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Gamer Girlfriend: An Obscure Prestige Class, Indeed
Well, it's official: after ten months of planning, organizing, coordinating, arranging, rearranging, and generally unleashing my Bridezilla Fury upon the world, I have finally attained the status of Gamer Wife. Along with the accompanying name changes and the addition of a new ring to the third finger of my left hand, I've noticed that the attainment of this obscure prestige class has caused a noticeable shift in how I view myself. Not only am I now the wife of a gamer, I can no longer deny that I myself have some "more-than-casual" gaming tendencies.
Contributed by Vangie Ridgaway on November 15th, 2010 in Categories ColumnsWith content involving Tags costume quest, Fallout: New Vegas, Gamer Girlfriend, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, plants vs. zombies, Professor Layton, Vangie Rich, wedding, wife
An Obscure Prestige Class, Indeed
By Vangie Rich Ridgaway
Of course, I make no claim of approaching my new husband's level of commitment to gaming. Whereas Mike has been "out" as a geek and a gamer for over 20 years, mine is a subtle geekiness, still new and somewhat fettered by my desire to remain a "normal person," if only for the sake of appearances. While I may spend an entire weekend (or three) holed up in our apartment playing Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, I am not about to admit it to the world at large. Much as I have come to enjoy gaming, I still have to walk that fine line between those who can argue the merits of platforms vs. RPGs, and those who want to know what the hell "platforms" have to do with rocket-propelled grenades.
The wedding itself was a prime example of trying to strike that delicate balance. I wanted to have a classy and elegant affair; Mike wanted to throw a party that he would actually want to go to. We both wanted a wedding that all of our guests would enjoy, and that meant catering to a rather disparate group of friends and family. Our compromise was simple: I would plan the classy, yet not overly formal, gathering that I had always been dreaming of, and Mike would get representation in small, subtle touches that he and his friends would appreciate, but that my mother would never notice.
We ended up hosting the ceremony and reception at a Victorian mansion outside of Baltimore. The wedding was held in the backyard, with fall foliage providing the majority of the décor; and the reception took place in the ballroom, where staff members in black bowties scurried busily among the impeccably white linens and elegant table settings. The escort cards were printed in a flowing script, the centerpieces consisted of wine bottles filled with gerbera daisies, the cake was decorated with flower tops in a brilliant fall palette. Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong crooned over the speakers while we ate our dinner, and everyone applauded warmly after we performed our first dance to "Falling Slowly" by the Swell Season. It was, quite simply, a lovely event.
Of course, those who were looking closely might have noticed a few odd details that stood out from the rest. They might have seen, for example, that all the tables were named after locations in video games, such as Mushroom Kingdom, Zebes, or Hyrule. The musically inclined may have noticed that a few songs by the Protomen and Jonathan Colton had mysteriously snuck onto the wedding dance mix. The crowning touch, of course, was the cake topper, which was made especially for us by a good friend, and which depicted (depending upon your perspective) either me and Mike, or Paula and Jeff from Earthbound. Either way, it was generally agreed that it was pretty freaking cool.
After the wedding, Mike and I went away to Rehobeth Beach, where we spent a week doing pretty much nothing but drinking, eating leftover cake, and playing video games. The last bit caused some consternation among even our gamer friends, who were worried that Mike might have taken things "a bit too far" when he decided to pack up his PC so he could spend the week playing the newly-released Fallout: New Vegas. "Dude," one of his friends gently reminded him, "it's your honeymoon. I don't think Vangie is going to appreciate you playing games the whole time." "I don't see why not," Mike replied, feigning innocent surprise. "I mean, she'll be playing them, too."
And indeed, I was. While Mike hunted down Night Stalkers and pursued a vendetta against Caeser's Legion among the wasteland of the ravaged Mohave, I played my way through Professor Layton: The Unwound Future, Costume Quest, and Plants vs. Zombies, before I got bored and spent the rest of the week reading the first book in the Millinnium Triology and the latest Terry Pratchett novel. Although I was quite specific about the fact that I didn't want to watch Mike play Fallout, we did nevertheless end up getting plenty of together time in spite of our independent pursuits. Video games and books alternated with walks along the beach, dinners out, and a trip to tour the local brewery. I don't know if that kind of vacation would have been right for everyone, but for us, it was perfect.
I guess that's the thing about being a Gamer Wife that makes it such an obscure class to be in. A lot of people, when I tell them about Mike and his gaming habits, seem very surprised at my nonchalance, or at worst, slightly appalled on my behalf. "Doesn't he ever pay any attention to you?" "Don't you think that's a bit childish for him to still be doing now that you're getting married?" "Are you going to let him act that way when you have kids?"
I try to explain, but I often end up feeling lame, like I'm not communicating it properly. It's hard to shift people's focus away from the fact that it's gaming; and to make them understand that it's really not an all-consuming obsession, it's just a fun hobby that is made infinitely more enjoyable by the fact that it is something we can share. I'm never sure how convincing my explanations sound; but whenever I get frustrated, I try to remind myself that persuading other people isn't the important thing. The important thing is that I get it, or rather, that I get him. The truth is, I understand why he likes gaming; and I know him far too well to presume that he would ever put gaming before me or my needs. Gaming just a part of my life—our life—and that life happens to be one that I love. It doesn't really matter if other people don't get it. For us, it is perfect.
Vangie Ridgaway	 38
Email: vrich@gamecola.net
Paul Franzen says:
Oh man, we were going to name our tables after videogame places, too! Now it's going to look like we're stealing ideas from you!
Great read as always, Vangie. I feel very fortunate that we've never had any issues like that with Lizo's family or friends. It probably helps that she's the one (potentially) writing her _dissertation_ on videogame music, so you can't really try to tell her that videogames are a waste of time 🙂
Christian Porter says:
Unfortunately my wife shot down any Earthbound references I tried to incorporate. Especially the "Hey, can our cake look like Master Belch?!" request.
But we did end up using Greedo from Star Wars and Chi from Chobits for our cake-toppers. So we still salvaged some nerd cred.
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 (PC)
What started as a slow burn developed into something very enjoyable.


The SEK 1.17 trillion Stockholm-based asset manager names a new chief investment officer from own ranks.
Erik Andersson has been promoted to the role of chief investment officer at Swedbank Robur, rising from the position of deputy head of equities and head of global equities.
This promotion is part of an organizational change at the SEK 1.17 trillion (EUR 114 billion) asset manager. The purpose of the restructuring is to coordinate all investment management functions and support the firm's goal to become "world leading in sustainable value creation at a faster pace," according to a statement from the Swedish money manager.
"Swedbank Robur has a high level of expertise, amazing products and a willingness to evolve. In order to ensure that we continue to deliver customer value beyond the usual, we need to become even clearer in our long-term customer offering as well as more strategic in our partnerships and collaborations. I look forward to contributing to that, together with all of our investment management," Andersson says in the statement.
"Erik is a competent and experienced person with good leadership skills and an ability to build strong teams and effective partnerships. We are continuing our work of equipping Swedbank Robur for the future, and in that work, Erik is getting a key role. Our goal is to be world leading in long-term value creation and sustainability, with Sweden's most satisfied customers," she says.
Andersson began his new role on 1st November 2018. The firm offers more than 80 mutual funds.


