The business of Dick Clark

Dick Clark married music and television long before "American Idol." But his legacy extends well beyond the persona of the laid-back host of "American Bandstand" whose influence can still be seen on TV today.

He was the workaholic head of a publicly traded company, a restaurateur, a concert promoter and real estate investor. Clark, who died of a heart attack Wednesday at age 82, left behind a fortune and is the model of entertainment entrepreneurship embodied today by "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest.If you have a kidneystone,

"Work was his hobby," said Fran La Maina, president of Dick Clark Productions Inc.

La Maina started as the production company's financial controller in 1966. He estimated that Clark amassed a fortune that reached into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

"He had this never-give-up attitude. He was a great salesperson and a task master," he said.

Clark was one of the early pioneers of the idea that a public company can be formed around an entertainer's personal appeal. By the time La Maina went to work for him, Clark already had three shows on air: "Swingin' Country," "Where the Action Is," and "American Bandstand."

He promoted more than 100 concerts a year back when promoters, not bands,Aeroscout rtls provides a complete solution for wireless asset tracking. called the shots. His roster included The Rolling Stones and Engelbert Humperdinck. In the 1970s, he launched shows like the "American Music Awards" and "New Year's Rockin' Eve" — shows that are highly valued by advertisers because fans still want to watch them live in an age of digital video recorders.

At one point, he hosted shows on all three major TV networks, including "The $20,000 Pyramid" on ABC, "Live Wednesday" on CBS and "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes" on NBC. All the while, he was hosting shows "Dick Clark's Countdown" and "Rock, Roll & Remember" on the radio and running a business.

"He had boundless energy and a remarkable ability to do innumerable things at any given time," La Maina said.

By the time it went public in 1987, Dick Clark Productions had several thousand employees, had launched a restaurant chain with Clark's name on it, and ran a communications-promotion business. Revenue exceeded $100 million a year and the company was profitable.

His daily schedule was daunting, even when Clark was in his late 50s and 60s, according to longtime board member Enrique Senior, a managing director at Allen & Co. who helped Dick Clark Productions go public.

Senior remembers taking a peek at Clark's schedule.

"It frankly was the schedule of a 20-year-old," Senior said. "This guy was a dynamo. I've never seen anybody who would be so personally involved in everything he did."

Despite its profitability, the business didn't always keep pace with Wall Street's quarter-by-quarter demands. Clark decided the company should be taken private by a third party, even though, according to Senior, "he could have taken the company over by himself."

"He said, 'I want a third party to do it so there's no question that I'm taking advantage of the shareholders.We offer the best ventilationsystem,"'

In 2002, the company was taken private for $140 million by a consortium led by Mosaic Media Group Inc.

Instead of cashing out, Clark sold a part of his 70 percent stake, while reinvesting the rest with the new ownership group and staying on as CEO. He voluntarily accepted $12.50 per share when other shareholders got $14.50. Usually, company founders seek the highest premium in a buy-out.

"He wanted to reward the people that were loyal to him and who entrusted him with the stewardship of their capital," said LeRoy Kim, another Allen & Co. managing director who guided the transaction. "He was a different type of entrepreneur. He was an incredible man."

Clark suffered a stroke in 2004 that affected his ability to speak and walk and led to a reduced role at the company.

In 2007,Find the cheapest chickencoop online through and buy the best hen houses and chook pens in Australia. the company was sold again,Learn all about solarpanel. this time to Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and his private equity firm RedZone Capital, for $175 million. Clark sold the remainder of his stake. He remained connected to the company only through his annual New Year's Eve show.

Over the years, Clark invested in other assets outside of production company, including multiple properties in Malibu, according to Senior, Dick Clark Productions lawyer Marty Katz and others.

He paid nearly $15 million for a 12-acre oceanfront estate in Malibu known as Gull's Way in 2002. He had offices and his home in Malibu.

In his later years, Clark was trying to sell shows "just like any other independent producer," said his publicist, Paul Shefrin.

The broad folk resonance of Kairaba

In the opening frames of the music video for Kairaba's "Mali Sadio," a fishing boat in stark silhouette cruises across the glittering horizon just off the coast of Mbour, Senegal. Back on the beach, the five members of Kairaba pose on rocks alongside the Atlantic surf,China professional plasticmoulds, outfitted with their instruments—a strange assortment of kora, djembe, drumsticks, bass and electric guitars.

The camera moves down dusty streets, past graffiti, through flowering bougainvillea archways and inside a bar tiled with a mosaic of a baobab tree. "Au Programme: Diali Cissokho & Kairaba!," a sign proclaims. Women in long red skirts dance to Kairaba's drum break.

"Senegal is built for video,We can produce solarpanel," says drummer Austin McCall. "There's just so many beautiful and gorgeous things there that attract your eye and your imagination."

McCall captured a lot of the images that ended up in the video during the month or so that Kairaba spent in Senegal last winter. Having recorded their debut studio album in October, they took it on tour to Africa. When they weren't performing, they were living the sounds constantly in a rented hotel on the beach in Mbour,Canvaz offers quality oilpainting reproductions from famous artists. with bandleader Diali Cissokho and his griot family of professional musicians.

"One thing I want you to know, my band is not just a band. It's a family," explains Cissokho, the band's kora player and vocal frontman who emigrated to North Carolina from Senegal in 2009.Silicone moldmaking Rubber, The CD release party for Resonance,China professional plasticmoulds, this Saturday at the Cat's Cradle, celebrates a milestone for the one-year-old band, a precocious West African presence on North Carolina's music scene. "These guys love me a lot. [Resonance] is not my first CD, but it's my first CD in the U.S. with these musicians, and I'm so excited about that. I never imagined I would find a band like this."

Cissokho founded Kairaba with four local musicians—McCall, Will Ridenour, Jonathan Henderson and John Westmoreland—as a loose but passionate experiment in January 2011. Pretty soon, it took off like a teenager on growth hormones, honing in on a sound that fuses traditional Manding and Wolof griot songs with North American influences and personal styles. The members agree that an extraordinary if unlikely sense of kinship galvanizes their sound.

"The communication aspect of the band is really, really precious to us. I mean to have a family, you gotta have some good communication," echoes McCall.

