text:
30 Games That Are Perfect for a Long Weekend
Eric Schoon
Eric Schoon is a writer for Review Geek and has spent most of his life thinking about and analyzing products of all shapes and sizes. From the latest games to the hottest smartphones, he enjoys finding the greatest strengths and weaknesses of everything he gets his hands on and then passing that information on to you. Read more...
@ericpschoon
May 27, 2021, 9:00 am EST | 8 min read
Polytron Corporation, Feral Cat Den, Extremely OK Games
You've got a long weekend coming up and nothing to do? Sounds like the perfect opportunity to settle into a really great game. Whether they're about exploring far-off worlds or deep, intricate narratives, these games are short enough you can beat them in just a few days.
How long is that? We looked for games around 10 hours in length for this list, but if any are drastically longer or shorter, we'll mention it specifically. We're also covering games from all sorts of different platforms, so no matter how you play you'll have more than enough options from this list.
Camp Santo, Supergiant games
"Adventure" is an admittedly broad genre, but for this list, we sought out the titles that truly live up to the genre's name. You'll experience some grand tales and meet some great characters in these games, whether you're walking through the woods or defeating ultra-hard bosses.
Firewatch (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): This masterfully written mystery takes place in the Wyoming wilderness; you only have contact with one person, but the game's story still manages to be worthy of the near-universal praise it has received.
Night in the Woods (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): A sidescroller with a bit more to offer than running around, there's also a deep and meaningful story with plenty of unique, charming characters to meet and fall in love with.
Furi (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Furi features an amazing catalog of boss fights you must defeat to escape prison. Each boss has its own fighting style, requiring constant adaptation from you as you master their attack patterns. There's little else as far as gameplay goes, but the surprisingly solid story and amazing soundtrack make Furi stand out among the other boss-rush games out there.
Hyper Light Drifter (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch/iOS): This top-down adventure takes the normal hack-and-slash gameplay and twists it into something truly unique with vibrant visuals and a cryptic story. As you explore the map you'll unlock new abilities, fight enemies, and take down massive bosses, all while discovering the truth about this mysterious world.
Owlboy (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Owlboy takes you on a short journey about a sentient owl and his band of friends stopping the world from being destroyed. Enjoy some of the best pixel art around and a constant stream of new ideas in this airborne adventure.
Transistor (PC/PS/Switch): A top-down RPG that's oozing with style, Transistor delivers amazing visuals, fantastic music, an excellent plot, and a unique take on turn-based combat from the same team that would go on to create 2020's Hades.
Genesis Noir (PC/Xbox/Switch): This mind-bending point-and-click adventure admittedly places more of an emphasis on amazing sights than deep gameplay. But when the visuals are this good, it's hard to argue against it—this game is shorter than most here (only around five hours long), but the presentation makes it just as memorable as anything else.
SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE (PC/Xbox/PS): This is a sequel to 2016's SUPERHOT—a first-person shooter where time only moves when you do. That core mechanic allowed players to pull off stunts like no other game, whether that was dodging bullets with ease or stealing an enemy's gun right in front of them. MIND CONTROL DELETE keeps that gameplay but expands the runtime with procedurally generated stages so the game stays fresh hours in. For returning fans, this is a great expansion, but even new players have plenty to look forward to here.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): The era of Vikings has never been given a better tribute in games than Hellblade. This game manages to do justice to the setting and mythology, look beautiful, and include a poignant, meaningful story about mental health all at the same time.
Journey to the Savage Planet (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Taking inspiration from the Metroid Prime games, Journey to the Savage Planet is a first-person adventure with plenty to see. Run, shoot enemies, and explore a massive, detailed world with secrets to uncover, all while discovering the truth about the planet you're on.
Hempuli Oy, Polytron Corporation
Want to put your brain to the test? These titles challenge the mind better than any other game, with plenty of unique, creative ideas to ensure they still feel one-of-a-kind.
Portal 2 (PC/Xbox): The original Portal was acclaimed for its clever, portal-hopping puzzles, and the sequel aims to one-up it in every way. The story is more involved, there are plenty of new mechanics, and it even has an entire co-op campaign to enjoy with another player (online or local play). Whether you've played the first one or not, Portal 2 is an absolute joy to beat.
Baba is You (PC/Switch): Baba is You is all about changing the rules of the game as you play. Every puzzle has a flag you need to reach, but how you reach it is different every time. To help with this, you have a small arsenal of words scattered around the stage that can be arranged into phrases that change how the game works. For example, if you form the phrase "Rock is you," you now control a rock instead of the titular Baba. It's a one-of-a-kind mechanic that's thoroughly explored right until the very end.
Manifold Garden (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch/iOS): Manifold Garden aims to wow you visually as much as it tests your mind. The first-person gameplay is all about solving gravity-based puzzles to progress, but the presentation keeps that interesting. The minimalist world of Manifold Garden is full of beautiful, surreal sights that will motivate you to defeat the game's most challenging puzzles.
Carto (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Carto allows you to change the layout of the world, something you'll need to do a lot to uncover the secrets of the game's charming plot. Finding the right path can be difficult, but the game rewards you for doing so with more narrative progression.
