text:
There's a popular saying amongst the tech and development crowd that 10% of an ICT4D initiative is the tech and the rest is…. well, the rest. I've recently heard a modified version that says 5% is the idea and 10% is the business model, and the other 85% is…. well, the rest. The 'rest' is mostly made up of people, culture, context and the stuff of anthropologists.
At the Slush conference in Helsinki in November, I joined a short 'Fireside Chat' with Tanya Accone (UNICEF) and Mika Valitalo (Plan Finland) about the importance of that other 85-90%, which Tanya referred to as 'peopleware'.
Tanya kicked off the panel by asking people to think about how much time they'd dedicated to the technology of their start-up idea or their tech solution – the hardware and the software – and to then ask themselves how much time they'd spent on the people component. "People are what will make or break your idea," she said. When it comes to mobile adoption, for example, we are seeing an exponential adoption pattern all over the world, and people are driving that. "I bet every single one of you at SLUSH hopes to see that curve in your future."
She went on to note that conventional wisdom is that 'content is king,' however a key takeaway from her work in the mobile and social entrepreneurship space is that content been deposed by context. For example, when working with the U-Report project in Liberia, lessons from other countries where it had been rolled out were incorporated, but they had to be contextualized to make them work in Liberia. This involved talking and working directly with youth to ensure that the programming could be adapted properly.
Mika agreed that 'peopleware' is a critical consideration. "I've witnessed this 10:90% ratio several times when co-designing and supporting projects using technology for social impact in African countries," he said, and told the story of working on enhancing birth registration in Kenya, where the slow and manual flow of information between people and the government seemed to be a key challenge that could be tackled with use of mobiles and computers and applications.
"However, the deeper we dug the more varied the challenges seemed to be. We realized that people might be reluctant to register children when local practices were not in sync with the existing legislation. For example, if men are marrying girls under the age of 18, they might not like the idea of birth registration as it would prove a girl's age. People living near the Kenya-Tanzania border might not want to be identified as being from one or the other country, because being unregistered may allow them to move back and forth across the border more easily and receive some type of benefit or commerce opportunity.
Even with a functioning mobile phone and app in their hand, people will weigh multiple aspects based on their personal situation before taking action. So, spending enough time with end-users and trying to see the world through their eyes as much as possible is crucial, especially when working in places that are not familiar to you. This may sound self-evident, but I'd encourage everyone keep this top on the list."
I shared two of the key points from the Technology Salon earlier in the week on the topic of start-ups and social impact: a) the importance of partnership and collaboration (eg, people), and b) knowing the local context — not just the technical landscape, but people and culture.
These two aspects were really highlighted for me when I was working on a project in Cameroon that trained youth to use mobile phones to make short videos that they used to organize and advocate for change in their communities and more broadly. The donor was a large mobile phone manufacturer who assumed youth would use their higher-end phones to create the videos. The youth, however, were much more familiar with simple phones like the Nokia 1100. The phones we purchased in order to get good video quality had too many layers and folders and features. So we ended up getting some Flip cameras, because what we really needed was a push and shoot video camera, and this design was a better fit for low-income rural youth who had limited experience with technology.
We also realized that though the training was set up for youth, community adults were really interested in learning to make videos too. So we had to find ways to engage them so that they would not feel left out and so that we could ensure their continued support for the youth's efforts. This meant we had to spread our resources out a little further than we had imagined, but we saw it as necessary. In all these processes we had to balance the context and reality on the ground, the expectations of the youth and community, expectations of our local partners, and those of the donor.
Tanya added that achieving success with social impact sometimes means rethinking your business model, because you're in pursuit of the double dividend of financial return and social impact. She gave an example in Burundi where only 3% of the population has access to the electricity grid. "You would think it's a market ripe for alternative energy solutions. But many businesses avoided it because their existing retail and distribution models simply would not work in that context. It took deconstructing and reconstructing business models to create something that does work — a network of microfinanced microfranchises operated by village-level entrepreneurs." Now the families use robust, fast-charging LED lights recharged through a pedal-powered generator, a system that also recharges mobile phones.
Another aspect is understanding the value proposition, she said. It would seem to be basic business, but all too often well-intended initiatives forget this and rush in with a cheaply-made solution. "In the process, they trample over the basic human dignity of their target consumer or beneficiary." She suggested keeping in mind that people with limited resources are among the most discerning consumers because they don't have disposable income. They are cost conscious, and equally, they are looking at value for money and return on investment in the durability, feature sets and total cost of ownership of everything they buy and value. This means that more energy-efficient chips, better battery technology, and robust handsets are important to economically challenged users.
Tanya also noted that 'base of the pyramid' users are no less style-conscious or aspirational than consumers in general, so "don't disrespect them by skimping on the design and delivery of your solution. And like you and me, consumers in marginalized communities seek enjoyment and entertainment and fun too. Music has huge pull and potential… and don't forget that pay-as-you-go comes with data!"
Mika shared an example where the technology that was introduced carried almost too much power with it. In this project, a mobile phone was loaded with videos and connected to a portable projector. Daycare workers and parents were able to watch good childcare practices from model early childhood care and development centers. "What we found out was that using new technology not seen before sometimes amplified the message so much that caregivers wanted to discard what they already knew and replace it with what they saw on the screen from the model daycare centers." Though the project showed the power of tech, unintended consequences may come up at the intersection of software, hardware and 'peopleware'.
Mika talked about another project in Uganda that supported parents' involvement into school activities. Plan realized that men were more willing to come to parent-teacher meetings once they introduced a mobile SMS service through which they sent invitations. The technology lowered the threshold for men to participate in issues they might have previously considered 'women's issues'. These subtle dynamics in the local context can have a big influence on how an innovation works, he noted.
Mika's takeaways for startups and innovators were that civil society organizations might offer good synergy for co-designing, testing out and distributing products and services. "I've seen startups getting needs and ideas from the ground through NGOs, and then innovating products and services together. For example we produced a start-up mobile data gathering tool called Poimapper based on the needs coming from our frontline staff. We did on the ground pilots and product development in Kenya with actual end users who gave crucial feedback to make the service work well. Peopleware matters and partnering with NGOs can help startups to get it right," he said. "INGOs often have a wide presence around the world, and they are on the ground in communities and the surrounding society. They know quite a lot about peopleware, participatory methods, and community engagement. Then again, they don't necessary have the same agility and fast innovation processes combined with new business models that startups are often good at. So, my advice to NGOs is to go and meet startups and visa versa."
I added that it's important to understand who has access to and control of devices, and to ensure that a product or service is valuable to people in the long-term. So first — Who owns the phone? Who controls it? Often the story is that everyone has a phone but you may find that some people own 2 phones, some don't have any. You may find that the people you least expect to have phones have them or can access them, and those you'd think would have a phone don't. This is critical especially when working with girls and women who typically have lower access and control – and of course you should be sure the project is including girls and women!
Also, you may be working with people who have very little disposable cash – but if your application or idea saves time and money and meets a real need, they may be willing to move their resources from one thing to another. For example, using solar for light and charging up phones can save money and time as well as eliminate the health risks of kerosene lamps. However, you need to make sure that what you offer is a long-term and sustainable change. When people have limited resources, they'll be hesitant to invest in something new if they are not assured that it will be available, sustainable and cheaper in the long term.
Lastly, as Mika said, partnering with non-profits can offer start-ups a way to reach communities, because some non-profits are quite well-known and respected by the community (though of course, some are not too!). But ethical non-profits will not risk their reputations on ideas that they do not believe in, that are unconvincing, or that seem to take advantage of the poor. Start-ups will need to have clear ideas and evidence that a proposition is solid, because most non-profits have a low tolerance for risk and failure and (one hopes) a higher ethical standard than a basic money-making operation.
Tanya closed us out by summing up the key points:
- People are your critical success factor. "People" include your end-user as well as those that you may be partnering with.
- Context is king! Understand the social dynamics, know who owns and controls the device, know what people spend money on.
- Build a better business model.
- Understand the value proposition — Figure out how your application/tool/innovation can help save precious $ and time.
- Understand your partners — Remember that brand and reputation are very important to non-profits, and they don't like risk.
Thanks to Tanya and Mika for co-collaboration on the Fireside Chat and this blog post!


