Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

RIGHT? WELL, SHANNON. ANDREW, CONSTRUCTION CREWS ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW TO REPLACE PART OF THE ROOF HERE AT CROSSROADS MINISTRIES. THAT WAS RIPPED OFF DURING THAT STORM AND SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE AREA. FORTUNATELY, THE PASTOR HERE TELLS ME NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT. BUT THERES A LOT OF ROOF DAMAGE BACK IN HERE. ASSESSING THE DESTRUCTION TO CROSSROADS MINISTRIES CHURCH FROM THE INSIDE. IT WAS SATURDAY EVENING WHEN WINDOWS WERE SUDDENLY BLOWN OUT AND PART OF THE ROOF WAS LIFTED INTO THE AIR, DROPPING DEBRIS ON CARS IN THE PARKING LOT, SCATTERING CHURCH BOOKS AND OTHER ITEMS OVER THE HILLSIDE. AS AROUND 100 PEOPLE GATHERED FOR WORSHIP, I STAYED AT THE TOP UP THERE AND SENT THE PEOPLE DOWN. THEY CAME DOWN. WE CAME THROUGH THIS AREA. AND THEY WERE LINING THIS HALLWAY. PASTOR KEN BARNER EVACUATING HIS CONGREGATION TO THE BASEMENT AS THEY WAITED OUT THE STORM. YEAH, I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED MYSELF. I, UM, YOU KNOW, I, IVE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE. IM A PITTSBURGHER. IVE GROWN UP HERE IN PITTSBURGH. IVE SEEN TORNADO WARNINGS, BUT NEVER SEEN A TORNADO. THERE WAS SKY WHERE THERE SHOULD BE CEILINGS. SO WE WENT OUT AND CHECKED MY CAR, MY WIFES CAR, AND THEY WERE BOTH DAMAGED, AS WERE MANY CARS IN THE PARKING LOT. SOME NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING THE FORCE OF THE TORNADO FOR THE FIRST TIME AS WELL. I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS EVER AGAIN. IT SOUNDED LIKE A TRAIN COMING THROUGH THE BACKYARD. ID SEEN ALL KIND OF WATER COMING OUT OF MY POLE. UM, SEEING DEBRIS FLYING EVERYWHERE FOR. AND WERE OUT HERE NOW TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE OUT. GET SOME TARPS ON SOME ROOFS, WORK TO REPAIR ROOFS, AND CLEAR FALLEN TREES IS UNDERWAY. AND BACK AT THE CHURCH, SLAGLE ROOFING WORKING TO SEAL THE GAPING HOLE IN THE ROOF. BY THE END OF THE DAY, HES DEDICATED HIS TEAMS TO HELP THIS EMERGENCY SITUATION. HES NOT ONLY HELPING US, HES HELPING OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW. SO IM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR WHAT THEYRE DOING HERE. AND THERES NO SET TIMELINE FOR WHEN ALL OF THESE REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETE. BUT THE PASTOR IS HOPING TO HAVE THEM DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO RESUME HAVING SERVICES ONCE

Crews working to repair Washington County church roof ripped apart by tornado

Construction crews are working to replace part of a church roof that was ripped off during Saturday evenings EF-2 tornado in Washington County.

Updated: 7:22 PM EDT May 13, 2024

Construction crews are working to replace part of a church roof that was ripped off during Saturday evenings EF2 tornado in Washington County.Pastor Ken Barner, with Crossroads Ministries in the Finleyville area, said the force of the winds took pieces of the roof right through the parking lot and over the hillside. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt, Barner said.Barner said Saturday evening during a worship service, windows were suddenly blown out, and part of the roof was lifted into the air. The winds dropped debris on cars in the parking lot and scattered church books and other items over the hillside. Meanwhile, around 100 people had to evacuate the worship space and shelter in place.I was pretty shocked myself, you know. Ive lived here all my life. I'm a Pittsburgher. I grew up here in Pittsburgh. I've seen tornado warnings but never seen a tornado, Barner said.There was sky where there should be ceilings. I went out and checked my car and my wifes car, and there were many cars damaged in the parking lot, David Shepley said.Meteorologist Jill Szwed explains how anomalous the recent outbreak of tornados has been in the video belowBarner said Slagle Roofing was working to seal the gaping hole in the roof by the end of Monday.He's dedicated his teams to help this emergency situation. He's not only helping us. He's helping other people in our community right now. So I'm thankful to God for what they're doing here, Barner said.Washington County officials confirmed to Pittsburghs Action News 4 that there were some minor injuries as a result of the damage sustained to the church.

Construction crews are working to replace part of a church roof that was ripped off during Saturday evenings EF2 tornado in Washington County.

Pastor Ken Barner, with Crossroads Ministries in the Finleyville area, said the force of the winds took pieces of the roof right through the parking lot and over the hillside. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt, Barner said.

Barner said Saturday evening during a worship service, windows were suddenly blown out, and part of the roof was lifted into the air. The winds dropped debris on cars in the parking lot and scattered church books and other items over the hillside. Meanwhile, around 100 people had to evacuate the worship space and shelter in place.

I was pretty shocked myself, you know. Ive lived here all my life. I'm a Pittsburgher. I grew up here in Pittsburgh. I've seen tornado warnings but never seen a tornado, Barner said.

