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1. Text Complexity Classification Based on Linguistic Information: Application to Intelligent Tutoring of ESL
Kurdi, M. Zakaria.
The goal of this work is to build a classifier that can identify text complexity within the context of teaching reading to English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. To present language learners with texts that are suitable to their level of English, a set of features that can describe the phonological, morphological, lexical, syntactic, discursive, and psychological complexity of a given text were identified. Using a corpus of 6171 texts, which had already been classified into three different levels of difficulty by ESL experts, different experiments were conducted with five machine learning algorithms. The results showed that the adopted linguistic features provide a good overall classification performance (F-Score = 0.97). A scalability evaluation was conducted to test if such a classifier could be used within real applications, where it can be, for example, plugged into a search engine or a web-scraping module. In this evaluation, the texts in the test set are not only different from those from the training set but also of different types (ESL texts vs. children reading texts). Although the overall performance of the classifier decreased significantly (F-Score = 0.65), the confusion matrix shows that most of the classification errors are between the classes two and three (the middle-level classes) and that the system has a robust performance in categorizing texts of class one and four. This behavior can be explained by the difference in classification criteria between […]
2. Deep Learning for Period Classification of Historical Hebrew Texts
Liebeskind, Chaya ; Liebeskind, Shmuel.
In this study, we address the interesting task of classifying historical texts by their assumed period of writ-ing. This task is useful in digital humanity studies where many texts have unidentified publication dates.For years, the typical approach for temporal text classification was supervised using machine-learningalgorithms. These algorithms require careful feature engineering and considerable domain expertise todesign a feature extractor to transform the raw text into a feature vector from which the classifier couldlearn to classify any unseen valid input. Recently, deep learning has produced extremely promising re-sults for various tasks in natural language processing (NLP). The primary advantage of deep learning isthat human engineers did not design the feature layers, but the features were extrapolated from data witha general-purpose learning procedure. We investigated deep learning models for period classification ofhistorical texts. We compared three common models: paragraph vectors, convolutional neural networks (CNN) and recurrent neural networks (RNN), and conventional machine-learning methods. We demon-strate that the CNN and RNN models outperformed the paragraph vector model and the conventionalsupervised machine-learning algorithms. In addition, we constructed word embeddings for each timeperiod and analyzed semantic changes of word meanings over time.
3. Evaluating Deep Learning Methods for Word Segmentation of Scripta Continua Texts in Old French and Latin
Clérice, Thibault.
4. Extracting Keywords from Open-Ended Business Survey Questions
McGillivray, Barbara ; Jenset, Gard ; Heil, Dominik.
Open-ended survey data constitute an important basis in research as well as for making business decisions. Collecting and manually analysing free-text survey data is generally more costly than collecting and analysing survey data consisting of answers to multiple-choice questions. Yet free-text data allow for new content to be expressed beyond predefined categories and are a very valuable source of new insights into people's opinions. At the same time, surveys always make ontological assumptions about the nature of the entities that are researched, and this has vital ethical consequences. Human interpretations and opinions can only be properly ascertained in their richness using textual data sources; if these sources are analyzed appropriately, the essential linguistic nature of humans and social entities is safeguarded. Natural Language Processing (NLP) offers possibilities for meeting this ethical business challenge by automating the analysis of natural language and thus allowing for insightful investigations of human judgements. We present a computational pipeline for analysing large amounts of responses to open-ended questions in surveys and extract keywords that appropriately represent people's opinions. This pipeline addresses the need to perform such tasks outside the scope of both commercial software and bespoke analysis, exceeds the performance to state-of-the-art systems, and performs this task in a transparent way that allows for scrutinising and exposing […]
Section: Project
5. A Web Application for Watermark Recognition
Bounou, Oumayma ; Monnier, Tom ; Pastrolin, Ilaria ; SHEN, Xi ; Benevent, Christine ; Limon-Bonnet, Marie-Françoise ; Bougard, François ; Aubry, Mathieu ; Smith, Marc H. ; Poncet, Olivier et al.
The study of watermarks is a key step for archivists and historians as it enables them to reveal the origin of paper. Although highly practical, automatic watermark recognition comes with many difficulties and is still considered an unsolved challenge. Nonetheless, Shen et al. [2019] recently introduced a new approach for this specific task which showed promising results. Building upon this approach, this work proposes a new public web application dedicated to automatic watermark recognition entitled Filigranes pour tous. The application not only hosts a detailed catalog of more than 17k watermarks manually collected from the French National Archives (Minutier central) or extracted from existing online resources (Briquet database), but it also enables non-specialists to identify a watermark from a simple photograph in a few seconds. Moreover, additional watermarks can easily be added by the users making the enrichment of the existing catalog possible through crowdsourcing. Our Web application is available at https://filigranes.inria.fr/.
Section: Data deluge: which skills for wich data?
6. Optical Recognition Assisted Transcription with Transkribus: The Experiment concerning Eugène Wilhelm's Personal Diary (1885-1951)
Schlagdenhauffen, Régis.
This article proposes use the Transkribus software to report on a "user experiment" in a French-speaking context. It is based on the semi-automated transcription project using the diary of the jurist Eugène Wilhelm (1866-1951). This diary presents two main challenges. The first is related to the time covered by the writing process-66 years. This leads to variations in the form of the writing, which becomes increasingly "unreadable" with time. The second challenge is related to the concomitant use of two alphabets: Roman for everyday text and Greek for private issues. After presenting the project and the specificities related to the use of the tool, the experiment presented in this contribution is structured around two aspects. Firstly, I will summarise the main obstacles encountered and the solutions provided to overcome them. Secondly, I will come back to the collaborative transcription experiment carried out with students in the classroom, presenting the difficulties observed and the solutions found to overcome them. In conclusion, I will propose an assessment of the use of this Human Text Recognition software in a French-speaking context and in a teaching situation.
Section: Digital humanities in languages
7. A Collaborative Ecosystem for Digital Coptic Studies
Schroeder, Caroline T. ; Zeldes, Amir.
Scholarship on underresourced languages bring with them a variety of challenges which make access to the full spectrum of source materials and their evaluation difficult. For Coptic in particular, large scale analyses and any kind of quantitative work become difficult due to the fragmentation of manuscripts, the highly fusional nature of an incorporational morphology, and the complications of dealing with influences from Hellenistic era Greek, among other concerns. Many of these challenges, however, can be addressed using Digital Humanities tools and standards. In this paper, we outline some of the latest developments in Coptic Scriptorium, a DH project dedicated to bringing Coptic resources online in uniform, machine readable, and openly available formats. Collaborative web-based tools create online 'virtual departments' in which scholars dispersed sparsely across the globe can collaborate, and natural language processing tools counterbalance the scarcity of trained editors by enabling machine processing of Coptic text to produce searchable, annotated corpora.
8. ekdosis: Using LuaL A T E X for Producing TEI xml Compliant Critical Editions and Highlighting Parallel Writings
Alessi, Robert.
ekdosis is a LuaL A T E X package written by R. Alessi designed for multilingual critical editions. It can be used to typeset texts and different layers of critical notes in any direction accepted by LuaT E X. Texts can be arranged in running paragraphs or on facing pages, in any number of columns which in turn can be synchronized or not. Database-driven encoding under L A T E X allows extraction of texts entered segment by segment according to various criteria: main edited text, variant readings, translations or annotated borrowings between texts. In addition to printed texts, ekdosis can convert .tex source files so as to produce TEI xml compliant critical editions. It will be published under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 3.
Section: Visualisation of intertextuality and text reuse
9. Spoken word corpus and dictionary definition for an African language
Nganga, Wanjiku ; Achebe, Ikechukwu.
The preservation of languages is critical to maintaining and strengthening the cultures and identities of communities, and this is especially true for under-resourced languages with a predominantly oral culture. Most African languages have a relatively short literary past, and as such the task of dictionary making cannot rely on textual corpora as has been the standard practice in lexicography. This paper emphasizes the significance of the spoken word and the oral tradition as repositories of vocabulary, and argues that spoken word corpora greatly outweigh the value of printed texts for lexicography. We describe a methodology for creating a digital dialectal dictionary for the Igbo language from such a spoken word corpus. We also highlight the language technology tools and resources that have been created to support the transcription of thousands of hours of Igbo speech and the subsequent compilation of these transcriptions into an XML-encoded textual corpus of Igbo dialects. The methodology described in this paper can serve as a blueprint that can be adopted for other under-resourced languages that have predominantly oral cultures.
10. The expansion of isms, 1820-1917: Data-driven analysis of political language in digitized newspaper collections
Marjanen, Jani ; Kurunmäki, Jussi ; Pivovarova, Lidia ; Zosa, Elaine.