text:
Drive Home
The Pin Drop
The Holy Drinker
Deform to Form a Star
The Watchmaker
Harmony Korine
No Part of Me
Raider II
The Raven That Refused to Sing
Medley: Remainder the Black Dog/No Twilight Within the Courts of the Sun
As my readers will not have failed to notice, my love affair with music – especially progressive rock – has cooled down considerably over the past few months. A combination of personal issues and the inevitable burnout caused by the punishing pace maintained for over three years forced me to take a break after I realized that writing reviews had become a chore. Though I had previously experienced periods of writer's block, this time around it had impaired my enjoyment of music to the point that I was dreading, rather than anticipating, the evening of April 20, when the celebrated Steven Wilson and his "all-star" band were slated to grace the stage of Washington DC's historic Howard Theatre. I will therefore apologize if this piece is more of a collection of personal impressions than my usual detailed account.
Most of my readers are well aware that – while recognizing the man's talent and unstinting work ethic – I have never subscribed to the Steven Wilson cult, and most of his output (whether solo or with his many projects, including Porcupine Tree) has always failed to fully resonate with me. Though I had meant to get Wilson's latest opus, the highly acclaimed The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) to familiarize myself with the material before the show, my disenchantment with music (coupled with other, unrelated issues) prevented me from doing so, and I went in expecting to be somewhat underwhelmed. However, I am glad to say that the concert vastly exceeded my expectations, and I walked out of the theatre with a renewed appreciation for music of the progressive persuasion, even if not yet fully converted to the "Wilson cult".
Mainly known as a temple of jazz and soul music, the renovated Howard Theatre (opened in 1910, but gone into a decline that forced it to close for decades after the 1968 riots) has already hosted a number of rock concerts since its 2012 rebirth. While its stylish, dimly lit interior does not allow for a lot of socialization, and its bar and restaurant menu are not exactly good value for money, the theatre's superb acoustics, state-of-the-art lighting and spacious stage are designed to enhance any music performed there. What better setting, then, for über-perfectionist Steven Wilson, the high priest of pristine sound quality, the man behind a slew of 5.1 reissues of progressive rock classics?
I am generally rather suspicious of supergroups, which can often be a triumph of style over substance, and the all-star cast assembled by Wilson for his latest album and tour brought back memories of Eddie Jobson's Ultimate Zero Project' rather sterile headlining performance at NEARfest 2010. In spite of being prepared for the worst – that is, an ultimately soulless display of technical fireworks – the opening strains of "Luminol" put my fears to rest, immediately pushing Nick Beggs' impossibly nimble bass lines and Marco Minnemann's thunderous yet intricate drumming into the limelight, though at the same time emphasizing their contribution to the composition as a whole Indeed, the extremely tight outfit allowed very little room for solo spots, and each of the musicians put his own considerable expertise at the service of the songs.
In the centre of the stage, slight and dressed in black, the obligatorily barefoot Wilson, flanked by Beggs and guitarist Guthrie Govan, switched between guitar, keyboards and 5-string bass, with Minnemann, keyboardist Adam Holzman and reedist Theo Travis positioned at the back. Though I fully expected Govan to launch into lengthy shred-fests, his understated role was undoubtedly one of the show's most positive surprises. In spite of his standard guitar-hero image (complete with flowing locks and the occasional shape-throwing), his performance was remarkably restrained, his trademark scorching fretboard work delivered on rare occasions, such as at the end of "Drive Home". The impassive Theo Travis' blaring saxophone injected a jazzy, almost frantic note, while his flute's meditative tones complemented some of the more subdued passages. Adam Holtzman's magnificent keyboard textures laid out a rich foundation, in turn atmospheric and dramatic, according to the needs of each composition.
Over nearly 2 and a half hours, Wilson's latest album was performed in its entirety, the seven songs interspersed with tracks from the artist's two previous solo efforts, Insurgentes (2008) and Grace for Drowning (2011) – with no references whatsoever to Porcupine Tree, who seem to have been put on ice for the time being. While this might be bad news for the band's many fans, I feel that The Raven That Refused to Sing features much stronger material than most of PT's albums from In Absentia onwards. Indeed, in Wilson's solo output any overt metal or alternative rock references are eschewed or toned down, though a keen edge is always lurking around the corner. Even in the longer compositions, any excesses are reined in by keeping the emphasis firmly placed on the songwriting. Drawing upon the wide range of diverse experiences of his band members – jazz, avant-garde, metal, pop, classic rock and, of course, "traditional" prog – Wilson as a solo artist has built a sound in which his very vocals become an additional instrument, with lyrics kept to a minimum taking a back seat to the music. The unrelentingly gloomy subject matter (cleverly targeted by Wilson's surprisingly laid-back stage banter) is reinforced by a skillful use of visuals that develops and refines Pink Floyd's ground-breaking paradigm, conjuring disquieting, often nightmarish images out of an H.P. Lovecraft story (in particular the ones accompanying "Harmony Korine"), and proves a necessary complement to the music.
While Wilson's music is not exactly innovative (and very little of what is released nowadays can be called so), he succeeds in the feat of updating the classic prog sound, using King Crimson, Yes and Genesis as a springboard rather than as a template. Veering between the brooding, haunting atmosphere of the likes of "Drive Home" or "Deform to Form a Star" and jagged, frantic-paced moments in which all the instruments strive together to build up an increasing sense of tension, his compositions sound as carefully structured as any of the Seventies classics, though not as blatantly contrived as a lot of modern prog. From a personal point of view, I found those driving, dynamic pieces far more involving and emotionally charged than the quieter, moodier ones, which tended to sound somewhat alike after a while. In a show characterized by a consistently high level of quality, two songs stood out: the creepy, chilling "Raider II" (from Grace for Drowning) and the mesmerizing "The Watchmaker", during which the band played behind a semi-sheer curtain used as a screen for the stunning visuals.
Considering Wilson's tireless activity as a producer and sound engineer, it was a fortunate coincidence that April 20 also celebrates a cherished institution that is stubbornly resisting the encroachment of online sales – record stores. Not surprisingly, the venue was packed, with many far younger attendees than the average prog gig or festival – a testimony to Wilson's appeal to a large cross-section of the concert-going, music-buying public, even to those who are not necessarily into "progressive rock". Watching the crowd, and reflecting on the poor attendance of most prog shows, I thought that Steven Wilson must be doing something right in order to attract such large numbers, even if his band (no matter how talented) does not include any of the Seventies icons, and his performances showcase very recent original material rather than the ever-popular tributes and covers. Moreover (and rather ironically), now that he has stopped rejecting the "prog" tag and fully embraced the genre, his music has gained in appeal. Not being a PR expert, I have no ready explanation for this phenomenon, but I am sure there must be a lesson somewhere for the multitude of prog bands that struggle to draw a crowd larger than 30 people.
Even if I cannot see myself resuming the same pace of the past couple of years as regards writing reviews – at least not in the foreseeable future – I am grateful to Steven Wilson and his outstanding crew for showing me that music can still have an important role in my life as a source of enjoyment. By way of a conclusion, I would like to thank friends Michael Inman and Helaine Carson Burch for putting some of their outstanding photographs at my disposal for this article.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Today's kindergarteners are heavier than kids brought up in the 1970s and 1980s and appear to be on the road to becoming overweight and obese in the years to come, a new study finds.
"It's not just kids who are already overweight getting more and more so, there is an entire shift. Even those who are normal weight are gaining weight," said lead study author Ashlesha Datar, senior economist at RAND Corp. in Santa Monica, Calif.
Researchers analyzed data on nearly 6,000 white, black and Hispanic children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study -- a nationally representative sample -- and had their height and weight measured over nine years, in kindergarten, first, third, fifth and eighth grades.
The study found nearly 40 percent of kindergarteners had a body mass index (BMI) in the 75th percentile or above, up from 25 percent in the 1970s and 1980s, when the growth charts were developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While a BMI in the 75th percentile is still in the normal range, that child may be headed for being overweight or obese, Datar said. And if they're already at the 75th percentile in kindergarten, they don't have far to go before they tip into the overweight or obese category, which puts them at risk of serious health problems as adults.
Traditionally, a BMI in the 85th to 95th percentile is considered overweight, while above the 95th percentile is obese. The number of kids at the top of the scale has swelled too.
About 28 percent of kids from the current sample had a BMI in the 85th to 95th percentiles, compared with 10 percent of earlier generations, while 12 percent had a BMI above the 95th percentile, compared with 5 percent of the earlier group of kids.
Gains in BMI were most striking among Hispanic children and black girls, according to the study, published in the December issue of Pediatrics.
Percentile measures how a child stacks up to others his age. So, a child in the 75th percentile for weight is presumably heavier than 75 percent of other children his age, since children are compared to one another. Therefore, by definition, 25 percent of kids should be in that category.
But with so many kids heavier then they used to be, the old weight distributions may not hold up, Datar said.
There were also fewer kids at the lower end of the weight spectrum. About 14 percent were in the lowest fourth for weight compared with 25 percent in earlier generations and 18 percent were in the second lower quartile compared with 25 percent in earlier generations.
The weight gain accelerated between kindergarten and third grade. The proportion of kids in the top quartile (75th percentile or above) was almost 48 percent by third grade, but weight gain leveled off after that.
Experts said the findings show that to make an impact on skyrocketing childhood obesity rates, programs to encourage better eating habits and more physical activity have to start very early, possibly even in preschool. Those programs also need to include kids who are normal weight.
"If you find your child is in the 75th percentile, it should be warning to you that your child is at higher risk of being an obese adult, and you need to start thinking about what your family is doing as far as eating habits, food intake and exercise," Datar said.
The reasons that America's kids are getting heavier overall aren't fully understood, but there are many possibilities, said Dr. Albert Rocchini, a professor of pediatrics at University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.
These include the ready availability and convenience of high-fat, high-sugar and highly caloric snack and processed foods and less physical activity because of video games, TV and less outdoor play time. Many families rely more on fast food and restaurant food, which tend to pack more calories than home-cooked food.
"This study reinforces what people are noticing, and it's a little discouraging," said Rocchini. "The incidence of obesity is going up because everybody is getting heavier," he said.
For health reasons, it's important to get a child's weight gain under control, he added. A study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that obese children who became obese adults were at much higher risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
More information
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has more on childhood obesity.
(Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.)
This article has not necessarily been edited by Health24.


