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Утіда Косаї (, також відомий як Утіда Ясуя) — японський державний службовець, дипломат.

Біографія
Утіда Косаї народився у місті Яцусіро, префектура Кумамото у сім'ї лікаря. Після двох років вивчення англійської мови у Університеті Досіся, перевівся до Токійського університету де закінчив юридичний факультет.

Після закінчення університету працював у Міністерстві закордонних справ Японії. Був послом у Китаї під час правління Династії Цін, потім у Австро-Угорщині та США. З 1911 по 1912 рік займав посаду міністра закордонних справ у другому кабінеті Сай'ондзі Кіммоті.

Деякий час працював послом у Російській імперії, потім повернувся до Японії і з 1918 по 1923 рік займав посаду міністра закордонних справ. Двічі виконував обов'язки прем'єр-міністра: після вбивства прем'єр-міністра Хара Такасі та раптової смерті прем'єр-міністра Като Томосабуро.

У 1930 році увійшов до палати Перів — верхньої палати Японського парламенту. В 1931 році став президентом Південно-Маньчжурської залізниці.

Під час свого третього терміну на посаді міністра закордонних справ у 1932–1933 роках, він сприяв дипломатичному визнанню Маньчжурської держави та виходу Японської імперії з Ліги Націй.

Помер 12 березня 1936 року, через 15 днів після Інциденту 26 лютого. Похований у Токіо.

Література
 Beasley, W.G. Japanese Imperialism 1894—1945. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-822168-1
 Gulik, Carol. Showa: The Japan of Hirohito. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-31064-7

Випускники Токійського університету
Прем'єр-міністри Японії
Дипломати Японії
Міністри закордонних справ Японії
Кавалери Великого хреста ордена Пія IX
Кавалери ордена Вранішнього сонця 2 класу


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Just Walking By
PRE FALL 2012 COLLECTION
Massimo Giorgetti started his early career working in a commercial environment (floor salesmen, salesman) and then in designing ones (creative consultant for capsule projects). He uses these experiences to develop a fashion product with a design perspective, commercial and strategic view.
Massimo became a Professional Designer in 2004 and in 2008 he began a partnership with Paoloni Group to start his own MSGM brand.
Massimo Giorgetti fuses his passion for fashion, music and inspirations creatively in his line.
You can view more here and here.
Photos: MSGM via Because I'm Addicted
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Acer H233H is a 16:9 format display that renders full high-definition video and audio performance for a powerful media and cinematic experience.
This 23" LCD is the perfect choice for advanced 1080p Full HD gaming and multimedia applications. Enjoy action-packed moving images with a 2 ms response rate and 80000:1 contrast ratio , ensuring crisp and razor-sharp image quality.
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COVID-19 Cases Reach to 120 in Afghanistan
The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced three new confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country.
The spokesman of MoPH, Wahidullah Mayar on Sunday said that of 48 suspected cases in the laboratories in the past 24 hours, three of them confirmed positive.
Mayar noted that two cases were reported in Herat and one in Nimroz province.
This comes as the total number of confirmed cases in Afghanistan reaches to 120.
29 / March 2020


text:
Casimirella ampla är en tvåhjärtbladig växtart som först beskrevs av John Miers, och fick sitt nu gällande namn av Richard Alden Howard. Casimirella ampla ingår i släktet Casimirella och familjen Icacinaceae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Tvåhjärtbladiga blomväxter
ampla

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


TOP leaves and debris from clogging your downspouts! This little gadget keeps your downspout open and trouble-free. Unique, patented flow-thru Wedge design is self-cleaning... leaves are pushed up the slope by water flow and the wind blows them away. Increases water drainage by 2,000% over conventional raingutter drain filters. Tough, durable, rust-proof plastic construction is UV-protected for years of maintenance-free service in all kinds of weather. Assemble and install in just minutes. Use 2 Screens back-to-back for center drain gutters. Each measures 9 1/2 x 2 5/8", weighs about 1 lb. Make a minor investment to stop major gutter hassles today!


The goal of this project is to create the appearance of realistic human characters. This task can be broken down into many subproblems: animation, body shape, surface appearance, etc. So far, most of our work has focused on the body shape subproblem; specifically, how to use data from 3D scanners to create models of human body shape.
As the body moves, its shape changes in complex ways, due to the contraction and relaxation of muscles, bones visible beneath the skin, and various other anatomical features. Often this variation is modelled either by artists using various varieties of deformers, or by anatomical modeling and simulation of the bodily structures involved. Instead, we take an example-based approach, where we build a model of these shape changes using 3D laser range scans of a body in various poses.
We scanned an arm, shoulder, and torso in many different poses, a few of which are shown on the left. We then combined these scans into a common parameterization, so that the shape of the body in any pose can be estimated using scattered data interpolation techniques.
The details of our parameterization and interpolation techniques are described in our SIGGRAPH 2002 paper.
More significantly, our common parameterization also enables us to analyze the variation in body shape, using techniques such as principle component analysis. One possible application is to use the learned distribution of shapes to synthesize new, random individuals. In the figure above, the individuals outlined in red were randomly generated.
The details of our correspondence algorithm and applications are in our SIGGRAPH 2003 paper.
ALLEN, B., CURLESS, B., POPOVIĆ, Z., and HERTZMANN, A. 2006. Learning a correlated model of identity and pose-dependent body shape variation for real-time synthesis. In Proc. of the 2006 ACM SIGGRAPH/Eurographics symposium on Computer animation, p. 147-156, Sept. 2-4, Vienna, Austria.
ALLEN, B., CURLESS, B., and POPOVIĆ, Z. 2004. Exploring the space of human body shapes: data-driven synthesis under anthropometric control. In Proc. Digital Human Modeling for Design and Engineering Conference, Rochester, MI, June 15-17. SAE International.
ALLEN, B., CURLESS, B., and POPOVIĆ, Z. 2003. The space of all body shapes: reconstruction and parameterization from range scans. ACM Transactions on Graphics (ACM SIGGRAPH 2003), 22, 3, 587-594.
ALLEN, B., CURLESS, B., and POPOVIĆ, Z. 2002. Articulated body defromation from range scan data. ACM Transactions on Graphics (ACM SIGGRAPH 2002), 21, 3, 612-619.
The arm dataset from our SIGGRAPH 2002 paper on pose pose variation is available online.


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Robert Dickinson, an economic geologist with more than 40 years of mineral exploration experience who is an inductee of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame, leads Northern Dynasty's project development activities. In addition to his role as Chairman, Mr. Dickinson is a director of the Pebble Limited Partnership. He is also Chairman of Hunter Dickinson Inc.
Ron Thiessen
CEO and Director
Ronald Thiessen, a Chartered Professional Accountant (FPCA, FCA) with more than 25 years of corporate development experience, leads Northern Dynasty's corporate development and financing activities. In addition to his role as President and CEO, Mr. Thiessen is a Director of the Pebble Limited Partnership. He is also President and CEO of Hunter Dickinson Inc.
Desmond Balakrishnan is a lawyer practicing in the areas of Corporate Finance and Securities, Mergers and Acquisitions, Lending, Private Equity and Gaming and Entertainment for McMillan LLP, where he has been a partner since 2004. Mr. Balakrishnan has been lead counsel on over $500 million in financing transactions and in mergers and acquisitions aggregating in excess of $1 billion. He also serves as a director and/or officer of several resource, finance and gaming firms. He holds CLA and BA from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Laws (With Distinction) from the University of Alberta.
Steven Decker is a Chartered Financial Analyst® charterholder with more than 20 years of investment experience as an Analyst and Portfolio Manager. He holds an MBA in Finance from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California where he received the Marcia Israel Award for Entrepreneurship and was a manager of the California Equity Fund.
Gordon Keep is a Professional Geologist with extensive business experience in investment banking and creating public natural resource companies, Mr. Keep is CEO of Fiore Management & Advisory Corp., a private financial advisory firm. He also serves as an officer and/or director for several natural resource companies. He holds a B.Sc. in Geological Science from Queen's University and an MBA from the University of British Columbia.
David Laing is a mining engineer and executive, with 40 years' experience in mining operations, projects, engineering studies, mining finance, investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, corporate development and company building. He has also held senior positions in mining investment banking and technical consulting, most recently as Chief Operating Officer of Equinox Gold, and True Gold.
Christian Milau is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA) and mining executive, currently serving as CEO of Equinox Gold, with experience in acquisition, financing, development, and operation of mines. Mr. Milau also has background in finance and capital markets, and government and stakeholder relations, including successfully negotiating with governments on various community, security, fiscal and tax matters.
Ken Pickering is a Professional Engineer, mining executive and international consultant with 40 years of experience in a variety of capacities in the natural resources industry. He has led the development, construction and operation of mining projects throughout the world. These include: the Escondida Mine in Chile and several billion dollar expansion phases, the Tintaya copper operations in Peru, BHP Iron ore operations in Western Australia, the Spence copper leaching project in Northern Chile and Pinto Valley operations/Resolution project in the Western United States. Mr. Pickering is also a Director of Teck Resources and Endeavour Silver.


