2010-05-24 Assigned to MICROSOFT CORPORATION reassignment MICROSOFT CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FISHER, DANYEL, DRUCKER, STEVEN M., FERNANDEZ, ROLAND, GOREV, ALEXANDRE, ROBERTSON, GEORGE G.
A method that facilitates smoothly animating content of a graphical user interface includes acts of receiving a description of a first virtual scene and receiving a description of a second virtual scene. The method also includes an act of causing an animated transition to be displayed on a display screen of a computing device between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene at a graphical object level based at least in part upon the description of the first virtual scene and the description of the second virtual scene, wherein the animated transition at the graphical object level is an animated change of a graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene.
Various computer implemented tools exist that allow visualization designers to design certain visual scenes to be displayed on a display screen of a computing device (e.g., as a graphical user interface for an application and/or as a presentation). If, however, during development of an application a designer of visual scenes wishes to show some form of animation, the designer conventionally must programmatically define such animation. In other words, if the designer wishes to have a certain shape displayed and further wishes to cause such shape to become animated in some way (e.g., move across a screen, change color, etc.), the visualization designer conventionally must define the animation in a programmatic fashion.
Accordingly, developing visualizations that include some form of animation conventionally requires a significant amount of development time. Moreover, programmatically defining animation is restrictive in interactive applications, as users may act in manners that are not anticipated by the designer of visualizations. For example, unexpected user interaction may cause more graphical objects than anticipated to be subject to some form of animation. When a significant number of graphical objects are subject to animation, the animation can appear "choppy", leading to sub-optimal aesthetics.
Described herein are various technologies pertaining to an animation engine that facilitates smooth animated transitions between two virtual scenes. Such smooth animated transitions can be on the graphical object level or the scene level. Pursuant to an example, a virtual scene may comprise a graphical object of a first shape. A designer of the virtual scene may wish that the graphical object be smoothly animated in some fashion such as, but not limited to, morphing to another shape, transitioning from a first location to a second location, changing size, changing color, etc. An animation engine as will be described in greater detail herein can cause the graphical object to undergo an animated transition as desired by the designer of the virtual scenes. In another example, the transition engine can support scene level animated transitions between a first virtual scene and a second virtual scene. This can include, but is not limited to, a fade from a first virtual scene to a second virtual scene, a cut from a first virtual scene to a second virtual scene, amongst other scene level transitions.
The designer may design animated transitions for display in any suitable application, including but not limited to an application for generating presentations, an application for viewing charts and graphs, an interactive application to be executed in an Internet browser, a word processing application, an application to be executed on a client computing device that has a certain type of operating system, etc. When designing a visualization that includes an animated transition, the designer may select one of a plurality of predefined shapes that exist in a shape library that can be drawn relatively quickly. Moreover, certain animations between a subset of the shapes in the shape library can be predefined. For instance, a morph of a first shape to a second shape may be predefined such that the designer need not programmatically describe such morph. The designer can also generate predefined rules that describe how/when/where certain objects are desirably animated between virtual scenes and/or how/when/where a scene-level transition is to occur between two virtual scenes. Pursuant to an example, the designer may utilize a visual design tool and graphically place certain graphical objects at particular locations in a desired scene. The designer may then generate a rule that indicates desired transitions for such objects. This rule can be written in a high level format, such as a markup language (e.g., XML) format. Such rule may be called by name, for example. Thus, a designer of virtual scenes can design animated transition between scenes more quickly and easily than has conventionally been possible.
During execution of an application that includes a visualization that comprises an animated transition between two virtual scenes (either at the object level or scene level), a description of the first virtual scene can be generated. This description can include identifiers of graphical objects that exist in such virtual scene, locations of the graphical objects, colors of the graphical objects, etc. Additionally, a description of the second virtual scene can be generated, wherein the description includes identifiers of graphical objects that exist in the second virtual scene, locations of the graphical objects, etc. These descriptions can be analyzed and an animated transition between the two virtual scenes can be set up based at least in part upon rules generated by the designer of the virtual scenes. This setup can include type of animation, time duration of the animation, etc. As the graphical objects are predefined, several graphical objects can be simultaneously animated.
Other aspects will be appreciated upon reading and understanding the attached figures and description.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an example system that facilitates displaying an animated transition between two virtual scenes.
FIG. 2 is an example graphical user interface of a first virtual scene.
FIGS. 3-5 illustrate an example animated transition between virtual scenes at an object level.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a scene-level animated transition.
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram that illustrates an example methodology for displaying an animated transition between virtual scenes on a display screen of a computing device.
FIG. 9 is a flow diagram that illustrates an example methodology for causing a graphical object to morph from a first shape to a second shape.
FIG. 10 is an example computing device.
Various technologies pertaining to animated transitions between virtual scenes will now be described with reference to the drawings, where like reference numerals represent like elements throughout. In addition, several functional block diagrams of example systems are illustrated and described herein for purposes of explanation; however, it is to be understood that functionality that is described as being carried out by certain system components may be performed by multiple components. Similarly, for instance, a component may be configured to perform functionality that is described as being carried out by multiple components.
As indicated above, various technologies pertaining to animated transitions at a graphical object level and/or a scene level are described in greater detail herein. An animated transition at a graphical object level relates to an animated transition with respect to a particular graphical object that is desirably displayed in a scene. Such graphical objects may be a shape, an image or the like. Object level animated transitions contemplated herein include a morphing of a graphical object from a first shape to a second shape, wherein such morphing can be displayed as a smooth animated transition on the display screen of a computing device. Another example of a graphical object level animated transition is a cross fade from a graphical object of a first shape to a second shape. Another object level animated transition is a change of position of a graphical object from a first position to a second position, a change of color of a graphical object from a first color to a second color, some combination of the aforementioned animated transitions, etc.
A scene level animated transition pertains to an animated transition that affects an entirety of a virtual scene. Examples of scene level animated transitions include but are not limited to a fade from a first virtual scene to a second virtual scene, a fade from a first virtual scene to a black screen to a second virtual scene, a cut from a first virtual scene to a second virtual scene, a cut from a first virtual scene to a black scene to a second virtual scene, a wipe from a first virtual scene to a second virtual scene, a dissolve from a first virtual scene to a second virtual scene, etc.
Smooth animated transitions as described herein can be facilitated through implementation of an animation engine into a framework that facilitates displaying visualizations on display screens of computing devices. In an example, the framework may exist in a development platform for designing applications that can be accessed or executed through utilization of an Internet browser. That is, the framework may be included in a web application framework that can integrate multimedia graphics, animations and interactivity into a single runtime environment. In another example, the framework may be a framework utilized for rendering graphical user interfaces in applications that are configured to execute on computing devices with a particular operating system. The animation engine described herein allows designers of virtual scenes to be displayed in a display screen of a computing device to be designed quickly and efficiently, wherein such virtual scenes comprise smooth animated transitions between virtual scenes either at the graphical object level or the scene level. Specifically, the designer can be provided with a library of shapes, and a drawing engine can be preconfigured to cause such shapes to be drawn relatively quickly. These shapes can be lightweight in nature and can be grouped together in such a way that the framework mentioned above considers the group of objects to be a single object. This allows many more shapes to be simultaneously drawn and animated over several virtual scenes.
Additionally, the designer can write high level rules that indicate how animated transitions are to occur between virtual scenes either at the graphical object level or the scene level. For example, the designer can indicate that when a graphical object of a first shape is in a certain location and is selected by a user, such graphical object is to be morphed into a second shape. In another example, the designer may generate a rule that indicates that when a virtual scene comprises certain graphical objects at certain locations, a scene level transition is to occur. Moreover, the designer may generate a rule that indicates that a multi-stage transition is to occur between virtual scenes. For instance, the designer may wish to cause a column chart to be graphically transitioned to a pie chart. An example multi-stage (two-stage) transition can be described in the form of a rule written in markup language such as XML, wherein in the first stage a height of shapes in the column chart are preserved and a donut chart is generated. In the second stage the height restriction can be relaxed and the donut chart can be morphed into a pie chart. It is to be noted that the designer of the visualization need not programmatically describe each animated transition desirably displayed in an application, as the shapes are known and certain animated transitions between such shapes can be predefined in the animation engine. Thus, the designer can generate smooth animated transitions by indicating graphical objects to include in virtual scenes and conditions that cause such graphical objects to be animated in a manner desired by the designer.
With reference to FIG. 1, an example system 100 (an animation engine) that facilitates causing animated transitions to appear smoothly on a display screen of a computing device is illustrated. The system 100 comprises a data store 102 which can be memory, a hard drive or the like. The data store 102 comprises virtual scenes 104 created by an interface designer. These virtual scenes may be desirably displayed in an application executed in a web browser, an application executing on a personal computing device that utilizes a particular operating system, on a mobile computing apparatus such as a portable telephone or multimedia player, etc. The data store 102 further comprises a shape library 106 that includes a plurality of predefined shapes. For example, the shape library 106 may include squares, circles, rectangles, triangles, stars, trapezoids, or other suitable shapes. These shapes can be defined by a plurality of vertices (e.g., a triangle can be defined by three vertices in a coordinate system). Moreover, in certain situations the shape library 106 may include shapes that are partial morphs between two shapes.
The system 100 further comprises a user interface component 108 that can be utilized by a user to interact with an application executing on a computing device utilized by the user. For instance, the user interface component 108 can be a pointing and clicking mechanism, hardware and/or software that supports touch sensitive selection of graphical objects from the display screen, etc. When a framework that comprises the system 100 is executing a program that causes a computer to display a visualization on a display screen, such framework may reach a portion of the program where an animated transition is desired (e.g., as determined through application of one or more rules). A scene describer component 110 can receive or generate descriptions of scenes that are desirably displayed on the display screen of the computing device. Specifically, the scene describer component 110 can receive/generate a description of a "before" scene (the virtual scene just prior to the animated transition) and can receive/generate an "after" scene (the virtual scene just after the animated transition). In an example, where the animated transition is desired to occur at a graphical object level, the first scene may comprise at least one graphical object and the size, shape, color, and/or location of the graphical object may have changed in the second scene. Additionally, the first scene may include one or more graphical objects that are not included in the second scene or vice versa. The description of the scenes may comprise persistent identifiers that identify graphical objects across virtual scenes. Thus, for instance, a graphical object in the first scene may be of a first shape and the same graphical object may be in the second scene but of a different shape. A persistent identifier can indicate that the graphical object is the same graphical object. The description of the scenes may also indicate color of graphical objects in the scenes, color of background in the scenes, location of graphical objects in the scenes, size of graphical objects in the scenes, amongst other data that can describe the content of the scene.
The system 100 also includes a transition engine 112 that is in communication with the scene describer component 110. Specifically, the transition engine 112 can receive descriptions of the first scene and the second scene from the describer component 110. The transition engine 112 may then set up an animated transition that causes the first scene to be smoothly transitioned to the second scene in an animated fashion.
The system 100 may also comprise a rules engine 114 that can interpret high level rules written by the designer of the visualization. These high level rules may be in a markup language format, such as XML, and can describe how graphical objects are desirably transitioned in scenes. The rules engine 114 may also implement rules to describe how scenes are to be transitioned at the scene level under certain conditions. Pursuant to a particular example, a designer may design a graphical user interface that pertains to displaying a business hierarchy. Shapes in scenes may pertain to certain individuals at different levels of the business hierarchy. Thus, a first shape (e.g., a square) can represent a manager and shapes beneath such first shape (e.g., circles) can represent individuals that report to such manager (subordinates). The designer may wish that a shape corresponding to a subordinate will graphically transition to a center of the display screen upon receipt of a selection of the shape from a user. Further, the designer may wish that the selected shape morph to a different type of shape once selected by the user (e.g., from a circle to a square). Additionally, the designer may wish that individuals that report to the selected subordinate be represented by shapes, and such shapes desirably "grow" from the shape representing the subordinate. Moreover, the designer may wish that unselected shapes transition off of the display screen. Appropriate rules can be called by the framework, and the transition engine 112 can set up the animated transition between scenes based at least in part upon the appropriate rules. The animated transition can include data that indicates type of animated transition, time duration of an animated transition, etc.
The rules again may also support optional labeling of certain types of transition rules, such as "entrance" rules, "change" rules, and/or "exit" rules. "Entrance" rules can refer to rules that cause at least one graphical objects to enter a virtual scene, "change" rules can refer to rules that cause at least one graphical object to be modified within a virtual scene, and "exit" rules can refer to rules that cause at least one graphical object to exit a virtual scene. The transition engine 112 can identify these types of rules and set up the animated transition based at least in part upon an identified type of rule.
The system 100 also includes a drawing engine 116 that is configured to draw shapes in the shape library 106 and draw such shapes in accordance with the animated transition set up by the transition engine 112. Specifically, the transition engine 112 can provide data to the drawing engine 116 regarding which shapes in the shape library 106 to draw on a display 118 of a computing device, when to draw such shapes, and where to draw such shapes. In the case of a morph, the transition engine 112 can provide data to the drawing engine 116 indicating a particular shape to draw when starting the morph (a "before" shape), a particular shape to draw at the end of the morph (an "after" shape), and an amount of time desired to complete the morph on the display 118. The drawing engine 116, for morphs between certain shapes, can have prior knowledge of how to morph between such shapes. More particularly, the drawing engine 116 can have knowledge of locations of vertices of the before shape as well as location of vertices of the after shape. The drawing engine 116 can also know how to move the vertices appropriately to create an illusion of the morph. The distances of movement of the vertex can be adjusted during each step of the animated morph, thereby allowing morphs to occur in constant time. Such movement of the vertices may be a percentage of a total distance of movement between vertices for the before shape and the after shape, and the percentage of the total distance can depend upon a speed in which the system 100 is running, thereby allowing the morph to complete in a fixed period of time. In an example, the animation may be displayed on the display 118 at a frame rate of 30 frames per second. For shapes that do not morph well, the transition engine 112 can request that the drawing engine 116 cause an animated transition to be displayed from a first shape to a second shape through utilization of a fade, a cross-fade, or other suitable animation technique. The transition engine 112 can also inform the drawing engine 116 of how quickly to animate a change in location of a graphical object/shape from a first location in the first scene to a second location in the second scene (if it is desired that the graphical object/shape transition in such manner). Similarly, the transition engine 112 can indicate that colors of graphical objects are desirably changed between the first scene and the second scene. The drawing engine 116, for instance, can interpolate in the RGB spectrum to cause such color change to be displayed on the display 118 in a smooth fashion.
