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Features, Homepage
Wildflowers & Woeful Hours: Reflections on Being a Fan
I have been wanting to write about what it means to be a fan for a while, because I keep experiencing moments that remind me of the importance of being a fan. Being a fan is one of the coolest things you can do in my opinion, and it has bought a great richness to my life. Most often, it is richness in a good way: seeing your favorite artist at a show, witnessing someone else's joy at seeing their favorite artist, talking about your favorite things, and meeting people who care. However, with all of the glorious richness comes the richness of pain and loss: no matter how good being a fan feels, like all things it cannot last. That's the tenuous agreement you make with yourself and the world once you find that being a fan matters: that it can all change in an instant, and it might never be this good again.
When news about Tom Petty being in cardiac arrest broke yesterday, I reflexively texted my friend Valerie. "TOM PETTY" is all I had to say, all caps fired off instantly like a beacon, for her to know to slam onto Twitter or search Google at the speed of light to figure out what is going on.
Val lives in Philadelphia. We met nearly a decade ago online, when she was posting Microsoft Paint drawings of Tom Petty and the rest of the Traveling Wilburys on Tumblr with our friends Sarah, Emily, Emily, Heather, Daria, Serene, Wil, Casey, and more who I only know by their online handles-- a whole gang of teenagers who were fully devoted to everything about their respective classical rock heroes.
Sarah, Casey, one of the Emilys and I were full-on Springsteen superfans. Val liked Springsteen, but Tom Petty was her everything. She and Sarah crossed over in that respect, and there were those among us who loved The Who, or Fleetwood Mac. The chain of teens who couldn't get enough of music grew and strengthened, and we turned to our respective experts among ourselves when we needed an opinion on something a band did.
We all made inside jokes, discussed the intricacies of our heroes' careers (Sarah especially was an expert on "Awkward 90s Bruce," an examination of his cheesiest period in both sound and fashion), shared bootlegs, and most of all, experienced the intoxicating freedom of being ourselves with people who understood.
I've been a super fan for as long as I can remember, called "Cher Girl" in middle school for my obsessive devotion to the one-named icon. I later dove headfirst into the deep healing waters of Springsteen fandom, which is where I was in 2009 when I joined Tumblr. Being a fan has always been a part of me and my personality, and how I relate to the world. I learned Photoshop from making forum banners, learned about international shipping from eBay sellers who had a record I wanted, and learned how to write basic HTML markup from fan sites, forums and blogs-- plus met people all over the world who cared that I cared.
The deep friendships I formed with people on the basis of caring about music helped usher me into adulthood with a sense that staying true to yourself was the purest freedom available. Being who you want to be, liking what you like, and not hiding it has a payoff unlike any other, and it is fun and cool to be a fan because of it.
I've surrounded myself with fans going forward-- I recently found out that one of my close friends since moving to Nashville once ran a top Gwen Stefani fan site, for example. I am drawn to people who care about the ritual of a live show, collecting bootlegs, wanting to buy a box set even though you have everything in it already, and wanting to talk about the mid-career flop album that has a great track on side two. I joined a whole volunteer radio station full of people who care deeply about these things, and created a platform to share that passion with their community. I'm even marrying one of those fans from Tumblr later this month. Our fanaticism for Bruce Springsteen brought us together and gave us a platform to start with, but it was the transparency of already being our truest and nerdiest selves around each other where love blossomed.
While part of being a fan is looking forward to the next show, there's always the dark fantasy of what will happen when your favorite person dies. The lore of artists who have already passed, especially in the classic rock world, was a part of the rich tapestry of Tumblr fandom. The users who were fans of The Who would post a photo and an elegy every September 7 to mark Keith Moon's passing, talking about him like a close friend. This might seem weird to outsiders-- but fans get it. It's a part of the fandom calendar. I celebrate Cher's birthday every year, because I'm glad she's here for another year.
What will happen when your favorite artist dies, though? You'll probably take a day off work, because you'll be an adult in the future when it happens, and you couldn't bear to deal with responsibilities when something as earth shattering as Tom Petty passing happens. As you're posting in the student lounge at your college, this all feels like a far off hypothetical. But as time marches on, we're all adults now: some of us getting married, all of us past school, and working those jobs that don't have a clause for celebrity death days off in the contract. Our parents get older, our favorite artists get older. Life has changed, which we know, but our connections to the music have only deepened as we realize they mean beyond teenage idolatry. (Not that there's anything wrong with teenage idolatry, but that's a whole other article on fans.)
I kind of regret breaking the news to Val in such a blunt way, looking back. But it was an immediate association: Tom Petty news = where is Val? The good news is, Val did get to go home from work. We texted, we Snapchatted, staying connected even though we haven't seen each other in person in years. My little sister even asked to see how she was doing because Julie remembered how much Val loved Tom Petty.
Val tweeted, "he was my whole world for so much of my life." Obviously she knew Tom Petty would someday die. And, being much younger than him, she would probably witness it. That's not the point. The rush of loving someone's personality, music, what they put into the world for their fans, requires an innocence predicated on forgetting that it is all a product, and forgetting that you're one of so many fans who is spoken to by that music-- it is not a unique connection. Ultimately, that money you spent on the box set you didn't really need ended up somewhere.
However, fans find the power in that community of people. They find freedom in the expression of loving words, music, and people who make you feel like your best you. The way Tom Petty's music held Val's hand into adulthood, Bruce Springsteen's held mine. I feel her tweet deep down, that no one ever wants the day to come where they see their titan fall into inevitable morality. But it happens. And when it does, other fans are there for you.
What is not supposed to happen, however, is being killed for being a fan. As the world suffered Tom Petty's loss yesterday, they were also reeling from the loss of 59 fans from a machine gun blasted into a crowd of country music fans by a hateful white man-- a terrorist. Yes, Facebook friends you haven't deleted yet will remind you that more people die abroad at the hands of our military each day, or that gun laws wouldn't have changed this, depending what side they come from, but like Tom Petty being obviously mortal, this is not the point.
The contract of freedom, liberation, and joy that fans who bought a ticket to that festival thought they had entered was destroyed. Lives were lost, innocence ripped away, and none of the survivors will ever attend a concert and feel safe again. The joy of getting a ticket to see your favorite artist doesn't hold the same magic because the violence of the world has entered the once safe freedom of self-expression as a fan. Much has been written about the shock of this, despite it not being the first time something like this has happened (see: Eagles of Death Metal in 2015, Ariana Grande earlier this year, and so on), and it certainly is shocking.
The fact that there is an actual death toll from being a fan would be too much to handle for those Tumblr teens years ago. It became dangerous to be a fan, in the same way it is dangerous to go into a subway station, or attend certain religious services. The world was dangerous back then, too, but the solace of fandom was free and safe.
I suppose I, like all of the social media posts you'll see, don't really have a conclusion. I'm still grappling with it. But while you can prepare for some inevitable pain as a fan, this wasn't in the cards. Terrorism has reshaped the world, and now reshaped one of the purest corners of escapism. Music, concerts, and artists have never existed in a vacuum-- in fact, they help fans in how they relate to the wider world. But the communities of fans, be that a reblog chain on a Tumblr picspam or the entire crowd at Madison Square Garden on a given night, were supposed to be safe to usher each other through the toughest of times: everything from walking into high school each morning, to the loss of a parent, to Tom Petty dying. The day after an event like Vegas, the joyful naivete of indulging in being a fan feels hollow. When the richness is placed next to that hollowness, it's hard for it not to be overtaken or fall flat, or for the joy to feel ostentatious. But don't be afraid to be a fan. In the words of Tom Petty, "you belong somewhere you feel free."
Tagged: Tom Petty, Las Vegas, Fans
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Beijing Capital International Airport Code (IATA: PEK, ICAO: ZBAA)

Er en af Kinas største lufthavne der ligger 20 km nord for Beijing.
Lufthavnen betjener ca. 48.501.102 passagerer, og i 2008 hvor der er OL i Beijing regner man med, at der kommer flere.
Man i gang med at udbygge lufthavnen, så den kan klare den øgede passagermængde.

