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Well its OVERTIME and Mark and Bobby are looking to answer a few more questions, but not before discussing the current WWE storylines and why some of the characters are involved where they are.
Mark brings a little insight from his past pro-wrestling career to discuss the locker room aspect of a show and why some guys make it to getting pushed and why some don't.
Plus the two discuss some questions from the listeners and we find out something from Bobby that is a complete Mind-F--K that Mark still hasn't gotten over. Its THE Q!
(Right Click and "Save As" to D/L)
Its time to go uncensored with the guys. Matt, Andy and Mark discuss some more questions from the listeners. First the guys tackle some of their favorite horror movies and discuss the new movie "The Conjuring" has just been released. Mark talk about musician/movie director Rob Zombie and his "penchant" for making great horror flicks off the cuff.
Then they tackle a letter from a girl that involves her open relationship and all the craziness that goes along with it. Plus there are some attachment issues with one young soul and the guys bust through how to handle those relationships. Andy then goes on a tear explaining what a guy needs to do to make a lady happy FOREVER.
A must listen episode...
(Right Click and SAVE AS to grab it)
Stop it with STING!
It's the age old Pro-Wrestling discussion that never gets old (but really it is WAY OLD).... What if Sting were in the WWE? Of course, that is always immediately followed with a bunch of drooling of who could fight who and where the story lines can go. Well let me give you a heads up on this latest round..... NOWHERE!
Recently it was put out there that Stinger had reached out through connections and discussed the potential for a final move to the WWE. When and if this happens, it is almost a guarantee that he will retire. Probably one more match at Wrestlemania against Undertaker or Triple H just so he can say he fought him when they both were at the top of their game. Then immediate retirement and gone. There won't be any story lines that are drawn out or a line of opponents for him to drive through before its over.....nope, just one match and gone.
So the question is....is this good for WWE and Sting? Probably and only for one reason. The merchandising deals that can be put into place. Sting is truly an ICON in the sport and his merchandising is worth millions to a company like WWE. Plus they have the vehicle that is powerful enough to still get long run play financially out of older retired characters and their likeness. Hell just the thought of a STING character in the next WWE 14 video game is enough to get a ton of people to jump on top of it.
So with this said, and the age that Steve is at, there is a probable move to the WWE to solidify that merchandising deal and his final bid to enter the HALL OF FAME. And we all know that there are other "hall of fames", but the one that really counts in the fans eyes is the WWE Hall of Fame. With out the big show and Wrestlemania weekend to be around it, a Hall of Fame bid seems mediocre..
So why title this "Stop it with Sting!" ? Well that is simple. We need to stop everything with Sting. He probably really only has one GREAT match left in the tank (everything else seems phoned in recently). We nee d that match on the "Biggest Stage of them ALL" and it needs to be against someone legendary (including Cena...regardless of your opinion). And they need to Retire him and put him in the Hall of Fame so he can stop all of it. No more bad angles. No more discussion of jumping ship. No more "one more time" chants. No more anything. It is time for Sting to move on.
Now I get that this might not be a popular opinion. And that is fine. I am one person with one viewpoint. But I think we all know that the guy that holds on too long tarnishes his reputation. We all love Ric Flair, but he's become the Dick Clark of Pro-Wrestling. Every year they would roll Clark out on New Years eve and it was fine until the stroke. Then it became a sad state of affairs and each time the fans would say "they rolled him out again and he looked worse". Well that is where Flair is and we don't want Taker and Sting to get to. Sometimes opting for the RYU-esque walk off into the sunset is a more fitting end for our heroes and favorites.
John Cena beats Brock Lesnar...He should have!
BRUTAL IT WAS! It blew the minds of the WWE audience worldwide, when what they thought was going to be a wrestling match quickly turned into a MMA event at the hands of Brock Lesnar.
Brock started the barrage and open a WIDE gash on the head of John Cena. From there he rag dolled Cena for everything it was worth! But in the end, John Cena laid Brock out with a FU on the steel steps and garnered the victory. It was a great PPV in all, but the fans were very upset at another Cena win. Why?
Truth is, John Cena should have won. Brock can't expect to walk back in to the WWE and just walk away with the win. He's not The Rock. He doesn't have the Rocks pedigree in the WWE. So he has to play well with others. And Brock DID. I am assuming that Cena had been planned for time off after Wrestlemania since he hasn't been out of action since 2007 when he would eventually surprise everyone at Royal Rumble. 5 straight years of working your ass off. 5 days a week with a few small days off in between.
Now why should he have won....It leads to a better story down the road. If Brock comes in and destroys Cena right after The Rock does, makes the fans that like him lose their support and the fans that hate him happy for a minute. But it doesn't sell anything. Now, they can take Brock and play him up against multiple opponents while waiting for that one guy that beat him to come back...Oh yeah, and in 4-5 months when John returns (I am thinking after Summer Slam and before Survivor Series), they will have the immediate Rematch story ready to go and you will get a more traditional wrestling match.
So it was needed for John to win so he could come back on a high note when ready to return. If you don't agree or have another idea, I want you to post it below in the comments.


The St. Andrew was a 135′ schooner built in Milan OH in 1857. She was carrying corn from Chicago to Buffalo on her fateful voyage in 1878. The St. Andrew sank at night, June 26, after colliding the the schooner Peshtigo. Both were said to have sank together, side by side, but the Peshtigo has never been located or identified.
The St. Andrew lies in 65 feet of water 11 miles southeast of the bridge, in Lake Huron. She is moored on her bow. She is upright and fairly broken up. She is a great dive for beginning divers or when the west winds make other dive sites suboptimal. The centerboard, windlass, and major sections of the hull are here, but the deck has fallen to the side, and the hull sides are falling over.
Currently moored (5/27/18). Mooring is just off the bow, using a large, lighted buoy under Coast Guard permit. Mooring is available from mid-May to September, the moorings make for easier location, safer diving and protect shipwrecks from damage from anchors and hooks.


ROM NOW ON, WHENEVER I start complaining about parking, I'm going to snap the rubber band around my wrist and remind myself:At least I don't live in San Francisco.
na – regardless ofThursday street-cleaning day, recent and never- ending root abatement and sidewalk replacement in my neigh- borhood, and the yogurt shop infiltration atmy local grocer. I know, easy parking doesn't really compare to the beauty and history of one of our country's great cities, but I'll take it.
Melissa Bean Sterzick is PT's amateur parker and proofreader. She can be reached at Melissa@parkingtoday.com.


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import React from 'react';
import AppStore from '../stores/AppStore.js';
import Actions from '../actions/actionCreators.js';

require('!style!css!sass!../../../sass/components/MediaList.sass');

export default class MediaListItem extends React.Component {

  // TODO refactor out of component into Index or App
  onClick(e) {
    AppStore.dispatch(Actions.setMedia(this.props.id));
  }

  /*

{this.props.type}

{this.props.duration}

   */
  render() {
    let maxLen        = 140,
        shortenedText = this.props.description;

    // Cap the description length
    if (shortenedText.length > maxLen) {
      shortenedText = shortenedText.substring(0, maxLen) + ' ...';
    }

    return (

{this.props.title}

{this.props.date}

{shortenedText}

    );
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home News Airplane flips over onto roof after landing at Ocracoke Island airport
Airplane flips over onto roof after landing at Ocracoke Island airport
The overturned plane at the Ocracoke airport. NPS photo
From our news services
After landing at the Ocracoke airport at about 1:30 p.m. today, a small plane flipped over onto its roof without apparent injuries.
The pilot of the airplane and passenger did not require transport to the hospital after the plane came to rest in the grass near the north end of the runway, according to a press release issued today (July 25) by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, on whose land the airport is situated.
Hyde County Sheriff's Department and Hyde County Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the accident.
The NPS has notified the Federal Aviation Administration. No further details were available.
The overturned plane at the north end of the Ocracoke runway. Photo by NPS
Ocracoke airport
Ocracoke news
small plane flips over at Ocracoke airport
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Download Dust In The Wind - Acoustic Guitar sheet music instantly - Acoustic Guitar sheet music by Kansas: Hal Leonard - Digital Sheet Music. Purchase, download and play digital sheet music today at Sheet Music Plus.... Tweet; Dust In The Wind by Kansas on a 12 String. We've featured some machines playing guitars here before at acoustic guitar videos, but nothing this elaborate and nothing that really seemed to play somewhat like a human.
How to Play Dust in the Wind on Guitar Uploaded 6 months ago Music 767; Photos 1; How to Play Barre Chords on Acoustic Guitar - Beginners Guitar Lessons. 3. 317 . Chad Garber - Guitar Video Atlanta, Georgia. Boss Katana 100 Demo Line Out - Secret Setting Unveiled. 2. 359 . Chad Garber - Guitar Video Atlanta, Georgia. New Rock Songs 2018 - Internal Quirkiness. 2. 573 . Chad Garber - Guitar... Опубликовано: 16 фев 2007 ; Another "How to play" movie to play the picking style (!!not the originally!!) of "Dust in the Wind" on the guitar.
This is a Fingerpick Style song. Please remember to alternate the notes on the "B" string as you are chording the intro and outro, as well as the Bridge. / [Intro] / C Cmaj7 Cadd9 C Asus2 As... Download Dust In The Wind - Acoustic Guitar sheet music instantly - Acoustic Guitar sheet music by Kansas: Hal Leonard - Digital Sheet Music. Purchase, download and play digital sheet music today at Sheet Music Plus.
This is my full fingerstyle guitar cover of "Dust In The Wind", famous pop song by Kansas. In this guitar lesson you find guitar tab , sheet music and my video tutorial . The first page of my arrangement is free, the second one is only for my Patrons.
Download Dust In The Wind - Acoustic Guitar sheet music instantly - Acoustic Guitar sheet music by Kansas: Hal Leonard - Digital Sheet Music. Purchase, download and play digital sheet music today at Sheet Music Plus.
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Homework will be set by teachers. Maths homework will be set using Mathletics and in addition to spellings, English homework will be set using Literacy Planet. Children have their own logins for these websites.
Click here to view our Homework Policy.