Of course, as indicated above, the rules engine 114 can indicate that a desired transition between the first scene and the second scene is at the scene level. The transition engine 112 can set up such animated transition and inform the drawing engine 116 of the animated transition. The drawing engine 116 may then execute the animated transition at the scene level. The drawing engine 116 can benefit from a specialization which includes only drawing shapes, not supporting hit testing, the lightweight description of the shapes in memory, etc. For example, in one embodiment, shapes can be drawn using set pixel operations on a bitmap which can be faster than conventional drawing of shapes. Additionally or alternatively, the drawing engine 116 can draw/morph shapes on a graphical processing unit (GPU) using hardware instancing and weighted selection in shader code. Further, transition animations described by the transition engine 112 can be executed by the drawing engine 116 such that sounds are played simultaneously with an animated transition shown in the display 118. Moreover, a framework executing the application that comprises the system 100 can at any time override animated transitions indicated by the transition engine 112. Thus, higher level rules of the framework can override actions of the system 100.
Additional functionality of the transition engine 112 will now be described. As indicated above, the system 100 can be integrated with an application that is utilized to develop and display visual scenes, wherein an application can call the components of the system 100 when appropriate. The transition engine 112, however, can also call back to the application to obtain custom transition information when desired pertaining to a certain graphical object or objects.
Furthermore, the transition engine 112 can specify an amount of time within which a particular animated transition is desirably completed, and can instruct the drawing engine 116 to perform the transition within the specified amount of time. The particular animated transition can be specified explicitly by an application or specified through one of the aforementioned rules. In some cases and for some animations, an amount of time required to perform the desired animated transition may be greater than the specified amount of time. If such a case occurs, the transition engine 112 can set up the animated transition utilizing a "fallback" animation that may be faster than the desired animation.
Additionally, in some instances, it may be desired to have multiple object-level animated transitions occur at substantially the same time; however, in some cases simultaneously performing such multiple object-level animated transitions may take too much time and/or consume too many computing resources. In such a case, the transition engine 112 can set up a scene-level animated transition (e.g., a predefined "fallback" scene) to ensure that the scene-level animated transition occurs within a specified amount of time.
Similarly, in some instances it may be desirable to perform a certain scene-level animated transition; however, performing such scene-level animated transition may take too much time. Accordingly, the transition engine 112 can set up a scene-level animated transition that occurs faster than the desired scene-level animated transition (e.g., setting up a "cut" instead of a "fade").
Referring now to FIG. 2, an example graphical user interface 200 that is designed by a designer of a visualization is illustrated. In this example, the graphical user interface 200 may correspond to an application that allows a user of such application to traverse through a hierarchy of individuals in a business environment. The graphical user interface 200 comprises a first graphical object 202 that is representative of a manager at a particular level in a business hierarchy. The graphical user interface 200 further comprises graphical objects 204, 206 and 208 that are representative of subordinates of the manager represented by the graphical object 202. The graphical object 202 is a first shape (a square) and indicates that the graphical object 202 represents a manager and the graphical objects 204-208 are a second shape (circles) and indicate that such graphical objects represent subordinates of the manager. The user can employ a pointing and clicking mechanism 210 to select one or more of these graphical objects 202-208 on the graphical user interface 200. Selection of one of the graphical objects 204-208 may desirably cause an animated transition of the graphical objects 202-208 to occur. In an example, upon selection of the graphical object 206 it may be desirable to show such graphical object 206 as representing a manager and may be further desirable to show graphical objects that represent individuals that report to such manager. A rule can indicate that the graphical object 202 move upwards and off the screen and the graphical objects 204-208 move to the left and right of the screen, respectively.
With reference now to FIG. 3, a graphical user interface 300 that represents a portion of the animated transition that is undertaken by the system 100 is shown. The graphical object 206 can begin to morph from the first shape to the second shape. That is, the graphical object 206 may have a persistent identifier associated therewith such that the transition engine can determine that the designer wishes that the graphical object 206 is morphed from the first shape to the second shape (a circle to a square). The graphical object 202 is moving upwards off the screen and the graphical objects 204 and 206 are moving to left and right of the screen, respectively. Meanwhile, graphical objects 302, 304 and 306 are shown as growing out of the graphical object 206. These graphical objects 302-306 may represent individuals that report to the individual represented by the graphical objects 206.
With reference now to FIG. 4, a graphical user interface 400 that shows another portion of the animated transition is illustrated. As can be seen the graphical object 206 further transitions from a circle to a square, and the graphical object 202 moves further upward. The graphical objects 204 and 208 move to the left and right of the screen, respectively. The graphical objects 302-306 continue to become enlarged and grow away from the graphical object 206. Moreover, lines 402, 404 and 406 can be drawn to illustrate the relationship between the graphical object 206 and the graphical objects 302-306.
Turning now to FIG. 5, yet another graphical user interface 500 that represents a portion of the animated transition is illustrated. The graphical user interface 500 includes the graphical object 206 after it has been morphed into a square. The graphical objects 302-306 have "grown" to full size and lines 402-406 indicating a relationship between the person represented by the graphical object 206 and the people represented by the graphical objects 302-306 illustrate the relationship between the person represented by the graphical object 206 and the people represented by the graphical objects 302-306. The graphical objects 202, 204 and 208 have transitioned off of a viewable area of the screen. The animated transitions shown in FIGS. 2-5 are at the object level. As indicated above, however, a transition may be undertaken at a scene level.
Furthermore, the animated transitions shown in FIGS. 2-5 have all described a single stage transition; that is, the graphical objects described above each began movement/morphing at approximately a same point in time. It is to be understood, however, that alternatively an animated transition may occur in two or more stages. For example, each graphical object that represents a subordinate of a manager may exit a scene during a first stage (which may take ½ of a second). During a second stage, additional animations may occur (which may also be specified to occur within a certain window of time).
With reference now to FIG. 6, an animated transition at a scene level is illustrated. A graphical user interface 600 comprises the graphical objects 206, 302, 304 and 306 as indicated above as well as the lines 402-406 that represent relationships between the graphical objects. A user may have taken some action with respect to a portion of the application such that the graphical objects 206, 302-306 and lines 402-406 fade out as new graphical objects 602-608 are displayed on the graphical user interface 600. For example a user may have pressed a menu button or performed some other action that causes the scene level transition to be undertaken.
Referring now to FIG. 7, a graphical user interface 700 that shows completion of the scene-level animated transition is illustrated. In this graphical user interface 700, the graphical objects 206, 302-306 and lines 402-406 have completely faded out while the graphical objects 602-608 have completely faded in to the graphical user interface 700.
With reference now to FIGS. 8-9, various example methodologies are illustrated and described. While the methodologies are described as being a series of acts that are performed in a sequence, it is to be understood that the methodologies are not limited by the order of the sequence. For instance, some acts may occur in a different order than what is described herein. In addition, an act may occur concurrently with another act. Furthermore, in some instances, not all acts may be required to implement a methodology described herein.
Moreover, the acts described herein may be computer-executable instructions that can be implemented by one or more processors and/or stored on a computer-readable medium or media. The computer-executable instructions may include a routine, a sub-routine, programs, a thread of execution, and/or the like. Still further, results of acts of the methodologies may be stored in a computer-readable medium, displayed on a display device, and/or the like. The computer-readable medium may be a non-transitory medium, such as memory, hard drive, CD, DVD, flash drive, or the like.
Referring now to FIG. 8, a methodology 800 that facilitates causing an animated transition to be displayed smoothly on a display screen of a computing device is illustrated. The methodology 800 begins at 802, and at 804 a description of a first virtual scene is received. This description can include identifiers of graphical objects in the first virtual scene, size of graphical objects in the first virtual scene, shapes of graphical objects in the first virtual scene, colors of graphical objects in the first virtual scene, amongst other data.
At 806, a description of a second virtual scene is received. The second virtual scene can be different from the first virtual scene such that different graphical objects appear in the second virtual scene, location of graphical objects in the first virtual scene have changed in the second virtual scene, shapes of one or more graphical objects in the first virtual scene have changed in the second virtual scene, etc.
At 808, a graphical animated transition is caused to be displayed on a display screen of a computing device, wherein the animated transition is between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene. The animated transition can be at the graphical object level such that an animated transition occurs with respect to a graphical object in the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene. In other words, the animated transition at the object level is an animated change of the graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene. Such animated change may be a change of location, a change of color, a change of shape, etc. The methodology 800 completes at 810.
With reference now to FIG. 9, a methodology 900 that facilitates smoothly displaying an animated morph between a first shape and a second shape on a display screen of the computing device is illustrated. The methodology 900 starts at 902, and at 904 a description of a first virtual scene that is desirably displayed on a display screen of a computing device is received. The description of the first virtual scene can include an indication that a graphical object has a first shape, and the description of the first virtual scene can also include a persistent identifier that uniquely identifies the graphical object.
At 906, a description of a second virtual scene that is desirably displayed on the display screen of the computing device immediately subsequent to the display of the first virtual scene on the display screen of the computing device is received. As used herein, "immediately subsequent" means that the second scene is desirably shown subsequent to the first scene after a smooth animated transition of at least one graphical object in the first scene to the second scene is undertaken.
At 908, the first virtual scene is caused to be displayed on the display screen of the computing device. At 910, at least one graphical object in the first scene and the second scene is caused to morph from a first shape to a second shape on the display screen of the computing device based at least in part upon the description of the first virtual scene and the description of the second virtual scene. Thus, subsequent to completion of the morph on the graphical object from the first shape to the second shape, the second virtual scene is displayed on the display screen of the computing device. The methodology 900 completes at 912.
Now referring to FIG. 10, a high-level illustration of an example computing device 1000 that can be used in accordance with the systems and methodologies disclosed herein is illustrated. For instance, the computing device 1000 may be used in a system that supports smoothly transitioning between virtual scenes desirably displayed on a computing device. In another example, at least a portion of the computing device 1000 may be used in a system that supports morphing a graphical object from a first shape to a second shape. The computing device 1000 includes at least one processor 1002 that executes instructions that are stored in a memory 1004. The memory 1004 may be or include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, Flash memory, or other suitable memory. The instructions may be, for instance, instructions for implementing functionality described as being carried out by one or more components discussed above or instructions for implementing one or more of the methods described above. The processor 1002 may access the memory 1004 by way of a system bus 1006. In addition to storing executable instructions, the memory 1004 may also store graphical objects, scenes, descriptions of scenes, etc.
The computing device 1000 additionally includes a data store 1008 that is accessible by the processor 1002 by way of the system bus 1006. The data store 1008 may be or include any suitable computer-readable storage, including a hard disk, memory, etc. The data store 1008 may include executable instructions, graphical objects, shapes, rules, etc. The computing device 1000 also includes an input interface 1010 that allows external devices to communicate with the computing device 1000. For instance, the input interface 1010 may be used to receive instructions from an external computer device, from a user, etc. The computing device 1000 also includes an output interface 1012 that interfaces the computing device 1000 with one or more external devices. For example, the computing device 1000 may display text, images, etc. by way of the output interface 1012.
Additionally, while illustrated as a single system, it is to be understood that the computing device 1000 may be a distributed system. Thus, for instance, several devices may be in communication by way of a network connection and may collectively perform tasks described as being performed by the computing device 1000.
As used herein, the terms "component" and "system" are intended to encompass hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Thus, for example, a system or component may be a process, a process executing on a processor, or a processor. Additionally, a component or system may be localized on a single device or distributed across several devices. Furthermore, a component or system may refer to a portion of memory and/or a series of transistors.
It is noted that several examples have been provided for purposes of explanation. These examples are not to be construed as limiting the hereto-appended claims. Additionally, it may be recognized that the examples provided herein may be permutated while still falling under the scope of the claims.
causing an animated transition to be displayed on a display screen of a computing device between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene at a graphical object level based at least in part upon the description of the first virtual scene and the description of the second virtual scene, wherein the animated transition at the graphical object level is an animated change of a graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene.
causing a scene-level animated transition to be displayed on the display screen of the computing device between the second virtual scene and the third virtual scene.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the scene-level animated transition is one of a fade from the second virtual scene to the third virtual scene, a fade from the second virtual scene to a blank scene to the third virtual scene, a cut from the second virtual scene to the third virtual scene, a cut from the second virtual scene to a blank scene followed by a cut to the third virtual scene, a dissolve of the second virtual scene to the third virtual scene, or a wipe from the second virtual scene to the third virtual scene.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the animated change of the graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene is a morph of the graphical object from a first shape to a second shape.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the animated change of the graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene comprises altering position of the graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the animated change of the graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene comprises a fade of the graphical object from a first shape to a second shape.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the description of the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene comprises a persistent identifier that identifies the graphical object in the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a rule that indicates that the animated transition is to be displayed on the display screen based at least in part upon the description of the first virtual scene and the description of the second virtual scene.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the rule is composed in a markup language.
causing the animation to be displayed on the display screen based at least in part upon the information pertaining to the animated transition received from the application.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the animated transition to be displayed in a graphical user interface in an Internet browser.
selecting the animated transition that is caused to be displayed on the display screen of the computing device subsequent to determining that the amount of time needed to perform the first animated transition is above the threshold.
a transition engine that receives a description of the first virtual scene and a description of the second virtual scene and sets up an animated transition of the graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene based at least in part upon the description of the first virtual scene and the description of the second virtual scene.
14. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the components further comprise a rules engine that facilitates implementation of a user-defined rule, wherein the transition engine receives the user-defined rule and sets up the animated transition of the graphical object between the first virtual scene and the second virtual scene based at least in part upon the user-defined rule.
15. The computing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the user-defined rule is written in a markup language.
16. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the components further comprise a drawing engine that causes the animated transition to be displayed on the display screen of the computing apparatus.
17. The computing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the animated transition comprises transition of the graphical object off of a viewable area of the display screen.
18. The computing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the animated transition is an animated morph of the graphical object from a first shape in the first virtual scene to a second shape in the second virtual scene.
19. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transition engine is further configured to receive a description of a third virtual scene and sets up a scene-level transition between the second virtual scene and the third virtual scene.
causing the graphical object to morph from the first shape to the second shape on the display screen of the computing device based at least in part upon the description of the first virtual scene and the description of the second virtual scene, wherein subsequent to completion of the morph the second virtual scene is displayed on the display screen of the computing device.


Summary: The Country of Origin label is a powerful element on upscale brands. Italians consider it a national economic resource, but the stamp can't always be believed. US laws say the "last substantial transformation" must be in the country of origin, and tracking manufacturing is difficult at best.
Summary: As the health insurance market prepares for the changes brought about by implementation of Affordable Care Act, this podcast considers how insurance companies might begin to target their new consumers. Considers marketing and branding strategies as well as how insurers might think about using incentive schemes to retain customers.


text:
Lewinsky on Kenneth Starr News: 'Are You F**king Kidding'
The man whose investigation of the former White House intern led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton has joined Donald Trump's defense team.
Target Just Launched an Activewear Line for the Whole Family
Sizes range from XS-4X for women and S-3X for men, with prices all under $70.
Philly Cop Drove Kid to Prom in Seized Porsche: Prosecutors
DA's office says former officer pleaded guilty to using the Cayenne SUV, which was seized during a narcotics investigation.
NJ Groom Accused of Sexual Assault at Wedding Gets Probation
SLAP ON THE WRIST
Matthew Aimers, 32, pleaded guilty Thursday to indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, and simple assault.
Tea Partiers Arrested Over Break-In
Updated Apr. 14, 2017 4:03PM ET / Published May. 22, 2014 2:21PM ET
Madison County Detention Center
A Mississippi Tea Party official was arrested Thursday in an investigation of a break-in at the nursing home of Sen. Thad Cochran's wife. Mark Mayfield, an attorney and vice chairman of the Mississippi Tea Party, and two others were arrested and face charges of conspiracy. In late April, Clayton Kelly, a local blogger, allegedly broke into the nursing home where Rose Cochran lives and filmed her for a weird, disgusting video touting Tea Party Senate candidate Chris McDaniel. Kelly faces 10 years for exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
Read it at The Clarion-Ledger