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The Latest: Teachers to strike a 2nd day in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Latest on a teachers' strike in West Virginia (all times local):
A teachers strike in West Virginia will head into a second day.
The leaders of three unions representing teachers and school service personnel made the announcement Tuesday night that the walkout will continue Wednesday.
The Republican-led House voted earlier to indefinitely table a complex education bill that the unions oppose.
Without being specific, West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee says the unions believe there's still a small chance there could be further developments with the legislation.
American Federation of Teachers' West Virginia chapter President Fred Albert says that although the unions' trust in the House has been somewhat restored, there is no trust in the Senate leadership, which has tried to rush the bill to passage.
Albert says "we are staying out one more day to make sure that this is a dead bill tomorrow."
This item corrects attribution of the quote to Fred Albert, not Joe White.
Union leaders for teachers are celebrating a move by the West Virginia House of Delegates to effectively kill a complex education bill that prompted a strike.
Three unions representing teachers and school service workers say they'll meet with union members before deciding on further action, which could include ending a strike that began Tuesday. The unions have scheduled a late afternoon news conference.
American Federation of Teachers' West Virginia chapter President Fred Albert says "it was very clear today that the House heard our voice."
The Republican-led House voted 53-45 Tuesday to approve a motion to table the bill indefinitely. It means the bill won't go to the next step: a committee of Senate and House members who would try to come up with a compromise.
Teachers' unions disliked components of the bill that would have created the state's first charter schools and allow education savings accounts for parents to pay for private school.
The West Virginia House of Delegates has effectively killed a complex education bill disliked by striking teachers' unions.
Cheers erupted from the House galleries where hundreds of teachers were in attendance.
It wasn't immediately known whether the vote would end the strike, but teachers started leaving the Capitol afterward.
The vote came after the House rejected a motion to postponed debate for several hours to allow delegates to read up on the complex bill.
Teachers' unions went on strike Tuesday. They disliked components of the bill that would have created the state's first charter schools and allow education savings accounts for parents to pay for private school.
West Virginia public school teachers and school service workers are hitting the picket line and packing the state Capitol on the first day of a statewide strike.
The only county where public school classes are being held Tuesday is in Putnam County, where school parking lots were nearly empty. A few cars trickled in to drop students off but no buses were seen.
Teachers and supporters from other counties joined Putnam County teachers on the picket line as motorists honked their support.
Teachers' unions oppose complex legislation under consideration that would create the state's first charter schools and allow education savings accounts for parents to pay for private school.
Poca High School English teacher Meghan Stevens says students "are not for sale."
West Virginia teachers have embarked on their second strike in a year, but one of the 55 county public schools districts is staying open.
Putnam County schools says in a statement its schools are open Tuesday.
County schools superintendent John Hudson says "it is the expectation that all employees report to work."
He says "it is important that our students continue to have the opportunity to learn in a safe and secure environment."
Several Putnam County parents responded on Facebook that they wouldn't send their children to school across teacher picket lines.
Nearly all of West Virginia's 55 counties have called off public school classes Tuesday as teachers protest education legislation that their unions view as lacking their input and as retaliation for last year's nine-day strike.
Almost a year to the day after West Virginia teachers went on strike that launched a national movement, they're doing it again.
Nearly all of West Virginia's 55 counties have called off public school classes Tuesday as teachers protest education legislation that their unions view as lacking their input and as retaliation for last year's nine-day strike. That walkout launched the national movement that included strikes in Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arizona, Washington state, and more recently, Los Angeles and Denver.
Now the movement has come full circle.
Leaders of three unions for teachers and school service workers say how long this one goes on will be a day-to-day decision.
An amended bill that the Senate passed Monday now goes back to the House of Delegates. Among other things, it would create the state's first charter schools.


text:
using Debug = System.Diagnostics.Debug;

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{
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    partial class InstantiatedType
    {
        protected internal override int ClassCode => 1150020412;

        protected internal override int CompareToImpl(TypeDesc other, TypeSystemComparer comparer)
        {
            var otherType = (InstantiatedType)other;

            int result = comparer.Compare(_typeDef, otherType._typeDef);
            if (result == 0)
            {
                Debug.Assert(_instantiation.Length == otherType._instantiation.Length);
                for (int i = 0; i < _instantiation.Length; i++)
                {
                    result = comparer.Compare(_instantiation[i], otherType._instantiation[i]);
                    if (result != 0)
                        break;
                }
            }

            return result;
        }
    }
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


With its cutting-edge web-based support and interactive learning opportunities, college faculty will find this new fourth edition an exciting new approach to teaching the introductory course in special education. In addition to providing students with a wide array of enrichment resources, interactive self-assessments, activities, and case studies, each chapter is also available online in both a multimedia and an interactive version with embedded icons that allow students to access relevant resources.
Designed for both traditional certification programs and alternative programs, such as on-the-job training, this new edition carries the most current information on inclusive classrooms, transition, diversity, collaboration, and much more. It's also responsive to federal mandates such as No Child Left Behind and the new 2004 IDEA reauthorization. Both the book and the web-based supports have been designed to fit the staff development needs of school districts, and the web-based supports can be linked to Blackboard or WebCT.
Intended for the introductory course at the graduate level, this text is really two books in one. Part One covers characteristics, while Part Two looks at alternative perspectives that challenge the existing system and the concerns of inclusion.
A totally separate chapter is devoted to children with severe disabilities. This is the only book that presents sociological, anthropological, and organizational perspectives.


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I rode in a self-driving shuttle in Times Square — and it showed what the early years of fully-autonomous vehicles might look like
Mark Matousek
Coast Autonomous makes self-driving software for low-speed vehicles.
Z.S. Grant
The autonomous driving startup Coast Autonomous demonstrated a self-driving shuttle, the Coast P-1, in Times Square.
The Coast P-1 has a maximum speed of 25 mph and can either drive on a predetermined route or be hailed by an app.
The demo was very limited, so I wasn't able to get a comprehensive sense of how Coast's technology worked.
But by using conservative, low-speed vehicles and limiting where they can travel, Coast has decreased the number of challenges its technology has to address.
When people talk about autonomous driving, they tend to focus on passenger vehicles. But some of the first commercial applications of autonomous technology may occur in a less glamorous context: low-speed shuttles.
The biggest challenge for companies developing self-driving vehicles is to prepare them to make safe, split-second decisions in unfamiliar situations. A shuttle that drives within a limited environment at low speeds will face less uncertainty, and lower stakes if something goes wrong, than the average passenger vehicle.
That's the philosophy behind Coast Autonomous, a startup that makes autonomous driving software for low-speed vehicles that operate in controlled environments like airports, campuses, and resorts. The technology can also work in cities if the vehicle is driving in slow-moving traffic or has a dedicated lane.
While major auto and tech companies like Alphabet's Waymo, General Motors' Cruise, and Uber have to answer the tricky question of when to make their vehicles stop for an obstacle in the road (stop too often and the passenger will become impatient, stop too infrequently and you increase the potential for a collision), Coast's technology will err on the safe side, stopping for any kind of obstacle it senses before deciding if it should proceed, the company said on its website.
The company says it has demonstrated its technology over 60 times for over 120,000 passengers since 2012, and on July 17, Coast Autonomous brought its Coast P-1 shuttle to Times Square, for what it said was the first instance of an autonomous shuttle operating in Manhattan.
Here's what it was like to ride the company's shuttle.
The Coast P-1 is a prototype the company unveiled in 2017.
Mark Matousek / Business Insider
It has a maximum speed of 25 mph, a maximum 10 hours of range (it drops to five hours if air-conditioning is turned on), and the ability to charge wirelessly.
The shuttle has no steering wheel or pedals.
It can seat 14 passengers on its semi-circular bench and has room for six additional passengers if they stand. Passengers can see the shuttle's route and estimated time of arrival at upcoming stops on a screen above them.
The Coast P-1 can either travel to predetermined stops or be hailed by users through an app.
When demand is high, the vehicle can travel on a set route. But during periods of low demand, passengers can have the shuttle pick them up and drop them off at their chosen destination.
Pierre Lefevre, Coast's CTO, said it has developed a fleet management system to make sure the shuttle isn't stopping too frequently. For example, if multiple people who are close to each other hail the shuttle, it will find a place to stop between them.
Lefevre said in dense urban environments, like New York City, passengers will board the Coast P-1 at predetermined stops and choose which stop they want to exit at on an iPad inside the vehicle.
Lefevre said the company doesn't know where it will launch its first, fully-operational shuttle service.
Whether the vehicle will have to turn or move in only two directions will depend on the environment in which it makes its full-scale debut. Lefevre said the company would prefer to operate the shuttle near a body of water.
"Seaside or lakeside would be better for us," he said.
The shuttle went back and forth along a small, closed-off area separated from other vehicles. It didn't turn, interact with traffic, or model how it might respond to users who hail it with an app. Lefevre had to prompt the shuttle to move in one direction with an Xbox controller.
The vehicle has two lidar units — which shoot out pulses of light to detect objects and determine how far away they are — on each end. It uses artificial intelligence software to make decisions about how to operate and robotic software to stop, start, and steer, according to Coast's website.
While the demo was a bit of a tease, it hinted at what fully-autonomous driving technology may look like in its early years.
Full autonomy could be at least five to 10 years away for consumer vehicles. The first examples of completely autonomous driving will come in vehicles operating in limited environments, like the ride-hailing services Waymo and Cruise plan to launch this year and next, respectively.
It remains to be seen how Coast's technology will fare in a major city, but by using conservative, low-speed vehicles and limiting where they can travel, the company has decreased the number of challenges its technology has to address.
SEE ALSO: I tried Tesla's Autopilot for the first time — and it was nerve-racking at first
More: Cars Features BITranspo Coast Autonomous
Coast P-1


The History Department strictly enforces the University rule that you must have approval in advance (at least provisionally) to take any course in history for which you propose to transfer credit to Wesleyan. If you have received permission to take a course and then for some reason you need to substitute another one, you must get approval before you begin the class.
History majors need to get provisional approval from their major advisors in advance; non-majors should apply to the chair of the Department. In 2018-2019 the Chair of the History Department is Demetrius Eudell tel. (860) 685-3574, fax (860) 685-2078, e-mail deudell@wesleyan.edu. For definitive approval you will need to present a syllabus or reading list for the course, not merely a catalog write-up.
If you wish to take a course that does not involve as much reading and writing as a Wesleyan History course, you can discuss bringing it up to an equivalent amount of work by writing a term paper in addition to the course's normal requirements. You should get the approval of the instructor of the course to work with you on the extra reading and writing.