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Downtown shop gives fresh look to old fixtures
Located in the heart of Muncie, Refresh offers more than just repainted furniture.
Downtown shop gives fresh look to old fixtures Located in the heart of Muncie, Refresh offers more than just repainted furniture. Check out this story on thestarpress.com: http://tspne.ws/1Ssd27h
Mickey Shuey, mshuey@gannett.com Published 10:03 a.m. ET Aug. 1, 2015 | Updated 10:17 a.m. ET Aug. 1, 2015
Refresh features a ball jar painting station.(Photo: Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press)Buy Photo
Refresh is a downtown shop that specializes in bringing life back to old furniture.
The shop also offers classes and paints for customers to make their own D.I.Y. projects.
There are make-and-take nights which allow customers to learn a new skill and apply it to a piece.
Take a look inside the store in a photo gallery below
MUNCIE – How far would you go for a custom-painted piece of furniture? How about a like-new dining room table with re-upholstered chairs? Five miles? Fifty?
At Refresh, 312 E. Main St., some customers make trips from even farther out than 50 miles. Visitors come from all over the Midwest, from Muncie to Mishawaka to Michigan. And while that wasn't something owners Lucas and Rebekah Hanna planned on when they opened a few years back, they'll happily welcome the business.
"The fact we have people coming in here from different states ... it's not doing good for only us," Rebekah Hanna said. "Any business that brings new people (to downtown) is bringing new opportunities to Muncie."
The downtown atmosphere is a point of pride for the Hannas, as it is for many others who operate locally-owned shops.
"There's a lot of (creativity) to be found in Muncie," Rebekah Hanna said. "When you look at what we do here at Refresh, it isn't limited to just updating the looks of old furniture."
Throughout the store, you will find a colorful array of product, but none of it do the Hannas consider "stock."
Start to finish
Each updated piece in the store is either "picked" — found through salvage — or purchased at auction, Lucas Hanna said. Because Rebekah works full time as a real estate agent, Lucas Hanna is charged with much of the day-to-day operations of Refresh.
Hanna explained that once the team gets an item in, he'll restore it to good, working condition when possible. After that, it is given a new look, either by Lucas or his wife, or one of the shop designers.
Connie Beaty is the store manager and one of the two primary designers in the shop. She works with lead designer Cait Molloy on most of the projects that come into the shop.
According to Beaty, it's one thing to figure out what she, or the rest of the staff, might like to see in a finished piece.
"It's entirely different when you're looking at something you're hoping someone else loves," she said. "If I was working on pieces for myself, I'd probably do everything in (shades) of green, because that's my preference."
Refresh features restored and repurposed items as well as material for DIY projects. The downtown Muncie store also offers several craft-based classes. (Photo: Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press)
But everything in the shop isn't green. There are blues, reds, yellows, silvers; there's an entire children's bedroom set that's pink. Everything is — refreshingly — unique.
Many of the items in sets come from now-dismantled furniture sets. The pieces are nestled together, as if they always belonged that way. It's a specialty of the shop, and one reason it's become so popular.
The shop also carries unique clocks from an out-of-state seller, as well as a small selection of consignment items, Rebekah Hanna said.
In the coming months, the shop will begin looking for additional consigners to work with during the holiday season, according to Beaty.
"People should contact us directly, or or go on our website, to see what we are looking for," she said.
Enhancing a home's aesthetics and environment are the keys to what Refresh aims to do, Beaty said. By offering hand-crafted household fixtures — including the occasional piano — and a variety of artistic pieces, there's something for just about anyone who walks in the door.
"When people come in here, we are always hopeful they'll be able to see something they've never seen elsewhere," she said. "We have a lot of people who want us to work on their furniture, too."
While the staff has no problem working on requested projects, it's not the only option Refresh offers to those in the market for furniture updates.
D.I.Y., done right
Refresh sells supplies for do-it-yourself projects and even offers classes for those looking to find out more about how to update their own household fixtures.
According to Beaty, there's value in giving others an opportunity to see what they can do for themselves.
"We love what we do here, and we also love being able to help others work on things with their own hands," she said. "A lot of our customers ask, 'How'd you do that?' so we offer these classes as a way for us to not only answer that question, but to give them a chance to wow others they know."
The shop offers multiple classes, including courses for advanced users, as well as one for beginners. There's a class that allows those who have a small piece of furniture they want updated to bring it in and work on it themselves in the store. Refresh also has a "make-and-take" class, which Beaty said is similar to the popular concept of "wine and canvas."
The store doesn't do the wine part, though it does offer an occasional class with beer samplers at The Fickle Peach.
"This maker's class is the same idea ... we teach our (customers) a new skill and they're able to try it out," she said. "It's something new each month, and we really like letting people explore the possibilities."
Another unique concept for the store, she said, is the Ball Jar Bar, which allows customers to purchase a glass jar manufactured by Ball Corp., then paint it and customize it with variously priced trinkets.
"The jars were originally used to help us showcase our variety of paints, since you can really use the chalk paint we carry on any surface, including glass," Beaty said. "Then people started bringing in their own jars and it's taken off ever since."
Refresh gives new look to old fixtures
Cait Molloy works at Refresh Wednesday. Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press, Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press
Decorative clocks at Refresh. Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press, Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press
Refresh features restored and repurposed items as well as material for DIY projects. The downtown Muncie store also offers several craft-based classes. Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press, Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press
Refresh features a ball jar painting station. Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press, Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press
Refurbished furniture at Refresh. Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press, Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press
Design in mind
People come from all over the region to see what's new at Refresh. The store is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays; the store is closed Sundays and Mondays.
According to Beaty, those looking to have furniture worked on should contact the store before bringing items in for examination.
"We can't always look at the item and give quotes on the spot," she said. "It's better to send us photos of the item and any other information before you bring it down here."
Beaty said information about requests, and upcoming classes and events, can be found on the store's website, www.refreshmuncie.com.
"We love what we do and what people can experience here," Rebekah Hanna said. "It's something that we really take pride in."
Contact Mickey Shuey, food and business development reporter for The Star Press, by calling 765-213-5847 and follow him on Twitter (@MickeyShueyTSP). He is also on Instagram under the same user name.
Read or Share this story: http://tspne.ws/1Ssd27h
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This year's Annual American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) meeting was held October 31-November 4, 2010 in San Diego, CA.
Presenter: Steven J Feigenberg, M.D.
Presenter: William F. Regine, M.D.


Gregory Kearns is a Naturalist for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. For over 34 years he has worked for the Patuxent River Park and Jug Bay Natural Area where he has made a recognized impact in habitat restoration and avian research. Beginning in the 1980s, he spearheaded an intensive study of the Sora rail, a migratory marsh bird, and connected the decline of the Sora to the loss of the Wild Rice and its link to the exponential population growth of resident Canada Geese that decimated the rice. In 2000, he launched a restoration project in Jug Bay which led to the full recovery of Wild Rice wetlands in the area and has benefitted the Sora as well as many other species. Apart from this, he has worked tirelessly as an educator, incorporating citizen science into his programs and advocating wetland conservation through presentations at schools, senior centers, and environmental organizations throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.


What is your fiduciary responsibility? And what does fiduciary mean, anyway?
We recently had the opportunity to work with an organization that is ready to increase its impact. Current board members had recruited and approved new board members; there was work to be done and people to do it. Our role was to help orient all members to their roles and responsibilities.
We structured the workshop around content included in What Every Board Member Should Know: A Guidebook for Tennessee Nonprofits published by the Tennessee Attorney General, Tennessee Secretary of State, and Center for Nonprofit Management. The guidebook is free and available on line.
At the heart of all board responsibilities is "duty." These include the duties of good faith, loyalty, and care. These are defined as a board member's "fiduciary responsibilities." The big question is this – what does fiduciary mean? It's not a term people use every day. But it is at the core of nonprofit governance. It is the legal and moral obligation to act in the best interest of another. At its core there is the expectation of trust. It is imperative for board members to place the interests of the nonprofit before their own, and to not seek personal benefit from board service.
Carefully read all material you receive, ask questions, and be active in board discussions.
Use your own judgment in voting.
Participate in strategic planning activities that assess and plan for the organization's future.
Inquire whether there is a director's and officer's liability policy.
Review board and committee minutes to ensure proper recording.
Sign a conflict of interest statement at the start of each year.
Hold regular board and committee meetings.
Pursue the mission and the organization's best interests with determination.
Putting a conflict of interest policy in place, and ensuring it is reviewed annually.
Operates in a fiscally sound manner.
Has mechanisms in place to keep it fiscally sound.
Is properly using any restricted funds it may have.
Here's the good news and the bad news: you have to show up for board meetings. Having your name on a board list is not enough. And showing up is not enough. You have to be engaged. At times this can mean asking difficult questions. Don't just "go along." You have a fiduciary responsibility to those your organization serves. We know you care – that's why you're on the board. The next step is to ensure you – and your fellow board members – exercise care.
Mel and Pearl Shaw are authors of four books on fundraising available on Amazon.com. For help growing your fundraising visit http://www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.


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COVID live blogVaccine trackerAsk a question
Australians likely to spend up this Christmas with consumer confidence at seven-year high
By business reporter Rachel Pupazzoni, Rachel Clayton and Stephanie Chalmers
Posted Wed 11 Nov 2020 at 1:03am Wednesday 11 Nov 2020 at 1:03am Wed 11 Nov 2020 at 1:03am , updated Wed 11 Nov 2020 at 2:14am Wednesday 11 Nov 2020 at 2:14am Wed 11 Nov 2020 at 2:14am
Westpac's latest survey shows Christmas spending should be on par with the past few years. (ABC News: James Carmody)
abc.net.au/news/consumer-confidence-christmas-shopping-coronavirus/12866990
Australians are planning for a "normal" Christmas, as an indicator of consumer confidence hits a seven-year high.
Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said a rise in consumer sentiment was "a very encouraging sign"
A survey tracked whether people would spend more or less this Christmas
Families that lost work this year say they will cut back on Christmas spending to boost their savings
The Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment survey rose by 2.5 per cent in November, its third monthly rise in a row.
The survey, which measures how people are feeling about their own finance, as well as the broader economy, is now tracking 13 per cent above where it was for the six months prior to the pandemic hitting in March.
Victorians had the biggest improvement in confidence, with sentiment in the state rising 9 per cent, as coronavirus restrictions eased, in addition to further interest rate cuts and personal tax cuts.
The survey was conducted between November 2 and 6 when the Reserve Bank slashed the official cash rate to 0.1 per cent and announced it would buy more Federal Government bonds to assist with the economic recovery.
This month, Westpac also surveyed people's spending intentions ahead of Christmas.
It found 11.5 per cent of those surveyed expected to spend more this year than in previous years, whereas 32.3 per cent expected to spend less, which was within the range of responses seen over the past five years.
"Given the high degree of uncertainty this Christmas, and the headwinds from the high unemployment rate, it is a very encouraging sign that Australians are planning for a normal Christmas," Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said.
Consumer sentiment appears to be recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic. (ABC News: Alistair Kroie)
Mr Evans said high consumer sentiment was "undoubtably" because of Australia's success in dealing with coronavirus.
"We are now at a seven-year high so Australians are really indicating after the doom and gloom period of the lockdown they are looking forward to a positive future," he said.
Mr Evans said the results of the survey were proof of "the power of interest rates".
"One aspect of the survey that's most outstanding is strong confidence in the housing market, that's spilling over to general confidence," he said.
Westpac chief economist Bill Evans says the latest consumer sentiment survey showed the power interest rates can have on consumer confidence. (ABC News: Scott Jewell)
However, Mr Evans did have doubts about positive sentiment continuing.
"A seven-year high at a time when the unemployment rate is heading towards 8 per cent might be a difficult thing to sustain."
He said the survey on Christmas spending showed Australians were going back to "normality" for Christmas.
Families on spending less this Christmas
Natasha Pain and her family will be reigning in their spending this Christmas.
"We might not do presents this year, if we do it'll probably be something small … certainly not like $100 for every person," she said.
"I think everyone (in my family) is kind of on the same page and everyone is pretty understanding that that might be the best idea this year."
After coming out of Melbourne's lockdown, Natasha Pain says her Christmas this year will be focused more on spending time with her family, rather than gifts. (Supplied: Natasha Pain)
Ms Pain lost her retail job in March when nationwide shutdowns began and with Melbourne's stage four lockdown, she spent many months this year without that income.
"In the first stage of JobKeeper, the company that runs the centre I work for, they were eligible for JobKeeper, so I was on that," she said.
"But when those eligibility requirements were revised, the company was no longer eligible, therefore I couldn't get JobKeeper, so that was pretty difficult."
Ms Pain was able to make a little cash by live streaming yoga classes from her loungeroom.
"Having that little bit of income from teaching yoga, and having JobKeeper earlier in the year, that was pretty good," she told ABC News.
But she said the past few months had been harder and Ms Pain and her fiance had been watching their spending.
"For example, we've been picking and choosing what we should get for takeaway this week, if at all," she said.
"Little things like that."
Natasha Pain and her fiance have struggled through job losses this year due to the pandemic. (Supplied: Natasha Pain)
Her fiance, who was working in hospitality while completing his final year of study, lost his part-time job in March and only last week started a new role after graduating from his course.
But they're not flinging their wallets open just yet.
"There's still another month until the paycheques start to roll in, so we're still hanging on to our budget at the moment."
Christmas this year for Ms Pain will be less about spending money and more about spending time with her family.
"I haven't seen my family since last Christmas, so I think it's going to be more like a reunion and sharing a meal together and playing some daggy boardgames — just enjoying family time."
One thing Ms Pain has recently splashed out on though, is return airfares to Sydney, buying a ticket the day it was revealed the New South Wales and Victorian border would be opening up.
"I'm glad I did because the prices of those have gone up, so I think I snagged a bit of a saving there," she said.
While Ms Pain won't be sending much money this Christmas because the COVID-19 pandemic has meant a hit to her finances, she says there is a silver lining.
"It has absolutely made me appreciate family so much, technology is amazing, FaceTime is amazing, but I just want to give my mum a squeeze."
Australians want to give back to those who need it
The Nguyen family will be spending less money on gifts for themselves this Christmas.
"Our approach to Christmas this year will be focusing on how we can help others," mum Julie Nguyen said.
"We'll be spending a bit less than what we normally would be because we want to be giving more to others less fortunate than us."
Julie Nguyen (right) with daughter Sienna, son CJ and husband Steven, family are spending less on Christmas this year so they can give back to others who are struggling. (ABC News: Rachel Pupazzoni)
Nine-year-old Sienna has asked her mum to buy a present to put under the giving tree at her school for families affected by the drought.
While they might not be buying as many gifts for themselves, the Nguyen's will be eating out a bit more.
"We do still want to take them out to give back to the economy because some businesses are doing it tough," dad Steven Nguyen told ABC News.
"In terms of spending, we'll just be a bit more careful what we're spending on."
The Nguyen family say they will spend less on gifts but treat themselves to a few more dinners out. (ABC News: Rachel Pupazzoni)
The family is also looking forward to a small holiday to Canberra after son CJ's school trip was cancelled because of the pandemic.
"Big holidays nowadays are not on the cards, but a short holiday within Australia will be great," Mr Nguyen said.
While the Nguyens will be more considered in their spending this Christmas, 11-year-old CJ is hoping his wish list item of a trampoline still makes the cut.
Retailers hope shoppers open their wallets
Retailers, especially department stores, hope Australians spend big this year. (ABC News: Rachel Pupazzoni)
As with every year, retailers are hoping consumers open their wallets during the traditionally busy Christmas period.
The latest reading from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that despite a fall in spending last month, retail trade in the September quarter was up 6.5 per cent after falling in the June quarter.
Department store sales have been particularly volatile this year, falling 14.9 per cent in April before a meteoric rise of 44.4 per cent in May.
The volatility has continued since then — just without such huge swings.
Stephanie Trevor, the regional manager of David Jones's Sydney CBD store, hopes Christmas and the easing threat of coronavirus infections in Australia will encourage shoppers to venture out.
"It's a really busy time of the year I think, where everyone gets to come out to experience retail at its best," she said.
"I think we've really learnt to appreciate those things we took for granted, so I think everyone's really keen to get out and have a bit of normality."
Ms Trevor said shoppers were feeling better about their circumstances than they did earlier in the year.
"The sentiment of the customers is definitely a lot more positive," she said.
"Everyone wants a bit of normality, but it's also something that's full of joy and I think they look forward to coming out for Christmas."
Posted 11 Nov 2020 11 Nov 2020 Wed 11 Nov 2020 at 1:03am , updated 11 Nov 2020 11 Nov 2020 Wed 11 Nov 2020 at 2:14am
Retailers shut up as consumers move online to shop 'whenever, wherever, however'
'Air of panic' sees consumer confidence plunge as wage growth stalls
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text:
Mutual Funds Scorecard: September 3 Edition
Every fortnight, MutualFunds.com provides a snapshot of the performance of some key mutual funds which tries to accurately capture the investor interest in specific areas of the financial markets. The report is aimed at providing a quick overview of the sectors, regions and asset classes that moved in a meaningful manner during the last two weeks.
The picture in long-term flows was largely unchanged in the two weeks ended August 21 compared to previous weeks, with mutual funds experiencing net outflows. Bonds again posted positive net inflows, which was more than offset by equity outflows.
Investors withdrew a net $12.8 billion from equities, with large-cap equities and multi-cap equities particularly hit. Meanwhile, total bonds saw net inflows of more than $6 billion, largely thanks to the attractiveness of taxable and investment-grade bonds.
The U.S. Federal Reserve noted that its interest rate cut in July was a "recalibration" of its monetary policy and not a "pre-set" course for additional monetary easing, according to the minutes revealed by the watchdog.
The world's leading central bankers gathered in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to share thoughts about monetary policy. While Fed Chair Jerome Powell did not reveal much in his address, Bank of England boss Mark Carney proposed the invention of a new currency in order to move the world away from its reliance on the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency.
The main political leaders of the leading countries met at the G7 summit in France. Among the key takeaways: U.S. President Donald Trump opened the possibility of a trade deal with China; France President Emmanuel Macron said Trump and Iran leader Hassan Rouhani could meet to negotiate a nuclear deal; Trump also promised the U.K. a trade deal after it exits the European Union.
A bunch of European business sentiment indicators finally saw some improvement after months of hovering near multi-year lows. Germany's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose from 43.1 to 43.6, still deep in contraction territory. Meanwhile, France's manufacturing PMI advanced to 51, moving into expansion mode after falling below the 50 level last month.
U.S. durable goods orders rose 2.1% in July, the largest monthly increase since March, exceeding expectations for a modest 1.2% advance. The positive figure was largely due to a rebound in aircraft orders. Core durable goods, which excludes volatile items such as aircraft, declined 0.4% month-over-month.
U.S. GDP growth for the second quarter was revised down to 2% from 2.1% previously. In the first half of the year, the U.S. economy expanded by 2.6%.
We provide this report on a fortnightly basis. To stay up to date with mutual fund market events, return to our News page here.
Broad Indices
During the last two weeks of August, performance for all instruments largely turned.
International bonds (VTIBX) gained 0.08% for the past two weeks, representing the worst performance from the pack.
Yet international stocks (VGTSX) were at the other end of the spectrum, advancing 1.5%.
Major Sectors
Sectors were all positive with one notable exception.
Health care equities (THISX) were pummeled by investors, losing 1.25% for the past two weeks.
Retail equities (FSRPX) lost 5.6%, the best performance from the pack.
Foreign equities were rather mixed, with emerging markets and European equities posting gains and Japan and Latin America recording declines.
Latin American equities (RLAIX) lost 2.2% for the past week, as Argentina faces another bond crisis and Brazil is dealing with the Amazon fire.
European equities (VEURX) were the strongest performers with a gain of 1.91%.
Major Asset Classes
Currencies (JCUAX) were the only losers these past two weeks, shedding 0.68%.
Managed Futures (EVONX) were by far the best-performing asset class with an advance of 2.36%.
Be sure to sign up for your free newsletter here to receive the most relevant updates.
Mutual fund bonds continued to post net inflows, although that was not enough to stem overall net outflows as investors pulled a larger amount of funds from equities. International stocks and retail equities have outperformed, while some bonds, currencies and Latin American equities were among the worst performers.