text:
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Not Rated
Copyright 1997 Chum Television and Salter Street Films
Reviewed by
Andrew Borntreger
on 17 June 2001
The Characters:
Kai - The last of the Brunnen-G, a race of troubadour warriors who were exterminated by the Shadow over two millennia ago. He was also killed, but had his soul drained and his fluids replaced with proto-blood. It's a long story.
Zev - Started out as a big girl, but after her "love slave makeover" goes awry she is part human, part cluster lizard, and all vixen. She would never make it as a dentist, except on a planet full of young Jack Nicholsons.
Stanley Tweedle - Nincompoop! After betraying the rebellion and delivering information to the evil empire that helped them create a super weapon he still only manages to be a peon security guard. He's screwing that up too.
790 - Droid head (separated from his body through an unfortunate accident) that ends up receiving Zev's love slave brainwashing. That means he is completely in love with the girl and who can blame him?
Thodin - Barry Bostwick! Denounced as a pirate and terrorist by the Shadow's clerics. He plans to steal the Lexx and use it against the evildoers. Unfortunately Kai adds another orifice to Thodin, right in the center of his chest.
Giggerota - Freaky cannibal woman! Plummets to her death (not really, but it looks that way).
His Divine Shadow - Shrouded figure whose evil lifeforce has transcended the ages and now guides civilization down a brutal path. Banished, for now, by Kai's efforts.
The Divine Predecessors - Brains in tupperware! They were removed from previous hosts of the Divine Shadow and give the current titleholder their wise counsel.
The Plot:
Many of my fellow capitalist pigs (Americans) are familiar with the LEXX series by its alternate title "Tales from a Parallel Universe." This, the first of four films (call them episodes if you like), immediately caught my eye during a late night of channel surfing. Bruce should have checked channel number fifty-eight, because these suckers will grab your attention pronto. The acting is over the top and complimented by effects comparable to a good quality video game. Plot and atmosphere are where things get ten shades of weird. Helicopters that look like big bugs! Brains being extracted and protected against freezer burn! A platinum-blonde beauty with a serious attitude! All part of the mix.
The first ten minutes of this story are absolutely fantastic. A small force of Brunnen-G pilot their fighters toward His Shadow's warship. Watch Kai, because he turns his head and looks at his companions with uncertainty, even while a rousing war chant issues from his throat to join their voices. Seeing a young warrior full of pride in his cause (heck, I'm not Brunnen-G and that chorus still gets my fighting spirit up), but just a little afraid was a perfect moment. He has good reason too; their ships are woefully outgunned compared to the enormous vessel they are facing.
His Shadow is soon firing massive webs of energy at the Brunnen-G homeworld, each obliterating equally massive areas upon impact. The warriors desperately use their rockets, but to no avail; with an audible scream the planet is rendered a lifeless husk. Kai is enraged and instructs the remaining ships to crash into the control pod and even succeeds himself. Unfortunately his ship's design works against the kamikaze attack. The Brunnen-G are piloting giant insects and the problem is that somehow these creatures fly through space without any sort of volatiles on board! While the collision does briefly compromise the hull integrity, it does not cause a really big boom.
Lots of bug guts litter the bridge in the aftermath, but Kai was thrown free and is promptly subjected to an impromptu sacrifice by His Divine Shadow. Good thinking by the evil overlord on that point; a prophecy foretold that one of the Brunnen-G would destroy the Shadow. Inexplicably he does not allow the body to be incinerated, but instructs his guards to store it for use as a programmed assassin. Why in the world would he do something like that? Prophecies are pretty much a death sentence for tyrants; don't tempt fate by keeping a member of the race around. Toss that body into a nuclear furnace and avoid visiting museums with Brunnen-G exhibit's (darn thing is likely to fall over and squash you - destiny always finds a way).
Note to self: Upon becoming the Emperor, be proactive and make certain to kill everyone with "Prophet" under "Job Title" in the imperial database of unwilling subjects.
Jump forward a couple of years (like two thousand and eight) to a time when His Divine Shadow's influence falls over twenty thousand worlds. Things are bad and human rights are at an all time low. Stanley Tweedle is doing poorly in his assigned profession as a security guard; so bad that he is disciplined and told to report for punishment. Initially the little worm balks at the sentence, mainly on account that they are going to remove three of his organs. Imagine losing a kidney, an eyeball, and a testicle due to a bad performance evaluation! Kinda sounds like Microsoft, doesn't it?
Stanley is actually one of the lucky ones. A transport full of prisoners arrives at the capitol city and they are bound for the penal system. Considering how serious a punishment is levied against workers for not living up to the boss' expectations, those accused of crimes are hating life. Most are subjected to organ removals (as in all of them, even the vital ones), with the remaining parts being sealed in ziplock bags and shipped to the local Spam factory. "You're eating people!" Hehehehe! Seriously folks, don't try pulling a Charlton Heston and screaming at someone who puts Spam in their grocery cart. You'll be asked to leave the store and instructed to never return. Besides, the useless body parts are being fed to the Lexx, I was just kidding.
Ah yes, the Lexx. One of the things that His Divine Shadow learned from the Brunnen-G was their technology for breeding enormous space faring insects and the Lexx is his crowning achievement. First time observers often have some impure thoughts about what the ship resembles (sickos). Perish the thought; the greatest warship ever made (grown, hatched, pupated?) is based on a humble dragonfly. It is able to cross the vastness between stars with little effort and has a devastating main weapon. With it the Shadow intends to purify the universe; which is to say he will destroy any heretic planets not under his rule.
Two thousand years is a long time for a human, or close facsimile, to live and the Shadow has a unique way of renewing his youthful vigor. The body is no more than a vessel for a nexus of dark energy passed from host to host. When the old body is failing a new unfortunate bastard is chosen for cleansing and possession. Cleansing? Being zapped in the temples with high voltage, that always purifies the spirit. Surgeons (I hope anyone with that many sharp instruments is a doctor) then remove the brain from the old body and place it into a special container; thus may the older personages provide the new Shadow with advice. Catholics should say thanks that the Pope does not possess a new body every fifty years.
Remember the prisoners? Good, because there are two with special importance. One is Zev, who is sentenced to become a love slave for embarrassing her husband. The second is Thodin, a man who successfully fought a guerrilla war against the empire's forces and destroyed over two hundred spacecraft loyal to the monarch! Little love is lost between the defamed "pirate" and his body-swapping adversary. Luckily the Church does not burn people anymore; it feeds them to baby sandworms instead. Thodin has a trick or two up his nose; he hopes to avoid a public execution and deploys a cool little "bug bomb!" It finds the network conduit that controls the arena and other functions, then detonates. Chaos results as the cluster lizards are set free on the spectators, instead of the innovative freedom fighter. Stanley is now eluding arrest and termination after missing his appointment at the detention center. Events will bring him, the remixed version of Zev, 790, and Thodin to the Lexx at the same time.
Kai is awakened and sent to stop the good guys from stealing the Lexx. Between the undead assassin and rampaging cluster lizards it comes to pass that only Zev and Stanley arrive at the ship's bridge. Of course 790 is there too, whispering sweet nothings that often contain some shockingly lewd ideas to his sweetheart, but I'm getting sidetracked. The nincompoop lucked out and had the energy key, required to command the Lexx, passed to him. That is the only reason Zev does not commence to banging Stanley's head against various solid objects; he managed to become indispensable. Meanwhile, in a chamber full of the Divine Predecessors, Kai has his memory and soul restored (destiny is knock, knock, knocking on the tyrant's door) after coming into contact with the brain of the Shadow that killed him. Darn thing even recorded the Brunnen-G war chant in surround sound!
A number of spacecraft, including the massive flagship, pursue the fugitives. Lexx is unable to fire at the attackers due to a few "if then" programming statements, so the protagonists opt to flee through the fractal core; it's sort of a weak spot in the wall between dimensions. His Divine Shadow is fed up with useless underlings and sneaks aboard to kill the revolutionaries himself. The last of the Brunnen-G is on board! NO YOU FOOL! The results are predictable and jumping realities also rearranges the pesky "if then" statements, allowing the huge dragonfly ship to wallop its tormentors. The story of the Lexx and its crew shall continue.
Things I Learned From This Movie:
Snowflakes of sufficient size can be used as weapons (anything a thousand miles across is potentially lethal).
Do not get saucy with someone who can electrocute you.
Lawyers may be evil, but they are better than holograms.
You will become invisible for a short period after losing an eye.
Being a brain in tupperware has its disadvantages, like giant brain munching worms.
Brains can be used like a "stress ball," but only once.
Fractals play hell with computer programs.
Never take your eyes off the guy with a spring-loaded head chopper.
Stuff To Watch For:
3 mins - Nothing between you and death other than a thin membrane of clear material? I hope you don't run into anything.
6 mins - A bad day to get assigned freezer number eleven...
12 mins - Those look like 1/2" nuts. I'm a lot more accurate with 9/16" myself.
28 mins - RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST A HOUSEKEEPING DROID!
40 mins - Not exactly the woman I would make a topographic scan of.
45 mins - Yeah, that's about how love works: you worship her, but she punts your head across the room.
52 mins - I think that I'd shoot him instead.
68 mins - Ouch! In hindsight you could have used some anesthetic, at the very least a few shots of hard liquor.
78 mins -
Fiend Without a Face
Audio clips in wav format
Starving actors speak out
Shadow: "And how will we know which planets shelter enemies of order, which planets are to be chosen for destruction?"
Divine Predecessors: "That will be your task."
Shadow: "Then my task is complete. I choose to destroy them all."
Bug Bomb: "Bug bomb lost head!"
Stanley: "But Lexx, that was one of His Shadow's ships!"
Lexx: "Who is 'His Shadow?'"
790: "I perceive that much of Lexx's memory was erased when we passed through the fractal core."
Zev: "What kind of robot are you?"
790: "I am a robot that wants to live in your underpants."
Theme Song
Listen to a clip from the soundtrack.
Click for a larger image
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Two guards were closing in on Zev and Stanley until they opened door number one. Normally this would mean chitinous segmented death, but she can speak "Cluster Lizard." Is screaming a language? (Insert Barbra Streisand joke here.)
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The Giant Claw
Earth is visited by a GIANT ANTIMATTER SPACE BUZZARD! Gawk at the amazingly bad bird puppet, or chuckle over the silly dialog. This is one of the greatest b-movies ever made.
Lesson Learned:
Osmosis: os·mo·sis (oz-mo'sis, os-) n., 1. When a bird eats something.
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (http://www.ucr.edu) — University of California, Riverside researchers have created a method that can classify different species of insects with up to 99 percent accuracy, a development that could help farmers protect their crops from insect damage and limit the spread of insect-borne diseases, such as malaria and Dengue fever.
Over the past 60 years, insect classification research has been limited by factors including an overreliance on acoustic sensing devices, a heavy focus on wingbeat frequency and limited data.
The UC Riverside researchers overcame those limitations by building an inexpensive wireless bug sensor that can track many insect flight behavior patterns and generate much larger amounts of data that can then be incorporated into classification algorithms.
In about three years, by having dozens of sensors running in parallel 24 hours a day, the UC Riverside researchers have collected tens of millions of data points, more than all previous work in this field combined.
"We set out not knowing what was possible," said Eamonn Keogh, a computer science professor at UC Riverside's Bourns College of Engineering. "Now, the problem is essentially solved. We have created insect classification tools that can outperform the world's top entomologists in a fraction of the time."
The research findings are under review for publication in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Insect Behavior. Keogh's co-authors are: Yanping Chen, a computer science graduate student at UC Riverside (the lead author); Adena Why, an entomology graduate student at UC Riverside; Gustavo Batista, of the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil; and Agenor Mafra-Neto, of ISCA Technologies in Riverside.
Filled with tables, chairs and computers, Keogh's lab at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering looks like many computer science labs.
But, open the closet door and there are a couple dozen shoebox-size plastic containers from a local pet store, each filled with up to 100 insects and connected to an optical sensor. The sensor consists of a phototransistor array, which is connected to an electronic board and a laser pointing at the phototransistor array.
When the insect passes across the laser beam, its wings partially block the light, causing a small light fluctuation. The fluctuations are captured by the phototransistor array as changes in current, the signal is then filtered and amplified by the custom designed electronic board. The output of the electronic board is fed into a digital sound recorder and recorded as an MP3 and downloaded to a computer.
The goal is to make this automated classification method as simple, inexpensive and ubiquitous as current methods such as sticky traps and interception traps, but with digital advantages such as higher accuracy, real-time monitoring and the ability to collect additional flight behavior patterns.
In their experiments, the UC Riverside researchers worked with six species of insects. As they added additional insect flight behavior patterns to their classification algorithm, they were able to increase their success classifying the different species.
For example, using only wingbeat sounds they had an 88 percent success rate. When they added time of day the success rate jumped to 95 percent. Then, after adding location, the success rate increased to 97 percent.
The researchers believe that success rate can further be improved by adding additional variables, such as height at which the insects fly and environmental variables such as temperature and humidity.
In a separate experiment, the researchers tested classification accuracy by adding an increasing number of species. With two species, they had 99 percent accuracy. That percentage slowly declined as they added more species. For example, with five species they had a 96 percent accuracy rate and with 10 species it was 79 percent.
For hundreds of years humans have attempted to kill unwanted insects. While some blanket methods have been successful, they can be costly and create environmental problems. The sensor developed by UC Riverside researchers aims to change that by counting and classifying the insects so that the substance used to eradicate the harmful insects can be applied on a precision targeted level.
Keogh – who originally developed the sensor with Legos, a 99-cent store laser pointer and a piece from a television remote control – believes the sensors can be built for less than $10 and be powered by solar power or a battery that lasts a year.
In the next year, Keogh, who grew up in Ireland and worked painting carousel horses while attending college in the United States, plans to focus on deploying the sensors around the worldwide. Currently, they are being used on a small scale in Brazil and Hawaii.
Keogh is working with a Tovi Lehmann, an entomologist with the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Rockville, Md., to deploy them in Mali.
The research was supported by the Vodafone Americas Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).
Journal of Insect Behavior


