text:
Q: JS Function With Two Parentheses and Two Params I'm trying to understand how a function works that is run with two parentheses and two parameters. Like so:
add(10)(10); // returns 20

I know how to write one that takes two params like so:
function add(a, b) {
  return a + b;
}

add(10,10); // returns 20

How could I alter that function so it could be run with one set of parameters, or two, and produce the same result?
Any help is appreciated. Literally scratching my head over this.
Thanks in advance!

A: To extend what both T. J. Crowder and Benjamin Gruenbaum said, libraries like Ramda (disclosure: I'm one of the authors) allow you to convert a simple function like this:
function add(a, b) {
    return a + b;
}

into the style under discussion by wrapping it in a call to a curry function:
var add = R.curry(function add(a, b) {
    return a + b;
});

add(3, 5); //=> 8
add(3)(5); //=> 8
var add3 = add(3);
add3(5); //=> 8

The best article I know on this subject is Hugh Jackson's Why Curry Helps.  I wrote a more detailed one at Favoring Curry.

Update
Here is a version of curry somewhat simpler than the one in Ramda.  It would do the above and quite a bit more, but doesn't do some of the things that Ramda does with placeholder values:
// here is a function that takes a function and returns a curried version
// of it, that is, a version that performs the sort of partial application
// you describe.
var curry = function(fn) {
    // first, we detect how many arguments the function has.
    var fnArity = fn.length;
    var partialApply = function(args) {
        // now, let's create a function that's curried
        return function () {
            // collect the previous args as the partial, and add the new
            // ones you just received
            var newArgs = (args || []).concat([].slice.call(arguments, 0));
            // if we have "enough" arguments, we don't need any more partial
            // application and we can call the function.
            if (newArgs.length >= fnArity) {
                return fn.apply(this, newArgs);
            } else { // else we return a partially applied version
                return partialApply(newArgs);
            }
        };
    };

    return partialApply([]); // a function is itself partially applied with 0 args
};

A:
How could I alter that function so it could be run with one set of parameters, or two, and produce the same result?

You can almost do that, but I'm struggling to think of a good reason to.
Here's how: You detect how many arguments your function has received and, if it's received only one, you return a function instead of a number — and have that function add in the second number if it gets called:

function add(a,b) {
  if (arguments.length === 1) {
    return function(b2) { // You could call this arg `b` as well if you like,
      return a + b2;      // it would shadow (hide, supercede) the one above
    };
  }
  return a + b;
}
console.log(add(10, 10)); // 20
console.log(add(10)(10)); // 20

I said "almost" above because just because the add function received only one argument, that doesn't guarantee that the caller is going to call the result. They could write:
var x = add(10);

...and never call the function that x now refers to.

A: Welcome to the wonderful world of first order functions
In JavaScript, a function can return a function since a function is just another object. A simple implementation is something like:
function add(x){
    return function addOther(y){
        return x + y;
    };
}

This is possible because of closures and first order functions.
This also lets you do partial application, libraries like Ramda utilize this to great extent.
var addThree = add(3)
addThree(5); // 8

A: function add() {
  var sum = 0;
  for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i++) {
    sum += arguments[i];
  }
  function total() {
    for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i++) {
      sum += arguments[i];
    }
    return total;
  }
  total.toString = function () { return sum };

  return total;
}

This will work for any no of arguments and parentheses.
https://medium.com/@imdebasispanda/super-function-with-closure-86a58a9a980b


Peter Drucker once said, "Culture eats strategy for lunch." Yet, internal barriers such as silos and weak communication channels foster behaviors that detract from a customer-centric culture. Organizations committed to a customer-centric vision create a clear path forward, cultivating their culture by tapping into the rational and emotional belief systems of their employees. They understand that employees at all levels crave an avenue to share their customer-centric experiences, inspire each other, and influence decision making.
Yet, fulfilling on customer centricity requires systematizing how organizations communicate, operate, and measure success as they engage employees in their vision. Beyond being a staunch advocate for their customers, leadership must have an intuitive sense of existing relationships amid teams and identify the connective tissue among them. They then must develop systems that foster shared learning, empower employees to act on customer knowledge, and translate the vision of leadership. Ultimately, this will create an ecosystem that rallies employees and opens internal pathways to execute on this vision.
As mentioned, it's typically organizational barriers that stall customer-centered efforts, not lack of customer understanding. This finding is consistently evidenced by customer experience, marketing, and insights executives who participate in our Decision Intelligence|Customer Experience (DICE) assessment. To ensure internal alignment on a customer-centric vision, leaders must take stock of internal employee engagement measures to identify gaps in the employee experience. All too often, these gaps have a downstream effect on customers, and it's not uncommon for employees to make or break a great customer experience. While seemingly counterintuitive, investing in systems internally is necessary to succeed with customers externally. An employee community platform designed to shape an ecosystem of knowledge between decision makers and the front line is one internal mechanism to ensure ROI on your customer experience program.
In many instances, reorienting an entire organization around its customer requires cultural transformation. In all cases, it requires balancing a focus on the future with the demands of the here and now. Recognizing and celebrating key milestones along the journey further instills the right behaviors, while motivating employees each step of the way. A change-agent mentality is critical to embarking on this journey. Leaders at these companies that excel at employee and customer experience walk the talk of customer centricity—a living demonstration of the culture they are striving to cultivate.
In a truly customer-centric culture, an organization's structure, work streams, communication channels, and reward systems are established such that "doing the right thing" by customers becomes second nature. In this case, culture acts as an invisible force that shapes how employees behave and take action, even when no one is looking.
In the words of Julie Kantor, "Behaviors can be seen. Beliefs can't." And organizations that understand that "culture eats strategy for lunch" never underestimate the value of these two being in lockstep.
Sarah Tarraf, Director, Customer Experience, Gongos, Inc.
Sarah has worked in research and analytics for over a decade, in both a market research and academic capacity. Since joining Gongos in 2010, Sarah has led the Analytics & Marketing Sciences group, while acting as Statistical Analyst and Statistical Consultant to clients. Today she leads the company's Customer Experience practice, devising functional strategies that link to the entire ecosystem of customer insights. Sarah is particularly interested in leveraging methodologies and the intersection of technology and analytics to harmonize the 'what' that is happening on the ground with the 'why' that is impacting experience.


text:
<title>Vorbisfile - function - ov_open</title>
<link rel=stylesheet href="style.css" type="text/css">

Vorbisfile documentation

vorbisfile version 1.68 - 20030307

ov_open

declared in "vorbis/vorbisfile.h";

This is the main function used to open and initialize an OggVorbis_File
structure. It sets up all the related decoding structure.

The first argument must be a file pointer to an already opened file
or pipe (it need not be seekable--though this obviously restricts what
can be done with the bitstream). <tt>vf</tt> should be a pointer to the
OggVorbis_File structure--this is used for ALL the externally visible libvorbisfile
functions. Once this has been called, the same OggVorbis_File
struct should be passed to all the libvorbisfile functions.

Also, you should be aware that ov_open(), once successful, takes complete possession of the file resource.  After you have opened a file using ov_open(), you MUST close it using ov_clear(), not fclose() or any other function.

It is often useful to call <tt>ov_open()</tt>
simply to determine whether a given file is a vorbis bitstream. If the
<tt>ov_open()</tt>
call fails, then the file is not recognizable as such.
When you use <tt>ov_open()
</tt>for
this, you should <tt>fclose()</tt> the file pointer if, and only if, the
<tt>ov_open()</tt>
call fails. If it succeeds, you must call ov_clear() to clear
the decoder's buffers and close the file for you.

(Note that ov_test() provides a less expensive way to test a file for Vorbisness.)

int ov_open(FILE *f,OggVorbis_File *vf,char *initial,long ibytes);

Parameters

f

File pointer to an already opened file
or pipe (it need not be seekable--though this obviously restricts what
can be done with the bitstream).

vf

A pointer to the OggVorbis_File structure--this is used for ALL the externally visible libvorbisfile
functions. Once this has been called, the same <tt>OggVorbis_File</tt>
struct should be passed to all the libvorbisfile functions.

initial

Typically set to NULL.  This parameter is useful if some data has already been
read from the file and the stream is not seekable. It is used in conjunction with <tt>ibytes</tt>.  In this case, <tt>initial</tt>
should be a pointer to a buffer containing the data read.

ibytes

Typically set to 0.  This parameter is useful if some data has already been
read from the file and the stream is not seekable. In this case, <tt>ibytes</tt>
should contain the length (in bytes) of the buffer.  Used together with <tt>initial</tt>

Return Values

0 indicates success

less than zero for failure:

OV_EREAD - A read from media returned an error.

OV_ENOTVORBIS - Bitstream is not Vorbis data.

OV_EVERSION - Vorbis version mismatch.

OV_EBADHEADER - Invalid Vorbis bitstream header.

OV_EFAULT - Internal logic fault; indicates a bug or heap/stack corruption.