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Jack Seville, retired pastor, professor, influential Conference minister, dies at 81
by Hans Holznagel |	published on Dec 24, 2019
The Rev. Jack Seville, who served for decades as a United Church of Christ pastor, seminary professor and Conference minister, died Saturday, Dec. 21, in Oshkosh, Wis. He had been in hospice care. He was 81.
Those who knew his ministry are remembering him as a joyful leader, scholar and mentor who influenced the careers of many – and who brought his love of theater to bear in church and community productions and in skits in meetings and retreats with colleagues.
Born May 18, 1938, Jack J. Seville Jr. graduated from Hagerstown (Md.) High School in 1956. He received an associate's degree from Hagerstown Community College (1958), a bachelor's in history from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa. (1960), and a divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary (1964).
His first pastoral work came as a seminary intern at Zion Evangelical UCC, Baltimore, in 1963. He was ordained in 1964 after being called as pastor of Church of the Holy Trinity, UCC, Hagerstown. Three Pennsylvania UCC pastorates followed, at Church of the Redeemer, Hershey (1964-69), St. Andrew Church, Lancaster (1969-1974), and Colonial Park, Harrisburg (1974-76).
While at St Andrew, he earned a master of sacred theology degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary (1973) and was appointed to a faculty position by its president, the Rev. Robert Moss, a future president of the UCC. Seville taught biblical Greek as adjunct assistant professor of New Testament studies (1970-76).
Role model, thought leader, encourager
Then came more than 25 years as a leader in the wider UCC. As associate conference minister of the South Dakota Conference (1976-88), he received thanks for his leadership from the indigenous people of the Dakota Association, who gave him the title of Honorary Chief. As an interim associate with the national Office for Church Life and Leadership (1988-89), he co-authored a widely used resource, "Called to Care." As Conference minister of the Northern Plains Conference (1989-2000), he was especially remembered for his ecumenical leadership in disaster response during and after statewide floods in 1997.
As a role model, thought leader and encourager, he influenced young pastors as well as more seasoned colleagues, well beyond the rural settings where much of his career was focused.
The Rev. June Boutwell, currently serving as pastor of Zions Reformed UCC, Greenville, Pa., first encountered Seville when she was a young adult attending regional UCC meetings on the Great Plains. He impressed her as "a man who could relate to those who wore boots and those who wore suits."
"As a girl from a small ranching community, I was intimidated by the leaders in suits, but Jack showed me a different kind of leadership," Boutwell said. "Later, when I was on national staff and had the opportunity to work with him more, I learned from Jack that relating to boots and suits was about listening to others' stories and finding a way to make them connect to a faith/scriptural narrative."
The current moderator of the Northern Plains Conference credits Seville with his path to ministry. Ken Adams owned a dry-cleaning business in Valley City, N.D., and was a lay leader at Congregational UCC there when he started studying to enhance his ability to help lead services. About that same time, Seville, seeing a need for substitutes when minsters were absent, started a pulpit-supply program and invited Adams into it.
"I filled in across the entire state and experienced much joy, thanks to Rev. Seville and this program," Adams said. "From there we developed a licensed ministry program and a path to ordination." After completing courses through UCC-related United Theological Seminary in Minnesota, he is now the Rev. Ken Adams and pastor of two North Dakota churches: Congregational UCC, Wahpeton, and Emmanuel UCC, Hankinson. "None of this would have been possible for me and others without the foresight of Jack Seville," he said.
Honesty opened doors for colleagues
The Rev. Davida Foy Crabtree, who was Conference minister in Southern California and Connecticut while Seville was in North Dakota, credited his honesty with changing the ways in which colleagues around the country supported each other. "He is the reason the Conference ministers began to look at the way we staff and the imperative of at least one colleague for each of us," Crabtree said. "His willingness to name the loneliness of the solo Conference minister, and our recognition of the health and spiritual issues as a result of that isolation in such challenging work in challenging contexts, changed our relationships with one another in powerful ways."
Seville stayed active in retirement, serving in interim Conference ministry positions in Wisconsin (2001), Penn Central (2003-04), Ohio (2005-06) and Missouri Mid-South (2009-10) and as an interim pastor of First Congregational UCC, Oshkosh (2015-2017). He also wrote three novels: "Nowhere Fast" (2017), "Something Due" (2003) and "Through His Eyes Only" (2001).
He and his wife, Fanny, lived for a time at Uplands Village, a UCC-related retirement community in Pleasant Hill, Tenn. – and Boutwell, then serving on the Southeast Conference staff, again benefited from his mentorship.
"He encouraged me to develop a boundary training for retired clergy," Boutwell said. "I saw what a healthy retired life could be with people still engaged in community, worship and justice. I love that the ability to listen to story developed into a writing career in his later life, extending his ministry in ways that were not related to the pulpit. I count it a blessing to have encountered him in his and my various roles repeatedly over the years. I learned much from him about relationships and a keen eye and ear."
Several of Seville's friends on the social media platform Facebook have posted theater-related remembrances, including pictures of him performing in an August 2019 musical production "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at Oshkosh's Jolly Jester Children's Theatre. From annual Conference minister meetings in the 1980s and '90s, Crabtree remembered "his self-deprecating and hilarious sense of humor" and "the skits he and Alan Miller and Steve Gray would put on almost spontaneously at times."
Seville is survived by his wife, Fanny, of Oshkosh, where the couple have lived for several years, three adult children and three grandchildren. The family has announced a "celebration of life service," to be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Oshkosh. An obituary can be found at the website of Konrad-Behlman Funeral Homes, which is handing memorial arrangements.


