text:
Geothermal power to take off in the UK?
UK's first geothermal electricity power station to launch investment bond through Ashden Award winner Abundance
Ann Noon
Geothermal power plant at Jarðbaðshólar, Iceland. Image courtesy of Debivort at en.wikipedia
Winner of the 2014 Impax Ashden Award for Energy Innovation, Abundance - the UK's leading ethical peer-to-peer finance platform - is launching an opportunity to invest* directly in the creation of the first commercial geothermal electricity power station in the UK.
A 2012 study by SKM estimated that geothermal energy – which captures the heat held in rocks far beneath the earth's surface - has the potential to meet up to 20% of UK electricity needs, with zero carbon emissions and providing a constant supply.
Abundance's United Downs Geothermal bond is seeking to raise up to £5 million to assist with the construction of the plant near Redruth in Cornwall. The project has recently been awarded a £10.6 million grant from the European Regional Development Fund and £2.4 million of public funding from Cornwall County Council.
According to Bruce Davis, Abundance's co-founder and Managing Director: "Geothermal technology is proven to work in Italy and Iceland but hasn't so far been used in the UK to generate electricity. This is a ground breaking project, which is backed by EU grants and the Local Authority, and offers a chance for ordinary people to take a stake in something with the potential to deliver significant carbon reductions in the future."
The geothermal plant will have a target capacity of 3 MW of constant power, enough to supply 5,500 typical homes each year, from 2 deep wells with an average diameter of approximately 20 cm, and with a generation plant the size of an average house.
https://www.abundanceinvestmen..
*Capital at risk
Winner update: SteamaCo launches new products to bring energy to the most unreachable places in Nigeria
SteamaCo Edge 6 brings groundbreaking automation capabilities to Africa's distributed energy market
Highview Power
Cheap and green energy storage
Impax Award for Energy Innovation
Angaza
Shining a light on the benefits of Pay-As-You-Go energy
2018 International Ashden Award for Financial and Business Model Innovation


text:
London Tickets On Sale
ByJoCo •March 4, 2008
UPDATE: I and others have confirmed that it's a 14+ show, and there will be no opening band. Which means I will be able to rock (oh so softly) for 12 or 15 hours.
The show at Dingwalls has been confirmed and tickets are now being sold right here. At this point I'm just waiting to find out if this other secret thing is going to pay for my flight or not – I sure hope it is, otherwise I'm buying a last minute transatlantic ticket.
I don't know if it's 14+ or 18+, there seems to be some confusion. Also not sure who "special guests" are or if there are any. I'll see what I can find out and let you know. Either way, Bob's your uncle! Apples and pears! Am I right?
Splendid. See you in Camden on the 20th.
Jon Who says
It seems like it's 14+ now, over everything. I'll definitely be there now, ain't nothing that's gonna stop me.
Marcus Rowland says
Be seeing you...
Christophano says
I had confirmation by email from the promoter that they have a 14+ license and will be happy to allow them in.
Danny says
I got my ticket! Now to see how many people I can get to come.
Looks like it ought to be a fairly well sold night.
Chris Radcliff says
£15.00 per ticket? That's like... *does conversion*... $700 each! You'll make out like a bandit! Just don't spend it all in gastropubs.
~chris, hoping Eventful passes the test. go Internets!
Mirjam Hengeveld says
I'm going to come all the way from Arnhem, the Netherlands just to see this. Who knows when the next chance is...
Mike Galvin says
See you all then! Sooo looking forward to JoCo Lo Sho....
Got my ticket and my mates!
Ticket Purchased! Now for Train and Lodging!
Booked and looking forward to the 'JoCo Lo Sho'. :-)
Thanks for coming over JC - hopefully it won't be a once and only occasion.
ttfn
I also got confirmation from the telephone number listed on their site that it's 14+, so it seems like it's all good for now. I shall be buying my ticket sometime over the weekend.
Frederick Heath-Renn says
It's 14+ now? Really?
Hell yes. Tickets por moi. (Or ticket, you know, I'm easy.)
It's nice to see everyone's happy about the age change, :P. I'd personally rather not bother with accomadation problems, go to station, and wait till morning, then move on...
Tristan says
Like I said, if you need a uke player I'll be there ;)
Angelastic says
Woohoo, it's real! :D Now if only the train booking site would stop having 'technical difficulties' :(
"Train and Lodging" Ditto :D
dam work :P slack off
MaW says
I can't wait, but I'm surprised they list special guests when you don't know anything about special guests.
I hope that's just a mistake, we don't want some two-bit support act turning up (a thirty-two bit support act would be cool though, can you get Paul and Storm to come?)
14+ So booked, also now time for travel and lodgings
Mirjam,
Hopefully it won't be 'a concert too far' for you.
(With all due respect to the British 1st Airborne Division)
I've been trying to book a train ticket online for about three hours now, but the site keeps tripping up at the last step. :( I guess I'll just start walking Londonward now.
Thomas Askew says
woo, ticket and train booked, I'm there, (I'm thinking of getting a lab coat and going as a mad scientist à la skullcrusher mountain/the future soon)
Lex says
For those worrying about a hotel - it's in Camden, I'm sure we can find somewhere to spend the night clubbing away, then get the first train home in the morning. That's my provisional plan, if the show ends too late (my last train is far too early).
juco says
You're following us to London! Or maybe it's the other way around. :) Anyway, we'll totally see you there. Hopefully we can bring some folks from MOO along with us.
Tmoz says
If I had a place anywhere near Camden I'd definitely open my doors and floors to fellow JoCo fans. Unfortunately I've just moved down south and will be looking for a sofa (or all night pub/club) myself that night. So excited!!
CALI says
Hopefully there will be some of you willing to tape and share some of the overseas crowd on youtube. OR even Ustream.tv the show?????? Anyone???
Eric Ginsberg says
You're right.
Roman V says
@ chris - actually 15 british pounds is about 30 dollars US.
Also, i think the age all depends on whether he plays First of May or not :P
Have fun in England. I really hope you are doing a few shows in a few places, just so it's not like you know you travel and such, do a show, then leave. While there, at least hang out, or do moar shows?
Also, for everyone going to show, you better grab like 2-5 people (not literally) and bring them with you. Show Coulton that shlepping across the ocean was worth it. Liek seriously.
schlepping* , according to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schlep
Dan Plus Add says
Wootage! I think "special guests" implies that they expect you to have a support act. You know, unless you want to just perform longer than the average musician... which would be cool!
Paul Cosgrove says
It's entirely possible that the venue will drag in some local teenage dirge to perform in front of JoCo and that's the "Special Guests" - I went to see Bad Religion in Dublin twice, and both times the support act were (relatively) unknown groups who couldn't possibly have been known by the headline band.
If they had a support group that really sucked, then we'd think JoCo was MUCH better than he might have been had he just performed by himself. And that would make someone's head explode, I'm sure...
Oh, be still my beating heart, hooray!!
MarkHB says
Ticket Get! Huzzah!
Now to spaff the news to all my chums - having successfully secured my own tickets first. Bwahhahahaa...
JoCo, you should consider coming up to Manchester whilst you are in the UK. Come see some of the real country instead of all that Metro bollocks.
YES! After one website and two travel agencies had the same technical problem reserving my train tickets, I finally managed to reserve some! It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.
See you on the 20th!
And believe me I will see you live. I feel fantastic and I'll see you live. And when you're dead I will have seen you live. Seen you live!
Gingerlink says
I could be a special geust!
I can...umm...well...no wait, scratch that. Booked tickets though :D
I know, maybe JoCo could ask people to bring guitars and while he's having his break, have other people attempt to play his songs, adding a bit of comic amusement into the break.
That's a tiny bit creepy, but well thought out Angelastic.
12 hour soft rocking would take us through the evening which we are all dreading. Whilst I get the sneaking suspicion it was a joke, it is still a good idea...
Only if I can sing along!
Gingerlink, don't suggest such things... He's already saying, 'You guys will all be able to replace me in no time.' Next thing you know we'll be paying for concerts where he won't even show up. BYOJoCo.
It would still be cool though. :D Hey, if he's not going to do a European tour, let's do one for him. There could be many different real and fake JoCos (let's call them 'tribute bands', it sounds better) giving concerts in parallel. We could lock the real one in a cubicle and get him to write a song a day.
That's a little more demanding than a song a week, though much more impressive if he succeeded (only if they were good songs on average). And I thought the whole point of him being an internet superstar was that he didn't have to work in a cubicle any more...
Good idea Angelastic! We could be called the FauxJoCos.
(Now, let me think of something appropriate to get signed. I suppose a half-monkey-half-pony monster would be a good start.)
I'll be unimaginative, and take someone's idea to sign my copy of "The Orange Box", or a PG Tips monkey...
Sam Dalton says
Ticket Purchased! See you on the 20th!
Lia says
Ticket Purchased, Brother just introduced to JC and is coming along, Bf flight tickets purchased, all in all its promising to look like a wonderful night. See you all on the 20th
Yay have tickets and hotel (theres one just up the road if anyones stuck)
Ooh, what's the name of the one just up the road? I haven't looked for a hotel yet, this would save me some time.
Iain says
Hooray! JoCo in London! Just got my tickets for me and my wife - who I've converted to Coulton! (Does that make her a Coulvert?)
Despite subscribing to JoCo's RSS feed and putting my name down on Eventful, the way I actually found out about the London gig was on the blog for the London Eastercon Sci-Fi event happening that weekend - so we're going to see JoCo, Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross in one weekend - OMG I'm geeking out...
ts the Camden Inn, I am personally astounded that how cheep youth hostels are. I Think that i should travel more.
Seils says
I currently have no money, and I dont start my new job until a week after the gig...but I'm currently working on a plan to beg, borrow and steal my way down to Camden from Glasgow. Can't let this slip past.
AJS says
Seils:
We can promise you that JoCo will return to the UK, probably by the end of the year. A Glasgow date would be in order. This show in London has already sold 180 tickets, and is looking like a sell-out. We're only slightly shocked!
Yeah, I dont doubt he'd be back. But I'm still going to try and make it down.
I've got my ticket now! Also got at least one friend to buy a ticket - Hoping to get a fair sized Bristol contingent along!
JRO says
Excellent - Got my tickets :-D
Hey, you know what? This means *we* are the special guests.
do we get paid? I would hate to do a show in front of us and not get paid .. by ourselves ...
I have a headache now :-(
Martyn says
Yes! Yes! Thank god!
JoCos in England!
See you there hopefully!
reb says
Wow - I can't believe it!!! I never thought you'd make it over here!
Just bought my tickets - can't wait!
El Tart says
After a bit of quick evangelism I've ordered a few tickets and will be there with some new converts from the Midlands! I'm geeking out tremendously. :)
johnarne says
Is it to much to travel from Oslo to London just for a concert? Of course not, not when it's JC! If you think me wrong, you can tell it to my face at Dingwalls ;-)
Joe Schmetzer says
Nice one! I'll booked tickets for a friend and I, and I'm spreading the word: http://www.exubero.com/blog/20080309_Jonathan_Coulton_in_London.html
I am so there, best thing is night before bank holiday so no need to get up next morning so i am all for an all night mind blowing experience. Now all i need is a friend or two i can drag along with me then i am set.
Believe it or not, in the short 8 or 9 days this has been on sale, we expect it to sell out very soon. If you haven't got your tickets, do it now. Next time; Shepherd's Bush here we come!
Freddy says
Got my tickets as well as my friends.
*sigh* I don't suppose a Scottish show is on the table at all?
Tried to get tickets yesterday, sold out. :'(
Me too! Sigh. Please come back soon. I'm seriously disappointed here!
instantiator says
Sold out. :(
Shurely once you're in England you can stay for another gig... maybe a tour...
Kitty says
I'm so sad I didn't even hear about it til now! Oh well. Please return soon!
From the Dingwalls website
"This show is sold out. There are 30 standing tickets available on the door on the night."
So the rabid ticketless fans out there have still got a final chance... or there might be touts on the night (yuck) of course.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How to get proficient? I'm currently a 1st year undergrad and I feel like my mathematical ability is very poor.
I want to get better at a lot of different areas so I can feel very comfortable with mathematics.
I see people on here and other places who know a great deal and can solve most university+ type questions I would like to get like this.
Obviously this comes from a lot of experience but is there anything I can do to try and get myself into that category I wish I was in.