There was sky where there should be ceilings. I went out and checked my car and my wifes car, and there were many cars damaged in the parking lot, David Shepley said.

Meteorologist Jill Szwed explains how anomalous the recent outbreak of tornados has been in the video below

Barner said Slagle Roofing was working to seal the gaping hole in the roof by the end of Monday.

He's dedicated his teams to help this emergency situation. He's not only helping us. He's helping other people in our community right now. So I'm thankful to God for what they're doing here, Barner said.

Washington County officials confirmed to Pittsburghs Action News 4 that there were some minor injuries as a result of the damage sustained to the church.

See original here:
Crews working to repair Washington County church roof ripped apart by tornado - WTAE Pittsburgh

A series where we share products that are so good we would do an entire infomercial about it. (But instead, we published this review.) Read more here.

Photo: Fiona Byrne

When you admire a particularly great at-home gallery wall you know, the kind with a bunch of framed pieces hung together just so on Instagram, you rarely think about the level of care it took to install each piece. Unless youve done a gallery wall yourself, that is, and remember the number of holes and uneven patches that live secretly behind your own art.

Take it from me: Gallery-wall hanging is not easy to pull off. I used to hang pictures by hammering a nail into the wall and hoping for the best. Picture-hanging hardware? Why bother! A hammer and any sort of nail, and I was good to go. But when it came to precision, this posed a problem. Nails hammered into the wall at an angle are never at the exact same angle (unless you use picture-hanging hardware), so pictures often end up looking slightly askew and dont sit flush against the wall. The whole thing looks a bit homemade, and not in a good way.

That was many years ago, before I worked as an interior decorator and understood why the age-old measure twice, cut once philosophy can be applied to almost everything. And, most importantly, it was before I knew about the Takker.

A DIY tool that solves all the above issues, the Takker first came to my attention around 2009 when my mother in Ireland produced one from the cupboard to hang a picture. It had made an appearance on Dragons Den (the Shark Tank of Ireland) and soon found its way into Woodies DIY (the Home Depot of Ireland). The idea behind it was to invent a super-simple way to hang pictures and mirrors up to 22 pounds on drywall, wood, plaster, and aerated concrete block. To date, theres a Takker in 10 percent of homes on the Emerald Isle.

Heres how it works: You mark the spot, load some of the included Takks into the rear of the device, and give a satisfying punch to the large round red button, which pushes a Takk firmly and securely into the wall at an ecstatically perfect 90-degree angle. No risk of accidentally hammering your thumb, no loud repetitive banging sounds, no problem. The red button has a fun game-show feeling, as well.

I have always hung things directly on the Takk, but the Takker kit now comes with brass picture hooks, razor hooks, and large plastic hooks that work in tandem with the Takks. Ive hung pretty much all my art under 22 pounds using the Takker. Ive hung art at 11 p.m. without risk of disturbing the neighbors, and Ive used it to hang the aforementioned precise grid gallery wall-art installation, which went fairly well, despite the most uneven walls imaginable.

The Takks themselves resemble pushpins (but smaller), and when you remove one from the wall, it leaves a 1-mm. hole thats so tiny you can hardly see it, even when youre standing right there. As someone who perennially prefers white walls, I can attest to the fact that these holes are practically unnoticeable, even with 20/20 vision. (Ive used the Takker to hang Christmas decorations, leaving barely visible holes when it was time to take them down.) Although the Takks are hypersecure, they actually slide out very easily via an in-built removal slot in the device, so they can be reused. In lazier times, Ive used a hammer hook to get them out, which leaves a scuff mark on the wall. Will I ever learn? Dont be like me, your lazy friend; use the Takker slot. Its there for a reason.

Just note: The Takker works amazing on drywall and wood, but it doesnt work on exposed brick or exposed concrete block. That said, following the success of the original, the company invented a second version called the Hardwall Takker that can handle brick and even ceramic tile. Amazing! Maybe Ill test it out. Stay tuned.

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The Tool an Interior Decorator Uses to Hang Pictures Easily | The Strategist - New York Magazine

The Paris apartment of Hubert de Givenchy, featured in AD in 1978, included a wide-ranging mix of furnitureincluding a large cabinet and writing desk by Andr-Charles Boulle.

Hannah Martin, ADs senior design editor, is rooting for the Louis XIV writing desk to make a rebound. In Hubert de Givenchys Paris apartment, published by AD in 1978, a stunning desk and cabinet by Andr-Charles Boulle, cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, mix in with slick black lacquered finishes, low-lying furniture, and mirrored surfaces, she says. I love this particularly 70s brand of eclecticism and would like to see more interiors that play with French antiques from this era. A woman after my own heart!

Patrick Meles bedroom at the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York, featuring its modern take on an old-school style: patterned wall-to-wall carpeting.

AD, September/October 1972

For Madeline OMalley, ADs market director, its all about patterned wall-to-wall carpet. Theres something that feels very creativity-within-constraint about it, she says. Like a controlled splashiness. And the idea is fresh in her mind, thanks to Patrick Mele's room at the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York, with its snazzy floral carpet by Mele for Aronsons. I cant stop thinking about the concept, says OMalley, who adds that the style is poised for a comeback. One trippy example can be found on the cover of ADs September/October 1972 issue, in a bedroom designed by Stephen Chase of Arthur Elrod Associates.