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Meghan Markle under fire for wearing jeans & banning spectators from taking pictures at Wimbledon
Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle has come under fire after she was accused of being a 'nightmare' at Wimbledon yesterday.
The former Hollywood actress and wife of Prince Harry caused a stir when she arrived to watch best friend Serena Williams play wearing jeans, which some claimed are banned in the exclusive members area.
On top of that, her minders tried to ban other spectators from taking pictures, even if they didn't feature the royal.
And an official who organised her 'private' appearance told The Times, "'It was a nightmare, she was a nightmare."
Now numerous celebrities have come forward lambasting what they described as her "self-regarding paranoia."
TV host Kirstie Allsopp said that a picture was a small price to pay for the 'privileges' Meghan enjoys as a royal.
"If you earn money by entertaining, in sport or media, or by being a member of the royal family, photos are part of the deal," she tweeted.
"Not at infomal times with kids, but otherwise it's 'yes of course', because you're bloody lucky to have the privileges that come with the jobs & the wages."
And when one follower said there's a "big difference between press photos and an entire crowd at Wimbledon" taking pictures, Kirstie argued that there are other, more 'discreet' ways, for stars to watch the tennis.
"They can watch it on the TV or come with one friend and sit in more discreet seats. Many, many famous people find a way to do things discreetly, it's not as hard as all that," she added.
"I'm an enormous royalist, but I do feel that everyone who leads a blessed life partly as a result of the benefits accruing from public profile needs to have a thick skin re photos."
Hollywood actress Tatum O'Neal, who was previously married to US tennis ace John McEnroe, described Meghan's alleged behaviour as 'tacky' and the opposite of what the late Princess Diana would have done.
"I just think it is so upsetting to me because if you think of Princess Diana and you think of how absolutely inclusive she was, and she would never turn anyone away," she said on today's Good Morning Britain.
"I had so much hope for Meghan, and I wanted her to be the next Princess Diana.
"It seems like it is all about her, and it is really upsetting me. I am sorry, Harry, because I love Harry."
She added, "Also, you are a royal, you are not an actor. To have a bodyguard muscle someone out, is so tacky."
Piers Morgan, who is perpetually annoyed with former friend Meghan after she 'ghosted' him - questioned how someone can expect privacy at a public event like Wimbledon.
"A private capacity, at Wimbledon? This is so ridiculous," he raged.
"It's rankly hypocritical and they're not private people, they're the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. If you want to be private, go back to America and live privately."
Meanwhile, former world champion Sally Jones said she was confronted by an 'embarrassed' bodyguard who told her to stop taking pictures - even though she was just trying to get a shot of Serena and had no idea 'childish' Meghan was there.
She told the Daily Mail that Meghan was, "clearly looking around looking to see who was looking at her."
She continued, "Harry and Meghan see themselves more as A-list celebrities rather than royals carrying out their duties. It's control-freakery
"There were around 200 photographers snapping away at her but security were sent to warn an old biddy like me. It makes them look silly. It's childish and takes us for fools."
Kensington Palace is not commenting on the backlash, but a royal source told the Daily Mail, "It's not uncommon for personal protection officers accompanying any members of the Royal Family to ask people not to take pictures so they can engage with people and events rather than camera phones."

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Senate approves Krebs to lead NPPD
By Mark Rockwell, Derek B. Johnson
Christopher Krebs testifies before a Senate committee in February 2018
He's not sworn in yet, but Christopher Krebs was confirmed by the Senate on June 12 to lead the cybersecurity threat assessment agency at the Department of Homeland Security.
Krebs has effectively been in the top job for a while as the "senior official performing the duties of" the head of the National Protection and Programs Directorate.
At a public event hosted by Cyberscoop and in an interview with FCW, the soon-to-be undersecretary of NPPD outlined his plans for the agency.
Krebs has said his top legislative priority is getting NPPD rebranded as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The renaming is still up to Congress, and a plan to redefine the scope and authority of the DHS cybersecurity shop is part of a still pending authorization bill.
He said the agency's immediate steps would be to work with Congress on identifying a transition plan for one of NPPD's components, the Office of Biometric Identity Management, to DHS' management directorate, as well as a recommendation on where the Federal Protective Service would be transferred to from NPPD.
The newly named entity would also embark on a significant rebranding campaign and outreach to industry, Krebs said.
"We're going to kick off a number of initiatives to reassess how we engage stakeholders, how we work with our strategic peers across government agencies," he said.
The NPPD name is dated, he said, having its origins in a 2006-2007 effort to combine a disparate set of agencies with affinities for cyber and physical security under a single entity.
NPPD is currently made up of the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, the Office of Infrastructure Protection, the Federal Protective Service, the Office of Biometric Identity Management and the Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis.
The newly named organization would also take a more "top-down" approach with its risk management work, emphasizing it from top management rather than through various subcomponents, he said.
In his presentation at the Cyberscoop event, Krebs described watching the confirmation vote on C-SPAN the night before. He joked that his reaction to being confirmed was much like that of the Washington Capitals' hockey team after winning the National Hockey League championship.
The reaction isn't unexpected, as it has been a long time in the making. Krebs has been holding down the fort on a temporary basis for almost a year and was nominated for the permanent position by the Trump administration in November.
While Krebs received high praise from congressional Republicans and Democrats alike, his confirmation was briefly thrown into uncertainty after Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) placed a hold on his nomination on May 9.
Wyden did so after complaining that DHS was withholding "important information" from the public regarding a February 2018 presentation to executive branch agencies on the results of its pilot program that looked at cellphone tower surveillance activities in the Washington, D.C., region. In April, the Associated Press reported on the discovery of an unknown number of cellphone tracking devices located throughout the district.
Wyden wanted the DHS presentation made public. While that did not happen, subsequent meetings and correspondence between Wyden and Krebs satisfied the Oregon Democrat enough so that he released his hold on the nomination.
In a letter to Wyden, Krebs stated that DHS ran a "limited pilot project" from January 2017 to November 2017 that deployed sensors across the national capital region in order to better identity and understand Stingray surveillance in the area. That program detected "anomalous activity" consistent with Stingray surveillance near sensitive government areas, including the White House. However, he relayed that some of the signals picked up by DHS may not have been coming from Stingrays.
"It is my understanding that relevant law enforcement and counterintelligence agencies conducted further investigation and determined some detected signals were emanating from legitimate cell towers," Krebs wrote.
The number of actual unauthorized Stingray devices currently in use and who they belong to remains a mystery.
Mark Rockwell is a senior staff writer at FCW, whose beat focuses on acquisition, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy.
Before joining FCW, Rockwell was Washington correspondent for Government Security News, where he covered all aspects of homeland security from IT to detection dogs and border security. Over the last 25 years in Washington as a reporter, editor and correspondent, he has covered an increasingly wide array of high-tech issues for publications like Communications Week, Internet Week, Fiber Optics News, tele.com magazine and Wireless Week.
Rockwell received a Jesse H. Neal Award for his work covering telecommunications issues, and is a graduate of James Madison University.
Click here for previous articles by Rockwell. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @MRockwell4.
Derek B. Johnson is a former senior staff writer at FCW.


Workshop will be held at the North Metro Tech Campus in Acworth. Classroom location will be in building 500 (Environmental Horticulture Building). �All participants should bring the following materials: notebook for handouts and notes, calculator, pen/pencil, camera, cooler with drinks and sack lunch.