Notes

If your decoder is threaded, it is recommended that you NOT call
<tt>ov_open()</tt>
in the main control thread--instead, call <tt>ov_open()</tt> IN your decode/playback
thread. This is important because <tt>ov_open()</tt> may be a fairly time-consuming
call, given that the full structure of the file is determined at this point,
which may require reading large parts of the file under certain circumstances
(determining all the logical bitstreams in one physical bitstream, for
example).  See Thread Safety for other information on using libvorbisfile with threads.

copyright © 2003 Xiph.org

Ogg Vorbis

Vorbisfile documentation

vorbisfile version 1.68 - 20030307

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I am so happy today that I'm about ready to burst! I got my new coffee maker today – an early anniversary present from my adorable husband. It is so cool. It does everything but dance on the sink. I love it. There was nothing wrong with my other one but he bought me this one anyway. Now, the old machine is in storage for a well-earned rest. The Cloer 5218NA 12-Cup Bitterness Eliminating Coffee Maker is super-fantastic!
I just made the first pot of coffee with my new Cloer 12-Cup Bitterness Eliminating. I knew it had two brewing chambers but that meant very little to me. Well, it should have meant a whole lot more. One chamber – where the water goes – heats the water to a set temperature of 200 degrees. When you put the water into that chamber, it pushes the already heated water into the other area where it pours over the coffee grinds and makes your coffee without burning the grinds.
My old machine's basket would pop open whenever I would try to sneak a cup before the coffee was ready. Oh, how that aggravated me. I had hot water full of grounds all over the counter and floor and me, standing there helpless with a hot pot of almost made coffee. The Cloer 12-Cup Bitterness Eliminating has a button on top that you have to push to release the basket. I love it. I don't have to worry about any surprise grounds anymore. The basket is cone shaped and I love that because it forces the water to pass through all the grounds instead of just a few areas. It doesn't have to fill the basket with water to make sure they are all swimming.
I have a habit of pouring only half the water into the hole first thing in the morning. I needed this large mouth opening to fill the machine. My Cloer 12-Cup Bitterness Eliminating has a great wide-mouth opening that is easy for me to target even with morning eyes. I can even read the water window because it is large enough to actually view and sits right up on the front edge of the machine.
I can even set the timer to start my coffee before I get up in the morning. I might just give that a try tomorrow. The digital clock has large enough numbers to read at a distance and the buttons are big enough for my thumb to push. I don't have to use a pen tip anymore to push the on button on the Cloer 12-Cup Bitterness Eliminating. When I was a kid, my mother had left her coffee pot plugged in during an electrical storm and it caught on fire. I still remember what that melted burned area of the counter looked like. Ever since I've been on my own, when I turn a coffee maker off and leave the house, I have always unplugged it.
I know that I'm not supposed to know how much my hubby spent on my anniversary present – especially since he bought it all by his lonesome – but I peeked! He spent more than I would have expected. I probably wouldn't even have looked at a coffee maker at this price point but that would explain why I never had a coffee maker that I loved this much. The Cloer 12-Cup Bitterness Eliminating is the best money my husband ever spent and I'm so glad he did!


AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-104-103, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A STATEWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ALLOCATING STATE RESOURCES AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES BUREAU TO ASSIST AGENCIES IN FINANCIAL AND BUDGETING MATTERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
(o) To administer the state's aircraft operation.
(i) It may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of Chapter 18 of Title 17 not inconsistent therewith.
(l) It may establish an Administrative Services Bureau (ASB) to provide financial, personnel, budgeting and managerial services to other state agencies without sufficient resources to provide such services.


text:
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant — Book Review
by Justine Johnston Hemmestad
The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant, is more than a book – it's a time machine, as a truly good book is meant to be. The story takes the reader back to an era when to be remembered was life after death and serves as a metaphor for life within life, when stories were spoken and passed from person to person and family to family. The fiction of the story is tightly woven with historical facts, allowing for the reader to live in ancient Harran and surrounding Biblical lands, fully saturated in the lifestyle and customs of the time, not only physically, but psychologically as well. In this way, the storyline is given the freedom to prosper in imagination, for Story is so much more believable when anchored in verified (by archaeology) historical fact (the little things like type of cup used or what the tents are made of). Those pieces of information may seem to be on the surface insignificant, but they can open the door to another world and make the story itself engrossing. At times the precision of these details may prove monotonous and lengthy, but the historical value outweighs any distraction from Story for the true history-lover, and the historical details are so seamlessly interwoven with Story that it's not too distracting.
As much as I was struck by the history integrated into the story, I also admired the use of metaphors and idioms of the time and place – such as specifying that the baby is 'at the door' when it's ready to be born, as an example. Words transform present-day surroundings and breath truth into the action of the story as much as historical facts do. Personally, I love these double-meanings of the Bible and ancient times, as though the writer is trying to get away with saying something that may have very likely been restricted otherwise, and this book does these words justice many times over. Those ways of getting around restrictions with manners of speech with words are meant to touch the soul more than the ears. People spoke directly to the life within, and the book captures this. Lessons taught in this way serve to prime the mind, since the recipient of the inherited story must use thought to decipher what is really being said, as was the intent of the ancients. The Red Tent is fully engrossed within these customs of the story's timeframe and location, as well as the subtle requirements of the ancient mind. I thought often as I read the story how something like watching a bird in flight or a cat within a shadow allowed new variants of thought for ancient people, since today the distractions of tv and computers do not make this easy. As a society, we think our innovations are so necessary, and yet the expansion of our minds may be the price that we pay. One has to carve out the possibility for such quiet and stillness in the world today, and thus to read about it as such a common part of life in this story is escapism in itself. The reader is essentially time-traveling.
The importance and inner life that is given to the structures and dwellings of the ancients is a lesson unto itself, and the referenced tent is an intricate part of their ancient customs. 'Red' denotes the blood that the women were 'housed' in monthly, but also signifies how brutal their lives were. The menstrual tent, i.e. the red tent, represents perceived womanhood, female council and memory, and also the incredible trial that they are subject to. One of Dinah's mothers, Rachel, 'cost her [own] mother her life and insurmountable blood upon her birth,' therefore Rachel has a death weighing on her from the beginning of her life. Diamant captures the emotional measure of this, and writes, "In the red tent we knew that death was the shadow of birth, the price women pay for the honor of giving life." This description is also linked with the bloody tale of how Dinah is avenged for the sake of her stolen womanhood when she's described as 'raped,' though the reader will come to understand the liberties that Diamant has taken with the Biblical story.
Interestingly, red is also the color of passion and Jesus, and the purposeful sacrifice that Dinah makes as a key part of the story. As women often sacrifice their lives for the sake of birth, Dinah may see herself as sacrificing her youth and happiness, and even her only son, as an atonement for the sins of her brothers, as the pain signified by the tent is in large measure emotional. Dinah later acknowledges that "The painful things—Werenro's story, Re-nefer's choice, even my own loneliness—seemed like the knots on a beautiful necklace, necessary for keeping the beads in place." Pain is an accepted and necessary part of life and keeps life orderly in a way that nothing else can.
The individual stories that run through the book are about all the characters, in the voices of the characters, from the most important of them to the least – none are forgotten, like a great interwoven carpet. Women want daughters to keep their stories alive, for memory itself is a holy thing, carried in the feminine vessel, a fact they were keenly aware of. Lineages are distinct and recorded meticulously because the characters live and die by holy memory. The Red Tent, both the book and the menstrual tent of the story, is at its core an account of Jacob's children by his wives, and how they passed down their stories to their children. Stories were always linked by the spirituality that was ascribed to everything, such as that they thought Rachel was enchanted by water when she was a child, accumulating with her clean scent and meeting Jacob at the well. There is a story for everything natural or practical, including the vitalness of weaving and clothing for the women.
Dinah thus begins her story with this background of her mothers, captured within an insightful lesson of how humans are products of their surroundings. She noticeably shapes the descriptions of them with her own opinions. Possibly because of their stories, she says that people are "nothing but an echo from the grave," for an echo is essentially a word repeated many times and may hint that a story is graced when it is retold. Dinah seems aware of this grace bequeathed by her words, and she seems aware of her power when she gives her impressions of those she knows. Of her youngest sibling she says (as though she's aware of casting a blueprint for the future), "Even as a child, I knew that Joseph would be the one to carry the family story into the next generation."
Through these stories and the characters who tell them, the reader can also see how people of the era believe they have the power to shape their stories by the manner in which they are remembered. Part One ends with Dinah's birth and infancy, and though it seems to take a long time to get to Dinah, I think this was to accentuate the importance of storytelling and the bond between female memories. She says of this intricacy, "I am not certain whether my earliest memories are truly mine, because when I bring them to mind, I feel my mothers' breath on every word." Dinah herself wants to be known for who she is, rather than who she's perceived to be or who her society says she is. Her awareness makes the reader realize the value of words and wordsmithing in the history of humankind, and that the most important legacy we really have is our stories.
The secret burden Dinah carries throughout life is the murder of her husband by her brothers, which not only brings her lifelong unhappiness (until the last part of her life), but also the subtle understanding that she has the personal power to curse the husband of a mother she helps to deliver as well as her brothers who brought her sadness upon her. In several ways, the author embellishes or deviates from Biblical passages, including the 'rape' of Dinah, presumably in order to give another meaning to what may be known of ancient times. The 'rape' becomes Dinah's longed-for wedding night, by Diamant's will, and the kindness of Laban is altered to become his shallow cruelty. Jacob wrestling with an angel of God also takes on a different meaning. I read the Biblical passages again along with the book because I knew there were some things that were altered to suit a fictional re-telling in an effort to give more detail than otherwise provided – though always fully fledged within the details of ancient life.
For history lovers, these up-close views of the world as it was in its distant past are utterly amazing. The reader sees the waters of the ancient Euphrates River, the Egyptian men swimming in the water (strangers to Dinah), and how the water feels on their bodies as Jacob's caravan crosses. When Egypt is introduced into any ancient story, so too it seems is mystery, and this story proves no different. Later, when Dinah lives in Egypt after her tragedy, she says of the land and its population, "Egypt loved the lotus because it never dies. It is the same for people who are loved." These lines may also describe Rebecca, Dinah's grandmother, who, though very harsh and unjust in Dinah's eyes, is a force of nature. Dinah says of her grandmother (mirroring Egypt, like the kohl that lines Rebecca's eyes mirrors the sun), "Her years proclaimed themselves in the deep furrows on her brow and around her mouth, but the beauty of youth still clung to her." The reader can feel the mystical power of Rebecca, and also Dinah's negative impression of her entitlement and unfairness. The same may be said for Egypt.
Striking and indicative of human struggle as well are the passages about the pain and disappointment that Dinah has witnessed in her life, both before and after her tragedy. An intimate sentence about the miscarriage of a baby she delivers is as follows: "The tears from my eyes fell upon her alabaster cheek, and it appeared that she mourned the passing of her own life." Her duties as a midwife save her like she had wanted to save the child she could not (which may have been symbolic of her life before her tragedy). Describing her duties as a midwife, which again closely align with her wished-for needs after her tragedy when she gave birth to pain, she says, "I called for fresh water to bathe the mother's face, for fresh straw, for lotus cones to freshen the room, and for five serving women, who gathered around their mistress to offer encouragement."
To end, I return to the research conducted to tell this story, which is admirable and amazing. As a writer, I know that every little question, even those seemingly unimportant or insignificant, can lay the groundwork for a believable story in which the reader can lose themselves in. Countless hours spent in books and on the internet, only to discover a simple detail about everyday life, will make or break the knowability of the storyline. I appreciate this author's research and her ability to build on that research in order to make the entrance into another world seem effortless and even unnoticeable. This is a top-notch historical story, a story that an archaeologist at heart would love to sink their teeth into. The storyline itself, though divergent from the actual wording/meaning/insinuation of the Bible, is fascinating.
Justine Johnston Hemmestad has a published novella called Truth be Told and a published novel called Visions of a Dream, and she is included in seventeen anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries and Into the Glen, Into the Light.
She also has stories published in several magazines, including The Nonbinary Review and Kaleidoscope. In total, she has been writing for twenty-five years. She earned her Master's Degree in English Literature from Northern Arizona University in 2020, despite a car accident thirty years earlier in which she sustained a severe brain injury. She also has seven children and two grandchildren.
Agape Review January 1, 2022 Justine Johnston Hemmestad
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Jefferson County Schools and the Day Without Hate organization have solicited the help of 4impact! to offer this website for the ordering and distribution of 2019 DWOH T-shirts. The Day Without Hate committee, formed of Jefferson County faculty, students and volunteers, own the copyrights to the T-shirts designs. Consent to use the designs for any purpose must be obtain from the committee. The committee sets the price for the T-shirts and how the proceeds are used to communicate the message of non-violence within Jefferson County Schools. Last year, the committee granted nine (10), $1,000 scholarships to graduating Jefferson County HS seniors. A rally was also held for high school students to attend. A similar plan for scholarships and a rally are in place for this year.
4impact! Inc. is a marketing and promotional products company located in Littleton, Colorado. Owners Stephen and Carolann Holmes have 5 sons that have graduated or are currently attending a Jefferson County school. It is an honor for 4impactt! Inc. to participate and support Day Without Hate 2016 and is working hard to make April 26th a huge success.