AD, June 1980

Draped fabric can give a wall texture and interest, says Alison Levasseur, ADs global interiors and garden editor. Take note from this room featured in AD September 1977 that a draped fabric can be used in combination with a wallpaper or paint, she advises.

And thats not all: Shutters indoors are chic! she adds. I adore this Brunschwig & Fils floral bedroom on the cover of AD from June 1980. The white shutters are the perfect charming window treatment for this stylish California ranch. Theres also charm in some of the rooms softer accessories: Im crazy for the gingham cat and dog pillows too! Things that make you happy never go out of fashion.

Link:
5 Old Decorating Ideas We Wish They'd Bring Back - Architectural Digest

Authenticity:Image & Identity 3:45 p.m.4:45 p.m.

Exposing ourselves to authenticity is one of the most valuable opportunities that we can experience. Our actions can often be guided by imagery or intuition. But what are we really looking at, and what do we really want? Explore the ideas and processes that help to determine and identify authenticity. The discussion will consider the appearance and material identity of historic design objects, the innovative spirit of contemporary design, and how authentic and effective holistic environments may be identified.

Panelists include design curator and advisor Simon Andrews and architect and historian Lee Mindel, FAIA.

The Man Who Drew Upside Down: The Architectural Legacy of Paul R. Williams 2 p.m.3 p.m.

In a prolific career spanning almost six decades, Williams designed some 3,000 structures and became one of the most distinguished architects of his time. Despite this precedent-setting career, Williamss efforts at defining Los Angeless built environment have been largely unheralded. This discussion will explore the architects many achievements and contributions to American architecture.

Panelists include LeRonn P. Brooks, PhD, curator of modern and contemporary collections at the Getty Research Institute, and Maristella Casciato, senior curator and head of architectural collections at the Getty Research Institute.

Art of Noise 3:45 p.m.4:45 p.m.

Explore the fusion of sound, design, and technology, presenting valuable insights into creating immersive sound environments while celebrating music culture and the intersection of sound with art, design, and lifestyle.

Panelists include Joseph Becker, associate curator of architecture and design at SFMoMA; Wesley Katzir, founder of Common Wave Hi-Fi; Kevin Carney, owner of Mohawk General Store; and Tana Yonas, editorial and programming contributor at In Sheeps Clothing HiFi.

Confluence of Culture: The New Creative World-Maker 12:15 p.m.1:15 p.m.

Working at the intersection of design, art, fashion, and commerce, the invited speakers will share in their unique multidisciplinary approaches to world-building and storytelling. From wearable to functional design, these artists create ever-expanding multiverses that revolutionize the ways in which we perceive and interact with art.

Panelists include Jamie Bush & Co. Design principal Jamie Bush, designer, curator, and creative director Darren Romanelli, designer and artist Rogan Gregory, and designer Rich Mnisi.

Collecting Design: Contemporary Perspectives 2 p.m.3 p.m.

The discussion will navigate the defining elements of collectible design, spotlight influential artists and galleries shaping this realm, and distinguish between functional and decorative objects. Insights on educating clients about the importance and investment potential of collectible pieces will also be highlighted, underlining the evolving relationship between art, design, and collection.

Panelists include Design Miami Los Angeles curatorial director Ashlee Harrison, interior designer and consultant Alison Palevsky, department head and curator for decorative arts and design at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Wendy Kaplan, Haas Brothers cofounder Simon Haas, and artist and designer Johanna Grawunder.

The Smart Set 4 p.m.5 p.m.

Hollywood powerhouse Ryan Murphy talks to ADs West Coast editor Mayer Rus about conjuring provocative cinematic worlds for his film and television productions, designing homes with a singular point of view, and his wide-ranging adventures in collecting art and design.

Panelists include Emmy Awardwinning screenwriter, producer, and director Ryan Murphy and AD West Coast editor Mayer Rus.

Originally posted here:
What Not to Miss at the Inaugural Design Miami Los Angeles - Architectural Digest

In the beginning, it was personal for Bo Sundius and his wife, Hisako Ichiki, partners of the La Canada, Californiabased architecture firm Bunch Design. In 2012, when they designed their first in-law suite, or granny flat, it was in their own backyard, and it was for Sundiuss father, who had Alzheimers disease. A 720-square-foot one-bedroom they dubbed the Elysian Cottage, the accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, allowed Sundius to help care for his father.

A few years later, in 2017, when California enacted new laws that helped promote the construction of ADUs as a solution to the states housing shortage, Sundius and Ichiki embraced the design of in-law suites as a key component of their practice. It was a prophetic decision because ADUs have since boomed in popularity: 23,000 permits were issued in California in 2022, more than quadruple the number in 2017. In-law suites can generate much-needed rental income, but they can also enable intergenerational living, housing parents who can age in place and help with childcare or adult children who arent yet financially independent or have disabilities. As Sundius says: In-law relationships are always better when they have their own kitchen.

The Elysian CottageBunch Designs name for the granny flat, or in-law suite, they devised for their own homeuses tricks like lowered walls to create an open, airy feeling.

