The market pressure of superior quality and cost reduction entails knowledge application of respective domains. Our solution based approach to various segments of process industry is well suited for standard executions. Domain expertise also helps us to build customized solution for customer's specific requirements.
We involve team of engineers and technicians with prior domain knowledge to come out with practical solutions. Our panel of experts having rich experience in their respective areas lend a strong foundation for the solution approach to our offerings in the process industries. The team handling a particular project is selected based on experience and skill requirement for the project execution.


text:
Q: Rails 3: How to save uploaded images to assets directory and how to display them? I followed the Railscast about Carrierwave: http://railscasts.com/episodes/253-carrierwave-file-uploads
I looked in the Carrierwave Wiki: https://github.com/jnicklas/carrierwave/wiki/How-To%3A-Secure-Upload
I have also Googled the question and can't find the answer.
I'm trying to save uploaded images into the assets directory (to they can be more secured and not accessed by everyone) and then display them in a webpage.
I tried this...
Rails.root + "app/assets/images/uploads/children/#{mounted_as}/#{model.id}"

... which does save it in the assets directory, but then I'm having a hard time displaying the image in a webpage.
How could I do that?

A: You can upload:
File.open(Rails.root.join('app/assets', 'app_banners', uploaded_io.original_filename), 'wb') do |f|
  f.write(uploaded_io.read)
end

where uploaded_io is your $_FILES variable and app_banners is folder under assets
For display you can use
where image.png is put in any folder in assets auto detect and display.. on your webpage..

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home When it comes to growth in metals, IT is what it is
When it comes to growth in metals, IT is what it is
Oct 31, 2014 | 07:00 PM |
Make no mistake, technology is the secret—and often not-so-secret—weapon in the arsenal of every metals company. Employing the latest technology is woven into the very fiber of the metals industry.
Don't discount information technology (IT), either. IT is essential to growth, efficiency and maintaining a competitive edge. But despite an ever-growing availability of hardware, software, systems analysis mechanisms and data analysis tools to help metal companies make better decisions, some are reluctant to embrace these solutions.
Investments in IT systems can be expensive and cumbersome, and choosing the right one can be tricky. And perhaps in part because of this, there is a strong sense among metal industry analysts, as well as suppliers of IT solutions, that the sector drags its feet more than most other industries. But with each passing year, a greater number of metal executives believe that innovation and new technology—including IT—are critical or somewhat important to their long-term strategies. So maybe the message is being received.
When it comes to advances in production and manufacturing processes, for decades most metal producers have exhibited a consistent pattern of implementing and using the latest developments. Whether it's advanced high-strength steel or titanium powder processes or aluminum alloys, company leaders have been bold and decisive—and remain so.
But in the area of IT, which has become just as crucial to competitiveness and corporate financial health, the opposite can be true. To be sure, nearly all companies now have a chief technology officer or director of technology, and these professionals have taken their tasks to heart. Still, while most companies have embraced at least some IT-driven solutions, such as enterprise resource planning and enterprise risk management systems, many have yet to come on board.
The challenge is that changes come at a fast and furious pace. For example, cloud computing and smart machining are emerging as major breakthroughs. For a company to accept such IT answers, the impetus must come from the chief executive officer, chief financial officer or others at the top and then make its way down the ladder. While it's true that immediate and short-term priorities need attention, especially in today's still-struggling economic climate, ignoring IT developments is a long-term strategic error. The companies that will not only survive but thrive will find ways to include IT investments in their planning and budgeting.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Frikjent (internationale Engelse titel: Acquitted) is een Noorse dramaserie die uit twee seizoenen bestaat met achttien afleveringen (2015-2016). De serie werd geproduceerd door Miso Film Norge en uitgezonden door TV 2. In Nederland is de serie uitgezonden door Film1 Action en Netflix.

Het tweede seizoen van acht afleveringen werd in Noorwegen uitgezonden eind 2016 op TV 2. Hiervoor heeft de zender 60 miljoen Noorse kronen betaald.

Verhaal

Serie 1 van 10 afleveringen
Aksel Borgen, een succesvolle zakenman die al vele jaren in Azië werkt, wordt gevraagd terug te keren naar zijn Noorse geboortedorp om het bedrijf Solar Tech van de ondergang te redden dat bijna de hele lokale bevolking werkgelegenheid verschaft. Aksel verliet twintig jaar geleden noodgedwongen zijn geboorteplaats, nadat hij veroordeeld en later vrijgesproken werd voor de moord op zijn schoolvriendin Karine Hansteen. Zij was de dochter van William, die het noodlijdende bedrijf leidt, en zijn dominante vrouw Eva. Bij zijn terugkomst in zijn geboortedorp merkt Aksel al snel dat hij nog steeds verdacht wordt van de moord. Hij besluit nu het bedrijf te redden en tegelijkertijd zijn naam te zuiveren. Hij moet daarbij opboksen tegen de vijandige houding van de dorpsbewoners en van zijn eigen moeder, die hem wantrouwt. Aan het eind van de eerste serie is er een bekentenis en lijkt de moordzaak opgelost.
Serie 2 van 8 afleveringen
Aan het begin van de tweede serie wordt de bekentenis ingetrokken en heeft Aksel het gevoel dat hij terug is bij af. Er wordt een proces gevoerd tegen degene die bekend had, maar door het intrekken van die bekentenis is er geen bewijs. Tijdens de rechtszaak wordt Aksel opnieuw als de dader genoemd. Ook wordt over zijn afkomst een uitspraak gedaan, die door zijn moeder bevestigd wordt. Het hele dorp blijft hem zien als de moordenaar van Karine. Ook omdat Solar Tech, dat hij zou redden, inmiddels gesloten is, wordt hem hardhandig duidelijk gemaakt dat hij beter kan vertrekken. Hij wil niet weg, want hij is vastbesloten om zijn onschuld aan te tonen. Alleen de officier van justitie Amina staat aan zijn kant, maar door zijn obsessieve gedrag vervreemdt hij ook haar uiteindelijk van zich. Als weer een meisje sterft, wordt Aksels broer Erik verdacht. Uiteindelijk wordt de ware toedracht duidelijk van Karines dood, waarna een dramatische ontknoping volgt.

Afleveringen

Locatie

De serie is opgenomen in de schilderachtige omgeving van Sogn, met Årdalstangen als decor voor het fjord dorp Lifjord. De serie speelt zich af in de nabijheid van het dorp, de bergen en de fjorden.

De opvallende wenteltrap en boardroom van Solar Tech ligt in het Powerhouse Kjørbo in Sandvika.