People who are passionate about the care of our patients. We are looking for individuals who want to be part of a medical team that puts our patients first and works well with a team of professionals. Someone who wants a successful career in the eye care profession where your efforts make a difference. We want people who are experienced, enthusiastic, cares about others, and wants to work in a fast paced and fun environment.
Required: Knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the eye, optics, testing techniques, utilization of equipment relative to position. Must have experience with performing an external light exam, Amsler grid testing, motility, confrontation field, refractometry, retinoscopy, and IOP measurement.


Police have confirmed a body found in a west Auckland stream is that of a man who ran away from Waitakere Hospital.
This afternoon police identified him as Adam Tan, who went missing nearly two weeks ago.
Waitakere Hospital general manager of mental health Ian McKenzie said the 22-year-old had agreed to go to a mental health unit, but sprinted off on the way there.
Dr McKenzie said there had been no indication that he would do that and a preliminary investigation found staff correctly followed procedures.
He said Waitemata district health board extended its condolences to Mr Tan's family and friends.
The death would be referred to the coroner.
A member of the public found the body in a stream behind the Trust Stadium in Henderson on Monday morning.
A post-mortem is under way this morning on a body found in a stream in west Auckland, but police say that it is likely it would not be identified until this afternoon.
The Waitemata DHB is investigating how a man admitted to the hospital managed to run away. Police are trying to identify a body found in a nearby stream in west Auckland.


In the traditional Japanese consumer electronics scenario, you create entities that have great overlap in features/performance and place them at different price points. You then add features/performance that clearly establish the price differential, preferably features that don't really cost you anything substantive in your parts costs. You want enough "good stuff" in the upper models that is compelling to get as many folk to pop for them over the lower model, despite the fact that your gross profit margin on the top models is nearly the same. If you get more dollars with the same GPM or better, you simply do better economically (well Nikon does, not you ;~). As I've written before, in a three-model lineup (D3300, D5300, D7100 or D610, D750, D810), generally the middle model is the one that the company wants you to buy, as it usually has the best GPM (though not always).
D610 — This is the base upon which we build.
Df — For US$850 more we get…different controls.
D750 — For US$500 more we get a better and tilting LCD, a better metering sensor, a better AF sensor, the new EXPEED chip, the ability to control the aperture in live view/video, plus some other minor features that come along for the ride due to the others. Nikon has added costs here, but probably not as much as the current price differences would suggest.
D810 — For US$900 more we get a better shutter, a full metal frame, more internal memory, a shutter for the eyepiece, some extra buttons, and the pro-style menus (banks). Again some extra costs, but not nearly enough to justify the price jump. Yes, there is a difference in sensor, but I'm not sure that there are extra costs in that sensor, as it is the same size on the fab and doesn't need an AA filter over it.
This is classic consumer electronics line proliferation. Extract as much money as you can from the customer by offering something enticing for a few dollars more. Okay, more than a few dollars more in the case of the FX bodies, which is one of the problems I have with what Nikon is doing. In essence, they're saying that you're only going to buy one camera, and by not offering anything above the D7100 in the DX line, that's going to be an FX camera. At the old D300s price point we have a "stripper" FX model (and one with a poor reputation due to the D600 fiasco). You'll obviously want something more than that.
Now, some folk would gladly make that exchange. There's no doubt that 24mp FX is better in image quality than 24mp DX. By about a stop. If you need that stop, then you're already bought into the upsell. But you're getting a lower quality product at a higher price in Nikon's current FX-happy line. Basically, the D7100 body has now found its way into the D600, D610, Df, and D750 with little change (other than the Df's big control changes).
As many have pointed out, Nikon is doing what Nikon thinks it needs to do to survive. If volume will be lower, then they need higher priced product with higher gross profit margins. This is what businesses try to do: survive and grow. Nikon's no different there. But it really seems like they're more spreadsheet and survey driven in how they're doing that these days, and less thinking about what established and built the brand in the first place, which was more creative thinking about cameras.
To me, the real danger for quite some time has been what Nikon has been doing to its brand reputation. The last time that my surveys showed that the majority of Nikon's established customers were very happy was the D300/D700/D3 era. Since then, a series of decisions, products, and quality issues have eroded that strength. It's not gone, by any means, but Nikon's brand is now weaker than it's been in years, I think. Brand decline is very, very difficult to reverse, as Sony has discovered after decades of similar pursuit of volume over quality in the consumer electronics business.
Nikon 1 — all over the board to the point where potential customers are wary. The V series, in particular, has veered from one idea to another, not ever getting the balance quite right, while the S series sort of makes the J series look duplicative. I said from the beginning that the Nikon 1's should have been branded Coolpix Pros, and given what happened in the market, who the cameras should have appealed to, Nikon's lack of actual high-end Coolpix that resonated, and more, I believe in retrospect I've been proven right about that. C- (being liberal and giving the latest models a bit more credit than they may deserve).
Sorry, no A's given out this year. I don't grade on a curve. The good news for Nikon is that all the other students aren't exactly doing well, either. The perfectionist in me says that's not a good reason to be average.