Words with the suffix-ism are reductionist terms that help us navigate complex social issues by using a simple one-word label for them. On the one hand they are often associated with political ideologies, but on the other they are present in many other domains of language, especially culture, science, and religion. This has not always been the case. This paper studies isms in a historical record of digitized newspapers from 1820 to 1917 published in Finland to find out how the language of isms developed historically. We use diachronic word embeddings and affinity propagation clustering to trace how new isms entered the lexicon and how they relate to one another over time. We are able to show how they became more common and entered more and more domains. Still, the uses of isms as traditions for political action and thinking stand out in our analysis.
11. How to read the 52.000 pages of the British Journal of Psychiatry? A collaborative approach to source exploration
Andersen, Eva ; Biryukov, Maria ; Kalyakin, Roman ; Wieneke, Lars.
Historians are confronted with an overabundance of sources that require new perspectives and tools to make use of large-scale corpora. Based on a use case from the history of psychiatry this paper describes the work of an interdisciplinary team to tackle these challenges by combining different NLP tools with new visual interfaces that foster the exploration of the corpus. The paper highlights several research challenges in the preparation and processing of the corpus and sketches new insights for historical research that were gathered due to the use of the tools.
Section: HistoInformatics
12. Visual analytics for historical linguistics: opportunities and challenges
Beck, Christin ; Butt, Miriam.
In this paper we present a case study in which Visual Analytic methods for interactive data exploration are applied to the study of historical linguistics. We discuss why diachronic linguistic data poses special challenges for Visual Analytics and show how these are handled in a collaboratively developed web-based tool: HistoBankVis. HistoBankVis allows an immediate and efficient interaction with underlying diachronic data and we go through an investigation of the interplay between case marking and word order in Icelandic and Old Saxon to illustrate its features. We then discuss challenges posed by the lack of annotation standardization across different corpora as well as the problems we encountered with respect to errors, uncertainty and issues of data provenance. Overall we conclude that the integration of Visual Analytics methodology into the study of language change has an immense potential but that the full realization of its potential will depend on whether issues of data interoperability and annotation standards can be resolved.
13. Special Issue on Visualisations in Historical Linguistics: Introduction
Molineaux, Benjamin ; Los, Bettelou ; Mäkinen, Martti.
The advent of ever-larger and more diverse historical corpora for different historical periods and linguistic varieties has led to the impossibility of obtaining simple, direct-and yet balancedrepresentations of the core patterns in the data. In order to draw insights from heterogeneous and complex materials of this type, historical linguists have begun to reach for a growing number of data visualisation techniques, from the statistical, to the cartographical, the network-based and beyond. An exploration of the state of this art was the objective of a workshop at the 2018 International Conference on English Historical Linguistics, from whence most of the materials of this Special Issue are drawn. This brief introductory paper outlines the background and relevance of this line of methodological research and presents a summary of the individual papers that make up the collection.
14. Visualizing the development of prose styles in Horse Manuals from Early Modern English to Present-Day English
Lubbers, Thijs ; Los, Bettelou.
This paper offers a data-driven analysis of the development of English prose styles in a single genre (instructive writing) dealing with a single topic (the correct way of feeding a horse) in 13 texts with publication dates ranging between 1565 to 2009. The texts are subjected to three investigations that offer visualizations of the findings: (i) a correspondence analysis of POS-tag trigrams; (ii) an association plot analysis; (iii) hierarchical clustering (dendrograms). As the period selected – Early Modern English to Present-Day English – does not involve any major changes in English syntax, we expect to find developments that are predominantly stylistic.
15. Digitising Collections of Historical Linguistic Data: The Example of The Linguistic Atlas of Scotland
Hessle, Christian ; Kirk, John.
This article addresses the issue of variation in the lexicon-specifically the hyponymy (or synonymy) among onomasiological responses for the same concept or referent-and how the range of responses from a national elicitation in Scotland seeking 'local' words should be judged. How do responses being offered as 'local' square with their geographical distribution on the one hand, and their status as 'Scots' or 'English', or as 'dialect' or 'standard' on the other? How are 'dialect' or 'standard' responses offered as 'local' responses from the same individual to be considered? Is the issue that of a straightforward dialect-standard binary opposition, or is there a third value between the two? Does that third value encompass a middle ground between dialect and standard, or include both? How is the absence of responses to be regarded? For elucidation of such linguistic issues, the article invokes the mathematical principle of the excluded middle. This study shows that it is possible and necessary to establish a theoretical framework for the digitalisation of a historical data collection. The data for these reflections come from the lexical material in The Linguistic Atlas of Scotland ([Mather and Speitel, 1975]; [1977]), which is currently being digitised at the University of Vienna. This study presents three pilot studies from the North Mid Scots area: the atlas concepts of 'ankle', 'splinter' and 'the youngest of a brood or litter'. The original data are […]
16. Visualising pre-standard spelling practice: Understanding the interchange of ‹ch(t)› and ‹th(t)› in Older Scots
Molineaux, Benjamin ; Maguire, Warren ; Karaiskos, Vasilios ; Alcorn, Rhona ; Kopaczyk, Joanna ; Los, Bettelou.
Alphabetic spelling systems rarely display perfectly consistent one-to-one relationships between graphic marks and speech sounds. This is particularly true for languages without a standard written form. Nevertheless, such non-standard spelling systems are far from being anarchic, as they take on a conventional structure resulting from shared communities and histories of practice. Elucidating said structure can be a substantial challenge for researchers presented with textual evidence alone, since attested variation may represent differences in sound structure as well as differences in the graphophonological mapping itself. In order to tease apart these factors, we present a tool-Medusa-that allows users to create visual representations of the relationship between sounds and spellings (sound substitution sets and spelling substitution sets). Our case study for the tool deals with a longstanding issue in the historical record of mediaeval Scots, where word-final <cht>, <ch>, <tht> and <th> appear to be interchangeable, despite representing reflexes of distinct pre-Scots sounds: [x], [xt] and [θ]. Focusing on the documentary record in the Linguistic Atlas of Older Scots ([LAOS, 2013]), our exploration surveys key graphemic categories, mapping their lexical distributions and taking us through evidence from etymology, phonological typology, palaeography and historical orthograpy. The result is a novel reconstruction of the underlying sound […]
17. An interactive visualization of Google Books Ngrams with R and Shiny: Exploring a(n) historical increase in onset strength in a(n) huge database
Schlüter, Julia ; Vetter, Fabian.
Using the re-emergence of the /h/ onset from Early Modern to Present-Day English as a case study, we illustrate the making and the functions of a purpose-built web application named (an:a) lyzer for the interactive visualization of the raw n-gram data provided by Google Books Ngrams (GBN). The database has been compiled from the full text of over 4.5 million books in English, totalling over 468 billion words and covering roughly five centuries. We focus on bigrams consisting of words beginning with graphic <h> preceded by the indefinite article allomorphs a and an, which serve as a diagnostic of the consonantal strength of the initial /h/. The sheer size of this database affords us the possibility to attain a maximal diachronic resolution, to distinguish highly specific groups of <h>-initial lexical items, and even to trace the diffusion of the observed changes across individual lexical units. The functions programmed into the app enable us to explore the data interactively by filtering, selecting and viewing them according to various parameters that were manually annotated into the data frame. We also discuss limitations of the database, of the app and of the explorative data analysis. The app is publicly accessible online at https://osf.io/ht8se/.
18. Stylo visualisations of Middle English documents
Mäkinen, Martti.
Automated approaches to identifying authorship of a text have become commonplace in the stylometric studies. The current article applies an unsupervised stylometric approach on Middle English documents using the script Stylo in R, in an attempt to distinguish between texts from different dialectal areas. The approach is based on the distribution of character 3-grams generated from the texts of the corpus of Middle English Local Documents (MELD). The article adopts the middle ground in the study of Middle English spelling variation, between the concept of relational linguistic space and the real linguistic continuum of medieval England. Stylo can distinguish between Middle English dialects by using the less frequent character 3-grams.
19. How to visualize high-dimensional data: a roadmap
Moisl, Hermann.
Discovery of the chronological or geographical distribution of collections of historical text can be more reliable when based on multivariate rather than on univariate data because multivariate data provide a more complete description. Where the data are high-dimensional, however, their complexity can defy analysis using traditional philological methods. The first step in dealing with such data is to visualize it using graphical methods in order to identify any latent structure. If found, such structure facilitates formulation of hypotheses which can be tested using a range of mathematical and statistical methods. Where, however, the dimensionality is greater than 3, direct graphical investigation is impossible. The present discussion presents a roadmap of how this obstacle can be overcome, and is in three main parts: the first part presents some fundamental data concepts, the second describes an example corpus and a high-dimensional data set derived from it, and the third outlines two approaches to visualization of that data set: dimensionality reduction and cluster analysis.


Comey sacked. President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, removing from office the veteran head of the agency tasked with carrying out a wide-ranging investigation into whether the president and his staffers conspired with Russian agents to swing the 2016 election in the Republican candidate's favor. FP's Elias Groll has more.
"Not since Watergate has a president dismissed the person leading an investigation bearing on him, and Mr. Trump's decision late Tuesday afternoon drew instant comparisons to the "Saturday Night Massacre" in October 1973, when President Richard M. Nixon ordered the firing of Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor looking into the so-called third-rate burglary that would eventually bring Nixon down," writes the New York Times' Peter Baker.
The move came as a surprise not only to the FBI and Capitol Hill, but also for White House staffers. And it led to calls from both Democrats and some top Republicans for an independent prosecutor to launch an investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow.
Trump has also recently hired a law firm to tell Senators that he has no business deals in Russia.
Perfect timing. The turmoil comes as Trump prepares to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the White House on Wednesday to discuss Syria and other issues, in the highest-level meeting between the two countries since Trump assumed office.
Guns for the Kurds. The Comey firing obscured what was the big news of the day: the Trump administration's decision to begin supplying Kurdish YPG forces in Syria with weapons and equipment, over the objections of NATO partner Turkey, who considers the fighters terrorists. The move will boost the capabilities of the Kurds as they push toward the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with Turkish officials Tuesday in Denmark, later telling reporters, "our intent is to work with the Turks, alongside one another, to take Raqqa down, and we're going to sort it out and we'll figure out how we're going to do it." After meeting with other NATO allies involved in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Mattis pledged to "further accelerate" the campaign to take Raqqa and push the terrorist group out of Iraq and Syria, though he offered no details.
Neither the Pentagon or White House have articulated a new strategy in Afghanistan, where government forces are losing group to the Taliban and other groups, like ISIS, have taken root. But Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Tuesday, "I expect to see a strategy to win. And that's going to require more troops, thousands more. It's going to require more effort, it's going to require more money." Washington has spent $71 billion on training and equipping Afghan forces since 2002.
Mattis said the Pentagon might send Patriot missile batteries to the Baltics on a temporary basis, following an FP report that Lithuania and possibly Sweden are looking to buy the anti-air systems to protect against Russian missiles and aircraft.
Sub tweet. North Korea has been lashing out at the U.S. over its deployment of a submarine capable of covertly delivering Navy SEALs. The USS Michigan was once used to hold nuclear missiles, but it has since been converted into a conventional guided missile submarine. In April, the sub showed up in South Korea with a dry deck shelter, which could be used for it to launch SEALs onto the shores of the North. Kim Jong Un has become increasingly wary of the threat of assassination plots since South Korea announced that it had established a special operations unit whose job would be to decapitate the North Korean leader at the onset of war. The North threatened the Michigan, saying its forces would turn it into an underwater ghost if it approached North Korean shores.
Elections. South Korea has a new president, one that might take a less aggressive approach to North Korea than Washington has favored so far. President Moon Jae-in win in Tuesday's election to succeed Park Geun-hye, ousted following a string of corruption allegations. Moon seems willing to take a softer approach, announcing that he's willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. During the campaign Moon also suggested opposition to the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system to the South, warning that it wasn't worth the risk of aggravating neighboring China.
En garde. When hackers came looking for President-elect Emmanuel Macron's emails, French and American spies were watching and Macron's campaign staff were ready. National Security Agency chief Adm. Mike Rogers testified before Congress Tuesday that American cyber spies saw the attack unfolding in real time while surveilling their Russian counterparts and offered assistance to the French government. Macron campaign officials, however, had gotten an inkling that they were a target for hackers once spear phishing emails laden with malicious files spoofed to look like they came from campaign staff began showing up in inboxes. As far back as March, Cybersecurity firms also tracked a group of hackers connected to Russian intelligence setting up websites designed to spoof websites from the Macron campaign and trick users into entering their credentials.
Assassination plot. The German army has a worrying extremism problem in its ranks as indicated by the revelation that a cell in its ranks allegedly plotted to kill the country's president and justice minister. The Wall Street Journal reports that German police arrested the ringleader of the plot, a German soldier, accusing him of leading a plot intended be carried out with two other accomplices arrested last month. The three men had planned to try and pin the attack on Syrian migrants by falsely registering as refugees. The revelation of the plot comes at an awkward time for the German military, which is trying to expand its ranks and budget.
Do you like American music? The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has shelled out $3.7 million for counter-extremism programs in Kenya, but Buzzfeed reports that the program has run into trouble. In one program, USAID paid a Somali Muslim musical group $100,000, with the idea that the group's counter-extremist message could help inoculate Kenya's young Muslim community from the message preached by the al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab terrorist group. But the group took the money and fled to Netherlands, where it sought asylum. The group's fears of persecution, experts tell Buzzfeed, is symptomatic of the drivers of extremism in Kenya that U.S. foreign policy and counter-extremism programs aren't addressing.


After years in development, thousands of hours and over a million dollars in bootstrapped funds, we are proud to announce the release of MODx Revolution 2.0.
A special thanks goes out to Jason and Shaun who've poured so much into this. Raise a glass to them and here's to the future of MODx! Thank you two from the bottom of my heart.


text:
Q: Is it possible to shrink an MS SQL DB storage allocation (not file size) during backup but not change the db? This is a weird issue but I'm working with a DB and the IT team increased the allocated space by 60% which results in a db of 13GB allocated space. (This was to avoid so many resizes because DB was full) However for development I use MS SQL Express on my local machine. The DB backup file is only about 4GB cause it doesn't use all the space allocated but I can no longer restore production to express because it meets the 10GB max threshold.
My solution so far was copy production in to dev. Shrink that copy in SSMS and restore that DB into my local machine.
Is there a way to make a shrunk back up in once step? I don't want to shrink production now and cause any fragmentation.

A:
Is there a way to make a shrunk back up in once step?

No.  The empty space in the files is not copied into the backup, but the restore always creates the files with the same sizes they had when the database was backed up.

I don't want to shrink production now and cause any fragmentation.

Very wise.
You can use SQL Server Developer Edition instead of Express for larger databases.  It's also a free download, but only for Development and Test use cases.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This winter are you dreaming of a luxurious escape to the sun? Your answer could be to choose a Karisma resort with Transat. These great partners take care of every detail of your winter getaway – from the moment you check in at the airport to the champagne reception when you check in at the hotel. Imagine unlimited a la carte dining – with no need to make reservations. How would you like a swim up suite, or a romantic Aquas del Amor outdoor shower? And you can relax at a Karisma resort because the beach butler will be right back with your cocktail….
You know that you are going to be pampered 5 star style. At a Karisma resort expect a spacious suite with a balcony or terrace. At almost all resorts you can book a swim up suite and some room types offer private pools or private outdoor showers on your terrace. Along with high class furnishings, marble bathrooms and Jacuzzi baths comes a very wide range of activities, entertainment and facilities. The food and wine will be top class – Karisma Hotels and Resorts promise "Gourmet Inclusive" which means unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner. There will be free WiFi throughout the resort and your Concierge and beach butlers will take care of your every need.
The majority of the Karisma resorts are in the Riviera Maya in Mexico and there are properties in the Karisma Hotels and Resorts family reflecting the varied needs of different travellers.
There are 2 Azul properties – these are family resorts offering excellent facilities like kids clubs as well as everything that adults could want.
There are 4 El Dorado Resorts – these are romantic ,adults only properties with lush surroundings, great spas, luxury and personal service.
The Generations Resort, as the name implies, is perfect for multigenerational groups and offers accommodation for larger family groups with all butler service in this all suites resort. The flexible accommodation has varying numbers of bedrooms and larger suites up to 2700 sq ft!
The Hidden Beach is the most luxurious adults' only nudist resort in the Riviera Maya - where you can shed your inhibitions and step into freedom.
As well as the properties in the Riviera Maya – the Nickelodeon Hotel Punta Cana by Karisma in the Dominican Republic is an upscale family resort. Karisma Hotels and Resorts have a partnership with Nickelodeon (who created kids favourites like SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). So expect tons of fun for the family from Character Breakfasts to a Slime Time experience…..
Transat groups hotels into "Collections" to help you pick the right resort for you. A Collection recognizes the resorts that suit a particular type of traveler. With the Collections the whole experience is considered - the flight, the transfer to the hotel, the resort itself and the facilities it offers. Air Transat for instance work hard to make flights a bit easier for families and services like free seat selections are included in the Family Collection, so that everyone sits together on the plane.
The Azul Fives by Karisma is in Transat's Family Collection which means it is a great choice for a family group with excellent facilities and activities for kids. The resort even has a dolphinarium! This resort is in Transat's "Big Fun for Big Families" and "Multi-Generational Vacations" categories too – because of the flexibility of the room types and the services for all ages. Generations Riviera Maya, by Karisma and Nickelodeon Hotel Punta Cana by Karisma are also in the Family Collection.
The El Dorado Casitas Royale is in Transat's Luxury Collection – which represents Transat's most sumptuous 5 star resorts all grouped together. These are the crème de la crème of elegant 5-star resorts. The Luxury Collection benefits start right at the airport with free access to VIP lounges and an upgrade to Option Plus on your Air Transat flight. Plus you will enjoy private, direct transfers between the airport and your hotel.
The other El Dorado Resorts are in Transat's Adult's Collection. These are adults' only properties so the minimum age for guests is 18. "Zen Vibes" means this is the ideal setting to relax on the beach or by the pool, dine in tranquility, and soak up the entertainment in a soothing atmosphere. The El Dorado Maroma and the El Dorado Seaside Suites fall into this category. "Vibrant Vibes" means large resorts with lively daily entertainment and festive evening shows - a hotbed of excitement for those who like action! The El Dorado Royale is an example of this more lively adults' only environment.
So whatever you are looking for in your winter escape – you will find it with Karisma Hotels and Resorts and Transat.
Book your all-inclusive sun vacations with Transat and Karisma Hotels and Resorts. This is a great partnership offering 9 Gourmet Inclusive resorts – all but one in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.
Gourmet Inclusive means a la carte options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Often no reservations are required and you have unlimited access to a range of high class restaurants offering cuisine as varied as Asian to Peruvian. Skilled chefs use only the best, fresh ingredients – Karisma is a proud partner with Canadian Beef and have their own 70,000 sq ft greenhouse in the Riviera Maya growing fresh vegetables and spices. All this delicious food is washed down top shelf brand drinks and an award winning wine list. In addition you are going to find 5 star luxury and excellent service.
When you book with Transat your vacation starts with a direct flight to your destination with Air Transat – voted the #1 Leisure Airline in North America, and #2 in the world, in the prestigious Skytrax Awards. If you haven't flown before with Air Transat, or if it's been a while, discover their newly renovated aircrafts with mood lighting, seat back entertainment, more leg room and new leather seats! And register any kids in your party for the award winning offerings of the Air Transat Kids Club onboard.
Here is a summary of the Karisma Resorts available as part of an all inclusive package with Transat.
Nickelodeon™ Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, A Karisma Gourmet Inclusive® Resort, is located on Uvero Alto Beach in Punta Cana. This upscale property offers 208 spacious suites, restaurants providing the Karisma Gourmet Inclusive Experience, and facilities for all ages, including the Aqua Nick™ playground for children and a luxurious spa for adults.
Recently opened resort (2016) with 208 rooms. Accommodation for families of 5 and 4 room types including 1 bedroom Swim Up Flat.
9 restaurants (a la carte dinner: International x2, Pizzeria, Dominican, Asian, Italian, American, Meat & Seafood, Seafood). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner -reservations required.
The Azul Beach a Gourmet Inclusive Resort, by Karisma Hotel in Riviera Maya is located 20 minutes from the Cancun International Airport.
148 rooms: several low rise buildings. Accommodation for families of 5 and 5 room types including Family Suite Swim Up.
5 restaurants (a la carte dinner: Tex Mex, Italian, Asian). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner – no reservations required.
The Azul Fives a Gourmet Inclusive Resort Hotel in Riviera Maya is an exquisite upscale, service-oriented hotel located on a spectacular stretch of white sand beach, approximately 5 km from Playa del Carmen and 70 km from the Cancun airport.
480 rooms: 18 villa(s) of 3 storey(s). Accommodation for families of 5 or more and 21 room types including Deluxe Room to 3 Bedroom Essene Swim up Suite and 3 bedroom Essence Sky Suite.
11 restaurants (a la carte dinner: Mediterranean, Italian, Asian, Grill, Sushi, French, Tapas). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner – no reservations required.
Disco, spa, evening entertainment and live music, WiFi entire complex, Scuba Diving, golf course nearby, butler service at beach, Dolphinarium, Kids' Club (ages 4 to 12), Teen Club (ages 13 to 17), kids pool.
The El Dorado Casitas a Gourmet inclusive Resort Hotel in Riviera Maya is beachfront, approximately 30 km from Playa del Carmen and 34 km from the Cancun airport.
5 star, Adults only with minimum age 18+ throughout resort, Luxury Collection.
11 restaurants (a la carte dinner: International, Italian, Mexican Fusion, Asian, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexican, Grill). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner – no reservations required.
The El Dorado Maroma a Gourmet Inclusive Resort Hotel in Riviera Maya is directly on Maroma Beach, approximately 3 km from Playa del Carmen and 53 km from the Cancun airport.
5 restaurants (a la carte dinner: Asian, Italian, Gourmet, Peruvian). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner – no reservations required.
Spa, evening entertainment and live music, WiFi entire complex, Scuba Diving, golf course nearby, butler service at beach.
The El Dorado Royale a Gourmet Inclusive Resort Hotel in Riviera Maya area is beachfront, approximately 30 km from Playa del Carmen and 34 km from the Cancun airport.
478 rooms: 26 building(s) of 3 storey(s). 8 room types including Premium Swim UP Jacuzzi Swim Up Junior Suite.
11 restaurants (a la carte dinner: International x 2, Italian, Mexican Fusion, Asian Fusion, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Mexican). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner – no reservations required.
El Dorado Seaside Suites, a Gourmet Inclusive Resort, by Karisma is a romantic resort located on the beautiful Riviera Maya, 84 km from the Cancun airport. With a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea, it features elegant suites, authentic cuisine and holistic treatments at the exclusive Naay Spa, one of the best in its category.
196 rooms: 1 building(s) of 6 storey(s). 2 Room types including Ocean Front Swim Up Suites.
4 restaurants (a la carte dinner: International, Italian, Japanese). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner – no reservations required.
The Generations Riviera Maya a Gourmet Inclusive Resort, by Karisma in Riviera Maya, is a 144-suite hotel that stretches along a secluded beach and is approximately 41 km from the Cancun airport. From the gourmet cuisine to the luxurious suites with butler service, this property is made for indulging.
144 rooms: 1 building(s) of 5 storey(s). Accommodation for families 5 or more and 8 room types available from Ocean Front Luxury Jacuzzi Suites to 3 bedroom Ocean Front Swim Up Jacuzzi Junior Suites.
5 restaurants (a la carte dinner: Mediterranean, Asian Fusion, Mexican, Fusion). Unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner – no reservations required.
Spa, evening entertainment and live music, WiFi entire complex.
12 accessible pool(s) at the property, 12 accessible bar(s) at the property and 11 accessible restaurant(s) at the property. All guests ages 18 and over have access to the facilities at El Dorado Casitas and El Dorado Royale located next door.
Situated on an idyllic beach, about 80 km from the Cancun airport, Hidden Beach is the only five-star, au naturel resort in Mexico. This sumptuous Gourmet Inclusive® resort with 45 beachfront suites invites guests to let down their hair, shed their inhibitions and enjoy all facilities, activities and dining as nature intended.
45 Suites: 2 building(s) of 3 storey(s). 3 room types including Ocean Front Swim Up Jacuzzi Junior Suites available.
1 restaurant (International) with unlimited a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Disco, spa, evening entertainment and live music, WiFi entire complex, private beach with nudist section.
6 accessible pool(s) at the property, 10 accessible bar(s) at the property, 9 accessible restaurant(s) at the property. Access to all facilities located at the El Dorado Sensimar Suites next door. Unlimited premium brand drinks and select international brand drinks.


I could say I'm reasonably frequent traveller - at least in the last 18months I have been - short trips to Melbourne, Sunny Coast, Brissie and Sydney, but it's been a few years (almost 6 now I think) since my last International flight.
When I fly domestic I don't feel the need to take everything with me; I can still buy most things I might need at other major cities. However, when flying overseas, there are a few things I like to take for peace of mind, where my health may be at, and simply because it's unikely I'll be able to get something similar (quality, ingredients, price, source) depending on where I'm headed.
A probiotic at home is taken for preventative measures against nasty guys in our gut, so when travelling to South East Asia, this wasn't even up for discussion. B and I both knew it was coming.
Vital Greens, or an equivalent - basically a green food supplement containing fruit and veggie powders, enzymes, nervous system support, immune system support, probiotics and more. Neo Greens is just made differently so absorption is super duper fabulous (and as my digestion and absorption is not great right now; I'd rather take something that I know will reach and get into my cells). It'll make sure our daily nutrition is adequate, and add extra goodies to ensure we're feeling our best.
For now anyway as my digestion is needing help. Not always necessary.
Not many but a few just-in-casies. On the aeroplane I don't like paying for a tea bag (it's totally different out a cafe sipping from fine china, listening to tunes and watching passers by) so I just ask for hot water. Peppermint and chammomile also settle an upset tummy which can be a comon occurance for me, and any tea can also calm down flying- and travelling-related stress making the world of difference.
Nothing worse than a long plane trip, taxi ride, train into town, late arrival, and no decent food. So be prepared. I grabbed a pumpkin, chickpea and garden salad at the airport and added my own salmon for lunch and dinner plane meals. Had a few bits of Loving Earth choccie from Easter. Some activated walnuts and goji berry mix. And of course, a few Simply Raw bars. Once we hit the ground in Asia we can find healthy snacks of Thai flavour.
It's small and as it is based on oils, it is all naturale. Liquids over 100ml are a no-go on International flights so this bar is great and can be used as body soap, face soap, even shampoo.
This stuff is amazing I'm in love with it. It's by Twenty8 on the Sunny Coast, but I'm sure most essential oil brands do something simliar. Great to dab on a tissue if you're feeling a little cold and flu-y-ness coming on from somewhere, but it is a lifesaver in a small spritzer bottle of filtered water on the plane. Have the empty spritzer bottle going though customs, then add filtered water and a few drops of the oil once you're through (and it's safe it won't be taken off you). Spray on your face as much as you want whilst flying. It wards off nasties flying about the enclosed, confined, air conditioned plane, and doubles as a skin hydrator and sanity life saver. Trust me on that. It smells so fresh and feels so good, why wouldn't you use it? Oh, I have been told that some airlines don't like us patrons spraying stuff around, so if need be, take it to the bathroom and spray it all around and breathe it all in there. Parade out on Cloud 9.
One's that I'm happy using. Enough said.
To re-fill with water of course.
Well it's an ASUS tablet with a keyboard attached so it's tiny, and allows me to continue blogging, skyping and doing B School whilst relaxing in a hammock with a coconut in hand.
These are just a few things I've got with me this trip, and I'm sure it will change depending on the destination. Hopefully they're all I need. Have you been to Asis before and taken any essentials of your own? I'd love to hear what they were and perhaps add them to my arsenal next time.
Thanks for the great ideas! As a frequent traveler, I can always use tips on how to stay healthy while out of town (especially in unfamiliar areas).


text:
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by Conleth on Mon Aug 08, 2016 7:08 pm
No one expected that Brandt and Laenaya would not return to the clans once they had released Ice Paw, Laenaya's massive Snow Cat that she had somehow tamed to obey her every command. It had taken over a month to prepare but the two took 2 horses and a mule with a wicker pannier loaded up and headed south and a bit west toward Gehenna. Ice Paw had shown Laenaya where the cave was that she had found the jewels. Why they headed East now toward it Brandt splashed bits of blood that he took from the mule. He needed his people to believe that something had happened to them or there would be a war for certain sure.
His mother though knew their plan and said nothing. She had always known of it she told them and knew that it had to be this way. She kissed them both goodbye, especially Laenaya who she had grown quite fond of over the months they had been there. Brandt was uneasy to say the least but if Laenaya was willing to give up her own family, he could do it...with her help. At least he hoped he could.
Mid winter was a dangerous time for travel but it only made their deception that much more believable. His mother had given them Heatfornal, an herb to keep their blood warm if it grew severely cold and it had. So cold their mule had died and they were forced to portion out what food and water they could carry and they had to bury the gold coins at the base of a cops of trees he felt they could find if they ever came back that way. What they took was a fortune anyway, enough to buy assured comfort wherever they ended up. He hoped this Gehenna was not so large of a place, large cities befuddled him and he was afraid that the men and women would look down upon him due to his less civilized nature. Also, they needed anonymity with what they were doing and so it was agreed that they would change their names though there was more than a bit of discussion on what those might be. She liked none he came up with and she liked none he came up with. Their tent was small, to small for a fire and just barely big enough for the horses to stand near enough not to freeze to death. He had given them some of the herb also and so far, neither had died. If one did he would not tell her what he would do because she would balk at that. He would leave her in the night with the horse and the provisions and die somewhere out in the snow so that she would live and make it to Gehenna.
She had told them they were getting close and thankfully this far south was not so cold as it had been in the North. They were still very cold though even with Ice paw sleeping with them, the three of them a cuddled mass of flesh, fur and circulating body heat, barely enough to keep them alive. After the third week the elements had seeped into their bones though he desperately tried to keep her warm by rubbing her extremities and making her drink copious amounts of water whenever they stopped. She hated relieving herself in front of him but he would not let her go more than a few feet away and expend energy she did not absolutely have to. Some of his over-protectiveness had made her angry but he reasoned that she was surviving for two, not just one and he would be alright. He ate less than her, drank less and used less of the herbs. He was far more used to the cold than she was though he could tell that his body would grow colder and colder and he would eventually die if they did not get out of the cold soon. This terrible trip south had brought them as close together as two people could get, or at least he thought so. As he shivered and the effects of hypothermia began to take its toll upon him it was all he could do to stay in the saddle. With only a few arrows left and Ice Paw trailing easily behind them they arrived, the tall wooden gates swung open and two men with bows came out to address them.
"Rrreemmemmberrr," he said shivering, "Wwwwee, ccan'tt gggive theemmm, our rrreall, nnnammes," he reminded her before all went black.
"Well met travellers!" The two men in thick furs and leathers said as they addressed them. They had arrows nocked but not drawn and waved to them. Before she could speak the names they had agreed upon though she saw Brandt fall from his saddle.
Re: New Arrivals
by XslvrstarX on Mon Aug 08, 2016 7:26 pm
OOC-Wouldn't the people of Gehenna know who she is though? I would be certain that Nauriel would have visited the village with her children...especially since Laenaya knows how to get there.
ooc: Not necessarily. And not well in any case. And we can say that she hadn't been there in years.
Ooc: her grandparents and family would one but Hopefully she can tell them what's up before anything happens.
The journey south was long, tiring, and extremely cold. No one in the clan suspected anything when they left, claiming that they were going to release Ice Paw. She knew that leaving his family was going to be difficult, but this was going to give them both their best chance. Laenaya found it was even sad for her to leave Anja. The woman had taken her in and had protected her as one of her own from the beginning and the two women shared their own goodbye.
Mid-winter was not the best time for a pregnant woman to be traveling, but they had no other option. Laenaya wore thick clothing and her fur lined cloak and boots and gloves. It didn't help that her pregnancy was turning out to be very difficult. She was sick all the time, which meant frequent stops. Brandt did his best to take care of her and she noted that he gave her most of the food and water. She tried to get him to eat more, but he always refused. She knew he was hungry, but he never once complained. Everyday, her belly grew bigger and now the baby was moving and kicking. She was due to give birth in early spring.
Ice Paw stayed close to them and after their mule died she remained even closer. The nights were long and so cold that Laenaya often thought they would die in each other's arms. But each morning they rose and continued on. Brandt had grown extremely protective of her, and between the extreme cold and his extreme protective nature Laenaya grew more easily irritated and had snapped at Brandt a few times. She knew he was only trying to help though and she always apologized.
Finally, they reached Gehenna's main gates. She had not been to the village in many years and she and Brandt had agreed that they would use different names to ensure that word did not reach his clan that they were alive. That would surely mean war. They were stopped by two men in thick furs and leathers. Laenaya waited for Brandt to give them their names, but he didn't speak. Instead, she saw him suddenly fall from his horse. She gasped and jumped down from her's and rushed over to him.
"Please he needs help!" she begged the men.
The men rushed forward, shouldering their bows. "Get help!" One yelled at the other they was in the small guard post. She saw that one peel off further Into the city. Brandt's lips were blue and his face was deathly pale. Ice Paw had kept her distance and decided to just go hunting instead of testing the aim of the guardsmen.
"Where on earth were you coming from out like this my lady?" The guardsman that took the reins to Brandt's horse asked. The other rolled Brandt over so he was face up. "He's bad Will," he said but will was trying to gesture for him to shut the hell up. "oh, he's just a touch cold is all Benny, may I ask your names? Or why you've come to Gehenna my lady?" Will asked respectfully and also to distract her, he hoped. He had seen men die with hypothermia like that.
OOC-What do you want his name to be?
Ooc:Colton or Cole for short and Hansen for their last name
Laenaya was terrified and near tears. Panic gripped her as she saw Brandt's face as they rolled him over. She was trembling and didn't know what to do. She couldn't lose him now...not after everything that they had been through. She heard one of the men speak to her and she was so upset that she nearly gave them their real names. However, she stopped herself and somehow remembered the names they had chosen.
"I am Aviana and he is my husband...Cole Hansen."
A third and a fourth man came running out to them. "Uh, do you have a family here or a place to stay?" Will asked her. "Ben, get her horse, Gregor you get him," he commanded. The men came, and guided her horses away. "Come with us Mrs. Hansen, we'll get em to The healing house," he told her as he offered to help her as well.
The healing house wasn't all that far from the front gate, only two blocks and it was a fairly large structure. One of the few still lit. They carried him inside then Will brought her in soon after. Inside it was modestly decorated, painted light blue and as soon as they put him on the table two women in white came out of another room and began looking him over.
"Agatha, get his clothes off quick...Ben you help her, Will," the older woman asked, it was apparent she was the one in charge. "Girl...is this man your husband?" She asked, how long were you out there?" She asked as she began to look him over. "The rest of you...get out!" She barked and they went without pause.
Aviana was extremely upset, but followed the men as they took her husband to the healing house. She was glad that it wasn't far. It was warm inside, but she knew he was still in danger. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as the women came out.
"Yes...he's my husband," she managed to reply. "We've been traveling for almost three weeks."
The older woman scowled at that and gave her a second glance before she returned back to Cole. "And you being pregnant? Damned irresponsible!" She scolded. "Agatha, get the warming blankets, we need to get his temperature up," she said "Will, get the lady some tea, we're going to be here a while...my dear, you are exhausted and have frozen, Will will take you to get something hot to eat and drink," she said not looking at her. Will nodded and gestured to Ariana to exit with him out of the exam room toward the lobby. "Nuthin we can do her my lady, do ya have family here? Or friends? Not many come otherwise'" he told her. "Anyways I'll take ya to the Kings Rest, best stew in town and freshly baked bread," he said as he led her if she came.
Aviana didn't want to leave Cole, but Will led her out of the exam room. She looked back at him one more time before walking out. She hesitated slightly when Will asked if they had any family or friends here, but shook her head.
"No...we don't know anyone here...we just stumbled across this place."
by Conleth on Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:19 pm
The inn was near the center of town one of the larger building with 2 large stories. At this time of night not many people milled about and the common room was empty. The Innkeeper, a short, thin older man yawned as they entered and he smiled at will. He had a full head of white hair and kind, blue eyes. His apron was white and clean and he gave Them a wave. "We got a half frozen woman here Derick, Mel would surely like ya to see she gets a hot meal and a place to stay for the night," he told him as he brushed off the snow on his pants. He nodded to her.
"Well come in my lady, let's get you warm and comfy by the fire...I has some hot stew simmering and some nice, fresh bed, now go pick your spot my lady and I'll be right with ya," he said as he bowed to her and left the room. There were several comfy chairs by the fire and will smiled kindly to her then bowed his way out of the inn.
The Inn looked like most others, mostly made of wood, thick timbers on the ceiling, a wood floor and wooden tables and chairs. It was however a very clean establishment and as she took off her cost and wet things the fire roared in the fireplace. It wasn't long that Derick came out with a tray and set it on a side table near the chair she seemed to have chosen. He took up a few blankets and set them on a nearby outamon.
"Let me know my dear when your ready to see your room, alright?" He said and smiled then paused and turned around. "Do I know you, pardon my intrusion, it's just that you look kinda familiar," he said.
by XslvrstarX on Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:37 pm
Aviana followed Will silently to the inn. She desperately wanted to go back to her husband, but she kept walking. She knew that he would not be happy to know that she had neglected herself and their baby by watching after him. She glanced around the inn slightly as they walked in. She remembered being in it once when she was younger during a trip to Gehenna with her parents. She couldn't have been more than 11 at the time. She remembered the innkeeper, though his hair was completely white now. She quietly took a seat by the fire. Her muscles ached and it felt good to sit down. She felt the baby kick and she gently placed a hand on her stomach to try and comfort it. It seemed to sense her worry.
When Derick came back out with the tray she was already starting to warm up. She looked over at him gratefully and picked up the bowl. She nodded when he told her to let him know when she was ready to go to her room. When he then paused and looked back over at her and asked if he knew her she felt her heart begin to beat a little harder in her chest. She shook her head.
"No Sir, I've never been here before."
He seemed to nod but he was unsure as he shrugged and stepped away to leave her to eat. In the exam room they used warm blankets, warm compresses and forced an herbal medicine down his throat though most of it came out agsin. He breathed but only raggedly, and his lips were a dark purple. Mel and Agatha looked over him closely s they desperately tried to get his temperature up.
The stew was lightly spiced but very hearty, tasty and warming. The bread was soft and warm and the fire began to already thaw parts of her body that she thought had long since gone numb. He chair and blankets were relaxing and it wasn't long before she fell asleep in the chair. …
She awoke when someone came into the Inn. To her surprise it was her Uncle Beren though he seemed preoccupied with the Innkeeper as he seemed to be dropping something off to him. The Innkeeper said he'd need a few minutes and then Beren moved to warm his hands by the fire. He nodded at her but tried not to look at her directly so to not be rude.
by XslvrstarX on Tue Aug 09, 2016 6:34 am
Aviana was hungry and ate the stew quickly. When she got down to the bottom of the bowl, she used bits of bread to sop up what broth was left until the bowl was completely clean. As she put the bowl back down on the tray she felt sleepiness begin to settle over her. She was exhausted. They had traveled so far and had endured much over these past few weeks. Neither of them had gotten much rest and they had traveled miles upon miles each day in freezing temperatures. Her last thoughts were of her husband and wanting to go and check on him before her eyes closed and she fell asleep right there in the chair.
She awoke to the sound of a door closing and the creaking of
the wooden floors under footsteps. She glanced over to see who it was and was surprised to see it was her uncle Beren. She felt a bit of panic come over her. If he saw her before she could communicate to him...There happened to be some paper and a quill on the table next to her and she quickly wrote out a short message that read:
It's Laenaya. Please DO NOT say my real name. You must pretend that you do not know me, but I must speak with you urgently.
When he walked over to stand next to the fire she glanced at him slightly. She didn't want him to see her face first. When he got close enough she dropped the sheet of paper face up so he could read it as he bent down to pick it up.
by Conleth on Tue Aug 09, 2016 6:43 am
Beren saw the paper flutter down to land near his feet. He assumed it belonged the woman who sat in the chair next to him. However as he bent over to pick it up for her his Elven eyes scanned over it quickly. He picked it up but stiffened visibly.
He knew Laenaya and her family well, his sister Nauriel's family. She was the daughter of the King and if she were here...that meant that they were not in Rhovannion. Had something happened? He gave her a cursory glance. She certainly didn't look alright. And her eyes...they looked tired or if she had been crying. He remembered that she had been wed to a Northman but why was she hear? Obviously she was in trouble he decided. He turned to her.
"Are you alright, my lady?" He asked. "If I can help you, I will if I can." He told her.
Aviana was visibly relieved when Beren went along with what she had written in her note. She looked at him as he spoke to her as if she were a stranger to him.
"My husband and I need help," she told him. "He is currently at the Healing House being treated for exposure to the cold. We have been traveling for nearly three weeks and need somewhere to stay."
His expression changed to one of deep concern, he could tell that...GulBrant, was it? Was in serious trouble by how she was acting. He looked over toward the door where the Innkeeper left from. "You can stay with me and Ithilwen, if you intent to stay here indefinitely we can help you move into a house that has been vacated recently. There are a few that would do for now," he told her in a whisper. "Is your husband going to be alright? Mel and Agatha are very good but you must see your grandparents before to long, and let them know what's happening," he said. "If you intend to stay in secret they and we can help you," he added then nodded to her as the Innkeeper came out.
"Well, I truly hope your husband is alright, my lady," he said as he left her and took up the box that the Innkeeper brought out to him.
Aviana listened as Beren lowered his voice after the Innkeeper left and began to talk to her normally. She was relieved to know that there was a place they could stay for now. She felt tears almost begin to come to her eyes. She knew that she and Cole were going to need all the help they could get...if he survived. She nodded when he told her she must go and see her grandparents. She knew that word would get out about the two strangers arriving at night nearly frozen death and her grandparents liked to know everyone that was in their village. She would go first thing in the morning to their house.
The Innkeeper then came back out and Beren went back to pretending he didn't know her. She looked over at him slightly when he told her he hoped her husband would be alright.
"I hope so too," she replied gently.
The Innkeeper left Ariana alone unless she needed something. As morning keeps up, the sun had yet to show itself and a few people came into the common room and took seats at the various tables. Some looked at her but people were generally polite and did not butt into other people's business.
When she stepped outside it was still quite cold but not nearly as bad as she thought when she arrived. She had been warmed up by the fire and the food and her body felt much more tolerant of the cold as when she arrived.
The healing house was still fairly quiet upon entering the exam room she saw that her husband was no longer there. Agatha stood to address her entrance but noticed the severe look on her face. "Oh...uh, no no, he is alright my lady, he gave us quite the trouble but we managed to get his temperature up. He's quite the fighter. When he woke up and didn't see you it took us and two others to hold him down. Not that he was in any condition to go anywhere he is still in a bad way, the frostbite could have been much much worse," she said. "Come, he is in the 2nd room on the left." She said and led her down the hall.
He room was bright, oil lanterns burned on the walls and a small hearth heated up the small room. Cole was in a small bed, his lips more the color they were supposed to be, his face now red and wind-burned as it had been. She saw that he breathed but not all that easily. He did not wake at her presence.
Aviana was shown to her room and despite her intense worry about her husband she slept through the night. Early the next morning she rose and dressed and left the inn to go to the Healing House. It was very quiet when she walked in. She felt her heart begin to beat harder and faster in fear as she walked into the exam room when she didn't see him she nearly fainted. However, before she could truly panic Agatha spotted her and told her he had survived. She walked into the room that he had been moved into and nearly cried from relief. She slowly walked over to him and looked down at his face. She reached out and gently caressed his cheek.
"I love you."
For half of the day either Mel or Agatha came in to change a bandage on his right foot. He finally woke and when he turned he saw her and a small smile crept up onto his face. They fed him water, tea and broth and he had a terrible cold but otherwise she was told he would survive and they managed to save his two toes that were dark from frostbite.
"We made it...uh, Ari…" It was clear he forgot her name. The lady smiled at them then covered his foot back up and left them alone.
"I was so worried about you," he said as his eyes teared up. "I didn't know where I was...and I didn't see you," he added as tears leaked from his eyes.
Aviana stayed with him. She sat by his side and spoke softly to him and even sang to him as he slept. As he finally began to stir she sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled down at him with tears in her eyes as she held one of his hands.
"It's Aviana," she said softly with a little smile. "I was worried about you too. I am going to go see my grandparents," she said softly. "I ran into my uncle last night at the inn and he said that we can stay with them for now. They will go along with our plan."
» The Arrivals - Critter & Stockfish

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Expanding de Blasio's Agenda for Youth Opportunities
by Robert Cherry and David C. Bloomfield
President Obama and Education Secretary Duncan Visit P-Tech HS (Getty)
The recent Community Service Society announcement of high graduation rates in career and technical education (CTE) high schools provides further evidence that students in vocational tracks can meet high standards and succeed.
For too long occupational training has been undervalued. The experience of funneling disadvantaged students into training that only prepared them for low–paying, dead-end jobs has long past. President Obama signaled this change when he celebrated the success of Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-Tech HS). The president praised the school both in his 2013 State of the Union speech and from its campus in October for its six-year program in which grads earn associate's degrees and shots at jobs with the school's partner company, IBM.
Recently, 60 Minutes featured Jamie Dimon, CEO at JPMorgan Chase, praising Year Up, a nonprofit organization that transitions disadvantaged youth into technical positions at finance-sector firms.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has also boarded the occupational-training bandwagon. As one component of his agenda to enhance the earnings potential of disadvantaged youth, de Blasio has proposed a dramatic expansion of occupational programs at community colleges. Like other policy advocates, Mayor de Blasio understands that the promotion of four-year college degrees for all is a faulty strategy, not only because too many fail to succeed but because the majority of disadvantaged youth desire occupational programs, as do many employers like JPMorgan. Rather than continuing to force students who want occupational training into for-profit colleges like Monroe and Metropolitan, he seeks to offer these programs in the public sector.
While commendable, this strategy will be more successful if there is greater linkage with high schools that prepare students to enter occupational programs in the community college system. CTE programs should allow students to take college-level courses that are part of such community college programs: a College Now for occupational rather than purely academic advancement.
These programs are highly effective in furthering educational attainment. A study conducted by Columbia University's Community College Research Center found that high school students who had enrolled in CTE programs were 4.2 percent more likely to enroll in college, 5.2 percent more likely to be enrolled for at least two years, and had completed 15 more college credits after three years than comparable students who had not enrolled in CTE programs. Based on these results, the New York City Council funded Carpe Diem, a program that linked four NYC Tech occupational programs with Brooklyn CTE students.
Many students in the vocational high schools come from immigrant families where they face substantial pressure from their parents to enter full-time employment after finishing high school. Program administrators were hopeful that given its occupational orientation, Carpe Diem would make it more likely that these students would go on to community college to complete their studies. Unfortunately, because of spending constraints during the recession, its funding was not renewed. Reestablishing Carpe Diem and creating other CTE programs should be part of Mayor de Blasio's strategy.
Additionally, in order to increase access to community colleges, new avenues to high school graduation need encouragement. The Coalition for Multiple Pathways to a Diploma has suggested a number of ways to increase the graduation rate while maintaining standards of college and career readiness. The Coalition recommends that the number of exit exams required to graduate be reduced from 5 to 3; allowing students to demonstrate knowledge and skills through State-developed and/or approved performance-based assessments; building more flexibility and support into the current system to make it more accessible, especially to students who are over-age and under-credited; and ensuring transparency in communications and monitoring of the multiple pathways system.
Just as important, the majority of students entering the community college system have deficient academic skills that require remediation. For too many students under the present system of remedial courses, this hurdle is insurmountable, and dropout rates are high. Until recently, students entering community colleges have taken these remedial courses with traditional classroom instruction, taught by academically trained, research-oriented tenure-track faculty.
CUNY has now developed a new approach: CUNY Start. This twelve-week program provides more intensive remediation by trained specialists. As a result (pdf), 57 percent of CUNY Start students passed their remedial courses, versus only 23 percent of comparable students taking the standard remedial courses. The de Blasio administration should find ways to increase the share of students enrolled in CUNY Start even if it means changing admissions policies by making it a requirement for some.
Through launching new initiatives and scaling successful programs already in place, the city can give its currently disconnected youth a fighting chance of gainful, sustained employment.
Robert Cherry and David C. Bloomfield are, respectively, professors of economics and education at The CUNY Graduate Center and Brooklyn College
Contact: David C. Bloomfield, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
[Have an op-ed submission? Send it to Gotham Gazette executive editor Ben Max: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.]


Angamardhana is an ancient yogic process for absolute fitness. Angamardhana is unique when compared to other exercise regimes since it requires no equipment -- just a 6x6 foot space. It uses the momentum of the body to exercise every major muscle, and energizes the system in just 30 minutes. Taught exclusively as part of Isha Hata Yoga programs, Angamardhana is the ultimate workout.
Isha Hata Yoga School delivers classical Hata Yoga in its full depth and dimension. It is Sadhguru's vision to revive this ancient science in all its purity and make it available to every individual. The school conducts teacher training programs as well as Hata Yoga classes, which offer many unique processes not found in any yoga schools today.


Tony is the Program Manager for the Emerald Network, managing all aspects of the program including advocacy, project oversight, and technical assistance. As someone who often uses multiple modes to travel Boston's streets and greenways, Tony tries to recognize the lived experience of spaces from all angles.
Previously, Tony worked with the Boston pedestrian advocacy group WalkBoston, while completing a Master of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University. Before that he worked as a public school teacher for five years in his hometown of Denver, Colorado. Teaching middle school social studies taught Tony the value of patience, creativity, and varied perspectives, which he sees as necessary to working with and across diverse groups.
Stacy is the Executive Director of LivableStreets, overseeing all programs including Vision Zero, Better Buses, and the Emerald Network, and ensuring overall programmatic and operational excellence for the organization.
A relentless optimist, Stacy is undaunted by the many challenges facing Metro Boston today, including access to jobs and affordable housing, improving safety and public health outcomes, and building climate resiliency. She believes the City can address these challenges head on by improving one of our most important systems- transportation. Stacy believes that improving our streets isn't simply a transportation issue, but one of justice, equity, and opportunity.
Previously, Stacy served as the Director of Events & Sponsorship at Ceres, where she developed the strategic focus, content, and communications for Ceres' major events. She also worked for the Office for Peace and Justice at the Archdiocese of Chicago where she collaborated with community partners to organize educational forums and supported a broad array of social justice initiatives. She has a Master of Arts in Social Justice from Loyola University, Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Education from Saint Vincent College.
Matthew Kiefer is a land use attorney at Goulston & Storrs, focusing on obtaining site control and development approvals from public agencies for complex urban projects. These include market-oriented and affordable housing, commercial and mixed-use developments, and facilities and master plans for educational, cultural and health-care institutions. He co-chairs the firm's Climate Change Resilience Task Force. He is the Chair of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, which supports best practices in municipal governance, and co-chairs the Council of Advisors of Historic Boston, a non-profit redeveloper of historic buildings. He serves on the Advisory Board and Management Committee of ULI Boston. He is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and was a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He has taught in the urban planning programs at MIT and Harvard and has written on land use law and policy for numerous publications.
Julia Kane Africa is a biophilic design and wellness consultant. She led the Nature and Health program at the Center for Health and the Global Environment, an academic research center at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, from 2012-2017. In this role, she explored the ways in which nature (parks and green spaces) and natural design cues (natural features in built environment settings) in urban settings support psychological and physiological health and resilience. Ms. Africa has completed graduate coursework in environmental health, exposure assessment, and sustainable design at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Graduate School of Design (MDesS conferred in 2011). She is delighted to support the Emerald Network Initiative and is also a member of both the International Living Future Institute's Biophilic Design Advisory Board and the Biophilic Cities Network Advisory Group.
Greg has over 30 years of experience in real estate development within both the public and private sectors, with a focus on the planning and permitting of large-scale, mixed-use urban redevelopment projects. At Redgate, Greg directs site acquisition, due diligence and financing activities for our investment projects. He is skilled at identifying promising sites for new urban neighborhoods and creating development outcomes that work for all constituencies. Greg also serves as a member of the Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Redgate, Greg served as Cabinet Secretary for the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was actively engaged in promoting mixed-use transit-oriented developments that included multifamily housing. Under Greg's leadership, his office received the Robert C. Larson Workforce Housing Public Policy Award from the Urban Land Institute in 2013.
Alice is the Director of Planning at Boston Harbor Now where she is working to improve access and resilience along the Harborwalk, on the Boston Harbor Islands, and across the watersheet. Her work primarily focuses on expanding mobility choices and activating open spaces.
Prior to joining Boston Harbor Now, Alice was the project manager for Go Boston 2030, Boston's citywide mobility plan. In 2013, she worked at LivableStreets on the original framework for what is now the Emerald Network. She has also worked on disaster recovery and resilience projects at Sasaki, on bicycle network planning at Boston Bikes, and as a middle and high school math teacher.
Alice holds bachelors degrees in math philosophy from the Ohio State University, an masters in teaching from Pace University, and an MUP from Harvard's Graduate School of Design.
Michelle has over two decades of experience working in municipal government with a focus on transportation, bicycle and pedestrian mobility. She actively advocates for alternative and healthy transportation modes, and is particularly focused on expanding complete streets for all users. She has participated in the development of town bylaws governing the use of trails, parks, bicycles, and other pedestrian issues.
For more than 8 years Michelle served as the Municipal Coordinator responsible for developing the first phase of the Assabet River Rail Trail (ARRT), a 5-town, 12.5 mile, rails-to-trails project. She has worked with other communities and stakeholders to advance both the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and the Mass. Central Rail Trail.
Michelle was an active participant on the Plan Review Committee for the Regional Bike Plan produced by the Boston Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and she helped to conceive of and developed the state's Complete Streets legislation, Chapter 90-I. Through Metrowest Moves (MwM), a Mass in Motion initiative, she was instrumental in developing a bicycle and pedestrian computer-based prioritization tool that will allow for better capital planning to incorporate user-utility into decision making. That effort was undertaken by MAPC as the consultant in collaboration with the three MwM communities, and has since been rolled out as a state-wide tool by MAPC.
Alex Krieger is Professor of Urban Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and principal at NBBJ, a global architecture and planning firm. He has directed urban design and urban waterfront projects in American and international cities, including the reconstruction of the Bund in Shanghai. Former chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design, Director of the Urban Design Degree Programs, and the Director of the NEA Mayor's Institute on City Design, he remains an advisor to mayors and their planning staffs, and serves on a number of boards and commissions, including the U. S. Fine Arts Commission.
His advocacy for an expanded green network began with a 1988 editorial in the Boston Globe, co-authored with Anne Mackin, entitled: Time is Ripe to Restore a Lost Jewel to the Emerald Necklace, on behalf of Columbia Road.
Lee Moreau is VP, Design at EPAM Continuum, a design and innovation consultancy based in Boston. As an architect turned strategist, he combines a unique capacity for complex systems thinking with a deeply empathic perspective, which he uses to critically engage and re-imagine the contemporary world. Through creative consulting engagements, Lee helps his clients lead efforts to understand their customers' needs and values, implement new ideas and offerings, transform customer experiences, and foster cultural change within their organizations.
Lee has led service and experience design projects for a diverse group of clients -- such as Southwest Airlines, BBVA, Staples, P&G, Chili's and Kaiser Permanente -- that blur the boundaries between content and experience. Through research, analysis, and imagination, Lee helps Continuum's clients understand their entanglement within their own complex set of cultural, material, and economic circumstances. Prior to joining Continuum, Lee was the Director of Environments at 2x4, an internationally recognized design firm, where he led projects for clients such as Novartis, Nike, Lincoln Center, and the MoMA Design Store. Previously, he worked as a designer at IDEO and at the Rockwell Group.
Kishore Varanasi is an award-winning urban designer, strategist, innovator, teacher, and writer, with a wide ranging influence on both the public and private sectors locally and internationally. His work involves the rejuvenation of downtowns and waterfronts, master planning for urban institutions and new communities, and design of large mixed-use projects. Kishore's innovative contributions stem from his ability to create viable and sustainable mixed-use neighborhoods which strategically blend the interests of residents, government entities, and developers by inspiring creative collaborations and fresh approaches to community building.
Kishore works around the globe to produce future-ready precincts, neighborhoods, and cities. His notable recent work includes master planning for Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, Lincoln Yards in Chicago, Cambridge Crossing, and Suffolk Downs in Boston. He holds a graduate degree in urbanism from MIT and is a regular visiting critic and lecturer at various institutions including MIT, Harvard University, Roger Williams University, Yale University, and the Boston Architectural College.
Kishore holds a Master's Degree in Urbanism from MIT; a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and Bachelor of Architecture from the School of Architecture and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad, India.


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BHT-1000 is Manual Turret Micro Vickers Hardness Tester adopts LCD screen to display. By mean of control keys, HV or HK hardness scales, testing force, dwell time can be selected and brightness of light source can be adjusted. The hardness value is displayed directly by entering the indentation diagonal length and avoids the complication of the look-up table.
Heat treated layer, carbonized layer, hardness hard layers, superficial Coating, steels, non-ferrous metal, micro and thin shaped components.
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text:
Q: Reduction of the computation time of clustering algorithm I wrote a small code that clusters floor areas on a map. It works well however I would like to optimize the computational time.
Do you have any advice in order to reduce the computation time?
The idea to optimize the algorithm was to use only one vector for the clusters and to go through all the pixels only once.
The algorithm works as follows, it scans all the cells starting in the top left corner and analyzing each row after another. If a cell is detected as a floor, it analyses the neighbors on the left and define if one of them belongs to a cluster. If it's the case, the same cluster number is assigned, if not, a new cluster number is assigned. If two neighbors have different cluster numbers, they are merged together with the "replace" operation.
   std::vector<int> PathPlanning::clustering(){
        const int unknown = -1;
        int clusterCount = 0;
        std::vector<int> clusters(m_map.size(), unknown);
        for (size_t i = 0; i < clusters.size(); ++i) {
            if(m_map.at(i) != e_mapState::FLOOR)
                continue;

            for(auto& nb : neighborLeft(i)) {
                if(clusters.at(nb)!= unknown){
                    if(clusters.at(i) == unknown){
                        clusters.at(i) = clusters.at(nb);
                    }else{
                        std::replace (clusters.begin(), clusters.end(), clusters.at(nb), clusters.at(i));
                    }
                }
            }
            if(clusters.at(i) == unknown){
                clusterCount+=1;
                clusters.at(i) = clusterCount;
            }
        }

        return clusters;
    }

A: This looks like a disjoint set problem, where the running time is O(α(n)), O(1) in practice, per element, so O(n α(n)), O(n) in practice.
Where your code is O(n neighbours n), n and neighbours for the loops, and an additional n for the replace.
There is also some Boost code available so you might save some time implementing it.


Faroe Petroleum has completed its sale of a 10 per cent interest in the undeveloped Glenlivet gas field West of Shetland to Total E&P UK Ltd.
The £10 million overall consideration for the stake, effective January 2014, includes a proportion deferred until a field development plan is submitted and certain production targets are met.
Faroe announced the sale in September, which was it said was in line with a "stated strategy to monetise our exploration successes to the Company's greatest economic benefit".
Glenlivet was discovered in 2009 in the Faroe Shetland Basin north east of the Laggan gas field.
Graham Stewart, chief executive of Faroe Petroleum, said: "I am pleased to announce completion of the sale of our Glenlivet interest to Total - a transaction directly in line with our stated monetisation strategy to ensure we fully leverage our exploration to create maximum shareholder value.
"Faroe has a very exciting continuing exploration and appraisal programme to look forward to in 2015.
"Our unique and robust financial position ensures we can participate in another five well high impact campaign in Norway.
Shares in Faroe Petroleum were down 0.2 per cent in early trading on Tuesday.


text:
Playing with audio
Disquiet Junto Project 0207: Remixing Marilli
Rework source audio from Michel Banabila's 1983 album, Marilli.
December 17, 2015 December 17, 2015 / By Marc Weidenbaum
Each Thursday in the Disquiet Junto group on SoundCloud.com and at disquiet.com/junto, a new compositional challenge is set before the group's members, who then have just over four days to upload a track in response to the assignment. Membership in the Junto is open: just join and participate.
Tracks will be added to this playlist for the duration of the project:
This project was posted in the early afternoon, California time, on Thursday, December 17, 2015, with a deadline of 11:59pm wherever you are on Monday, December 21, 2015.
These are the instructions that went out to the group's email list (at tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto):
Rework source audio from Michel Banabila's 1983 album, Marilli.
Step 1: Michel Banabila, the Dutch musician, this past week released a freely downloadable album of reworkings of his 1983 album, Marilli. (Full disclosure: I contributed a track to the remix collection.) He's provided three brief samples from the album for the Junto to remix. The first step is to download the three samples from the Dropbox folder at this link:
https://goo.gl/JmDEfB
Step 2: Create a new track using only those three samples.
Step 3: Upload your completed track from Step 2 to the Disquiet Junto group on SoundCloud.
Step 4: Then listen to and comment on tracks uploaded by your fellow Disquiet Junto participants.
Deadline: This project was posted in the early afternoon, California time, on Thursday, December 17, 2015, with a deadline of 11:59pm wherever you are on Monday, December 21, 2015.
Length: The length is up to you, though between one and three minutes seems appropriate.
Upload: Please when posting your track on SoundCloud, only upload one track for this project, and be sure to include a description of your process in planning, composing, and recording it. This description is an essential element of the communicative process inherent in the Disquiet Junto. Photos, video, and lists of equipment are always appreciated.
Title/Tag: When adding your track to the Disquiet Junto group on Soundcloud.com, please in the title to your track include the term "disquiet0207-remixingmarilli."Also use "disquiet0207-remixingmarilli"as a tag for your track.
Download: Having provided the samples, Banabila has asked that you assign a Creative Commons license allowing for downloads but not for subsequent reworkings or commercial use.
Linking: When posting the track, please be sure to include this information:
More on this 207th weekly Disquiet Junto project ("Rework source audio from Michel Banabila's 1983 album, Marilli") at:
The audio was sourced from the 1983 album Marilli by the album's composer, Michel Banabila. This project marks the release of the 2015 album Marilli Remixed:
https://banabila.bandcamp.com/album/marilli-remixed-free-download
More on the Disquiet Junto at:
https://disquiet.com/junto/
Join the Disquiet Junto at:
http://soundcloud.com/groups/disquiet-junto/
Subscribe to project announcements here:
http://tinyletter.com/disquiet
Disquiet Junto general discussion takes place at:
https://disquiet.com/forums/
Department: downstream / Tags: copyleft, free download, junto, remix /
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2 thoughts on "Disquiet Junto Project 0207: Remixing Marilli"
rjp says:
Banabila has asked that you assign a Creative Commons license allowing for downloads but not for subsequent reworkings or commercial use.
It would be helpful if the CC language or icons were added to this. I'm guessing it's Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivativeWorks though.
Marc Weidenbaum says:
Weird. I thought I'd replied to this. Yeah, you have it right.