I want to do decompression diving- what level is that at?
All that gear? I don't know if I will like it, must I have all of it?
No! Not at all. ALL technical gear is included in the cost of training if you wish- that's correct, there is no rental fees or gear loan costs or anything like that. Wings, BPs, SM harnesses, tanks, regs, computers are all available for free use on the courses- how about that?
But don't let that deter you from using technical gear for Foundations. As well as being an excellent recreation expansion programme, it is a great foundation of technical diving (hence the name!) and if you are considering more then you are encouraged to start off at the outset in technical gear- which is all provided for free!
Some items must be owned by you while some of the costlier items that you might be unlikely to own already are available to you. Twin manifolded cylinders, stage cylinders, regulators (especially O2 clean ones). lights, wings, harnesses, etc are available to you for no cost. Slates, masks, knives etc should be owned. Speak with me. The intent is NOT for you to buy equipment that you will have no further use for should you decide that this type of diving is not for you (although why that would be one cannot imagine!) but rather to provide you with appropriate gear choices for items that are not solely technical dive orientated whilst giving you access to those items that are.
SIDEMOUNT diving negates entirely the need for double cylinders, the manifold and the bands- now that is worth it!
TECHNICAL Sidemount is NOT AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE but IS AVAILABLE at Tec Diving Instructor- learn from one of the pioneers of technical sidemount! Think on that.
Only Advanced Open Water to start out? Really?
Yes! AOW or equivalent is the entry level certification for Foundations- it really is a natural extension of your regular diving. Many students enter at exactly this level, are successful and are now enjoying the opportunities for diving that only expanded diving can give. You do NOT need to be a diver with a log book to rival Cousteau's or even one with a decade's or more worth of experience- look at this: the Foundations Course class is DESIGNED to take the AOW student with a minimum of 30 logged dives and create a knowledgeable, thinking, highly competent, very capable diver with a greatly expanded skill set. Neat isn't it? You will really enjoy it and learn more about diving than you thought possible. That said, the course will challenge the most accomplished of divers, especially recreational instructors who, sadly all too often think they rather know it all. So what's stopping YOU?
I am AOW now- how do I proceed from here and should I even do so?
The answer to the second part is, "that depends". What is it you want from your diving? Lets discuss that and see- Talk to me.
If yes then you will need both the nitrox and deep specialties- contact me to arrange this training if you need it or speak with your regular scuba instructor regarding completing these if you would prefer.
Training is expensive- can I get a deal?
Yes! The cost of training reflects the QUALITY and QUANTITY of instruction on the course, plus the fact that you will receive and benefit from the very highest quality of instruction. You get what you pay for- think on that!
Train now- pay later! What? Train now, and pay as you can. No additional charges, interest or other shenanigans just pay when you are able to. I know, sounds too good, but contact me and ask about it. Many students take advantage of it. What's the catch? None that I know of.
Or..... bring 3 students with you and GET YOUR TRAINING FREE.
Can I go straight to a level if I haven't already done the preceding one?
You will be expected to exhibit mastery of the knowledge, skills and drills that are taught at the preceding levels.
horizontal positioning, trim, bouyancy, maintaining position in absolute terms (depth) plus in relative terms (with respect to your team mates), gas shut down drills, bag deployment, NOTOX/ SWITCH (or similar) gas switches, emergency procedures, and more. What FUN!
An assessment dive will test these skills. Should you find that after the assessment dive that you need some practice in these areas then you can either attend the preceding course to be taught the skills and drills to the high standard required or spend some time practicing before returning!
I am a tech diver, certified with another agency and want to train with you. What should I do now?
I am an INSTRUCTOR, what will I get out of this?
Firstly, a hefty portion of humble pie; secondly, and elevation of your diving skills, procedures and knowledge like you cannot imagine- set yourself apart from the average, run of the mill instructor. Did you learn to dive to experience first hand the wonders of the underwater world? Did you become an instructor to impart some of that passion, wonderment and knowledge? There is more, much, much more to learn, to discover and to impart. As a decompression diver or technical diver, your practical skills will be highly elevated, your knowledge and experience base will be broader and deeper, all resulting in you becoming an instructor that is more sought out and your students' experiences being the richer for being taught by you.
Remember, as an instructor, you are in a strong position to bring 3 students, and thus your training could be free.
So many reasons. None of which may be appropriate for you.
And of course, 'because it's there'.
But if that's a prominent question for you- the answer is, this isnt for you.
How important is a redundant bladder?
The issue here is not a redundant bladder per se, but rather redundant buoyancy that you can confidently rely upon and competently use should you require it. Other examples could include a drysuit or a lift bag. Neither are first choice as redundant buoyancy systems as they both have their shortcomings, the drysuit for the limited buoyancy it provides, the bag for the issues of control of ascent. The best solution is a redundant bladder but should you wish to use alternative methods you are more than welcome to- but be prepared to use them as you WILL be tested in their use.
What about age- isn't this a young person's game?
I am firmly in my mid-life crisis, I have students from their 30s to mid 70s, the majority of students are in their 40s and 50s. Talk to me about your suitability for this training.