Ridenour shares similar sentiments: "We try to really be intentional about the way we live this project together. We're constantly bouncing things off each other, and trying to not just have a band, but a family too."

They treated the trip to Senegal much like they had treated the recording of their album—family-style, living communally for five days in Scott Solter's Monroe, N.C., Baucom Road studio.

"It felt like we were in his home almost," recalls Ridenour. "We slept there, we ate there, and recorded."

A series of guests during the sessions affirmed the familial aspect. Diali's wife, vocalist Hilary Stewart Cissokho, joined saxophonist Jim Henderson, father of bassist Jonathan. McCall says those collaborators helped such a new band stretch their ideas that much more ably: "Of course, there were some stressful times, but it was a healthy stress, figuring out how we're going to do this or that, or what sounds best."

To approximate the broad sound of the album live, they've invited a full horn section and a cadre of local percussionists to sit in, including Beverly Botsford, Atiba Rorie and Robert Cantrell. Expect some surprises as well; at The Pinhook in February, Cissokho played kora and defied bodily harm while throwing himself repeatedly onto a pile of broken glass. He says it's a form of showmanship he developed as a kid in Senegal.

"In my mind, I'm just thinking like, let me try to do something to make people crazy, to make people think, 'Oh! Diali's crazy,'" Cissokho says.

On Saturday, Kairaba will play a short set first, followed by Midtown Dickens, who are also celebrating their CD release. Kairaba will close with a long set and that expanded lineup. Jonathan Henderson plays in both bands and says he sees the logic in the unusual pairing.

Santorum wins Louisiana, trails badly in delegates

Rick Santorum vowed to remain in the race after turning in an easy victory in the Louisiana primary, even though he still badly trails front-runner Mitt Romney and faces a nearly impossible task to win enough delegates to secure the Republican presidential nomination.

With all Louisiana precincts reporting, Santorum captured 49 percent of the vote to 27 percent for Romney. Newt Gingrich, was far back at 16 percent, followed by Ron Paul with 6 percent.

Although the victory gives Santorum bragging rights and 10 more delegates, it does not change the overall dynamics of the race.We are professional plasticmould,metal parts mould manufacturers and factory The former Pennsylvania senator still dramatically lags behind Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, in the battle for delegates to the party's August nominating convention in Tampa, Florida.

Santorum on Sunday told voters in Wisconsin that Romney is "uniquely disqualified" to be the Republican's presidential pick and urged his supporters to stand with him even as he faces an increasingly improbable pathway to the nomination.If you have a kidneystone,

The Saturday vote in Louisiana gave Romney five delegates and five will be designated as uncommitted.

With the state-by-state primary and caucus contests more than half complete, Santorum has won just 27 percent of the delegates. Romney has been accumulating delegates at a 54-percent clip. Most of the remaining states award delegates proportionally based on primary results, making it even more difficult for Santorum to close the gap.

The odds would seem to rule out nomination of Santorum. But as he savored his victory in Louisiana, the ultraconservative vowed to remain in the battle. Santorum was campaigning in Wisconsin, which holds its primary on April 3.

"Even though a lot of folks are saying this race is over, the people in Louisiana said, 'No, it's not.' They still want to see someone who they can trust, someone who's not running an Etch a Sketch campaign, but one who has their principals written on their heart, not on an erasable tablet,Specialising in injectionmoulding innovations," Santorum said Sunday on CBS television's "Face the Nation". "And I think that's what helped us deliver the win in Louisiana, and I think we're going to do very well up here in Wisconsin, too."

Santorum was referring to a comment last week by a top Romney campaign adviser implying that once nominated "everything changes" for Romney "like an Etch a Sketch," referring to a mechanical drawing toy that just needs shaking for the image to vanish.Diagnosing and Preventing coldsores Fever in the body can often trigger the onset of a cold sore.China professional plasticmoulds, The comment implied that Romney would be able to move his positions more to the center of the political specturm in the general election campaign.

The remark fueled long-standing criticism that Romney, who has held more moderate views in the past on sensitive issues such as abortion and gay rights, molds his principles to fit political goals and lacks conservative convictions.

But the Republican establishment is increasingly coalescing around Romney's candidacy out of concern that an extended nomination fight could hurt the party's chances against President Barack Obama. The Democratic incumbent faces no serious primary challenge and his re-election campaign already is well under way.

An influential Republican senator said on Sunday that the nominating race was all but finished.

"I think the primary is over. Romney will be the nominee," South Carolina's Lindsey Graham told CNN. "The fat lady hasn't sung yet. But she's warming up."

Romney has churned through the nomination contest with a huge financial and organizational advantage, further dimming the likelihood that Santorum will pull off the nearly impossible task. His campaign staff rubbed that in after Santorum's Saturday victory.

"Rick Santorum is like a football team celebrating a field goal (a 3-point score) when they are losing by seven touchdowns (42 points) with less than a minute left in the game," said Romney spokesman Ryan Williams, who was at Santorum's sparsely attended victory party in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That state holds its primary on April 3.

Romney remains far ahead with 568 delegates to Santorum's 273, according to an Associated Press tally. Newt Gingrich follows with 135 and Ron Paul has 50.

Sports medicine doctor shares home remedies in new book

Say it isn’t so? One of the most fit, most athletic, and perhaps most emphatic sports medicine physicians let it fly that he is human.

“I have some knee arthritis,” says Jordan Metzl. “Instead of easing off (exercise), I have built up strength around the joint. That has really helped.” Make that helped immensely. Consider this: The elite athlete plans to compete this year in marathon No. 30 and Ironman triathlon No. 10.

Metzl, 45, shares his fitness expertise in a new book, The Athlete’s Book of Home Remedies, 1,001 Doctor-Approved Health Fixes and Injury-Prevention Secrets for a Leaner, Fitter, More Athletic Body! (Rodale). Several former presidents of the American College of Sports Medicine and professional and Olympic team physicians have praised the book for its accuracy and methods to prevent injury.

He knows athletes of all ages get hurt. His patients, from professional athletes to young and older weekend warriors, tell him the Internet is where they turn to self-diagnose. His advice? Don’t.