Rolverdeling

Distributie

Alternatieve titels

Noorse televisieserie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Tag: Small businesses
Book Review: Hooked On You
Hooked On You – Kathleen Fuller – Maple Falls #1 – Thomas Nelson – Published 11 May 2021
Riley McAllister left the small Arkansas town of Maple Falls after graduating high school, hoping to make it big in New York as a mixed media artist. She's still pursuing her dream when her grandmother begs her to come home and help her manage the store while she recovers from a broken leg she got after sliding into third base during a church softball game (she was safe, by the way). Riley agrees, planning to convince her grandmother to sell the old shop and retire so Riley can get back to the big city. New York is where she belongs, not some hick town that doesn't even have a decent coffee shop.
Hayden Price's life hasn't turned out as he expected either. He still works in the hardware store his family has owned for several generations after his chance to make it out of Maple Falls ended when he blew out his pitching arm during a minor league game. Stuck with debt from college and a broken engagement, he decides to make the best of things when he comes back to Maple Falls and puts together the town's first church softball team–with him as coach, of course.
Riley and Hayden went to high school together but ran in totally different circles. In fact, it's safe to say they hated each other. Will that change when the softball team unexpectedly brings them together? Or will the pain and disappointment of their past failures keep them from discovering love in Maple Falls?
Hooked on You has all the makings of a great romance novel – returning to one's hometown to help rejuvenate a family business, a burnt out sports star finding a new direction for his life, a small town setting and a quirky group of old friends who like to meddle. Sadly, I wasn't able to connect with the main characters in the way that I wanted and the writing and dialogue was a bit stilted, leaving me unsatisfied with the plot. A light and easy read, but not one of my favourites of the genre.
Hayden has returned home to Maple Falls to help run his father's hardware business. After finally making it to the Majors in baseball, he blew out his shoulder on his first pitch. Riley has returned to Maple Falls after her grandmother is injured during a softball game. Riley is just counting down the days until she can return to New York and finding her place as a mixed media artist, but being 'home' and getting to know Hayden again makes her reassess her life goals.
A sweet book, it was the lack of depth to the characters and their background stories that made this an okay book for me, rather than one I adored. Not a lot happens in the story and I found it hard to believe in Riley and Hayden's connection. The prose and dialogue is a little stilted, and I'm not sure how realistic Hayden's voice was at times. The drama introduced at the end was overly dramatic and just added to my overall disinterest in the story.
Book Review: Just Let Go
May 19, 2018 / madisonslibrary / 0 Comments
Just Let Go – Courtney Walsh – Harbor Pointe #2 – Tyndale – Published 5 June 2018
For Quinn Collins, buying the flower shop in downtown Harbor Pointe fulfills a childhood dream, but also gives her the chance to stick it to her mom, who owned the store before skipping town twenty years ago and never looking back. Completing much-needed renovations, however, while also competing for a prestigious flower competition with her mother as the head judge, soon has Quinn in over her head. Not that she'd ever ask for help.
Luckily, she may not need to. Quinn's father and his meddling friends find the perfect solution in notorious Olympic skier Grady Benson, who had only planned on passing through the old-fashioned lakeside town. But when a heated confrontation leads to property damage, helping Quinn as a community-service sentence seems like the quickest way out–and the best way to avoid more negative press.
Quinn finds Grady reckless and entitled; he thinks she's uptight and too regimented. Yet as the two begin to hammer and saw, Quinn sees glimpses of the vulnerability behind the bravado, and Grady learns from her passion and determination, qualities he seems to have lost along the way. But when a well-intentioned omission has devastating consequences, Grady finds himself cast out of town–and Quinn's life–possibly forever. Forced to face the hurt holding her back, Quinn must finally let go or risk missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.
Just Let Go is as delightful as its gorgeous cover; a beautiful story of redemption, forgiveness, and starting over, of learning to work for your dreams and learning when to let go.
Grady is a professional skier, Olympian, and, according to the world, a wash-up bound for forced retirement. A self-imposed road trip leads Grady to Harbor Pointe, where a judgmental comment leads to a fist-fight, which leads to Grady being sentenced to weeks of community service and being stuck in the infuriatingly small town. As soon as she sets eyes on Grady Benson, Quinn Collins knows he is bad news. They come from different worlds – while he was off living the high life and has no qualms putting holes in the walls of diners, she has lived her whole life in Harbor Pointe, working towards her dream of owning her own flower shop, creating the best design for the upcoming Winter Carnival, and entering her designs into the Floral Expo. She is on the verge of realising that dream and the last thing she needs is to babysit the egotistical skier for the duration of his community service. But there is more to Grady than is reported in the tabloids, and Quinn is holding onto her own hurts. Can the two learn to work together?
Just Let Go was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it was everything I expected it to be. After reading Just Look Up and loving it, I was excited to read this second novel in the Harbor Pointe series. Each of the two books can be read as standalones, with complete story lines, a few character crossovers, and the same delightful, small-town setting. Just Let Go is a complicated and layered story of relationships, dreams, and the faith needed to overcome the hurts of the past.


While members of the Coast Guard continue to risk their lives on deployment during the government shutdown, the service says it will not be able to provide death benefits to their families should they be killed in the line of duty. Retirees and their families will also be affected due to a lack of funding as long as the shutdown drags on.
Families of US Coast Guard members killed in active service will not receive a one-time death benefit payment, as long as the partial government shutdown continues, according to Lt. Cmdr. Scott McBride, a spokesperson for the service. Nor will retirees, McBride added, along with the next of kin of retirees who were paying into an insurance plan.
McBride told CNN that while retirees and their next of kin are due to receive their benefits on February 1, they will not if the shutdown drags on.
"As the lapse in appropriation continues, more than 55,000 Coast Guard active duty, reserve, and civilian employees will not receive monthly pay and benefits. In addition, the federal funding hiatus may affect the retired pay for 50,000 Coast Guard annuitants," McBride said in a statement.
It is rare for Coast Guard members to be killed in action, McBride added, but the fact remains that deployments continue despite the shutdown and the service would be unable to provide financial support for families should they need it.
On January 15, more than 40,000 active-duty Coast Guard service members did not receive their paychecks -- the first time in history that US service members were not paid during a lapse in government funding, according to Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl L. Schultz.
The Coast Guard also has a civilian workforce of 8,000, according to the commandant, who work alongside uniformed members and have also not been paid.
Ken Fisher, of the Fisher House program, announced Thursday that his foundation is giving $50,000 in support to Hope For The Warriors, a nonprofit veteran service organization, to help provide critical aid for Coast Guard families impacted by the government shutdown. The Fisher House offers assistance to families of troops in need.
"Since January 10, Hope For The Warriors has been providing gift cards to help Coast Guards members, who are currently working without pay, to help them pay for essentials," according to the foundation.
Fisher has previously offered to pay Pentagon emergency military benefits to families of those killed in action when the Department of Defense has been furloughed. And with Coast Guardsmen working in the Pentagon and with the military around the world, the Fisher House Foundation is again offering to assist.
On Tuesday, Schultz said in a video message that was tweeted out that it is "unacceptable" that Coast Guard members have to rely on food pantries and donations during the partial government shutdown.


text:
Judicial Election Hijinks in Texas
For Place 5, will voters choose the flashy, untested show horse, or the reliable workhorse?
All judges in Texas are selected by the voters, in partisan elections. I have reported previously (here and here) about the contest for Place 3 on the Texas Supreme Court, between incumbent Justice Debra Lehrmann and challenger Justice Michael Massengale, currently serving on the First Court of Appeals in Houston. In Texas, Supreme Court justices are elected for six year terms, and each election three members of the nine-member court face the voters, in both a primary election and the general election in November. (For the past 20 years or so, all statewide elected officials in Texas, including justices on the Texas Supreme Court, have been Republican, so the real action is in the primary.) The 2016 primary in Texas will be held on March 1. The filing deadline has now passed, and all three seats on the court that could be contested are contested. In addition to Place 3 (Lehrmann vs. Massengale), the incumbent in Place 9, Justice Eva Guzman, faces a challenge by perennial candidate Joe Pool, Jr., an attorney who ran unsuccessfully in 2012 and 2014, and the incumbent in Place 5, Justice Paul W. Green, faces a challenge by conservative activist Rick Green, a former state legislator who ran for the court unsuccessfully in 2010. This post will focus on the potentially confusing Green vs. Green race. First, a bit of background about judicial elections in Texas.
Read more at National Review


text:
Calida blocks petition seeking to increase nurses' salary
Feb 27, 2019 12:08 AM PHT
Solicitor General Jose Calida argues that implementing an increase in salary grade for government nurses would result in a 'wage distortion' among state workers
MANILA, Philippines – Solicitor General Jose Calida blocked a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to implement an increase in the salary grade of government nurses, saying it lacked legal basis and would result in inequity among government workers' wages.
Calida defended during oral arguments before the High Court on Tuesday, February 26, the government's position on the bid to increase government nurses' salaries to as much as P31,000 a month.
Party list Ang Nars filed a petition in 2015, seeking to declare unconstitutional an Executive Order (EO) that former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed in 2009. That EO downgraded the nurses' salary grade from 10 to 11.
In 2002, the Nurses' Act was enacted, setting the salary grade at 15, but a joint resolution of Congress became Arroyo's basis for signing her order. Under the current tranche of salary grades, salary grade 15 equates to as much as P31,545 a month.
The main argument that the SC tackled was whether the joint resolution could repeal the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 or Republic Act (RA) 9173.
Arroyo's EO No. 811 was based on a joint resolution by Congress that sought to modify the compensation scheme of some professions, including nurses.
Joint resolution considered law
Calida argued that the petition lacked legal basis because the petitioner lacked "substantial and personal interest" in the case. He said then-representative of Ang Nars, Leah Primitiva Samaco-Paquiz, was no longer an incumbent member of Congress, nor was she currently employed as a state nurse.
The Solicitor General likewise argued that the joint resolution, which served as basis for EO 811 was a law as it underwent the same process a bill had to undergo to be enacted into law.
"Under the rules of both the Senate and House of Representatives, a joint resolution like a bill is required to be filed, to undergo 3 separate headings, to be approved by both separate houses, signed by the presiding officer of each house and enrolled for signature of the President. A joint resolution is also presented to the President for approval. Thus, a joint resolution, upon approval of the President, is law," Calida said.
Ang Nars, represented by lawyer Sharon Faith Paquiz during the oral arguments, had argued that a joint resolution, could not be considered as law, though it had the full force and effect of a law. She argued that the Constitution's use of "bills" meant that resolutions could not be considered as law.
Calida, however, argued that "in Philippine legislative milieu, as confirmed by both the Senate and House of Representatives, there is no real difference between a bill and joint resolution."
'Wage distortion'
The Solicitor General said that if government implemented section 32 of RA 9173, this would result in "wage distortion" among public workers. He cited as an example, the salary grade of entry level medical officers pegged at salary grade 14; and a pharmacist, optometrist, medical technician, and occupation therapist at salary grade 11.
"All of these allied medical professionals work under essentially the same conditions but would become differently situated in terms of salary if Section 32 of RA 9173 would be enforced," Calida said.
Ang Nars' petition was based on section 32 of RA 9173, which said nurses should be at salary grade 15.
Paquiz agued that government could raise the salary grade of all workers to ensure wages remained equitable – should the compensation for nurses also be raised. This, she said, was better than having state nurses' pay "pulled down."
Aside from these, Calida also said that having argued the joint resolution was considered a law, this gave the President power to modify the compensation classification of civil servants. He added that section 16 of the resolution also repealed the provisions of laws inconsistent with it.
Section 16 reads: "The provision of all laws, decrees, executive orders, corporate charters, rules, regulations, circulars, approvals and other issuances (…) inconsistent with the provisions of this Joint Resolution…are hereby amended."
"The government recognizes the ever critical role of nurses in providing quality and accessible healthcare. However, the legislative intent to allow the executive branch to modify the framework of the compensation of civil servants to reduce inequity between government positions is clear and unequivocal," Calida said.
The SC gave the government and Ang Nars 20 days to file their respective memoranda. The High Court said this was non-extendible. – Rappler.com
@sofiatomacruz
Sofia Tomacruz covers foreign affairs and is the lead reporter on the coronavirus pandemic. She also writes stories on the treatment of women and children. Follow her on Twitter via @sofiatomacruz. Email her at sofia.tomacruz@rappler.com.
More from Sofia Tomacruz


text:
import collectd
import multiprocessing
import os
import psutil

METRICS_CONFIGURED = []
PLUGIN_NAME = "system-metrics"
INTERVAL = 30 # the interval with which the plugin should be run by collectd.

def configure(conf):
  """Receive configuration block. Sets up the global system metrics list to export.
  Arguments: Takes the collectd Config object (https://collectd.org/documentation/manpages/collectd-python.5.shtml#config).
  Returns: None.
  """

  for node in conf.children:
    key = node.key.lower()
    val = node.values
    if key == 'metric_list':
      global METRICS_CONFIGURED
      METRICS_CONFIGURED = val
      collectd.debug('Exporting the following metrics ' + ' '.join(METRICS_CONFIGURED))
    else:
      collectd.warning('Metric list not set.')

def func_loadavg_per_cpu():
  """Returns the load average per cpu metric."""

  load_avg = os.getloadavg()[1] # we get the midterm loadavg
  cpu_count = None
  # The psutil pip module seems to have the cpu_count() method while the python-psutil deb package (at least in ubuntu 14.04) does not.
  if hasattr(psutil, 'cpu_count'):
    cpu_count = psutil.cpu_count()
  else:
    cpu_count = multiprocessing.cpu_count()
  return {'loadavg-per-cpu': load_avg/float(cpu_count)}

def func_memory_usage_percent():
  """Returns the memory usage by percenatge."""

  return {'memory-usage-percent': psutil.virtual_memory().percent}

def func_disk_usage_percent():
  """Returns the disk usage percentage for all partitions (mounted disk partitions)."""

  partition_usage = {}
  for partition in psutil.disk_partitions():
    mount = None
    if partition.mountpoint == '/':
      mount = 'df-root'
    else:
      mount = 'df' + partition.mountpoint.replace('/', '-')
    partition_usage['disk-usage-percent.' + mount] = psutil.disk_usage(partition.mountpoint).percent
  return partition_usage

METRICS_ENABLED = {'loadavg-per-cpu': func_loadavg_per_cpu, 'disk-usage-percent': func_disk_usage_percent, 'memory-usage-percent': func_memory_usage_percent}

def dispatch_value(metric_name, value, type):
  """Dispatches a value for the key
  Argumets (key: metric name
            value:  value of the metric)
  Returns: None.
  """

  val = collectd.Values(plugin=PLUGIN_NAME)
  val.type = type
  val.type_instance = metric_name
  val.values = [value]
  val.dispatch()

def read_callback():

  collectd.debug('Metrics to be exported ' + ' '.join(METRICS_CONFIGURED))
  collect_metric = {}
  for metric in METRICS_CONFIGURED:
    if metric in METRICS_ENABLED:
      collect_metric.update(METRICS_ENABLED[metric]())

  for k, v in collect_metric.iteritems():
    dispatch_value(k, v, 'gauge')

# register callbacks
collectd.register_config(configure)
collectd.register_read(read_callback, INTERVAL)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Comparing MATLAB AR model algorithms I'm currently trying to build an AR model to approximate the error process in a sensor system. And I'm comparing the different parameter estimators in MATLAB. I have sets of data that i'm trying to match a model to, but I'm not too sure on the benefits/disadvantages of the algorithms available in the signal processing toolbox.
arburg: Autoregressive (AR) all-pole model parameters estimated using Burg method
arcov: Estimate AR model parameters using covariance method
armcov: Estimate AR model parameters using modified covariance method
aryule: Estimate autoregressive (AR) all-pole model using Yule-Walker method

If someone could give a more detailed description comparing the different algorithm and which one would best model existing data that would be very helpful.


text:
Q: not able to update to update table as it is used in from clause in subquery UPDATE qn_answers
SET `GRADE` = -100
WHERE `QSN_ID` IN (SELECT q.`ID` FROM `questions` q
LEFT JOIN qn_answers qa ON q.`ID` = qa.`QSN_ID`
WHERE q.`QSN_TYPE_ID` = 3 AND qa.`ISCORRECT` = 0 AND qa.`GRADE` = 0);

I'm trying to update a column based on the result from the join table , but  it gives ERROR : 1093

A: I think you want an update join here, without a subquery:
UPDATE qn_answers qa
INNER JOIN questions q
    ON qa.QSN_ID = q.ID
SET GRADE = -100
WHERE
    q.QSN_TYPE_ID = 3 AND
    qa.ISCORRECT = 0  AND
    qa.GRADE = 0;

The error message has to do with that you are using the target table qn_answers as part of the join.  You can't do this directly in a MySQL update.

A: use join update
UPDATE qn_answers a
join
(SELECT q.`ID` FROM `questions` q
LEFT JOIN qn_answers qa ON q.`ID` = qa.`QSN_ID`
WHERE q.`QSN_TYPE_ID` = 3 AND qa.`ISCORRECT` = 0 AND qa.`GRADE` = 0
) b on a.`QSN_ID`=b.`ID`
SET `GRADE` = -100

A: I think standard update also will work here. Try this:
UPDATE qa
SET `GRADE` = -100
FROM
`questions` q
LEFT JOIN
`qn_answers` qa
ON
q.`ID` = qa.`QSN_ID`
WHERE q.`QSN_TYPE_ID` = 3 AND qa.`ISCORRECT` = 0 AND qa.`GRADE` = 0;


text:
TIDELINE
by Wajdi Mouawad
trans. Shelley Tepperman
neworldtheatre and
Touchstone Theatre
$26/$24/$15
604-231-7535 or www.ticketstonight.ca
video clip: www.youtube.com
This is a tale of two plays. Tideline begins as a bravely funny, disturbing meditation on a son's struggle with his father's death. It ends as a political parable, potentially quite powerful but dragged down by its tedious length and endless overwriting.
Wajdi Mouawad, the hottest playwright/director to come out of Quebec since Robert Lepage, gets his west coast debut in Shelley Tepperman's excellent translation of Tideline. The play shows flashes of Mouawad's brilliance. It receives a highly polished, superbly acted co-production from Touchstone and neworldtheatre, co-directed by Camyar Chai and Katrina Dunn, who also create the show's innovative design. All it finally needs is a rigorous editor.
When Wilfred (an intense, passionate Daniel Arnold) learns that his estranged father has died, it sends him on a bizarre odyssey of guilt and personal discovery. Mouawad weaves a strange dreamscape of comic fantasy and deep psychological trauma.
Wilfred painfully claims his father's body and struggles to understand his relationship to his father's life and his mother's death. At the same time, he imagines his own life as a ridiculous movie. At regular intervals a grotesque film crew appears to shoot a scene, and a medieval knight (Michael Scholar, Jr.) pops in to save him from his enemies. Strangest of all, the corpse of his father (Zinaid Memisevic) speaks to Wilfred—sometimes comically ("I may be dead but I'm not an idiot"), often earnestly—leading him on his journey.
The journey takes them to his parents' country, where Wilfred decides to bury his father "in order to reconcile the living and the dead." This is the long second play. The unnamed country is certainly Lebanon, Mouawad's original homeland. Ravaged by wars, it's a land of death and despair. Wilfred collects a group of angry, damaged followers who all eventually claim the corpse as their collective father, and his burial comes to represent their liberation from the past. Unfortunately, it doesn't come before a lot of windy speechifying and three or four false endings.
The large cast does an excellent job negotiating the jarring contrasts between the ridiculous and the sublime. Medina Hahn and Parnelli Parnes are very affecting as the younger versions of Wilfred's father and mother, and Jonathon Young, Donald Adams, Una Memisevic and Almeera Jiwa vividly portray a range of characters.
The semi-circular set, framed by vertical white nylon ropes like bars, and semi-transparent black curtains, creates a versatile space as both the external world of politics and atrocity and the inside of Wilfred's head. A track running inside the perimeter of the semi-circle accommodates a kind of metal wagon, pushed on and off stage by actors, providing a low-tech medium for entrances and exits. Jonathan Ryder's strong lighting and Owen Belton's sound and music help shape Mouawad's epic vision.
If only it were a half-hour shorter.


This question originally appeared on reddit/headphones. I'm re-posting a longer response below, as the discussion commonly arises.
Designing a sufficiently low noise supply from a USB +5V rail is economical and easy. Most manufacturers build entry-level DACs with this approach, relying on 3.3V regulation and filtering to clean up the USB supply. A decent regulator will achieve -50 to -90dB PSRR alone (frequency dependent), so unless the USB +5V rail is disastrous, the 3.3V DAC supply cleans up nicely.
An external AC power adapter requires rectification and voltage regulation to step down to clean, low DC voltage free of 60Hz hum. Then you have to battle thermal constraints from the large voltage drop. More circuitry and engineering effort goes into accepting external AC power compared to USB, so the end result is always higher cost (those 15V power adapters are also not free, nor is the extra 1lb in shipping weight). The benefit of external power is consistent noise performance from one system to the next.
A well designed DAC fed by USB power usually hits published performance, but there can be exceptions. Dig through feedback of any USB powered DAC and you'll find reports of audible degradation. USB power is unpredictable. I've argued in the past that consistency for 99%+ of customers is adequate. Some agreed, and some vehemently disagreed with me. If you're the 1% or so with a noisy USB system, you need a USB hub, or a DAC that doesn't rely on USB power. Having been on both sides of the fence, I'd rather maximize trust with customers by relying on external powered designs. We made this commitment when announcing OL DAC and EL DAC. But in cost constrained designs, external power is not an option.
Any plans to introduce an Element which has an AC powered DAC?
So for me to use this in my car (Chinese Android headunits don't have the best preamp or processing) I'd need to go from 12v DC to AC for the power supply which is then converted to 5v DC for the DAC.
Is there a way for me to bypass that and feed 5v DC into the DAC directly?


Lana Coxton has worked in the field of Health & Wellness for over 15 years. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine from the University of Detroit Mercy and a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Madonna University. Lana is a Registered Dietitian whom completed her dietetic internship at Hurley Medical Center Level One Trauma Center in Flint, Michigan. In addition, Lana has a Master of Science in Human Nutrition from Eastern Michigan University. Lana is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a Health & Fitness Specialist.
Lana Coxton is currently employed with Oakwood Healthcare System as a Clinical Inpatient Dietitian for the Intensive Care Unit. She currently teaches for Madonna University instructing future dietitians and nurses. Lana provides nutrition consultations specializing in gastrointestinal disorders that include celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and food sensitivities, and allergies. Lana is a nutrition consultant for the Tri-County Celiac Support Group and Renee's Gourmet Pizzeria.
Lana was also involved with the Oakwood Community Health Department providing nutrition, health, and wellness to many community organizations such as non-profit groups, faith based groups, and schools. She owned and operated Whole Body Health & Fitness a company that provided wellness and nutrition programs for various corporations and other networks.
Lana is a member of both the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Michigan Dietetics Educators Group. Her long term goals are to obtain a doctorate's degree and become a published nutrition author.


School is out for my daughter tomorrow and even though I am usually full of ideas during the winter break it's not always easy to make time for messy art projects especially if your playroom is being used as a temporary guest room. That is why this winter break bucket list is going to make our break awesome.
I came up with this little winter break bucket list for my daughter and students in mind. It's packed with simple ideas to pick and choose from. Maybe our list doesn't fit your kids, that's fine but I encourage you to make your own with ideas you can do for your kids to choose from. I will be baking and cooking, and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning in the next few days too. While I do that I will have my daughter choose an idea she can do close by. I also tried to include some ideas that can be done after dinner for families that aren't together during the day.
To print this out simply click here to download!
For more fun simple holiday activities check out our Gingerbread Friends Thematic Mini-Unit!
I sent this home last week for my preschoolers as at home activities during this week's winter break. Any chance we can get a spring break bucket list for them too?!


text:
Year 1822 (MDCCCXXII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar).
February 9 – The invading Haitian forces led by Jean Pierre Boyer arrive in Santo Domingo , to overthrow the newly founded Republic .
May 24 – Battle of Pichincha: Simón Bolívar secures the independence of Quito .
May 26 – 116 people die in the Grue Church fire. It's the biggest fire disaster in Norway 's history.
June 14 – Charles Babbage proposes a Difference engine.
July 8 – The Chippewas turn over huge tract of land in Ontario to the United Kingdom .
July 13 – Greek War of Independence: Greeks defeat Ottoman forces at Thermopylae .
July 26 – José de San Martín arrives in Guayaquil , Ecuador , to meet with Simón Bolívar.
July 27 – Simón Bolívar and General José de San Martín meet in Guayaquil . Bolívar later annexes Guayaquil (See Guayaquil Conference).
July 31 – The last public whipping is carried out in Edinburgh .
August 12 – St David's College (now the University of Wales, Lampeter ) is founded by Bishop Thomas Burgess.
August 22 – The English ship Orion lands at Yerba Buena, now named San Francisco , under the command of William A. Richardson.
September 7 – Brazil declares its independence from Portugal (see Brazilian independence).
September 16 – George Canning is appointed British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
September 22 – Portugal approves its first Constitution.
October 12 – Peter I of Brazil is declared the constitutional emperor of the Brazilian Empire .
October–December – Congress of Verona : Russia , Austria and Prussia approve French intervention in Spain .
November 13 – Greek War of Independence: Nafplion falls to the Greek rebels.
November 13 – founding of the religious order, the Basilians (Congregation of St. Basil).
December 1 – Peter I is crowned as Emperor of Brazil (see The reign of Pedro I, 1822–31).
Jean-François Champollion
Hieroglyphs are deciphered by Thomas Young and Jean-François Champollion, using the Rosetta Stone.
Galileo Galilei's Dialogue is taken off the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, the Roman Catholic Church's list of banned books.
Ashley's Hundred leave from St. Louis , setting off a major increase in fur trade.
An earthquake in Chile raises the coastal area.
Coffee is no longer banned in Sweden .
Britain repeals the death penalty for over 100 crimes (see Capital punishment in the United Kingdom).
The first group of freed slaves from the USA arrive in modern-day Liberia and found Monrovia (see History of Liberia).
The Graham Cracker is developed in Bound Brook, New Jersey by the Presbyterian minister Sylvester Graham.
Gist Masion is built in Wellsburg, West Virginia (used some 100 years later for the Brooke Hills Spooktacular.
January 2 – Rudolf Clausius, German physicist (d. 1888)
January 6 – Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist (d. 1890)
January 25 – Charles Reed Bishop, preeminent businessman and philanthropist in Hawaii (d. 1915)
January 28 – Alexander Mackenzie, second Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1892)
February 4 – Edward Fitzgerald Beale, American Navy Lieutenant and explorer
February 16 – Sir Francis Galton, English explorer and biologist (d. 1911)
March 4 – Jules Antoine Lissajous, French mathematician (d. 1880)
April 3 – Edward Everett Hale, American writer (d. 1909)
April 27 – Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (d. 1885)
May 20 – Frédéric Passy, French economist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1912)
May 26 – Edmond de Goncourt, French writer (d. 1896)
June 10 – John Jacob Astor III, American businessman (d. 1890)
July 18 – Princess Augusta of Cambridge (d. 1916)
July 20 – Gregor Mendel, Czech geneticist (d. 1884)
October 4 – Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th President of the United States (d. 1893)
October 5 – Hans Hampel, Czech composer and pianist (d. 1884)
December 10 – César Franck, Belgian composer and organist (d. 1890)
December 24 – Matthew Arnold, English poet (d. 1888)
December 27 – Louis Pasteur, French microbiologist and chemist (d. 1895)
Fictional Births
May 5 – Harry Paget Flashman, illustrious Victorian soldier (d. 1915)
January 10 – Bathilde d'Orléans, French princess (b. 1750)
January 24 – Ali Pasha, ruler of European Turkey (b. 1741)
February 10 – Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Teschen (b. 1738)
February 24 – Thomas Coutts, banker (b. 1735)
February 27 – Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet, admiral (b. 1753)
April 20 – Allegra Byron, illegitimate daughter of Lord Byron (b. 1817)
May 27 – Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (b. 1772)
June 25 – E. T. A. Hoffmann, German Romantic author (b. 1776)
July 8 – Percy Bysshe Shelley, English poet (b. 1792)
August 12 – Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, British foreign secretary (suicide) (b. 1769)
August 25 – William Herschel, German-born astronomer (b. 1738)
October 26 – Mahmud Dramali Pasha, Ottoman vizier (b. c. 1780)
October 31 – Jared Ingersoll, U.S. presidential candidate (b. 1749)


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Betamax

Record & replay HTTP traffic for simple, reliable tests.

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Betamax

Introduction

Versions

Installation

Usage

Compatibility

HTTPS

Configuration

Caveats

Examples

About

Introduction

Betamax is a tool for mocking external HTTP resources such as web services and REST APIs in your tests. The project was inspired by the VCR library for Ruby.

You don’t want 3rd party downtime, network issues or resource constraints (such as the Twitter API’s rate limit) to break your tests. Writing custom stub web server code and configuring the application to connect to a different URI when under test is tedious and might not accurately simulate the real service.

Betamax aims to solve these problems by intercepting HTTP connections initiated by your application and returning recorded responses.

The first time a test annotated with @Betamax is run any HTTP traffic is recorded to a tape and subsequent test runs will play back the recorded HTTP response from the tape without actually connecting to the external server.

Betamax works with JUnit and Spock. Although it is written in Groovy Betamax can be used to test applications written in any JVM language so long as HTTP connections are made in a way that respects Java’s http.proxyHost and http.proxyPort system properties.

Tapes are stored to disk as YAML files and can be modified (or even created) by hand and committed to your project’s source control repository so they can be shared by other members of your team and used by your CI server. Different tests can use different tapes to simulate various response conditions. Each tape can hold multiple request/response interactions. An example tape file can be found here.

Versions

The current stable version of Betamax is 1.1.1.

Installation

Stable versions of Betamax are available from the Maven central repository. Stable and development versions are available from the Sonatype OSS Maven repository. To install with your favourite build system see below:

Please note the Maven group changed between versions 1.0 and 1.1. Make sure you are specifying the group co.freeside when referencing Betamax in your build.

Gradle

To use Betamax in a project using Gradle add the following dependency to your build.gradle file:

testCompile 'co.freeside:betamax:1.1.1'

Grails

To use Betamax in a Grails app add the following to the dependencies block in your grails-app/conf/BuildConfig.groovy file:

test 'co.freeside:betamax:1.1.1'

Maven

To use Betamax in a project using Maven add the following dependency to your pom.xml file:

<dependency>
  <scope>test</scope>
  <groupId>co.freeside</groupId>
  <artifactId>betamax</artifactId>
  <version>1.1.1</version>
</dependency>

Usage

To use Betamax you just need to annotate your JUnit test or Spock specifications with @Betamax(tape="tape_name") and include a Recorder Rule.

JUnit

import co.freeside.betamax.Betamax;
import co.freeside.betamax.Recorder;
import org.junit.*;

public class MyTest {

    @Rule public Recorder recorder = new Recorder();

    @Betamax(tape="my tape")
    @Test
    public void testMethodThatAccessesExternalWebService() {

    }
}

Spock

import co.freeside.betamax.Betamax
import co.freeside.betamax.Recorder
import org.junit.*
import spock.lang.*

class MySpec extends Specification {

    @Rule Recorder recorder = new Recorder()

    @Betamax(tape='my tape')
    void 'feature that accesses external web service'() {

    }
}

Recording and playback

Betamax will record to the current tape when it intercepts any HTTP request that does not match anything that is already on the tape. If a matching recorded interaction is found then the proxy does not forward the request to the target URI but instead returns the previously recorded response to the client.

Matching requests

By default recorded interactions are matched based on the method and URI of the request. For most scenarios this is adequate. However, you can modify the matching behaviour by specifying a match argument on the @Betamax annotation. Any combination of instances of the co.freeside.betamax.MatchRule enum can be used. If multiple rules are used then only a recorded interaction that matches all of them will be played back. MatchRule options are:

method

the request method, GET, POST, etc.

uri

the full URI of the request target. This includes any query string.

body

the request body. This can be useful for testing connections to RESTful services that accept POST data.

host

the host of the target URI. For example the host of http://search.twitter.com/search.json is search.twitter.com.

path

the path of the target URI. For example the path of http://search.twitter.com/search.json is /search.json.

port

the port of the target URI.

query

the query string of the target URI.

fragment

the fragment of the target URI. i.e. anything after a #.

headers

the request headers. If this rule is used then all headers on the intercepted request must match those on the previously recorded request.

Tape modes

Betamax supports three different read/write modes for tapes. The tape mode is set by adding a mode argument to the @Betamax annotation.

READ_WRITE

This is the default mode. If the proxy intercepts a request that matches a recording on the tape then the recorded response is played back. Otherwise the request is forwarded to the target URI and the response recorded.

READ_ONLY

The proxy will play back responses from tape but if it intercepts an unknown request it will not forward it to the target URI or record anything, instead it responds with a 403: Forbidden status code.

WRITE_ONLY

The proxy will always forward the request to the target URI and record the response regardless of whether or not a matching request is already on the tape. Any existing recorded interactions will be overwritten.

Ignoring certain hosts

Sometimes you may need to have Betamax ignore traffic to certain hosts. A typical example would be if you are using Betamax when end-to-end testing a web application using something like HtmlUnit - you would not want Betamax to intercept connections to localhost as that would mean traffic between HtmlUnit and your app was recorded and played back!

In such a case you can simply configure the ignoreHosts property of the co.freeside.betamax.Recorder object. The property accepts a list of hostnames or IP addresses. These can include wildcards at the start or end, for example "*.mydomain.com".

If you need to ignore connections to localhost you can simply set the ignoreLocalhost property to true.

Editing tape files

Tape files are stored as YAML so that they should be reasonably easy to edit by hand. HTTP request and response bodies are stored as text for most common textual MIME types. Binary data for things like images is also stored but is not practical to edit by hand. In some cases where the text contains non-printable characters then text data will be stored as binary.

Compatibility

Java 6

Under Java 6 it is not possible to proxy connections to URLs whose host is localhost or 127.0.0.1. The workaround is to use the hostname or public IP address of the machine instead. This is a known issue that is fixed in Java 7.

Apache HttpClient

The default implementations of Apache HttpClient takes no notice of Java’s HTTP proxy settings. The Betamax proxy can only intercept traffic from HttpClient if the client instance is set up to use a ProxySelectorRoutePlanner. When Betamax is not active this will mean HttpClient traffic will be routed via the default proxy configured in Java (if any).

In a dependency injection context such as a Grails app you can just inject a proxy-configured HttpClient instance into your class-under-test.

The HttpClient library provides an implementation called SystemDefaultHttpClient that does use the JVM proxy settings. Ideally you can use that. In addition, Betamax provides a convenient HttpRoutePlanner implementation that you can use to configure instances of other HttpClient types. For example:

DefaultHttpClient client = new DefaultHttpClient();
BetamaxRoutePlanner.configure(client);

Groovy HTTPBuilder

Groovy HTTPBuilder and its RESTClient variant are wrappers around HttpClient so the same proxy configuration needs to be applied. For example:

def http = new HTTPBuilder('http://groovy.codehaus.org')
BetamaxRoutePlanner.configure(http.client)

HTTPBuilder also includes a HttpURLClient class which needs no special configuration as it uses a java.net.URLConnection rather than HttpClient.

Apache HttpClient 3.x

HttpClient 3.x is no longer supported but still fairly widely used. It does not take any notice of Java’s HTTP proxy settings and does not have the HttpRoutePlanner facility that HttpClient 4.x does. This means Betamax cannot work as seamlessly. You must set the host and port of the Betamax proxy on the HttpClient instance explicitly and Betamax’s ignoreHosts and ignoreLocalhost configuration properties will be completely ignored. For example:

HttpClient client = new HttpClient();
ProxyHost proxy = new ProxyHost("localhost", recorder.getProxyPort());
client.getHostConfiguration().setProxyHost(proxy);

WSLite

The groovy-wslite library is not aware of the default JVM proxy settings so the proxy needs to be explicitly configured with a java.net.Proxy. The Recorder class provides a convenience method for getting a Proxy instance. For example:

def client = new RESTClient(targetUrl)
def response = client.get(path: '/', proxy: recorder.proxy)

HTTPS

As of version 1.1 Betamax can proxy HTTPS traffic as well as HTTP. Because Betamax needs to be able to read the content of the request and response it is not actually a valid secure proxy. Betamax will only work if the certificate chain is broken.

To enable HTTP support you simply need to set the sslEnabled boolean property on the Recorder instance in your test or via Betamax configuration.

HTTPS with Apache HttpClient

Apache HttpClient needs to be configured to use Betamax’s HTTPS support:

BetamaxHttpsSupport.configure(client);

Configuration

The Recorder class has some configuration properties that you can override:

tapeRoot

the base directory where tape files are stored. Defaults to src/test/resources/betamax/tapes.

proxyPort

the port the Betamax proxy listens on. Defaults to 5555.

proxyTimeout

the number of milliseconds before the proxy will give up on a connection to the target server. A value of zero means the proxy will wait indefinitely. Defaults to 5000.

defaultMode

the default TapeMode applied to an inserted tape when the mode argument is not present on the @Betamax annotation.

ignoreHosts

a list of hosts that will be ignored by the Betamax proxy. Any requests made to these hosts will proceed normally.

ignoreLocalhost

if set to true the Betamax proxy will ignore connections to local addresses. This is equivalent to setting ignoreHosts to ["localhost", "127.0.0.1", InetAddress.localHost.hostName, InetAddress.localHost.hostAddress].

sslEnabled

if set to true the Betamax proxy will also intercept HTTPS traffic.

If you have a file called BetamaxConfig.groovy or betamax.properties somewhere in your classpath it will be picked up by the Recorder class.

Example BetamaxConfig.groovy script

betamax {
    tapeRoot = new File('test/fixtures/tapes')
    proxyPort = 1337
    proxyTimeout = 30000
    defaultMode = TapeMode.READ_ONLY
    ignoreHosts = ['localhost', '127.0.0.1']
    ignoreLocalhost = true
    sslEnabled = true
}

Example betamax.properties file

betamax.tapeRoot=test/fixtures/tapes
betamax.proxyPort=1337
betamax.proxyTimeout=30000
betamax.defaultMode=READ_ONLY
betamax.ignoreHosts=localhost,127.0.0.1
betamax.ignoreLocalhost=true
betamax.sslEnabled=true

Caveats

Security

Betamax is a testing tool and not a spec-compliant HTTP proxy. It ignores any and all headers that would normally be used to prevent a proxy caching or storing HTTP traffic. You should ensure that sensitive information such as authentication credentials is removed from recorded tapes before committing them to your app’s source control repository.

Examples

Betamax’s GitHub repository includes an example Grails application.

About

Why “Betamax”?

Betamax is a JVM port of the VCR library for Ruby. It is named after Betamax, an obsolete format of Video Cassette Recorder.

License

Apache Software Licence, Version 2.0

Issues

Please raise issues on Betamax’s GitHub issue tracker. Forks and pull requests are more than welcome.

Dependencies

Betamax depends on the following libraries (you will need them available on your test classpath in order to use Betamax):

Groovy 1.7+

Apache HttpClient

Jetty 7

SnakeYAML

JUnit 4

If your project gets dependencies from a Maven repository these dependencies will be automatically included for you.

Author

Rob Fletcher

Contributors

Marcin Erdmann

Lari Hotari

Nobuhiro Sue

Acknowledgements

Betamax is inspired by the VCR library for Ruby written by Myron Marston. Porting VCR to Groovy was suggested to me by Jim Newbery.

HTTPS support was largely the work of Lari Hotari.

The documentation is built with Jekyll, Twitter Bootstrap, LESS, Modernizr, jQuery & Google Code Prettify. The fonts are Kameron, Bitter and Source Code Pro.

© Rob Fletcher 2011


Toulouse's trusted full-back, Serge Aurier is on the verge of setting his foot on Emirates stadium. The Ivorian star is said to be the perfect replacement for Arsenal's Bacary Sagna.
After spending seven (7) years with the Gunners, Sagna is off to sign a lucrative contract with the newly crowned Premier League champion, Manchester City.
According to reports, the Gunners have already prepared a £7M deal for Aurier and were eager to seal the deal prior to the upcoming 2014 World Cup.
When asked about his reaction, Aurier explained that Arsenal's offer is simply irresistible. He added that he is swayed by the club's rich history and reputation.
Other than Arsenal, Paris Saint Germain also targets Aurier. Unfortunately, it is evident that Aurier has already set his eyes on playing in the Premier League.
Andre Ayew is another prominent figure that will leave the confines of Ligue 1. Marseille's winger is keen on joining the Brendan Rodgers' revolution and is very vocal about his enthusiasm in joining the said outfit.
The winger also confirmed that Rafael Benitez's squad also encouraged him to join Napoli's ranks. However, it is evident that Ayew is more likely to wear a Liverpool jersey next season.
Said to be uncomfortable when playing the "wide role" and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's "second fiddle," El Matador is said to be the main target of Manchester United.
Reports have it that the Red Devils' camp is willing to match the talismanic striker's salary at Paris Saint Germain.
It remains unclear and perhaps too early to tell if this deal will push through. This is most especially true after Cavani reportedly tweeted his satisfaction in Parc des Princes.
There is a possibility that Premier League's PFA Young Player of the Year awardee, Eden Hazard will return to the French League.
The young midfielder is said to be the main target of Paris Saint Germain this summer. Speculations have it that the relationship between Hazarad and his manager, Jose Mourinho, has turned sour after their disappointing exit in the Champions League.
The attempt to return to France remains unconfirmed though. Likewise, it is less likely that Chelsea will permit its highly rated player to leave their ranks.


Croan Cottages has always been my absolute favorite place in all Ireland!
It is my deepest hope that someday I will be able to return.
I just thought I'd send you a quick note to say that we really enjoyed our stay in Croan cottages and we look forward to seeing you both again.
We really had a lovely time at Croan, you place is absolutely beautiful and we loved every minute of our stay. Your "wildlife" was something to behold and of course Pixie and Boris were mesmarised by the Peacock family. The food was also excellent and "finished it off" on the Sunday night. We hope that we will be able to spend some time with you in the future. Thanks again for everything.
Name: Jo, Damian, Skye and Wrigley the dog!
Thank you Francis and Niamh for another great stay at Croan Cottages..
just to let you know that we had a wonderful break with you all - probably the best holiday we have ever had.
Back in Spain, just a few lines to tell you we enjoyed verymuch the time spent in Ireland (despite the weather) and that you were very nice and helpful.
I think we will remember for a long time our wonderful holiday in Ireland.
We have already received your letter and refund of the deposit. Thank you very much.
Thanks very much for a lovely holiday, cottages were superb.
The property was well laid out, very clean and well stocked in most things as a home from home. The location was excellent and we thouroughlly enjoyed our week away. We were well looked after by Niamh and Francis.
Thanks to Francis & Niamh. We really enjoyed our stay in Croan Cottages. The setting was absolutely beautiful with the blossom trees in the courtyard. The kids enjoyed the animals on site and the house was very clean and bright. Although we didnt avail of the cooked meals, we thought it was a lovely touch and we will definitely be back at some stage in the future.


text:
Study highlights differences in Anthropometric characteristics between Asian and European population
World Congress of Cardiology Report - Results from a large scale international study assessing prevalence of abdominal obesity in over 170,000 people have previously confirmed that a high waist circumference is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) independently of body mass index (BMI) and age.(1)
The International Day for the Evaluation of Abdominal Obesity (IDEA) study, which involved a random sample of more than 6,000 primary care practitioners in 63 countries, showed that abdominal obesity is highly prevalent worldwide among people in a primary care setting.
The results from this study confirm that although average waist circumference (WC) and BMI are lower in Asian populations, the impact of increased values remains the same in terms of prevalence of CVD. CVD is the leading cause of death and has emerged as a prominent public health issue around the world.(2) One in 8 men and one in 17 women die from CVD before the age of 65 in European countries.(3)
While death rates from CVD have been decreasing in Western countries, they have been increasing in many Asian countries, including Malaysia, China, Korea and Taiwan.(4) Although CVD risk is perceived to be low in economically developing countries, ischemic heart disease and stroke were 2 of the 3 leading causes of mortality in such countries in 1990. In absolute terms, India and China are the top two countries worldwide for deaths attributed to coronary heart disease (CHD) or stroke.(5)
In this context, the IDEA study provided an opportunity to assess the distribution of WC and BMI in primary care patients across three Asian regions compared with North-West Europe, taken as a reference Western population, in order to determine the regional association between WC, BMI and prevalent CVD and other cardiometabolic risk factors.
The three Asian regions studied were East Asia (China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan), South Asia (India, Pakistan) and South East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam). Eleven countries in Europe comprised the NW European population, namely Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland. A total of 30,783 patients participated in the 12 Asian countries, while the 11 NW European countries included 29,582 patients. Approximately 50% of the participants were male.
"The IDEA study provides a unique platform for measuring waist circumference, alongside current measures such as BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels, in a large number of patients from varied geographic origins, in a primary care setting," said Professor Jean-Pierre Bassand, M.D., professor of cardiology at the University of Franche-Comte, in Besançon, France, and member of the IDEA Study Executive Committee. "This will help us to characterise cardiometabolic risk specifically among Asian populations (6), as compared to North Western Europe, and thus, we can more accurately identify patients at risk," continued Professor Bassand.
It is surprising how highly prevalent overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity are in the Asian platform. More than 40% of men and 35% of women are overweight (BMI 25 - 30 Kg/m2) or obese (BMI >30 Kg/m2). In South Asia (India and Pakistan), 56% of women are overweight or obese according these standard criteria.
When considering the different thresholds for WC, the prevalence of abdominal obesity according to NCEP/ATPIII WC criteria (>102/88cm) ranged from 6% (East and South East Asia) to 20% (South Asia) in men and from 22% (East and South East Asia) to 55% (South Asia) in women. When considering the IDF WC criteria (WC ≥90/80cm for Asia and ≥94/80cm for Europeans), the prevalence of abdominal obesity ranged from 38% (East and South East Asia) to 58% (South Asia) in men and from 51% (East and South East Asia) to 75% (South Asia) in women. This illustrates the differences among the Asian regions that cannot simply be due to ethnicity, but probably involve a range of genetic, socio-economic and cultural factors.
Interestingly in NW Europe, the prevalence of overweight (BMI 25 - 30 Kg/m2) was 42% in men and 29% in women, and the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥30 Kg/m2) 22% in men and women, meaning that two thirds of the male and half of the female population in this study had excess body weight. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 31% in men and 43% in women according to NCEP/ATPIII WC criteria and 58% in men and 67% in women according to IDF WC criteria (WC ≥94/80cm for Europeans).
When looking at the CVD prevalence in these different regions, the overall age-standardised prevalence of CVD in men was 15% in NW Europe (approximately 1 in 6 people), and slightly lower at 12–13% (about 1 in 7 to 8 people) across the three Asian regions. In women, the prevalence of CVD was lower in NW Europe (9%) than in the three Asian regions (12–13%).
When considering standard cutoffs for BMI or WC, it is therefore obvious that obesity and abdominal obesity are highly prevalent in Asia but are still lower than in Europe except may be for South Asia where they are similar to Europe. However, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in this population of primary care patients was almost similar to, or even higher in Asian populations than in Europe. This analysis confirms that, despite lower WC and BMI, there is like a disproportionate rise in CHD across Asia. Adiposity as defined for Western population standards significantly underestimates the disease burdens from CVD. The impact of obesity (reflected by BMI and WC) may begin at different thresholds in Asian populations than among the Western population.
"IDEA is a study of unprecedented magnitude, and the wide range of ages and geographic origins included make the IDEA data a mine of invaluable information," commented Professor Bassand. "This data provide us with a unique opportunity to examine patient characteristics in various regions of the world, with a view to tailoring diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to suit local characteristics." Most recommended obesity thresholds assessing the risk of obesity-related diseases are based on studies conducted among Western (primarily Caucasian) populations , and no measures specific to the anthropometric characteristics of Asian populations are yet widely implemented.
Cardiometabolic risk is the global risk of developing type 2 diabetes and CVD. Cardiometabolic risk is determined by the presence of traditional risk factors such as LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol), hypertension (elevated blood pressure), type 2 diabetes and smoking as well as by a cluster of emerging markers linked to insulin resistance that are most frequently found in clinical practice among patients with abdominal obesity, especially those with an excess of intra-abdominal adiposity (too much "high risk" abdominal fat). Among these clustering emerging markers affecting cardiometabolic risk are increased C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, and reduced adiponectin, an adipose tissue protein that protects against the development of diabetes and CVD (7,8). These abnormalities are often found clustered together with abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides (blood fat), low HDL-cholesterol levels (good cholesterol), elevated blood glucose (high blood sugar) and high blood pressure.(9)
The IDEA study was an international non-interventional epidemiological cross-sectional study conducted in 63 countries across five continents. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of abdominal obesity, as measured by waist circumference, in an unselected population of consecutive patients consulting a randomly selected sample of primary care physicians on two pre-specified half-days. The study also estimated the association between abdominal obesity, CVD and other cardiometabolic risk factors.
The variables assessed and recorded were waist circumference (measured in centimetres or inches), height (cm/in) and body weight (kg/lbs). In addition, demographic data were collected on gender, age and highest level of education. The presence or absence of classical CVD risk factors such as smoking status, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes and existing CVD (coronary heart disease, stroke or prior revascularisation) were also recorded.
The IDEA survey is the first part of a large epidemiological programme and will be followed by two other studies: the International Study of Prediction of Intra-Abdominal Adiposity and its Relationship with Cardiometabolic Risk/Intra Abdominal Adiposity (INSPIRE ME) and the INSPIRE ME Intra-Abdominal Adiposity (INSPIRE ME/IAA) study. INSPIRE ME will provide further epidemiological evidence of the relationship between cardiometabolic risk markers and previous CVD events and type 2 diabetes.
(1) Haffner S on behalf of the IDEA Executive Committee. Waist circumference and Body Mass Index are both independently associated with cardiovascular disease. The International Day for the Evaluation of Abdominal Obesity (IDEA) survey. Abstract presentation at American College of Cardiology's 55th Annual Scientific Session. 2006
(2) Myths and facts. [fact sheet on the Internet]. World Heart Federation. Geneva c2004 [cited 7th February 2006]. Available from: http://www.worldheart.org/call-to-action-myths-facts.php
(3) Rayner M & Petersen S. European Cardiovascular Disease Statistics. British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group. Volume 4 2004
(4) Khor GL. Cardiovascular epidemiology in the Asia-Pacific region. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2001;10:76–80.
(5) World Health Organization (WHO) (2005). The Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke (http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/resources/atlas/en/).
(6) Seidell JC, Kahn HS, Williamson DF, Lissner L, Valdez R. Report from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Workshop on use of adult anthropometry for public health and primary health care. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:123–126; National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) final report. Circulation 2002;106:3143–3421; World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet 004;363: 157–163.
(7) Matsuzawa Y, Funahashi T, Kihara S, Shimomura I. Adiponectin and Metabolic Syndrome. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2004; 24: 29-33.
(8) Patel VB, Robbins MA, Topol EJ. C-Reactive Protein: A 'Golden Marker' For Inflammation And Coronary Artery Disease. Cleve Clin J Med. 2001; 68:521-534.
(9) Wajchenberg BL. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue: their relation to the metabolic syndrome. Endocrine Reviews, 2000; 21(6): 697-738
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Tags: Adiponectin, Adipose, Blood, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, Body Mass Index, Body Mass Index (BMI), Cardiology, Cardiometabolic, Cardiovascular Disease, Cholesterol, Consultation, Coronary Artery Disease, Coronary Heart Disease, C-Reactive Protein, Diabetes, Diagnostic, Education, Endocrine, Endocrinology, Epidemiology, Genetic, Glucose, G-Protein, Health Care, Heart, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, High Blood Sugar, Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), Inflammation, Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Ischemic Heart Disease, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Metabolic Syndrome, Mortality, Obesity, Primary Care, Protein, Public Health, Research, Smoking, Smoking Addiction, Stroke, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, Type I Diabetes, X-linked
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text:
Turkey: Heavy snowfall shuts down Antalya road
Unexpected snowfall late on Wednesday led to the closure of a road connecting Antalya, a southern Turkish summer resort city known for its warm climate, in the central province of Konya.
An elevated section of the road between Antalya's Akseki district and Konya's Seydişehir district was hit with heavy snowfall and ice. Visibility was almost nonexistent, leaving motorists stranded, and drivers desperately waited in their cars as they could not move for hours. Tow trucks were dispatched to the area to remove cars blocking the road while snowplows worked tirelessly to clear the road. Traffic police helped drivers find accommodation at hotels in the area where the snow depth reached 10 centimeters.
Elsewhere in Turkey, snowfall gripped the easternmost province of Kars. The province is known for hosting a lengthy cold spell during winter, but snowfall in April is rare. Weather forecasters warn that eastern Turkey will experience a period of snowfall until the weekend, with temperatures eight degrees Celsius below what is generally expected in the spring.
In photos: Southwest France hit by heavy floods


We'll let the heads argue about what was the best, but for times like this, you just gotta sit back and let some tunes play. You don't have any more essential weekend, early Spring listening than these records, not this weekend. RIP Phife, and thank you for pointing so many in such an amazing direction.


text:
Protesters Storm Edo Government House With Corpse Of Man Killed by Herdsmen (Photo)
Webby February 19, 2021 February 19, 2021
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Angry protesters have stormed the Edo state government house over killings by herdsmen in the state.
The residents from Ovia Northeast Local Government Area of Edo State stormed the Government House, Benin, with the body of one of the seven persons killed in their area by criminal herdsmen.
The protesters arrived at the government house on Thursday evening, Feb 18, where they gave Governor Godwin Obaseki a three-day ultimatum to ensure adequate security of lives and property.
They said they resorted to taking the body to the State's Government House because when they reported to the police in their area, they were simply told to deposit the body in the morgue.
The protesters said they had experienced frequent killing of innocent residents by herdsmen in the last few weeks.
Seven persons were killed by criminal herdsmen in the farming communities of Ugboke, Oshodi, Okokodo, Ariyan and Yoruba camp in the LGA.
The leader of the protesters, Michael Idahosa, said residents of the affected communities could no longer bear the incessant attacks by the criminal herdsmen.
He said: "We are here to protest the killings by herdsmen in our communities. Governor Godwin Obaseki came to Ovia Northeast LGA in 2017 when herdsmen killed one of our persons and he promised to tackle the problem of herdsmen in our area, but Edo State government did not address the issue."
Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, who received the protesters, reassured them that the state government would intensify efforts at providing adequate security to check the criminal activities of killer herdsmen in the state.
Shaibu said: "As a state, we have made up our mind not to lament, but to look for solutions on how to protect our country and our state.
"There was also an attack in the early hours of today in Niger State. It is a national problem. As we speak now, Governor Obaseki and other governors are in Abuja to discuss this insecurity issue in our country.
"You will remember that we are bringing in local vigilance members to collaborate with law enforcement agencies. We are strengthening our system and we will still need your support.
"We do not want to take laws into our own hands, but at the same time, we cannot fold our arms and watch the people kill us. Take it easy; some bodies are yet to be found, I have had a discussion with the security agencies. Their personnel will move into the area.
"I can assure you that they will recover bodies of all the victims and we will intensify the security in the area.
"We will categorise the area as one of the flashpoints in Edo State. So that you can sleep with your eyes closed."
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text:
Flying Car Contenders
Submitted by Richard Smith on March 17, 2008 - 16:54
Combining a car and an airplane into a single vehicle has proved to be an elusive dream. The convenience of a so-called flying car goes unquestioned, but the technical challenges are immense. It seems that the flying car is eternally 5-10 years away from reality. Each of the latest crop of would-be flying car manufacturers thinks that they have the necessary secret sauce to bring the flying car to life.
The idea of a personal air vehicle, whether it is a personal jetpack or a flying car, has never failed to grab the public's attention. The flying car is especially enticing, conjuring up a convenient personal transport that avoids congested roads by rising above them. Movies and computer games regularly show such vehicles, such as "The Fifth Element" and in the James Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun." Reality, however, proves a little disappointing with a dearth of such machines.
The challenge of a combined roadworthy and airworthy vehicle is immense. Legally, the vehicle has to satisfy two disparate sets of safety requirements for regulatory bodies of the roads and airways. Technically, the vehicle has to generate enough lift in flight to counter its weight. The most efficient method to generate lift is to use wings, but the wingspan to support the weight of a typical car would be impractical on the open road. The propulsion system for a low-speed airplane favors a propeller over a jet, which raises safety issues while on and near the ground.
Still all is not lost; there are a number of entrepreneurs, engineers and dreamers who believe it is time for a flying car. Solving what seem like intractable problems is what gets these people out of bed on a Monday morning. Some of these pioneers are discussed below.
Moller, founded by Paul Moller, is one of the few companies to have flown a test vehicle (albeit tethered), having progressed through a series of working concept demonstrators - they've even tried to sell test vehicles to the public through eBay. Their latest concept, the M400 Skycar, uses 4 ducted fans, one mounted on each corner of the vehicle for propulsion. Like the V-22 Osprey, the fans rotate around a horizontal axis to allow vertical takeoff and landing. Recent concept pictures of the Skycar show it has sprouted foldable wings to more efficiently generate lift in forward motion. The ducted fans are powered by patented high-efficiency Wankel rotary engines.
The Skycar is a car in name only; it is designed to taxi short distances on the ground and takeoff and land in confined spaces using its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. In essence the Skycar is the embodiment of a true flying car - you take off and land with minimal time on the ground.
Milner Motors
Milner Motors' AirCar is a roadworthy concept design with folding wings. Milner Motors is headed by the father and son team of James (founder) and Chris Milner. Their design uses twin rear-mounted ducted fans for propulsion while airborne and a separate small engine for earth-bound locomotion. It appears to be a simplified version of the Moller M400 Skycar. Currently there are virtual renderings and a non-flying but drivable mockup of the AirCar.
Terrafugia
Terrafugia was founded by MIT graduates and is advised by Mark Drela (the MIT professor behind XFOIL) to pursue their idea of a flying car called the Transition. Folding wings, twin tails and a rear mounted propeller for propulsion characterize this "roadable Light-Sport Aircraft." After performing extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and wind tunnel tests, Terrafugia is currently constructing their first physical concept demonstrator. In a novel move, they are also offering free flights in a virtual model of the Transition within the X-Plane flight simulator.
StrongMobile
The Magic Dragon Aircar from StrongMobile is Richard Strong's concept of a "roadable aircar." Working on his concept design since the 1960's, Strong has produced a detailed business plan and schematics. The basis of his concept is a front mounted ducted fan and a lifting body. A lifting body derives lift not only from wings (as in a traditional airplane) but also from the shape of the fuselage too, thus increasing the vehicle's overall aerodynamic efficiency. Progress through wind tunnel models and scale models has resulted in a full size non-functioning mock up.
Who is likely to succeed? Call back in 5-10 years to find out. Can't wait that long? Then track progress at the annual unofficial flying car "show and tell" during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
AirCar at the 2008 New Your Auto Show
Submitted by Richard Smith on March 24, 2008 - 08:42.
Milner Motors' AirCar and its earth-bound cousin ElectriCar were on display at the 2008 New York Auto Show. Check out AutoblogGreen's gallery of Milner's cars at the show.
this is an opinion
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 14, 2008 - 13:27.
Flying Cars on 60 Minutes
Submitted by Richard Smith on May 16, 2008 - 10:48.
A flying car feature on 60 Minutes shows various flying concepts in action.
The concept of a flying car
Submitted by Dwight P (not verified) on March 27, 2009 - 01:18.
The concept of a flying car has been a dream pursued by inventors since the dawn of aviation and a fantasy long held by commuters wishing they could soar above traffic. Terrafugia today said it had successfully flown its Transition Roadable Aircraft that can transform itself from car to plane version in less than 30 seconds.There have been successes that never began mass production, and miserable failures including a flying car that used the Ford Pinto. (That should have been the first clue it was headed for disaster.) Well, there is now a company called Terrafugia, and they have a roadable aircraft (that's the term) called the Transition. The Transition has folding wings, and can reach over 100 mph in the air, 60 mph on the ground, runs on gasoline and has a range of about 400 miles. You'll need some hefty personal loans for one however, as this flying car has a sticker price of about $200,000.
Strongmobile Flying Car Project
Submitted by Richard A. Strong (not verified) on February 21, 2012 - 11:08.
You are cordially invited to see my StrongMobile Flying Car Project at http://www.strongware.com/dragon. You can view a 2-minute video of my full-size mockup model and consider the part about "Busting the Myths".
I would greatly appreciate any opinions or recommendations you may care to offer.
Rich Strong (Major,USAF,Retired)


Welcome to another edition of the Stamp Review Crew, a group of Stampin' Up demonstrators who blog on the first and third Monday of every month, highlighting a specific Stampin' Up stamp set. If you're hopping in order, you just came from Kelly's blog.
This week we're featuring Mosaic Madness. This set reminds me of a Moroccan motif. To come up with a color combo, I searched my favorite website – Pinterest – for "Moroccan color combinations." I settled on this pretty picture. I think it's from a clothing site, but the link was broken. Hello Honey and Cajun Craze – right?
I decided I liked the color combination, but the card wasn't really doing it for me, so I tried a redesign. I think I like this one better – what do you think?
I even added sequins. I really am trying to incorporate more bling in my cards and this one has not one, but SEVEN sequins. What do you think?
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Moroccan, I agree. I love the colors and the way you shaped the mosaics into a curve. Really nice!
Great interpretation, Nancy! Your card is delightful!
A beautiful color combination…perfect for a Moroccan vibe! I absolutely love the curve…very unique!
I agree this is awesome how you used pinterest for the color combo. It's a beautiful combination. I like the layout and what you did with layering the mosaics.
The color combination is perfect! The white space adds to the palette perfectly!
I love the arc of mosaics on the first card, the use of white space on the second, and the stunning coloring between and inside the stamps on the third, wow! What a fantastic group of cards!