Reventure (PC/Switch/Android/iOS): A game with 100 different endings to discover, each with a different puzzle attached. Some are simple, but others will take a while to finally piece together as you explore the entire map.
Fez (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch/iOS): Fez makes heavy use of perspective in its puzzle design, requiring you to rotate the entire stage to uncover solutions and secrets. Throw in a great soundtrack and some fun visuals, and you've got a great time on your hands.
Askiisoft, Gears for Breakfast
The modern-day successors to such classics as Super Mario World and Banjo Kazooie, this genre wears its description on its sleeve: They're all about jumping on platforms. But the best in the genre find ways to keep that interesting, which all the ones here are excellent examples of.
Celeste (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Celeste is about climbing a mountain while also grappling with themes of mental health. The collection of levels all feature unique designs and obstacles you'll need to overcome, and the game is constantly introducing new things right until the very end.
Katana Zero (PC/Xbox/Switch): What if instead of pure platforming, we introduced some more action into the mix? Katana Zero is a fast-paced, action platformer where killing every enemy is not only asked of you but extremely satisfying to accomplish.
Ori and the Blind Forest (PC/Xbox/Switch): In the beautiful world of Ori and the Blind Forest, you must repair the forest of Nibel. The story is emotional, the level design clever, and the game is always looking for new ways to surprise you. And if you've already played Blind Forest, then its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, will is an excellent follow-up upgraded visuals and deeper combat.
A Hat in Time (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): 3D platformers are a somewhat rare sight nowadays, but A Hat in Time aims to fix that. Inspired by the likes of Super Mario Sunshine, every mission has a unique objective you'll need to accomplish with the game's robust movement system.
Cyber Shadow (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Remember Ninja Gaiden? Well, Cyber Shadow takes that core gameplay, thrusts into a new sci-fi setting, and builds on top of it a modern, fast-paced retro platformer.
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Shovel Knight was widely praised when it was first released in 2014 for mixing older visuals with modern game design. In the years since, the developers have added three more campaigns to the original game, each with its own story and gameplay styles. The Treasure Trove pack includes all four, and they are all worthy of your time—so take your pick.
Narita Boy (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): An action-platformer with style seeping out of every pixel, Narita Boy is a game like no other. The visuals constantly impress, the story treads on familiar tropes while injecting enough new ideas to keep things fresh, and the gameplay balances exploration, platforming, and combat well. If you're on a search for a new sidescroller that feels one-of-a-kind, you'll definitely want to play Narita Boy.
Getting Over It With Bennet Foddy (PC): Ever climb a mountain with a sledgehammer? Me neither, but Bennet Foddy certainly wants you to have an idea of what it would be like. This extremely difficult platformer requires precision unlike any other, and the punishment for failure is consistently brutal. Fair warning, this game is unlike the others here, as depending on how fast you pick up the controls, a first playthrough can range anywhere from 5 to 15+ hours.
Coldwood Interactive, Frozenbyte
If you're not playing alone, then you'll want to look here. These games all offer an adventure that can be shared between at least two players, either through local play or online multiplayer.
Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Set in a fantasy world, Trine 4 sees you and two other players taking control of a knight, archer, and mage. You all have to work together to complete the various platforming and puzzle challenges, in either local play or online multiplayer.
Biped (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): In Biped you and a friend each take control of a robot in local or online play to solve puzzles together. There are multiple worlds full of stages to play through, as you both master the game's obtuse controls to overcome challenges.
A Way Out (PC/Xbox/PS): You and a friend play as prisoners, and it's about time to break out. The gameplay is intense as you devise a plan to escape without being caught, while also learning more about the inmates you play as. Whether you're playing on a couch together or through online multiplayer, A Way Out is one of the most immersive co-op experiences on the market.
Little Nightmares 2 (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): Little Nightmares 2 aims to bring some horror elements to the typical sidescroller action. Stumble your way through these terrifying stages with a friend by your side—literally, it only has local play—as you discover the secrets of this strange world.
We Were Here Together (PC/Xbox/PS): This game has you solving puzzles together in a unique manner. You're each in different rooms, but the answers to the puzzles in your room are only available in your partner's. Because of this, only online multiplayer is available—I hope your communication is on point here.
Unravel 2 (PC/Xbox/PS/Switch): The original Unravel was a gorgeous 2D platformer, albeit a basic one. The sequel still keeps the gameplay simple, but on top of upgraded visuals, the game now focuses on local co-op play (no online multiplayer, unfortunately). Now you and a partner can jump around and solve puzzles as adorable yarn creatures together, all while gawking at the scenery. And don't worry, the story here is incredibly simple, you don't need to worry about playing the first game.
› The Best Gifts You Can Send With a Text Message
Eric Schoon is a writer for Review Geek and has spent most of his life thinking about and analyzing products of all shapes and sizes. From the latest games to the hottest smartphones, he enjoys finding the greatest strengths and weaknesses of everything he gets his hands on and then passing that information on to you. Read Full Bio »
I Visited One of Meow Wolf's Immersive Art Exhibits, and You Should, Too