“I wanted people to have good, accurate information and to know when to seek help.Specialising in injectionmoulding innovations, There’s too much bad information on the Internet.”

So for all the do-it-yourselfers, the first part of his book will be one of the most popular. Nine chapters are devoted to what can go wrong, from head (concussions, broken noses) to foot (stress fractures, neuromas). The book features dynamic anatomical illustrations, descriptions of the pain and other symptoms, treatments, when to call the doctor and how to prevent the injury from recurring.

For example, Achilles tendon injuries,What are some types of moulds? such as Tiger Wood’s most recent injury, he says, can be mild to debilitating. But it is not time for the couch — ever.

“I never tell people to stop working out,” he says. “The heart is a muscle and needs to be exercised every day.”

For an Achilles injury, he recommends swimming and biking. “Running is a huge no-no and will make the injury worse,What are some types of moulds?” he writes.

He says strengthening the muscles (calf) affecting the Achilles tendon will take the load off the tendon. Result: a happier Achilles tendon.

“I take readers through the injury to getting well to performance enhancement,I found them to have sharp edges where the injectionmoldes came together while production.” he says.

But his path to prevention and improvement is not for the timid. A video of his strengthening workout on the Runner’s World website has drawn comments, from “The routine is brutal,” to “Looking for a workout to strengthen my weaker areas and this is it.”

Metzl, who teaches an exercise class once a week in New York, ultimately requires sets of lunges and squats,Learn all about solarpanel, following each with a jump. “These exercises mimic the sports you’re competing in,” he says, “unlike working on weight machines.”

How strong will they make you? The Ironman triathlete calls them IronStrength workouts for people of all ages.

Begin slowly and listen to your body, he says: “People who take my class say ‘What are you doing to me?’ But they eventually build strength in weak areas.”

Needle exchange program is a health care necessity

Australia has more than 1000 new HIV infections a year. For the sake of future generations of Australians we should be doing everything we can to reduce the number of new HIV infections. In several countries, HIV epidemics starting among prison inmates sharing injecting equipment have sparked severe epidemics in the general community.To interact with beddinges, Australia also has about 10,000 new hepatitis C infections a year. The overwhelming majority of old and new hepatitis C infections occur among people who inject drugs.

Many new hepatitis C infections occur inside prisons. Hepatitis C is a time bomb ticking for the Australian health care system. A good measure of a country's fairness is how it respects the human rights of its most disadvantaged populations. Prisoners are among our most disadvantaged. Professor Jon Stanhope (''Rights exist behind the wire'', March 13, p15) is right to emphasise the need to respect the human rights of prisoners. Australian governments have a responsibility to minimise the number of new HIV and hepatitis C infections. Who runs the Alexander Maconochie Centre? The government or the CPSU?

Mr Alistair Waters and Mr Michael Doyle (Letters,VulcanMold is a plastic molds and injectionmold manufacturer in china. March 15) have not brought up any cogent reasons for denying a health protection readily available for the past 25 years to citizens in the community to citizens behind bars. Does the CPSU deny the effectiveness of needle syringe programs in the community or in prisons to reduce HIV and hepatitis C infections?

Finally the CPSU is showing signs of removing its head from the sand in the prison needle exchange trial debate. Alistair Waters (Letters, March 15) rightly points to ''a duty of care''. He is right, and according to the considered advice we have, this means that provision of sterile injecting equipment needs to go ahead. Mr Waters correctly states that members have a right to make a valuable contribution to the debate. That therefore requires members to be fully informed of the evidence-base from abroad,Get information on airpurifier from the unbiased, independent experts. which shows that where controlled programs have been established there have been no recorded instances of syringes being used as weapons against prison staff. We have developed the world's first set of protocols that can guide establishment of a safe controlled needle exchange model (see www.anex.org.au/prisons). It factors in his concerns and the need to design an intervention for situation-specific environments that Mr Waters alluded to.

If the CPSU, with support from Government and public health agencies, was prepared to enable an informed discussion with its membership, then I am sure the workable solution Mr Waters hinted at could be found.

The ACT Hepatitis Resource Centre sees some hope in CPSU spokesperson Alistair Waters' call for ''a workable outcome among myriad competing issues'' (''Disagreeing with Stanhope on the needle exchange program'', March 15, p16); though we do not agree with his characterisation of this as a ''workplace matter''. Far beyond workplace politics the spread of blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C within prison, and then from prison to the general community, has our prisons as incubators for these preventable, serious, expensive-to-treat,Spro Tech has been a plastic module & moldmaker, and for some life-threatening conditions.

The very worst model of a needle and syringe program is operating at the AMC right now. It is unregulated, circulates a limited supply of unsterile equipment, and fails to connect its ''clients'' with health professionals. Sadly there are other gaps in the current approach to BBV prevention. For the sake of detainees, prison staff and community health, the ACT Hepatitis Resource Centre calls for the development and implementation of a comprehensive,Our porcelaintiles are perfect for entryways or bigger spaces and can also be used outside, evidence-based blood-borne virus management strategy.

Digital pictures punch up decor

I've always loved the wow factor in decorating; a special flourish in a room that makes me smile and draws me in. That's what I found at the Interior Design Show in Toronto last month.

Superb design everywhere, paired up with natural materials, lots of recycling and tantalizing textiles.Ultimate magiccube gives you the opportunity to make your own 3D twisty puzzles. I will be featuring some of the many highlights that this annual feast for the imagination offers in upcoming columns.

Today it's all about the marvels of digital print.

For Nicole Piach, every surface is seen as though it's a blank canvas waiting to be personalized. Her background in graphic, interior and environmental design gave Nicole the tools to create products inspired by what she saw being used in the couture fashion houses and textile companies in the U.K., Europe and Asia. Nicole's company, Digital Print Specialties, produces a unique line of printable products made exclusively for the field of design.

Fabrics, wallcoverings, wall murals, sound-absorption art panels, ceramic and porcelain tiles, privacy art panels for glass and lighting shades are all transformed with custom color, pattern or imagery.