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Beatriz at Dinner (opens June 23rd at the Cedar Lee Theatre)
[BEATRIZ AT DINNER opens in Cleveland Friday June 23rd exclusively at the Cedar Lee Theatre.]
Review by Pamela Zoslov
The dinner party has long been a reliable setting for a comedy of manners or nightmarish descent into hell. BEATRIZ AT DINNER falls somewhere in between, with Salma Hayek as the titular Beatriz, a massage therapist who is the accidental guest at an elite soirée hosted by her wealthy clients.
The film was written by Mike White, a writer, director and sometime actor, and directed by his frequent collaborator Miguel Arteta. It's an unusual chamber piece that touches on corporate greed, animal rights, immigration, social inequality and spirituality. While not entirely satisfying as a linear narrative, it's beautifully filmed, thoughtfully written, and well acted.
We first meet Beatriz as she prays, cross-legged, at her candlelit altar at home, where she also tends to her dogs and several goats. She works at a cancer center, performing massage and Reiki on patients before driving along a smokestack-marred L.A cityscape, to the gated community where her client, Cathy (Connie Britton) lives. Cathy met Beatriz when her daughter was recovering from cancer; Beatriz's healing touch worked miracles on the girl. (The daughter is away at college in Ohio. "Why would you want to spend four years of your life in Ohio?" Cathy wonders).
Beatriz has a special love for animals. She tells Connie a neighbor, who objected to her keeping goats ("they bleat a lot"), killed one of them. "I could feel his pain!" Beatriz laments.
When Beatriz's car breaks down, she calls a friend to come fix it (public service notice: always spring for the AAA membership). The friend is delayed, so Cathy insists that Beatriz stay for the dinner party she and her husband, Grant (David Warshofsky) are hosting. The guest of honor is Doug Strutt (John Lithgow), a brash real estate magnate whose resemblance to Donald Trump is unlikely to be coincidental. (The movie was completed months before Trump's election.)
Also in attendance are hotshot young lawyer Alex (Jay Duplass) and his girlfriend, Shannon (Chloë Sevigny). They are celebrating a legislature's approval of a major development by Strutt's company, with the helpful machinations of Alex ("He had to fellate every state senator!" Strutt says proudly).
Beatriz is clearly out of place at the fancy dinner, because of her blue jeans and rumpled shirt, her class and ethnicity. Strutt initially mistakes Beatriz for a servant, then asks if she's in the country legally. As the men boast about money, deals, "clearing the land" and combating environmentalists' protests, Beatriz listens silently, her brown eyes darting. She is equally alienated by the women's chatter about vacation homes and the latest viral celebrity scandal.
Tension builds at the dinner table as Beatriz's spiritual philosophy clashes with the wealthy guests' complacent privilege. The dialogue is not as dialectical as you might expect; White's screenplay is nuanced enough to avoid black-and-white characterizations. (Semi-unrelated note: White had a production company with Jack Black called Black and White, which produced School of Rock . ) Strutt is brash but also — unlike Trump — witty and self-aware. He jokes about possible titles for his autobiography: "Life Is a Game and Guess Who Won," and "This Can't Possibly End Well." Cathy and Shannon are spoiled but not unsympathetic within the boundaries of their wealth. Beatriz is principled, but also a little unhinged, like the Laura Dern character in White's excellent HBO series "Enlightened", an emotionally fragile woman who jeopardizes her career to become a corporate whistleblower. Or the Molly Shannon character in White's YEAR OF THE DOG, who sacrifices everything to fight for animal rights.
As the evening proceeds, Beatriz suspects that Strutt is the resort builder who ruined her hometown in Mexico. When Doug boasts about his latest hunting conquest, and shows off a cellphone photo of himself with a dead rhinoceros, Beatriz erupts, throwing the phone across the room.
Having made "a scene," Beatriz is sent to the bedroom, returning briefly to play and sing a song for the guests. The scenario darkens, and the film begins to echo Jordan Peele's GET OUT.
White's female protagonists seem to be versions of himself. Enlightened was based on his own meltdown while working on a TV show and subsequent exploration of Buddhist meditation. And, like the flawed heroines of Year of the Dog and Beatriz, White is a vegan and animal rights activist. If BEATRIZ's conclusion seems arbitrary, it could be that White's ideas are too large to be contained by the simplicity of film narrative. The painterly cinematography by Wyatt Garfield (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD) is an essay of symbols that reflect White's philosophy: the moon, smokestacks, Beatriz's beloved animals, fire lanterns shooting into the night sky. 3 1/2 out of 4 stars.
Posted by Pamela Zoslov at 12:00 AM
Labels: Beatriz at Dinner, Cleveland Heights OH, Cleveland OH, Connie Britton, John Lithgow, Miguel Arteta, Mike White, Movie Review, Pamela Zoslov, salma hayek


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Ron Noble, Secretary General of Interpol, is in London to discuss security arrangements for the Olympics.
He gave an interview to the Independent. Interpol maintains a database of lost and stolen passports, and:
Britain is the only EU country to systematically check passports against those registered as missing worldwide. Last year more than 11,000 people were caught trying to enter the UK using lost or stolen passports. Britain carries out more checks against the database than the rest of Europe combined – 140 million last year. France carried out the second highest number, at 10 million.
The UK Border Agency acknowledged the importance of the Interpol system, saying its high usage of the database was "indicative of the seriousness and priority we place on border security".
This is quite a turnaround.
In December 2004, Ron Noble lambasted the UK when he flew in and wasn't even asked for his passport number:
Interpol concern over UK borders
The head of Interpol has told of his "surprise" at shortcomings in the passport controls at UK borders.
Ron Noble, an American, said he was not asked for his passport serial number when he entered the UK.
The situation didn't improve and in July 2007 Ron Noble returned to the fray:
Interpol said last night that the UK makes just 50 checks a month of the database; France by comparison makes 700,000 checks and Switzerland makes 300,000 ...
Mr Noble said that Gordon Brown's promise last week to share a list of potential terrorists with other countries had yet to materialize. "British citizens might be surprised to find that this watch list announced by your prime minister last week has not been sent to Interpol," he said. "Why is it that some countries make sure passengers do not carry a bottle of spring water on to a plane, yet aren't careful to ensure convicted felons aren't entering their borders with stolen passports?"
Someone took up the matter with Lin Homer, Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency at the time. Ms Homer kindly wrote back and said that UKBA had started to use the Interpol database more frequently in 2007 and, by 2010:
Around 70 million checks are made against the database per year and to date there have been 13346 hits and 5108 documents seized.
The UK has gone from 600 checks p.a. against the Interpol database to 70 million and, now, to 140 million. You don't get a turnaround like that unless someone makes a determined effort. Who? Lin Homer. Well done, Lin Homer, and thank you. And thank you, Brodie Clark, sometime head of the UK Border Force.
After their Ron Noble interview, the Independent published a leading article on 30 December 2011. Does Lin Homer get a mention? No.
Brodie Clark does. Happy New Year to you, too:
Equally, although Mr Noble may have praised UK immigration controls compared with those of our neighbours, the British system is far from perfect. Only last month, the head of the border force quit in a row over a relaxation of security which the Home Secretary claimed had been done without her knowledge. That Brodie Clark is now suing for constructive dismissal only adds to the alarming sense of confusion and buck-passing in this vital area of national security.
The Independent regards the actions of UKBA and Interpol together as praiseworthy but Brodie Clark gets no recognition from the newspaper for his part in protecting the border by making use of the Interpol database.
Certain allegations have been made against Brodie Clark and he disputes them all. The matter is being investigated by the Home Affairs Committee, the Home Office has launched three internal investigations and, at some point, an employment tribunal will be convened. What are the results of all those quasi-judicial investigations? No-one knows but the Independent feels itself already justified in pointing the finger at Brodie Clark.
There is "confusion and buck-passing" there. But in their unbalanced coverage, the Independent have not identified the seat of that confusion.
Update 8 January 2011
Mazher Mahmood, 8 January 2011, Sunday Times, Illegals enter the UK on 'passports for hire':
Mr Mahmood identifies two people who got into the UK using other people's lost or stolen ID – a Sunday Times reporter and a lady who was sent to jail by Wood Green Crown Court in 2010. All the other illegal immigrants referred to in his article are in Greece, and not the UK. It looks as though UKBA are doing rather well, checking travel documents against the Interpol database.
Mr Mahmood's article includes a quotation from an unnamed senior police source asserting that biometric checks would be more effective – no evidence for that assertion is given. Has Mr Mahmood perhaps been deceived by an impostor, a biometrics technology salesman posing as a policeman?