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The weather may have dampened the crowds but not the spirits of the 3,000-plus bikers and bike enthusiasts descending upon the streets of Virginia City on Saturday for the annual Thunder on the Comstock event.
The ride to Virginia City is what many bikers on hand referred to as the "key component" in the Reno-based Street Vibrations – the leather and helmet crowd's answer to Hot August Nights, which began in 1994 – making note of the hilly ascent to 5,100 feet in inclement weather.
Clad in leather vests with patches representing Modesto, Calif., Las Vegas and even motorcycle Mecca, Sturgis, S.D., the bikers seemed to enjoy all the hospitality VC could offer, even if it was underneath threatening skies.
As large droplets began to be soaked up by the parched wooden slats in front of Virginia City's historic store fronts, many found respite in saloons, eateries and various antique and sundry shops.
"This is our last big weekend of the year and we're thankful – extremely thankful – for the business," said Rachael Rephan of Silver State Indian and Silver Jewelry.
Rephan's store, purveyor of curiosities from old CC mint coins to turquoise bolo ties, saw one item in particular flying off the rack.
Indeed, as bikers tried on chaps and tasseled vests discounted 40 percent, Rephan couldn't help but smile.
While the gloomy skies didn't let the Mardi Gras beads for you-know-what atmosphere permeate, local law enforcement officials from Washoe, Douglas, Storey, Lyon and Carson City were on hand and visible throughout the festivities.
"It's pretty mellow so far," said Washoe County Sheriff's Office deputy John Machen. "We still get our fair share of DUIs – we had about four or five yesterday.
Carson City resident Dennis Foster, attending his 10th rally in Virginia City and showcasing his custom chopper, was simply happy to be a part of it – even if the crowd wasn't surging in accordance to years past.


text:
Q: Proxy sharing between host and guest in VirtualBox I installed Ubuntu 12.4 in VirtualBox with Windows Vista host which uses a proxy.
I did not configure proxy settings in Ubuntu but Internet is working fine and so are updates.
Now, my host browsers in which I had configured manual proxy are also working with no proxy. Youtube and Facebook were blocked but are now working. I am happy with this but cannot understand how it happened? Anyone can clear this?