Images can be drawn from anywhere: new or vintage personal photographs, stock photography,Find everything you need to know about kidneystones including causes, books, paintings, pictures, the

Internet. Spro Tech has been a plastic module & moldmaker,The custom fabrics are produced using a heat-transfer process that fuses the image "into" the fibers.

Eco-friendly aqueous-based paints provide high-color resolution, and the finished product is durable and washable. These printed textiles are employed anywhere you would use fabric: upholstery, draperies, padded and acoustic wall panels and privacy screens.

Wallcoverings continue to grow in popularity, in particular, large patterns applied to a focal wall.Don't know what tooling style you need? Texture is an important element; Digital Print Specialties has 14 different paper textures to enhance the mood of your chosen image.

Some options: A corduroy texture gives the paper a natural fabric feeling; a creased surface gives the appearance of fine leather, good for a den or office; a smooth, semigloss finish works well for landscapes; a cracked plaster effect is popular for adobe or Southwestern decor.

The proliferation of wall tiles has changed the look of today's kitchens and bathrooms.

Backsplashes and showers gain eye-catching appeal with accent tiles used on their own or in a pattern.Ultimate magiccube gives you the opportunity to make your own 3D twisty puzzles. Tiles are painted with a dye sublimation process; the image is heat-transferred and permeates into the tile surface.

Ceramic tiles offer the best reproduction, while porcelain Venetian stone has a tumbled, Old World look. For glass tiles, the image is printed on the back. Murals are created in one piece and then the tiles are cut according to the size you want.

Looking for some window privacy but still want natural light? Self-adhesive printable window films do just that. The translucent film diffuses light and objects while adding a decorative feature. Use it for glass shower doors, entry-door windows and side panels. Colors can mimic stained glass or watercolor painting, all digitally printed onto the film.

Murdoch's newspapers for sale?

Everybody knows Rupert Murdoch loves his newspapers. He launched The Sun on Sunday last weekend to replace the News of the World and couldn't contain his excitement, constantly tweeting news about advertising and circulation performance. As has often been said, Mr Murdoch has ink running through his veins.

So, at first glance, the idea that the News Corporation chairman and chief executive, who turns 81 later this month, might sell his papers, including The Sun and The Times, seems almost impossible to believe. But increasingly the talk in the City and on Wall Street is that Mr Murdoch might have to consider the unthinkable.

Chase Carey, Rupert's number two and chief operating officer at News Corp,VulcanMold is a plastic molds and injectionmolding manufacturer in china. has fuelled the speculation this week by publicly admitting that the company had considered a sale or spin-off of the titles. Mr Carey told US investors "there certainly is an awareness" that the company would be worth more if it did not own the papers.

Wednesday's resignation of Rupert's son,This page provides information about 'werkzeugbaus; James, as chairman of the UK newspaper group, News International, in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal has added further grist tothe rumour mill. Some observers claimed that meant the family was loosening its ties with the UKnewspapers.

Publishing contributes only around 15 per cent of profits at News Corp, which also owns The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and a string of papers in Australia. Cable and pay TV and movies, including interests in Fox and BSkyB, generate the vast majority of income, prompting some investors to call for the papers to be sold.

Claire Enders, the founder of Enders Analysis, cautioned that Mr Carey's comments were expected as he needs to keep shareholders onside. "He needs to be seen to be engaging in a dialogue in an open way," she said. Ms Enders believes News Corp remains committed to the papers, pointing out it has invested some $50m (31m) in The Sun's Sunday edition. "I really don't think the idea that Rupert Murdoch launches The Sun on Sunday and by Thursday there's a long-term plan to get rid of the newspapers makes any cognitive sense," she said.

What's more, Mr Murdoch is not under financial pressure from shareholders to sell. News Corp shares have recovered all their losses since the hacking scandal exploded in July.

James Murdoch's exit from NI hardly means his family has cut all links, either. Rupert Murdoch still sits on the board of NI. His eldest daughter, Prudence,Kitchen floortiles at Great Prices from Topps Tiles. joined the editorial board of The Times a year ago.

But Lorna Tilbian, a media analyst at the broker Numis Securities, said it is important to look at the bigger picture, and the TV business is key. Rupert Murdoch and Chase Carey still desperately want to buy the 61 per cent of the pay-TV giant BSkyB that it does not already own. Sky, which Mr Murdoch helped to launch in 1989, is hugely profitable, and is forecast to reap even bigger profits in the next few years – in contrast to the newspapers.

It should not be forgotten that it was the Murdochs' 8bn bid for Sky in June 2010 that encouraged rival news organisations to step up the pressure over phone hacking. The takeover was just weeks away from getting the green light from regulators when claims were reported in July 2011 that the News of the World had hacked the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's mobile. That forced News Corp to drop the bid, but it remains high on the agenda.

A year ago, News Corp proposed hiving off Sky News as a separate company from BSkyB to win over regulators' concerns about plurality in news. Now Ms Tilbian thinks selling the papers makes more sense: "Because Sky News fits in with a global TV content business, with Fox and so on, this time I'd think they try to hive off or sell the newspapers because they're the ones that are causing the grief."

Some think it would be difficult for News Corp to find a buyer for the UK papers, particularly The Sun, when so many legal clouds hang over the paper. Another Sun journalist was arrested yesterday – the 11th in the police investigation. However, if the legacy of legal problems can be ringfenced, there ought to be no shortage of interest. One option is that Mr Murdoch himself hives off the papers into a family trust or collaborates with a wealthy partner.

If the papers were sold outright, sovereign wealth funds from Abu Dhabi or Singapore might be interested.Learn all about solarpanel, Closer to home,China professional plasticmoulds, Richard Desmond, owner of the Daily Express and Daily Star, has been keen. Germany's Axel Springer, owner of the popular tabloid Bild, has been mooted but has always maintained it has no interest.

Ms Tilbian says newspapers remain highly valued as trophy assets. "Horses are for gamblers," she says. "Newspapers are for the more intellectual."

David Hockney RA: A Bigger Picture

Hockney’s new exhibition paints the Yorkshire landscape with a mystical vibrancy, and yet the saturated layout of the Royal Academy does everything in its power to counteract the elegance of his mature style.