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This is perhaps the best known of any Asian startup, thanks to the fact that it's already outselling Apple in China. Xiaomi plans to sell 60 million smartphones this year. Hiring ex-Google Android VP Hugo Barra last year stunned the world and signaled that it's ready to explore new markets.
What's Xiaomi's secret? Its smartphones sell for about half the price of Samsung's and HTC's flagship phones, yet the strength and versatility of its Android skin (called MIUI) makes them feel like top-quality products. Xiaomi keeps costs low by selling 70 percent of its phones online, and the rest via telco partners. It has no retail business to drain money. It also sells to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. It aims to roll out in more countries in Southeast Asia – the next stop will be Malaysia. And then it'll tackle big markets like India. Xiaomi's next continent will likely be South America.
Lower down in the price range is the Xiaomi Redmi, which we reckon is the best phone you can get for a mere $130.
Xiaomi models itself on Amazon, according to its founder. But the company's minimal product line-up often leads to the media comparing it with Apple. Like Apple, Xiaomi has a streaming media box, and it has adapted that software to put into its own smart TV, the MiTV.
Flagship phone: Xiaomi Mi4 has a 5-inch 1080p HD screen; 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor; 3GB RAM; 13MP back camera and a 8MP front one; Android 4.4; costs US$325 (16GB) or $405 (64GB) unlocked. Check out our Mi4 review.
Here's another newcomer now outselling Apple in China. Coolpad is China's third biggest smartphone brand in terms of sales, according to Gartner, thanks to a broad line-up of mostly cheap Android-based smartphones, with lots of special versions made for China's three telcos. They won't win any design awards and won't blow your mind, but only 13 percent of Chinese people will buy smartphones that cost over $330 (that's the psychologically important RMB 2,000 barrier) so the low-end market is vast.
Coolpad has been an OEM for several telcos around the world (producing stuff like the MetroPCS Quatrro 4G phone for T-Mobile in the US), and that's still part of its business. But Coolpad wants to stand on its own brand overseas, and it's targeting Southeast Asia as a first step.
Flagship phone: Coolpad Halo has a 7-inch 1080p HD screen; 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor; 2GB RAM; 13MP back camera and a 5MP front one; Android 4.2; costs US$320 for 8GB model.
Oppo is another Chinese phone-maker that's looking to be big overseas as well as at home. But, despite spending big on advertising with Hollywood faces, Oppo is struggling to get brand recognition in its native China.
The company is aiming globally with its newest flagships, the OPPO N1 (pictured above) and Find 7. The brand offers Oppo's own Android skin (dubbed Color OS), but for some markets there's the option of CyanogenMod's new OS, potentially making it a big draw for Android geeks. A spin-off company from Oppo called OnePlus launched this year (see below) and which challenges Oppo with a similarly strongly-specced phone with an even smaller price-tag.
Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines – all young and fast-developing mobile markets – are target new markets for OPPO.
Flagship phone: Oppo Find 7 has a 5.5-inch quad-HD screen (yes, that's 2560 by 1440 pixels), 2.5GHz Snapdragon quad-core processor; 3GB RAM; 13MP rear camera (with software trickery it takes 50MP images) and a 5MP front one; Android 4.4; costs US$499 unlocked.
OnePlus, China's newest big-bang phone-maker, burst onto the scene in May this year. Inspired by Xiaomi, it sells only online, and has strong hardware at a satisfyingly low price. Unlike Xiaomi, OnePlus is going global from day one.
Indeed, OnePlus may do better outside China than it does at home, thanks to its use of CyanogenMod OS, a highly configurable reworking of Android that stays close to the look of stock Android. The tie-up with the respected modders at CyanogenMod also means that the OnePlus will get very timely Android updates – likely faster than any other brand on this list.
Flagship phone: OnePlus One has a 5.5-inch 1080p HD screen; 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801 processor; 3GB RAM; 13MP back camera and a 5MP front one; Android 4.4; costs US$299 (16GB) or $349 (64GB) unlocked. Check out our OnePlus One review.
Of all the firms on our list, Micromax is the closest to its goal of beating Samsung. 44 million new smartphones were shipped in India in 2013 – 38 percent of those from Samsung, 16 percent from Micromax. Like most of these Asian brands (though not the Chinese ones), Micromax also makes tablets and feature phones.
Micromax started its overseas expansion late last year by venturing into Russia and Romania, two developing markets that it reckons have a strong desire for more affordable smartphones.
Karbonn made up 10 percent of smartphone shipments in India at the end of 2013. Karbonn is a bit smaller than Micromax, but both are growing strongly.
Though smaller than its two compatriot rivals, Xolo is also keen for a slice of India's low-end to mid-range smartphone market. However, the prices are not as tempting as those of its local rivals.
Q Mobile is the largest homegrown smartphone maker in Pakistan, making a mix of feature phones, smartphones, and tablets. The company started relatively recently – in 2009 – so it's not struggling with a switch away from making basic phones in the same as as some other brands on this list.
At the moment, Q Mobile has 43 smartphone models listed on its homepage.
Flagship phone: Q Mobile Noir Quatro Z4 has a 5-inch 1080p screen; 1.5 Ghz processor (CPU brand not disclosed); 2GB RAM; 13MP rear camera and 5MP front one; Android 4.2; costs $290 unlocked.
Smartfren is different from the others in this list in that it's a mobile telco company. It has 12.5 million subscribers, and it's pushing forward Indonesia's shift to Android with its own competitively-priced smartphones.
In our experience, the cheap components can lead to a laggy and sub-par experience on Smarfren's phones, but then they do cost well under $200 unlocked. Still, Xiaomi's cheapest phone is only $130 but has much stronger specs and doesn't feel laggy, so Smartfren (and many others on this list) have some catching up to do on their sub-$200 phones.
Flagship phone: Smartfren Andromax Z has a 5.5-inch 720p screen; 1.5 GHz Snapdragon processor; 1GB RAM; 8MP rear camera and 2MP front one; Android 4.2; costs $245 unlocked.
Indonesia's HiMax (not to be confused with the Taiwanese chip-maker of the same name) might have learned something from brands like Oppo and Xiaomi to make stronger phones than compatriot rivals like Smartfren and the increasingly clueless Cyrus. Not only are the specs stronger, but HiMax is offering lower prices than other Indonesian phone brands and coming up with better looking software too.
Flagship phone: HiMax Polymer S has a 5-inch 720p HD screen; 1.7 GHz MediaTek MT6592 processor; 2GB RAM; 13MP rear camera and 5MP front one; Android 4.4; costs $170 for the 8GB version.
Mito sells tablets, feature phones, and smartphones. It's based in Indonesia but it also operates in India. 80 percent of its sales are low-end, feature phone devices. It sold about two to three million devices in 2013, so it's not going to sell that many smartphones, but it's still one to watch as its ratio of smartphone sales increases.
Flagship phone: Mito Fantasy A95 has a 5-inch 720p HD screen; 1.2 GHz Mediatek MT6589 quad-core processor; 1GB RAM; 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP front one; Android 4.2; costs $153 unlocked.
With an emphasis on style and a bit more attention paid to design than is evident in the others on this list, Malaysia's Ninetology is already, it claims, Malaysia's second biggest phone-maker – behind, inevitably, Samsung.
The Malaysian firm sells its phones in neigboring Indonesia.
Flagship phone: Ninetology Z1T has a 5-inch 720p HD screen; 1.2 GHZ quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor; 1GB RAM; 13MP rear camera and 1.6MP front one; Android 4.3; costs $315 unlocked.
Like Cyrus and a couple of other firms on this list, Thailand's I-Mobile is slowly transitioning from being a cloner of other people's feature phones to a maker of its own Android devices. Its latest IQ range of phones packs in a commendable amount of camera for less that $300, which is a good idea for a country that's so crazy about Instagram.
Flagship phone: I-Mobile IQ X KEN has a 5-inch 1080p HD screen; 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor; 2GB RAM; 13MP rear camera and 1.3MP front one; Android 4.2; costs $528 unlocked.
The Philippines has faster smartphone market growth than the likes of Indonesia and Vietnam, making it a country to watch right now.
If you thought that Samsung has a dizzying array of options, Cherry Mobile makes the Korean giant look like a master of Zen simplicity. Cherry Mobile recently revealed 84 models – yes, eighty-four – that will be rolled out gradually during the course of a huge marketing blitz that will last for the next two months. It also makes tablets and feature phones.
Cherry Mobile's devices are all made in China or India. This brand also sells in Thailand.
Flagship phone: Cherry Mobile Cosmos Z2 has a 5-inch 1080p HD screen; 1.7 GHz MediaTek MT6592 processor; 2GB RAM; 18MP rear camera and 8MP front one; Android 4.2; costs $300 for the 16GB version.
Starmobile is battling Cherry Mobile with even larger phones that generally have stronger specs at a lower price. As is commonplace among these homegrown Asian brands, Starmobile also makes basic phones and tablets so as to cover the nation's wide demographic spread.
Cherry Mobile and Starmobile are being stalked closely by two local rivals, MyPhone and Torque. It's hard to discern which of the four is selling more phones right now, but a recent survey suggests Cherry Mobile is the top homegrown phone-maker.
Flagship phone: Starmobile Octa has a 5-inch 1080p HD screen; 1.7 GHz MediaTek MT6592 processor; 2GB RAM; 18MP rear camera and 8MP front one; Android 4.2; costs $320 for the 16GB version.


This ticket is valid for 2 days at the James Young Summer Holiday Programme at James Young High School on Tuesday 12th & Wednesday 13th July 2016.
This ticket is valid for 1 day at the James Young Summer Holiday Programme at James Young High School on Tuesday 12th July 2016 only.
This ticket is valid for 1 day at the James Young Summer Holiday Programme at James Young High School on Wednesday 13th July 2016 only.
PLEASE NOTE - JAMES YOUNG ACTIVE FUN ACTIVE FEET IS NOW SOLD OUT.
We currently have spaces at our other camps in West Lothian organised by Active Schools.
James Young 'Active Fun Active Feet' Summer Holiday Programme is taking place over the Summer Holidays on Tuesday12th & Wednesday 13th July 2016 from 9am to 3pm at The James Young High School for all pupils currently in P1 to P7.
Bathgate Active Fun Active Feet at Bathgate Academy- Monday 4th & Tuesday 5th July 2016.Visit http://2016bathgatesummer.eventbrite.co.uk to book.


Mike Ferris is a printmaker and illustrator currently working and living in Kansas City, Mo. He finds that travel, looking at other artists, and working with other artists is essential to growth, improvement, and happiness when creating his own work.
Mike's work strives to tell a narrative of some sort, and has been the representation of various characters and/or stories thought up while dreaming (day and night). That said, his work will sometimes be made just for the fun of it, the character in the illustration may not have a story, this leaves the viewer to decide the story.
Mike is a recent graduate from the University of Central Missouri in May of 2012, with degrees in Commercial Art Illustration and Studio Art Printmaking.