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People's United Financial, Inc. Sees Gain in Income, Misses Expectations, Raises Dividend
People's United Financial announced its net income rose to $53 million in the first quarter. It's raising quarterly dividend to $0.165.
Apr 17, 2014 at 11:52AM
People's United Financial (NASDAQ:PBCT) reported today that its net income stood at $53 million, or $0.18 per share, in the first quarter of this year, up from $52.5 million and $0.16 per share in the first quarter of 2013. Analysts were anticipating earnings of $0.21 per share.
"Our performance this quarter reflects the ongoing benefits from strategic investments in our businesses, products and services," noted the president and CEO of People's United Financial, Jack Barnes, in the announcement. "In particular, our recent additions in commercial banking in Boston and wealth management in Connecticut reflect our commitment to strengthen our products and talent."
Despite its net interest income after the provision for credit losses rising by 5% to $217.6 million, in total operating earnings at People's United Financial fell slightly, from $57.9 million to $56.5 million. This was the result of its non-interest income falling by $5 million, from $84.9 million to $79.9 million. In addition its expenses rose from $212 million to $216.7 million.
The bank did highlight it continued to see improvements in asset quality, as its net charge-off ratio was cut in half, from 0.24% to 0.12%. In addition the operating return on tangible stockholders' equity rose substantially, from 8.1% in the first quarter of 2013 to 9.3% in the most recent quarter. However its return on average assets did fall from 0.77% to 0.69%.
In addition, the firm announced for the 22nd consecutive year it would be increasing its dividend. Its board of directors approved the increase from $0.16 per share to $0.165 per share. At yesterday's closing price that yields 4.4%. Barnes noted the reason behind the increased dividend was "Our strong business fundamentals, ongoing ability to leverage our brand in attractive markets, and prospects for growth continue to be the foundations of our strength relative to others in the industry."
After a few stints in banking and corporate finance, Patrick joined the Motley Fool as a writer covering the financial sector. He's scaled back his everyday writing a bit, but he's always happy to opine on the latest headline news surrounding Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett and all things personal finance.
People's United Financial
NASDAQ:PBCT
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People's United Financial, Inc. Sees Gain in Income, Misses Expectations, Raises Dividend @themotleyfool #stocks $PBCT Next Article


The Gospel is calling... on Netflix.
Folks, sit down with your families and watch 13th, the new documentary from Ava Duvernay.
You want to talk about "Christian movies"? This movie is a neon sign pointing to the man beaten by the side of the road saying "Does this look familiar? Remember Sunday School?" Believers are those who hear Christ's call, who understand that parable, who see Jesus in that bruised and bloodied face, and who reach out to pick him up, carry him to strength and freedom, and pay for his recovery as a privilege.
This documentary has suited up.
I admit that this is more sermon than cinema: It's the latest example of a sort of talking-heads/archival-footage/infographics assault that has become wearyingly common — the soapbox speech as infomercial. But at the same time, there are no talking heads that need to be heard right now the way these talking heads do; no archival footage we need to see again the way we need to see this archival footage; no infographics assault more urgently relevant to this present political clusterphenomenon.
As the end credits roll, you hear a powerful refrain sung again and again: "This is America's moment to come to Jesus." And after you see what Duvernay has to show you, you'll want to pray. Or march. Or something. I do. So let's.


The Centre contains a 24 seat boardroom/meeting room for formal presentations. The boardroom can open up into our demonstration theatre which accommodates 24 in an interactive learning environment.
Our beef cutting and demonstration area is a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) oriented facility with up-to-date equipment and technology. All the educational and meeting spaces are linked via AV (cameras, microphones and screens) allowing for full global broadcast capabilities for off-site clients around the world.
Helping today's busy consumer be comfortable and successful with Canadian beef is an important foundation for our industry's success. The Centre is equipped with a full consumer oriented kitchen area including an outdoor barbecue for grilling preparations.
This area is designed for developing consumer recipes, filming consumer cooking videos, conducting food photography and live cooking demonstrations, which can be broadcast on websites to audiences anywhere.
With seating for 20, this theatre is the epicentre of product creativity and interaction. From menu ideation with foodservice clients to retail cutting and merchandising, the theatre can be configured to meet a wide range of specific client needs. The Centre's retail meat case allows clients to visualize just what products may look like in their stores.
The Centre recognizes the opportunity with the global foodservice sector. Foodservice clients at the Centre have access to the most up-to-date equipment including combi ovens; induction cooking and sous vide options. This forum will act as the testing ground for new and innovative beef menu options.
This facility has been designed with a fully functional HACCP plan, clearly demonstrating Canada's commitment to world class food safety standards. This is an area that will allow product cutting and specification standards to be developed by clients and their packer partners.
The Beef Fabrication Room also allows for specific work such as beef yield testing, product quality assessment and specific muscle identification and product development.
Interested in booking one of our Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence facilities?
We look forward to accommodating your inquiry, please contact us below.


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'Lord of the Rings' star Andy Serkis to film in Ireland
The brilliant actor who played the role of Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings," Andy Serkis, will be filming an up...
CATHY HAYES
The brilliant actor who played the role of Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings," Andy Serkis, will be filming an upcoming movie in Ireland.
Serkis is set to play to role of Dr Adrian King, aka Dr Death, in the movie "Superhero." The movie is a collaboration between Irish production company, Grand Pictures and Germany's Bavaria Pictures. It is being co-funded by the Irish Film Board and a number of German donors.
The movie is based on the a book, by Anthony McCarten, called "Death of a Superhero." The story is centered on a terminally ill teenager who seeks sex and adventure. However, he faces many obstacles, including that he has only months to live.
To escape his grim reality he retreats to the world of his own comic-book adventures. His creations include the indestructible Miraculousman who fights battles against his arch-nemisis 'The Glove.' Donald is brought to visit several psychologists but eventually makes a bond with Andy Serkis' character.
The movie will also star Thomas Brodie Sangster ('Love Actually'), Aisling Loftus ('Dive'), Jessica Schwarz ('Perfume') and Michael McElhatton ('Paths to Freedom').
It will shoot for approximately six weeks in Dublin before moving to Munich.
COVID live updates: NI to relax Omicron restrictions from tomorrow
Irish police probe indecent exposure during online Ashling Murphy vigil


Firstly, let's get the stigma out of the way. Referral simply means you have not demonstrated to the panel that you are ready for Chartered status. It does not mean you are useless!
plus there is always an element of personal disappointment and negativity that I always try and enthuse referred candidates to turn into positive thinking and energy and refocus on the new final assessment goal ahead.
Please make sure you carefully consider your referral report which has been produced by the chairman of your referring assessment panel. Currently, this report will be in your next submission pack so the next assessment panel will be expecting you to have taken on board all of the points it refers to where you were deemed deficient.
Take heart that the pass rate for referred candidates is normally substantially higher than the first time pass rate.
Lastly, please remember not to get caught out by the time scales as whilst the assessment dates are six months apart the actual time between receiving your referral report and having to reapply and resubmit your documentation is substantially less.
Click to book your place today. Limited spaces so don't delay!