A: Fall in love with mathematics.

A: Study. A lot.
Be curious and, if possible, try to go beyond what is strictly necessary to pass your exams or get your grades. And never believe anything to be true unless you see a proof of it and manage to understand it. In particular, try to prove all those statements you will find in your textbooks which are allegedly labelled as "trivially true", "straightforward to prove" or "easy to check".
Talk with your colleagues a lot and listen to the most expert, smart and good among them. Ask them questions, manifest them your doubts, what is unclear, fuzzy or indigestible to you: you want to learn from those who seem to understand things better than what you can do.
And, once more, study. A lot.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Map Proves It, ca. 1919
Supporters of women's rights used maps such as the one shown here to demonstrate where women were allowed to vote, when they won that right, and which elections they could vote in. The source of this map is unknown. Originally printed around 1914, it was altered over a period of five years to reflect the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in various states through mid 1919.
Each state is marked in patterns representing the status of women's suffrage.
White represents full suffrage.
Stripes represent partial suffrage.
Dots represent presidential, partial county, and state suffrage.
Black represents no suffrage.
In several states, such as Arkansas, North Dakota, and Indiana, pieces of paper were marked by hand and added to the map to represent changes in suffrage.
This map has many customized markings added, including numbers in the corners of states, small pink squares, and "1P" and "2P" notations. We do not know what all the additions mean.
Small blue pieces of paper record the dates that women could first vote in a state or territory. They also record the order in which the states ratified the Nineteenth Amendment. Illinois first ratified the amendment on June 10, 1919, but because of a miswording in the bill's introduction, the amendment was reaffirmed on June 17, 1919. The US secretary of state recognized Illinois as the first state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment based on the first date.
As the map illustrates, women who lived in the western part of the United States could vote long before their eastern counterparts. Wyoming, Utah, Washington, Montana, and Alaska were all still territories when women obtained full suffrage.
The chart below incorporates information from the map and from historical records.
Ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment by State
State/
Date of Ratification
Date women could vote
Official order of ratification
Order of ratification listed on the map
Not labeled
January 16, 1920`
March 10, 1920 (Confirmed on September 21, 1920)
September 14, 1920 (Reaffirmed on September 21, 1920)
1913 (only applied to white women)
US Territory - received suffrage on August 18, 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified
Questions for Discussion
Read the document introduction, view the image, and apply your knowledge of American history in order to answer the questions that follow.
The western part of the country granted women full suffrage rights as early as 1869. What factors may have influenced the legislatures of the western territories and states to provide for women's suffrage far earlier than the eastern section of the country?
After Tennessee ratified the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, there were twelve states left (other than Alaska and Hawaii, which were territories) to ratify the document. How would you characterize those remaining twelve states?
The states of Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina ratified the Nineteenth Amendment between 1969 and 1971. What historical events or trends may have impacted the ultimate ratification process in these states?
Maps are documents that provide the observer with information. In this case, "The Map Proves It" tells the story of women's suffrage. Create an alternate title for this map that captures the message of the document and explain why you believe it is an appropriate title.
A printer-friendly version is available here.


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Perfect to complete the software program of programs and cameras for reading plates.


Topics included: Terminology in medication errors, error causes, analysis of errors, Human factors, error migration.
Pre-Congress Course 2 - Active Surveillance in pharmacovigilance.
Observational studies and registries including methods to collect, analyse and decide about information.