text:
RDD Associates Welcomes Chris Vuono
It is my pleasure to announce that Chris Vuono will be joining RDD Associates as Director of Business Development — Fresh Foods & Produce. This senior leadership position is responsible for managing several significant RDD client businesses, and closely collaborating with the RDD Fresh Foods and Produce Directors, Mike Huberfeld and Jim Regan, and Bob Weinmann, on new client engagements.
Chris is an accomplished CPG sales, marketing and procurement professional. Throughout his accomplished career, Chris has directed his energies and innovative thinking to identify business development and merchandising opportunities and mobilize collaboration among client/manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to deliver superior sales results. Chris spent 18 years at Wakefern Food Corp. progressing through a variety of procurement departments and category management roles, to include perishables assignments in Dairy/Deli, Produce and Meat. Most recently, Chris has served as Senior Director of Sales & Customer Development at Crossmark, responsible for directing client brand sales to supermarket customers across the Metro New York, Mid-Atlantic and New England markets.
Chris is a graduate of Adelphi University, and resides in Red Bank, NJ with his wife Mary Ellen, and his two children, Annmarie and Matthew.
Chris will join the organization on June 17th as a member of the senior leadership staff. He will be reporting to Bob Weinmann.
Please join us to welcome Chris into the RDD family!
Bob Cignarella
Chris Vuono, Director of Business Development – Fresh Foods & Produce
Join Us in Welcoming John Hamm to the RDD/Pro-Star Family! RDD Southeast Leadership Announcement


text:
CarrerChange
The Hands That Lead	Posted on August 26, 2021
Amy lapped at the milk in the bowl and wondered how far Rick would take it. It was a strange feeling, to have so little control over her own body, but at the same time to be so turned on.
That arousal wasn't under her control either and she knew The Company had forced it on her just as he had everything else.
The problem was he didn't know it.
Instead, he was fully convinced that she was doing all of this of her own accord, even more than that, that she wanted this and was an eager participant in it. Which was exactly what the company wanted him to think.
Rick had, until a few months ago, been working half way across the country at a rival company when he'd been targeted for recruitment. She had been a low level admin at the same company that Rick had been flirting with for several months with little success. She hadn't directly turned him away or anything, he was in management and she didn't want to ruin her chances of climbing the corporate ladder or anything. But she had made if obvious that things weren't going anywhere beyond the friends zone with him.
That is until The Company had abducted her at the start of a two week vacation and spent that time implanting the device that sat at the base of her skull. When she'd woken up from the surgery she'd been unaware of what they had done, but that didn't last long. She quickly found she had little control of her body and even less control of her voice.
Things she wanted to do or say were intercepted by the device and altered. For the first few days, all that came out of her mouth was gibberish and her limbs flailed around randomly, but soon enough she noticed them getting more and more structured.
By the end of the first week she was walking around, smiling, giving pleasantries to everyone in the facility that contained her. Well, the facility didn't really container her at all, there were no locked doors or guards or anything. The only thing that contained her was the device itself.
The second week was when they let her know what she was expected to do. It was simple really, seduce Rick in whatever way she could, and then when he was fully committed to her, tell him she was taking a new job at The Company and she wanted him to come with her.
When she returned to work after her "vacation", things went smoothly. Rick immediately responded to her advances and they were dating by the end of the week. It was a few weeks later that his collection of petplay photographs on his computer as part of her "research" in to how to snare him fully.
She didn't tell him about her find of course, but a quick online search found a basic outfit and after it arrived she "confessed" her interest in it to him and "hoped" he didn't think it too strange.
By the time she announced she was moving for her new job at The Company, Rick was eager to agree to move with her and applied to The Company for a position they happened to have available that matched his skill set exactly.
When they arrived at their new house, Amy had really accelerated things, or the device did at least. The Company wanted to make sure that Rick was happy in his new position and so Amy took everything about their relationship up to 11.
She spend most of her time at home crawling around the house, meowing and purring at every opportunity she had. The bowl of milk was something new, even though Amy was lactose intolerant, she happily lapped at it. Or the device did for her.
The thing was though, that over the last week or so, Rick had started talking about taking it up another notch. They'd been browsing websites with full latex cat outfits on them, several site that had butt plug "tails", and a few that had bondage gear that would immobilize her arms and legs.
None of this though, not even the plastic surgery sites they had visited together, was what concerned her the most though.
No, what concerned her the most was her own suggestion that now that he had received a significant pay bump at his new job, that if he wanted, she could "retire" and spend her days as his full time pussy cat.
Her concern wasn't that he'd say yes though, on the contrary, it was that he'd say no. Simply because the orgasms she felt each and every time Rick penetrated her and her voice called out in a meow, was far better than freedom she might have wanted before all this began.
Tagged:BlondeBodyControlLatexMindControlPetPlaySurgeryTechnology
Previous PostWednesday August 25, 2021
Next PostFriday August 27, 2021
The Hands That Lead March 2, 2019
The Hands That Lead January 2, 2021