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alexlmx - Fotolia
Home Office completes initial test of online system for registering EU citizens
Online application process for registering EU citizens in the UK after Brexit has concluded initial trials, and will now be expanded to a wider group
Bryan Glick, Editor in chief
The Home Office has completed its first test of the online application process for registering EU citizens after Brexit and will expand the trial to a wider range of European nationals working in the UK.
The initial private beta test involved 650 applicants across 12 NHS trusts in the northwest of England, and students and staff from three Liverpool universities, with that number expected to reach 1,000 people by the end of this month.
In a letter to the Home Affairs Committee, immigration minister Caroline Nokes said 95% of applicants who provided feedback said the process was "easy to complete" and took an average of 15 to 20 minutes. All those who applied for settled status in the UK were approved successfully.
"The technology has performed well, with a high proportion of applicants able to establish their UK residence based on the automated checks made against HM Revenue & Customs [HMRC] data and without having to provide any additional evidence," said Nokes.
"The initial private beta phase has enabled us to test successfully components of the online applications process. We now need to test that online process as an integrated end-to-end process, as this will be the means by which the majority of resident EU citizens and their family members will make their applications under the scheme."
A second private beta test will take place from 1 November to 21 December, to scale up the testing and target staff working in education, health and social care across the UK.
Nokes said the initial trial helped to make technical improvements to the system, such as changes to the data-matching capability for applicants to be automatically matched to HMRC databases and eventually Department for Work and Pensions data also.
The trials also included use of the mobile app that the Home Office hopes will make the process easier by scanning the biometric chips on passports to prove people's identity remotely. Nokes claimed that "most applicants [say] they would use this once more widely available".
Read more about Brexit and tech
CIOs unsure how Brexit will affect their ability to hire IT staff.
No Deal Brexit papers warn of stark future for UK tech.
Brexit is coming, but is the government technologically ready?
The Home Office came under fire earlier this year when it emerged that the mobile app would only work for Android users because Apple does not allow third-party apps to access the near-field communication (NFC) capabilities needed to scan passport chips.
Responding to Nokes' letter, Home Affairs Committee chair Yvette Cooper said: "The government is right to pilot this important technology. We look forward to asking further questions about the progress the Home Office is making, as it still isn't clear when they will have tested the entire process, nor how the system will work at scale."
Cooper added: "This is, obviously, still a small-scale pilot. The committee's biggest concerns about the scheme have been whether the Home Office has a smooth system that can work for millions of people at once, and also whether they will be able to reach everyone to make sure nobody loses their rights."
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The Most Influential Women in UK Technology 2020
In this week's Computer Weekly, we announce our annual list of the Most Influential Women in UK Technology, and talk to this year's winner, Stemettes CEO and diversity campaigner Anne-Marie Imafidon. Meet our five Rising Stars and the latest entrants to our women in tech Hall of Fame. Read the issue now.
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UK tech visa application numbers rise for the fifth year in a row, Tech Nation confirms
By: Caroline Donnelly
Government hints at biometric regulations
By: Angelica Mari
Home Office curbs bulk emails following data breach
Home Office Brexit app will work on Apple devices
Home Office launches EU nationals registration system... – ComputerWeekly.com
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Back to Aerospace
Consortium To Develop Road Map For Hybrid-Electric Airliners
Graham Warwick January 27, 2020
A European consortium of industry and academia will develop a road map for furthering hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft under a project funded by the European Commission (EC).
Led by French aerospace research agency Onera, the IMOTHEP project (for Investigation and Maturation of Technologies for Hybrid-Electric Propulsion) has received €10.4 million ($11.5 million) in funding under the EC's Horizon 2020 research program.
IMOTHEP will perform a detailed investigation of technologies for aircraft with unconventional configurations and innovate propulsion architectures that provide synergistic benefits through the close integration of propulsion and airframe.
"Analyzing potential technologies and technical issues at the relevant scale is fundamental for hybrid-electric propulsion and addressing the challenge of climate change requires exploring the technology for commercial aircraft that represent the bulk of current emissions," Onera said.
The project involves airframers Airbus and Leonardo, engine manufacturers Safran, GE Avio, MTU, ITP and GKN, as well as research organizations and universities in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Sweden and the UK.
IMOTHEP will collaborate with five organizations in Russia, including engine research institute CIAM and aerohydrodynamic institute TsAGI, as well as the National Research Council of Canada.
European industry and academia are already studying unconventional configurations for ultra-efficient airliners. Under the Clean Sky 2 civil aeronautics research program, teams lead by Onera, German aerospace center DLR, Netherlands aerospace center NLR and Rolls-Royce are studying "novel and radical" designs for an Airbus A320-size aircraft that could enter service around 2035.
Onera, for example, has developed a research configuration, called Dragon, for an aircraft with distributed turbo-electric propulsion. This has two turboshaft engines mounted on the aft fuselage driving four generators that power 40 electric ducted fans arrayed under the wing trailing edge.
The research agency's analysis suggests that, with moderate technology assumptions, the Dragon configuration could reduce fuel burn by 7% compared with an equivalent 2035-technology conventional turbofan-powered aircraft. With aggressive technology assumptions, this increases to 16%, it said.
Graham Warwick
Graham leads Aviation Week's coverage of technology, focusing on engineering and technology across the aerospace industry, with a special focus on identifying technologies of strategic importance to aviation, aerospace and defense.
SBills
Is the Dragon concept potentially quieter on takeoff? Here in Boston (and I suspect many other areas), airplane noise on takeoff is a big issue (especially in the narrow corridor resulting from RNAV).
Are 40 (small) ducted fans and two fuselage mounted turbofans quieter than two large turbofans? Maybe the 40 fans can be programmed to operate at slightly different speeds to distribute the noise over a wider frequency spectrum? Can the ducted fans be on top of the wing to shield the noise from the ground? 7% fuel burn plus lower noise could be a winning combination. Does Boeing have too much of a NIH attitude to look at this?
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Barcelona Football Blog
August 22, 2010	/ Kxevin	/ SuperCopa
The Gauntlet, aka "Get good, or get gone."
I love this picture. You have three players, all with "Damn!" looks on their faces. Whether it's from something that they've just seen, something they've just done or an illusory moment that doesn't exist in reality but that your humble author has ginned up to make a point, is immaterial. They're in practice, and it's hard.
I got to thinking about such things after reading a comment in the SuperCopa clincher match review thread by cliveee, which will follow the jump. But I think that the headline sums up for me why this club is so amazing. I said those very words to two employees, once. Both chose the latter option, though both had the talent to choose the former. That's life in the big city.
But our club says that very same thing every day, with almost every match.
Cliveee's comment:
The 10 from Keiteee was, at first, a shock to me. But after rewatching this match in a much higher quality download, sponsored by Jnice, who found on the rojadirecta page (see above comments), I realized how great a game he played.
Keita will be extremely important in this coming season, especially if we won't be able to sign anyone to strengthen our defense. What he did yesterday was mainly invisible jobs like he is always into. I deliberately paid more attention to what Keita did to earn that 10 from Kxevin and found that he is a good game reader. He does not commit himself easily to positions. The way some of us described him as a headless chicken could not apply on what he displayed yesterday. He reads the game, think for some time, and then react. Sometimes he is fast, but he displayed some perfect positional sense in many ways, because in the kind of total football we played yesterday, which we have the ball most of the time, players like him who know when to do what to help is very important, because if you don't do anything, we are very predictable and playable.
Keita went back to defense when he see Pique/Busquets moved up, dart forward to pressure the goalkeeper or defenders if some thru pass reached no one. dropped back and win headers in the midfield, or sometimes, just be in certain locations to fill the space so that some passes from the oppositions won't go thru. These are all invisible functions he carried out, which can only be found if he DO NOT DO them. You'd find us losing the ball all the time, giving too much space to the other side to attack us, or start anything from the midfield to press us. But with him playing smart positioning from box to box, things became easier, but you don't notice them.
I watched that match twice via the TVE rebroadcast, which I still have on my DVR, then again today. I'm glad that a few other folks saw what made Keita so amazing yesterday. What I like even more is that a team such as ours throws down a gauntlet to players. It's like when the amusement park rides say "You must be THIS big to ride on this ride."
Our club says "You must be THIS good to play in the side." You can see players working their tails off, improving in an effort to live up to that standard. Keita and Maxwell seem to be two of those players. Both played matches yesterday that were staggering to me as regards the effort and quality. cliveee summed up Keita a lot better than I did, or could have.
I don't know if Keiteee has ever gotten a 10 from me, but he sure as hell deserved one yesterday. Guardiola craves a system in which every player has someone nipping at their heels, saying "The instant you slack off, your job is mine." The reinforcement isn't negative, or it shouldn't be in a system such as ours, in which every player is world-class. It should serve as a goad. Keita has had the headless chicken syndrome in the past, just running around trying to put out fires. But chasing a match is never a good thing. The maturity, the ability to read a match only comes with time, and time in a system with such extraordinary players.
It's another reason I described Xavi as such a demanding taskmaster. He's brilliant, and will get you the ball in a spot in which you can do some damage. Now. Can you? If you can't, I'm going to give it to somebody who can. Earn it.
Maxwell is another player who has responded to a challenge. His movement is vastly improved, as is his ability to read a match. That's what backing up a player such as Eric Abidal will do for you. If you want to play, you have to be THIS good. Ramzi has, in comments, said before that Maxwell will eventually challenge Abidal for his position. Some of us giggled, as if anyone could challenge our French Greyhound. Then, yesterday, I had the thought that maybe Maxwell has made Abidal not so automatic a starter at left back any more. If he's going to keep playing like that, we have to find a way to get him into the side.
And then there's Pedro!. He has a maturity to his game this year. Whether it's from being capped, or just because it's his time, the way he was anticipating and playing the match instead of chasing it was very new for me. I have in the past grumbled about his football IQ, that magical thing that makes a player be where the ball is, instead of chasing after it. He's showing so much more of it this season. We're seeing it most often in how he tracks back on defense. For most players, tracking back means that you are reading a player, his dribbles and where the ball is going, then heading to a spot on the pitch. Successful tracking back demonstrates good football IQ. Pedro! had to get better. He's on a club where everyone's football IQ verges on genius level.
And that's the gauntlet that gets thrown down. In many ways, it's why Busquets is so much better this season. It isn't just maturing, it's the need to outplay a force of nature such as The Yaya, to an extent that he became the first-choice DM for us. And now The Yaya is with Citeh. So who will make Busquets even better still? Oriol Romeu has that potential, atop gobs of talent.
But we also have players who, with every match, throw down that gauntlet even though they are so brilliant that they have no real challengers for their position. Xavi and Messi are two. Puyol is another one. If you told Puyol that to win a match, he would have to ram his head into a brick wall, I don't know that he would even think about it before doing it. It's desire, an almost palpable rage that sometimes courses through the veins of our players. Announcers often like to describe our warriors as playing for the joy of the game. I don't think they are. I think they are like a great boxer, who wants to use his art to crush an opponent.
And, as they refine that black art that makes the collective so amazing, they challenge each other. I've had the pleasure of watching a number of Barca practices, including the practice matches that often end sessions. The level of play is astounding, the challenge is constant, and the players usually see competition vastly better than anything they are ever going to see in a match.
We often comment on how this is a rare team, possibly a once-in-a-lifetime bunch. We don't often note that a big part of why this is so is that the team challenges each other. Some strikers point in exasperation to a spot, as if to whine about the location of the pass after a missed chance. Messi, with the same gesture, seems to say "I KNOW that you can put it right here. If you do that, we will succeed, because I will put the ball in the back of the net." And someone does, and almost without fail, Messi does his part.
It's those constant challenges, the demands, the effort that just knock me out about this club. Even if the SuperCopa becomes the only silver that we win this season, nothing will, for me, change that about this group.
At long last, it's Dembele's first season
FM21 – A Blaugrana Tale – Chapter 5: November 2020
2020 in Review: Please, just end
Huesca 0, Barça 1, aka "We want what we used to have"
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CategoriesSuperCopa Thoughts
Written by:Kxevin
In my fantasy life, I'm a Barca-crazed contributor over at Barcelona Football Blog. In my real life, I'm a full-time journalist at the Chicago Tribune, based in Chicago, Illinois.
Kxevin
From Mino Raiola on SkySport 24, re: Ibrahimovic to Milan:
"I think it will be an impossible mission. Barcelona has made it clear to me that it has no intention of selling, and [coach Pep] Guardiola does not want to sell him."
"We are honoured by the interest from Milan, and from all the teams that want him, we are pleased that [Milan president Silvio] Berlusconi and [Milan vice-president Adriano] Galliani regard him highly, but in reality, it is impossible for Zlatan to play for the Rossoneri.
"I also exclude a loan spell, as he is not a player who goes on loan, but I will categorically state that Ibrahimovic will not leave Barcelona. He is accustomed to fighting for a spot in the side, and he will have no problem doing this."
DontPanic
"He is accustomed to fighting for a spot in the side, and he will have no problem doing this."
Yup, Ibra has a point to prove and that's when he's at his best. I expect big things from him this season.
And not to forget, excellent post Kxevin. Agree with all of it.
The funny thing is he has already said this, SEVERAL times and yet stupid rumour after stupud rumour come out. The latest being a swap deal involving Boriello of all people… BORIELLO!!! Come on. They could at least put some thought into it if they are just going to continue making stuff up! Sept 1st cant come quick enough.
Fantastic write up Kxevin. As always, well thought out and wonderfully composed. Keep em coming! 🙂
Im so glad you were wrong yesterday kxevin. 🙂
Not because of a desire of having you being wrong but rather wanting zlatan to stay because he creates wonderful options for us up front especially coming as it is: not being THE reference point.Many people would argue that zlatan thrives on being the sole man up front and thats why he didnt live up on expectation last year.
I disagree.He is a team player and that what you realize if you put his stats down : almost half of his goals were assists and if anyone really kept an eye on him he should highlight his eagerness to equally create rather than just finish off chances .
Afterall offloading etoo was of that essence too(not having a single dimentional striker) , wasnt it ?
I want him to prove you wrong on one more point though :
yes he hasnt scored more than 29 goals at any point of his career.
But he never played for barca in the past.He never had that kind of service.
People only had messi in mind when preparing against us for a match. That swedish bloke had lost it.
Well now he is still here , adjusted to the game plan , and you have to worry about him , messi and add some maravilla to the mix.
And to keep thinks interesting we still got some pedro! bojan and jeffren to the side.
So am I, mei. I still don't know if I am. Philosophically, selling Txigrinski and Ibrahimovic after only one season with the club would be something that would be worth remarking upon. Still 9 days left, so we will see what transpires.
I do, however, think of the crowing Sport headline about us creating while other teams buy. That would still be true, but certainly the short leash would tarnish that a bit.
Speaking of Txigrinski, I watched some early footage of him with the club, pre-injury. Man! The one that got away, IMHO.
I dont know about txigrinski.
He had great potential on ball distribution and positioning.
People keep comparing him to pique stating that they are similar ,or of similar attributes(and size :p).
Well i disagree.
Pique also has great pace , and it makes up for some rather slow accelaration.
Its understandable since he is a big man, but having that much pace he has shown its really amazing.He can read the game and get there before the attacker does , or dive into the situation and clear things out.
Playing that much high line like us , even if your ball distribution and positional sense reach perfect for a defender is never gonna make up for great lack of speed in my eyes(25 million for potential greatness will never sound good too , especially when you are supposed to be having great production from your cantera).But what do i know 🙂
Jnice
For me, Pique and pace don't go together. I think he is just slow, period. He might have some moments where he keeps up with the strikers, but for the most part he is not blessed with any pace whatsoever. Positioning and passing, however, are attributes he can claim.
After watching Pique keep up stride for stride with Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2nd clasico last season I will never doubt him again. Yea, Pique isn't the most blazing fast guy on the pitch, but I'll never doubt his heart and his ability to rise to the occasion.
I remember in an article on the great Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 90s, someone asked Scottie Pippen how he became the best defender in the NBA.
"I have to guard number 23 in practice," he said.
ooga aga
scottie mothgerufkcin PIPPEN
fcbfan
Am late to the party… meant for previous post:
Hey… we got our first title yay! This team is special, magical! Really pumped for the season now! We may not win everything again this season but I foresee lots and lots of exhibition football and goals!
The stand out for me was Maxwell, Keita, Xavi, Busi
– Villa! he fits in like a glove. Really looking forward to more! Villa/Iniesta/Messi combo was beautiful.
– Messi! what can I say. I think his assist stats will sky rocket this season if Bojan learns to put those away. and he is not really in shape yet? your kidding me!
– If there is a football god out there, please I beg let Don Andres have a injury free season. A healthy Xaviesta with Messi Villa Pedro! Ibra? please let this team continue to play like this! haha