There is something oddly nauseating about entering through the gift shop, and amid the flurry of activity witnessing the frenzied faces of people pushing past each other towards the tills to buy postcards by the kilogram. In Jerusalem, Jesus banished the money changers from temple; one is forced to wonder if the Royal Academy requires some kind of messianic intervention to prevent the rooms the paintings hang from becoming houses of merchandise.

Crossing the threshold into the magnificent rotunda that is the first room of the exhibition provides a welcome relief. Four large paintings depict the seasonal changes of three trees in the village of Thixendale. It is an apt aperitif for the rest of the show,Our porcelaintiles are perfect for entryways or bigger spaces and can also be used outside, which continues to explore the transition of the Yorkshire landscape through the year, and Hockney’s evolution of style that was prompted by his return to England in the mid-nineties as his mother’s health ailed.

The second room of the exhibition seeks to provide a context for Hockney’s return to landscape painting, and his move away from the provocative images he painted in the sixties of boys slipping through the cerulean water of Californian swimming pools. The room has an almost apologetic tone, as though the works were scavenged and displayed for whatever tenuous link they may have to the present collection on display.

A momentary glance at the first painting of the Thixendale trees in the rotunda from the distance of the adjoining second room transforms its appearance. The rectilinear rami multiply with precision as they fork into the top of the canvas; what seem like crude brush strokes from within the crowded first room take on a new air of refined elegance from afar.

The largest room of the exhibition is dedicated to a collection of 51 drawings created on an iPad. Hockney’s commitment to continuing his experimentation with technology is admirable; over the course of the seventy four years of his life, he has experimented with a variety of media, and produced work using anything from Polaroid photographs to faxes.

Speaking in an interview before the opening of A Bigger Picture, he remarked that it took him some time to see that the iPad is “a very serious medium.” The portability and immediacy of the gadget allowed him to work at an immense speed to chronicle the arrival of spring in the Yorkshire Wolds. As intriguing as the narrative is, 51 repetitions of such similar scenes only serve to highlight the flatness of the digital images in comparison to his paintings.Our porcelaintiles are perfect for entryways or bigger spaces and can also be used outside,

What they do well in showing is Hockney’s meticulous exploration of the technical aspects of painting from observation. His 2001 publication Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters contextualises his conscious rejection of the influence of the camera on observational study.

The progression of the exhibition also marks a remarkable change in Hockney’s style. The familiar motifs of trees take on unfamiliar, bold colours that could have been borrowed from André Derain’s Fauvist palette. The techniques employed in his earlier works,VulcanMold is a plastic molds and injectionmold manufacturer in china. pointillist dotting evocative of Seurat and short, and intensely coloured strokes reminiscent of Van Gogh, are amplified in these compositions.To interact with beddinges,

These works form the core of the exhibition, and have divided the opinion of critics since their unveiling. Some have argued that the tentacle-like appendages of The Big Hawthorn look as though they have been painted under the influence of a magic herb, that the flatter compositions are discordant and garish. Others have applauded Hockney’s newest reinvention for their imaginative flair.There are 240 distinct solutions of the Soma cubepuzzle,

What is certain is that the show has been in greater demand than the Royal Academy’s Van Gogh retrospective two years ago. The flagship piece of the exhibition is Winter Timber (2009). We are reminded of Hockney’s wealth of experience designing sets for the opera; the row of blue trees that lines the path curves in dramatically, culminating in a ball of twisted branches. The piece flirts with the idea of death and destruction that can be seen as the catalyst for this recent streak of productivity.

Crowds will undoubtedly continue to flock to the exhibition, and will continue to revel at the grandeur of the new works. Yorkshire’s tourist trade will swell as enthusiasts walk, like pilgrims, on “Hockney’s Trail.” Yet the show does not come close to realising its potential, it butchers the work on display. When Hockney agreed to undertake the gargantuan project, I doubt he envisaged his work being used as wallpaper in the grand rooms of the Royal Academy.

Top energy innovators put DOE labs to work

From hydrogen fuel cell storage systems to next-generation solar windows and more efficient computing to marine power tech, a whole lot of significant green breakthroughs have occurred in our national laboratories.

But for the rubber to meet the road, innovative companies have to capitalize on those technologies and scale them up to meet the needs of the commercial marketplace—which is what the "America's Next Top Energy Innovator" challenge is all about.

Hot on the heels of President Obama's State of Union Address, which highlighted support for American innovation, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced the three winning startups out of the 14 finalists in the challenge.

Winners were chosen through a combination of public voting and an expert review; each of the winning teams uses breakthrough research from one of the nation's national laboratories.

Finished 1.8 gram titanium bolt made from 1.8 grams of gas atomized titanium powder The three teams taking top honors are Iowa Powder Atomization Technologies (IPAT), a startup based in Nevada,Carrying the widest selection of projectorlamp, Iowa; Umpqua Energy, based in Medford, Ore.Fantastic range of porcelaintiles,; and Vorbeck Materials, based in Jessup, Md.

IPAT is putting gas atomization technology to work that was first developed at Ames Laboratory in Iowa to make the process of developing titanium powder 10 times more efficient than the current industry standard, significantly lowering the cost of this power to manufacturers.

Titanium is strong, lightweight, biocompatible and resistant to corrosion, which makes it ideal for use in everything from artificial limbs to military vehicles, biomedical implants, aerospace fasteners and chemical plant valves. (The powder form of titanium is easier to work with than having to cast the metal with molds, and more predictable as well, since titanium has a bad habit of bonding with whatever metal is used to make the mold.)

Winner number two, Umpqua Energy,Specialized of injection mold, plasticmoulds, is making good on clean burn engine tech developed at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. This technology tricks out your average gasoline engine in a way that allows it to operate in an extreme lean burn mode, increasing gasoline mileage. And while a lean burning engine, whether gas or diesel, tends to kick out a higher level of emissions as well, Umpqua expects to both increase fuel economy and reduce emissions with its system.

Winner number three is Vorbeck Materials,Specialized of injection mold, plasticmoulds, which is making use of a nanotech process first developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington state to build better batteries. Specifically, better lithium ion batteries—the kind widely used in laptops and electric vehicles. Vorbeck is putting the laboratory’s method to work in in developing lithium air and lithium sulfur batteries that stores twice as much electricity at high charge and discharge rates as current lithium-ion batteries, and with a bigger capacity and a longer lifecycle.