text:
Q: Gitlab CI: Is it possible to speed up 'bundle install'? I use gitlab.com and CI with the shared docker runner that runs tests for my Ruby on Rails project on every commit to master. I noticed that about 90% of the build time is spent on 'bundle install'. Is it possible to somehow cache the installed gems between commits to speed up the 'bundle install'?
UPDATE:
To be more specific, below is the content of my .gitlab-ci.yml. The first 3 lines of the 'test' script take about 90% of the time making the build run for 4-5 minutes.
image: ruby:2.2.4

services:
  - postgres

test:
  script:
    - apt-get update -qy
    - apt-get install -y nodejs
    - bundle install --path /cache
    - bundle exec rake db:drop db:create db:schema:load RAILS_ENV=test
    - bundle exec rspec

A: I don't know if you have special requirements for doing a apt-get all the time, if that is not needed create your own dockerfile with those commands in it. So that your base has already those updates/nodejs packages. If you want to update later on, you can always update your dockerfile again.
For your gems, if you want it quicker you can cache them in between builds too. Normally this is per job and per branch. See example here http://doc.gitlab.com/ee/ci/yaml/README.html#cache
cache:
  paths:
  - /cache

I prefer to add key: "$CI_BUILD_REF_NAME" so that for that particular branch my files are cached. See environments to see what keys you can use more.

A: You can setup BUNDLE_PATH environment variable and point it to a folder where you want your gems to be installed. The first time you run bundle install it will install all gems and consequent runs will only check if there are any new gems and install only those.
Note: That's supposed to be the default behavior. Check your BUNDLE_PATH env var value. Is it being changed to a temporary per commit folder or something? Or, is 90% of the build time being spent on downloading gem meta information from rubygems.org? In which case you might want to consider using --local flag (but not sure this is a good idea on CI server).
Fetching source index for https://rubygems.org/

After looking at your .gitlab-ci.yml I noticed that your --path options is missing =. I think it is supposed to be:
      - bundle install --path=/cache

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Heatley Charged With Vehicular Homicide
All-Star Dany Heatley of the Atlanta Thrashers was charged with vehicular homicide Monday, a day after the death of teammate Dan Snyder, who was fatally injured when Heatley's sports car ran off a road.
A spokesman for the district attorney's office, Erik Friedly, said the charge was based on a preliminary finding that Heatley was driving recklessly. It carries a prison sentence of three to 15 years.
Snyder died at an Atlanta hospital Sunday night, six days after suffering severe brain injuries in the wreck. He was 25.
Atlanta General Manager Don Waddell said team officials discussed delaying Thursday night's season opener against Columbus, but Snyder's family persuaded them to play.
"When I talked to the Snyder family, they really expressed their concern for the team and how we move forward," Waddell said. "They really felt the team needed to play."
Heatley also faces four misdemeanor counts, each of which are punishable by up to a year in prison. He is free on $50,000 bond.
"We are overwhelmingly saddened and distraught over this tragic loss," the Heatley family said in a statement released by the Thrashers.
Police said Heatley was driving his Ferrari at about 80 mph on a narrow two-lane road Sept. 29 when he lost control and smashed into a brick wall and wrought iron fence.
Pittsburgh reached terms with No. 1 draft pick Marc-Andre Fleury, just beating a signing deadline that would have forced the goalie to spend the season in junior hockey.
Fleury, 18, will earn $3.72 million over three years plus incentives that would make the contract worth more.
Eric Staal, 18, the second overall pick in the June draft, agreed to a three-year contract with Carolina after leading the NHL with seven goals in exhibition games.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Female Airmen gain time to make separation decision when pregnant
By Kat Bailey
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH — Female Airmen now have up to 12 months after having a baby to request separation from the service under the Air Force's new Diversity and Inclusion initiative.
This policy change, effective April 26, 2017, gives female Airmen more time to better understand and assess how they can balance a military career and family needs, ensuring they have the opportunity to contribute to mission success.
"To succeed in meeting current and future mission requirements, the Air Force relies on access to the best talent our nation has to offer," said Daniel Sitterly, the acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. "To compete for that talent in the future, we must place consistent emphasis on diversity and inclusion in order to attract and retain talent."
The previous policy only gave pregnant Airmen the option to leave the service before childbirth if they made the choice to separate.
The change in policy allows female Airmen to apply for separation within the 12-month period after delivery via the virtual Military Personnel Flight, with the date of separation set for no more than 12 months after the date of application. This policy is not retroactive. However, female Airmen who delivered a child on or after April 26, 2016, are also eligible to apply for separation up to 12 months after childbirth under this provision. This policy does not apply to adoptive parents.
Pregnant Airmen can still separate before the baby is born by submitting an application with a requested separation date between 30-90 days prior to their projected delivery date.
In addition, new parents may find other Airmen who have successfully balanced work and family demands via the MyVector online mentoring system in order to provide further support and guidance.
"Our country has a natural advantage in our incredibly diverse population – we just need to maximize it," Sitterly said. "This is another initiative which allows Airmen flexibility in making decisions for their careers, their families and their futures."
Stay informed on the most current separation information on the Separation page on myPers. Click the Separation link on the far left from the active duty, Reserve or Guard landing pages or select "Any" from the dropdown menu and search "Separation."
For more information about Air Force personnel programs, go to myPers. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following these instructions.