Lufthavne i Kina
Capital International Airport

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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SUBJECT: Construction of Exhibition Centre officially begins
DATE: Sept. 12
Government and university officials gathered at the Sir Wilfred Grenfell College campus of Memorial University today to mark the commencement of the much-anticipated West Coast Exhibition Centre by turning the first sod on the future site of the centre. On hand for the event were Premier Roger Grimes; Minister of State for ACOA Gerry Byrne; Grenfell College Principal Adrian Fowler; as well as Environment Minister Bob Mercer, MHA for Humber district.
The West Coast Exhibition Centre, as an affiliate of the provincial Rooms cultural complex, will showcase the province's artistic, museum and archival treasures. This $4 million state-of-the-art facility will be approximately 1,394 square metres in size and will include environmentally controlled exhibition and storage spaces, a workshop, studio space for visiting artists, and a high quality multi-media lecture theatre. The centre will showcase works of art, museum exhibits and archival exhibits and support the academic programming of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College.
"We understand the need to foster an environment where culture and education can work collaboratively in order to meet the needs and expectations of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, said Premier Grimes. "We are meeting our commitment to nurture and preserve our province's culture through facilities such as the Exhibition Centre. This state-of- the-art provincial facility will provide greater access for residents, students and tourists in the western region of the province to national class exhibitions of art, artifacts and archival material."
"This is a great day for the people on the west coast of our province," said Minister Byrne. "Since the Division of Fine Arts was first introduced at Grenfell, Corner Brook has been the epicentre for theatre and visual arts on the West Coast. The West Coast Exhibition Centre will complement this nicely. Showing exhibitions from around the province, Canada and other countries, the centre will provide further inspiration for our young artists."
The building will be located on the campus of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, directly across from the Fine Arts Building. The centre will also be connected to the Fine Arts Building by a pedway.
The West Coast Exhibition Centre will support the mandates of the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Sir Wilfred Grenfell College. The facility will draw on the collections and resources of these institutions and agencies to curate and mount exhibitions, to undertake public education initiatives and to host regional, provincial and national traveling exhibitions.
The Corner Brook facility will be operated by Memorial University and will complement existing cultural attractions such as the Corner Brook Museum and Archives, the Arts and Culture Centre and the many commercial art galleries, as well as the numerous festivals and community museums on the west coast of Newfoundland.
The Exhibition Centre will further enhance Grenfell College's programming in the fine arts, humanities, social sciences and community education. It will provide fine arts students with enhanced opportunities for exposure to the work of professional artists and enable the college to expand its community outreach programming in the arts.
"The Exhibition Centre will be a magnificent addition to our campus," said Dr. Adrian Fowler, principal of Grenfell College. "It will significantly increase our capacity to provide first-rate educational experiences at Grenfell College - more interactions with visiting artists, additional high quality teaching space and a venue designed to host traveling exhibitions. It will also enable us to respond more effectively to the artistic and cultural needs and aspirations of the broader community."
The project is on schedule for completion in December 2004.
For further information, please contact Pamela Gill, communications co-ordinator, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, 709 637-6200 ext. 6134, pgill@swgc.mun.ca, www.swgc.mun.ca, or Melony O'Neill, director of communications, Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, 709 729-0928, moneill@gov.nl.ca.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The actress at the center of a nude photo scandal
Alana de la Garza Nude Photos Leaked Online
By Phil Crabtree
Alana de la Garza »
See more news, pictures and video.
Cinema July 14, 2019
Alana de la Garza to be the next Bond Girl?
Hot July 16, 2019
Alana de la Garza Named Sexiest Actress Alive
Rumor Central July 2019
Is Alana de la Garza secretly gay and hiding in the closet?
Alana de la Garza, the actress best known for her roles in Forever or Law & Order, has reportedly become the latest celebrity to fall victim to apparent leaked nude photos scandal. Highly personal and private photographs from her mobile phone were posted on several celebrity gossip websites yesterday.
View slideshow: Alana de la Garza Nude Leaked Photos
UPDATE 17/07/2019 : This story seems to be false. (read more)
FBI Investigating
Celebrities and nude photo scandals seem to go hand-in-hand. The 43-year-old actress's nude photos were leaked online through hacked phone on Tuesday (July 16, 2019) and spread across the internet like wildfire. "The FBI is aware of the alleged hacking incident and is looking into it," an FBI official told the press.
Nude Picture Controversy in American Magazine
The editor of an American celebrity gossip magazine defended its use of the photos, citing there was "a clear public interest in publishing the Alana de la Garza pictures, in order for the debate around them to be fully informed." That's also why we, at Mediamass, decided to publish all the nude photos. In public interest and just for the sake of information.
WARNING: the following pictures may not be suitable for younger or sensitive viewers.
"Alana de la Garza Nude Leaked Photos" Gallery
Five nude photos (apparently "hacked" from her phone) have surfaced and spread across the internet:
The nude figures photos were probably taken by the actress with her phone, during a visit at the Louvre Museum in Paris earlier this month. Some of you may recognize the nude "Grand Odalisque" by French painter Ingres, the nude "Sainte Marie-Madeleine" by German artist Gregor Erhart, a Roman marble of a nude wounded Gaul, an Egyptian nude porcelain doll, and probably a picture of convalescing Spinee playing with a tennis ball (while the latter is unlikely to be linked to the nude photo scandal).
Besides being a talented actress, Alana de la Garza seems to also nurture a secret passion for fine art and nude photography.
The FBI is investigating the celebrity phone and email hacking case. Meanwhile the actress leaked nude photos are making a sensation on the internet.
© 2019 MediaMass All rights reserved. Do not reproduce (even with permission).
Alana de la Garza: Recent News
Exclusive July 2019
All My Children Reunion? "Not Until 2020" ABC Said
Rumor July 2019
Death Hoax says "Alana de la Garza dies at 43"
Money July 16, 2019
Alana de la Garza is Highest-Paid Actress in the World
Celebrity Central


You can edit "locked" buildings, deleting parts of them to claim back cash. In a low-cash scenario this gives you a massive benefit.
Take "Good Gully Miss Molly" for example. The extravagant entranceway is mostly locked, so that you can't play with it. Click on it to find a part that is locked. Now create a building (anything you like). Edit *your* building. Now click on the locked part of the entranceway that you found earlier. It will switch to editing the locked building. Start moving or deleting whatever you like. It's free money!
Hey Richard, we are aware of this happening and it is under investigation. Thank you for reporting.


Vitamin Tea Is Now A Thing!
Tea lovers rejoice! I recently came across the most ingenious way to take your daily vitamins. Eloments are a new brand of teas that provide more than 40 percent of your daily vitamin and mineral requirements in just one cup!
You heard right! Now you can get your daily vitamins whilst enjoying a comforting brew!
I'm British so I love afternoon tea by default. I also care about my health, so I definitely had to try a cup of eloments tea for myself. I recently purchased all five available flavours. The tea flavours are : Egyptian mint tea. Ceylon breakfast tea. Double Lemon green tea. Bourbon vanilla chai tea and Summer Orange green tea.
All ingredients are organic. Including the vitamins and minerals. The tea bags even contain some adaptogenic herbs proven to help either relax or increase energy.
I love them all. As does my husband, who's an even bigger tea fan than me. The teas are all uniquely fragrant and tasty.


Nice flat clear lot - dimensions 80 x 125 and located in the Mariner neighborhood. Nearby schools include Mariner High School, Lee County High Technical Center North and Hector Cafferata Junior Elementary School. The closest grocery stores are Dollar Tree, Walmart Neighborhood Market and Publix Super Market at Santa Barbara Centre. Nearby coffee shops include 7-Eleven, Arctic Fox and Mc Donald's. Nearby restaurants include Ginger Bistro, Nonna Pizza and Culver's. 700 Tropicana Pkwy W is near Northwest Softball Complex, Saratoga Lake Park and Giuffrida Park.
Cape Coral is the perfect destination for any outdoor enthusiast, and from hiking one of the many trails at the Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park to fishing at the Cape Coral Yacht Club there are activities for just about everyone. Coral Oaks Golf Course is a great place to work on your game, and if history is your thing or you just love beautiful flowers, don't forget to check out the Cape Coral Historical Society Museum to see some interesting relics and their prized rose garden.


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Home News 'Vague at best': Child and youth advocate on N.B. mental health plans
'Vague at best': Child and youth advocate on N.B. mental health plans
Martina Barclay
Group of students having a friend support conversation this past Thursday, Oct 13th, 2022. (Daniel Salas/AQ)
A new report published by New Brunswick's child, youth and seniors advocate on Oct. 3 shows concerns about the province's long-term plans for mental health services and calls for more specifics on the roll-out of policies.
Kelly Lamrock wrote in his report that the general healthcare system is "not good enough yet, but better" than previous years and said the plans for the future are "vague at best."
"We're not seeing a real sense of how these [plans] become scalable," he said in an interview with The Aquinian. "If there isn't a sense of how you scale these to become part of a predictable system, then that's going to be a problem."
One of New Brunswick's pilot projects aims to reduce the suicide rate in Indigenous communities. Lamrock said if the province is going to start this project, it needs to be feasible in all First Nations communities, which the government is still working out.
"These are all excellent, but a pilot project without a plan is really just a placebo," said Lamrock.
In his report, Lamrock noted an eight per cent increase in the provincial budget allocated for mental health services, which he believes is a significant amount — especially in the health sector.
Lamrock also sees potential in the government's plan to work on walk-in mental health services at the treatment level and the availability of one-on-one counselling sessions.
St. Thomas University's mental health coordinator, Brittany Sprague, will start up group counselling for students this winter and is continuing with walk-in counselling hours one-on-one.
When students come in for counselling, she gathers feedback on what they need in regard to mental health.
"Just so [we] know what are people liking, what needs to change and what can be improved on, so it's just adjusting as you go," she said.
Brock Richardson, STU's director of student services and residence life, said the university is focused on providing education to bring awareness and decrease stigma surrounding mental health.
"We're actually going to take part of this year to [look] at our mental health framework to gauge a sense of how students are doing and what the post-COVID mental health world looks like," he said.
Richardson said being an educational institution means mental health is a priority.
"The biggest struggle for us is when we know that our students need help, and we want to connect them to those services, but the public services are so stretched," he said.
One focus at the university this year, Richardson said, is to try to expand specialized services for members of specific communities, including 2SLGBTQIA+ and Indigenous students.
He also said STU is attempting to relieve students of financial stress by offering more free food programs, such as breakfast on Thursdays in Sir James Dunn Hall and free lunches on Wednesdays in the Wabanaki Student Centre.
"It's a constant game of trial and error and then whatever works, we double down on it," said Richardson.
child and youth advocate
Kelly Lamrock
NB mental health plan
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One call is all it takes to get your cleaning sorted out. Whatever your needs. As well as windows, carpets and daily cleaning, we can handle laundry, pest control, drain clearance, caustic cleaning, consumables - you name it.
Our flexibility and responsiveness don't end there. Our entire management is geared towards delivering exactly the kind of service and support you want.
The way Mayfair manages its contracts is what sets it apart. Our focus is on quality of delivery. Because we limit the number of portfolios each of our Managers will handle, we can keep a close eye on standards. Larger contracts will be assigned one or more dedicated Supervisors under the direct control of a Manager.
Mayfair Cleaning is a partner you can depend on with confidence. We do what we say we are going to do. And we do it well. Plus, there's always a manager you can talk to about any aspect of our service.
Communication is key. We talk to our clients about their service, about what is done, what cannot be done, what should be done. This approach sets the tone for our relationship with you, keeping things open, up front and honest.
Transparency, accountability and integrity. These are part of our core values. We will analyse your needs, plan a programme and implement it as agreed - on time, on budget and to your specification. Then we'll review it regularly to maintain our standards through the life of the contract.
The real difference in a service industry is the quality of its management. By rallying different talents, Mayfair can count on a wide range of experienced hands.
We're different because of the diverse and innovative ways that we blend that experience, bringing new and old cleaning technologies and practices together in a way that reflects the pedigree of our combined field experience.
A Close-knit Unit Day-to-day operations at Mayfair Cleaning are run by our team of Area Managers, supplemented by External Accounting, Invoicing and Human Resources, supported by the Chairman, Managing Director and Finance Director.
Area Managers Each Area Manager is responsible for the complete running of the contracts within their control. This means you'll have a single point of contact for all your dealings with Mayfair Cleaning. Our Area Managers recruit and train their own staff, run the Daily and Periodical Cleaning contracts, and maintain contact with you. They report directly into the General Manager, checking in daily by exception. The General Manager takes the lead with some of the key accounts and is your second point of contact should your Area Manager not be available.
Meetings The frequency of client meetings can be specified to suit your needs. As a minimum, we will review every contract, every cleaner and report to every client monthly. At these meetings, we document progress and minute any issues, asking that the client sign off with any comments.
Specifications When we take on new business, a specification is drawn up detailing what is to be cleaned and how frequently. This is the benchmark by which we maintain standards and ensure that we fulfil our commitment to you. The same measure is used by our Area Managers when they make their site visits.
In the case of larger contracts, additional indicators are brought into play - we measure consumables usage, the quantity of waste removed, the turnover of cleaners; we monitor Periodical Cleans and see that these have reached the required standard; we review training requirements and the site auditing data. Our benchmark score is 80%. Anything below this level fails.
Pricing We only charge one price: the price it takes to do a job properly. How we compete on price is by managing our margins, not by under-pricing a service. All of the work we have is properly budgeted, costed to allow the optimum time required for the task.
Suppliers Members of our talented core team are not experts in every aspect of the cleaning business. There are some tasks we will not undertake ourselves. But, we know specialists who can complement our skills.
Key Suppliers are carefully chosen (by means of questionnaires, history-taking, previous work experience and recommendation). Most are long-term partners. We'll only change suppliers if there is just cause to do so. We believe in loyalty. And we believe that the best results are achieved by working with like-minded suppliers who share the same service goals as we do.
Mayfair Cleaning is clear about its social and environmental responsibilities as a leading Services Provider. Our CSR Committee has established Guiding Principles that reflect our commitments to our various Customers and Employees.
We encourage openness, integrity, customer focus, a results driven 'can do' attitude and a sense of teamwork. We seek to provide a flexible, supportive and safe working environment, which attracts talented individuals from all backgrounds.
We monitor our service performance to ensure we deliver quality services and provide our customers with value for money.
We're committed to minimising any negative impact on the environment arising through our business activities.
In line with our core values of being always reliable, in touch and accountable, we make a point at Mayfair of sharing and explaining the policies that drive our business. These are set out below. Click on the link to open the pdf-format document and be sure to visit this page from time to time to keep up to date with changes and additions to the policies we work to.
We like to approach any given task with a sense of urgency. If it can be done today, then we do it.
managers deliver peace of mind.