And last not least, a spectacular review of a spectacular game Kxevin! 😀
Jnice: thanks for the download links!
Vicsoc: next time we need a remuntada, I hope you do the liveblog again! I was one of those lurkers following the liveblog 😀 … Well I mostly lurk on this site anyways. This space sure is getting bigger and more crowded (I've been telling other Barca fans to check out our place). There are a bit more negativity and I am guessing we now have our own trols and of course the usual commic relief from some gunners when certain name is mentioned, but I tell ya this is still the best Barcelona futbol blog on the net! So Kxevin, Isaiah, SoMa, Euler, Luke, Hector (come back!) keep rockin!
Now just a little something about the crazy media. The silly transfer speculation is all right with me, kind of hilarious, but I wish the club would give a warning or something to whoever been coming up with this fake interviews especially the British media. Xavi, Puyol and Messi in particular are always the target. Oasis tribute band? and now this Jonas Gutieras best player in the EPL? One of these days, they will really come up with something that will harm the club or our players. Oh well.
vicsoc8
I'm going to ruin your rainbow world by telling you that the last time I ran a liveblog when we needed a remuntada (Inter second leg) we didn't make it.
However, I'm glad you enjoyed the liveblog. It was a memorable one for me, as not only did Barca put on a show for us, but it was also the first time Kxevin donned the "!", and I think everyone who saw it on him will agree that he looked good in it.
"One of these days, they will really come up with something that will harm the club or our players"
I think they already have. Some of it is our own doing–"Barca DNA" (athought I understand what they meant by it, and I think people have taken it way too seriously, they (read: Laporta) could have worded it differently) and the "not being able to pay our player wages" BS (Rosell….).
A lot of it, however, is the BritPress (and our own morons, Sport and EMD) that stir a whole lotta crud by either a) lying, b) sensationalizing or c) both. They take option C so often you wonder if they have ever though of, you know, reporting the truth once in a while.
The only type of credit I'll give to our Moronic Media is that while they make up exclusive "deals/signing that are meant to be top secret, so it won't happen now, but it might happen later. or maybe it won't. but we're reporting it now because we have nothing better to do " stories, but they never make up quotes and attribute it to players. Yes, they dig up stuff that the player might have said, like, 2 years ago, but they don't just make it up and then share it with the world.
Both make me sick though. And the football world would be a better, albeit boring, world without them. I'd take that world.
Terrific article. I enjoyed every bit of what is written as much as the match yesterday. Honestly, I feel lucky having the opportunity of watching this group.
You sort of got it right when you explain their performances in terms of the constant challenge the players are confronted with. That is it. You have to be good enough to be in this group. And is there any better place on earth to get better?
Brilliant article as always Kxevin.
And if you were wondering why Bojan isn't going anywhere on loan, you just answered your own question, Kxevin.
I've read many a interview with Sir Cuddly and he's always said, "I'll fight for my place. This is the best club in the world and I'm learning a lot from training."
I don't really wanna start another Bojangles-Ibra-loan debate thing, but I really think Bojan has what it takes to succeed (and that doesn't automatically mean that Ibra has to fail They can both succeed). Obviously Pep sees things in training that we don't and I think that every young player goes through these moments in their careers (except freaks of nature i.e Messi) and just look at what standard he has to be at, all the time.
Another very important issue that goes hand-in-hand with your great write up is just how good of a coach Guardiola is.
When you play for Guardiola you have a choice as Kxevin so aptly pointed out, you can get good or get gone. Over the last couple of years we have seen players take one or the other route. Hleb, for example, wasn't willing to put in the necessary work during his first season at the club (he may be willing now, and we will find out if he stays). The fact is that while Xavi is a task master on the field, this team is truly built in Pep's image. If you omit the players who don't fit the profile of players Pep wants, or aren't good enough (Caceres, Henrique, Victor Sanchez, etc) then you see something remarkable about the players who have chosen the "get good" option:
They have gotten so much better.
Keita and Maxwell are the perfect examples of this. They both played decently well when they first came to the club, but because they have been soaking up Pep's instructions they have both improved tremendously. And they are 30 and 28 respectively. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Look at how much better Abidal has gotten – in the 08/09 season he was a solid presence, but in the 09/10 season he was a beast, attacking more than ever before and playing even better defense. Look at Xavi, he has always been a great player, but did he ever dictate entire games like he has been before Pep took over? And these are just older players who have gotten better.
Does anyone think Busquets would have been the anchor of the World Cup winning Spain team if he hadn't been coached by Guardiola? You could possibly make a case for him, but what about Pedro? Pep plucked him from obscurity because he was willing and able to learn.
Take a look at Marquez, a player who Pep decided wasn't good enough to continue on in the squad – he just gave a press conference mentioning what a great coach Guardiola was.
We should give tons of credit to the players who are saying "I'm going to get good and win my time", but we shouldn't forget how much of a blessing it is to have Pep at the head of the team, because no matter what happens, this is Pep's team.
Quit screwing up my next post, dammit! Good points all (grrrr!). 😀
This is another reason why I don't think it makes sense to sell players after one season, and I opposed the sale of Txigrinski:
Pep has shown he can make players better provided they have the right attitude, so why sell a player he still wants to work with?
Agreed on all points.
Except way to go and depress me 🙁 Pep might not be here next season (and I won't blame him.)
You know you're way too far gone when you're already wishing he'll come back for a second stint of the club when he leaves (as coach) and can't wait for the day he becomes El Presidente.
I loved this article, specially the part were if Pep asked Puyol to ram a brick wall, he'd do it. So true, but as much as Puyol stands out as being that type of character, I believe Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro, Busquets would all do the same.
The practice regiments are the #1 reason for Barca's success. If you practice hard, then when you go out and compete, you'll only now how to compete hard. I don't know if any of you ever heard of a wrestler named "Dan Gable", he was/is a LEGEND. He won everything from college championships to olympics and world championships, as an athlete and coach. I had the pleasure of being taught by him and his successors in this "train hard compete hard attitude" and I tell you, after a few years, rivals were so scared of us, even if they beat us, they hated to wrestle us because they new it be brutal. It's a winning mentality and I think Spaniard are superstitious by nature but this methodology tells the players "CREATE YOU'RE OWN LUCK"
iBlau
Here's a .gif of Ibra's reaction when Adriano offered (i think) the Super Copa to him
//http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7jvazVUBs1qct7ll.gif
Sport is saying "El Jefecito" Javier Mascheran is coming for 15 mil
*Mascherano
While RAC1 was the original source, Don Balon had reported that Pep gave his 'blessing' to the transfer. It is also 'believed' that Pool turned it down, and are waiting for an offer in excess of 24 mil. while we've put a cap on the transfer fee at 20 mil. And, Mascherano doesn't want to play against City if negotiations are going on..
via Pep @ barcastuff.
Don't be surprised if El Jefecito plays against City debunking these rumours..
nikhils
Goddamn, was this a goosebump-y read or what? Fantastic as ever.
The hardwork aspect of Barca doesn't always come across in the MSM. It's always pieces about the beautiful game and the smiles on their faces. Where are the odes to the grit and determination of this team? These are fucking gladiators on the pitch. Proud to be part of the legion supporting this group.
And now I am all pumped up for the Gamper and the season. You are our Pep, Kxevin(!).
Another freakin' great article! Wth?!
Ramzi
Good article Kxevin. It's always nice to offer time writing about those who are not Messi-es or Ibra-s. It's not easy to appreciate the contribution of such team players. But there is no coach who does not dream having them.
Players like Keita and Maxwell are the most difficult to find. Superstars, you can find and buy every season. Team less-flashy players who have the quality of superstars. Group oriented but with a bag of skills. Competitive but not controversial. Ready to be used straightforward yet more ready to learn and adapt.
It's not a secret that I rate the Busquets-Keita-Xavi on the same level as Busquets-Iniesta-Xavi. Some consider that a dig against Iniesta (though I don't think I defended a player more than Iniesta in the past few seasons). In fact, Keita is the best thing that can happen for Iniesta. A player of Iniesta's age must not feel settled to his position in the starting lineup. He needs a reason to fight and stay in the best form so he plays. The same as Maxwell is the best thing happened to Abidal. Such competitions show how far you –as a player- can keep improving. It shows how far you can compete with a teammate –YET in a friendly environment. If you cant be so, find another club.
Keita is an icon for a player who offers unconditional commitment to the group and the club. While other clubs can sign big names to compete with our Messi and Xavi, the Keita type of players makes the unnoticed difference, and brings the deciding advantage.
Spot on with the Keita praise! I remember his early days with Sevilla, he reminds me of Cyclops from X-men without his sunglasses, causing mayhem all over the midfield with no real purpose. Pep seems to have got him to control that aggression and power – and channel it into the best box to box midfielder in the world today. Don't think there's a better guy out there.
Great post once again, Kxevin.
Hahaha. I love that Keita description.
cliveee
omg, this post!
being quoted by kxevin is like a prize from bfb, thanks.
i also meant to point out how well keita passed the ball on saturday. he gave away as little as one or two balls and won one of them back right away.
and yes of cos! you don't get complacent being the starter! you just have to earn it! everyone! now i'd really like to see someone challenges alves for his spot! so, show us, corriea!
Awesome article, I both love and hate you guys.
Love because of the supreme quality of the articles, the humour, the knowledge and the almost circle of friends feel of the blog.
Hate because it's very difficult to read other reviews and articles without saying, "well yeah but Kxev's was better".
Mes Que Un Blog
Keep rocking guys n gals.
PS: No way will Hodgson sell Jefe for less than £20m. He's already said that he would rather see out his 2 years and let him go out on a free transfer than give him up for less than what he's asked for.
very true, a lot of critics may say that Barcelona stick too much to one style and leave themselves open to teams that focus on counter attacks and physical football, yet Keita is one of those players that adds another layer to our team, exactly what kxevin and various other people on this site have mentioned Keita does all the invisible work, things that the average spectator will usually notice but that work makes sure that the barca attacking machine keeps on rolling without disruption.
So true… Kev you should write speachess for the US President 🙂
Honestly i must say that at the first times i doubted Keita a lot, but the last season and the upcoming proved me completely wrong. Keita stepped up the last season when he was needed the most and he proved himself, thats what i want to see in players DEDICATION TO THE DEATH. Bleed the hell out on the pitch because its the team that matters. Teams wins championships, which we have proven that so so so many times ago. Doesn't it make you sometimes feel bad that you aren't a football player and aren't playing for Barca? Ah, the life that everyone dreams of. Often their play makes tear in my eyes or holding my head and yelling in disbelieve that that particular play it's just impossible. That is the thing that makes you love this club and hack, even get in a fight for it (i know i get into lot here). And as for Maxwell, since day one i knew that he will only need some time to adapt to our philosophy and he will make it. I was soo happy when we bought him cos if you could seen him playing in Serie A he was up to every challenge.
The only thing to do if you decide to quit get better at Barca, you have to go and hang yourself. There will be no better chance to be given in minimum of 5 years in my opinion. For the next few years we will dominate football and we will as nike says write the future, and write textbooks.
Again thanks Kev for this article always a pleasure to get up, get a coffee and read wonderful articles. Barca is Mes que un club, BFB is the REAL mes que un blog! Salutes to all you Barca fans.
VISCA EL BARCA, VISCA EL BFB!!! SIEMPRE!!!
Blow-Grenade
The one thing I wanted to mention about Keita was the first leg of the Supercopa. He played like a mad man(outstanding game) in that match as well. He just did not have the support of some of World cup winning squad. His job got a lot easier with all these people around him and we could see his quality.
Galliani (ceo AC Milan): "The negotiations for Ibra are officially opened. Wednesday I'll meet with Barcelona president Rosell." (via barcastuff)
I officially hate Sandro Rosell. This is ludicrous. Negotiating Ibra's exit without the players (apparent) consent. And to a team that can only realistically loan him out, too. I'm going back to bed.
Ibra's agent said there is no chance of Ibra leaving this summer
Diabolics
Well, he changed that:
_http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=afp-fblitaespsweacmilanbarcelonaibrahimovic
Now he is only 99.9% certain to stay.
If you ask me, this is a rather weak statement coming from Ravioli, who I'd expect to use a language above the theoretical limit of a 100 to explain how certain he is.
I don't get it. As Jnice has duly noted, Ibra has a contract. If he does not want to go, Rosell would have to force Pep to not play him in order to make him leave. Think that would ever happen? Think Rosell would be dumb enough to fire Pep in his first season? Me thinks (I hope, really) people will try to get Rosell out of the Camp Bou before his first term is even up.
hang on for a second, I think this mini silent war b/w Pep and Rosell ended after the Adriano signing. Pep himself quoted he benched Ira for sporting reasons, that could be anything.
As far as we know, the last two months have proven that everything brought up in the news has been false 99% of the time.
as for benching Ibra, it could be for various reason, transfer negotiations could be one, but I doubt it. Other reasons could be that Pep only had 3 substitution to choose from, and well Ibra already featured in every pre-season game and playing arguably to proper standard, but I think due to the late arrivals of the spanish internationals, Pep had to make sure he got a few of those guys up and running, plus he needed to use 2 subs to showcase our two new signings, and Iniesta was well sort of a debut for him too lmfao.
But Galliani himself has confirmed he is meeting with Sandro about Ibra and that negotiations are open. That's straight from him. That's not the papers or anything else making up B.S.
I'm not saying that's why Ibra was benched, but it is clear that his future is in serious doubt. We'll see if he plays against Milan on Wednesday.
Just like Rosell said he was going to London to meet with Wenger, and we all know how that turned out.
Milan can't afford a straight-up purchase, which means it has to be players+money. But they have nobody we want. So then what? It also means that they will have to pay Ibrahimovic's salary, which won't be all that easy to manage, given that they are already paying folks such as Ronaldinho and Pirlo.
Fiscally, I just don't see it as manageable. In terms of the sporting side of things, why would Ibrahimovic return to a league that he left in search of greener pastures? If he wanted more Serie A, he could have stayed with Inter and had a much better opportunity at winning trophies. Serie A would be going backward for him, and I don't think he's that kind of a guy. It would be a desperate deal, and I don't think he's a desperate player, in terms of leaving us.
And whatever happens, I'm not too worried about it. Everyone saw how we were against Sevilla without Ibrahimovic, Villa or Iniesta in the side, not to mention Puyol and Abidal in his right position. With or without Ibrahimovic, we're going to be fine from a sporting side. It might mean winning 3-0 rather than 4 or 5-0, but that's okay. My confidence in this club is off the charts.
Would I love to see the Villa/Ibrahimovic/Messi trident? You bet. Who wouldn't? But nothing is certain in this sport. I do know that Ibrahimovic isn't a bench player, so if circumstances force him there, this nonsense will all resume in January.
It doesnt really matter.
What matters is what rosell , pep and ibra wants not the other club ceo's.
Take fabregas for example : laporta,pep, rosell and fabregas wanted the transfer to happen , wenger didnt.And it didnt happen , thats that.
He can officialy state that he opens negotiations , or choose any other fancy title to grasp the headlines but
a) he cant afford him . He cant afford either a fee or his wages. He has admitted that several times .Another constant in milan's situation is that they have been " buying" star players for years in the press yet no star was present after the end of each transfer period.
b) the player does not want to leave.
This has been stated for some time now , but lately even his outspoken agent highlights that ibra will stay even if he starts competing for a starting spot from the bench, which is pretty amazing and in contrast to several of his statements last year. I know , if he starts some games off the bench his agent might start singing a different song , but its a pretty big commitment to make 9 days before you can make yourself available and push to ship your way out so to safely practise kung fu in another team's starting lineup.
c)Pep wont let him go . He is an invaluable option for up front , he is nothing like the players we ever had .
I even doubt Rosell want him gone.
I dont know why exactly rosell sold chyggy but I am certain that if he really wanted to sell ibrahimovic, he would be the first to go.
For all the reason kxevin says.I will focus on two however:
he acquires a hefty salary , and he was the shiny transfer of laporta.
So why not sell him first ?
The excuse is right there : he makes the most money of all players , so thats a pretty big wage cut on the stuff.
So laporta's tall bloke that didnt get along with the fans lately is gone. Thats 3 birds with one stone!
I'll keep repeating that we might dislike rosell for several reasons , but we must not put a bad spin on anything that comes (or seemingly comes) off him before the consequences of these actions are clear.
If he does his thing and the club carries on being successful is what matters most.
Remember that laporta took over and followed a pretty similar approach about finances and squad at his time.
The only thing that mattered was that he remained stubbornly faithful to his choices , especially about the coaches, and it worked in the long run.
What has rosell done until now ? sold chyg , bought adriano and renewed pep .Oh plus some years ago he bought us a certain ronaldinho along with other brazilians ,that featured heavily in our clubs success till 2006.
As, shucks. Thanks for the love, people, but if cliveee's perceptive comment hadn't come, this post wouldn't have happened. We try to react to things during matches, or that come to light afterward. Often a string of comments prompts a thought. I was actually in the middle of writing a response to cliveee's post, then said "Hell, this is feeling like a post!" And off we go.
Like our beloved team, we try to be good because we're inspired. I've said it before and will say it again. The level of discourse and analysis in the comments here is nonpareil. And it's really appreciated.
jordi(TM)
Milan have no money… Why are we talking to them for? apart from saying "jódete" that is..
One of my favorite posts yet. Good job.