The winning teams for this year’s competition won’t win any big cash prizes for their efforts, but they will be featured at a major annual gathering of clean energy investors and innovators from around the country—the 2012 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, at the end of February—where they’re likely to garner some significant backing.

As part of America’s Next Top Energy Innovator challenge,Sika tooling & Composites develops and produces tailor-made synthetic resins, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cuts down on the cost and the red tape for startups wishing to obtain an option agreement to license patents and patent applications held through the department’s 17 national laboratories. Thirty-six companies have signed these option agreements so far, and DOE has just announced another round of the competition for next year.

Autism: a puzzling disorder

LOS ANGELES When autism researchers arrived at Norristown State Hospital near Philadelphia a few years ago, they found a 63-year-old man who rambled on about Elvis Presley, compulsively rocked in his chair and patted the corridor walls.

Ben Perrick, a resident of the psychiatric institution for most of his life, displayed what the University of Pennsylvania researchers considered classic symptoms of autism. His chart, however, said he was schizophrenic and mentally retarded.

Delving into the file,Buy a chickencoop direct & save. the researchers learned that as a 10-year-old, Perrick had seen Dr. Leo Kanner, the psychiatrist who discovered autism.We offer the best ventilationsystem, In his notes from 1954, Kanner described Perrick as “a child who is self centered, withdrawn, and unable to relate to other people,” and recommended that he be committed.

Later, other doctors relabelled Perrick. The autism diagnosis was forgotten.

The researchers found 13 other patients with unrecognized autism in the Norristown hospital — about 10 per cent of the residents they evaluated. It was a sign of how medical standards and social attitudes toward the disorder have shifted.

Over the last two decades, estimates of the autism rate in children in the U.S. and Canada have climbed twentyfold. Many scientists believe the increase has been driven largely by an expanded definition of the disorder and more vigorous efforts to identify it.

Scientists are just beginning to find cases that were overlooked or called something else in an earlier era. If their research shows that autism has always been present at roughly the same rate as today, it could ease worries that an epidemic is on the loose.

By looking into the past, scientists also hope to deepen their understanding of how autism unfolds over a lifetime.

What happened to all the people who never got diagnosed? Where are they?

Like Perrick, who died in 2009, some spent their lives in institutions. Mental hospitals have largely been emptied over the last four decades, but the remaining population in the U.S. probably includes about 5,000 people with undiagnosed autism, said David Mandell, a psychiatric epidemiologist who led the Norristown study.

Many more are thought to be in prisons, homeless shelters and wherever else social misfits are clustered.

But evidence suggests the vast majority are not segregated from society — they are hiding in plain sight. Most probably never will be identified, but a picture of their lives is starting to emerge from those who have been.

They live in households, sometimes alone, sometimes with the support of their parents, sometimes even with spouses. Many were bullied as children and still struggle to connect with others. Some were able to find jobs that fit their strengths and partners who understand them.

If modern estimates of autism rates apply to past generations, about two million U.S. adults and more than 220,000 adult Canadians have various forms of it — and society has long absorbed the emotional and financial toll, mostly without realizing it.

Stats the same for adultsThe search for the missing millions is just beginning.

The only study to look for autistic adults in a national population was conducted in Britain and published in 2009. Investigators interviewed 7,461 adults selected as a representative sample of the country and conducted 618 intensive evaluations.

The conclusion: one per cent of people living in British households had some form of autism, roughly the same rate the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates for children in America today.

The British study found it didn’t matter whether the adults were in their 20s or their 80s. The rate of autism was the same for both groups.

“That would seem to imply the incidence has not changed very much,” said Dr. Terry Brugha, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Leicester who led the study. He added the findings were not conclusive and more research is needed.

None of the adults included in the study had an existing diagnosis of autism,You can find best mouldengineeringsolution solution china manufacturers from here! though in a few instances relatives told researchers they had suspected it.

In one case, a man said he had asked his doctor about the possibility but was told that a diagnosis in middle age would be useless. After all, he had got this far without it.

Still, as more children are being diagnosed with autism, more adults are wondering if they have it, too.

Karl Wittig, a retired engineer from New York, had always questioned why so few social skills came naturally to him.

A diary his mother kept in the 1950s suggests he was not an ordinary child. “This last few weeks, he doesn’t pile the blocks any more,” she wrote when he was two. “He likes to put one next to the other, making a big row of 48.”

Two years later, he talked non-stop about wires, switches, light bulbs and Thomas Edison.

Wittig went on to earn undergraduate and master’s degrees from Cornell University and New York University in physics, electrical engineering and computer science. In the research laboratories where he worked, he felt he fit in.

“I went into a field full of eccentric people,” Witting recalled. “I was just another eccentric person.”

Wittig said he eventually figured out how to behave in social situations — to refrain from correcting other people’s mistakes, flaunting his math abilities or rambling on about his own interests. He married a former nun 18 years his senior. She died of cancer after two decades together. Wittig described the marriage as happy.

The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective

Split across three discs, Folds divides his work between songs he feels represent him best,The magiccube is an ultra-portable, previously unreleased live records and rarities. While the three-disc package is obviously aimed at long times fans, if newcomers can handle such a submersion, the set illustrates how Folds' career is deceptively deep.

The greatest hits disc runs from the first album of the Ben Folds Five through his solo career and latter day collaborations, and ends with a new track recorded by the eponymous trio. Although most of the "hits" are represented, Folds doesn't seem to feel constrained by the radio versions that are most well known. "Smoke" is represented in the version recorded with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, expanding both the scope and sentiment of the song. "Landed" is featured in its "Strings Version" that shows that while Folds can still be seen as a pop (rock) musician, it seems that he views himself as a "pop" musician in the classic '40s sense. Through the alternative versions, the core strength of Folds' writing becomes apparent, in that much like Elton John or David Bowie, the songs can be stretched across multiple facades, but still retain their core identity while featuring new eccentricities.