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Browsing by Author "Mach, Katina Lynn"
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The Effect of Transient Mood on Performance Outcomes and Levels of Motivation Variables Mach, Katina Lynn (Drake University, 1997-05)The Problem. This study investigated the effect of transient mood on need for achievement (n Ach), need for approval (n App), need for power (n Pow), and performance outcome measures. It was hypothesized that subjects ...


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Cutts murder trial costs court more than $40,000
The aggravated murder trial of Bobby L. Cutts Jr. was one of the most expensive in recent years in Stark County, even by the pricey standard of death penalty cases.
The Common Pleas Court incurred $43,483 in extra expenses for the 22-day trial, including jury selection. Those expenses included overtime pay for court staff, pay, meals and lodging for jurors, postage and copies. The number doesn't include pay for salaried workers or the regular costs of running the courthouse.
"The lights are on, the place is open, staff is here," said Court Administrator Marc Warner. "That's why we try to break out requests specific to this cost."
Most of the expenses stemmed from the number of jurors summoned for Cutts' case. The jury pool for most capital cases is about 300 registered voters. The court called 800 prospective jurors for Cutts' trial. That meant more mailings and more staff on hand to manage the jury pool.
While half of the jury pool was excused without ever reporting for duty, the several hundred who did were paid $15 a day each time they appeared at the courthouse. After 10 days of service, the jurors received $22 a day, Warner said.
When the jury spent four nights in a hotel during deliberations, the court paid for their rooms, and rooms for the bailiffs and sheriff's deputies. The court also brought in a part-time employee to help copy documents and assigned an extra bailiff to supervise jurors.
"It's just the cost of doing business for us," Warner said.
By contrast, the court spent $28,912 on the aggravated murder trial of Justin L. Lucas in September. Fewer jurors were called and the trial concluded within 10 days, with jurors spending just two nights in a hotel.
But the court spent more than $16,000 in fees for court-appointed experts in Lucas' case, a common expense but one the court didn't have to pay in Cutts' trial.
The cost for the aggravated murder trial of Edward L. Lang in July was similar to the expense for Lucas' trial.
Costs weren't limited to the court.
The Stark County sheriff's office spent $130,408.78 investigating the case, keeping Cutts at the jail and providing security for the courthouse and sequestered jurors during the trial, said Linda Steiner, the sheriff's fiscal manager.
Crime scene processing by the FBI helped the Canton-Stark County Crime Lab keep overtime down, said Director Bob Budgake, but lab staff worked 173 extra hours at a cost of about $6,000. Evaluating 242 samples for DNA cost about $5,000, or about 5 percent of the lab's supply budget.
County prosecutors also spent extra time on the case, including weekends, said Prosecutor John D. Ferrero, but they're paid on salary.
"It was something we wanted to be well prepared for," Ferrero said. "They put in the hours."
Cutts, who is appealing his conviction for the deaths of Jessie M. Davis and their unborn child, also got a bill for $19,631, most of it court costs associated with the trial. If that amount is ever paid, it would go to state and local coffers, with most of it directed to the county's general fund.
Reach Repository writer Shane Hoover at (330) 580-8338 or e-mail: email@example.com


