#Angular 14 new features

[carefulignorantghost]

We Meet Again

You realize you’re pregnant, but only after you and Alex have broken up. 6 years pass and you’re looking for a house cleaning job and Alex becomes your boss unknowingly.

Warnings: breakup and pregnancy discussions

You stared at the pregnancy test. It read positive.

You had symptoms such as a missed period and nausea, but you didn’t think you were pregnant. You had always been careful with Alex; he always used condoms. But you broke up a few weeks ago.

“Y/N, how the fuck do you think I feel? I don’t want to do this, but I just don’t love you anymore.” Alex said frustrated, with his hands in the air. “I don’t love you anymore!” He yelled. “I’ve moved on from you, Y/N! I want something casual; I don’t want a relationship anymore.”

You just stared at him in shock. You had been together for 3 and a half years; since you were both 14. Yes, he was acting distant, but you thought he was just stressed.

“When did you fall out of love?” You asked him, stepping forward.

“It’s been a few months. How did you not notice?” Alex said coldly.

You looked away from him. “I thought you were stressed, Al.”

“Well, you were wrong, Y/N.” He looked down at you.

“I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to come off as the clingy girlfriend who worries about everything!” You yelled.

“You already were the clingy girlfriend. And now I want to be able to have fun without you clinging onto me.”

Alex walked out the door.

And here you were; staring at the pregnancy test, unable to look at anything else.

What was gonna happen now? What were you gonna tell your parents?

You weren’t going to tell Alex. You figured he wouldn’t care.

***

Your parents were upset when you told them.

“How could you be so careless, Y/N?!” Your mom yelled, standing up from her seat. Your dad sat beside her, still in shock.

“Mom, I swear we were careful! Condoms don’t always work!” You said exasperated.

“Well, obviously! You’re fucking pregnant, Y/N!” Your mom said.

***

Your mom came in your room later that night.

“Honey, it’s ok if you choose to keep the baby.” She sat down on the bed and reached to hold your hand.

“But what about university?” You questioned.

“We’ll figure it out. It’s ok. You’re gonna be ok.” She hugged you.

6 years later.

You had moved to Los Angeles to focus on modeling. You worked two other jobs to support you and your daughter. But you weren’t getting booked and your modeling agency fired you.

Your daughter, Lila, was asleep and you were on your computer, looking at house cleaning jobs. You were laid off a couple days ago and desperately needed a job.

You saw a really high offer local to LA.

You clicked on it.

“I need someone who can clean my house and run errands for me. You can move into the guest bedroom if you’d like. Will pay $200 per day. No extra water and electricity fees.”

You immediately messaged the person.

“Hey, I’d love to work for you. I have a 6 year old daughter and would need to move in. Would that be okay?” You sent the message and waited for a response.

The person replied almost immediately.

“No problem at all. My name’s Al, by the way. The address is ——. Are you able to move in next week?”

“Yes, I am.” You responded.

***

You had just dropped off your daughter at school. You stood outside Al’s place with your luggage. He lived in a mansion in North Hollywood. The mansion was a modern style with sharp angles and lines. It looked about three stories tall, and had a huge balcony.

You walked up the pathway to the front door and rang the doorbell.

You heard the door unlock and open.

You were greeted by a familiar face.

Alex.

You stared at each other, making sure this was actually happening.

Alex looked just the same but brand new to you. His hair was gelled into a quiff and his features were even more angular. Alex wore a black leather jacket and tight jeans.

“Wow, erm- I-“ Alex began.

“How are you?” You asked, trying to stay calm. Seeing him brought up so many feelings and questions. You thought you had gotten over him, but the hurt he caused just settled into your bones.

“Come in, come in.” Alex said ignoring your question but motioning for you to come inside. He lead you to the living room before sitting on the couch. You sat on the chair opposite him.

“God, Y/N. It’s been fucking forever. How are you?” Alex said worriedly.

“Umm… There’s a lot that’s happened. I worked as a model for many years up until recently. Brands weren’t booking me, so my agency fired me.” You paused. “That was a week and a half ago. And now here I am.” You explained. It was difficult for you to talk about what you had previously thought Alex would be with you for.

“Oh my God, Y/N, I’m so sorry.” Alex furrowed his brow.

“And how have you been, Al?” You asked. How did it come to this?

“Life’s been going pretty well. The Monkeys and I have been releasing albums and going on tours. We’re actually working on our fifth album.” He said shyly.

“I’m really happy for you, Alex.” You said genuinely. But you wondered what your life would’ve looked like if you were still together.

“Thank you.” He smiled at you before pausing.

He then asked cautiously, “And you have a 6 year old daughter? When did that happen? I never saw you with another guy…”

You didn’t speak for a few moments. “Alex, put the timeline together.” You crossed your arms nervously.

Alex thought for a few seconds before he figured it out.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Y/N?” He looked hurt.

“We didn’t exactly end on the best terms, Al. And you wanted to have the typical college experience and I get that. I really do.” You recalled his words.

“And I didn’t want to burden you by telling you I’m pregnant with your baby.” You said bluntly.

[natlacentral]

Forget The Haters, Avatar Live-Action Star Elizabeth Yu Is Our Princess Azula

When Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbenderannounced that newcomer Elizabeth Yu was cast as Princess Azula, some fans of the original Nickelodeon cartoon immediately took to social media to complain. Some thought she looked too innocent to play the Fire Nation princess, an antagonist in the Nickelodeon series that takes place in an imagined world with people who can master and manipulate the different elemental energies of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Others lamented that her face wasn’t angular like Azula’s is in the cartoon, or that she looked too young for the part. (An especially odd critique considering, though never specified, Azula’s age is believed to be 14. Yu herself is now 21; she was 19 during filming.) But when it comes to the fan reaction, the young actor is completely unphased. “I’m a hit with the kids,” she jokes to Refinery29, adding that she doesn’t take it personally. “I think anybody playing this part would’ve gotten some kind of backlash.”

Yu is confident that when the show premieres February 22, fans will see the live-action show is doing more than recreating the cartoon. In the original, Princess Azula, the ambitious daughter of the Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), doesn’t appear until Season 2 when she emerges as a new threat to the Avatar, the boy with the power to control all four elements and unite the nations against Ozai’s dictatorial rule. In this iteration, Azula is a recurring character, allowing fans to see her in a brand new light. “It’s an origin story for her,” Yu says. “It’s this foundation being laid out for a lot of things to make sense when we eventually pick up where we first met her in the original series.” So if you were worried Yu’s Azula had lost her villainous edge, don’t be. Yu describes her as “a girl boss,” but “evil.” Still, she says, “Azula is my baby girl, she’s my boo thing. I love her.”

Not only is she unbothered by the early reactions, she’s not at all nervous when thinking about how the show might be received by hardcore fans. Instead, the actor is more concerned with what her two younger sisters will think. The actor has seen Asian American representation grow from Disney Channel’s The Suite Life of Zack and Cody — “All I had growing up was London Tipton,” she says, giving a shoutout to star Brenda Song — to recent Oscar-nominated films, like her 2023 favorite Past Lives starring Greta Lee. As half-Korean, Yu is proud to be a part of this current shift. “The idea that my little sisters are going to be able to watch TV and movies, and the likelihood of them getting to see someone that looks like them is so much higher, is such a win. It’s so healing to know that we’re creating an industry where little girls — little anyones — can feel like that.” 

The fact that Avatar: The Last Airbender stars Asian actors is arguably the new show’s biggest break from the original series. When the cartoon first premiered in 2005, it only featured a few Asian and Asian American voice actors, despite the fact that it took place in a world inhabited by mostly Asian and Indigenous peoples. When the beloved series was adapted into a widely panned live-action film, The Last Airbender (2010), the cast also remained mostly whitewashed, save for members of the Fire Nation, who were depicted as South Asian. Now, two decades after the original’s debut, Asians are finally getting a seat at the table. “It’s monumental,” Yu says.. “It’s so important to be able to see yourself in stories. That’s what storytelling is about.” 

Yu’s confidence is impressive, especially considering Avatar: The Last Airbender is only her third credit on IMDB. She gives off the air of an old pro. And in some ways, she is. Born and raised in New Jersey, she’s been auditioning for acting roles since she was 16. She’s also been dating Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo since they were 15. They currently live together in New York City with their three cats, and she’s had a front row seat to his rise to global celebrity. Though she insists she has always tried to keep their careers separate from their relationship, she admits, “Getting to see someone with such a huge heart navigate this industry is the best advice that I could be given.” She adds, “We’re both still trying to figure it out, and it’s really cool to be able to do it together.” 