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Minimal Lubrication System for Spindle Bearing
http://www.pear.it/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/ImpLubPartHSK50_GB.jpg
View of a detail
Overall View of the Spindle Motor Hsk50
http://www.pear.it/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/VistaCompHSK50_GB.jpg
The motor and the spindle are two separate groups and this in order to ensure maximum stability of operation
HSK50 version S
http://www.pear.it/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/M1015-Man_02_GB.jpg
Power and torque diagram for Motor-spindle used for the following machine models: M64S and M1015S
HSK50 version T
http://www.pear.it/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/Man-HSK50-versioneT_GB.jpg
Power and torque diagram for Motor-spindle used for the M1015S only
As a standard equipment for this type of spindle
Motor-spindle
Unlike what expected in the conventional construction of an electrospindle in which the rotor / stator are located within the spindle, in this case the spindle is a separate unit from the motor. The transmission of motion between the motor and the spindle is via a direct coupling of our own construction.
Relatively to the spindle, having a value of ndm (*) equal to 1,620,000, have been used bearings of hybrid type, ie steel rings and ceramic balls.
The solution of the spindle motor with respect to an electrospindle allows to have the following advantages:
• The heat generated by the rotor/stator of the spindle motor does not interfere with the operating temperature of the spindle bearings.
• The spindle axis is easier to balance because it lacks of the mass of the rotor.
• The overall dimensions of the diameter of the spindle nose turns out to be considerably more compact.
• The duration of this solution compared to the solution electrospindle, with the same quality of construction and power output, is much higher. Typically we have an average effective duration "on the field" higher then 15,000 hours.
• As regards the real motor, it has been possible to use bearings of small diameter, having a value of ndm (*) equal to 1,296,000, as it does not have to support the shocks caused by the machining tool. The life of the bearings employed will be very long, such as to require very rarely their replacement during the life of the machine.
Rigid tapping
Makes it possible to mount tools tapping directly on the tool holder. It is the Numerical Control that provides to synchronize the movement of the descent of the Z axis, taking into account both the number of programmed speed that the pitch of the tap mounted, to execute the tapping request.
We have provided two specific systems: one for the motor and one for the spindle. They maintain the operating temperature of both units within the margin of + 0º to + 3° than the ambient temperature. The envisaged system provides a circulation of liquid in the neighborhood of both the motor spindle having a flow very important. This system allows to avoid the occurrence of hot spots in the structure of the machine that may have very negative consequences at the level of thermal drifts.
Minimal lubrication oil
Have been provided for the lubrication circuits specific for the bearings of the motor and for the spindle bearings.
Construction of both units made by us
When a repair will be necessary we will intervene directly with time and costs particularly low.
Features of power / torque
Thanks to the protection thermal image of the spindle, it is possible overloading of the power output to 100% for a period of time limited. Then the limit of the available power is not to be interpreted as a limitation of peak, but as the maximum average power output.
(*) ndm (speed factor) = number rpm x bearing mean diameter in mm
Updated Friday December 2nd, 2016


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Dystrykt Dhanusa (nep. धनुषा) – jeden z siedemdziesięciu pięciu dystryktów Nepalu. Leży w strefie Dźanakpur. Dystrykt ten zajmuje powierzchnię 1180 km², w 2011 r. zamieszkiwało go 754 777 ludzi. Stolicą jest Janakpur.

Przypisy

Bibliografia
 Dystrykty Nepalu


What are the current recommendations for using disposable lead wires for postoperative heart patients in the cardiac critical care unit?—DIANE MUZENJA, ARNP-C, Albuquerque, N.M.
An extensive literature review revealed no significant clinically based evidence to support the use or nonuse of disposable lead wires in such patients. One article published was under the disclosure of support by the company that makes the disposable lead wires.
Hosptials contain many niduses of potential infections leading to nosocomial infections. The practice of general cleaning of all equipment used by patients and staff is paramount.


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Alex Frank
What Is Actually in a Rick's Mindprobe?
What's actually in that iconic, sweet drink that sneakily packs a punch? No one's really sure.
Jane Schmid
On Church Street, just north of Willard Street and across from Pizza House, lies Rick's American Cafe. The red neon sign glows in the night, serving as a mark of the promised land for all those standing in the line extending all the way back to South Forest. Eager 20-something year olds will wait, sometimes up to two hours, to descend down the stairs into the dim basement, solely lit by neon signage and the bar lights.
Frequented by UMich seniors, it is a popular spot for drinks and dancing, especially on Thursdays. The famed Rick's Thursday features $1 well drinks, as well as their signature drink, the Mindprobe, for $5 instead of the usual $9. What a deal! The Mindprobe is a tall, pinkish drink that is known for its potency and sweet taste, masking the large amount of alcohol hiding in it. You know there is likely an entertaining story to follow when one begins with, "So, I had a Mindprobe last night and..."
But, what is actually in a Rick's Mindprobe?
No one actually seems to have a solid answer. Despite that, every Rick's-goer has had at least one, and many consume them at each visit. The Mindprobe has the reputation of being powerful, tasty, and worth the price; just one can be sufficient for the entire night for some people. For this reason, it is popular, giving you a bang for your buck, especially on Thursdays.
While there is no certainty, there are indeed some ingredients of the Mindprobe that can generally be agreed upon: rum, tequila, gin, pineapple juice, and grenadine. It may sound like an odd combination in theory, but in execution, it just works. It doesn't taste like alcohol; it tastes like some fruity drink 10-year-old you would have had on a family beach resort vacation.
Want to try a Mindprobe, but can't make it to Rick's? Try it at home with this recipe below: maybe even use Ann Arbor's new alcohol delivery service to get the ingredients! This recipe uses the generally agreed upon ingredients mentioned above, as well as a few additions that I believe are in it, such as Sprite. While it will be hard to tweak the recipe to get it just right, this is pretty dang close, and we will likely never know the exact secret recipe. As always, drink responsibly!
Rick's Mindprobe
Prep Time:5 mins
Cook Time:0
Total Time:5 mins
2 ounces rum
2 ounces tequila
3 ounces pineapple juice
2 ounces triple sec
3 ounces Sprite
splash grenadine
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Pour into glasses and enjoy!
Nostalgic Hungover Broke Basic Already Drunk Adventurous Adulting Drinks Booze < 5 Ingredients < 20 Minutes


Have you ever really paid attention to the names of paint colors? If you ever scan through a color deck you quickly get the sense of how ridiculous some of the names are.
I recently spotted the work of comedian Jeff Wysaski and wanted to share it with you.


List of Previous Reasoning Questions for the upcoming IBPS Specialist Officer Exam 2015 were given below. Candidates those who are preparing for those exams can use these questions to score more marks.
Directions (Question.01-07): Study the following information carefully and answer the given questions.
· C sits third to the left of the one who likes Geography. The one who likes Geography faces outside. Only two persons sit between C and H.
· The one who likes Mathematics sits on the immediate right of H. The one who likes Chemistry sits second to the right of G.G is neither an immediate neighbor of H nor of C.G does not like Geography.
· Only one person sits between A and the one who likes Chemistry.
· D sits on the immediate left of the one who likes Physics. G does not like Physics.
· E likes History. E is not an immediate neighbor of A.
· The one who likes Hindi is an immediate neighbor of E.
· The one who likes Biology is an immediate neighbor of F.
1).Who among the following sits diagonally opposite the one who likes Mathematics?
2). who among the following represents the immediate neighbors of the one who likes Chemistry?
3).Who among the following sits exactly between H and B?
4). which of the following is true regarding B?
5).What is the position of the one who likes Physics with respect to G?
6).Which of the following subjects does D like?
7). who among the following like Geography?
Directions (Question.08-10): Read the following information and the sentences (A),(B),(C),(D),(E) and (F) given below it carefully and answer the questions.
Scientists are worried that using very high concentration of repellants, a fogging agent is rendering mosquitoes more and more resistant. This is making the repellant ineffective over time.
(A) Resistance development among mosquitoes are higher than all other inscets. This shows that mosquitoes are more adaptive than other insects.
(B) If the increase in concentration of repellent does not stop, it would end up becoming so toxic that it would endanger the health of humans as well as the ecosystem as a whole.
(C) In places where increased concentration mosquito repellents are used, mosquito control is more effective than in other areas.
(D) While regular –concentration mosquito repellent must be sold at a subsidized price on government orders, the one with high concentration only helps make good profits.
(E) The government should make a policy regarding the limits to concentration of mosquito repellents and ensure its strict implementation.
(F) Development of resistance against repellent drugs is naturally present in mosquitoes and does not depend on the amount of repellent used.
8).Which of the given statementsweakensthe given information?
9).The development of resistance amongst mosquitoes may be purposefully done by the mosquito-repellent-producing companies.-An industry expert which of the given statementssubstantiatesthe expert's comment?
10).Which of the following represents aconsequence of the increased concentration of repellents?


text:
export const bellNumbersDocs = {
  name: 'bellNumbers',
  category: 'Combinatorics',
  syntax: [
    'bellNumbers(n)'
  ],
  description: 'The Bell Numbers count the number of partitions of a set. A partition is a pairwise disjoint subset of S whose union is S. `bellNumbers` only takes integer arguments. The following condition must be enforced: n >= 0.',
  examples: [
    'bellNumbers(3)',
    'bellNumbers(8)'
  ],
  seealso: ['stirlingS2']
}


