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Burdens of regulatory fat
By - The Washington Times - Sunday, November 13, 2005
After Hurricane Katrina, very few members of Congress have stepped forward with a meaningful plan for paying what's already an astronomical tab, other than driving America deeper into the red. While the hurricane relief debt steadily climbs, only a few members have dared suggest this spending be offset by reducing ever so slightly some of the taxpayer billions spent on pork-barrel special interest programs.
When it comes to reasserting fiscal responsibility and sound economic policies, the administration has a golden opportunity to save hundreds of billions of dollars by little more than applying some common sense to the already oppressive burden of federal regulations. All too often, regulatory burden is overlooked, yet a recent study suggests regulations cost Americans more than $1.1 trillion in 2004 alone.
One glaring example of government bureaucracy at its worst that will significantly harm our nation's hospitals is the HCAHPS — an exercise in regulatory overkill that expert after expert has indicated will actually hinder its supposed goal.
HCAHPS is a hospital-care survey dreamed up by Medicare and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Bureaucrats at these two departments have decided all hospitals participating in Medicare — virtually every one in the nation — should "voluntarily" post patient responses to a quality survey on the Medicare Web site.
Never mind that about 80 percent of our nation's hospitals already survey a percentage of patients upon discharge. Hospitals spend a lot of money on surveys because they want to improve the care they provide. The results speak for themselves. All four hospitals awarded the federal government's prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award are aggressive users of the private sector survey products, and are outspoken advocates of quality initiatives.
Despite a well-functioning private sector, Medicare and AHRQ bureaucrats have spent three-plus years developing a list of ultraspecific questions, including a pair about bed pan usage.
The many versions of the HCAHPS questionnaire have ranged from 66 questions to 25; the present version has 27. During two separate comment periods, more than 1,900 hospital officials have recommended limiting HCAHPS questions to between eight and 10, a range that would enable hospitals to include the government-sponsored questions in their own surveys and collect results at less additional cost. Otherwise, existing data collection efforts will suffer and hospitals must engage in costly new practices — such as multiple mailings and telephone surveys — just to get enough feedback to satisfy federal regulators.
A shorter and simpler HCAHPS, however, just doesn't cut it for the Washington bureaucrats being driven by the AARP and AFL-CIO to produce a government survey. What these folks are not considering is the tremendous burden it would be for hospitals to send and collect data from two separate surveys. One study by leading economists at Purdue University concluded a long HCAHPS could cost hospitals as much a $675 million over the next five years alone. Even more telling, when divided among each unnecessary question, the per-question cost comes to a staggering $84 million. Even Federal Emergency Management Agency officials should gasp at that one.
In addition to a colossal waste of money, an HCAHPS that reads like a shopping list rather than a short survey will actually hinder data collection and confuse consumers. Leading Stanford University researchers, who have studied this issue for years, have concluded consumers benefit most from feedback to a short list of overarching questions.
It may be too late for our federal government to patch up the gaping hole it managed to create in the levee guarding the Treasury. But the Bush administration has a chance to stand up for fiscal restraint and common sense by ensuring the federal hospital survey known as HCAHPS does no harm.
Matt Kibbe is president and chief executive officer of FreedomWorks.


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Q: NLTK chunked parse tree, save it into a file and loading it with CorpusReader class Let's say I have a chunked corpus like below, and it is saved in a file called test.txt
[Rapunzel/NNP] let/VBD down/RP [her/PP$ long/JJ golden/JJ hair/NN]

then I can load it with ChunkedCorpusReader.
>>> from nltk.corpus.reader import ChunkedCorpusReader
>>> reader = ChunkedCorpusReader('.','test.txt')
>>> reader.chunked_sents()[0]
Tree('S', [Tree('NP', [('Rapunzel', 'NNP')]), ('let', 'VBD'), ('down', 'RP'), Tree('NP', [('her', 'PP$'), ('long', 'JJ'), ('golden', 'JJ'), ('hair', 'NN')])])
>>> print(reader.chunked_sents()[0])
(S
  (NP Rapunzel/NNP)
  let/VBD
  down/RP
  (NP her/PP$ long/JJ golden/JJ hair/NN))

and I made some change on the Tree object, say, switched the chunk tag from NP to NPP and called new.
>>> print(new)
(S
  (NPP Rapunzel/NNP)
  let/VBD
  down/RP
  (NPP her/PP$ long/JJ golden/JJ hair/NN))

and Now I want to do is save this new Tree in a file and load it with ChunkedCorpusReader or any other readers, as I did with test.txt. However, I couldn't find a way to save NLTK Tree object in a file, and moreover, read it from a file. Anyone can help?

A: The default conversion to string, which print gave you, is not bad: It merges words with POS tags, and indents new lines properly. Since file.write() doesn't automatically convert to string, you must pass str(newtree) to the file's write method.
For more control over the appearance of the tree's string representation, use the tree method pformat(). Note that Tree.pformat() was called Tree.pprint() in earlier versions of the nltk; in the latest version, Tree.pformat() returns a string while Tree.pprint() writes to stdout.
If you want your tree to be delimited by square brackets, add the option parens="[]" to pformat().
>>> print(new.pformat(parens="[]"))
[S
  [NP Rapunzel/NNP]
  let/VBD
  down/RP
  [NP her/PP$ long/JJ golden/JJ hair/NN]]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


My wife and I, as is our occasional want, recently spent a weekend in a lovely Yorkshire town, in a "highly rated" Yorkshire hotel. My wife and I love Yorkshire towns and we specially love "highly rated" hotels, not this one though. Fortunately space here is limited so just enough to disagree with "highly" and to say that the purpose of the visit was to assist a dear friend and to value her late father's Clarice Cliff collection for probate.
Clarice Cliff designs were brightly coloured, geometric patterns that had never been seen before with her first range; 'Bizarre Ware' launching in 1928. She painted many of the wares herself but her popularity and success saw the necessity for a team of painters to be trained up by her. This team of women is often referred to as the 'Bizarre Girls'. As time went on, and their skills in depicting Cliff's designs increased, they were given a certain amount of free reign and this can be seen in wares where the designs are slightly altered from the original. Examples like this are keenly collected.
Popular patterns include 'Poplar', 'Crocus' and 'Coral Firs', although collectability is defined also by shape, rarity and colour. The colour orange is common while purple is generally rarer. Sugar sifters or honey pots, for example, may be the focus of a collection with the conical sugar sifter launched in 1931 being one of the most iconic designs of Cliff's career. Alternatively plates, which are relatively cheaper to acquire and show off Cliff's designs particularly well, may act as a basis for a beginner collector.