She continued to audition throughout her last years of high school, though “it was a struggle,” she says. During her senior year, she debated whether or not to go to college or commit to acting full time. In the end, she stuck with her passion. Then, in December 2021, just months after her high school graduation, she booked Avatar. “‘Oh, thank God,’” she recalls thinking. “I’m doing what I should be doing.” She has since gone on to appear in the Oscar-nominated May December, opposite Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, and Charles Melton.

It wasn’t until her fourth and final audition came around that Yu finally learned what role she was fighting for. “It was insane. I cried on the phone with my mom.” Months later, she was standing on the Fire Nation set next to the legendary Daniel Dae Kim in full armor and regalia, acting between bursts of flames. (“Before they’d call action, they’d be like, ‘Pyro!’ and the flames would ignite from these sconces on the walls. It was insane.”) And though she admits acting opposite Kim was intimidating at first, it was also pretty damn cool. “Who wouldn’t feel like the baddest bitch in the room sitting next to Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai?” 

It sounds lucky, but her road to Azula had more than a few bumps. First, there was the fact that she didn’t know what project she was actually auditioning for. “They sent this completely fake, made-up storyline for this fake TV show. I was auditioning for a character named April,” she explains. After getting a callback, she hit the internet to do some sleuthing. “I became an FBI agent trying to figure out what I was actually auditioning for, because I was like, ‘Something about this does not feel real,’” she says. When she realized that it might be an adaptation of Avatar, a show she watched growing up, she couldn’t believe it. (“I was like, ‘No way. That is definitely not what I’m auditioning for.’”) Then there was the “minor car accident” that she got into right before her first callback. (She made it safe and sound and “did the damn thing!”). 

As for what big names she hopes to work with next, Yu is open for whatever comes her way. For now, she’s got her eyes set on a not-yet-confirmed Season 2 of Avatar, which she hopes will include Azula’s time on Ember Island with her brother Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) as well as some of her character’s famous lines. “I’m really excited to go into a second season and finally do these iconic line reads that Azula has,” she teases, adding, “I quote them all the time to myself. There’s this one scene in the original where she says, ‘Do the tides command this ship?’ And she’s basically threatening this soldier that she’ll throw him overboard if he doesn’t do what she says. It’s just so badass.”

Live action or not, Princess Azula will always be badass.

[fics-not-tragedies]

Bad Habits: Chapter Fourteen

prologue - one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine - ten - eleven - twelve - thirteen - fourteen - fiveteen - …

New parts coming Saturdays and Wednesdays.

Words: 2041; Warnings: lots of Italian pet names, some gun violence as well, mentions of blood, swearing; Summary: It's the next morning and you're hoping to get some answers from Santino;

Readers tag list:

@marytvirgin; @penwieldingdreamer

Chapter 14: “The Morning After”

Time passed, and when you woke again, the first thing you noticed was the soft light of the morning filtering through the windows. The golden hue of dawn poured into the room, casting long shadows on the walls, and the quiet stillness of the early hours made everything feel surreal. Your body ached—dull, persistent reminders of the events of the night before—but the pain in your shoulder was more manageable now, like a throbbing pulse that faded in and out, nothing too overwhelming. You blinked a few times, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep that clung to your mind, the fog lifting slowly as you became more aware of the world around you.

The room was quiet, peaceful almost, save for the soft hum of the air conditioning. But there was something more—an undercurrent of familiarity that made you feel safe, grounded. You could feel that Santino was still close, just as he had promised. His presence was unmistakable, a constant in the calm that enveloped you.

Turning your head, you found him sitting in the same chair by the bed, his figure still and attentive. His posture was more relaxed now, his body leaning slightly back against the chair, but his eyes—those dark, unreadable eyes—were fixed on you. They were intense, alert, as though he had never looked away, never allowed himself the luxury of sleep. The weight of his gaze made your chest tighten, a small flutter of something in your stomach, though you couldn’t quite place what it was.

His features were sharp as ever, the angular lines of his face softened only by the faintest trace of exhaustion. His jaw was tight, the muscles flexing occasionally, but there was something different in his expression. Something subtle. A tenderness that had not been there before. The hardness in his face had given way to a quiet vulnerability, as though his guard had slipped, if only for a moment.

He hadn’t slept, you realized. He had been awake the entire time, watching over you, ensuring your safety, never once letting his attention wander. The thought made your chest tighten, a strange warmth spreading through you despite the lingering ache in your body. He had kept his promise.

The way he watched you now was so different from the tense urgency of the night before. There was no trace of the panic or sharp determination from when the danger had been so immediate. Instead, he looked at you with something softer, something more caring, as though you were the only thing that mattered in the room. His eyes softened, his gaze tracing the line of your face, lingering on your lips as though trying to memorize every detail. His expression was calm, almost reverent, but it was the quiet intensity that radiated from him that held your attention.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said quietly, his voice hoarse, as though he hadn’t spoken much since the night before. His tone was gentler now, an edge of concern weaving through it.

The sound of his voice was like an anchor, pulling you out of the remnants of sleep and back into the reality of the moment. You blinked again, taking in the sight of him, still as commanding as ever, yet somehow... different. More present. More human.

“I’m okay,” you whispered, the words feeling thin against the weight of his gaze. But as you said them, you realized they were true. The pain in your shoulder was there, but manageable. You were alive. You were safe. And something in you, something deep and unexpected, allowed you to breathe a little easier.

His lips twitched into the faintest of smiles, though it was brief, a fleeting moment before his usual controlled expression returned. He leaned forward slightly, his hand, warm and steady, resting lightly on the bed beside you. The way he looked at you—like you were the most important thing in his world—made your heart flutter, and you struggled to steady the pace of your breath.

“I promised you I would keep you safe,” he murmured, his voice low and intense, the words full of quiet determination. “And I’ll make sure nothing else happens to you, bella. I’ll always be here.”

His words echoed in the room, carrying weight far beyond the surface of their meaning. You didn’t know what it was that bound you to him so deeply—perhaps it was the promise of protection, perhaps the way he had held you together the night before, or the way he seemed to care more than was wise. Whatever it was, the sensation of it all—his closeness, the depth of his gaze, the vulnerability he allowed himself to show—wrapped around you like a secret, fragile thread, one that kept you tethered to him in ways you weren’t ready to understand.

But, for now, all you could do was nod, feeling the beginnings of trust settle quietly in the pit of your stomach, and let the weight of his words sink into your bones.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, his hand reaching out to gently touch your shoulder, checking the bandages with practiced care.

“Better,” you murmured, though the question in your eyes remained. “Santino, what exactly happened last night? Who were those people?”

Santino’s expression darkened, the shadows returning to his gaze as he sat on the edge of the bed, closer this time. His hand still rested on your shoulder, but it felt heavier now, as if he was holding back something more than just physical tension.

“It’s a long story,” he said, his tone guarded. “And it’s one you’re not going to like.”

You leaned up slightly, ignoring the sharp tug of pain in your shoulder as you stared at him. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me the truth. About everything.”

Santino’s eyes searched yours, and for a long moment, the air between you seemed to stretch, thick with the weight of unspoken words. Finally, he sighed, his fingers brushing the side of your face in a rare, fleeting touch.

“I’ll tell you, bella,” he promised softly, his voice more vulnerable than you’d ever heard it. “But not today. Not yet.”

The frustration built in you, but you forced yourself to nod, the tightness in your chest telling you that you’d have to be patient for now.

“You owe me that much,” you said quietly, the words sharp despite the softness in your voice.

Santino’s gaze softened as he leaned closer, his lips brushing lightly against your forehead in a gesture that held tenderness and something else—something heavier.

“I owe you more than that,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “And I will make it right.”

As he pulled away, you felt the weight of his promise, even as the uncertainty of the future loomed over you both. But for now, in this quiet, safe moment, you let yourself believe him.

Santino’s expression darkened once more, the shadows in his eyes deepening as he looked at you, his posture rigid despite the tenderness of his touch. The air between you grew heavy, charged with the unsaid, and you could feel it pressing down on both of you, making the space between you feel impossibly small.

“You deserve to know everything,” he said quietly, his voice low, tinged with a mix of regret and something you couldn’t quite place. “But some things... Some things are too dangerous to say out loud. Not yet.”