A: If you can access block sites then The proxy setting must have been changed. You Ubuntu virtual host is already in network.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Mysterious Alien obsessed with TV Reality shows decide to organize his own reality show - Epic Showdown. He gathers the best fighters from all dimensions, universes, and realities to survive in a battle to the death! The arena will rock as you blast, cast, and smash your opponents into oblivion ,kill hordes of enemies with your trusty shooting weapon! Gather your friends and family together in this shooting extravaganza and fight it out for the title of Best Warrior ever!


text:
La loi Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000 (PEPUDA), également connue sous le nom de Equality Act est un texte législatif sud-africain visant à réprimer et à empêcher toute discrimination.  En français, la traduction de l'intitulé de la loi est Loi sur la promotion de l'égalité et de la prévention de la discrimination.
Cette loi interdit la discrimination injuste de la part du gouvernement et des organisations privées et des particuliers et interdit les discours de haine et le harcèlement. La loi énumère différents critères sur lesquels toute discrimination est illégale, à savoir la race, le sexe, le genre, la grossesse, la responsabilité ou le statut familial, l'état matrimonial, l'origine ethnique ou sociale, le statut sérologique relatif au VIH / sida, la couleur de peau, l'orientation sexuelle, l'âge, le handicap, la religion, la conscience, les croyances, la culture, la langue et la naissance. comme «motifs interdits» de discrimination, mais contient également des critères que les tribunaux peuvent appliquer pour déterminer quelles autres caractéristiques sont des motifs interdits.

La loi établit les divisions de la Haute Cour et désigne les tribunaux de première instance comme  pour traiter les plaintes pour discrimination, discours de haine et harcèlement.

La discrimination en matière d'emploi est exclue du champ d'application de la loi car celle-ci est déjà couverte par une autre législation adoptée en 1998, le Employment Equity Act (Loi sur l'équité en matière d'emploi).

Contexte
La section neuf de la Constitution sud-africaine contient une disposition garantissant l'égalité des citoyens et une interdiction de la discrimination publique et privée. Il oblige le gouvernement national à adopter une législation interdisant la discrimination, et une clause transitoire exigeait que cette législation soit promulguée avant le 4 février 2000, trois ans après l'entrée en vigueur de la constitution.

La loi sur l'égalité a été approuvée par le Président le 2 février 2000 ; elle a été promulguée parallèlement à deux autres lois également requises par la Constitution sud-africaine : la loi sur la promotion de l'accès à l'information (Promotion of Access to Information Act, PAIA), qui traite de la liberté de l'information, et la loi sur la promotion de la justice administrative (Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, PAJA), qui traite de la justice en droit administratif.

Notes et références

Liens externes

 Département de la justice et du développement constitutionnel: Tribunaux de l'égalité
 Loi de 2000 sur la promotion de l'égalité et la prévention de la discrimination injuste, telle que modifiée
 Règlement relatif à la promotion de l'égalité et à la prévention de la discrimination injuste, 2003
 Commission sud-africaine des droits de l'homme

Droit en Afrique du Sud
Discrimination en Afrique du Sud
2000 en droit

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Over 17,000 people flocked to the northern end of Portland this year, braving the cold interior of a vacant building with their plaid shirts, in order to drink PBR, listen to loud music, and look at the occasional motorcycle. Yes, it us that time of year for The One Motorcycle Show in Portland, Oregon.
More than just a much larger venue, The One Moto Show continues to gain traction with vendors and sponsors, all the while attracting more and more bike-curious attendees through its doors.
Main-lined into the zeitgeist that we recognize as two-wheeled hipsterdom, "mainstream" motorcyclists can roll their eyes while shuffling through the PDX masses, but you cannot deny the pulse the show keeps with younger motorcyclists.
As such, there were more than a few pillars of the motorcycle industry circulating in the show's ranks – all incognito, of course – trying to understand how the next generation interacts not only with motorcycles, but also with each other.
Over 150 bikes were on display for those in attendance – I heard a figure as high as 170 motorcycles were hidden throughout the multiple rooms and floors of the show's venue – and a couple trends struck me over the course of the show.
In the event's 76-year history, this year marks the first time that Ducati has ever participated at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally – the Italian company hoping to showcase its Harley-Davidson alternative, the Ducati XDiavel.
Helping fuel that fire was a collaboration between Roland Sands Design and Ducati, which has given way to the creation of a one-off XDiavel with the usual RSD touches.
This means a flowing single-piece body, the addition of a 19″ front wheel, and shotgun-style exhaust are added to the already stylish XDiavel. The RSD Ducati XDiavel is then finished off with metallic flake paint job, along with the usual bits and bobs from the RSD catalog.
There is a lot of "Southern California" transmitted through RSD's design into the Italian-born XDiavel. It makes for an interesting mixture. We'll be curious to see how this resonates with American cruiser riders.
If you've ever wondered what the FZ-09 would look like as a café racer, the Yamaha XSR900 is it. Fresh off its EICMA debut, the 2016 Yamaha XSR900 is the Japanese brand's attempt to build out its "sport-heritage" line. That is to say, it's Yamaha's attempt to appeal to the skinny jean and beard crowd.
That's about all the hate we can muster for the Yamaha XSR900 though – probably because we used it all up earlier on the Yamaha MT-10 – but truthfully, Yamaha's appeal to the "heritage demographic" feels a lot more genuine than say, a certain Italian brand that also debuted a hipster bike today.
A little something to end the week with, Roland Sands Design has put together a video called "Art of the Machine" that is a bit different from the usual fare you find in the motorcycle industry, even from the exceptional creative types at RSD.
Using a kaleidoscope treatment on a series of fabrication and riding clips, the short film has an eerily dark and deep feel to it. You don't have to be a fan of RSD's work in order to become enthralled by the mesmerizing visual and audios here, and while we're not quite sure why we like it…we know that we just do. Obey.
Late last year, we said that BMW Motorrad was working on a special air-cooled motorcycle to help commemorate the German company's 90th anniversary of making motorbikes. Well, today we get to see what zie Germans have been up to, and it is called the BMW Concept Ninety.
Taking its cues from the BMW R90S, which itself turns 40-years-old today, the BMW Concept Ninety is debuting at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este and was designed by America's own Roland Sands Design and the BMW Motorrad design team.
With that in mind, we turn our attention to the BMW Concept Ninety. Photos and video are after the jump of course, and leave your thoughts about the machine in the comments.
Judging from its upload date on YouTube, this isn't exactly a new video; but since it's new to us, we thought we would share in what we're pretty sure is the world's first front-wheel burnout on a motorcycle. This unlawful exhibition of speed was perpetrated by the twisted minds down at Roland Sands Design, at their happy hunting grounds near the LA river.
The front-wheel drive system comes from Christini (not Ducati Corse), while RSD's Rodney Aguiar built the 450cc super single motorcycle that AWD system is mated to for an episode of Nitro Circus. Check the video out after the jump.
We've had our fair share of controversial articles here on Asphalt & Rubber, with some posts dealing with hot-button topics, while others were designed to stir the pot a bit. Usually though we know what sort of trouble we're getting ourselves into, even before the first comment is left by a reader, but no article caught us by surprise more than our initial coverage of Roland Sands's latest custom project: the RSD Desmo Tracker. A flat track bike with a Desmosedici RR heart, there's something about taking the MotoGP replica and turning it into a steel-shoe racer that elicits a very visceral response from Ducatisti and flat trackers alike.
Maybe it's because those two parts of the motorcycle world are just that far apart — one is reserved for dentists having a mid-life crisis, and the other for back-woods hillbillies that can only turn left. Maybe it's because people think that if you own a $40,000 Desmosedici RR, the last thing you should be doing with the machine is making it something else. There's no doubt that Desmo is the sort of thing little boys put posters of on their bedroom wall, so does tampering with Bologna's GP opus change that childhood fantasy?
We could delve into this topic further, but I doubt we'd get very far in the conversation. I will say this though, just like you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge a bike by its build progress. That being said, this post is one of those articles that we see trouble brewing a mile away. A friendly reminder: the comments section is below, near the bottom of the page.
Making custom bikes of his choosing in Southern California is pretty lush gig, and helping prove the point that we should give up this crazy blogging lifestyle, Roland Sands Design has come up with this "typical day in the office" video. Tracking a promotional photo shoot that starts in the RSD shop, and ends in some apocalyptic industrial park, there's a bevy of women, motorcycles, and Roland.
After crushing a small mutiny here in the office (we must not have enough bikes for our decor here in the A&R office), we can share with you the video of a typical day in the Roland Sands Design office. Employers beforewarned as your workforce may start complaining of unfair working conditions. Employees beware, not all the scenes here are strictly work safe.
Those boys in Southern California are at it again, as Roland Sands Design has taken on building a customer's Ducati Desmosedici RR into a custom street tracker. According to RSD the lucky owner is Justyn Amstutz, and this zero miles Desmosedici RR is one of three in his stable. With 989cc 200+ hp V4 motor that revs to 16,000 rpm, RSD hopes to take Ducati's beast of a street bike, and turn it into something that requires a steel boot to ride.
We've had more than a few Bell Helmets rolling around the A&R office these past months, and one of the things we've really liked from this American-based company is how it has teamed up with notable designers from inside and outside of the motorcycle industry to bring attractive and fresh looks to consumers. While it's been the Bell Star and Vortex that have been keeping our brains firmly in-between our ears, it's the designs by Roland Sands and Jona Cerwinske that have been attracting us to Bell, and propelling the company back into the motorcycle helmet market as a whole.
Taking some time to talk to Roland Sands at his new Southern California shop, Bell Helmets has put together this short video with the former motorcycle racer turned designer. While Bell and RSD are obviously out to hock the new gold-leaf-over-carbon fiber "Speed Freak" helmet they've created for 2011, Roland has some interesting stories about his process and growing up around motorcycles…the photography is spectacular too boot.
With Bell in the process of restoring its name after having its motorcycle helmet division operated overseas by another company, we expect to see more videos in the future like the one after the jump that engage riders with this once-defunct American brand.