Today I'm conducting a session with…Lily Vega!
*Leave a comment for Lily and share this post to be eligible to win a paperback containing the first three stories of the Devil May Care series.
Lily: Watching a beloved family member battle Alzheimer's disease was a lesson in courage and gratitude. It was a sobering reminder of the many tangible and intangible things that can easily be taken for granted. Hospice caregivers are truly earthbound angels.
Me: I couldn't agree more about hospice caregivers. It takes a truly special person to be able to do the job they do with grace and love.
Lily: Per the Meyer's Briggs Personality Inventory, I am a feeler, which enables me to connect deeply with my characters. Sometimes being a feeler can seem like a negative thing, especially when writing sad scenes.
Me: I'm a feeler too!
Lily: Introversion is a big one. The whole marketing and promotion part of being an author can be extremely uncomfortable for an introvert. At events, making an effort to mingle and meet new people, while always rewarding, puts me out of my comfort zone.
Me: So many of us authors are introverts! You're not alone!
What was your high point as a writer?
Lily: My husband and I were having breakfast at a res taurant and I decided to check my email while we waited for the check. The day before I had submitted a novella, Devil Inside, to Changeling Press after receiving a request at a Savvy Authors pitch event.
My inbox contained an email from the publisher, Margaret Riley, expressing interest in publishing Devil Inside and the other stories in the planned trilogy. I burst into happy tears, terrifying our server. My husband graciously read the email on my phone and confirmed that I hadn't misread the message. Changeling has been incredibly supportive of my writing career. The Devil May Care trilogy turned into five stories. The final tale, Impishly Yours, was released last year. I am currently working on my tenth story with Changeling, Emotional Rescue, which is part of their Set In Stone multi-author series.
Me: The first time a publisher wants your books is always special. It's a validation of everything you've worked for! And Wow–I didn't realize you had so many books out!
What was your low point as a writer—a time when you questioned your path?
Lily: I entered the opening pages of Devil Inside into a contest and while I received a score in the mid-eighties, another judge gave my entry a twenty out of a hundred possible points, the lowest possible score. The written feedback that accompanied the low score was equally harsh.
While devastated, I forced myself to keep submitting. I have come to realize that our reactions to fictional works is subjective. Just like I don't love every book I read, my writing style doesn't resonate with everyone and that is okay.
Submitting writing to a critique partner, to a contest, or to an agent, or to an editor is an act of courage. The only way we can become better writers is send our stories out into the world.
Me: Amen Sista! It certainly does take courage! I too have had a similar experience with a contest judge. And I've always wondered if judges like that know how devastating their comments are? I can forgive ignorance, but I can't forgive maliciousness.
What causes stress in your writing life? Why?
Lily: My internal editor (i.e. my self-doubt) constantly causes me stress. Many days getting words on the page is a struggle. Sometimes I find myself poking at words I have written instead of writing new ones. I continue to explore ways to suppress my desire to edit as I write. The best thing about writing for me is discovering the story and learning about the characters.
Me: I share your struggle. I edit as I go too. I've tried to just keep writing, to just get a draft down, but I can't. I'll stall out and stare and stare at a blank page, but be unable to write a word. Unfortunately, editing as I go is the only way I can keep forward momentum… Which sounds weird, but is true.
Lily: Stepping into the shoes of Xanthe, from Devil in a Blue Dress, would be a wild ride. Being a lust demon, she has two love interests, True, a loving beta hero, and Ray, a bad boy alpha. Xanthe operates solely on the pleasure principle. Being Xanthe for a day would definitely be a unique experience.
Me: If you could have dinner with any famous author who would it be? Why?
Lily: Stephen King is a personal hero of mine. I have loved his writing since discovering him in high school. His storytelling always blows me away. His writing craft book/memoir On Writing candidly disclosed his struggles with addiction. The hard part would be to actually eat dinner and not fangirl too much. If you haven't read King in a while, check out his Bill Hodges trilogy. The final book, End of Watch, was recently released. All three books in the trilogy stand alone, but tie together perfectly.
Me: Uhm… Can I come too?
Tell me about your spicy paranormal romance, Impishly Yours (Devil May Care #5).
Me: Share with us a favorite paragraph or two from your newest release, Impishly Yours.
Killian cringed at the besotted expression on the face of the drop-dead delectable Elf. The gorgeous female would be an unwelcome distraction without Eros's twisted magic. But one locked and loaded with fiery love was nothing short of apocalyptic.
"Good to see you, old friend." Eros wiped the crimson smudge on the tip of his golden arrow with the black fabric swatch he had removed from the prisoner's eyes.
"If you were my friend you wouldn't have used your love mojo on me." Killian forced himself to unclench his fists. Certain Eros had engineered events to make him the object of Beryl's desires, Killian allowed the poison of the accusation to burn on his tongue before swallowing the bitter words. While he wasn't without his own considerable powers, punching a deity would make matters worse. Even one who'd brought him a beautifully packaged nuclear bomb with the countdown clock ticking.
My Christmas Elves stories give me an opportunity to play. I love Killian's horror at his reaction to the lovestruck Elf. The paragraph is special to me because Killian and Beryl are both vulnerable and the friendship between Killian and Eros is tested.
Abbie Roads writes dark emotional novels featuring damaged characters, but always gives her hero and heroine a happy ending… after torturing them for three hundred pages. RACE THE DARKNESS and HUNT THE DAWN are available now! SAVING MERCY Book 1 in the Fatal Truth Series is now available for pre-order.
WOW! I am overwhelmed by the fantastic response!
I used random name picker to choose THREE WINNERS of the DEVIL MAY CARE TRILOGY in paperback!
Congratulations to: Beth Ann Tilley, Esther Gerdzen, and Michelle Willms!
I'll contact you via email for your mailing address and send out your books next week.
Thanks again, everyone and belated Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Shared post 🙂 New author to me !
Thank you so much, Esther! I appreciate the share!
I think it's amazing that we'd have dinner with the same author for many of the same reasons. I cannot thank you enough for sharing with us. It's so refreshing to "meet" an author who's human and not afraid to admit it (or maybe afraid, but admits it anyway, which is even braver). You are a brave, fantastic author.
You are welcome to join us for dinner!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am on deadline for my next story, a gargoyle romance and your encouragement is much appreciated. Sometimes the blank page is darned terrifying. Endings are tough for me, because I want to do right by my characters and give them a great happy ever after.
Thank you so much, Desiree! I appreciate the tweet!
Thank you so much, Katrina! I appreciate you sharing this!
Thank you so much, Angie! I appreciate you sharing this!
Just tweeted for my chance to win! I loooove paranormal so I am so excited to read some of your writing! Hoping to begin with a paperback copy! 😉 Thank you for the chance!
Thank you so much, Heather! I appreciate the tweet!
Paranormal romance is one of my favorite genres. I love giving my characters a happy ever after.
Thank you so much, Aureliana!
I am so blessed to be on Abbie's couch.
These books sound awesome! I can't wait to read them. I have never read any books by either you Abbie or Lily Vega but I can't wait to start reading them.
Now's a great time to pick up Abbie's books! The Kindle version of Race for the Darkness is under $4 and the sequel, Hunt the Dawn is 99 cents for a limited time.
My books have all sorts of fun supernatural creatures from vampires to lust demons to Christmas elves.
Thank you so much, Beth! I hope you enjoy them!
Thank you so much, Linda! I appreciate the tweet!
I love writing the elves!
Great interview! "While devastated, I forced myself to keep submitting. I have come to realize that our reactions to fictional works is subjective. Just like I don't love every book I read, my writing style doesn't resonate with everyone and that is okay." really resonated with me today!
Another trick that can help is going on Goodreads or Amazon and looking at reviews of some of your favorite books. In many cases, they have one and two star reviews, The negative reviews don't decrease the value of those books. Don't let negativity decrease the value you place on your own work. Hugs!
That's a good point, Lily. See how other people reviewed books that you loved.
Hey Lily! I've also shared receiving the harsh words from a judge. It's leaves you really bummed and getting back to the keyboard is hard. So glad you kept at it!!
I am glad you're back at the keyboard too!
One of the things that helps me deal with negative feedback is to try to dig deeper for constructive criticism. Sometimes the critique so general or mean spirited that spending more time with it only makes me feel worse, but other times nuggets can be pulled out and used to make the story stronger. Rephasing the comments into constructive criticism can really help.
Great interview, Lily. I've really enjoyed your stories. That contest judge was crazy!
I am so glad you are enjoying my stories!
Great interview! I'm definitely checking out your books. Have a great St. Patrick's Day!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Marcia! I still need to hunt down a Shamrock Shake before its out of season.
Thanks Abbie and Lily! Lily … you are a new author to me so it was great to get to know u thru this interview. So many things u touch on connect with me. Your comment about the hospice workers, being an introvert, dinner with Stephen King ( JD Robb would be my choice first, then Stephen King!). I also like to read about what make Writers/authors tick. How you and Abbie edit as you write for example. Thank you both for sharing !
I'd love to see Stephen King and J.D. Robb together. One thing I love about both of them is that there would be zero sugar coating. They tell it like it is.
The kindness and compassion of the hospice workers blew me away. Their presence provided a safe zone. We are extremely blessed to have such people in the world.
I do edit as I write. While I am trying to break the habit somewhat to increase my productivity, I find that editing the previous day's work provides a nice grounding in the story world to help get me in the zone to produce new words. It can be really easy to keep revising opening chapters and make incremental progress. I've found that its best for me to force myself forward to completion and go back to edit more once the first draft is done.
What an interesting interview…none of the trite answers, but then, none of the trite questions 😉 Thanks to both of you!
Abbie's questions were very thought provoking. Always interesting to poke old wounds (e.g. bad contest feedback) and find a little scar tissue but no more pain.
Great interview! I will definitely be checking them out.
Abbie and Lily, both of you know of my recent loss to Alzheimer's. A devastating disease. It's very hard on the family. But, enough about me. Most contests, at least ours, tries to convey helpful critiques without demoralizing the entrant. However, I too have had some bad reviews. One so bad that I totally walked away from my writing. I've read a few of Lily's naughty elves. Sometimes you just need a bit of twisted fun to take you out of your doldrums.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Barb. Alzheimer's is a cruel disease.
I am so glad that you came back to writing. With all your finals and contest wins, your books will be on the shelves soon. I can't wait to read them!
I am thrilled that you enjoy my elves. Those stories are so fun to write.
Thank you so much, Marin!
The naughty elves are so much fun to write! One of my favorite things is brainstorming ideas based on the theme of the year. How can you go wrong with Peppermint Twist, Reindeer Games, and Yule-Tied? I'm looking forward to finding out this year's theme!
Woohoo! I finally got you on my couch! Thanks so much for being here!
So happy to be here! Thanks for having me, Abbie!!
Great to see the inner workings of the mind of Lily Vega. Love the idea of auctioning off one's virginity to save her clan from bankruptcy. Great way to spin a trope.
I love writing and reading paranormal romance.
Wow. Thank you Ms. Abbie and Lily! I'm an introvert as well and I agree with you. I haven't read your books yet. But I will be adding them to my to read list. I love discovering new authors to me.
Great to meet a fellow introvert.
Finding new authors is one of my favorite things. I hope you enjoy my books.
Love this interview. Definitely have to check out Lily Vega's books!
Thank you so much! Abbie asked some tough questions!
Sorry to spell your name wrong, Latifa!
My kitty cat wanted to say hi to you by jumping on my keyboard when I was typing the reply. She hit the enter key before I was done.
I enjoyed reading about you Lily! Your excerpt sounds interesting, and I really love the covers too!
Looking forward to seeing your new cover!
Congrats, Lily! What a great story about your journey to publication!
Thank you so much, Saralee!