For Sundius and Ichiko, the process of designing a granny flat poses an intriguing challenge: How do you make something small feel large?, as Sundius puts it. (In Los Angeles, ADUs are typically limited to 1,200 square feet.) For one, by running clerestory windows across nearly the full span of the structure. People look to the corners to assess how big a space is, and if those corners have windows, you blur the edges and create a space that feels inherently light, he says.

For interior bedroom walls, Sundius and Ichiki achieve a similar effect by stopping them short of the ceiling, which is usually vaulted, creating a similar sensation of airiness. And they typically site the ADU so that it offers views not of the main house but of a palm tree in the backyard or the mountains beyond. Any time youre recalibrating your eyesight from near to far, youre getting a sense of distance, says Sundius. And so we can make these small spaces feel much larger than they are.

The outside of the Elysian Cottage

Courtesy of Bunch Design

To create privacy and/or separation, Sundius and Ichiko rely on a couple tricks: using a staircase in a split-level unit as a screen between the kitchen and living room, for instance. Or designing one and a quarter baths: a toilet and sink in one bathroom, which can be used by guests, and a sink, shower, and tub in a second bathroom, a private space for residents.

Don't miss the AD PRO-exclusive workshopPhoto Finish: How to Showcase Your Project

Just as Sundius and Ichiko designed an ADU for Sundiuss father, many of their clients were also embracing the intergenerational concept. One homeowners parents sold their Long Island home and used part of the proceeds to build an ADU in the backyard of their daughters Hollywood house, ultimately splitting their time there and with their son in Hawaii; another clients parents made a similar move from New York City to the backyard of their sons property in Los Feliz. Such projects can result in design by committee, with the architects responding to the (sometimes) differing opinions of the homeowners and their in-laws. But the move has clear benefits, including the fact that elder care is no longer a bicoastal conundrum.

Housing a senior resident, of course, requires an accessible design. For Cathy Purple Cherry of Annapolis, Marylandbased Purple Cherry Architects, the mother of an adult son on the Autism spectrum and sibling of a brother with Down syndrome, accessibility underpins all her work. When designing an in-law suite for aging parents, creating an accessible path is essential: doors with widths of two feet ten inches that are wheelchair accessible, for instance, and showers that are flush to the floor. I know it wants to be sexy, Cherry says of the swank ADU designs that populate Instagram. But the underlying details of designing a space where a loved one can live their final yearsthose are anything but.

Read this article:
Why the 'Granny Flat' Is the Next Big Home Amenity - Architectural Digest

Ghost of Tsushima: Directors Cut is now out and about on PC, sadly with the requirement of signing into a PlayStation Network (PSN) account in order to play the samurai action-adventures Legends co-op mode. The same requirement, you might recall, that Helldivers 2 players recently lobbied Sony into abandoning. No such luck here, and as previously warned, the need for said PSN sign-in to happen over Windows means that Ghost of Tsushima is essentially missing a chunk of itself on the Steam Deck.

To be clear, you can still play the singleplayer campaign (and the bundled-in Iki Island expansion) on the SteamOS handheld, but multiplayer is a hard no-no. Which is especially irritating, even by the usual account login pile-up standards, as Ghost of Tsushima is quite a tidy Steam Deck game otherwise.

Its weighty, methodical swordfighting handles beautifully on the Decks controls, and performance is up to snuff. Id suggest dropping from the default Medium settings down to Low, keeping FSR 3 on Dynamic mode, but doing so will typically keep you in within the comfortable 30-40fps range. These settings still make for a pretty-looking game on the 800p display, too, with few visible signs of the upscaler in action. HDR is also supported, a nice little treat for Steam Deck OLED owners (just as with previous Nixxes-made PS5 port, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart).

It does get rather battery-hungry, wolfing down my own OLED models full charge in 2h 10m. Thats level with Helldivers 2 (hah) as the second fasted battery drainage result Ive seen. Likewise, a classic LCD-screened Steam Deck went from full to flat in 1h 21m, also very much on the shorter side. At worst, though, thats just an inconvenience unlike the PSN requirement, which outright blocks you from playing a significant part of the game youve bought, on the grounds that its bolted-on collector of personal info doesnt know how to talk to your widely-used and otherwise completely compatible choice of operating system.

A damn shame, this is. Even if you can put aside the bonus ridiculousness of the requirement also forcing Ghost of Tsushima: Directors Cut off sale in the 170-odd countries where PSN isnt available (including Japan, the games own setting). Were told that imposing a PlayStation account on PC players is necessary for Legends PC/PlayStation crossplay feature, but this is only in beta itself, so there isnt actually any inter-platform matchmaking going on unless you invite a friend directly. At the same time, PSN seems entrenched deep enough in Ghost of Tsushima that theres probably no real hope for a U-turn anytime soon.

Again, if youre solely of the singleplayer persuasion, you can turn a blind eye to the PSN gubbins and just set about katanaing baddies on the Steam Deck in peace. I do worry, though, that ignoring this kind of account creep at a time when PC gaming already demands a little black books worth of different launcher logins is tantamount to encouraging it. Even when its not as egregious as Sonys attempt to crowbar PSN into Helldivers 2 post-release, should we be normalising the surrender of our time and our personal details to the online service of an entirely different platform? Preferably not, right?

More here:
Ghost of Tsushima runs well on Steam Deck, making its PSN nonsense all the more annoying - Rock Paper Shotgun

Ursula's Return is Disney Lorcana's newest expansion, a story-driven set that reveals Ursula's evil plan to take control of the Inklands with the power of the Hexwell Crown. Heroes and villains take center stage in this expansion, but Ursula's story, which weaves through many of the new cards, isn't the only exciting thing about Ursula's Return. Encanto's Madrigal family is making their first appearance in Disney Lorcana - and they're featured front and center in the newest starter deck

As its name implies, Madrigal Magic is a typal deck that has built-in synergies for the members of the Madrigal Family. It also has a big emphasis on healing characters through actions and abilities, lots of support characters, a few singers, and a little bit of bounce synergy too. This deck is more unfocused than its Hero-centric, Sapphire/Steel counterpart, but with a little work, it won't be difficult to get it into fighting shape.

This guide features three upgrade paths for this starter deck.

The goal of this guide is to improve the consistency and performance of the deck without losing the core themes.

There are likely better Amber/Amethyst lists out there, but these decks are designed to focus on and elevate the things that already work in the original starter deck.

These are the best Madrigal decks, not the best Amber/Amethyst decks.

Disney Lorcana's Ursula's Return Amber/Amethyst Budget Deck Upgrade

Agustin Madrigal, Clumsy Dad (x4)

Mirabel Madrigal, Prophecy Finder (x4)

Ursula, Vanessa (x4)

Felix Maddrival, Fun Loving Family Man (x4)

Julieta Madrival, Excellent Cook (x4)

Maleficent, Sorceress (x4)

Mickey Mouse, Leader of the Band (x2)

Camilo Madrigal, Prankster (x4)

Dolores Madrigal, Easy Listener (x4)

Luisa Madrigal, Magicaly Strong One (x4)

Mirabel Madrigal, Gift of the Family (x1)

Bruno Madrigal, Out of the Shadows (x1)

Isabela Madrigal, Golden Child (x1)

Swing Into Action (x2)

Poor Unfortunate Souls (x2)

Heal What Has Been Hurt (x2)

Friends on the Other Side (x4)

Lost in the Woods (x4)

Look At This Family (x1)

Casa Madrigal, Casita (x4)

A lot of the core Madrigal cards that make this typal deck 'turn on' are rare or super rare, but there's still a lot we can do to tighten up the budget version of this deck. We've increased the number of all our common and uncommon Madrigal cards to four, but limited them to just the most impactful: Agustin, Felix, Julieta, Camilo, Dolores, Luisa, Isabela, and both Mirabels.

Our apologies to Atonio and Pepa who did not quite make the cut.

Since this is an Amethyst deck, there are a lot options for card draw. This list sticks with the most basic: Maleficent, Sorceress, and Friends on the Other Side. Julieta and Dolores also have the potential to replace themselves, while Bruno lets you return a character to your hand after they are banished.

Plus, Look At This Family is one of the most powerful card draw tools in the game now, so you should have a lot of options to keep cards in your hand.

This list replaces Sebastian with Ursula, Vanessa as its two-cost, Singer 4. Her higher willpower makes her more likely to live after singing, and including her sets this deck up for a Floodborn Ursula in the other versions. This deck has a total of 13 songs, up from seven in the original starter deck, so there are plenty of opportunities to put Ursula to work.

Other than Friends on the Other Side, she'll most commonly be singing Lost in the Woods to reduce the strength of all opposing characters by two. This can either be used to protect your characters while they quest or to take some favorable trades against your opponent's characters without having to banish your own characters in the process.

An efficient Lost in the Woods turn might start with Ursula singing the song, followed by Luisa rushing in to challenge an opposing character for free. This deck has two copies of Swing Into Action, which is both thematic for an Encanto deck, and a great way to give any of your characters Rush.

When Bruno Madrigal, Out of the Shadows is played, he makes a chosen character return to your hand when it's banished in a challenge. If you have Bruno choose himself, you could combine this play with Swing Into Action, have Bruno rush into a big target like Maui, Hero to All, then immediately return Bruno to your hand.

Healing is still a core strategy of this deck. Julieta works like a miniature Rapunzel, Gifted with Healing, by healing your damaged characters and providing a card draw. Heal what has been hurt does practically the same thing in song form too. By combining these tools with Lost in The Woods, you can safely challenge your opponent's characters and heal the damage they've taken - or avoid it altogether.

The game plan for this deck involves creative use of its Support characters, healing abilities, and card draw to efficiently trade with your opponent's characters. Mickey Mouse, Leader of the Band in Both Mirabels can quest and give support to weak characters like Agustin, Felix, and Ursula, who can challenge more dangerous targets, and then Julieta can heal the damage they take.

Poor Unfortunate Souls offers a little extra board control by removing threats before they can act, and once you have the board, Casa Madrigal will generate passive lore each turn while you continue to remove your opponent's characters through efficient trades.