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Ignite talk - Chad Wenard
1 MUSEUMS, WE NEED TO TALK
2.1 MUSEUMS, WE NEED TO TALK
2.1.1 Chad Weinard, Burning Questions
MUSEUMS, WE NEED TO TALK
Video: "Burning Questions" by Chad Weinard, an Ignite talk for the Openlab Workshop Unconference, December 1, 2015, in Crystal City, VA. Published on Jun 27, 2016
All Ignite talks
Chad Weinard, Burning Questions
@caw_
Thank you everybody my name is Chad Weinard, and this is an opinionated love letter to museums:
Museums. Museums. I adore you. We need to talk about your assumptions. I walk your hallowed halls, enthralled. I've surfed your sites. Touched your screens. You stole my heart…but we need to talk…
Gentle Muse — eum, Sometimes you assume nobody even cares about your collections. You dally with fleeting exhibitions. Your curators while their time with someone else's Monet, or Tut.
It's your collection that sets you apart. You keep what we would run back to save, in the fire, or flood, or war. Tell the stories that help us make personal connections to the collection.
Sweet museum, don't assume this. You try so hard to please, films, dining, concerts, insisting everyone comes to you. Partner with your friends. Go to their place once in a while. What we need most from you… is a great museum.
Museum mausoleum, it's just morbid wordplay. (It's true though: You do write tombstones for your collection, may they rest in storage.) You once kept every mention in curatorial files. Not so much now, what with Internet and emails.
But what if your collections are alive like never before, in a digital space? Let's follow the trails of museum objects, like fireflies dancing through a digital meadow, and let's record their movement as part of their ongoing story.
But you're too busy for such flights of fancy. First the website, then the online collection, social media, all on top of a busy calendar. Of course you're too busy. First, stop doing something old. Then try something new.
Museums, You are terrified of copyright. He who shall not be named. Copyright (and I'm talking about Voldemort here), copyright, VAGA, ARS, fear, uncertainty, doubt. Museums don't even talk about it amongst themselves: "How much did we pay to put the Picasso on the rack card? How much did you?"
If copyright is Voldemort, then Fair Use is your Patronus, your shield. Summon it often. Wear your educational mission proudly. What if museums had a platform to share what they paid in rights fees, and when they invoked their Patronus, fair use?
Museums, why oh why does collections management software cast such a spell? How long will we wrestle data out of closed, proprietary systems? It's not black magic. It's a relational database. But it may require an exorcism.
Museum technologists are under the spell too. We assume registrars would never change. How about an open system of the web, on the web, made for sharing? And let's add value to the collection data: Computer vision, color palette, face recognition, analytics… All in reach for the smallest institutions.
Museums, you kill me. Collections software isn't the only sacred cow. Every department has its own software system, and most of them don't talk. Conway's Law says that organizational silos get baked into software design.
What if we pull a reverse Conway, and affect organizational change through software? Use a generic mission as a guide: connect people to collections. On the left, people, on the right, collections, in the middle — that's where we post and archive all the ways the museum makes connections. Software structured for museum missions.
It makes sense. You need to sell tickets But you're missing an opportunity. Social is immediate and ephemeral, but its real value is long-term relationship, connecting with the collection.
For-profit marketers recognize that social's no good at selling. To them it's about "content marketing." Businesses are hiring teams of writers, editors, and experts in order to create content that generates goodwill. Museums have those teams already.
Museums, I still love you, but you are so sick of me by now. Go ahead, stick me in a separate digital department, in the basement. Soon, you'll need digital throughout. Most staff already work with a computer, you know, doing computery things. They need better tools and processes.
Yes! Digital isn't a fad. You can't wait it out, hoping things will go back to normal. I'd only quibble with the timing. Digital is the NOW. Even if there is no technology in your galleries, your audience has changed. They are digital.
So What Can a Technologist Do About Museums? (I need to give a shout out to Brett Victor, who wrote an essay along these lines about global warming.) Technologists want to change the world for the better, and I think they can do that by helping museums.
Together, we should provide a resource that answers these questions: What are open problems in the field? (Not just the solutions, problems.) Who's working on which projects? What are the fringe ideas? (These, are the fringe ideas) Let's share in-progress project information to jumpstart innovation and get more people involved.
Let's get to work.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Thursday Movie Picks #42: All in the Family Edition – Father-Daughter Relationships (Biologically Related)
On April 30, 2015 By ruthIn Blog Events43 Comments
Happy Thursday everyone! This is another entry to the weekly Thursday Movie Picks that's spearheaded by Wandering Through the Shelves Blog. Here's the gist:
The rules are simple simple: Each week there is a topic for you to create a list of three movies. Your picks can either be favourites/best, worst, hidden gems, or if you're up to it one of each. Every last Thursday for the first nine months of 2015 I'm running the All in the Family Edition and today the theme is…
Father/Daughter Relationships (Biologically Related)
I actually don't really have much experience or memories of father/daughter relationship, as my dad was never really part of my life after my parents split when I was three. I was raised by my late mom and strong-willed grandma, the latter was a successful businesswoman revered by her family and peers. So in a way she's as close to a father to me given her strict rules and occasional anger outbursts that used to petrify me but now that I look back, I find it kind of endearing.
Despite not having a biological father present in my life, I certainly appreciate father/daughter relationships in movies, here are three that left a big impression to me:
To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
I didn't get to see this film until my intense Gregory Peck obsession days, but it's truly the moment when the actor became the character. Talk about a dream dad. No matter how busy he is, town attorney Atticus Finch always have time for his kids and he genuinely enjoys their company — he doesn't see time for family as a chore.
I remember tearing up a few times as I watched Atticus interacting with his vivacious young daughter Scout (Mary Badham), displaying his affection and sharing his wisdom in the most natural way. It's obvious that Scout needs her dad just like any young kid needs their father, but I think those moments are crucial for Atticus too, beyond just the familial bond. Being with his young daughter must've reminded Atticus of the purity and goodness of life amidst the darkness and brutality he faces every day in his job. I live vicariously through Scout in her moments with her beloved dad, and I certainly take his wise words to heart…
"…you never really knew a man until you stood in his shoes and walked around in them…"
Apparently the father/daughter bond between Peck and Badham carried over beyond the film set. The two became close in real life and kept in contact for the rest of their lives, Peck always called her Scout.
Regarding Henry (1991)
People remember Harrison Ford mostly for his iconic action roles as Han Solo or Indiana Jones and granted he's fantastic in those roles. But I absolutely love his performance in Regarding Henry, which is a wonderful story about second chances. One of my favorite moments in the film are the ones Henry spend with his young daughter Rachel (Mikki Allen).
In his *old* life prior to the event that transformed him, Henry barely had time for his family. Suffice to say he didn't really know his one and only daughter, he's too busy being a hot shot lawyer and having affairs with his secretary. Interesting that Henry's also a lawyer like Atticus but clearly he's got his priorities out of whack. But he's given a second chance to make it right and his daughter helps him do that. I LOVE all the scenes where she teaches him the most basic things like reading, as he's back to being a kid again, literally. Ford and Allen have a wonderful chemistry, their scenes together are endearingly funny and so full of heart.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Whenever one hears Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, naturally we think of Elizabeth & Darcy's relationship. But in Joe Wright's film adaptation, I love the depiction of Lizzie (Keira Knightley) and her dad Mr. Bennett (Donald Sutherland). Clearly she's her father's favorite and he understood her much better than her mother ever did.
I LOVE this quote when Lizzie's mother insisted that she married Mr. Collins…
Mr. Bennet: Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins… And I will never see you again if you do.
The scene towards the end when Lizzy asked her father's permission to marry Darcy is also wonderful…
Lizzy: He and I are so similar.. we've been so stubborn
Mr. Bennett: You really do love him don't you?
Lizzy: Very much
Mr. Bennett: I can't believe that anyone can deserve you. It seems I am overruled. So, I hardly give my consent. I could have not parted with you my Lizzy to anyone less worthy.
Veteran actor Sutherland portrayed Mr. Bennett so perfectly, with such calming wisdom and compassion. The scene of him crying is so utterly moving, once again the chemistry of the cast work beautifully here.
What do you think of my picks? Have you seen any of these films?
Wordless Wednesday: the unrequited love of 'The Age of Innocence'
On April 29, 2015 April 29, 2015 By ruthIn Flix Reviews20 Comments
In honor of the double birthday of Michelle Pfeiffer (57) and Daniel Day-Lewis (58), I thought I'd highlight their work (and scorching chemistry) in Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence. It remains one of my all time favorite period dramas (and one of my faves of the 90s), and that unrequited love story never fails to move me to my core.
Words fail me to describe the beauty of this story… so I'm going to borrow the words of Roger Ebert: "It was the spirit of it — the spirit of the exquisite romantic pain. The idea that the mere touching of a woman's hand would suffice. The idea that seeing her across the room would keep him alive for another year."
Newland Archer: You gave me my first glimpse of a real life. Then you asked me to go on with the false one. No one can endure that.
Ellen Olenska: I'm enduring it.
Ellen: I think we should look at reality, not dreams.
Newland: I just want us to be together!
Ellen: I can't be your wife, Newland! Is it your idea that I should live with you as your mistress?
Newland: I want… Somehow, I want to get away with you… and… and find a world where words like that don't exist!
This may not be a violent film from Scorsese in physical term, but it's certainly a vicious one in terms of matters of the heart. Certainly one of the most painfully-exquisite portrayal of unrequited love.
What's your thoughts on The Age of Innocence?
April 2015 Blind Spot – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
As far as film blind spot goes, this is perhaps one of the most glaring for me given its iconic status. Well, better late than never right? Forty seven years after its release, I finally get what the fuss is about. Now, I'm not saying I *get* the movie, mind you. In fact, it's the kind of movie that is fun to read about afterwards. According to IMDb trivia, the film apparently prompted a large number of people to walk out from its premiere, including star Rock Hudson who said "Will someone tell me what the hell this is about?" Ahah, I can totally relate. Per IMDb, the film's co-screenwriter Arthur C. Clarke once said, "If you understand '2001' completely, we failed. We wanted to raise far more questions than we answered." So I guess I don't have to feel bad that the movie left me scratching my head.
SPOILER ALERT! Just in case some of you still hasn't seen this yet, be mindful that I'll be talking about some major plots in this post.
I guess I'm lucky that I was able to keep spoilers at bay in regards to this movie, as I had no idea there's actually apes involved in this movie, and the Dawn of Man sequence was almost a half an hour long! I knew that the movie would be slow and there'd be long sequences with no dialog, so I'd imagine it'd be something like Terrence Malick's Tree of Life, so I was prepared for that. In fact, I quite enjoyed watching the gorgeous imagery set to sweeping classical music (more on that later) and boy, what a visual treat it was.
I have to admit that I nearly fell asleep a few times as I was already so tired when I started watching it, so I had to stop after about an hour or so, and continued the next night. I don't usually do this but I figured the film deserved to be seen with fresh eyes.
When the film's over, my first reaction was 'well I could see why this film was so beloved even four decades later.' It's not the most emotionally-gratifying film as I there's really no character development, but visually speaking, the film truly set the bar for sci-fi and no wonder it's been an inspiration for so many filmmakers since. Even other iconic sci-fi works like Blade Runner, Star Wars, Star Trek, all the way to recent ones like Interstellar have been inspired by Kubrick's magnum opus. I mean, the 'Star Gate' sequence alone is so similar to the wormhole scenes in Interstellar. I read afterwards that that extended sequence of that funkadelic sequence was popular among young adults who love watching 'em when they're high. Ahah, I bet that's still true today.
There's something so timeless about the production design, especially the HAL 9000 computer with its omnipresent red eye. Kubrick and Clarke made the right decision making it so simple, instead of going with a mobile robot they initially set out to do. I think it'd have looked more dated than the simple but ominous red eye. Despite its simplicity, it manages to be quite terrifying at times, especially during the time when Dave (Keir Dullea) was trying to get back into the main ship. The film isn't an *acting* film per se, as the actors aren't exactly given much to do, but I think Dullea did a good job nonetheless, and the scene of him trying to dismantle HAL is quite memorable. It's a pretty suspenseful scene and Dullea conveyed the dread and terror very well.
It's a testament that creating a certain atmosphere is crucial to depict genuine suspense and there's certainly a horror-like vibe during the entire scene. I literally gasped when the LIFE FUNCTIONS CRITICAL lights came on… then followed by LIFE FUNCTIONS TERMINATED in the scene where HAL systematically killed the rest of the ship's crew in hibernation. It's just one of the many minimalistic scenes that made such a huge impact in the film.
The cryptic nature of the film, with its various metaphors and allegories, certainly sparked all kinds of theories. My hubby and I watched a two-part Youtube videos on the meaning of the monolith, which argues that the monolith is basically "…an advanced television teaching machine." It's quite a fascinating argument and I'm sure there are others, but I really don't want to go into that rabbit hole.
I have to mention the music here, which is crucial given there's such few dialog in the film. I've heard that opening theme Thus Spoke Zarathustra soooo many times, as it's so overused in popular culture that it's become a cliché. But hearing it in the context of the opening sequence made me appreciate just how iconic it is. Johann Strauss II's The Blue Danube (composed in mid 1800s) is also one of my favorite classical piece, which somehow fits the tone and feel of this film it's as if it was made especially for this project.
So what's the verdict?
Well, I'm glad I finally saw this film. I didn't fall in love with the film, I think it falls under the category of 'films I appreciate but doesn't quite love.' I was bowled over by what Kubrick achieved in 1968 – he is a true visual artist with an exquisite eye for details. Nearly every frame is like a work of art and it still looks modern even by today's standards. Yet it's not an emotionally-engaging film, which to be fair is probably not what Kubrick intended it to be anyway, so it's not something I'm eager to watch again. That said, I still give it a high rating because I do think it deserves its classic status and it's a film that every film fan should see. It took me a while to get here, but I'm glad I finally did!
The Blind Spot series was originally spearheaded by Ryan at The Matinee, and I was also inspired by Dan's list at Public Transportation Snob.
Check out my list of 2015 Blind Spot Films
What are your thoughts on 2001: A Space Odyssey?
MSPIFF 2015 Reviews: Unlikely Heroes (Schweizer Helden) + El Crítico (The Film Critic)
On April 27, 2015 April 29, 2015 By ruthIn Film Festivals/Events, Flix Reviews16 Comments
Unlikely Heroes (Schweizer Helden)
An uneven picture, Unlikely Heroes is about Sabine (Esther Gemsch), a middle-aged woman in the midst of a lengthy separation from her husband and devolving relationships with friends. She is emotionally unstable. But when she stumbles on a home for asylum seekers, she finds purpose in trying to introduce psychodrama, a form of improvisational acting meant to help people accept their past, to the residents. When the asylum seekers, her would be pupils, seem more interested in performing Schiller's William Tell play, Sabine opts instead to direct the theatrical production.
Unlikely Heroes greatest merit? Most of the asylum seekers, both in terms of characterization and performance. Punishment (Komi Mizrajim Togbonou, award worthy) is fascinating. Ditto that for Elvis (Karim Rahoma, almost as good), Remzi (Nuroz Baz) and Bahar (Uygar Tamir).
Unfortunately, this strength dovetails into Unlikely Heroes biggest misstep. Sabine isn't as interesting as the supporting characters she teaches. She isn't as emotionally complex. Her journey isn't as emotionally rife. And her motivations are transparently thin to start, just as the ways they transform are transparently predictable.
This is doubly troubling because it leads to the film's second biggest flaw. Because Sabine (the character, not the actor who plays her) cannot carry the picture's emotional heft, Unlikely Heroes winds up being thematically preachy, despite its feel-good-story intentions.
All of which is a shame. With characters like Punishment, Elvis and the other asylum seekers, there is a great film hiding in Unlikely Heroes. We just don't get to see all of it.
El Crítico (The Film Critic)
I was immediately drawn to this Argentinian comedy as it's a commentary of the state of Hollywood movies, the rom-com genre to be exact. Victor Tellez (Rafael Spregelburd) is a film critic of a local newspaper, and right away we learn how weary he is of the current state of movies he has to watch day after day. He calls it the 'maladie du cinema' as he sees life as a big movie that he absolutely loathes.
I find the movie hilarious and engaging from start to finish, thanks to Rafael's expressive performance. I've never seen him before but I enjoyed his deadpan comedy style and sarcastic humor. The dialog between him and his fellow film critics criticizing various movies are amusing because I find myself agreeing with them. Tellez's teenage niece LOVES Hollywood rom-coms, and there's also a hilarious scene where they watch clips of The Notebook, Jerry Maguire, Pretty Woman, etc. and Tellez pointing out all the clichéd formula of those movies.
Whilst desperately seeking for a new place to live, Tellez met a mysterious girl Sofia (Dolores Fonzi) who he thinks is trying to steal his dream apartment. An unexpected romance happens, much to his bafflement, and before he knows it, it's as if his own life morphs into a movie he can't stand. One of the funniest moments was when Sofia took him to an abandoned ship and she stood at the bow imitating Rose from Titanic, to which Tellez immediately quipped 'Mon Dieu!' (OMG) in horror.
The film is set mostly in Spanish with occasional French as Tellez thinks in his second language for some reason, which makes it more amusing. There are some silly moments and the subplot about this young director who takes offense to Tellez for lambasting his film. There's a bit of suspense towards the end in relation to this scene but it feels more of an embellishment that doesn't ultimately adds much to the story.
Despite those small quibbles, overall I was entertained by El Crítico. As a film blogger, I can somehow relate to Tellez and I find his curmudgeon attitude hilarious and even endearing. Apparently the film is a directorial debut from Hernán Gerschuny who also wrote the script. I'd say it's a pretty darn good debut accomplished with a shoestring budget. I haven't had a genuinely good laugh at the theater in a while, so it's always nice when that happens. I also love the premise of a movie about the movie industry, and this is one comedy I wouldn't mind watching again.
Thoughts on any of these films?
MSPIFF 2015 Reviews: Belle et Sébastien + The Keeping Room
Belle et Sebastien
Despite being sometimes sappy and overly safe, Belle et Sébastien still mostly succeeds, primarily because Sebastian (Felix Bossuet) and Belle (a dog) are captivatingly adorable. It helps that their bond of friendship is keenly developed, as well.
The film opens with a group of mountain men, including Cesar (Tcheky Karyo), Sebastian's primary caretaker, hunting a beast they believe has been killing their farm animals. The beast turns out to be a now feral, recently abused dog, whom Sebastian quickly dubs Belle. The two take their time forming an affectionate bond but soon become inseparable. Meanwhile, a friend of Sebastian's adopted family, Doctor Guillaume (Dimitri Storoge), is sheparding fugitive Jews through wintry mountains, taking them to safety in Switzerland, all while the local Nazis wreak havoc on the village.
Eventually, of course, the two stories merge, which is good, because initially they are so tonally different that they feel mismatched. One is mostly lighthearted fair fit for younger audiences while the other is dark, obviously intended for older audiences. But writer/director Nicolas Vanier and his co-writers never immerse in the second narrative, instead opting to let it exist on the film's fringes. As such, the World War II specific subplot is shorted, and the characters specific to it are underdeveloped (this is especially true of Angelina, played by Margaux Chatelier).
Still, despite these narrative flaws, Belle et Sébastien avoids failure, if only because the child lead and his canine friend remain captivating. So too does the relationship between Sebastian and Cesar, and later that between Cesar and Belle. Moreover, the picture's imagery is positively stunning. Vanier captilizes on his mountain setting in ways that always impress.
All of which is to say that Belle et Sébastien is imperfect, maybe even forgettable, but it still accomplishes what it sets out to do: tell a sweet story about a boy and his dog.
The Keeping Room
"War is cruelty . . . The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." ~William T. Sherman
This quote opens The Keeping Room, a part home invasion, part relationship drama, part female empowerment, part anti-war film, and the picture's plot, about which I will purposefully say little, sets out to prove it, from the opening to the conclusion. So it is we know the sort of movie we're watching.
Tone is not director Daniel Barber and writer Julia Hart's only success. So too is their stunning imagery.
And their investigation of people's potential for cruelty. Moses (Sam Worthington, utterly terrific) does evil things, but he never feels evil. He feels like a person trapped in a system, doing things even he knows he shouldn't. When he says, "I don't know how to stop," we believe him because Barber and Hart have so masterfully shown it to us.
The writer and director adeptly characterize Augusta (Brit Marling, every bit Worthington's equal) and Mad (Muna Otaru, very good), as well. These are two complex women, both of whom we like even though we sometimes question them.
Barber and Hart capture Henry (Kyle Soller) and Louise (Hailee Steinfeld), less well, however. The former is an archetype, a terrible person who does terrible things because he's terrible. Henry's behavior is probably no more or less twisted than Moses', but the filmmakers fail to nuance the former as well as they do the latter. Louise, too, is borderline archetypal, at least until the end of the picture. (Note: despite this flaw in characterization, when Steinfeld and Soller share the screen, they produce The Keeping Room's most catching scene.)
The movie's other notable flaw: pacing. The opening is overdrawn and the finale a little rushed, especially insofar as Louise comes alive in the end, transcending the 'spoiled teenager' archetype on which we spend so much time at the The Keeping Room's onset.
Still, here the merits well outweigh the flaws. This film is worth viewing.
Have you seen any of these films? Well, what do you think?
FlixChatter Review: Ex Machina
There have been a plethora of films about man and machine or man vs machine in Hollywood. From cult classics like Blade Runner, Terminator to most recent ones like Robot & Frank, Chappie, etc., clearly not all are created equal. I'd say that this Alex Garland's original story has some striking similarities to the 2013 tiny-budgeted British indie The Machine, given that the creator and the machine are the main key players of the film. However, Ex Machina explored the eternally-fascinating topic of 'what it means to be human' in a much deeper and more immersive way.
The film started out with Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) being dropped by a chopper into this secluded estate of a billionaire scientist in the side of a Norwegian mountain. He's supposed to spend a week with the CEO of a large internet search engine company, but other than that Caleb has no idea what's in store for him. As it turns out, he's invited to participate in a breakthrough experiment in testing artificial intelligence. After meeting the mysterious tech baron Nathan (Oscar Isaac), things just seem to be even more cryptic. I love the initial interaction between the two actors and the unpredictability and suspense of it all. First time director Alex Garland infused the scenes with a sense of appropriate eeriness, as well as a dose of humor that prevents the film from being too heavy handed or frigid.
It's when we meet the subject of the Turing test, a luminous female A.I. named Eva (Alicia Vikander), that things starts to get REALLY interesting. Even though Eva's robotic parts are visible, unlike some other films where the droid looks fully human on the outside, she is as fetching as ever. It sparks intriguing questions about why Nathan created her with sensuality, with the ability to flirt and emote. The unhurried pace allows for a lot of reflective moments, thanks to the sharp and focused script by Alex Garland himself.
"One day the AIs are gonna look back on us the same way we look at fossils and skeletons in the plains of Africa" Are the arrival of droids and drones mean we're on the verge of extinction? That seems far-fetched perhaps, but the way Garland made this film, this scenario seems almost entirely plausible. His idea of the future is 'ten minutes from now' and companies like Google or Apple are certainly capable of creating the future we see in this film even today.
The spirituality aspect, whether intended or not, is one of most thought-provoking aspect I've seen in a sci-fi film in a long time. Humans may think they can replicate ourselves and build something with *consciousness,* but is a soul something we can create? What these sci-fi films prove is the always-present and increasing desire of humans to become God.
I've been a fan of Garland's work as a screenwriter (especially 28 Days Later and Never Let Me Go), so we know he's a master storyteller. But I think he has a gift behind the camera as well, and perhaps because of his writer background, he's more concerned about letting the story flow and immerse people into a certain realms, instead of bludgeoning us with action, action, action. Plus he's got an International cast formed by three accomplished young actors to tell his story.
Guatemalan-American Oscar Isaac has been churning out one fantastic performance after another. He's truly one of the most fascinating actors working today and it's such a joy watching him mature even more as a performer. The best scene of the film, and one of my favorite scenes of the year, is the dance scene that's both unsettling but hilarious. Isaac certainly has screen presence to match his acting chops.
Irish Domhnall Gleeson is perfectly captures the naive curiosity of Caleb, as well as the young man's intelligence and vulnerability. He's effortlessly likable and you immediately projects yourself into his character as he navigates into this new environment he's thrown into. Isaac and Gleeson have a good rapport together, and the human relationships are just as intriguing as that between man & machine. In the key role of Eva, Swedish actress Alicia Vikander couldn't be more perfect in the role. There's a certain innocence and fragility about her, but yet you know she's far more sly than you think.
The film is appropriately R-rated for the graphic nudity. Now, I'd be the first to tell you that most of the time, nudity in movies is unnecessary and gratuitous. But I have to say that it's not the case here, it feels integral to the plot. For the most part, Ex Machina is a quiet, reflective film. It did veers into mystery thriller territory towards the end but it's a natural progression of the story instead of a forced divergence. It's definitely a great film to see on the big screen and be fully immersed in the story and the characters' journey.
Despite the relatively low budget (under $15 mil), the production values are fantastic. From Nathan's state-of-the-art estate and his lab where he builds these machines, as well as the mountain scenery, it's a good looking film. I also love how atmospheric the film is, thanks to the cool, ethereal-sounding soundtrack and resplendent cinematography. But the most striking of all is the robotic look of Eva, which is both mechanical as well as organic, you simply can't take your eyes off her. We're as drawn to her as Caleb was in the film.
But as evident in films like Elysium, visual flair alone does NOT make a movie. Ultimately what you remember is the story and how it affects you as you watch it, and this film certainly offers plenty for the senses. There are so many scenes that linger long after the end credits role, such as one where one of the characters has a moment of doubts about himself as a human. It's got such a haunting quality about it that adds another layer of intrigue on the human/machine exploration. It's further proof that one doesn't need an astronomical budget or big stars to tell a compelling and memorable story. Dazzling, provocative and haunting… everything you'd expect from a futuristic sci-fi film. An outstanding directorial debut from Alex Garland, I'm curious what he'd tackle next, both as a writer AND as a director.
Have you seen Ex Machina? Well, what do you think?
Everybody's Chattin' + Question of the Week: shameless tv/movie indulgence
Happy almost-weekend peeps! Is it Friday yet? It's been quite a hectic week at the office, rushing against deadlines and all that, but let's not talk about work on the blog shall we? I mean this is supposed to be my escape!
I almost forgot doing the LINKS post but there have been some great posts from my fellow bloggers so I simply have to share 'em. Let's start with lists, as who doesn't love those?
Josh listed his top 50 films of 2010s so far, which has some awesome picks as well as recommendations.
LOVE this list idea from Chris on discovering new music by watching trailers
Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure you've watched the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. Well Keith broke down 5 phenomenal things about it.
Speaking of phenomenal, check out Margaret's recap of the latest Game of Thrones' episode (5×02)
Oh and have you seen Margaret's Black Swan/White Swan blogathon? Well, check out how you can participate and read Andrew's pick on the topic.
Speaking of blogathons, Wandering Through The Shelves' Weekly Blogathon's topic is on Superhero Movies. I'm not participating this week, but I did make a list of Top 10 Favorite Scenes from Marvel Superhero Movies back in 2011. If I were to make it now, for sure I'd add a few from the two Captain America movies!
On to reviews…
Steven wrote up about Pink Floyd: The Wall
Stu reviewed Festen (The Celebration), a Danish drama from Thomas Vinterberg
Natalie reviewed Alan Rickman's directorial debut A Little Chaos, starring his love interest in Sense & Sensibility Kate Winslet!
Last but not least, Michael shone the spotlight on a great opening title sequence: The Wild Bunch
My question of the week is really just an excuse to talk about my new obsession 😉 But hey, it's my blog so why should talk about things I don't really want to talk about, right? And frankly, right now my mind's been preoccupied with one person…
Suffice to say I've been bingeing on all things Stanley Weber… but it's even more agonizing as there are so few of his work out there. Much like most of my crushes in the past, Stanley did a lot of stage work in his hometown Paris. Oh what I would give to see him LIVE in the flesh in Anna Christie with Mélanie Thierry.
In any case, in between MSPIFF and other screenings, I've been sneaking time to watch Not Another Happy Ending and the StudioCanal's BORGIA: Faith and Fear, both are on Netflix if you're so inclined to check 'em out. Ladies be warned, you just might soon be obsessing over this c'est magnifique Frenchman 😉
Speaking of BORGIA, I simply have to include this insightful post from a historian comparing the two shows on the infamous Borgia family: StudioCanal's BORGIA: Faith & Fear & Showtime's The Borgias. This is the blog author's conclusion: "Showtime's series is more approachable and easier to understand, but Borgia: Faith and Fear much more interesting, in my opinion, and also more valuable. The Borgias thrills and entertains, but Borgia: Faith and Fear also succeeds in showing the audience how terrible things were in the Renaissance, and how much progress we've made."
So tell me… what's been your shameless TV/movie indulgences of late? Come on, fess up!
FlixChatter Review – CATS (2019)
Guest Post: An in-depth look at Tequila Sunrise (1988)