You swallowed the frustration rising in your chest, the need to know battling against the growing sense of distance between you. The ache in your shoulder seemed distant now, secondary to the tension that hung thick in the room. You didn’t want to be kept in the dark, didn’t want to feel like you were being shielded from the truth—but you understood, somehow, that Santino was more than just a man with secrets. He was someone wrapped up in a world that was far darker and more dangerous than you could imagine.

The silence stretched on, neither of you speaking, but the weight of his presence beside you felt almost suffocating. Finally, you broke the quiet, your voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling within you.

“You owe me more than just silence,” you said, your words quiet but firm. “I deserve the truth. Even if it’s hard to hear.”

Santino’s jaw tightened at your words, and for a moment, you thought he might withdraw, might close off again. But instead, he sighed, his gaze softening as he turned his attention back to you. He seemed torn, like he was battling with something deep within himself. His hand remained on your shoulder, but now, it felt less like a gesture of comfort and more like an anchor—something that held him in place, keeping him from retreating back into his own private world.

“I never wanted you to be a part of this,” he admitted quietly, his eyes flicking down to the floor for a brief moment. When he looked back up at you, there was something in his gaze—something raw, vulnerable, and for the first time, you saw the weight of the man behind the mask. “But I’ve already dragged you into it.”

He leaned forward, his face close to yours, his breath warm against your skin. The space between you had closed in ways that felt almost intimate, though the tension still crackled in the air.

“I never wanted to pull you into my mess, bella,” he continued, his voice soft, low, almost a whisper. “But now that you are... I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Even if it means keeping the truth from you—for now.”

You could see the conflict in his eyes, the battle raging inside of him. There was a certain protectiveness in his gaze, but also something darker, something that suggested the world he lived in was far more dangerous than you could ever comprehend.

“I don’t know if I can trust you,” you said quietly, though your heart didn’t quite agree with the words. There was part of you that was drawn to him, that wanted to believe him even in the face of everything. But the uncertainty was there, lingering. “I need to know what’s going on.”

Santino’s lips pressed together in a thin line, but his eyes never wavered from yours. “I know you don’t trust me. I’m not asking you to,” he replied, his voice raw. “I’m asking you to trust that I will do everything in my power to protect you. And when the time comes, you’ll know everything.”

The weight of his words lingered in the air, but before you could respond, he reached up, his fingers gently brushing against your forehead, brushing back a stray lock of hair. The touch was tender, almost reverent, and for a moment, you allowed yourself to lean into it, closing your eyes as the warmth of his touch soothed the ache in your chest.

“I promise you, bella,” he whispered, his voice thick with unspoken emotion, “I will make things right. I will protect you, no matter the cost.”

You didn’t know what the future held, but in that moment, you chose to believe him. Even with the uncertainty, even with the danger that loomed over you both, you let yourself believe that Santino would keep his word.

Santino’s words hung heavy in the air between you, a promise that both soothed and unsettled. The warmth of his hand on your forehead, the tenderness in his touch, seemed to bridge the distance between you both. His gaze softened as he leaned closer, the space between you shrinking with every passing second. Your breath hitched, the tension in the room thickening, but this time, it wasn’t just the unspoken secrets that filled the space. It was something else—something magnetic, drawing you both together against the weight of everything.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. His lips were just inches from yours, his breath mingling with yours, warm and slow. You could feel the heat radiating off him, the urgency building in the way his eyes flicked from your lips to your eyes. There was something unspoken between you, a pull that neither of you could deny anymore.

[usafphantom2]

Russian stealth hunting Su-57 is ready for export

Announcement was made by FSMTC employees at the Dubai Air Show.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 11/14/2023 - 08:31am Dubai Air Show, Military

Russia is ready to receive export orders for its Su-57 poaching after completing its development program.

Officials of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) declared at the ongoing Dubai Air Show that, "if our foreign partners contact us, we are ready to start working on this topic". They noted that several customers are already showing “growing interest” in Su-57 aircraft.

Since the end of 2022, the Russian Aerospace Forces have received three batches of Su-57, most of which are actively involved in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Notably, some of these aircraft have the latest 'Product 30' engine, also recognized as the 'second stage', improving the thrust and super crucing capabilities of the stealth jet.

The Su-57 launches missiles and bombs from its internal compartment - an exclusive feature shared only by a few selected aircraft around the world.

In the field of fifth-generation aircraft available for export, the Russian Su-57 is next to the F-35 as a singular competitor.

Rostec's recent announcement announces the start of the 5ª generation Su-57 serial multifunctional fighter equipment with 2º stage post-combustion turbojet engines, labeled as 'Product 30'. With a post-combustion thrust of 18,000 kgf and a maximum thrust of 11,000 kgf, this advance amplifies the thrust-to-weight ratio of vehicles by 1.2 times (increasing from 1.13 to 1.36 kgf/kg with normal takeoff weight with 63% fuel).

This improvement translates into an increased ascent rate, ranging from 330 to 340-350 m/s, along with an increase in angular velocity during constant curves. In addition, it raises the service ceiling and supersonic cruise flight speed to 2,150-2,200 km/h and the maximum speed to an impressive 2,600-2,700 km/h.

Notably, the engines at the center of this advance were created by the team of the JSC Salyut Gas Turbine Research and Production Center.

Tags: Military AviationDubai AirshowRussiaSukhoi Su-57 Felon

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[dustedmagazine]

Henry Threadgill — The Other One (Pi)

The Other One by Henry Threadgill

Over the last five decades, Henry Threadgill has been creating a singular body of work, as both a distinguished reed players and an inimitable ensemble leader. Early on, Threadgill cultivated his sense of ensemble arranging and playing as member of AACM in the trio Air and in groups lead by Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell. But from X-75 Volume 1, his first recording under his own name released in 1979 with a group comprised of four woodwind players, three bassists, piccolo bass and vocals, he revealed a penchant for creating improvisational frameworks around distinctive voicings. Since that time, he’s honed his approach with long-standing ensembles, each building on his ear for angular, contrapuntal themes extended through open group interplay.

First up was The Henry Threadgill Sextet (a seven-piece group designated as a sextet because he saw the two drummers as a single percussion unit) featuring his alto sax along with trumpet, the low-end double bass/cello/trombone, and a percussion duo. A foray into social dance music, his Society Situation Dance Band, went unrecorded but his next ensemble, Very Very Circus, with sax, two tubas, two electric guitars, French horn, and drums added a pulsing groove while expanding on his multifaceted ear toward hocketed lines and intricate, stratified voicings. Make a Move and Zooid pared things back a bit in the size of the ensemble while still incorporating intriguing instrumental choices like paired acoustic guitars and cellos, accordion, oud and tuba. Then, with Double Up, Threadgill mixed in paired reeds, paired pianos, cello, tuba and drums, expanded even further with 14 Or 15 Kestra: Agg. With each of these ensembles, he extended his compositional approach, diving in to the timbral and dynamic opportunities afforded by an increasingly orchestral instrumental palette. All of this doesn’t even touch on the various commissions for orchestra, string quartet, and chamber ensembles he undertook. 

In May 2022, Threadgill presented one of his most ambitious projects to date at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, New York. The composer prepared a three-movement composition entitled “Of Valence” for a twelve-piece ensemble made up of three saxophones, violin, viola, two cellos, tuba, percussion, piano and two bassoons. The piece, inspired by Milford Graves and his integration of the human heartbeat as a source of rhythmic understanding, is a meditation on human transience based on his observations of the exodus of people from New York City during the Covid pandemic. The performance incorporated an array of multimedia components including video, projections of paintings and photographs, electronics and recordings. Each performances was split in to two sets providing varying takes on the composition, the first set titled “One” and the second titled “The Other One.” This release, Threadgill’s eleventh for the Pi Recordings label, captures the second set of one of the performances in scintillating fidelity. 

The three-movement piece begins with spare, stabbing notes and rumbling open chords on piano, intently traversing the foundational angular motifs. The reeds join in setting up the entrance of the full ensemble. Threadgill maximizes the sonic breadth provided by the full range of strings and a broadened reed section. His conducting is supported by tubist Jose Davila, cellist Christopher Hoffman, pianist David Virelles and drummer Craig Weinrib, all veterans of the leader’s groups who collectively help helm the ensemble through the intricately evolving piece. Themes are introduced, fragmented, inverted, and hocketed as sections elastically play off of each other and branch off into sub-groupings as the densities of the piece ebb and flow. Threadgill’s proclivity for utilizing underlying galvanic pulse is an anchoring element, buoyed in particular by tuba, cellos and drums as the music bobs and weaves along with the countervailing, keening melodic threads. 