Disney Lorcana's Ursula's Return Amber/Amethyst Mid-Cost Deck Upgrade

Agustin Madrigal, Clumsy Dad (x4)

Alma Madrigal, Family Matriarch (x4)

Bruno Madirgal, Undetected Uncle (x4)

Camilo Madrigal, Prankster (x4)

Isabela Madrigal, Golden Child (x2)

Julieta Madrigal, Excellent Cook (x4)

Luisa Madrigal, Magically Strong One (x4)

Maleficent, Sorceress (x4)

Mirabel Madrigal, Gift of the Family (x4)

Mirabel Madrigal, Prophecy Finder (x4)

Olaf, Friendly Snowman (x4)

Ursula, Eric's Bride (x4)

Ursula, Vanessa (x4)

Friends On The Other Side (x4)

Look At This Family (x4)

Lost in the Woods (x2)

The Boss Is On A Roll (x4)

Now we can start to access the core synergies in the Madrigal typal deck. Alma Madrigal gives us Lorcana's first tudor ability, which is a type of ability that lets you search your deck for a specific card. When Alma is played, you can look for any Madrigal and put it on top of your deck.

This is a great way to manage your curve. By playing Alma on turn three, you can ensure you'll draw a four-cost card you can play at the start of your next turn. Later in the game, Alma can help ensure you find a Madrigal with a specific ability you're looking for.

Alma also synergies perfectly with Bruno Madrigal, Undetected Uncle. After playing Alma to move a card to the top of your deck, you can exert Bruno, name that card, and put it in your hand. This is a great way to get a Luisa right away when you need a Rush character or set up a big play on the following turn. As a bonus, you'll also gain three lore each time you do it.

You won't always have an Alma to pair with Bruno though, so this deck also utilizes The Boss Is On A Roll, which allows you to organize the top five cards of your deck in any order you choose. This can set up Bruno for multiple turns, allowing you to draw at least three extra cards and gain nine lore as long as Bruno survives. Thanks to his Evasive keyword, he isn't easily removed, even when he's exerted.

Outside of the Madrigal Synergy, Luisa is a much worse version of Madam Mim, Fox. If you're not finding that her synergy with Alma and Mirabel is coming into play often, consider exchanging Luisa for Fox. You'll lower your curve and your uninkable count while gaining a potent bounce tool.

The other big addition to this version of the deck is Ursula, Eric's Bride. Ursula allows you to discard a non-character card of your choice from your opponent's hand every time she quests, which is an incredibly powerful effect that, unlike similar abilities, can be repeated multiple turns.

Ursula features the new discard version of Shift introduced in this expansion. You have to discard a song to Shift this Ursula on top of Ursula, Vanessa, but luckily, this deck has 12 songs, so it shouldn't be hard to do.

Disney Lorcana's Ursula's Return Amber/Amethyst Mid-Cost Deck Upgrade

Agustin Madrigal, Clumsy Dad (x4)

Alma Madrigal, Family Matriarch (x2)

Bruno Madirgal, Undetected Uncle (x4)

Isabela Madrigal, Golden Child (x2)

Julieta Madrigal, Excellent Cook (x4)

Luisa Madrigal, Magically Strong One (x4)

Mirabel Madrigal, Gift of the Family (x4)

Mirabel Madrigal, Prophecy Finder (x4)

Olaf, Friendly Snowman (x4)

Rapunzel, Gifted With Healing (x4)

Ursula, Eric's Bride (x4)

Ursula, Sea Witch Queen (x4)

Ursula, Vanessa (x4)

Friends On The Other Side (x4)

Look At This Family (x4)

The Boss Is On A Roll (x4)

The best version of this starter deck - and frankly, any Amber deck - has four copies of Rapunzel, Gifted With Healing. This is the card Julieta Madrigal aspires to be, and the two create a nice play line that can consistently provide early card draw.

Consider playing Olaf on turn one followed by Mirabel Madrigal on turn two. If the opponent quests, Mirabel can give Olaf her Support and Olaf can challenge the opposing character, allowing you to play Julieta and heal the Olaf, drawing one card. Julieta herself is a great target for Rapunzel's ability thanks to her four Willpower, so if you can challenge something with Julieta on turn four (using Mirabel's support again) you can immediately heal her with Rapunzel and draw even more cards.

This deck also completes the Ursula Shift line with Ursula, Sea Witch Queen. This powerful new legendary forces the opponent to exert one of their characters when Ursula quests, which opens them up to be challenged - and for one of your characters to take damage for a future healing effect.

Ursula also prevents other characters from exerting to sing, which is a massive disruption for a lot of decks , especially those that utilize the new Sing Together mechanic.

Speaking of which, Ursula's secondary function in this deck is to sing Look At This Family. Remember, Ursula only stops other characters from exerting to sing songs, not herself. Because Ursula is a seven-cost character, she's able to sing Look At This Family all by herself, allowing you to pull two characters out of the top five cards in your deck and put them in your hand.

Whether Ursula is challenging, singing, or questing for three, she offers a tremendous amount of late-game value to this deck, and given that there are eight other Ursula cards, it's likely you'll always be able to shift her in when you want to.

The Madrigal typal synergy is one of the most flavorful in the Ursula's Return expansion, and with Alma Madrigal, it introduces a brand new mechanic that's sure to make a big splash. The combination of Amber and Amethyst creates a lot of potential for interesting deck designs, but if you want to prioritize the Madrigal typal, it's best to hone in on the most important, useful Madrigals, and then fill the deck out with stronger strategies.