Ground floor holiday apartment with stunning uninterrupted sea views. The Cove is a new development of 35 luxuriously furnished and decorated waterfront apartments in a quiet, elevated position above the beach at Fishcombe Cove. The South West Coastal Path runs behind the development and it's bordered by National Trust Woodland to the right.
There is private access to the beach directly from the development whilst Brixham is approximately a 15 minute walk via Battery Gardens and alongside the harbour. The South West Coast Path runs behind The Cove offering a variety of walks.
Sandpiper 3 has good accessibility and is full of natural light. Sliding doors lead from the patio to the living room and main bedroom. The apartment benefits from a walk-in shower. The patio provides the opportunity to sit and relax in the sunshine whilst enjoying the magnificent sea views of Torbay and beyond.
Sandpiper 3 is well-equipped including a dishwasher, microwave, cooker and hob plus washing machine. At the rear of the property, there is an undercroft useful for storing beach equipment, walking boots, bicycles, canoes and wet suits etc.
A dedicated onsite parking space, close to your apartment, is included as is wi-fi, access to the shared onsite swimming pool (end of May to mid September), quality bed linen & towels and all utilities.
We had a lovely week, the property was perfect, in great condition with a modern feel to it and in the perfect location. Walkable into Brixham plus the cove on the doorstep- beautiful!
Booked this location for its closeness to Brixham Harbour. I was not disappointed, great location overlooking Torbay, the property was clean and neat on arrival and the amenities such as a dishwasher were a boon. We are already looking to book next year.
Ground floor self-catering holiday apartment in Brixham with easy access. Set in a peaceful location next to National Trust woodland, it's a 10–15 minute walk through the woods to picturesque Brixham Harbour with its many shops, cafes, restaurants & attractions. An hourly bus to Brixham Harbour stops right outside the entrance.


Are you streaming digital iTunes music throughout your home, viewing Netflix HD video from the Internet on your HDTV, or listening to Internet music stations such as Pandora? If so, then you should be doing everything you can to optimize your home network for the best possible audio and HD video performance. Proper network device settings and configurations can mean the difference between uninterrupted high quality HD video streaming and aggravating stop-and-start "buffering" low quality video streaming. While your megabits per second downlink speed coming from your ISP certainly plays a vital role in uninterrupted HD video streaming success, so does the amount of data that can be transmitted over your local area home network in a given amount of time. Much like the size of a water pipe, the greater the bandwidth size, the more data you will have flowing to your network-connected HD device. If your home network is set up correctly, then, like constant water pressure, you will experience uninterrupted full HD video streaming picture quality.
1. Purchase a router equipped with QoS (quality of service). When streaming HD video, data must be transferred in a steady flow to prevent video from stuttering. QoS detects video streams and gives them priority by allocating more bandwidth to your streaming HD video device.
2. Avoid overlapping channels with your 2.4 GHz wireless router transmission that can cause channel interference. This interference can drastically reduce wireless performance and speed. To avoid overlapping channels, use only channels 1, 6, or 11. If available, choose "Auto" for your 802.11n wireless router's channel transmission.
3. As a general rule, choose 20 MHz with 2.4 GHz transmission in your wireless router settings. Only use 40 MHz with 5 GHz frequency transmission. When many neighboring access points are present, there is no guarantee that operating at 40 MHz will work best for you. Also, 40 MHz mode is not supported if backward compatibility with 802.11b is required.
If you are in the Greater Bay Area and would like professional help optimizing your home theater network for high quality HD audio and video streaming performance, please contact us at (650) 321-7833 or info@immexperiences.com.


Lemon Haze PureONE CO2 Cartridge by Pure Vapes is available for delivery in Los Angeles, West Hollywood, North Hollywood, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, and Beverly Hills. Lemon Haze Sativa PureONE CO2 Cartridge is a triple distilled concentrate that delivers the cleanest and highest potency oil and bursts with natural terpenes. Lemon Haze has been characterized as smelling of fresh peeled lemon slices with a similar taste. Its buds appear to be green and yellow with amber hairs on the trichomes, giving it the yellow tint.


text:
Oerlikon Balzers signs contract for in-house coating centre with IMCO Carbide Tool
Balzers, Liechtenstein, 15 December 2016 – American precision cutting tool manufacturer IMCO and Oerlikon Balzers recently signed a contract to install an in-house coating centre at the IMCO facility in Perrysburg, Ohio.
From left: Marc Desrayaud, Oerlikon Balzers, and Perry Osburn, IMCO.
"We have been working closely with Oerlikon Balzers for over 20 years, during which time our coating needs have grown to such a significant size that it now justifies an in-house solution. The Oerlikon Balzers in-house centre at our Ohio facility is an important step for both of our companies and will further strengthen our relationship", says Perry Osburn, President of IMCO, after the contract was signed during the International Manufacturing Technology Show 2016 (IMTS) in Chicago. IMCO is a reputed manufacturer of high-performance carbide cutting tools such as drills, end mills and reamers.
Oerlikon Balzers' in-house centres provide a complete service with home advantage for coating large part volumes. The production lines are operated by Oerlikon Balzers staff, but are tailored to the customers' specific needs and seamlessly integrated into their manufacturing environment. IMCO recently expanded their facility and included space for in-house coating capability, meaning that the Oerlikon Balzers in-house centre can be located inside the existing IMCO facility, guaranteeing optimum workflow and delivery times that are as short and flexible as possible.
"This in-house centre is an excellent solution for both IMCO and Oerlikon Balzers' long term strategies. It provides IMCO, an Oerlikon Balzers key customer, with a dedicated coating solution and added capacity for future growth, and at the same time it creates capacity at our Indiana Customer Centre, where IMCO coating has been performed to date, enabling us to further expand our business in the US Midwest", says Steve Crowley, Head of Sales and Operations Oerlikon Balzers USA.
The coating equipment that will be installed at the IMCO facility in Perrysburg, Ohio, is currently at the Oerlikon Balzers Customer Centre in Richmond, Indiana, for validation and for training the team that will be permanently based at the IMCO in-house centre. The centre is planned to open in the first quarter of 2017.


text:
package org.apereo.cas.configuration.model.support.ldap.serviceregistry;

import org.apereo.cas.configuration.model.support.ldap.AbstractLdapSearchProperties;
import org.apereo.cas.configuration.support.RequiresModule;

import lombok.Getter;
import lombok.Setter;

/**
 * This is {@link LdapServiceRegistryProperties}.
 *
 * @author Misagh Moayyed
 * @since 5.0.0
 */
@RequiresModule(name = "cas-server-support-ldap-service-registry")
@Getter
@Setter
public class LdapServiceRegistryProperties extends AbstractLdapSearchProperties {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 2372867394066286022L;

    /**
     * Object class used for the registered service entry in LDAP.
     */
    private String objectClass = "casRegisteredService";

    /**
     * ID attribute used for the registered service entry in LDAP
     * to keep track of the service numeric identifier.
     */
    private String idAttribute = "uid";

    /**
     * Service definintion attribute used for the registered service entry in LDAP
     * to keep a representation of the service body.
     */
    private String serviceDefinitionAttribute = "description";

    /**
     * The load filter used to load entries by the {@link #objectClass}.
     * This is typically used to load all definitions that might be mapped to a service definition.
     * The search filter used to load entries by the {@link #idAttribute}.
     * This is typically used to load a specific service definition by its id during search operations.
     */
    private String loadFilter = "(objectClass=%s)";

    public LdapServiceRegistryProperties() {
        setSearchFilter("(%s={0})");
    }