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Israeli Crimes and World Hypocrisy
by Robert Fantina
With Israeli terror continuing to be unleashed on the Gaza Strip, it might be interesting to look at the world's reaction, or lack thereof.
First, let's establish context. Israel was formed by the ethnic cleansing of over 750,000 Palestinians, driven from their homes with no recompenses, to refugee camps. Israel took far more than 50% of their land at that time. Since then, through illegal settlement building, Palestinians are squeezed into less than 20% of their own land, and that amount is constantly shrinking.
The U.S., Israel's favorite puppet in all the world, is always stepping forward to 'nobly' offer its services to resolve this issue. However, when the United Nations Security Council criticizes Israel for some aspect of its numerous violations of international law, the U.S. vetoes the resolution.
While the U.S. disingenuously offers to broker a deal between Israel and Palestine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu states categorically that Israel will never give up the West Bank. This is an integral part of Palestine, and a future, free Palestinian state.
The U.S. wishes to broker negotiations between two entities for which there can be no negotiation. That can only occur when each party has something the other wants, which can only be obtained by surrendering something it has. Palestine has much that Israel wants, but Israel can simply take it, without giving anything in return. It has done so for generations, and the U.S. has always condoned it.
Israel claims, incredibly, that it is only doing what it needs to do to ensure its national security. This is the country that receives over $3 billion from the U.S. every year and, as a result, has the fourth most powerful military in the world. Palestine, with no military budget since it has no military, can hardly be seen as threatening Israel.
A look at some of the violations of international law that Israel is committing even as this is writing, is shocking.
In the Gaza Strip:
* Bombing schools, residences, mosques and hospitals.
* Targeting children, such as those playing on a Gaza beach, killing at least four of them.
* Bombing without regard to the safety of 'non-combatants'.
* Blockading all Gaza's borders: land, sea and air.
* Turning off the water supply to Gaza's residents.
* Destroying reservoirs that Palestinians use for drinking water.
In the West Bank:
* Moving hundreds of thousands of Israelis into the occupied territory.
* Displacing hundreds of thousands of residents by destroying entire cities.
* Restricting certain roads to 'Israeli only'.
* Establishing countless checkpoints within the West Bank, making movement from one area to another that should take a few minutes, last for hours.
* Depriving residents of needed medical assistance.
Both lists could go on.
Now let's see what some of the world's leaders have said about all this.
* Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper: "The indiscriminate rocket attacks from Gaza on Israel are terrorist acts, for which there is no justification."
* U.S. President Barack Obama reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself from rocket attacks by Hamas militants.
* U.S. secretary of State John Kerry said no country can accept such rocket attacks, adding that de-escalating the crisis is ultimately in everyone's interests.
* German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, "The missile attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip has created a situation which threatens a spiraling process of violence and violent counter measures. Israel of course has the right to protect its citizens from rocket attacks."
* Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said that Ban Ki-moon "condemns the recent multiple rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza" and that "these indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas must stop."
* French Ambassador to Israel Patrick Maisonnave said on Tuesday, "When one is here [Ashdod, Israel], 30 kilometers [19 miles] from Gaza, you can feel up close the constant anxiety and fear which the families in the south live with, who find themselves yet again hostage to the violence. I would like to say to these families that we are not forgetting them and that France stands alongside them."
* The UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that Israel and Hamas "must exercise maximum restraint" to end the fighting.
It might be helpful to look at each of these statements in some detail, to understand how blatantly and unfairly each one favors Israel.
Mr. Harper says there is no justification for the attacks from Gaza. Perhaps he is not aware that Israel has for years blockaded the Gaza Strip, depriving its residents of any freedom of movement. He is unaware, perhaps, that Israel closely monitors what is imported and exported to and from Israel. The following lists some of the 'dangerous' items that Israel either has prevented, or currently prevents, being imported to the Gaza Strip: lentils, pasta, tomato paste and juice, soda, juice, jam, spices, shaving cream, potato chips, cookies and candy, dry food, ginger and chocolate, crayons, stationary, soccer balls, musical instruments, toilet paper, books, candles, crayons, clothing, cups, cutlery, crockery, electric appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, glasses, light bulbs, matches, needles, sheets, blankets, shoes, mattresses, spare machine and car parts, and threads. In addition, Israel has prevented the importing of fishing ropes and rods, hatcheries and spare parts for hatcheries, batteries for hearing aids, wheelchairs
Construction materials such as glass, steel, bitumen, wood, paint, doors, plastic pipes, metal pipes, metal reinforcement rods, aggregate, generators, high voltage cables and wooden telegraph poles have no or highly limited entry into Gaza.
Much of the Gazan economy depends on fishing. Israelis shoot fishermen working within three miles of the shore, boundaries far within what international law allows.
Mr. Obama and Mr. Kerry said that Israel has a right to defend itself from rockets. Neither of them mentions Palestinians' rights to self-determination, or the numerous violations of international law of which Israel is guilty.
Mr. Steinmeier misses the mark completely by saying that the situation in the Middle East was created by missile attacks from Gaza. Israel created the 'situation' generations ago, and has fanned the flames of it by its continuing abominable suppression of the human rights of the Palestinians.
Mr. Dujarric, while condemning rocket attacks from Gaza, didn't have anything to say about the numerous resolutions passed by the United Nations condemning Israel's violations of Palestinians' basic human rights. The U.N., he might consider, has passed more such resolutions condemning Israel than it has of all other countries combined.
Mr. Maisonnave, incredibly, talks about the anxiety and fear which families within range of Gazan bombs must live. He seems unaware that all Gazans live with that anxiety and fear on a daily basis.
Mr. Ki-moon does not seem to understand that 'maximum restraint' is very different when applied to a third world, oppressed and occupied peoples, than it is when applied to a major military power.
Not all world leaders are so short-sighted. Turkish President Abdullah Gül has warned Israel against a ground assault on the Gaza Strip, and demanded that it stop its air strikes on civilians. Said he: "Israel, as though exploiting, is bombing Palestine from sea and land, destroying houses and killing innocent people in front of the world's eyes."
A media report is also telling: "Rockets from Gaza have struck parts of central and southern Israel, disrupting the lives of people there but so far causing no serious casualties." While that may be a true statement, there is no mention of the rockets from Israel that have struck all over the Gaza Strip, causing over 400 deaths of men, women and children, and over 1,000 injuries.
The U.S., many other countries and much of the U.S. media are all blaming Palestine for the violence. And while some of the blame does rest with Palestine, it is not Hamas, but the weak, spineless, puppet of Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas. He has for years worked with the Israel government, allowing it to steal more and more land, and displace more and more Palestinians. Even as of today, following the murders of four Palestinian children playing on a beach, he has not petitioned the International Criminal Court for redress. Palestinians would fare no worse if Netanyahu himself were the titular head of the Palestinian Authority.
The right to self-determination is foundational for all people. Israel, with the complicity of Canada, the U.S., and several other countries, has for generations denied Palestinians this basic right. Resistance to such horrific oppression is always justified. Imperial nations such as the U.S., which has successfully destroyed revolutionary peoples' movements around the world, are understandably concerned about Palestinian national aspirations. The powerful Israeli lobby will not allow any U.S. lawmakers to questions its genocidal practices. There is no such thing as statesmanship in U.S. governance; there is only the profit motive, and human rights take a distant second (or third, or fourth) place to that.
It took years for people around the world to finally bring an end to the apartheid practices of South Africa. The movement to end the apartheid practices of Israel is ever-growing. Its success cannot come too soon for the suffering Palestinians.
Robert Fantina's latest book is Empire, Racism and Genocide: a History of US Foreign Policy (Red Pill Press).
More articles by:Robert Fantina


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Melissa Walker
writes teen novels
RT @maureenjohnson: It's so important for younger people to know: these shootings, these drills, these evacuations...IT'S RECENT. It wa… https://t.co/ucPO9sJ0E9
RT @mdnorthrop: Come for the interview but stay for the exclusive reveal of the totes adorbs Dear Justice League book trailer! https://t.co/URC8hMxDJQ
Cover Stories: Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
August 31, 2009 in Cover Stories
Another brother-sister author team, Daniel and Dina Nayeri, is here to tell the tale of their cover, this time for the debut novel Another Faust. This cover has enchanted me from first glance, so I couldn't wait to interview them. Here are Daniel and Dina: "We had so many brainstorms over this between the two of us and with friends and our publisher. We talked at length about the concept of 'things that aren't what they seem,' because that is a huge theme in the book. Beauty that isn't real, accolades that aren't accomplishments, talents that are illusions. Even the Faust children's house is a trick of the eye. "On the cover, we wanted to show five teens who seem one way when you first glance at them, and then when you really take the time to look, seem entirely different. So we played around with the idea of a hologram, and then with the idea of having a half-photographic, half illustrated cover. In the end, the objective is accomplished through the faces of the models and their surroundings. When you first look at the cover, you see five beautiful young adults who are just mesmerizing. But when you really look, you can see how sad they are, you wonder about the moths floating around them, and the general darkness of the space they're inhabiting, and you think, 'Something isn't right here.' It becomes very eerie when you think that these are supposed to be 15-year-olds-- because where's the joy? "Candlewick involved us in most steps of the process (even when they didn't have to). We brainstormed with our editor and the marketing department and looked at several photographers before choosing a style. The idea of showing the children in a state that says 'all is not as well as it seems' was the product of one of these brainstorms. And then, the creative team at Candlewick translated the concept to a visual medium by working with the photographer. "The cover involved a photo shoot with models hired specifically to be our characters [MW note: those are two of the models, left and right... sweet]. We were very lucky to have this special treatment for our cover and the result has been amazing! Candlewick chose 3-4 models for each character and we got to give our opinion on which we liked best. We were particularly impressed when we saw the final result and realized that they had even chosen the accessories of the models to match our characters!! Victoria for example, is wearing a "V" pendant that was described in the book. We couldn't believe that someone actually went out and bought that necklace to use in the photo shoot! Of course, the models' hair and clothes were all styled based on the characters as well. And each character is posing in a way that perfectly matches their personality. For example, in the book we talk about how Valentin (the boy with curly hair) always has his hands in his pockets, and how Bice (the girl at the top of the page) feels shy and withdrawn from the rest. You can see more from the photo shoot in the official trailer. "When we first saw the cover, we were blown away. You should see the email we each sent to our publisher. I don't think either one of us has used that many exclamation points in any communication... ever. :) "In terms of comments, we pointed out that Belle should be blonder and that Christian (the boy seated) was a red-head. Just a few small things. The cover didn't change much, just some hair color adjustment, and they made the background a lot more eerie and dark, to match the tone of the book. "We love the cover. It's creepy and thought-provoking and still sexy and interesting. We think it really captures the dark, creepy tone of the book, while still showing the glamorous illusion that the children in the novel are striving to achieve. We hope that potential readers don't just think of it as a sexy cover, but really look to see the dark tone beneath it all, because Another Faust is not a lighthearted NYC teen romp.... It's a pretty creepy Faustian tale with a lot of layers that we hope provide intellectual challenge! Here are a few bonus visuals. The catalogue page: An early flier: "Finally, here's an extra tidbit. When we were first deciding what should be on the cover, we had a big discussion over whether the cover should present Madame Vileroy (the devil governess) or the five children who bargain their souls. In the end, we chose the children because they are the 'Fausts' of this novel and their decisions drive the story. But back when we were considering having Madame Vileroy on the cover, we used this photo of the TV show 'Dirt' as inspiration for the kind of woman we wanted to portray: a beautiful, tempting, and ultimately evil villainess who has indirect power over those around her. And we loved the image of the writhing souls beneath her skirt. But in the end, we much preferred placing the teens center-stage." Great story! Hot models. Fantastic inspiration photo (souls writing under skirts rule). This cover totally draws me in, and I'm really looking forward to reading the book. What do you guys think?
← Win-It Wednesday: Graceling by Kristin CashorePhoto Friday: Fashion Illustrator + Classic Literature →
"When you grow up, your heart dies." -The Breakfast Club