I'd like to have an exit of DTC with an error code set to systems errorlevel when a dump is finished.
i.e. if track 40 of an Amiga diskette is bad and the rest good, it should fail, when dumping i.e. ADF files.
at the moment it doesn't give an error at all.
Output is much more diverse, you can parse error out if you like.
I prefer to keep things simple.
and if I start a disk dump, I just want to know if the dump was done successfully or if the disk has errors.
it'll be quite useful for batch/shell scripting.
But what's an error? Copy protection (recording scheme violation)? Modification (from the view of a preservationist)? What do we do about weak bits?
If you want to keep it extra simple you could use a utility like grep to search for certain strings in DTC's output, then use grep's exit code to figure out whether there was a match or not and base your logic on that.
using grep isn't keep it simple either.
and the graphical interface cannot handle some files so I need to use command prompt.
mr.vince wrote: But what's an error? Copy protection (recording scheme violation)? Modification (from the view of a preservationist)? What do we do about weak bits?
if you're dumping a dos diskette there is (atleast for most parts) tbh I've never seen a dos diskette that was protected on the diskette level like c64/amiga.
but it's still something where you can identify an area to pay attention to.
if you know for a fact that the diskette doesn't have protection, and it gives an error.. I'd still like to know it. as there'd be no reason to keep the image file it it contains errors.
Quite a lot of disks contain protection, even for PC dos.
so I take it that it's a feature request that won't be implemented?
The question is: which error code should we use for what? To which image type would it apply when dumping multiple?
That's why we initially decided against an error code but to go for parsing.
We try to make decisions that make sense, it's not to annoy you or turn you down.
well for streaming... is there a need for error codes as it's impossible to see if there is an error.
lets take protected amiga disks they end out in a size 0 when it's protected. meaning there is an error somehow.
any other "native" imaging i.e. adf, g64, st, img etc should end out with errorcode 0 (success) when a true none errored file is dumped.
if an error occurs it could be a 1 (error/failed) or it can be more detailed with more error codes.. the most important part is just.. dumping to a native image file is it successful or not.
when you dump to multiple formats.. the error should take precedence as to notify the user of the error code so he/she can take action/investigate.


text:
Вад-Медані () — місто в Судані, адміністративний центр штату Ель-Гезіра.

Історія
Місто було засноване на початку XVIII століття, з самого початку представляючи собою турецько-єгипетський аванпост. З часом місто розвинувся і зміцніло, ставши великим промисловим центром.

Географія
Розташоване на західному березі Блакитного Нілу, приблизно за 136 км на південний схід від Хартума, на висоті 414 м над рівнем моря.

Населення
За оціночними даними на 2009 рік населення міста становить 368 021 чоловік.

Динаміка чисельності населення по роках:

Економіка
Сучасний Вад-Медані — це один з найбільш економічно значущих і сільськогосподарських регіонів країни. Це важливий транспортний вузол і торговий центр Ель-Гезіра, яка є головним зрошуваних районом Судану. У передмістях успішно вирощується бавовна. Через місто прокладена залізниця, за якою в інші міста доставляються зерно, арахіс, ячмінь і домашня худоба. У місті розташований університет Аль-Гезіра.

Пам'ятки
Вад-Медані — гарне місце для відпочинку. У місті знаходиться дуже багато ресторанів з місцевою кухнею. Також місто рясніє магазинами і лавками. Вад-Медані — це справжнє «африканське» місто з пляжами, розташованими на східному березі Блакитного Нілу.

Джерела

Посилання

Міста Судану
Ель-Гезіра

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Green Inferno. Eli Roth's 'Cannibal Holocaust' homage.
A group of 'idealistic' students ('Don't think, act!') go to the Amazon to help safe the rainforest and thus protect the ancient tribes who live there. After their 'succesful' mission is completed their small plane crashes and the surviving members end up being captured by a cannabalistic tribe. 'No good deed goes unpunished' reads the tagline, indeed it doesn't.
This is one of those typical horror films the fans will enjoy a lot. It has a lot of inside jokes tthey will have fun spotting. The film itself is an hommage to the Italian cannibal films of the late 1970s and early '80s, a list of which is even included in the end credits of the film.
Its main inspiration is Ruggero Deodato's 'Cannibal Holocaust' (1980) which even features a film-within-a-film entitled 'The Green Inferno'. Please note that unlike the Deodato film and films such as 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999) Roth's film is not 'a found footage horror film'.
The character that takes the lead of the activist student group is called Alejandro (after Jodorowsky?) and the female lead or heroine of the film is called Justine. Considering all the torture and perverted actions she has to undergo the link with Marquis de Sade, and perhaps even more so with the Jess Franco film, is certainly not a coincidence.
Roth fans wil certainly recognise Richard Burgi as Justine's father the United Nations attorney who played one of the 'victims' in 'Hostel: Part II' (2007).
As most horror films do, 'The Green Inferno' has a lot of 'serious' themes it tackles, such as female genital mutilation, the destruction of the rainforest, the corruptibility of social activism and the extreme forms of egotistical behaviour when self-preservation is at stake. These themes are off course just an ironic excuse to have a fun gorefest with scooped out eyeballs, dismemberments and interesting ways of supplying cannabis to cannibals.
After 'Knock Knock' and its original 'Death Game', this concludes our Eli Roth contribution for the week.
< Previous SPECTRE. Bond 24: Connecting the 'deads'.
Next > Argento's 'Four Flies on Grey Velvet': The Hitchcock – De Palma connection.
No animals were harmed during the shooting of this movie? In tegenstelling tot canibal holocaust?


Horse Cave is located in the northern reaches of the Barrens, an area which, in the late 1700's, was covered with prairie grass and almost surrounded by tree-covered knobs. Eight miles south of the county seat, Munfordville, Horse Cave is the largest city in Hart County with a 2000 population of 2250.
There is evidence here of pre-historic Indian inhabitants, and legend says that it was used by historical Indian tribes as a hunting ground. Buffalo were in abundance, traveling through from grazing grounds to watering areas at Green River to the north.
The town is centered on a cave from which it derived its name and water supply. It was an oasis of water, cool air and shelter. There is no certain source for the name. Several have been suggested. The most plausible source is that the word "horse" was frequently used in the 18th and 19th centuries for something extraordinarily large: horse-laugh, horse chestnut, etc. The entrance to the cave is the largest natural opening in the entire cave area.
The valley was first settled in 1794 by Jesse Grinstead; his brother William built the first house in what is now the city limits in 1795. An intrepid early settler was Elizabeth Wilson, who came west with her eight children after the death of her husband to take up a land grant. Other early settlers were Martin, Lafferty and Amos. An early industry was a tobacco factory in what is now the center of town. It burned about 1853.
In 1850 Major Albert Anderson purchased all the land (535 acres) which is now Horse Cave. He marked off the streets and sold $40,000 worth of town lots. He also donated the land for the railroad and depot. It is to him we attribute our narrow, non-connecting streets. There was little growth until work began about 1857 on the L & N railroad and Green River bridge.
J. B. Mustain and John Lang opened mercantile businesses about 1858 to trade with both the railroad workers and the area residents. Mustain stayed after Lang moved on with the railroad. One historian says Horse Cave became the economic center of the area because these men traded for eggs, butter and other produce of the farmers rather than insisting on cash as did other area merchants.
Growth spurted when the railroad opened then slowed during the Civil War. Only one battle incident occurred here; the depot was burned in February 1862. The town was incorporated as Horse Cave on February 17, 1864 – one mile square with the depot as the center. Five trustees would be elected plus a police judge and town marshall.
In 1868 the name was changed to Caverna, but, since Anderson had given the land to the railroad with the stipulation that the railroad stop be called Horse Cave, the confusion was too great and the name was changed back to Horse Cave in 1879.
The town became a tourist stop of the stage to Mammoth Cave as well as a sales center for farmers and businessmen south of the river. From the first a salesman's hotel occupied the current site of the Owens Hotel beside the railroad.
Water was furnished from the cave, first by the bucket (10 cents), later by dam and turbine wheel pumped to the surface. In 1892, the dam and river were used to furnish electricity to the little city: the second town in the state to be electrically lights.
The first school was started about 1860 just east of town. Horse Cave Graded and Hart County High School was established by Moses and Ida Wood in 1898. It continues today as Caverna Independent Schools, formed in 1950 as the first district in Kentucky to cross county lines.
The first tobacco warehouse opened in 1907 and developed into the fifth largest burley market in the world with 10 selling floors and a yearly volume of 17,000,000 pounds. Tobacco is now primarily sold by contract and warehouse sales in Horse Cave ceased in 2003.
In 1916 the stone steps were put in the entrance to the cave, a contest named it Hidden River Cave, and it was opened to the public. It was shown for more than 25 years until it was closed in the early 1940's by pollution. The river in the cave drains the entire town plus a vast area to the south and east, emptying in several springs along Green River. In 1994, with sewage removed from the cave by the construction of a regional sewer system, the tourist attraction was reopened with the American Cave Museum as a joint venture between the city and the American Cave Conservation Association which has its headquarters here.
In 1920 the town became a fifth class city with a mayor-council form of government. In 2000 the town was named a fourth class city.
In 1933 the L & N Turnpike which had evolved into US Highway 31-W, was moved from its location at the western edge of town to the center of town, a major boost for both the tourist industry and the mercantile business of the city. For 37 years the highway funneled travelers through downtown Horse Cave until the construction of Interstate 65 two miles west of town again removed through north-south traffic.
Current Horse Cave industry includes tobacco sales, Ken-Dec (a metal plating factory), Dart Container Corporation (a maker of plastic foam eating products), and a machine and tool company. T. Marzetti Company has announced plans to build a manufacturing plant here.
Since the foundation of Horse Cave Theatre in 1977 (renamed Kentucky Repertory Theatre at Horse Cave in early 2004), the tourist business in Horse Cave has revived, joined by the American Cave Museum and Kentucky Down Under and supported by several new service establishments which cater to tourists as well as residents. In 2000 Horse Cave was named a Silver Renaissance Kentucky City, eligible for state and federal grants to preserve and maintain its history, culture and business center. The downtown historic district along with most of its early 20th century buildings has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