text:
Nonfiction, 2000s books, Essays
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a memoir by American author Stephen King, that documents his experiences as a writer and relays his advice for aspiring writers. It is his 43rd book, and his 2nd non-fiction book, first published in 2000 by Charles Scribner's Sons, On Writing is King's first book after the car accident a year earlier. In 2010, Scribner republished the memoir as a 10th anniversary edition, which featured an updated reading list from King.
On Writing is organized into five sections: "C.V.", in which King highlights events in his life that influenced his writing career; "What Writing Is", in which King urges the reader to take writing seriously; "Toolbox", which discusses English mechanics; "On Writing", in which King details his advice to aspiring writers; and "On Living: A Postscript", in which King describes his van accident and how it affected his life.
Retrieved from "https://stephenking.fandom.com/wiki/On_Writing?oldid=52406"


text:
Q: Continuous semigroup Let $X$ Banach, suppose that $A: D(A) \subset X \to X$ is the infinitesimal generator of a strongly continuous semigroup. $e^{At}, t \geq 0$. Then is the following number finite?
$$M=\sup_{0 \leq t \leq T} |{e^{At}}|_{L(X)}$$

A: It is obvious from the exponential bound for $C_0$-semigroups: there exist always $M\ge 1$ and $\omega \in \mathbb{R}$ such that
$$\|e^{tA}\| \leq M e^{\omega t} \quad \text{for all } t\ge 0.$$
The proof is basically the same as in the answer by @MaoWao.