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Episode 8 - Fifties Roundup
June 28, 2018 Season 1 Episode 10
Jun 28, 2018 Season 1 Episode 10
A veritable barrage of '50s Goldsmith miscellany, as well as final thoughts on the music covered on the show so far.
The day has finally arrived. At long last, we have reached the end... of the 1950s, thus concluding the brief prologue to this obscenely lengthy podcast journey. On this episode, your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark gather up odds n' ends from the decade: an exploration of the Climax! episode "Trail of Terror" (featuring a suspenseful Goldsmith score highlighted by a lovely, reflective melody), a MIDI reconstruction of Goldsmith's dynamic score for the Civil War-themed Playhouse 90 episode "The Tunnel," two strikingly different (yet equally impressive) scores written for the '50s cop drama The Lineup, and multiple versions of Goldsmith's instantly catchy Black Saddle theme. Finally, we take a few moments to reflect on the highlights of the material we've covered thus far. It's a musical feast... but save room, because we'll be stuffing one more surprise into the mix. Take a seat and gobble it up!
The Work: Playhouse 90: The Tunnel (Midi Reconstruction), Jerry Goldsmith: The Early Years, Volume 1 (at Screen Archives), Impact / Double Impact: Orchestra Under the Direction of Buddy Morrow (at Amazon), Dick Powell Presents Themes From the Original Soundtrack of Four Star Television Productions, Rare Surf Volume 2 - The South Bay Bands


Authorize Partial and multiple are not supported Asynchronous or Synchronous The request is asynchronous (will return a status of Pending) in the event of a provider network error. For more information, see Request Retries in the Event of a Provider Network Error.
Charge Not Applicable Asynchronous or Synchronous The request is asynchronous (will return a status of Pending) in the event of a provider network error. For more information, see Request Retries in the Event of a Provider Network Error.
Refund Both partial and multiple are supported Asynchronous or Synchronous The request is asynchronous (will return a status of Pending) in the event of a provider network error. For more information, see Request Retries in the Event of a Provider Network Error.
Since requests with RSB are not idempotent safe, we cannot deduce the status of a request in the event of a provider_network_error. We will therefore return a 201 status code with a request status of Failed. Beware that creating a new transaction for the same payment may result in a double-charge.
certificate. Copy the certificate string from the .pem file. For help in creating a certificate, review the instructions in the RSB documentation (will download as a PDF file).
3DS must be implemented as part of a redirection flow. For an overview of how to implement a redirection flow, see Implementing a Redirection Flow.
After configuring the IPN URLs, configure Webhooks in your PaymentsOS environment to receive updates when a change in a transaction status occurs.


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Crom Carmichael Historically Compares Taiwan Versus China and the Capitulation of Communist Pope Francis
Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville's Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio to discuss Taiwan's historical progress versus China in the 80s and the capitulation of Pope Francis.
Leahy: Crom, lots of stuff going on. What else is on your agenda? By the way, it is the first day of summer. And it felt like the first day of summer. I got to drive in this morning at 4:25 in the morning, 80 degrees out.
Carmichael: Well, it felt like the first day of summer a couple of weeks ago when I got up close to 100 degrees. So that happens this time of year?
Leahy: Yes. Tennessee. Yeah, that's right.
Carmichael: There are three or four articles all about China that I find that I find very interesting. But there is one that isn't explicitly about China and it really helps understand some of what's going on in terms of the foreign policy.
Leahy: Now Crom, I will tell you you have piqued my curiosity. I like the way you set that up. Well, now I'm thinking this is clever Crom seeing the influence China somewhere, and I'm sure it's there. I wonder where you seeing it.
Carmichael: Here's a headline. So anybody who read this headline could see it. This is in the business section of The Wall Street Journal. The World Relies On One Chip Maker in Taiwan, Leaving Everyone Vulnerable.
So that gives us an idea that one of the reasons why China is so insistent that they take over Taiwan. And we now know what China will do once they take over an area even if they promise to do something different because of what they did in Hong Kong.
Leahy: They promised one thing, and they did exactly the opposite.
Carmichael: They did not leave the people in Hong Kong free. They're now under the subjugation of the Communist Chinese Party, just like everybody else.
Leahy: Let me just stop for a moment on that. When the United Kingdom signed the agreement to give Hong Kong back because their 99-year lease expired everybody knew this would happen.
Carmichael: I would assume so. But I'm not sure what the alternative was, because as you point out, there was a 99-year deal. And the 99-year deal was going to be coming up soon.
And I don't think the Communist Party of China was in any mood at all to extend the terms of the deal, as they had been before. So it's kind of like if your lease is running out in a building and you don't have a right to renew, guess what?
Leahy: You're out.
Carmichael: You're either out of are you going to agree to the landlords' terms. Now you have a choice of getting out. In the case of Taiwan, though, that's not the case.
Leahy: That's right. In the case of Taiwan, you had Chiang Kai-shek and a number of Chinese who fled the Communist Party back in the late 40s to the island of Taiwan which had virtually nothing on it. And Taiwan is now one of the wealthiest per-capita communities.
Leahy: It is booming from what I hear.
Carmichael: In the world. It's only been there for 70 years.
Leahy: I guess 20 some odd million people live on the island, but it is a hub of entrepreneurial activities. And it's a garden spot, I hear.
Carmichael: Well, I was in Taiwan quite some time ago.
Leahy: You were? What was it like?
Carmichael: Well, this is back in the late 80s and so it's not fair. We were in China at the same time. And Taiwan was a bustling community and a huge city with lots of cars and lots of beautiful buildings.
In other words, it was a first-world country whereas in China at the time, we were one of the very, very, very few cars on the streets. And when we were on the streets, the driver would drive at about 10 to 15 miles an hour and beep his horn like a heartbeat because there were tens of thousands of bicycles.
And the bicycles had to just kind of move out of the way for the car to pass and move right back in the path. It was just quite extraordinary to see that. But China was very, very poor in the late 80s?
The tallest building in Shanghai was 40 stories and shared a hotel. And now Shanghai is a huge metropolis, just a huge, bustling city. But Taiwan was that before. And Taiwan is also a very, very technologically advanced society.
So there's lots of technology that's been developed. Apple phones and a lot of Apple equipment are made in Taiwan. But this one chipmaker is the largest chipmaker in the world by far and many of the chips that they make are very sophisticated.
And so this actually has national security implications in regard to that. What's also interesting in regard to China is the House Republicans in Washington are targeting the Chinese Communist Party for covering up the origins of the Coronavirus and have introduced legislation to allow people to sue China.
The Democrats are completely opposed to that. So we now kind of see which side the Democrat party is on.
Leahy: They're on the side of the Chinese Communist Party.
Carmichael: Yes. That's really quite interesting. Apparently, nobody's asked Anthony Fauci that question. If they have I've not seen it. So if one of our listeners has actually seen Anthony Fauci opine on whether or not the Communist Chinese Party should be held responsible now that he's admitted that the virus likely came from the lab.
But he's not admitting that very hard. And then there's another interesting story where Pope Francis did something that no Pope has done in centuries and that is he capitulated to the Communist Chinese Party. The Communist Chinese Party gets to pick the priests.
Leahy: Yeah, that doesn't happen. It's never happened anywhere that I know of in the Catholic Church.
Carmichael: This is something that he agreed to. So now a Communist priest, somehow those two words just don't seem to go together.
Leahy: It's an oxymoron.
Carmichael: Yeah. Thank you. You can look that word up.
Leahy: It's pernicious.
Carmichael: Pernicious. (Laughter) Very good. And then the last little item here is this in Yahoo. News of all places. And the headline is ominous.
Leahy: Not pernicous but ominous.
Carmichael: The U.S.-China relationship going down the path of a great confrontation, analyst says. I've read the story and I believe it's true.
Leahy: Well, when you're weak, the strong party will take advantage.