With Sabrina agreeing to attend the Academy in the previous episode, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina season 1 episode 4 sees the young witch attending her induction into the Academy over a three-day weekend. With Sabrina away, Susie and Roz plan a girls weekend that reveals a terrible secret about the Greendale mine.
Upon arriving at the Acedemy, Sabrina is summoned to Faustus' office, where she is given a load of basic courses. Sabrina wants a more advanced load of conjuring, binding, and demonology, since her only purpose at the Academy is to defeat the devil. Sabrina's placement runs her afoul of the Weird Sisters, who torture Sabrina by putting her through a hazing tradition at the Academy called The Harrowing. During the initiation ritual, new attendees at the academy are forced to retrace the steps of the Greendale 13, culminating with being hanged.
Sabrina fights with the Weird Sisters, which results in a call to Aunt Zelda. Zee tells Faustus that the reason Sabrina is acting out is because she's not being challenged enough by the basic courses. Zee suggests that Faustus test Sabrina. He obliges by handing Sabrina a puzzle, which was her father's thesis project. The puzzle has stumped Faustus for 20 years. With the help of a fellow student, Nick, who smuggles some of Edward's notes out of the Academy library, Sabrina solves the puzzle, conjuring/releasing a creature.
With Sabrina gone for the weekend, Susie and Roz have a girls weekend sleepover at Susie's house. But, the girls are not alone in the house. Susie's uncle Jesse worked in the mine that Harvey's dad owns, until he got sick and couldn't work anymore. Susie is responsible for taking care of Jesse with everyone gone for the weekend.
Harvey learns about Jesse and that Jesse lost his mind when he saw some creature in the mine. Harvey wants to know if Jesse saw the same creature that Harvey saw. Harvey tries to talk to Jesse, but a possessed Jesse attacks Harvey, forcing Harvey, Susie, and Roz to restrain Jesse to the bed posts.
Ambrose is invited on a date with Luke, so he turns to Hilda to help him astral project to a coffee shop. Hilda initially refuses, but gives in after having enough of Zee's badgering. While Hilda is helping Ambrose, Wardwell searches the Spellman home, casting spells that allow her to spy on Sabrina and gathering materials to fashion charms and voodoo dolls. Zelda returns as Wardwell is leaving, chastising Ambrose and Hilda both for projecting and for letting a stranger have the run of the house.
When Sabrina calls and tells her aunts that children have died during The Harrowing, her sisters are incensed. Sabrina takes her aunts to the ghosts of the dead witches and warlocks. Zelda thinks the ghosts want to be released from the woods, but Hilda understands them better. Hilda remembers how Zee treated her during her own Harrowing, and helps the ghosts get revenge.
Neither of the aunts can sleep that evening, worrying about Sabrina. Zee apologizes to Hilda for how she treated Hilda. Meanwhile, back in the woods, the ghosts help Sabrina turn the tables on the Weird Sisters. From that night forward, there will be no more Harrowing at the Academy.
What did you think about Chilling Adventures of Sabrina season 1 episode 4? Let us know in the comments below!
The post Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 1 Episode 4 Recap appeared first on ComingSoon.net.


Lithium/Sulfur (Li/S) cells have great potential to become mainstream secondary batteries due to their ultra-high theoretical specific energy. The major challenge for Li/S cells is the unstable cycling performance caused by the sulfur's insulating nature and the high-solubility of the intermediate polysulfide products. Several years of efforts to develop various fancy carbon nanostructures, trying to physically encapsulate the polysulfides, did not yet push the cell's cycle life long enough to compete with current Li ion cells. Starting on 2011, we have adopted a new chemical approach to solve this problem. For example, instead of using graphene, we used graphene oxide (GO) as a starting material to make S-C composite electrode and realized stable cycling over 1500 cycles for the GO-S/Li cells. To further improving the electronic conductivity of the S-C electrode, we recently developed another nitrogen functionalization approach to make a highly conductive nitrogen-doped graphene (NG)-S composite, which enabled an ultra-stable cycling exceeding 2000 cycles with a capacity decay rate as low as 0.028% per cycle, even without the need to add extra carbon additives. Through ab-initio calculation, synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and in-situ/ex-situ electron microscopic analyses, we found that the roles of oxygen functional groups on GO and the nitrogen functional groups on NG are different, but both have a significant effect in preventing the loss of sulfur and extending the cycle-life of the Li/S cells.
(1) Y. Qiu, W. Li, W. Zhao, G. Li, Y. Hou, M. Liu, L. Zhou, F. Ye, H. Li, Z. Wei, S. Yang, W. Duan, Y. Ye, J. Guo, Y. Zhang*: "High-Rate, Ultralong Cycle-Life Lithium/Sulfur Batteries Enabled by Nitrogen-Doped Graphene" Nano Letters 14, 4821−4827 (2014).
(2) Y. Qiu, W. Li, G. Li, Y. Hou, L. Zhou, H. Li, M. Liu, F. Ye, X. Yang, Y. Zhang*: "Polyaniline-modified cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-graphene oxide-sulfur nanocomposites with enhanced performance for lithium-sulfur batteries" Nano Research 7, 1355–1363 (2014).
(3) M. K. Song, Y. Zhang*, and E. J. Cairns*, "A Long-Life, High-Rate Lithium/Sulfur Cell: A Multifaceted Approach to Enhancing Cell Performance", Nano Letters 13, 5891-5899 (2013).
(4) L. Ji, M. Rao, H. Zheng, L. Zhang, Y. Li, W. Duan, J. Guo, E. J. Cairns, and Y. Zhang*, "Graphene Oxide as a Sulfur Immobilizer in High Performance Lithium/Sulfur Cells", Journal of the American Chemical Society 133, 18522–18525 (2011).
(5) M. K. Song, E. J. Cairns, and Y. Zhang*, "Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with High Specific Energy: Old Challenges and New Opportunities" (Feature Article), Nanoscale 5, 2186–2204 (2013).
Yuegang Zhang received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Physics from Tsinghua University, and Ph. D degree in Materials Science from the University of Tokyo. In his early career, he conducted research on nanotubes and nanowires at NEC Fundamental Research Labs and Stanford University. After he joined Intel Corporation as a PI, he led the Intel Carbon Nanotube Research Project and chaired Intel Memory Strategic Research Sector. During his tenure at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he led a research group working on graphene based electronic device and electrochemical energy storage. He is currently a professor at the Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with joint appointments in Tsinghua University and Shanghai Tech University.


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Connecticut's Family Businesses More Optimistic About 2014
Near-term expectations for Connecticut's family businesses are relatively optimistic, according to a new survey published today. More than half of the businesses surveyed (52%) expect increased revenues in 2013, and 65% expect revenue growth in 2014.
Released by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, the 2013 Survey of Family Businesses is part of the Family Business Program, launched in 2012 to support and grow the state's thousands of family businesses. The program is sponsored by CohnReznick, First Niagara, and Reid & Riege LLC.
CBIA's annual Survey of Family Businesses illustrates the issues and concerns facing the state's thousands of family businesses. This year, taxes and regulations (cited by 41% of respondents) are the biggest external challenges for Connecticut's family enterprises.
When asked about their company's proudest achievement in the last year, 67% identified recent growth/expansion, maintaining or achieving profitability, success in new business models or certifications, lean initiatives, facility renovations, staff development, or corporate citizenship. Significantly, however, 27% identified no major achievement or reported that they were simply proud to have survived the past year.
"Responses paint as clear a picture of the strengths and priorities of Connecticut's family businesses as they do of the weak economic climate in which they operate," said CBIA Vice President and Economist Pete Gioia, noting that a large percentage of respondents said Connecticut is not a business-friendly state.
Other key findings:
Most respondents (61%) are second- or third-generation companies. Of those, roughly half are manufacturers. First-generation companies, on the other hand, belong primarily to the service sector (30%), followed by manufacturing (20%), construction (18%), and retail (14%).
Only 9% of respondents foresee a decrease in revenues in 2014, compared to 20% who project a shortfall this year. Annual gross sales/revenues for responding companies averaged $38.3 million, with a median of $5 million.
About half of the businesses surveyed (47%) expect their workforce to remain stable, and 34% plan to add jobs.
Workforce development is the greatest internal challenge facing family businesses. Specific human resources challenges over the next five years for Connecticut family businesses surveyed are-in order of prevalence-skill deficits, leadership development, implementation of Obamacare, workforce shortages, compliance with labor laws and mandates, and creating a business culture aligned with growth plans.
Top concerns regarding business growth are a slow economy (cited by 25% of respondents as the number-one concern) and overall business costs (23%).
While 40% identify Connecticut's customer base as their greatest source of growth this year, half of the family businesses surveyed trace most of their market growth in 2013 to other states. Ten percent see the strongest growth in international sales.
Family businesses plan to make significant investments, greater than a typical year, in equipment (63% of respondents), IT (41%), facilities (35%), employee recruitment and retention (35%), and training (25%).
Surveys were emailed in August 2013 to top executives at approximately 1,500 family-owned companies throughout the state; 209 questionnaires were completed, for a response rate of 14% and a margin of error of +/- 6.9%. Read the full report.
IRS Opens Online Tax Portal for Information Returns
Governor Proposes Pass-Through Entity Tax Credit Restoration
Business Annual Report Filings Due to State


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Mdina Gate
The best way to enter the old walled city of Mdina is through the ornate Mdina Gate, also called the Vilhena Gate and Main Gate. Rebuilt in 1724, it's an elaborate and grand Baroque entrance that gives you a real sense of the town's important past. Arrive early if you can, as this site is very popular with tourists.
Manchester, Sun 05 Dec 2021
Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa
San Anton, Malta and Gozo
4.2 Km to Mdina Gate
Fantastic spa
Luxurious rooms
Manchester, Thu 22 Apr 2021
7 Nights, Room Only
Pebbles Resort
St Paul's Bay, Malta and Gozo
Close to the resort centre
Great outdoor pool area
Manchester, Sun 21 Nov 2021
Gillieru Hotel
Overlooking St Paul's Bay
Stunning sea views
Small and friendly
The grand gate was a filming location for the TV series Game of Thrones, where in one of the episodes it serves as King's Landing. If you've seen the show and then come and visit, you'll see how the CGI...
0.0 Km to Mdina Gate - Map
de Mondion Restaurant
An intimate restaurant with incredible views from the centuries-old city walls, de Mondion has an award-winning kitchen. Watch the sun set from the terraces and enjoy fine dining in elegant surroundings. The...
Medina Restaurant
Rated the top restaurant in Mdina, and one of Malta's best, The Medina restaurant serves modern European dishes including octopus, quail and rabbit, as well as typically Maltese fare. You can sit outside in the...