    @Override
    public String getSearchFilter() {
        return String.format(this.searchFilter, getIdAttribute());
    }

    public String getLoadFilter() {
        return String.format(this.loadFilter, getObjectClass());
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


On 02 August 2016 the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) published the UK Government's response to a consultation seeking views on a number of proposed amendments to the Patents Rules 2007.
The amendments were proposed with the intention to simplify the patent application process, improve the clarity of the legislation and reduce the procedural burden upon applicants.
It is expected that the amendments coming into effect in October 2016 and April 2017 will lead to an increase in the efficiency of the application process, as well as a closer alignment of UK patent law with that of foreign jurisdictions.
In view of the responses received from businesses, patent attorney firms and representative organisations regarding the proposals, the government has decided to implement each of the proposed amendments, with the first group of changes coming into effect on 01 October 2016.
These amendments, and the consequences of their introduction, are discussed below.
Introducing a notification of intention of grant, thereby removing the need for applicants to foreshadow divisional applications.
This is perhaps the most significant of the amendments, as it provides a guaranteed notice period in which a divisional application may be filed. As divisional applications must be filed before grant of the parent application (and also before a statutory deadline calculated in Rule 19 UKPA), this amendment addresses the problem of an application granting before the applicant has the chance to file any desired divisional applications.
Previously, it has been the practice to request (when replying to an office action) that grant be delayed to allow an opportunity to file a divisional; however this is not an ideal solution for a number of reasons. For example the applicant may not remember to request a delayed grant, or the request could simply be missed by the examiner who would then proceed with the grant process. In either case, the grant of the patent would need to be rescinded in order to allow the filing of a divisional; this is a cumbersome process that both the applicant and the UKIPO would prefer to avoid.
Having a well defined period in which the applicant has the opportunity to file divisionals before grant simplifies the process and reduces the amount of correspondence that may be necessary between the examiner and the applicant. A notice period of two weeks was initially suggested, but it has been agreed that four weeks or a month is more appropriate upon review of the received responses.
While it is noted that this will result in a delay of the grant of an application, this is not regarded as a major issue as the delay will be a maximum of one month and infringement or the discovery of new, citable prior art documents is unlikely to occur in such a short period.
Prohibiting the use of omnibus claims except where absolutely essential.
Omnibus claims are claims that refer to portions of the specification to define a scope of protection, rather than defining the subject matter directly.
This amendment is not expected to affect a large proportion of applicants; for example, the majority of granted patents in the UK originate from European filings (where omnibus claims are also only allowed where absolutely necessary) and no requests to add omnibus claims to European-originating applications when entering the UK national phase have been received since 2011.
In view of this amendment, omnibus claims will only be allowed where technical features of an invention cannot be clearly defined by words, mathematical/chemical formulae or any other written means.
Simplifying the period in which reinstatement of a patent application can be requested.
This proposal contained two options for simplifying the reinstatement process; an administrative option and a legislative option.
Reinstatement is a mechanism for the recovering of an application that has been terminated as a result of an unintentional failing to meet a deadline on the part of the applicant. The previous deadline for requesting reinstatement was the earlier of two months from the removal of the cause of non-compliance or 12 months from the date of termination; therefore the applicant may often benefit from a longer reinstatement period under the amended rules.
The proposed administrative option was an update to Patents Form 14 to allow the user to declare the date on which the cause of non-compliance was removed, a date which would be relied upon unless evidence suggests this date is incorrect, while the proposed legislative option was that Rule 32(2) would be amended such that requests for reinstatement must be made within 12 months of termination of the application.
It was decided that the legislative option was the best way to proceed; this was the option that was seen to provide the most clarity and legal certainty for both applicants and third parties. The simplification of the time period for reinstatement is beneficial to third parties, for example as it will be easier to determine when an application has lapsed and the invention may therefore be worked without the risk of a patent for the subject matter later being granted.
Allowing extensions to the period for filing an address for service.
A two month extension may now be requested for filing an address for service if the deadline is missed, an amendment that adds some flexibility to addressing a minor administrative issue and provides a fairer application process for applicants.
Relaxing the formal requirements for drawings to allow applicants to provide shaded drawings and photographs.
This amendment simply brings the legislation into alignment with current practice; examiners at the UKIPO have commonly accepted these formats so long as they are clear and reproducible for some time now.
Removing the requirement for patent holders to notify the UKIPO each year of the address they wish to use to receive renewal reminders.
The UKIPO will now continue to use the address currently on record unless notified of a change, removing the need to contact the UKIPO with the address each year even if it does not change.
Clarifying when applicants can make amendments to international patent applications entering the UK national phase.
This amendment has no substantive procedural effects; a new Rule 66A will be introduced that clarifies when PCT applications may be amended upon entry to the national phase.
Clarifying the requirements concerning changes of names and addresses.
This is another amendment that has no substantive procedural effects; Rule 49 will be amended to clarify its meaning without modifying current practice.
Patents Form 20 will also be updated so that the user can specify whether they are correcting an error or updating information in view of a change in circumstances.
Correcting the drafting of the rule concerning advertising amendments made during infringement and revocation proceedings.
This is an amendment that will bring Rule 75 into line with Section 75(1) of the Patents Act. As a result of this amendment, it is made clear that the UKIPO may exercise their discretion in advertising amendments made to a patent during infringement or revocation proceedings. Guidance will be provided in the Manual of Patent Practice as to which amendments should be advertised; it is anticipated that only amendments so insignificant that no-one could be expected to want to oppose them will not be advertised.
Removing the requirement for triplicate copies of international applications when filed with the UKIPO in its function as a receiving office for PCT applications & removing the requirement for duplicate copies of Patents Form 51.
Each of proposals 10 and 11 are amendments that reflect the nature of electronic filing methods – no longer are multiple physical copies required to be kept by different parties as digital copies are used instead.
These amendments should be welcomed by applicants, as they appear to constitute a clear improvement to the application process in terms of clarity, simplicity and the amount of work required.
The fact that UK legislation will be more closely aligned with foreign jurisdictions is also advantageous to applicants, as this will streamline the application process further when applying for patent protection in multiple regions.


text:
Home > Services > Corporate Finance > Latest Deals > MagGrow
MagGrow
Deal Type: Corporate Finance
Industry: Agribusiness
MagGrow, an Irish company set up in 2013, employs over 30 people and has operations in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australasia, and Europe. They are a patented, proprietary technology that significantly reduces waste associated with conventional pesticide spray applications, delivering your important plant protection products where they matter the most.
The Series A round of fundraising which raised €6m was led by impact investor Astanor Ventures with participation by several strategic international investors, including WakeUp Capital. Founded by individuals who have backed some of Europe's most successful start-ups, Astanor Ventures helps ambitious, purpose-aligned founders build global companies in the sustainable agri-food sector. A number of existing shareholders also contributed to the round.
After spending €10m to date on the Science behind MagGrow's technology, MagGrow moved to the commercial role out phase of its key Tractor Boom product through various channel partners such as Trimble Ag. This round allows MagGrow to build on that momentum by providing some key additions to the Executive team and Board. In addition, the funding will be used to accelerate research and development of new products, IP and applications as well as building up additional manufacturing capability.
MagGrow has partnered with AMBER, the SFI Research Centre for Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research, Trinity College, Dublin, a multidisciplinary partnership between leading academics and industry, working collaboratively to answer fundamental research questions. They also have Crop Science and Industrial Engineering, and Research facilities in the UK. MagGrow's state of the art Agricultural Research Facility will open in the UK in early August 2020.
Commenting on the deal, Richard Duffy (Director, BDO Corporate Finance) said: "We are delighted to have advised on the fundraise and work alongside Astanor Ventures and MagGrow's high calibre management team. The company has an exciting future ahead given its game-changing crop spraying technology. This investment round will allow the company to accelerate its ambitious growth plans and we look forward to supporting MagGrow on its journey.''
Gary Wickham, Founder & CEO, MagGrow, said: "The MagGrow team and I are delighted to welcome our new investors who can position the company for rapid growth. MagGrow believes every person on this planet has the right to food and water. These impact investors align with MagGrow's core values and our collective desire to do our part in feeding this planet sustainably. The way to do this is to ensure farmers are profitable in the first instance and sustainable. This is where MagGrow's technology steps in as it allows farmers to achieve both simultaneously and, in doing so, supports the sustainable intensification of global food production."
BDO lead by Richard Duffy, Director Corporate Finance provided Corporate Finance and due diligence support on the deal.