Go here to see the original:
Disney Lorcana: How To Upgrade The Amber/Amethyst Starter Deck From Ursula's Return - TheGamer

The men of acclaimed production duo Louis the Child both got their starts early in life.

"I got into DJing after my parents bought me some DJ software for Christmas when I was in 6th or 7th grade," says Robby Hauldren. " I wasnt super into electronic music yet but I was starting to get curious about DJing. I gotthehang of it and started recording myself making mashups intheDJ software and uploading them to SoundCloud. A year or two later I met Freddy through some friends at school and heard he was producing his own electronic music. We had a very similar taste in electronic music and decided to meet up one day and make some music. I had played in bands before and recorded myself but I didnt know much about producing electronic music. Freddy taught me a ton of what I know now. We started to release some music on SoundCloud and just kept at it. I think things started to get pretty serious once we got a manager and he showed us how to really get our music out ontheinternet and heard."

"I started producing in 5th grade, I was already a fan of daft punk, and had heard a song ontheradio called 'Dooms Night' (Timo Maas Radio Edit) that kind of blew my mind at a young age, and some of my camp counselors showed metheCaspa Remix of 'Cockney Thug' by Rusko, and I was pretty hooked on dubstep and dance music," says Freddy Kennett."I was producing nearly every day from then on. I was taking drum lessons and playing saxophone intheconcert and jazz band, and was taking music theory classes and playing in a jazz band at Midwest Young Artists in Chicago. In 8th grade, when I heard of Robby making mashups and live edits of songs, I reached out to him to get together and make some tunes!Theday we got together, we startedLouistheChild."

Haulden likes to associate LTC more with a feeling than a sound.

"Theres certain 'sounds' or drum pockets people might associate us with, but intheend I know its aLouisTheChildsong when I get that feeling," he says.

"We usually make bubbly, vibrant dance music with a songwriting and melodic focus," adds Kennett. "We jump between any tempo that inspires us. We see genres as guidelines to utilize or break free from. We dont like being put in a box, and we like to experiment."

Louis the Child's latest release is "Believe It."

"We made 'Believe It' with Madeon, who is one ofthefirst artists we bonded over when we formedLouisTheChild," says Hauldren. "Overtheyears hes become a close friend and we decided to get together a few months ago to make music. When weve worked with him inthepast we always started from scratch, but this time he wanted to write over something we had already started. We played him a few ideas and this one beat really struck a chord with him, and we spent most oftheday just writingthevocal parts. We knew we wanted something simple, and we worked really hard at refining every line we wrote to getthemost out of them."

"This is our new song featuring Madeon, who was one of our idols forthelongest time, and still is," says Kennett. "Robby and I first were introduced to each other at a Madeon show atthebottom lounge in Chicago.Thesong itself is quite a happy and fun house tune that Hugo and I are singing on. It has a light and transcendent, dance energy, were super excited to play it live attheupcoming shows!"

As for gear:

"Weve used Ableton live for a long time," says Hauldren. "All you need is a great sample library, some software synths like [serum, kontakt, analog labs, or synplant], and most ofthetime a midi keyboard.A lot ofthetime ontheroad we just usetheMacBook keypad as a piano, which somehow is completely usable! I usedtheMacBook keypad to playthemelody from our songs Fire and Weekend, and multiple others. Sometimes its fun to make songs in various places that arent a professional studio with nice speakers. Thats an amazing part ofthedigital age, you have a lot of freedom to create anywhere youd like. You can even take your laptop tothebeach. Havent tried that yet, haha."

Looking ahead, the guys have plenty planned for 2024.

"We have a tour planned fortheFall that were really excited for," says Hauldren. "Going to try and keep putting out music afterthealbum too."

"We have an album ontheway," adds Kennett. "Very excited! Were done withthecreation process so we feel relievedget ready!"

Photo by Joey Vitalari

See the original post here:
Hit the Decks! It's Louis the Child Music Connection Magazine - Music Connection Magazine

Traditional payment gateways have often hindered banks in their efforts to modernize their payment systems. Transitioning to real-time payment capabilities demands dismantling outdated procedures, a task many banks are unprepared to take on.

A recent PaymentsJournal webinar featuring Miriam Sheril, Head of US Product at Form3, Peter Gordon, Founder and Managing Partner at Atlantic Fintech Advisors, and James Wester, Co-Head of Payments at Javelin Strategy & Research, took a closer look at how a platform-based approach is helping banks commercialize their value-added services and develop a more client-centric service model when it comes to payments.

For banks venturing into real-time payments, grappling with legacy back-office technology can be frustrating. Real-time payments hinge on delivering seamless end-user experiences, a demand that traditional technologies have long struggled to meet, especially considering customers 24/7 expectations. Implementing FedNow and the RTP network effectively necessitates embracing modern technologies.

In the U.S., were going to see more banks needing to modernize their technology at the back end to make this happen, Gordon said. The legacy infrastructure that banks havebatch-oriented, mainframe-based systemscant handle the 24/7/365 scaling. It also means that were moving from silo-based systems to enterprise-based systems and platforms.