text:
Abilene man arrested for multiple child sex crimes
Judge throws out Trump rules limiting skilled-worker visas
by: SOPHIA TAREEN, Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday struck down two Trump administration rules designed to drastically curtail the number of visas issued each year to skilled foreign workers.
The changes applying to the H-1B visa program announced in Octoberinclude imposing salary requirements on companies employing skilled overseas workers and limits on specialty occupations. Department of Homeland Security officials deemed it a priority because of coronavirus-related job losses and estimated as many as one-third of those who have applied for H-1B's in recent years would be denied under the new rules.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in California said the government didn't follow transparency procedures and its contention that the changes were an emergency response to pandemic job losses didn't hold water because the Trump administration has floated the idea for some time but only published the rules in October.
"The COVID-19 pandemic is an event beyond defendants' control, yet it was within defendants' control to take action earlier than they did," White wrote.
The U.S. issues up to 85,000 H-1B visas each year in sectors including technology, engineering and medicine. Usually, they're issued for three years and renewable. Most of the nearly 600,000 H-1B visa holders in the U.S. are from India and China.
The H-1B rules announced weeks before the election were part of President Donald Trump's wider agenda to curb nearly all forms of immigration. In June, he issued an order temporarily suspending the H-1B program until the end of the year.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and universities including the California Institute of Technology sued in California, arguing there wasn't adequate notice or time for the public to comment on the changes. They also said the rules, particularly related to requiring a prevailing wage for visa-holders, would have a drastic impact on new hires and "sever the employment relationship of hundreds of thousands of existing employees in the United States."
The University of Utah cited an example where an H-1B employee seeking renewal was paid an $80,000 salary but would have to be paid $208,000 under the new rule.
The judge agreed that the federal government didn't make a case for implementing the rules under the Administrative Procedure Act, which makes agencies accountable to the public by requiring a detailed process for enacting regulations.
"Defendants failed to show there was good cause to dispense with the rational and thoughtful discourse that is provided by the APA's notice and comment requirements," White wrote.
The rule on wages, proposed by the Department of Labor, took effect in October, while the Homeland Security rule on occupations and other issues was supposed to take effect Monday. It also would have placed limits on "offsite" firms that employ and contract out H-1B visa holders to other companies; their visas would have been limited to one year at a time.
"This is incredibly important decision to preserve the H-1B program," said attorney Paul Hughes, who represented the plaintiffs. "This ruling enables those individuals to maintain their jobs and their families in the United States."
The Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that the ruling "has many companies across various industries breathing a huge sigh of relief," with the visa changes having "the potential to be incredibly disruptive to the operations of many businesses."
Messages left Tuesday for spokespeople with the Labor and Homeland Security departments weren't immediately returned.
The wage rule has prompted at least two other federal lawsuits in New Jersey and Washington, D.C.
Follow Sophia Tareen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiatareen.
More US Politics Stories