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Okay, casting is well on it's way for season eight of Biggest Loser. I'm reposting this entry to enable people to continue the conversation started here. As you can see by the title, this is actually page three; page two is here. There's over a couple thousand comments worth of ideas, notes, and other information, including casting directors, and former contestants (other than myself) on each of those pages, so if you have some time it's worth exploring. Here are the vital links:
- NBC has posted casting information and the application here.
- Pete Thomas, the season 2 $100,000 winner has some of the best casting call advice out there, which you can find at www.WinningMan.com.
- Jen Kerns, a season three contestant like myself, and a doctor for the show for seasons four and five, has also put together some fantastic casting advice that you can read here.
- My original casting tips post with over a thousand comments worth of discussion, click here. Stacy, Adam, Phil, Amy and Coleen were all reading and posting in the discussion there – it's fun to look back and realize they were some of the superstars of season six!
- My second post (fairly identical to this one), with well over two thousand comments worth of discussion, click here.
- If you're dealing with disappointment about not being cast, then check out my post on Biggest Loser casting disappointment.
One of the questions I hear a lot is about money … how do contestants afford to be away from home and work for months at a time? I don't know what it is now, but when I was a contestant there was a $500 a week stipend for cast members on the ranch. When you received the check you could cash it and spend it, send it home, save it, whatever. All airplane tickets, hotel accommodations, etc., for the contestants and potential cast members are taken care of by NBC, and during the casting process it self there was a $50 per diem to cover food costs.
Another question is timing; typically a season lasts for about 8-9 months. About four of this is spent in filming; if you last all the way until the final three or four, you could be away from home for as much as four months or so. Once the ranch filming wraps and the last few contestants are sent home, however, there is still another four or five months that all the contestants have to continue losing weight until the finale. In addition, potential cast members are flown out to California a couple weeks before filming begins for the final round of casting, medical checkups, psychological evals, etc. NBC brings out more people than what they need and the cast is not finalized until filming literally begins. People have been cut at the last minute and replacements flown in with hardly any time to spare. Nothing is in stone until it's on camera!
When will you hear from Biggest Loser about your video? There is no way of knowing. I heard back a few weeks after I sent it in, but even after that it's a big waiting game. If you get a phone number or email from a casting direction, definitely drop them a line/call every couple weeks to find out if you're still in the running or what's going on. Schedules and plans change almost every day, so it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. If you don't hear back within a month I would think your video didn't make the cut. That doesn't mean you can't send in another or visit a casting call – it's just up to you!
Finally, here's my video application tips! This is by no means a recipe for success; it's based on my video application and the conversations I had with casting directors out in LA in between things. I was pretty curious about the whole process so I was pumping them for info even after filming began. I'm such a nerd!
They've usually decided if they're interested in you within the first 30-60 seconds of your video, so front load it with your best stuff. Make it interesting! Start off with something funny or exciting!
Keep in mind, if you're going to be cast, your video is going to be watched hundreds of times by producers, executives, casting directors, etc. If it bores you or your friends the second or third time watching it … put some more time into it!
Special effects? Don't bother! We've all got video editing software with all sorts of bells and whistles on our home computers, but fancy transitions are not going to sell you to people who do video editing for a living. In fact, it can distract from who you are. I'm a video editing nerd and I didn't use any special effects other than putting my name and contact info on as a subtitle at the beginning.
Don't bother talking about why you need to lose weight. When I first started filming my audition video I started describing all of my health reasons for losing weight – but when I was watching it back, I realized … they don't need to hear it! One look at me was all they needed to know I needed to lose weight! Show them why you need to lose it; I said I needed to lose weight for my kids, and then I followed it with a minute or two of the best footage I could find of me with wrestling with my three boys. We probably filmed half an hour of that insanity and I grabbed the cutest, loudest, and funniest few moments for the audition video. Your physical need to lose weight is not nearly as interesting as who or what your losing the weight for.
Live loud! Reality TV is over the top, dramatic, and filled with loud personalities. They need to see that on your video! I wanted them to know that even though I was morbidly obese I was up to the challenge of the crazy competitions and workouts – so I threw on a bunch of clips from my different youth group activities; me getting slimed, snowtubing, playing paintball, screaming at events, being on stage, running around … you get the idea. Other contestants did things appropriate to their lives; Tim from Oregon had himself spinning out on his Harley, Tim from Delaware recruited his elementary school class to do things with him, Heather Hanson filmed herself running around in a sports bra all day doing her household chores and errands. The less talking and more action you can have, the better (in my opinion)!
If you have footage or photos of yourself thin, include those at some point on the video. If you can show them what your after will be, then do it!
Remember, enjoy the conversation here and know that I will never compromise your anonymity – not to NBC, 3Ball, Casting Directors or anyone. You can post anonymously, or you can leave your names and contact information … just remember that NBC likes to be the one announcing their cast for the show, so if you start identifying yourself publicly as a finalist, you'll probably find yourself eliminated from the casting process. Good luck to everyone … and let me know if you make the show! Pete Thomas has more contestants on season seven than I did and I'm bitter! 😉


text: Box is an enterprise content management platform that solves simple and complex challenges, from sharing and accessing files on mobile devices to sophisticated business processes like data governance and retention. Since 2005, Box has made it easier for people to securely share ideas, collaborate and get work done faster. Today, more than 41 million users and 74,000 businesses—including 59% of the Fortune 500—trust Box to manage content in the cloud.


text:
Read the MARCH/APRIL 2019 issue of Bottled Water Reporter
Latest Press Releases
About IBWA
Recent Press Releases
Bottled Water Myths
MYTH: It takes 17 million barrels of oil a year to make bottled water bottles
MYTH: Bottled water costs 1,000 times more than tap water.
MYTH: FDA standards allow 'contaminants' in bottled water not allowed in tap water:
MYTH: The FDA has no authority over bottled water made and sold within a single state (i.e., not in interstate commerce).
MYTH: There is only one staffer at the FDA who oversees regulation of the entire bottled water industry.


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By Timothy D. Naegele[1]
The title of this article is the conclusion that I reached when I was leaving the U.S. Senate, after having worked with both American political parties for years.[2] As I wrote several months after this blog began in December of 2009:
Politically, I am an Independent, and have been for several decades, since leaving the U.S. Senate where I witnessed firsthand the shortcomings of both major political parties. I was a member of the National Democratic Club and the National Republican Club of Capitol Hill, simultaneously. I felt it was good business to entertain our clients and others at whichever club they preferred, and I felt comfortable at both of them. In fact, when I worked in the Senate, there was a spirit of bipartisanship and congeniality in both the Senate and House, which I believed was healthy and beneficial for the country.[3]
Many in the GOP are pathetically weak and spineless today. Some are "RINOS," or "Republicans In Name Only,"[4] like the despicable Paul Ryan and his running mate, the carpetbagger Mitt Romney.[5] Lots of us voted for them, inter alia, because the alternative was the racist, anti-Semite Barack Obama.[6] Many more of us have been Trump supporters from the beginning; and we have watched the treasonous pattern of misconduct unfolding, perpetrated by Obama and others—like peeling skins off an onion, one by one.[7]
Our great nation is at a critical juncture in its history, and seems poised on the edge of its second Civil War.[8] And there are threats from adversaries globally, who may seek to destroy our great nation and kill most Americans. No, these are not radical or crazy statements or fantasies:
Launched from a barge off the U.S. coast, an EMP attack consisting of one nuclear warhead attached to a single missile might shut down much of the country and kill all except 30 million Americans. Such an attack has been described as "a 'giant continental time machine' that would move us back more than a century in technology to the late 1800s"—and effectively destroy our great nation.[9]
I never realized fully how much President Donald Trump is hated until I attended a college reunion recently, where the lovely wife of a dear college friend shared her feelings with me. It was like the mood changed from cordial to "icy" within the blink of an eye, when I told her that I was a Trump supporter—and that I began as a Democrat, but would never vote for one again.
In a very real sense, Donald Trump is America's first Independent President. Thus, he garners detractors from both ends of the political spectrum (e.g., "Trump derangement syndrome").[10] Also, people in other countries have hated American "brashness" for decades, and are repulsed by it; and then there are our adversaries and enemies. Some detractors and their countries have been living off the United States' financial and military largesse—or the "dole"—and do not want to have it end.
Perhaps an editorial of The New York Sun puts the future American political climate in stark relief:
The showdown that is brewing between Attorney General William Barr and the House Judiciary Committee poses enormous dangers for President Trump. It might not look that way at first blush. The feud, after all, is ostensibly over the terms under which Mr. Barr is to testify before the House about the report from the special prosecutor, Robert Mueller. It has yet to ripen into a formal impeachment proceeding.
Mr. Barr might be able to win this fight. He is merely resisting the idea that he is to be questioned not only by the honorable congresspersons but also by lawyers for the committee. It looks to us like he should never have agreed to share the Mueller report with the Congress in the first place. It's an internal executive branch document. Even so he might be able to prevail against the House.
Particularly because of the Holder precedent. Mr. Holder is the only attorney general in history to have defied a congressional subpoena and to be found in contempt. Not just any nickel-plated civil contempt but criminal contempt of Congress. President Obama's Justice Department balked at prosecution, and Mr. Holder walked. He claims to have been embarrassed, but he's a free man.
Mssrs. Trump and Barr might be able to get away with that. We're not inclined to draw a lot of distinctions between the goose and the gander. If what's going on in the House ripens into an impeachment investigation, though, all bets are off. That's because of distinctions that have been drawn in our republic all the way back to Presidents George Washington and James Polk.
Both Washington and Polk acknowledged that once an impeachment process is started, the House becomes essentially irresistible. A study in 2001 by the Congressional Research Service recalls the fight over the Jay Treaty that President Washington struck with Britain. Washington denied the House access to his papers, saying they could be legitimately requested only in a case of impeachment.
President Polk, CRS reported, went further. He said that in an impeachment, "the power of the House" would "penetrate into the most secret recesses of the Executive Department. It could command the attendance of any and every agent of the Government, and compel them to produce all papers, public or private, official or unofficial, and to testify on oath to all facts within their knowledge."
Plus, too, mark this: Refusal to comply with a subpoena is charge that was laid against President Nixon in the third of the articles of impeachment voted out by the Judiciary Committee in 1974. Article Three charged that Nixon had "failed without lawful cause or excuse to produce papers and things as directed by duly authorized subpoenas issued by the Committee on the Judiciary."
In the case of Nixon, the House never sent articles of impeachment to the Senate. Instead, Republicans in the Senate panicked and sent a delegation to the White House to tell Nixon they were going to vote against him. It was a shocking default by weak senators. It would be as if jurors, acting before charges were handed up, told the suspect to plead guilty. It did, though, precipitate Nixon's resignation.
We're not suggesting Mr. Trump should be impeached. He has been cleared of the underlying charge of colluding with the Russ camarilla. The obstruction being investigated is, at best, ambiguous. That doesn't mean, though, that the president is out of danger. Once the House moves to a formal impeachment proceeding, the constitutional afterburners kick in and Mr. Trump could easily be bound over to a trial in the Senate.[11]
Regardless of exactly how future events unfold, having lived through Watergate—beginning just before, and culminating after I left the U.S. Senate—the human toll and national tragedy that might befall Americans and our great nation again cannot be minimized, underestimated or appreciated fully. And yes, our enemies globally are salivating.
This was all unleashed by Barack Obama, Robert Mueller and others, who must pay the ultimate price for their treasonous conduct. Unless and until this happens, no American should believe in our legal system—or that justice exists in the United States—ever again.[12]
© 2019, Timothy D. Naegele
[1] Timothy D. Naegele was counsel to the United States Senate's Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and chief of staff to Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal recipient and former U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-Mass). He and his firm, Timothy D. Naegele & Associates, specialize in Banking and Financial Institutions Law, Internet Law, Litigation and other matters (see www.naegele.com and Timothy D. Naegele Resume-19-4-29). He has an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), as well as two law degrees from the School of Law (Boalt Hall), University of California, Berkeley, and from Georgetown University. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon, where he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal (see, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commendation_Medal#Joint_Service). Mr. Naegele is an Independent politically; and he is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, and Who's Who in Finance and Business. He has written extensively over the years (see, e.g., www.naegele.com/whats_new.html#articles), and can be contacted directly at email@example.com
[2] See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2019/02/06/the-state-of-our-union-2019/#comment-16133 ("The Real Scandal Of The Trump Presidency Unravels") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/20/the-real-russian-conspiracy-barack-obama-the-clintons-and-the-sale-of-americas-uranium-to-russias-killer-putin/ ("The Real Russian Conspiracy: Barack Obama, The Clintons, And The Sale Of America's Uranium To Russia's Killer Putin") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/should-barack-obama-be-executed-for-treason/ ("Should Barack Obama Be Executed For Treason?")
[3] See https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/about/#comment-861 ("What Is This Blog All About?")
[4] See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_In_Name_Only ("Republican In Name Only")
[5] Romney was Massachusetts' governor. Then he switched, and became Utah's U.S. Senator.
See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2019/02/06/the-state-of-our-union-2019/#comment-16193 ("Republican Neanderthals") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/29/it-is-time-for-trump-supporters-to-fight-back/#comment-15494 ("Paul Ryan: The GOP's Devil Incarnate")
[6] See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/is-barack-obama-a-racist/ ("Is Barack Obama A Racist?") (see also the extensive comments beneath the article) and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/should-barack-obama-be-executed-for-treason/ ("Should Barack Obama Be Executed For Treason?") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2014/01/06/ariel-sharon-is-missed/#comment-12626 ("DEMOCRATS ARE ANTI-SEMITES")
[7] See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/boycott-the-gop-and-ignore-foreign-naysayers/ ("Boycott The GOP And Ignore Foreign Naysayers") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/the-president-and-first-lady/ ("The President And First Lady") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/americas-newest-civil-war-2017-and-beyond/ ("America's Newest Civil War: 2017 And Beyond") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/20/the-real-russian-conspiracy-barack-obama-the-clintons-and-the-sale-of-americas-uranium-to-russias-killer-putin/ ("The Real Russian Conspiracy: Barack Obama, The Clintons, And The Sale Of America's Uranium To Russia's Killer Putin") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/11/robert-mueller-should-be-executed-for-treason/ ("Robert Mueller Should Be Executed For Treason") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/06/what-atrocities-did-robert-mueller-commit-in-vietnam/ ("What Atrocities Did Robert Mueller Commit In Vietnam?") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/should-barack-obama-be-executed-for-treason/ ("Should Barack Obama Be Executed For Treason?") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/15/the-department-of-injustices-inspector-general-is-complicit-in-the-deep-state-cover-up/ ("The Department Of Injustice's Inspector General Is Complicit In The Deep-State Cover-Up!") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/20/the-american-lefts-feeding-frenzy/ ("The American Left's Feeding Frenzy") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/29/it-is-time-for-trump-supporters-to-fight-back/ ("It Is Time For Trump Supporters To Fight Back") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/17/has-jeff-sessions-harmed-america-irreparably/ ("Has Jeff Sessions Harmed America Irreparably?")
[8] See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/americas-newest-civil-war-2017-and-beyond/#comment-17018 ("The Second American Civil War")
[9] See https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/ ("EMP Attack: Only 30 Million Americans Survive") (footnote omitted); see also https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/18/the-mueller-report-a-monumental-travesty/#comment-16961 ("Media Madness Is Crippling America") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/24/the-mueller-witch-hunt-is-over/#comment-16628 ("White House Warns of Nation-Ending EMP Attacks On USA") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/the-next-major-war-korea-again/#comment-16203 ("While The Democrats Seek To Destroy President Trump, He Tries To End The Threat To Americans Of A North Korean Nuclear Holocaust") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/#comment-15839 ("Will The United States And Israel Cease To Exist?") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/#comment-15354 ("Military Warns EMP Attack Could Wipe Out America, Democracy, World Order") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/29/the-death-of-putin-and-russia-the-final-chapter-of-the-cold-war/#comment-14472 ("America's Politicians Fret Over Russia And Our Elections, Instead Of Real Threats To Our Power Grid") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/#comment-12535 ("North Korea Won The Battle Against America's EMP Commission") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/emp-attack-only-30-million-americans-survive/#comment-11760 ("We Must Move NOW To Protect America's Power Grid From A Nation-Ending EMP Attack!") and https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/the-next-major-war-korea-again/#comment-10807 ("South Korean Banks Brace For EMP Attack")
[10] See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_derangement_syndrome ("Trump derangement syndrome")
[11] See https://www.nysun.com/editorials/trump-is-entering-the-danger-zone/90664/ ("Trump Is Entering the Danger Zone")
[12] See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/18/the-mueller-report-a-monumental-travesty/ ("The Mueller Report: A Monumental Travesty")