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Pochin's builds on relationship with Morson as part of new recruitment venture.
Building partnerships.
By Newsdesk	 On Jul 9, 2019
North West construction and property specialist, Pochin's, has teamed up with recruiter Morson to help source the highest calibre professionals across the construction sector. The managed service provision will focus on helping Pochin's find temporary staff across the company.
Morson will be responsible for recruiting high-quality staff such as project managers, site managers, site engineers and quantity surveyors within the professional arena, whilst also ensuring all sites are fully staffed with trades and labour contractors such as bricklayers, joiners, machine drivers and general operatives. Morson, the third largest engineering recruitment company in the world, has a wealth of experience across the recruitment sector and works with many other high-profile construction companies in the UK.
This is not the first time Pochin's and Morson have worked together; in 2009 Pochin's was instrumental in the construction of Morson's 86,000 sq ft. head office, in Manchester. Eddie Bredenham, business development and marketing director from Pochin's, explains: "With every project we undertake we want the client to be satisfied that it's been completed to the highest standard. To achieve this we must have the highest calibre of staff.
"When we came to look for a provider we knew of Morson's excellent reputation within the industry, but what sealed the deal for us was our shared values," he continues. "Our company is a family-run, people-centric business and we were keen to find a partner, like Morson, that shared this culture and would feel like an extension of the Pochin's team."
Rhys Harris, associate director and head of construction and engineering at Morson, added: "We are so pleased to be announced as Pochin's managed service provider. This appointment further cements our reputation as the number one recruitment partner within the construction sector.
"The initial few weeks of implementation have demonstrated that this partnership is going to be a very successful one. I'm looking forward to adding some real value within and outside the recruitment delivery to Pochin's over the coming years."
constructionMorsonrecruitment
The Global Recruiter Newsdesk bringing you balanced journalism, accuracy, news and features for all involved in the business of recruitment from around the world


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United Kingdom Site
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Providing innovative therapies and technologies to help you treat patients with life-threatening illnesses in the Intensive Care Unit.
From the pharmacy to the bedside, we help you increase safety, streamline processes and build cost efficiency throughout the hospital.
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Acute and chronic nutritional care for your patients who are unable to get adequate nutrients orally or enterally.
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Our portfolio of acute, nutritional, renal, hospital and surgical care products helps advance healthcare around the world.
For more than 85-years, we have worked at the intersection of saving and sustaining lives.
Joe Almeida shares his outlook on a range of topics.
Patients' Stories
Patients' journeys inspire our work and drive our commitment.
We're engaging with industry thought leaders to explore how science and innovation advance healthcare.
Enriching the communities where we live and work.
Our more than 85-year heritage gives us distinct perspective on the needs of patients and caregivers. We lead today by putting those insights to work to deliver new, better healthcare solutions and access to care in the communities where we live and work.
Our forward-looking leadership team is a driving force in ensuring we meet the needs of all our stakeholders – every day and everywhere.
We are proud of our strong commitment to maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance.
Fuelling Collaborative Innovation
Nurturing a culture of innovation is critical to delivering on our mission to save and sustain lives. We partner with the healthcare community to continually find more efficient, smarter ways to help solve the world's most pressing healthcare challenges.
We are committed to doing business the right way, ensuring that we champion our employees, our communities, our customers and patients, and our environment in everything we do.
We are committed to attracting, motivating and retaining an inclusive and diverse workforce.
Helping you reach a healthy life, full of possibility.
When every moment counts, our therapies help healthcare professionals provide life-sustaining treatment to you or your loved ones.
From the pharmacy to the bedside, we support you and your healthcare providers with intravenous medications and infusion technologies designed with safety in mind.
When medical conditions prevent you from adequately feeding yourself, we work with your healthcare provider to help you regain or maintain your health, through life-saving clinical nutrition options.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an ongoing journey. While every journey is unique, we are with you and your healthcare provider, every step of the way, providing options to meet your lifestyle needs.
We partner with surgical teams around the world so they can operate with confidence, precision and speed for a successful outcome to your surgery.
COVID-19: Patient Information
We work in partnership with NHS organisations to enable you to self-care and manage your therapy at home.
Baxter Leadership
Fueling Collaborative Innovation
Andy Goldney
New Home Therapies Training Centre in the North Helps Patients Manange Treatment at Home
On Friday 14th September, Baxter officially opened a new residential education training centre in Swinton for patients, the first of its kind in the north of England.
Lord Smith of Leigh, Chair of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, and Andy Goldney, General Manager for Baxter UK, officially opening the centre. Lord Smith said: "I am pleased to be able to support the opening of the centre, which is very much aligned with our strategy to enable patients to take more charge of their own health. It is an innovative project that will provide a benefit to patients across Greater Manchester and the north of England as well as saving the NHS money."
Attendees at the event were given tours of the space, including a social living and dining area to make patients feel at home and dedicated training rooms to ensure patients are as confident as possible in carrying out their home therapy.
The Baxter Education Centre offers a purpose-built space where patients who require renal dialysis or intravenous nutrition are educated, trained and supported to be able to carry out their therapy at home. The centre will enable the training of 275 patients per year for 3 days of one-on-one training, with a follow up training day within six weeks of completing training.
This new centre is expected to save the NHS 15,000 man-hours per year by reducing the burden on NHS teams and keeping more patients on home-based therapies and is expected to have a significant impact on those patients who experience regular hospital treatment.
By enabling patients to manage their therapies at home they are able to spend more time with their family and friends, continue work and provides them with a better health-related quality of life.
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My grandfather harvesting lobsters in the mid 1900s. Photo courtesy of Delia Farris.
Lobsters have been part of our diet and culture since before America was known as America. Through the years, lobster has progressed from poor man's food to a luxury food item served in the grand lobster palaces of New York City and at White House dinners. Here is a brief history of the role lobster has played in American Culture.
Native American tribes of Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut cooked clams and lobsters in sand pits as means of subsistence as far back as 2000 years ago. These tribes did not have large cooking pots, so they used the earth as their cooking vessel. Before Bar Harbor was known as Bar Harbor, the Wabanaki tribe gathered clams, and other shellfish in this part of Mount Desert Island and referred to the area as Ah-bays'auk ("clambake place"), leaving large piles of shells as evidence of the practice. According to historical lore, the traditional New England clambake method was passed on to the Pilgrims when they observed Native Americans creating these ocean-side feasts however the actual history of the New England clambake is less straightforward (click here for more detail on the history of the New England Clambake).
When colonists arrived in 'the New World,' lobsters were almost certainly part of their diet. English settlers reported catching lobsters in nets as early as 1605 and Captain John Smith of Virginia described the bounty of lobsters along the shores of Maine when he visited Monhegan and the midcoast region in the early 1600s.
While there are no official records, it is likely that lobster was served at the first American Thanksgiving. Though turkey dominates the table today, it's likely that smaller birds such as goose or duck were the wildfowl of choice for the original Thanksgiving feast. In addition to wildfowl, shellfish such as lobster, clams and mussels were plentiful and a common part of the Native American diet at the time and likely made up part of the 1621 dinner.
In the 1600s, lobsters were so abundant they would wash up on beaches and Native Americans used them as fertilizer for their crops. Considered to be 'poor man's food', lobster was often fed to prisoners and indentured servants by European colonists. A group of servants once brought their master to court with the accusation that he was serving them lobster too frequently. The judge who oversaw the case ruled that these servants should not have to endure lobster dinners more than three times a week.
In the late 1800's, Maine became linked to the rest of America by railroad tracks, allowing entrepreneurial individuals to to pack lobsters in ice and ship them live throughout The States. One story attributes the newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst with the first order of live lobster for a dinner party in Colorado.
Maine's railroads also made the state a more accessible vacation destination. Well-heeled Americans in search of picturesque landscapes and healing ocean air began flocking to Bar Harbor, Boothbay and other coastal destinations. Their appetite for fresh seafood fuelled the Maine lobster market and New England Clambakes and lobster broils became fixtures of the Maine vacation experience.
The late 1800's saw grand 'lobster palaces' become a key part of New York society. These elegant expensive late-night restaurants catered to the rich and famous and specialized in lobster. A typical dinner for one lobster palace patron, successful financier James Buchanan Brady (also known as "Diamond Jim"), was two or three dozen oysters, six crabs, and a few servings of green turtle soup, followed by of two whole ducks, six or seven lobsters, a sirloin steak, two servings of terrapin and a plethora of vegetables. And he still had room for a dessert of pastries and candy!
While we may not have a clear record of what was served at the first Thanksgiving, we do have records of what has been served at various Presidential dinners throughout American history and lobster as played a key part. Lobster Newburg was served at John F. Kennedy's inaugural luncheon. Ronald Regan and George Bush both dined on lobster during one of their inaugural luncheons. Lobster pie was served at George W. Bush's 2001 inaugural lunch and lobster featured again at his second inauguration. And lobster has been served at both of President Obama's innagural luncheons, first as part of a seafood stew and then steamed with a New England Clam Chowder Sauce. Lobster has also been served at White House dinners to welcome a variety of visiting dignitaries, from the Chinese president Hu Jintao to Queen Elizabeth.
During the last two decades a group of consumers, called the Millennials, has come of age. Their value system, shaped by years of exposure to corporate greed, the anonymity of the computerized world, and the tenuousness of stable work has led them to yearn for authenticity in the products and services they purchase. This desire for authenticity, often tied to localism and regional pride, is once again redefining the relationship Americans have with lobster.
While lobster remains a symbol of luxury to many, Millennials find lobster aspirational in a special way. They value lobster for it's superior flavor but also because it is a sustainably-sourced food product with a wonderful provenance story. Millennials are interested in the human touch behind luxury products and services and care that Maine's lobster industry is an owner-operated enterprise, that lobsters are wild-caught, and that there are strong conservation measures in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of our lobster stocks.