In Elorus, regardless of the main (domestic) currency of your organization, you are able to invoice your customers in their domestic currency. You can also keep purchase records of foreign suppliers in their native currency. Elorus provides you with a full list of currencies used worldwide, including Bitcoin!
Regarding the domestic currency, you can set it up and alter it before any documents are saved. This constraint is due to the fact that any exchange rate calculations are based on this setting.
All the financial indexes in the application are displayed in your domestic currency, including the records saved in a different currency. This practically means that the system automatically converts values into the main currency of your organization.
To calculate the exchange rates in each document we use the currency layer API; a very reliable exchange rate & currency conversion service.
You can determine the preferred currency per contact or per document.
Upon creating a new contact, or editing an already existing one, you may choose a default currency their invoices are going to be issued in from the "Additional info" section.
A new document is assigned the default currency of your contact. If the desired currency for the particular document is different, you can change it from the Currency Settings button on the top-left of the products/services table.
Once you select a currency, will inform you about the current conversion rate in relation to the domestic currency just below. You can manually enter the rate of your preference in this field, as well.
> Regarding credit notes, the currency must match the currency of the related invoice to which it refers to.
Each saved document has its own conversion rate based on its date, which can be found on its display page, above the document's creation details. In the example below the domestic currency is theUS dollar (USD) and the suggested exchange rate is its conversion to the Beliz dollar (BZD) for the given date (GP=BZD).
All conversion rates in Elorus use the domestic currency as the base currency and the foreign currency as the counter currency (indirect quotation).
Elorus also gives you the option to set the preferred conversion rate manually from the respective field.
You can also learn about the conversion rates through the invoices list if you click on the value of a document. There you will see the nominal value of the document "translated" into the central currency of your organization and the "relationship" between them.
This is especially useful if you have come to an agreement with your client/vendor for a specific exchange rate.
Finally, keep in mind that when you change the transactions date, the exchange rate is automatically adjusted, so that it reflects the actual date's rate. Therefore, it is more practical to pick the preferred date first, proceed with submitting the document payment and then make any exchange rate adjustments manually.
Via Elorus you can view a wide array of reports in all the possible currencies under which you have saved documents. Τhe system automatically converts documents' values into the main currency of your organization, calculating them based on the exchange rate of each record.
Furthermore, you can obtain a "Revenues/Expenses" report for all the documents issued in multiple currencies in their original values. Just clear the filtering in US dollars applied to the previous report and press "Update".