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Greetings in the name of His & Her Imperial Majesties Qedamawi Haile Sellassie I & Itege Menen Asfaw,
I welcome you all to yet another posting in one of the many interpretations of the Scriptures from the light of Ras Tafari by, I, Lidj Yefdi (pronounced Lij, Yef-dee).
This is Lidj Yefdi, wishing everyone a very blessed recogition of Hoshana!
This Hebraic celebration culminates the appointed time of the High Holy days congruent with Sukkot.
The final day of Sukkot brings us to Hoshanna Raba. Hoshanna Raba, is the commemoration of the "Supplication," or the "Divine Judgment."
Orthodox Jews, and other Chassidic sects gather for a special service. In this special service the participants make seven (7) circuits in ritual, around the synagogue with their made lula(b)v & etrons. (*symbolic of Sukkot)
In variating sects, the Shofar(or the trumpet) is sounded after every circuit is made. The Torah scrolls are taken out of the made Arks on this commemoration day as well. Reasoning behind these ritualistic principles is recognizing the "Final Judgment" in the last days from the initiation of the seasonal appointed times. (Hebraic holidays)*
Judgment , in doctrine of the European Jewish theory, for the new year is sealed on Yom Kippur but, not delivered until Hoshanna. These teachings come from the original interpretation of the celebration, and memorials of the Hebrew people, especially from the time of the 2nd Temple of Jerusalem.
In the Midrash, there is also another application containing the willow. "The "Day of the Willow," when on the seventh day, traditionally participants in Hoshanna Raba take a willow and have it present with the other "4 Species" or "4 Kinds". (of the symbols from Sukkot)*
Now, from an Ethiopic perspective and a Christian one, Hosanna (Hoshanna) takes on a bit a different interpretation. But, repentance is most certainly a theme echoed in it as well. Not to mention the commemoration has a different orientation in the timing of the celebratory recognition. But, also with that repentance is the recognition of the significance of Christ, of course. Christ rode into Jerusalem on the back of donkey(ass) with the Disciples and the palms, were carried by all of the people. Very significant when you are able to compare this from Scripture to the practices and tradtions of the Jewish and Hebrew people celebration Hoshanna.
Matt. 21:9 ; 15 ; Mrk. 11:9-10 ; Jhn. 12:13


