A fashionable girl craves all of the best travel accessories; taking off for a weekend getaway or simply going for a long bike ride requires the right kind of bag and workout gear. The paisley printed, American made Stephanie Dawn bags are perfect for carrying all of your essentials. Throw on some cute sneakers and a nice workout tee by Ryka to complete the ensemble.
Designs by Ryka are made specifically for women [by women]… so they tailor to all of our female needs. These black/ purple sneakers are coming soon for Fall, but there are plenty of summertime options to chose from on their website. Go for a playful bright sneaker this summer to get you excited to be on the run!
The tees and tanks are moisture absorbent so they keep you feeling fresh, even after breaking a sweat. The perforated styles have a refreshing breathability to them, which is necessary for a run or hike on a hot summer's day.
Going on a hike doesn't allow for much baggage to be dragged along. The Stephanie Dawn bag shown in a classic paisley print is a must have for occasions like this. You can pack in a few water bottles, some snacks, and take off! A blanket would also fit perfectly, for those who enjoy a post- workout picnic.
This bag also comes in handy for casual weekend trips. A suitcase is too big, and a backpack is too small. There are pockets to compartmentalize what you bring, too! You can fit in a few outfits and basic travel gear in here for a simple and fashionable journey. ACTIVE weekend gear for the girls written by Bianca Scherrei.


Access to the e-course requires an issuance of free account. Please specify the below information and e-mail it to psb.supplies@unfpa.org. Upon receiving and reviewing the information, a new account will be created and e-mailed to interested individuals.


Shako is Arty Conliffe's rules for the Napoleonic Wars. It is now into its second version with Shako II.
James Falkus, Rich Wilcox, Chris Harrod and I wanted to try out Shako II. Because of my recent enthusiasm (Spanish Units at Albuera) I suggested the Albuera scenario from Fields of Glory (FOG). FOG is for Shako I and some aspects of the scenario bug me but nobody had the energy to make up a different scenario and we hoped it would be a good game anyway. It was!
I've collected together some interesting Shako I ideas from other people. I've reproduced them here mainly so I don't have to go hunting for them again.
Chris Harrod and I tried out my Oriamendi East Scenario with Shako II. It was great to get the Carlist War figures onto the table.
Shako permits any basing system but recommends a few. I've gone for something slightly different to be consistent with my Shako Basing for the First Carlist War and Basing for the Liberators Quick Play Rules.(for the Chilean Campaign 1817-18) so I can do some mixing and matching of figures and/or rules.
I've put together a few ideas on the Spanish Orders of Battle for the Battle of Medina de Rio Seco (14 Jul 1808) for Shako.
As I start looking at writing more historical scenarios for Shako I thought I'd compile some guidelines for Scenario design. Mostly these are based on the Shako rules or suggestions in Fields of Glory.
Boina is the name I've given my Shako variant for the First Carlist War. This is a Boina scenario for the eastern part of the Battle of Oriameni (or Battle of Hernani) 16 Mar 1837.
Boina is the name I've given my Shako variant for the First Carlist War. This is a Boina scenario for the Battle of Oriameni (or Battle of Hernani) 16 Mar 1837.
The Crossfire supplement Hit the Dirt contains maps made using Campaign Cartographer 2 (CC2 Pro) (available from www.profantasy.com). Bill Rutherford, one of the authors of Hit the Dirt, kindly gave me some advice on using CC2 and the notes below are based on Bill's advice and my own fumbling experiences.
Shako offers a default orders of battle for the Peninsular and Fields of Glory (FOG) – the Shako scenario book as opposed to the rules – has some Peninsular scenarios, including Albuera. I thought it would be interesting to compare these to each other and to the Historical Order of Battle.
Boina is the name I've given my Shako variant for the First Carlist War.
I like Shako so I set myself the challenge of adapting it for use in the First Carlist War. I called this variant "Boina" in honour of the berets worn by the Carlist troops.


Not long after this story went to press, plant purveyer B. Willow opened on the corner of W. 27th Street and Cresmont Avenue.
Remington has attracted the attention of Baltimore's entrepreneurs. A host of business are open now or opening soon that weren't there six months ago.
The biggest is, of course, R. House. Like much of the development activity in recent years, it is a project from Seawall Development. The former Anderson Auto Body building at Remington Ave. and W. 29th Street is now a food hall boasting nine chef-driven miniature restaurants, a full-service bar, and a pop up space that will host a progression of temporary food concepts.
Ground & Griddled serves coffee and egg sandwiches. Amano Taco serves Mexico-style tacos, sides, and drinks. BeBim serves Korean BBQ, kimchi, and dumplings. ARBA offers Mediterranean street food classics as well as creative riffs on those flavors and styles. BRD has fried chicken in various forms and sides to complement it. White Envelope stuffs their arepas, a type of cornbread, with meats, vegetables, and sauces inspired by the cuisine of Venezuela. Blk//Sugar's baked breads and desserts share space with Little Baby's Ice Cream. Hilo brings sushi's Hawaiian cousin, poke, to Remington. And Stall 11 turns local produce from Urban Pastoral into vegetarian main-dishes inspired by old-world street food.
Diners pick and choose from the different stalls and eat in any of several common seating areas, include two designed to be kid-friendly. R. House has parking on site and Seawall also rents a large section of the Police building parking lot across the street for patrons to use.
Blacksauce Kitchen is now open for carryout on Thursdays from 11am to 8pm at 29th and Miles Avenue. The BBQ and biscuit eatery's business is still mostly in catering, farmer's markets, and special events.
Remington Wine Company opened in late December on 29th where Sav-It Liquors & Lottery used to be. This family-run store specializes in wine but also has a selection of beer and liquor. It currently can do only a limited quantity of tastings, but hopes to get permission soon from the state to expand that offering.
Old Market Barbers is open on Lorraine Avenue at Howard Street. A basic men's haircut is $18, kids and seniors for $15. The owner, Daniel Wells, is renovating a home here in Remington and hopes to move in later this year. He also owns Hampden's Old Bank Barbers.
Twenty20 Cycling Co. plans to combine their two existing stores into one, larger bicycle shop opening onto the 29th St face of the "grey ghost" building at Remington Ave and 29th, behind Pizza Boli's.
Howard Bank will join the retail tenants at Remington Row.
B. Willow interior plant and floral design is nearing completion of its retail and workshop location at Cresmont Avenue and W. 27th Street.
And finally, the planned daycare tenant at Guardian Angel has fallen through. The church is now looking for a new tenant, childcare or otherwise, for the 3,150 sq ft space. Contact guardianangelremington@gmail.com for info.


Source: The Greenwich Press. Thursday, May 8, 1930. Page 10.
Captain Matthew Mead Branch, No. 11, Sons of the American Revolution, has been organized in Greenwich at a meeting of nearly 20 eligible members. Th Sons of the American Revolution is a companion organization to the Daughters of the American Revolution, of which there is a strong chapter in Greenwich, although there is no actual affiliation between the two.
Captain Mead was one of the most important figures in the early history of Greenwich, of which he was a lifelong resident, born in 1734 and dying in 1812 at the age of 78 years. He married Miss Mary Bush in 1759, and to them were born 12 children.
Even before the Revolution started, he was active in military affairs. On May 13, 1773, we find him commissioned captain of a new company, or "train band," as it was called. With the outbreak of the war he was made captain of the 13th Company, Ninth Regiment, Connecticut Militia, commanded by his brother, Lieut. Col. John Mead, whose date of marching was August 13, 1776. He was discharged on September 23, 1777, and on December 19, 1778, was made a member of the committee of safety.
It is indeed fitting that his name should be perpetuated thus by the Sons of the American Revolution in Greenwich. The D.A.R. is an organization that has long played an important part in the life of the community, and there is every indication that the new organization will play and equally important role. It certainly will not lack historic background.
Source: The Greenwich Press. Thursday, May 8, 1930. Page 2.
The will of the late Willis T. Mead, who died on March 4, 1930, at the age of 71 years, has been revoked by Judge Steven L. Radford because since the date of the will, Dec. 18, 1878 the deceased married and had three children. The estate is therefore declared intestate, and S. Warren Mead, a brother, has been named administrator.
The will left all of the real and personal estate of the deceased to Alice Acker, daughter of Abrahim Acker, of Greenwich. Julian B. Curtiss was named as executor, Mr. Mead's wife died several years ago. He leaves three children, Adele Kendrick, of Miami, Florida; Truman Mead, of Mount Vernon New York and Harold Mead, of Flushing, L. I. The petition filed with the will sets forth that the personal estate does not exceed $300.