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Intricacies of the Intercessory Prayer
Since most Christians must be praying for general health, wealth and happiness of themselves and the world around them, we have to find out why it doesn't work as planned. Since it is Jesus himself that is said to have uttered the words "ask and you shall receive" without specifying conditions, there must be something wrong with the way people are praying.
Is there a time lag between a particular request and the divine answer or action? 20,000 years is nothing for an all powerful deity, but not so useful for us mere humans.
What is the equation defining the power of multiple prayers aimed at the same target?
Is a prayer stronger if all prayees are in the same room holding hands? If so, what is the ratio of diminishing rate per kilometer if the prayees are apart?
Is a group of people is set to pray for the same thing, but some of them are praying for different things, do the effect of the group diminished or cancel itself?
Are there thing you can pray for that cost more prayers, like you can pray once to get a deadline extension on a report but 20 times to cure someone from leprosy?
What is the result correlation between a prayee that really really mean it, to someone who sort of means it, to someone else who doesn't really mean it at all?
What happens when 2 people pray for opposite things, like going on a trip and staying home?
Is there a flash of light or a sound when 2 prayers cancel each other?
Are the exact tone, number of syllables used, color of clothes wore during the prayer and background noise matter?
Is you pray out loud for something, but think about something different, which one of those 2 request will be granted?
Do you get better at praying if you pray often? If so, does a beginner prayee have any chance at all to see his or her wish granted?
Is there a maximum number of whishes per person? If so, does the scale of the wish affect the maximum number of prayers allowed in a lifetime?
Is there a way to check our prayer status, with exact numbers for pending, delayed, rejected and fulfilled prayers?
Are there adverse effects when you pray in a clumsy, non-specific way (like being changed into a fish when you ask for a drink)? Is it like a legal contract, where the exact language really matters or the other party can take advantage of you?
Is there a limit to what wishes can be granted? Can you get something that is physically or logically impossible? What about getting something that will alter the space-time continuum or fold space into a swan?
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August is hectic — just ask anyone who's a student, or lives with students! There's a lot of rushing around as people get ready to go back to school, so this week's email is short and sweet. We've got three ideas, all based on our templates, that you can get done before that first bell rings.
Trivia contests can add a little fun to a campaign. Rasmussen College added a different trivia question to each day of their week-long campaign. To add a little more engagement, entrants are encouraged to refer a friend to earn extra entries into the campaign.
IDEA: Encourage people to learn more about your service or product by requiring them to answer the question correctly in order to be qualified to win.
Photo contest don't always need a voting phase. Check out ergobag's photo contest. Entrants submit a photo of their kiddo's first day of school. Although a Voting Widget is used to display entries, the voting feature is disabled. This allows ergobag to show off the entries that were submitted, but to choose a winner randomly or using a panel of judges.
Do you run a family-friendly restaurant, or offer kid-friendly entertainment? Kids Eat Free coupons or discount child admission vouchers can help you grow your email marketing list and get folks in the door. SafeHouse Chicago created a streamlined campaign where people simply enter their email address to download a Kids Eat Free coupon. The coupon is delivered via email using our autoresponder feature, ensuring that folks submit their real email address to receive the deal.


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Introducing: Solid Listen Network
by The Solid Listen Team | Mar 2, 2020
Welcome to Solid Listen Network!
Solid Listen was born from the desire to bring new voices to the podcasting space. Our hosts are spread across the United States, have different economic and religious backgrounds and ethnicities but they have one thing in common: an expertise on topics that only their life experience, dedication to the subject matter and insatiable curiosity could produce.
Our founder, Molly McAleer, has worked in traditional and online media for over a decade and prides herself on her ability to spot talent in the wild. She used this skill while successfully helping to develop hundreds of young writers at the website she co-founded, Hello Giggles. After reintroducing herself to the podcasting space in 2013, she realized that a lot of the popular hosts she listened to came from a traditional media background or were pursuing similar goals in the entertainment industry. While many of those podcasts are very good and rightfully successful, she felt that there was a big gap between casual hobbyists and those who were making a living in this space. That's when it occurred to her that she should continue to use her online platform to elevate fresh voices that excited her.
At its core, Solid Listen is a group of creative friends with the same breed of passion for a variety of subjects. Our roster of shows is continuing to grow while our existing shows get better with each episode. We hope that you check back from time to time to see how our family continue to expand and grow.


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An end of interrupt (EOI) is a computing signal sent to a programmable interrupt controller (PIC) to indicate the completion of interrupt processing for a given interrupt. Interrupts are used to facilitate hardware signals sent to the processor that temporarily stop a running program and allow a special program, an interrupt handler, to run instead. An EOI is used to cause a PIC to clear the corresponding bit in the in-service register (ISR), and thus allow more interrupt requests (IRQs) of equal or lower priority to be generated by the PIC.

EOIs may indicate the interrupt vector implicitly or explicitly. An explicit EOI vector is indicated with the EOI, whereas an implicit EOI vector will typically use a vector as indicated by the PICs priority schema, for example the highest vector in the ISR. Also, EOIs may be sent at the end of interrupt processing by an interrupt handler, or the operation of a PIC may be set to auto-EOI at the start of the interrupt handler.

See also
 Intel 8259 – notable PIC from Intel
 Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC)
 OpenPIC and IBM MPIC
 Inter-processor interrupt (IPI)
 Interrupt latency
 Non-maskable interrupt (NMI)
 IRQL (Windows)

References

Interrupts

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


We would love to hear from you! For general enquiries and samples please use the form below. Alternatively, if you're ready to place an order and receive a quote please use the form at the bottom of this page.
If you know which range you'd like, how many invites you need and have an idea of budget, get in touch and we can put together a package for you.
Don't forget to let us know how many of each item you think you'll need. Remember: If you're inviting 100 people to your wedding you won't need 100 invites, as some of those guests will most likely be families living under the same roof, so remember to just send one invite per household).
Don't worry if you don't know the exact date yet, you can just put an estimated date.
Which country will the delivery need to go to?


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Charles de Gaulle Airport Informational Guide to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) - Non Official
DL8591 Delta Air Lines - Flight Status
DL8591 Delta Air Lines from Nice
This flight was also scheduled for Yesterday (2021-01-17). See it here
This flight is also scheduled for Tomorrow (2021-01-19). See it here
Plane: Airbus A320
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Cote D'Azur Airport
Scheduled Departure Time:
Charles de Gaulle Airport
Scheduled Arrival Time:
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China decentralized its fiscal system.
as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this reform.
then talk about how this decentralization incentivized local government leaders.
the prefecture or city level, the county level, and the township level.
responsibilities of officials at these different levels of government.
about taxation and government spending.
into a unified pot and then reallocated down to each level of government.
move to decentralize this system through a fiscal contracting system.
with each of the provincial governments and then down to lower level governments.
to provide a certain amount of funding as a subsidy for that province.
raise more revenue and promote local economic development.
to centralize revenue in the hands of the central government.
the deals negotiated with each province varied a lot.
Shanghai contributed the most to central government revenues.
Why did this decentralization occur?
developed a good tax collection system.
fell steadily as a share of GDP over time.
by concentrating profits in state-owned enterprises by rigging prices.
But that was no longer possible during the reform period.
services, pay for teachers, etc.
saying, you are now responsible for your own expenditures.
that you think will be most effective.
were seeking to gain the political support of powerful provincial leaders.
the amount of funds that your province has to contribute to the central government.
promote your own development more easily.
How did this decentralization actually incentivize local government leaders?
development just because the tax and spending policies were decentralized?
they're going to do things in a much more efficient way.
they're going to have an incentive to support those enterprises.
And that is going to support economic development.
provide a helping hand as opposed to a grabbing hand?
Well first, China has a promotion system.
economic growth would be more likely to be promoted to higher levels of government.
to the province, to the national level.
they could have greater influence on local activities.
themselves, and benefit local citizens.
itself, as opposed to give to the central government?
increased steadily during the 1980s.
there was a much closer connection between provincial expenditures and revenues.
on their own revenue generation to finance their spending activities.
showed faster growth of non-state enterprises.
because they were under more competitive pressure.
What are the pros and cons of decentralization?
it relates to improving the incentives of local leaders.
about the local situation, and so can make better decisions about what to do.
experimentation where different local governments may try different things.
And the successful models can then be transferred to other local governments.
On the cons side, however, there are several important concerns.
But probably the most important is greater inequality.
Because in decentralized systems rich provinces can generate more revenue.
They can finance more expenditure.
in the rich areas compared to the poor areas.
uniform standards if we want people to be subject to similar types of regulations.
also to over-investment due to inter-regional competition.
to make plans that span different regions.
becomes harder if each province has a lot of autonomy.
more apparent, requiring further reforms of the fiscal system.
tax system that occurred in 1994.
the fiscal system in China.