text:
<?php
/**
 * Piwik - free/libre analytics platform
 *
 * @link http://piwik.org
 * @license http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html GPL v3 or later
 *
 */

namespace Piwik\Updates;

use Piwik\Access;
use Piwik\Common;
use Piwik\Container\StaticContainer;
use Piwik\Db;
use Piwik\Option;
use Piwik\Plugins\Installation\ServerFilesGenerator;
use Piwik\Updater;
use Piwik\Updater\Migration;
use Piwik\Updater\Migration\Factory as MigrationFactory;
use Piwik\Updates;
use Piwik\Plugins\Dashboard;

/**
 * Update for version 3.0.0-b1.
 */
class Updates_3_0_0_b1 extends Updates
{
    /**
     * @var MigrationFactory
     */
    private $migration;

    private $pluginSettingsTable = 'plugin_setting';
    private $siteSettingsTable = 'site_setting';

    public function __construct(MigrationFactory $factory)
    {
        $this->migration = $factory;
    }

    /**
     * Here you can define one or multiple SQL statements that should be executed during the update.
     * @param Updater $updater
     * @return Migration[]
     */
    public function getMigrations(Updater $updater)
    {
        $db = Db::get();
        $allGoals = $db->fetchAll(sprintf("SELECT DISTINCT idgoal FROM %s", Common::prefixTable('goal')));
        $allDashboards = $db->fetchAll(sprintf("SELECT * FROM %s", Common::prefixTable('user_dashboard')));

        $migrations = $this->getDashboardMigrations($allDashboards, $allGoals);
        $migrations = $this->getPluginSettingsMigrations($migrations);
        $migrations = $this->getSiteSettingsMigrations($migrations);
        $migrations = $this->getBigIntPreventOverflowMigrations($migrations);

        return $migrations;
    }

    public function doUpdate(Updater $updater)
    {
        $updater->executeMigrations(__FILE__, $this->getMigrations($updater));
        $this->migratePluginEmailUpdateSetting();

        // added .woff and woff2 whitelisted file for apache webserver
        ServerFilesGenerator::deleteHtAccessFiles();
        ServerFilesGenerator::createHtAccessFiles();

        // Renamed plugin ExampleRssWidget -> RssWidget
        \Piwik\Plugin\Manager::getInstance()->activatePlugin('RssWidget');
        \Piwik\Plugin\Manager::getInstance()->deactivatePlugin('ExampleRssWidget');
    }

    private function migratePluginEmailUpdateSetting()
    {
        $isEnabled = Option::get('enableUpdateCommunicationPlugins');

        Access::doAsSuperUser(function () use ($isEnabled) {
            $settings = StaticContainer::get('Piwik\Plugins\CoreUpdater\SystemSettings');
            $settings->sendPluginUpdateEmail->setValue(!empty($isEnabled));
            $settings->save();
        });
    }

    /**
     * @param Migration[] $queries
     * @return Migration[]
     */
    private function getBigIntPreventOverflowMigrations($queries)
    {
        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->changeColumnTypes('log_visit', array(
            'idvisit' => 'BIGINT(10) UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT'
        ));

        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->changeColumnTypes('log_conversion_item', array(
            'idvisit' => 'BIGINT(10) UNSIGNED NOT NULL',
        ));

        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->changeColumnTypes('log_conversion', array(
            'idvisit' => 'BIGINT(10) UNSIGNED NOT NULL',
            'idlink_va' => 'BIGINT(10) UNSIGNED default NULL',
        ));

        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->changeColumnTypes('log_link_visit_action', array(
            'idlink_va' => 'BIGINT(10) UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT',
            'idvisit' => 'BIGINT(10) UNSIGNED NOT NULL',

            // Note; this column is made NULLable for #9231
            'idaction_name_ref' => 'INTEGER(10) UNSIGNED NULL',
        ));

        return $queries;
    }

    /**
     * @param Migration[] $queries
     * @return Migration[]
     */
    private function getPluginSettingsMigrations($queries)
    {
        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->createTable($this->pluginSettingsTable, array(
            'plugin_name' => 'VARCHAR(60) NOT NULL',
            'setting_name' => 'VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL',
            'setting_value' => 'LONGTEXT NOT NULL',
            'user_login' => "VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL DEFAULT ''",
        ));
        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->addIndex($this->pluginSettingsTable, array('plugin_name', 'user_login'));

        $optionTable = Common::prefixTable('option');
        $query = 'SELECT `option_name`, `option_value` FROM `' . $optionTable . '` WHERE `option_name` LIKE "Plugin_%_Settings"';
        $options = Db::get()->fetchAll($query);

        foreach ($options as $option) {
            $name = $option['option_name'];
            $pluginName = str_replace(array('Plugin_', '_Settings'), '', $name);
            $values = @unserialize($option['option_value']);

            if (empty($values)) {
                continue;
            }

            foreach ($values as $settingName => $settingValue) {
                if (!is_array($settingValue)) {
                    $settingValue = array($settingValue);
                }

                foreach ($settingValue as $val) {
                    $queries[] = $this->createPluginSettingQuery($pluginName, $settingName, $val);
                }
            }
        }

        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->sql(sprintf('DELETE FROM `%s` WHERE `option_name` like "Plugin_%%_Settings"', $optionTable));

        return $queries;
    }

    /**
     * @param Migration[] $queries
     * @return Migration[]
     */
    private function getSiteSettingsMigrations($queries)
    {
        $table = $this->siteSettingsTable;

        // we cannot migrate existing settings as we do not know the related plugin name, but this feature
        // (measurablesettings) was not used anyway. also see https://github.com/piwik/piwik/issues/10703
        // we make sure to recreate the table as it might not have existed for some users instead of just
        // deleting the content of it
        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->dropTable($table);
        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->createTable($table, array(
            'idsite' => 'INTEGER(10) UNSIGNED NOT NULL',
            'plugin_name' => 'VARCHAR(60) NOT NULL',
            'setting_name' => 'VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL',
            'setting_value' => 'LONGTEXT NOT NULL',
        ));

        $table = Common::prefixTable($table);
        $queries[] = $this->migration->db->sql("ALTER TABLE `$table` ADD INDEX(idsite, plugin_name);",
                                               Migration\Db::ERROR_CODE_COLUMN_NOT_EXISTS);

        return $queries;
    }

    private function createPluginSettingQuery($pluginName, $settingName, $settingValue)
    {
        $login = '';
        if (preg_match('/^.+#(.+)#$/', $settingName, $matches)) {
            $login = $matches[1];
            $settingName = str_replace('#' . $login . '#', '', $settingName);
        }

        return $this->migration->db->insert($this->pluginSettingsTable, array(
            'plugin_name' => $pluginName,
            'setting_name' => $settingName,
            'setting_value' => $settingValue,
            'user_login' => $login
        ));
    }

    private function getDashboardMigrations($allDashboards, $allGoals)
    {
        $sqls = array();