Threadgill’s pieces demand exacting execution, and the group fully embraces the compositional form while each displaying adroit capabilities exploring the inherent opportunities for improvisation. While Threadgill sticks to conducting here, the influence of his instrumental voice is readily apparent throughout. Milford Graves’ influence is heard most overtly at the start of the second movement where violinist Sarah Caswell, violist Stephanie Griffin and cellist Mariel Roberts each play their parts while listening to a playback of their own heartbeats as recorded previously by a cardiologist. The result is that the pulse of each individual players’ lines intertwine, mutably moving in and out of synch while maintaining an unwavering, galvanizing flow. One third of the way through the 16-minute section, lissome sax lines are introduced segueing to the entrance of the full ensemble. While density builds, there is a transparency to the orchestration as lines and instruments come to the fore and then recede. Midway through, sizzling transducer-activated cymbals play off of abraded cello overtones setting the stage for a freely lyrical tenor solo which wends to a closing section with percolating pizzicato strings and pattering percussion.

 The final movement kicks off with a short interlude for strings and drums, leading in to a section of abstracted melody, with alto and bassoon lines snaking around the ensemble voicings. Interludes for solos are woven through as the pacing constantly morphs. Here, sections are clear successors to the approaches that Threadgill worked through with Zooid and Double Up, inheriting the underlying coursing flow and arcing lyricism but shading and extending it with timbral orchestration, the bassoons being a particularly astute addition. In the final section, intertwined piano and tuba and the shifting shuffle of cellos and drums set the stage for an all-in re-statement of one of the central themes, leading to the finale of the piece for the full ensemble, crescendoing to dramatic intensity. Listeners have benefited from Pi Recordings’ dedication to Threadgill’s evolving and burgeoning oeuvre. The release of The Other One is a significant addition to these efforts and essential listening for those interested in Threadgill’s music. 

Michael Rosenstein

[codezup]

Master Angular 14: Build High-Performance Apps

1. Introduction 1.1 Brief Explanation and Importance Angular 14 is the latest version of Google’s Angular framework, a powerful tool for building enterprise-level web applications. With its robust feature set, includingImproved performance, enhanced developer experience, and new features like standalone components, Angular 14 is a significant upgrade for developers. This guide will help you…

[grumpygreenwitch]

Machina Ex Machina 29-29.5

As always, if you enjoy the writing, please like and reblog. There’s no algorithms here; my publicity is you. And if you’d like to buy me a Ko-fi, I certainly won’t complain.

1+2 - 3+3.5 - 4+5 - 6+.6.5 - 7+8 - 8.5+9 - 10+11 - 12+13 - 13.5+14 - 15+16 - 17+17.5 - 18+18.5 - 19+20 - 21+22 - 22.5+23+24 - 25+26 - 27-28 - 29.29.5 - 30+31 - 32+33 - 34+35 - 36+37 - 38+39 - 40+41 - 42+ AO3 Link

TWENTY NINE

For a moment, all everyone in the command deck could do was stare out the windows, speechless, at the immense blanket of black and jagged yellow bringing their doom to them.

“Close shields!” Adas shouted. “Vidi, get in with Way! MAR -” Before she could give him instructions, the door to the command room slid shut behind him, and the master of Parnassus slammed the butt of one baton against the lock. “MAR!” Adas shrieked in immediate panic.

He threw her a jaunty little wave from the outside and strolled with minimal hurry down the steps leading to the nearest platform. The virus was reassembling itself there, gathering up its mass and spiraling up into a new semblance of a body -

A black pillar seamed with red slammed into the monster with such force that they both went flying off the platform. MAR broke into a sprint and threw a hand out; a thin whip of silvery black lashed back, wrapping around his arm. MAR grunted with effort as the sudden weight of the Gridborn came to rest entirely on his hand, making his feet slide on the platform; his free hand activated one of his blades and he drove it hard into the platform, bringing himself to a halt. Below him, Fortis twisted himself into a thin, rippling spiral and threw himself back up, landing on the platform hard enough to make it rattle, twisting himself into a multi-faceted orb and stabilizing himself before becoming a wall once again. “Appreciate that,” the Gridborn said.

“Not at all,” MAR replied gallantly. “Any chance you -” Yellow-and-black tendrils shot past them, spearing into the platforms, the catwalks, the very ceiling of the carrier. The virus heaved itself back up, snarling openly, and MAR fell back to stand side by side with Fortis. “Never mind.”

“Commcon?” Fortis asked. “As secure as it’s going to be.”

“No more.” The virus flowed back onto the platform. Its upper body was exceedingly well defined. The tendrils that had saved it from falling after its hard-earned victory in boarding the carrier resolved themselves into its talons and a passing mimicry of hair around its angular face. It had the finer features of a face, eyes, nose, mouth, but the mouth didn’t move when it spoke. Sound instead rippled from shattered disk to shattered disk, as if it were something solid that had to be activated from one shard to the next. Below the waist it still lacked definition, merely a seething mass of blackened voxels. “No more tr-tricks. No more-more walls. No more gates-s-s-s. Nothing to-to-to stop me.”

MAR activated his second blade. “I beg to differ.”

The virus launched itself at him, multiple torrents of poison and destruction. Fortis spun itself into a wheel and rolled out of the way; MAR ducked under the first attack, slashed at the second, turned the blade around and caught a third, and parried a fourth on his off-blade. Voxels flew.

It spiraled away as Fortis came at it from the side; when the Gridborn turned in an incredibly tight curve, part of its substance separated from that dancing spiral, sped up and caught him dead on, sending him flying away to crash against the steps in a cascade of broken segments.

“Fortis!” MAR tried to turn and check on the Pevirian, but he suddenly had to fend off a flurry of blows as the virus tried to force him away from the staircase.

Astonishing the being, he did. MAR’s blades were blurs, bright white afterimages moving so fast even their own light couldn’t keep up with them. The virus slashed at him; it lost its talons. It regrew them instantly and swiped again; it lost them again, and the second blade took that hand at the wrist. Then the first was coming for it already, and it had to duck away, a strike meant to cut it in half merely slicing partially just above the place where its body merged into the vast, rippling folds of its unformed substance.

The virus fell back. MAR straightened up and pointed one blade at it. “I wager,” he remarked casually, “that it takes quite a lot of concentration to keep even that much of your shape… well, shaped.”

The virus crackled and spat half-formed sounds of fury for a few moments before it settled back. Several voices laughed at MAR as it gathered its substance to itself. “You are all s-so-so. So predic-t-t-t-table.” It began to reshape itself: a flaring coat, long and elegant limbs, broad shoulders. Even the cravat.

MAR stiffened minutely as he stared at a black-and-yellow reflection of himself, perfect even to the small wild curls of his hair.

The virus smiled. “You c-can-cannot-cannot. Stop me. Only sl-slow-me-slow me down.”

“I’ll quite settle for that,” MAR declared primly.

From the side GAM, shield leading, slammed so hard into the virus that it lost any recognizable shape, turning into a massive splash of voxels, circuitry and dish shards. It screeched in pain; all over the carrier, simulacra screamed with it. Gungnir charged directly behind the Sentry, jumping and spinning to put in as much momentum as he could into a sweeping arch of his lance. The unformed wave of the virus shied away sharply, but voxels still flew, and several circuitry paths ignited, flared and went abruptly dark.

The virus howled fury and launched itself, still little more than a vague shape inside a wave of voxels, at Gungnir. It crashed into GAM’s shield. Before it could either shove the Sentry out of the way or work itself around him, MAR’s lightblades were there, threatening to gut yet more of its substance out, and it had to split into several columns which quickly collapsed and recoiled onto themselves. Pevir’s SysAdmin rushed at it and nearly went through the platform, where their enemy had eaten away at the substance of it, leaving a hole with ragged yellow edges. GAM caught him and yanked him back onto solid ground, so to speak, and the fighting paused abruptly.

“Not-not-not. Real,” the virus ground out. “You are not real. Why won’t-won’t. Why don’t you give up alr-alr-”

“Get off my ship,” Gungnir snarled, shifting the lance to a close-combat grip.