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Filed under: Press | Tags: Crossbeat Magazine, Magazine, Music, Press, Trashcan Sinatras
Don't you just love music genres? Rock, Punk, Ska, Folk, Dance, Future Garage, Technical Death Metal and Neo-Acoustic?
I'm not really sure what 'Neo-Acoustic' means musically and it's not a genre I'd associate with the Trashcan Sinatras, but it seemed to be on the agenda for this 1991 interview in Japanese rock magazine, 'Crossbeat'.
Here's Paul telling us what it all means…
The Boys Wonders
The Trash Can Sinatras
Making music on guitar is real.
Nothing beats a Rickenbacker.
The No.1 talented newcomers, comfortable under the shadow of the 1980's Neo- acoustic scene
Somehow, there is a band that's never been paid attention to properly, even though they have always been in the top 10 on the CMJ charts for the last 10 years. Even in their home country of Scotland they have been largely overlooked. The Trash Can Sinatras. You could say that they are the last remaining Neo-Acoustic band in existence, but their music is more than just a movement in the past. It has new potential for the future. Their debut album 'Cake' shows their genuine talent in the sound and the well thought out arrangement, even between each song. It has been almost a year since the first album was released but their talent still stands out. I personally put these guys in the top 3 rookie bands of last year. I would love them to be heard more among those who pursue real music. I hope they become popular, like The Railway Children after their success in England. Let's listen to Paul Livingston telling us why "Neo-Acoustic isn't just relaxing picnic music."
Can you please tell us how the band came together?
There were different guys coming and going at first, but by 1988 I was doing covers with John, Frank and couple of other guys. We made demos, visited a few record companies and Go! Discs came and saw us when we were supporting The Lilac Time. We've all known each other since school, and often got together for drinks.
Is it true that you used to play Frank Sinatra, too?
That's just a joke! (laughs) Although we did do some when we had just started out.
What does The Trash Can Sinatras mean?
This name was chosen before I joined. John was there when they decided on the name. I joined after so I can't really explain it.
I love your debut album. It incorporates all the typical but wonderful Neo-acoustic sounds from the early '80s but with your own quality added to it. Were you inspired by those bands?
I don't really like to say which bands I was inspired by. Besides, I don't really have any. To be honest, I don't like Aztec Camera. We are often compared to them, but the one similarity between us is that we both play the guitar and sing.
Well, that's not what I was expecting to hear. I remember John saying he liked Aztec…?
I don't know what everyone else says, but I don't like them! I like The Smiths and the Cocteau Twins, but none of the others are any good at all. Lloyd Cole moved to Glasgow just so that he can pretend to be cool!
(Laughs) So what is your opinion of the guitar pop bands in the '80s?
I liked some of them, but I reckon most of them are crap! I do listen to the Stone Roses, but they are not enough to get me really hooked.
OK, then what was your purpose when making this album if your weren't trying to encourage neo-acoustic to make a come-back to the music scene against this current dance music boom?
It's not a big deal for us. We've never had any intention to do a specific thing. We just make music. We like to spend time in the studio. There's nothing better than a Rickenbacker.
There are three people listed as producers on this album, the band, John Leckie and Roger Bechirian…
Yes, and I think that the album was good as a result. It shows us very well. Some songs are soft and melodic, some are a little harder. You need to listen to more than one song to understand us. You'll know when you listen to the whole album. Those two have also been our drinking buddies. (laughs)
I noticed that you used the band name as a writing credit on the album….
It looks better that way, doesn't it? After all, we are a band and we are all involved in making the music.
So nothing like Roddy Frame splitting to do his solo project, and not like the stand-out Morrissey/Marr combination. If we think recently, then more like Ride?
Yeah, we all get on really well, and we only think about music as a band. We've never thought about branching out into solo projects.
Would it be fair to say that your songs kind of seem to be about the conflict of becoming an adult?
Hmmmm, maybe …. No, on the surface it might seem like we're writing about that feeling, but we don't particularly follow any theme or philosophy. It changes with each song.
Thrupenny Tears seems to criticise the recent dance music scene…
Ah, that was just a little bit of mucking around. There's not really any malice or harm intended. Some people write political lyrics, but we don't try to do that. We don't know enough about that field. Personally, I like Primal Scream. I don't really know The Soup Dragons. In regards to recent house and dance music, I don't listen to stuff that has no melody!
Did people around your age have any direct experiences with punk?
Some in the band did. George, John, Steve, those three were apparently really influenced by it. I think it was one of the reasons for starting the band. But me, not at all. I had no interest in it.
For example, Irish band Power or Dreams said this; "We want to be seen as a completely new generation of band. Don't put us in the same basket as any previous Irish bands." How do you feel about your own Scottish roots?
We're not part of a music "scene" that comes out of Scotland, and we have never thought of ourselves as being part of any scene. It just so happens that at the moment we are doing this kind of music, and it just happens to be that we are from Scotland. Besides, there's a very real chance that our music could change a lot from now, and I think that it would be a natural thing. There's nothing particularly "Scottish" in our music.
So there you have it. Neo-Acoustic explained. I don't think I'm any the wiser to be honest. An interesting part of the article for me, however, was the little fact of the Trashcan's being ever present in the CMJ's Top Ten charts. Here's the proof for the album, 'Cake' and also debut single, 'Obscurity Knocks'…
1991 Crossbeat Magazine, Japan.Follow @fivehungryjoes
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Acer has been around for a while, and is known for cost-effective computer systems. With all-in-one computing solutions having high popularity in businesses and homes for their simplicity and reduced cabling and clutter, Acer has a variety of entries in this genre of computing solutions, and today we're taking a look at the Acer Veriton Z2640G AIO.
The Specs
This AIO comes in an attractive and simple form factor, with two feet installed at the bottom corners to lift the frame up off the desk, allowing cables to pass underneath the monitor if desired. If you choose to mount the system on a stand or VESA mounting system, the feet can be easily removed to clean up the look.
The unit ships with either a dual core Celeron 1007U processor or the upgraded dual-core Pentium 2117U, both of which are Ivy Bridge chips in the 17W mobile categories. The review unit we received had the faster Pentium core running at 1.8 GHz; 4 GB of DDR3 memory (expandable to 16 GB); a 500 GB Seagate Momentus 5,400 RPM SATA hard drive; and a 19-inch 1600x900 LED-backlit display powered by Intel HD graphics.
The case has a matte, slightly textured finish that's attractive and won't show fingerprints nearly as much as a glossy finish. Supporting the unit is a tiltable frame stand, whose angle adjusts from 6-60 degrees and is spring-loaded to return to the smallest angle when the system is lifted.
The power button, monitor on/off and brightness control are tucked under the right front edge of the bezel, and three indicator lights (for power, network activity and disc activity) are positioned next to it. The blue LEDs for the indicators are small and not too bright - good enough to get a sense of what your machine is doing, but not obnoxious. A nice design. I actually see more of the LED light in the reflection of the glass-top table I use than directly from the LED.
The system comes with both a wired 1000baseT Ethernet connector and 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking. On the demo system sent to us for evaluation, the wireless component was not working properly - while it could see all the networks, it would always fail when attempting to connect to one. Eventually, the system wasn't even seeing any wireless networks. However, the wired networked worked perfectly.
Other ports and connectors include a rotatable webcam and built-in microphone; a headphone and microphone jack; an SD card reader; two USB 3 ports; a D-sub port; an HDMI port; two USB 2.0 ports; two built-in speakers; and a super-multi optical drive. It's a fairly light-weight system, and Acer removed the power supply from the case and provided a laptop-like brick power supply which helps keep the weight down.


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I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8
November 18, 2012 by peggy1martin2
Award-winning Scottish publishing and design
Creating Fabulous Yarn for Your Crafting Happiness
Learning to look up and let go
Fight the Good Fight, Wage the Good Warfare
dressing well starts inside
blog o przędzeniu i tkaniu
This is simply a place for me to record and share with others some of the things God is teaching me and doing in my life and the lives of those around me. I pray it glorifies God and encourages others.
The adventure of NikkiM
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A peek into the life of Will and Maisie!


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At the retail store, a long line of questions at checkout
Retail stores are increasingly barraging their customers with questions. It's marketing for them. Is it good for you?
At Albrecht's Sentry Foods, a family-owned grocery store in Delafield, Wis., cashier Jackie Ryerson says hardy customers are sometimes surprised when she asks, "Would you like help out to your car?"
But Ms. Ryerson is required to ask all customers that question; also, whether they have coupons, a gasoline points card, and, of course, if they prefer paper or plastic. Store management regularly sends "mystery shoppers" through the line to verify that she does.
Increasingly, consumers are bombarded with questions at the checkout counter – May I start with your phone number? What's your ZIP Code? Are you a member of our rewards program? Do you need batteries? Would you like to save 10 percent today by applying for our credit card? In a down economy, merchants not only want to impress customers with attentive service, they are also using sophisticated "business intelligence" software to boost their bottom lines.
This holiday shopping season, such techniques will be on full display. But there are ways to deflect annoying questions – and preserve your privacy in the process.
"I think the consumer ... is feeling put off by all these intrusive questions," says Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League in Washington, D.C. "I tell consumers: Think twice before you speak. Why do they want this information and what is it going to be used for? You have no obligation to provide it. You're the customer. You're in charge."
Dismissing questions, however, won't put an end to them.
"Retailers recognize that their greatest source of information on their customers comes at the point of sale," says Lee Holman, lead retail analyst for IHL Group, a global research and advisory firm based in Franklin, Tenn. "With high-powered computing capability and so forth, Pentium-class processors at the point of sale, and heavy-duty database capability in the back office or back at headquarters, they have been tracking information for a long time."
Groceries started using that information in a big way, and now retail stores and online channels are following suit, says Sahir Anand, a retail analyst with Aberdeen Group, a research and survey firm in Boston. "Once you have a segmented customer list, you can cross-sell and up-sell more effectively."
Up-selling is pitching a similar product in a higher price range. Cross-selling – such as suggesting accessories to go with a camera purchase or reminding customers that they might need batteries for a toy – can be a win-win situation, says James Dion, president of Dionco Inc., a retail analysis firm in Chicago. "Probably 95 to 98 percent of people view this as positive."
A more onerous form of cross-selling, which customers do object to, is pushing a specific item at the register, such as gum or diet cola, irrespective of their needs, he adds. "That bugs 60 to 70 percent of the population."
Retailers can learn a lot from buying patterns. That's why sales associates so persistently ask customers to sign up for loyalty incentives, also known as rewards, preferred-customer, or frequent-buyer programs. These can be a good deal. Participants typically get immediate discounts or earn points toward future discounts.
But there's a trade-off. Computerized cash registers track which items members buy, how often, and how much they buy. Retailers use this information to figure out ways to make you spend more.
"Research shows that the loyal customer is spending several times more than the customer who is not loyal," says Mr. Anand of loyalty program participants. Sending loyal customers coupons or advance notices of sales is a successful sales strategy, he adds.
In addition, Aberdeen's research shows cus-tomers are four times more likely to sign up for a merchant's loyalty program if told about it at the register. Plus, customers who feel "loyal" to a store are more likely to recommend it to friends and family, he says.
If all the checkout queries seem too intrusive, politely dismiss them, advises Ms. Greenberg. "You can say, 'I know you have to ask as part of your job, but I'm not interested.' " Here's how to safeguard your privacy and pocketbook:
1. Think before joining loyalty programs. On the one hand, "rewards" are increasing, says Mr. Holman. Retailers are sweetening the pot as new technology empowers consumers to seek better deals online, sometimes right on the sales floor, using mobile devices. But some charge annual fees, which could offset savings for infrequent shoppers, he warns.
2. Don't give out your phone number. Asking for a phone number helps a merchant quickly verify whether the customer is a member of its rewards program. But consumers could be unwittingly agreeing to unwanted solicitations. Mitch Katz of the Federal Trade Commission, the government agency that manages the national Do Not Call Registry, notes an exception that allows businesses a window of 180 days to phone customers after they have made a purchase.
Mr. Katz suspects some merchants might be resetting that 180-day period each time a customer visits the store and provides a phone number. While some customers might appreciate the follow-up after buying an item or service, those who object can ask to be added to that company's own do-not-call list.
3. Don't feel obligated to give your ZIP Code. ZIP Codes simply aid marketing, Katz says. "I never give mine."
4. Beware of sales pitches for credit cards. Penalties and fees can easily exceed one-time discounts. "Credit cards are full of tricks and traps," says Greenberg of the National Consumers League. "It's not a game I would play."
Stores should suggest applying for a credit card when it's clearly to the customer's benefit, such as saving 10 percent on an $800 purchase, says Mr. Dion, the retail consultant. "But if it's a $30 purchase, I'm going to say, 'I should go through this hassle for $3? Get out of here.' "
There are examples where retailers themselves have pulled back from gathering information on their customers. After hearing about an arson case in which an innocent defendant's loyalty-card history was subpoenaed to prove he bought lighter fluid, Michelle Harrington, co-owner of Albrecht's in Delafield, discontinued the store's loyalty program.
Customers shouldn't trade privacy for weekly specials, she says. "I don't think people think about that."