        // update dashboard to use new widgets
        $oldWidgets = array(
            array (
                'module' => 'VisitTime',
                'action' => 'getVisitInformationPerServerTime',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitTime',
                'action' => 'getVisitInformationPerLocalTime',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitTime',
                'action' => 'getByDayOfWeek',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitsSummary',
                'action' => 'getEvolutionGraph',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'columns' => array ('nb_visits'),
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitsSummary',
                'action' => 'getSparklines',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitsSummary',
                'action' => 'index',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Live',
                'action' => 'getVisitorLog',
                'params' =>
                    array ('small' => 1),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitorInterest',
                'action' => 'getNumberOfVisitsPerVisitDuration',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitorInterest',
                'action' => 'getNumberOfVisitsPerPage',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitFrequency',
                'action' => 'getSparklines',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitFrequency',
                'action' => 'getEvolutionGraph',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'columns' => array ('nb_visits_returning'),
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'DevicesDetection',
                'action' => 'getBrowserEngines',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Referrers',
                'action' => 'getReferrerType',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Referrers',
                'action' => 'getAll',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Referrers',
                'action' => 'getSocials',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'widgetGoalsOverview',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'getItemsSku',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'getItemsName',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'getItemsCategory',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Ecommerce',
                'action' => 'widgetGoalReport',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'idGoal' => 'ecommerceOrder',
                    ),
            ),
        );

        foreach ($allGoals as $goal) {
            $oldWidgets[] = array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'widgetGoalReport',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'idGoal' => (int) $goal['idgoal'],
                    ));
        }

        $newWidgets = array(
            array (
                'module' => 'VisitTime',
                'action' => 'getVisitInformationPerServerTime',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitTime',
                'action' => 'getVisitInformationPerLocalTime',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitTime',
                'action' => 'getByDayOfWeek',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitsSummary',
                'action' => 'getEvolutionGraph',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'forceView' => '1',
                        'viewDataTable' => 'graphEvolution',
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitsSummary',
                'action' => 'get',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'forceView' => '1',
                        'viewDataTable' => 'sparklines',
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'CoreHome',
                'action' => 'renderWidgetContainer',
                'uniqueId' => 'widgetVisitOverviewWithGraph',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'containerId' => 'VisitOverviewWithGraph',
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Live',
                'action' => 'getLastVisitsDetails',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'forceView' => '1',
                        'viewDataTable' => 'VisitorLog',
                        'small' => '1',
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitorInterest',
                'action' => 'getNumberOfVisitsPerVisitDuration',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitorInterest',
                'action' => 'getNumberOfVisitsPerPage',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitFrequency',
                'action' => 'get',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'forceView' => '1',
                        'viewDataTable' => 'sparklines'
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'VisitFrequency',
                'action' => 'getEvolutionGraph',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'forceView' => 1,
                        'viewDataTable' => 'graphEvolution',
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'DevicesDetection',
                'action' => 'getBrowserEngines',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Referrers',
                'action' => 'getReferrerType',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Referrers',
                'action' => 'getAll',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Referrers',
                'action' => 'getSocials',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'CoreHome',
                'action' => 'renderWidgetContainer',
                'uniqueId' => 'widgetGoalsOverview',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'containerId' => 'GoalsOverview'
                    ),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'getItemsSku',
                'params' => array (),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'getItemsName',
                'params' => array (),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'Goals',
                'action' => 'getItemsCategory',
                'params' => array (),
            ),array (
                'module' => 'CoreHome',
                'action' => 'renderWidgetContainer',
                'uniqueId' => 'widgetEcommerceOverview',
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'containerId' => 'EcommerceOverview',
                    ),
            ),
        );

        foreach ($allGoals as $goal) {
            $newWidgets[] = array (
                'module' => 'CoreHome',
                'action' => 'renderWidgetContainer',
                'uniqueId' => 'widgetGoal_' . (int) $goal['idgoal'],
                'params' =>
                    array (
                        'containerId' => 'Goal_' . (int) $goal['idgoal'],
                    ));
        }

        $table = Common::prefixTable('user_dashboard');
        $sql = sprintf('UPDATE %s SET layout = ? WHERE iddashboard = ?', $table);

        foreach ($allDashboards as $dashboard) {
            $dashboardLayout = json_decode($dashboard['layout']);

            $dashboardLayout = Dashboard\Model::replaceDashboardWidgets($dashboardLayout, $oldWidgets, $newWidgets);

            $newLayout = json_encode($dashboardLayout);
            if ($newLayout != $dashboard['layout']) {
                $sqls[] = $this->migration->db->boundSql($sql, array($newLayout, $dashboard['iddashboard']));
            }
        }

        return $sqls;
    }
}


When Werner von Siemens discovered the dynamo-electric principle, he laid one of the cornerstones for electrifying rail transportation – from trams to subways to today's high-speed trains.
Ever since the electric motor was invented, engineers and designers had been trying to adapt it for transportation. But that became practical only after 1879, when Werner von Siemens presented the first electric railway, powered by electricity supplied via the rails.
Siemens immediately recognized railways' potential for mass transportation. Two years later, on May 16, 1881, it paid for the world's first tramway, which went into operation in the Berlin suburb of Lichterfelde. The 2.5-kilometer route joined the Lichterfelde station of the Anhalt Railway with the Kadettenanstalt on Zehlendorfer Strasse. The self-propelled cars had a size and features similar to their horse-drawn predecessors. Electric power was provided by a DC dynamo machine of the kind normally used to generate power for lighting systems. The wheels served as the power pickups, because the current ran through the rails.
This first tramway was a milestone in transportation technology, and began the triumphant development of electric railways – whether trams, subways or high-speed intercity rail.
The streets of some major cities were already jammed with traffic by the end of the 19th century. Transportation needed new options. As part of the celebrations for the millennium of the Kingdom of Hungary, in 1896 Siemens built continental Europe's first subway, in Budapest.
Twenty self-propelled cars were available for operations. Partly wood-paneled and partly painted, the cars were produced at the Schlick company's Budapest plant. All the electrical equipment, including the motors and their switchgear, was supplied by Siemens & Halske. The subway tunnel, six meters wide, had two tracks for its entire length. The tunnel segment was powered by a 2-pole electric current from mine-pit rails fastened to the tunnel ceiling. The above-ground segment was powered from double overhead wires.
The subway was a complete success. In its first year alone, the 3.75-kilometer route carried more than four million passengers. After many updates, this first subway line in continental Europe is still an integral part of the Budapest subway network. It was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2002.
In 1899 Siemens, AEG and several banks and machine construction firms joined together to form the Studiengesellschaft für elektrische Schnellbahnen (StES, society for the study of fast electric trains). To test the operation of fast electric trains, the society commissioned a high-speed locomotive from each of the two competing electrical equipment companies. As a test route, a 23-kilometer segment of the Marienfelde–Zossen military railway was made available.
Both locomotives were ready for operation in the fall of 1901, and the trial runs began. Maximum speed was controlled via the frequency of the rotary current – meaning the rpm of the powering generator – in what might be called a kind of remote speed control. But this control only worked with large steps. Arrival speeds and fine adjustments were controlled in the locomotive itself.
Finally, in 1903 the experiment achieved 210.2 kilometers per hour – a world record that would stand for about 50 years. But the obvious next step – to adopt the applied rotary-current system for rail operation – never happened. The system of three power lines stacked next to the track proved impracticable for normal railroad operations in areas around switches and crossings.
Electric locomotives were superior to diesel versions in a number of ways. They consumed less energy, ran faster, weighed less and were easier on the environment.
In 1930 Siemens built the E 44 multi-purpose electric locomotive, nicknamed "BoBo." It was a pioneering achievement in rail technology. With its all-around welded structure, designed by Siemens engineer Walter Reichel, it weighed less than half as much as conventional electric locomotives. Two years later, the first locomotives in the E 44 series were running on the Deutsche Reichsbahn rail network.
As a multi-purpose locomotive, the E 44 could pull both passenger and freight trains. It remained in use into the 1980s, primarily in southern and central Germany, and ultimately became the first electric locomotive in Germany to sell more than 100 units.
The Wuppertal suspension railway, with electrical equipment supplied by Elektrizitäts-AG vorm. Schuckert & Co., had gone into operation as early as 1901. It was a revolutionary concept that let rail traffic escape from the narrow Wuppertal valley by taking to the air. The design of that time was in competition with the "Standhochbahn" high-level railway designed by Siemens & Halske in 1887, which was rejected in part because of the potential threat of flooding.
In 1980, Siemens and DÜWAG presented a new elevated rail system in Dortmund, a late successor of its Wuppertal cousin. This first fully automated, computer-controlled gondola train used a driverless concept. The railway had two suspended cabins with room for 44 passengers each, and could reach a top speed of 50 kilometers per hour. It traveled between two institutes at the University of Dortmund, carrying up to 4,000 people a day.
The system was extended by about another kilometer in 1993, so as to connect to the local public commuter train network.
In 1985, Siemens took on heading the project to provide electrical equipment for the InterCityExperimental (ICE/V) train, now the Intercity Express (ICE). Over the course of numerous trial runs, the four- or five-car experimental train steadily increased in speed, ultimately reaching 406.9 kilometers per hour on May 1, 1988. That was a world record for locomotives, beating the previous record set by the French TGV by 26.5 kilometers per hour.
Deutsche Bundesbahn began running high-speed trains on June 2, 1991, with an initial 25 first-generation ICEs. The new routes between Hanover and Würzburg, and between Mannheim and Stuttgart, cut as much as two hours of travel time on north-south connections within Germany.
The ICE family (which Siemens named the "Velaro") steadily continued to develop. The ICE 2 came out in 1996, and the ICE 3 only four years later. The ICE 3 could operate anywhere in Europe, because it was designed to handle all four of the continent's different grid voltages. The ICE 4 of 2017 added further gains in efficiency and flexibility.
In 1957, an electric locomotive was equipped for the first time with silicon rectifiers developed by Siemens. These made trains able to travel on rail networks with different catenary-wire voltages and frequencies, without stopping to change engines.
To save on costs, in 1993 Siemens worked with Krauss-Maffei to develop the Eurosprinter modular system. Vehicles in this series can be assembled to order from different body and drive modules. In 1993, the Eurosprinter set a speed record for rotary-current locomotives, at 310 kilometers per hour.
In 2010, Siemens presented a new generation of locomotives to manage a wide range of tasks: The Vectron 2010. These engines can be used for passenger and freight traffic, nationally and internationally and can reach speeds of 160 or even 200 kilometers per hour. Their various power classes and voltage systems, in AC, DC or multi-system versions, allow for a flexible configuration to meet any need. Train control systems that are specific to a given country can easily be swapped out or supplemented.


text:
Drop Fake secures $9 million in seed funding to build a multiplatform 4X strategy game
Sam Desatoff
Co-founder and CEO Katherine de Leon talks with GameDaily about the company's commitment to diversity and why the strategy genre is the right fit for the team.
This week, new remote-first development studio Drop Fake announced the closure of a $9 million seed funding round led by March Gaming, with contributions from FunPlus Ventures, CoutsideVC, 1Up Ventures, and more. The investment money will go towards the studio's first game, which is an unannounced multiplayer, cross-platform 4X strategy title for mobile and PC.
Founded earlier this year, Drop Fake is led by CEO Katherine de León, a former VP at Electronic Arts. She established the studio with the goal of "fostering a diverse team and developing games for a diverse world," according to an announcement. It's a tenet baked into the business philosophy of the company, and one that de León said drives the team's approach to video game development.
"Our company values have been shaped by the fact that over 50% of our staff are from underrepresented groups," she told GameDaily. "Values like remote-first, quantitative culture, openness, supporting employee side hustles, and stock options for all are examples of how we're building Drop Fake's culture. These aren't just benevolent ideals; they are also good business decisions."
De León pointed to Drop Fake's remote-first working policy as a good way to promote diversity and inclusiveness in the greater games industry. She explained that the company will never have to ask prospective employees to uproot themselves and their families in order to work. More importantly, those for whom moving is simply not a possibility are not immediately disregarded for potential employment.
Of course, there are plenty of business benefits to such a policy as well:
"Remote-first also means we can recruit the best talent from anywhere in the world," de León said.
Historically, diversity is something that the games industry has struggled with: in the IGDA's most recent Developer Satisfaction Survey, 81% of respondents identified as white, and 71% identified as male. These statistics paint a rather homogeneous picture of the business, which results in a gaming landscape in desperate need of variety, de León said.
"Games look like their makers," she explained. "If you want to make games for a diverse and global audience, you must start by building a diverse and global team."
De León noted that while some progress has been made regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry, it has mostly been limited to the policy level, such as companies hiring DEI leads to audit a company's efforts. However, true change occurs when people from underrepresented backgrounds start occupying leadership roles.
"There are precious few women, people of color, and queer leaders in highly visible positions," de León said. "I am grateful to see more gaming companies and venture firms making explicit commitments to building and supporting diverse teams."
In preparing for her new role as CEO of a development studio, de León said that she leaned on the example set by her mother, who returned to work when de León was only two months old.
Katherine de León, co-founder and CEO, Drop Fake
"Being raised in childcare centers resulted in a lifelong passion for curating people, and the single most important thing I've done to date is curate this founding team," she said.
From EverQuest, Skate, Command & Conquer and more, every one of Drop Fake's nine co-founders has been a part of a $1 billion-plus title. They also share the values and ideals necessary to building an inclusive business.
"They chose me to lead Drop Fake because I am committed to innovation and values-led development," de León explained. "We don't need to choose between doing the ethically virtuous thing and building a commercially exceptional business. We want to do both."
It's a philosophy exemplified by the name of the studio: de León wants to drop the facade of the corporate view of game development in favor of authentic, passionate products built on a foundation of diversity and inclusiveness.
To that end, the 4X strategy genre felt like the right fit for the Drop Fake team thanks to its open-ended nature and the organic development of player-driven narrative throughlines in any given match. For this reason, the genre is one where any player can see themselves reflected through their choices. Of course, there are a number of gameplay considerations the team is making as well.
"Multiplayer 4X strategy games are characterized by extraordinary human drama in the metagame, but they are too light on tactical gameplay," de León said. "We raised this seed round to do two things: build a live service framework to support the social meta, and prototype to develop a super fun tactical gameplay toy."
Drop Fake doesn't have any concrete details to share just yet, but de León said that multiplayer 4X games showcase some of the industry's most meaningful and sophisticated social interaction. The hope is to facilitate such interaction and expand it for a greater audience. At the same time, the strategy genre has been booming in recent years, presenting an attractive business opportunity for a new studio.
"4X is growing year-over-year on mobile but still relatively sparse on PC, opening up cross-platform," de León said. "Gameplay is also innovating and evolving with every new title. It's an exciting and complex space. We want the challenge."
She also noted that now is a good time for new developers to seek funding from venture capitalists, and hopes that Drop Fake can serve as inspiration for other small upstarts to seek out investors.
"We hope our seed round will inspire more game makers to fundraise. With unprecedented consolidation of the games industry, there is no better time to raise money, and we need competition now more than ever."
In all, de León's vision for Drop Fake is certainly ambitious, but there's no denying the pedigree of the team. De León herself spent two-and-a-half years as a vice president at EA leading the mobile, RPG, strategy, and sports efforts. Before that she was a general manager at mobile powerhouse Zynga where she oversaw the strategy and RPG segments. Given such a background, it makes a lot of sense that Drop Fake would debut with a mobile 4X strategy title. Moving forward, it will be interesting to track Drop Fake's progress as it begins development.
Sam, the Editor-in-Chief of GameDaily.biz, is a former freelance game reporter. He's been seen at IGN, PCGamesN, PCGamer, Unwinnable, and many more. When not writing about games, he is most likely taking care of his two dogs or pretending to know a lot about artisan coffee. Get in touch with Sam by emailing him at sdesatoff@rektglobal.com or follow him on Twitter.


Advance registration has now closed! But don't worry - you can still sign up on the day!
Registration on the day will cost £35.
Men! Join forces and tackle an 8 mile sponsored walk which returns to the Double Locks pub, supporting your local hospice.
Starting and finishing from The Double Locks pub, you will walk a linear route along the picturesque Exe Valley Way and River Exe to the Millers Crossing Bridge and back, with live music and refreshments along the way.
You will be welcomed back to The Double Locks with a FREE pint and a pasty while you enjoy the Six Nations England v Scotland match shown on LED screens, within our exclusive Hospiscare Six Nations bar.
If you can't make this year's event, why not give a donation instead?
Hospiscare relies on your Men's Walk sponsorship to keep providing expert care to patients living with terminal illnesses in Exeter, Mid and East Devon.
There's limited free parking at the Double Locks pub and at Bromhams Farm Playing Fields. We suggest that you car share and use either on-road parking in Marsh Barton, or the Matford Park and Ride.