“Your-your-your ship? This ship?” The virus threw two tendrils to the nearest wall and buried them in, and its infection immediately began to spread over the rich black and crimson. “Mine now.”

Gungnir leapt for the tendrils. The virus struck at him, struck instead GAM’s shield. The Sentry shoved forward and nearly went down when it found no resistance; his opponent had sunk back into its mass and reappeared to one side, skittering between him and the SysAdmin. The whip Gungnir was aiming for suddenly began to grow massive thorns all along its length.

The Pevirian slammed the lance down and twisted sharply atop it, barely arresting its momentum forward so that the infected spikes scratched at his armor, but not at him. MAR took down the other tendril, was nearly backed into another hole in the platform for his efforts. Black talons caught onto his coat and cut the fragile substance to tatters, but GAM was suddenly there to catch the virus’ second strike. Gungnir aimed at what he thought was the virus’ unprotected back; a column of voxels sprang from it like energy from a broken pipe and nearly threw him entirely off the platform.

“I rem-rem-emember! I learn!” it told them, its voices rising from hissing, broken whispers to a maddened howl. “You are not-not-NOTHING! I will-will MAKE you not real!”

It dug its tendril out of the carrier’s wall, halting the spread of the infection, and lashed out with it across the entire platform. GAM braced himself and took the blow on his shield, but it sent him skidding down nearly to the edge until MAR braced himself against the Sentry, back to back, and managed to stop him. The tentacle sank into the platform, burst out of its battered substance and slammed into the shield, pushing hard. The virus turned his attention to Gungnir, who fended off half a dozen blindly lashing limbs only to nearly run himself into a swipe of its actual talons. He caught it on the lance inches from his chest.

The virus wrapped its other hand on the lance and yanked as hard as it could. Gungnir went flying and landed face-down on the platform, stunned, his lance crashing out of his hands and landing as a baton by the staircase.

“Pred-predict-able,” the virus slithered over to Gungnir as the SysAdmin, entirely too aware of his vulnerable position, fought himself onto hands and knees. “You are all so-so-s-s-s-so very pred-pred-d-d-dict-dict-able.” It reached for Gungnir’s disk.

A lightblade went through its chest, burning away at the yellow circuitry with its light. The virus halted, caught off-guard. The blow would have derezzed any existing program, but while multiple systems inside the virus did crash, and a single voice within its fracture mind screamed in pain it couldn’t possibly be feeling, it realized after a moment that it was not, actually, dying.

It was abruptly not, however, feeling all that well. It began to turn, and did so just in time to put up an arm as a second blade came flying at it. It lost that arm, and the blade buried itself like a cleaver into the substance of its torso. It cried out, although whether in pain or in surprise no one could’ve said.

“Tell me again,” MAR ground out as white, gleaming last-gen armor swept over him, leaving him looking a very near match to his blades, “how predictable I am.”

29.5

“Lily, I’m so sorry, this is not a good tim -”

I KNOW. I told you, Adas, we’re watching. We’re all watching!

… You can help. You can help! That’s why you’ve been calling! Because you can help!

You need to contact Om. They cannot contact you, it must be you who contacts them.

How’s that -?!

There are Users in Om. Do you understand, Adas? There are Users in the Grid. You must go to Om!

But -!

You must contact Om at once. They will help! You mus-

[kakivino]

Ricasoli 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà

Absolute cracker of a sangiovese, with a bouquet to die for. Red and black cherry, florals, thyme, blood orange, incense and mocha soar above a flinty backdrop. Masterfully composed to the core with brilliant acidity and refined tannins. Depth, precision, tension, flow, you name it, this sinewy yet sleek red has it all. Well, almost.

From fruit grown on alberese soil. The pick of the bunch out of Ricasoli's outstanding trio of terroir-specific Gran Selezione featured in Asiaeuro's 25th anniversary wine fair. — ★★★★

Appellation: Chianti Classico Region: Chianti, Toscana, Italy Subzone: Gaiole Cépage: 100% Sangiovese Abv: 14% Production: 14,000 Élevage: 22 months in 30% new French oak tonneaux Distributor: Asiaeuro

Critic Reviews:

The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà is another terrific wine in this range from Brolio. It marries energy with depth, showing plenty of nuance as well as character. Dark red cherry/plum fruit, mocha, tobacco, blood orange and incense all run through this deep, fleshy Gran Selezione. The 2019 Colledilà is one of the best wines I have tasted from Brolio in some time. Antonio Galloni (Vinous, 07/22) 94

The Barone Ricasoli 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà continues a long tradition of Colledilà excellence. It is bright medium-dark, saturated ruby-red in colour. The deep, perfumed and complex nose offers a compelling array of red cherry, raspberry, herbs, licorice, violet and spice aromas. Chewy and lush on entry, then firm and elegantly austere in the middle, it exudes a sappy set of raspberry and spice flavours complicated by a mineral and delicate herbal element. The finish lingers nicely with repeating notes of sweet cherry and forest floor, enlivened by notes of violet and redcurrant. A really knockout, highly promising Sangiovese wine that is still very young, lay this away in a good cellar for another six to seven years to get it at its best and enjoy for at least another decade after that. Ian d'Agata (Terroir Sense, 09/22) 96

The Barone Ricasoli 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colledilà exudes an elegant fruit profile, but the wine is not without significant intensity and concentration too. With Sangiovese from clayey limestone soils rich in calcium carbonate and poor in organic matter, this wine also boasts that beautiful minerality that we saw in the others. Delicate berry fruit cedes to crushed oyster shell, dark spice and campfire ash. To the palate, the wine is high, firm and long. Drink: 2024-2042. Monica Larner (Wine Advocate, 02/23) 97+

Distinctly savory, this red delivers grassy, thyme and menthol aromas and flavors allied to notes of cherry, strawberry and loam. Angular and dense, with the fruit component emerging with air, this is long, complex and deftly balanced, revealing an aftertaste of cherry, berry, mineral and herbal accents. Best from 2025 through 2043. 1,000 cases made, 60 cases imported. Bruce Sanderson (Wine Spectator, 09/22) 97

The Ricasoli 2019 Colledila Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is my favorite of the three Ricasoli Gran Selezione, because of the purity and precision of the fruit and aromas. Colledila comes from Sangiovese grown on 7.62 hectares of vineyard at 380 meters above sea level, facing south-east and on a clayey, limestone soil, rich in calcium carbonate and clay and poor in organic matter. The fruit aromas and flavors are cooler and bluer with sweet violet notes together with ripe cherry and bitter cherry flavors. Beautiful floral aromas fill the glass on standing and swirling. On the palate there is a lovely, gentle texture and weight and a fresh burst of acidity which starts from the middle and continues to the finish. The tannins are very finely textured and yet clipped, clean and very upright giving a firm, refined finish. This, together with mouthwatering freshness from the acidity and a pure, just-ripe, wild cherry quality to the fruit (crunchy rather than overripe) makes for a very lovely, classy example of Sangiovese! Drink 2024 to 2044. Susan Hulme (The Wine Independent, 09/22) 96

Sourced from a vineyard located at 320m on pure alberese soils, Colledilà displays captivating scents of bramble fruits, sweet violets, lavender and wet earth energised on the palate by well-extracted tannins. A hint of chocolatey oak frames the succulent dark fruit to the core, rounding out the edges and adding to this modern-style wine’s silky texture. It finishes with repeating notes of balsam herbs. Drinking window 2023. Raffaele Mosca (Decanter, 10/22) 95

Very aromatic. Fresh and sinewy with lots of acidity and muscularity. Some stoniness. Very fluid. Jancis Robinson (Jancis Robinson, 06/23) 17

[cmccormicksvad2022-2025]

(ARTS347) Project #1 Presentation & Figma Module 3: What is Prototyping? 

Week Four

Project #1: Airline Mobile UI & Wrap Presentation

This week marked the official conclusion of project #1, in which students were assigned to create a luxury airline sub-brand for Delta Airlines. The goal was to develop an airline that reflected Delta's design principles. The deliverables included Figma files for the mobile and widget screens, a brief branding guide, process materials, and a plane wrap that served as a physical extension of the brand.