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August 18, 2016 August 18, 2016 Katy
(Book Review) An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
By Katy Goodwin-Bates
Some books slowly ease you in, allowing you to settle into the fictional world, get used to the characters, perhaps drink a cup of tea. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir provides no such luxury, launching the reader straight into the action, with an opening that sees Laia's brother abducted and grandparents murdered. This takes place along side a huge amount of world-building. If you try to consume a hot beverage while reading this, you're likely to end up in the emergency room.
Tahir's characters live under the reign of the Martial Empire, a tyrannical regime which overthrew the peaceful Scholars some years ago. The political background is interwoven throughout the narrative, with both Laia and Elias unwittingly caught up in a dangerous world of masked soldiers and untrustworthy rebels. Having escaped capture by the Masks, Laia seeks refuge with the rebels who were once led by her mother. Elias, a Mask himself, has equivalent mommy issues, which see him about to graduate from a kind of evil Hogwarts of which his own matriarch is the psychotic Commander.
There's much about the initial chapters of An Ember in the Ashes which reminded me of Alwyn Hamilton's Rebel of the Sands, although Tahir's story is more frenetically paced from the outset, which places a limit on the amount of character development possible; although I felt like I learned a lot about Elias and his conflicted feelings about his role in the Empire, Laia's chapters are so occupied with escapes and seemingly hopeless dreams of rescuing her brother that we learn less about her.
"Every student knows what's coming. I clench and unclench my fists. I don't want to watch this. Like all Blackcliff students, I came to the school at the age of six, and in the fourteen years since, I've witnessed punishments thousands of times. My own back is a map of the school's brutality. But deserters are always the worst." – page 26
What was more compelling to me than the protagonists was the setting; having something of a weird obsession with creepy, subterranean burial sites, Laia's first encounter with the rebels in the catacombs had me from "hello," and I was enthralled by the depiction of Blackcliff Academy, a school which recruits tiny children before abandoning them in the wilderness for years to test their survival skills. The fact that the "academy" in the school's name may be slightly euphemistic is evident from the map that precedes the novel. The school I teach at isn't perfect, but if I drew a map of it, it wouldn't have to feature an armory or something called "Skull Barracks," so I might stop complaining about how uncomfortable my desk-chair is. As Laia finds herself an unwitting resident of Blackcliff, another side to the school is made clear; while Elias loathes the violence meted out against students, Laia finds herself at very real risk of being a victim of it herself.
The issue of violence, both actual and implied, is a thorny one in An Ember in the Ashes. Within the walls of Blackcliff, it is an acknowledged–if not universally accepted–truth that women serve one purpose, and if they would prefer not to serve that purpose, so much the better. It's a brutality which I know has proved too much for some readers of Tahir's book. The word "rape" is used regularly, primarily as a threat; in terms of the principle characters, it remains just that, although the fact that a key facilitator of this atmosphere of fear and aggression is a woman has the potential to add further discomfort. Violence against women is not used in the novel in a sensationalist way, and could be said to highlight the depressing reality of rape as a military tactic in non-fictional conflict, although it is, perhaps, questionable whether this needs to be raised in a YA fantasy novel.
"In the moonlight, the forbidding buildings of Blackcliff are almost beautiful, the sable granite softened to blue. The school is, as always, eerily hushed. I never feared the night, not even as a child, but Blackcliff's is different, heavy with silence that makes you look over your shoulder, a silence that feels like a living thing." – page 224
While Rebel of the Sands was more fun and more expansive, An Ember in the Ashes is claustrophobic, approaching its insidious subject matter with far more seriousness, which does make it a less entertaining read. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy it, because I did, and I'll be seeking out the sequel when it comes out later this year. It is certainly a grittier book than Rebel, with a level of violence and peril which I would describe as too much for younger readers if I didn't know that teenagers flinch far less at vicious executions than I do.
An Ember in the Ashes will be available soon at GPL.
Reviews - YA
Ya lit
Published by Katy
All I really want in life is all the books, time to read them and like-minded bookworms with whom to argue about them. And snacks. I'm all about Victorian novels, YA, contemporary literary fiction and really niche textbooks about the Spanish Civil War. I do not understand time travel or 'Ulysses.'	View all posts by Katy
Previous (Book Review) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Next To Embark: Iceland Poems by Miriam Sagan
2016 YA Fiction Reviews says:
[…] An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir […]


Well, what does make a good book launch? It's a question I've thought about a lot lately. Some would say the answer is complimentary wine – they're the people who see the word 'refreshments' on the invite and hope it's not referring to a nice cup of tea. Others would say cake. I most definitely fall into the cake camp. There is no event, bookish or otherwise, that I believe can't be improved by a hefty slice of Victoria sponge. But I had to admit my theory could be wrong when I attended an amazing book launch the other evening – where there was not a cake crumb in sight.
It was a launch by award-winning Irish writer, Jane Mitchell, hosted at the Irish Writers' Centre, an atmospheric and historic town house in the heart of Dublin. I was excited to find details of the event on-line, and delighted that it was open to all. I'd been disappointed that I was missing the book launch of Jan Newton for her novel, 'Remember No More', while I was away in Ireland. But if I couldn't support a fellow Honno author on her launch night, then I could support an Irish writer. I saw from Facebook that Jan's night had gone well and, as it turned out, there were plenty of people supporting Jane's book too.
My thoughts have been turning (and returning) to launches recently as I'm planning to hold my own for 'Not Thomas' in a couple of months. And while I've been planning the event, I've occasionally had the scandalous thought that maybe I don't need a launch at all. Perhaps I can smuggle my new book out into the world without having to stand up and talk in front of people? Cowardly, I know, and pointless too. Surely the whole aim is to get as many readers as possible to notice a new offering. So I give myself a shake and remind myself that the answer to the question 'to launch or not to launch?' is a resounding 'to launch'.
And I have launched books before. This, however, will be my first for a novel intended for adults. In the past, when my children's books have been published, I've gone along to the lovely primary school in Kidwelly, the one where I taught and where my children were pupils, and I've celebrated the day with them. The local paper usually covers the event and the children always provide plenty of enthusiasm. And the best thing, of course, is that I never need worry no one will turn up. There's a captive audience – guaranteed. My next book launch will be different, though. I won't be skipping around in a comedy hat (thank goodness I'm spared that in front of other adults!). But I won't have a captive audience either. It's the kind of thought that keeps me awake at night.
So it was refreshing to hear Jane Mitchell, when she took to the podium at her packed Dublin launch, admit she'd been worried that no one would turn up. Even very experienced authors like her have their doubts and I, for one, appreciated her honesty.
But there was never any real doubt her launch would be well supported. She has written a breath-taking book and it's already had wonderful reviews. 'A Dangerous Crossing' is the story of a thirteen-year-old boy fleeing from the war in Syria. It's extremely well researched fiction that paints a true picture of the dangers child refugees face. And it is beautifully written. The subject and style make it very difficult to put down, and while it's described as a children's novel, it's a wonderful read for adults too. I've almost reached the end of my signed copy and I can't recommend it highly enough.
I love hearing publishers talk about why they publish the books they do and it was interesting to hear Jane's publisher explain how 'A Dangerous Crossing' came about. Little Island is a small, Irish-based press that's interested in publishing books that give children a world view. They felt there was a need for a book for children about child refugees, so they approached Jane, who they knew from her award-winning fiction for older children and young adults. She was instantly drawn to the idea of writing a story of a child refugee and didn't hesitate in accepting the commission.
Interesting, too, was the way editor, Siobhan Parkinson, described working with the author. Jane, she said, was professional, dependable, always met deadlines and took on board constructive criticism with good grace. I was busy making mental notes. It's pretty obvious, I know, but sometimes it's easy to forget the basics, and here was an experienced editor reminding everyone of good practice.
While the author and editor were both very engaging speakers, the highlight of the evening was definitely their guest speaker. As 'A Dangerous Crossing' was going to press, Little Island approached Amnesty International to ask if they might be interested in reading the novel. They were. Not only did they read it but they were more than happy to endorse it too. They also gave the publisher permission to use Amnesty's logo on the book's cover. And at the launch, the Executive Director of the Irish branch of Amnesty, Colm O'Gorman, gave a heartfelt speech. His description of the refugee camps he's visited and the terrifying journeys Syrians – often lone children – are forced to make to find safety was heart-breaking. And so was his view of how little we in more privileged countries are doing to help.
All in all, it was a remarkable book launch for a remarkable book. And yes, as well as the amazing speakers, the fantastic venue and a supportive crowd, there was also complimentary wine – quite a lot of it too (well, it was Dublin during St Patrick's week). And perhaps that's everything you need for a great book launch. Perhaps that's enough. Maybe… whisper it… just maybe you don't need cake after all.
p.s. you might be interested in my next post which I'll publish either tomorrow or Friday. it's about fear of public speaking, and what I plan to do about it since I'm petrified.
As for the rest – a launch is the best way to get your book noticed in those crucial first weeks. I understand 100% about the fear (& the worry that few people will turn up.) Enough will. And the closer to home you launch your book, the bigger the audience – not everyone can travel.
Over the past year I've gradually got to grips with my public persona phobia. I never thought I would – genuinely. I have all sorts of silly issues around being 'out there' but slowly, slowly, one event at a time, it's getting easier.
It would be great if you could, Dyane! And you'd be in competition with me for the cake!!