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PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau has arrested a Charsadda resident for modarba fraud.
A statement issued here on Monday said the NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had initiated inquiry after several people formally complained that suspect Zaidullah had deprived them of millions of rupees in the garb of modarba investment.
It added that the investigation revealed that the suspect along with his accomplices persuaded and motivated people to invest in their fake modarba business showing them multiple wheat, vehicles and timber businesses.
The statement said the suspects had promised the people high profit on their investments but in fact they'd no such business and so, they defrauded the people and deprived them of money. It added that another suspect in the case, Sher Jan, was already in the NAB's custody.


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"Make America hate again": Hillary hits Trump and the alt-right
AllahpunditPosted at 5:21 pm on August 25, 2016
My guess on Tuesday about her strategy in this speech turned out to be spot on, right down to the Paul Ryan references (she mentioned him twice, in fact), but if you don't want to read the post you can get the gist from this tweet from a Bloomberg reporter:
Clinton speech is all about creating a permission structure for Republicans to ditch Trump—favorable shout-outs to Cruz, Ryan, McCain, GWB.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 25, 2016
Exactly. Hillary's trying to win some moderate Republican votes but that's a very heavy lift for someone named "Clinton." If she can't get them voting for her, though, the next best thing is to get them to stay home or vote for Gary Johnson. And the way to do that is to smash their sense of partisan and ideological loyalty to the Republican nominee. That's why the Democratic convention, and now this speech (transcript here), made the unusual argument that the GOP's choice for president this year does not represent Republican voters or their congressional leaders. If Hillary equates Trump with traditional conservative Republicanism, conservative Republicans will be more inclined to rally to his side while he's taking fire from her. What she wants to do is deepen the divide by convincing moderate GOPers that Trump and his allies are a malignant usurpation to which they owe no allegiance. That's why she mentioned Ryan — and Ted Cruz, and John McCain, and George W. Bush — as examples of Republicans whose values Trump has affronted. This is Hillary's "vote for me or stay home" pitch to righties who loathe the alt-right as much as the alt-right loathes them.
The Wall Street Journal describes [the alt-right] as a loosely organized movement, mostly online, that "rejects mainstream conservatism, promotes nationalism and views immigration and multiculturalism as threats to white identity."
The de facto merger between Breitbart and the Trump Campaign represents a landmark achievement for the "Alt-Right." A fringe element has effectively taken over the Republican Party…
This is a moment of reckoning for every Republican dismayed that the Party of Lincoln has become the Party of Trump. It's a moment of reckoning for all of us who love our country and believe that America is better than this…
Every day, more Americans are standing up and saying "enough is enough" – including a lot of Republicans. I'm honored to have their support.
And I promise you this: with your help, I will be a President for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. For those who vote for me and those who don't.
Her speech is the mirror image of Trump's "prebuttal" in that both dwell on racist sentiments towards minorities but both are aimed at a white, somewhat conservative audience. Those are the voters who'll decide if Trump has a chance to win, after all, not blacks or Latinos.
Her outreach to mainstream Republicans comes at a price, though. John made an excellent point yesterday about Hillary's choice to effectively elevate the alt-right today by making them an official Threat To Democratic Rule. A lot of right-wingers who don't know anything about the movement will be curious about it now, and open to accepting it — at least initially — as an unapologetic warrior in the battle with the left. Jesse Walker is dead right about how this might play out long-term, calling today's address an "alt-right recruitment speech." It helps the alt-right, obviously, by raising their public profile and that in turn helps Hillary and her party since having the alt-right as the face of the GOP is a much more desirable foil for the left than, say, mild-mannered midwesterner Paul Ryan is. The big loser is those moderate Republicans whose vote Hillary is asking for today, as they'll now have to battle even harder to keep control of the GOP away from the alt-right insurgency. Walker:
That's what happens when you take an obscure political faction and make them the starring villain in a speech by the presidential frontrunner: You give them a signal boost. You promote them from internet fringe to center of gravity. You build up their myth. As the '60s radical Jerry Rubin, co-founder of the Yippies, put it in another context, "To build their myth they exaggerate our myth—they create a Yippie Menace. The menace helps create the reality." The left's best organizer, Rubin declared, was George Wallace. When he attacked them, he made them seem larger.
Needless to say, the benefits flowed both ways. (Wallace once told some Yippie hecklers, "Some of your actions tonight have helped me get a lot of votes.") It's entirely possible that Clinton's speech will help her politically. Most voters who take a look at the alt-right are going to be repelled by what they see, and if they associate it with Trump they'll be motivated to vote against him. That's the way polarization politics works: Two opposing sides grow at the expense of everyone else.
"Everyone else" in this case includes movement conservatives, libertarians, and centrists. In a country that's trending towards majority-minority, it's to Democrats' advantage in a narrow sense to help the other party along in becoming white nationalist; that's a winning proposition numerically for the left. Whether having an overtly white party forever pitted against an overtly brown party is good for America is a separate question. I'm sanguine about the short-term consequences of elevating the alt-right, though: So long as Republican voters really know what they're getting into, i.e. that "alt-right" means more than "people Hillary doesn't like," I'd rather know how many prefer alt-rightism on the merits than have to guess. Let's not be under any more illusions about what the American right is and what its values really are. The sooner everyone has a clear sense of the numbers in both camps, the sooner the third-party calculations can begin for one group or the other.
One more point. I think Jeff is right about this, needless to say
This is a speech, I can already tell won't have any immediate effect upon actual voters. Not the audience. It's to the MSM: "PLZ WEAPONIZE."
— Jeff B/DDHQ (@EsotericCD) August 25, 2016
The share of voters who will see or read about Clinton's speech is small, I'm sure. This message will carry only if the media carries it for her, and they'll need to carry it for awhile. This is her handing them the ball by making it an official Campaign Issue. If they come after Trump for it now, it's not the "media's agenda," it's a charge made by the Democratic nominee that needs answering.
Tags: alt-right bannon breitbart health Hillary Clinton paranoia racism trump


If today is just a taste of the effects of Hurricane Joaquin, the East Coast may be in serious trouble. Flash flood warnings are in effect for Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Charleston, SC has already seen intense flooding. Cars can be seen stranded and flooded in Charleston streets. Much of this rain is due to a stalled front offshore, and very high available moisture. Some of this moisture has come in from the Gulf Of Mexico, which is directly related to the flooding in South Carolina. Urban areas experience more flooding than rural areas, the reason being is that cities have mostly concrete, which cannot absorb record rainfalls like the earth can in rural areas.
Hurricane Joaquin, now a strong category 4 storm targeting the U.S. East Coast. Most hurricane forecast models show Hurricane Joaquin making direct landfall on the East Coast. Granted these models can and do change daily, it is still certain that record rainfalls will occur in several states, causing immense property damage. North Caroline, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C, Parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, And New Jersey are most at risk for torrential rains, from today and into the weekend.
Some states are taking the warning signs very seriously. Take for example New jersey, their Governor, Chris Christie has declared a State of Emergency already, despite Hurricane Joaquin not yet making landfall in the U.S. He has done so in the face of the severe weather already effecting East Coast states, as well as the possible threat of Hurricane Joaquin. Chris Christie has tweeted today "We are prepared. I need everyone to not panic." The governor is not trying to cause panic, stating matter of fact way "I'm not here to say Sandy II is coming. I have no way of knowing that. But what I want people to know is if it did, we're as prepared as you could be to deal with it,".
There is a storm system which is not related to Hurricane Joaquin, but rather due to a tropical frontal boundary, making its way to the shores of New jersey. They are predicting moderate to major flooding in South Jersey Friday and Saturday due to this storm system. If Hurricane Joaquin veers to close, this system could create perfect storm conditions along much of the Eastern Coastline of the U.S, so many of these states, including new jersey are already preparing for the worst.
As for Hurricane Joaquin, it is too soon to tell what type of damage it will cause. People living along the East Coast need to be prepared however for the worst. This includes having an evacuation plan in place, should your home become flooded. If you live in the danger zones, you should also have supplies on hand to last you 1 week, of food and water. It is far better to be prepared and not need these things, than to need them and not have them.


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Ladánybene is een plaats (község) en gemeente in het Hongaarse comitaat Bács-Kiskun. Ladánybene telt 1701 inwoners (2002).

Plaats in Hongarije