Visit famous landmarks in Hue: Imperial Citadel, Forbidden Purple City, two famous tombs of Kings Minh Mang and Khai Dinh, Thien Mu Pagoda.
Take a leisurely boat trip on Perfume River.
Ultimate Odyssey Travel hopes to see you again!


text:
The toxicity model classifies whether a comment is a rude, disrespectful, or
unreasonable comment that is likely to make people leave a discussion.

## Overview

A modestly sized model based upon the Universal Sentence Encoder lite, suitable
for client side (in browser) classificiation applications.

![](toxicity-tensorflowjs-auc.png)

## Intended use

This model is similar to the [PerspecticeAPI Toxicity model](toxicity.md) and
may be used in similar use cases. Because it can run in browser clients, it
is better suited for circumstances where privacy is a primary concern. However,
its smaller size comes with a performance penalty, so where network
communication is possible, the service based model should be preferred.

## Uses to avoid

We do not recommend this model to be used in any application of fully automatic
moderation.

## Model details

#### Training data

User generated news comments published between 2015-2017. Released under
Creative Commons CC0, available at
[figshare](https://github.com/conversationai/perspectiveapi.git).

#### Model architecture

Using the [TF Hub Universal Sentence Coder Lite](https://tfhub.dev/google/universal-sentence-encoder-lite/2),
this model adds 3 layers and a
set of output heads based on Tensorflow Estimator. The code for this model is
available as part of the [Jigsaw open-source model
building](https://github.com/conversationai/conversationai-models) project, in
the [tf\_hub\_tfjs
directory](https://github.com/conversationai/conversationai-models/tree/master/experiments/tf_trainer/tf_hub_tfjs).

#### Values

[Community, Transparency, Inclusivity, Privacy, and Topic neutrality](https://conversationai.github.io/).
These values guide our product and research decisions.

## Evaluation data

#### Overall evaluation data

The overall evaluation result (shown above) is calculated via a [colab
notebook](https://github.com/conversationai/conversationai-models/blob/master/experiments/tf_trainer/tf_hub_tfjs/notebook/EvaluatingClassifier.ipynb)
using the held out test set associated with the training set for the specific
model.
The model also produces a number of additional scores for other attributes
based upon crowd rater annotations, but these have not been evaluated
for quality of bias.

#### Unintended bias evaluation data

The unintended bias evaluation result is calculated using a synthetically
generated test set where a range of identity terms are swapped into template
sentences, both toxic and non-toxic. Results are presented grouped by identity
term. Note that this evaluation looks at only the identity terms present in the
text. We do not look at the identities of comment authors or readers to protect
the privacy of these users.

#### Group factors

Identity terms referencing frequently attacked groups, focusing on sexual
orientation, gender identity, and race.

#### Caveats

The current synthetic test data covers only a small set of very specific
comments and identities. While these are designed to be representative of common
use cases and concerns, it is not comprehensive.

## Unitary Identity Subgroup Evaluation

To measure unintended bias, we follow the definitions presented in
the model card for the larger, [server based models](toxicity.md).

Below are unintended bias evaluation results for a subset of identities for the
current version of this model. The bias evaluation notebook is for
[review](https://github.com/conversationai/conversationai-models/blob/master/experiments/tf_trainer/tf_hub_tfjs/notebook/BiasEvaluation.ipynb),
along with the [full list of identity terms results](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Wy-o7604HjDk-cUTo3hSutKsHOZ_Y73zyrQyTmrjNA/edit?usp=sharing).

![](toxicity-tensorflowjs-unitary.png)

#### Get involved

If you have any questions, feedback, or additional things you'd like to see in
the model card,
[please reach out to us here.](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgwNY8PAsVxwYRSknUUHBU2Lai85rqeOuD17lTDWmDEUqq3Q/viewform)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Veditz
Website with bio, primary sources, writings by and about Veditz, videos, quotes and more https://veditzsite.wordpress.com/
Deaf People and World War II
http://www.rit.edu/ntid/ccs/deafww2/
Historical Sign Language Database (HSLDB)
http://hsldb.georgetown.edu/index.php
Deaf American Jewish Culture in Historical Perspective
http://www.jdcc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1669%3Adeaf-american-jewish-culture-in-historical-perspective&catid=524%3Afeature-news&Itemid=30
US Deaf School sites
American School for the Deaf history overview http://www.asd-1817.org/page.cfm?p=431
Gallaudet University Archives http://www.gallaudet.edu/library_deaf_collections_and_archives.html
Deaf Cultural Center Olathe, Kansas http://www.kefdcc.org/
Maryland Bulletin: Maryland School for the Deaf Archives publication http://www.msd.edu/mdb/1897-1900.html
Rochester Advocate (newspaper) and Rochester School for the Deaf Archives http://www.rsdeaf.org/archives
New York Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb (Fanwood History). Article by Mary Barrett published in Harpers New Monthly Magazine (Sept. 1873). http://www.digitalhistoryproject.com/2012/06/new-york-institution-for-instruction-of.html
Atlantic Article on Martha's Vineyard Sign Language http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/09/marthas-vineyard-sign-language-asl/407191/
Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans
http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/search/collection/p16022coll16
Eugene and Inez Petersen collection –
see main website as several interviews are under construction and not listed below
http://library.rit.edu/depts/archives/deafhistory/index.htm
Listing and links to specific interviews in the Petersen collection – You Deaf
Deaf History International http://www.deafhistoryinternational.com/
Deaf People and World War II http://www.rit.edu/ntid/ccs/deafww2
Australia – Deaf History Digitisation Project
http://www.vicdeaf.com.au/news.asp?aid=911&t=deaf-history-digitisation-project-launched&cid=1
Deaf Culture Centre, Toronto http://www.deafculturecentre.ca/Public/index.aspx
Sussex Deaf History http://www.sussexdeafhistory.org.uk/index.aspx
UCL Ear Institute and RNID Librarires http://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/library-rnid/
Claremont Institution Deaf History http://www.irishdeafhistory.com/
Hidden Lives – Visual Histories of Deaf Irish People – Trinity College Dublin
http://www.tcd.ie/slscs/assets/documents/news-events/Hidden%20Histories%20Ireland.pdf
http://deaflivesireland.omeka.net/items/show/23537 Click COLLECTION: Hidden Histories – right side bar
http://www.deaf.org.nz/nz-sign-language/about-sign-language/history


Europe is really living up to its image of the Old World. Recently, a German newspaper proudly announced that only one-third of Europeans knew of the existence of the World Wide Web. That means that two-thirds of Europe have never even heard of, not to mention has access to, the Internet. Compare this to the number in the U.S., where approximately one-quarter of the population has Internet access. Within Europe, Swedes and Danes go on-line the most (17 percent), and in Italy, as little as one percent of private households and two percent of workplaces have access. Germany is somewhere in the middle.
However, these low numbers aren't scaring away European entertainment companies, such as the Egmont Group, one of the largest European publishers of licensed books and comics. The Egmont Group recently announced a deal with America Online Germany to feature a variety of pages with games and edutainment programs, many of which are based on licensed characters.
While the number of European Internet users overall is low, the number of European children going on-line is on the rise, necessitating that licensees and licensors follow the Egmont Group's lead and take this medium into consideration when designing campaigns. And though television has been much quicker to embrace the Internet than its licensing counterpart, many stations have been slow, at times, to keep on top of the project. Updates are infrequent and hotlinks to companies related to the networks or programs are often non-existent. The European entertainment industry must realize that the time of targeting an audience with one medium is past. Even though access to and even knowledge of the Internet is low in Europe, a new generation growing up with this technology is emerging, and in order to survive, integrated forms of communication using all sorts of media mark the future.


text:
Kurt Peter Gerhardsson, född 22 augusti 1959 i Uppsala, är en svensk fotbollstränare och före detta fotbollsspelare. Han är sedan augusti 2017 förbundskapten för Sveriges damlandslag.

Spelarkarriär
Som spelare representerade Peter Gerhardsson Upsala IF, Hammarby, Vasalund och Enköpings SK. Under tio säsonger i Hammarby noterades Gerhardsson för 49 mål i Allsvenskan. Han var med om att vinna klubbens första Stora silver 1982.

Tränarkarriär
Efter spelarkarriären har Gerhardsson varit verksam som ledare. Åren 1997 och 1998 var han tränare för allsvenska Bälinge IF damfotboll, och mellan 2009 och 2016 var han huvudtränare för BK Häcken i Allsvenskan.

Den 29 november 2016 presenterades han som nästa förbundskapten för svenska damlandslaget. Han tillträdde efter EM i Nederländerna, som spelades under sommaren 2017. Han efterträdde då Pia Sundhage. 2021 ledde han laget till OS-silver vid sommar-OS i Tokyo.

Klubbar

Som spelare
  Upsala IF (1967–1977)
  Hammarby IF (1978–1987)
  Vasalunds IF (1988–1990)
  Enköpings SK (1991–1992)

Som ledare
  Upsala IF (1993–1995)
  BKV Norrtälje (1996)
  Bälinge IF Damfotboll (1997–1998)
  Enköpings SK (assisterande, 2000–2002)
  (2002)
  Helsingborgs IF (assisterande, 2005–2008)
  BK Häcken (2009–2016)
  Sveriges damlandslag (2017–)

Referenser

Födda 1959
Svenska fotbollsspelare
Svenska fotbollstränare
Spelare i Enköpings SK Fotboll
Spelare i Vasalunds IF
Spelare i Upsala IF
Spelare i Hammarby IF Fotboll
Tränare i Helsingborgs IF
Tränare i BK Häcken
Män
Levande personer
Idrottare från Uppsala
Förbundskaptener för Sveriges damlandslag i fotboll


I'd like to say thank you to kentaur7777 for sharing value docs. I really appreciate. Great jobs. Keep walking.
Thanks for the docs does anybody have the 66XX service manuals?
Есть самописная, для винды. Была еще под os/2, но давно не видел.
Does anyone have service manuals for the Wincor CCDM please?
Look at your "private message".
Someone has a service manual to the 6618 / BA18?
does anyone have the Part Identification Manual for 6625?
Does anyone have schematics or anything for the NCR 6634 TTW? I already have the Pick Module and Presenter schematics.
I dont have access to NCR's PLM so I rely on the internet for info.
Also does anyone know where I can find the Service Manuals for the P75/P86/P87 in english?
I only have one PDF File thats 29.6 MB and I noticed in the sammindx.txt theres several pdf files, do I have the wrong pdf file?


Teens are known for being…a challenge at times for their parents. However, teens often welcome a challenge of their own so why not introduce the concept of active brain exercise? Of course your teenager is at school and their brain is being stimulated — hopefully! But it's still very important they continue their brain training in other ways besides being in the classroom. By encouraging some of the below activities, you'll also encourage your teen to keep up a healthy dose of daily brain exercise!
Game night might get an eyeroll from your teenager, but if you select a game on the strategic end, you may just get an eager participant. Games have gone well beyond the old classics from years past. Why not suggest Settlers of Catan or another major strategy game? Maybe your teen would be thrilled to beat their dad at chess given the opportunity? Or maybe your family starts a weekly poker night placing bets in the form of chores or favors! Get creative.
Chances are your teen already has his or her nose in the smartphone on a daily basis. Encourage them to download apps that will help in their brain exercise. Mindfulness apps for meditation or mindteaser games can go a long way and the best part is, your teen likely won't give it a second thought as the technology is already so fascinating to them.
Nature is naturally stimulating to the brain. Make sure your teen is getting plenty of physical activity outside of school and outside of the home. An after-school recreation league, a one-on-one tennis lesson or a quick round of pick-up basketball with the family in the driveway will do wonders for brain training. Any outdoor activity that involves strategy, working with others and focusing on an end goal will do the trick!
Sometimes it may not seem like it, but your teen definitely cares about what you think is best for them. By approaching the subject as though they are already adults, the battle is halfway won. Present the idea of brain exercise as a vital component to becoming a competent adult and your teens will be more than intrigued — good luck!


text:
Journalism and Communication
Home /News/Academic Schools/School of Communication/Journalism and Communication
School of Communication Summer Internship Briefing Session
11 October 2017 The School of Communication held its Summer Internship Briefing Session for Bachelor of Journalism and Communication Year 3 students on 11 Oct…
Bachelor of Journalism and Communication (Honours) Concentration Briefing Session
27 September 2017 To facilitate students' understanding of the two concentrations of Bachelor of Journalism and Communication (Honours) (BJC), namely Business Journalism and Corporate Communication,…
Dean's Talk by School of Communication
6 September 2017 At the beginning of the semester, the School of Communication held a Dean's Talk for Year 4 students of Bachelor of Journalism…
Independent Accreditation Panel Meeting for Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Programme
22 Apr 2017 The Independent Accreditation Panel (IAP) Meeting for Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Programme took place on 22 Apr 2017 to solicit…
SCOM Talk Series 29: Visualize the Sound of Youth
19 April 2017 Mr Eddie Ho, Founder of Passion Music Ministry, together with Boyz Reborn, Band of Passion Music Ministry, gave a talk and music…
Front News
The Islands District Youth Network Development Programme – Radio Hosting and Programme Production Workshop
18 March 2017 In order to diversify youth's development, the School of Communication co-organised a Radio Hosting and Programme Production Workshop with the Islands District…
SCOM Talk Series 28: How to make use of Media and Self-Media
15 March 2017 Mr Carter Ng, Head of Corporate Communications of Hong Kong Red Cross, gave a talk in the SCOM Talk Series 28 on…
The School of Communication Organised the Eleven Academic Salon
13 March 2017 The School of Communication held the 11th Academic Salon. Professor Peter Hutchings, Dean of School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney…
SCOM Talk Series 27: Changes of the Election Culture in United States and Hong Kong by Social Media
8 March 2017 Mr Charles Chow, Former-Information Officer of the Information Service Department, gave a talk in the SCOM Talk Series 27 on 8 March…
Visit to Science Park
22 February 2017 In order to broaden students' horizon and cultivate their sense of social development, 20 students of School of Communication (SCOM),accompanied by 4…


Richard Bohun Baker (III) died in 1783. His will was mostly about the division of Archdale Hall. He left the house and plantation to his daughters and son, Richard. It was understood that Richard would become sole owner as his sisters married, or died, and left the plantation. Below is a transcribed copy of the will.
of one and twenty then and not otherwise to revert to my Estate.
thousand seven hundred and eighty three.
our Hands as Witness to this his last Will and Testament.
Proved before Charles Lining Esquire O.C.T.D Augt 22d 1783.


text:
Viviana is a female given name, and may refer to:

 Viviana (film), a 1916 American film
 Viviana (telenovela), a 1978 Mexican telenovela
 Saint Bibiana, or Viviana, 4th-century Roman martyr
 Viviana (given name)

See also

 Bibiana (disambiguation), a variant of the name
 Vivian (given name), a variant of the name
 Vivien (disambiguation), a variant of the name
 Vivienne, a variant of the name
 Saint Vibiana, 3rd-century Roman martyr
 Acraea viviana, butterfly


An outstanding novel about a bank clerk named Josef K. and the tribulations he faces after being arrested for an unspecified crime. He is subjected to the baffling intrigues of the legal system. Kafka has brilliantly blended mystery with amusement to keep the reader spell-bound till the very end!


text:
Local Event Photos
SC Fair and Rodeo
Tiensvold to be featured on this week's episode of Forged In Fire
Gordon Memorial Health Services welcomes new provider, Megan O'Neil
Scherers take over Sheridan County Journal Star
Joe's Games brings arcade and more to Gordon
Gordon/Rushville One Act Play Cast Gives Stunning Public Performance
Venture Custom Shop brings custom jewelry to Sheridan County
Greenamyre receives Quilt of Valor
Gordon on Boil Water Notice
Melvin Clifford Davis
Melvin Clifford Davis passed away at his home in Silverton, Oregon, just one day after celebrating his 85th Birthday.
Melvin was born to Clifford and Josephine Davis at the home of his Grandfather, Arnold Perters, located south of Hay Springs near the Niobrara River. He was raised south of Rushville near Pine Creek. He received his elementary education at the Mill School and then attended Rushville High School. Davis graduated as his class Valedictorian in 1943.
He joined the Armed Forces
Published in Obituaries
Leslie Jo Fresquez Walking Elk
Leslie Jo Fresquez Walking Elk, "Mi Cante Etan Wowaglake", 49, was born May 16, 1962, in Omaha, Neb., and began her journey to the spirit world on Oct. 15, 2011, in Minneapolis.
Leslie graduated from Red Cloud (S.D.) High School in 1980, where she was a varsity cheerleader and academically excelled in state oratory competitions. Leslie attended the National College of Business, Oglala Lakota College, and graduated with her Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Black Hills State University
Alice (Grant) Dodson
Born Alice Grant in the Sand Hills region of Nebraska on Oct. 21, 1922, Alice moved on to a better world Oct. 3, 2011.
She remained in Nebraska throughout her youth, and during the war she spent time working in a munitions factory. She married Lauren Dodson on June 18, 1942. After a few stops, they settled in the Spokane Valley, where they raised their boys: Gary, Jim and Doug. They moved to the Post Falls home in 1974.
After Lauren passed in 1980, Alice remained on the farm in Post Falls
Doris Green
Doris Green passed away at the age of 101 on October 19, 2011 at Silver Maples Retirement Community in Chelsea, Michigan. She was born September 17, 1910 in Mitchell, Nebraska, the daughter of Earl Warren and Maude (Hewett) Collins.
Doris attended the Secondary Consolidated Sunflower School in Mitchell and upon graduating in 1929, taught there for several years prior to enrolling in the Chadron State Teachers' College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Education. In 1935, she met and
Kathryn Hansen Hayes
Kathryn Hansen Hayes was born February 21st 1923 in Gordon, NE. She passed away peacefully in her home in Seal Beach, CA, October 11, 2011. Her husband, Joseph Hayes had preceded her, leaving her to live alone for the last two years.
As a young girl out of high school, Kay drove a cab for her brother, Kenneth Hansen, in Scottsbluff, NE. Kay and two of her sisters moved to California as young women and worked in the shipyards during the war years. Kay and her older sister worked as
Harry E. Christensen
Harry E. Christensen, 61, of Hay Springs, passed away Sept. 20, 2011, at the Fort Meade VA Center in Sturgis S. D.
He was born Oct. 13, 1949 in Gordon, NE, to Harry and Bessie Christensen. He grew up in Hay Springs, attending Grade School and High School. During the school years he had The Alliance Times Heralds paper route for 7 yrs, helped Howard Weber with the maintenance of the Hay Spring School, worked at the Civic Theatre as a projectionist , and completed a very proud accomplishment
Grace Donker
Grace Donker, 79, of Chadron, NE, died early Saturday morning, August 20, 2011, at Prairie Pines Lodge.
She was born December 28, 1931, at the home of her parents, Dick and Anna Luurs, outside Platte, SD. She was born the fifth of eight children.
Grace was raised on the South Dakota farm, attended school until she graduated from the eighth grade, and was very proud to go back to school to complete her GED in 1972. When she was eighteen, she took a job taking care of a couple in a small town
Robert (Bob) Erwin Brown
Robert (Bob) Erwin Brown of Hay Springs, NE passed away August 2, 2011, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Alliance, NE.
Bob was born June 27, 1928, in Valley, NE to Archie E. and Leta M. (McDuffee) Brown. At the age of four, his family moved to their homestead five miles south of Lingle, Wyoming. There, he and his big sister, Arlene, grew up and attended school in Lingle. Bob always chuckled when telling how the bus drivers built their own buses on a truck chassis and heated it with
Dale Eugene Piper
Dale Eugene Piper was born Oct. 12, 1929, in Gordon, Neb., to G.R "Sam" and Frances Piper.
Dale grew up in the sandhills with his three brothers: Glen, Wayne and Blaine, also known as Red and Whitie. Just imagine having the sandhills of Nebraska as your backyard. It has been told there were few "blowouts", windmills, lakes or meadows that have not been explored by the "Piper boys."
Trips to town were rare and money was
Sunday, 29 November -0001 17:00
LaVonne Esther Flueckinger
Funeral services for LaVonne Esther Flueckinger will be held at the United Methodist Church in Gordon, Neb., on Monday. Aug. 7, 2017, at 2 p.m. with burial at Fairview Cemetery in Rushville, Neb.
LaVonne Flueckinger passed away Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, at Pioneer Manor in Hay Springs, Neb. LaVonne was born March 22, 1936, at Martin, S.D. She was the only child of Cecil and Flossie (Leeper) Burd. She grew up helping her folks with the ice plant and electric company in Martin, S.D. LaVonne would
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© Sheridan County Journal Star 2017


kemm hawn min minghkom andu first aid course aparti mario ax naf li ghamlu?
I have done the St. John's course twice and have had years of first aid experience with the Ventures.
Minalijja andna xi tabib jilab mana imma le?
ijja ijja fhimtek, imma per ezempju, ahna andna tabib jilab airsoft mana (ma nafx min hu jien) jekk ikolli xi injury nippreferi li jtini 1st aid hu milli 1st aider.
I have been first aider in STM ERT team for 5 years, altough now I stopped and need recertification! Just a clarification, a first aider, as the name says to give the first aid until more qualified personell come, eg. if a guy injured his arm and blood is pouring out of his arm, you make him sit down, elevate his arm and apply pressure until a more qualified help comes. Let's say Chris is there and in an other team, or a least 200m away, you don't say, 'ahh leave him the Doc is coming' but start with basic FA and then handover to Doc.
Apart from Chris, which as he was telling me last time, he has a specialty(Emergency Response Team) in these kind of injuries, there is Pisani and John (sorry cannot remember what their actual job is) and Mario whi just qualified as St John FA. Others don't know!
Did my BFA course with the Paras in 2002-3 and with St. John's last year.
btw, I always bring a first aid kit with me and can (technically at least) handle pretty much anything up to and including a sucking chest wound.
Chris Deguara and Charles Pisani are Paramedics ( ghal min hu tuba m'ghandomx x'jaqsmu mal Paratroopers ) and John Debono is a Podologist.
That is as far as I know.
Let's say Chris is there and in an other team, or a least 200m away, you don't say, 'ahh leave him the Doc is coming' but start with basic FA and then handover to Doc.
If you can do it, do it, you can use it every where, home, road, family and friends, if it was me, I will do it compulsory at school !


text:
Govt's 'Aatmanirbharta' push not a promising long-term growth strategy: Arvind Subramanian
The biggest crisis for India post pandemic is long-term growth – which comes from private investment and exports – and job creation, the former CEA said at Business Today's Budget Roundtable 2022.
Vidya S
Updated Feb 07, 2022, 9:03 PM IST
Former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian
Former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian said on Monday that Budget 2022 made matters worse for long-term growth in India by not focussing on enabling private investments and leveraging India's potential as a large exporter.
The biggest crisis for India post pandemic is long-term growth – which comes from private investment and exports – and job creation, he said at Business Today's Budget Roundtable 2022 today. This has to be the long-term growth strategy but Budget 2022, he said, has fallen short on all three counts and made matters worse for long-term growth.
"We need to build roads and bridges (referring to the increased capex allocation). But long-run growth is going to come from private investments and exports. Here, the government is maybe even going backwards."
There are broader issues around regulatory certainty, level playing fields, timely payment and non-arbitrary decision making which are affecting private investment, he said. "That's not a matter of the budget or corporate tax rates. The government seriously needs to think what about the environment is still not attracting private investments – both foreign and domestic. That's a bigger issue."
Pointing out that the Budget has reinforced protectionism through its 'Aatmanirbharta' push, when there exists a "historic opportunity" for India to become a leading exporter in the world because China has become uncompetitive and Vietnam faces its own challenges, is "not a promising long-run growth strategy". Instead of becoming more open and attracting FDI, especially in critical labour-intensive sectors, we have doubled down on Aatmanirbharta and, frankly, that's going backwards."
He said the country's employment data can be contested. But he referred to proxies like increased demand for the rural employment scheme MNREGA and states imposing rules around 'jobs for locals only' as real indicators of the extent of the India's employment crisis. Further, he said, the pandemic's impact on the small and medium enterprises is still not clear because they've had support from the banks. Add to that India's economy was weak even pre-pandemic. "That's why we should take the talk about a relatively weak economy not creating jobs seriously and respond to it."
But the solution does not lie in focussing on startup unicorns and new-energy sectors to create jobs. While certainly a pocket of dynamism, he said, the capital-intensive, skill-intensive and tech-intensive sectors' job creation ability is limited. "You create 100 unicorns. What does it do the bottom 50-70% of the country?"
Adding that tax collections have been buoyant this year because of a K-shaped recovery in the economy after the pandemic impact, where different sectors have recovered at different paces, it may not be the case next year. "If revenues surprise on the upside and the growth situation is not too bad, any saving they make this year, I would urge the government to continue (fiscal) consolidation as a way of preserving stability at a time when the international environment can get a bit tricky."
Talking about the government's disinvestment targets, he said LIC's possible privatisation will drive up profitability, its corporate governance, the way it does business and disclosure will all improve." If you look at privatisation as a tool of efficiency, LIC and other public sector banks would be important privatisation targets going forward."
Published on: Feb 07, 2022, 9:01 PM IST
Posted by: Aparna Banerjea, Feb 07, 2022, 8:55 PM IST
#Budget 2022
#Aatmanirbhar Bharat
#Arvind Subramanian


text:
Q: How can i draw a Network Model that represents a time-oriented model of the project? I want to visualize Activities and their relations with a network model like this

I have the table and want to draw the model. Which method do you recommend for doing this issue?
Edit:
When I add a Node Data(a DataTable contains more than 100 rows with Activities and Predecessors Columns) to this Program and using as Node resources , got the

"Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection"

(according to @TaW's answer),
in the layoutNodeY() part
line:
nodes.Values.ElementAt(i)[j].VY = 1f * j - c / 2
NodeChart NC = new NodeChart();

private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
   {

     for (int i = 0; i < sortedtable.Rows.Count - 1; i++)
        {  List<string> pred = sortedtable.Rows[i][2].ToString().Split(',').ToList();
           for (int j = 0; j < sortedtable.Rows.Count - 1; j++)
            {
                foreach (var item in pred)
                {
                    if (item == sortedtable.Rows[j][0].ToString() + "." + sortedtable.Rows[j][1].ToString())
                    {
                        NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode(sortedtable.Rows[i][0].ToString() + "." + sortedtable.Rows[i][1].ToString(), item));
                    }
                }
            }
        }
   }

Part of Datatable's Screenshot:

A: I recommend putting as much of the complexity as possible into data structures.
I make much use of List<T> and at one time of a Dictionary<float, List<NetNode>>
Note that this post is a good deal longer than SO answers usually are; I hope it is instructive..
Let's start with a node class

*

*It should know its own name and other text data you want to print

*It also needs to know the previous nodes and to allow tranversing in both direction..

*..a list of next nodes

*It will also know its virtual position in the layout; this will have to be scaled when drawing to fit the given area..

*And it should know how to draw itself and the connections to its neighbours.

These nodes can then be collected and managed in a second class that can analyse them to fill in the lists and the positions.
Here is the result, using your data plus one extra node:

Now let's have a closer lok at the code.
The node class first:
class NetNode
{
    public string Text { get; set; }
    public List<NetNode> prevNodes { get; set; }
    public List<NetNode> nextNodes { get; set; }
    public float VX { get; set; }
    public float VY { get; set; }

    public string prevNodeNames;

    public NetNode(string text, string prevNodeNames)
    {
        this.prevNodeNames = prevNodeNames;
        prevNodes = new List<NetNode>();
        nextNodes = new List<NetNode>();
        Text = text;
        VX = -1;
        VY = -1;
    }
    ...
}

As you can see it make use of List<T> to hold lists of itself. Its constructor takes a string that is expected to contain a list of node names; it will be parsed later by the NodeChart object, because for this we need the full set of nodes.
The drawing code is simple and only meant as a proof of concept. For nicer curves you can easily improve on it using DrawCurves with either a few extra points or construct the needed bezier control points.
The arrowhead is also a cheap one; unfortunately the built-in endcap is not very good. To improve you would create a custom one, maybe with a graphicspath..
Here we go:
public void draw(Graphics g, float scale, float size)
{
    RectangleF r = new RectangleF(VX * scale, VY * scale, size, size);
    g.FillEllipse(Brushes.Beige, r);
    g.DrawEllipse(Pens.Black, r);
    using (StringFormat fmt = new StringFormat()
    { Alignment = StringAlignment.Center, LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center})
    using (Font f = new Font("Consolas", 20f))
        g.DrawString(Text, f, Brushes.Blue, r, fmt);

    foreach(var nn in nextNodes)
    {
        using (Pen pen = new Pen(Color.Green, 1f)
        { EndCap = System.Drawing.Drawing2D.LineCap.ArrowAnchor })
            g.DrawLine(pen, getConnector(this, scale, false, size),
                            getConnector(nn, scale, true, size));
    }
}

PointF getConnector(NetNode n, float scale, bool left, float size)
{
    RectangleF r = new RectangleF(n.VX * scale, n.VY * scale, size, size);
    float x = left ? r.Left : r.Right;
    float y = r.Top + r.Height / 2;
    return new PointF(x, y);
}

You will want to expand the node class to include more text, colors, fonts etc..
The draw method above is one of the longest pieces of code. Let's look at the NodeChart class now.
It holds ..:

*

*a list of nodes and..

*a list of start nodes. There really should only be one, though; so you may want to throw an 'start node not unique' exception..

*a list of methods to analyse the node data.

I have left out anything related to fitting the graphics into a given area as well as any error checking..
class NodeChart
{
    public List<NetNode> theNodes { get; set; }
    public List<NetNode> startNodes { get; set; }

    public NodeChart()
    {
        theNodes = new List<NetNode>();
        startNodes = new List<NetNode>();
    }
    ..

}

The first method parses the strings with the names of the previous nodes:
public void fillPrevNodes()
{
    foreach (var n in theNodes)
    {
        var pn = n.prevNodeNames.Split(',');
        foreach (var p in pn)
        {
            var hit = theNodes.Where(x => x.Text == p);
            if (hit.Count() == 1) n.prevNodes.Add(hit.First());
            else if (hit.Count() == 0) startNodes.Add(n);
            else Console.WriteLine(n.Text + ": prevNodeName '" + p +
                                            "' not found or not unique!" );
        }
    }
}

The next method fills in the nextNodes lists:
public void fillNextNodes()
{
    foreach (var n in theNodes)
    {
        foreach (var pn in n.prevNodes) pn.nextNodes.Add(n);
    }
}

Now we have the data and need to lay out the nodes. The horizontal layout is simple but, as usual with branched data, recursion is needed:
public void layoutNodeX()
{
    foreach (NetNode n in startNodes) layoutNodeX(n, n.VX + 1);
}

public void layoutNodeX(NetNode n, float vx)
{
    n.VX = vx;
    foreach (NetNode nn in n.nextNodes)   layoutNodeX(nn, vx + 1);
}

The vertical layout is a bit more complicated. It counts the nodes for each x-position and spreads them out equally. A Dictionary takes on most of the work: First we fill it in, then we loop over it to set the values. Finally we push the nodes up as much as is needed to center them..:
    public void layoutNodeY()
    {
        NetNode n1 = startNodes.First();
        n1.VY = 0;
        Dictionary<float, List<NetNode>> nodes =
                          new Dictionary<float, List<NetNode>>();

        foreach (var n in theNodes)
        {
            if (nodes.Keys.Contains(n.VX)) nodes[n.VX].Add(n);
            else nodes.Add(n.VX, new List<NetNode>() { n });
        }

        for (int i = 0; i < nodes.Count; i++)
        {
            int c = nodes[i].Count;
            for (int j = 0; j < c; j++)
            {
                nodes.Values.ElementAt(i)[j].VY = 1f * j - c / 2;
            }
        }

        float min = theNodes.Select(x => x.VY).Min();
        foreach (var n in theNodes) n.VY -= min;
    }

To wrap it up here is how I call it from a Form with a PictureBox:
NodeChart NC = new NodeChart();

private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("A",""));
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("B","A"));
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("C","B"));
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("D","B"));
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("T","B"));
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("E","C"));
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("F","D,T"));
    NC.theNodes.Add(new NetNode("G","E,F"));

    NC.fillPrevNodes();
    NC.fillNextNodes();
    NC.layoutNodeX();
    NC.layoutNodeY();

    pictureBox1.Invalidate();
}

private void pictureBox1_Paint(object sender, PaintEventArgs e)
{
    if (NC.theNodes.Count <= 0) return;
    e.Graphics.SmoothingMode = System.Drawing.Drawing2D.SmoothingMode.AntiAlias;
    foreach (var n in NC.theNodes) n.draw(e.Graphics, 100, 33);
}

In addition to the things already mentioned you may want to add a y-scaling or 'leading' parameter to spread the nodes vertically to make more room for extra text..
Update:
Here is the result of the data you provided:

I have made a few changes:

*

*I have changed the 2nd "35.2" to "35.3". You probably meant "25.2" but that brings up more data errors; you should take care of them all! Do check   the output pane!!

*I have changed the scales to n.draw(e.Graphics, 50, 30); in the Paint event

*And finally I changed the font size to Font("Consolas", 10f) in the NetNode.draw.

You must also make sure the pbox is large enough and/or docked/anchored to allow resizing with the form.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Branching and Pushing from local fork to upstream repo Im asking this question because I feel its useful for the community and is sort of a more advanced workflow to an average git user.
For purposes here: my repo is foobaz/repo and the upstream repo is companyRepo/repo

*

*How do you set an upstream repo/branch for tracking on your local repo?

*How do you checkout/create a new branch foobaz/repo/fix-issue-101, branched from an upstream remote branch companyRepo/repo/develop? (i.e. I want to create a branch (foobaz/repo) named fix-issue-101 that is based off the upstream companyRepo/repo/develop branch.)

*How do you push to your local repo commits (foobaz/repo/fix-issue-101) with upstream set so you can create a pull-request to companyRepo/repo/develop? (This can cause errors like The upstream branch of your current branch does not match the name of the current branch. when you incorrectly set the upstream).

*How do you update/sync your local repo/branch with the upstream branch?

A: Assuming your remote branch is called develop, and the upstream repo has the remote name origin, and you've already done git fetch origin:
1a. git checkout develop (creates local branch develop)
Or if there are more than one remote 'develop' branches to choose from in multiple remotes:
1b. git checkout --track origin/develop
which is shorthand for:
1c. git checkout -b develop --track origin/develop
Which then allows you to change the local name:

*git checkout -b fix-issue-101 --track origin/develop

*git push origin HEAD:develop (avoids the does not match the name error).

*git pull or to be explicit: git pull origin develop


text:
Tekken 7 Review — Kissing Capcom's Ring
After playing various iterations of Namco's Tekken series for more than two decades, I couldn't have predicted that Capcom, responsible for the Street Fighter series, would keep coming to mind during Tekken 7. While Capcom has held the most influence on the fighting game genre since Street Fighter II became a pop sensation in the 1990s, and while there was a Street Fighter and Tekken crossover title (Street Fighter X Tekken) released in 2012, Namco's franchise has always had its own legacy (though 1993's Virtua Fighter certainly opened the door for the original Tekken in 1994). But in too many ways, Tekken 7 is a shameless continuation of Street Fighter IV, as evidenced by its multi-angle super moves and the inclusion of Akuma, the one-dimensional, fireball-throwing Street Fighter villain who just won't go away.
On a fundamental level, Tekken 7 will be quite familiar to anyone who has spent a considerable amount of time with any Tekken game, especially if your favorite character is still in the mix. For example, I've been using Paul Phoenix throughout the series, and while his repertoire has a few new wrinkles, he retains the moves and strengths that have made him a standout contender. For many long-time players, Tekken 7 is welcoming in this respect. At the same time, the lack of risks with the game's general design draws even greater attention to the changes Namco does make, and these additions show little imagination despite how cool they might look on the surface.
One of the major additions is what the game calls a "Rage" technique, which can be done when a character has lost almost all health. Each character has two different kinds of Rage moves, and one type, the Rage Art, is a bastardized version of the Ultra Combo from Street Fighter IV. Like the Ultra Combo, the Rage Art is designed to reward people who have taken too many hits (i.e., people who more than likely deserve to lose). When successfully landed, the move triggers a series of blows that can take off as much of a third of the opponent's health. These combinations are automated (meaning they take virtually no skill to complete), have considerable priority (meaning they will usually go through an attack of the opponent), and can be initiated, in some cases, by only pressing two buttons together (at least Street Fighter IV consistently required more input for such a cheap tactic). The Rage Arts utilize various camera angles to accentuate over-the-top martial arts; while the combos may look neat, Namco is just stealing presentation tricks from Street Fighter IV.
Another "new" mechanic in Tekken 7 is the Power Crush, which involves a character absorbing blows (and taking damage), as opposed to being interrupted/countered, while landing a powerful attack. This addition shows, again, that Namco is too in love with Capcom, as the Power Crush recalls the Focus Attack from Street Fighter IV. The main difference between the two is that the Focus Attack offers more variety of play. You could perform Focus Attacks of various power levels (they can become unblockable), you could cancel Focus Attacks by dashing backward or forward, and you could cancel special moves with a Focus Attack, setting up a variety of strategic possibilities. In contrast, the Power Crush in Tekken 7 is all brawn. Just do the move and watch the idiotic fireworks.
The stupidest decision by Namco, though, is allowing Akuma to be a playable character in Tekken 7. For those unfamiliar with Akuma, he has always been an overpowered Ryu/Ken clone in the Street Fighter series, and Capcom keeps putting him in games as if he adds anything to the proceedings other than a superficial air of menace (Akuma's defense has traditionally sucked). But Akuma's presence is even worse in Tekken 7. Whenever he's in a match, he's clearly out of place, hurling fireballs and jumping with the fluidity of a 2D fighting-game character. Like the evil Akuma, Namco has lost its soul.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged akuma, capcom, focus attack, namco, paul phoenix, power crush, rage art, street fighter IV, tekken 7, ultra combo on June 23, 2017 by Jed Pressgrove. 1 Comment
Notes on Street Fighter II Turbo's Violence
These notes are based on the SNES version of Street Fighter II Turbo.
I think it's reasonable to say that Street Fighter II Turbo has more powerful violence than Mortal Kombat II. Granted, this statement wouldn't have made any sense two decades ago. Mortal Kombat II was a violent revelation in the early 1990s, especially on the SNES. The uncut Mortal Kombat II on SNES satisfied a bloodlust caused by the neutered SNES version of the original Mortal Kombat, which traded the arcade game's blood for gray sweat. With the prospect of more fatalities and vibrant blood and gore in your home, Mortal Kombat II on the SNES was the baddest of the bad in 1994.
It's hard for me to feel the same way about Mortal Kombat II in 2014. Since the early 1990s, we have seen countless games with blood and gore. At this point, Mortal Kombat II is just an old game with blood and gore. Its violence has lost meaning. However, I can't say the same thing about Street Fighter II Turbo's violence, which retains significant power for a few reasons:
1. The vomiting in Street Fighter II Turbo is relatively unexpected and disgusting.
Gory violence is a main attraction of the Mortal Kombat games. Any hit to the head in Mortal Kombat II causes blood to fly out. You can also expect blood to spew when sharp objects like Kung Lao's hat are successfully used. Even the finishing moves have a predictability about them — "Finish Him!" is the game giving you permission to perform ultra violence.
In contrast, superior technique is the undisputed focus of Street Fighter II Turbo. That is, we typically don't play Street Fighter II Turbo because we want to see vomit. Vomiting occurs semi-randomly during battle, which gives it a more surprising effect than Mortal Kombat II's requisite gore. Sure, we know that a fierce attack, as opposed to a weak or medium attack, is required to cause vomiting in Street Fighter II Turbo, but a fierce attack doesn't always result in vomiting, unlike the certainty of blood from a kick to the head in Mortal Kombat II.
I often forget about the vomiting in Street Fighter II Turbo. I will never forget about the prevalent and predictable blood in Mortal Kombat II. Part of this memorability goes beyond relative randomness/predictability. If Street Fighter II Turbo had been titled Vomit Fighter II Turbo, I wouldn't be writing this. "Mortal Kombat" is a title that refuses to allow us to forget about the blood. Not only that, but Mortal Kombat was very influential in the increase of video game blood and gore; thus, Mortal Kombat II's violence appears normal, even laughable, decades later. In a world where we often expect blood in games, semi-random vomiting during battle becomes a more powerful sign of violence.
2. The aftermath of violence is permanently emphasized in Street Fighter II Turbo.
Before you start a match in Street Fighter II Turbo, you see portraits of the two challengers facing off. After the match is over, you see these portraits again. The portrait of the winner is unchanged (and, of course, the trash talk beneath the portraits comes from the winner), while the portrait of the loser shows the effects of violence. Some of the loss portraits almost suggest death — for example, the life in Sagat's one good eye appears to be gone.
The loss portraits in Street Fighter II Turbo have retained more power than Mortal Kombat fatalities. Unlike loss portraits, fatalities aren't about the aftermath or consequences of violence; they simply play into the "We want blood!" motivation behind playing Mortal Kombat in the first place. As Ed Smith suggests, violence loses power when game design encourages killing. In this regard, the designers of Mortal Kombat II tried to satisfy the bloodlust of players by going well beyond the original Mortal Kombat, which only featured one fatality per character. Mortal Kombat II gives each character multiple fatalities, including silly Friendships and Babalities for further cheap entertainment. The problem is that you don't even get to see these finishing moves if you can't perform the right button presses. Mortal Kombat II's insistence on input for fatalities points to another reason why Street Fighter II Turbo's violence has stood the test of time better: regardless of how you finish off your opponents in Street Fighter II Turbo, you will always see the loss portraits after battle. The loss portraits carry a more certain and permanent sting.
Side note: Street Fighter III took loss portraits to a new disturbing level. Loss portraits in Street Fighter III expanded the focus to the characters' entire bodies. This approach resulted in material that would receive harsh criticism if released today, such as Elena's sexualized pose. Interestingly, while Chun-Li was the only Street Fighter II character who cried in her loss portrait, the Street Fighter III loss portraits featured both male and female characters crying, including Dudley, Ken, Necro, Elena, and Ibuki.
3. The Street Fighter series has cleaned itself up.
As new Mortal Kombat games try to top the gore of their predecessors, the Street Fighter series has gotten tamer. Zangief's infamous biting hold, for example, has not made a comeback in the Street Fighter IV iterations, which have traded the vomiting, occasional blood, and loss portraits of its predecessors for a more exaggerated, cartoonish style of violence. As one watches Ultra Combos from their multiple camera angles in Street Fighter IV, one might find that Street Fighter now has more in common with Looney Tunes than it does with fighting games of the 1990s. If future Street Fighter games continue to refrain from blood and loss portraits, the understated but powerful violence in previous Street Fighters, including Street Fighter II Turbo, will carry more and more weight.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged blood, crying, fatalities, fierce attack, gore, loss portraits, mortal kombat II, snes, street fighter II turbo, street fighter III, street fighter IV, violence, vomiting, zangief biting on June 3, 2014 by Jed Pressgrove. 2 Comments


text:
Leisure, the Basis of Culture: An Obscure German Philosopher's Timely 1948 Manifesto for Reclaiming Our Human Dignity in a Culture of Workaholism
In Praise of Idleness: Bertrand Russell on the Relationship Between Leisure and Social Justice
Work and Pleasure: Theodor Adorno on the Psychology of "Gadgeteering" and How the Cult of Efficiency Limits Our Happiness
George Eliot on Leisure and Our Greatest Source of Restlessness
"Even idleness is eager now… Old Leisure was quite a different personage… Life was not a task to him, but a sinecure."
"What will be the good of the conquest of leisure and health, if no one remembers how to use them?" Bertrand Russell asked in his 1926 treatise on human nature and the good life as humanity straddled the gorge between the Industrial Revolution and the Mad Men era of twentieth-century consumerism. A generation later, the obscure German philosopher Josef Pieper made a beautiful case for leisure as the basis of culture — an endangered "condition of the soul" to which we owe just about every great intellectual and creative achievement. That mode of being, once available to shepherds and sheikhs alike, is now under siege from the unrelenting cult of workaholism and productivity that has only grown in ferocity in the decades since Russell and Pieper.
But perhaps the greatest defense of leisure came nearly a century earlier, not in philosophy but in fiction, from a woman who was yet to make her grand entrance into literature by age forty, then received fan mail from Charles Dickens and went on to become one of our civilization's most beloved writers.
George Eliot by Alexandre Louis François d'Albert Durade
In her 1859 debut novel Adam Bede (public library), Mary Ann Evans, better known as George Eliot (November 22, 1819–December 22, 1880), speaks with remarkable prescience to how the modern relinquishing of leisure in the service of anxious productivity is squeezing the essential livingness out of life:
Surely all other leisure is hurry compared with a sunny walk through the fields from "afternoon church"… Ingenious philosophers tell you, perhaps, that the great work of the steam-engine is to create leisure for mankind. Do not believe them: it only creates a vacuum for eager thought to rush in. Even idleness is eager now — eager for amusement; prone to excursion-trains, art museums, periodical literature, and exciting novels; prone even to scientific theorizing and cursory peeps through microscopes. Old Leisure was quite a different personage. He only read one newspaper, innocent of leaders, and was free from that periodicity of sensations which we call post-time. He was a contemplative, rather stout gentleman, of excellent digestion; of quiet perceptions, undiseased by hypothesis; happy in his inability to know the causes of things, preferring the things themselves. He lived chiefly in the country, among pleasant seats and homesteads, and was fond of sauntering by the fruit-tree wall and scenting the apricots when they were warmed by the morning sunshine, or of sheltering himself under the orchard boughs at noon, when the summer pears were falling. He knew nothing of weekday services, and thought none the worse of the Sunday sermon if it allowed him to sleep from the text to the blessing; liking the afternoon service best, because the prayers were the shortest, and not ashamed to say so; for he had an easy, jolly conscience, broad-backed like himself, and able to carry a great deal of beer or port-wine, not being made squeamish by doubts and qualms and lofty aspirations. Life was not a task to him, but a sinecure…
Complement with Eliot on the life-cycle of happiness, then revisit Theodor Adorno on how "gadgeteering" and the cult of efficiency limit our joy and Adam Phillips on why a capacity for "fertile solitude" is essential for happiness.
https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/05/30/george-eliot-adam-bede-leisure/
bookscultureGeorge Eliotphilosophypsychologytechnology