text:
The 41 Most British Things That Have Ever Happened
https://www.buzzfeed.com/robinedds/the-most-british-things-that-have-ever-happened?bfsource=relatedauto
What is going on in these sequences
Off the Wall, Podcasts
What is going on in these sequences – can you tell just by listening to the sounds?
The best language learners are a combination of people who are curious, who keep asking themselves questions and are actively involved in their own learning proces, and those that can hear well, and I'm not talking about hearing well versus hearing impairment – that is an altogether different subject.
What I am talking about is those learners that can hear the sounds that are specifically English sounds (as in the language and not the nationality).
This includes things such as; elision, glottals, liaisons between words, low and high tones, pitch, volume, rate and intonations etc.
The story goes that if you can't hear the sounds in a language, you will never be able to understand nor be able to produce accurate language through speech.
This takes a lot of time and perseverance and does not, in any way mean that a learner has to understand every single word in a sentence or a section of speech, because sometimes we don't even do this in their own native language – sometimes we listen to parts of what are said to us, sometimes we lose concentration or we drift off.
This activity is designed to train your ears to sounds and not words.
Sounds will often give a lot of clues about the context of a conversation – where the people are for example.
See if you can work out what is happening and send your answers through the comments at the bottom of the page or you can comment on Facebook.
Developing listening skills is a language is at times difficult, often frustrating, rarely made up of shortcuts and always rewarding – at the end.
Try listening to a video or DvD in English without looking at the picture, now pause the video and without looking at the screen, try to imagine :
Where the scene takes place?
How many people are in the scene?
How they are dressed?
How old they are?
Are they men women, or children?
What relationship are they to each other? etc. etc.
Now turn around and look at the paused image – How close did you get?
The more of this type of activity you do, the more you will sharpen your hearing skills and thus your listening skills – give it a try, you have nothing to lose!
https://eflpodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/9-Sequences.m4a
What will humans look like in 1000 Years?
Blog, Off the Wall
What will humans look like in 1000 Years? What will humanity look like in 1000 years?
About 10,000 years ago, humans evolved a tolerance to cow's milk; over the past 150 years, we've added 10 centimetres to our average height; and over the past 65 years, we've added 20 years to the average lifespan, mostly thanks to advances in science.
We've come so far in such an incredibly short period of time, so what will we look like in another 1,000 years.
First off, we humans have a reason to be as smug as we are – our brains are so good, even the most advanced computer system doesn't even come close. In fact, last year researchers used the K computer in Japan – one of the most powerful computers in the world – to simulate human brain activity, and it took 705,024 processor cores, 1.4 million GB of RAM, and 40 minutes to process the same amount of data processed by 1 second of brain activity.
But we might not always have an edge over the machines we create.
Scientists predict that in the future, computers will not only match the computational speed of the human brain, we'll also develop artificial intelligence that can speak, interact, listen, and remember. Let's just hope they don't use all that information to turn against us.
And as computers grow progressively more human, so too will humans become more integrated with robots. In the future, scientists predict that we'll have minuscule robots called nanobots swimming around our bodies and enhancing our natural abilities. Known as transhumanism, this could see us no longer limited to what biology can be achieved, and the possibilities of that are pretty incredible to think about.
And it's not just our own bodies that technology has the potential to completely change. As the video points out, 'utility clouds' of microscopic robots could assemble themselves into entire buildings and them disassemble just as easily. "Picture your house disassembling when you leave in the morning so that space can be used for something else," says AsapSCIENCE.
In the next 1,000 years, the amount of languages spoken on the planet are set to seriously diminish, and all that extra heat and UV radiation could see darker skin become an evolutionary advantage. And we're all set to get a whole lot taller and thinner, if we want to survive, that is. Why? I'll let AsapSCIENCE explain that one in the video above, but let's just say global warming is going to have a much bigger impact on our appearance than you might think.
Watch as we cover some cutting-edge innovations happening today. Thanks to the National Geographic Channel for sponsoring this video!
Famous people past and present interviewed
Have you ever dreamt about interviewing a famous person or a person who is no longer among us? We have some Famous people past and present interviewed here.
Well, we have harnessed the power of podcasting to do just that, just for fun.
This also shows what can happen in communication when conversations are taken out of context.
We must stress that this is just for fun and not meant to deride or make fun of anyone, so we hope we haven't hurt anybody's feelings with this.
Have you ever arrived half-way through a conversation and slightly misunderstood what was being said, or completely got the wrong end of the stick?
This often happens and we have deliberately played on this for this podcast.
Can you work out who is being interviewed from the sound of their voices?
https://eflpodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Past-and-Present-Podcast.m4a
The French Presidential election quiz
Off the Wall, Quizzes
It's that time again, The French are going to the polls to elect their new president, the president who will take over running the country from François Hollande.
The first round of the 2017 French presidential election is set to be held on 23 April 2017.
Should no candidate win a majority, a run-off election between the top two candidates will be held on 7 May 2017.
Incumbent president François Hollande of the Socialist Party (PS) was eligible to run for a second term, but declared on 1 December 2016 that he would not seek reelection in light of low approval ratings, making him the first incumbent president of the Fifth Republic not to seek re-election.
This is also the first French presidential election in which nominees of both the main centre-left and centre-right parties were selected through open primaries.
The presidential election will be followed by a legislative election to elect members of the National Assembly on 11 and 18 June.
Welcome to your French presidential elections
Who was the first president of the French 5th Republic in 1958?
François Cartier
Franklin D Roosevelt
Jacques Cantana
What is the name of the official residence of the French President ?
Le Gare du Nord
L'Elysée Palace
Le Champs Elysée
Matignon
Which president caused a mini scandal when he touched Queen Elizabeth on the shoulder during a State visit to the UK?
François Mitterand
Which president said that he personally negotiated in a hostage situation when he was mayor of a small town in the Paris area?
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
The salary of the French president is 194, 300 US dollars a year (including expenses). Which other country's president earns more than that?
Which president died while in office ?
Which President had a secret daughter who appeared at his state funeral?
Which president said, "How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese" ?
Who boasted in his autobiography to have had a romantic relationship with Princess Diana?
Which president married a pop singer in the first year of his term?
How many days does the French presidential election take place over?
One day. Any day, there is no particular tradition.
One weekend (Saturday and Sunday)
The last Tuesday in April.
Over 2 weekends ( on the Sundays)
Two days; the second Friday and Saturday of April
Which president abolished the death penalty?
Which president is the only one to have studied abroad?
How many candidates will there be on the ballot paper of the 2017 election?
The French president also holds another title, what is it?
Emperor of France
Co-Prince of Andorra
Duke of Luxembourg
High Lord of Paris
Bishop of St Michel
Be sure to click Submit Quiz to see your results!
Spaghetti-Harvest in Ticino
This is an old film of the world famous spaghetti harvest in action in Ticina, Switzerland.
The spaghetti tree film is a famous 3-minute report broadcast on 1 April 1957 by the BBC current affairs programme Panorama.
It told a tale of a family in southern Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from the famous spaghetti tree,
There are specialist plant breeders who have worked for decades on refining the spaghetti trees, so that all of the spaghetti remains in a uniform shape and size.
Most spaghetti trees start life as a cutting that sprouts a root system after being immersed in a small quantity of tomato sauce and then transplanted to the spaghetti grove, where it thrives and grows into a fully grown spaghetti tree.


Today, the colors have been cased and the Iraq war is officially over. As an American and a veteran I am relieved that the war in Iraq has ended and that President Obama kept his promise to bring the troops home. When the President took office in January 2009, there were over 140,000 U.S. troops in harm's way in Iraq. Now the Iraqi people have full responsibility for the security of their nation and American soldiers, sailors and Marines are on their way home.
Now that President Obama has brought the war to a responsible end and the last troops leave Iraq, we must never forget the men and women who served our country, those who were wounded and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice in that service. We also honor the millions of military families who sacrificed at home while their loved ones served abroad often on multiple tours.
To ensure that veterans can find jobs when they come home President Obama has taken action to encourage businesses to hire unemployed and disabled veterans. The President proposed and signed into law the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 which received broad bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. The act new provides tax credits and locks in pledges from America's largest businesses to hire veterans and their spouses.
A vital part of the VOW Act is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, VRAP. VRAP provides for job training and educational assistance to unemployed veterans, helping them develop the skills needed to ease the transition to the civilian job market.
So thank you Mr. President for your leadership and for your efforts in helping veterans recover and restore their lives. Most of all, thank you for keeping your promise.


For those unfamiliar with 3dMark, it's a utility that runs some pretty demanding 'movies' and benchmarks how well your system runs them, taking into account shading and lighting, frames per second etc.
PS: Loved the Canyon Flight Test! http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/inlove.gif WOW!
Im downloading 3dmark06 right now.
Learn how to juice your tools, if you've got enought to play SHIII, you're a king!
X1950 has very a decent result... watercooled for silence! I guess you did not overclock it?
It require access to Futuremark webpage to view your score. Instead save the your result as a .zip file.
Just to combine the score with a visual.
Still not as good as the SLI stuff and the new 8000 series, but it plays my games fine, except FSX is still struggling though.
THAT 'Canyon Flight' movie, I think, is amazing! I've looked in the program folders, but can't see the movies on their own. Any one know how to watch the movies independently of the tests?
That's because they're not movies RJ! Smile At least not in the sense of pre-rendered movies you normally get in MPEG or Quicktime formats. Each test is a 'live' 3D animation, so your PC has to render the models, textures and lighting effects in real time - just like it does in a game.


The US and China are amid an ever-increasing trade war with neither side backing down. The countries are the world's two largest trading partners. However, Trump pointed out that international trade is massively lopsided between the two countries. These claims have truth in them since reports indicate that China imported 130US$ billion worth of goods from the US. However, the US imported a whopping 500US$ billion worth of goods from China. The end result of this was a trade deficit of 375US$ billion suffered in the US economy.
Furthermore, the Trump administration accuses the Chinese of stealing trade secrets of US-based companies as well US technology. This stems from a national policy by the Chinese government; this policy dictates that any foreign company setting up shop in China must share their intellectual property in exchange for their access to the Chinese market. In response to this the Trump administration introduced tariffs for goods imported from China. This raises revenue for the US government as well as reducing the trade deficit but obviously makes it much more expensive for the Chinese to conduct international trade. The US government fixated tariffs on electronic items such as solar panels and washing machines, and aluminium and steel products. These tariffs were further extended to TV's, luxury delicacies such as caviar, aircraft parts and even medical devices. These goods are subject to a staggering 25% import tax. Expectedly, the Chinese administration hit back with tariffs of its own, with the Chinese imposing a 25% tariff on American goods ranging from automobiles such as off-road vehicles to foodstuffs such as meat and soybeans. The result is that the US threatened or actually implemented levies on about US$ 506 billion worth of Chinese products. Conversely, the Chinese threatened or imposed tariffs on about US$ 130 billion worth of American goods.
The recent US midterm elections saw the Republicans maintain their hold of the Senate with the Democrats winning the House of Representatives.This would seem to present challenges to Trump and who has agenda in critical sectors such as military funding as well as foreign business dealings. However, Trump will still enjoy considerable executive power in areas such as trade policy in which he is empowered to dictate the terms despite the division of Congress.
Interestingly enough, the Republicans as well as the Democrats both support the government's stance on increased tariffs on Chinese products as well as the tougher stance on China's intellectual property practices. What this means is that Trump's stance on China will likely continue and receive even more bipartisan support. This implies that producers both from America as well as China will be forced to pay more to sell their goods. The end result is that consumers will face higher prices to attain these goods.
The effects of this trade war won't end just there. This trade war could negatively influence global supply chains. Furthermore, stock markets could see a few dips in future as a result of the war. Investors mostly depend on fundamental analysis when making decisions regarding investing in a stock. What this entails is analysing the financial health of a company in terms of their growth potential, their leverage levels as well as their liquidity. Consequently, these trade wars could have a negative effect on the growth potential of companies as well as the overall stability of the financial markets. This implies poor equity performance for local investors as well as investors carrying out international share trading.
The US midterm election saw a division in Congress in which Trump would face opposition passing major legislation but will probably receive support in his tough stance on China's trade policies. The US-China trade war will likely last for a while.


"Hospital food" isn't what it used to be. The Samaritan Medical Center Cafeteria staff takes pride in the quality and selection of meal options and refreshments available. Whether you're looking for a warm cup of coffee or a complete meal, you can find it in the SMC Café. The bright and relaxing atmosphere also provides a place to relax or share a conversation with a friend or loved one, or to catch up on the news for the day.
Hot meals are served during meal times, and snacks and refreshments are available throughout the day. A fresh salad bar and deli bar add to the selection each day.
Room Service is also available – not only to our patients, but if you would like a guest tray delivered so that you can remain with your loved one who is hospitalized, just call us and we'll have it delivered.
The Cafeteria is located on the 1st floor of the hospital and is open from 6:00 am until 7:00 pm daily.
The SMC Cafeteria accepts cash and most credit or debit cards. Discounts are available to all military personnel at the Café.


Kilmeena GAA Club - KILMEENA CLUB GEAR.
You are here: Home KILMEENA CLUB GEAR.
Please note that Kilmeena Club Gear is now available to order from O Neills online.
Just click on the Kilmeena Jersey in the Home Page and it opens the link to a wide variety of merchandise.


The current home of the German-American Society was built in 1914 as a Masonic Lodge, and has housed the Society since 2013.
The original home of the Society was built in 1911 and is now being restored by PCC.
The German-American Society was founded as the Allgemeine Deutsche Ünterstützungsgesellschaft (General German Aid Society) on February 3rd, 1871, less than a month after the unification of Germany into a single sovereign state. With just nineteen members, it was the first benevolent Society for German-Americans in the Portland area. The mission of the Society was to erect and operate a German hospital, to provide aid for needy and distressed Germans, to aid in obtaining employment for jobless members, and to furnish advice and guidance for new immigrants.
While the construction of the hospital never occurred, the Society opened an Altenheim, a retirement home, in 1912, and in 1923 constructed the Deutsches Haus on SW 11th and Morrison, which became the organization's new home. Though occupied solely with charity work, the group came under pressure during the Second World War and, like many similar organizations in German-American communities across America, was investigated by the US Government, which concluded that the Society was non-political and not involved with any anti-American activities.
After merging with the closely related Portland Social Turnverein in 1960, the Society organized the first Saturday language classes in 1964, which continue today as the German Saturday School of Portland.
Thanks to the generous donations by current and former members, the German American Society houses an extensive library of German-language children's books on the second floor, in a room that is currently lacking any sort of cohesive organizational system. As a volunteer, I spend Saturday mornings helping the language teachers and cataloging the books, with the aim of creating an easy, sustainable system with which to track and shelve the collection. The books will be sorted and color coded according to reading level and then shelved alphabetically. As I organize the books, I have created an identically color coded spreadsheet documenting their titles, authors, reading levels, and subjects, so that teachers and students can easily find the content that they are looking for.
The current, disorganized children's library.
Coming from a German American background on both sides of my family, I was raised in a household that valued history and culture. Though settled in America for multiple generations, our family never fully assimilated into American society, preferring to keep our distinctive name despite pressure to Anglicize it, continuing traditions such as sausage making and beer brewing, and placing a high value on the study of the language. Though not a traditionally underserved community, I always cherished my connection to my roots and the confidence and identity that it gave me, and the German-American Society aids in supporting that for many people in the Portland area.
My ten weeks at the Society have been an absolutely fantastic experience. Though I worked very independently and did not get to interact as much with the students and staff as I might have wished, my German improved substantially thanks to the number of books I handled and catalogued. It gives me immense satisfaction to know that the system I have put in place will not only make the upkeep of the library easier for the staff, but that the very fact that it is neat and tidy will encourage students to check out books and improve their own language skills.
Though there were some awkward moments when my interest in some of the darker periods of German history were met with uncomfortable chilliness, I found the Society very open and welcoming to people of diverse backgrounds, which is a very positive trait in an organization that could easily become quite insular. While most of the students are either married to or children of German speakers, that is by no means universally the case. Despite a few uncomfortable conversations, this realization went a long way towards making me feel at home despite a few historical faux pas on my part.
Where do I go from here? The library is almost entirely finished, and I am so happy to have been able to help this organization. However, I am not a native Portlander, and upon graduation I am heading back to Seattle, where my family lives, and likely, in the fall of 2017, to the University of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in order to pursue some post-baccalaureate studies to prepare for a graduate degree in international law. Though my own future does not involve a working relationship with the German-American Society, the time and effort that I gave to them and the knowledge that the experience has given me will serve both of us as we move forward.


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health > men > story page
Groin hernia surgery: Quicker and easier than ever
Web posted at: 9:46 AM EDT (1346 GMT)
By Daniel Hayes, MD
(WebMD) -- Abdominal hernias are a sensitive topic that few will discuss voluntarily, even though more than five million Americans, mostly men, have this painful condition, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Unfortunately, lack of awareness can put people suffering from a hernia at risk: An abdominal hernia can potentially have fatal complications if not treated properly.
With modern surgical techniques, hernias can be fixed more easily than they could in the past. A shorter operation using a less traumatic technique, along with advances in anesthesiology, have made this a different surgery than the one your grandfather or father may have endured.
Inguinal hernia: The most common type of hernia is an inguinal hernia, which affects about 700,000 Americans, 80 percent of whom are men, according to the Mayo Clinic. An inguinal hernia involves the inguinal canal, which, in men, carries the spermatic cord between the abdomen and the scrotum.
Most inguinal hernias occur when a portion of the intestine bulges out at a weak point in the abdominal wall -- the area where the spermatic cord passes into the scrotum. This condition may result from physical exertion, such as heavy lifting. In other cases, the cause is unknown.
Because a hernia involves a portion of the intestine, complications can occur. Intestinal tissue can get caught or "incarcerated" in the herniated space. If blood flow in the trapped intestine gets squeezed off, the "strangulated" portion of the bowel may begin to die and emergency surgery may be required.
Hernia symptoms range from simple lump to acute pain and fever
What signals an inguinal hernia? A lump in the region of the groin, sometimes associated with pain or tenderness, can be a sign of an inguinal hernia. Often the problem bulge is noticed when coughing or bending increases the pressure inside the abdomen. If strangulation has occurred, pain, nausea, vomiting and fever may signal a life-threatening condition and need for surgery.
Treatments for an inguinal hernia: Typically, a patient with an inguinal hernia is referred by their primary care doctor to a general surgeon for an evaluation. The surgeon may not always recommend surgery, but it is usually the best choice. Sometimes a support called a truss is placed against the groin. This can offer temporary relief, but it does not correct the problem or prevent complications.
If surgery is recommended, it is likely to be one of the following two techniques: 1.) Herniorrhaphy. This "open" procedure involves creating an incision at the site of the hernia, pushing the protruding intestinal sac back into the abdomen, and tightening the weakened muscle and supportive tissue with stitches. 2) Hernioplasty. In this procedure, a mesh of synthetic fiber is sewn over the weakened muscle.
New 'keyhole' surgery promising, but controversial
A controversial but promising new surgery: Doctors are now able to repair groin hernias using a technique called laparoscopy, or "keyhole" surgery. Of the several types of hernioplasty methods, it is the one receiving the most publicity, not only because it's new, but because it's still controversial. Until more research is done, doctors don't know whether its benefits outweigh reports of increased risks. Preliminary data, however, look promising.
What happens in laparoscopy? In laparoscopy, the surgeon inserts a fiber optic light, surgical tools and a small video camera into tiny incisions. The surgeon watches his or her progress on a video screen while repairing the hernia. The procedure shortens recovery time and leaves less scar tissue than open surgery. It also allows patients to return to their usual activities sooner -- on average, four days earlier than those who undergo open surgery, according to a recent study published in the journal The Lancet.
A patient who undergoes laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery is usually seen on an outpatient basis and undergoes the procedure with local anesthesia, though spinal or general anesthesia is used in some cases.
Over the years, advances have shortened operating, anesthesia, recovery and return-to-work time dramatically. The Atlanta Medical Center published a report in this month's American Surgery of its six-year experience with the laparoscopic procedure. The average surgery time was only 68 minutes, and minor complications occurred less than 6 percent of the time. There were no deaths. Only 0.2 percent of patients, who were followed for an average of 30 months, had a recurrence of their hernia.
What to expect after surgery: Inguinal surgery patients are often sent home on the day of surgery and encouraged to walk and perform light activities. Heavy lifting and straining is discouraged until full recovery, which takes about three weeks.
A hernia that has been repaired can recur after primary conventional (open) inguinal herniorrhaphy about 10 percent of the time, and less often with the "keyhole" technique. The outcome depends on the type of repair and the expertise of the surgeon.
Overall, inguinal hernia repair in the U.S. this year will be an effective, low-risk experience for the 700,000 people who undergo it.
Copyright 1999 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Mayo Clinic: Laparoscopic hernia repair
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Akranes Information Centre is situated in the Akranes Lighthouse. Here you can get information about the area. Opening hours: 1st May - 15th September daily from 11:00 to 18:00 and 16th September - 30th April Tuesdays to Saturdays from 11:00 to 17:00 and upon request for groups.


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Watch Kelly Clarkson Sing A Taylor Swift Breakup Song About A Toxic Relationship
"Better Man" was released as part of the 2021 album Red (Taylor's Version).
NBC/NBCUniversal/Getty Images
While American Idol alum Kelly Clarkson has given us singularly amazing hits — "A Moment Like This" and "Since U Been Gone" are prime examples — she is also the queen of covers. On The Kelly Clarkson Show, she's covered the best artists from Whitney Houston to Adele. And now, she's covering Taylor Swift.
During the show's Jan. 23 episode, the three-time Grammy winner chose one of Swift's songs to perform in her Kellyoke series: "Better Man (Taylor's Version)." As expected, Clarkson wowed audiences with her country-rock take on the track from Swift's 2021 Red (Taylor's Version), one of her re-recorded albums.
The track is one of Swift's songs "From the Vault," meaning it was penned and recorded for album release but eventually put on the back burner. And since it didn't make her 2012 album Red as intended, she gave "Better Man" to the Alabama quartet Little Big Town. The group released it as The Breaker's lead single in 2017, and it earned Swift a Grammy songwriting nom for Best Country Song and a Country Music Award for Song of the Year.
The "Anti-Hero" singer famously started re-recording her own albums following her falling out with manager Scott Borchetta in 2019. He sold the rights to Swift's masters for a reported $300 million to Scooter Braun, whom Swift wasn't on good terms with.
During a November 2021 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers to promote Red (Taylor's Version), Swift explained the reason behind the move. "I've always wanted to own my own music. You probably don't know this but most of your favorite artists do not own their work," she began. She also alluded to her label's saga saying, "I made it very clear I wanted to be able to buy my music. That opportunity was not given to me and it was sold to somebody else. And so I just figured, I was the one who made this music first, I can just make it again. So when something says '(Taylor's Version)' next to it, that means I own it, which is exciting."
Clarkson's cover feels like a full circle moment, especially since it was Clarkson who first publicly suggested that Swift re-record her songs in response to her management's drama. "@taylorswift13 just a thought, U should go in & re-record all the songs that U don't own the masters on exactly how U did them but put brand new art & some kind of incentive so fans will no longer buy the old versions," Clarkson tweeted Swift in July 2019. She even added, "I'd buy all of the new versions just to prove a point."
Clarkson explained the tweet during a September 2019 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. "Reba [McEntire] told me she did that ... She wanted to own her masters, and I was like, 'Well, if it's that important to you, like, find a way.' And she re-cut all her music," the "Because of You" singer said. "That's where I got the idea."
She also explained why she figured it was important for Swift to act similarly. "[Taylor's] been writing since she was a little girl, right? So it's, like, kind of her diary. I don't really care about owning my masters. I'm just like, 'Whatever. I'm going to sing until I'm dead.' I write like half, you know, a little more than half my stuff, and hers is 100% of it, so it's hers."
Like Clarkson promised in her earlier tweet, she didn't just buy the new versions, she covered them on her show.
Zach Gilford Admits He Forgot Taylor Swift's Name When He Starred In Her Music Video
"Lavender Haze" Star Laith Ashley Breaks Down Filming With Taylor Swift
Everything To Know About The 2023 Grammy Awards


Page 312 - Gallery Design of Interior Architecture | Provence Calanques Dining Table Tops. Acacia Hardwood Floors. Contemporary Cabinet Pulls.
collection of galleries from Interior Architecture like Dining Table Tops. Acacia Hardwood Floors. Contemporary Cabinet Pulls. and other designs you might like Tub Shower Combo Ideas. Leather Couch Cushions. Lighting Fixtures For Kitchen. Bar Pendant Lights. Shower Stalls With Seat. Natural Stone Tile Backsplash. Rustic Dining Bench.


These principle guide the development of the pattern language.
Ground patterns in practice. These patterns are drawn from examples of papers published in respected venues. We do not need to duplicate the extensive literature on research methods. That is, we try to capture the research patterns that are accepted in practice, not the abstract guidance about how research ought to be done.
Avoid duplication. This should serve as a sourcebook, not an attempt to be complete. First, there's no point in duplicating work that's been done. Second, we can't possibly have enough energy. This implies developing a good annotated bibliography.
Remain tractable. Pick an initial scope that allows for critical mass — broad enough to be useful in some area — but narrow enough that it can be reasonably well fleshed out. For example, focus initially on conference papers, which are useful building blocks in developing a body of research, but tend to be much simpler in structure.
Provide guidance about choices. The emphasis should be on clarifying differences among research methods and on identifying factors that should guide the choice of a research method (and certainly on choosing a pattern that matches the research method actually used).


A new report from the European Commission, the European Union's executive branch, calls for dramatic changes to the European patent system. Under the proposal, a new type of patent would be created that would apply across the continent, and a new system of patent courts would be given jurisdiction over patent disputes.
The European Union has struggled for decades to create a unified patent system. Most EU countries participate in the European Patent Convention, first signed in 1973, which allows inventors to file a single application for patent rights in dozens of European countries. However, under the Convention, patent litigation still occurs on a country-by-country basis, with each country's rules governing the validity and enforcement of patents in that country. That has greatly inflated the costs of patent litigation. According to the report, obtaining a patent that's valid in 13 European countries costs 11 times as much as obtaining an American patent.
In the last three decades, there have been several efforts to overcome these limitations by creating a unified "community patent" regime, in which a single set of patent rules would apply in all participating countries. So far, those efforts have always gotten bogged down by disputes over implementation details. The most recent effort fell apart four years ago due to squabbling over which languages the patents would be translated into.
The new report is the European Commission's attempt to resurrect the community patent. It advocates the creation of a new system of European patent courts that would have jurisdiction over both existing European patents and the new community patent.
The report argues that European competitiveness is hampered by its limited use of patents compared with Japan and the United States. It notes that Americans and Japanese both file more patents per capita than do Europeans, and speculates that Europe's unwieldy patent system is holding back innovation.
However, the report pays little attention to the possibility that too much patenting could be an even bigger impediment to economic growth. The report devotes only one short paragraph to patent thickets, patent trolls, and other problems created by low-quality patents. It doesn't offer any concrete recommendations for ensuring that the European patent system avoids the problems now being encountered in the United States.
Nor does the report address the risk that creating a separate patent court will lead to a judicial system that is too sympathetic to expanding the scope of patents. Some observers argue that's precisely what happened in the United States. They note that since Congress created the Federal Circuit in 1982 to hear patent appeals, the scope of patents has been greatly expanded. Software and business method patents have been legalized, and the bar for obviousness has been dramatically lowered. Some speculate that the large number of former patent lawyers among the judges of the Federal Circuit are one reason for this shift—lawyers who have devoted their lives to patent law will naturally be sympathetic to arguments for expanding the scope of the patent system.
There is particular reason for concern given the Commission's own stormy history on software patents. The EC defied a vote of the European Parliament and pledged to continue granting software patents in 2005, only to reverse course last year and promise to stop granting software patents.
Indeed, software patent critics in Europe are blasting the proposal. The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure, a key software patent opponent, argues that it will make it easier for large American companies to get patents in Europe, but will do little to help European companies.
"The Commission insults the many small and medium enterprises who participated in its Patent Consultation by claiming that they are uninformed when they say the patent system does not fit in their business model," said FFII president Pieter Hintjens. "Reducing financial burdens on venture capitalists, like in the US, would be much more fruitful than proposing to throw even more money at 'reeducating' companies to agree with the Commission's patent obsession."
There is undoubtedly room for improvement in Europe's cumbersome and fragmented patent system. But policymakers should be careful that in their zeal to fix existing problems, they don't introduce new, more serious ones. The Commission's report gives the impression that the overriding objective of the patent system is to increase the number of patents being granted. But it's just as important to ensure that bad patents are not granted.


text:
Q: Toggle Handler for add and remove products - React, useContext I have 4 products which I would like to do toggle handler for. User can choose only one of them. Every product will have pernament ID at the shopping cart.
If I click for one of the product, 3 of them should not be in the current cart - later if I change mind and click on another product, current one should be removed from the cart. I can recognize them by ID. I have a problem to make toggle handler. Can someone help me how funcion should looks for something like that? As later, depend on the choosen product, I wanna show diffrent price of other product and if change the basic ones, everything will change in the cart.
That's my functions in cart file for update items, add item and remove item. It's for all items in store, not only these 4 basic products. I would like to rewrite addToCartHandler for checking at the same time if there are already other ID prodcuts and if yes, remove them.
  const updateCartHandler = async (item) => {
    const existItem = cartItems.find((x) => x._id === product._id);
    const quantity = existItem ? existItem.quantity - 1 : 1;
    // const { data } = await axios.get(`/api/products/${item._id}`);
    if (data.countInStock < quantity) {
      window.alert("Sorry. Product is out of stock");
      return;
    }
    ctxDispatch({
      type: "CART_ADD_ITEM",
      payload: { ...item, quantity },
    });
  };

  const addToCartHandler = async (item) => {
    const existItem = cartItems.find((x) => x._id === product._id);
    const quantity = existItem ? existItem.quantity + 1 : 1;
    // const { data } = await axios.get(`/api/products/${item._id}`);
    if (data.countInStock < quantity) {
      window.alert("Sorry. Product is out of stock");
      return;
    }
    ctxDispatch({
      type: "CART_ADD_ITEM",
      payload: { ...item, quantity },
    });
  };

  const removeItemHandler = (item) => {
    ctxDispatch({ type: "CART_REMOVE_ITEM", payload: item });
  };

Store:
import { createContext, useReducer } from "react";

export const Store = createContext();

const initialState = {
  cart: {
    cartItems: localStorage.getItem("cartItems")
      ? JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem("cartItems"))
      : [],
  },
};
function reducer(state, action) {
  switch (action.type) {
    case "CART_ADD_ITEM":
      // add to cart
      const newItem = action.payload;
      const existItem = state.cart.cartItems.find(
        (item) => item._id === newItem._id
      );
      const cartItems = existItem
        ? state.cart.cartItems.map((item) =>
            item._id === existItem._id ? newItem : item
          )
        : [...state.cart.cartItems, newItem];
      localStorage.setItem("cartItems", JSON.stringify(cartItems));
      return { ...state, cart: { ...state.cart, cartItems } };
    case "CART_REMOVE_ITEM": {
      const cartItems = state.cart.cartItems.filter(
        (item) => item._id !== action.payload._id
      );
      localStorage.setItem("cartItems", JSON.stringify(cartItems));
      return { ...state, cart: { ...state.cart, cartItems } };
    }
    default:
      return state;
  }
}

export function StoreProvider(props) {
  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(reducer, initialState);
  const value = { state, dispatch };
  return <Store.Provider value={value}>{props.children}</Store.Provider>;
}

thank you for helping

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Hawkstone Hall is an early 18th century Georgian mansion set in extensive parkland in Shropshire, England. It now serves the church as an international centre for spiritual renewal. It has been a welcoming home to a multitude of priests, religious and lay people in their search for growth and understanding.
Since 1975, Hawkstone Hall has been an important station for many in their pilgrimage of faith, providing the opportunity for rest and renewal through the three month courses. People continue to journey from the far reaches of the world to this place, to be renewed by the quickening power of the ancient Christian story.


The Justice Department may be in violation of the law, congressmen say.
Two congressmen behind a federal provision protecting state-legal medical marijuana operations are seeking an investigation into the Department of Justice's continued crackdown on medical marijuana patients and providers, saying the DOJ may be in violation of federal law.
"We request that you immediately investigate the Department's expenditure of funds to continue prosecuting these cases, which we believe are in direct violation of the prohibition on such expenditures established by Rohrabacher-Farr," reads the letter, addressed to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz from Reps. Sam Farr (D-Calif.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.).
Rohrabacher and Farr's amendment, which blocks the Justice Department from using funds to undermine state-legal medical marijuana programs, found support in Congress and ultimately made it into the final federal spending bill signed into law by President Barack Obama in December. As the marijuana provision is part of an annual funding bill that will expire, the lawmakers introduced an identical version again in June, which was reauthorized by the House of Representatives.