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Attractions Ontario's Are We There Yet? Field Trip Planner was developed in consultation with the Student Youth Travel Association, Ontario Motor Coach Association, tour operators focusing on the student travel market, retired teachers, and School Board representatives. This province-wide publication is designed to present quality, curriculum-based educational programs to teachers and youth group leaders across Ontario.
This publication is currently in the market. As well, Attractions Ontario supplies a digital version of the guide directly to teachers via school board internal e-mail; 53 school boards agreed to distribute this on our behalf. We will also be producing a limited number of printed copies for those Boards that require a printed copy, or for those that request them.
The person arranging the trip must be employed to teach in an elementary or secondary school, university or college of applied arts and technology.
The exemption applies to one-day tours for students of the school as part of the curriculum or other travel services made through a registered travel agent as part of the curriculum.
Travel services must be approved by the appropriate board, principal, governing body or official.
The person employed by the educational institution must receive no direct or indirect gain or profit from arranging for the travel services other than participating in the travel service.
A Travel Service is defined as "transportation, sleeping accommodation or other services for the use of a traveller, tourist or sightseer".
A Travel Agent means "a person who sells, to consumers, travel services provided by another person".
The law in Ontario requires that a travel service which includes transportation and another travel service, for example a hotel stay is sold through a registered retailer/tour operator under the Travel Industry Act of Ontario. These are referred to as tours.
Teachers who "sell" or that are "arranging" tours without using a properly registered retailer are contravening the Travel Industry Act.
The Compensation Fund in the Travel Industry Act does not protect consumers (students) that purchase from an unregistered retailer/operator. Without this protection, the potential liability for the school board, school or the teacher increases if delivery of the tour is not fulfilled.
Travel that is planned using a registered retailer/tour operator is protected by the Travel Industry Council of Ontario's compensation fund. This helps protect the school board, school, teacher, student and parents.
Companies registered under the Travel Industry Act are required to meet strict financial criteria including working capital requirements and trust accounting thereby protecting travellers by holding payments in a trust account.
In January 2008, Canada's driver hours of service rules were substantially changed and impacts are being felt by bus companies, tour operators, teachers and school boards. One of the biggest changes is the 16-hour limit on the length of a driver's work shift, meaning a driver who reports to work at 6 am runs out of hours at 10pm that day. Another change is that bus drivers must be off-duty a full 8 consecutive hours between work shifts, whereas previously this break could be shortened. A third change is that bus drivers must have a 24-hour break every 14 days, regardless of how many hours are worked. The new rules have necessitated itinerary alterations and in some cases, a trip previously done by one driver may require a second driver for part of the journey. Teachers, principals and school board officials should note that the new rules now make the user of the service culpable in cases where the driver is requested, required or allowed to break the rules. This applies to school boards, principals, teachers and parent chaperones, etc. Therefore, it's important for persons responsible for organizing or accompanying student trips to work with the carrier to ensure trips can be conducted legally under the new regulations.
We can provide lists of our members who are legally registered as a travel agent/retailer and who plan group tours, contact info@omca.com for information.
Please refer to the Travel Industry Act of Ontario for details of the law. The above is for information purposes only and is our interpretation of the Act. The Travel Industry Act can be found on the TICO website at www.tico.ca.
Founded in 1929, the OMCA is a full-service trade association representing 80 bus operators, over 100 tour operators and over 800 affiliated sellers to the group tour industry including attractions, destinations, hotels, and retail outlets across North America. Operator members provide scheduled intercity, charter, tour, school bus, contract, shuttle, airport and transit services. The OMCA works with all levels of government to outline the industry's contributions and concerns regarding a seamless, sustainable public and private passenger transportation network.
Claremont Field Centre, 4290 Westney Road North, Pickering.
Various locations in Sudbury, Ontario.
Various locations throughout Rouge Park.
Come face to face with Zuul crurivastator (Zool CRUR-uh-vass-TATE-or), an exciting new species of armoured dinosaur recently unveiled by ROM scientists! Aptly named after the fictional monster Zuul in the 1984 film Ghostbusters, crurivastator means 'destroyer of shins', for its extraordinary weapon-like tail. From Zuul's skull to its menacing tail club, this 75-million-year-old, plant-eating dinosaur skeleton is the most complete of its kind, and was found with a diversity of fossilized plants and animals from the same period.
Discover the lost world Zuul inhabited millions of years ago, and how its armour was crucial for protection and survival.
Participants of all skill levels are welcome to engage in this make-a-quilt project. Drop in for a couple of hours a week or stay for four. Sewing machine in working order is required.
Participants of all skill levels are welcome to engage in this make-a-quilt projects and to work on their own designs. Drop in for a couple of hours a week or stay for the full session. Sewing machine in working order is required.


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Burglars Drill Hole into Jewelry Store's Safe from Outside the Store
This was a professional heist.
Two burglars looted Yuriy's Jewelry Store in Pittsburgh after they cut a hole directly into the back of its safe from outside the store, WPXI reports. According to the TV station, the crooks broke into a vacant restaurant space next door and then drilled a hole through a brick wall it shared with the jewelry store. They missed on their first attempt, but on the second attempt found the store's safe, which contained watches, gold jewelry and diamonds. The store's manager is reviewing surveillance video in hopes it can lead to an arrest.
See footage of the break-in at WPXI
Pandora Is Shifting Attention to Concept Stores, and It's Working
Beyonce Bedecked Herself in 100 Carats of Lorraine Schwartz for Super Bowl Halftime Performance
Columns41 mins ago


From lip gloss to buses and everything in between.
Our team has many years' experience in product photography, covering every product you can think of, each with its own unique set of demands. Simple white background, for web and catalogue use, or roomsets and props, which can lift a product, especially for brochure work. Or perhaps something a bit quirky or creative? Stunning concept images using models and unusual locations for products are an excellent way to capture the imagination and the eye.
Whatever your product, we can help you create the perfect image for your brand and your market.
Photographing a product in a lifestyle setting can bring it's own problems. We need to remember that the model is secondary to the product, and whilst they create the desirable lifestyle our client wishes to market to their potential clients, we need to bear in mind the key points of the product.
I find it interesting how ideas can evolve. This image, for example, was a bit of a throw-away idea for the Northern String Quartet. A bit of something and nothing for their facebook page.


ECO Consult deliberately offers follow-up services to a course so that your efforts yield the desired results. For one thing, to transform learning into change it is necessary to accompany and monitor the necessary institutional uptake. This can be supported by e.g. post-training evaluations, coaching/mentoring, and knowledge management.
Another aspect refers to the challenge to stay up to date: ECO Consult offers follow-up trainings as much for the acquisition and transfer of supplementary knowledge and skills, as for refreshing and updating the contents of prior events. As contributor to the institutionalised Climate Change Adaptation Training of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), we help you keep track with global and emerging issues and their recent development at the crossroads of natural resources management and good governance, such as mainstreaming CCA into national action plans.
As a permanent partner of GIZ for training courses and regional or sector specific training modules from 2010, ECO Consult was entrusted not only with the conception of trainings and trainings of trainers but also with the evaluation and backstopping of trainer teams, and with a series of trainer coachings on the job.
Knowledge and information management for the further promotion of the GIZ climate change adaptation training: development of a 'cookbook' with methodological guidance for trainers and facilitation of webinars for exchange of experience and information on recent developments.
For several years ECO has ccompanied the RIFFEAC network (Réseau des Institutions de Formation Forestière et Environnementale de l'Afrique Centrale) in the fields of curriculum reform, regional education policy and continuing education programs. Introductory training sessions were always combined with follow-up support, such as the (distance) coaching of education institutions for the development of curricula or the implementation of training workshops.
2012-2014: International Leadership Training (ILT) "Strengthening professional capacities in forest and environmental relevant training institutions in Central Africa"
Design and implementation of a one-year training program for future leaders from Central African education institutions. In addition to technical and methodological training sessions, ECO accompanied participants in the development and subsequent implementation of 'transfer projects' in their home countries.
ECO carried out a two-week training of trainers on climate change adaptation for climate negotiators and representatives of various national authorities, UNDP staff and members of NGOs. Participants' countries of origin were Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe. The training event contributed to enhance the trainers' technical and facilitation skills participants subsequently implemented the CCA training as part of their daily work. In 2016, ECO organized a follow-up training for participants of the previous ToT. This Top Up Training of Trainers offered the participants the opportunity to exchange information and experience with their peers, as well as to update their learnings and get to know recent trends and current developments in the field of CCA training.


Sorry for the late post today. Things are really crazy this week at work, but wanted to take a quick moment to thank everyone who filled out the Reader Survey from last week. I received way more responses then I could have ever dreamed of! Your appreciation of Green Wedding Shoes means so much to me. Thanks to everyone for reading and your great suggestions, critiques, and overall love for GWS. I randomly selected a winner and she has been notified (Congrats Aimee!!). Thanks again to Ruche for their generous gift card. I'm really excited to finish reading all your responses and work on the site redesign!
And for some visual eye candy.
wow! amazing! thank you for the daily dose of inspiration!
Cool photoshoot idea! I like the headpieces.
Thank you for taking your time to post hundreds of fantastic ideas! I have shown this blog to several of my friends and we look at it for hours. Though I am not from California, I will be sending you some engagement photos and some of our wedding in March.
Amazing! Love the dresses and the headpieces, inspiring!
Gorgeous set of photos…I want!
LOVE! The color is fabulous! and the dresses are amazing!
These photos are amazing. really great atmosphere !
I love how a chic headpiece can totally replace the need for a necklace!
Wow these are beautiful dresses! Can anyone tell me who the designer is?
LOVE these dresses!! Who's the designer?
I absolutely LOVE the first dress… who's the designer?? It's my PERFECT DRESS and I'll be devastated if i can never find it!
All I've been able to find through my own research is that it was from a UK designer in 2009, but no name. Grrr!!


It is important to understand the seriousness of personal safety and how to avoid dangerous situations at home or in school. Learning about all aspects of proper safety is an important part of education. Whether you are at home or in school, staying safe is the top priority. There are many things to learn about when you are at home and in school. Do you know what to do if you are home alone and someone knocks on the door? What about if you are walking home from school and someone tries to take you? These are important concepts to learn.
Being safe at home means you understand what to do if someone comes to the door and you are home by yourself. It also means that you have a firm grasp on what to do if there was a fire, if someone got hurt, about poisons and chemicals around the house, staying safe on the computer and understanding that drugs, alcohol and tobacco are bad for you. There are many areas within your home that can inflict harm and pose unnecessary accidents. Learning about how to stay safe when you are at home will only benefit you in the future.
Never talk to a stranger or get into a car with someone you don't know.
Do not answer the telephone or door when you are home alone.
Never accept alcohol, drugs or cigarettes from anyone.
Do not put any chemicals or poisons in your mouth.
If there is a fire or someone is hurt call 911.
Staying safe at school is just as important. Walking or riding your bicycle to school, staying safe on the bus and playground and knowing how to protect yourself from a bully, is all important information to know. A lot can happen on your way to school, you need to know what to do when crossing the road, if a stranger tries to talk to you, if a bully tries to hurt you or you get hurt at the playground before school. Learning how to stay safe when you are on your way to school and at school will help protect you from any harm.
Always walk or ride your bicycle on the sidewalk.
When at the playground sit on the swings and don't walk up the slide.
When on your way to school, never talk to a stranger or get into a car with someone you don't know.
If a bully is trying to hurt you, tell an adult right away.
When waiting for the bus make sure you stand far back from the street.
Would like to have a fire truck and firemen come to our preschool. Could you please tell me who to contact.


when choosing a Special Event and Wedding Designer?
Celebrating With Elegance is dedicated to creating truly outstanding private and corporate special events in some of the most beautiful worldwide destinations.
We collaborate with the best in the business across the world setting the trends not following them.
We create elegant, stylish and unforgettable celebrations for savvy, sophisticated clients who demand first class service and a world-class event. Small intimate gatherings and large and lavish affairs are all given our total attention.
We invite you to discover who we are and we look forward to the possibility of designing your next fabulous event.
Our dedicated professionals are here to assure you that planning an event or wedding does not have to be intimidating or stressful. Our talented team, will allow you to relax and enjoy your event. We are available to travel with you and hold your hand each step of the way.
As your full-service planner we will offer support to help you avoid costly planning mistakes, save you time and money, and to understand every detail of the planning.
Our comprehensive offerings are designed to assist you with ALL the countless details of wedding and event planning from beginning to end, while flawlessly adding your personal details throughout to make it unique and customized.
Consider the value, savings and reassurance a full-service planner can provide. When you choose our dedicated team, you are assured of getting the very best.
Our goal is to simplify your life and give you the peace of mind that every request will be handled proficiently with warmth, grace and style.
We look forward in the possibility of becoming the trusted company you can rely on for your corporate or private special event planning needs.
Celebrating With Elegance is pleased to recommend the companies shown on our web site as our preferred vendors for professional services and products. Here you will find information pertaining to their services as well as options available. Please note that Celebrating With Elegance is offering this information as a referral only, and is in no way liable or responsible for the services or products offered by such vendor.
Copyright 2013. Celebrating With Elegance. All rights reserved.


The Phoenix Heart Ball was created in 1959 by a small group of women in Arizona to raise money and awareness for heart disease and stroke. Now at 100 strong; funds raised by the Phoenix Heart Ball have supported research and scientific discoveries that advance the diagnosis, care and treatment of heart disease and stroke. One of the Phoenix Heart Ball's main initiatives is supporting the Halle Heart Children's Museum, the American Heart Association's only hands-on, interactive cardiovascular learning facility in the nation.
The Halle Heart Children's Museum, located in Phoenix, Arizona educates children and adults on a variety of health-related topics including the benefits of exercise, eating healthy and the importance of not using tobacco products. These important teachings are reinforced through a series of fun, interactive exhibits that illustrate how kids can make the heart-healthy choices to set them on the path to a healthier life.
1) Provide life-saving CPR Training and education to under-served school districts where there is no budget.
2) Fund field trips to our Halle Heart Children's Museum—the only cardiovascular learning facility in the nation; which creates an educational, interactive and contemporary museum experience for children of all ages to increase awareness and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
3) Help fund school programs for teaching gardens and promote healthy eating.
This RoomFunding Project will help fund the Phoenix Heart Ball efforts to support programs that help children learn about heart health.
For more information about the Phoenix Heart Ball, check out phoenixheartball.heart.org.


Featuring a bright all over print, the Boys 73 Lineup LT brings walkshort convenience to a performance boardshort. This Lo Tide boardshort features side pockets and a lasso waist. Allover print design, additional patch pocket with velcro closure at back right. Micro repel coating.


Belarus in Focus Information Office cordially invites you to the award ceremony of 'Belarus in Focus 2014' - the fourth edition of an annual competition for journalists who have published about Belarus in media outside in 2014.
Belarus in Focus 2014 launches voting for the audience award.
Belarus in Focus Information Office seeks a full-time project coordinator to work on media-related projects in Warsaw.


As the dentist, Westlake, Ohio, residents trust their smiles to, Greg DeVor, DDS, offers patients a wide range of general oral health care services as well as cosmetic and restorative treatment and procedures. Whether you're looking to maintain the health of your teeth or improve the beauty of your smile, our staff will provide the personal attention every smile deserves.
Today, the beauty of your smile is just as important as the health of your teeth, mouth, and gums. At our practice, we can take care of your biannual cleanings and consultations. In addition to your oral cleaning, we also evaluate the overall health of your teeth and identify whether you require more extensive dental work.
When you visit our office in Lakewood, you'll be welcomed into a warm, friendly environment, helping you feel comfortable and relaxed. You can be sure that you'll be given the personal attention and gentle care that you deserve. For more information, please browse our website or call to speak with a staff member. Westlake, Ohio, individuals and families can also come for a private consultation with Greg DeVor, DDS.


Having had quite severe thyroid problems for many, many years that are now largely resolved, I still have to be quite vigilant about the balance in my life between the food I eat, the exercise I do, the rest I get, and the amount of work I do. If I fall out of balance in these areas, my body tells me very quickly – and then I have to get back on track in whichever area has slipped.
Over the past year the area that has been put to the side more often than not is exercise. Even though I would still walk several days a week and do intermittent training at the gym, the consistency isn't where I would have liked it to be, and I do know that being very fit helps my overall energy levels and supports my thyroid and adrenals.
So to kick the year off I hired a personal trainer to do three sessions a week with me for the next month. And that has been fantastic!
By having to turn up for an appointment that has been made, it commits you to the workout session, and because you are paying for it – following the trainers instructions for the cardio work on the days in-between to support what you are doing in the training sessions just makes sense.
Part of what I had to do as well, was fill out a food diary for the trainer, which was great. To sit down and write every bite that goes into my mouth over a day was an excellent exercise in food awareness – and I can highly recommend that everyone keep a food diary for a week or two to evaluate your true food intake and where it could be going a bit wrong.
So we tweaked my diet a little, and with training of some kind almost every day over the next month – I know that I will have formed new positive habits that I had let slide a bit over the past year. I also know from previous experience how good it feels to be really fit and strong, and after a month I know that I will have created enough of that feeling in my body, to ensure that it is very easy to continue with the positive practices.
So for anyone who does feel like they have gotten off track a little in the area of exercise, I have found that doing some personal training sessions is a great way to re-form those new commitments. By having a professional put together a personalised program taking into account your health and fitness level, and then supporting you in forming excellent new habits, can serve you for a much longer time than just the initial month of sessions.
Here's to the new, super-fit me!
Previous post: Goji Berry Lemonade!


text:
require_relative "action"

module Bizflow
  module SemanticModel

    class InputAction < Action

      attr_accessor :next_actions, :control_input

      def initialize(name)
        super("input", name)
        @next_actions = {}
        @control_input = nil
      end

    end

  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Cyclist Jumped Red Light Before Fatal Collision
By BicycleLawMay 21, 2010October 23rd, 2021No Comments
This Is Exeter: Cyclist jumped red light before fatal collision
CITY cyclist Lee Squire paid with his life when he rode into the path of a van after he jumped a red light, an inquest has been told.
The single and unemployed 29-year-old suffered multiple injuries to his head and limbs in the accident at the junction of Western Way and Summerland Street, Exeter, last August.
He was on his way to see his girlfriend. Witnesses at yesterday's inquest in Honiton told of seeing him thrown into the air 'like a rag doll'.
Exeter and Greater Devon deputy coroner Darren Salter recorded a verdict of accidental death in the case of Mr Squire, of Little Way, Alphington.
The inquest heard that Mr Squire had been born with spina bifida and experienced difficulties in walking due to his disability. He had taken up cycling because it made it easier for him to get about.
Witnesses to the accident, on August 13, said it appeared he had ridden through the lights from the direction of Summerland Street as they were changing to red.
He died in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth two days later.
Driving instructor Danny Levy, who was giving a lesson, said in a statement the cyclist was tossed between two metres or more into the air on impact with the van.
Another witness, Simon White, said the cyclist had not been wearing a safety helmet.
"I saw his head hitting the van's windscreen and he tumbled through the air like a rag doll," said Mr White, an officer worker.
Van driver Julian Ghail said in evidence he drove through the lights on green from the direction of Sidwell Street and then the cyclist appeared.
A shocked Mr Ghail reacted by slamming on his brakes. "It was only a fraction of a second at point of impact," he said.
"The windscreen smashed when the cyclist hit it."
Mr Squire's mother Julie, from Whipton, who attended the inquest with family members, said in a statement her son was born with spina bifida and took to cycling because it made him more mobile.
"Lee would be prone to take chances at lights," she said, pointing out he had a 'carefree attitude' when it came to going through them.
Police accident investigator Darren Philp said judging by his investigation of the lights' timing sequence the cyclist must have gone through the junction when they were red.
He said the van driver had complied fully with the traffic signals.
The coroner emphasised the need for cyclists to wear helmets, saying a helmet could have improved the chances of Mr Squire's survival.
"This accident adds as a reminder to wearing a cycle helmet," he said.
"Lee overcame difficulties in his life which he did admirably and it is sad he died at this age and in these circumstances."
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\section{Introduction}
In this paper we will explore different available methodologies to automatically design controllers for tasks that spans many level of abstraction, where the gap between primitive behaviours and the task definition is high. A good understanding of your evolutionary setup is needed to choose the correct strategy with which to tackle complex tasks thus we'll first review the most used types of each element composing an evolutionary setup (controllers, objective functions, ect.) then we'll move the focus on the bootstrapping problem and on the different strategies used to overcome it.

\section{Automatic design solutions}

\image{ev-setup}{Interactions between elements of an evolutionary setup: arches rappresent input/output. In red: the objective function as an input for the evaluation stage, together with the phenotype (controller)}{0.4}

When it comes to automatic design, there are many elements to take into consideration: a configurable or evolvable \textit{controller} is needed, on which an \textit{algorithm} that find the best configuration for that controller is applied. The algorithm must be able to evaluate how good each configuration perform on the required task, for this purpose an \textit{objective function} is used. Sometimes a more convenient and/or compact rappresentation of the controller's evolvable parameters can be used in the evolutive process (\textit{genotype}). A \textit{mapping} can then be defined to obtain the controller corrisponding to that rappresentation (\textit{phenotype}).
\\
With all this elements in place we'll have defined an evolutionary setup \refig{ev-setup}. For each one of these (controller, algorithm, fitness function\footnote{``finess function'' usually refers to a type of objective function used in GAs but since here this differentiation is not needed, this term will always refer to an objective function.}, genotype-phenotype mapping) there are however many possible implementations that will be explored in the sections below.

\subsection{Evolvable Controllers}
There are many controllers that can be evolved with an algorithm, some of them are usable only in the ER field, others can be also designed manually. Among the most used, we can find:

\begin{itemize}
	\item \textbf{Artificial Neural Networks (ANN)}\\
	These are the most used evolvable controllers due to their fast convergence and the complexity of the tasks that can be learned. Algorithms have been developed that can train this kind of network in a very short time (\citet{art003}) that aren't task-specific and can be used on many tasks (\citet{art010}). The variable parameters in the evolution process are the weights of the arches, the threasholds of neurons and in some cases even the network topology. The downside of choosing ANNs is mainly the fact that once you obtain a solution, you dont know how it works internally thus making impossible to test properties or doing any kind of analisys (except on very small networks) and can only be used as black-boxes.

	\item \textbf{Programs (executable code)}\\
	Programs composed by executable instructions can also be used as evolvable controllers: once an instruction set has been defined, many algoritms can be used to search on the space of all the possible programs of a given lenght. As an example in \citet{art020} work a program evolved with a genetic algorithm is used to generate a walking loop on different robot morphologies.

	\item \textbf{Finite State Machines (FSM)}\\
	Attempts on the evolution of FSMs have been done in \citet{art001} with the main benefit of the solution being human-readable. Using an FSM means that you can easily combine primitive parametric behaviours by considering them as states in the automations.

	\item \textbf{Random Boolean Networks (RBN)}
	This kind of network have been used only recently as controllers in ER. Evolving this networks can produce complex behaviours comparable to the ones obtained with ANN but with a limited state space size, that leave open the possibilities for analysing their internal behaviours. Some studies have been done(see \citet{art012} and \citet{art013}) that suggest that RBNs behaviour can ba analized by mapping them to probabilistic FSM.
	The disadvantage of using RBNs lies in the limitations for I/O: input from the sensors needs an encoding step before being injected as boolean values in the network, and the same is true for outputs that are expressed as booleans and requires a mapping to the actuators; this can be a problem if the task require complex I/O values.

\end{itemize}

\subsection{Fitness functions}
A core element of the evolutionary cycle illustrated in figure \ref{fig:ev-setup} is the fitness function which once evaluated, discriminates the \textit{``good''} controllers from the low performing ones. The training of a robot for a given task entirely depends on the formulation of the right fitness function that can select the most successful controllers without including task-specific aspects that may introduce a bias in the process.
A suggested classification for fitness functions in ER is based on the degree of \textit{``a priori knowledge''} (see \citet{art007}) and from the most to the least task-dependent, can be summarized as follows:
\begin{itemize}

	\item \textbf{Training data fitness functions}\\
	These are the kind of fitness functions that measure errors on datasets containing example of task instances coupled with the expected output. Using these functions mean that the task is almost completely defined and the robot is not going to discover anything new, so they're better suited for classification tasks or where the robot have to mimic the behaviour of a human.

	\item \textbf{Behavioral fitness functions}\\
	Task-specific functions that measures how good the robot is doing by evaluating key sensing/acting reflexes useful for the task (e.g. in obstacle avoidance, a term that give an higher score to robots that turns when front proximity sensors are stimulated). These are often composed of many terms (one for each needed behaviour), combined in a weighted sum.

	\item \textbf{Functional incremental fitness functions}\\
	Used in incremental evolution where simpler or primitive behaviors are learned first, and the evolutive path is assisted by the fitness function that change through the evolution until reaching the one that evaluates the complete task. These usually requires an \textit{a priori knowledge} similar or lower than behavioral ones, but the course of evolution is restricted resulting in more trivial solutions and less novelty.

	\item \textbf{Tailored fitness functions}\\
	The function measure the degree of completion of the task, thus requiring less knowledge about possible solutions, letting the robots free to explore all the possibilities
	(e.g. for a phototaxis behaviour, the distance separating the robot from the light should be minimized like in \citet{art009}).

	\item \textbf{Environmental incremental fitness functions}\\
	Similar to the functional incremental type but instead of adjusting the difficulty of the task, the robot is gradually moved to more complex environments.

	\item \textbf{Competitive and co-competitive selection}\\
	This kind of selection force robots to compete for the same task (competitive) or for an opposite task (co-competitive, e.g. predator and prey) in the same environment so that even with a static simple fitness function, they are required to evolve more complex skill to beat the opponents.

	\item \textbf{Aggregate fitness functions}\\
	These are high-level function that only measure success or failure of the required task so that almost no bias or restrictions are introduced in the evolution. Aggregate fitness functions require the minimum level of \textit{a priori knowledge} but they're also heavily affected by the boostrapping problem, which will be explained in detail in section \ref{sec:bootstrap}.

\end{itemize}

\subsection{Searching algorithms}
Once an initial solution has been evaluated, we need to search for new ones in the space of all the possible controllers, that get better fitness function scores.
Usually getting the optimal configuration is out of the question in this field\footnote{Actually, an optmal solution cannot even be defined in this context because the objective function will never define the task entirely: better fitness does't imply better task execution.} due to the large size and low autocorrelation of the search field, hence many euristic search methods are used.
\\
The main block on which many searching algorithms are built is the \textbf{Stochastic Descent} (SD) algorithm that works as follows: first a neighborhood function is defined on the search space, that assign to each solution a set of close alternative configurations. Starting from an initial solution a random neighbor is evaluated, and if it gets a better score than the original configuration, we move to this one and pick another random neighbor to test an so on.
From a search field perspective, what this algorithm do is moving towards a local optima and stopping there.
\\
Many \textbf{trajectory-based} metaeuristics are created from SD that mainly aim to prevent the algorithm from stopping in a local minimum in various ways: accepting worsening steps (\textit{Random Iterative Improvement, Simulated Annealing}), modifying the neighborhood structure (\textit{Variable Neighborhood Search}) or scores (\textit{Dynamic Local Search}), tracking the already explored solutions (\textit{Tabu Search}) or applying a perturbation to the solution and then start SD again (\textit{Iterated Local Search}).
\\
Another way to approach the search is by considering many candidate solutions at once and evolve them together exploiting their interactions; these are called \textbf{population-based} metaeuristics. An example is PSO (\textit{Particle swarm optimization}) where while new local optima are found, particles (that rappresent the current candidate solution swarm) are moved towards them hoping to find a good region of the search landscape. The \textit{Ant Colony Optimization} algorithm makes another good example by using an indirect interaction achieved depositing pheromone in the environment toward which other solutions (\textit{ants}) are attracted.
\\
The most used branch of population-based metaeuristics are \textbf{evolutionary algorithms}, inspired by the Darwinian evolution theory. These are based on three main operators applied to the population: a \textit{selection} process decide which solutions (genotypes) will be used to breed the next generation, then a combination of \textit{crossover} (which recombine two or more different genotypes into new ones) and \textit{mutation} (which is a random alteration of a genotype) operators is used to obtain the new genotypes.

\subsection{Genotype-phenotype mapping}
Many types of evolvable controllers can be expressed in a compact form that only includes their variable parameter values, creating a sort of DNA of a given configuration called \textit{genotype}. In this form, the space of the possible solutions can be better explored and complex operator can be easely applied to a given configuration in a meaningful way (e.g. crossover operator in evolutionary algorithms). The possible encodings for a genotype, as suggested in \citet{art014} are:
\begin{itemize}
	\item Binary encoding
	\item Real-Number encoding
	\item Integer or literal permutation encoding
	\item General data structure encoding
\end{itemize}
A good encoding should also follows four properties that can be summarized as follows:
\begin{itemize}
	\item \textbf{Legality} Any encoding (genotype) permutation corresponds to a solution (phenotype).
	\item \textbf{Completeness} Any solution has a corresponding encoding.
	\item \textbf{Lamarckian Property} the meaning of a subset of the encoding (gene) should be contex-independent.
	\item \textbf{Causality} Small variations on the genotype space due to mutation imply small variations in the phenotype space.
\end{itemize}

\section{Complex Tasks: problem and solutions}
\label{sec:bootstrap}
Complex tasks are one of the main challenges for automatic design of controllers and robot learning. A learning robot accumulate competence on the task from experience (trial and error approach) but when a fitness function points to an objective that is too far beyond its primitive capacities, the evolution will fail to differentiate between initial configurations (that will all be evaluated with the lower score, see \citet{art011}). This problem is know as \textit{bootstrap problem} and its the main cause of failures on complex tasks as explained in \citet{art015}. From a fitness landscape POV this problem is caused by fitness plateus: flat regions that, depending on the search algorithm, can make the evolution very slow or even impossible (\citet{art016}). In the following sections the most used strategies to overcome this problem and to drive the evolution on the right path will be explored.

\subsection{Hierarchial strategy}
This approach is based on a \textit{divide and conquer} way of thiking: to fill the gap between the robot capabilities and the task requirements one can simply teach the robot the needed primitives first, and then evolve it on the complete task exploiting those primitives.

\subsubsection{Primitives - Arbitrators}
If the complete task is an immediate combination of a finite number of primitive behaviours, the primitive-arbitrator architecture is the ideal one. Since many of the tasks that appears complex are actually only composite tasks, this approach firstly described in \citet{art006} works very well and its largely adopted in many works.\\

\image{duarte-arch}{The controller architecture used in \citet{art002} experiment, composed of 3 behavior arbitrators and 4 behavior primitives.}{0.2}

In \citet{art002} work, the task consisted in a robot that have to: \textit{I.} exit and obstacle filled room to reach a double-T maze, \textit{II.} solve the maze to find another robot using a given light-code indication (so that memory is involved since the robot must remember the code to find the correct path), \textit{III.} resque the other robot by bringing it back to the first room. The choosen architecture that achieved a very high solve-rate (92\%, 22 robots out of 24) can be seen in figure \ref{fig:duarte-arch}, where each block represents a separately evolved ANN. In order to achieve succesful results they manually decomposed the task and used a behavioural fitness function for evolving the main arbitrator.
\\
A similar approach is used in \citet{art004} where arbitrators are explicitly thought as \textit{switchers} that activate one of the sub-modules based on the current sensor inputs. The architecture is proven to be robust to sensor noise by testing it on a real robot assembled with LEGO Mindstorms.

\subsubsection{GP and regulatory genes}
The weakness of an hierarchial strategy lies in the manual task decomposition step, that requires human intervention in the evolutive process. In \citet{art017} a proposed solution is to use GP (particularly \textit{Gene Expression Programming}) with the incorporation of a \textit{regulatory gene} as a part of the chromosome. This gene will regulate the activation of the others, thus composing a layered architecture that can be automatically evolved. This architecture is used in the paper to train robots on wall following and foraging tasks where specialized genes that are activated to perform sub-behaviours can be observed. However the tasks used here were quite simple and the proposed approach is not outperforming similar techniques that don't use regulatory genes.

\subsection{Incremental strategy}
Instead of decomposing the whole task into smaller primitives, here the idea is to learn a simpler and/or partial version of the task, gradually achieving the original goal by acting on the fitness function.

\subsubsection{Training on a simplified task first}
This strategy also know as \textit{scaffolding} or \textit{robot shaping} has been succesfully applied to solve complex tasks. As a first example we can look at \citet{art025} work were a prey-predator task is involved. The predator neural network is firstly evolved against a full capable prey (capable of making many (time-discrete) moves with fast speed) showing that the evolution stall at a low fitness value due to the complexity of the task. Then a set of eight increasingly difficult tasks is set up, where in the first task the prey is completely still (easy to capture) and the last task is the same as the original one. Starting the evolution from the first task, and then gradually moving to the more difficult ones once the robot solves them showed to be effective: every time the task is switched there is a drop in the fitness value and the robot start learning the new task, re-gaining an high fitness even on the last (original) one.
\\
Another more complex experiment is the \citet{art018} one where the scaffolding technique is applied twice for the same task along two dimensions. Here the task is a phototaxis behavior for legged robots that with the direct approach gives good results only after 30 CPU hours. To speed up the task, scaffolding is applied on both an environmental (as different orientations of the light) and morphological (from legless to legged) level in various sequences, even interleaved. The configuration where morphological scaffolding was applied first, showed the best results reaching a good fitness in less than 10 hours.

\subsubsection{Training on a part of the task first}
When we approach a composite task, where there are multiple behaviors to be learnt, an incremental strategy is also possible where these are taught one by one until the robot learn the complete task; this strategy is also known as \textit{behaviour chaining}.
\\
In \citet{art021} an experiment on learning two conflicting tasks is conducted with the goal of understanding what training sequence gives the best results and why. The two analyzed tasks are performed in a virtual arena and are a gradient following behaviour where the robot have to reach the top of the arena, and a rough terrain avoidance where it must learn to avoid ``dangerous'' zones that are arranged in a maze-like configuration. The tests are based on three setups where in the first the robot is trained in both tasks simultaneously, while in the others one of the tasks is learned first, and only at this point the other one is introduced in the fitness function. The results show that using an incremental strategy can lead to better performances if the hardest task is trained first.
\\
In \citet{art022} paper the performance of learning 3 tasks simultaneously is tested against an incremental approach.
The tasks are namely basic locomotion (since the robot morphology is unknown and the tests are carried out on twelve different robots), turning toward a moving target point and obstacle avoidance. In the incremental strategy the robot is trained in order in each task separately and as the paper shows, every robot configuration reach a good level of fitness faster than in the simultaneous approach.

\subsubsection{Dynamic fitness functions}
Incremental strategies seen so far change environment, robot or fitness function for a discrete number of training steps. The fitness function can be however made time-dependent in a way that the difficulty of the task increase dinamically over the generations without any abrupt change. In \citet{art011} this principle is applied to the evolution of a predator robot in a prey-predator task where the difficulty of the task depends on two parameters: the prey speed and initial distance from the predator. These are modulated by a monotonically time-dependent increasing function $G(t)$ so that the task become more and more difficult until reaching the desired final task. In the paper $G(t)$ is hand-tuned and the results show the increase in stability and the fast convergence against the standard approach.

\subsubsection{Coevolutionary approach}
In the previous example with dynamic fitness functions, the function itself was hand-tuned, thus requiring a human intervention to obtain the best performance. But as shown in \citet{art011} the difficulty level can be also automatically tuned by the algorithm itself exploiting coevolution. This can be achieved by making the reward for solving a task inversely proportional to the number of solutions already found by other robots, forcing the evolution to focus on tasks that are on the edge of what the current population can do. This methodology required more generations of the hand-tuned one to achieve the same fitness but still performed much better than the standard approach.

\subsection{Structural controller evolution}
\label{sec:netevolution}
The complexity of searching a good controller configuration for the task can also be reduced by using a smaller controller thus reducing the search space. But often if the task is a composed/complex one, a small controller is not enought to produce good results. An idea to combine the benefit of both sizes is to start with population of small controllers that due to the reduced number of possible configurations are more likely to give a good start to the evolution that have a lower chance of getting stucked in fitness plateus. Then to get more complex dynamics able to achieve a good performance on the task, another operator is added to the evolutionary process that expand the controller size with a given probability (e.g. adding a state to an FSM or a line of code to an evolved program).
\\
This metodology is mostly applied with ANNs, where a node is added to the network. An example can be found in the NERO game (\citet{art003}) where the rtNEAT algorithm is used: the algorithm is fast enoght to evolve controllers for a swarm of fighters (simulated agents with moving/shooting capabilities) in less than a minute of computation.

\subsubsection{Macro elements and mixed evolution}
Operators can also be added to expand the controller with different elements, that are not necessarily omogeneous with the rest of the architecture: these could be used to introduce primitive parametric blocks that already expose a specific non-trivial behaviour. As an example we can look at \citet{art010} paper where the NEAT algorithm is expanded to choose between various operator that can also add radial basis functions (RBF) instead of neurons. This strategy helped the NEAT algorithm doing well in many diferent tasks making it more generic.

\subsection{Modular architectures}
Complexity can be also found in the robot itself when its attuators need to be controlled together in a specific way to achieve a primitive behaviour. Think about a task as simple as going straght from point $A$ to point $B$: if the robot is an \textit{e-puck} you just need to activate its two wheels at the same speed to make it go straight. In \citet{art008} a similar task is studied for a miniature helicopter where the sensor inputs are position, velocity, rotation and rotational speed along the three axis for a total of twelve values and the four attuators control the rotor speeds and blade inclinations as in a real helicopter. To stabilize the helicopter and make it able to move forward these attuator needs to be operated in a given, coordinated way, while the other configurations would make it unstable and unable to move along the path giving the worst fitness score: this is exactly what generate the boostrap problem. One of the working approach found in the paper was to split the ANN controlling the robot in four simpler modular networks, each controlling one attuator and using only the needed subset of inputs. Even if these were still evolved together with the same fitness function, this setup was able to yeld much better results.

\subsection{Evolutionary Bias}
As an addition to all the strategies above, evolutionary biases should be mentioned. This is the simplest way to push learning forward in an early stage simply by introducing a tailored term in the objective function that, even if its not directly related to the task itself, can be used drive the evolution on a given path.\\
To show the benefits of a simple bias we should look at \citet{art019} paper where robots using ANNs have to be trained in playing a \textit{capture the flag} game. The complexity of this task lies in sensorial input and network size: a matrix of 150 colors from an image sensor is used, processed with a neural network with up to 5000 connections. An aggregate fitness function evaluates the number of victories, while to overcome the initial bootstrap problem another tailored term is introduced, that measure the distance traveled in the arena by the robot.\\
It's important to remember that biases despite being useful in an initial stage, greatly limit the search space and should thus be used with caution. In the above example the score given by the traveled distance term was at most half of the one given for a victory, so that once a winning behaviour is reached, the bias will be ignored.

\section{Conclusions}
The automatic design of robot controllers is not a fresh topic and many researchers have been exploring this field developing many different evolutionary setups. However to increase the value of these methodologies much work have still to be done in making them capable of tackling increasingly complex tasks while improving their generality.\\
In this paper the most widely used evolutionary setups are explained together with one of the problem that limit their usability on complex tasks: the bootstrap problem. The most used strategies to overcome this problem has been classified showing some of the work done for each one. Despite achieving good results, these techniques either still lack in generality because of their application on a limited number of tasks, or require too many hand-tuned steps (like the task decomposition step in most of the hierarchial approaches), keeping all options open for new works on other strategies or improvements of the existing ones.

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