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Adam Pontius
Xi, Putin, and the irony of Biden's war on autocracies
Adam Pontius is a writer on international politics based in New York. His writing and research focuses on international security and transatlantic politics.
Previously, Adam worked as a graduate research assistant for the Eurasia Group Foundation (EGF) in support of the Independent America project. Prior to EGF, Adam worked as a political consultant and an advocate for democratic reform for seven years. He holds an M.A. degree in International Relations from Central European University where he wrote his thesis on ontological security and Woodow Wilson's foreign policy. Adam is an alumnus of the Bard Globalization and International Affairs program and holds B.A. in political science from Elmira College.
More from Adam Pontius
Great Power Competition
Cooperation between Russia and China is conceptually — and historically — shallow. So why are we working to make it deeper?
by Adam Pontius
U.S.-German Relations
Great power competition? Don't expect Berlin to be on board
Germany may seem a natural partner in Biden's "global competition between democracy and authoritarianism." But the German public isn't interested.
Why Biden should not support Georgia's ascension to NATO
Pushing for Georgia's NATO membership will antagonize Europe at a time when Biden is trying to mend fences.


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The Latest: Pompeo talks to UAE leader about countering Iran
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Latest on tensions between the U.S. and Iran and in the Persian Gulf (all times local):
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has met with Abu Dhabi's influential crown prince to sell the Trump administration's idea for maritime security in the Persian Gulf, amid heightened tensions with Iran.
Pompeo was heard telling Prince Mohammed bin Zayed on Monday that the plan would involve the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and another 20 countries.
Pompeo, in the presence of reporters traveling with him, told the prince the plan would rely on regional allies "to participate" with their "military folks."
He added that Trump "is keen on sharing that the United States doesn't bear the cost."
Few concrete details have emerged about the plan.
Pompeo, who had earlier been in Saudi Arabia, is visiting with Gulf Arab allies to discuss building a global coalition to counter Iran.
Israel's prime minister says a high-profile trilateral security summit with Russia and the U.S. will focus on Iran and Syria.
Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement Monday ahead of the meeting in Israel, saying security officials will focus on "Iran, Syria and other subjects that make it difficult to achieve security and stability in our region."
He added that the summit was especially needed "at the current time," in reference to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, an Iran hawk, is in Israel for Tuesday's summit, where Netanyahu's government has long pressed for harsher sanctions against Iran and carried out strikes on Iranian targets in Syria.
The United Nations is warning that "any escalation" in the crisis between the U.S. and Iran would be a catastrophe.
U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday that the U.N. secretary-general is urging all sides "to show nerves of steel" and take steps to avoid any further provocations.
Iran has threatened to shoot down more U.S. spy drones, after downing one last Thursday. The incident escalated already high tensions with Washington, which said the drone had been flying above international waters.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in the United Arab Emirates after meetings in Saudi Arabia aimed at building a global coalition to counter Iran.
Pompeo wrote on Twitter Monday that he had met with Saudi King Salman in the city of Jiddah to discuss the heightened tensions and protecting maritime security in the Persian Gulf.
He is expected to meet Abu Dhabi's powerful Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed, before heading to India Tuesday.
The UAE, a close U.S. ally, is a member of the Saudi-led coalition at war against Iranian-allied rebels in Yemen.
Still, the tiny Gulf kingdom is wary of direct conflict with Iran, and has expressed strong support for diplomacy in the crisis between the U.S. and Iran.
Iran's semi-official Fars news agency is reporting that a local fisherman has found parts of the U.S. spy drone that Iran shot down in the Gulf of Oman last week.
The report says the parts will be delivered to Iranian security forces in Qeshm Island, which is located in the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint through which all oil trade passes in the Persian Gulf.
Officials have yet to confirm the report.
Iranian authorities had already shown parts of the downed drone, valued at more than $100 million, to journalists on Friday.
Iran says it shot down the spy drone for violating Iranian airspace, which the U.S. insists was flying above international waters.
President Donald Trump called off strikes in retaliation as tensions flare between Washington and Tehran.
Russia's national security adviser says Moscow remains committed to Israel's security ahead of a summit focusing on the crisis in neighboring Syria.
Nikolai Patrushev said Monday that Russia is "paying special attention to preserve the security of Israel" at a press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
The trilateral meeting with top American and Israeli security officials will convene Tuesday in the shadow of escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
Netanyahu praised security cooperation between Russia and Israel, saying it has "significantly changed the situation in the area."
The countries have a military hotline to coordinate air force operations over Syria, where Russia supports President Bashar Assad's forces and Israel frequently strikes targets linked to Iran.
The U.S. special envoy for Iran says the United States wants international partners to join forces to increase maritime security in the Persian Gulf.
The remarks Monday by envoy Brian Hook come as the U.S. tries to build a global coalition against Iran amid escalating tensions in the region.
Hook told reporters that one option could be to "enhance" an existing multinational maritime force in the region involving about 30 countries that currently fights drug and arms smuggling.
Alternatively, he said allied nations with commercial interests in the oil-rich region could launch an all-new maritime security initiative.
He wouldn't elaborate, saying only: "There is a lot of interest in finding a new initiative to enhance maritime security which we think is something we could internationalize."
He said the U.S. will discuss options at the Group of 20 summit in Japan this week, though it's unclear which and whether other countries are likely to back the initiative.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has met with Saudi King Salman and separately with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the escalated crisis in the Persian Gulf.
Pompeo arrived in the Saudi city of Jiddah earlier on Monday in a hastily arranged visit amid mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran as Iran's navy chief warned Iranian forces wouldn't hesitate to shoot down more U.S. surveillance drones from their skies.
Pompeo was greeted upon his arrival in Jiddah by new U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid and Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf.
Before departing, Pompeo said he'd be talking to officials in the Persian Gulf as well as Asia and Europe as he sets out to build an international coalition against Iran.
While Pompeo said the U.S. is prepared to negotiate with Iran, he also said new U.S. sanctions against Iran are to be announced Monday.
The U.S. Navy says another American warship has arrived to the Mideast amid heightened tensions with Iran.
Monday's Navy statement says the USS Boxer amphibious assault ship, along with the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry arrived in the 5th Fleet's area of responsibility.
The Navy didn't elaborate on where the ships were.
The Bahrain-based 5th Fleet oversees the Navy's presence in the Persian Gulf and surrounding Mideast waters.
The USS Boxer carries the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, as well as a combat helicopter squadron. It came from the Indian Ocean after leaving San Diego on May 1. The Boxer's group replaces that of the USS Kearsarge.
Already, the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying vessels are in the region. It was rushed to the region in May by the White House over what it described at the time as threats from Iran.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Saudi Arabia in a hastily arranged visit amid mounting tensions in the region.
Iran's naval commander Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi, meanwhile, warned that Iranian forces wouldn't hesitate to act again and shoot down more U.S. surveillance drones.
He told a meeting of defense officials that the "crushing response can always be repeated, and the enemy knows it."
The downing of the drone, valued at more than $100 million, saw the United States pull back from the brink of a military strike on Iran after President Donald Trump last week called off strikes in retaliation.
A fresh round of U.S. sanctions on Iran is to be announced on Monday in a bid to force the Iranian leadership into talks.
Town that helped make US flag planted on moon celebrates 50 years since lunar landing
Police: NC woman sold cocaine from hotel room where toddler lived

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


two men sitting outdoors on a bench with a book. Professional shot on BMCC with high dynamic range. You can use it e.g in your commercial video, business or office video, reporting, presentation, music video, clips.


City of Wolverhampton Orpheus Male Voice Choir are looking to recruit a new volunteer treasurer to take care of the day to day running of their finances.
The choir is only a small organisation costing about £4,500 per year to run so finances shouldn't be too time consuming.
You can find out more about the choir on their website: www.womvc.org.
If you are interested in this role, please contact the choir or email MHansell@wolverhamptonvsc.org.uk.


/*Vang Thao*/, 21, was killed after police were called to a house party near Buckingham Court and Nottingham Avenue. Investigators say Thao was caught in the crossfire, when officers shot at /*Kong Xiong*/, 18, who pointed a gun at them.
One of the officers involved was wearing a device, which recorded audio and video of the entire incident. And while Merced's police chief says it shows officers had the right to shoot, witnesses I spoke to disagree.
A row of candles outside Merced home marks the spot where police shot and killed Vang Thao Saturday night.
"How many shots did you hear? About 5 or 6."
Nancy Camacho lives at the house and says a small group was having a get together that night. But, police say there was a much larger party going on.
According to a just released transcript, a woman called 9-1-1 to report a man was pointing a gun at people outside.
Investigators say when officers arrived, they parked around the corner and approached the house by foot.
That's when they saw Kong Xiong turn toward officers, holding a loaded gun in his hands.
Norman Andrade, the Merced Police Chief said, "The recording shows that from the time the officer's illuminated Xiong with their flashlights until the last shot was fired was less than five seconds."
Some of those shots went through a fence, striking Thao, and a juvenile who were both standing on the other side.
Wednesday, Merced Police Chief Norman Andrade defended his officers saying they felt threatened. "These are split second decisions, life and death decisions."
Nancy Camacho said, "I think it's a cover-up, plain and simple, you know, I think it's a cover up."
A man, who did not want to be identified, was a friend of Thao's. He too, witnessed the shooting and claims he overhead officers talking just moments after the shooting. "And I overheard them, one of them say uh, I can't believe I just shot someone right now."
Wednesday, officers removed the bullet riddled fence as evidence. The department will now conduct their own internal affairs investigation, before turning it over to the District Attorney.
Larry Morse, the Merced County District Attorney said, "We are reviewing some information at this point, but we are still a long way from issuing a finding."
The District Attorney will ultimately determine whether officers are at fault for Thao's death. And while the Police Chief says Xiong is to blame, Thao's family says they are determined to prove otherwise.


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Paul McCartney - New (Ltd. Ed. 180G Pink Vinyl)
Limited Edition 180 Gram Audiophile Pressing
New is the 16th solo studio album by Paul McCartney. Upon it's release in 2013, New, was lauded by Rolling Stone as "energized and full of joyous rock & roll invention." Executive produced by Giles Martin and also featuring production by Mark Ronson, Ethan Johns and Paul Epworth, it entered the U.S. chart at #3. The album scored positive reviews from Entertainment Weekly to Pitchfork and all points in between, while the title track, "Queenie Eye" and "Save Us" would become staples of the McCartney live show over the course of the Out There and One On One world tours.
- Side A -
On My Way to Work
Queenie Eye
- Side B -
Everybody Out There
I Can Bet
Looking at Her


The AISC Seismic Provisions (AISC 341-10) require lateral bracing for beams used in seismic frames. This presentation will summarize the bracing requirements given in AISC 341 for brace locations adjacent to and away from plastic hinge locations. Design examples for two different types of connections--""lateral"" bracing and ""torsional"" bracing--will be presented. Differences in the connection design approaches for equal depth beams and unequal depth beams will also be discussed.


SNC-Lavalin SA will be showcasing their products and services at the annual Secunda Petrochemical Roadshow on the 28th March 2019. Visit their stand!
In Sub-Saharan Africa, SNC-Lavalin has a proven track record of delivering engineering, construction and turnaround services in oil and gas, mining and metallurgy, infrastructure and power.
We have long-standing relationships with leading national and international companies across the region including Sasol, Chevron, Eskom, Transnet, PetroSA, Engen, Sapref and Scatec Solar. In South Africa, we have supported Sasol's flagship refinery in Secunda since the early 1990s and we have grown to become the largest shutdown contractor on the continent with over 25 million man-hours of work completed in the last decade for Sasol reinforcing our growth on the continent. We are executing a five-year shutdown management and execution services agreement on the Natref Refinery.
We provide clients with access to a world-wide network of experienced resources, with the flexibility, experience and skills to execute demanding and complex projects in some of the most remote locations in the region. We are committed to the economic development of the communities in which we work, and through our industry leading SETA accredited SNC-Lavalin Training Solutions we have been providing skilled and qualified personnel into the broader labour market since 2010 to help build local capacity and a skilled workforce.
Our fabrication facility in Chamdor, South Africa is equipped with all auxiliary components and available resources to provide quality assured fabrication of the highest standards. Our cutting edge technology and proven experience ensures the best possible solutions for our clients' unique challenges.


EFT Tapping is, "an emotional version of acupuncture," rooted in ancient Chinese's medicine's mapping of the body's electrical nature, and the energy flow of the meridians. As founder Gary Craig describes in this video, EFT, which costs nothing, can help people release lifelong emotional issues and blocks, by re-wiring the brain--tapping on points while saying certain things that help release the old pain, be it physical or emotional.
One man who tells his story in this stunning video, was wheelchair bound and diagnosed with MS. Today he is out of the wheelchair, off disability, and does jumping jacks--all thanks to EFT.


Thomaston Georgia's Finest On Site Computer System, PC and Printer Repair, Network, and Voice and Data Cabling Solutions.
The Absolute Most Comprehensive Onsite Technology Services Availability You Can Find in Thomaston and Throughout the Entire State of Georgia.
Computech Technology Services offers remarkable on site computer repair, networking, and voice and data cabling services throughout the whole city of Thomaston Georgia. Our knowledgeable, tech industry licensed on site computer repair and networking tech service technicians travel right to your Thomaston site to supply quick, affordable installation, configuration, troubleshooting and repair services on a very wide range of different computer, printer, and networking technologies. Whether you need Windows OS error troubleshooting performed on your desktop or laptop workstation, Virus Elimination, or complex hardware diagnosis and repair for MB's, RAM, CPU's, or Hard Drives, our top notch computer PC specialists have you covered. If you need networking services installation, setup and diagnosis & repair services including full voice and data structured cabling services, our professionally experienced voice and data network service technicians are prepared to service your Thomaston location immediately. Whether you need diagnosis of your ISP modem, network router diagnostics, or simply need one of our high quality Georgia technicians to pull some new cabling to support your growing network, we have it all covered, quickly and professionally. Give us a call today and learn why we are Georgia's most requested on site computer repair, network, and voice and data structured cabling service provider – (859) 780-3020.
Thomaston Georgia On site PC and Printer Setup, Configuration & Repair Services.
Our Thomaston Tech's Travel Right to Your Site for Unsurpassable On Site Computer PC & Printer Repair Support.
Computech Technology Services supplies high quality professional on-site PC repair services throughout the whole city of Thomaston, Georgia. Our industry accredited, background checked onsite computer system repair specialists are extremely experienced, are mobile throughout Thomaston, and travel right to your site to carry out high quality PC and printer installation, setup, and troubleshooting & repair service. We are not restricted by being a PC brand specific business, and our on site computer repair and printer techs carry a multitude of certifications for a very wide array of various makes and models of desktop, laptop computer, and printer types, so we have you covered despite your current equipment brand or current configuration. Our technicians are also on call to carry out installation, setup, and complete repair of Point of Sale systems, for all hardware and software makes, models and types. With over 300 certified on-site PC and printer repair service technicians readily available throughout the state of Georgia, we have you and all of your on-site tech requirements covered, on time, every time. With our mobile on site services, it's not necessary to lug your costly desktop, laptop computer, or printer in to a regional Thomaston repair shop, and unlike numerous other gimmicky "PC nerd", "computer repair expert", and "pc whisperer" services, our mobile staff specialists are industry licensed, background checked, and 100% vetted to guarantee only the best quality professional onsite services for you and your location. The choice is clear. Give us a call today and let us prove to you why a lot of Thomaston businesses and locals choose and depend on our complete on site computer system repair and printer services to keep their computers and networks working like brand new! – (859) 780-3020.
Thomaston Georgia Professional Network Installs, Repairs, Voice and Data Cabling Providers.
We Have Pro On Site Voice and Data Network Providers Throughout Thomaston Georgia.
Computech Technology Services supplies superior voice and data networking services throughout the entire city of Thomaston, Georgia. Our professionally trained, networking industry certified network and low voltage voice and data cabling professionals perform an exceptionally wide array of on site networking services daily throughout the state of Georgia. We are the onsite technology service industry leaders, and we have all your on site network setup, configuration, troubleshooting, repair, and voice and data cabling services covered. Our specialists likewise carry out on-site wireless wifi heat mapping evaluations, setup, and troubleshooting, in addition to full Point of Sale network and cabling support services. Whether you require troubleshooting or installation and configuration of existing network router, switch and hardware firewall devices, or troubleshooting and repair of your present structured cabling, our onsite network specialists have it covered 100 %. Our high quality low voltage inside wiring voice and data contracting services have you covered for a single drop to one thousand cabling drops in your new or older construction area, completely certified, with cabling certifications offered for all Cat5e, Cat6 and Coax installations. Our accredited telecom voice network service technicians are on demand to carry out complete PBX and VoIP installation, configuration and repair, in addition to complete telecommunication voice network structured cabling end to end. So, whether you need complete cabling installation for a new workplace, or merely require configuration and repair of your current network cabling or voice and data jacks, we have the best on-site option for you. Reach out and give us a call today and see why a lot of Georgia businesses rely on our exceptional on site network and voice and data cabling services! – (859) 780-3020.
The Trusted Leader in Onsite Technology Solutions Throughout Thomaston Georgia.
Georgia's Best Commercial & Residential, SMB and B2B On Site Technology Installs, Configuration & Break Fix Repair Providers.
Ever since 2008, Computech Technology Services has supplied simply the best on-site computer and printer repairs services, in addition to network and IT services throughout the beautiful city of Thomaston and the whole state of Georgia. Our expert, mobile, IT industry accredited onsite PC repair and networking technicians have resolved thousands of service calls throughout the region, and we are on call to service your technology requirements today. From computer system PC issues, hardware, and software errors to complete network cabling and installation services, we have your on-site needs covered, quickly and professionally. Whether you require professional on site services for your local business, branch office, or simply need as needed white label information technology on-site smart hands support in Thomaston, our Georgia on site Tech Services have the insanely fast and inexpensive option for you and your on site technology requirements. Reach out and give us a call today and let us fix your PC, printers, and networking problems, you'll be pleased that you did – (859) 780-3020.


While we've seen chronographs from Panerai before, the Radiomir 1940 Chronograph is an all new design for 2014 presented in three metals: red gold, platinum, and white gold, each with a different dial. These decidedly retro-feeling dials combine with stylized hands and the classic cushion case to complete the 1940s aesthetic. In addition to the great looks, inside beats a modified Minerva movement that stands out among the rest. Although all three share a number of traits, each of these three limited editions is unique and brings something special to the mix. Picking a favorite certainly isn't easy.
At 45mm, the Radiomir 1940 Chronograph won't turn heads for restrained dimensions, but it sits comfortably in the middle among Panerai's contemporary Radiomir offerings, which run from 42 to 47mm. On all three versions, a sub-seconds dial sits at 9 o'clock with a minutes totalizer at 3 o'clock. The sub-dials are well proportioned with respect to the vintage style tachymeter scale that circles the edge. As a departure from contemporary models that use sapphire crystal, the new model uses a plexiglass crystal, referencing the poly crystal used on the original Radiomir made for the Royal Italian Navy.
Inside you'll find the mechanical Panerai OP XXV calibre, a column-wheel chronograph with 55-hour power reserve based on the Minerva 13-22. As we mentioned just a few days ago, Minerva movements are highly-regarded for their technical prowess and Panerai has been associated with the brand since the 1920s. Minerva movements are particularly good looking – on the Radiomir 1940 Chronograph, you can see everything at work through the crystal case back.
Instead of simply changing the case metal, there are subtle design differences among all three models, creating a distinct identity for each limited edition piece.
The Oro Rosso (red gold) version features a chocolate-brown dial with an unusual mix of both Arabic and Roman luminous numeral hour markers, a combination called a "California Dial." A matching brown alligator strap with contrast stitching lends a more casual feel to this one.
On the Platino (platinum) version above, an ivory dial and luminous dot hour markers result in a more vintage design. A blued center seconds hand and matching minute-register hand add a subtle hint of color to an otherwise tonal dial.
Finally, the Oro Blanco might be our favorite of the bunch. There's clean contrast among the polished white gold case, deep black dial, and sand-colored dial markers. Most interestingly, the dial is a so-called "sandwich dial" with its two-layer structure. Instead of applying luminous material to a solid dial, the main dial features precision-cut holes for the hour markers. It lies on top of a second plate with luminous material on it, allowing the lume to shine through the holes.
The Radiomir 1940 Chronograph is limited to 50 pieces in platinum and 100 pieces each in white gold and red gold. Prices are $78,000 Euros for platinum, $58,500 for red gold, and $61,2000 for white gold. For more information, visit Panerai online.


Gaming laptops offers incredible performance and powerful features, but usually you have to pay a hefty price for them. Finding good gaming laptops for an affordable price can be a challenging task but it is not an impossible one. In order to help you find a solution that allows you to enjoy games and other tasks that require top performance, we have prepared a list of low-cost, yet impressive laptops. Before we take a look at the best options available that won't break the bank, we will go through some of the most important aspects to consider when it comes to choosing a laptop that supports your gaming needs.
While 17-inch laptops are great for watching videos and for taking full advantage of games that offer stunning graphics, they are not a practical option when you are on the go. Large laptops can be a hassle when you need to carry them with you on a regular basis. If you are planning on bringing your laptop around, portability is crucial so it is advisable that you look for a smaller size. One thing to note is that due to the high amount of power that gaming laptops use, it is difficult to find options with battery life that takes you throughout the day. The battery life drains fast when you are running games, so you would only get a couple of hours of power.
One area in which you shouldn't try to save money, if you want top performance is the graphics card. In order to enjoy a great gaming experience, it is advisable to look for a laptop that features the NVidia GeForce GTX 960M or GTX 965M. Alternatively, you can look for an AMD card, which also works really well. Even if you need to stick to a budget, a high quality graphics card is worth investing on.
Apart from a good graphics card, it is important to get a laptop with a CPU that can handle demanding tasks. With a strong CPU, you will be able to get the most out of the graphics card and enjoy a seamless gaming experience. You can't go wrong with an Intel Core i7 processor and it is also important to get at least 8GB of RAM. The good news is that it is possible to find low priced laptops that offers up to 16GB. An alternative to Intel is to look for a good quality AMD processor, although Intel has the lead in terms of power.
While it is possible to find moderately priced options, the truth is that gaming laptops don't come cheap. If you want good quality, you will need to pay for it and this is specially true if you wish to get the most efficient and powerful device. Alienware is a high-end brand of gaming laptops and it is difficult to believe that you can get one of its laptops for less than $1500. However, the 15.6″ Alienware AW15R2-1546SLV is available for around $1360 and it offers the stunning design and advanced technology that gamers need. It is more expensive than other options but it is worth considering if you want a leading brand for gaming.
Although the Alienware 13 ANW13-2273SLV has been discontinued, it is still possible to find some devices online for a convenient price. You can own an Alienware for less than $1150 and just because the model is no longer being manufactured, it doesn't mean that it is not a good option. This 13-inch laptop is ideal for gamers who want portability and convenience. It comes with Intel Core i5-5200U 2.2 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M. If you need a laptop that can travel with you, anywhere you go, this is the right option for you.
This is another advanced gaming laptop that you can get for less than $1500. MSI is recognized as one of the best options when it comes to gaming laptops. The GE72 Apache Pro-033 comes with Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor and GeForce GTX 960M GPU, as well as 14GB of RAM. Although this 17-inch laptop is heavier and bulkier than other options, it would be a good choice if you don't intend to bring it with you when you travel. The GE72 Apache Pro-033 stands out for its comfortable and stylish keyboard and it is another option that is worth considering.
Alienware may be the leading name in the world of gaming laptops, but the brand can be too expensive when you are on a budget. Asus has managed to create great gaming laptops that offer high quality, great performance and advanced specs for a more convenient price. The ROG GL752VW features an impressive 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 1TB HDD and 16GB of RAM for less than $1100. This 17.3-inch laptop may be too large for travelling, but it is a powerful, affordable and reliable laptop that deserves a place in the list or the best options for gaming.
Since gaming is very popular, all leading manufacturers offer models that are specifically designed to provide great performance for players. ROG is Asus's gaming series and it stands for Republic of Gamers. It is a more affordable option than high-end Alienware laptops and it offers similar features. The 15.6 ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH71 is a great option that allows you to enjoy the features that you can expect from more expensive options. It features a powerful processor, solid graphic card, a generous HDD and a lot of RAM for just over $1000.
If you are looking for a top performing laptop that doesn't require you to spend a high amount of money, Asus has another option that can adjust to tight budgets. Usually when it comes to gaming laptops you need to be prepared to spend at least $1500 USD, but the ROG GL552VW-DH74 is a powerful solution that can be yours for under $1000. It gives you impressive features and specs for a lower price. The ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH74 features the 6th Generation Intel Core i8-6700HQ and it also uses the GameFirst III technology to provide an optimal gaming experience.
This Lenovo laptop is one of the most powerful solutions for gamers and it is also available for a price lower than what you would expect. You can find it online for a price that starts around $1200. Since gaming requires high performance, this laptop is a great choice thanks to specs like its Intel Core i7-4720HQ 2.6 GHz Processor, along with its 2GB dedicated NVIDA GeForce GTX 960M Graphics. It also features 1 TB hard drive with 8GB SSD drive. The full HD resolution and the good battery life (up to 5 hours) are also reasons to opt for this Lenovo machine.


Today, my husband and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. Would you believe that we have never officially celebrated our anniversary? True story. Why, you ask? Well, within those five fleeting years we've welcomed two more children; in fact, we had our middle son a week before our first anniversary. Our anniversary also falls right in the middle of hockey try outs, and seeing as hockey trumps pretty much every other life event, getting our oldest to his games and scrimmages has always been a priority.
I do however feel like 5 years is something to celebrate. It may not match up to the decades others may have under their belts but it's a solid start. Seeing as I knew the odds of us getting out for a quiet dinner or even being able to sit for a hot meal at home on our anniversary was pretty much slim to none, I wanted to treat ourselves to a special gift that wouldl allow us to take a brisk walk down memory lane when those rare quiet moments happen at home.
Michelle Ma Belle Photography offers a variety of professional quality prints and products to suit your family's style, decor, and personality. You are welcome to visit our office and check them out for yourself! Contact us today to book your complementary consultation.


Handling customers as well as employees in a small business can be quite overwhelming sometimes. These challenges are even more pronounced in today's technologically advanced world. Almost everyone and everything relies on computers for communication, accounting and more. A lone computer problem can instantly affect your whole business, putting relationships very much in jeopardy. You can help protect your business by understanding the services that a computing company can offer. By understanding these services, you will be able to have a solution to help avoid a computer malfunction in the future.


The aim of this challenge is to encourage runners to run beyond the minimum 9.6km requirement for The Virtual Bungwak Run 2019 (BWR x Heritage).
This is a competitive challenge whereby the participants with the highest cumulative running distance will be awarded.
A total of four prizes up for grabs – 3 Weekly Challenges and 1 Overall Grand Prize.
Only valid runs tracked using SofeaRun application and submitted under BWR x Heritage race are included in this challenge. Manual submissions are not qualified.


We have used an ecologically sensitive building and site design that preserves the land's natural beauty. We have an intergenerational, friendly atmosphere that is safe for children and conducive to visiting with neighbors. There is a large community building, called a common house, for optional shared meals (four nights a week), and other activities. We are located ten minutes from downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan.


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Prosecutors and investigators will be on call to investigate allegations of voter intimidation, disenfranchisement, or fraud
Mineola, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas today announced that her office will have prosecutors and investigators available to address voting-relating issues on Nov. 8 for the general election and reminded registered voters of their rights to cast a ballot.
"Nassau voters should have confidence that they can exercise their right to vote without fear of intimidation, and prosecutors and investigators from my office will be available on Election Day to ensure that any unlawful effort to impair that right is investigated and prosecuted," Singas said.
On Election Day, the District Attorney's Public Corruption Bureau will be on call at (516) 571-2100 and via email at electionprotection@nassauda.org. DA staff will collaborate with the Nassau County Board of Elections, Nassau County Police Department, and the New York State Attorney General's Office to ensure complaints of voter intimidation, disenfranchisement, or voter fraud are promptly investigated.
Singas offered the following reminders to voters:
Voters can check their registration, polling place, and election district online at https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us.
While New York voters are not required to present identification in most circumstances, if you registered by mail to vote in New York for the first time and did not verify your identity, you may be asked to provide some form of ID, which can include a New York driver's license, state ID card, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows your name and address when you registered.
If you are registered to vote but your name does not appear in the voter roll in the election district in which you are registered, you are entitled to complete an affidavit or provisional ballot. This ballot will only be counted, however, if you are properly registered in the election district where you cast your affidavit ballot.
Registered voters with disabilities can vote with the assistance of a person of their choosing (except employers or labor union representatives), or with the help of two election inspectors, each from a different party.
Under New York law, voters are entitled to up to two hours of paid time off in order to vote if their work schedule otherwise prevents them from voting in person while the polls are open. To exercise this right, you must tell your employer that you need time off to vote not more than 10 but not less than two days before the election. [See more here]
New York law allows domestic violence victims who obtain a court order from NY Supreme Court in the county where they are registered to have their voter registration record kept separate and apart from other registration records and not be made available for inspection or copying by the public. Victims can also be excused from going to obtain a special ballot and avoid going to their polling place to vote.
For any questions regarding voter registration, procedures, polling locations, and election regulations, please contact the Nassau County Board of Elections at (516) 571-2411.
The District Attorney's office has received and investigated allegations of voter intimidation in recent elections, but has received no allegations of voter fraud.
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Super Med Partnering with Hospitals run Retail pharmacy chain stores across Tamilnadu.
Designs store so as to have aesthetic appearance.
Recruit & train sale people to have a customer friendly work force.
This partnership gives doctors free mind to care for patients and we do concentrate on quality and profit.


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Six of the best... festive film scores
What's your favourite Christmas film? Festive films have some great music... here are six of the best!
17 December 2019 - 9:47am
Submitted by: Michael_Beek
This low-ish budget family comedy might not have impressed the critics when it debuted, but audiences loved it … and still do.
Macaulay Culkin lit up the screen as Kevin McCallister, the little boy mistakenly left alone over the holidays only to find himself protecting the family home from a pair of bungling burglars.
Director Chris Columbus couldn't believe his luck when John Williams agreed to score his little film.
The resulting music, replete with children's choir, twinkling bells and a small nod to The Nutcracker, heightens the drama, sweetens the schmaltz and accents the comedy.
Williams penned two original songs as part of his score, 'Somewhere in My Memory' and 'Star of Bethlehem'.
Santa Claus – The Movie
Henry Mancini (1985)
This film from the producers of Superman – The Movie looked to give Santa Claus similar origin story treatment.
If you grew up in the 1980s, it's likely this sticks in the memory thanks to its colourful production design, animatronic Reindeer and Dudley Moore as an elf called Patch.
It was, perhaps, John Lithgow who stole the show and hammed it up as the villainous toymaker 'BZ'.
The music for this sparkling epic came courtesy of Henry Mancini, the legendary Hollywood tunesmith and songwriter.
This project allowed him to deliver both a magical and memorable dramatic score, plus original songs – including the opening title's 'Every Christmas Eve', sung by Aled Jones.
The centrepiece of his music is the 'Christmas Rhapsody', a delightful montage of familiar festive tunes which accompanied the film's montage of centuries passing.
Article: A Brief History of Christmas Music
Dmitri Tiomkin (1946)
This all-out classic has become staple viewing for many generations at this time of year.
Frank Capra's film sees a small-town family man hit rock bottom and make a dangerous wish.
With an angel called Clarence by his side, he sees what the lives of his family and friends would actually be like without him. Grab the tissues…
Additional warmth and joy comes from legendary composer Dmitri Tiomkin, whose light touch orchestral score subtly adds a huge amount.
Tiomkin references the traditional song 'Buffalo Gals' (sung often in the film by Donna Reed and James Stewart) in the score, which is replete with bells, brass and twinkling reverence.
Bruce Broughton (1994)
This remake of the 1947 George Seaton film sees the late Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle, a charming old man who may or may not be Santa Claus.
The screenplay was adapted by Home Alone writer John Hughes, who added colour and comedy to the tale, which ends with a court case that pits the old gent against the City of New York and begs the question… Do You Believe?
Composer Bruce Broughton was in line to score Home Alone but was unable to in the end. He would score All I Want For Christmas in 1991, so had already cut his festive teeth.
For Miracle he delivered a large orchestral score with a grand and joyful main theme (all chiming bells, brass and a quotation of 'Joy To The World').
The wider score finds sweetness and light as Kris enraptures the city's children as a department store Santa, plus comedy and a big dollop of romance.
He also composed all the music heard in the 'Coles' department store, with hints of Vivaldi and a large nod to Tchaikovsky.
Article: Six of the best... Sci-Fi Film Soundtracks
Jerry Goldsmith (1984)
This is a Christmas film, honest… Written by Home Alone director Chris Columbus, directed by Joe Dante and produced by Steven Spielberg, Gremlins had a lot going for it even before it hit the big screen.
The dark comedy sees an idyllic small town, Kingston Falls (modelled on It's a Wonderful Life's 'Bedford Falls'), find itself under attack by creatures hell-bent on wreaking havoc over Christmas.
The lights, trees and snow are a jolly backdrop to the unfolding horror.
Spielberg was a big fan of the late Jerry Goldsmith and the composer had scored the producer's Twilight Zone – The Movie the prior year (which Dante contributed to).
For Gremlins Goldsmith brought his trademark zeal, wit and ear for melody. The orchestra is joined by live electronics and small band percussion in one of the most memorable scores of the era.
Though rarely festive, the composer does employ a slow and rather sinister version 'Silent Night' as Kate (Phoebe Cates) regales her boyfriend with the tale of the Christmas her Dad disappeared… You know the rest. If you don't, watch the movie and find out!
Howard Blake (1982)
Christmas just isn't Christmas without The Snowman, the heart-warming animation which was part of Channel Four's very first festive schedule in 1982.
Based on Raymond Briggs's picture book of the same name, the hand-drawn film is a feast of visual and musical storytelling.
Aside from the original introduction, by David Bowie no less, the film has no dialogue.
It of course tells the story of a little boy who builds a snowman, which comes to life overnight and takes him on an adventure.
Composer Howard Blake created a legend when he wrote the music for The Snowman.
At the heart of the music is 'Walking in the Air', the song which accompanies the little boy's flight to the North Pole with the Snowman.
Suffice to say it has become a classic. Originally sung by Peter Auty, it entered the charts a few years later when Aled Jones covered it.
There's so much more to Blake's music than the song, though, with memorable set pieces weaving, dancing, delighting and moving us to tears.
His music tells the story just as much as the images. Who can forget wild ride around the garden on the motorbike, the dance of the snowmen, the music box… all magical.
Article Type: | Article |
A guide to Messiaen's Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jésus
Christmas classical music and drink pairings
Who is conducting the 2019 Last Night of the Proms?


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Foreword Editors Letter Life Style Publications
Up Close and Personal with NBC 10's Sheena Parveen
Hobart Rowland June 20, 2013
Several weeks ago, when I mentioned Sheena Parveen to a few friends, the "oohs" and "ahhs" were immediate. Little did they know that we'd been flirting with the idea of putting the NBC 10 meteorologist on the cover of our annual Best of the Main Line and Western Suburbs issue.
Obviously, my informal bit of market research was flawed, as my polling sample was all male. To whatever degree, though, it does illustrate a point—that perhaps there is room for more than one weather darling in a region insurmountably smitten with a certain marathon-running blond bombshell from 6abc. (Hint: Her initials are "C.T.")
Apparently, many of our readers feel the same way. In our online poll, Parveen was the clear winner for Best TV Weatherperson—and so, she graces the cover of our most anticipated issue of the year. A great sport throughout our 90-minute cover shoot at NBC 10's Bala Cynwyd studios, Parveen happily accommodated the creative whims of MLT creative director Ingrid Lynch and photographer Carlos Alejandro. "She was just so down-to-earth, funny and personable," says Lynch. "She made our job a breeze."
Utterly charming and nearly unflappable, the Florida transplant has embraced the Philadelphia region's more hectic pace, and she's settled quite comfortably into the station's prime-time weather slot. For more on Parveen, click here. It's part of an expanded Best of the Main Line and Western Suburbs package that also spotlights the area's vibrant downtowns.
And don't miss this year's party at Drexelbrook Corporate Events Center on July 18. For tickets, click here.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Living Well editor Melissa Jacobs got a serious education in the fertility game during her months of research and interviews for "What to Expect When You're Not Expecting." "I understood the science of fertility medicine, but I didn't know much about the emotional, physical and financial toll it can take," she says. "I watched a relative and a close friend go through treatments, but I learned little about their journey, because they quickly stopped talking about it. There was shame, stress and then silence."
Understandably, finding local couples to share the details of their reproductive hardships wasn't easy. "Who wants to reveal their health issues, sex life and financial struggles?" poses Jacobs. "So, while the doctors are amazing, the real heroes are the three couples who told their stories bravely and honestly."
Enjoy your summer.
» More Editors' Letters
» Write a Letter to the Editor
» Readers' Letters
Best of the Main Line & Western Suburbs 2013: Readers' Picks
Savor a French-Inspired Summer at Manayunk's Bisou


Hey there Mummers. How's that toast of mine looking?
* OH MY ZEBRAS is a little phrase that was swiftly introduced a few weeks ago when our little potty mouth rolled in from Nursery and spent an entire evening shouting either OHMYGOD or OHUMGEE which we eventually worked out to be infant speak for OMG. Full credit for the genius substitution of Zebras goes to my colleague Davinia, although Blake has worked with the theme and we also regularly hear OH MY TIGERS and OH MY CUCUMBERS.


UPDATE: THE Newman government has cleared the way for Queensland to recommence uranium mining - just days after dismising the idea.
Premier Campbell Newman announced on Monday at noon that a three-person committee would begin planning how best to restart uranium mining after a 30-year moratorium.
Queensland's largest uranium deposits sit between Mt Isa and Cloncurry in the west, and in the north near Townsville and Cairns.
"It's been 30 years since there was uranium mining in this State and, in that time, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia have carved out successful uranium industries that deliver jobs and prosperity to their regions," Mr Newman said.
Following Prime Minister Julia Gillard's talks in India about Australia potentially supplying the subcontinent with uranium, the Australian Uranium Association called on Queensland to drop its opposition.
On the same day, Mines Minister Andrew Cripps's office told media outlets, including APN, that the government "has no current plans to develop uranium resources in Queensland".
Four days and a cabinet meeting later, that position had changed and Minister Cripps was backing Premier Newman on the revised view on uranium.
It is understood to be the first time the LNP cabinet had discussed a policy on uranium mining.
Mr Cripps now believes the State's uranium deposits are worth up to $10 billion ans can support an industry that has "enormous potential to support economic growth, particularly in regional North Queensland".
He maintained that storing nuclear waste or developing uranium into nuclear power was not something the government would consider.
Federal ALP Resources Minister Martin Ferguson said he looked forward to helping Queensland re-launch its uranium industry.
"Nuclear energy is an important part of the energy mix in countries not as fortunate as Australia in having other clean energy options to address energy security and global warming concerns," Mr Ferguson said.
But state Greens' Senator Larissa Waters saw no environmental benefit to the reform, describing uranium mining as "a toxic, dangerous and completely unnecessary step for the Sunshine state".
Queensland Resources Council, with its membership including a number of companies prepared to start mining uranium, was less downcast.
Chief Michael Roche told of an $18 billion industry delivering $900million to state coffers.
"This decisive action by the Newman government will also create much needed confidence in the broader resources sector in Queensland," he said.
The state's committee on uranium mining will come back to the government within three months.
EARLIER: THE State Government will put together a three-member committee to oversee the start of uranium mining in Queensland.
Premier Campbell Newman said the announcement followed sustained public debate on uranium mining in Queensland, and strong support for the uranium industry from the Federal Labor Government.
"The Prime Minister Julia Gillard has just been in India selling the benefits of Australian-produced uranium to India, prompting many in the community to ask about the industry's potential in Queensland," Mr Newman said.
"It's been 30 years since there was uranium mining in this State, and in that time Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia have carved out successful uranium industries that deliver jobs and prosperity to their regions."
Minister for Mines Andrew Cripps backed the LNP Government's leader, estimating that the state's uranium deposits to be worth about $10 billion.
Minister Cripps said there was no move from the government towards the state using nuclear power or disposing of nuclear waste within the state.
Uranium mining has not occurred in Queensland since 1982 and has been effectively prohibited since the election of the Goss Labor Government in 1989.
Exploration for uranium has not been subject to the prohibition and there has been significant continuing interest from the industry in exploring for uranium in the State.
Should uranium mining be allowed again in Queensland?
This poll ended on 31 October 2012.


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Road To The IGF: Jones and Pulver's Snapshot
Gamasutra is talking to this year's Independent Games Festival finalists, this time interviewing Kyle Pulver and Peter Jones about Snapshot, a 2D PC platformer with a photography twist and a Yoshi's Island-esque visual style, nominated for t
Eric Caoili
[Leading up to the 2009 Independent Games Festival in March, Gamasutra is talking with the finalists for the preeminent indie game competition, this time interviewing Kyle Pulver and Peter Jones about Snapshot, a 2D PC platformer with a photography twist and a Yoshi's Island-esque visual style.] In Snapshot, players guide Pic through a colorful, pastel-hued world in which they can capture objects or creatures with a photograph, then place them elsewhere to reach previously inaccessible areas, complete puzzles, or move around creatures. We spoke with the game's core team, designer/programmer Kyle Pulver and designer/artist Peter Jones, about Snapshot -- which was nominated for an Excellence in Design award at this year's Independent Games Festival (part of Think Services, as is this website). Subjects discussed include how the team motivated themselves to complete the project, the designers' thoughts on I Wish I Were The Moon's photo element, and planned features for future Snapshot builds, which include a Portal-esque mechanic that allows players to record and redirect the velocity and direction of moving objects. What kind of background do you have making games? Kyle Pulver: Being fresh out of college, I don't have any actual games industry experience just yet. I've been making games in one way or another since I grabbed a copy of Klik and Play when I was 10 or 11 years old. And of course, [I've been] playing games all my life. I didn't really get into this whole indie games scene until last year when I released Bonesaw: The Game after almost a year and a half of working on it. Since then, I've been just making some small games for the competitions at TIGSource with Everyone Loves Active 2 and Verge. Peter Jones: I, too, have never really had any actual industry experience, but like Kyle, have grown up on video games. During college, I was involved with some personal projects like Splotch! and Puzmagraph with other students. Since Snapshot was submitted, a friend and I released Memix, a puzzle/memory game for the iPhone and iPod Touch. How did you develop the idea to add this photography element to a platformer? PJ: I actually had a really weird dream in October of 2007. I was being chased by this crazy animal, and for whatever reason, with a disposable camera in hand, I snapped a photo of it just as it lunged at me. After I lowered the camera, it was gone. I like telling people it was this huge bear, but I think if I remember right, it was a squirrel or something like that. After that, I woke up, frantically wrote it all down, and spent most of that morning's Biology class explaining to Kyle how it would make an awesome game (without much resistance). KP: It really seemed like the perfect idea to pursue. As for being a platformer specifically, I just happen to love platformers to death, and I think Pete and myself both knew that making the game a 2D platformer would be the best bet. I had just finished a rather lengthy platformer game, so that's the genre I have the most experience in. PJ: That was a crazy dream.
The game has been in the works since November 2007, right? What has the development process been like? PJ: Kyle and I had used Snapshot as our thesis project at Clarkson University, so we were lucky to have imposed deadlines to keep us on track. Our assignment was to create more of a proof of concept. The idea of moving objects around seemed pretty complicated to us, and we weren't sure how it would translate on the fun scale. Since the thesis presentation (and graduation!), Kyle and I have been involved in separate projects with plans to pick up development after this year's GDC. KP: The deadlines definitely helped when we were working on it last year. Either we finished the project, or we didn't graduate. That can really motivate you to work on something. We got a lot done while at school, but since then, it's been tough to pick it back up with both of us going separate ways. The IGF nomination has definitely put us back into the zone though. Can you tell us about the game's hero, Pic, and his motivations in Snapshot? PJ: We're still working on the details of Snapshot's story, but I can give you the general idea from a gameplay's perspective. Snapshot obviously revolves around a mysterious camera. Parts of Pic's camera are stolen and scattered around his world. During his adventure to collect the missing parts, a separate more sinister plot will arise and Pic will find himself in the middle of a conflict bigger than himself. KP: Whoa that sounds pretty epic. I can't wait. What are some examples of some of the more clever ways players can move around objects? PJ: One of my favorites is that Pic will eventually gain the ability to rotate pictures and also take "action shots." Any objects that are captured will retain their velocity and direction so that you might have a projectile that you can capture, flip 180 degrees, and fire back at its shooter. KP: In the future we want to move toward more of a freeform physics-based gameplay environment. Rotating photos and carrying an object's momentum is a great example of something we want to achieve in upcoming builds of the game, and something that will add a lot of life to it. Imagine that there's a box that falls down from high above, and if the player is quick enough, they can snag it in a photo as it's falling. Now, when they go to place that photo, they can rotate it in any direction they want before it gets pasted. The box will launch out of the pasted photo depending on how its rotated. If the player finds a bomb that has a button on one side of it, they can snap a photo of it, rotate it, and drop it so it lands on the button and it blows up, and that can knock down a wall or damage a large enemy or something along those lines. Were there any new ideas for new snapshot uses that you came up with while experimenting with the game's mechanics? KP: One of the ideas we came up with while actually messing around with the engine was the idea that you can take pictures of a door and paste it back onto a wall to access a new area. We added this in at the very end of the level in the IGF build. The player finds a door that seemingly leads to nowhere, but hovering the camera over it shows that it can be captured in a photo. If the player can find where to paste the door, they can walk through it and advance to the next area. Have you played Daniel Benmergui's I Wish I Were The Moon? It has a similar snapshot mechanic, though presented on a smaller scale. What are your thoughts on that title, and its use of photos? KP: I played I Wish I Were The Moon when the Redux version came out, I missed the first version of it. At first, when I played it, I thought, "Oh crap, there's a game that uses photos already." It's a great sort of bite-sized game that's easy to enjoy. After spending some time on it, I still don't think I've found all the endings, but I don't want to resort to a using a walkthrough to ruin it. It's pretty awesome that games which are so different can share the same unique mechanic. PJ: Now I have! I think the idea that your actions permanently change the final outcome is really interesting. Can you describe how you developed the game's art style, and why you chose this particular look? It's very Yoshi's Island-esque. PJ: We went through a few different styles for Snapshot and had a tough time deciding how our protagonist would look. Since its submission, we've begun determining a storyline that will probably dictate some sort of change in its general appearance. However, from the start, we knew Snapshot should be a vibrant, picturesque environment almost out of a storybook. It was natural that we looked to Yoshi's Island as a source of inspiration. It has always stood out in my mind as one of the most beautiful games across the board. We also never expected Snapshot to get this much attention, so we're excited to continue refining and refreshing its artistic development to provide the most unique and appealing experience possible. The game is still in its prototype stages -- can you share some of the gameplay elements that you intend to eventually include? PJ: We have a lot of exciting game play elements that we want to include. We hope to have a way for Pic to take a picture of himself, and create a copy that exists and moves like he does for a limited time. We'll have "gate keepers" that want a picture of something, not necessarily an object, before they'll let you pass. It would be cool to use the negative space of a pasted picture in order to pass through certain barriers. Double-prints, enlargements, film negatives -- some of our best ideas have come up mid-development, so there are a lot more elements waiting to be discovered. Oh, I've also always wanted passive animals in a game. Why is everything trying to kill you? That's not cool; so I thought it would be fun to have some animals that even run away at the sight of you. A side quest might be to capture every type of animal and enemy in the game. And then you'd have to build a team, to fight other animals ... just kidding. KP: Most of the game will be based around the concept that you'll be able to deconstruct and reassemble the level through photos as you play. Besides the photographs, though, we also have plans to incorporate some grapple hook and climbing type stuff, because that's always fun. We also want to try to appeal to the collectathon lovers out there by rewarding players for bringing back photos of objects, enemies, or anything else they can find, and displaying them in a big trophy room of sorts. The final game will definitely have a lot of layers so there will be something there for all types of players. What sort of development tools did your team use? KP: Everything that exists in the game right now is made with Multimedia Fusion. I had built a level editor with MMF, as well as the game engine. Unfortunately, we're starting to hit some of the limitations of MMF, and it has a lot of overhead for getting relatively simple things running, so we're going to have to explore other options in the months ahead. PJ: We used some software called Adobe Photoshop too, you should check it out. It's pretty effective at creating images. If you could start the project over again, what would you do differently? PJ: We had such a small time span to get it ready for our thesis presentation. I think a second go-around would see a little more time spent planning on exactly what we wanted. Since we didn't have too much time, we had to dive right into it. KP: I think that having a real programmer on board from the start would've been nice. I've been trying to do my best with Multimedia Fusion, and I think I've done a pretty good job so far, but it sure would've been a lot smoother if I wasn't the one coding. Time wasn't on our side, as we had to have a polished presentation ready in about 10 weeks from when we actually started. Instead of having a lot of half-finished mechanics, we just decided to have a small set of polished ones. What do you think of the state of independent game development, and are there any other independent games out that you currently admire? KP: I'm brand new into this crazy world of making games, so I can't really offer any profound thoughts on the state of indie games. It's definitely a growing space with limitless potential (Could I say anything more generic?). With tools out there like Game Maker, Multimedia Fusion, XNA, and countless others, anyone with access to a computer can make something, and having that kind of openness is going to result in (and has resulted in) some amazing things I'm sure. I hope that the model of publishing games will evolve in a way that will really open doors for some of the small teams or individuals with great games. Crayon Physics Deluxe is among my favorites right now, and before that it was World of Goo and Aquaria. I'm a big fan of Konjak's work and Noitu Love 2 was one of my favorite games of last year. Long before that, I really enjoyed Within a Deep Forest, and Lyle in Cube Sector, and so many more that I couldn't possibly name them all. As of lately, all the indie games on my PC have completely taken me away from my consoles. There's just something about playing a game that was only developed by one person or a small team of people. The experience is just more personal than playing a huge big budget game. PJ: There's so many great things going on that it's hard to keep up with it. We were both lucky enough to go to college in the same town that Jason Rohrer lives in. I love showing "non-gamers" and artists Passage to see their reaction. His titles reach an emotional level that I can only dream of achieving at this point.


Tribalism is all around us, but it does not have to be. After all, we are all human. In lively and engaging prose, Christakis shows what is possible, and what we must do.
Christakis takes us on a spellbinding tour of how evolution brings people together, setting the stage for our modern world where online networks connect people in new and unprecedented ways. Our genes don't work in isolation; rather they equip our species with the capacity to join together and make great things. This powerful and fascinating book shows the fundamental good that lies within us, that connects us, and that helps us cooperate beyond the survival of the fittest.
A remarkable achievement! Christakis explains, in the most lucid and accessible way imaginable, how our genetic and cultural heritages are deeply intertwined. The story of human nature is no fairy tale, but it nevertheless reveals our potential, and our proclivity, for good.


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2 vehicle accident leaves kills Fallon man
Gregory Crofton
An 87-year-old man from Fallon, Nev., died Wednesday morning when a red tractor-trailer carrying onions slammed into his 1989 silver Oldsmobile.
The accident occurred at 9 a.m. when Norton Koenig attempted a U-turn. He pulled into a private drive alongside the westbound lane of U.S. Highway 50 six miles west of Fallon.
As his car rolled back into the westbound lane, heading for the eastbound lane, a truck pulling two trailers filled with onions collided with the driver's side of the Oldsmobile.
Paramedics pronounced Koenig dead at the scene. The truck driver, Debra Ambrosio, 40, of Selma, Calif., had to be airlifted by helicopter to Washoe Medical Center. The hospital listed her in stable condition.
The impact of the collision rolled the tractor-trailer on its right side. Onions blocked both lanes of Highway 50 for two hours. That section of the highway has only two lanes.


Stand-alone spas and those in major resorts offer luxurious massage and spa therapies, often with an oceanfront view. They combine classic European rituals with unique island flavors. Or, you can get rejuvenating skin and body treatments that are tailor-made for you, using materials obtained from the surrounding land and sea.


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Girls (not) on film
Another year, another Cannes film festival, another controversy.
By Tabitha Stapely
The shortlist for the most prestigious film festival's most prestigious award, the Palme d'Or has been announced, and – guess what – there are no female directors on it.
Out of 22 films eligible for the prize, not one was directed by a woman. Now, I'm no movie buff, but you can't tell me not one woman in the whole world has directed a film worthy of inclusion in the competition this year?
It's not the first time. Far from it. It was the same in 2010, and many many years before that. In fact, a woman has only won the Palme D'Or once - Jane Campion in 1993 for the mesmerising The Piano, and even then she was only joint winner.
Things had looked set to improve last year when the shortlist boasted four women, including Lynne Ramsay for We Need To Tallk About Kevin. OK, so it was only four women out of 22 movies – that's less than 20% - but still, it seemed like a step in the right direction. Or not.
Yesterday, British director and jury member Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights) waded in, describing it as 'a great pity and a disappointment' that not more women ie NONE were shortlisted. She went on to point out, though, that it was not just Cannes that was at fault: "It's true the world over that there are just not that many film directors. Cannes is a small pocket that represents how it is out there in the world. And that's a great pity."
Her comments are certainly borne out by the US film industry. According to research from the Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, just 15% of all films made in the US in 2011 were by women, and 5% of those top-grossing at the box office. But no other film festival has quite such a shaming record as Cannes.
So you can expect to see lots of women on the red carpet at Cannes this week – and hear a lot about their dresses and their hair. Just don't expect to hear about their talent.
Read more views and comments from Sam Baker.
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Refreshing, bright and polished, this transitional open concept kitchen is perfectly poised for modern families and gourmet chefs, alike. The crisp, traditional white kitchen effortlessly combines multiple textures, while taking advantage of the abundance of natural light to create an overall ethereal feeling. Together, the creative minds of designer, Deborah Walker, and architect David Stocker, were able to achieve a sophisticated floor plan with the perfect combination of texture and luxury.
Walker, acknowledged that "the client didn't want to go stark. He wanted the warmth of the wood, yet he still likes bright and light." The mosaic tile wall adds texture to the airy space, while the contrasting dark wood base of the kitchen island adds warmth and sets the stage for the luxurious Hanoi Pure White marble countertops. Using the classic color combination of blue and white, the heavy cerulean barstools add a hint of color to create an inviting space for family and guests to gather.
The bright, earthy motif is carried through to the master bathroom, where the same eye-catching marble features can be further enjoyed. The clean and simple white shaker cabinetry is seen again as a vanity, this time exquisitely layered by the same elegant pure white Hanoi marble.
Oversized mirrors and windows are ideal for this timeless, monochromatic bathroom in order for the natural light to reflect and shine throughout the marble and mosaic tile floor. The dark wooden beams seen overhead nicely hint to the warm kitchen island as the geometric stainless steel light fixture adds for an interesting art piece.


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Le tournoi de tennis d'Amelia Island est un tournoi de tennis professionnel féminin. L'édition 1998, classée en catégorie Tier II, se dispute du 6 au .

Mary Pierce remporte le simple dames. En finale, elle bat Conchita Martínez, décrochant à cette occasion le  de sa carrière sur le circuit WTA.

L'épreuve de double voit quant à elle s'imposer Sandra Cacic et Mary Pierce.

Résultats en simple

Parcours
Huit têtes de série sont exemptées de premier tour.

Tableau final

Premiers tours

Haut du tableau

Bas du tableau

Résultats en double

Parcours
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text:
Q: Integral involving exponential function Can you give any hints how to solve the integral
$$
\int\limits_{0}^{\infty} {\exp \left( \frac{-w (z-u)^2}{2u^2 z}  \right) dz}
$$
for $u>0, w>0$, or does no close form exist? Substitution seems to be difficult…

A: By expanding the square and performing a substitution we have that the given integral depends on a modified Bessel function of the second kind, since
$$ \forall \alpha>0,\qquad \int_{0}^{+\infty}\exp\left(-\alpha\left(w+\frac{1}{w}\right)\right)\,dw = 2\cdot K_1(2\alpha).$$

A: $\newcommand{\bbx}[1]{\,\bbox[15px,border:1px groove navy]{\displaystyle{#1}}\,}
 \newcommand{\braces}[1]{\left\lbrace\,{#1}\,\right\rbrace}
 \newcommand{\bracks}[1]{\left\lbrack\,{#1}\,\right\rbrack}
 \newcommand{\dd}{\mathrm{d}}
 \newcommand{\ds}[1]{\displaystyle{#1}}
 \newcommand{\expo}[1]{\,\mathrm{e}^{#1}\,}
 \newcommand{\ic}{\mathrm{i}}
 \newcommand{\mc}[1]{\mathcal{#1}}
 \newcommand{\mrm}[1]{\mathrm{#1}}
 \newcommand{\pars}[1]{\left(\,{#1}\,\right)}
 \newcommand{\partiald}[3][]{\frac{\partial^{#1} #2}{\partial #3^{#1}}}
 \newcommand{\root}[2][]{\,\sqrt[#1]{\,{#2}\,}\,}
 \newcommand{\totald}[3][]{\frac{\mathrm{d}^{#1} #2}{\mathrm{d} #3^{#1}}}
 \newcommand{\verts}[1]{\left\vert\,{#1}\,\right\vert}$
\begin{align}
&\int_{0}^{\infty}\exp\pars{-\,{w\bracks{z - u}^{2} \over 2u^{2}z}}\,\dd z =
\int_{0}^{\infty}\exp\pars{-\,{w \over 2u^{2}}\,
\bracks{\root{z} - {u \over \root{z}}}^{2}}\,\dd z
\\[5mm] \stackrel{\root{z}\ =\ \root{u}\expo{\theta}}{=}\,\,\,&
\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\exp\pars{-\,{2w \over u}\,
\sinh^{2}\pars{\theta}}\pars{2u\expo{2\theta}}\,\dd\theta
\\[5mm] = &\
u\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\exp\pars{-\,{2w \over u}\,
{\cosh\pars{2\theta} - 1 \over 2}}\bracks{\sinh\pars{2\theta} + \cosh\pars{2\theta}}\,2\,\dd\theta
\\[5mm] = &\
2u\expo{w/u}\int_{0}^{\infty}\exp\pars{-\,{w \over u}\,
\cosh\pars{\theta}}\cosh\pars{\theta}\,\dd\theta
\\[5mm] = &\
\left.-2u\expo{w/u}\partiald{}{z}\int_{0}^{\infty}
\exp\pars{-\,z\cosh\pars{\theta}}\,\dd\theta\,\right\vert_{\ z\ =\ w/u}
\\[5mm] = &\
-2u\expo{w/u}\,\underbrace{\mrm{K}_{0}'\pars{w \over \mu}}
_{\ds{-\,\mrm{K}_{1}\pars{w/u}}}\,,\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad
\verts{\mrm{arg}\pars{w \over u}} < {\pi \over 2}
\end{align}

$\ds{\,\mrm{K}_{\nu}}$ is a
  Modified Bessel Function. See
  A & S Table.

$$
\bbx{\int_{0}^{\infty}\exp\pars{-\,{w\bracks{z - u}^{2} \over 2u^{2}z}}\,\dd z =
2u\expo{w/u}\,\mrm{K}_{1}\pars{w \over u}}
\qquad\qquad
\verts{\mrm{arg}\pars{w \over u}} < {\pi \over 2}
$$

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collections-api-1.0.0.0: API for collection data structures.
A few generic functions for handling collections.
Infix (operator) version of common functions.
Should you need a more precise documentation, Data.Collections.Properties lists laws that implementations are entitled to assume.
The classes defined in this module are intended to give hints about performance. eg. if a function has a Map c k v context, this indicates that the function will perform better if c has an efficitent lookup function.
Another inspiration source are the examples of MPTC and fuctional dependencies in Oleg Kiselyov's many articles posted to the haskell mailing list.
This module name-clashes with a lot of Prelude functions, subsuming those. The user is encouraged to import Prelude hiding the clashing functions. Alternatively, it can be imported qualified.
Class of collection with unobservable elements. It is the dual of the Foldable class.
'natural' insertion of an element into a collection.
Creates a collection with a single element.
Insert all the elements of a foldable.
Same as insertMany, but with the unchecked precondition that the input Foldable is sorted.
filter f c returns the collection of those elements that satisfy the predicate f.
Class of map-like types. (aka. for sparse associative types).
In opposition of Indexed, Map supports unexisting value for some indices.
Remove a key from the keySet (and therefore the associated value in the Map).
Tells whether an key is member of the keySet.
Union of two keySets. When duplicates are encountered, the keys may come from any of the two input sets. Values come from the map given as first arguement.
When duplicates are encountered, the keys may come from any of the two input sets. Values come from the map given as first arguement.
Difference of two keySets. Difference is to be read infix: a difference b returns a set containing the elements of a that are also absent from b.
s1 isSubset s2 returns True iff. the keys in s1 form a subset of the keys in s2.
Lookup the value at a given key.
Change the value associated to a given key. Nothing represents no associated value.
Insert with a combining function.
insertWith f key value m will insert the pair (key, value) into m if key does not exist in the map. If the key does exist, the function will insert the pair (key, f new_value old_value).
Convert a Foldable to a Map, with a combining function. Note the applications of the combining function: fromFoldableWith (+) [(k,x1), (k,x2), ..., (k,xn)] = fromFoldable [(k, xn + (... + (x2 + x1)))] or more generally fromFoldableWith f [(k,x) | x <- l] = fromFoldable [(k,foldl1 (flip f) l)] foldGroups is probably less surprising, so use it.
Apply a function over all values in the map.
Union with a combining function.
Intersection with a combining function.
The expression (lookupWithDefault def k map) returns the value at key k or returns def when the key is not in the map.
Same as intersectionWith, but with a more general type.
Same as differenceWith, but with a more general type.
Infix version of index, with arguments swapped.
Class for set-like collection types. A set is really a map with no value associated to the keys, so Set just states so.
Dummy method for haddock to accept the class.
Union of many (key) sets.
Tells whether a key is not a member of the keySet.
Infix version of difference. Difference of two (key) sets.
Class of sequential-access types. In addition of the Collection services, it provides deconstruction and concatenation.
The first i elements of a sequence.
Elements of a sequence after the first i.
Split a sequence at a given index.
Analyse the left end of a sequence.
Analyse the right end of a sequence.
Add an element to the left end of a sequence.
Add an element to the right end of a sequence.
The isPrefix function takes two seqences and returns True iff the first is a prefix of the second.
The concatenation of all the elements of a container of sequences.
Map a function over all the elements of a container and concatenate the resulting sequences.
Infix version of cons: add an element to the left end of a sequence. Mnemonic: a triangle with the single element at the pointy end.
Infix version of snoc: add an element to the right end of a sequence. Mnemonic: a triangle with the single element at the pointy end.
Infix verion of append. Concatenate two sequences.
Class of indexed types. The collection is dense: there is no way to remove an element nor for lookup to return not found.
In practice however, most shallow collection types will instanciate this class in addition of Map, and leave the responsibility of failure to the caller.
adjust f k c applies f to element associated to k and returns the resulting collection.
if inDomain k c, then index c k is guaranteed not to fail.
Conversion from a Foldable to a Collection.
Converts a list into a collection.
Specialized version of fromFoldableWith for lists.
Converts a list into a collection, with the precondition that the input is sorted.


The diversity and currency of subjects covered in e-commerce courses at the MBA-level present a challenge to educators. In this paper, we analyze and recapitulate our experience in using the business plan to anchor the e-commerce course to address those challenges. Business plan requirements can link the various subjects together, afford students with a real-life experience learning process, and, with proper curriculum design and course delivery, give students an opportunity to be "reflective practitioners." Results showed that students' learning and interests for the e-commerce subjects were high with the business plan requirement.


text:
Home US/World News European political, business leaders apologize after WWII-related remarks
European political, business leaders apologize after WWII-related remarks
March 15 (UPI) — The bosses of Europe's largest automaker and European Parliament apologized Thursday for separate gaffes that evoked two of the continent's most infamous dictatorial regimes.
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani of Italy drew outrage when he suggested that former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini "had done positive things for the infrastructure of our country."
"I didn't intend to banalize the darkest page in history," he said to apologize after making the remarks on Italian radio Wednesday, Il Corriere della Sera reported.
The initial comments drew swift criticism in Europe.
"How can a president of the European parliament fail to acknowledge the nature of fascism?" Udo Bullmann, the leader of the parliament's Socialist group, asked.
"Tajani has shown his true colors," said Stefano Buffagni, undersecretary of regional affairs of Italy's Five-Star Movement, The Guardian reported.
Tajani's apology came amid another controversy involving Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess, who recently evoked the Nazi phrase "Arbeit macht frei" (Work sets you free) with comments at a company event.
Diess had said "Ebit macht frei," a play on the accounting term "Ebit," which is an acronym to describe "earnings before interest and taxes" and a key part of business financial statements. Afterward, Diess put out a statement saying it was "definitely an unfortunate choice of words."
The "Arbeit macht frei" phrase is from the National Socialist regime led by Nazi leader Adolph Hitler and was placed at the entrance of several concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Dachau.
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