A: Yes, it is.  First note that there exists $\delta>0$ such that $\sup_{t\leq \delta}\|e^{tA}\|<\infty$. For if not, there would be a sequence null sequence $(\delta_n)$ such that $\|e^{\delta_n A}\|\to\infty$. By the uniform boundedness principle, this implies the existence of $x\in X$ such that $\|e^{\delta_n A}x\|$ is unbounded, contradicting the strong continuity of $(e^{tA})$.
Now if $T>0$ is arbitrary, there exists $N\in \mathbb{N}$ such that $T/N\leq \delta$, and for $t\in [0,T]$ we have
$$
\sup_{t\leq T}\|e^{tA}\|=\sup_{t\leq T}\|(e^{t/N A})^N\|\leq \sup_{s\leq \delta}\|e^{sA}\|^N<\infty.
$$


Innovative water filtration system allows rainforest canopy lodge in Belize to conserve.
PUNTA GORDA, Belize, Jan. 12 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The management at Machaca Hill Lodge, located in southern Belize, now offers guests another way to preserve the sensitive environment surrounding the rainforest canopy lodge. The "PURE H2O" station allows eco-conscious travelers to refill their aluminum water bottles, provided upon check-in, whether they're heading out on an adventure or spending time by the pool.
The "PURE H2O" is a micro-mineral, organic particle, reverse osmosis, active carbon and ultraviolet mini-filtration plant that treats the lodge's water, mainly derived from harvested rainwater. There are plans to install a flow meter that will provide accurate information regarding the precise times for changing the filtration cartridges, creating an even more efficient system. The "PURE H2O" station is located next to the entrance doors of the main lodge, providing convenient access at any time, especially for guests departing on excursions.
Perched in the verdant hills above the Caribbean coast of southern Belize, Machaca Hill Lodge is a self-contained sanctuary from the everyday world. The main lodge is the communal heart of the resort, offering dining and lounging areas, concierge, gift shop and observation decks with views of the coast, Maya Mountains and the pristine rainforest. Accommodations consist of 12 private, individual canopy suites with screened fresh-air verandas and luxurious tiled spa-style baths overlooking the treetops. Activities include birding, jungle excursions, river adventures, snorkeling, diving and fishing.
For more information and reservations, visit www.machacahill.com or call the resort directly at +501.722.0050.


Nursery manager, Ann-Marie has been working with the childcare department at The Manchester College for the last six years and shares her thoughts with us.
I've always worked closely with the college and have been supported in any help I've needed for the improvement of individual students. The tutors have been very professional and when necessary have made extra visits to support students who are struggling to meet the desired level of practice.
The college works tirelessly to improve the practice of their students and tries very hard to make sure that a high standard is achieved by each and every student. They have extremely high expectations and drive professional standards up when working with the students on their placements.
It's nice to find a college that strives for excellence and does not turn out a stream of poor nursery nurses. We find now that many students from other colleges and courses lack basic understanding of their job role and child development and we very often have to train them over again however, this isn't a problem we have found with the majority of students from The Manchester College. I've had some excellent students from them, some of which I employed when their course ended.
We've developed an excellent professional working relationship and are more than happy to continue working with the college for many years to come. Communication is very strong and any concerns are dealt with in a prompt manner. The majority of students are of a good level and know what is expected of them in their placement.


Free USMLE Multiple Choice Questions for Biochemistry. Multiple choice questions are concerned and focus on high-yield topics, and require multi step critical thinking.
A 6-year-old boy presents to his pediatrician with skin lesions all over his body. For several years he has been very sensitive to sunlight. Neither the boy's parents nor his siblings have the same skin lesions or sun sensitivity. Biopsies of several of the boy's lesions reveal squamous cell carcinoma. Which mutation would one expect to see in this patient's DNA?
disease characterized by a defect in excision repair.
the development of skin cancer and photosensitivity.
A metabolic process is pictured in the image below. Which intermediate in this process inhibits the rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis and activates the rate-limiting enzyme of fatty acid synthesis?
and allosterically activates acetyl CoA carboxylase.
A 32-year-old develops polyuria. Her nephrologist monitors her closely on a water deprivation test, and she continues to have increased urine output. A diagnosis of diabetes insipidus is made. The nephrologist orders an antidiuretic hormone level and determines that it is inappropriately elevated. Which of the following is the site of pathology in this patient?
is not related to the pathology of diabetes insipidus.
A 35-year-old man presents to the physician with arthritic pain in both knees along with back pain. He states that the pain has been present for months. In an effort to obtain relief, he has taken only aspirin, but this has been of little benefi t. The patient is afebrile, and his slightly swollen knee joints are neither hot nor tender to palpation; however, the pain does restrict his motion. The cartilage of his ears appears slightly darker than normal. No tophi are present. A urine specimen is taken for analysis of uric acid content and turns black in the laboratory while standing. A defect in which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of the patient's condition?
contact with air or when the urine is made alkaline.
A patient who is a carrier of sickle cell trait presents to the clinic. The single base-pair mutation for sickle cell anemia destroys the MstII restriction enzyme recognition site represented by an asterisk in the image. The restriction enzyme- binding sites are shown as arrows on the map. DNA from this patient is treated with MstII and run on an electrophoresis gel. The DNA is then hybridized with a labeled probe that binds to the normal gene in the position shown on the map. In the Southern blot shown in the image, which lane represents the patient?
eliminates an MstII restriction site.
Phosphatidylcholine is a major component of red blood cell membranes, myelin, surfactant, and cholesterol. Phosphatidylcholine is synthesized through phosphorylation of choline obtained from the diet or with reused choline derived from phospholipid turnover. De novo synthesis requires an addition of three methyl groups, transferred from an amino acid. Without the turnover component, defi ciency in which essential amino acid would make dietary choline essential for phosphatidylcholine synthesis?
very common methyl group donor.
A DNA fragment is added to four different tubes along with DNA polymerase, a radiolabeled primer, and the adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine deoxynucleotides. Each tube also contains one of the four bases as dideoxynucleotides. The four tubes are then run on electrophoresis gel and visualized by autoradiography. Which of the following laboratory techniques does this describe?
randomly terminate growing strands of DNA.
A DNA segment is treated with restriction enzymes, pipetted into a well of polyacrylamide gel, and subjected to an electric fi eld. Next, the gel is stained with ethidium bromide and visualized under ultraviolet lights. What laboratory technique does this describe?
uses an electric fi eld to separate molecules based on their sizes. The negatively charged DNA migrates in the electric fi eld toward the positive end. Smaller fragments move more rapidly through the gel. Bands of DNA can be visualized by staining the gel with dyes such as ethidium bromide.
Increases in intracellular calcium can be especially detrimental to the cell. Therefore, calcium homeostasis is very tightly regulated not only across the cell membrane but also through the additional work of sequestration in endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. In which of the following ways does increased intracellular calcium concentration cause the most cell damage?
and within discrete compartments within the cell (ie., mitochondria). Free intracellular calcium can activate several enzymes whose cumulative effect is to induce signifi cant cell injury. A few important enzyme classes include ATPases, which decrease ATP supply; phospholipases,which decrease membrane stability;endonucleases, which induce DNA damage;and several proteases.
A scientist working in a research laboratory has been examining different agonists of serotonin receptor 1B (5-HT1B), a G-protein-coupled receptor. Compound A has a much higher affi nity for 5-HT1B than compound B. Both compounds have a higher affi nity for the receptor than serotonin. Which of the following describes the relationship between compound A and compound B when considering the guanine- nucleotide exchange activity of 5-HT1B?


