Almost Skateboards recently announced France's Max Geronzi as the team's newest pro, joining existing pros Rodney Mullen, Youness Amrani, Yuri Facchini, and Cooper Wilt.
Geronzi previously rode for another Dwindle brand, Cliché, which went out of business in 2016.
JP Souza and Marquise Henry face-off in a fight to the death. Not really—but in Chris Cole's Battle Royale, anything can happen.
In partnership with World Skate, SLS is working to get even more of your favorite skaters in the contest. *Cough cough* SUCIU!!!
Cruising > trying the same trick for hours. —Sanbongi wisdom.
The couch potatoes are up to no good again.
The D.R.E. is back, and it feels so good.


I attended my first BEA this week--which stands for Book Expo America. It's the annual convention for publishers, book retailers and librarians.
I signed copies of My Grandma's a Ninja, and posters for Beep, Beep, Go to Sleep (the books aren't printed yet).
That's Beth, Grandma Ninja editor.
There were multiple authors signing simultaneously and continuously throughout the day, and BEA ran a tight ship--every author had a line, partitioned from the next author's. It looked like security check-in at JFK.
I'm under no illusion that people were there to see me vs. just wanting some free swag. So what? I'm still a rock star.
Both books were on display at the publisher booths. Fun to see Beep, Beep on a shelf for the first time.
An advance copy of The League of Unexceptional Children, by Gitty Daneshvari. It's a Little, Brown book and it comes highly recommended by Allison, my Beep, Beep editor.
Finally, an advance copy of Last in a Long Line of Rebels, a debut novel by Lisa Lewis Tyre. I nabbed this one directly from the hands of the publisher!
All out this fall--along with Beep, Beep! Okay. We have a little bit of reading to do, and a lot of writing.
A manuscript sale I was expecting fell through. The editor had it for almost a year, and I'd made probably eight revisions. I didn't think it was a done deal, but I thought it was 90% likely. Honestly? 95%. Must've got shot down in the editorial meeting.
Insert slightly less mild and slightly louder expletive here.
Yes, of course I knew Letterman. I gave him his start.
First of all, it was cool. My other options for an internship were NBC Sports, or an ABC music-video show called "Hot Tracks." I made the right call.
The offices were on the 14th floor of 30 Rock. Dave's office overlooked Sixth Avenue. I could flash my pass and waltz past security and the lines of tourists waiting for tours. I could go to the NBC commissary. I could walk around the halls and act like I belonged there.
The show taped every afternoon at 4:30. The interns were allowed to watch from the make-up room or occasionally from elsewhere in the studio (the hallway, backstage, the green room, the control room).
I got to attend an on-location shoot on the streets of New York, where I was responsible for getting signed release forms from any passers-by who appeared on-camera. I rode to the location in a limo with Larry Bud Mellman.
There were about 30 people on staff, including about 10 writers, several of whom were only a few years older than me. At the time they seemed like they'd been there forever, like they were on a planet I could never hope to be on. Most of them had gone to Harvard and had written for the Harvard Lampoon.
I was backstage with one of the researchers (Darcy) when Bob Dylan was on the show. It was a major coup for the show because he was the biggest star they'd ever booked. He didn't come to the rehearsal, then refused to talk to Dave when Dave came over to him after his first song. He walked past us backstage after his musical number and Darcy said, "Great show, Bob." Bob didn't reply--just kept walking.
I was alone one time in the small research office, and Paul Shaffer poked his head in. As he turned to leave, Steve Martin stopped him to say hello--he was appearing on the show that evening. They both sat down and had a leisurely conversation. I didn't say anything more than "Hey, how's it goin'?" But for the record, I hung out with Steve Martin and Paul Shaffer for ten minutes just shooting the sh#t.
Rodney Dangerfield's son Brian was a fellow intern, as was financier Ivan Boesky's son Bill. I think all the interns dreamed of being hired by the show after graduation--as writers, naturally. Only one intern got a job at NBC--as a page.
I was in three on-air skits--never a speaking part, just a background "extra." In one skit I played a "Blue Angel" who came flying in with my squadron with arms out like wings. We flew behind Dave at his desk, then off stage. It lasted maybe fifteen seconds. In another I stood in a line of people waiting to see Dave. That skit was re-aired in an anniversary special four years later, when I was living in Iowa, and several people said, "Hey, I saw somebody who looked like you on TV last night!"
Check it out for yourself at the 12-minute mark in the video below. Coincidentally, it was the same show that Steve Martin was on. My big day.
I remember walking Dave's dog "Bob" around Rock Center a few times. The first time I thought, "I'm so cool. I'm walking David Letterman's dog." The last time I thought, "You know, I'm not going to tell anyone that my glamorous TV industry job consists of picking up dog crap."
I met Dave several times, but I only had a single one-on-one conversation with him. We got on an elevator together, and I didn't have anything to say, so I said, "How's Bob?"
He said, "Old Bob's just fine."
Each spring Prospect Agency holds an event for New York book editors to meet its roster of authors and illustrators.
They call the event a "soiree," which makes it sound as if we're going to be nibbling cavier and sipping champagne. In reality there's pizza and soda, which works out better for me anyway.
The first couple of times I went I felt kind of pressured to try to impress the editors, as if I were going to sell a manuscript to an editor at a party. I don't know; I'm competitive.
Finally I learned to just chill and enjoy talking to nice people and stop worrying about what's in it for me. That could be a good prescription for life, I think.
I went to Five Guys Hamburgers for lunch today and when I saw "Little Hamburger" on the menu, I thought of the Grover skit from "Sesame Street" that Samuel and I used to play over and over. I knew he would laugh if he saw the menu. So I took a picture.
And it worked; he laughed.
I'm not sure I'm ever going to run a faster mile than that for the rest of my life. I just felt like running fast today. Blast from the past.
It's not that my legs won't go faster. I didn't push as hard as I could've. I let up a bit in the final quarter mile. It hurt too much. Who needs that pain in the lungs? And it hurts when you stop. The knees. Walking up the subway stairs the next day. It still hurts two days later.
Summer's coming. The weather's nicer. I can go light. It's such a nice feeling when you just wear shorts and a tank top, light shoes, no hat, no gloves. Sunshine. Fastness. The feeling of speed. Tap, tap, tap on the pavement with your running shoes. Like flying. Like being alive.
"Dad, look: PopTarts is trying to be hip."
"They tried to make a meme! 'Ain't nobody got time for that.' Oh, my God, that's so sad. Dad, check this out, you gotta see this. Hashtag 'fully baked.' Hashtag 'why wait.' Ha-ha! Oh, my God. Dad, you gotta take a picture."
Jen: "That's a pretty car."
Todd: "Because it's a Panamera. Let's get it."
Jen: "It has nice lines."
Todd: "You notice that it looks like a 911 from the front but the back end looks kind of like an XKE?"
Jen: "Uh-huh. Let's get it."
I can't run a 6-minute mile any more. It's been, what, three years now? It's too much effort. Life is too short.
But I ran a 6:44 mile last week--just one, mind you--and thought, "Man, I'm like a @#$% gazelle."
This afternoon I ran three miles at 6:55 pace and I felt like I had just won the Olympics.
The secret is to forget you were ever young. Pretend you're 80 and God has given you a 52-year-old's body for the afternoon. Then take an Ibuprofen, stretch a little bit, and take 'er out for a spin. You feel like you're flying.
I didn't realize until I got there that I was going to be part of a puppet show.
Puppet shows are like foreign movies: seldom good, often horrid.
These guys were good. Silly and energizing, not gooey and moralizing. Good voices, good action, good musical sound effects. Relief.
And I wasn't really part of the show, it turns out. They introduced me and I read my book. I was like Maya Angelou on Sesame Street.
So there you go. I signed some books, talked with some kids, and fell in love with at least four toddlers.


GQBUZZ has footage from the scene which showed some irate youths shouting 'Ole', 'Thief' at the President's convoy.
This is a clear lie by the author of this propaganda. It was only one person shouting "ole" and the voice was resting and doesn't match the background sound at all. Only a fool will believe this. The author himself must be a thief.
Stupid headline from the stupid source. Do you think Nigerians are fools? Shame on you. Eko o ni baje o.
I know some fools will not believe this…OK…what happen to d empty stadium? Is that one lie too?
Only the blind and senseless will wish for continuety.
Uptill now am still doubting that someone with his normal sense is still talking of voting for buhari, pls in what angel should anyone vote for him? Talk of his Health=ZERO, EDUCATION=ZERO, Thinking Faculty=Zero. Then A litre of fuel=145 Against #87 a bag of rice=18,500 against #7,500. Shame apc.
Wow atikulated forever.I will never vote that FULLO man again.Pls PNB prepare for leaving Abuja and headed to Daura and be continue taking care of cows.
As for me, lets vote wisely..corruption and hunger among citizens needs to be addressed. Pmb want to eradicate corruption totally but forgot that there are thief's in his cabinet too. People are hungry, that is why the change need to be changed. Pmb not a thief in all senses but we can not continue like that all in the name of his personalities. Let's all wake up and vote out APC then allow pmb to rest and keep his good deeds to himself.
Those who are supporting atiku, are those that are wearing pant around the street and being fed by their parent twenty years ago. They don't know anything about him. We can't go back to Egypt. We will keep on moving forward until we get to our promise land. Nigerian can not afford PDP to draw us back again.
Buari or atiku we should pray to God for Good leader in Nigeria. ….
Buhari is a dummy we Nigerians need intellectuals. Buhari should go and rest we need Nigeria to work again.
What Nigeria need now is somebody who can make this country a better place for us and children to leave. Enough of this poverty nd killing by this present government of APC.
I can't believe that some people are still discussing abt PMB.the man is gone,Nigerians wake up.we have 2 options, one tested and failed,the other one not tested,.let us test the second option.if he fails then we can change to another option come 2023.
Voting for buhari is like westing your time.
If at all God allow Buhari to win, that means he want Osibanjo to take over after few weeks.if not so,Atiku will surely win.Wait and see everyone will reffer back to my right up.
Pls don't be use by so called politicians let your pvc speak for you and I believe true democrat will prevail in the end . Enough of this sufering.
How on Earth will a reasonable somebody think of voting for PMB,see his health,the age,the way he speaks,… infact the old man don't have anything to offer Nigerians he should go and rest.
JUST IN: NWC Panel Dissociates Self From Ongoing APC Primary In Lagos… All The Results Been Bandied About Are Null And Void!


text:
An instance of Couchbase Analytics data model can be a *primitive type* (BOOLEAN, STRING, BIGINT, or DOUBLE), a *special type* (NULL or MISSING), or a *composite type* (OBJECT or ARRAY).
The type names are case-insensitive, e.g., both BIGINT and bigint are acceptable.
Primitive Types##
boolean data type can have one of the two values: *true* or *false*.
{ "true": true, "false": false };
The expected result is:
{ "true": true, "false": false }
string represents a sequence of characters. The total length of the sequence can be up to 2,147,483,648.
{ "v1": string("This is a string."), "v2": string("\"This is a quoted string\"") };
{ "v1": "This is a string.", "v2": "\"This is a quoted string\"" }
Bigint type uses 64 bits. The range of Bigint is:
bigint: -9223372036854775808 to 9223372036854775807
{ "bigint": bigint("1700000000000000000") };
{ "bigint": 1700000000000000000 }
Double (double precision)
double represents approximate numeric data values using 8 bytes. The range of a double value can be from (2^(-1022)) to (2-2^(-52))·2^(1023) for both positive and negative. Beyond these ranges will get INF or -INF.
{ "v1": double("NaN"), "v2": double("INF"), "v3": double("-INF"), "v4": "-2013.593823748327284" };
{ "v1": "NaN", "v2": "INF", "v3": "-INF", "v4": -2013.5938237483274 }
Double precision is an alias of double.
Incomplete Information Types##
null is a special value that is often used to represent an unknown value. For example, a user might not be able to know the value of a field and let it be null.
{ "field": null };
{ "field": null }
missing indicates that a name-value pair is missing from an object. If a missing name-value pair is accessed, an empty result value is returned by the query.
As neither the data model nor the system enforces homogeneity for datasets or collections, items in a dataset or collection can be of heterogeneous types and so a field can be present in one object and missing in another.
{ "field": missing };
Since a field with value missing means the field is absent, we get an empty object.
Composite Types
Object###
An object (a.k.a., JSON object) contains a set of fields, where each field is described by its name.
Syntactically, object constructors are surrounded by curly braces "{…}". For example:
{ "name": "Joe Blow", "rank": "Sergeant", "serialno": 1234567 }
{ "rank": "Private", "serialno": 9876543 }
{ "name": "Sally Forth", "rank": "Major", "serialno": 2345678, "gender": "F" }
Array###
An array is a container that holds a fixed number of values. Array constructors are denoted by brackets: "[…]".
An example would be
["alice", 123, "bob", null]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Testimony by Court Interpreter Leads to Reversal of Burglary Conviction
A Ventura Superior Court judge committed reversible error by allowing a court interpreter to testify that the accused child molester for whom she was translating was moving his hand across his groin area while the alleged victim was testifying, the Court of Appeal for this district has ruled.
In an opinion released yesterday, Div. Six overturned the conviction of Juan Chavez Leon on a burglary charge, but affirmed his convictions on related charges of child molestation, false imprisonment, and witness tampering. Reversed along with the burglary conviction was an enhancement to the molestation sentence for entering the victim's home with intent to commit the offense.
Leon, a gardener, was accused by the 12-year-old daughter of a customer of coming into the house under the guise of getting his check, trying to force her to have sex with him, then grabbing her hair, giving her $10 and warning her "don't tell nobody."
The prosecutor called Rebecca Rubinstein, the court interpreter, to testify after hearing Rubinstein tell the bailiff that the defendant was opening and closing his fingers over the crotch area of his pants during the girl's testimony. Judge Alan Steele, a retired judge sitting on assignment, denied a defense motion to exclude the testimony under Evidence Code Sec. 352.
The trial judge abused his discretion in denying the motion, Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert wrote for Div. Six.
The prosecution, Gilbert reasoned, failed to establish "how Leon's actions in court were relevant to his intent when he entered the house." Besides, he said, it was never made clear exactly what Leon was doing while the interpreter was watching, so "the probative value, at best, was weak."
The prejudice was exacerbated, Gilbert said, when the prosecutor argued to the jury that the defendant was "so turned on by the mere sight of [the girl] in court that he's masturbating." The argument was so inflammatory, the appellate jurist noted, it drove one juror to write a note suggesting the defendant be deported.
The trial judge should also have taken into consideration the impact on the jury of having the interpreter go from the defense table to the witness box, potentially leading "jurors to conclude that part of the defense team thought he was guilty," Gilbert said.
The error, the jurist went on to say, requires that the burglary conviction and the sentence enhancement be reversed because they were largely dependent on circumstantial evidence. The other convictions stand, Gilbert said, because the evidence of those crimes "was so substantial that error in the admission of Rubinstein's testimony was harmless on those counts."
The case is People v. Leon, B140721.


As you have probably heard by now, Dave Silverman has been elected president of American Atheists. Silverman has been working with American Atheists as their Communications Director and Vice President, so you have probably seen him on TV. He's also the guy behind NoGodBlog.
I have been impressed with what I've seen from him so far, and I imagine that he will put his experience in communications to use in his new role. I think that American Atheists would benefit from increased visibility, and Silverman has already been working to make this happen. I am looking forward to seeing where he decides to take the organization.