"Girls Trip" star Jada Pinkett Smith explains why she is opening up about how she met Tupac when she was a drug dealer! Plus, she reveals to Access Hollywood Live's Natalie Morales and Kit Hoover how she got out of that lifestyle — with the help of her mother!
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David Boreanaz enters what must be something like his 20th season in a row on television with a new series called Seal Team that will air on Wednesdays this Fall on CBS.
Here's how the network describes it; some photos and a trailer can be found below.
SEAL TEAM stars David Boreanaz in a military drama that follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high stakes missions our country can ask of them. Deployed on clandestine missions worldwide at a moment's notice, and knowing the toll it takes on them and their families, this tight-knit SEAL team displays unwavering patriotism and fearless dedication, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Ben Cavell, Ed Redlich, Chris Chulack, Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Emmy Award winner Chulack directed the pilot.
SEAL TEAM stars David Boreanaz as Jason Hayes, Max Thieriot as Clay Spenser, Neil Brown Jr. as Ray, A.J. Buckley as Sonny, Toni Trucks as Diaz and Jessica Paré as Mandy Ellis.


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Volunteers sought for city-approved Black Lives Matter mural in Santa Cruz
Updated: 3:58 PM PDT Sep 3, 2020
Josh Copitch
Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
SOURCE: Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
In June of 2020, the Santa Cruz City Council approved a public Black Lives Matter mural that would be located in downtown. According to Yoga For All Movement, who is the fiscal agency supporting the project, the move by the council made Santa Cruz the second city in the U.S. to work with city government to get a BLM mural approved. And the first to build a sustainable plan that includes ongoing Juneteenth events. Recently, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History has reached out to the public asking for volunteers to paint and clean up during the mural creation in mid-September. People interested in volunteering can fill out a form at this link. To learn more details about the event, follow this link to see the Facebook event page.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. —
In June of 2020, the Santa Cruz City Council approved a public Black Lives Matter mural that would be located in downtown.
According to Yoga For All Movement, who is the fiscal agency supporting the project, the move by the council made Santa Cruz the second city in the U.S. to work with city government to get a BLM mural approved. And the first to build a sustainable plan that includes ongoing Juneteenth events.
Recently, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History has reached out to the public asking for volunteers to paint and clean up during the mural creation in mid-September.
People interested in volunteering can fill out a form at this link.
To learn more details about the event, follow this link to see the Facebook event page.


How many times do you see a succulent plant and want to know its name?
Someone is always asking for help identifying a succulent or sedum. I am rarely any help even if I may have seen a plant so many times, but I cannot remember the name…if I ever even knew it in the first place. And I know a scientific name in a few instances, if at all.
I think that my pages should include photos of some of my plant varieties that I have planted and that you may want to plant too. So I will plan on including the names if known.
You will find so many plants that you will love!
Each year I say that I am not getting any tender succulents that I have to bring inside. It's just too hard for me to keep them healthy until the following spring.
But what do I do? Get a pretty plant which I know will possibly need to come inside. I tell myself I will just enjoy it for the summer, but no! Each time, in the fall, I end up setting up shelves and lights in the basement.
I try to keep all of them alive and healthy so that I can put them back outside the following year. But they never do as well inside and it is discouraging. But you can increase your collection by propagating your existing plants and get a head start on the new year.
These cuttings of donkey tail sedum (sedum morganianum) are so easy to propagate. Each of the little "beans" that fall off can be stuck into a gritty soil mix and will quickly take root and give you a new plant.
I don't have a lot of luck with aloes. I had one bloom late last fall but it must have been its last attempt to survive. I know there is something more that I should have done, but it eludes me and I will just have to keep reading and studying to figure that out. Meanwhile I just have to stay away from them until I learn more.
But I will just keep at it because it is just what I do. How are all your plants coming along this year?
← Unconventional Hypertufa Hanging Pots….or I'll Try Anything!
Mealybugs – Emergency! Invading Cotton Balls!
Growing Succulents In Terrariums -Time To Go Outside!


It's quite probable that the price of original brand ink cartridges in Cork has now become more expensive than buying the Chanel No. 5 perfume a recent survey in the UK has suggested! Original brand cartridges manufactured by HP, Epson, Lexmark, Brother and Lexmark etc are working out to be more expensive than a fine bottle of champagne. For example, 100ml of ink is more expensive than the equivalent amount of perfume or fine champagne!
Finding a good ink shop in Cork is not a problem as there are many of them about, the prices we pay for the ink cartridges is of more concern to the consumer. Just how many of us are actually shopping around to get the best deals that we can. Do we become complacent with our shopping for ink cartridges in Cork? Reliability of the ink cartridge is certainly secondary only to the price of the cartridge for most us but are we doing ourselves justice by checking out what is available every time we need to order ink?
Most of us leave ordering our ink until the last minute which usually means we have all but run out of ink. The first thought may be to visit our local ink shop in Cork where we regularly shop for ink but it may be worthwhile doing a quick search in Google to find a deal we've not previously had.
There are many good Irish online suppliers of ink cartridges in Cork many who will be only too happy to provide you with next day delivery. There is usually some form of reward for shopping online and this may come in the form of FREE ink cartridges or a FREE gift as a thank you for shopping with them.
Cartridge refills from an ink shop in Cork is an eco friendly way to buy ink but you would need to weigh up the difference in the cost of the ink plus the trip to the town centre to drop off the cartridge and the return journey to collect it – this would certainly affect your carbon footprint.
High street ink shops in Cork can only hold stock of the popular ink cartridges, if you printer is less well known then the best option is to look online.
The reality these days is that many top brand compatible ink cartridges are available online in Ireland with delivery to Cork the next working day.
The search term you use online can determine what you find first on Google. For example, if you search for ink cartridges in Cork then you are likely to find all the local ink shops plus the online suppliers who can deliver to Cork the next working day.
A good tip is to use an Irish supplier as the delivery will be faster and the carriage charge minimal.
Saving time and money are certainly two big advantages of searching for your ink cartridges in Cork online. The choice and variety of ink cartridges and multipacks along with special offers and giveaways make shopping online more fun and better value.


Puzzle adventure games are a dime a dozen, but that doesn't mean they are all good (or all bad, for that matter). Finding the right mix of complexity and innovation, combined with proper elements of visual aesthetic, is not that easy.
Lumino City has found the right mix. Not only is it visually pleasing (read below to find out more about that), but the puzzles are also unique and complex, without being so difficult that you lose interest. We've got a full game review of Lumino City for you today.
You are in control of Lumi, who is on a journey to find her missing grandfather. Granddad is the caretaker of Lumino City and since his disappearance, the city has really fallen apart. Lumi meets townsfolk along the way and helps them fix things, find things, and build things.
The graphic design of this game is outstanding. Every object, every frame, every puzzle, was first handcrafted out of paper, miniature lights, motors, and more. Then, the objects were digitized and added into the game. Everything you see has a physical model somewhere in the world right now (I believe the models are in a museum).
The graphics add a warmth and level of depth that is impossible to describe, but easy to understand when you play the game. Although we are playing on a two-dimensional screen, the world seems to pop out in 3-D right before our eyes.
The game is made up of a series of puzzles. Some of them are fairly easy to figure out. While others most certainly require the use of the included Handy Manual, which in and of itself is a work of art. Although the guidebook only has a few dozen pages intended specifically for the puzzles, it is 900 pages long. The in-between fodder is mostly schematics and repeating text copied from some dictionary or something. However, I did come across a recipe for, what appears to be some sort of biscuit. I can't wait to try it out.
As far as puzzles go, each one is uniquely designed for the location you are in. In one area, the electricity has gone out and you must help get the TV working again. Using your knowledge of lemon power, you can complete the broken circuit to juice up (pardon the pun) the house.
In another area, you must help a half dozen residents to get what they want before they will help you with your task. However, even after you've done the leg work to get the team behind you, there is still another puzzle to complete within that same go around.
I don't want to give away too many details because the puzzles are what makes the game so good.
However, I will recommend you use the Handy Manual often. It was a lifesaver for me on a number of occasions. Usually, when the bag icon appears in the bottom right corner of the screen, that means, you probably won't solve the puzzle on your own.
The game is universal on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. I loved seeing the intricate details of the handcrafted models on my big screen TV. The game saves in iCloud, so you are able to pick up where you left off seamlessly. I would even use my iPad to access the Handy Manual while playing the game on my Apple TV.
As a fan of puzzle adventures, I can definitely say that this one is a winner. The puzzles are hard enough to be real head scratchers, without being so confusing that you give up in frustration. Even if you do find yourself at wits end with a puzzle, the Handy Manual is there to get you out of a jam.
I noticed a few touch screen problems. Every once in a while, I'd tap on something with no response. A second or third tap would finally register and the character would move.
Similarly, on Apple TV, the Siri remote would sometimes not work smoothly. It was difficult to use the touch pad in spots where complete control was needed.
Lumino City costs $4.99. Considering this BAFTA award winning game will set you back $20 on Steam, you are getting more than a bargain, especially when you consider that you can play the game on Apple TV. There isn't much replay value, since a solved puzzle can't be resolved, and why would you want to anyway. However, the developer claims it has eight to 10 hours of gameplay, so it is a real deal.
If you like such puzzle adventure games as Monument Valley or The Room, then this one is right up your alley. I highly recommend it to fans of the genre. Download it in the App Store today.
This game closely resembles The Room series of puzzle games (but with a different visual aesthetic, of course).
What do you think of Lumino City? Let us know in the comments.