text:
% from the csv table, make an overview of repetition behaviour

% get a huge list with values for each participant
% can then work with this dataframe

clear; close all; clc;
addpath(genpath('~/code/Tools'));
warning off;

% ============================================ %
% TWO DIFFERENT DATASETS
% ============================================ %

usr = getenv('USER');
switch usr
    case 'anne' % local
        datasets = {'RT_RDK', 'projects/0/neurodec/Data/MEG-PL'};
    case 'aeurai' % lisa/cartesius
        datasets = {'RT_RDK', 'MEG-PL'};
end

set(groot, 'defaultaxesfontsize', 10, 'defaultaxestitlefontsizemultiplier', 1, ...
    'defaultaxestitlefontweight', 'bold', ...
    'defaultfigurerenderermode', 'manual', 'defaultfigurerenderer', 'painters');

for d = 2:length(datasets),

    % load data
    csvfile = dir(sprintf('~/Data/%s/HDDM/*.csv', datasets{d}));
    alldata = readtable(sprintf('~/Data/%s/HDDM/%s', datasets{d}, csvfile.name));

    % ============================================ %
    % FIND EXAMPLE PEOPLE
    % ============================================ %

    results = readtable(sprintf('~/Data/%s/HDDM/summary/allindividualresults_recoded.csv', datasets{d}));

    [val, repeater] = max(results.dc_seq_regress);
    repeater        = results.subjnr(repeater); % get their number
    subjects = unique(results.subjnr)';
    for sj = subjects,
        clf;
        data            = alldata(alldata.subj_idx == sj, :);
        % first, after choice == -1
        trls = find(data.prevresp == -1);
        posterior_predictive(data.stimulus(trls), data.response(trls), data.rt(trls) - 0.5);
        trls = find(data.prevresp == 1);
        posterior_predictive(data.stimulus(trls), data.response(trls), data.rt(trls) - 0.5, 3);
        suplabel('Previous choice 1                Previous choice 0', 'y');
        suplabel(sprintf('P%02d, dc seq = %.3f', sj, results.dc_seq_regress(results.subjnr == sj & results.session == 0)), 't');
        print(gcf, '-dpdf', sprintf('~/Data/%s/HDDM/summary/P%02d_posteriorpredictive.pdf', datasets{d}, sj));
    end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
La Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec est une ligue de hockey sur glace au Québec (Canada). La ligue est membre de la Ligue canadienne de hockey junior.

Historique
Elle est appelée Ligue de hockey junior du Québec entre 2014 et 2016. Le vainqueur des séries éliminatoires de la LHJAAAQ remporte la coupe NAPA et est qualifié pour disputer la coupe Fred Page contre le vainqueur de la Ligue centrale de hockey junior A, la Ligue de Hockey des Maritimes et l'équipe hôte qui est sur un cycle de trois ans entre les LMHJA, LCHJ et LHJAAAQ.Le vainqueur de la coupe Fred Page peut ensuite à concourir pour la Coupe du centenaire.

Équipes
Inouk de Granby (Granby)
Titans de Princeville (Princeville)
Prédateurs de Joliette (Joliette)
Collège Français de Longueuil (Longueuil)
L'Everest de la Cote-du-sud (Montmagny)
Condors du Cégep-Beauce-Appalaches (Saint-Georges)
Panthères de Saint-Jérôme (Saint-Jérôme)
Phoenix de Montréal(Pierrefonds)
Cobras de Terrebonne (Terrebonne)
Braves de Valleyfield (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield)
Rangers de Montréal-Est (Montréal-Est)
Flames de Gatineau (Gatineau)
Vc de Laval (Laval)

Vainqueurs de la coupe NAPA
1989 : Sieurs de Longueuil
1990 : Collège Français de Longueuil
1991 : Olympiques de Montréal
1992 : National de Joliette
1993 : Élites de Châteauguay
1994 : Élites de Châteauguay
1995 : National de Joliette
1996 : Éperviers de Contrecœur
1997 : Collège Français de Longueuil
1998 : Frontaliers de Coaticook
1999 : Braves de Valleyfield
2000 : Frontaliers de Coaticook
2001 : Panthères de Saint-Jérôme
2002 : Braves de Valleyfield
2003 : Cougars de Lennoxville
2004 : Braves de Valleyfield
2005 : Mustangs de Vaudreuil
2006 : Action de Joliette
2007 : Action de Joliette
2008 : Cougars de Sherbrooke
2009 : Cougars de Sherbrooke
2010 : Cobras de Terrebonne
2011 : Collège Français de Longueuil
2012 : Titan de Prineville
2013 : Collège Français de Longueuil
2014 : Inouk de Granby
2015 : Collège Français de Longueuil
2016 : Collège Français de Longueuil
2017 : Cobras de Terrebonne
2018 : Collège Français de Longueuil
2019 : Titans de Prineville
2020 : pas de coupe (Pandémie de Covid-19)
2021 : pas de coupe (pandémie de covid-19)
2022 : Collège Français de Longueuil

Coupe Fred Page et coupe du centenaire
Cinq équipes ont remporté la coupe Fred Page mais aucune n'a ensuite gagné la coupe du centenaire
 1995 : National de Joliette
 2001 : Panthères de Saint-Jérôme
 2003 : Cougars de Lennoxville
 2006 : Action de Joliette
 2017 : Cobras de Terrebonne

Notes et références

Ligue mineure de hockey sur glace
Hockey sur glace au Québec

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia