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Friday Reads: February 2021
February 5, 2021 Reviews
Curated by ISABEL MEYERS
We're starting 2021 with a Friday Reads packed with recommendations set everywhere from the wilderness of British Columbia to modern day Nigeria. Recommenders from the TC team reflect on how their recent reading tackles issues of gender and sexual identity, strained familial relationships, and of course, a classic murder mystery or two.
Recommendations: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier, We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, The Reconception of Marie by Teresa Carmody, The Wild Heavens by Sarah Louise Butler, The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
Daphne du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel; recommended by Emily Cataneo (TC Contributor)
Over the past few years, I've read several contemporary books that draw on the aesthetic of mid-twentieth century gothic obsession: slick foreign vacation spots, devious women and dismissive men, a fixation on the lives of friends, families, strangers. These contemporary books felt labored and a bit silly, and made me wonder if I'd outgrown my teenage love for gothic-tinged fiction. Perhaps, I thought, I should accept my growing predilection for more sensible stories, ones with subtextual emotions and understated plots.
But then this fall I picked up a copy of Daphne du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel, one I'd snagged at a used bookstore before the pandemic, and I remembered why this kind of fiction taps into the dreary and dreamy part of my brain. Like du Maurier's more famous Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel takes place in a manor house in the British countryside and involves wealthy people with dark secrets. Main character Phillip despises his deceased cousin's wife, Rachel—for isn't she simply trying to steal his fortune?—until he falls in love with her, until he comes to despise her again, because perhaps she is trying to steal his fortune after all. This is melodrama, of course, but the power shifts are crafted with the care of a Sally Rooney novel, the setting details would put Emily Brontë to shame, and far from belabored and forced, the obsessions and the plot turns feel predestined. Who wouldn't fall into hatred and love and then hatred again with this mysterious half-Italian widow? Reading My Cousin Rachel was a reminder to seek out the best versions of the kinds of books I love, and also a reminder that good fiction must never feel forced: a story needs to be airtight and inevitable, especially if it involves assignations in midnight corridors, impatient vicars, and symbolic dead bodies floating in rivers. Rather than making you raise your eyebrows, it needs to make you mutter of course while you pull the blanket tighter around your shoulders.
Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle; recommended by Franchesca Viaud (Volunteer Reader)
Mary Katherine is eighteen years old. She lives with her older sister and uncle in a large house on the outskirts of town. Mary Katherine, like her sister and her uncle, is a Blackwood. The Blackwood family is despised. We as readers don't know why, at least not at first. We first follow Mary Katherine along her trip into the village to buy groceries. The townspeople stare, mock, and strangely enough, chant while Mary Katherine keeps her chin parallel to the ground and soothes herself by picturing them dead. We don't know if we can trust Mary Katherine, a girl who is at once childlike and overwhelmingly angry, or if what she says happened is actually what happened. We do know that something isn't right, both with the townspeople and most certainly with Mary Katherine herself. For a second, or maybe several, we think maybe she isn't the hero of this story, and that maybe the townspeople are right to hate her. As the family's history is revealed, we learn that besides Mary Katherine, her sister, and her uncle, the entire Blackwood family was poisoned at the dinner table some years back.
Mary Katherine's sister is suspected of the crime for a number of honestly rather logical reasons, and is arrested then acquitted—a progression of events that the townspeople take great offense to. They express this by terrorizing and ridiculing the Blackwood family, with Mary Katherine bearing the brunt of their nastiness. Through Mary Katherine's recounting of events, we get the sense that every day is much like the last, and that every day will continue as it has forever and ever. No one is more pleased by that prospect than Mary Katherine. That is, until cousin Charles arrives and brings with him something different—the very last thing Mary Katherine wants. She's forced to protect what remains of her family against the threat he poses. "I'm going to put death in all their food and watch them die," Mary Katherine says of her plans for the townspeople. The most interesting aspect of We Have Always Lived in the Castle is the way Shirley Jackson makes evil ordinary, transforming it into something as banal as folding laundry. But amidst the ugliness in this story there is magic, magic that appears to be both real and imagined.
Teresa Carmody's The Reconception of Marie; recommended by Stephanie Malak (Contributing Editor)
Even if you were never a precocious preteen from the corners of the Midwest's smallest town with a head full of ideas and a soul of vim and vinegar, this book is still for you. Marie is smart. Too smart. Amidst a household of born-again Christians, she takes the Lord's work on the road, evangelizing her schoolmates and often herself. She's got guts like an intuitive car salesman and the intuition of a burgeoning therapist—with a psychological sleight-of-hand she coaxes her unknowing friends into signing the deal of a lifetime. Well, the deal of this life and the next. Set against awkward middle-school friendships—Who's your crush this year? You can only be in our friend group if you like a boy, but not the same boy as Jennifer, okay? —Marie desperately wants to know herself, in God's eyes and everyone else's. With the relatable earnestness of an 8th grader, in that tender sweet spot between naïve babe and newly-minted adult (with just enough space for a hearty set of convictions laced with hormonal anxiety), Marie tries to disentangle her body, mind, and soul.
Reconception is an experiment in the synapses that inform your identity: gender, religion, geography, sexuality. Author Teresa Carmody draws on passages of scripture, diary entries, vociferous prayers, and vaults of maxi pads to narrate Marie's childhood in Western Michigan's Bible Belt. Carmody excels in the exquisite pain and humor of existing during puberty. Her Marie is as matter-of-fact about the objective Divine as she is sure that gossip is sinful…but she does it anyway. (Hey, Jennifer gossips too!) Marie's precision of mind feels like a spiritual spreadsheet. Carmody writes her heroine as a meticulous thinker, a girl who diagrams her sentences like a switchblade (included in-text for your English class throwback!). Eliding the genre coming-of-age novel, this book makes you feel like you're coming of age as you read it. Marie is still the anxious presence in the back of my 35-year-old mind dressed in adult clothes and driving a 13-year-old Honda CR-V. She cuts deep. I cackled my way through this gorgeous book, pausing to cry and cringe and reflect. This Midwestern gal feels the cut. And boy, it smarts.
Sarah Louise Butler's The Wild Heavens; recommended by Esmeralda Cabral (TC Contributor)
Once in a while, I come across a book that begs to be read slowly, one that calls me to immerse myself in the landscape and befriend the characters. The Wild Heavens, Canadian author Sarah Louise Butler's debut novel, was such a book for me. Last summer, the world was in the throes of a pandemic and we were asked to stay close to home. With nowhere to go, I escaped to the hammock on my deck and delved into fiction. The Wild Heavens was a welcome respite from the worry and confusion around me. I delighted in every single page.
Aedan Fitzpatrick, a well-respected veterinarian, has dedicated his life to finding the big-footed creature he is sure inhabits the wilderness around his cabin in the interior of British Columbia. Since the day he first set eyes on the large tracks and caught a glimpse of a furry human-likeform, he has become obsessed with seeing him again. When his daughter dies in Ontario, Aedan adopts his young granddaughter and raises her on his remote property. Sandy grows up roaming the woods, swimming in the lake, and playing with Luke, a boy her age who lives with his mother on the same property. The search for Charlie, the name they've given the elusive creature, becomes an obsession for all of them, and ultimately, the quest to find him leads to tragedy and changes their lives irrevocably.
Butler's prose is clean and precise. She writes about nature with attention, detail, and a reverence that stirs awe in this reader. She notes the presence of tiny mushrooms and lobed lichen, the swoop of a downy woodpecker, and the calmness of the lake in a way that caused me to pause and breathe deeply. This is a book to savor. Even if there hadn't been a global pandemic, I would have carved out the time to linger in these pages and wallow in the beauty of the natural world Butler describes. The Wild Heavens is about mystery and love, ache and grief, and the quest for what we feel is true. The intricacies of a life in the woods are woven together in such a beautiful thread that you can't help but weep when it is all over. This is a beautiful book!
Akwaeke Emezi's The Death of Vivek Oji; recommended by Stephanie Sendaula (Volunteer Reader)
To be drawn into The Death of Vivek Oji is to be immersed in the life of author Akwaeke Emezi, and the life of his family in modern Nigeria—from his distant father, Chika, to his overbearing mother, Ahunna. The reader must encounter a range of emotions to uncover why and how protagonist Vivek's dead body ended up on his mother's doorstep. From the first page, Emezi's words are moving and powerful, full of details on how Vivek's parents met, what drew them together and, ultimately, what drew them apart.
Emezi's book brings care and sensitivity to the subject of gender identity and what it means to live an authentic life. As Vivek's parents come to understand, he has been hiding secrets of his own. What's most powerful is that only a few chapters are told from Vivek's point of view. By including multiple narrators, including Vivek's cousin Osita, Emezi paints a fascinating portrait of someone who was often misunderstood, but longed to be understood, and loved, by all. Throughout the book, Emezi's words force readers to consider a question: What is it like to lose someone you thought you knew, but didn't know at all?
2020 Emily Cataneo Esmeralda Cabral Franchesca Viaud Friday Reads review Stephanie Malak Stephanie Sendaula
Friday Reads: February 2021 02.05.2021


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Q: HTML canvas draw inside UV islands I am trying to create a texture on fly with many randomised circles and apply it on bowtie object in three js
I am trying to achive it with HTML canvas because I think it will give me more control over the pattern rather than glsl shaders. I am using built in THREE.canvasTexture that takes a html canvas as an agrument and applies it as a texture to my object
My question is how I can isolate the drawing area on canvas to stay within UV islands?
I will need to draw at random spots the exact number of the circles for unique user, and all the circles must stay within the uv
Also I am wondering what is more performant - canvas method or glsl shaders and how I could draw the pattern with glsl controlling number of circles

A: This is a problem with many possible approaches, so maybe someone else will come with a better/easier solution. But I will describe two possible approaches that I can think of, and that I might explore if I were you.
Option 1: Rejection sampling

*

*Pick a random point anywhere on the canvas / bowtie bounding box / any area you choose that contains the bowtie texture

*Pick randomly a size and colour according to your application

*Check if the generated point is OK(fits within the bowtie, eventual overlaps with other points etc). If yes, you've got a point: return.

*If not, then repeat step 1.

This might be sufficient if you can consider your texture as somewhat flat and can just draw your points on top of it, as you seem to be doing in your example image here. You need to be careful with your limits though to not get stuck in an infinite loop.
Option 2: Correct surface sapling

*

*Pick a triangle on your bowtie mesh randomly. If you want to be mathematically correct, then make sure the probability is proportional to the area (you can do this e.g. by creating a cumulative array of the triangle areas and running a binary search over it)

*Randomly pick a point inside that triangle (some math to help with this)

*Give it an area and colour according to your app

*Map it back to your texture. The point will be guaranteed to be on the tie, but you can check if its radius also fits

*If you wish, you can then still check for overlaps with other points, and perform rejection sampling

This option sounds like overkill for your application, but if you want the distribution to better follow the curvature of your bowtie, then this would give you a probabilistically more correct result. It also allows you to texture map the points correctly, if you want to get into that math.
Rendering them in GLSL:
As for GLSL shaders, you can certainly render random circles on GLSL and it will be more performant almost for sure. However, this seems like a one-time computation that you can precompute for your various bowties and dot frequencies, after which your current solution will be perfectly fast. Your solution will also give you more power over the point generation, as you said yourself. Rendering random circles on a flat surface in a GLSL fragment shader should not be very hard, but doing it on a complex surface like these bowties might make it a bit trickier. If you want to know how this could be done, consider posting a new question.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Home»Blue Chips»Can SPACs Revitalise Singapore Exchange Limited?
Can SPACs Revitalise Singapore Exchange Limited?
With the bourse operator's recent approval of listing requirements for this news class of securities, can investors expect better performance for SGX?
By Royston Yang September 7, 2021 5 Mins Read
The rise in popularity of SPACs, or Special Purpose Acquisition Companies, has led to significant amounts of cash being funneled into these investment vehicles.
A SPAC is often referred to as a "blank cheque company", and for a good reason.
In a nutshell, the entity exists as a shell company with the sole purpose of seeking out another, private company to merge with.
Typically, a SPAC is formed by a team of executives with a business background or specialised skills within a niche industry.
The team, which acts as a sponsor, will put up a nominal amount of cash in exchange for a percentage ownership of the SPAC.
From there, the SPAC seeks to raise funds by listing on a stock exchange.
With the funds collected via the IPO, the SPAC can then seek out prospective companies to acquire by tapping on the expertise of the management team.
On the other side of the table, private companies may prefer to merge with SPAC as an option to quickly get listed without going through a drawn out IPO process.
Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX: S68), or SGX, has recently announced a listing framework for SPACs.
The bourse operator is seeking to liven up the local exchange by allowing different types of companies to list on it.
Could SPACs be the key to revitalising SGX's business and help to boost its fallen share price?
An attractive SPAC listing framework
Effective 3 September, SPACs are allowed to list on the mainboard of the stock exchange.
Key features include a minimum market capitalisation of S$150 million.
After the IPO takes place, de-SPAC must take place within two years subject to an additional one-year extension.
In short, the SPAC has 24 months to acquire another company.
To protect shareholders, there will be a moratorium on the sponsor's shares (i.e. the sponsor is not allowed to sell its shares) for six months after de-SPAC, with a further six months moratorium on 50% of shareholdings.
And to ensure skin in the game, sponsors need to subscribe to at least 2.5% to 3.5% of the IPO depending on its final market capitalisation.
With the finalisation of the requirements, SGX hopes to attract technology companies to list here as many Asian technology companies have thus far selected other exchanges to raise money.
Flat equities traded value
A glance at SGX's equities division shows that for cash equities, total traded volume had jumped 36% year on year to 500.1 billion for its recent fiscal year ended 30 June 2021.
While this may look impressive, total traded value only inched up by 2% year on year to S$340.1 billion.
Turnover velocity, a measure of activity on the bourse, rose just 6% from 45% to 48%.
Revenue for SGX's cash equities division reported a tepid 3% year on year increase to S$412.7 million.
Trading value has remained moribund despite the pickup in economic activity arising from the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
A dearth of IPOs for 2021
IPOs remain an important catalyst for SGX to attract institutional interest.
Should more professional investors allocate funds here, it will help to bump up the liquidity for the bourse and help to increase both trading volume and value.
2021 has not been a vibrant year for IPOs thus far, with a total of just three IPOs raising S$337.8 million, a sizable decline from a year ago.
For context, 2020 saw a total of 11 IPOs raising around S$1.4 billion.
In short, we are almost at the three-quarter mark of this year and yet, the amount raised by IPOs is not even half of what was achieved in the whole of last year.
This dearth of IPOs may be reversed with the SPAC approval, though.
Mr Mohamed Nasser Ismail, SGX's head of equity capital markets, expects a robust pipeline of Asia-focused SPACs as the group has been actively engaging with potential sponsors.
Bloomberg reported last month that Turmeric Capital is working with an advisor for a SPAC IPO totalling US$300 million.
Novo Tellus Capital Partners, a technology and industrials-focused private equity outfit, as well as Temasek's Vertex Holdings, have also indicated their interest to set up a blank cheque company here.
Get Smart: Interest may perk up for SGX
All this news should be music to SGX's investors' ears.
Sponsors may start targeting Singapore as an attractive destination to set up a SPAC as it is the first major Asian bourse to offer this option.
SPACs will, no doubt, help to add to the diversity of offerings for investors here.
Even technology unicorn Grab may be headed for a secondary listing in Singapore after announcing a SPAC deal in the US.
Interest could perk up significantly for SGX in the coming months, and the exchange operator may still have an opportunity to better its prior-year deal flow.
Here are 5 cash-rich companies so healthy, they can pay you dividends for life. The names of these SGX stocks are in our special FREE report. Download it here and start building your dream retirement portfolio today!
Follow us on Facebook and Telegram for the latest investing news and analyses!
Disclaimer: Royston Yang owns shares of Singapore Exchange Limited.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Fashion Innovator
A New York Times bestselling author and global fashion icon with a remarkable rags to riches story, Dapper Dan pioneered streetwear in the early 1980s with his eponymous store on 125th Street.
Black History Month & MLKDistinguished SpeakersFashion & DesignFashion Innovator
A New York Times bestselling author and global fashion icon with a remarkable rags to riches story, Dapper Dan pioneered streetwear in the early 1980s with his eponymous store on 125th Street. Co-opting luxury branding to design original garments with high-end detail, Dapper Dan first drew powerful New York City hustlers as clientele, who flocked to him thanks to his strong street reputation as a legendary professional gambler and dandy. He then went on to outfit the world's top entertainers and celebrities, all leading to his notoriety.
Dapper Dan's incredible personal journey from a hungry boy with holes in his shoes, to a teen who gambled drug dealers out of their money, to a beloved legend in the worlds of Harlem, fashion, and hip hop, is chronicled in his New York Times bestseller, Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem. It's also a story that inspires and resonates with audiences worldwide, and is now being developed into a premium drama series and a documentary series. In his empowering and riveting remarks, Dapper Dan highlights the importance of tenacity, curiosity, and determination to make ones wildest dreams a reality.
An evening with Dapper Dan
Dapper Dan Talks About Going From the Underground to Gucci | Vogue
Conan Gets Styled By Dapper Dan | CONAN on TBS
Fashion designer Dapper Dan's rags to riches story
Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem: A Memoir


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Don't ask Rihanna about her album while she's 'tryna to save the world'
By Kaiser
Jack Dorsey, Rihanna
Last week, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced that he would donate $1 BILLION of his equity to fund coronavirus relief. That's just about one-quarter of his net worth. It's notable because so many billions are donating to charity, but they're only donating $1 million here or there. And sorry not sorry, that sh-t doesn't cut it. It's actually offensive, and I'm 100% into cyberbullying billionaires into donating bigger chunks of their net worth to charity. So, props to Jack and all that. One of his first moves was to allocate $2.1 million to the Mayor's Fund of Los Angeles, specifically to support the victims of domestic violence (domestic violence calls & reports have spiked in the lockdown). Rihanna and Jack did matching-funds:
Rihanna and Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square, are teaming up to help victims of domestic violence in Los Angeles affected by the stay-at-home order during the coronavirus pandemic. Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) and Dorsey on Thursday announced a joint grant to the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles to address the current crisis among domestic violence victims in the city. CLF and Dorsey are each committing $2.1 million for a total of $4.2 million.
According to the announcement, while CLF and Dorsey have launched the effort first in L.A., "victims of domestic violence exist all across the world, so this is just the beginning."
Last week, CLF and Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Foundation (SCF) announced $2 million in grants to COVID-19 response efforts to support undocumented workers, the children of front-line health workers and first responders, and incarcerated, elderly and homeless populations in New York City and Los Angeles. And in March, CLF announced $5 million in grants to on-the-ground partners working on the front lines of the coronavirus response to protect and prepare vulnerable and marginalized communities in the U.S., Caribbean and in Africa.
[From Variety]
Rihanna is so f–king awesome. It would be easy for her – expected, even – to use her charitable foundation as some tax shelter which really doesn't do much. But no, she raises millions and she's giving away millions. Which is probably why she was NOT in the mood when someone asked her about that new album:
Rihanna is done discussing her highly-anticipated ninth album, especially while attempting to help those who have been affected by coronavirus. The songstress, 32, snapped on fans during an Instagram Live session who repeatedly asked when she plans to release the album, commonly referred to as 'R9′, telling her loyal #RihannaNavy that she currently has bigger fish to fry, doing her part to help those affected by COVID-19.
"If one of y'all motherf–kers ask me about the album one more time when I'm tryna save the world, unlike y'all president….on sight!' exclaimed the star, Daily Mail reports.
[From Page Six]
"Unlike y'all president" – but Trump doesn't have a highly-anticipated album just sitting there, nearly or entirely completed! But I get her point. The Army needs to stop asking about the album for a few months, Rihanna's doing other sh-t.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Backgrid.
8 Responses to "Don't ask Rihanna about her album while she's 'tryna to save the world'"
CROOKSNNANNIES says:
What an amazing act of generosity from Dorsey. I can imagine that no matter how rich you get (fairly or not) it's scary to part with such a substantial portion of your worth. I hope celebrities and powerful people follow suit.
Yeah, where are all those billionaires that were supposed to save us? Guess that wealth ain't rolling downhill too fast lol.
I'll give Dorsey credit when I see the receipts. Wealthy people are notorious in major charity circles for saying they'll pledge for PR purposes and then straight up never actually sending the money. (i.e. Notre Dame fire) Note the wording there, guys – he's giving EQUITY away worth one billion. That doesn't necessarily translate to cash value.
lucy2 says:
Rihanna continues to impress. She's got so many other things going on, I'm surprised she's even continuing to make music at this point, but it is kind of ridiculous for people to keep asking her about it right now.
Otaku fairy says:
I appreciate Rihanna doing this and the other celebrities who are actually trying to help vs bitching about quarantine in their mansions. I also feel extremely pissed off that Jack Dorsey's financial equals are spending more money on their images than actually helping people, namely Bezos and any of the Waltons. Bezos pledged what, 500 million the one time weeks ago? Not good enough. Bezos makes that amount of money in days. And how about the Waltons? Walmart employees still aren't getting guaranteed health insurance or other benefits. The exploitation from Amazon and Walmart continues and we're supposed to be grateful? F that.
Sammiches says:
This website always refers to Rihanna's fans as "army" but they're called NAVY
Original Jenns says:
So, now I need to use Twitter more and pledge my life to the Rhi Navy? Alrighty then!! Such good news to hear, especially the kinds of charity and services that the money is going to.
finally a celebrity actually saying the right thing. love rihanna!
Harry accused of hurting Queen
Joss Whedon's bonkers interview
Andrew's anger over precious toy bears
Harry's offer to pay police was denied
William has sympathy for Andrew


Updated Wednesday January 4, 2017 by Blake Wilsford.
The Mighty Pals T-Ball program is an instructional sports academy for 3-12 year olds. This is a recreational t-ball program for children with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. The goal of the program is to introduce kids to t-ball, provide basic knowledge and skills of the game and have fun! This is an instructional style program with the focus on teaching rather than competition. Programming is held on Saturday mornings. The program is led by an experienced staff member and parent and/or caretaker involvement is greatly appreciated.


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Q: Use PHP to Find Words in a String Without Spaces I am looking for a php library that can be used to take a string like "happyeaster" or "buyaboat" and return the individual words - "happy" and "easter" or "buy" "a" "boat". Does anyone know of an existing library or something already built that can be downloaded or purchased to do this?

A: php would have no way of knowing which words you are looking for without you telling it first.
so you may need to elaberate a little more on what you are attempting to get a worthwhile answer.
You could perhaps use reg ex and have an array of words to find, or substr.
for instance how would php know that you want the words happy and easter and not east also found within that string?

A: The sound like you need a fulltext search library. Try Lucene and Zend Lucene library. Hope this help.

A: <?php
function binary_search($elem, $array) {
   $top = sizeof($array) -1;
   $bot = 0;

   while($top >= $bot) {
      $p = floor(($top + $bot) / 2);
      if ($array[$p] < $elem)
        $bot = $p + 1;
      elseif ($array[$p] > $elem)
        $top = $p - 1;
      else
        return TRUE;
   }
   return FALSE;
}

$handle = @fopen("/usr/share/dict/words", "r");
if ($handle) {
    while (($buffer = fgets($handle, 4096)) !== false) {
        $words[] = trim($buffer);
    }
  fclose($handle);
}

sort($words);

function getmultiplewords($word1, $word2, &$dict){
    if (strlen($word1)==0) return;
    if (binary_search($word1, $dict) && binary_search($word2, $dict)) {
        echo $word2 . " / " . $word1. "\n";
    }
    $word2 = $word2 . substr($word1,0,1);
    $word1 = substr($word1,1);
    getmultiplewords($word1, $word2, $dict);
}

getmultiplewords("cartalk","", $words);
getmultiplewords("superman","", $words);
?>

Here's a simple solution that looks for 2-splits of words.
It works on linux with /usr/share/dict/words file, otherwise you will have to download the file yourself here:
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/src/share/dict/web2?rev=1.12;content-type=text%2Fplain
If you want n wordsplitting that can be done for reasonably sized words also :) Just let me know and I'll look into it.

A: I ended up taking this scrip http://squarecog.wordpress.com/2008/10/19/splitting-words-joined-into-a-single-string/ and redoing it in PHP. I also accept the first solution with the least amount of words.


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September 05, 2013 by Eurydice in Movies/Music/TV
You might think The World's End is your run-of-the-mill "forty-somethings try to recapture the magic of their college years" movie. You'd be completely wrong.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are back again, and their onscreen camaraderie is flawless in this film. Pegg plays the lead character, Gary, who is a drug-addled Sisters of Mercy t-shirt wearing waste of oxygen who has made nothing of his life. He gets the idea to gather his buddies together and go back to Newton Haven, the tiny town of their youth, to complete a legendary pub crawl - the Golden Mile - drinking 12 pints in one evening. The lads attempted this in 1990 and failed spectacularly. Gary, grasping for any accomplishment in his life, decides this is the one thing he wants to complete.
Along for the ride are Oliver (Martin Freeman), a real estate agent with a permanent bluetooth headset in his ear, Peter (Eddie Marsan), a car salesman working for his dad, Steven (Paddy Considine), a construction boss, ladies' man, and Gary's main rival from back in the day, and Andrew (Nick Frost), a sober lawyer who hasn't spoken to Gary in years.
This film is the third film in the Cornetto Trilogy, the first two films being Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. All three films are delightful, mainly because of the witty scripts and the interactions between Pegg and Frost. However The World's End is the most nuanced and most mature of the three films by far.
Along the pub crawl, there are homages to The Stepford Wives, Drunken Master, murderous robots, aliens and the end of the world to contend with before getting to the final pub, The World's End, for the final pint. The path the lads take is full of unexpected twists, delightful moments, and hilarious jokes.
Simon Pegg has said that there is no way to catch all of the complexity of The World's End in one sitting. I cannot wait for it to come out on Netflix as I plan to watch the Cornetto Trilogy soup-to-nuts all over again.
Oh, and the soundtrack is brilliant.
September 05, 2013 /Eurydice
aliens, cornetto trilogy, drunken master, hot fuzz, martin freeman, nick frost, robots, shaun of the dead, simon pegg, the world's end
Movies/Music/TV


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January 12, 2021 by Clara Grudberg and Moira Ritter 7 Comments
Many Georgetown University students and organizations across the political spectrum have condemned any student involvement in the Jan. 6 coup attempt on the United States Capitol and are asking the university to fully investigate any incidence of student participation following a series of GroupMe messages posted by a student who was on Capitol grounds Jan. 6.
The student, Jaron Pensinger (SFS '21), attended President Donald Trump's speech on the White House Ellipse that preceded the insurrection and then made his way to the Capitol with a large group of attendees. During the ensuing riot, Trump supporters, many openly championing white supremacy and defending objections to the 2020 presidential election, breached the Capitol, vandalized the building and threatened several high-ranking members of the nation's government, including Vice President Mike Pence. As of Jan. 11, five individuals had died as a result of the attack, including a Capitol Police officer who succumbed to injuries inflicted by the mob.
While on the grounds of the Capitol, Pensinger said he did not enter any buildings, bypass any security perimeter or interact with law enforcement. A Jan. 6 screenshot of Pensinger's location from Snapchat's map feature obtained by The Hoya placed him between the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the building itself. The screenshot does not have a time stamp. Pensinger said he left Washington, D.C., at 4:00 p.m., prior to the 6:00 p.m. curfew imposed by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and returned to his home outside of the District.
KEENAN SAMWAY FOR THE HOYA | Rioters infiltrated the Capitol on Jan. 6, resulting in five deaths.
In a private GroupMe, Pensinger sent messages the morning of Jan. 7 detailing his experience at the Capitol.
"Take this unsolicited message as you will. Today was a peaceful occupation of the capitol and our people were provoked with tear gas and flash bangs!" Pensinger wrote in the GroupMe. "I took in a breath of tear gas and I was completely unarmed how is that even right."
Almost immediately after Pensinger sent messages in the GroupMe, another member of the chat, Dominic DeRamo (COL '23), removed him from the group and denounced his statements on Instagram. Pensinger's messages were frustrating, disheartening and dehumanizing, DeRamo said.
"I thought that there was no way that a Georgetown student could do something like this. After the person continued with their rhetoric, I decided to remove them from the chat, because I felt that it was incredibly unfair for everyone else in the chat to have to experience that," DeRamo said in an interview with The Hoya.
DeRamo said Pensinger has since threatened to sue him for defamation.
Other students joined DeRamo's condemnation of Pensinger's messages and his proximity to the riots on Twitter. Many have since taken down their posts, however. A petition was also created asking that Pensinger be brought before Georgetown's Honor Council. The petition has since been removed by its creator.
In an interview with The Hoya, Pensinger said he attended the rally where Trump spoke primarily because of his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns.
"I'm not a white supremacist," Pensinger said. "One of the biggest reasons why I was there was because of the COVID crisis. There have been many doctors who have come out and said that these lockdowns are unjustified."
COVID-19 lockdowns and stay-at-home orders are effective and recommended measures for decreasing the spread of the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The insurrection, where most participants were unmasked, was potentially a virus superspreader event, according to The Washington Post. Pensinger did not comment on whether he or those around him were masked.
The Georgetown University Student Association Senate published a statement Jan. 10 urging university leadership to investigate any university community member whose involvement in the attack violated criminal law or university policy.
The university must take appropriate actions to safeguard the community, according to a separate statement from GUSA Press Secretary Jacob Bernard (SFS '23).
"While GUSA will never condemn individual Georgetown students, the behaviour of those who supported or participated in the riots is fundamentally at odds with the spirit of justice and inclusivity that animates our administration," Bernard wrote in a statement to The Hoya.
Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity Rosemary Kilkenny (LAW '87) and other university administrators have been notified of messages supporting the insurrection in GroupMe, according to Bernard.
GUSA released a separate statement condemning the violence at the Capitol. The statement, signed by GUSA Vice President Bryce Badger (MSB '21) and GUSA Provost Advisory Representative Nile Blass (COL '22), called out the racism and antisemitism displayed by the insurrectionists and listed resources for students to donate to or access.
The university will follow up on allegations of misconduct and investigate any potential violations of the Code of Student Conduct, including those that may have occurred during the coup attempt, according to a university spokesperson.
"Any student found to be participating in criminal activities or violations of our Code of Student Conduct would be subject to disciplinary actions, which could include suspension or dismissal from the university," the spokesperson wrote in an email to The Hoya. "When we receive reports of bias or violations of the law or our Code of Student Conduct, we respond to them and follow up through appropriate actions."
According to the Code of Student Conduct, students can face university disciplinary action for property destruction, disorderly conduct that disturbs others, public incivility or violation of local laws.
"When alleged violations of University regulations or local laws take place off campus and come to the University's attention, the University reserves the right to take appropriate action when, in the judgment of University officials, the alleged conduct has a negative impact on the University community, the pursuit of its mission, or the broader community in which we live," the Code of Student Conduct reads.
As of Jan. 8, Pensinger said the university had not contacted him.
"I see there to be no reason for me to be expelled, Pensinger said. "I did nothing violent. I was entirely peaceful."
Both Democrats and Republicans on campus have condemned the insurrection and any student involved in trespassing or vandalization of federal property.
Any student who participated in the Capitol breach Wednesday and partook in criminal activity has undermined Georgetown's values and should be dismissed, according to the Georgetown University College Democrats Executive Board.
"Those who find themselves sharing a platform with the hateful have a duty to themselves, peers, and any principles they represent to either remove those hateful voices from their platform or remove themselves from the platform," the board wrote in an email to The Hoya. "To stand with white supremacists is to stand by white supremacy. To stand with insurrectionists is to stand by insurrection."
The university must fully examine any community member's potential involvement in attacking the Capitol, a Georgetown University College Republicans spokesperson said.
"While we support the right of all Hoyas to peacefully protest, the University has an obligation to investigate any individual involved in this attack on our nation's seat of government," the GUCR spokesperson wrote in an email to The Hoya.
This article has been updated to clarify the name of a GroupMe chat.
About Clara Grudberg
About Moira Ritter
John Machir says
Georgetown is not a police state. If a student charged and convicted of committing a crime, then they may choose to take action.
Tom David says
Any of these bitches asking if any students were involved in the BLM riots this summer? What an embarrassment Georgetown has become.
Yeah your right. What about BLM. DO WE Count.
The Village says
The BLM protest is to bring awareness to unarmed people of color being shit and killed by police. The protest on Jan 6th turned out to be white supremacists beating/killing cops, threatening our elected lawmakers, trespassing/destroying and stealing federal property, as well as attempting to overturn the government…all because the klansman lost in a fair election. In other words, you creeps were angry because you continue to lose in the system you created. The same system that has stolen land from indigenous people while an enslaved people built this country's infrastructure labor free. Big difference. So do us all a favor and do a little research on the short comings of your own tantrums before you attempt to bash a movement that millions around the world were part of.
Richard Stanaro says
I was stunned to see such a fascist frontpage article in The Hoya. GT claims to be an institution of higher learning but its campus newspaper acts like its the Chicom Cultural Revolution. Protest is a sacred American right protected by the First Amendment. You directly name a student and suggest for association that he is a rioter and should be castigated. Those are the tactics of Communists. Shame on you. You should publish a front page retraction and apology for promoting such vile thinking.
entrepreneur test says
Leadership and commitment: Are you able to stimulate and cause others to follow along with you and present your
sight? And can you delegate try to other people?
Peter Polachi says
The irony of the disingenuous morons who wrote this calling others "fascists" and speaking about oppression is rich. The nouveau left aren't liberals, they're authoritarians. So many atrocities in the history of civilization have begun with one political group deciding that their positions and beliefs are so unassailably correct that they're justified in using any means necessary to silence and punish those who disagree. There's a reason that socialism has negative connotations, curtailment of free speech obviously being a particularly significant one. Performative social outrage is the newest danger to the republic.
NHS Will Split Into Two Separate Schools of Nursing, Health
BRENNAN | The Thunder Have Everyone's Draft Picks — Now What?


Understanding More about Metal Fabrication and Its 3 Processes?
For most of us everything that happens inside a factory remains a mystery.
We never really know how a soda can is produced or how a car door was created. Maybe it's the seemingly complicated nature of production that keeps us from learning more about them or that we don't find it an interesting subject to be curious about.
But regardless of that there are many things about industrial processes that everyone should know about especially if they want to make a future in industrial management. Apart from that understanding industrial practices and process also helps in better judging products and their quality.
Forging and stamping is one metal fabrication process that can be better understood by learning about its two stages separately, the first of which is forging.
Forging means shaping and forming heated metal through continuous and harsh hammer blows. When the metal is being produced during the forging stage, its internal components follow the default shape of the element. This increases the overall strength of the metal. Forging is generally used for shaping parts the need additional strength such as machine parts, tools and vehicle components.
Alongside forging, another process called stamping also takes place simultaneously. Shaping is the procedure in which the metal sheet is placed over a die. An extreme external pressure is exerted on the metal sheet causing it to reshape itself in the shape of the die itself. Metal parts created from stamping can be mass produced much faster once the colorant is produced. Common products of stamping include beverage cans and brackets.
Forging and stamping are known to be the most economically reasonable processes for long term productions because of the low cost of the tools. They are also preferred over other options for low volume manufacturing jobs that need to be done only on a smaller range.
Metal fabrication processes that involve using hand tools or cutlery are usually done over a range of steps. Sheets of metal are initially rolled to get the needed thickness which helps in creating a thicker position on parts that need further strength. The metal later is passed through an annealing process where the sheets are heated and refrigerated to increase their strength. After cutting off the surplus metal to its frame, a hydraulic press hammers the patterns and details into them and then finally the characteristics of utensils, such as shaping the bowl of a dinner spoon.
Another metal fabrication process that involves using corrosion free metals and treatments to produce shipping containers, boilers and large tanks from cutlery that enables them to endure the harsh industrial environment.
We have Been using JF Berns products for years, Quality Products that last!


Wanted model cars.1:18 Subaru,ford ect.
Been collecting these for years so trying find a few more before Christmas.
I'm looking for mint or very good condition Subaru model cars.
Preferably 1:18 scale and boxed but try me with what you have.
Might also be interested in other make models and scales.
Close to cork as possible if not willing to post.
PM me what you have and I'll get back to ya.
Re: Wanted model cars.1:18 Subaru,ford ect.
Ya some wouldn't be the best. Anything by autoart and minichamps be very good. Sunstar be reasonably priced but good models.
Hi Joey I have a few that might interest you, I have a Ferrari F40, Merc SL gull wing, Focus WRC and 1 or 2 more. All are Bburago and boxed let me know if any interest you.
Hi,can ya check the others ya have and let me know.how much would be looking for the f40 posted?thanks.
That be great as trying get as many ford and Subaru ones as possible,thanks.Would ya be willing post it as I'm in cork?If ya would can ya pm me how much ya want for it and what ever extra to post it.Thanks again.
Ya that's savage.Thanks very much,delighted with that. Can ya on me how much and what way to pay ya and I'll get it off straight away to ya. Thanks again.
I'll get around to few pics the weekend. Should be more coming in post tomorrow or early next week.
Huge thanks to Phil for sending me on the Impreza model and he included a Subaru badge. Gentleman to deal with.Class how they spray the dirt on the model,first one I have done that way. Here a pic of it and on the shelf with the other Subarus.
Thanks again,must get around to pics of the rest.
Ya the autoart 22b are nice. Have one myself same as that one.There rare enough as has fogs in the bumper,I think I read something before about they being uk spec.


text:
Rank: Major (Ret)
Branches: Infantry, Special Forces
Born: June 6, 1937
Deceased: April 16, 1992.
Interred: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery, Oahu Island, Hawaii (Plot: 82-H 0 5)
Awards: Distinguished Service Cross, Several Purple Hearts, Several Silver Stars, Several Bronze Stars, Combat Infantry Badge, Numerous Service Ribbons.
Honors: Inducted into the Infantry OCS Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, GA.
Distinguished Service Cross
Captain Edward W. Spinaio – Citation for Distinguished Service Cross
"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Infantry) Edward W. Spinaio, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Advisory Team 100, United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Captain Spinaio distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 12 January 1969 while serving as advisor to a Vietnamese Ranger battalion at Fire Support Base Dot located five kilometers from the Cambodian border in Tay Ninh Province. Learning that one company had encountered a North Vietnamese bunker complex during a sweep operation, Captain Spinaio quickly organized a relief force and joined the besieged unit. When the indigenous company commander was wounded by fire from a hostile bunker, Captain Spinaio single-handedly stormed the fortification and destroyed it with hand grenades. He then proceeded to move the wounded to the evacuation point. As the men were being loaded on the helicopter, two enemy soldiers charged the landing site in an attempt to damage the aircraft. Captain Spinaio shot both assailants, enabling the extraction to be completed successfully. Captain Spinaio's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army."
Summary: (Submitted by his friend John Cleckner) I have a lot of Eddie Spinaio stories, but I like this one best. Eddie and I hung out at OCS with the other SF Candidates and talked with Roger Donlon (MOH) on most every break. Roger was going through the IOAC at the same time we were going through OCS and would complain about all of the distractions being a MOH recipient and trying to get his studies done.
Then Eddie and I did the new OCS battalion extension thingy when things expanded before we were able to graduate. Eddie ended up in the 6th SFGA at Fort Bragg and went back to VN shortly before I did.
This is the "Story: and I am sticking to it, because I know it is true. Eddie was a true hero, he had the DSC, Silver Stars up the butt, same with Bronze Stars with V, Air Medals, ARCOMS etc, but the one thing I loved about Eddie was, he had a Purple Heart for almost every Valor Award he had. I had two Colonels I served with in the 82nd and Berlin, who had been S3 in Bn and Bde in VN and these guys had every medal known to man, except the PH, I asked them how they could get that many medals and not a PH. The answer from both was that they got them all in a helicopter flying over the battle area. Eddie got his wearing a rucksack.
He and I also went through the Infantry Officers Advance Course together in 1971. He related this story to me one night when we had our wives out for steaks. Eddie was nominated for the Medal of Honor. Because of the years he had already served in SVN and the PHs he had, General Westmoreland told him that he could no longer serve in Combat in SVN until the MOH nomination was resolved. Westy asked Eddie where he would like to be assigned while waiting for the results of the MOH issue.
"Cool Eddie," or as he was nicknamed in Special Forces, "Dirty Eddie Spinaio", told Westy that if he could, he wanted to stay "Close By VN" and would it be possible for him to be the R & R Officer in Australia? Westy said, "DONE", and Eddie went off to Australia for 6 months and performed his duties there with Great Distinction (I know).
His Medal of Honor was down graded to the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and when the then COMUSMACV (General Abrams) pinned the DSC on Eddie and after seeing his record, he commented to Eddie that he should "TAKE A BREAK" from war and asked him where he would like to be assigned. Eddie looked Abrams straight in the eye and said, "Sir, if it would be possible, I would like to be assigned as the R & R Officer in Australia." Creighton assigned him to a six month tour as the American R & R Officer in Australia, Now you know the rest of the Story…………
The Edward Spinaio Story
by Pete Cowman
When Ed Spinaio reported to the Officer Candidate School at FT Benning, GA, he was a 28-year old staff sergeant with over 10 years of service. His uniform held three rows of decorations and campaign ribbons along with master parachutist wings, Ranger and Special Forces tabs and the Combat Infantry Badge. He joined the Marine Corps out of high school and after his enlistment, had a break in service before joining the Army and then the Special Forces. Spinaio had a tour in Vietnam from October,1964 to April,1965 and when he reported to OCS in July 1965, his leadership and combat experience were highly respected by his classmates.
At OCS, Spinaio was assigned to the 6th Platoon where he made many friends who looked up to him but he also had friends in the other platoons, especially John Cleckner in the 1st Platoon. Cleckner had a Special Forces background with a tour in Vietnam and while on breaks during classes in Building Four, the two candidates enjoyed talking with Captain Roger Donlan who received the Medal of Honor while serving with the Special Forces in Vietnam. After completing OCS, Spinaio had two additional tours in Vietnam where his name was submitted for a Medal of Honor and where he received numerous awards for his bravery in combat.
As Cleckner wrote in a biography submitted for an OCS class reunion book, "Eddie was a true hero; his two Silver Stars, two Bronze Star Medals, two Purple Hearts as well as his other awards and decorations are a matter of record. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor but was informed by General Westmorland that due to his time in country and his Purple Hearts, he could no longer serve in a combat zone until the Medal of Honor was resolved. When the general asked Spinaio where he wanted to be assigned, Cool Eddie asked if it was possible to be the R&R officer in Australia. 'Done' said Westy and Eddie went off to Australia for six months where he served with great distinction. I know, I was there."
The Medal of Honor was downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and by then there was a new commander in Vietnam, General Creighton Abrams. Cleckner's story continues. "When General Abrams pinned on the DSC and after seeing his record, he commented to Eddie that he should take a break from the war and asked where he would like to be assigned. Eddie looked Abrams straight in the eye and said, 'Sir, if it would be possible, I'd like to be assigned as the R&R office in Australia.' "
Spinaio's Special Forces overseas assignments included serving as XO of Det A-429 and as A Team Commander, 5th Special Forces Group, Senior Advisor to the Vietnamese 34th Ranger Battalion (see DSC citation), battalion advisor with the US Military Assistance Command and Recon Company Commander, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. He also had a tour in Hawaii as Assistant G-3 with the 25th Infantry Division and from 1975-76, served as Special Assistant to the Commander, 267th Chemical Company, Johnson Atoll in the South Pacific. Returning to Hawaii in 1976, he served as a Special Assistant in the USA Support Command at Fort Shafter until his retirement on June 30, 1976.
After retirement, Spinaio suffered with diabetes, liver, kidney and heart valve failure and he passed away after extensive surgery at age 55 in 1992. He is buried at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery on Oahu, near Kanehoe, Hawaii.
The Distinguished Service Cross
"….Captain Spinaio distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 12 January 1969 while serving as advisor to a Vietnamese Ranger battalion at Fire Support Base Dot located five kilometers from the Cambodian border in Tay Ninh Province. Learning that one company had encountered a North Vietnamese bunker complex during a sweep operation, Captain Spinaio quickly organized a relief force and joined the besieged unit. When the indigenous company commander was wounded by fire from a hostile bunker, Captain Spinaio single-handedly stormed the fortification and destroyed it with hand grenades. He then proceeded to move the wounded to the evacuation point. As the men were being loaded on the helicopter, two enemy soldiers charged the landing site in an attempt to damage the aircraft. Captain Spinaio shot both assailants, enabling the extraction to be completed successfully. Captain Spinaio's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping…"
The Silver Star
"First Lieutenant Spinaio distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 19 May 1967 while serving as executive officer of a Special Forces detachment during an attack on his base camp at Ba-Xoai. A reinforced Viet Cong battalion launched a savage ground attack on his camp with cover from their heavy weapons, but Lieutenant Spinaio braved withering fire to take a position on the front wall. Ignoring his own safety, he exposed himself to the heavy fire time after time to rally his men and direct their fire on the hostile onslaught. He was seriously wounded and knocked unconscious by an exploding recoilless rifle round early in the battle, but he returned to the perimeter under a hail of flying shrapnel as soon as he regained consciousness. He moved one hundred and twenty meters up an open hillside under a fierce barrage to put a mortar into operation and direct friendly fire on the Viet Cong positions. Running out of ammunition, he dashed to a recoilless rifle position and directed the crew to fire on enemy concentrations. Although the position was raked by machine gunfire, he exposed himself to enemy weapons to fire rockets at the onrushing insurgents. He noticed three wounded men nearby and raced to their aid. Continuing to brave intense fire, he carried the men to safety and directed their evacuation. Throughout the battle, he remained in the open to direct and inspire his men against overwhelming odds. First Lieutenant Spinaio's gallantry in action was in keeping…"
The Bronze Star Medal
"Second Lieutenant Spinaio distinguished himself by valorous actions on 10 October 1966 while commanding a combat patrol during an attack by a numerically superior enemy force. Lieutenant Spinaio was serving as point observer for his search and destroy patrol when the Viet Cong initiated their offensive. It was early in the ensuing battle when he was wounded by a hand grenade explosion. Ignoring his wounds and keeping the mission foremost in his mind, Lieutenant Spinaio moved from position to position among his men and directed the tactical movements to establish a defense. Only when he was thoroughly satisfied with the emplacements did he take cover for himself. Lieutenant Spinaio then directed mortar fire upon the enemy. When the insurgents placed the force of their attack on him, Lieutenant Spinaio commanded his patrol to fall back and regroup. Heedless of his own safety, he moved back, regrouped his men, and initiated a successful counterattack. Second Lieutenant Spinaio's personal bravery and devotion to duty were…."


text:
Hunks of plastic found inside Fraser River steelhead
By Justin McElroy Global News
Posted February 21, 2015 11:08 pm
Updated August 6, 2016 2:17 pm
WATCH: Anglers around BC are being urged to report any foreign objects they find in their catches. This comes after two Chilliwack fishermen discovered bits of plastic and garbage inside of the steelhead they hooked last week. Jeremy Hunka reports.
Jordan Butt has been fishing the Vedder River for years, but what he saw on February 13 after catching a steelhead was a first.
"I hooked a seemingly normal fish, it was a good eating-sized fish," he says. "I noticed there was a gravelly feeling inside…I started scooping it out, and it was just piece of plastic after piece of plastic."
"Disgusted is the only way I can say it. It was so unnatural, to see a fish feeding on something that would inevitably kill it."
The pieces of plastic Butt found inside the fish that he caught on the Vedder River on February 13, 2015.
Dr. Peter Ross from the Vancouver Aquarium stresses that it's just one incident and they haven't received similar reports. But he says it's concerning nonetheless.
"This has got to be one of the most disturbing pictures I've seen in a long time," he says.
"It poses a very significant question, and that is to what extent is this representative of what is happening out there in the ocean? To what extent are salmon picking up pieces of plastic?"
Ross says the concern is fish are mistaking pieces of plastic for food.
"What we have to do is figure out where these plastics are coming from, why they're getting in the ocean, how we can stem the flow of those products in the ocean," he says.
READ MORE: Taking out the trash along the banks of the Fraser
It came as no surprise to Chris Gadsden of the Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition.
"Unfortunately, we pick things like this all the time," he said, adding they've done 43 cleanups since they were founded last decade, picking up 95 metric tons of waste from river beds and shorelines.
"People really got to think of this when they throw a pop can or plastic any material, it's going to end up in the ocean in the matter of time."
Butt is hopeful the strange experience won't be repeated.
"I'm not exactly a scientist, but I would figure if you start seeing more and more cases of this, you're going to see mortality rates jump."
PlasticFraser RiverVedder riverSteelhead


Last week, one of my heroes, Dr. Eugene Peterson, said some fairly harsh words about the megachurch. Those words hit me hard as I find myself the pastor of a megachurch. I never intended to build or pastor a megachurch, and it was certainly never my goal to be a megachurch. The whole concept of anything "mega" is usually not something to enjoy or value.
Dr. Peterson said, "megachurches are not churches. I don't think you can be a pastor with just a bunch of anonymous people out there. In the megachurch, well--there's not relationship with anybody." Before I share my thoughts on this subject, allow me to walk in the shoes of this hero, this brilliant mind, that God has used to bring great clarity to millions of Bible readers.
What Dr. Peterson may not know is how hard it is to lead people to Christ, to provide a place where significant spiritual growth is possible, and to develop leaders who will walk alongside thousands of people as they journey toward Christ. Most people have no idea how challenging it is not only to provide the leaders who can effectively and lovingly walk with people as they pursue Christ, but also how hard it is, as a pastor of a megachurch, to make sure the needs of people are handled in a biblical and effective way without the benefit of getting to know all of them personally.
I came to a point where I had to decide If I was willing to make sure people who were hurting had amazing people around them to love and lead them, which meant I would not get the joy of being a part of this process. Just think how selfish it would have been of me to deny someone the help they desperately needed just because I insisted I know them personally.
People in pain do not care how many people they personally know. They just need to know that someone, a person, sincerely and lovingly knows them and cares very deeply for them.
There are many Thursday evenings I find myself on the back row of our Chapel as I worship with those engaged in our Celebrate Recovery ministry. There are a few hundred people in our Chapel worshiping, celebrating their milestones of recovery, and finding strength for the journey without knowing the pastor who happens to be sitting on the back row of the celebratory service.
Thursday nights are filled with deadlines for me. It is on Thursday night that I must have the sermon title, outline, and PowerPoint slides to our fabulous communications staff. The typical Thursday night finds me at the office, or occasionally on the back row of the Celebrate Recovery service in the Chapel, or laboring in my study at home over the message for the coming Sunday.
As I prepare the message, I realize it will be a message for people I do not know and have never met. All the more reason to be extremely sensitive to the direction of the Holy Spirit who knows every person's name even though I don't.
So, yes, I am the pastor of a megachurch. When we were small, I knew everyone and everything going on in their lives. Somewhere along the way I decided we had too many people who needed care--care that I could not provide and care that could be provided by people who could truly relate to their issues in a way that I could not. I know many pastors whose insecurities demand that they are everyone's savior. In essence, they need to be needed more than the needy really need them.
Years ago, even though far out of my comfort zone, I decided I'd rather see hundreds get help, even if it meant I would not know them. And I discovered they needed help more than they needed to know me. They had numerous people around them who could relate to their needs, their seasons of life, and their paths to recovery far more than I could ever hope to.
When it became clear that we had needs to meet, people to love that I could not know, I made sure someone did know them and the megachurch thrived. My megachurch loved it. It persevered with people who felt lost and alone.
Thank God I learned they did not need to know me. They just needed to know that someone cared--and I happen to have a few thousand people who care. Call it what you want. Mega may mean too big to care for some, but I have found it to mean the ability to provide mega care to people who did not need to know me personally, but rather they just needed to know someone who cared, who understood their pain, who could relate to what they were going through, and someone who would be available around the clock.
I'm so glad I realized that I could not be that for the many who needed it, and that God provided numerous amazing people who were eager to be always available to hurting and frightened people. Thank God I realized that I was not, nor could I be, the primary source of care, but that there were people--hundreds of people--who had walked this difficult road of recovery and were willing to be available to those who were on the journey.


If you have a credit account with us, you can phone or e-mail your order, and we will ship your goods to you. The goods will be accompanied by an invoice. Credit terms will be advised on the invoice (normally 30 days).
Phone or email us to enquire about our credit account facility.
Electronic funds transfer. Electronic transfers can be done online or in person at your bank. Email us when you've done it. When our bank confirms that payment has been received, we will email you to confirm shipping.
Credit card. Visa or Mastercard. We do not use a secure server, therefore we suggest that anything documenting your credit card number be emailed in multiple parts. We do not store any credit card information on our computer. We keep records on paper for income tax purposes only.
We will confirm your order with you before billing your card or shipping the goods. We will bill your credit card on the same day that your goods are shipped.
Paypal. You will find account details on the pro forma.
When payment has been received, we will despatch the goods by a service such as Star Track (inside Australia), TNT, UPS or Australia Post (to destinations outside Australia).


text:
Q: jQuery Spinner intercept double click event I'm currently working on a option picker. Now there is a new requirement to have the options be configurable. while that is not a big problem, the option picker makes me trouble:
When an item is double clicked it will get selected/unselected. If selected, the configuration options will show. While this works fine with standard HTML elements like checkboxes, i can't get it to work like intended with jQuery spinners.
In the following snippet, i simulate the effect of unselecting the elment turning it red instead. So go on and try to change the spinner value via the up+down buttons without the label turning red.
As you can see, this works fine on the checkboxes, which can be changed checked/unchecked as fast as you want, without turning the label red. The spinner however will turn the label red, if your'e clicking too fast, triggering the double click event.
How can the doubleclick event be propperly catched?

$(window).load(function(){
  var $item = $(".item");

  $item.disableSelection()
  $item.on("dblclick",function(){
    $(this).addClass("marker");
  });
  $item.find("input").on("dblclick",function(e){
    e.stopPropagation();
  });

  $("input[type='text']").spinner({min:1});
  $("input[type='button']").on("click",function(){
    $(".marker").removeClass("marker");
  });
});
.marker {
  color:red;
}
.item {
  padding:10px;
  margin:10px;
  border:1px solid #ccc;
}
input[type='text'] {
  width:30px;
}

<link rel="stylesheet" href="//code.jquery.com/ui/1.11.4/themes/smoothness/jquery-ui.css">

<input type="text" value="1"> some labeling text

<input type="checkbox"> some labeling text

<input type="checkbox"> some labeling text

<input type="button" value="reset">

A: Okay, i figured it out myself,
$item.find("input, span:has(input)").on("dblclick",function(e){
    e.stopPropagation();
});

did the trick, since the problem is the wrapper that's added by jQuery


text:
Russian dignitaries to Egypt given red carpet reception
Retired Egyptian general reports that Egypt may sign a $2 billion deal with Moscow for the purchase of 24 MiG fighter attack-jets as well as an air defense system & anti-tank missiles.
Russian analyst: Egypt will not remain a hostage to U.S. dictates forever.
By The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff
In an echo of the Cold War, Egypt gave the red carpet welcome Thursday to senior Russian officials aiming to expand Moscow's influence through military and economic cooperation with a key U.S. ally in the Middle East.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy, right, and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov following their meeting in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday – Photo: AP
The flirtation underscores how U.S.-Egyptian relations have soured lately over the Obama administration's criticism of the July 3 military coup. And although Egyptian officials say the one-time Soviet client is not turning away from the United States, the military-backed government is clearly signaling it has options.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy sought to downplay speculation of a major foreign policy shift, describing the visit by Russia's foreign and defense ministers as an "activation" of existing ties and speaking positively of cooperation between the two countries "in multiple fields."
But the fact that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Cairo weeks after the United States froze millions of dollars in military aid is significant.
The officials gave no details about any arms deals being discussed.
Russia's Interfax news agency recently quoted an unidentified official of the state Rosoboron export arms trader as saying that there are no plans to sign big contracts during the Cairo talks.
It said Egypt has shown interest in purchasing Russian air defense missile systems and MiG-29 fighter jets, combat helicopters and other weapons. But it quoted an unnamed official dealing with arms trade as saying that no big deals are expected in the near future as Egypt currently cannot afford it.
However, a retired Egyptian military general who maintains close ties to the present army leadership said Egypt was inching close to signing a $2 billion deal with Russia for the purchase of 24 MiG fighter-jets as well as anti-tank missiles and an air defense system.
"Do you want us to take the (U.S.) slap on our face and remain silent? Of course not," said the retired general, Hossam Sweilam. "This pressure is not acceptable, so we returned to the Russians to maintain our fighting capabilities."
Tensions are high between Egypt and the U.S. — its chief foreign backer and benefactor since the 1970s — since the ouster of Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, and the subsequent crackdown on his Islamist supporters that has left hundreds dead and thousands arrested.
Lavrov and Shoigu were greeted with an honor guard and met at Defense Ministry headquarters for talks with Egypt's powerful Defense Minister and military chief, Col. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who led the coup that ousted Morsi, and his commanders.
Throughout the day, state television broadcast black-and-white archival footage of Soviet and Egyptian leaders meeting in the 1950s and 1960s, the two decades that saw the two nations forge a strategic friendship at the height of the Cold War and Egypt's wars with Israel, Washington's closest Middle East ally.
"We seek to energize a relationship that is already in existence," Fahmy told reporters later after meeting with Lavrov.
When asked whether Russia would replace the U.S. as his country's chief ally, Fahmy said Egypt was not looking for a "substitute for anyone" and that Russia was too significant for such a role.
Lavrov, speaking through an interpreter, described the meeting as "historic."
He stressed Russia "would like to see a stable Egypt with a prosperous economy and an efficient political system," and endorsed the military's so-called transition plan, which envisages a nationwide referendum on an amended constitution before the end of the year and parliamentarian and presidential elections by the winter and summer of 2014.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sought to patch up things with the Egyptians during a visit to Cairo earlier this month, but the partial suspension of military aid, which covers the delivery of tanks, helicopters and fighter jets, appears to have hurt the interim government's pride.
The Russian defense minister vowed to develop military ties and increase bilateral contacts between the two countries, saying, "I expect to continue a constructive dialogue on the entire spectrum of military and military-technical issues."
He said their discussions also covered fighting terrorism and future joint exercises.
It was the highest level Russian visit to Egypt since then-President Dmitry Medvedev signed a partnership deal with then-President Hosni Mubarak in 2009.
It is difficult to see Russia, at least in the short term, replacing the United States as Egypt's chief backer.
Egypt has been the second-largest recipient — after Israel — of U.S. bilateral foreign assistance, largely as a way to sustain the 1979 Egypt-Israeli peace treaty. Washington froze a large chunk of about $1.5 billion in annual aid, mostly for the military, last month.
"Theoretically speaking, there's no polarization and no need to pick and choose between the U.S. and Russia," said Russian affairs specialist Farrag Aboul-Nour. "But practically, freezing U.S. aid was a dangerous alarm. … The message to the U.S. today is: Egypt cannot remain a hostage to the U.S. forever."
Russia's cause in Egypt will likely be helped by growing anti-U.S. sentiment in Egypt, chiefly over Washington's perceived bias in favor of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group and decades of what many Egyptians see as their country's submission to Washington's will under Mubarak, who himself was toppled in a 2011 revolution.
Russia and Egypt's new government share a common enemy in Islamists, with Moscow facing Islamist insurgencies in some of its outlying regions.
Earlier this week, a 21-gun salute and a band played military music to welcome a Russian missile cruiser, the Varyag, when it docked in the Mediterranean port of Alexandria. Another Russian warship, the Boris Butoma, is now docked in a Red Sea port.
Egypt was Moscow's closest Arab ally for two decades starting in the 1950s, when the Soviet Union supported the late nationalist leader Gamal Abdel Nasser's ambitious drive to modernize the Arab nation and create a well-armed military at the height of the Cold War and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
But in 1972, then-President Anwar Sadat threw out thousands of Soviet military advisers and took his nation closer to the United States soon after the 1973 Mideast war.
Egypt's relations with the Soviet Union took a marked turn for the worse after Moscow's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 where Egypt was among the countries sending Arab fighters to join war against Soviets. Relations have steadily improved in recent years, with nearly 2 million Russians vacationing in Egypt every year.
View original Israel Hayom publication at: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=13345
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Egypt Russia, Egypt US, Russia


text:
Q: Disable generating PDB files in MsBuild I'm looking to squeeze some more speed out of my build and was wondering if I could instruct msbuild to not generate PDB files.  I'm passing the Configuration=Release and DebugSymbols=false property with no luck.

A: You may have PDB generation in your release configuration. Add this to your release settings:
<DebugSymbols>false</DebugSymbols>
<DebugType>None</DebugType>

You can also, do this in your project configuration inside visual studio. Disable PDB Generation
Also, if running MSBuild from the command line, the command line arguments would be
MSBuild.exe YourProject.csproj /p:DebugSymbols=false /p:DebugType=None


Cheers that was a better explaination than the searched items on the internet.
Just starting to try and get an idea as to where I got to before my attention got diverted!
According to the spreadsheet I'm logging all prints in, I have so far printed 390 parts!! Where are they all??
That is starting to look really good.
I take it that the bottom line that runs on the ground level underneath will be done ?
Just spotted Graham asked a question.....Yes, the branch line will be on the layout.
The blob of blu-tack is to stop the track escaping during development...its not a pile of sand dumped by some idiot wanting to derail a train!
The next bit is to work on the moving plate....the bit with red markings on. I'm torn between soldering a wire directly to the bottom of the two lengths of rail that sit on the plate....or to use single rail track connectors. I think I'll form the rail sections first...then see how well they sit in the plate.
I'm moving on with the design for this point...….
The tails of the blades should be longer...but there's a limitation to how thin a wall a 3d printer can print!
Your idea of a point is brill.
Please weather you can do a template as people may wish to do the same on there layouts.
Doug, superb job on the points. I made up a dummy #10 and not so ambitious to try making it work, yet. Now one of these days, we will have mixed media 3D printing (metal and plastic) and we'll just print the metal rails into the model, eh?
I think I'm on the last print for the track bed in its final colour....and there may be one or two iterations left for the moving blade, as I still have to work on getting power to the two blades.
I'm using a RC servo to drive the blade movement and have a part-built electronic power switch-over unit that is driven off the servo control signal. Both blades and the vee track section (at rhs of picture) plus just under a centimetre of one rail on each of the connecting tracks form the "live frog" section.
Fantastic work! Any chance of a video of it in action??