The project was inspired by Delta airline's current branding, particularly its mobile app and ticketing system. The goal was to create a luxurious experience for passengers. Inspiration was drawn from Delta's current and past branding, vintage illustrations, and imagery from the 1920s to achieve a sophisticated and glamorous look and feel. In summary, Noble Horizons is Delta’s new line of luxury airliners, catering to passengers seeking a comfortable and regal air travel experience. It introduces award-winning services and top-tier amenities, aiming to provide a seamless travel journey. Noble Horizons sets a new standard for luxury air travel by combining timeless sophistication with contemporary innovation. Every aspect, from spacious seating to elegant exteriors and gourmet dining, is designed to enhance the journey. Whether crossing continents or soaring through the skies, Noble Horizons guarantees an extraordinary experience, as exceptional as the destinations passengers seek to explore.

Starting with the mood board, I found images from Delta's current and older branding, particularly the crown and iconic triangle logo marks. I also looked for typography from their current branding, as well as other images that capture the look and mood of 1920s glamour and sophistication without being too specific to the Art Deco style. Moving on to the initial sketches, the logo mark for Noble Horizon was inspired by vintage airline pins and the aesthetics of the golden age of air travel. I took inspiration from Delta Airlines' logo and played around with angular shapes and triangles to create a mark that reflects the Art Deco style of Noble Horizons. The word mark is a customized Whitney Medium typeface that is slightly thinner than Delta's current word mark, paying homage to Delta as the parent company without looking too similar to Delta's current branding. The thinner typeface also presents a sort of luxury and royalty aspect. The logo mark pays homage to Delta's current logo mark but is more elevated to look sophisticated, reminiscent of the angles often seen in 1920s art deco, and is also in the shape of an airplane and a runway. The colors of the logo mark are light and dark gold to show depth and similarity to the current Delta Airlines logo mark (light and dark red).

The mobile screens display the UI design of the airline app and its widgets. The app itself has a clean look, with a subtly faded continuous background that features a more geometric style of Delta's current logo. Delta blue is integrated consistently throughout the app to maintain a unified branding identity across all screens. While these screens are not exact prototypes, viewing my designs on an iPhone 13/14 screen was helpful for assessing the text sizing and legibility. The mobile screens include medium, small, and large widgets, as well as welcome and booking screens, trip summary, departing, and ticket screens. All these screens maintain a continuous, clean, and easily navigable look and feel. The airplane wrap itself is a continuation of the branding identity. Overall, this project provided me with valuable experience in using Figma. Am I prepared to work on prototypes for the next project? To be honest, I'm not entirely sure, but I'm definitely up for the challenge and excited to see what project #2 has in store.

Figma Module 3: What is Prototyping?

The required reading for this week discusses the use of prototyping in Figma, how to prototype, and why it is still essential to learn. In reviewing my personal experience with prototyping from Assignment #3 and playing around with the prototype features for Project #1, this action is a very helpful feature in allowing designers to see how their designs look on various devices, whether that is an iPhone, iPad, Macbook, etc. While this is a helpful feature, learning to prototype seems daunting and at times impossible to do. However, I must learn how to prototype if I am going to complete and succeed at accomplishing the goals and requirements of Project #2, and this module couldn't have come at a better time.

To summarize, prototyping involves creating a digital model of a product for designers to test and receive feedback before final production. It's a way to transform sketches and wireframes into interactive simulations, often without coding, in order to evaluate user interaction.

Prototyping helps save time, money, and energy in the long run by enabling developers and designers to gather user feedback, obtain early validation, and refine features and improve communication skills. Prototypes help ensure that a design works well for users by allowing for early feedback, making it easier and cheaper to fix issues before investing in full development. Prototyping also validates early concepts, aligns stakeholders, and provides a realistic view of the product before it's built.

While reading this article, I'm beginning to understand the difference between low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototyping better. For instance, a low-fidelity prototype is used early in the design phase to validate concepts with minimal time investment. Essentially, this prototype serves as proof of concept to test ideas and functionality.

In contrast, high-fidelity prototyping is closer to the finished product, with more detailed design, interactions, and functionality. This prototype is typically used in later design stages to test specific features or flows.

Initially, a designer begins creating prototypes using paper to create quick, rough sketches of architecture, functionality, and flow. These sketches are easy to change but lack interactivity. Next, the designer moves on to developing a low-fidelity prototype, providing a working model of basic UX/UI elements without coding.

Lastly, the designer creates a high-fidelity version of the prototype, which includes realistic design details, polish, and complex interactions. This prototype is used to test the product in a near-final form, including hardware functionality if needed.

Overall, low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes have their place in the design process, and the choice depends on the specific challenge. After reading this article, I find this information incredibly helpful, and it's making me understand prototyping a little easier. Am I an expert? No, not by a long shot. However, prototyping doesn't seem as scary or intimidating, which I consider an absolute win.

[inextures]

Angular 15: New Features and Updates

Angular 15 is another significant milestone in the evolution of this strong, open-source web application framework. In this comprehensive guide, we go into the most recent highlights and upgrades that Angular v15 provides of genuine value. 

Whether you’re an experienced Angular developer or new to the framework, this blog will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the updates and changes designed to smooth out your development cycle, increase execution, and enhance client experience. Join me as we examine the most recent updates to Angular 15, studying how these updates can change the way you build web applications.

What’s New in Angular 15?

Angular version 15 is a big update that makes the framework better and easier to use. It introduces small but important changes that fix problems developers have been facing and improves how things work. 

This update is really exciting and important, making Angular work smoother and faster. It’s all about making a developer’s life easier and improving how they build things with Angular.

The coolest thing in Angular 15 is something called “Standalone Components.” These are a new way to build parts of your app, and they’re way simpler than the old method, which was called NgModules and was pretty complicated for many people. 

Standalone Components enable you to create parts of your application that can perform magnificently in better areas, such as Angular Elements, routers, and HttpClient. This makes it easier for novice Angular users to get started, while also allowing experienced engineers to work faster and more effectively.

Latest Features of Angular 15

Simplifies development by allowing components to be used independently without the complexity of NgModules.

Enhancements in the framework’s core functionality for faster and more efficient web application development.

Focus on reducing complexity and making Angular more accessible, especially for new developers.

Facilitates a more flexible and modular approach to building applications.

Upgrades to these features for better usability and integration within Angular applications.

Addressing Pain Points: Specific updates targeting issues and challenges previously identified by the Angular developer community.

Enhancements to make applications more accessible to a wider range of users.

Upgraded tools and debugging features for a smoother development experience.

Overall improvements aimed at boosting productivity for both new and experienced Angular developers.

Also Read: How to Make Angular SEO-Friendly Websites

Angular 15 Installation Process

Install Node.js and NPM

Angular requires Node.js and NPM (Node Package Manager) to run. If you don’t have them installed, download and install the latest stable version of Node.js (which includes NPM) from the Node.js official website.

Install Angular CLI

Open your command line interface (CLI).

Run the command npm install -g @angular/cli to install the Angular Command Line Interface (CLI) globally. This tool is necessary to create and manage Angular projects.

Create a New Angular Project

Once the Angular CLI is installed, you can create a new Angular project by running ng new project-name, where project-name is the name you want to give to your new Angular application.

Navigate to Your Project Folder

Use the command cd project-name to move into your newly created project directory.

Serve the Application

Run ng serve inside the project directory. This command will compile the application and start a web server.

By default, the Angular application runs on http://localhost:4200/. You can open this URL in your web browser to see your new application running.

Update to Angular 15 (If Required)

If the latest version of Angular CLI did not install Angular 15 by default, you can update your Angular version within your project using the Angular CLI update command: 

ng update @angular/core@15 @angular/cli@15.

Angular 14 to Angular 15: Step-by-Step Upgrade

upgrading from Angular 14 to Angular 15 is a structured process that can be smoothly accomplished using the Angular CLI (Command Line Interface). 

Before initiating the upgrade, ensure that your current application is using the latest minor release of Angular 14. 

This preliminary step is crucial for a seamless transition. 

Once your application is up-to-date, begin the upgrade process by running the command ng update @angular/core@15 @angular/cli@15 in your project’s root directory. 

This command instructs the CLI to update the core Angular packages and the Angular CLI itself to their v15 versions. 

During the update interaction, the CLI automatically updates your project’s conditions and arrangement records to comply with Angular 15 requirements. 

It is recommended that you completely test your application after the upgrade to ensure that all functionalities are working properly and to resolve any issues that may have arisen as a result of the patch.

If you encounter any difficulties or explicit expostulations, consult the Angular 15 update guide for complete instructions and troubleshooting advice.

Remember, keeping your application’s dependencies and third-party libraries up-to-date is also important for compatibility with Angular 15.

Difference between Angular 14 vs Angular 15

Moving from Angular v14 to Angular v15 is like upgrading to a newer, better version of software.

Angular 15 introduces a significant modification known as “Standalone Components.” This is a better way to build parts of your application, and it is substantially less difficult than the previous method, which used something known as NgModules.

Standalone Components make it easier to collect your application because there is less confusing code and everything is better coordinated.

Besides this, Angular 15 has made small but important improvements that make the whole framework work better and easier for developers. 

It’s like fixing little problems that were there before, making things like the router and HttpClient work smoother. 

Angular v14 was already good, but Angular 15 makes everything even better by making it simpler to build apps, fixing small issues, and providing better tools for developers to work with. 

Whether you’re new to Angular or have been using it for a while, v15 makes your job easier and more enjoyable.

To wrap it up, 

Angular 15 is a big step forward for the Angular framework. It brings a bunch of new things and important improvements that help with making websites today. The coolest part is the Standalone Components, which make building apps easier and better. Angular 15 fixes some old problems and makes everything work smoother and faster.

This is great for everyone, whether you’re just starting to use Angular or you’ve been using it for a long time. The changes in v15 make building web apps simpler and more fun. As we get used to these new features, Angular 15 is changing how we build websites, making things more exciting for both the people who make the apps and the people who use them.

Hire AngularJS Developers to leverage the full potential of Angular 15 and ensure seamless integration of these cutting-edge features into your projects

Originally published by: Angular 15: New Features and Updates

[zenesysusa]

Striking news for Angular developers! Angular 14 is here with the new Angular 14 features and upgrades. Click to know!

[cpurvis]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: White House Black Market Noir Crop Slim Jean.

[doomedandstoned]

Belgian Doomers COLUMBARIUM Usher In ‘The Morbidious One’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Artwork by Vladimir Chebakov

As a rule, humans spend much of our time occupied with the activities of life and daily living, perhaps very little of it thinking about the reality of death. The pandemic, however, brought death near to each one of us in a way that was terrifying, leaving many inconsolable. It is my conviction that music is a part of the process necessary for healing our emotions from such wounds. Bands like Serpentine Path, Yob, and Undersmile have helped me to stomach some serious struggles with anxiety and depression, primarily because their sound translates so remarkably to the thing I am experiencing, as though they have unlocked the secrets of communicating precisely with the emotions.

Now comes COLUMBARIUM, not a new band by any stretch (its original form echoing back to the mid '90s), but a band new to these ears, thanks to them being picked up by a label we've followed for the past 10 years in these pages, Argonauta Records. Hailing from West Flanders, Belgium, the four-member crew has married old school doom on the order of Saint Vitus and The Skull to brumal death vocals for a sound that is not only severe, but curiously elevating. For the band's premiere studio LP, 'The Morbidious One' (2023), we have here assembled the team of Pete Jules V (bass, vocals), Koen Biesbrouck (guitar, keyboard), Marc ‘Markie’ Vangheluwe (guitar), and Vincent ‘Mille’ Millecam (drums)

The first of its seven tracks is "Eyes Bleed Black," which the band states "is Columbarium in its purest form" and "was conceived from our gut feeling at one of our rehearsals." The song, dedicated to a close friend of the group, is cold, misty, and ancient sounding. Esmee Tabasco from Tyrant's Kall lends her ferocious and gnarly singing to the mix, to great effect. Lyrically, the song questions God and the often inexplicable nature of our existence. There are variations of the main theme along the way that accent the point -- from powerful and menacing, to beautiful and stately.

Oh, Griet Where’s your World Where are you We are here alone Oh, Griet, No Heaven above Nor Hell below

"The Morbidious One" features some sinister, stinging guitar tone, which really wails as the track opens. Chords are angular and statuesque, with raspy dirty vocals. Around 4 1/2 minutes in, things shift into a chugging quasi-thrash swagger, but soon return to the strange forbidding nature of its main character, which the band reveals is actually (here and throughout the album) "the deep emotion of Death."

‘The Morbidious One’ is about a tribe that divinizes Death in a positive way to ensure a safe transition to the Afterlife. The character on the cover symbolizes Death in some of the lyrics.

We get a swirl of styles in "Rivers Of Blood," which begins with resounding piano harmonies, soon joined by echoing strings, and finally the growl of the band in full form. It's an effective intro, taking us to the bard and his tale of woe. The guitar gives us a memorable passage in between verses with a rhapsodic run of notes. Meanwhile, blast beats roil and then an interlude that seems to almost levitate in its solitude. The guitar's theme returns opposite of the singer, then finally lets loose in a frenetic solo.

"Redemption" is next and its solo guitar introduction reminds me a bit of the plaintive style of the late, great Pilgrim. Soon the band hustles up and ushers us to the first verse, where the vocals are as grizzly and blood-dripping as you could ask for. And oh what a beautiful guitar lead from 4:14 to 4:46, imbued with pain, insanity, and the blues. Frontman Peter wrote this one "facing the passing of his mother in 2017. 'Redemption' is redemption from life, redemption from mental suffering." The death of his beloved mother seems to take on an almost Christlike character in the lyrics:

I am drained, of my Misery, My Preparation, for my Litany, The Last Day, Has come, When I cease to bleed, in your Arms,

"Barefoot On The Moon" is only 1:11 and makes me wish it lasted at least twice as long, owing to the appeal of the 12-string guitar matched with ghostly sanguine vocals from Michelle Nocon (ex-Bathsheba, ex-Serpentcult, ex-Death Penalty, now with Of Blood and Mercury). It's a good palate cleanser, because things are about to get brutal.

Lyrics aside, "Our Glorious Ways" feels as if it could be a Puritan hymn sung inside a church by some stern fellow back in the 1700s. It's fierce and unyielding, alternating between long, slow beats and up-tempo sprints, while the guitar hammers away at a grim piece of riff-metal, and closes with organ-like keys.

"A Cure For Everything -- Get Back Alive" is like those runs with the romping drums and devilish guitar play that we'd all look forward to on thrash albums (or even from Witchfinder General and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal). Dual guitars come out to play, ravaging and savaging along the way with nimble tremeloes and dank chord progressions. At the three-minute mark, a switch to doom mode with a guitar harmonies so sweet it hurts to think about it too long. So it disappears and then comes back a minute later.

From there the theme develops improvisationally, then at 5:13 the thrash comes back and continues undaunted until the bass throws its weight around in an amazing solo. Aside from OM and Sleep, it seems rare to see an extended bass section of this kind, and that alone is worth sticking around for. And this bass, already downtuned, gets dead on your belly low! What an awesome bookend to what has been a strong album overall.

Look for Columbarium's The Morbidious One on CD and vinyl via Argonauta Records, with the digital album releasing this Friday, September 29th (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Marche Funebre, Conviction, Barabbas, Pilgrim, and Purification.

Give ear...

SOME BUZZ

Columbarium is a Belgian (from the village of Zwevegem) heavy Doom band which found its birth in 2021, but was conceived of seasoned members from the doom scene for over ten years. Having played about a 100 gigs in a former setup in Belgium, the Netherlands and France with bands like The Gates Of Slumber, Nekromant, Marche Funèbre, Serpent Venom, FAAL, Famyne, King Hiss and at fests like Little Devil Doom Days etc., they have built a serious reputation as a live act in the last decade. The addition of an extra guitar/keyboard player some years ago (Koen Biesbrouck, formerly also from the avant-garde, instrumental band Locus Control) has taken the music to another horizon and that newfound sound of the band was the cradle for the bands rebirth.

Columbarium found that sound in engaging with Belgian producer Lander Cluyse from Hearse Studio (Amenra, Aborted) and with Brad Boatright from AudioSiege Mastering Studio (US/Portland who worked with the likes of Monolord and Pig Destroyer). Together they found the sound they have always dug for in the Flemish clay. Columbarium played their first gig at the end of September 2021 with brothers in arms funeral doom band FAAL at the well-known underground club Little Devil in Tilburg/the Netherlands. Being the first gig in over two years at the venue, it was a memorable evening in a sold-out and very cozy setting.