5, Class 8 students will now give board exams from 2018". The reason for this was reportedly attributed to moderation ; a practice also followed by Central Board of Secondary Education, it involved tweaking candidates' marks to account for paper variances. 3, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (icse) will reportedly conduct examinations for classes V and viii from 2018. Icse results are taken from best five of six subjects out of which English marks is compulsory. In subjects where there are more than one paper (e.g., Science the marks obtained in the subject are calculated by taking the average of all the papers in the subject.
Alessio 0, attenzione: sito vietato AI minori DI anni. He added the board examinations will be only a "periodical evaluation exercise to have an idea on the progress of the students' learning after a particular level." 5, contents, subjects edit. Retrieved "Indian student in Cornell University hacks into icse, ISC database". I contenuti di questo sito sono rivolti ad un pubblico maggiorenne. Annunci Trans, annunci Massaggi, bakeca annunci a Milano - In questa sezione troverai i migliori annunci per adulti nella tua citta, Milano. New Education Policy 1986 (India through the medium of English. Real Boys Real Fun, quando mi chiami, dimmi che mi hai visto su GrinderBoy, cos capisco subito il motivo della tua chiamata. Computer applications, technical drawing, drama, art, dance. His analysis of the data showed interesting patterns in the marking system, suggesting that the marks were rounded off with no student getting over 33 marks out of a possible 100. This makes for a total of eight to eleven papers, depending on the subjects. Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology commercial Studies, economics. Se cerchi in altre città, utilizza il menu di Sinistra per muoverti all'interno dell'Italia.
Donna Cerca Uomo, donna Cerca Donna, uomo Cerca Donna. 6 7, group 1 (Compulsory subjects english, second language. Tutti gli annunci presenti nella sezione di Milano sono moderati dai nostri autori. 1, the examination allows secure suitable representation of governments responsible for schools (which are affiliated to it) in their states or territories. Retrieved "Counting 7 subjects is discriminatory, says icse Board".


The United States Marine Corps is built on a tradition of discipline, dedication, and accomplishing its mission, no matter how difficult. The superior leadership skills and culture of selflessness required to succeed as a Marine offer invaluable lessons for any business organization.
Inside every Marine is an elite fighting spirit. Develop your own inner Marine – and empower your employees to discover theirs – to make 2019 the most productive and successful year for your business.
Contact Victoria Tringone at vtringone@cmmllp.com with any questions.
Note: registration fees for current clients will be waived/credited.


Sharma Travels provide Best Tempo Traveller Service in Govt Hospital sector 16 Chandigarh. We offer 8 to 17 seater Tempo Travellers for Shimla Manali Dharamshala Dalhousie etc.
Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, Chandigarh earlier known as General Hospital, is the oldest hospital in the city which is well connected by rail, road and air. The hospital is situated on Madhya Marg of the city, just 300 mtrs from the well known Rose Garden, Sector 16, Chandigarh.This is a patient friendly hospital, known for prompt and efficient services. It caters to the needs of all alike. This 500 bedded hospital has 24 hrs round the clock emergency and indoor facilities manned by specialists.


text:
Overland adds REO appliances
Overland Storage has added a new family of disk-based appliances to its product lineup in an effort to simplify moving data between disk and tape-based backup systems across the WAN.
The company's REO Compass line of appliances move backup data between remote sites while integrating with existing backup software, policies, virtual tape libraries (VTLs), and physical tape libraries.
Overland's goal is to ease the pains associated with consolidating backups from remote sites to a central location for global backups across all of an organization's offices and data centers, with added benefits of policy-based data de-duplication, compression, and encryption.
The REO Compass is available in two rack-mount configurations. The Compass 100 is a 1U appliance with four SATA drives, RAID 5 and iSCSI host connectivity. The Compass 500 is a 2U appliance with 12 SATA drives, iSCSI and optional Fibre Channel host connectivity. Data de-duplication, compression, and encryption features come standard with both models.
The Compass combines block-based data de-duplication with compression and AES 128-bit encryption to transport data between locations. All REO Compass appliances can be managed from a central location through a single management interface.
An entry-level configuration of the REO Compass 100 has 2TB of raw capacity using 500GB drives (although with RAID 5 you lose a drive, for a total usable capacity of 1.5TB) at a starting price of approximately $5,107.
Kevin Wise, a senior product manager with Overland, says the Compass addresses a gap in the REO product line by streamlining data movement for VTL appliances. "Compass can move data between VTLs and physical libraries at different sites while keeping the backup catalogs intact," says Wise.
The Compass family features initial support for Symantec Backup Exec users, which accounts for about 82% of Overland's current customer base.
"We will be growing our compatibility matrix over time through continued CLI and API integration with popular backup pack- ages," says Wise. "Symantec NetBackup, CommVault Simpana and CA ARCserve are all on the priority list."
This article was originally published on December 01, 2008