Player 1: A,D, - rotate. W,S - adjust power. Space - fire.
Player 2: Arrow keys for rotation and power, right ctrl for fire.
The game automatically restarts if a player dies. Just re-select your starting planets if you want to play again.
Give it a spin, preferably with a friend or loved one, and let me know if this project is worth taking further.
Cooldown. I miss being able to fire a storm of bullets. Any chance for 2 keys to adjust cooldown?
Sounds! This game needs sounds so bad. An ambient (fire sound, like the sun slowly burning), bullet firing, bullet hitting, ship exploding.
When I first started reading about this I assumed we could travel around the system in our ships. Obviously I've discovered otherwise, and it's still cool. However! It would be suuuuuuuper awesome if we could navigate in-system. Perhaps allowing us to "break orbit", then power away under our own thrust. "Orbit" could be an option too...if the player's velocity was low enough it would throw them into a standard orbit around the nearest body (including moon?) Save this for later if too complicated, and I realize it would be super easy to leave the system thru bad piloting, but it would be so cool. Split screen would be needed too I guess. Just tossing out ideas.
So yeah, definitely keep working on this. Really cool stuff. Makes me want to stop working on my current project and try something similar! I've always wanted to do something like this.
And we need multiplayer! You better have plans to make this client-server or something with tons of players able to join the server (solar system).
Different ship types! More weapons! Why are you reading this and not programming more?!!!!!!!
I gotta be somewhat careful with the orbits, since that's the concept. If I let you just fly your ship around, that's Star Control. I wouldn't mind some kind of option to let you go to another planet, though it might indeed quickly get too complicated.
I basically just want something like Scorched Earth in space. That said, I really do need to get working on the weapons and ships, since that's going to be the really cool part. MIRVs, hell yeah!
Ok, overall, there's a very cool look to the game, even at this early stage. The "Scorched Earth in space" idea is actually an awesome idea full of potential!
Here's some things I noticed, which perhaps you've already considered. I realize this is at a very early stage of development, but in case you haven't thought of these points, I'm posting this.
1) I'm with Chris Rasmus on the "cooldown" aspect. I liked the storm of bullets effect in the previous version, although it's understandable that you toned it down in this version. The bullet trails were mesmerizing when there were dozens of them on the screen at once! The current amount of bullets allowed due to cooldown seems to limiting, since it's very difficult to get off that one great shot with the constant changing of the planet/gravity positions. If the player has to build up his combat abilities via power-ups (like Scorched Earth), then the current bullet limitation (as the player's beginning point) is understandable, assuming it can be upgraded as the player progresses.
2) Currently, the player who chooses an inner planet as his base is at a severe disadvantage, especially if his opponent chooses the most outer planet! If the player chooses the planet closest to the sun, their bullets have extreme difficulty escaping the gravity of the sun, much less reaching the outskirts of the solar system and hitting the opponent. Their bullets travel much slower, and may fade out before getting close to the opponent. There's also much more risk of their bullets orbiting the sun and hitting their own base! Meanwhile, the player from the outer planet can take potshots at the inner planets, with their bullets sped up by the pull of gravity towards the center, and much less likely to orbit back into them!
Well, that's it for now. My two points might actually be worked into the gameplay's favor and not have to be changed. "Cooldown" can give the player the incentive to work towards upgrades. And if the player's base is randomly assigned to the innermost planet, they will have to fight their way out of such a disadvantage. I don't think a player would choose the innermost planet on their own, though, in the game's current state.


text:
// Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
// Licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE in project root for information.

package com.microsoft.ml.spark
import org.apache.spark.annotation.DeveloperApi
import org.apache.spark.ml.param._
import org.apache.spark.ml.util._
import org.apache.spark.ml._
import org.apache.spark.sql._
import org.apache.spark.sql.types._
import reflect.runtime.universe.{TypeTag, typeTag}
import scala.collection.mutable.ListBuffer

object CleanMissingData extends DefaultParamsReadable[CleanMissingData] {
  val meanOpt = "Mean"
  val medianOpt = "Median"
  val customOpt = "Custom"
  val modes = Array(meanOpt, medianOpt, customOpt)

  def validateAndTransformSchema(schema: StructType,
                                 inputCols: Array[String],
                                 outputCols: Array[String]): StructType = {
    inputCols.zip(outputCols).foldLeft(schema)((oldSchema, io) => {
      if (oldSchema.fieldNames.contains(io._2)) {
        val index = oldSchema.fieldIndex(io._2)
        val fields = oldSchema.fields
        fields(index) = oldSchema.fields(oldSchema.fieldIndex(io._1))
        StructType(fields)
      } else {
        oldSchema.add(oldSchema.fields(oldSchema.fieldIndex(io._1)))
      }
    })
  }
}

/** Removes missing values from input dataset.
  * The following modes are supported:
  *   Mean   - replaces missings with mean of fit column
  *   Median - replaces missings with approximate median of fit column
  *   Custom - replaces missings with custom value specified by user
  * For mean and median modes, only numeric column types are supported, specifically:
  *   `Int`, `Long`, `Float`, `Double`
  * For custom mode, the types above are supported and additionally:
  *   `String`, `Boolean`
  */
class CleanMissingData(override val uid: String) extends Estimator[CleanMissingDataModel]
  with HasInputCols with HasOutputCols with MMLParams {

  def this() = this(Identifiable.randomUID("CleanMissingData"))

  val cleaningMode = StringParam(this, "cleaningMode", "cleaning mode", CleanMissingData.meanOpt)
  def setCleaningMode(value: String): this.type = set(cleaningMode, value)
  def getCleaningMode: String = $(cleaningMode)

  /** Custom value for imputation, supports numeric, string and boolean types.
    * Date and Timestamp currently not supported.
    */
  val customValue = StringParam(this, "customValue", "custom value for replacement")
  def setCustomValue(value: String): this.type = set(customValue, value)
  def getCustomValue: String = $(customValue)

  /** Fits the dataset, prepares the transformation function.
    *
    * @param dataset The input dataset.
    * @return The model for removing missings.
    */
  override def fit(dataset: Dataset[_]): CleanMissingDataModel = {
    val replacementValues = getReplacementValues(dataset, getInputCols, getOutputCols, getCleaningMode)
    new CleanMissingDataModel(uid, replacementValues, getInputCols, getOutputCols)
  }

  override def copy(extra: ParamMap): Estimator[CleanMissingDataModel] = defaultCopy(extra)

  @DeveloperApi
  override def transformSchema(schema: StructType): StructType =
    CleanMissingData.validateAndTransformSchema(schema, getInputCols, getOutputCols)

  // Only support numeric types (no string, boolean or Date/Timestamp) for numeric imputation
  private def isSupportedTypeForImpute(dataType: DataType): Boolean = dataType.isInstanceOf[NumericType]

  private def verifyColumnsSupported(dataset: Dataset[_], colsToClean: Array[String]): Unit = {
    colsToClean.foreach(columnName =>
      if (!isSupportedTypeForImpute(dataset.schema(columnName).dataType))
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Only numeric types supported for numeric imputation"))
  }

  private def getReplacementValues(dataset: Dataset[_],
                                   colsToClean: Array[String],
                                   outputCols: Array[String],
                                   mode: String): Map[String, Any] = {
    import org.apache.spark.sql.functions._
    val columns = colsToClean.map(col => dataset(col))
    val metrics = getCleaningMode match {
      case CleanMissingData.meanOpt => {
        // Verify columns are supported for imputation
        verifyColumnsSupported(dataset, colsToClean)
        val row = dataset.select(columns.map(column => avg(column)): _*).collect()(0)
        rowToValues(row)
      }
      case CleanMissingData.medianOpt => {
        // Verify columns are supported for imputation
        verifyColumnsSupported(dataset, colsToClean)
        val row = dataset.select(columns.map(column => callUDF("percentile_approx", column, lit(0.5))): _*).collect()(0)
        rowToValues(row)
      }
      case CleanMissingData.customOpt => {
        // Note: All column types supported for custom value
        colsToClean.map(col => getCustomValue)
      }
    }
    outputCols.zip(metrics).toMap
  }

  private def rowToValues(row: Row): Array[Double] = {
    val avgs = ListBuffer[Double]()
    for (i <- 0 until row.size) {
      avgs += row.getDouble(i)
    }
    avgs.toArray
  }
}

/** Model produced by [[CleanMissingData]]. */
class CleanMissingDataModel(val uid: String,
                            val replacementValues: Map[String, Any],
                            val inputCols: Array[String],
                            val outputCols: Array[String])
    extends Model[CleanMissingDataModel] with ConstructorWritable[CleanMissingDataModel] {

  val ttag: TypeTag[CleanMissingDataModel] = typeTag[CleanMissingDataModel]
  def objectsToSave: List[Any] = List(uid, replacementValues, inputCols, outputCols)

  override def copy(extra: ParamMap): CleanMissingDataModel =
    new CleanMissingDataModel(uid, replacementValues, inputCols, outputCols)

  override def transform(dataset: Dataset[_]): DataFrame = {
    val datasetCols = dataset.columns.map(name => dataset(name)).toList
    val datasetInputCols = inputCols.zip(outputCols)
      .flatMap(io =>
        if (io._1 == io._2) {
          None
        } else {
          Some(dataset(io._1).as(io._2))
        }).toList
    val addedCols = dataset.select((datasetCols ::: datasetInputCols):_*)
    addedCols.na.fill(replacementValues)
  }

  @DeveloperApi
  override def transformSchema(schema: StructType): StructType =
    CleanMissingData.validateAndTransformSchema(schema, inputCols, outputCols)
}

object CleanMissingDataModel extends ConstructorReadable[CleanMissingDataModel]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Your order is shipped by either UPS or FedEx Standard Ground service, Canada Post XpressPost, or Expedited Parcel service.
On the day your order is shipped we will notify you by email with your unique Tracking Number.
Just have your Tracking Number handy, and they will update you on your shipment status.
Just visit www.FedEx.com and enter your Tracking Number using their online Tracking Service. You can receive up-to-the-minute information whenever you choose, or: 2. Phone 1-800-GO-FEDEX and Speak to a Customer Service Representative Just have your Tracking Number handy, and they will update you on your shipment status.
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text:
1,502 MCNELIS members around the world
Stay informed about MCNELIS Family online & offline events!
Keep me informed as to MCNELIS Family online & offline events
My MCNELIS family came from?
MCNELIS Family History
Recorded as MacNelis, McNelis, MacNellis, McNellis and Nellis, this is an Irish surname of great antiquity. It derives from the pre 12th century Gaelic surname 'Mac Niallghuis', which loosely translates as 'The son of Neil, the vigourus one'. As to why Neil was full of vigour is unclear, but in the majority of Irish clan surnames, the origination is to do with a particular aspect of the original chief. This clan were originally from County Donegal in the far west of the country where they were coarbs, or hereditary holders of church lands and properties, at Donegal parish until about 1530.
Tell us about any famous MCNELIS (or surname variant) you think we should add here. We will get our genealogists to check them out and add them to the list. Thanks!
Your email: Please enter the famous MCNELIS roughly when they were alive/Date of birth/Date of death:
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MCNELIS
My Great-Great Grandmother was Susan McNeelis Lyons (@1814-1879). She immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States from Ireland, on May 27, 1851 on the ship "Courier" and was from "Donegal" . She was with her 4 children (Ann, Mary, Susan and John) and was joining her husband, Owen Lyons (@1811-1853). Owen immigrated four years earlier from Ireland arriving on Sept 6, 1847, on the ship "Burlington" from Liverpool to New York and was going to "Pennsylvania". He joined his brother-in-law, Thomas McNeelis (@1813-1899), who was a grocer in Philadelphia. By 1850, Thomas McNeelis was an innkeeper in Philadelphia. In 1854 he then was an innkeeper at the Atlantic Hotel in the newly named resort city of Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. He then became the second postmaster of Atlantic City, New Jersey (30 June 1856 to 27 Sept 1858 ). I saw a newspaper article of 18 Feb 1856 where "...the Brigantine House on Brigantine Beach ....occupied by Maj. McNeelis was entirely washed away and carried out to sea during a recent storm..." Brigantine is just north of Atlantic City. I do believe this is our Thomas McNeelis. I do not know why he is titled "Major" , abbreviated as "Maj." and cannot find more info on him in military records. I would like to find more info on the McNeelis family from County Donegal, Ireland. What townland are they from?
Brian Francis McNellis
I don't know who went before Ralph Cornelius McNellis of Donegal Ireland. I would like to know who went before my grandfather for a start. Ralph Cornelius McNelis was a alcoholic womanizer who bailed out on his four kids and wife Isabelle Brennan. Isabel Brennan, my grandmother went on to become the oldest living McNellis in America.
Robert Joseph McNellis war hero son a Ralph Cornelius McNellis of Donegal Ireland
My Father Robert Joseph McNellis was a war hero in world war II and Korea.
Your name * Your email * My MCNELIS family came from? -Select- I don't know Aberdeen Angus Argyll Ayrshire Banffshire Borders Caithness Dumfries and Galloway Edinburgh Fife Inverness-shire Kincardineshire Lanarkshire Midlothian Moray Nairnshire Perth Renfrewshire Ross-shire Stirling Sutherland Western Isles
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Throughout Michigan there is a lot of talk about modernizing our state's infrastructure. In addition to the need to upgrade roads, bridges, and water pipes, we are also making strides to update something that is often overlooked, but that is just as important to the safety and well-being of residents — the Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS).
About 25 years ago, the MPSCS was established to provide a statewide radio communication network for first responders. According to the Department of Technology, Management & Budget, which operates the system, it is a stable, secure framework for interoperable communications among local, state, federal, tribal and private first responders, supplying a public safety communication resource for all.
With more than 244 radio towers and 66,000 radios, the network spans nearly 60,000 square miles and is the second-largest trunked communication system in the world.
I am proud to say that Grand Traverse County will be joining the newly expanded MPSCS this spring. During March and April, the county will be switching 750 radios and 250 specialty pagers to the fast, reliable and far-reaching network to provide better communications for the county's first responders, which will benefit all who live and visit the county.
I was honored to join MPSCS's Brad Stoddard, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Emergency Communications Activities' Admiral Mike Hewitt, and other emergency communications professionals at the recent Statewide Interoperable Communications Conference to help announce this news.
We often take for granted the infrastructure, systems and, indeed, the people who serve our state to ensure public safety. It is a critical function of government we depend on and expect to just work when an emergency happens, and I am committed to supporting this reliable and sustainable communications network so our public safety professionals can provide the best service possible.


Earlier this month, Volkswagen appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., in an effort to overturn the NLRB's decision upholding the UAW's election win to represent about 165 skilled maintenance workers within VW's Chattanooga plant.
VW contends that the UAW should not be permitted to represent a small segment of the production and maintenance workers within a plant of about 1,800. The NLRB has consistently ruled in the UAW's favor, first by allowing the election within such a small segment of the whole plant and then by ruling that VW has refused to bargain with the UAW over the wages, hours and working conditions of the 165 maintenance workers. The NLRB's order that VW must bargain with the UAW gave VW the right to appeal. And, now the dispute has reached the U.S Court of Appeals. The U.S. Court of Appeals will likely decide the case within the next 9 to 12 months.
In addition to its appeal, VW also announced that it would no longer recognize the American Council of Employees (ACE) under its Community Organization Engagement Policy. VW instituted the Policy to voluntarily recognize unions and other organizations as representatives of groups of employees. Once recognized by VW, the organization would have certain specified rights to meet with VW's management and discuss plant issues. For an organization to be recognized under the Policy, it must represent at least 15 percent of the workers in the plant. According to VW, ACE no longer met the 15 percent threshold.
ACE was formed to counter the UAW during the UAW's 2014 campaign to represent all of VW's production and maintenance workers. UAW contends that it now represents a majority of the VW workers, but it has not yet filed for another secret ballot election with the NLRB.


This HOLIDAY HAPPINESS bouquet is chockful of reds, whites, and plenty of holiday style and elegance! Let RAMBLING ROSE FLORIST deliver this beautiful Christmas gift, along with your wishes for a happy holiday.
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Send the holiday spirit with this lovely vase of reds and burgundy.
This Joyful & Triumphant bouquet is chockful of reds, burgundy, and plenty of holiday sparkle and style! Let RAMBLING ROSE FLORIST deliver this beautiful gift, along with your wishes for a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.
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I've been threatening for a long time now, and I've finally done it. I have a book!
Running with Broadswords is the first 115 page story arc of the HOLE webcomic, the 15 page "solo adventure"Martin's Song which takes place between strip numbers 97 and 98 and contains the first appearance of Drago, a 16 page d20 adventure with an itemized map of Laketown, background on the country of Brighthaven, and full character sheets for the six members of HOLE. The back of the book is a ready-to-be-photocopied, full color set of cardboard miniatures, with all the PCs and NPCs you'll need to play the adventure within.
I am so excited I can't describe it. Obviously this was a goal of mine since the beginning of the webcomic, but the book looks so much better in person than it did in my head I almost can't stand it.
We're doing a limited run of pre-orders initially, in order to get the ball rolling with a bang! First off, all books ordered within the pre-order period (from now until October 13, 2007) will be autographed by me, and as many as I can manage without crippling myself will receive a free 8 X 10″ hand-drawn sketch of their favorite HOLE character. If you're wondering if the offer is still good, just look at the order form. If there's a field asking you who your favorite character is, then I'm still drawing sketches!
My fantastic wife Lena worked just as hard putting this book together as I did, and it wouldn't be as awesome as it is without her efforts. (In truth, it wouldn't be at all without her efforts!) So if you like HOLE, and you like the book, give the wife a nod. She earned it!
Again, I can never thank you people reading this enough. HOLE would be a pretty hollow endeavor without you, and I want you to know that I appreciate you. And yes, I'm talking to YOU. Feel free to get a warm fuzzy along with your new copy of Running with Broadswords!


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Uber and Lyft Face FCRA Class Action Lawsuits
Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn
Two class action lawsuits filed against Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. claim the ride sharing technology companies violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA), and the Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCRAA) by allegedly not providing clear background check disclosures to job applicants, according to a report on TopClassActions.com.
Top Class Actions reports that the plaintiff filing the two class action lawsuits – a former employer at Uber and Lyft in California – claimed both companies violated the FCRA requirement that background check disclosures be provided in a clear, stand-alone document. The class action lawsuits allege that both Lyft and Uber provided background check disclosures that were unclear and buried with other extraneous information.
According to FCRA class action lawsuits against Uber and Lyft: "Plaintiff alleges that Defendants routinely acquire consumer, investigative consumer and/or consumer credit reports to conduct background checks on Plaintiff and other prospective, current and former employees and use information from credit and background reports in connection with their hiring process without complying with the law."
Top Class Actions reports that the two class action lawsuits "include claims of failure to make disclosure in violation of the FCRA, failure to give proper summary of rights in violation of FCRA, failure to make proper disclosure in violation of the ICRAA, and failure to make proper disclosures in violation of the CCRAA." The plaintiff filed the class action lawsuits on behalf of himself and three consumer classes:
An FCRA Class that includes all job applicants who applied to work at Uber or Lyft in the United States within the last five years prior to the filing of these FCRA lawsuits.
An ICRAA Class that includes all job applicants who applied to work at Uber or Lyft in California within the last five years prior to the filing of these FCRA lawsuits.
An CCRAA Class that includes all job applicants who applied to work at Uber or Lyft in California in the last seven years prior to the filing these FCRA lawsuits.
The two FCRA class action lawsuits seek statutory penalties, civil penalties, punitive damages, costs of bringing these lawsuits to court, interest, and attorney's fees. The two FCRA class action lawsuits are Nokchan v. Uber Technologies Inc., Case No. 4:15-cv-03009, and Nokchan v. Lyft Inc., Case No. 3:15-cv-03008. Both class action lawsuits are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
A Note about Class Action Lawsuits
Employment Screening Resources (ESR) reminds readers that any allegations made in class action lawsuits are not proof that a business or Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) violated any law, rule, or regulation. There have been only allegations in the pleading stage and no factual adjudications. The fact that a demand for a jury trial has been made in class action lawsuits does not mean there has been a finding of any liability or that any facts have been determined or any settlement entered into at the current time. For more ESR News Blogs about FCRA class action lawsuits, visit http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/tag/class-action-lawsuits/.
Tags icon backgorund checks, Class Action Lawsuits, court cases, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Lyft, Uber
Top Trends for Background Checks Reviewed in Webinar July 8
New Pennsylvania Law Clarifies Background Check Clearances


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Home › Issues › SHORT TAKES
By on February 24, 2019 • ( 0 )
DRUNKEN IRISHMEN MAKE THE BEST EMPLOYEES. Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions had once been denied a federal judgeship due to his history with the KKK. As the US Attorney General, he inspired little confidence in his management of the DOJ, so little that his rabbi, Donald Trump, spent many tweets criticizing him. Now, we learn from Andrew McCabe that Jeffrey once commented that the FBI was well staffed with drunken Irishmen who were reliably loyal to the agency. There is no information that Jeffrey demanded that all FBI recruitment material include an affirmative action statement to the effect that Irish Need Apply as affirmative action.
DEEP STATE AT THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY. The Donald tweeted that his administration, in pursuit of its anti-Obama agenda and of restoring coal production to the nation, demanded that the TVA purchase coal from Murray Energy Company for two of the agency's aging coal-fired power plants. The CEO of Murray had contributed sizably to the Trump campaign and inauguration and had provided the administration with a plan for promoting coal production. One principle of such independent agencies is that they are governed by the federal Administrative Procedures Act, authorizing decisions to be made without arbitrariness or caprice, and upon substantial evidence. This is a type of "deep state" resistance that autocrats abhor. "You can't always get what you want."
AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD THEM. Teen gets vaccinated despite parents' concerns: 'I was doing it for my safety and the safety of others'. Ethan Lindenberger of Ohio says he got vaccinated when he turned 18, despite his parents' concerns. Having grown up as an unvaccinated child, he turned to Reddit with questions on how to get vaccines after concluding that his mother's fears of vaccination were unfounded. He especially worried about his two younger siblings, he said, although they cannot yet decide on their own to get vaccinated.
RANKED CHOICE VOTING FAILS IN VIRGINIA. Efforts to allow "ranked-choice" ("instant-runoff") voting in local elections has died in a state Senate committee. The measure would have allowed localities to adopt ranked-choice voting for boards of supervisors and city councils, starting in 2020. It was killed on a 10-4 vote of the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, with two Democrats joining eight Republicans in nixing the bill. Ranked-choice voting is the method already used by the Arlington County Democratic Committee in its caucuses, giving voters the ability to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives 50 percent plus one of the vote on the first ballot, the lowest-vote-getting candidate is eliminated and his or her votes are reallocated as directed by the voters. The process is repeated as many times as needed until the top-finishing candidate achieves more than half the votes. Proponents of the procedure say it makes it less likely that a fringe candidate will secure victory in a crowded field, and encourages campaigns to be run in a positive manner, since candidates will be trying to become the second (or third, or fourth) choice of voters even if they are not the first.
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BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – The Fannin County School System officially became the second county in the state of Georgia to adopt a policy giving the option of arming school personnel. In April, the Laurens County school board in Georgia adopted a similar policy.
Standing room only as citizens gather to voice their opinion on GAMB.
The unanimous decision by the Fannin County Board of Education (BOE) is one that board members said they did not take lightly and that much thought and planning was involved in the policy of Possession of Weapons by Employees or GAMB.
"We have given careful consideration to as many aspects of this as we possibly can," board member Terry Bramlett stated during closing thoughts.
This decision by the BOE was not met without opposition as the Fannin County Board of Education facility was filled to capacity Thursday night.
Board members listened to several speakers from the community. Ten citizens in all signed up to have their voices heard during public commentary.
Warberg's feelings were shared by others during public commentary. Dr. Kyle Raque, a clinical psychologist, cited that there is no evidence that arming school personnel works to provide a safer environment.
Former FBI profiler Brent Warberg urges board members to not adopt the new policy.
Most who spoke in opposition of the newly adopted policy offered other solutions to the issue of safety on school campuses. Among the solutions discussed were those of addressing mental health of not just students, but of faculty as well, and trying to intervene at a young age when a child first shows signs of mental illness.
As many spoke in opposition, just as many spoke in favor of the GAMB policy. The public commentary portion of the meeting was split evenly between the two sides.
"I commend you all for having the guts to do this," Taylor added.
Before board members placed their vote, Fannin County Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney reiterated his views that he had expressed during the April BOE meeting when the GAMB policy was first read.
"There is no higher purpose of our school system than to provide a safe and secure environment for our students, faculty and staff," Gwatney said, explaining his position on adopting the policy.
Former resource officer Jack Taylor commends the board for taking steps to adopt the new policy.
"As a professional educator, I will be the first to say that simply increasing the number of weapons already legally on our campuses is not, at least in of itself, the answer," Gwatney said, acknowledging that the issues faced when dealing with violence is multifaceted and other aspects such as mental health need also be addressed.
It was clear by Gwatney's speech that his biggest concern when it comes to setting policy for the safety of Fannin County schools is the mistake of taking no action at all.
After fully reading the policy for a second time and with tension high in the room, the BOE unanimously passed GAMB. Many present in opposition of the policy stormed out of the building upon its passing.
Those approved to carry weapons on school property must meet and adhere to certain criteria, the first of which being that proper training and review of skill must be approved in advance by the superintendent and the Fannin County Sheriff's Office.
Fannin County Board of Education unanimously votes to adopt new GAMB policy.
Types and quantities of weapons and ammunition each individual will be allowed to possess will be approved and monitored by the Fannin County Sheriff's Office and the superintendent.
Specific guidelines were also laid out in the new policy for proper carrying and storage of weapons.
4. Weapons possessed or carried by personnel under this paragraph shall be secured as follows: Concealed weapons are permitted if they are carried in a holster and not in a purse, briefcase, bag, or similar other accessory which is not secured on the body. If maintained separate from the body, the weapon shall be maintained in a secured lock safe or similar lock box that cannot be easily accessed by students.
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – The Feb. 8 Fannin County Board of Education (BOE) meeting was packed, with many left at standing room only, as parents and supporters of Fannin County Athletics gathered once again to voice concerns over the direction of the program.
The Board of Education listens as public commentary focuses on athletics.
School principals were present to help usher the crowd and school resource officers were stationed at all emergency exits.
"Our room is at capacity," Gwatney continued. Gwatney announced that the BOE had set up accommodations in expectations of the large turnout. The meeting would be streaming online and alternate locations had been set up at the high school as an overflow where supporters could watch the live-stream.
Ten community members signed up prior to the meeting to ensure that their voices would be heard during public commentary.
Donnie Kendall, who spoke at the January BOE meeting, led the way again and spoke first during the public's allotted time.
Kendall voiced that the same accountability that is placed on educators in the school system should also be placed on coaches, citing the boys basketball team finishing with just three wins and 21 losses.
In comparing this with an academic classroom where only three students were passing with 21 failing, Kendall stated that that educators job would come into question, and the likelihood of their position being renewed would be slim.
Donnie Kendall addresses the board first during public commentary at the BOE meeting.
"If you choose coaching as career path, you will ultimately be judged by your wins and losses," Kendall added.
A point of concern among many of the public commentators and mentioned first by Kendall is a need for the BOE to produce total financial transparency of the athletic departments. Kendall, like many others, would like to know what formulas are in place for the funding and who is responsible for the financial decisions.
Another commentator, Cliff Shirah spoke from experience on the financial transparency that is desired by parents. Shirah has been treasurer of the Dugout Club for four years.
In those four years, Shirah cited that approximately $192,000 had been raised by the community for this club and the money directly supports Fannin County Athletics.
"We want to know how programs are funded and from what budget, and what is the process or guidelines that those decisions are made?" Shirah questioned the BOE.
Brian Johnson counters reasons given by administration about the state of Fannin County Athletics.
Ryan Walton, who also spoke alongside Donnie Kendall at the January BOE meeting, did not agree with the explanations that the administration has offered. "All I've heard is excuses on why we don't compete. I haven't heard any answers," Walton said.
Other parents were present giving testimonials on how success in athletics directly correlates with success in a child's personal life and their academics. These parents expressed concern over what they saw as the coaches' lack of involvement with or enthusiasm displayed for their athletes.
Ultimately, the parents and supporters united under a common theme of change. They wish to see a winning culture come back to Fannin County and want the full chain of command, from the BOE down to the coaches, to take responsibility for this turn around.
Follow FetchYourNews as we look into obtaining full financial transparency for the Fannin County Athletics Department.
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – The Fannin County Board of Education (BOE) began 2018 by restructuring their board. This restructuring took place publicly at their Jan. 11 meeting.
New Chairman of the Board of Education Lewis DeWeese.
Bearden then made the motion for Lewis DeWeese to step in as chairman of the BOE, with board member Steve Stanley seconding the motion. The board voted unanimously for this change, with DeWeese refraining from voting.
Stanley then made the motion for Chad Galloway to step in as vice chairman of the BOE, and fellow board member Terry Bramlett seconded this motion. Galloway abstained from voting, but was unanimously voted in by other members of the board.
The BOE discussed their meeting schedule and voted to keep the schedule the same for the 2018 calendar year.
New Vice Chairman of the Board of Education Chad Galloway.
The newly arranged board then got straight to business reviewing the latest financial report for the Fannin County School System. The report showed the latest information as of Nov. 30, 2017, these numbers account for 41.66 percent of the annual 2017-2018 budget.
"Local revenues are at 22 percent ($4,037,844.60) versus 20 percent for this time last year. Total revenues are at 30 percent ($10,021,377.90) versus 29 percent this time last year, and total expenditures are currently at 40 percent ($13,589,826.95) versus 41 percent this time last year," Gwatney pointed out.
Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds collected for November 2017 totaled $466,740.32.
"This is a healthy financial report," Gwatney concluded.
Heather Finely, director of Instructional Technology, was present at the board meeting to present the public with the highlights of how the Fannin County School System is staying up-to-date with the ever changing world of technology.
Finely stated that she and her team are currently working on a three-year plan on how to approach technology advancements and how these advancements would best be utilized in Fannin County schools.
A major focus of this three-year plan is the use of WiFi technology in education. In a student survey conducted at the schools, 84 percent of students reported to have working Internet at their home, and 76 percent felt that they could do homework that requires Internet access. Only 11 percent of the students who responded said that they have no way to complete homework that requires Internet access.
Fannin County School System has been working to aid the students without any Internet access. Currently, five buses used by the county to transport students are equipped with WiFi capabilities.
Internet access in the schools is improving as well. "The state provides us with 750 mbs of Internet service. We purchase an additional 250 from TDS," Finely explained of the Internet speed.
There are currently 108 WiFi access points in instructional areas throughout the schools. Finely hopes to up the number of WiFi access points in the schools, citing that the schools having cinder block walls slows the connections in some areas.
There are 1,749 mobile tablets currently available for students and teachers to use while at school. Finely pointed out that the school would also like to offer tablets for students to be able to take home for use. A grant has been applied for that would help to reach this goal.
"Right now, students in AP (advanced placement) take one home to use," Finely spoke of the current use of mobile tablets.
The Fannin County Board of Education will hold their next regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018.
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – The Fannin County School System was recognized for outstanding achievement in its farm-to-school program.
The Board of Education receives Golden Radish Award on behalf of all schools in our district.
Over 40 percent of school districts in Georgia participate in this program. Combined, these districts served more than 97 million school meals with local food items during the 2016-17 school year.
Georgia Organics founded the state's first farm-to-school program in 2007. "It's astounding that over 40 percent of our school districts are actively involved in The Golden Radish Awards after only four years of establishing the program," Georgia Organics Executive Director Alice Rolls stated.
Fannin County School Nutrition Director Candice Sisson was present to present the Board of Education with the Golden Radish Award received for our district.
-Twenty farm-to-school standard-based lessons were taught throughout the school year, including Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) lessons on plant growth in the school garden.
Discussion among board members began about this type of curriculum having not always been taught in schools, except in specific agricultural classes or clubs.
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – After hearing concerns expressed at the Jan. 11 Board of Education (BOE) meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney, as well as other members of the board, added a new agenda item covering extracurricular activities within the school system.
Fannin County High School Principal Erik Cioffi discussed athletics at the Feeb. BOE meeting.
At the Feb. 8 BOE meeting the board unveiled this new item. Dr. Gwatney explained that updates of Fannin County extracirruclar activities will be a recurring item.
While these updates will encompass all of Fannin County's extracurriculars, the focus of the Feb. updates centered around the state of the Fannin County Athletics Department.
Fannin County High School Principal Erik Cioffi presented this information to the public.
Cioffi spoke of the staff of Fannin County School System and added that the pool of educators in which coaches can be pulled from is currently 59 certified teachers.
"They are teachers first and they have responsibilities that make up a bulk of their time," Cioffi added.
Athletic Director Dr. Scott Ramsey clarified that there are 62 coaching positions that have to be covered, and for this reason coaches have to work or coach in multiple departments. Ramsey backed up Cioffi stating that a coach's first priority is to be an educator.
Cioffi discussed the current Georgia High School Association (GHSA) policy and why Fannin County continues to be placed a AAA region school. In the past GHSA reevaluated schools on a two year cycle. Recent changes, however, has left evaluations happening every four years.
"We have no control over the region we're placed," Cioffi explained.
A meeting is scheduled on Feb. 21 where representatives from Fannin County Athletics along with representative from other AAA schools will meet with GHSA officials to examine the new policy.
Athletic Director Dr. Scott Ramsey was also present to talk with parents.
"It's ridiculous. If they (GHSA) get it wrong, that's impacted a child's entire four years," Cioffi told the crowd about plans to hopefully bring about change on the state level when it comes to athletics.
The possibility of dropping to AA classification could pose a different set of difficulties for the student athletes of Fannin County, as travel is cited to be a large consideration in the possibility of changing regions.
A new AA classification could mean that students would have to travel as far as three hours away to play other AA teams.


When eight friends are trapped on a remote mountain retreat and things quickly turn sinister, they start to suspect they aren't alone. Gripped by fear and with tensions in the group running high, you'll be forced to make snap decisions that could mean life, or death, for everyone involved. Every choice you make in your terrifying search for answers – even the seemingly trivial ones – will carve out your own unique story.
Until Dawn is a flawed, but fun experience. Though an unfocused story means it falls short of greatness, it's an otherwise entertaining homage to the curious traditions of horror movies which pays off your in-game decisions with occasionally shocking consequences.
While it has some awkward controls, rough patches here and there, and doesn't make full use of the ideas it's brought to the table, it does all of those things while legitimately trying to inject something fresh and different into the genre in which it belongs. I think there's going to be a lot of people for whom Until Dawn doesn't click—especially those who require more "game" from their games. For those fans of horror who can still focus on the light in any unfortunate moments of darkness, then this is one gorey getaway trip I'd recommend you take.
While there are flaws here and there, Until Dawn is a very well put together experience, mixing great graphics and complex storytelling in a super-tight package. If you fit its very specific target, meaning that you enjoy the specific kind of horror it reproduces, and you don't mind old-style adventure-like gameplay and quicktime events galore, you'll find it a really exceptional and fairly unique game, that will scare the hell out of you in all the right ways.
The beginning of Until Dawn boasts that the decisions you make during the game will craft a unique and personal story. ...However, the script kept me entertained and feeling like my decisions mattered throughout my 10-hour playthrough. Thanks to some good twists, a few fake-outs, and limitless jump scares, Until Dawn would make a solid horror film. As a piece of interactive fiction, however, it's a remarkable experience that horror fans shouldn't miss.
Until Dawn is everything that Quantic Dream games have tried to be – unsuccessfully – for the past decade. It emulates horror movies while demonstrating a clear understanding of what makes those movies work, its focus on consequence is nervewracking and intricate, and its story is silly but strongly delivered. It's the best David Cage game not made by David Cage, and it's the best interactive horror flick you'll play.
Luckily, though, the horror movie feel, the solid camera work and performances, and the intriguing script and characters make pushing past Until Dawn's issues feel worth it. Sure, the characters occasionally do something dumb, and you'll wonder why no gun seems to need reloading and no one has inquired about why the lights don't work in the lodge for the entirety of the game, but the scares and atmosphere come together nicely and you can get people killed fairly often and in gross ways.
Ultimately, Until Dawn is a bold experiment that pays off far more than it doesn't. Though the story's set pieces are set, the outcomes are not, and if you've got the snooping skills to find all the totem guides, the reflexes to ace every QTE, and the luck to pick Hide instead of running away at the wrong time, everyone just might make it out alive. Clunky controls, occasional graphical issues, and brutally fast quick-time events mar the experience, and while most of your branching choices lead to logical conclusions, a few lead to frustratingly random outcomes.
It's a game that's generic while being unlike anything else I've ever played. It's bad in some very evident ways, and yet I want everyone I know to try it. It's not a great game, probably not even a good one, but it does things I want every narrative-based game going forward to learn from. I'm still fascinated by it, still planning more playthroughs for myself, still wanting to recommend it to friends. Until Dawn's greatest mystery may be how it manages to remain compelling in spite of such huge flaws.
What's most surprising is just how well Until Dawn manages to pull you in. ...The night plays out almost in real-time, lasting about 8 to 9 hours long, and as soon as we were finished, we instantly wanted to go back to see what could have changed. Due to its thrilling nature, wide cast, and focus on choice, it's one of the few adventure games we could even recommend for parties. It's more fun than we expected, and we can't wait to relive the night with our own group of friends.
While Until Dawn isn't quite that in the third person, a lot of the game's story is told through exploring with the character you happen to be controlling, finding collectibles, or other items that add color to the world. Perhaps more proficient in keeping the player tense than in delivering legitimate scares, Supermassive Games' PlayStation 4 exclusive Until Dawn is an interesting blend of survival horror and choose your own adventure.
The acting is excellent; I empathize when the characters are feeling flirty or scared or sad, thanks to a swathe of believable, poignant vocal performances. ...I didn't expect to have so much fun with Until Dawn, and the depth with which my choices mattered and affected the final outcome encouraged repeat playthroughs. The visuals can be wonky at times, but in the end Until Dawn succeeds in being a thoughtful use of familiar mechanics, a great achievement in player-driven narrative, and a horror game you shouldn't miss.
I think anyone looking for a solid horror game are going to be pleasantly surprised by Until Dawn. I actually found it even more enjoyable playing with an audience, especially one that's more scared of horror games than me. Until Dawn delivers on multiple fronts and it's a welcome addition to any PS4 owner's library.
Sometimes funny, sometimes cheesy, sometimes downright scary and tense as hell, Until Dawn is one wild ride, and while not everyone will think it's worth the entry price, I couldn't be happier with the end results. I had such a blast with it, I started it over immediately to complete again, a rare thing these days. They aimed to go for an interactive horror movie experience and they absolutely nailed it.
It could have been a near masterpiece if not for the tonal shift halfway through and if Supermassive committed to either going in the over the top Cabin in the Woods direction or delivering a taut and intelligent slasher like the original Black Christmas. Still, Until Dawn is gripping through its nine-odd hour running time and never lets off the gas. It's scary — although sometimes cheaply so — and does a great job illustrating the butterfly effect. What Supermassive has accomplished so early in their tenure is impressive and something all horror fans should experience.
In terms of gameplay mechanics it's incredibly simple, but that works in the its favour, leaving you to become fully engrossed in the thrilling and malleable storyline. If you fancy a gory treat that hits plenty of high notes, Until Dawn is highly recommended.
Until Dawn will inevitably be compared to Quantic Dream's titles and inevitably be found to be… superior. The horror genre works perfectly in the style and although there are issues, the biggest hurdle it has to overcome is the new societal focus on streaming of games instead.
The sometimes sloppy controls will irritate, while the performance capture could have been better, but neither of these issues are nightmarish enough to pull you out of the popcorn flick plot, which is buoyed by the impressive, if not gigantically impactful, butterfly effect. A ridiculous romp is what was promised, then, and this one will keep occupied all night long.
Until Dawn isn't a horror game; rather, it's a dread simulator: every time a character ends up alone, every time you have a run-in with a character that pops up in-between chapters, every time you see anything weird… you heart rate ups that little bit more. Until Dawn plays with you. It's an extended metaphor for horror games, one that prides itself on how much it predicts – and counteracts – what you're doing. If you care about the advancement of meta-narratives and the player/game relationship, this is for you.
With its immersive world, branching narrative, and lifelike character work, Until Dawn will have players on the edge of their seats while pounding them with jump scares and a bone-chilling soundtrack. Having previously worked on ports and smaller titles for Sony, Supermassive Games have shown that they can play with the big boys and we can't wait to see what they come up with next.
Visually, this game once again proves PlayStation's still ahead of the curve when it comes to attempting photorealism. Characters walk and react with a real-world authenticity and while the larger environments may not, occasionally, match the standard of character models, the studio's use of camera angles is top tier. Shame the included documentaries on the game's creation are so brief; we'd love to know more about the process.
Equal parts teen slasher, action adventure, and psychological horror, Until Dawn throws a lot at the board and nails only some of it. But its biggest win is choice--permanent, unpredictable, and meaningful.
In the end (typically *your* end, multiplied eight times) Until Dawn proves to be both visually and narratively compelling. Niggles creep in due to the rudimentary control scheme – and the option to reconsider decisions that are obviously heading a bad way would've been nice – but otherwise I still found I couldn't put this slaughterrific adventure down.
Pero lo que realmente nos cautivará desde el principio será su profunda narrativa y la sensación de responsabilidad ante cada decisión que tomemos. Al contrario que en otros títulos del género, Until Dawn deja claro que toda decisión, ya sea más o menos importante, tendrá un efecto y unas consecuencias en nuestra historia. Esa sensación de responsabilidad se verá favorecida por la imposibilidad de cargar o guardar partida, lo que hará que debamos tener mucho cuidado con nuestras decisiones.
Until Dawn tiene sus fallas, pero termina cumpliendo, sobre todo porque no busca revolucionar la industria sino complacer a los fans del terror de película con diálogos tontos, estereotipos, y sobre todo, con sustos de clóset que te harán soltar una risa nerviosa. Ah, y si tienes una PlayStation Eye, conéctala mientras juegas, no te arrepentirás.
El videojuego de SuperMassive Games es una mezcla de géneros que deriva en un fascinante relato sobre la elección y el peso que nuestras acciones tienen en la vida y, aunque algunas elecciones son en última instancia superficiales, hay una sensación real de que lo que haces importa en la trama. No será del gusto de todos los aficionados a los videojuegos por su ritmo lento y el uso de los QTE, pero los amantes de las aventuras interactivas como Heavy Rain, Beyond Dos Almas, Life is Strange o los juegos de Telltale Games deberían darle una oportunidad.
Until Dawn es la demostración de que los videojuegos pueden presumir de un argumento fuerte y convincente a la vez que mantienen la flexibilidad y el dinamismo que los separa de la experiencia lineal de ver una película. ...Por otra parte, la variabilidad de la aventura y el peso de nuestras acciones es el elemento clave que hace que este título consiga destacar dentro de su género, aunque ya su temática slasher había conseguido que le prestáramos atención desde que se anunció su llegada a PS4.
El homenaje de los videojuegos al género slasher y al terror adolescente ya está aquí, y con sus cosas buenas y malas es mucho más apasionante de lo que muchos anticipaban. Castiga, premia, mata o ayuda a sobrevivir al grupo de protagonistas en partidas que cambian enormemente de una a otra. Porque decir que Until Dawn da miedo sería mentir, pero sustituye el terror por la ansiedad de ver que estamos constantemente al límite y que el destino de nuestros protagonistas está literalmente en nuestras manos. Y eso no es ninguna tontería.
Probablemente, ya sabes si Until Dawn es un juego para ti o no. Si te gustó Heavy Rain y te gusta pasar miedo, es una compra obligada; si eres de los que se muestra un tanto reticente a las aventuras interactivas pero tiene curiosidad en ellas, puede ser una buena opción para debutar en el género, ya que es un título que intenta hacerte partícipe constante de la acción, y que te da la sensación de "juego", en el que puedes ganar o perder, y en el que eres un elemento clave de la experiencia.
Trotz manch holpriger Animationsphase sowie Aussetzern bei Gestik und Mimik hat es mir vor allem die cineastische Inszenierung mit filmreifer Kameraführung und der großartigen Klangkulisse angetan, die aber spürbar unter dem ständigen Hinweis-Geblinke leidet. Die spielerischen Elemente fallen zwar ähnlich rudimentär aus wie in anderen interaktiven Filmen, werden hier aber zumindest von einer gelungenen Steuerung getragen, welche die Immersion noch verstärkt.
Sans mauvais jeu de mot, Until Dawn nous a fait peur. Le chemin jusqu'à sa sortie fût long et chaotique, mais le résultat final ravira les amateurs de slashers désireux d'essayer un pendant vidéoludique de leur genre favori. ...Until Dawn reste une bonne pioche capable de faire passer une soirée agréable à un groupe d'amis, qu'importe la profondeur de leur expérience vidéoludique.
Et puis, dans le costume du psychopathe, on retrouve un mélange d'inspiration du Ca de Stephen King et de Vendredi 13. Un ensemble qui prouve à quel point Until Dawn a réussi à transposer les codes des slasher-movie au jeu vidéo, alors que le genre manque cruellement de grosse référence dans le domaine. Peut-être qu'avec ce survival-horror, l'on tient là une nouvelle façon de faire ressentir le cauchemar et l'épouvante sur consoles.
Until Dawn est un vrai survival horror. Son atmosphère tordue et glauque est cruellement efficace, son ambiance ponctuée d'une bande-son parfaite, ses décors soignés et son scénario bien mené vous plongent dans un moment horrifique dont l'angoisse est indescriptible. Chacun de vos choix vous fera frémir, chaque minute alourdira encore votre malaise et vous donnera envie soit d'arrêter la console, sous peine de suffoquer, soit de continuer jusqu'au bout pour tenter de résoudre le mystère de Blackwood.
Très fidèle aux codes du genre, Until Dawn se révèle bigrement efficace dans sa mise en scène et les nombreux choix que l'on est amené à faire renforcent notre immersion dans une aventure angoissante, stressante et gore. Si l'on accepte sa nature de "simple" récit interactif, on découvre une aventure parfois bancale, mais qui réussit avant tout à faire peur, à angoisser, à stresser, car ici, tout se paie cash. La plupart de vos actes ont une importance et sont définitifs. Ils vont ainsi créer une histoire unique et qu'on a du mal à lâcher une fois pris dedans, quitte à jouer... jusqu'à l'aube.
Until Dawn estabelece novos padrões para os géneros de aventura modernos, com progressos interessantes relativamente aos antecessores (jogos da Telltale e Quantic Dream) no que diz respeito à produção, criação audiovisual, ritmo e atenção nos detalhes. É a prova viva que os videojogos podem conter um argumento forte e convincente, mantendo-nos afastados da experiência linear de um filme, ainda que por vezes o jogador se torne num mero espetador.
Until Dawn imposta nuovi standard qualitativi per il genere delle avventure grafiche moderne, facendo interessanti passi avanti rispetto ai suoi predecessori per quanto riguarda produzione, realizzazione audiovisiva, ritmo e cura per i dettagli. È inoltre la migliore conversione esistente, da film a prodotto interattivo, di un genere cinematografico preciso, quello dei teen horror movie. E questo può rappresentare un problema per chi non ama questo filone, ma al contempo anche un punto di forza per chi invece lo apprezza.
Il titolo offre un'esperienza nel complesso tesa e appassionante, costellata di scelte morali a tratti spietate e con effetti sostanziali sulla sorte dei giovani studenti. Probabilmente dividerà critica e pubblico come fece lo stesso Heavy Rain, ma per i valori produttivi espressi, il coraggio degli sviluppatori, la buona longevità e alcune soluzioni brillanti non possiamo che valutare positivamente il lavoro di Supermassive Games.
В одиночестве наблюдать за злоключениями американских подростков уже не так интересно, а в моменты затишья, когда Джош и его друзья начинают скитаться по шахтам, лесам и психбольницам, становится откровенно скучно. ...Плюс при одиночном прохождении есть опасность принять этот балаган ужасов всерьез, а делать это не стоит — не на то расчет. Поэтому если хотите провести весело время, обязательно наберите друзьям. Ну или пройдите Until Dawn на стриме, общаясь с чатом — тоже ничего вариант. Главное помните, во всем виноваты олени.
Игра делает подсказки с помощью спрятанных предметов-тотемов, но на самом деле достаточно здравого смысла и, конечно, опыта просмотра фильмов, которыми вдохновлялись авторы. Когда я проходил Until Dawn, то поубивал немало персонажей, но в основном из-за спешки. И каждый раз я прекрасно понимал, что именно я сделал не так. Поэтому, несмотря на провалы, мне было приятно проходить Until Dawn.
Saya menikmati waktu saya bermain Until Dawn. Saya juga penasaran dengan ending yang cukup banyak dan berbagai unlockable, namun ini bukanlah game yang akan senang hati saya mainkan ulang. Saya akan banyak menonton film yang ceria, humor, sebelum saya kembali mencoba mendapatkan ending sempurna Until Dawn. Recommended untuk kamu yang suka game horor.
Ne olursa olsun, Until Dawn güzel bir deneme. Zaman tüneli kitaplarını, video oyunaları dünyasına uyarlayan başarılı bir deneme. Çok fazla eksiği var; yukarıda bahsettiğimiz kare/saniye sorunu ve hikayenin konusunun çok blindik olması... Yine de PlayStation 4'ün Dualshock'unu çok eğlendirici şekilde kullanması (Telefonların tuş kilidini D-Pad ile açmak, kıpırdamamak için dualshock'u haraketsiz tutmaya çalışmak), etkili hikaye anlatım tekniği, ara ara kırdığı dördüncü duvar ve şahane yüz detaylarıya alınası, oynanası bir oyun olmuş.
Until Dawn begint als het moorddrama dat je verwacht met vele - soms oprecht moeilijke - beslissingen om te maken. Het verhaal is niet bijster sterk, maar de ontwikkeling die je in de personages ziet en de manier waarop je andere uitkomsten krijgt op basis van jouw acties maken het de moeite waard. Jammer genoeg valt de game soms iets te veel terug op jump scares, maar weet doorgaans wel een goede spanning op te bouwen met een uitstekende sfeer. Until Dawn is een horroravontuur dat de moeite waard is om te beleven en te herleven.
Until Dawn is een game die redelijk laag in tempo ligt, maar dusdanig perfect in elkaar zit dat je er eigenlijk niks negatiefs over kunt vinden. Grafisch is de game bijna perfect en het geluid, stemacteerwerk en animaties sluiten daar naadloos op aan. Vanaf begin tot eind worden je keuzes bijgehouden en word je gemindfucked bij de vleet. Daarbij zit er nog een moordenaar achter je aan en moet je diverse mysteries ontrafelen.
Supermassive Games landar Until Dawn med bravur under en spelhöst som ser oerhört fattig ut på skräck-fronten. Fyllt av minnesvärda karaktärer så hittar du inte en liknande resa bland de stora AAA-titlarna under 2015. Until Dawn är unikt, extremt välpolerat och står ensamt på en scen dit få vågar ta sig ...... Förutom åtta tonåringar då.
I slutändan är Until Dawn ett mycket bra spel jag redan har spelat igenom flera gånger, och som jag kommer vilja spela igenom någon gång till innan jag känner mig helt klar. Och för skräckfantaster som inte räds Quick Time Events är det ren mumma. Det här är för tillfället det närmaste interaktiv film vi kommit i spelvärlden, och jag har svårt att tänka mig ett bättre spel att mysa med när den svenska svinhösten drar igång med snålblåst, väta och mörker.


Prague is a tourist destination I fell in love with again in 2017. The combination of low priced hotels, inexpensive dining and bars, and beautiful architecture and outdoor spaces over an extensive area of the city makes Prague an easy place to get around and live inexpensively.
Over the past year I traveled to Prague on four trips in January, July, October and December/January New Year's holiday. I have read dozens of articles about Prague tourism from Czech sources, international sources and travel writer/blogger sources.
Most common complaint I read about Prague is too many tourists. Certain areas of Prague have tourist bottlenecks around Charles Square, Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. One of the issues contributing to the dense tourist crowds are 7 million tourists annually and almost all first timers spend part of their tourist time walking around Old Town Prague with its many roads that narrow to alleys between centuries-old buildings.
Nearly all my hotel nights have been in Vinohrady staying at Clarion Prague City or Vysehrad staying at Park Inn Prague. A couple nights at Radisson Blu Alcron Prague is the closest I have been to the main crowds of Prague in the area by the National Museum. The main pedestrian street Vaclavske namestie (at Muzeum metro)has retail shopping stores and centers. Sheraton Prague is in this same area, but a couple blocks farther from Vaclavske nam.
The deal with Prague is the city is far more pleasing to me when I am not around Prague Old Town and Prague Castle. Seven days in Prague and we only walked through Charles Square and across Charles Bridge twice. Our days were spent in areas of the city south and east of Old Town.
Prague is a huge city of 1.25 million in 22 designated cadastral areas (Prague 1, Prague 2, Prague 3… Prague 22). I walked over 75 miles in Prague in 2017, primarily either starting from Park Inn Prague near Vysehrad by the Vltava River south of Old Town or Clarion Prague City in Vinohrady, east of Old Town.
Many hours of walking took me all across Prague cadastral districts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7. The other 17 cadastral areas are fairly far by foot from the central Old Town/Nove Mesto/Prague Castle area. Fortunately, Prague also has a cheap and efficient tram and metro network. A 30 minute ticket is 24 CZK, about $1.20 or 32 CZK for 90 minutes.
One rule I came up with to make Prague easier to navigate is always have a couple of 30 minute tickets (24 CZK) in my wallet since we frequently found ourselves wanting to take a tram, but no ticket sellers or automated machines around the tram stop.
All metro stations have coin machines and ticket sellers. Best practice is keep sufficient coins to buy tickets from machine to avoid long lines for ticket vendor.
I developed the habit of buying multiple tickets with coins whenever I saw a tram stop kiosk or a vendor selling tickets. Then, we had unused tickets when we wanted to take a tram. Tram drivers do not sell tickets.
As of Jan 2017, a pint of Pilsner Urquell should be priced 41-48 CZK for 0.5L at most pubs and restaurants. Beer prices are more uniform than meal prices. I saw restaurants charge 65CZK per pint when the pub next door or across the street charges 41CZK. Food prices have an even larger disparity. We tend to return to restaurants where we had good meals and reasonably priced beer.
After 7 days of dining, we came up with the 500 CZK average rule. Two good meals with 4 beers priced between 475 and 525 CZK /$22.90-$25.30 for most of our meals.
That breaks down to about 170 CZK for 4 beers ($2.05 per pint) and 305 to 355 CZK for two meals, an average $7.35 – $8.55 USD meal price per person.
U tří bojovníků restaurant around the corner from Park Inn Prague became our favorite 500 CZK dining and drinking experience. We ate three meals there.
Pork schnitzel above is common pub food. Pork knee below is a filling meal for two persons.
The inn "U Matěje Kotrby" on Kremencova is a place we liked to stop by for a cheap 41 CZK Pilsner pint, but we did not eat there. Cute decor, lots of trinkets to stare at and primarily a tourist ambience. Kremencova is a major drinking street.
Wok & Sushi, Masarykovo nábř., 120 00 Nové Město, Czechia is a place by the riverside where I have eaten a couple of Asian meals. Typical prices around 120 CZK. Their website link listed on Google Maps is blocked.
Kelley decided on day 5 that she prefers Staropramen to Pilsner Urquell. Only then did I realize Staropramen beer, brewed in Prague and Czechia's second largest brew, is not that easy to find in Prague restaurants and pubs.
Meduzzy was a good trout meal for me in Mala Strana, Prague 5, although at 780 CZK ($37.56), a much higher than average meal price for our trip. A couple of sub-$5.00 pizza meals helped balance the daily dining budget to stay around $50 per day for the week.
I took out 7,600 CZK ($366) for one week in Prague and paid cash for every meal and drink transaction. I left Prague with about 700 CZK. Our daily expenses came out to less than $50 per day for food, drink and transportation, along with some souvenir shopping.
17 days in Prague in 2017, yet I never made it to Prague Castle on any of my four trips.
You should head up to the castle; the church has some painted glass painted by Mucha that is worth the trip. The restaurant near the entrance has a great view and the Czech tomato soup was quite good.
I have been to the castle and prefer Vysehrad instead. 1/10 the crowd.
He ain't going anywhere unless it's a dirt cheap bargain, preferably where the business owner is making a huge loss. I'm guessing Ric would go to the worst hell hole on earth if the beer was 1 cent a pint. Am I wrong?
Obviously, Andy knows far more about how business owners should price their beers than business owners.
Spent a week in a luxury apartment suite at Residence Nosticova Mala Strana in 2007 with visits to Prague Castle. I prefer Vysehrad area with few crowds. Vysehrad was an especially lovely hell hole drinking at the outdoor pub watching fireworks on New Year's Eve.
Rick, on your next trip you can use the mobile app with a US credit card to purchase local public transport tickets on the fly, when you need them. Removes the hassle of change, coins etc.
Looks like a great solution to the problem of buying a ticket. Hopefully I have a cell phone that works with me on my next trip.


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Home » Ancient Ink, Modern Scripts: Computers master medieval texts
Ancient Ink, Modern Scripts: Computers master medieval texts
Reading a medieval manuscript is like getting a glimpse at another reality. Like a window opening onto another life, these words written centuries ago teleport the reader into the past. But merely looking at words on a page would barely scratch the surface of all there is to learn from a medieval manuscript. How did the scribe write? What inks were used? What is in the foreground, versus the background? What makes studying these texts especially challenging is the fact that worn and aged manuscripts are extremely delicate.
Bridging the gap between past and present, however, is a thoroughly modern field: computer science. Now, by merely opening another sort of window — a web browser — you can access millions of digitized images of manuscripts. Advances in machine learning have allowed computers to move beyond simply presenting images of texts to quite literally reading them. With a tool like optical character recognition, a computer program can identify text within images.
Still, computers are no medievalists. Medieval manuscripts pose a particular problem for computer-assisted research — the handwriting style and state of preservation of the text both limit the accuracy of optical character recognition. In addition, recording the material properties of a medieval manuscript is incredibly time-consuming. The materiality of manuscripts may obscure text over time, but it also betrays the secrets of books: how they were made, and by whom. Scientists and historians alike are thus interested in discerning material properties of old texts, and they need efficient, non-invasive techniques that can handle the sheer size of the medieval corpus.
To this end, Yale researchers have developed an algorithm capable of sifting through thousands of images to discern how many inks were used in the scribing of each and every page of a manuscript. Led by Yale professor of computer science Holly Rushmeier, this project is one component of an interdisciplinary collaboration with Stanford University, known as Digitally Enabled Scholarship with Medieval Manuscripts. This algorithm in particular is driven by the fundamental principle of clustering, which groups pixels into specific categories. It gets at the number of inks used in individual manuscripts, but also offers efficiency in analyzing large databases of images with quickness and accuracy. While there are other computer platforms relevant to the topic of medieval manuscripts, most focus on simple methods such as word spotting and few can efficiently capture material properties.
The question might seem simple on its surface — how many colors did this scribe use thousands of years ago — but the answer is quite telling. A better understanding of what went into the creation of medieval manuscripts can reveal new details about cultures and societies of the past. Rushmeier's research takes a technical approach to history, using computer science and mathematical formulas to reach conclusions about medieval texts. She hopes her findings will aid both scientific and historical scholarship in years to come. Her work stands at the intersection of science and history, and tells a compelling story about texts of the past and programs of the future.
Uncovering a manuscript's true colors
Scholars have long been interested in the colors used in medieval manuscripts. In the past, researchers discerned variations in the colors used in individual and small groups of pages. But for an entire manuscript, or in large comparative studies, quantifying color usage by visual inspection is not feasible. Computers, on the other hand, can wade through thousands of images without tiring.
Computers can assign values to different colors, and can then group similar colors into clusters. The K value, or number of distinct inks on a page, can then be determined. For many years, scientists have been able to manually count independent inks to obtain approximate K values. In contrast, the algorithm developed by Rushmeier's team is an automatic method of estimating K, which is more efficient than prior eyeballing methods.
The computer scientists clustered three types of pixels: decorations, background pixels, and foreground pixels. Decorations included foreground pixels that were not specifically part of text, while foreground pixels referred to words written on the page. To test the quality of their clustering method, namely its accuracy in determining the number of inks used per manuscript, the researchers practiced on 2,198 images of manuscript pages from the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage at Yale.
To evaluate accuracy, the researchers compared K values produced by the algorithm to K values obtained manually. In an analysis of 1,027 RGB images of medieval manuscripts, which have red, green, and blue color channels, 70 percent of the initial K values output by the computer matched the number of inks counted manually. When the value of K was updated after checking for potential errors, the algorithm's value either matched the value determined by eye or deviated by only one color 89 percent of the time. The scientists were pleased to see such high accuracy in their algorithm, and also realized the important of updating K to produce results closer to reality.
Checking for errors is necessary because even computers make mistakes, and finding the K value for a medieval manuscript page is no small feat. For one, even a single ink color can display a tremendous amount of variation. The degradation of organic compounds in the ink causes variations in the intensity of pigment to multiply over time. Even at the time of writing, the scribe could have applied different densities of ink to the page. "There's the potential for seeing differences that could just be from using a different bottle of the same ink," Rushmeier said.
A computer runs the risk of overestimating the number of distinct color groups on a page. Without a proper check, Rushmeier's algorithm would produce a K value higher than what is truly reflected in the manuscript. Natural variations in pigment color should not be construed as separate inks.
What constitutes a cluster?
Medieval manuscripts have a high proportion of background and foreground text pixels relative to decorations. Before the computer carried out clustering, only the non-text, foreground pixels were isolated. Differentiating between foreground and background pixels required a technique called image binarization. This was the crucial first step in designing an algorithm to calculate a K value, according to postdoctoral associate Ying Yang, who worked on the project.
The color image of the manuscript page was converted into a gray scale that had 256 different color intensities. The number of pixels for each of the intensities was sorted into a distribution, and pixel values within the peak of the distribution were deemed to be foreground, while the rest were labeled as background noise. In the resulting binary image, foreground pixels were assigned a zero, while background pixels were assigned a one.
After the foreground had been differentiated from the background, text had to be separated from non-text pixels. Incidentally, the handwriting in medieval manuscripts lends itself to this task. Yang noted that in medieval Western Europe, text was written in straight bars. "It's as if they deliberately tried to make each letter look like every other letter," Rushmeier said. Though this makes computer-assisted research more difficult in some respects, the team of Yale scientists used the similarity of text strokes to their advantage.
Since the bar-like writing technique of medieval scribes makes for fairly uniform letters, the scientists used a re-sizeable, rectangular template to match and identify each pen stroke. First, they gathered information about text height and width from the binary image. Once the size of the template had been established, it was used to match with text. Only strokes of a similar size to the rectangle were given high matching scores. Since ornately designed capital letters were not of a similar size compared to the rest of the text, they received low matching scores.
Pixels with low matching scores that were also valued at zero in the binary image were deemed to be foreground, non-text pixels that were candidates for clustering. Once the candidates were identified, they could finally be classified into clusters. Of course this method meant that high matching text was overlooked. The algorithm had a built-in remedy: the computer automatically added one to the total number of clusters derived from candidate pixels, which resulted in the initial value of K. This ensured that the text-cluster, itself representative of the primary ink used in writing the manuscript, was counted.
Of course this addition would have lead to an overestimation of the K value whenever any text pixels were erroneously considered candidates for clustering. The Yale team devised a clever solution to this problem. The scientists compared the color data for each of the K clusters with the color of the text. A striking similarity between one of these clusters and the text would indicate that the cluster was derived from misrouted text pixels.
The color of the text had yet to be determined. To obtain this piece, the team performed another round of clustering. This time, all foreground pixels — text and non-text — were deemed to be candidates. Given the large quantity of text pixels, the text-cluster was fairly easy to spot. While the only new information generated in this round of clustering was the pixel color values of the text-cluster, this detail was essential in ensuring an accurate count of inks used on a page.
Importantly, the computer algorithm had checks in place to add and subtract from the K value depending on risk of over or underestimation. It worked efficiently, but did not sacrifice thoroughness. In the end, the computer revealed a well-kept secret of the medieval manuscript by outputting an accurate value for K.
The algorithm was used to analyze more than 2,000 manuscript images, including RGB images and multispectral images, which convey data beyond visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum. By calculating K more quickly, this program offers a more directed research experience. For example, scholars curious about decorative elements — say, elaborately designed initials and line fillers within a manuscript — can focus on pages with relatively high K values instead of spending copious amounts of time filtering through long lists of manuscripts. In general, once K has been determined, the non-text clusters can be used for further applications. In detecting features such as ornately drawn capital letters and line fillers, the team had 98.36 percent accuracy, which was an incredible, exciting result.
Though the team is nearing the end of current allotted funding, provided by the Mellon Foundation, Rushmeier said the group has more ideas regarding the impact K could have on scholarly research. For instance, with some modifications, the algorithm could reach beyond books and be repurposed for other heritage objects. According to Rushmeier, in exploring the material properties of medieval manuscripts with computer science, we have only "scratched the surface."
Source: http://www.yalescientific.org/2015/11/ancient-ink-modern-scripts-computers-master-medieval-texts/ by Amanda Buckingham
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