Noticeably, while Folds does include his biggest rockers, he seems to favor the understated, quiet tunes to the energetic banging of Ben Folds Five. While Folds' selection of his softer side doesn't necessarily come across as a retcon, it does suggest that Folds is less interested in making easily digestible tunes in lieu for those that might be more personal, despite their lack of an easily recognizable hook. Still though, with so many songs poised to pull at one's heartstrings,Follow highriskmerchantaccountes's Blog. every so often, Folds veers close to maudlin territory.

Most surprisingly, the new Ben Folds Five tune, "House," isn't so much a return to the bounciness of "Kate" or "Song for the Dumped" as it is a further expansion of Folds' current, more sophisticated statements. While the early BFF songs seemed to be as driven by Folds' snarky lyrics as the pounding rhythm section of Darren Jesse and Robert Sledge, here, Folds seems to be using his companions as pieces for furthering his own work.

The live disc exemplifies that in the crumbling music economy, Folds has kept afloat on the strength of his concerts. Just as his songs are malleable in studio form, live Folds strings from song to song, melting them into sparse versions or grandiose rockers as the occasion suggests. Deftly, Folds is able to maintain the seriousness of his songs while acknowledging that people come to live music to have a good time, and is able to weave the fine line between playful spontaneity without suggesting that his sings are merely meant for audience prodding.

The rarities disc will be the real treasure chest for long time fans. Earliest demos of BFF show the group just getting their footing while demos from '00 show Ben Folds just embarking on his solo career,Learn all about solarpanel, working out how to provide for an audience with just himself and a piano, sans a backing band. Additionally,Looking for coldsorestreatments? it rounds up a number of stray tracks, such as the download-only "Sleazy" and the MySpace version of "Such Great Heights," making collecting his expansive work just a little easier.

Across all the discs, Folds is able to form himself around numerous collaborators, highlighting both their respective skill. With Amanda Palmer, he's able to shade differences in approaches to grief between two mourning parents. With Regina Spektor, he's able to conjure the magnetic contrast between the sexes in a form rarely seen since the big band era. On the George Micahel cover "Careless Whisper," he's able to play the "straight man" to Rufus Wainwright's brokenhearted lamenting, once again illustrating Folds' ability to keep it silly and serious at the same time.

Most fascinating, however, is the likely unintended consequence of the recurring themes found throughout Folds' work when the 61 tracks are stacked next to each other, which are not quite so prevalent on his albums. It could be telling that through many of the songs handpicked by Folds, a great deal of them show him finding fault with other people. "You Don't Know Me" finds the subject nastily berating a former spouse for failing to address his needs. "Battle of Who Could Care Less" finds the subject dismissing an unnamed slacker. "Landed" again finds the song's central character admonishing a partner for failing to live up to his expectations. Yet across all 61 tracks, there doesn't seem to be a single song where the narrator exclaims, "Man, I blew it this time" or "it's all my fault."

Indeed, in sharp contrast to the lovey-dovey songs which are present on the disc, a vengeful creature seems to emerge from between the piano keys. It seems that with such a bilious thing lurking on some tracks, even those tracks which profess a purity, such as the ode to permanent love on "The Luckiest,There are 240 distinct solutions of the Soma cubepuzzle," one wonders just how much of that sentiment is transient or even deceptive. In a way, this gives the music an even more complex depth then would be found on a separate reading. Furthermore, it gives a new, and possibly troublesome insight into the real Ben Folds, who despite having written some timeless modern love song, has seen four marriages to date.

Amish Cook: Kids prep for holiday programs

Every morning son Joseph, 9, reminds us of how many more days it is until Christmas. I think the children are getting a little worried and keep asking Joe and me when we are going Christmas shopping. We have a few of their gifts, but it just seems time goes too fast.

Christmas morning is exciting for the children to see their gifts, but let's not forget the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Joseph,This profile page summarizes all known activity of the domain promotionalusbonsale. Lovina, 7, and Kevin, 6,Thank you for visiting our newly improved DIY chickencoop website! are often practicing their songs for their school Christmas program.Competitive Plastic Mould products from various China Plastic Mould manufacturers and plasticmouldsuppliers are listed below, It will be held this week.Find everything you need to know about coldsores including causes,

Joe has two weeks off from the factory over the holidays. The children also have two weeks off from school. I know those weeks will go fast with us having Joe’s family over for Christmas on Jan. 7.

There is a lot to do during that time to prepare. Some of the time will be spent cleaning the house more than usual.

Our basement needs a good cleaning. Our coal stove is the basement so it does not take long for dust to collect. We do laundry down there and the children play down there a lot, too.

We recently celebrated daughter Verena’s 14th birthday with a fried chicken dinner. She baked a chocolate cake and frosted it. We put on candles and had her blow them out.

We also had vanilla ice cream to go with the chocolate cake.

For her birthday we gave her a dolphin anniversary clock and an electronic money jar. Verena collects anything with dolphins or dogs, so she really liked the clock.

She doesn’t remember her 13th birthday due to losing her memory for a year because of her brain concussion in June 2010. We are so thankful she is doing better. She has caught up with her school grades again and is excited to be back on the honor roll list.

I took her to the doctor for a three-month check-up since her surgery. She still needs to wear the ankle brace, but the doctors were very pleased with how she is doing.

Today is laundry day again. We usually do laundry two to three times a week. The boys cleaned out the chicken coop on Saturday. So now we have some extra smelly coats and pants to wash.

When the eggs start coming into the house dirty, we know it is time to remind the boys that the chicken coop and nests need to be cleaned again.

Our chickens have slowed down in laying eggs since the cold weather began.Read about coldsorestreatments, which are caused by a viral infection that attacks the skin and nervous system. I must get busy now and hope all of you readers stay healthy over these holidays.

Saturday morning our thermometer showed 11 degrees. Today the temperature is in the low 20s.

Shaw Receives Seventh Consecutive California Waste Reduction Award

Four Shaw Industries Group, Inc. manufacturing facilities in California have been recognized by the CalRecycle Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) for the seventh consecutive year. The awards are designed to recognize the leadership of businesses and organizations with highly successful waste-to-landfill reduction initiatives.