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Recently there have been rumors spread across the cyber space and in market about the authenticity and recognition of Preston University. These rumors have affected thousands of students and worried their parents who are studying in Preston University across the country. Although these rumors have died out themselves over the past few months still the reach and affect of such malign rumors can still be heard few times here and there.
It is hard and sorry to see an esteemed institute like Preston University is not accredited for all the hard work, dedication and services performed in educational sector. Preston University is not accredited for many of the services and benchmarks that it has achieved in a country with very limited educational resources. However, instead of all the negative publicity the university has continued to perform prodigious in the educational sector and students have continued to show their trust on the administration of the university. Here I would like to accredit Preston University to be among the pioneers of using many latest teaching aids that really help and motivate children to understand things well and transform themselves into world class professional. I would also hope that despite the tough times given to Preston University, the University would excel and continue to strive for better and better in educational sector in the forthcoming.


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Swiss-born, Milan-based designer Consuelo Castiglioni, who founded the brand Marni over 20 years ago, stepped down from her position earlier this week to welcome her new replacement, Francesco Risso. While it was rumored that Castiglioni would be stepping down after her runway show this fall, the news has stirred up controversy in the fashion world. Nonetheless, she gave her blessing to Risso, and is confident he will design with her vision in mind.
In a 2014 interview with The Telegraph, Castiglioni said:
"I design for an independent woman. She dresses for herself, not to please others or to be judged. She wears Marni because she feels good in it, individual… I don't like clothes that are tight or fitted, clothes that are about… [she spits out the word] SEX. This you will NEVER find in my collections. There is femininity, but it is an elegant femininity."
Take these one-of-a-kind sculptural pumps by Marni for example. In a world dominated by sex appeal, they are a refreshing reminder that fashion is not about sex. It is about uniquely expressing one's individuality through the simplistic art form of dressing.
Wear these babies with a flared midi-skirt and a tucked-in blouse for a look that's both fashionable and feminine.
What do you think of these heels? Would you wear them?


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Anyone with curly or wavy hair can attest to how challenging it is to find a stylist who understands how to work with strands that were born on the wild side. The reason: Most beauty schools and traditional salons cater to straight hair, leaving the curly community to wonder, 'what about us!?' The irony in that is "there are more people in the world with curly hair than straight hair," says Shai Amiel, owner of Capella Salon, which specializes in curly hair. Still, the truth remains that it takes an expert to get the job done right. "Just like you go to a doctor with a medical problem or you see a mechanic for car problems, you should go to a hairdresser who understands your texture," notes the stylist who is best known in Hollywood's elite curly circles (and on Instagram) as "the curl doctor."
So, when singer/model Andy Allo, 25, (who you may recognize from her catchy tune and cameo in those Wells Fargo commercials and that two-year stint she spent alongside Prince on his world tour—nbd) asked Teen Vogue to recommend a stylist who could shape up her glorious signature 'fro, we sent her straight into Amiel's capable hands.
We also tagged along to her appointment for a little show and tell on the art of the perfect curly cut and color. If you've been scared to let anyone touch your precious curls, we swear you'll be fully ready to make the cut after this slideshow full of expert tips.
If you still have curly questions after you're done reading, ask away in the comments below and we'll be sure to get back to you!


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No leads on Thailand disappearance
Courtesy BBC News
Danny Hall is a former winner of TV quiz show The Weakest Link
How can someone disappear without trace on a small island?
That is the question nagging the family and friends of Danny Hall, a British backpacker who went missing in the southern Thai resort of Koh Pha Ngan six months ago.
The disappearance of the 36-year-old – last seen on 25 February – has baffled investigators and loved ones alike.
A roadie and former winner of TV quiz show The Weakest Link, Mr Hall had been on his third trip to Thailand when he was last seen after the island's world-famous Full Moon Party.
Every month, it is estimated up to 25,000 revellers descend on Koh Pha Ngan for the all-night beach rave.
For most of the party-goers their worst experience is likely to be waking up with a hangover.
But the British foreign office website warns that incidents of date rape have been reported at the event.
I've kind of accepted I'm never going to see him again. But someone must have seen something, someone must know something
Roy Twemlow
Danny Hall's friend
The Bangkok Post reported in April that a Koh Pha Ngan police chief had recently been transferred amid a rising crime rate and complaints about visitors' safety.
Meanwhile, a number of accounts of tourists being attacked on the island can be found on internet travel chatrooms.
Mr Hall's friend, Roy Twemlow, was one of the last people to speak to him when he rang Mr Twemlow from a bar, in the afternoon following the Full Moon Party.
The pair became friends at Birmingham University, where Mr Hall, from Norwich, England, graduated with an honours degree in history.
The 36-year-old said: "It was about 2pm when [Danny] rang me and he sounded fine, he didn't sound panicked. It's just not like him to vanish without trace.
"I've kind of accepted I'm never going to see him again. But someone must have seen something, someone must know something.
"Danny's very sociable, makes friends easily and is highly intelligent. He's also very non-confrontational."
On arriving in Thailand at the end of January, Mr Hall, who had worked as a roadie for The Rolling Stones and at England's Glastonbury music festival, spent a week in Bangkok at Mr Twemlow's home.
"He wasn't moping around or depressed," recalls his friend. "It was just the same old Danny."
Mr Twemlow, a teacher who has lived in Thailand for a decade, travelled down to Koh Pha Ngan to investigate after Mr Hall had been reported missing.
He expected to find police on the island in the midst of a full investigation when he arrived at the end of April.
But he says: "When I got to Koh Pha Ngan, the police knew very little about the case, they hadn't even searched the area where Danny was last seen. It's a bit of a disgrace really."
Mr Hall (right) on the day he was last seen in the Backyard Bar
Mr Twemlow found his friend's possessions – a backpack and an acoustic Yamaha guitar – left in his accommodation, a hut at the island's secluded Hat Yao beach. But Mr Hall's passport and money belt have not been found.
American backpacker Chris Chester, who met Mr Hall on Koh Pha Ngan a week before his disappearance, but did not attend the Full Moon Party, raised the alarm within three of four days of the Briton vanishing.
The 39-year-old said he and his German girlfriend had met up with Mr Hall almost daily, going to the beach, relaxing with a massage and shopping.
"He had been in regular contact with us the whole time, so when we didn't hear from him for a couple of days I thought it was pretty strange. I started trying to find him and asking around," he said.
Mr Chester checked hospitals and clinics on Koh Pha Ngan and neighbouring Koh Samui in his search for the missing tourist, but to no avail.
"There was nothing to suggest he was depressed. I really can't fathom what happened to him," he said.
'Totally bizarre'
Mr Hall is known to have joined dozens of party-goers at the Backyard Bar for an "after-party", on the morning after the Full Moon rave.
Thai police say Mr Hall's bank account remains dormant
Niki Kursakul, 45, from Sydney, Australia, who is married to the Thai owner of the bar, described Mr Hall's disappearance as "totally bizarre".
The mother-of-two, who has lived in Thailand for 16 years, said: "It's very, very strange. The bar isn't near a beach but I suppose it's possible he could have wandered down to the sea, gone swimming and got into difficulty.
"But a body would usually get washed up if someone drowned. If he'd fallen or had an accident near the bar he would have been found by now.
"There can be the occasional fight [in the Backyard Bar] but no-one saw any argument taking place that day as far as I know."
Bangkok's ministry of foreign affairs said the Thai authorities were working closely with Mr Hall's family and friends and the British embassy to investigate his disappearance.
Mr Hall's friends have launched an appeal to help find him on Facebook
Spokesman Tharit Charungvat said: "The safety of tourists in Thailand is a matter of great concern to the Royal Thai Government."
He said the number of visitors to Thailand was on the rise and that the country's popularity was "due, among other things, to the hospitality and safety tourists can expect when visiting Thailand".
Thai Police Colonel Chataree Pandum said Mr Hall's bank account remains dormant since he disappeared and investigators believe the Briton did not leave the island.
Norfolk Constabulary in England said they were treating Mr Hall as a missing person – as is the UK foreign office – but that officers currently had no plans to travel to Thailand.
In the meantime, the agony for Mr Hall's loved ones continues.
Have you ever been to Koh Pha Ngan's Full Moon Party? What was your experience? Tell us