Managing individual transactions for FedNow and RTP differs significantly from the batch-oriented processing typical of ACH transactions. The infrastructure needs to become modern and cloud-based. Regulatory concerns, such as anti-money-laundering laws, further impel banks toward modernizing their architecture. By providing more seamless solutions through better technology, fintechs like Stripe and PayPal have been pushing banks to turn toward cloud solutions and APIs that allow banks to scale and work more directly with fintechs.

We focus on trying to insulate banks and financial institutions from having to deal with some of the nitty-gritty annoying stuff, so that they can focus on their customers, their end users, and where they want to make money, Sheril said. A truly seamless API will cover all the rails, instead of the bank having to worry about ISO spec version this for RTP, and version that for FedNow, and a third version for Fedwire.

Financial institutions are often stymied by the technological complexity of payments. The systems in place worked well for a long time, but banks are beginning to realize theyre being forced along the path to modernization. And its not going to get simpler, primarily because of the silos within their operations.

A large financial institution operates numerous disparate channels, each with its own dedicated system tailored for functions like treasury and wealth management. Yet theres growing desire within banks for payments to present a unified front, emanating seamlessly from a singular source. This entails breaking down the silos so theres a consistent experience across the middle and back office, as well as throughout the infrastructure and among technologists.

With this push for new technology, many banks accustomed to constructing their own infrastructure are opting against replacing outdated system internally. Instead, theyre forging partnerships with companies specializing in modern technologies.

Instead of it being one of the 75,000 things I do, streamline the piece that matters to me, Sheril said. Now that we have the ability to have better architecture thats easier to implement, that is going to be helpful in terms of where banks are going across lines of business and tearing down silos.

Ultimately, customers simply want convenience. However, theres growing awareness among customers regarding the various payment methods available to them. They can opt for installments plans, direct transfers, or transactions that accrue points. Financial institutions want to present customers with all of these options.

Thats where that technology kicks in and says to the financial institution, you have more power now, Wester said. Financial institutions have always just looked at a payment as a payment. But now that were seeing consumers care, there are ways that you can use that to reinforce the relationship.

In many instances, customers fully appreciate the advantages of real-time payments only once theyve had the opportunity to use them. Real estate firms, for instance, are showing interest in real-time payments not because theyre concerned about where their settlements occur but because they want to close deals on Saturdays, a day when most realtors are active.

Consider another scenario where instant payments afford retailers the ability to reconcile transactions at the end of the day and receive funds instantly. For example, on a Friday night, a restaurant reconciling its accounts can simply press a button, and the funds are deposited into its account, enabling them to promptly pay the wait staff.

However, many banks have been unable to facilitate such transactions on Saturdays due to wire closures. As a result, these options emerge as new products and services for consumers and represent novel competitive avenues for financial institutions.

Conducting operations in the cloud allows banks to integrate many of their services, yet there has been a reluctance to use such services.

Ten years ago I was at a conference about the cloud, and the CIO of a relatively large bank said from the stage, We will never put any mission-critical stuff in the cloud. Its just too risky, Wester said. And the bankers in the audience all nodded sagely. No, that will never happen.

Yet more banks are discovering that using a platform-as-a-service provider can reduce costs significantly if its done right. They can end up paying a fraction of the cost of building and maintaining a data center.

Another advantage of the cloud is translation. It can take an ACH file and convert it to an ISO 20022 format, maybe even enrich the payment instructions with information, then pass it through a payment system. Those who understand how rich this data is will be the real winners.

Implementing new processes in todays payments landscape means dismantling old ones. Its important for organizations not to underestimate the challenges associated with decommissioning legacy systems and instead focus on this task with purpose.

Organizations should embark on a journey toward modernization, starting by insulating themselves from risks and addressing their least risky areas first. Its imperative to start with smaller aspects that can coexist alongside the legacy system. This incremental approach ensures that each step is modernized. Not everything needs to be moved at once.

This is about getting something better out there and not waiting till your customers leave you for someone else, Gordon said. There are ways to do this that help you de-risk the whole migration. Some banks have only taken specific accounts and moved them over. Or only real-time payments. You can start real-time there, then move the other aspects over.

Said Sheril: The more complex these requirements get, the more modern the technology has to be. You cant do it on old platforms. You have to do it on things that are quick. We can only do it because we are on a modern 24/7 platform. Banks need to get this modernization done, but they dont want it to distract from the focus on whats important to them, which is their customers and their revenue.

Continued here:
Clearing the Decks for Real-Time Payments - PaymentsJournal

The developer of NonSteamLaunchers got in touch to mention that a Steam Deck (Decky Loader) plugin is now available for testing, plus the latest release pulling in a handy tool for being able to Remote Play Together anything.

For thev3.8.8 release that went out a few days ago they've hooked upRemotePlayWhatever, a tool I hadn't heard of until now. It's a "Tiny application that lets you force remote play together any game you have in your steam library including non-steam ones" which sounds really useful for playing games from other stores on Steam Deck and for emulation too.

On top of that the developer mentioned they have a Decky Loader plugin in development, which is now available for testing. This means you won't have to go into Desktop Mode to install or remove the extra stores like Epic Games, GOG and so on, as long as you have Decky Loader set up and ready. Nice!

They sent along this video demo of it in action:

See original here:
NonSteamLaunchers Steam Deck plugin in testing, plus a way to Remote Play Together anything - GamingOnLinux