text:
Economy -
Tesla's choice on Xinjiang: Will the benefits be enough to offset the costs?
By Chen Jing
Shanghai Correspondent, Lianhe Zaobao
Translated by Candice Chan, Grace Chong
Get the ThinkChina newsletter
Insights on China, right in your mailbox. Sign up now.
The US's recently enacted Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act prohibits the import of Xinjiang-produced goods, leaving US companies in a bind. In response, Walmart and Tesla have taken different approaches. While Sam's Club under Walmart removed Xinjiang products, drawing the ire of Chinese consumers, Tesla gained cheers for opening a new showroom in Urumqi. Will US companies be forced to choose sides? Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing looks into the matter.
People walk past a showroom outside Tesla China headquarters at China Central Mall in Beijing, China, 11 July 2018. (Jason Lee/File Photo/Reuters)
China can still shine if it acts on Vice-Premier Liu He's Davos advice
Candice Chan - 31 January 2023
At this year's Davos forum, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He laid out five points that have led to China's success so far. However, his session did not see a packed crowd, while China's claims of sticking to reform and opening up seem less than convincing when taken against its actions. Commentator Jin Jian Guo delves into the importance of staying the course.
Much ado about Chinese ice cream Mixue's halal certification in Indonesia
ISEAS academic Leo Suryadinata looks at the Chinese ice cream brand Mixue and the difficulty it faces in getting a halal certificate in Indonesia. What does it say about the power struggle between different interest groups and Indonesia's processes?
White lanterns and ugly rabbits: The no-nos of CNY decorations
A mall in Shenzhen came under fire for putting up white lanterns with black text as part of its Chinese New Year decorations, while an "ugly" rabbit-shaped light decoration was removed from another mall in Chongqing. Academic Zhang Tiankan muses on tradition and innovation, and the evolution of traditional decorations.
Why first-generation Chinese immigrants in the UK fear speaking up
Freelance writer He Yue muses about why first-generation Chinese immigrants in the UK are keeping silent about Chinese politics, even for those who have opinions about what is happening in China. It seems that the opportunities for democracy and freedom while living abroad are still not enough to get them to share how they really feel, even in private chat groups among friends.
US pivot to Asia: Managing relationship with China crucial
While the Americans have made noticeable progress in their "pivot" to Asia, the crux of successful regional engagement rests on Washington's ability to work with and around China's indisputable links and influence in this part of the world, while managing its own relationship with Beijing.
Translated by Candice Chan on 6 January 2022
At a gathering last week, a friend appeared with some Sam's Club bags, and was immediately bombarded: "Other people are rushing to cancel their membership, why are you still shopping there?"
My friend sheepishly chuckled: "Sam's cakes are pretty good, and not expensive."
Someone else immediately cut in: "Hema's cakes are similar, you don't have to buy Sam's any more."
Sam's Club, under retail giant Walmart, is among the latest group of foreign companies boycotted by Chinese consumers over the Xinjiang issue. Recently, when Sam's Club removed all Xinjiang products from its stores, tens of thousands of China's netizens responded by cancelling their membership, while China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said Sam's Club was "stupid and short-sighted".
A customer tastes the fried beef steak at a Sam's Club store of Wal-Mart in Beijing, China, 29 June 2017. (Jason Lee/Reuters)
This boycott occurred when US President Joe Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which disallows items containing Xinjiang-produced materials or components from being exported to the US, unless there is evidence that no "forced labour" was involved in their production.
"We couldn't boycott Intel, but you think we can't boycott you? Cancelling my membership tomorrow!" - Chinese netizen
Just before Biden signed the Act, US chip-making giant Intel released a letter to global suppliers asking them to avoid using labour, products and services from Xinjiang. When this letter went online, Intel immediately put out a statement of apology on Weibo, clarifying that the intention of the letter was an expression of compliance with US law, rather than a statement of its position on the issue.
The apology did not quell the anger of the Chinese, with a netizen slamming Intel for "wanting to earn China's money but only obeying US laws". However, few netizens called for a boycott. But the attack on Sam's Club was more scathing: "We couldn't boycott Intel, but you think we can't boycott you? Cancelling my membership tomorrow!"
The experience of Walmart and Intel is nothing new. Early last year, international fashion brands like Adidas, Nike, and Uniqlo came under fire because the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) that they belong to was reported to boycott Xinjiang cotton. Now, the ban by the US has put US companies in China in a dilemma — not enforcing the ban would lead to punishment by the US government, while enforcing it would lead to a boycott by Chinese consumers.
People walk past an Adidas store in a shopping district following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Beijing, China, 5 April 2021. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)
Bucking the trend
Surprisingly, some US companies are going against the flow and expanding into Xinjiang, like electric vehicle brand Tesla.
On 31 December 2021, Tesla announced on Weibo the official opening of its Tesla showroom in the Xinjiang capital Urumqi, with the line: "In 2022 let us together launch Xinjiang on its electric journey!" The post also included photos of the opening of the showroom, including a lion dance and people holding placards which read "Tesla [heart] Xinjiang".
...In fact this shows that Tesla is more tenacious than Walmart. It is also a reminder that the Chinese market is more important to Tesla than it is to Walmart.
While Tesla's move won praises from Chinese netizens, it drew the ire of the American public. The Council on American–Islamic Relations accused Tesla of giving "economic support for genocide", while White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a press briefing on 4 January, "So, I can't speak to the specific situation of one company, but as a general matter, we believe the private sector should oppose the PRC's human rights abuses and genocide in Xinjiang. The international community, including the public and private sectors, cannot look the other way when it comes to what is taking place in Xinjiang."
Putting aside the controversy and just going by American laws, it is not illegal for Tesla to open a showroom in Xinjiang. In fact this shows that Tesla is more tenacious than Walmart. It is also a reminder that the Chinese market is more important to Tesla than it is to Walmart.
Visitors check a Tesla Model Y sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the company's showroom in Beijing, China, 5 January 2021. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)
In the first nine months of 2021, a quarter of Tesla's total revenue came from the Chinese market and over half of its electric vehicles are produced in China. In future, the company is expected to continue benefiting from its electric vehicle-friendly policies. In comparison, in the first nine months of 2021, the Chinese market only accounted for 2.16% of Walmart's overall sales. The rise of new shopping modes like e-commerce and community group buying have clearly weakened the competitive advantage of this traditional retail giant.
But the huge Chinese market is still indispensable to the company, putting Intel in an extremely awkward position — while it does not want to offend both China and the US, it is difficult to please both sides as well.
Will the benefits be enough to offset the cost?
Intel's situation is somewhere between that of Tesla's and Walmart's. In 2020, 26% of Intel's revenue came from the mainland Chinese and Hong Kong markets. Intel is not as reliant on the Chinese market as Tesla is, and its products and services are not as easily overtaken by competitors. But the huge Chinese market is still indispensable to the company, putting Intel in an extremely awkward position — while it does not want to offend both China and the US, it is difficult to please both sides as well.
With the US legislation, human rights issues have spilled over into the arena of supply and industrial chains, and the onus is now on American enterprises to prove their integrity. As a result, the additional costs incurred are partly passed on to consumers. When more enterprises are forced to choose sides, they need to be even more pragmatic: will the benefits of staying in the Chinese market be enough to offset the cost?
But the latest economic data released last month showed that China's consumption reported weaker-than-expected figures, with the Central Economic Work Conference even predicting that the Chinese economy would be hit by the "triple pressures"...
12th-generation core chips are debuted during an Intel live-streamed event at the CES 2022 trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on 4 January 2022. (Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg)
According to a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai in mid 2021, nearly 60% of respondents reported increased investment in 2021, giving a vote of confidence to the Chinese market. But the latest economic data released last month showed that China's consumption reported weaker-than-expected figures, with the Central Economic Work Conference even predicting that the Chinese economy would be hit by the "triple pressures" of demand contraction, supply shocks and weakening expectations this year. It is also expected that the continuing zero-Covid policy would impede the recovery of domestic consumption in China.
When the attractiveness of the Chinese market is called into question and the costs increase day by day, it is not just the consumers but also the multinational corporations who would start looking for alternatives.
Related: The fight that never ends: Why are China and the West now fighting over Xinjiang cotton? | Facing the ire of 1.4 billion Chinese consumers: Multinational companies cottoning on to supply chain risks | Patriotic consumerism: Li-Ning sneakers for 50,000 RMB, anyone? | When doing business in China, beware of patriotic netizens | Elon Musk's indissoluble bond with China
International image
China-US relations
China-US competition


Jo for Girls® stunning freshwater pearl bracelet. This elasticated bracelet comes in two colours, pink and white. Makes a delightful bridesmaid gift and can be made into a pretty set with matching earrings and pendant.


text:
Q: vim - Stop scrolling after first file ending By default when you scroll down to the end of a displayed buffer in a vim window, you can scroll until the last file line is on first line of the vim display area. All other lines of the display area are marked with "~" characters.
Is there a configuration to stop scrolling when the last file line is at the bottom of the vim window?
Edit:
To be more precise this behavior only apply to mouse wheel scroll or PgDown key navigation that fill the screen with those non-existant line marks. I the cursor is moved line by line using the down arrow key, it stops correctly at the last file line.

A: Simply zb to align the current line to the bottom of the window.
E.g.  Gzb
Not surpisingly there is a family of related panning motions:

*

*zj down

*zk up

*zt top

*zb bottom

*zz center (middle)

*zz center (middle)

For completeness:

*

*zl / zL vertical pan to the right

*zh / zH vertical pan to the left

Also, have a look at scrolloff
I use
:set scrolloff=2

to always keep a minimum buffer of 2 lines before or after the current cursor line. This makes these panning motions almost magical. I spend all day browsing code bases using nothing but

*

*paging  C-d/C-u, hjkl, and frequent panning relocations with (mostly) zz

*navigating }/{

*ctags for all other navigation needs

A: I don't think so. But even if there were, how would you want it to behave if there were less lines in your file than on your screen?  You'd have to display those non-existent lines somehow.
You'd have to have some way to tell vim to display those lines if the top of the file is in view, but not allow them to display if the top isn't in view.

A: No, your description is not correct.
When you scroll line by line down with arrows or with j/k keys, Vim will stop at the bottom of the screen.
That is, it won't fill the screen with non-existant lines.
When however, one goes down page by page with PgDown / PgUp, then it can get non-existant lines on the screen. It cannot be avoided, since PgDown / PgUp keys don't jump down line by line.

A: I just found this (http://vimrc-dissection.blogspot.se/2009/02/fixing-pageup-and-pagedown.html):
map <silent> <PageUp> 1000<C-U>
map <silent> <PageDown> 1000<C-D>
imap <silent> <PageUp> <C-O>1000<C-U>
imap <silent> <PageDown> <C-O>1000<C-D>

Which seems to work for the page keys. And after some unsuccessful searching regarding scrolling, I came up with this:
map <ScrollWheelUp> H5k
map <ScrollWheelDown> L5j

You lose the line, but it's not very useful when scrolling anyway? Alternatively, you can also do:
map <ScrollWheelUp> <C-U>
map <ScrollWheelDown> <C-D>

If you don't mind very fast scrolling...


text:
Opus Fund Services Wins Two Awards at the 2017 Global Custodian Industry Leaders Awards
New York City, December 4, 2017
Opus Fund Services announced today that it has won the "Best Hedge Fund Administration – Technology" and the "Editors Awards – Best Overall Performance Hedge Fund Administration" at the 2017 Global Custodian Industry Leader Awards. The winners were announced in a ceremony on November 30th at the Chelsea Piers in New York City. The entire Opus Sales staff was on hand to receive the award and SVP, Head of Sales Jorge Hendrickson commented "Opus is honored to once again be recognized by Global Custodian as a leader in the Hedge Fund Administration industry. To be given the Editors Award for Best Overall Performance in the Hedge Fund Administration industry is a reflection of the hard work and dedication put in by our entire staff every day."
Opus CEO Robin Bedford added, "We are honored to have been named Best Hedge Fund Administrator – Best Overall Performance; and Best Hedge Fund Administrator – Technology. Winning these two awards are direct recognition of the hours of hard work put in by the team to constantly innovate our service offering. Opus is a new breed of fund administrator that provides traditional services, better, and at a fraction of the cost of the incumbents."
Commenting on the "Best Hedge Fund Administration – Technology" award, Opus COO Mike Canni said, "From inception, Opus has consistently placed significant weight in technology to ensure we are the industry's most innovative fund administrator. Every element of our business has been built from the ground up to use the latest, smartest and most secure technology solutions available. Researching and implementing the latest tech isn't just our passion, it is our company mission statement. So it is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that we accept the GC 'Best Hedge Fund Administration – Technology' award."
The annual Global Custodian Industry Leaders Awards ceremony recognizes the specific achievements made by hedge fund administrators, mutual fund administrators and prime brokers in North America. Over the past 5 years Opus Fund Services has been consistently one of the top rated fund administrators by the Global Custodian survey, which is based on client interviews and surveys.
About Opus Fund Services
Opus Fund Services was established in 2006 and is a leading independent and privately owned full service fund administration company providing automated, integrated middle and back office administration services to hedge funds and asset management firms. Opus Fund Services has offices in Bermuda, Brentwood, New York, Naperville, Portland, and Manila. Opus Fund Services (Bermuda) Ltd. is licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority under the Investment Funds Act 2006. For further information see www.opusfundservices.com or contact one of our offices.


text:
Sneferka is de horusnaam van een oud-Egyptische koning die mogelijk heeft geregeerd aan het einde van de 1e dynastie van Egypte. De exacte lengte van zijn regering is onbekend, maar er wordt gedacht dat het kort is. Zijn chronologische positie is onbekend.

Interpretatie van zijn naam
De horusnaam van de heerser is het object van debat. Dit omdat de hiërogliefen in een bijzondere volgorde staan. Dit leidde tot verschillende interpretaties van de naam, die gelezen kan worden als Seneferka, Sneferka, Neferseka of Sekanefer.

Egyptoloog Francesco Raffaele interpreteert de naam als Neferkaes en denkt dat de persoon erachter eigenlijk een heersende koningin is.

De Horusnaam verschijnt op verschillende schist- en albaster vaten:
 Een vat werd gevonden in de mastaba van de hoge ambtenaar Marka die in functie was onder de farao Qaä.
 Een tweede vat werd in de ondergrondse galerijen van de trappenpiramide van koning Djoser gevonden.
 Een derde werd gevonden in een anonieme mastaba ook in Sakkara.
 Een vierde artefact werd gevonden in de privécollectie van Georges-Michailides-Collection, maar aan de authenticiteit van het artefact wordt getwijfeld, dit omdat het een serech zonder Horus-valk is.

Identiteit
Naast de serech van Sneferka, bevatten veel teksten plaatsen en bouwwerken die al bekend waren in  de regering van farao Qaä. Ze worden genoemd: Qaoe-Netjeroe ("Verhogingen van de goden") en Ah-Netjer ("Heilig paleis"). Ze worden genoemd in verschillende inscripties op stenen vaten in het graf van Qaä te Abydos. Egyptologen waaronder Peter Kaplony concluderen dat de inscripties bewijzen dat er een chronologische nabijheid is van koning Qaä en Sneferka, of dat de naam Sneferka een alternatieve naam is van Qaä, die hij droeg voor een korte tijd.

Twee artefacten van verschillende origine laten de serech van de koning zien. De manier waarop de naam van de koning wordt geschreven en wordt geïnterpreteerd is zeer omstreden. Dit omdat in de naam een afbeelding van een vogel werd herkend, de naam van de koning wordt genoemd Horus Vogel. Egyptologen zoals Wolgang Helck en Peter Kaplony geloven dat Sneferka en Horus Vogel tegen elkaar streden om de troon van Egypte te bemachtigen. De strijd bereikte het hoogtepunt met de plundering van de koninklijke begraafplaats in Abydos, die daarna werd verlaten. De strijd werd wellicht beëindigd bij de eerste heerser van de 2e dynastie van Egypte: farao Hotepsechemoei. Een bewijs die deze theorie ondersteund, is dat de Horusnaam van Hotepsechemoei betekent: "De twee krachten zijn verzoend" en kan gerelateerd zijn aan de unificatie van het Egyptische rijk na een periode van wanorde.

Egyptoloog Kim Ryholt heeft er andere ideeën over: koning Sneferka regeerde tijdens de helft van de 2e dynastie van Egypte en hij identificeert hem met Neferkare I, geattesteerd op bronnen uit de tijd van de Ramessiden. Hij wijst erop dat schrijvers uit de tijd van de Ramsessiden vaak het symbool van de zon toevoegen aan namen van vroeg-dynastieke koningen. Hierbij negeert hij het feit dat in deze tijd de zon nog niet een object was van heilige aanbidding. Om zijn theorie te ondersteunen wijst Ryholt naar de cartouches van de koningen Neferkare II en Nebkare I, deze representeren vroeg-dynastieke koningen en hebben een zonne-symbool in hun namen.

De Egyptoloog Aidan Dodson denkt ook in deze richting. Hij wijst op het feit dat bijna alle serechs van Sneferka gemaakt zijn op beschadigingen. Dus concludeert hij dat Sneferka de namen op de vaten van Qaä overschreef met zijn eigen naam. Deze manier van hergebruik was typisch voor koningen die later regeerden dan de oorspronkelijke eigenaar van de artefacten en een korte regeringsduur hadden.

Francesco Raffaele gelooft dat Sneferka een koningin was. Hij wijst op de twijfelachtige manier van lezen van de naam van Sneferka. Gebaseerd op de ongewone aanpassing van de hiërogliefen in de serech. Tiradritti denkt dat de naam eigenlijk als "Neferka-es" moet worden gelezen.

Externe link
 Francesco Raffaele: Horus SNEFERKA - Horus Bird - Horus SEKHET (?) - Horus BA

Farao van de 1e Dynastie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


FamilySearch Wiki Germany Gazetteers gives helpful information about using gazetteers and the location of several online volumes.
Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs (often known as Meyers Orts Gazetteer. Online, free, and searchable by name of town/city. Read a review of this website here.
For scans of actual pages see Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs, Volume 1: A-K and Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs, Volume 2: L-Z. Both volumes are written in German and both are more than 1200 pages.
SK Translations: German-English Translation Services. There are many posts on this blog that will help those who are trying translate documents themselves.
The Bohemian Genealogist. At this blog you can find a list of German words, including professions, with translations into English. Two other posts feature multiple images of handwriting of common German names, both male and female, especially helpful because they offer the opportunity to compare the same word with different handwriting.
German Handwriting Generator. Type English words into the box and see how they will look in several German handwriting variations. The website is in German but it would be easy enough to copy and paste into a German-to-English translator such as translate.google.com.


text:
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<configurator>
  <domain name="CHIP" />
  <enum name="TempUnit" type="ENUM8">
    <cluster code="0x002d"/>
    <item name="Fahrenheit" value="0x00"/>
    <item name="Celsius" value="0x01"/>
    <item name="Kelvin" value="0x02"/>
  </enum>
  <cluster>
    <domain>CHIP</domain>
    <name>Unit Localization</name>
    0x002d
    <define>UNIT_LOCALIZATION_CLUSTER</define>
    <client init="false" tick="false">true</client>
    <server init="false" tick="false">true</server>
    <description>Nodes should be expected to be deployed to any and all regions of the world. These global regions
      may have differing preferences for the units in which values are conveyed in communication to a
      user. As such, Nodes that visually or audibly convey measurable values to the user need a
      mechanism by which they can be configured to use a user's preferred unit.</description>
    <globalAttribute side="either" code="0xFFFD" value="1"/>

    <attribute side="server" code="0x00" define="TEMPERATURE_UNIT" type="TempUnit" writable="true" optional="true">TemperatureUnit</attribute>
  </cluster>
  <bitmap name="UnitLocalizationFeature" type="BITMAP32">
    <cluster code="0x002d"/>
    <field name="TemperatureUnit" mask="0x1"/>
  </bitmap>
</configurator>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub