Here's what's been updated in the past.
NOTE: The history on this site goes back over fifteen years, many of the older links no longer work.
02/19/2012: Two stoies have been added to the Stories page. Metamor Keep: Four Squared and Metamor Keep: By the Morning's Light.
08/07/2011: Started some color tweeks so the site isn't as hard to read anymore.
05/27/2010: Removed the perpetually defunct Programing Page, and added a link to my writing blog.
05/12/2010: Posted chapter eight of Objects. The new chapter and the whole story can be found on the Stories page.
01/26/2010: Posted chapter seven of Objects. The new chapter and the whole story can be found on the Stories page.
01/18/2010: A new story Metamor Keep: Journey has been added to the Stories page.
10/01/2009: AFiW has been removed from the site.
07/25/2009: Posted chapter six of Objects. The new chapter and the whole story can be found on the Stories page.
04/22/2009: Reworked the writing pages a bit to try and streamline things.
02/20/2009: Added a link to my Twitter information to the front page, plus a couple minor story revisions. I also removed the VCL archive links.
01/24/2009: Removed the "Off the Cuff" section (which has been dead for years) and updated the links page, plus a couple minor story revisions.
01/20/2009: Removed Vikky's stories and information from the website.
01/11/2009: Removed the character art from the website.
05/22/2008: Short Rail has been added to Year Five, and a new picture has been added to the Art page of AFiW.
04/05/2008: Ran though the website pulling out e-mail address. If you want to contact me or Vikky there's info on the About the Author page.
02/06/2008: It's Not My Time to Go, 2: Omega has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/24/2008: It's Not My Time to Go, 1: Alpha has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/07/2008: For All My Sins, I'll Have to Pay - Odd has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
12/31/2007: For All My Sins, I'll Have to Pay - Even has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
12/17/2007: I'm Going to Break the Cycle has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
06/03/2007: Chapter five has been added to Objects. The new chapter and the whole story can be found on the Miscellaneous Stories page.
04/12/2007: A Change to Four has been added to Other Stories, and two new pictures have been added to the Art page of AFiW.
12/26/2006: The Neverending has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
10/04/2006: The final chapters of a the story Something Blue has been added to Vikky's Stories.
09/28/2006: Deadline has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
08/23/2006: The next five chapters of a the story Something Blue has been added to Vikky's Stories.
08/13/2006: Chapter four has been added to Objects. The new chapter and the whole story can be found on the Miscellaneous Stories page.
06/27/2006: Pondering on Infinity has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
04/04/2006: The next five chapters of a the story Something Blue has been added to Vikky's Stories.
03/01/2006: The complete version of OverHill has been added to the The Broken Covenant.
02/25/2006: Familiarity has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
02/25/2006: Edits of Out of the Frying Pan..., Ideas and Repasts, Back Where I Started From, Acquisitions asd Repair Report have been added to Year One of AFiW.
02/19/2006: Added the In Print page to list where my stories have be printed.
12/26/2005: Loose Edges has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
12/15/2005: Three new pictures have been add to the Character Art page, some really goods ones too!
10/30/2005: The first five chapters of a new story Something Blue has been added to Vikky's Stories.
10/30/2005: Four new pictures have been add to the Character Art page.
07/12/2005: Secondary Event has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
07/01/2005: Disassociation has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
06/26/2005: A new story has been added to the Miscellaneous Stories page.
06/14/2005: A new story has been added to the Miscellaneous Stories page.
05/09/2005: Twelve new pictures have been add to the Character Art page.
04/23/2005: Fallen Stars has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
04/12/2005: A new story Metamor Keep: Deeper Underground has been added to the Miscellaneous Stories page.
04/07/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Sixteen has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
04/04/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Fifteen has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
03/24/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Fourteen has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
03/22/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Thirteen has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
03/21/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Twelve has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
03/13/2005: A new section of the web site, Vikky's Stories, has been added, as well as her story Surprise.
02/28/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Eleven has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
02/27/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Ten has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
02/20/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Nine has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
02/09/2005: I have added an a page of Character Art and twenty-four pictures to the site.
02/02/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Eight has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/24/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Seven has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/17/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Six has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/17/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Five has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/12/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Four has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/09/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Three has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/05/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter Two has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
01/02/2005: Singularity Collapse, Chapter One has been added to Year Five of AFiW.
10/26/2004: An Empty Chair has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
07/06/2004: Weaving the Web has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
06/26/2004: Event Horizon has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
06/21/2004: Changes of Responsibility has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
06/07/2004: First new layout in over four years. Most of the old links no longer work, and a few stories have been removed (the Absolute Zero stories and the old version of Objects). I've also added character pages and more information about myself. Enjoy!
06/01/2004: Familiar Vows has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
04/29/2004: Outclassed has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
04/22/2004: The Frist Rites has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
03/18/2004: Visitation has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
02/26/2004: Day Trip has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
02/17/2004: Work Permit has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
02/03/2004: Homegoing has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
12/30/2003: Wake Up Call has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
10/31/2003: Living La Vida Loca, the sequel to Once Upon a Halloween has been added to the The Broken Covenant.
09/23/2003: Chapter 4 has been added to Small Changes in Year Four of AFiW.
09/09/2003: Chapter 3 has been added to Small Changes in Year Four.
09/09/2003: I've rearranged part of the web sight. Moving both OverHill and Once Upon a Halloween from the Miscellaneous Stories, to the new The Broken Covenant page and removing the Aprentice Inept stories.
07/15/2003: OverHill: Part 12, the final part of this story, has been added to the Miscellaneous Stories page.
07/01/2003: Small Changes, Chapter 2 has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
06/24/2003: Small Changes, Chapter 1 has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
05/06/2003: A Change Would do you Good has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
04/29/2003: A two new edits, After the Move and Enter the Dawn in Year One of AFiW.
04/15/2003: OverHill: Part 11 has been added to the Miscellaneous Stories page.
04/01/2003: The Rapid Change of States has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
03/25/2003: Big updated, five new edits posted in Year One of AFiW. Tickets, Vacation: Entry Point, Vacation: Meeting, Vacation: Night Chills, Vacation: Day's End.
02/20/2003: A new story Metamor Keep: Four Times the Charm has been added to the Miscellaneous Stories page.
11/21/2002: The Ends has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
09/24/2002: A new story Metamor Keep: Pyrrhic Victory has been added to the Miscellaneous Stories page. The Miscellaneous Stories page itself has had it's layout adjusted.
07/08/2002: The Means has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
06/24/2002: T-Minus has been added to Year Four.
05/18/2002: Some re-arrangement of the pages on the sight, and tweaked a few pictures here and there. Also there is a new web sight, Chaos Keep.
04/10/2002: Counterpoint has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
03/07/2002: White Bread and Brown has been added to Year Four of AFiW.
12/25/2001: Chapter 18 has been added to Mirror Cycle, which is the final part of the story. The whole story can be found in Year Four . There is also a new story Repercussions has also been added to Year Four.
11/10/2001: Chapter 17 has been added to Mirror Cycle.
09/28/2001: Chapter 16 has been added to Mirror Cycle. I've also removed TheCounter.com counter from the AFiW pages.
06/19/2001: Chapter 15 has been added to Mirror Cycle.
05/02/2001: Chapter 14 has been added to Mirror Cycle.
04/05/2001: Chapter 13 has been added to Mirror Cycle.
12/05/2000: Because of the delay in finishing the story, all the parts of Mirror Cycle are now available online for your reading pleasure!
12/04/2000: AFiW is now on the Global Top 100, remember to vote once a week here.
09/12/2000: Added a new section called Off the Cuff along with the essay, Star Wars: The Prelude Problem.
08/26/2000: An edited version of Problems and Solutions has been added to AFiW.
05/13/2000: Overhill Part 10 added on the Miscellaneous Stories page.
02/10/2000: Once more we have a full sight make over. This should be the last one as I'm reasonably sure things are right where I want them to be now.
01/08/2000: Two new stories, Practicing Patience and Family Dinner have been added to AFiW.
01/01/2000: The story Once Upon a Halloween has been edited. You can find it on the Miscellaneous Stories page.
12/18/1999: Two new stories, Past Tense and A Good Day has been added to AFiW.
10/30/1999: Two new stories, A Complex Answer and Around the House has been added to AFiW.
09/04/1999: A new story, A Simple Answer has been added to AFiW.
08/29/1999: Attack on the Person, Strange Things Afoot and Assignment have been edited, they can be found in AFiW.
08/27/1999: Added the Furry Lit web ring to the main page.
01/30/1999: Added new versions of Objects Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 on the Dragon Stories page.
01/08/1999: Added the Circe Web button to the main page.
10/12/1998: OverHill part 8 has been added to the Miscellanies Stories page. Created The Golden Light story page, along with adding it's three stories. The Beginning, Out Past the Breakers and Monsters and Death.
10/05/1998: Added the picture Oriana was inspired from on the AFiW page.
09/05/1998: Tweaked my main page a bit, cleaning up a few things. Removed the reference to The Xavier Arc from the main page as well. Added Rain Bird to the Miscellanies Stories page.
06/03/1998: Added OverHill Parts 7 to the Miscellanies Stories page.
05/22/1998: Updated most of the pages now that a friend was nice enough to edit them all. :) Added OverHill Parts 6 to the Miscellanies Stories page.
04/12/1998: Well, I've redone most of the HTML code involved in the whole page, mostly you won't notice any difference. The main page has been totally rebuild and the MoonTrap page is down for some real overhauls. I'm now on the Fox Tails! web ring.
03/26/1998: Finally have put AFiW on my page, with links to all the stories, zip files as well as the picture of some of the cast.
02/12/1998: Added OverHill Parts 5 to the Miscellanies Stories page. I've also removed the page for the Xavier Arc story and moved it to my Miscellaneous Stories page.
12/16/1997: Fixed the stories in the Dragon Stories index so the link at the bottom of the story takes you back to the right page. Also added OverHill Parts 1 through 4 to the Miscellanies Stories page.
08/22/1997: Did some small updates to the Unofficial MoonTrap Homepage. I've also added two new stories to the Miscellanies Stories page. Tails from the Blind Pig: One Last Night and Spells-R-Us: Employment Opportunities.
06/05/1997: Added Changing Vestments to the Apprentice Inept page.
02/06/1997: Re-did most of the main page, as well as added my Logo to it.
09/12/1996: Added counters to my home page and to the Unoffical MoonTrap Homepage.
07/07/1996: Finaly, the first copy of the Unoffical MoonTrap Homepage is done!
05/25/1996: Upped the count on the rejects as I got word on the 20th or that it didn't make it.
05/15/1996: Added the 'What's new' page, and linked it from the main page. Added copyright notices to all storys prevesly without. I've also been give Virtual Vikki's Seal of Approval for my pages, cool! Removed my lifestory page for lack of intest. Cleared out all usless pictures. Add a small new image for what is.
05/14/1996: I'm now at 2 Submissions, as the score reflects. Also made the Xavier Arc page use tables, keeps everything nice and tidy. Added some information to the main page about where to find me online.
05/13/1996: Redid my places of interest page. Added the Moontrap home page teaser. Added Shared Host to the Apprentice Inept page. Added Objects: Chapter 1: Who goes there? to the Miscellanies Stories page.
05/07/1996: Redid the main page, added the Babylon 5 shields as well.


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Samuel Whisker (1893-1929)
Stanley coal miner served as a corporal in the Durham Light Infantry
Samuel Whisker was born in Stanley on 22 January 1893. His father was John Whisker (1868-1908), a colliery horse-keeper who was born in Whitehaven, Cumberland. His mother was Isabella Whisker nee Carr (b 1871), a coal miner's daughter from West Pelton. His parents married in Chester-le-Street in 1887 and had six known children giving Samuel four brothers and one sister, who died in infancy. In 1901 the Whisker family lived at 22 Middle Street, Stanley. By 1911 they had moved to 9 Shafto Terrace, Shield Row where Samuel was working as a rope-lad in a local coal mine.
Samuel attested in the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) on 27 August 1914. He initially served as a private in B company 10th Battalion with the service number 13394. He was later promoted to the rank of corporal. He entered the theatre of war in France on 21 May 1915. At some time he suffered a gunshot wound to the orbital region of his head. Samuel's pension ledger card records him as being discharged on 15 June 1918. Other evidence suggests that he was actually transferred to Class P Reserve. This entitled him to the benefits of being discharged, but was technically still engaged by the army, stating that the Class P men's 'services are deemed to be temporarily of more value to the country in civil life rather than in the army.'
https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/enlisting-into-the-army/british-army-reserves-and-reservists/
Samuel was awarded a Silver War Badge, a badge awarded to servicemen who were honourably discharged due to illness or injury. His records for this award give a final discharge date of 23 April 1919. Following the war, Samuel returned to Stanley and married Mary Whisker nee Scanlon in 1919. The couple had one child, a daughter named Joan who was born in 1920.
Samuel's war injury left him with a piece of shrapnel lodged in his head which led to his death on 23 September 1929 at the age of 37. The piece of shrapnel brought on a sudden illness and Samuel died 12 hours later. Both his death and funeral were reported in articles in the Stanley News which are attached below.
His details were added to the headstone of his brother Roland who was buried in St Andrew's Churchyard, Stanley. The inscription on this headstone reads "In loving memory of Roland Valentine Whisker the beloved son of Isabella and the late John Whisker who departed this life June 30th 1921 aged 24 years. Also, Samuel son of the above who departed this life September 23rd 1929 aged 36 years as a result of injuries received in the Great War".
Samuel Whisker was also awarded the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service in World War One.
Civil Parish: Tanfield
Birth date: 22-Jan-1893
Death date: 23-Sep-1929
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 22 Middle Street, Stanley (1901 census)
9 Shafto Terrace, Shield Row (1911 census)
14 Gordon Terrace, Shield Row (Pension Ledger Card)
Education: East Stanley Council School
Organisation membership: The British Legion
Shamrock Lodge, Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB)
Employment: Coal miner – Rope-lad (1911 census)
Family: Parents: John Whisker (1868-1908), Isabella Whisker nee Carr (b 1871)
Siblings: John Robert Whisker (b 1889), Selina Whisker (1890-1893), Roland Valentine Whisker (b 1897), Norman Whisker (b 1899), John Carr Whisker (b 1904)
Spouse: Mary Whisker nee Scanlon
Children: Joan whisker
B Company 10th Battalion
Medal(s): 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Silver War Badge
Memorial(s): St Andrew's Churchyard, Stanley
Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham
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Roland Valentine Whisker (1897-1921)
Norman Whisker (1899-1978)
John Robert Whisker (1888-1946)
Ex-Serviceman's Death
Funeral of Mr. S. Whisker
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text:
Minnesota Nice: Corvette Birthday Parade
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- So much has been canceled the past several weeks because of the novel coronavirus, including some very important birthday parties.
But one lucky young man had a lot to celebrate as he ushered in his 9th birthday.
Andrew couldn't celebrate with a traditional party this week, so his family decided to do something nice for him and his friends by inviting a handful of Corvette enthusiasts to surprise him for his birthday.
Word got out and 33 drivers with their Corvettes showed up to join in the birthday party parade.
The president of the Rochester area Corvette Enthusiast club says members wanted to do something nice to help celebrate during these difficult times.


This website contacted 5 IPs in 2 countries across 5 domains to perform 50 HTTP transactions.
The main IP is 103.235.105.76, located in India and belongs to NETMAGIC-AP Netmagic Datacenter Mumbai, IN. The main domain is ibpstestseries.com.


text:
A sales rep walks into an independent bookstore
January 31, 2018 February 5, 2018 DerekLeave a comment
Booktimist has showcased perspectives from authors and editors, but there are many other professionals involved in making and disseminating books. Today we hear from Bob Barnett, the regional sales manager for the University of Texas Press. He sells titles to bookstores in the southern United States for a number of university presses, including WVU.
During the annual winter meeting of publishers and booksellers, American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher referred to the "indie resurgence." New independent bookstores are opening (40 last year) and sales have improved, year to year, for the past five years. According to a new study associated with the Harvard Business School, the resurgence of indie bookselling has been influenced by three factors – community, curation, and convening. On a recent trip to Florida, I had the chance to visit Copperfish Books for the first time. Based on my visit, I think it illustrates the three C's of indie bookstore success.
Copperfish Books is located in Punta Gorda on the Gulf Coast, just south of Sarasota. Punta Gorda has the notoriety of having been mostly decimated in 2004 by Hurricane Charley. It's a small town with fewer than 30,000 residents, but it has long been a vital spot on Florida's Gulf Coast. Cathy Graham and Serena Wycoff arrived in Punta Gorda in 2005. At the time, Cathy notes, "There had been a bookstore downtown near our current location, but it was destroyed by the hurricane." They had an online business selling used and antiquarian books, and after almost two years of planning they opened their bricks-and-mortar shop.
Copperfish has a friendly and inviting vibe. On the day I visited, Cathy reminisced with a retired couple about old Punta Gorda, made recommendations to another customer for his elderly father, and indulged a curious publisher's rep. Experiencing the recovery of Punta Gorda, Cathy and Serena seem to have become an essential part of the reborn town's community. Snowbirds from the Midwest, tourists from Europe, and the locals all have found Copperfish available to fulfill their book desires.
The store's inventory is a blend of new, used, and antique books. Most categories blend new and used titles. A special antique section shelves much older books and series. (In fact, if one were looking for a nineteenth-century American edition of Dickens, one might give them a call.) Since the store opened, the mostly used book inventory has been surpassed in sales by new books. Now the store sells twice as many new books as used.
Thirteen years a bookseller and 23 years a sales rep, Bob Barnett represents an assortment of university presses to indie bookstore accounts and serves as Regional Sales Manager for UT Press. He lives in Louisville, KY. (Photo credit, Bailey Walsh, University of Chicago Press.)
Even though the area is mostly retired, mostly Republican, and mostly white, the owners recognize their role in expanding their patrons' interest by selecting titles that they might not otherwise encounter. Whether introducing a local teacher to the highly regarded young adult novel The Hate U Give, or displaying the recent Ta-Nehisi Coates book on their front table, these booksellers take seriously their commitment to curate a diverse and interesting selection in their small space. (At the time of my visit, they were still trying to keep up with a Fire and Fury waiting list.) They also support local-interest publishers and university presses. Cathy says, "I appreciate the special interest and regional titles published [by university presses]. Making those titles available to independent stores is invaluable, enriching our customer experience!"
Between sponsoring events at their store and participating with local community groups, Copperfish averages about 75 events a year, most of them during the high season of January through March. Each Saturday, they host a story time for kids.
Like indies across the country, Copperfish is optimistic about their future. The store faces the remaining undeveloped area created by the hurricane in the historic downtown. A boutique hotel and mixed used development are planned for this area, and as Punta Gorda grows, one can expect Copperfish Books to grow and prosper.
Illustrations from Aliki's How a Book Is Made, which belongs on every publishing person's shelf.
The African American experience in Appalachia: Books, events, and articles from WVU Press
Muriel Rukeyser's memory, or, the ends of poetry


2011-02-19T22:06:15-05:00https://images.c-span.org/Files/190/297868-m.jpgVeteran journalist Carole Simpson tells her story of climbing the ranks in a white-male-dominated profession to eventually report in the national news divisions of NBC and ABC. She talked with Nia-Malika Henderson of the Washington Post.
Veteran journalist Carole Simpson tells her story of climbing the ranks in a white-male-dominated profession to eventually report in the national news divisions of NBC and ABC. She talked with Nia-Malika Henderson of the Washington Post.


text:
Rodric David
Entrepreneur, Visionary, Family Man
About Rodric David
Does Copyright Matter in the Digital Age?
By Rodric David
Thunder Studios' CEO Rodric David with recording artist Redfoo.
Irving Azoff, famed entertainment executive and musician manger, intensified his campaign against YouTube with a barrage of tweets on June 22, including a declaration of his support for the initiative of 180+ recording artists who had recently published an open letter to Congress. The letter lobbies for an update to the nearly 20 year old Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Azoff joins artists including Taylor Swift, U2, Elton John, and Christina Aguilera who are incensed that Internet service providers, websites, and streaming services are, in many instances, protected from violations of copyright infringement of an artist's rights. Currently, the only way for a recording artist to keep their copyrighted work off of YouTube is to send a notice for each instance their work is uploaded by any user. This is a near impossible task given the fact that YouTube sees 500 hours of video content uploaded every minute.
Rodric David is the Chairman and CEO of Thunder Studios.
YouTube is specifically in Azoff's crosshairs because they have built a massive business on allowing consumers to upload, distribute, and share copyrighted material while paying artists peanuts. His anger and frustration is detailed in his open letter to YouTube dated May 9th in which he states to YouTube, "You have built a business that works really well for you and Google, but it doesn't work well for artists." Azoff further states, "Your attempt at 'Setting the Record Straight' through a post on your 'creator blog' last month did exactly the opposite: It was obfuscation to divert artists' attention from the fact that YouTube hides behind the DMCA's 'safe harbor' provision and pays artists a pittance." The group argues that the DMCA simply doesn't work because it was originally drafted in an era with a vastly different technological landscape. See Irving Azoff @irvingazoff on Twitter to follow the developing story https://twitter.com/irvingazoff.
I believe that Mr. Azoff has commenced the content war that I predicted between creators and the distribution platforms that pay zero or minimal compensation for the use of copyrighted material. Whilst I originally termed this pending conflict "The Eyeball War" it clearly extends to audio content as well. The technology used by many distribution platforms is easily replicable, what is not so easily duplicated is the audience curation. This would require an alliance between content owners to scale more readily and potentially give rise to more artist friendly platforms. The sooner artists and creators recognize this and collaborate to defend their rights, the sooner creators will control their own monetization opportunities.
Four Million Dollars of P&A Attached to 'Nine Eleven' Project by Thunder Studios Capital Management
Empowering Creators
Why and How the Metaverse Will Supplant the Internet
Great content? That's only the half of it.
THE BACKLOT: BAFTA BRITANNIA AWARDS
Paywalls and Gaming: The Canary in the Coal Mine?
DISTRIBUTION 101: A Very Brief History of Civilization
©2022 Rodric David
Rodric David powered by 5 Elements Entertainment


Meanwhile, back on Shengri La, life hasn't stopped. We have a new resident on the islands, Chestnut Rau. Welcome to Chestnut, I hope she enjoys her tenure with us.
We also have several events upcoming, including the opening of Calli's newly re-designed art gallery, The Gallery at Shengri La. Calli is our official photographer of all things Fashion Research Institute and we have been very fortunate to have her talent documenting the growth and changes of Shengri La. As an FRI collaborator and Utopian, we're looking forward to seeing what she can do in Shengri La Spirit in coming weeks, but for now, I hope you will join us Thursday, May 8, 2008 at her gallery in Shengri La.
At the very least, stop by and check out her innovative gallery design that features the carefully sculpted hands of another of our featured artists, Pumpkin Tripsa. Pumpkin's work can be seen all over Shengri La in the form of gargoyles and mermaid sculptures.
Also, on Saturdays, we have our regularly scheduled vintage marketplace, where new designers can show their work, for free. Set up starts Friday evening, prims are returned on Saturday evening at 5:15 pm SLT, and vendors are limited to 20 prims to be contained within the marketplace tents. No adult content, no BIAB, and above all, nothing that infringes anyone else's copyright.
Upcoming on May 17th, we're very pleased to host Random Calliope and his legendary butterfly hunt. Random is a longtime friend and we're very pleased to be able to support his work by opening our five sims for this purpose. His manager, Elizabeth Tinsley, told me she'll be releasing 5,000 Ode butterflies on Shengri La's sim so there should be plenty for everyone. As a side note, to assist Elizabeth in setting up, we will be closing and locking the Shengri La sims (Shengri La, Shengri La Love, Shengri La Joy, Shengri La Hope, And Shengri La Peace) starting at 4:45 pm SLT on Saturday, May 17th. We will open the sims promptly at 6:00 pm SLT and the hunt will begin. Please feel free to pick up a landmark from the sims in advance of the event from one of the landmark givers. Utopians will be unable to provide limo service.
Immediately after the Hunt, we'll be hosting a Monarch Rave, one of our irregularly scheduled events we host for our IBM technology partners and other collaborators. Please join us on the visually lush Shengri La sim for 3 hours of psytrance by DJ Qee Nishi. Raving music starts at 7 pm SLT. Dress is butterfly, monarch, Monarch butterfly, fairy, or any other cool thing you care to wear to dress to impress. Rave on in our special homage to the Monarch butterfly; visit early to the dance platform and pick up your party pack or join our event group, IBM Parties On! for up to the minute information about events we host.
Also that weekend, we'll be hosting two new artists who will be opening their shows in the Small Gallery and in one of the other galleries located on Shengri La. More about this as we are closer to the big day!
More information on the Ode Butterfly Hunt: Over the weekend of May 16-18, 2008, there will be a massive migration of Random Calliope's Ode Butterflies through Second Life. Commencing on Friday, May 16 from the Science Friday sim, the Ode butterflies will wind their way throughout SL to commemorate the opening of the North American Monarch Butterfly Exhibit at the Science Friday sim and in general raise awareness of the awe-inspiring real life annual North American Monarch Butterfly migration.
Ode, and the butterfly hunts that allow one to get it, is a homage to the once very popular community butterfly hunts of days gone by. Proper gentlemen and gentlewomen would pack their picnic baskets in the spring and summer and head off to the nearest flowered field. There they would use their butterfly nets to capture prized butterflies of infinite variety.
The Ode hunts are done just the same way. The community gathers in a field of butterflies and tries to catch them. They may be in trees, floating around, in the grass, or anywhere a butterfly might be found. The hunts work in this way. Pieces of Ode jewelry are put in selected butterflies and then released in a pack of decoy butterflies. There is a script contained in each butterfly that allows it to fly in a random pattern around the sim. When the hunt begins the participants need to find and click on the butterflies to "catch" them.
Ode is an 8 piece jewelry set (hair piece, earrings, necklace, pendant, brooch, bracelet, ring) which at this moment has 22 color variations. The challenge is to complete full sets of one color for your Ode butterfly collection; however, Ode pieces can only be obtained through participating in Ode Butterfly hunts and/or through trading with other collectors. New varieties of butterflies are occasionally added and some variations such as the Platinum and the Shades of Golden are extremely rare.
To stay informed of when the Ode Butterfly Hunts are beginning please join the Ode Butterfly Collectors Subscription group by clicking on a kiosk at either Random's WorthWhile Gallery in Ode or the Science Friday sim.


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'Trump of the Tropics' Bolsonaro silent as Lula claims narrow win in Brazil
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, center, who is running for president again, hold hands with a supporter after voting in a presidential run-off election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) more >
By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times - Monday, October 31, 2022
Right-wing populist President Jair Bolsonaro's refusal Monday to concede a knife-edge election triggered fears of political unrest in Brazil, a key battleground country in the growing cold-war-style rivalry between the U.S. and China for influence over South America.
Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated leftist icon Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday. China's investment in Brazil has dramatically outstripped that of the U.S. in recent years.
Mr. da Silva defeated Mr. Bolsonaro by less than 2 percentage points in the runoff election Sunday, according to official tallies.
"I attach great importance to the development of China-Brazil relations," Mr. Xi said in a statement calling for a new level of "comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Brazil."
Hours earlier, President Biden rushed to congratulate Mr. da Silva, whose win marks an about-face for Brazil after four years of populist, far-right policies. Mr. Bolsonaro nearly came back to win a second term in the tight contest.
Mr. Biden emphasized that the election was "free, fair and credible." Yet fears were mounting that Mr. Bolsonaro may refuse the result and spark demonstrations that could violently divide Brazil, the top U.S. trade partner in South America and the Western Hemisphere's second most powerful economy.
Mr. Bolsonaro, often dubbed the "Trump of the Tropics," consistently trailed in polls to Mr. da Silva. Before the vote, he made repeated but unproven claims of possible electoral manipulation, raising fears that his supporters would not accept defeat.
Mr. da Silva, who was president from 2003 to 2010, held a 50.9% to 49.1% lead after 99.9% of the votes were counted Sunday night, Brazilian election officials said. The count, they said, meant it would be mathematically impossible for Mr. Bolsonaro to be declared the winner.
Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, who served as a coordinator on his father's campaign, thanked supporters Monday and told them to keep their heads up and "don't give up on Brazil."
Several top Bolsonaro associates said they accepted the narrow defeat. Mr. Bolsonaro's movement will retain considerable influence with gains among key state governorships and in the national legislature.
The acrid tone of the election was laid bare in fiery television debates in September. Mr. da Silva, whose political career was nearly derailed by corruption scandals after he became a darling of the global left during his previous presidency, said Mr. Bolsonaro's brand of unapologetic pro-market, right-wing populism had "destroyed" Brazil.
Mr. Bolsonaro, 67, countered by repeatedly referring to Mr. da Silva, 77, as an "ex-convict" and drew attention to the 19 months the former president spent in prison in 2018 and 2019 for corruption and money laundering tied to sprawling scandals during his time in office.
Mr. da Silva's early-2000s economic growth and anti-poverty initiatives were popular. The programs were funded with profits from an unexpected fossil fuel boom after the 2007 discovery of the massive Tupi oil field off the Brazilian coast.
Brazil has become one of the top 10 suppliers of oil to China, which has spent the past decade expanding its investments in the South American country.
The China-Brazil business council has claimed Chinese companies invested some $5.9 billion in Brazil in 2021, more than three times the roughly $1.9 billion Chinese companies reported spending in the country in 2020, according to the Chile-based economic analytics firm BNamericas.
The Chinese investment pales in comparison with the total $108 billion in foreign direct investment stocks in Brazil held by U.S. companies. China's overall trade with Brazil and other South American countries is growing.
A February report by Bloomberg said China had bought up so much copper, pork and soy — and constructed so many roads, trains, power grids and bridges — on the continent that it surpassed the U.S. as South America's largest trade partner. Combined with Brazil, Chile and Peru, it is now the single biggest trader.
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported Monday that trade between China and Brazil hit a record $135 billion in 2021, marking four consecutive years of growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new partner in Brasilia?
Analysts are framing the da Silva victory as a boost for Brazilian-Chinese ties. During Mr. da Silva's presidency from 2003 to 2010, Brazil considered China as a key partner in helping restructure the international order.
"In 2004, Lula drew closer to Beijing, leading a delegation of more than 450 business leaders to China to lay the foundations for a partnership that intertwined the economies of both countries," the South China Morning Post reported, and "during Lula's presidency, he met former Chinese President Hu Jintao eight times."
Where Mr. da Silva intends to take the relationship upon his return to the presidency remains to be seen. Brazil is dealing with high inflation and a forecast of slowing economic growth.
Shoring up domestic political divisions may also factor into Mr. da Silva's foreign policy. Thus far, he is promising to govern beyond his party by bringing in centrists and even some leaning to the right who voted for him for the first time. He also pledged to restore the country's more prosperous past.
The highly polarized election extended a wave of leftist victories in the region, including Chile, Colombia, Peru and Argentina. One complaint of Bolsonaro partisans was that a da Silva administration would turn the country into "another Venezuela," where the socialist regime has overseen a major economic and humanitarian catastrophe.
Thomas Traumann, an independent political analyst, compared the results to Joe Biden's 2020 victory over President Trump. He said Mr. da Silva is inheriting a divided nation.
"The huge challenge that Lula has will be to pacify the country," Mr. Traumann told The Associated Press. "People are not only polarized on political matters, but also have different values, identity and opinions. What's more, they don't care what the other side's values, identities and opinions are."
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.


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Police cars parked outside the Athens Police Department on Sept. 18, 2017. (FILE)
Photo by Hannah Ruhoff | The Post
Sexual assault reported on the east side of Athens
By Sarah M. Penix
September 6, 2018 | 3:53pm EDT
On Wednesday evening, the Athens Police Department received a call from a mandatory reporter who said a sexual assault had occurred.
On August 25, a suspect known to the victim sexually assaulted them in a residence on the east side of Athens, according to an APD police report. The victim's gender is unknown. The investigation is ongoing, and the incident does not appear to be related to any previous incident, according to that report.
This is the fifth reported sexual assault in Athens since the beginning of Ohio University's Fall Semester. At least three of the four previous reports occurred near Mill Street, which has prompted APD and the Ohio University Police Department to partner in investigations.
In the first reported case, an unknown man pulled a woman into an unknown OU residence hall either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning and raped her, according to an OUPD report.
In the second reported case, a woman was forced into a vehicle at about 10:30 Saturday night, driven to Wray House and raped, according to that incident's OUPD report.
In the third reported case, a man sexually assaulted a woman off-campus Sunday, according to an Athens Police Department report.
In the fourth reported case, a woman said a man she knew sexually touched her without her consent and used force after she told him to stop, according to that report.
University and law enforcement officials encourage students to utilize late-night services like the CATS shuttle service, which is available by calling or texting 740-593-4040.
@sarahmpenix
sp936115@ohio.edu
Hockey: Ohio prepares for Central States Collegiate Hockey League matchup with Illinois
Artifacts protest, substitute shortage, recreation advisory board and Russia's erasure
Fresh Finds Friday: Arlo parks return after hiatus, boygenius releases $20, The Kid Laroi talks about life difficulties


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POPCulture Online The Online Convention Of Popular Culture
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The Ladies of Mission Impossible
With the latest installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise in theatres, we decided to put the spotlight on the leading ladies from the film. Here are 5 things you didn't know about them.
1. She studied Journalism at Columbia College in Chicago.
2. Her workout routine includes spin classes, hiking and jogging.
3. To keep her skin smooth she gets a facial every six weeks.
4. Her husband is a graphic artist.
5. With one semester remaining to complete her journalism degree in 1999, she left for New York to pursue an acting career.
1. From the age of 13, she worked as a model and appeared in magazines and on television commercials for cosmetic, apparel and jewelry advertisements.
2. She danced from a very early age. She did ballet, tap dancing, jazz, street funk and tango. Ferguson even taught Argentine tango at a dance company in Lund, Sweden for a few years while she continued her work on several short art film projects.
3. She's claustrophobic and suffers from vertigo.
4. Tom Cruise chose her for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation after having seen her in the mini-series The White Queen.
5. She was considered for the lead role in Alien: Covenant.
1. Kirby was raised in Wimbledon. This can sound funny to people who watch tennis, but it should be noted that the district of London called Wimbledon is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.
2. Kirby is known for theater. After all, she has starred in numerous theater productions.
3. Initially, Kirby had planned to go to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, but unfortunately, she was never given the chance because she was never accepted to that particular school. As a result, Kirby decided to take a gap year, which she used to travel before she went on to study English at Exeter University.
4. She worked with a trainer so she could run in a scene with Tom Cruise without vomiting
5. She works with an organization called War Child,. It's the only charity that specializes in helping children affected by conflict.
Catch these ladies in Mission: Impossible Fallout, in cinemas 26 July 2018
Images courtesy of United International Pictures Singapore
© POPCulture Online 2017
Tags Michelle Monaghan Mission Impossible Mission: Impossible Fallout Rebecca Ferguson Vanessa Kirby
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Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, Flip Tanedo watched PBS, especially documentaries like NOVA, all the time.
Now an expert on dark matter and an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Riverside, Tanedo will be featured on the May 30 NOVA Wonders episode "What's the Universe Made of?" to discuss his scholarship on dark matter. The show will include interviews with him to offer viewers the fresh perspective of a relatively young researcher in the field. NOVA Wonders is a six-part documentary series that began April 25.
On Wednesday, May 2, Tanedo will take part in what is expected to be a lively panel at Harvey Mudd College, 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont, California, to discuss the episode in detail and take questions from the audience. The two-hour event, which begins at 6 p.m. in the Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning Auditorium, is aimed at making science more inclusive. It is free and open to the public.


One of by far the most prevalent electrical wiring queries is on how to wire a change. Although working with switches in the home is quite straightforward, wiring one particular may well not be that uncomplicated for everyone. An ON-OFF switch is in fact quite simple to wire. You can find several types of switches, but for this instance, let's say you might be putting in a single-pole toggle switch, an extremely prevalent swap (and also the easiest).
You will find three colors of wires in a very standard single-pole toggle switch: black, white, and green. Splice the black wire in two and connect them on the terminal screws - one on top rated along with the other around the base screw of your switch. The white wire serves being a source of uninterrupted electrical power which is commonly linked to your light colored terminal screw (e.g., silver). Link the environmentally friendly wire into the ground screw of one's swap.
These measures would usually be ample for making a normal swap function with out a difficulty. Nonetheless, when you are not self-assured that you can achieve the undertaking properly and safely and securely you greater permit the pros do it rather. Immediately after all, there's a cause why this job has become the commonest electrical wiring queries asked by plenty of people.
For a few cause, ways to wire a ceiling fan can be certainly one of one of the most prevalent electrical wiring inquiries. To simplify this job, you should utilize only one change for your single ceiling fan. To wire the supporter, it really is just a make any difference of connecting the black wire from the ceiling fan into the black wire with the switch. When there is a light, the blue wire should be connected on the black wire on the change too.
There are reasons why they're probably the most generally asked electrical wiring concerns. 1, many believe it is really uncomplicated to perform, and two, these are typically the typical electrical responsibilities in your own home. But then you definately shouldn't set your security in danger inside your objective to economize. The stakes could even be a lot bigger in the event you endeavor to save money and do an electrical wiring job with no sufficient understanding or practical experience.


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Truckee's proposed senior living development undergoes changes
Local Local |
Margaret Moran
mmoran@sierrasun.com
Below are some of the schematics for the proposed Pollard Station project, an age-restricted senior neighborhood in Truckee:
Number of separate residential units: 126
Number of units in senior lodge: 86, made up of 18 independent living, 36 assisted living and 32 memory care units
Size of lodge: 76,458 square feet, made up of five buildings, connected by corridors
Number of surrounding condominium units: 40
Size of project site: 8.05 acres out of the 37.8-acre Hilltop Master Plan area
For more project information, visit: http://www.townoftruckee.com
TRUCKEE, Calif. — A proposed age-restricted senior neighborhood project in the town recently underwent changes in an effort to further promote quality of life for its potential residents.
The 76,458-square-foot Pollard Station project, proposed west of Pine Cone Road and above the Cottonwood Restaurant parking area at Hilltop, now features a new pedestrian corridor, more amenities and more vegetation.
"When you think of retirement communities, it's a social model, not a health care model," said Jeffery Smith, regional marketing director of Integral Senior Living, a retirement management company that will operate Pollard Station, if constructed. "Nursing homes still exist, and they are there for wonderful reasons — for seniors who need more care — but our independent living, assisted living and memory care communities are really a lifestyle one."
New design elements to promote interaction among residents such as covered porches, balconies and patios were incorporated into the plan with the help of Truckee-based MWA architecture, said Bill Fitch, of Davies/Fitch Partners, which owns the land.
"Our goal is to achieve a look and feel that is in line with the (2008) approved Hilltop Master Plan," he said in an email.
A pedestrian corridor along Pine Cone Road was also developed, connecting seniors to surrounding residences, the proposed Hilltop Park and the Legacy Trail extension, Fitch said.
Lastly, some units were moved back from Old Brockway Road to preserve several clusters of mature trees — 65 trees of 24 inches in diameter or more out of 157 would stay. As for trees of six inches in diameter or greater, 185 out of 470 trees would remain.
The site plan also devotes 24 percent of the site to open space, which would feature a community garden, orchard, bocce ball, an outdoor amphitheater, barbecues and a dining area.
"The project plan updates have improved the project design by improving the overall look and feel of the project.," said Executive Director Alexis Ollar, board president Nikki Riley and board member John Eaton of the Mountain Area Preservation Foundation, in a statement. "The massing has been scaled down, and there is more attention to detail from MWA architects, which we really appreciate."
Concerns that the overall project is too big for the site, site topography may create unsafe walking conditions and inconsistency with the Hilltop Master Pan, still persist, they said.
"The goal of the project is to provide a much-needed resource to our community," Fitch said. "Pollard Station will provide aging Truckee residents an opportunity to stay in their chosen community and 'age in place.' It will also provide Truckee residents additional living options for their aging loved ones."
Currently, Truckee offers seniors independent living at the Truckee Donner Senior Apartments on Estates Drive and extended care at Tahoe Forest Hospital.
The town of Truckee is reviewing the project application for completeness, looking to see if it is consistent with the general plan development code, the downtown specific plan and the Hilltop Master Plan, said Jaime LaChance, project planner. There currently is no timeline for when the review will be finished.
Afterward, an initial study to determine the type of environmental review the project requires will be done before the town's Historic Preservation Advisory Commission makes its recommendation to the planning commission, LaChance said. Both the planning commission and town council will review the project.
"We feel like we can really change peoples lives for the better, not only the residents that have moved in with us, but the adult children and their family," Smith said.
Pollard Station was first proposed in 2009, originally spanning approximately 125,000 square feet on about 8 arces at Hilltop, with 153 units and one lodge building, according to pervious reports.


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Q: Remove extra month in R geom_bar I added a 'month_year' column to my data.frame using lubridate::floor_date. However, now when I plot my geom_bar, I get an extra month at each end.
How do I remove the extra months?
I have tried seq(as.Date), but I get the error:

Error in parse_period_unit(unit) :    Cannot't parse heterogenuous or
fractional units larger than one minute.

I appreciate your help.
The Data:
structure(list(month_year = structure(c(18506, 18506, 18536,
18536, 18567, 18567, 18597, 18597, 18628, 18628, 18659, 18659,
18687, 18687, 18718, 18718, 18748, 18748, 18779, 18779, 18809,
18809, 18840, 18840, 18871, 18871), class = "Date"), member_casual = c("casual",
"member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member",
"casual", "member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member", "casual",
"member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member",
"casual", "member", "casual", "member"), n = c(212109L, 284005L,
121479L, 215338L, 72497L, 149370L, 24403L, 89168L, 14590L, 68726L,
8517L, 34296L, 74904L, 129820L, 118822L, 177325L, 213536L, 233461L,
299050L, 303515L, 364569L, 321727L, 337787L, 331900L, 289944L,
327225L)), class = c("grouped_df", "tbl_df", "tbl", "data.frame"
), row.names = c(NA, -26L), groups = structure(list(month_year = structure(c(18506,
18506, 18536, 18536, 18567, 18567, 18597, 18597, 18628, 18628,
18659, 18659, 18687, 18687, 18718, 18718, 18748, 18748, 18779,
18779, 18809, 18809, 18840, 18840, 18871, 18871), class = "Date"),
    member_casual = c("casual", "member", "casual", "member",
    "casual", "member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member",
    "casual", "member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member",
    "casual", "member", "casual", "member", "casual", "member",
    "casual", "member", "casual", "member"), .rows = structure(list(
        1L, 2L, 3L, 4L, 5L, 6L, 7L, 8L, 9L, 10L, 11L, 12L, 13L,
        14L, 15L, 16L, 17L, 18L, 19L, 20L, 21L, 22L, 23L, 24L,
        25L, 26L), ptype = integer(0), class = c("vctrs_list_of",
    "vctrs_vctr", "list"))), class = c("tbl_df", "tbl", "data.frame"
), row.names = c(NA, -26L), .drop = TRUE))

The code:
monthly_riders %>%
  ggplot(aes(x= month_year, y = n, fill=member_casual)) +
  geom_bar(position = "dodge", stat = "identity") +
  theme(axis.text.x = element_text(angle = 90), legend.title = element_blank())+
  labs(title = "Total Monthly Riders")+
  xlab("")+
  scale_y_continuous(labels = comma,name = "Riders", expand = c(0,0))+
  scale_x_date(date_labels="%b %y", date_breaks = "1 month")

A: Add expand=expansion(0,0):
monthly_riders %>%
  ggplot(aes(x= month_year, y = n, fill=member_casual)) +
  geom_bar(position = "dodge", stat = "identity") +
  theme(axis.text.x = element_text(angle = 90), legend.title = element_blank())+
  labs(title = "Total Monthly Riders")+
  xlab("")+
  scale_y_continuous(labels = comma,name = "Riders", expand = c(0,0))+
  scale_x_date(date_labels="%b %y", date_breaks = "1 month", expand = expansion(0,0))

A: You can use the limits function:
`
monthly_riders %>% ggplot(aes(x= month_year, y = n, fill=member_casual)) +
  geom_bar(position = "dodge", stat = "identity") +
  theme(axis.text.x = element_text(angle = 90), legend.title = element_blank())+
  labs(title = "Total Monthly Riders")+
  xlab("")+
  scale_y_continuous(name = "Riders", expand = c(0,0))+
  scale_x_date(date_labels="%b %y", date_breaks = "1 month", limits=as.Date(c("2020-09-01","2021-09-01")))

`
Note that I removed the "labels = comma," as it was giving me an error.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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ANAMIKA
'(The Blog) With No Name', perhaps best described as a stream of notes and thoughts - 'remembered, recovered and (sometimes) invented'.
Games Over?
The other day, while reading a childrens' book on the origins of our popular games - football, basketball, volleyball, handball... - I was struck by a simple fact: most if not all of these games were conceived and their essential form finalized by 1900. Thereafter (at least in the last 50 years), no fundamentally new global game seems to have emerged (some local games or recast versions of already existing games - kabaddi or rugby or volleyball in its saucy beach version or maybe even cricket in its T20 avatar - might be going global in a big way but that does not change the basic picture).
Perhaps, there aren't any more games left - there may only be so many possible physical games that Homo Sapiens can actually play. If indeed, the number of games is so limited, we could call those games already with us discoveries and not inventions.
The Median Might be the Message:
Statistical data analysis prefers the median over the arithmetic mean when the frequency distribution for the data is skewed. The mean is vulnerable to being dragged far from a typical value by skewed data and can lose the ability to provide the best central location for the data. The median resists such drag much better. Moreover, outliers which can severely affect the arithmetic mean, barely touch the median (eg: if Ambani builds his home in a slum, he can elevate the Arithmetic mean of the incomes in the neighborhood to a level beyond the richest countries but the median income would pretty much stay where it was - and continue to present the honest picture of the neighborhood).
I know very little economics. Every popular analysis of the Indian economy that I have seen bases itself upon arithmetic means - average income, average GDP and so on. One suspects, if the median is considered for, say, the per capita income (I tend to believe that India has one of the most skewed income distributions in the world with some spectacular outliers), many of our studies and plans might get fundamentally altered.
Chakka - here and there:
Long ago, I wrote a post lamenting how the chakka (jackfruit), despite its abundant nutritive value and culinary potential, has fallen out of favor among Keralites. Things have improved somewhat - chakka has been selected as our National Fruit and chakka-fests have greatly increased in frequency as well as visibility. However, despite all that, a huge fraction of our abundant chakka crop goes waste, unplucked. Yesterday, I saw this massive cluster rotting away in the monsoon showers, just a few feet above the ground.
But our neighbors have continued to show great sensitivity to the charms of this fruit. A wayside scene from Mysore:
Hasta and Hasti
The word Hasta means "hand" in Sanskrit. Hasti means "the one with a hand" and implies the elephant - the hand being of course, its trunk. But the hasta-hasti connection appears to go even farther...
Here is a hasta, painted onto a wallet:
Turn it upside down and it becomes a hasti:
Tribute to Tintoretto:
During one of his typically incandescent expositions, hefty, bearded and orange garbed Mathematician Mahan Maharaj strikes a dramatically 'manneristic' pose that brings to mind St Mark's miraculous stunts as envisioned by Venetian Master Tintoretto:
The Birth of a Nation:
"Mohammad Ali Jinnah rose to be the undisputed leader of the Indian Muslim League. He developed and gave a clear formulation to the original idea for a Nation as put forward by Dr. Iqbal with the name 'Pakistan' and at a meeting held in Lahore in 1940, declared its attainment as the goal of the League. The British Government accepted his proposal. As per the Indian Independence Act, India was partitioned. The sovereign state of Pakistan came into being as a member of the British Commonwealth on the 14th of August 1947 with Jinnah Sahib as its supreme leader. Those were troubled times as untoward incidents and massacres took place in India and Pakistan. Soon thereafter, the people of Punch in western Kashmir rose against against Pakistan. The latter responded by deploying its army and soon a dangerous situation developed. However, thanks to an intervention by the UN, war was averted. Jinnah Sahib died in September 1948...."
That was a succinct passage from a textbook of Islamic History published by the Government of Kerala via the 'Bhasha Institute' - my translation.
Pazhoor Now
At Pazhoor, the Muvattupuzha river is in spate The island has mostly gone under. The banks have received a generous dumping of plastics and more rafts of it drift by...:
Representations:
A joke of sorts has been going around: "Don't lament the continued failure of African teams at the World Cup. France is still there and may even win it!"
But the Brits are a step ahead. BBC put up this graphic in its analysis of the England-Croatia match:
posted by R.Nandakumar @ 3:41 AM 0 comments
Mysore Surprises
A couple of school 'excursions' apart, I had never been to Mysore. Recently, I went there for a couple of days to catch up with Sheshadri...
A lengthy drive through the country around Mysore feels like a voyage on high seas - an experience of vast clarity and unimpeded horizon-to-horizon visions. Indeed, to a visitor from Kerala - where luxuriant vegetation and dense stands of trees clutter even the brightest of days with tangled shadows - South Karnataka is a land of open radiance, an immensity of sunshine. And this is also a playground for Winds - unfettered Winds pulsing with the magical luminosity of space and sun and scudding clouds...
Although Mysore is next door to Kerala, there is hardly anything written in Malayalam about it. As an exception of sorts one recalls an old and quite fine piece by Zachariah, one of Malayalam's sharpest writers, on the years he had spent in Mysore as a college student - but it was in English. Zachariah later wrote, in Malayalam, a substantial and often impressive travelog on Africa. And to describe my own visual experience of Mysore, I certainly can do worse than adapt a few lines from that work - and that was the last paragraph.
The human, agrarian component in the Mysore landscapes shows great variety (with rice, sugarcane, palms, banana and much else very well represented - with the occasional glory of a sunflower patch thrown in), a very welcome change from the environs of Bangalore where eucalyptus has of late come to crowd out pretty much everything else.
Mysore city, relatively untouched by 'development', is, compared to Cochin or even Trichur, green, spacious and unhurried. And it abounds in curious details....
A smart clock tower in the heart of the city. It has a very Euro body and a rather saracenic dome. And its dial has Kannada numerals.
Note: I now understand the tower is affectionately called 'dodda gadiyara' (big clock). There is also a 'chikka gadiyara' nearby which I didn't know about.
The grand facade of the royal-built public hospital...
... and a heraldic emblem above one of its doorways, winged mermaids and all:
Almost adjacent to the bus stand is the Wellington Lodge, a two century old Brit-built bungalow that now houses a surprisingly rich collection of folk art - its official name translates to "Indira Gandhi National Folklore Museum". Wiki is silent about it and my guide book too has nothing so my finding it was pure serendipity. Entry is free and one can take any number of pictures. Aside: I know of no older building in Mysore.
Here are two quaint oil lamps from central India:
A sheet metal family leaning on to a wall - and onto one another:
An ornate and life-size plus terracotta bovine:
Srirangapattana is still very Seringapatam - in twilight, its ruined fort, placid river and far-flung landscapes look just as they appear in two century old company landscapes. Here is a still-standing slice of Tipu's citadel:
The mausoleum where the sultan and his parents rest stands at the center of a big compound. Clustered here and there are graves of many of his officials and attendants (presumably). An ancient tree spreads benignly over picnicking families and a few of the graves that seem to be huddling close to each other:
What does this pic show?
If you said "frog", here is the full picture:
Take a look at this marble Siva statue; it sits in the Mysore hotel where I camped:
I make no claims of artistic merit on its behalf but have to note a unique feature: on the Lord's neck are coiled two identical hooded cobras. I can't recall seeing such twin cobras anywhere except in some Kalighat paintings. Here is a typical example:
Note: This Kalighat Siva's matted locks have no Ganga but another cobra. As opposed to the athletic and vigorous Siva of 21st century popular imagination, this guy is potbellied and dopey-eyed - he is smoking ganja.
In a market street, I saw this strange painting on the body of a wooden cart:
From the crow's presence, one could make out that the blue-skinned figure is Shani, the troublesome planet, personified. As for the man with hacked off limbs, here is what can be read online:
King Vikrama insulted Shani with some disdainful remarks, just as the planet was to begin its seven and a half year long transit through the king's astral chart. The vengeful Shani spirited Vikrama off to a far off place by trickery and in that alien land, got him tangled in a robbery case. As punishment, the king's hands and feet were chopped off, leaving him a sad lump of living flesh. An oil presser's wife took pity on him and pleaded with her husband and a deal was struck - Vikrama would get food and shelter in exchange for sitting tight as a weight on top of an oil press as oxen worked it. And, as can be readily guessed, the king had to remorsefully weigh down the press for seven and a half years - during which period, he would often compose and sing paeans to Shani. Finally, Shani relented and all ended well.
And here is a state-sponsored (?) street-side tribute to the legendary heroine Obavva - armed with a mere onake (pestle) she defended the Chitradurga fort from a sneaking attack by Hyder Ali's troops.
..... and a few of the thousand odd stone steps leading up to the Chamundi temple, marked by the 'tilakas' made by the devout:
Update(July 16th 2018)
My statement above: "hardly anything has been written in Malayalam about Mysore" needs serious qualification. One of our landmark films 'Namukku paarkkaan munthirithoppukal", by Padmarajan, is set entirely in the vicinity of Mysore and the landscape is integral to the story. And its very atmospheric song "Akashamake" takes us on an leisurely and lyrical tour of Mysore city and surroundings.
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The International Tennis Federation (ITF) designates a World Champion each year based on performances throughout the year, emphasising the Grand Slam tournaments, and also considering team events such as the Davis Cup and Fed Cup. Men's and women's singles champions were first named in 1978; the title is now also awarded for doubles, wheelchair, and junior players. It is sometimes named the "ITF Player of the Year" award, alluding to similar other year-end awards in tennis.

Rules and procedures
The ITF's constitution states that no tennis tournament can be designated the "World Championships" without unanimous consent of the ITF Council. There is currently no such tournament. The constitution also states:
The ITF may award the title of World Champion to players who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, are the most outstanding players in any one-year. The names of players who have been awarded this title shall be listed in the Roll of Honour.
It also states:
Official Tennis Championships [i.e. the Grand Slam events] shall be the decisive factor in the determination of the ITF World Champions for each year.

For singles, ITF appoints a panel of former top players at the start of the season, which votes on the champion at the end of the season.

The boys' and girls' singles and doubles titles prior to 2003 were awarded based on world ranking. Since then singles and doubles rankings have been combined in a single award each for boys and for girls.

The world champion accolade has been extended by the ITF to wheelchair tennis players of the Men's and Women's division since 1991. In November 2017, the ITF announced that the quad wheelchair tennis division is to be recognised in its annual list of ITF World Champions.

In 1996, the Philippe Chatrier Award was introduced, honouring individuals or organisations who have made outstanding contributions to tennis globally, both on and off the court. The award is considered to be the ITF's highest accolade and is named after the former French tennis player Philippe Chatrier, who was President of the governing body between 1977 and 1991.

The ITF World Champions' Dinner takes place in Paris during the French Open, to honour the previous year's champions, who are presented with a trophy, but not any monetary prize.

For 2020 there were no ITF World Champion awards given due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tennis season was suspended for about 5 months for both the female and the male tennis players.

Men's singles
The first men's panel in 1978 had three members, Don Budge, Fred Perry, and Lew Hoad, who attended the season's Grand Slam events at ITF expense to inform their choice. The 1983 panel split two to one between John McEnroe (votes of Budge and Perry) and Mats Wilander (vote of Hoad). The 1984 panel had five members, while the 1985 panel had four: Budge, Perry, Hoad, and Tony Trabert. When Ivan Lendl was chosen as champion for 1985, the panel's announcement was accompanied with a rebuke for Lendl's criticism of some tournaments and his refusal to play in the Davis Cup. Perry and Trabert were on the 1986 panel, with performances outside the Grand Slams taken into consideration.

The 1990 designation of Lendl as champion was a surprise.  That year, the Association of Tennis Professionals named Stefan Edberg its "Player of The Year", in accordance with the ATP rankings, while Tennis Magazine (France) ranked Edberg first, Andre Agassi second, and Lendl third. Tennis also suggested the ITF was punishing Edberg for denigrating the Grand Slam Cup tournament it had introduced. The ITF panel, of Perry, Trabert, and Frank Sedgman, called it "the toughest decision any of us can remember having to make", and stated it was Lendl's better average performance in the Grand Slams that made the difference.

The choice to award Djokovic the ITF World Champion of 2013 over Nadal was unexpected. Nadal finished the year ranked #1 and with more Grand Slams (2 to 1), more Masters titles (5 to 3), and more tournament titles (10 to 7).  Similar to the situation with Edberg in 1990, the ITF cited Nadal's failure to win a match at 2 of the 4 Grand Slams (DNP the Australian Open, 1st round loss at Wimbledon) to justify their decision and Djokovic's consistent results across all four Grand Slams (1 title, 2 runner-ups, 1 SF), Davis Cup (led Serbia to final, won 7/7 singles rubbers) and the ATP World Tour Finals (won title).

Other instances when the ITF choices differed from the ATP rankings are 1978 (Jimmy Connors), 1982 (McEnroe), 1989 (Lendl), and 2022 (Carlos Alcaraz).   None of these, however, were controversial and were generally agreed upon, with the 1978 and 1982 choices being particularly clear cut in favor of Borg (1978) and Connors (1982). Nadal was the ITF World Champion in 2022 even though Carlos Alcaraz was the year-end number 1 due to Nadal, who was the year-end number 2, winning two Grand Slam titles and Alcaraz not reaching a semifinal or final in three out of the four Grand Slams.

Women's singles
The women's panel initially featured three former women's champions, Margaret Court, Margaret duPont and Ann Jones. Althea Gibson was a member through the early 1980s.

ITF world champions for women differed from the WTA year-end rankings the following years: 1978 (Martina Navratilova), 1994 (Steffi Graf), 2001 (Lindsay Davenport), 2004 (Lindsay Davenport), 2005 (Lindsay Davenport), 2011 (Caroline Wozniacki), 2012 (Victoria Azarenka), 2017 (Simona Halep).

Doubles

Junior

Singles (1978–2003)

Doubles (1978–2003)

Wheelchair

Quad's wheelchair

See also
World number 1 ranked male tennis players
World number 1 ranked female tennis players
International Tennis Federation
Philippe Chatrier Award
ATP Awards
WTA Awards
Tennis statistics

References
ITF Constitution

Footnotes

External links

History of tennis
Tennis awards
Lists of tennis players
Tennis records and statistics
International Tennis Federation
ITF
World number 1 ranked tennis players

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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info@partickhillbowls.co.uk
Classes and Activities
We have been bowling at Partickhill for over 100 years and we welcome both experienced bowlers and those new to the sport. We are trying to make bowls as accessible as possible to new members including families and someone will always be willing to help out with coaching or equipment.
Please note that in order to comply with current 'Covid-19″ guidelines, we require all bowlers to scan the QR code at the entry to the club.
Bookings are in 90 minute slots and can be reserved from 9:30 – 18:30 daily, with some exceptions (shown on the grid) for Grass Cutting & Outdoor Activities
We now have an online booking system
Booking System – Summer 2022
If you have any difficulties booking on line, please email:
bowling@partickhillbowls.co.uk
Please use the online system to check availability before sending your email.
Members & Guests
The Green is available for bowling from 12:00 to 17:00 daily. In order to book a rink, please email your name, time & date and numbers to bowling@partickhillbowls.co.uk
There is no charge for members to bowl. Guests of members and non-members require to pay £4.00 per person. This can be paid into the honesty box or directly into the club bank account .
Please note that any under 16's do not require to pay but must be accompanied by a paying adult or member.
The toilet facilities in the clubhouse are available whilst the green is open.
Sort Code 80 07 52
A/c No 00735467
Reference: GuestFee <Your Surname>
We can supply adult and children's bowls and mats and jacks. All you need are shoes without heels, trainers will do to start with (or play barefoot!)
New Bowlers
We are always keen to add new bowlers to our teams and to enter more events so, whether you are interested in playing for fun or competitively, please come along for a throw or just join up.
In 2020 there were no Inter-Club matches, in line with guidelines from our governing body, Bowls Scotland and from restrictions imposed by the Scottish Government. However, social bowling has flourished for all ages and we have seen a dramatic increase in membership and some great family and community events on the Green.
An internal competition was organised for Singles (irrespective of gender) and Pairs (mixed). This culminated in a highly successful Finals Day on September 19th.
We're hoping that 2021 will see more bowling for all.
Partickhill Bowling Club was formed as Partickhill Bowling and Tennis Club in 1905, but since 2016 the Club has been redeveloped and reconstituted as Partickhill Bowling and Community Club. Our members have formed a Local Heritage Group so watch this space for more details on the history of the club and the local area.
Play Bowls
Partickhill Bowling and Community Club
Lectures at the Green – Dr Ria Dunkley December 6, 2021
Lectures at the Green – Prof. John Hume November 30, 2021
Duo 53 November 17, 2021
© Copyright 2020 | Partickhill Bowling and Community Club | 46 Partickhill Road, Glasgow G11 5BY


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Family News & Events
admin February 4, 2021
'Time is running out' to save sharks and rays
The BBC reported that sharks and rays are disappearing from the world's oceans at an "alarming rate".
A new study suggests that the number of sharks found in open ocean has dropped by up to 71% over 50 years, with three quarters of the species studied now threatened with extinction.
Researchers have said that immediate action is necessary to secure a more optimistic future for the "extraordinary, irreplaceable animals".
Speaking to the BBC, one of the study's researchers Dr Richard Sherley of the University of Exeter, said the decline appears to have been driven by pressure from fishing.
"That's the driver for the 70% reduction in the last 50 years. For every 10 sharks you had in the open ocean in the 1970s, you would have three today, across these species, on average," Dr Sherley said.
Sharks and rays are usually fished for their fins, meat and liver oil.
One in five adults aged over 60 depressed during pandemic
At least one in five adults aged over 60 have reported symptoms of depression during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is twice the level seen previously, according to a study.
The latest publication from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda) states that older people who lived alone and those with low levels of physical activity were the most likely to report experiencing symptoms of depression during the pandemic.
The Irish Times reported that the study, which is carried out by Trinity College Dublin researchers, observed around 4,000 people aged 60 and over about their lives during the pandemic.
Around 80% of those surveyed said they had not travelled to visit friends since last spring, while 62% had not travelled to see family members.
There was a high level of compliance among respondents, with four out of five responding that they adhered to social-distancing and other requirements.
Growing evidence that exercise improves health by transforming cells
A new study which examines the molecular effects of being active has suggested that we raise and lower the levels of hundreds of molecules in our blood that are related to our metabolic health, even if the work out only lasts for a few minutes.
The study involved over 1,000 men and women, and added to an increasing body of evidence which suggests that one of the primary ways exercise improves our health is by transforming the number and type of cells inside us.
Many studies have concluded at this stage that those who take part in even moderate exercise are less likely to suffer from a range of health ailments, including obesity, diabetes, heart issues and cancer.
The study's authors suggest that this research provides future pathways for study into the "beneficial cardiometabolic effects of exercise".


In 1536 the 1st Earl of Cumberland's son Henry Clifford married Eleanor Brandon niece of Henry VIII, in the magnificent long gallery with Octagon Tower which had been specially built in a matter of months, to mark the alliance of the House of Clifford with that of the House of Tudor. The last recorded marriage to take place within the Castle's ancient chapel before its conversion into stables was in 1635 between Elizabeth de Clifford and Richard Lord Dungarvan.
Imagine having Skipton Castle as a venue for your special day. For your ceremony choose the ancient Banqueting Hall or the Granary for up to 80 guests. Enjoy the beautiful grounds and magnificent building that offers a unique backdrop for your photographs, whilst your guests can enjoy a Champagne and Canapé reception before heading off to your chosen venue for the wedding breakfast.
Skipton Castle is a marriage ceremony venue only and does not have the facilities for a full seated wedding reception.


Helping people to resolve conflict situations in a peaceful, private and cost-efficient manner.
Need help resolving family or business disputes without going to court? I can help.
How Can I share Custody?
Should we put mom/dad in a nursing home?
Sibling disputes but want to stay out of court?
My children are being moved out of state, what can I do?
I think dad's caregiver is abusing him, what do I do?
Life is full of disputes, I'm here to help by facilitating a process in which everyone has the opportunity in a neutral, structured, private, confidentials environment to: identify issues, discuss options, recognize the other's interests and work towards settlement. There is a known versus an unknown outcome. Parties choose to settle on terms all can accept. Attorneys are welcome and encouraged to participate as desired/needed.
Labor union-management grievance mediation and arbitration; employment; EEO/discrimination; business; consumer purchases; elder care; family: divorce, companionship, property division, intra familial, never married; Probate: estate, guardianship; asset concealment; breach of fiduciary obligations.


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