“Earning recognition from CalRecycle through the WRAP awards for seven straight years is a great honor,” said Shaw Vice President of Sustainability Paul Murray. “It is also a source of motivation for us to continue seeking out new opportunities and channels to further reduce waste at these facilities and all Shaw facilities – as well as to work to improve our existing processes.”

The four California facilities, which support manufacturing for the Shaw Tuftex carpet brand, frequently serve as examples of the company’s commitment to Sustainability through Innovation – the Shaw Green Edge, Murray added. “From Zero Waste to Landfill status to demonstrating best practices for water conservation and efficiency, these facilities continue to help us raise the bar on the environmental responsibility of all our operations,Versace introduces brightcrystal,Welcome to the online guide for do-it-yourself ceramictile.” he said.

According to Jim Cusick, director of manufacturing for the Tuftex division, the facilities diverted a combined total of 8.5 million pounds of waste fromSave on hydraulichose and fittings, landfill (3.8 million lbs reused and 4.No more guessing at which is the best hemorrhoidstreatmentsproducts for you,7 million lbs recycled), generating more than $1.3 million in landfill, waste reduction and reuse costs in the process. “Reducing and eliminating waste from our operations is a fundamental part of the way we work,” Cusick said. “We are proud to serve as an example of how environmentally responsible practices can help improve overall operational and business practices.”

“This year’s WRAP winners are evidence that businesses and organizations of all sizes are achieving significant waste reduction and recycling goals,Competitive Plastic Mould products from various China Plastic Mould manufacturers and plasticmouldsuppliers are listed below, all while helping protect the environment and preserve our natural resources,” said CalRecycle director Caroll Mortensen.

Grocers Get Report Cards for Reusable Bags

School may be out for summer, but that's not stopping the Citizen Campaign for the Environment (CCE) from handing out their report cards.

The CCE, which has a Westchester branch, analyzed and evaluated reusable bag policies of ten separate grocery store chains in the county and presented the results of its research Tuesday morning at Stop & Shop on Westchester Avenue in White Plains, which received an A+.

Along with Stop & Shop and Walmart, other chains had their Westchester reusable bag policies evaluated in the Bring Your Own Bag (B.Y.O.B.) campaign, including: A&P, Deciccio's, Mrs. Green's, Pathmark, ShopRite, Stew Leonard's, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. (Full report card below)

On the lower end of the totem pole was Walmart, which was the only store in the report to receive a D. The group believes its findings will provide incentives for such stores to improve.

"The incentive is the grade," said CCE Executive Director Adrienne Esposito, who added that it also pays to be environmentally friendly. "Those plastic bags cost one-and-a-half cents per bag. So whenever somebody brings their own bags, and they save four or five plastic bags,Basic information about syringe needle including links. they're saving money.Definition of hypodermic needle cannula in the Online Dictionary."

A single person may only save each store a nickel,Has anyone done any research on making Plastic molding parts from scratch? however, those nickels add up over time. According to the report, Americans use between 300-700 plastic bags per year, totaling $100 billion domestically.

"The addiction to disposable bags is unsustainable and unnecessary," said CCE Hudson Valley Program Coordinator Matt Wallach. "It's a habit that we need to break and can break with a little bit of effort."

Members of the CCE interviewed stores and talked to people at corporate headquarters as well as posing undercover as shoppers. Multiple stores for each chain were surveyed from Westchester.

Stores were graded on sale and promotion of reusable bags, signage posted outside and around the store, training of cashiers to remind customers, customer education and monetary incentives.

While a reduction of plastic bags may monetarily benefit stores in the long run, that is just icing on the cake for the CCE¡ªwhich is most concerned with the negative effects such bags have on the environment.

"Plastic bags pollute rivers, streams; stick to our trees and fences; and cover up our open spaces," said Wallach, who worried about the effect such bags have on the wildlife living at the Hudson River and the Long Island Sound.

"Plastic bags cannot be digested. They get trapped in the digestive tracts of animals causing suffocation and strangulation."

The CCE cited Washington D.What is the difference between a third party payment gateway and a 3rd party processor?C.'s recent progress in the area as proof that significant reduction of disposable bags is not unrealistic. In January, Washington D.C. implemented a fee of five cents per every disposable bag used by shoppers. According to Esposito, the bill helped cut usage of such bags by 74 percent in the first four months.

Additional fees may indeed discourage shoppers from using plastic bags, however, some admit that facts alone may not do the trick.

"I'm as guilty of it as anybody," said shopper Peter Cook, 44, of White Plains. "It's just a hard habit to break."

With the grades finalized, the CCE will send the cards to the stores as well as conducting follow-up discussions. Esposito is hoping the grades will serve as a wake-up call to stores who rated poorly.We are professional Plastic mould,

"If you were in school and you had a grade and got D's, you'd think: 'I gotta do a little better.'"

Gov signs Ore. bottle deposit system revamp

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a bill Thursday revamping the state's bottle deposit system, making the system apply to nearly every glass, metal or plastic beverage container.the Injection mold fast!

Oregon's so-called bottle bill is credited with significantly boosting recycling in Oregon and in the nine other states that eventually adopted variations. But proponents say it's time to modernize the 40-year-old bill, which requires a deposit for plastic water and soda bottles but not for nearly identical iced tea bottles.


The change could also result in a hike of the deposit, from a nickel to a dime,This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. if redemption falls below 80 percent for two consecutive years. It's currently just below that level.

"By making more of these containers eligible for redemption, we're going to have a significant impact not just on our roadways and in our landfills but also increase our recycling rate,Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource!" Kitzhaber said before signing the bill in his ceremonial office at the state Capitol.From standard Cable Ties to advanced wire tires,

The new law expands an experiment with centralized redemption centers, which allow people to redeem bottles in specialized locations instead of at the local grocery store. Proponents say the centralized centers make redemption more convenient and will help ensure the collection rate rises back above 80 percent.

"The bottle bill is really about more than recycling," said Rep. Ben Cannon, D-Portland, a chief sponsor of the measure. "It's about the culture of Oregon.In addition to hydraulics fittings and Aion Kinah, It's about who we are as Oregonians. It's about the ethos we pass on to our children."