seminary seal was incorporated into the design.
The Seminary seal, which served briefly as the College’s seal between October 1929 and January 1930, holds both old and new Biblical references, as well as an affirmative non-religious meaning. In fact, “broadcast” originally referred to the scattering of seed and only later evolved into its current notion of transmitting information.
Hartwick’s new seal is evidence of the College community’s willingness to re-evaluate its history and to evolve accordingly. Adopting a combination of the original seal and the Seminary seal effectively spans the 200-year history that brought Hartwick College into the 21st century.

domain: history


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In 1969, just a few years after Srila Prabhupada started his movement in the West, he prepared a test for his disciples. Those who passed the test would receive a Bhakti Sastri degree, signifying their understanding of the basic philosophy of Krsna consciousness.
I came across the test recently and was surprised to find that eight of its fifteen questions deal with the same point: How to distinguish between religion and faith. Srila Prabhupada obviously felt this was an extremely important point.
Prabhupada taught that Krsna consciousness God consciousness is different from what is generally called religion. Taking up the practices of Krsna consciousness is not the same as converting from one religion to another. Hare Krsna devotees never say they converted from Christianity, Judaism, or some other faith. Prabhupada came not to make converts to Hinduism, he would say, but to give genuine spiritual knowledge.
Because Krsna consciousness is the eternal function of the soul, it can't be changed, as we might change our beliefs from one religion to another. We are all spiritual beings, by nature servants of God. To be Krsna consciousness is to understand our true nature and act accordingly. It's that simple.
Our Krsna consciousness is already there; we simply have to awaken it. We can't remove Krsna consciousness from our very being any more than we can stop breathing, or any more than we can remove sweetness from sugar or liquidity from water.
The Sanskrit word dharma is sometimes translated as "religion," but dharma actually means "essential characteristic." The dharma of fire is heat; the dharma of the soul is service to God.
Service is inescapable because it's intrinsic to the soul. We try to avoid service to God, but we're forced to serve Him indirectly through our subordination to His material energy. We might declare that we can live without serving others, but we must at least admit that we're unwilling servants of time, moving us unimpeded toward death.
Krsna consciousness can rightly be called a science. Students of Krsna consciousness are studying truth, or the nature of reality. The soul's eternal function of service is a reality that shines forth whether we call ourselves Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew, or atheist.
Religious traditions are meant to awaken us to the one true religion: service to God. Srimad-Bhagavatam says that the best religion brings us to pure, uninterrupted, unmotivated loving service to God. It doesn't say that the best religion is Hinduism, a word absent from the Vedic scriptures. The religion promoted by the Vedas is called sanatana-dharma, the eternal occupation of the soul.
The strife between adherents of various religions will end when everyone understands this non-sectarian, scientific definition of religion. Srila Prabhupada wrote dozens of books to enlighten people about this principle. Those books are available all over the world to anyone eager to rise above temporary religious designations and move on to eternal, universal truths.

domain: philosophy


Mobile operators are still licking their wounds after their failures with WAP, a crude form of web-browsing for mobile phones, and (so far) with third-generation (3G) services that will enable handsets to download music and video. Operators paid billions for 3G licences, but the technology is late and demand uncertain. Now the industry is rallying behind multimedia messaging services (MMS), which will make it possible to zap photos and graphics to and from handsets, just as text messages are sent in their billions already. But is this just more hype?
Click here for full story


Engineers at Warwick University are researching how to replace the complex wiring inside cars with devices that communicate via light signals.
A team led by Prof Roger Green is planning to demonstrate how visible light communication (VLC), which is already used as an alternative to wireless internet transmissions, could simplify and lighten the electronic systems in cars.
The researchers want to focus on how to transmit the beams of light around corners, how the materials inside the car affect the signals as they are transmitted and how to adjust those signals accordingly.
‘There is a lot of weight and a lot of work required to transfer signals around a vehicle,’ Green told The Engineer. ‘But there are also lots of spaces that light signals could be sent through: air-conditioning ducts, hollow doors and engine compartments that could be illuminated.’
VLC is a method of encoding data with light from an LED that switches on and off faster than can be seen with the human eye. It works in a similar way to optical fibres but transmits the signals through the air to a sensor.
The technology can be used to turn LED room lighting into wireless internet routers and is being explored as a way of allowing cars to communicate with each other via their headlights.
But Green argues that it also has advantages for sending information between the many computerised systems inside modern vehicles, partly because in an enclosed space the signals do not have to compete with natural light.
The advantage over traditional radio frequency wireless communication is that the light signals are not affected by electrical interference created within the vehicle and are not subject to telecommunication regulation.
This means multiple light frequencies, including infrared, could be used to transmit high volumes of information. The challenge will be developing ways to secure the beams as they travel around inside vehicle.
‘We need to think about what happens to the light when it reaches a corner and how much it is reflected, what colours of light we need to use depending on the coating inside the pipe,’ said Green.
The team plans to begin demonstrating the control of different vehicle components such as brake servos using VLC and is looking to work with industrial partners on the concept.


One year ago, January 22nd 2013, Governor Dave Heineman of Nebraska signed the recommendation to the U.S. Department of State for a Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline to cross the international border. The recommendation is in support of the TransCanada’s second application for a Presidential Permit to build the northern most section of the Keystone XL pipeline (Phase IV) from the Canadian Border from where Saskatchewan meets Nebraska along this new route through Nebraska that would join up with the Keystone Phase II which runs from Steel City, Nebraska to Cushing, Oklahoma. The route avoids many of the fragile soils in northern Nebraska and the shallowest areas of the Ogallala Aquifer, but still overlies portions of the aquifer, which covers most of the state. The State Department has taken no action on the Keystone request in the past year.
There is currently an existing Keystone pipeline that runs east from Hardesty Saskatchewan to Manitoba and then south through the Dakotas to Steel City, Nebraska. It is a less direct route and is a lower volume pipeline. The existing Keystone Pipeline is known as Phase I and run from Hardesty, Canada to Steel City, Nebraska near the Kansas and Nebraska border. Keystone Phase II runs from Steel City to Cushing, Oklahoma where the Canadian crude oil and U.S. domestic production of light sweet crude from North Dakota can now be transported to the refineries on the Gulf Coast. Keystone is not the only pipeline from Cushing, OK to Texas. Enbridge Inc. and Enterprise Products Partners owners of the Seaway pipeline that runs from the gulf coast area to Cushing, Oklahoma, reversed the flow in their gas pipeline to move crude from Cushing to the gulf coast refineries in mid-2012 with the addition of pump stations and other. The capacity of the reversed Seaway Pipeline is up to 150,000 barrels of oil per day, a fraction of the new Keystone III Pipeline.
The Keystone XL Pipeline has been very controversial. Most of the environmental controversy has focused on the porous soils of the Sandhills and fears of a possible oil leak into one of the nation's most important agricultural aquifers. Moving the pipeline away from the aquifer should mitigate that concern. However, many who oppose the Keystone XL pipeline want to prevent the development of the oil sands resources in Canada to prevent the acceleration of global warming. The Canadian oil sands have been known for decades, but until oil prices rose and technology improved these oil deposits were too expensive to exploit beyond the limited scope of surface mining. Advances in technology in both oil sand extraction and refining techniques and rising oil prices altered the economics and have made the extraction of oil sand possible. While the advances in extraction techniques have quadrupled recoverable oil reserves and moved Canada into second place in proved world oil reserves, it requires more energy to produce the oil and increases the carbon footprint of the crude as compared to oil from the Middle East or Brazil.
The current method of mining the Canadian oil sands increases the CO2 released in every gallon of gas adding to man’s carbon footprint. In addition, older methods of mining the oil sands left open pits that still need to be reclaimed, thought today groups of wells are typically drilled off a central pad and like fracking wells and can extend for miles in all directions. This reduces surface disturbances of the land and the footprint of the area to be reclaimed.


Boiler for fusion fuel
A real sensation in the field of nuclear physics has been the use of thermal reaction of the atomic fission in the living compartment to the national economy. The basis of this reaction allowed the interaction of Nickel with hydrogen. The principles of such interaction since the nineties have been extensively studied by scientists and recognized throughout the world as a physicist Sergio Focardi. Known in the scientific community, the representative of the scientific world were trying to start a cold fusion reaction type. At that time, the invention of the master has not received significant recognition and has attracted little attention in the context of the global community. However, the situation changed dramatically after the unusual work caught the eye of businessman Andrea Rossi. An advanced businessman saw at once in opening as alternative fuel for boiler structures and proposed to use Nickel-hydrogen reaction for heating of residential houses and buildings of the production compartment.
Soon after comprehensive testing it is planned to sell the first such installation. The basis of such structures 106 are separate modules that are connected by three units and is packaged in a common twenty-foot container. Such fusion reaction is considered in classical physics is not very profitable. However, the group of independent experts who reviewed the performance of the device noted the release of enormous thermal capacity. Experiments was to study the ratio of consumption of energy resource in this unit and subsequent isolation of the free heat. Given the small amount of information on the subject to make a final decision early enough. Because reactions of this type are characterized by a powerful ionizing radiation nature. Although the manufacturer and assured in the absence of such a danger in his invention, but before the completion of the research the question remains open.
Now a patent for such energy resource has passed the preliminary examination, and not so much on the efficiency of the system, but to the novelty of the idea. Therefore, until a full set of independent tests is difficult to make any conclusion and to assess fully the whole situation. One, of course, today the principle of such reactions and the possibility of its use for domestic purposes is radically new in the field of nuclear physics. So the idea has all chances to become the ancestor of the whole direction in the field of scientific research.


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Some news for southern Columbia Heights: La Colombe Torrefaction, the fancy coffee shop and roasting company from Philly with a few DC locations and a bar from the folks behind Bedrock Billiards will be opening in the Manhattan Laundry development near 14th and Florida. BadWolfDC reports La Colombe is opening by the end of June at 1346 Florida, in the building above, but I don't have any info on the bar.
The La Colombe building is an old brick warehouse attached to the glass-walled and really awesome looking Manhattan Laundry, which has previously been a school and of course a laundry, and was recently redeveloped by Douglas Development.
The Douglas site says there's also a WeWork coworking space coming, plus the bar of some kind from Bedrock Bars, who have also opened Bedrock Billiards, Atomic Billiards, Carpool, Buffalo Billiards, Rocket Bar, the Continental and a lot more. Some of those are relaxed, neighborhoody spots, like Bedrock, while some are big and happening, like Buffalo and Rocket Bar.
The coffee shop seems like perfect timing, on Friday I wrote about coffee shops and how it seems like there is a lack of them in the southern part of our neighborhood. Now there's a popular one coming.
BadWolf reports it will be the biggest La Colombe in the city so far with 40 seats.

domain: geography


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Eric Bana to star in Mike Hailwood biopic
Eric Bana is to write, direct and star in a film based on motorcycling legend Mike Hailwood.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 51-year-old actor will play Hailwood in the movie and will co-direct with Robert Connolly as well as penning the screenplay.
The story will focus on British rider Hailwood's Grand Prix comeback in 1978 after an 11-year absence. It will center on his return to the Isle of Man TT race, which is among the most dangerous races in the world.
Eric's Pick Up Truck Pictures and Robert's Arenamedia partnered together to secure the right to the story from Hailwood's family.
In a statement, Hailwood's widow Pauline and son David Hailwood said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Eric Bana and Robert Connolly have taken Mike's story to adapt into a feature film about his historic comeback race win.
"We are delighted that Mike will be depicted by Eric Bana, an actor with immense passion and knowledge of motorsports, Mike's career, and a rider himself."
Mike became one of the greatest motorsports racers ever after winning the Isle of Man motorcycle race, one of the most treacherous driving courses, on 12 occasions. He retired at the peak of his career in 1967 before making a comeback. He died aged 40 in 1981 after a road traffic accident.
Bana and Connolly will be reunited on the project after collaborating on 'The Dry', a film based on Jane Harper's novel of the same name.
The 'Hulk' star has previously explored his love of motorsports in his 2009 directorial debut, 'Love The Beast'. The documentary focused on Bana's first car and the emotional attachment it has gained during his life.
Bana's previous filmography includes 'Troy', 'The Other Boleyn Girl' and 'Munich'.

domain: entertainment