As a teaser to the bands’ music, Columbarium independently released a lyric-video for the song ‘Rivers Of Blood’ on the 17th of December 2021. It got noticed by Belgian independent label Dust & Bones Records and it was very quickly clear that label manager Frederik Vanhee and the boys were assimilated minds in being metal freaks in heart and soul and having passed a lifetime of love for all kinds of different metal genres.

This resulted in the release of a first single ‘Rivers Of Blood’ with the title track and ( even though it’s not) B-side track ‘Save Our Children.’ It was released on the 23rd of May 2022 on limited, hand-numbered cassette and digital streaming and download on all platforms. The release was supported by a visualizer for the new song ‘Save Our Children’ which saw the dawn of day on the 23rd of May. The single was meant to be a ‘getting to know the band’ before the release of a full album in 2023.

Bass player/vocalist Pete states: ‘It feels rather uncomfortable to describe your own music and actually we don't like doing so, but we go through life as a heavy Doom metal band with influences ranging from blues to some earlier slower death metal. To say it with the words from our good friend William Nijhof of funeral doom band FAAL, ‘A super combi between miserable and brutal!’

Having recorded that first full album with the title ‘The Morbidious One’ from April 2022 until mid July 2022, the mix and full production was finished in February 2023 by Lander Cluyse from Hearse Studio, who also did the first single in 2022. In March the band was picked up by Italian specialized Stoner/Doom/Sludge label Argonauta Records for release of the full album at the end of September 2023.

The Morbidious One by Columbarium

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Russian Su-57M fighter with new engine will enter service in 2025

Aircraft flight tests have been taking place since October 2022.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 05/02/2024 - 10:08am Military

Russia's Su-57 fighter is scheduled to receive an upgrade with a new engine, the AL-51F, and will be designated as Su-57M when it enters service.

Since October 2022, the Su-57M has undergone flight tests, and according to reports from the Russian website topcor.ru, deliveries are expected to begin by 2025.

The AL-51F engine, formerly known as "Product 30" during development and later named "Saturn-30", will replace the current AL-41F1, promising notable performance improvements. With a thrust of 18,000 kgf, compared to the previous 15,000 kgf, the Su-57M is expected to reach a total thrust of 36,000 kgf with its two new engines.

Experts predict that this update will result in significant increases in the maximum speed and supersonic cruising speed of the fighter. The Su-57M is designed to reach speeds of up to 2,950 km/h, representing a substantial improvement over the current 2,550 km/h, equating it to the capabilities of the MiG-31BM long-range interceptor.

Improvements in the thrust-to-weight ratio during takeoff, together with the new AL-51F engine, provide high-energy maneuvers, allowing the Su-57M to make stable curves in the arphage plane at an angular speed of approximately 27-30 degrees/s. With features such as a thrust vector deflection system and advanced aerodynamics, the Su-57M gains tactical advantage in close combat scenarios.

In addition, the flight range of the Su-57M is expected to increase by almost 10% thanks to the AL-51F engine. The ascent rate is projected to increase from 330-335 to 370-375 m/s, allowing rapid ascents at altitudes ranging from 13,500 to 18,500 m. This improved climb rate, combined with the use of Izdeliye-180 and R-37M air-to-air missiles, expands the Su-57M's ability to intercept aerial targets at maximum distances of 180 and 250-270 km, respectively.

Despite the historic delays in the Russian fighter aircraft industry, Military Watch magazine suggests that the Su-57M will probably be delivered before 2027.

Tags: Military AviationRussiaSukhoi Su-57 Felon

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[wiackcom]

The 2024 Lexus GX midsize SUV is receiving a major makeover with a bold new exterior design and enhanced off-road capabilities. Most notably, Lexus is introducing an Overtrail trim tailored specifically for off-road enthusiasts. Here's an in-depth look at what we can expect from the redesigned 2024 GX: Highlights All-new blocky exterior design emphasizes ruggedness Overtrail trim adds major off-road upgrades Twin-turbo V6 engine, 349 hp and 479 lb-ft torque Standard KDSS disconnecting anti-roll bars 14-inch touchscreen with latest Lexus software On sale in early 2024, pricing not yet announced Aggressive New Styling Channels G-Wagen The most striking aspect of the 2024 GX is its radically different exterior styling. Lexus has traded the previous model's rounded look for a much boxier, angular design. The aggressive front end features a prominent grille and squared-off LED headlights. Flared wheel arches and a straight beltline give it a planted stance. Key design elements: Upright grille with bold LEXUS lettering Chiseled front bumper with skid plate Pronounced fender flares Straight crease lines along the sides Roof rails and blacked-out A-pillars This blocky styling channels the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, emphasizing that the GX is a serious off-roader at its core. Overtrail Trim: Optimized for Off-Road Adventure The new Overtrail trim turns the GX into an overlanding beast, with enhancements including: 33-inch all-terrain tires - Maximum traction on rocks, mud, sand Rear locking differential - Dramatically improves traction Skid plates - Protects vulnerable underbody components Two-row seating - Makes room for gear storage With its advanced 4WD system, the Overtrail trim can tackle extreme trails. A standard sway bar disconnect system boosts articulation further. The menacing blacked-out appearance and green accents play up the trim's adventurous spirit. It's built for exploring remote locations in comfort. More Powerful and Efficient New Twin-Turbo V6 All 2024 GX models gain a new 3.4L twin-turbo gas V6 engine, shared with the new Toyota Tundra pickup. Output: 349 hp 479 lb-ft of torque This delivers a hefty power increase over the old 4.6L V8's 301 hp and 329 lb-ft. The GX550 now rivals competitors like the BMW X5 and Audi Q7. Fuel economy also rises slightly to 17 mpg combined, versus 16 mpg for the outgoing V8. Later on, Lexus will add a hybrid option similar to the iForce MAX system in the Tundra. This will boost MPG while preserving stump-pulling torque. Upgraded Chassis Retains Serious Capability Despite the redesign, the capable body-on-frame architecture carries over. The GX continues to share underpinnings with the larger LX SUV. Key hardware: Independent double wishbone front suspension Solid rear axle with coil springs Standard full-time 4WD with low range Center locking differential Lexus also equips the new GX with KDSS - an electronic sway bar disconnect system for increased wheel articulation off-road. In short, while the styling moves in a radical new direction, all the GX's proven hardware remains to maintain impressive 4x4 prowess. Modernized Cabin with New Infotainment System Inside, the GX's cabin adopts a contemporary new look befitting a modern luxury SUV: 12.3" digital gauge cluster - Fully configurable display 14" central touchscreen - Runs Lexus Interface multimedia system Touch controls - For HVAC and drive mode functions Leather and suede seats - Available semi-aniline leather and perforated suede The completely redesigned dashboard has a clean, upscale appearance. The new Lexus Interface system brings improved voice controls and standard wireless software updates. How Does Pricing Shake Out? Lexus has yet to announce pricing for the 2024 GX. But expect a significant increase over the o

utgoing model's $53,000 - $70,000 range. With the major upgrades, new powertrain, and extra off-road hardware, the redesigned GX will command a premium price. Projected starting MSRP: $65,000 Overtrail model could push above $75,000 for maximum capability. But that price buys serious luxury coupled with the GX's rugged body-on-frame construction. FAQs What are the key differences compared to the previous GX? The 2024 model brings a new twin-turbo V6, updated interior, Overtrail off-road trim, and much bolder exterior styling. When does the 2024 GX go on sale? Lexus says the new GX will start arriving at dealers in early 2024 as a 2024 model year vehicle. Will a hybrid version be offered? Yes, Lexus confirms a hybrid powertrain is coming later in the model year. Expect similar specs as the iForce MAX system in the new Tundra. What is the off-road Overtrail trim's pricetag? Pricing isn't confirmed yet, but the Overtrail will likely command at least a $5,000 premium over a comparably equipped Luxury model. Does the third row seat fold flat? Yes, Lexus will offer power-folding third row seats for maximum cargo flexibility. The Takeaway With its rugged new styling, upgraded interior, and enhanced off-road talent, the 2024 Lexus GX is poised to be more capable than ever. The Overtrail model in particular establishes the GX as a top overlanding choice. While pricing will climb, so too does the luxury, performance, and real 4x4 prowess. For serious outdoor enthusiasts not afraid to spend, the 2024 GX warrants a spot at the top of the shopping list. #Wiack #Car #CarInsurance #CarRental #CarPrice #AutoLoans

[codezup]

Angular 14: A Comprehensive Guide to New Features and Best Practices

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