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Robertson remembers amazing Race
Written by admin on April 9, 2014
He stood as another passenger in LAX Airport chaos, and overcome by the reality of the year-long trip of a lifetime, which he was now committed to. This day, Jan. 1, 2010, Austin Robertson had more thought of what he was leaving behind than any anticipation of the adventure ahead.
This journey would be an extended team mission trip throughout 12 different countries around the world. It was no typical happy New Years for Robertson, as he held his boarding pass in hand with mixed emotion. To where, he knew, but exactly how drastically the next 12 months would impact his life was uncertain.
This was the beginning, the starting line. This was the World Race.
After first a week of team training in New Zealand, in the following three months he and fellow teammates traveled to Australia, the Philippines and Malaysia as they worked alongside various missions organizations.
Prior to departure, in his personal World Race blog he wrote, "We will be meeting these people 'right where they are,' and that means far more than just physically meeting them in their country. Therefore, I expect that my heart will break for them, and I hope it does. It'll be through that brokenness that Christ will be able to use me to share his love for them. May I not forget that I was lost once too."
The month of May brought them to Thailand, Robertson's favorite and most memorable experience of the whole Race tour. It was here they were touched by their time with the girls of "Remember Nhu," a communal home and school for girls ages 7-17 from poor rural families who would have likely otherwise sold them into the sex slave trade.
The World Race continued as his team journeyed throughout Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda where they experienced the poverty and culture firsthand in small mud huts with natives who shared conversations of Christ and His people.
In September, Race teams from various parts of the world all reconvened in Ireland for a week together before his team's final three month's assignments throughout Ukraine, Romania and Moldova.
The adventure of travel and joy of cultivated relationships within teams and groups was also met by the reality of personal sacrifice, hardship and discomfort. Several cases of malaria and typhoid among teammates made their time in Kenya challenging. Robertson specifically remembers a 15-hour long bus ride traveling a bumpy dirt road, scrap metal in place of windows as dust filled the humid air and clothes of passengers. Before arrival, they discovered that a group of their teammates had been robbed at gunpoint, which required a change of plans to help establish new U.S. passports.
Yet, they still made time for recreation they would not soon forget, which included elephant riding, petting tigers, white water rafting down the Nile River and zip-lining through the jungle. Each experience during their stay in countries provided new and memorable tastes of each culture. Robertson recalls eating duck embryo in Philippines known as "balut," and indulging in "the latest catch" mystery meat offered by locals in smaller fishing villages.
After the extent such life-changing experiences as teams were often physically, emotionally and spiritually tested, "The hardest adjustment culturally was actually coming back here to the United States again . . . [this trip] has changed what I think about day to day; it changes the way in which I see the value of daily work, even when I'm not on a mission trip . . . I see the eternal value in the work that I'm a part of. It's helped me live a much more purposeful life here and the way lives are being lived around the world . . . it's increased the way I know the way others are living simultaneously around the world."
This perspective spurs his teaching through the challenge of David Platt's "Radical": "taking back Christianity from the American Dream" with his Gateway class this year.
The course, entitled "Every tribe, tongue and nation" he began teaching in Aug. 2012. "I chose our Gateway topic because I want students to have more of an idea of what the Lord is doing all over the world, not just here in the states . . . and that we're called to be part of that work," he said.
This May he will also be accompanying some education, biology, and family and human students for a month long trip to Uganda.
Prior to The World Race, Robertson spent two years as a residence hall director at John Brown University and completed a Master's degree in ministry with an emphasis in higher education. Today he is also Coordinator of Student Success in addition to organizing events for commuter students and Gateway teaching. And time with students isn't limited by office hours; he becomes personally involved in their lives, such as through bonfires for fellowship and food and camping with his Gateway class to Devil's Den State Park.
Matt Abbott, a junior this year and mentor for Robertson's class, said, "I've appreciated seeing Austin's heart for people to become engaged in God's global kingdom through their specific purpose."
"He's sincere and genuine with a diligent work ethic in all he does. And through that, he easily throws himself into everything, which serves the campus well," said Frank Huebert.
Concluding his trip in Nov. 2011, after traveling around the world, working with 20 different ministries throughout 12 countries and a total estimated 66 hours of flying, Robertson blogged, "This is something that's going to continue long after the Race for me…we follow a God who redeems, who refines, and who removes…a God who is looking to do this through people [during] their time on earth. That is my desire, and I'm honored that he's making me more like his Son and preparing me for the highest calling a person can have in their life . . . a Kingdom builder."
Klotz to retire in May
Web journalist gives talk on future of online media


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How to Deal With Being Dumped
by Jamie Banning 26. April 2013 09:45
It hurts, but it don't last
"I was on my way home from work, when I got the text message. "I don't think I can come down this weekend. I'm not going to be around much from today. See you when I see you." I knew what this meant. It had been building for weeks. So there I was, dumped, by text, on a Friday afternoon."
Jon is relating a tale to me of how one relationship went sour. And it's a scenario we're all likely to be familiar with. The shock and pain, or sometimes the relief and closure, of being dumped.
There are many ways for a relationship to end. Some come to a full-stop overnight, never to be revisited. Some judder to a horrible train-wreck explosion. Some fall into to a slow, whirling, inexorable decline. Some simply fade away. Sometimes, in a sea of changing and shifting relationships, it's unclear whether there's a permanent relationship present at all.
And there are many means: the huge fight, the text message, the ever-lengthening silences which one day, unnoticed, become permanent. The best dumpings (if there can be such a thing) are clear, face-to-face, and upfront. Reasons will be given, but no blame or recriminations.
Bad dumpings occur through text, email, voicemail, or even worse, Twitter or Facebook message. Then there are passive-aggressive dumpings: silent treatment, not turning up for dates, or changing one's Facebook status to "single" all qualify.
One thing's for sure, the pain of being dumped is equal to the amount of emotional energy you have invested in the relationship. A Monday morning text from the guy you had a Saturday-night hookup with, saying "I don't want to see you again" is more likely to elicit laughter than tears. "What a tosser! As if!"
But the long-term relationship that comes to a sudden end, or (perhaps worse) a slow, spiralling death, is an experience that requires all the fightback we have in us. Somehow we have to muster our internal resources to deal with the pain of rejection, guilt (was it me?), suspicion, and confusion. Then in the maelstrom, there's the small matter of real life to cope with. It goes on day after day, work continues, family need attention, health - mental and physical - must be looked after too.
Karl, a radio technician from Liverpool, was dumped after five years of a close relationship: "I met Graham at Liverpool Uni. I had come up from London to study music. Gray was one year ahead of me at the time. We shared a flat together and things were going well, but he was suffering from various illnesses, which I supported him through. But then he graduated, and moved back to the suburbs where his family and friends were. I was kinda abandoned for a year, not really knowing what to do. I felt the relationship had all but ended. But when I came to graduate, he suggested moving in with him again back in his home town. By this time I was the one who needed support, and not really knowing what else to do, I agreed. Living in somebody else's territory, and being out of work, left me feeling vulnerable. When he ended it (he broke the news in the street one day as we were out shopping - broad daylight!) I lost so much more than a lover. I lost a friend, I lost contacts with the world around me, I lost any sense of purpose! Five years of effort and compromise were "thrown back in my face". At the same time I felt betrayed and frankly, conned, having moved away from my roots at his bequest. My whole world collapsed."
Being dumped brings a whirlwind of emotions. Pain, guilt, loneliness, fear for the future, betrayal, jealousy, suspicion to name a few. Most breaks are not "clean", so there is likely to be a period of uncertainty and fighting to get your man back. The most important thing to do is try to stay on top of all these feelings and not them completely overwhelm you. Taking some time out is a good idea. A day or two off work, some quiet space, some alone time, are all ways to create a sense of separation from the maelstrom that's just hit you.
Now is the time when friends and family come into their own. Those of us with supportive families know all about being dumped and will try to rally for you. Let them. It doesn't mean you have to tell them every excruciating detail, but just allow them in, and let them be there. Friends too can be lifesavers. But not all friends are good for you right now - many men can be rather brutal when it comes to other's ex-boyfriends. They may be pumped to tell you how much they hated your ex, all the things that were wrong about him, why he was no good for you. Perhaps they're right - but now is not really the time for recrimination, it's a time for healing, and negativity doesn't help. Ask for help from the friends you know will help you hurt and help you heal. They will be delighted to be valued.
Looking back on a past relationship, it can be tempting to dwell on every aspect of the "failure", and to obsess on blame. Blame and recrimination are wholly negative emotions. They only diminish your ability to function, and if allowed to fester, can get out of control and take over your life.
"The relationship with Gray went wrong. But looking back, I can see that perhaps it was never really right. We didn't wholly love each other, but found pleasure and comfort in each other's company. At different times we were both in need of some looking after. We cared for each other, but that was not really enough. When we broke up, it broke my heart, but I now see it as a something we both needed to go through."
Despite the heartache, there are often many positives to being dumped. Now is the time to try to see them. A sour relationship that is terminated is often better than one which staggers on without going anywhere. Relationships change as the people in them change. Breaking up can be the catalyst to move forward with your life and explore new territories. I'm not suggesting going out and shagging anything in a tight pair of jeans. I mean taking stock, looking forward, and moving on. There are new freedoms, new opportunities. And who knows, maybe that perfect guy is just around the corner.
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