Nokia 8 commercial resembles a bit on the old Lumia 925 commercial?
Nokia Mobile started promoting the Nokia 8 a bit more seriously by pushing two short videos. The first one was published few weeks ago and it promotes Nokia 8's camera capabilities. The second one promotes the Google Pay option which seems quite easy to use with the Nokia 8. Video is great, cheerful, targeting young population as the Nokia 8 also does.
But something else draw my attention to those videos. Check them below before i continue down the memory lane.
I don't know who directed the videos above, but I noticed some resemblance of the second one with some old videos done for some Lumia models few years ago, Lumia 925 to be exact. That particular video was all about the competence of the Nokia Lumia 925 camera at low light conditions, but the style used was similar like in the new videos.
We can see young people dancing, doing some exhibitions with the gear that are light up scooters then, and some light up roller skates today. Even though the music isn't of the same genre (more aggressive today), the atmosphere in the video is the same. Makes you want to play with the Lumia 925 or Nokia 8 for a while. Well, that is the meaning of the commercial, but wonder if HMD used same directors or marketing people from Nokia's Devices and Services department… What do you think? Maybe I'm just being nostalgic about the times when Nokia head means to do quality marketing videos.


text:
Carlos Motta, Towards a Homoerotic Historiography #1 #6, 2013, gold-washed silver, 1/2 x 19/32 x 3/8". From the series "Towards a Homoerotic Historiography,"
April 21–May 21, 2016
Carlos Motta is a necromancer. His practice involves a kind of communion with the archive, animating its traces in order to call forth the nearly moribund histories of queers of color. Hermaphrodite (8), from the series "Beloved Martina," 2016, is a haunting 3-D-printed statuette in Greco-Roman style, based on a photograph by Nadar. Martina was a woman who, in 1803, was put on trial for hermaphroditism in a Colombian court. She is also one of the protagonists in another work, Motta's apparitional film, Deseos, 2015. In it, Martina and a woman called Nour carry on a fictional epistolary correspondence—the former in Suesca, the latter, Beirut—surrounded by elegiac landscapes, visceral scenes of ruins, and a crucified Christ. This work, a documentary-fiction hybrid, places the viewer within a liminal space, transmogrifying the familiar into the uncanny.
Tiny silver figurines, washed in gold and tumbaga (a gold and copper alloy), are organized with taxonomical precision in "Towards a Homoerotic Historiography," 2013–14. Niches cut into walls house these little sculptures, each one gently lit and sealed behind a pane of Plexiglas, emphasizing their "archeological" qualities and those of the gallery itself. (The walls and floor of the space are painted an otherworldly midnight blue, which further upends the traditional sterility of the white cube.) These small, shiny, joyful men, survivors of colonialist exploitation and wreckage, perform acts of carnal desire and phallus worship, from raunchy gangbangs and genital frottage to delirious bouts of masturbation—an erotic jouissance that lustily bring back the dead.
— Taro Masushio


text:
Q: Why does the MailDefinition class require a System.Web.UI.Control? When creating a MailMessage object by calling the "CreateMailMessage" method on the MailDefinition class, the third parameter is an object of type System.Web.UI.Control.
MailDefinition mail = new MailDefinition();

ListDictionary replacements = new ListDictionary();
replacements.Add("<%myname%>", "John");

mail.BodyFileName = "~/App_Data/Emails/SomeEmail.txt";
mail.From = "me@example.com";
mail.Subject = "Hello";

MailMessage message = mail.CreateMailMessage("example@example.com,", replacements, );

Why is that?
And in the case that I don't have an object of that type, what should I pass instead?  Just a new Control object?
Control control = new Control();

UPDATE
I would highly recommend using Razor to build email templates.  It has great syntax, works great, and doesn't have any weird dependencies!

A: Usually you just pass this as the control.
MailMessage message = mail.CreateMailMessage("example@example.com,", replacements, this);

As for the reason why, here is what MSDN says:

The owner parameter indicates which control is the parent of the MailDefinition control. It determines which directory to search for the text file specified in the BodyFileName property.

A: The CreateMailMessage function internally uses the specified Control to query its AppRelativeTemplateSourceDirectory property and its OpenFile method to read the contents of the body (specified in the BodyFileName property of the MailDefinition).
Seems poor design and unnecessary tight coupling for me.

A: You can also just do this:
MailMessage message = this.Mail.CreateMailMessage("no-reply@example.com", dictionary, new System.Web.UI.Control());

A: I have been using new LiteralControl() for the 3rd parameter because my messages are being sent from a Workflow.  It works.  But I do not have an answer for "Why".

A: It sounds like you may not need to use the MailDefinition class at all if you're not binding to any controls.  To simply send an email over smtp, you should use a System.Net.Mail.SmtpClient with a System.Net.Mail.MailMessage.


Dry leaves between the pages started with my botany student sister years ago. This is one project which is ever going. I did it too and now my daughters have a few thick notebooks full of dry leaves and flowers.
This is what my elder daughter did for her school project – a wall hanging.
The creepers are of dried tomato plants. Orchids and bougainvillea flowers are kept as it is. The body of butterfly is made of rose leaves. The feathery wild growth (?) (on the right side) and wings of butterfly are coloured.
The wings of butterfly with their antennas are absolutely untouched-see the nature's perfect cuts!
I can't recognize these leaves (I mean the wings of butterfly ones). Anybody know? May be Robyn of garden rooms will be able to tell us.
This photo by Daxiang Stef – via Flickr.


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text:
package org.mengyun.tcctransaction.springboot.starter;

import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.AutoConfigurationImportFilter;
import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.AutoConfigurationMetadata;

import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.Set;

/**
 * @author Nervose.Wu
 * @date 2022/7/6 14:04
 */
public class TccTransactionConfigurationFilter implements AutoConfigurationImportFilter {

    @Override
    public boolean[] match(String[] classes, AutoConfigurationMetadata autoConfigurationMetadata) {
        Set<String> skips = getSkips();
        boolean[] matches = new boolean[classes.length];
        for (int i = 0; i < classes.length; i++) {
            matches[i] = !skips.contains(classes[i]);
        }
        return matches;
    }

    private Set<String> getSkips() {
        Set<String> classes = new HashSet<>();
        classes.add("org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.quartz.QuartzAutoConfiguration");
        return Collections.unmodifiableSet(classes);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub